On the Road
The sun was rising when they left Branthollow behind.
At Draven will, the Codex manifested beside him, opening with a faint glow.. One by one, the Servitors stepped into the light and faded into the pages. The mule's heavy frame broke into sparks, the ox's rumble quieted into glowing lines, and even the flock of birds dissolved into the parchment.
Only the Nobles stayed with him. Feyra walked close, her tails flicking softly. Stonehide moved behind, runes glowing under its hide. Above, the Thunder Raven circled, leaving sparks in the sky.
Mira slowed her steps, staring hard at the book. She had seen slave marks drag beasts into chains before, but this was different. The beasts had walked into it on their own. She finally stepped closer."Why are the beasts obeying you without marks?" she asked.
The Codex appeared at his side, hovering in the air, its cover opening plainly for her to see
"This book doesn't use chains. It only records the bonds. The beasts follow me because they choose to."
He turned the pages.Pictures glowed faintly, drawn in light.
Feyra's picture showed blossoms glowing in her tails. Stonehide's heavy form stood covered in faint runes. The Raven's wings spread wide, storm sparks flickering at the edges.
The Servitors were drawn too — a goat lowering its head, a hound standing alert, a mule standing broad and steady, an ox pushing forward, a pig with short bristles, and a small flock of birds in flight.
Mira leaned closer, flipping back and forth. Her eyes narrowed.
"Where is the falcon from before?"
Draven shook his head.
"It has not chosen me. That's why the Codex doesn't show it."
Mira looked up at the sky. "Then where did it go?"
The wind shifted. A cry rang out, sharp and clear.
She pointed upward. "There."
The Silvergale Falcon broke from the clouds, circling once before it descended. Its wings caught the light as it landed hard on her arm. The weight drove her back a step, but she steadied herself.
The bird's claws gripped her sleeve. Its bright eyes locked with hers.
Her heart raced, but she didn't try to hold it down. She just breathed and spoke quietly.
"Come if you want."
The Falcon tilted its head. Then it gave a clean cry and pushed off, launching skyward. It circled once more and vanished into the clouds.
Mira lowered her arm, sleeve torn where the claws had pressed. Her voice was hushed.
"It listened to me."
Draven nodded.
"Because you didn't force it. You asked, and it chose to answer."
They walked on in silence after that.By nightfall, they had made camp under a broken oak.
The fire burned low when two refugees passed along the road. Their words carried.
First man: "In the border villages, people keep collapsing. Their marks crack, then come back worse."
Second man: "Dominion handlers just watch. The League doesn't care either."
The men hurried on, never noticing Draven's group.
Mira looked toward him, but he said nothing. His eyes stayed on the fire. The Codex glowed faintly at his side.
At last, Draven spoke.
"Then we must go there. If the chains are worse in the borderlands, that's where I'll go and break them."
The fire popped. He looked into the flames, his voice carrying like a vow.
"He fights as storms rage, moves as thunder rolls, and breaks chains as the wind carves mountains."
Mira didn't answer, but the words stayed with her.
On a ridge, two Dominion scouts crouched low, watching the small campfire in the distance.
First scout whispered: "I saw it. He called beasts from a book. They followed him without marks."
Second scout: "He's heading to the border villages. If that's true, the Chainbreaker is real."
They vanished into the night, carrying the words to their captain.
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