The world beyond the Ashvathar estate felt louder than Arav remembered.
Not louder in sound—but in presence.
Caravans rumbled along stone roads, wheels creaking under loads of ore and beast hide. Merchants argued cheerfully. Guards laughed too loudly. Somewhere in the distance, steel rang against steel as trainees practiced in open yards.
Arav walked between Aaryan and Meghala, his steps small but steady, Vyomar cradled securely against his chest.
The white lion cub peeked out from Arav's arms, golden eyes wide, ears twitching at every unfamiliar noise.
"Relax," Meghala said lazily. "If anything bites, I'll bite back harder."
Vyomar did not look convinced.
The cub tucked its head under Arav's chin, tail flicking nervously.
Sharanya smiled softly. "This is good for him. And for you."
Arav nodded, though his fingers tightened slightly in Vyomar's fur.
It had been nearly two months since the cub's arrival.
Two quiet months.
The fog-hunter never returned.
The Council remained distant.
The Thunder resonance stayed faint but present—like a drumbeat far away.
And Arav… had grown.
Not taller.
Not stronger.
But steadier.
His flame no longer flared at every emotion. Distortions still happened—but less often, and smaller. He could breathe through them now.
Today was his first step beyond the estate since everything changed.
Their destination lay ahead: a low-level dungeon site maintained under Ashvathar jurisdiction. Nothing dangerous. Nothing heroic.
Just real.
As they approached, Arav felt it.
A subtle tug in his chest.
Not fear.
Recognition.
The system stirred.
[Sign-In Opportunity Detected]
Location: Abandoned Boundary Marker — Outer Ring Dungeon
Arav blinked but didn't stop walking.
He'd learned not every sign-in needed ceremony.
Sign in, he thought quietly.
A soft warmth passed through him.
[Sign-In Complete]
Reward: Minor Dungeon Sense (Passive)
Description: Host gains faint instinctive awareness of unstable terrain, traps, and low-threat entities.]
Meghala stopped suddenly.
"Did you feel that?"
Aaryan glanced at Arav. "What did you sense?"
Arav hesitated, then pointed. "That way… the ground feels wrong."
Meghala crouched, tapped the stone, and raised an eyebrow.
"Huh. Hollow pocket. Old collapse."
She looked at Arav sharply. "You didn't see that. You felt it."
Arav nodded.
Meghala grinned. "Oh, I like this."
Vyomar chirped softly, then growled—very quietly—at a nearby bush.
A second later, a small horned creature bolted out and ran the other way.
Meghala laughed. "And Furbols is a natural scout."
Vyomar puffed up proudly… then tripped over his own paw.
Arav caught him instantly. "Careful."
The cub licked his finger apologetically.
They entered the dungeon shortly after.
It wasn't dark—just dim. Glowing moss lined the walls. Old markings told stories no one remembered. The air smelled of damp stone and faint aether.
Arav's heart beat faster—not with fear, but anticipation.
This was different from training yards.
Different from simulations.
Here, mistakes mattered.
Aaryan's voice was calm but firm. "You observe. You do not engage unless instructed."
"Yes," Arav replied seriously.
They moved slowly.
A weak beast scuttled across their path—barely Rank 1.
Meghala dispatched it in a single motion, efficient and controlled.
Arav watched closely.
Not the strike—but the timing.
The restraint.
Vyomar growled softly at the fallen beast, then sneezed.
Meghala burst out laughing. "Yep. Definitely terrifying."
As they exited the dungeon an hour later, Arav felt tired—but not overwhelmed.
Satisfied.
Outside, the sky had shifted toward evening gold.
A passing caravan slowed as they walked by.
Someone whispered.
"That's him."
"The Ashvathar child."
"And the white cub…"
Arav tightened his hold on Vyomar instinctively.
Aaryan's gaze flicked toward the onlookers once.
The whispers died instantly.
Sharanya squeezed Arav's hand. "You did well today."
Arav smiled—small, but genuine.
Vyomar yawned, golden eyes drooping.
As they headed home, Arav looked up at the sky.
The world felt bigger now.
And for the first time—
he felt ready to walk in it.