The twin, Lumber and Gumber were already waiting outside Heavenfield, standing within their makeshift crate made of four simple wooden planks.
"Why are you guy so slow?"
Their voices were filled with irritation. Shinji stopped, leaning over to catch his breath, his chest heaving from exhaustion. In total contrast, the two brothers showed no signs of being tired. As soon as they finished speaking, they continued their waddling run forward, their armor clattering against the wooden walls. Omelet quickly fluttered his wings and flew ahead, unfolding the map to act as the group's navigator.
Back at Heavenfield's Military District 01, the massive steel gates groaned as the gears ground together. Two rows of soldiers stood in perfect formation, their armor polished to a mirror sheen, as they saluted Grand Commander Prometheus. The outer guards gave one final, solemn bow before retreating.
Prometheus stepped inside slowly. With every stride, the air seemed to compress, growing so tense it felt like a violin string about to snap. Amidst this absolute silence, a soft cough rang out. It was a tiny sound, barely audible.
Yet, the entire rank flinched. High above, looking down from a balcony, Therion speaked.
"He's done."
The soldier who had coughed turned pale, sweat pouring down his face. He looked up, trembling. Prometheus was already standing directly in front of him, his burning gaze fixed on the man. Without a word of scolding, Prometheus reached out his hand, gesturing for a handshake.
The soldier hesitated for less than a heartbeat before taking it, his heart filled with a flicker of desperate hope. The moment their hands met, a violent flame erupted. The sickening sound of searing flesh filled the air. The soldier screamed in agony as his hand was engulfed in fire. The rest of the ranks stood frozen; sweat rolled down their necks, but no one dared to make a sound.
Prometheus let go. The soldier's hand was blistered and charred, shaking uncontrollably, yet he forced himself to stand at attention. He raised his burnt hand to his forehead in a salute.
"Forgive me, Lord Prometheus! I have learned my lesson!"
The Grand Commander replied coldly.
"Good."
He turned and walked away as if nothing had happened. Suddenly, his gaze shifted upward toward the high barracks. Therion was stand stunned there, but Macaw quickly get him to the safe spot. They held their breath, waiting. The gaze lingered for a moment before moving on.
Back with Shinji's group, they had moved far from Heavenfield, traveling along a road that stretched across the open wasteland. The sun was high now, beating down mercilessly. Omelet glanced at the sky, his voice tinged with regret.
"It's a shame... it's been a long time since I've seen a real sunrise."
The group walked in silence, following the lines on the map. In the distance, a colossal tower began to emerge, standing in the middle of the wasteland like a spear thrust into the heavens.
"Miletus Tower."
As they drew closer, they could see guards patrolling the perimeter. Recognizing the group, the soldiers stepped out of the fortress and offered a formal salute. At the top of the tower, a figure appeared—tall, carrying a sword, his face hidden behind a cold mask. It was the same man who had found Shinji unconscious in the Najarin Forest.
Commander Susanoo watched them silently. His eyes suddenly locked onto Shinji, and a brief sense of familiarity washed over him. After a few seconds, the memory surfaced.
"Oh... it's that kid."
At that exact moment, a strange pressure swept past him, as if something invisible had just brushed by his soul.
"What? What was that feeling?"
Before he could investigate, Shinji's group vanished into the distance, continuing their journey.
After a long trek, exhaustion was etched onto everyone's faces—except for Lumber and Gumber. They were still eager to push on, but the rest of the group refused. Finally, they decided to rest under a large tree by the roadside, where the wide canopy provided a refreshing shade.
From their bottomless wooden crate, the two brothers pulled out a massive bag of food that seemed far too large to have fit inside. They opened it up, the aroma of a hot meal filling the air, and treated the entire group to a feast to prepare them for the long road ahead.