"We are finally going home! I am so happy. I just need a long shower and some sleep. I know, I know, the hums are going to invade us soon, but I really need a few hours to myself before all that happens…" Selûne cried out as the team waited for her grandfather to pick them up.

"We know. You've been saying that for days, but yes, you'll finally get to do whatever you want after this," Horin sighed. She was starting to want the same thing after hearing the elf repeat it so often.

"They should be here soon. Everyone got their share of cores, right? To think we were able to get five thousand cores and reach floor eighteen… it was a good week, I suppose."

Fay had no one else to compare himself with, but after Maria gained her new power from Chronos, everything changed. She could freeze enemies in place, whether it was a lone beast or an entire pack, giving the team all the time they needed to strike and end the fight safely.

As for the girl in question, Maria chuckled softly while standing behind Horin and Selûne. She knew she couldn't leave those two too close together. Tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, she stretched slightly and glanced up at the bright sun overhead.

"Even though you're the one who wants a bath the most… You should at least tell us how you keep your hair so clean."

Selûne looked back with a grin. "Oh? And why the sudden interest, Mary? Is there a man back at camp you're interested in?"

Maria shook her head. She didn't have anyone like that, or at least she'd never given it much thought before coming here.

"Nothing like that. I just mean… after spending so long in the dark, I let my hair go more than I should have. Not like any of us cared about appearances when we couldn't even see."

"Fine, what a boring girl," Selûne teased. "I'll teach you about some oils we have. Maybe give me three cores each, and I'll buy them from our alchemist, she's the best."

Fay glanced at Joan, who seemed a little down after hearing Maria's words. He patted the boy's shoulder and whispered, "She's a year or two older. You can't expect her to think much of you yet."

Giving Joan another reassuring pat, Fay's gaze drifted to the distance. There, he spotted movement of three figures, possibly a man accompanied by three large birds.

"Alright, let's get ready to leave this place. I can see someone coming."

The four members of his team each made a different expression, but overall, they were just happy to finally be heading home.

A few minutes later, Erian came into view. He was one of the two Mistwalkers who had been staying in Fay's city.

"Good to see you all," Erian said. "We need to start moving right away. How about we talk while everyone packs up? We need to be back before sunset. There's a lot we need to go over."

Fay, who had been expecting his sister to be with them, felt a twinge of disappointment.

"Sorry, kid," Erian added, catching the look. "Your dragon's busy helping move the sick. Elaruîn, our leader, made some sort of deal with her. She's been lending a hand ever since. Don't ask me what he promised her, I have no idea."

Fay was curious, but he could tell Erian wasn't going to say more until they were on the move.

"Alright, let's pack it in," Fay said, signaling to the others. Grin was called out so he could start getting ready for the long road back.

His large hyena did not grow much after getting stronger, but the amount of aether he was able to store was so much better.

Horin finished tying off the last bundle of cores, while Selûne made a point of wrapping hers in cloth as if they were precious jewels.

They fell into step behind Erian, the great birds at his side padding across the uneven ground with silent grace.

"So," Fay began, "what's going on?"

Erian's expression tightened. "Things have been… shifting in the city. The hums have been sending scouts closer to the outer wards. It's not an attack yet, but the Mistwalkers think they're testing the defenses. And that's just the start."

Horin's tail flicked behind her. "What's the rest?"

Erian glanced back to make sure no one else was in earshot. "There... as you can see, some of the refugees are outside of your city, Fay… I think your dragon is waiting for you to be the one to decide what to do with them…"

"Refuges?" Maria asked.

"Yeah, about a few hundred," Erian said grimly. "No one knows whether to accept them or tell them to leave. That's another thing that needs your help: the residents in your city are restless. With the fight coming closer each day… You might want to go hunting soon and throw another big feast, bringing in plenty of meat. That's the only thing I can think of."

"More work before I've even arrived…" Fay muttered. "I wonder if I should just hand your father the crown."

He already knew Horin's father would never accept it.

Horin smirked, her cat ears twitching. "My dad has done so much work already, so... you'd better be grateful when we return..."

"I bet… do you think he will be able to recover his creature, though with all the fire cores we were able to give you?" Fay asked, he recalled Horin being close to her father's creature, as if it were her grandfather.

"I am not sure… but I really hope so, he will need it in the coming fight."

Horin finished helping everyone onto Grin's back, while the others mounted the broad-backed birds Erian had brought.

The creatures moved with surprising speed, their talons gripping the dirt road as they carried the group toward the city. Horin and Fay rode together on Grin, the great beast's powerful strides easily keeping pace with the birds.

The journey back passed in a blur, conversation kept to a minimum as each of them slipped into their own thoughts.

By the time the sun had dipped low in the sky, the city's walls came into view, tall, weathered stone that still bore scars from past battles.

But it wasn't the walls that drew Fay's attention first.

Outside the gates, stretching along the outer road, stood a sprawling refugee camp. Tents and makeshift shelters crowded together, smoke curling from scattered cooking fires. People milled about in worn clothing, their faces a mixture of exhaustion and hope.

Fay slowed his mount, his eyes scanning the camp. "Looks like your 'few hundred' might have turned into more," he said to Erian.

Erian nodded grimly. "Yeah… well, their numbers rose slightly from this morning, and I guess that isn't even the ones inside those small tents… anyways, we should go back and find the leaders, the two should be within the walls."

Besides the refugees, Fay pointed toward the grass and small patches of foliage beginning to grow outside the walls. He couldn't help but wonder where the world tree was, since no one seemed able to see it.

"About that," Erian began, "Leader Elaruîn is the only one who knows its true location, him and the dragon. They've created a particular magic that makes everyone forget where the tree is, even if it's right in front of them. It disappeared after the first day… no one knows where it was before, it just suddenly vanished."

Everyone was astonished at this, as if it were real magic; even the Mistwalker, who was said to be one of the ones who should have been able to be trusted, wasn't told the position.

"I was just told that it's a magic that works better when fewer people know about it… the leader might not even know where he placed the tree either… but whatever your dragon did… it is amazing… anyways, the grass grew a few days, trees and shrubs began to grow just this morning… I believe they are growing at three times the speed, so hopefully we might have a forest within the next few weeks."

Horin tapped the bag of cores at her side, a smile forming on her face.

"That might even be too long with the amount of aether cores we brought."

Everyone nodded in agreement. It was likely far more than Mirage had ever expected them to return with

"Fine. I didn't expect to see three bags so full of them, so let's hurry and get into the city. We have a lot to discuss before Fay starts settling things with the newcomers."

The group closed in on the city gates, the towering stone walls casting long shadows in the fading light. Guards on the ramparts called out, and the massive wooden doors began to creak open.

The sound drew the attention of the refugees, but none moved to rush inside; they simply remained outside, quietly watching and inspecting the returning youths.

Fay guided Grin forward while the birds slowed to a steady trot, the sound of talons and claws tapping against the worn cobblestones. Just beyond the threshold, three figures waited.

Elaruîn stood at the center, his silvery-green hair catching the evening light, eyes sharp as he studied the returning party.

Beside him, Mirage offered a small, knowing smile, her posture relaxed, though her gaze lingered on the bulging bags of aether cores. Nahrin, leaning slightly on her spear, gave a nod of acknowledgment, her expression unreadable.

"Welcome back," Elaruîn said, his voice carrying easily over the low murmur of onlookers. "We have much to discuss."

Fay exchanged a brief glance with his team before dismounting. Whatever rest they had hoped for would have to wait.

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