Chapter 10: Time to Say Goodbye (3)

Part 3

A month had passed since Melody's farewell, and the group had yet to receive any word from her. Though her radiant energy was missed, life moved on—and so did Haruto's training.

The wind cut through the silence of the mountains as Haruto climbed a snowy trail, pulling a sled loaded with Yuna, Simmone, and several boxes full of rocks.

—Is this really necessary? —Haruto asked between gasps, the cold biting at his skin despite the physical effort.

Yuna, sitting elegantly on top of the boxes, rested her chin in her hand as she watched him.

—Of course. This is for building stamina and balance. Or do you want to stay the weakest in the group?

—You could use magic, brother —Simmone chimed in with her usual emotionless tone, her parasol open as if the snow could even touch her.

—That would be cheating —Yuna said with a mischievous smile—. Besides, Melody made it clear she expects to see some progress in you. You wouldn't want to disappoint her when she comes back, right?

Haruto let out a grunt, leaning forward as he took another heavy step.

—Right, because dragging a sled full of rocks and people is exactly what'll make me stronger…

—Come on, Haruto —Yuna said in a softer tone—. This isn't just physical training—it's about strengthening your will too.

Simmone tilted her parasol slightly, staring at the clouds.

—If it's any consolation, you are improving. You haven't complained as much this month.

The comment made Haruto grit his teeth as he pushed forward, determined to prove he could overcome anything.

Then, as if fate itself were mocking him, a lone tumbleweed rolled across his path. Haruto stopped in his tracks, staring at it in disbelief.

—So we meet again… —he muttered, seething, as he dropped the sled.

Without a second thought, he took off down the mountain in pursuit, leaving Yuna and Simmone behind.

The two girls watched in silence for a few seconds.

—Do you think he'll be back before sunset? —Simmone asked, turning her parasol toward Yuna.

—I don't know. Sometimes I think the cold's getting to his head —Yuna replied, somewhere between amused and resigned.

Meanwhile, in the forge, Thalindra worked on the final adjustments to her latest invention. The tools in her hands moved with the grace of a dancer—but slower than usual, as if she were subconsciously trying to delay her departure.

In all her years as a craftswoman, she had never left the forge for long. It was her sanctuary, her world—the place where she could lose herself in the heat of the metal and the echo of her hammer.

But Thalindra wasn't one to break promises. She had decided to join the group and face the dungeons, knowing that only by confronting new challenges could she surpass her grandfather.

She paused for a moment, gazing at her reflection in the polished surface of a sword she had just finished.

—I'm the only one in my lineage who hasn't left a mark on history… —she murmured to herself, clenching her fists with determination—. But that's about to change.

—That's why I made these gauntlets… they're perfect now, but they haven't proven anything yet. If I want them to rival my grandfather's weapons, they have to earn their worth in battle...

The forge's fire burned brightly, reflected in Thalindra's crimson eyes as she made the final tweaks with her hammer. At that moment, the forge door burst open.

—I finally did it! —Haruto exclaimed with pride as he entered enthusiastically—. I'm ready to take on the Russian boxer! —he added, throwing punches into the air.

Thalindra raised an eyebrow, clearly puzzled by the statement.

—Enlighten me. What exactly have you accomplished? —she asked neutrally, setting her hammer on the table.

—My physical strength reached Rank E! —Haruto said excitedly, like a puppy proud of a minor achievement.

—Good… for you —the dwarf replied, though her tone didn't show much enthusiasm.

Haruto smiled, scratching the back of his neck before noticing that Thalindra seemed focused on something more important.

—On another note… —Thalindra continued, taking a shining component and fitting it into a large circle engraved on the floor—. I've just finished my work.

A red glow ran through the circle's runes, lighting it up with a warm, mystical glow.

—What's this? —asked Kizuna, fluttering curiously around Thalindra.

The dwarf stood up, wiping her hands on a cloth as she admired her creation.

—It's a teleportation circle. It works like the ones you find in dungeons, but this one is my own version.

Yuna, who had just entered the workshop, watched with interest.

—A teleportation circle? That's fascinating —she said as she stepped closer to inspect the runes.

—You're a total genius, Kizu! —Kizuna exclaimed, showering her with praise.

—I already knew that, no need to say it out loud —Thalindra replied with a faint smile.

—And where does this circle take you? —Haruto asked, still impressed.

Thalindra pointed to a bracelet now secured around her left wrist.

—It works in reverse compared to dungeon circles. By using an Ignisite stone, it'll teleport me to this circle.

To demonstrate, she pulled out a small reddish stone and tapped it against a rune on her bracelet. In an instant, she vanished and reappeared within the circle.

—Whoa, that's insanely practical, Kizu! —Haruto said, eyes wide with amazement.

—It also works the other way around —she added, handing similar bracelets to Yuna, Simmone, and Haruto—. If you're inside the circle and select another user from the panel, you can teleport directly to wherever they are.

Thalindra gave another demonstration, selecting Yuna from her interface. Instantly, she vanished from the circle and reappeared right next to the elf, as if by magic.

—Ta-da! —she said with a mildly triumphant tone, raising her arms like she'd just finished a performance.

—That's certainly very interesting, but… why build something like this? —Simmone asked in her calm, neutral voice, inspecting the device carefully.

—With this, I can return to the forge anytime we need something, without having to travel back and forth —Thalindra explained, pointing to a few barrels filled with small red stones—. Each trip uses one Ignisite stone, but luckily, it's the most abundant resource in these mountains.

Simmone nodded, taking it all in.

—I see. So basically, we can only come back to the forge, and from here, teleport to wherever another teammate with a bracelet is.

Thalindra gave a faint smile, clearly pleased.

—Exactly. You're clearly smarter than your brother.

—Hey, that was uncalled for —Haruto said, crossing his arms, clearly offended.

Thalindra gave a short snort, though her expression showed a hint of amusement.

However, when she glanced at the bracelet she had designed for Melody, her face turned more serious.

—If only I had finished it sooner… —she murmured, almost to herself.

The group noticed her sudden change in mood, but no one said a word. The silence settled over the room, broken only by the soft hum of the active runes on the teleportation circle.

Thalindra sighed as Haruto and the others exchanged looks, understanding that Melody's departure had left a gap that was still difficult to fill.

—Well, I guess there's nothing more to do for now...

—Yuna, what's our next destination? I'm ready —Thalindra said, regaining her usual serious tone as she packed away her tools.

—If everyone's ready, we'll return to Mythara the way we came. That means we first need to travel back to Stonehollow. But before that, we have to make a status plate for Simmone —Yuna replied with a practical air.

—Your father gave me this teleportation scroll to return to the village —Haruto said, showing Yuna a glowing magical scroll.

—So my dad gave you something like that? —she commented with a light smile—. Still, it's probably better if we go the normal way. You or Simmone might get stopped again otherwise.

—I can turn into a crow if necessary —Simmone said, in her usual neutral tone.

Yuna shook her head.

—No need. Our next destination is Mythara, but we'll need those permits to move around freely.

—Alright —Thalindra chimed in, adjusting her magic bag—. Let me grab a few tools and add my new hammer to the inventory.

—Do you know anything else about our next mission? —Haruto asked, watching Yuna while Thalindra finished preparing her gear.

—Yes, we need to investigate a mysterious beast that's been attacking the earth elves' livestock —she answered seriously.

—A mysterious beast? Now that's new —Thalindra commented, raising an eyebrow as she zipped her bag shut.

—I don't have more information for now, but we'll figure it out once we arrive —Yuna added, trying to ease the group's concerns.

—Don't worry. We'll find whatever needs finding —Simmone said, her calm demeanor unwavering.

The group stepped out of Thalindra's forge, leaving behind the heat of the fire and the familiar sound of metal striking metal.

The dwarf paused in front of the large wooden sign bearing her family's crest.

She let out a soft sigh, her fingers brushing the key that hung around her neck. Finally, she locked the massive wooden doors firmly.

It wasn't a farewell—it was a see you soon.

As they walked through the bustling streets of Molgorath, dwarves greeted Thalindra with respect and admiration.

The rumor that they had defeated the Soul Reaper in the abandoned mines had already spread. Each nod of recognition made Thalindra's heart beat stronger.

After a few brief stops, they reached the city's main gate.

Thalindra turned to look one last time at the grand dwarven city rising proudly among the towering Valdurn mountains.

The cold wind brushed her face as her eyes filled with determination.

—Grandfather, Father… I swear I'll carry the Terrafist legacy to the heights of history —she murmured, clenching her fist tightly.

The group shared a quiet moment of reflection, gazing at the majestic city from afar.

—It's definitely been quite the experience. I hope we come back someday —Yuna said with a warm smile.

—The Confederation is fascinating. Thinking about everything we've lived through here… I feel a bit nostalgic looking back —Haruto added, arms crossed, eyes on the horizon.

—I'll miss their tea —Simmone said in her usual tone, but with a sincerity that didn't go unnoticed.

—Goodbye, Molgorath! We'll see each other again soon, Kizu! —Kizuna exclaimed, cheerfully twirling in the air.

Haruto looked at his companions, and for a moment, he felt the strength that bound them. Each one carried their own dreams, their own battles, but together they were something more—a makeshift family facing fate with courage.

It was time to say goodbye to the mighty Dwarven Confederation and set off on a new adventure.

"No matter how uncertain the road ahead may be… as long as we're together, we'll keep moving forward."

With Thalindra and Simmone now at their side, the wheel of destiny continued to turn and Mizuki's will stood silently, watching over their lives.