Butterscotch and Farewell

Afternoon sunlight filtered through the windows of Maglina's cozy inn, casting warm glows across the polished wooden floors. The scent of fresh stew simmering in the kitchen mingled with the fragrance of newly cleaned linens. Maglina moved about the inn, humming a soft tune as she dusted the shelves and rearranged the chairs for the evening crowd. But though her hands kept busy, her mind wandered elsewhere.

It had been four days since Solis, Ada, Vaidya, Razille, and Larielle had left for Glenhill. Normally, she wouldn't worry—such expeditions took time, especially for Postknights and their allies. But something in the air had changed lately. Bandits had grown bolder, and monster sightings were increasing along trade routes. Maglina couldn't help but feel a cold whisper of anxiety each time she looked toward the forest trail.

Just as she wiped down the last table near the entrance, a loud creak echoed through the room.

The doors burst open.

Maglina's heart skipped.

"Please," Solis groaned as he stumbled inside, eyes half-lidded and exhausted. "Some butterscotch. I really need that."

"Yeah, me too," Ada chimed in from behind him, her usually alert posture sagging with fatigue.

Maglina's eyes widened in shock and delight. "You're back! You're all safe! Gods above, I was starting to worry. Come, sit, sit! I'll get your drinks."

Without a word, Solis and Ada slumped into the nearest chairs. Moments later, Maglina returned with two tall glasses of her signature butterscotch brew.

Solis took a deep sip and sighed contentedly. "This... this place is heaven."

Ada nodded in agreement, "I agree. I feel my soul returning to my body."

While the two recovered with their drinks, Larielle sat at a corner table, quietly distanced from the lively chatter. Her gloves lay folded beside her, sleeves rolled up to reveal bruised arms and a shallow scrape along her forearm. With practiced precision, she cleaned the wound, wincing only slightly, and wrapped it in a strip of cloth from her satchel. Her movements were methodical, born from experience rather than panic.

Beside her, her bow rested against the wall, the elegant frame showing signs of wear—a slight crack near the upper limb and a misaligned string. She inspected it closely, fingers running along the wood as if reassuring an old friend. With careful hands, she adjusted the tension of the string, checking for give, then tested it with a soft pull. The familiar creak gave her a sense of comfort.

Satisfied but not fully at ease, Larielle exhaled quietly, brushing back a loose strand of hair. Her gaze lingered on the bow for a moment longer before turning to watch her companions across the room—smiling faintly at their laughter, but keeping her distance.

Meanwhile, Vaidya and Razille gathered at the central table, eager to recount the events to Maglina.

"It started smooth," Vaidya began, brushing his hair from his eyes. "We reached the Glenhill without any problem. Then have a one-on-one talk with the sage. Uh!... to be honest he took a exam of us."

"Really. What kind of exam?" Maglina asked, excited.

"Oh nothing serious. Some hard riddles. And when I say hard, I mean it." Razille says with minimal excitement. "But we conquered it, still the sage didn't help much."

"Why is that? Didn't you tell him that this could be a big threat?"

"Yeah! We did so. But he said that it will affect the outcome. I don't know what he wants to mean by it." Vaidya says.

"That old geezer is just messing with us and with other people. That jerk doesn't even know a thing." Ada suddenly erupts with rage.

"Ada I am telling you, please restraint yourself. Your foul language is not helping us." Vaidya tries to reason.

"So what I do not care." Ada shot back.

"Okay.... okay. Calm down everybody." Maglina intervenes. Stopping them to start a quarrel.

"But then," Razille cut in, leaning forward dramatically, "we stumbled across dark mages. A full group, hiding in Glenhill."

Maglina gasped. "Dark mages? In Glenhill? That close to us?"

"Yes," Vaidya nodded grimly. "And they weren't just rogue spellcasters. They had coordinated spells, anti-magic barriers... even a seal meant to suppress spirit connections. They were organized."

"If not for Captain Larielle and Solis," Razille said with admiration in his tone, "we might not have made it out."

"Captain Larielle unleashed a spirit-assisted arrowstorm, she told us to leave, we do move but Solis returned." Vaidya added. "Though her attack wiped half their formation. Still they captured her. Then Solis jumped right in, using his sword like a shield and fought them all off in close combat."

Maglina raised an eyebrow. "With his sword? I thought you people use it in offense."

Razille chuckled. "Exactly. But Solis doesn't like to hurt people. So he used the hilt and the blade breadth defensively. But he was unstoppable. Released his aura too. Looked like a burning sun with that orange glow."

Maglina placed a hand over her heart. "Thank the skies you all made it back."

As the sun dipped toward the horizon and the inn filled with the soft sounds of evening preparation, Larielle stood and adjusted her cloak.

Razille noticed her movement and called out, "Uh! Already going now?"

Larielle nodded, tightening the straps of her gear. "Yeah, I have to go. I need to warn my father, the other Aegles, and Sagacia. We can't let this fester. I trust you'll manage things here until we return."

She paused, then looked directly at Razille. "And Raz, notify your Postknight HQ. Tell Commander Cassandra everything. I'm sure she'll know what to do."

"Will do," Razille said with a salute.

Larielle then glanced at Solis. Their eyes met for a brief second before she turned away, her face suddenly flushing red.

Solis blinked. "Uh... did I do something wrong?"

She shook her head quickly, not daring to look back. "Just... stay safe, okay? All of you."

With a final wave, she slipped out the door into the twilight.

The others watched her go, each lost in their own thoughts.

Solis looked down at his half-finished drink. "Huh.... weird."

Ada smirked. "You're clueless, you know that?"

"What?"

Razille laughed. "Never mind. Let's get some rest. I have a feeling this is just getting more bad from here on."