Chapter 21: Farewell to Veyport

Rhea sat with her arms crossed, her brow furrowed, staring down the three men in front of her. Jalen, Lucio, and Nathan stood across from her in the brothel's lounge, each wearing an expression ranging from concern to frustration.

"You're not coming," Jalen stated, his voice firm but not unkind.

Rhea scoffed. "Like hell, I'm not."

Lucio sighed, rubbing his temples. "Rhea, listen. We don't even know if it's really Kullen. If it is, we have no idea what's going on in Everlock. That kingdom sprang up out of nowhere. There are too many unknowns."

Nathan leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "Yeah. Could be Kullen. Could be someone else entirely. Either way, it's dangerous."

Rhea's jaw tightened. "Everything we've done has been dangerous. You didn't stop me from fighting before. What's different now?"

Jalen shifted uncomfortably, his fingers twitching at his side. "This isn't a dungeon dive or some bounty mission. This is a kingdom, Rhea. That means armies, rulers, and threats we might not even see coming."

She shook her head, frustration evident in every movement. "And? I've trained. I've fought. I know how to hold my own. You can't just lock me away because you're scared."

Lucio's gaze softened. "It's not about locking you away. It's about keeping you safe."

"Safe?" she repeated, eyes flashing. "Like Stix was safe?"

The room went silent. A heavy tension settled between them. Jalen clenched his fists, his jaw tight. Rhea immediately regretted the words, but she didn't take them back. Instead, she softened her tone. "I know you're scared. I know you don't want to lose anyone else. But I'm not a kid anymore. I refuse to be left behind."

Nathan let out a low whistle. "Told you she wouldn't back down."

Jalen exhaled through his nose, his stance rigid. "We leave at dawn. Be ready."

Rhea smiled triumphantly, though there was a flicker of something deeper in her eyes. "I will be."

Just as the conversation settled, Madame Velda stepped into the room, her presence commanding as always. "Well, well," she mused, glancing between them. "Quite the passionate discussion."

Jalen turned to her, raising an eyebrow. "Something you need?"

Velda smirked and walked over, carrying a long, cloth-wrapped bundle. "Not something I need, darling. Something you do."

She handed the bundle to Jalen, who unwrapped it slowly. His breath hitched as he recognized the weapon immediately. Stix's old blade—the one Jalen had given him all those months ago. Except now, it looked different. Reforged. Enhanced. The blade shimmered faintly with a subtle energy, the metal infused with enchantments far beyond what it once had.

For a long moment, Jalen didn't speak. He traced his fingers along the hilt, feeling the weight of it—both physically and emotionally. The enchantments pulsed beneath his grip, alive with something greater than just magic.

"I had it fixed," Velda said softly. "And enchanted. Thought it might do you some good."

Jalen swallowed, his grip tightening around the blade. "...Thank you."

His voice was quieter than usual, but it carried depth—a rare, genuine gratitude. Velda only nodded, stepping back.

But she wasn't done. She turned to the others, pulling out smaller packages. "I've been preparing these for you lot, just in case you decided to run off into danger again."

She handed Lucio reinforced gauntlets, layered with a material that absorbed kinetic force. Nathan received an intricately designed timepiece that flickered with arcane energy, meant to refine his time manipulation. And finally, she handed Rhea a pair of sleek, fitted bracers, lined with magic that would enhance her speed and strength.

Rhea's eyes widened as she slipped them on, feeling the power course through her limbs. "I... I don't know what to say."

Velda placed a hand on her shoulder. "Just say you'll make it back."

Rhea grinned, rolling her shoulders as she flexed her fingers. "Wanna go a few rounds? I bet I can beat you now."

Lucio raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. "Please. You barely lasted before—"

"You probably could," Nathan interrupted. "Lucio wasn't that strong to begin with."

"Shut up, Nathan, you ass."

Jalen huffed, shaking his head as he turned the newly reforged blade in his hands. It felt right. Like something that had been broken was finally whole again.

Velda watched them with a small, knowing smile. "Try not to wreck the place before you leave," she mused, before sauntering off.

The laughter and teasing faded into a comfortable silence as the group stood together, each of them knowing the journey ahead would be different. Harder. But they were moving forward.

And that was enough.

Two years. That's how long it had been since they first arrived in Veyport. Since the brothel became their home, since they lost and found themselves again.

Now, it was time to leave.

The next morning, the group stood at the gates of Veyport, the air thick with the weight of departure. The towering walls loomed behind them, a place that had been both a refuge and a reminder of everything they had lost.

Jalen adjusted the strap of his bag, his reforged weapon strapped securely across his back. He glanced at the others—Lucio standing tall, arms crossed as he surveyed the road ahead; Nathan rolling his shoulders like he was preparing for a fight; and Rhea, brimming with energy despite the early morning, her new bracers gleaming in the rising sun.

Madame Velda leaned against the wooden archway of the gate, watching them with a smirk. "So, you're really off, then."

Jalen nodded. "Yeah."

She sighed, shaking her head. "You lot have a habit of throwing yourselves into the unknown. Just don't go dying before you make something of yourselves."

Nathan grinned. "No promises."

Lucio shot him a look. "Ignore him. We'll be back—hopefully not carrying anyone this time."

Velda's smirk faded slightly as her gaze lingered on Jalen. "Take care of them, darling."

Jalen gave her a small nod. "I will."

Rhea stepped forward, hesitating for a second before quickly hugging Velda. "Thanks for everything."

Velda blinked, startled, before patting Rhea's back. "Don't make me regret keeping you around, girl."

Rhea grinned and took her place beside the others.

As the gates creaked open, Nathan reached into his pocket, pulling out a single gold coin. For years, this little thing had been his safety net—a quick escape, a gamble, a way to make ends meet when he had nothing. He flicked it into the air one last time, watching it spin before catching it.

A moment of hesitation.

Then, with a quiet sigh, he tossed it behind him, not bothering to look where it landed.

Rhea nudged him. "Did that have sentimental value?"

"Nah," Nathan smirked, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Just a bad habit I finally kicked."

Jalen caught the movement, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he smirked faintly and turned his eyes to the road ahead.

"Let's go."

And with that, they stepped forward, leaving Veyport behind.

The journey to Everlock had begun.

The world beyond Veyport shifted.

Miles away, within the heart of Everlock, a grand throne room stood at the center of a rapidly expanding city. The walls were lined with banners bearing an unfamiliar sigil, gold and black woven into its design. Outside the towering castle, the streets were alive with movement—merchants peddling exotic wares, soldiers standing in pristine formation, and citizens moving with purpose. The air smelled of wealth and power, the hum of prosperity vibrating through every stone.

At the very center of it all, lounging upon a throne made of obsidian and gold, sat a man.

He was young, handsome, and dangerously sharp. His chiseled features were paired with a smile that held both amusement and calculation. His sharp eyes scanned the vast hall before him, where nobles and warriors alike stood, eagerly awaiting his next decree. His form was lean but cut with muscle, radiating both lethality and confidence.

With a stretch, he leaned back into his throne, fingers lazily tapping against the armrest before he finally spoke.

"Man… I've only been here for two weeks…" His smirk widened as he gazed down at the kingdom he had built in record time. The throne room was filled with wealthy merchants, powerful warlords, and politicians, all of them hanging onto his every word.

He gestured toward the towering city beyond his throne room's massive windows, his tone dripping with amusement and self-satisfaction, the undeniable confidence of a man who had already won the game before anyone knew they were playing.

"Capitalism always prevails."