Farewell

A forgotten, silent kingdom, abandoned for centuries, had now begun to change.

Through white stone streets and corridors adorned with runes, new faces appeared. Priests of the Cult of Aurelia walked in small groups, studying ancient inscriptions on the walls or reciting quiet prayers that echoed through the halls. Some wore light robes, others carried grimoires and relics brought from afar.

There were also adventurers, loyal to the cult, sent to protect the place. Light armor, watchful eyes, and silent steps. They moved among pillars and courtyards, always ready to react to any threat that might appear, even if the real danger lay outside the walls.

In the central courtyard, craftsmen and scribes set up improvised tables. They cataloged everything they found: ancient weapons, broken statues, fragments of decorated walls. The sound of tools striking marble mixed with the quiet voices of scholars, who debated theories about who had built Eldranor or what purpose each symbol served.

Ethan, standing atop a staircase, watched it all. This was no longer a forgotten place. It might not yet be a complete kingdom, but it was a start.

The Guardian, standing out among them all because of her appearance, moved among them. Always calm, always observant. When asked, she answered directly, like someone who knew every stone in that place. The newcomers called her "Lady Guardian," though she herself preferred the simple title of "Guardian."

Ethan had tried to speak with her about choosing a real name, but she said that was the one request she could not grant. She was the Guardian and nothing more.

Aeris and Sylfie walked among them as well. Aeris guided the younger priests, pointing out important halls or giving instructions on where to set up the first altars. Sylfie, with a more closed expression, took care of the adventurers, helping them learn the layout of the corridors and hidden passages.

The contrast between the two drew attention, but no one questioned it, both were known and respected.

The number of people was still small, but it was enough to change the atmosphere. Eldranor was becoming less of an empty ruin and more of a home. There were voices, movement, and even quiet laughter echoing through the halls.

Ethan took a deep breath, looking up at the sky through the open ceiling of the main hall. He knew this was just the beginning. Little by little, Eldranor would become something much greater.

Deep down, he felt he had made the right choice by opening those doors. Even though there was still so much to organize, seeing people there, working, exploring, made the risk worthwhile.

The next day, the kingdom awoke early.

The first torches lit by the priests illuminated corridors once shrouded in shadow, previously lit only by faint mana lines. Some of them had already begun organizing small devotion ceremonies. They were discreet: candles arranged in circles, soft chants in honor of Aurelia, asking for protection and wisdom to rebuild what had once been lost.

Further in, two scribes made detailed notes about each section of wall where the ancient runes still glowed. They wrote patiently, exchanging brief impressions, almost without raising their voices. It was clear that to them, this was not just work, but almost a personal discovery.

In another wing, craftsmen prepared a small improvised storeroom. Some weapons and armor, found almost intact, were being carefully cleaned.

Outside, the atmosphere was different. The adventurers gathered at the foot of the main staircase, receiving instructions from Sylfie. She pointed out routes, spoke about watchpoints, and warned of possible hidden passages that hadn't yet been explored. Some listened attentively; others simply looked around Eldranor, as if still getting used to the idea of being there.

Aeris, meanwhile, spent part of the time in silence. She watched each altar being built, corrected symbols or the placement of relics, always careful to maintain the harmony Aurelia required. From time to time, she exchanged quiet words with younger priests, almost like an older sister, even if she didn't show it outwardly.

The mood wasn't rushed, but there was no room for carelessness either. Everyone understood that rebuilding Eldranor was more than recovering stones or relics. It was a monumental step for the cult, something grand no one would have expected.

In the central hall, the Guardian observed in silence. Her eyes moved slowly, following the priests, adventurers, and craftsmen. She didn't need to speak much; her mere presence reminded everyone that they were not there merely out of curiosity.

Ethan, distant, watched it all unfold without intervening much at that moment. He saw how people slowly began to feel part of the place: a priest smiling as he identified an unknown symbol; an adventurer touching the wall, perhaps just to make sure it was real.

Little by little, Eldranor stopped being just a forgotten name and became a living space, filled with people who believed they were building something important.

Even without saying it out loud, everyone there seemed to know: this wasn't just an ancient ruin. It was their new home.

Days passed, the sound of craftsmen's hammers echoed through the squares. Some streets gained improvised lanterns, powered by recovered mana crystals. At night, the corridors that had once been swallowed by darkness were now lit by torches set in new holders, built by the adventurers themselves.

Among the priests, a quiet routine began to form: prayers at dawn, a brief sermon at noon, and a collective blessing at nightfall. There weren't always many present, but it was enough to remind everyone that this was a place of faith.

Sylfie kept busy organizing patrols through areas that hadn't yet been fully mapped. After all, it was a vast kingdom. From time to time, she appeared with a small group bringing something new: an intact tapestry, a set of ancient weapons, or even stones covered in inscriptions that not even Aeris could immediately read. Even when tired, Sylfie wore that steady look of someone who knew there was still much work ahead.

She seemed to be growing more used to the cult's customs each day, and Ethan kept encouraging her to learn more about Aurelia. He believed it wouldn't be long before he convinced her to join the cult.

Aeris, on the other hand, was starting to get closer to the makeshift council that had formed among the older members of the cult. She took part in long conversations about how to protect Eldranor from overly curious eyes, and, especially, how to explain its existence to the less trustworthy members of the Church when the time came.

Even Sinnon, despite not showing much interest, ended up wandering through some of the corridors. His teasing continued, but now and then he offered small lessons about mana control to young priests or even to adventurers who insisted on watching him. Of course, with every lesson came a joke, and sometimes a mocking laugh.

No one there truly knew who he was, but Ethan had introduced him as his teacher, so no one really questioned why he was there. And unlike Aeris and Sylfie, no one else seemed to sense his corrupted aura.

Ethan, from a distance, observed it all. He walked among the people, listened to plans, offered suggestions, but preferred not to interfere with every detail. Even though he was, in theory, the king of this kingdom, he didn't want his subjects to depend too heavily on him.

One night, sitting near one of the ancient gates, Ethan gazed at the sky. The stars reflected on the mana crystals scattered along the walls, creating a gentle glow that made the place feel alive.

A kingdom for the cult. A home for anyone who chose to follow him.

But he also understood he couldn't stay there forever.

He knew about many other places and events, and the calm of those days was only the pause before the next step.

At the end of that night, Ethan gathered Aeris, Sylfie, and Sinnon in Eldranor's great hall. The tall torches cast dancing shadows across the white marble walls, while silence filled the space.

He stood, arms crossed, watching each of them for a moment before speaking.

"It's time," he said, without preamble. "What I mentioned to you is probably already starting. If I stay here waiting, everything we've built might end up dragged into it."

Aeris frowned slightly. "You mean the war between the kingdoms?"

Ethan nodded. "It isn't inevitable… especially with someone as amazing as me stepping in before it truly starts."

Sylfie, who had remained silent until then, looked directly at him. "And you plan to go alone?"

"It's the smartest choice." He took a deep breath. "You should stay here. Eldranor needs you more than ever. Nothing will happen to me, you know I can take care of myself."

Sinnon let out a short laugh, dripping with irony. "You speak well, boy… But don't think you'll get away so easily. You really think you can stop a war on your own?"

"Not on my own," Ethan corrected, staring at his own hand.

Nexus responded almost immediately to his call. Ethan's entire arm darkened quickly, his veins pulsing with golden divine energy. It was a strange sensation: warm, alive, almost as if Nexus was breathing alongside him.

Ethan looked at it, remembering everything he had learned over the past days: the hours of training, the instructions, even Sinnon's taunts. It had all been for this moment.

"I'm going to stop this war before anyone even realizes what was about to happen," he said firmly. "And when I get back, I expect you all to have finished setting everything up here."

Aeris stepped forward, her voice almost faltering. "Ethan…"

But he raised his hand, cutting her off. "Your job is to be a priestess, not my bodyguard or babysitter."

That phrase clearly struck Aeris, but Ethan couldn't let her come with him. More people would only mean more caution he'd need to take.

Sylfie crossed her arms, looking away, but the tension in her shoulders made it obvious she didn't like this plan.

Sinnon, meanwhile, simply let out a long sigh. "Try not to die, boy. I'd hate for my goodwill in teaching you to turn out to be a waste of time."

With the weight of those final words hanging in the hall, Ethan turned toward the door, letting his arm return to its natural color.

As he opened the door, he glanced back over his shoulder, a smile on his face.

"Just wait. I wasn't chosen to be Aurelia's herald for nothing."