Finally There

"This fat fuck of a monster is dead!"

A hush fell over the dimly lit room as Brander, his clothes stained and torn, entered, holding aloft the grotesquely grinning head of the Herald of Darkness. The gruesome trophy sparked a hesitant cheer that quickly grew, erupting into a wave of relieved laughter and joyous tears.

"…"

Cole forced himself to prop up on his bed—or whatever the thing he was resting on could be called—and watched the celebration unfold. 

His strength had returned enough to allow him to sit throughout the minutes of being awake, but the burned and scarred side of his chest still throbbed with the echoes of the battle. 

Yet, amid the raucous joy spread out throughout the room, a strange sense of detachment settled over him.

He observed the survivors, their faces etched with the trauma of recent events, now giving way to unbridled joy. Some embraced, tears streaming down their cheeks, while others danced and sang, their voices filling the room with a newfound hope.

"…"

Step, step, step.

"Huh?"

Fwoosh~

The fabric of whatever blanket Cole was wrapped with slightly made a sound as it was caressed by the woman's beautiful body.

Lyra, the ever-stoic one, sat beside him, her expression unreadable.

She sat next to Cole, not giving voice to any of her thoughts.

She brought her knees up to her chin, her arms resting on them, and her chin resting on those very arms.

"…"

Cole took a peek at her, not daring to stare for too long.

'Her white hair-tips are interesting…'

He thought, a slight feeling of satisfaction settling within his stomach.

The celebration continued well into the night, a chorus of laughter, music, and joy woven through the destroyed streets of Lumira, in which, anyone sane would pity them. To be able to find such joy just because they survived, no matter if their whole town was destroyed.

"Now, now, the battle was quite tough in itself but…"

Brander, now free from the weight of battle, immersed himself in the revelry. The survivors, too, let go of the burdens that had plagued them, celebrating their newfound freedom and safety.

Cole, still recovering and sitting besides Lyra, quietly watched the party members, Aeliana, Selene, Thorne, Lyra, Lilya, and Brander, mingling with the survivors. 

Lyra didn't say anything, nor did Cole. 

There was nothing to be said.

Thus, the sunset trailed off into a joyous night, which Cole found himself sleeping through before long.

***

The next morning brought a sense of purpose. 

Aeliana, with her leadership, gathered the survivors who had prepared themselves with hidden reserves of necessities salvaged from Lumira. 

She provided guidance on how to rebuild their lives and navigate the challenges that may await them on their journey towards Stonehaven.

That was the place she directed them towards to, after all, the necessary carriages to carry over a few dozen people towards Silvindor were lacking, and so, they had to survive on their own now as Aeliana, Cole, and the party made their way towards the Capital alone.

The party members boarded the carriages, ready to embark on the road trip to Silvindor. 

With a final, lingering look at the town they were leaving behind, they filed out into the fading light.

'It feels like I've been there for one day only, but this is the fourth, huh? We spent more time than needed in this destroyed place.'

Cole thought to himself after being helped to walk properly towards the outside of the Lumira, where the two carriages of the party were safely secured before with Thorne's earth spell.

Embarking it and finally sitting properly, Cole brought a hand to the right of his chest, just under his ribs.

"Kgh."

Although it was a dumb thing to do, Cole added a slight amount of pressure to his wound, spreading burning pain signals throughout his whole body, all so that he could feel real, in the moment.

"Well then, everyone, shall we get to moving towards Silvindor? It has taken us quite some time with all these events occurring one after another."

Aeliana voiced, this time, being the driver of the carriage whose space was taken up by Cole, Lilya, and Brander. Whereas carriage number two, this time, was taken up by Selene, Thorne, and Lyra.

"It's been a pain in the ass, so let's get to it."

Brander shrugged as he relaxed on the plush seats of the carriage, wiping a tear from his eye after yawning.

***

The journey was long and arduous, but more than everything… painfully boring!

The carriages rattled along dusty roads, the only sounds the creaking of wheels and the occasional chirping of birds. Yet, with each passing day, Cole felt himself growing stronger, or rather, regaining his strength back. 

The pain in his chest gradually subsided as Lilya tended to Cole's wound daily with her water magic, cleaning it properly and offering it room for recovery by feeding Cole's skin pure mana.

Occasionally when they were resting, Lyra, ever the silent observer, sat across from him, doodling on a notebook of hers.

'I'm glad I could learn written language while in Elyndor…' Cole thanked himself for going out of his way to study books that could be found in the Adventurers' Guild.

Alas, whenever he tried to peek in Lyra's notes, she always hid them with a nonchalant expression, as if Cole was intruding on her privacy.

Always, they spoke so little in each other's company, albeit, in her eyes, Cole saw a reflection of his own struggle, a recognition of the transformative burdens they both might carry.

***

Finally, on the seventh day, Silvindor appeared on the horizon.

"You can see it from here, Cole!"

Aeliana voiced from the reins, sounding rather excited herself about their arrival.

A magnificent city sprawled before them, its gleaming white towers reaching towards the heavens. Walls of shimmering stone encircled the city, and a multitude of banners fluttered in the breeze like colorful birds.

"Whoa— It's as if the world hasn't ended…"

Cole, overwhelmed by the sheer grandeur of it all, felt a wave of awe wash over him. His small and destroyed village, tucked away in the corner of the kingdom, paled in comparison to this magnificent metropolis.

As they entered the city gates, the bustle of life surrounded them. Merchants hawked their wares, children played in the streets, and guards patrolled the cobbled walkways. It was a stark contrast to the quiet desolation of Elyndor, Stonehaven, and Lumira.

Standing amidst the throng, Cole felt a surge of hope. He had survived, and now, in this bustling city, he found a new beginning. His journey to uncover the mysteries of his curse had just begun, and with each step, he was determined to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

Or that's what he thought.

***

"With the decision from His Majesty, the Prime Minister, and the Grand Inquisitor, you are to be executed for the use of forbidden magic in the next two weeks!"

"Huh?"

"For now, you will be imprisoned until further notice!"