Chapter Twenty-One: Parting Ways

  "What's in Drakosia that you need to go there? Isn't it just ruins now?" Rosalia asked as the door closed behind Amalia, her question hanging in the air like morning mist.

  The group sat in contemplative silence for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts. Ash absently traced patterns on the wooden table with his finger, considering his response. He was certain it had something to do with dragons. He didn't know if he would be getting a dragon there, but Drakosia was the ruined city of the dragon lords. That much was common knowledge.

  Even as sheltered as he was, growing up on an isolated farm far from the centers of learning, he had heard tales of the once-magnificent city and its catastrophic fall. Merchants who had passed through Al'Herder farm had sometimes spoken of it in hushed, reverent tones.

  "Yes," Will said, leaning back in his chair. "The whole city was burned to the ground sixteen and a half years ago. I was just an infant then, but Ma used to talk about it from time to time." He stared into the distance, recalling his mother's words. "Said it was like the sky itself caught fire that night. People saw the glow from hundreds of miles away."

  Nick grunted, swirling the last of his drink in his mug. The liquid caught the candlelight, glinting amber. "No use speculating. The Light only knows what that woman is thinking, and I wonder if even it has trouble prying her secrets from her."

  The observation made Ash smile despite himself. It was an apt description of Amalia's impenetrable nature. The storyteller revealed only what she wished to, when she wished to, and not a moment sooner.

  Ash's dwarven friend stood up, slapping his knees with calloused hands. The action sent a small cloud of dust into the air, visible in the slanting rays of evening light through the window. "It's been a long day, and a longer night. I want to sleep." His voice carried the weight of their recent battle, the exhaustion finally catching up to them all.

  Rosalia blinked at him, her green eyes widening slightly. "Don't you want to say goodbye to Ash? We're leaving tomorrow, going our separate ways." Her voice held a note of disbelief, as if she couldn't comprehend Nick's apparent indifference.

  Nick shrugged, his broad shoulders rising and falling beneath his simple tunic. "Always time to say goodbye in the morning. Besides, we will see him again at the academy." There was certainty in his voice, a solid confidence that their paths would indeed cross again.

  He clasped a hand on Ash's shoulder, the gesture conveying more than words could. The firm grip of companionship, of trust built through shared danger and triumph. Then he trudged to his bed, throwing himself onto it without bothering to remove his boots. He was snoring moments later, the sound rumbling through the quiet room like distant thunder.

  "I'm pretty tired too," Will said, stretching his arms above his head. "My guts were almost clawed out." He patted his stomach as if confirming it was still intact.

  Rosalia snorted, crossing her arms. "Baby. I had it worse and I feel okay." Despite her words, the paleness of her face and the slightly stiff way she held herself betrayed the lingering effects of her injuries.

  "Well, that just makes you special, doesn't it, beautiful?" Will replied with a roguish grin, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

  Rosalia's pointed ears went pink, and her furious blush spread to her cheeks, matching them perfectly. She tucked a strand of hair behind one ear nervously, looking away from Will's gaze.

  Ash shifted uncomfortably, watching the exchange. A strange, hollow feeling settled in his stomach, though he couldn't quite name it. Or perhaps didn't want to.

  "I think I'll go to bed, too," he stated, breaking the moment between his companions.

  Rosalia sighed, standing up from her chair. The wooden legs scraped against the floor, creating a harsh sound in the otherwise quiet room. "Alright then. I'll see you both in the morning." Her gaze lingered on Ash for a moment, something unspoken passing between them, before she turned and left the room, closing the door softly behind her.

  Will began to get dressed into his nightwear, pulling a loose sleeping shirt over his head. Ash did the same, trying not to think about what awaited him tomorrow. The uncertainty gnawed at him like a hungry beast.

  "You know she likes you," Will casually said, breaking the silence. He wasn't looking at Ash, instead focusing on folding his clothes with uncharacteristic care.

  Ash started, nearly dropping his shirt. "What? Where is this coming from? I didn't say anything!"

  Will chuckled, the sound rich with amusement. "Ash, do you think people don't notice, man? Light's truth, I'm shocked she hasn't said anything. Or she has, and is keeping silent." Will folded his clothes, setting his bow against the wall with practiced care. "Point is, she does like you. You have the shot, you just gotta take it."

  Ash rubbed his face, feeling heat rise in his cheeks. "Rosalia is my friend. That's it." The words felt hollow even to his own ears.

  Will raised his brow and flashed a what-can-you-do kind of smile as he shrugged. "If you say so. But I'm telling you, man, Rosalia is a special girl. If you don't try, someone else will."

  "You?" Ash asked, raising a brow, unable to keep a slight edge from his voice.

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  Will laughed again as he got under the covers, pulling them up to his chest. "Not unless she just wants something casual. No woman will chain me down!"

  Will's laughter subsided into chuckles as he turned around, his back to Ash as he settled into sleep. His breathing soon evened out, joining Nick's snores in a strange, soothing rhythm.

  Leaving Ash as the only one awake.

  He sat on the edge of his bed, staring out the small window at the night sky. Stars twinkled overhead, cold and distant. Whatever awaited him in Drakosia, he hoped it was the answer to his elar problem. The feeling of inadequacy that had haunted him since their battle with Sally still clung to him like a shadow.

  He laid down, trying to quiet his racing thoughts. Eventually, his eyelids grew heavy, and dreams took him moments later. Dreams of fire, of a woman's voice calling a name he couldn't quite catch, and of scales gleaming in moonlight.

  "Is the carriage going all the way up the mountains?" Will asked the next morning, lifting a piece of buttered bread and taking a healthy bite. Crumbs scattered onto the table before him.

  The four companions had gathered for a final meal together before parting ways. The common room of the inn was mostly empty at this early hour, the pale light of dawn filtering through the windows and casting long shadows across the floor.

  Rosalia made a noise, shaking her head. She swallowed a mouthful of food before answering. "No. Wyrmhaven is nestled in between the mountains. I was looking at a map the other day. The carriage should take us directly there, and it even includes real adventurers as guards!" She exclaimed, eyes shining with excitement. Her earlier melancholy seemed to have vanished with the night, replaced by anticipation for what lay ahead.

  With a smile, she bit into a pear, the juicy fruit crunching between her teeth. Her enjoyment of the simple pleasure was infectious, bringing a small smile to Ash's face despite his apprehension about the day ahead.

  "Light take us, we killed a monster last night! I say we are already adventurers!" Nick declared proudly, thumping his chest with a fist.

  "Hardly, Master Al'Smith." Amalia's voice cut through their conversation like a cold wind. The storyteller had appeared silently in the doorway, her violet eyes surveying them with her usual detachment.

  Nick frowned at her, his thick brows drawing together. "What did I say that was wrong?"

  Amalia calmly took a seat at their table, reaching for a piece of bread. She tore off a small piece, eating it before explaining, "That night maiden wasn't even bronze ranked. Any bronze ranked adventurer would have ended that monster with little issues." Her tone was matter-of-fact, without a hint of condescension, which somehow made it worse.

  Will held up a finger, his expression thoughtful. "I wasn't thinking about it much last night, but when we killed that wraith, what was that rush of energy we got? Or is that just my overactive imagination at work?"

  Rosalia and Nick nodded in agreement, while Ash turned his head, narrowing his brows and wondering what they were talking about. He hadn't felt anything like that, only the relief of seeing Sally defeated and Rosalia healed.

  "So you noticed," Amalia said, inclining her head slightly. "I was wondering if you would. You will learn all of this at Wyrmhaven, but it is enough to say that you did indeed 'get' a rush of energy, as Master Al'Seen so eloquently put it. What you do with it, that you shall learn at school." She brushed crumbs from her fingers with deliberate movements. "Now then, it is time we depart. Your carriage awaits you, while the road calls Master Lorcan and I."

  "Couldn't we travel together aways? Drakosia isn't far from Wyrmhaven," Rosalia suggested, her expression hopeful.

  "It is not," Amalia conceded, "but you all shall be in a carriage, and moving far faster than we can walk. You will quickly outpace us, growing too far ahead for us to keep up." Her logic was sound, even if her tone lacked warmth.

  "Why not get horses?" Will asked, pushing his food around with a fork, the metal tines scraping against the wooden plate.

  "Do I appear to be made of gold to you, Master Al'Seen?" Amalia replied, her violet eyes fixing on him.

  Will squinted at her, as if he were trying to solve a mystery. His head tilted to one side, considering. "No, but I've been wrong before. We could throw you in the water, see if you float," he grinned, attempting to break her perpetual seriousness with humor.

  Amalia didn't look amused. Her expression remained as impassive as a stone statue.

  "It is time we part ways," she said, rising from the table with fluid grace. "You will find the carriage waiting for you at the town's exit. Are you ready to leave, Master Lorcan?"

  Ash looked at his friends, their faces so familiar now after their journey together. He stood up, taking a deep breath to steady himself. The moment felt monumental, a turning point in his life, though he couldn't explain why.

  "Stay safe out there, guys. I'll see you at the academy," he said, trying to inject confidence into his voice.

  He was about to leave when Rosalia crashed into him, hugging him tight. Her form felt warm against him, right somehow, as if she belonged there. He gave her a squeeze, surprised by his own reluctance to let go. She looked up at him, her green eyes determined, mouth set in a firm line.

  "You better be at that academy in two months, you hear me?" The fierceness in her voice brought a smile to his face.

  Ash nodded, smiling gently. "I promise."

  Over her shoulder, Will gave him a knowing look, and Nick tapped his nose. Ash felt his face go hot, and he looked away, embarrassed by their obvious implications. Rosalia pulled out of the hug, stepping back with visible reluctance.

  Together, they all left the inn, stepping out into the crisp morning air. The sun was just beginning to warm the town, casting a golden glow over the buildings. A few early risers moved about their business, paying little attention to the group.

  Nick slapped Ash's back, the impact almost knocking him forward. "Light, but we've had a time of it, eh, Ash? I promise, we'll figure out who attacked our homes, and we will make them pay." His voice was solemn, a reminder of the tragedy that had brought them together in the first place.

  "Yes, we will," Ash said, his voice cold with quiet determination. The memory of his aunt and uncle, of their farm in flames, resurged with painful clarity.

  Will shook his hand, giving him an easy smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. There was understanding there, a shared knowledge of loss and the desire for justice. Then his three friends walked away from him, heading toward the town gate where their carriage awaited. Will raised a hand as he went, his other hand shoved into his pocket, a casual farewell that belied the significance of their parting.

  "Don't get eaten, now!" Will called back, his voice carrying on the morning air.

  I hope I see them again, Ash thought, watching their retreating forms. For all his promise to meet them at the academy, he had no idea what awaited him in Drakosia, or if he would even survive to fulfill that vow.

  Then they were gone, swallowed by the growing bustle of the town, leaving Ash alone with Amalia and a cloud of awkward silence. The storyteller's face revealed nothing of her thoughts, as usual, but there was a tension in her shoulders that hadn't been there before.

  "It is time to leave," Amalia said, gripping her staff as she began to walk, her steps measured and purposeful.

  Ash followed, falling into step beside her, and together, they left Brilehaven behind. The road stretched before them, winding into the distance like a ribbon of dusty promise.

  "Why are we going to Drakosia?" Ash asked as they walked. He knew no other way to fill the silence that had settled between them, heavy and oppressive.

  His breath was coming out in white wisps, visible in the cool morning air, but as usual, Ash didn't feel the cold. It was something he had always taken for granted, until Amalia had mentioned his need for a dragon to access his elar. Now he wondered if his immunity to cold was somehow connected to that.

  "Because there is something you and I must do there," was Amalia's reply, her words carefully measured, revealing nothing.

  It was a non-answer, the kind she specialized in. Ash lifted his head, blowing out a steady stream of white air in frustration. The wind carried it away, dissipating into nothingness.

  "Can you just answer me? For once, please just give me an answer. Anything of substance." His voice held a note of pleading that he hadn't intended.

  Amalia tightened her grip on her staff, her knuckles whitening slightly. She looked to be wrestling with something internal, and that was the most emotion he had seen from her since this journey had begun. Her violet eyes flickered with something almost like pain before settling back into their usual inscrutable calm.

  "We go there so you may take the first steps on your path," she finally said, each word deliberate and precise.

  That wasn't what Ash wanted to hear, but it was likely all he was going to get. He knew better than to push further, at least for now. Amalia would reveal her purpose in her own time, not a moment sooner. That had been clear from the beginning of their journey together.

  For a long time, the only sounds were the wind blowing through leaves, the occasional call of a bird overhead, and the steady rhythm of their steps on a road that seemed to stretch ever onward toward an uncertain future.

  Toward his path, whatever that might be.

  The silence between them was no longer awkward but contemplative. Ash found himself lost in thought, wondering what awaited him in the ruins of Drakosia, and how it might change his life. One thing was certain: after today, nothing would ever be the same again.