Ep 167. I’m Always Right Here. (1)

  When the group made it out of Aymeia’s temple, the sun was just beginning to set on the horizon. An e hue paihe skies, and the sun was just beginning to sink beyond the distant mountains.

  That alone was enough to warrant a surprised rea from Light.

  “Wait…how long have we been in there?!”

  When she’d first ehe temple with Serenis and Aymeia, it was already near sundown – and it certainly didn’t make sehat they’d spehan an hour iemple.

  Hehe only logical clusion was…

  “A full day, I suppose.”

  While Serenis indifferently answered the half, the dragonlord furrowed her brows at the sight of the setting sun. It certainly hadn’t felt like they’d spent aire day in the Archive.

  As, the skies told otherwise.

  Brushing the thought aside, Serenis quickly stepped forward. Shimmering lights enveloped her figure as the mass of light rapidly expanded, soon shattering apart to reveal a giant white dragon in its pce.

  She then cocked her head, urging the others to get on – especially Aymeia, who was still holding the bck critter in her hands.

  “e. We’ve little time to waste.”

  It was time to take the youngling home.

  ? ? ?

  As disturbing as their departure from the Archive was, Serenis found herself quickly occupied by other thoughts.

  Namely…

  ‘…So it was Raizel after all.’

  With the dragonlord taking to the skies with others in her proper form, everyone else began to process all that had happe the Archive.

  Aymeia was back to being reserved and quiet. With the Reaper’s passing, she seemed to spend most of her time staring at nothing, lost in her own thoughts.

  Light was still examining herself every then and there, w if anything had ged. Although Serenis had no idea why, the dragonlord merely assumed that the half was making sure that everything was alright.

  Karas was back to being limp and exhausted. While everyone else rode on Serenis’ back, Karas alone had to be held in the dragon’s grip to make sure he wouldn’t slide off.

  Raizel – or rather, the furry bck critter, which Karas firmed as Raizel – had abahe fort of Aymeia’s hands to ride along within the academic’s coat, poking and biting at him just for the heck of it.

  And stly, Serenis herself reflected on the Archive: what it once was, as well as what it’d bee.

  ‘…I suppose even the summit would ge with time.’

  During her own era, the World Summit had been hat for a reason: it rested above the star’s highest peak, hidden above a ring of clouds that would never disperse. The only structure that stood within was the First’s temple, and nothing besides.

  The clouds surrounding the peak had always served as a boundary betweear and the divinity’s domain. As long as one could traverse to the peak, they could reach the summit; while strahe area had never been sidered separate from their world.

  But now, the space had somehow been severed entirely, ected only through these supposed gates.

  ‘Was this also Felicir’s doing? Or…’

  Unanswerable questions tio linger within Serenis’ mind. The Historiaehe divinity they held, the summit’s ge…none could be answered in the immediate moment.

  And while she remained lost in thought, time quickly slipped past as the dragonlord made way towards her kin’s ; when the sun fully vanished beyond the horizon, Serenis spared a brief gowards the others on her back.

  “…”

  After noting everyone’s states, the dragonlord soon nded onto the ground – right before a hollow between two pieces of t, snow-covered boulders.

  “…I suppose we’ll have to spend an additional night outside.”

  “Huh? Do you o sleep after all?”

  “No, but I’m sure others do – especially you. Lest you fall off during dark.”

  “Oh…yeah, good point.”

  As Serenis lowered herself to the ground, Light carefully slid off the dragonlord’s back, yawning to herself as she nded on the snow. Aymeia soon followed after, while Karas was quite literally dropped off with the spider in tow.

  Lastly, Serenis herself returo her usual size, pig Karas up on her back before heading into the stone hollow with the others.

  “How did you know there was a cave right here? We were literally up in the sky.”

  “There was a rge space devoid of mana. It wasn’t difficult to guess that it’s a natural hollow.”

  “…Uh huh…sure.”

  Light rolled her eyes at the dragonlord’s expnation. It wasn’t really something she could replicate…ever.

  So instead, the half’s eyes darted from side to side between Aymeia and Karas – or rather, one person who wouldn’t talk to her, and another person who was too tired to talk to her.

  Oh, and the spider. Who couldn’t talk to her.

  ‘And even if she could, I am NOT going near her like that.’

  After an exasperated sigh, Light slumped onto the floor with wary eyes, shuffling away as far as she could from the spider Raizel had bee. Despite knowing that it was only temporary until they’d arrive at the valley, every fiber of her being was still refusing to go near a spider of her own accord.

  ‘I miss Ilias.’

  Suppressed drowsiness washed over her as Light began to rex. She found her eyes quick to close, making her realize that she’d been more tired than she’d cared to admit.

  ‘At least we’ll all be home soon…’

  As her eyes began to shut, Light examined her own self o time before drifting off to sleep.

  ‘…ill nothing.’

  ? ? ?

  Serenis maintained a small fire within the cavern, keeping the hollow suffitly warm throughout the night. She occasionally pet the spider on her shoulder with her fiip, who’d since abahe professor’s pockets.

  But before the night would fully pass, Karas stirred awake, groaning as he lifted his tired body.

  The academic rapidly shook his head to wake himself. He balled and loosened his fist several times to check his otitude.

  firming that he was alright, he turo the only other aerson nearby.

  “By the Twelve…have I been out the whole flight? Where are we?”

  “Halfway back to the . How are you feeling?”

  “…Better, actually. Though I’m not sure why.”

  “Light shoved a mana crystal into your mouth earlier. Perhaps that helped.”

  “Ah…did she? That’s-“

  Karas looked around the small cavern, searg for his student.

  But much to his dismay, he only found Aymeia sound asleep. Otherwise, Serenis was standing by the caverrah the spider on her shoulders.

  And Light was o be found.

  “…Serenis?”

  “Yes?”

  “Where’s Light??”

  “…”

  For a moment, Serenis refused to give a response. She only stared back at the awoken academic with crossed arms, casually leaning against the hollow’s entrance.

  Eventually, she slowly slid out one of her hands, pointing towards a particur dire outside.

  “She awoke not too long ago. If I recall correctly, she cimed she needed some air.”

  “In the middle of the night?”

  “If you’re ed for her safety, I’ve already examined our surroundings. There aren’t as or the like lurking about. She hasn’t gone far, either – I sense her quite easily.”

  “No, that’s not the issue, it’s…”

  “Yes?”

  “…Never mind. She went that way?”

  Rushing to his feet, Karas didn’t even bother for Serenis to return a verbal response. He made quiote of the dire her finger ointing towards, hurriedly fixing his coat before following after his student’s footsteps.

  And Serenis returo leaning at her leisure, watg the academic traversing through the snow.

  ‘…Whatever’s up with them?’