Echoes of the Mist

  As the Veil dissipates, Lunaria appears before Hitory and Tekime, her presence radiating a soft yet anding light. She gazes at them with deep, tranquil eyes, as if she already knows everything they are about to face.

  She steps toward Hitory and, with a calm and serene voice, speaks directly to him:

  — "Hitory, depending on your retionship with édros, he will not cause harm. However, never let yourself be deceived. Now that he has been freed, he will appear in your dreams. Always stay alert. He will e, but do not let his presene you."

  Lunaria pauses for a moment, as if gathering the ce for her words, then adds:

  — "Please, take care of him. Take care of my beloved. No matter what happens, I am certaiill carries something precious within him."

  With that, Lunaria gives a faint smile and slowly begins to fade into the mist, leaving behind a sense end responsibility. Hitory and Tekime remain silent, abs the weight of her words, now aware that something far greater than they had imagined is at py.

  After Lunaria’s words, the world falls silent once more. Hitory and Tekime, still processing everythiually succumb to exhaustion and decide to rest. Elyndra’s home, warm and safe, shelters them, yet Lunaria’s enigmatic words tio echo in their minds as they drift into sleep.

  The Weight of Dawn

  The m, Hitory wakes before Tekime. He slowly sits up, gng to the side. Tekime is still asleep, but her expression is uneasy. Her face is pale, her brows slightly furrowed, as if she is fighting something even in her dreams.

  Not wanting to disturb her, he quietly rises. Before stepping outside, he stops by the kit, setting the table for breakfast—pg bread and tea using the ingredients left by Elyndra. A simple gesture, but the least he do for her.

  Stepping outside, he takes a deep breath. The surroundings are peaceful, filled with the st of Elyndra’s flripping his sword, he begins practig precise movements, seeking to maintain his form and clear his mind.

  Meanwhile, Tekime wakes up shortly after, her body weak and her mind still trapped in the horrors of the past days. Her stomach aches with hunger, but the feeling has bee almost familiar. Her body feels unbearably heavy, as if eaent demands an impossible effort. She slowly sits up, blinking a few times to adjust her blurred vision. The world seems clearer than she remembers, as if she is returning to reality after an endless nightmare.

  Notig Hitory’s absence, she drags herself to the window, leaning against the frame for support. Her eyes find his figure in the garden, focused on his movements. She tries to smile, but her lips are dry and cracked. Even so, a strange sense of relief washes over her at the sight of him—safe.

  With hesitant steps, Tekime moves toward the kit, where the st of fresh bread and tea begins to fill the air. The aroma hits her like a punch, her stomach twisting, the memory of days without food making her falter for a moment. With an involuntary tremor, she grips the edge of the table, taking a deep breath. For the first time in a week, something in the air brings her fort.

  Silver Shadows

  Elyndra wakes ter than usual, the distant sounds of activity i pulling her back to sciousness. As she rises and walks in, she finds Tekime already sitting at the table, her expression calm.

  For a moment, Elyndra stops at the entrance, surprised. Something is different. Her eyes s Tekime, a mix of relief and settling in. The young woman is here, alive, but… there’s something about her that seems to have ged.

  — "Elyndra… how long has it been?" — Her voice is hoarse and weak, as if unused for days.

  Before Elyndra answer, she takes a step forward and, without hesitation, pulls her into a tight embrace. Tekime freezes for a moment, feeling the f warmth of the gesture. After everything she has been through, the simple sensation of human tact feels almost surreal.

  — "Are you okay?" — Elyndra asks, her voice heavy with .

  Tekime takes a moment to respond. Is she okay? Her mind says yes, but her body screams otherwise. Her stomach is empty, her muscles weak, and her head pounds. But still, she is alive.

  — "I… think so…" — she answers softly.

  Elyndra pulls back just enough to examine her more closely. Her eyes s every detail until something catches her attention.

  — "Tekime… what happeo you? Your hair…" — Elyndra’s voice is ge filled with surprise.

  Tekime, fused, pauses and instinctively touches her own strands, notig the silver refle now dominating her hair. The subtle yet elegant ge seems to echo Lunaria’s words and the e that had beeablished the previous night.

  — "I… don’t know. Maybe… never mind. Since I woke up, I’ve felt a little different, but I hadn’t noticed this." — Tekime hesitates, as if unsure.

  Elyndra watches her closely, a mix of and fasation in her gaze.

  — "This isn’t just a simple ge. It’s a sign. Something is awakening. Do you feel anything different besides this?"

  Tekime shakes her head, still uain, though the weight of Elyndra’s words lingers in her mind. Elyndra slowly steps back, still surprised, but her thoughtful expression suggests she is trying to grasp the meaning behind it.

  — "And what about Hitory? Is he alright? Where is he?" — Elyndra asks, still intrigued by Tekime’s transformed hair. Her voice carries both and curiosity.

  Tekime doesn’t answer immediately. Her gaze drifts toward the window, and with a slight nod, she gestures outside. Elyndra follows her gaze and spots Hitory in the garden, exeg precise movements with his sword. Each strike is measured, and the fluidity of his movements reveals the discipline behind his bde work.

  — "It seems like he doesn't waste any time. That boy has determination." — Elyndra ented with a slight smile.

  Tekime observed for a moment, a faint glimmer in her eyes, before turning to Elyndra. Her voice was weak but carried a quiet fidence.

  — " you call him?"

  Elyndra nodded and walked to the window, opening it.

  — "Hitory! e have breakfast before it gets cold."

  Hitory paused his training, taking a deep breath as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. He looked up at Elyndra and nodded.

  — "I'm ing."

  Tekime closed her eyes for a moment, feeling the weight in her body, while Elyndra finished setting the table. Her strength was still far from returning pletely.

  A short while ter, Hitory ehe house, his firm footsteps eg against the wooden floor. Without wasting time, he headed straight to the bathroom, quickly washing up to rid himself of the sweat from training.

  Wheuro the kit, he paused for a moment at the entrance, his eyes meeting Tekime’s. She looked sile… Her face was still pale, and though her eyes were alert, they carried the weight of exhaustion. Even so, there was something different about her, something he couldn’t quite expin.

  — "Are you okay, ie?" — he asked, his voice softer than he had intended.

  — "Yes…" — Her response was almost a whisper. Tekime lifted her gaze and gave a small smile.

  Hitory sighed in relief. — "That’s good."

  He approached and sat beside her. For a moment, they remained silent, simply feeling each other’s presehen, without warning, Tekime leaned in and embraced him.

  Hitory froze, surprised, but it didn’t take long for him to return the gesture. The warmth of that hug carried something beyond words—a silent thank you, a o firm that they were still there, alive.

  With the table finally set, Elyndra ensured everything was in order before sitting down. The st of fresh bread and herbal tea filled the air, bringing a rare fort after so many difficult days.

  As they ate, the atmosphere was calm yet carried a sense of renewal. Between bites and exged ghere was a silent uanding that this moment of peace recious.

  When they finished, Elyndra looked around and, with a curious smile, asked:

  — "Who prepared breakfast?"

  Her gaze nded on Tekime, who simply smiled slightly and directed her eyes toward Hitory. Elyndra followed the gesture and raised an eyebrow, surprised.

  — "Hitory, was it you?" — she asked, crossing her arms.

  Hitory scratched the back of his neck, looking away. — "I just anized a little…"

  Elyndra smiled and nodded. — "Thank you."

  Hitory simply gave a subtle nod before standing up and adjusting his chair.

  — "Excuse me, I'll tinue my training."

  Tekime, still seated at the table, simply watched as he picked up his sword and stepped outside again. Elyndra also seemed intrigued by the boy’s dedication but chose not to ent, allowing him to follow his own rhythm.

  The day passed quietly. Hitory dedicated himself inteo training, alternatiween sword strikes and movement exercises to improve his agility. His focus was so intehat he barely noticed the time passing.

  Meanwhile, Tekime stayed close, sitting uhe shade of a tree in the garden. With a book on magic open in her p, she read attentively, abs every detail. From time to time, she lifted her eyes to observe Hitory—sometimes curious, sometimes thoughtful.

  At one point, she spoke aloud, almost to herself. — "He works so hard… It’s as if he's carrying something much greater, perhaps the weight of his promise."

  Elyndra, who was nearby tending to some magical pnts in the garden, simply smiled slightly upon hearing Tekime’s words but chose not to interrupt the moment.

  The day tinued like that, with Hitory and Tekime engaged in their own tasks but maintaining a silent, fortable closeness, each preparing in their own way for the challenges ahead.

  As the sun began to set, painting the sky in shades e and pink, Hitory and Tekime walked together to the cherry tree at the edge of the house. It was the same tree where they had been before, during an important moment in their lives. The petals fell gently, just like back then, ing the p a nostalgic aura.

  Hitory, exhausted after a long day of training, sat down first, leaning against the tree trunk. Tekime, with a peaceful smile, settled beside him, and in a natural gesture, Hitory y dowing his head on her p.

  For a moment, silence reigned between them, broken only by the soft sound of the breeze rustling through the braekime looked at him with a mix of affe and mencholy before finally speaking.

  — "Hitory… do you remember that time we came here, and I said… 'alone'?"

  Hitory opened his eyes, looking at her gently before replying. — "Yes, I remember. It was right here, uhis cherry tree. I found it stra the time, but I decided not to ask. Why?"

  End of EP 11: "The Journey Beyond the Veil."