Raka awoke to a soft nudging against his side, opening his eyes to find the Eagle peering down at him.
"Alright, alright," he mumbled groggily, sitting up with a slow stretch. "Looks like I finally got a good night's sleep."
He thought it would have been harder to go to bed with his mind still full of anxiety, but thankfully, that wasn't the case.
I might have overslept a little.
Around him, everyone had almost finished packing up, conversations blending with the gentle rustle of fabric and clinking equipment as everyone prepared for the final stretch to Dravareth.
He stood up, running a hand through his messy hair. Despite the fight and his sudden release of mana yesterday, his body felt as good as ever. Not even a shred of fatigue.
Even after incinerating a part of the Swampland, that still isn't enough to tire me out? Raka thought amused. He underestimated how high the ceiling for his newfound strength is.
Mina and Korin saw him wake up and waved at him, already ready and standing beside Nova, who looked almost fully recovered after the healing spell.
Raka nodded to them with a faint smile, which lasted only a moment before his mind went back to their soon-to-be destination.
And the person he might encounter there. The one he has to avoid.
"You look deep in thought," Cora's soft voice came from behind him, startling Raka slightly. The ancient elf also gave a polite nod to the Eagle beside him.
"Just... lost in my head, I guess,"
Cora nodded, "Get yourself ready, we should arrive at the gates of Dravareth just as night falls." Before walking away towards Nova.
/ - /
Not long after that, the group quickly got moving, feet thumping softly along the road through the Queen's Swampland.
Raka stayed silent, walking in the very front again next to Cora. Although the Eagle got tired of walking and took flight, it slowly circled above the group as they slowly made their way forward.
Hours passed, and the closer they got to Dravareth, the more Raka's unease grew. Memories of a bustling medieval city danced through his mind, surrounded by towering stone walls.
He wasn't exactly visiting the last time he was there. Just passing through to get to the embassy.
He clenched his fists, and his memories felt strangely distant, almost dreamlike. It made sense, of course, he was frozen for what should have been a year.
But it was clear that it must have been much longer than that. Had it been two, three, or even four years?
He didn't know.
…
More time passed, and the sun had started to turn a shade of orange. It's already dusk. Raka thought to himself.
They had already passed the Queens Swampland and now walked along a surprisingly polished and clean road through a field of grass.
Raka didn't expect the road to look so modern. It seemed uncanny to him. But a lot of things could happen in the span of a year, so he let that thought go.
For a moment, the possibility of them not reaching Dravareth tonight appeared in his mind. Which gave him a feeling of disappointment, but at the same time relief.
But Cora quickly shut those thoughts down.
"Be prepared, we will arrive at Dravareth gates soon."
Thank you very much, Cora…
And she was right. Not long after, a silhouette of a giant wall slowly became visible to him. As they walked closer, it was obvious that it was Dravareth's walls that they were seeing.
But as they got closer to the gates, Raka realized that something was off.
This wasn't the Dravareth he remembered.
The fuck is that?!
Before them stood Dravareth—or rather, something entirely different from what he remembered.
Gone were the rough stone walls and muddy pathways.
Gleaming buildings rose gracefully toward the sky, their sleek stone and glass surfaces glinting softly in the morning sunlight.
Lantern-like orbs floated serenely along neatly paved roads, emanating a soft glow despite the daylight.
Strange vehicles glided smoothly without wheels, hovering just above the ground with a quiet hum, leaving no trails of smoke or dirt behind.
Raka stared in disbelief, his breath hitching in his throat. His pulse quickened as he tried desperately to make sense of the alien landscape before him.
This was NOT the Dravareth he remembered. Since when did a medieval-style city have fucking skyscrapers?!
Is that a fucking video game store?!
There were only a few things that he recognized. Familiar landmarks—the towering cathedral spire and the statue of Dravareth's first king- were still there.
But they stood transformed, refurbished into pristine monuments amidst sprawling modernity, with people around it taking pictures and selfies with the statue.
"What in the…" Raka whispered, heart thumping erratically.
Nova, Mina, and Korin quickly walked to the front, their expressions varying from relief to excitement, clearly accustomed to the city's appearance.
Cora was the only one to notice his distress. "Raka, are you alright?"
He barely heard her, mind spinning chaotically, struggling to piece together any rational explanation.
How long had he actually been unconscious? How could Dravareth have changed so drastically in just a year?
Even if there was magic to help with construction, a change this big was just absurd! There was no possible way this could have been built in just a year!
Cora stepped up beside him, giving him a subtle, concerned glance, "You look shaken, everything alright?"
He didn't answer, eyes wide with shock, breath shallow and uneven as he finally voiced the bewildered thought racing through his mind.
"What the absolute fuck is this place?!"
/ - /
As Raka stood frozen in disbelief, the heavy sound of approaching footsteps snapped his attention back to reality.
A group of Dravareth's soldier guards emerged from the towering gates, their armor a sleek mixture of traditional plates and futuristic enhancements.
They looked more like modern military soldiers than medieval ones. Raka's eyes widened even further when he saw them holding an assault rifle.
It looked nothing like any guns he's seen before. He could also feel something emanating from it. Squinting at the weapon, he realized that it had been imbued with some kind of magic.
The guards approached cautiously, weapons held at the ready as their wary eyes scanned the large group of weary escapees.
One soldier, clearly the leader by the distinguished markings on his armor, stepped forward.
"State your business," he demanded firmly, eyes narrowed suspiciously.
Before anyone could answer, Nova stepped forward confidently, raising her head to reveal her familiar features beneath her hood.
The guard's stern demeanor faltered instantly, eyes widening in shock and relief.
"Commander Nova?" the guard asked incredulously. His eyes darted around the group, settling on Cora, and his expression immediately shifted into reverence and urgency.
"Elder Cora—you're safe!"
Cora nodded. "We have wounded and exhausted refugees with us."
The leader quickly turned and barked orders to his soldiers, who immediately moved to assist the escapees.
Suddenly, a shout came from the soldiers as the Eagle came flying down. They pointed their weapons at it, but it didn't even look threatened.
It looked more insulted that they thought that firearms would work on it.
Cora quickly assured them that the Eagle meant to harm, and it let out an approving sound. She must have said something else to it because it turned to Raka for a moment.
It tried to convey something to him. Reassurance maybe? But after that, it went with Cora, who walked towards Dravareth's gates.
Nova also walked forward to the soldiers, accompanied by the twins, and the three recapped everything that had happened on their journey here.
She must have said something to the leader because the man turned to look at Raka with an odd expression before quickly turning back.
She must be telling them about me. Raka concluded. It made the most sense; he did come out of nowhere and surprised them with his power.
His mind went back to his first meeting with Nova. He missed it before, but looking back, he realized that she was definitely afraid of him.
The only explanation as to why must be that she can sense the Sunpiercer's mana inside him.
This was bad.
If he didn't find a way to suppress his mana, it would attract unwanted attention.
Attention from her.
In mere moments, large law enforcement trucks arrived at the gates, their sleek, boxy forms hovering silently over the polished roads.
The refugees were carefully loaded inside, the trucks spacious enough to comfortably seat everyone.
He thought that he might be put in a different car from everyone else. But thankfully, that wasn't the case as he was placed with the other escapees.
Not long after, the car started, and they went through the gates of Dravareth.
Raka found himself seated near a tinted window, staring blankly at the shifting cityscape outside as the vehicle hummed softly through Dravareth's bustling streets.
People on the sidewalks slowed, turning to watch curiously as the convoy passed. Many pointed, whispering animatedly or holding strange devices up, seemingly capturing images or recordings of the passing spectacle.
Those devices definitely resembled phones, but some of them had odd shapes. He even spotted one that looked like a triangle.
Normally, he would have laughed at something like that. But right now, his mind is filled with too many things to process.
None of this made sense to him. Modern shops, vibrant billboards illuminated by mana, groups of people chatting casually while holding cups of steaming drinks—everything was utterly alien and surreal.
His heart hammered in his chest, anxiety clawing at his throat. How long had he truly been asleep?
His mind spiraled, grasping for any possible explanation, only to be interrupted as a guard sitting nearby glanced at him with mild concern.
"First time seeing Dravareth?" the guard asked.
Raka didn't answer, eyes glued to the passing lights and unfamiliar buildings.
He barely registered when the truck came to a gentle halt, pulling into a guarded compound where escapees were being gently ushered into a large, secure-looking facility.
At the sight, Raka let out a tired laugh.
"Of course, another facility." He muttered bitterly, "I'm really getting tired of these kinda places."
/ - /
Raka sat quietly in a spacious common area within the facility, shoulders tense as he leaned against a surprisingly comfortable chair.
A few of the escapees milled about, some speaking quietly in hushed tones while others simply sat quietly, processing everything they'd been through.
Raka felt saddened at the sight. Even after everything he's been through, seeing someone so shaken after going through something horrible tugged at his heart.
He let out a slow breath, recounting everything that had happened since their arrival.
After stepping off the vehicle, they were swiftly ushered inside and led through a thorough medical checkup.
Doctors, equipped with magic-infused tools that glowed softly, had methodically checked each person for internal injuries.
When it was Raka's turn, he had stubbornly refused the checkup, shaking his head firmly despite the doctor's persistent efforts.
He had to heavily and persistently insist that he was ok. The doctor had eyed him skeptically but eventually relented, scribbling something down before moving on.
He was really thankful that he backed down. He did not want to see what their reaction would be to his mana.
The questioning that followed was surprisingly gentle. They had taken him into a room furnished with soft couches.
Something that was a good move because it definitely helped decrease the tension in his body.
He remembered sinking into the plush seat, a sigh escaping him as he momentarily reveled in the comfort of something so simple yet dearly missed.
But the questioning itself had been trickier.
"Can you tell us exactly what happened?" The gentle voice of the interviewer had asked.
Raka knew this question would come eventually, and had prepared in advance on what he should and shouldn't say.
He knew he couldn't disclose everything, especially nothing about his true origins. But it made it harder to create a narrative if he suddenly stumbled upon some slavers and ran into Nova's group.
With the limited time he had, he came up with a story that was hopefully somewhat believable.
"I…was very sick," he started, looking downward to maintain his thoughtful guise.
"I was bedridden. My family went out to search for doctors, as I was too ill to move or travel with them. Then…I must've fallen asleep. When I woke up, our house was destroyed, and my family was nowhere to be found."
"I wandered through the woods, confused and alone, until I ran into the slavers. Managed to escape them somehow and ran until I crossed paths with Nova's group. The rest you already know."
The interviewer nodded. "Do you have any idea how long you were asleep?"
"Not exactly," Raka had replied truthfully, his voice subdued. "It felt like days, but seeing how things have changed...it must have been much longer."
The interviewer hadn't pressed further, simply offering condolences and giving him a few more questions before moving on to the next escapee.
Was his cover story perfect? No, not even close. Did it have many holes? Yes definitely.
But at least it gave him somewhat of a background, something that he could work on until his lie would inevitably fall apart.
He needed to be prepared when that time came.
Now, seated quietly in the wide common area, Raka allowed himself a moment of mental exhaustion.
Dravareth's new modern makeover still unsettled him greatly. But he had to admit that having an air conditioner again was very nice.
But of course, the peace just couldn't last long.
Gradually, he became aware of subtle glances thrown his way by nearby soldiers; they were being subtle, but Raka could still notice their glances.
They must also be using some type of spell to watch over him, as his skin has become very itchy, and he senses a significant amount of mana emanating from his surroundings.
But he expected this. His fabricated story had clearly raised doubts, especially with corroborating accounts from Nova, Cora, and the others.
He knew they'd monitor him closely, watching for any suspicious behavior. He gritted his teeth lightly, frustration bubbling quietly beneath his surface.
Just when Raka thought things couldn't worsen, he spotted a soldier approaching, eyes locked onto him.
Raka closed his eyes briefly, internally sighing. "Fuck my life, honestly,"
The soldier stopped in front of him. "You're requested by Elder Cora. Please follow me."
/ - /
In the quiet solitude of an expansive office, softly illuminated by the gentle glow of mana-infused lamps, a lone figure sat at an imposing desk.
Their face was carefully obscured by shadows, their form hunched slightly as they meticulously polished a gleaming sword.
The rhythmic, almost meditative motion filled the vast room with a faint, metallic whisper.
A sudden, sharp ringing pierced the tranquil silence. The figure paused mid-motion, an irritated sigh slipping through their lips as they reluctantly set the sword down on the polished wood of the desk.
With clear annoyance, they reached for the sleek communication device, lifting it to their ear. "Yes?"
However, whatever was spoken on the other end instantly transformed the figure's demeanor. They shot upright, eyes widening as their hand loosened its grip, the sword clattering to the floor with a resonant clang.
Slowly, a chuckle escaped, gradually building into a full, relieved laugh that echoed softly around the cavernous room.
"Thank the heavens!" they finally said, "Nova actually did it!"
Before their arms glowed a radiant red, and bright fire consumed their body. The fire swirled inside the room before it suddenly vanished along with the individual inside.