Aeron Mithraldrake returned like the dawn he had witnessed: silent, resolute, and bringing new light.He appeared in the castle courtyard with a whisper of shadows, where his team was trying—without much success—to resume their training routine.
His presence immediately changed the atmosphere.The despair that had crept into the group since Neth'Rakul's visit retreated before the calm and conviction radiating from the dragon.
"You're back!" Zaya was the first to speak, clear relief in her voice.
"You took forever! I was already planning a dramatic rescue mission!" Kaien declared, twirling a dagger.
Aeron didn't waste time. "Gather around," he commanded. "I know our next step."
Once everyone was assembled, he got straight to the point."Our next target is Caelum Vordar, Commander of the Solflare Clan.He resides in the Radiant City, at the heart of the Glass Desert."
Lyren frowned. "The Glass Desert… It's one of the harshest places in the world. The sand is pure silica, turning to shards of glass under the relentless sun. And the Radiant City is a fortress—not of walls, but of faith."
"His faith will be his downfall," Aeron stated. "But Lyren is right. The enemies we'll face there won't be like Nyxra's assassins. They will be fanatics—holy warriors who believe they're fighting for a righteous cause. They will fight with conviction that fear could never inspire. They will be more dangerous."
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's burn that city of believers!" Mika said, punching the air, his energy renewed by Aeron's resolve.
"No," Aeron gently corrected him. "We'll prepare. We'll resupply, study Lyren's maps, and leave at dawn. This journey will be long. Use it to grow stronger. Use it to understand each other."
And so, they departed.The long journey from the shadowy kingdom of Nyxra to the edges of the Glass Desert was a transition between worlds. The dark forests gave way to open plains, which in turn became arid, rocky lands. And as they walked, they talked.
Zaya and Lyren often walked together—the tech mage and the guardian of ancient knowledge locked in constant, fascinating debate.
"Light as a weapon of tyranny... it's psychologically brilliant," Zaya mused, analyzing data on an arcane tablet she projected. "You don't offer pain as punishment, but the absence of light as condemnation. Exile. Darkness. For people who've lived their entire lives under an artificial sun, that must be more terrifying than death."
"Exactly," Lyren agreed. "Caelum doesn't build prisons of stone. He builds prisons of dependency. He offers hope, safety, and light—and the price is absolute devotion. To question him is to embrace the shadows, to become a heretic. That's why his soldiers are so dangerous: they truly believe they're the heroes of this story."
Kaien, meanwhile, took Lian under his wing."Dear healer, you need more... presence! Your healing technique is flawless, but you need a battle cry! Something like 'Feel the power of the bandage!' or 'Prepare to be... gently mended!'"
Lian laughed—something he did more often now. "I don't think yelling at patients is the best approach, Kaien."
"Nonsense! It's to intimidate the wound! Show it who's boss!" Kaien replied, striking a dramatic pose that nearly made him trip on a rock. Lian caught him, still laughing.The bond between the most flamboyant and the quietest of the group grew stronger each day.
But the most meaningful conversation happened one night around the campfire.Aeron was sitting a bit apart, watching the flames, when Mika approached and sat beside him.
"You're different," Mika said bluntly. "Not just stronger. More... here."
Aeron turned his metal head to face him. "I went to the Sanctuary of Silence to find clarity."
"And what did you find?" Mika asked, genuinely curious, his eyes fixed on Aeron's glowing orbs.
There was a long pause.The old Aeron would have dodged the question or given a tactical answer.But the mage had been right—his strength didn't come from him alone.
"Memories," Aeron replied, his voice a little softer. "Of my past life. My family. My friends. I remembered what it meant to fight for something you love. I remembered what Neth'Rakul took from me."
Mika said nothing, absorbing the magnitude of that confession.It was the first time Aeron had spoken of his former life as something more than a list of facts.He spoke with feeling.
"I'm sorry, Aeron," Mika said quietly.
"Don't be," Aeron answered. "Those memories are no longer a burden. They're my fuel. The reason why this mission isn't just a destiny—it's a choice."He looked at Mika, and for the first time, Mika felt that the dragon truly saw him—not just as an ally or a loud companion, but as part of that fuel."The reason why you all matter so much."
Mika's heart skipped a beat.He leaned in, resting his shoulder against Aeron's metal arm.The jealousy and insecurity he felt toward Lian seemed trivial in that moment.Their bond was something else. Deeper.
"Well, you have us," Mika said with a genuine smile. "Till the end."
"Till the end," Aeron repeated, the echo of his promise mingling with the crackle of the fire.
Finally, after days of travel, they reached the edge of a great cliff.Before them, stretching as far as the eye could see, was the Glass Desert.The setting sun reflected off millions of grains of sand, now turned to shards, creating a dazzling and deadly sea of blinding light.And far off, at the center of it all, a pillar of pure white light rose into the sky—so bright it was difficult to look at directly.
The Radiant City.
"There it is," Aeron said, his voice resonating with newfound purpose."The beacon of false hope.It's time to put it out."