Chapter 151: The Road Home
Moon and Kai finally emerged from the ruins of the Dark Veil headquarters, blinking in the muted daylight. Both were moving slowly, the adrenaline of their battles having faded, leaving behind only a deep, bone-weary fatigue. They took a moment to assess the damage they had sustained, their clothes hanging in tatters, stained with dirt, blood, and essence residue.
Moon let out a low groan, stretching his sore muscles. "Gosh," he muttered, rummaging through his storage ring. "I really shouldn't have skipped buying those self-repairing fabric holsters. This is a total loss."
Kai gave a silent, commiserating nod, his own mind already cataloging their needs. With practiced efficiency, they both pulled fresh clothes from their rings.
Moon changed into a comfortable, casual outfit: a brown plaid shirt left open over a simple black t-shirt, paired with wide-legged navy-blue pants and sleek black low-top sneakers.
Kai opted for something uncharacteristically soft: an oversized, cream-colored ribbed sweater that swallowed his lean frame, combined with wide-leg trousers in a subtle brown and beige stripe.
Kai looked down at his own outfit, then at Moon's, a slight frown on his face. "Isn't this a bit too... stylish for just shifting expanse and teleporting?" he remarked, the tactician in him questioning the practicality.
Moon just shrugged, already feeling more human in clean clothes. "Who cares? We're going home. Let's look decent for once."
With their immediate needs addressed, Kai pulled up the holographic map from his system. "The nearest stable teleporter is at a Gandharva outpost," he announced, his finger tracing a route. "Base number 12072010. That's our destination."
Their journey began. Moon summoned his bonded beast, Kuro—a raven-black wolf of immense size, as large as a polar bear, with menacing crimson markings that seemed to pulse with a faint light. Kai called upon Snow, his own companion—a majestic white tiger adorned with striking blue patterns, even larger than Kuro. Mounting their powerful beasts, the two brothers shot across the landscape. The sheer king-level presence of Kuro and Snow ensured that no lesser essence creature dared to challenge them, making their travel swift and uninterrupted. They covered a vast distance in just six hours, pausing only for a single, brief hour of rest.
As the Gandharva base came into view—a settlement built in harmonious, organic architecture—they recalled their beasts to their personal spaces and sealed their own energy signatures. The last thing they needed was to cause a panic by radiating the power of two king-level combatants when they are in such hurry. They would enter as simple travelers.
Dressed in their human-style clothing and with their auras suppressed, they did attract some looks, but it was only due to their appearance. With only two arms each, they stood out amongst the Gandharva, a graceful race distinguished by their four arms. However, as the Gandharva were famously the most human-friendly of all the races, the attention was merely one of mild curiosity, not hostility. People went about their business, leaving the two brothers to walk in peace.
"It's always been this way," Moon commented quietly as they navigated the bustling, multi-limbed crowds. "The Gandharva have always been the most amicable towards humans. We share more similarities with them than any other race."
Kai simply nodded, his eyes constantly scanning, but finding no threats. The journey to the teleportation chamber was smoother than even he had anticipated.
After asking for directions from a few helpful Gandharva hunters, they reached the central teleportation room. Kai stepped up to the control console, his fingers inputting their final destination with precise movements.
Location: Zenith Vista, House No. 001. Nova Lumina.
The system processed the request and, as per protocol for private residential teleports, initiated a low-level essence energy scan to verify they were the authorized occupants of the property. The scan passed over them without issue, recognizing the unique energy signature tied to their home.
Satisfied, the teleporter hummed to life, its core glowing with a familiar, vibrant crimson light. Without a backward glance, Moon and Kai stepped into the energy field together, ready to finally leave the chaos behind and return to the one place they could truly call their own.
To be continued…