The road curved around a hill, and then they saw it.
Velis.
A city of white stone and soaring towers, surrounded by fortified walls that shimmered faintly in the sunlight. The morning mist was just beginning to burn away, revealing the sprawling outer districts, the banners fluttering along the gatehouses, and the bustle of distant caravans arriving from other roads.
But Kael hardly noticed the beauty at first. His limbs ached, his shirt was torn, and he had dried blood on his arm. The aftermath of their encounter with the cultists still clung to them all—bruises, bandages, and shaken nerves.
They'd taken time to recover just off the road after the battle. The bodies of the cultists had been searched cautiously, wary of traps or curses. To their surprise, one of the corpses had a magic bag tied around its waist.
Erion opened it, whistling. Inside was a small fortune in coins—gold, silver, even a few polished jade pieces. Mira gasped. "That's… that's more than I've ever seen."
Kael immediately suggested splitting it evenly.
But Thorne shook his head. "Kid, you saved our lives. You should take a bigger share."
Bran nodded. "Would've been our graves if not for you."
Erion, for once, looked completely serious. "I agree. You didn't just help us. You led the defense. Take what's fair, but don't downplay what you've done."
Even Mira chimed in. "You were incredible back there. I don't think anyone else could've handled what you did."
Kael, overwhelmed but grateful, accepted a larger cut of the treasure. He tucked the jade coins into a small pouch and returned the rest to the magic bag, which they agreed Erion would hold onto for now.
Now, as they approached the final stretch to the city gates, Kael could feel the weight of the past months pressing on his shoulders—and the spark of anticipation ahead.
He was Level 38 now.
The cultists had been a wake-up call. They were organized, dangerous, and not just mindless worshippers—they had orders, goals, and spoke of someone they called "The Lord."
Kael had defeated them, but only barely. He could still feel the sting of his wounds and the burn of overextended magic. Mira's Light Weaving had saved him when she created blinding gaps in the enemy's vision. He had used those openings to exploit flaws in the cultists' imperfect mana shields.
An emergency quest had appeared in the middle of the fight:
[Emergency Quest: Defeat the Threat – Reward: 5 Levels]
When the last cultist fell, the notification chimed softly in his mind. Five levels for the quest. Five more from the enemies themselves.
He couldn't believe he gained so much at once.
And yet, as Velis grew larger on the horizon, Kael knew this was only the beginning.
Erion glanced back at him as they rode. "Ready for the city, Kael?"
Kael smiled faintly. "As ready as I'll ever be."
Mira rode beside him, her golden eyes bright with excitement. "We're going to the academy soon. I can't wait."
Kael nodded slowly. The walls of Velis loomed high ahead of them, shimmering not just with enchantment but with the promise of a new chapter in his life.
He was one step closer to understanding why he was here.