Aeyona drifted in darkness again.

  No sound. No ground. Only the faint sensation of falling until the dream caught her.

  The familiar steps waited.

  Old stone, cracked and half-eaten by shadow, spiraled down into a field of grey grass. The air carried no wind, yet the blades bent and whispered as though something moved through them unseen. Pale trees stood at attention along the sides, their branches stretching upward, skeletal and still.

  Far beyond, the horizon bled into nothing. The black was eating it again. Slow, deliberate, patient. The world dissolved like ink spreading through water.

  And there she was.

  A single figure walking toward her through the dim. The same girl she always saw, each dream a little different, a little nearer.

  Aeyona tried to focus, to hold the shape in her mind before the void could take it.

  This time the girl was older than before. Light hair tangled by unseen wind, pointed ears peeking through. When she reached the first stair, she stopped and looked up.

  A smile bloomed across her face. Soft, expectant. Hopeful, even.

  Aeyona’s breath caught. The girl’s features were her own. Younger, uncertain, yet somehow brighter.

  She took a single step toward her reflection. The ground shuddered.

  Then the colorless world folded in on itself, swallowed whole by the encroaching dark.

  Aeyona reached out, but the dream was gone. All that remained was the void.

  The first light of dawn filtered through the canopy, soft and golden, painting the forest in quiet hues. The mist that had hung so thickly through the night began to thin, rising in delicate threads of vapor. The air smelled of rain and earth, of moss-covered bark and the faint sweetness of morning flowers still closed tight.

  Aeyona woke first, the hum of the forest immediately familiar. She stretched, feeling the ache of bruises and exhaustion in her muscles but knowing her body would recover. The night had been long and restless, but the forest had kept them safe.

  She turned to find Lillyth still sleeping beside her, her face softened in the quiet calm of slumber. For a moment, Aeyona just watched her, the way the light made the faint strands of gold in her hair glow, the delicate curve of her jaw, the way she breathed.

  She had seen strength in Lillyth from the very beginning, but now there was something else: an unspoken trust, a reliance that had woven between them in the span of only a few hours. It made her heart ache in a way that was both painful and beautiful.

  Lillyth stirred, her eyes blinking open, slowly adjusting to the morning. The first thing she did was check Aeyona, her eyes scanning her face for any sign of injury or distress. “Morning,” she whispered, her voice soft and a little hoarse.

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  “Morning,” Aeyona replied, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. She reached out, brushing a lock of hair from Lillyth’s forehead.

  Lillyth’s lips curved in return, but the soft smile didn’t reach her eyes entirely. “Is it really morning? Feels like the night didn’t end.”

  “It hasn’t,” Aeyona said quietly. “Not really.”

  The air between them settled for a moment, before Aeyona stood and stretched her stiff limbs, feeling the familiar pull of the forest around her. The sounds of the river, the rustling of leaves, the faint song of birds, it was all comforting.

  The moment didn’t last long. Lillyth shifted beside her, standing with more effort, a slight tremor in her hands as she brushed off the dampness of her cloak. “I don’t like the way it feels. The forest. There’s something off about it.”

  Aeyona nodded, her gaze lingering on the trees around them. It wasn’t quite that the forest felt wrong. It was the weight of uncertainty, like something had shifted, and she couldn’t put a finger on it. Still, her instincts had always served her in the woods, and she trusted them now. “I’ll keep an eye out. We need to find our way forward.”

  Lillyth shifted uneasily. “I know I should be paying more attention, but I—”

  Aeyona didn’t let her finish, the words already clear in her head. “You’re worried about Marvel,” she said, her voice gentle but firm.

  Lillyth’s lips parted in surprise before she nodded. “She’s still just a kid. I don’t know how she’s holding up.”

  “She’s stronger than you give her credit for,” Aeyona said, her tone quiet but certain. “She’s been through a lot before. She’ll survive.”

  “I know. But…” Lillyth trailed off, her shoulders slumping slightly. “I just feel like I failed her. I should have been there. I should have done more.”

  Aeyona stepped closer, her voice soft as she placed a hand on Lillyth’s arm. “You’ve done enough. She’s not alone. None of us are.”

  Lillyth met her gaze, eyes searching for the truth in Aeyona’s words. After a long moment, she nodded slowly. “Thank you.”

  They set off, the forest growing thicker and the air more still. The ground underfoot was soft, but uneven, the moss under their boots slippery in places, and the terrain uneven. Aeyona led the way, her eyes sharp as she picked their path, scanning for signs of danger while Lillyth followed close behind, her gaze darting nervously to every shadow.

  Aeyona noticed how Lillyth’s movements had grown stiff, how she seemed to be fighting every misstep. It was different from Aeyona’s easy grace in the woods. Her comfort in the wilds was like breathing. Lillyth’s unease was clear, but it wasn’t just from the terrain. It was a deeper discomfort, something unspoken.

  “We should head this way,” Aeyona said, pointing to a narrow gap between trees. She pushed through the thick underbrush, setting the pace.

  Lillyth followed, her voice hesitant. “How do you do it? Survive in this place?”

  Aeyona smiled a little, her eyes glancing back. “I’ve spent more time in forests than I ever have in cities. This is where I’m meant to be.” She felt the rush of the wildness, the pulse of life all around them, and it was a comfort. But she also knew how dangerous it could be, how easily the forest could turn against you if you weren’t careful.

  “I think I’m starting to understand,” Lillyth said quietly. “Not just how you survive out here, but how you—”

  She stopped herself, looking away quickly. Aeyona could see the tension in her, the way her lips pressed together as if holding back words she didn’t want to say.

  Aeyona didn’t press her. Instead, she turned her attention to the ground, looking for fresh tracks, signs of water, anything that might lead them toward something familiar. They walked in silence for a while longer.

  As they continued, the path became rougher, the forest closing in tighter, with more underbrush to fight through. Aeyona moved ahead with practiced ease, cutting branches and vines out of the way with quick, fluid motions. Lillyth followed, a little more clumsily, but still determined.

  “I’m not used to this,” Lillyth admitted after a while, her voice thick with exhaustion. “I’ve never had to survive like this before. I don’t know what to do when everything feels… out of control.”

  Aeyona looked back over her shoulder, her eyes softening. She could feel the depth of Lillyth’s struggle, the weight of the unknown pressing in around her. But she also saw something else, something she hadn’t noticed before. Lillyth wasn’t just surviving out here. She was trying.

  “Maybe you just need someone to show you the way,” Aeyona said quietly.

  Lillyth gave her a weak smile. “Is that your way of telling me I need you?”

  Aeyona’s smile was slow but genuine. “Maybe.”

  They continued on in silence, the tension between them settling, though Aeyona felt the spark of something new. The way their gazes met now, the way Lillyth’s movements felt a little more synchronized with her own. There was something unspoken between them, a trust building in the way they shared this journey, this space, even if they hadn’t said it aloud.

  By the time dusk settled over the forest, they reached a small clearing. Aeyona felt the familiar tug of the wind, the pull of a new direction, and she knew they were close to something important. As she turned to Lillyth, she saw the glow of the distant horizon, faint lights, faint smoke. Viexel.

  “We’re almost there,” Aeyona said quietly.

  Lillyth nodded, her face unreadable. “We’ll need to be careful when we reach it.”

  They set up camp, the fire crackling quietly between them as they settled beneath the stars. The warmth of the fire contrasted with the chill of the night air. Aeyona could feel Lillyth beside her, the warmth of her body close, and it felt like something was growing, something subtle but certain.

  Lillyth was silent for a moment, her voice quiet when she spoke. “I don’t know what’s waiting for us there. But whatever it is, we’ll face it together.”

  Aeyona turned to her, her heart skipping a beat. “That’s all I need.”

  They settled closer, the world outside their small fire becoming darker, quieter. The faint light of Viexel was still there, distant but undeniable. It was both a beacon and a challenge, drawing them forward even as a quiet dread settled over them.

  Wrapped in each other’s arms once more, Aeyona’s mind wandered to the long road ahead.