章 10: Farewell

PH1RE'S P.O. V

"Are you sure you don't want to take the carriage with everyone else? I guarantee it's an experience unlike any you've had," Adrian asked, his tone half-joking as he glanced at us.

"No, thanks," I replied, shaking my head.

"What part of 'we never want to see the inside of a carriage again' do you not understand?" Aiden deadpanned, his expression one of exasperation.

"And you?" Adrian asked Maya, who stood beside us, her arms crossed as she watched the scene unfold.

"I just want to see that cool spell from yesterday," she responded with a grin, clearly more interested in the magic than the comfort of a carriage ride.

Adrian chuckled at that, turning to Edith, who was already holding the reins of the horses. "Well, I guess that's fine. Are you okay with riding the carriage, Your Highness?" he inquired.

Edith gave him a thumbs up in response. The horses neighed softly, almost as if they were agreeing with her.

"Well then, let's get going," Adrian declared, extending his hand towards us.

Aiden and I each took one of his hands, while Maya placed her hand on his back, her excitement palpable.

Just like the previous day, a brilliant white light consumed my vision, and the sensation of disorientation washed over me. But this time, I could feel the changes in my body more clearly—like something rearranging my body. As the light enveloped us, I realized what Adrian's spell series was. He hadn't been hiding it, but now it was unmistakable: the Light spell series.

"We're here," Adrian's voice cut through the haze as the light receded, revealing the familiar surroundings of the orphanage.

"Can't you do something about the flash?" Aiden complained, rubbing his eyes and blinking rapidly.

"That's the lowest intensity I can get it to," Adrian replied with an amused smile.

"Beats riding in a carriage," I muttered, still trying to adjust to the sudden change in lighting. I looked around, expecting to see the carriage somewhere nearby, but when I didn't spot it immediately, I asked, "Where is it, anyway?"

"There it is," Adrian said, pointing upwards.

I followed his gaze and felt my jaw drop.

"No way," I whispered.

"Woah!" Maya and Aiden exclaimed in unison, their eyes wide with amazement.

Despite knowing Aero horses existed from the games, it was still surprising to see one in person. Their hooves made no noise as they got closer to us, stepping on the air to move forward until they landed on the ground silently.

"That looked awesome. Why didn't you say the horses could fly?" Aiden asked, his earlier attitude about the carriages gone from his mind.

The children and Sisters of the orphanage drawn by the spectacle. Their expressions are wide-eyed in wonder and disbelief.

Edith hopped down from the carriage, her expression one of casual amusement as she watched the crowd of children that surrounded her and the horses.

The children began to crowd around the Aero horses, their excitement barely contained. Some of the braver ones reached out to touch the horses' sleek bodies, their fingers brushing against their manes.

"Can we ride them?" one of the younger kids asked, his eyes wide with excitement.

"Maybe another time," said Sister Claire, interjecting before the irresponsible princess could say anything.

The child nodded, all of them looking a bit disappointed, but they still gathered to touch the horses. There was no need to worry about them getting injured, since the Aero horses weren't violent because of their elemental alignment. Sister Claire seemed to know this as well, since she didn't bother trying to separate them from the horses.

Sister Claire approached, her expression a mixture of awe and concern. "This is quite the entrance, Adrian," she said, her tone half-reproachful.

Adrian gave her a sheepish grin. "I thought it would be a pleasant surprise. Besides, it's safer than a regular carriage—no risk of getting stuck in traffic."

Sister Claire shook her head, though a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Well, it certainly is that."

"Just admit you were trying to show off," she teased, nudging him with her elbow.

Adrian shrugged, a modest smile on his face. "It's not every day you see Aero horses up close. Besides, it's good to give the kids something to talk about."

"Well, you've certainly done that," responded Sister Claire.

"All right, everyone. Let's go inside," she continued.

The children reluctantly moved away, though they kept casting longing glances back at the Aero horses as the Sisters led inside them inside.

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The day was eventful, because we arrived home earlier than expected we had to make do with an impromptu send off/ celebration party for Aiden. However, it was impromptu in name only; Aiden was the center of attention, of course.

He was beaming as he told stories about the capital, about Adrian and the Cross and Swords guild, his excitement contagious.

As the night wore on, the younger kids began to tire, and one by one, they were taken to bed by the Sisters. The celebration gradually wound down until only a few of us were left in the courtyard, most of the children were asleep by as we saw him off.

"Well, I guess this is it," Aiden said, his voice tinged with melancholy.

"I can't believe I'm actually leaving" he added with a nervous smile.

We stood at the gate with Aiden while Adrian and Edith waited in the carriage,

"You'll do great," Maya said, her usual teasing tone replaced with genuine warmth. "You've got that dragon series. You'll be a legend in no time."

"Yeah," I added, forcing a smile. "And you'll be surrounded by people who know just how awesome you are."

Aiden grinned, though there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. "I guess so. But I'll miss this place... and you guys."

"We'll miss you too" Maya responded.

"Take care of yourself, Aiden," I said, his voice barely above a whisper. "And don't do anything stupid, okay?"

"Same goes for you," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

"But don't worry, we'll still be friends even if you end up a farmer"

He nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. Then, with one last wave, he turned and walked away, heading towards the carriage where Adrian and Edith were waiting.

As the carriage pulled away, I stood there for a long time, watching until it disappeared into the distance.

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I thought I would run out of time during the party but thankfully I made it, wouldn't do to ruin the celebration.

"Loid?"

I turned to see Elly standing a few feet away, her small figure barely illuminated by the fading light in the room. She clutched her bear plushie tightly, her wide eyes looking up at me.

"Elly, what's up? Shouldn't you be in bed?" I asked.

She shook her head. "I wanted to talk to you first. Are you okay?"

Her question caught me off guard. "Why do you ask?"

"You weren't acting like yourself," she answered.

I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. The memory of the panic attack was still fresh in my mind, and the thought of explaining my current predicament to a little girl felt overwhelming.

"I'm okay," I said, kneeling down to her level. "Just had a little problem during Revelation, is all."

Elly's eyes searched mine before she asked out of nowhere, "What spell series did you get?"

My heart skipped a beat at the question.

"It's... not very special," I said, choosing my words carefully. "It's a simple spell series."

She frowned, clearly unsatisfied with my answer. "But... you're still going to be an adventurer, right?"

I forced a smile. "Maybe. I'll figure it out."

"That's not good enough," she complained, stomping her feet. "Loid would make the best adventurer of anyone here; it's not fair."

"That's sweet of you, Elly—"

"Don't you want to be one?" she cut me off.

"Well... It sounds nice, but I can't force it if it's not meant to be. Besides, there are other things I can do with my life."

"Other things won't fit you; you're a hero."

"Am I?" I feigned ignorance but understood what she meant.

"It doesn't matter what I do, Elly. My life has meaning because I saved you. That's enough for a lifetime of fulfillment," I responded, causing her to break into a smile.

"You... have a way with words."

"Elly! What are you doing awake?" shouted one of the Sisters walking behind us.

"Um! See you later," she said as she ran past me.

I chuckled a little as I watched the Sister chase her. "Both lives... It's the only thing that gives meaning to both lives."

The weight in my chest felt heavier than ever, and I knew what I had to do. I couldn't trust myself, and I refused to break my promise. I couldn't, and I wouldn't.

I made my way to my room. The hallway felt longer than usual, probably my mind playing tricks on me, but eventually, I made my way to the door.

After several unsuccessful attempts at opening it with my shaking hand, I realized I hadn't even taken my key from my pocket. Letting out a self-deprecating laugh, I decided to take one last look at the timer. After all, it would be my last slumber. My eyelids felt extremely heavy from the lack of sleep the previous night.

Timer: —00:30:12—

'And so it en—'

My thoughts were interrupted by a sudden explosion behind me. Turning around, I saw a massive fireball erupting in the distance through the glass. The intense heat from the blast, even from afar, sent shards of glass flying toward me. Instinctively, I raised my arms to shield myself. The searing heat singed the hairs on my body, and shards of glass embedded themselves in my skin. Despite the stinging pain, I realized I was mostly unharmed.

My heartbeat erratically, and as I rushed to head back outside, I was suddenly struck on the head with what felt like a blunt object. The world went dark as I collapsed, my consciousness slipping away.