Chapter 27: End of the journey.

Isz looks around and feels the cool wind brushing against his overcoat.

Edward: "Look at this weather,half of it is overcast with only the moon on display, while the other half has the sun."

Isz's heart races until he spots Rosie walking out of the hotel.

Rosie: "Good morning, Edward. Do you have any news about my transport?"

Edward: "Good morning! Yes, I do. They are arriving shortly with an airship."

Rosie looks up with a smile, and it seems to bring her a wave of relief.

Isz: "What is it?"

Rosie: "Nothing, I'm just happy because I'm finally going home."

Harpya arrives shortly after, accompanied by several soldiers and armored vehicles.

Harpya: "Hello, everyone. I'm glad to see you're all safe."

Harpya looks at Isz and tells him he is truly sorry for what happened. Harpya had read everything Isz reported to him, as well as the accounts of what transpired in the city.

Isz: "And did you send reinforcements to the marina? We didn't see anyone arriving to cross over to the other side."

Harpya: "Don't worry, Isz. There were soldiers on the island, and they informed me there was nothing more than an explosion at the clock tower. Furthermore, they didn't find any bodies,they are likely buried under the rubble."

Isz: "Or they're alive."

Harpya: "Isz, I know what's going through your mind. We've fought so much and we're exhausted, right? But this time, I think we won the battle. Reports of healed people without the disease have already reached the kingdom."

Isz: "Really? I'm glad to hear that."

Isz lets out a faint smile, and Edward breathes a sigh of relief, mentioning that the tourists are safe too.

Rosie: "We finally put an end to this. It was quite a journey."

Harpya: "I haven't introduced myself properly yet. I am Harpya, commander of the Volny army battalions."

Harpya shakes Rosie's hand, and she notes that she has heard of him.

Soldier: "Commander Harpya, a message from Nyx has just arrived for you."

Harpya: "I'm on my way to take a look. Oh, and Isz—Cerberus has fully recovered, so you can rest easy."

Isz sighs in relief and says he is glad to hear the news.

Rosie's transport finally arrives. A grand red airship adorned with golden embellishments lands on the green field within the sunny section of the landscape. Rosie bids everyone farewell with a warm embrace.

Isz: "So, our journey ends here."

Rosie: "Yes. Thank you for everything, Isz. It was wonderful being your partner."

Isz: "Likewise, Rosie. And don't forget our conversations,you can achieve so much more for your kingdom by being a warrior too."

Rosie: "Yeah, I know. You should come visit me someday, or write to me?"

Isz: "I'll try. I hope you keep training until then."

Rosie lets out a soft laugh and promises she will. She gives Isz a tight embrace, almost kissing him, but she glances to the side and notices her guards watching. Instead, she simply thanks him and tells him to come visit her as soon as possible. The airship takes off into the skies, turning the view of the kingdom into a distant landscape.

Inside the airship, Rosie sits with her legs crossed and receives the news that the kingdom has been cured of the disease. Her subordinates recount everything she achieved, and everyone is immensely proud, especially her mother. Rosie smiles, deeply grateful for the message.

Back on the ground, Edward turns to Isz.

Edward: "So, when are you going to visit your girl?"

Isz: "She isn't mine. And I don't know, I just told her that so she wouldn't feel bad. But now that things are calm, I'll go when I have the time."

Edward laughs, noting that falling for a girl from the far west is no easy task.

Edward: "Now that I think about it... why didn't they just fly back? I mean, that terrifying dragon looks nothing like the little princess we see everyday, so it must be a vanity thing,or she just didn't want to look ugly in front of you."

Isz: "Stop pestering me. But now that you mention it, I was wondering why they didn't just fly back too."

The two look at each other and burst into laughter,a shared laugh they hadn't enjoyed in a very long time.

Suddenly, the weather turns completely bleak. Isz and Edward wait under a tree for Harpya, who approaches them with a downcast gaze. His skin is pale, and his hands are trembling.

Edward: "What happened? You look like you've seen a monster."

Harpya: "No... I read Nyx's report. He told me that everyone from the Exorcist Guild was killed, and the women were taken by a blue orc. They only found their unclothed corpses."

Isz: "A blue orc? Wait, what do you mean?"

Harpya: "I don't know yet. Nyx seemed utterly desperate because his friend was also a victim. Only Glen survived, and he's badly injured."

Harpya explains that Nyx was completely furious, unable to think straight, and had already deployed soldiers to accompany him.

Isz: "A blue orc... I've defeated one before."

Harpya: "We have never seen such a thing in Volny. It must be an isolated incident, but what matters is that the true perpetrator of the disease is already dead."

Suddenly, the Lightning Beast speaks out to everyone, declaring that this was only the beginning. This was Irineia's doing; she hadn't died, she had merely changed her plan.

Isz: "How do you know?"

Lightning Beast: "Now that I know who the Mistress of Illusions is in her human incarnation, I can sense everything that carries her power or presence,just like that moon."

The moon loomed incredibly close and blue, an almost artificial hue. As the rain begins to pour from the sky, the beast speaks again:

Lightning Beast: "Isz, it isn't over yet. I see that only we can stop her from moving forward. But do you want to know what's even stranger? I sense more presences besides Irineia. It is a presence that has been near us for a very long time."

Isz: "Who is it?"

Lightning Beast: "Higher beings. They do not belong to this earth, but they aren't the Voices either."

Isz: "What do they want?"

Lightning Beast: "I don't know. But what matters right now is everyone's safety. As I said before, only we can defeat them."

Isz is left confused, so the beast explains that these entities can tear a human apart effortlessly; sending ordinary soldiers would be leading them to their deaths. The only relic capable of destroying them was Isz's sword, which originally did not belong to that land,it was likely forged for a Lord or something of the sort.

Isz takes a deep breath and looks up at the sky. The raindrops hitting his face make him feel alive, but the underlying dread remains.

Harpya: "Let us leave as well."

They set off back to the capital, with Isz already mapping out his next moves against the upcoming enemies. Upon arriving at the castle, Isz finds a completely broken Nyx. Nyx looks at him and tells Isz that the next time he goes on a journey, he must take him along. Isz is left speechless, only able to offer his condolences.

It had been a long day, but the surprises showed no signs of stopping. Now that Isz knows Irineia's plan is still in motion, he prepares to train for one more week before setting out on his final journey.