CHAPTER 164: FINALLY HOME

The sun was nearly at its peak when the Apache crested the last ridge before Elandra. Inigo eased the aircraft into a slow hover, watching the distant towers of the capital glint beneath the sky like silver-tipped spears. He could see the city gates, the merchant caravans filing into the wide roads, and the smoke of cookfires curling from chimneys. Civilization again. It felt almost alien after the quiet wilderness and the chaos of battle.

Beside him, Lyra was brushing windblown strands of hair from her face. "We’re close. Are we flying it all the way in?"

Inigo shook his head. "No. Can’t risk drawing attention. This thing’s loud and massive. I’d rather keep it under wraps."

He opened his system interface, fingers tapping against the sleek console. A faint shimmer surrounded the Apache, pixelating around the edges as the entire helicopter dematerialized, vanishing into his inventory with a soft hum.

Lyra blinked. "Still not used to watching a flying war machine disappear like it’s a magic wand."

He smirked. "You’ll get used to it. Now come on—we walk from here."

They disembarked on a grassy plateau overlooking a forest trail that would lead to the city gates within the hour. The path was well-worn by travelers and patrolled regularly by city scouts, so it was safe enough. Inigo slung his rifle on his back, pulling a cloth over it to avoid drawing stares, while Lyra adjusted her cloak to hide her gear.

The walk was quiet at first—just birdsong and the rustling of leaves. But Inigo found his mind wandering back to the village. The faces of the children. The old woman’s trembling voice. The crackle of fire from the goblin raid. He couldn’t shake the feeling that even though they’d won a battle, the war ahead was far bigger.

"You think the Guild will believe us?" Lyra asked, breaking the silence.

"They’ll believe Thorne," Inigo replied. "And we’ve got enough ash on us to prove we didn’t spend the last few days sipping wine in a meadow."

The gates of Elandra loomed soon after. The guards barely glanced their way—too used to seeing muddy adventurers return from near-death outings. Inigo flashed his registration tag, and they were waved through without hassle.

The streets of Elandra bustled with life. Merchants peddled herbs and weapons. Smiths hammered iron. A bard strummed a lute near the fountain plaza, and a group of young mages in training robes darted between spell towers on errands. Everything was normal.

Too normal.

They made their way to the Adventurer’s Guild on foot, climbing a wide avenue lined with cobbled stones and old lantern posts. The Guild building stood proud near the city center—tall, imposing, and carved with crests of various monster species. It was part hall, part fortress, with banners fluttering outside and bulletin boards filled with contracts by the main entrance.

As they pushed through the heavy wooden doors, the familiar scent of waxed wood, roasted food, and sweat greeted them. Tables were filled with adventurers mid-meal or mid-boast, weapons leaning against chairs and tankards sloshing with ale.

Elise was behind the reception desk as usual, her blue uniform pristine, blonde hair tied into a high, efficient ponytail. When she spotted them, her eyes lit up.

"You’re back!" she called out. "I was beginning to think the goblins had eaten you both!"

Lyra cracked a smile. "You know what happened?"

"What are you talking about? I’m just saying random words," Elise replied.

"Is Thorne in?"

"He is. He’ll want to see you right away. Something about updating the field records. Follow me."

She turned on her heel, her boots clacking against the polished floor, and led them up the side stairs toward the administrative wing. The sounds of the hall faded behind them, replaced by the quieter, more serious atmosphere of the Guild’s upper offices.

Guildmaster Thorne’s door was slightly ajar, as if he had been expecting them. Elise knocked once and pushed it open.

"They’re here," she said.

"Come in," rumbled a familiar baritone from inside.

He looked up, expression unreadable, and gestured for them to sit.

"You were gone longer than expected," he said.

"There were complications," Inigo replied. "But the job’s done. The goblin nest was located east of the village, buried deep in a ravine. Over forty of them. We collapsed the tunnels with air strikes. Confirmed no movement after a thermal sweep."

Thorne’s brow furrowed. "Air strikes? Goblins? Ah...you meant to say that you took a quest from one of the villages."

"Yes."

Thorne grunted. "You’re full of surprises."

Lyra chimed in. "The village is safe now. They won’t see another goblin raid for a long time, if ever."

Thorne leaned back in his chair and closed the ledger. "Good. We’ve had too many smaller settlements overrun lately. Your actions may have saved more than just that village."

He paused, eyes narrowing slightly. "And the other matter?"

Inigo’s voice lowered. "Any word from the Lord of Destruction?"

Thorne’s jaw tightened, but he shook his head. "None. No sightings. No seismic activity. No reports of his minions stirring either."

"That’s... strange," Lyra said slowly.

"Agreed," Thorne said. "He’s not the type to vanish. Either he’s gathering strength for something large... or he’s already watching us and waiting."

Inigo didn’t like either option. "If he’s waiting, we can’t afford to."

"You think we should act?" Thorne asked.

"We have little to no information about him. In fact, we would only act if he act. We can enter the Rift but you know, Rifts are not always guaranteed to lead us to a target."

"You are goddamn right."

***

After the meeting concluded, Inigo and Lyra descended the stone steps of the Guild in thoughtful silence. The midday sun now cast longer shadows over the plaza, the hustle of Elandra still pulsing around them. They took a quiet path through the eastern quarter, winding past alchemy shops and bakeries until they reached Inigo’s home.

Inside, the air was still and familiar. Lyra dropped her cloak onto a hook while Inigo set his rifle gently by the wall. Neither spoke for a moment.

Finally, Lyra said, "Home."

Inigo nodded, exhaling. "For now, at least."