Erend, Aesa, and Eccar stepped through the shimmering portal, and the world shifted around them. Light bent, colors stretched, and the familiar scent blooming flowers washed over them as their feet touched solid ground again.

They had arrived at the Elf Palace.

The back garden unfolded before them in all its ethereal beauty just like the last time they remembered it.

Everything shimmered with soft Magic.

And standing there in the middle of it, waiting beneath the arch of a white blossom tree, was Aurdis.

Erend had reached out to her through telepathy earlier, and she had come immediately. But even so, the moment she saw him, her eyes brimming with happiness.

Her lips spread into a bright smile that held relief, longing, and warmth all at once.

Erend didn't hesitate. He broke into a run, his steps fast and uncontrolled, the tension of everything he carried finally cracking for just a moment.

Aurdis barely had time to open her arms before he swept her into a tight embrace.

She let out a soft laugh against his shoulder, arms sliding around his back, holding him just as tightly.

"I missed you," she whispered, her voice trembling with happiness.

"I missed you too," Erend said with a warm breath, burying his face in her hair for a heartbeat, letting himself feel this moment after everything that had happened.

Eccar grinned at the sight, folding his arms with a satisfied nod.

"Finally," he muttered. "About time he got a moment like this."

Aesa stood beside him, silent.

Her expression was different. It shows subtle and quiet sadness rising behind her eyes.

The way Erend held Aurdis reminded her painfully of how she once held her husband.

How warm those moments had been. And how quickly they had been stolen from them.

A faint frost curled across the tips of her boots before she caught herself and forced it back down.

Aurdis finally pulled away from Erend, her hands lingering on his arms as she looked him over, making sure he truly stood there without any injuries.

"What happened here?" Erend asked, noticing the tension in her shoulders.

Aurdis let out a soft sigh. "Just as you warned me, the Palace came under attack. Undead spirits, revenants, and other twisted forms come from every direction."

She glanced toward the towering palace walls, their white stone now reinforced with gleaming metal guardians standing motionless along the battlements. Saeldir that it was better to keep them active there.

"But thanks to those metal constructs, we held them off without difficulty. The threat was real, but we were prepared and had no casualties," Aurdis said.

Erend nodded slowly. "Good. I'm glad it worked."

Aurdis took his hand gently, her fingers warm and soft around his. "Come inside. There's more we needs to tell you."

Eccar followed behind them casually, but Aesa's steps were slower, her gaze drifting over the palace filled with life and safety. A painful contrast to the dead ruins of her own world.

Together, the four of them walked toward the glowing archway leading into the heart of the Elf Palace.

They entered one of the palace's quiet chambers. Aerchon stood near a long table, already reviewing a stack of reports with a furrowed brow.

He looked up the moment the door opened.

Erend stepped forward first.

"Aerchon."

The Elf prince's eyes widened briefly before he crossed the room and clasped Erend's hand.

His grip was firm, but Erend felt the faint tremor beneath it and noticed the stiffness in his movements. The wounds he had taken during their previous battle with Laston still lingered, though the worst had begun to heal.

"You're back," Aerchon said quietly. "Good. We needed you."

Erend gave a small nod, then motioned toward the woman beside him.

"There's someone you need to meet. This is Aesa. She is also a Dragonborn."

Aerchon's eyes widened for a few moments in disbelief. Even Aurdis, who already knew, glanced between them with a quiet, steady pride.

"Another one?" Aerchon murmured. "In this era?"

Aesa just nodded slightly.

Aerchon exhaled slowly, then composed himself with practiced calm. "You're welcome here. Please, sit."

Aesa took the offered seat, her posture straight but her eyes distant. Eccar settled near her with a relaxed presence like always.

Aurdis moved closer to Erend, her hand brushing lightly against his.

Erend didn't waste time.

"We have to move quickly," he said. "There's a lot you need to know."

Aurdis and Aerchon focused on him immediately, their expressions tightening because they knew more or less what Erend was about to say.

Erend drew in a slow breath, then started speaking.

"When we went to the ruined world things didn't go as planned. We confronted this entity, his name is Zerathul, but we were completely overwhelmed. His power was far beyond what we expected."

He paused, the room turning cold despite no frost forming. Even Aesa lowered her gaze.

"We lost that battle," Erend continued. "And one of our Dragonborn brothers was absorbed."

Aurdis covered her mouth, her eyes widening with shock. Aerchon straightened, the color draining from his face.

"What…?" Aurdis whispered.

Aerchon swallowed hard. "Absorbed? You mean he took his power too?"

Erend nodded, his jaw tightening. "Yes."

The silence that followed was stark and heavy. Aurdis's fingers trembled slightly against Erend's arm. Aerchon stared at the table, his breath uneven, fear creeping through the cracks of his composure.

Now they understood just how terrifying this entity truly was.

A quiet heaviness settled over the room. The tense and cold silence pressed in, until Erend finally drew a slow breath and decided to continue.

"There's more," he said. "Before I came here, I talked to someone… an ancient god that has become our friend."

Aurdis' brows lifted slightly.

Erend went on. "The god are planning to interfere. They'll stop Zerathul from using his full power in this world. At least for now. But their Magic energy is limited so they can only hold the barrier for so long."

Aerchon let out a faint sigh, the weight of another cosmic force entering their lives clearly sinking in.

"So we don't have much time," Aurdis murmured.

"Exactly," Erend said. "We can't face Zerathul as we are. We weren't strong enough and he made that clear."

The memory flickered in his eyes, sharp and painful.

"That's why I came here," he continued. "I have a place we can go. Somewhere we can become strong enough to fight him again."

Erend looked at Aurdis and Aerchon.

"We will move soon," he said.

"Before that, you need to talk to my father and Saeldir," Aurdis said. "I think my father is talking about something important with Saeldir right now."

—