CHAPTER 1026: CALLING

Erend lingered in silence after his last words. His figure stood rigid in the chamber.

His brow furrowed deep, shadows gathering in the creases of his face as he stared at the stone wall without really seeing it.

His mind churned with possibilities and fears that gnawed and clawed at him. But none of it offered clarity.

The weight of helplessness pressed down hard on him.

Sylmira stood quietly across from him.

She did not speak or attempt to soothe or console. She knew better than to break his thoughts now.

All she could do was stand still, her hands folded before her chest, watching him in silence.

Finally, Erend exhaled a long weary sigh.

His shoulders slumped slightly.

He turned toward her, the decision already heavy in his voice. "I need to go back to my world first for now."

He did not explain more or say what awaited him or what plans he meant to set in motion. But the wise and perceptive Sylmira understood without needing the details.

She inclined her head, "I will care for Arty with everything I have. You need not doubt that."

Her voice was soft but carrying a promise.

Another sigh escaped Erend. He hesitated a moment, then asked in a low tone, "Can I see her before I leave?"

Sylmira’s expression softened, and she nodded. "You can."

Together, they walked the quiet corridor until they reached the chamber where Arty lay resting.

The room was still and lit only by the faint shimmer of a lamp.

Arty slept peacefully right now. Her chest rising and falling, her young face looks calm.

For a moment, Erend simply stood in the doorway, his throat tightening.

Then he stepped closer. Sitting carefully at the edge of her bed, he reached out and placed a hand gently on her head.

His fingers brushing lightly against her hair. His eyes softened but within them burned a pain that could not be hidden. The kind of pain that came from knowing that even with all his strength, he had not managed to shield her from the shadows creeping into her soul.

"I should have been doing better than this," he thought bitterly, though he forced the words down into silence.

Leaning closer, he pressed a soft kiss to Arty’s forehead. The gesture lingered a moment longer than he intended as though trying to will his protection into her.

When he finally pulled back, his hand still lingered at her side before he rose and forcing himself away.

They returned to Sylmira’s chamber.

"The best course is for her to stay here with you. If I take her back to my world now, I fear the influence will only grow worse." Erend’s voice was steady when he spoke.

Sylmira’s eyes met his eyes with a gaze that was full of gravity and understanding.

She nodded once. "Then she will remain here. I will guard her as if she were my own blood."

That was enough for Erend to act. He summoned his Magic, the air trembling with power as a shimmering portal bloomed open once more.

Before stepping through, he cast one last look at Sylmira. His gaze feels like it held trust and desperation.

Then he vanished into the light.

The silence after his departure was heavy.

Sylmira let out a long sigh. There would be no sleep for her tonight. She turned to her shelves, her eyes scanning the thick and old tomes stacked high.

If there was even the faintest chance of knowledge that could free Arty from this encroaching darkness she would find it.

She pulled a tome free, then another, her mind already burning with determination.

—

Erend arrived back at his room in the military facility with a grim face.

The dim light of the lamp above his desk did little to soften the sharp lines carved across his expression.

He sat down heavily on the edge of his bed, elbows resting on his knees as his hands locked together.

His jaw tightened and his breath was uneven because it was filled with anxiety.

Finally, he closed his eyes and reached out through the bond, calling for Eccar.

"Eccar."

The call lingered in the void of his mind for a long, pressing minute before an answer finally stirred. It must be because Eccar was in the middle of doing something right now so he can’t answer.

"Erend? What’s up?"

Eccar’s voice came, clear though laced with fatigue.

Erend’s hand clenched into a fist without Eccar knowing it.

"Something is happening with Arty." He said.

A sharp pause followed. Eccar’s presence shifted, carrying the weight of sudden worry. "What do you mean? What happened?"

Erend exhaled shakily, his voice inside the link trembling with a mix of anger and fear. "She’s... she’s being influenced by something. I don’t know what but Sylmira said she was attacked, and since then, Arty has changed. It’s as if something is playing with her mind and twisting it."

For a long moment, there was only silence on the other end.

Then Eccar’s voice came quieter, heavy with guilt. "Damn it... I should have been there with her. I’m sorry, Erend."

Erend shook his head slowly, though Eccar couldn’t see it. "No. This isn’t your fault. Don’t blame yourself because you and Krono also need to do this. I just need to know if you and Krono have found anything yet."

"We’ve found a solid clue. The Dragonborn of this world... it’s most likely an Ice Dragon." Eccar’s tone steadied though urgency laced every word.

Erend’s brow furrowed deeper with a flicker of resolve steadied his voice. "That’s good. But Eccar... we need to hurry. I can feel it. The threat is closing in faster than we thought. Arty and us may not have much time."

"Understood," Eccar replied firmly. "I’ll move faster. You have my word."

The bond between them pulsed once more, then faded, leaving Erend alone in the quiet of his room.

He opened his eyes, staring at the floor, his fists trembling as the weight of helplessness pressed harder on his chest.

—