CHAPTER 44: CHAPTER 44: STEPS INTO THE LIGHT

Arden walked back toward the ruin with an easy grin, the kind that came when hard work finally paid off.

He had his first advanced technique in the bag, and only two more stood between him and the locked ability in the relic he’d taken from the ruin’s projection.

By the time he stepped inside, his absence had already been noticed. Conversations stalled, and the moment they caught sight of his good mood, the questions came.

"What were you up to?" Rael asked.

"Yeah, and what was so important that you left without a word?" Nyra pressed.

Arden just kept walking toward the center of the chamber. "We’re going to town," he said, like he was commenting on the weather.

That shut them up.

"We need to start looking into that organization," he continued, voice calm but steady. "They know too much about us already. I’m not about to sit here and let them grow into something we can’t handle." He glanced around at their faces. "To do that, we’ll need a legal cover. We’re registering with the guild as a party."

The silence stretched. And he didn’t push. They needed time to think. Unlike him, they hadn’t made their peace with being in the open.

They were dual affinity users, hunted, called monsters, the kind of people others whispered about and feared. For all they knew, Purity’s Creed might not be the only group out there hunting their kind.

"Coming to the light means taking the heat," Arden said at last. "Criticism, bounties, all of it. I’ve done my part to stabilize your affinities, but that doesn’t mean the kingdom will welcome you with open arms."

Zephyra let out a low rumble from where she lay, eyes half-closed but ears twitching.

Arden gave a small shrug. "But you’ve grown. You’re strong enough to walk this path. And I’ll be there to protect you."

He turned deeper into the ruin. "We’ll head for Greyhold. An Independent town, with fewer eyes."

Something flickered across Nyra’s face at the name of the town, but she quickly masked it. Still, his last words seemed to stick with her, and she didn’t argue.

Nyra was the first to decide.

She had been holding back for too long, letting the fear of being hunted shape her steps, but Arden’s words had opened a door.

If this was the path forward, she would walk it. She had scores to settle, goals she couldn’t reach by hiding.

Rael wasn’t far behind. He gave a small nod to himself, then looked at Arden. "I’m in."

Arden smiled faintly. "Good. I figured you both had it in you."

Zephyra rumbled low, tail flicking. She had no interest in politics or guilds, but the thought of leaving these walls for the wild lands again made her eyes glint. Arden’s own love for adventure had clearly rubbed off on her.

"Since you’re both set," Arden said, "there’s something I should show you.

Something that’ll make my promise to protect you mean more than just words."

They listened as he explained his new advanced technique, and the moment they understood what it could do, their curiosity spiked.

"You want to try it on us?" Rael asked, grinning.

"Only if you’re ready," Arden replied.

Rael stepped forward without hesitation.

Arden focused, recalling the same process he’d used on the beast outside the ruin.

But the system caught his intent.

Advanced Life Technique Active: Verdant Anchor in use. Apply Life Energy imprint... Y/N?

He willed yes, and the connection formed instantly.

Arden could feel Rael’s presence in the back of his mind, like a faint but steady pulse.

Rael looked confused. "That’s it? I don’t feel anything."

"You won’t," Arden said. "It’s not about you, it’s about what I can sense from you. Let’s test it."

They walked deeper into the ruin, Rael moving ahead while Arden stayed behind.

Even through the distance, Arden could feel his location and the subtle shift of his emotions when he called to mind a memory. Satisfied, they repeated the process with Nyra.

Zephyra already shared a bond close to this, but Arden went through with it anyway. "Never hurts to have more layers between us and trouble," he said.

When it was done, he motioned for them to rest. "We leave for the outlands tomorrow. From there, straight to Greyhold. We’ll need our strength."

The night passed restlessly, nerves and anticipation keeping them half-awake.

At first light, they stepped out of the ruin that had been their shelter for days, their steps firmer and their spirits sharper than when they had first arrived.

Hunting in the outlands was smoother than before.

Rael had found his rhythm, matching Arden’s pace without falling behind. When Arden picked targets, he chose beasts that would push their skills without risking their lives, and the results showed, each fight left them sharper than the last.

As they moved through a stretch of jagged valleys, the system pulsed a warning in Arden’s mind.

Ironhide Fangboar. C-Rank. Affinity: Earth.

He glanced at the description—armored hide, tusks like steel, earth-shaking charge. He smirked and looked at Rael. "This one’s yours."

Rael’s eyes lit up. "Finally."

Zephyra gave a low growl, not out of warning but excitement, and Nyra just folded her arms, watching as Rael moved ahead.

The Fangboar spotted them and roared, pounding the ground with a hoof before charging. Rael stepped sideways, lightning flaring along his hands as he sent a bolt into its flank. The crack of impact echoed through the rocks, but the beast’s armor held. It swung its head, tusks slicing through empty air as Rael dodged again.

The ground suddenly shook—Earthen Tremor.

Rael’s boots skidded on loose stone, but he caught himself with a quick ice platform under his feet, then leapt clear. He grinned, calling down shards of ice that hammered against its hide. Cracks began to form where the lightning had already weakened the armor.

Nyra laughed from the side. "Not bad, Rael! Look at you go!"

"Quit showing off and finish it," Arden called, voice calm but firm.

Rael nodded, drew in a deep breath, and slammed his hands together. Lightning surged into the beast’s legs while a thick spike of ice burst from the ground beneath it. The Fangboar let out a final bellow before collapsing, the fight ending without a drawn-out struggle.

Arden walked over, glancing at the tusks. "Efficient. That’s how you survive the outlands."

Rael only smiled, wiping sweat from his brow. Zephyra padded past, sniffing at the carcass before giving a short rumble of approval.

A/N:

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