She didn’t like it.

Elira ate the kraken tongue entirely, since it cost so much, and she didn’t want to waste it. But she didn’t like the taste at all. It was tangy and bitter at the same time, which wasn’t a very nice combination for her taste buds. But at least it filled her up, and seemed to be nutritious.

Tempest had also finished being fed by now, as Elira collected him from the stable just near the lift to the bottom layer.

She sat on a bench under a tree looking out at the bottom layer’s lift. It had been an hour since she ate her food.

I didn’t realise just how long it would take them... surely by now they’d have reached the end right? Right?

Wrong.

Neither Zivot nor Gulmory showed up for the next half an hour. Only when Elira began dozing off on the bench did Zivot show up.

He was panting, and wet from head to toe for some reason.

Elira smirked at him.

“I win! Truly, I’ve proven myself to be the best horse rider. Also... why are you drenched?” She asked as Zivot’s horse strolled up beside Tempest.

“Ha. Ha. I had to deal with a bunch of very angry old ladies who tossed buckets of water on me just before I climbed down to the bottom layer. They were honestly rather ruthless, if I do say so myself.”

“Old ladies? Pfft! Did you get scolded like old Agatha would yell at you?”

“Well... I don’t know what they were saying, but they seemed very angry about something or other. Maybe they mistook me for one of their sons who came home the day after a long night. Fortunately, none of them were quite as ruthless as Agatha.”

Elira leaned back on the bench and broke into a hearty laugh.

“I would’ve loved to see that. I’d pay to see that!”

“Uh huh. Thanks Elly, thanks. Anyway, where’s Gulmory? She wasn’t far behind me last I saw.”

“If she was behind you, and you just got here, then what makes you think she’s here? It’s a race, Zivot.”

Zivot stared at Elira.

He laughed awkwardly in response to her question, without actually answering it.

“We’ll... just ignore that... h-how long have you been here? It looks like Tempest is full of energy, and you look pretty well rested too...” Zivot asked, trying to change the topic.

“Hmm... I think I’ve been here for a couple hours now maybe? Something like that.”

“EH?! Wha-... HOW?!”

“Waterways.”

“Ah.”

“Yeah.”

“What’s that?” Zivot asked.

Elira had to do a double take.

“You’re... not serious right? Zivot please tell me you’re not serious, because you not knowing about a massive part of one of the cities under your reign is not good.”

Elira looked serious, which was only backed up by the lack of her previously prevalent comical tone.

“And what? What other Aspect would know of every little part of their cities? What a waste of energy that would be!”

“Zivot... what are you talking about ‘every little part’? You told me years ago that you’d be better than the other Aspects. Where’s that Zivot gone? You asked me to be a part of your cabinet, but you didn’t brush up on your regional knowledge, like I asked you to.”

“I don’t recall ever asking for your opinion, Sage.” He said rather coldly.

Elira’s eyes widened.

“I... see...”

“Now, please grant me some silence while I wait for my right hand.”

Elira didn’t respond.

Zivot... how much have you changed in the last couple decades... has it been so slow and incremental that I just haven’t noticed it until now? What about just before? You were excited to race, right? But now that I mention your mistake as an Aspect... isn’t that what a good advisor is meant to do? I mean, I get it... you’ve always been... wait... no... this isn’t how you used to be. This disrespect... it isn’t new? I’ve felt it before as well... when did it start? Have you always been this disrespectful to me? Did our friendship just mean nothing?! Me, you, Bjorn, Bort, Agatha, and the others...

As the reality of how her friend had changed seemed to catch up with her, Elira needed space to figure it all out.

“... M-meet outside.” She muttered.

Elira quickly clambered atop Tempest and galloped away, out to Rupes’ exit.

Zivot did not look at her.

Tears flowed from Elira’s eyes as she tried to gather her thoughts. A small spiral that may have held some truth to it wouldn’t be useful to her unless she could unpack what was actually happening.

It wasn’t often that Elira’s emotions got the best of her. But even she was mortal. Since she’d found Reiki, Elira would often spend time with her half-sister. Since Reiki was always there for her, Elira could always rely on her.

But it wasn’t easy now that Elira couldn’t see her for a long time.

I suppose... all of the stress and trouble from the last few months has caught up with me...

Elira had arrived outside Rupes’ main gate. In the distance was nothing more than a beautiful view of Udra’s lush fields lit by Zenith’s ever descending twin suns.

I don’t know what Zivot’s thinking, but he can’t be an Aspect like this... It’s so disrespectful to his people that he doesn’t even know of such a large part of his community existing! Rupes is basically another capital in Udra, given how huge it is and how many people live here... so it’s disappointing that he doesn’t know or care for them. Or me. After all the work I’ve put into helping him with his work as an Aspect... our clan would’ve fallen apart already if I hadn’t. I do all the dirty work, AND all the clean work, and what do I get for it?

Nothing but coldness and disrespect!

*Sniffle*

Elira wiped her face with a cloth that she pulled from her spatial storage. She took a few deep breaths. For a few minutes, she sat there atop Tempest. Elira took in the beautiful fields in front of her just outside of Rupes’ walls. The comfort of Tempest’s presence was good for her mental state as well.

He was just like an old friend.

In this moment, Elira was afforded just a morsel of peace.

*Clop clop clop*

“Hey, Sage! I heard you won the race... fair enough. Well done.” Gulmory said as she trod along the path out the exit of the city. She, for once, didn’t have any kind of disrespectful underlying tone in her voice.

Elira granted her the benefit of the doubt, and took her words to be genuine. Though, it was hard to do so given how rough she felt right now.

“Thanks Gulmory. Where’s Zivot?” She asked.

“Right here. Let’s go.” He said from behind Gulmory.

Elira nodded, and wordlessly galloped ahead of them. She wanted Tempest to run like the wind. She pushed forward without a care in the world now.

Tempest was faster than the other two horses, and ran way ahead of them.

Elira cried tears that flew off of her face in the winds of Zenith’s country roads. Tempest felt Elira’s pain.

So he ran.

He ran as fast as he could.

“SAGE! SLOW DOWN!”

Elira couldn’t hear the voice.

She could only see the road in front of her through blurred eyes.

“SA-...ge?”

Gulmory caught up. But Elira still didn’t notice her.

Tempest ran even faster.

Gulmory was left in the dust. The one thing that Gulmory noticed, other than Elira’s inability to hear her, was the tears that flowed from the Sage’s eyes. She didn’t know what the problem was, but Gulmory imagined that whatever was bogging the Sage down was what caused her to run this fast.

For now though, both her and Zivot had to try and keep up with Elira’s pace.

After a short while, Elira’s tears flowed no longer.

The vast green fields of Udra’s countryside, combined with the setting twin suns in the sky, made for a very sombre atmosphere that urged Elira to let out her feelings. Her frustration.

It was perfect.

“Run, Tempest.” She said.

Tempest somehow sped up even more. Elira’s pain slowly drifted to the back of her mind, and within an hour night fell upon her.

She shot two flames into the lanterns hanging off of both of Tempest’s sides as the night sky crawled into being.

Elira didn’t look back. She wanted to leave the other two in the dust. She wanted to go home.

Of course, her home was with Reiki, Rai, and the insufferable Jin. But she had more than one home. Townsend in Acies would also serve as a welcome breath of fresh air.

Elira couldn’t wait to see Bort again.

Throughout the night, Elira sat atop Tempest who continued down the massive roads winding between farm towns and fields that led to Acies.

She glanced back for the first time in hours, only to see the lantern lights of her companions far in the distance. Thankfully, Zenith’s night clouds shielded the ground from its moonlight, making the contrast between the lantern light and the background much easier to make out.

But they were still far behind.

Elira sighed. Even Tempest must’ve been a little tired from running that fast for so long.

She urged him to slow it down a notch, continuing at a slower pace until Zivot and Gulmory could catch up with her.

Even at that pace, it took another hour for them to eventually catch up.

Elira decided to avoid any serious topics, and stayed casual in her conversation.

“Bit slow, aren’t you two?” She teased.

“You...! Why did you just shoot off like that?!” Gulmory yelled.

“Woah... I didn’t realise you cared this much about me Gulmory! I’m flattered.”

“As if! You were running like your life depended on it, just leaving us in the dust! Why would I care about you after you did that? We’re travelling together! Together!”

“... Genuinely... I had no idea that you cared.”

“I don’t care!”

“I’m sorry Gulmory, sorry for leaving you behind like that.”

At first, she was joking around. But this time Elira sounded genuine.

“AGH! Whatever!”

Why’s she so childish? I really just don’t understand it. Can’t you talk like a normal person, for just once in your life?

Elira looked over at Zivot, who never once glanced in her direction.

Damn... he must’ve been really pissed that I pointed out his faults. Y’know, I never realised how prideful you were Zivot. Not that you have much to be prideful about. Even as an Aspect, I’m pretty sure Bjorn would wipe the floor with you, so what on Zenith caused your pride to balloon so much?...

Elira wouldn’t know the answer to her question, as Zivot remained quiet for the rest of the journey.

They’d stop here and there, just to rest for a short while before carrying on. Thanks to Elira’s sprint, the group had shaved off a couple hours from their initial journey’s length expectations. This afforded them some rest time, which was sorely needed considering the amount of travelling they had to do.

Udra wasn’t so rich that it could afford a portal network like many of the other regions, so travelling on horseback or by carriage was the preferred method of travel.

They shot through some small towns on their way through to Acies. Since it was the dead of the night, however, there were practically no people outside or on the streets. The only sign of life in those towns was the occasional lantern flame that seeped through some of the houses’ windows.

After a long while of silent riding, morning came.

By Elira’s calculation, they’d arrive in Acies by noon today.

We can spend an hour or two in Townsend, freshening ourselves up, then go through to Aurum. Once we’re there... I hope Jin came through. It’ll be really rough if we can’t find a place to stay until the Summit.

Udra’s morning was filled by a cold misty fog enveloping the fields way out in the distance. Elira often had sleepless nights, and the mornings were always her favourite parts of those kinds of days. The grungy atmosphere granted by the soft quiet wherever she was always set Elira up right for the day. In her world, the peace of such a morning never went by without some degree of fulfilment.

However, this morning wouldn’t be so pleasant for much longer.

They came upon Acies.

Elira sighed as she spotted the stocky gatekeep, standing just outside Acies’ gates.

Narthir...

Well, this’ll go just swimmingly, won’t it?