Chapter 217: Arrival to Tharvaldur
It was the tenth day of travel.
After entering the dwarven tunnel on the third day, the journey had turned into a monotonous glide through endless stone and mana-lit paths. The magical lamps embedded in the walls gave off a steady blue glow, casting long shadows that shifted as the vessel moved forward. The view hadn’t changed in days.
Noel stood at the front of the ship, hands resting on the railing. Elyra was beside him, her long braid gently swaying with the wind generated by the vessel’s motion.
"This is it," she said, eyes fixed on the faint light ahead. "We’ll be arriving soon. Are you excited for the tournament?"
Noel let out a short breath, not quite a sigh.
"Hmm. I’m not sure. Should I be?"
"It’s a chance to face the best students from all of Vaelterra. Isn’t that something? All the top academies, gathered in one place."
"I suppose. Roberto mentioned there’ll be academies from all three continents. Ours, of course... two from Elratih—one being Tharvaldur’s own, the host—and another from the northwest of Elratih. And then one from Velmora."
Elyra nodded. "And you know our academy is the most prestigious among them, right? Even students from Elarith choose ours over their own."
"Elena, for example," Noel replied.
"Exactly."
The tunnel was starting to widen up ahead, and the faint outline of something massive began to appear—columns, lights, and stone structures emerging from the darkness.