Chapter 30: Relic Altar!
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"They’ve never returned," Zephyr finished for her, a hard edge creeping into his tone. "I know. But that’s why we have to go. We’ll be the first to survive them."
With resolve, Zephyr stood, walking toward the cave’s entrance, where the wind howled outside, sending a chill through the stone walls. The snowstorm outside had intensified, but that wouldn’t stop them. He had made up his mind. The ruins awaited, and the Guild was getting closer. The time for hiding was over.
Fenna came to stand beside him, her hand resting on the hilt of her short blade. "I’ll stand by you, Zephyr. Always."
Zephyr turned to face her, his heart heavy with a newfound purpose. "Thank you."
One Hours Later...
The storm had turned fierce, whipping snow through the air in blinding sheets. Zephyr and Fenna had packed what little gear they could carry, including supplies for Star. The dragonling, having grown used to the cold, now perched on Zephyr’s shoulder, his tiny claws gripping tightly as they trudged through the snow. The trek up the valley would be difficult, but they had no choice.
The guild’s presence was a shadow over their every step. Their hideout was no longer safe. Zephyr could feel the pulse of his own bloodline within him, stirring with an urgency he hadn’t felt before. He wasn’t just running from the Guild, he was running toward something greater.
The cold nipped at their faces as they climbed higher, past the cliff edges and into the mountains. The air grew thinner as they ascended, but Zephyr didn’t falter. He couldn’t afford to. Star’s steady warmth was a constant reminder of what he was fighting for, and the echoes of his first awakening, the shame of being an F-rank, the mockery, the ridicule were slowly being replaced with something new. A promise. A promise to himself that he would not remain the weak, forgotten boy forever.