Chapter 21: Village Below the Mist IX
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Fizz tapped his wing against his own temple. "Also, she’s totally going to kill you one day if you do something she doesn’t like. Just saying. You must be careful."
John said nothing. He only stared out across the hill, watching as the two women disappeared into the trees beyond the forge.
The sun broke fully through the clouds above. Light spilled down like molten gold, painting the valley in warmth. The forge inside flickered to life again, and smoke drifted from its chimney like a promise.
The valley waited. And John stood in its heart.
Meanwhile, Sera stepped through the tall ferns, her boots brushing softly over the moss covered roots. Elara leaned against a crooked tree nearby, arms folded and gaze fixed toward the distant forge fire. Her voice was low, edged with caution.
"I don’t like it. The power around that young man isn’t stable," she said. "It’s not wild like a beast’s, but... sleeping. Like something ancient and half awake. It is really dangerous... what if he loses control?"
Sera sat on a nearby boulder, folding her hands over her knees. "You are overthinking it."
"No. I’m reading it. That little creature with him, it’s not from any bonded species I’ve seen. And it talks. Speaks like a person. That’s spiritual grade communication. Only high class formed familiars can do that. And his... didn’t even have legs."
"It had wings." Sera added.