The ship continued forward, steady and smooth as it cut through the endless sea of clouds. Soft music still drifted through the control deck, though quieter now, blending into the low hum of mana engines and the faint glow of the displays ahead.
The atmosphere had settled.
There was less tension now.
Less uncertainty.
Only movement.
The mana-lit screens shifted gradually as the ship advanced, lines reforming across the maps while territory markers adjusted one after another.
Then the pilot straightened slightly in his seat.
His hands moved calmly across the controls.
"We crossed the border."
His eyes remained fixed ahead.
Focused.
"We're inside Arkvareth territory now."
The airship continued through unfamiliar skies, descending deeper into the vast lands below.
The pilot glanced briefly at another reading before speaking again.
"I'll begin searching for a place to descend."
Lyriana gave a small nod.
Calm as ever.
"Do that."
Her gaze shifted to the side, settling on Lucien and Tharic.
"While he does, both of you should gather the others and prepare to depart."
Lucien blinked once.
The words settled heavier than expected.
Because now it was real.
Not later.
Not eventually.
Soon.
Tharic exhaled quietly through his nose, his grip loosening slightly where he stood.
"Right."
Lucien nodded after a moment.
"Understood."
The pilot continued guiding the ship lower while carefully scanning the terrain ahead.
Aldric leaned lazily against the nearby wall, a drink still hanging loosely from one hand.
"Try not to die immediately after getting kicked off. Letting you get on in the first place would've been a waste otherwise."
His tone remained completely casual, like he was commenting on the weather rather than their survival.
Tharic frowned faintly but said nothing.
Lyriana ignored Aldric entirely.
The cultist remained seated near the artifact, silently observing the mana fluctuations running through the ship.
Meanwhile, Draven sat quietly in the chair near the front of the deck, one hand loosely holding the bottle as his gaze rested beyond the glass.
On the distant lands below.
Arkvareth.
Another territory.
Another unfamiliar place.
Or perhaps one that wasn't entirely unfamiliar at all.
The soft music continued playing in the background while the airship slowly descended through the clouds.
Steady.
Controlled.
The vast lands of Arkvareth stretched beneath them, endless and unknown.
Inside the control deck, Lucien and Tharic finally stepped away from their stations.
Neither of them spoke at first.
Because now this was truly happening.
The music continued faintly behind them as they left the deck, the doors sliding shut at their backs.
The corridors somehow felt quieter now.
Different.
Not because the ship itself had changed—
but because their place on it had.
Tharic rubbed the back of his neck as they walked.
"Well… guess this is it."
He let out a quiet breath.
Lucien stayed silent for a moment before giving a faint nod.
"Yeah."
Neither of them sounded particularly certain.
But there wasn't really anything else left to say.
They continued through the corridors, moving more quickly now toward the room where the others waited.
The door slid open.
Inside, Seryna sat near the bed while the half-demon girl remained unconscious beneath the dim lights of the room.
Her breathing had steadied.
But she still hadn't woken up.
Kaelira leaned nearby with her arms loosely folded, while Lucien's sister stood quietly against the wall, watching as always.
All three looked up the moment the door opened.
Lucien spoke first.
"We're being dropped off."
Silence settled over the room immediately afterward.
Kaelira blinked once before glancing toward the bed.
"Seriously?"
A faint frown crossed her expression.
"The one they told us to keep alive still hasn't even woken up yet."
Seryna lowered her gaze briefly toward the half-demon girl.
"Then we should inform him before leaving."
Her voice remained calm.
Practical.
Lucien's sister answered before anyone else could.
"We'll do it on the way out."
Her tone was flat.
Certain.
Her eyes had already shifted toward the door.
"It's better to get off the ship first."
Seryna considered it for a moment before nodding slowly.
"Agreed."
Tharic exhaled quietly.
"Yeah."
Kaelira pushed herself away from the wall.
"Fine by me."
Lucien glanced once more toward the unconscious half-demon girl.
Still unmoving.
Still asleep.
But alive.
For now, that was enough.
Without wasting any more time, the group turned and left the room behind, leaving the half-demon girl resting alone on the bed while they moved through the corridors once more toward the exit—
toward the unknown territory waiting below.
The airship descended steadily through the clouds until, finally, the massive structure touched the ground.
A low vibration spread throughout the ship.
Soft.
Controlled.
The pilot's hands moved across the controls one final time as the mana lines dimmed slightly and the engines stabilized.
"Landing complete."
Quiet.
Professional.
A faint mechanical sound echoed through the corridors.
Not from the rear ramp.
From the side of the ship.
Part of the structure shifted open, revealing a side entrance leading outside into the unfamiliar lands beyond.
The pilot glanced back slightly.
"Side entrance is open."
Aldric leaned nearby, drink still in hand.
Then he spoke.
"We're really just letting them go?"
The question sounded casual.
But the meaning behind it was anything but casual.
The cultist immediately looked up.
"No."
Her answer came calmly.
Certain.
"We can't simply release them like that."
Her gaze lowered briefly.
"Not after they've seen my lord."
Aldric pointed lightly with the bottle in agreement.
"That's what I've been saying."
A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Should've killed them from the start."
He took another slow drink.
"But it's not too late either."
His crimson eyes narrowed faintly.
"We can still do it now."
The atmosphere shifted slightly.
Not panic.
Not fear.
Just the quiet weight of possibility settling over the air.
Then the cultist spoke again.
"There's no need to kill them."
Aldric glanced sideways toward her.
She continued calmly.
"I know a spell."
A brief pause followed.
"One that will ensure they remain silent."
Her eyes lowered respectfully.
"I only require my lord's permission."
Silence followed for a moment.
Then Draven answered.
"Alright. Do it."
Flat.
Immediate.
Without hesitation.
The cultist bowed her head at once.
"Understood, my lord."
Draven rose from the chair.
The slime remained resting sleepily on his shoulder, barely reacting as he moved.
Aldric pushed himself away from the wall with a grin.
"See?"
He glanced toward Lyriana.
"Much smarter."
Lyriana ignored him completely, already moving toward the exit while the artifact remained secured in her arms.
Together, Draven, Aldric, the cultist, and Lyriana left the control deck and moved through the corridors toward the opened side entrance.
At the same time, Lucien and the others were already approaching from another section of the ship.
Completely unaware of what awaited them ahead.
The corridors narrowed as both groups drew closer to the exit passage.
Outside, the unfamiliar lands of Arkvareth stretched beneath the darkening sky.
And the moment of separation was finally about to begin.