The moment Elion stepped down, he felt the familiar feeling of the thick mana envelope his body.
It was nothing like the artificial density of the royal training rooms, but the feeling was natural and deeply rooted beneath the earth. It moved slowly through the air, through the trees, through the soil, like the forest itself was breathing.
Kurogoroshi gave an excited hum at his side, as it began snacking on the ambient mana, devouring it greedily.
Elion placed a hand on the scabbard.
"Hungry much?" he muttered quietly.
Alexander glanced at him. "Talking to the sword again?"
"No."
"You are a terrible liar."
"And yet you keep asking."
Before Alexander could respond, a group of soldiers and officers approached from the post, led by a tall elf woman in green and silver armour.
Her face was stern, her long ears partly hidden beneath braided silver hair, and a faint scar ran from the edge of her jaw down into her collar.
She bowed lightly toward Alexander.
