The days spent with Bernard flew by, so swiftly that only one moment in Felix's life was so fleeting. Over three months of slow travel, Felix and Bernard reached one of the four fortresses of Avon - the fortress of Solenne. It is located at the confluence of two provinces of the Republic, Avon and Poitou. Here, according to Felix's plan, he was to entrust Bernard to a family where he could grow up and lead a more peaceful life than wandering with Felix.

Approaching the fortress gates, he passed through a small village built right in front of the fortress walls. On the road, in front of the main gates, there were several merchants' wagons, all of them had deviated from the main road onto a side road, while Felix took a much more dangerous but beautiful and shorter path - through forest trails. When the queue reached Felix, the guard requested his documents. He took out a worn piece of paper from his shoe.

"Wow, you're from the Union?" exclaimed a Legion soldier in sable-black armor. His surprise was understandable - the Union of Free Cities of the South was and remains the southernmost country of Alius, while the Republic is slightly to the east of the center of Alius, so the surprise was justified.

"Yes, that's correct."

"You've come quite a long way, but go on. The main thing is, tell me why you've come? And who is this child in your arms?"

Felix cast a glance at Bernard and replied, "I found this boy in the forest, surrounded by corpses. I've decided to take him to the Academy or the Citadel branch, to the church shelter."

Felix answered the more important question for him while continuing to gaze at Bernard. The guard let him pass. The fortress of Solenne was strategically important during the war, but even so, within its walls, there were a significant number of knights of the Order of the Great Wings, enough to be considered a small knightly army.

Inside the fortress walls was a small town. Felix had been here once before, but in entirely different circumstances. He looked around and headed towards the taverns. It was from there that he usually obtained information that was not entirely reliable but valuable.

"You'll heal soon, Bernard. Soon this long journey will come to an end," Felix smiled, but a strange feeling of impending loss gripped his heart. They had traveled this path for three months, and now it was time for each of them to go their own way.