"A little farther," Erith voice was calm, but unmistakably a command.

Maeric's only reply was the steady sound of his footsteps as he walked deeper into the woods.

The wolf-like Murasi trailed them curiously at a distance, its hazy glow weaving through the trees.

The forest thinned, giving way to the same clearing where Erith had stood nights ago. He bent to gather wood near the ashen remnants of a fire, keeping Maeric within view.

Maeric's eyes flicked to the circle of stones, their arrangement too precise to be natural. His brow furrowed as his gaze returned to Erith, a question forming but unspoken.

"When I was younger, I attended my father's coronation as Captain of the Pining Frost in Adlarath's capital," said Maeric, nostalgia threading through his words. "It was a few years after the drought began. I remember seeing the King's Illuminary—nearly all of them in attendance. They seemed almost otherworldly."

Erith dropped a few sticks onto the ashen pile and slid kindling beneath, drawing his metallic striker from his vest pocket.

"I found myself near Aurani Veneroth—the King's youngest daughter," Maeric continued, his voice carrying a measured weight, as if the memory had grown sharper.

"She was as imposing then as she is today. Imagine it—a royal family member abandoning the gilded halls to step into the ranks of the Illuminary. Who wouldn't be intimidated?"

A sheepish laugh caught in Maeric's throat. "I had the audacity to ask her about the drought. I felt foolish as soon as the words left my mouth. Yet... for all her formidable presence, there was warmth behind her words."

"She said, 'If you listen closely, Kaida hums a harmony—aching and chaotic, yet impossibly beautiful. Like a song seeking its final note, it stirs the soul. Even now, its melody has never ceased.'"

Maeric fell silent, fingertips brushing the edge of his vest. "Like the Murasi of late, I once thought it was just a tale... that the Illuminary were so powerful they could wield Kaida within themselves."

Erith stilled, the woodpile forgotten.

"Yet her words have stuck with me all these years."

Their eyes met, searching each other for truth.

"Tell me, does Kaida truly hum a song as she claimed?"

Erith weighed his thoughts, looking toward the dull glow of the Murasi before he answered.

"I never thought of it as music... more like an echo that's gone around so long you can't tell what it originally was, if that makes sense."

He held the torch near the kindling until it caught with a soft pop. Erith reached into his pocket and pulled out the gem he had taken from Maeric, its deep red hue catching in the growing firelight.

"Watch."

He tightened his grip around the gem. It flared to life, shining vibrantly in his palm.

At the same moment, a bright white light rippled through the air around the Murasi, sending the wolf-like figure scattering back a few steps.

As quick as the light from the gem came, it had faded. The clearing returned to the warm, flickering light of the fire, the crackling flames the only sound to disturb the silence.

"If it were a song, it'd be a different one every time, depending on the source of Kaida," Erith said calmly with a shrug.

Fascination seeped into Maeric's words. "You could stand among the Illuminary, perhaps even lead them. Live as royalty. But of course, you must know this..."

His fascination gave way to clarity. "Instead, you've brought me here, not to share this secret of yours, but to test my intentions—to judge whether you must reclaim your secret for yourself before the night ends."

The faintest flicker of amusement came across Erith's face.

"What are your intentions, Vice Captain?" His words were light, almost careless, yet the words carried a steep challenge.

Maeric studied Erith's face, the firelight casting deep shadows across his tired features. "You've been through the Balance, then?" he asked, his voice hushed, almost reverent.

Erith nodded once, a weary, but curious acknowledgement.

"...Do you mean harm to Aldarath?" Maeric pressed.

Erith blinked, caught off guard by the question. "No."

"Then my intention is simple," Maeric's voice was steady and resolute. "Help me through the Balance, and in return, I'll keep your secret."

Erith's laugh was sharp, tinged with disbelief. "Is dying really that tempting to you? The Balance kills far more than it spares. You can't just want this."

"I'm standing before someone who survived it," Maeric said, eyes steady. "And shows a greatness I have never even dreamed of." He paused, studying Erith. "How old were you when you went through the Balance?"

"Younger than most. But it kills many—"

"This world is incomprehensible," Maeric cut in, his voice firm. "To me. To all of us. I can hardly remember a time when fear didn't shape every step. Every choice."

He let his words settle between them.

"When I heard of the Balance, awakening the body to Kaida using Mura, the raw essence of the Murasi—I was drawn to it."

He stepped closer. "Our existence sways so delicately between forces we barely grasp. If this is the step I must take to be able to understand more, then my best chance lies with you."

Maeric's gaze steadied on Erith, his voice unwavering. "I don't tempt death, but I won't shy from it when understanding lies just beyond my reach."

Without a word, Erith turned and walked toward the Murasi, his steps unhurried.

Slowly stretching out his hand, he placed it gently on the glowing figure, his touch lingering for a brief moment, before he withdrew.

He turned and calmly walked back toward Maeric, who stood silently, tracking Erith's every step with a quiet awe.

"Enjoy looking better rested than I do—for now."

He shifted between the stones arranged on the ground. "You'll need your nights for practice if you're serious about going through the Balance. Now, Vice Captain—"

"Please," Maeric interjected, "just Maeric."

"Now, Maeric, I'll try to help you, but first, I'll need you to do more than keep a secret..." Erith's fingers brushed over the hilt of the blade before he flipped it and offered it back to Maeric.

"Help me tempt death," Erith said firmly. "Hit me with the blade—just once."

Maeric froze, his grip hesitant as he stared at the blade now thrust back into his hands. "Erith, what—"

"Just do it," he urged, readying his stance.

"Curiosity can be a dangerous thing, Maeric, but maybe it's worth the risk." He gave Maeric a resolute nod.

Maeric raised the sword, adjusting his grip as he gauged the weight of the swing. He aimed high, intending to strike cleanly, but at the last moment, he pulled the swing towards Erith's arm instead.

The blade struck with a metallic clang, sharp and jarring, as though it had collided with steel. The force of the impact sent the sword flying from Maeric's grasp.

Before Maeric could react, a translucent distortion rippled between them, expanding outward from Erith in a sudden, forceful wave.

The energy hit Maeric like a solid wall, knocking him backward with a gasp.

He landed hard, the breath knocked from his lungs. The sword struck the ground with a dull thud, far from where they stood.

Maeric blinked, disoriented. A stone rolled beside him, with a line of scuffed earth pointing straight to back Erith, where the ring of stones now lay scattered across the clearing.

The translucent wave rippled outward into the woods. Maeric watched the distortion of the Murasi retreat deeper into the shadows, until its muted glow vanished into the trees, leaving the clearing in silence.

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