The moon hung high over the treetops of the Fairywood, casting a soft silver glow over the sleeping glade. The night was quiet, save for the occasional rustle of wind through the leaves or the distant chirp of enchanted insects. Paul sat alone at the edge of a crystalline pond, his reflection rippling in the water. His sword lay beside him, sheathed, untouched.
Kaela approached quietly, her footsteps careful not to disturb the peace. She sat a short distance away, hands folded in her lap.
"You can't sleep either?" she asked softly.
Paul shook his head. "No. Tomorrow we leave again. Another fragment. Another fight."
A long pause stretched between them, the silence thick with things unsaid. Kaela turned toward him, eyes searching his face.
"Paul... can I ask you something?"
He nodded slowly.
"Why are you doing this? Really? Why work for Luna? What did she offer you that's worth all this blood and pain?"
Paul stiffened. His eyes fell to the ground.
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Kaela added quickly. "It's just... I don't understand. I trust you, but it's hard not knowing."
Another long silence. Then, with a heavy breath, Paul finally spoke.
"Back where I'm from... I wasn't a warrior. I wasn't even from this world. I came from a place called Earth. A different world. No magic, no demons—just... normal life."
Kaela's eyes widened but she said nothing, letting him continue.
"I had a wife. A daughter. We lived a quiet, simple life. Until one night, our house caught fire. I rushed as fast as I can, but the flames—"
He stopped, his voice catching. "They didn't make it. I lost everything. And then... Luna came. She pulled me into this world. Said she could give me a chance to bring them back. All I had to do was help her collect the fragments."
Kaela's breath hitched. "Paul... I had no idea."
He gave a bitter smile. "No one does. I didn't want anyone to know. I still don't know if she's lying to me. But I have to believe it. I have to try."
Kaela scooted closer, placing a hand gently on his arm. "Then we'll get them. All of them. Together."
He looked at her, surprised. "Even if it's for Luna's ends?"
"Even if," she said firmly. "Because if there's even a chance to bring them back, you deserve it. We'll find a way to make it right. I promise."
Paul nodded, emotions thick in his throat. The night held them in a soft embrace, the weight of their truths lingering in the quiet.
---
In a distant city cloaked in shadow, Ardyn stood atop a marble balcony overlooking a sprawling war room. His armor gleamed beneath magical chandeliers, every inch of it pristine and regal. Before him knelt a line of elite knights, their helms bowed in obedience.
"The next fragment has been located," one of them reported. "Beneath the ruins of the Temple of Asterin, just north of the Everfall Cliffs."
Ardyn nodded, his gaze fixed beyond the window, lost in thought.
"And the fugitives?"
"We believe Paul and Kaela are heading there."
The Sword Saint smiled faintly. "Of course they are. That man follows his trail like a hound on scent."
He turned from the window and addressed his knights. "Let them come. This time, we will not only recover the fragment... we will capture Paul."
The knights rose in unison, their armor clinking. "As you command, Lord Ardyn."
But Ardyn's mind wandered. Something had changed. The fight in the dungeon, Paul's sudden strength, his escape—it wasn't coincidence. Someone was helping them. Someone powerful.
"Have we identified the third party that aided their last escape?"
"Not yet, my lord."
He narrowed his eyes. "Find out. I want no more surprises."
---
Back in the heart of Fairywood, under the watchful glow of starlight, Kaela crept from her tent. She moved like a shadow, her robes drawn tight to muffle her movements. With practiced ease, she slipped past the fairy perimeter spells and darted into the outer forest.
She moved quickly through the trees until she reached a hidden glade, a place untouched by fairy magic. There, in the center, a portal shimmered—dark, pulsing, unnatural.
Kaela stepped through.
The air turned cold, and darkness wrapped around her like a veil. She stood before a grand throne of bone and obsidian. Luna, the Demon Lord, reclined lazily, her eyes glowing red in the gloom.
"You're late," Luna said, her voice like silk over blades.
Kaela knelt. "Forgive me, mistress. I had to wait until the others were asleep."
Luna's gaze sharpened. "Report."
"Paul is heading for the next fragment. He's being aided... by a fairy. A powerful one."
Luna sat upright, her aura spiking with fury. "A fairy?"
Kaela nodded. "Her name is Sylari. She seems to be training him, helping him control both sword and magic."
Luna snarled. "Those meddlesome insects never learn. The fairies should know better than to interfere."
Kaela remained silent, eyes lowered.
"Continue your mission," Luna commanded. "Keep feeding him what he needs to gather the fragments."
Kaela swallowed. "Yes, my lady."
Luna waved her hand, and the portal reopened. "Go. Before you're missed."
Kaela bowed and stepped back through the portal, emerging once more into the moonlit forest.
She was careful. Every step silent, every breath controlled. The camp was still asleep when she returned—or so she thought.
As she passed the glade's edge, a soft voice stopped her.
"You're not very good at sneaking."
Kaela froze.
Sylari floated midair, her wings aglow with faint green light. Her eyes, though small, held the weight of centuries.
"Where were you, Kaela?"
Kaela turned slowly, forcing a calm expression. "Just walking. Needed some air."
Sylari hovered closer. "Don't lie to me."
The tension in the air grew thick, and for a moment, Kaela feared the fairy might strike her down then and there.
But Sylari simply sighed. "Whatever you're hiding... I hope you know whose side you're really on."
She fluttered away into the trees, leaving Kaela standing alone, heart pounding.
Unseen by all, the moon drifted behind a cloud, and the forest once again fell into shadow.