Chapter 14 The Weight Of The Past, The Chaos Of The Present

As they finally reached the city, Mixarnt's jaw nearly hit the ground. “Whoa… this place is huge. Like, ridiculously huge!” he said, eyes wide with awe as he craned his neck to take in the sprawling skyline, towers gleaming under the moonlight. “I wonder if they've got a brothel around here.” Aelries recoiled slightly, her expression shifting from amazement to disgust in a blink of an eye. “You absolute pervert! We're not here so you can go chasing after women!” she snapped, her voice sharp with indignation. Before she could further scold him, Rachel turned to face them both with a warm, parting smile. “Well, this is where we part ways. I wish you two the best on your journey. Take care,” she said, her tone soft and sincere. Mixarnt gave her a big grin and a dramatic thumbs up. “You too! Stay safe, Rachel!” Aelries offered a polite bow. “Thank you for everything.” As the two of them continued on into the heart of the city, night had already settled in, the cobblestone streets lit by the gentle glow of enchanted lanterns. “So…” Mixarnt said, stretching his arms behind his head, “should we find an inn or something?” “No need,” Aelries replied coolly. “I'm a member of the Adventurers Guild. High-ranking adventurers like myself get access to the guild's private quarters.” Mixarnt blinked. “Oh? Nice! What about me?” “You?” Aelries grinned smugly. “You can sleep outside, you lecherous creep.” Mixarnt's face fell. “Wha—? That's just cold! Harsh, even! C'mon, what if we just… share a room? I promise to be on my best behavior! Maybe even give you a massage to help you relax—” A sudden whoosh interrupted him as a fireball blazed past his cheek, leaving a trail of singed air and a very panicked Mixarnt yelping and hopping around. “HOT! HOT! HOT!! Okay, okay! I was just joking! You crazy elf!” Aelries' eyes narrowed dangerously. The fireball in her hand flared larger, swirling with more heat. “Crazy, huh?” Mixarnt froze, then dropped into a full bow, face, and arms pressed to the ground while his rear stuck awkwardly into the air. “I-I meant wise! You're not crazy at all! You're kind, elegant, breathtakingly beautiful—a goddess, really! A goddess who deserves all the foot rubs and back massages the world has to offer!” There was a long pause… then Aelries burst into laughter. Genuine, unrestrained laughter that echoed down the street, startling a passing stray cat. “You're such an idiot,” she said between chuckles. Mixarnt peeked up with a sheepish smile. “Yeah, but at least I made you laugh.” Aelries quickly wiped her face, trying to regain her composure. “Tch. Just… shut up and follow me.” Mixarnt scrambled to his feet, dusting off his pants. “So… does that mean I do get to sleep inside?” Aelries didn't answer, but she didn't say no, either, instead, she gave him a good smack on the head. The Adventurers Guild Hall buzzed with noise, chatter, clanking mugs, and the laughter of adventurers. But the moment Aelries stepped through the doors, everything seemed to halt. At the front desk stood Karen, the head receptionist. Her eyes widened the moment she saw the familiar figure walking through the entrance. For a second, she froze, as if unsure whether her eyes were playing tricks on her. “A-Aelries…?” Karen whispered, her voice caught between disbelief and joy. Tears welled up in her eyes as she rushed from behind the counter. “Aelries! It's really you!” The room shifted. The veterans present, old ones who remembered their glory days, stared in shock. Some stood up instinctively, unsure how to react. The younger adventurers, clueless about her identity, whispered among themselves, confused yet clearly intrigued by the elegant elf who carried herself with quiet strength and mystery. A few of the more impulsive ones gave appreciative whistles, noting her striking beauty and graceful figure, only for their jaws to drop when they noticed the young man walking behind her, sporting a large, very noticeable bump on his head. Something told them that the elf had everything to do with it. “Aelries!!” another voice called out from the crowd. A young woman pushed through, eyes wide and sparkling with emotion. “You're really here!” It was Maria, once the youngest member of Aelries' former party. She had been barely fourteen when they adventured together, back then she was a timid girl with a natural gift for healing magic. Now, she stood tall and confident, her robes denoting her seniority in the guild. “A-Aelries, where have you been all this time?” Maria asked, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. “You just disappeared… You didn't return to Morvain…” Another voice chimed in, cool and quiet. “We all thought you were dead.” Cynthia, clad in dark leathers, emerged from the shadows near the guild's support board. The assassin had been another close companion of Aelries from back then. Though time had sharpened her eyes and tone, there was clear relief in her voice. “We knew you and Rainel had gone to the demon territory in the south, past the Elven Kingdom,” Cynthia said. “Then Rainel came back alone, declaring victory over the Demon King. We asked where you were… but he refused to answer. Then they crowned him King of Morvain the next year.” Aelries's expression darkened slightly as she took a deep breath, her gaze distant. “I stayed behind in Aranthiel,” she said quietly. “Rainel asked me to wait there. He said he would return once the war was over… I believed him.” She paused, her fingers curling slightly at her sides. “But then, a year later, I heard the news. That he became king. I wrote him letters, so many letters…” Her voice cracked, just faintly. “He never replied… Not even once.” A heavy silence fell over the group as the weight of her words sank in. Then, breaking the tension like a sledgehammer, came Mixarnt's voice. “Hey, Aelries, can we eat now?” he asked with a grin, his eyes fixed hungrily on the burger in the hands of a burly adventurer sitting nearby. The adventurer looked deeply uncomfortable under Mixarnt's intense, almost reverent stare. Karen, Cynthia, and Maria all turned to look at the boy, young, maybe eighteen at best, clearly oblivious to the heavy moment he had just interrupted. Their eyes flicked between him and Aelries, silently piecing it together. “He's with you?” Karen asked, blinking in surprise. Aelries sighed, running a hand down her face, though a faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips. “Unfortunately, yes. He's my… companion.” Karen stifled a laugh. Maria giggled. Cynthia just raised an eyebrow. “Well,” the assassin murmured, “things are definitely going to be interesting around here with that… hmm… goofy guy.” She said, while Mixarnt was literally trying to nab the burger of the veteran adventurer, his right hand blocked Mixarnt's face as he flails his arm.