He turned slowly, casting a final cold glance upon the pitiful remains of his interrogation. Without another word, Eldric dissolved into a bolt of lightning, streaking back toward Orion, Selene, and the others.
His heart now heavier, filled with determination to protect his grandson at all costs—especially from enemies as twisted and dangerous as the Insanity Creed.
Selene stood quietly near the carriage, her eyes sharp and attentive, occasionally glancing toward Orion’s unconscious draconic body sprawled awkwardly inside.
The carriage groaned under the strain of Orion’s massive three-meter frame, clearly not designed to accommodate such a large and imposing form.
The wood creaked audibly, and its sides bulged outward slightly—a testament to Orion’s transformed size and weight.
Fiora and Rina hovered anxiously by the carriage’s side, Fiora’s usually composed demeanor now shaken visibly. Her draconic hands trembled slightly as she gently touched Orion’s scales, her eyes filled with deep, tender worry.
Rina stood close by, her quiet presence a source of silent reassurance, though her gaze remained distant, haunted by the intensity of recent events.
Magi, meanwhile, sat quietly off to one side, his breathing steadying as the tension gradually eased. The small bunny nestled atop his shoulder, its fur finally settling after the chaos.
Lucan and Edgar exchanged quiet, wary glances as they sensed the sudden resurgence of familiar mana signatures deep within the forest—the very signatures of the two kidnappers Selene had clearly incinerated.
However, they both chose to stay put, guided by Selene’s silent command to remain vigilant beside Orion.
After a tense silence, a sharp crack of lightning echoed through the air, heralding Eldric’s swift return.
He materialized from the bolt of lightning with a subtle exhale, his expression now markedly calm, carrying an air of satisfaction that slightly alleviated the tension gripping the group.
Selene immediately turned to face him, her brows knitted tightly in confusion. "Old man," she began, her voice edged with bafflement, "I’m absolutely certain I incinerated those two thoroughly. How in the world did they come back to life?"
Eldric shook his head slowly, clearly as perplexed as she was, his voice calm yet tinged with lingering irritation. "I tried to extract that information from them, but even they had no idea. They seemed genuinely baffled by their revival."
Selene’s eyes darkened thoughtfully, her sharp intellect quickly considering possibilities. "Strange," she murmured softly. "This sort of reversal isn’t common. Perhaps another power was involved..."
Eldric nodded quietly, his attention now drifting toward Orion. His brows furrowed slightly in astonishment, noticing Orion’s condition had improved noticeably within the short time since his departure.
Eldric approached the carriage carefully, reaching out to gently probe Orion’s body with a delicate thread of mana.
His eyes widened fractionally, barely hiding his shock as he quietly realized the astonishing rate at which Orion’s body was transforming.
Orion’s internal injuries were healing rapidly, his foundation improving at an unprecedented pace despite the damage it held. Yet Eldric kept his discovery carefully concealed, maintaining a calm exterior as he withdrew his hand quietly.
Turning swiftly, he issued clear, calm instructions. "Lucan, bring Fiora and Rina back to the mansion immediately with Orion. Ensure no one else sees his condition—this information must remain strictly confidential."
Lucan nodded respectfully, quickly stepping forward to secure the carriage, making preparations for their quiet and discreet return.
Selene took a step forward and came in front of Fiora. Softly raising her hand, she drew a formation with her finger in front of her chest before pushing her hand forward. During this time, Fiora stood in confusion in front of her, wondering what she meant to do.
However, just as Selene’s finger touched Fiora’s chest, a blinding ray of light left her finger as her body rapidly shrank, her draconic features swiftly retreating inside her body. Her clothes became mere shreds as Selene took out a robe from her storage ring and wrapped it around her.
Fiora, on the other hand, slowly fell unconscious before the memories of old—which she had deeply buried—could return.
Selene heaved a sigh and handed over Fiora’s unconscious body to Rina. "Take care of her."
Rina gently pulled Fiora into her embrace and nodded her head before taking her inside the carriage, while thinking inwardly, ’I was useless again. Even Fiora could fight...’
With Orion, Fiora, and Rina entering safely inside the carriage, Eldric stepped away slightly and calmly retrieved a small yet exquisitely crafted flying chariot from his spatial ring.
The chariot hovered silently above the ground, its polished silver surfaces reflecting the gentle moonlight with a subtle brilliance. Eldric calmly boarded alongside Selene and Edgar, the chariot slightly humming with latent mana.
Eldric paused briefly, glancing downward toward Magi, who stood with eyes widened in fascination.
It had clearly been some time since the young man had seen a vehicle of this kind. The small bunny on Magi’s shoulder seemed finally relaxed, its tiny head cocked curiously at the chariot floating effortlessly above.
"Come on up, lad," Eldric invited calmly, his voice carrying subtle warmth beneath its usual seriousness. "I’ll drop you back in the city. First, we must carefully check the surrounding area for any more lurking Creed members."
Magi immediately nodded gratefully, stepping onto the chariot with a blend of fascination and nervousness. He settled quietly near the back, gently cradling the bunny that seemed equally intrigued by their imminent flight.
With a slight gesture from Eldric, the chariot ascended smoothly, silently, lifting gracefully above the forest canopy.
Below, Lucan carefully guided the carriage through hidden forest paths, slowly and cautiously making his way back toward the mansion with Orion, Fiora, and Rina safely concealed within.
From their elevated vantage, Eldric, Selene, Edgar, and Magi surveyed the landscape below, eyes sharp and vigilant.
Eldric’s gaze was especially piercing, sweeping methodically across the darkened forest, senses stretched to their limit as he carefully scanned for any sign of lingering danger.
Selene stood silently beside him, her expression thoughtful and introspective. Her thoughts churned quietly, troubled by unanswered questions, yet comforted by Eldric’s reliable presence beside her.
Edgar maintained his calm composure, his sharp eyes moving tirelessly across the shadowy landscape, his loyalty and vigilance unwavering.
The gentle silence aboard the chariot was only broken occasionally by Magi’s awestruck whispers and quiet exclamations, clearly fascinated by the chariot’s smooth and effortless flight.
Eldric cast an amused yet gentle glance backward, acknowledging the young man’s quiet wonder without saying anything.
After a thorough, methodical sweep of the area, Eldric finally relaxed slightly, satisfied there were no more immediate threats from the Insanity Creed nearby. His shoulders eased marginally, and he turned slightly toward Selene, voice quietly reassuring.
"It seems safe for now," he murmured, his eyes still vigilant despite the reassurance in his tone. "But this is only the beginning. The Creed rarely acts without thorough planning, and their targets are never chosen lightly. Someone has intentionally set these wheels into motion."
Selene nodded solemnly, her eyes reflecting quiet determination. "We will need to strengthen our defenses and remain especially vigilant now. Whoever orchestrated this attack likely has further plans."
Eldric nodded his head. "First we need to head back and wait for Orion to wake up." Saying so, his gaze briefly returned toward the distant city where Lucan had already reached.