The next few days went by without much happening, just the same old routine. Arthur mostly used these few days to teach a new batch ECHOs about Chi and awakened their Chi.

A few more ECHOs stood before him during those days, their nervous faces mirroring the same uncertainty he had seen in Elena, Samir and Leo the first time he’d awakened their Chi. One by one, he guided them, helping them sense the life force inside and pull it out. 

Their reactions were varied, some were speechless, others trembled with excitement, but all of them had the same fire in their eyes when they realized what they were now capable of. Although they have seen other ECHOs using Chi, feeling Chi coursing through their own body is an entirely different sensation.

In between training sessions, Arthur and his unit were summoned to provide the mission report. The debrief was strangely uneventful. He gave them the rundown of the operation, the fleet’s reclamation of the planet, and even Krax’s death, though he didn’t mention the details of the fight itself.

What puzzled him was the UFE’s silence about his display of strength in the battlefield. No one probed into how he had fought a Krax and killed him. The officials only nodded, scribbled notes, and moved on.

Arthur narrowed his eyes at them once before shrugging it off. If they weren’t going to ask, then he wasn’t going to volunteer anything. Still, a small voice in the back of his mind kept repeating that something about their silence was… deliberate.

By the seventh day, Arthur decided it was time to return to Thyrandel..

…

The morning light was faint when he stepped through the dimensional portal and back into Avalon. His boots met the polished marble floor of his room in the central tower. The familiar sight of tall glass panes overlooking the city greeted him, and the golden hue of dawn bled across the horizon.

A thought flickered in his mind as he looked out at the brightening sky. ‘Only a few days left before the Ancient Realm opens.’

Arthur then remembered he had an extra token of the Ancient Realm with him. He set it down on the table, turning it over in his hand. 

‘Who should I even give this to?’ He ran through a few names in his head but couldn’t come up with anyone he could give the token to.

Eventually, he muttered to himself, “Maybe Rhys… I can exchange it for a few attribute-less spells. That might be worth it.”

Arthur tucked the token away again. Outside, the sky was painting the island gold, and the day felt too alive for him to brood, he decided instead to explore the island itself. After telling Hudson he’d be gone for a while, Arthur leapt from the tower balcony and took to the air.

…

A few moments later Arthur was seen flying slowly above the island while he took in the scenery of the island below. The island stretched beneath him, wild and vibrant.

Forests spread like seas of green, broken by rivers that cut their way through valleys. Freshwater lakes sparkled in the morning light, reflecting back the sky. The mountains stood tall, capped with snow on their peaks, while the forest was alive with the calls of birds and beasts. It was a self-sufficient place, with varied biodiversity to boast.

Arthur slowed his flight, letting the wind carry him as he looked down at the land. For once, he wasn’t thinking about wars or battles. 

As he was taking in the view he was thinking about the future of this place, since he had already built a city he was thinking of developing this island into a kingdom which would be open to all.

‘This place could be more than a city…’ he thought.

The idea wasn’t small. It would take years, maybe decades, to build something like that. But the foundation was already there. The island Avalon was self-sufficient, rich in resources, and thriving with life. The problem is not with developing the island, but with gathering citizens. Though he believed that, once people see how developed the island is, they would start to pour here. 

A small smile tugged at his lips as he hovered above a lake before turning back toward the city.

…

By the time he returned, the sun had climbed higher, and the streets were already stirring with activity. Arthur descended gently onto the paved road near the plaza, and spotted Selene. She was walking alongside Lisa, who was animatedly chattering and pointing at stalls.

Arthur felt himself relaxed. Without thinking he approached them and smiled. “Hey there.”

Lisa’s head whipped around instantly, her face lighting up.

“Awrthur!” she shouted, drawing glances from passersby.

She ran at him, as he crouched down and scooped her into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck tightly, her tiny frame warm and full of life.

Arthur turned his gaze toward Selene. “Thanks for keeping her company.”

Selene brushed a strand of hair from her face and smiled, her expression soft as usual. She reached out and ruffled Lisa’s hair, earning a pout from the girl. “There’s no need to thank me,” she said.

Arthur gave a small nod, shifting Lisa in his arms. “So… where do you want to visit today?” he asked gently.

Lisa tapped her index finger on her cheek cutely, her brow furrowing as if she were deciding the fate of the world. A few long seconds passed before she huffed. “…I don’t know.”

The exaggerated sadness on her little face made both Arthur and Selene chuckle.

“Alright then,” he said with a grin. “I’ll take you to see something beautiful.”

Lisa’s eyes widened, and her earlier pout vanished instantly. She beamed and hugged him tighter. “Yay!”

Arthur adjusted his hold on her and glanced at Selene. She nodded, and together, the three of them lifted into the air. The people on the streets below stared upward, murmuring as the trio rose above the cityscape.

…

***

Arthur rose higher, holding Lisa tight as Selene floated by his side. As the wind rushed past them, Arthur flicked his fingers, forming a translucent telekinetic bubble around the three of them. The air inside instantly grew still, muffling the roar of the winds.

He didn’t slow down. Arthur kept going higher and higher until the city and forests shrank beneath them as they pierced the clouds. The air thinned, the blue sky fading into a deep navy, then almost black. In only a few moments, they were floating in the stratosphere.

Below them, Thyrandel stretched in breathtaking vastness, its emerald landmasses divided by rivers and oceans, mountains capped with glittering white snow, and oceans that shimmered beneath the sunlight. Aurora-like colors rippled faintly along the edge of the horizon.

Lisa gasped loudly, her little hands wrapping tightly around Arthur’s neck.

“Woooow!! Look! Look, Selene, it’s like a painting! It’s so big! It’s like marble!”

Her excitement was infectious. Even Selene, who often kept her composure, let out a quiet laugh as her eyes softened. She let the silence settle after that, the three of them simply staring together.

The sight was breathtaking, clouds looked like soft white brushstrokes smeared across the vast blue canvas of the oceans, mountains looked like tiny ridges, Lisa kept pointing at things, mountains, rivers, even the faint aurora of the horizon. Arthur let her enjoy it, his lips tugging into a rare, peaceful smile.

After several minutes, Arthur guided them downward again. The bubble shimmered before vanishing as they broke through the lower clouds, the wind brushing against their faces once more. By the time their feet touched Avalon’s ground, the city was alive with chatter.

Arthur carried Lisa to the school entrance. She was still babbling about how beautiful the scenery she had just seen, barely listening to her teacher’s call as she ran inside, waving back frantically at Arthur and Selene.

Arthur waved once before turning, walking beside Selene through Avalon’s busy streets. The two moved at a relaxed pace, blending into the crowd. Vendors shouted from stalls, children darted past, and the air smelled faintly of baked bread and fresh fruit.

Selene kept glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. Finally, she caught herself staring at his side profile a moment too long and quickly looked away, a faint blush rising on her cheeks. 

She cleared her throat, forcing a casual tone. “So… are you prepared to visit the Ancient Realm?”

Arthur nodded, his eyes scanning the bustling street. “Hmm.”

Selene’s lips pressed together. She hesitated before adding, “I’ve heard from Grandpa that the realm is extremely dangerous. And… that it’s hard to form groups right away. People are scattered at random locations when they’re teleported inside.” Her voice dipped slightly, betraying what she was really trying to say. 

She slowed her steps, then finally muttered, “So… just… be careful.”

Arthur glanced at her and smiled faintly. “Don’t worry. The last thing I need to be concerned about is my safety.”

Selene’s eyes narrowed, and she puffed out her cheeks. “Humph. Whatever, it’s up to you.”

Arthur chuckled at her pout, shaking his head. “You look like Lisa when you do that.”

“No!” she snapped lightly, though the smile at the corner of her lips betrayed her.

Arthur’s laughter earned him a glare, but she didn’t press it further. Instead, he reached into his dimensional storage and pulled out a small metallic cube and a sleek wrist device. He offered them to her.

Selene blinked, raising a brow in confusion. “What are these?”

“The cube can be used as a disguise,” Arthur explained. “You can change your appearance however you like. And the bracelet is a communication device. With it, we’ll be able to talk no matter the distance.”

Selene turned the cube over in her palm, then strapped the bracelet onto her wrist. She no longer looked surprised, Arthur had shown her enough strange things by now that her threshold for shock was long gone. 

She exhaled softly, then glanced at him again. “…So. When are you taking me to your world?”

Arthur smirked, tilting his head. “Maybe if you agree to go on a date with me first.”

Selene’s face flushed, though she covered it quickly with a scoff. “You wish.”

Arthur laughed, his tone playful. “That sounded like a ‘maybe.’”

“It was a ‘never,’” she shot back, though her lips curved upward this time.

The two of them burst into laughter, the tension between them dissolving into something lighter. They have become close enough to crack jokes with each other now. Their footsteps fell in rhythm as they continued toward the central tower, the city bustling around them yet feeling strangely quiet in their shared moment.

For the first time in days, Arthur wasn’t thinking about war, or even about the Ancient Realm. For a fleeting stretch of time, he was just… walking with Selene in peace.

***

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