Telmar and Faren were momentarily stunned at the devastation: the charred earth, the faint scent of burnt mana, and the horrifying realization that a few hours before this-clear and green-clearing, the forest had looked to be thriving in its beauty, now stood in awe and fear, before this silent ring of imperfect silence
The faint sound of Luenor's sobs echoed in the clearing, barely audible.
Then Thalanar moved forward. His eyes were not filled with rage- they were sorrowful, a deep compassion for the boy, and had wisdom for him as he knelt down beside him, then put his powerful arms around Luenor, who shoved his face against Thalanar's strong chest, soaking its strength in.
"It's over," whispered Thalanar. "Luenor, you are safe now. You did what you had to do."
Luenor's body heaved and shuddered; the mana still flickered around him, crackling like an old storm dying out.
Thalanar looked over Luenors head and met the astonished gazes of Faren and Telmar. He nodded ever-so-slightly, the kind of nod that made you know it was a full command.
"Keep everyone back," he said softly. "Inventory the remains... We can't let the villagers see this. Not until it has bubbled over into its own hysteria."
Telmar nodded quickly, tension in the muscles of his face. "Understood".
Faren swallowed and turned to the task, gathering what remained of the bandits and moving deeper into the woods with Telmar, leaving Thalanar and Luenor alone in the stillness.
When he was sure they were gone, Thalanar looked down to see that Luenor had fallen asleep in his arms—exhaustion and grief claiming him at last. He let out a long sigh, smoothing the boy's hair back from his forehead.
"You've carried too much," he murmured.
Carefully, Thalanar lifted him up and carried him through the forest back to the small house he'd claimed as his own.
Lyssari was there, sweeping out the last of the dust and leaves. She looked up and gasped when she saw Thalanar carrying Luenor, his face still streaked with tears, his skin and hair matted with dirt and the faint flicker of mana.
"What happened?" she gasped, the shock clear in her wide eyes.
Thalanar shook his head, placing a finger to his lips. He picked Luenor up and rushed past her to lay him gently on a pile of furs and blankets. The boy remained dead to the world, his breathing deep and steady.
"He...he finally broke," Thalanar said quietly, not looking at her. "I don't know the whole story. But, he needs to sleep."
Lyssari nodded, her eyes filled with concern. She reached out and pushed Luenor's hair away from his forehead with a gentle stroke of her fingers.
Meanwhile in the village square, Arwin's heart hammered away in his chest. He'd heard the boom and felt the quaking beneath him, and he knew. Luenor had gone that way.
He found Faren first as he neared the treeline. "Where is he?" Arwin demanded. "Luenor- where is he?"
Faren floated a shrug as he spoke, his face wrinkled with pale skin. "He's alright. Sleeping. He...he released something, Arwin. It was awesome, but he's not hurt."
Arwin exhaled a breath he did not know he had been holding. "Thank the gods... I have to let Hera and Rhea know because they could be panicking."
He found them in the Rhea's hut, pacing like a pair of restless spirits.
"Is he-" Hera began, but Arwin cut her off.
"He's alive," he quickly said, "He's with Thalanar. He's resting."
Rhea's hands flew to her mouth, tears instantly welling in her eyes. Hera breathed shakily, the relief lacing with worry.
The healer cleared his throat, interrupting the moment. "Hunter still needs us. Let's focus on him for now. Luenor will come back when he is ready."
Hera nodded slowly and willed herself to breathe; "You're right," she whispered.
As soon as the healer turned back to his work, she and Rhea exchanged a glance and walked toward Thalanar's home together.
Thalanar was outside when they arrived. He stepped forward, his voice low. "He's sleeping," he said simply.
Rhea searched his face, her own lined with worry. "Please… tell me. What is he, Thalanar? How can he do this? No mana heart—"
Thalanar's jaw tightened. "That's what I want to know as well. This… ability to store mana, to absorb it… it's not natural."
Rhea's eyes darkened, her shoulders stiffening. "He's my son. That's all that matters."
"But he's also something else," Thalanar said softly. "Something that could change everything."
They stared at each other for a long, tense moment.
Then Rhea turned away, her hand shaking as she brushed tears from her cheek.
At the edge of the village, Telmar spoke to the villagers who had gathered, explaining what had happened. "It was… a surge," he said carefully. "Luenor's power. It's done now. There's nothing to fear."
The villagers listened, their eyes wide but awed. None spoke, but the respect in their eyes was clear.
Far from Eclion, deep in the forest, the bandit queen Mira sat in the center of her camp, her fingers idly tracing the hilt of her dagger. The scouts had returned, their faces pale and their stories wild.
A boy who walked with a tiger. A forest that roared like the sky itself.
Her lips twitched in a small frown, and she rose slowly.
"Prepare yourselves," she ordered. "We go to Eclion."
Burizan, his face pale, tried to protest. "My lady—"
But Mira silenced him with a look, her aura flaring out. "I will see them for myself," she said coldly. "And the forest beast that stands with them."
The bandits fell silent, her words echoing in the dark.