The wind howled softly along the cliff-side as they remained hidden above the VulcanFire encampment. Below them, the operation continued without pause—soldiers moving in calculated patterns, machinery humming, and the towering rocket standing like a monument to destruction. Lyam reached into his pouch and pulled out the small silver vial Maxmillian had entrusted him.
The faint blue glow pulsed weakly in his hand. Compared to what they were facing…it felt painfully small. Starfania and Aeron both leaned closer, their eyes drawn to it instinctively. Then, slowly, all three of them shifted their gaze back toward the massive rocket below. Silence lingered between them. Heavy. Undeniable. Aeron finally broke it with a quiet, dry remark.
" I think…" he muttered, " we're going to need a bigger ' potential cure.'"
Lyam let out a quiet breath through his nose. " We don't have one."
His grip tightened slightly around the vial. " So, we make this one count."
The three of them crouched lower along the ridge as Lyam began outlining their approach.
" We wait," he whispered. " The eclipse gives them their advantage."
His gaze hardened toward the rocket. " It will give us ours too."
Starfania frowned slightly. " You mean the darkness?"
Lyam nodded. " Limited visibility…confusion…reduced coordination."
Aeron crossed his arms thoughtfully. " So we hit them right as they think they've already won."
" Exactly."
Starfania glanced once more toward the encampment below. Toward her father. " And until then?"
Lyam exhaled slowly. " We watch."
His tone carried no uncertainty. " We learn everything we can before we move."
As they continued observing, Starfania's focus drifted back to Cesar. She watched the way he moved. The way he issued commands without hesitation. The way soldiers responded instantly. He hadn't changed . He was still the leader she remembered. Still strong. Still commanding. But then—something unexpected caught her attention. Standing beside Cesar…was a dragon. Not chained. Not restrained. It stood tall beside him, its dark crimson scales reflecting the firelight while faint embers escaped from its nostrils. The creature looked powerful. Loyal. And—willingly at his sides. Starfania's breath caught slightly. He still has one…the realization confused her more than anything else. If he hated dragons so much…why keep one so close? Questions piled silently within her mind. None of them with answers.
As the hours stretched deeper into the night, Lyam motioned for them to pull back slightly from the ridge.
" We set up here," he whispered. The area remained hidden enough to avoid detection while still giving them a clear view of the encampment below. Within minutes, a small, discreet camp had been formed. No large fire. No unnecessary light. Just enough to survive the cold. As the fire cracked softly to life, its warmth wrapped around them, pushing back the biting chill of the mountain air. For a moment—everything felt still.
Quiet. Almost peaceful. Lyam reached into his pack and pulled out several small ration parcels.
" Anyone hungry?" he asked, tossing them casually toward Starfania and Aeron. Starfania nodded gratefully. " Very."
Aeron didn't even answer—he had already started opening his. Atlas padded over gracefully and settled beside Starfania, his large form curling protectively around her. She had barely finished eating before she felt a gentle nudge against her arm.
Slowly, she turned her head. And met—the most exaggerated, pleading expression she had ever seen. Wide eyes. Slight tilt of the head. Absolute shamelessness. Starfania laughed softly. " Oh, no…"
Atlas blinked slowly. Yes. She sighed dramatically. " Alright, alright."
She handed over the last bit of food. Atlas immediately devoured it, clearly proud of his success before curling back up happily beside her. His tail flicked lazily in contentment. Aeron snorted. " You're enabling him."
" I know."
" You're going to regret that."
" Also know."
Meanwhile, Drogo wandered over and dropped heavily beside Aeron. Without hesitation, Aeron handed over part of his remaining rations. Drogo accepted it proudly, letting out a satisfied rumble. The two ate quietly together beneath the dim glow of the fire. Comfortable. Familiar. Lutu, however, did not settle down. Instead, the Seraphithorn remained seated beside Lyam, tall and watchful. His posture was calm—but his attention was fixed. Entirely. On Atlas. Starfania noticed it first. The way his gaze kept returning. Studying. Measuring. Atlas noticed next. His ears shifted slightly. Then again.
Then—he slowly scooted closer behind Starfania, subtly. Deliberately. Like a dragon attempting to hide. Starfania burst into laughter.
" What?" Aeron asked, confused. Starfania pointed quietly toward Lutu. " He keeps staring at Atlas…"
She struggled to hold back her laughter. " …and I think Atlas is getting nervous."
Aeron followed her gaze. Then immediately lost it. " No way."
Lyam glanced over as well—and let out a quiet chuckle. " It seems Lutu has taken…an interest."
Atlas let out a small, offended huff from behind Starfania. Which only made it worse. Even Lyam laughed softly. For just a moment, on the edge of war and surrounded by danger, they felt like normal people again. But below them—VulcanFire continued preparing. The rocket stood ready. The poison waited. And the eclipse drew closer with every passing second. The quiet wouldn't last.