Chapter 85: Recovery and Reunion — The Calm Before the Tides
The silver dawn swept gently over the great forests of Mavaria, pouring soft light through the canopy like ribbons of molten gold. The morning was quiet — a fragile peace after endless nights of blood, fire, and struggle. The scent of herbs lingered in the air, and the rhythmic drip of dew from the leaves outside played like a healing melody.
Inside Serelna's hut, the green herbal pool now shimmered faintly under the glow of sunrise. The water was calm, its power spent after days of restoring life. Moro lay on a soft woven mat, his body wrapped in fine white cloth. The scars that once laced his skin had faded into faint traces of blue aura marks — silent proof of battles survived.
He blinked, his eyes adjusting to the warm light seeping in through the cracks of the wooden roof. His breathing was steady now, no longer labored, and the pounding chaos within his spirit had quieted. The war raging inside his mind was finally over.
Moro's gaze shifted, and beside him sat Kaya — her long hair glistening with morning light, her ocean-blue eyes calm yet tender. She smiled when she saw him awake, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
"You're finally back," she said softly.
He smiled faintly. "How long was I out?"
"Four days," she replied, voice still a little shaken. "Serelna said your soul was torn between two realms. We almost lost you."
Moro looked at his hands — steady, strong again. "Guess I found my way back."
Kaya's eyes shimmered. "You didn't just find your way back. You fought your way through hell, Moro. Don't do that again."
Her voice cracked at the end, betraying how much she had held in. Moro reached out and held her hand — rough palms meeting soft ones. The warmth between them was grounding, real.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "For always making you worry."
Kaya shook her head, smiling gently. "If worrying for you keeps you alive, I'll never stop."
For a moment, silence settled between them — the kind that didn't need words. Moro stared into her eyes, seeing both the exhaustion and fierce light in them. Then, without warning, Kaya leaned in, her lips pressing softly against his.
It wasn't desperate or wild — it was a kiss of relief, of reunion after endless storms. Her hand slid up to his cheek, and he felt tears brush his skin.
When they pulled apart, Moro exhaled slowly. "Guess I needed that."
Kaya smiled, eyes half-lidded. "We both did."
Across the hut, Serelna, the old healer, sat cross-legged by her simmering pot of herbs, watching them with a faint smirk. Her wrinkled face softened with warmth. "About time, you two," she said teasingly. "I was wondering when the air would stop being so heavy."
Kaya blushed. "Old lady—!"
Serelna laughed — a deep, motherly laugh that filled the hut. "Relax, child. Love and courage are two sides of the same spirit. It's good to see both alive in you."
She rose slowly, her joints cracking slightly, and walked to the small table where she laid out a detailed map. The parchment glowed faintly under the morning sun — painted with marks, names, and sprawling rivers that connected nations.
Serelna tapped her finger on a massive outline labeled MAVARIA — THE KINGDOM OF NOBLES.
"This," she began, "is where you are now — the second largest continent in the known world, ruled by families who believe they own the land and the sky."
Moro sat up, still weak but attentive. "You said… nobles?"
The old woman nodded. "Yes. Mavaria is divided into seven Noble Houses, each controlling cities richer than the ones before them. They live in palaces of silver, hold armies of gold, and drink from cups carved out of jewels. But beneath their beauty lies rot — arrogance, deceit, and hunger for control."
Her gaze darkened. "The CD9 Agents have ties here. They hide among the nobility, using their influence to bend kingdoms to their will. If they learn that you're alive, they'll come for you before your body can even recover."
Kaya frowned. "So we're not safe here either."
Serelna shook her head. "No place is safe for warriors touched by fate. But at least here, you have time — time to regain strength, to think, to heal."
Moro leaned back, his mind racing but calm. "Then we'll stay hidden for a while. Let my body heal fully, then we move. I won't let CD9 spread their shadow again."
The old woman smiled. "That's the spirit I saw in your soul. Just remember — power earned through pain should serve purpose, not vengeance."
Moro nodded, understanding her wisdom.
From outside came a soft growl — low but oddly familiar. Kaya turned her head, and the hut's doorway darkened with the shadow of something massive. A head — sleek, fur silver-white, eyes glowing gold — poked through.
It was Carol, the giant fox.
Her tail swayed like a moving cloud as she sniffed the air and gave a small bark — low but full of energy. Moro smiled for the first time in what felt like years.
"Well, you must be Carol," he said, extending his hand.
Carol leaned in cautiously, then licked his palm with a sound that made Kaya laugh. Moro chuckled, patting the giant creature's snout. "Guess she likes me."
Serelna smiled. "Carol doesn't warm up to just anyone. She's chosen you — that's rare."
Moro looked into the fox's eyes. "Thank you… for protecting them while I couldn't."
Carol tilted her head and growled softly in what almost felt like understanding. Then, with a flick of her tail, she stepped back into the clearing, sunlight glinting off her fur.
Moments later, Kiro, Herbet, Yaya, and Wolf Hunter emerged from the trees — all healed, though visibly tired. Kiro's arm was bandaged, and Herbet still had a faint glow from the techno-aura embedded in his veins.
"Moro!" Kiro called out, his usual grin finally back. "You look alive again, big guy!"
Herbet nodded. "Guess the old lady's magic actually worked."
Serelna chuckled. "Herbs and faith, young one. Not magic."
Yaya, standing near the door, folded her arms. "So what now, Moro? You planning to charge back into battle, or finally take a break before we all drop dead?"
Moro smiled faintly. "For once, Yaya, I think I'll listen."
She smirked. "Smart choice."
But not everyone shared the same decision.
Wolf Hunter stood slightly apart from the group, his eyes distant, his rifle strapped across his back. His expression was unreadable — cold yet almost peaceful.
"I won't be staying," he said quietly.
Kaya turned to him, surprised. "You're leaving?"
He nodded once. "My hunt's not over. I came to Mavaria for one reason — to track the shadows that killed my brother. That path's mine alone."
Moro stood up, despite the stiffness in his body. "Then may your aim never miss, Hunter."
Wolf Hunter smirked faintly. "And may your heart never waver, Moro. You're stronger than you think."
He turned and began walking down the dirt path, disappearing into the morning mist. For a moment, the group stood in silence, watching him fade from sight.
Kiro sighed. "He's one tough bastard."
Yaya shrugged. "He'll survive. He always does."
Moro looked toward the horizon — the golden outline of the Imperial City of Mavaria glinting faintly beyond the trees. Towers of crystal and marble shimmered in the far distance like promises wrapped in danger.
He clenched his fist gently. "We've been through San Juan, through fire and death… now comes something different. A kingdom of wealth and secrets."
Kaya nodded beside him. "And maybe answers."
Serelna's voice cut softly through the air. "The path ahead will test not your strength, but your hearts. The nobles of Mavaria hide behind smiles sharper than swords. Stay vigilant, children of war."
Moro turned to her, bowing his head respectfully. "Thank you, Serelna. For saving me… and for reminding me what peace feels like."
She smiled kindly. "Peace is never gone, Moro. It waits within, patient as dawn."
As the sun rose higher, the group prepared their gear. The forest's shadows stretched long behind them — but before they left, Moro turned one last time toward Serelna and Carol.
He knelt, touching the soil of her hut with gratitude. "We'll return someday. When this is all over."
The old woman's voice followed him like a prayer. "May your hearts stay unbroken… and your spirits untamed."
And so, under the glowing banners of morning, Moro, Kaya, Kiro, Herbet, and Yaya stepped out of the forest — heading toward the towering lands of Mavaria, unaware that the Kingdom of Nobles would soon draw them into a war not of fists or power… but of hearts, politics, and hidden gods.
Far behind them, Serelna gazed at the sky, whispering to the wind:
> "The tides are shifting again. And this time… the world itself will tremble."
End of Chapter 85 — "Recovery and Reunion"
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