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Princess Raina: Your Flourish.
Duke Balin: (Eyes on Elva) The Yang.
Alf's composed gaze falls on him.
Princess Raina: Your Flourish, where's your Dragon Spirit?
Alf: [Ahh, my hood blocks their sight. (Glancing at Elva) And the exceptional is dumb one] (He drops his face and feigns disappointment). It didn't appear before me.
Duke Balin: [It didn't? Meaning, the Ying is still sealed in the Dragons' Cave.] Alf, you are the Black Dragon, which means—
Princess Raina: (Confident) Do not be anxious, Your Flourish. I will not let you go astray. I swear it.
The Duke quietly goes down on one knee before the Yin and Yang Vessels.
Elva: W-What are you doing?
Duke Balin: (Draga salute) According to the Ancients, it is custom for the Aglad-Lókë and Urulókë to kowtow before the Yör et Yär.
Alf: (Raised brow) [Oh.]
The Shaman Princess does the same as Balin, both of them harnessing a bit of their Energies—fire and lightning—into a single glowing symbol.
Princess Raina: So we beseech ye, accept our greetings.
Elva: ...
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By Nightfall.
They settle to rest. Duke Balin, in his sleep, recalls what happened to him in the Shed of Deceit.
🎞️🎥 Flashback Time
The Aglad-Lókë stands before him—its voice calm, temperate, softer than Balin's.
Aglad-Lókë: {Chang-yu never proclaimed a curse.}
Duke Balin: Plasõu tur.
Aglad-Lókë: {Chang-yun loved me and blessed my successor.}
Duke Balin: Tabu'nuk! You know the curse he placed on you and I, yet you still take his stand?!
The Aglad-Lókë exhales calmly.
Duke Balin: Explain the existence of the Bias Gem and the prophecy accounts.
NOTE: "Plasõu tur" in FõLa means "Please stop."
"Tabu'nuk" in FõLa means "Deceiver."
Aglad-Lókë: {Once again, I tell you—he wasn't the one who laid the curse. And you can still change the prophecy.}
Duke Balin: No! (Turning away) What's been done, has been done.
He exhales deeply and walks toward the exit wall.
Duke Balin: All that is left is to fulfill the accounts. (He presses his palm against the wall and groans in pain). Ahh!!
Aglad-Lókë: {What are you doing?!}
Duke Balin: (Determined) I'll do so—with or without you.
Aglad-Lókë: {Restrain yourself! Your flesh will burn!}
Duke Balin: (Teeth gritted) So be it. U-ahhhh!!!
Aglad-Lókë: (Flying toward him) {No! Tur!}
The Aglad-Lókë dives into Balin's spine to stop him, but he absorbs its power instead.
Duke Balin: (Cackles wickedly, eyes cold and emotionless) Pën'ēk.
NOTE: "Pën'ēk" in FõLa means "Break."
The exit wall explodes outward. Balin jerks awake, sitting up in the quiet night. He notices Raina—awake and lost in thought.
Duke Balin: Raina?
Princess Raina: Had a nightmare?
Duke Balin: (Nods) Mm.
Princess Raina: (Knees hugged) Same did I.
Duke Balin: (Studies her expression) Yours seems more troubling.
Princess Raina: ...
Balin rises, dusting off his pants, and starts to walk away.
Princess Raina: Where are you going?
He turns to her and extends his hand.
Duke Balin: I guessed you didn't want to talk here.
She smiles faintly, takes his hand, and stands. They both leave the resting place.
Meanwhile, Alf—having overheard them—sits up halfway. He brings his hand to his face, sighs quietly, and turns away to sleep.
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Under the open sky, Balin and Raina sit together, gazing at the dazzling rkiquë.
NOTE: Rkiquë in FõLa translates as "colorful stars in the night sky."
Princess Raina: In that tunnel, my Draga told me it was my father who caused our Dragon Spirits to be exchanged.
Duke Balin: Hm...
Princess Raina: I still don't understand why he sought so much power—right until his death.
Duke Balin: Maybe because he felt weak.
Princess Raina: Weak? Tsh. He was a Therd of more than forty score years. He had a powerful maiden, had me, and was hailed as a legend of the Great Elf War. Yet he still brought trouble upon his daughter and his people.
Duke Balin: ...
Princess Raina: No one except you and I knows of his true death. Wherever he is, I hope he rests in peace.
Duke Balin: ... If you had the chance, would you want to meet him?
Princess Raina: (Serious) No. If I did, I'd be too disappointed to look at him. Lady Wood and His Majesty are still recovering from it all.
She rests her chin on her knees, her tone softening.
Duke Balin: ... (Exhales)
He shifts closer, spreading his arm around her shoulders and gently leaning her head against his firm chest.
Duke Balin: Rest now. We have a journey tomorrow.
He hums a quiet lullaby from their childhood.
Princess Raina: (Chuckles softly)
Moments pass. Soon, Raina drifts asleep, her head resting on his lap. Balin stares at her in silence for a long while. His fingers trail from her forehead to her soft jawline. He lifts a strand of her hair and inhales its scent.
Traitorous Hans appears.
Duke Balin: (Eyes fixed on her) You heard your daughter.
Hans: (Chuckles nervously) 😅 You know the mind of a young maiden...
Duke Balin: (Eyes on her hair) "You're a disappointment," she said.
Those words strike Hans deeply, weakening his composure.
Hans: Y... You should arrive at your destination by tomorrow's noon. Get some rest now.
Balin doesn't respond. Hans vanishes.
The Duke bends down, giving a soft kiss to the strands of Raina's hair. A faint smile touches his lips as his fingers gently caress her cheek once more.
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