The Forest of Silence lived up to its name.
No birds.
No wind.
Only towering trees and an uneasy stillness.
At its center stood a manor—ancient, dark stone covered in creeping vines, yet perfectly intact.
Aelyra stopped.
"This… is your home?" she asked.
Talis nodded calmly. "Yes."
They stepped inside.
The interior was surprisingly warm. A fireplace burned softly, bookshelves lined the walls, and traces of old magic lingered in the air—not hostile, but heavy.
They sat.
For the first time, there was no tension. Just silence… and curiosity.
"Talis," Aelyra said at last, "stop suppressing your magic."
He looked at her.
"I do it to avoid attention."
She hesitated, then spoke honestly.
"I've always been alone," she admitted.
"My beauty makes people desire me—but that's not what I want. I want strength. Enough to protect everyone."
Talis listened quietly.
"That's noble," he said.
"But don't become too strong."
She frowned. "Why?"
"Because when you surpass everyone," he replied softly,
"you'll be alone again."
The words stayed with her.
They talked until the sun fell.
Then Aelyra stood.
"I should go."
Talis nodded.
That night, in her room, Aelyra lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling.
She smiled.
Her cheeks burned.
A companion…
Her heart raced at the thought.
The next morning.
At the guild, they registered officially.
Team Name: Pending.
Members: Aelyra Vaelis — Talis Symphorien.
"If you want to grow stronger," Talis said as they stepped outside,
"you should aim for multi-floor dungeons."
Before she could respond—
The world distorted.
Light bent.
And suddenly—
They stood before a massive dungeon gate.
"What—?!" Aelyra gasped.
"Did you do this?"
Talis nodded.
"I wield Darkness Magic."
Her blood froze.
She took a step back.
"That's impossible…"
There was only one being in the world said to control that cursed power.
The Demon King.
T.S.
Her eyes widened.
"…It wasn't a name," she whispered.
"It was a sigil."
Talis Symphorien.
It fit perfectly.
"What did they tell you about me?" Talis asked calmly.
Then—
He smiled.
Power erupted.
The dungeon gate exploded, shattered by raw pressure alone.
Aelyra trembled violently.
Her legs refused to move.
Talis stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder.
The world collapsed.
Darkness swallowed them both.
They vanished.