The couple finally emerged to the surface.
As soon as they left the last step of the stone tunnel, an intense light bathed their bodies. Both narrowed their eyes almost at the same time, unable to immediately endure the brightness of the sun after having remained underground for so long.
By pure instinct, they raised one hand to shield their faces while their pupils slowly tried to adjust to that brightness that seemed to fill the entire world. The air was different. It was fresh, clean, and carried with it the scent of damp grass, trees, and flowers growing among the mountains.
Elyndra remained a few steps behind Kael, tightly holding the back of his shirt, as if she feared that if she let go of him for even a moment, all of this would disappear like a dream.
Her eyes wandered across the landscape with a mixture of curiosity, fear, and excitement.
Everything was new.
Everything was immense.
After a few seconds, she slowly raised one hand and pointed upward.
—Honey... is that the sky?
Kael finally adjusted to the light and followed the direction of Elyndra's finger.
A smile appeared before he could stop it.
—That's right. That's the sky.
She remained staring at it for several seconds, completely motionless.
She had never seen anything so vast.
There was no ceiling.
There were no walls.
Only an immense blue mantle that seemed to have no end.
Then she pointed again.
—And that huge yellow circle?
Kael let out a small laugh.
—That's the sun. It's the one that lights up the world during the day and also the one that allows plants, trees, and almost all life to grow.
Elyndra's eyes began to shine with an excitement impossible to hide.
Every word was a discovery.
Every explanation opened a door to a world she had never imagined.
However, after looking at the sun for too long, she began rubbing her eyes.
—Honey... they hurt.
Kael let out another small laugh.
—Silly... that's what happens when you stare directly at the sun.
Very carefully, he took her face between both hands and rested it against his chest so she would stop looking directly at that intense light. Then he slowly began stroking her head while the wind moved both of their hair.
—We've already left that place... but we still have one small problem.
Elyndra raised her head slightly.
—What is it?
—We're on the top of a mountain.
She looked around.
Only then did she realize where they were.
From that height, an immense green ocean formed by thousands of trees could be seen stretching until it disappeared beyond the horizon.
Clouds drifted slowly beneath some nearby peaks, while several birds crossed the sky in complete freedom.
A few meters away from them, enormous white bones protruded from the rock.
Gigantic ribs.
Each one was taller than a house.
The enormous skeleton remained motionless, devoured by the passage of centuries, like the silent memory of a creature so colossal that it was difficult to imagine it alive.
Kael observed those remains for a few seconds.
—It seems this mountain was once the place where a gigantic monster fell.
Elyndra opened her eyes wide.
—That... was an animal?
—Yes... although a rather big one.
She spent several seconds looking at those enormous ribs.
—So scary...
Kael smiled.
—It's dead now. It can't hurt you.
The young woman nodded several times and, feeling more at ease, smiled again.
—Then let's go.
They began descending the mountain trail.
The path was narrow and covered with small wildflowers growing among the stones. The breeze moved the leaves of the trees, producing a gentle sound that accompanied every step the couple took.
While Kael walked calmly, Elyndra looked like a child discovering the world for the first time.
She ran a few meters.
Then stopped.
She watched a butterfly.
She touched the bark of a tree.
She crouched down to smell a flower.
Then she ran back to Kael before wandering off again to discover something new.
Her happiness was so sincere that even Kael ended up catching it.
He watched her as she made little jumps trying to reach the lower branches of some trees.
A smile slowly appeared on his face.
—(Who would have imagined...)
He continued walking without taking his eyes off her.
—(Me... a lone wolf... now walking beside someone who never stops smiling.)
It felt strange.
For so long he had only known darkness, combat, and death that moments as simple as walking beside another person seemed unreal.
—(If someone had told me a few months ago that I'd end up like this... I would've thought they were completely crazy.)
He shook his head while letting out a small laugh.
—(I suppose life always finds a way to surprise you.)
At that moment he saw Elyndra suddenly stop.
The young woman had crouched beside the path and was carefully picking up several small seeds that had fallen from a nearby tree.
She held them in the palm of her hand as if they were an enormous treasure.
When Kael reached her, Elyndra raised both hands to show them to him.
—Look!
Kael looked at the little seeds.
—What's wrong?
She smiled proudly.
—I found some very pretty stones. I've never seen such tiny ones.
Kael let out a soft chuckle.
—Those aren't stones.
She tilted her head slightly.
—They're not?
—They're seeds.
Elyndra looked at them again.
She turned them one by one between her fingers.
—Seeds?
—Yes.
Kael carefully picked one up.
It was small, barely the size of a fingernail.
He held it up before Elyndra's eyes.
—Seeds are the beginning of almost all trees and many plants.
She continued listening with complete attention.
—When a seed falls onto the ground and receives water, little by little it begins to change. First, a small root is born and hides beneath the soil. Then a little sprout appears.
Kael pointed to one of the enormous trees growing beside the trail.
—With time... that sprout ends up becoming a tree as big as this one.
Elyndra slowly opened her mouth.
—All that... comes from something so tiny?
—That's right.
She looked at the seeds again with great care, as if they were now far more valuable than before.
—How incredible...
Kael gazed at the forest for a few seconds before speaking again.
—You know?
She looked up.
—We're all like a seed.
Elyndra looked at him curiously.
—How so?
Kael smiled as he rested one hand on the trunk of the enormous tree.
—At first we're all small and weak. We know almost nothing about the world, and we need time to grow.
He looked at the seeds again.
—But if we keep moving forward, learn, fall, and get back up again... one day we bloom.
Then he pointed at the trees surrounding them.
—Everyone has their own time to grow. Some take only a little while. Others need many years. But as long as they don't give up... they'll end up becoming something great.
The forest fell completely silent.
Only the gentle movement of the wind could be heard.
Elyndra slowly lowered her gaze to the seeds she held in her hands.
She pressed them carefully against her chest.
A smile full of happiness appeared on her face.
—Then... I'm a seed too.
Kael smiled.
—Of course you are.
She took two small steps toward him.
Then three.
And finally threw herself forward with all her strength to hug him.
Her arms wrapped around Kael's waist while she rested her head against his chest.
—Then I'll grow.
Kael gently returned the embrace.
—You will.
—And when I grow...
She raised her head slightly to look at him.
—I want to always grow by your side.
For an instant, Kael found no words.
He simply slowly stroked her hair while they remained embracing beneath the shade of the trees.
The wind blew through the branches once again.
Several leaves slowly drifted down around them, as if even the forest wanted to protect that small moment of peace.
However, the peace did not last long.
A man's voice echoed among the trees.
—Hey... you two.
Kael slowly opened his eyes.
Without completely letting go of Elyndra, he turned his head toward the place where that voice had come from.
A few meters away stood a man accompanied by four other people.
All of them wore leather and metal armor, swords, bows, and travel backpacks.
From the way they were equipped, Kael recognized them immediately.
They were adventurers.
The five of them remained watching the couple with expressions that were difficult to interpret.
Some looked surprised.
Others were simply curious.
And one of them kept his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
The atmosphere, which only a few seconds earlier had been filled with tranquility, slowly began to grow tense.
Kael took a small step forward, instinctively placing himself in front of Elyndra.
The young woman tightly grabbed the back of his shirt.
Without taking his eyes off the group, Kael spoke calmly.
—Do you need something...?