Chapter 92: Fireside whispers
Night fell swift and cold over the rugged red-rock canyon.
A crackling campfire sat at the center of their small makeshift camp, casting long, dancing shadows against the sheer stone walls. The heat from the dry pine wood provided a welcome relief from the sharp, biting wind that swept across the borderlands.
Vetra sat cross-legged on the opposite side of the fire, noisily gnawing on a roasted trail-rabbit she had hunted down an hour prior. Grease glistened on her chin, but her dark, amber eyes were soft as she watched the embers snap and spark into the night sky.
A few feet away, Lyrielle sat close beside Vince, her head resting against his shoulder. Vince sat leaning against a smooth boulder, one arm wrapped comfortably around her waist while his thumb idly stroked the soft silk of her sleeve.
"I still can’t get over how quiet it is out here," Lyrielle murmured softly, her breath forming tiny white clouds in the cool air. "No patrols, no crowded city streets... just us."
"Don’t get too comfortable, long ears," Vetra chuckled, tossing a bone into the flames. "The moment we cross the central trade roads, it won’t be so quiet."
"A little noise doesn’t sound bad," Vince said, his tone smooth, unbothered, and laced with quiet authority. "Besides, I doubt we’ll encounter trouble along the way where we’re going."
Lyrielle smiled faintly, turning her face slightly to look up at Vince’s sharp jawline. "You know, back at the Canopy... I never imagined I’d be sitting by a campfire in the middle of nowhere with a human and a notorious dragonkin warrior."
"Life’s funny like that," Vetra said, leaning back on her elbows and looking up at the blanket of stars above them. Her playful grin faded slightly, replaced by a rare, contemplative look. "If you told me decades ago that I’d come down from that mountain and experience the joy of battle, I would’ve called you a fool before ripping your head off. Now I’m somehow bound to a human."
Vince tilted his head slightly, his purple eyes locking onto Vetra across the crackling flames.
"Speaking of that," Vince started smoothly, "what was the real reason you spent so many years cooped up on top of that mountain? I’ve heard the rumors from the locals in Ignis-Vara, but I want to hear it from you."
Vetra paused, staring into the dancing fire as the playful edge completely bled from her expression. She let out a soft sigh, rolling her shoulders.
"I’m not like the rest of the dragonkin back in the village," Vetra began, her voice dropping into a low, serious tone. "My full name is Vetra Arrax. The Arrax isn’t just a clan name—it’s a rare, ancient lineage of dragons. We weren’t built just to be strong or to guard territory. We were born capable of absolute, destruction. Among the dragonkin, an Arrax dragon is considered the absolute pinnacle of devastation."
She looked down at her hands, flexing her clawed fingers slowly.
"Ever since I was a child and learned to think for myself, I realized something," Vetra continued softly. "I was isolated. I never met another Arrax dragon in my life, and no matter how many warriors challenged me, nobody could match my strength. Fighting them felt like crushing dry twigs. So I stayed on that mountain, bored out of my mind and completely alone... until you came along, Vince."
Silence settled over the camp, heavy and poignant.
Lyrielle listened intently, her emerald eyes softening as she looked at Vetra across the fire.
Hearing her speak so candidly made Lyrielle realize the quiet tragedy behind Vetra’s fierce personality. The dragonkin wasn’t just a reckless brawler—she had been isolated by her own terrifying strength her entire life, starving for someone who could look at her without fear and go toe to toe with her as an opponent or partner. A deep surge of compassion for Vetra bloomed in Lyrielle’s heart.
Vince met Vetra’s gaze through the rising smoke, his expression calm and understanding.
"We’re not that different, then," Vince said quietly.
Lyrielle shifted against him, turning her head to look up into Vince’s eyes. The firelight cast long, mysterious shadows across his handsome features.
"What about you, Vince?" Vetra asked softly, her voice filled with gentle curiosity. "How did you end up with power like this despite having no mana? Where did you come from before all of this?"
Vetra sat up slightly, her amber eyes glinting with interest as she waited for an answer.
Vince looked down at Lyrielle, a faint, unreadable smile playing on his lips. His dark purple eyes remained as deep and enigmatic as a calm sea before a storm. He didn’t offer a single detail about his past, choosing instead to gently stroke the side of her face with his thumb, expertly brushing the question aside without a word.
Noticing his quiet refusal, Lyrielle didn’t push him further. She simply rested her cheek back against his chest, leaning into his warmth, while Vetra offered a knowing, quiet smirk before leaning back against her bedroll.
"Get some rest, both of you," Vince said softly, his voice cutting through the night air. "I’ll take the first watch."
Vetra gave a lazy nod, wrapping herself in her bedroll near the fire, while Lyrielle closed her eyes, quickly drifting off to sleep wrapped securely in Vince’s arms.
Vince looked out into the pitch-black darkness of the canyon, his eyes sharp, cold, and watchful beneath the starlight.
Up until now I’ve faced three out of four dread commanders,
Vince thought to himself
That leaves just one to beat the cold slim guy. I wonder how long it’ll take for him to find me.
A smirk grew on his lips.
Deep in the shadows of the surrounding rocks, a pair of crimson eyes flashed for a split second before vanishing into the night mist—vince noticed the presence thanks to perception but as be turned it simply vanished.
The hunt was drawing closer.