High above the pines, the wind whips past in steady currents, tugging at cloaks and hair. Alix soars through the air with practiced ease, the mana beneath his feet shimmering faintly, his figure a streak of movement against the night sky. Gander flies beside him.
For a while, neither of them speaks.
Then, Alix glances to the side and says, "Let's swing by somewhere first."
Gander adjusts his altitude slightly to match. "A detour?"
"Yeah," Alix replies, voice calm. "I need to pick someone up before we head back to the capital."
Gander doesn't hesitate. "Understood."
They tilt slightly, banking toward a distant forested region now glowing faintly under the moonlight. The stretch of trees thickens below, dark and layered, broken only by the occasional glint of torchlight from a hidden village or roaming patrol.
Alix's eyes scan the horizon, narrowing with familiarity. "It won't take long. She's not far from here."
Gander blinks, briefly puzzled. "She?"
