They kept going.
They knew they were being followed—but if they showed any sign of weakness, it would be the end.
Lysara extended her senses through the wind, trying to map the skies behind them. But she couldn't measure their strength. The fact that they'd been able to fly undetected for so long meant they were powerful… but clearly not all-powerful. They'd been noticed.
Still, there was no forest. No trees. Not even a cliff they could duck behind.
Just open fields. Wind. Sky.
Eventually, they passed under a small canopy—a thicket of low-hanging stone formations and trees—but it was too brief to matter. It only gave them a moment's relief.
Their Khaori Birds were already running at their limit. And they were getting tired—fast.
Moments later, the birds came to a halt in the middle of an open field. Gasping. Panting. Their wings low to the ground.
There was nowhere to go now.
The skies remained calm. But the feeling above them never left.
