The night had fallen when two pairs of footsteps hushed through the calm silence of Corned. The villagers were fast asleep, their homes dark and still, while the lone tavern of the mundane village continued to host a handful of regular drunkards.The tall chimney of the only forge in the village kept coughing out thick clouds of smoke into the night sky. Inside the tavern, the barmaid moved between tables, busy serving drinks and food to those who kept ordering more ale without pause.Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap!The sound of footsteps echoed over the wooden floor as Sierra and Steve stepped through the half-open door, letting a sliver of light spill out into the darkness behind them.The moment Sierra entered, gazes filled with lust and curiosity turned toward her. The purple-robed beauty walked forward with effortless confidence, her presence drawing attention without even trying. Behind her, Steve followed silently, his wide-shouldered frame cloaked in black.The girl at the counter was arr

Swoosh!“Your friends are here for you… Duke!”Helis particles flickered around me as the world snapped back into place, and in the next instant, we reappeared inside the habitat.The transition hit them immediately.Sierra and Steve dropped to their knees the moment their feet touched the ground, their bodies reacting violently to the sudden displacement. Their breaths came out uneven and heavy as nausea took over. Their faces had gone pale, almost drained of color.It was the same.Exactly the same reaction Duke had shown when he experienced Helis Step for the first time.Duke, who had been sitting under a tree nearby, noticed us instantly. The moment his eyes landed on the two of them, he stood up and moved forward quickly, his steps firm but hurried.“Sierra… Steve… What are you doing here?”His voice carried clear shock, his brows tightening as concern flickered across his face.But neither of them answered immediately.They were still trying to steady themselves.It took a few l

Royal Palace, BeardaThe sun touched the horizon, casting a deep orange glow across the capital as the night guards took their positions outside the throne chamber. The day guards stepped back in silence, their duties ending as the evening began to take hold.Inside—The throne room stood vast and still.Tall windows allowed streaks of warm and tired light to spill across the polished floor, stretching toward the throne at the far end. The air carried a quiet tension, heavy and unmoving.Dargon sat upon his throne and Acherous stood beside him as always.The two were engaged in a low conversation when—Tap. Tap.Footsteps echoed across the chamber. The sound broke the silence cleanly. Both of their gazes shifted.Steve had entered.His steps were steady as he walked across the long carpet leading to the throne. The lined soldiers on either side remained motionless, their spears upright, but their eyes followed him closely.Steve stopped, and then bowed.“Hail Bearda.”Dargon raised hi

I had collected all the materials needed for Duke’s home in Naturia. It had taken some time—more than I expected. But eventually, everything was gathered.So I returned to the habitat, ready to begin constructing his house.At least—That was the plan. But the moment I got back, I realized something was off. The emoji builders weren’t preparing to build anything inside the floating habitat.Instead…They were pointing downwards, toward the forest below.I frowned.“…Wait.”It took me a moment to process what they were trying to say.“You want to build it… down there?”All four of them nodded immediately. Their screens flickered in confirmation.And just like that—my plan was rejected. I tried to reason with them.More than once.“Why not inside the habitat?”I gestured around.“It’s safer here. Better environment. You guys already work here.”Red crosses flashed on their screens, firm and unyielding.“No?”I tried again.“What about near the castle? Maybe a small structure beside the

Clieve sat motionless on the ground, his shoulders slightly slumped as his eyes remained fixed on the elder. The resistance that once filled his posture had faded, replaced by a quiet heaviness that pressed down on his entire being.“So… what do you plan to do with me now?”His voice no longer carried defiance. It carried confusion.The elder smiled, a soft curve forming on his wrinkled face as if the question itself amused him.“Nothing. I have simply given you a place where you can finally rest.”He lifted his hand and pointed lazily toward the countless open coffins scattered across the burial ground.“Select your bed… and rest in peace.”Clieve’s gaze drifted slowly across the field. Each coffin lay open, waiting in silence, as if they had been prepared long before his arrival. For a brief moment, his mind betrayed him. He imagined himself lying inside one of them, still and unmoving, embraced by an endless silence.His heart suddenly pounded harder, resisting that thought with th