At the shattered window, Vivi stood silently, her gaze fixed on the calm city stretched before her. The streets below were steady, untouched by the storm of emotions inside her heart. Yet tears streamed down her cheeks, falling in quiet pain.

Her lips moved, voice trembling, barely louder than the breeze.

"Auren… be alive… We planned to sail, we planned to adventure… you can't go like this. Be safe, Auren."

She closed her eyes, surrendering her heart to the whisper. The soft wind blew against her face, lifting strands of her hair, carrying her sorrow across the city. Her traditional attire shimmered faintly under the golden sun, as if the heavens themselves tried to comfort her.

Meanwhile, deep inside the seer's chamber, the old man and the other seers of Baku slowly came back to their senses. Their trance faded, but the weight of what they had witnessed still pressed on their souls. The old man gasped, breath returning to him in jagged bursts, his chest rising unevenly. Yet his eyes… his eyes still carried the shock of a truth that tore at his very being.

His voice cracked, heavy with rage and grief.

"The killers of Roxi… are the White Tigers. I curse them… I curse their bloodline!"

The chamber darkened with the echo of his words, like the curse itself had found form.

The other seers quickly gathered, resuming the ritual before the vision slipped away. The air thickened, the smell of burnt incense choking the silence. Then, once more, the colossal eye of Ryuki tore open in the void above their circle—its gaze unblinking, eternal.

And within its vision—Auren.

Auren walking alongside Nyra and Dax, their figures outlined against the vast cliffs of Hollow Mountain. The winds howled across jagged stone, waterfalls poured from the mountain's hollowed sides, and shadows stretched endlessly, hinting at dangers lurking within.

Old man Orb carried the message quickly: "King Velmore, Auren Ryuki is at Hollow Mountain, safe and sound."

A subtle relief passed over Velmore's face, though questions still lingered. How did he reach there? Who helped him?

Velmore's parrot flew into the palace, landing near Ravi. The king said softly, "Ravi, Auren is safe. He is at Hollow Mountain."

Hearing this, Ravi felt the weight lift from his heart. Thank the Lord… Vivi must be panicking.

Meanwhile, Ravi's wife entered Auren's room, where young Vivi still sat heavy with worry over her missing friend. She gently comforted her daughter:

"Vivi, Auren is fine."

Vivi's eyes widened as she turned toward her mother, tears already spilling with joy.

"Mom… really?"

She clasped her hands together, then threw her arms around her mother in a tight hug.

"I'm so happy! Auren is my only friend…"

Her little body trembled as she cried, unable to hold back the relief. Looking up with shining eyes, she asked, "Where is he? Where is Auren?"

Her mother cupped her cheeks and smiled.

"He is at Hollow Mountain. He is safe and healthy."

Vivi's pupils sparkled.

"He really made it? How? I want to go there too—to meet him! I want to train too, Mom. I can't wait!"

Her mother laughed softly at her eagerness.

"You want to train at Hollow Mountain? Since when did you start thinking like that?"

"Please, Mom," Vivi begged, pulling her hands together. "I want to train with Auren—my only friend. Please, Mom. Please, please, please!"

Her mother stroked her hair and replied warmly,

"We'll need to ask your father first. We will think about it."

The room felt lighter. The news that Auren was safe had lifted the weight of tension from everyone's hearts.

Dax and Nyra stepped carefully into the cave, their footsteps echoing faintly in the hollow air. Behind them, Dax reached down, offering his hand to Auren, who was still hanging from a twisted tree root that jutted out from the cliff. All around, it looked like a vertical forest—trees growing sideways, roots dangling downward like long snakes, moss glistening with droplets of water.

Auren gritted his teeth and released one hand. "You sure about this?" he asked, his voice shaking.

"Hundred percent," Dax said firmly, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

Trusting him, Auren let go of his other hand. The full weight of his body pulled sharply on Dax's arm. For a second, it looked like Auren would slip, but then something impossible happened—Dax's arm grew larger, thick and heavy, like the massive limb of an elephant. His grip tightened with inhuman strength, lifting Auren up with ease.

Auren's eyes widened. "What the—! What is this?"

Dax grinned, hauling him onto solid ground. "My ability. Transfiguration. Comes in handy, doesn't it?"

Auren caught his breath, still staring at Dax's oversized hand as it slowly shrank back to normal.

The three of them turned to face the cave's mouth. The entrance was slick with moisture, drops of water dripping steadily from the jagged rocks above. The smell of wet stone and moss drifted out, heavy and damp.

"Let's go inside," Nyra said casually, brushing her hair back as though this place was nothing unusual.

Auren frowned. "Wait—you two have been here before?"

Nyra smirked. "This is our favorite spot. Once you see what's inside, you'll understand."

"Yeah," Dax added with a grin. "You'll get it soon enough, buddy."

Auren hesitated, then nodded. "Alright then. Let's go."

Their shoes tapped against the stone floor as they entered, each step splashing softly in shallow puddles. The deeper they went, the thicker the darkness grew, swallowing their shapes and muffling their voices. The air grew colder, clinging to their skin like damp cloth.

Suddenly, Auren froze. His breath caught in his throat. "Who… who is this?" he whispered, eyes darting into the shadows.

Nyra stopped. "What's wrong with you, Auren?"

Before Auren could reply, a voice came beside him. "Sorry… sorry, Auren," Dax muttered nervously. "I'm a little afraid of the dark, so I thought I should grab your hand."

Auren stiffened. "That's not my hand," he said slowly. "Let go."

Nyra suddenly burst out laughing. "Ohhhaha! Bad boy, bad boy, Dax!"

"Hey, Nyra, just—shut up!" Dax snapped, shaking his head. "It was a mistake, you understand!"

Auren smiled, holding up his hands. "No issue. It's okay, I understand. If you want my hand, take it."

Dax's eyes widened slightly, and then he reached out. "Thanks for your hand, Auren." He grabbed Auren's hand firmly, giving him a reassuring nod.

Nyra tilted her head, her voice dripping with playful mockery. "Baby, Dax wants my hand too. Maybe it'll give you courage," she teased, her tone like she was trolling him on purpose.

Dax grimaced, his face a mixture of disbelief and irritation. "I'd rather die than touch you! You're… evil, selfish, egotistical, ponytail girl!"

Auren held up a hand, interrupting them. "Enough now. If I say more, it's not good. You shouldn't talk like that."

Nyra smirked, unaffected. "Well, I don't care what he says. I have hard skin."

Auren let out a small sigh, shaking his head, while Dax muttered under his breath, looking both exasperated and amused. The cave walls echoed faintly with their laughter and voices, the sound mingling with the trickle of water from somewhere deeper inside.

As they stepped deeper into the cave, the darkness seemed to fade, replaced by an ethereal glow that danced across every surface. Auren's eyes widened, his mouth slightly open in disbelief. "Whoa… what is this?" he whispered, barely able to speak.

The walls were alive. Veins of gold snaked along the stone, twisting and branching like the roots of some ancient, glowing tree. Interlaced between them were threads of deep purple, electric blue, and soft silver, all pulsing faintly as if the cave itself were breathing. Tiny droplets of water clung to the veins, refracting the light into tiny rainbows that scattered across the wet stone floor.

From above, colorful trees seemed to grow out of the rock, their leaves shimmering like precious gems. Some glowed in amber, others in sapphire, and a few in shades Auren had never seen before, colors that felt alive, vibrating in the air. The branches arched and twisted together, forming natural arches and tunnels, giving the impression of walking through a forest woven entirely from light.

Dax and Nyra moved confidently, but Auren slowed his steps, unable to stop staring. "It's… unbelievable," he breathed, stepping carefully as his eyes roamed over every detail. The cave seemed endless, the colors reflecting in his wide eyes, making the world feel larger and more magical than anything he had ever known.

The air was cool and fragrant, carrying hints of damp earth and something sweet, like the smell of blooming flowers after rain. Tiny motes of glowing dust floated in the air, drifting lazily as if caught in their own current of light.

Auren lifted his hands, trying to touch the glowing veins, but they shimmered just beyond reach. He turned to Dax and Nyra, his voice trembling slightly. "I… I've never seen anything like this. It's… beautiful."

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