Legends Of AETHERIA: The Tale of Drayden

Chapter 21: Journey Continues

The Silverlight Consortium's Guild Lounge was always a lively space, bustling with adventurers unwinding after arduous quests or preparing for the next big expedition. Today, however, a calm settled over the Radiant Vanguard, who were all gathered except for Jax. They were seated in comfortable chairs around a large wooden table, the usual vigor of the room dimmed as they nursed injuries from their last battle. A few bandages here, a few bruises there, but nothing serious enough to keep them away for long.

Alaric leaned back, his dragon-scaled shield resting beside him, and winced as he rubbed his bruised shoulder. "Can you believe this?" he said, smirking despite the discomfort. "We're supposed to be the Radiant Vanguard, Elysium's finest! And here we are, sidelined like rookies."

Torin, massive even when seated, chuckled, shaking his head. "Give us a break, Alaric. You got tossed halfway across the battlefield last time. We can't exactly march into battle looking like a bunch of wounded puppies. You're lucky you're still in one piece."

Miri, always the voice of reason despite her youthful appearance, giggled lightly, her bright eyes sparkling. "Honestly, I would love to jump back into missions, but Guild Master Lyandra practically forced us to take a break. You should've seen her! 'No more quests until you heal,' she said, waving that finger of hers like a sword."

"Probably for the best," Eris added, her enchanting voice soothing even as she adjusted the healing wraps around Thalos' arm. "None of us should be pushing ourselves right now."

As if on cue, Elyndra entered the lounge, her sword at her side gleaming in the soft light. She greeted them with a wave and a bright smile. "Hey, everyone! I was surprised to find you all here. No missions today?"

Alaric groaned exaggeratedly, leaning back in his chair. "Oh, Elyndra, don't rub it in! We'd be out there if we could, but we're still recovering. And between you and me," he lowered his voice conspiratorially, "Master Lyandra's a bit scary when she's in nurse mode. I think she could make a behemoth cry."

"Right? I'm pretty sure I heard her threaten Thalos with a spoon if he didn't sit still during bandaging," Miri added, stifling a laugh.

Elyndra raised an eyebrow, amusement dancing in her eyes. "But seriously, you all need to take it easy for a while. That goes to you too Elyndra, and also to Kael" Miri insisted, her tone becoming serious. "You should rest. You can't keep running off like a lone wolf after every fight."

Elyndra nodded thoughtfully, her expression shifting. "Speaking of Kael, have any of you seen him around today?"

Thalos, who had been quietly adjusting the string on his bow, looked up. "He went out early this morning. Been doing that every day since the Shadowfen incident. Whenever he comes back, he's covered in dirt and bruises. I think he's training on his own."

Torin frowned, crossing his massive arms, concern etching his features. "Can't blame him. That was the first time he saw his father in years, only for things to end like that. Must be eating him up inside. I just wish he'd talk to us about it."

Elyndra felt a pang of sympathy as Torin's words sank in. She knew Kael hadn't talked much about the incident, but she could see the weight he was carrying. "I hope he's okay. But I know Kael; he's strong. He'll pull through."

Just then, Jax slipped into the lounge, moving like a shadow as always. His presence was so quiet that no one noticed him at first until Alaric looked up. "Hey, Jax! Back from your run?"

Jax nodded, a faint smile creeping across his face as he adjusted his hood. "Yeah, I caught a glimpse of Kael while I was out."

Elyndra's eyes lit up with hope. "Where did you see him?"