The next morning, Raziel woke feeling well-rested for the first time in days. He stretched, feeling the tension ease from his muscles, and glanced at his attire from the previous day.

The once-pristine clothes were now torn and stained from battle. With a frown, he discarded them and donned the new robes a vendor had given him.

The fabric was soft and comfortable, a deep black with gold embroidery that shimmered in the morning light. That filtered in through the window.

As he dressed, Raziel’s mind wandered back to the encounter with the vendor. It had been strange, the way the man had acted so fearful.

Then, a realization struck him like a bolt of lightning. His father’s last name must be Wavelander. The fear in the vendor’s eyes made sense now.

After seeing his father in battle, Raziel could only begin to understand why people would fear him.

He exited his room and stepped into the inn’s hallway, which was quiet and empty. The wooden floorboards creaked softly under his feet as he made his way down the hall, following the scent of freshly baked bread and the sound of distant chatter.

He found his way back to the tavern, where the morning sun streamed through the windows, casting a warm glow over the room.

At a corner table, he spotted Elrian, Venus, and Issac sitting together, deep in conversation. The young boy made his way over to them, his curiosity piqued. “Why did you not wake me?” he asked, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Venus smirked, her sapphire eyes twinkling with amusement. “They tried, but I told them you needed your beauty sleep.”

Raziel rolled his eyes, a faint blush creeping up his cheeks. “I do not need ‘beauty’ sleep.”

“I beg to differ, young prince,” Venus teased, her tone light and playful. “You are always so grumpy if you do not get your rest.”

Issac’s attention snapped to Venus. “Prince?”

Venus did not expand, she only let a wickedly evil smirk dance upon her lips.

Issac turned and looked at his son. He became lost in thought.

He cocked his head to the side, curiosity getting the better of him. “Calveron where do you go when you disappear?”

The dog chuffed at him, a sound that was almost a laugh. “I go where I need to go. Now feed me, I am hungry.”

Raziel chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. “Alright, alright. Let’s get you something to eat.”

As they settled down for breakfast, the tavern’s atmosphere was lively, filled with the sounds of clinking dishes and cheerful conversation.

The innkeeper brought over plates of steaming food—eggs, sausages, and fresh bread—along with mugs of hot tea. The warmth of the meal and the camaraderie of his companions made Raziel feel at ease.

Elrian leaned back in his chair, a contented smile on his face. “So, what’s the plan for today?”

Issac glanced at Raziel, then at Venus. “You need to head to Lord Erikson’s. Is everyone gotten enough rest? Are you all ready for travel? We could spare one more day if you need more.”

Venus nodded in agreement. “Indeed. We have a long road ahead, and we need to be prepared for whatever comes our way.”

Raziel smiled. “I am good to go. I am kinda having fun with this. It is quite the adventure.”

Venus laughed. “We leave as soon as we are done eating then.

Raziel looked around at his friends, feeling a sense of fearful determination well up inside him. His mind kept flicking back to the map. Why couldn’t his father see it?

As they finished their meal, the strange dog at Raziel’s feet let out a satisfied sigh, its eyes closing in contentment.

Raziel reached down to scratch behind its ears, a smile tugging at his lips. “I guess I am ready. Have either of you met Erikson? And why is it I must go to his arena?”

Venus frowned. “I will probably be leaving the group before we get to his city. I am not fond of him.”

Raziel frowned. “I…” He looked away and then looked back. “I was hoping you would come with us?”

She eyed him and her expression softened. She knew where his affection was coming from. She could not allow it. “Not this time. I promise when the time is right, we will met up again. Until then let us just enjoy the moment.

The group shared a minute of soft quiet. Raziel felt that the journey ahead would be difficult. His life has been forever altered. From here forward he knew nothing would ever be the same. And he could never go home.

They finished their meal and headed outside.

Raziel sighed. “We do not have horses. Are we just going to keep teleporting?”

Elrian smirked, “That I can fix.” He took a whistle from around his neck, intricately carved with ancient runes.

A soft wind pressed through it, producing a haunting melody that seemed to resonate with the very fabric of space and time. Moments later, three majestic beasts emerged from the shadows.

They were black as midnight, their coats shimmering with an ethereal glow, adorned with black and gold noble décor. Their saddles were intricately designed, featuring symbols of protection and power.

“I have really got to learn some magic.” Without another word, Raziel ran over to Issac and threw his arms around him. A fresh set of tears flowed from his face, glistening like tiny crystals in the dim light.

Issac wrapped his arms around the boy, his embrace warm and reassuring. “I must go now. Are you sure I can’t take Venus with me?”

Raziel glared at his father. “I do not think my bow will allow it.”

“I know, I know. I am going to leave you with your companions.”

“Why father? You have been all that I have known for so long.” He looked down. “It won’t feel right without you.”

“It will be alright. Even Xanther cannot fight your knight. It would not be smart for him to try, for many reasons. Travel safely. I must go, I have tasks I must do by myself.”

Raziel dried his tears with the back of his hand. “I will miss you, father.”

Raziel stood there, staring in shock, his mind reeling from the events that had just transpired. The weight of the moment pressed heavily on his young shoulders.

“My ward, I must urge you to leave,” Elrian reminded him gently, his voice a calm anchor in the storm of emotions.

“Yes, of course, let us go,” Raziel said, shaking himself from his stupor. He walked over to the horse, its eyes watching him with an almost knowing intelligence. He mounted, feeling the powerful muscles of the beast beneath him.

Elrian and Venus followed suit. The three of them mounted.

Raziel became lost in thought. He mulled over yesterday’s events. Randomly he blurted out. “That man, in the blue robes is scary as fuck,” Raziel muttered, his voice tinged with awe and fear.

Elrian chuckled, “Most Poetics are.”

“Poetic? What is that?” Raziel asked, gathering the reins of his horse.

It was now that he realized that his horse had four eyes, each pair glowing with a different hue, and draconic horns next to its ears. Two of its eyes were glowing red, the other two a deep, calming blue. “What the fuck?”

The beast laughed, a deep, resonant sound that seemed to vibrate through Raziel’s very bones. “You are just now realizing you do not know what I am.”

Fear chilled his blood. He went to dismount, but Elrian’s firm hand stopped him.

“Raziel. Stop. Her name is Lorenx. She is a Kenari, a fae horse. She can speak to you because you are her bonded. She chose you at birth but was not allowed to be with you because of your father, the Fae King.”

“Let us go, we must travel east toward the great sea,” Elrian spoke to his mount, his voice carrying a note of urgency. Elrian and Venus took of at a slow trot.

Raziel looked once more at Issac as his essence faded with his teleportation spell. He took a deep breath and looked back at his mount. A shiver of fear slid down his spine.

Lorenx did not move. She could feel Raziel’s fear. “I will not hurt you, my friend. But I am glad you have not kicked me.”

Raziel’s nerves began to settle. “I wouldn’t dare to kick a Fae. I am not sure I even know what a fae really is yet anyway!”

He noticed now, as he was relaxing, that her mane was made of spun black gold, shimmering in the light. It was a trait of one of his best friends from the fae wild. It struck a chord with a memory long forgotten.

Lorenx only snorted and took off at a trot to catch up with Elrian.

Raziel became lost in thought. “By chance could you two see the map I tried to show my father?”

Elrian smiled. “Of course I could.”

Venus simply nodded. “Goddess I wish you would stop calling that fucking traitor your father.”

Raziel frowned. “Traitor? To what side? And even then, how do I know that your side is the good one? Or the one he traded for was the bad one?”

Venus deadpanned at the young boy. “He has definitely raised you as he saw fit. He has blurred the line between good and evil like no one else I have ever met. I am sure that he wanted you to be open to see the “good” in him.”

Raziel wrinkled his nose. “But why would he not be able to see the map?”

Venus and Elrian shrugged their shoulders. They rode on together in silence for a time, before Raziel pipped up again.

“Would either of you have an issue not going to see Erikson? I mean I have this map, that my grandfather gave me.”

Venus snapped her head in Raziel’s direction. “You got that from your grandfather?”

Raziel hesitated. “Yes?”

“The fae did not have that map.” Venus’s eyes narrowed.

“I never said anything about Fae.” Raziel’s eyes twinkled with mischief.

Venus narrowed her eyes at him. Elrian smirked.

“Well fae prince, Where will your map take us?

Raziel laughed. “Let us see.” He stopped his horse and took out the map.

Venus walked her horse over to stand next to his. “Let me see.”

Raziel narrowed his eyes. “This can’t be right. Father said that the lands where this map leads to, doesn’t exist.”

Venus chuckled as the young boy handed her the map. “It would make sense that he would never want you there. That is the heart of the Obsidian Cabal.”

Raziel frowned. “He told me about them but why would he not tell me that is where they live?”

Venus laughed out loud. “I do not know; I suppose I shall leave that for you to decide young prince?”

She looked ahead at the trail. “It seems your turn to go north is just a head. We will separate paths there.”

Raziel frowned. “Alright fine.”