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Chapter 73: The Twins
He exhaled a sharp breath, his muscles trembling from the exertion.
Despite the exhaustion weighing on his limbs, Zayn clung to the griffin as they descended slowly toward the ground.
His body ached.
His arm still stung where the skeletal beast had torn into it, Elisse hadn’t finished healing him after all.
His muscles screamed for rest. But despite all of that, he couldn’t help but tilt his head upward and look.
For the first time since the battle began, he truly saw the sky.
It was... beautiful.
During the chaos of the dungeon breach, he hadn’t even thought about looking up.
There had been too much happening, too many monsters, too many things trying to kill them.
But now, with the danger behind them, he could finally take it in.
The deep, rich blue of the sky stretched endlessly above, painted with streaks of violet and gold.
The clouds were soft, like tufts of cotton floating lazily across the vast expanse.
It was the kind of sky that didn’t feel real, like something out of a dream — except he was here, right in the middle of it.
As his griffin glided through a particularly low-hanging cloud, he reached out, fingers brushing through the misty fluff. It was cool, damp, but light, dissipating in his grip like smoke.
He scooped a small handful of it, watching as it curled and drifted apart in his palm.
’Clouds,’ he thought, a wry smile tugging at his lips. ’I just grabbed a cloud.’
He knew so many people in his old life who would kill for the chance to do this — to ride through the sky, to touch the clouds, to feel the wind roaring past them.
It felt surreal.
A soft chuckle left his lips as he let the cloud slip through his fingers.
He wasn’t the only one taking in the view.
Bran, riding beside him, was grinning ear to ear, his golden hair wild from the wind. "Hell of a sight, huh?"
Zayn exhaled, nodding. "Yeah. I didn’t get a chance to appreciate it the first time."
Elisse flew past on her griffin, glancing back at them.
Tobias, riding just ahead, pushed his glasses up with a sigh. "As nice as this is, let’s not forget the fact that we almost died several times."
Zayn smirked. "What, you didn’t enjoy the thrill?"
Tobias shot him a glare but didn’t argue.
The group continued their slow descent, letting the moment stretch a little longer.
Below them, Timberstead was a mess.
The town had suffered, no doubt about it.
Several buildings had been damaged, debris littered the streets, and adventurers were still finishing off the remaining monsters that had made it through before the dungeon collapse.
But there was relief, too.
People emerged from hiding spots, helping one another.
The surviving adventurers regrouped, tending to the wounded.
The weather mages, exhausted but satisfied, sat in a circle, sipping water as they recovered from their efforts to dispel the storm.
Zayn’s grip on the reins tightened slightly.
As the griffins descended toward the Guild’s gathering point, Zayn let out a slow breath, his grip slackening on the reins.
His body ached from head to toe, the last remnants of soul energy flickering out of his system like dying embers.
On the ground, the Guild Master stood waiting. A broad-chested man with a salt-and-pepper beard, he radiated authority, but his eyes twinkled with mirth.
Beside him stood the twin half elf sisters — the Guild’s receptionists — identical in every way except for their eye color.
One had golden eyes, the other a piercing shade of blue.
As soon as Zayn touched the ground, his legs wobbled.
The moment he tried to dismount, his body gave up entirely. His arm, already torn from battle, failed him, and before he knew it, the world tilted.
"Shit — "
He hit the dirt hard, barely managing to brace himself before landing flat on his back. 𝑛𝘰𝑣𝑝𝑢𝑏.𝘤𝑜𝘮
His griffin, unbothered by his collapse, lowered its head and gave his face a long, sloppy lick.
"Ugh," he groaned, weakly pushing at the beast’s beak. "You trying to drown me or something?"
A deep, hearty laugh boomed through the air.
The Guild Master crossed his arms, shaking his head in amusement. "Seems like that griffin took a real liking to you, boy!"
Zayn huffed out a breath, staring up at the sky. "Glad someone did."
The Guild Master’s amusement dimmed slightly as he assessed the injuries.
"You took the worst of it, huh?" He turned his gaze toward the elf twins. "We need a healer on him. You." He gestured at one of them.
From the tone of his voice, Zayn already knew which one he had chosen.
The blue-eyed twin.
The one who always ignored him at the counter.
He wasn’t sure why she had an issue with him, but every time he approached the desk, she acted as if he were invisible.
It was obvious to him by now that she didn’t like him
But orders were orders. With an audible sigh, she strode forward and knelt beside him.
Zayn’s breath hitched.
She leaned over, pressing her hands against his head, and for the briefest moment, her robes shifted just enough to reveal the soft swell of cleavage.
’Well... that’s a sight.’
A faint blush crept up his face, but before he could say anything, warmth flooded his body.
A soft, golden glow enveloped him, sinking into his skin like a gentle tide. The pain dulled almost immediately, the wounds knitting themselves together under her touch.
It wasn’t just a physical relief — it was soothing, like floating in warm water after being stuck in a freezing storm.
He exhaled slowly, his body relaxing for the first time in what felt like hours.
"...Thanks," he murmured, watching her work.
She didn’t respond. Not with words, at least.
But her fingers lingered just a second longer than necessary before she pulled away.
"You’re healed," she said flatly, standing up.
Zayn sat up, rolling his shoulder experimentally. The pain was gone, but he still needed rest.
