The morning sun had just crested over the shimmering horizon, bathing the island in gold and warmth. Ryuuji stood by the garden terrace, a warm cup of roasted tea in his hands. Kiko played nearby with the four wolf pups, her laughter as light as birdsong. Elysia, draped in a simple white robe, sat with her long tail curled around her legs, enjoying a rare moment of peace as she watched over the sea.
A flicker in the air—a shimmer of silver and blue—materialized beside Ryuuji.
He turned just as a magical scroll fell into his open palm, glowing faintly with runic seals he hadn't seen in years.
"This spell signature... it's hers," Ryuuji murmured.
Elysia looked up. "Someone you know?"
"Sierra."
Kiko perked up. "Who's Sierra, Papa?"
Ryuuji ran a hand through his hair, his expression shifting to something unreadable. "An old friend. One of the first mages I met after I arrived in this world. She's the one who taught me how to properly read and use magic—runes, ancient scripts, formulas... All of it. Without her, I wouldn't have survived the first year."
He carefully broke the seal. The scroll unrolled itself in the air and began to speak in a soft, ethereal voice—the echo of Sierra's own.
Ryuuji,If you're reading this, then the spell reached you. I wasn't sure it would, given how isolated you've become. I'm sorry to reach out like this—gods know I never wanted to drag you into anything again.But I'm out of options.
They've imprisoned me.
The High Council of Dalewatch accused me of treason for defending a village from a noble who was enslaving its people through forbidden contracts. When I refused to back down, they threw me into the Arcanum Vault beneath the Academy. No trial, no witnesses, just chains and silence.
I held on because I believed justice would win out. But now, weeks have passed. No one comes. The cells are damp with silence and magic-draining wards.
If you're still the man I remember... I need you. Not just to free me. But to remind the world what it means to fight for something right.
They've locked me beneath stone, Ryuuji. But the truth is heavier than any chain.
Your friend always,—Sierra
The scroll disintegrated into blue dust, leaving Ryuuji motionless.
Kiko tugged on his sleeve. "Papa? Are you okay?"
He kneeled beside her, brushing her hair gently. "Papa just remembered that some fights never really end."
Elysia stood, crossing the garden in two strides. "What will you do?"
"I'm going to Dalewatch."
Jarred, who had been sharpening farming tools on the porch, looked up. "Need backup?"
Ryuuji shook his head. "Not yet. This place still needs you and Marla. Keep Kiko and the wolves safe."
Elysia narrowed her eyes. "You're not going alone, are you?"
Ryuuji gave her a crooked smile. "Just to scout. I won't storm anything... yet. But if she's locked in the Arcanum Vault, we may be dealing with more than just nobles this time."
He looked up at the sky. For the first time in months, his eyes held a steel edge that hadn't been there since the Demon Lord fell.
"I'm going to get Sierra out," he said. "And if Dalewatch wants a reminder of what I can do... they'll get one."
By nightfall, Ryuuji stood at the edge of the teleportation circle etched near the heart of the island. Elysia handed him a satchel filled with enchanted tokens and supplies.
"If they've placed her in the Vault, you'll need these," she said. "Anti-warding glyphs, mana reservoirs, and a shroud stone."
He kissed her forehead gently. "You've always known exactly what I'd need."
She didn't smile. "Just come back. And bring her home."
The light flared. The circle glowed. And in a heartbeat, Ryuuji was gone, a whisper of wind and power left in his place.
Far across the world, in the heart of Dalewatch, the ancient Academy slumbered under heavy enchantments, unaware that a legend long thought vanished had begun to move once more.
And with him, came hope.
Hope... and reckoning.