Meera and Kalrina got off the mirror disc and walked the rest of the way to the city walls. A soldier immediately spotted them on the road. He called to his fellow soldiers on the parapets and waved to others on the other side of the walls.

By the time they reached the gate, about ten soldiers with spears in hand were waiting for them. Meera didn't recognize any of them, but then she had hardly interacted with any soldiers besides Leonel, who was absent.

"Halt!" cried a soldier with a nasty burn over the right side of his face. "State your business."

"We're just two weary travelers looking for a way off this world," Kalrina said. "We've just had a run-in with some dragons and barely escaped with our lives."

He eyed them up and down. "Your condition is dreary, sorceress, but this one doesn't seem like she's had a run-in with any dragon."

"Oh, that's because I have a healing skill," Meera said.

She had changed her tag before they came within sight of the soldiers. Now, she, too, was a sorceress.

[Sorceress of Tremors – Level 465]

It was more to honor the sorceress who had died to give Meera her Ascendant powers. The soldiers were about the same level as her fake level. They would be no trouble for her if it came to blows, and she really wished it didn't.

"Your Captain Leonel knows us," Kalrina quickly added.

"I see," the burned soldier said. "Lots of sorceress coming here today."

A strange gleam came in Kalrina's eyes. "My other sisters were here. Please tell us where they went. For we dearly wish to reunite with them."

You better not start something here, witch.

"You might still catch up to them, that is, if Captain Leonel can vouch for you two," the soldier replied. "Wait here. He'll be along shortly."

He nodded to another soldier, who saluted him and left through the gate. With nothing better to do, Meera plopped down on the ground, wishing beyond hope that she could get a shower before moving on. She desperately needed one. She couldn't even remember her last bath. She reeked of blood, sweat, and body odor.

"Hey, any place that a girl can get a bath?" Meera asked.

A few of the soldiers chuckled, and the burned soldier replied. "Sorceresses, always trying to pretty themselves up. If you haven't noticed sorceress, the city is a tad bit destroyed."

"Oh really?" Kalrina played dumb. "Here I thought, you stone spears were just doing some renovations."

The soldier rolled his eyes and shook his head but said no more. A few minutes later, the soldier showed up with his captain. Leonel looked them up and down.

"Didn't I say you two would not be welcomed back," he said.

"Ah, Leo dear," Kalrina cooed. "It's been so long. Is it any way to greet an old friend? Besides, if I remember correctly, you told us we wouldn't be welcomed back to the underground city. We're not here to find refuge in that dank, horrid prison. We just want a passage off this world, specifically to Ealisto and Gethys."

Meera raised an eyebrow at that. For the first time, she realized the witch and she would be going their own ways. She couldn't understand why, but it made her a little sad.

"Oh, and did I mention we took care of the dragon problem for you," Kalrina said, which got everyone's attention. "They won't be coming back. My friend here got them to back off for her helping them take care of the sorceresses permanently."

"What?" Leonel asked. "Is that why so many came through our gates not long ago?"

"That's right."

"Come," Leonel said. "We'll talk on the way to the Gateway Mirrors, and you will tell me everything."

Leonel led them through the ruined city, and it looked like the Stone Spears had cleaned up the place a little since the dragon's departure. The wreckage from the streets had been cleared, and some buildings had been put back together. Kalrina regaled him with the tales of their adventures since they last saw him. Thankfully for her health, she kept all the important bits out, like why they were all hunting Meera, her relationship with Neel, and how she was an Ascendant after killing Veridiana.

"That is quite a tale," Leonel said once Kalrina finished. "However, there is one thing that puzzles me—why were the Cultists, the sorceresses, and the dragons all hunting you?"

Meera exchanged a look with Kalrina and knew she was thinking the same thing—Leonel was not just a dumb warrior.

Kalrina shrugged. "How should I know, love? They all thought Meera had something they could lure the Champion to them, which she clearly didn't have, but of course, they didn't listen."

"And what did they think that you have?" Leonel asked.

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Meera sighed. She was tired of all the lies, and at this point, she was too exhausted to make a convincing lie. "His blood."

He frowned, then his eyes widened. "You're a tracker? You're tracking him through his blood."

Meera actually stopped walking. "Yes… That's it."

She could see the witch struggling to keep her face straight; if she failed, Meera would break her jaw. This was somehow resolving by itself, and she better not ruin it.

"What sort of skill do you have that lets you track someone through their blood?" he asked.

Meera smirked. "That's my secret. Now, the Gateway Mirrors, please."

"I see." His gaze lingered on Meera for a moment before he took a right turn, which led them to what looked like a building with large pillars. It must've been made from white marble, but one of the pillars was cracked, and the top half had fallen into the street. The building must've been beautiful, but half of the roof was caved in and mostly scorched.

Two Stone Spears were posted outside what was once the building's gate. They stood at attention and saluted Leonel as they arrived.

"Did anyone come through since yesterday?" Leonel.

"Not many, sir," the one on the left replied. "Looks like the news has spread far and wide. We should not be getting any wayward travelers coming to their doom."

"Maybe not so. If these two can be believed," Leonel said.

"Sir?"

"Later." He motioned to Kalrina and Meera. "Come. The Gateway Mirrors are inside."

They followed him inside, and the building was vast but utterly trashed. Chunks of the walls, the decorations that once made this place beautiful, lay scattered everywhere. A thin mist of dust hung in the air as if someone had just dusted off this place. At the end of a long corridor stood many large, ornate, oval mirrors—there must've been more than a dozen.

"This building is called Midiea's Crossroads. It was the hub of all the travel to and from the city. That's not to say there weren't other Gateway Mirrors around the city, but this place saw the bulk of the travel." Leonel pointed out to a mirror on the left side. "That is the mirror to Gethys, and that one is the mirror to Ealisto. Once, this place was busier than all the markets in the city, and now, only rats scurry about this place."

"But you can rebuild now," Meera said. "We weren't lying about what we said. I did get Ignis's word to back off. He won't attack this city anymore. Well, he won't have any reason to as long as your people don't start hunting dragons in retribution for what happened here."

Leonel nodded glumly. "No, I doubt anyone will be stupid enough to anger them again, but we will prepare precautions and make ourselves strong enough so that we don't face another massacre. And if those flying lizards make the mistake of turning their eye on my city again, then let's say they won't be leaving without a massacre of their own."

"Oh, I like this side of you, Leo," Kalrina said. "Almost makes me want to stay and help."

"It's okay. I'm sure you have things to do," he replied.

"That I do. Do you mind giving us some privacy so we can say farewell properly?" Kalrina asked.

"Of course. I bid you both great fortunes on your future endeavors, and thank you for getting the dragons to back off from Drurith. I owe you a debt, Meera. If you're ever in need, please don't hesitate to call on me." He bowed at the waist and left

Kalrina sighed. "I guess, now we come to it at last. Time to say goodbye."

"It was the day I had been waiting for ever since I ran into you," Meera said. She would've meant it a few days ago, but now, it was complicated. After working with her for so long, it was hard to be parted with someone who she could rely on to watch her back. Never in her wildest dreams would she have dreamt that person would be the person she had hated for so long.

"I know you do not mean that. I will speak from my heart now, and though you may not believe me, I do mean every word." Kalrina's face grew solemn. "We have been through so much in the last few weeks. Accomplished so much in such a short frame of time. You were right on Light Bringer Mountains."

Meera frowned. "I didn't mean none of that. I was speaking out of anger."

"But still, the truth spilled from your tongue. I had been wasting time. Loitering around, making plans, and then abandoning them because, in my heart, I knew I could never kill Aksha in a straight fight. We saw the result of that, didn't we?" She snorted derisively. "What I mean to say is that I would not have achieved my goals if it weren't for you."

She held Meera by the shoulders, and her eyes glistened with tears. "You took me along with you on one mad scheme after another. Things I would never have the courage to do on my own. We destroyed the sisterhood, brought down Akhessai, and, best of all, killed Aksha together. I may have lost one sister, but I gained another. So, thank you, Meera. A thousand times, thank you."

Tears spilled from Kalrina's eyes as she kissed Meera on the brow, and it was hard for Meera's eyes to stand dry. Kalrina hugged her tightly for a long moment.

When she finally let go, she held Meera's hands. "If you ever need anything, you need but ask and I will be there for you in a heartbeat."

Meera snorted. "How will I even contact you?"

"Good point." She raised a hand and made a circular mirror. "This will let us talk to each other. Although, it will only work once before it cracks, so only use it when your need is dire or if you are missing your dear sister."

Meera was about to snap that she wasn't her sister, but she didn't. Instead, she said, "Why would I miss you?"

They both laughed and embraced once more.

Meera placed a hand on Kalrina's shoulder. "If you have any sense, which I know you don't, you will give up your hunt of the remaining sorceresses and do something better with your time, like make amends with the people you hurt in your path of vengeance. There are many people that could use your help, like the people of Cliffhshield Valley, for one."

Kalrina nodded. "I could do that once the daughters are dead and any sorceresses that get between me and them."

Meera sighed. "You'll never change."

"You know me. There are still those alive who've hurt me. Aksha was just the start."

Meera gave a solemn nod. "I pray to whichever god is listening that one day you can heal from the pain in your heart. Truly, I do. I hope one day your heart can know peace."

Another trickled down Kalrina's cheek. "Thank you, but there's only way I'll find peace, and that's through dead sorceresses."

"There's more than one way to find peace," Meera replied. "But I'll let you find it yourself. Good luck, witch. I truly hope that we meet again someday."

Kalrina smiled. "I hope so, too. Also, would it kill you to use my name?"

"Funny, I remember asking you the same thing?" Meera laughed. "Maybe next time, witch."

Kalrina shook her head as she smiled. "Farewell, dear sister."

"Goodbye."

Then, they both stepped up to their mirrors, placed a hand on it, and selected their destinations. They gave one final nod to one another and stepped into the mirrors.

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