The travelers all streamed into the tavern when their hunger grew too much for them to bear. Ophilia had already selected a table near the back for them, and everyone filed over to it without objection. Cyrus and Olberic were the last to arrive, their fingers intertwined in a tight grasp. They had not been able to convince themselves or each other to let go ever since their confession of love. Cyrus couldn't help but be embarrassed by how thoroughly his words had failed him when he and Olberic told one another of how they felt. He was a scholar, a teacher, and yet, his words abandoned him when he felt he needed them most. 

But Olberic didn't seem to mind it at all. If anything, he thought of it as welcome that Cyrus was every bit as unsure of how to approach this as he was. Olberic had always communicated his emotions best through action, something he had shown the night he saved Cyrus from Lucia in Stonegard. Olberic was comfortable with holding hands in a way he was not when it came to speaking of his affections, and Cyrus couldn't help but love it. They both struggled with communicating their emotions in their own ways, but they had found a solution that worked uniquely for them. It made their love feel all the more personal, and Cyrus adored it. 

Tressa was the first one to notice that Cyrus and Olberic were holding hands, and her eyes lit up as she leaned over the table. "Hang on a second... What's that about?" she asked, something mischievous rising in her gaze. "Have you two always held hands when you walked around towns?" She already knew the answer to that question; she was just trying to give Cyrus and Olberic the chance to explain it for themselves. 

Olberic's cheeks immediately went hot and pink with embarrassment, and he coughed into his free hand to have an excuse to cover his face. Cyrus did his best to seem surer of himself when he stood up a little bit taller at Tressa's words. "We have found the time and words to express our thoughts for one another, and we did so just before coming here," Cyrus explained. It was hardly the blunt way of telling the others what had happened, but Cyrus couldn't bring himself to be entirely upfront about it. He could already imagine what Odette would say to hearing about all of this, and the perceived embarrassment from Quarrycrest was enough to leave him struggling to not squirm as he stood. 

"So you finally decided to confess to each other," Primrose concluded, getting to the heart of the matter without any ceremony. She cracked a light smirk. "I'm surprised you were able to actually get the words out. I know Cyrus is oblivious as can be and that Olberic struggles to talk about his feelings out loud."

That only made the heat in Olberic's cheeks worse, and this time, it spread to Cyrus too. H'aanit nudged at Primrose with her elbow. "Leaven them alone," she chastised, though there was no real instruction to her words. "I am certain they will tellen us the story when they feel ready to do so."

"Besides, we've got something else to talk about with the two of you," Therion chimed in, his gaze flickering down to the ring around Primrose's finger. "I know that wasn't there before. Last I saw, it was around H'aanit's neck."

"I am impressed that thou managed to seen it," H'aanit said, deflecting the topic effortlessly. "Normally, the rings are hidden by the rest of my clothing."

Therion shrugged. "A thief always knows how to spot something valuable even if he's not planning on taking it," he replied. It was hardly the most reassuring response, but it was the best any of them were going to get out of him, and they could already tell. "So what happened? Why did you give Primrose one of your rings, H'aanit?"

The huntress paused for a long moment, wrestling with her choice of words, before she sighed. "I was thinking about Redeye," she confessed, and the air in the tavern around them immediately grew uncomfortably stifling. "I fearen what will be waiting for us when we arriven in Marsalim. I would like to sayen once again that I will not be offended if any of thou choosen to stayen behind when the time cometh to slayen the beast. Redeye is incredibly dangerous, and I would not asken any of thee to placen thyselves in danger of such enormity."

"We're not goin' anywhere, H'aan," Alfyn assured her with a shake of his head. "We're gonna be there to see Redeye defeated no matter what it means. We've come this far, and we'll see it through to the end too. Everythin' is gonna be fine. I promise."

"I agree with Alfyn," Olberic chimed in, finally finding the confidence to speak now that the conversation was not focused on how embarrassed and quiet he was on the matter of his relationship with Cyrus. "I will stand at your side until we have ensured that the threat Redeye poses to Orsterra has been neutralized. No matter how terrifying the path ahead becomes, I will be there. I promise."

"You couldn't ask any of us to leave even if you wanted us to," Ophilia added with an authoritative nod. "You've been nothing but helpful to all of us, H'aanit. It wouldn't be right for us to leave you to face Redeye alone. I don't think any of us would ever be able to forgive ourselves if we left you behind in Marsalim. Redeye will be a challenging foe, but that's all the more reason for us to stay with you until we can defeat the beast. You can't do this alone... So you won't be alone."

H'aanit seemed mildly stunned by everyone's willingness to join her in the battle, though Cyrus knew better than to take it personally. H'aanit wasn't trying to imply that she thought her friends would leave her behind; she was simply worried about the danger they would be putting themselves in if they joined her in the battle. H'aanit didn't want anything bad to happen to them, so she was giving them the chance to walk away... But she may as well have not bothered. None of them could have left her after all they had been through. 

Now it was Primrose's turn to nudge H'aanit in the side, and the huntress' cheeks grew pink. "I told you they would stand by you no matter what," Primrose told her. "We're going to make sure Redeye is defeated together. It won't be easy, but that hasn't ever stopped us before. You have nothing to worry about, H'aanit."

The huntress remained eerily still for a long moment before she nodded. Her fingers wove in between Primrose's in a delicate dance none of the other travelers could ever hope to stop. "I couldst not thanken thee enough," H'aanit whispered. "I could not imaginen defeating Redeye without having all of thou there at my side. I knowen we will be able to withstand the beast so long as we standen together."

"We're gonna show that monster what for. It won't know what hit it," Alfyn declared with a proud smile brimming with life and light. He slammed his fist into his other hand where it was waiting as a palm. "All that's left is for us to go to Marsalim and defeat it once and for all."

"It feels so surreal to say that we're on our way to fight Redeye," Tressa confessed. "We've been hearing about it for so long, but now that we're here... It doesn't feel real at all. After all this time, we're gonna kill Redeye and save all of Orsterra from it. It's so much to think about, isn't it?"

Cyrus' breath caught in his lungs at that. How long had it been since he and the travelers first met one another? It felt like a lifetime ago now... And that meant it had been roughly that long since they heard about Redeye for the first time too. Back when they first met H'aanit, the idea of facing Redeye felt like a faraway dream. As long as Z'aanta still lived, they would not need to. He would be able to take care of the beast before they could ever imagine what it would like to face it. 

But that had been before they saw Z'aanta's petrified body. He had been turned to stone beneath the gaze of a beast so foul it had brought the strongest hunter in Orsterra to his knees. There was only one person the job could fall to now, but H'aanit would never be forced to face Redeye alone as long as the rest of the travelers were there to aid her. They had grown strong since they first left S'warkii--and even before then for the majority of their group--but the idea of fighting Redeye felt like something else. 

It wasn't just a matter of Redeye being a challenging beast to face. After all, the travelers had fought their fair share of monsters both in body and mind. They had defeated the gods in combat too, and while some of them had held back near the beginning of their travels, recent combatants like Winnehild and Balogar had not. The travelers had been strong enough to outlast brutal assaults from foes they never could have imagined facing. They had killed a dragon together. They had defeated Lucia and Yvon when they turned into monsters. They stopped Miguel, a serial killer, from lengthening the trail of blood he left in his wake. Cultists, immortals, and corrupt overlords had all fallen beneath their collective might. Redeye would follow suit soon enough. All they needed to do was get to Marsalim. 

But facing Redeye was about more than just fighting the beast that had turned Z'aanta to stone. It stood for the impending conclusion of all that the travelers had been fighting for. They had joined one another to fulfill their various goals, but now, most of them had been seen to their rightful conclusion. Ophilia had completed the Kindling. Primrose had finished her revenge plan by killing all three of the crows. Olberic had stopped the one responsible for Hornburg's downfall and found his purpose again. Therion had returned the dragonstones to House Ravus. Even Cyrus had found the tome he sought as of earlier that day. All that remained was for the travelers to defeat Redeye and go to the Merchants' Fair. 

Deep down, Cyrus knew that would not be the end of their adventures together. They would need to continue traveling as a group until they were able to understand the scope of the purpose they had been brought together for. The gods had wanted them to unite under a single banner seemingly to stop Galdera, and their journey's qualifications would not be satisfied until they did so. It was a massive task to ask of anyone, but the travelers had made it this far, and they would continue to fight until they were certain the fallen god had been laid to rest once and for all. 

But when Cyrus put it all together, he knew the travelers' journey was fast approaching its end. Judging by the sudden gloominess that had settled over the rest of the table, he knew he was not the only one who had come to that conclusion either. They were so close to finishing out all of the tasks they had set to accomplish when they first set out together. Afterward, it was just a matter of stopping Galdera, and they had uncovered quite a bit about him during their time in Duskbarrow. They would be able to return to their lives again once they were finished with Galdera. 

Cyrus would have loved to spend the rest of his days on the road in Orsterra, wandering the world and seeing what secrets it had to share with him... But he knew it could not last forever. Soon, he would need to return to Atlasdam. The Royal Academy was bound to be in shambles when the news of Yvon and Lucia's downfalls broke, and there was no way of saying for certain what would come of the school in the aftermath of such sudden change. Cyrus needed to be there to guide the academy to its next steps. 

He wasn't the only one who would need to leave the group soon either. Ophilia would want to return to the church and carry out her duties alongside her sister after they had both finished their travels. Tressa had a family to return to that was no doubt waiting eagerly for news of her journey. H'aanit would no doubt need to return to S'warkii with Z'aanta as soon as she was given the chance too. Even those that would prefer to travel for even longer would have a reason to split away eventually. They would not be able to stay together as a group of eight forever, and even if they knew it, the truth burned away a hole of grief in each of their chests. 

"You're right," Ophilia finally found the strength to whisper. "It doesn't feel real. When I first set out on the Kindling, I thought I would do everything I could to finish it as soon as possible so I could return home. That was before I met all of you though, and now... I don't know if I'll be able to go back to the way things were before, but I know I can't travel forever. Flamesgrace needs me. Lianna needs me."

"I don't want to leave either," Primrose murmured. "But I feel like I need to do what I can to help Noblecourt recover. Now that all three of the crows are dead, the people of Noblecourt will need a path to the future. I don't have any plans of taking up the mantle of Lady Azelhart, but I need to help Revello return the city to its former glory."

"I wish to return to Cobbelston," Olberic confessed. "Now that I understand what my purpose in life is... I feel as if I should return to the people there and tell them the truth of what I have learned. They did so much for me, and I wish to repay the favor however I can."

"So we're all going to have reasons to leave then," Tressa realized. She sighed, clearly wanting to laugh but unsure as to how she was supposed to muster the strength. "I guess it was always bound to happen. We've been traveling together for a long time, but every good thing has to come to an end eventually. It was just a matter of time before we had to split up and go our separate ways."

"But we're not there yet," Alfyn pointed out, clearly desperate to get away from the subject as soon as possible. "We've still gotta stop Redeye. We need to go to Grandport for the Merchants' Fair too. We still have reasons to travel together for a little bit longer. This isn't goodbye yet."

"I agreen," H'aanit chimed in. "We may need to sayen farewell to one another soon, but the moment hath not arrived yet. We shouldst taken this chance to enjoyen the time we have yet to sharen with one another. We have a quest to carryen to its conclusion even beyond Marsalim and Grandport. For now, I believen we should concentraten on what we have rather than what we fearen we will not haven soon."

Therion nodded from his place in his scarf. Cyrus realized belatedly that he had picked up an apple from somewhere in town, but he had kept it hidden beneath his cloak until now. As he always did when he was nervous though, Therion took to fiddling with whatever he could in his hands so he could stay distracted and out of his own head. "We can't even think about saying goodbye until after Redeye has been taken care of and Tressa's gone to Grandport," he agreed. "We can think about what's going to come after that when the time comes. For now, we're still here. We can't forget that because of what we think will happen soon but hasn't happened yet."

"Yes... You are right," Cyrus agreed with a slow nod. While they should start to consider everything they would be doing after their travels ended and how they would be going their separate ways, that time had not yet arrived. There was little point in worrying too much about it when they still had a short while left as a team. Everything else could wait until after they could declare their mission to be over without a shadow of a doubt. "In the meantime, perhaps we should find something else to discuss."

"I agree!" Tressa exclaimed just a little too loudly. A handful of people in the tavern turned to look at her, but she either didn't see them or chose to not let it bother her. "We did something great today. We got the book back, and we were able to gather a bunch of information about the rest of the quest we're probably on. We know a lot more about Galdera now than we did before, and I think we can consider that a victory. On top of that, we were able to defeat Lucia. I think that's something that deserves a celebration."

"You're right," Primrose nodded. "Perhaps we can ask the waiter for a few alcoholic beverages to help us enjoy the night... We may as well drink as much as we would like before we have to go and fight Redeye." She shot a glance at Therion next. "So long as we don't end up hungover or anything."

"Why are you looking at me?" Therion argued with a narrowed eye. "I can hold my liquor just fine. We've drank together before. You know that." Primrose didn't respond openly, instead just laughing into her hand. H'aanit nudged her to try and tell her to leave Therion be, but that only made Primrose laugh harder. Therion rolled his eyes, and Alfyn joined in on the snickering seconds later only to earn an elbow to the side from the thief. 

"It'll be nice to be able to actually enjoy drinking," Tressa said with a smile. "I've only tried it a few times with my parents around. I always thought it tasted like garbage, but I guess there's not much to be done about it... Unless one of you can give me recommendations."

"I think you'd like something sweet. I can definitely give you a few suggestions," Primrose told her. "Though I would ask that you choose your selection carefully. We do have a major battle ahead of ourselves tomorrow."

"I don't think we've ever actually taken the chance to do this," Ophilia realized. "We've come to the tavern for dinner together many times, but I don't think we've ever shared drinks together." After a moment of pause, Ophilia shrugged and shook her head. "Alcohol has never been something I enjoy, but I would be more than happy to share the company."

"Then let's turn this into a celebration for everythin' we've done up to this point," Alfyn suggested. He raised his water glass high into the air. "Here's to our victories in Wispermill, Everhold, Riverhold, Northreach, and now Duskbarrow. We'll share an even bigger feast tomorrow after we've gotten rid of Redeye in Marsalim too. Think of this as a precursor to that celebration."

Cyrus couldn't help but smile at the thought. Most other people would come to fear Redeye more than they could ever hope to put into words, and they would never dare to imagine that they could overcome the beast. As long as the travelers were together though, Cyrus knew they would not only endure but thrive in the wake of the fight. They needed to handle it with the appropriate amount of care, of course, but they would be able to win. So long as they had the strength to believe in themselves, they would emerge victorious. 

As if on cue, the waiter arrived soon afterward with their food. The travelers gladly dug into their meal together, and after the food had been finished, they all requested drinks of various types and sizes. Primrose opted for a sweeter drink that she could let Tressa try. Cyrus and H'aanit both selected wine with the intention of sipping occasionally but never going all in on. Olberic, Alfyn, and Therion were clearly the most enthusiastic of the bunch, and while they agreed to not hold an outright drinking contest on account of the massive battle waiting for them the following day, they were happy to share their excitement with one another. Lastly, Ophilia opted for water, and H'aanit asked for a bowl so Linde could indulge in her own water down on the floor. 

The group was onto their second round of drinks when Tressa suddenly let out a gasp, once again not minding her volume at all. Just like before, she either didn't notice the strange looks she received or chose to not let them stop her. "I've got a question for all of you," she announced. "I've been gathering info about this over the course of the last few towns, but I think it's time we all sit down and talk about it... You guys remember what Mr. Leon said back in Victors Hollow, right? He believes every person has only one treasure they find to be most important in this world. I want to know... What do you guys all have to say to that? Do you have your treasures in mind already?"

"I do," Alfyn replied instantly. He held up the satchel he had received from Zeph. "It's been this from the start for me. I don't think anythin' out there could ever hope to compare to this bag."

"Mine is also easy," Primrose chimed in. She held up the sheathed dagger of House Azelhart before returning it to its place at her hip. "My thoughts on it have changed considerably over the course of our journey, but it's still the dagger my father gave me and everything it stands for."

"I hope I'm not breaking the rules too much by saying a place... Though I suppose Captain Leon did the same back in Victors Hollow when he first posed the question by saying that his was the ship Baltazar left him," Ophilia started. "For me, it would be the hill overlooking Flamesgrace... Either that or the lanthorn. Both of them gave me a chance to connect with the people I value most in the world, but since I no longer have access to the lanthorn... I'll say the hill. I hope it's alright that I have two I was considering."

"I think you havin' two to consider makes sense," Alfyn told her. "But it's the same spirit at the end of the day, ain't it? Two things that made you happy and brought you to people you love." He smiled impossibly brightly at her, and Ophilia returned the favor with a grin of her own. Cyrus didn't think any smiles could ever be more radiant than the ones Ophilia and Alfyn shared with the world. 

"I must admit to feeling that mine is a bit hard to define as well," Olberic said next. His hand came to rest on the hilt of his blade. "For me, the thing that matters most in this world is being able to defend those who need my aid most... I suppose the best way for me to articulate is to say that the blade is my treasure, but the specific sword does not matter. As long as I am able to use it to help those who need my defense, I will call it sufficient."

Tressa nodded along, her gaze falling on H'aanit next. "What about you, H'aanit? I don't think you've said anything about your treasure yet."

H'aanit opened her mouth for a moment only to press her lips back together again seconds later. "Hm..." She glanced out over the rest of the table before her gaze eventually settled on the ring she had placed around her finger. "I believen... My treasure is this." She held up the hand wearing the ring, and she made sure Primrose did the same. "The thing that mattereth the most to me in this world is family. To me, all of thou art my family just as my master is my father. I would not have maden it this far without thou, and... I could never imaginen my life without thee."

Cyrus felt heat creep into his cheeks, and Tressa leaned forward with equally pink features. "Aw, H'aanit... That's so sweet of you to say," she whispered. "I think that's a really good treasure to have, especially since it's something that you can share with other people. I've heard all sorts of things about treasures that mean something to the person who has it, but... When it comes to sharing it with other people... That's a bit new, isn't it?"

"I believe that idea fuels my treasure as well," Cyrus declared. He hadn't thought much about what his treasure was going to be before this conversation began. Leon's words had sat in the back of his mind to an extent, but it had never been a significant point of contention for him. As long as the group was discussing it though, Cyrus wanted to offer his input. After all, he was confident this was the first true conversation he understood what Leon had meant, and he was more than happy to pass that truth on to anyone who was willing to listen. 

"For me, the thing that I value above all else is knowledge. I want to be able to share what I have come to learn about the world with others. I believe that knowledge is at its best when it is passed down to others, and I want to do all in my power to inform the next generation of what I have found." Cyrus paused for a moment before nodding to himself. "If you asked me to put it into a physical form though... I would say the library within the ruins. I would like to share as much knowledge from that library with the next generation as I can. It would infuriate Lucia, but the purpose of knowledge and truth is to be shared. When our travels end, I will ensure that everyone who is interested has a chance to learn what has been hidden within the halls of the ruins of Duskbarrow."

Tressa nodded to herself, her smile widening as she took in each word he spoke. "That really fits you, Cyrus," she remarked. She glanced out at the rest of the table. "All of your treasures really fit you, as a matter of fact. I don't think I would have come up with all of those if I had been in your shoes, but... They really fit you."

"What about you, Tressa?" Primrose questioned. "You posed the question to all of us, but you haven't offered an answer yet."

Tressa winced at her words. "In all honesty... I've been struggling to come up with it," she admitted. "That was why I asked you guys. I really thought it would come to me when the moment was right, but I've got nothing. As nice as the eldrite is... It just doesn't seem like the kind of thing Mr. Leon was talking about back in Victors Hollow. I think the jewel is beautiful, and it's certainly powerful with all the magic it has stored inside of it, but... I don't think it's my one thing, you know?"

"Maybe the rest of us can help you to find out what your treasure is then," Alfyn suggested. "I don't think even half of us would have been able to figure out what our treasures were without outside help. It's okay to ask us for a push in the right direction if you think that's what you need."

"I know that, but... Nothing I think about really seems to fit the description I'm looking for," Tressa sighed. "I was hoping I would have it figured out by the time of the Merchants' Fair, but so far, I've got nothing. Maybe I'm not looking in the right spot."

"It took Captain Leon years to find out what his treasure was, Tressa," Ophilia pointed out. "He didn't know what Baltazar was talking about until after his passing. Now, he treasures the ship above all else, but it took him a while to get there. You shouldn't put so much pressure on yourself to figure it out."

"Yeah... I guess you're right," Tressa murmured. She looked down at the center of the table before shrugging. "I'll get there eventually. I didn't mean to bring the mood down. We should be celebrating everything we've managed to accomplish up to this point."

"Don't worry about it, Tress," Alfyn assured her. "You'll figure out what your treasure is soon enough, and when you do, we'll all be able to celebrate it right there with me. You've got time to find the answer you're lookin' for. We still need to go to Marsalim before we head to Grandport."

"And even if you don't find out what your treasure is before we arrive in Grandport, that is perfectly fine. Every person operates at their own pace," Olberic reminded her. "You have all the time in the world. I promise." 

Tressa thought about it for a moment longer, nodding to herself as she did so. "Yeah... You're right." She straightened up and raised her glass high for the rest of the travelers to share a toast with her. "For now, we deserve to be happy. We stopped Lucia and countless others, and when the morning comes, it's off to Marsalim to make sure Redeye never hurts anyone again either. Here's to everything we've done and everything we will do... Family and friends, now and forever!"

"Family and friends!" the rest of the travelers chorused as they raised their own glasses to share the toast. The world stopped for a moment, and Cyrus found himself smiling more than he ever had before. If he had not found his treasure, he knew that very moment would have certainly been a contender. He had never been so happy with a group of people, and he doubted he ever would be again. 

Family and friends... What a perfect way to describe them. 

~~~~~

Tressa really should have been asleep by now. 

In honesty, she should have been asleep over an hour ago. The travelers had all split up after their dinner at the tavern so they could rest before their fated battle against Redeye. Tressa had followed them all back before branching off into the room she and Ophilia were sharing. The cleric had fallen asleep almost as soon as her cheek hit the pillow, no doubt a byproduct of her residual exhaustion from crying herself to sleep in Bolderfall. Tressa had stared at her for a long time, watching as Ophilia breathed in and out and hoping the steady rhythm would eventually lull her off to sleep too. 

In the end, Tressa had no such luck. She continued to stare at Ophilia for a lot longer than she should have, but she couldn't bring herself to tear her eyes away. She couldn't help thinking about everything she wanted to say to Ophilia but couldn't find the strength to admit. All of the other couples in the travelers' party had confessed to one another. As of that afternoon, Cyrus and Olberic had come out about their feelings for each other. That meant the only ones left without a relationship were Tressa and Ophilia, and Tressa really needed to make an effort to change that. 

But for some reason, the words just wouldn't come. It didn't feel right to tell Ophilia now anyway. Ophilia was dealing with enough as it was now that she knew about the truth of Josef's death. Tressa didn't want to spring something as massive as a confession of love onto her right now. It wouldn't have been right. Ophilia was in a vulnerable position, and Tressa refused to take advantage of that. She would have her time to be honest. She just needed to be patient... It was a shame patience had never been one of the virtues that came easiest to her. 

Tressa sighed and forced herself to look up at the ceiling. There was far more to her insomnia than just the fact that she hadn't yet confessed to Ophilia. She was desperate to figure out what her one true treasure was even though she hadn't found any luck with that yet. The rest of her friends had already found out what they valued most in the world, and they weren't even the ones Leon had posed the question to. Tressa was the one he had originally asked, but she couldn't come up with anything. 

The only thing Tressa really felt like she knew now was that she didn't want all of this to end. It was going to have to come to a conclusion eventually, and she was fully aware of that, but Tressa didn't want it to. She would have gladly spent the rest of her days traveling with the rest of her friends. She had always yearned for something more beyond the limits of her sleepy seaside town, and now that she had it, she didn't know how she could ever let it go. Tressa couldn't ask the rest of the group to keep traveling though. It would be selfish to request that they set the rest of their lives aside just to satisfy her bottomless desire to see everything the open road had to offer. They all had other things to do, Tressa included. 

But how could she just go back to her regular life after all of this? Tressa had seen so much of the world, and it felt like she would never be able to force herself to return to Rippletide again. She needed to return home and tell her parents of everything she had been through, but it would be too hard for her to even consider it now. Tressa had changed so much since she first set out. She barely recognized the cowardly girl that had struggled to stand up to Mikk and Makk back in her hometown. Tressa had helped with three coups over the course of the last year, and she couldn't just cram herself back into Rippletide again. It wouldn't have been right. 

Tressa sighed, and even though she knew it wasn't a good idea, she found herself reaching for her journal. Her thoughts were always easier to parse when she had a way of writing them out. For all she knew, her journal would offer her the information she needed to get out of her own head too. 

When Tressa flipped to find an open page, she found a passage she had first stumbled upon back in Quarrycrest, and she felt the dread in her heart grow greater:

'Sharing a connection with someone new, for however brief a time, is unforgettable.'

Tressa sighed and tilted her head back so she was staring at the ceiling. Whoever had owned this journal before her was right about that. It truly was unforgettable to share a connection with someone... And she didn't think she would be able to go back to the way things were before now that she had been given the chance to enjoy a bond so strong with the rest of the travelers. They had other things to do after they left their travels behind them, but Tressa didn't know if she would be able to push herself back into her hometown again. How could she even attempt it?

Tressa found an empty page, and she reached for her pen next. If she couldn't sleep, then the least she could do was try to get her thoughts out on paper. Maybe that would help her to find her treasure... Though she still didn't know why she was so hung up on not having figured it out yet. It wasn't as if knowing what her treasure was would change anything. She already knew she was presenting the eldrite at the Merchants' Fair. Her treasure was more a matter of personal growth and satisfaction than anything else. It wouldn't hurt her at all at the Merchants' Fair if she hadn't found something to call her own by then. She would figure it out at her own pace. The others were right. 

But Tressa thought about it anyway, and she decided to let it all out through her pen. She didn't know what her treasure was yet, but she would figure it out eventually. She would find a way to confess to Ophilia... And if she was lucky, she would find a way to say goodbye to her friends one day too. The thought made Tressa's chest go tight, but she forced her pen to move around the fear constricting her heart and keeping it from beating too loudly. 

Across the room, Ophilia continued to breathe softly, and Tressa wondered how many more nights she would be able to enjoy that sweet sound. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And that wraps up the arc for Cyrus' final chapter!

Since Cyrus' canon dialogue wrapped up so early, I had a lot of leftover time to just focus on the group's dynamic before the transition into the next stage of their lives for H'aanit's finale. I really like how it all turned out... Even if the conversation they shared wound up being something of a somber one. It was a conversation that needed to be had sooner or later, but it's still sad. 

I can't believe I'm saying this, but the characters are right: we are getting closer to the end here. I know 42 chapters is still a lot to get through--almost a fifth of the story--but we're much closer to the end than the beginning or even the halfway point. I'll have a lot more to say about that idea as we get closer, but for now, it's time to introduce the concept of farewell to the travelers... Even if it's hard. Especially because it's hard. I promise things will be happier for them soon. 

Next time, we'll dive straight into H'aanit's final chapter. Until then, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Feedback is appreciated as always. Have a nice day, everyone!

-Digital