Raven and Mary ascended the wooden-covered stone steps, their footsteps echoing softly in the stairwell. The climb was starting to wear on him. He had been walking all day—first from the hospital on the ground floor, then up to Lilia’s tower on the fourth, then back down to the mess hall, and now... back up again.

  Panting, Raven let out a groan. "If I knew I was going to climb this much... maybe I should've just gone to bed."

  Mary chuckled. "Well, your room is up here too. If you’re too tired, we can always come back tomorrow."

  Shadebinder’s hummed in the back of his mind.

  Come on, my brave knight. We’re already this close—might as well see it through.

  Raven exhaled. "Yeah, yeah... just let me catch my breath."

  At last, they reached a set of heavy doors. When Mary pushed them open, a unique blend of scents greeted them—parchment, wax, and a faint musk of animals. The room beyond was dimly lit, with only a few rune-lights hanging from the ceiling, their glow subdued.

  A lone knight sat behind a counter, the only one stationed here at this hour. He was broad-shouldered, clad in a long dark military tunic softened by years of wear. Though his posture was relaxed, there was a quiet sharpness to him. His grizzled hair, streaked with silver, hung just past his ears, and a thick northern beard framed his weathered face.

  His deep-set eyes, keen as a hawk’s, flicked up from a ledger as the heavy doors creaked shut behind them.

  Raven’s gaze drifted to the man’s left arm—or rather, to what was missing of it. In place of his forearm, a mechanical-looking replica took its place, though its movements seemed more rigid and limited than a real one.

  The chamber itself had rows of wooden tables and chairs, its walls lined with cubbyholes stuffed with scrolls and sealed envelopes bearing various emblems. A large map dominated one side of the room.

  Raven’s eyes lingered on it. A vast mountain range stretched across the west, while an ocean embraced the east. In the center, a large body of water connected to the ocean by a winding river. Raven wondered if that was Mornhollow.

  A slow movement close the door caught his attention.

  Near the entrance, a massive, furred creature lay curled up on bedding—a wolf, though something about it felt... off. It blinked at them sleepily, its thick white coat slightly rougher and thinner in places. There was a heaviness to its gaze, a quiet wisdom in its tired eyes—an elder, perhaps?

  Mary had already moved to speak with the knight, conversing in their foreign tongue. From the occasional glances in Raven’s direction, he assumed she was asking for permission to enter. The knight didn’t seem opposed, but he wasn’t immediately convinced either.

  As they talked, Raven knelt beside the large wolf and hesitantly reached out, running his hand along its thick fur. The beast let out a slow, satisfied huff, lowering its head as he continued petting it.

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  Mary turned back to him, lowering her voice. "We can go up, but we need to be quiet."

  Raven nodded, standing as she gestured toward another stairway leading higher.

  The door to the upper chamber opened without a creak.

  The space beyond was larger than Raven expected. More stairs led even further up, but here, the floor was lined with separated, fur-covered beddings. Each was occupied by a feathered, furred creature, their forms rising and falling in slumber. A soft warmth filled the room—likely from runecraft heating stones placed near the nests.

  There were ten in total.

  Some of the creatures lifted their heads to acknowledge the visitors but, finding no reason for alarm, tucked themselves back into their nests.

  Raven’s eyes landed on a familiar sight—the one he had seen earlier in the gatehouse. Unlike the others, whose fur and feathers varied between white, gray, brown, and black, this one was completely dark, as black as the night itself. The only other exception was a fully white one resting nearby.

  As he knelt beside the dark-feathered beast, Mary whispered, "Do you like him? His name is Shadow."

  "I guess he’s alright." Raven studied the sleeping creature, watching its slow, steady breaths.

  Mary smirked. "Shadow and Snowball are Aira’s personal messengers."

  An amused Shadebinder echoed in their minds.

  I assume the white one is Snowball? What a childish name.

  Ignoring that, Raven reached out and stroked Shadow’s head. The large creature let out a low, quiet squawk-like sound—almost affectionate.

  Something else caught Raven’s attention. Its beak wasn’t smooth like a normal bird’s, but jagged, lined with saw-like ridges that could easily tear through flesh.

  Shadebinder mused,

  I saw them fly, but looking at them now... they shouldn’t be able to. Mary, how do they do it?

  Mary whispered, "We believe they use a form of air sorcery to fly."

  Raven blinked, surprised. "Sorcery? You mean the same method Aira has?"

  Shadebinder hummed in thought.

  So, even beasts can wield sorcery... fascinating.

  Mary straightened, glancing toward a large trapdoor. "Come on. I want to show you something."

  The moment they stepped outside, the crisp night air met them. The cold should have been biting, but this time, it didn’t seem quite as harsh to Raven.

  Above them, the moon hung high and full, casting its silver glow over the fortress.

  Raven finally saw it for what it was—partially built into the end of the mountain range. From this vantage point, the sheer length of the walls was breathtaking. They stretched far beyond what he could see, likely taking days to walk from one end to the other.

  Mary gestured toward the northern horizon. Raven followed her gaze, spotting an eerie, snow-covered forest beyond a wide clearing between it and the walls.

  "That’s the Northern Wilds," Mary murmured. "Where you were found."

  She then turned him in the opposite direction. Another forest lay there, but it felt... different. Warmer, somehow. There was no gap between it and the wall, and faint lights flickered beyond the tree line.

  "And this is Wintermane Forest," she continued. "Our wolves roam and train there... and beyond that, you’ll find Ironholt."

  Raven eyed the distant lights. "Maybe we should visit later?"

  Mary grinned. "We should. You could get a proper outfit tailored there."

  Raven raised an eyebrow. "Will they do it for free?"

  Mary laughed. "Well... no. But I’ll pay for it until you get a job or something."

  Raven smirked. "How generous." Raven didn’t want to sound ungrateful, but he couldn’t help but think Mary was a little too innocent—sheltered, even.

  Mary, however, only smiled with quiet pride. "It’s a noble’s duty to protect their people."

  For a while, they simply stood there, admiring the view. The silent night stretched on, and eventually, fatigue settled in.

  They turned back in silence, the night embracing their unspoken thoughts.