The quiet hum of crickets filled the gaps between their breaths. The breeze stirred again, lifting the edge of Erend's jacket as he leaned forward slightly, the bottle in his hand untouched now.
The look in his eyes was distant and heavy with truths he hadn't fully spoken yet.
Billy gave a short, uneasy laugh. "Heheh, You know, man… when you say 'sothing more dangerous,' I don't think Demons or nukes. I think world-ending stuff. Like, Dragon, god-tier, Magic-fueled apocalypse type of bad."
Adrien didn't laugh. He sat straighter, his fingers drumming lightly on the glass of his bottle. "What exactly do you an, Erend?"
Erend let out a slow breath through his nose. He didn't look at either of them.
"I an I just fought a mad god. This god have their entire world was destroyed by a Dragonborn, our kind. Except this Dragonborn was twisted and corrupted… changed by sothing else to destroy this world."
Billy blinked. "A Dragonborn being nipulated? You an like you and Eccar?"
Erend nodded grimly. "Yeah. Not just like us. He is one of us who lived before us. From another cycle maybe… another world. But the point is, he was manipulated and ontrolled. The thing that did it… we still don't know what it is."
That shut both of them up.
Adrien's eyes narrowed slightly. "You think it's not over."
Erend finally looked at him. "I know it's not over, captain."
Billy shifted in his seat, muttering, "You saying that thing could co here?"
"I don't know." Erend's voice was low. "That's the problem. We don't know how these things are getting in. Where they co from. How they choose where to go or to do next. So this world is not immune to that possibility. I'd say it's possible that they will co here. Either a hundred years later, or tomorrow."
The words hung in the air, chilling even through the mild night breeze.
Adrien clenched his jaw. He said, "Then we must prepare for that from now. We can't sit on our hands. If there's even a chance that sothing like that could reach us, we need contingencies, resources, mobilization plans. You will need to tell General Lennard about this."
Erend nodded slowly. "That's why I told you. I didn't want to throw this weight on either of you, but… you, and the General needed to hear it now. While there's still ti."
Billy didn't say anything for a while. Then he took a swig of beer and leaned back in his chair again, exhaling.
"Man… every ti I think we're through the worst of it, you co back and drop another cosmic horror in our laps," Billy said.
Erend gave a humorless chuckle. "Believe , I wish I didn't have to."
Then none of them spoke for a while. They just sat there under the stars, drinking slowly, lost in their own thoughts.
Erend felt the weight of their worry and guilt gnawed at him. These n were his friends. His comrades. And his burden had now beco theirs, even if only in fear.
But it was better this way. Better to feel uneasy now, than to be unprepared when the stars began to burn.
---
The next day ca quietly, without fanfare. A soft grey morning filtered through the windows and Erend woke with the sa sense of weight that had followed him from the backyard talk the night before.
He sat up slowly, already deciding what needed to be done.
It was ti to speak with General Lennard.
After a quick wash, he changed into his military uniform. As he buttoned the jacket, he frowned and tugged at the fabric slightly. It felt tighter than usual. Snug around the shoulders and chest. He flexed a bit, raising an eyebrow.
"Did I gain weight?" he muttered.
But it didn't feel like fat. His muscles felt denser and tighter. He rolled his shoulders, wondering absently if Dragonborn physiology could even get out of shape.
With the way their bodies constantly regenerated, reinforced by Magic and enhanced by power… maybe not. Still, he made a ntal note to train more, just in case.
He brushed the thought away and headed downstairs, where the sll of breakfast had already filled the kitchen.
His mom was serving toast and eggs. Arty sat at the table, half-awake, with her chin in her hand and spoon lazily swirling a bowl of cereal.
"Morning," Erend said, sitting down.
"Morning," his mom and sister replied in unison.
They ate in quiet companionship. Arty yawned a few tis, muttering about having to take a mock exam later that morning.
Erend just smiled, listening, his mind already racing through the conversation he was about to have with the General.
After breakfast, he grabbed the keys and walked with Arty to the car. The drive to her school was short. Music played low in the background while Arty humd along, chewing gum and scrolling through her phone.
When they arrived, she turned to him before getting out. "Hey. Don't forget to contact that Magic teacher, okay?"
"I won't," Erend promised. "I'll let you know soon."
She nodded, waved, and ran toward the school gates.
Then Erend headed toward the base.
Once inside the familiar steel-lined halls of the military compound, he alraedy dismissed the clone that had been handling his daily work in the house last night.
He made his way to the office area. The task force headquarters was alive with quiet efficiency. Officers at desks were writing reports, reading classified papers, and coordinating communications with different divisions.
Everything was routine. It made the contrast with what he was about to do even sharper.
Erend sat down and started writing his official report about the last counterintelligence operation. Details about the captured spies, the anomalies they carried, the encrypted data retrieved. He cross-checked so of the intel others had submitted, occasionally trading jokes with fellow operatives.
A few minutes passed before he heard a familiar voice behind him.
"General's back. He finished the conference call with the Defense Ministry," Adrien said, arms crossed casually.
Erend looked up and nodded. "Ti to drop another apocalypse on his desk."
Adrien smirked, but there was no humor in his eyes. "Let's go."
Together, the two n walked down the hall toward General Lennard's office.
---
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