In the blink of an eye, the battlefield dissolved into a blur of light, and Ark found himself back in the bustling elven city of Elvendell. The familiar sounds of the marketplace filled his ears, and the vibrant colors of the stalls and the lush greenery overhead.
Ark glanced around, disoriented by the sudden change in scenery. His senses slowly adjusted, and he realized that he was standing on the same cobblestone streets he had traversed earlier that morning. The weight of a hand in his pulled him from his thoughts. He looked down to see Chrono Nexus, his mother, no longer her battle armor, walking beside him. Her hand was gently clasped around his, and she was giggling softly, her eyes sparkling with an almost mischievous light.
"Mother… Could you give me some space?" Ark muttered awkwardly, feeling the eyes of the elven townsfolk on them as they passed by. He tried to pull his hand away gently, but Chrono Nexus only tightened her grip, her laughter ringing.
