The soft twilight of the grove enveloped them as they moved away from the mirror of souls, the tension that had gripped Sera since their encounter with Lyra still lingering in the air. Though she felt a sense of wonder at the strange beauty of the Twilight Grove, the weight of Damian's silence pressed on her. His mood had darkened even further since they left the clearing.
But the path ahead seemed different now. The mist that had swirled around their feet began to thin, and Sera noticed something in Damian's posture shift—something subtle, but there. His shoulders relaxed, just slightly, as though he was preparing for something. Or someone.
Sera had been curious about where they were headed, but she hadn't pressed Damian for answers. Now, with the grove stretching out before them in shades of silver and green, she couldn't help but ask.
"Damian," she said softly, breaking the silence, "you haven't told me where we're going."
Damian slowed his steps and glanced at her, the guarded look in his eyes softening just enough for her to notice. "We're meeting someone."
Sera raised an eyebrow. "Meeting someone? In Limbo?"
Damian nodded. "Not everyone in Limbo is a lost soul. Some… choose to stay here."
Sera's curiosity deepened. "And this person, are they… like you?"
Damian's lips twitched, almost as if he were suppressing a smile. "Not quite."
Before Sera could ask more, they stepped into a wide clearing, bathed in the soft twilight glow. In the center stood a small, rustic cabin, almost out of place in the eerie beauty of the grove. Smoke curled lazily from the chimney, and the scent of something warm and comforting filled the air, making Sera's stomach growl despite herself.
"A cabin?" Sera asked, her voice filled with disbelief. "In Limbo?"
Damian chuckled—a sound that surprised her as much as it soothed the tension between them. "It's not what you expected, I take it?"
Sera shook her head, a smile tugging at her lips. "Not exactly. I didn't think Limbo had… homes."
"They're rare," Damian said, his voice low. "But some souls find ways to create a place for themselves. This is one of them."
Before Sera could ask more, the door to the cabin swung open, and a figure stepped out. A tall, broad man with wild, unruly dark hair and a bearded face that was far more welcoming than anything Sera had expected to see in Limbo. His smile was wide, almost mischievous, and his eyes twinkled with a light that seemed out of place in this world.
"Well, well!" the man boomed, spreading his arms wide. "If it isn't the Shadow Lord himself, gracing me with his presence!"
Sera blinked in surprise, glancing at Damian. Shadow Lord? She had never heard anyone refer to him like that, at least not in such a casual, almost teasing way. And yet Damian didn't seem offended. In fact, there was a faint smile on his lips, one that she hadn't seen before.
"I see you haven't changed, Valen," Damian replied, his tone lighter than it had been in days.
Valen laughed, a deep, rumbling sound that echoed through the grove. "Oh, I've changed plenty! But enough about me—what brings you to my humble abode?"
Damian glanced at Sera briefly before answering. "We need a place to rest."
Valen's eyes flicked to Sera, his expression softening with curiosity. "Ah, I see. And who's this?"
Sera felt a flush rise to her cheeks as Valen's gaze settled on her. His presence was so disarming, so warm, that she felt almost embarrassed to meet his eyes.
"This is Sera," Damian said, his voice steady. "She's with me."
Valen's grin widened, and he extended a hand to Sera. "Well, Sera, it's a pleasure to meet you. Anyone who travels with Damian is welcome here."
Sera hesitated for only a moment before shaking his hand. "Thank you," she said, her voice a little shaky from the sudden friendliness. "It's… nice to meet someone so welcoming in Limbo."
Valen chuckled again. "I've been told I'm not what most people expect from this place. But come inside, both of you. There's food, and you both look like you could use a break."
Sera felt herself relax as they followed Valen into the cabin. The inside was surprisingly cozy—soft, warm light filled the room from a fire crackling in the hearth, and the scent of something delicious wafted through the air. The furniture was simple but inviting, and Sera couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over her. For the first time since arriving in Limbo, she felt… safe.
Valen gestured toward the table, where bowls of some sort of stew were waiting. "Eat. Rest. You've got time now."
Damian sat across from Sera at the table, his expression softer than she'd ever seen it. He still wasn't the type to smile freely, but the tension that had been so tightly wound around him since they left the Ruins of Thalios seemed to loosen here.
As they ate, Sera couldn't help but steal glances at Damian. There was something about the way he interacted with Valen—something almost nostalgic, like they had known each other for longer than she could imagine.
"How do you know each other?" Sera asked between bites, her curiosity finally getting the better of her.
Damian set his spoon down and leaned back in his chair, his gaze thoughtful. "Valen and I… crossed paths a long time ago. Before I became what I am now."
Valen smirked, leaning forward with a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "Let's just say Damian wasn't always the brooding Shadow Lord you see before you, Sera."
Sera raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh?"
Damian shot Valen a look that was half-warning, half-amused. "He likes to exaggerate."
Valen laughed again, shaking his head. "Maybe. But let's just say Damian had a… different side to him back then. One that wasn't so grim."
Sera smiled, feeling a warmth spread through her chest. For the first time since they'd met, she felt like she was seeing a glimpse of Damian's past—a glimpse of the person he had been before Limbo had claimed him.
But as light as the conversation had become, Sera could still sense the weight of everything they had been through, lingering just beneath the surface. And though Damian seemed more at ease here, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was still so much he wasn't telling her.
Still, for now, she was content to let the tension ease, to enjoy the brief respite they had found in this strange, peaceful place.
As the fire crackled in the hearth and the warmth of Valen's cabin wrapped around her, Sera allowed herself to relax, if only for a little while. And for the first time since arriving in Limbo, she allowed herself to hope that maybe, just maybe, they could find some peace here—if only for a moment.