Resting there was different from what they had experienced so far. Similar to their time in Galya, though with a very different climate. The desert was harsh, but as long as they stayed within the confines of the sanctuary, the sand was not a problem. However, the heat was so oppressive even in the shadow, leading them to remain less active than they would anywhere else.

“You don’t like it here,” Finnian said as he looked at Nero.

The latter watched him with his crimson eyes, not answering instantly, then took a long drink of water and returned to the shade.

“The terrain here is less rough and difficult to control,” the wolf replied.

He might be an elthean connected to the Earth, but he was a long way from handling sand like the Ikeleia’s inhabitants. So fragile and malleable, if they weren’t careful, they could find themselves devoured by the desert without a trace. Leith had gone out to inspect the terrain, for being a fire dragon, that element affected her differently than the rest. It strengthened her to the point where her scales were shinier than ever, so Finnian did not doubt that her strength would be increased as long as it was daylight.

“That we don’t have to worry about the worm or the whirlpools is a relief,” Finnian nodded.

“Although who knows if there will be others of its kind with bad intentions,” Blanche said.

But if they always expected to find enemies around the corner (or the dune), they would never finish fighting. It was strange that she was always on guard but then had moments when collaborating with Calamity didn’t seem so far-fetched. However, it was enough to bring up the subject for her to shrug her shoulders and limit her response to a single sentence:

“I only consider other points of view, but I am clear about what I must do.”

After that, there was not much more to talk about. They spent most of the time sleeping, drinking water and regaining energy. It could almost resemble a short, unplanned vacation while he read, trying to hone his skills.

“Why do you look at everything with a smile?” Blanche said, crossing her arms.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen so much sand,” Finnian said.

“Have you never been to the beach before?”

And she added grumbling because getting angry was a regular occurrence.

“My parents are more city people. I didn’t even know the mountains until I came here.”

“You’re not the only one,” she admitted. “They’re not much of a vacationer at my house. This is the closest I’ve ever come to anything like this.”

“Too much has changed in too short a time,” Finnian said, laughing.

“Why do you think we’ve been chosen? It’s a coincidence it’s the two of us out of all the people in our class.”

“Or Earth.”

“It’s because of your potential,” said Ead.

The hummingbird went back and forth but always seemed to show up at the most appropriate time. He was not the only one keeping an eye on them even when they were not in a group. Both he and Blanche ended up with their feet in the water, just as the sun was beginning to stop bothering them.

“It’s not just limited to how strong your magic is, but the role you can play. That potential is what makes you more likely to come here,” he went on to explain and added mischievously. “What did you expect? We need Signers who are capable of fulfilling their mission. Although yes, it’s quite a coincidence that two such close friends arrived.”

“It’s not like we were that close either,” Blanche began.

After shaking his head, Finnian did the only thing he could think of under the circumstances: go into the water. He did not know the nature of that crystal, except for the positivity it gave off by its mere presence. He doubted it was the source of that momentary daydream he had hours before, but there was so much he didn’t know about the magic that he tried not to close any doors.

They dined on a mixture of fruit and biadhe as they chatted and their surroundings darkened. They had lit a small campfire where they gathered, some talking more than others but assimilating that they would be there a little longer while they plotted an exit plan.

“How do you do it?” Blanche said.

“What?” Finnian furrowed his eyebrows, confused by the sudden change.

“You kept your cool while we were kidnapped and when we were rescued. Even with the ghosts or the pack!”

“Are you kidding? I almost piss myself,” Finnian admitted, bursting out laughing.

“Yeah, right. As if I’d believe that!” Blanche scoffed.

“It’s like if you asked me why we’re Signers. I wouldn’t have a clue what to say,” Finnian said.

Why had they been chosen, who had seen them as authentic Signers to be summoned to Elthea? None of them knew the answer to those questions, but he supposed that someone, sooner or later, would be able to give it to them. He just needed to keep looking. As fortunate as it had been to bring two classmates from the same class together, they couldn’t have been more different.

“It’s called instinct. Elthea reminds him what it is, but Finnian also has a say, and that’s how he acts.”

This time, Aer took over, getting an electric current to run from his neck to the tip of each of his limbs. They had finished extinguishing their campfire, allowing them to enjoy the starry night sky—a cold and beautiful but safe in that idyllic place.

“We’ve seen him since he came here, and, despite any fear he may have, he always found a way out,” Rune continued.

“He tries to look on the bright side, no matter what situation he’s in,” Leith said.

“That security is what makes us have faith in him,” Nero said.

“Even if he always has something new to learn,” Ead said.

“And it’s what I have in you,” said Finnian. “I know we’ve only been together a short time.”

“A couple of days, and we’ve already been kidnapped. Is that how you break the ice? You’re more interesting here than in our world. At least in Elthea, we don’t have to hide.”

“What do you mean with hiding?”

Finnian’s question didn’t catch her off guard, and the answer she gave didn’t surprise him either, or not entirely. Blanche came from a troubled and wealthy family that not everyone wanted to get close to her. However, she had managed to become famous and created dramas from time to time. On the other hand, Finnian was considered a nerd. Most people looked down on him because he did things differently than others. He wasn’t even regarded as interesting or unique from the way he was there, but at Elthea, he had the opportunity to make friends, which said a lot about him and the other Signer.

“Next year, I’ll go to a different one, and at least I won’t have to put up with the interested girls on duty,” the girl admitted. “Maybe then I’ll have some real friends, and I can be myself.”

“I understand you too well,” Finnian nodded. “It will be strange not to see you there after all this.”

“But at least it’s not like that here,” Blanche smiled. “We’re not alone anymore.”

“Do you think you and Ark will join the fight the next time it’s necessary?”

As much as he talked about them as a team, she didn’t participate like the other elthean. He knew relatively little about Blanche’s partner and not that she would tell them much either. His wounds were healed, both from that fight and those received when Ariel captured them. If Blanche endured all that, it was because she was as strong as her elthean, although she did not leave his side even at that moment.

“You don’t need us. You’re strong without Ark joining the fight too,” Blanche said, pointing at the rest of the elthean.

“You don’t know that,” Finnian said.

“You’re a Signer, and he’s your partner,” Leith reminded them. “You can’t keep running away from your destiny.”

“You may not be able to do what Finnian can do, but your power is important too,” Rune said.

“It’s about camaraderie,” Nero interrupted when he saw that the girl didn’t respond. “Fighting together strengthens the bond, even if you think you can’t contribute anything in a fight.”

“And you could use something like that,” Aer said, laughing.

And he pushed him into the spring. The laughter of the others filled the atmosphere, making him forget his worries and focus on a single detail. He tugged at Aer to make the same thing happen, repeating it later with Rune. Leith jumped into bomb mode, starting a water war between them even when there were better hours in which to do something like that.

“Can’t you think of anything else?” Blanche exclaimed as soon as they started to get her wet.

Without answering her, the four of them ended up completely soaked when Nero jumped in. Who said they couldn’t have fun after everything that had happened? No one, that’s for sure, but they would enjoy themselves as best they could. The worries would still be there the next day, so why keep beating themselves up over them? Besides, when would they ever have a sky as starry and beautiful as the one in the desert?

However, that moment was interrupted when what little light the night offered them was extinguished. A colossal figure had positioned itself on top of the sanctuary’s dome, causing their intentions of a long night’s sleep to be interrupted by a new problem.

“Are we not going to have any quiet time?” Finnian said, aware that this could not have been more opportune.

It was too big to be any of their known enemies, but they didn’t know of anyone with the strength or audacity to dare attack a sanctuary. After all, who would try to strike a place where no one with evil intentions could enter?