The Last Saelian

LEAVING THE MOUNTAINS

Everyone followed his gaze toward Kael.

Kael blinked innocently, completely unaware they were talking about him.

Kaycee burst into laughter.

"He can't even understand you!"

Stephan smiled.

"I know."

"But somehow... I feel like he knows."

Kael tilted his head.

"...Veh?"

Stephan instinctively hugged the paper bag closer.

Xavier laughed so hard he nearly dropped his backpack.

"I knew it!"

"He's guarding the snacks already!"

Stephan sighed.

"You people don't understand."

"If we get hungry on the road..."

He looked dramatically at Kael.

"...he'll probably eat the car too."

Kaycee giggled.

Kael smiled politely, assuming Stephan had just said something kind.

He bowed slightly.

"Va'shen."

The room fell silent.

Then Xavier burst out laughing again.

"He thanked you!"

Stephan rubbed his forehead.

"I've been falsely appreciated."

Even Stephanie couldn't hide a smile.

"You'll survive."

"I hope so."

While everyone continued packing, Kaycee quietly wandered over to Kael.

Nobody noticed.

Except Stephanie.

"...Kaycee."

Kaycee froze.

"...Yes?"

"Don't wander off."

"I'm literally in the same room."

Kaycee said

"You always start in the same room."

Stephaine said

Kaycee pouted.

"I do not."

Xavier folded his arms.

"You disappeared during a museum tour once."

"I was exploring."

Kaycee argued

" Yet You somehow explored the staff entrance."

"I was curious."

Stephan chuckled softly.

"That's exactly what Stephanie means."

Kaycee crossed her arms dramatically before turning back to Kael.

She pointed toward herself.

"Kaycee."

Then she pointed toward him.

"Kael."

He smiled.

"...Kaycee."

Her face lit up.

"You remembered!"

Harry immediately looked up from his notebook.

"Progress."

He walked over, notebook already in hand.

"Let's try something."

He pointed at the window.

"Window."

Kael stared.

Harry repeated more slowly.

"Win-dow."

Kael looked at the window.

Then back at Harry.

"...Retha."

Harry quickly wrote it down.

Window = Retha?

"We're making a dictionary," Xavier said with a grin.

Harry corrected him.

"We're attempting to."

Stephan walked past carrying another bag.

"I vote we start with important words."

"Like 'food'?"

Harry looked thoughtful.

"...That's actually practical."

Stephan nodded proudly.

"I know."

Kaycee picked up an apple from the table.

She held it up.

"Apple."

Then she handed it to Kael.

Kael examined it carefully.

"...Sera."

Harry scribbled again.

Apple = Sera.

"This is incredible," Harry whispered.

"We're translating an entirely unknown language."

Xavier leaned over his shoulder.

"Or..."

"He just named the apple Steve."

Harry stopped writing.

"...That's also possible."

The room erupted into laughter.

Kael looked between them, completely puzzled.

Were Earth people always this noisy?

A few minutes later, everyone was finally ready.

Backpacks rested by the front door.

Car keys jingled in Stephan's hand.

Stephanie looked around the guest house one last time.

"I think that's everything."

Harry checked his list.

"Everything."

Kaycee suddenly gasped.

"My camera!"

Everyone groaned.

"You forgot it?" Stephanie asked.

Kaycee scratched the back of her head sheepishly.

"...Maybe."

Stephan sighed with a smile.

"I'll get it."

"You don't even know where I left it."

"I'll follow the trail of chaos."

Kaycee grinned.

"It usually works."

Stephan disappeared upstairs.

Seconds later—

"I FOUND IT!"

A pause.

"...How was it inside the refrigerator?"

The entire house burst into laughter.

Kaycee slowly covered her face.

"I was wondering where I put my juice..."

Xavier wiped tears from his eyes.

"I've officially accepted that nothing surprises me anymore."

Even Kael couldn't help smiling.

He still had no idea why everyone was laughing.

But their laughter...

It reminded him of home.

For just a second...

He could almost hear Nyris laughing beside him.

Vorek teasing her.

The memory struck like a blade.

His smile faded.

His gaze drifted toward the mountains outside the window.

Where are you...?

Did you survive...?

His fingers unconsciously brushed the back of his right hand.

The Nexus CG remained dark.

No blue.

No purple.

Nothing.

Only silence.

Kaycee noticed his expression change.

She slowly walked over and gently tugged on the sleeve of his jacket.

When he looked at her, she smiled warmly.

Then she pointed toward the front door.

Next...

She pointed at herself.

Then at Stephan, Xavier, Harry, and Stephanie.

Finally...

She pointed at Kael.

Then made a simple walking motion with two fingers across her palm.

Her question was clear, even without words.

Come with us?

Kael looked at each of them.

Five strangers.

Five people who had fed him, clothed him, laughed with him, and expected nothing in return.

He still didn't know their world.

He still didn't understand their language.

But he knew one thing.

If he stayed behind...

He would truly be alone.

Slowly, he nodded.

"...Va'shen."

Kaycee beamed.

"He said yes!"

"I don't think that's what he said," Harry replied.

"No..."

Kaycee laughed.

"But I think that's what he meant."

Stephan opened the front door.

A cool breeze drifted into the house, carrying with it the sounds of the waking world.

The city awaited.

And without realizing it...

Kael took his very first step into a life that would change not only his own fate—but the fate of two worlds.

The cool mountain breeze brushed gently against Kael's face as he stepped onto the wooden porch.

He paused.

Everything outside felt... alive.

The towering pine trees swayed peacefully, their emerald branches dancing beneath the morning sunlight. Tiny birds darted between the leaves, their cheerful songs echoing across the valley below. Wisps of mist still clung to the distant mountains, slowly disappearing as the warmth of the sun embraced the earth.

Kael stood perfectly still.

He had never seen a world quite like this.

Aerion had floating crystal forests and rivers that shimmered beneath violet skies, but this...

This world breathed differently.

The air carried unfamiliar scents.

Fresh grass.

Rain-soaked wood.

Wildflowers.

Something sweet drifted from a nearby bakery hidden farther down the mountain road.

He closed his eyes for a brief moment and inhaled deeply.

"..."

A tiny smile found its way onto his face.

"Come on!"

Kaycee called, waving excitedly from the driveway.

The others had already begun loading their bags into a large black SUV parked beside the guest house.

Kael looked at the strange machine with obvious suspicion.

It was enormous.

Smooth.

Made almost entirely of metal.

Its dark windows reflected the morning sky like polished glass.

He slowly circled it once.

Then again.

His fingertips gently brushed against the cold surface.

"..."

Xavier folded his arms, trying not to laugh.

"I think he's inspecting the car."

Stephan smiled.

"At least someone appreciates it."

Harry looked up from his notebook.

"Technically speaking, if he's never seen a vehicle before, his curiosity is completely understandable."

Xavier nodded dramatically.

"Very educational."

Harry ignored the sarcasm.

Kael carefully crouched beside one of the wheels.

He poked the tyre.

It bounced ever so slightly.

His eyes widened.

He poked it again.

Xavier couldn't hold it anymore.

"He thinks it's alive."

Kaycee covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.

Stephanie shook her head with an amused smile.

"Leave him alone."

"It's his first time seeing a car."

Kael suddenly looked underneath the vehicle.

His expression became even more confused.

There were no legs.

No wings.

No visible source of movement.

How...

...did it travel?

Stephan walked over, keys dangling from one finger.

He pointed toward the driver's door.

Then pointed at himself.

Finally, he mimed steering a wheel.

Kael watched carefully.

"Oh..."

Understanding slowly spread across his face.

The machine obeyed the human.

Interesting.

Stephan opened the passenger door and gestured for Kael to climb inside.

Kael cautiously leaned into the vehicle.

His eyes wandered across every detail.

The seats.

The dashboard.

The mirrors.

The glowing screen.

He gently pressed one of the buttons.

BEEP!

The car horn blasted through the quiet mountain.

HOOOOONK!

Kael nearly jumped out of the vehicle.

Kaycee burst into uncontrollable laughter, clutching her stomach.

"Oh no!"

Xavier doubled over.

"He attacked it first!"

"I don't think he meant to!"

Even Harry let out a laugh.

Stephanie pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I haven't even had coffee yet..."

Stephan chuckled as he walked over and gently removed Kael's hand from the steering wheel.

"It's okay."

Kael stared at the car.

Then back at Stephan.

Then back at the car.

"..."

Very cautiously...

He patted the dashboard twice.

Almost...

As if apologizing.

That was enough.

Everyone burst into laughter again.

Kaycee laughed so hard she had to wipe tears from her eyes.

"I think..."

she managed between breaths,

"...I think he just apologized to the car."

Even Stephan couldn't keep his composed expression any longer.

A quiet laugh escaped him.

Kael looked around in confusion before the corners of his own mouth slowly lifted.

He still couldn't understand their words.

But laughter...

Laughter sounded the same in every world.

For the first time since leaving Aerion...

It didn't hurt to smile.

Stephan climbed into the driver's seat, still shaking his head.

"Alright, everyone."

He looked around to make sure they were all buckled in.

"Let's head home."

The engine roared to life.

Kael's eyes immediately widened.

He instinctively grabbed the seat.

The strange machine trembled beneath him.

Outside, the mountains slowly began to drift away as the vehicle rolled down the winding road.

Kael turned toward the window, watching the endless landscape unfold before his eyes.

He didn't know it yet...

But beyond those mountains lay a city unlike anything he could have imagined.

And somewhere within that city...

Destiny had already begun waiting for him.