"Wouldn’t it be wiser to retreat and seek reinforcements?"

Silas asked cautiously.

"We saw the dragon from a distance, it’s terrifying."

A nearby Enhancer burst into laughter.

"The kid knows how to stay alive."

He grinned before waving dismissively.

"Don’t worry, we aren’t looking for death. We have plenty of powerful Enhancers here, and our supreme leader is an A-Enhancer. Not only that, he’s an L-Enhancer and the ruler of the famous Avaron Clan."

The words struck Silas like a bomb. Instinctively, he turned toward Cher, and he saw how her eyes had widened in shock and fear.

For some reason, Silas was certain she had not known this beforehand. More importantly, he had a feeling that if she had known, she would never have come anywhere near this region.

The proof was right in front of him, as Cher had frozen completely. She could not even force herself to take another step.

"Don’t worry."

Unsure what else to do, Silas reached out and gently took her hand. The moment he did, she turned to look at him. For a brief second, he thought he saw tear beads gathering in her eyes.

"I’m here," he said softly. "Everything will be fine."

Cher remained motionless for a moment before giving a slow nod. Yet nothing changed. The fear remained etched across her face, and the moisture in her eyes never disappeared.

A million questions crowded Silas’s mind, but he chose not to ask any of them. One thing was obvious, though: he could not lead Cher into a place ruled by someone who inspired such terror and dread in her.

Instead, he guided her away from the entrance while remaining within the safety of the garrison’s perimeter. The two sat on a nearby rock and remained silent as several heavy minutes passed between them.

Then, suddenly, her wristwatch buzzed.

The sound pulled Cher away from the dark thoughts threatening to consume her. She glanced at the screen, frowned briefly, and then pressed several buttons before sending a reply.

"Is it Lara?"

Silas wanted to cheer her up. At that moment, he thought that if they had received good news from Lara, Cher might feel a little better. However, instead of brightening, she slowly shook her head.

"It’s Darius," she said after a pause. "He requested the shuttle urgently."

"Urgently?" Silas frowned and immediately checked his wristwatch. "Only seven hours have passed. He said he would need the shuttle after at least twelve."

"I don’t know." Cher sounded too exhausted to care. Looking down, she added, "I already sent it to his location. Lara and Alfred should be done by now, and will be on board the shuttle as I instructed the crew. We’ll find out what this was about when he arrives."

Silas glanced at her but said nothing. He had hoped to distract her from her worries, yet the news involved Darius, and he was hardly a comforting subject. Cher suspected him almost as much as Silas did.

For a while, silence lingered between them, heavy and suffocating.

"His name is Chaz Avaron," Cher suddenly said with a deep sigh. "He is... my father. And as Rachel once mentioned, we haven’t exactly been on good terms lately."

Silas was surprised that she brought it up without being asked. Even so, he could tell how difficult it was for her to share something so personal with him. As a result, he remained silent, listening instead of speaking.

After all, he was the last person who could offer advice on such matters.

Silas had been an orphan for as long as he could remember. He had never known what it meant to have parents, to receive their affection and support, or to struggle through a conflict with them.

"In fact, we haven’t spoken for years," Cher continued quietly. "Eventually, we made a bet. If I formed a team during my first year at the academy and led it to first place, he would let me live my life the way I wanted. If I failed..."

Her voice trailed off.

At that moment, Silas finally understood the true weight behind the decision she had made when she abandoned the academy mission and chose to pursue the dragon blood quest. It had never been a matter of pride, prestige, or family reputation.

Even without knowing the details of the wager or the cause of their conflict, he could tell that she had risked something incredibly important by supporting his decision.

A bitter feeling stirred inside him. At the same time, an unfamiliar warmth followed.

All his life, he had been overlooked. He had never known friendship, never belonged to a family, never enjoyed the security of wealth or influence. Even now, he continued to hide secrets about his powers from her.

Yet despite all of that, Cher had trusted him far more than he deserved. She had treated him as a genuine friend, a close friend.

She had staked her future on a choice he made, and all he had given her in return was one danger after another. Seeing her now, lonely, exhausted, and quietly terrified, made something tighten painfully inside his chest.

Before he realised what he was doing, Silas moved closer. Gently, he pulled her into an embrace.

Cher’s eyes widened in surprise. The gesture had come completely out of nowhere. Yet as the initial shock faded, a strange warmth spread through her. Only then did she realise how desperately she had needed it.

"Don’t think you’re alone in this world," Silas said quietly. "You have my team. You have me. No matter what happens, you can count on my support."

He tightened his embrace slightly before continuing.

"I’ll stay by your side, and by the end of our first year, I’ll make sure you win that bet."

The last of her resistance crumbled as Cher slowly rested her head against his shoulder. For a long moment, neither of them spoke.

At this moment, a single thought surfaced in her mind.

’I only ever wanted to hear those words from you, father.’

She remembered her father’s face. She remembered how the excitement of discovering something extraordinary about her powers had eventually become the source of endless conflict.

Slowly, she closed her eyes. The emotions she had held back for so long finally broke free, and silent tears streamed down her cheeks.

Silas said nothing. He simply patted her back and shoulders, keeping her close while she cried, allowing her to empty the burden she had carried alone for far too long.