The carriage waited in front of the castle’s main gates.

The horses snorted impatiently.

The morning sun illuminated the walls of Eldoria as a small group prepared to depart.

Max adjusted his Infinite Backpack over his shoulder and looked at those who had come to see them off.

Dorian raised a hand.

"Try not to die."

"I’ll try," Max replied.

"That’s what you said last time."

"And it worked."

Dorian thought about that for a few seconds.

"That’s a good argument."

Beside him, Elanor hugged Max tightly.

"Come back soon."

"I will."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

Moonlight appeared between them and hugged both of them at the same time.

"And then wedding!"

Elanor smiled.

"And then wedding."

Sophie and Abby waved from behind.

Frida wished them luck.

Don looked happy that he didn’t have to accompany them.

And Chloe raised a hand.

"Bring back some good stories."

"We’ll try," Max replied.

Even Gawain’s wives had come out to see them off.

The birdman seemed especially proud of that.

"See?" he said, puffing out his chest.

"I have a wonderful family."

"And an enormous ego," Seraphine replied.

Gawain grinned.

"That too."

Neros shook the reins from the front seat.

"Get in already. We’ve got work to do."

Everyone took their places.

A few seconds later, the carriage began moving away from the castle.

***

Inside the carriage, Moonlight was practically vibrating with excitement.

"Adventure! Adventure! Adventure!"

Max smiled.

"You’re happy."

"Very!"

The little dragon settled beside him and tilted her head.

"Why didn’t Dorian come?"

Max rested a hand on her hair.

"Because he’s helping Vesper."

Thara lowered her gaze.

"That’s why I agreed to come."

Everyone looked at her.

The drow sighed.

"I feel responsible for what Will did."

She was silent for a few moments.

"And if Dorian hadn’t promised me he would take care of my sister..."

She slowly shook her head.

"I don’t know if I would have agreed to travel."

Seraphine rested an arm on the seatback.

"Don’t worry. I have healing magic too."

Neros laughed from the front.

"No one should listen to her."

Seraphine looked at him.

"Excuse me?"

"The last time you tried to help me with sleeping magic..."

Neros shook his head.

"I had insomnia for a week."

Moonlight and Gawain burst out laughing.

Max did too.

Even Thara ended up smiling.

Seraphine crossed her arms.

"It was a small mistake."

"It was a catastrophe."

"Details."

***

The next three days were filled with travel.

And problems.

A lot of problems.

The first was a massive triceratops.

They found it near some fields.

The farmers were terrified.

The dinosaur had already eaten half the harvest.

Moonlight stared at the giant animal in fascination.

"It’s adorable!"

"It’s destroying a farm," Neros said.

"Adorable," Moon repeated.

Thara used her notes.

Carefully drawing the seals.

Max activated them.

A white light enveloped the enormous dinosaur.

The animal let out one final roar.

And disappeared.

First problem solved.

***

The second one was stranger.

They found an android hiding inside a cave.

It was sitting against a wall.

Covered in dust.

When they arrived, it lifted its head.

"R-r-r-r-r..."

"Is it broken?" Gawain asked.

"P-p-p-p-probably," the android answered itself.

Moonlight felt sorry for it.

So did Max.

Eventually they managed to communicate.

The robot was simply lost.

So lost that it didn’t even know where it was.

After activating the seal, the android vanished surrounded by the same white light.

Before leaving, it raised a hand.

"Th-th-th-thank you."

***

The third case was infuriating.

They were searching for a caveman.

Seraphine was using a magical map.

The glowing dot appeared directly beneath them.

"He’s here. Definitely."

Said Max.

"Yes," Seraphine replied.

"Absolutely certain."

They dug.

They searched.

They dug some more.

Nothing.

For hours.

Until Moonlight found a hidden cave.

The caveman had been living underground the entire time.

Neros nearly threw the magical map off a cliff.

***

But the worst of all was the tyrannosaurus.

They found it on a mountain.

And it clearly had no intention of going back anywhere.

The monster roared.

The rocks trembled.

Gawain looked up.

"That’s pretty big."

"Yeah," said Max.

"I can see that."

The battle lasted almost an hour.

Neros blocked attacks.

Seraphine cast spell after spell.

Moonlight froze the monster’s legs.

And Gawain shouted heroic things while running all over the place.

Eventually they managed to bring it down.

Thara placed the seal.

And the enormous predator disappeared.

Everyone ended up exhausted.

Except for Gawain.

Who seemed proud simply to have survived.

***

The last ones were some strange extraterrestrials.

The villagers claimed something had been stealing livestock during the night.

Max had expected almost anything.

But not that.

Small gray creatures.

With huge eyes.

And a spaceship hidden in a forest.

"Nothing surprises me anymore," said Neros.

"Same here," Max replied.

The aliens tried to escape.

But Moonlight and Seraphine worked together.

An ice storm descended upon them.

And they ended up frozen solid.

"We got them!" Moon shouted.

Max activated the seal.

And the visitors disappeared.

***

Three days later.

The mission was practically complete.

Only Chloe remained.

And Raptor.

The only summons still left in Eldoria.

That night they camped.

A campfire illuminated the campsite.

Stars shone above them.

Moonlight sat beside Max.

A blanket draped over her shoulders.

The others rested nearby.

Everything was peaceful.

Max stared into the flames.

"Moon."

"Yeah?"

"Now I’m sure."

The little dragon tilted her head.

"About what?"

Max smiled.

"That I’m staying in this world."

Moonlight’s eyes lit up.

"Really?"

"Really."

"Forever?"

"Forever."

Moon threw herself at him in a hug.

"Good!"

"I want to keep having adventures with you!"

Max laughed.

"And you will."

The little dragon grinned.

"Lots of them."

"Lots and lots."

Max looked into the fire.

"But now I’m about to embark on something unknown."

Seraphine raised an eyebrow.

"Something more unknown than fighting dinosaurs?"

Neros laughed.

"Yes."

"Marriage."

Max shook his head.

"You’re exaggerating."

"Sure," Seraphine replied.

"That’s exactly what he used to say."

She pointed at Neros.

"And look at him now."

Neros sighed.

"I live in fear."

"Liar," said Seraphine.

"A little," he admitted.

Everyone started laughing.

Then Neros exchanged a glance with the mage.

And smiled.

"Since we’re talking about that..."

Seraphine smiled as well.

"We had some news."

Max raised an eyebrow.

"What news?"

The mage placed a hand on her stomach.

And calmly said:

"We’re going to be parents."

The silence lasted exactly two seconds.

"WHAT?!" Moonlight shouted.

"Congratulations!" said Max.

Thara looked surprised.

Gawain poked his head out of the carriage.

"Did somebody say baby?"

"Yes," Neros replied.

The birdman grinned.

"Excellent news!"

"Thank you," Seraphine answered.

Moonlight was already firing questions.

"Will it have magic?"

"Probably."

"And a sword?"

"Maybe."

"And adventures?"

"Almost certainly."

The little dragon looked fascinated.

Even Thara smiled sincerely.

"Congratulations."

"Thank you," Seraphine replied.

Gradually, the conversation faded.

The campfire crackled softly.

Max looked up at the sky.

Tomorrow they would return to the castle.

Tomorrow he would go home.

And in only two more days...

He would marry Elanor.

The idea still felt unreal.

But also wonderful.

Moonlight had already fallen asleep against his shoulder.

Neros and Seraphine spoke quietly together.

Thara read through some notes near the fire.

And from the carriage came a constant sound.

Snnnnnnore.

Snnnnnnore.

Max turned his head.

Gawain was sleeping deeply in the straw.

The birdman hadn’t even bothered to close the carriage door.

"Impressive," Max muttered.

Neros nodded.

"We’ve been listening to that for an hour."

Snnnnnnore.

Moonlight shifted slightly.

"What was that?"

"A predator," Max replied.

The little dragon nodded sleepily.

"Oh."

And immediately fell asleep again.

Max smiled.

The fire continued to burn.