Chapter 6

Just a few minutes later, the familiar golden spires of the elven palace appear. I was so lost in thought about the moment before that I didn't even realize we were already so close to the palace. My heart immediately starts beating faster again, but this time with excitement. How will the others react to the fact that I'm back? And above all, how will Yuko and Onchao react?

I know that Mo has said that they will be happy to see me - but at the same time, I probably couldn't blame them if they were angry with me. I didn't choose it, but I still left them alone in what was probably a difficult time, even though they seemed to need me. This thought gives me an unpleasant feeling in my stomach.

In other circumstances, I might have turned around and pretended I'd never been here, but Mo's hand in mine prevents that. And so I can do nothing but let him pull me over the high mountains that surround the palace and land on the hard earth next to him. Well, at least I didn't crash land.

Mo drops his hand and it disappears from mine. I immediately feel a longing for his touch. But I ignore it. Now is not the time to worry about it. Because now, for the first time, I really notice what it looks like here. And this image reinforces the uneasy feeling that something is wrong here even more.

The palace still looks majestic and beautiful, but it also looks scarred by a war that I don't know about. Long cracks run along the large walls and the white marble looks dull. A few elves look at me from dull and infinitely tired eyes. And at that moment, Mo's look comes back to me. It was the same tiredness, the same sadness, triggered by something dark.

And my inner tension mixes with the realization that an unknown darkness has also arrived here. Because I haven't seen Yuko or Onchao yet and have no idea how they will react. But that changes at this moment.

The large door of the palace opens and a beautiful elf steps out. Yuko. Her beautiful, long brown hair is tied back in a ponytail and she is wearing a short yellow dress. But something else is different. Something that doesn't match her beautiful appearance and yet everyone here has it: her look is serious and she radiates something fierce.

And at that moment, our eyes meet and Yuko's eyes visibly widen, while my heart beats incredibly fast. I tense up unsteadily and my hands start to sweat. There is an incredible amount of emotion in her eyes. Disbelief, longing, joy - but also a certain sadness.

For a few moments, we just look at each other until a single word escapes me: "Yuko." It is quiet, hesitant. And yet this one word brings her out of her stupor. Without hesitation, Yuko runs towards me and wraps me tightly in her arms.

And in that moment, every burden falls away from me. This moment is full of emotions, full of unspoken things, and yet it simply feels good. And then two more arms close around us. Mo. It feels like I've never been away. I can feel this connection, all the fear, the longing, the sadness in the air. And yet there is this joy of finally being together again.

"I thought you were gone forever," Yuko breathes, and I have to bite my lip to keep from crying. Mo has already hinted at it too, and hearing Yuko say it now brings back all the feelings I had during the time I thought the same thing.

"I thought that too." We hold each other in our arms for a few more moments, then we carefully disengage, and my gaze meets Yuko's. Her look seems relieved, but there's something else. That tiredness again. And it's starting to drive me crazy, not knowing why it's there. Why even here, in this beautiful place, it looks so destroyed. Why there are deadly weapons here. Why everyone seems so scared.

I'm just opening my mouth to ask, when suddenly there's a soft, familiar whinny, and I whirl around. Onchao steps out from inside the palace. He has grown up, looks more mature and even more magical than I remember him. His golden mane blows in the light wind, his golden horn shines subtly. My breath catches and I feel my emotions threatening to overwhelm me.

It's all too much for me. I never thought I'd see her again - and here I am. Onchao approaches slowly, his steps majestic, and he blinks. My heart beats faster. He recognizes me. Now he is standing right in front of me, his forehead touching mine. And in that moment, I feel it: this connection that I thought I would never feel again.

I close my eyes, try to hold back the tears and carefully wrap my arms around his strong neck. After a few seconds, Onchao steps back carefully, lowers his head and his golden horn touches my bracelet. A feeling of freedom and happiness shoots through my body.

And at that moment I realize one thing clearly: I have really returned. A smile forms on my lips and I look into Onchao's warm eyes. "You really recognized me." My voice is no more than a breath, but Onchao whinnies softly as a sign that he has understood me.

After a few seconds of just looking into those dark, familiar eyes, I turn back to the others. Mo is standing in the background, watching us - a quiet warmth, but also wistfulness in his gaze. I can't help it, but a shiver runs down my spine. Mo's eyes haven't lost their depth in all this time, and that confuses me in a strange way.

I let my gaze wander to Yuko. In her eyes I see what I also know: not everything has been said yet. I know that I'm home, that I haven't lost my place here in all this time - but that I'll have to prove myself.

I don't know what's waiting for me out there, but I do know one thing for sure: with Yuko, Mo and Onchao by my side, I'll be able to do anything.