The afternoon sun hung low and heavy, turning the settlement into a maze of long shadows and warm orange light. Tony knelt on the floor of their small corner, folding his one spare shirt into a tight square before stuffing it into the battered backpack. Every movement felt different now, like his hands carried an extra weight he couldn't see. The broken trombone pieces sat beside him, wrapped carefully in an old rag so the sharp edges wouldn't cut through the fabric.
Lila worked beside him, rolling blankets into tight bundles and tying them with strips of cloth. Her hands moved fast and sure, the way they always did when she was trying not to think too hard. Every few seconds she glanced at the curtain, listening for footsteps, making sure no one was close enough to overhear.
"Two water skins," she said quietly, counting out loud. "Three days of food if we stretch it. Your knife, my knife, the little first-aid kit. That's it. Anything more and we'll be too slow."
Tony nodded, zipping the backpack closed. "I keep thinking about the note I played earlier. It felt… good. Like the air wanted to listen. But what if I do it again and someone hears it wrong? Or someone sees?"
Lila paused, her fingers still on a knot. "Then we deal with it. We can't hide forever. But we can be smart. Small sounds. Away from crowds. And only when we need it."
She looked up at him, eyes serious but soft. "You're not alone in this, Tony. Elias is coming. I trust him. He's seen things. He'll help us figure out what X-Class really means."
Tony gave a small smile. "Still getting used to the idea that my sister has a boyfriend who's an S-Class wind hunter."
Lila's cheeks went pink again, but she rolled her eyes. "He's not just a boyfriend. He's… good. Reliable. And he's been out there longer than most. If anyone knows how to keep something like this quiet while we move, it's him."
Tony picked up the trombone bell, turning it in his hands one last time. The metal caught the light and flashed gold for a second. He slipped it into the side pocket of the pack, then stood up and stretched. His body felt strange—tired from the night before, but also full of something new, like a song waiting to be played.
Lila stood too, slinging her own pack over one shoulder. She looked around their little space—the curtain, the sleeping mats, the small pile of things they were leaving behind. Her face tightened for a moment, then smoothed out. "We're not saying goodbye to this place. We're just… taking the next step."
Tony nodded. "Yeah. Next step."
They stepped out from behind the curtain together. The settlement was winding down—people heading inside for the evening, fires being banked low, kids called in for dinner. A few heads turned their way, but no one asked questions. Everyone knew the three of them were leaving. Rumors had already started about the beasts going quiet last night, but no one connected it to Tony. Not yet.
Elias waited near the side gate, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. A soft breeze moved around him, even though nothing else stirred. When he saw them coming, he pushed off the wall and walked over, eyes flicking between their packs.
"Light," he said, nodding approval. "Good. We'll move faster that way."
Lila stepped up beside him, close enough that their shoulders brushed. She didn't say anything, just gave him a small smile. Elias returned it, quick and private, then looked at Tony.
"Ready?" he asked.
Tony adjusted the straps on his pack. "Yeah. I think so."
Elias turned to the gate, lifting one hand. The breeze picked up just enough to push the heavy metal aside with a low creak. Beyond it, the highway stretched out into the growing dusk, empty and waiting.
"Then let's go," Elias said simply.
The three of them stepped through together—Lila on Tony's left, Elias on his right. The gate closed behind them with a quiet clang.
Tony took one last look back at the settlement lights flickering in the distance, then faced forward.
The road was dark ahead.
But for the first time, he didn't feel quite so alone on it.