The Sumeru sky was a bright, unlimited canvas above. Soft clouds hung lazily on its surface, colored in shades of gold and amber from the fading light of the setting sun. There was a peaceful silence in the air.

Dvalin flew with his large wings in proud glory, while next to him soared the newly freed Durin. In his movements, there was no hint of hatred or pain but only an aura of joyful delight as if the heavens themselves had opened wide to greet and embrace him.

Not far from you, Wanderer stood with his arms crossed. The wind brushed gently against him, lifting the edges of his hat and stirring strands of his hair. His expression was unreadable as always, but his gaze remained fixed on the two dragons above. He said nothing, he didn’t need to. In that silence, there was a rare softness.

You stood beside him, equally quiet, your eyes following the slow dance of wings against the glowing sky.

Finally, after a long pause, Wanderer started talking:

“In the end… Durin got his happy ending.”

His tone was soothing, to the point of being distant, but by no means cold.

His eyes, slowly, shifted from the sky to you, lingering a moment longer than was to be expected. There was a look in his eyes unlike anything he normally felt… a look of relief, perhaps, or longing, or maybe the questioning of a possibility like this ever occurring in a life such as his.