ã€ŠHEAVENS FEELã€‹


 1. OUTCAST

    SVAN CHORYTH

    Walking down the great hall of Ignis was something that I wasn¡¯t accustomed to. I lived my whole life in the castle, yet I hardly ever went to the great hall. I had no business there because that was the designated location for House Choryth¡¯s official gatherings. When the messenger guard informed me that I was summoned there by my father, I already understood why he called for me.

    Dressed in black slacks, a form-fitting peacoat and a red poncho bearing the House Choryth emblem; a two-horned dragon emerging from a wall of fire, precisely as any other noble of the House would appear, I proceeded timidly through a long narrow hallway that led to the great hall. There were guards in pairs stationed on opposite sides of every five steps I took, who saluted me with a little bow as I walked past them. Every step towards the great hall registered an exponential increase in my heartbeat as I battled to keep my visibly quivering legs under control.

    The view of the great hall remained magnificent. Its floor was entirely covered with a very rare exotic crimson carpet with intricate markings, as giant chandeliers with glowing orbs that shone goldenly hung from its dome-shaped coffered ceiling. The walls held pillars connected by segmented arches, as the carvings found on their capitals and bases were the same as the ones on the ceiling. At the opposite end of the hall was a fine sculpture of House Choryth¡¯s insignia carved out of the wall. It was nothing short of a work of architectural beauty.

    From the hall¡¯s entrance, I could recognize my father among the nobles who collected themselves into small clusters. For starters, he was the tallest among them, and while others were clad in black, he was dressed in crimson, designating that he was the High Lord of House Choryth.

    The distance between me and the nobles present shortened as I made more half-hearted strides forward.

    ¡°Stop right there!¡± a powerful voice yelled, which plunged the hall to an abrupt stillness. It was no doubt my father¡¯s.

    Every nerve and muscle in my body screamed ¡°run,¡± but my body couldn¡¯t merely move. All my life, the only emotion I felt towards him was terror, and feeling his presence close to me with the suffocating aura he gave off, almost made me pee on my slacks.

    ¡°The House of Choryth is no place for weaklings. I have been patient with you and given you the benefit of the doubt, but it has become clear that you can¡¯t live up to the Choryth name. As a result, you are therefore stripped of every benefit and privilege that comes with it.¡±

    I didn¡¯t dare look at his face when he said those words. My eyes were closed as I faced the ground. Hushed whispers filled the air, which gave me more reason to keep my eyes shut. I didn¡¯t want to look at the disappointed or disgusted faces of the nobles who were all staring at me.

    I could feel his presence gently leaving my side as his smothering aura assuaged,

    ¡°Dismissed!¡±

    His brief utterance conveyed a lot of meaning. Being a man of few words, Lord Edger Choryth spoke as succinctly as he could. I turned and headed for the exit without saying a word.

    My eyes met with my sister¡¯s as she entered the hall. Evren was nothing short of elegant, and even in a uniform that punished the feminine design, she looked to be a suitable model for the outfit. Her stacked cleavage did credit to her peacoat, and her split poncho made her clothing appear even better. She approached with solid, hard steps as her bangs echoed at the same frequency as the movement of her body. Her oval-shaped face, sporting a set of eyes that defined authority, immediately attracted everyone''s attention, captivating without even wearing a smile.

    It was apparent that she was fixated on my father and didn''t even appear to notice me.

    ¡°A goodbye wouldn''t be tough to say,¡± I said to her.

    ¡°You don¡¯t deserve it,¡± she replied in a tone so calm and icy as she walked past me.

    I already knew her response would sound like that. I just wanted to hear her voice because I wasn¡¯t sure I was ever going to hear it again. Just before I exited the hall, I heard my father¡¯s voice again.

    ¡°Noble ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Lady Evren Choryth, the heiress of House Choryth.¡±

    I could hear cheering and clapping from every angle of the hall, drowning out the reality that I was even there, and at some point, I didn¡¯t even feel myself until the messenger guard who was escorting me tapped my back.

    ¡°Young Lord, let¡¯s go.¡±

    * * *

    I already had my belongings packed; all I needed were a few pieces of clothing and some books. I was practically expelled from the family, so I could not take any clothing symbolizing House Choryth. I was prepared to head into the unknown as I strapped my sword to my back and put my rucksack on.

    I never really knew what the full view of the castle looked like. Most of my time was spent indoors, only frequenting my room, the training grounds, and the study room. The rest of the residence was relatively foreign to me, so I took a detour to the eastern fort, an area I had never been to. The castle was so enormous at first glance, which made me wonder what other parts of it were used for.

    As I crossed the drawbridge and the attached bridge, I looked to my left and couldn''t help but smile at the view I beheld. The eastern fort, a distinct part of the castle, was connected to the main castle via bridges as it was perched atop a rocky outcrop with a vast expanse of lush flora below. The bridge from which I had just emerged was distinct from the one that connected the fort to the main castle and was primarily intended to provide an elevation to counteract the flaws that its rocky base had produced.

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    The main castle could be seen to my right, and it was a magnificent sight. The main manor was surrounded by four substantial round keeps that acted as cardinal points. There were also smaller, more slender high-rise towers inside, each of which had the statue of the Choryth emblem sculpted on its highest point. As I made my way towards the gates, the bridge somehow came to rest on a level surface that anchored directions to various portions of the castle.

    The same guard brought me to the castle gates, where he bowed before leaving. I was puzzled why he still treated me courteously, as I was sure he was aware of the High Lords¡¯ decree.

    Anguish swept through me as I stared towards the castle gates. I wasn¡¯t sorry that I was no longer a member of House Choryth; in fact, I felt relieved about it. I was heartbroken because I would no longer be able to see the one person who treated me like a human being.

    As much as I wanted to go to her and say my goodbyes, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to do it. I was already heartbroken enough. Seeing her one final time and exchanging goodbyes would crush my heart to a thousand pieces, so I made my way toward the gates with a false sense of strength.

    ¡°So you would leave without saying goodbye,¡± a familiar voice remarked from behind me. I turned to Yukina Ayling, and after a moment of awkward silence, I said to her,

    ¡°Of course, you said you weren''t going to marry me, so I see no reason to say goodbye.¡±

    Both of us burst out laughing, and when we stopped, she stepped closer to me.

    Yukina wasn¡¯t a member of House Choryth, but she worked for my father and was given as much respect as any other noble of the House was accorded. She taught me sword technique, the only form of combat I could learn. House Choryth was well-known for its mastery of the fire element, having produced several extremely powerful casters over the generations. As the only son of Lord Edger Choryth, I was meant to be the prodigy of the House, but, in my fifteen years of existence, I never experienced the Feel.

    It was amazing that I never bore any feeling of hatred towards my father, even though he always treated me as a nobody. I resigned to the feeling that I was merely a stroke of disaster in his life. Therefore, it was only fair that he got rid of me. My mother died while trying to birth me, and though I never knew her, I was overwhelmed with guilt whenever I thought about her. To make matters worse, I couldn¡¯t experience what the Feel felt like, so it was logical that I couldn¡¯t control the fire element, which House Choryth was widely renowned for. From a standpoint, none of it was my fault, but then who¡¯s fault was it?

    ¡°You wouldn''t last long on your own out there, and if something horrible were to happen to you, I would feel terrible,¡± Yukina said.

    I had to stop smiling because I was on the verge of tears.

    ¡°Wait, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re¡­.¡± I tried to confirm if she was really leaving with me but didn¡¯t get to finish the sentence.

    ¡°That¡¯s correct. I am,¡± she said.

    I held her in a warm embrace.

    ¡°But I am having a hard time believing that the High Lord just let you come with me. I mean, you are a precious asset to him. Tell me, what were the conditions he gave you?¡±

    ¡°None. I, too, was surprised, but whatever his reasons were, it worked for me. Besides, he has the Phoenix at his side now.¡±

    I untangled myself from her and asked, with a tone of seriousness,

    ¡°Can Evren beat you in combat now?¡±

    ¡°Maybe, maybe not.¡±

    Yukina was the best swordswoman my eyes had ever come across. She was five years older than me, making her my sister¡¯s age match. Her attractive appearance didn¡¯t represent her battle prowess. Her beautiful blonde hair, which she always tied in a ponytail, heart-shaped face, round eyes that shone blue, and slender figure was enough to attract anyone she came across.

    Though Yukina wasn¡¯t a caster, she had bested my sister in every fight I had observed them engage in for as long as I could remember. However, Yukina wasn''t like me since she had a different kind of ability that manifested from her Feel.

    There are people who experience the Feel but don¡¯t have any elemental affinity. Instead, they are compensated with extreme physical strength, speed, or regenerative abilities. These people were called stillbringers, and Yukina was one of them.

    My predicament wasn¡¯t abnormal. Only a very minor fraction of the population were casters or stillbringers, as most of them either belonged to a respected House or a guild. Yukina was a three-fold stillbringer, which meant that she possessed all three abilities of a stillbringer, and to top that off, her sword skills were exceptional. Evren was a deviant-class fire caster, but as much as I loathed my sister, I couldn¡¯t help but respect her brilliance and mastery of the fire element. She was a walking force of destruction, which she demonstrated with so much finesse and creativity that it was no surprise she was called the Phoenix.

    ¡°Evren has grown so much stronger lately; it appears like she is now grasping her lightning deviant completely,¡± ¡°urgh.¡± Yukina murmured, sounding a little irritated, ¡°These casters have so many unfair advantages.¡±

    I chuckled as I watched her whine about Evren. Though they never explicitly admitted it, it was apparent that Yukina and Evren were constantly up against each other, striving to prove that one was stronger than the other.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you giving her some wiggle room by coming with me?¡±

    ¡°Probably. Considering that I am not even a Choryth, it is what it is.¡±

    Although I could sympathize with her situation, I couldn''t do much about her frustration.

    Yukina usually appeared combat-ready, as both of us seemed to have the same choice of attire in mind. A plain shirt and slacks, both closely fitted and stretchy for adequate mobility, and a heavy hooded robe for protection against cold winds. Her scabbard held her two short swords in place, which ran at acute angles across her back while her rucksack covered them, revealing only their hilts. She draped her arm across my shoulders, pulling me closer to her.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go on an adventure, shall we?¡±

    All I could do was grin. I was so glad to have her by my side, and even though I had no idea what I would do next or where I was headed to next, I was convinced that everything was going to work out somehow.

    ¡°So, will you marry me now?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± she responded carelessly.

    In a playful protest, I said,

    ¡°Can¡¯t you take some pity on this poor soul? It¡¯s already the five hundredth time, and you keep rejecting me.¡±

    ¡°I guess we should commemorate the one thousandth,¡± she replied.

    Using my hands to cover my face, I mumbled,

    ¡°This is going to be challenging.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Yukina concluded, dismissing my problem.

    ¡°Hey, how much do you have with you?¡± she inquired with a bit of concern.

    ¡°About five hundred imperial gold coins,¡± I replied

    ¡°So much for not having any Choryth privileges,¡± I said to myself.

    But in my defense, it was my money. I had saved it up for a very long time.

    She nodded with approval.

    ¡°I guess we wouldn''t need to worry about money, so let¡¯s focus on finding a solution to your problem.¡±

    I took a little pause and gave her a sad expression. She was about to leave everything behind to help me and ensure I was safe. I didn''t know how else to express my gratitude to her, but I did know that, if need be, I will risk everything for her.

    ¡°If you keep on gazing at me like that, I might smack you,¡± she added, tugging me along, and I followed, tripping as we walked to the gates.

    Our horses were already waiting at the gates, and Yukina was already caressing hers while it snorted at intervals.

    ¡°There, good boy,¡± she said as she mounted it. I got on mine, and we rode off at a galloping clip.

    ¡°Do you think we will ever return here?¡± I asked her, in what looked like I was shouting.

    ¡°That¡¯s up to you, hopefully, to show them how powerful you have gotten,¡± she replied with the same intensity.

    My face gleamed with a big smile as we rode towards the sunset.

 2 FIRST BLOOD

    YUKINA AYLING

    We rode for hours nonstop until it was pitch dark. We managed to find ourselves on the outskirts of the city, with the Ausbane forest lying ahead. It was already dangerous enough to travel across the forest during the day, let alone at night, so we had to set camp for the night.

    Svan and I sat on opposite sides of the fire with large stones, which we used as makeshift seats. Svan tended the fire, throwing sticks into it when he felt it was necessary, while I stared wordlessly at him. He was an intriguing young man who I found difficult to understand. The most intriguing thing I discovered about him was how he maintained composure and good humor despite his difficulties. If I were in his circumstances, I would let my frustrations get the better of me.

    I understood what my problem was. I hated the feeling of weakness and always wanted to feel powerful. I wanted to be important. I didn¡¯t want anyone to look down on me, which was why I¡¯d worked so hard my entire life. I understood how furious I felt when my feel manifested without any elemental affinity, but I put that fury into training, and it didn¡¯t take long for me to become a threefold stillbringer, a feat I achieved at the age of twelve.

    Being a stillbringer was much less common than being a caster, and a feat like that was unheard of since most stillbringers could spend a lifetime trying to break the onefold barrier, as there were only three threefold stillbringers that I knew of. It was a feat that brought me a lot of respect from most people, while the rest were scared of me, declaring that I wasn¡¯t normal.

    As if it wasn¡¯t enough, I mastered various swordsmanship. With the combination of stillbrings and my sword skills, I was practically unbeatable against an equal opponent, but I wasn¡¯t content. Even though I was well-respected for my skills and had the protection of one of Stavren''s most powerful houses, it wasn''t enough. I wasn''t sure what I was yearning for, but I knew there was something or someone I needed to find. But then, there was Svan, someone who appeared to be the exact antithesis of me, but despite his calm demeanor, I knew he was one goal-driven and persistent fellow. Even though his feel never manifested, he forced me to teach him swordsmanship and often said to me,

    ¡°I have to be good at something, at least.¡±

    I felt myself becoming increasingly attached to him. He was like the little brother I never had. I felt awful for him when I learned that he would be ousted. I couldn¡¯t just let him go off on his own, so I decided to go with him, at least providing him with the protection he needed, and maybe, during our journey, I could find the answers I was searching for.

    ¡°Are we going to sleep with empty bellies tonight?¡± Svan asked, with a hint of worry on his face.

    I smiled at him.

    ¡°What took you so long?¡±

    I reached into my backpack and rummaged around until I found the parcel of marinated beef that I had brought with me from the castle. I tossed it to him.

    ¡°Here, roast it.¡±

    A smile lit his face as he prepared a makeshift spit with the sticks he gathered, skewered the meat I gave him, and began roasting it.

    ¡°Where did you learn how to do that?¡± I asked, looking surprised. I was expecting him to say something like, ¡°I don¡¯t know how to roast meat,¡± when I tossed the meat over to him.

    ¡°From a book,¡± he replied, focused on what he was doing.

    Looking at him, I couldn¡¯t help but smile. His fire-lit face seemed to disclose a different appearance of him that I had never seen. It reflected his auburn hair, which he wore in a bun with faded sides and a well-chiseled jawline. He was tall for his age, a trait he inherited from his father. If only he had been a caster, he would have probably been the most sought-after male in all of Stavren.

    ¡°So, where are we headed from here?¡± Svan asked, still tending to the fire and meat.

    ¡°He-he, I don¡¯t really know.¡±

    He halted what he was doing for a second.

    ¡°Then, we will just be wasting our time?¡± he asked.

    ¡°No, not really. Let¡¯s say we are embarking on an adventure to the unknown. We would journey to numerous places, both safe and dangerous, experience new things, and meet new people. Who knows what fate might have in store for us?¡±

    ¡°That sounds like a plan, and the first would be a journey across the Ausbane forest, I suppose,¡± he said in reply.

    ¡°Exactly!¡±

    SVAN CHORYTH

    I wasn¡¯t sure if I was roasting the meat appropriately. Theoretical knowledge and practical skills can sometimes be contradictory.

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    I didn¡¯t know what to expect when we eventually embarked on our journey through the Ausbane forest. From books I had read, I knew the forest included lots of wild monsters that could easily kill an unprotected person. As much as I was excited about going there, I knew I had to be careful because any mistake could mark the end of my life.

    I felt the meat was adequately roasted based on its appearance; it had completely changed from red to deep-brown with some burnt patches here and there. I carefully set it on the parcel where it was initially stored and divided it into two uneven parts with my pocket knife. I gave the larger half to Yukina, settling for the smaller.

    ¡°Ummm, this is good,¡± Yukina said as she chewed the meat.

    I smiled as I said to myself, ¡°I guess I did well.¡±

    I was just halfway through eating mine when I looked at Yukina. She was done with hers but was wearing a frown, and when her eyes met with mine, she yelled,

    ¡°Svan, grab your sword now!¡±

    ¡°That wouldn''t be necessary,¡± a masculine voice said from behind me, and a group of people surrounded us in the blink of an eye.

    With a quick glance, I counted all of them; they were seven in number. All dressed in black, with their faces covered in scarves. I could tell that three of them were women based on their appearance. The man who spoke earlier approached me and took the piece of meat I was eating. I cursed under my breath, but that was the best I could manage.

    ¡°I will just keep it simple. Hand over your money, and we will be on our way. There is no need for unnecessary bloodshed,¡± he said as he nibbled my meat.

    ¡°If you leave now, I will act like this never happened,¡± Yukina said in a suppressed rage.

    From the look on her face, I could tell she was really pissed.

    The man let out a cackling laugh.

    ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t think you have the right to make any demands here. I mean, can¡¯t you grasp the situation you are facing right now?¡±

    Yukina completely ignored what he was saying.

    ¡°What guild do you guys belong to? The last time I checked, the minimum wage for all guild members in Stavren was sixty silver pieces per month, three times the minimum wage of other citizens. Also, this wage is independent of the bonuses you receive from missions, so why do you resort to robbery?¡±

    ¡°You seem to know a lot about the guilds. Are you a caster? Well, it doesn''t matter, does it? This will be your last night,¡± the man replied.

    ¡°Now, prepare to face your¡­.¡±

    Before he could finish his statement, his head rolled towards the fire while Yukina stood beside his still-standing body, clutching both of her blood-smeared swords. A fountain of blood gushed from his neck before his body finally slumped.

    I was still trying to process what had just happened while I watched in horror. In one moment, Yukina was seated with her swords sheathed; in another, she had just beheaded someone. I had never seen anyone die before my eyes all my life, and the first happened to be gore. I was scared shitless, visibly trembling, and nauseous. The remaining six took to defensive positions, each brandishing their elemental affinity. There were three fire casters, two water casters, and one earth caster.

    The earth caster stepped forward as he conjured rocks into spike shapes. I counted at least thirty of them before I lost count. Aiming his palms in Yukina¡¯s direction, he hurled them towards her. She didn¡¯t even bother evading the barrage as she charged at him. I could clearly follow her movements, unlike before. It seemed she was purposely not using her speed stillbring. She parried some of the spike-shaped rocks while the rest hit her body but couldn¡¯t pierce her. When she got within striking distance of her assailant, he conjured a stone wall from beneath him to stop her blow.

    The earth caster was skilled, transforming the earth wall into spikes and launching it at Yukina immediately after blocking her blow. At the same time, all three fire casters unleashed fireballs toward her. She materialized behind the earth caster in the flash-like maneuver she had executed when she beheaded the first guy. He tried to create another earth wall, but he was too late as she drove a sword through his back. Without wasting any time, she charged toward the fire casters, and within a blink, she was bombarded with a barrage of fireballs.

    I had already forgotten that I was not just a spectator in the fight but also a participant, and I was reminded when an ice spike grazed my neck. I felt blood trickle slowly from my neck as my heartbeat increased tenfold. Though I was a little disoriented, I still managed to unsheathe my sword.

    The water casters prioritized me, while Yukina was preoccupied with the fire casters. I wished I could tell them that I was nowhere near as strong as Yukina, but that would make it easier for them to attack me since they seemed to cautiously approach me. One hurled a torrent of ice toward me while the other fired water bombs. Luckily, I used the tree behind me as cover. I didn¡¯t know what to do, as it was apparent that my sword skills were useless in a long-range fight.

    Before I could organize my thoughts, I saw an ice spear approaching me head-on. One of the water casters seemed to notice that I was much weaker than Yukina and approached me with killing intent. Tilting my head to the left saved my life as the ice spear hit the tree and shattered, generating tremors that sent vibrations throughout my body. I honestly didn¡¯t know how I was able to instantly dodge that attack, but that wasn¡¯t my concern at the moment. With an ice sword in her hand, she lunged in an attempt to stab me. I parried her attack, which made her lose her footing. Taking advantage of her wobbly stance, I side-stepped to my right and thrust my sword into her midriff.

    I saw the disbelief in her eyes as she coughed up blood. Tears flowed freely from her eyes, and I could readily tell she didn¡¯t want to die. Although she was an enemy who, moments prior, would have killed me without thinking twice, I couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for her.

    I heard Yukina scream my name. I lifted my face and saw a barrage of ice spikes launched toward me. There was no way I could escape from them in time. Instinctively, I tossed the caster, whom I had just stabbed towards the ice spikes for damage control, as I closed my eyes and hoped for the best. I could feel some cold stinging on my left arm and leg. I knew I had been hit, but all my vital spots were spared. The water caster dropped to the floor, taking most of the damage. It was evident that she was dead.

    When the caster who launched the ice spikes saw that she had failed to kill me, she fled. Yukina didn¡¯t bother going after her; she was more concerned about my condition.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± she asked me.

    I looked at the spikes that hit me. There were three in total; one on my arm, the other on my thigh, and the last on my calf.

    ¡°I think I will be fine,¡± I replied, mustering a smile.

    With a sigh of relief, Yukina pulled me to her chest.

    ¡°Thank goodness you are safe.¡±

 3. THE FALX

    ¡°Ouch,¡± I groaned, gritting my teeth in response to the pain I felt as Yukina tended to my wounds.

    ¡°You did well in your fight; your instincts were sharp¡­.¡±

    ¡°Still useless,¡± I remarked, cutting her speech short.

    ¡°I could tell that the casters that attacked us were at most augmented-class casters, and I was pretty much helpless against them.¡±

    I wanted to yell and vent my frustrations, but what good would that do? What happened earlier was an eye-opener for me. Having faced a glimpse of reality, my once optimistic self became a shadow of itself. Every confidence I had fled from me as I learned the hard way that I could still easily get killed, even with Yukina by my side. I wanted to get stronger, but I didn''t know how to do that. My sword skills, which I had spent the last four years of my life honing, proved insufficient.

    Yukina stood up and walked away from me; maybe what I said got her angry, but I didn''t dare ask her if she was. I tried to weigh my options but didn''t even have enough.

    The rattling sound that the bodies created as Yukina dragged them over the floor attracted my attention as she piled them up in one corner.

    ¡°You know, it''s not late. You could still ride back to Stafford tomorrow and do whatever you see fit; hopefully one day, your Feel might finally manifest and you could go back to your father.¡±

    When she was done with the bodies, she washed her hands and face with water from a canteen one of the casters carried.

    I was helpless, sad, and angry at the same time as tears flowed in trickles down my cheeks. I did my best not to sniffle, so she wouldn''t notice that I was crying, wiping the tears from my eyes with my palm. She finally settled into sleep, using her backpack to support her head and wrapping her body in a blanket. I wasn''t feeling sleepy, not even a bit. I still sat gazing at the fire, which was now burning dimly. I tucked a few sticks into the fire to rekindle it.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay to feel frustrated and angry, I totally get it and if I were in your shoes, I would feel the same.¡±

    Her voice startled me, as I was expecting her to be fast asleep. I couldn''t hide the tears in my eyes; it was apparent that she had already seen them.

    ¡°But a win is a win, no matter how little or undeserving it may appear to be. Tonight, you faced a real opponent, and you won. That''s all that matters, so instead of being upset about things you can''t control, take positives from the ones you can and continuously aim to improve on them.¡±

    The sound of her voice was calm and soothing. I had almost forgotten I was injured.

    ¡°Do you believe in fate? I do. I believe we are part of something big and all we need to do is to search for our place. Get some sleep. We have a long day tomorrow.¡±

    She turned on her side when she was done talking, and it was apparent that she was finally going to sleep.

    ¡°Fate? Let''s see.¡±

    I prepared my makeshift bed, albeit I struggled a little as I had to use one hand to set it up. Lying on my back and staring at the moonlit sky full of stars, I slowly drifted to sleep.

    * * *

    I woke up to the sound of chirping birds before I heard Yukina''s voice.

    ¡°Hope you had a good night¡¯s sleep.¡±

    I turned in Yukina''s direction as she was already packing her backpack.

    ¡°How are your wounds?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Wow, what did you do? I can barely feel any pain,¡± I remarked, genuinely astonished.

    ¡°The ointment I applied to it is a very rare and powerful one; only houses like Choryth could be in possession of one. Try not to get injured often or else you will be covered in scars.¡±

    ¡°Point taken,¡± I replied.

    I packed up my belongings and was ready to head out.

    ¡°What about the bodies?¡± I asked with concern.

    ¡°Don''t worry, I left a note for whoever finds them. No one would dare to ask why a respected member of the Choryth house killed her assailants.¡±

    ¡°I guess you didn''t have your privileges revoked,¡± I teased, and with a faint smile across her face, she replied,

    ¡°No, I didn''t.¡±

    We mounted our horses and rode away at a trotting pace towards the Ausbane forest.

    ¡°I noticed something during your fight against those casters. Does it mean you can''t use two or more stillbrings at a time?¡±

    ¡°You are very observant, I will give it to you and no, at least not yet. I am still working on it. Though it''s incredibly difficult, I don''t think it''s impossible. That''s the reason battle instinct matters a lot. You have to know when and what abilities to use, or else even with any kind of powers you''ve got, you could still come up short.¡±

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    I nodded my head in approval, wondering how she was able to react instantly to every attack thrown at her with the ideal stillbring to match the situation. She wasn''t just strong but experienced too.

    The trees around us became more condensed as everywhere around us had a shade of green. There was no denying that we had reached Ausbane Forest.

    ¡°What do you know about this forest?¡± Yukina asked me as we rode deeper.

    ¡°From the books I''ve read, I know the forest is home to many mysterious creatures that have weird abilities. One book claimed that there are shape-shifting creatures residing in the forest, but besides that, I think it''s just a normal forest.¡±

    ¡°Something doesn''t sit right about this forest, but what''s even more weird is that nobody seems to notice it.¡± Yukina said.

    ¡°What''s odd about it?¡±

    ¡°There must be a reason why the forest is home to uncanny creatures. Hopefully we would get a glimpse of it.¡±

    ¡°Although you might be making some sense, I don''t really think there is. I mean, guilds send their members here often and many adventure parties traverse the forest. Don''t you think someone would have found out if there was something really special about it?¡± I queried.

    ¡°Maybe I''m just being overly optimistic, but we are here nonetheless, so let''s make the most of it.¡±

    We ventured deeper into the forest until we came upon a brook.

    ¡°Finally!¡± Yukina exclaimed cheerfully as she unmounted from her horse.

    ¡°Let''s wash up and fill our canteens. My body is already reeking,¡± she continued.

    ¡°I will scout the area while you have your bath.¡±

    As tempting as it was, I had to show some respect towards Yukina, as any gentleman would.

    She swiveled to face me,

    ¡°Are you joking right now? I can''t have you out of my sight, at least for security reasons.¡±

    ¡°But¡­.¡± I muttered in some sort of protest.

    ¡°Just close your eyes until I am inside the water.¡±

    I tried my best not to peek at her while she undressed. It was somewhat of a form of torture because it took a toll on my mental strength. I heard the water splash, so I finally opened my eyes. Her head slowly emerged from the water; her blonde hair, now loosened, glistened like it was sun-lit as she wiped her face with her hands. Unfortunately, all that was visible were her head and hands.

    After spending quite some time in the stream, she was done bathing. I had a quick bath, and we set out, continuing our venture into the forest when I was done.

    Our journey was beginning to seem uneventful. We came across different creatures that either fled or hid as we approached them. Just as I was about to take my mind off the dangers that the forest might present, I felt a powerful jolt, which sent both me and my horse flying in different directions. Thankfully, my fall was cushioned by a bed of soft twigs and vines.

    Reacting almost instantly, I stood up to see what was behind my fall, and the sight before me made my heart skip five beats. A giant humanoid figure with a wolf-like head stood at least seven feet tall and bore enormous curved horns. It had very long arms with vicious-looking claws, each as long as a short dagger and likely as sharp. It was entirely shredded, wearing a very thin skin that exposed every muscle in its body. Its eyes were blood-red, and its mouth had two long canines jutting from it.

    ¡°A falx¡­.¡± I mumbled in a trembling voice. I had read about them once, but never believed they existed, as I thought they were just folktale creatures. Seeing one, it was pretty evident I had tough luck, but considering the fact that it was my horse that suffered the strike from the heinous-looking creature, maybe I was still lucky after all because I would have been long-dead if the roles were reversed.

    ¡°Over here, you bastard!¡± I heard Yukina scream, but it completely ignored her and walked toward me. Not much was noted about the creature, so I didn''t know much about it. The truth was, I only saw it once in a drawing which stated that the creature was called a falx. I''ve never heard stories of adventurers coming across the creature, so why did I happen to be the one to encounter it?

    I watched the falx lunge towards me, and in a quick reflex, I dived away from its projectile. I saw Yukina jumping on its back with her swords pointing directly at its neck.

    I smirked.

    ¡°It¡¯s over.¡±

    The smirk was suddenly washed away almost instantly as I watched in horror; the falx, with a back arm swing, sent Yukina flying and crashing onto a tree trunk. Her sword couldn''t pierce it. Yukina was coughing and puffing as she struggled to stand, but I knew she would be okay. My priority was to run. I had to find a way to escape and hope that Yukina would find a way to beat the falx because a single blow from it would most definitely spell my doom.

    Collecting myself, I searched for any path I could run to and hide, but I was late. With a roar from the falx, I quickly unsheathed my sword, not sure about my next line of action.

    I saw its right arm swinging towards me, just about to give me a deathly gash. Suddenly, something felt weird. My vision blurred as everything seemed to disappear. Everywhere around me appeared grey as the atmosphere felt heavy and condensed, almost viscous. Though I didn''t see the falx as it should have appeared naturally, its silhouette created some sort of distortion in the atmosphere as black flames evaporated every part of its body.

    ¡°What is this? Is this the Feel? No it can''t be.¡±

    Yukina once told me that when the Feel is activated, there is a constant spark-like sensation all over the body, but I wasn''t experiencing that. Instead, some sort of warmth radiated all over my body. I could have sworn that maybe I had inhaled a hallucinogen and was suffering from its after-effects, but my mind was as clear as day.

    I couldn''t tell or understand what I was seeing or why I started seeing it at that moment, but it appeared to work in my favor. I saw the flames condensing on the falx''s arm as it approached me, but it seemed slow, like it was acting against some sort of resistance from the viscous-like atmosphere. It looked pretty easy; I just had to dodge it.

    Unfortunately, it was easier said than done. I was stupid enough to assume that somehow, I wouldn''t be affected by the viscosity of the atmosphere. I just had to arch my torso to avoid the falx, but it wasn''t proving easy. I was arching, but it was unfolding unbelievably slowly before my eyes. Gathering all the might I could muster, I finally arched just in time to avoid the sharp claws of the falx, which appeared as a silhouette.

    I could see black flames condensing in its other arm almost immediately. I could quickly tell from experience that it was preparing to strike again. Predicting the pattern from which the flames coalesced and how the silhouette was shaped, I started to prepare another maneuver on time. I didn''t need to put in much effort to move my body through the viscous-like atmosphere because I began to move just in time, leaning my body more towards the right and, once again, avoiding the claws of the falx.

    I saw another silhouette appearing to the left of the falx¡¯s silhouette. From its shape, I could easily tell that it was Yukina''s. She was covered in flames that shone blue, unlike the falx. There was a dense concentration of flames around her arm, which she used to land a blow on the falx, hurling it above the ground and sending it flying.

 4. GREY DOMAIN

    Yukina shot me a surprised look as though she was staring at a completely different person.

    ¡°H-How did you do that? How were you able to avoid two consecutive strikes from the creature at such close range? I was so scared. Just how?¡± She asked me while checking my body to see if I had sustained any injuries.

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­.¡±

    ¡°Svan, your eyes, what happened to them?¡± she asked.

    Her expression was a fine blend of awe and horror as she stared at my face.

    ¡°What?¡±

    Another roar interrupted our conversation. The falx was charging again.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how we are going to beat that thing; my sword can¡¯t pierce it, and it seems like it¡¯s able to withstand a direct blow from me.¡±

    Feeling the presence of the falx close to me, everywhere changed once again as everything appeared in grey shadows. Yukina engaged the falx again, prompting me to step out of their path as they both traded blows, with none bulging.

    The silhouettes of the falx, covered in blackish flames, and Yukina''s, in a bluish one, clashed as they produced vibrations that distorted the viscous-like atmosphere. It was almost as if I could see their intent and the energy they produced and dissipated as they fought. The falx''s silhouette made another attempt to hit Yukina''s, but this time she didn¡¯t take the blow; instead, she moved.

    Her movement wasn¡¯t slow; it was almost like the viscous barrier had no effect on her. It was evident that she used her speed stillbring, but my eyes were able to follow her clearly.

    In a precise succession of movements, she side-stepped to her right and sprinted in a half-arc, bringing her to the falx''s rear. With a single step on its back, she propelled herself upwards.

    I could see blue flames coalescing in her arms while she descended. As everything was unfolding, the falx didn¡¯t move or, rather, was still reacting to her initial movement as the viscous-like atmosphere provided a much-needed resistance. Yukina descended on its back, landing a blow on its head, but nothing much changed. The falx seemed a little shaken but was back to normal almost instantly.

    The blow Yukina landed on the falx made me notice something. The silhouette of the falx, which was supposed to be completely covered in black flames, was lighter, almost grey, where its eyes were situated.

    That was it. That had to be its weak spot. For a moment, I wanted to tell Yukina to go for its eyes, but I didn¡¯t. I wasn¡¯t even sure if she could hear me in this state, and I wasn¡¯t sure if my assumption about its eyes were correct, but I had to do something at least.

    I gathered strength and pushed forward towards the falx. It felt like I was waddling, but I knew, in reality, I was running at a full sprint. The falx ignored Yukina and charged toward me.

    ¡°It¡¯s just a primal beast,¡± I thought to myself,

    ¡°The most it could do is to lunge, strike or bite.¡±

    I saw black flames condensing at its feet. It was evident that it was preparing to lunge. I quickly looked around and saw a gray upright silhouette between me and the falx, and I could easily tell it was a tree. While the falx dived towards me, I ran towards the tree, stepped on it, and leaped, just as I saw Yukina do, but this time, I somersaulted sideways towards the falx¡¯s direction. I was sure that in reality, I wouldn''t have been able to do what I just did, but somehow, doing it in this state was easy.

    The falx missed me. I could see its head turning in my direction while still diving forward. It appeared as though the viscous-like atmosphere was cushioning my landing. Holding my sword in a reverse grip, I focused on its eyes. I tried to push myself down so I wouldn''t miss the falx, and thankfully, I made it just in time. My sword pierced its left eye, and without hesitating, I drew out my pocket knife and stabbed its right eye, sending both of us crashing to the ground in what seemed like a thud, as I could see the vibrations our fall created. Instantly, everything went back to normal.

    YUKINA AYLING

    I struggled to believe what I was seeing as I watched Svan charge towards the falx.

    ¡°Svan, don¡¯t!¡± I screamed, but he wasn¡¯t listening to me; he didn¡¯t even look in my direction as he charged forward.

    ¡°This is suicide,¡± I muttered, cursing under my breath.

    I wanted to do something, anything, but I felt glued to the ground. I couldn''t move. I was already beginning to shed tears as the creature got closer to him. It was becoming apparent that Svan would die because just a single blow from that creature was enough to kill him.

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    Shockingly, I saw him step on a tree and leap, somersaulting as he hurled himself in the air. It was a breathtaking sight as I thought the creature had gotten hold of him, but he was able to react just in time. In the blink of an eye, he drove his sword into the creature¡¯s eye as they crashed to the ground.

    ¡°What just happened?¡± I asked myself as I ran towards them.

    The creature lay motionless as blood oozed from its eyes. Its other eye was stabbed with a pocket knife, but I didn''t notice when that event occurred. Svan was smiling as he lay on top of the creature, and when he saw me, he said,

    ¡°Yukina, I did it. I killed the falx.¡±

    Falx? The creature was called a falx. If he knew the creature, then he must have known how to kill it. I was furious.

    ¡°Do you want to die so badly? You could have just told me its weakness and saved us all this trouble. What the hell were you thinking?¡±

    Even though I was angry, I was glad he was alive, at least.

    ¡°I mean, you could have died,¡± I said in a much calmer tone as I wiped the tears off my eyes.

    Svan still stared wordlessly at me. He was no longer smiling. Instead, he wore a somewhat disappointed face.

    ¡°Your eyes. They are blue just like mine. What happened to them?¡± I asked as I tried to help him get up, but he knocked off my hand.

    He tried to get up on his own, but he winced in pain as he collapsed back onto the body of the falx. He was mad at me.

    ¡°I am sorry I scolded you. I just don''t want you to take unnecessary risks that could put your life in danger when there are much better alternatives.¡±

    ¡°Then how would I get stronger if I don''t take those risks? Should I just watch you do everything like some helpless child waiting to be spoon-fed?¡±

    Both of us remained silent for a moment until Svan broke it.

    ¡°I didn''t charge towards the falx because I wanted to prove a point or something, and I don''t even know much about it. I once saw a picture, and the creature in the picture, which resembles this one here, was called Falx. Nothing else was said about it.¡±

    ¡°Okay, so how did you know striking it in the eye would kill it?¡± I asked him.

    ¡°I don''t know. I am as confused as you are. Something weird happened to me. I could see things and I don''t have the right words to explain it.¡±

    ¡°That would explain your blue eyes, but your movements were sharp and precise. One could confuse them for a stillbring. Try explaining it to me. Maybe I might have an idea.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s difficult to explain, but when the falx attacked, everywhere changed like I was here but wasn''t at the same time. Nothing was clear. Everything appeared as silhouettes. The air was heavy, almost fluid. It was difficult to move freely, so everything appeared to move slowly. I could even keep up with your movements when you used your speed stillbring and that was how I was able to evade attacks from the falx, but there was something else. While you fought the falx, your silhouette was covered in blue flames, and the falx''s was covered in black except its eyes, so I guessed its eyes were a weak spot.¡±

    Svan was right. Everything he said sounded foreign to me. I was sure that it wasn''t his Feel that manifested, it was something different, and we needed to understand it. I tried to help him get up once again, but he winced in pain.

    ¡°What''s the matter?¡±

    ¡°It feels like my body is on fire. It hurts a lot.¡±

    ¡°Now, that''s a problem,¡± I concluded as I watched him collapse to the ground for a second time.

    SVAN CHORYTH

    I was in a lot of pain. Every joint and muscle in my body was hurting like it was on fire. I was definitely suffering the backlash from all the stunts I had performed earlier. My body couldn''t handle the strain, but I wasn''t disappointed. It was all part of the learning curve, so I had to figure out a way to work around it.

    Yukina stood up to search for her bag as she retraced her steps to where she first came into contact with the falx, and after a short while of searching, she found it tucked under some green shrubs. She returned to where I was still lying and took out a potion from her bag.

    ¡°You came really prepared,¡± I teased her.

    ¡°Right? Because someone I know keeps on getting hurt,¡± she clapped back.

    She held my mouth with one hand and poured the bottle¡¯s content into my mouth with the other. Despite its awful stench and horrible taste, I chugged it down my throat and immediately felt sick in my stomach.

    ¡°You''d better not throw up if you want to get better,¡± she snarled at me.

    ¡°I¡¯m not, but what in the world is this?¡± I said in disgust, covering my mouth to avoid my breath, which was already reeking".

    ¡°It''s what you get for being careless,¡± Yukina replied as she got up.

    ¡°Rest a little. I¡¯ll search for the horses and survey the area.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I think I will just sleep. Wake me up when you get back.¡±

    There were many questions in my head, but unfortunately, there wasn''t anyone to answer them.

    ¡°What exactly was this new ability of mine? Why did it manifest when the falx appeared?¡±

    There has to be a reason for that. I might have an idea if I do extensive research on the falx. I was excited nonetheless.

    It was the first time I felt different, and even though I barely understood what kind of ability it was, I was confident that I would eventually get a grasp of it. The first task was to find a way to work around the backlash because I couldn''t afford to stay in my current state after every fight I would eventually encounter.

    Still lying, facing upwards and staring at giant canopies, I watched as a single leaf fell towards my face, swaying left and right as it continued its slow descent. It reminded me of movement in the grey domain as the leaf seemed to fall against some resistance. I decided to call that state ¡°grey domain¡± because only normal appeared grey there.

    The movement of the leaf made it seem like was something preventing its smooth fall. but there was nothing of such. It was its light weight that served as a hindrance.

    The theory was applicable in the grey domain. Maybe the viscous-like atmosphere was just an illusion, and the real barrier was my own body. It had limits. Yukina was able to break those limits with her stillbring. Although I didn''t have a stillbring, the grey domain granted me the ability to break certain physical barriers, even though it came with a price.

    ¡°That is it,¡± I said softly, smiling.

    There was hope for me. I thought that it was just my eyes, but there was much more to it.

    I heard footsteps approaching me. I could easily tell that they were Yukina''s.

    ¡°Your horse is dead and mine is nowhere to be found.¡±

    The sound of her voice clearly expressed her frustration.

    ¡°You should be feeling better now. Come on, let''s move.¡±

    To my surprise, I kicked my feet in the air, and the pain was gone.

 5. PAINLESS

    YUKINA AYLING

    The view was serene. The wind was so gentle and soothing; it felt like it could caress more than just the body. I never imagined a place could be this peaceful. I stood at one end of a short wooden bridge not more than four meters long, which ran perpendicular across a narrow creek. The bridge was connected to a pathway that spawned between two verdant hills with very gentle slopes. I couldn''t help but notice the unusual topography of the area. Naturally, the creek was expected to flow through the valley between the two hills, but instead, it flowed transverse to both of them.

    Across the bridge was some sort of wooden fence which ran adjacent to the creek, with its gate at the other end of the bridge. The fence had no guard post or personnel watching over it. It probably served as some sort of settlement demarcation.

    I walked past the bridge and through the gates. I followed the pathway. After a not-very-long walk, I got past the hills, and there was a settlement just in front of me, as I anticipated. I found myself smiling at the sight I beheld; children playing in the meadows, young men and women working in the fields, and the older ones in groups of little clusters, probably discussing irrelevant things.

    For a moment, I wished I had grown up in a place like, this but knowing the kind of person I was, it was certain that I wouldn''t last long here. It was almost as if I never liked normal; I was just not comfortable with it. There was always a desire to seek, disturb, and improve. Generally, I was never merely satisfied.

    I found myself standing in front of a cottage, but my attention was drawn to a little girl in the garden beside it. I wondered why she walked quietly towards the daffodils until I saw a butterfly take flight. She chased the butterfly as they went in circles around the garden.

    ¡°Is she really trying to catch a butterfly with her bare hands?¡± I asked myself, stifling a giggle.

    It wasn¡¯t long until a heavily pregnant woman came out of the cottage. She watched her daughter for a while before calling her.

    ¡°Sweetie, it¡¯s time to have your bath.¡±

    The little girl abandoned her butterfly chase and ran towards her mother, receiving a pat on the head as they both went inside.

    I woke up with tear-filled eyes.

    ¡°Why am I crying over a dream? This is weird,¡± I said, wiping the tears along with the sleep crust on my face. It was dawn, and Svan was still asleep, but it didn¡¯t matter. I had to start making preparations for the day.

    SVAN CHORYTH

    It was the third day in the forest. Besides the attack by the falx on the first day, our journey had been relatively uneventful and tiring. Our horses were gone, so we had to use our legs.

    ¡°Hey, get up. I want to get a taste of that new ability of yours,¡± Yukina said to me, nudging my thighs with her legs.

    ¡°There are other ways of waking someone up than kicking them,¡± I said in protest.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to kick you harder, you¡¯d better be on your feet.¡±

    I clumsily got up and reached for my sword, wondering why Yukina wanted to spar first thing in the morning. I was just getting used to the grey domain. The backlash was still there, but became less severe by the day. As much as I was tired and wanted to sleep more, I was proud that at least Yukina was eager to spar with me.

    ¡°I won¡¯t hold back,¡± she said as she ran at me at a frightening speed.

    Reacting to her onslaught, I switched to the grey domain. Movement in the grey domain had become easier, and the experience was quite different from what I had imagined. At first, I thought that maybe I needed some kind of help or that I might just manifest another type of ability that would help me move around freely in the domain, but that wasn¡¯t the case. It was more like, the more I used it, the more comfortable I got with it. It was more like I was bending it to my will.

    Two days of using the domain yielded improvements, but sadly, those improvements were limited to merely movements. I didn¡¯t want to get ahead of myself; a gradual pace was good enough for me.

    I immediately saw Yukina¡¯s silhouette in front of me. Her movements were by no means dull as she turned medially. Blue flames condensed in her right arm; she was going to slash in a back-arm swing. I had already anticipated all of it before she could even execute it. Carefully placing my sword, I held it downwards to meet the impact of her blow, but the strike never came.

    I had underestimated Yukina, forgetting that she was an elite fighter. I was certain that blue flames condensed in her right arm, and her stance indicated an imminent strike. But she didn¡¯t. It was a bluff. Rather than striking, she side-flipped, repositioning herself to my left and landing in a crouching stance.

    Blue flames condensed on both her arms, so I couldn¡¯t predict which one she would strike me with first. I decided to initiate an attack in order to control the flow of the fight rather than being on the defensive end.

    I attacked, swinging my sword in her direction, but she was ready, blocking my sword with both of hers. We stayed in the same position for a brief moment until she parried my sword away. I was sure she used a bit of her strength stillbring in executing it, as I found myself a little wobbly. Seizing the opportunity, she pressed forward, slashing with one sword. I was barely able to avoid it, arching backwards, but Yukina wasn¡¯t slowing down.

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    ¡°How is she this good? Grey domain is supposed to give me some sort of advantage,¡± I bemoaned.

    Yukina was very precise. She knew just when to apply a particular stillbring to her advantage, and I couldn¡¯t help but wonder how insane it would be when she would be able to use two or all stillbrings at the same time.

    There was only so much movement I could perform; my body was made of bones and muscles, not some elastic material that was all flexible. I was just able to avoid her sword by arching backwards, and almost immediately, she switched her stance and sent a round kick that was coming straight to my arched back.

    ¡°Fuck!¡±

    I could clearly see her legs approaching my back, but there was nothing I could do about it. It wasn¡¯t like I could suddenly reverse the motion I was already in. The kick landed squarely on my back. It definitely packed a punch as it sent me flying. I was expecting a painful response from the kick , but I didn¡¯t receive any.

    ¡°I can¡¯t feel any pain.¡±

    I was a little ecstatic about my most recent discovery, but it had its cons. For starters, it could take away the element of cautiousness, thus making me careless in a fight. Most importantly, I couldn¡¯t stay in the grey domain forever, so whenever I returned to reality, the pain would always be waiting for me with open arms. At that moment, the pain could wait. I just had to find a way to stop Yukina.

    I didn¡¯t want to crash-land. I couldn¡¯t afford to incur more damage, as I didn¡¯t even know how much damage Yukina had done. The viscous-like atmosphere made my flight slow, almost like it didn¡¯t want me to in the first place. I could move. It wasn¡¯t like moments ago when I felt helpless because I couldn¡¯t perform an antagonistic movement. I just had to move my body in the same direction I was propelled in, and thanks to the much-needed resistance the atmosphere provided, it was possible.

    I front-flipped and landed on the ground with my feet wide apart, one knee flexed, the other extended outwards, with one arm on the floor and the other away from my body. A classic three-point landing. It was a sublime recovery, very much needed, and I couldn¡¯t have asked for a better one. Judging by the fact that Yukina didn¡¯t press on with her attack, she was almost certain that the fight was supposed to be over.

    Everything was fine until I remembered that I wasn¡¯t with my sword. It probably fell when Yukina kicked me. I was already fighting a losing battle from the beginning, and with my sword gone, it was lost already.

    I turned around and watched as Yukina¡¯s silhouette walked toward me. Its demeanor was calm, a calm that was frightening. I couldn¡¯t tell what she was about to do next, so I just had to wait until she launched her next attack. I steeled myself and clenched my fists even though I knew that any blow, if I landed any, wouldn''t hurt her.

    I noticed she dropped her swords. That was honorable coming from her. I let out a sigh of relief but still expected an attack from her. She drew closer, but I didn¡¯t dare strike first. The last time I did, I received a kick that might have probably done a lot of damage to my back. An unsettling feeling welled up inside me as my heart thudded in my chest. It felt like it was sinking all the way down to my gut. I was scared.

    I could see blue flames condensing on both of her legs, but she was definitely not in striking range, which made me wonder what she was up to. In an instant, she closed the distance between us.

    ¡°She got faster,¡± I said, gritting my teeth.

    I was barely able to keep up with her sudden increase in speed. Paying full attention to her every move was the best thing I could do for myself at the moment. She slid underneath me at that pace when she got within striking distance. I turned immediately, as backing her would be the worst of ideas, and before I knew what was going on, she launched her left knee toward me, aiming for my face, precisely my jaw. I was just in time to counter with my hands, trying to press her knee downwards with both of my palms. My arms jerked and my wrists felt like they were shattered, but it was just sufficient to keep her knee away from my face. She followed up rapidly, planting her left foot on the floor and striking an upward kick with her right.

    Again, I managed to block as her foot met my elbow. I thought I had an opening. Her torso was open, I struck with my other hand with all my might, but she didn¡¯t block or defend against it. She let me hit her on purpose. Seizing that opportunity, she shot me a kick, striking low and hard at my shin.

    Though I didn¡¯t feel any pain whatsoever, I felt my leg jerk and lose a bit of momentum. I tried to recover from her strike as quickly as possible, but I wasn¡¯t given a chance. With a front kick landing on my stomach, I was sent flying again. My flight was low. I wasn¡¯t able to think of any moves to salvage my crash, but I was just able to cushion it well enough in a way that didn¡¯t look too bad.

    Funny, I knew that Yukina wouldn¡¯t do anything to put me in harm¡¯s way, but I still couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of fear that overwhelmed me. I felt her hands pat my head. Still unsure, but it seemed like the fight was probably over, so I let my guard down and switched out of the grey domain.

    I expected a strong backlash, but surprisingly none came, or was reduced to dull aches. Even the kick that would have supposedly broken my spine didn¡¯t. I felt a little pain, but that was it. My wrist and shin also seemed fine. I tried so hard to contain my excitement, and even so, it felt like I was going to implode from it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of abilities you have or how it works, but I can say one thing for sure, you are getting stronger.¡±

    I didn¡¯t even know how to respond to Yukina¡¯s compliment. I was proud of myself. Even though it was obvious that Yukina would have beaten the shit out of me if she wanted to. I was improving, and that was all that mattered.

    ¡°I noticed something. Your abilities seem to be reflected in your eyes.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡± I asked with enthusiasm.

    ¡°The last time you fought against that creature you called the falx, your eyes shone blue, but during our session, a purple ring appeared over your pupil. Did you notice any changes?¡±

    ¡°Really? ¡­. mmmh, nothing much changed, just that the aftermath pain subsided a lot. But on a serious note, did you plan on incapacitating me? I mean, those kicks were not funny.¡±

    Yukina giggled.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I guess I was a little carried away.¡±

    ¡°Ha, you can¡¯t be serious. Sparing with you is the closest thing to a death match, but it¡¯s not bad anyway, at least I get to improve.¡±

    I yawned as I went back to my makeshift bed.

    ¡°Can I sleep a little? I¡¯m still feeling sleepy,¡± I said to Yukina, wrapping myself in a blanket.

    Yukina sat beside me.

    ¡°Do you miss home?¡± she asked, soft-spoken.

    ¡°Probably not,¡± I replied in a low voice.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what my home looks like or who my parents are but strangely enough, I miss home and I miss my parents. I think I have been lying to myself for so long. In truth, I want to find them, and if they are dead, I want to know about them. I think it will bring some sort of comfort to my conflicted life.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s do just that. Anywhere you go, I will follow.¡±

    Yukina smiled. That beautiful smile across her face conveyed a feeling of warmth.

    ¡°You should smile more often. You are beautiful when you smile.¡±

    Her smile broadened.

    ¡°I think you should sleep now. I will wake you soon because we need to move.¡±

 6. UNSETTLING CALM

    I woke up to the incessant tapping on my back. Yukina was gentle this time around. At least it was better and more humane than kicking me. It was time to go. Though I was grateful that she allowed me ample time to sleep, I wondered what she was doing while I slept. I quickly packed my stuff and got prepared. I didn¡¯t want to take more time than I already had, and we started off. While we walked, I decided to have a little conversation with Yukina.

    ¡°How do you think I would fare against Evren if I went up against her?¡±

    Yukina chuckled.

    ¡°She would beat the shit out of you.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know what was funny about what she said, but I sure was laughing.

    ¡°I knew it,¡± I murmured amidst my laughter.

    ¡°Yukina was as blunt as always. She didn¡¯t paint her words. Just getting straight to the point was her priority.

    ¡°What¡¯s funny?¡± she asked.

    Looking at her face, I knew she was trying hard not to laugh. My laughter seemed to be contagious.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know, I just think the way you answered was funny,¡± I replied.

    ¡°I was just stating facts, but you aren¡¯t bad given that a few days ago, I would have beaten you without using my stillbring but now, I need them to get the job done.¡±

    She took in a long deep breath and let it out.

    ¡°Evren is a lightning deviant. The last time I sparred with her, I found it difficult to keep up with her lightning, and she didn¡¯t even have complete mastery over it then.¡±

    I had always known that Yukina bested Evren, but I didn¡¯t think she always found it challenging.

    ¡°You know what a Feel realm is, right?¡± she asked.

    Supporting my jaw with my thumb and index finger,

    ¡°Ummm, yes and no. I mean, I know it¡¯s a powerful ability that deviants possess, but I don¡¯t really know the details of it,¡± I replied.

    ¡°Bearing that in mind, imagine fighting Evren in her Feel realm cushioned with lightning. Do you think you would survive it even with your current abilities?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    ¡°To make matters even worse, she still has more room for development, and with her current pace, it won¡¯t be long for her to become a chaos-class caster like your father,¡±

    ¡°You sound like you are jealous of her,¡± I said to Yukina.

    She looked at me and smiled,

    ¡°Of course I am. Left to me, I would have preferred to be a caster. It looks much cooler than being a stillbringer.¡±

    ¡°But not all casters are like Father and Evren; there are just a handful of deviants in all of Stavren, let alone chaos class,¡± I said to her, trying to remind her that she was exceptional in her own way.

    ¡°I am a threefold stillbringer and there are only four of us in all of Stavren. The world doesn¡¯t revolve around Stavren. Out there, I am certain that we will get to experience things that would be literally impossible to believe, and hopefully, those experiences will make us get stronger. Take yourself as an example.¡±

    Yukina was right; I had to free myself from my narrow-minded ideology and try to look at a bigger picture.

    ¡°So how were you able to beat her even with her Feel realm and lightning?¡± I asked.

    She turned and gave me the exact same smile as earlier,

    ¡°Because I am Yukina.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but smile back at her; she was definitely Yukina. Maybe it was because of how close I was to her that I often tended to forget how strong she was, constantly reminded every time I watched her fight. A feeling I would probably never get used to.

    I kept on pondering Yukina¡¯s words. She was a straightforward person yet very difficult to understand, but I could say one thing for sure; she was obsessed with getting stronger. It was fair, given that not just in Stavren but the empire as a whole, one¡¯s strength was their most valuable asset. It was the main factor that distinguished Houses from each other, that gave a person status, wealth, and power. Sadly, It was almost like the weak had no place in the society. Even I, the supposed heir to the Choryth House, was stripped of those privileges because I showed no potential, strength-wise.

    I could have concluded that she was only interested in getting stronger, but from what she said to me, she was also searching for her family, which made me wonder what her priorities were. It didn¡¯t end there because she was also looking after me.

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    I sighed,

    ¡°I wish I am as goal-driven as you are,¡± I said in whispers.

    She didn¡¯t hear me clearly, though I never intended her to do so.

    ¡°Did you say anything?¡± she asked.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡±

    We continued our walk all day long, stopping at intervals to rest and eat until it was finally dark. Something caught our attention. A lit campfire. Not more than a hundred meters away from us. It was evident that someone or a group of people had set camp there. It¡¯d been three days and two nights since we entered the forest, and we never came across anyone, but the third night had other options for us.

    ¡°I think we should just leave this area and set camp somewhere else,¡± I said to Yukina in hushed whispers.

    ¡°I think that¡¯s a good idea, we¡­.¡±

    Yukina was cut short by the rustling sound of crunched leaves. Without hesitation, she pulled her sword and swung it in the direction of the noise.

    ¡°Whoa, relax, I am unarmed,¡± a masculine voice said from the shadows.

    Still pointing her sword in his direction,

    ¡°Step out!¡±

    The shadowy figure gradually became clearer until I could easily make out its details. The man stood before us, with Yukina''s sword aimed directly at his throat.

    ¡°Why are you stalking us?¡± Yukina asked him.

    ¡°I could say the same to you guys watching my camp from this distance. Are you guys planning on attacking us, perhaps stealing from us?¡±

    We were left speechless. He wasn¡¯t in the wrong, but how on earth did he know that we were watching them, and how was he able to sneak up on us? Three of us stood wordlessly as I searched for the right words to deny his accusation. It was true that we were watching their camp, but that was because their campfire gave it away, so we got a bit curious.

    ¡°Anyone in our shoes would have done the same, and besides, if we were planning on attacking you, I don¡¯t think you would still have your head on your neck,¡± Yukina said to him.

    The stranger nodded in approval,

    ¡°If you say so, you are invited to join us for the night,¡± he said, lowering his raised hand.

    ¡°Did he just say us?¡± I questioned myself.

    That was more reasonable because I was beginning to wonder if he was solo.

    ¡°I am Fio. What about you guys?¡±

    I could see the reluctance on Yukina¡¯s face to make an acquaintance with him. That was totally understandable, but from the look of things, it seemed like he meant no harm.

    ¡°Alright, we will go with you.¡± Yukina concluded, sheathing her sword. ¡°Lead the way.¡±

    We walked wordlessly until we got to their camp. It had two pitched tents, and two other people seated by the fire tending to the meat being roasted over it. All three of them wore similar clothing. It was more like a thick oversized cossack with high and round collars. The collars were wide, spawning from shoulder to shoulder and looked cool. They wore matching slacks that were oversized too, which were tucked into boots that touched their knees.

    ¡°What¡¯s with everyone and wearing black outfits?¡± I asked myself.

    The first group of people we met that made an attempt on our lives were all dressed in black. This group was a bit less scary; at least, their faces weren¡¯t covered.

    ¡°This is Vixra,¡± he said, pointing at the only female amongst them, ¡°and this is Crit, they are siblings.¡±

    I could tell, even without him mentioning it. Their resemblance was striking as their close-set eyes, and straight noses were characteristic. All three of them looked like they were around Yukina¡¯s age. Maybe differences of three years at most, give or take.

    There was still no response from us, just awkward glances.

    ¡°You guys didn¡¯t say what your names were. Come on, don¡¯t be stiff,¡± he urged as he scratched his head, wearing what seemed to be a forced smile.

    ¡°We¡¯ve gotten this far already,¡± I muttered to myself.

    ¡°I am Svan,¡± I finally said, turning in Yukina¡¯s direction and giving her an expectant look.

    ¡°Yukina,¡± she said in a cold and dismissive tone.

    Fio offered us seats by the fire, so I sat beside Yukina.

    ¡°So what brings you guys to Ausbane forest?¡± Fio asked.

    ¡°This guy is sure chatty,¡± I whispered to Yukina, and she nodded in affirmation.

    ¡°I would let you do the talking with him, He is beginning to really irk me,¡± Yukina whispered back to me.

    Fio was left taking quick glances between Yukina and me, waiting for a reply to his question. What reply was I even going to give him? I didn¡¯t even know what we were doing in the forest in the first place because I was just following Yukina''s lead.

    ¡°Oh, about that. We are here to collect horns of the northern stag.¡±

    Lying was so much easier than telling the truth. It was a good thing that I read many books because in situations like this, they really came in handy.

    The northern stag was a rare animal only found in the Ausbane forest, and because Ausbane is situated in the northeastern part of Stavren, the stag was named the northern stag. It was distinguished from its species because not only that its horns were complexly branched, they had a blood-red color. The horns of the stag were the most sought-after item by every apothecary in all of Stavren. Word has it that it has very potent medicinal properties.

    I could tell by the expression on his face that Fio seemed displeased with my answer.

    ¡°Keep hunting those stags and they will be no more.¡±

    At least he believed me. I didn''t care if he was annoyed because I claimed to be hunting down the northern stag. After all, he was the one bothering us with his questions. In the blink of an eye, his facial expression changed again to a more lively one, wearing a smile.

    ¡°This guy is crazy.¡±

    ¡°What about you guys? What brings you guys here?¡± I asked him.

    ¡°Well, we are¡­.¡±

    Fio was interrupted as Vixra, who hadn''t spoken a single word since we arrived at their camp, said to me,

    ¡°Here,¡± she said, handing me a plate of meat and some vegetables.

    Too surprised to speak, I stammered my way through a thank you. She went round, passing food to each of us before settling for hers. Even the tempting aroma the meal gave off didn¡¯t stop us from acting with caution. Yukina and I waited until all three of them started eating before we did.

    It seemed like Fio lost interest in conversing with us as we didn¡¯t reciprocate any willingness to do so, and when he was done eating, he announced that he was going to sleep. He didn¡¯t get to tell me what their mission in the forest was. Maybe it was better that way, as we would be on our separate ways come the morrow.

    After he went to sleep, Crit followed not long after, so we were left with Vixra. She was staring intently at the fire like she was watching something really important.

    ¡°This one gives me creeps,¡± Yukina whispered to me.

    I almost burst out laughing, but I did my best to hold it in. She just said how I felt about Vixra. After staring at the fire for quite some time, she walked up to me and squatted, focusing her gaze on my eyes. Yukina¡¯s protective instinct kicked in, shoving me behind her as she stood between Vixra and me .

    ¡°You¡¯ve got any problems with us?¡±

    Vixra didn¡¯t respond as she slowly got up, looking at Yukina with an awkward smile. She turned around towards the direction of her tent,

    ¡°Goodnight,¡± she said as she walked away.

 7. THE STORM

    It had to be the worst night¡¯s sleep of my life if I even considered it one. I literally slept sitting while resting my head on Yukina¡¯s shoulder, waking at very irregular intervals at the slightest movement of her body. I had no right to complain because once or twice Yukina told me to lie down and sleep, but I refused. Yukina had it worse. I was sure she didn¡¯t even get a wink of sleep.

    With my sleep-deprived eyes, I saw her cracking her neck.

    ¡°Okay, it seems you are awake for good, let''s go.¡±

    I rubbed my eyes and clumsily reached for my backpack since there was nothing to pack.

    ¡°How is she even able to stay this active after having a sleepless night,¡± I muttered as I watched her stretch.

    ¡°I think we should say our goodbyes to Fio and his group before we leave,¡± I suggested.

    ¡°Alright, although I wouldn¡¯t bother.¡±

    Just as she finished talking, Fio and Crit came out of their tent and approached us.

    ¡°Leaving already?¡± Fio asked.

    ¡°Do your eyes usually deceive you?¡± Yukina asked him rhetorically, prompting him to let out a little laugh.

    ¡°You sure have some sense of humor,¡± he replied.

    ¡°Since you are here, as you can see, we are leaving. Hope you find whatever you are searching for,¡± Yukina concluded as we made our way out of their camp.

    ¡°We should have been at least appreciative of the meal they offered us last night,¡± I whispered to Yukina.

    ¡°It doesn''t matter, we won''t be seeing them again,¡± Yukina replied nonchalantly.

    Our walk was brought to a halt when we heard Fio''s voice again, but this time was a scream followed by a long, painful groan. Turning around to see what had happened, I was left in shock. Vixra just pulled out a bizarre-looking sword from Fio''s chest. It was average-sized and curved inwards. It didn''t have any rain-guard as its false and back-edge were jagged. The blade was covered in what looked like black fire, although I wasn''t sure of what it was.

    Fio dropped down to his knees. I couldn''t read his expressions as he looked at Vixra. She placed her hands on his shoulders and said something to him before he collapsed to the ground, and a pool of blood formed around him. I was astonished and perplexed at the same time.

    ¡°Did she just murder her party leader? What''s with that sword and the black fire? Who, actually is she?¡±

    I had a lot of questions, but I couldn''t ask any. She locked her eyes on me and approached slowly with a sinister smile. She looked a lot different from the night before. Her loose hair that covered most of her face was enough to make a difference.

    ¡°Don''t you think its rude to leave without saying goodbye.¡±

    Still shocked from what she did to Fio, I muttered,

    ¡°W-why?¡±

    ¡°Nobody says goodbye to crazy people,¡± Yukina said as she stepped forward.

    Vixra completely ignored Yukina, with her focus still on me,

    ¡°Oh, about him? It shouldn''t bother you. I would have still killed him anyway. He was supposed to find us something here in Ausbane. We''ve been here for about three days and couldn''t find it. He is no longer useful to me because I''ve found something better and that''s you.¡±

    I got the order completely wrong. Vixra was the boss, and Fio was just a disposable errand boy. Crit was even weirder. He hadn¡¯t spoken a single word since we arrived at their camp.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t enough. What she said wasn¡¯t enough reason to justify what she just did or did she even need any reason at all? Did she just say she found me? There was only one plausible answer; she must be a crazed maniac, because that would perfectly explain her creepy behavior.¡±

    Yukina unsheathed her swords and approached Vixra, curling her lip in disdain.

    ¡°Don''t come any closer to Svan if you don''t want to end up like him,¡± Yukina said, pointing at Fio¡¯s dead body.

    Vixra laughed hysterically,

    ¡°I will forgive this disrespect only once and if you are smart, you should know that I am not interested in you. I will give you this opportunity to leave else you will regret it.¡±

    ¡°You really are a clown,¡± Yukina replied.

    Yukina didn''t need a reason or care to understand what was going on. Her priority at that moment was to kill Vixra. She attacked first. Swift and instant as her swords reached for Vixra¡¯s neck. I was only able to keep up, thanks to the grey domain.

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    Vixra didn''t flinch as rocks erupted from the ground, blocking Yukina¡¯s strike. Yukina¡¯s movement reminded me of the earth caster she killed days earlier. It was precisely the same, and I was sure she didn''t even have to think before executing it, just like muscle memory. She anticipated her first attack would be blocked, so she launched a second one from behind in a swift maneuver. And just as I thought the fight was over, Yukina¡¯s strike was blocked again.

    The disbelief was clearly written all over Yukina¡¯s face. She didn''t expect her signature move to be countered so easily by someone who just saw it for the first time, which begged the question; how was Vixra able to do it?

    ¡°Crit, don''t interfere in this. I''m just going to play a little,¡± Vixra instructed loudly as Crit stepped back in a bow.

    ¡°I see you are a stillbringer, but it doesn''t matter because you will end up dead when I''m done with you,¡± Vixra said to Yukina.

    Those words sent chills down my spine. I looked at Vixra; she was so relaxed, beaming with confidence as though she was sure she would beat Yukina. She turned away from my direction and towards Yukina''s, who was now at her back. Conjuring a fireball with her right hand and controlling small levitating rocks by twirling her left hand was the most shocking thing my eyes met. I looked at Yukina''s horrified face, I don¡¯t think I have ever seen her that startled, and by reading her lips, I was sure she said,

    ¡°Impossible.¡±

    No caster should be able to control two base elements simultaneously, but Vixra was doing just that. It was just unbelievable. Casters can be born of parents with different elemental affinities but can only manifest one attribute from either parent. Only casters of deviant or chaos-class could exhibit dual elemental affinity, but it was only possible in a fused form; a caster born of fire and earth parents could exhibit a deviant lava affinity.

    Yukina seemed to have managed to overcome the fear that gripped her, pointing one sword in Vixra''s direction,

    ¡°This would be fun,¡± she said.

    YUKINA AYLING

    Even though I expected I would come across strange people or events, I couldn''t easily shake off the disbelief in what I was seeing. Not only did she fend off my attack, but it was also apparent that she had an unfused dual elemental affinity. I had to compose myself; any sign of weakness would be detrimental given the conditions.

    Vixra didn''t hesitate as she simultaneously shot fireballs and rocks at me. I evaded everything thrown at me with a single diagonal dash using my stillbring. I didn''t know what other tricks she had up her sleeves, so I had to be precise.

    ¡°Running away now huh? Where did all that confidence of yours go to?¡± she snarled at me.

    I wasn¡¯t going to fall for her mind games. My focus was on finding an opening to finish the fight as quickly as possible. The disturbing thing was the ease at which she conjured the elements. All casters, even at the chaos class level, needed a certain degree of body and hand movements to project or control an element and the form it took, but she didn¡¯t. It was as though she was doing all of it with her mind. That was probably how she was able to block my strike from earlier.

    ¡°What in the world is she?¡± I muttered.

    The ground beneath me cracked open and began to separate, prompting me to take a forward leap. While I was still in flight, a long spiked rock the size of an adult human erupted from the hollow, aiming to impale me. There was no way I could avoid it or cut through it mid-flight, so I immediately strengthened my body, bracing myself for the hit.

    Though the rock didn¡¯t cause any visible damage to my body, I was thrown up several feet, and this time, I had no control over my flight. While waiting for gravity to send me crashing, I saw smaller rocks approaching me with insane speed, like some metal balls hungrily trying to latch on a giant magnet.

    Her precision was top-notch. She wasn¡¯t even letting me catch a breath. As the rocks hit, I strengthened my body with a stillbring, sending me crashing to the ground and the impact forming a little crater.

    ¡°I expected you to at least put up a fight, you are going to bore me to death at this rate,¡± Vixra mocked.

    She didn¡¯t press with her attack. She waited for me to be on my feet like she was giving me a handicap. It felt like my pride was placed on a slab and crushed to a thousand pieces with some giant war hammer.

    ¡°You are so full of yourself aren''t you?¡± I asked, wiping the soil off my face.

    ¡°Of course I am, given that you are having trouble with just a few rocks.¡±

    As annoying as she might have sounded, she was right. If I was facing just any caster, it would have been a lot easier because I would have been able to capitalize on the little time expended on their movements to land lethal strikes. Those little harmless details gave me the upper hand of some sort during a fight. But at the moment, they were non-existent.

    I dashed towards her with no clear plan, hoping she would get carried away and make a mistake. All I needed was to land a clean strike on her; just one strike was enough. On approaching her, she encircled herself with a firewall.

    ¡°I have seen worse flames,¡± I mocked as I charged toward her.

    Fireballs shot out from the wall. They were all aimed at me, but they could only do so much. I was able to avoid every single one of them, and when I got within striking distance, I slashed across the firewall, hoping to nick her. I didn¡¯t expect to land a successful strike; it would have been too easy, given the skill she displayed earlier. I expected a block or a counterattack, but one which would guide my next line of action.

    Not so surprisingly, my sword didn¡¯t go through the flame wall. It became thick, almost solid. Condensing flames until it was that thick required a sublime level of mastery. It became evident that I had to go all out if I wanted to even stand a chance. I shot myself backwards, assisted by the recoil from the impact with the flame wall and dashed towards her again, but this time at a much greater speed. The technique I was about to use was going to drain my mana a lot more quicker, but it was the best shot I had at it.

    A while ago, while trying to figure out how to use all three stillbrings simultaneously, I tried to maximize mana output as much as possible. But as much as I tried, I couldn¡¯t use two stillbrings simultaneously, let alone all three. Instead, mana seemed to leak out of my body. I noticed it because whenever I maximized mana output, my swords were always covered in lightning crackles. Although I didn¡¯t fully understand the phenomena, I knew it attracted spells conjured by another caster, so I called it ¡°phantom steal.¡±

    On reaching her flame wall, armed with the phantom steal, I struck again. Vixra probably thought my effort would be futile once again, given the shock on her face as my swords got through.

    With my blades now wrapped with a fiery sheath, I hacked with abandon. I didn¡¯t care about what she would do next or what spell she would cast. I just wanted to get to her as quickly as possible.

 8. DEATHS DOOR

    YUKINA AYLING

    I felt significantly fatigued but couldn¡¯t stop, desperately trying to land a finishing blow on Vixra. I pressed on with a relentless barrage of slashes and hacks until she went defensive. The fire and rocks she conjured seemed to have little to no effect. Thanks to phantom steal, I cut through everything she threw at me.

    I caught a glimpse of her as she smirked,

    ¡°Hope you have enough fuel to keep these up,¡± she said as our eyes made contact.

    Her words made me wonder what other tricks she had up her sleeve. Sounded like she was deliberately trying to wear me down.

    Two boulders covered in fire approached me from opposite sides in an attempt to crush me between them. Just as I was about to make a quick dash clear of the two boulders, my feet were stuck, encrusted in the ground.

    ¡°Shit!¡±

    Instinctively, I tried to free myself, but it wasn''t as easy as I had imagined. I could let the fiery boulders hit me as long as I strengthened my body.

    The impact came as expected, and I fell to my knees, obviously in a lot of pain. I bit it down as hard as I could. But I knew I was going to be okay.

    Vixra released me from my earthen constraint,

    ¡°Done already? I thought you were just getting fired up,¡± she asked me.

    I needed her to let her guard down, even just for a moment, so I slumped in make-believe. From the few words she said so far, I knew she was full of herself and wouldn¡¯t finish me off instantly. She grabbed me up by my hair which was already disheveled, and with a sardonic smile across her face, she said,

    ¡°You must have exhausted all your mana, huh? Now tell me, how do you want to die?¡±

    Given the distance between us and the fact that I was armed with my phantom steal, I was sure I would land a good one on her.

    ¡°You are so full of yourself, aren¡¯t you?¡± I said, quickly slashing upward toward her throat.

    Her supposedly automatic defense was brought to life once again, but it was something I had anticipated. Rocks from who knows where appeared in an attempt to stop my blade from reaching her throat. Though I was able to cut through, it did just enough to stop my sword in its tracks, so I let it fall. I wasn¡¯t done yet as I pushed myself from a stationary position to a maximum speed with my other sword pointed to her chest,

    ¡°Got you.¡±

    I was met with resistance, a rock slab erupted from the ground at an even greater speed, but my phantom steal-clad sword punched a hole through it. The speed at which I approached did the most in shattering the already faulted slab.

    Just when I thought I would run my sword through her, it was met with hers.

    A sword? I almost forgot she had a sword until she parried mine with hers. The slab bought her just enough time to get herself prepared. At that point, I couldn¡¯t tell if she had an astonishing precision or was just lucky. I was a better swordswoman. I had to because the situation at hand called for it. I loosened my grip on the sword, and just as it was about to slip off my hands, I held firm again, but this time in my favorite reverse grip.

    As quickly as I could, I directed it to the side of her belly, and she repeated the same actions as earlier, conjuring rocks for the first block, just to buy her enough time to wield her sword.

    She knew I was quick and couldn¡¯t keep up with me on pure speed, but she knew just how to make up for it. I didn¡¯t press on. Instead, I simply rolled over, picking up my other sword before putting a little distance between us.

    It was frustrating; all I needed was a single clean strike, but she was doing enough to prevent me from getting it. At the same time, I was a little scared; scared because I didn¡¯t know what kind of deviant ability she possessed. I didn¡¯t need anyone to tell me that she was one, her fine and precise control over fire and earth elements at their base form was already giving me so much trouble. Worst case scenario, she might even be a chaos-class caster.

    I knew I was fighting a losing battle when Vixra was able to keep up with my phantom steal, and I was fully aware that she was holding back. Even Evren didn¡¯t give me this much trouble.

    ¡°Come at me with everything you¡¯ve got,¡± she said mockingly, almost laughing.

    I was going all out already, but I had to do more; I had to lose it. If only I could at least use two stillbrings simultaneously, the fight would have been a lot easier. Whenever I compensated for speed, I always had to be mindful to avoid fatal blows, and when I did the same for strengthening, I couldn¡¯t just land the hits I desired. Either way, I wasn¡¯t at maximum efficiency.

    I felt a trickle from my nose, and using the back of my hand to wipe it, I saw the obvious; blood. I sniffed in, trying to push the trickling blood back as I walked slowly towards Vixra with swords in both hands. It was clear that I was working myself to the point of breakdown.

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    She didn''t look exhausted, and that baffled me even more. I knew I could easily outlast a caster, but she wasn''t giving off the slightest hint of fatigue. She, too, should have been worn out. I was well aware that phantom steal was significantly wearing me out, but defending against it wasn''t easy.

    ¡°One more time,¡± I said, giving myself a mental tug as I went from walking tiredly to running at a full sprint.

    I charged through her barrage of spells, deflecting some of them with my swords while a considerable amount of them hit me. I didn¡¯t have any new tricks up my sleeve, but as long as I was alive and standing, I had to fight, not just for myself but to protect Svan. I closed the distance between us again, and this time she was already brandishing her sword, expecting me to break whatever defense she¡¯d set up.

    My breathing was ragged, my legs heavy, and my vision blurred a little. For a second, I said to myself,

    ¡°I might really die here.¡±

    It was funny because there was so much I wanted to do and know, but I couldn''t think about any of those. My chances of survival were realistically slim, and even if I miraculously managed to take out Vixra, her brother wouldn¡¯t just stand and do nothing.

    Svan. I could only think about him. I brought him into this mess. If I had just left him to live a normal life, he wouldn¡¯t have found himself in this situation. Although he just happened to have an interesting ability that I had no clue how it worked, he wouldn¡¯t possibly stand a chance against Vixra.

    Reconstructing the whole situation from scratch made me beg the question,

    ¡°Why is she after Svan?¡±

    I didn¡¯t have an answer to that question and didn¡¯t have the luxury to immerse my thoughts in it as I still had an unfinished deathly match. I squeezed out all mana that could possibly be in my body and surged forward for one last attack. Seeing me approach her, she doubled her defenses, using her solid fire to bolster the rock slab she erected. I broke through, but it hurt. Some parts of my clothes were torn, and some parts were charred. I engaged her in a sword fight but also had to fend myself off rocks and fireballs approaching me from different directions.

    My instincts were dulled, and my precision blurred. I depended solely on strength augmentation with my stillbring, taking hits at different parts of my body. Using my speed stillbring would be pretty useless, as the speed at which she conjured her spells outmatched mine. I lost count of how many times my swords met with hers; she was also good with the sword. The fire and rocks she conjured were a constant source of distraction, preventing me from landing any significant blow on her.

    I didn¡¯t know what had happened, but I finally had a breakthrough. Maybe she was carried away for a brief moment. I slashed hard across her torso, knocking off her sword. In sudden realization of what I just did, I felt a surge of strength. She wore a shocked expression on her face, but I wasted no time pressing. I went for her head, and she blocked as expected but was just able to this time. I could tell that she hadn¡¯t recovered from her slip-up. I slashed again almost instantly with the same arm in a reverse swing towards her neck. Her last-second block made her keep her head but lose her footing. And before she could blink, I drove my other sword into her belly.

    My mana was utterly drained, and my movements were defined in staggers, but the feeling of victory was sufficient enough to keep me going. Finally, Vixra dropped to her knees with my sword stuck in her belly.

    She stared at it in disbelief. She was still well alive. The job wasn¡¯t done yet; I had to properly finish her off. Strange enough, Crit stood motionless, staring at us. He didn¡¯t even bother helping his injured sister. It was understandable that she ordered him not to, but the situation was very different at the moment. Why should I bother? It was even the best-case scenario for me.

    I realized that there was more to why he did nothing. I couldn¡¯t describe how horrified I was when Vixra started pulling the sword slowly out of her belly. Blood spurted like it was coming off a valve opened and closed at intervals. She let out a loud groan as she was engulfed in black flames, the same flames that clouded her sword when she stabbed Fio. The flames appeared to be non-combustible because she wasn¡¯t burning.

    As if she wasn¡¯t done surprising me, I watched as the stab wound I inflicted on her slowly closed as though some invisible zipper ran across it, leaving no trace of any injury. It closely resembled the regenerative ability of stillbringers, but this one seemed to be aided by the flames that engulfed her. She slowly got to her feet, kneeling on one knee first and using her hands to support her weight on her other knee before finally standing. Wiping off the blood that drooled from her mouth,

    ¡°I think I am done playing with you!¡± she screamed.

    I felt tremors vibrating from the ground beneath, which made it difficult to even stand properly as golems the size of adult humans erupted. I couldn''t count all of them correctly, but they were well above twenty. My legs failed me. I was too stunned to move, and with whatever strength I had left, not sure if the pitch of my voice was high enough,

    ¡°Svan, run!¡± I cried out.

    I just witnessed a deviant class ability, and not just any deviant could create beings with their elemental attribute. A very high degree of mastery was needed to do so, making me wonder what deviant she possessed. The golems attacked all at once from all fronts. I was able to take out a few until I didn¡¯t even have the strength to swing my swords. I was helpless as they pummeled me to the ground.

    ¡°Oh Yukina, just look at how weak and pathetic you are,¡± I said as tears rolled freely from my eyes.

    I faintly heard footsteps as they approached me. Already lying faced up, I stared at Vixra though my left eye was swollen and almost closed. I felt some of my bones were broken, and my utterly battered body was sore from bruises inflicted on them. I couldn¡¯t even heal myself as there were just wisps of mana I could detect from within me.

    Vixra¡¯s demeanor changed. It was like she was a completely different person. She squatted beside me, looking sorry, almost like she was filled with pity for me.

    ¡°I gave you a chance to leave, now look at you,¡± she said as she stroked my hair.

    I wasn¡¯t even interested in what she was saying; I just lay there, wondering how strong she was. I didn¡¯t get to see her Feel realm, and I didn¡¯t get to see her deviant ability, yet I was beaten effortlessly.

    ¡°Are you a chaos class?¡± I asked with a failing voice.

    She chuckled,

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t normally reply to a question like this. But since it¡¯s the last thing you would probably hear before you die, I would give you an answer. What do you call it? Casters? Stillbringers? No. I am none of those, but I am something much better. I am a demon,¡± she said as she wore a sinister smile.

    She drew her sword, pointing it downwards to my chest, precisely towards my heart.

    ¡°A demon?¡± I asked myself.

    It was something I would probably never know as I saw her sword draw closer to my chest, covered with her black flames.

    ¡°Svan, I am sorry, I am so sorry,¡± I said, crying,

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to die.¡±

 9. THE BRAVE DONT RUN

    SVAN CHORYTH

    Watching Yukina and Vixra go at it kept me in a constant state of flux as excitement and anxiety clashed in my head-space, with none taking complete control over it. My heart throbbed violently against my chest as I found myself having a difficult time breathing properly.

    Their fight wasted no time in leaving its mark. It created a large area of damage to the forest vegetation, a large perimeter with no plant life existing within it; mostly burnt as upturned earth and rocks completed the display of destruction rendered on the area.

    When Yukina was finally able to run her sword through Vixra¡¯s belly, I thought,

    ¡°Now this fight is over.¡±

    In all honesty, I was amazed at Vixra¡¯s prowess, keeping Yukina constantly on her toes and giving her a hell of a hard time. I would have given her some accolades for a well-fought battle if I weren''t her enemy.

    I wouldn¡¯t say I was surprised when she took out Yukina¡¯s sword from her belly and somehow made her injury disappear like it never even happened. I was lost and confused and the same time, not able to fully wrap my head over what she did. And in just a very short expanse of time, Yukina was utterly obliterated.

    As everything unfolded, I felt paralyzed, not even able to twitch a muscle and only my eyes appeared to be functional.

    I heard Yukina cry out as she screamed the words,

    ¡°Svan, run!¡±

    Those words echoed in my head over and over again. It was rare to see Yukina scared, but in a voice gripped with fear, Yukina requested that I should run away. Judging the situation, it was probably the best course of action for me. I had to run, desperate to run, but I didn¡¯t want to run away from danger. I had to save Yukina, and that meant running right towards it.

    In the earlier stages of the fight, I didn¡¯t attempt to join in. My presence in it would have been more of a nuisance than of help to Yukina, or so I thought. And I was without doubt that Yukina would win, but I was proven wrong. Vixra drew her sword to stab Yukina, almost like payback for running her through earlier on, but this time, her sword wasn¡¯t pointed towards Yukina¡¯s belly but towards her heart. She clearly wanted to end Yukina¡¯s life.

    That sight alone was enough to snap me back to my senses. The last thing I wanted to see with my eyes was to watch Yukina die. I would be devastated, not just devastated; I would be thrown into a bottomless pit of despair.

    I had to do something quickly, anything to get her out of that situation would be fine, but I was weak. I imagined myself going up against Vixra, but it would be nothing short of being suicidal. If she could go up against Yukina and come out on top, I would be a piece of cake for her to handle, but I had to try. I would rather die trying than helplessly watch Yukina die.

    ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± I asked myself, shocked.

    In a blink of an eye, I was overwhelmed with fear. I wasn¡¯t scared for myself but scared that I might not be able to do anything to save Yukina. Getting to her on time wasn¡¯t supposed to pose any problems of sorts. But for some reasons unknown to me at the time, I couldn¡¯t activate the grey domain.

    ¡°W-why, W-why? Why now?¡±

    My voice was failing, barely able to hear myself. Found myself berating the grey domain like it was something animate and could actually listen to me.

    ¡°Why did you even manifest only to fail me when I needed you the most? Why are you so useless?¡±

    My eyes were covered in tears, but crying wasn¡¯t going to cut it. It wasn¡¯t the grey domain, so blaming it just to make excuses for my good-for-nothing self was ridiculous. I was the useless one; I was, and had always been weak and couldn¡¯t hate myself any more than I already did.

    Tried once again to activate the grey domain. Maybe the fear and panic rendered me incapable of doing it earlier, so I shut my eyes tight, trying to refocus, searching for the slightest feeling of warmth from inside me, but it was all dark and cold.

    Opening my eyes in frustration, I caught the sight of Crit as he dangled a medallion in my direction. Though I was unable to make out the details of the medallion, it directed some sort of red light in my direction. I was so busy cursing and hating on myself that I didn¡¯t even notice what was happening right before me. The medallion had to be why I couldn¡¯t activate the grey domain.

    Perplexed, I wondered how he knew I even had an ability because I was sure I never mentioned anything about it. And for him to have an effective counter against it, it only meant that he knew exactly what kind of ability I had.

    ¡°Who are these people?¡±

    Shifting my focus from Crit to Yukina, she seemed to be having a little chat with Vixra. The timing couldn¡¯t be better.

    ¡°You said it was me that you wanted. Well, here I am, why don¡¯t you just take me and leave her alone,¡± I suggested, shouting at the top of my voice.

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°She had her chance.¡±

    Her response was short, simple, cold, and very scary as I felt the last shot I had at saving Yukina quickly slipping away from my reach. My legs moved on their own, and I was running even before I thought about it, a futile attempt, but there was nothing else I could do. My body jerked violently like I was struck by a lightning bolt which yanked me to the ground sending me rolling subsequently. Raising my face, I was surprised at how much distance I had seemingly covered, but it didn¡¯t matter anymore.

    I watched helplessly in horror, stretching my hand in their direction. Just as Vixra¡¯s sword was about to run through Yukina¡¯s body, a bright whitish-blue light appeared from nowhere, enveloping her. I could have sworn that it was Yukina¡¯s doing, but she was a stillbringer and couldn¡¯t possibly conjure any spells. Almost immediately as the light flashed, a large destructive explosion followed suit.

    The whole succession of events that were supposed to happen instantly, unfolded slowly before my eyes. A core of bright white blinding light, more brilliant than any orb I had ever seen, bearing the intensity of a million of them, encapsulating Yukina was the first to manifest. As the radius of the light expanded, its color gradually changed to bright yellow, dull yellow, and finally orange.

    ¡°Boom!!!¡±

    A loud noise erupted, and after hearing it, I couldn¡¯t make out any discrete sound anymore. Every sound seemed muffled as though I heard residual echoes from a distant source, accompanied by a high-pitched ringing noise.

    I could see Vixra conjure some rocks to create a defensive shield for herself, but it was useless, completely obliterated to nothingness as the white light came in contact with them. Vixra¡¯s expression was in complete disbelief. She never expected what was unraveling. She followed suit, and I watched as the light hungrily ate through her with an overwhelming speed before she completely vanished, no trace of her like she never even existed in the first place.

    I felt like I was the next,

    ¡°Is this how I am going to die? Not even a trace of my existence would be left behind.¡±

    My heart shattered into a thousand pieces. I wasn¡¯t ready to die, not just yet. Maybe I should have listened to Yukina when she told me to run. My foolish act of bravery was about to cost me my life. It became evident that I always made the wrong call. It felt like a specialty of mine, not getting things right.

    Just when I resigned to my fate, I felt myself being sucked into a void. My body felt like it was being wrapped and drawn into something which I couldn¡¯t tell. I was getting dizzier as the whole process continued. Everything got blurry. I faded gradually into the darkness until I felt wholly sucked out from where I was kneeling.

    Everything that happened was still very vivid in my head. It was something I couldn''t shake off; a feeling of being so close to and yet very far away from it all at once, and even thinking about it sent shivers down my spine.

    ¡°Ah, Yukina.¡±

    The thought of her popped into my head. I wondered what had happened to her after the explosion. I didn¡¯t see her disappear like Vixra did, but after the light encapsulated her, I didn¡¯t get to see her again. All I was left with was hope that she was alive and okay.

    I tried to recollect what had happened to me at the time of the blast. It was something I couldn¡¯t possibly explain with words. I watched everything around me get completely destroyed, reduced to nothing but somehow, I wasn¡¯t affected even though I was close to the blast epicenter. There wasn¡¯t any shield providing any sort of cover for me. It felt like I was drawn into a pocket of space before finally being sucked away.

    ¡°Could it be as a result of the grey domain?¡± I asked myself.

    It couldn¡¯t possibly be. Thanks to whatever Crit did to me, I couldn''t activate it before the explosion, and even during the explosion, I was sure I didn''t activate it. Being clueless about an event that happened to or around me was frustrating. That was one of the reasons I read a lot of books, pretty much to have an idea about events like that, but I was made to understand that there were a lot of things I had absolutely no idea about.

    * * *

    I tried opening my eyes, but it was met with a sharp pain that flashed across my face. The first attempt proved unsuccessful. I took in a deep breath and tried again, separating my eyelids through the searing pain. Though my vision was still hazy, I could see a set of blue eyes staring at me.

    ¡°Yukina, is that you? Thank goodness you are alive,¡± I muttered, mustering a smile.

    ¡°You are finally awake.¡±

    The voice I heard wasn¡¯t Yukina¡¯s. I could tell what Yukina sounded like even if I was in a deep sleep, but the voice I heard sounded different. Maybe what happened to me messed up my senses, or so I thought. Even though my vision was still hazy, I knew for sure that I was looking at a set of blue eyes and the one person I knew who had those was Yukina.

    ¡°Why do you sound so different,¡± I asked her.

    Oh, the explosion. It seemed like its effects hadn''t completely worn off. There was no response to my question, and the awkward silence got me startled. I was suddenly jolted to a forced sense of clarity as I hastily got up. I just realized I was lying on a strange bed, covered in a blanket with a wet towel on my forehead. The towel fell off my head as I stood upright,

    Still stunned, I asked the woman who was sitting at the bed where I was previously laid,

    ¡°Where am I? No, who are you?¡±

    She had a conflicting appearance, as I couldn¡¯t correctly tell if she was a young or middle-aged woman. Maybe it was due to the poor lighting, a dim torch fire that burnt at one corner of the small rectangular room. There was nothing else to make out apart from the bed at the corner and a little table beside it, which held a bowl containing water.

    The woman, whose appearance was typical to that of someone who lived in the countryside; a long grey garment with long sleeves and a loosely fit blue bodice, sat calmly and still. She opened her mouth to say something but seemed to have difficulty in doing it.

    I wouldn¡¯t say I was scared of her. If she wanted to put me in harm¡¯s way, she would have already done that while I was still passed out, but rather she seemed to have nurtured me back to strength. I was simply curious because I had no idea of my whereabouts.

    She lifted her face to look at me, and while the room was poorly lit, I could easily make out her facial features. She looked familiar as I struggled to remember where I had seen her in the past, but it didn¡¯t just click. Her blue eyes still confused me for Yukina, but she wasn¡¯t. She had brown hair in contrast to Yukina¡¯s blonde.

    I gradually came to the realization that it wasn¡¯t just her eyes. She genuinely had a striking resemblance with Yukina, but that was just part of the confusing familiarity because she looked like someone else I knew.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you loosen yourself a little and sit down, we have a lot of things to talk about,¡± she said, wearing a smile.

    That smile, I had seen it a lot of times. It wasn¡¯t supposed to be possible because it looked exactly like mine.

 10. UNRAVELING

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe me even if I tell you who I am.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think there is anything that would surprise me anymore at this point,¡± I replied, still standing.

    She took a deep breath,

    ¡°If I should tell you right now that I am your mother, would you believe me?¡± she asked.

    I started with a smile which progressed into giggles and finally bursting out laughing.

    ¡°I see you are good at telling jokes aren¡¯t you?¡±

    The woman returned a smile,

    ¡°And moments ago, you stood there saying that nothing I said would possibly surprise you.¡±

    Of all the absurdities I expected to hear, this one was the least I¡¯d expected. There was no way it made sense because my mother was long dead.

    ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± I asked her, not really expecting a response.

    ¡°You are Svan and you have a sister called Yukina.¡±

    Though I was taken by surprise when she called my name, I kept calm. Choryth was a very popular house in all of Stavren, and though the names Edger and Evren could be used synonymously with the Choryth name, I didn''t expect that common folk could possibly know who I was. Maybe I was a lot more popular than I had imagined.

    ¡°My sister is called Evren not Yukina,¡± giving her more of a correction than a reply.

    ¡°That¡¯s what you were meant to believe and it was based on my request.¡±

    My whole thought process was at sixes and sevens, I wanted to scream the words, ¡°shut the hell up,¡± regardless of how disrespectful it might sound, but it wasn¡¯t the right course of action.

    For starters, I didn¡¯t even know how I ended up in the same room with her, I didn¡¯t know where I was, and I didn¡¯t know what happened to Yukina. I had to be calm though it was proving increasingly difficult with each passing moment. I resolved to let her do the talking if I really wanted to have the slightest idea about what happened, and for the fact that she mentioned my name and Yukina¡¯s, she seemed to have an idea about who we were.

    ¡°Okay, calm down, just breathe,¡± I said to myself.

    ¡°Let¡¯s assume that everything she says is a lie, I might still be able to pick up a thing or two from it.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I am ready to listen to whatever you say,¡± I said to her.

    ¡°Ummm, where should I start from?¡± she asked in what seemed like a question directed to herself.

    ¡°I knew a day like this would come eventually, though I wished it never did and for you to be here could only mean one thing,¡± she continued.

    I struck her with a demanding look, expecting her to finish with what she was saying.

    ¡°You¡­.¡±

    For some reason best known to her, she paused and didn¡¯t finish with what she was about to say, changing the subject of the narrative.

    ¡°Have you ever really thought about why you, as a Choryth, isn''t a fire caster, or why your Feel hasn¡¯t even manifested yet.¡±

    I could literally feel my blood boil because that was the last thing I wanted to be reminded about.

    ¡°I think I have thought about it more times than you possibly could.¡±

    My response was cold, perfectly characterizing my annoyance with her earlier statement. She was quick to catch on to my mood change,

    ¡°I am not saying this to hurt your ego by any means, there is a lot more to it than what you might ever imagine.¡±

    She took another deep breath,

    ¡°Fifteen years ago, a heavily pregnant woman and her daughter who was barely five were on the run, fleeing for their lives. Thankfully, she happened to have an old friend from Stafford in the northeastern part of Stavren. Edger took me in and nurtured me to full health and there, I was able to birth you. I know you think I am saying crazy words. You still don¡¯t believe me don¡¯t you?¡±

    I was silent at first, lost in my thoughts.

    ¡°What does she stand to gain if she claimed that she was my mother,¡± I clamored within myself.

    No sane person would spill nonsense like that if it weren¡¯t true, but she looked completely sane to me. She wasn¡¯t flinching or stuttering. She sat composed and said well-articulated words.

    ¡°My mother died when I was born,¡± I said slowly to her, almost like I wasn¡¯t in control of the words that came off my mouth.

    She nodded.

    ¡°That¡¯s both correct and incorrect, depending on the context, and more reason to believe that your mother is dead is thanks to the fact that you bear the Choryth name. There was a weird coincidence that even I couldn¡¯t fathom. Lord Edger and I had daughters the same age and you are supposed to be around his son¡¯s age, was he still alive.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I asked, looking lost.

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    ¡°Lord Edger didn¡¯t just lose his wife, he lost his son too. The situation was dire so I came up with an idea that would benefit the both of us. I told him he could have my son and though it couldn¡¯t possibly fill the void of his loss, it definitely did a lot of damage control. Thankfully, he agreed so I had to leave the both of you in his care.¡±

    ¡°W-why did you do that?¡±

    ¡°Keeping the both of you with me would have endangered all of us. There is so much more going on than what just meets the eye. From now onwards, I believe you will slowly begin to understand.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know how to feel or what kind of emotions I had pent up at that moment, and though she sounded convincing, I couldn¡¯t just bring myself to believe her.

    ¡°How do you want me to believe that a High Lord of Stavren just happened to have an acquaintance with you?¡±

    She let out a faint smile,

    ¡°Though it doesn¡¯t sound plausible, we actually do have a peculiar relationship but that would be a story for another day. Honestly, I don¡¯t expect you to believe a thing I say but slowly with time, you would eventually learn the truth yourself. What¡¯s more important is that both you and your sister are safe.¡±

    I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. My whole life had been a lie, and the thought of it made me sad and annoyed at the same time. It was no wonder lord Edger treated me with disregard. I wondered if Evren knew about it; chances were she did, as it could easily explain her cold and distant behavior towards me. On the bright side, I would say at least Yukina knew nothing about it¡­.or did she? At that point, I couldn¡¯t tell between the truth and a lie.

    I had blamed myself for so long for my inability to experience the Feel, which I had just discovered was entirely beyond my control. It wasn¡¯t even my fault. I always felt inadequate of the Choryth name, but it turned out that I wasn¡¯t even a Choryth, to begin with.

    Every thought and emotion flowing in and out of me was too much for me to bear. I couldn¡¯t hold it in for much longer as tears flowed freely from my eyes down my cheeks, and before I knew it, I was already sobbing. I couldn¡¯t really point to a particular reason why I broke down in tears. Maybe I was simply overwhelmed by what I had just learnt.

    I felt her arms wrap around me as my body clasped tightly against hers.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m really sorry for what I have put you through, what you had to endure because of my actions but I¡¯m here for you now and will always be, I promise.¡±

    A feeling of warmth radiated throughout my body. Both her body and her words brought me much-needed comfort. She waited for me to stop crying before she said to me,

    ¡°You should rest, sleep a bit more. Come morning, we will have plenty to talk about.¡±

    ¡°What about Yukina, I need to know what happened to her.¡±

    ¡°She is well and alive, trust me.¡±

    I simply nodded. Her footsteps receded until I could hear them no more; she¡¯d left.

    I lay on the bed staring at the nothingness the ceiling above me provided. It felt weird that I seemed to believe her too easily. I tried to confide in my thoughts, but they were just spiraling. The dimly lit room was getting dimmer as the torch burnt the remainder of its life away.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s best I sleep, I might wake only to find out that everything happening now is just a dream.¡±

    * * *

    I woke to the sound of chirping birds. I attempted to open my eyes and was met with the blinding rays of early morning sunlight, which illuminated the room through a double casement window just a few inches right and above my bed.

    ¡°So it wasn¡¯t a dream after all,¡± I muttered as I clasped my hands on my face.

    I got up to my feet to look at the view outside the window. Upon looking down, she immediately noticed me and turned towards me, smiling and waving at me.

    ¡°Come on out, breakfast is ready.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know how to reply and that was when I realized I didn¡¯t even know her name. It still felt surreal that I was actually looking at my birth mother, a part of me really wanted to believe it, but it didn¡¯t just sink in well enough.

    I had no choice but to go meet her outside. Leaving the room, I found myself walking through a narrow passage that ended in short stairs that led me downstairs to my left, then navigated my way to the garden I had seen in, her moments earlier.

    ¡°Hope you had a good night''s sleep.¡±

    ¡°I think I did,¡± I said, replying shyly.

    ¡°Take a seat,¡±  she said, pointing at a makeshift table entirely made of tree stumps, a much larger one and two smaller ones.

    Gesturing with a quick slight bow, I sat down.

    ¡°A nice house you¡¯ve got for yourself.¡±

    ¡°Oh, thanks¡±, replying as she hurriedly went inside the house and, moments later, she came back out with a pot and two bowls.

    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind, I prefer eating outside right next to this garden.¡±

    ¡°Sure, I don¡¯t. May I ask why?¡±

    Her smile broadened,

    ¡°I love watching the butterflies and when I do, I always think about Yukina. When she was little, she used to chase after butterflies in a little garden we had back then. So when I moved here, I cultivated a replica. In the mornings and evenings, particularly during breakfast and dinner, there always seem to be plenty of them. Speaking of Yukina, how has she been?¡±

    ¡°She is fine. If you missed her this much, why did you abandon her?¡± I asked in what sounded like a grumble.

    I expected her to feel sad, but she didn¡¯t stop smiling.

    ¡°I guess you are right.¡±

    Looking at her face at that moment gave me even more, lesser conviction to doubt her claims of being I and Yukina¡¯s mother. Though she looked a lot more like Yukina, I could still make out tiny features of resemblance to me.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t get to know your name.¡±

    ¡°Oh, silly me,¡± she gasped.

    ¡°How did I not tell you my name? I am Eliora Ayling.¡±

    I nodded without uttering a word. She bore the same name as Yukina. Was that just a coincidence? Did I need more conviction? I couldn¡¯t come to a conclusion. I watched her as she dished out some lamb porridge into the bowls placed in front of the both of us.

    The aroma alone excited the insides of my stomach as my nose couldn''t help but lavish at what it smelt. She was undoubtedly good at cooking, as I fought hard to prevent myself from salivating. I hadn''t had a proper meal in days, and thankfully, this one seemed to be the real deal.

    As soon as she passed a plate of porridge to me, I wasted no time digging in. I ate non-stop until I ate more than half of the porridge in the bowl. Upon noticing she wasn¡¯t eating, I stopped for a moment. She just sat, her meal between elbows, as she supported her head with her palms, looking at me and smiling.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t she even get tired of smiling?¡± I wondered.

    I got a little uncomfortable as I reduced my eating pace, which she seemed to notice.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t mind me and eat as you see fit.¡±

    Both she and I knew it wasn¡¯t going to happen. I was already embarrassed, so I had to finish the rest of the food, eating like a normal person at least. Noticing that I was a bit embarrassed, she began eating hers. Both of us ate in silence until I asked,

    ¡°So how was I able to somehow find myself here?¡±

    I didn¡¯t look at her when I asked the question. My gaze was focused on my food but judging by how she sounded, I knew she wasn¡¯t smiling anymore.

    ¡°Alright, I would tell you everything you need to know.¡±

 11. MADNESS IN KNOWING

    ¡°Before I tell you anything, could you give me a narration of the events that occurred before you found yourself here?¡± Eliora asked.

    Though I didn¡¯t wish to relive those moments, especially when Yukina lay helpless on the floor, it wasn¡¯t difficult to give her the details of what happened.

    Her expression could easily tell that she listened attentively to every word I said, and when I was done with my narration, she sighed,

    ¡°Just as I thought.¡±

    She took a few spoonful''s of porridge before carefully placing her spoon on the table beside her plate.

    ¡°What I am about to say to you, even I don¡¯t know much about it. It¡¯s something that I¡¯ve been looking into for the past fifteen years, but I could tell you for a fact that there are not just only humans in this world. People like you and I exist, and we aren¡¯t particularly human.

    My eyes widened upon hearing what she¡¯d just said, as cold sweat ran across my face.

    ¡°Wait, what?¡± I shouted, breaking away from what seemed to be an auditory hallucination.

    ¡°I can tell how shocked and surprised you are, I felt the same way when I first found out for myself, but it doesn¡¯t call for panic. We are very much like humans, just some subtle differences.¡±

    At that point, I knew I had to prepare myself for a lot more inconceivable talk disguised as words from Eliora because she seemed to have a lot of it. I wasn¡¯t sure if I was mentally prepared to digest the constant supply of frightening information she was feeding me. First was that she was my mother, the second was Yukina being my sister, the third was that I wasn¡¯t even a Choryth, and now, I wasn¡¯t human. Maybe I was the one who was going crazy because, somehow, I was inclined to believe whatever she said. I needed a break.

    I didn¡¯t even realize that she had been calling my name. I was dazed, lost in thought, until she touched me, snapping me back to my senses.

    Surreal how my life had been uneventful for so long only to be a fa?ade that bore a lot of secrets. Besides me not being entirely human, every other thing Eliora said to me was somewhat connected.

    ¡°Should I stop, for now? It seems like it is becoming too much for you to process.¡±

    ¡°No, No. You should continue,¡± I said hastily.

    She paused for a moment before she continued.

    ¡°From what I¡¯ve discovered so far, beings that look very much like humans, called divines and demons, exist, and from what you told me earlier, I am certain that Yukina fought against a demon. Honestly, I am proud that she was able to hold that much against one.¡±

    Eliora wasn¡¯t the only one proud of Yukina. I was proud of her as well. I had my head filled with mixed feelings. Foremost, I was relieved that she was alive at least, having a little bit of faith in Eliora¡¯s comment that she was, though I still felt uneasy about it.

    I didn''t know how to come to terms with the possibility that Yukina was my sister. Though she had always been a sister figure to me, I had always hoped that maybe one day, our relationship would develop into something different when I got older.

    As things stood, nothing had to change. I just had to be the brother she had always seen me as.

    ¡°What exactly do you mean by demons and divines?¡± I asked her.

    She conjured a little flame and made it disappear with a snap of her fingers. Almost immediately after the flames disappeared, she conjured a floating water ball. Just when I thought the show was over, she dissipated the water ball and levitated a few stones twirling them in the same motion as her fingers. As jaw-dropping as it appeared, I wasn¡¯t apparently surprised; it seemed like I was becoming immune to her rude awakenings.

    There was no need to ask her how she could control three elements in their base form. She had reasons for showing it to me, so I had to be patient, as it was very likely that she would tell me why she did it.

    I would have questioned my sanity at that moment if I hadn¡¯t seen Vixra do something similar, though Eliora¡¯s was a step higher, being able to control three against Vixra¡¯s two. Many questions in my head needed answering, and I wished they were all answered at once.

    ¡°You see, I am quite certain that you are familiar with what the Feel is, but you are most definitely unaware of what mana is. What you know as the Feel is just a medium for mana manipulation, more like a gift that grants one the ability to manipulate the mana around them. However, not all humans are fortunate enough to be able to use this gift. Only a few are privileged. Yet, even the fortunate ones can only draw out a very limited potential from the mana they are able to manipulate; that''s why humans can''t have more than one elemental attribute unless they are deviants who could have at most two, which manifests in a fused form.¡±

    I had an idea about what mana was, but vaguely. It wasn¡¯t talked about much in books, but it popped up here and there. I had always believed it was the form a conjured element took, but from the looks of what Eliora said, it seemed that I was wrong.

    ¡°It¡¯s evident that humans aren¡¯t supposed to manipulate mana in the first place, and I don''t know why humans have such restrictions. What I am trying to say in a nutshell is, there are beings who could manipulate mana much better than humans, and that''s where divines and demons come in."

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    It would have been much easier if I was a caster; at least I would have known what the Feel felt like and felt more connected to what she was saying. Though I was surprised to hear what she said, it was still all theory to me.

    ¡°You said I¡¯m not entirely human, so which category do I fall under, a divine or a demon?¡±

    ¡°You are a mix of both human and divine, same as Yukina.¡±

    I almost concluded that my human nature was dominant before I remembered the grey domain. I wondered if it had anything to do with the fact that I was a divine; my best guess was that it did.

    ¡°So why can¡¯t I manipulate the mana you talked about? Does it require specific training? And why is Yukina a stillbringer?¡±

    She stretched her hands sideways,

    ¡°You can, but you just don¡¯t know it yet. There are limitless possibilities of mana manipulation that stretch beyond elemental attributes, and I first became aware of it thanks to you.

    ¡°Me? What did I do?¡± I queried.

    ¡°As weird as it may sound, I believe there is a possibility that you have abilities of spatial manipulation.¡±

    I looked at her open-mouthed in awe as the thought of the grey domain struck my mind.

    ¡°Though I¡¯m not really sure about the nature of your abilities, you, disappearing from a place and appearing right in front of me, has happened before,¡± she continued.

    "I grabbed my hair with both hands in frustration. I was listening, but I wasn''t sure I understood her words. I took in a long breath, trying to keep myself calm.

    Maybe the best thing was I stopped trying to know whatever surrounded my past because the more it was revealed, the more complicated it got. Coming to think of it, I was never interested in the first place. I just wanted to know who she was and why I was here with her.

    She seemed to see through my frustration as she exhaled audibly through her mouth.

    ¡°Listen, a lot of things are complicated, even for me. There are a lot of things that I don¡¯t even understand and a lot of questions that I desperately need answers to, but right now, my priority is to keep you and your sister safe because I believe it¡¯s only going to get worse from now here on. Demons are scheming something which I don¡¯t really have an idea about, but one thing I am sure of is that they are hell-bent on killing any divine they come across; that must be the reason why you and Yukina were attacked.¡±

    I resolved not to ask her any more questions. I just needed to be sure that she was my mother, as she claimed, that Yukina was safe, and if everything she said about mana, divines, and demons were true, she was probably my best shot at understanding the grey domain.

    ¡°I need to see Yukina. I need to get back to Stafford because if she is alive, as you said, she would have probably gone back to Lord Edger, and she would be worried sick that I am missing. But I also need you to help me understand how to manipulate this mana you talked about.¡±

    ¡°You are right, but I would be going with you to Stafford,¡± she said to me.

    She paused for a brief moment,

    ¡°About your mana manipulation, have you noticed anything strange recently?¡±

    ¡°Yes, there is something I call the grey domain, and when it manifests, everything around me appears in silhouettes. Movement in that state becomes slow and difficult, but in reality, it is quite the opposite. I don¡¯t also feel any pain in that state, and it was right about that time the color of my eyes changed to blue just like yours.¡±

    ¡°When was the first time you experienced this grey domain?¡± she asked

    ¡°It manifested right when Yukina and I went up against a falx.¡±

    She looked surprised,

    ¡°Did you just say falx? How do you know what a falx is?¡±

    She seemed to know more about it than I did.

    ¡°Not much. I saw a picture of it once, and the creature we saw looked much like the one in the picture, so I assumed it was the falx.¡±

    ¡°I was right about your encounter with a demon. Falxes are creatures controlled by demons. They are more like their guard dogs and are very difficult to kill. How did you guys manage to kill one?¡±

    ¡°I stabbed its eyes.¡±

    ¡°And how do you know about its eyes?¡±

    ¡°Grey domain,¡± I replied carelessly.

    She looked at me intently, but it didn¡¯t feel out of the ordinary, and before I could blink, ice spikes appeared from nowhere, just a few centimeters away from my throat, as they approached with insane speed. I was practically helpless, and the only thing I could do was to activate the grey domain, hoping that I would be able to somehow evade them, but that was a tall order.

    I activated the grey domain just in time, but it was futile as I could literally feel the icy tips of the spikes on my throat. It wasn¡¯t a bluff; Eliora was actually trying to kill me.

    Just when I thought it was over for me, I got sucked in again, just like I did during the explosion in Ausbane, but this time the feeling was different because the grey domain was active.

    I reappeared next to her, the last place my eyes made contact with before I was sucked in, and just like that, I avoided all life-ending spikes she shot at me. I shot her a death stare, too stunned to speak, not just about the fact that she wanted to kill me but also about how I was able to do what I just did.

    ¡°Though it seems that I was right about your ability. I believe that there is more to it.¡±

    ¡°You just tried to kill me, yet you are comfortable talking casually like nothing happened,¡± I said with an anger-laden tone.

    I was angry, but that was the best I could afford because, as it stood, I was at her mercy.

    ¡°I can¡¯t possibly kill my son, and if you noticed, the spikes were already shattering when they came in contact with your skin,¡± she said, smiling.

    Everything happened so fast. I had other things to worry about than watching spikes intended to kill me shatter.

    ¡°Most importantly, did you do this?¡± she asked.

    ¡°No, it just happened,¡± I replied.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you see a pattern here? There is a sort of power inside you that keeps you from harm¡¯s way, and it seems to have a mind of its own, using your abilities to protect you from life-threatening situations, and I just happened to confirm it right now.¡±

    As weird as she sounded, she made a lot of sense. Though I was able to activate the grey domain, it first manifested on its own, and I hadn¡¯t been able to learn much about it. Now, it seems like I¡¯m able to teleport, and again, it happened spontaneously, completely out of my control.

    Just when I thought I could take a break from the mental torture that plagued me since I met Eliora, there seemed to be a lot more of it awaiting me.

    I wished I had never left the castle and remained the naive son of lord Edger. The ignorance was indeed bliss, but that was just wishful thinking as the reality was that there were a lot more crazies to come. The thought of Yukina¡¯s safety still bugged my mind,

    ¡°I think I¡¯ve had enough. But I¡¯m curious to know, how are you so sure that Yukina is okay?¡± I asked tiredly.

    She placed her right hand on the left part of her chest,

    ¡°I just know because I can feel her, you included. And right now, I can still feel her, so she is most definitely fine.¡±

    I breathed relief and scooped the remaining bits of porridge in a spoonful into my mouth. It had already gone cold, but I cared less. I had to find a way to grasp whatever ability it was that I had.

 12. FRAGMENT OF A LOST PIECE

    YUKINA AYLING

    I once again found myself on the outskirts of the same settlement, which lay beyond the two hills with gentle slopes, standing right in front of the tiny wooden bridge that ran across the narrow creek. The serene and peaceful outlook was gone and was replaced with one that would strike panic and fear in anyone who beheld the sight of it.

    Flares of fire rose high in the air, burning from a distance, precisely at the main settlement, and without doubt, the houses of the settlement dwellers provided more fuel to the raging inferno.

    Visibility of the area where I stood was greatly reduced as smoke particles clogged the air forming a smog that condensed over the whole area. Anyone would most definitely have difficulty breathing under such conditions, but surprisingly I was breathing just fine.

    Despite the dreaded sight of the settlement, I was tempted to go in, curious about what had happened. There could still be people trapped there, in needing help, and I might just happen to be their only hope of survival. Without hesitation, I made my way towards the settlement, sprinting at full speed but was suddenly halted by the sight of a figure approaching the bridge.

    The thick smog rendered me incapable of telling if the figure belonged to a male or female. Abandoning the idea of rushing into the settlement for a moment, I stood still. I was curious to know who was approaching because it was natural that anyone would instinctively run away from the area and not approach it.

    The figure got clearer as it emerged from a wall of smog, and surprisingly, I found out that there were actually two of them; one was much smaller and behind, completely covered by the silhouette of the larger figure. Looking closely, I recognized them immediately; it was the pregnant lady and her daughter as they approached in what looked like they were running, though not hastily. They halted right in front of the bridge, a few paces away from where I stood. I walked closer to them,

    ¡°Don¡¯t go any further. It¡¯s dangerous. You might get hurt.¡±

    I knew I had said those words, but I didn¡¯t hear them. It felt like I was trying to talk underwater; the only difference was that I wasn¡¯t choking while speaking. I wouldn¡¯t say the sound of my voice was muffled; at least, I would hear a thing or two if it were. It was completely canceled as they left my mouth.

    I waved my hands so they could see me, but there wasn¡¯t any reaction from them. It was like I wasn¡¯t even there to begin with. I was already close enough to them, so I decided to try if I was going to be able to make physical contact with them. My suspicions were confirmed. As I walked toward them, I never got within touching distance. They were so close to me yet so far away, and it became evident that I was just a third-party spectator that couldn¡¯t influence or tamper with anything. Disappointed, I looked at the raging flames that burnt away in the distance. There was nothing I could possibly do to help.

    The lady¡¯s expression could easily tell that she was panicking as her hands appeared to be trembling while her daughter looked more confused than startled. She took her daughter¡¯s hand as they both walked hastily to the foot of the bridge, squatting underneath it. The little girl was coughing. It was evident that the heavy air was making breathing difficult for her.

    ¡°Come on, just take the child and leave this place,¡± I said, even though I knew she wouldn''t hear me.

    Her mother quickly removed her outer garment, soaked it with water from the creek, and then wrapped it in a way that covered her daughter¡¯s head and most of her face. I found myself standing right in front of the pregnant lady, close enough to properly have a good look at her. There was a feeling of nostalgia that swelled from inside me. I couldn¡¯t describe how astonished I felt upon noticing that she had a striking resemblance to me, and for a moment, I thought that she was an older version of me.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I queried myself.

    I watched as she placed her hands over her daughter¡¯s shoulder and said to her,

    ¡°Sweetheart, I promise I won¡¯t take long. I need to find your father. Just wait here for a little while and don¡¯t go anywhere. I will be right back, okay?¡±

    The little girl responded with a little downward nod. It was clear that she agreed with her mother.

    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± a tiny voice said, obviously feminine.

    She approached from the bridge''s other end, implying that she was coming from the settlement. The pregnant lady stood up anxiously to see who spoke while I fixed my gaze on the figure approaching. She appeared to be wearing a black hooded cape coat made of leather. I couldn¡¯t detail her facial features as her hood provided much of the unwanted hindrance and was worsened by the poor visibility. She was clad in black close-fitted slacks which had a large belt and thigh-straps that bore small knives. To complete her outfit were knee-high boots with many buckles matching her coat. Her appearance alone was a sign that she meant no good.

    The next thing I saw visibly shook me. Behind her was the creature that Svan called the falx as it dragged the body of a man along with it.

    ¡°I just saved you the trouble of searching for him. At least you should appreciate by saying thanks,¡± the hooded lady said, as the falx carelessly tossed the body towards the pregnant lady.

    I had a lot of questions and was craving answers, but the first on my scale of preference was why the falx was following her and what was weirder was that it seemed to be doing her bidding. The pregnant lady watched in horror with her eyes stretched wide open.

    ¡°It¡¯s your fault. All of this is your fault. Why did you waste so much time returning home? I got bored, so I had to keep myself busy.¡±

    Her nonchalant behavior, which she used to back up her evil deeds, reminded me of Vixra. Thoughts on Vixra immediately helped me fix a piece of the puzzle.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    ¡°Could it be that the falx Svan killed in Ausbane was controlled by Vixra?¡±

    Witnessing one being controlled by a person, it couldn¡¯t possibly be a coincidence that we happened to encounter Vixra just after we encountered the falx. I wondered if Vixra knew that Svan killed her falx, which would explain why she said she wanted him.

    Reality struck me fast and hard as the thoughts of Vixra infamously reminded me of what happened when I fought her.

    ¡°Am I dead?¡± I asked myself.

    The last thing I remembered was Vixra driving her sinister blade toward my heart. Maybe I was dead; that would explain why I was seemingly incorporeal. I was in denial, telling myself that I couldn¡¯t possibly be dead, but if I really was, I didn¡¯t know how to feel about it. I couldn¡¯t just bring myself to accept it.

    My contemplation was cut short when I heard the pregnant lady yell,

    ¡°You will pay for this!¡±

    The hooded lady giggled as she nodded her head, a signal prompting the falx to attack. The pregnant lady stood her ground with tears falling freely from her bloodshot eyes.

    I kept yelling, ¡°go for the eyes,¡± hoping she would miraculously hear my voice. I was gripped with fear because I knew how strong the falx was. If she wasn¡¯t a deviant, she stood no chance against it. The more factors I considered, the more her chances of survival got slimmer. She was pregnant which was already a handicap because there was no way she could possibly manage her movements in that state during a fight. If that wasn¡¯t bad enough, she also had a child to protect, which would constantly keep her distracted, and finally, she wasn¡¯t just going up against the falx. If the hooded lady was a demon like Vixra, the fight was as good as over.

    I tried to approach the situation from her perspective, and it seemed that maybe engaging in the fight was her best and only option. The hooded lady seemed hell-bent on killing her, going as far as slaughtering a whole settlement. She couldn¡¯t possibly outrun the falx, and any pleas would most likely fall on deaf ears.

    The falx attacked. I focused my attention on the pregnant lady as my heartbeat increased tenfold. There wasn¡¯t any hint of fear coming from her; all I could see was a burning rage. She conjured a large fireball, the largest I had ever seen someone conjure, engulfing the falx in it. Though the falx was covered in flames, it didn¡¯t burn. The fire seemed to have no effect on it.

    ¡°Shit!¡± I cursed.

    I was caught by surprise seeing her evade a strike from the falx. She was so swift that I almost missed it.

    ¡°What is she going to do now?¡±

    Astonishingly, I saw her grab a spear conjured from lightning and couldn¡¯t stop myself from smiling. She was a deviant. At least she''d have some fighting chances. She threw the spear at the falx, taking flight at speed difficult for the eye to follow. I wasn¡¯t sure, but it seemed like the falx was pierced, considering how it reacted, roaring in agony as lightning tendrils crackled all over its body.

    She wasn¡¯t done yet, immediately conjuring an even larger spear that gave off an imposing ambience. Hurling it to the falx, the force of its contact flung it into the air before sending it crashing. I knew the fight wasn¡¯t over because the falx was a resilient creature. She had to go for its eyes if she wanted a guaranteed victory.

    I was beyond shocked when I saw her conjure multiple light beams that were too many to count. Not fire, not lightning, but light in a materialized form all suspended horizontally in the air above her like they were awaiting a signal to be let loose. I was speechless and dazed. Moments earlier, I was worried for her, but the current situation made those worries disappear.

    ¡°C-Chaos-class,¡± I stammered, still in awe.

    I would never have expected her to be a deviant, let alone control two deviant attributes. The falx recovered, roaring before charging towards her at full speed. The light beams reacted instantly, seemingly having minds of their own though it was obvious they were being controlled. They charged at the falx piercing different parts of its body. Not so surprisingly, the falx dropped to the ground, lying motionless. I was convinced that some of the light beams pierced its eyes, given that it slumped dead.

    I was joyous. The most amazing part of the fight was that it was totally one-sided, and she didn¡¯t even break a sweat. There was still a lot of rage in her eyes. She was clearly not done as she immediately switched her attention toward the hooded lady.

    ¡°I would give it to you, you were impressi¡­..¡±

    She wasn¡¯t given any chance to finish what she was about to say as she was shot with a barrage of fireballs clad with lightning. She instantaneously erected a stone wall that took most of the damage, and at the same time, the same black fire I¡¯d seen on Vixra engulfed her. She was quick, fast enough to stop a lightning bolt thrown at her with earth. I couldn¡¯t be more convinced that she was a demon, and just like Vixra, her defenses were spot-on automatic. I was getting more and more excited as the pregnant lady pressed on with her attack while the hooded one went defensive.

    Suddenly, everywhere got so bright. I saw a concerned-looking face staring at me,

    ¡°My lady, you are finally awake.¡±

    Startled, I sat up immediately, only to discover that I was only wearing a white sleeveless underdress. On my left were two large red valance curtains with golden stripes held on both sides by a curtain holdback which was closer to the floor than its mid-point, separated just enough to allow sufficient illumination in the room. It looked so familiar,

    ¡°This can¡¯t possibly be my room.¡±

    I looked at the woman who spoke to me earlier. She¡¯d already moved away from my side, standing right in front of the bed. She wore a plain white shirt with long cowl sleeves, pegged slacks, and black shoes. She bowed slightly as both our eyes made contact. She was definitely an attendant who worked in the Choryth castle, and I was right in my room.

    ¡°How am I here?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°Before she could say anything in reply, I interrupted her,

    ¡°Svan. Where is Svan?¡±

    After much hesitation, she replied,

    ¡°They didn¡¯t bring him.¡±

    ¡°What! What do you mean by they didn¡¯t bring him?¡± I asked, with my voice louder following each word that left my mouth.

    I was mad-furious. How could they have left Svan out there alone? He could be badly hurt. I quickly rushed out of bed, almost tripping as I took the corner that led to the door.

    ¡°My Lady, put on some proper clothes,¡± the attendant cried out.

    I completely ignored her as I stormed off the room. If I was being sincere with myself, I was actually looking for who to vent my anger on rather than trying to know why Svan wasn¡¯t brought back because the reason was pretty obvious. Ahead of me were Lord Edger and Lady Evren approaching, most probably coming to pay me a visit. I didn¡¯t wait for them to come to meet me as I marched forward towards them.

    Still burning in anger, I didn¡¯t care to greet the High Lord.

    ¡°Where is Svan?¡± I asked, directing the question to both of them.

    ¡°Show some respect to the High Lord,¡± Evren cut sharply.

    I found my scapegoat. I turned slowly in her direction with a menacing look on my face.

    ¡°What?¡±

    She opened her mouth to say something, and before the words came off, I slammed her back against the wall with a considerable amount of strength, enough to leave a sizable crack on it. Lightning crackled and shot sparks from all over her body, but I augmented mine and held firm.

    ¡°Enough! Both of you,¡± Lord Edger scolded.

    I reluctantly let go of her, awaiting a potential punishment for my rude behavior as Evren straightened her clothes.

    ¡°We didn¡¯t see Svan when we found you, but we are still searching for him,¡± he said in a much calmer tone.

    ¡°No, No. It¡¯s not possible,¡± I said in a breaking voice as the worst thoughts of what might have happened to Svan flooded my head.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be.¡±

 13. SMALL STEPS

    SVAN CHORYTH

    I sat on the bed, trying to digest every piece of information that Eliora fed me. Mana, divines, demons, spatial manipulation. My thought process went in circles around these words. I wanted to feel excited, at least it turned out that I wasn¡¯t just some useless noble with no abilities, but for some unknown reasons, I couldn¡¯t.

    I paced restlessly around the room, my thoughts keeping me company, though they were unproductive. I faced a bothersome quandary in which I had a lot on my mind but couldn¡¯t seem to focus on any of it, like being in a garden filled with butterflies, chasing after all of them but not catching any one of them.

    I walked in front of the window, and once again, I caught the sight of Eliora staring at her little garden. I didn¡¯t need to be told that she had some sort of connection with the garden, and though she told me it was because of Yukina, I was convinced that there was more to it. She didn¡¯t seem to notice that I was looking at her; unlike earlier in the morning, it looked like she was lost in her thoughts or maybe reminiscing an old memory.

    ¡°Mom,¡± I said in a very low-pitched voice.

    There was a high probability that she was my mother, but I couldn¡¯t possibly understand what it felt like to have one. As much as I wanted to come to terms with it, I still saw her as a woman named Eliora who claimed she was my mother. The truth was, I wasn¡¯t sure if I really needed a mother figure, and no matter how I thought of it, that connection would probably never be made between us.

    I walked to the bed and sat on it. Shifting my thoughts away from Eliora. I tried to recollect everything that had happened since I left Stafford, up until this moment. Maybe by doing so, I could find some clues or missing pieces. I vividly remembered my encounter with the falx and what the grey domain felt like when it first manifested. It was a fact that I got quicker and improved my reflexes in that state, but I didn¡¯t really feel any connection to the mana Eliora was talking about.

    ¡°What could possibly be the mana?¡± I asked myself. ¡°Was it the grey atmosphere or the flames I saw on Yukina and the falx¡¯s silhouettes?¡±

    No matter how much I thought about it, there was no way I could say what it was for sure. I was able to recreate the grey domain quite easily, solely through my imagination. When I first activated it on my own, I did so by remembering the emotions I felt and the way my body reacted. Though the grey domain was an interesting upgrade, it wasn¡¯t sufficient, and Eliora proved it to me. If I could consciously recreate the teleport I had performed when Eliora used me to test her premise, I would feel much more accomplished, and even Yukina would have a hard time against me.

    I sighed, collapsing on the bed with both eyes shut. I tried to give it a shot and see if it would result in anything. Surprisingly, I found myself standing in a direful place covered with water that rose a few inches above the ground. The whole area was pitch-dark, making sight impossible. The darkness was frightening and very unfriendly to the eyes.

    ¡°Another unpleasant surprise,¡± I muttered in fear.

    If such strange happenings keep on unfolding like a norm, it wouldn¡¯t be long before I would be driven to complete insanity.

    The whole area was dead silent with an aura of unsettling tranquility. I was so scared to even utter another word.

    ¡°Finally, you are here,¡± a feminine voice echoed from the depths of the never-ending darkness.

    The voice was welcoming, contrasting the dreaded nature of the whole place.

    ¡°Who are you,¡± I asked in a shaky voice.

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that, at least not now. You will get to know me when the time comes.¡±

    Right. Just as I expected. Whoever she was, I was beginning to like her. I definitely hadn''t learned any lesson. I should know better that answering such questions would eventually lead to more questions, ultimately confusing me and making me wish I hadn''t asked the question in the first place.

    ¡°Are you the thing Eliora talked about?¡± I asked again.

    ¡°You know, I am actually thinking about a proper form of punishment to give to you for being rude, idiot. First, you call me a thing, and secondly, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s rude to refer to your mother by her name.¡±

    ¡°Wow, this is a new form of crazy,¡± I said to myself.

    ¡°I can hear you loud and clear,¡± she said as I felt something hit me hard on my belly.

    ¡°I think at this point, it¡¯s important to remind you that you¡¯d have been long dead if it weren''t for me. Remember the ice spear? Did you think that you were fabulously fast enough to avoid it? The thing you call the grey domain, did you think it manifested just on its own? Who did you think saved Yukina from impending death? And how were you possibly able to be here with your mother? It was me. It was all my doing, so the least you can do is to show some gratitude.¡±

    I winced in pain as I struggled to stay on my feet.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I coughed out in a desperate attempt to avoid getting hit again.

    When the pain dulled, I stood upright. With one hand still clutching my stomach, and in a very polite manner, I asked,

    ¡°What do you want from me?¡±

    ¡°I think this question should be directed the other way round,¡± the voice replied.

    ¡°Well, I will cut to the goose chase. I am sick and tired of listening to all the crap and self-loathing you say to yourself. Seriously, it¡¯s annoying because you are just all talk. That aside, I brought you here to your mother to set my plans in motion.¡±

    ¡°What plans?¡± I asked.

    ¡°About that, I can¡¯t also tell you, but learning about your abilities is one of them. You must know that you are a lot stronger than you think. You just have to connect with the mana around you.¡±

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    ¡°How can I be able to do that?¡±

    ¡°If I tell you how, it would be boring. Discovering how to do it on your own would be much more fun, so I am just going to sit back and watch your little show. There is enough time for that, at least. I have already provided you some clues, so piece them together and see the bigger picture.¡±

    Her voice gradually faded into the dark emptiness before it suddenly came alive again.

    ¡°And one more thing, you are a stillbringer.¡±

    Everywhere got bright again as I found myself lying on the bed.

    ¡°What was that just now?¡±

    I hadn¡¯t moved an inch from where I lay, but I still felt some pain in my belly. I had no idea who spoke to me, but her last words clanged in my head.

    ¡°You are a stillbringer.¡±

    I also remembered her saying that I should connect with the mana around me and that she had provided me with the clues I needed to fit the pieces together. Everything that had happened to me had to be connected in some manner. I just needed to figure it out.

    Maybe I was too excited or rather carried away by the grey domain that I failed to grasp its very concept. The grey domain was simply a form of perception. I could see and feel things differently than any person normally would. There had to be something behind it; something had to grant me those perceptive abilities.

    An idea came into my mind. I tried to recreate the warmth I felt throughout my body whenever I switched to the grey domain, but this time, not actually trying to be in it. I didn¡¯t really know how I would be able to pull it off, but I had to try regardless. Interestingly, it was working. I felt the warmth, but I kept my eyes shut just so I don¡¯t open them and find myself in the grey domain. After a little while, I separated my eyelids slowly to see if I was still in it, and surprisingly, I wasn¡¯t. I could still feel the warmth, like a warm fire burning from inside me, originating from my chest, radiating all over my body.

    It was reaching for something intangible, but at the same time, I felt like I could touch it.

    ¡°Finally!¡± I exclaimed.

    It had to be the mana that I was feeling. I tried to put my hypothesis to test as I stretched my hands towards the table and tried to grab it from a distance. I didn¡¯t think it would work, but if what Eliora said about abilities were true, there should at least be some sort of reaction. Strikingly, it worked. The table was drawn towards me like it was a metal being attracted by a magnet.

    I was beyond excited. It was astonishing to see that I was able to do something that was so out of the ordinary. Though it wasn¡¯t the first as the grey domain held that spot, the feeling was different. The grey domain felt a bit more natural because I was the one performing the kinetics, but this; was oddly exciting. In the same fashion, I pushed the table away from me back to its original position.

    I sat down for a while, pondering the possibilities of being a stillbringer. If I was, it should have manifested a long time ago. I paused for a moment as a thought flashed into my head. Maybe the reason why my Feel never manifested was that I was a part divine. The warmth I felt in my body was definitely what granted me the ability to manipulate mana, so it had to have the same function as the Feel. What was confusing was that being a stillbringer meant that I should have the Feel.

    One possibility was that both mediums nullified each other. Another was that my Feel was more recessive, like it was insubstantial.

    ¡°Crit!¡± I gasped.

    I remembered him dangling some medallion in my direction, which rendered me unable to activate the grey domain. Most importantly, I still remembered how my body reacted out of desperation, and I was jerked violently. I knew I ran incredibly fast and covered a lot of distance to get close to Yukina and Vixra.

    ¡°Could that be the Feel?¡±

    It was logical, considering it happened when whatever medium of mana manipulation I had as a divine got suppressed. My conclusion was that both mediums of mana manipulation could not co-manifest even though I happened to have both of them. Though I was clueless, I was also very optimistic because I could already feel stronger than I was a few hours ago. Just being able to perform a simple push and pull would undoubtedly be very efficient and effective in a battle scenario.

    Eliora came into the room,

    ¡°We set for Stavren tomorrow. What do you think?¡±

    I nodded,

    ¡°I think it¡¯s a good idea.¡±

    She wore a content smile as she turned to leave.

    ¡°Would you mind if I spar with you for a bit?¡± I asked, stopping her in her tracks.

    It was clear that she was very surprised,

    ¡°Sure,¡± she replied in what sounded mocking.

    I wasn¡¯t trying to get ahead of myself, but I was too eager to test the effectiveness of my newfound abilities. We both went outside to a large clearing close to her house. At that moment, it was to our convenience that where she lived was largely isolated and didn''t have any neighbors.

    ¡°When you are ready,¡± she said to me.

    I knew I would lose the duel, but I could learn a thing or two from it. Eliora saw my hesitation to draw out my sword,

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can use that too.¡±

    She conjured iced spikes and launched them toward me. In response, I switched to the grey domain; as expected, she was covered in blue flames.

    ¡°Too slow.¡±

    I side-dashed, evading all of it as I charged toward her. She looked completely defenseless. I could feel some sort of distortion approaching from behind me like something was tearing through the viscous atmosphere sending its ripple waves towards me. I didn¡¯t need to see it, I just needed to avoid it, and I was able to just in time. It wasn¡¯t difficult to tell that she wasn¡¯t being serious. If she was, she could have launched the spikes from close proximity, which would have been nearly impossible for me to avoid, just like she did when we were having breakfast.

    Though I didn¡¯t know much about how elementals were able to manipulate mana, I knew that conjuring ice in that manner would require very fine and precise control. If she did something similar again, I planned to push them away in the same fashion as I did with the table.

    I pressed on but was wary of any rocks that might erupt and aim at me, but none of it came. I slashed toward her direction though I knew she would easily defend against it. Her silhouette raised its hands just above her head to block my sword.

    ¡°What is she doing?¡±

    For a moment, I was scared that I would cut off her arm, but when my sword landed on her arm, it didn¡¯t cut through. I heard something crack, and after that, my sword was stuck. I tried to pull it out, but it was to no avail. I immediately switched out of the grey domain to get a good look at what just happened.

    Disbelief struck me when I found out my sword''s blades were frozen, and the frost kept spreading towards its hilt. I immediately let go of my sword, stepping away from her. I watched in horror as the frost covered the entirety of my sword and shattered it like it was made from some brittle material, not metal. She was definitely on a different level than anyone I had ever encountered.

    Her expression changed when I pulled her towards me, with disbelief written all over her face. I was certain that she¡¯d least expected it. I was glad that it was actually working on a person. As she drew closer, I switched into the grey domain and landed a solid punch on her torso. Everything happened so fast that by blinking, one might miss it. She fell backward but reacted just in time to cushion her fall. A punch was the best I could pull off since I had no other weapon, and if she were to attack again, it would probably spell the end of the fight.

    She walked towards me and patted my head,

    ¡°You win.¡±

    I smiled shyly. I happily accepted my victory even though I knew she didn¡¯t even use half her strength.

    ¡°Because you let me,¡± I replied.

    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be polite when you win. You¡¯ve got to claim it. Your reactions are very fast, maybe even faster than mine, and the fact that you were able to land a clean blow on me despite not having a clear understanding of your abilities is really impressive.¡±

    I was relieved. At least she didn¡¯t beat the crap out of me, and looking at her, I could tell she was genuinely happy.

    ¡°Let¡¯s head back inside and make preparations for tomorrow.¡±

    I followed her lead as we walked side by side towards the house.

    ¡°But how were you able to do that; the thing you did and pulled me towards you,¡± she asked, looking very curious.

    I smiled,

    ¡°I will tell you when we get inside.¡±

 14. SHACKLES OF RESPONSIBILITY

    EVREN CHORYTH

    I had just finished having my bath, walked out of the washroom, and stood in front of a large mirror in my room, staring at myself.

    ¡°Hello there,¡± I said to my reflection.

    I found myself smiling, something I rarely did, and if it was a skill that required learning, I would have forgotten how to do it long ago. I stretched my right hand, reaching for the mirror. I tried to touch my reflection as if it was animate and not just an image of myself as I used my fingers to draw lines on the misty mirror, tracing the water that trickled from my wet brown hair down to my body. I guess I was just bored.

    ¡°Evren the phoenix,¡± I said softly, giggling afterward.

    I was tired of trying to constantly live up to my father¡¯s expectations, but I wasn¡¯t left with any other choice either. The life I was leading was forced upon me, and I lived it pretending to be someone I wasn''t. I was gradually losing who I really was, and I didn¡¯t know how much longer I would have to continue wearing the fa?ade I had adorned myself in. The truth was, I wasn¡¯t sure if I was ever going to remove it.

    I wished I had someone I always talked to and opened up to, someone who would always comfort me whenever things got difficult, but there wasn¡¯t anyone of such, or rather, I made sure that there wasn¡¯t such a person because I didn¡¯t want to appear weak.

    Sometimes I wanted to cry my heart out, but I couldn¡¯t shed a single tear because I always reminded myself that all my tears had been used up the day mom died. I became distant from everyone, became cold.

    Yukina could have been just the person I needed, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to open up to her. She was someone I regarded as my sister, and even though it felt like we were always going up against each other, I knew I loved her. Sometimes, I wished I had the kind of life she had, free from the responsibilities of being a Choryth.

    Svan was still missing, but Father hadn¡¯t given up on his search. It was done discreetly so as not to draw the attention of other nobles since Father publicly announced his expulsion. It wasn¡¯t hard to tell that what Svan felt about me was nothing short of loathing. I couldn¡¯t remember any time we had a normal conversation as siblings. At the moment, I felt a lot of guilt because I always treated him like he was some kind of lesser being.

    ¡°Mom, this is all your fault. You created this person, this me.¡±

    I sighed,

    ¡°If you were still alive, my life would have turned out differently.¡±

    ¡°My Lady, you should dry yourself,¡± a voice said behind me.

    I looked at the floor and noticed that I was standing in a little pool of water my wet body had created. I nodded as she stretched her hand, passing a towel to me. I stepped away from my original position as I wiped my body with the towel the attendant gave to me.

    I had almost forgotten what awaited me; I had a meeting to attend. I had a rough idea of why it was being held, and I was quite glad that Yukina was around and would be attending it. It didn''t take long to get dressed and prepared, and when I was done, I left the room. After walking for what seemed like forever, I finally arrived at the meeting place. Yukina was already present. She was leaning beside the door with her arms folded. I wore a smile as I looked in her direction, and the expression she gave in response was,

    ¡°Why the hell is she smiling?¡±

    I was quite surprised that she patiently waited for me to arrive. The Yukina I knew would have most likely barged into my room and threw a fit for wasting her time. My best guess was that she wasn¡¯t just in the mood for bickering. I was certain that her mind was occupied with Svan¡¯s whereabouts. She tried to persuade Father to let her join the search party sent to find Svan, but he refused. I also knew she wouldn¡¯t stay still because she was just that person. Without saying a word, she led the way into the room as we both entered.

    The tension in the room was palpable, even though no one was speaking. The most important nobles of House Choryth were all gathered, seated around a long narrow rectangular table. With Father included, there were eight persons in total. There were no other empty seats left, so we both had to stand. Honestly, I didn¡¯t know why we had to be present at the meeting, and the only reason we were there was that Father insisted we attend. I was sure that he had his reasons, and it was one of those moments I needed to be Evren the Phoenix.

    We took positions beside father, Yukina on his left while I stood on his right. Such outlook gave off an imposing ambiance, and I knew Father liked it.

    ¡°There you go again, taking matters into your own hands,¡± a voice said, breaking the silence that plagued the room.

    It was no doubt Uncle Siggurd¡¯s voice, and he was sitting directly opposite Father. Uncle Siggurd was Father¡¯s older brother, but the position of High Lord wasn¡¯t bestowed upon him because Father was a lot stronger than him. As ugly as it sounded, it was the Choryth way, as succession was based on strength above anything else. It was an understandable custom since it had always ensured that Choryth maintained its position as a prominent House in Stavren.

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    Father was not just stronger than Uncle Siggurd but had also proven to be smarter than him, so it wasn¡¯t a difficult choice to bestow the position of High Lord to him.

    ¡°This was supposed to be a very seclusive meeting between the most prominent nobles of this House, yet you bring in these two. Aren¡¯t you simply disrespecting every noble gathered here?¡± Uncle Siggurd continued.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Father replied calmly.

    ¡°The ladies you just mentioned with disregard are also very important members of this House, and one of which is its heiress.¡±

    Uncle Siggurd smirked,

    ¡°Its heiress, you say.¡±

    ¡°Apologies, Lord Edger, but I find it too rash and inappropriate that you named Lady Evren the heiress of this House,¡± another voice said in a more reserved manner.

    I knew the man was called Wyatt and was also a noble of the House, but I didn¡¯t know anything else about him.

    ¡°How is it rash and inappropriate?¡± father asked.

    ¡°She is my daughter, so It¡¯s only natural.¡±

    ¡°But¡­.¡± Wyatt interrupted, trying to point out something.

    ¡°But what?¡± Father asked, but this time with a rising tempo in his voice.

    ¡°She had also proven to be the strongest among all potential successors. Can any of your sons and daughters best her in combat?¡±

    There was silence in the room as Father concluded,

    ¡°I guess not.¡±

    ¡°We have never had a woman as High Lady of this House, and naming Evren as heiress simply means that you are trying to undermine our history and reputation,¡± Uncle Siggurd responded.

    I knew someone would eventually say something like that, and I was sure Father also knew that. That was why he expelled Svan; to send a statement that Svan was no longer a member of the House since Svan showed no potential of being a caster. He also planned on bringing him back with an excuse once matters of succession were resolved.

    I didn''t think it would be much of an issue, considering how almost every person in the great hall cheered when Father announced me as heiress.

    Father chuckled,

    ¡°I mean, if I can remember correctly, there was no rule which stated that a woman can¡¯t and shouldn¡¯t be the High Lady of House Choryth, and besides, a Lady being the head of a House isn¡¯t a thing of novelty in Stavren. Honestly, I don¡¯t see why we should be holding these talks. I named my heir as tradition demanded, but I am still the head of this House, and I think I am doing a pretty good job at it.¡±

    Most of their faces were disgruntled as they got up to leave one after the other until it was only three of us left. Father had won in this little game, but one thing was certain; it was still very far from over. I got my answer on why I was present in the meeting. Father could have still done what he just did even if we weren¡¯t present, but he was trying to show me something; he was trying to show me everyone I should be wary of.

    YUKINA AYLING

    I wasn¡¯t sure why the High Lord requested that I attend the meeting. It was more of an order than a request, so I had no choice but to comply since my defiant behavior could only stretch so far. The more I thought about it, the less sense it made unless Lord Edger had a hidden agenda behind his decision. Whatever his reasons were, it wasn¡¯t my place to question the High Lord. The meeting didn¡¯t last long as Lord Edger dismissed every complaint as quickly as they were laid.

    I wasn¡¯t concerned about the political affairs of the House, but I believed Lord Edger¡¯s decision to name Evren as heiress was the right one. I didn¡¯t understand why they seemed to have a problem with it because it was easy to discern that they were all present to vet against his decision. I guess they felt insulted or rather embarrassed, but they should have known better about the nature of the society they lived in; the strongest gets the first say.

    By the time the meeting ended, I had figured out why I was made to attend it. I had always believed that Svan was expelled because he had no abilities as a caster, which was totally understandable. People were bound to gossip that the highly respected High Lord of House Choryth had a son with no elemental attributes, which would leave a sour impression on the House.

    The High Lord used his expulsion to prove that he had no tolerance for weakness, which made him even scarier and more powerful. But it seemed like that wasn¡¯t the only reason behind his actions.

    The outcome of the meeting also made me realize that he was also trying to ensure that his lineage still held onto power. If Svan was still present, those nobles would have argued that his son wasn¡¯t fit to be heir of the House and would subsequently argue that Evren also shouldn¡¯t because he had a son and patriarchy was an unwritten custom of the House.

    I had to give it to Lord Edger; he was smart. It was his way of telling me the real reason why he did what he did in hopes that I understood and accepted them.

    Lord Edger stood from his seat,

    ¡°I hope you both understand why I brought you here.¡±

    We both nodded without saying any word as he left the room, leaving us behind. I didn¡¯t know his intention on why Evren was present, but I guess she figured it out as well.

    I wished I had joined in the search for Svan. Somehow, the survivor¡¯s guilt was slowly torturing me. I was trying hard to be optimistic that he was alive even though I was scared that he might just be dead. I wasn¡¯t sure how well I would be able to cope with the grief if he turned out to be dead, so I kept myself in denial because accepting it was too much to bear.

    I tried to convince myself that I did my best to protect him, but Vixra was just too strong for me. My best wasn¡¯t enough. What was even more frustrating was that I didn¡¯t know anything that happened after my fight with her. I just happened to pass out at the wrong time. On the bright side, it fueled my optimism. I didn¡¯t get to see Svan die, so there was a possibility that he was still alive.

    I noticed that Evren was still in the room with me. I tried to steal a glance at her, but our eyes met. She tried to say something to me but stopped herself halfway. I wondered what was wrong with her because she seemed a little off and was giving me creeps. I wanted to ask her what her problem was, but I remembered that we were yet to reconcile from the little scuffle we had the day before, which was obviously my fault, so I didn¡¯t. Without hesitation, I walked past her and left the room to escape the uncomfortable aura she was creating.

 15. CURIOSITY AND DRIVE

    SVAN CHORYTH

    I found myself in a familiar scenery; a dark room with dim lights and clear shadows reflecting on the wall. I was sitting on the bed with my legs crossed like someone meditating, but the difference was that I wasn¡¯t. Instead, I was listening to what Eliora was saying to me.

    I was the one who engaged her in a conversation because I needed to satisfy my curiosity, and it looked like she was eager to provide answers to the questions I asked.

    It all started when I said to her,

    ¡°Could you please continue with what you were telling me yesterday? I think I''m ready to listen now.¡±

    She smiled. I couldn¡¯t just get used to that smile of hers. It was the same as always; peculiar, charming, sweet, and bitter at the same time.

    ¡°What in particular do you want me to talk about?¡±

    ¡°How about the Feel? I would like to know more about the Feel.¡±

    Eliora was seated upright on a wooden chair directly opposite me. Her left arm was also crossed, with her right hand placed just below her mouth but above her jaw.

    ¡°Yesterday, I told you something about the Feel, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you said it was a medium for mana manipulation.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    She gave it some thought before continuing.

    ¡°The easiest way to understand it is to think about breathing. Easy, right?¡±

    I didn¡¯t respond because I couldn¡¯t quite figure out where she was headed.

    ¡°You see, there is an abundance of air around us, but it¡¯s only thanks to some organs in our body that we¡¯re able to take in the air, selectively process it and utilize it. This process is almost the same as in mana and the Feel. The Feel is responsible for the intake and refinement of mana from which elements are manipulated, and stillbrings are triggered.¡±

    I was slowly nodding. Even a kid would perfectly understand what she was saying.

    ¡°Still using the process of breathing as a reference, there are still a lot of differences because the Feel is peculiar in its own way. Unlike breathing, where different organs work together to achieve the whole process, the Feel does it all, almost on its own.¡±

    She paused for a moment,

    ¡°Here is the interesting part. The whole concept of the Feel is hypothetical.¡±

    ¡°Why is it so?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°Because no one actually knows what the Feel is. That¡¯s why it¡¯s held in high regard.¡±

    Confusion was beginning to creep in.

    ¡°So let me get this right. You told me that the Feel is a medium for mana manipulation; responsible for mana intake and refinement in the body, yet you are saying it¡¯s hypothetical.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. We know mana is drawn into the body and taken to the nexus, where it¡¯s being stored and refined. We also know that refined mana is distributed throughout the body, which casters and stillbringers utilize in their respective ways. But no one could tell what actually carries out these fine processes, so it was called the Feel.¡±

    What she just said to me changed my entire perspective on the Feel in an instant. The Feel was actually something intangible, in contrast to the concept I had about it just moments ago. I remembered asking Yukina what it felt like when one¡¯s Feel was active, and the answer she gave to me simply pointed towards mana distribution.

    ¡°So why are casters very different from stillbringers since they have the same Feel?¡±

    ¡°No, they don¡¯t,¡± she replied.

    ¡°You see, divines, demons, casters, and stillbringers all possess a Feel that functions, as I¡¯d said before; a medium for mana manipulation, yet, they are different from each other.¡±

    ¡°Could it be why Yukina said that activation of the Feel elicited spark-like sensations all over the body?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± she replied.

    Her response startled me because the question wasn¡¯t meant for her. I was just thinking out loud.

    ¡°Huh?¡± I asked in a rather confused manner.

    ¡°Yukina was right. But in divines and humans, it¡¯s a sensation of warmth.¡±

    Another answer to one of my many questions was provided. That would explain why stillbringers cannot manipulate elements. The nature of their Feel was different and worked differently.

    The difference between what I knew and what I didn¡¯t know was astronomical, and even worse was that nobody cared to fill me in. It was understandable. There was no need for anyone to waste precious time educating me on things like that because it was a natural feeling that such knowledge was practically useless to me since I was neither caster nor stillbringer.

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t all of this explained in books? I¡¯ve read many books, but there wasn''t much said about the Feel and mana.¡±

    ¡°There are such books, although nothing in those books talks about demons and divines. Books like that exist in only academies and institutions and are prohibited from the general public use.¡±

    ¡°Why is that so?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t really know why. It¡¯s just like a decree that has to be obeyed.¡±

    My questions distracted her from what she was explaining earlier, and when I was done asking, she picked up from where she left off.

    ¡°So, instead of confining the Feel as a hypothetical concept, the term Feel is used to describe mana activity in the body, thereby making it more significant.

    ¡°How is that?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Mmmh, it¡¯s just like proportional comparison. Since mana is practically useless in the body unless the Feel works on it, it¡¯s satisfactory that the term Feel is used synonymously with mana activity.¡±

    Eliora was so good with explanations, making them as detailed as possible. When she first told me what the Feel was, being a medium of mana manipulation, I was a little confused because it sort of contradicted the idea I had about it, which was based on what Yukina told me, though I knew nothing about mana then. Her recent explanation brought me a little clarity.

    From what I¡¯d heard so far, I was made to understand that when people said that one¡¯s Feel was active, it simply meant that mana was being refined and distributed since its intake and storage in the body was a passive activity.

    ¡°So how does someone get better at mana manipulation and control?¡± I asked her.

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    ¡°How does anyone get better at anything? You learn and practice. That¡¯s why academies exist to teach those.¡±

    It was as though casters and stillbringers lived in a completely different world from the normal folks. I was still finding it perplexing that I really knew little to nothing about them.

    I knew that Yukina and Evren both went to a very renowned academy. I didn¡¯t know the details about it, partly because I was young, about seven years of age, but I knew they spent four years in it and only came home a few times during that period. I never asked either of them what they did there. I just believed that it was a place they had to go to get stronger.

    Eliora continued with her details,

    ¡°It¡¯s also important to know what stage one¡¯s Feel is at. It serves as a benchmark to know from where and how one can work on improvement.¡±

    ¡°Wait, so the Feel has stages too?¡±

    ¡°Oh dear, you really don¡¯t know anything about the Feel, do you?¡±.

    I nodded dejectedly,

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t. I mean, nobody cared to tell me stuff like that, and they aren¡¯t found in books available for the normal folk, so how am I supposed to know about it?¡±

    ¡°True. Give me a moment,¡± she said as she left the room.

    There was a feeling of satisfaction swelling from inside me because she was feeding me vital pieces of information for free. Everything she said to me was definitely going to be helpful in one way or another.

    She came back moments later,

    ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± she asked as she held up a crystal-clear orb with her thumb and middle finger. The orb was small and would be completely wrapped in a closed fist.

    I was tempted to say to her,

    ¡°How am I supposed to know what it is?¡± but I didn¡¯t because I remembered the blow I received in the dark haven.

    The dark haven was the name I gave to the place where I encountered the mysterious being who claimed to have some hold over me, and since her voice was effeminate, I called her the queen of the dark haven. For some reason, I felt she would punch me again from nowhere for being disrespectful, so rather, I shot Eliora an inquisitive stare.

    ¡°It¡¯s called Femryn¡¯s orb, and it tells what stage one¡¯s Feel is at. You want to try?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    She placed it on my palms,

    ¡°Hold it firmly and activate your Feel.¡±

    That wasn¡¯t a difficult task for me. Funny how a few days ago, it would have been impossible. I smiled as I did what she asked. The once clear orb changed its color to purple. She looked surprised when she saw the color of the orb.

    ¡°When did you say you first experienced that grey domain of yours?¡±

    ¡°A few days ago,¡± I replied, unsure why she asked.

    ¡°Your Feel is at the light-amethyst stage.¡±

    ¡°... and what is that supposed to imply?¡±

    ¡°It means that it¡¯s in contrast to the fact that you just recently learnt how to manipulate mana. I was expecting you to be in an obsidian stage, but here you are.¡±

    Her words were foreign to me but, weirdly enough, were comprehensible.

    ¡°What about you? What stage is your Feel at?¡±

    She let out the same characteristic smile of hers,

    ¡°Give me the orb.¡±

    The orb glowed brightly when I handed it over to her. Its brightness was blinding, providing a sharp contrast in the dimly-lit room as I shut my eyes tight. I could feel the luminosity gradually fade until it completely disappeared as the orb returned to its normal state.

    ¡°I am a solid white,¡± she said.

    ¡°So apparently, this orb tells how strong a person is,¡± I remarked

    ¡°You can say that since the strength of a caster or stillbringer is proportional to the stage of their Feel. But more precisely, it reflects one¡¯s nexus. Simply put, the color you see on the Femryn¡¯s orb is the color of your nexus.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it just better to call it the stage of the nexus than the stage of the Feel?¡± I asked objectively.

    ¡°Just like I said earlier, this is a means of giving more significance to the Feel. Proportional comparison is also applicable here. When the Feel refines mana in the nexus, the process also purifies the nexus, which causes its color to change over time. The purer the nexus, the more efficiently the Feel refines mana and the fewer impurities the refined mana would contain. So, you can see how interconnected it is. And also importantly, it provides a better classification standard that accommodates casters and stillbringers.¡±

    ¡°I think we should go to bed now. We can continue tomorrow,¡± Eliora said as she tried to stop herself from yawning.

    ¡°Alright,¡± I replied as I watched her leave the room, closing the door behind her.

    I really wanted to ask her more questions, but she was sleepy. I had to be considerate and let her sleep. It wasn¡¯t like she was running away after all.

    One of those questions was if it was possible for someone to possess two kinds of Feel. It felt like the only feasible possibility to explain that I was both divine and stillbringer. Maybe I was thinking too much about it. Maybe I just inherited both abilities from my parents. It was surprising that I was bugged about thoughts of being a stillbringer and what was even more surprising was that I believed every word the queen of the dark haven said. I couldn¡¯t help it. It was already too late to keep it off my mind.

    Since Eliora left the room, I wondered if there were any means to test my hypothesis. I wished I had Crit¡¯s medallion with me; it would have made everything much easier. But I didn¡¯t have it, so I had to figure out other means.

    I shut my eyes tight to focus on the mana activity inside my body, but there were no changes other than what I had experienced before; the warmth that radiated all over my body. My intent was to see if I could keep the warmth within my body, preventing it from reaching for the ambient mana. As hard as I tried, it proved beyond my control, so I decided to try something different.

    I activated the grey domain, still focusing on my mana activity, and for the first time, I saw myself covered in blue flames. For the first time, I questioned myself on what the flames really meant. Yukina¡¯s and Eliora¡¯s were covered in blue, but Vixra¡¯s and the falx¡¯s were black. I didn¡¯t want to get distracted by it. It could simply mean that divines, demons, or even humans, gave off different mana signatures in the grey domain.

    There were still no changes. It was growing frustrating, but I did my best to keep calm, and it paid off as another idea crossed my mind. I looked outside, the night was bright, and the skies were star-lit. It was so clear that I could see a person that stood more than a dozen paces away from me. Everything was going just the way I wanted. I didn¡¯t want to leave the house en route the stairs so as not to draw Eliora¡¯s attention. So, I jumped down the window, which I almost regretted instantly because I didn¡¯t even think about how I would be able to get back in before jumping.

    ¡°It would sort itself when the time comes,¡± I said to myself as I walked quietly to the field where Eliora and I sparred earlier in the day.

    My goal was to learn how my body would react if I drained all the mana from my nexus with hopes that maybe, there would be some sort of compensatory reaction like it did against Crit. I couldn¡¯t do it inside the room because I might as well destroy the whole house if I wasn¡¯t careful, so an open field was a better option.

    I knew I was impatient, mostly because we had to return to Stafford the next day. Just thoughts about Stafford were putting a lot of pressure on me. I was just probably scared of seeing Lord Edger. Eliora had revealed I wasn¡¯t his son nor related to him in any way, but I still felt like I was bonded to him and couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of fear I had towards him. I felt the need to return with something to show. I wanted to prove to everyone that I wasn¡¯t a weakling anymore. I had the grey domain, and I just learnt a bit of spatial manipulation, but it wasn¡¯t enough. I wasn¡¯t just satisfied.

    Trying to grasp everything in one go was an impossible act of greed, but I had already wasted a lot of time doing nothing because I believed I had no abilities. Eliora was the one I would blame for that, but according to her, she had good reasons for doing what she did, and I didn¡¯t want to question her further about it. It was all in the past.

    I continuously pushed and pulled empty space away to wear myself down, but it took too long. It was much easier to discern in the grey domain when I pushed space around me away. I could feel the viscous-like atmosphere around me disperse, and when I pulled it towards me, it came together again.

    I gradually began to tire as the warmth from my nexus gradually cooled. Half-excitedly, I pushed out mana with a lot more intensity than I was doing previously. I noticed something different. The space around me didn¡¯t disperse. Rather, it felt like I shot something through it. I immediately switched out of the grey domain to see if anything had changed from a normal perspective.

    At first, I didn¡¯t notice anything out of the ordinary, but as I took a few steps forward, I felt a warping pressure. The sensation was the same one I felt when Eliora tested her wild speculation on me. Going into it was the last thing in my mind because I didn¡¯t even know where it would lead. I switched to the grey domain again, and I could see the distortion, which looked like the entry and exit of a piercing wound. It didn¡¯t look like it spawned for a long distance, so I decided to risk going into it.

    Even in the grey domain, where every movement was significantly slowed down, it happened instantaneously as though I walked through a transport gate.

    I felt a sudden rush of excitement, even though it was an inadvertent discovery. I tried it again to ensure that the first wasn''t a fluke, and it worked. I was so happy, but yet again, I had more questions. Every new discovery seemed to birth more questions that fueled my insatiable curiosity. I wondered how the queen of the dark haven performed it because clearly, I didn¡¯t remember pushing out mana from my body. More so, how she was able to do it over a very long distance.

    My nexus was completely empty. I couldn¡¯t feel any warmth anymore. My body was too heavy to carry, and when I tried to walk, I fell helplessly to the ground. Clearly, what I¡¯d just performed consumed a lot of mana which eventually wore me out. No wonder I passed out when I first experienced it.

    ¡°So much for trying to figure out how to get inside,¡± I giggled.

    Though my nexus was drained, I didn¡¯t experience what I¡¯d originally hoped for. On the bright side, I didn¡¯t drain it for naught. My next goal was to find ways to improve the new discovery.

    Lying in a supine manner, I stared at the star-lit sky.

    ¡°I have to give these abilities cool names,¡± I mumbled, smiling awkwardly.

    My eyelids were pulled together, but I didn¡¯t fight it as I slowly fell asleep.

 16. SISTERS IN ARMS

    EVREN CHORYTH

    Staring down from the keep¡¯s porch, I focused on the training ground simply because Yukina was there. She sent someone flying, who subsequently crashed onto the wall behind him. Another was close to her and was about to receive the same fate. Instinctively, the rest were hesitant to approach her.

    She was sparring with multiple partners all at once. It was supposed to be a casual workout, but it seemed she took it too seriously. I could tell she bore pent-up frustrations and used the exercise to get things off her chest.

    I sighed. I had a lot to get off my chest too. I wished I could walk up to her and tell her the truth, but I would be going against Father¡¯s wishes. I always believed Father had a good reason for keeping the truth from her, and I didn¡¯t want to pry on whatever they were.

    I diverted my gaze away from the training ground as Yukina landed a blow on her opponent. I didn¡¯t want to see the sorry state he ended up in.

    The skies were clear blue, devoid of white clouds, and a flock of migratory birds flew past, heading toward the distant horizon.

    ¡°You sure have simple lives, don¡¯t you?¡± I asked, wearing a smile.

    News came in earlier in the morning that Svan hadn¡¯t been found. It was the obvious reason for Yukina¡¯s frustration. She wasn¡¯t persistent anymore on joining the search party. It seemed she realized that she wouldn¡¯t do anything different from what the search party had already done. About Svan, I didn¡¯t know how to feel because there were a lot of confusing emotions that swarmed my head space whenever I thought or came across him.

    I knew that Svan wasn¡¯t my brother even though he bore the Choryth name. A part of me had fully accepted him as my family, but another part just didn¡¯t. I just needed someone to take the blame for everything that had gone wrong in my life, so I just made him the scapegoat, someone to blame and feel better. In reality, he did nothing wrong. He always appeared cheerful and welcoming, yet I refused to get close to him. The fact that he didn¡¯t have any ability of a caster was a perfect excuse to treat him like he was undeserving.

    Deep down, I knew I didn¡¯t hate him but didn¡¯t know how to love him. Sometimes, I felt pity for him. I didn''t try to put myself in his shoes all these years, and there was no telling that it must have been difficult for him. Yukina was the only person who gave him the much-deserved attention, so it was natural that she was the only person he confided in. Their bond strengthened in just a short time. Little did they know that they were actually siblings.

    A male attendant halted Yukina¡¯s training session, telling her something I couldn¡¯t possibly hear. When the attendant was done delivering the message to Yukina, she stopped the session entirely and followed him. My best guess was that Father called for her because Yukina wasn¡¯t the type to instantly stop whatever she was doing for anything or anybody, unless it was an emergency or if Father called for her.

    Everything felt different since Svan left. Not that his presence was missed, life in the castle carried on as if nothing had happened. He was pretty much introverted, to begin with. But, I just had a gut feeling that something imminent was about to happen.

    I decided to stay up there for a while longer since I had no duties to attend to.

    ¡°My Lady¡­.¡± a familiar voice called from behind me, alerting her presence and drawing my attention.

    ¡°Just as I thought.¡±

    I knew that if Father called for Yukina, the chances were, he¡¯d call for me too.

    ¡°Hey, how do you always know where to find me?¡± I jokingly asked the attendant, who stood a few meters behind me. The attendant was Kathrine, who was about the same age as me. She had been my personal attendant for about a year, taking over the position after her predecessor got married and left.

    ¡°It¡¯s my duty, my lady,¡± she replied with a smile.

    ¡°Where is the High Lord at?¡±

    ¡°He is at his private study,¡± she replied.

    ¡°Did he call for Yukina too?¡±

    ¡°I am not sure about that, but I think so.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± I replied as she left.

    What other thing did he want to tell us? I wondered as I headed down a series of spiral stairs before turning into a passage that led to Father¡¯s private study.

    Yukina didn¡¯t bother to freshen up. Still draped in a sleeveless vest, close-fitted slacks, and boots, it was clear that she came straight from the training grounds. Father dropped what he was reading and focused on us, particularly Yukina. The look on his face was a disturbed one. Father was in his mid-forties, forty-four to be precise, but he looked much younger than his age. His chin was always clean, revealing his chiseled jawline that properly fitted his rectangular-shaped head. His deep-set almond eyes looked sunken like someone who had been deprived of a good night¡¯s sleep, even though there were no bags beneath them.

    ¡°I need you to tell me everything that happened since you left the castle manor with Svan. More specifically, the details of your encounter in the forest,¡± Father requested.

    It seemed there were still missing pieces of information that Father failed to obtain. When Yukina and Svan left, he sent someone to secretly tail them, just for precautionary measures. That was how we were able to quickly receive information that something went wrong and that Svan was missing. But Father wanting to hear directly from Yukina meant there was more to it.

    ¡°It¡¯s to my understanding that you had us followed, which I am really grateful for because it saved my life. But, I don¡¯t think any other thing in contrast to the reports happened.¡±

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    ¡°Are you sure you aren¡¯t missing anything?¡± Father asked her.

    ¡°I am pretty sure that I have a good memory,¡± Yukina replied.

    Even I find it difficult to talk to Father casually, but Yukina does and gets away with it.

    ¡°Well, she is Yukina,¡± I said to myself.

    Anyone would confuse her as Father¡¯s daughter. She practically lived like one. What was left was just to change her name from Ayling to Choryth. If only she were my sister, she would have been named heiress, and if that were the case, I would be much happier. But knowing the kind of person she was, I was pretty sure she wouldn¡¯t want to hold such a position.

    I always tried to prove that I was stronger than her. Not because we were fighting over any position but because competition like that was natural. It was a healthy one, and we both benefited from it. Both of us grew rapidly strength-wise, like we were racing against each other, and none of us wanted to lag behind, especially me.

    Father simply nodded.

    ¡°We are out of clues of where Svan might be. Our search network is doing its best, but we can¡¯t still find him.¡±

    I wondered where the High Lord was driving at because that information was no longer new, and bringing it up again would more likely infuriate her than keep her calm.

    ¡°We are still searching for him, and while on it, we discovered something.¡±

    We looked at him curiously, expectant of what he was about to say.

    ¡°Apparently, a little town on the northwest border of the forest, just a few kilometers away from the harbor city, was attacked. Reports had it that the attack came on the night you guys left. Every imperial soldier stationed in the town was killed, and the few survivors from the incident recounted that the attack was orchestrated by only two people and a beast-creature that seemed to be under their control. It was also reported that they disappeared into the forest after they laid waste to the town, so do you understand why I asked about the details of your encounter in the forest?¡±

    ¡°Yukina¡¯s expression was somewhere between realization and shock. What Father said seemed to ring a bell in her head.

    ¡°Could it be Vixra?¡± she asked.

    From her expression, I could easily tell she didn¡¯t intend to ask the question out loud. It was a question she seemingly asked herself.

    ¡°Who is Vixra?¡± Father asked with curious intent.

    ¡°The one who beat the shit out of me and left me for dead.¡±

    It took me a great deal of self-control to prevent myself from bursting out laughing. What she said was by no means funny, but the way she said it, coupled with her expression, was really funny.

    I hadn¡¯t for once seen Yukina lose a fight since when we were little. So, openly admitting that she stood no chance against her enemy felt weird. She was well ahead of her peers, me included. Being a three-fold stillbringer from a very young age was unheard of. She was different.

    ¡°Though it¡¯s wild speculation, she might be the one that destroyed the town. The timing of the events seem to correspond,¡± Yukina remarked.

    Father wore a thoughtful expression on his face. It looked like he was about to say something before Yukina interrupted.

    ¡°But what is confusing is that we fought the creature on a completely different day from when I fought Vixra.¡±

    This Vixra whom Yukina spoke of had to be scary-strong, given that she left Yukina in a near-death state. Someone capable of doing that to her was also capable of laying waste to a small town that had a few imperial soldiers in it. But it begged the question,

    ¡°Why would someone do that?¡±

    "The details of the creature, was it given?" Yukina asked Father.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s said to have a human-like build, very tall, has a beast head that bore very large curved horns.¡±

    ¡°Falx,¡± Yukina said in what seemed like she just snapped back into consciousness.

    ¡°What is that?¡± Father and I asked simultaneously.

    ¡°The creature we fought in the forest. If your description is correct, it¡¯s the same one.¡±

    Normally, we wouldn¡¯t have to worry about issues like this because the imperial military was going to launch an investigation since its soldiers were killed in the assault. But Father seemed to believe that it was connected to Svan¡¯s disappearance. Besides that, I believed that there was more to it.

    The room was brought to an abrupt quietude. Everyone was probably busy with their thoughts, trying to figure out the possibilities of why the town was attacked. An impatient knock sounded on the door, and a messenger barged in before Father could ask who it was. All of us shot him a surprised gaze.

    ¡°My Lord, you need to see this.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Father asked him.

    The man was visibly shaken as he struggled to come up with the right words to describe what he wanted to say.

    ¡°Lord Siggurd¡­. He ¡­.There are people ¡­. Monsters.¡±

    He didn¡¯t make a coherent report, but it was easy to understand that Uncle Siggurd had done something that didn¡¯t look good. I walked closer to the messenger, who was still breathing heavily. I wondered what Uncle Siggurd might have done that made him run here as fast as he could.

    ¡°Calm down and breathe,¡± I said to him, demonstrating with my hands as I rhythmically pushed them downwards.

    When he looked like he could talk properly, I asked him,

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    He took deep breaths, and as he was about to say something, our attention was drawn to the sounds of crashing and screaming.

    ¡°This is bad,¡± I mumbled.

    ¡°We are being attacked,¡± the messenger said clearly and eloquently.

    I looked at Father and searched his face for a reaction, but he was indifferent. No visible sign of fear or panic. I panicked a little when I heard the words ¡°we are being attacked,¡± but after looking at Father, I steeled myself. The High Lord got up slowly from his seat,

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    We left the castle manor, and three of us stood on open ground between the manor and the gates. I couldn¡¯t believe what I was looking at; several guards'' bodies lay dead on the floor. Most were mutilated, body parts scattered, and blood flowed everywhere. The scene looked like a bizarre canvas painted by a grim reaper.

    The other guards held defensive positions, trying their best to prevent the enemy from getting into the manor. The look on Yukina¡¯s face was weird; she was grinning. I faced the direction she was looking, and my eyes locked with the assailants. There were three of them, two males and a female. Each of them had creatures that stood beside them, which looked exactly like the one father detailed earlier. Shockingly, Uncle Siggurd was standing in front of them.

    My heart was thudding rapidly against the walls of my chest. Just one of these kinds of people laid waste on a town and almost killed Yukina. Now, there were three of them. On the bright side, we had Father with us. But, there was no way he would keep an eye on us throughout the fight, so we had to fend for ourselves.

    ¡°Is this how far you are willing to go?¡± Father yelled at Uncle Siggurd.

    ¡°You left me with no choice.¡±

    Just as he was done talking, the only female among them stepped forward, and shockingly, she ran her sword through him. The disbelief in Uncle Siggurd¡¯s eyes clearly conveyed what was going through his mind as she whispered something to his right ear. He tried to speak but was only able to cough out blood. Her sword was covered in black flames. I was a fire caster, but I¡¯d never seen such flames.

    ¡°He served his purpose,¡± she said as she smiled at us

    ¡°Weirdos,¡± Yukina cursed.

    ¡°This House does not forgive disrespect,¡± Father said to the lady.

    Yukina unsheathed her swords and broke away from our line.

    ¡°Come on, Evren, it seems like we will have a lot of fun.¡±

    ¡°You are crazy,¡± I replied with a smile.

    ¡°Just don¡¯t die because I won¡¯t mourn you.¡± Yukina continued.

    We were about to enter a fight that could possibly get us killed, and she looked so relaxed and was even teasing me. I left Father¡¯s side and walked forward to join Yukina. Lightning tendrils were already crackling all over my body. I was battle ready.

    ¡°Coming from someone who was almost killed,¡± I shot back at Yukina.

    She smiled back at me. I could tell that she was scared, but she didn¡¯t have any other choice than to fight. She stopped walking and turned, facing the guards holding defensive positions.

    ¡°These ugly-looking creatures¡­. go for their eyes.¡±

 17. HOMECOMING

    SVAN CHORYTH

    It was the fifth time I yawned, making weird noises at irregular intervals. I didn¡¯t know exactly how much sleep I got, but I was sure I didn¡¯t get enough. My eyes were heavy, which made me wonder how big the bags beneath them were.

    I didn¡¯t remember returning to the house, but I was sitting on my bed. Eliora had to be the one who carried me inside, but I couldn¡¯t stop trying to figure out how she carried me. Did she carry me on her back? Or did she do it in a bridal style? She definitely didn¡¯t drag me along because such kind of action is only exclusive to Yukina, and I would have woken up with a sore body if she did. Generally, I felt embarrassed that she carried me inside like some helpless toddler.

    I tried to relive the previous night''s events in my head, overwhelmed with the feeling of satisfaction. I had just added a new weapon to my arsenal.

    Eliora walked into the room and looked like a completely different person. I didn¡¯t know that clothing could do so much in changing what a person looked like. She was simply stunning. Her conflicting appearance deflected to the younger side and was more serious looking than gentle. No one would believe that she was a mother, let alone a mother of two young adults.

    What she wore was in very sharp contrast to the loose garments I¡¯d always seen on her. She was donned in a short dark-blue leather coat that very much looked like a pea coat except that hers had close-fitted sleeves and was stretchy, which was also fastened by two leather buckles.

    She wore a black cape with a round collar, which was stiff and had two large buttons. It looked different from the traditional ones and was split into its sides. More surprisingly, she appeared to be a double-sword wielder, just like Yukina. Her scabbard was strapped around her waist, which held her sword that ran diagonally. It was no wonder her cape was designed to accommodate her swords.

    The first thing that I said to her was,

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you were a swordswoman.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t ask,¡± she replied as she looked at her sword.

    ¡°You are good at everything, aren¡¯t you?¡± I asked her.

    She laughed a little,

    ¡°Except on how to be a mother, I guess.¡±

    I nodded,

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Err¡­. about last night¡­.¡± I stuttered, trying to confirm my speculation.

    ¡°Oh, I guess you want to talk about it. I knew when you left the house, so I followed you. For a moment I thought you wanted to run away, but there was no sense in you doing that. It turned out that you were training, so I just watched you from a distance. I didn¡¯t want to interfere or disturb you. It was cool, though¡­. you know¡­. the vanishing thing you did.¡±

    I laughed at myself inwardly. So much for sneaking out only to be found out immediately.

    ¡°H-how did you carry me inside after I collapsed?¡±

    My question took her by surprise as she looked at me awkwardly. Her expression was screaming, ¡°is that supposed to be a question?¡±

    ¡°How do you think I carried you? I¡­.¡±

    ¡°Never mind, I don¡¯t want to know,¡± I tittered.

    ¡°Well, if you say so. You should wash up. We need to arrive at Stafford on time.¡±

    What she said made me realize that I didn¡¯t even know where we were. It was as though I never asked the basics, only asking questions that satisfied my curiosity. It sounded funny that after spending three days at a place, I didn¡¯t even know the name of the place. Though in my defense, I remembered asking her where I was. But I felt it wasn''t as important as trying to figure out who she was. I simply forgot to ask afterward because I had a lot on my mind.

    ¡°Hope you don¡¯t mind, but where is this place?¡± I asked her, with my face trying to conceal the embarrassment it was already giving off.

    ¡°How did I not tell you? You are in Academroth, its southeastern outskirts to be precise.¡±

    That was a very long way from Stavren. The southern republic comprised four kingdoms; Stavren, Academroth, Weiss, and the island kingdom of Weldhem. Academroth occupied the southeastern part of the southern republic in contrast to Stavren, which occupied the north.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we would use the transport gates as our primary means of transportation,¡± she said.

    ¡°Huh?¡± I asked, a bit confused.

    Even though there was a fair distance between our location and Stafford, I wasn¡¯t thinking about how far we would supposedly travel, in contrast to what she perceived. Instead, I was trying to create a visual image of our location in my head.

    We obviously had to use the transport gates if we didn¡¯t want to spend months on the road. My reason for returning to Stafford was a matter of urgency, and if I embarked on a journey of such duration, the purpose would be defeated. The only downside was that accessing the transport gates required lots of money. It wouldn¡¯t pose any problems for us since I had a lot of money to take care of it.

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s going to happen now? I mean, you are leaving your home behind to follow me,¡± I remarked.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I don¡¯t stay for very long at a particular place,¡± she replied.

    ¡°So why did you buy this house?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t buy it. When I first arrived in this town, I met an old lady who offered me to stay at her place. She had frail health, so I took care of her. Unfortunately, she passed away not long after. But before she did, she said I could have the house. That¡¯s why I stayed longer in this town because I didn¡¯t know what to do with the house. I guess I will just lock it up. Maybe, later in the future, it might be useful.¡±

    I still felt uneasy,

    ¡°Is it necessary to come with me? I believe that you are my mother, and there is no reason for you to lie about it. I can always explain to Yukina, and she can come to pay you a visit anytime,¡± I said to her.

    ¡°No, I need to keep you safe, both of you. I don¡¯t want to shy away from my responsibilities as a mother anymore. It¡¯s better late than never, right?¡±

    There was no need to try to talk her out of it. Her mind was already made up. I clumsily left the bed where I was seated and went for a bath.

    * * *

    We stood at the end of the narrow path connected to the main road, looking at the house one last time. Though it was Eliora who had something to reminisce about, I just stared at it like she did. From that distance, it was apparent that the house was built on high ground because, from our perspective, we were looking at it from the foot of a gentle hill. When Eliora was done, we hit the road.

    ¡°So, where are we headed now?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°To the nearest transport gate. There is one in the city about three miles ahead.¡±

    I nodded. It was going to be a pretty long walk, but it wasn¡¯t that bad. We walked past a few going in the same and in opposite directions as we were. Throughout our walk, the view on my left and right mainly were grasslands and paths that led into little settlements or individual homes. Most of the few people we walked past waved in our direction, precisely at Eliora.

    ¡°You are quite popular here,¡± I nudged.

    ¡°He-he, when you are one of the only three casters in a rural town, it becomes easy for everyone to know your face,¡± she replied.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel sad leaving them behind?¡±

    ¡°Not really. That¡¯s why I try not to get too attached to a particular place. The people around here are peaceful and friendly. Maybe I will miss them a little.¡±

    Our walk continued until we finally arrived at Leif, the city Eliora had talked about earlier. It wasn''t difficult to tell; the sharp shift between the urban and rural environments was apparent.

    I still found it difficult to believe that we would be arriving at Stafford in a very short time. That was the beauty of the transport gates. I was supposed to be on an adventure with Yukina to explore the unknown, but we¡¯d barely even started our journey, and it came to an abrupt end.

    We walked through a street with rows of buildings on both sides. The buildings were connected by bridge-like constructions on their roofs. I struggled to understand what purpose the bridges served. One could argue that it made movement easy, given that the street was quite cramped and bustling with many activities, but only a handful of people were using the rooftop bridges.

    Ahead of us was a sizable tower-like building situated somewhere at the end of the street. Given that we didn¡¯t take any corners so far and were still walking on a straight path, it had to be our destination.

    ¡°That¡¯s where we are headed, right?¡± I asked Eliora.

    ¡°Yes. There is a transport gate there.¡±

    Eliora took a long deep breath,

    ¡°When was it again? Fifteen years ago.¡±

    ¡°It was just three days for me,¡± I added.

    She laughed

    ¡°That¡¯s one way to compare it,¡± she concluded.

    We queued up in a line awaiting to use the gates a few paces ahead. It was nothing spectacular, looking very much like a mirror placed between two pillars connected by an arch, only that this mirror wasn¡¯t reflective and had a bluish shine.

    The area looked like a large hall. Guards were stationed at strategic posts, making sure it wasn¡¯t chaotic. There were two transport gates, one for people leaving and the other for those arriving in the city. We''d already obtained a pass, a black crystal-like plaque with engravings that cost fifty imperial silver coins each, an equivalent of 5 gold coins. Eliora offered to pay, but I refused, insisting that I pay since I had a lot of money that I didn''t even know how to spend.

    It finally got to our turn. The warden in charge of checking our passes didn¡¯t bother to check ours. That was because it was impossible to arrive at one¡¯s desired location without them. The way it worked synchronously with the transport gate remained a complete mystery to me.

    ¡°And here we go,¡± I said as I stepped into the transport gate.

    The plaque I held dissolved instantly like clay that came in contact with water. The blue shine from the gates instantly changed to pitch-black. It was as though the plaque was a black dye poured into clear water. I couldn¡¯t see anything even though my eyes were wide open. The darkness didn¡¯t last for so long as the blue shine gradually returned until it was bright again. I stepped outside the transport gate; it was apparent that we weren''t in Leif anymore. We arrived in Stafford.

    ¡°Stafford didn¡¯t change so much after all these years,¡± Eliora said as her eyes pranced gleefully around the city.

    ¡°How¡¯s that?¡± I asked.

    ¡°For someone coming back here after fifteen years, I am pretty sure I can get around on my own.¡±

    She was right. Stafford had always maintained a simplistic outlook yet appeared more urban compared to Leif, at least. Even if I go to Leif after ten times, I would still get lost around there.

    We rented a carriage to the Choryth castle. I had a fast-paced heartbeat, which increased as we drew closer to the castle. I clenched my fists tightly, looked at Eliora, and asked her,

    ¡°Are you nervous?¡±

    ¡°I think I should be the one asking you that.¡±

    She held my right hand with her left,

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything will be fine.¡±

    The main gate was open. From outside, I could see the dead bodies of guards scattered all over the place.

    ¡°What in the world happened here?¡± I wondered.

    ¡°Come on, hurry. Something is wrong,¡± Eliora said, already sprinting inside the manor.

    The scene was a million miles away from what I was expecting. My eyes captured everything all at once; Lord Edger was up against two demons. He seemed to be holding up well; he was the High Lord, after all. Yukina and Evren engaged another. It looked like the demon had the upper hand, though they were constantly distracted by a falx. The guards weren¡¯t doing well against the two falxes they engaged as they fell one after another.

    No one noticed our presence. Everyone was preoccupied, fighting for their lives.

    ¡°Not the homecoming I expected,¡± Eliora said as she dropped her backpack, drawing out her swords.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a sword. You broke mine, remember?¡±

    She tossed one of hers to me. It felt very light yet rigid.

    ¡°This should be fun,¡± she said, with a smirk on her face.

 18. THREE TOO SMALL

    I wasted no time switching to the grey domain, rushing at the falxes at lightning speed. They sensed me, abandoning the guards that engaged them, and faced me. I was confident, unlike when I first encountered a falx. I was armed with prior experience, the grey domain, and the two new abilities I¡¯d discovered; taking out two falxes should be easy. I¡¯d already found suitable names for my new abilities. The first, I called femryn¡¯s jolt. I didn¡¯t have any particular intention behind the name; I just thought it sounded cool. The second, I called realm slip.

    The two falxes approached me at once. My focus was on their eyes which were bared out to me thanks to the grey domain. They lunged at me with the intent to shred me to pieces. My pace outmatched theirs, I slid underneath them as they crashed into each other. I recovered almost instantly as I pushed toward the falxes struggling to regain balance.

    It seemed as though something about me irritated them. When I watched them moments ago, they looked more cool-headed while they attacked the guards, but when they saw me, they seemed to lose it.

    Using femryn¡¯s jolt, I pulled one of them close to me as I tried to drive my sword into its eye and shockingly, it blocked with its hands.

    ¡°Oh well, an unpleasant surprise,¡± I remarked.

    This falx was different from the one I fought in Ausbane; it was conscious of its weakness.

    ¡°Does it reflect on the abilities of their demon masters?¡± I queried myself.

    There wasn¡¯t any cause for alarm. I just had to be quicker than the falx. I occupied my mind with calculations on the most efficient and precise way I could apply the three abilities in my keep to take out the two falxes as quickly as possible.

    I switched out of the grey domain to view the situation from a normal perspective. My eyes met with Yukina¡¯s. In that brief encounter, her expression said a whole lot. She couldn¡¯t do much as she was in a middle of a fight with Evren. I also had issues to deal with. We¡¯d have plenty of time to catch up when the battle was over.

    Our reunion was cut short as an iced spike stabbed her in her torso. She lost concentration because I distracted her. I watched her groan as she pulled out the spike, and blood from the injury soaked her clothes. Evren didn¡¯t see me yet. She noticed that Yukina was injured and went on the offensive to buy her time to heal. Their teamwork was impeccable like they had always fought alongside each other. For as long as I remember, I''d only always seen them fighting against each other.

    The two falxes didn¡¯t approach me carelessly anymore. It seemed they figured out that I knew how to kill them. On the other hand, the guards backed out as they watched me stand off against the falxes. I knew that most of them were, at most, augmented-class and would fare poorly against a falx because the range of spells a caster of that level would be able to conjure would do little to nothing against a falx. A skilled stillbringer of equal strength had more chances against a falx compared to a caster.

    I was gripped with a weird sense of fear and confidence at the same time. I had to avoid taking any hit from the falx; I wasn¡¯t Yukina who could spontaneously strengthen or heal her body. If I got hit, I would most probably die from it.

    The falxes went in circles around me until they were exactly on opposite sides, with me at the center, before they attacked me from both sides. I used femryn¡¯s jolt to push one of them away while I focused on the other. I had already switched to the grey domain as I ran towards it. It tried to grab me, but I side-stepped, avoiding its grip. I slashed toward its eyes, but it was just in time to turn its face as my sword met with its impregnable body. Using femryn¡¯s jolt, I banged its back against the wall behind it with as much push force as possible in an attempt to create an opening for myself, and it worked.

    The stones and debris from the wall fell on top of the falx, further disorienting it. At that moment, I discovered that even though the falx had a resistant body, it wasn¡¯t immune to pain. I didn¡¯t hesitate nor wait for it to recover, as I used realm slip to bridge the distance between us, materializing right in front of it and stabbing its left eye. It shrieked as it shot itself away from me. I knew everything happened so fast though it didn¡¯t feel the same way in the grey domain.

    Its howl attracted the other falx that engaged Yukina and Evren as it disengaged from them, turning in my direction. It was now three falxes against me though one was injured. They understood that I was a threat that needed to be taken care of. I wondered how they were able to communicate with each other as they arranged themselves in a formation; the injured one and another that was roughly its size attacked in pairs while the much bigger one trailed behind. I could keep pushing them away, but it would be a fruitless effort because they would keep coming. I had to take care of them as quickly as possible, so I could help Yukina and Evren.

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    Using their formation against them, I used femryn¡¯s jolt to push the two falxes charging in front, subsequently knocking down the third that trailed behind. I was elated, but I didn¡¯t want to get ahead of myself. It was amazing to experience how simple actions produced powerful reactions. I would have been pissing on myself a few days ago if three falxes charged at me, but here I was, the one dominating the fight.

    I followed up immediately. My attention was focused on the injured one. I wanted to finish it off first since I only needed to stab the remainder of its eye. It tried to create some distance between us, but I used femryn¡¯s jolt to pull it close to me. It was completely defenseless as I stabbed its second eye. The falx dropped to the floor, dead. I couldn¡¯t tell the expression on the faces of the other two because I was still in the grey domain, but I knew they were scared. It must be difficult for them to understand how they were being pushed and pulled without any form of physical contact. If retreating was an option, they would have chosen it.

    I charged at them, and they reciprocated, though they did so hesitantly because they weren''t left with another option. I was filled with a huge confidence boost. The falxes were a complete mismatch against my abilities since they had no skills and relied on only speed and brute strength. I was almost tempted to turn the fight into a plaything, but I couldn¡¯t afford that luxury, given the situation of things around me.

    Right in the grey domain, I saw the silhouettes of both falxes approach me, but they were slow. My next target was the bigger one of the two. I used realm slip to instantaneously appear in front of it. It tried to back away from me, black flames condensed in its legs, and its gait indicated that it was trying to hop backwards. Simultaneously, it was trying to lower its head and keep its eyes away from my line of sight . I pushed against the resistance the grey domain provided just to get to its eyes on time as I drove my sword into its right eye. The second falx tried to take advantage of the situation and struck. Though I didn¡¯t see it, I could sense vibrations from behind me. There wasn¡¯t enough time to avoid it, so I used realm slip to materialize behind the falx I stabbed. They both collided and crashed to the ground.

    I immediately appeared in front of them with my pocket knives drawn. They saw me and immediately tried to cover their eyes, but they were too slow. To make their bad situation even worse, they were lying helplessly on the ground and could only do so much.

    I drove my pocket knife into the eye of the falx I had already stabbed. The last one tried to retreat, a futile attempt. With femryn¡¯s jolt, I brought it within striking range and stabbed its eye with the remainder of my knives. I turned in a swift motion, though relatively slowly in the grey domain, as I drew out my sword from the falx that lay dead. The last one was already trying to cover the remainder of its eye with its arm. I sighed because it was as good as dead. I pushed it as it hit its back hard against a pillar, an impact that forced its arms to fall.

    ¡°There goes the last one,¡± I said.

    Using realm slip, I materialized right before it and drove my sword into its other eye.

    I felt significantly fatigued, as my breath was defined in short gasps. I also felt a little dizzy, but I knew I could still hold my own. Realm slip consumed way more mana compared to femryn¡¯s jolt, but on the bright side, I was able to take out three falxes alone. I switched out of the grey domain. The dead bodies of the falxes lay at different locations; one almost buried under a stone rubble a little distance on my left, another right in front of me, and the last one behind me. Who would have believed that I killed them myself? The guards looked at me with faces of surprise and disbelief, and I couldn¡¯t help but smile inwardly at myself.

    The battle was far from over because the demons were still alive, but I wasn¡¯t too worried; we had Eliora and Lord Edger. Though I wasn¡¯t completely convinced, I believed Yukina and Evren could take out one demon. I didn¡¯t want to sit around and watch them like a spectator; I wanted to join the fight.

    I didn¡¯t know how much longer I would last since I was fatigued, but any help was helpful. The demon Yukina and Evren engaged was a middle-aged man, judging by his facial features. So far, he only manipulated ice, but he was damn good at it, keeping Yukina and Evren at bay. I wondered if ice was the only element he could wield or if he wasn¡¯t just going all out. I planned to strike him on his blind side, drew out many deductions based on Yukina and Vixra''s fight, and knew that demons generally were very good at defending. But even with such defense, I believed realm slip had the edge over it. I had to be precise if I wanted to strike because I''d only got one shot at it.

    As their fight dragged on, Yukina and Evren started to gain the upper hand. Maybe it was due to the fact that I¡¯d eliminated the falx that constantly kept them distracted. Yukina always charged first while Evren supported. No one would believe she was the same person who was almost killed by a demon a few days ago. I could see sparks coursing the blades of her sword, just like it did against Vixra. Yukina slashed through the demon¡¯s spells as quickly as they were conjured while Evren struck through the openings Yukina created.

    The odds of the fight tipped in their favor. If nothing went wrong, it was obvious they were going to kill that demon. I reconsidered my plan to join them. It would be rude to butt in because they¡¯d already put in a lot of work and didn¡¯t look like they needed any help.

    ¡°Maybe I should watch after all,¡± I said.

    I turned and saw Eliora as she isolated a demon that was originally fighting against Lord Edger in a ring of fire.

    ¡°This is going to be fun,¡± I said, smiling.

 19. OF FIRE

    ELIORA AYLING

    It was surreal to believe that I was in Stafford, a place I wished I was at every single day but didn¡¯t dare to go to, even though it was within reach. I wasn¡¯t sure if my actions were justified; what kind of mother abandons her children? But I was prepared to face the consequences of the actions I took. Even though Yukina and Svan hated me, the most important thing was that they were alive and grew up well.

    I didn¡¯t expect that I would have to meet them soon; I wasn¡¯t prepared for such an extempore meeting. Svan didn¡¯t seem to throw any fit of pique, contrary to what I expected. Maybe it was because he didn¡¯t know who I was and grew up believing his mother was dead. The feeling was different in scenarios where a person had something and lost it and one where a person didn¡¯t have what¡¯s lost from the get-go.

    I really sucked at expressing what kind of emotions I felt. When I saw Svan, I wanted to scream, cry, laugh, and do a lot of things with him, but I just locked up all those emotions. I didn¡¯t know how he felt when I tried explaining that I was his mother, but I knew what we felt was very different.

    I was so excited yet scared to meet Yukina. I didn¡¯t know how she would react if she saw me, but I knew I had much to apologize for. Just as I thought about her, I caught a sight of her. Time sure flies quickly. My baby girl had grown into a woman. She was everything I had imagined; beautiful, strong, and fearless. Yukina was charging at her demon opponent with fierce intent. Her body and swords moved in synchronous harmony, and her sword techniques defined brilliance as she wielded it like it was an extension of her body.

    Svan, who left my side moments ago, was already up against three falxes. The guards were no match for them, so it was a wise choice to reduce causality. Any mother would be scared of the sight I beheld, but on the contrary, I was proud. I wasn¡¯t even thinking about what might happen in a scenario where things go sideways. I was only filled with positive thoughts on the outcome of their battles. Even if the situation happened to turn out badly, I was ready to put my life on the line for them.

    I decided to give Edger a helping hand since he was occupied with two demons. I could tell that the demons that launched this assault weren¡¯t just casual ones, and they weren¡¯t even going at full strength. That was how they fought generally. I knew because I¡¯d fought against them. They always stall for as long as possible, trying to wear out their opponent before they go all out. The question, ¡°what do these demons really want?¡± echoed in my head, but I didn¡¯t have the luxury to ponder it. I¡¯ve had fifteen years to do so but discovered so little. I had always believed they were after divines, but they launched an attack on the Choryth House right before my eyes.

    Edger¡¯s eyes stretched wide in surprise when he saw me. I would have been surprised too if I were in his shoes. Our first meeting after so many years was wordless and only needed quick glances. There was enough time to entertain questions later if there would be one. The gender distribution of his opponents was even; a man and a woman, so I took on the woman because I felt it was the right thing to do. I managed to draw her away from Edger and made her my sole opponent.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we have a little conversation, the one where I ask and you answer truthfully. How about that?¡± I asked.

    She smirked,

    ¡°I know what you are. Too bad you met me, I would have to erase your existence from this world.¡±

    ¡°Since you know what I am, I wouldn¡¯t stand here with you and hypocritically conform to norms. I can only imagine scenes where you are able to do what you just said. But don¡¯t you think it¡¯s going to end badly for you, given what I am?¡±

    I didn¡¯t get any response in words as a torrent of piercing gale shot at me. I responded with a lightning bolt as the two spells met and canceled each other. I heaved,

    ¡°Why are you in such a haste? I thought your kind loves a good conversation. Why don¡¯t we have one, maybe we might not even have to fight.¡±

    I was trying to rill her up and it seemed to work because she was already using her deviant ability as I felt a crushing pressure that slammed me forcefully to the ground. I was lying face down, and it felt like a large boulder was placed on my back. The weight on my back increased steadily until breathing was almost impossible. I could hear my bones crack and blood sipping from my eyes, nose, and ears. I had to control the situation, or else I would be dead.

    I imposed a Feel realm instantly. The mana from my nexus materialized outside my body, surrounding the area where I was being crushed. White motes and wisps floated in the air around me. Their movement was devoid of pattern as they often collided with each other. As odd as it was, I felt connected to each one of them, like they were inside my body even though I could see them outside. The tiny wisps looked beautiful and harmless, like fireflies on a clear night, but in reality, they were monsters of their kind. They aggressively interacted with something I couldn¡¯t see. I could tell because their motion went from gentle floats to vibrational collisions, and as it occurred, the crushing pressure gradually assuaged.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    Her ambiance was still imposing, but I did just enough to relieve the pressure off my back. Her gravity control would definitely be a pain to deal with.

    I immediately conjured a giant fireball and blasted it at her, and while she dealt with it, I created some space for myself. I amplified the surge of my Feel as the wisps increased their coverage area. I still had the luxury of a bit of humor,

    ¡°You didn¡¯t even tell me your name,¡± I yelled at her, unsure if she could hear me.

    She emerged the fireball I shot at her, as she appeared to be in a middle of a cyclone, gusting at a high rotational speed, dispersing the fireball I shot at her. She was impressive, exerting a strong influence on my Feel realm, though I imposed it primarily to free myself from her crushing constraint. She had to counter and had to do it quickly, so she imposed her own Feel realm to counteract mine. I knew because I could see wisps colored slightly differently from mine. While mine was pure white, hers was a little duller in color. Her Feel was at pearl stage.

    As my wisps collided with hers, trying to knock them off the area in order to assert dominance, I was confident that I had the edge over her. Once a Feel realm is imposed by a caster, reimposing another realm was the only answer. Though the caster having a higher Feel stage would most probably dominate, it still provided fighting chances for the caster with a lower Feel stage.

    The demon I was facing pushed strong winds in my direction, trying to throw me off balance and distract me away from herself. Though my situation was dire, I was still too cautious about what elements I manipulated. I didn¡¯t want to give the impression that I could manipulate more than one element because there were eyes on me, and I didn''t wish to have eyebrows raised at me.

    Though the level of my earth manipulation was just a little above average, it was a good counter against her wind abilities. I was very tempted to use it, but I couldn¡¯t for obvious reasons. I encircled myself in a lightning vortex, providing much-needed protection. The strong winds deflected as they came in contact with the vortex, but the demon wasn''t done. I suddenly felt weightless, floating above ground, and before I could even gain the slightest composure, I was slammed hard to the ground. Though my Feel realm seemingly superimposed hers, she was doing just enough to keep me on my feet.

    ¡°Just give me a break,¡± I grumbled.

    Once again, the motes of my nexus did the work to get me out of the crushing constraint she forced upon me. I couldn¡¯t afford to let her slam me to the ground anymore.

    Under my influence, lightning bolts from all directions shot at her. Lightning was fast, so it was impossible for her to avoid all of it because she was in a Feel realm I enacted, and the lightning strikes came from everywhere within it.

    Rocks erupted from the ground at a speed that matched my lightning bolts, taking most of the damage, but they weren¡¯t enough to stop every bolt I sent in her direction. A few bolts hit her and did a lot of damage to her body as she fell to the ground. I knew that our face-off wasn¡¯t over because demons were resilient. She was covered in familiar black flames, confirming that we still had more fighting to do. The annoying thing was that her gravity manipulation was trouble for me, reminding me of Svan¡¯s ability, as It was difficult to fight something that couldn¡¯t be seen with the eyes.

    She slowly stood up; her clothes were reduced to shreds and didn''t do much to cover her body, but she didn''t seem concerned about it. The intent in her eyes was frightening; she wanted to kill me so badly. I didn¡¯t care about what cards she had up her sleeves because I had mine too. I decided to go for the most decisive one because I was already tired of looking at her face.

    I wiped off the blood from my nose and conjured fire. I amplified on it, and the wisps of my nexus started to disappear. Everywhere within the Feel realm burned, but her black flames kept her from burning. The fire I conjured changed its color from bright orange to blue and then purple. I just conjured the purple flame of death.

    The purple flames weren''t destructive as expected of fire. They were gentle but hungry, feeding only on mana that existed in any form. Too bad the demon imposed her Feel realm; it made it easier for me to finish her off. The demon looked quite relaxed when she saw the purple flames. She didn''t know what they were because she should have been very worried. She tried to conjure a strong wind to push the fire away, but to her shock, the fire gently ate the winds away like someone wiping off dirt from a table top. The flames extinguished when every mana in the Feel realm was gone entirely. It was a double-edged sword; I couldn''t conjure any spells too since I imposed a Feel realm which the flames ate away. Since our Feel realms were consumed, it meant that the refined and stored mana in our nexus was gone.

    The demon was struggling to understand what had happened. She realized she couldn''t conjure any spell. Even if she knew what I did and left the area where I imposed the Feel realm, she still needed time for her Feel to take in mana and process it for use. To me, she was just like a helpless child. I walked up to her, and though the effects of my empty nexus were telling on my physical state, I knew I could still hold my own. She threw a jab at me, but I simply hinged my torso backward, and with my weight supported on my back leg, I leaned on one side. She lost her footing and wobbled as she missed her jab. I was confident that our fight was over.

    ¡°Are you ready to talk now?¡± I asked her.

    The response I got was a spit on my face.

    ¡°Okay,¡± I replied, wiping the spit off my face.

    I drew out my sword and stabbed her through her torso. She dropped to her knees as I squatted, bringing myself on the same height level with her.

    ¡°What? Are you wondering why you can¡¯t summon your black fire?¡±

    She was shocked to hear what I said to her.

    ¡°This fight was over the moment you imposed a Feel realm against mine. You never stood any chance against me.¡±

    I drew my sword out of her belly, and blood splattered on the ground. I stabbed her again, but this time, through her chest, aiming for her nexus. She dropped dead on the floor as I drew my sword from her chest. I looked around, and my vision tunneled to Svan, who was staring at me. He was done with his fight as three falxes lay dead around him. I forced a smile on my face. I couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking, and I couldn¡¯t also tell if he was shocked or surprised. For some reason, I felt like a woman who committed a crime in front of her child. The only thing I could do was hope he didn¡¯t see me as the monster I was.

 20. REUNION

    YUKINA AYLING

    I didn¡¯t have a plan for taking on the demon, but I knew we had to fight. I was confident because I wasn¡¯t fighting the demon alone; Evren fought alongside me. We just had to win somehow.

    The demon, a middle-aged man, conjured ice spells against us. I expected to see him wield other elements like Vixra did, but he didn¡¯t. I wished I had time to explain details of my battle with Vixra to Evren, at least giving her a head-start so she would know what to expect since she¡¯d never faced a demon, but there wasn¡¯t any time for that.

    ¡°Just follow my lead. You can do that, right?¡± I asked her, and she nodded without any objections.

    The sequence of events that followed was a nonstop and relentless onslaught; fire burned, melting ice sizzled, the sound of my sword hitting solid surfaces clanked from time to time, lightning zipped around and ice shattered. Walls of ice did the most in fending off our attacks, while a barrage of ice spikes was constantly shot at us. Evren¡¯s fire was supposed to be a good counter against the demon¡¯s ice attacks, but he proved formidable. Our situation didn¡¯t get any better as his falx made it even more difficult for us.

    Taking out a falx wasn¡¯t supposed to pose so much of a problem, but we couldn¡¯t focus on it; the demon didn¡¯t give us the chance to do so, and even if we stubbornly concentrated on the falx, trying to kill it, we would be left vulnerable to attacks from the demon.

    As our battle continued, I turned around after slashing through an ice wall, and surprisingly, I saw Svan.

    ¡°H-How is this possible?¡± I asked myself.

    I was still in denial and felt my sight was playing pranks on me.

    ¡°It has to be Svan,¡± I concluded after he smiled at me.

    I felt light; it was as though a load I¡¯d been carrying on my back suddenly dropped. The words ¡°Svan is alive¡± echoed in my head, and I was almost brought to tears. I wanted to call him, but I was too surprised to speak. Svan gave off a different vibe as he stood in between two falxes, confident about taking them head-on.

    In that brief time-lapse, I had already forgotten that I was in the middle of a fight and was not-so-gently reminded when an iced spike stabbed me. I winced in pain as the spike did more than just sting. The injury wasn¡¯t fatal, so I knew I would be fine. Evren noticed that I was injured and took the offensive position to buy me time to heal. Even though I was injured, it felt as though I was filled with new energy to fight because I saw Svan.

    With the falx gone, it became easier for us to solely focus on the demon. I already triggered phantom steal, and though it felt like we were pressing harder on him, we didn¡¯t land any significant strike on him. He attacked and defended simultaneously, so we couldn¡¯t get within striking distance because there was always something to avoid or slash. If we kept o going like that, we would eventually get to the point of fatigue.

    I had an idea as I yelled,

    ¡°Follow me closely behind.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Evren asked.

    ¡°I will take the hit from most of his spells. Strike when I say so.¡±

    There was no response, but I knew she would do as I said. Though I cut through a considerable amount of the demon¡¯s spells, some of them landed on me. They were painful, and some even threatened to knock me off, but I was determined to move forward. The distance between the demon and us shortened as I dashed towards him. He shot a conjured spear made entirely of ice in my direction. The spear approached frighteningly, and even though I strengthened my body to take the hit, it was going to throw me off course. I couldn¡¯t afford to get knocked off because we were almost in striking distance and the spear hitting me meant we¡¯d have to start over again.

    Evren seemed to perfectly understand the situation as she shot bolts of lightning from behind me, which collided with the ice spear, shattering it. Thanks to Evren, I got within arm¡¯s reach of the demon, swinging my swords in his direction. He blocked, by erecting a wall of ice in front of him, but I cut through it. I tried to slash at his neck, but my swords were met with ice conjured instantaneously. I got his full attention as I screamed.

    ¡°Evren, now!¡±

    Evren shot lightning bolts at him as ice shards from the collision between their spells scattered all over.

    ¡°Oh,¡± I remarked.

    It turned out that demons didn¡¯t have to be fully conscious of where an attack spell came from, almost like their defensive abilities had a mind of their own. It didn''t matter at that point because I succeeded in bringing Evren close to him. If Evren wasn¡¯t anything, she was relentless. Evren continued her insistent bombardment of lightning spells, and even when he conjured large shields, she burned them away.

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    The demon couldn¡¯t conjure an attack spell to put some distance between us anymore. He had to focus on defending against our onslaught. I stabbed toward his chest, and as expected, a thick ice slab appeared from nowhere to stop my blades. I couldn¡¯t tell if I was lucky or if Evren was just sublimely precise as a streak of lightning broke the slab just as I was about to punch a hole through it with my sword. I didn¡¯t meet any resistance as I drove my sword through his chest. The demon fell to his knees.

    ¡°We did it,¡± Evren gasped as she searched my face for a reaction.

    ¡°No. He isn¡¯t dead, not yet,¡± I replied, dissatisfied.

    I knew I missed his nexus, and though I was lucky to have even stabbed him, I was mad at myself. The fight would have been over if I had been a bit more precise.

    Since we started fighting against the demon, I didn¡¯t see any black flames on him, so I knew it was far from over.

    ¡°We need to finish him off now,¡± I said as I tried to drive my second sword through his nexus. Simultaneously, Evren tried to send a lightning bolt in his direction, but we were late as black flames engulfed him immediately. A large glacier erupted from the ground following an explosion that shot me away from him.

    ¡°Just what I thought.¡±

    The situation went from favorable to worse for us. Evren had to impose a Feel realm because it was about the right time, but she didn¡¯t, and I understood why she didn¡¯t, or rather, why she was hesitating to do it. It was evident that the demon¡¯s Feel stage was higher than hers. Talking about the Feel realm, the demon imposed his and froze the entire area where we fought. The air was thin, and breathing was difficult. The cold bit my skin and I couldn¡¯t stop myself from shivering.

    Panels of ice around us, their edges were sharp and glossy. I heard Evren¡¯s voice,

    ¡°Is he really trying to skewer us in an icy grave?¡±

    ¡°Looks like it,¡± I replied.

    The panels were too many to count, and they were arranged in a way that made it look like a tower of ice stretched so high up that I couldn¡¯t see its peak.

    ¡°Stay close to me,¡± Evren said to me.

    I didn''t need to ask questions because I knew she had a good reason for saying what she said. Golden-colored motes floated around the area we stood, and just as the ice panels began to crash, a fire dome covered us. There were nonstop sizzling sounds produced from melting ice, but the dome held firm, and the fire burnt fiercely. Though I wasn''t feeling any heat inside the dome, its outer part burned fiercely and had to be extremely hot because the ice panels melted instantly as they came in contact with the fiery dome.

    Evren was a lifesaver. It was incredible that she managed to stop panels of such numbers and size from crashing on us, but I could tell that it took a toll on her. Just when I thought the worst was over, the demon conjured another towering rise of similar panels.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I will be able to hold this one off,¡± Evren said in a tired tone.

    I tried to think of a remedy to our current situation, but nothing came up. At that point, we needed help. I was angry because I was about to get beaten by a demon for the second time, even when I had Evren fighting alongside me. I never knew anger could make someone cry, and that person was me. I was mad at myself to the point where tears started to drop from my eyes. I clenched my fist,

    ¡°I thought I was strong,¡± I muttered.

    Evren was looking at me, but she didn¡¯t say anything. Her expression wasn¡¯t sympathetic but gave the impression that she understood my feelings. The second wave of panels came crashing. Evren groaned as she did all she could to stop them from falling on us. A panel broke through and crashed right in front of us. Another did the same, and another as the dome started to wane. I strengthened my body with my stillbring, preparing for the worst. Evren was breathing heavily, unaware of the ice panel about to fall on her. I dived at her just in time to prevent what could have been a fatality. We both fell to the ground as I used my body as a shield to protect her from the rest of the panels that came crashing on us.

    * * *

    I couldn¡¯t tell if I was surprised when I opened my eyes to find myself in the castle manor. I saw the same woman I¡¯d always seen in my dreams, but she was no longer pregnant this time.

    ¡°Why do I always see her? Who is she, and why is she in the Choryth manor?¡±

    These questions clamored in my head, but unfortunately, there was no one to provide answers to them. Speaking of dreams,

    ¡°Did I fall asleep?¡± I asked myself.

    The last thing I remembered was shielding Evren from a barrage of ice panels. Maybe I passed out from the impact. I had a strong feeling that I wasn''t dead because I always woke up whenever I found myself in this dream where I saw this familiar-faced woman. The woman was talking to Lord Edger and was carrying a baby, her baby. I tried to walk close to them to hear what they spoke about, but an ice spike flew past me and struck the wall beside me.

    ¡°I am not supposed to be here,¡± I muttered.

    The ice spike was an indication that the battle against the demon still needed to be concluded. I tried to grab the spike, and surprisingly I did. If it was part of the dream, there was no way I would be able to touch it. My life was at stake. I stabbed my thigh with the spike to generate enough pain to jolt me into consciousness, and it worked. I opened my eyes to shards of ice scattered around me. I felt fine, except for the stab wound I gave myself.

    ¡°If we passed out, why didn¡¯t he finish us off?¡±

    Evren was lying unconscious, I tapped her hands a few times, but she was unresponsive.

    Someone¡¯s shadow fell upon me. I was scared to look up because I thought it was the end; the demon had come to kill us. I still had some fight in me, but I knew I would still lose. I tried not to think about anything because I didn¡¯t want my last moments to be filled with regret, so I shut my eyes and held Evren¡¯s hands tightly.

    The next sound my ears picked up was a thud; it sounded like someone fell beside me, which forced me to open my eyes. What I saw left me speechless. The demon who I thought had come to kill us lay dead on the floor. What was more shocking was what I saw afterward; the woman I had always seen in my dreams was standing right before me. Her sword was blood-stained; it was apparent that she had killed the demon. When we passed out, the demon couldn''t finish us off because she fought him off. The woman was smiling,

    ¡°Hello there,¡± she said to me.

    My mouth was open in awe,

    ¡°W-Who¡­.are you?¡± I stammered.

 21. DAWN

    SVAN CHORYTH

    It was already nightfall, and we were all outside. Everyone was busy except Eliora, Evren, Yukina, and I. Workers, cleaners, attendants, and guards were doing one thing or another to clean up the mess and destruction resulting from our battle against the demons. Lord Edger was also busy, dishing out instructions and supervising the work being carried out. Giant orbs about the sizes of adult human heads that gave off a white light were hung on poles around the manor, providing luminance to those who were working. I wondered why Lord Edger was insistent that the cleaning and repairs had to be done that night.

    Though the four of us were in close proximity to each other, no one said a word. We won against the demons but our mood said otherwise.

    Evren sat at the foot of a stone stairs and was faced down. I could tell that she was trying to avoid looking at Eliora. Eliora leaned on a wall behind her and looked at everyone with curious eyes. There were times it looked as though she wanted to say something but had to stop herself because the mood wasn¡¯t welcoming. Yukina sat in one corner; she covered her face with a towel and refused to talk to anyone.

    Everyone had a reason to be silent. Yukina''s reason was probably shock, Evren''s was probably because a secret she held had been let out of the bag, and Eliora''s was probably because she didn''t know what to say and felt a bit awkward like she was the odd one in the group. Evren''s reaction to Eliora''s presence told me something; she knew who Eliora was, which meant that she knew the truth.

    Thanks to Eliora, no one died or even sustained serious injuries. I didn''t even want to imagine what would have happened if we were a day or even hours late. The outcome would have been different, one filled with tragedy.

    I watched anxiously as Yukina stood from where she sat and walked toward Eliora. I couldn¡¯t tell what she wanted to do, and I couldn¡¯t even read her expression since her disheveled hair fell, covering her face. Even Eliora looked a bit scared as Yukina approached her. To my surprise, Yukina hugged her and started sobbing. For the first time, I saw Yukina cry like a baby. I let out a sigh of relief as I questioned myself why I was anxious in the first place.

    ¡°It was you, it was you,¡± she said between sobs.

    Eliora held her in an embrace as tears flowed from her eyes. It was an emotional yet beautiful sight to behold. Eliora didn¡¯t show any of these emotions when she met me. If I remember clearly, she was always smiling. The simple explanation was that maybe she loved Yukina more since she spent more time with her. I felt a bit jealous, and though I tried to convince myself that I wasn¡¯t jealous, the expression on my face said otherwise. It was funny because I didn¡¯t feel emotionally attached to her and found it difficult to accept that she was my mother, so I couldn¡¯t understand why I felt a bit jealous because she showed more intimacy toward Yukina.

    Lord Edger was the one who broke the news to Yukina because she was insistent on knowing who Eliora was. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to tell her because I felt it wasn¡¯t my place to do so. Evren didn¡¯t say anything, and I felt Eliora was scared to introduce herself.

    Before Lord Edger left our midst, he said to Yukina,

    ¡°Yukina, this is your mother, Eliora.¡±

    Yukina stood, obviously shocked, and looked dazed. It was as though her consciousness drifted somewhere else. She didn''t say anything or react out of shock. She just quietly went to a corner and sat, covering her face. I wondered what was going on inside her head because just those few words the High Lord said to her were enough to change her life forever. Lord Edger didn''t say anything else, so there were still a lot of things Yukina didn''t know about. I remembered Yukina telling me that she wanted to know who her parents were, which was one of the reasons she journeyed with me, but now her mother was right in front of her, I didn''t know how she would take it.

    Though it never crossed my mind before, it was apparent that Yukina didn¡¯t remember anything from her childhood since she didn¡¯t know who Eliora was, and I wondered what could be the cause of her memory loss.

    Yukina and Eliora untangled themselves, wiping the tears off their eyes.

    ¡°Why did you leave me?¡± Yukina asked in a tearful voice.

    Eliora didn¡¯t provide a direct answer to the question,

    ¡°We have a lot to talk about,¡± she said to Yukina.

    The cleaning and repairs were almost done, and Lord Edger looked satisfied with the progress of the work. Lord Edger returned to our little gathering,

    ¡°We should head inside, I believe there are lots of things to be said,¡± he suggested as he led the way.

    * * *

    My room looked exactly the same as I¡¯d left it. It was tidy and dust-free, which meant that it was cleaned every day, but nothing was changed or rearranged. I was tempted to collapse on the creaseless bed in front of me, but my body reeked, and my clothes were dirty, so I walked straight to the washroom to have my bath.

    The bath was already prepared, so I wasted no time hopping in. I had almost forgotten how refreshing having a warm bath could be. A soothing wave rippled throughout every muscle inside my body when I soaked myself in the heated water. The sweet smell of the lavender-scented water provided comfort to my nose. Breathing became an enjoyable rather than a necessary activity as I relished every breath I took, drawing in air for a significantly longer time.

    Even though the current situation was different, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what would become of me. I didn¡¯t want to lead a life of a Choryth noble, and I wished the High Lord wouldn¡¯t rescind my expulsion.

    I was glad Yukina was well and alive though watching her and Evren battle the demon was nerve-racking. It was difficult to accept that Yukina and Evren were beaten by a single demon. There was no doubt that demons were crazy-strong, but watching Eliora kill not just one but two in a way that seemed like she did it effortlessly was mind-blowing, which left me wondering just how strong she was. At first, I was surprised at why she wielded swords, but my curiosity was satisfied when I watched her kill the two demons with them.

    I sighed,

    ¡°What''s next for me?¡±

    The water was getting cooler, a gentle reminder that my time in the bath was coming to an end. When I was done bathing, I wore simple clothing; not just because it was late, but because I still felt I didn¡¯t have the right to don myself in a Choryth outfit.

    I heard a knock on my door,

    ¡°Who?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Evren. May I come in?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± I replied.

    ¡°I just had my bath, I was about to meet up with you guys,¡± I said to her.

    Evren nodded without saying anything.

    I was surprised she paid me a visit; I didn¡¯t expect anyone to, since we would all meet up.

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    Looking at her standing in front of me, I was forced to remember how Evren had treated me in the past. Her impression wasn¡¯t giving off the classic Evren Choryth I had always known. She looked welcoming, like someone willing to have a conversation. I didn¡¯t bear any grudge toward her, but I decided to give off the impression that I did.

    ¡°Why did you visit me now? I¡¯ve lived in this castle for fifteen years and you never once paid me a visit.¡±

    She didn¡¯t reply.

    ¡°What will it be this time? That I am undeserving of the Choryth name? Or that I am weak? Weren¡¯t those your two favorite phrases?¡±

    She still didn¡¯t say anything.

    I chuckled,

    ¡°You know, I had always believed you were so strong, but you couldn¡¯t even hold your own earlier, and if mom hadn¡¯t intervened, you would¡¯ve been long dead.¡±

    I paused for a moment,

    ¡°Did I just say mom?¡± I queried myself.

    My emotions were getting the better of me. I convinced myself that I didn¡¯t bear any grudge towards Evren, but I was angry at her. I was angry that she treated me like crap. I had never had the courage to give her a piece of my mind or talk back at her. I was always scared of her, but at that moment, I wasn¡¯t.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good thing that we aren¡¯t siblings so I don¡¯t care about what you think about me anymore.¡±

    I walked past her and headed towards the door. I silently sighed in relief because I held my breath while talking to her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Evren said to me.

    ¡°What? Did she just apologize?¡± I queried myself.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Evren said again.

    I was surprised.

    ¡°When did the phoenix get this soft?¡± I asked inwardly

    ¡°I guess you know the whole truth now. I was still a child when my mother and her newborn died. Then, I was young and didn¡¯t understand anything that happened. The only thing I remembered was that my mother died. I grew older and Father explained everything better to me and made me promise to keep it a secret. I was angry, I wanted to blame their deaths on someone, but it wasn¡¯t anyone¡¯s fault, it was just one of the misfortunate tragedies that befell us. Before I knew the truth, I had always treated you like my brother and was always fond of you but when I knew the truth, I wouldn¡¯t lie, I looked at you differently for a while. I felt that you were living a life that wasn¡¯t yours and didn¡¯t deserve it. I grew older and I understood better. It wasn¡¯t your fault and you were just an innocent boy, trying to do his best. I didn¡¯t know how to make amends, I felt it was already too late. I thought, maybe it was best to leave our relationship the way it was in order to help me keep the secret of your identity, together with Yukina¡¯s. Now, it¡¯s no longer a secret anymore, so I believe it¡¯s best for me to apologize; firstly, for how I treated you and all the hurtful things I said to you, and secondly, for not telling you the truth about yourself. I don¡¯t expect you to forgive me, but I hope you understand.¡±

    I turned in her direction. I felt a bit awkward, and I couldn¡¯t look at her face. The amour of confidence I wore broke, and I returned to the old Svan.

    ¡°The truth is, though I felt bad about how you treated me, I didn¡¯t resent you, I never did. I¡¯d always believed that I deserved the way I was treated because I felt that I was a shame on the House since I had no abilities. So, don¡¯t beat yourself up, I¡¯ve made my peace with everything a long time ago.¡±

    I paused and exhaled loudly,

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about what I said earlier. Forget what I said, I was just babbling.¡±

    The expression on her face was a surprised one. It was obvious she wasn¡¯t expecting the response I gave her.

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go,¡± I said to her.

    * * *

    Lord Edger did the talking, and we listened while we ate slowly. Yukina wasn¡¯t eating; she was paying careful attention to what he was saying because it appeared as though he was talking particularly to her. I already knew most of the things he said because Eliora had told me about them. Yukina was the only odd one since everything the High Lord said was a novelty to her. When Lord Edger said to Yukina,

    ¡°Svan is actually your brother,¡± she almost choked on the water she was drinking, spilling it on the table and the food before her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said, coughing.

    ¡°How is that possible?¡± She asked.

    We exchanged quick glances, and her eyes screamed, ¡°it can¡¯t be possible.¡± Nobody said anything when she asked the question. Our silence was obvious enough to tell her what she needed to know.

    ¡°Why couldn¡¯t I remember any of these?¡± Yukina asked.

    ¡°About that, we don¡¯t know. The night Eliora left, you cried yourself to sleep, and when you woke up the next morning, it was apparent that you had memory loss,¡± Lord Edger replied.

    I was made to understand the real reason why Lord Edger supposedly expelled me from the House. It wasn¡¯t because I had no abilities; rather a means he used to quell succession disputes that began to arise. He also insinuated that the bandits that attacked us on our way to Ausbane were mercenaries sent by Lord Siggurd. Lord Edger seemed to know everything that had happened since we left the castle manor because he sent someone to follow us secretly, but he had no clue about the demons that attacked.

    ¡°Even though it appears that Lord Siggurd hired the demons to kill you, I am pretty sure the demons used it as a coy to hide their true intentions,¡± Eliora said, speaking for the first time.

    Everyone¡¯s attention was drawn to her,

    ¡°I think the whole picture is uglier than it actually looks, something really big is about to happen. Edger, you should properly investigate the reason behind this attack and I would assist in any way I can,¡± Eliora added.

    When Eliora mentioned Lord Edger¡¯s name the first time we met, she addressed him casually, disregarding the fact that he was the High Lord of House Choryth. I thought it was a harmless mistake on her part, but she did the same thing right in front of him, and he wasn¡¯t even bothered. I was dying to know how they knew each other and the nature of their relationship.

    Eliora took her time to explain to everyone who demons were and let everyone know that she was a divine. Maybe Lord Edger didn''t know who divines were, but I was almost certain he knew she was different.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we get married,¡± Eliora suggested.

    Everyone was taken by surprise, and this time, it was Evren who choked on what she was eating. I stared wordlessly at Eliora, waiting for her to provide a reasonable explanation for why she said what she said.

    ¡°Though it¡¯s a selfish request, I think it¡¯s a win-win scenario for all of us.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your catch? You refused my proposal many years ago, so what are you planning on doing?¡± Lord Edger asked.

    ¡°Oh, so that was it,¡± I muttered.

    It became obvious that Lord Edger and Eliora were once lovers or something close to that, which would explain why she spoke casually to him and why he didn¡¯t mind when she did.

    Lord Edger wasn¡¯t flustered or surprised when Eliora suggested a marriage proposal. Something I¡¯d noticed about him over the years was that it was difficult to tell his mood from his facial expression because it always appeared devoid of one. I¡¯d never seen him smile, laugh or even frown. Phlegmatic was the easiest way to describe his disposition.

    ¡°Everyone is blown by the winds of change, and driven by the uncertainties the future holds. I can¡¯t thank you enough for raising, and taking care of my children, and even though they are grown now, I want to be given the opportunity to be a mother, not just to my children but to yours.¡±

    ¡°So is marrying you some sort of reward for me?¡± Lord Edger asked.

    ¡°No, not really. To be honest, I believe it¡¯s a means to satisfy our selfish ambitions. I know you desire power, and you know I can help you fulfill that desire. Though my children are my priorities, I need the protection of a powerful House too. Like I said, I have a strong feeling that something big is about to happen and I don¡¯t want to be a spectator.¡±

    Just when I thought I would be free from the Choryth House, things took a turn for the worse. Eliora was doing the exact opposite of what I''d expected from her. After a brief moment of silence, Lord Edger said,

    ¡°If the children are fine with it, then we would make arrangements for that.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t okay with it but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to object. I expected Evren to at least say something, but she was mute. I was asking myself the same question,

    ¡°What¡¯s next for me?¡±

    If Eliora decided to stay and become a Choryth, I had to respect it. My goal was to get stronger, and Eliora was my best shot at it. She was undoubtedly the strongest person in the room, so if I wanted to get stronger, I needed to stay with her.

    Lord Edger stood from his seat; he was done eating. He looked at Eliora, and though it was faint, I could have sworn he smiled.

    ¡°Tomorrow will be a very busy day for all of us, so I suggest we sleep early. I am proud of the bravery and strength every one of us showed in the face of our assailants so I want to use this opportunity to express my gratitude.¡±

    He focused on me,

    ¡°Svan, your expulsion has been rescinded. Welcome home.¡±

    He bid everyone goodnight before he retired to his chambers.

    Yukina left her seat and gave me a weird kind of hug. I was seated, so she rested her head on my shoulders, and her hands draped over my chest, as she said to me,

    ¡°You got me worried-sick, but I will forgive you since you are well and alive.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know what to say, so I just wore a smile.

    ¡°I¡¯d sometimes thought it was weird that I always felt obligated to protect you, little did I know we were siblings.¡±

    She paused and chuckled,

    ¡°Too bad you can¡¯t marry me anymore.¡±

    I shrugged her off my body,

    ¡°You are the one who should feel bad,¡± I addressed.

    I watched as Evren slowly stood from her seat and walked towards the door without saying a word to anyone.

    ¡°Evren,¡± Eliora called.

    ¡°Huh,¡± she replied as she turned around, surprised that Eliora had called her name.

    Eliora left her seat and walked up to her. She said some things to Evren as they left the room together.

    ¡°What a day,¡± I sighed.

 22. BENEATH THE AZKHAN SKIES

    SOPHIA STONECLAW

    I sat at the cliff of the Yeitgrim mountain, exhausted because I¡¯d used up all my strength climbing it. I could have easily flown to the cliff, but I always tried to challenge my physical limits with any opportunity I got. At first, I lay on my back staring at the clear blue sky, and when I regained enough strength, I sat up to admire the savanna plains that sprawled beneath the mountain.

    I¡¯ve only had a few times when I could sit and properly reflect on myself, or even try to understand what was happening in my life. I wasn¡¯t sure if I understood what reality was anymore. The life I was living was something I¡¯d always read in fantasy novels or watched in movies.

    ¡°Movies,¡± I chuckled.

    There was nothing like that in this world, and though it was all I did in my past life, I didn¡¯t miss it. The last years of my past life was that of a normal high school kid, except that I was always bullied and picked on. I could remember everything like it was something that happened recently, even though they were events that happened seventeen years ago.

    I was raised by a single mother and that was the beginning of my sad life. For all I cared, she wasn¡¯t fit to be called a mother; a smoker, and heavy drinker, who always hung out with different men, and often forgot she even had a child. Because I was young, naive, and dependent, I didn¡¯t have a choice than to stick with her.

    I got to high school, and somehow, everyone knew what my mother was and made fun of me because of it. That was when the bullying started. I had always had thoughts of running away from home, but I stopped myself whenever I thought about how scary the world was. I always told myself,

    ¡°It would be meaningless if I end up like her.¡±

    At least with her, I had a place to sleep, food to eat, and she funded my tuition; that was because I threw a fit of rage and threatened to destroy everything in the house If she didn¡¯t. She wasn¡¯t even at home most of the time, and whenever she was, I tried to avoid her all the time; leaving home for school as early as possible and returning late at night, and she wasn¡¯t even bothered.

    At first, I encouraged myself to do well at school, and maybe if I tried hard enough, my life would take a turn for the better. But then, the bullying got worse and I couldn¡¯t even concentrate on my studies anymore. I was slowly caving, life became undesirable, almost like a burden. I had no dreams or goals, and it got to the point where I lived through each day hoping I would sleep and never wake up. Most of the time I was having wishful thoughts of how my life would have turned out, if I was born of a different mother, or parents.

    I still clearly remember the day it all ended. I was returning home late as usual, and all of a sudden, I was ambushed by three men. I couldn¡¯t see their faces because it was dark, but I remembered one of them hitting me hard at the back of my head with an object I couldn¡¯t identify. I passed out and when I regained consciousness, I didn¡¯t need anyone to tell me that I had been raped. I remembered waking up in a dark alley, half-oriented. I managed to get myself together, and I remembered I just walked, not sure where I was headed. The last things I remembered were, hearing the blaring sound of a truck horn, and seeing bright yellow lights of its headlamps before it all went dark.

    The next time I opened my eyes, I found myself in the body of a new born, and it didn¡¯t take long for me to understand that I was in an entirely different world. This new world defied all I knew as normal. Even though there were limits, it was mind blowing how far its wonders stretched.

    I led a completely different life here, and a much better one. In this world, I was born of royalty; as the princess of the Azkhan Empire. I was somewhat revered as people called me the promised one or the child of the prophecy. It felt weird because I didn¡¯t for once feel anything uncanny about myself. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that I was reborn, but for all I knew, I was sure they didn¡¯t know anything about it, let alone my past life.

    Big was an understatement if I were to describe the size of the Azkhan Empire. It was enormous, spawning the entirety of the northern continent. I came to understand that this world had only three continents that were separated by oceans; the southern, eastern and northern continents.

    I wasn¡¯t particularly human, and people like me were called El-borns. We were different from the humans here because there were things we could do that they couldn¡¯t. I wasn¡¯t invested in history, but I knew my kind weren¡¯t originally from this place, and I didn¡¯t care to know where we came from. I knew that in the past, the continent comprised of many smaller kingdoms, and when my kind arrived, they embarked a conquest to unify all kingdoms under one rule. After long years of war, the Azkhan Empire was created and the El-borns ruled over it.

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    A male figure flew right in front of me and I welcomed him with a frown. He was Orlyo my bodyguard. Most of the time, I wondered why I even had one. I didn¡¯t need him or anyone as my bodyguard because I was strong and was more than capable of defending myself if the need arose. The only thing I knew Orlyo did, was to keep tabs on me, nag me, and relay information about what I was doing to my father.

    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked him.

    He landed gently in front of me before answering,

    ¡°Your presence is requested at the high council.¡±

    I heaved,

    ¡°What do those old geezers want from me this time?¡±

    ¡°Pardon?¡± Orlyo asked.

    I was sure he understood what I said. I often cursed with words unfamiliar to him, and even though he didn¡¯t know what they meant, he understood when I cursed.

    ¡°Never mind. Pick up my climbing gear, let¡¯s go.¡±

    I had lived this life for seventeen years, and it still felt surreal to me. It felt really nice being who I am, and doing the things I could do. Since I became this person, Sophia, I really did want to live. Yet again, not because I had a grand goal or something I wanted to achieve, but because I found it interesting. I was given a second chance at life, so I had to live it to the fullest.

    Yeitgrim mountain stood miles away from the capital, somewhere far west of it. Arriving the capital wasn¡¯t going to be challenging, there were transport gates readily available to take us there in an instant.

    * * *

    I was donned in a sleeved deep-blue sheath gown which had a simple design, but looked stunning. It had a swan-neck collar that exposed a considerable part of my cleavage; a body part of mine I happened to like. It was better, compared to my flat-chested old self who at that time wasn¡¯t concerned about it. There were golden feather-like decorations that ran from the base of my gown¡¯s collar to the end of its slit sleeves. The upper part of the gown was close-fitted bearing a golden fabric belt that was sewn into it.

    Generally, I looked nothing like my old self. In my past life, I had black hair with a set of double lid eyes, and a more rounded face, but my current self had an auburn hair with a set of rounded eyes and an oval shaped face. I usually tied my hair in a ponytail but for the occasion, I had to let them loose.

    It wasn¡¯t the first, and it wasn¡¯t going to be the last time I entered the throne room, and each time I did, I couldn¡¯t stop myself from wondering how, and where the people of this world got their architectural ideas from. Though mana made things that were seemingly impossible, possible, it was simply awe-inspiring.

    The throne room was large, the kind of large that dwarfed everyone that was present in it, and I always asked myself what purpose it was built that way.

    The ground was covered with large exotic marble-stones. I had the impression that they were rare because I¡¯d never seen them elsewhere, other than the imperial palace. The ceilings were so high up that I had to squint my eyes to look at it, yet, I couldn¡¯t make out its details. A paved path made with a different type of floor design led to short stairs which connected the platform where the actual throne sat. Behind the throne was a sculpture of a large compass cut in two halves, with each half placed on both sides of the throne. The sculpture had gold decorations and markings all over it, matching the color of the throne. Huge pillars spanned the entire width of the elevated platform, and the same pillar styles were found at various locations all over the throne room. The lighting in the throne room was weird; it was bright and dark at the same time. When I stood at a localized area, I could clearly see the view around me, but couldn¡¯t see the view in a little distance away from me until I got there. Anything was possible in this world after all.

    I walked until I got in front of the stairs which led to the throne. It was apparent that the meeting had already begun before I arrived. The governors of the five regions of the Empire and other high ranking officials were present, standing in close proximity around the stairs. It seemed like there was a matter of top priority that needed to be handled as they were all gathered before the emperor. Every one of them paused what they were discussing, as they all greeted me with a little bow when I arrived.

    ¡°Your imperial highness, it¡¯s to my pleasure to announce that our survey and expedition on the southern continent has shown great progress. Though, I must stress the point that we¡¯ve suffered a considerable loss of personnel so far, I can say with certainty that we are almost ready.¡±

    It was the voice of Vayr Hightide, the military chief. Vayr Hightide, a young man in his mid-twenties was dressed in the formal military attire of the Azkhan Empire. It was a stylish outfit with blue and black as its component colors. He wasn¡¯t eye-catching but had good looks. His deceptive appearance that didn¡¯t give off a strong masculine impression contrasted his strength, position and abilities.

    ¡°I believe the only delay we are facing at the moment is the construction of gates stable enough for our armies to travel over such a long distance,¡± Vayr continued.

    ¡°At the moment, we¡¯ve launched preemptive attacks on various strongholds across the continent, and I¡¯m confident they are going to be a success.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Father responded.

    ¡°What about the Arcanes? We all know that they pose a threat to us and our plans,¡± Castor Velkthorn spoke up. He was the governor of Velschar, a region in the western part of the empire.

    ¡°As previous reports stated, most of them don¡¯t know who they are. Those who do are taken to their imperial city. We¡¯ve disposed of a lot of them, and we also have prepared plans to take the Imperial city,¡± Vayr Hightide responded.

    That was the reason why he was Father¡¯s favorite hound. He always gets the job done no matter how difficult or tasking it might be. For a young man to possess such intellect, strength and wits was impressive.

    Father cleared his throat,

    ¡°Sophia, I would need you to assist Vayr, which means you will be going to the southern continent. Vayr would explain your role, and what you need to do, okay?¡±

    ¡°Yes Father,¡± I replied.

    Father signaled that I could leave, as I bowed and made my way to the exit of the room,

    ¡°The southern continent it is.¡±

 23. A BRAVE NEW FAMILY

    SVAN CHORYTH

    It was just a few days, and I had forgotten what nobility felt like. I woke up in a large cozy bed, tucked in scented sheets, and was surrounded by corners of an exquisitely furnished room. Sometimes, I woke up expecting to find myself sleeping on a makeshift bed beside a campfire. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was a good thing, but one thing that was certain was that the experiences of the few days I¡¯d spent in Ausbane forest had been engraved in my mind.

    Since I returned, I have done nothing but train. I focused on improving my stamina, especially after using realm slip. I also worked on maximizing my efficiency. Overall, I just wanted to be near perfect at utilizing the quirks I had at my disposal. It seemed as though I was in a rush to get stronger. Even though it sounded ambitious, I wanted to be strong enough to take on a demon alone.

    Everything was about to change because the situation was much larger than anticipated. We received reports that there were other prominent Houses that were attacked in the same fashion, not just in Stavren but across other regions of the southern republic. There was no telling what the demon¡¯s next course of action would be because, for some reason, they couldn¡¯t be tracked down. No one even knew if they had a base of operations or where they came from. Even Eliora, who had tried to find out about them, knew just a little.

    We were all patiently waiting for the imperium to take action. I didn¡¯t know why they were slow on addressing the issue, or maybe because the demons didn¡¯t attack the imperial city; it wasn¡¯t their business. I didn¡¯t want to think of the worst-case scenario, a full-blown war, though every event that had just happened was gearing towards that path. I tried to be optimistic that all demons weren¡¯t like the ones we¡¯ve faced so far because our chances of winning would be significantly diminished if they were.

    Lord Edger had been busy these past few days, trying to get in contact with other Houses that survived the attack and also trying to contact the imperium. If there was going to be a war, the imperium was our best shot at it. I had never been to the imperial city before, so I didn¡¯t know much about it. There were rumors that the Emperor had a special army of Elite soldiers called the ¡°Order Of Death¡±. Though the existence of these soldiers was all rumors because they were never seen, it made a lot of sense to me because it would explain how a small region was able to unite two much larger regions under one rule. That was how the imperium was created.

    In the midst of the panic that was gradually arising, everywhere was surprisingly calm. I guessed it was what they called the calm before the storm.

    I quickly washed the crust off my face and headed to the training ground. Evren was already there, and she was stretching when I saw her.

    ¡°Hope you had a good night¡¯s sleep,¡± she said to me.

    ¡°Eh?¡± I replied, a bit surprised.

    This was another thing I hadn¡¯t gotten used to; Evren talking casually to me.

    ¡°Yeah, I did,¡± I replied.

    We both saw Eliora and Yukina approaching us, two of them had been quite an inseparable duo. Eliora had been the one training us, though I wouldn¡¯t call it training per se, because we just fought against her, and she would beat us over and over again. The difference in strength was overwhelming; it wasn¡¯t a surprise because she was someone who killed two demons by herself like it was nothing. Eliora¡¯s Feel was at the solid white stage, which said a lot.

    I had always thought that the difference in each stage was progressive, but I was made to understand that it wasn¡¯t so. It was easier and quicker to blitz through the obsidian and the dark and light amethyst stages, but it became difficult to progress once a person reached the stages of yellow shades. Even more challenging was breaking into the more lighter stages, which showed huge discrepancies strength-wise. I just broke into the amber stage and was told that my progress was quicker than usual. Evren and Yukina were at the gold stage, and according to them, they¡¯d been stuck there for a long time.

    Eliora cleared her throat before speaking,

    ¡°There is something important I want to tell the three of you.¡±

    Three of us looked at her, anxiously waiting for her to spill the words from her mouth.

    ¡°I have no idea what will happen in the coming days, but if the worst happens, I believe it¡¯s best for the three of you to fight together as a single unit.¡±

    Nobody said a word. I was sure Evren and Yukina were trying to properly process what she had just said, just like I was doing.

    ¡°What does she mean by ¡®fight as a unit?¡± I queried myself.

    ¡°You think we are weak? That we can¡¯t hold our own, right?¡± Evren asked.

    Eliora looked at her. I couldn¡¯t describe the expression she was wearing; it was a mix of certainty, pity and hope.

    After a brief silence, Eliora replied,

    ¡°Yes, I do.¡±

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    It was easy to tell that Evren was increasingly growing angry as she clenched her fist. The truth was a bitter pill to swallow; Eliora was right. We weren¡¯t strong enough.

    ¡°It¡¯s easier for you to say whatever you like because you are different, an oddity. Somehow, you can manipulate three elements, so you think we are just weaklings you can look down upon? I am certain you don¡¯t have to work as hard as we do. I mean, it¡¯s easy for you, right?¡±

    ¡°Look, Evren. I am just trying to keep you safe, all of you. I can¡¯t afford to lose any of you because I¡¯m sure I won¡¯t always be there to protect you guys,¡± Eliora responded.

    ¡°I do not need your protection!¡± Evren said in what sounded like she was screaming.

    ¡°Evren!¡± Yukina called.

    ¡°What? Oh, I forgot. She is your mommy, so you are fine with everything she does or says.¡±

    Yukina walked towards her, calm and collected. To my surprise, she landed a slap across her cheek. Evren didn¡¯t react violently. It seemed as though the slap called her to the right senses. She held her cheek with her hand and stared wordlessly at Yukina. Suddenly, tears started to cloud her eyes.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Yukina asked, soft-spoken.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Evren replied. ¡°I think my emotions got the better of me.¡±

    Eliora walked towards them and held Evren by her shoulders.

    ¡°I know how you feel; angry, and left out. I understand, it¡¯s a natural feeling, given the situation of things around you. But you don¡¯t have to. You are as much my child as Svan and Yukina. That¡¯s why I said what I said, to ensure the safety of the three of you. So, there is no reason for you to feel the way you feel.¡±

    The Evren I had known all my life was just a fa?ade. In reality, she was just one big baby that needed to be loved, and Lord Edger was so bad at it.

    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to shy away from the truth. The demons I¡¯ve faced so far are much stronger than you are, and as much as I want you to get stronger, I also have to take precautionary measures to ensure your safety because it¡¯s my responsibility, alright?¡±

    Evren nodded in approval.

    ¡°I want you all to understand something. Though the strength of one¡¯s Feel play a major role in determining the outcome of a battle, it isn¡¯t always the case. It¡¯s not impossible to defeat someone at a higher Feel stage, and that¡¯s where precision and efficiency are needed. Your top priority in any fight should be the quickest means to dispose of an enemy rather than overwhelming them. Only results matter. I strongly believe that the three of you fighting as a single unit would solve the problem of efficiency and precision, and going up against a demon wouldn¡¯t pose a problem. The more fights you engage in, the more experienced and stronger you get. I won¡¯t be the mother telling you to avoid a fight or battle just to ensure you are safe. Rather, I would tell you to face it, but with every precaution taken into consideration.¡±

    * * *

    I hated routines, one of the more reasons I didn¡¯t want to stay in the Choryth House. I love the thrill of uncertainty, living a life in which an unplanned event could spontaneously happen, and would be left with no other option than to face it.

    It was almost sunset, and we had to be present at the great hall because there were matters the High Lord had to address.

    Donned in Choryth regalia, I walked to the great hall. I remembered the last time I walked through the long narrow passage that led to the great hall; it was the day I was expelled from the House.

    The atmosphere inside the hall was no different from that day. There was no feeling of panic even though the House has been attacked a few days ago. I scanned the entire hall from its entrance and found Evren and Yukina standing beside a pillar at one end of the hall. I walked towards them, as that would be the only place I would feel comfortable because, for some reason, I still felt like an outsider.

    ¡°There you are. I thought you weren¡¯t going to show up,¡± Yukina said to me.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t left with much of a choice,¡± I replied, adjusting my pea coat.

    Yukina hung her hands over our shoulders,

    ¡°It feels nice, doesn¡¯t it? The fact that we all would be siblings soon.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t,¡± Evren and I replied simultaneously.

    ¡°Come on, what¡¯s wrong with you guys,¡± Yukina protested.

    ¡°Hey, quit trying to be the doting elder sister. I¡¯m the heiress, remember?¡±

    I shook my head in approval to what Evren said as Yukina untangled herself from us, replying and bowing mockingly to Evren,

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±

    Evren stifled a laugh,

    ¡°You are definitely not serious.¡±

    Lord Edger took the stage to speak, and everyone was silent. At that instant, guards dragged some men into the hall. It was easy to tell that they had been tortured and beaten. Their faces were swollen with broken lips, and their clothes were ragged, exposing their bruised body. I could recognize some of them. Though I didn¡¯t know their names, I knew they were nobles, or rather, once nobles of the House, given the state they were reduced to.

    ¡°These men you see here are partly responsible for the attack on this House. Partly, because there is a lot more to it. Their actions were responsible for the death of many. They have been tried for their crimes, and the judgment rendered upon them is a death sentence. I believe this serves as a lesson to anyone planning on committing treason against this House.¡±

    Lord Edger signaled for them to be taken away as the guards dragged them away from the hall.

    ¡°Although we are facing difficult times at the moment, I want to let my intentions of getting married be known.¡±

    The once quiet hall broke into loud whispers. Lord Edger patiently waited for them to keep quiet.

    ¡°Who is your wife-to-be?¡± A random voice asked.

    Eliora walked out from a door that led into a back room.

    The noisy hall was brought to an abrupt silence as Eliora walked gracefully to where Lord Edger stood.

    ¡°She is beautiful,¡± Evren remarked.

    Yukina and I agreed with her as we shook our heads without uttering a word.

    ¡°This is my wife-to-be, Eliora.¡±

    A single clap was heard, then it was doubled, then tripled, until everyone was clapping. When the clapping died out, Lord Edger continued,

    ¡°Finally, I want every noble present in this gathering to be prepared for what is coming. A war would likely break out soon. I know most people here haven¡¯t faced one, but if it happens, we will be left with no choice other than to face it. We don¡¯t know much about the enemy, and while we await a response from the imperium, we should prepare ourselves.¡±

    ¡°He sure is eloquent,¡± Evren said.

    ¡°That¡¯s why he is the High Lord,¡± Yukina added, supporting Evren¡¯s statement.

    Somehow, I felt detached from everything that was going on. I didn¡¯t care whether or not a war was going to start at that very moment. The only thing I cared about was unlocking the hidden potential I had.

    Attendants filled the hall, serving drinks and food to everyone present.

    ¡°We still have to spend more time here?¡± I grumbled as I gulped a glass of wine.

 24. SETTLING IN

    SOPHIA STONECLAW

    I just arrived the southern continent a few hours ago and after a long carriage ride, my first stop was a room inside a building I had no idea where it was located. The room wasn¡¯t stretching as far as being comfortable, but it was livable at least. It wasn¡¯t large, as its area roughly measured three meters by four meters at most. At the center of the room was a wooden rectangular table with matching chairs around it, four of them in number. Two lamps containing yellow glowing orbs were placed on opposite corners of the room. The luminance the lamps provided wasn¡¯t too bright, but it was sufficient enough for any activity to be carried out in it.

    Vayr was the one who led me inside the room, and there was a lady who was already present there. She greeted me courtly, before Vayr left us to attend to a few people who were seeking his attention. From the brief conversation I had with the lady, I got to know that she was Octavia Stromfrey, and was Vayr¡¯s assistant.

    I knew about the war that Father was trying to start, but I didn¡¯t bother asking the reason why he decided to embark on it. I never gave much thought, or showed concern about the war, but as I sat in that room, in a house deep in enemy territory, I couldn¡¯t think about anything else but the imminent war.

    Preparations and plans on taking over this continent began a very long time ago, even before I was born, and it was quite surprising that they had been able to infiltrate the continent and carry out activities here for a long time without raising questions. It was a matter that was beginning to pique my interest.

    Vayr dismissed the people he was talking to, and took a seat across me.

    ¡°Apologies, your highness, there were pressing matters I needed to address urgently.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, so fill me in on the things I need to know.¡±

    Vayr handed official files containing details of the expedition to me.

    ¡°I will go through these, but I still need you to fill me in,¡± I said to him.

    ¡°Ummm, where do I start from?¡±

    I stared at him, wearing a laissez-faire expression on my face.

    ¡°Okay. Well, this continent is quite different from ours. It comprises of three regions, or more commonly, called republics, which are separated by small bodies of water. They are the northern republic, central republic, and southern republic. The central republic situates the imperium which oversees the affairs of the northern and southern republics, so it¡¯s safe to say that they practice an imperial system just as we do in Azkhan, but theirs is quite unique. Each republic comprises of smaller state regions, and these regions do not have any designated head or governor. Rather, they are governed by a council comprised of heads of prominent Houses, with a representative from the imperium.¡±

    I understood what he had said so far, but I felt like the whole system was complicated and hard to follow.

    ¡°At the moment, the expedition is no longer a stealth one, as we had already began to make our moves. The plan is quite simple. We attack those prominent Houses and destabilize the northern and southern republics. Our next course of action depends on how the imperium reacts to the attacks.¡±

    I nodded in approval,

    ¡°It sounds like a good plan.¡±

    ¡°From what you¡¯ve said so far, you¡¯ve got everything under control, I don¡¯t even need to be here,¡± I said to him.

    ¡°I am sure his majesty has his reasons. Besides, if we happen to encounter any unforeseen difficulties, who else would be better at resolving them?¡±

    Azkhan was different. In books I had read, and movies I had watched in my past life, royalty was always protected and was hardly sent to the battlefield. But here, El-borns who were the ruling class were the foremost to march to battle. Even I, the princess of an empire was deep in enemy territory.

    I picked up the file Vayr handed to me earlier,

    ¡°It¡¯s been a long day, where do I get to sleep?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Octavia,¡± Vayr called, signaling her to lead me to my room.

    ¡°Come with me, your highness.¡±

    I was led out of the room, as we walked through a corridor, only stopping in front of a door at the end of the corridor. I didn¡¯t need her to tell me that we¡¯d arrived at my room as she bowed and left.

    I sighed,

    ¡°I¡¯m already beginning to hate this place,¡± I mumbled as I opened the door and walked into the room.

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    The room I had just entered looked a bit more comfortable, though it was nothing compared to my room back at home. I couldn¡¯t complain about it because it was probably the best room the house had to offer. At least it had its own washroom. I took off my clothes and hopped into the bath. The water in the bath was cold. The chilly sensation the water birthed had a piercing effect on my skin, as every muscle in my body tightened in protest against it. That feeling was what I liked about cold baths. It struck me because it felt weird longing for something, a feeling, that my body didn¡¯t welcome in the best way. I laid back in the bath until my body was fully immersed in it, exposing only my head.

    I sat there wondering how everything was going to turn out. For the first time, I started to ask myself questions which should had always bothered me.

    ¡°Why was I reborn, and why did it have to happen under these conditions?¡±

    I would be lying if I told myself it was just happenstance. There had to be some person or being, and a reason behind it. Annoyingly, there was no way I could possibly have the answers. The war hadn¡¯t gone full scale but it was beginning to give me a perspective shift since I hadn¡¯t experienced one first hand.

    Somehow, I felt that human life didn¡¯t hold much of a value here, it was easy to just dispose people like their life held no meaning. They way they talked about the war like it was just some kind of game played with winners determined at the end. In reality people were going to die, a lot of them.

    I remembered the first and the only person I killed. Though it was unintentional, as I happened to go overboard during training, I couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling, and it gave me sleepless nights. I came from a world where human lives were valued, and the only killings I witnessed were the ones I watched in movies. Here, it was totally different, and everyone seemed okay with it.

    Maybe I was scared. The war was inevitable and I was already sent to the front lines. I had to kill again, not just a person, but a lot of people. I didn¡¯t have a choice, if I didn¡¯t, I would be the one killed.

    I managed to stop myself from thinking sentimentally, asking myself,

    ¡°What if I happen to die in this war? The second shot I had at life, just gone?¡±

    No matter how strong I was, it wasn¡¯t impossible that I could die in combat, I wasn¡¯t immortal. Someone, or even people out there might be a lot stronger than I was. Dying was a given, it was war after all.

    I started thinking back on the years I¡¯d lived in this life, just to discover that I hadn¡¯t even done much. Although this life was easier and more comfortable than my past life, I found out that both shared something in common; I was still so much of a loner.

    I didn¡¯t have friends growing up here. Maybe my past life still managed to haunt me in this one. I believed that people were the same, and given the circumstances, people of this world would have still treated me the same way I was treated my past life. My status as princess made it even more easier to avoid making friends as there were only a few people that I could mingle with.

    Intrusive thoughts and self reflections kept me occupied as I sat in the bath. The conclusion was that I was bothered and scared, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to confront those feelings.

    After bathing, I wore a light garment as I sat on the bed reading through the files Vayr gave me earlier. The files contained very detailed information about the southern continent, the operations that we¡¯d already launched here, and the campaigns we were yet to embark on.

    ¡°He really does his work well,¡± I said as I collapsed on the bed, staring at the ceiling above me.

    I waited patiently to fall asleep, and when my lids became heavy, I just let them close, drifting to sleep.

    * * *

    I rolled from one end of the bed to the other, protesting against the incessant knocking on my door. I wanted to yell at the person knocking,

    ¡°I need more sleep!¡±

    But doing that would make me look like a big baby, and I didn¡¯t want to appear like one, not in front of my subordinates. I wasn¡¯t in the palace where I was always pampered, I was here for official duties, militaristic ones to be precise, so I always had to show strength.

    ¡°Who is it?¡±

    ¡°Octavia Stromfrey, your highness.¡±

    ¡°To what do I owe this visit?¡± I asked, trying hard to stop myself from yawning.

    ¡°A meeting is scheduled to take place soon, and General Vayr wants you to be present. According to him, it¡¯s an opportunity to meet other officers and get acquainted with them.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I will be there soon,¡± I said dismissing her.

    I washed my face, got dressed as Octavia led me to the designated meeting place. I was expecting the meeting place to be the room from the night before, but I was largely incorrect, considering the size of the room. Octavia led me to a hall, as three of us took the stage, while every other person present in the hall sat around long rectangular tables arranged vertically across the hall.

    All of them stood up to pay respects on my arrival and I reciprocated by simply waving my hand. All of them took turns in introducing themselves, and though I wasn¡¯t concerned about who they were or what positions they held, I had to pretend and patiently listen to what they all had to say, because it was required of me to do so.

    When the introductions were done, I left the stage and went to sit at an empty table, with Octavia following me closely. At that point it was apparent that Octavia was filling Orlyo¡¯s shoes since he didn¡¯t come here with me. She was always trying to be very close to me at all times like some human shield. I actually considered telling her off, but I happened to have just enough self control not to. I loved my personal space, and even though it made me more of a loner, I didn¡¯t want people encroaching it. Sadly, I wasn¡¯t left with many choices, as it was one of the things that came with this life, so I had to blindly accept them.

    ¡°Your highness, if there is anything you need, please let me know.¡±

    I was tempted to say to her,

    ¡°I would love you to stop following me around.¡±

    But rather, I simply nodded.

    ¡°Vayr asked you to babysit me right?¡± I asked her, wearing a forced smile on my face.

    She didn¡¯t respond as she looked down at the table, trying to avoid making eye contact with me. Her silence and reaction already answered my question.

    ¡°Well, you are just doing your job, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, your highness,¡± she replied.

    I sat there listening to what everyone present in the hall had to say. I had to commend Vayr on how he was taking care of things here. Everyone present in that hall were high ranking officers in charge of their respective squads, who reported directly to Vayr. It was an interesting meeting since everyone contributed ideas, with Vayr having the final say. Everyone in the hall appeared to take the meeting seriously so I decided to pay attention to what they discussed, since I might just happen to learn a few important things from them.

 25. DECISIONS, CHOICES

    SVAN CHORYTH

    We were left on our own, hung to dry. After numerous efforts, trying to get in contact with the imperium, we got no response from them. There was no way they didn¡¯t know what was going on; it was no longer news that we were being attacked. I couldn¡¯t think of any reason why they decided to be silent. Whatever reason they had for their actions certainly did us no good.

    We were left with two options; either we patiently awaited a response from the imperium, or we took matters into our hands. Lord Edger¡¯s patience grew thinner by the day and was inclining towards the latter. Either way, we were stuck between a rock and a stony place as it proved difficult to decide on our next course of action. The only problem we would face if we decided to take any action was that there was only so much we could do.

    On the outside, everything seemed pretty normal. Though there were no reported attacks on the common folk, it was easy to tell that everyone was kept on their toes. There weren¡¯t any demon occupations in any towns or cities. They only attacked prominent Houses and killed everyone they found in it.

    Our idle contemplation was cut short when we received a letter from House Vaughn. House Vaughn was another prominent House in the city of Landchet, which was located south of Stafford. The letter read that they needed help to fend off the demon attack, which they knew would happen anytime soon.

    After so much deliberations, our final decision was to help. Eliora even suggested further that if it was within our capabilities, we should try to defend Stavren as a whole from the demons. Her suggestion sounded a bit too ambitious but was a reasonable one. House Choryth was left to make decisions by itself since the council of Houses couldn¡¯t convene because most of its members had probably been slaughtered.

    Receiving this letter from House Vaughn was good news of some sort. At the very least, we weren¡¯t alone anymore. Eliora suggested that Yukina, Evren, and I go with her to Landchet. Though we didn¡¯t know how many demons would carry out the assault on House Vaughn, the patterns of the previous ones they¡¯d done made us estimate that they would be no more than three of them. Eliora could fend off three demons on her lonesome, we didn¡¯t have to do much other than assist her. Besides, House Vaughn had nobles of its own that could also fight.

    We set out for Landchet in the morning and traveled by road with horses. After an exhausting journey, we arrived at our destination, sunset.

    ¡°I just need a warm bath, a good meal, and a cozy bed,¡± Yukina said in relief as we approached the gates of the Vaughn residence.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t here for a vacation,¡± Evren countered.

    Yukina and Evren rode side by side for most of the journey, as most conversations they had were argumentative.

    ¡°These two can¡¯t possibly be on the same page, right?¡± Eliora asked, stifling a giggle.

    I shook my head,

    ¡°No, they can¡¯t.¡±

    The Vaughn residence looked a lot different from ours. The distance between the entrance gates and the manor was long, connected by a single wide path, with a lush of green fields stretching as far as the path went. Though we were on horses, riding at a trotting pace which was much faster than a human walking, it took us quite some time before we got to the main building.

    For some reason, I felt every prominent House would have a castle residence just like ours, but I was completely wrong. The Vaughn residence was a lot like an estate and looked more welcoming in contrast to the Choryth castle. The Head of the house, Lady Charlotte Vaughn, and other dignified members were outside the manor awaiting our arrival. We alighted our horses and paid our respects as they reciprocated in the same fashion before we were led inside by the attendants.

    One of Yukina¡¯s wishes came to fruition as we were led to a large dining room, with assorted dishes occupying almost every part of the table. I silently savored the aroma coming from the dishes. I tried to keep a straight face as I led a battle inside me to suppress any appearance or gait that might give off a perception that I was interested in the food.

    One wouldn¡¯t expect such dining to be a quiet one where everyone ate silently without speaking, as Lady Charlotte led the conversation. I didn¡¯t know much about Lady Charlotte or House Vaughn except that the House was a prominent one and that she was the head of the House.

    Lady Charlotte¡¯s appearance was just as I had imagined. She was a bit plump. Maybe if she was taller, she would have appeared differently. She assumed the role of High Lady since her husband died, but she had to be strong, even though her appearance might say otherwise.

    ¡°I am really grateful that you all came to our aid. House Vaughn is indebted for this kind gesture House Choryth has shown us.¡±

    None of us said a word. Yukina was focused on the food she was eating, and I wasn¡¯t sure she was even listening to what Lady Charlotte said. Eliora and I stared at Evren, expecting her to say something. She was heir apparent, after all. She squinted her eyes, and her expression was screaming,

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°What?¡±

    Eliora tilted her head toward Lady Charlotte¡¯s direction. That was when she understood what we were asking of her. Evren cleared her throat,

    ¡°It¡¯s the right thing to do given the current situation.¡±

    Her response was sharp and formal as Lady Charlotte let out a faint smile.

    ¡°This new enemy, who do you think they are? What do they want?¡± Lady Charlotte asked.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know who they are, but we call them demons. We reached the conclusion that their activities point towards a conquest. They are planning to take over these lands.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡± A voice asked.

    It wasn¡¯t Lady Charlotte who asked, but rather a young lady who sat beside her. I couldn¡¯t tell how old she was, but she was somewhere between my age and Yukina¡¯s or Evren¡¯s age. My guess was that she was Lady Charlotte''s daughter since they both shared a few facial characteristics.

    Evren shifted her gaze from Lady Charlotte to the young lady who just spoke.

    ¡°It¡¯s quite obvious. These demons struck Houses holding some sort of power and influence, which could have been a potential threat to them. They struck hard and fast without raising suspicion and were successful. Taking Stavren alone into consideration, where are our fighting force? Gone. To make matters worse, The imperium had withdrawn their soldiers, prioritizing the safety of the central republic. Who¡¯s left? Normal people without abilities that pose no threat to them.¡±

    ¡°This is worse than it looks,¡± a distressed-looking Lady Charlotte said.

    ¡°From the way I see it, we are already fighting a losing battle. We can only hold out for just so long, but the end is inevitable,¡±

    ¡°Forgive my daughter, Maven. She is a rational type,¡± Lady Charlotte said in defense of the words Maven just said.

    ¡°But it¡¯s the truth, mother. Am I the only one thinking logically here? This enemy you speak of, they are stronger than we are. Maybe you guys somehow managed to fend them off and take out a few of them. What will happen when they come back in greater numbers?¡±

    Maven paused and looked around,

    ¡°We are all going to die,¡± she concluded.

    Nobody said anything. Some looked in her direction, while others looked at their food. The silence said a lot. Maven wasn¡¯t wrong. In fact, she confronted the sad truth no one was willing to face.

    ¡°If you are going to die regardless, At least you get to die trying. I think that there is some honor in that,¡± Yukina said, breaking the silence.

    I had to admit, I didn¡¯t think that far. I was just living one day at a time, and my goal each new day was to get stronger than the previous one. Even after Maven said what she said, I wasn¡¯t scared. I couldn¡¯t describe how I felt. Optimism was messing with my logical thinking. I just didn¡¯t want to think of what would happen if we lost. At that moment, I thought about the queen of the dark haven and got even more confident. She was the one who led me to Eliora, and I remembered her saying something about her plan.

    ¡°If I was part of her plan, she wouldn¡¯t possibly let me die, would she?¡± I queried myself.

    The conversations I was having in my head came to an end when a guard ran in and said,

    ¡°They are here.¡±

    There was a rising panic growing in the room.

    ¡°How many are they?¡± Eliora asked.

    The last report from the guards at the gates indicated five of them, with five creatures accompanying them.

    ¡°Last report, you say?¡± Lady Charlotte asked.

    ¡°Yes. The guards at the gate, they are most likely dead.¡±

    The murmurs grew louder, and the expression on the faces of all members of House Vaughn present in the room read,

    ¡°Death has come.¡±

    Everyone stood up from their seats almost at the same time. It looked as though it was choreographed, but it wasn¡¯t. It was just a general sense of urgency.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t get to ask how House Choryth was able to fend off these demons, as you call them. I guess we would have to experience it firsthand,¡± Lady Charlotte said.

    ¡°Their numbers tilt the odds to their favor. There is no guarantee on the outcome of the fight we are about to engage in.¡± Eliora replied. Four of us began walking out of the room, but Eliora stopped and turned in Lady Charlotte¡¯s direction.

    ¡°Tell the guards to retreat, unless you want unnecessary bloodshed. Assemble your strongest casters; any help is help.¡±

    Eliora¡¯s demeanor was different. She didn¡¯t look anything like the cheerful and playful person I had always seen her as. Looking at her, I was reminded of the expression she wore when she fought against the demons that attacked us at Stafford. She looked like a cold-hearted person who had only known fighting all her life.

    ¡°Ah, one more thing. I won¡¯t forgive anyone who puts my children in harm¡¯s way. Anyone who is going to be a liability rather not join.¡±

    Eliora turned to us and said,

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    I turned to see the expression on the faces of those behind us, and it was definitely what I expected. They were surprised, too stunned to even say a word.

    We could hear screams that drew closer with each passing moment as the retreating guards ran past us.

    ¡°Svan, Yukina. Both of you should take care of the falxes as quickly as possible. Evren will fight alongside me, and when you both are done, she will join you both. Remember, fight as one unit.¡±

    I nodded. Funny how I didn¡¯t even consider the falxes a threat. I could take out all five of them alone. I was sure Eliora had her reasons on why she assigned Yukina and I to face the falxes. Besides, Yukina¡¯s inclusion made it even easier.

    Lady Charlotte joined us outside with Maven and five others,

    ¡°We will help,¡± she said.

    Yukina whispered to me,

    ¡°I¡¯m still hungry, I didn¡¯t get to finish what I was eating.¡±

    I almost burst out laughing. Yukina wasn¡¯t done yet as she whispered again.

    ¡°Imagine dying hungry.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t suppress the laughter anymore as I let it out.

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m sorry,¡± I apologized, still giggling.

    I couldn¡¯t help but wonder how she was able to make jokes when we were about to fight for our lives.

    Even Evren, who knew nothing about why I burst out laughing, was struggling to keep a straight face. Eliora¡¯s stiff expression loosened a bit as she smiled faintly. I was sure that Lady Charlotte and the people with her wondered if there was something funny about the situation. There was no way they would know why I laughed since they wouldn¡¯t bother asking.

    Silhouettes of the demons and falxes began to appear from a distance. The humor from the joke Yukina made started to fade away as fear encroached. My heart was beating rapidly like it was going to implode, but I managed to keep a calm demeanor. I decided to launch a surprise attack. I was tempted to make an attempt on a demon, but Eliora¡¯s instructions were to take care of the falxes first. I whispered to Yukina,

    ¡°I¡¯m going to get the first kill.¡±

    Before she could open her mouth to speak, I disappeared from her sight. My target was a falx on the far right. It didn¡¯t see me coming as I materialized in front of it. With two pocket knives drawn, I stabbed its eyes as we both crashed to the ground. There was no need for words to be spoken. The battle had just begun.

 26. THE OTHER ONE

    All falxes dropped dead. it had to be the easiest fight I had faced so far. We didn¡¯t give them any time to react or even understand the situation, as they fell one after another.

    I didn¡¯t need to use femryn¡¯s jolt because realm slip was far more efficient, which I used with sublime precision. I killed three of them, and Yukina settled with two. We approached the falxes very differently. While my approach was quiet and calm, appearing in front of them to land a fatal strike, Yukina was loud and aggressive as she faced them head-on and overwhelmed them with brute strength before landing fatal blows.

    Eliora assumed a battle position as she faced the entirety of the demons with Evren by her side. Lady Charlotte, Maven, and the other five casters provided support, firing a barrage of spells at the demons.

    It was dark but constant flashes of spells conjured in different forms and colors, flying from one corner to another, painted beautiful pictures of the battle scene.

    Lightning tendrils crackled all over Evren¡¯s body as she shot bolts of it at the demons charging at her. I knew Eliora was predominantly a fire caster, but she tended to favor using ice spells, making me wonder if ice was stronger than fire and its deviants. I watched her as she encased the demon closest to her in an ice capsule, abandoning her to figure out how to break out of it while she faced another one.

    Evren didn¡¯t seem to notice that we were done with the falxes since she and Eliora engaged the demons at almost the same time we took on the falxes. Yukina was thinking exactly as I was. We decided to proceed without Evren.

    We charged at one of the demons, drawing his attention toward us. Though he was hooded and wore a scarf, I could quickly tell he was male. We managed to isolate him from the rest and made him face us.

    Our plan was simple. Yukina would keep him occupied while I attacked his blind spot. I felt the fight had to be easier since it wasn¡¯t the first time we went up against a demon. We were armed with enough experience, so we could pretty much anticipate what he would do.

    The demons had a unique fighting style. Every demon I¡¯d watched practically fought the same way. They attacked with whatever spell they had at their disposal and defended with spells that materialized in a solid form. It had to be something they were taught in training since every one of them did the same thing.

    The demon Yukina and I faced wielded lightning and ice, and even with the experience we had, Yukina found it difficult to land a clean hit on him because he defended so well. Being involved in the fight and watching everything unfold up close, it was astonishing to see the speed at which he conjured spells to defend against Yukina¡¯s attacks. I kept saying to myself,

    ¡°This speed can¡¯t possibly match realm slip.¡±

    I was a passive participant in the fight, almost like the only thing I did was watch Yukina do all the work, even though I was just sticking to the plan. Some spells conjured by the demon managed to find their way toward my direction, and I simply used femryn¡¯s jolt to push them away from me. All I needed was an opening to land a clean stab on his nexus.

    Practically, Yukina had had the most experience fighting against a lightning caster since she¡¯d trained with Evren all her life. I wasn¡¯t trying to compare Evren with the demon, who was probably a stronger lightning caster than Evren, but that experience paid off, considering how she approached and handled the fight. She knew when and how to strike and defend against bolts of lightning that were shot at her. Each time lightning hit her body, I shook with fear. Though she appeared unscathed after each hit, I couldn¡¯t help but imagine if they landed on my body. A single lightning bolt was enough to kill a normal person or an unprepared caster, but she stood, taking multiple hits. It was one of those moments which made me appreciate how powerful a stillbringer she was.

    It wasn¡¯t the first time I saw tiny lightning-like sparks crackle and course through the blades of Yukina¡¯s swords. I had always wanted to ask her what they were but each time, I forgot. Yukina pressed as she shattered a wall of ice erected by the demon while taking hits from several lightning bolts. Everything was happening so fast in real-time, and though I didn¡¯t switch into the grey domain, the whole action seemed to unfold slowly before my eyes.

    The demon was focused on Yukina, or so I thought. His back was completely wide open.

    ¡°This is my chance,¡±

    I switched into the grey domain as I triggered realm slip. I marked my destination behind the demon. Though I couldn¡¯t explain how I could do the things I did, I just knew how to do them. I could feel a hungry force pulling me inside the gateway I somehow managed to open. I let myself get sucked in as I instantaneously appeared behind him, ready to drive my sword into his back to where his nexus was located.

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    To my bewilderment, an average-sized slab was conjured just in time to meet my sword. I could tell from the shape of the slab that it was roughly conjured like something done hastily. Though I shattered it with the thrust force I was already exerting before the slab was conjured, it bought him just enough time to react before my blade reached him.

    The demon side-stepped and changed his stance, repositioning himself so that Yukina and I stood on adjacent sides, with him in the middle. Though the ice slab he conjured did damage control, he was quick to react and reposition himself.

    I was still surprised. There was no way he consciously conjured that slab of ice; it wasn¡¯t just possible. I knew how fast movement was using realm slip; blinking was enough to miss it. I couldn¡¯t wrap my head around the fact that he was able to do what he did even when he didn¡¯t see me coming. It was simply mind-blowing.

    We were at a standstill. No one pressed. The look on the demon¡¯s face was a relieved one. He knew he was so close to dying, so he had to be more cautious. Yukina was already giving him enough trouble, and I just happened to make things even more difficult for him.

    Our brief moment of ceasefire opened the floodgates of thoughts in my head. I remembered Crit and his medallion.

    ¡°These demons might have an artifact or something of that nature that helps them defend so well against conjured spells,¡± I said inwardly.

    I didn¡¯t want to think about how it worked, but I believed it didn¡¯t stretch beyond the horizon of possibilities.

    I readied myself in the grey domain just in case any spells came flying toward me. I felt a sharp pain flash across my forehead. I thought the pain would subside after a brief moment, but I was wrong. The pain intensity increased steadily until I held my head, screaming. I couldn¡¯t keep myself in the grey domain anymore because it was apparent that I had passed out.

    I found myself in a familiar environment, a pitch-dark emptiness with a ground covered with very shallow waters. I sighed,

    ¡°Why did you bring me here at this moment? You might have just killed me you¡­.¡±

    I was on the verge of cursing but managed to refrain from doing it.

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure Yukina is doing a great job keeping you from harm¡¯s way,¡± a familiar effeminate voice echoed.

    ¡°Besides, if you die, I am as good as dead, too,¡± she continued.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked.

    ¡°It seems you¡¯ve gotten stronger. Now I can fully merge my consciousness to this body, your body.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked.

    The darkness slowly faded away until the once sight-impeding environment became bright. It was still an unusual scenery. I was standing in a white room that had no bounds or corners.

    A figure approached from a distance, an effeminate one. She had to be the one speaking to me. As she drew closer, I could probably make out her features. She was wearing a sleeveless white dress which she allowed to get wet as she waded toward me.

    Her figure was finely cut in the right proportions, and if perfection was a person, I sure was looking at it. Her skin was pale, almost white, and she had long white hair dressed in a way that matched her oval-shaped face. I couldn¡¯t describe what she looked like, out-worldly was the best word I could come up with.

    She stood in front of me, and every word I intended to speak disappeared from my mouth.

    ¡°At last, we meet. My savior.¡±

    ¡°W-what do you mean?¡± I stammered.

    She smiled at me,

    ¡°You will know with time,¡± she replied.

    She stretched her hands,

    ¡°You need help, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I¡­.I¡­.¡±

    ¡°Take my hands. I can help you.¡±

    I was reluctant. Though I didn¡¯t know who she was, I believed she didn¡¯t mean any harm. I slowly stretched my hand to meet hers, unsure of what would happen when they met but hopeful for the best.

    Her hands were soft,  almost fragile like a newborn''s.

    ¡°How can someone¡¯s skin be this soft,¡± I queried myself.

    Nothing out of the ordinary happened as I kept on staring at her. I started to feel changes in my body. I didn¡¯t need anyone to tell me that I was returning to the real world as the place started to fade. Both of us held hands one moment, and the next, she was very far away from me, slowly vanishing from sight.

    ¡°Your name, what¡¯s your name?¡± I screamed.

    ¡°Darya,¡± her voice echoed before she completely disappeared from my sight.

    * * *

    I found myself lying on the floor. I slowly opened my eyes and still felt some pain in my head. I panicked a little as I shot myself to my feet, remembering that a lot of fighting was happening around me. I heard Yukina¡¯s voice scream,

    ¡°Svan, are you okay?¡±

    I was relieved, Yukina was well and alive. From the look of things, I understood that I wasn¡¯t passed out for so long, maybe a minute at most. I refocused my attention on the demon. We needed to find a way to kill him as quickly as possible.

    Evren seemed to notice we were done with the falxes as she started running toward us. I smiled because she was about to make things easier for us.

    ¡°Can you hear me?¡± A voice asked.

    I turned around reflexively, searching for the source of the voice. It was Darya¡¯s voice, but I couldn¡¯t understand how she was able to talk to me.

    ¡°Darya, is that you?¡± I asked inwardly.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious, or are you just stupid?¡± She said, giggling.

    I didn¡¯t know how to respond to her mockery disguised as a question.

    ¡°The way you wield my powers makes me sick. You can¡¯t even do the bare minimum.¡±

    It was hard to believe that she was the same sweet-looking person I had just met moments ago. It was apparent I made some sort of connection with her the moment I took her hands wherever that place was.

    ¡°What does she mean by her powers?¡± I queried myself.

    I heard Darya¡¯s voice again,

    ¡°Say the words, please help me.¡±

    Though it was difficult to understand what was going on as many questions needed to be asked, I felt obliged to do as she said.

    ¡°Please help me,¡± I muttered slowly.

    Something strange started happening to me. I felt a weird kind of connection to my body. It felt as like I was watching my body from a distance, even though I could still feel myself in it. I moved, and it felt odd, different. Before I could get a grip on what was happening, I found myself running, charging at the demon alone. It wasn¡¯t my intention, yet I wanted to do it. I was conscious, I knew I could bring myself to stop, but I didn¡¯t want to.

    The demon turned in my direction, and his eyes met with mine,

    ¡°This is going to be fun.¡±

 27. STRENGTH FROM WITHIN

    I could hear Yukina and Evren scream my name, calling for me to stop, but I didn¡¯t listen to them. I switched to the grey domain as I approached the demon. I knew I was going against our plan since Eliora had explicitly instructed us to fight as a unit. Though I was keen on doing as told, Darya had other plans, and I blindly followed her lead.

    I felt unusually calm as I waited for the demon to make his move. I had almost forgotten how powerful perception was in the grey domain but was reminded, experiencing the sequence of events that followed. During my training sessions with Eliora, Yukina, and Evren, I prioritized using femryn¡¯s jolt and realm slip. The idea was to give me a handicap of some sort. I wasn¡¯t just trying to learn the hard way. Rather, I saw it as a means to push beyond my limits.

    Silhouettes of lightning bolts came streaking toward me; I counted five of them. I knew the silhouettes were lightning because the speed at which they approached me was relatively faster than the speed of other spells I had seen conjured whilst in the grey domain.

    I watched as the silhouettes inched closer in my direction. The rippling sensations of the shock waves the silhouettes generated as they tore through the dense atmosphere were sending a clear message to me; something terrifying was coming for me.

    It was terrific and overwhelming to think about what I saw and felt. A person would have been long dead if they stood to observe the movements of spells hurled at them, but the grey domain made it look different, artistic.

    At most, I was separated from the silhouettes by a few inches, and I felt Darya was messing with me. The normal me would have used femryn¡¯s jolt to push the streaking silhouettes away or triggered realm slip to change my position as soon as I saw them approach. But for some reason, I held still and watched without making any attempt to evade them.

    For the first time, I got to experience firsthand how much control the mind had over the body. It was one of the aspects of living that were almost always overlooked since the mind and the body worked synchronously; one giving orders and the other reacting and taking action. At the moment, I felt some kind of dissociation, and though my mind and body were fully functional, it felt as though Darya was in charge. I couldn¡¯t tell if she was just influencing every decision I was making at that moment or if she was the one making them.

    My relationship with Darya, or more precisely, the bond between both of us, was unique. I was certain it wasn¡¯t that of a puppet and a puppet master, where she had complete control over my body and thinking space. Rather, it felt like she was putting ideas in my mind, ideas that suggested I did one thing or another, and I couldn¡¯t help but comply with them even though I knew it was within my capabilities to refuse those ideas.

    She was in my head, I could feel her presence, but it didn¡¯t feel strange. It felt like she was a part of me, a part of my consciousness.

    Just before the silhouettes hit me, I dematerialized from that position and brought myself in striking distance of the demon. With my sword drawn, I slashed, aiming for his head. My blade was met with conjured ice as I saw other silhouettes roughly shaped like spikes appear. It was easy to tell that they were meant to hit me as three of them pointed in my direction. They were so close to me that the only way I could possibly avoid them was to trigger realm slip.

    There was a sort of clash in my head. A part of me wanted to reposition myself, and another didn¡¯t. In the end, I didn¡¯t trigger realm slip as I attacked the ice spikes with my sword. Maybe I was lucky they didn¡¯t approach me all at once. I cut the first in two halves from the tip as it fell apart. I followed up immediately as I slashed through the second and the third in quick succession, shattering them. Though the grey domain made it look normal, I knew what I just did was astonishingly fast. I didn¡¯t think it was possible, given I instinctively wanted to run from it. My arms were still attached to my body, and they seemed pretty okay. That was a good sign, at least.

    I didn¡¯t want to give too much thought about what I just did because I was still in the middle of a fight. It was a daring attempt, one that came with a lot of risks, but thankfully, was a success.

    ¡°That¡¯s why you are stuck with little or no improvements. If you don¡¯t know how to take risks, how do you want to get better?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t my thought. I mean, it was, considering that it came from within me, but it wasn¡¯t. That was Darya speaking.

    ¡°This is how you approach every fight. Your mentality is always centered on safety. If your priority in every fight is always safety, then you shouldn¡¯t bother engaging the fight in the first place. The priority should be taking out the enemy, incapacitating them, or killing them if need be. If you don¡¯t have some degree of control or a strong foot in any fight you find yourself in, your chances of winning will be only decided by a miracle.¡±

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    The sound of her voice in my head was loud and clear. She wasn¡¯t wrong, but it was easier for her to say. Until a few weeks ago, I was just a normal person with no abilities, so it was instinctive to prioritize my safety first.

    In my defense, anyone who¡¯d seen the demons fight wouldn¡¯t even want to go up against them, and anyone who dared to would tread cautiously. I didn¡¯t want to say anything to her in response, not yet. After all, we would have plenty of time for that after fighting.

    I was very close to the demon, very much in striking distance, yet I triggered realm slip. Weirdly the pathway for the realm slip I triggered went through the demon as its exit opened somewhere behind him. I was confused because I didn¡¯t think it was possible for me to get through since he was an obvious obstacle. Every time I used realm slip, I plotted my paths on open spaces with no obstacles in between. It was my first time doing something like that, thanks to Darya since it was all her doing.

    No objections were coming from my side. The curiosity to find out what was going to happen outweighed any doubts I had about the feasibility of Darya¡¯s plan.

    Surprisingly I went through like he wasn¡¯t even there. Before fully materializing behind him, I thrust my sword into his torso. There was literally no distance separating us when I ran my sword through him. It was almost as if I had done it even before I reappeared.

    I felt a surge of excitement within me.

    ¡°Darya you genius,¡± I praised.

    ¡°You have no idea,¡± she replied.

    The things within reach were really the most difficult to find. I spent weeks training, trying to unlock any innate potential I might have had in order to get strong enough to be able to face a demon at least. Little did I know that I had all I needed.

    I instantly drew out my sword from his belly as I shot myself backward. Switching out of the grey domain, I stood looking at him as he clutched his belly with his hands as blood still found its way to spill out in large volumes. I could easily predict his next course of action, black fire from nowhere, which would patch him up, followed by a Feel realm imposition.

    I could have just replicated the maneuver I had performed earlier to finish him off before he used his trump card, but I held back. I already knew whose idea it was. There was a voice in my head saying,

    ¡°Come on, get up. I need to see the best you can offer.¡±

    I was going against everything Eliora would have wanted me to do, and in this situation, she would have wanted me to go for the kill as the chance presented itself.

    As expected, the black fire appeared, and his wound disappeared. I was calm, once again, waiting for him to make his move. At that moment, I felt confident that I was going to kill him; it was just a matter of time.

    Dull white motes filled the air around us, and I knew he was about to overwhelm me with whatever spell he had at his disposal. I didn¡¯t know much about the Feel realm, or how it worked since I wasn¡¯t a caster, but from my observations, I felt it was just a means to overwhelm an opponent. I switched back into the grey domain, ready for whatever he was about to unleash.

    I was expecting a barrage of lightning spells streaking toward me from all directions. At that thought, I panicked a little. Since I was apparently in a Feel realm the demon imposed, there was a good chance that some lightning bolts could be conjured so close to me that would be impossible to evade. I had no choice but to trust Darya, hoping she knew precisely what she was doing.

    There was a funny feel to the viscous atmosphere that surrounded me. Though I didn¡¯t see any silhouettes of conjured spells, I could tell that something was about to happen.

    It was apparent that Darya could sense my growing fear as I heard her voice in my head,

    ¡°How pathetic,¡± she remarked.

    The thoughts in my head suggested everything was going as Darya wanted. She wanted him to impose a Feel realm. The Feel realm was a double-edged sword. It was something that would make a caster so powerful yet leave them vulnerable. No wonder they only imposed it when they felt cornered with no other options.

    I released my intent and got a different reaction. The dense atmosphere of the grey domain started to tighten around me until I began to feel suffocated. Naturally, I had to push against it, forcefully dispersing it.

    ¡°What was that?¡± I queried, only to look around and observe what I had just done.

    Silhouettes of lightning, mostly clustered around each other, were dispersed in different directions. I created a space of emptiness between me and the silhouettes I had dispersed. I searched for the demon but couldn¡¯t find him anywhere within my radius. The push force I had generated most probably blew him away.

    I switched out of the grey domain to discover that the white notes had disappeared. I found the demon lying on debris from a wall he crashed onto. His sorry state could clearly tell that he was struck by some of the lightning bolts he intended to use on me as his clothes were charred with burnt patches here and there. His skin was covered with burns as the black flames that engulfed him tried to heal his wounds.

    I sauntered towards him, dragging my sword with me. I couldn¡¯t tell if I was just lazy to hold it firmly or if my arms were tired. The scraping sounds the tip of my sword made while it kissed the floor as I dragged it along were unpleasant to my ears, but I still let it carry on until I was standing next to him.

    The demon wasn¡¯t finished yet. He was in a lot of pain as he fought through it and stretched his hands toward me. I scoffed,

    ¡°What does he want to do?¡±

    To be fair, his spells kept him in that state. I kicked his hand, crashing it to the ground as I drove my sword into his chest, shattering his nexus. He forcefully coughed as blood spilled from his mouth. I was sure he wanted to say something but the words didn¡¯t leave his mouth since they were hindered by the pain and the blood that choked him.

    I was supposed to be happy with the feat I had accomplished. I was able to kill a demon on my own. Though it was all Darya¡¯s doing, I still had to give myself some credit. Realistically, I wasn¡¯t elated as I expected of myself and I couldn¡¯t quite tell what I was feeling.

    I drew out my sword from the demon¡¯s lifeless body, there was still more fighting to do.

 29. TURNED TABLES

    YUKINA AYLING

    Every other thing happening around me blurred out, and the only view clear to my eyes was the sight of Svan.

    ¡°Has Svan gone mad?¡± I queried myself.

    I screamed his name, calling for him to stop but the sound of my voice was drowned in the same ostensible perception that blurred everything around me. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder what came over him prompting him to charge at the demon alone, reminding me of his actions on our first encounter with a falx.

    We happened to find ourselves in a hopeless situation against the falx, I wasn¡¯t scared, but rather concerned about Svan¡¯s safety. When I saw him attack the falx head-on, I was terrified. The fear that gripped me at that moment knew no borders because I thought he was about to get himself killed.

    This time, he was doing the same thing, and though I felt similar emotions, the conditions were different. I was as scared as anyone who had faced the same enemy in the past and lost twice, but Svan didn¡¯t look scared. There was an unfaltering certainty in his eyes as he pushed forward with burning confidence.

    It was surreal how quickly things changed since Svan returned. I was seemingly okay with the new changes though I never gave much thought to it since it brought me some sort of closure as most curiosities that kept me longing for the unknown gradually disappeared. It felt as though I reconciled with myself upon learning that Eliora was my birth mother, and even though there was a conflict of emotions within me, I was happy at least.

    The most jaw-dropping revelation was that Svan and I were siblings. It was easier to believe that Eliora was my mother than to believe that Svan was my little brother because I had known him my whole life as someone else. I knew I had a special bond with him and was always there for him when everyone seemingly shunned him, but I couldn¡¯t understand why I was increasingly getting attached to him, not knowing it was the manifestation of the bond we shared as siblings.

    Wonders didn¡¯t end there as Eliora declared her intention to get married to Lord Edger, and even though she said it was a means to be close and protect her children, I knew that there was so much more to it. It also meant that Evren and I would become sisters, chaotic ones, and Lord Edger would be my father in the nearest future.

    I finally started to feel relevant, I belonged somewhere and had a family, which was all I ever needed. Just when my life was beginning to take a different turn, a threat to it appeared from nowhere. I began to understand what it meant when they say, good things never come easy.

    I became a curious spectator, anxiously watching and awaiting the outcome of the confrontation between Svan and the demon. Everything happened so quickly. I couldn¡¯t even keep up with Svan¡¯s movements, almost always disappearing as quickly as he appeared. There was no doubt the demon was also having a difficult time keeping up with him. The next moment, I saw the demon clutching his belly. It appeared that Svan had stabbed him, but I didn¡¯t even notice when the incident happened. I was surprised,

    ¡°What is Svan hiding from us?¡± I wondered.

    I was beginning to doubt that Svan¡¯s newly found abilities were as novel as he had claimed. Maybe he had them all along, hiding them from everyone, and as for a reason to do so, the fact that his abilities were beyond the spectrum of that of a typical caster or stillbringer was good enough a reason.

    I suddenly felt a strong push force and would have been thrown off by it if I didn¡¯t brace myself. When my eyes fell on Svan again, he was driving his sword into the demon¡¯s chest. I didn¡¯t exactly know what had happened but the only obvious thing I could make out of the situation was that the demon was dead. It was difficult to believe what Svan had just done, but I was proud of him regardless. That fear alone was enough to tell that Svan was stronger than I was, and even though I tried to convince myself that I wasn¡¯t, I knew I was a bit envious of him, wishing I had his abilities. But in the end, I was smiling from ear to ear.

    As Svan¡¯s fight with the demon ended, I snapped myself out of the single-minded concentration I had on Svan as I tried to familiarize myself with everything going on around me. I was so close to cursing myself when I found Evren taking on a demon alone. Thankfully, she looked okay

    Witnessing the events of Svan¡¯s battle with his demon opponent, I was fueled with a surge of a confidence boost as I dashed toward Evren¡¯s direction with only one goal in mind, killing a demon.

    There were changes in how Evren approached the fight. She was clearly no longer over-reliant on her lightning spells as she attacked with a fine blend of fire and lightning spells. The demon she faced reminded me of Vixra as she conjured fire and earth spells. Flames roared, noiseless streaks flashed, disappearing as quickly as they appeared, and rocks shattered, scattering into smaller pieces. I didn¡¯t know if Evren caught a glimpse of Svan fighting, but there was a burning determination in her eyes, and it didn¡¯t look like she wanted to lose again.

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    I joined the party, swinging my swords and landing two successive strikes which narrowly missed his neck as rocks from nowhere appeared to meet my blades. The rocks cracked as several fault lines appeared all over their surfaces. I followed up immediately, landing a roundhouse kick on the rocks the demon conjured to counter my blades. The debris from the rocks landed on his body before falling to the floor while a few sharp pieces pierced his skin. The demon countered by shooting numerous projectiles of small rocks at me, which came from all directions. I reacted, augmenting my body with my strength-stillbring and letting the rocks hit me. There was no visible damage done to my body, and though I felt a lot of pain, it was bearable. When the barrage was over, I retreated, and somehow managed to find myself beside Evren.

    ¡°What took you so long?¡± Evren asked me.

    ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late,¡± I replied, smiling.

    We needed to finish off the demon as quickly as possible before she imposed her Feel realm. The demons I¡¯d faced so far were obviously stronger than I was, but I wasn¡¯t just beaten like someone who stood no chance against them. I was always so close to killing them.

    I looked at Evren,

    ¡°You know what to do.¡±

    She nodded, approving she understood what I said to her. I had given Evren a detailed narration of my battle with Vixra, and we thoroughly analyzed it together with our battle against the demon we faced at home. I remembered Evren saying to me,

    ¡°If we can¡¯t kill a demon together, we should just give up fighting entirely.¡±

    I triggered phantom steal and my sword seemed to come alive. I unsheathed only one sword because that was all I needed. If things worked out perfectly, I wasn¡¯t going to exchange any blows with her. I charged at the demon, pushing with every speed I could squeeze out from my stillbring, while she dealt with Evren¡¯s spells which came at her from different directions. I was close to her, and all that was left was to drive my sword into his nexus.

    ¡°No mistakes this time,¡± I warned myself.

    As expected, she tried to stop me from thrusting my sword into her chest as she conjured a granite slab to stop my sword. I could easily punch through the slab with my phantom steal, but it could just buy her enough time to reposition.

    A yellow streak of lightning flashed past me, shattering the slab. There were no more obstacles as a clear path to her chest was paved, thanks to Evren and I struck. I knew I didn¡¯t miss her nexus this time as I drove my sword deeper into her.

    The demon wore a horrified look on her face, it was a perfect meld of disbelief and shock.

    I left my sword in her chest as I drew out my other sword and decapitated her. Blood spilled angrily from her headless neck, as her lifeless body dropped to the ground.

    I was on the verge of screaming,

    ¡°We did it,¡± but I stopped myself.

    I had finally managed to kill a demon but it was largely thanks to Evren. I was happy, yet a feeling of dissatisfaction crept in. Evren came running toward me excitedly as she hung her arm around my neck which almost sent me crashing to the ground.

    ¡°We did it!¡± She remarked in high spirits.

    I forced a smile,

    ¡°Yes, we did.¡±

    Everywhere was surprisingly quiet, and I looked around to find out that the fighting was over. Cold scenes, as I watched Eliora draw out her sword from a demon as he fell dead, and Svan doing the same in almost the same fashion as Eliora. Lady Charlotte and Maven, together with the other five casters that fought alongside them all appeared to be fine. There were no other casualties except the unfortunate guards who were the demon¡¯s first contact.

    Eliora walked towards us,

    ¡°Are you both alright?¡± she asked.

    I smiled,

    ¡°We managed to kill one,¡± I replied, pointing at the headless demon that lay dead on the floor beside us.

    She held us in an embrace,

    ¡°You both did well.¡±

    ¡°Svan, he...¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Eliora responded. She didn''t let me finish with what I wanted to say.

    ¡°He is different,¡± she concluded.

    ¡°This feels so weird,¡± Evren sighed, ¡°Strangely enough, your body feels so comfortable so I will just stay here for a bit.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Eliora chuckled.

    I was relieved, the fighting was over. My needs didn''t change, a warm bath, a hot meal, and a cozy bed.

    The sound of Lady Charlotte¡¯s voice drew our attention toward her. She looked different in combat garb and I felt it suited her more.

    She bowed slightly,

    ¡°There is nothing more to say or prove. I am a witness to the might of House Choryth.¡±

    ¡°We were offering our help as promised,¡± Eliora responded.

    ¡°There are lots of things to be said, but at the moment, I am sure what everyone needs is a good rest. Every talk can surely wait till the morrow.¡±

    Svan approached us like he was dragging himself. His face clearly portrayed his exhausted self, and upon reaching us, he fell helplessly to the ground. He was breathing laboriously, too tired to even utter a word. I squatted beside him, smiling.

    ¡°You look like crap,¡± I said.

    I knew he wanted to say something back to me, but he was too busy catching his breath. The only visible response he gave was a smile. I was struggling to believe that he was the same Svan I had known all my life. The boy I was looking at single-handedly killed two demons. Like Eliora had said moments ago, Svan was different.

    ¡°You didn''t need to outdo yourself,¡± Evren added with a sorry look on her face.

    ¡°Give me a hand,¡± I said to Evren as she helped me place Svan on my back. Eliora stared at us wordlessly, but her expression could easily say a thousand words. Above all, she looked happy, and that was all that mattered.

    The rest of the night was uneventful. I had a warm bath, another meal served, and a cozy bed to sleep on, just as I had wished for. I lay on the bed awaiting the sails of sleep to arrive. It wasn¡¯t a long wait, and when the sails arrived, I drifted away in it.

 29. SIGNIFICANT OTHER

    EDGER CHORYTH

    I sat in my private study, staring at the bright full moon that lit the starless sky. I didn¡¯t have any reason to be there that late. I wasn¡¯t studying, nor was I reviewing reports, yet, I wanted to be there. The room had quite grown on me. It was no surprise since it was where I spent most of my time. It had a completely different outlook at night which seemed to obscure the fact that it was a room filled with books.

    The furniture in it wasn¡¯t glamorous, consisting mainly of shelves attached to the walls which housed the books. Besides the shelves were the chair I sat on and the table in front of it which faced the drawn curtain a few paces in front, exposing a large arched window that made the moonlit sky visible. There were two armchairs on both sides of the window, arranged at an acute angle to each other with a small circular table in front of them. There was a standing lamp behind the armchair on my right which gave off no light because I had turned it off, and the smaller lamp on my table shone dimly.

    I heard three knocks on my door which sounded odd as the pacing of each knock increased exponentially. It was easy to tell who was behind the door because there was only one person who would dare to knock in that manner.

    ¡°You seem to be having fun behind the door,¡± I remarked.

    Eliora walked in smiling,

    ¡°It¡¯s not a crime, is it?¡± she asked as she sat on the armchair on my left.

    I smiled,

    ¡°You are smiling,¡± she said to me.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a crime, is it?¡± I asked.

    The smile she wore broadened as she replied,

    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t¡±.

    ¡°To what do I owe this late-night visit?¡±

    ¡°Late-night visit? Well, you can say that since I was the one who came looking for you late at night. I wasn''t sleepy so I decided to tour the castle, and somehow, I found myself here.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± I said, nodding.

    Eliora and I barely saw each other since she returned with Svan and most conversations we had were merely formal ones. It looked like a good time for a proper conversation.

    ¡°Why don''t you tell me what you want,¡± I said as I relaxed further in my seat. I was sure she wasn''t expecting the question. I knew I was a bit too direct, aggressive perhaps, but I had to.

    Eliora quickly understood the question,

    ¡°What makes you think I have ulterior motives? I¡¯ve told you everything that is, so I don''t know why you keep on thinking otherwise,¡± she queried.

    ¡°You wouldn''t blame me for having doubts, would you? After all, you are a very difficult person to understand,¡± I said to her.

    ¡°You had all these doubts, yet you accepted my marriage proposal with no questions raised.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s different,¡± I said.

    ¡°How so?¡±

    I paused for a moment. I understood what Eliora was doing. She didn''t want to answer the question I asked her, and we could keep on going back and forth without arriving at a conclusion.

    ¡°I know this game you want to play too well, I¡¯ve played a lot of it my entire life.¡±

    ¡°Come on, don''t be a bore,¡± she protested.

    I leaned forward,

    ¡°You asked why I didn¡¯t raise questions when you made the marriage proposal. Why should I raise questions? I stand to gain so much from it, and maybe even so much more than what you stand to gain. The difference is that you know my true intentions, you even said it yourself, I desire power, and if there is anyone who can help me gain the kind of power I desire, it''s you. But I find it difficult to believe you just want to use it as a means to get close to your children. I believe that there are a lot of things I don''t know about. After all, the last time we saw each other was fifteen years ago.¡±

    ¡°Look Edger, I don''t know how else to convince you that I just want to be a part of my children¡¯s lives, I have missed a lot of it already. It was sad enough that you lost your wife and newborn son, and I am sorry I took advantage of the situation it created so you could raise my children. Everything I did or am doing is for them. Then, I was trying to protect them from me. I was a danger to their lives, I knew that their safety would be compromised if they were with me. And now, everything is changing. I have to be close to them to keep them safe. You''ve already done a lot for me, so how else can I express my gratitude? I am not wealthy, nor am I from a renowned House. Isn''t it fair I became your wife? Isn''t it what you''ve always wanted?¡±

    I heaved,

    ¡°If you were in my shoes, you would be skeptical too. After all, you rejected my marriage proposal a long time ago.¡±

    I remembered the first time I saw Eliora. I remembered my father walking in with a little girl behind him. Father¡¯s exact words were,

    ¡°She is strong.¡±

    I was curious to see the person who my father had called strong, only to find a scared-looking girl in dirty clothes who was probably a few years younger than I was. I gradually came to understand why Father called her strong as we grew up. I didn''t remember any time I bested her in combat. I worked hard every day just to get strong enough to be able to beat her, but that day never came.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    The day she walked inside the castle with my father was the day my life changed, and I can''t say if it changed for the better or worse. I got a lot stronger just because I was chasing after her, but it seemed as though the further I chased, the further she went. Everyone around me interpreted my motives wrongly. They all thought I was working so hard in order to get the validation to be named heir. That was the genesis of the rift between Siggurd and I. To be fair, I wasn''t interested in the politics of House Choryth, but at that point, I was already significantly stronger than my brother.

    As much as I hated the fact that I couldn''t bring myself to be on par with her, I was increasingly drawn to her. Growing up with her made me a different person, and set me on a different path. When I needed her by my side, she left, claiming that living as a noble was suffocating. She wasn''t wrong, and I didn''t have any right to hold her against her will. When she left, I changed. House Choryth was all I had left so I put all my efforts into it which gave birth to this me.

    Maybe if I had known then that she wasn¡¯t just a normal caster, I might not have tried so hard. The curiosity that got me intrigued towards her wouldn''t have existed, and maybe my life would have taken a different path, but it was already too late for that.

    Eliora stood up from her seat,

    ¡°I came here to have a fun conversation with you but you are beginning to annoy me,¡± she said, attempting to leave the room.

    ¡°Care for a drink?¡± I asked.

    She stopped walking and turned in my direction,

    ¡°Good thing you still have manners,¡± she said with a suppressed frown.

    I didn''t have to leave the room to fetch a bottle of wine. I always kept one in there, which I drink from time to time since it helps deal with the stress. I poured the content of the bottle into two tumbler glasses, handing one of them to her. Eliora curled up in the armchair she sat on as she sipped the wine I gave her.

    ¡°Was it difficult? I mean, raising the children alone,¡± she asked.

    ¡°No, I don''t think so. Well, I didn''t do much. They practically grew up themselves. All I did was provide for their needs.¡±

    ¡°I can tell. You did a very bad job with them. I wonder how none of them grew up hating you,¡± she teased.

    ¡°But they grew up to be strong,¡± I said in defense.

    ¡°Evren¡­..¡± I called but stopped myself from saying what I intended.

    I wanted to tell Eliora to take good care of Evren too, but I didn¡¯t feel confident enough to say the words, or rather too embarrassed.

    ¡°I know,¡± Eliora replied.

    I was relieved, and I didn¡¯t need to worry anymore.

    ¡°She is a fine young woman, and she takes after you. She just needs to feel loved, she needs a father that loves her, not the one that expects a lot from her.¡±

    Evren knew I loved her as any father would love his child, but she also knew she had responsibilities. Maybe I was a bit too hard on her, but I was convinced I acted in good faith.

    Eliora and I sat wordlessly for a brief moment until I broke the silence.

    ¡°Aren''t you scared?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°Scared of?¡±

    ¡°Everything going on,¡± I replied.

    ¡°Honestly, I don''t know how I feel. I can''t say I¡¯m scared, and I can''t also say I¡¯m relaxed. I¡¯m just somewhere in between.¡±

    ¡°Though I don''t show it, I¡¯m scared. Not for myself but for our children. I¡¯m scared something bad might happen to them.¡±

    Eliora was smiling,

    ¡°I would love to see this side of you more often. Besides, the kids can hold their own. You received a full report on the events that occurred at the Vaughn residence didn''t you?¡± Eliora asked.

    I nodded.

    ¡°Sometimes, I sit back and wonder what would have happened if you and Svan didn¡¯t arrive here the day and time you did. I would have most probably been dead, Evren and Yukina too.¡±

    Upon mentioning Svan¡¯s name, my thoughts diverted toward him. I¡¯ve always had that feeling he was different, so I wasn''t surprised upon learning he had abilities after all. What was rather surprising was how strong he had gotten over a very short period. If it wasn''t a confirmed fact, I would''ve never believed that he was able to kill two demons alone. Eliora had told me that he had unusual abilities that she didn''t even understand. Though I feel the urge to call him and ask him about it, I believe it¡¯s best to leave him be.

    ¡°It''s not the first time I saved your life, is it?¡± Eliora asked, snapping my attention back to her.

    I smiled,

    ¡°No, it isn''t, I replied.

    I continued from where I left off before I got distracted by Svan.

    ¡°After the events of that day, my mind was made up. Even if we decided to sit back and do nothing, chances are, we would still get attacked again and again until we are all dead.¡±

    I paused momentarily,

    ¡°I¡¯ve done a lot of thinking lately. I strongly believe this enemy, or demons as you call them, is from within, hiding in plain sight.¡±

    ¡°Are you suggesting a cult of some sort?¡± Eliora asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Though you made a valid point, I don''t think it''s entirely the situation. Think about it, why would the imperium withdraw their soldiers just because of some cult? They know something we don''t, and I believe this whole situation is much bigger than we think,¡± Eliora remarked.

    ¡°Yet they are operating under our noses.¡± I insisted.

    Eliora stared at me with a thoughtful expression on her face which gradually changed into that of realization.

    ¡°The guilds,¡± she gasped.

    ¡°What guilds?¡± I asked.

    ¡°How could we be this short-sighted? As you said, they are operating under our noses, but how are they able to do that for a sustained period? It''s safe to say these demons do not belong to any renowned House since the Houses have been their primary target. Attacks like this require a great deal of coordination to be orchestrated, and this coordination and network could be made possible by any guild with the resources.¡±

    ¡°But why would any guild do such a thing? Besides, guilds aren¡¯t even on par with renowned Houses strength-wise,¡± I countered.

    ¡°A camouflage Edger. They are hiding under the guise of a guild.¡±

    Eliora had a point but it didn''t change the fact that we didn''t know who the demons were, where they came from, and what they wanted, but we had to do something regardless.

    ¡°Can you carry out some investigation based on this theory of yours?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I was going to do it even if you didn''t ask,¡± she replied.

    I watched Eliora as she drank the remainder of the wine in a single gulp. She turned, staring at the moonlit sky which reflected on one part of her face.

    ¡°She doesn''t age, does she?¡± I asked, smiling.

 30. STORMCROW CHRONICLES I

    SVAN CHORYTH

    Ahead of me were rows of different types of buildings and beneath some of them were stalls that sold one item or another. I walked cautiously along the street, wearing simple clothing to blend in properly.

    I was quite nervous because it was my first time outside the Choryth manor alone. I walked past different people, young, adults, and old who were either busy with something, walking by, or wandering. For someone embarking on such a first-time trip, I was rather composed.

    My destination was the Stormcrow guild House. I was given directions to the place, but it wasn''t sufficient so I had to improvise, asking welcoming faces a few questions on how I could get there.

    I quite enjoyed my walk, appreciating what downtown Stavren really looked like. It wasn''t the first time I found myself coursing through the narrow paths of a street, Eliora and I had done it not so long ago at Academroth. The feeling was totally different, and if I were to choose between downtown Stavren and downtown Academroth, I would go for Stavren because it looked more livable.

    Downtown Academroth looked more sophisticated. I couldn''t tell if its sophisticated outlook was merely due to its congested arrangement or due to the structures present in it. Downtown Stavren was simple-looking, spacious, and less crowded.

    I emerged from a cornered path, as a little boy no more than seven years of age bumped into me. He was running and didn''t see me coming. The boy fell backward and landed sitting, cushioning his fall with his hands. The result of our collision made me take a few steps backward. I was lucky he wasn''t any bigger else I would have found myself on the ground. I looked at the boy and before I could say anything, he picked himself up and scurried away.

    ¡°Welcome to life outside the castle,¡± I said as I continued in the direction I was headed.

    The days were getting increasingly busier, everyone seemed to be immersed in one activity or another, and rest slowly became a wanted luxury.

    Lord Edger somehow managed to use the unrest the demons had created to create a new order as he assumed the position of Regent of Stavren. It was natural since nothing was heard from the imperium. Something had to be done, leadership had to be established else it wouldn¡¯t be long before chaos erupts all over Stavren.

    Except for House Choryth and House Vaughn, all other renowned Houses in Stavren had been disposed of by the demons. Lord Edger arranged a meeting with the adventurer''s guilds in Stavren since they were the only ones with a little influence and manpower left. Details of the ongoing events were thoroughly discussed, and plans on how to deal with them were formulated. In the end, there was little to no opposition when Lord Edger declared his intention on being regent. According to him, he stated that Stavren needed someone to lead her through these uncertain times since the imperium had abandoned them, and the hierarchy of governance was disrupted.

    Lord Edger had his suspicions. He didn''t trust the guilds since Eliora had insinuated that the demons might be operating under the guise of a guild. Our new task was to quietly investigate the guilds in Stavren to clear or confirm Eliora¡¯s suspicion.

    My analysis of the whole situation was completely different, and the guilds were the least of my suspects. My initial assumption was that everything that happened was the Imperium¡¯s doing. The central republic was spared, the Imperial soldiers were withdrawn, and only Houses with power and influence were attacked. I believed that the Imperium ordered the attacks on the renowned Houses to eliminate them and whatever influence they held, instilling a new form of government over which they had complete control. It made a lot of sense but when I tried to put the whole piece together, it didn''t fit.

    The first question was, why would the Imperium suddenly decide to go over such lengths when they''ve always held a position of higher authority in a system that had thrived over generations? Secondly, if they wanted absolute control, with all renowned Houses gone, there was no need to withdraw their soldiers. It just didn''t make sense. The final question lingering in my head was, why they hadn''t taken any other significant action since they went after the Houses. The whole escapade was a difficult one to understand. I considered the possibility of Eliora¡¯s assumption, it was plausible but it begged the questions of who the demons were and what they wanted, in contrast to mine which provided these answers.

    If it was the imperium¡¯s doing as I had assumed, there was no way they would keep on being silent, pretending as though nothing happened. They would have to make a move sooner or later. At the moment, our focus was on the guilds, and hopefully, it leads us to something.

    There are six official guilds in Stavren; Stormcrow, Longhorn, Tempest miners, Snow fire, Azure, and Dark spades. Most casters that didn''t belong, or work for a renowned House, registered as adventurers under a guild. These adventurers were divided into ranks based on their strength and experience, the least ones being D-rank adventurers and the best ones being SSS-rank adventurers. The roles of guilds were different, almost business-like. While the renowned Houses were focused on governance, the guilds were responsible for paid jobs that needed the abilities of a caster. Missions were assigned to adventurers based on their ranks, this was the same with rewards. Low-ranked missions attracted lesser rewards in contrast to higher-ranked ones which attracted more rewards. Guilds were also responsible for the dark cavern raids which were the most dangerous activities they engaged in.

    No one knew how the dark caverns came to be. Inside them were man-killing creatures and monsters. The rare artifacts in the dungeons were what attracted adventurers because they fetched huge sums of money.

    The plan was to register as an adventurer under a guild. Yukina, Evren, Eliora, and two other casters were doing the same as I was. Each of us randomly chose a guild to register under. I chose Stormcrow, Yukina chose Azure, Evren chose Tempest miners, Eliora chose Snow fire, and the other two casters split between Longhorn and Dark spades. Becoming adventurers was the best way we could investigate the activities of the guilds without being suspicious.

    First, I had to take some kind of test. The results of the test would determine what kind of rank I would be given. I wasn''t nervous at all. I didn¡¯t know what to expect from the test and I didn¡¯t care. I was someone who had killed falxes and demons, a feat that even the strongest or best-ranked adventurer in all of Stavren wouldn''t be able to achieve.

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    It was weird that no one asked me questions after the events that occurred at Vaughn¡¯s manor. Everyone moved on like it was normal, like nothing out of the ordinary happened. I was willing to talk about it but since no questions were raised, I kept my mouth shut.

    Sometimes I sat back and tried to wrap my head around what I did that day. It was difficult, even for me, to believe that I was able to kill not just one but two demons. It took a toll on my physical state. At the end of the fight, it felt as though something in my chest was coming apart and it had to be my nexus. I happened to overwork my Feel and it was apparent that anytime I did, the result was me passing out. On the bright side, such kind of strain on my Feel led to forced improvements. I was made to understand that it was difficult to overwork the Feel because somehow, the Feel knew its limits and worked within them, making improvements gradually. My case was different. The abilities I used weren''t even mine in the first place, so maybe my Feel did its thing, taking me as Darya. Yet, it could only do so much because my body had its limits even though it would have loved to exceed them.

    Since that day, I''ve had a new companion, Darya. No matter how much I tried, I couldn¡¯t comprehend how she could be part of my consciousness, and it was apparent that I hadn''t gotten used to it. Sometimes, I found myself alone, talking out loud. Whereas, the actual situation was me having a conversation with Darya. If a someone saw me in that situation, they would think I had gone mad. I was just trying to get used to the new feeling, one where a person is aware that someone else is in his head.

    I had my fears, I was scared that maybe one day, Darya might suddenly decide to take complete control over my mind and thus my body, but she assured me that something like that wasn''t going to happen. One thing that annoyed me about her was that she never really answered the questions I asked her. Her responses were always, ¡°you would know when the time comes,¡± ¡° it wouldn''t do you any good if you knew,¡± and ¡°you are not ready for that yet.¡±

    It was unfair because she knew everything I was thinking, and I felt like my privacy was invaded. Whenever I tried to confront her about it, she would say,

    ¡°I¡¯m a part of you, remember?¡±

    For some reason, she had been quiet since the day started. Maybe she just didn''t have anything to say to me.

    I continued walking until I arrived at the Stormcrow guild house. I stopped briefly, standing in front of its gate just to have a good look at its insignia that was designed as part of the gate. It was a simple-looking one, depicting the side view of a crow¡¯s head. After I was done looking at the insignia, I gently opened the gates and entered inside. I walked on a cobbled path that led to the main building. It was a busy environment containing a lot of people, adventurers and non-adventurers alike.

    The main building was large, its length spanning over a hundred and fifty feet. The height of the building varied at different sections, with the highest point well above forty feet, and the lowest around twenty feet. The main entrance was in the middle section of the building and was in between two keep-like structures, only that they weren''t high enough to be called keeps and they were four-cornered with a balcony and a roof over it at the top.

    I walked inside and made my way to a counter where I saw a few people at. There were four people behind the counter, two males and two females. I noticed that one of the males wasn''t attending to anyone so I went to him.

    ¡°How may I help you?¡± He asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to get an adventurer''s badge,¡± I replied.

    He looked at me like he was carefully examining my face.

    ¡°What is your name?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Svan Choryth,¡± I said to him.

    He looked at me again, this time with a lot more intent.

    ¡°Why is a Choryth trying to get an adventurer¡¯s badge?¡±

    I wanted to ignore the question, but I didn''t want to raise any suspicion.

    ¡°The recent attacks on Houses like mine are no longer new news, are they?¡±

    He shook his head, looking confused while trying to figure out what I was implying.

    ¡°There is no telling what would happen next so I think I need some fighting experience to prepare myself for what is coming.¡±

    ¡°By fighting experience, you mean....¡±

    ¡°The dark caverns,¡± I said firmly.

    He hurriedly wrote down some things on a sheet before standing.

    ¡°Come with me,¡± he said.

    We entered a room where we met another man as he handed the sheet over to him and left.

    ¡°Please sit,¡± the new man said.

    I sat down and he continued,

    ¡°I¡¯m Kai Shane, the test examiner.¡±

    ¡°Svan Choryth,¡± I responded in a manner that I felt was polite.

    He went straight to the point, asking only relevant questions without making any statements indicating or relating to the fact that I was a Choryth, and I like that about him.

    ¡°Caster or Stillbringer?¡± he asked.

    I paused for a moment, thinking of what reply to give to him. I didn''t know if I was a caster or stillbringer, or both. Worse, my abilities were odd.

    ¡°Stillbringer,¡± I replied after giving it some thought. It was easier to pretend to be one since I couldn''t conjure spells.

    Mr. Kai nodded,

    ¡°Feel Stage?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Amber,¡± I replied.

    After writing a few things on the paper that was handed to him, he continued,

    ¡°We could do this in two ways. Either you go through the normal screening process and be judged based on your performance, or you face me in a duel. He didn''t say anything further as he stared at me. I let out a faint smile,

    ¡°What are the pros and cons of each option?¡± I asked.

    I could tell by his expression that he was impressed with the question I asked.

    ¡°The first option is just a basic test of your abilities, accessing your speed, agility, stamina, battle sense, and firepower. Your results would be compared with the average. Anything below average places you in D-class, and if it¡¯s too bad, you wouldn¡¯t be given a badge. An average performance puts you in C-class, above average places you in B-class, and if your performance is exceptional, you would be placed in A-class. The second option has a different grading system. If I beat you, you wouldn¡¯t get a badge, but if you beat me, you get an S-class badge.¡±

    ¡°If I may ask, what is your Feel stage?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Golden,¡± he replied.

    ¡°I see,¡± I said, nodding.

    He had to be strong to be this confident. It was obvious he was a deviant, but it didn¡¯t matter. I was about to become an S-class adventurer.

    ¡°Let¡¯s have the duel,¡± I said to him.

 31. STORMCROW CHRONICLES II

    I knew that I was still on the ground floor because since I entered the guild house, I didn¡¯t take any stairs that led up. Strangely, we walked through a passage, then took a turn that led to stairs that headed down. I was quite surprised that the building had an underground floor which made me wonder what it was used for.

    Mr. Kai led me to an unusually large room. A kind of large that would have made me doubt it was part of the building. The curiosity about what the underground floor was used for, disappeared as we entered the room. It served as a space where they conducted their tests. At one end of the room, I could see some pieces of equipment that looked very unfamiliar to me. I didn¡¯t know their names or functions but considering they were in that room, my guess was that they were used to conduct the tests.

    On my right was a long balcony, stretching the entire length of the room, dividing it into two floors. People were standing on the balcony. They seemed to be interested in the duel between Mr. Kai and I, patiently waiting for it to begin.

    ¡°There are quite a few more people here than usual. I wonder why,¡± Mr. Kai said.

    It was the first time I heard him speak since we left his office. While we walked to the test room, he stole a few glances at me. Though I noticed whenever he did, I pretended not to. My expression remained unchanged, and I followed him, walking in firm steps. I was certain he was surprised I chose the option of dueling with him, and he stole those glances at me to check if there was any uncertainty in my facial expression. I was tempted to say something to Mr. Kai in response but I kept my mouth shut because I didn''t want to give him any impressions.

    He walked to the wall on his right and pressed a button on it. I heard a loud humming noise which gave me goosebumps, almost ruining my perfect composure. I turned around to check which direction the noise came from and suddenly, a bluish radiance shimmered, erupting from the ground at the edges of the room. It felt as though we were inside a cuboidal enclosure, only that this one was transparent.

    ¡°It''s a shield, just a precautionary measure,¡± Mr. Kai said to me.

    I simply nodded, before he asked,

    ¡°Ready?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied, finally saying something.

    ¡°No lethal strikes, protect yourself at all costs,¡± he added.

    ¡°How do we tell who wins or loses?¡± I asked him.

    ¡°Anyone who yields loses.¡±

    I watched him as he assumed a fighting stance, probably waiting for me to make the first move. But I stood, looking unconcerned.

    I knew that my behavior was gradually changing since I met Darya. Normally, I would have preferred to maintain a polite impression regardless of the situation. Maybe it was because I always felt inferior given that I was a Choryth with no abilities. At the moment, the situation was different. I felt strong, and that feeling grew even stronger, following my feat against the demons I fought in Landchet. With that kind of mindset, it was normal for the polite impression I¡¯d always given off to gradually disappear. Yet, I strongly believed that the behavioral change was Darya¡¯s doing and that she was influencing how I acted.

    I triggered the grey domain, switching my perception into it as the world around me dulled, creating silhouettes, a reminder of what was. The duel began as I saw spikes flying in my direction and would have sworn they were ice. I didn''t want to use realm slip or femryn¡¯s jolt because I didn''t want questions raised. Armed just with my sword and the grey domain, I was still confident I would win. That was the kind of confidence obtained from killing a demon.

    The dense feel of the atmosphere in the grey domain was becoming less restricting. I could still feel the viscous atmosphere, but it felt as though its impeding effect on my movement was gradually waning.

    ¡°Don''t you think you are getting ahead of yourself?¡± Darya asked.

    ¡°Didn''t know you still talked,¡± I joked.

    I found myself smiling. Weirdly enough, I was happy to hear her voice in my head. I unsheathed my sword that was strapped to my back and in a sweeping movement, I slashed wide in the direction of the spikes, aiming to shatter all of them in one strike. I was a bit surprised when they didn''t break into pieces as I had expected them to. Rather, I deflected them away from the direction they were shot at before they fell to the ground.

    ¡°When did ice become this strong,¡± I wondered.

    I didn''t give it much thought as I charged at Mr. Kai. Though I wasn''t using realm slip, I knew I closed the distance between us in an instant, judging by his silhouette as there were no visible signs of flames condensing on any part of his body. I slashed at him half-heartedly, just enough to ensure that it wasn''t lethal. He reacted just in time as he shot himself backward. I didn''t want to give him any opportunity to conjure any attack spells because I couldn''t afford spells hitting me since I decided not to use femryn¡¯s jolt or realm slip.

    I charged at him again, slashing in his direction. This time, he wasn''t taken by surprise anymore as his silhouette raised its right hand to block my sword. I wasn''t bothered about cutting his arm off, he had to have some trick up his sleeve. As expected, my sword came in contact with something solid. Mr. Kai followed up instantly, parrying my sword as I lost a bit of balance. I could see his left hand approach me with a frightening aura, it approached my face to be precise.

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    ¡°Hey, I went easy on you, what¡¯s with this murderous intent?¡± I protested inwardly.

    His arm approached so forcefully that I could sense the vibrations it produced in the grey domain, and I was sure that it was clad in whatever he used to stop my sword. I arched my body backward, just in time to avoid his arm as I watched it glide slowly across my face. In the same motion, I flipped backward. Mr. Kai seized that tiny opportunity to press. I lifted my face only to see a spear-like silhouette approach me. I smirked, as a crazy idea popped into my head. It was no doubt, Darya¡¯s.

    As the spear approached, I side-stepped, moving away from its trajectory. And just as it was about to glide past me, I grabbed it. My arm jerked, but it was still intact. In the same motion which I had set myself in, I turned and flung it toward Mr. Kai. As the silhouette of the spear flew, I followed up like I was chasing after it. Mr. Kai reacted well, as he knocked the spear off before it could hit him. I was more surprised at my precision. I had never trained with a spear before, let alone learned how to throw one, but I just did, like I had been throwing spears my whole life.

    Just as he recovered from the spear I threw at him, I appeared in front of him at a startling speed, slashing my sword upward. I knew I was going easy on him, the speed which I applied to land my strikes wasn''t the best I could come up with. I was doing just enough to avoid landing any fatal strikes.

    I saw him bring his hand downward to meet my sword but the strike never came or rather came faintly. I let go of my sword as I slid beneath him. Recovering almost instantly, I turned and landed a front kick aimed at his torso. He tilted his torso in the direction of the kick. Even though I couldn''t see his facial expression, I could tell that he winced in pain. I bought myself enough time to pick up my sword.

    Mr. Kai wasn''t done yet. I felt vibrations beneath me. I couldn''t tell what he was planning on doing, so I quickly changed my position. Just as I did, silhouettes of rocks erupted from the ground where I previously stood which merely missed me.

    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s an earth caster,¡± I remarked.

    I didn''t want to give him the luxury to recover as I attacked again. I saw a silhouette of a slab being erected just in front of him. He was taking defensive precautions. He anticipated an attack but couldn''t tell in which form it would come, so he decided to erect a barrier just as he saw me approach him.

    The slab wall he erected was something that would have been conjured instantly If someone else watched him do it. But to me, it unfolded slowly. I reached just in time, placing my feet on top of the slab which was already halfway erected, letting it propel me upwards. I followed up, somersaulting and landing beside him.

    Something felt off. I could feel faint vibrations on the ground. It wasn''t like the one I¡¯d felt earlier which shot out rocks, this one was rather gentle. Without hesitating, I dashed forward, changing my position, and before he could react I pointed my sword inches away from his neck.

    I won. Though he didn''t activate his Feel realm and I didn''t get to see much of his abilities, the duel was over. I switched out of the grey domain as I saw him holding a black rod made of metal. I didn''t even know when he conjured the rod but it didn''t matter anyway.

    Mr. Kai was a metal deviant. It was no wonder the spikes he conjured didn''t shatter on impact with my sword, how he was able to block my sword with his arms, and how he was able to conjure those spear-like-looking silhouettes. I lowered my sword before putting it back in its sheath.

    I could hear a round of applause from the balcony, the people watching were seemingly impressed by my performance.

    ¡°I underestimated your speed,¡± Mr. Kai said to me.

    ¡°I didn''t think I was going too fast,¡± I replied.

    I knew I was wearing a calm expression on the outside, but inwards, I was elated. I told him the truth, I was going easy on him. Some words Darya had once said to me, rang in my head,

    ¡°You must know, you are a lot stronger than you think.¡±

    Those words were beginning to make sense to me. If I could describe my abilities in one word, broken was the best word I would use. I effortlessly beat a deviant using only the grey domain, and I killed two demons by myself not long ago. I was shying away from admitting that I had gotten really strong, not wanting to admit it because it felt unreal, but that was the reality.

    ¡°Can I have my badge now?¡± I asked Mr. Kai

    He didn''t look bitter like someone who just lost a duel, he wore a rather calm expression.

    ¡°Of course, follow me,¡± he replied.

    He switched off the shield he¡¯d put up before the duel started. The shield didn''t even do any work, but as he said, putting it up was a precautionary measure. Mr. Kai and I walked out of the testing ground and went back to his office. He handed me a piece of paper and a badge with the Stormcrow insignia carved in it. The badge was a circular golden piece, just a little over two inches in diameter. I saw a few other badges lying on the table. Besides the material the badges were made of, they were exactly like mine.

    ¡°Are all badges like this?¡± I asked him, trying to find out why other badges were different.

    ¡°No. The badge varies, depending on the rank of the adventurer. Golden badges are given to S-class and above, silver badges to the A-class, bronze badges to the B-class, metal badges to the C-class and badges made of wood are given to D-class. This is a standard recognized by the association of guilds across Stavren, and the southern republic as a whole.¡±

    I nodded as I read the content of the paper he gave to me. It was nothing out of the ordinary, just a welcome letter to the Stormcrow guild.

    ¡°So in a nutshell, irrespective of the guild, I am recognized as an S-class adventurer, right?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he replied firmly.

    ¡°Is there another thing required from me?¡±

    ¡°No, you can leave if you want to, or you could go to the reception office and check for available missions.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± I said as I stood, slightly bowing before I left the room.

    I decided to have a look around the guild house before I went back home. Though it was just my first day, everything around Stormcrow seemed normal and I didn''t come across any activity that aroused suspicion.

    My stomach rumbled. Hunger just announced its presence.

    ¡°Alright, it''s time to head back home.¡±

 32. STORMCROW CHRONICLES III

    The first rays of the sun seeped through the opening my curtains left, falling on my face. It was warm and gentle so I turned my head at intervals, letting every part of my face get a feel of it. I woke up much earlier, but I was too tired to get off my bed. Laying on the bed, I stared at the ceiling above me, admiring the patterned carvings found on its edges. My gaze shifted to the chandelier which hung from it. It was gold-plated with a long column. I counted eight arms that curved upwards bearing orbs that shone yellow.

    I asked myself,

    ¡°Was this always here?¡±

    It felt as though I never looked up at the ceiling to notice that there was a sizable chandelier hanging from it. Thinking about it, I had always thought that the source of light in the room was just a glowing orb attached somewhere to the ceiling.

    It had been two days since I went to the Stormcrow guild. I knew I had to go back there, to pretend to be a part of the guild but I just felt lazy to do so. I¡¯d made up my mind that I was going to go there once I was able to get myself off the invisible shackles that constrained me to my bed.

    Beside me were five pendants I collected from the bodies of the demons we fought at Landchet. I never told anyone I had them with me, though I didn''t intend to keep the secret with me for long.

    I picked up one of them and held it toward the ceiling as I looked at it for the umpteenth time. The centerpiece was round, roughly an inch in diameter. I couldn''t tell what it was made of, but the object I looked at was black and glossy. Its embellishment, bail, and chain were made of silver and were consistent among all five.

    My speculation was confirmed to some extent. When Yukina and I went up against a demon at Landchet, I believed that the demons in general must have an artifact of some sort that helps them defend against spells and attacks thrown at them. Though I wasn''t sure about what these pendants were used for, or how they worked if they worked, I was convinced all five demons having the same type of pendant was no coincidence.

    After staring at the pendant for quite some time, nothing changed, I didn''t notice any visible reaction or feel any different. I tried to push mana into it as I did with femryn¡¯s orb, but still, nothing. I sighed, tossing it aside. I asked Darya if she had any idea about the pendants. Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t. She suggested I showed them to Eliora since she knew a thing or two about the demons. As much as I wanted to, I still hesitated because it might lead to conversations about what happened at Landchet. Initially, I was eager to talk about it but as time passed, that eagerness disappeared and I thought maybe it was best not to say a thing about it because how can I possibly explain that there is another being, entity, consciousness, or whatever Darya is, inside me? I think whatever reason they had for being silent worked in my favor.

    After some time, I reluctantly left the bed after I had finally convinced myself that I had to go to Stormcrow. I got dressed, packed my backpack, and headed out.

    I passed by the dining, hoping to eat something if there was any food kept there. Thankfully there was. Yukina and Evren were already eating.

    ¡°Morning,¡± I greeted as I dropped my backpack and sat down.

    ¡°How are you?¡± Yukina asked in a voice that was muffled and funny since she had food stuffed in her mouth.

    ¡°I think you should take care of the food in your mouth first,¡± I said to her, prompting Evren to laugh.

    Yukina quickly chewed what she was eating, and said to me while wearing a frown on her face,

    ¡°Remind me not to ask about your well-being again.¡±

    ¡°Oh, come on. I was just joking,¡± I said to her.

    Yukina didn''t say anything as I started to feel uneasy.

    ¡°Hey, it was just a joke,¡± Eliora added, tapping Yukina¡¯s hand.

    I left my seat and walked and walked up to Yukina. She didn''t look at me, picking up another spoonful of food.

    ¡°Stop acting tough,¡± I said, tickling her.

    Yukina gasped and all the serious-looking expression on her face disappeared. When she freed herself from me, I ran putting a little distance between us. It didn''t stop her from throwing a spoon at me, but I easily dodged it. The tension was gone as the three of us chatted while we ate.

    * * *

    The scenery around Stormcrow guild wasn''t an unfamiliar one anymore even though it was only my second time being around there. On the first day, I made sure I familiarized myself with the environment, and even though there were places there that I knew little or nothing about, it was safe to say that getting around by myself wouldn¡¯t pose much of a problem.

    I went to the reception office and to the counter where the man who introduced me to Mr. Kai, sat. He recognized me immediately,

    ¡°Oh, you are back. Let me guess, a mission?¡±

    I smiled faintly,

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Before he could utter another word, I said to him,

    ¡°I guess we will meet more often. At least I should know your name.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± he gasped.

    ¡°It¡¯s Eldwin. Eldwin Whitestakes.¡±

    I gestured, making a slight downward nod.

    ¡°So what missions are you interested in?¡± he asked.

    ¡°S-class ones. Dark cavern raids if I was being precise.¡±

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    He looked at me with surprise plastered all over his face.

    ¡°S-class?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Do you need me to show you my badge?¡± I said to him in response.

    ¡°There is no need for you to lie about it. Besides, I know you have what it takes to be an S-class adventurer, so I won¡¯t say I¡¯m entirely surprised,¡± Eldwin said, trying to shake off the surprised expression he wore on his face.

    I smiled as he said he wasn¡¯t entirely surprised but the look on his face said otherwise.

    ¡°How many adventurers, S-class and above do Stormcrow have?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Two dozen at most,¡± he replied.

    It was no wonder he was surprised upon hearing that I was an S-class. It had to be a difficult rank to achieve. Though for me, it wasn¡¯t. Eliora, Yukina, and Evren all received S-class badges from their respective guilds, and I wasn''t surprised. Yukina didn''t even have to take a test, she just had to tell them she was a three-fold stillbringer and present proof that she went to Stonebridge Academy.

    ¡°So, are there any dark cavern raids available?¡± I asked him.

    ¡°Yes. A team is being set up for a raid at a dark cavern near Ausbane. Coincidentally, just one more person is needed to complete a team of seven. Great timing.¡±

    ¡°Sign me up,¡± I said.

    ¡°Already doing that,¡± he replied, writing something on a piece of paper. I patiently waited for him to finish before asking him,

    ¡°Where are the others?¡±

    ¡°Follow me, I will lead you to them.¡±

    It was my second meeting with Eldwin and the sequence of events that took place whenever we met seemed to follow a similar pattern. It starts with talking at the counter, Eldwin writing down something, before leading me out of the reception office. I just hope that I don¡¯t get to fight someone as I did in our first meeting. Eldwin led me to a room with people already present in it, six of them in total. They seemed to be having a discussion until we interrupted them by opening the door which made a creaking noise.

    Six of them turned in our direction. The gender number was evenly distributed; three males and three females. I heard Eldwin clear his throat,

    Err¡­. The last member of the team is here. Svan Choryth, an S-rank adventurer.¡±

    I bowed slightly. Just bending my neck so only my head would face the ground, without involving any other part of my body.

    Eldwin raised the sheet of paper he was holding,

    ¡°Since all requirements for the raid have been met, you all are cleared for the raid. I am officially submitting the raid request for the record.¡±

    None of them said a word. I felt sorry for Eldwin, he must have felt awkward, getting no response after he finished speaking. Before he left the room, he whispered to me,

    ¡°Good luck.¡±

    I wanted to introduce myself but after witnessing how Eldwin was ignored I decided not to. Besides, Eldwin had already done the introduction for me. I wanted to know the details of the raid, but that wasn''t going to happen given the situation. Every one of them in the room gave off a rather hostile impression. I didn''t know why they acted like that. They appeared to be discussing with each other before Eldwin and I entered the room. Maybe their unwelcoming persona had something to do with the fact that I was a Choryth and I couldn''t help but wonder what House Choryth had done to them.

    ¡°Let''s go,¡± a middle-aged man spoke.

    The man who spoke stood out from the rest. He was tall and muscular, twice my size by comparison. There was a scary-looking battle axe strapped on his back, it was a huge one and I was certain that I couldn''t even lift it let alone wield it. His face could tell stories of his life as an adventurer as it was roughened up with scars. No doubt, he had to be the leader of the group.

    All of us left the room and I followed behind without asking questions. Horses were already prepared, seven of them for every one of us. It didn''t take long before we arrived at our destination. We alighted from our horses and walked on foot due to the rough terrain. While the rest of the pack chatted in front, I trailed behind.

    ¡°I have a strong feeling that they would ask for your help sooner than later,¡± Darya said to me.

    I chuckled,

    ¡°I hope it doesn''t come to that because it would mean that we would encounter a difficult situation.¡±

    ¡°You are pretty calm considering how everyone has been treating you.¡±

    I was quite startled upon hearing another voice that wasn''t Darya¡¯s, as I turned immediately to see who spoke to me. A young lady was standing beside me and I didn''t notice when she trailed behind and walked beside me. I was torn between saying, ¡°who are you? And, I don''t care at all.¡± I turned in the lady¡¯s direction again to have a good look at her. Her appearance would be the judge of what response I would give to her. She wore a sleeveless bluish-green gown fastened with a brown waist belt. Her arms were covered in full-length sleeves, and her gown was split on the left side, exposing a good portion of her thigh which had straps bearing two daggers. She stood a few inches shorter than I was, round face, long black hair, and a pair of deep-set eyes. I sighed,

    ¡°Pass,¡± I said inwardly.

    ¡°I don''t care at all,¡± I said to her.

    ¡°I figured,¡± she replied.

    ¡°I am Laurel Favian. A-class adventurer. I prefer to be called Favian, so call me Favian.¡±

    I nodded, not sure of what to say to her.¡± since she probably knew who I was.

    ¡°And you are Svan Choryth, I know.¡±

    She paused momentarily before she continued.

    ¡°Those guys ahead, they are not happy with the fact that the Choryth House is imposing a direct rule over Stavren, and there are rumors that the attacks on other Houses were ordered by you guys,¡± Favian whispered.

    My guess was right. Their behavior toward me had something to do with the fact that I was a Choryth after all.

    ¡°What about you, what do you think?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°I don''t know, I want to believe their speculations are wrong, so I am hoping to hear from you,¡± she replied.

    Well, as I said before, I don''t care. They are free to make wild speculations and I am not going to try to prove to them that they are wrong. At the moment, I am only interested in the dark cavern raid.¡±

    ¡°So they are wrong then,¡± she said, shrugging.

    ¡°It''s my first time going inside the dark caverns, I hope you guide me well,¡± I said to her, abandoning our little conversation about House Choryth and what other people thought about it.

    We caught up with the rest of the group who were standing at the cavern¡¯s entrance. I heard the voice of the big guy again as he spoke up. He seemed to be addressing everyone, not sure if I was included.

    ¡°In and out, fast and clean.¡±

    I whispered to Favian who was standing beside me,

    ¡°What is the objective of this raid?¡±

    ¡°To collect the crimson stones,¡± she whispered back.

    I knew what the crimson stones were used for. They were used to make artifacts that enhanced the potency and strength of spells conjured by casters. Also, these Crimson stones were only found in the dark caverns which made them so expensive.

    ¡°It doesn''t sound like a difficult thing to do,¡± I said to Favian, still in whispers.

    ¡°Yes, it doesn''t. But this is the dark caverns and things can easily take an unexpected turn. For any raid on the dark caverns to be approved, it has to be at least a seven-member party, all A-class adventurers and above.

    I nodded. It was just a matter of time before I find out what the dark caverns really looked like.

 33. THE BEGINNING OF SOMETHING

    SOPHIA STONECLAW

    ¡°You are the expert here. Are you sure you have the situation under control or it''s gradually slipping off your hands?¡± I said to Vayr, in a not-so-calm tone.

    The sound of my voice sent the room to a commanding quietude. I was growing dissatisfied with the whole situation, given the way things were turning out, particularly here in Stavren.

    The meeting room was the same room Vayr led me into when I first arrived here. It looked more compact as there were more people in it. The wooden rectangular table was surrounded by more chairs, one for each person present in the room. There were ten of us in the room, all familiar faces since I had seen every one of them at least once or twice since I came to the southern republic. The two lamps still stood out even though they weren''t giving off any light since it was daytime.

    There was nothing out of the ordinary that occurred during the meeting, normal discussions were been held, and plans were being mapped out. Vayr had asked me to chip in a suggestion concerning a question a squad captain, Melissa Vriad asked, and I snapped at him.

    I was sure that he, along with everyone present in the room was surprised at my outburst because I had always been calm and easy-going whenever I interacted with them and even made a few suggestions during meetings. I too was surprised that I snapped at him.

    The question Melissa asked somewhat triggered me because she raised an issue about the situation here at Stafford.

    Maybe I wasn''t seeing the bigger picture or acted impulsively but I had my reasons.

    Ever since I came to the southern continent, there was a growing sense of duty within me as I immersed myself in the activities the Empire has been carrying out here.

    The only thing I was dissatisfied about was the fact that we ceased any further assault. Since we attacked powerful Houses, there hasn''t been any course of action to follow up. Rather, we shifted our focus to collecting, or rather, mining sapphatine crystals. Many a time, I wanted to raise the issue during meetings but I stopped myself because I felt Vayr knew what he was doing. So for him to ask me for suggestions on how to tackle the situation made me feel like he didn''t have a concrete plan.

    I was angry. A known House, Choryth had taken advantage of the situation we created to take total control over Stavren, right under our noses, and we weren''t doing anything about it. That was one of the many reasons for my anger. For me, that shouldn''t have happened.

    Vayr¡¯s expression was calm as usual and as he opened his mouth to speak, I continued.

    ¡°I am not here to teach you your job. You¡¯ve been here longer than I have, and obviously, you know so much that I don''t. But it is as clear as day that things aren''t going as you planned.¡±

    Vayr waited for me to finish talking before he started speaking with a sore calmness.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry your majesty, but what will you rather have us do?¡± he asked.

    I couldn''t tell if he was genuinely asking for a suggestion or if he was trying to provoke me further.

    In a much more calmer tone, I said to him,

    ¡°The plan. Don¡¯t you see what is happening here in Stavren. There are new developments which I am sure wasn¡¯t accounted for. Why is this House Choryth trying to assume a place of power and take control? Don¡¯t you think something like this can happen in other regions of the southern republic? Little things like this, when ignored could create bigger issues. Don¡¯t you think we are taking them too lightly, or am I the only one seeing things differently?¡±

    I paused and looked around, trying to read the expression of everyone present in the room. All of them avoided eye contact with me, facing the table.

    ¡°These people we are seemingly neglecting have foiled our attack, not once, but twice. They aren''t just strong, they are smart. Don''t you think it''s a matter of time before our cover here gets blown?¡±

    I turned to Vayr,

    ¡°You asked me what I would rather have us do. I say we take care of House Choryth.¡±

    The whole room was silent, no one even moved a finger until Vayr spoke up.

    ¡°I understand your concerns, your majesty. But we cannot impose as much influence as we would want with just a handful of men. That is why our priority should be focused on bringing a considerable amount of our army over here which is why we need those crystals to build gates stable enough to do just that. It is true that the actions of House Choryth were unforeseen, but it''s natural. Every set plan is prone to variables and shortcomings. What is important is how we take care of them.¡±

    I was silent. As usual, the words Vayr spoke always made a lot of sense, and even an idiot wouldn''t find them difficult to understand. For a moment, I questioned myself on why I snapped at him. I was probably just itching to be on the field, almost impatient to get a taste of some action, not just attending meetings and reading details of plans. I was angry that some House was taking advantage of the work we''d done, and even angrier that I couldn''t do anything about it

    Stolen novel; please report.

    I opened my mouth to say something, but words failed me. I was ashamed to look at the faces of everyone in the room as Vayr, in the calmest of manners, made me wish I never said a word in the first place. To make matters worse, he wasn''t done talking.

    ¡°Besides, Stavren is just a part of the southern republic. There are other regions in it and so far, we haven''t encountered any problems whatsoever in those regions. So it shouldn''t call for panic. We are taking things a step at a time. Our focus is on the southern republic, and once the gate is ready, we will no doubt take total control over it. But if you insist we deal with House Choryth first, we could do that.¡±

    I sighed. It was a bit difficult, but I had to do it. I had to apologize for my temper outburst.

    ¡°I apologize for my behavior, it was rash and uncalled for. I felt maybe, you didn''t have total control of the situation and that there were better ways to tackle it, but it seems that I was wrong.¡±

    A gripping tension that choked the room assuaged. For some reason, everyone present in the room was scared, and none of them except Vayr dared to say a word. I let out a faint smile to further ease up the tension.

    ¡°Come on guys, why is everyone quiet?¡± I asked.

    A few of them smiled, while others heaved in relief. It was apparent that they were scared of me. As much as it felt good, it still made me uncomfortable. Even though I have lived this life for quite some time, I just can''t get used to it. It has always been a struggle for me to properly adapt, which I thought would have been easy; that maybe, in a short time, I would get used to it. But the change was overwhelming. Nevertheless, I still did a good job.

    Conversations slowly returned to normal, and it didn''t take long before the meeting was over. Everyone left one after another until only Vayr, Octavia, and I were left in the room.

    ¡°I would love to see how the crystals are collected. It¡¯s suffocating being indoors most of the time,¡± I said to Vayr.

    ¡°Sure,¡± he replied.

    * * *

    Octavia and I rode side by side. There were other mages in front and behind us. Accompanying us, were a few falxes. One of the falxes walked closely past me and I hissed at it. It noticed my reaction as it quickly walked further away from me. I never liked those creatures, they were ugly, and personally, I couldn''t stand the sight of them so I didn''t bother having one. Vayr and his men did a great job keeping creatures that large away from sight here in this region, only exposing them whenever their need arose. As much as I dislike them, they were no doubt useful assets, both in battle and in labor.

    We rode through an unending view of tree trunks and branches in our line of sight as the green canopies above us made it feel like we were under an enclosure that shone green.

    ¡°What is this place called?¡± I asked Octavia.

    ¡°This is Ausbane forest,¡± she replied.

    ¡°Is there any specific reason for traversing this forest?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes, your majesty. Since people do not frequent this area, it''s easier to carry on activities without being noticed.¡±

    We finally arrived at our destination as I saw a cave entrance ahead of me. It was a difficult topography made of rocks that didn''t seem to fit the vegetation of the area. I came to understand that we had been walking down a gentle slope while approaching the cave entrance. I didn''t notice until we got to the cave¡¯s entrance which seemed to be below the normal ground level.

    Here in the southern continent, they called places like this the dark caverns and they were similar to the dungeons we had back at Azkhan. I wanted to see what the dark caverns of the southern continent looked like because I¡¯d never had the opportunity to explore one of them.

    For all I knew, dungeons in Azkhan were home to many resources and materials that were used for different purposes. Also, they were home to weird creatures, notably the falx. How the Vashkrans managed to tame the creature and a few others that they thought were useful, was something I couldn''t comprehend. I was hoping to find something new and interesting in the dark caverns but the chances were close to none since I was going into the chartered territory. I didn''t know how places like this came to be. Maybe they were just a unique geographical component of this world.

    Venturing into the cavern, nothing looked out of place; just rocky structures and terrain here and there. Some areas were pitch-dark, making sight impossible which made us use fire torches and glowing orbs, enabling vision. Other areas were so bright, which made me wonder where the lights came from. It turned out that the light source was from illuminating rocks lining the roof and sides of those areas of the cavern. Some areas were narrow, just large enough to fit only one person, while some areas were wide enough to fit a crowd.

    After walking for quite some time, we approached an intersection and met an unpleasant surprise. There were adventurers approaching from the opposite direction.

    ¡°I thought you said that people do not frequent this area. Care to explain why there are adventurers ahead of us?¡± I said to Octavia in what sounded like whispers.

    There was a surprised look on her face, but her response was clear, without giving off any hint of the surprise which she wore on her face.

    ¡°These caverns are interconnected in many ways. It is just a coincidence. I believe that they are here looking for something else,¡± Octavia replied.

    ¡°Well, that''s a very unfortunate coincidence. There is no way we can let them leave, thanks to these hideous-looking falxes.¡±

    Octavia understood as she responded by nodding slowly. The adventurers ahead stood no chance. We outnumbered them by quite some margin; we were ten in number with four falxes. I didn''t care how strong they were as I was confident that I could take on all of them by my lonesome. To be honest, it wasn''t a fight. It was a massacre. For a moment, I felt sorry for them as they were just an unlucky bunch. Maybe if we didn''t have the falxes with us, we would have just disguised as adventurers and avoided unnecessary bloodshed. Suddenly, it felt as though I snapped back to my senses. I was having a conflict of emotions. Earlier in the day, I was hungry to get myself into a fight, but for a brief moment, I found myself faltering.

    ¡°What''s wrong with you?¡± I queried myself.

    It wasn''t the time to indulge in my thoughts so I abandoned whatever was going on in my head and looked around me. Everyone was looking at me, awaiting some kind of order from me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Octavia and I would have a little chat with them,¡± I said as I walked forward with Octavia following closely behind.

 34. THE AUBURN-HAIRED DEMON

    SVAN CHORYTH

    Our journey into the cavern had been uneventful so far as we walked nonstop without any interruptions. Favian was doing a great job keeping me company. She was the chatty type, and as much as I wanted to stay mute or rather have a quiet conversation with Darya, I had to indulge in Favian¡¯s conversations. It was natural to reciprocate being nice to her since she was the only person in the group that was seemingly nice to me.

    ¡°At this rate, doing dishes would be a more tasking job than a dark cavern raid,¡± I mocked.

    Favian let out a loud laugh that sent echoes throughout the cave. She covered her mouth with her hand to stop herself from laughing further, but it was already too late. I found myself on the verge of laughing too, but I did a good job holding it in. Judging by their reactions, I was sure the rest of the group in front was left wondering why she was laughing, but there was no way they would know.

    ¡°Hey, an unwritten rule you should know about, don''t make jokes during a mission,¡± Favian said when she finally got hold of herself.¡±

    ¡°But I wasn''t joking. I was just stating facts,¡± I said to her.

    ¡°Don''t say I didn''t warn you when the cavern reveals its true colors. Be prepared to fight and don''t piss on yourself.¡±

    I smiled,

    ¡°And don''t come running for help when the time comes. I am S-class, remember?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, one with no experience,¡± she shot back.

    ¡°You always have something to say, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I do,¡± she replied, wearing a sly smile.

    We didn''t walk for too long until we saw human figures approach from the other side of the path as both ours and theirs ultimately led to a T-intersection. At first, I thought that they were adventurers from another guild in search of something in the dark caverns. Though I was curious to know who they were and what guild they came from, I didn''t think their presence raised any cause for alarm. The rest of the group in front of us stopped walking forward and started to take steps backward. It could only mean that they had seen something out of place.

    ¡°This can''t be good,¡± Favian whispered.

    I wasn''t scared. I had fought demons and falxes. For me, I didn''t think there were creatures scarier or stronger than falxes, so what was the worst we could encounter?

    As the rest of the group slowly walked backward, I walked toward the approaching figures and Favian followed closely behind. When the figures became clearer, I couldn''t hide the shock written all over my face. People and falxes together could only mean one thing. They were demons. Favian reacted as well, as she abruptly stopped walking and stood behind me.

    ¡°This is worse than it looks,¡± I whispered back to Favian.

    At that moment, there was good reason for me to be scared even though I did my best not to show any hint of fear. There were four falxes, which was no problem. But ten people, possibly demons was way too much for only me to take care of.

    Two persons broke out from the group ahead and approached us.

    ¡°Okay, perhaps this is a good sign,¡± I said.

    They were two females and both of them were approximately the same height, maybe the one leading to being slightly taller. They were both wearing similar clothing, a close-fitted upper garment with matching slacks, knee-high boots, and hooded cape coats that weren''t covering their heads. I focused my gaze on the one leading the approach and for a moment, I forgot she was my enemy. There was a seriousness on her face that matched her poise and though she didn''t look dangerous, from all my experiences with demons, I knew that behind that pretty face was a killer who wouldn''t blink twice to end my life. I was aware of the risks I was taking by letting her get close to me but I was confident that I could handle them.

    It was beginning to look like Eliora was right. Who else except adventurers were allowed to explore the dark caverns? I didn''t care about what their mission in the dark cavern was, I was only interested in knowing which guild they worked under.

    I quickly scanned through both of them, searching for their adventurer''s badges, if they had any, but unfortunately, I didn''t see one. If I saw their badges, it would have been easier to know what guild they came from, but unfortunately, they did a good job of concealing them.

    ¡°I am sure you aren''t here to chat with us,¡± I said to the auburn-haired demon standing in front of me.

    ¡°I am quite ashamed. It''s awful to see a child doing an adult''s job. Look at them behind, probably thinking about the best time to run.¡±

    I didn''t know if she was talking to me or talking to the rest of the group standing behind me. She was right. In some definitions of a child, I would be a perfect fit. I was the youngest of the group, yet, I was the only one brave enough to confront a perceived danger.

    ¡°Funny. I guess children are the ones in charge, considering that you look my age.¡± I replied.

    She bit her lip, tucking some hair behind her right ear.

    ¡°Hope you are as strong as you are brave,¡± she said to me.

    I stared at her wordlessly, smiling.

    ¡°I am curious to know why the guys at the back got scared.¡±

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Same as you are. Why don''t you ask them?¡±

    ¡°I thought you all were part of the same group. But you are giving me the impression that you aren''t,¡± she said, as she walked past me.

    ¡°Speaking of groups, are those creatures part of your group? I don''t remember any guild in Stavren having¡­. what do they call them? ¡ªFalxes.¡±

    I expected a surprised expression from her but none of that came.

    ¡°You know, you all are going to die in this ill-fated encounter. But I will save you for last. You seem to be an interesting young man.¡±

    Favian who was standing behind me was visibly trembling. I wondered how she would react if she had watched a demon fight.

    ¡°Don''t get ahead of yourself, you know you can''t take on all of them yourself. You should be thinking of how to leave this place,¡± I heard Darya say to me.

    ¡°Come on, I know. I just need to confirm Eliora¡¯s speculation.¡±

    ¡°Your mother''s speculation,¡± Darya corrected.

    I was eager to know what kind of ability the auburn-haired demon had. I didn''t expect anything out of the ordinary because I knew that demons were so full of themselves.

    The auburn-haired demon slowly unsheathed her sword strapped diagonally across her back as she inched closer to the adventurers behind us. As much as I wanted to charge at her and prevent what looked like an impending massacre, I knew it was best to observe because every other demon, including the falxes, didn''t care to attack as they just stood and watched her. I didn''t need anyone to tell me that she was strong.

    Something felt different about the auburn-haired demon. I knew she was a demon but I just had a feeling that she was different from other demons I had encountered. Maybe it was because she was the first demon I¡¯d encountered that acted as a normal person should. Vixra was creepy and talked a lot. The demons I fought at Landchet didn¡¯t say a word to me and Crit, I couldn''t possibly describe him with words.

    The adventurers behind us took defensive positions against the auburn-haired demon. The first person who charged at her was the big guy who was the party leader. He swung his battle axe in her direction as the trajectory of its swing was aimed to decapitate her. I could easily predict what would happen next. A block of ice, rock, or maybe metal would appear from nowhere to stop the big guy¡¯s axe. Surprisingly, that didn''t happen as she swung her sword to meet the head of the axe.

    ¡°Is she a stillbringer?¡± I queried, surprised.

    Only stillbringers could possess such sheer strength. I mean, she was able to stop a blow from an axe that big, wielded by a person twice her size. Another adventurer, a female, launched ice spikes in her direction as the big guy quickly disengaged to avoid the spikes. It seemed as though the demon wanted to move to change her position but she couldn''t. Her feet were stuck as an earthen constraint shackled her to the ground. I was almost impressed by the adventurers until she effortlessly freed herself, immediately conjuring rocks that stopped the spikes from hitting her.

    The auburn-haired demon ignored the ice caster and charged at the axe-wielding guy. The expression on her face was that of someone who seemed to be having fun. Her movements were fast, as fast as that of a stillbringer, but I just watched her conjure spells.

    ¡°Is it possible for someone to have abilities of a caster and stillbringer at the same time?¡± I queried.

    It wasn''t impossible. She was a demon after all, people that we didn''t know much about. If they had people among them that had abilities of casters and stillbringers, It wouldn¡¯t come so much of a surprise to me. I remembered Darya once telling me that I was a stillbringer even though I am yet to experience myself as one, and if what she said was true, there was no reason to doubt the possibilities of what I was just witnessing.

    The axe-wielding guy swung his axe at the auburn-haired demon as rocks erupted from the ground in the same direction as his swing, hurtling toward the demon who was unfazed. She countered the assailing rocks with top-notch precision, conjuring rocks, one for every rock launched in her direction. Both opposing barrage of rocks met somewhere at the midpoint between both conjurers causing a mini-explosion. The demon emerged from the dust rubble and I was barely able to keep track of her. The big guy tried to swing his axe again but he was a little too late. He was no match for her speed as she decapitated him in a single arm swing.

    I was impressed, almost carried away from watching the demon fight.

    ¡°What do you think?¡± I asked Darya.

    ¡°She is an interesting one. But I can''t quite figure out what kind of ability she has.¡±

    The rest of the adventurers charged at once as spells of different forms and colors were conjured to take down the auburn-haired demon. I couldn¡¯t clearly make out what was going on since there was a considerate distance between where I stood and where the action took place. I saw rocks and ice conjured and shattered, flares of fire rising and falling and I even got to see streaks of lightning conjured, disappearing as quickly as they appeared. Within a short period, everywhere went quiet as only one person walked out from the scene, the auburn-haired demon.

    I wasn¡¯t surprised, I didn''t need to watch her fight to tell the outcome of the encounter. When she got close to me, she said,

    ¡°It''s nothing personal. As I said earlier, it''s just an unfortunate encounter.¡±

    If I am going to die, why don''t you do me a favor and answer a few questions,¡± I said to her.

    She smiled,

    ¡°I can see you aren''t scared which makes me wonder what cards you''ve got up your sleeves.¡±

    I raised my hands like I was surrendering to an obvious defeat,

    ¡°None,¡± I replied.

    ¡°We both know that I would be lying if I pretended not to know who you guys are, given the recent attacks on the prominent Houses here in Stavren.¡±

    ¡°She nodded,

    ¡°You know, sometimes knowing too much is bad.¡±

    ¡°I guess. But I am struggling to understand why. What''s your plan? Who do you demons work for?¡± I asked.

    She turned to the other lady who came towards us with her,

    ¡°Demons? I didn''t know we were called that,¡± she said, quite surprised.

    ¡°It sounds a bit evil, don''t you think so?¡± she asked me.

    ¡°It''s quite amusing coming from someone who just killed a group of people that did absolutely nothing to her. Well, I don''t care at all but I would be glad if you answered my questions.¡±

    ¡°Oh, the questions. I would be stupid to answer them. Wouldn''t I?¡±

    At that moment, I knew that I wasn''t getting anything out of her. I could easily trigger realm slip and flee but I had to protect Favian since she was a witness to everything that had just happened.

    ¡°I am sure you know how to run,¡± I whispered to her.

    She nodded, still visibly shaken.

    ¡°I will keep them occupied. Run as fast as your legs can carry you.¡±

    Favian quietly walked backward and when I screamed ¡°now!¡± she ran in a full sprint. The auburn-haired demon made an attempt to go after her but I quickly triggered the grey domain and stopped her, swinging my sword in her direction. She reacted well as she stopped my blade with hers. I smirked,

    ¡°This should be fun.¡±

 35. A MATCH AND MORE

    I was almost thrown off the ground when our swords clashed. The only thing that kept me on my feet was the fact that I wasn''t her original target since I had just appeared from nowhere to stop her from pursuing Favian. The demon¡¯s reflex was quick, reacting almost instantly when I charged at her.

    I was cleared of any doubt that hinted she wasn''t a stillbringer. My first clash with her was a testament that she was one. The brute strength she possessed was by no means close to matching her effeminate form, a classic rendering of a deceptive appearance.

    I quickly disengaged, holding in the same position wouldn''t do me any good, especially against someone as strong as her. She pressed, slashing in my direction. My plan had worked at least. She had seemingly switched her priority from Favian to me. Favian was out of sight but I still had to buy her more time.

    The auburn-haired demon withdrew her sword and stepped back a little. It seemed like she wanted to talk so I switched out of the grey domain to hear what she had to say.

    ¡°It''s quite noble coming from you, wanting to die in her place. Are you lovers or something of that nature?¡± the auburn-haired demon asked.

    ¡°I didn''t know demons knew a thing or two about nobility,¡± I replied.

    ¡°Urrgh, come on. Don''t call me that. Demons? That name irks me. I am Sophia, call me Sophia.¡±

    The black-haired lady beside her tried to speak, probably in protest to the fact that her compatriot gave out her name, but Sophia, or so she introduced herself, hushed her. Sophia continued speaking,

    ¡°What about you? Courtesy demands you tell me your name too.¡±

    I paused for a brief moment, contemplating whether or not I should tell her my name.

    ¡°It''s Svan. Svan Choryth.¡±

    Her expression slowly changed from a smile into a frown and it seemed my plan worked. I believed that the Choryth name would be somewhat of a sore spot to the demons since we had managed to beat them twice. I was hoping to provoke her and it seemed that I did just that.

    ¡°How fortunate,¡± Sophia said, curling her lip.

    I didn''t need any warning to know that an attack from her was imminent so I triggered the grey domain just in time before she came at me.

    I tried to avoid meeting her sword with mine. The force at which she swung her sword gradually increased with each strike, sending forceful vibrations to the entire length of my arms as I struggled to hold my sword in a firm grip. I had to end the fight as quickly as possible so I pulled her closer to me using femryn¡¯s jolt. Her silhouette in the grey domain drew closer to me, defenseless. It was apparent that she never expected what I had just done.

    I didn''t wait for her body to meet my sword. Instinctively, I knew when she would be within striking distance so I slashed. I was quite shocked when my sword met with a conjured rock instead of Sophia¡¯s body but I was satisfied with what I¡¯d done.

    I could tell that she hadn''t quite recovered from what I had just done to her, and though I couldn''t see the expression on her face, she had to be a bit shaken. I turned around in a swivel and struck again even though I knew I would get blocked. Before she could even recover, I crashed her onto the wall behind her using femryn¡¯s jolt, then closing the distance between us immediately, using realm slip. For some reason, I didn''t want to land any lethal strikes on her even though I was fighting for my life, but I had to. I was in a kill-or-be-killed situation so if I wanted to live, I had to kill her.

    I pushed her further away from me and then performed the maneuver which I used on the demons I fought at Landchet, triggering realm slip and materializing just as I attempted to stab her with my sword. I was struck with another unpleasant surprise as my sword didn''t go through. Her awareness was top-notch. It was evident that she had used her stillbring to strengthen her body in case of any surprise attacks after I had used femryn¡¯s jolt on her.

    ¡°This is going to be difficult,¡± I lamented.

    Of everything I had expected from taking on this fight, I never expected to meet a demon who was a stillbringer. To make matters worse, she could also conjure spells.

    ¡°I sure have a lot to report back at home if I survive this encounter.¡±

    Sophia thrust her sword in my direction and thanks to the grey domain, it approached slower than it normally would. I was able to react just in time, parrying her sword away from my direction with mine as I shot myself backward to put some distance between us. After our brief set-to, I felt that either she wasn''t serious with the fight or she didn''t want to land lethal blows. She wasn''t even conjuring spells which I knew she could, solely relying on her sword skills.

    For me, there was no guarantee that I was going to win the fight. I couldn''t cut her or even launch any more surprise attacks, thanks to the fact that she was a stillbringer. I knew she was just using a fraction of her abilities, and given the current situation, she didn''t even need to go all out. If she was just any other demon, I knew I would have killed her, but she wasn''t.

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    I saw her silhouette charge at me. It was comparatively fast, even though I was in the grey domain. I felt I had a chance since it was easy to tell that she was using her stillbring to compensate for speed. It didn''t matter how fast she was going, realm slip was way quicker than her speed would ever be.

    I readied myself as I triggered realm slip, carefully plotting my path to strike behind her just after I materialize. I was completely taken by surprise given the outcome; my sword didn''t go through. Sophia shot herself backward just to keep a safe distance but I was left wondering what had happened. It was surreal that she was possibly a threefold stillbringer to top off the fact that she was a caster. But it was even more unbelievable that she happened to combine two stillbrings at the same time.

    I didn''t notice I was hurt until I felt a fast trickle from my stomach down my legs. I was bleeding but I didn''t even know when I got stabbed.

    ¡°You have to leave this place immediately,¡± I heard Darya say to me.

    ¡°When did I get stabbed,¡± I asked, not sure if I was directing the question to Darya or myself.

    ¡°Probably when you materialized behind her,¡± Darya said to me.

    ¡°She must have anticipated your move and struck.¡±

    The disbelief on my face was obvious. I had only used realm slip once before I got stabbed on my second attempt.

    ¡°This is impossible,¡± I muttered.

    I was angry, and though I didn''t request Darya to, I was wishing she came up with something, anything other than realm slip or femryn¡¯s jolt that would help me get back at Sophia, possibly kill her. Darya seemed to hear my thoughts, but she said,

    ¡°I could do something but it would take a toll on you and right now, you are not doing very good so you need to leave here now.¡±

    ¡°If you are so insistent on me leaving, why don''t you take me out of this place, just like you did at Ausbane.¡±

    ¡°Seems you don''t know how badly injured you are. What part of taking a toll on you don''t you completely understand?¡± Darya said to me.

    I didn''t know how bad my injury was, but it was beginning to ache me as I started to feel some pain in my belly. No more arguments were needed to convince me that I had to leave.

    With my sights set on the route Favian used to escape, I used realm slip to take myself away from Sophia and her group, moving as far away as possible until I saw silhouettes that indicated that I was at the cavern¡¯s entrance. I finally switched out of the grey domain only to find myself covered in a lot of blood. I began to feel dizzy, stumbling as I walked while I held my hands over the wound Sophia inflicted on me.

    A figure approached me. There was an exponential increase in the pacing of my heartbeat. I thought that Sophia had come to finish what she started. Drawing out my sword with one hand, I pointed it in the direction of the approaching figure while using the other to press on my wound. My sword felt heavy and I wasn''t sure if I would be able to hold it up for long.

    ¡°You are in a terrible state. Come on, we have to get out of here,¡± a voice said to me.

    The voice was familiar,

    ¡°Favian. Is that you?¡± I asked, unsure of what I was seeing because my vision was significantly blurred.

    ¡°Don''t speak, save your strength,¡± she said to me.

    I heard her ripping a piece of clothing before wrapping it around my torso to prevent further blood loss. Favian supported my weight on hers as we walked a little distance before I heard the neighing sound of horses. With Favian¡¯s help, I did my best to mount the horse as I felt the remainder of my strength drain away.

    ¡°Hyaa!¡± Favian screamed, jerking the horse into a galloping clip. I felt wobbly, but Favian held me in place as we rode off.

    SOPHIA STONECLAW

    ¡°Your majesty, are you alright?¡± Octavia asked me with a concerned look on her face.

    ¡°Do I look not okay to you?¡± I said to her.

    ¡°No,¡± she replied even though her expression said otherwise.

    I sheathed my sword and turned in the direction of the rest of the group.

    ¡°This must be the reason the Choryths were able to fend us off twice,¡± I clamored.

    I had no doubt in me that the Choryth I just fought could take out even some high-ranking El-bloods because his ability was a difficult one to go up against. I was lucky, or rather, the fact that I always took combat scenarios seriously just happened to save my life. I didn''t want to think about what would have happened if I hadn''t reinforced my body with mana. The Choryth, Svan, had an interesting ability. Even teleportation could be performed by a human in this world. I wasn''t surprised, since this world had a way to bend every law of physics I had ever known. This fight with Svan was an interesting experience and I couldn''t be happier that I came out of it victorious. To be honest, I was a bit scared, having a taste of his ability. I expected him to conjure spells, which wouldn''t have posed any problems for me. The experience was a rude awakening for me, there was no telling what sort of other kinds of abilities I would experience here on the southern continent.

    ¡°Onto the sapphatine crystals, right?¡± I said to Octavia.

    ¡°Yes, your Majesty,¡± she replied.

    We ventured deeper inside the cavern and I couldn''t seem to keep Svan off my mind. The fact that he was strong and had an interesting ability that kept me on my toes throughout our fight was enough to keep me thinking about him. I wanted to know more about him. There was an unusual curiosity inside me that needed to be satisfied.

    He was different. The way he spoke, the way he behaved, and the way he fought was different. As mind-blowing as this world is, there weren''t a lot of things that seemed to captivate me, or draw so much of my attention but Svan just happened to do so in just a brief encounter.

    I believed I injured him, prompting his retreat. I didn''t know what he was expecting when he performed the same move on me twice. It wasn''t the best of decisions coming from him. Though we were technically fighting to kill each other, it didn''t feel that way to me. It felt as though we were testing out each other''s abilities. It would have been a shame if I had killed him but thankfully, I didn''t. Sadly, it was almost certain that our next meeting, if there would be another, would be the same situation; one where we are trying to kill each other.

    I paused for a moment, surprised that I was sympathizing with my enemy.

    ¡°What''s wrong with me,¡± I wondered.

 36. SOME TRUTHS

    SVAN CHORYTH

    I opened my eyes to find myself lying on a grassland that stretched beyond what I could see. I didn''t panic because I had an idea about where I was. I helped myself to sit up though I felt a little fatigued. Darya was sitting right in front of me.

    ¡°I knew it,¡± I remarked.

    Her pale skin and white dress contrasted the greenery of the whole area, almost like a dent in it. She stared intently at me, wordless, and I couldn¡¯t help but wonder why she looked at me that way. I didn''t know what exactly to say to her, but it would be awkward if we just stared at each other.

    ¡°Why does the scenery of this place change constantly?¡± I asked Darya.

    ¡°It changes into whatever I want. Do you have any problems with that?¡±

    ¡°No. Not at all.¡±

    ¡°How long have I been asleep here?¡±

    ¡°Quite some time, though I would have preferred it remained that way.¡±

    I nodded slowly,

    ¡°I see. You know, I am struggling to understand you, everything about you. Just like now, you are putting on this facade of hostility, this passive-aggressive behavior. One moment, you are sweet, and the other, I don''t even know what to say. Is it just you, or is there more to it? Because I don''t understand.¡±

    ¡°You''ve been asleep here for quite some time and I''ve been sitting here, watching you sleep. You...¡±

    Darya heaved. She didn''t finish what she was saying, stopping herself from saying more. She paused momentarily, wearing a faint frown on her face.

    ¡°She is just annoyingly beautiful,¡± I muttered.

    ¡°How much longer do I need to keep babysitting you here?¡± Darya said, clicking her lip.

    ¡°This is very frustrating, I need my peace.¡±

    ¡°Too bad. I don''t know where you want me to go. This is my consciousness, remember? If anyone should leave, it''s you.¡±

    I felt like I needed to come at her strong, just to see how she would react. Her reaction wasn''t what I was expecting,

    ¡°As if,¡± she scoffed.

    I knew I wasn''t getting anywhere but I wasn''t giving up. Topping off the fact that she was a difficult person to understand, she was also unpredictable.

    ¡°It''s unusually peaceful here,¡± I heaved, ignoring the discontent on her face.

    Darya didn''t say anything as she kept staring at me.

    ¡°Come on, let''s not bore each other. Besides, there are a lot of things I want to know and you hold answers to them.¡±

    Darya sighed,

    ¡°I won''t answer your questions,¡± she said.

    ¡°You know, it''s unfair. You know everything about me, but I don''t know a single thing about you. It''s supposed to be a mutual relationship, right? One where we can rely on each other, and trust each other, but you are making it difficult for us to have such a relationship. If you don''t want to tell me anything, at least give me a concrete reason why you won''t, not telling me ¡®it wouldn''t do me any good.¡±

    Darya just stared at me, wearing an expression that was difficult to understand.

    ¡°You are persistent, huh?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Not really. I just don''t want to think of you as a stranger.¡±

    Darya wore a sudden and surprised expression.

    ¡°Wait, you think of me as a stranger?¡±

    ¡°Wow. You didn''t know? Of course, I do. To me, you are a stranger that I happened to get comfortable with.¡±

    Darya slowly nodded,

    ¡°I see,¡± she remarked, speaking as slowly as she nodded.

    Both of us stayed silent, and somehow, I felt guilty for saying those words to her, given that she had saved my life a couple of times. I knew that she was still looking at me, but I didn''t look back at her as I stared at the ground.

    ¡°Alright, ask me your questions, curious cat.¡±

    My eyes widened as I reacted in surprise. I was expecting her to come up with an excuse to repeat her famed ¡°it wouldn''t do you any good.¡± There were a lot of questions eagerly waiting to leave my mouth, yet I hesitated to say a word.

    ¡°This connection we have, it wouldn¡¯t last for too long, right? It¡¯s bound to end someday, right? I mean, everything comes to an end eventually.¡±

    ¡°Is this the question you want to ask?¡± Darya said, a bit surprised.

    ¡°What were you expecting? My questions are my choice, and besides, I have my reasons, so, please answer truthfully,¡± I said to her

    ¡°Why did you ask that?¡± Darya queried.

    ¡°Hey, I am not dumb you know. You''ve been with me for a very long time, yet you never revealed yourself until recently. There has to be a reason why you kept your identity a secret so I gave some thought to it. Maybe revealing yourself wasn''t necessarily a good thing and if it wasn''t a good thing, this connection is bound to end soon.¡±

    There was a faint smile on her face,

    ¡°I always seem to underestimate the fact that you are smart,¡± Darya said to me.

    ¡°Yes, it has to end if you don''t want to die young.¡±

    I wouldn''t say I was shocked when she remarked about dying. I was unusually calm.

    ¡°Why is that?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°I''m killing you slowly but you just don''t know that. Two consciousness cannot exist in one being. The body can''t handle the strain.¡±

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°That is why you keep interactions with me at the minimum,¡± I said slowly.

    ¡°Yes. To make matters worse, you can manipulate my abilities which technically accelerates your death.¡±

    It was a lot easier to understand. That was the reason she kept her identity a secret and didn''t let me use her abilities for a long time.

    I smiled,

    ¡°Don''t you think that you are being selfish? You know that you are killing me, yet you don''t want to leave.¡±

    I couldn''t discern if the expression on her face was a sorry or sad one.

    ¡°I will die too if I leave, and a lot quicker.¡±

    I nodded,

    ¡°I thought so.¡±

    I heaved, trying to get myself to relax and properly process what Darya said to me. I didn''t care if I was dying or not, I still wanted Darya to stay. Because of her, my life changed. For the first time in a long while, I felt different, I felt strong. Life just seemed to be unfair to me. Just when I thought I had finally gained abilities, it turned out that they came at a very expensive price.

    I clearly understood what Darya was trying to say; the more I used the grey domain, realm slip, or femryn¡¯s jolt, the faster I die.

    ¡°There has to be a solution other than leaving right?¡± I asked.

    Darya didn''t respond, rather she kept her face down, looking at the grass beneath.

    ¡°Well, I would take it that you don''t know about a solution yet so we just have to find one together,¡± I said, as I stood from where I was seated.

    Darya stole a glance at me and though I saw her, I pretended I didn''t. She smiled and I understood what that smile meant.

    ¡°So how did you end up here with me, what happened? I asked Darya.

    ¡°Now you are asking a reasonable question,¡± she responded.

    Darya paused, inhaling with her mouth while making a sizzling sound.

    ¡°Someone from where I came from killed me, or rather tried to kill me.

    ¡°I know, I know that.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± she said, a bit surprised.

    ¡°Then why did you ask?¡± she continued.

    ¡°What I meant was, how is it possible? It''s like you are dead but you aren''t, right?¡±

    ¡°Well, you could say that, but it''s a bit different for us.¡±

    I gave Darya an expectant stare. I wanted to ask her what she meant by ¡®us¡¯ but I decided to let her finish.

    ¡°You see, a being like me is kept alive by two forces; life force and existential force.¡±

    I opened my mouth to speak but closed them as she signaled that she wasn''t done talking.

    ¡°We share similarities with humans but the difference is that for us, these forces are separate components and we can exert some influence over them. For humans, these forces are somewhat fused. The life force is what you know as your physical condition; your beating heart, your brain, your lungs, and everything that functions to keep you alive. Existential force would be most likened to your consciousness. For you, you perceive the two forces as part of a single component, and can''t separate them, but for me, I don''t, and can separate them.¡±

    ¡°I still don''t understand,¡± I said to her.

    ¡°If I take a knife and stab through your chest, into your heart, what will happen to you?¡± Darya asked.

    ¡°I will die.¡±

    ¡°Good. So what happens after that?¡±

    ¡°I don''t know. Just death, one ceases to exist.¡±

    Darya nodded,

    ¡°That¡¯s what I am talking about. Your physical body and your consciousness cease to exist when you are dead, but for me, if I am aware death is imminent, I can preserve my existential force.¡±

    I heaved, but I was nowhere relieved. It was more like I wanted to catch my breath.

    ¡°It¡¯s almost like saying you, and people like you are immortal,¡± I said to Darya.

    ¡°No, we are not. The existential force can only survive on its own for just so long. It needs a life force to ensure its survival. Also, if we aren''t able to split the two forces before we die, everything is gone as well. We cease to exist.¡±

    ¡°Apart from splitting the two forces, I don''t see much of an influence,¡± I said to her.

    ¡°Probably. But just being able to perceive both forces as separate components and separate them makes a lot of difference, don''t you think?¡±

    ¡°But we can''t split both forces as we like because it can''t be reversed. Once they are split, the life force dies out and the existential force survives for a short while. That is why it is almost always done on the verge of death.¡±

    ¡°So why me?¡± I queried.

    Darya scoffed,

    ¡°I don''t know. A coincidence I guess, or maybe something more that I don''t know about.¡±

    ¡°Technically, you are just a parasite leeching off my life force,¡± I joked.

    There was a frown on her face as she looked at me without saying a word.

    ¡°Come on, I was just joking,¡± I said, trying to shrug off the tension she was about to create.

    When the frown on her face disappeared, I said to her,

    ¡°Where are you from? As weird as it sounds, I don¡¯t think you are from this world. Based on what you have said so far, it sounds like you are from somewhere else, another world or realm. Which is it?¡±

    ¡°You are right. I am not from here, and I don''t know how I got my existential force here.¡±

    Darya stopped talking for a moment, looking a bit lost. It felt as though she was talking to herself,

    ¡°It happened fast. For a moment, I snapped. I thought I was going mad. I knew I wasn''t going to win against him so I decided to take him down with me. I initiated a very powerful destructive spell before I split from my life force. I didn''t know what happened next and I happened to find myself here. Luckily, there was a newborn nearby.¡±

    ¡°And that newborn was me?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean that an existential force just like yours can only merge with the life force of a newborn?¡±

    Darya nodded slowly,

    ¡°Yes, she said.

    ¡°And how long does an existential force last without a life force?¡±

    ¡°A day at most,¡± Darya replied.

    ¡°It isn''t much, you guys could still die easily.¡±

    ¡°I know. Like I said earlier, I was lucky.¡±

    I couldn''t still wrap my head around the fact that there was another world with people living in it. From the way I saw it, they are a lot stronger than we were. Even Darya was defeated in a fight. There were a lot more questions I wanted to ask but I wasn''t asking any because I was still trying to digest what Darya said to me. I had to accept the fact that I would come across even more dumbfounding discoveries so I had to prepare myself.

    ¡°These demons, are they from your world too?¡± I asked out of curiosity.

    ¡°No,¡± she replied.

    My hopes were squashed as quickly as they were raised, but what she said opened the gates of new possibilities.

    I started to feel odd, but the feeling was familiar.

    ¡°I guess it''s time to leave, I remarked.

    Darya¡¯s face was beaming with a smile,

    ¡°Can''t be happier,¡± she said.

    ¡°Hey, we still have a lot of talking to do.¡±

    My voice was distant and I watched Darya slowly vanish from my sight. I slowly opened my eyes to find myself lying on my bed. I tried to sit up but I felt a sharp pain in my torso, reminding me that I was stabbed, almost killed. Turning to my right, I saw Eliora sleeping by my bedside. She was seated beside my bed, resting her head on it as she slept. My movement woke her up and she immediately turned in my direction.

    ¡°Svan, you are awake,¡± she muttered in a breaking voice.

    I smiled,

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Tears streaked from her eyes as she sat up properly. She didn''t want me to see her crying, avoiding eye contact while she wiped the tears from her face.

    ¡°Mom,¡± I called her.

    She couldn''t fight the tears anymore and started to sob.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I am fine.¡±

    She wrapped her arms around me and in between sobs, she said to me,

    ¡°Yes my sweet boy, you are fine.¡±

 37. BY THE IMPERIUM

    I don¡¯t think that there are many similarities shared between my room and the dining room.¡±

    Yukina completely ignored what I had just said, talking to Evren,

    ¡°Why does the food taste so good here?¡±

    ¡°Oh my. Did you notice that too? I thought there was something wrong with my taste buds,¡± Evren responded.

    ¡°When did the two of you get so comfortable with each other, enough to joke around?¡±

    Again, Yukina ignored my question, speaking to Evren.

    ¡°Aren''t sisters supposed to be this close?¡±

    Evren gave off an expression like she was in some deep thought regarding the question Yukina asked her before she replied.

    ¡°Yes, I think so.¡±

    ¡°If you guys are going to keep ignoring me, why bother staying here?¡±

    Evren stood up and turned in my direction,

    ¡°Hey,¡± she called, almost screaming

    ¡°Do you know how worried we were? You scared us, you scared us all,¡± Evren said in a teary voice.

    ¡°I am sorry but I am okay now. See, I am fine,¡± I said to her, shaking both my hands for her to see as if the damage was done to my hands. Rather, Yukina walked into them and hugged me.

    ¡°I am glad,¡± she said sniffing.

    Yukina went back to her seat beside my bed after we''d had enough of each other''s warm embrace. Evren still stood, smiling.

    ¡°Don''t you want a hug?¡± I asked her.

    She reacted in surprise,

    ¡°Can I?¡± she asked.

    I stretched my arms again. This time, like someone who was expecting a hug.

    ¡°Come on, don''t make it look awkward. Didn''t you just agree that we are siblings?¡±

    While we held each other in an embrace, Evren said to me,

    ¡°It was scary, but I knew you would be fine.¡±

    I couldn''t stop myself from smiling. I was happy. It felt good to feel loved and treated as part of a family; a luxury I thought I would never have. I took in a long breath, the air was crisp, blowing like a lazy wind. I could easily smell the autumn. It wasn''t lurking around, it seemed to have finally settled in.

    Yukina and Evren continued with their food as both of them sat on opposite sides of my bed. It was easy to tell that they were relieved.

    There was a knock on the door and three of us turned in the direction of the door as Lord Edger and Eliora walked in together.

    ¡°Wow, you guys look like husband and wife,¡± Evren teased. Lord Edger ignored her as Eliora whispered to her,

    ¡°Aren''t we?¡±

    Evren looked at Eliora with a playful disgust on her face, prompting Eliora to let out a little laugh. Lord Edger stood beside Yukina and said to me,

    ¡°You recovered a lot quicker than we anticipated.¡±

    I didn''t know what to say to him so I just smiled.

    ¡°If you don''t mind, could you tell us what happened in the dark caverns?¡±

    I expected this from Lord Edger. He always went straight to the point.

    ¡°Don''t you think we should leave him to have more rest?¡± Eliora objected.

    ¡°It''s fine. I don''t think it''s wise to waste more time. There were demons and falxes. I think they were searching for something in the dark caverns. It''s just my speculation because I don''t know much about why they were there, after all, the demons don''t say much. Mom might just be right. Only adventurers are allowed to explore the dark caverns and I don''t think it''s a simple coincidence that demons were there too.¡±

    The room was silent when I stopped talking so I continued almost immediately.

    ¡°Sadly, I couldn''t find out what guild had them covered.¡±

    ¡°How many demons did you take on that left you in this state?¡± Lord Edger queried.

    ¡°There were a handful of them including falxes, but I fought only one demon.¡±

    The shock on their faces said a lot. It felt nice to know that they perceived me as someone strong enough to take care of one demon alone. Learning that I was almost killed by a demon came as a bit of a surprise to them.

    ¡°Argh. Just how strong are those people?¡± Evren queried in a dissatisfied tone as she grabbed her hair in frustration.

    ¡°I see,¡± Lord Edger remarked, nodding slightly.

    ¡°I think you should get some more rest,¡± he suggested before speaking to Yukina and Evren.

    ¡°Both of you should get ready for the meeting.¡±

    ¡°What meeting?¡± I asked, curious.

    ¡°Right. Yesterday, we finally received a response from the imperium. I think they are sending delegates to meet with us. House Vaughn would be present too.¡±

    ¡°Can I attend this meeting too?¡±

    Lord Edger was silent as he turned in Eliora¡¯s direction. It wasn''t his decision to make

    ¡°What?¡± Eliora asked upon noticing we were all looking at her. She sounded like she was about to scold Lord Edger.

    Evren and Yukina laughed in giggles as they left the room.

    ¡°Mom, please,¡± I begged.

    Eliora looked at me, wearing a kinder expression,

    ¡°But you are just recovering, you need more rest.¡±

    ¡°I told you, I am fine. It''s just a meeting after all. All I have to do is to watch and listen, right?¡±

    Eliora heaved as someone defeated,

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    I smiled as I watched Lord Edger and Eliora leave my room. Leaving the comfort of my bed, I walked to the window to have a view of the outside. Nothing out of the ordinary was going on as my eyes met with only castle buildings and guards on patrol. I tried to initiate a conversation with Darya but she was silent.

    ¡°I knew it,¡± I lamented.

    I tried to relive the moments I had with the auburn-haired demon; Sophia. Somehow, I felt that she didn''t intend to kill me. She could have stabbed me somewhere around my chest or high up since she was prepared for my attack. But then, it was difficult to believe because she was the same person who massacred other members of the group without thinking twice. I remembered how furious I was when I found out that I was stabbed. At that moment, I wanted to kill her, I wished Darya did something to put an end to her life. Strangely, all that anger disappeared. The heat had died down and I was thinking more rationally. I wanted to meet her again, I wanted to ask her why she didn''t kill me. I had a strong feeling that we would meet each other again, hopefully, sooner than later.

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    ¡°Ah, the meeting,¡± I gasped, hurriedly walking to the washroom to have my bath.

    * * *

    The great hall didn''t even lose a bit of its disposition even though I visited it more frequently. I couldn''t tell why I was eager to meet the delegates from the imperium or why I was interested to know what the meeting was all about. Maybe I was beginning to develop interest in the affairs of House Choryth. It was funny because in the past, I would have sworn that I would never. I could feel the sense of responsibility that came with strength. It wasn''t forced upon me, it just slowly crept in on me.

    I had constantly asked myself in the past,

    ¡°What''s next for me?¡±

    I still didn''t have an answer in the long run, but at the moment, there was a lot of fighting to do. I couldn''t tell if we were going to end up winning or losing, but I knew I had to fight regardless of the outcome. There was Darya too. Somehow, I had to find a solution that would keep the both of us alive even though I had no idea about where to start searching for one.

    ¡°It has to work out somehow,¡± I said to myself.

    Eliora, Evren, Yukina, and I, together with a few other nobles all stood behind Lord Edger as we awaited the delegates from the imperium. Delegates from House Vaughn were yet to arrive so we waited for them as well. We didn''t have to wait for long as the arrival of the delegates from House Vaughn was announced. Lady Charlotte, Lady Maven, and a few familiar faces were escorted into the great hall by our guards. They exchanged pleasantries with Lord Edger after which, their group stood beside ours. I looked in their direction and immediately, my eyes met with Maven¡¯s. She quickly turned away, flustered, and looked in another direction.

    ¡°What''s wrong with her?¡± I muttered

    ¡°I think you have an admirer on your hands,¡± Yukina whispered to me as she was standing beside me.

    ¡°A bit startled, I asked,

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Come on, Lady Maven has been staring at you all this while. I think she likes you.¡±

    I gave Yukina a little shove with my shoulder,

    ¡°What''s wrong with you?¡±

    ¡°Don''t be dense,¡± she replied.

    ¡°I''m not. You are just getting ahead of yourself,¡± I said to her.

    ¡°Me? But I am not the one the fair lady over there was looking at.¡±

    ¡°Yukina, stop.¡±

    ¡°Yes sir,¡± she replied mockingly, and no words left her mouth again. I turned and looked at Yukina and she gave me an awkward smile.

    ¡°You aren''t going to stop, are you?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± she replied, still smiling.

    A clack and creaking sound came from the large door as it opened, letting in our final guests. There were five of them as far as numbers went. One led in front while the others followed closely behind. The one leading the group was older than the rest and I could easily tell that he was a middle-aged man. He wore clothing with shades of white. It was simple, yet exquisite; a shirt, slacks, boots, and a coat that draped around his back and left arm, exposing his right side.

    The rest of his group was rather unwelcoming as they appeared in battle-ready outfits and covered their faces with masks. Their masks were different, some scarier than the others. One of them caught my attention even more. His build was masculine and he wore masks with four horn-like protrusions. It wasn''t the end, he had two swords and a spear strapped on his back. All four of them had similar attire. It was a familiar attire I had seen on imperial soldiers though theirs had a few differences. What I didn''t understand were the frightening masks they all wore. Of the four, three of them were males and the last was a female. Though the imperial delegates gave off an intimidating aura, no one in the great hall wore a frightened expression.

    The leader of the delegates stepped forward, while the rest stayed behind. He cleared his throat and formally introduced himself.

    ¡°I am Dmir Blaire, advisor to his Majesty the emperor and I am here on his behalf.¡±

    Evren stepped forward to meet with Blaire,

    ¡°Lady Evren of House Choryth.¡±

    ¡°I am sorry, but I am supposed to be speaking to the High Lord of House Choryth,¡± Blaire said to Evren.

    ¡°Oh, you don''t need to worry about that. I would be sure to relay his intentions to you.¡±

    I could tell that Blaire felt disappointed since Lord Edger made Evren attend to him, but he didn''t make a fuss about it.

    ¡°I would go straight to the point which is to know why you requested this meeting.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I am here concerning the recent events which I dubbed ¡°the Stavren massacre.¡±

    Evren scoffed,

    ¡°Stavren massacre? Does the imperium find it funny? Besides, those events happened not just in Stavren, but all over the southern republic, and if my perception of time is correct, they weren''t recent events. We tried to establish contact with the imperium regarding this issue but we never got any response until you decided to show up. What do you think you can do now?¡± Evren said in an anger-laden tone while everyone else remained silent.

    ¡°Now, this is the Evren that I am familiar with,¡± I said inwardly.

    ¡°I understand your annoyance but you have to understand that the imperium does things differently.¡±

    ¡°Oh, like standing on the bylines and watching everything unfold, lives taken?¡±

    ¡°I don''t expect you to understand,¡± Blaire responded.

    Evren smiled. I thought she was going to flip out on him but she didn''t.

    ¡°What does the imperium want?¡± Evren asked.

    ¡°The same thing you want. To nullify the threat.¡±

    ¡°How do you nullify a threat, one which you don''t know the stems of its origin? Isn''t that as good as chasing after the wind?¡± Evren queried.

    ¡°What if I told you that we know this threat, who they are. Would you believe me?¡±

    Evren was silent. If the imperium knew who the demons were, it was certainly good news. Blaire walked a bit closer to Evren,

    ¡°Now, can you let me speak to the High Lord?¡±

    Evren turned her face in Lord Edger''s direction. She didn''t say any words but that action alone was enough communication. Lord Edger responded by nodding slightly.

    ¡°These demons, who are they?¡± Lord Edger finally spoke.

    Blaire was hesitant to reply but he had to if he wanted to achieve whatever intention he had by seeking our audience.

    ¡°These demons or so you call them are from a faraway land. Somewhere across the vast oceans.¡±

    The once-silent hall was filled with murmurs and hushed whispers. The information was least expected. I had always believed that there was no sovereignty beyond the imperium, just the oceans. Now, that belief was about to change even though at the moment, there was no way of confirming the existence of this place which Blaire implied the demons came from.

    Blaire continued speaking,

    ¡°The imperium had always believed that it was best to keep this information a secret but it seems the visitors don''t want it to remain that way. It seems that they wish to be known.¡±

    ¡°Why did the imperium keep this information a secret?¡± Lord Edger asked, with his face as stoic as ever. He didn''t even look surprised in contrast to how everyone else reacted.

    ¡°What would you have done if you knew about their existence? You may not want to agree with me, but the imperium is always right about its decisions. You can see for yourselves. The moment they made contact with us, death and destruction followed.¡±

    I never thought I would be on the same page with Blaire, but he was right. It would have been less of a nuisance if the demons never existed or if we never knew of their existence. Though maybe, less fun for me.

    ¡°I also understand that there are recent developments here in Stavren, one of which is about you being its regent.¡±

    ¡°Does the imperium have any problems with that?¡± Lord Edger queried.

    ¡°No, not at all. But I don''t think it¡¯s a good idea at the moment given the current situation and plans on how to move on forward.¡±

    ¡°What are you asking of me?¡±

    Blaire was silent for a brief moment before he spoke up again.

    ¡°The imperium appreciates your efforts in maintaining order here in Stavren, but it¡¯s time you stepped aside. The imperium would take care of matters from here onwards. And of course, your counsel would be essential moving forward. This threat, I believe we are best suited to take care of it. I hope you understand.¡±

    I anxiously waited to see how Lord Edger would react. There was no way we could go up against the imperium. Even going up against the demons was a means of survival. Though it was a dead end, I would have preferred a rebellion of some sort.

    ¡°And if I refuse?¡± Lord Edger asked.

    ¡°Then you would leave us no other choice.¡±

    Lord Edger nodded,

    ¡°You aren''t giving me so much of a choice either.¡±

    ¡°Well, they aren''t mine to give,¡± Blaire replied.

    ¡°I believe the imperium has the best interest of her people in mind so I have no objections.¡±

    Though I was disappointed, it was the right thing to do. Knowing who Lord Edger was, I was almost certain that he wasn''t giving up yet. He wasn''t the type to make sudden decisions so I was convinced that he had probably anticipated this turn of events and carefully thought about it.

    ¡°We will take our leave now. There is a lot of work to be done and your assistance with that of House Vaughn would be required shortly,¡± Blaire concluded.

    We watched them as they left, escorted out by our guards.

    ¡°Wow, they think they can do as they please,¡± Lady Charlotte said, breaking the silence.

    ¡°Sadly, they can. They wield the most power,¡± Lord Edger replied.

    ¡°Be rest assured, my allegiance is with House Choryth,¡± Lady Charlotte consoled.

    ¡°Glad to hear that. Please come with me, House Choryth has a lot more to offer.¡±

    Everyone except Eliora and I left the great hall. I didn''t know why Eliora still stayed behind but I just didn''t feel like joining the others. Eliora still stared at the exit door of the hall.

    ¡°Is anything wrong?¡± I asked her.

    Almost absent-mindedly, she replied,

    ¡°Those masked soldiers. They are just like us.¡±

 38. RESOLVE

    SOPHIA STONECLAW

    I looked around me as my eyes met with people in every direction they turned to. There were falxes too, but none were within a thirty-meter radius of me for obvious reasons. It was the largest gathering of Azkans I had witnessed since I came to these lands. We never gathered in large numbers, especially one of this scale since we carried out most of our activities in small groups because secrecy was paramount.

    I was yet again in Ausbane forest, marking my second visit to the forest. We were gathered at a large clearing in the forest and our activities in the area had transformed it in such a way that one would doubt the area is somewhere inside a forest.

    Vayr bowed slightly before walking past me. Though he did his best not to show it, I could tell that he was unsettled. The Imperium had finally made its move; an unprecedented one. Their move didn''t look good for us, considering the plans we had. It felt as though they saw through our plans, figuring out that the central republic wasn¡¯t our priority. Their recent activities pointed toward having a firm grip on the northern and southern republics. There was a point where we had the whole situation under control but at the moment, I couldn''t confidently say that was still the case.

    I still found it difficult to immerse myself in the current situation. I knew what was going on and I was a part of it, yet, it all felt like an illusion. I was an important figure in an Empire, a reality that I had come to terms with. But being involved in the middle of its schemes felt entirely different. I had read books in which similar events I was experiencing had happened, but living those events was a different experience. The books made them look easy.

    I hadn''t still gotten over the people I killed in the dark caverns. I didn''t feel guilty nor did I feel like I had committed a crime. Rather, I was finding it difficult to believe that I did it. That was just the beginning, a preamble of what was to come.

    There was no way I could forget my encounter with Svan of House Choryth. It was an interesting encounter. I knew he was an Arcane, I could easily tell since his Feel gave off a different aura. There was more about him, something I couldn''t explain and for that reason, I found him interesting; interesting enough that I didn''t want to kill him though I hoped my decision wasn''t one that I would regret later. I was left contemplating if I was attracted to him as I constantly told myself that it was absurd and impossible.

    ¡°My Lady, do you need anything?¡± Octavia asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

    Using my fingers, I signaled her to come closer.

    ¡°I know I am the princess, but you don''t have to be overly concerned about my well-being. I didn''t leave the Empire to come here to be pampered, okay?¡±

    ¡°But I am just carrying out my duties.¡±

    ¡°I know, and I appreciate it. But I would be more appreciative if you just loosen up a bit.¡±

    Octavia nodded but I could tell that she wasn''t planning on doing as I had just told her. I was simply tired of always being treated as royalty. That was one of the many reasons why I was eager to leave the Empire to come here, yet, nothing much changed. Besides Vayr and Octavia, no one even dared to talk to me, except if it was urgent or necessary. I felt like I didn''t belong here, like I was an outcast even though it was a situation where everyone was simply scared of me.

    A thought crossed my mind and I scoffed. Judging by Octavia''s expression, she must have thought my reaction was directed toward her but that wasn''t the case. I couldn''t shake off the feeling that someone or some entity was in control of my life and whoever that person was, seemed to be having fun with it.

    ¡°Do you have a knack for making me feel lonely?¡± I asked, though no words left my mouth.

    One peculiar similarity in both lives I had lived was feeling lonely. Though it was a feeling I had completely gotten used to, I hated it. Besides the lonesome feeling, everything else was completely different. In this life, I had everything I had wished for in my past life. Anyone could call it a mere coincidence but for me, it wasn''t. No matter how I thought about everything that has happened and was happening to me, I always arrived at the same conclusion¡ªan external influence. In the end, I can''t complain about it. Being alive is enough gratitude.

    ¡°My Lady, did I do something wrong?¡± Octavia  asked, probably curious about why I scoffed earlier.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°You didn''t.¡±

    Her expression changed to a relaxed one.

    ¡°You see, this is exactly what I am talking about. Even my thoughts seem to bother you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Octavia said, smiling faintly.

    ¡°Hey, have you ever been attracted to someone? A male to be precise.¡±

    The surprise on Octavia¡¯s face was obvious and I was sure she was wondering why I asked her such a question. She was silent. I couldn''t tell if she felt it was awkward to give me a reply or if she didn''t have an answer at all.

    ¡°Come on, don''t think too much about it. It''s an easy question, right?¡±

    ¡°I don''t think it''s appropriate for me to answer such a question,¡± she objected.

    ¡°Are you just stubborn or unnecessarily confined to formality? Can''t we just have some woman talk between the both of us?¡±

    ¡°I am sorry. I wasn''t expecting it from you considering....¡±

    ¡°Considering what? That I am the princess? Does that mean I must do everything according to the books? Or that I can''t be friendly with others? Urgh. Forget it. You are starting to really annoy me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t blame Octavia. No matter how I tried, she would always see me differently.

    I turned away from Octavia and looked around for the second time, as I was reminded why I was even there. It was an important day to warrant such a gathering. The transport gate was finally completed which marked the beginning of a full-scale war. Most importantly, I get to go home

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    All of us watched expectantly in the direction of the newly-completed transport gate. It was large, the largest I had ever seen which measured at least ten feet by thirty feet. We kept looking at its massive blue shine until someone came out of it, a soldier. Everyone was silent. Another soldier came out of the gate, and it continued in the same fashion until they began coming out in groups of twelve. The silence was broken as cheers erupted, accompanied closely by the clapping sounds of excited hands. Everyone was happy, the transport gate was a success. It wasn''t the first gate built that moved people to and fro Azkhan and the southern continent; how else would one explain our presence here? But the ones built before it were unstable and very short-lived, as they would disintegrate after a number of people had used them.

    This was Vayr¡¯s priority. It was what he had always wanted to accomplish and for good reason. I found myself debating if he just happened to be late or just in time. Maybe it was the perfect timing. We came looking for war after all. The Imperium  didn''t appear to be the type that would willingly surrender to us. The only thing left was the actual fighting, since the Imperium had shown signs that they were ready for one.

    The cheering didn''t stop as more soldiers kept on marching out of the gate. Vayr walked up to me,

    ¡°Your hard work paid off,¡± I said to him, extending my hand to give him a handshake.

    He received it before saying to me,

    ¡°This is nothing. The real work is about to begin.¡±

    I smiled at him,

    ¡°I know.¡±

    * * *

    All it took was a few steps and an unusual experience of light and darkness and I found myself in Azkhan. I was supposed to be happy or relieved at least, but I didn''t feel any of those emotions. There was a yearning I felt most of the time in the southern continent. I thought I missed home and was eager to go back. At the moment, I was home, but that yearning didn''t go away.

    ¡°Welcome back,¡± a familiar voice said to me.

    I looked at Orlyo, smiling,

    ¡°How have you been?¡±

    ¡°I have been well, your Majesty ¡±

    Nodding, I said to him,

    ¡°I am tired.¡±

    ¡°I figured you would be, your Majesty . You will be at the palace in no time and get proper rest.¡±

    Octavia stood beside me,

    ¡°I guess you won''t have to babysit me anymore, that''s his job,¡± I said, pointing at Orlyo.

    Octavia didn''t say anything, rather she smiled and bowed in courtesy.

    ¡°Let''s go,¡± I said to Orlyo.

    * * *

    I sat in my bath for the longest time, too lazy to leave. All I wanted to do after bathing was sleep, I had missed the comfort of my bed though the ones I had slept on in Stavren weren''t bad. The sleep would have to wait for a bit since I had to visit Father.

    I heard knocks on the door of my washroom before Orlyo spoke up.

    ¡°Your Majesty , you have been in there for too long. Don''t keep your father waiting.¡±

    ¡°Why are you disturbing me? Are you so desperate to see me naked?¡±

    Orlyo went silent as I heard footsteps recede.

    ¡°Better.¡±

    I left the bath and dried my body as my attendants helped me get dressed. I looked at myself in the mirror and there I was, looking like a princess.

    ¡°Don''t you think this attire is too much?¡± I said to the chief attendant standing beside me.

    ¡°Pardon?¡± she remarked, surprised.

    I began undressing,

    ¡°I don''t like it.¡±

    The attendant helped me undress. She must have felt that she had done a bad job. Her hands were shaky, probably thinking I was going to scold her.

    ¡°I am sorry, your Majesty . I will prepare a better one for you.¡±

    ¡°No. There is no need for that. Just get me a military uniform. I think it best suits the occasion. After all, I am just returning from a military campaign.

    ¡°Ah, I see,¡± the attendant remarked in relief.

    Surprisingly, the uniform looked good on me contrary to what I thought.

    I stepped out of the room to meet Orlyo standing in front of it like some guard.

    ¡°I am sorry about earlier,¡± he apologized.

    I tapped his back,

    ¡°Can''t you tell that I was joking? By the way, you said I would get proper rest, yet you are the one making sure that I don''t get it.¡±

    ¡°Just following orders my Lady.¡±

    I stood before Father who was sitting on his throne. Vayr, Octavia, and a few others were present, Orlyo included. Father interrupted Vayr¡¯s speech when he saw me approach.

    ¡°My dear daughter, I have missed you.¡±

    I smiled at him, but one could easily see the intention behind the smile.

    ¡°But it doesn''t seem like you did. Must I be the one to pay you a visit? Would it be a crime if it were the other way round?¡±

    Father burst out laughing and amidst laughter, he said,

    ¡°I see, my bad.¡±

    Everyone else around me was stifling a laugh and I was left wondering if what I had just said was by any means funny.

    I came to my senses though it was late. For a moment, I forgot that I was talking to the Emperor of the Azkhan Empire.

    ¡°Shit,¡± I cursed silently, ¡°where are my manners?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Father... I mean... Your Majesty ,¡± I said, stuttering.

    ¡°Why did you apologize? You''ve ruined the mood. Anyway, welcome home,¡± Father said to me.

    Right there, I understood how Octavia and the others must have felt. Even though the Emperor was my father, it still felt inappropriate to be informal with him. I looked at Octavia and smiled awkwardly but she didn''t know why I smiled at her.

    Vayr continued with what he was saying to Father, most of it was his plans and ideas about the coming war, and when he was done, Father dismissed him with everyone else gathered. I stayed behind, waiting for everyone to leave until I was left alone with Father.

    ¡°It seems you have something to say to me¡±

    ¡°Yes, Father.¡±

    I paused for a brief moment as he looked at me with curiosity in his eyes.

    ¡°I think I figured out why you sent me to the southern continent. My carefree behavior seemed to have caused you a lot of worries. I mean, I wasn¡¯t overly interested in anything that didn¡¯t affect me directly, right ?¡± I tittered.

    ¡°I apologize for not being a filial daughter and that¡¯s why I am here to tell you this. I¡¯m going back to the southern continent and would actively take part in this war. As of this moment, I don¡¯t want you to see me as the princess, rather, I want you to see me as a soldier.¡±

    Father smiled, and though he didn¡¯t say it in words, I knew he agreed with my decision.

    I bowed and turned to leave when I heard his voice,

    ¡°Go and bring me a continent.¡±

 39. A SURPRISE ALLIANCE

    SVAN CHORYTH

    Nothing ever turned out as expected, or maybe I was too shortsighted to figure out the obvious turn of events even when the predisposing circumstances had been laid out for me.

    We had visitors. This time, the High Lord didn''t entertain his visitors in the great hall, but rather, in a smaller and more confined chamber. It was another first-time location for me. I didn''t even know that such a room existed in the castle. It had a simple layout housing chairs that were arranged around a fairly long rectangular table, eight of them in total. At one end of the chamber, a thick sizable red fabric bearing the emblem of House Choryth draped from the ceiling which made the chamber appear more intimidating than formal.

    We had four visitors with us inside the chamber, although there were more outside the castle building. There were two familiar faces among the ones seated with us. One of them was Sophia and the other was the young lady with her in the dark caverns. The other two who I didn''t know and had never seen, were males.

    Mom was absent. She had made it clear earlier that she wasn''t going to sit down with the demons but would respect whatever the outcome of the meeting was. I couldn¡¯t blame her. We all bore grudges toward the demons, but hers¡¯ was a lot stronger.

    I didn''t expect to meet with Sophia that soon, and more so, not under the given circumstances. I believed our second encounter was going to be on a battlefield, clashing against each other''s swords. I was surprised when I heard the news that the demons wanted to meet. It felt weird given that every encounter we¡¯d had with them was filled with bloodshed.

    Looking at their faces, I mumbled.

    ¡°I didn''t know they were the type to sit across a table and talk.¡±

    It didn''t look like it but the war had already begun and it wasn''t looking good for us. The first skirmish reported was a victory on the side of the demons as they decimated the Imperial soldiers that stood as their opponents. All we could do was wait for the war to come to us even though the outcome would be most likely unfavorable. Their request for a meeting had to be good news even though we didn''t know why they requested it.

    I couldn''t keep my eyes off Sophia. Once or twice, she stole some glances at me but that was all to it. All four of them were in identical blue and black colored uniforms which was very contrasting to the black outfits I had almost always seen on demons. It was easy to tell that their outfits were formal military attires. It was almost like they were revealing their true colors.

    It was all beginning to make sense. These people we called demons weren''t from around here. They had to come from somewhere very far away. All this while, we had been short-sighted, blinded by thinking that they were a mystery group from within, whose members had insane abilities. But it turned out that we were wrong.

    ¡°Lord Edger Choryth...¡± one of the males among them voiced out. His voice was deep and clear, contrasting his appearance since he didn''t look too masculine.

    ¡°...your reputation precedes you,¡± he continued.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you skip the flattery and get to the point? I am sure we aren''t here to exchange pleasantries.¡±

    With a faint smile on his face, the demon continued speaking.

    ¡°I am Vayr Hightide, military chief of the Azkhan Empire.¡±

    Everyone was silent. Those few words he just uttered had a lot of meaning attached to them, and I was just beginning to figure out some of it.

    ¡°Why did you request this meeting?¡± Lord Edger asked Vayr.

    ¡°Let¡¯s say, it would be a waste to dispose of this House and its members like we did to the others.¡±

    ¡°I don''t think you earned the right to say that. After all, we took care of your people, not once or twice, but thrice.¡±

    Vayr, in a calm but cold manner, asked the High Lord,

    ¡°Do you think you can do that again?¡±

    ¡°It''s true that we underestimated this House. We didn¡¯t anticipate the fact that there are members of this House who are Arcanes. But in truth, we had other important tasks to take care of so we couldn''t pay full attention to this House.¡±

    I couldn''t help but wonder who Arcanes were. He had to be referring to Mom, Yukina, and me since they could tell divines and humans apart. Maybe we got the names wrong. Divines and demons sounded like names given to tell the good guys from the bad guys as the word ¡°Arcane¡± sounded more original. If they referred to Divines as Arcanes, I wondered what they called themselves.

    Vayr leaned forward and stared in the High Lord¡¯s direction since they were seated at opposite ends of the table.

    ¡°I am not trying to be disrespectful but you see, this House doesn''t pose any threat to us. Rather, I think it can be quite useful and that''s why we are here.¡±

    Lord Edger nodded slowly,

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°We are offering you a chance to pick a side, our side.¡±

    ¡°And if I refuse?¡±

    ¡°You will die.¡±

    Vayr¡¯s response was polite and hostile at the same time, simple and clear. He loosened his gait, leaning back on his seat.

    ¡°I am guessing you don''t fully grasp the situation at hand. Stavren is completely under our control. It has been that way for a long time, and there is nothing this House can do about it. This is war or better put, a conquest. And in either of them, you have to pick sides. We are giving you this chance because you have earned it. It''s not an easy feat to beat our strongest warriors thrice and like I said earlier, you will be a useful asset to us.¡±

    ¡°So you are asking the Choryth House to become traitors,¡± Lord Edger asked.

    ¡°Well, you can look at it from a different perspective. Let''s say you surrendered to avoid needless bloodshed. I don''t think there is anything wrong with surrendering to a stronger opponent.¡±

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    There was a brief moment of silence in the room before Lord Edger broke it.

    ¡°I am guessing you would also want us to fight against the Imperium.¡±

    ¡°As I said, you are picking a side. It''s either this or that.¡±

    I knew the High Lord didn''t have any love for the imperium but what Vayr was asking of him was a difficult one. One thing was certain; if we accepted their proposal, they wouldn''t kill us. At least, not anytime soon. But it meant turning against the Imperium. To make matters worse, people might think that we have been scheming with the demons from the start.

    I looked up and my gaze fell upon Sophia. She was looking at me too. None of us turned away. We just kept staring at each other. I was still quite scared of her and she was one of the many reasons Lord Edger had to accept Vayr¡¯s proposal. Maybe it was because I couldn''t shake off my encounter with her and I didn''t know how strong the others were but I was convinced that if they attacked again, we would lose.

    I clenched my fist nervously as I did my best to prevent my face from telling it. I looked at the High Lord, his expression remained unchanged as I patiently waited for words to leave his mouth. Our fates depended on the next few words he was going to utter. He could just send us to our deaths and no one would object, but the High Lord was smarter than that.

    ¡°We would pick your side. We aren''t given much of a choice after all. Just like you said, I would rather not have unnecessary bloodshed that could have been easily prevented.¡±

    ¡°I was never in doubt that you would make the right decision.¡±

    My heart started to make its way up after sinking moments ago as I quietly took in long breaths. I didn''t care if we were going to be labeled as traitors, I didn''t also care if we would have to go up against the Imperium. I was just relieved that we wouldn''t have to engage in a fight with the demons; I wasn''t prepared to lose anyone.

    The dark cavern encounter with Sophia did more than just a scar on my torso. I became too conscious about dying, having been brought close to its gates. I watched as Vayr left his seat and walked up to Lord Edger, offering him a handshake,

    ¡°I believe we have an alliance now.¡±

    ¡°We do,¡± the High Lord replied.

    It felt unreal establishing an alliance with the demons, or rather, these people from the Azkhan Empire given that they had tried to kill us on multiple occasions. One can¡¯t possibly predict what life feeds them.

    ¡°I believe we would have to meet more often. We would let you in on our plans going forward,¡± Vayr added.

    Somehow, it felt like they were nicer than the delegates from the Imperium. Although they did make threats which were parts of bargaining, I believed they were honest and intentional, unlike the imperium that had always kept us in the dark and never made anything clear.

    I sighed. I tried to connect with Darya but there was no response from her. She had been silent since our last conversation about how she was killing me. I didn''t know what she was planning on doing, but I didn¡¯t think avoiding me was the best course of action. Well, she wouldn''t stay silent forever so all I had to do was wait. At least, I had goals of my own so I had to focus on them.

    The meeting was concluded and everyone left the room one after another until only Sophia and I were left. It seemed we had similar intentions and questions we needed to confirm with each other.

    ¡°How is your wound? I was sure not to stab through any vital organ. Seeing you here, I guess I didn''t.¡±

    ¡°Is that why you didn''t kill me? Because this meeting was planned to be scheduled and my death would have made it impossible?¡±

    She chuckled,

    ¡°No, you are getting it wrong. I didn''t even know that this meeting was going to happen. It wasn''t even part of the plan. The plan was to dispose of this House as we had done to the others.¡±

    ¡°You know, I am wondering how you find it so easy to say things like this. You look young, but you sound like someone who has been killing her whole life. I¡¯m guessing if it were left to you, you wouldn''t bother about things like diplomacy. You would have attacked relentlessly until you killed every one of us just like you did to those adventurers in the dark caverns.¡±

    She stared at me without saying a word. I was sure she wanted to speak but wasn''t sure of what to say to me.

    ¡°So you can understand now, why I can''t wrap my head around the fact that you spared me. I wanted to believe that you stabbed me randomly but now, I can say for sure that you didn''t, I mean, you just confirmed it yourself. You also don¡¯t seem to be compassionate, so why didn''t you kill me?¡±

    I waited for a response from her but she stayed silent.

    ¡°I don''t think this question should pose any difficulty to you. I thought you had a reason for sparing me and that is all I want to hear.¡±

    ¡°There is no reason. I acted impulsively and at that moment, I didn''t feel like killing you.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± I said softly.

    ¡°I guess I should thank your impulses for saving my life.¡±

    I stood up, still facing her,

    ¡°I really wanted to meet again but I didn''t imagine that we would meet like this. I had hoped we would meet under the same conditions as our first encounter, though with subtle differences; one where I would be doing the stabbing, a fatal one.¡±

    I wasn''t sure if I meant what I had just said. Maybe I was just trying to get her riled up just to see how she would react. All of a sudden, her demeanor changed completely. She wasn''t looking like the murderous maniac she appeared as, moments ago. She was wearing a sad expression. I stood there wondering what had just happened. What I had just said wasn''t enough reason for her to suddenly change her expression.

    ¡°Is this a common thing with demons?¡± I wondered

    She somewhat reminded me of Vixra. It was almost like they were able to express different personalities whenever they wanted.

    ¡°That¡¯s sad,¡± she said to me.

    ¡°What''s sad?¡±

    ¡°The fact that you still want to kill me. But I understand and I wouldn''t stop you. The only difficulty is that I wouldn''t die easily.¡±

    I turned away from her and made my way toward the door. I had only taken a few steps before I heard her voice again.

    ¡°How much do you know about gains and losses?¡±

    I didn''t answer her question, but the fact I stopped walking was enough of a response.

    ¡°You see, it isn''t only practical in a business sense. Every conscious action a person takes is heavily dependent on the concept of gain and loss. You may not want to believe it but it''s true. Questions like ¡®what do I gain from doing this?¡¯ ¡®Or what do I lose from doing this?¡¯ are always asked before, at the moment, and after carrying out an activity. Answering these questions tells you if you''ve made the right or wrong decision. But you see, I couldn''t answer these questions when I stabbed you. On the bright side, everything turned out favorably at the very least. Then, when we fought, I felt that something was interesting about you. Maybe it was because you were bold and didn''t show any sign of fear even when you were outnumbered. Or maybe because I figured out that you were an Arcane and was curious since I had never met one before meeting you, or maybe because you just had a pretty face. Who knows, it could even be due to all these reasons combined. So I thought it would be no fun if I didn''t see you again. Did I answer your question?¡±

    I turned in her direction and she looked at me, wearing a weird smile on her face.

    ¡°Was my little speech emotional?¡±

    I cursed under my breath, I should have known better, demons were all the same.

    I was beginning to incline toward the belief that this behavioral characteristic was part of some military training that they all go through.

    ¡°Oh, I hope you don''t expect me to apologize for killing your comrades. You would have done the same if the roles were reversed. It''s war, there are no good or bad guys, right?¡±

    I smiled, only curling one side of my lips,

    ¡°This is going to be fun, I guess,¡± I said to her as I continued my walk toward the door.

    ¡°You''ve got to get a lot stronger if you want to kill me.¡±

    Just as I was about to open the door, someone opened it, hurriedly walking inside the room. He was the second male present with them during the meeting. He sighed in relief when he saw Sophia seated.

    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± he gasped.

    I was shocked and for a moment I didn''t trust what I just heard. I turned in her direction again and looked at her.

    ¡°Your Majesty?¡±

    My lips didn''t move, but my face said a lot about how surprised I was.

 40. CONTACT

    Mom and I found ourselves in Leif. We didn¡¯t come to Leif because we wanted to, we were asked to. Although it was a request from the Azkhan General, Vayr, it felt like an order. There were reports of the Imperium¡¯s activity in Academroth and it was a matter worth looking into. Azkhan¡¯s hold on Academroth wasn¡¯t as strong as that of Stavren so they were determined to strengthen their grip on it.

    Stavren had completely fallen to the hands of the Azkhans so their attention was focused on territorial expansion.

    I found it difficult to understand why the Azkhans were invested in this war, it didn¡¯t make sense to me. Both empires were very far from each other and separated by vast oceans that would make crossing practically impossible. Contact between the two didn''t need to happen since both empires could exist and survive without needing to know about each other. After all, before this war, no one would have believed that an empire outside the reach and influence of the Imperium existed. I believed they had a strong conviction that compelled them to start this war, and I wanted to know about it, though such information would be difficult to obtain.

    Vayr has requested in a letter that he needed an Arcane from House Choryth to join the envoy to Academroth. I didn''t understand why they made such a request since they didn''t give reasons why they did it. Yukina and Evren concluded they were referring to me or Mom, having accepted that we were different. There was no debate on who was going, but I requested I went with Mom. She was hesitant, stating that she didn''t want me to put myself in danger by coming with her since she didn''t trust the Azkhans. But after much pleading, she let me join her.

    I was surprised to see Sophia among the envoys sent to Academroth. We traveled together although none of us said a word to each other. Leif was our first stop. Nothing looked out of the ordinary just as in Stavren. Everyone carried on with their daily activities even though there were a lot of changes occurring in the Republic, let alone the fighting that broke out here and there. The only positive note I could take from the Azkhans was that they didn''t harm the citizens and commoners who in turn weren''t bothered about their incursion since their lives weren''t affected.

    I didn¡¯t tell anyone that Sophia was royalty. I felt it was best to keep it to myself because I thought it wouldn¡¯t change anything since we didn¡¯t know much about the Azkhan Empire. That was what I told myself. Maybe I didn''t have any reason to keep it a secret but ended up doing so. I didn¡¯t think much about her after our second meeting, and all curiosity I had about her disappeared since I had perceived that she wasn¡¯t different from the others, just stronger. And I strongly believed that there were others a lot stronger than her, Vayr for instance.

    The hazy and crowded streets of Leif were an easy environment for the eye to remember but not to navigate. This time, we weren¡¯t walking, but rather in a carriage with three people we were uncomfortable with. Though it was just my second time there, I felt that nothing had changed except the presence of Azkhan soldiers patrolling different parts of the city in different groups. Our destination, as we were told, was the council building.

    Mom and I were seated opposite Octavia and a familiar face; the young man who made me know that she was royalty. I got to learn that his name was Orlyo as Sophia once called him before we got into the carriage. Though they were seated right before me, I never looked in their direction. Most of the time, I fixed my gaze outside. We didn¡¯t ride for long until we got to the council building. I thought it would be located somewhere in the middle of the city, maybe somewhere not far from the tower-like building that housed the transport gates in the city. My assumption was wrong as we rode farther away from it. At some point during our ride, I wanted to ask Mom where the council building was located since she was familiar with the city, but I held myself back because I felt it would be very uncomfortable having a discussion with her in front of Sophia and her companion.

    The council building was somewhere on the outskirts of the city, which was less lively and less rowdy but a lot more livable. The area was different, almost like it was separated from the rest of the city since a small body of water acted as its point of separation. The water body that ran a long narrow course through the city had to be one of the deltas of the river Pyre

    We crossed to the other side of the city through a bridge as we rode on a paved road until we arrived at our destination.

    The council building was a lot more exquisite than the one in Stavren, at least, appearance-wise. It was a round building with a dome-shaped roof. Both sides of the building created an extension that arched outwardly, forming a circular enclosure, with the entrance at its meeting point, and Azkhan soldiers stationed there. We alighted our carriage as some guards escorted us into the building.

    We were led into the hall where council meetings were held. I had never attended one before, but the sight I beheld was a shadow of what used to be. Months ago, it was a place where the High Lords and other important profiles in Academroth held their meetings but now, it was used as a meeting place for the Azkhans. The hall was practically empty. Including us, only fifteen people were present. From their appearances, I could tell that everyone present in the hall was a ranked officer since they were dressed slightly differently from other officers. They all paid their respects to Sophia before the meeting commenced.

    The man who stood on the raised platform spoke up.

    ¡°General, I apologize for dragging you here.¡±

    ¡°Lieutenant Tarde, right? You don¡¯t need to. I¡¯m just doing my job,¡± Sophia responded from where she was seated; the last row of the hall, which happened to be its highest point since each row was higher than its antecedent one. They referred to her as General, which confirmed my suspicion that they were hiding her status as royalty. She¡¯d got to have a lot of nerves considering how calm she was around me, given that I knew a secret of hers.

    ¡°Though I am not proud to say this, we have been losing a lot of men, lieutenants, too. It looks like the Imperium is slowly trying to take back control of Academroth from us. Though we are still in control of most major cities, we lost control of most towns in the south. According to reports, even our lieutenants didn¡¯t stand a chance against them. I am afraid if this continues, we might lose total control of Academroth.¡±

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    ¡°Reports said you requested the deployment of Elder Guards here in Academroth. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too early to put them to use at this stage of the war? They are meant to be our last resort. Deploying them now doesn¡¯t give any positive indication of our position in this war.¡±

    ¡°General, I just explained the situation so I felt it might be best if we...¡±

    Sophia didn''t let him finish speaking.

    ¡°Are we that weak or are you simply scared?¡±

    Tarde was silent but the worry on his face was visible.

    ¡°Where do you think they will be headed next?¡± Sophia asked him, ignoring his concerns.

    ¡°Based on the pattern of their attacks, they seem to be focused on taking total control of the Southern cities and towns. We strongly believe that their next target would be Brisdow.¡±

    ¡°Can I see a report of their attacks?¡±

    One of the officers sitting in the first rows walked up to the platform and was handed a few papers which she gave to Sophia.

    Mom finally spoke,

    ¡°Excuse me, I¡¯m finding it difficult to understand why we are here. So, can you do us a favor and let us know so we don''t sit here looking like confused spectators?¡±

    Mom didn''t direct the question to anyone in particular but she expected an answer.

    ¡°Finally,¡± I said inwardly.

    ¡°You could have asked in the carriage,¡± Sophia replied.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we are that close. Besides, I feel more comfortable in a formal arrangement like this one.¡±

    ¡°Well, I made that request. You Arcanes from House Choryth have proven to be a lot stronger than most of our lieutenants so, I shouldn''t worry about my safety if the need arises.¡±

    I couldn''t tell if she was trying to mock us or if she was just being straightforward. Her tone sounded like the latter but the words felt a bit disrespectful, especially to Mom.

    ¡°So we are on bodyguard duties?¡± I whispered to Mom.

    ¡°More or less,¡± she replied.

    ¡°How many lieutenants are here in Leif?¡± Sophia asked Tarde.

    ¡°This is all of us,¡± the man on the platform replied.

    I got to understand that the higher-ranked officers who we once referred to as demons were called lieutenants and there were eleven of them in the hall. The bulk of the Azkhan military was made of soldiers who were no different from the casters we had here in the southern republic and even their silhouettes in the grey domain were covered in blue flames. From the short conversation between Sophia and Tarde, I understood that the Azkhans also have a special military unit called the Elder Guards, and I didn''t need anyone to tell me that they were crazy strong.

    ¡°It should be enough. I need five lieutenants with me, we set for Brisdow.¡±

    Tarde opened his mouth to say something, but words failed him as he slowly nodded.

    ¡°This is a bad idea isn¡¯t it?¡± I whispered to Mom again.

    She nodded,

    ¡°Yeah, I think so.¡±

    ***

    We set out for Brisdow almost immediately. There were nine of us; the five lieutenants Sophia requested, included. I couldn¡¯t tell what Sophia was thinking but it was evident that she wanted to fight and prove that they didn¡¯t need the Elder Guards. I felt she was being reckless, undermining her safety, and maybe forgetting that she is royalty. For starters, she isn''t even supposed to be here given her status. Even though she was strong, I felt she was being overconfident in her abilities. One can''t tell what they get in a battle and I learned that the hard way.

    I was bothered; not for Sophia, but about the current situation and how it could affect us. The Azkhan lieutenants were already strong enough; on par, if not stronger than chaos-class casters but according to what Tarde said, the soldiers from the Imperium disposed of the lieutenants alike even though they attacked in small numbers.

    I was subtly reminded of Blaire and his men. We had concluded that they had to be members of the rumored Order of Death. Maybe the identity of the Order of Death was kept a secret because they weren''t like normal casters. Mom said that they were just like us which meant that they were divines, or Arcanes, as the Azkhans called us. Based on my previous understanding, I believed that divines had the edge over demons since some of them could be as strong as Mom was, if not stronger. It was worrisome because these people were an elite force, meaning that they undergo special training every day. There was no telling how we would fare against them should we encounter them.

    We arrived at Brisdow in no time since there were transport gates ready to take us there in an instant. The town was more rural than urban, though it contained components of both. Azkhan soldiers were waiting to receive us as soon as we arrived. They were pre-informed of our arrival through a communication scroll. Most of the soldiers in the town, if not all, were on high alert since they were expecting an attack from the Imperium any time soon.

    It looked like it was going to rain as the dark clouds in the sky stretched as far as I could see. The wind was strong and even felt stronger as we rode our horses against its current. Our destination was the Azkhan base in Brisdow. We were racing against the rain as we planned on getting there before the downpour starts.

    After we''d ridden quite some distance, I brought my horse side by side with my mother''s.

    ¡°Are we close?¡± I asked her, almost screaming.

    With a smile on her face, she replied in the same tempo,

    ¡°Yes we are.¡±

    Suddenly there was a flash of lightning. It didn''t flash across the sky, rather it approached our direction. The closer it approached, the bigger it appeared. Some frightened horses threw their riders off, sending them crashing and mine was one of them. Thankfully I wasn''t hurt, just a few bruises. I stood up almost immediately, trying to figure out where Mom was. I heard her call my name. I could see her but she couldn''t see me so I waved at her,

    ¡°I''m here.¡±

    There was relief on her face as she walked towards me.

    All of us were brought to an abrupt stop.

    ¡°This isn''t ordinary lightning, it''s an attack spell,¡± Mom said to me.

    ¡°I know,¡± I replied.

    Mom drew out her swords and walked forward. I drew out mine and followed closely behind.

    ¡°Svan, prioritize your safety first if it gets too difficult.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    Figures approached us from a distance, there were seven of them. My heartbeat tripled, banging against my chest wall but I tried to keep a relaxed expression.

    ¡°You have to stay alive if you still want to kill me.¡±

    It was Sophia¡¯s voice, and she was standing next to me.

 41. PURE-BLOOD

    SOPHIA STONECLAW

    Whenever I was left alone with my thoughts, I couldn¡¯t stop myself from wondering what my purpose in this world was. It was becoming worrisome because I was beginning to feel trapped in my clueless thinking. Since I was reborn in this world, I had always wondered how and why it happened. Although the answers were far-fetched, I wasn''t overly bothered because I was living a life in which I had everything I wanted, but recently everything started to feel different. I believed everything changed when Father first sent me to the southern continent as I discovered firsthand that there was more to this world than I had imagined.

    Based on books I¡¯d read in my past life, I was supposed to be the main character of some sort, or at the center of whatever was going to happen but I didn¡¯t even know what to do or what role I was supposed to play. I¡¯d thought about it thoroughly and started inclining to believe that the war held answers to my numerous questions. Curiosity got the better of me so I decided to take an active part in it.

    After I had made my intentions known to my father, he immediately promoted me to the position of General. Being a princess surely has its perks as I was given a position some would only dare to dream of. Although I didn¡¯t have much military experience, I believe I did justice to the title strength-wise. I didn¡¯t have any intentions of taking control of the military, I wasn¡¯t interested since I had reasons for my involvement in this war. Vayr, a General in his rights, was still the military chief and I still received orders from him, although it was fair to say I was the second-in-command rank-wise.

    I had to take my job seriously so I spent more time trying to know more about this continent, its people, and its structure, and comparing it with the Azkhan Empire. There weren¡¯t a lot of similarities we Azkhans shared with the people here, but the concept of the Feel and mana was practically the same on a broad scale and differences were only found in minor concepts such as the mages here being referred to as casters. The system of government was completely different. Indirect rule was the case here even though there was some semblance of class systems involving Lords and High Lords. Azkhan had a more direct rule under the Emperor, and a more defined class system. The common folk with no affinity for mana manipulation made up most of the population and had a class of their own. They were important to the Empire as they were the forerunners in every sector of the economy that didn''t involve combat. That was a decree made to ensure that they weren''t always looked down upon. Mages and advanced mages were of a different class and made the bulk of the military. Being a soldier in the Azkhan Empire was regarded as an honor of a lifetime. The El-bloods were the ruling class. But since positions like that were limited, most of them were compelled to join the military too.

    Issues arose in Academroth and Vayr wanted to take care of it but I insisted I did it, pointing out that the matter in Academroth was one to resolve with strength rather than wits, and I was the stronger one. With that reason, I was able to convince Vayr to let me go. Even though I was the strongest soldier there, he was still worried about my safety so he suggested that an Arcane from House Choryth went with me. I didn¡¯t raise any objection to his suggestion because it didn¡¯t make much of a difference to me.

    In the reports sent to us, the situation in Academroth seemed to be a serious one as the lieutenant overseeing Academroth requested we deploy Elder Guards to quickly take care of it. It was a funny request because it was evident that he didn¡¯t understand how things worked.

    The Elder Guards weren¡¯t part of the military although they were the strongest division of soldiers the Azkhan Empire had. They were Pure-bloods who answered only to the Emperor. Vayr and I were on the same boat regarding the issue. Our pride wouldn¡¯t let us make such a request to the Emperor because getting the Emperor involved simply means that we can¡¯t win the war ourselves.

    The information we¡¯d gathered so far brought us to Brisdow. It didn¡¯t come as a surprise to me, facing off against our supposed enemy even though we were yet to arrive at our destination. It was a sudden attack, an ambush of some sort but I¡¯d anticipated that something like that would happen.

    I spotted the Imperial soldiers in the distance as their figures were defined in silhouettes. The numbers favored us, nine of us against seven of them but I didn¡¯t know how the lieutenants with me would fare against them since previous reports stated that they were no match to them. I didn¡¯t know what abilities the enemy soldiers possessed, but I was confident of holding my own.

    I watched as Svan and his mother walked forward, swords drawn, locked in, and combat-ready. For a moment, I felt they were going to turn against us and side with the Imperium, but that worry disappeared seeing the determination in their faces as they readied themselves against the approaching enemies.

    ¡°They sure are fearless,¡± I said inwardly.

    The Imperial soldiers drew closer. I¡¯d never imagined that white outfits could look scary as the masks they wore made them appear even scarier.

    Just as I had suspected, the Imperial soldiers approaching us were Arcanes. I wondered why it wasn¡¯t stated in the reports. Maybe none of those who experienced them first hand lived to tell it. It was easy to tell that they were Arcanes since I could sense the aura of their Feel and the same applied to El bloods. I also believed Arcanes had the same perception too.

    The aura gave off different sensations in Arcanes, El-bloods, and mages. Normal mages didn''t give off any unique aura, Arcanes gave off a chilly sensation, and El-bloods gave off a burning one. It came in handy because at least, I knew what enemy I was facing.

    The ground quaked producing vibrations that could easily throw us off as fault lines ran in different directions. I didn¡¯t know what to expect, but I readied myself for any incoming attacks. One of them approached me. He moved so fast that I almost lost track of him and in an instant, he appeared in front of me. I swung my lightning-clad sword in his direction. I had anticipated that he would easily avoid my sword but I had other plans. Tendrils from my sword shot in the direction of my swing toward my opponent. He was fast. Not only was he able to avoid my sword, but he also countered with lightning bolts of his own. I didn¡¯t want the fight to drag for long, I needed to finish it as quickly as possible.

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    I pressed in the same fashion, keeping him occupied with the blade of my sword and the bolts of lightning that came off it. After a few exchanges, I split the ground on which he stood which made him lose his footing as he stumbled a bit. Seizing the opportunity, I instantly froze him in a large ice cube.

    Somehow, it felt too easy, or maybe I was just too strong. I knew that the spells I conjured weren''t low-level ones. Lightning and ice fusion were advanced spells that only skilled mages and El-bloods could conjure, and I was able to conjure both with relative ease. Yet, I expected more from the Arcane who was fighting against me. A lieutenant wouldn''t go down this easily and it was reported that the lieutenants were no match for them.

    I couldn''t care less about him, my goal was to end the fight as quickly as possible. Though I had incapacitated him at the moment, I had to end his life. I conjured a fireball and shot it at the ice cube, precisely at the position of his head. Following up almost immediately, I conjured an ice spear and launched it in the same direction as the fireball.

    I had precisely planned every move and spell I conjured. I froze him in an ice cube strong enough to completely render him immobile. Ordinary mages would go numb and pass out if they were encased in one but, he was an Arcane, a spell like that wouldn''t kill him. Despite the relative ease of the fight, I didn''t want to get ahead of myself and get careless. The fireball was to melt the area I launched it at, to let the spear pierce easily. To my surprise, the whole block of ice shattered even before the spear hit it, and somehow, he managed to catch the spear mid-flight, shattering it. All the shards came flying in my direction but they never reached me as I melted all of them in a sizzling furnace.

    The series of events that followed shortly after was a relentless bombardment of spells mostly thrown at me. He suddenly switched up and got serious. While I was busy fending off the spells that approached me from different corners, two boulders erupted from the ground in an attempt to crush me in between them. I had already strengthened my body with mana so I didn''t have to worry so much about being crushed by them. I was quick to react, turning in the direction of one of the boulders, I slashed with my sword, as lightning bolts from its blades shattered the boulder before my sword could even make contact with it. I wasn''t fast enough to react to the second boulder as it hit me, knocking me off. But I was able to cushion my fall, recovering almost immediately.

    ¡°That''s one hell of a response,¡± I remarked.

    I was a bit annoyed that the boulder hit me. If I had an Erkvare pendant with me, it wouldn''t have happened. I''d always refused to own one because I was always confident in my abilities and control of mana so I didn''t see the need for one of those pendants. I didn''t want to need an artifact or boost to make me stronger. To me, it was a sign of weakness since Pure-bloods like me took pride in our strength.

    Once again, our swords clashed, accompanied by a fury of spells that took different forms. I had to admit, he was impressive but I was confident about finishing him off. His defense was good, almost like he was aided by an Erkvare pendant but I was sure he didn''t have one. My spells couldn''t do any damage to him as he was able to reinforce his body with different elemental forms. One time during our fight, he completely covered himself in full body armor made of ice, looking like some ice robot. Even so, it didn''t hinder his motility or efficiency.

    I did the same thing sometimes, even going far to bolster my defenses with rock and ice simultaneously. Other times, I just let my mana-augmented body take care of the rest. Our engagement had gone past the point of a battle. It was utter chaos and destruction. I didn''t have the luxury to observe whatever was going on around me, but it was easy to tell that the area was a mess. It looked like it was turned inside out.

    I wasn¡¯t going easy on him but I wasn''t going all out too. The fight was dragging on longer than I had anticipated. No doubt, he was lasting longer than I expected. Not long after I complimented his endurance, he started showing signs of desperation as he imposed his Feel realm in an attempt to overwhelm me. I wondered what he was thinking. Maybe he felt like I was just like one of the lieutenants he had probably fought and that I was being stubborn and resilient. I couldn''t help but smirk. I wished I could scream at him, ¡°I am a Pure-blood,¡± but he wouldn''t understand the weight of those words.

    As white motes floated around us, I became oddly excited. So far, lightning and ice fusion were the most advanced spells he had conjured though he seemed to have an affinity for all four basic elements. I still believed he had some tricks up his sleeves but I wasn''t fazed.

    Suddenly, the area surrounding us began to freeze, as the freezing ice started taking shape into human-like figures too many to count. I had thought I would easily cut them down, or shatter them with bolts of lightning, but surprisingly, they were fast. They didn''t spare me anytime to react, coming at me with their hungry-looking blades. I managed to fend off the first ones that came at me, creating a little space for myself, as I conjured golems to keep the rest busy. Somehow, I was trying to show him that whatever he could do, I could do better. He wasn''t done, as spikes came at me from every direction. Several of them hit me, they were just too close for me to avoid. I constantly kept my body reinforced with mana so I was fine,  although the pain from numerous hits was getting unbearable. I reacted quickly, condensing the air around me until it was impermeable. The rest of the spikes never got to me, as they shattered before an invisible wall.

    A sharp pain flashed across my chest, reminding me that I was beginning to step things up. The situation was different for both of us; the Arcane was already at his best but I wasn''t. He kept bombarding various spells at me, but one way or the other, I stopped them from reaching me. I couldn''t see his face to tell what expression he was wearing but could tell that he was shocked. He couldn''t overwhelm me with his Feel realm even though I didn''t impose mine. I was a Pure-blood and my Feel was far stronger than his.

    Although I was forced to defend against his spells because his Feel realm made it quite difficult for me, I managed to send some spells his way even though they were easily countered. I held out, but he couldn''t as the strength of his spells waned. Seizing the opportunity, I attacked. He tried to conjure spells to fend me off, but they were weak as I broke past them with ease. He was bare and defenseless as I slashed in his direction. He was able to block with his sword but I knew he wouldn''t hold out for long. The spells stopped coming and our engagement was reduced to a swordfight. He put up a few decent swings but I was able to avoid all of them, countering some with my sword. We exchanged a few more strikes until my sword found its way into his chest.

    I heaved in relief as he dropped to his knees, subsequently falling to the ground. I squatted beside him, taking off his mask as guilt and pity overwhelmed me. I muttered,

    ¡°He is young.¡±

    Those emotions didn''t last long as I was forcefully knocked off from where I squatted. I didn''t know what hit me but luckily, my body was still mana-augmented so I was fine. I got myself to my feet and looked up as two Arcanes approached me. I clicked my tongue,

    ¡°This is still far from over.¡±

 42. PRICE OF STRENGTH

    SVAN CHORYTH

    ¡°Are you sure you aren''t suicidal or is there something else wrong with you? No matter how I think about the actions you take most of the time, all I can conclude is that they are all sheer stupidity disguised in the form of bravery.¡±

    I smiled broadly,

    ¡°Finally, you are back. It took you long enough.¡±

    ¡°I am back obviously because a certain someone is trying to get himself killed.¡±

    ¡°Look, Darya, I''d been meaning to tell you something whenever you showed up again. I...¡±

    She didn''t let me finish what I was saying because she already knew what I was about to say

    ¡°I know, and I''ve decided to go along with it.¡±

    I had almost forgotten that she could hear my thoughts, yet I was relieved.

    My smile broadened even further,

    ¡°What is the worst thing that can happen? Everyone dies, right?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn''t feel sorry for you when you do.¡±

    ¡°I wonder where you would be when that happens,¡± I mocked.

    ¡°Hey! Shut it, before I kill you myself.¡±

    I laughed inwardly. I hadn''t felt that happy in a long time.

    Darya continued,

    ¡°And don''t blame me when the spells take a toll on you. You asked for it after all.¡±

    The soldiers from the Imperium drew closer to us. They were donned in familiar attire, and just as I had anticipated, they were Arcanes from the Order of Death. Without hesitation, I switched to the grey domain. I couldn''t afford any mistakes. My near-death experience had taught me a lot and one of the many lessons I learned was being careful, especially with my life on the line. Everything happened so fast as fighting ensued at the same pace. Different silhouettes covered in black and blue flames clashed against each other. I could tell mom''s location; somewhere on my far right. Three silhouettes covered in blue flames clashed. It was evident that she went up against two Arcanes.

    ¡°She always does extra.¡±

    I didn''t need to worry about my mother. She could most definitely take care of herself so I needed to focus on making sure I didn''t get killed.

    I heard Darya¡¯s voice again and this time, she said to me,

    ¡°Learn.¡±

    A silhouette came at me, the figure was feminine. I didn''t like the odds and I wished my opponent was a male. It sounded freety, but somehow, I started to believe I had tough luck fighting against female opponents, especially the strong ones. After all, the last time I fought against a lady, I was almost killed.

    The silhouette swung its sword in my direction as I met it with mine, stopping it from reaching me. She tried to strike me several times, aiming for my vital spots but I easily countered all, thanks to the grey domain. I was faster and was even able to outmaneuver her on many occasions, landing significant hits on her although my sword couldn''t cut through.

    I couldn''t tell if she had both abilities of a stillbringer and caster alike, just like Sophia, or was just able to conjure spells that made her body impermeable to attacks. Anything was possible, and there weren''t a lot of things that could surprise me anymore since I had freed myself from the shackles of believing that the Feel had limitations.

    Both of us fought with skill and speed as the constant clashing of our blades let out a flurry of sparks that produced short spiky distortions in the viscous atmosphere. I felt I could easily keep track of our movements in the grey domain, but I was almost certain that they would have been a blur if seen outside it.

    I didn''t want to use Realm slip or Femryn¡¯s jolt yet, since the grey domain was enough to keep her blades away from me. She wasn''t going all out so I didn''t see the need to reveal my abilities to her lest she finds a way to counter them. It was easy for her to confuse me for a stillbringer because of how fast my movements and reactions were. I wanted it to stay that way, long enough until I catch her unawares, so I let her control the flow and tempo of our engagement since I didn''t know what tricks she had up her sleeve.

    She seemed to step it up a bit as spells came flying toward me. Though I couldn''t see them since they didn''t approach me head-on, I could feel the vibrations they produced as their shockwaves rippled in my direction. Normally, I would have avoided the spells by changing my position since they approached much slower in the grey domain, or would have pushed them away from me using Femryn¡¯s jolt, but I didn¡¯t do any of those. I just ignored the spells approaching me almost against my will. I didn''t fight it, I knew it was Darya¡¯s doing so I didn''t panic.

    Something strange was happening to me, my body was reacting differently. I was burning up like I had a fever but it was bearable. At the same time, it felt like something was evaporating from my body even though I couldn''t see what it was. Even in the grey domain, everything was unfolding very quickly. All of a sudden, something surrounded me. I didn''t know what it was, but I could see it. It didn''t look like it was tangible, more like a distortion in the viscous atmosphere, it wasn¡¯t widespread since I only saw it in the area surrounding me.

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    Darya¡¯s new spell was exactly what I needed as the spells that came at me vanished when they made contact with it. I wanted to ask her what was going on, but the time wasn''t right. I had plenty of it to do so after the battle. I was excited and it felt like I was enjoying the combat like it was some game.

    ¡°Can you bear the sight of cruelty?¡± Darya asked me.

    Confused, I asked her,

    ¡°What''s the matter?¡±

    ¡°You will find out soon enough. Now, put some distance between you and the Arcane.¡±

    I had to do as I was told since my life depended on it. Without hesitation, I pushed the silhouette away using Femryn¡¯s jolt as it took flight for a short while before stopping awkwardly. From the way things looked, it most likely crashed into something. I switched out of the grey domain to get a clearer view of things. My opponent was still trying to recover since I slammed her against a rock. I caught her by surprise with Femryn''s jolt given that she didn''t put up any defense to stop herself from crashing into the rock. There was still a lot of fighting going on and it didn''t look good on our side as two lieutenants were already lying dead on the ground.

    I spotted Sophia as she squatted beside a dead Imperial soldier, not sure what she was trying to do. I didn''t expect less from her, I knew she was that strong. Mom was still going up against two of her opponents, and it seemed like a breakthrough was going to be difficult for her. It would have been much easier if she went up against one at a time. I had to finish off my opponent quickly and help Mom out.

    The Arcane I was fighting recovered quicker than I had expected. I just had a quick look around and she was charging at me again. Under Darya¡¯s influence, I opened something although I couldn''t see what it was. Shocked, I watched as spells appeared from nowhere, bombarding the Arcane in a relentless barrage. It was difficult to describe; messy, yet beautiful. Metal spikes, molten rocks, lightning bolts, and fireballs were all in one cluster. I was sure that I didn''t conjure those spells even though it looked like I did.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised, she just got a taste of her own medicine.¡±

    The spells were impressive, but what was even more impressive was that somehow, the Arcane managed to survive the barrage, seemingly unscathed though she looked a bit worn out, staggering a bit. She came at me again but I stood calm. I didn''t even need to switch my perspective to that of the grey domain since my connection with Darya told me she was up to something.

    I reached out to her in the same fashion as when I use Femryn¡¯s jolt, but this time, I wasn''t trying to pull or push her away. I was able to create a violent reaction. I couldn''t see any changes yet, but I felt it. It felt as though something was about to explode. The explosion manifested physically sooner than later, and I was thrown off by its shockwaves. I knew I had witnessed something similar in the past and I didn''t have to think for long to remember that it was similar to the one that happened at Ausbane, although not as powerful.

    I looked up and the Arcane was gone, disappeared with no traces of her left, and the only remainder of her existence was the scars on the terrain.

    There and then, I understood the meaning of what Darya said to me earlier. For me, it wasn''t cruelty. It was something beyond that, and I couldn''t explain it with words. She wasn''t the first person I had killed, but I felt bad for her because the way I killed her was almost monstrous. It was a battle and killing was inevitable, but somehow, I felt like the bad guy.

    I tried to stand, but I was wobbly. I felt dizzy and my nexus ached.

    I got a grip of myself, managing to snap out of the guilt that came over me.

    ¡°Did I just kill an Arcane?¡±

    I didn''t kill just any Arcane, I killed a member of the Order of Death. It was a feat to be proud of but I was just too tired to get excited.

    ¡°You''ve reached your limit,¡± Darya said to me.

    ¡°No, I can still fight. I need to help my mother out.¡±

    ¡°Look around you.¡±

    I didn''t see any lieutenant standing, they were all dead. I turned in Sophia¡¯s direction. The number of Arcanes she fought increased as she struggled badly against all three of them. Mom and her opponents were locked in a stalemate but the numbers disadvantage would eventually tell on her. My legs were heavy and all I could do was watch.

    Sophia couldn''t hold out much longer as she was brought to her knees. I was watching her get killed and I didn''t know what to do. Her black flames engulfed her, but they burned feebly. I watched in horror as one of the Arcanes drove his sword into her belly.

    ¡°They are going to kill her,¡± I muttered slowly.

    It was apparent that they didn''t know she was a princess. If they did, they wouldn¡¯t try to kill her since she could serve as an important prisoner of war. For a moment, I wanted to scream to them,

    ¡°She is the princess,¡± but I knew they weren''t going to believe me.

    Another Arcane swung his sword, trying to decapitate her. I didn''t think, I just moved. I triggered Realm slip and brought myself to where she helplessly knelt and before the sword could reach her, I disappeared with her. I placed her gently beside a rock, but that was all I could do for her. Her black flames weren''t burning anymore and her wound was still bleeding. Although she tried to apply some pressure on her wound with her hands, there was still a lot of blood coming from it. She didn''t have a lot of time. I drew out my dagger and cut a sizable portion of my cloth, placing it over her wound. Her hands were trembling as she held the cloth. She was in a sorry state and she looked really scared.

    I tried to encourage myself,

    ¡°I tried.¡±

    I didn''t know how I was still standing, but since I was, I had to keep moving. I triggered Realm slip once again and took Mom away from her fight, bringing her to where I placed Sophia. The expression on Mom''s face was asking,

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    I smiled, trying to reassure her that I knew exactly what I was doing.

    The Arcanes from the Imperium approached us rather casually. I smirked. They certainly didn''t see what I did to one of them which was great news for me.

    I walked towards the approaching soldiers through the heavy downpour. My sword dragged behind me, its metal scraping against the ground, creating a furrowed line in the dirt as I fought each step. After putting some distance between Mom and myself, I stopped walking. I took in a deep breath,

    ¡°One more time,¡± I said to Darya.

    ¡°I know humans are crazy, but I think you are the craziest.¡±

    I smiled,

    ¡°Maybe crazy is the new normal.¡±

    I triggered Darya¡¯s new spell once again. It was bright ahead of me, so bright that I couldn¡¯t even see the approaching soldiers. Following the blinding brightness was a thunderclap and shockwaves which sent me flying once again. I didn¡¯t crash. Somehow, Mom managed to catch me mid-flight.

    The world faded as darkness was the only thing my eyes could see. I couldn''t tell if I was coherent enough since I was too tired to speak, but I knew I said the words,

    ¡°I did it. We won.¡±

    There and then, I couldn''t feel myself anymore.

 43. CONVERSATIONS

    Darya and I were seated side by side atop a mountain. The view from the top was breathtaking. Below, the valleys stretched out for miles in all directions. The sky was brilliant blue, cloudless as the sun shone brightly, glinting off a distant river. In a distance, the peaks of other mountains loomed, majestic and imposing. The horizon seemed endless, and all I could do was admire the beauty of everything my eyes beheld. I didn''t know how I brought myself to the peak of the mountain because I couldn''t remember climbing it, but there I was, with Darya.

    ¡°I am probably somewhere passed out, right?¡±

    She scoffed,

    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that you know.¡±

    Darya didn¡¯t look happy. She looked worried. Although she tried to hide it, I could still tell as, most of the time, she tried to avoid looking at me. I had a vague idea about why she was worried, but I didn''t want to confront her about it, so I decided to feign ignorance.

    ¡°Those spells, do you have names for them?¡±

    ¡°Even if I did, do you think I would tell you? You can call them whatever you like, I don''t care.¡±

    ¡°Come on, you are ruining the mood,¡± I protested.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think I would love that?¡±

    ¡°Alright. At least tell me how they work.¡±

    Darya was silent, completely ignoring me.

    ¡°I know you are angry with me. To be honest, I wanted to feign ignorance, but it seems it isn''t helpful. I did what had to be done. My mother¡¯s life was in danger, and you knew it. I had to do something, and I don''t regret my actions. I¡¯m sorry, but if I find myself in a similar situation again, I will do the same thing.¡±

    ¡°Do you want to die so badly? Aren''t you scared?¡±

    I got annoyed a bit,

    ¡°Stop acting as if you care about me. You acted on your selfish desire to survive. I don''t know what it is, and I don''t care. I know you did what you had to do, and that''s why you ended up here with me. I am not going to judge you for that. Truth is, I am grateful to you because, in a society where one is largely valued based on how strong they are, I think I have a place in it. How would you possibly expect me to have powerful abilities and just sit on them? I can''t. So, don¡¯t act as if you are concerned about my well being. I don''t need your pity. Just stick to your own, and protect your interest.¡±

    I thought I had struck her on a sore spot, but the calm in her response said something else.

    ¡°What if I do care about you? Can''t I? I have been with you since you were born, so it''s natural to develop a bond with you; one that doesn''t require benefits. But I understand. After all, you don''t really know what it feels like to be loved.¡±

    I scoffed,

    ¡°Are you trying to make me feel better, or are you just being petty?¡±

    ¡°Well, that depends on how you want to interpret it.¡±

    ¡°She won¡¯t even let me get angry,¡± I said inwardly.

    Speaking in a calmer tone,

    ¡°I''ve been close to dying on multiple occasions, and the thought of death scares me, yet I get reckless most times. It feels like impulsive behavior, and I don''t think I can help it. This is war, and death is a risk that comes with it. I made a choice to be involved in the war, so I shouldn''t be overly worried about the risks that come with it, right?¡±

    Darya sighed, completely changing the course of our conversation.

    ¡°There is nothing spectacular about the spells. It just consumes a lot more mana. The first one traps anything thrown at it in a pocket space. The trapped objects or spells can be released whenever you wish, just like you saw during the battle. That was how you were able to bombard that soldier with her spells. The second one is a bit more complicated. In a nutshell, it''s a destructive spell. The spell tries to tear the space in an area apart. But if I do that, the effect would be disastrous, so I don''t. The attempt alone is enough to completely obliterate anything in the target area.

    I shrugged Darya,

    ¡°Woah, I might just be the strongest out there, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    There was a faint smile on her face,

    ¡°Coming from someone who passes out after conjuring spells, I wouldn''t quite agree with you.¡±

    ¡°There is something called improvement, but I guess you are unfamiliar with it.¡±

    ¡°To be honest, you are very impressive, being able to do the things you do. At first, I didn''t think you could wield my abilities. But surprisingly, you did, even though it came at a cost. I strongly believe that you are unique. Even without me, I believe you have the potential to become just as strong. You just don''t know it yet. For some reason, I think I am the one hindering you from discovering your true potential. I am scared, and I feel bad for you because I know that I am slowly killing you. Maybe it''s because I''ve grown a lot on you, so sometimes my emotions get the better of me, but I don''t want to watch you die.¡±

    ¡°You are starting to sound like you are my mother.¡±

    ¡°I guess I am something close to that.¡±

    ¡°Svan, you are stubborn, and I don''t think there is much I can do about it. But just like you said, I would protect my interest which means protecting you. Just don''t go overboard.¡±

    ¡°You are right. I am stubborn. But so far, I believe I''ve done what¡¯s best for everyone, and you know it. In the last battle, I pushed myself past my limit, but it had to be done. In the end, we were victorious. What I am trying to say is, I am not stupid, and I am not going to take unnecessary risks. We''re good now, right?¡±

    Darya heaved.

    ¡°I think the spells you have are enough to keep you from harm¡¯s way. I won''t teach you new ones unless your body learns to bear the strain of the ones you already have.¡±

    I chuckled,

    ¡°At this rate, I would transcend into something beyond human.¡±

    I stood up and stretched my body,

    You know, it is almost always peaceful here.¡±

    ¡°Next time you find yourself here, I promise, it won¡¯t be very comfortable.¡±

    ¡°I guess your time here is up.¡±

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    ¡°I felt it too.¡±

    ¡°See you. Hopefully, not anytime soon,¡± I said to her as she gradually faded from my sight. She wore a half smile on her face, and I reciprocated before she completely vanished as my thoughts shifted to what awaited me in the real world.

    My eyelids separated slowly. I expected my eyes to be welcomed by a bright light that would force them to squint, but that never came. It wasn¡¯t dark, but it wasn¡¯t too bright either.

    The room was familiar, a small one with very little furnishing; a bed, wooden table, and chair with a double casement window a few inches right and above the bed. I was at Mom¡¯s house. I got up quickly and looked outside, catching the sight of Mom, who was weeding her little garden. Sophia was seated on a tree stump, she had a cup with her, and she stared in Mom¡¯s direction. I was surprised she looked well, considering she was seriously injured the last time I saw her.

    ¡°How long was I knocked out,¡± I wondered.

    None of them noticed I was looking at them. I stood before the window, contemplating jumping from it rather than using the stairs. My intrusive thoughts won, and in an instant, the ground came up to meet me with a thud as I stumbled forward, barely keeping my balance.

    ¡°That¡¯s one way to tell us you¡¯ve woken up,¡± Sophia said as she sipped from her cup.

    Mom abandoned what she was doing in the garden as she ran out to meet me. Before she could say anything, I asked her,

    ¡°How long have I been out?¡±

    ¡°A day. I¡¯m glad you are up.¡±

    Mom led me to one of the makeshift seats,

    ¡°Sit down let me get you something to eat.¡±

    Sophia and I sat wordlessly opposite each other. She wasn¡¯t noiseless as she made sipping noises at intervals since the content of her cup was hot. After a brief moment of awkwardness between the two of us, she said,

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡± I replied in surprise since I wasn¡¯t expecting her to say anything to me.

    ¡°Thank you for saving my life.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I just did what I had to do.¡±

    ¡°Why did you do it? You could have just ignored me and let them kill me. I know you hate me, and I know you want me dead so why did you save me?¡±

    ¡°What makes you think I want you dead?¡±

    She opened her mouth to speak but stopped herself before the words left her mouth.

    I smiled,

    ¡°It would be a huge loss to the Azkhans if they lose their princess, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°She is a princess?¡±

    Mom¡¯s voice startled me a bit since I didn¡¯t notice that she was coming.

    ¡°So you two do have a history,¡± she continued, placing a plate of meat in front of me.

    I nodded,

    ¡°She was the one that almost killed me in the dark caverns.¡±

    With a weird smile across her face, Mom turned in Sophia¡¯s direction.

    ¡°Is that true?¡±

    Sophia didn¡¯t respond as she adjusted her position to avoid eye contact with Mom.

    ¡°But that¡¯s all in the past now, right?¡± I said, before taking a bite of a piece of meat. I was famished, but I did my best to eat like a sensible person.

    ¡°Well, if I was being honest, I thought you were going to die anyway. You bled a lot, and you weren¡¯t healing. Does that make you feel better?¡±

    Once again, Sophia didn¡¯t respond. She wasn¡¯t looking in my direction either, as she was still trying to avoid catching Mom¡¯s sight.

    ¡°How did she not die?¡± I asked Mom.

    ¡°I froze her wound to stop the bleeding, long enough until she was able to heal herself.¡±

    I nodded,

    ¡°I almost always forget how amazing you are.¡±

    Mom smiled faintly,

    ¡°Though I''m beginning to regret why I did that.¡±

    I chuckled,

    ¡°I guess she owes you one now.¡±

    Mom stole a few glances at me. I could tell that she wanted to say something to me but felt uneasy about it. I smiled at her,

    ¡°You can tell me, you know.¡±

    ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡± she asked in response.

    ¡°Sure, I¡¯m not busy after all.¡±

    ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    Her question came off, a bit surprising to me since I was expecting something else. I tried to laugh off her question,

    ¡°Do I not look alright?¡±

    ¡°You do now. But back then, when you faced the Imperial soldiers alone, you looked...¡±

    She paused, trying to come up with the appropriate word to complete her description. The look on her face told uncertainty but at the same time, showed conviction.

    ¡°....different.¡±

    I tried to recollect memories of what happened during the battle, but I didn''t remember acting differently, except she was referring to the spells I conjured, but I believed that wasn''t the case.

    ¡°Err... You know, we happened to find ourselves in a difficult situation. So it''s possible that I just... I mean... Overwhelmed, maybe?¡±

    With a faint smile on her face, she didn''t say anything else. Our conversation came to an end. She knew that I understood what she was trying to say, and she also knew that I wasn''t ready to talk. We were both silent, but our faces still spoke our words. The look on my face was trying to tell her we could have this conversation some other time. I felt stupid for trying to force it in the first place. Mom must have anticipated how awkward it might come off as, which made her hesitate.

    Moments ago, I was confident about opening up to her and telling her about Darya, but that confidence suddenly disappeared, and I couldn¡¯t bring myself to do it.

    Mom stood up,

    ¡°I think I should get some sleep. I haven''t had a bit of rest since the events of yesterday. You should rest too. Our General here insisted we head back tomorrow.¡±

    I waved at her as she walked back inside the house. Sophia''s voice came alive once again.

    ¡°Are you trying to get yourself killed?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I know it''s not my place, but I think I understand where your mother is coming from. The look on your face yesterday seemed like you wanted to get yourself killed, or you were okay with dying. It''s difficult to explain with words, so I can''t say for sure. But then, I can''t help but think it''s the former. You let me stab you even when you were strong enough to kill everyone present in the dark cavern that day, and when we met officially, you were intent on knowing why I didn''t kill you.¡±

    She scoffed,

    ¡°It all makes sense now.¡±

    I heaved. Both Mom and Sophia had the wrong ideas. My persona might have appeared differently in the heat of the moment, but then, I was by no means trying to get myself killed, even though my actions might have said otherwise. Mom and I would have that conversation, hopefully, sooner than later. For Sophia, I couldn''t care less about what she thought about me.

    ¡°Why did your people start this war?¡±

    ¡°I don''t know,¡± she replied almost immediately.

    Her response sounded genuine even though I didn''t believe it.

    ¡°Is this war a joke to you?¡±

    She dropped her cup on the table,

    ¡°No, it isn''t. But I don''t know. For what¡¯s worth, this war is even older than I am. I''m just a soldier obeying orders.¡±

    ¡°But you are the Princess. How can you have no idea about the cause? Or are you just ignorant?¡±

    ¡°You can say that, but what difference will it make? Even if I was given a reason, the course of action wouldn''t change. Because I am the princess of the Empire doesn''t mean I can influence the decisions of the Emperor or the Supreme council, so why bother?¡±

    ¡°You have a point, but to fight, you need a cause, and the soldiers who fight need to believe in it, or else if they die while fighting, they die for nothing.¡±

    She smiled,

    ¡°I can understand that you are naive, so you don¡¯t understand how the world works.¡±

    ¡°You are talking like you¡¯ve been around for a long time.¡±

    She picked up her cup and sipped from it again.

    ¡°Maybe I have.¡±

    I looked at her. I haven¡¯t known her for a long time, and I didn¡¯t even know much about her, but she was intriguing in many ways. She was difficult to read, and her words were not the easiest to understand. While I was staring at her, she said to me,

    ¡°To fight, you need an enemy.¡±

 44. THE THINGS THAT LINGER; SECRETS AND DESIRES

    We set out for Stafford before the first light. I wanted to get more sleep but Mom wasn¡¯t entertaining any of it. On arrival at Leif, the scenery was different. Its busy and crowded streets were empty and the only people I could see were Azkhan soldiers. It was clear that something wasn''t right. Even though I couldn''t piece the whole puzzle together, my best guess was that the situation had to be related to our battle against the members of the Order of Death.

    We were commanded to stop as a group of soldiers approached us. The reaction of the soldiers was a mixture of surprise and relief when they saw Sophia. The one in charge of the group that approached us, spoke as though he was lost of words. He was happy but did his best to suppress the outward portrayal of how he felt.

    ¡°General, I am so glad to see you are well. According to the reports, we feared that the worst chanced. The...¡±

    Sophia interrupted him,

    ¡°I am disappointed. Do you think I would be killed so easily? Have you forgotten who I am? Do I need to remind you?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t she being too confident for someone who was almost killed?¡± I asked myself. But I understood the situation from her perspective. She was someone they looked up to, so she needed to protect that image. The fact that she survived such an encounter with a victory was a boost to the side of the Azkhans.

    In a firm tone, the soldier replied,

    ¡°No, your Highness...¡±

    Almost immediately, he tried to correct his response but this time, he was stuttering.

    ¡°... I mean, General.¡±

    The expression on his face was indicative that he had messed up with his words

    ¡°It''s okay, they know who I am.¡±

    The soldier looked at me and Mom like he was trying to verify our identities. I wasn''t bothered, the look on my face was a stoic one, but Mom shot him a menacing look forcing him to turn away almost immediately.

    From the actions of the soldiers, I got to witness a glimpse of how the Azkhans saw Sophia. From my point of view, I''d always believed that powerful people were feared and that they commanded authority and respect through that fear. Sophia was a powerful personality to the Azkhans, and that fear lingered, but there was more. It almost felt like she was revered.

    ¡°Why is everywhere empty? What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°General Vayr¡¯s orders. We have been searching for you since we received reports that you were missing. Enforcing a controlled situation and restricting movements made the search easier and more efficient.¡±

    Sophia nodded and the soldier continued speaking.

    ¡°Your Highness, I suggest we take you to General Vayr immediately.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Mom stopped them before they turned to move.

    ¡°I think we will part ways here. I have a family that is worried about my absence too.¡±

    ¡°Alright. We will be visiting the Choryth manor very soon. This war is just beginning, there is a lot of work to be done.¡±

    ¡°We will be waiting,¡± Mom said to her, as we walked past them. We had just taken a few steps before I heard Sophia''s voice again.

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ***

    The darkness paled and bluish radiance shimmered. It wasn''t my first time, yet my eyes struggled to adjust to the contrasting shift between darkness and light everytime I used the transport gate. Stepping out of the platform that housed the transport gate, I looked around and caught the sight of Yukina and Evren. Yukina was pacing around restlessly while Evren was quietly seated in one corner. Almost immediately, they saw us too as they came running in our direction.

    Yukina¡¯s hands did its best to accommodate me and Mom as she buried her face in Mom¡¯s chest. Evren stood very close to us, wearing a smile on her face. She almost threw herself at us, just like Yukina did, but she managed to stop herself.

    In a muffled voice, Yukina said to us,

    ¡°I knew both of you would be fine.¡±

    I untangled myself from Yukina¡¯s grasp. Facing Evren, I stretched my hands, inviting a hug from her.

    We held each other in an embrace before she spoke.

    ¡°I''m so relieved that you guys are unscathed, but I still can¡¯t help feeling like the odd one here.¡±

    ¡°I understand that some things are difficult to get used to. It''s the same for every one of us, but we just have to. We are a family, that''s all that matters.¡±

    Just as I finished talking, Mom called Evren.

    ¡°Wouldn''t you give your mother a hug?¡±

    Evren took a few shy steps to close the distance between them.

    ¡°Come here,¡± Mom said, as she pulled her in.

    ¡°But you aren¡¯t my mother yet. You haven¡¯t married my father yet.¡±

    Mom let out a laugh,

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that would be a problem.¡±

    Darya¡¯s voice came alive in my head,

    ¡°Your siblings are just big babies.¡±

    I scoffed,

    ¡°And for some reason, I feel like the eldest one.¡±

    ***

    Four of us were seated in a carriage heading to the Choryth manor. Evren and Yukina had a lot of questions concerning the recent events but managed to summarize them in one context.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Before Mom could open her mouth to speak, Yukina interrupted her.

    ¡°We know what happened, but what really happened?¡±

    Mom smiled,

    ¡°You make it sound like we encountered something impossible.¡±

    ¡°Well, impossible is one way to describe it. The Order of Death has been a myth for so long because no one has faced them and lived to tell the tales, but you and Svan survived. It''s one thing to survive the encounter, and it''s another thing to survive unscathed.¡±

    ¡°We survived thanks to your brother and his other-worldly abilities.¡±

    Yukina and Evren turned to me. They didn¡¯t say anything as they struck me with a demanding look. Mom wore a mischievous smile on her face, she knew exactly what she was doing. She was trying to get me to open up indirectly since she couldn¡¯t bring herself to confront me directly. I wanted to tell them everything, but I felt that it wasn''t right. Knowing the truth wasn''t necessarily a good thing, and sometimes it does more harm than good.

    ¡°What?¡± I asked, pretending not to know why they were staring at me.

    The tone of Yukina¡¯s voice was confusing since I couldn¡¯t tell if she was being serious or if she was joking.

    ¡°Svan, How strong have you gotten?¡±

    ¡°How am I even supposed to...¡±

    Evren interrupted before I could even finish speaking.

    ¡°What kind of abilities do you even have?¡±

    I heaved,

    ¡°I think my abilities have something to do with spatial manipulation, and I don''t even understand how it works. As for how strong I am, I don''t know.¡±

    They both sat back, as they racked their brains over what I said to them.

    ¡°What elemental deviant is that?¡± Evren asked.

    ¡°I don''t think it''s a deviant ability. We were taught about a lot of things in school, but I''d never heard of such. It has to be something different from elemental conceptions.¡±

    ¡°You all have extensive knowledge of the Feel and mana manipulation, yet you are struggling to understand the nature of my ability. How do you think I would know any better? I don''t understand a thing too. To me, it feels like a learning process. I might just wake up tomorrow and discover I can do something new.¡±

    I paused and hoped they bought what I said to them. Although I wasn''t completely telling them the truth, since I held back the most important piece of information, I wasn''t lying either.

    ¡°In a nutshell, Svan has a mysterious and broken Feel,¡± Evren summarized.

    Sounding like someone defeated, Yukina voiced,

    ¡°I could clearly remember the first manifestation of this unusual power of yours. Ha-ha,¡± she laughed briefly,

    ¡°I thought you were about to get yourself killed when you charged the falx alone.¡±

    Mom sat up,

    ¡°So, it''s more like a habit of yours?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Yukina squeaked.

    She was a bit surprised and probably thought Mom directed the question to her since she was the only one speaking at the moment. Though the question didn''t make sense from her perspective, she couldn''t help but react. I didn''t need a hint to know that Mom was referring to me. Scratching my hair, I tried to laugh it off.

    ¡°It just happens.¡±

    ¡°What''s going on here?¡± Yukina asked, trying to grasp the situation.

    ¡°He did the exact thing when we were attacked at Brisdow; charging the enemy head-on like someone who didn''t care about his life. I looked at him, and he looked like a different person, almost unrecognizable, yet the feeling was familiar because it reminded me of myself.

    ¡°Mom, what are you talking about?¡± Yukina asked in a quavering voice.¡±

    She took in a deep breath and held Yukina¡¯s right hand.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what I am. I don''t know anything about my past. I searched for answers but I found so little. Among the few things I discovered about myself, one of them is how differently I approach a combat scenario when my life is on the line. I get overwhelmed by a strange aura, a feeling of darkness, one I can''t get used to. It makes me feel powerful, fearless, and daring, pushing my limits. But that darkness consumes me. It eats up what emotions I have, makes me less humane, and brings out the monster in me. I thought it was just me, a trait of mine. But in that battle, Svan gave off the same ambiance.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so this is what she wanted to talk about?¡± I queried inwardly. I was mistaken again. I thought that maybe she wanted to talk to me about my abilities since my strength grew at an unbelievable rate. What she just said was an insight into a new discovery. I tried to remember every previous fight of mine, and I didn''t remember feeling what she just explained. She was right about how different I looked or acted, but that was Darya¡¯s doing.

    ¡°I''m not sure, but I''m not denying it. I haven''t consciously had such an experience. Maybe it happens subconsciously.¡±

    ¡°Mom, you make it sound like it¡¯s a bad thing,¡± Yukina said, relaxing on the backrest of the carriage seat.

    ¡°I almost got scared for nothing. If that feeling you just described would make me get stronger, I would gladly have it.¡±

    Yukina wore a flippant, yet serious expression on her face. I couldn''t take my eyes off her, and she didn''t seem to notice that I was staring at her because she was annoyed for reasons I had an idea about.

    She was someone I looked up to, someone I wished I was. She was my favorite person even before I learned that she was my sister. I didn''t forget how much of an influence she¡¯s had on me. Her obsession to get stronger infected me, and now I can''t cure myself of it.

    ¡°You aren''t satisfied now, are you?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°No, I am not. I thought I would be since I found my mother. It did indeed give me some closure, but now, given the current situation, how can I be satisfied? I can''t even take care of a demon alone, and now, what do we have? The Order of Death? Who knows what other kind of insanely strong group we have out there?¡±

    Mom tried to reassure her,

    ¡°Be patient my love. Growth takes time. You are already incredible as you are.¡±

    ¡°I''m being patient. It''s just frustrating because I know I can do more, I can feel so much more potential within me but I just can''t tap into it no matter how hard I try.¡±

    The look on Mom¡¯s face had a sad tinge to it.

    ¡°Yukina, is being strong all that matter to you? What is the most important thing to you?¡±

    Yukina was about to give a spontaneous response but stopped herself when she looked at Mom. Her tone was a lot calmer,

    ¡°You, Svan, Evren, the High Lord. This family is the most important thing to me. But this family isn''t just like any other. I need to be able to protect it. I want to be a proud member of this family. I don''t want to trail behind just to look at your backs, I want to walk with everyone right in front. That''s why I want to be strong.¡±

    For some reason, I was relieved by Yukina¡¯s answer. I was happy she didn''t say anything that would have gotten Mom upset.

    ¡°I will help you in whatever way I can, but you have to promise to take it easy, alright?¡±

    Evren, who hadn''t spoken much added grumpily,

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget me too.¡±

    Everyone laughed. The tension eased, and the mood lightened.

    Everyone was silent for a brief while, probably busy with their thoughts until Yukina made sure we used our mouths to speak again.

    ¡°Mom, I''ve been really curious since you said Svan did the most in that battle. Is he now as strong as you are?¡±

    ¡°I''m pretty sure I will still best him in combat,¡± Mom replied, smiling.

    Speaking inwardly, I said,

    ¡°Mom must be lying.¡±

    Darya¡¯s voice came alive again,

    ¡°She is not.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°During that battle, I could perceive she was holding back. Why she was, I don''t know. This has been the same since you met her.¡±

    ¡°So, even with everything I can do now, she still has an edge.¡±

    ¡°One day, you will get to see for yourself.¡±

    I was surprised and I couldn''t help but think about what Mom was hiding. I turned my gaze in her direction, slowly coming to the realization that behind that beautiful face that always had a smile on it, there was a lot more.

    We journeyed until we arrived at the Choryth manor, and we all alighted the carriage. I stared at the gates as a voice inside the walls commanded for the gates to be opened.

    ¡°Home sweet home,¡± I said with a smile. I was eager to meet Lord Edger, not because I missed him, but because I had a lot to talk to him about. The event of Brisdow was going to change our stance in this war.

 45. COMPROMISE

    SOPHIA STONECLAW

    I was in the council building at Leif as I walked through a flight of stairs accompanied by a few soldiers. I couldn''t stop thinking about Orlyo. I wasn¡¯t concerned about how he fared during the battle. In fact, I wasn¡¯t concerned about how anyone fared. I just wanted to see the enemy gone. Things turned out badly and I was left at the mercy of Svan. If he had the same mindset I had, I would have been dead. The battle was over so I had enough time to reflect on it. That was the moment Orlyo¡¯s absence struck me.

    I was certain that the Choryths and I were the only survivors of Brisdow¡¯s aftermath. Orlyo was most probably dead, and I didn''t feel the sadness that came with losing someone I¡¯d known for a long time. That was the moment I realized my attachment to this world was superficial, and the only person I truly cared about here was my father. For Orlyo, I just felt something was missing. I got used to having him around, so I wasn¡¯t sure about how I would feel if he wasn¡¯t around anymore.

    I was led into a room. It was unfamiliar to me since it was different from the hall where I held a brief meeting with Tarde and a few other lieutenants before departing for Brisdow.

    The room was circular, and its size was a bit too much for a room. I was struck by its grandeur and the intricate details that adorned every surface. The walls were crafted from a dark stone that seemed to shimmer and glow in the dim light, etched with magical symbols that pulsed with a soft light. The room was spacious, with a high ceiling that was lost in the shadows above. The lighting in the room made me draw comparisons with that in my father¡¯s throne room. Though they were very different, their oddness was very similar.

    In the center of the room stood a long, rectangular table, crafted from a dark and mysterious wood that was unlike anything I had ever seen. Or maybe I hadn¡¯t just seen enough. The table was surrounded by high-backed chairs that appeared to be crafted from the same material, their designs intricate and clean.

    The walls were adorned with tapestries depicting mythical creatures and ancient battles, each one, more elaborate and detailed than the last. The floor was made of polished marble, with intricate patterns etched into its surface, and was so shiny that I could see my reflection staring back up at me.

    The room was empty, save for me, who stood at its entrance, taking in its grandeur and intricate details. The air was cool and musty, etched with magic and mystery that only added to the room''s allure.  As I made my way around the table, I marveled at the carvings and designs that adorned its surface.

    I pulled one of the chairs noiselessly out of its place before sitting softly on it. I sat thoughtlessly for a brief moment, trying to immerse myself in the aura that filled the room. The sensation was familiar as my body subconsciously resonated with it¡ªmagic. An essential component of life in this world. I remembered how much I struggled to get used to it in the beginning. To be fair, I struggled to get used to a lot of things; my body included, and being a teenager in a child''s body was the hardest. Though I wielded magic, and to a great extent, understood it, it still felt foreign to me, and that feeling came alive as I entered the room. The magic in the room was pulsatile, almost like every item and artifact in it had a unique magic signature. It was soft, friendly, and welcoming, unlike the violent ones on a battleground.

    The aura the room emanated was soothing, making me lose track of time since I couldn''t tell how long I sat there. I was reminded of perception when the door handle clacked. I turned in the direction of the sound and watched the door open. Vayr walked in first and Octavia followed closely behind.

    ¡°Hope I didn''t make you wait too long. I came over once I got the news.¡±

    Vayr¡¯s baritone which didn''t peculiarly match his figure was as calm as usual. I thought he would sound a bit unsettled, but he didn''t give off any hint of worry.

    Gesturing with a little gap between my thumb and index finger, I said to him,

    ¡°I was this close to sleeping.¡±

    Vayr sat opposite me, and Octavia stood beside him.

    ¡°You look pretty relaxed even though I was almost flatlined two days ago.¡±

    I used the word flatline on purpose. Though he didn''t know what it meant, the context of what I said to him should give him an idea of its meaning.

    Vayr chuckled.

    ¡°You know, I had imagined different possible realities, one in which you are dead. And I must tell you, they didn¡¯t look good, not for me at least. So believe me, looking at you now, I haven''t felt this relief in a long long while.¡±

    ¡°Well, I was lucky to have the Choryths with me. It would have been a different story.¡±

    Vayr leaned forward,

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Maybe I was overconfident and underestimated the Arcanes that fought for the Imperium. I did just fine against a single opponent, he was young but I took care of him quite easily. But it wasn''t over as three more came at me at the same time and fought me till exhaustion. They weren''t just strong, they were skillful too. They fought in unbelievable synchrony, like each of them was a component of a three-part machine. Every single Mana in my nexus was drained, and for the first time in a battle, I got scared.¡±

    I sighed and leaned backward on the backrest of my chair.

    ¡°Hey, Vayr. Have you ever been run through by a blade?¡±

    ¡°A couple of times I guess.¡±

    ¡°I was down on my knees as I felt the cold steel pierce my flesh. Pain followed, searing through my body like a white-hot flame. My strength failed me, too weak to even scream. For a moment, I couldn''t breathe, couldn''t move. I was in a frozen place, struggling to process what had just happened to me.¡±

    Vayr still listened attentively, even though what I had just said wasn''t necessary.

    ¡°Just when I thought it was over, the Choryth, Svan appeared from nowhere and disappeared with me. Thankfully he was just in time, else I would have lost my head.¡±

    I chuckled, not sure about what I found amusing.

    ¡°He didn''t stop there. With a single spell, he killed every Arcane there.¡±

    Vayr seemed interested in this part of my narration,

    ¡°What kind of spell did he use?¡±

    ¡°I don''t know. I haven''t seen it before. There was an explosion, and after that, no traces of life were left, not even remains. But it seemed he could only use it once, as a last resort, because he passed out for almost a day after he used it.¡±

    ¡°Once upon a time, you wanted the Choryths killed, but they''d just turned out to save your life.¡±

    ¡°You don''t have to rub it on my face. I am not an expert in matters of politics and war,¡± I replied.

    ¡°We still have to tread carefully with them. It''s quite obvious they will make new demands, given the incident in Brisdow. They know your status, right?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, yes,¡± I replied.

    ¡°It makes it worse, but it''s okay.¡±

    Vayr drummed his fingers on the table, seemingly indulging his thoughts until I called his attention.

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°Vayr, I have two questions for you.¡±

    The look on his face gave me a go-ahead.

    ¡°Firstly, given the current turn of events? Do you think you can still win this war?¡±

    ¡°It''s a difficult question to answer because there are still some unknown variables that can affect the outcome of the war. Currently, I think the odds are still in our favor. A lot of time and effort has been put into getting us here so we just have to do our best.¡±

    ¡°So you are saying we can still lose it?¡±

    ¡°I''d rather not consider that possibility,¡± he replied.

    ¡°Alright, here is the second question. Why did we start this war?¡±

    Vayr looked at me with scrutiny in his eyes.

    ¡°This question, is it coming from a place of fear?¡±

    ¡°No. I was asked the same, and I didn''t have an answer.¡±

    ¡°Me too. I don''t have an answer to that question. I''m just a soldier following orders. If anyone here should know the reason, it should be you. You are the Emperor¡¯s daughter after all.¡±

    ¡°Until recently, I wasn''t interested in all of this. I guess I will have to ask my father. But I will do that when I have done enough.¡±

    We both went silent for a brief moment until I broke it with an unexpected request. Something suddenly struck me, though it was a result of the anger I felt recounting what happened at Brisdow. I remembered relishing the aura the room gave off but I wasn''t interested in knowing the workings behind it. Only results mattered. I''d already acknowledged the mysterious nature of magic, so what mattered was if or not it worked. There and then, I thought, maybe I shouldn''t care about what I do to get stronger. After all, strength in this world depended on how much magic one wielded.

    ¡°I might sound like a hypocrite but at this point, I don''t care anymore. Prepare the Erkvare ritual for me.¡±

    ¡°The Arcanes really did leave a scar on you,¡± Vayr said, before turning to Octavia.

    ¡°Get it done.¡±

    ***

    Octavia led me to the room where the ritual will be performed as we walked side by side along a narrow passage.

    ¡°Your Majesty, if I may?¡±

    I nodded in approval.

    ¡°Why did you choose not to perform this ritual before now? All El-bloods take pride in this ritual. It gives them a sense of superiority over the normal folk since this ritual would kill them should they take part in it.¡±

    I turned in her direction,

    ¡°You''ve been through this ritual, right?

    ¡°Yes, your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°If we should fight each other to death, who will be the one standing?¡±

    ¡°That would be you. You are special even among El-bloods.¡±

    ¡°So, do you understand why I didn''t feel the need to undergo the ritual? I''ve always felt this way¡ªspecial, just like you said. But I don''t feel it anymore. I got too comfortable and forgot there is a reason for my existence here. What happened in Brisdow made me realize that I''m nowhere near being special.¡±

    Octavia was silent. I knew she wanted to ask me more questions but she chose not to.

    We arrived at the room. Four people in it prepared everything needed for the ritual. Upon our arrival, the two males among them left, leaving two middle-aged women behind.

    ¡°Why did they leave?¡± I whispered to Octavia.

    ¡°For privacy, your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Privacy? Does their presence affect the ritual in any way?¡±

    ¡°Not really. But you will need to take off your clothes, so it will be grossly inappropriate if they were to be present.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± I said, pretending not to be overly concerned before muttering afterward,

    ¡°I knew this was a bad idea,¡± I muttered.

    ¡°Whenever you are ready, your Majesty.¡±

    I took off my clothes and stood in front of a transparent circular chamber. I was a little embarrassed but that was the least of my problems. One of the women brought a bowl containing a colorless thick greasy liquid and handed it to Octavia as she carefully and thoroughly applied it all over my body while I stood.¡±

    ¡°You seem a bit bold with my body, don''t you think?¡± I said to her.

    ¡°I am just doing what I''m supposed to,¡± she replied shyly.

    I smiled,

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind me, I was just teasing you.¡±

    She responded with a faint smile. While making sure every part of my body got a taste of whatever substance the bowl contained, she said to me,

    ¡°No matter what happens, don''t trigger your innate flames.¡±

    I nodded.

    When she was done, she handed me an Erkvare pendant which I held with my left hand. I didn''t take my eyes off her, lest I missed any step of the ritual. She took a dagger from what looked like an altar and made a deep cut transversely across my right hand. It stung but it was bearable.

    ¡°Once you get inside the chamber, hold the pendant with your bloodied hand, and don''t let go. Whatever happens, don''t try to hold your breath.¡±

    I stepped into the chamber as Octavia shut the door behind me. Inside the chamber, I did as I was told. As the pendant touched my bloodied hand, it burned. I grit my teeth so hard and was on the verge of screaming, but I still held the pendant firmly. Suddenly, black fumes began to seep from my right hand. It was obvious that the fumes came from the pendant.

    The black fumes clouded the whole chamber, and breathing became difficult. The words, ¡°Whatever happens, don''t try to hold your breath,¡± echoed in my head. I was suffocating but I still tried to breathe through the fumes. It wasn''t long until I started choking and I responded by coughing violently. My consciousness was gradually fading and it was just a matter of time before I collapsed.

    Just before I completely lost consciousness, my breathing began to ease up until I started breathing properly. The fumes were gone and the pendant stopped burning. Surprisingly, there were no burn scars on my hand, and it still bled. Suddenly, I felt a weird sensation inside me. It felt as though something was spiraling around my nexus in a ring-like manner. It became obvious where the fumes went.

    Oddly, I felt a surge of strength from within me. I couldn''t explain it but I could feel it. I stood still, listening to my body in case I noticed more changes but I was distracted as Octavia opened the chamber door.

    ¡°Your Majesty, the ritual is complete,¡± Ocativa said to me as she covered my body with a white robe.

    ¡°That was an awful feeling.¡±

    ¡°You handled it well. The majority pass out, only to wake up hours later.¡±

    ¡°What about this pendant? I need to wear it always, right?¡±

    I looked closely at it but it didn''t seem to be special. I wouldn''t have believed that such a simple artifact was a means to become more powerful if I hadn''t witnessed it. I didn''t want to concern myself with how it worked. A lot of things in this world were difficult to explain, some didn''t just make sense, yet they existed. That was magic. Mysterious, yet workable.

    ¡°No, you don''t. It has served its purpose,¡± Octavia replied.

    ¡°So, why do most El-bloods I come across wear them?¡±

    ¡°No reason in particular. It''s just an unspoken rule. But I think most of them wear it since it''s the easiest way to identify an El-blood.¡±

    I tossed the pendant to her,

    ¡°I don''t think I will be needing this.¡±

    I channeled mana to my right hand in an attempt to heal the cut, but it disappeared instantaneously. I smiled. I knew my healing was quick, but this was rapid.

    ¡°Tell the attendants to bring me something to eat, I am famished,¡± I said to her before leaving the room.

    I was a bit surprised to find Vayr standing in front of the door. He led the way as we walked slowly through the passage.

    ¡°You just reminded me of Orlyo. Are you going to take his place now and act like him?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. I hear he is still missing but we haven''t stopped searching for him. Hopefully, he isn''t...¡±

    ¡°He is dead. In case you find his body, let me know.¡±

    I felt guilty. The words I said were harsh, and I didn''t mean them but they gave me a false sense of strength which was much needed. I''d always seen Orlyo as a nuisance but now he is seemingly gone, I wished he was around. Deep down, I wished he was alive somewhere, but I had to accept what could be a bitter reality.

    Vayr noticed I was going through an emotional conflict so he changed the conversation.

    ¡°How was the ritual?¡± he asked.

    ¡°It felt like shit.¡±

    He chuckled,

    ¡°Shit can be good sometimes.¡±

    ¡°Probably. So, what''s next?¡± I asked him.

    ¡°Well, the Southern Republic is completely under our control although what happened in Brisdow could happen again, so we just have to be prepared. The situation in the Northern Republic still needs to be properly addressed so that''s our next destination. Before that, we need to meet the Choryths. It turned out that I need them more than they need me.¡±

    ¡°We could do anything later, but right now, all I want to do is to eat a hearty meal and have a good sleep.¡±

 46. YIELDING; HEIRS TO POWER

    ELIORA AYLING

    Edger¡¯s private study had become my favorite place in all of the castle. Maybe I was constantly drawn to it because it was just too cozy, or maybe it was because Edger was almost always there.

    Even though I was the wife-to-be to the High Lord of House Choryth, and even though I had practically lived my childhood and my teenage years as a Choryth, I still felt like a stranger. There weren¡¯t a lot of people I associated with, and the current situation in the Republic didn¡¯t allow the luxury of informal affiliations. The vast majority of the time, meeting people was just strictly business; giving orders, coordinating a plan, and carrying out assignments.

    The armchair that nestled on the left of the window was technically mine, like a property in a marked territory. Each time I found solace in this room, it was to that familiar chair I surrendered my weary body. Now, cocooned within its depths, wrapped in a blanket against the night''s chill, I sat. Though the windows were closed, a subtle breeze permeated the room, lending an ethereal touch.

    The study room was cloaked in shadows, the flickering candlelight casting dancing silhouettes on the walls, and the crackling fire in the hearth seemed to mirror the turmoil within me, its warmth offering little solace to the questions that plagued my thoughts.

    At that moment, I allowed myself to think¡ªsomething I had skillfully avoided in recent days, burying my innermost conversations beneath a flurry of activities. But now, the weight of two significant events spiraled through my mind. The first was memories that flooded back like fragmented whispers in the recesses of my mind, urging me to confront the emotions that had been long buried. Second, uncertainties about the future loomed.

    I turned in Edger''s direction. His attention was focused on a book he was reading. The image of his face burned through my thoughts, forcing them to conform to it. There was a wall between us. We were both aware of its presence but none of us was willing to tear it down. But the wall was natural, so it was understandable why it still stood.

    ¡°Edger,¡± I began, my voice betraying a mix of guilt and determination that coursed through me.

    He dropped the book he was reading and looked in my direction.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you hate me?¡±

    As unexpected as the question was, Edger didn¡¯t look surprised, almost like he was expecting it. He didn¡¯t respond immediately, probably trying to understand why I asked such a question.

    I searched his face carefully under the guidance of the dim lamp that stood on his table. I expected to see at least the tiniest bit of surprise on his face, or any hint of emotion, but his countenance remained an impenetrable mask. If there was one skill Edger had mastered flawlessly, it was rendering his expressions unreadable.

    I waited a bit before hearing a response, which came in the form of a question.

    ¡°Why should I hate you?¡±

    I didn¡¯t hesitate to continue the conversation,

    ¡°Because I gave you reasons to. I left, got married, had children, and when I was in trouble, I ran back to you shamelessly. I made you take care of my children. All my actions, they appear selfish. I¡­¡±

    He cut me off before any more words left my mouth.

    ¡°They are selfish. But..¡±

    He paused for a bit,

    ¡°I don¡¯t hate you.¡±

    There was a torrent of heartfelt words that would have followed the ¡°but¡±, yet Edger managed to keep his feelings in check.

    I wasn¡¯t giving up yet. I was determined on knowing how he truly felt.

    ¡°Edger, you aren¡¯t making things easy. I am trying to break down my walls and leave myself exposed to you. That way we can learn to completely trust each other, and I believe you should do the same.

    ¡°I don¡¯t hate you, Eliora.  I¡ªI love you. I have always loved you. How else will you explain the things I did for you? I might indeed pretend that I did them for my benefit but deep down, I know why I did what I did. When you left, it hurt, but I had to respect your decision. I thought I wouldn¡¯t see you again and I moved on with my life. But, here we are again.¡±

    I was flustered, but the shadows cast on me did a great job of concealing it. I never expected to hear those words from Edger. I knew he did love me, but I didn¡¯t expect him to admit it easily.

    I felt a compulsion to reciprocate how I felt, but I held back the words before they left my mouth. At that point, I believed that anything I said wouldn''t sound sincere enough. I didn¡¯t know what else to say. Every question I intended to ask disappeared leaving no trace, and all I could do was smile. I wanted to confront any animosity that lingered between us, but I got an even better result.

    ¡°But I won¡¯t chase after you, even if you decide to leave again.¡±

    I smiled even more broadly,

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to ruin the mood.¡±

    The awkward aura that filled the room didn''t disappear as it was accompanied by silence. In a desperate attempt to escape from it, I decided to change the course of our conversation.

    ¡°Given the current situation, what are your plans moving forward?¡±

    For the first time, Edger closed the book in front of him. His reaction was welcoming, and It was obvious that he had something to say.

    ¡°If only you waited for a moment, I would have asked the exact question in your stead.¡±

    ¡°Well, I beat you to it.¡±

    ¡°I don''t have any concrete plan. I''m just trying to be vigilant. Anything we do is heavily dependent on what decisions the Azkhans make.¡±

    ¡°True, but don''t you think we''ve had more influence in this war than they''ve had?¡± I asked.

    ¡°From a perspective, yes. But they started this war so they still command a bigger impact in it. To be fair, everything happening till now still feels surreal, even though we''ve found ourselves in life-and-death situations a couple of times.¡±

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    The tone of my voice changed, as bits of seriousness seeped into it.

    ¡°You still feel that way, probably because you haven''t lost anyone important to this war,¡± I said to him.

    Edger leaned back on the backrest of his seat,

    ¡°As harsh as it sounds, I think you are right, and that''s what scares me most.¡±

    ¡°I promised to protect them, no matter the cost. So, you shouldn''t be too worried,¡± I said reassuringly, but Edger was thinking differently.

    ¡°...or rather, what scared me the most,¡± he said.

    I was confused,

    ¡°A bit of explanation would be very much appreciated.¡±

    With you, Svan, Yukina, and Evren, I think House Choryth can hold its own, provided I play the right cards.¡±

    I began to doubt if I was having a conversation with Edger. The Edger I knew was hardly optimistic, but his statement told otherwise.

    ¡°I wouldn''t be quite sure about that, we haven''t just been overwhelmed yet. Besides, our children aren''t strong enough yet.¡±

    ¡°That''s because we''ve been holding them back.¡±

    The surprises just kept on coming.

    ¡°What... How do you know?¡±

    I wanted to feign pretense, but I gave up. If I wanted a better relationship with Edger, I needed to give up some secrets. I had underestimated Edger¡¯s wits and had forgotten how good he was at studying people.

    ¡°I know you have your reasons, and I believe your intentions are good, but I can tell that Svan and Yukina have untapped potential buried within them. After all, they are your children.¡±

    ¡°Why do you think I''m hesitant? They are not even full-blooded Arcanes. Yukina is a stillbringer, just like her father. And Svan, I don''t even understand the nature of what ability he has.¡±

    ¡°I think you are scared of something. Yukina and Svan are different, far away from normal. Yukina became a threefold stillbringer at a young age. You know, as well as I do that such feat is unheard of. And for Svan, well, let Svan be Svan. But my question is, where do you think they got those traits from?¡±

    At this rate, it was just a matter of time until Edger confronted every secret I kept. His intuition was sharper than a fine blade. The annoying part was that, at any time, I couldn''t tell what he was thinking, or predict his next move.

    ¡°Yes, you are right. I am scared of something. Two things to be exact. I am no expert, and I didn''t have anyone to make me understand who or what I am, but if their Feel shares traits with mine, then the awakening might kill them. If I''m being honest, they should be kind of dead to trigger whatever their Feel possesses, if they possess it. And you should understand that whatever it is, I have no idea, but I know it''s something. Secondly, even if they awaken, what is even scarier is the bloodlust that follows. It doesn''t go away. Whenever they fight, they become single-minded killing monsters overwhelmed with the urge to kill, as every empathy and emotion disappears from them.¡±

    ¡°But you learned to control it, didn¡¯t you?¡± Edger chipped in.

    I let out a tired smile,

    ¡°No, I didn''t. It''s more like, I learned to live with it.¡±

    We were silent for a bit,

    ¡°So do you understand why I am hesitant?¡±

    Edger nodded in response before speaking,

    ¡°But I think it''s a risk you should take. It''s better safe than sorry, right?¡±

    That was more like Edger¡ªcold and soulless. The expression on my face asked,

    ¡°You must be joking, right?¡±

    He read it correctly,

    ¡°No, I''m not. After all, I am prepared to take the same risk for Evren.¡±

    ¡°Evren? What do you mean?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Do you remember the story of the phoenix and the dragons?¡±

    ¡°Yes, how can I forget? It was the first book you made me read when we were little. What relevance does it have?¡±

    ¡°Do you believe dragons once existed?¡± Edger asked.

    I scoffed,

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Isn''t that supposed to be some mythical folklore?¡±

    ¡°No, it''s not. That''s the secret House Choryth has harbored for centuries.¡±

    I was speechless, and the shock was visible on my face.

    ¡°Everything told in that story is real. It''s a secret hidden in plain sight.¡±

    ¡°But according to the story, all dragons were killed.¡±

    ¡°Except one,¡± Edger cut in.

    ¡°And it has dwelled in the dungeons deep below this castle.¡±

    Though I was carefully listening to what Edger was saying, I was struggling to believe it.

    Edger continued speaking,

    ¡°I don''t believe in fate, but it''s difficult for me to accept that everything happening now is just a mere coincidence.¡±

    Slowly, I managed to ask.

    ¡°So, you mean Evren is a phoenix?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It''s been over a thousand years since the last phoenix. Their existence, alongside that of dragons, had almost been erased from history. I didn''t think that I would see one in my lifetime, but then Evren happened.¡±

    ¡°But how can you be so sure?¡±

    ¡°Eternal amber,¡± Edger voiced.

    I vividly remembered the story stating that the phoenix had an amber nexus that didn''t ever change, and more importantly, they were dragonlords.

    ¡°You mean Evren was born with an amber nexus?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°But I thought her Feel is at the gold stage,¡± I queried.

    ¡°Solely based on appearance, are you physically able to differentiate an amber and a golden stage?¡± Edger asked.

    ¡°No,¡± I replied.

    ¡°Exactly. The difference can only be seen strength-wise. And strength-wise, Evren is easily at a gold stage Feel. A lot of people call her the Phoenix, a nickname I gave to her when I discovered she was one, but they don''t know the reason I called her that. She has no idea about who she is, but I won''t keep it a secret from her anymore. More importantly, she is going to have to face the Shadowflame¡ªZephyrix.¡±

    Our conversation took an unprecedented turn, one filled with events I was unprepared for. There were a lot of details I wanted to know, but it could wait as I tried to process the ones I had already.

    A mischievous smile curled from Edger¡¯s lip,

    ¡°I am sure you wouldn''t want Evren and Svan to fall behind.¡±

    ¡°Hey, this isn''t a competition,¡± I said with a half frown on my face.

    ¡°It''s not. But you know, they always compete among themselves, especially Yukina and Evren. They can''t just help it,¡± Edger said in defense.

    ¡°Because you raised them that way.¡±

    ¡°Well, about that, I don''t deny.¡±

    ¡°Edger, you are making me do things I don''t want to do,¡± I said in a complaint-laden tone.

    ¡°I wouldn''t have brought this up if the situation surrounding us wasn''t grim. As ambitious as I am perceived, the children¡¯s safety remains my priority.¡±

    I smiled,

    ¡°I never knew you were this sweet.¡±

    He scoffed,

    ¡°I''ve always been this way.¡±

    Following an exhausted heave, I said to him,

    ¡°You leave me with no choice then. Congratulations, you have a family of overpowered oddities.¡±

    ¡°Well, I think I am the only normal person in it.¡±

    ¡°No. You are just the weakest one, or rather about to be,¡± I mocked.

 47. A FAMILY AFFAIR

    SVAN CHORYTH

    The relationship between Yukina, Evren, and I had undergone a remarkable transformation, showing lots of improvement. The constant bickering didn¡¯t go away, especially between Yukina and Evren. They didn¡¯t ever seem to agree on anything. Weirdly, that was how they got along with each other. It was the easiest way they communicated without feeling awkward. At first glance, it appeared as if they were always engaged in never-ending arguments, but upon taking a closer look, it was clear that they listened to, and cared about each other.

    Their competitive nature remained unyielding, as was evident whenever they trained together or sparred against each other. One would be left wondering why they never take it easy on each other. For me, it was okay. I saw it as a healthy rivalry.

    Three of us were having breakfast together when an attendant came to relay a message to us.

    ¡°Lady Evren, the High Lord requests your presence at his study. Lord Svan, and Lady Yukina, Lady Eliora wants to meet you both at the training grounds.¡±

    ¡°Hope they didn¡¯t say we should abandon our breakfast and meet them immediately, because I am not leaving this place until I am done eating,¡± Yukina said, with her voice slightly muffled with a food-filled mouth.

    The attendant responded politely, ¡°Of course not. Please take your time,¡± before bowing and departing.

    It was natural to wonder why they requested our presence separately. Mom usually had breakfast with us every morning. Although she didn¡¯t join us this morning, it didn¡¯t strike me as unusual. I assumed that maybe she had duties to attend to. However, upon hearing the attendant¡¯s message, a sense of intrigue started to settle as it was apparent that she missed breakfast on purpose.

    Evren asked the question that was on everyone¡¯s mind,

    ¡±What¡¯s going on.¡±

    ¡°We are just as clueless as you are,¡± Yukina replied.

    ¡°Maybe the High Lord is about to give you an earful while we train. Why else would we be summoned to the training grounds, while you are being called to his study?¡±

    Evren bought my suggestion quite easily even though it was meant to be a jest.

    ¡°But I haven''t done anything wrong.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not for you to decide. Hopefully, he has more than just a scolding in store for you. A fitting punishment, perhaps,¡± Yukina chimed in, her face lit up with a playful grin.

    ¡°Be nice, will you? It''s too early,¡± Evren responded. Sensing Evren¡¯s mood, and the need to prevent the situation from escalating, I interjected,

    ¡°Come on, I was just joking. I am sure there must be something important he wishes to discuss with you.¡±

    ¡°I hope that¡¯s the case,¡± Evren conceded as she resumed her meal.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you being a bit too sensitive today? You can¡¯t even tell when someone is joking, Yukina asked. Though it was a question she threw in the air, it was directed to Evren.

    ¡°Not again,¡± I silently groaned.

    ¡°Was I?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you were. What happened? Did you get rejected after a love confession?¡±

    I unintentionally burst into laughter. Hurriedly, I covered my mouth with my hands but it was already too late.

    Yukina was right; Evren was being too sensitive. The good thing was, she handled it well and humored her way into asking what was wrong with her.

    Evren laughed too,

    ¡°I guess you are right, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°It''s fine. I would gladly switch places with you. I''m too tired to take a beating from Mom.¡±

    I continued eating but still wondered what could be going on before I heard Darya¡¯s voice,

    ¡°You think a lot for your age. Relax, it might just be nothing of concern.¡±

    Darya had become more than just a friend; she had become my confidante and my partner. Within the course of a few days, we¡¯d had countless conversations, especially about questions I needed answers to. Though I didn''t have access to her thoughts as she has to mine, she was open to answering any question I asked her.

    Sleeping at night had transformed into an event I eagerly anticipated since I paid her visits whenever I slept. I did visit her more often, or rather, she made me visit her more often since it was something she controlled. The first thing I needed clarity about was how she was able to take me to my mother, after what happened at Ausbane. Darya explained that every person had a unique mana signature, and she could locate anyone she wanted to, provided she remembered the mana signature of the person. It was a pretty straightforward answer, although I didn''t fully comprehend how she was able to do that. She further broke down the events that happened that day, as she stated that all she could do was hope my body didn''t break down.

    I got to understand Femryn¡¯s Jolt better. Initially, thought it was a spell that pushed or pulled anything I desired, but Darya made me understand that femryn¡¯s jolt didn''t work on objects or people, but rather on the space surrounding them.

    Darya also explained the explosion spell too. According to her, it was the result of clashing the push and pull forces of Femryn¡¯s Jolt.

    As I tried to grasp the concept of space, I discovered that it was something I wasn''t familiar with. Initially, I thought it was just the emptiness that surrounded us, only to discover that there was a lot more to it. Darya tried to explain it to me based on the questions I asked her, but my understanding was vague in general. Sometimes it seemed easy a concept, and other times, it was just impossible to understand. I wasn''t worried, I knew I would be conversant with it in time.

    My day-to-day routine was pretty much the same, spending most of it training and studying. Darya refused to teach me new spells as she complained that my body couldn''t even handle the ones at my disposal. So far, five spells were mine to utilize, and Darya and I had a funny argument over the names I conferred to the spells as she mocked that I was terrible with names. She was opinionated on names that symbolized the effect of the spell, and I just wanted something that sounded cool. Thankfully we found a common ground, though it was heavily based on Darya¡¯s opinion.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Though she suggested I discard the name ¡®Femryn¡¯s Jolt¡¯, since I used it collectively for two spells, I didn''t. Rather I modified it. For its pull effect, I called it Femryns Jolt¡ªAttraction. I called Its push effect Femryn¡¯s Jolt¡ªRepulsion, and the explosion was called Femryn¡¯s Jolt¡ªNegation. We didn¡¯t have any issues with Realm Slip so we left it as it was. For the last spell which trapped spells, I called it Hollow Shield.

    Though I trained every day to improve in whatever area I could, I knew I still had a long way to go. As Darya said, my body couldn''t handle the spells at my disposal, and I didn''t forget that they were killing me slowly. Attraction, Repulsion, and Hollow Shield drained a lot of mana from me, and the destructive power of negation could only be harnessed once since I would pass out on a second attempt. The spells were very powerful, but they weren''t ideal for me in a battle scene.

    The three of us finished eating at almost the same time. Evren went to see the High Lord as Yukina and I headed to the training grounds. Upon arriving, we encountered an unusual sight¡ªa lot of people gathered, nobles included.

    ¡°I knew something wasn''t right,¡± I said to Darya through our mental connection.

    ¡°I guess you are right,¡± she replied.

    I had never seen such many people gathered on the training grounds, and it didn''t look like they were there to train. Most of them occupied the upper level, east of the ground since it was the only area that provided spectators'' seating.

    Yukina walked close to me and whispered in my ear,

    ¡°What''s going on?¡±

    ¡°We are about to find out,¡± I said to her, still bewildered.

    I saw my mother in the distance, as she waved her hands with a smile on her face. Before I knew it, we were already an arm''s length away from her.

    ¡°What''s happening? Why are all these people gathered here?¡±

    Mom packed her loose hair, tying it into a ponytail while she spoke to me.

    ¡°They are here to watch us train, I guess.¡±

    ¡°No, something else is happening because we train every day and only a very few people watch the sessions,¡± Yukina snapped.

    Mom heaved,

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll tell you. So, I asked Hastled and Syra for help in creating a barrier during our session today. I guess word got out, and everyone here is present to witness why a barrier is needed during a training session.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the same thing I was about to ask,¡± I voiced.

    ¡°Today¡¯s session is going to be very different and a bit more intense. If I¡¯m being honest, it''s not a training, but rather, a deathmatch. I am going to try to kill you guys, and I expect the same.¡±

    I was too stunned to speak, and I was sure Yukina felt the same way. Mom walked closer to us and patted our heads,

    ¡°Give it everything you''ve got, I won''t go easy so I expect both of you to do the same.¡±

    I didn''t still understand what was happening, but the questions could be saved for later as I watched Mom draw out her swords. That was the signal for Hastled and Syra as a dome of fire blanketed the grounds.

    Everything was unfolding before my eyes but I was still in denial which didn''t last long as I was thrown off my feet and slammed hard against the walls of the ground. I found it difficult to breathe as my breathing was limited to painful wheezing. I knew I had broken a few ribs as I stared at a sizable rock laying beside me. Instinctively, Yukina assumed a defensive stance in front of me. Mom couldn¡¯t care less, charging at Yukina at a frightening speed. Lightning crackled all over her body as she approached, I barely kept up with her speed until she engaged Yukina. My eyes couldn''t keep up anymore, and my ears did its best to compensate. All I could hear was the sounds of their swords clashing as their movements were defined in blurs.

    I didn''t intend on just being a spectator. I wanted to join Evren, but my broken ribs didn''t even let me get past standing, I had never felt such excruciating pain before.

    ¡°You need to get used to situations like this. How quickly you figure out solutions, might just be what keeps you alive on the battlefield. Come on, the grey domain, quickly.¡±

    I didn¡¯t think that the grey domain was an outright solution to my problem, so it didn''t cross my mind to activate it when I got injured. I remembered Darya telling me clearly that the grey domain was simply a form of perception, but I also knew that the things I was able to do with the grey domain were outside the limits of non-casters. I did as I was told, thoughts about the effects of the grey domain could wait.

    Surprisingly, the grey domain did the trick. The pain was gone. I picked up my sword and joined the fight. Thanks to the grey domain, their movements were a lot more readable.

    I swung my sword in my mother''s direction and in a swift motion, she drew out her second sword which was sheathed to meet mine. So far, the only spell she¡¯d used was lightning, and that was to boost her speed but she was so good at it.

    ¡°You said my mother was a lot stronger than she is perceived to be right? I guess we are about to find out.¡±

    ¡°I really have a bad feeling about this,¡± Darya replied.

    ELIORA AYLING

    I had to keep telling myself that what I was doing was for the best, even though I literally had to kill my children. I wasn''t so sure that they had similar Feel characteristics with mine since our mana attributes were completely different, but there were signs as Edger pointed out. I wasn''t confident and left to myself, I would have left their awakening to fate¡¯s hands.

    I bit my lip, and said to myself,

    ¡°You really are the worst parent.¡±

    Facing Svan and Yukina, I could easily read the confusion on their faces. Sometimes, I found it difficult to believe that they were my children, they grew up so well, thanks to Edger. Strength-wise, they were exceptional too. Though I felt I had this fight under control, it was still within the scope of possibilities that I could lose. The only clear advantage I felt l had was that I had a pretty good understanding of their abilities.

    Using their hesitance to my advantage, I slammed Svan against the wall with a rock. I had to incapacitate him first because his ability was a pain to deal with. Using lightning to boost my speed, I charged at Yukina. Our swords clashed. I had to admit, that she was an excellent sword wielder. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn''t find an opening. Her speed matched mine and on some occasions, she was even faster.

    Svan recovered a lot quicker than I had expected. I knew I did enough to make sure he was injured and I knew he couldn''t heal any physical damage to his body, so I was quite surprised to see him join the fight. Luckily, I was able to react just in time to stop his sword.

    If my deductions were right, I wouldn''t have to worry about Svan¡¯s spatial abilities if I stayed too close to either him or Yukina. For me to do that, I have to depend on sword combat but I would eventually be overwhelmed if I kept up with it.

    The lightning tendrils I cloaked myself in began to disappear like it was being sucked away. I knew it was Yukina¡¯s doing¡ªPhantom Steal, as she called it. I remembered her saying she had improved it and could do new things with it. What she''d just done had to be the improvements she talked about because I could remember clearly that she only used it to cut through conjured spells before now. From the corner of my left eye, I could see Svan''s approach. Their Synergy had improved a lot. Though they didn''t say anything to each other, they knew what they were doing. Phantom Steal slowed me down enough, creating an opportunity for Svan to land a clean strike. I didn''t have enough time to change my position, but luckily, I could react just in time. I told them that this was a deathmatch, but they didn''t still see it that way. Svan would have gone for my head if I was an enemy, instead, he aimed at my arm.

    I discarded the lightning and reinforced my arm with ice. It cracked, but it didn''t shatter. Svan withdrew his sword immediately, as he didn''t want to see his sword frozen. My problems were far from over. Almost immediately, Yukina landed a blow on my belly. She hit me so hard that I was thrown a few feet in the air.

    ¡°This is bad,¡± I said inwardly.

    I had failed at keeping a close distance with Yukina, and I knew what was coming next. Everything was happening so fast. To make things worse, I couldn''t do so much airborne. Suddenly I felt a force throw me back in Yukina¡¯s direction. I clad my body in ice as a precaution, but it was futile.

    My eyes widened in shock, as a searing pain accompanied by the cold of steel went through my stomach. I fell on my knees. My ice armor couldn''t stop Yukina¡¯s blade. It was a mistake on my part, I forgot her Phantom Steal was still active. Yukina wore a shocked expression on her face. She thought that somehow, I would have avoided her sword. She opened her mouth to say something, but no words formed. Although not anticipating her Phantom Steal was careless on my part, there wasn¡¯t much I would have done.

    My nexus quaked, and slowly, I became overwhelmed by a familiar feeling. I was aware of what was happening to me, but I didn''t have any control over it. I couldn''t feel any other emotion, just the desire to kill. My senses were heightened and I felt a surge of strength. I drew out Yukina¡¯s sword from my stomach and watched the wound heal.

    The shocked expression on her face remained as she assumed a defensive stance. I stared at her and smiled. I knew who she was, she was my daughter but there was a strong urge within me to go feral and rip her apart. No matter how hard I tried to resist, I couldn''t. I tossed her sword to her, and just as she caught it, I charged.

 48. BLESSINGS OF A BROKEN NEXUS

    YUKINA AYLING

    I ran my mother through with my sword and stood in denial as I watched her fall to her knees. A surprise, one I didn¡¯t imagine. Although that was fatal under normal circumstances, I didn¡¯t panic. I knew it wasn¡¯t enough to kill her.

    For the first time, I took a proper look at her face, and I couldn''t describe the expression she was wearing in a single word. It was a rough mixture of pain and disbelief, and I could have sworn that I saw her lip curl up in a faint smile.

    ¡°This is just not right,¡± I bemoaned.

    Her face looked a lot like mine, maybe she looked just like me when she was younger. I vividly remembered all the while I saw her in my dreams, waking up to ponder about who she was. Then, it became evident that the dreams weren''t just dreams, rather they were fragments of my memories long lost. I remembered hearing the words from Lord Edger, ¡°Yukina, this is your mother, Eliora,¡± and for the first time in a long while, I cried. I finally found a missing piece of my life I had searched for a long time. With the passing of each day, I increasingly grew attached to her. She wasn''t in most parts of my life, but it didn''t stop me from loving her.

    I wanted to apologize to her, but before I had the chance to, she drew out my sword and tossed it over to me. Her demeanor changed and before I could react any further, she came at me at a frightening speed. Thankfully, my battle instincts took over just in time to meet her already-swung sword. I could easily tell that her strike came with even more power and I was lucky enough to still have my sword in my hand. I couldn''t anticipate her next move, but precautionary, I strengthened my body with my stillbring. The precaution paid off as two boulders clattered me in between, fast enough to catch me before I could react.

    The pain I felt was wild but my body was intact. I couldn''t catch a break as a continuous rock formation launched me upwards, crashing me against Hastled¡¯s barrier. I felt the burn because it pinned me against the barrier, but I was still trying to get a hold of my spatial orientation since everything was happening so quickly. Mom ran up the rock formation almost instantly, sheathing her swords just before she reached me. Her fists were covered in fire as she landed repeated blows on my face. At some point, I thought I would go crazy bearing the pain I felt. She knew I could still feel pain despite my stillbring and she wanted to inflict as much as she could on me. Even though I had a high pain threshold, I still had my limits so I had to break free from her as quickly as possible.

    Luckily, Svan came to my aid, as he used his spell to pull her away from me. I couldn''t tell what he planned to do, but the events that happened after he pulled Mom away from me left me in utter shock. Just as he had dragged her towards him with an invisible pull force, she¡¯d already conjured ice spelliforms ready to take effect the moment he released the intent of his spell. Svan didn''t anticipate what came his way. Mom had a pretty good understanding of how Svan''s ability worked and used that knowledge against him. Svan tried to swing his sword in her direction but was met with an unpleasant surprise. All I could do was helplessly stare as the ice daggers pierced through him. I wouldn''t have had to worry about the first two daggers that pierced him, but the third one went right through his chest. The disbelief in my eyes knew no bounds.

    ¡°Did Mom just kill Svan?¡± I muttered as he fell to the ground. I screamed so loudly and at some point, the sound of my voice was no longer audible to my ears. I found myself running in their direction as tears flowed freely from my eyes. Mom turned her attention to me and our eyes met. In the spur of that moment, I began to doubt if she was my mother. The woman in front of me was something else, no mother would do what she just did to her child. I was burning with so much anger, and I couldn''t think straight. I wanted to do to her what she did to Svan though I knew the odds were stacked against me.

    A fireball came at me but I wasn''t fazed since I was already armed with Phantom Steal. All it took was a few swings of my sword and the fire dissipated. Mom appeared in front of me immediately after, parrying my sword with hers. We had a few exchanges before she sent me crashing against the walls of the ground. Debris from the crash fell on me as I struggled to stand to my feet.

    ¡°This isn''t fair, she is just better at everything,¡± I bemoaned. I couldn''t stop even if I wanted to, and though the rage still fueled me, it wouldn''t last forever. Finally, on my feet, I wiped the blood off the corner of my mouth. I had nothing else to offer, other than resilience and a stubborn effrontery. Her battle skill was brilliant, and she always seemed to be one step ahead of me. I felt that she just wanted to beat me at my own game since whenever I triggered Phantom Steal, she didn¡¯t cast any attack spells, rather she used reinforcement spells to boost her speed, engaging me in a sword fight. There was no way of knowing for sure what she was planning on doing so I had to be prepared for whatever came my way.

    I shook in fear upon hearing the sounds of lightning crashing around me and a few just missing me by a hair¡¯s width. I had to evade incoming spells, and still defend myself against her blade. I was slowly burning out, drawing closer to the losing line. I concentrated most of my stillbring on strengthening my body against spells I couldn''t dispel with Phantom Steal. It meant I couldn''t keep up with her speed. At some point, I didn¡¯t pay attention to the details of my techniques anymore. I just swung my sword against any spell I could meet, or to meet her sword if I could. I dragged on until all I could do was take all the hits without putting any tangible defense against them. I had been tunnel-visioned on my fight, trying to hold on for as much as I could, and didn''t even notice how much damage that could have been. The training ground was wrecked and Halsted¡¯s barrier was barely hanging on. For a moment, I wanted to feel proud given that I was able to withstand all the damage done, but that was a luxury I couldn''t afford. My eyes met Svan¡¯s body as it lay motionless on the ground. I was so tired and the anger in me stopped burning. A wave of sad emotions washed over me and tears flowed from my eyes again. I didn''t have the strength to fight anymore. My sword felt heavy in my hand so I let it fall.

    Mom approached me, there was no hostility in her eyes.

    ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± I asked in a burdened voice.

    Her response came in whispers,

    ¡°I am so sorry sweetheart.¡±

    Those words felt like a ripple on still water and before I could react further, I felt the cold of steel inside my body. I looked down in shock staring at the sword that went through my chest. I was still conscious and was certain her sword pierced my nexus and through my heart. I couldn''t even heal myself even if I wanted to, so it meant that the end was near. I wanted to talk but instead of words, blood spilled from my mouth. Mom pulled her sword from my chest as I dropped to the ground.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    My breath was shallow, I was slowly slipping out of the realm of consciousness. It was difficult to tell what state I found myself in. I couldn¡¯t see or feel anything around me, but somehow I knew I was still alive. I felt something sipping out of my pierced nexus but I couldn''t tell what it was. All I could tell was that it took different courses spreading throughout my body. Though it was spreading, I could feel its concentration around my nexus. My pierced nexus came alive again, and my wounds began to heal spontaneously. The feeling in my body was changing in different ways, and slowly, I regained consciousness.

    I got to my feet with ease, the stab wound had disappeared, and I looked completely fine. I was still struggling to understand what had just happened to me. I could still feel whatever sipped out of my nexus inside me, and I had no control over it. All I could tell was that It had a strong interaction with my already-healed nexus, and was responsible for the changes I felt in my body. My sense of perception was heightened, and every emotion within me was suppressed. There was an irresistible urge to trigger my stillbring, and I gave in almost easily. There was a second urge to kill my mom who stood in front of me, but I didn¡¯t give in to that, I couldn''t.

    Upon triggering my stillbring the flow of mana in my body felt different, I felt like it was being guided by what was released by my nexus, and I had no control over that too. I intended to channel mana to use my speed stillbring but noticed something different. Manifesting a stillbring required a precise interaction of mana between my nexus and my brain. I was proficient in all three stillbrings but just couldn''t manifest two, let alone all three simultaneously. The difficulty did not stem from strain or the toll it could take on me. Rather, it was because stillbrings manifest from a linear mana flow. Trying to manifest two stillbrings at the same time felt like trying to inhale and exhale in the context of a single breath. It looked like an impossible feat, but I¡¯ve always had a lingering feeling that it could be achieved.

    That feeling became a reality. Whatever it was that spilled from my nexus created diversions from linear mana flow that manifested my stillbrings and all three of them came alive at the same time. The surprise was written all over my face and Mom noticed it. I looked at Mom, puzzled, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me this was her plan all along,¡± I said inwardly.

    SVAN CHORYTH

    ¡°Am I dead?¡± I asked myself as I gazed at my lifeless body. It was strange looking at myself from a third-person perspective and what was even weirder was that, as an observer, I couldn''t see myself in any shape or form. The last thing I remembered was being daggered in the chest by ice spikes. I turned around as my gaze pursued every direction, hoping to find Darya but was left disappointed.

    The whole area was grim and appeared as a dimly lit forest. My body lay in a medium-sized clearing, surrounded by twisted trees one would easily mistake for giant skeletal fingers. It was dead silent except for the eerie howl of a distant unseen beast that seemed to disturb the tranquil at intervals. The air was thick with an arid scent of decay, and heavy mist clinging to the ground which was covered by a carpet of decaying leaves.

    I struggled to make sense of the whole situation and became increasingly convinced that I was dead. I looked at my body again and my eyes were met with another surprise. My body became transparent and I could see everything beneath my skin. I didn''t get excited or taken aback as I stared curiously at what my eyes beheld.

    I saw what my nexus looked like; glossy, purple, and crystalline. I took a closer look and noticed it was cracked, and that was my mother¡¯s doing.

    I couldn¡¯t see how my nexus processed mana but I could see how mana flowed throughout my body through various channels. The flow of mana grew weaker with each passing moment and It wasn¡¯t difficult to understand since there was damage to my nexus. Just before the flow of mana stagnated, something happened. My nexus seemed to crack even further, and instead of the mana which had a purple hue to it, something black seeped out.

    I watched curiously as the black hue with a lot more vigor, latched onto the feeble flowing purple one. The two colors didn''t mix to birth a new single color, rather, they interlocked with each other and flowed in the same path. It was fascinating to watch, and I almost forgot that everything was taking place inside my body.

    The mana that flowed in my body came alive again, thanks to the black hue which seemed to be in control. I couldn¡¯t tell what happened, what the black hue did to reinvigorate my mana flow wasn''t clear to my eyes. My injuries healed, leaving no scars and my body was seemingly lying in a perfect state. My nexus which looked like it could shatter at any time held still, but didn''t return to its original state. The cracks remained but everything else was fine. There was a constant interaction between the black hue and my nexus which I believed held it in place.

    ¡°So this is what makes one an Arcane?¡± I mumbled.

    Just after I spoke, My body disappeared, and the scenery changed.

    I found myself sitting in a dark room, I couldn''t see anything but felt the edge of the table in front of me. It was a narrow table, about the same width as the chair I sat on. I heard someone¡¯s finger snap and a candle stick was lit. The radiance from the candle fell on Darya¡¯s face as she sat on the other edge of the table.

    ¡°You love to put on a show, don''t you?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°You can say that,¡± she replied.

    ¡°What I saw earlier, was it your doing?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Some things are better off seen than explained.¡±

    I nodded,

    ¡°I agree, but you didn''t have to scare me like that, I thought I was dead.¡±

    ¡°That was exactly what I wanted you to think. But you still have to understand something, that''s why I brought you here. This thing you have is great, but your body won''t hold for much longer.¡±

    ¡°Why is that? Isn''t this supposed to be the remedy? You saw how it fixed me up, didn''t you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but it doesn''t affect sources, just like it couldn''t fix your nexus. It reacts when you are in distress or when you engage in combat and It acts on mana, maximizing its efficiency, and utilizing everything at its disposal to keep you alive. Makes you emotionless with literally no blind spot. Now you''ve got two abilities of contrasting nature at your disposal, and it''s contrasting nature, you would experience when you use your stillbring. Normally it¡¯s impossible to wield both of them, but you can now. Everything comes with a price and this price, you pay with your life force. If I wasn''t here, you wouldn''t face such problems. My presence alone was a burden on your life force already, and now this... I am sorry.¡±

    ¡°We don''t have to go over this again. I just prefer to remain optimistic, so we will leave it at that.¡±

    There was a guilt-ridden smile on her face, but I chose to ignore it. My mind was occupied with something else as I thought hard about my nexus and the new substance it released. I was convinced that it wasn''t my Feel. Based on Darya¡¯s explanation and the clearest understanding I have, the Feel was an integral part of the mana refined and stored in the nexus. This was something different and I couldn''t wait to ask my mother about it.

    The scenery faded again and I found myself lying in my bedroom. It was daybreak which meant I was out for long hours. I got out of my bed and walked to the mirror, just to be sure my body was intact, and surprisingly, it was. I didn¡¯t experience any weird sensations from inside me either. My nexus seemed to be fine even though I knew it had cracks all over it. My eyes looked exactly like my mother¡¯s, and somehow, I was uncomfortable with it. The blue hue to it became brighter and would easily catch anyone''s attention in a single glance.

    There was a knock on my door as I turned in its direction. I had a rough idea about who was behind the door and I stood waiting in anticipation, hoping I made the right guess, then the door creaked open.

 49. CHILD OF FIRE

    EVREN CHORYTH

    It took almost forever to walk to my father¡¯s study, and upon arriving, I just stood in front of the door. I was nervous about why he requested my audience alone, and no matter how hard I searched my thoughts, I couldn''t find a good reason.

    I have been with my father all my life, but I was still scared of him. Though I knew he loved me as any father would love his child, and the way he acted towards me was his way of making me tough, I would have appreciated a softer side of him.

    I barely knew Svan¡¯s and Yukina¡¯s mother, Eliora. As funny as it might sound, I felt a lot more comfortable around her than I would around my father. Technically, she was my mother too, stepmother to be precise, but I still preferred addressing her as Svan¡¯s or Yukina¡¯s mom because it sounded better that way in my head. I didn''t want to forget about my mother, I didn''t want someone else to take her place so I needed that wall between us.

    Eliora was different from my father. She was tough and sometimes difficult but she didn''t hesitate to reveal her gentle side. She didn''t treat me differently from her children. She was even nicer to me and seemed to put my needs first. Though I understood and appreciated her efforts, I did a very bad job expressing how thankful I was. She was all I needed in my life at the moment¡ªa mother figure.

    I gathered my drifting thoughts once again, focusing them on why my father summoned me. Subconsciously stretching my hand, I knocked on the door before I entered the study.

    I maintained an upright and rigid stance with stillness in my gaze,

    ¡°You called for me, father.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sit.¡±

    Every time I met him here in his study, he was almost always reading a book. The way I saw it, reading wasn''t just a hobby to him anymore, it was an obsession.

    ¡°Ease up, I didn''t call you here to question you or give you orders.¡±

    I heaved silently in relief as I sat down. Getting a bit bolder, I asked,

    ¡°Why was I summoned then?¡±

    He put down the book he was reading,

    ¡°To have a nice chat with you. It¡¯s been ages since we last had one, hasn''t it?¡±

    All the while before I arrived at his study, it turned out that I had been needlessly worried. Every anxiety in me disappeared completely as a wave of relief washed over me.

    ¡°That¡¯s very uncharacteristic of you,¡± I said.

    He looked at me,

    ¡°I get the feeling that you tend to forget I am your father.¡±

    I smiled,

    ¡°You know, most times, I only see you as High Lord Edger.¡±

    His response was a smile, a smile I hadn¡¯t seen in a long long time. That smile made me happy, I felt like I had just accomplished an impossible mission.

    ¡°I am the High Lord, yes. But I am your father before that, and my priorities are in that order too.

    ¡°I will keep that in mind,¡± I said as I tried my best to suppress the tingling sparks of ecstasy and satisfaction within me.

    ¡°How has training with Eliora been?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Well, if you want a straightforward answer, I would say fine. But if I am being honest, there aren¡¯t a lot of significant changes, and improvements are rolling in slowly.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s great news. The most important thing is that there are visible improvements. Training and battle scenarios are completely different. During training, your skills are sharpened and you may learn new things that could increase your chances of staying alive in battle, so you shouldn¡¯t expect any drastic change or improvements. The changes you wish for can only be seen in battle where your limits are tested when you face off with death, and somehow manage to win. These are the conditions that force your body to conform to changes that enable its survival.¡±

    Everything he said was right. I guess I was just angry that I was still stuck in an amber Feel.

    ¡°I have always wanted to ask you this, what are your ambitions or plans for the future?¡±

    His question was a bit of a surprise to me and for the first time, I thought about the context of the question, disregarding the fact that it was asked by my father. I thought I would be able to provide an answer easily, but I was wrong. It dawned on me that I didn''t really think about the future nor did I have any grand plan or ambition.

    ¡°Do I have such luxury?¡± I asked.

    He looked at me without saying anything.

    ¡°I think I am bound by duty as the heiress of House Choryth so, everything I do, or will do, revolves around that fact.¡±

    ¡°And what about a turn of events in which House Choryth is no more? What will become of you then?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I don''t know, I can¡¯t bring myself to predict the future even when I am given a scenario. But what I can tell is that if there is such a turn of events, it will most definitely be a violent one that would leave lots of unsettled fragments behind. What will become of me? Once again, I don''t know, but I know I would linger around the mess, trying to gather every fragmented piece I can find¡­¡­that¡¯s if I happen to be alive.¡±

    I felt like I was talking to myself rather than answering a question I was asked. But it didn''t matter anyway because my reply was the most honest I could have given. There was an uncomfortable silence which I was forced to break.

    ¡°I am sorry if you are disappointed with what I just said.¡±

    He leaned forward,

    ¡°No, no I am not. I was just surprised because you always spoke objectively, and never talked about how you felt about any given situation. You know, both of us are similar in many ways. When I was younger, around your age, I had the same mindset. I wasn''t even interested in becoming the High Lord, and I didn''t have any lofty ambitions. The only thing I was interested in was becoming strong, strong enough to best Eliora in combat. Unfortunately, that didn''t happen. The stronger I got, the stronger she became. I worked so hard but I couldn''t catch up to her, little did I know that she was an anomaly. I am sure you can understand because you are in a similar situation.¡±

    I stayed silent. I didn''t want to openly admit it but there was no point denying it either.

    He continued talking,

    ¡°As similar as both situations might be, there are subtle differences. You see, both Eliora and I were casters, so the discrepancies strength-wise was straightforward. But in your case with Yukina, it''s a bit tricky. I thought you would have understood how different casters were from stillbringers.¡±The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    I was in awe of how he could perfectly tell the things I didn''t want to talk about. It was useless to keep a secret from him because there was nothing I could possibly hide from him.

    ¡°Your silence tells me that you don¡¯t know the most important practical difference between casters and stillbringers. It makes me wonder what you were taught at the academy.¡±

    I knew how different casters were from stillbringers but I didn''t put any thought into it. My mind was rather occupied with how he was able to read me like an open book.

    ¡°We were taught everything we needed to know I guess. I know very well how casters are different from stillbringers but I don''t know what you want to hear from me.¡±

    ¡°If you know that very well, then you should know why you haven''t been able to beat Yukina in a duel. You see, casters like you and me are more efficient in battle scenarios involving multiple hostiles or a large terrain. Stillbringers aren¡¯t efficient in that aspect; rather, they thrive in duels or conditions involving a few hostiles. So you see, when you go up against Yukina, you are already at a disadvantage, not because you aren''t as strong as she is but because you can''t be as efficient as she is. To make matters worse, she isn''t just any stillbringer, she is an anomaly just like her mother.¡±

    He was slowly beginning to annoy me because I knew these things already but I didn''t want to admit them and I didn''t need anyone to rub it on my face. One time during lessons at the academy, the professor said stillbringers were more suited as personal guards and casters as soldiers. He explained further the same thing Father had just said, but I didn¡¯t buy it. No stillbringer at the Academy was able to best me in combat. Yukina was better because she was a threefold stillbringer. I still had a lot of growth left and I didn''t think Yukina had that. I found myself smiling, it was ironic how I somehow despised her and yet loved her at the same time. I could go to war for her and yet I just wanted to beat the crap out of her

    ¡°So you want me to give up because I am naturally at a disadvantage?¡±

    ¡°No, that''s why I am proud of you because you never give up and that''s also why I called for you today. I know you aren¡¯t really interested in the Choryth House politics, that''s an obligation I forced upon you and I am thankful you decided to bear that burden but there is something that you don''t know. You are special too, possibly more special than Yukina and Svan. I¡¯d wanted to leave you and observe how far you would push your growth but the recent turn of events had made me a bit impatient.¡±

    I stopped paying attention to what he was saying when I heard the words ¡°¡­probably more special than Yukina and Svan.¡± Other than being a Choryth, I didn''t think there was anything special about me. I even felt my growth strength-wise was slow, and had to work twice as hard. I watched my father speak but his words were no longer audible to my ears as they drowned in the flood of disbelief that swept through my mind.

    My attention was called back as a flame lit up inches away from my face.

    ¡°What''s wrong?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Nothing. I was just surprised to hear what you just said.¡±

    ¡°I haven''t even said anything yet. What I am about to show you will leave you bewildered. Come with me.¡±

    I followed closely behind my father as he led the way. We traversed familiar passages until we got to ones completely unfamiliar to me.

    ¡°Do you know why I called you the Phoenix?¡±

    ¡°I could guess but I am sure my guess will be wrong,¡± I answered.

    ¡°You remember the story of the Phoenix right?¡±

    ¡°Of course I do, but it''s just a folktale, isn''t it?¡±

    ¡°What if I tell you that it isn¡¯t, and that you are a Phoenix, will you believe me?¡±

    ¡°This must be some kind of joke,¡± I said, chuckling.

    ¡°Well, we are about to find out.¡±

    I stopped laughing. The tone of his response showed no hint of uncertainty. I knew Phoenixes were humans who were immune to dragon fire, and could somehow tame one, hence they were called dragon lords. But I didn''t believe dragons ever existed since there weren''t any documented records of them. Even if they did, chances were, they died out a very long time ago.

    Father kept walking and I followed until the visibility in the passages started to drop. Just before it completely got dark, we arrived in front of a door that stood in a dead-end. Hanging on a stand beside the door was a wooden torch stick which he took and lit with a flame he conjured before passing it to me. He pushed the door handle and the door lock clacked. The sound the door made while parting could easily tell that it hadn''t been opened in a long time and I was surprised that it could even open with such ease. The door directly led us to a descending stairwell surrounded by walls of a circular enclosure. We walked down in circles and its end became quite a task to complete. My legs began to ache but I didn''t dare complain. After what seemed like an unending descent, we arrived at a rectangular platform. Surrounded by nothing but walls, we were at another dead-end.

    A mix of impatience and anticipation burned wildly inside me. There were tons of questions I wanted to ask so badly but I did my best to wait and see whatever he was about to show me. As the both of us got on the platform, he pulled a lever on the wall. I could hear the tired sound of chains rustling like they were awakened from a long sleep, and suddenly, the platform began to descend. I got a bit startled but that didn''t last long. The descent didn''t take too long even though I felt we covered more than thrice the distance we did with the stairs. For a brief moment, I began to wonder which part of the castle we were at. I completely lost track of the bearing and I never imagined such a place existed in it. I was confident that the castle was built on top of a dungeon and that dungeon was where we were headed.

    We emerged from the walled compartment into an open space before finally landing on what seemed like an elevated surface that stood in the middle of somewhere I couldn¡¯t describe since the torch we held didn''t provide the best visibility. From the details I could make out, stepping out of the platform meant falling into a depth.

    ¡°We are here,¡± Father said, finally speaking.

    ¡°Here is where?¡± I replied almost immediately.

    Just as he was about to speak, I heard a disturbing growl from the depths below. I could feel movement and could also hear the rustling sound of chains.

    Still trying to get a grip on the situation, hot air breezed past us, blowing off the fire on the torch I held. It was completely dark until two large glowing yellow eyes appeared in front of us. Its elliptical pupils were reminiscent of reptilian ones.

    ¡°There is no way I am looking at a dragon,¡± I said to myself.

    ¡°And I thought I would sleep for a few hundred years but I guess I am wrong.¡±

    The voice that spoke sounded very human-like. It wasn¡¯t my father''s because it was effeminate.

    ¡°It''s been a long time, Zephryix,¡± My father said.

    ¡°I can see you¡¯ve grown, brat. And I can see that House Choryth has finally produced a Phoenix.¡±

    ¡°I must be a very lucky man. As you can see, The Phoenix is my daughter and the Phoenix needs a dragon.¡±

    ¡°No. She doesn''t. The time of dragons is long gone, Choryth. I have no place in this world anymore.¡±

    ¡°You can''t hide in the shadows forever. You are bound by duty to this House and you are bound by duty to the Phoenix. Zephryix, the Phoenix needs a dragon.¡±

    Everything that was unfolding seemed like a daydream to me as I struggled to believe any of it was real. It was impossible to believe that I encountered a dragon and what was even more shocking was my father talking to it like an equal. Still trying to digest the situation, my body shook violently as my chest burned. I lost my balance as I fell from the platform. I didn''t crash-land as my fall was cushioned. I couldn''t see so I didn''t know what part of the dragon''s body cushioned my fall. My chest still burned and I could tell it came from my nexus. I was literally on fire inside me, I tried to bear the pain hoping it would stop soon, but it didn''t. It became so intense and unbearable that I couldn''t help but scream.

    I couldn''t tell what was happening to me but I knew it was the dragons doing. Its golden eyes were staring down at me and I said to it,

    ¡°Make it stop.¡±

    ¡°I can feel the same pain as you are feeling, but I am not being as dramatic as you are. It is not going to stop until the bonding is complete, so you will have to bear it.¡±

    ¡°What bonding?¡± I thought, but I couldn¡¯t properly process it as I was still suffering in pain.

    When I thought it wouldn''t get any worse, I was engulfed in flames and it burned. My hair burned and my skin was being roasted right before my eyes. I was in so much pain and was too tired to scream. My eyes couldn''t see anything anymore as I collapsed to the ground.

    ***

    I opened my eyes as I struggled to adjust to the brightness of the room. I thought I would find myself in the dungeon but was surprised to be lying on my bed. The events that took place in the dungeon flooded back into my head as goosebumps covered my skin.

    ¡°How am I still alive,¡± I queried myself.

    ¡°You are alive because you are a Phoenix.¡±

    The voice that spoke was familiar, it was Zephryix¡¯s voice. I wondered if I was beginning to hear things. There was no way my room could fit a dragon that size.

    Something hopped on top of my belly, its size was like that of a newborn kitten only that it was difficult to tell what the creature was. It was black, covered in fur, and walked on all fours. Its face was shaped like that of a cat and its eyes were the same as the ones I saw in the dungeon, only that they were much smaller this time.

    ¡°Hello, Human.¡±

    I was startled, almost jumping off my bed.

    ¡°Zephryix?¡± I asked

    ¡°Yes, it''s me.¡±

    ¡°How are you like this?¡±

    ¡°Oh. The first thing I get to teach you about dragons is that we are shape-shifting creatures. It''s easier for me to blend in this way, and besides it will be more convenient for you too.¡±

    I was too stunned to speak. I hadn''t recovered from what happened in the dungeon and I hadn''t even gotten any time to digest everything going on, yet new occurrences keep emerging.

    ¡°Your new look suits you better,¡± it said to me.

    ¡°New look? What happened to me?¡±

    I quickly ran to the mirror just to meet a surprise. My hair color had changed to a golden one, and my eyes had the same hue as Zephryix''s.

    I touched my face in disbelief,

    ¡°What happened to me?¡±

    ¡°A lot,¡± Zephryix replied.

 50. VEILS OF TRUST; THE GATHERING STORM

    Discrepancies was the word that emerged from the many words that couldn¡¯t properly describe fragmented thoughts that filled my head. It was difficult to understand why some people had to be casters, and others, stillbringers. Why majority of the population had no Feel, thus unable to utilise mana?

    Even among casters and stillbringers, who were among the fortunate few, some were more gifted than others. I''ve had the same thoughts in the past when I couldn''t manifest my Feel, but given the turn of events, especially things happening around me, I couldn''t help but ask myself questions like

    ¡°Why do people have to be so different? Why do the powerful have to wield so much power? Are the differences in people or the discrepancies in power necessary?¡±

    I had no answer to these questions, they just made me curious, and whenever I pondered them, I descended into an endless spiral of never-ending conversations in my head which in the end, yielded nothing tangible. Sometimes I asked myself if these discrepancies were just a random distribution of fate or a result of choices made by people in the present¡ªor more particularly, in the past. The two were not mutually exclusive; it was also very possible that both fate and choices could have resulted in what the world looks like as it is.

    ¡°The world wasn''t a fair one, some people just have it better than others.¡±

    That was the conclusion I arrived at when I thought about my current situation. It was very funny because even the conclusion I arrived begged the question,¡°Why?¡±

    With the kind of abilities I possessed, I couldn¡¯t tell if it was a blessing or a curse. One could say I was lucky to have them, but luck doesn''t bring a person close to death on several occasions. I couldn''t also claim I worked for them; they were there all along waiting for me to tap into it. Perhaps some work had to be done to reach them, but they were always there¡­.waiting.

    Happenstance? Fate? Choices? Everything played a crucial role getting me to this point in my life. The events leading up to this point in my life felt so unreal like it was someone¡¯s grand plan all along, but in reality, it was just a cascade that resulted from a single decision, merging with different fragmented events.

    It was easy to say that the day I was banished¡ªpart of the plot to ensure Evren¡¯s position as heir¡ªwas the day my life changed. But then the questions still remain. Was it just a result of the High Lord¡¯s choice of action? Was it just happenstance? Or was it just fate bound to happen eventually?

    A knock on the door snapped me out of my thoughts. I found myself standing in front of the mirror with a half-buttoned shirt.

    ¡°Ah, the meeting,¡± I muttered to myself.

    I was dressing for the meeting we had with the Azkhans before I drifted away in my thoughts.

    ¡°I will be out soon,¡± I called, responding to the knock on the door.

    I met Yukina at the corridor that led to the entrance of the courtyard. There was a smile on her face when our eyes met. She was a few meters ahead of me so she waited for me to catch up.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like this outfit, it¡¯s too tacky.¡±

    She was adjusting her peacoat, her expression a mix of annoyance and determination

    I don¡¯t think it cares whether or not you like it,¡± I teased.

    We walked down the passage greeted with a salute as we walked past each guard stationed there. The respect was always there even when I hadn¡¯t manifested my Feel, but this time, it felt different. There was an unintentional aura of fear seeping through every one of them. Their eyes told the same story, we weren¡¯t just normal humans or nobility to them anymore. We had transcended into something different, something that struck fear in the depth of their souls.

    At the entrance of the courtyard, we found Mom and Evren waiting. A warm smile graced Mom¡¯s face as Yukina gave her a hug. Evren greeted me with a weak blow on my shoulder as I responded by wincing, pretending to be in pain.

    Evren¡¯s transformation was the most astonishing among us. She looked strikingly different. Her hair colour had changed to a rich-blonde, almost golden¡ªsame as Yukina¡¯s and Mom¡¯s. Her eyes mirrored the brilliance of her hair as she looked almost divine.

    The scariest part of her transformation was her dragon which had shape-shifted into a pet-like creature. I didn¡¯t know the extent of her abilities nor that of her dragon.

    The only thing Darya told me about dragons was that they were very powerful¡ªmore powerful than anything I could think of, and possessed the most destructive flames.

    I¡¯d jokingly asked her if she could kill one in a fair fight, and she answered nonchalantly,

    ¡°It would be quite an easy fight for me. For you, your chances are slim.¡±

    I didn¡¯t dispute her. There was a reason why the Feel existed at different strengths. An Obsidian was nothing compared to a Golden, and a Golden was nothing compared to a Solid White. I was a very rare exception, and I was only able to stand out because of Darya¡¯s abilities. My Feel had progressed to an Amber, Yukina¡¯s became a Pale Silver, and Evren¡¯s couldn¡¯t be determined. Her Feel still remained at Amber, but we knew she was stronger than that. She mentioned something about Eternal Amber and being the phoenix; understandable why she was stuck with an Amber Feel.

    The dragon¡¯s existence was still a secret to the nobles of the Choryth House. Evren¡¯s transformation drew some attention but it didn¡¯t strike them as abnormal. Rather the ones who drew most of the attention and provoked many whispers were Yukina and me, thanks to Mom¡¯s little showing.

    The situation favoured the High Lord. The show-off of power was part of his plan. He wanted news of it to spread and it did. The Choryth House was perceived as the most powerful House prior the Azkhan invasion. Surviving the Azkhans consolidated the perception of its strength and now the rumours and whispers say that the Choryth House could go against the Azkhans if they wanted to. The rumours seemed feasible from the outside but we¡¯ve never seen the full strength of the Azkhans.

    My respect for the High Lord grew with each passing day. Understanding him as a person was challenging, but one thing was certain¡­ he was a genius. Every decision he made always turned out to be the right one, and what was more impressive about him was how he made the best of any situation he found himself in.

    When I greeted Mom, she wanted a hug, but I subtly declined, there were many guards outside and I had to protect whatever masculinity I had. She picked up on it quickly but didn¡¯t stop herself from brushing my hair with her hand¡ªannoying. I didn¡¯t blame her, she never cared about formalities after all.

    As we waited, I could see the Azkhan convoy approach from a distance.

    ¡°Finally,¡± Yukina said with contempt.

    Familiar faces emerged from the convoy, at least to me and Mom. Standing opposite us, it felt like we were matched in a battle of aura. Their blue uniforms which contrasted our red ones gave off a feeling of animosity as our stance and the expression our faces wore worsened it. We were supposed to be allies, but the tension between us said otherwise. The standoff was a show of strength, we weren¡¯t given any orders to do so but we just did. It was evident that Evren and Yukina weren¡¯t scared of them, and wanted to pass that message clearly.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    Vayr broke the tension as he walked forward. Evren stepped forward too and they met with a handshake.

    ¡°Welcome, the High Lord awaits.¡±

    One thing I had observed and have come to like about the Azkhans was their strict adherence to hierarchy. Sophia was the daughter of the Emperor and was revered among the soldiers but Vayr was the one in charge. What was even more impressive was that, although she could, she didn¡¯t try to impose anything on him but followed his lead.

    ¡°I would like to thank you and your House for the battle of Brisdow. I guess the identity of our majesty is no longer a secret to you anymore,¡± Vayr voiced.

    ¡°Your thanks are appreciated,¡± the High Lord replied.

    When it felt like there was going to be a period of silence in the room, the High Lord continued speaking.

    ¡°But I am sure you requested this meeting for other reasons, so let¡¯s get to it.¡±

    ¡°Thanks to your help, the Southern Republic is fully under our control. That said, we are set to launch an all out campaign on the Northern Republic. We¡¯ve laid groundwork there but it won¡¯t be easy because I am quite confident that the Imperium has contingencies set over there, we are hoping we have the full support of this House.

    ¡°And if we refuse?¡±

    ¡°Well, it wouldn¡¯t look good on you. You¡¯ve already made an enemy of the Imperium, I am sure you wouldn¡¯t want to make an enemy of us too.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t sound so confident unlike our first meeting. Your actions, your words, they tell me you are aware of the vulnerabilities of your position. You may have control over the Southern Republic but how strong is that control? Imagine what will happen if I decide to start a revolt here in Stavren, what will be the consequences?¡±

    Silence befell us. The tension in the air was palpable, thickening with every heartbeat as Lord Edger¡¯s challenge hung over the room like a storm cloud. Vayr, unflinching, took a moment to weigh his words.

    ¡°Your House has survived the tide of the Azkhan onslaught. But survival isn¡¯t enough when the world is shifting beneath you.¡±

    My gaze shifted to the direction of the High Lord. He was as calm and unfazed as ever. He knew he had a lot of cards to play, and he knew he had the edge at the moment but he didn¡¯t show any sign of it. Even the threat he made earlier was made in a calm tone which made it even scarier to listen to.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about the world shifting beneath me. This House has survived for so long, don¡¯t you think we can still push our luck a bit further? It¡¯s true we can¡¯t go up against an Empire, but we can deal a considerable amount of damage to it. This, you know.¡±

    ¡°What do you want, Lord Edger?¡± Vayr asked. He didn¡¯t want to further engage the duel of wits. He knew he wasn¡¯t going to win.

    ¡°Security.¡±

    ¡°What kind of security do you need?¡±

    ¡°Recognition by your Emperor, and an important position in your Empire.¡±

    Vayr broke character as a smile appeared on his face.

    ¡°I must tell you, there are some things beyond my control. I cannot¡­¡±

    ¡°Granted, I will grant your request. In return, we request your unwavering loyalty to us, your men and resources included.¡±

    Sophia spoke for the first time since the meeting commenced as she interrupted Vayr¡¯s response.

    Vayr looked stunned, the expression on his face could easily tell. It was evident that he couldn¡¯t grant our request even if he wanted to, but he didn¡¯t expect Sophia to do so either. He whispered something to Sophia but her reaction in response to whatever he said to her showed that she didn¡¯t listen to him.

    ¡°Do we have an agreement now, Lord Edger?¡±

    ¡°I believe we do.¡±

    ¡°We will leave for the Northern Republic in a week. I believe that is enough time to prepare your best men.¡±

    SOPHIA STONECLAW

    ¡°I owe them my life, it¡¯s worth it.¡±

    I said these words over and over, reassuring myself that I was making the right decision, before I blurted,

    ¡°Granted.¡±

    I knew Vayr would disagree with me. He whispered the words to me,

    ¡°Your Highness, I don¡¯t think this is a good idea. Please reconsider the decision you are making right now.¡±

    I didn¡¯t listen to him, my mind was made up.

    I wasn¡¯t just doing House Choryth a favour, I was also doing myself and the Azkhan army a favour too. House Choryth had proven to be formidable as a foe and reliable as an ally. More so, I owed them my life. I wasn¡¯t well versed in matters of politics and war unlike Vayr, but it was easy to tell that they weren¡¯t scared of us anymore. I didn¡¯t know what cards they had up their sleeves, but from my little experience with them, they were always full of surprises.

    I had never been so determined about anything in my life, past or present, but at the moment, I wanted to win the war so badly. I didn¡¯t know what the war was about, I wasn¡¯t interested in knowing, but a victory was a goal I wanted to accomplish. To me, it meant growth, it meant power, and it meant respect, at least from the old geezers of the Supreme Council.

    I needed every resource, every asset, every manpower, and every advantage that increased our chances of winning, and House Choryth ticked every box.

    Being here in the Southern continent changed me. I grew up in this world, care-free about a lot of things even though they never made sense. I told myself my rebirth here as royalty was the heavens way of compensating my previous shitty life. But obviously, that wasn¡¯t the case, just the bliss that came along with ignorance.

    My ignorant self knew there was so much more to being here, but decided to keep it suppressed. It worked until I became involved in this war. I came to understand that maybe I wasn¡¯t so special, and maybe there was a reason I was brought to this place, so I decided to find out for myself. I set myself on a path of discovery, and this war was the beginning. Winning or losing didn¡¯t matter so much to me until I found myself close to death¡¯s door. The Aftermath of Brisdow became personal to me, and I felt like I had something to prove to myself and to everyone. I wanted to hurt the Imperium as much as they¡¯d hurt me, and to do that, I had to win.

    The meeting ended but we didn¡¯t leave immediately. The Choryth High Lord offered to host us and we obliged. It was already getting dark so it meant we were going to leave the next day. Just as we left the meeting room, Vayr walked up to me as we spoke in low voices.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have done what you did. Are you ready to shoulder the consequences of your actions?¡±

    ¡°What consequences, Vayr? You sound angry. Why are you angry?¡±

    ¡°Concerned,¡± Vayr replied.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°The request you granted wasn¡¯t yours to grant, Sophia.¡±

    ¡°Your Highness,¡± I corrected sternly.

    ¡°You might outrank me as the military chief, but I wield more power than you do. Know your place.¡±

    Vayr was taken aback by my response. It was the first time I had spoken to him with such authority. I had always followed his lead, so taking matters into my hands was a novelty to him.

    ¡°I am only speaking as protocol allows, and the course of action you took was inappropriate. Should we face a situation beyond our control, we have the Elder Guards to rely on.¡±

    ¡°Vayr, a decision has been made, and a conclusion reached. I would bear whatever consequences should they arise, so please let¡¯s move on from it. I am not trying to undermine your authority here but I think I got a good read of the situation. They weren¡¯t going to yield and I am sure you don¡¯t want to make an enemy of them. I am alive today because of them, so I would grant whatever they requested and more.¡±

    Vayr was silent. He knew my reasons were valid enough, but I understood his concerns too.

    ¡°So, please send word to my father and inform him about the situation, I would appreciate that.¡±

    ¡°Yes, your Highness,¡± he replied before leaving.

    As I walked across the hall, I spotted Svan with his mother and sisters, so I decided to join their company.

    ¡°Did you get bored of your folk?¡± Lady Eliora asked me.

    ¡°I guess.¡±

    ¡°Well, You¡¯ve met my son, Svan. These are my daughters, Evren and Yukina.¡±

    ¡°Sophia,¡± I said as I extended my hand for a hand shake.

    None of them took my hand, so I smiled as I withdrew it.

    ¡°You must think we are friends,¡± Yukina said to me.

    ¡°No, we are not. It¡¯s amusing that you¡¯d think I would jump to that conclusion so quickly, considering we just met.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get too comfortable. My sister and I don¡¯t have the fondest memories about you and your people,¡± Evren said, as she walked away from our little gathering, with Yukina following after her.

    ¡°I guess they don¡¯t like me,¡± I said with a smile.

    ¡°Well, I hope you understand their animosity,¡± Svan said in response.

    ¡°I do, but I don¡¯t care. It seems like they¡¯ve mistaken me for someone who needs their approval to feel validated. Like they said, we aren¡¯t friends, and we don¡¯t need to be. This is war, we are simply allies, which means we have a partnership that benefits us one way or another, so our personal feelings do not matter.¡±

    ¡°Shhh,¡± Lady Eliora hushed, almost playfully.

    ¡°They know war, and they aren¡¯t scared of it. They are young and they have been through a lot for their ages. It¡¯s okay if it gets personal for them, and it¡¯s okay if they get emotional, I permit it because I can protect them.¡±

    Words failed me, and I couldn¡¯t help but stare at her. There was admiration in my eyes as I looked at a woman who was a mother and leader.

    ¡°Come on, let me show you around, she said.

 51. DUSKENFELL

    SVAN CHORYTH

    Nothing compared to the clarity that came from firsthand experience. There was something about it that revealed our true feelings¡ªat least, that was what I discovered on this sea voyage. What I thought might be an adventure turned into a revelation; I genuinely despised being out in open water. The crashing waves and the endless horizon were not the liberating escape I had imagined. Instead they became a source of unease that settled deep in my bones.

    I hated the way the ship rolled with the waves, each rise and fall felt threatening. The air was thick with the scent of salt and damp wood, overwhelming my sense of smell, which triggered a consistent nauseous feeling. The constant creaking of the vessel felt ominous as if it were an aging beast groaning under its own weight, as each crash of wave sent a shudder through the hull.

    We¡¯d spent two weeks sailing on the open waters, and everyday felt the same¡ªboring. I didn¡¯t leave my cabin often, but when I did, hoping to break free from the suffocating routine, I was confronted by the same unchanging conditions. The only relief from the dreariness of the voyage came during meals or whenever Mom, Yukina, Evren and I were gathered. We would talk, joke and make fun of each other, a necessary distraction from what awaits us.

    We were already in the middle of war, yet to me, it felt like a distant dream, as if the chaos and clamour belonged to another realm entirely. I had been involved in series of life and death situations as a result of the ongoing war, but the full picture of it hadn¡¯t properly immersed in my subconscious. This was probably because my understanding of war was shaped by what I had read from books, and I was yet to witness that reality first-hand.

    The Imperium was prepared, and word had it that they were ready for a full blown incursion in the North. This meant that the vivid ideas in my head were close to becoming a reality.

    Although the situation had changed completely, it still fell within the range of outcomes that the Azkhans had anticipated. We couldn¡¯t use transport gates as a means of transportation to the Northern republic because all long distance gates were heavily guarded by troops of Imperial soldiers.

    We set sail for the Northern republic with twenty-five ships, each with a carrying capacity of five hundred men. We took a circumnavigating route around the Southern Republic which made the voyage four times longer than its intended duration. The choice of route was due to two reasons. First, it was essential to gather supplies from the island Kingdom of Weldhem, east of Academroth. Secondly, the Azkhans aimed to steer clear of the Imperial Navy which patrolled the waters between the Southern republic and the Imperium.

    One thing I learned and found interesting during the course of our journey was the military structure of the Azkhans. They were divided into units consisting of two hundred and fifty soldiers, each led by a unit commander. Every unit comprised two hundred and forty vanguards, and ten lieutenants, with each lieutenant overseeing a squad of twenty-five men. Their organization was intriguing, leaving me eager to witness its effectiveness in the heat of battle.

    We didn¡¯t have much of a choice than to conform with the same organization as the Azkhans. The Choryth House didn¡¯t have any formal military, so it was safe to say that we weren¡¯t well versed in war tactics. We were able to gather a thousand men, including skilled adventurers who volunteered to join. These men were divided into the units, just like the Azkhans. Mom, Yukina, Evren and I were ranked as commanders as each of us took charge of a unit.

    Mom was against the idea initially, stating that it was risky, as the division would make it impossible for her to keep an eye on us during battles. None of us paid heed to her worries, we were rather excited with the development. When she voiced her complaints and the risked involved, Yukina teased her, saying,

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be worried about our safety, we will be fine. You¡¯ve already killed us once, remember? We won¡¯t be dying for a second time.¡±

    No matter what she said, we were disinterested in listening, so she was left with no choice than to give up. It was natural for her to be worried but I felt she was worrying too much. She signed up for it, so she knew what risks were involved.

    I stared long and hard at the map lying on the small table in front of me, with its details revealing the vast expanse of the Northern republic. The geographical differences between the Northern and Southern Republics were immediately evident upon looking at the map. The Northern Republic was larger, and had more territories than the Southern Republic; seven compared to the southern¡¯s four. Its geography made it difficult to properly distinguish between the north and south as the east and west were more apparent. The seven territories of the Northern Republic were Duskenfell, Scalzhar, Nythralis, Iron Vale, Thaul, Gaulderheim, and Feywild. Duskenfell, occupied the eastern region while Gaulderheim lay in the west. Nythralis occupied the Northwestern region, with Thaul situated in the Southwest. The central part of the Northern Republic was split between Scalzhar, Iron Vale and Feywild. Scalzhar lay on the south, with Iron Vale and Feywild on the northeast and northwest, respectively.

    As I stared at the map, all I could think of was the possibility of completing the conquest of the Northern Republic. It wasn¡¯t a board game of conquest but a real life event that was about to take place¡ªa bold, risky and dangerous one. Deep down, I felt that our chances were slim. I couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling we were in for a rude awakening from the Imperium. We had little to no knowledge of how prepared the Imperium was, but it didn¡¯t matter as we were past the point of no return.

    A knock sounded at my door, and the messenger delivered a concise message,

    ¡°Commander Svan, your presence is required in the wardroom.¡±

    Curious to find out why I was summoned, I left for the wardroom immediately.

    I was a bit surprised to find my mother seated with Vayr and Sophia.

    ¡°Have a sit,¡± Vayr voiced.

    On the table was a replica of the map I had in my room. Pointing at a location on the open waters, he said,

    ¡°We are here, exactly ten miles ashore from the port city at Duskenfell. We need to take control of that city before our fleet arrives there. Word has it that every port in the Northern Republic is heavily surveilled by the Imperial military, so we need a safe landing for our fleet to avoid being drowned before we make shore.¡±

    ¡°So why does it sound like a problem?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Discretion.¡±

    ¡°So, to summarize your intentions, we take a small force, enter the city, kill every Imperial soldier, and make sure our fleet is able to dock.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but we aren¡¯t taking a small force, just two people,¡± Vayr replied.

    I scoffed,

    ¡°Just two people?¡±

    ¡°Yes, just two. Our sources confirmed that there are no members of the Order of Death stationed at the City, and only a fighting force of about a two hundred and fifty men, primarily focused on reconnaissance. If our fleet gets within range of their surveillance, they will attack immediately, simultaneously requesting backup. Our problem here is vulnerability at their shoreline. We can confirm that they have mana devices capable of destroying ships, so, we can¡¯t afford to confirm how effective those devices work.¡±Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡°Okay, so why am I here?¡± I asked.

    ¡°With every situation accounted for, I believe it¡¯s best you went with her Majesty. Firstly, it provides a disguise as both of you will pose as fishing siblings. Secondly, I have no doubt that both of you can take care of two hundred soldiers. However, if you encounter an entirely different scenario, I trust you with your unique abilities to ensure her Majesty¡¯s safe return.

    Mom looked at me and asked,

    ¡°Are you up for it?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± I replied.

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get you ready,¡± she said, giving me a reassuring pat on my back.

    For the first time, she didn¡¯t nag about my safety or security which came off as a bit of a surprise. She seemed to have finally let go of her constant worries, trusting that I could handle things on my own. There was a sense of confidence in her eyes, as I could feel the weight of her expectations lifting, replaced by a quiet trust in me.

    I was handed an outfit that I instantly recognized. It was the same style worn by Vixra and Crit during our meeting in Ausbane forest. Just as I was about to complain that it did not fit into the discretion we were suppose to portray, I was handed a sackcloth and a straw hat.

    ¡°Okay, this does the trick,¡± I voiced inwardly.

    We were led above deck, escorted by a few Azkhan soldiers. Mom, Yukina and Evren were also present. In the presence of the Azkhans, Yukina and Evren suppressed any signs of familiarity, maintaining a formal demeanour. Normally, they would be all over me, but this time, they simply said,

    ¡°Be safe.¡±

    We were lowered into a fishing boat. The vessel, a sturdy craft, about twenty-five feet long, crafted from dark wood that had been smoothed by countless waves. Its bow rose gracefully, resembling the head of a sea serpent, while the stern was broad and flat, providing ample space for movement.

    The deck was a mosaic of textures, revealing the rich grain of the wood beneath. In the centre, a large, round hatch led down to a storage hold, where the supplies and gear were kept.

    Around the edges, nets draped over wooden pegs, heavy with silvery fish caught earlier in the day. Some fish were still wriggling, ensnared in the fine mesh, while others lay in open containers made of woven reeds and bound with twine, each one filled with salt to preserve the catch. Above us, a simple sail was furled, and its fabric, a faded canvas that once held vibrant colours.

    Every ship in our fleet had come to a halt, their anchors dropped. It was evident that their next course of action solely depended on us.

    We had drifted quite a distance away from the fleet until the sea current weakened, preventing us from going any further.

    ¡°Do you know how to sail a boat?¡± I asked Sophia.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± she replied.

    ¡°Funny, they put two people on a boat without inquiring if they could sail it,¡± I said mockingly.

    ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be a problem,¡± she said confidently.

    ¡°I can just manipulate the current around the boat, while you navigate with the compass.¡±

    ¡°What part of the word ¡®discretion¡¯ don¡¯t you understand?¡± I asked moving to the sail.

    I unfurled the canvas, allowing it to catch the gentle breeze, propelling the boat forward. Then, I adjusted the angle of the tiller, steering it into the wind to gain momentum.

    ¡°Where did you learn how to do that?¡± Sophia asked.

    ¡°Books. Hopefully we don¡¯t encounter strong currents because adjusting the sail would pose a problem.¡±

    We sailed wordlessly for a while until I asked her,

    ¡°Why would they send you out for a mission like this? There are other options that would have yielded the same results.¡±

    ¡°It was my choice. I told Vayr I wanted to do it,¡± she replied.

    ¡°I think you are too odd to be royalty. You don¡¯t act like one.¡±

    I paused momentarily,

    ¡°I remember you telling me I enjoy putting myself in dangerous situations, like I always wanted to get myself killed, or I was okay with dying. But you were wrong. You and I, we are the same. We are simply enjoying the thrill of an exciting and endearing adventure, mindless of the risks that come with it.¡±

    I looked at her, and she looked away avoiding my gaze.

    ¡°Your silence is proof that I am right,¡± I said as we continued to sail in silence once more.

    After long tiring hours, we could see the shore, there were other fishing boats similar to ours so we blended in perfectly as we made our way to the dock.

    ¡°This place reeks everything bad,¡± Sophia said, breaking the silence.

    I nodded,

    ¡°True.¡±

    The port city rose against the misty backdrop of craggy mountains, bearing a foreboding outlook. Towering spires reached toward the sky, adorned with large red crystals that gave off an ominous pulse. The sun, dipping below the horizon transformed the skyline into a jagged silhouette, casting long shadows over the harbour.

    The air was thick with a salty mist, and a cacophony of sounds filled the space. Merchants shouted their wares, the clanking of metal echoed, as dockworkers loaded and unloaded their ships, and a crash of waves provided a constant rhythm to the city¡¯s heartbeat. Yet, beneath the surface of the vibrant activity lay an undercurrent of tension, palpable and unyielding.

    At the center of the harbour, massive mana devices loomed like sentinels, as their dark shimmering surfaces glistened ominously in the fading light. These devices were adorned with crystals that glowed with an eerie blue light, cackling with mana. These were what Vayr wanted to avoid.

    I noticed that every large ship docking in the harbour was inspected under the supervision of some Imperial soldiers, while others patrolled the harbour. The number of soldiers I could count were roughly a hundred which left me wondering where the rest were.

    ¡°Given the current situation, I don¡¯t think we can completely take control of this city, but we can buy time for our fleet to arrive,¡± I said to Sophia.

    ¡°Why is that?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Because reinforcements will definitely arrive when the fighting starts. I believe Vayr knew this too, and what he was more worried about are those,¡±

    I said, pointing at the mana devices.

    ¡°So, what do we do?¡± She asked

    ¡°First, we send a message to Vayr, notifying him that the fleet is clear to approach. Then we destroy the mana devices and prepare for battle.¡±

    While I was inscribing Vayr¡¯s message on the communication scroll, two soldiers approached us.

    ¡°May we see your dock pass?¡± One of them asked.

    ¡°Sir, there are many fishing boats around, and I don¡¯t see them being inspected. Why ours?¡± Sophia replied.

    ¡°Your faces don¡¯t strike as familiar. Your dock pass, now!¡± He insisted.

    ¡°Okay, okay, calm down. I will get it for you,¡± Sophia replied.

    She looked at me, and I nodded, signalling that I was done writing. In a blur of motion, she spun around, disarmed one of the soldiers and decapitated them with a swift strike.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she said.

    There were twenty mana devices, but destroying all of them didn¡¯t pose any difficulty. I crashed ten of them against each other with Attraction, which caused a loud explosion. Sophia followed up by unleashing lightning currents to destroy the rest, throwing the entire harbour into chaos.

    Sophia and I stood side by side for a brief moment, taking in the chaos around us. Amidst the turmoil, I felt oddly calm, like in a zone shielding me from everything happening around me. As the smoke dissipated and visibility improved, we found ourselves surrounded by Imperial soldiers.

    I couldn¡¯t sense any arcane energy from any of the soldiers. Feeling a bit relieved, I charged.

    My strength and skill had improved exponentially. I¡¯ve had countless of training and battle simulations with Darya which surprisingly translated to reality. Armed with my Stillbring and grey domain I cut through dozens of soldiers that didn¡¯t even have the opportunity to put up a fight. Some of them managed to conjure spells but they were futile. It didn¡¯t take long as every soldier surrounding us lay dead. I switched out of the grey domain and it was a mess. Decapitated heads, severed limbs, and gored bodies. I turned in Sophia¡¯s direction, and she stood over a pile of bodies. The once vibrant port was now eerily empty, save for us and the bodies around us.

    I didn¡¯t feel remorse nor disgust. The old me would have been questioning my actions. It wasn¡¯t over yet, and Sophia knew it too. We still held our swords firmly, ready for whatever came next.

    It didn¡¯t take long until figures that seemingly appeared from nowhere crashed around us. Four of them wore masks and white outfits¡ªthe knights of the Order of Death.

    Another figure caught my attention as it stood atop a spire, watching us.

    ¡°What are our chances?¡± Sophia asked, glancing at me. I stared at her for a moment. I¡¯ve always thought she was someone who acted rashly without second thoughts, but since our arrival at Duskenfell, she had approached every situation with caution.

    ¡°There is only one way to find out,¡± I said in reply.

    The air crackled with tension as the knights of the Order of Death surrounded us. The difference in strength between them and the Imperial soldiers was exponential, and the aura they exuded was palpable.

    I tightened my grip on my sword, as the energy of my Stillbring surged through me. Activating the grey domain, time stretched, and my senses heightened.

    With a nod as a signal, and a burst of speed, I lunged forward, targeting the nearest knight. He swung his sword at me, but I easily dodged, slipping into his space with Realm Slip. In an instant, I was behind him, my blade striking true. He moved with lethal precision and speed, countering my blade, as one of his comrades closed ranks. I was a bit surprised. I didn¡¯t expect my strike to be fatal, but I also didn¡¯t expect him to react with such precision.

    Sophia unleashed a wave of lightning, the crackling energy arcing toward two knights. They countered, conjuring a barrier of solid ice to shield themselves as their clash of elements sent shards flying all over.

    I readied myself, expecting a retaliatory strike from them. I wasn¡¯t scared. Although I didn¡¯t have any clear idea of how to kill both of them without the use of Negation, I didn¡¯t also see how they would kill me.

 52. IN THEIR ELEMENTS; BENEATH THE SURFACE OF STRENGTH

    My breathing was steady, as I awaited the slightest disruption in the grey domain. It felt like we were locked in a battle of anticipation, waiting for each other to make a move. I¡¯d already initiated the first attack, so it was natural I awaited their retaliation. After what felt like a standstill, I felt a disturbance in the calm of the grey domain around them.

    ¡°Finally,¡± I said inwardly.

    I had no knowledge of what abilities they possessed but I was unfazed nevertheless. A deep confidence in my abilities surged within me, as I slowly came to the realization that I was handed keys to the doorway of unparalleled power.

    In one of my many conversations with Darya, she told me that I already had the fundamentals of her abilities, so it was left for me to get creative with them. She even taunted me a few times saying that I was a spoilt brat waiting to be spoon-fed all the time. I tried to make an argument for myself, stating that they weren¡¯t my abilities to begin with, but she dismissed my excuses, insisting it made no difference.

    During my numerous training sessions with Darya, I¡¯d made only one improvement. Calling it an improvement was a stretch, though; rather, I would say I put in a lot of effort studying the grey domain and its intricacies.

    Although I had always known that switching my perception to the grey domain was an ability of its own, I didn¡¯t pay much heed to it. I just saw it as a means to keep up with speed of movement and spells during duels or battles. While it served that purpose perfectly, I had fundamentally misunderstood its nature.

    Darya also contributed to my misinterpretation of the grey domain, since she had originally told me that it was a form of perception¡ªa piece of information I blindly stuck with. The grey domain was a lot more than a perceptive ability, it was everything about spatial manipulation; coalescing space into a somewhat tangible form, one which could be easily manipulated. I got to understand that Attraction, Negation, Repulsion, Realm Slip, and Hollow Shield, were all possible because I was able to perceive the grey domain.

    One of the knights created a cackling distortion around him as he approached me. I could easily tell he was using a full-body lightning reinforcement on himself, like he was wearing an amour of lightning. It was my first time experiencing one, although Yukina had once told me that Mom could do the same. I didn¡¯t know how elemental mana manipulation came off as, but I had always believed that mana reinforcement was reserved to stillbringers. While a part of me argued that it was a different form of reinforcement from that of stillbringers, the other insisted that reinforcement was reinforcement regardless of what form it took. I was impressed nonetheless, they were called knights of the Order of Death for good reason.

    ¡°Too slow,¡± I said as I moved to meet him.

    Although I didn¡¯t pay much attention to my mana manipulation except for the grey domain, it seemed like my body knew what to do. Just as I moved to meet him, I felt my stillbring reinforcing on its own.

    ¡°So, this is what it feels like to be an Arcane, huh?¡± I thought.

    Before the knight could reach me, he sent lightning tendrils streaking my way. I didn¡¯t respond by evading, rather I redirected its course, sending it in another direction. I had learnt how to do that too, thanks to training, and I was excited knowing I was able to pull it off when it mattered.

    I met his sword with mine, as the clash sent ripples through the grey domain. In a swift motion defined by blur even in the grey domain, I let my sword drop, grabbing my dagger from its sheath and plunging it into his chest before he could even react. I smiled. The outcome of this encounter was an indicator of how strong and efficient I had gotten.

    A spear came flying towards me, and without putting any thought about what to do with it, I triggered Hollow Shield just before it could strike my face as it disappeared in an instant. Instead of utilizing the original effects of Hollow shield, I created an exit for the spells with the understanding that its trapping effect was what consumed mana.

    The exit point I created for the spear, was right on the torso of the knight I had stabbed, watching expectantly as the spear ran through him. I couldn¡¯t see what expression he was wearing on his face, but I could tell that he didn¡¯t believe what had just happened to him. I couldn¡¯t tell how fast my movements were in the grey domain compared to normal perception, but given that the knight could not react at all to counter my dagger, I would say I was able to pull that move off at near impossible speed.

    I felt vibrations from beneath me. It wasn¡¯t localized to where I stood; instead, they spread in a ripple-like manner. I couldn¡¯t tell what spell the second knight was about to conjure, confident that the first knight was incapacitated at that moment. While it would have been easy to evade if the vibrations were localized, the entire area was affected, so I waited.

    Suddenly, the ground beneath me broke apart and I lost my footing, feeling a sinking sensation. Though slow, I knew I was falling below. For a brief moment, I didn¡¯t know what to do, and came to the realization that it was impossible to account for multiple variables during combat.

    I saw the silhouette of the second knight move, as the debris around him created a path for him. He grabbed his fellow knight, taking him to safety. I triggered Realm Slip to the path created by the knight, but it disintegrated into debris once again.

    Earlier, I felt invincible, but at that moment, my limitations began to tell. My vision could only perceive the grey domain in a hundred-meter radius, therefore anything beyond that was out of my reach. I could initiate Realm Slip to go any distance, but to do that, I had to switch my perception out of the grey domain.

    Still falling, calculating my next course of action, the second knight appeared within range, as the debris came together once again, creating a path for him mid-air. From directly above me, he launched a barrage of conjured spears in my direction, but I easily altered their trajectory. He was relentless with it, knowing I was in a position of disadvantage. In response, I switched, triggering Hollow Shield, letting him taste his own medicine.

    I engaged Realm Slip upwards, before switching out of the grey domain. Mid-air, I triggered Realm Slip once again, bringing myself to the top of a building unaffected by the wreck and havoc.

    I quickly understood why the top-tier class of casters were given the title of ¡°Chaos¡±. The harbor was a shadow of its former self, and the destruction began encroaching the city. The earth was upturned like the area was struck by an earthquake, and the whole place looked like it was ravaged by a mana storm, with massive iron spears around ten feet long scattered all over.

    I scoffed. Even though I was unscathed, I couldn¡¯t believe the level of destructive force I was up against. The battle was far from over and I was thrown back into combat once again as the building I stood on exploded from an impact of a fireball.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    I spent the next moments trying to place my feet on a solid surface. I never knew that there would come a moment in my life where that would become an incredibly difficult task. Every building I landed on, exploded, and the ground was unwelcoming as they broke apart once my feet touched them.

    ¡°Give me a break,¡± I groaned.

    I needed a solution, and I needed one fast. I was done running, feeling the urgency to take control of the situation as fast as I could, but it was a bit difficult fighting two incredibly powerful enemies with a clear objective.

    The first knight was fully recovered and back in the mix. I knew that the spear and dagger weren¡¯t enough to kill him since his comrade didn¡¯t allow me to get the job done. If only Negation wouldn¡¯t consume all the mana left in me, the whole fight would have been done in an instant. I had to do without it. It was a challenge I was determined to overcome.

    I took the fight to them, realizing that distance put me at a disadvantage. The only way I could place my feet on the ground was to stay as close to them as possible. Engaging Realm Slip, I materialized right in front of the second knight. He seemed to sense my mana right before I appeared before him, readying his sinister-looking spear to thrust through me. I laughed inwardly; It was the same move Mom used on me that almost killed me, and there was no way I was falling for the same trick twice. I was faster and better now.

    I was able to parry his thrust before it made contact, and in a swift maneuver, I slashed, aiming for his neck. He was quick to adapt; learning from what happened to his fellow knight, he readied himself against unprecedented attacks. I wasn¡¯t surprised when my sword struck something hard¡ªhis head intact.

    Frustration began to brew inside me as I searched for a way to take care of them without the use of Negation. I was even more annoyed, knowing I was so close to killing one of them, had the other not intervened. Now, my element of surprise was gone. Certain that their Feel was a lot stronger than mine, I knew I would be at a massive disadvantage if the fight dragged on, as exhaustion would catch up to me much quicker.

    I pressed again, engaging both of them in a sword fight, just to keep them occupied, while I tried to come up with a solution. Their skills didn¡¯t matter, everything they did was slow and predictable, thanks to the grey domain, and thanks to my stillbring, my body could easily keep up. I was able to land lethal strikes on them a few times, but their amour-like spell reinforcements made sure they were unscathed.

    Battle instincts kicked in. Although they conjured amour that kept them unharmed, I thought to myself that maybe if I applied just enough force, I could break their amour. The first knight conjured an amour made of ice, and the second knights¡¯, iron. My sword couldn¡¯t get past them, but I didn¡¯t think they were impregnable.

    I used Repulsion on both of them, sending them crashing. They were still within my range in the grey domain, so I quickly grabbed one of the conjured spears around me, launching it in the direction of the first knight. I could tell them apart because he was a bit taller than the second. Just as the spear left my hand, I triggered Repulsion in the direction of the spear with the strongest output I could muster. My stillbring, coupled with my perception of the grey domain was enough to generate a tremendous amount of force, but I wanted more. I needed certainty.

    Even within the constraints of the grey domain, the spear shot at an incredible speed, as I watched in excitement as it struck true. The impact sent shock waves throughout the grey domain, as the spear went through the knight. The force of impact was so great that it launched him off the ground, crashing him through several buildings before coming to a rest, impaling him. I wasn¡¯t going to let another opportunity slip. I followed up immediately, using Realm Slip to close the distance between us. Just as I materialized before him I swung my sword, decapitating him.

    I switched out of the grey domain, and exhaled. I was overwhelmed with the feeling of accomplishment, but I didn¡¯t feel any rush of excitement. It felt almost like what I just did was routine, even though it was far from it.

    The knight I just killed condensed the reality of my situation. I was strong¡ªperhaps too strong to be exact. In the past I would have gotten excited, but now, for some reason, I wasn¡¯t. Instead of excitement, I felt a deep, unsettling emptiness. It was as if the thrill of victory was siphoned away, replaced by an insatiable thirst for something more¡ªsomething I couldn¡¯t quite grasp.

    I walked slowly towards the second knight, unsure of what to do with him. There was a tinge of arrogance that seeped into my subconscious, an unwelcome companion I couldn¡¯t shake off. It seemed to be one of the burdens of possessing such strength¡ªa heavy crown that came with its own set of consequences. Perhaps, I had no choice but to live with it, suppress it if I could, but that would wait for later.

    I didn¡¯t shift my perception to the grey domain as I approached, opting to envelop myself with Hollow Shield just as a precaution. Though the knights face was concealed by his mask, I was curious to know what expression hid beneath it. He didn¡¯t move, and the stance he assumed wasn¡¯t that of someone who was about to make a move.

    There was a lot of carnage unfolding in the background as Sophia clashed with her opponents, but I paid it no heed. I didn¡¯t know what the knight in front of me was up to, so it was best not to get distracted.

    To my surprise, he took off his mask. Behind the fearsome facade, was the face of a young man, around my age. I¡¯d just turned fifteen¡ªan adult by the laws of the Imperium¡ªbut I still believed it was too young an age to be exposed to the horrors of war. Yet, on a second thought, who was I to judge? I was here too, in a war I chose to join voluntarily.

    The psychological effects of war didn¡¯t overwhelm me. Maybe it was because I was an Arcane, and has somehow developed an innate mental fortitude. If that were true for me, it would likely hold for him as well.

    ¡°You should have dedicated your Feel to the service of the Imperium. You are the same as us, and unique abilities like yours would have gotten you a place among the Templars.¡±

    His voice was steady, with no hint of fear. It resonated an underlying conviction as if he believed wholeheartedly in the path he had chosen. There was depth in his words, an invitation for reflection that made me consider the choices that had led us to this moment¡ªtwo young men, standing on opposite sides of a war neither of us had asked for.

    ¡°It¡¯s an honor to die by your hands,¡± he said, handing his sword to me.

    I was stunned, surprised. I knew he still had a lot of fight left in him, so I couldn¡¯t understand why he chose to give up. Annoyed, I was forced to speak.

    ¡°Does the Order have a habit of giving up, without giving their best?¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand; maybe you will in time,¡± he replied.

    Everything he said sounded like gibberish, and his actions didn¡¯t make any sense to me. But I didn¡¯t ask any more questions. We were at war, and he was my enemy. I slowly took his sword, as he knelt before me, face down. I swung, and his head dropped.

    I stood over his body, unsure of what to think. I looked in the direction of the knight who stood atop a spire, and she just watched without intervening.

    Sophia was still engaged in battle at a distance. I couldn¡¯t see her or the knights she was fighting; all I could make out was rumble of debris and flashes conjured spells. For a moment, I thought of giving her a hand, but quickly thought better of it. She would most likely prefer to the job on her own. If she needed my help, she would let me know one way or another, so I waited.

    After what felt like an eternity, the rumbling stopped and the fight ended. I watched with bated breath, anxious to see who would emerge alive. Through the mist, a figure appeared, holding two heads on her hands. I sighed in relief. It was an outcome I had expected, yet I found myself on the edge as I waited for the fight to conclude.

    Sophia was bloodied, her clothes torn, but she was fine. I walked towards her, and I could feel her exhaustion defined by her laboured breaths. I didn¡¯t know what to say to her without feeling awkward. The knight who watched us still did nothing, and when I looked up in her direction, she was gone.

    I struggled to make sense of their actions, but I knew they weren¡¯t stupid. Sophia let the heads fall from her hands, as she looked at me,

    ¡°Mission accomplished,¡± she said, dropping her head on my chest. I looked around, the port, unrecognizable, with the damage extending far into the city.

    ¡°Yes, mission accomplished,¡±I replied.

    ¡°This was easy for you right? You are literally spotless,¡± she said.

    ¡°Maybe I had weaker opponents.¡±

    She scoffed,

    ¡°You are terrible at lying.¡±

    She paused for a moment, before speaking again,

    ¡°Thanks for letting me finish the fight alone; I needed that.¡±

    ¡°I figured you wouldn¡¯t want me to interfere, you are stubborn like that,¡± I replied.

    She tried to laugh, but was too exhausted to manage it. Her speech slowed, sounding like someone on the verge of sleep.

    ¡°Do you think our meeting was fateful? Like it was bound to happen eventually?¡±

    ¡°Fate? Only time will tell,¡± I replied.

 53. BLOSSOMING; A DISCOVERY OF SELF.

    SOPHIA STONECLAW

    I found myself surrounded by a group of students, boys and girls included. As I knelt before them, some began to dump their leftover meals on me. Those who had been smoking scattered ash on my hair, while others hurled bits of trash my way. I couldn¡¯t do or say anything, overwhelmed by a feeling of utter helplessness; I just knelt there, taking it all in, scared and powerless.

    A glass wall shattered and the scenery changed. I found myself walking along a dark alley, half oriented, with torn clothes and disheveled hair. I was weak and breathless as I staggered along the alley until I finally made it to the exit. The words ¡°help me,¡± left my mouth a few times, but I wasn¡¯t sure I had any strength to make them loud enough to be heard.

    Bright lights overwhelmed my vision, and the best I could do was to squint, too exhausted to shield my eyes with my hands. A sudden blare of a nearby vehicle horn startled me, and I stumbled forward. I had no strength to get hold of myself, and when I eventually did, I found myself in front of a speeding truck. Its loud honking, and persistent flickering of its headlights had a paralyzing effect on me, and I froze, right in its path. I could hear people screaming at me to run, but the sound of their voices were muffled to my ears, as if I were submerged underwater. I wasn¡¯t sure I would have made it to safety in time even if I made a run for it, because, though everything unfolded slowly before my eyes, it happened in an instant. I was hit, and it all went dark.

    Another glass wall shattered once again and I found myself in a new scene. This time, I was on my knees, watching in horror as a sword was thrust into my belly. The pain wasn¡¯t overwhelming, but I was scared shitless because I thought I was witnessing the last moments of the second chance at life I had been given.

    The glass wall shattered once more, and this time I found myself sitting in the corner of a dark room, face down and eyes shut. I was scared, but I couldn¡¯t tell what I was scared of. A door creaked open slightly, just enough for me to glimpse a familiar figure standing in front of it. The room remained shrouded in darkness, but the door created an illuminated path. My body moved and I struggled to stand. I didn¡¯t know where the door led to, but it was a risk I was willing to take.

    I opened my eyes, and found myself lying on a bed in a dimly lit room. I heaved in relief¡ªit was just a dream after all. I sat there for a while, pondering on the dream I just had. Usually, I didn¡¯t pay much attention to my dreams; most times they were meaningless, and the ones that seemed meaningful didn¡¯t translate into anything of significant importance. But this one got me thinking for a bit because It wasn¡¯t just a mere dream, rather, a series of memories I relived in my sleep.

    As I thought back at it, I realized that those memories unveiled a deeper truth. They were peculiar, highlighting moments of my life when I felt most vulnerable, and in those moments of vulnerability, an overwhelming feeling of fear crashed like waves on the shores of my consciousness.

    I smiled, I had always known the truth, but I never confronted it, conveniently ignoring it. I lived a life that I¡¯d always dreamed of in this world, but the trauma didn¡¯t go away. I still avoided people, and kept social interactions at a minimum. I wasn¡¯t sure if I learned to cope with that trauma, and I began to think that maybe it was an excuse I used to shield myself from what I was truly scared of¡­. Death. It was ironic because death awaited everyone in the end, but the thought of dying always triggered an overwhelming sense of fear in me.

    I wanted to live, and I wanted to live a long life here in this world. But living in constant fear of people and death didn¡¯t seem like a life worth living. That was my dilemma¡ªa fatal flaw of mine. It was the reason I always wore an intimidating and cold demeanour that did just enough to mask my shortcomings. Also, thankfully, my status as Heiress, and the innate strength I possessed made sure I was revered, respected, and feared.

    I understood why I found Svan intriguing on our first meeting. He was everything I wasn¡¯t; fearless, carefree and even reckless, like he had no regard for his life. After the battle at Brisdow, I thought to myself; maybe he lived that way because he was strong, or maybe he was strong because he lived that way. I was strong too, but I didn¡¯t dare.

    I made a resolve to face my fears, as I told myself repeatedly,

    ¡°I can live like him too, I just have to try.¡±

    Svan had changed my life, but he had no idea. I was grateful he saved my life, but I was more grateful that he showed me a path to conquer my fears.

    ¡°Anyone outside?¡± I called.

    ¡°Yes, your Highness,¡± two masculine voices replied.

    ¡°Take me to Vayr.¡±

    It was already nightfall, unsure of the exact time. But from the noise coming from outside the building indicated that a lot of repair and construction was underway. We walked for a bit before stopping in front of a room at the end of the passage.

    ¡°General, Her Majesty is here,¡± one of the guards announced, as I opened the door in front of me.

    The room was small, cramped, and dimly lit, yet it had more ambience than the chamber I slept in. It was barely more than a nook, with stone walls and a low ceiling that made the space feel even tighter. A single flickering candle casted dancing shadows, illuminating the cluttered desk, with the floor covered with a tattered rug. In one corner a rickety bookshelf leaned against the wall crammed with books of various sizes, while another corner held a heap of papers and scrolls.

    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Vayr greeted.

    ¡°I am sure that there are better rooms,¡± I said to him.

    ¡°Probably, but I can¡¯t afford that luxury at the moment. There are pressing matters that have to be taken care of.¡±

    I sat down, trying to take in the chaos around me,

    ¡°What¡¯s our status?¡± I asked.

    ¡°On alert,¡± he replied.

    ¡°Thanks to you and the Choryth, we¡¯ve secured the port, but our problems are just beginning. I just received reports that an army is marching in our direction.¡±

    ¡°Imperial soldiers?¡± I inquired.

    ¡°Yes. They, and Lord Tulika¡¯s men,¡± Vayr replied

    ¡°Who is that?¡± I asked.

    The Lord of Duskenfell.¡±

    I let out a sigh,

    ¡°Their strength?¡±

    ¡°Scouting reports estimates twenty-thousand men, though we can¡¯t estimate how many knights are among their ranks.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t look good. Their numbers here in Duskenfell are much more than ours,¡± I said to Vayr with worry in my tone.

    ¡°That is true, but I am confident of victory in this battle,¡± Vayr said reassuringly.

    ¡°While that¡¯s good to hear, Vayr, are you confident that we can win without burning through our men and resources?¡±

    He looked at me,

    ¡°Probably,¡± he said in response.

    ¡°Okay, so what¡¯s the plan?¡± I asked.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°I learned something from your success here. We strike first, and strike hard. But we will do that with our best soldiers to minimize casualties and losses.¡±

    ¡°By our best soldiers, you mean our lieutenants?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he replied.

    ¡°But we barely have five hundred of them. How could they possibly take on an army of twenty-thousand with the possibility of facing the knights?¡±

    I leaned back in my seat,

    ¡°You are either very crazy or very ambitious,¡± I continued.

    ¡°No, I am not. I am just being logical. Should we encounter the knights, the Choryth, you, Octavia, and I will take care of them. And for the army¡ªthe Lieutenants, and their falxes should be able to get the job done.¡±

    I nodded slowly. Those damned creatures. I almost forgot about them.

    Vayr continued,

    ¡°We move at dawn. Tomorrow, Duskenfell will be under our control.¡±

    He was confident. It was the most assured I had seen him in a long time. His strategy was too much of a risk, but it was also one with a very high reward.

    I stood,

    ¡°Alright, we will convene at dawn,¡± I said as I walked towards the door.

    ¡°I was wrong about the decision you made back at Stavern,¡± Vayr called after me.

    I stopped and turned in his direction.

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°The Choryths¡ªyou were right about them,¡± he replied.

    ¡°Well, I am glad you know, I said as I left the room.¡±

    For a moment, I thought about heading back to my room, but I changed my mind.

    ¡°Where is my falx? I want to see it.¡±

    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± both guards responded, as they led me outside the building.

    It was nightfall, yet everyone was busy. I wasn¡¯t sure how long I had slept, but there was a considerable amount of work done on the wreckage Svan and I had caused. We walked through what looked like a street, and everyone we walked past, greeted with a bow. We did not walk for long until we got to a large clearing where the creatures were kept.

    Vayr¡¯s mention of the Choryths provoked thoughts of the events that happened earlier in the day, as a vivid image of Svan flashed in my head. I relived moments of the battle against the knights in my head, as I tried to figure out areas of combat I could improve on. Svan was literally unscathed, like he didn¡¯t even swing a sword, yet two knights died by his hands. I was victorious too, but it wasn¡¯t the easiest of fights. In fact, I struggled a lot.

    I knew I could do more. I could feel untapped potential within me, but I couldn¡¯t break past my limits to reach them. Svan¡¯s abilities were unique, but I knew I was special too. He fought two knights without breaking a sweat, and I wanted to be able to do that too. Then, it hit me; I had a falx. Though I hated those creatures, I knew I wouldn¡¯t have struggled so much if I had one with me.

    This war was truly a humbling experience for me. I stepped out of my comfort zone and quickly found out that the great Sophia was lacking in so many ways. First, I performed the Erkvare ritual, and now, I am trying to reconnect with my falx.

    The moment I caught sight of the creatures, I began to have a conflict of thought, whether or not I should proceed. In the end, I chose to go forward with it¡ªconcluding that it wouldn¡¯t hinder me from getting better, or tapping into my buried potentials. In my quest of getting stronger, I needed to stay alive at the very least.

    My falx bonded with me since I was a kid, and even though I never cared about it, or had any regard for it, it was still mine regardless. My father knew I never liked the creature, but he still had it sent here when I decided to join the war. I guess he was just looking out for me.

    The falxes only bonded to El bloods, and there were three breeds of them; the Regals, the Sentinels, and the Ravagers. The Regals were breaded for the royal family. They were the largest and probably the strongest breed of the falx. They had a red skin and black fur that ran from their heads and along their backs. I was told that mine had grown over ten feet long, and I was about to set my eyes on it for the second time in my life.

    The Sentinels were bred for Elder guards. Strength-wise, they were on par with the Regals, but they looked very much like the Ravagers in appearance. The main difference was that they had a black skin, while the Ravagers had a somewhat brown one.

    My falx noticed my presence and walked towards me, as the Ravagers made way for it. Both guards who escorted me took a few steps backwards as the falx approached. Its size was intimidating, as it stood towering above me, but I wasn¡¯t scared of it one bit.

    ¡°Poor thing, you must have been bored to death,¡± I said to the falx, as it knelt before me.

    It let out a low growl, but I could tell what message it was trying to convey.

    ¡°I know, I know. I am sorry for neglecting you all this while. It wouldn¡¯t happen again, okay?¡±

    Falxes couldn¡¯t understand human language, but they could feel the emotions of their bond, and could communicate with them psychically. I could tell what it was thinking, and it could do the same if I allowed it. I could give it orders, and it will understand¡ªnot because it comprehended my speech, but because it could read them off my thoughts. It was one of the many reasons why I didn¡¯t like the falx, because I didn¡¯t entertain the idea that a creature could be in my head, and could read my thoughts. Yet, it was one of the marvels of this world, as it never ceased to amaze me. Even more intriguing was the fact that I could just block it off my head if I wanted to. It felt weird. It didn¡¯t feel like a thought, or a voice in my head, rather, it felt like a switch I could turn on and off at will.

    I had let the falx in, and it sensed sincerity.

    ¡°Rest, we have a very long day tomorrow.¡±

    I left the area, and decided to take a walk around. Everyone was hands on deck, setting up the city as our base, and they were getting the job done pretty fast. I took a detour to the harbor, and it was completely restored.

    ¡°Wow, that was some job done,¡± I said inwardly, marvelling at the efficiency.

    Thanks to magic, the entire work had been made easier and faster.

    As I walked, I felt drawn to familiar mana presences. Turning towards their source, I spotted four figures sitting by a fire close to the shoreline. I walked up to them, not sure why I did that, as my legs just moved instinctively in their direction.

    They were having a meal, as they roasted meat over the fire. My stomach churned at the sight of the meat, a not-so gentle reminder that I hadn¡¯t eaten anything all day.

    ¡°Come on, have a seat,¡± Svan¡¯s mother said to me.

    I sat down and gestured for the guards to leave, and they complied without hesitation. Yukina and Evren didn¡¯t seem to mind my presence, as they chewed their meat in silence. Svan stretched his hand for a fist bump, which I gladly accepted.

    ¡°Good job today,¡± he said to me.

    It was strange. I barely knew them, but whenever I was around them, I felt so comfortable. I was a princess, heiress to the Azkhan throne, but I didn¡¯t act, or feel that way around them. They didn¡¯t also treat me like royalty. They gave me a different kind of respect, as if I was one of them. Although Yukina and Evren didn¡¯t like me that much, I didn¡¯t feel any sense of animosity from them.

    ¡°Here,¡± Lady Eliora said, offering me a chunk of meat.

    I took a bite and my eyes lit up with delight. It was tender, and each chew released a burst of savoury juices in my mouth.

    ¡°This is so good,¡± I said in a muffled voice, trying to chew, and talk at the same time.

    Lady Eliora smiled,

    ¡°You can have as much as you want.¡±

    I ate until I was full, and when I was done, I thanked them for the meal.

    ¡°Umm, Has General Vayr sent any messages regarding the battle tomorrow?¡± I voiced.

    ¡°Yes he did. So, we decided to wait until dawn this way,¡± Lady Eliora replied.

    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± I said, nodding slowly.

    ¡°Hey, you like hanging around with us?¡± Yukina asked after a short spell of silence.

    ¡°Maybe,¡± I replied.

    Evren reacted suddenly, like she already knew what I would say in response as she turned to Yukina.

    ¡°I hate this bitch. Do you see what I am talking about?¡±

    ¡°Evren, language!¡± Lady Eliora cautioned.

    ¡°Sorry, Mother. But she thinks she is better than us. I don¡¯t care if she is Empress of anything; she should take her royalty somewhere else.¡±

    It was surprising, and a bit funny that my harmless response was misinterpreted in the worst way. Even more surprising that I was just called a bitch, and I didn¡¯t get offended.

    I scoffed,

    ¡°Do you know that I could have your head for calling me that?¡± I said to Evren.

    ¡°Oh, you are welcome to try,¡± she shot back, as her pet creature snarled, squaring up against me.

    Svan let out a little laugh,

    ¡°What¡¯s funny? Evren asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s funny because you played a similar character, if not worse, towards me for most part of my life.¡±

    Evren¡¯s demeanour changed instantly; her expression softened, and I could sense a tinge of guilt in it.

    ¡°Come on Svan, you didn¡¯t have to rub it on my face,¡± she said quietly.

    ¡°I am not, I am just saying that you should cut her some slack,¡± he replied.

    Evren fell silent. Yukina, ignoring both of them asked me,

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because it¡¯s livelier being around you guys. Unbothered by formality, I get the chance to live freely,¡± I explained.

    Yukina nodded,

    ¡°That¡¯s good enough a reason. But its a bit strange to me¡ªwhy the send you, the heiress of an Empire to the war front. Is it customary, or is it choice?¡±

    ¡°Choice,¡± I replied.

    ¡°Why is that? She asked.

    ¡°Not sure. Maybe I got tired of life in the palace. I couldn¡¯t see myself living that way for the rest of my life; It¡¯s too boring. So I decided to embark on an adventure. Though I am unsure of what challenges I would encounter, I am sure that there would be a lot of lessons to be learnt.¡±

    ¡°Birds of same feathers, really do flock together. Welcome to the band,¡± Yukina voiced.

    I found myself talking and laughing. I have never talked this long with anyone in both lives I had lived. I thought to myself,

    ¡°This is good.¡±

    There was a part of living that didn¡¯t involve the burden of responsibility, the fear of people, and death, or the guilt of killing, and I was just witnessing it.

    I stole a few glances at Svan. He didn¡¯t speak much, and smiled occasionally, but I could tell that his thoughts were somewhere else.

    Time went by very quickly, as guards walked up to us.

    ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s almost dawn,¡± one of them voiced.

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s time. Svan, girls, let¡¯s get ready,¡± Lady Eliora said.

    Yukina and Evren seemed a bit excited, and Svan appeared indifferent.

    ¡°See you guys at the briefing,¡± I said, before leaving.

    While walking back to my room, I thought inwardly,

    ¡°Friends? Maybe it¡¯s not that bad after all.¡±

 54. UNBECOMING; THE ELDER GUARD

    OCTAVIA STROMFREY

    I was summoned by Vayr, so I made my way to his office without delay. On my way there, I saw the princess leave. She didn¡¯t notice me since I approached from a different passage, and I preferred not to call to her attention. I just felt it was better to avoid unnecessary conversations, so I stopped walking for a bit, and waited until I was sure that she had completely departed.

    Upon arriving Vayr¡¯s office, the guard in front of the door announced my presence before I walked in.

    ¡°You called for me, General,¡± I said to him.

    ¡°Yes, please sit,¡± he replied.

    I sat, waiting for him to tell me why he called for me.

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem concerned about the state of my office. The princess made quite a fuss about it,¡± he remarked.

    ¡°Well, she is royalty, and I am not,¡± I replied.

    ¡°Fair enough,¡± he conceded.

    We fell into silence again as he continued writing, and I patiently waited for him to speak.

    ¡°Octavia Dalgroth Stromfrey,¡± he suddenly called out.

    The calm on my face suddenly transitioned into a shocked one, but I did my best to pull myself together.

    ¡°I never told you that my name was Dalgroth. How did you know?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t think I wouldn¡¯t know that you are an Elder Guard, did you?¡± He responded.

    I remained calm, having fully recovered from my initial shock. It wasn''t fear that surprised me. Rather, it was the unexpected nature of his revelation, far beyond what I had imagined for his reason to summon me.

    ¡°Well, it wasn¡¯t really a secret, was it? I mean, it was, but it wasn¡¯t,¡± I said to him.

    ¡°I had my falx brought to this continent not long ago. Though I tried to do it discreetly, not to draw any attention, I guess you found out.¡±

    ¡°No. I knew way before then,¡± Vayr replied.

    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s interesting,¡± I remarked.

    Vayr smiled,

    ¡°Did you notice? You¡¯ve changed so much in this very short amount of time. It feels like I am talking to a completely different person.¡±

    ¡°This is the real me, Vayr,¡± I replied, chuckling.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need to hide it anymore since, well, you already know who I am.¡±

    I paused for a moment,

    ¡°So, when did you find out?¡± I asked.

    ¡°The very moment you were assigned to me as an assistant,¡± he replied.

    ¡°I thought it was unusual for the Emperor to call a favor, so I did a little digging and found out that you were an Elder Guard.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve known for a long time, yet you did nothing about it,¡± I inquired.

    ¡°That¡¯s because I didn¡¯t see any reason to. We both serve the Emperor, albeit for different purposes. I figured your mission was probably to keep an eye on me, and report to the Emperor as you see fit. But I have also been keeping an eye on you too, and so far, you haven¡¯t caused me any problems,¡± he said in response.

    I relaxed on my seat,

    ¡°They say; don¡¯t fix things that aren¡¯t broken. You could have just continued to pretend you had no idea about who I was, and everything would have been fine. So why are you doing this now?¡±

    ¡°I think you are getting it wrong. I am not trying to fix something that isn¡¯t broken, rather, I am trying to make the best out of the situation. You know, as well as I do that you can¡¯t keep your identity a secret for much longer, given the current situation of the war. Things are different now. And secondly, I also wanted you to know that nothing gets past me because I am very good at my job.¡±

    I fixed my gaze at Vayr,

    ¡°It¡¯s common knowledge that you are smart, but I think you¡¯ve made a mistake. I am an Elder guard, Vayr, do you know what that means? I am the highest-ranking officer here, and you know that. Now that you¡¯ve made the revelation about my identity, doesn¡¯t that change the power dynamics here?¡± I asked him.

    ¡°You are Octavia Stromfrey, an Elder Guard, and I am Vayr Hightide, the Military Chief Commander of the Azkhan Empire. That doesn¡¯t change, and no, you don¡¯t outrank me here,¡± he replied firmly.

    I scoffed,

    ¡°Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself pretending that you don¡¯t know how much weight the title of an Elder Guard bears. We are the finest creations of the Azkhan Empire, and we take orders from no one except the Emperor.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s ironic isn¡¯t it? You¡¯ve been taking orders from me for quite some time now. But I understand; that¡¯s because you are fulfilling the duties entrusted to you by the Emperor. So, here is why I called you. You are to assume a more active part of this war henceforth. I have no use for Octavia the Assistant; you can kill that alter ego of yours. Right now, I need Octavia the Elder Guard, which means your identity would have been revealed sooner or later, regardless,¡± Vayr affirmed.

    I did my best to remain calm, suppressing the anger that simmered within. The disgust I felt while pretending to be someone else was overwhelming. Yet, I held on, constantly reminding myself that I was doing as the Emperor commanded. It was a bit bearable since every other soldier or lieutenant treated me with respect, and I only had to kill my ego for Vayr and the princess. The anger stemmed from the realization that all my efforts to contain my ego had been for nothing.

    I sighed deeply,

    ¡°Vayr, first of all, I would appreciate it if you''d stop speaking to me like I was a subordinate of yours. Secondly, I don¡¯t think you understand what I meant by my initial statement. Just because you are the Military Chief Commander of the Empire, doesn¡¯t give you any authority over me. I do as I please, if I please, so far the Emperor commands it. I could kill you in a heartbeat if I wanted to, but I am sure the Emperor wouldn¡¯t approve of it. So, be careful on how you address me henceforth.¡±

    Vayr didn¡¯t break his gaze from me, the tension was palpable, but he didn¡¯t look scared, nor did he flinch.

    ¡°There is a reason why I am the Military Chief Commander, and not you or other Elder Guards. You can¡¯t do half of what I do, even if you tried. My work is a lot of work, but I am pretty sure that I am very good at it. I really don¡¯t care about your status as an Elder Guard if you aren¡¯t going to be useful. So, I will give you two options; you can either leave if you won¡¯t follow my lead, or you can stay and contribute to this war as the Emperor expects of you.¡±

    I was silent, my ego was hurt but Vayr was right. The Emperor¡¯s final instructions to me were,

    ¡°Keep an eye on every situation, report to me, and ensure the safety of my daughter.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t given specific directives on how to carry out those instructions, but it was common sense I hid my identity since the Emperor didn¡¯t introduce me to Vayr as an Elder Guard. So far, I have done a good job monitoring and reporting the situation, but not so much on protecting the princess. In my defense, she didn¡¯t  see me as someone capable of keeping her safe.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    I took a deep breath, reciting a line from the Oath of the Elder Guard.

    ¡°As the Emperor commands, I shall fulfil without hesitation.¡±

    The gathering rage in me suddenly went calm, as I stood and left his office. Before I left his office, Vayr voiced,

    ¡°I would take your silence as a positive response,¡± but I said nothing.

    I tried to gather my thoughts as I walked down the passage. An additional layer of anger simmered within me at the thought of taking orders from someone who wasn¡¯t the Emperor or the Guard Master. But deep down I knew it was my Blood Ego acting up¡ªa side effect of the many rituals I underwent as an Elder Guard.

    Three ranks existed among the Elder Guards; the Initiates, the Broken, and the Altered Souls, with a Guard Master, an Altered Soul in command. I was an Altered Soul, and a strong candidate for the next Guard Master. So, it was understandable why I was furious, knowing that I wouldn¡¯t be in charge even after my identity as an Elder Guard was revealed.

    To be more rational, I acknowledged that Vayr was a more experienced commander, and was very good at his job. War wasn¡¯t just about fighting; it involved numerous complexities, and he was simply better at navigating them.

    ***

    We rode at dawn crossing the base of the Forlon mountain range, before we finally caught the sight of the enemy. There were just fifty of us, falxes excluded, against an estimated twenty thousand. All my life, fighting had been the only thing I knew, but facing an army this large was novelty.

    ¡°What the hell was he thinking?¡± I thought inwardly.

    The imperial soldiers, along with Lord Tulika¡¯s men, were already assembled in battle formation. It was apparent that they were expecting us. At the forefront were the knights of the Order of Death¡ªten of them in total.

    We halted our advance, and the situation turned into a standoff.

    ¡°What¡¯s the plan now?¡± The princess asked Vayr.

    Vayr hesitated before responding. When he finally spoke, he said,

    ¡°The Choryths, Her Majesty, and I will take on the knights. Octavia, you will assist the lieutenants against the rest of the army. Depending on how quickly we deal with the knights, we will eventually join the battle against the rest of the army.¡±

    ¡°And how do you intend on separating the knights from the rest of the army?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Svan will do that for us,¡± he replied.

    The princess looked at me, as her expression conveyed a tinge of surprise. I was certain she noticed the change in my tone, but that was the least of my concerns.

    I watched as Svan unmounted his horse and walked forward before stopping for a bit, as he stared at the enemy soldiers ahead. He had gained a lot of reputation among Azkhans soldiers, as stories about his feats spread like wildfire. I watched expectantly, eagerly waiting for what he was going to do.

    I blinked, and he vanished, reappearing right in front of enemy lines. In a flash, he clashed with every knight in the frontline, and somehow, managed to engage all of them in combat. They were stunned, their attention entirely focused on Svan. It did not take long before he sent all of them flying in our direction with a push force so strong that it was felt from where we stood.

    ¡°Now!¡± Vayr commanded, and we charged.

    I reached the enemy lines almost instantly, with my falx, Reaper, sticking as close to me as possible. Armed with two short swords, I attacked with ferocity. Everyone in front, or around me was cut down as I spread death along my path. I conjured different spells at will, to meet my needs, and counter any challenges I faced; ice spikes flew in whatever direction I desired, the ground quaked at my intent, rocks crushed many, spears impaled whoever stood in my way, lightning struck down more than I could account for, and my sword sent its victims to the afterlife.

    I couldn¡¯t tell how strong the soldiers I faced were, but they were simply no match for me. As an Altered Soul, I had achieved profound mastery of elements at my disposal honed solely for the purpose of killing. I continued my rampage and at some point, it became exhilarating.

    I screamed like a crazed maniac,

    ¡°More!¡±

    Before long, I found myself in front of another battalion of soldiers, but they posed no threat to me. At my intent, the ground quaked and broke apart, sending many of them tumbling as rocks gave way and crushed them. The ones who managed to brace themselves or shield their bodies were cut down one after the other.

    As I continued to wreak havoc and spread death, it became apparent that my only enemy was fatigue. I lost track of time; though I couldn¡¯t tell how many soldiers I had killed, the numbers were surely in their thousands. Some spells managed to hit me, but they either had little effect, and the injuries they caused healed up as quickly as they were inflicted.

    The number of soldiers I fought got fewer and fewer, until there was none left. My breathing was a bit laboured from the strain of the battle, but it was nothing new. I looked around me, and all that was left was chaos and ruin. The ground was mostly upturned, littered with broken weapons, scattered shields, and dead bodies¡ªlots of dead bodies.

    Reaper stood by my side, thankfully still alive. I couldn¡¯t tell when Vayr, the princess and the Choryths joined the battle, but I was certain that their involvement brought it to an end. We were victorious, but it didn¡¯t come without a cost as all our lieutenants and their falxes lay dead, save for three, who were in no shape to continue fighting.

    Just when I thought the battle was over, I spotted horses with riders approaching from a distance¡ªten of them. As they drew closer, it became evident that there were Knights. It wasn¡¯t the best outcome for us, but I was thrilled¡ªan opportunity to face the famed soldiers of the Imperium.

    Though I felt drained, I still had a lot of fight left in me. I probably had more mana reserves than the others, thanks to my dual nexus¡ªthe second one, being an implant.

    Without awaiting any orders, I charged at them. Before I could reach the knights, I was stopped in my tracks by one who swung blades at me with high precision and speed, as I barely managed to dodge the attack.

    The knight walked slowly towards me. Her composure exuded a lot of arrogance, like she held very little regard for me. She was armed with blades that were dual-wielded, large and menacing on appearance, radiating raw energy and very intense heat. I couldn¡¯t tell if the blades were forged with a molten fiery core, or simply forged to accommodate the spells she imbued in them. Either way, it gave off a bright orange hue which shifted and pulsed like liquid lava. Chains extended from the base of their handles, glowing faintly with the same fire-like energy as the blades.

    She approached, dragging the blades lazily as it left a molten trail on the ground. The Elder Guards had excellent artificers, but what I looked at now, was a work of art¡ªa mastery of the highest level I could imagine.

    Instinctively, I knew that I had met someone just as strong, but there was only one way to find out whether or not we were evenly matched.

    I reinforced my swords with lightning, the energy so powerful that the space around me vibrated. She swung her blade at me again, but this time, I met it with mine. My blade held firm, lightning coursing through it as we clashed back and forth, matching each other in precision and speed.

    Every spell we sent each other¡¯s way was quickly dispelled, and eventually, we were locked in a melee-only combat. I¡¯d ordered Reaper to not to get involved, because as advantageous it might be for me, there was a very high chance it would get killed.

    The heat from her blades became a growing problem, as it grew even more intense. I had to shield myself in an icy armour to counter. She pressed relentlessly, swinging her blades in every direction, the chains extending her reach, and providing her with more flexibility. Earlier, I was an unstoppable force that took down anything that stood in my way, but at the moment, I was challenged by an immovable object.

    The knight was impeccable in both attack and defense, and I struggled to find an opening. I knew that I was losing momentum when I started conjuring spells to find a way to distract her, but she countered every one of them with ease. Reaper sensed my distress, insisting on joining the fight, but I ordered it to stay put.

    Nothing worked against her, as she kept me at arms length, never allowing me to get too close. In a momentary lapse in concentration, she struck true. One of her blades found its mark, slashing across my abdomen, and I tumbled over.

    A huge chunk of my stomach was gone, and the sight of it was ghastly. I writhed in pain, but it wasn¡¯t the worst thing that had happened to me. I was going to survive, but the knight wasn¡¯t going to give me that chance. She capitalized on her advantage and struck again.

    I was furious, letting myself down, and bringing myself within a hair''s breadth of defeat. Reaper saved the day, as it lunged forward, taking the brunt of the blow. My black flames ignited, patching what remained of my abdomen. In that brief amount of time, I watched slowly as Reaper was struck right across its eyes after it put up a valiant charge. My falx fell with an agonizing roar,  life slipping away from it.

    My wound wasn¡¯t healed completely, but I had no choice than to charge at the knight. Her blades came at me once again, but I parried them in a maneuver that brought me close to her. I was exposed completely, but it was a calculated risk. She smelled blood, thinking I¡¯d attacked carelessly, and she seized her chance.

    In very quick and successive movements, she dropped one of her blades, and pulled out a dagger driving it into my chest. The dagger glowed in the same fiery hue as her blades as it struck me. I managed to slash across her hand, but she paid no attention to it. She thought she had me; I could tell by her poise. My chest burned, and the pain was unbearable, but I managed to steal a laugh.

    The words, ¡°You are done,¡± left my mouth, and before she could react, I grabbed her wounded arm with my bloodied hand from a cut I had given myself earlier. She pushed me away, but it was too late. Before she could get a grip of what just happened, she was blown to pieces.

    It turned out that I was the only one left fighting, as all other knights were dead. I was surprised¡ªwondering if I fought the strongest of the knights, or if the others had simply been better. Regardless, I was glad nobody interfered in my fight.

    The princess walked up to me, as she pulled the dagger out of my chest. I screamed in pain, collapsing to my knees.

    ¡°How did you guys take them all out?¡± I asked, curiosity seeping through my agony.

    ¡°The Choryths did most of the work. They are absolute monsters,¡± she replied.

    She looked at me in the same expression she wore before the battle began,

    ¡°The second group of knights were exponentially stronger than the first. I wasn¡¯t even able to hold my own alone against one of them, but you did. Who are you?¡±

    ¡°I looked at her,

    ¡°Octavia Dalgroth Stromfrey,  ranked member of the Altered Souls, Elder Guard of the Azkhan Empire.

    The surprise on her face said it all.

 55. A SISTERéˆ¥æ©² CURSE

    YUKINA AYLING-CHORYTH

    I was pleased with the outcome of the battle from a personal perspective. I had grown so strong, and the difference in strength since I had awakened as an Arcane compared to my unawakened self was like night and day.

    My strength was evident during our battle at Forlon plains, as I was able to face knights, and take them down on my own. In the first part of the battle, the result of the confrontation was a lot easier than I had anticipated when I took on the first knight. The second knight I faced posed more of a challenge. I struggled a bit, but I still emerged victorious in the end.

    I didn¡¯t have a lot of arsenal at my disposal unlike casters, but thankfully Phantom Steal was more than enough. It got even better, and I discovered that there was a lot more to it than I initially thought. In the past, I only managed to wield it by cutting through spells or draining mana from my opponents. But now, it got a lot more interesting upon the discovery that I became immune to spells conjured against me.

    I discovered this ability before we left for the Northern Republic. And after studying this newfound ability for a while, I had a rough idea of how it worked. I understood that my Feel was able to not only drain mana away from my opponents, but was able to process the mana in such a way that it gave me a short-lived protection against spells originating from that mana source. It was a new experience for me, and I was a bit sloppy with it when I tried to integrate it with the other abilities I wielded efficiently. But I managed just fine.

    I was happy. I felt powerful, and for the first time in my life, I was constantly washed by a soothing sense of satisfaction. I wasn¡¯t perfect; I knew I had flaws. But I also recognized my strength. I could proudly stand alongside Svan, Evren, and Mom, without feeling inferior or left-behind.

    ***

    Duskenfell had completely falling to the Azkhans, who had total control of the region. The battle was won, but the war still raged. Lord Tulika was arrested, and his fate rested on General Vayr¡¯s hands. It¡¯d been a week since the battle, and everything seemed normal; a stark contrast to the ongoing war. Vayr was very good at this; maintaining a semblance of calm amid the chaos, much like he had done in the Southern Republic. Somehow, he has been able to convince the people of Duskenfell that there was no cause for panic, and no harm would come to them if they followed the rules he imposed. He wasn¡¯t being authoritarian, but was able to exert just enough influence to keep the situation under control.

    The politics and economics of the situation were none of my business; my job was to fight when called upon. However, the situation was still volatile, so it meant I had other duties other than fighting. The first battle was a victory, but the Azkhans lost nearly all their lieutenants, so they needed reinforcements. Transportation wasn¡¯t burdensome anymore. There was a long distance transport gate that connected Duskenfell to the Southern Republic, Academroth to be precise. So, it wouldn¡¯t pose any difficulty for reinforcements from Azkhan to arrive. Before they did, however, we had to hold down the region.

    Svan and I were assigned to Conton. A city that shared borders with Scalzhar and Feywild. We didn¡¯t have to do much. Our mere presence was enough to establish some authority. A few Azkhan soldiers patrolled the city in shifts, while the rest were stationed at the borders to ensure that nothing unusual occurred.

    Svan and I resided at the city¡¯s council building, and so far, our stay at Conton had been uneventful. We sat lazily in a room that opened to a large balcony, offering a perfect view of the city from high above. It had unknowingly become our favorite spot in the building.

    I looked in Svan¡¯s direction, and he sat on a cushioned chair, toying mindlessly with his dagger. He had changed so much in a short span of time. Whenever I looked at him, there was a person I hoped to see, there was a face I expected to look back at me, but it wasn¡¯t there anymore. The Svan I knew was gone; the Svan that always obsessed over me, the one that lit up with excitement whenever I told him to spar with me, that Svan was gone.

    ¡°You will kill me with your eyes at this rate,¡± he said to me.

    I didn¡¯t realize that he was observing me too. Of the many things I wanted to say to him, the words,

    ¡°Are you alright?¡±Slipped out first.

    He looked at me with an expression on his face that gave away the fact that he was caught off guard. He opened his mouth almost immediately to give a response to the question¡ªa seemingly straightforward one, but paused, realizing it was more complex than it appeared.

    After a long silence, he looked at me and said slowly,

    ¡°Why? Do I look not okay?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, both of us might have different interpretations of being okay, but what is certain is that you have changed¡­. a lot.¡±

    ¡°Just now, did you notice the shift in your tone? There used to be a cheerfulness I always saw in you whenever I looked at you, but now, I can¡¯t find it anymore. You seem to be burdened by something, something dark that even I am scared to confront. I¡¯m not scared of you, but I do worry about the changes you are going through. Yet, no matter what, you are still my brother¡ªmy little brother, and that will never change.¡±

    His response took me by surprise; he spoke with a smile on his face.

    ¡°Do you remember when I used to pester you to marry me? Who would¡¯ve guessed you were my biological sister? Looking back, those days were fun. I wasn¡¯t happy, but they were fun. I always whined about not manifesting my Feel, how useless I felt, and you always comforted me one way or the other. Now, I have everything I ever wanted, but it came at a price. You call it darkness, but I beg to differ. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m consumed by darkness. I¡¯m not evil. I can tell right from wrong. I¡¯m conscious of my actions. Love hasn¡¯t disappeared from my life; I love you, I love Mom,  I love Evren, and even Father¡ªin my own way. But it¡¯s very difficult to describe what I feel. Everything that has happened to me so far, has led me to a place where solitude feels golden. The fuel of excitement within me is slowly burning out, and honestly, I¡¯ve genuinely lost interest in a lot of things. The only time I feel alive is when I fight; when I fight people who are strong¡­.really strong. But that immersive moment of vitality is always short-lived. The rush is always fleeting because when the fight is over, everything fades away, like it has been consumed by an insatiable emptiness, one I have no control over.¡±

    I could only stare at him, awestricken. Of all the changes he¡¯d undergone, the way he now spoke was the most astonishing. Still awestricken, I managed to process everything he just said and came to a conclusion,

    ¡°It¡¯s darkness, Svan. You are slowly being consumed by it. And with enough time, you will lose your sense of self.¡±

    He paused for a bit, then asked,Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°If what you are saying is true, then whose fault is it?¡±

    I didn¡¯t know what to say in response. He wasn¡¯t wrong. He didn¡¯t choose to be born the way he was, neither did he choose what abilities he wielded. He didn¡¯t choose this war too; one way or the other the war would have gotten to him. I too, struggled to control the bloodlust triggered by my Arcane nature during battle, but thankfully, I wasn¡¯t consumed by it as it almost always disappeared when the dust settled.

    ¡°But I still think you are wrong, Yukina,¡± Svan continued.

    ¡°If I am being honest with you, I have tapped into something otherworldly, something that transcends us, so I know they exist¡ªpeople, beings, and realms, that possess more power than we can ever imagine. I want to go to those places, and I want to meet those people. The changes you are noticing stems from dissatisfaction. I don¡¯t feel content with the world around me anymore.¡±

    After reflecting on what he said for a while, I asked him,

    ¡°To what end, Svan? When you get there, when you meet them, what comes next? Would you feel accomplished? Would you become happy then?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. There is no guarantee that I will get to meet them, or reach those impossible places. It¡¯s very possible that I could die in the next battle; I can¡¯t be so sure. I just tried to make you understand why I¡¯ve become this way. At the moment, it just feels impossible for me to return to the old and naive Svan. Even that Svan has always been curious about these things, but it was easy for him to give up on his curiosity because he had no means to explore them. Now, everything is different. Even if I tried to ignore all of it, I would still be dissatisfied with myself. One way or the other, I will be stuck in this cycle. The only thing I can control is the choices I make, and the choice I¡¯ve made is to chase the unknown.¡±

    His words struck deep, forcing me to reflect on myself. I realized that we shared a somewhat similar mindset, but our goals were completely different. I never imagined myself living a quiet, or peaceful life, like some country-side girl. I preferred a life filled with thrill, suspense, and adventure. But unlike him, I wasn¡¯t bothered by the things he talked about. Whether other beings or realms existed, they were irrelevant to me. I didn¡¯t seek the cause, or the reason for any situation I found myself in. I was only concerned on how the situation affected me, managing it as I saw fit. I lived each day, one at a time. I wasn¡¯t complacent, but my goals were within reach; they weren¡¯t unrealistic or unreasonable.

    Svan wasn¡¯t crazy; he made a lot of sense. In fact, I agreed with everything he said. But I wasn¡¯t in his shoes, and I couldn¡¯t feel what he felt. So, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to a proper understanding of why he chose to lead his life in this path, or the experiences that led him here.

    I looked at him, and I could see an unwavering determination behind the discontent etched on his face.

    I let out a sigh, and then suddenly, a scream, releasing my pent up frustration. I didn¡¯t even know why I felt that way¡ªwhy I felt irritable. I couldn¡¯t piece my thoughts together; they were all suspended in my head. I found myself torn between deciding on what was best for me and what kind of life to lead. I began to regret why I asked Svan if he was okay; perhaps I should have just let him be. But that was practically impossible. I couldn¡¯t just ignore Svan. He was my little brother, and I¡¯ve loved him that way since the first day I laid my eyes on him. We shared a bond so strong that made it impossible for me to just ignore him, or pretend not to care about his affairs. Now, his ideals had thrown me into a conflicting spiral. He has somehow managed to spark a doubt in me, and I couldn¡¯t help but ask myself if I was leading my life the right way. On a second thought, I asked myself,

    ¡°Does any such thing like ¡®the right way¡¯ exist?¡±

    My scream got him startled, and he asked me calmly,

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s pointless,¡± I thought inwardly.

    Even if Svan decided to embark on questionable things henceforth, I would still stand by him. Even if he became a villain, I might question his morals, but I knew I wouldn¡¯t do much trying to stop him. In the end, I would simply become an accomplice of his.

    Maybe the bond we shared was a curse, or maybe it was something else that I didn¡¯t understand. In the past, I would have argued that I stuck by him to protect him. Now, it was different. He doesn¡¯t need my protection, yet I couldn¡¯t see myself leaving his side.

    I decided to give up on the swirling thoughts in my head. I realized that, maybe it was always meant to be this way for me. Our ideologies were very different, but with that mindset of his, I was in for an unending adventure¡ªthere was no way I was letting him have all the fun alone. The only difference was that I wasn¡¯t burdened by it like he was, but it was fine. If a time should come when he needs help, I will be right there ensuring he gets all the help he needed.

    ¡°Yukina, are you alright?¡± Svan asked again.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I replied, forcing a smile on my face.

    ¡°Why did you scream then?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s one of those moments when you go crazy for a bit, then you let it out and feel better,¡± I replied, chuckling.

    Svan smiled, and It was relieving to see him smile.

    ¡°Did what I say drive you crazy?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Yes, it did. But you know, I¡¯ve made peace with it, so it¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s talk about the current situation of the war. I will rather have that conversation than indulge that crazy mindset of yours,¡± I mocked.

    ¡°Crazy? Aren¡¯t you taking it too far?¡± He asked.

    ¡°No. Not at all. In fact, that¡¯s as close as it gets.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Okay, I will show you what crazy looks like, he said,¡± charging at me.

    He tried to tackle me, but I was quick to react, flipping him onto the ground instead. As he fell, he pulled me with him, using a spell he conjured.

    ¡°You cheat!!¡± I called laughing, as we fell.

    ¡°Who made the rules?¡± He replied giggling.

    I wrestled him on the ground, but he easily pushed me off him. Then, he dragged me by my feet, and after a brief scramble, got behind me, locking me between his legs. With one arm, he reached around my neck, and with the other, he pushed against the back of my neck. I laughed, triggering my stillbring, rendering the choke ineffective. He pushed me away and we couldn¡¯t stop laughing.

    Maybe I was worried for nothing. This version of Svan wasn¡¯t dead after all. We could still have fun if the situation permits, and that was a good thing.

    We were interrupted by a knock on the door,

    ¡°Who?¡± I inquired.

    ¡°An urgent message, Commander,¡± a voice responded.

    I let him in, before asking him,

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°There is a gathering mob at the city square, and it¡¯s turning into a violent confrontation,¡± he replied.

    ¡°What triggered the mass action?¡± I asked.

    ¡°During our routine patrols, a soldier got into an altercation with an Imperial loyalist, leaving him injured.¡±

    ¡°So you gave them a reason to incite a mob,¡± I concluded.

    ¡°No, Commander. Altercations and skirmishes between our soldiers and Imperial loyalists are common here, and we¡¯ve been doing our best to contain the situation. This mob would have gathered one way or another. It was just a matter of time,¡± he said in defense.

    ¡°Alright, you can leave now. We will be there shortly.¡±

    ¡°Commander,¡± he bowed, before leaving.

    Most of the soldiers here were stationed at the borders, so there were only few of them patrolling the city. It was understandable why the mob that gathered were brave enough to assemble¡ªthey could overpower the few soldiers with sheer numbers.

    ¡°What should we do?¡± I asked Svan.

    ¡°No idea. But we will figure out something when we get there,¡± he replied.

    ***

    It was loud. We were told that the mob boasted at least three hundred men. They were all casters, mostly adventurers. I couldn¡¯t understand what they were trying to achieve. It was either bravery or sheer stupidity, but I inclined to the latter. The soldiers made way for us through the barricade they had created, and we walked through, bringing ourselves right in front of the mob.

    ¡°They don¡¯t look like they would be reasoned with,¡± Svan remarked.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I am not good at reasoning with people either,¡± I admitted.

    A man approached us, flexing two axes he wielded. He was big, tall, and muscular, with scars crisscrossing his bare torso and back.

    ¡°Is he trying to look scary?¡± I scoffed.

    We let him get close, and surprisingly, he swung his axe in my direction. I thought he was coming to make demands, or at least clarify their intent, but I guessed wrong. His attempt wasn¡¯t successful, as his arm fell off as quickly as he raised it. Blood splattered on my face, but I didn¡¯t bother to wipe it off. It wasn¡¯t my doing. I would have let him have his shot and make him realize how futile it was, but it seemed Svan had other ideas.

    The man was stunned, too stunned to process the pain of the injury, as he stared at his severed arm.  I grabbed his other arm, and ripped it clean off him, and he fell with a thud. His arm wasn¡¯t heavy, but I dragged it along as I walked closer towards the crowd which had gone silent, with Svan following closely.

    ¡°Who wants to join him?¡± I asked, pointing at the dead man using his severed arm.

    No one made a sound.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought,¡± I voiced.

    ¡°Arrest them,¡± I ordered, as we turned and left.

 56. THE IMPERIUMéˆ¥æ©² TRUTH; A FAMILIAR STRANGER

    SVAN CHORYTH

    The days went by quickly, and by numbers, we¡¯d already spent two weeks in Conton. There were no orders from Vayr yet, so we stayed put. Reinforcements from Azkhan arrived; soldiers and lieutenants alike. Five lieutenants and an additional three hundred men were assigned to Conton, to ensure things ran smoothly.

    Feeling restless, I decided to explore the city. Since I arrived Conton, I had never left the premises of the council building; the mob incident being the only exception. So, a stroll around the city just to pass time wasn¡¯t too bad an idea. I had initially planned to join the patrol soldiers since they were already familiar with the city, but on a second thought, I changed my mind. I didn¡¯t think that route would flesh out the experience I intended.

    I wore plain clothing¡ªone I thought would blend well among common folk, before setting out for my little adventure. The sky was almost cloudless, with very few patches that looked like isolated islands in the ocean. It shone yellow, imposing an ambience that conveyed the wishes of the setting sun.

    I walked about a hundred meters before reaching the gates which had two soldiers on guard. It was a simple gate that was made of columns of steel, not more than six feet tall, connecting a fencing of similar pattern. The gates and fencing didn¡¯t match the architecture of the council building. Even though they served a purpose of demarcation rather than security, a concrete fence would have appeared a lot more better. Thankfully, the flower bushes that spawned the length of the fence made it look a bit visually appealing.

    Someone called out my name from a distance, and the only person who would do that was Yukina. I turned around and I saw her standing on the balcony at the highest point in the building. She waved at me, and shouted,

    ¡°Try not to get your self in trouble.¡±

    ¡°Hopefully, I won¡¯t,¡±I replied, mirroring her tone.

    I walked through Whisperock; a long street that led me away from the premises of the council building. It had an interesting terrain, an undulating one. At the end of the street which led to the heart of the city, I stood at the same level with the council building while the street sloped downwards and upwards.

    The street nestled on a rocky terrain, almost like it was carved out of a mountain. It gave off a dramatic appearance, as if the buildings and rocks came to an agreement of a mutual coexistence.

    The sight was beautiful and vibrant. It was a bustling street lined with buildings that had a similar yet harmonious design. The buildings were multi-levelled, and most of them had terraces and balconies which gave off an appearance that contrasted the fact that a vast majority of them weren¡¯t residential buildings as they rather served administrative purposes. Most people were gathered in clusters at the entrances of one building or another, others walked along the length of the street, and soldiers on patrol went along with their duties

    I didn¡¯t walk for long until I got to the city square. Its environment was a dull contrast from Whisperock, as it presented with a gradual shift in its atmosphere. There was a blend of buildings with similar architecture to that of Whisperock, and ones that looked exactly the same as the ones found downtown Stavren. They were arranged around a large square-like space which had a monument bearing the insignia of House Tulika at the center.

    The city square opened to various routes that led to different parts of the city. I chose one route just because it had an interesting name, as the sign at its entrance read, ¡°Dark Hollows¡±.

    After walking for a while, the path felt surprisingly mundane, barely distinguishable from the city square. I thought I would get to see somewhere grim, or spooky as the name portrayed, but it seemed I guessed wrong, and its name didn¡¯t translate into anything of significance.

    ¡°Well, don¡¯t judge the book by its cover,¡± I thought to myself.

    As darkness fell, I considered turning back, but curiosity urged me to continue a bit further. It didn¡¯t take long until the expectation in my head became a reality. It turned out that my guess wasn¡¯t wrong after all, and the route I walked all along was just a facade which led into the true Dark Hollows.

    The area I entered was completely different. It gave off a sense of foreboding, and the air felt heavy, tingling with anticipation. It just looked like a place where every bad thing imaginable would go down.

    The ground was paved with uneven cobblestones that glistened slightly as if damp from a recent rain. The structures were tall, and haphazardly built, with wooden beams and crooked roofs that jutted out at odd angles. Soft flickering lanterns hung from buildings, casting a warm glow that contrasted with the shadows lurking in the corners.

    I stood contemplating if I should end my adventure and return the next day, or if I should go on a little further. In the end, the thought of finding something to eat provided me with an excuse to explore a bit further.

    A lot of people walked past me, yet the only sounds I heard were the faint sounds of murmured conversations, and the clinking of metal. I wasn¡¯t scared, but I felt deterred from walking up to anyone, and asking them for directions to any nearby tavern. It just felt as if there was an unwritten rule of secrecy that governed the area.

    I walked further in, reading the signs in front of every building I walked past, in search of a tavern. Fortunately I found one that read, ¡°Wild Meat House.¡± Relieved, I walked in.

    I was expecting an almost empty dimly-lit tavern, but to my surprise, it was filled with people, and was brightly-lit.

    ¡°Another surprise,¡± I voiced inwardly.

    I stood at the entrance scanning for an empty table. Luckily, a group of people stood up and made their way towards my direction. The table they previously occupied sat at the corner of the tavern, so I quickly made my way over there to claim the spot.

    A middle-aged woman came to clear the table, and I thought it was a good opportunity to place an order.

    ¡°Excuse me, I would like to have something,¡± I requested. But she paid me no heed, and just walked away after she cleared the table. I was surprised but I didn¡¯t react. Maybe I was doing something wrong, so I decided to sit and observe how things were done. I didn¡¯t sit for long, before someone walked into the tavern.

    Her appearance was confusing. From her outfit, I couldn¡¯t tell if she was a noble, an adventurer, or a skilled rouge. I thought it was highly unlikely that a noble would want to dine in some tavern in the Dark Hollows, so I thought she might be an adventurer or a skilled rouge. she wore a long, black coat with a hood, giving it a casual, yet sophisticated look. It had various straps and buckles but there were no weapons¡ªat least none that I could see. Underneath the coat was a white shirt and black pants that complimented the outfit, with a scarf around her neck.

    She lowered her hood as she walked in, and her face became a subject of revelation. She was blonde-haired, wore glasses, and had features that made her appearance leave an impression to anyone who looked at her.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    She walked directly to the counter to place her order.

    ¡°Oh, stupid me. What was I thinking?¡± I cursed.

    I waited for her to finish so I could do the same. When she was done, she approached my table, as it was the only less-occupied table available. I stood, intending to walk to the counter, but she stopped me,

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother. I¡¯ve already placed an order for you,¡± she said smoothly.

    I did my best to hide the surprise on my face as I sat back down. She sat opposite me,

    ¡°I am Valery, nice to meet you,¡± she said, extending her hands for a handshake.

    I couldn¡¯t understand how, or why she felt this comfortable around a stranger.

    ¡°Svan,¡± I replied, accepting her gesture.

    ¡°I know. Svan of House Choryth,¡± she said to me.

    I was convinced that this wasn¡¯t just any random meeting.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± I asked her.

    There was a slight change in the tone of my voice, one that indicated seriousness.

    She looked at me for a bit,

    ¡°Just someone who wants to meet you. You know, I followed you here. In fact, I¡¯ve been following you all day, and I must say I was quite surprised that you didn¡¯t seem to notice. You seem far too carefree for someone with a significant involvement in this war. Carefree or confident, whatever it may be, don¡¯t you think you are overestimating yourself?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question yet,¡± I insisted.

    ¡°I did answer your question. I just said I am someone who wants to meet you. So, your next question should be why?¡±

    ¡°Okay, she is rude too,¡± I concluded to myself.

    I decided to indulge her patiently, just enough to know her intentions.

    Our meal arrived. It was a meat soup, and it¡¯s aroma was inviting. She started eating immediately, and after a few scoops from her bowl, she said,

    ¡°This is so good. You should eat before it gets cold. It tastes better while it¡¯s still hot,¡± gesturing to me to start eating.

    I started eating too, and we both ate in silence until we were done.

    ¡°I really wanted to know; why is House Choryth fighting against the Imperium? What did the Azkhans offer?¡± She asked me.

    ¡°Oh, I see. You are a knight of the Order of Death,¡± I said to her.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that obvious since the beginning?¡± She countered.

    ¡°No wonder you kept asking me who I was. You don¡¯t strike me as a person who is slow, but maybe I am mistaken. Are you slow?¡­.up here,¡± she said, gesturing by pointing at the side of her head.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know knights were talkative,¡± I replied.

    ¡°Well, congratulations, you¡¯ve met me. So tell me, why is House Choryth fighting against the Imperium?¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t have much of a choice did we? Why are you being curious all of a sudden. Since when did the Imperium care? When the Azkhans massacred the Houses of the South, what did the Imperium do about it? Nothing.¡±

    She nodded slowly,

    ¡°I see. So, it¡¯s purely survival driven. Well, just like you said, you had no choice. But I think you joined the wrong side. Did you think that they could possibly beat us?¡±

    ¡°If the Imperium is so confident in winning, why hasn¡¯t it stepped up all this time. The Imperium lost the Southern Republic, now it has lost Duskenfell. How much longer will it wait until it stepped up? When everything is gone?¡±

    She smiled,

    ¡°What do you know about the Imperium? Literally nothing¡­.you know nothing. Just because your House and the Azkhans were able to take out some Third Order knights, and a few Second Order knights doesn¡¯t mean you hold any position of advantage. You¡¯ve not met First Order knights, you¡¯ve not met Templars, and you will probably never meet the Holy Guards. We are well aware of the situation of this war and we haven¡¯t responded efficiently because it¡¯s difficult to fight two wars at the same time. There is a far more dangerous enemy that threatens our existence, they are the ones that have kept us occupied, and stretched our forces thin. So you see, we¡¯ve been so busy trying to keep everyone alive, and prevent this continent from falling into utter destruction and chaos. You want to know why the Imperium hasn¡¯t committed to this war the Azkhans you¡¯ve aligned with is bringing to it? Well, you have your answer. Even at this moment, we still can¡¯t, but we can bring a different war to you people.¡±

    Her words sounded genuine, but I couldn¡¯t tell her intentions, why she went this length to meet with me. It didn¡¯t seem like she was here to deliver a message to me, or make any request, so I struggled to understand her intentions.

    Everything has been going in a positive direction for the Azkhans, every move seemed to be the right one, and every battle has been won so far. I had thought about the situation a few times because the progress of the war had been too good to be true. I¡¯d been skeptical, but it wasn¡¯t my place to raise concerns.

    I didn¡¯t see any reason to doubt the situation she explained. What was even weirder was the famed Order of Death, taking loss after loss. At least, I¡¯ve been brought to the clarity that we¡¯ve only gone up against Third Order knights, and a few Second Order knights. I could easily tell that the Second Order knights were the ones we faced at the end of the battle at Forlon plains; the difference in strength spoke for itself.

    I got a bit excited upon learning that other ranks still existed¡ªthe First Order knights, the Templars, and the Holy Guards. Their names alone was enough representation of their strength. I remembered the knight I killed at the port city telling me that I could have joined the ranks of the Templars if only I was in service of the Imperium. To think that there were people stronger than I was, among the Order of Death, sparked excitement and anticipation within me.

    More importantly, she mentioned another enemy of the Imperium, one that seems to pose a lot more threat to them than the Azkhans did. It was my first time hearing about this enemy, and I was yet to encounter them firsthand. They had to be a very powerful force if they were the ones that kept higher ranked knights occupied. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder where this war was waged. It had to be true, but where was it?

    ¡°I just have two questions. First, why are you here? I don¡¯t still understand why you came to me. Secondly, this enemy you speak of, who are they? How is it that no one but the Imperium is aware of their existence?¡±

    ¡°I told you. I just wanted to see you. You are a bit famous, you know. Not just you, your family in general. It¡¯s funny, even after aligning with the Azkhans, the Imperator Dominus, doesn¡¯t consider you, and your House traitors¡ªsomething I don¡¯t quite understand. It¡¯s true, you are very strong, same as your mother, and sisters. An ability as unique as yours, would have guaranteed you a place among Templars. Your mother and sisters, though I haven¡¯t seen them fight, reports have it that they were able to kill Second Order knights. So, they obviously scale above them. But if the Imperator Dominus placed a death decree on you and your family, trust me, you all would have been dead.¡±

    ¡°Is that a threat?¡± I asked firmly.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not. It¡¯s a fact. You and your family might be special, I mean, achieving feats like you people have already done without any formal training from the Order is impressive, but there are a lot of ¡®specials¡¯ among the Order too.¡±

    She loosened her gait, and relaxed on her seat.

    ¡°I was just curious to see what you looked like, that¡¯s all. And maybe have a little chat with you, just like we are doing now. For your second question, well, I think it is best you encounter them firsthand. The experience will give you a glimpse of the things we do in the shadows. It¡¯s unfortunate that we would have to sacrifice Duskenfell, but this is war, and we can¡¯t let them win.¡±

    ¡°Why does it feel like you are trying to convince me to switch my allegiance to the Imperium?¡± I asked.

    She chuckled,

    ¡°No I¡¯m not,¡± she said, before pausing for a bit.

    ¡°Oh, I see. It could be a reason why he doesn¡¯t want you people dead,¡± she voiced, her expression shifting as if she had just realized something.

    ¡°What are you talking about,¡±I asked.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s just a matter of time before you join our ranks,¡± she replied.

    She stood, and before she left, she said to me,

    ¡°We¡¯ve opened a gateway for the dark ones here at Duskenfell. I hope you stay alive till we meet again.

    She snapped her fingers, and to my surprise, everything around me was suspended, like they were frozen in time. I was able to impose my Feel, and thankfully, I was able to move, though painfully slow. She leaned forward,

    ¡°I told you, the Order has specials, just like you.¡±

    I watched her leave, and I tried to go after her, but it was a struggle. Though I was able to impose my Feel, I felt a powerful force that restrained me so much. It was a weird feeling, because it felt like something that was present and absent at the same time. The best I was able to do was to stand from my seat, and when I did, she was gone.

    The last time I felt this helpless was at Ausbane forest. She could have killed me if she wanted to. For the first time in a long while, I felt true fear. And, that singular action of hers confirmed everything she said to be true.

    Everyone returned back to normal, and no one even had the slighted idea of what just happened.

    I left the tavern hurriedly, as I tried to connect with Darya. Darya came alive in my head, and I said to her,

    ¡°You have a lot of explaining to do, and don¡¯t even think of lying to me, because it seems I have been lied to this whole time.¡±

    A lot of thoughts spiralled in my head, none settling. I went back to the council building using Realm Slip, too rattled to walk back. Just as I arrived the gate, sounds akin to that of a thunderstorm rumbled, but I didn¡¯t see any lightning flashes. I looked up, and red cracks appeared in the sky. The cracks got bigger and bigger, and it didn¡¯t take long until something crashed in a distance.

    ¡°No way,¡± I said in disbelief.

 57. A NEW ENEMY

    The night was supposed to be a quiet one. Conton was generally quiet at night, as the majority of the people retired early to their homes after the day¡¯s work. Today was different, the air was filled with agonizing screams of people, desperate cries of children, and the rumbling sounds of destruction.

    The darkness had a red ambience, one that was imposed by the sky above, and though it didn¡¯t improve visibility by any means, I could clearly see the creatures responsible for the chaos and mayhem.

    It didn¡¯t take long until spells started flying at the creatures from different directions, but they were rendered ineffective the moment they struck.

    Everything that just happened unfolded very quickly. I snapped out of my initial shock, and my body moved. Triggering my stillbring, I dashed towards the creatures at an insane speed. Up close, the situation was even more grim. People were running helter-skelter in different directions. The city square was completely destroyed, and the destruction encroached on other parts of the city at a rate that would destroy the whole city in no time. The creatures seemed to notice my presence, and they turned their attention towards my direction.

    The monstrosity of their appearance was terrifying. They were very different appearance-wise, yet it felt like they had a lot in common. Both of them approached me at the same time. They both towered in height, and their sizes were menacing. The one on my left had a skeletal and insect-like appearance. Its torso was heavily guarded resembling a collection of bones and darkened metals. It had multiple elongated limbs that resembled appendages, each adorned with sharp, jagged edges. Its head was skull-like, with multiple eyes, two of which glowed ominously red.

    The second creature on my right had an elongated serpentine form with jagged tentacles extending from different areas on its back. It had two arms that terminated into hands possessing massive claws. Its head was elongated, and its mouth was open, revealing menacing teeth which resembled clustered claws. Its eyes were piercing, glowing in the same red hue. The sight alone was enough to strike an overwhelming sense of fear into anyone that dared to look.

    Before I could decide on what course of action to follow, a tentacle from the serpentine creature whipped in my direction. It approached at an incredible speed, and the force it projected was strong enough to move the debris around me even before it struck.

    My stillbring shifted, reinforcing my body with mana even before I put any thought into it. I manifested Repulsion in an attempt to stop the tentacle from reaching me, but I was welcomed with a rude awakening. Repulsion had no effect on it. Before I could react further, I was hit, sent flying, and ended up crashing into a building.

    I wasn¡¯t even given any chance to gather myself, and this time, more tentacles came at me. It took only two slashes, and the entire building was destroyed, crumbled to bits of debris, and once again, I was exposed bare to its onslaught.

    I panicked a little upon the realization that Repulsion had no effect on the creature, and my guess was that Attraction would meet a similar fate. I switched my perception to the grey domain, and upon my intent, every stillbring came alive at once. I evaded the tentacles with ease this time, as I charged at the creature.

    The energy the creatures gave off was familiar. At first, it was difficult to settle my thoughts on when I had initially encountered such energy, given everything happening around me, but after I managed to pull myself together, I recognized the lingering sense of familiarity.

    Azkhan lieutenants, and even Sophia, gave off similar energy when they fought, although theirs were faint compared to the ones the creatures gave off. The luxury to indulge in a curiosity-driven thought process was far-fetched at that moment. The questions could come later, as the task ahead of me took precedence.

    I struggled to come to terms with how flexible the creature was, compared to its size. It kept up with my pace as I avoided its tentacles, which it swung precisely, at an incredible speed and force. My goal was to get to the top of its head, though I wasn¡¯t sure of what to do when I got there.

    I triggered Realm Slip, plotting my destination to the top of its head, and surprisingly, it worked. Upon landing on its head, another tentacle came at me. I decided to test a hypothesis; my plan was to use Hollow Shield to deflect its attack, sending it to the second creature. Just as I thought, it didn¡¯t work either. I came to the understanding that the creatures were resistant to spells conjured against them. This was a new experience for me, and I got a bit excited. I readied myself, as a single tentacle swung towards me, and it struck. My stillbring did a great job shuddering the impact, as I did my best to stay on my feet. The resultant of the impact was transferred downwards to the head of the creature, and from its reaction, it was hurt.

    The insect-like creature tried to get me off the head of its companion, as it stretched one of its limbs towards me, in an attempt to grab me with it. I grabbed the part of the limb that came at me by one of its jagged edges. The width of the whole limb was just a few inches shorter than I was, but I wasn¡¯t fazed.

    My spells weren¡¯t effective against them, and probably other spells too. They seemed to have some kind of immunity towards any form of mana conjured against them, but they were still well within the constraints of physical forces.

    I¡¯d never paid much attention to my abilities as a stillbringer. Most of the time, I wielded them subconsciously as they seemed to manifest on their own during combat situations. The situation had forced me to conform around my stillbring, and I was amazed. The amount of sheer power I was able to generate was overwhelming.

    I pulled the part of the limb I grabbed, and the whole creature moved. Focusing my intent on strengthening, I struck at the most distal joint of its limb, and the power was just enough to dislocate it. I struck again, this time, ripping it off from the rest of the limb. The creature jolted backwards as it made a loud writhing sound.

    I was washed with a sense of satisfaction, but I wasn¡¯t slowing down. I grabbed the part of the limb I ripped off, and smashed it on the head of the serpentine creature beneath me. The impact sent shockwaves through its massive form, and its tentacles flailed widely, crashing into nearby buildings, and sending debris flying.

    I leaped off the creature, its erratic movements became too unstable for me on top of its head. Both creatures regrouped, their movements synchronized, despite their differences. The insect-like creature lunged at me, the remainder of its intact fore-limbs slashing through the air at terrifying speed. The serpentine creature joined the assault, with its tentacles whipping towards me from all directions.

    I avoided each and every attack thrown at me, thanks to the grey domain. Their coordination was impressive; the insect-like creature relied on its sharp jagged limbs for a close-range attack, while the serpentine creature used its tentacles to attack from a distance.

    Though it was easy to keep up with the pace of their onslaught, it was difficult to focus on taking them down individually. The tentacles of the serpentine creature was the main problem as there were many of them whipping almost simultaneously. Unlike the insect-like creature, I couldn¡¯t rip out one of its tentacles. Even if it was possible, other tentacles would whip towards me, distracting and putting an end to my efforts.

    I clicked my lip, if only my spells worked on the creatures, they would have been dead. I evaded slash attacks from the insect-like creature, and charged towards the serpentine one, avoiding its tentacles before materializing on its back using Realm Slip. I attempted to rip off one of its top most tentacles, and just as I anticipated, others whipped wildly towards me. I watched as every one of its tentacles came at me, and the grey domain, as always, rendered their approach slow. Triggering Realm Slip just at the right moment, I vanished from its back and materialized in front of the insect-like creature. I watched as the serpentine creature jolted upon tasting its own medicine. I smirked, buying myself just the amount of time I needed.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    The insect-like creature made a move, and I dodged. With every strength I could muster with my stillbring, I struck at another joint on its limb, severing it.

    I felt good, getting into the rhythm of the battle, until I watched in horror as both limbs I¡¯d severed regenerated with ease.

    ¡°Oh, you had tricks up your sleeve. This is going to be fun,¡± I remarked.

    Once again, it tried to grab me. Just as it stretched its limbs in my direction, something crashed into it with a tremendous amount of force. I stood in awe, unable to believe that a creature that size could be lifted off the ground, let alone sent crashing. A familiar silhouette with a blue shine in the grey domain walked towards me, and I switched out of it.

    ¡°Did you think I would let you have all the fun alone?¡± Yukina asked with a playful smirk on her lips.

    I quickly grabbed one of her swords,

    ¡°I wondered what took you so long?¡± I said to her, before dashing towards the serpentine creature.

    ¡°You can have that one, I will take care of the insect,¡± her tone casual, as if she were doing me a favor.

    Yukina¡¯s entry exposed something that made me regret not indulging the earlier thought that crossed my mind. I had recognized similarities in the energy the creatures, and high ranking Azkhan soldiers gave off, but the connection felt too far-fetched, so I quickly discarded the thought.

    Even though the silhouettes of the creatures were covered with black flames, the grey domain didn¡¯t expose any weaknesses¡ªmaybe their resistance to mana played a role in that. If I had indulged the thought further, I would have realized how similar the creatures were to the falxes. Though falxes were resistant to physical attacks rather than mana, something was conveniently similar; the blood-red hue in their eyes.

    Somehow, Yukina was able to strike the insect-like creature with so much force that exposed the grey area in its eyes for a brief moment. Instantly, the thought of the falx popped in my head. At that moment, I had a clear objective¡ªits eyes.

    I manifested right in front of its right eye using Realm slip. Its eye was slightly larger than my head in size. It had an overall red hue, but some parts of it were much darker, especially its slender pupil¡ªthough it looked black from afar, upon closer inspection, it appeared to be a very dark tone of red. Before the creature could react further, I drove my sword into its eye.

    It shot itself away from me with a powerful recoil. I knew I hadn¡¯t done enough to kill it, but I was right about its weak spot. I followed up immediately, aiming for its left eye, but the creature responded by completely covering it with one of its tentacles. It lashed out at me, this time, with even more ferocity.

    Physical black flames erupted, burning on the body of the creature; one I was also familiar with. I tried to trigger Realm Slip to put a distance between the creature and I, and to my surprise, I couldn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t panic, immediately switching to the grey domain, avoiding the relentless whipping of the tentacles that came my way. Thankfully, I was still able to trigger my stillbring.

    The flames blazed fiercely, making it impossible for me to conjure any spells close to it. But I wasn''t fazed; I already knew how to take it down.

    Yukina was a much better stillbringer than I was, she had spent all her life harnessing her abilities as a stillbringer. I was just a novice compared to her. I couldn¡¯t generate the kind of power she unleashed on the insect-like creature, but that was precisely what I needed.

    I brought myself to a safe distance; away from the effects of the creature¡¯s flames. The creature didn¡¯t charge at me, as it assumed a defensive position. I looked around me, hoping to find a solid metal pole. Luckily, I found one just the size I wanted, lying among the rubble of a destroyed building. I grabbed it and shot myself upwards using Realm Slip. The height at which I materialized wasn¡¯t satisfactory, so I repeated the same action ascending even higher until I was satisfied with my vantage point.

    The creature was barely visible to me, but it didn¡¯t matter. I let myself fall, launching the pole towards it with the maximum output my stillbring could muster. My plan was simple; I needed to generate more power from free fall. Just as the pole struck, I triggered Realm Slip in the direction of the creature.

    My plan worked. The result of the impact tried to force the creature into the ground, creating a crater. The ground quaked, and fault lines ran in different directions. The creature was yet to recover from the effects of the impact; the rod had pierced its back, leaving the creature significantly injured. It was still conscious, but I was sure it was weakened by the impact, as it struggled to heal the wound.

    I released my Realm Slip at a safe distance, to avoid the effects of the creature¡¯s flames, letting myself fall towards it. I couldn¡¯t tell if the creature was too weak to react, or if it didn¡¯t notice my descent, but I crashed directly on its left eye, plunging my sword deep into it.

    The creature let out an agonizing screech, as its flames began to burn feebly. I leaped to the ground and stared at the creature, watching it die slowly. The battle turned out to be a lot harder than I had expected, but I was victorious nonetheless.

    Yukina had equally taken care of the insect-like creature, and It didn¡¯t seem to give her so much trouble. She approached me from a distance as the dead creature sprawled behind her. We had destroyed a considerable portion of the city. Although we didn¡¯t do it intentionally, we were still implicit nevertheless. It was an unavoidable situation, and we had to react immediately in order to reduce casualties. Though I was confident that the survivors of the initial attack from the creatures all ran to a safe distance, away from the fray, I still hoped that nobody was caught in it when we got involved.

    I tossed Yukina¡¯s sword to her as she reached me,

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said to her.

    She grabbed it, sheathing both swords behind her back.

    ¡°The insect was pretty tough. What are these things? What¡¯s going on?¡± She asked.

    ¡°I think I have a vague understanding of the situation,¡± I replied absentmindedly.

    My encounter with Valery came alive in my head. What were the odds that the creatures conveniently attacked just after our encounter? I knew that we were in for a lot more trouble. Though creatures like these were enough to cause a lot of problems, I knew we were yet to encounter the dark ones Valery spoke of.

    I was still unsettled. The red ambience did not disappear, neither did the cracks in the sky, and a sense of foreboding still loomed. Two lieutenants and some soldiers approached us. One of them, a young man called Malloy Schalzark spoke to Yukina,

    ¡°Commander, We were able to evacuate every civilian around the area. No one else was harmed.¡±

    ¡°Good. Now we can focus on cleaning up this mess,¡± Yukina replied.

    I felt a wave of relief upon hearing that they evacuated the people away from the heat. Unfortunately, that relief didn¡¯t last long. Something approached at a speed defined by a blur in normal perception. One by one, the soldiers around us fell. It was a little too late to save them, and before I could react, they were all dead. The figure responsible for the slaughter came to a halt, and I could see her clearly. It was easy to tell that she wasn¡¯t human. Though her overall appearance looked human, humans, and even Arcanes didn¡¯t have horns.

    She had long flowing black hair ending with red highlights, cascading down her back. Her pale skin, exposed by her sleeveless vest created a stark contrast against the dark tones of her attire. Her outfit, which was form-fitted, had a dark, almost metallic finish. Her ears were pointed, and her horns curved upward from her head.

    Another figure approached slowly from a distance. It was easy to tell that they were partners. The figure was masculine, and he wore a skull-like mask. He had horns too, but he¡¯s had antler-like protrusions. His outfit was a combination of armor and fabric, with a dark base layered with various textures. He walked confidently, gripping the handle of a sword strapped around his waist.

    The woman in front of us said something, but I couldn¡¯t understand what she said. She spoke in a language I¡¯d never heard of, and she ended whatever she said with a grin.

    She took slow steps towards us, and Malloy drew out his sword, assuming a defensive stance. She charged, and the duel ended in an instant. I had never seen a lieutenant appear so helpless, as she went through him like he was fodder.

    ¡°I understand you now,¡± Yukina said to me. The tone of her voice could tell that she was a bit shaken.

    The second lieutenant, visibly shaken, took a few steps backwards, bumping into me. Fear radiated from her and the look in her eyes spoke volumes. She didn¡¯t say any word, but her expression screamed,

    ¡°Save me.¡±

    The woman in black charged again. I moved to meet her, but someone stopped her before I did.

    My perception was already switched to the grey domain, and I noticed the masculine figure charging towards us.

    I sighed,

    ¡°It never stops, does it?¡±

 58. THE DARK ONES

    A lingering feeling of unease stuck with me since my encounter with Valery. Her abilities alone made me panic, and the helplessness I felt in that situation clung to me like a bitter aftertaste that refused to fade away. I lost a duel even without fighting, but thankfully, she had no intentions of killing me.

    My problems were far from over, as her words wrapped me in a shroud of unsettling mystery that deepened the uncertainty surrounding the situation. Her words gave me a lot of thoughts to ponder about, and one thought I couldn¡¯t shake off was the Dark Ones, which she described as a far more dangerous enemy that threatened their existence.

    Instinctively, I drew comparisons. If the Dark Ones caused problems for someone like Valery, other Templars, and First Order knights, they must be as strong as them if not stronger.

    The creatures appeared, and though I knew they weren¡¯t the dark ones Valery spoke of, they presented an insight to the kind of energy they wielded. It wasn¡¯t mana, I was certain of it. Even worse, it was resistant to mana. Even after Yukina and I killed the creatures, I still couldn¡¯t shake off the expectant feeling the gripped me. I knew something was coming, and I was proven right.

    The soldiers around us dropped one after another, an event that the eye would have missed if it blinked. Then, Malloy fell. His head separated from his body much easier than a flower petal tearing from its stem. The perpetrator, a horned feminine being that spoke a language I didn¡¯t understand, and her companion who approached us slowly like a mist rolling in from the sea.

    I knew immediately that they were the ones Valery spoke about, even a blind person would see that. My heart was beating so fast, and I could swear it was audible to my ears. I fought the fear as much as I could, forcing a calm expression on my face.

    It was all Valery¡¯s fault. She shattered every sense of invulnerability that shielded me with just one action. I thought I had recovered after I killed the serpentine creature, but the feeling of vulnerability reemerged as the Dark Ones appeared.

    I had a conflict of thought¡ªmy thoughts. Have I been lying to myself all these while? Was the grand goal of seeking the supernatural, just all talk? Was I carried away after defeating a few knights? These questions taunted me, and I felt pitiful; cowering in the face of real danger.

    Once again, I blamed Valery. If she didn¡¯t strip my confidence bare, I would have faced these horned beings in a different light. But running was never an option; one thing I wouldn¡¯t do was back out of a fight.

    The second lieutenant wielded a spear which I borrowed from her before charging at the one that wore a mask. I wielded swords all my life, but on the account of my recent battles, I couldn¡¯t help but feel that spears were more suited for me. But at that moment, what I thought wasn¡¯t important. The spear was the only weapon available, so I didn¡¯t have any choice than to use it.

    Wielding a spear was a bit tricky, but the grey domain compensated my shortcomings. The man was fast even within the constraints of the grey domain, but I had the advantage. It was difficult to predict his moves before he made them. I could predict moves of Casters, Stillbringers, Arcanes, and Azkhans alike, because their flames in the grey domain condensed around the part of their body that initiated an intended action. It was different for the Dark One I faced; the black flames that covered his silhouette were always indifferent.

    Just as I had anticipated, I couldn¡¯t conjure any spells around him, but that wasn¡¯t the problem. Even though the grey domain gave me the upper hand, I couldn¡¯t land any hit on him. The flames that covered his silhouette didn¡¯t let anything get past it. I made sure my strikes were swift and deliberate, but his flames acted as an impossible barrier deflecting the spear¡¯s tip every time it came close. I tried to adjust my movements as much as possible, changing angles mid-thrust to by-pass the flames. I wanted to catch him off-guard since I had a speed advantage, in case he was imposing the flames consciously, but it didn¡¯t work either.

    His reactions were unnervingly fast. The black flames surrounding his silhouette seemed to wrap the very fabric of the grey domain creating pockets of resistance that made it difficult for me to fully capitalize on the advantages the grey domain offered to me. Unlike the creatures I had fought earlier, his flames had an effect on the grey domain, even though I couldn¡¯t tell how it translated in normal perception.

    He countered with a series of slashes with his sword, as the fluidity of the grey domain parted with each slash. Each strike was accompanied by a trail of black energy that distorted the grey domain as they were unleashed.

    Though whatever essence he wielded didn¡¯t stop me from perceiving the grey domain, it certainly made him a lot less constrained by it. I couldn¡¯t tell if he was directly exerting his influence on the grey domain, forcing the changes I observed, or if the essence he wielded acted as a shield that prevented me from fully conforming him to it. Either way, his movements and actions weren¡¯t as limited as I had expected. Perhaps both factors contributed; there was no way to tell for certain.

    I could still perceive the grey domain, maintaining an edge over him, but he was different from every other person I¡¯d faced in it. One thing was certain; the encounter made me realize how little I understood the grey domain.

    I charged again, this time using the full might of my stillbring. At first, I used the shaft of my spear to swing at him. The shaft, though made of metal, couldn¡¯t handle the force of the impact, and it broke apart. The Dark One was unfazed, and his flames remained calm even though it just absorbed the impact. Since the fight started, I¡¯d been the one pressing, unleashing strike after strike. He took all the hits, yet he remained unscathed. And whenever an opening presented itself, he took his chance. So far, I managed to avoid his blade. He didn¡¯t conjure any spell, none that I¡¯d seen, but those flames of his were more than enough to keep me occupied.

    I had no weapon, worsening my already dire situation, but I had no choice than to keep on going. Reinforcing myself with my stillbring, I landed blow after blow at him, avoiding his blade in the process. I knew the blows would have no effect on him, but I had no choice. I couldn¡¯t get creative because my options were limited.

    So far, I knew I¡¯d fought flawlessly¡ªhe wasn¡¯t even able to land a half-assed hit on me. But the essence he wielded was the perfect antidote against a person like me.

    We were locked in a stalemate, and the battle dragged on. After an unending passage of time, I began to lose momentum. My movements, once fluid and precise, began to grow sluggish. It was evident that the mana in my nexus was drained considerably.  But the dark one, on the other hand, showed no sign of tiring as his attacks remained relentless.

    My frustration grew further, realizing I made no progress even after expending almost all my mana. No matter how hard I pushed, the results remained the same. I fought till exhaustion. I could still perceive the grey domain, but I couldn¡¯t channel my stillbring anymore.

    He noticed the shift in momentum, and came at me even harder. Though my eyes were able to keep up with his movements, my body couldn¡¯t. He slashed in my direction but I managed to catch his hand. My stillbring was gone, and the impact shook my body. He swung his other arm at me almost immediately, and I tried to move backwards in order to avoid it, but he followed up immediately. I was still recovering from the initial impact so I couldn¡¯t move quickly; fatigue, coupled with the fact that I couldn¡¯t trigger my stillbring also played a part in my sluggish response.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Before I could react further, he drove his blade into my chest. As the cold metal of his blade lodged deep inside me, the warmth of my blood spread rapidly. For a moment, time slowed. My breath was caught in my throat and my vision blurred, forcing me out of the grey domain.

    I couldn¡¯t heal myself even though I wanted to, and the world around me dimmed. Sounds faded, and before they disappeared completely, I heard Yukina scream.

    ¡°She is alive at least,¡± I voiced inwardly.

    The man leaned closer, and muttered something. His voice was barely audible over the ringing in my ears.

    I tried to speak, but blood spewed from my mouth instead of words, yet I persisted.

    ¡°If you kill my sister, I will kill you,¡± I said exhaustingly, before collapsing to the ground.

    ***

    ¡°Get up, get up Svan, we don¡¯t have much time,¡±Darya called.

    Her voice was faint at first, and it kept calling until I was fully conscious.

    I shot up immediately,

    ¡°Tell me, I am not dead, right?¡± I asked Darya who was standing in front of me, in a panicked voice.

    ¡°No, you are not. I made sure of it,¡± she replied.

    I sighed in relief which didn¡¯t last long as I remembered that the battle wasn¡¯t over.

    ¡°Yukina¡­Yukina is in danger now. I have to save her. Take me back,¡± I said to her.

    ¡°Svan¡­Hey, Svan, look at me. You will save your sister, so calm down and listen to me.¡±

    I looked at her, and for the first time since I¡¯d known her, there was an urgency in her eyes.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You are right. I¡¯ve been lying to you all this time. I could have explained everything to you but I don¡¯t have much time left. What you are seeing is just a part of me, a part of my existential force. But I¡¯ve just used that force to save your life. So, it¡¯s going to fade away very soon. Your memories will open gradually, then you will learn the truth. The one that just tried to kill you wields an essence called naethrium. I wish I could explain it to you now. But don¡¯t worry. The aether you now possess should be able to overwhelm him.¡±

    Darya began to fade away. The expression in her face was one of sadness and regret.

    ¡°Your body will struggle to manage, but I know you will find a way. I love you so much my sweet child, I will¡­¡±

    She didn¡¯t get to finish speaking before completely fading away, with no traces left. A wave of sadness washed over me, and before I could ponder on her words, I woke up.

    My eyes were heavy with tears. I couldn¡¯t understand why I was overwhelmed with such a profound feeling of sadness. My body was still fatigued, and I struggled to stand.

    Yukina was on her knees, fatigued, battered, injured, and bleeding from non-healing cuts that scarred her entire body. The female among the Dark Ones was acting like a child throwing tantrums as she kicked Yukina several times before pulling her hair to lift her face up. Anger swelled within me, forcing me to react.

    The words,

    ¡°The aether you now possess should be able to overwhelm him,¡± resonated in my head, as I triggered Realm Slip. Materializing beside her, I snatched one of her blades, and slashed at her before she could even react. Her guard was down; she probably believed she had no reason to be worried, convinced that everyone, save for her companion, was dead. Although she was able to react, quickly manifesting her flames, it was too late¡ªmy blade struck true.

    She was wounded from my blade slashing across her torso. She managed to put some distance between us, her flames healing her wound. Her companion readied himself to come at me again, his flames seething with intensity. Yet, I could still wield my spells. I didn¡¯t know what changed or why, but I didn¡¯t care. I just wanted to kill both of them in the worst way possible.

    I could have ended the battle instantly with Negation, but it was going to be an easy death for them. I wanted them to suffer, I wanted them to feel pain, and I wanted to see fear in their eyes before I erased them from existence. I switched to the grey domain as I watched them come at me. I used attraction to pull the male closer to me before smashing him to the ground. I knew his flames would cushion the impact but I wasn¡¯t bothered.

    Mana flow within me was wild; maybe it wasn¡¯t even mana, maybe it was the aether Darya spoke about. Whichever one it was, its effect was overwhelming.

    At my intent, the grey domain surrounding him broke free from the effects of his flames. Following up immediately, I ran him through his back with my blade. His companion swung at me, aiming for my head, but her sword swung into the emptiness of the Hollow Shield. She stumbled a bit, and before she could recover, both of her hands were gone.

    I didn¡¯t cut her hands¡ªmy blade was still buried in the back of her companion. I had a feeling that I could execute Negation on a precise target. Though it was a spontaneous and wild thought, I was able to execute it with perfection.

    I drew out my blade from the body of the Dark One I¡¯d just stabbed, and drove it back in. I repeated the action again, and again, and again, in a mad frenzy until I lost count of how many times I¡¯d stabbed him. I  dragged him up, unsure of what to do to him, I sent him crashing on a wall.

    Yukina¡¯s presence was fading gradually, so I quickly switched out of the grey domain, and ran towards her. Her position and posture remained the same; kneeling, completely exhausted. Beside her, was the headless body of the second lieutenant lying lifelessly; In the end, what she feared, chanced.

    ¡°Hey, hey,¡± I called, tapping her back.

    She forced a chuckle before slurring through her words.

    ¡°Look who¡¯s back¡­Don¡¯t scare me like that again¡­I-I thought you were dead.¡±

    I forced a smile on my face,

    ¡°I won¡¯t, I promise.¡±

    ¡°I feel sleepy, Svan. I want to sleep.¡±

    ¡°No...No, no, no,¡± I replied in a panicked voice.

    ¡°Please Yukina, please.¡±

    ¡°You know, when he stabbed you, I went at him even though I knew my chances were slim, but I managed to keep him a bit¡­¡±

    She wanted to say something again, but she coughed, spilling blood. My voice broke, Yukina was dying and it was painfully clear. She basically saved my life. I wondered why the Dark One I fought didn¡¯t separate my head from my body after he¡¯d stabbed me. Thankfully, Yukina drew his attention away from me.

    Yukina wasn¡¯t healing; it was evident that the mana in her nexus was completely drained. The troubling reality was that she could bleed out before she replenishes it.

    ¡°Hollow Shield. Yes, Hollow Shield,¡± I voiced with excitement, wiping the tears in my eyes.

    I thought of how to stop bleeding, just to buy enough time to take her to a healer, and Hollow Shield crossed my mind. It was able to trap spells, and when the spells were released, they neither gained, nor lost momentum. My guess was that the passage of time in it was different, or maybe it was just somewhere unaffected by natural elements. Either way, it was my best shot at saving Yukina.

    I manifested Hollow Shield, gently placing her inside. Though I wasn¡¯t able to see her after I was done, I could still feel her presence, reassuring me that she was still alive.

    The Dark Ones recovered, but it took them quite some time to do so. My understanding was that they could indeed run out of the essence they wielded. I would have loved to pick them apart bit by bit, but I didn¡¯t have that luxury anymore.

    They didn¡¯t charge at me, they knew the tables had turned, and it was best for them to approach cautiously. But in the end, it didn¡¯t matter.

    I manifested Attraction and Repulsion at the same time in the space around them. Negation came alive, and I watched them disintegrate into nothingness. It felt surreal. Earlier, I was helpless, and nothing seemed to go my way. Then, just like that, they were gone.

    The darkness of the night slowly dissolved into twilight, which blended beautifully with the red ambience, casting a warm glow over the landscape. I never thought something sinister could appear beautiful, and even the destruction that wrecked everywhere looked like a beautiful painting on a canvas.

    The battle had ended, but my chest was heavy. I fought my tears, as grief overwhelmed me once again.

    ¡°Darya?¡± I called, but there was no response. I knew she was gone, I couldn¡¯t even feel her presence anymore. I sobbed even louder, as new memories flooded my mind. The revelation was overwhelming, and I couldn¡¯t tell what was real anymore.

    I looked at my hands, and I noticed dark lines etching  themselves across my skin. The sight made me realize that I manifested Negation twice, yet I didn¡¯t pass out. But It didn¡¯t come without a cost, and just like I was warned, the essence I wielded was beginning to take a toll on me.

    ¡°I will worry about it later,¡± I said, leaving in order to get Yukina help.

    Darya wasn¡¯t dead; I knew, because the new memories that opened brought me clarity on a lot of things.

    ¡°Thank you for everything you¡¯ve done for me, Darya¡­.Mother.¡±

 59. BENEATH THE SURFACE; THREADS OF FATE

    ELIORA AYLING CHORYTH

    The sun rays that pierced the windows of my room managed to force me out of my sleep. Some of them fell on my skin, a gentle reminder that the day had begun without me. I still wanted more sleep, but unfortunately, that was as much as I could get, since I wasn¡¯t the type of person to fall back to sleep after waking up. Though, reluctantly, I managed to sit up on my bed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, before walking to the window to bask in the sunlight.

    The view from my window was one I struggled to get used to, because it was a stark contrast of what the city really looked like. Evren and I were assigned to Galdor, a city that occupied the northern part of Duskenfell. It was a very peculiar city, the first time that I¡¯d ever seen one like it.

    Duskenfell in general, was a rocky region, and mountain ranges scattered all over, with plains and flatlands here and there. But Galdor was strikingly different. Its outskirts was pretty normal, characterized by scattered settlements. Inside the city felt like it was cut from a mountain range, and contained a captivating subterranean cityscape, like it was situated within a vast cavern surrounded by rugged rock formations. Buildings rose majestically, towering at impossible heights, as elevated walkways and bridges crisscrossed between the buildings, connecting different levels of the city. As beautiful as it looked, there were some parts of the city that never saw sunlight, and venturing deep enough would bring one to those places. That part of the city was nicknamed the ¡®Dread town.¡¯ Heavy mining activities, coupled with the fact that it was located deep inside Galdor, gave it a consistent dark ambience. Fortunately, our residence was the best I could ask for, as it had an easy access to the outskirts, and more importantly, lots of sunlight.

    I took a moment to gather my thoughts, and almost immediately, thoughts of the discovery from the day before flooded my mind like water gushing from a broken dam.

    I grabbed my hair, shutting my eyes. The corners of my mouth tightened, and my lips pressed together in a firm disapproving line.

    ¡°Nnnnnnooooo,¡± I bemoaned in disappointment.

    The day before, while taking a walk around the city with Evren, I felt changes in the flow of mana within me; like some of it was being siphoned from within. It was a feeling that I was familiar with, and my first reaction was denial. Even Evren picked up on my startled expression and asked if something was wrong. I was left with no choice than to tell the most obvious lie,

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I said to her.

    There was another life inside of me, draining my mana with a gentle viciousness. It was funny how I knew the obvious, yet forced myself to believe otherwise. Somehow, I managed to delude myself into dismissing it, hoping that the sensation would disappear the following day. Now, awake, the sensation remained, edging me into acceptance of the situation.

    In just a short span of time, I went through the five stages of grief¡ªexcept that it wasn¡¯t grief, rather, an errant realization; disappointment replaced anger, and regret took the place of depression.

    I was forced to ask myself one question,

    ¡°Have I ever done anything right?¡±

    I pondered on the question which forced me to reflect on myself, as I dug up old memories long buried. It was a big deal¡ªreflecting on myself, because I had a spontaneous personality, so, I never really did it. Once in a while, from time to time, I put some thoughts into the contemporary actions I took in the heat of the moment, and if it even made the slightest sense, I went along with it.

    The first memory that opened, was a memory of me sitting in a tavern somewhere in Stavren with someone whose face, I could no longer recall. I remembered eating the food he bought me hungrily while he just sat, watching me. He was dressed in a hooded black outfit, so I wasn¡¯t able to make out his facial features, not that it mattered to me at that time. It was a memory I could never forget because it was the first time I¡¯d ever eaten to my fill. The aroma of the roasted meat and freshly baked bread made my stomach churn with excitement. I dug in with my bare hands devouring the food like a hungry wild beast would do to its prey.

    Halfway through my meal, someone walked in, and approached our table. That was when I first laid my eyes on Lord Trevor Choryth, Edger¡¯s father. He was very different from his sons, appearance-wise. I remembered looking at a large imposing man, wearing a richly tailored outfit. He was bald, and had a strong build which exuded an authoritative appearance.

    Lord Trevor and the hooded man talked for a lengthy period of time. I didn¡¯t know what they talked about, and I wasn¡¯t interested either. The food in front of me had my undivided attention. When their discussion finally ended, the hooded man stood up and left without even saying anything to me. I wanted to at least thank him for the meal, but confusion held me back, and I was scared to ask questions. Then Lord Trevor turned to me, and asked,

    ¡°Do you want to come with me, Eliora?¡±

    That was the first time I heard someone call me by a name. Prior to that moment, I didn¡¯t even know I had one. The question Lord Trevor asked me was an offer, one that was too good to reject. I didn¡¯t even know what his motives were, I was young and naive after all. I thought that, since he spoke to me nicely, he shouldn¡¯t be a bad person. So, I nodded slowly in response.

    Though I was so young then, I knew how to weigh my options¡ªconcluding that whatever life Lord Trevor offered me would be much better than the one I was already living at the children¡¯s refuge home.

    My answer to Lord Trevor at the tavern marked the first life-changing decision I ever made. It was a unique one because, though I could say that it was my choice to follow the High Lord, it didn¡¯t seem like I had much of an option. In the end, I grew up well¡ªa noble of House Choryth. I couldn¡¯t have asked for more.

    The next memory opened in a dimly lit chamber adorned with tapestries and flickering candles. I stood frozen, my eyes fixed at the lifeless body of the High Lord. My face was etched with grief and disbelief, and it didn¡¯t take long before tears welled from eyes.

    Lord Trevor died after a brief illness, and his passing took everyone by surprise because no one thought he would die. Everyone, including me was guilty for not taking his illness seriously. When I first heard he was ill, my exact words were,

    ¡°It¡¯s the High Lord; he will recover in no time.¡±

    There was no telling whether his condition could have improved if we took it a bit more seriously, and in the end, he was a victim of his own greatness.

    Just before he died, he called for me. I didn¡¯t know it was the last time I got to talk to him.

    He requested I poured him a cup of water because he was very thirsty. Though his breathing was laboured, I still believed that he was going to be fine because he didn¡¯t look frail, and had healers attending to him. The words he said to me rendered a different thought, like he knew his end was near.

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    I held his hands as he spoke to me.

    ¡°I promised your father that I would take care of you, and I did. I am dying, and you need to know the truth.¡±

    His voice strained even more, like he was using every energy left inside of him to speak.

    ¡°Your father is alive.¡±

    Those were the last words I heard from Lord Trevor. He died before he could tell me who my father was; one of the many ways the universe toyed with me. I grieved. The man I called father was dead. He gave me a life, he gave me a purpose. So, it was natural that I couldn¡¯t bring myself to come to terms with his death. For a while, I couldn¡¯t find any meaning to life anymore.

    It took quite some time, but I was able to get over that grief, thanks to Edger, and slowly, the fondness I had for him turned to love. Everything was fine once again until Edger almost died.

    That fateful day, I accompanied the young High Lord to hunt, and we got attacked by the Azkhans, though then, I didn¡¯t know that they were Azkhans. I was their target, and Edger just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Then, I was regarded as the most powerful caster of the Choryth House, even more powerful than Edger, but that day, I faced an enemy much stronger than I was. In the end, we won; thanks to the Azkhans bringing me close to death¡¯s door which unlocked my full potential as an Arcane. Though then, I didn¡¯t know who, or what an Arcane was.

    The changes I experienced were both overwhelming and unsettling, forcing me to constantly remember Lord Trevor¡¯s last words. Then I began to think,

    ¡°Maybe I don¡¯t belong here.¡±

    Edger asked me to marry him, and I broke his heart in the worst way possible when I declined. The reasons I gave him was a lie. I told him that I was tired of being a noble¡ªthat it was suffocating, that I¡¯d never really lived my life, and I wanted to do that. The truth was; I was scared. I didn¡¯t want to be the reason for any misfortune to befall him, because If something terrible happened to him while I was by his side, I wasn¡¯t sure i would be able to live with myself.

    But that was only a part of the truth. Another truth was that, I wanted to find my father. It was difficult to live, knowing I was something else, and not understanding what it was. I wanted to find out who I was, and one person who could bring me that clarity was my father.

    In the end, I left. I knew my actions were thoughtless and unforgivable to Edger, but his reaction was a surprise. He didn¡¯t ask further questions, and he just simply let me go, accepting it with calmness that felt almost surreal, like it was no big deal. As unexpected as his reaction was, it made leaving easier.

    That became the second life-altering decision I made. This time, I had a choice. For the first truth, one might argue that I ran like a coward, but the second truth was a bit more complicated. Some people could just easily give up on their past. I mean, I almost did; I still stayed with Edger even after Lord Trevor revealed that my father was alive. He was never a real person to me, so it was easy to abandon thoughts about him. However, it became difficult when that past began to haunt the present.

    The funny thing about all of it was that, in the end, I never truly found the answers I searched for. I travelled far and wide, faced many difficulties and overcame them, survived many life ending situations, but the one thing I really wanted to find was out of reach for me. It got to a point where it felt like I was just chasing circles, and in the end, I gave up.

    Although I never found my father, the journey made me understand myself a bit. I gained a lot of knowledge about myself as an Arcane through personal experiences. So, I reassured myself that the journey wasn¡¯t vain.

    Exhausted, I wanted to go back to the place I called home. Though it was a shameless thought, I still clung to the hope that Edger would forgive me. Unfortunately, that hope shattered upon realizing that Edger had long moved on¡ªhe had married Lady Yulvia of House Thorn. Even though it was an outcome that was well within my expectations, for the first time in my life, I was heartbroken. I felt a different kind of pain, and I couldn¡¯t help but marvel at how Edger managed to contain his own hurt. I tasted my own medicine, and oh boy it was bitter.

    Another memory opened. This time, I watched in horror as an Azkhan lieutenant dragged the dead body of my late husband.

    Just when I thought I¡¯d found peace; living as any normal person would, my identity still found a way to haunt me. There and then, I knew that I would always be a danger to myself and anyone around me. My children were innocent, and they didn¡¯t have to suffer from the things that haunted me. I needed to protect them, I needed to keep them safe, which meant I needed to keep them away from me. There was only one person I could trust to do that for me, and that was Edger.

    Staying away from my children was yet another decision that weighed heavily on me, and I constantly reminded myself that it was a sacrifice I had to make, to keep them safe. Whenever I found myself in a dangerous situation, I felt a sense of relief knowing that they weren¡¯t with me. But being a mother brought a different set of emotions. No matter how hard I tried, they were always in my thoughts; it was impossible to just abandon them.

    The thought of not seeing them again or knowing their whereabouts would have genuinely driven me crazy. So I secretly checked on them from time to time. I watched them grow from a distance¡ªjust close enough to feel connected, yet far enough to shield them from any harm that I could inadvertently bring to them. Each glimpse brought me joy and pain, a bittersweet reminder of the love I have for them, and the choices I had to make.

    Then, somehow, Svan found his way back to me; an event that even I, couldn¡¯t explain. It was natural that I started to believe that once again, the universe was playing with me; as if fate was challenging me to a game. Svan¡¯s sudden appearance forced me back to Edger, and into the lives of my children. Though I could say that a lot changed, in the end, I was back to where I started.

    Almost as if it was timed to perfection, a secret war that had been going on for quite some time escalated the moment I returned. It was impossible to stay away from them anymore, because the same people I tried to protect them from, found their way to them.

    Ironically, this war was the genesis of my problems, because elements within it made me realize that I was different, forcing me to leave home in search for answers. No matter how far I ran, it chased after me relentlessly, and forced me to abandon everyone I loved just to keep them safe. The irony deepened  because in the end, I joined the side that was responsible for my misery. It felt like a cruel twist of fate, entangled in the very chaos I sought to escape.

    Reality was complicated. Though the Azkhans made my life miserable, it wasn¡¯t because I was singled out as a threat; they went after other Arcanes too. I had no idea why they started this war, assuming they were the ones that started it, but it was only natural they eliminated those they perceived as threats. Their actions forced me to do what I had to do to survive; same survival that made me fight on their side.

    Even though I fought for the Azkhans against the Imperium, I had no love lost for them. If a situation should arise, forcing me to fight against them, I wouldn¡¯t stress about it.

    I sighed and asked myself,

    ¡°What meaning does life hold?¡±

    It was just a journey that started with birth and ended with death. A journey that we were forced into; because no one asked to be born. Then we are expected to find a purpose, one that would guide us through the journey. It wasn¡¯t all, because we were also constantly forced to make decisions that paved the way during the journey.

    If that was all to it, then it was easy because it meant that the life we lived was completely in our control. But that wasn¡¯t the case, there were always things beyond our control.

    I believed that the life we lived was largely predetermined, and certain outcomes were inevitable, regardless of what actions or choices we made. Some events were too interconnected to be called coincidences. Sometimes, they had a funny way of manifesting; an obvious indication that something otherworldly played a major part in ones life.

    True, the decisions I made had led me to this point in my life, but the fact that I was born an Arcane was something I had no control over¡ªsomething predetermined by fate, something that set my life on this course it followed. And that was just one of the many strings that fate had pulled in my life. In the end, the decisions we made were just options we chose, which would ultimately lead to a predetermined destination.

    I sighed again,

    ¡°Why does it matter if I¡¯d made the right or wrong decisions so far? All I did was to choose from the options fate presented me with¡ªone I believed would ensure my survival, and the survival of the ones I love.

    I held my belly with my right hand. The little one inside me was the reason I went down this spiral of thoughts. I panicked, thinking it wasn¡¯t right to bring a new life into such chaos; we were at war, in a volatile situation, and the future was uncertain. But when did certainty ever become a given? We lived our lives shrouded in uncertainties.

    Thankfully all three children of mine were tough and incredibly strong. Whenever I looked at them, I was given a reason to carry on, no matter the situation. This situation was no different, and now, I wasn¡¯t alone.

    Rubbing my belly, I whispered,

    ¡°I am sorry for thinking that it wasn¡¯t right to have you. Forgive this foolish mother of yours.¡±

 60. FRAGMENTS OF A SOVEREIGNéˆ¥æ©² PAST

    SVAN CHORYTH

    ¡°One thing I find interesting about you is your persistence; like a stubborn itch that refuses to go away. But that is all you are, an itch, nothing more. I wonder what kind of arrogance that fuelled you into thinking that you could take me on. Were you confident or were you just simply deluded?¡±

    For the first time in the long life I¡¯d lived, trying to stand up seemed like an impossible task, as exhaustion rendered me helpless. I couldn¡¯t speak, and the only thing I could do was wheeze loudly, because that was the only thing keeping me alive. Each breath I inhaled was painful, like a sharp knife slashing my lungs every time air went in. I could bear it because it wasn¡¯t the worst thing that had ever happened to me.

    ¡°You should be thankful to me for getting rid of you. Things like you are an abomination, and shouldn¡¯t exist.¡±

    The words that the Monarch of Chaos spoke were becoming increasingly annoying, but unfortunately, there was nothing I could do about it because I was helpless. I felt the true power of a Monarch and the outcome was embarrassing¡ªan utter defeat.

    Did I go too far? Was I being too greedy? Maybe I should have just settled with being the Sovereign that I was; at least Sovereigns wielded immense power, and were considered Lesser Monarchs.

    ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t greed,¡± I thought reassuringly, clinging to the belief that my ambitions were justified.

    These realms were difficult and unforgiving¡ªwhere the strong survived, and the weak, well, remained at the mercy of the strong.

    The Chaos Monarch moved closer to me, and spoke once again. His voice sounded like a blend of soothing tones and thunderous roars at the same time. Though It sounded unintelligible, I could hear him clearly. He didn¡¯t condense his form into a body even after defeating me, just to intimidate me further.

    His boundless form; a pure and unrestrained chaos. He appeared as a colossal ever-expanding tempest¡ªa raging storm with a cacophony of thunder and shrieking winds. The storm pulsed with a blinding iridescent light, a fusion of every colour imaginable, and some that defy description. The light wasn¡¯t static, but was alive, shifting in patterns that seemed to whisper the secrets of creation and destruction. Tendrils of energy spiralled outwards, sometimes they collided, creating rippling shockwaves. The air¡ªif it can still be called air¡ªcrackled with the energy of creation; one could see things of all sorts, trying to take form. But it was short-lived, as they were destroyed as quickly as they came alive.

    ¡°Look at you. Your human traits have once again failed you. Did you think you were special just because you are a child of Darya? Did you think you were untouchable? You bit more than you could chew and now, you are paying for it.¡±

    I looked at the monstrosity speaking to me, and a sense of satisfaction washed over me. It felt impossible to believe that I was even able to go up against a Named Monarch. Though In the end, it turned out that I stood no chance against it. I didn¡¯t go down easily, I fought a good fight, forcing him to come at me in his boundless form.

    I wasn''t arrogant or overconfident about beating the Monarch like he claimed. For me, it was all about survival. I¡¯d carefully and meticulously prepared for this battle for a long time, and I wasn¡¯t going to be a part of it if I didn¡¯t think I had any chance of beating him.

    I wasn¡¯t just a weakling that tried to defy the odds. I was my mother¡¯s son, so it was natural that I inherited some of the powers she possessed as a Monarch. But like the Monarch of Chaos said, my human traits failed me. I was part human, therefore wielding even part of the powers Named Monarchs possessed was overwhelming. I didn¡¯t just want to sit idly and let my limitations define me. My mother had once told me that I could become one of them if I gained the Heavens Feel. Unfortunately, the Heavens Feel wasn¡¯t something that was just given like a gift. It was earned, a price that came at a very high cost.

    I knew that the odds were stacked against me, yet I challenged it. Each step I took, each challenge I faced, each battle I won, and each adventure I conquered, brought me closer to attaining the Heavens Feel. There was just one more hurdle left, and the most difficult of them¡ªkilling a Named Monarch.

    I chose to take on the Monarch of Chaos, simply because I despised him. My history with him was one marked with vengeance, a tale woven with pain and loss. During my early quest to attain the Heavens Feel, I ventured into the Shattered Expanse¡ªa chaotic realm under Modraths dominion. Whispers reached me about a fragment of the Heavens Feel hidden there, guarded by the forces of the Monarch of Chaos.

    The encounter marked my first taste of defeat. But just defeat wasn¡¯t the sole reason for my deeply rooted hatred towards the Monarch¡ªthe death of Ghrelin was. Ghrelin wasn¡¯t just a friend to me, he was someone I considered a brother, and I watched him die by the hands of the forces of Chaos. I carried the weight of the loss and blamed myself for his death. The trauma of defeat at the Shattered Expanse, coupled with Ghrelin¡¯s death left me with a deep personal vendetta against Modrath. So I thought, if getting rid of a Named Monarch would finally grant me the Heavens Feel, then the Monarch of Chaos had to be eliminated. But in the end, once again, I fell short.

    My consciousness was gradually fading, I was dying slowly, yet the Monarch didn¡¯t want to finish me off. It was almost as if he relished watching me die. I fought the exhaustion that overwhelmed me for a bit, before finally managing to speak.

    ¡°Why prolong it?¡± I gasped, my voice barely a whisper.

    ¡°He laughed loudly, as thunder rumbled incessantly.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? I want you to take your time to realize just how futile your efforts were. How helpless you were in the face of Modrath, the Endless Tempest. But personally, I think watching you suffer is far more entertaining than a quick death.¡±

    With each passing second, time stretched endlessly. I could feel the life draining from me¡ªa slow and agonizing withdrawal. It was then that the reality of the situation hit me¡ªI was going to die even without attaining the Heavens Feel.

    Before my consciousness completely faded away, I felt my mother¡¯s presence. Darya, the Celestial Sovereign, Monarch of Space, had come to my aid.

    ***

    I opened my eyes, realizing that I was in a healer¡¯s inn. While waiting for Yukina to recover, I drifted to sleep. I found myself sitting tiredly, my head tilted, my shoulders dropped, with my arms resting against my thighs. I, too, was exhausted from the battle against the Dark Ones, but I didn''t seem to notice it because there were a lot of other things I had to worry about.

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    Yukina, now awake, sat on her bed staring at me. And when I opened my eyes, she said to me,

    ¡°Watching you sleep like this reminds me that you are human after all. Sometimes, watching you do the things you do, I tend to forget that. It was a much needed sleep, you¡¯ve been through so much.¡±

    I straightened,

    ¡°Look at who¡¯s talking, You are the one who almost died.¡±

    ¡°Died? He-he,¡± she chuckled.

    ¡°Death must have given up on us considering the number of times we¡¯ve escaped its claws,¡± she continued.

    Yukina offered a faint smile, but her eyes reflected the shadows of what we faced. She was still scarred, yet she tried to stay strong. Did I look at her any differently, knowing what I now know? The answer was no. She was still my sister, and I couldn''t see her as anything else besides that. I knew a lot was going to change in my life given that my memories had returned, but my family wasn¡¯t.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± She asked me. Her voice was soft, laced with concern,

    ¡°Why?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Your skin, parts of your face, it doesn¡¯t look good.¡±

    ¡°Oh, this?¡± I voiced, tracing the dark lines that ran the length of my arm.

    I wasn¡¯t even aware that my face was affected too. I felt no pain, no irritation, but I knew it was bad¡ªa sign that my body was dying. There was no telling what exactly would happen when my body becomes completely covered with the dark lines, but I didn¡¯t want to wait until then. I had a strong belief that I would find some sort of remedy to it, even though no ideas came to my head yet.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It will disappear after some time,¡± I said to Yukina.

    I lied, and from her expression, she knew that I lied to her. But she didn¡¯t press me on it any further. I knew she was fighting the urge to say something, but she also knew that I had a lot on my plate, so she didn¡¯t want to be a bother. Though worried, she decided to have some faith in the lie I¡¯d just told. In the end, she simply nodded, her gaze lingering on the marks as if willing them to vanish.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if the Dark Ones attacked Galdor too, if these red gateways in the sky are widespread or just limited to some certain regions. Either way, I have to go to Galdor to ensure that Mom and Evren are safe.

    ¡°Alright, I am coming with you,¡± Yukina said to me.

    ¡°I knew that would be your response. You would have been mad at me if I went to Galdor alone, leaving you behind. That was the reason I waited for you to wake up.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that you are still sensible,¡± she said to me, nudging my arm.

    Yukina had no idea of what kind of life I¡¯d lived in the past before I was reborn here. To her, I was just Svan, her brother. I couldn''t help but wonder what she would think or how she would have reacted if she knew the truth. Would she still look at me with those kind eyes of hers? Would she still consider me as her brother, or treat me with the same affection that she¡¯d treated me with all her life? Not just Yukina, Mom, Evren, and even the High lord. One thing was certain; they would react, but how far that reaction would stretch was what I couldn¡¯t tell. I wasn¡¯t going to tell them anything, one thing I was good at was keeping secrets. But if a day should come, and they find out, well, until that day comes.

    My mindset shifted significantly. Before now, I was in some sort of disconnect with the reality I lived. Disinterested or discontent, whichever one it might have been, summarized how I felt. I believed that my purpose existed far beyond this realm. Maybe I wouldn¡¯t have felt that way if I¡¯d known nothing about Darya¡¯s existence, though one way or another, I would have discovered the truth. In the end, it turned out that it wasn¡¯t just a purpose that existed beyond these realms, but my entire identity as a being.

    Now, a lot had changed. That yearning had faded with the realization that I was once part of what I sought. But yet, my goals still converged, this time, a bit more specific, centered around the Heavens Feel. It was clear that I had to start all over, and frankly, I had no idea on how to begin. The journey ahead was going to be a lot more challenging than it was in the past, but it didn¡¯t matter. I was determined to achieve it one way or another.

    I felt a sense of relaxation, knowing I was no stranger to the otherworldly. Yet, I still needed to return because there was still much unfinished business awaiting me. I decided to take things one step at a time, this time properly preparing myself for what lay ahead.

    At the moment. It was difficult to tell what I really was. I had the memories and consciousness of a Sovereign, and the body of a human. I had no misconceptions about humans and Arcanes, or even the Dark Ones anymore¡ªthey were all humans. Arcanes were simply humans who could wield aether. That was the reason why they had to undergo an awakening to realize the full potential of their abilities. Interestingly, the ability to wield aether differed across different individuals.

    Aether was originally intended to grant humans who wielded it, the power to manipulate cosmic elements, but that wasn¡¯t the case for everyone. For some wielders of aether, instead of manipulating cosmic elements, the aether they possessed refined their mana manipulation to extraordinary levels, far beyond what any caster could imagine. My mother Eliora, was one of such individuals. Her connection to aether enhanced her abilities, allowing her to achieve feats that seemed almost mythical, even if she couldn''t manipulate cosmic elements.

    Mana granted humans the power to manipulate mortal elements, casters and stillbringers fell under that category. And then, there was naethrium; an essence which the Dark Ones wielded. Naethrium ensured a clear separation between mana and aether. It remained unaffected by both, and did not bestow mortal or cosmic manipulation to its wielders. However, the Dark Ones who harnessed naethrium possessed unique abilities of their own, which was safe to say that naethrium was capable of much more than merely being an opposing essence to mana and aether.

    Monarchs weren¡¯t constrained within the limits of mana, aether, or naethrium. They were a total embodiment of power that controlled the fundamental forces that shaped reality. Yet, there was one thing they had in common with humans; the Feel. Though Named Monarchs possessed the Heavens Feel¡ªa far more powerful form of the Feel that made the human variety look trivial, some similarities still existed between them.

    I understood why Darya suppressed my memories and lied to me all this time. She wanted to make sure that I was prepared to bear the burden of the truth. Everything she did was no coincidence. Born as Svan offered my existential force the best chance of survival; offering a durable body of a stillbringer, and a Feel that enabled cosmic elemental manipulation.

    The concept of knowing and memories in general was interesting. Now that memories of my past life had returned, I could feel that my abilities had returned too. It brought me to the conclusion that memories weren¡¯t just static records of the past; they were interconnected with our sense of identity and understanding of the world. The first connection to my lost abilities that I realized was the presence of Black Steel.

    Spatial manipulation was an inherent ability of mine which I had inherited from Darya, yet another ability¡ªone that personified my identity as a Sovereign¡ªwas the power to absorb and utilize the abilities of those I defeated. That was why I was called the Reaper. It was ironic; having an ability that I couldn¡¯t maximize its fullest potential. My body was already struggling to contain spatial manipulation, so it was simply impossible to be able to absorb and utilize the powers of others.

    I found a way around it, a way to absorb the powers of the ones I fell, without straining my body. In one of my many adventures, I came across a sentient being born out of naethrium. I managed to tame it, transforming it into a weapon that stored the powers I desired. I named it Black Steel as It wielded a peculiar sword with a characteristic black hue¡ªthe darkest shade of black I¡¯d ever laid my eyes on. The length of the sword was equally frightening, almost as long as the height of an average human.

    Black Steel had been with me all this while, but I had no idea because I had completely forgotten about its existence. Now, my memories had returned, and nothing seemed easier than summoning it from the domain I¡¯d created solely for it. I was tempted, but it wasn¡¯t the right place or time.

    I stood up offering to pay for the cost of Yukina¡¯s treatment, but the old healer declined, stating that they owed us their lives. Grateful for his kindness, we accepted his kind gesture, before setting off for Galdor.

 61. GRASPING THE PAST; BLACK STEEL

    The black sheen of the transport gate dissolved, and while I expected my eyes to be welcomed by a contrasting bright ambience, a second expectation, one I hoped wouldn¡¯t be the case, was. The situation in Galdor was the same¡ªcracks in the sky, imposing a red ambience. I panicked a bit, quickly looking around for any sign of destruction or a recent battle. But the sight I beheld calmed my nerves. The city was intact. In fact, people seemed to carry on with their activities, unbothered by the changes the atmosphere presented with.

    I sighed in relief, voicing inwardly,

    ¡°Everything is fine.¡±

    ¡°It looks like they haven¡¯t gotten here yet,¡± Yukina said to me.

    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing, isn¡¯t it?¡± I replied.

    For a moment, I was marvelled, almost carried away by the cityscape of Galdor. It was unlike anything I¡¯d ever seen, well, as Svan.

    I paused for a brief moment, upon the realization that I was consciously seeing myself as Svan, and not Varion. My thoughts and my view of things revolved around my identity as Svan. Despite the return of my memories as Varion, they felt disconnected with my present self as Svan, as though Varion¡¯s experiences belonged to someone else entirely. It wasn¡¯t rejection or denial, rather, I found it difficult to emotionally and psychologically integrate the two lives in a cohesive sense of self. It wasn¡¯t like I didn¡¯t want to embrace it, I just couldn¡¯t.

    The memories of Varion were there, vivid and detailed, but the lacked an emotional weight that made them feel like an intrinsic part of myself. But it was impossible to discard them or pretend like they didn¡¯t exist. Its existence alone was already enough influence in my life.

    So, instead of putting myself through an existential dilemma, trying to reconcile two identities, I decided to extract practical values from Varion¡¯s memories¡ªknowledge, skills, and insights, that would be of great use to myself as Svan.

    I couldn¡¯t say for sure if one day I would completely embrace my identity as Varion. That was a strong possibility. I believed that one of the reasons why I couldn¡¯t see myself as the Reaper Sovereign was because I just didn¡¯t have the tools at my disposal to assume that role. My body was barely hanging on, trying to sustain mana and aether manipulation at the same time. I was just simply far from being a Sovereign.

    Yukina snapped me out of my thoughts,

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she said to me.

    We asked around until we were given the exact directions to the council building where Mom and Yukina resided. It was difficult to locate, given the cityscape of Galdor¡ªinterconnected buildings with none of them really standing out.

    I still felt a sense of foreboding looming around. Not because the red ambience was present, or because I knew of the existence of the Dark ones. Rather, it was a peculiar feeling that washed over me whenever danger was imminent¡ªI just happened to know. And the feeling didn¡¯t disappear until I¡¯d confronted the source of the threat. Though there was every cause for alarm, nothing had happened yet. But I was prepared mentally because I had a strong feeling that something was coming.

    The responses we got regarding the location of the council building led us to one. From where we stood, I could clearly see multiple levels of the city below. After we introduced ourselves, and stated our purpose to the guards at the entrance, they let us in. We navigated inside the building by ourselves until we finally met Evren. She was having a meeting with some Azkhans soldiers, lieutenants included. Whatever they were discussing had to be important so we didn¡¯t interrupt them. They didn¡¯t talk for long until everyone dispersed.

    Evren who had no idea that we were around was surprised to see us, as she walked quickly towards us with a smile across her face.

    ¡°What are the both of you doing here?¡±

    I tried to speak, but she interrupted.

    ¡°Let me guess, the red looking cracks in the sky, right?¡±

    ¡°You took the words off my mouth,¡± I said to her.

    ¡°It¡¯s obvious. And it doesn¡¯t look good, does it? You and Yukina wouldn¡¯t be here if everything was okay.¡±

    ¡°Yes Evren, it doesn¡¯t look good.¡±

    She nodded slowly,

    ¡°I had the same thought but I didn¡¯t know what to expect. It has been like this since last night, but so far, nothing had happened.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good news honestly. Where is Mom? I need to explain what I know about the situation to everyone,¡± I said to her.

    Evren looked a bit carried away, staring at me for a bit

    ¡°Okay, we will go meet her now, but what happened to your face, Svan?¡± She asked slowly as if she was counting her words while trying to understand what she was looking at.

    Before I could speak, Yukina interrupted.

    ¡°He got injured while fighting. He will be fine. It will disappear after some time.¡±

    Evren turned in Yukina¡¯s direction, her expression screaming,

    ¡°How can you be so sure?¡±

    My clothes concealed the dark likes that ran along my hands and other parts of my body, but I forgot about my face. I had to do something about it because obviously, it was drawing a lot of attention.

    Still skeptical, Evren nodded,

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    She led us into a room that looked like a small meeting room as she sent someone to call for Mom.

    ¡°I would have preferred we talked in a bit more informal arrangement, but from the look of things the issue seems to be a pressing one. Besides, Mother has been indoors since today. It seems like she doesn¡¯t want to be disturbed but unfortunately, that¡¯s about to change.¡±

    We didn¡¯t have to wait for long before Mom appeared walking in briskly. She was still adjusting her clothes, while trying to tie her hair at the same time. Yukina and Evren bursted out laughing, and I couldn¡¯t help but smile. Her overall appearance just looked funny, evident that she just tried to get dressed as quickly as she could upon hearing that we were around.

    Mom, a bit surprised, asked,

    ¡°What?¡± As Evren and Yukina tried to stifle their laughter.

    Yukina walked up to her and gave a her a hug,

    ¡°You look a bit messy,¡± she said to her.

    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t expect you and Svan to just suddenly show up.¡±

    I fixed my gaze at her.

    ¡°Mom,¡± I thought, as the word echoed softly in my mind.

    It didn¡¯t feel weird, neither did it feel awkward that I still saw her as my mother. What I couldn¡¯t tell was whether or not we¡¯d developed a bond strong enough for that to hold true, or if it was because my identity as Svan took precedence. In all, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she would see me as her son on an event that she learned the truth.

    She turned in my direction,

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°Oh, Svan,¡± she said, her voiced laced with a familiar mix of concern and exasperation.

    ¡°What kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into this time? What happened to your face?¡±

    I sighed, bracing myself. Of course she was going to say something about my face the moment her gaze fell on them. Yukina was silent this time, leaving me alone to fend for myself.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It will disappear after some time. We have a more important issue to talk about,¡± I said to her.

    Everyone was seated, but Mom¡¯s eyes kept flicking back at me, her worry evident. I did my best to ignore her lingering glances, pretending not to notice them.

    ¡°What¡¯s the issue?¡± Mom asked, her tone shifting to one of seriousness.

    ¡°The red clouds, is it?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied.

    ¡°We were attacked at Conton, luckily we emerged victorious after a hard fought battle. It¡¯s quite a surprise that nothing had happened here so far, but I don¡¯t think it will remain that way for long. I had an encounter with a knight at Conton prior the attack, and I can confidently tell you that this is the Imperium¡¯s doing. The ones who attacked us are called the Dark Ones, and my guess is that this anomaly in the sky serves as a gateway that allows them to come here.¡±

    ¡°So, if I am understanding you correctly, we have a new enemy called the Dark Ones,¡± Mom said.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I said, nodding, impressed by how easily she simplifies things.

    ¡°Then, how is that the imperium¡¯s doing?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Because they let the Dark Ones in. The red cracks in the sky, it¡¯s the Imperium¡¯s doing,¡± I replied.

    ¡°This enemy you speak of¡ªthe Dark Ones, are they allies with the Imperium?¡± Mom asked.

    ¡°No. According to the knight I met at Conton, they too, have been waging a war against the Imperium.¡±

    ¡°How is that possible?¡± Evren asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know the details. But I was made to understand that the Imperium is fighting at two fronts. What I can tell you for sure is that, somehow, the Imperium has managed to send some of the Dark ones here at Duskenfell. So now, we have a new enemy to fight.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ smart, in a twisted way,¡± Evren chimed in.

    ¡°Trying to turn a losing situation into an advantage,¡± she continued.

    ¡°How strong are they,¡± Mom asked.

    ¡°Very. They wield an essence called naethrium. This essence is resistant to both mana and aether. The only way they can be defeated is given a situation where the mana or aether at one¡¯s disposal is significantly able to overwhelm the naethrium the Dark Ones wielded.¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­ Svan, I am a little lost here. Aether? Naethrium? Where did you get all this information from? I am finding it a bit difficult to understand what you are saying,¡± Evren voiced.

    There was no way I was going to tell her,

    ¡°Hey, I am Varion the Reaper Sovereign reincarnated into this body you know as Svan. So I know a lot of things that you can¡¯t possibly fathom..¡±

    I shook my head in disapproval,

    ¡°The knight I met at Conton told me all these, so I don¡¯t know much too,¡± I replied.

    ¡°So, what you are saying is, they are resistant to spells regardless of which form they took. But they aren¡¯t invincible. Their resistance only stretches as far as their strength allowed, right?¡± Mom said.

    ¡°Exactly,¡± I replied.

    ¡°I would inform the High Lord about the developing situation, that¡¯s if he doesn¡¯t know about it already. But what do we do after that?¡± Evren asked.

    ¡°We wait. Edger will come up with something, he always does. Till then, we just have to survive whatever is thrown our way,¡± Mom replied.

    We had a brief moment of silence until it was interrupted with a loud crashing noise, accompanied by rumbling sounds and an aftermath tremor.

    I was proven right when I rushed to the balcony to catch the sight of the perpetrators. I instinctively thought they weren¡¯t inside the city yet, because they had to at least have an idea of the terrain they were heading into¡ªGaldor having a unique one.

    My eyes met with familiar creatures once again, but this time only the serpentine ones were present¡ªthree of them. The crashing sounds we heard was as a result of one of them probably throwing a fit, or thinking it was a good idea to whip its tentacles at a building for no reason.

    My attention was drawn to the three horned-beings that approached slowly behind the creatures. Though I struggled with to believe that those monstrosities could be tamed, but it was apparent that that was the case; the creatures were under the control of the Dark Ones, doing their bidding.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Mom voiced.

    I stopped her by grabbing her hand, nodding in disapproval. She looked at me, a bit surprised,

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± She asked.

    I¡¯d just noticed that Mom was pregnant, thanks to the grey domain. But as surprised as I was, I didn¡¯t raise any alarm. It was a discussion for later.

    She followed my gaze to her belly, and immediately, she realized that I knew what she was hiding. She also knew it was pointless trying to argue with me, so she just gave up. She didn¡¯t give up because I wanted her to, or because she needed rest due to her pregnancy, but because she was confident that we could take care of the situation without her.

    Our wordless conversation was quick, and neither Yukina nor Evren seemed to notice what just happened.

    Yukina was talking to Evren,

    ¡°Go for the eyes, that¡¯s their weakness.¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t coming? That¡¯s unlike you,¡± I teased her.

    She struck me with a soft blow.

    ¡°I will sit this one out. You should be thankful that I am letting you have all the fun.¡±

    ¡°I guess the both of us will just have to watch them,¡± Mom said to Yukina.

    Yukina and Evren turned in her direction, obviously surprised.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you coming?¡± Evren asked

    ¡°I don¡¯t feel so well. Your brother told me to sit this one out, because he noticed it.¡±

    ¡°Oooh,¡± Evren toned,

    ¡°No wonder you¡¯ve been indoors all day. I knew something was off.¡±

    ¡°Yukina and I will just watch from up here, Mom said, as she pulled Yukina closer to her.

    Evren heaved, before jumping off the balcony. Her dragon followed after her transforming into a winged creature mid-air, before grabbing her by her hands, as both of them glided downwards towards the creatures. I simply triggered Realm Slip, materializing in front of the approaching Dark Ones.

    I was equipped with knowledge about their abilities, that was already a big advantage on my side. I was confident on taking them on alone, but I needed to test something out for myself.

    All three of the Dark Ones were all masculine-figured, and their demeanor, nonchalant like I was just fodder to them. I smirked, they were in for a rude awakening.

    ¡°Come forth, Black Steel,¡± I called, as I let it out from the domain I¡¯d created for it on my intent.

    I watched as it took form from nothingness, and though I had an idea of what it looked like, I still couldn¡¯t help but marvel at its majestic appearance. It stood more than twice my height, completely covered in a black amour-like outfit with sharp angular designs. It had a helmet that completely covered its face, save for its eyes that gave off a piercing purple glow. Its helmet had three spikes that looked like horns; two long ones on the side and one shorter one in the center. Its sword, a long and menacing weapon, exuded a terrifying aura, as it raised it.

    Black Steel turned towards me, its gaze lingering for a moment, as if it was unsure of who it was looking at. I was a bit scared, but I managed to stare back at it, my face showing no hint of fear.

    Summoning Black Steel was a risky gamble especially since I lacked any contingencies if things took a turn for the worse. The current situation was very different. As Varion the Reaper Sovereign, I wasn¡¯t bound by the constraints of all three essences, so keeping Black Steel under control didn¡¯t pose much of a difficulty. Now, I didn¡¯t even have any connection whatsoever to naethrium, so summoning it didn¡¯t look like a good idea.

    I also realized that every ability that I¡¯d harvested and  wielded through Black Steel in the past was gone. I could say for sure that they disappeared upon my death, even though I didn¡¯t understand how.  But even in its current form, I knew I would lose against it if it considered me an enemy and chose to attack.

    After a brief stare down, it softened its gaze, turning back in the direction of the of the dark ones. It seemed like it finally recognized me, but I couldn¡¯t say for sure. So far, nothing seemed out of place.

    I was eager to know how the Dark Ones would react, sensing a familiar essence. But unfortunately, the masks they wore made it impossible to read the expression of their faces. Here stood Black Steel¡ªa sentient being born of naethrium, facing the Dark Ones¡ªhumans skilled in manipulating naethrium. It was an exciting confrontation, and I was a bit excited to witness the outcome.

    Black Steel attacked. Its movements were so quick that I couldn¡¯t  follow them in normal perception, so I had to switch to the grey domain in order to keep up. For the first time, I was just a spectator in a battle I was involved in. The Dark Ones were quick too, as expected, but Black Steel kept up with all three of them effortlessly, and despite its size, it moved with an insane agility and flexibility.

    No spells were casted since every participant in the confrontation wielded naethrium one way or another, so it was reduced to a melee-only combat. The Dark Ones put up a valiant effort, but they were simply no match for Black Steel. I watched as it drove its sword into one of them, before grabbing the another, smashing him to the ground. Before the third one could react, it drew out its sword and with a swift maneuver, decapitated him. The battle didn¡¯t last long but thanks to the grey domain, it didn¡¯t appear to end in an instant.

    I changed my perception from the grey domain as I watched Black Steel drag the only survivor towards me. Maybe it thought I would have some questions for him. It was a clever thought, but the Dark Ones spoke a language I couldn¡¯t understand, so it was futile.

    ¡°Kill him,¡± I ordered.

    Without hesitation, it severed his head.

    Evren, together with her dragon had also taken care of the creatures. I wasn¡¯t able to witness it because I was so invested in watching Black Steel fight.

    ¡°There is no such thing as absolute strength,¡± I thought to myself, considering the recent events that had happened, and what I had just witnessed.

    The Dark Ones were slaughtered right in front of me with so much ease, but they were the same ones that almost killed me and Yukina. I was confident that they could have easily killed any caster or stillbringer, and even knights, should they face them, because they wielded a unique essence, one that served as a perfect counter to mana and aether. But in the end, they were killed easily by Black Steel.

    Though one could argue that Black Steel was an otherworldly being, but the fact still remained¡ªstrength was relative. Even those who are overwhelmingly strong in one scenario could be vulnerable in another. There were a lot of variables to it, and it was those variables that determined who emerged victorious.

 62. BONDS

    Memories didn¡¯t just open due to convenience; sometimes, thoughts were required to unlock them. But when memories and thoughts get entangled, it creates a path towards understanding. Interestingly, sometimes, understanding unlocks memories that refuse to open. This was the cycle I happened to be caught in at the moment, and It felt like I was embarking on a journey in my head, one of realization and understanding.

    The memory of my first meeting with Black Steel played out in my head. I wasn¡¯t consciously trying to remember it, but it just opened because Black Steel was all I could think of at that moment. I remembered standing across it, separated by a valley at Ashen Highlands¡ªa windswept Verge of cracked obsidian and ash.

    The ash was no ordinary dust, but a lingering testament of an ancient battle that permanently scarred the Verge. Legend had it that the battle was so cataclysmic that essences of the ones killed during the battle were condensed into solid form¡ªfine particles that one would mistake as dust.

    I¡¯d stalked Black Steel for quite some time, following it into Ashen Highlands. I couldn¡¯t tell why it went there, but I decided to make my move there because it just felt right¡ªa perfect setting that could bear witness to an interesting duel.

    After a short-lived stand-off, Black Steel charged, snapping the tension. It¡¯s movement were a blur of precision, and it¡¯s sword arced towards me with a frightening hum like it was tearing reality itself. I reacted, compressing the space around it, imposing constricting forces around it, slowing it down. Just for a very brief moment, I was able to immobilize it, suspending its motion. But before I made another move at it, it broke free. It possessed an overwhelming amount of naethrium, strong enough to dispel my attacks.

    It continued its charge at me once again, and this time I let it. I was curious in knowing what sheer strength it possessed. Its sword met mine in an explosive collision that sent shockwaves across the Verge.

    ¡°Not bad,¡± I remarked.

    We went back and forth with the exchanges, until I backed out, realizing that my sword would give out if I continued. My sword; a gift from my mother, a weapon forged from a very ancient ore¡ªone only dragon fire could smelt, was no match to Black Steel¡¯s. I could feel the strain on it with each clash, and though it held on stubbornly, I knew when to stop.

    I tried to overwhelm Black Steel, unleashing a terrifying storm of fire at it. I never wielded fire of any sorts, it was an ability I¡¯d gained after I killed a wyvern that attacked me in the past. The flames burned fiercely, and even I who unleashed it was overwhelmed by the intensity of the heat. It also carried immense pressure, like it was distorting the space around.

    It didn¡¯t come off as so much of a surprise to me when the flames dissipated upon contact with Black Steel¡¯s naethrium blade. It did so in a peculiar fashion, almost like life was being sucked out of it leaving only a faint ripple of heat.

    Though it was true that I wasn¡¯t bound by the constraints of all three essences, that only held true in relation with the fact that I would hold my own against any attacks from spells conjured from any essence. Even as powerful as I was as a Sovereign, I still had limitations; one of them being unable to wield naethrium.

    Naethrium was a very unique essence, so much so that not even the most powerful beings could wield it. But it wasn¡¯t an all powerful essence that stood invincible, because while it serves the purpose of balance, it could be overwhelmed, diminishing its effect. That was why Black Steel was just the weapon I needed¡ªsome control over naethrium.

    The only problem was, I didn¡¯t think I had enough power to overwhelm Black Steel. The naethrium it wielded appeared to be strong enough to withstand the spells I conjured. But I had to win one way or another, losing was a luxury I couldn¡¯t afford.

    It charged at me again, once again, arcing its sword with the same frightening hum, in my direction. Warping space at my intent, I moved away from the attack, its blade¡¯s tip, grazing the air where I¡¯d stood. I countered, stretching the space between us into an elongated corridor, forcing Black Steel to travel the distance, away from me before crashing into a rocky elevation.

    Its purple eyes flared, and with a thrust of its sword, it unleashed a pulse of naethrium, shattering the distortion I¡¯d created, snapping the distance back to normal. I was amazed¡ªmy eyes witnessing a new discovery. Black Steel¡¯s blade wasn¡¯t just powerful and sturdy, it adapted, countering with precision.

    I searched my head for a solution. I needed a new approach. My sword couldn¡¯t endure another direct clash, and even the wyvern¡¯s flames at my disposal were fodder to Black Steel¡¯s blade. I was struck with a sudden realization. It turned out that the Verge was all I needed to win. Who would have thought that the place I chose to fight purely because of its aesthetics would provide a huge advantage for me.

    ¡°The ash,¡± I voiced.

    I¡¯d always known myself as someone with a tough luck, but on that day, the wheels of fortune spun in my favor. The presence of condensed essences present as fine dust was one thing, the fact that it played into the cards of the nature of my abilities, was another. All I had to do to was to absorb as much essence as I could to overwhelm Black Steel.

    As it came at me, I strengthened my spatial dominion, folding the space around it, not just to constrict it, rather, creating a prison where every direction looped back to the center. Black Steel swung its sword, trying to break free, but my spatial prison reflected the energy it gave off back to it. It continued relentlessly, but all I needed to do was reinforce the prison for as long as I could. I was able to hold on, thanks to the ash¡¯s constant supply of raw essence.

    My body screamed under the effort, my human limits fraying, but I still held on. Black Steel¡¯s eyes dimmed and its movements slowed. I was sure that it wasn¡¯t growing tired because it was relentlessly trying to break free, my theory was that maybe, the naethrium energy its sword gave off had a negative effect on it.

    With every grit left in me, I collapsed the spatial prison inward in an attempt to crush Black Steel within it. I knew it wouldn¡¯t just give up, and that was what I trusted. Though weakened, it fought against the collapsing prison, cancelling its effect with a last ditch effort. It survived, but its survival came with a cost as lines resembling cracks ran all over its body.

    I won. I staggered forward, blood dripping from my nose and eyes. I too, was overwhelmed by the amount of aether I wielded in order to defeat Black Steel. It was a price I had to pay for my victory.

    Black Steel wasn¡¯t dead, but I could feel its life essence disappearing slowly. It was on its knees, with its sword providing support strong enough to prevent it from falling. It was a scenario I was prepared for, and I was about to take another risk.

    I was able to absorb abilities because the nature of my feel allowed it. But this was made possible because most abilities that people, beings and even creatures wielded followed a path created by either mana or aether. Naethrium was different, it didn¡¯t just play the role of an essence, it was an ability to those who wielded it too, and that was the problem.

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    As a Sovereign, I had no affinity with naethrium but even if I did, there was nothing to absorb from Black Steel. It wasn¡¯t like it could manipulate an element in a unique manner through naethrium; like how fire could be manipulated through mana, or space through aether¡ªnaethrium was just naethrium.

    I didn¡¯t know much about Black Steel. I didn¡¯t even have a clear plan on how to approach the battle, and also, I didn¡¯t have the slightest idea on how to tame it, or make it an ally, or even the weapon I¡¯d intended, whichever one that turned out to be the case. I just faced it with the belief I would be the victor and that a solution would somehow present itself. Fortunately, it did.

    Though it was a thought in my head, after our battle ended, I was exposed to the discovery that everything about Black Steel revolved around naethrium. It¡¯s sentience, it¡¯s life essence¡ªit was all naethrium. I wasn¡¯t sure if it had a life force or an existential force, but I leaned to the belief that it had to have both, or something similar because It was a sentient being after all. I reached for Black Steel¡¯s naethrium In the same manner in which I absorbed abilities, but this time, instead of absorbing its naethrium which I obviously couldn¡¯t, I managed to tether it to my existential force.

    It was difficult to believe that I was able to do the things I did as Varion. I wouldn¡¯t even dare as Svan. But thoughts on that memory created many paths to understanding and discovery. Whether or not my understanding was right, it seemed reasonable to me. I believed one¡¯s Feel was an intrinsic component of their existential force. It had to be true because I still retained my abilities as Varion even though I was reincarnated. As Svan, I¡¯d always believed that the Feel was just a tether between humans and their elemental manipulation. While that was true, it wasn¡¯t all to it, reinforcing my conclusion that it was part of one¡¯s existential force.

    I remembered Darya telling Svan that humans aren¡¯t able to tell apart life force and existential force, because to them, they are somewhat fused. Again, that held true¡ªthe reason why the Feel seems intangible to them even though they know it exists. Again, reinforcing my conclusion that the Feel was part of one¡¯s existential force.

    But what steeled my belief was the understanding of my Feel as Varion, and its uniqueness. When I kill an opponent, their life force collapses but their existential force lingers briefly, carrying the Feel; abilities included. My Feel is able to reach out, like a hand grasping the fading Feel, and pulling the ability into my own. That was also the same reason I was able to forge a bond with Black Steel. Even though it wielded neither mana nor aether, I was able to reach out to its Feel.

    My bond with Black Steel was unique. I didn¡¯t wield its aether, and it wasn¡¯t dead, but it was a part of me¡ªmy existential force. This was what I intended, but that intent was realized purely through luck. Maybe it was the naethrium or the uniqueness of Black Steel¡¯s life essence that played a role, in the end, I got what I wanted.

    This Black Steel was different from the one I fought at Ashen Verge; It was easy to tell, strength-wise. Ever since I forged a bond with it, it mirrored my strength. Though it was my doing, it wasn¡¯t done intentionally¡ªmy Feel had to do what was best for me. The only way the bond could hold was if there was a sense of balance. Though I have know idea of what will happen if its Feel overwhelmed mine, I had a feeling that I would not be in control anymore because my existential force would probably be subdued by its own. Conversely, if mine was the overwhelming one, then its naethrium would probably be of little or no value to me.

    I finally realized the cause of the dark lines on my skin. As my body strained from the abilities I wielded,  the naethrium my existential force held due to my bond with Black Steel, became visible. I was amazed by how this body held on this long. Even with the nature of my Feel, I only absorbed two abilities to myself before I met Black Steel because I knew my human limits¡ªthe wyvern¡¯s flames, because it was the closest thing to dragon¡¯s fire, and ice that I¡¯d obtained from a frost Sovereign. Other abilities I gained after bonding with Black Steel was tethered to it, though, in the end, unfortunately, they were lost. The wyvern¡¯s flames and the ice were still with me. I could feel both abilities within me, and they didn¡¯t disappear because they were embedded within my existential force. I tried to think of a good reason why the ones I tethered to Black Steel vanished, but there were a lot of possibilities, and all of them seemed plausible.

    I couldn¡¯t help but ask myself,

    ¡°Am I even human?¡±

    ***

    ¡°Hey, you look lost,¡± Evren said to me, snapping me out of my thoughts by tapping my shoulder.

    ¡°Oh, I was caught up with something in my head,¡± I replied.

    Her attention was drawn to somewhere else. She couldn¡¯t help but stare at Black Steel in disbelief.

    ¡°Who is this guy?¡± She asked absentmindedly, pointing at Black Steel.

    I was silent for a short while because I couldn¡¯t come up with a convincing lie to tell. The thing about lies and secrets was that, they were never simple. Once a lie is told, or a secret is kept, they had to be constantly sustained by more lies and more secrets.

    Black Steel walked closer to us and Evren took a few steps backwards. She too, was intimidated by it. It¡¯s towering figure loomed over us, the purple glow of its eyes cutting through the red ambience imposed by Galdor¡¯s fractured sky. I looked up in Yukina and Mom¡¯s direction as they watched from the balcony above, their silhouettes framed against the building¡¯s jagged architecture. Though I couldn¡¯t define what expression their faces wore since they stood so high up, I knew they were as unsettled as Evren.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a companion,¡± I said, firmly settling with the simplest half-truth I could muster.

    Evren raised her eyebrows, her skepticism plain.

    ¡°A companion? That thing looks like it can cut through mountain with that sword of its.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t wrong, Black Steel could actually cleave a mountain if I pushed it¡ªbut I kept that to myself.

    Just as I was about to speak, Evren¡¯s dragon, now a small cat-like creature darted from the shadows near her feet and stood between her and Black Steel.   Before I could react further, it changed. The air around it thickened, a sudden heat prickling my skin. The creature grew¡ªexploded really, in a way that made me catch my breath. The fur melted away smoothing into a cascade of midnight-black scales, each one edged with a molten golden shimmer. The tiny limbs stretched and thickened, sprouting into massive muscled legs with claws that looked like curved swords. Wings erupted from its back, vast and sprawling, unfurling with a thunderous snap.

    Its head reared up, broad and reptilian with a crest of spines thrusting upwards¡ªthree dominant ones that looked like blackened spears, flanked by smaller jagged protrusions that trailed down its neck glowing faintly. Its yellow eyes¡ªnow massive elliptical pools of molten gold defined its majestic aura and I couldn¡¯t help but marvel at how a creature could look both dangerous and beautiful at the same time

    Zephryix was a marvel to behold, a creature that seemed to straddle the line between legend and reality. It was the first time I¡¯d ever laid my eyes on one, even as Varion.

    Its tail lashed out, a whip of scales and barbs that stretched longer than Black Steel was tall. The tip trashing with a force that cracked the air. Zephryix stood there fully formed, its bulk towering over us, dwarfing even Black Steel¡¯s Imposing frame. It¡¯s breath released air so hot that I had to move away from the radius of its effect. Black Steel didn¡¯t move, neither did it flinch. Its purple gaze was steady, but I felt a flicker along our tether¡ªsomething like an awe, or maybe a challenge.

    My guess was, Zephryix sensed that Evren felt intimidated by Black Steel and decided to confront it. I smiled, wondering how a battle between them would unfold. I believed the old Black Steel, the one I fought at Ashen Verge, or even the one tethered to Varion, would have an edge. But I couldn¡¯t be so sure because I¡¯d never experienced the full power of a dragon. If they should clash now, Zephryix would most probably win. It¡¯s little show off¡ªimposing an overwhelming aura, hinted at its immense power.

    The stand-off ended when Evren spoke to Zephryix, persuading it to return to its cat-like appearance. But what even caught my attention was the fact that Evren appeared unaffected by the heat that Zephryix gave off with each breath. I was curious, eager to know the nature of their bond, but I wasn¡¯t in a haste to do so, I knew I would with time.

    I withdrew Black Steel back to its domain, thankfully, Evren forgot about the question she asked me.

    She sighed in relief,

    ¡°That was a close one,¡± she said, easing herself.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think they were actually going to fight, they were both trying to assert dominance,¡± I said to her.

    ¡°You can¡¯t be so sure,¡± she cautioned.

    I looked up once again, and this time instead of two figures at the balcony, there were three of them. Though my vision wasn¡¯t the clearest considering the height at which they stood, I could easily tell the third figure was feminine too.

    Yukina waved at us before gesturing that we should come up. I knew it was Yukina waving, because of the position at which she stood; on the left. Mom looked like she was having a conversation with the person who joined them, and the moment she turned in my direction, I recognized her immediately. She was no other person than Sophia.