Muffled voices, all familiar, laced with laughter and praise.
Lucius was at the centre of it all, pats on his back and compliments lifting him to cloud nine.
All from his beloved family.
He didn't want it to end.
He knew it was a dream, wished, willed, forced himself to sleep a little longer.
Just a bit more.
But the chirping of birds broke the spell, dragging him from the rare, fleeting dream.
He slowly opened his eyes, shifting his limbs into more comfortable positions. Each movement came with a crack or pop.
Before he could gather his thoughts, a cup of water slid in front of him.
"You look like shit," Jasper said with a chuckle, passing the cup over.
Lucius grabbed the cup with a nod of thanks, taking a small sip. "So, just another Tuesday?"
Lucius tried to laugh, but it dissolved into a cough. His voice came out weak and coarse. "How long was I out?"
"A week. The healers couldn't do much, so we had to rely on your own healing relics."
Jasper leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, "Well, you know how shit relic effectiveness is outside the dungeons."
"Was it bad down there?" Lucius asked, then immediately choked on his saliva.
Jasper patted his back. "Sera was worried sick. Your regeneration wasn't doing much once you reached the 3rd floor, for who knows why, and the healers couldn't heal you for god knows why."
"She led the rearguard and tore through the second floor like a woman possessed. Of course, she had help from the family heads, but I heard it was one of the fastest timings for their trip up." Jasper added.
Lucius finally leaned back onto the bed, looking to the ceiling, "Well… Hope it's enough this time." A genuine smile lurked on the corner of his lips as he recalled the dream he had just had.
Jasper stood up and ran a hand through Lucius' messy hair.
A gesture of familiarity, one that Lucius hadn't felt since Parkel had passed.
"Sometimes, all you can do is what you can do. That's enough." Jasper smiled before walking over to Lucius' wardrobe.
Lucius let out a slow breath, a sense of satisfaction welling up in him. He looked around and noticed something was different.
His room was clean.
The bottles and scattered syringes were gone.
Instead, the once dull and blackened carpet was now a bright red. The sunlight spilling in shone a new light on the room. The air smelled almost crisp, despite the chill outside.
It wasn't his doing; he was sure of it.
"Thanks for cleaning the room," Lucius muttered.
"Well, we all need a fresh start at some point." Jasper tossed him a set of clothes, "Let's go to the market. You need some fresh air!"
* * *
1 Hour later
Eryndale Capital Marketplace
"Why is it this busy today!" Lucius shouted, his voice barely audible over the crowd.
To their left and right, carts of food, daily supplies, and accessories lined the streets. The air was thick with the odd mixture of the fragrance of fried food and the putrid smell of thrown-away food lying at the side of the roads.
"A lot of external merchants came into town today! Part of Eryndale's immigration and trade policy!" Jasper yelled as well.
Lucius exhaled through his nose, watching the people move about their day. The world had continued without him.
"Lucius!" A voice called out. An old man hurried over, shoving a bundle of carrots into his arms, "Thanks for bringing my son back alive. The Thornes' spirit continues to live on! Take this…It's the least I could…"
"Oh… Thank you…" Lucius muttered, slightly taken aback. Before he could take another step forward, more people started to crowd around, handing him supplies, fresh produce, dried meats, all sorts of tokens of gratitude.
"Famous today, aren't we?" Jasper drawled.
"I didn't think the news spread that quickly", Lucius said, fitting the items into a basket one of the people gave to him.
"What can I say? Law & Enforcement spreads rumours faster than plague." Jasper said, a bit too proudly.
Lucius shook his head, but a ghost of a smile tugged on his lips.
It was odd, he had never smiled this much before…
At least, not after his family had passed.
And in a way… he could only thank Jasper. The only person that stood by him this whole time.
Jasper's arm looped around his shoulder. His voice dipped lower, face suddenly serious. "Listen, we need to talk."
Lucius stilled.
"Robert Lark passed away during the expedition."
Lucius' eyes snapped to him, "What?"
"They say it was a heart attack." Jasper's expression darkened as he leaned in, "But forensics got a short look before the Larks sent their own people…" Jasper paused, looking softening his voice, "Chances are? Poisoning assassination. Seems like family politics are back on the menu."
Lucius felt his chest tighten, "…and the relics I handed to them…?"
"As you'd expect. Robert did absorb it, but yeah… after his death and the relics dropped once more, the family quickly took it back… Alessandro Lark, Orion's older brother, has taken over."
Baruta's classmate…
A sudden push from behind nearly sent Lucius stumbling. "Welcome back to reality," Seraphina's voice cut in, teasing. "How was the vacation?"
Lucius huffed, rubbing the back of his neck. "It was fun… until I woke up to a civil war."
"Yeah, well, send a postcard next time. Didn't know your body was unhealable though. Were all Thornes like that?"
"Side effect of an absorbed relic," Lucius muttered, his eyes ahead but blurred, "Not too sure which, though."
"Whatever it is, good to have you back," Jasper said, resting an elbow on Lucius' shoulder as he eyed the carts nearby.
"Thanks for your efforts down there, Lucius." Seraphina thanked.
Lucius almost flinched; the use of his first name wasn't something he had heard from Seraphina before.
"For saving so many lives." She continued.
"All in a day's work. Just living up to the name." Lucius replied.
Lucius raised an eyebrow, still trying to process the events of the day. "Yeah, where exactly are we headed?"
Jasper grinned, a mischievous glint in his eye.
He pointed to a large mansion ahead, its grand architecture unmistakable. "Look at that place. That's Seraphina's house."
Lucius turned his head, narrowing his eyes at the sprawling estate. "Why the hell would I want to go to Seraphina's house?
"Oh, come on. It's three times the size of yours," Jasper teased his voice light but with a hint of admiration. "Plus, she's got some externally sponsored expeditions in there. They're hosting preparatory training for some mercenaries. Figured it'd be fun for you to see it in action."
"Well… entertainment is entertainment." He shrugged.
In the distance ahead, the crowd grew denser.
With a peek of his head, Lucius looked above the people, spotting a line of guards cordoning off the roads.
Behind them were rows of carts with supplies and weapons, and dozens of rough and burly men and women were walking along.
Guiding the convoy was a man on horseback. A rod in hand with his robe waving in the winds.
"It's Professor Rowan Sinclair," Jasper muttered, narrowing his eyes through the crowd. "Seems another mercenary guild is moving in. The Larks are definitely stepping up."
Seraphina folded her arms, biting the corner of her lip. "The other cities have been getting bolder. The influx of outside guilds, mercenary parties and sponsored expeditions is increasing at astonishing rates this week…"
"Larks," Lucius muttered as the dark reality of the power struggle started settling between the three of them.
After the procession, the guards cleared the way.
The carts and procession disappeared into the distance, and the crowd started to thin as they walked ahead.
Jasper clapped Lucius on the back, "Alright! Enough of this heavy talk! We've got better things to do than stew over politics. Some teenagers aren't going to have a say in this anyway."
He shot Seraphina a quick grin, trying to lighten the mood, "Let's go see that house of yours."
Seraphina gave him a tight smile, her arms folded, but she didn't argue.
The street began to quiet as they turned onto a wide, gated path leading to her estate. The sound of distant chatter, clanging metal, and wagons faded into the background.
Soon, they reached the grand entrance of the Celeste mansion.
Towering walls enclosed the vast estate, and the wrought-iron gates swung open as they approached.
Beyond the gates, the path was lined with marble statues and well-trimmed hedges. Beds of vibrant flowers flanked a polished sandstone walkway that led up to the main building.
A sprawling structure of clean stone and glass panes—open, pristine, untouched by dust or damp.
Lucius stopped at the base of the porch staircase. The sight hadn't changed much since the last time he was here, but the feeling had.
It reminded him.
This was what legacy and power looked like when it was properly maintained. The Celestes hadn't just survived; they'd preserved themselves.
The air here didn't choke.
No mould curling up the walls.
No rot lining the windows.
Just polished floors, manicured grounds and a silent, imposing power.
It wasn't just cleaner. It carried a different weight entirely.
Like the kind of air meant for people who never had to worry about falling, maybe that's why he didn't move. For a second, he just stood there, taking all the familiarity back in.
Then Seraphina pushed open the heavy oak doors, stepping inside without looking back. The grand foyer stretched out before them, lined with intricate chandeliers and banners bearing the Celeste crest.
Quickly, sounds of clashing swords and screams of power echoed from the courtyard
on the opposite side of the mansion. They strolled through the decorated hallways and
rooms before emerging on the other side.
Ignatius stood in front of them, "Great to see everyone here… Hello Jasper."
He then looked to Lucius. Scanning his body from his feet and then back to his eyes,
"Great to see I'm not indebted to you."
"Yeah sure." Lucius brushed it off.
Ignatius quickly switched to Seraphina. He pulled her over, "Go train with them. This is one of the ways you are going to get better."
"Ugh. Fine." She groaned as she pulled her arms out of his grasp.
As they walked further out onto the training grounds, the field extended even further.
Almost encompassing the foreseeable horizon.
Countless mercenaries duking it out and training. They didn't look local. They did not have the right facial structure or eyes, but they weren't too shabby either. Explosions of fire in the distance, erupting tremors, and streaks of lightning flashed across the area.
Even Lucius could tell they were no pushovers. These warriors weren't just strong in terms of strength but had immaculate control of their elements. Control that only came with experience.
With a word from Ignatius, Seraphina was quickly paired up with another man as they walked into the sparring area.
He stood a head above Seraphina, but he clearly held an expression of contempt.
Perhaps it was the idea of versing a mere kid.
Regardless, he readied his sword, which buzzed with electricity. As he waved it through the air, streaks of lightning spread through the area.
"Bets?" Lucius said, already knowing the outcome.
He walked over to a shaded spot near the mansion, sitting down on the ground with
Jasper.
"Please. As if you don't know how this will end," Jasper chuckled, already eyeing the
other mercenaries.
The one facing Seraphina flared with excitement. With a downward swing of his blade, a wave of pure electrical flux tore toward her.
She didn't move.
Her mind clicked into motion, recalling Lucius's advice, the recordings of his fight with Orion.
Every action was rehearsed in her head again and again.
With a flick of her finger, a ball of lightning sparked into existence directly in the arc's path.
The moment it connected, it burst, detonating just enough to offset every jagged bolt behind it.
The arcs veered off course, curling into orbs that now obeyed her command.
They hovered in orbit, buzzing with stolen power.
She smirked, snapping her fingers. The energy hissed and dissipated.
"Holy shit," she whispered. "That was cool."
The man did not share the sentiment.
"You think you can just willy-nilly stop my lightning?" he growled, blade humming with a
darker, harsher aura. Sparks danced along its edge as he charged again.
He swung.
A single bolt surged forward, then split.
Then, split again.
And again.
Two became four. Four became eight. Then sixteen. Then thirty-two.
She couldn't keep track.
The arena lit up with fractals of blinding arcs encircling her.
Before she could react—
"Fu—"
A blinding crack.
Then pain.
The surge hit her full force.
Her Muscles clenched.
Limbs seized.
Her body locked as flux flooded her veins.
She'd been arrogant.
Arrogant to test unrefined techniques in a real fight.
It's arrogant to think outsiders wouldn't pose a real threat.
At the end of the day, it was an academy prospect versus a sponsored mercenary.
But ultimately, the difference between them wasn't just experience.
It was talent.
Her instincts snapped into gear.
Unabsorbed energy poured out through her soles, crackling into the ground with a
quake and a deafening thunderclap.
A breath escaped. Ragged, charged with static.
Then she stepped.
She vanished.
And the mercenary went flying, crashing into another behind him.
Her eyes widened.
Not in shock.
Not in disbelief.
But in something lighter.
She hadn't trained for that.
No nights grinding out every move.
No repetitions, no failure, no tears. Nothing.
And yet—she'd done it.
The flux hadn't yielded because of precision or discipline. It had yielded because she needed it to.
That... was talent.
Then came the laughter.
Soft. Hesitant.
Then louder.
Unrestrained.
A sound she hadn't made in years.
She'd spent so long trying to prove she belonged. To her parents. To herself.
But now, she didn't have to.
She just did.
She already was.