"Have you ever been to the great cities of this world?" Vex asked, a wistful smile in his voice.
No, all I've ever done since my arrival here was get my butt beaten up by you for 6 years. I haven't even won yet," said Elias, a touch of frustration in his voice
Vex gave a short, breathy laugh, but it faded almost as soon as it escaped him. "And yet… you're still here," he said quietly, folding his arms as if bracing himself. "A year ago, Elias, you couldn't survive a single minute against me."
Elias looked away, jaw tight. "That's supposed to make me feel better?"
"It isn't meant to," Vex answered. His gaze drifted toward the far-off horizon, where the sky met the broken land. "It's meant to remind you."
He paused. "The great cities I told you about… they weren't built by heroes. They were built by people who were crushed first—by war, by grief, by their own fear. Stone by stone, they raised themselves from the ruins."
Silence settled between them.
"…And what does that have to do with me?" Elias asked at last, his voice lower now.
Vex turned back to him. For a moment, the harshness in his eyes softened. "Everything," he said. "Because one day, you won't walk those cities as a boy who merely survived."
His voice deepened. "You'll walk them as a man who suffered… and still chose to stand."
Elias's fists tightened at his sides, his breath unsteady. "Then stop treating me like I'll break."
Vex's lips curved into a small, knowing smile.
"I stopped a long time ago."
"Well, don't listen to the ramblings of an old man," Vex said with a laugh, reaching for a bottle and pouring himself a glass of his prized wine. "But it's about time you learned a thing or two about this world, kid. Since you came from the other side of the galaxy—" he waved a hand, then smirked, "well, actually… not the other side. You're about two galaxies away from home."
Elias frowned slightly, trying to picture it. "Two galaxies away? That's a long way from here."
Vex chuckled softly, taking a sip of his wine. "Indeed it is. But listen closely—this world is unlike anything you've ever seen."
THE HOUSES OF NOCTURNA.
"Listen, kid, if I'm going to send you out to the cities, you need to know exactly which House rules them… and what kind of trouble they specialize in."
Vex leaned back, swirling the wine in his glass. "Nocturna may be called the Neutral World, but don't let that fool you. This planet has no single ruler—only the Five Houses. Each governs a city, and each is forever clawing for more power."
He lifted a finger.
"First, there's House Solaris."
"Masters of technology and industry. They control the great cities and factories, producing everything from weapons to starships. If it hums, glows, or explodes, chances are Solaris had a hand in it."
His tone darkened slightly. "But they've got a shadow side—illegal arms trading, cybercrime, and deals best left unspoken."
"Their patriarch is Lord Valerian, a shrewd and ambitious man who will stop at nothing to expand his family's influence. His wife, Lady Seraphina, is just as sharp—his closest advisor and the true mind behind many of his moves."
Another finger rose.
"Next, House Luminara."
"The scholars and philosophers of Nocturna. They control the universities and research halls, digging into the mysteries of the universe itself."
He snorted softly. "But knowledge has a price. They've been known to cross lines—dabbling in forbidden experiments and dangerous arts."
"Their matriarch is High Priestess Aurora, wise and enigmatic, revered for her insight into the arcane. Her husband, Archmage Lucius, is a powerful sorcerer with a hunger for ancient magic and answers best left buried."
A third finger.
"Then there's House Umbra."
"The shadows behind the world. They run the gambling dens, brothels, and smuggling routes, feeding off the vices of society."
His eyes narrowed. "They're ruthless. Anyone who stands in their way doesn't stay standing long."
"Their patriarch, Don Salvatore, rules through fear and favors. His wife, Dona Isabella, pulls the strings from behind the curtain, ensuring their family's grip never loosens."
A fourth.
"House Creek."
"Warriors and enforcers. They command the military and police, claiming to uphold law and order."
Vex gave a dry laugh. "But even steel can rust. Corruption runs through their ranks, and rival factions constantly fight for control."
"Their patriarch is General Marcus, stern and unyielding, devoted to duty and loyalty. His wife, Lady Loretta, is a brilliant strategist and diplomat, struggling to keep peace within a house always on the brink of fracture."
Finally, the fifth finger rose.
"And last… House Celestia."
"The mystics and seers. They oversee the temples and shape the spiritual beliefs of the people."
His voice lowered. "But mystery follows them wherever they go. Whispers of dark rituals and forbidden rites cling to their name."
"Their matriarch, High Priestess Selene, is seen as a living oracle—serene and otherworldly. Her husband, Archon Orion, is a devout warrior who leads their holy crusades with unshakable faith."
Vex let his hand fall. "Five Houses. Five cities. One planet pretending it isn't already at war."
Elias listened in silence, absorbing every word. The Houses and their leaders painted a picture of a world driven by ambition, secrets, and quiet conflicts.
He looked out toward the wilderness, where moonlight spilled across the dark terrain. A strange weight settled in his chest.
Somewhere within those cities, among those Houses, his path was waiting.
And whatever role he was meant to play in Nocturna's unfolding drama… it wouldn't be a small one.
"Since I've already told you about the Five Houses of Nocturna," Vex's voice dropped, echoing softly in the night air, "there is… another. An ancient House, older than memory itself, now teetering on the edge of extinction. Its last heirs… lost. A House of blacksmiths, of warriors, whose hammers shaped the fate of worlds. A House whose forge once birthed weapons so powerful, they could change the course of the universe."
He stepped closer, eyes blazing in the moonlight. "Their purpose was absolute. Their loyalty… unshakable. Their duty… to the Emperor alone."
Vex paused, letting the words hang in the silence, before letting them fall like thunder.
"The House Blackwood."
House Blackwood…" Elias muttered.
A strange weight settled in his chest, as if the name itself carried echoes of something long forgotten.
"A house originally from Planet Aurora," he added quietly, realization slowly dawning on him. "I've heard that name before… in fragments of old stories and half-burned records."
Vex's eyes sharpened. "Then the past is already stirring in you."
Elias frowned, searching his thoughts. "They were smiths… but not ordinary ones. Warriors too. Their weapons weren't just forged—they were bound with purpose."
Vex nodded once. "Bound with loyalty. Bound with sacrifice."
Silence stretched between them, heavy and uneasy, as the fire crackled low. Elias stared into the flames, a single thought rising above the rest:
But… that's your name, Vex!" Elias exclaimed, his voice cracking with surprise.
Vex's eyes darkened, the flicker of firelight reflecting off his face. For a long moment, he said nothing, letting the weight of the revelation settle.
Finally, he spoke, his tone low and measured. "Yes… it is. And it carries a burden you cannot yet understand."
Elias took a step back, heart pounding. "You… you're from House Blackwood?"
Vex's lips curved into the faintest shadow of a smile, but his eyes remained distant. "I am its last sentinel… and its most dangerous secret."
Vex's voice dropped, heavy with regret and quiet fire. "Due to betrayals… by those I once called family, by friends I trusted with my life, I was stripped of my title. Removed as patriarch of House Blackwood."
Elias's eyes widened. "Betrayed… by your own family?"
Vex's jaw tightened. "Yes. They turned against me, blinded by ambition and fear. The House I built, the forge I protected… all taken from me, piece by piece. And now, the last of its line rests in shadows, waiting for the right hand to rise again."
He let the words hang in the air, the silence of the night amplifying their weight.
Elias swallowed hard, realization dawning. "That… that's why you trained me so relentlessly. You're trying to prepare me… for what?"
Vex's gaze pierced the darkness, resolute and unwavering. "For the world that wants to forget House Blackwood… and for the vengeance it deserves." But that's not what I trained you for, kid," Vex said quietly, shaking his head.
"Come," he added, his voice firmer now, "there's something I want to show you." With that, he led Elias deeper into the wilderness.
The further they went, the heavier Vex's steps became, each one seeming to drag a shadow of the past behind him. His expression was clouded, etched with memories of betrayal and loss, and Elias could feel the weight of it pressing down like the thick night air around them.
"Vex… what happened?" Elias asked softly, his voice breaking the silence. He could sense the turmoil churning beneath his mentor's calm exterior.
Vex stopped and stared into the distance, his eyes unfocused as if watching the past unfold.
"It was a dark day," he said finally, his voice low and heavy, carrying the burden of decades. "A day that changed the course of my life… forever.
.Vex's gaze remained fixed on the horizon, though his voice carried them back years, to a time of fire and shattered trust.
"My own blood," he began, his tone tight with anger and sorrow, "my closest allies… they turned on me. Whispered lies, stolen secrets, alliances forged in darkness while I fought to protect House Blackwood. One by one, they conspired to take everything I had built."
Elias took a hesitant step closer, heart pounding. "Your family… they betrayed you?"
Vex's lips pressed into a thin line. "Yes. The House I dedicated my life to… reduced to nothing because of ambition and greed. Our forges silenced. Our warriors scattered. Our legacy… nearly erased."
He let out a long, bitter sigh, the wind carrying it away into the wilderness. "I survived… but only barely. I am the last sentinel of House Blackwood. And yet, even now, the world forgets what we once were."
Elias's voice trembled, a mix of awe and fear. "Then… all this training… all the hardship… it wasn't just to make me strong. It was to prepare me for… this?",NO...What I trained you for…" Vex said, his voice low and serious, "is hidden beneath this lake."
They approached the water's edge. The lake was unnervingly still, so perfectly mirrored that even the slightest ripple would stand out like a scream in silence. Moonlight danced across its surface, casting a ghostly glow over the wilderness.
Elias peered at it, unease settling in his chest. "Beneath… the lake?" he whispered.
Vex nodded, eyes fixed on the glassy water. "Yes. What lies beneath is far more precious than any of the Houses you know… and far more delicate than you can imagine."
Vex stood at the water's edge, the still surface reflecting the pale moonlight like glass. Slowly, deliberately, he began releasing his primordial energy, letting it seep into the lake. Ripples shimmered with an unnatural glow, and intricate magical runes began to etch themselves across the water, glowing faintly as if alive.
A teleportation circle materialized above the lake, suspended in the air by the shimmering energy. Vex's eyes never left it as he gestured for Elias to step forward.
As Elias crossed into the circle, his breath caught. At the center, resting in an icy coffin, lay a young woman. She looked no older than Elias, her features delicate and serene, untouched by time.
"This… this is what I trained you for," Vex said, his voice low, filled with both resolve and sorrow. "Her name is Eva Blackwood. Should I ever meet my end, it will be your duty to protect her. She is… my one and only daughter."
Elias stared at her, a mix of awe, fear, and newfound responsibility tightening his chest. The weight of Vex's words sank in—this wasn't just training. This was a legacy.
"Protect her? Isn't she already dead?" Elias asked, his voice trembling as he stepped closer to the icy coffin.
"No," Vex replied firmly, his eyes dark with pain. "She's merely… in a coma. Her mother did this."
Elias's brows knitted in confusion. "Why? What happened?"
Vex shook his head slowly, the weight of memory pressing down on him. His expression was a mixture of sorrow and resignation. "It was a wound that cut deep, Elias," he admitted, his voice heavy. "To be betrayed by the person you love most in the world… it changes you. It twists your heart, your purpose… your very soul."
Elias swallowed hard, the enormity of Vex's revelation settling over him like a shadow. "And now… it's my duty?"
Vex's gaze softened slightly, though the fire in his eyes remained. "Yes. Yours, and yours alone. She is all that remains of House Blackwood—and the future depends on her."
Vex met Elias's gaze, his eyes reflecting both gratitude and unshakable determination. "Thank you, Elias," he said, his voice steady but warm. "Thank you for listening to an old man's rambling."
He paused, letting the words sink in, then continued, voice hardening with resolve. "One day… I will reclaim what was stolen from me. I will forge a new path forward—and I will make sure House Blackwood endures, no matter the cost."
Elias felt the weight of those words settle over him, a mixture of awe and fear. This was no longer just training—it was a legacy, a call to arms, and a trust heavier than any weapon he had ever held.