Maxi ran like his life depended on it.
He burst through the doors of his small castle, not even pausing to catch his breath. There was no hesitation, no thought—only a singular drive fueled by the need to purify himself from the plague that was Tengen's storytelling.
He sprinted across the courtyard to the main castle, flinging its towering doors open with a bang. Without giving himself time to feel the pressure weighing down the air, he tore through the grand hallways and practically threw himself down the spiraling stairs leading to the main library.
Meanwhile, Angelina... simply took her sweet time.
She yawned lightly as she pushed open Maxi's small castle doors, walking at a pace that suggested nothing could possibly ruin her day. Calm and composed, she meandered after Maxi, as if attending a casual afternoon tea rather than chasing a frantic emergency.
Back in the main castle, Maxi flew down the spiraling staircase, nearly tripping but catching himself at the last second. His heart thundered as he vaulted off the final steps, landing hard on the velvet carpet of the library. He didn't stop to admire the scent of old parchment or the towering shelves surrounding him—no, he had one goal.
Maxi dashed to a rolling library ladder and jumped, kicking off the side of a bookshelf to gain momentum. He gripped the ladder, riding it at full speed. His mind screamed:
Faster! Faster!
Reaching the top, he launched himself to another rolling ladder at a higher shelf, soaring from one to the next like a madman, his body pushed beyond its limits.
Meanwhile, Angelina arrived at the main castle doors, calmly opening them. She felt the heavy pressure pressing down, the sheer weight of the ancient magic within the castle... and she simply shrugged it off. Thanks to her guardian spirit, it felt like a gentle breeze to her. Smirking slightly, she continued her slow, unhurried walk toward the spiraling staircase.
Maxi, meanwhile, was almost there.
The center of the library was just a few meters away. Maxi pushed harder, kicking off the final bookshelf, launching the rolling ladder off its tracks. It crashed, sending him soaring through the air like a missile.
Mid-flight, Maxi spotted them:
Colen, seated calmly, reading a book to a little girl with striking white hair striped with delicate blue. She wore a simple white-and-blue dress, and her eyes were mesmerizing—one half white, one half red. Her tiny form sat peacefully in Colen's lap, listening intently.
Surprised, Maxi shouted mid-air, "Colen!?"
Colen, without even flinching, calmly looked up at Maxi flying through the air. Maxi's mind finally registered what was about to happen.
Roll! Roll!
At the last second, he tucked into a clumsy roll and crashed onto the ground in front of them, gasping for air.
"I need you..." Maxi wheezed, reaching out dramatically, "...to finish our history lesson... please... the Blood War— I mean... ohhhhhh..."
He collapsed, exhausted, finally crushed under the ancient pressure of the library.
The little girl giggled at Maxi's antics, her laughter light and sweet, like the sound of tiny jingling bells.
Angelina, ever composed, finally set foot inside the library. She calmly walked past the towering bookshelves, using the occasional rolling ladder to cross sections faster. After what felt like minutes—or hours if she hadn't used shortcuts—she arrived at the center.
There she saw him: Maxi, lying flat on the ground like a soldier fallen in battle.
"Young master Maxi, are you okay?" Angelina asked, tilting her head slightly.
In response, Maxi gave a shaky thumbs-up, which then flopped lazily to point at Colen.
In a dazed voice, he muttered, "Please... just... tell him to tell me... the story of the Blood War..."
Colen raised a brow, but his coldly handsome face barely shifted in expression.
"You know I'm right here, right?" he said dryly.
Angelina bowed respectfully. "Hello, Master Colen."
Colen gave a slight smirk. "Looks like someone finally taught you some manners."
The little girl on his lap giggled again, her tiny hands covering her mouth.
Angelina simply nodded.
Maxi, still splayed on the ground, managed to croak, "Please..."
Colen sighed, shutting his book. "Fine. Snow, do you also want to hear the story?"
The little girl—Snow—nodded eagerly, her eyes sparkling.
Colen turned to Maxi. "Alright then, get up."
Snow then spoke in a voice so sweet, so innocent, it sounded like a hymn, "Is Maxi what the boy's name is?"
Maxi, groaning, shakily sat upright, dragging himself across from Colen and Snow.
Colen answered gently, "Yes it is. I'll tell you about him later."
Maxi nodded urgently. "Yes, please, I need the story of the Blood War."
Colen corrected, his tone sharp but patient, "It's the War of Betrayal Blood, not Blood War."
"Whatever," Maxi groaned. "Please... I need to be cleansed of Tengen's plague..."
Snow giggled again, almost falling off Colen's lap from laughing.
Colen finally smiled faintly, only for a moment. Then he adjusted himself and said:
"Fine then. Let us begin."