Morvax had swiftly left the meeting hall. As he passed through the long corridors with heavy steps, the edges of his robe brushed the floor, and his footsteps echoed against the stone walls. When he entered his own chamber, he slammed the door shut and turned to Elian.
"He hasn't died… I knew he wasn't dead. That man has been hiding him from me all this time," he said. A predatory smile appeared on his face; it resembled more of a threat than joy.
"I must capture him as soon as possible. He has even more potential than you."
After his words, he sat at his desk, sliding the pen harshly across the paper as he prepared several letters. The messenger bird he summoned broke the silence with the flutter of its wings; Morvax sealed the papers and fastened them to the bird's claws before sending it away.
The Blackthorn members who remained in the meeting room were staring at each other in astonishment. Perhaps it was the first time they had seen Morvax this excited. Their whispers grew louder and louder, and each of them began plotting their own way to seize Lucien. Only one thought passed through their minds: "I must find him first."
It had been exactly a month and a half since they had graduated from the academy and returned home. After such a long break, today everyone was gathering at Aryel's house. Everyone except Kael—his Phoenix Trial had not yet ended; however, he had sent them a letter saying he would join within a week.
The first to arrive was Maia. The moment she stepped out of the carriage, she ran over and hugged Sera first, then Aryel.
"I missed you so much! After being together every day, being alone was really boring."
"I missed you too, Maia," said Sera. She no longer stuttered like before, her speech had become much smoother, and she almost looked her age now.
Maia looked at Sera and smiled, "You've grown taller, and I think you've gained a little weight too. You were already adorable, but now you're even cuter, Sera," she said.
"Yes, I eat my meals on time, you know. There are many teachers here. I'm taking lessons from all of them," Sera replied proudly.
Maia placed her hand on Sera's head and stroked her hair; a big smile and warmth were on her face.
At that moment, the sound of another carriage wheel was heard.
Aryel said, "I think Vega has arrived too."
Vega stepped out of the carriage and walked quickly toward them.
Maia, teasingly: "Vega, could it be that you grew by 1 millimeter?"
Vega replied with a grin: "You look like you've gained some weight, Maia. Guess you turned to food out of boredom. What will you do if Nathan doesn't like you then?"
Aryel looked at both of them and burst out laughing. "I missed you both so much," she said, wrapping her arms around them.
The banter between Vega and Maia continued all the way to the guest room.
When they entered the guest room, Aryel's mother, Elyndra, welcomed them with a warm smile.
"How was your trip, children?"
Maia bowed her head slightly. "It was quite pleasant, ma'am. Thank you for hosting us," she said. Vega followed her lead.
"I assume you must be hungry. After settling into your rooms, you may head to the dining room. Please make yourselves comfortable; feel at home, children."
Vega and Maia looked at each other and smiled. Then, following a servant, they headed to their rooms.
After dinner, they wanted to drink their tea in the garden pavilion. The garden pavilion looked quite peaceful. The breeze passing through the climbing roses carried the scent of flowers, while the sound of water flowing from the small fountain in the center added a sweet melody to the atmosphere. Pale remnants of daylight shimmered faintly on the grass. Aryel's garden was not overly ostentatious; it had a beauty that made one feel at ease. After carefully observing Vega and Maia sitting across from her, Aryel spoke:
"Vega, why do you look downhearted? Maia, I also noticed that you've gained better control over your magic. There are no fluctuations like before. You must have been training hard."
Maia widened her eyes in excitement.
"Wow, you can tell just by looking at me?" she said. Then she added proudly: "My father found me a teacher who uses time magic. He isn't very strong, but he helped me a lot with control."
Then she turned to Vega. "You really do look a bit pale. Are you okay?"
Vega's eyes suddenly filled with tears. For days he had been sleepless from overthinking, the dark circles under his eyes had deepened, and he had even lost some weight. He tried to hide it from his friends, but they had noticed.
"I'm fine, nothing's wrong. I just had some things to think about," he said. His voice tried to sound strong, but his exhaustion was clear.
Aryel and Maia exchanged glances. Even though they knew what was eating at Vega inside, the fact that they could do nothing about it saddened them both.
In a friendly tone, Aryel said,
"Alright, we won't force you to talk. But please, don't forget that we're here whenever you want to."
Maia placed her hands on Vega's shoulders, wanting him to feel her support.
Aryel continued:
"I know you're struggling right now. But don't forget, as time passes, these days will only remain as experiences. We can't smile through all of life; we will be sad, we will cry, and in the end, we will grow stronger."
After Aryel's words, Maia's eyes welled up with tears, and she quietly began to cry. Vega, on the other hand, was stunned for a moment, unsure what to do.
Aryel understood why she had become so sensitive.
"Tomorrow you'll see Nathan. You're stressed because you don't know how he'll react, right?"
Sniffling, Maia opened up:
"Aryel, how do you know me so well? Honestly, I keep thinking about it. What if he treats me coldly… would that mean he rejected me? What will I do, should I insist? I'm so confused."
Vega couldn't help but chuckle at her confession. Seeing that not only he but others also felt this way, he realized how normal his own struggles were.
Maia turned to him,
"Why are you laughing?" she asked.
Vega lowered his head and admitted:
"Because… I'm thinking the same thing. Kael and I parted badly on the way back home. I don't know what to do when I see him again."
Aryel's curiosity grew as she listened to them.
"I wonder what it feels like to be in love," she asked without thinking.
Her friends looked at her in surprise, then burst out laughing. Aryel felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment.
"Anyway," she said, trying to collect herself, "the situations you've both made up in your heads will probably never happen. Why be sad in advance over things that haven't even occurred?"
She paused briefly, then added in a soft voice:
"I've never been in love, maybe that's why I don't understand you. No matter how much you think about it, you can't know what the other person is thinking. So… why not just go with the flow?"
Maia held Aryel's hands. "I hope tomorrow at the guild, someone appears who you fall in love with too. Then the three of us can all complain together," she said, bursting into laughter.
Vega couldn't help but join in the laughter.
Aryel, however, with a serious expression, said,
"With such a great war ahead of us, I don't want to fall in love. Yes, I am curious, but I still can't use my light powers." She let out a deep sigh. "My mother said that when the time comes, my powers will awaken. She told me not to worry. That's why I keep training to develop my other elements."
Maia quickly responded:
"You give us advice, but don't you ever think about this yourself?"
Aryel shook her head.
"I do think about it, but I've accepted it. I focus not on the things I cannot change right now, but on what I do have. When the time comes, everything will be as it should."
Vega gave a sad smile.
"Sometimes I don't understand you, Aryel… I wish I could understand your thoughts as well as you understand ours."
Just then, seeing Griffine approach, Aryel stood up.
"Brother, let me introduce you to my friends. This is Vega, who has wind powers. And this is Maia, who can manipulate time."
Griffine greeted them.
"Hello, I'm Griffine. I am a Holy Knight. From now on, I will accompany you on your adventures."
Maia turned to him with admiring eyes.
"Pleased to meet you. Aryel never told us she had a brother."
Vega reached out his hand to Griffine.
"Having a Holy Knight accompany us is reassuring. How should we address you?"
Griffine smiled slightly.
"I've known Aryel since childhood; we grew up together. So, we're like siblings. You can call me brother as well."
Aryel explained in a clarifying tone,
"My father thought it appropriate for Brother Griffine to accompany us. Therefore, tomorrow we'll all go to the guild together."
Maia glanced at Vega and murmured:
"Having such handsome men around us is quite nice."
Vega immediately nudged her with his elbow. Griffine couldn't help but chuckle.
"Tomorrow morning we'll set off early. If you'd like, get some rest now, because it will be a busy day."
As they all headed to their rooms, they wondered what awaited them tomorrow. A new chapter in their lives was about to begin.
They woke up early in the morning and, after a quick breakfast, got ready to set off. As the carriage waiting at the door approached, they all felt a bit nervous and restless.
Maia turned her eyes to Aryel and muttered, "How's my hair? Does my outfit look okay? Do you think Nathan is at the guild?"
Vega was lost in his own thoughts: "How is Kael's trial going? I wish he were with us."
Aryel, on the other hand, was wondering inwardly: "How will our first day go? What kind of people will we meet?"
Griffine bent down slightly with a gentle smile, "Everything will be fine, children, don't worry, let's go."
Once they had taken their places in the carriage, silence, mixed with a little excitement and curiosity, settled among them. Each of them took a slow breath as the journey began. Looking out the window, they all had different thoughts in their minds. So much so that Maia, even though she was coming to the capital for the first time, wasn't even paying attention to her surroundings.
When the carriage stopped in front of the guild, Maia thought she might just die on the spot.
Griffine was the first to step through the guild's door, followed by Aryel, Vega, and Maia.
The main hall of the Orven Guild had an impressive appearance; golden details and elegant engravings showed prestige in every corner. Yet the hall was not just about ostentation; people from different walks of life, visitors, and guild members moved about freely, attending to their duties. While Aryel and Vega examined the interior, Maia's eyes were searching only for Nathan.
After speaking with the receptionist at the entrance, Griffine headed toward the hall where the guardians were gathered. The others followed closely behind him.
Maia's heart was about to stop. At that moment, when she felt Aryel's hand on her shoulder, she managed to calm down a little.
As Griffine stepped into the room, the guardians inside paused for a moment. Their gazes turned toward him with a mix of quiet respect and faint admiration.
"Hello, is Alex around?"
After looking at them, one of the guardians replied, "Ah, Holy Knight Griffine Steele, welcome to our guild." Bowing slightly before continuing, "Alex is currently in a meeting with our captain, he will be here shortly. You may wait here."
The atmosphere had shifted here. The grandeur of the main hall gave way to a simple yet functional comfort. Wooden tables, cozy chairs, and a few old maps decorated the area, serving as both a resting place and a planning hub for the staff. It was designed to make the guardians feel at home.
After thanking them, Griffine moved toward a chair.
As the others followed him, Maia's eyes were still searching for Nathan. She wondered if she should ask, but quickly dismissed the thought.
Just then, a tall, striking guardian with white hair entered the room. His blue eyes turned toward them.
"Hello, you must be the new guardians. Our captains are waiting for you, please follow me." His voice was cold and distant, yet the tone was undeniably impressive.
When Aryel met his gaze, she felt a darkness. What was this? Who was this man, and how could he hold such darkness inside him? She felt uneasy, yet a sense of curiosity grew within her.
Following him, they passed through several doors until they finally stood before one that was more ornate than the others. Even someone who knew nothing could tell it was the guild captain's office.
The white-haired guardian knocked, and the door opened at once. Alex's cheerful voice came from inside:
"We were expecting you, come on in."
Just as the white-haired guardian was about to leave after they entered, Alex stopped him.
"Lucien, you should join us as well."
Lucien replied with surprise, "Understood, Captain," and entered the room, closing the door behind him.
At the head of the table stood a tall, muscular woman who immediately drew attention. Her curly hair fell in soft waves, and her sharp gaze filled the room with silence. The brown-toned, gold-detailed captain's armor she wore clearly showed her high rank in the guild. The sheer force of her presence not only impressed but also intimidated those before her. Even Maia, who couldn't sense any magical power, froze in place.
Griffine inclined his head slightly, "Hello Lady Zyra, how are you?"
Zyra looked at Griffine with striking eyes, "I was quite surprised when I heard you were coming here." She then turned her gaze to Aryel and the others.
"I've known Griffine for a long time; we've fought in many battles together. Let me share a secret with you? When I heard he was coming, I sent all the female guardians away from the guild, for he is well-known for his womanizing." She laughed heartily.
Griffine flushed red. "Zyra, did you really have to say that in front of the children?"
Zyra smirked, "Can't you see? They look tense. We need to lighten the mood a bit."
Aryel giggled, "I'd heard my brother was a flirt, but I didn't think it was this extreme."
Alex added, "I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, but he can handle five girls at once. Poor girls."
Griffine turned even redder, though he didn't want to lash out since the tension had indeed eased.
Maia and Vega also began to giggle.
Even on Lucien's cold, expressionless face, a faint smile appeared.
Aryel's eyes were unconsciously drawn to him. Why did the darkness inside him spark her curiosity?
At that moment, there was a knock at the door. When it opened, Maia's heart nearly stopped. Nathan had arrived.
What would happen now? Should she speak to him? Pretend not to know him? The chaos inside Maia nearly left her breathless.
When Nathan entered, he looked at Maia and smiled faintly. Maia's face instantly turned bright red.
After Zyra said, "Welcome, Nathan," she turned her eyes to Aryel, Vega, and Maia:
"Lucien and Nathan will help you. For a while, you will go on missions together. After your other companion joins, you will all depart to investigate an incident in Vern Village. During this week, please get to know each other, for from now on, you will be comrades to whom you entrust your back."
"I have heard about you both from Alex and Nathan. I am sure you will grow even stronger. My expectations of you are quite high; together we will fight this darkness."
"And finally, at Lord Darius's request, Griffine will also support us. I believe you will make a good team."
With a wide smile on her face, she ended her speech by saying, "Welcome to our guild."
Alex immediately took over:
"For the guild registration procedures, I'll ask you to follow me. Afterwards, Nathan and Lucien will show you around."
Aryel said, "We truly thank you for accepting us into your guild," and bowed slightly before Zyra. The others followed her.
Zyra returned their gesture with a smile.
Then she added, "You may leave with Alex. With your permission, I would like Griffine to stay a little longer."
Everyone except Griffine followed Alex out of the room.
Zyra asked, "Any trace of your sister?"
Griffine replied, "No, just when I think I'm getting close, everything resets again."
Zyra said, "I'm still investigating too. We will definitely find her."
Griffine: "Thank you, Zyra."
They came to the front desk for registration. Alex handed each of them a few documents and a pen, directing them to a nearby table to fill them out.
While Lucien explained to Aryel and Vega how to complete the forms, Maia approached Nathan. "Hello, Nathan," she said, but her voice was so faint that Nathan struggled to hear.
Leaning closer to her face, Nathan smiled, "I couldn't hear you, Maia."
"I… I said hello, Nathan."
Smiling, Nathan said, "Hello, Maia. How are you?"
Maia: "I'm so nervous, I feel like my heart might stop."
Though surprised at first by her answer, Nathan couldn't help but laugh.
"I'm nervous too, Maia."
Maia looked at him in shock. "Huh… you too?"
Nathan responded with a sweet smile.
Maia: "I was so scared you'd pretend not to know me, you know? I almost died from the fear."
Nathan: "Why would I pretend not to know you?" After a deep sigh, he added, "That's not the case. But we'll talk later, okay? Let's finish your registration first. We'll have plenty of time to talk."
Maia: "Alright." A wide smile spread across her face.
Meanwhile, Vega had quickly finished filling out his form: "Can I look around a bit? If something happens, just call me." Without waiting, he left the table.
Aryel stayed with Lucien. The dark energy unsettled her. Couldn't others sense it too, she wondered?
Lucien was trying to show her where to fill in the form. "You need to complete this part too." When Aryel didn't respond, he waved his hand in front of her eyes. "Hey, are you hearing me?"
Startled, Aryel snapped, "What are you doing, trying to poke my eye out with your finger?"
Lucien: "Why would I do that? I've been calling you and you wouldn't answer."
Aryel finally blurted out, "Why do you carry so much dark energy? That's what I was thinking."
Lucien was shocked, and at the same time, a bit angry. How could this girl sense the darkness he tried so hard to hide from everyone?
"Do I have to explain this to you?" His voice came out harsh.
Aryel: "How do I know you don't have bad intentions?" Her tone had hardened too.
Lucien: "Do you think the captains don't know this? If I had bad intentions, why would they accept me? Do you realize how ridiculous you sound?" His voice had risen.
Aryel felt ashamed. Lucien was right. But she didn't want to back down. "I was just curious. Why are you raising your voice?"
Lucien: "If you're that uncomfortable, I can request to be reassigned from the team."
Aryel: "I didn't say that."
Seeing the situation, Nathan approached them. "Friends, calm down. What's the problem?"
Aryel: "There's no problem. He misunderstood me."
Lucien: "I misunderstood? I think I understood quite well." After a deep sigh: "Aryel is bothered by my dark energy. I should probably talk to Alex about switching teams."
Nathan: "Ah, I think this is a misunderstanding. I believe you'll make a great team. As far as I remember, Aryel also has light powers. Don't you complement each other?"
Lucien: "Complement each other? Are you joking? We're so opposite I doubt we'll ever get along."
Aryel frowned, glaring at Lucien. "Do you think I'm eager to get along with you? But I don't want this nonsense to cause problems in the team."
Nathan: "Please don't. You don't even know each other yet. Don't be prejudiced."
Maia giggled lightly. "You know what they say, the greatest loves begin with hate."
Lucien opened his mouth to say something but decided against it. He took Aryel's completed form and walked toward the registration desk. Aryel followed him angrily.
After reviewing and writing a few things on the form, the clerk smiled kindly:
"Miss Aryel, your registration is complete. Welcome to the Orven Guild."
Aryel smiled. "Thank you."
But she was still angry about what had just happened. How could she go on missions with this man? They had argued on the very first day. How rude he was…
As she was lost in thought while walking, a rushing guardian nearly collided with her when Lucien pulled Aryel toward him.
Startled, Aryel exclaimed, "What are you doing?"
Lucien: "You were about to crash into him. If you're this distracted, you must be a danger to yourself on missions too."
Aryel: "Ha! Not at all. I'm a very careful person. And could you let go of my arm?"
Lucien quickly released her arm.
"I hope so. I can't keep watching your back all the time."
Aryel clenched her fists in anger but chose to remain silent, or it would end badly.
Vega quickly approached Aryel.
"Aryel, what's wrong? You look awful."
Aryel first glanced at Lucien, then quickly turned to Vega.
"There's no problem, Vega. I'm fine."
Later, Nathan and Lucien showed them around the guild, ending at the training hall.
Nathan: "Here you can train as much as you want. There are many guardians with different powers. It's a great opportunity to improve yourself and practice against different kinds of magic."
Excited, Vega asked, "Can I train right now?"
Nathan: "Of course. Go to that desk to register. You'll be paired with another guardian right away."
Vega ran to the desk. The others decided to just watch and found a spot to sit.
After a short wait, it was Vega's turn. "Hello, I'm Vega," he said to the small, pink-haired girl with sparkling eyes standing across from him.
The girl: "Hello, I'm Nora. Nice to meet you."
Both took their positions, and at the referee's signal, the duel began. Vega waited for her first attack. Nora directed her wind powers like sharp blades toward him. Vega was surprised to be matched with someone who had the same powers as him.
He accelerated to dodge the attack, then counterattacked. Though the girl tried to evade, Vega's strike grazed her arm.
Seeing such a small, delicate girl get hurt, Vega felt guilty.
Nora: "No need to worry. I'm fine, let's continue."
While they continued fighting, the others watched intently.
Maia: "I can't tell if Vega's lucky or unlucky, facing someone with the same powers right away."
Aryel: "Vega uses his powers more steadily, and his magic power is stronger. The girl spent most of her energy on the first attack. Her next ones won't be as strong."
Nathan: "You're quite skilled at sensing magic power, Aryel."
Aryel: "Yes, I trained a lot with my father when I was young. I've improved a lot."
Lucien: "Then why can't I sense your light powers at all?"
Aryel was taken aback.
"Maybe you're not skilled enough to sense them."
Lucien: "I'm at least as good as you."
Nathan: "Friends, maybe we should focus on Vega's fight."
As Aryel said, the girl had no magic left to attack. Nora was out of breath. Vega noticed this and said:
"If you want, we can stop. It's just a practice match after all."
Nora: "But promise me we'll spar again. Thanks to you, I can learn a lot about my own powers."
Vega approached her and extended his hand. "Anytime. Sparring with you was really fun." He smiled sweetly.
The girl also extended her hand, gripping his firmly. "I'm sure we'll see each other often, Vega," she said with a nod before walking away.
By the time they returned to Alex, it was already evening.
Alex: "How was your first day? Did you get along with each other?"
After a glance between Lucien and Aryel, Aryel spoke first:
"There's no problem, Captain. Our day was quite enjoyable, and our fellow guardians were very kind."
Alex: "I'm glad. Ah, by the way, Vega, I heard you sparred with Nora. Everyone's already talking about you. You've become popular already." He smiled, then continued. "I'd like you to train with Nora more often. She can't control her power as well as you can. If it's alright, would you spar with her more frequently?"
Vega: "Of course, Captain. I'd be happy to."
Turning to Lucien, Alex said, "There's a mission nearby tomorrow. Prepare the team to go in the morning. It'll be a good chance to see your teamwork."
Lucien, with an expressionless tone: "Alright, Captain."
Alex: "You may all go now. See you tomorrow."
On the way home, Aryel's anger hadn't subsided. How could a person be so arrogant? How would they work together? She would lose her mind just thinking about it.
Maia: "What are you thinking about, Aryel?"
Aryel: "Lucien."
Maia: "What, are you so affected by him? Is that why you're thinking of him?"
Aryel: "What are you saying, Maia? I'm so angry at him, how could I be affected?"
Maia giggled. "It's the first time I've seen you lose your composure like this, Aryel."
Vega: "She's right. I've never seen you this angry before either."
Aryel: "I don't even understand why I got so angry. But everything he said bothered me so much. I just hope this tension doesn't affect the team. I'll do my best to prevent that, so don't worry."
Maia: "I think Nathan's right. After you get to know each other, you might get along better."
Aryel: "Nonsense." She sighed deeply. "You tell me, what did you and Nathan talk about?"
Maia: "Actually, not much. But I think we got along pretty well, which I see as a good sign."
Vega laughed: "You stuck to Nathan all day. If he wasn't bothered, that's probably good enough."
Maia: "If Kael were here, he'd be the one saying that. Are you imitating him now?"
Vega: "Hah, imitating him? I'm not as rude as he is."
Maia: "Then you must really miss him." She giggled after watching Vega's reaction.
Vega blushed slightly. "Why did the topic even turn to Kael?"
During the carriage ride, the two of them kept bickering, while Aryel was lost in her own thoughts.
When they arrived home, they washed their hands and went straight to the dining room. They stuffed themselves with food before dispersing to their rooms.
Griffine had returned earlier than them, as he had been teaching Sera some combat and defense techniques to protect herself. Since he would be away for a while, he wanted to take care of her. A strong bond had formed between them.
Every moment he spent with Sera made him miss his sister even more. She must have been about this age too. Maybe in the places he traveled, he could find a trace of her.
***
Aryel, however, was sitting by the window in her room, lost in deep thought. Was the person she was angry at really Lucien? Or was it herself?
Lucien was actually right—how could he sense it if she couldn't even use her light power? She often questioned her own inadequacy, but this time it had shaken her a little too much.
Suddenly, the sound of raindrops hitting the glass interrupted her thoughts. A heavy rain was pouring outside. She saw someone entering in a rush on horseback; he looked very agitated. After saying something to the guards at the door, he quickly ran inside.
The man banged on the door as if he were punching it. Even though the house was so big, the sound practically echoed inside.
Curious, Aryel ran downstairs to the door. Her father, Darius, was speaking to the man, trying to understand the situation.
Aryel approached her father. "What's wrong, Father?"
Darius: "Aryel, it seems that your friend Kael's carriage was ambushed."
Aryel: "Kael? But he was supposed to come next week."
The man: "The exam ended earlier than expected, and he wanted to surprise you. But we were attacked in the forest, and he sent me for help." The man added in a sorrowful tone:
"Master Kael was wounded and is still fighting in that condition. Can you help immediately?"
Aryel: "What? Kael was wounded?"
When Vega and Maia heard the voice, they froze and rushed downstairs to see what was happening.
Upon hearing that Kael was injured, Vega turned pale and stood frozen in place.
Seeing Vega motionless, Maia held his hand. "Vega, you must pull yourself together. Right now, Kael needs our help."
Aryel: "Father, may we come with you to help?"
Darius initially wanted to refuse, but after seeing the serious expressions on their faces, he had no choice but to agree.
"Very well then, but put on your armor."
They all hurried off to prepare, but Vega still hadn't collected himself.
Aryel: "Vega, maybe you shouldn't come. Even a small distraction could cause you to get hurt."
Vega: "No, I'm coming too. Nothing will happen." His voice was firm but also very hoarse.
Within ten minutes, they were ready and on the road. Only one thought filled their minds: "God, please let Kael be safe."