Arthur didn't sleep that night.
He tried. Really, he did. He went to bed three different times. He closed his eyes, counted sheep, tried humming a lullaby Lily taught him (badly), even attempted deep breathing like some yoga instructor on YouTube he'd watched once. But none of it worked because every time he drifted even a little bit, the ruins hummed in his head like a mosquito trapped in a jar.
By sunrise he looked like someone who'd lost a fight with a broom. His hair was sticking out at weird angles, his shirt was half-tucked, and he was muttering "measure, test, don't guess" under his breath like a broken wizard.
Leon found him sitting at the kitchen table staring blankly at a slice of bread.
"My lord… did you sleep at all?"
Arthur slowly turned his head. "No."
Leon blinked. "At all?"
"No."
Leon blinked again. "Should I get Evelynn? Or a doctor? Or should we just bury you now?"
Arthur groaned and bonked his forehead onto the table. "I'm fine, I'm just mentally dying."
"That's not even— you know what, never mind."
Leon pulled the bread out of Arthur's limp hand and slid a cup of tea toward him. "Drink. Before you collapse and I have to carry you around again."
Arthur took a sip and made a face. "It tastes like grass arguing with water."
Leon shrugged. "It's tea."
Arthur sighed. "I miss coffee…"
Before Leon could respond, the front door slammed open loud enough to make Arthur jump so hard he spilled the tea all over his shirt.
"WH— WHO IS— WHY— CAN WE NOT—"
Lily's voice shrieked down the hallway: "BROTHER, THEY'RE BACK!"
Arthur's heart dropped into his shoes.
"They? Please tell me 'they' means friendly merchants giving away free food."
Leon shook his head gravely. "It's Craymore's envoy."
Arthur whispered the most pathetic "oh no" ever recorded in the kingdom.
The Return of the Worst Guest
The envoy strutted into the manor like he owned the place, which was already strike one. His fancy coat looked even more embroidered than last time, probably because he wanted to show off.
"Lord Grayfall!" the envoy called, spreading his arms like he was greeting a long-lost friend instead of a person he was trying to financially strangle. "Our noble Viscount awaits your payment."
Arthur wiped tea off himself with a sad cloth. "We said three days! It hasn't even been— what— thirty hours?"
The envoy smirked. "The Viscount is impatient.
Arthur groaned so hard the walls might've felt it. "That's not my problem."
"Your problems," the envoy said smoothly, "tend to become the Viscount's problems. Which means they become everyone's problems."
Leon took one step closer, body coiled. "State your business and leave."
The envoy eyed him like someone inspecting a dog. "Ah yes… the stray hunter."
Leon's knuckles turned white.
Arthur quickly wedged himself between them before things escalated into stabbing. "What do you want?"
"Collection," the envoy replied. "If you cannot pay the taxes, we will take collateral."
Arthur felt Evelynn freeze behind him.
"Colla…?" Arthur repeated. "Collateral WHAT? A chicken? A carrot? We don't have anything worth—"
The envoy's eyes slid toward Evelynn.
"Oh no you don't," Leon growled.
Arthur moved in front of her immediately, nearly tripping in the process. "ABSOLUTELY NOT. NO. We are NOT giving you my mother. What kind of insane— you— disgusting— you can't just— what?!"
The envoy smiled like someone examining fruit at a market. "The Viscount has very simple tastes. A caretaker from this household would—"
"That is enough." Evelynn's voice was soft but sharp as glass. "You will leave this manor."
The envoy lifted an eyebrow. "I don't take orders from widows."
Leon lunged.
Arthur grabbed Leon's sleeve with both hands and accidentally nearly pulled himself off balance. "Stop—stop—Leon—LEON—!"
Leon paused one inch before murder.
The envoy chuckled. "How charming."
Arthur's face flushed with anger — actual anger, not the scared kind. "Get out. We will talk in three days. NOT NOW."
The envoy tapped his chin, pretending to think. "Hmm. Perhaps we should escalate this."
He snapped his fingers.
Four soldiers in Craymore colors marched through the gate.
Arthur's stomach fell through the floor.
The four soldiers looked bored, like they'd rather be eating soup than intimidating a small frontier barony. But bored soldiers with swords were still soldiers with swords.
Leon positioned himself subtly in front of Arthur. Evelynn stood protectively behind Lily. Ella (who had been delivering morning milk and got caught in the chaos) stood frozen near the hallway, holding a clay jug like it was a weapon.
Seraphine entered the manor at that exact moment, took one look at the situation, and muttered, "Oh wonderful. Idiots."
Arthur pointed at the envoy. "Why— why do you— why would you bring soldiers? We're impoverished, not rebellious!"
The envoy shrugged. "I warned you refusal would be complicated."
"Complicated?!" Arthur squeaked. "This is not complicated! This is— this is bullying!"
Leon whispered: "My lord… we can take them."
Arthur whispered back: "NO WE CAN'T!"
Seraphine whispered: "Actually, he probably could."
Arthur whispered louder: "STOP ENCOURAGING HIM!"
The envoy strolled leisurely to the center of the hall. "Lord Grayfall, you are hereby required to—"
He didn't get to finish.
Because the manor shook.
Literally shook.
The wooden beams creaked. Dust trickled from the ceiling. Something vibrated under the floorboards like a drum being struck far, far beneath their feet.
Arthur felt a chill crawl down his spine.
Leon stiffened.
Evelynn grabbed Lily.
Seraphine's eyes widened.
Ella nearly dropped the jug.
Even the envoy stumbled backward.
"What— what was—" Arthur whispered.
"The ruins," Leon said quietly. "They're waking."
The envoy laughed nervously. "Ruins? Don't be ridiculous. Ancient sites don't— don't shake houses."
Another rumble. This one deeper.
Somewhere outside, metal clanged. Soldiers shouted. Dogs barked. Birds took flight in terrified clouds.
Garran stomped into the hall, sword half-drawn. "Arthur. It's happening. The shrine beneath the elm ring— it pulsed. Something reacted."
Arthur paled. "Reacted to WHAT?!"
"Your little poke yesterday," Garran said bluntly.
Arthur made a pained noise resembling a dying mouse.
The envoy, completely forgetting his arrogance, pointed at Garran. "What is he—what is going on?!"
Garran stared him down. "Ancient things stirring. Too much for soft hands like yours."
Another rumble shook the entire manor.
Arthur grabbed the table to keep himself steady. "STOP— STOP SHAKING THE HOUSE— I LIVE HERE—!"
Leon whispered urgently. "My lord. This may become dangerous. We need to push the envoy out before chaos breaks."
Arthur tried to straighten, failed, tried again, and shouted:
"OUT! YOU! Your soldiers! OUT! LEAVE RIGHT NOW! I'M BUSY HAVING AN EXISTENTIAL CRISIS ABOUT ANCIENT TECHNOLOGY UNDER MY HOUSE!"
The envoy turned red. "You cannot order me—"
Arthur pointed shakingly toward the door. "GO. OUT. NOW. BEFORE SOMETHING BREAKS AND IT'S YOU."
One of the Craymore soldiers whispered to another: "Just leave, man. This place feels haunted."
The envoy snarled but backed away, muttering curses about "undisciplined peasants" and "ungrateful baronies." His soldiers followed him quickly.
As soon as they left the yard, a massive cracking sound echoed across the forest.
Everyone froze.
Leon dashed to the window. "My lord— the elm ring— it's glowing!"
Arthur didn't even think.
He grabbed his coat (wrong sleeve first, of course), stumbled toward the door, and shouted back:
"EVERYONE WHO CAN FIGHT, COME WITH ME! EVERYONE WHO CAN'T— STAY INSIDE AND HIDE! LILY, NO FOLLOWING!"
Lily pouted. "But—!"
"NO!"
"…Okay."
Ella took one hesitant step. "My lord— should I—?"
"NO!" Arthur yelled again. "Please don't die. I like your bread."
Ella froze so hard she turned pink.
Seraphine rolled her eyes. "Smooth."
Arthur ran into the yard anyway.
The Elm Ring's Glow
The forest wasn't far. But today it felt miles away. The air buzzed with something like static — electricity? anger? magic? Arthur didn't want to guess.
Leon ran ahead effortlessly, checking the path. Garran jogged behind them with heavy armored steps that shook small rocks. Arthur ran like a man being chased by his own bad decisions.
When they reached the elm ring, Arthur had to stop and gape.
The ground beneath the roots pulsed with blue-white lines — glowing like veins under skin of stone. The air shimmered. The carvings he saw last night lit up in flickering patterns.
"It's activating," Garran muttered. "Something's waking up inside."
Arthur's stomach did a full somersault. "DID I BREAK A GOD?! I DIDN'T MEAN TO BREAK A GOD!"
Leon grabbed his arm. "My lord— look!"
A thin vertical crack formed in the stone door. Bits of dirt crumbled. Something pushed inside.
Not a creature.
Not a monster.
Something… mechanical?
Arthur screamed internally.
The crack widened — revealing gears the size of his chest turning slowly, painfully, grinding against stone that hadn't moved in centuries.
Leon stood ready with spear in hand. Garran raised his sword. Arthur raised— absolutely nothing. His hands were empty. Completely empty.
He swallowed. "Leon… if something comes out, don't let it touch me. Or eat me. Or breathe on me."
Leon nodded. "I won't."
"Good."
Something clicked.
A deeper hum echoed.
And then—
The stone door slid open just an inch more, revealing a faint light within.
But instead of a creature…
A shadowy projection flashed outward, like a ghost made of light and dust.
It formed the shape of a tall man — blurred, flickering, like a broken hologram.
Arthur's heart slammed to a halt.
Garran whispered, "That looks like—"
Arthur whispered, "Is that—"
The projection spoke.
Or rather, it emitted a sound like a voice trying to remember how to exist.
"…Ald… ren…?"
Arthur took a step back.
Leon grabbed him from behind to keep him steady.
The projection flickered violently.
Then it said, clearer this time:
"GRAYFALL HEIR… ERROR… ERROR… WARNING… SYSTEM… UNSTABLE…"
Arthur screamed and fell backwards. "WHY IS IT TALKING?! WHY DOES IT KNOW ME?! WHY IS IT SAYING ERROR—!!"
The projection sputtered, glitched, then dissolved like sand in water.
Silence fell.
Smoke drifted from the crack.
Garran looked horrified. Leon looked ready to stab the universe.
Arthur whispered, trembling:
"…Oh… I REALLY broke a god."
Back at the Manor
When they returned, Evelynn rushed to Arthur and hugged him tight enough to collapse a rib.
"Arthur!" she cried. "What happened?!"
Arthur's voice trembled like a windblown curtain. "Something… in the ruins… talked to me. It knew my family name. It said ERROR."
Seraphine froze mid-step. "…Error??"
Leon nodded grimly. "The mechanism is activating. Something is awakening."
Ella covered her mouth, eyes wide. "Are you hurt?"
Arthur shook his head weakly. "Just my spirit."
Lily ran up and hugged him. "Brother… don't break the world…"
"I'M TRYING NOT TO!"
Everyone stared at him.
Evelynn whispered, "Arthur… whatever is happening… your father meant for you to face it."
Arthur stared back at the door of the manor, mind spinning.
He didn't want power.
He didn't want destiny.
He didn't want ruins that glowed or talked.
He wanted a quiet life, naps, bread, and taxes that didn't kill people.
But something deep in the earth disagreed.
Something was waking up.
And it wanted him.
Arthur swallowed hard.
"Okay," he whispered shakily. "New goal. Survive gods. Survive Craymore. Survive… everything."
Leon stepped beside him. "You won't do it alone."
Evelynn nodded. "We're with you."
Ella looked at him shyly. "…Me too."
Seraphine folded her arms. "I am only here because this is profitable, but I suppose that counts."
Lily raised her hand. "I'm helping even if you say no."
Arthur closed his eyes.
This was insane.
He was insane.
Everything was insane.
And yet…
He didn't feel alone.
Not anymore.