Veradin’s office was bizarre. One half was full of crystals, metals and weird contraptions, all alight and bursting with the archmage’s nora. On the other side of the room and casting the magic’s soft shadow onto the walls were trinkets, drawings and mementos from the man’s past. Most of them were related to his apprentice in some way. Rane guessed that after taking her in he played the role of her guardian too, as much as his rank and status would allow. The room did make it seem like he was leading two very different lives.

“Sorry I’m late.” Veradin sighed from behind him as he walked into the room. He removed his coat and collapsed onto the soft armchair of his desk. Even he could feel tired, it seemed. Rane cast an expectant and worried gaze in his direction.

“No news of Caelus or your master yet,” he said, “but everything else is done,” he said. “I had to pull a lot of strings, but the incident is contained. Hopefully nothing will leak.”

Rane nodded. He wasn’t really worried about Atinas. Not after experiencing the archmage’s strength first hand. He just silently hoped he could manage to catch Caelus. “Can the collapse of the Lawforge really be hidden?” Rane asked. “What kind of magic did you use?”

“The most powerful kind,” Veradin said, sinking a bit further into his chair. “Lying. We said that the Oath magic had a violent reaction which caused the collapse of the building. It also explains why we rounded up the entire Nost family for questioning. To see who is at fault, allegedly.”

Rane sneered. Caelus was at fault, and in the end what he sought to protect suffered the most. “And casualties?”

“Three members of the Nost family lost their lives, another two are struggling to survive…” Veradin let his head hang back and covered his face with his arm. “It’s ironic. In the end, Caelus was alone. Even after every Nost was forced to swear an Oath of truth, none knew the full extent of his crimes. I think he was trying to protect them.”

Rane shook his head. “He was only trying to protect himself. Trying to stop his secrets from leaking. If he really cared for them he wouldn’t have left them behind.”

“Maybe in his own twisted way, he thought of that as protecting them as well,” Veradin said. “I’ve known the man for a while. If there was one genuine thing about him, it’d be how much he valued his relatives.”

“Regardless of intentions, the fact remains. He was a traitor and a criminal, got multiple people killed.”

“That is true,” Veradin placed his elbow on the armrest and pressed his chin against his knuckles. “Which makes his actions all the more worrying. I hope Atinas doesn’t hear of the Lawforge’s verdict. If we could catch Caelus alive… Maybe we’d be able to squeeze some truth out despite his oath.”

“You think Atinas would ever spare him?” Rane asked. “Ever after endangering so many lives to rashly attack him, right then and there?”

“It wasn’t rash. Atinas is not one to let emotion dictate his actions. Far from it,” Veradin said. “I believe his strike against Caelus to be a calculated, deliberate move. Perhaps not evaluated in the manner you or I would, but it wasn’t careless. Atinas just… Tends to see the bigger picture, and has no qualms about making sacrifices for it.”

“I see.” Rane glanced to the side. Those are the words he’d used to describe Leylin. At the very least, Atinas respected and valued life more than that man. He was willing to give it up still, but not without reason. It wasn’t an attitude Rane could get behind… but he could at least tolerate it. He circled back around and sat on one of the chairs opposite to Veradin.

The archmage lowered his head to look at him, eyebrows slightly frowned with worry. “What are you going to do now, with your master gone? Until Caelus is found, the city won’t be safe for you. Not with how mad he has become.”

“I have an idea.” Rane felt the edge’s of Ravenlock’s diary hidden in his bag. “I recently got a clue pointing to my family’s whereabouts. I will go to Danira, look for them there.”

Veradin nodded in agreement. “I think that’s good, Even if Caelus escapes, he will never look for you there. All birds of the Nost family have also been confiscated, so there will be no issue.”

“I don’t think it will be that simple.” Rane frowned and pursed his lips. Time and time again he had vied for a better future, and time and time again he had failed to find it. Instead he found death everywhere he went. Sometimes even caused it. He pushed the thought away, focused on the positive experiences with Loric, but he was losing hope. “I’m scared that if I leave I’ll have to struggle alone again. At least here I have allies. You and Loric and Atinas… And many people that care for me, for one reason or another.”

There was a soft knock on the door before Veradin could respond. A man with a neatly trimmed beard peered inside. About forty years of age, Rane would guess. “Am I interrupting?” he asked.

“Not at all, Ellin.” Veradin smiled, motioning the man inside. “Come on in.”

“Thank you.” Ellin entered, then softly closed the door behind him. Rane had only observed him for a few moments, but could tell he was a calm, mild mannered man despite his age. “I heard what happened in the Lawforge.” Ellin said with a slight frown, sitting opposite to Rane. “Truly horrible.”

“Indeed…” Veradin pushed a strand of white hair away from his eyes. “It is embarrassing that we never saw it coming. Caelus was really thorough in covering his tracks and involved no one else.”

Rane was slightly taken aback. Who was Ellin to get to hear what truly happened? He said he only heard news of the Lawforge, so he definitely wasn’t there at the time.

“It is not your fault.” Ellin waved his hand courtly. “We are fortunate that someone did.” He turned to Rane with a smile and stood, extending a hand. “It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Rane. I have heard much about you from your mentors.”

“Pleasure to meet you…” Rane shook the man’s hand awkwardly. It was calloused, and there was dirt under his fingernails, yet his boots and clothes were spotless, fashioned out of thin thread and silk.

“Thank you, truly.” Ellin sat again, leaning back slightly, seemingly content to let etiquette cease. “Miria is recovering well. She informed me that I’d find you here.”

“You came for me?” Rane glanced at Veradin, hoping for an explanation or clue, but the archmage simply smiled.

“I had to show my gratitude personally.” Ellin chuckled to himself. “You have helped many of my colleagues and friends on multiple occasions. But no, pleasantries are not the only reason I’m here.” He tilted his head, motioning to Rane’s side. “May I see your sword?”

Rane felt a bit doubtful, but Veradin nodded in approval. “It is not my sword,” he said as he reached to unstrap the sheath from his belt. “Merely lended to me by a friend.”

Ellin accepted it gracefully, unsheathing with care and caution Rane had never used before. He treated it more like a piece of art than a weapon, examining every angle and form along the blade’s length. “Still as beautiful and sharp as the day I made it,” he mumbled. “I’m glad I entrusted this to Loric. He has taken care of it well.”

“Wait.” Rane doubted his ears. What had Ellin just said? “You are…”

Ellin gave him the most sincere smile. “The current Silyran King, yes. I am sorry I had to delay our meeting for so long.” He carefully placed the sword back and handed it to Rane.

“I–” Rane stammered and took the sword back. He never would have guessed he’d meet the king in such a casual setting. “Thank you,” he hastily got to one knee, bowing. It wasn’t a matter of respect as much as heartfelt gratitude. The man had sent help to Loric, and granted Rane a chance to gain a treasure from the palace’s vault.

“Stop, please!” The man placed his palms under Rane’s shoulders, urging him to rise. “I came here as a friend today. No need for formalities.”

“Very well,” Rane said, stopping himself from adding the title.

“In fact,” Ellin continued, “even if I was here as King, you would not have to address me as such. You are not a citizen of this country.”

Rane felt a bit flustered. Even after all he had done, he wasn’t accepted? It didn’t even make sense after the man had just thanked him.

“Ellin, if I may,” Veradin interjected. “Despite not having most of his memories, we are fairly positive he was born in Danira, within the Kingdom’s borders. Even if he didn’t, he is still a human. How is he not Silyran?”

“Because my pride does not allow it!” Ellin spoke loudly. His voice was clear and the words pervaded with authority. “To be unaware of my subject’s suffering like so, to abandon him like so… What kind of King would be so blind to his people? After his family fought to defend our lands, after he himself endangered his life to aid us, how did the kingdom repay his grace?” Ellin paused, drawing a long, fierce breath. “By having one of my archmages try to kill him within my city. No,” he settled, turning to Rane. “He is not a citizen of a country that had forgotten him. Not unless he wishes to be.” Ellin placed a firm hand on Rane’s shoulder. “If you choose to place your trust upon us– upon me, once more, I promise not to fail you. I will not impede upon your freedom either. You have earned that. From what the archmages tell me, you value it quite highly.”

Strands of grey circled the King’s body, colored like the sky on a day of thick clouds. It wasn’t magic –Rane could tell the man had none– but Rane’s own powers. He lowered his head. Ellin’s heartfelt emotion resonated in him. Rane could feel how much it had hurt and wounded the man deep inside, but he didn’t let the feelings sway him. “I don’t know if I want to be a part of Silyra,” he said. “Joining would mean I’d have to fight to protect it, wouldn’t it?”

“Yes,” Ellin replied solemnly, “but it would fight to protect you as well.” He hesitated for a few moments. “There are troubling times ahead of us… I’m afraid war is once again on the horizon.”

Rane weighed the options in his mind. If he were alone, he would undoubtedly accept. A position of power within Silyra meant he’d be one step closer to bringing about change the way he wanted. More people saved, more criminals brought to justice. Yet… Loric had taught him to survive. If he found his family he could save them, take them away from war should it happen again.

“Let me ease your burden,” Ellin continued. “You do not have to make a decision yet. Silyra’s doors will always be open for you.”

“At least until I find my family, I’d like to think about it.” The King should know his circumstances, so he could be honest without being misunderstood.

“Of course!” Ellin patted him on the back joyfully. “You are heading to Danira, I hear.”

“There’s a chance they’re waiting for me there.” Rane tried not to wince. Those hits would be bruises, he could feel it. He’d never heard of a blacksmith king before, but the man’s calloused hands and handiwork with the sword were proof enough. His hefty strikes on Rane’s back, even more so. “I was about to ask Sir Veradin for a safe way to cross the country.”

“Ah, I see.” Ellin rubbed his chin, eyes glazing over as he looked at Rane. “Then, allow me to ask you for a favour once more.”

A favour? Rane’s stomach sank. After what he’d been through in his life, it was hard not to question the motives behind it. “What do I have to do?”

“Keep an eye on Loric for me.” Ellin was direct. “Take him with you to Danira. He will protect you, and you will help him heal.”

Rane was taken aback. “You’re gonna let him go? I thought he was a criminal.”

“The Lawforge decided so.” Ellin sighed, and Rane could feel the man's regret. “As the ruler of Silyra, I have the authority to pardon the rest of his sentence. The Oath he once swore bound him to me for that exact reason.” Ellin sat back down. “Alas, I am not sure if I should yet.”

“You want me to observe him.” Rane furrowed his brows. He had to decide on the fate of someone else –again, After so much time spent trying to regain his own freedom and escape Leylin’s clutches, the concept alone seemed almost criminal. “I still don’t know what he did to be branded a criminal.” Rane hid his distaste. “No matter how I asked, he wouldn’t tell me.”

“Naturally. He was Oathbound never to speak of it. Nearly everyone present was.” Ellin sat, rubbing against a reddish wound on his palm with a thumb. It seemed that in his work, he had to use the healing salve often. “If I am to tell you, the two of you must promise the same. For Loric’s own safety, it is better that the world does not know.”

“I swear.” Rane replied without hesitation. He wasn’t one to run his mouth either way. He glanced at Veradin and gauged the archmage’s reaction.

“You got me.” Veradin shrugged. “One of my few shortcomings is a morbid curiosity. I swear to keep silent about this as well.”

“Very well.” Ellin pondered for a few moments. “It was shorty after I was crowned King that war struck Silyra again. Smaller, in both scale and duration than the ones before it, although we couldn’t know that at the time. Loric was an ordinary soldier back then, but his wife was of high rank. With magic that allowed for infiltration, honed combat skills and a strong mentality, it was no wonder she climbed up the ranks quickly.” Ellin cleared his throat. “But I digress. There was a turning point during the war, and it was then that Loric’s wife was chosen to lead a small, undercover Silyran unit. A team of elites with a singular goal.” Ellin paused, looking hesitant.

“Which was?” Veradin prompted, leaning forward.

“Assassination.” Ellin said under his breath. “All members of the team were chosen based on their individual skills. Linde was a member too, the youngest one. Merely fourteen years of age, but her translucent origin magic and weaving abilities made her a necessity. It was only through her addition that a viable plan could at last be formulated.” Ellin held his hands together with a downtrodden expression. “The group would travel to the Andren capital in secret, infiltrate the palace under cover of night, and take the Emperor’s life.”

“By the Arbiter… At such a young age?” To think that she’d be a mage that young… No wonder she was strong. Regret stung inside him. Bearing such responsibility, he could only imagine how hard and stressful it must have been.

“It is the first time I hear of this,” Veradin said, “and the Emperor is still alive. I’m assuming it failed.”

“Indeed.” The King hid an undertone of sadness in his voice, like crystals of black ice that existed for mere moments. “To this day, we do not know how the first Blade discovered them. They all fought hard, but Raizel’s power… It proved overwhelming. Linde alone managed to escape and survive, through the noble sacrifice of her colleagues. She is the one that brought the news back to us. It is truly by a twist of fate that she’d meet Loric after all those years.”

Rane stayed silent for a while. Linde had said she’d fought with Loric’s wife, that she’d seen her die to the First Blade, but he never understood her circumstances until now. “Loric… It must have ruined him.”

“We should have seen it.” Ellin shook his head and let it sink down to his palms. “I should have seen it. No one who has gone through so much pain would behave like Loric did back then. Almost like their separation was temporary. Like it didn’t matter.”

“He was denying it,” Rane said. He had come to know loneliness himself, how haunting it could be. Only the prospect of reunion had given him strength to fight. Without even that…

“Worse.” Ellin took a deep breath and held it. “He defied it.”

“Defied?” Veradin asked. “How does one defy death?”

“They shouldn’t be able to,” Ellin replied. “But you see, the war woke something in Loric. It was the trigger that made him a mage.” Ellin rubbed his forehead, causing his wrinkles to show. “That’s when the trouble began. He kept his origin a secret as he trained. As he researched like a man possessed. Not that I blame him.”

“By the Arbiter.” Veradin shifted in his seat. “You mean–”

“It is as you fear. He broke the first dictum of magic law. All his experiments had a singular focus.” The King’s voice turned bleak. “Loric tried to turn back time.”

The room fell cold and still. Realisations struck Rane one after another. He saw it now, the reason the aspect had sent him to the north. It had somehow sensed his power before it even formed. It’s desire to make him stronger led him to Loric. On the peak of that mountain, the Lanar had spoken of his forbidden, cursed power.

“So you sent him to exile?” Rane demanded, his own anger blossoming in red. “For trying to get his wife back? For a crime of sorrow and love, you banished him?”

“I saved him from death!” Ellin snapped back. “The Lawforge would have decreed death were it not for my influence.”

Rane huffed as he tried to calm. Atinas had told him the consequences of being found practising Time magic. Death, no matter how small in scale. Still, he had no doubt that he’d do the same. He would risk getting caught if it meant reuniting with a loved one. “You want me to make sure he won’t attempt it again, don’t you?”

“No.” Ellin settled back in his seat. “My hope is that you’ll bond with him. Give him a reason not. A friendship he cannot do without.”

“I disagree.” Veradin crossed his arms. “He’s been a great help and cooperative, so you can let him be free, but freeing him of his Oath and allowing him to use his powers would be madness.”

Ellin chuckled. “Is it not madness we need to survive in this age? The use of every weapon in our arsenal?” The king waved his hand. “Let us observe him first, then decide. What do you say, Rane?”

“I’ll do it.” Rane didn’t have to think. It was Loric who had saved his life, and Rane wasn’t one to forget a favour. He had vowed to himself to repay the man’s grace. Even if he could never replace a murdered wife or a lost son, he would be there. Just how Loric had been for him.

“I am glad.” Ellin visibly calmed. He spent a few moments in silence. Regret danced on the tip of his tongue. “I hope you find your family,” he settled.

“Good luck,” Veradin added. “I will let your master know of your decision after he returns, and after berating him, of course.”

“You’re the only one who can.” Rane gave a soft laugh. “Thank you, both,” he said, “for everything. There is no time to lose then.” Rane strapped his sheath back onto his waist and threw the bag over his shoulder. “I’ll bring back good news.”