Chapter 70: Shapes of Power, Echoes of Nobility
Morning – House of Abaddon
Dressed in the formal silver-trimmed robes of House Agares and flanked by two minor retainers, Volundr stood inside the shadowy atrium of the Abaddon estate. A diplomatic visit, nothing more—a whispered exchange of news between noble houses. That was the surface truth.
In truth, his gaze followed the movements of Kuisha Abaddon.
She moved like a general in a library, her posture unyielding, each step deliberate. Not flashy or cruel like many pureblood nobles. No, Kuisha operated like a well-oiled mechanism—efficient and focused, like she had something to prove.
"The Abaddons are known for dimensional control," Volundr mused, watching her direct attendants and staff with a word or a gesture. "But her real power is command. Order, from within."
He left no trace of his intentions. The visit ended with customary bows and thin smiles.
But Kuisha was already marked.
Noon – Highlands of Balam Territory
The estate of Balam was less of a house and more a battlefield carved into mountain stone. Warriors trained openly in the harsh air. Fires roared in open pits, and above them all stood Gandoma Balam—bare-chested, horned, muscles coiled with tension.
Volundr observed from a high outcropping under the guise of envoy business. Hidden, silent, evaluating.
Gandoma barked orders in a thunderous voice. He fought three challengers at once, enduring blows without flinching, responding with controlled brutality. His footwork, while rough, betrayed a deep natural instinct for combat—untamed, but not chaotic.
"This one won't bend to anyone… unless they beat him first," Volundr thought, eyes narrowing. "He'll follow only a strength greater than his own."
Sairaorg would have to earn this one with blood, not words.
Afternoon – Demon Dust Markets, House of Furcas
Within the grand estate of Furcas, Volundr moved disguised as a merchant noble, his crest hidden beneath a traveling cloak. There, he glimpsed Beruka Furcas—a girl of few words, no older than Sairaorg, yet already wielding a sharp blade and sharper gaze.
She analyzed each conversation, each sale, each gesture in the market like a strategist reviewing enemy formation. Her sword remained sheathed but present, her aura silent but unmistakable.
"She plays the long game," Volundr noted. "Cold. Calculating. But she isn't cruel."
Later that evening, his agent reported that Beruka trained alone after curfew—two hours of relentless drills in the shadows of the estate tower.
"This one was born for the knight piece."
Nightfall – Reflections in the Study
Back in his study at the Agares estate, Volundr removed his cloak and set aside a scroll. A map of extinct demon houses lay before him, marked with dots and threads, connections and power lines.
He murmured to himself as he wrote down his impressions.
Kuisha Abaddon – Structure. Loyalty. Unshaken.
Gandoma Balam – Power. Challenge. Earned respect.
Beruka Furcas – Discipline. Precision. Patience.
Coriana Andrealphus – Charm. Deception with a silver smile.
Misteeta Sabnock – Silent, yet aware. Watchful as the moon.
"The extinct houses still burn with talent," he whispered, fingers tapping the edge of the table. "And they'll need a reason to rise. That reason could be him."