Chapter 132
The three young women wandered deeper into the shopping district, marveling at the bright lanterns, the polished storefronts, and the dazzling displays of silks, jewelry, and spices that seemed to come from every corner of the known world. To any visitor, it was a place of wonder, living proof of Solnara Cererindur's wealth and power. Yet beneath the carefully polished glamour, a darker truth pulsed like a hidden vein.
For every honorable merchant who built his livelihood on fair trade and trust, there was another who thrived in shadows, where whispered deals were sealed in blood and greed, and the rules were written only in violence. Beneath the clamor of the open markets stretched an unseen labyrinth of smuggling dens, black markets, and guilds of thieves, where the illegal trades of flesh, artifacts, and forbidden magic found eager buyers. Ysil, Lora, and Melgil, unknowing of this hidden side, walked past smiling traders and the ringing calls of vendors, unaware that just a few alleys away, fortunes changed hands in silence and threats.
What was most unsettling was not the existence of this shadowed underbelly; it was that the royal family themselves knew of it and chose to turn away. For better or worse, the underworld had become an unspoken pillar of the kingdom's wealth, an integral coin on which Solnara Cererindur's prosperity rested.
The three girls wove their way deeper into the heart of the district, laughter spilling between them as naturally as the songs of street performers echoing down the avenues. At first, their eyes were caught only by the wonders on display, silken robes from the Eastern Dunes dyed in impossible shades of cobalt and crimson, silver jewelry shaped into twisting dragons, and the fragrance of roasted chestnuts mixing with the sharper bite of exotic spices from distant isles. Ysil paused at every other stall, her hands hovering above fine fabrics she could not yet afford, while Lora's quick eyes darted toward anything mechanical or unusual, her curiosity as restless as her tongue.
Yet between the bursts of delight, Daniel could not help but notice small shadows clinging at the edges of the marketplace. Men who leaned too long against the walls of taverns, watching with an intent that felt colder than idle curiosity. Alleyways that seemed to swallow the torchlight before it could reach the end. Once, they passed a missing-persons poster, half torn and peeling, the face of a young woman staring out in silence. None of the girls spoke of it, though Ysil's fingers lingered a moment longer at the parchment before she turned away.
Still, their joy was not easily dimmed. The royal academy had long encouraged students to spend time in the capital's districts, promising it would broaden their understanding of the world they were being groomed to one day guide. For Ysil and Lora, this excursion felt like an accomplishment in itself, the first step toward independence. And when they stumbled upon Daniel and Melgil by chance near a cluster of stalls selling exotic birdcages and shimmering glass vials, the surprise only sweetened the day.
"Of all the places to find you," Lora said with a grin, planting her hands on her hips as she eyed Daniel. "Don't tell me you came here for perfume and trinkets too."
Daniel smiled faintly, his gaze flicking from stall to stall. "Something like that. It seems the district has more to offer than I expected."
Melgil, standing close by, tilted her head. "It's easy to get lost here. Every street promises something new." Her eyes softened as she added, almost wistfully, "But not everything is as it appears."
Ysil, still flushed from excitement, barely noticed the undertone in Melgil's words. "Then all the more reason to see it together," she said brightly. "Come on, let's explore a little further. I heard there's a section that sells goods brought in from beyond the seas—things you won't find anywhere else."
The group drifted forward, drawn by the allure of rare wonders—tapestries that shifted colors in the light, powders said to cure any illness, and cages holding birds with feathers of molten gold. The deeper they went, the more the glamour of the marketplace thickened, dazzling in its variety, its beauty, and its noise. Yet Daniel's gaze lingered once more on the shadows that seemed to stretch a little longer than they should, on the eyes that followed their group as they laughed.
The girls, for now, were too caught up in the thrill of discovery to notice.
The shopping district, vibrant and alive, stretched out before them like a world unto itself—its lantern-lit streets winding between towering warehouses, gilded storefronts, and merchant halls that seemed to overflow with colors, smells, and sounds from every corner of Solnara. For Ysil Thorne and Lora Sithe, the experience was almost overwhelming. They had never indulged in such a luxury before; every coin they had earned in the past was either saved or spent on necessities.
But today was different. With the reward from their most recent guild quest, they could finally afford to wander freely, to buy small trinkets, and to enjoy the simple pleasure of shopping. Their eyes darted from stall to stall, marveling at exotic fabrics, jewelry that shimmered under the sunlight, and strange spices carried from lands they had only read about in books. Laughing together, the two girls exchanged excited remarks, constantly tugging Daniel and Melgil toward some new wonder.
Daniel walked a step behind them, amused at their enthusiasm, while Melgil's expression remained more guarded. Though she said nothing, a faint unease tugged at her instincts, like the feeling of being watched from somewhere just beyond sight. She brushed it aside at first, unwilling to spoil the moment. After all, her companions were brimming with joy, and for once, they seemed far removed from the hardships of training and battle. Yet the shadows between alleyways seemed deeper here, and on more than one occasion she noticed the lingering stares of strangers who quickly looked away when she met their eyes.
Still, Ysil and Lora were oblivious, too dazzled by the brilliance of the marketplace to notice the subtle currents of menace. To them, this was a celebration of freedom and success, the first taste of a life they never thought possible. And as the four of them drifted deeper into the heart of the district, toward an area brimming with exotic wares unlike anything they had seen before, they found themselves laughing together, each moment strengthening a bond none of them had expected to form.
The air of the market square was alive with color and sound—banners swaying overhead, the sharp bark of vendors calling their wares, and the fragrance of roasted nuts and spiced meats drifting through the bustle. Ysil's amber eyes widened as she tugged on Lora's sleeve, dragging her toward a stall hung with rows of glass beads.
"Look at these! Gods above, I've only ever seen them on noblewomen's gowns." She held one strand up to the light, the beads catching and scattering little sparks of sun.
Lora laughed, shaking her head as she pried Ysil's hand away. "Don't get too attached—you'll cry when you see the price. Come, before you waste half our purse in one go."
The merchant, a jolly man with a round nose and a voice like gravel, leaned forward over his counter. "Oh, don't let her talk you out of it, miss. Fine beads for a fine girl. For you, a special deal."
Ysil blushed but still managed to retort, "Special deal? You probably said that to the last ten girls who passed by!"
Daniel chuckled under his breath, hands tucked loosely in his pockets, watching the playful back-and-forth. Melgil, beside him, smiled faintly, but her gaze wasn't lingering on beads or ribbons—her eyes swept the edges of the crowd, then the dark mouths of alleys between buildings, narrowing as if she heard something the others did not.
They moved on, drawn by the smell of fresh bread. A baker's boy shouted from behind a stack of steaming loaves, and Lora immediately darted over, snatching up one of the smaller rolls. "Mmm, warm! Try this, Ysil—it's better than academy rations, I swear!"
Ysil tore off a piece and shoved it in Daniel's hand before he could protest. "Don't just stand there looking grim. You're part of this, too. Eat."
Daniel blinked at the fluffy roll, then took a slow bite, nodding. "Not bad."
Melgil gave a soft laugh, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you three came here only to gorge yourselves."
"Of course we did!" Ysil declared. "We've been saving for months. And you think we're going to spend it all on dull equipment and ink? No, no—today we're alive."
Lora smirked, nudging her. "Alive and reckless."
The girls' laughter carried into the noise of the crowd, blending with the hum of vendors hawking silks, trinkets, and sweets. Daniel found himself oddly warmed by their joy, while Melgil, though smiling on the surface, caught the lingering stare of a group of men leaning by the shade of a corner shop. They weren't buying. They weren't even pretending to.
She turned back before anyone else noticed, folding her arms loosely across her chest. Something about the weight of their gazes pressed on her like a warning—but the others remained blissfully unaware, too caught up in testing scarves, haggling for candied fruit, and teasing Daniel about his lack of taste in colors.
The market was a treasure trove to them, every stall a new world, every purchase a little victory. Ysil tried on a wide-brimmed hat and paraded like a noblewoman until Lora nearly doubled over laughing. Merchants joked with them, tried to pull them in, and bartered prices down with mock reluctance. For the girls, it was pure discovery, a day they would have never dared to dream back at the academy.
And yet, as laughter rang in the air and coins passed from hand to hand, Melgil's eyes kept drifting to the edges, where shadows stretched longer than they should, where stares lingered too long, and where something unseen but unmistakably wrong was stirring, as a faint but familiar face was among those who were eying these three female students.
After getting humiliated from the student combat trial, Combat Instructor Matheo Roclus pushed the Royal Academy to be reinstated after a long hiatus, as no student from the upper class ever participated in it, and Daniel, who was seen highly active in his combat training regiment, was the first to test Combat Instructor Matheo Roclus's point of view that the Royal Academy has created a weak and entitled generation, and seeing the outcome was so overwhelmingly disappointing as it proved the students were very lacking.
And this made many students gradually change their mindset, as a few students that really wanted to grow stronger became more active and followed Daniel and Melgil's daily school activity. And those who wanted to retain their mundane and elite lifestyle just used their families' wealth and influence.
Cassien Eladar lost, and his arrogance and pride were ruined, and he blamed everything on Daniel, as he was seen as the very person that ruined his social rank. He believed he was a genius, but when faced with a real battle, he could not cast spells effectively, but even after this, he never opened his mind to accept his defeat and learn from it, but instead, he brooded and entered a shallow state of denial, refusing to acknowledge his own shortcomings. This ultimately led to his isolation from his peers and a further decline in his social standing within the school, as he was seen seated at the very corner of the stadium-type classroom steps to accommodate 50 students.
Cassien Eladar had once been the very picture of a pampered noble's son. His face was round and boyish, his cheeks flushed with softness, and his body carried the weight of indulgence rather than discipline. In the training yard, his movements were heavy and awkward, the kind that drew stifled laughter from those sharper, quicker heirs who had been raised for combat. Even his robes seemed to struggle against his figure, seams tugging whenever he shifted or bent.
To his peers at the Royal Academy, he was little more than a walking jest, an emblem of spoiled nobility who lacked both the drive and the strength to ever be taken seriously. Many dismissed him outright, not out of cruelty alone, but because they believed he would never endure the hardships demanded of those destined for power.
That image shattered after the incident. The day he dared to perform the forbidden summoning ritual, Cassien Eladar crossed a threshold no student should have touched. He opened a rift to the Forsaken Zone, a wound in the world that swallowed light and sanity. No one knew exactly what he saw within, nor what whispered to him from beyond that dark horizon, but when he returned, he was no longer the same boy.
The softness of his body had been stripped away as if burned from him by invisible fire. His frame was leaner now, hardened, the flesh of comfort and excess replaced with something sharper, rougher, and unnervingly taut. His once-plump cheeks had hollowed, leaving behind a face more angular, shadowed by a pair of eyes that unsettled even the boldest of his classmates. Those eyes were no longer wide with childish pride or embarrassment ,they were deep, piercing, and strangely hollow, as though some part of him had been left behind inside the rift.
By the time the student combat trials arrived, the transformation could no longer be ignored. Gone was the boy who shuffled across the yard, out of breath after a few short drills. Cassien now moved with grim steadiness. His steps were heavy with purpose, not elegant but deliberate, like a man measuring every moment for survival.
There was no grace in his stance, but there was weight, an invisible pressure that made others hesitate when facing him. The whispers that had once mocked him for his girth had shifted into something else entirely. Students still whispered, but now it was with unease, their voices hushed not with ridicule but with wariness.
Cassien Eladar, once the Academy's soft-bellied noble, had returned from the rift carrying more than a changed body. He carried an aura, a shadow that clung to him like smoke, as if he had walked through darkness and paid a price to emerge. He was no longer simply a boy shaped by privilege; he was something else, something touched by the unknown. And those who saw him could not shake the feeling that he had left part of himself behind… and brought something back in its place.
Yet the changes in Cassien Eladar could not be explained by willpower or hardship alone. It was not merely the shedding of weight nor the sudden sharpening of his frame, but something more insidious—something that seemed to defy the natural order. His skin bore faint markings, lines too delicate to be scars yet too deliberate to be the accidents of flesh.
They glimmered faintly in certain light, as though inked not with dye but with threads of shadow itself. His movements, once clumsy, now held a strange rhythm, an unsettling precision as if another presence guided his limbs. Even his breath seemed altered; when the hall was quiet, some swore they could hear a faint echo in his exhale, like a whisper chasing the sound of his lungs.
But it was his eyes that betrayed him most. Those who met his gaze found themselves unsettled by what lingered there, a depth that seemed to look past flesh and bone, straight into something more primal. The boy who once shrank under ridicule now carried eyes that seemed to hunger, though not for food or pride. It was as if something from the rift still peered through him, watching, weighing, waiting.
And within that hunger grew an obsession. Cassien's gaze fell often upon Melgil, though he did not yet understand why. To him, she was simply a woman of haunting beauty, one whose very presence stirred a longing he could neither master nor explain. He wanted her, wanted her with a fervor that bordered on madness, not knowing the truth of who she was.
For Melgil was no ordinary girl of noble birth; she was Melgil, the Demon Queen of Spiders. Created in secret, she was the first of her kind, a being destined for one of two impossible fates: to ascend into divinity as a goddess who would rival the forest-god Rillifane himself, or to fall into the shadow's embrace as the chief commander of the Chaos Bringer.
In her true form, Melgil was a towering monster of twenty meters, a vast body woven of chitin, silk, and shadow, a living terror born of both nightmare and divine design. Yet within her, life's fragile light still lingered, the choice of what she would become undecided.
Cassien, blinded by desire and ignorant of her nature, reached for her as though she were simply another prize to claim, another symbol that he, the boy once mocked, now had the strength to take what he wanted. But the rift had left its mark on him. Whether he knew it or not, the same darkness that whispered in his ear was already winding invisible threads between it and Melgil, binding their fates in ways neither could yet comprehend, a ancient grudge that found its way back.
Cassien Eladar had not merely was used by unseen enemies, to illegally sacrifice his own blood to open rift, in he process the malevolent force altered him. And that fragment was patient and cunning, seemed to recognize Melgil for what she truly was as his plaything to do what ever he wants, His obsession was no accident. It was the beginning of something larger, a convergence of shadow and curse that was eating him inside.