A narrow sliver of morning light crept through the windowpane, piercing the room with a soft, golden hue.
It cut across the air and landed directly on Jinn's closed eyelids, warming his face and dragging him slowly from the depths of unconsciousness.
His brows furrowed instinctively in response, twitching against the light, before he finally cracked his eyes open—just slightly at first.
The muscles in his face tensed, his vision blurred for a moment as he adjusted to the brightness.
As his awareness began to return, the view before him became clearer.
He found himself staring up at a ceiling adorned with elaborate gold carvings—swirling patterns that spread outward like the branching roots of a great, ancient tree.
In the center of the ceiling hung an ornate chandelier, its delicate frame etched with golden vines that flickered and danced under the morning light.
The crystals caught the light, casting fleeting glimmers across the walls like fireflies in motion.
"Urgh..." Jinn groaned as he slowly raised his upper body,
*rustle!
his palms sinking into the plush surface of the mattress beneath him.
The bedding was so soft it barely felt real—far removed from the cold stone or rusted metal he had come to know over the past days.
And yet, even as he pushed himself up, expecting the fatigue and pain from the previous fight to greet him once more, he found that his body no longer ached.
The burning in his limbs, the trembling in his muscles—it was gone.
As if it had never been there at all.
Rubbing the back of his head, Jinn glanced around the unfamiliar room.
His gaze swept across polished walls lined with intricate designs, gilded edges, and furniture so pristine and decadent it might've belonged to royalty.
He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and planted his bare feet on the smooth floor.
*thud... *thud... *thud...
Every step he took toward the nearest window echoed slightly in the vast, well-decorated room.
Reaching the window, Jinn squinted as the outside light spilled into his eyes.
He leaned forward, pressing a hand gently against the frame, and peered beyond the glass to get a better view of where he was.
And what he saw stunned him.
Far beyond the ornate mansion grounds, the horizon was cloaked in what appeared to be a colossal metal dome, crackling and humming with streaks of electric current.
*distant cracking sounds
The artificial sky above was dark and alive, glowing with mechanized brilliance like a controlled storm trapped inside a machine.
*hiss... *clack... *tssss!!!
Towering buildings twisted and shifted in the distance, their massive arms groaning and hissing with steam as they rotated and adjusted.
Structures that pulsed like mechanical hearts spanned far into the distance—entire cityscapes wrapped in an industrial marvel that felt far beyond the primitive cages of Juggernot.
His mouth fell slightly ajar.
"What the hell…" he muttered, his breath barely audible.
Just as he was about to pull away from the window, a flash of movement caught his eye.
His gaze dropped, focusing on the courtyard below—where he spotted a familiar blonde figure walking alongside someone with striking crimson hair.
It took only a second for Jinn to recognize—
that it was Kain.
His eyes narrowed.
Without hesitation, Jinn turned to leave the room in a rush.
*Hiss!!!
But as he moved toward the exit, he was halted by a sharp metallic hiss behind him—a sound he had grown familiar with.
Before he could even think, his instincts kicked in, and he spun around,
*fwooosh!!!
his fist already swinging toward the source of the noise.
"Woah! Easy there, little Jinn!" a familiar voice called out—a raspy mechanical voice laced with synthetic charm and barely contained amusement.
Jinn blinked and lowered his arm.
There was only one person who ever called him that.
"Amaron," Jinn exhaled, crossing his arms. "Figures you'd be here."
The man—or rather, machine—standing before him grinned as his gears and pistons clicked with glee.
Amaron was one of the earliest cybernetic scientists Jinn had known under the Empire of Zerafhon.
Despite his eccentricities and patchwork metal limbs, he always had a certain warmth—an energy that made him feel like an older brother who never took anything too seriously.
"Alright then, let's skip the pleasantries." Jinn walked back toward the window and jabbed a thumb toward the scene outside.
"Where are we? And who's that with Kain?"
Amaron raised one finger, steam hissing from his elbow joints.
"Well, would you prefer the long, dramatic and detailed version, or the short, boring one?"
Jinn gave him a flat look. "Short. You're stalling."
With a slight nod, Amaron folded his arms and shifted his weight to one side.
"We're inside House Sorellia's estate. The main fortress. The very heart of the house," he said, his mechanical fingers pointing at the woman with Kain.
"And that lovely crimson-haired lady over there? That's none other than Lady Merilyn herself."
"What!?" Jinn's eyes widened as his heart skipped a beat.
His hand ran through his hair in frustration. "Don't tell me this is the same place where Vened—"
"Where Venedix and her bloodline reside? Yep," Amaron finished with a shrug, his metal plates clicking.
With a deep, annoyed groan, Jinn dropped into one of the elegant chairs beside him, his arms folded across his chest.
"So then, what are you doing here?" he asked, squinting at Amaron.
*clank!
The machine-man patted his own chest.
"Simple! I've been assigned to escort you to the main hall. The other siblings are expecting you."
Jinn's eyes narrowed. "And I suppose this is something I can't get out of?"
Amaron chuckled. "You could try. I'd love to see how that goes."
"Then let's get this over with." Jinn stood up,
*creak!
adjusting the eyepatch over his hidden eye. "Lead the way—Iron man."
Just as Amaron turned to open the door, he leaned closer, one hand cupping the side of his mouth to whisper into Jinn's ear.
"Hey, little Jinn… They haven't discovered your special eye yet, right?"
Jinn gripped the edge of his eyepatch between two fingers and gave it a subtle tug.
"No... I guess not, Why? What happens if they do?"
Amaron's optics widened in alarm, and he grasped his head with both hands. "I—I'll be dead meat! Or worse—scrap metal!"
Jinn gave a sigh. "Fine, I'll keep it well hidden."
He reached out and tapped Amaron's shoulder with a calm hand. "So? You gonna lead me, or what?"
The machine-man trembled slightly, whether from nerves or relief, before placing his hands firmly on Jinn's shoulders and giving him a light shake.
"You're not joking, right? Please tell me you'll keep it hidden and don't plan to blackmail me or anything!"
Jinn rolled his eyes and swatted the hands away.
"I'm not. Calm down. Let's just go already."
Amaron sighed—a mechanical exhale laced with relief—as he stepped forward and pulled open the door with a slow, metallic
*creak!
"You're right, little Jinn. Let's not waste another second. Off to the main hall!"
===
*Thud *Clank! *Thud! *Clank! *Thud! *Clank!
Their footsteps echoed rhythmically against the opulent floors as Amaron and Jinn moved through the hallways of the estate.
Ornate gold patterns curled across the floor tiles, catching the ambient light and reflecting soft glimmers beneath their boots.
The very walls seemed alive with age and history—etched in runes and symbols that whispered of lineage, of bloodlines older than some nations.
Jinn's eyes wandered as they walked.
He couldn't help but glance at the grand portraits lining the walls—paintings of stern-faced individuals, all of whom shared the same striking crimson hair that seemed to glow beneath the chandelier lights.
Each one wore elegant attire, but their gazes—those cold, judging stares frozen in time—reminded Jinn that he was standing in the home of power.
The weight of nobility.
He scowled faintly.
"Let me guess," Jinn muttered. "Those are the 'siblings' you mentioned?"
Amaron didn't break stride.
"Yep. Every one of them a Sorellia by blood. All proud, all terrifying, all... well, eccentric in their own way. You'll get to meet them soon enough."
As they continued, the hallway twisted like a maze, leading through towering archways and beneath vaulted ceilings that sparkled with embedded crimson gemstones.
Every corner was guarded by sleek armored statues—so lifelike Jinn half-expected one of them to turn its head and follow him.
Eventually, they arrived at a spiraling staircase that curved downward in elegant symmetry, its railings shaped like serpents wrapping around steel vines.
Descending the stairs, the two found themselves at the estate's ground floor—far busier and more vibrant than the upper levels.
Maids dressed in silken uniforms moved briskly through the marble halls, while butlers carried trays stacked with scrolls, glassware, and golden utensils.
Everyone moved with purpose, choreographed in noble precision.
As they made their way through the bustling floor, a maid approached them, her posture perfect, her head bowed low.
"Evkar in kazar," she said in a calm tone, eyes never rising.
"The other masters await in the main hall."
Amaron bowed his head slightly in return. "Evkar in Kreiton. We'll proceed at once."
Jinn glanced sideways at the exchange, noting the foreign words.
"You people sure love your fancy phrases."
"It's tradition," Amaron said with a half-smile.
"The Sorellia House values decorum. And dramatic flair. Lots of it."
They passed by more servants and finally arrived at the entrance to the main hall.
A towering double-door loomed before them, at least three times Jinn's height.
The surface was carved with ornate symbols and gleaming with dark red inlays.
Twin swords, locked in a downward stance, crossed at the center, while intricate designs of serpent-like beasts twisted and slithered along the frame.
The beasts had ruby eyes that seemed to flicker when touched by light, and their sharp teeth bared in a permanent, menacing snarl.
Jinn craned his neck, staring upward.
"What the hell kind of door is this?."
Amaron's shoulders hissed as he stepped forward and reached for the handles, his mechanical fingers locking in place.
"This," he said with a grin, "is what we call an entrance."
*Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!
*HISSS!!!
With a loud groan and a long, low hiss, the door creaked open.
The sound was mechanical, ancient, and dramatic enough that it could have marked the entrance to a throne room—or a battlefield.
Jinn's eyes narrowed as the light from within spilled across the floor, beckoning him forward into whatever awaited him beyond.
"Open sesame!" Amaron declared proudly.
Jinn rolled his eyes.
"You really couldn't help yourself, huh?"
Amaron gave him a playful shrug. "Hey, you gotta make an entrance count."
And with that, they stepped inside.