Two Days After the Academy's Closing Ceremony
The morning had barely begun when Kara heard the sound of the main door.
She sat up abruptly.
From the window, she saw her mother leave the mansion wearing a gray cloak. She was walking quickly, without calling for any servants or saying goodbye to anyone.
Kara frowned.
Where is she going so early?
She didn't think about it for long.
She threw a cloak over her shoulders, climbed out the window, and landed on the garden lawn.
Sylvi hadn't gone far.
When she heard the footsteps behind her, she stopped.
"I knew you'd follow me."
Kara crossed her arms.
"So you weren't trying to hide it."
Sylvi smiled.
"I'm going to meet your grandmother."
Kara's eyes widened slightly.
"My grandmother?"
"Yes."
For a moment, Kara even forgot about her recent defeat in the tournament.
"I'm coming with you."
Sylvi watched her for several seconds.
Then she smiled proudly.
"Always so impatient."
"I've spent my entire life hearing about her."
"And now you'll finally meet her."
Kara took a step toward her mother.
"Do you think she'll be happy to see me?"
Sylvi's smile softened.
"She is your grandmother. Believe me, she's been waiting for this moment for years."
The two continued walking.
They gradually left the streets of the capital and took a path leading toward the outer gardens. There, the noise of the city faded away, and the trees formed a natural corridor that concealed the path.
Kara glanced at her mother.
"Why didn't you take me before?"
Sylvi took several seconds to answer.
"Because it wasn't safe."
"For me?"
"For everyone."
Kara didn't press the matter.
She knew her mother well enough to know when she didn't want to talk.
After several minutes, they arrived at a small clearing surrounded by poplar trees.
Sylvi stopped.
"We're close."
Kara looked around.
She didn't see anyone.
"Where are they?"
A voice answered from among the trees.
"You said you would come alone."
Several figures appeared from the shadows.
Armed warriors.
Some carried spears. Others had bows. There were also several mages with ritual markings painted across their skin.
Kara instinctively stepped backward.
An elderly woman stepped forward.
Her eyes fixed on Sylvi.
Then on Kara.
"Who is she?"
Sylvi smiled.
"Mother, it seems the years are finally starting to affect your memory."
The old woman frowned.
"What...?"
Sylvi pointed at Kara.
"Your granddaughter."
Linn's expression changed completely.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Kara stepped forward.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Grandmother."
Linn remained motionless.
Then she slowly lowered her hand.
The warriors surrounding her did the same.
The old woman approached.
She looked at Kara's face.
Her eyes.
Her hair.
Her features.
As if searching within her for the little girl she had once lost.
Finally, she raised a hand and touched her cheek.
"You look just like her..."
Kara smiled.
"I get that a lot."
Linn let out a small laugh through her tears.
"No. You don't understand."
She embraced her.
Kara was startled.
For a moment, she didn't know what to do.
Then she wrapped her arms around the old woman.
"I've wanted to meet you for a long time."
Linn closed her eyes.
"So have I."
Sylvi watched the two of them in silence.
For the first time in many years, she seemed completely at peace.
Then someone shouted from behind the warriors.
"Sister!"
Kara barely had time to step aside before a young woman came running out and hugged Sylvi.
"I've missed you so much!"
Sylvi held her tightly.
"Brigir..."
Kara watched the scene curiously.
The young woman finally pulled away and looked at her.
Her eyes widened.
"Is she...?"
Sylvi nodded.
"Your niece."
Brigir immediately approached.
"I'm Brigir."
Kara slightly bowed her head.
"Kara."
Brigir smiled.
"You're taller than I imagined."
"You imagined me?"
"My sister told us about you."
Kara looked at her mother.
"You talked about me?"
Sylvi raised an eyebrow.
"Too much."
Kara smiled.
For several minutes, the four of them remained together.
They talked.
They laughed.
Linn asked about the Academy.
Brigir wanted to know if Kara had really won as many battles as Sylvi claimed.
Kara eventually told them a few stories about her training.
For the first time in her life, she discovered something she had never had before.
Family.
Not the Bourlance family.
Not the name she was expected to represent.
But people who looked at her simply as Kara.
Without titles.
Without obligations.
Without expectations.
But their happiness didn't last long.
Linn exchanged a glance with Sylvi.
Her expression changed.
"We need to talk."
Sylvi's smile disappeared.
"Has the time already come?"
Linn nodded.
The other warriors began moving away.
Kara immediately noticed the change.
"What happened?"
Linn looked at Sylvi.
"The forest is no longer safe."
Kara frowned.
"What do you mean?"
The old woman took a deep breath.
"An A-Omega-class creature appeared in the mountains."
Kara froze.
"A-Omega?"
"It built its nest there. Since then, the beasts have begun abandoning their territories. Our camps have been attacked again and again."
Sylvi pressed her lips together.
"And the warriors?"
"We've lost many."
Linn lowered her gaze.
"But that's not the worst part."
Silence fell over the group.
"The Empire arrived a few weeks ago."
Kara felt something sink in her stomach.
"The Empire?"
"A legion entered our territory."
Linn clenched her fists.
"They came to capture us."
Brigir lowered her gaze.
"They want to turn us into slaves."
Kara didn't respond.
She had heard stories about that tribe all her life.
In Carpathia, they were called barbarians.
Savages.
Raiders.
Enemies of the kingdom.
But the people standing before her didn't look like monsters.
They were her family.
And they were asking for help.
Linn looked directly at Sylvi.
"Our forest always protected us. But now it has become a prison."
"How many are left?" Sylvi asked.
Linn took several seconds to answer.
"Far too few."
Sylvi's expression hardened.
"Why didn't you flee?"
Linn let out a bitter little laugh.
"Where would we go?"
No one answered.
"If we leave the forest, the Empire will find us. If we stay, the creature will eventually destroy us."
Linn looked at her daughter.
"That is why I sent you the letter."
Sylvi lowered her gaze.
"You want shelter in Carpathia."
"Not just shelter."
Linn looked at Kara.
"We want a chance to survive."
Kara felt a chill.
This conversation was no longer just a family reunion.
Her people were disappearing.
And for the first time, she understood why her mother had kept that connection hidden for so many years.
It wasn't shame.
It was fear.
Fear that someone would discover who they really were.
Brigir gently took Kara's hand.
"You'll help us, won't you?"
Kara looked at her.
Then she looked at her mother.
Sylvi didn't answer.
The decision wasn't hers to make.
Kara slowly tightened her grip on Brigir's hand.
"First, I want to meet my people."
Linn looked at her in surprise.
Kara raised her gaze.
"Then I'll decide what I can do."
For the first time, the old woman smiled.
"Then perhaps the blood of our family is still as strong as it was before."
Far away, in the mountains, a roar tore through the forest.
Birds took flight.
The trees trembled.
Kara turned her head toward the sound.
That didn't sound like the roar of an ordinary beast.
It was a warning.
And although she didn't know it yet, this encounter would mark the beginning of a story that would forever change her relationship with the kingdom... and with the blood running through her veins.
While Linn and her warriors met with King Felipe at the Royal Palace, Kara and Brigir took the opportunity to explore the capital.
For Brigir, every corner was something new.
The streets were filled with merchants, carriages, and students returning home after the Academy's closing ceremony. Carpathia's golden banners hung between the buildings, and the smell of street food mixed with the fragrance of flowers decorating the plazas.
Kara walked ahead of her with a smile.
"This way."
Brigir had to quicken her pace.
"Wait!"
"If you walk that slowly, we'll never see anything."
"I've never been in a city this big."
Kara stopped and looked at her.
"Really?"
Brigir shook her head.
"I've only seen small settlements. Our people are constantly on the move."
Kara remained silent for a few seconds.
Until then, she hadn't thought much about it.
To her, the capital was simply home.
To Brigir, it was another world.
Kara smiled.
"Then today is your lucky day."
She grabbed her by the arm and pulled her toward a narrower street.
"I'll show you my favorite places."
They passed a stone fountain, then a small plaza filled with flower stalls, and finally arrived at a jewelry store.
Brigir stopped in front of the display window.
"They're beautiful."
Kara went inside.
"My mother bought me a necklace here a few years ago."
Brigir followed her curiously.
"Your mother buys you jewelry?"
"When she wants to make up for punishing me."
Brigir burst out laughing.
"Then you must have received a lot."
"Not that many."
Kara paused.
"Well... maybe a few."
They both laughed.
For a while, Brigir was able to forget why she had come to the capital.
She wasn't a warrior.
She wasn't an Omega woman who had to protect herself from the eyes of the Empire.
She wasn't the daughter of a people on the verge of extinction.
She was simply a young woman exploring an unfamiliar city with her niece.
When they left the shop, Kara pointed toward a restaurant across the street.
"I'm hungry."
Brigir raised an eyebrow.
"Again?"
"Eating is important."
"We just left a store."
"And that doesn't feed us."
Brigir smiled.
"Then lead the way."
They entered a simple restaurant, far from the establishments reserved for the nobility.
Kara knew the place and greeted the owner naturally.
"Two stews."
"The usual?" the man asked.
"Exactly."
Brigir looked around.
It was her first time in a place like this.
There were no guards.
No servants.
Nobles and common citizens shared the same tables.
"I like this place," she said.
Kara smiled.
"That's why I come here."
At that moment, a group of people began coming down the stairs from the upper floor.
Kara barely paid attention to them.
Until she recognized a voice.
"You don't have to walk me all the way to the mansion."
"I don't mind."
Kara froze.
She knew that voice far too well.
She turned her head.
Lusian was coming down the stairs alongside Emily.
Both were dressed simply, although the quality of their clothes made it clear that they belonged to noble families.
Sofia walked behind them.
The duchess watched the two with a satisfied expression.
Over the past few weeks, she had found countless excuses to bring them closer together.
An invitation to the mansion.
A meal.
An outing around the capital.
She had even sent Lusian to check on Emily when she knew the young woman was going through a difficult time.
Sofia knew they would soon have to be separated for months.
And she had no intention of wasting the time they had left.
When Lusian and Emily left the restaurant, Kara was returning to the table with a smile.
Then she saw it.
A huge black wolf appeared beside the entrance.
Kara immediately recognized its owner.
"Lusian."
He stopped.
He closed his eyes for a moment.
No.
He quickened his pace.
Too late.
"Lusian!"
Kara ran toward him and stepped directly into his path.
"Looks like you've recovered already."
Lusian sighed.
"What do you want?"
"My rematch."
"We're in the capital, not at the Academy."
"So?"
"And I don't intend to fight you."
Kara smiled.
"That's what you say now."
Lusian tried to walk around her.
Kara blocked his path again.
"You're not escaping again."
"I'm not escaping. I'm trying to have a peaceful day."
"Then you'll have to find somewhere else."
Lusian looked at her wearily.
"Crazy girl..."
"What did you say?"
"Nothing."
Kara narrowed her eyes.
"I heard you."
Before she could continue, a voice came from behind her.
"Kara."
A young woman stepped out of the restaurant.
Lusian looked at her.
He froze.
It was obvious they were related. The dark hair, the wild features, the way she walked... There was even something in her eyes that immediately reminded him of Kara.
But the woman was dressed completely differently.
Furs, thick fabrics, leather bracers, and runic symbols covering part of her arms.
The young woman looked Lusian up and down.
"Who is he?"
"An idiot," Kara replied.
"That doesn't answer my question."
"His name is Lusian Douglas."
The woman's expression changed slightly.
"Douglas?"
Lusian raised an eyebrow.
Why did she react like that?
The woman instinctively reached toward the axe hanging from her waist.
The wolf growled.
A deep sound rolled through the entrance of the restaurant.
Several customers stepped away.
The woman didn't retreat.
Her eyes remained fixed on the creature.
"So you're its owner."
"I'm not its owner."
Lusian looked at the wolf.
"He's my companion."
The woman let out a small laugh.
"A beast that size shouldn't be following a boy like you."
Kara intervened.
"Don't worry. His mother still takes care of him."
"Kara..."
"What? It's true."
Emily sighed.
"Kara, you could try being nice for once."
Lusian glanced at the woman.
"And her?"
"My aunt."
The young woman crossed her arms.
"Brigir."
"Lusian."
Brigir studied him for several seconds.
"You don't look like a Douglas."
Lusian blinked.
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
"I haven't decided yet."
Kara burst out laughing.
"I already like her."
Lusian shook his head.
"Definitely family."
He turned around.
"Come on, Emily."
"Hey, brat!"
Lusian stopped.
"What?"
"Where do you think you're going?"
"Anywhere Kara isn't."
"Then you're running away."
Lusian closed his eyes.
Why can't I have one normal day?
"Call it whatever you want."
Brigir smiled.
"In my tribe, cowards are handed over to Galdrok."
Lusian froze.
The smile disappeared from his face.
He slowly turned around.
"Galdrok?"
Brigir stopped smiling.
"Yes."
"The Ice Dragon?"
Silence fell over the place.
Brigir studied him carefully.
"How do you know that?"
Lusian took a moment to answer.
Too fast.
He had made a mistake.
Galdrok wasn't a creature known outside the regions near Mongrul Forest. Even there, many considered him little more than a legend.
"I've read about him."
"Where?"
"In books."
"What books?"
Lusian held her gaze.
"Ancient bestiaries."
Brigir didn't look convinced.
Kara frowned.
"Why are you so interested in a dragon?"
Lusian didn't answer.
He looked toward the mountains.
For a moment, something returned to his memory.
Not Galdrok.
Something that came before.
Strange lights.
Animals fleeing.
Plants growing too quickly.
Rivers changing.
Creatures appearing outside their territories.
Small earthquakes.
He had seen those things before.
In the game.
But he had never paid much attention to them.
They were details.
Side events.
Environmental decoration.
Now they didn't seem so insignificant.
What if...?
Lusian frowned.
No.
He couldn't draw any conclusions yet.
The world had already changed too many times compared to what he remembered.
It could be something else.
But the coincidences were becoming too numerous.
"What do you know about Galdrok?" he finally asked.
Brigir narrowed her eyes.
"Why should I tell you?"
"Because if he still lives in Mongrul..."
Lusian paused.
He didn't want to sound too certain.
"...you should probably be careful."
Brigir raised an eyebrow.
"Careful of a dragon?"
"Not exactly."
Lusian looked toward the mountains again.
"Have you noticed anything strange in the forest?"
Brigir didn't answer immediately.
"What kind of things?"
"Animals abandoning their territories."
Lusian raised one finger.
"Plants growing faster than normal."
Another.
"Changes in the rivers."
He paused.
"Creatures appearing where they didn't exist before."
Brigir remained silent.
Her expression had changed.
"Has any of that happened?"
The woman took several seconds to answer.
"Some of it."
Lusian felt his chest tighten.
So I'm not imagining it.
But it still wasn't enough.
One coincidence could be chance.
Two could be as well.
Even three.
But this...
Lusian looked away.
How many signs do I need?
"Be careful," he simply said.
Brigir continued watching him.
Lusian lowered his gaze.
If this is really starting...
He didn't finish the thought.
Because there was another question.
How much time do I have?
His memory was imperfect.
He remembered events.
Not every day.
Not every date.
And now the world seemed to be moving ahead of the script he knew.
Maybe the Star Mana Cloud was still far away.
Maybe it wasn't even that.
But if it really was happening...
The initial changes would be the easiest to ignore.
And also the easiest to take advantage of.
Lusian slowly raised his head.
If I can't stop what's coming...
His thoughts turned to Emily.
Her family.
Her territory.
Carter.
He remembered the map.
Then the dates.
The cities.
The regions that disappeared during the first few years.
Carter was one of them.
He felt a knot form in his stomach.
"Emily."
She looked up.
"What is it?"
Lusian hesitated.
"Is the County of Carter far from here?"
Emily frowned.
"Carter?"
"Yes."
"A few weeks, depending on the route. Why?"
Lusian looked away.
"Nothing."
Emily watched him for several seconds.
"It doesn't look like nothing."
"I just remembered something."
Kara interrupted.
"Your books again?"
Lusian looked at her.
"Yes."
Kara smiled.
"What book this time?"
Lusian thought for a moment.
"One about an ancient civilization."
Brigir, who had remained silent until then, looked at him again.
"Which civilization?"
"I don't remember the name."
That was a lie.
But it was a much simpler lie than the truth.
"The book talked about a time when mana began to increase."
Emily frowned slightly.
"Can mana do that?"
"I don't know."
Lusian paused.
"That's what the book said."
He looked toward the mountains again.
"First, the plants changed."
Brigir stopped smiling.
"Then the animals began abandoning their territories."
Lusian continued more slowly.
"Some creatures appeared where they had never existed before."
"And what happened afterward?" Emily asked.
Lusian fell silent.
He remembered perfectly what had happened.
But saying it out loud would raise too many questions.
"They didn't understand what was happening in time."
Emily stared at him.
"Do you think it's happening now?"
Lusian took several seconds to answer.
He looked at Brigir.
Then Kara.
Finally, at the sky.
A faint band of light stretched across the mountains.
It could have been a reflection.
An atmospheric anomaly.
Magic.
Or something completely different.
Lusian didn't know.
And that was what worried him the most.
"I don't know."
This time, he wasn't pretending.
"But too many things match."
Emily lowered her gaze.
"Then what do we do?"
Lusian remained silent.
In another time, he would have looked for a quest.
An enemy.
A way to defeat it.
Now he was beginning to understand that perhaps neither existed.
If this really was what he thought...
There was no enemy to kill.
There was no final boss.
It was a change in the world.
And if he couldn't stop it, he would have to make sure more people survived.
Shelters.
Food.
Information.
Evacuation routes.
Prepared people.
He didn't need to save everyone.
He knew that was impossible.
But every person who survived could change something.
A family.
A city.
A generation.
A different future.
Lusian slowly clenched his hand.
First, I need to know if it's really beginning.
He looked toward the mountains again.
The light had disappeared.
Only the evening sky remained.
For now.
"Emily."
"Yes?"
"I want us to find out what's happening in Carter."
She slowly nodded.
"All right."
Lusian looked north again.
He didn't know if he was wrong.
He hoped he was.
Because if he was right...
Those small anomalies weren't the catastrophe.
They were merely the first signs that something had begun to change.