A golden light shimmered before Solace materialized beside Alastair, his presence as effortless as it was imposing.
"What do you want now? I was actually enjoying my day," he muttered, stretching as if this were all a tiresome inconvenience.
Alastair turned to face him, his expression grim. "Find Celestia." His voice carried a desperation he rarely let slip.
Solace raised an eyebrow before sighing, leaning casually against the balcony railing. "And is this about 'strengthening the family' again, or is there another reason?"
Alastair clenched his jaw, looking up at him with a rare vulnerability. "I want her home. Alive. That's all."
A slow, knowing grin spread across Solace's lips. "You must be truly desperate if you're coming to me of all people." His laughter was quiet at first, then grew into something darker, edged with amusement. His piercing ruby eyes flickered with mischief as he tilted his head. "You know I don't do favors. So don't waste your breath trying to guilt me."
Alastair hesitated, but his resolve held firm. "What do you want?"
Solace's grin widened as he leaned in, his voice dropping into a whisper. The moment he spoke, the wind howled through the balcony, as if echoing Alastair's shock.
"That goes against everything I've built! Do you really expect me to agree to this?" Alastair's voice thundered, his hands tightening into fists.
"Deal… or no deal." Solace's tone dripped with venom, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "There's only one way to guarantee you see her again—through me. So, what's it going to be?"
Without waiting for an answer, he reached into his coat and pulled out a parchment, the edges gilded with intricate golden runes.
"I knew this moment would come sooner or later, so I took the liberty of drafting a contract." He flicked it onto the nearby table. "Sign it, and we have a deal."
Alastair hesitated for only a moment before stepping forward. Solace strolled inside, his boots crunching over the shattered glass as guards stiffened at his presence. He inhaled deeply, his expression unreadable.
"I almost forgot what this place smelled like... I'm glad I was never truly a part of it."
Alastair said nothing as he picked up a quill, dipped it in ink, and scrawled his full name across the parchment. His fingers trembled for just a second before he forced his emotions aside.
"It's done. Find her." His voice was hard, but there was no denying the weight behind it.
Solace took the contract, rolling it up before slipping it into his sleeve. Golden light flickered around him before he vanished.
A nearby guard swallowed hard, glancing toward where Solace had stood mere moments ago. "Solace Solara... A Grandmaster of the Light element at only sixteen… His talent is terrifying. And they say he wields four elements? If that's true…" He trailed off, shaking his head before swiftly exiting the room, unwilling to linger in the wake of such an unsettling exchange.
Solace reappeared inside his secluded hut, the dim candlelight flickering against the walls. He pulled out the contract once more, his crimson eyes scanning the inked words.
"You're lucky I love you, sis," he murmured before rolling it up and tucking it into his sleeve. He stretched, rolling his neck until it cracked.
"It's about time I stop sitting around and start making moves."
Electricity crackled to life, surging across the intricate tattoos lining his arms. In an instant, he vanished in a flash of light.
Solace materialized in a small village, the scent of fresh earth and burning firewood filling the air. He inhaled deeply before extending his hand forward. A chaotic swirl of Dragon-Lightning, Spirit-Flames, and Golden Light converged in his palm, crackling with raw destruction.
Without hesitation, he thrust his hand outward. A devastating wave of energy erupted, engulfing half the village in an instant. Thatched rooftops were torn apart, screams barely had time to escape before spirit-flames devoured everything in their path. The sky darkened as a violent storm formed overhead, bolts of lightning striking down, setting the rest of the village ablaze.
Solace watched with cold indifference as fire and ruin consumed the settlement.
"A small price to pay... for the future."
With that, his form shimmered once more, vanishing into golden light.
The dense forests of Sylvaria were eerily silent as Solace stepped forward, the scent of damp leaves and ancient woodlands replacing the stench of burning corpses.
An elven scout reacted instantly, loosing an arrow infused with nature magic. Solace barely moved, extending his hand as spirit-flames surged forward, devouring the arrow midair. He chuckled, voice carrying across the treetops.
"I came to talk, not start a war," he declared, hands raised in mock surrender. "In the name of Solara, I wish to speak." A slow, seemingly innocent smile curved his lips.
Elves dropped from the trees, others hanging upside down from vines, their bows drawn and ready.
Solace sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "Come on, I just said I wanted to talk."
A tense silence followed before one of the elves, an elder with sharp emerald eyes, motioned for him to follow.
They wove through the ancient forest until they reached Sylvaria's hidden capital, a breathtaking city built entirely within the towering trees. Bridges of intertwined branches stretched between enormous trunks, homes nestled within the bark itself. The scent of enchanted wood and blooming flora filled the air as elves moved with seamless efficiency, tending to their daily tasks.
Solace's gaze flickered around, taking in the sheer craftsmanship of the city.
"This place is... incredible," he thought, momentarily admiring the ingenuity of their work.
They stepped onto a massive branch, which shifted under their feet, lifting them upward until they reached an ornately carved doorway. Inside, seven elder elves sat in a perfect semi-circle, their gazes sharp and unreadable. A single, empty chair waited for him.
One of the elders, an ancient-looking elf with deep silver hair and piercing golden eyes, finally spoke.
"What is it that you came here for, exactly?"
Solace grinned as his eyes set onto the elder.
Celestia and her horse, Eclipse, rode north for several more hours until they arrived at a vast mountain range. The towering peaks were draped in a sea of vibrant wildflowers, their colors standing out against the backdrop of ancient trees that coiled around the mountainside like protective sentinels. Rivers snaked through the land, their crystalline waters carving paths toward the distant ocean. Herds of deer grazed in the open meadows, while rabbits darted between the underbrush, their ears twitching at the slightest sound.
Noticing the abundance of wildlife, Celestia decided to hunt before heading into the cave. Dismounting Eclipse, she moved swiftly through the forest, her steps light and precise. Spotting a lone stag near the riverbank, she drew her rapier. Within moments, she secured enough food to last her for days. After preparing and storing the meat, she mounted Eclipse once more and continued toward her destination.
Eventually, she stopped in front of a cave entrance partially concealed by a massive boulder. A strange, ancient energy lingered in the air, sending a shiver down her spine. Her emerald-green eyes flickered with determination as she gazed at the secluded training ground that had shaped her family for centuries.
"So this is the place… where generations of Solara have pushed themselves beyond their limits," she murmured. Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward. As soon as she entered, the boulder shifted, sealing the entrance behind her with an echo. Darkness enveloped her, cutting her off from the outside world.
A thought suddenly struck Raven.
Celestia had once mentioned it in passing, a place deeply tied to her family's history. A secluded training ground where generations of Solara nobles had honed their skills. If Celestia was truly serious about forging her own path, wasn't that the most logical place for her to go?
"Change course," she ordered, knocking on the carriage wall.
The coachman hesitated. "My lady?"
"To the Mountain of Blossom. Now." Her voice was sharp, leaving no room for argument.
The carriage veered off its original path, the sudden change in direction making Raven lean slightly to the side. She parted the curtains, watching as the scenery blurred past.
Her lips curled into a smirk, a flicker of anticipation in her violet eyes.
A week had passed since Celestia entered the secluded training ground. She had immersed herself in intense practice, pushing her limits in both combat and magic. Every day was a battle against her own body, refining her skills with each movement. But even as she honed her power, something felt… different.
Suddenly, the familiar, eerie glow of the system's interface flickered before her.
━━━『 Villainous System 』━━━
Sudden Reward Available
Title: Books of Old
Reward: 1x Codex of Solara
She quickly reached out, her fingers trembling in anticipation, and the book materialized in her hands. The Codex of Solara was an ancient tome, its cover a deep obsidian color with intricate golden symbols etched into its surface. It seemed to hum with a forbidden power that called to her.
As she opened the first page, the system's voice echoed in her mind, unveiling the dark history behind the book.
[The Codex of Solara belonged to an ancestor of the Solara family, a woman whose name was lost to time. It was forgotten several hundred years ago, left to rot as a relic of a bygone era. The book was cursed by its creator to never be opened except by certain members of her bloodline. The curse was so potent that all who attempted to steal the book met a swift and violent death within the hour. Those who sought the book's knowledge came to the Solara family, begging to learn its secrets. Yet, despite their persistence, none were allowed to study it, for they too would perish within a day of leaving the grounds of the Solara family. The creator of the book never shared its contents with anyone, guarding its teachings until her final breath.]
Celestia's eyes widened as the last of the system's words faded. She felt the weight of the book in her hands, its significance pressing down on her like a heavy cloak. The cursed nature of the Codex of Solara was undeniable. It was both a treasure and a danger—one that had claimed countless lives over the centuries.
Sweat drenched Celestia's entire body, the heat from her intense training combined with the heat of the cave making her movements sluggish. Her breath was labored, each inhale a struggle, but there was a fierce determination in her emerald eyes. As she wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, she muttered to herself, "Members of her bloodline... So, I can use this, right?"
Her voice was laced with both doubt and anticipation.
Sighing heavily, she steadied her breath. "Well... I might as well try."
Her fingers trembled as she slowly flipped open the pages, the ancient text seeming to hum as if it recognized her presence. The heavy aura of the Codex filled the air around her, the weight of its knowledge pressing down on her chest. It was like the book was alive, its contents swirling around her mind as if the very ink on the pages sought to merge with her consciousness.
Celestia's fingers hovered over the pages as she flipped through the Codex of Solara, her eyes scanning the intricate drawings that detailed the movements of ancient warriors. Each page presented a different weapon, a different way of fighting. Swords, spears, daggers—each with their own unique forms, each step meticulously illustrated. She continued flipping until she reached the middle of the book, where the rapier section awaited her.
The page was filled with fluid, elegant illustrations of rapier combat, each position drawn in perfect detail. Her eyes narrowed, studying the first stance.