Enira crossed her arms under her chest, feeling the unfamiliar weight shift against her forearms. It was subtle but undeniable, her center of balance had changed. She exhaled, glancing down before shaking her head. "I need to get dressed."
Ian nodded. "Your robe is over there."
She grabbed it swiftly, muttering something under her breath. As she pulled it on, the fabric settled differently against her form, no longer hanging loosely but instead accentuating the fullness she hadn't possessed before. She adjusted it, inhaled deeply, then exhaled, regaining her composure.
Her fingers plucked at the edges of the robe as she frowned. "I need to buy new clothes…" she muttered, more to herself than anyone else.
Ian hesitated. It made sense, sure. But there were far more important matters to deal with.
Enira, however, had already moved past the thought. She straightened, rolling her shoulders as she fixed her gaze on him. "Alright. Now tell me, what's next?"
Ian glanced up at Zephar Petals, still drifting lazily above them, its translucent form pulsing with faint light. "Strengthen control on her," he instructed.
Enira didn't resist this time. She let it happen, almost welcoming it. Not that she had much choice.
A cool sensation washed over her, spreading from her spine outward. It was different from before. More refined. Less forceful yet somehow deeper, settling into her very being.
Ian watched her for a moment, then nodded. "I'm done with my part. Now see what you can find."
She looked up as he turned to leave, watching his retreating figure. A strange feeling settled in her chest, something quiet yet persistent. It wasn't fear or resentment. If anything, it was… closeness.
She exhaled, fingers unconsciously brushing over her arm.
Ian returns home, leaving it to Erina to handle things on her end.
Seeing him back, Myrra sulks... "You didn't take me with you again"
"I had some work." He barely finished the sentence before realizing that wasn't enough of an excuse. "But I promise, we'll explore Ial Themar together soon. We can even visit Erina while we're at it."
Her pout vanished in an instant, replaced by a spark of excitement. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him in a quick, warm embrace.
Ian blinked in surprise before instinctively embracing her back.
Wait… why does this feel like cheating?
On the other side of the city, Erina returned home, her expression unreadable.
Eryndor's breath hitched the moment she stepped in.
She didn't acknowledge him, didn't even glance his way, but it didn't matter. His gaze latched onto her like a man starved, tracing every change. Her frame had taken on a striking balance of softness and definition, each curve enhanced with an unnatural precision. The gentle flare of her hips contrasted sharply with the taut lines of her waist, an artistry of form that seemed almost deliberate. Her hair, no longer the deep shade he remembered, now shimmered with golden strands, catching the dim light with an almost unnatural radiance.
Eryndor exhaled. He had known Erina for years, but now she felt… different. Not just in body, but in presence. In purpose.
"You look different," Eryndor muttered, his voice quieter than he intended. "…Prettier, too."
Her golden eyes flicked toward him, unreadable. The glow in them was almost unnatural, gleaming beneath the dim light. "I have business to take care of," she said simply before turning away.
Her scent lingered, warm yet distant, slipping past him like something untouchable. Eryndor once again exhaled sharply, fingers twitching at his sides.
Enira entered the dimly lit chamber, the quiet hum of concealed mechanisms filling the space. She preformed a ceremony in front of the obsidian shard.
A translucent figure flickered to life before her, its form shrouded in shifting darkness.
"I have fully absorbed the golden fluid," she reported, her voice steady.
The shadows twisted, and a distorted voice answered, laced with surprise. "Seriously? …Well, come to the designated location. It's time for the next phase."
A faint smile touched her lips. Finally.
She was no longer on the fringes. Now, she would see the Quiet Testament for what it truly was.
Ian and Myrra had fallen back into their usual routine, attending classes as before.
Myrra had finally completed her hundred laps, a milestone that would have come much sooner had she started on the Wizard path earlier. The specialization felt like a natural fit, amplifying her strengths in ways she hadn't expected. Now, she had reached the controlled sparring stage, her movements sharper, her stance more refined. Ian's rigorous training plus Axilya's occasional guidance had shaped her fundamentals, giving her an edge over others at her level.
Beyond that, she had officially co-enrolled in the Wizard specialization, expanding her studies. Ian, on the other hand, had begun taking Architect classes, though he didn't need to adjust his schedule much, Arcane Engineering provided everything he needed, integrating the curriculum without any extra steps on his part.
Today, Ian was at the research facility, going through his usual work. The place felt empty, aside from him, only Taegen was around. Even Wiokz, who was almost always present, was nowhere to be seen.
Taegen glanced up from his work, rubbing his temples as if weighing his options. Finally, he sighed.
"Ian, you busy?"
Ian looked up from his own project, raising a brow. "Not really. Why?"
"Dilya was supposed to handle a commission, but she's sick. I can't take it either, I'm swamped. Think you can step in?"
Ian blinked. "A commission? What kind?"
"A student needs a weapon repaired. They'll be bringing it over soon."
Ian hesitated. Getting commissions wasn't something that happened to new students like him. The more experienced members usually took on student requests, and even outside the Institute, students in Rulmose regularly landed contracts in Ial Themar that made them rich. But breaking into that system wasn't easy. Ian had expected it would take him at least a year before anyone trusted him with real work.
Yet, here it was, his first real opportunity.
It wasn't like he couldn't do it. He and Oryn had designed Kara and Lirian's entire processing plant from scratch, fixing a weapon was nothing in comparison. More than that, he needed the money. He had already asked Erina to help with the facility at Ial Themar, but he couldn't keep relying on her.
Ian exhaled, leaning back. "Alright," he said, rolling his shoulders. "I'll take it."
Ian followed Taegen out of the facility, heading toward one of the designated meeting spots where students and researchers handled commission exchanges. It wasn't long before the client arrived, a tall, broad-shouldered elven guy with an air of impatience about him. His short, dark hair was a bit unkempt, and there was a faint scar running along his jaw. He wore a combat-class uniform, the reinforced fabric still scuffed from training.
He crossed his arms the moment he spotted them. "You're the one taking the job?" His gaze flicked to Ian, skepticism clear in his eyes.
Taegen didn't give Ian a chance to answer. "Yeah, and you're in good hands. Ian's one of the best we've got. He's sharp, efficient, and won't just patch your weapon up, he'll make sure it's better than before."
The guy didn't look convinced. He shifted the bundle in his hands before sighing and unwrapping the weapon.
The frame was shattered in places, jagged fractures running like lightning veins through the dark alloy. What should have been a seamless, high-density structure now bristled with unstable cracks. Along the surface, remnants of embedded circuitry pulsed erratically, their glow flickering between deep crimson and a sickly white, signs of an overloaded energy, on the verge of collapse.
Ian took the weapon, turning it over in his hands. Before he could continue, the guy spoke up.
"Can you do it by tomorrow? I need it for an assignment."
Ian glanced at Taegen, who gave him a confident nod.
"I'll have it ready," he said.
The guy hesitated, then finally nodded. "Alright. I will be back tomorrow."
With that, he turned and left, coat swaying behind him.
Ian placed the damaged weapon on his workstation, exhaling as he ran a hand over its fractured frame. He activated his interface, summoning the diagnostic display. A holographic schematic of the weapon flickered to life, highlighting damaged regions in pulsating red.
He activated the reconstruction module, feeding the weapon's specifications into the system. The workstation projected a detailed scan, highlighting the compromised sections. Ian studied the scan, already mapping out the steps in his mind. This wasn't complicated enough to warrant Mindbloom, just careful, methodical work.
Using a molecular forge, Ian carefully reinforced the alloy, layering thin sheets of conductive metal over the damaged areas.
With the alloy restored, Ian moved on to the circuits.
Using a precision repair tool, he traced over the damaged pathways, burning away charred remnants and laying down fresh conductive filaments. The holo-display mapped out each connection in real time, guiding his adjustments. He worked methodically, ensuring seamless integration between the new circuits and the existing framework.
As the final pathways locked into place, the weapon pulsed faintly, a sign that the internal power distribution was stabilizing.
Next, the energy core. Ian worked efficiently, recalibrating the containment field and reinforcing the conduits until the flickering stabilized into a steady glow. Finally, after nearly two hours, it was done.
He stepped back, giving the weapon a final once-over. Everything looked perfect. He powered it on, watching as energy coursed cleanly along its frame, its mechanisms responding without any delay.
Satisfied, he turned to Taegen. "It's done."
Taegen took the weapon, running a practiced eye over it before running a full diagnostic. The results spoke for themselves. "Huh," he muttered, genuinely impressed. "Works as good as new. Maybe even better."
Ian crossed his arms. "Should we inform the guy?"
Taegen shook his head. "No, not for now. The pickup date is tomorrow, right? Keep it until then."
Seeing Ian's questioning look, he added, "Always keep some extra time, even if you finish early. Gives you room to double-check everything, and if something comes up, you're not scrambling last minute. Also makes you look more professional, no one needs to know you fixed it in two hours."
Ian nodded, storing that bit of advice for the future. He placed the weapon securely in his locker, ensuring it was locked before heading back to his workstation.
It wasn't just about fixing something. If he played this right, this could be the first step toward more commissions, more work, and most importantly, more capital.
The next day, Dilya, looking slightly better, arrived at the facility. She sought Ian out, offering a small nod of appreciation.
"Thanks for covering for me," she said sincerely. "I know it was last minute."
Ian shook his head. "No worries. It gave me some exposure and my first real commission."
She smiled at that. "Still, I appreciate it."
When the time came to return the weapon, both Dilya and Taegen accompanied him, not because they doubted his work, but to have his back. In deals like these, especially for a newcomer, it was easy to get undercut or pressured into unnecessary revisions. Their presence ensured that wouldn't happen. Ian hadn't expected the gesture, but he appreciated it nonetheless.
They met the same guy from yesterday. Today, Ian finally learned his name, Aithlin.
Aithlin took the weapon without much preamble, inspecting it with a practiced eye before powering it on. He ran through a few quick swings, then tested the energy output. The blade responded smoothly, humming with stability. A pleased expression crossed his face.
"Solid work," Aithlin said, clearly satisfied. Without hesitation, he transferred the agreed amount to Ian, a sum Dilya had negotiated beforehand.
Ian checked his device as the confirmation came through. His first commission. A proper start.