The air inside the ruin pulsed with energy as Evolis reached out and gripped the hilt of the katana. The moment his fingers wrapped around it, a surge of ancient power coursed through his body. The blade, though worn and battered, still carried an undeniable presence. It was black as midnight, its surface marred by cracks and centuries of wear. Golden runic inscriptions flickered weakly along the steel, as if barely clinging to life, while delicate golden highlights traced the elegant curvature of the blade.
Evolis lifted the katana, feeling its weight in his hands. It was lighter than he expected, yet it carried an edge that, even in its damaged state, felt lethal. This wasn't just a weapon. It was a relic of his past, something that had once belonged to him—a part of himself that had been waiting to be reclaimed.
As the energy within the chamber settled, the massive doors creaked open behind him. A rush of fresh air swept through the chamber as Evolis turned to face the entrance.
Outside, the elves stood waiting, their expressions unreadable. The princess, arms crossed, regarded him with narrowed emerald eyes, while her guards stood tense, their hands resting near their weapons.
The moment Evolis stepped through the threshold, a noticeable shift occurred. The air felt different around him, as if he had brought something back from the ruin that hadn't been there before. The elves stiffened, and Evolis could sense their unease.
Due to the purity of her bloodline, The princess was more attuned to the energy of things, and could therefore feel that something in Evolis' soul had shifted. The princess spoke first. "You've changed."
Evolis tilted his head, smirking. "Oh? Not happy to see me return in one piece?"
She scoffed, but her gaze remained sharp, changing the subject she asked. "That blade, where did you get it?"
He glanced at the katana resting against his back, and turned back and shook his head with a smile. "Would you believe me if I said I took it as a souvenir?"
The princess, ignoring him, narrowed her eyes as she observed the blade more closely. Frowning she said, "That weapon… it feels like it doesn't belong in this world."
Evolis narrowed his eyes, muttering under his breath, "She must be really sensitive to Etherion to be able to feel it. Then looking up at her he asked, "So? I assume you're not just going to let me walk away after all this?"
She exhaled, as if this was the part she had been dreading. "No, you're coming with us."
Evolis raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what makes you think I'll agree to that?"
The princess's lips curled into a triumphant smirk as she reached into her cloak and pulled out a small crystalline artifact. It shimmered faintly in the light, pulsing in rhythm with something on Evolis's body. He felt a sudden warmth on his arm, the place where she had pointed the artifact towards.
"This mark binds you to us," she said. "And if you think you can just ignore it, you'd be wrong."
Evolis scowled, glancing down at the faint golden markings that pulsed against his skin. "You marked me? Without my consent?"
"Consider it an insurance policy," she said, completely unapologetic. "You're an anomaly, a human who wields power that shouldn't be possible. My kingdom needs to understand who you are… and what kind of threat you might pose."
"Threat?" Evolis laughed dryly. "I just saved your life."
The princess didn't waver. "Which is the only reason you're still breathing. Now, let's go."
Evolis sighed, weighing his options. He could fight them, but not without making more enemies than he already had and possibly dying. Or he could go with them, learn about their kingdom, and perhaps even find more pieces of his past.
"Fine," he said finally. "But if I don't like what I see, I leave."
The princess didn't answer. She simply turned and started walking, her guards following closely behind. Evolis, adjusting the sword on his back, fell into step beside them.
---
The grand halls of the Aurelion Kingdom were quieter than they had ever been. A heavy air of mourning had settled over the castle, an unspoken grief that lingered in every shadowed corridor. It had been months since Evolis disappeared, and despite Regulus's relentless efforts, there was still no trace of his foster son.
Regulus sat at the edge of his war chamber, fingers pressed against his temple. Maps were sprawled across the massive wooden table before him, pinned with markers that detailed every search route his men had covered. Countless knights, informants, and even mercenaries had been sent beyond the kingdom's borders, but the results were always the same.
Nothing.
Every failed lead chipped away at him, but what pained him the most was the state of his daughter, Lyris. Since Evolis' disappearance, she had fallen into a deep etherion coma, her body unresponsive, trapped in an endless cycle of grief and longing. The kingdom's finest healers had tried everything, yet nothing could awaken her. Seraphina, his wife, had spent endless nights at Lyris's bedside, watching over their daughter with quiet, unwavering sorrow.
---
Lyris floated in the endless void, weightless and lost.
She felt something... someone... calling out to her, but the voice was distant, muffled, as if submerged beneath an ocean. A golden light flickered in the darkness, barely within reach, pulsing with an unfamiliar yet deeply comforting warmth.
Evolis.
The moment his name crossed her mind, the light grew stronger.
Flashes of memories, moments of laughter, of quiet understanding, of a presence that had always been there, then, the last thing she remembered. His disappearance. The pain. The emptiness. A suffocating void that had swallowed her whole.
A whisper, carried by an unseen wind, reached her ears.
"Wake up."
A gasp tore through her throat as her eyes snapped open, her body jerking forward. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears as she sucked in a desperate breath, the world rushing back in a blur of blinding light and unfamiliar voices.
---
Suddenly, a sharp knock on the war chamber doors jolted Regulus from his brooding thoughts. One of the royal healers stood in the entrance, his face a mask of disbelief and urgency.
"My Lord… it's your daughter. She is waking up."
Regulus froze. For a moment, his mind refused to process the words, and then—
He was moving before he even realized it, striding down the castle halls with a speed that startled even the guards stationed along the way. His heart pounded with a mixture of desperation and hope. He had waited months for this moment, but he feared what he would find. Would she be the same? Would she even remember what had happened?
As he reached the grand doors of her chamber, he barely slowed before pushing them open.
Lyris lay in her bed, her once pale complexion returning to its usual warmth. Her eyes, still hazy from prolonged unconsciousness, fluttered open as she took in her surroundings. When they finally settled on Regulus, something deep inside him eased.
"Father…?" Her voice was hoarse, unused for so long, but the simple word sent a wave of relief crashing over him.
Regulus crossed the room in an instant, falling to his knees beside her bed. His large hands gently cupped her face, his expression unreadable. "Lyris…" he whispered, as if afraid speaking too loudly would shatter the fragile moment.
She blinked slowly, her lips parting, but then a flicker of something dark crossed her expression, memory. The last thing she remembered before the coma, the pain that had torn through her heart. Her hands clenched into the sheets.
"Evolis…" she whispered, her voice breaking. "Where is he?"
Regulus' jaw tightened, his silence an answer in itself.
Lyris' chest tightened as a sharp pain stabbed through her heart. "He's still missing?"
Seraphina, who had been standing by the bedside, stepped forward, placing a soothing hand on her daughter's arm. "We've searched everywhere, my love. Your father has not stopped looking."
Lyris took a slow breath, forcing herself to steady her emotions. But her hands were still trembling, her heart aching. She had been unconscious for months, useless, unable to do anything. Evolis had been there for her when she was at her weakest, always standing at her side, and yet she hadn't been able to return the favor.
She wouldn't allow it to stay that way.
Lyris sat up, pushing herself forward despite her weakened state. "Then I will help find him."
Seraphina's brows knitted in concern, while Regulus regarded her with an unreadable gaze. "You need to rest," her mother urged. "You've just awoken—"
"No." Lyris' voice was firm, stronger than before. She turned to her father, her emerald eyes burning with a fire that had been absent for far too long. "If he's out there, I will find him. I don't care how long it takes."
Regulus studied her, noting the unwavering resolve in her eyes. It reminded him so much of Evolis, of the way his foster son had always faced impossible odds with the same reckless determination.
Finally, he sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "We don't even know where to begin, Lyris."
"Then we'll find a way," she countered without hesitation. "You told me once that if someone vanishes without a trace, it means they were either taken or they left of their own will. And knowing Evolis…" Her fingers curled into a fist. "He wouldn't have disappeared unless something forced him to."
Regulus stared at her, and despite himself, he found a ghost of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "You truly are my daughter."
Lyris met his gaze evenly. "Then let's bring him home."
Silence hung between them before Regulus let out a deep, tired chuckle. He turned to Seraphina, who, despite her initial concern, had softened. A knowing look passed between husband and wife.
Seraphina sighed, brushing a strand of silver hair behind Lyris' ear. "You will do as your father says. If we are to search for him, we do it properly, with preparation. No reckless actions."
Lyris nodded firmly. "Of course."
Regulus rose to his feet, his gaze now filled with a renewed sense of purpose. If Lyris was determined to find Evolis, then he would support her in every way possible. His son was out there somewhere, and if he was still alive, then no force in this world or the next would keep them apart forever.
The Aurelion Kingdom would soon be set in motion.
And the search for Evolis would begin anew.
---
The journey back to the elven kingdom was long, stretching through vast forests and winding mountain paths. Evolis took the opportunity to observe the elves around him, noting their discipline, their silent communication, and the unspoken hierarchy that dictated their every movement.
One evening, as they set up camp beneath a canopy of glowing bioluminescent trees, Evolis found himself sitting near the princess. She was sharpening a slender dagger, her expression unreadable.
"So," he began, stretching his legs, "what exactly am I walking into?"
She didn't look up. "You're walking into a world that has no place for humans."
Evolis smirked. "Harsh. But I was hoping for something a little more useful."
The princess sighed, finally meeting his gaze. "Our kingdom, Veylith, is ancient, one of the oldest elven strongholds still standing. It is ruled by my father, King Aldorien. Unlike humans, elves value bloodlines, traditions, and power above all else. And right now, you are none of those things."
"Sounds like I'll fit right in," Evolis said dryly.
The princess ignored his sarcasm. "In Veylith, words are weapons, often sharper than blades. A careless sentence can be interpreted as a challenge, a slight nod can be mistaken for submission. Even eye contact holds meaning."
Evolis arched a brow. "So what happens if I accidentally look at someone the wrong way?"
She smirked faintly. "Depends on who you offend. If it's a noble, you might be challenged to a formal duel. If it's a court official, they might twist your words into a reason to exile or imprison you. If it's someone from the royal bloodline…" She trailed off, amusement flickering in her emerald eyes. "Let's just say we take insults personally."
Evolis sighed. "Great. So basically, I should walk around blindfolded."
The princess rolled her eyes. "Or you could learn quickly. Consider this your first lesson."
"Sounds like I'll fit right in," Evolis said dryly.
The princess ignored his sarcasm. "There are factions in the court that will see you as nothing more than a tool. Others will want you dead before you can become a problem. And some…"
She hesitated.
Evolis leaned forward slightly. "Some?"
She frowned. "Some might see you as an opportunity. A pawn to be manipulated."
Evolis chuckled, shaking his head. "Sounds like I'll have plenty of admirers."
The princess narrowed her eyes. "This isn't a joke. My father will summon you the moment we arrive. If you say the wrong thing, make the wrong move, you won't leave Veylith alive."
Evolis studied her, noting the rare flicker of concern in her voice. "And what about you? Which of those groups do you fall into?"
She looked away, focusing on her dagger again. "That depends."
"On what?"
She hesitated, then sighed. "On whether you're as reckless as you seem, or if you actually understand the danger you're in."
Evolis smirked. "You'll just have to wait and see."
The days went by as they traveled to the kingdom, passing by smaller towns who observed the princess and her group. Luckily she had disguised herself or otherwise the towns would've been in an uproar as soon as they learnt that the princess had come to visit them. During these days Evolis had tried to learn more about elven culture and how to behave.
One evening, as the group rested beneath a canopy of glowing bioluminescent trees, the princess sat across from Evolis, casually twirling a dagger between her fingers.
"You're a quick learner," she admitted, watching him carefully. "But let's see how much you actually understand."
Evolis smirked. "Are we playing a game?"
She ignored him. "Say you're in the Veylith royal court. A noble insults you publicly, but instead of calling for a duel, he merely smiles and walks away. What do you do?"
Evolis thought for a moment, then leaned back against the tree. "I'd ignore it."
The princess's emerald eyes gleamed. "Wrong."
He frowned. "How is that wrong? If I engage, I'm giving him what he wants."
She smirked. "And if you ignore him, you're allowing him to spread the insult freely, unchallenged. In our court, silence is often perceived as submission. Your inaction would brand you as weak."
Evolis exhaled, shaking his head. "So what's the right move, then?"
She rested her chin on her hand. "You acknowledge the insult—but twist it in your favor. Something sharp, something that makes them look foolish for ever speaking in the first place. Elves respect wit as much as they do strength."
Evolis chuckled. "So if someone insults me, I just insult them back, but fancier?"
She sighed. "You really are impossible."
He grinned. "You're warming up to me, aren't you?"
She scoffed, turning away, but not before he caught the faintest flicker of amusement in her expression.
Evolis leaned back against the tree, staring up at the glowing leaves above. He had walked into the ruins searching for answers, and instead, he had been dragged into something far more dangerous.
But if there was one thing he was sure of, it was that he wasn't about to play by anyone else's rules.
He might be walking into the lion's den, but he wasn't about to bow his head. Let them watch. Let them scheme. He'd play their game, until he made his own rules.