The six-month ceasefire was nearing its end.
But something had already changed across the kingdoms—a quiet ripple, like the tremor before a storm. A pressure in the air, subtle but undeniable. Those attuned to Threads felt it first. Then the royals. Then the System itself began issuing fragmented warnings.
And then, without ceremony—Ari Solen returned.
He walked into the castle not as the boy who had once been Threadless, but as something more.
Ash-black hair now fell smoother, slightly longer, trimmed only where purpose required. His eyes—obsidian-gray, layered with shifting glyph-rings nested within glyph-rings—seemed to read the world like a line of open code.
The very air around him shimmered faintly when he walked. His mana signature had evolved. It was no longer just "strong." It felt like a primordial constant—like gravity.
When guards stepped aside, they did so unconsciously, their Threads coiling inward as if in reverence.
He remembered things. All of them. Not just from Detracta. But from the System itself. From Thirty million years of redacted history.
Private Reunions
Before making his formal appearance to the king and royal court, Ari sought out those who mattered most.
Eluin Velastra
He found her first, sitting on the edge of a Sanctum garden pool, letting temporal blossoms drift through a shallow loop in time.
She turned the moment he stepped close—her eyes widening at the sight of him.
"Ari…?"Her voice cracked faintly, as if unsure whether she was dreaming.
He sat beside her.
"You saw some of it in the echoes, didn't you?"
"Only glimpses," she whispered. "But… your presence. It feels like the Dreamscape is listening to you now."
He smiled faintly.
"Maybe it is."
She leaned her head on his shoulder—not out of flirtation, but relief.
Cerys Aetherrose
She had just finished drilling junior nobles in control techniques when Ari entered the training hall.
Everything stopped.
Even her breath.
She turned sharply, as if instinct told her who it was before her eyes confirmed it. Her violet-blue gaze locked with his, and she froze.
"Ari… What happened to you?"
He stepped closer, and for a brief moment, she saw his eyes shimmer—not just with power, but memory. Ancient, devastating memory.
"I remember everything they took from us, Cerys. Everything they hid."
She swallowed hard. And then, with no one watching—she hugged him.
"Then let's take it back."
Lysira Cindergale
He found her in the dueling yard, fuming after losing to a veteran.
"Stupid legacy spells. I almost had her…"
Then she saw him.
And blinked.
Twice.
"Ari…? Stars, you—what the hell happened to you?! You look like you could punch through mana."
He grinned.
"Training."
She stared, mouth slightly open, then snapped it shut and crossed her arms.
"You better not have gotten cooler without me."
"Then train with me. I'll catch you up."
She flushed instantly.
"Wha—I mean, yeah. Obviously."
Primira Vastelune
He entered her private study quietly.
She was still reviewing military reports, ever the diligent heir. But when she looked up, she dropped the scroll.
"You… You're not the same boy who left."
"No," he said simply. "But I'm still me."
For a long moment, she said nothing. Then:
"Your aura… it demands loyalty. Even from me. It's almost terrifying."
"Would you still follow me?" Ari asked gently.
"I already am," she whispered. "Even before you left."
The Royal Court
When Ari finally stepped into the royal court, the air shifted again.
The king himself stood—not out of formality, but instinct.Every royal, every noble heir, every mage bowed their heads before him. Even the Embodiment's projection flickered and paused, as if acknowledging a superior protocol.
The king narrowed his eyes.
"You return not as a child of the System... but as its architect."
Ari gave a calm, respectful nod.
"I come bearing truths, my King. But for now, I request something simple. A private training arc—with my chosen companions. Eluin. Cerys. Primira. Lysira. I must bring them to the level this war demands."
There was no debate.
The king only said:
"Granted. And may the stars prepare themselves—if you're shaping a new dawn, Ari Solen… the world is watching."