"Hm… I see ," Aiden said. He was just learning this for the first time.

The pocket domain wasn't a part of the normal universe. It sat outside the layers that made up reality, like a private room cut completely away from every hallway and doorway.

Because of that isolation, his dimensional sight had nothing to lock onto. No paths, no layers or overlaps.

Syra smiled. "Frankly Aiden, you've discovered so much more than I ever did."

"How so?" Aiden asked while turning toward her.

Syra then explained. "Thing is, I was complete as the black dragon and had mastered the authority of destruction, but I never bothered with space and replication. I simply just housed Veyqorin's and Keyles' essence."

Aiden nodded in understanding.

"Like I said, you're becoming a much better version of the black dragon," she said with a smile.

-----

The next morning in the main room of Ravens Grave, Laela's voice called out to everyone. "Have your plates out, the food is almost ready."

The guild members shuffled toward the long tables while some of them rubbed their eyes and stretched out the remnants of sleep.

Arianna was already seated close to Aiden at their usual spot and she tilted her head slightly as she looked at him.

"Did you somehow gain more power or grow again overnight?" she asked quietly while keeping her voice low enough that only he could hear.

Aiden glanced at her and gave a small nod. "Something like that."

Arianna smiled and leaned back slightly in her seat. "That explains it then," she said. "Both Laela and I felt so much more mana coursing through us overnight that It woke us up at some point."

Aiden said nothing more but there was a faint curve at the corner of his lips.

In the kitchen Laela moved between the counter and the stove while stirring the contents of a large pot one final time.

She lifted the ladle and tasted a small portion before nodding to herself in satisfaction. The lamb stew had turned out well.

The meat was tender and the broth had soaked up all the herbs and spices she'd added.

She grabbed the handles of the pot with cloth wrappings around her palms and carried it out into the main room where the others waited.

Even though Katherine had placed Laela on kitchen duty the first day she stepped into the guild, it still felt strange.

The absence of Bernard was something no one had gotten used to yet.

He had always been the one to prepare meals and his presence in the kitchen had become such a constant that seeing someone else there now felt off.

However, the moment she set it down in the center of the main table, the aroma spread across the room and a few of the guild members leaned forward with interest.

Laela began pouring portions into the bowls that had been set out and one by one the guild members received their servings.

Piers was the first to take a taste.. His eyes widened slightly as the flavor hit his tongue.

"Well," he said while setting his spoon down and looking at Laela with a grin spreading across his face, "I'll say this much. Bernard's cooking might've been a bit too spicy for my liking anyway."

A few chuckles rose from around the table.

Rick, Bernard's closest friend, leaned back with a crooked smirk.

"Spicy or not," he said, "one thing I know is demons definitely don't eat well. Bernard's probably over there chewing on smoke or whatever it is demons eat." He waved his hand lazily. "I'm sure he regrets being possessed"

The guild laughed at that and even Katherine who sat at the head of the table let out a small breath of amusement.

Everyone except Kayden.

He had this frown drawn ln his face and his eyes fixed somewhere on the table in front of him. His spoon remained untouched beside his bowl

Aiden noticed and his gaze lingered on Kayden for a moment but he said nothing.

Elena spoke up after the laughter had settled.

Her voice was softer than the others and carried a hint of sadness beneath it. "I wish Oliver was here," she said while looking down at her bowl. "This stew has lamb in it. That was always his favorite."

The mood shifted slightly at her words and a few of the guild members glanced at each other.

Arianna turned toward Elena and offered a small but sincere smile. "We'll find him soon enough," she said gently. "All of them."

That was when Kayden slammed his hand against the table.

The sound echoed through the main room and silenced every conversation instantly.

The bowls rattled and a few spoons clattered against their edges as heads turned toward him.

He stood abruptly with his chair scraping loudly against the floor. His head was faced down.

Then he said with this sharp edge in his voice,"Ever since the demon possession attack on the guild mates,not one person has ever mentioned Innis."

He paused and his hands curled into fists at his sides.

"Are you all forgetting she's part of the guild too?"

No one answered.

Kayden didn't wait for a response. Without another word, he turned and walked toward the corridors and onto the stairs.

The guild remained still for a long moment. A few of them exchanged uncertain glances while others simply looked down at their food.

Arianna let out a slow breath and pushed her chair back. "I'll go talk to him," she said quietly.

She stood and made her way toward the stairs.

—-

Upstairs the training room door was slightly opened, and flickers of blue light flashed from within.

Arianna approached slowly and pushed the door open the rest of the way.

Inside she found Kayden standing in the center of the room with lightning coursing through his body.

The moment she stepped in the lightning flickered off and he stood still with his back toward her.

"Are you okay?" Arianna asked.

Kayden let out a scoff. "What do you think?"

Arianna sighed and shook her head. "Yeah, that was a dumb question."

Arianna took a few steps closer and stopped a short distance behind him. "Kayden," she began carefully, "no one is forgetting Innis. Everyone's just trying to hold themselves together while we figure out how to bring them all back."

Kayden's fists clenched at his sides and his head remained lowered. "It just feels like no one remembers she's part of the guild," he said. He wasn't sounding so mad anymore.

Then added, "And it seems like it's just me who cares."​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.