Kaiser leaned back on the bench, arms spread out along the backrest, and stared at the city in front of him, and he had to admit that it was nicer than he'd thought it would be.

The sun shone off the smooth stone streets, making the whole city glitter, and seem as it is made of magic. The fountain nearby caught his eye first as the water itself twisted into shapes of strange creatures. A snake made of flowing water curled around the base, and a bird with a long tail spread wings that sprayed droplets into the air, refreshing everyone who was close to the fountain. Magic pulsed through the veins of this place, from the floating lanterns that hovered lazily in the air to the colossal Scale Walls, their towering form embedded with massive, overlapping silver scales.

People walked up to those walls and touched them, and when they did, the scales shifted and peeled back like flower petals, opening into doorways. He was truly in awe of the city, but his wonder was cut short as he saw three figure approaching him from the corner of his eye.

Aria led the group, her pink hair bright under the sun. Bandages peeked out from under her sleeves, but she walked like she owned the city, shoulders back, chin up.

Next to her was Ivan, and he was taking it all in. Unlike Aria, he wasn't acting like he owned the city, but it was obvious that he was relieved by it. The tension in his shoulders eased, and his breath came a little easier. It was the quiet, unspoken relief of someone who had finally seen proof that the world wasn't just Arkhold.

Walking right next to him was Mia, her hand was wrapped securely around his, her expression one of soft, unwavering attention. She wasn't looking at the city, as her eyes were glued to Ivan, not caring about anything else. When he paused, she paused. When he stared at something, she followed his eyes.

Kaiser barely had time to recognize them all before Aria spotted him, her eyes lighting up the second their eyes met. "KAISER!" She screamed as she broke into a sprint. She crashed into him before he could stand, nearly knocking him off the bench. He laughed, wrapping an arm around her to keep them both from falling to the ground.

"Oof!" He blinked down at her. "What's my little spider doing running around with these two?"

Aria pulled back just enough to give him a pout, her arms still latched onto him. "I'm perfectly fine! What's with the sudden concern? I'm not made of glass.?!" she huffed, her nose scrunching slightly. "Don't tell me you're that worried about me."

He ruffled her hair. "Worried? You? Not a chance. I know how tough you are. That whole mess was nothing to you." Her eyes practically sparkled at the words, a grin breaking across her face as she beamed with pride, squeezing him just a little tighter.

Ivan and Mia finally caught up, the former letting out a tired sigh as he ran a hand through his hair, while the latter smiled softly at the sight before her.

"Well," Ivan muttered, shaking his head. "Guess she really missed you, she didn't stop talking about you the whole way here... I really started to think she was crazy."

Aria, still latched onto Kaiser, turned to shoot Ivan a look. "Shut up or I will make spiders eat your eyes."

Ivan shivered, repelling from disgust. "See what I mean?!"

Mia chuckled, squeezing Ivan's hand gently before looking back at Kaiser. "It's good to see you up and moving Sir Kaiser," she said warmly. "We didn't expect to find you out here."

Kaiser shrugged. "City's too pretty to stay cooped up inside." His eyes flickered to Mia. "I assume you agree."

Mia led Ivan to sit on the bench next to the one Kaiser was sitting in, and only nodded to his question, truly observing her surroundings, her eyes slipping from Ivan for the first time since she left the hospital.

Aria finally let go of the hug and sat next to Kaiser, looking at him with glitter in her eyes.

"Alright," Kaiser said, raising an eyebrow. "What're you three doing out of bed? Shouldn't you still be resting?"

Ivan shrugged. "We're fine. Just tired." His voice was calm but firm, as if he wasn't just saying it for the sake of appearances. "Just a bit tired, that's all. A good night's sleep, and we'll be fine."

Aria rolled her eyes, her pink hair glinting in the sun. "I don't need sleep." She said it like it was fact, leaving no room for arguing. "I'm ready to keep moving. Whenever you are ready." She said, looking at Kaiser with somehow even more admiration.

Kaiser sighed.

'Of course she was.'

He looked at her, at the unwavering spark in her blue eyes, at the way she stood like she owned the ground beneath her feet. She had been like this ever since he met her: reckless, headstrong, full of life and wonder, ready to teach him anything he didn't know. And yet, this time…

"Aria." His tone softened, but the weight in his voice remained. "Where I'm going next isn't safe. It's dangerous. And while I love your company…" His fingers curled slightly, as if choosing his next words carefully. "I need to do this alone."

Her smile faded a little. It was small twitch in her shoulders and dip in her chin, but he noticed every little change. Beside her, both Ivan and Mia felt the weight of those words, but neither spoke.

Aria, however, did. "It's because of him, right? That white-haired guy." She didn't say the name as it was obvious who he was talking about.

Kaiser nodded. "Yeah."

"Sabel Stoorm is too dangerous to be left alive," Kaiser continued, his voice carrying the kind of certainty that only came from absolute, unwavering hatred. "And the grudge I hold against him… It's too great to bury."

He exhaled slowly, as if steadying himself. "I need to finish this." His fingers curled tighter, as if the thought alone was enough to bring that old, familiar fury back to the surface. "And to make sure the panels of history never remember his name."

Mia lowered her gaze, her fingers tightening around Ivan's hand, while Ivan looked away, jaw clenching slightly, almost as if he wanted to say something, but couldn't.

And then there was Aria. She stood there, watching Kaiser with an unreadable expression, her hands hanging loosely at her sides.

"…I don't care about your opinion."

Kaiser blinked.

She didn't raise her voice. She didn't shout. She didn't get angry. But the sheer will in her words and the finality of them was enough to cut through the moment like a dagger. Her blue eyes locked onto his, unwavering and unshaken.

"Now," she said, "where's our next stop?"

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Kaiser frowned. "Aria…"

"I'm not interested in whatever plan you made for me." She crossed her arms, tilting her head slightly. "Just answer the question."

Kaiser exhaled sharply through his nose, rubbing his temple with one hand. "…I arranged for you to go back to Arkhold," he admitted. "Milo's leaving tomorrow, and I—"

"That's not what I asked."

Kaiser stared at her, surprised at her boldness. She didn't even hesitate, she didn't even pretend to acknowledge what he had said. She just stood there, certain that she will get a different answer.

"…You're not going back to Arkhold, are you?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

Aria's lips curled into a smirk. "What do you think?"

Kaiser exhaled, his eyes briefly closing. 'Of course.'

Ivan shifted uncomfortably, his cautious gaze darting between the two of them. Unlike Aria, he wasn't challenging Kaiser, but merely watching and waiting for something. Hoping, maybe, that this would resolve itself without a fight.

Mia, on the other hand, was still holding Ivan's hand, but her attention was fixed solely on Kaiser. There was no defiance in her eyes like in Aria's, no apprehension like in Ivan's. Instead, she looked at him with something softer, understanding.

"You're not going to win this, you know," she said quietly, offering him a small, knowing smile.

Kaiser scoffed. "You think I don't know that?"

Aria shrugged. "Then stop pretending like you don't."

Kaiser ran a hand through his hair, letting out a long, tired sigh. This was not how he imagined this conversation going.

"Alright." He finally looked back at Aria. "You want to hear it? Fine, our next stop is the Southern Liberatorium."

Aria finally realizing Kaiser gave in, plastered the biggest smile she could muster. "Then that's where we're going," she said simply.

Kaiser let out a long sigh, shaking his head with a tired smile. "Fine, fine. I'll enjoy your company, little spider," he said, his tone full of affection.

Aria grinned. "I would enjoy my own company if I were you too."

Kaiser let out a genuine laugh, shaking his head. This girl never lacked confidence. Then, with a sly smile, Aria nudged Ivan forward. "Oh, and by the way, Ivan has something to ask you."

Kaiser raised an eyebrow, finally giving the boy his full attention. He hadn't really thought much about him since the rescue. He was just a kid, quiet and reserved compared to Aria. But now, standing before him, Ivan seemed... determined. There was a fire in his eyes that hadn't been there before. Then, to Kaiser's surprise, the boy bowed deeply.

"Please, Kaiser… make me your student."

Kaiser paused, turning to face Ivan fully. His brow lifted, caught between amusement and disbelief.

"Come again?"

"I want to learn from you."

Ivan's voice didn't waver. It rang with quiet steel, the kind that wasn't forged in bravado but born from desperation. His fists were clenched, not from fear, but from a determination too fierce to ignore.

"You saved me from the Right Fist. You protected my sister. You fought like... like something out of legend. I've never seen anything like it."

Kaiser raised a hand, waving off the praise with a slow shake of his head.

"Hold up. Slow your roll, kid."

But Ivan didn't stop. The words spilled out, the flood of something long buried cracking open.

"I owe you everything. I know I can't repay it—but I want to try. I don't want to be weak anymore. I'm done standing on the sidelines, watching the people I care about bleed while I stand there, useless."

Kaiser exhaled. He rubbed the back of his neck like a man who had heard too many pleas, seen too many graves.

"I'm not a teacher," he said. "Never been one. Probably never will be."

"Then don't be."

Ivan took a step forward, the fire in his eyes undeniable.

"Just let me follow you. Let me watch. Let me learn. Anything. Everything. I need to grow. I have to."

Kaiser stared at him in silence. The moment stretched, long enough for the air between them to shift, heavy with something unspoken. Then his gaze sharpened, the warmth fading behind a flint-hard stare.

"And what happens when it gets real?" he asked, voice low, rough. "When blood soaks the ground and screams drown out your thoughts? What happens when you're forced to look death in the face and realize strength doesn't always save the people you love?"

"I won't run," Ivan said. "I want to be strong enough that I don't have to."

Kaiser studied him, the way his hands trembled slightly, the way his breath was controlled but deep, the way his eyes held both fear and resolve.

The kid was serious.

Still, Kaiser sighed, leaning back against the bench. "You don't know what you're asking for."

"I do," Ivan insisted, his voice steady but edged with determination. "And I won't stop asking until you say yes."

Kaiser studied him, his sharp eyes narrowing slightly, as if measuring the weight of Ivan's resolve. A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "You're stubborn for someone who barely knows me."

"I know enough," Ivan shot back, his gaze unwavering.

The silence between them stretched, filled only by the gentle trickle of the fountain beside them. "Fine," he said, his voice low but resonant.

Ivan's eyes widened, hope flickering across his face. "Really?"

Kaiser raised a hand, cutting him off before he could celebrate. "But understand this," he began, his words flowing like a river. "I can teach you how to hold a sword, how to feel its weight in your hand, how to make it an extension of your will. I can teach you how to take a life, to see the moment when the light leaves a man's eyes and know it was by your hand. I can teach you to harness the power within you, to bend it to your command, to make it burn brighter than the sun. And I can teach you to survive—to endure when the world tries to break you, to rise when you've been brought to your knees."

He paused, his gaze piercing, as if searching for something deep within Ivan's soul. "But what I cannot teach you," he continued, his voice dropping to a near whisper, "Is how to become strong. Strength is not in the sword, nor in the power, nor in the survival. It is in the choices you make. It is in the fire that burns in your chest when all else fails. It is in the will to stand when every part of you screams to fall. That, Ivan, is something you must find for yourself."

Kaiser leaned back, his expression unreadable. "If you want to learn from me, you start by keeping up. No whining, no complaints. If you fall behind, that's on you. But if you rise…" He trailed off, a faint glimmer of something almost like pride in his eyes. "If you rise, then you'll have earned it."

Ivan's grin spread slowly, a spark of defiance and determination lighting up his face. "I won't fall behind," he said, his voice steady. "I'll rise."

Kaiser's smirk returned, sharper this time, as if he saw something in Ivan that even Ivan himself had yet to fully understand. "We'll see."

Mia stepped forward, placing a hand on Ivan's shoulder. He was still beaming, practically vibrating with excitement, but her expression was calmer, more measured. She looked straight at Kaiser, her gaze sharp yet gentle.

"You'll treat him right, won't you?" she asked, her voice steady but laced with the protective edge of an older sister. "You don't have any ulterior motives, do you?"

Kaiser barely had time to react before it happened.

His vision flickered. A strange sensation crawled up his spine, an invisible weight pressing against him. Then, a dull, golden glow filled his eyes. He recognized this feeling as Mia's ability.

A wave of irritation rolled through him, but his body moved on its own, answering before he could even process the question. "I will treat him as right as I can," Kaiser said, his voice unnaturally even. "And I have no ulterior motives with him."

The moment the words left his mouth, the glow vanished, and the weight lifted. Kaiser inhaled sharply, his eyes narrowing at Mia. "Don't do that again."

Mia simply giggled, bringing a hand to her lips. "I can't control it," she said playfully. "It's just how it works."

Kaiser clicked his tongue, shaking his head. "Yeah, great. What a gift."

Mia just smiled, giving her brother's shoulder a squeeze. "I just got him back, you know?" Her voice softened. "I'm not about to let him run off into the world alone."

Ivan looked up at her, his grin faltering slightly. "Mia—"

"I don't care about getting stronger," she interrupted, her gaze still locked onto Kaiser. "That's his dream, not mine. But I want to be with my brother. That's why I'll be joining your little group."

Kaiser glanced at each of them—Aria, standing like she owned the entire damn city; Ivan, still looking eager as ever; and Mia, calm, watchful, but unwavering in her stance.

He sighed. "Do whatever you want."

Ivan's face brightened, and Mia let out a small, relieved breath. But before they could celebrate, Kaiser lifted a finger. "On one condition." His voice dropped slightly, serious and firm. "When I find Sabel, you won't interfere. No matter the circumstance."

Mia's expression tightened. Aria crossed her arms, frowning, and even Ivan hesitated, his excitement fading just a little.

"Kaiser..." Aria started, her tone uncertain.

"No exceptions," Kaiser said, his red eyes stern. "Sabel is mine, and MINE alone."

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