The last fragments of frozen flesh scattered across the rooftop, carried away by the night wind. Ryn let out a shaky breath…and his knees finally buckled.

He dropped onto the wet tiles, one hand bracing against the roof, the other pressed weakly to his ribs. His vision swam, a side effect of over MP consumption.

Maria's voice came over the earpiece again.

"…Sorry." Her voice softened sharply. "Forget that. I shouldn't have asked."

Ryn managed an exhale that might have been a laugh, but came out more like a cough.

"It's fine," he muttered, wiping frost from his eyelashes. "Just… tired."

For a moment, there was only the sound of water dripping from the shattered tower and the distant clamor of approaching boots.

Then Maria's tone sharpened, her professionalism kicking in.

"Good news first," she said. "Sera's stable. My healer reached her a few minutes ago."

Ryn's shoulders slumped in relief.

"And the kids?"

"Found," Maria answered immediately. "Shaken, but alive. My men got to them before the second team returned. They're safe now."

Ryn closed his eyes.

All the tension he'd been holding in, now came pouring out of him in a single long breath.

"Good," he whispered. "That's… good."

"You did well," Maria murmured quietly.

But before the warmth could settle in, her voice shifted again.

"Now the bad news."

Ryn lifted his head slightly.

"…What now?"

There was a long, weighted silence—the kind that never brought good news.

"The administrator," Maria said. "He's gone. Completely."

Ryn let out a slow breath and eased himself down until he was lying flat on the cold, wet tiles.

Above him, the night sky stretched wide and empty, a single pale moon staring back at him.

"Yeah…" he said softly. "I figured."

***

A few hours later.

The chaos of the night had settled into a dull hum across the city. Maria worked efficiently, paying compensation to those who had their things destroyed as well as silencing the whole thing.

Inside her estate, things were quieter.

Her office was clean as he expected, papers stacked in neat piles, with a single window overlooking Lumen.

Ryn sat across from Maria in a leather chair, torso wrapped in tight white bandages. His shirt was folded neatly beside him. Every breath pulled slightly against the bindings, but it was manageable.

Maria stood behind her desk, arms crossed, an unopened bottle of pain tonic beside her elbow. She studied him for a moment.

"…You look terrible," she said.

Ryn raised an eyebrow. "You should see the other guy."

"How? He's just snowflakes now."

Then his gaze drifted to the ornate crest on the wall, the symbol of the Rhea Church was everywhere. A notion, that maybe if Maria was in the undercity, she never forgot her roots.

She noticed his stare. "Something on your mind?"

"Yeah," Ryn said slowly. "A lot, actually."

Maria straightened, "Then talk, it seems we have a compromise do we not?"

Ryn smirked, but he didn't disagree.

He drew a long breath, the bandages around his ribs tightening.

"I need someone of your caliber on my side," he said quietly. "Maria… things are going to get chaotic from now on."

Her expression shifted, a mixture of surprise and attention.

"What kind of chaos?" she asked.

"The kind no one's prepared for," Ryn answered. "And the kind I can't handle alone anymore."

"Let's start with information most relevant to you." Ryn stared at the lone window.

"The shadows you've been chasing? They're called the Cult of Evernight."

Maria said nothing, but her stillness sharpened.

"I happened to learn of their next plans while in Dunwick." Ryn continued.

"Someone within their ranks is able to somehow mimic a person's identity. I'm not sure whether its shapeshifting, possession, or pure mimicry."

Maria's brows drew together. "Is that why they took that relic from the auction?"

"Yeah," Ryn confirmed. "Whoever their infiltrator is… they can't maintain their disguise indefinitely. There must be a duration restriction, or weaknesses in the transformation. That relic solves it."

Maria folded her arms slowly, gaze sinking toward her desk.

"So they extend their disguise just long enough…" she murmured.

"To walk into the Hero Ceremony," Ryn finished, "and replace someone important."

Maria's eyes snapped up.

"You're saying they intend to infiltrate the Ceremony itself."

"Their intention," Ryn said, tone dropping, "is to cripple the soon-to-be Hero. Fritz Calder."

Maria froze.

Then she tapped the table lightly—once, twice—thinking rapidly.

"…How do you know that?"

"During Deimos. One of their administrator slipped. They were "nipping buds", that's why Amelia was a target.

"The Flame Queen, huh."

Ryn nodded once. "Exactly. And Fritz? He's the biggest 'bud' of them all. If they can stop the Hero from awakening, or worse, replace him. They don't just nip a bud, the uproot the entire forest."

"Hmm…I somewhat get the big picture…but how does that relate to you choosing Jay over the admin?"

Ryn didn't hesitate this time.

"Because of his blessing."

Maria blinked. "Jay's? Isn't it [Mixologist]?"

Ryn leaned forward slightly, tapping the table.

"It's an S-Rank Blessing. Jay doesn't know it yet, but there's one field that he would excel without question."

Maria's expression shifted, curiosity overtaking calculation.

"Alchemy."

Ryn nodded.

"The blessing doesn't look like much now. But if we invest in him now…He'll become the Kingdom's most important figure, without a doubt."

Maria's fingers drummed lightly on her desk.

"So saving Jay wasn't sentiment," she said. "It was strategy."

Ryn nodded.

"And necessary."

Maria leaned back, thoughtful.

"Hmm…so what's your next move, Ryn?"

He sat back, bandages pulling faintly across his ribs.

"I promised Amelia to be at Raias in about a week's time. Before the Hero Ceremony."

"But," he continued. "I'm gonna make a detour before that."

Maria blinked. "…What? Shouldn't you be rushing to the capital to warn them?"

Ryn shook his head. "That's Sera's job. She has more status than me—they're far more likely to listen to her."

He gave a small, crooked smirk.

"Remember, I'm just the mediocre Arctis child."

Maria rolled her eyes lightly. "Right…"

Then, raising a brow, she asked:

"And what exactly are you planning to do?"

"I'm going to make something," Ryn said. "Something that'll let me keep up when the real threats start moving."

"Make what?" Maria asked, wary but curious.

"An artifact," Ryn said simply. "One that requires a certain…master alchemist."

Maria almost choked on her drink.

"You're taking Jay?"

Ryn nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Yeah."

Maria set her cup down a little too firmly. "Ryn, he's sixteen."

"I'm aware," he smirked. "Gotta get experience from somewhere, right?"

She sighed but otherwise didn't complain.

But then her expression shifted, more serious.

"Ryn," she said, "if everything you've told me is true…This is a conflict way bigger than we've ever seen."

Maria stepped around her desk, standing in front of him.

"I'll be in Raias as well," she said. "The Ceremony is under the Church's jurisdiction, and if Evernight intends to infiltrate it, then I have both the authority and the obligation to intervene."

Ryn raised a brow. "You're coming personally?"

Maria nodded once.

"My brother is the Pope after all."

Ryn pushed himself up slightly in his chair.

"So we're allies now?"

Maria extended a hand.

"Allies," she confirmed. "With clear objectives. You grow stronger, I handle the situation before you arrive—sound good?"

Ryn stared at her hand for a moment.

Then he took it.

Her grip was firm, deliberate.

Ryn rose from the chair, grabbing his coat.

"Then let's put the plan in motion."

***

Jay sat on the edge of his bed when Ryn entered. He had light bruises but nothing that was life-threatening.

His sister clung to his side, refusing to let go even in sleep. The younger boy who'd been taken with them rested on another cot, wrapped in blankets.

Jay looked up instantly as Ryn entered.

Despite the bruises, he straightened his back.

"Ryn," he said quickly. "I'm fine. Really. You don't have to worry."

Ryn's gaze softened.

"You shouldn't have to say that."

Jay looked away.

"What happened to you today wasn't your fault," he said.

Ryn approached and crouched slightly so they were eye level.

"Jay… you're much more important and valuable than you think—

and so are those two."

Jay's throat bobbed. "Important… how?" His voice was barely above a whisper.

Ryn didn't answer immediately. He let the silence sit, let Jay breathe.

Instead, he asked, "Jay. Do you trust me?"

Jay nodded without hesitation. "Of course."

"Good." Ryn took a breath. "Because I need your help with something important. I'm leaving Lumen soon, but before that… I'm taking a short detour. And I want you to come with me."

Jay stared at him.

"…Me?"

"Yeah," Ryn said. "Just you."

"Is it dangerous?" he whispered.

Ryn glanced away, hesitation written plainly across his face.

"It will be…" he admitted softly. "Depending on how lucky we get."

Jay blinked—confused, overwhelmed.

"I can't fight," he murmured. "I can't wield a sword, and I'm not brave like you."

"You don't need a sword to be valuable," Ryn replied. "There are things only you can do. And things only I can do."

He held Jay's gaze.

"So there's no need to beat yourself over it."

Jay looked up at him, searching.

Ryn offered a small smile.

Jay returned one back, but hesitation flickered in his eyes as he looked toward his younger sister. Her grip on his sleeve tightened even in sleep.

"…Will she be safe?" he asked quietly.

Ryn nodded.

"They'll be employed at the Arctis residence, if that's the answer you're looking for."

Jay breathed out—shaky, but steadier than before.

"…Then I'll go," he said.

Ryn's smile grew, warm but proud.

"Good. We leave tomorrow morning."

He left the room in a hurried walk. Slinging his coat over himself, Ryn had to organize his plans again.

The Cult was moving faster. Far faster than he ever anticipated.

Which meant… he had to get stronger. Much stronger. And fast.

And there was only one place he could do that—a centennial floating island that appeared only when the sun struck the heavens at the perfect angle.

The Isle of the Lost.

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