Seth sighed. "I didn't expect to find you all here."

  "Not my fault, mate," Devus said, throwing his hands up defensively. "They threatened to stop helping me with classes if I didn't let them in."

  Elena glanced at the Guardian then shook her head. "You know I wouldn't actually do that."

  "You looked quite serious, though," Devus countered, grinning.

  "Can we see him?" Jenna interrupted, ignoring their banter as she leaned forward, eyes shining.

  Seth hesitated. '' he said to Nightmare through Link.

  '' the direwolf grumbled as he moved himself out of the necklace, materializing in the middle of the room.

  "On Gaia's name,he's huge!" Jenna exclaimed, before slowly sliding off the bed and approaching the beast with cautious steps. She crouched down, extending a trembling hand toward the direwolf's sleek black fur. "Can I... pet him?"

  Seth looked at Nightmare, then the direwolf let out a low growl, yet still nodded.

  "He understands us!?" Jenna blurted out.

  Before Seth could answer, Nightmare gave another curt nod.

  Elena’s gaze narrowed slightly as she studied the direwolf for an instant before turning to Seth. "How did you even make a contract if he can’t talk? And why would he accept someone weaker?"

  "I saved him when he was a pup," Seth answered, repeating the explanation he’d given to the Champions of Chaos' members. "Then I simply pushed the contract’s aether toward him."

  "So, you basically took advantage of a child's innocence," Elena said, arching an eyebrow.

  '' the direwolf laughed through their bond.

  ''

  Jenna gently ran her fingers through the thick fur on Nightmare's neck. "I've never been this close to an arcane beast before," she whispered, a smile lighting up her face. "My father was always so strict about keeping me away from the wild. He always said they were just monsters, but..." She looked into Nightmare's red eyes. "He's not a monster at all."

  Nightmare stared past Jenna at the crimson-haired noble sitting on the bed.

  Seth sighed internally.

  "So," Jenna said, looking up at Seth. "Why did you keep him a secret for so long?"

  "For the Rising Stars Tournament at Oskon at the end of the year," Seth explained. "He thought they would forbid arcane beasts if they found out about it before my first fight."

  "Oh, shit!" Devus blurted out, slapping his leg. "That's brilliant! Every fight’d be two against one! And Nightmare? That’s a badass name."Jenna stood up, her brow furrowing slightly. "I don't know..." she muttered, looking conflicting. "I mean, it's amazing for you to have a contracted beast, Seth, really. But... do you think fighting with him is actually fair?"

  Devus shrugged. "Neither is having Two-Tiered spells like Elena, Lucius, Brandon, Silvius, or Theodore. Life ain't fair."

  "It’s different," Jenna argued, crossing her arms. "Those are spells. It comes from their own power. Bringing a direwolf into the arena... it feels like bringing a second person to fight your battles. It’s an external advantage."

  Seth clenched his jaw slightly. Link was also his spell. Without it, there was no bond. It was magic, plain and simple. But he couldn't tell them that.

  Instead, he offered a dry smile. "I find it funny how 'fairness' only becomes an issue when a commoner finds an edge instead of the spoiled nob—"

  Seth abruptly stopped as Elena's emerald eyes moved from Nightmare and locked into his. They had agreed last month that he’d cut back on the degrading comments about nobles, and not lump them all in the same basket, and in return, she’d help him whenever they studied together with Jenna and Devus.

  "In my opinion it's fair," Seth corrected himself before sitting next to Devus. "He’s part of my identity as a Wielder. If I become a Tamer and have three contracted beasts, I don't see why I shouldn’t be able to compete in a tournament or the Tower Trial with them. That’s just a class advantage. Like powerful spells and absurd defense for Cryomancers and Crusaders."

  Jenna hesitated, probably thinking it over. She looked at Nightmare again, who was now resting his head on his paws, looking bored. "I guess so," she murmured. "But anyway, that's a long time from now."

  A heavy silence gradually settled over the room, and Seth glanced at all three of them—they clearly had the same question burning in their minds, but no one dared to voice it. Finally, Jenna spoke up again, "So… what did Director Ryehill say? Is he… kicking you out because of those… accidents?"

  "No. Not for now, at least," Seth answered with a sigh. "He wasn't particularly thrilled about having me here, but in the end, we reached a compromise."

  Devus tilted his head to the side. "Which is?"

  "I’ll leave for a month so things cool down with the Seralp House… hopefully.”

  "How are you going to keep up with your classes as you do?" Elena asked, concern etched into her face. "And what if they come after you while you’re not here?"

  "I don't know. I’ll just… study even harder, I guess," Seth answered. "And that's the whole point. The academy won't have to deal with my mess."

  "That's a terrible idea," the noble muttered. "If you don't get killed beforehand, you’ll just fail the finals and get expelled anyway.”

  Devus shook his head. "That's right, mate. You barely passed the last exams, even with my… well, I guess it was mostly Elena’s help."

  "I had to find a solution," Seth said, looking at all three of them. "It was either this or getting kicked out today."

  Jenna pressed her lips together, her features now having softened. "When are you supposed to leave?"

  "Now, basically,” Seth answered, pointing at his large leather bag on the floor while standing up. "I just came by to grab everything I’ve packed.”

  Almost instantly, Devus sprung on his feet and opened his arms, going for a hug—but Seth warded him off and laughed. "Relax, Dev. I'm only going to be gone for a month."

  "Fine," Devus grumbled, settling for a handshake instead. "But you better not die, mate."

  "I won’t." Seth then turned to the two young women and gave them a small wave. "See you all in a month."

  Elena nodded and beside her, Jenna managed a small, reluctant smile. "Make sure to come back in one piece, okay? I don’t want to lose my sparring partner."

  "Worst-case scenario, I can replace him," Devus said, puffing his chest.

  Jenna let out a heavy sigh. "Great. I look forward to fighting a walking fortress."

  "Oh, come on," the Guardian retorted. "It isn’t bad."

  "Yes, it is."

  Seth watched them banter for a moment before moving Nightmare back into the necklace and leaving the room with a final farewell, his bow and large leather bag slung on his back.

  '' Nightmare said from within the necklace as Seth went down the dorm tower’s stair. ''

  Seth shook his head. ''

  '' Nightmare retorted. ''

  ''

  But despite Seth’s dry response, a thrill of excitement coursed beneath his skin. A whole month of Rift Diving—this was the perfect opportunity to grow stronger. He had to survive if the Seralp House sent people to kill him.

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  As Seth arrived at the main entrance and began making his way through the academy's garden, quick of footsteps echoed behind him.

  "Seth!"

  He turned to see Elena striding toward him, her crimson hair swirling around her face in the soft breeze. Reaching him, she took a deep breath, then extended her hand—clutched in her delicate fingers was a clear crystal orb.

  "Here," she said, giving him the artifact. "It's a communication orb. If you’re in trouble, use it to contact me. I’ll get my father to send someone to help as soon as possible."

  Seth blinked and stared at the crystal for long seconds, unsure how to process receiving a gift. "Uh, thanks… but why would you do that?"

  Elena hesitated for a moment. "Jenna’s never been great at making friends. I don't want her to lose one of the few she’s made."

  "But I don’t plan on dying anytime soon," Seth answered, a smile tugging at his lips.

  The noblewoman rolled her emerald eyes. "Oh, just take the orb, would you?"

  "Fine," Seth chuckled, slipping the crystal ball in his pocket.

  "It doesn’t cost anything other than aether to use, but it’s still expensive," Elena said, crossing her arms. "So don’t send anything silly, or I’ll take it back."

  "Alright. Nothing silly."

  "Also," Elena added, her voice lowering slightly as she glanced around. "My father will be sending a formal letter to House Seralp tomorrow regarding the territory disputes. He’s going to… discreetly inform them that our House has an interest in your well-being."

  Seth raised an eyebrow. "He'd do that for me?"

  "He's doing it for me," Elena answered. "If the Seralps think our House has your back, they might decide it’s not worth the political headache to keep hunting you on top of everything else."

  Seth looked at her. Even if he couldn’t fully grasp the weight of the gesture, he knew it was a major favor—one that put part of her House’s reputation on the line for a commoner.

  "Thank you, Elena. Really."

  "It's nothing."

  They both stared at each other for a brief instant, then Elena nodded at him. "You should go before another Seralp sees you."

  "Yeah, you're right," Seth said, nodding back. "Take care."

  "You too," Elena mumbled before briskly turning on her heel.

  Seth watched her heading back to the academy's entrance, her hair trailing gracefully behind her like some kind of shimmering banner.

  '' Nightmare said through their bond. ''

  '' Seth sighed as Elena's figure grew smaller in the distance. ''

  '. '

  ''' '

  Seth made his way through the academy's garden and the Trogan's bustling streets before finally finding himself in front of the Champions of Chaos' building next to the Adventurers Guild's outpost. Since he couldn't ask Celine questions about Rifts, he figured either that blond archer, Lyria, or another combat-Wielders might be able to help.

  Drawing a deep breath in, he pushed the door open and stepped inside. In an instant, his eyes scanned the main hall, finding only two people: Yline the blacksmith in the corner, her hammer ringing out a steady beat, sweat beading on her brow, and Toren at the table in the back, a mug in front of him.

  Yline looked up from her work, and her face lit up instantly. "Hey, kid!"

  Turning toward him, Toren raised his mug and smiled. "Evening, newbie! Fancy an ale?"

  “No thanks, sir.” Seth answered, shaking his head. "Are there any combat-Wielders around?"

  Yline frowned. "No. Everything okay? Something happened?"

  "There was… another incident, ma'am," Seth answered, running a hand over his neck. "The cousin of the noble I accidentally killed attacked me in the cafeteria."

  "That’s not surprising, sadly," Yline grumbled, her cheerful expression disappearing. "Think they’re going to expel you for fighting back?"

  Seth shook his head. "No. Not for now, at least. I convinced the director to let me take a month off to Rift Dive, so things either cool down or I get attacked outside the academy's wall."

  "Oh, yeah, it should be fine," Toren said. "Reat told Orwen to send them a message personally. Reckoned it should scare the shit out of them. But yeah, it's a good thing he didn't expel you. With the mandatory military service and all that stuff... that would have been a nightmare."

  The man then turned to Yline with a slight grin. "See? That Ryehill guy isn't so bad after all."

  "Oh, shut up, Tor," the Blacksmith spat, shooting the Artificer a glare. "That man is a shameful bastard."

  Seth’s brow furrowed. "Why?"

  "He offered me half the usual price for my Silver weapons," Yline answered. "And had the nerve to say it was a offer."

  Toren snickered into his mug. "So, naturally, she told him to shove those coins up his as—"

  "No, I told him that his offer was an insult to my craft!" Yline cut in, wagging her index. "It was only he disagreed that I suggested he find a more… suitable place for his money. That's completely different. He insulted me first, Tor."

  "If you say so," Toren replied, grinning while taking a sip of ale. "You still said that to one of the Great Houses’ heads."

  "The head. And he won't do shit because of Orwen," Yline grumbled, walking over to Toren before snatching his mug and downing the rest of its content.

  "My ale!"

  "Shush!" the woman said before turning to Seth. "But that’s different for you. It might work for the Seralps but stronger Houses know Orwen won't raid them if they kill you. You can't go around saying stuff like that."

  Seth zipped his mouth with his finger. "Understood, ma’am. No insults to any Houses’ heads."

  "For now," Yline added, sitting down and gesturing to him to do the same. "If you prove your worth, Orwen will make sure touches you either. "

  Seth nodded, taking a seat at the table while considering the woman's words. "Mister… Orwen must be powerful to make the Houses so afraid of him."

  "He is," Toren answered, getting up to refill his mug behind the counter in the back. "Orwen’s probably one of the five strongest Gold Wielders in the whole country. He’s been at the cap for six years and has five Gold spells, one of them’s even Epic."

  Seth’s eyes widened. "Are Epic spells much rarer at higher Tier?"

  "You have no idea," the Artificer answered. "You can't buy them here in Kastal because of… restrictions; your best bet to get one outside of the black market is lucking out through a spell-shard."

  Spell-shards… Ever since that first time Professor Reat had mentioned them in class, Seth had read about them many times in the library. These special beaststones, found almost exclusively inside Rifts, held the power to engrave a spell inside the Well of whoever shattered them in their palm: a curious mix between spell-scrolls and Revelations.

  For many, they also represented an addictive gamble. Adventurers could entrust their precious spell-shards to a Scribe and roll the dice—there was a fifty-fifty chance the Scribe would either destroy the thing or successfully transfer its content into a random amount of spell-scrolls. The outcome was dictated more on luck than talent according to Professor Reat.

  "How many beasts do you have to kill to get a spell-shard?" Seth asked, thinking about all the Ghouls and Undead Boreal Wolves he’d slain back in the cave.

  "Depends on the Rift," Toren answered, taking a sip of his fresh ale. "The greater the danger, the more beasts are forced to adapt to survive. That increases the chances of them doing something extraordinary with their Path—and forming a spell-shard instead of a regular stone. I'd say one about one every two hundred beasts in a Rift have one. They're rare, but not rare."

  Seth nodded. "I see. I'll keep that in mind."

  "You know which Rift you'll dive into?" Yline asked.

  "Yes, ma’am. A Platinum one near my village," Seth answered, remembering the Rifts' map on the second floor of the adventurers’ outpost. He could still see the platinum-colored circle drawn deep in the Wicked Forest, near Sunatown. It was likely why his father had built the town there in the first place. "I’ll stay near the border to hunt Copper and Iron beasts, and if I’m in trouble, I’ll use my Escape scroll."

  Toren grimaced. "That's a idea. Fighting one Iron beast at a time in a Platinum Rift is pretty much impossible. Even the border will be swarmed with them."

  "And that doesn’t even take into account the odds of running into Silver and Gold beasts," Yline added. "You should go for a Silver Rift. You’ll mostly encounter Coppers at the border, and if you go deeper, you'll easily find Irons.”

  "Oh, I didn’t know." Seth glanced down at his arms. The whole point of going to that Rift was to stop by Sunatown to see Mael, Renwal, Marcus, and the others. He still didn’t have the twenty iron coins for the Healing Prism, but if the blacksmith saw that Seth was getting closer it would probably be great.

  Toren swallowed a mouthful of his drink. "What's the closest city to your town?"

  "Arthuri."

  A smile appeared on both the Artificer’s and the Blacksmith's faces as they exchanged a glance. "That… explains a lot," Toren said.

  "There's probably a few Silver ones near Arthuri," Yline said, standing up and going back to the smith station in the corner. "You should ask Celine about them. She’ll definitely know which one would be the best."

  Seth’s face twisted with embarrassment. "Celine has no idea I'm going Rift Diving, ma’am."

  "Why not?"

  "She… well, she thinks I’ll die," Seth answered with a sigh. "She doesn't know about my Tenebrous Direwolf."

  "As if we would let our new recruit die." Toren chuckled, then raised his chin up and turned to the blacksmith. "Let's give him his welcome gift."

  Bending down, Yline pulled out a linen bag from a drawer, and after walking over to them, dropped it on the table in front of Seth. "Here. These should help you a little."

  Seth plunged his hand into the bag and pulled out a belt with a sleek silver strap and a blue buckle, its side featuring two glass chambers. There was also inside a perfectly crafted peer ring covered with runes. How many times had he eyed that belt in the shop of the outpost? Wasting no time, he channeled aether into Identify.

  "I… thank you," Seth mumbled, turning the ring over in his fingers. With this, he could escape most threats—and unlike Marcus' Agility Potion, it wasn't a one-time use. "But why give me something like this? What if I die in the Rift and you lose them forever?"

  "Well, Copper gear isn’t worth much for us, kid," Toren answered with a wink. "But it’d still be nice if you don't break them, or get killed. My son’s about to reach seventeen. They could be useful to him if he awakens a combat class."

  Seth gave the Artificer a grateful bow. "I'll make sure to bring them back intact."

  he thought.

  '' Nightmare said, his excitement vibrating through their bond. ''

  Seth slid the ring on his index finger and tucked away the belt in his leather bag while fighting back the urge to grin. ''

  January 15, 2026 (8h30PM ET)

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