Wein Arcveil
Wein stopped and descended the stairs toward the carriage. He turned around and immediately approached Loraine slowly after seeing how exhausted she looked and hearing her call his name.
Loraine, now closer, gradually came to a stop. Her eyes stared at the ground, and her arms hung limply from fatigue. Yet she kept walking, even if slowly, like the snow beginning to fall above them.
Wein approached, concerned. Both his hands were ready to catch Loraine at any moment if necessary. The girl, staggering forward, eventually lost her balance and fell forward.
Thankfully, Wein caught the white-haired girl before she hit the ground, holding her as her face landed against his chest.
Wein used both hands to steady Loraine by the shoulders, keeping her from collapsing. Her face was nestled into Wein Arcveil's chest.
For a few seconds, they didn't speak—until a single snowflake landed gently on Loraine's back, prompting her to finally speak up.
"Loraine, what's wrong?" he asked softly, his eyes gazing at the crown of her beautiful, though slightly disheveled, hair. A few drops of sweat had begun to form on her neck.
She merely moved her head slightly, brushing against Wein, and tried to speak, though her voice was muffled by how close she was to him.
"I'm fine," Loraine murmured. She quickly lifted her face from Wein's chest and took a small step back, looking up into his eyes—just as another snowflake fell beside them.
"Wein…" she looked at him again. He offered a faint smile, but the creases in his brow and cheeks betrayed the concern he felt for her.
"What is it?" he asked gently.
"Can I stay at the Arcveil estate for a week?" she asked.
Without hesitation, Wein immediately answered with confidence, not even bothering to think about what Chintya Badveil might say.
"Of course," he said without a second thought. "It's almost nightfall, and the snow is already starting. Let's go up," he continued.
Loraine, who had been prepared for rejection and whose heart had been pounding rapidly, felt her tension slowly melt away. The exhaustion and frustration gave way to relief and joy.
"Thank you…" she whispered, barely audible, before following Wein. As they approached the Arcveil family's horse-drawn carriage, the snowfall grew heavier.
What had once been a single flake became hundreds, falling to the ground. Snow covered their surroundings, obscuring the view until they finally entered the Arcveil carriage.
"Sorry for the wait. We can go now," Wein called out gently to the coachman, his tone full of care. Loraine leaned back slightly, taking in a deeper breath after running all the way from the upper floors.
Wein pulled out his pocket watch and checked the time—it was 17:54, the sun soon to set.
---
Lucas Lordmurt
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" he screamed madly inside a cavern, laughing like a lunatic without reason, as if standing in the middle of the street.
"Everyone, get ready! In a few days, we'll wipe them all out!" He laughed maniacally again, even more deranged than before.
Lucas moved toward a luxurious and majestic throne radiating prestige, walking closer once he noticed someone sitting upon it.
The cave, vast and jagged, had several large stones suitable for habitation, with campfires scattered around and torches placed for illumination.
Yet it wasn't enough to light up the massive chamber. The spiky ceiling and uneven lighting cast eerie shadows that only made the space feel more dreadful once Lucas sat down.
Like a king of darkness—or perhaps darkness itself—yet he couldn't truly be called the king of darkness. Lucas approached and, with trembling lips, finally spoke.
"Your Majesty, wh-when will we begin the assault?" His voice quivered, his eyes unable to meet the figure's gaze, his body instinctively recoiling, despite how powerful he had felt moments before.
"Fool!" the figure snapped.
"You laugh too loudly and speak too loudly in a room like this. I thought you had more control, you lowly human creature," the voice growled sharply.
"I'm sorry! Forgive me… I didn't mean to…" Suddenly, all the flames in the chamber went out. True darkness enveloped the space, and a chill wind brushing the nape of Lucas's neck made him shiver.
Footsteps echoed and the sound of a blade unsheathing grew louder, freezing him in place. He couldn't move—paralyzed by terror and completely helpless.
After several seconds, the flames reignited—but the throne and the figure had vanished from sight. Lucas frantically looked around.
No one else was there except the soldiers they had brought. Lucas felt foolish for having bowed to that being out of fear.
He then cursed, spitting every profanity he could think of, and muttered bitterly, "Greedy bastard. You think I'm scared of you?"
---
Wein Arcveil
"I couldn't go to CyFil because of an unpredictable storm and tornado. They say it's already claimed many lives, so I have to wait a few weeks," Loraine shared a part of the story with Wein.
"That's terrible. Is your family safe?"
"Probably, but I'm not sure."
Wein chuckled at her oddly phrased response. Loraine looked at him before turning her face toward the carriage window.
"Wein! Look at the snow," she said happily, pointing toward the city street that had begun to get covered in snow, the sun nearly set.
"Maybe winter in Aetheris won't be so bad for me—CyFil doesn't get much snow, only a little," she added, leaning back against her seat.
"You know… there's an aurora at night during winter in Aetheris," said Wein. He thought she'd know, but was surprised by her reaction.
"Really? I've never spent a winter here," she said, wide-eyed with wonder, then spoke again, softly, "Would you… like to see it with me later?"
Wein smiled. His heart beat a little faster, and he nodded several times in quiet agreement. Soon, they passed through the center of Aetheris City—almost at the Arcveil estate.
The sky darkened, and the moon was about to rise. Snow continued to fall and slowly covered the road, promising future troubles.
Each flake was uniquely detailed, remarkable in shape despite its small size.
Finally, they arrived at the Arcveil estate. The gate opened automatically, revealing a long path lined with flowers—though not quite blooming in the current season.
"It's so beautiful," Loraine whispered to herself, her eyes shining as she looked at the snow-covered flowers and grass. She even shed a few tears before quietly wiping them away.