For the next three days, Maeve acted differently. She didn’t lash out or act cold. If anything, she continued teaching Rhys just as seriously as before. Her explanations were clear, her demonstrations precise, and she never once complained. On the surface, nothing had changed. But Rhys could feel it. Her attention lingered on him longer than usual, her gaze sharper, more alert. It wasn’t hostility. It felt closer to vigilance, like she was constantly on guard for something… or someone. Most likely, Skylar. Rhys sat by the window one afternoon, flipping through the mission details Skylar had given him. His eyes moved across the page, but his mind was elsewhere. Gaelion, who had been watching him for a while, finally spoke up. “What’s going on with you? You’ve been off these past few days. Don’t tell me this is about that girl. I thought the two of you were getting along just fine.” Rhys didn’t answer immediately. He stared out the window, watching the faint movement of l

The journey that should have taken several hours was over in just one. By the time they arrived, Rhys was bent slightly forward, one hand pressed against his chest as he tried to steady his breathing. He looked like he might throw up at any moment. "That was too fast." “You’ll get used to it,” Skylar replied, though her attention had already shifted to the village ahead. The moment they stepped closer, her expression tightened. Rhys narrowed his eyes as he took in the surroundings. Judging from the number of houses, there should have been close to a hundred families living here. But the place felt empty. Not a single person was out in the open. “Are there still people here?” “There are,” Skylar said quietly, nodding toward a few windows. Behind them, faint movement gave away the presence of those hiding inside. “What should we do?” Rhys asked. Skylar stepped forward and raised her voice so it carried across the quiet village. “I am Skylar Harold from the Valaris Academy. I’m

“Alright then,” Skylar said after a moment, studying Rhys. “What’s your first move?” Rhys lifted a finger as if he had already settled on it. “I need a familiar to scout.” Skylar tilted her head. “The hole? If we are going inside, we should go in prepared. Everyone together, supplies ready, torches, everything.” Rhys shook his head. “Not inside yet. I want to check the surroundings first. There might be clues the villagers never noticed. They have been hiding indoors, so they would not have explored far.” He called out softly, and Gaelion appeared beside him. “I will send him.” “What?” Skylar blinked. Rhys continued without hesitation. “Your sense of smell is sharp. Find anything strange around here. Even if they hide their tracks, they cannot hide scent.” Gaelion gave a low hum. “That should be easy enough. I already sense that annoying dog’s presence nearby.” Rhys smirked slightly. “Good. How far can you go?” Gaelion answered with a question instead. “How far do you want m

“There are a lot of them,” Gaelion said with a smirk, clearly itching for a fight. “I’ll take eight. You handle the rest.” Anubis gave him a sidelong look, unimpressed. “You think too highly of yourself. Eight is mine.” “What? I can handle nine without breaking a sweat.” “Then I will take ten.” Rhys felt his patience snap a little. “You do remember I’m standing right here, don’t you?” Neither of them paid him any attention. Their argument only grew louder, each trying to outdo the other. “I’ll take sixteen.” “There are only fifteen. You’re an idiot.” The Abyssals did not care about their bickering. After recovering from Skylar’s earlier strike, they rushed forward again, their attention fixed on the three of them. “Enough,” Rhys cut in, raising his voice. “Five each. Take them down first, then help if needed.” The two familiars shot each other a glare, but they did not argue further. With a low snort, they split off, each choosing their targets. Rhys exhaled and moved forwar

“That’s…” Rhys drew in a sharp breath after seeing what Anubis had just done. “What?” Anubis tilted his head, confused by the reaction. “Nothing,” Rhys replied, shaking his head. Still, the moment stayed with him. That brief exchange had already sparked an idea in his mind. The Abyssal came again, its blade stretching to nearly three meters as it carved through the trees in its path. Gaelion met it head-on, striking the blade with full force while Anubis wrapped it tightly, halting its movement. Gaelion tried to force the weapon downward, hoping to drag the creature’s body along with it and throw it off balance. The Abyssal caught on immediately. It pulled the blade back and shifted the mass of its body, splitting it into two separate blades instead of one. Gaelion lunged forward without hesitation. With Anubis already in position, he allowed one of the blades to strike his left side. Blood spilled, but he endured it. Using all his strength, he blocked the other arm and sank h