AUTHOR'S POV
Cassian Damascus, Supreme Director of the Sovereign Arsenal, sat alone in his office situated in the Kingdom of Solaris.
He rested back in his high-backed swivel chair, turned slightly toward the windows that overlooked the vast weapon-manufacturing complex below. Conveyor belts moved in precise rhythms. Molten metal glowed like captured fire. Hundreds of workers and machines labored in perfect coordination—an empire of steel and invention that had made Cassian unimaginably rich, and even more powerful.
There had been a time when this sight filled him with pride. When watching the Arsenal at work felt like witnessing his own legacy being forged.
Not anymore.
These days, there was only one thing he wanted.
His son.
Reone.
And that, it seemed, was the one thing beyond his reach—beyond money, beyond influence, beyond command. No contract could buy reconciliation.
Cassian closed his eyes and released a slow, rueful sigh.
He knew that the distance between him and his son was his fault. He had been a terrible father to him, and now he was paying the price.
Despite knowing that he deserved the pain, Cassian still couldn't help but wish that life gave him another chance to be a good father to Reone, that Reone himself would give him another chance.
The office doors burst open as he was still thinking.
Cassian spun sharply in his chair to face the unwelcome intruder who had interrupted his important thoughts.
"Sir!" his secretary called, her voice urgent—too urgent.
Cassian's gaze hardened. "What is the meaning of this?" he demanded, a frown creasing his brow.
She immediately dipped her head, eyes fixed on the floor.
"E-excuse me for the sudden intrusion, sir. But what I have to tell you is very urgent, or I wouldn't have disturbed you," she said, her voice trembling despite her effort to sound composed.
"And what," Cassian asked coolly, "could possibly be so urgent?"
He wasn't worried. After all, he was Cassian Damascus. There were few problems in this world that had ever dared to stand before him.
The secretary swallowed.
"Sir… word has reached us that the King of the Echian was attacked during his wedding ceremony. And during the attack—"
She didn't finish.
Cassian surged to his feet so abruptly that the chair rolled back with a sharp scrape. His heart thudded heavily in his chest, already sensing the path this news was taking.
"Is my son alright?" he demanded, urgency cracking through his voice despite his attempt at control.
The secretary seemed to shrink in on herself. Slowly—far too slowly—she shook her head.
"That is still unknown, sir," she said softly. "After your son pursued the attacker through a portal, all contact with him was lost."
The words hit like a physical blow.
Cassian sank back into his chair, stunned, the world momentarily hollowed out around him.
"But it's not all bad news, sir. There is another with him, Lyrian Mercer,the famous singer herself if you can believe it,"the Secretary said in an awed tone. She was a big fan of Lyrian.
Realing that this wasnt helping in making her boss feel better, she cleared her throat and became serious again.
"I'm also told that a team has volunteered to look for them—his friends, " the assistant said in an optimistic tone that did little for Cassian's terrified state.
He pressed his lips together in worry.
Reone had followed a dangerous attacker… into an unknown location,and the only person he had for backup was...a singer? And as if that wasn't disastrous enough, the people who had gone to save them weren't even professionals, but their friends.
Cassian exhaled loudly,deeply concerned.
He knew that Reone was a highly skilled soldier, but the world out there was a vicious place.It could rip easily rip the strongest individuals apart.
The thought that something could happen to Reone before Cassian could make things right with him made its way into Cassian's mind. He immediately blinked away the unwelcome image.
It couldn't happen—no matter what.
Cassian decided that he had to take matters into his own hands, do something. But what?
For the first time in years, he found his mind racing without direction. Strategies formed and collapsed just as quickly. He knew that his influence could only reach so far.
For once, when it really mattered, there was no solution he could immediately grasp.
His son was missing.
And he had no idea how to fix it.
"What do I do, Reone?How do I help you? " he said, his voice edged with worry and regret.
Cassian brought both hands to his head, fingers digging into his temples, just clueless.
"I'm sorry, sir," the secretary said gently. "Is there something I can do… ?"
"Yes."
Cassian lifted his head. His expression had changed—grief still lingered, but beneath it burned something sharper: determination. His hand curled slowly into a fist.
His son's life was on the line. Defeat was not an option he could afford—not now.
"Sir?" the secretary prompted hesitantly.
"I want every resource at my disposal mobilized," Cassian said, his voice steady but charged with fierce resolve. "Call in every favor. I want everything—every detail, every rumor, every trace—about this incident.And find out the movements that his friends have made."
"Yes, sir," she said quickly, nodding.
Cassian's gaze sharpened when she showed no intention of leaving to do his bidding.
"I meant now."
Her eyes widened.
"Of course," she said at once, turning and nearly scurrying out of the room.
When the doors closed behind her, the office fell silent once more.
Cassian leaned back, allowing himself a single breath of fragile calm—but only a fraction of it.
He would not truly rest.
Not until Reone was home.
---
The ruins of the old fortress smoldered faintly behind them as Lyrian and Reone followed the cracked road north. According to the map, their next destination—the Temple of Echoes—lay beyond the dense stretch of forest ahead.
Reone stopped, spreading the worn parchment across a flat rock. "This way," he said, tracing his finger along the shortest route cutting straight through the forest. "It'll get us there quicker."
Lyrian leaned closer, frowning. "It also says here the forest is crawling with dangerous magical creatures. Maybe we should take the longer path instead—you know, the one that won't try to kill us?"
"That path would take almost twice as long," Reone replied without looking up. "If the Sisterhood and Damon reach the Temple before us, it's over. We take the shortcut."
Lyrian crossed her arms. "Right, because walking through a monster-infested forest sounds brilliant. It's not like one of us is still recovering, and the other's running on half her strength."
Reone smirked. "You're still this cheerful in the morning, huh?"
Lyrian shot him a look. "Only when I'm stuck following bad ideas so soon after breakfast."
"Why are you so worried? Didn't you say your powers are back?"
"You can only regain so much energy out here. Even magic needs proper rest and fuel. So I'm not exactly at my best—and neither are you."
Reone folded the map. "We're strong enough."
Lyrian rolled her eyes but didn't argue. As much as she hated to admit it, he was right—they couldn't afford to lose time. If the Sisterhood and Damon reached the Temple first, all their efforts would be rendered meaningless. So she followed him, hoping his confidence wasn't misplaced.
The forest wasn't as dark or eerie as she'd imagined. Shafts of golden light pierced through the canopy, catching on drifting motes of dust. Birds sang above, and for a while, the quiet almost felt peaceful.
But after that, the silence between them was daunting for Lyrian. And so she broke it first.
"You are reading that map accurately, right? I don't want us to get lost in this forest of doom."
Reone sighed loudly.Lyrian could tell her question annoyed him and he would rather walk in silence.
"I know what I'm doing, Lyrian. Maps reading isn't that hard. I've know how to do it since I was a child," he told her.
"And wholo taught you how to do that?" Lyrian followed up, just to annoy him further.
"It was my..." Reone's voice trailed off.
He had been about to tell her that it was his father when he stopped himself, remembering that the cold, unfeeling businessman was dead to him now.
"It was me. I taught myself," he lied easily.
"Uh-huh," Lyrian said in a way that told him that she didn't believe him. She then regarded him with a suspicious glance, clearly unconvinced.
Reone decided to distract her.
"So... what do you think Damon and the Sisterhood want at the Temple of Echoes?" he asked.
Lyrian shrugged, distracted. "No idea. But whatever it is, it's bad news for us."
"I wonder what part Damon plays in all this," Reone followed up seriously.
"He's a powerful wizard," Lyrian said thoughtfully. "Maybe they want to use his magic for something."
"Yeah, that sounds plausible," Reone murmured.
Lyrian looked at him with a half-smile. "You know, talking is a great way to keep our minds off the terrifying creatures lurking around us."
Reone shook his head. "Talking is also a great way to draw their attention. So from now on, we'll be travelling quietly, only speaking when we absolutely have to. The less noise, the better."
His cold tone irritated Lyrian, but she agreed anyway. After all, he was being practical—annoyingly so—but still practical.
As they walked, she couldn't help watching him. His stride was steady, his balance sure, his shoulders squared like he was marching into battle. If she didn't know better, she'd think he had made a full recovery. The thought filled her with reluctant admiration. She rolled her eyes, irritate once more that he could charm her without trying.
She reluctantly increased her pace, trying to keep up with him.
By nightfall, the forest had grown darker, its sounds deeper and stranger. When Reone finally stopped, Lyrian nearly sagged in relief.
"It's too dark to keep going," he said, scanning the clearing. "We camp here."
Lyrian leaned against a tree, trying not to look exhausted. "If we really need to," she replied.
But she was really thinking that if they'd gone any further, she might've dropped.
Reone turned to her, concern flickering across his face. "You okay?"
"Yeah," she lied. "Just need a minute to catch my breath."
Guilt pricked at Reone. He shouldn't have pushed her so hard. She wasn't a soldier like him.
But before he could speak, Lyrian caught his look. Her jaw tightened. "Oh, wipe that pity off your face. I can handle this. You do remember we trained harder than this at Arcannum, right?"
"That was two years ago," Reone said carefully.
"Are you saying I'm out of shape?"
"Of course not. Just… rusty."
"That's not much better," she said, glaring.
Reone held up his hands. "Sorry. Forget I said anything. I'll build the shelter and start a fire. You rest."
"No thanks, Reone," she said stubbornly. "I'm not a princess, so I'll pull my own weight."
"I know that," he replied evenly, "but—"
"Great. I'll go find some firewood."
"Lyrian—"
"I won't go far," she called over her shoulder.
"Just... be careful," he warned.
"I'm always careful," she yelled back, then muttered, "I'm not a dummy."
Reone sighed. "She's impossible," he muttered, rubbing a hand down his face. Then, with a reluctant smile, "But kind of perfect."
---
Lyrian stomped deeper into the woods, muttering, "Just because he's got all that soldier training, he thinks that he's stronger than me. Arrogant jerk."
She bent to gather fallen branches, forming a small pile. After a while, she straightened, hands on her hips, breathing heavily.
"Okay… maybe he did have a point," she admitted under her breath. "Not that he'll ever hear that from me."
As she turned to head back, something caught her ear—the soft murmur of running water. Curious, she followed the sound, pushing past vines and low-hanging branches until the forest opened up into a breathtaking clearing.
A waterfall cascaded down a mossy cliff, spilling into a crystal-blue pool. The air shimmered with mist and moonlight.
"Wow," Lyrian whispered.
---
Back at camp, Reone tightened the last knot on the small tent. It wasn't perfect, but it would hold. It was big enough for both of them—though he wasn't sure how she'd feel about that. Not that she had a choice about it. It was better than sleeping in the trees.
Reone didn't think things would get there, though. They'd been getting along surprisingly well—occasional arguments aside.
Speaking of which, she's been gone a while, he thought, frowning. His unease grew with every minute.
"Lyrian's fine," he muttered. "She can handle it."
But the longer he waited, the more worried he became. Finally, he grabbed his blade and followed her trail.
"Lyrian?" he whispered, careful not to draw unwanted attention.
He found the bundle of sticks she'd collected—and then nothing.
She was nowhere to be seen.
A sharp gasp echoed through the trees.
Worried, Reone's pulse jumped. "Lyrian!"
He pushed through the underbrush and stumbled into the clearing—and froze.
The waterfall glittered like silver under the moonlight. Lyrian stood at the edge of the pool, her face lit with wonder.
She turned, grinning. "Reone! Look at this place! Isn't it beautiful?"
He blinked, momentarily speechless. "Yeah… yeah, it's something."
"Seren would lose her mind if she saw this," Lyrian laughed softly. Then she looked at him, mischief sparking in her eyes. "Let's go in."
"What?" Reone asked flatly. "No. We should head back. We're too exposed out here."
"Come on. Don't tell me you don't want to wash off the last two days' worth of dirt and grime."
He hesitated. She wasn't wrong.
"You know you want to," she teased, tilting her head.
He opened his mouth to protest, but Lyrian was already slipping out of her dress until she was down to her undergarments.
He then watched entranced as she stretched her perfect little body,preparing to dive in the waterfall.
"Lyrian," he warned, trying to sound firm.
Too late. She dove into the pool with a splash, vanishing beneath the surface. Moments later, she resurfaced with a bright laugh, water glinting off her hair like strands of midnight.
"This feels amazing!" she said, spinning playfully.
Reone couldn't help smiling. She looked so alive, so carefree—it was disarming. For a moment, he forgot the mission, the map, the danger. He just watched her.
"Are you coming in or what?" she called.
He hesitated, then sighed. He did have his gauntlet on his wrist and his Spiral strapped to his leg.
"Fine. But you asked for it."
He stripped down to his trunks and jumped in, sending a huge splash her way.
"Reone!" she squealed, laughing. She retaliated with a splash of her own.
They chased each other through the water, laughter echoing off the rocks. For a moment, it was easy to forget the chaos waiting beyond the forest.
Then they stopped—too close, breathing hard, gazes locked.
Something unspoken passed between them.
They leaned in—closer, closer—
A sudden roar shook the pool. The water erupted as a massive serpent burst from the depths, scales glinting green and gold.
Lyrian's eyes widened. "Reone—"
"Get behind me," he said, his voice sharp with focus. Not that he expected her to listen.
And he was right.
Lyrian steadied herself, magic flaring in her hands. "No way."