"What are you doing here, Leyla?"
"What do you mean, what am I doing here? I can come home anytime I want. And who are you to question me, huh?" she shot back, clearly annoyed.
"Even though I was happy to see you, you're still an ass, aren't you, Vynn?"
This is my sister, Leyla Zane. She has a very strong personality and a terrible sense of humour. She's always made my life difficult—ever since we were children.
She loved playing harmful pranks on me. Once, she gave me a cake with an explosive inside. I was so happy when I saw that chocolate cake, and the moment I leaned forward to take a bite, she detonated it and burst out laughing.
She has long blonde hair and jade‑pale skin. Her face is sharp, her light green eyes taken straight from our mother. She has a mark on her back.
For some reason, everyone in our family has a mark on their back except for my mother. All my siblings bear that same black mark, its strange symbol something I've never understood. A family crest, I suppose.
"I mean, why did you come here? Don't you have orders on the border?" I asked.
"No. I was given a month's break. I've been on the border nonstop. He said I should relax a bit and, for some reason, my unit agreed," she answered, still looking slightly confused.
"Yeah, maybe your bad humour might be the reason," I muttered with a grim smile.
"What did you say, you brat?" She lunged forward, grabbed me by the collar, and lifted me clean off the floor. She's tall—about six feet—and she used every inch of that height advantage.
"Want to say it again, huh?"
"LEYLA ZANE, would you mind putting Vynn down?"
Suddenly, the room temperature dropped to freezing. A chill crept along my skin. My sister started to sweat and slowly looked over her shoulder.
"O‑of course, Mo—Mother. Here, Vynn. Did you get hurt?" she asked, setting me down a little too quickly.
"No, I suppose. Haha…" I laughed weakly as she tried to ease the tension.
"Vynn, come sit down. You too, Leyla," my mother said calmly. Her tone was gentle, but it carried the command of a general. "I assume you have something to say to Vynn as well."
"Yeah," Leyla replied.
We went to the main living room. I sat in one chair, my mother sat across from me, and my sister took the seat at my side.
"Sera, could you bring us some drinks?"
"Of course, my lady"
"So, Vynn, how was the academy today?" Her voice was calm, but there was something in it—like she was asking more than just about my day.
"It was fine, Mother. For some reason, the Threadspire event has been pushed forward. It's going to be held next month. That's why I was even more surprised to see my sister here."
"So they've announced it," she said quietly. "Your sister has come home under my order to your big brother. As you know, Threadspire has been brought forward. I recalled your sister so you can train with her."
"WHAT? You want me to train with this impeccable piece of shi—" I choked on the sentence, shocked by the very idea of training with my sister.
"Language, Vynn," my mother said sharply.
"Sorry. But why do I have to train with my sister?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm even as I objected.
"Well, who do you think is better suited to train your physical Thread than your sister? She's mastered physical Threads. Or did you think Threadspire would be easy? You'll die as you are now."
Her words slid into me like a hot knife.
She was right.
Threadspire is my only hope to advance my Vessel. If I fail, I'll be stuck forever. This might be my only chance to gain a new Vessel and finally surpass my threadling status.
"Don't worry, Vynn. If you want to be truly awakened, then go with your sister. And Leyla," my mother added, giving her a pointed, sarcastic smile, "no more pranks on him. He's grown up now."
"Of course, Mother. You don't have to worry about him. I'll make him a proper soldier by the end of our training. He'll be ready to face Threadspire," she replied in the same playful‑serious tone.
Oh no. They're in this together.
"Vynn, be prepared. We're going on an adventure to train you," Leyla announced. "Don't worry—I'll protect you and train you well. You're my one and only little brother, after all."
I sighed, tension tightening my chest.
Oh no. What am I going to do? I can only hope for the best, I guess.
As I tried to organize my thoughts, Sera arrived with tea and informed us dinner would be ready soon.
Argh. I know she can train me well, but I can't stand her personality. Still, if I want to become stronger, I have to take this trip. Otherwise, I'll lose my chance in the upcoming Threadspire—and I might die.
Those were my last thoughts as I watched the moon and finally drifted off to sleep.
****
The next morning, in the kingdom of Vaylen, I woke earlier than usual. Still groggy, I sat up in bed and gathered my thoughts, eyes searching the room for my shirt.
I slipped it on and pulled open the window.
The sun was just beginning to rise, its faint rays catching my face—one half bathed in light, the other swallowed by shadow.
If you looked closely, the kingdom seemed prosperous. Its colours and marble reflected its royal lineage: golden‑yellow hair, pale skin, and those white eyes they all took pride in.
If you looked deeper, it also symbolized the Goddess of Life and Light. In Vaylen, the most prosperous and widely followed religion is that of the goddess of life and light.
I wonder how this religion started and what it's truly trying to establish. Maybe I should visit the monastery one day. Mother has never taken me there—not once. Not me, not any of my siblings.
The monastery does a lot of good for the people, but no one knows its history or how it came to be. Maybe it was just lost to time.
Suddenly, the door burst open with a loud crash, as if something had been slammed into the wall. The sound rattled me.
A big wooden box slid into my room.
I moved to grab it, but my instincts screamed, and I dove back just as the box exploded in a flash.
"Hahaha! Oh man, I really thought you weren't awake. It would've been so much more hilarious then!" Leyla cackled.
I scowled and pointed a finger at her. "What the hell are you doing, Leyla?!"
Leyla shrugged, a mischievous grin plastered on her face. "I just wanted to make sure you were up. Too bad I was late. It would've been perfect if I'd woken you the way I used to when you were little."
"You think I don't know that? That's exactly why I woke up earlier than usual. Bad luck for you—I won." I let out a laugh, one that bordered on villainous mockery.
"Oh, did you really win? I wonder about that," she said.
A chill ran down my spine.
"What did you do? Tell me," I demanded.
"Just wait a minute. You'll see."
Footsteps echoed down the hallway, growing closer. The person who stepped into my room made my posture stiffen.
It was Sera.
She stopped in the doorway, taking in the wreckage of my room. Her expression shifted from shock to pure fury.
"I didn't do this, it was Leyla!" I pointed straight at my sister—but it was already too late. She'd fled the room the instant Sera appeared.
"Get. Out," Sera said, frustration thick in her voice.
I followed her order and went to bathe. After washing up, I headed down to the living room, where Mother sat sipping tea by the fireplace.
The table beside her was decorated with flowers in a tall vase, their colours glowing softly in the firelight. She looked up as I approached, her gaze softening as she gestured for me to join her.
I moved quietly and sat by her side.
For a while, neither of us spoke. The only sound was the steady crackle of the fire. Warmth seeped into my bones, pushing away the chill from earlier.
We sat in that gentle silence until my mother finally spoke, her voice low but clear.
"You know, Vynn… the only thing I ever regret is not giving birth to you."
She paused, turning her cup slowly in her hands.
"You were so small when I found you," she said. "You looked up at me with those black eyes of yours, as if you could see straight into my soul. I took you in. Made you part of our family. I truly feel you're my own son."
She hesitated. The firelight flickered over her face, and an unexplainable sadness passed through her eyes.
"If you'd been born into this family, maybe your destiny would have been different. Maybe you would've had a better Vessel. But all I really want… is for you to survive in this world, even if one day I can't be here with you.
Don't think you're powerless just because you were born with a weak Vessel. I truly believe in you."
She paused, then added softly:
"After all, you are my son."
The flames popped gently in the hearth, the warmth more comforting than ever.
I glanced at my mother. Her words settled inside me, heavy and hopeful at the same time.
For a moment, I didn't need to answer. Just being there, sharing that quiet with her, felt enough. I understood what she meant.
But understanding won't matter; it doesn't change anything.
It doesn't change me.
Leyla came in, breaking the silence.
"Oh? What are you two talking about?" she asked.
"Nothing," my mother replied gently. "I was just saying my goodbyes to Vynn. Leyla, teach him well. Go on now—be on your way. I'll be here, waiting to see your progress, Vynn."