Sora stood still, her mind racing, still searching for the right words. Then, a gentle hand settled on her right shoulder bringing her back to reality.
It was Ravessa.
"Sora," she asked, voice soft but curious, "Is anything the matter?"
Sora blinked rapidly. "Y-yes. I'm fine," she managed, the words catching in a small stutter.
The decision crystallized in an instant. Asking about Nouea's heritage would complicate things for her. Better to let it die for now.
She breathed in and out slowly and dipped into a careful bow. "It's an honor... to meet you, Noura Nuelia Draeke."
Noura blinked, visibly startled by the formality, but her surprise melted quickly into a radiant smile. "Please, call me Noura. Sora." She tilted her head, studying Sora with those luminous white pupils. "My mother spoke of you often after your first meeting. She called you difficult, but also very wise. High praise, coming from
her. I look forward to seeing both qualities for myself."
Sora returned an awkward half-smile. The praise felt genuine, even if the delivery had a slight undercurrent of playful teasing.
Sora returned an awkward half-smile, warmth creeping into her cheeks despite herself. The praise felt genuine, even if the delivery carried an undercurrent of playful teasing.
With the introductions behind them, her thoughts drifted to the rest of the guild. The Night Aegis was supposed to be an elite order—surely they would greet a new member? A welcome, a ceremony, something.
*Where could they be?*
Ravessa's knowing gaze caught hers. "You're wondering about the other knights," she said, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "They're away on a quest at present—urgent business beyond the veil. They'll return soon enough." She turned to her daughter. "Noura, please escort our newest member to her quarters."
Noura inclined her head with practiced grace. "Most certainly, Mother."
She glided toward the towering double doors they had entered through earlier, then paused and beckoned Sora with an elegant sweep of her hand.
Sora hesitated only a heartbeat. Ravessa's encouraging nod was all the reassurance she needed. She followed.
Two armored guards fell silently into step behind them as they stepped out of the citadel and into the winding streets of Eldermere.
The tension between Sora and Noura hung in the air like mist—thicker now that they were alone together, yet strangely less hostile. Every few steps, their eyes met in quick, fleeting glances: curiosity on Sora's part, quiet amusement on Noura's.
The city unfolded around them, vast and alive. Towers of pale stone veined with luminescent crystal rose into the twilight sky. Market stalls glowed with enchanted lanterns, and the murmur of voices carried on the cool evening breeze. Sora's mother had told stories of Eldermere's grandeur, but the reality was larger, older, and more breathtaking than any tale.
Minutes stretched on as they walked. The silence grew heavy.
Sora cleared her throat. Small talk seemed safer than letting the quiet fester.
"So… the knights of the Night Aegis," she began, forcing a smile that felt more like a grimace. "What are they like? Are they—strong? Kind?"
Noura laughed softly. She reached up and brushed a lock of deep auburn hair back from her face.
"We're all strong," she replied, "and most of us manage to be kind when the occasion calls for it."
Her glowing eyes slid sideways, catching Sora's. "Every knight brings a unique gift to the order—skills so exceptional they earned us the title of true warriors. My brother, for one, is… formidable in ways most people never see coming."
Sora blinked in surprise. "Y-you have a Brother?" she asked, clearly caught off guard by this revelation.
Noura gave a small, calm nod with a smile.
The realization was unsettling for Sora. Noura was already the only dark elf here and now she had a brother serving under Ravessa.
Among the dark elves, the balance of power was clear. The males left the path of destruction, stronger and far more brutal in battle. The females, though feared for their cunning and seductive nature, often worked from the shadows, empowering their kin through influence, whispers, and carefully chosen words that influenced many warriors.
Noura noticed the shift in Sora's expression, the quiet calculation behind it.
But she chose to ignore it, looking away.
"We have arrived."
They reached a secluded corner of the city, far from the homes clustered together. A single wooden house stood alone—but far larger than the one Sora had left behind in TitanForge.
Sora stared, awe washing over her. All of this. It belonged to her.
It hardly felt real.
"Would you like to go inside?" Noura asked.
Sora hesitant but excited, nodded and the two stepped through the door. The interior felt almost the same as her old home, yet it was grander. The furniture gleamed and the floors were scrubbed so clean they reflected the light.
There were no creaking sounds in each step.
Back in Titan Forge, nights had been restless. She had often wondered if she would sleep at all, especially with the sounds of intimacy drifting through the thin walls from her neighbors.
Here, the silence was absolute and just as she wanted it to be. She felt like she could hear a pin drop.
"It's perfect, isn't it?" Noura said from behind her.
Sora nodded slowly. "Y-yes… It's perfect." She turned to face her. "Thank you—"
Noura was gone, vanished as if she had never been there.
Sora blinked. The same strange disappearance had happened when they first met at the Citadel.
That was odd, she thought.
Still, she forced the thought aside. There would be time to question it later.
For now, she wanted to explore.
Everything was familiar, yet better. The grass outside her home was greener, healthier. The table was sturdy and smooth beneath her fingers, not warped and creaking like the one back in Titan Forge.
The air was clean.
No smoke. No ash.
She could breathe freely.
Her room was wide and comfortable, and even the privy chamber was spotless—no lingering stench of sweat or soot.
Then she opened the wardrobe.
Her eyes widened.
Inside hung rows of clothes—beautiful garments in fabrics she had never owned before. Many were the kind she preferred: revealing yet comfortable, designed to cling naturally to her figure.
Now she could move freely without worrying about her clothes tearing apart from overuse.
After a long bath, Sora finally sank onto the bed. She stretched out across the soft mattress and let out a quiet breath, a small smile forming on her lips.
At last.
She could chase the dreams she had lost… and grow stronger with this newfound power.
Mother… I made you proud, she thought.
Comfort slowly wrapped around her, warm and heavy, until her eyes drifted closed and sleep finally claimed her.
Deep within the depths of her mind, while sleep held her captive, Sora glimpsed a dark corner in the void of her thoughts.
From that darkness, a golden light began to emerge.
Soft at first but with time it got brighter u til it became blinding. Its intensity is so heavenly.
Sora gasped awake.
Her body jolted upright as sweat clung to her skin. Her head throbbed with a sharp ache that made her wince. The room around her lay shrouded in darkness.
Night had already fallen.
It's nightfall… already? she thought, still catching her breath.
Then, from the corner of her eye, she noticed a glow. It was a bright golden light forming in the air beside her.
Sora turned—and froze as she was greeted with something she thought she could escape.
"What? No… what the fuck?" she muttered as the message expanded.
[Training Module: SYSTEM TRAINING MODULE]
Physical Training Initiated
• Style: Basic Skill Conditioning
• Assistance: None
[TRAINING TASKS]
• Continuous Run — 20 minutes
(Stamina and leg strength)
• Weapon Honing Drill
— Strike your weapon
— Palm Strikes ×30
— Split
(Arm strength, flexibility)
• Weapon Weight Familiarization
— Carry Halberd while walking ×10 minutes
[TRAINING EFFECTS]
• Strength: Increased
• Endurance: +Moderate
• Pain Tolerance: Increased
• Fatigue: Accumulating
[WARNING]
Endurance is part of growth.
> > Begin training?