"And you'd be right. That's from a rather primitive realm near the center of the Twilight Sea. The people there worshipped this symbol as a means of protection and guidance, though I didn't learn much more about it than that," Vauv said with a knowing smirk.
"It vaguely reminds me of the symbolism from the Church of Mideia in Kavrass, but it's a bit different than what I'm used to," Bernar said, coming closer to inspect it as well. "Perhaps he influenced that realm, too?" Ysevel wondered. "Either that, or maybe this was their way of showing their defiance toward him," Mom added from a few meters ahead.
What a weird way to protest, I thought with a shake of my head as I followed behind the others.
We eventually made it to our new rooms. Ysevel and I shared one, while Mom and Bernar had their own. I admit, I did feel a little bad that Leona couldn't come here for Bernar, but I was never going to admit that to him.
It's not like he's not always keeping an eye on her through the Wraith realm, anyway, I mentally chuckled as I got into the training gear set out for us on the bed.
The room was sizable, at least two or even three times that of mine in Codrean, but I figured that was mostly due to their size in human form, rather than an ode to extravagance. The light beige walls and deep turquoise and gold highlights that ran along the corners of the room did little to justify my earlier assumption.
"No, it's definitely extravagant, alright. A room like this would cost a literal fortune, even in Caegwen," Ysevel said, having followed along with my inner thoughts. "True, but if so few are allowed to come to Polarion, why even bother having guest rooms?" I wondered as I slipped into the black-and-red training attire that stood out sharply against the rest of the room's colors.
"Because these were made the moment you crossed the threshold," an unfamiliar, booming voice came from the doorway. I quickly turned to face whoever it was, and surprising no one; he was a tall man with long, wavy dark hair and flaming eyes. His features were sharp and keen, as if he'd been somehow carved out of pure marble with a sharp knife.
His black and red robes flowed snugly over a well-built frame and broad shoulders, reaching to his ankles. There was a heavy air about him, but even without telling me his name, we seemingly already knew who it was.
"Lord Karthus," Ysevel and I said in unison, offering him a deep bow of respect. "There is no need for that here, you two. It has come to my attention that the granddaughter of one of my oldest friends is here, as well as the one my mate has decided to share her blood with. You are as close to family as you can get without being born in Polarion," he said with a thin-lipped smile before stepping further into the room.
He stood about a half-head taller than Erumon, but his presence grew increasingly heavy the closer he got. When he was about a meter away from us, I felt myself starting to wonder if I could withstand his unhindered pressure.
"It is an honor to finally meet you, Young Ysevel. Ryfon has not been able to keep his mouth shut about how proud he is of you," Karthus said with a subtle nod. "I-It's an honor to meet you as well, Lord Karthus," she replied with a slight stutter, which I found through our connection was more out of confusion regarding the compliment rather than fear.
He then shifted his gaze toward me and flared the mana in his eyes just enough for me to notice.
He's searching me for something, I thought, recognizing the feeling I'd had when in the presence of the Eyes, but exactly what he was looking for, I didn't know.
"So you are the one who challenged their judgment. I must say, I was not expecting you to be so young," he said with a pleased look. "I would have thought someone with that level of defiance would have been a little older, or perhaps more weathered, if you understand my meaning," he continued.
"I'm sure they thought the same thing, but I wasn't about to let my best friend die a meaningless death, no matter the cost to my own wellbeing, lord," I said with a slight dip of my head. "And that attitude is precisely why Ryfon and I decided to bring you here," Karthus nodded solemnly, but I could only stare at him with mild confusion.
"Dragons are a prideful race. Many of them believe their will is absolute and should not be questioned, particularly those who serve as the Eyes of the Twilight Sea," he began, pacing back and forth with his hands behind his back. I'd noticed his footsteps didn't make a single sound as he moved, letting me know he was far more skilled than perhaps even Syldir.
"However, when their will is challenged, they will often resort to more extreme measures. Threats, impossible choices, or even annihilation are frequently the order of the day. The fact that you were able to stand your ground and fight for what you knew to be the right answer is exactly what this realm needs," he continued, finally halting his pacing right in front of me.
Needless to say, I was stunned by his words.
Before I could even fully form a reply, he held up a hand to stop me. "Do not worry. I will ensure you have the skills to back up your bravado, though I pray you will not have to use them while staying here as my guest," he said, closing his eyes momentarily. "Do you think I would have to?" I asked, feeling a slight twist in my stomach.
"Again, prideful," he said flatly with a dismissive shrug.
This told me a number of things. The first was that there was a chance one of them might come looking to take their anger out on me. The second was that the moment I left the confines of this tower, there would be a bright and shiny target painted on my back.
Fuuuuuck, I caught myself mentally sighing.
"Please refrain from using profanities from your homeland here. It will not do you well, especially not if you want to truly embody the role of a dragonling. We believe that while they have their place, it is unbecoming for one of our kind to use them in our homes. Do your best to remember that," he said with a slight dip of his head.
I could tell he didn't have any anger behind his words, but my own ignorance and lack of insight into their culture made my face flush a bright shade of red.
"I will do my best, lord," I bowed, earning me a light, nasal chuckle. "It seems Kanarin will have a much easier time training you than I had anticipated. Come, they are waiting for you," he said with a subtle gesture for us to follow him.
Ysevel, of course, stifled a giggle the moment he turned around. Nice going, she sent me with a slight nudge. Yeaaah, yeah, I know, I smirked, having only slightly forgotten some of her lessons during our time in the dome.
We retraced our steps back down the hall and past the strange cross once more. After crossing the breadth of the main hall, we made our way down another hallway where more strange artifacts were held. Some were simple, mundane objects, like a handheld mirror of polished metal, while others were complex and ever-changing in shape and size.
Needless to say, I did my best not to stop and examine each one, but made a mental note of the more interesting ones to study at a later date.
Eventually, however, we made it to a courtyard where the tiled floor was vaguely reminiscent of the floor in Kalia's dome, but this one seemed to be much more advanced in its construction. There were little to no spaces between the tiles, while the markings on the ground were only faintly visible. The surrounding area, however, held pillars with pale mana stones embedded within them, reminding me of the dwarven technology that housed the orb of Leech mana.
The sky above us was clear, and the full brunt of Polarion's twin suns was upon us, but it never seemed to be warmer than an average spring morning. Standing at the center of the circular courtyard, of course, were Vauv and Kanarin; her white and golden robes gently reflecting the sunlight she appeared to be basking in.
"Are you as excited as I am?" Bernar said from my right, having come out of another doorway, following Mom and Syldir. "Of course I am. I want to see just how much of a gap there is between us… if any," I grinned, getting a scoff in return. "We'll see about that," he smirked.
"I've seen him fight for over a decade, Bernar. I wouldn't be so brazenly confident anymore. Who knows? Maybe even I've surpassed you," Ysevel said with a prideful huff, causing my mom, of all people, to snicker quietly.
Thanks for the support, I sent her with a wink. Oh, please. I couldn't let him get too full of himself, only to be embarrassed a moment later, she replied, but what she said made me raise an eyebrow. See those pillars? I'm pretty sure they'll activate a dome much like the one we trained with Kalia in, only much more intense. Be ready for that, my love, she said.
Insightful as ever. Thanks for the heads up, I sent with a subtle nod.
"Oh, Lady Kanarin, they're here!" I heard Vauv say with no small amount of excitement in her tone. Kanarin slowly opened her eyes and smiled briefly before suddenly raising an eyebrow at us. "Karthus, must you dress them in such dour clothing? Not everyone shares your love of the melancholic," she said, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"Kanarin, you know those are the colors of my clan," Karthus said tiredly. "Yes, I am well aware, but for all intents and purposes, they are under my tutelage. I would see to it that their attire reflected that," she said with a slight huff.
Prideful, Ysevel noted with a smirk, forcing me to hide my own.
"As you wish, Lady Kanarin," Syldir said, snapping her fingers to replace our black and red robes with colors that matched Kanarin's. "There, that's much better. Thank you, my dearest pupil," Kanarin said with a warm smile, shocking the rest of us with her playful use of the term that held much more meaning than I'd initially realized.
Syldir, however, merely bowed and proceeded to take Karthus by the arm to lead him away. His mild frustration was evident, but it seemed he knew better than to argue any further.
He was once her pupil, too, you know, she sent me subtly, but didn't offer much more information than that. That explains a lot, I sent back, trying my best to stifle a chuckle.
"Come closer, I would have a few words with you before we begin," Kanarin gestured with a single hand to the ground in front of her. A strange, nostalgic feeling came over me as Bernar and I rushed to the tiles about a meter or two in front of her. Mom and Ysevel moved in alongside us, and like children on their first day of lessons, we waited for her instructions.
"First, let me say that it is a pleasure to see you all again. When Ryfon told me of his plan for you four, I was surprised to hear his very own granddaughter would be in attendance. It is an honor to be your instructor, Lady Ysevel," she said with a dip of her head.
"Thank you, Headmaster. The honor is mine," Ysevel returned with a bow, to which Kanarin smiled. "However, that does not mean that I will treat you any differently. You will undergo the same training as the other three, though I have noticed you have not yet attained the fifth stage. Is there a reason for that?" she asked plainly and without judgment.
Ysevel's lips thinned in consideration. "I suppose it's merely due to the fact that our homeland has been under perpetual assault from otherworldly invaders since I attained the fourth stage. The fifth, I'm told, is one that requires the utmost concentration to obtain, something I have not had the luxury of in light of my mother's perpetual attempts at either marrying me off to some high-born, or my sneaking off to train with Siraye," she admitted, surprising Vauv the most out of all of us.
"I see. Well, if there were ever a time to reach it, I think now would be a good time," Kanarin said flatly, prompting our eyes to widen in genuine surprise.