Sunless Reglard jolted upright, his heart thudding like a fist against glass.
He sat still for a moment, the quiet hum of morning seeping into his half-lit room. The faint rustle of the curtains, the smell of ink and metal, the low coo of the city pigeons outside all reminders that the world had begun moving long before he did.
Then, from the open window, came a burst of laughter bright, unrestrained, and unbearably smug.
Tori.
Sunless exhaled through his nose, his lips twisting into a grimace. The stench of sweat drifted in on the wind heavy, almost physical. His brother must have been training since dawn again.
"Disgusting," he muttered.
He stumbled out of bed, pulling on his uniform with one hand while brushing his teeth with the other a picture of reluctant efficiency. Beatrice, perched neatly on the edge of his desk, observed his struggle with an expression that could only be described as amusement. Her whiskers twitched; the corners of her mouth curled ever so slightly upward.
Sunless caught her gaze in the mirror and frowned. "Don't look at me like that."
She tilted her head, unbothered.
Most people found Beatrice unsettling. They didn't know what to make of a creature that resembled a miniature fox with magenta markings beneath her eyes, two small black horns peeking from her head, and fur as white as snow fading to pink at her ears and tail. Her eyes a luminous magenta shimmered faintly in the light, as if reflecting some unseen constellation.
To Sunless, though, she was beautiful. Strange, yes. But beautiful in a way that defied language.
He remembered the day they met as clearly as a memory carved in stone. He had been five, playing adventurer with Tori, when a careless step sent him tumbling down into a narrow cave. The air had been damp and cold, the walls slick with something ancient. Lost, frightened, and crying, he had stumbled upon an egg large, iridescent, wrapped in a cloth unlike anything woven by human hands.
It had cracked open before his eyes.
A tiny creature emerged, trembling, curious, and afraid. He had reached out through his tears, and the creature had pressed its head against his palm. For hours, they had sat there together, bound by silence and wonder.
He had named her Bea. Later, Beatrice.
Then the system itself had spoken.
[The Unnamed Creature is interested in forming a Companion Contract with You. Do you accept?]
He hadn't understood the words, not really. But he had pressed yes without hesitation.
He was five. That was reason enough.
Even now, twelve years later, he didn't fully understand what that contract meant. Only that Beatrice had never left his side since.
"Argh, Tori, get in the shower first you reek," Sunless called, wrinkling his nose.
Tori's laughter came again, unbothered, full of confidence that bordered on arrogance. He disappeared down the hall, leaving behind the smell of effort and victory.
Sunless turned toward the window. Beyond the training field, the walls of the Layer of Beginning rose like an unbroken horizon, gray and vast. Humanity's first prison, disguised as safety.
He and Tori had sworn to break through it one day. To reach the higher Layers whatever lay beyond.
But first… Academy.
The day passed as most did training, lectures, repetition.
Sword drills until his arms trembled. Stamina runs until his lungs burned. Mana refinement until the air shimmered faintly around his fingers.
Authority training came easily to him. Too easily, some said. Tori, on the other hand, still hadn't Awakened his Authority. Seventeen, and still waiting. They called him delayed.
Sunless didn't believe that.
He suspected the truth was simpler that power, real power, took time to wake.
Three months remained before their journey began.
"Boys, lunch!"
Their mother's voice carried from the kitchen, warm and grounding.
Tori launched himself at the sandwiches as though he hadn't eaten in days. "Ahhh," he groaned, exaggerated and dramatic.
Sunless rolled his eyes and joined him, half-smiling despite himself.
"Okay, Sunless," Tori said between mouthfuls, "what's the plan after we leave?"
"We'll have to travel outside Aspin," Sunless replied, leaning back in his chair. "Licensing exams are held at the outer checkpoints. The trial's called King of the Hill One post, one flag, ten minutes of survival. Then the physical exam and the monster slaying test."
Tori grinned, a flash of gold in his eyes. "Sounds easy enough."
Their mother looked at them then quiet, steady. Her eyes said what her lips didn't: Be careful.
Their father's voice broke the moment. "Tori! Up for a spar?"
"Sure you wanna go, old man?"
Laughter followed the clash of steel.
Sunless stayed behind, turning his focus to practice switching between weapons, refining his stance. His Authority responded to each command, fluid and obedient, a whisper of power just beneath his skin.
While he was training however a famillar face was soon directly in front of his.
Mica.
His childhood best friend.
"Still training again?" She said with a smug face pulling him into a bear hug.
"Ugh let me go." Sunless said pulling her off as usual.
"Aw don't give me that you can't see how cute you childhood friend is? Other guys would die for a hug from me."
Sunless side eyed her before responding to her previous statement completely ignoring the one she just made.
"Yeah you know we have to get stronger!"
"Yeah I know that's all you guys talk about."
She walked inside the house Beatrice hopping on her shoulder.
By nightfall, exhaustion had claimed them both.
Morning came again, swift and unrelenting.
School was… tolerable. He'd never liked the noise, but he couldn't deny the draw of certain lectures particularly Mr. Klark's.
The man spoke of rune stones as if speaking of gods crystallized fragments of Authority, remnants of fallen heroes. Of ancient mana beasts that guarded them. Of Primordial Observers beings beyond mortality who watched the world's stories unfold like plays.
"You can only become one," Klark had said softly, "when your story ends when even death acknowledges your name."
Sunless had written that down, too.
He wasn't sure why.
Maybe because some part of him wanted to be seen even by something that lived beyond the Layers.
Even if his story was one of misfortune.
Weeks slipped by, blurred by routine and anticipation. One month remained before their departure.
Tori stood in the academy courtyard, lost in thought. The future was close enough to touch.
Then crunch.
He looked down.
He'd stepped on someone's shoe.
Silence spread through the courtyard like a stain.
It was Issac heir to a noble line, the strongest student in the academy. His emerald eyes narrowed with contempt.
"Well," he said softly, "go on. Kneel. Lick the dirt you've put there."
Tori met his gaze.
Golden light flickered faintly in his eyes.
He did not move.