The moon had climbed higher, painting the world in silver. The Calder family sat in silence, the strange vehicle hummed as it sped across the open plains.
Mrs. Calder hesitated, clutching Mira close.
"Wh–where are you taking us?" she finally managed.
Kazuki turned his head slightly, his eyes reflecting the moonlight.
"Somewhere the High Arcanum can never reach."
The family fell silent again, the steady hum of the engine swallowing their fear.
Then, a faint buzzing broke the silence.
"Kazuki, Ruka, we're reading a shift in Arcana near your region. Over." The voice crackled from the dashboard.
Mr. Calder flinched. "Wha—there's someone in there?"
Kazuki calmly lifted a small box from the dashboard and held it near his mouth.
"Eidolons? Over."
Buzz.
"Possibly. Over."
"Understood. Over and out."
Kazuki set the box back down.
The Calders exchanged bewildered looks.
"Eidolons…?" Mrs. Calder whispered, her fingers trembling.
Mr. Calder's eyes widened in sudden realization.
"Wait—this area…" He leaned forward, voice trembling. "We're heading straight into Eidolon territory!"
Kazuki glanced back. "You've been here before?"
"Yes," Mr. Calder said, tightening his grip on the seat. "The Kingdom stationed me here years ago… on a hunt."
His voice grew sharp. "We should turn back—take a different route!"
"Calm down." Ruka smirked, eyes fixed on the dark horizon. "A few Eidolons won't stop us."
She tilted her head toward Kazuki. "Not when we've got him."
Mr. Calder settled back, confused yet wary.
The road stretched endlessly into the dark woods, the hum of the vehicle the only sound between them.
An hour passed. Nothing stirred.
Mr. Calder finally exhaled. "Thank goodness…"
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Kazuki's eyes snapped open, sharp and alert.
"They're here."
The air inside the carriage turned tense in an instant.
Kazuki rolled down the window, cold night air rushing in. "Ruka, what's the read?"
Ruka's eyes snapped between the road and the glowing dial on the dashboard. Her hands tightened on the wheel, every muscle coiled for action.
"Grade Three!" Ruka barked, eyes fixed on the road. "Jeez, look for yourself—I'm driving!"
Mr. Calder stiffened. "Wh—Young man, what are you—"
"Shh!" Ruka snapped. "Let him handle it."
THUM!!
A violent tremor ripped through the ground ahead. Dust billowed up, trees shuddered, birds scattered into the violet sky.
Kazuki leaned halfway out the window, the wind whipping through his hair. A faint, deep-violet aura flickered to life around him.
He stepped fully onto the moving frame—standing straight, as if the rushing air itself bore his weight.
THUM!!
The second quake hit—closer, heavier.
"Floor it," Kazuki said evenly.
Ruka grinned. "Alright!"
The vehicle roared forward, cutting through the forest path.
Branches blurred past—
—and then, with a roar that split the night, a massive hand burst through the trees, swiping toward them.
Kazuki shot forward, his body a streak of darkness. The wind cracked behind him. As he neared the colossal limb, he swiped his hands.
Lines of darkness rained down like a storm of blades, carving through the giant's hand in an instant.
The dismembered pieces crashed through the forest canopy.
Ruka's eyes narrowed. "Hold tight!"
Kazuki tore through the air, his violet aura trailing behind like smoke. Below, Ruka maneuvered through the falling debris, the vehicle veered and twisted, slipping cleanly between the falling debris, guided by impossible reflexes.
Another quake.
CRASH!!
A second arm burst from the treeline, sweeping upward.
Kazuki unfurled his aura and shot higher, the wind spiraling beneath his boots.
From above, the creature finally revealed itself — an Eidolon, towering nearly twenty meters tall, its body plated in stone and sinew, its silhouette resembling a horned beast.
In the moonlight, its eyes burned with Arcana's shimmer.
Its severed stump pulsed, veins of light crawling across the wound. Slowly it began to regenerate.
Kazuki's eyes narrowed.
There's the core.
He blitzed forward, weaving through the swinging arms, his aura flickering with each near miss.
When he closed the distance, his aura vanished — and he latched onto the creature's chest, one hand pressed against its flesh.
"Rupture."
A low hum filled the air, followed by a sound like tearing silk.
SHRRRR!!!
Darkness tore through the Eidolon's body in countless slashing lines. Its massive frame convulsed, hollowed from within.
As its body cracked open, a radiant glow spilled forth — a Core, a gleaming crystal of pure Arcana, pulsing like a heartbeat.
Kazuki ripped it free with one hand.
The light faded.
The Eidolon's body stilled — and collapsed, thunder echoing through the forest.
Kazuki stood atop the Eidolon as its massive form dissolved into pure Arcana. Wisps of light coiled upward, vanishing into the air. He examined the core left behind—an Arcane Crystal, no larger than a palm, pulsing faintly.
Too dense for a Grade Three, he thought, eyes narrowing.
He glanced toward the speeding vehicle, then vanished in a flash of darkness.
Inside, the Calders were still catching their breath.
"Will he be okay?!" Mr. Calder asked, voice trembling.
Ruka shrugged, unfazed. "He's fine. Just a Grade Three."
"Just a Grade Three?!" Mr. Calder's eyes widened. "It takes a whole platoon and three Sacrivars to bring one down!"
Ruka grinned, keeping her eyes on the road. "Not for us."
Mr. Calder stiffened, eyes wide.
"Are you people… Sacrivars?" he asked, voice trembling.
Ruka rolled her eyes, leaning back slightly. "Something like that. Though, honestly? Never liked the name."
Mr. Calder's jaw tightened. "...But still! He shouldn't be facing an Eidolon alone!"
Thunk!
Something landed on the roof. The Calders flinched.
"Oh, he's back," Ruka said casually.
Kazuki climbed in through the open window, calm as ever.
"Nice work out there!" Ruka called over her shoulder.
Kazuki slid back into his seat, the night air still clinging to him. He held up the crystal between two fingers — it glowed faintly, dense with energy.
"Are you sure this was Grade Three?"
"I told you to look for yourself," Ruka shot back. "I'm driving!"
Kazuki turned the crystal, studying the pulsing light within. "This feels too dense for a Grade Three."
Ruka shrugged. "Well, human imagination's a powerful thing."
The Calders watched in stunned silence. That young man had just torn a Grade Three Eidolon apart — and now sat there, calmly inspecting its core as if it were a gemstone.
"Papa, that man is… super strong!" Mira clung tightly to her father.
"Huh?" Mr. Calder blinked, glancing down at her.
"I felt it! When he was fighting that big monster, the hums… it was amazing!"
Ruka raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Oh? She's still young, but she noticed that?"
Mira's eyes sparkled.
"This one's interesting, huh, Kaz?" Ruka asked, looking at him.
Kazuki paid no mind. He reached into a compartment behind him and pulled out a stack of blankets.
"Here. We'll be there by dawn."
The family accepted the blankets, their hands brushing the soft fabric, still in awe.
"Rest," Kazuki said, settling back into his seat.
The low hum of the mysterious vehicle carried the family into a deep, dreamlike sleep. They traveled farther than any man would dare to search for the lost or the missing, farther than even their own memories could reach.
When the first rays of sunlight spilled into the valley, the vehicle slowed to a halt.
The Calders stirred, blinking against the golden glow. Before them, an immense gate towered like a sentinel of another world. Officers in gleaming uniforms waved as the gates began to swing open.
Kazuki's violet eyes flicked toward the family, calm and steady.
"Welcome," he said, his voice quiet yet commanding, "to The Sanctuary."
The gates groaned as they opened, revealing a city that seemed alive with warmth and promise. Farmlands stretched in neat rows, workshops hummed with creation, and spires glimmered faintly, as if catching a light that did not belong entirely to the sun.
Through the windows, the Calders gazed in awe. Children ran along cobblestone streets, laughter ringing like bells in the morning air. Streams of light danced across the surfaces of fountains, and delicate motes of Arcana shimmered faintly above the marketplace, invisible to most, yet perceptible to those who felt the pulse of magic in the world.
The vehicle wound its way past the fields and market, each turn revealing new marvels: a tree whose leaves glowed faintly with stored Arcana, a smith hammering a blade that sparkled like molten starlight, and a field of flowers that seemed to sway as though breathing.
Finally, they reached the Administration Office. The building wasn't grand, yet welcoming. Its doors were carved with patterns that seemed to shift when you weren't looking directly at them.
Kazuki turned to them.
"Now," he said, voice calm and sure. "Let's get you settled. Find a home, find work… and begin anew."
Ruka stretched and yawned. "Alright, Kaz. I'm heading back," she said, giving them a small smile before driving away.
Mr. and Mrs. Calder clutched each other's hands, their eyes wide.
"Thank you… very much," they whispered, awe and relief tangled in their voices.
They spent the next hour filling out paperwork, the bureaucratic rhythm strangely grounding after the chaos of the past night. Once completed, Kazuki led them toward their new home—a pre-built house paired with fertile land, meticulously prepared.
"This, is your new home," he said, his voice calm, yet carrying the weight of authority.
The Calders stared in disbelief. The house was sturdy, beautiful in its simplicity; the land stretched rich and green, a promise of life and growth. Every detail spoke of care, of citizens who had prepared it with thoughtfulness and skill.
Mr. Calder hesitated, his hands fidgeting. "Young man… you're not doing this for free… are you?"
Kazuki met his gaze, eyes softening slightly. "Of course not," he replied. "You will work. Provide for The Sanctuary."
Mrs. Calder clutched Mira close, her eyes searching Kazuki's. "And Mira?"
Kazuki's gaze flicked toward the girl, then back to the parents.
"When she is of age…" He paused, letting the words hang.
The Calders stiffened, hearts clenching.
"She gets to choose," Kazuki continued.
Mr. Calder's brow furrowed, confusion and hope warring in his expression.
"Live and work with you here," Kazuki gestured to the sprawling home and fields.
"Or," he motioned toward the towering structure at the heart of The Sanctuary—the Academy, its spires scraping the sky, bright with promise,
"Learn the world."
A glimmer of light, of freedom, passed through their eyes. Choice. A rare, precious gift—one they hadn't thought possible in so long.
Mira looked up, wide-eyed, the smallest smile curling her lips. Her hands unconsciously fisted around her parents'. The tension in the air softened, replaced with a fragile hope.
Kazuki stepped back, letting them take it all in—the house, the land, the life that awaited them.
"Master Kazuki!" a cheerful voice called down the street.
The Dorrin family approached, smiling warmly.
"It's been a while! How have you been?" Mr. Dorrin greeted, stepping forward. Mrs. Dorrin bowed slightly, holding their son's hand. Mira, shy, pressed herself behind her mother, peeking curiously at the boy her age.
"Never better," Kazuki replied simply.
"Master…?" Mr. Calder murmured, eyes wide.
Mr. Dorrin noticed and leaned closer with a small smile. "Yes, yes. He's one of The Sanctuary's Thirteen Founders."
"Huh?! This young man?" Mr. Calder exclaimed, pointing, bewilderment written across his face.
"He's not that young, you know," Mr. Dorrin whispered with a chuckle. "It's probably one of the Thirteen's magic, though."
Mr. Calder tilted his head, still unsure.
"Anyway," Mr. Dorrin continued, turning to the Calders, "you must be our new neighbors! Nice to meet you."
"Yes," Kazuki interjected, stepping forward. "Mr. Calder, meet the Dorrins. Mr. Dorrin, these are the Calders."
"You'll love it here, Mr. Calder," Mr. Dorrin said, smiling warmly.
"Life is much better than in the Kingdom. And there's a school for your daughter, too." He gestured gently toward Mira, who still clung behind her mother.
Kazuki's expression softened just a fraction, a quiet acknowledgment of the family's relief.
"Mr. Dorrin, would you mind showing the Calders around?" he asked.
"Of course! Come, let me introduce you to everyone. And maybe we'll drop by the Tavern later," Mr. Dorrin added cheerfully.
"Uh… yeah… thank you," Mr. Calder said, still a little awed but relieved.
Kazuki watched as the families strolled down the road, their laughter and chatter mingling with the morning breeze. He let out a tired exhale, his shoulders sagging ever so slightly.
His mind drifted back to the envoys.
If only we had come a day sooner…
The thought lingered, heavy yet fleeting. Shaking it off, he turned, his steps carrying him back toward the Academy, the morning light catching the edges of his dark cloak.