Sylas Karth and Lunara Arcanis.
Two of the twelve survivors from the eastern secret realm all those years ago — and two people who shared a deep history with both Vairon and Kaelira.
Kaelira's expression was conflicted, a mix of hatred and something far more complex.
Meilan's lips parted as if she were about to speak, but after hesitating, she chose to remain silent. Noticing her hesitation, Kaelira shifted Chayrith in her arms and gave her a half-hearted smile.
"Meilan, there is no need to overthink. If you have any questions or thoughts, voice them. You are my sister—family. You have the right to speak freely before us."
Meilan's pupils trembled. She bit her lip and turned to Vairon as if asking for his approval. He turned to face them and gave her a stiff nod. Receiving his acknowledgement, warmth spread through her chest before she took a breath.
"I do not know the whole story between the four of you, but from what I understand, Lady Arcanis was the master's fiancée in the past, correct?"
Vairon's face didn't change, but his posture subtly tensed. His hands clenched for a brief moment before relaxing again.
"That is correct."
Meilan knew she was stepping into a delicate subject, especially for Vairon, but she continued, forcing down her discomfort.
"But now she has become the wife of Sylas Karth, who is your well-known enemy. I have always wondered why she would suddenly join hands with the Aetherion Clan's greatest enemy when it was well known that she loved you. What changed when she awoke from her coma all those years ago?"
This time, Kaelira's face darkened as her hand holding Chayrith tightened subconsciously. Sensing his mother's distress, Chayrith reached up and gently stroked her cheek.
"Ma…"
Feeling her son's care and worry, Kaelira gave him a helpless smile and nuzzled his tiny nose.
But inwardly, her thoughts were a mess. She had asked herself that same question for years.
When she and Vairon had first returned from the secret realm, they were completely overwhelmed by questioning and scrutiny from their families, leaving them little time to think about anything else.
But they hadn't forgotten to ask about the others who had entered with them. Learning that only twelve people had survived shocked them—only for that shock to be replaced with elation when they heard Lunara was among them… and royal annoyance when they discovered that cockroach Sylas was also still clinging to life.
When they learned both were in comas, they decided their visit could wait until Lunara awakened. Unfortunately, Sylas was the first to awaken after a year, and his reappearance was anything but auspicious.
When the Karth Clan learned what had transpired in the secret realm, they were furious. But their fury was restrained by the rising power of the Aetherion Clan. And with the marriage of Vairon and Kaelira, the Snow-Heart Palace—one of the top powers of the Northern realm—had become one of their greatest supporters.
With all these factors combined, and considering the well-known strength of Vairon's father, the Karth Clan didn't dare make any open moves—only resorting to strikes from the shadows. But that all changed within ten years of Sylas' awakening.
Suddenly, the Karth Clan's power skyrocketed. Their forces grew at an abnormal rate, and their cultivations reached levels that shocked not only the Eastern realm but drew attention from the other realms as well.
And at the head of these strange changes… was Sylas Karth.
The young heir vanished from the public eye during this period, rarely leaving his clan's territory—until the Eastern Realm's Heaven's Prodigy Summit.
The Summit took place once every thirty years and served to determine the strongest of the younger generation. At this grand gathering, Sylas wiped the floor with everyone.
It was a devastating blowout. Not a single supreme genius of the Eastern realm could match him. His fame soared, and the prestige of the Karth Clan climbed with it.
At that time, Vairon did not participate, but when he heard the news he immediately grew suspicious. He remembered what Kaelira had told him about her final fight with Sylas in Eldrazhul, and quickly confirmed his doubts with her.
They hadn't told anyone about Sylas' changes or their suspicions—partly due to a lack of evidence, and partly due to their master's warnings.
They knew something was wrong when the Karth Clan's power suddenly surged. And now, seeing Sylas' rapid improvement, their suspicions were all but confirmed.
But whenever Vairon wanted to warn his family, Kaelira stopped him. Confused, he asked why—and her answer was:
"I don't know, but my gut and very soul are screaming that something terrible will happen if we do."
Kaelira had always possessed an abnormal sixth sense. Her intuition had saved their lives more than once, and Vairon trusted it completely. So they stayed silent.
Even when the outside world called for Vairon to challenge Sylas and mocked him as a coward, they remained unmoved. They only told their families to keep an eye on the Karth Clan and avoid rash action.
And thus the Karth and Aetherion Clans maintained this tense stalemate for twenty years.
That was… until Lunara woke from her coma.
When Kaelira heard the news, she was ecstatic. She immediately ran to Vairon and demanded he take her to visit Lunara. Even though Kaelira was heavily pregnant and they had been hiding from prying eyes, she felt it was worth the risk.
Vairon was about to agree when earth-shattering news broke:
The Arcanis and Karth Clans were joining hands in marriage.
Lunara and Sylas.
Kaelira was stunned when Vairon's mother delivered the message. Then she exploded into murderous rage, vowing to tear all five limbs from Sylas' body in graphic detail. Even while pregnant, an entire battalion from the Aetherion Clan was needed to restrain her.
Vairon reacted no better—especially since his engagement to Lunara had never been officially annulled.
He stormed Arcanis Castle and demanded to see Lunara. The full force of the Arcanis Clan mobilized to stop him, but rumors say they lasted less than three minutes before he crushed them.
His rampage only stopped when Lunara herself appeared.
As a woman of great pride, and knowing her love for him, Vairon refused to believe she agreed to this farce. Especially considering Sylas already had more than four wives, making her the fifth.
No one knew what they discussed, but Vairon flew away afterward without a word. It was said the sky turned as black as night from his rage.
Sylas openly mocked him afterward, calling him a coward and thanking him for giving up "his woman." When Vairon returned home, he locked himself in his room for months.
Kaelira was distraught—both for her husband and for Lunara, whom she had considered a friend.
Ever since, the relationship between the Aetherion and Arcanis Clans had rotted like a diseased forest—once lush and full of life, now dead and empty.
Even now, Vairon had never told Kaelira what Lunara had said. She never asked—though she knew she had the right to. She also knew Vairon and Lunara's past was complicated, a knot that still tugged at his heart even if he never spoke of it.
"I don't know what she is thinking. I don't care to know… She made her choice."
Hearing the bitter coldness in Vairon's voice, silence fell. But beneath it, Meilan sensed the helplessness and pain clinging to his heart.
Kaelira's heart ached whenever she saw her husband like this—trying to sever his feelings even though he clearly wasn't over it.
Meilan stayed silent for a moment before asking a question that made both husband and wife's eyes sharpen.
"So then… how will we treat her? As an ally? Or an enemy?"
Vairon's expression churned before he turned to Kaelira. As if expecting this, she met his gaze and smiled.
"Whatever you decide, we stand by you, husband. Just don't leave any regrets—and don't place our son in danger."
Vairon's heart trembled with guilt. He knew Kaelira had never pried into his past with Lunara, afraid to reopen wounds. But he owed it to her and his family to move forward.
Reaching this thought, his expression hardened.
"The Karth Clan is our Aetherion Clan's mortal enemy. One day, I will have Sylas Karth's head nailed to our city's walls. But Lunara… until she proves to be a threat, I will trust her. Will you two follow this selfish choice of mine?"
Meilan and Kaelira exchanged a knowing look before smiling.
Meilan: "I will follow the Master's decision. This humble maid owes everything to your grace."
Kaelira: "What kind of question is that? I made my vows on our wedding night. Together and always, Stone-face—no matter what."
Seeing the two beauties express their trust, Vairon felt the weight on his shoulders—but he smiled and nodded.
"GABA! DA!"
Even Chayrith, in a rare instance, waved his tiny fists in support.
With that resolved, they began final preparations for Chayrith's birthday.
Before they knew it, Chayrith's first birthday had arrived.