The Uninvited Guest

I need to avoid Altan in all situations. If I need to survive, lying and deceit should take the front seat. Leonardo panted, every breath a ragged effort, leaning heavily against one of the estate's colossal gate pillars.

His legs trembled faintly, muscles screaming from the sprint and the terror. Flanked by massive brick walls that extended outward, each brick seemed meticulously placed, forming a fortress-like barrier that felt more like a stronghold than a home.

"Charming reception," Leonardo rasped, the words scraped thin by exertion as he eyed the towering gates.

"Look, Leonardo," Anna interjected, still gulping air, her shoulders slumped with fatigue, "Altan would have killed us... maybe not us, but definitely you."

"That's not exactly reassuring," Leonardo shot back, his tone flat as he dragged a weary hand across his brow, wiping away the sweat.

"He rendered my shield useless like it was a twig," Kaelan grumbled, his voice dripping with frustration, disbelief.

His hands flexed, the movement slow, stiff. "I thought my defense was top-notch for my age, but then the freaking Scion of Pyre shows up."

"He's one of the five. What did you expect?" Anna replied, shrugging as if even that small motion required effort. "But you're right. He's a dragon wrath; we're ants to him, literally."

---

Meanwhile, deep within the door Altan entered, he stood alone in a room full of darkness.

A sly smile curled his lips as he imagined the others, likely now discussing him in hushed, anxious tones.

"They should be talking about me right about now," he mused aloud, his voice a soft purr of satisfaction.

"Kids are so fun to toy with." His smile widened, revealing sharp, predatory teeth as he ran his tongue over them. "I'm hungry. Wyrm should be nice..."

He paused, tilting his head slightly as if listening for something. A subtle shift in the air caught his attention.

"Sister," he whispered into the darkness, his voice carrying a mix of affection and mischief.

From the shadows, a figure emerged—Altan's sister, her presence almost ethereal in the gloom.

Her form was cloaked in darkness, only her eyes standing out, glowing eerily in the dim light. Altan's stark white eyes met her unsettlingly vivid purple ones, their gaze locking in a silent exchange.

"Oh, brother," she drawled, her voice dripping with casual indifference.

"Didn't notice you there... or maybe I did. Anyway, had fun? Big brother is looking for us outside the city," she concluded, her speech tapering off into an abrupt silence.

For a few seconds, neither of them spoke. The air between them was thick with unspoken words, an invisible tension crackling in the dimly lit room.

Then, with a sudden burst of energy, Altan shattered the silence.

"SIS!!" he shouted, rushing toward her with an exuberance that belied his earlier calm.

"It's been a week, I think. And outside the Stem again? We've been out a bit too much… are we really protecting it? Also, can I get two days first? I want to do something."

"Altan, you know it's big bro's orders. Plus, isn't it fun to hunt those demons?! Eeeee!" she squealed, her excitement almost palpable.

A purple light began to glow beneath her chest plate, mirroring the silver glow from Altan's own armor. Her voice was filled with a twisted glee, as if the thought of ripping through their enemies filled her with an almost childlike joy.

"And sure, you're free to do whatever you want, really. We have a month to prepare anyway," she added with a nonchalant wave of her hand.

As she spoke, the eerie purple light radiating from her armor and eyes gradually faded, leaving the room in near-complete darkness once more.

"A month…" Altan echoed, his grin widening into something far more sinister. His teeth gleamed menacingly in the shadows, a stark contrast to the darkness that enveloped him.

---

Back at the estate's grand entrance, Kaelan stood before the gate, his impatience growing by the second, though the set of his jaw couldn't quite hide the deep shadows under his eyes.

"Open the door, please. A year is short, and this year is also packed with erupting events. I should start as soon as possible," he insisted, his tone brooking no argument despite the tremor of residual adrenaline in his limbs as he cut into Anna and Leonardo's conversation.

"It was just a single fight, Kaelan. We weren't prepared—" Anna began, trying to offer some reassurance through her own tiredness.

"Anna, he dodged my attachment skill like it was a measly third-rate move," Kaelan interrupted, his voice laced with bitterness and a weariness that went beyond the physical.

He gestured at his now-battered attire, the remnants of his hoodie barely hanging on, his armor beyond dented and scarred from the brutal encounter.

Every scrape and bruise seemed to pulse with renewed ache.

"You're right, but—" Anna tried to respond.

"No buts. Training remains, I'm not only training for myself you know" he declared firmly, brushing past them with purpose. "Let's go, Astraea," he called over his shoulder, striding purposefully into the estate.

"And I'll still be going to the Grand Bibliotheca; I didn't forget that," he added, directing his words toward Elara, his voice losing some of its sharp edge, replaced by simple fatigue.

"Definitely," Elara agreed, her enthusiasm palpable.

As they approached the estate, the architecture stood as a testament to the grandeur of high nobility. The centerpiece was an enormous mansion, its front flanked by carved pillars that rose high into the air.

Before that, a large fountain with a few cherubs as its main design was visible, its base wide and flowing with water. They passed by large vases filled with a vibrant array of plants, the colors a blur to tired eyes.

"Leonardo, any suggestions?" Anna said, her tone a mixture of urgency and concern, rubbing at a sore spot on her arm. "I don't like the idea of whatever training Kaelan is about to commit himself to."

"...so I made an alternative plan—we'll need to read all year round!" Her smile was genuine, though her worry was evident, her own posture sagging slightly.

"Study!" Elara chimed in, her excitement for the Grand Bibliotheca clear, though it didn't quite erase the lines of tiredness around her eyes. "I can't wait to dive into the knowledge there. It's been a while, actually."

"What type of books does it hold?" Leonardo asked, trying to recall the library in Volnia, which had been filled with towering stacks of books arranged in circular staircases reaching up into the ceiling like an artistic monument.

His mind felt sluggish, struggling to grasp details. Volnia's narrative is unique in that it doesn't draw on the stories of others but instead weaves together the experiences and histories of its own people.

Each section of Volnia's chronicles is a tapestry of individual lives and contributions, reflecting how these personal stories have shaped and built the land.

"Books?" Elara responded, shaking her head, a strand of hair escaping its tie to stick damply to her temple.

"The Bibliotheca doesn't hold books in a sense. It's more like... words come to life. It's hard to explain well. We'll reach it soon, maybe tomorrow or the day after." She swayed almost imperceptibly.

"What do you mean, words?" Leonardo interjected, trying to grasp Elara's cryptic description, his brow furrowing with effort.

"Words become real—" Elara began to explain, and suddenly a barrier materialized, cutting her off and splitting the group into three segments.

"Elara!" Leonardo shouted, reaching out in vain as the barrier formed between them, the shout scraping his dry throat.

"See," Elara said with a teasing smile, "it's kinda not exactly like that." 

"It doesn't make sense!" Leonardo replied, his voice strained with confusion and exhaustion.

She continued, her tone light-hearted as she walked toward the large entrance door, which was slightly ajar. "I like my attachment skill. I'm glad Altan liked it too." Her steps were careful, measured.

As the barrier began to dissipate, Elara turned and walked through the door.

"Home!" she called out with excitement as she crossed the threshold.