"Ohh man, my fucking human died!" The voice echoed frustrated through the hollow, blue-white fire that crackled without heat.
"I literally corrupted him just a few minutes ago! Man… how is that even possible? That's such a waste of power! If this keeps happening, I'll have nothing left soon!"
A second figure peeked out of the flames, its voice annoyed, as if it had heard this monologue a hundred times already.
"Yeah and now what? Nobody cares if you die. Your only job is to corrupt humans, so we can distract the bearer of Elionis' powers so that—"
The first one immediately cut him off, irritated, mimicking a nagging teacher:
"—so that when he arrives, Ghalthuron already rules, yeah, yeah, I know…"
He rolled his eyes dramatically.
⸻
A knock.
Hard. Urgent. Like someone wasn't just announcing themselves — but trying to break the door in.
Rhuven slowly lifted his head. He took a deep breath, set his cup aside — and opened the door.
In front of him stood Saevin.
With Noen. Or rather: with a completely destroyed, squirming, half-collapsed Noen, whom he held up by the clothes like a soaked sack.
Noen's legs dangled in the air. He flailed with his fists, but they weren't real punches — only weak, powerless motions, looking more like desperate flailing than an attack.
"Rhuven," Saevin said.
He paused.A long moment. He lowered his gaze, looked directly into Noen's face — the blue eyes, the trembling lips, the burning shake in his entire body.
Then Saevin said, quiet and serious:
"He…"Another short glance downward."…is nowhere near ready for it."
Rhuven closed his eyes for a second, lightly, burdened. Almost as if he had expected exactly this.As if the outcome had always been inevitable.
Noen sucked in a sharp breath. "Ready? Ready for what?!"
His voice cracked.
He gripped Noen tighter — and simply threw him through the open door into Rhuven's home.
Noen stumbled, fell to his knees, then slid halfway across the floor. He reached out frantically for something to hold onto, found nothing.
Rhuven stood calmly by, letting Saevin handle it.
"Make sure you deal with this," Saevin said finally.
Then he turned around.
Without another word he jumped over the railing outside the door, performed an absolutely unnecessary but impressive flip down the staircase — and ran, almost gliding, up the wall until he reached the rooftops.
One last glance back, barely noticeable. Then he was gone.
Rhuven closed the door.
The dull click echoed far too loudly through the small room.
Noen was still kneeling on the floor, his breathing sharp, uneven, almost combative — as if every inhale fought against some invisible pressure. He slowly, heavily lifted his gaze up to Rhuven.
Rhuven exhaled softly. A deep, tired sound.
"Come… I'll get you something to drink. What do you want?"
Noen shook his head. Not hard. Just a small, trembling twitch.
"I want…"He swallowed. His voice was cracked, but burning with desperation. "…I want to know what I'm not ready for!"
Rhuven blinked. Slowly. He didn't look surprised — more like he'd hoped to delay that question for at least a few more minutes.
"Noen… don't you want to first have a—"
"No!" Noen snapped. "Tell me now!"
His hands trembled, his shoulders tight, his breaths too fast. It was obvious his mind and body were still completely overloaded… but he couldn't hold anything back.
Rhuven exhaled loudly.
"Okay. Come. Sit down."
He helped Noen up gently, as if afraid the slightest force might knock him over again. Then he led him to the armchair — the same one Rhuven had sat in last time.
Noen dropped into it.He was sitting, but not a single muscle looked relaxed. His legs tight, his hands clasped, his eyes unfocused and restless.
Rhuven bent over the fireplace, placed wood inside, and lit it. A warm glow filled the room; the crackle of flames was meant to be calming — or should have been.
But Noen looked like every spark only made him more tense.
Rhuven stood, turned to him, positioned himself in front of the chair with his hands behind his back.
Seconds passed. Awkward, heavy silence.
Then he began:
"Noen… what you're about to hear was my idea. Mine alone. "His voice was calm, but something beneath it trembled — nervousness, unease. "Please listen to all of it before you say anything."
Noen only nodded. Not consciously — more like his body responded for him, too exhausted to do anything else.
Rhuven straightened. You could see he had to push himself to continue.
Then he said:
"We want to send you into the Minigod Realm."
Noen's eyes widened instantly. His breath stopped for a heartbeat.
But before the words could even settle in his mind, Rhuven rushed on, almost panicked:
"I know it sounds absolutely insane, but please—just listen to what I have to say! Please!"
No reaction from Noen. No expression. Not even a blink.
Just that empty stare — and it made Rhuven visibly nervous.
"You have a power inside you…"He searched for the right words."…a power that exists only one time in the entire world."
Noen's eyes twitched — a tiny flicker of disbelief and overload.
Rhuven continued:
"If you were able to eliminate even a few Minigods, it would significantly weaken Elionis! It would be a step toward a future where humans don't turn into… into monsters because Minigod powers corrupt their souls!"
He tried to sound convincing — but a faint undertone betrayed hesitation, doubt, fear.He knew how insane it sounded.
Noen slowly stood up.He said nothing.
Not yet.
Then suddenly — he exploded.
He stepped toward Rhuven, his face twisted, tears and rage tangled together.
"ARE YOU COMPLETELY OUT OF YOUR MIND?!"He yelled so loudly the armchair behind him shook. "YOU want ME to go up there ALONE and fight FUCKING GODS?!"
He jabbed a finger at himself, trembling. "Has your age finally caught up with you or what?! Are you totally insane?!"
He kept shouting, his words tripping over each other, raw fear and desperation filling every syllable.
Rhuven didn't move. Didn't defend himself. Didn't talk back.
He just stood there — quiet, absorbing every word.
Noen's screams grew louder, shakier, more broken.
And then — right as Noen sucked in breath for another outburst — Rhuven spoke quietly, barely above a whisper:
"No one said anything about you going alone…"
Noen stopped.
"What do you mean: not alone?" Noen's voice was sharp, confused, still shaken from the entire day. "You're coming with me, or what?"
Rhuven immediately shook his head. "No."
Noen stared at him. "Then who's coming with me?"
Rhuven: "No one."
Noen blinked. Once. Twice. "Huh? But you literally just sa—"
"Because someone is already up there."
Noen froze. For a moment, he didn't even seem to breathe.
"What…?"
Rhuven straightened his posture slightly, as if even speaking the name carried weight.
"One of our best people…"
A short silence followed. Heavy, loaded with meaning.
Then he said:
"Varyn."
Noen frowned. "Varyn? Who—"
But then the real meaning hit him. He jerked upright.
"Wait. Someone is already UP there?"
"Yes." Rhuven nodded.
"She was given permission a few years ago."
His gaze softened—yet darkened at the same time.
"'I want to bring the system down." "Those were her words."
Noen raised an eyebrow, desperately trying to cling to something positive.
"Okay… then she must be super strong, right? So I can just wor—"
"We don't know if she's even still alive."
Noen froze mid-movement — exactly in the pose he had taken right before expressing his optimism.
His expression hardened.Then… very slowly… he turned his head toward Rhuven.
His voice came out hoarse and cracked: "What?"
"But we as the Black Synod aren't that stupid. We're not going to send a teenager who can't even control his powers—let alone kill a Minigod-bearer—up into the Minigod realm to fight literal gods."
Noen blinked. Then he let out a long, relieved breath.
"Phew… so there is some sanity left."
Rhuven nodded once, slowly.
"Because if you can control and use your powers…"
He paused for a moment, as if making sure Noen was really listening.
"…we can take them by surprise."
Noen frowned. "Who? The Minigods?"
"Yes." Rhuven's voice stayed calm, steady, serious.
"And then you find Varyn and fight alongside her."
Noen opened his mouth, closed it again. Then, quietly:
"But… what if she isn't alive anymore?"
For a moment, only the crackling of the fire answered. A brief silence.Heavy.
Then Rhuven said:
"We don't know."
He said it calmly. Almost composed.
But in his eyes—there was more.
So much swirling beneath the surface.
Noen noticed. Even though Rhuven tried to hide it.
Rhuven inhaled deeply.
"But we have to try!"
"We? Easy for you to say — you're not the one going."
Noen glared at Rhuven.
Rhuven blinked in surprise.
"Wait—does that mean you're actually considering it?"
Noen scoffed.
"No… but I want to be able to use my powers."
He lifted his chin — stubborn, shaky, determined.
"And the VERY first thing I'm gonna do is kick the mayor straight in the ass."
Rhuven immediately raised both hands.
"Whoa, whoa — slow down. The mayor is already a target of the Black Synod. But he has an extremely powerful Minigod ability."
Noen: "I know."
…Do you know which one?"
Rhuven hesitated — then shook his head.
"Not important. Not yet."
Then he pointed at Noen — directly, purposefully.
"So you're serious about kicking Beldrin's ass?"
In that moment — for just a split second — Rhuven's eyes lit up. Like someone who just realized a piece of the puzzle finally clicked into place.
"Then we go to Roseshire."
Noen frowned.
"Roseshire? But he's mayor he—"
"I know ."
Rhuven pointed at Noen… then at Noen's face — still swollen from tears, streaked, exhausted and emotionally wrecked.
"But the way you're acting right now — that's not going to work."
Noen lowered his gaze. Not embarrassed — just annoyed because he knew Rhuven was right.
"In Roseshire we'll meet Thornec. The vice leader of the Black Synod." He used to do a lot with good Minigod-bearers. He'll know what to do with you."
The way Rhuven said it… he almost sounded excited.
He nodded, satisfied.
"Good. Then we leave at sunrise to—"
He stopped mid-sentence. "Wait...
…Noen. You came here straight after school, right?"
Noen nodded.
"And last time, you stayed the night here too."
Another slower nod.
Rhuven's expression shifted — thoughtful, then concerned.
"What about your parents? Aren't they worried?"
Something in Noen's face changed. Not suddenly — like a memory rising he wished stayed buried.
He lowered his head. A small smile appeared — but it wasn't real. It was an attempt.
"My mom died a few years ago."
Rhuven froze slightly.
"And my father…"
Noen stopped. No words. Just silence.
Rhuven spoke softly:
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up—"
"It's fine." Noen cut him off — quiet, but firm.
Rhuven's expression softened — guilt in his eyes, even if he tried to hide it.
Noen let out a long breath.
"Tomorrow morning, then? Sounds fine."
Rhuven nodded.
"And schoo—"
"Why should I still go to school?"
Noen's voice cracked — not angry, just… empty.
"The only reason I went was Thel."
He gave a tiny breath of laughter — but it wasn't real. It was pain pretending to be humor.
"It's not like anyone will punish me for not showing up."
Every sentence took more out of him. His shoulders slumped. His posture collapsed inward. His gaze dropped to the floor.
A single tear escaped — slow, silent — and slid down his cheek.
Rhuven swallowed.
"…Alright. You can sleep here. If you want."
Noen's reply was almost a whisper — fragile.
"…Thanks."