The next morning, the streets of Graitan were full of life.
People of all tribes—their appearances ethereal and diverse—moved through the winding streets, going about their daily routines. The chatter was lively, a hum of voices that rose and fell like the tide. News had spread quickly: the next chancellor would be a black magis.
Some welcomed the change, embracing it as progress. Others were wary. Because for a thousand years, the chancellor had always been a white magis. The second-in-command had been a black magis, usually in charge of security, as they were the strongest amongst the magis.
This change was new.
And in the gossip, there was another name that surfaced often: Lady Ayumu. The last of the white magis. Many had seen her during the funeral, had whispered about her presence and her grace. Many had hoped she would leave the Rodh palace and return to Graitan to take her rightful place as the next chancellor.
But she had refused.
Kaiser heard the whispers as he walked through the streets. He paid them no mind.
He had been called to the black magis main mansion—a sprawling structure of dark stone and silver accents, its halls cold and imposing. The remaining elders of the black magis clan had summoned him. In terms of power, Kaiser was from the Wrath lineage—the strongest, the highest of authority. His proof of worth was his inheritance of Azhdar's will. But custom demanded that he still be swayed by the elders of the clan.
He stood before them in the grand hall.
Three old black magis sat before him on chairs crafted of silver steel, their eyes watching him with a mix of respect and calculation. Their voices were dry, like leaves rustling in the wind.
"Lord Kaiser," the first elder began, "with a black magis now appointed as chancellor, we hope that you will assist us in breaking free from the Epsos Empire."
The second elder leaned forward. "We shall return to how we were before Lady Theana made us part of Epsos. Let Graitan live in its glory days again."
The third elder added, his voice sharp, "Even if it means starting a war. We have enough soldiers, power, artifacts, and weapons. With your help as an insider in the Epsos cou—"
"There will be no such thing as war."
Kaiser's voice cut through their words like a blade. His red eyes burned with cold fury.
"Graitan shall remain part of Epsos."
The elders shifted uncomfortably.
"Lord Kaiser," the first said, "we have no need to be part of the non-magis people. We are self-sustaining. We can thrive in our own ways. If it were not for Lady Theana—"
"The late Lady Theana," Kaiser interrupted, his voice rising, "did that in the past to save our people from unnecessary bloodshed. That is a history lesson I do not think should be reminded to those who are of old age like you lot."
Dark energy began to emanate from him. The shadows on the walls flickered, contorting into the shape of Azhdar—massive wings, gleaming eyes, a maw of shadow and power. The ground beneath their feet trembled slightly.
The elders showed their discomfort and worry, shifting in their silver chairs.
Kaiser continued, his voice low and menacing. "All this while, has Graitan not prospered without interference from Epsos? Nothing has changed. The people are secure in their livelihood. Us who serve back in the Rodh capital, all these years, work hard to ensure that." He glared at them, his red eyes cutting through their composure.
One elder pressed on, his voice wavering. "But we would be better off without being bound by the Epsos Empire."
Kaiser scoffed. "What you want is war. Its all for your selfish wants and gains. I am a black magis too—I know how your minds work. Spare me of your excuses...Your hatred toward the white magis stems from our history. But do not deny the grace and sacrifice of those who laid down their lives for the people of Graitan."
He turned his back on them, his voice final.
"Heed my warning: ensure the new chancellor from our clan does not disappoint. If not, they shall answer to me."
The shadows on the walls moved, forming fearsome figures—specters of darkness that loomed over the elders before seeping back into Kaiser's form. The door slammed shut behind him as he exited.
Kaiser stood in the corridor, his chest heaving.
He was trying to calm down his anger. His hands were clenched at his sides, his jaw tight. The dark energy around him slowly receded, retreating back into the depths of his being.
He needed solace. He needed to find the white one he held dear.
He walked through the streets of Graitan, his red eyes searching.
He did not know where she was. And she was not with either Rhea, Levain, or Fifi.
He asked each of them—they had all been kept busy by different ministers in Graitan, pulled in separate directions by the endless demands of tradition and ceremony. Only Rhea had managed to answer him: she had been with Ayumu earlier, but Ayumu had said she needed a breath of air and had gone out. Where, Rhea did not know.
Kaiser felt a flicker of worry. Worry that Ayumu might have disappeared and ran off.
But his worry was soon dismissed.
Right outside the gates of Graitan, the landscape opened into a lush green grassbed, dotted with wildflowers that swayed gently in the breeze. The view was breathtaking—rolling hills that stretched toward the mountains, their slopes carpeted in green and gold.
Children's giggles drifted through the air.
From afar, Kaiser saw Ayumu.
She was among the children, her white robes a stark contrast to their colorful clothes. Her hair was a mess—filled with flowers that had been placed clumsily, most likely by small, eager hands of the children. She was laughing and her golden eyes sparkling.
She had her right hand in a fist in front of her face. She blew into it, and a soft glow seeped through her fingers. Then she released her hand—and small butterflies made of light scattered into the air, fluttering around the children's heads.
The children squealed with delight, chasing after the glowing insects, their laughter echoing across the meadow.
Kaiser walked closer.
One of the children, a small charoite magis boy, was running backward. He was chasing the butterfly made of light, and bumped straight into Kaiser's legs. He stumbled and fell. Then he looked up at Kaiser's face, the sharp features, the red eyes, the stern expression—and his lower lip began to tremble. About to cry.
Ayumu appeared beside him, gently pulling the boy to his feet. She brushed the grass from his clothes and smiled at him.
Kaiser, sensing the awkwardness, reached down and patted the boy on the head.
The boy's hair was a mess—but he looked up at Kaiser with bright eyes. He seemed to realize that this tall, scary man was not so terrifying after all. With a giggle, he ran off to join the other children, chasing the light butterflies.
Ayumu's gaze followed them, a gentle smile on her face.
Kaiser stood beside her. "Do the ministers bore you so much with the history of Graitan that you would rather play with children, Ayumu?"
Ayumu giggled—a soft, musical sound. "You could say that I prefer the sight of smiling children rather than gloomy old magis explaining a thousand years of history and tradition."
Kaiser looked at her with a small smile. But his expression soon sobered. He asked a sensitive question, his voice low.
"Do you think you would want to remain here, Ayumu? And leave Rodh behind?"
Ayumu looked back at him. "You mean stop being the royal advisor?"
Kaiser did not respond. He simply watched her face, searching for her answer.
Ayumu looked away, her gaze drifting toward the mountains. "My place is not here. Though my lineage is from Graitan, my life is in Rodh. And as advisor, I can continue to look after the people of Graitan from afar." She paused, her voice softening. "My brother is also dear to me...I wont leave him again..."
She turned back to him with a worried expression.
"Does Kaiser want to stay here?"
Kaiser thought about it. His life had also been in Rodh. There had been nothing to attach him there—no family other than his senile mother, an empty home, no particular reason to stay.
But now, he had found a reason.
"I will be wherever you are, Ayumu..."
It was a confession of love and commitment by Kaiser. Ayumu's eyes widened, her cheeks flushing a soft pink. She was left speechless for a moment, the weight of his words settling over her.
Then she smiled.
"Then we should go back soon," she said softly.
Kaiser agreed.
When they returned, they found Rhea, Levain, and Fifi slumped around a common dining table, utterly exhausted. They had been pestered by old ministers the entire day—lectured, questioned, paraded through endless halls of history and tradition.
As soon as they heard that Kaiser and Ayumu planned to return to Rodh tomorrow, they agreed hastily.
They too wanted to go home.