"Saga, I need your help," a smooth, measured voice emerged from the corner of the grand dining room.

  The black, sticky puddle pooled in the shadows began to ripple, bubbling like tar exposed to heat. Slowly, Zuni Keita emerged, his movements unhurried, exuding an eerie calm. The inky darkness clung to him as if reluctant to release its grip, slithering and coiling around his form before dissolving into sleek strands of black shoulder-length hair and the rich folds of a dark velvet coat. As the transformation was completed, he stood tall, his calm gaze sweeping the room.

  Without acknowledging the startled hush that greeted his dramatic entrance, Zuni moved toward the long dining table. Lord Tobias Ashbourne sat at one end, his gaunt and skeletal frame hunched forward, while Saga Duex reclined on the other side, martini in hand and a playful gleam in her eyes.

  "Whatever with do you need my help?" Saga's lips curled into a bright smile as she took a delicate sip of her drink.

  "Luca Frey. I need his location," Zuni replied, his voice even.

  Saga arched a silver eyebrow, amused. "What? I provided you with his movement pattern already, did I not?" Her tone was curious and playful; however, she already knew damn well why he had come.

  I'm surprised he didn't come to me for help sooner. Prideful and foolish young man.

  Lord Tobias did not share Saga's bemusement. His sunken eyes narrowed, and his expression darkened as he cut through. "Hold up. Zuni, you planned to attack him a week ago. Did something go wrong?"

  Zuni lowered himself into his usual chair, his posture upright and his tone unhurried as he replied, "Yes, I did. But there was more resistance than expected. Also, there was a massive explosion, and in the chaos, he disappeared."

  Saga continued to sip her drink, listening with mild curiosity to Zuni's account.

  Tobias leaned forward, clasping his skeletal fingers. "Explosion? More resistance than expected? What do you mean by that?"

  "The Town of Ascot was more heavily guarded than anticipated," Zuni said evenly, his voice betraying no frustration as if he were merely stating the facts. "And the undead that managed to sneak into his room were blown to bits. The entirety of that section of the villa burned to the ground."

  Saga laughed, the sound ringing out in the large dining room. "I warned you, darling."

  This was a fact. She did warn him. Albeit, she left out a few minor details. Not that they were terribly relevant anyhow.

  "Town of Ascot..." Tobias muttered, exhaling a low sigh as he leaned back in his chair. His bony fingers tapped against the table in thought. "You attacked the home base of the Arankagul family. Who knows what kind of mages they secretly have in their employment—clearly, a fire mage of the highest tier. How many undead did you bring?"

  "It was forty strong, but—"

  Tobias cut him off with a derisive scoff. "Forty? You damned greenhorn." He shook his head in disbelief. "The Town of Ascot is their stronghold. The shadowy Arankagul family has their fingers in every pie across the continent. Their power isn't just some fluke. And you thought forty undead would suffice?"

  Zuni blinked in mild confusion. However, his calm demeanor remained unchanged. "I've never heard of the Arankagul family."

  Tobias stared at him before letting out a dejected sigh.

  "That makes sense, I suppose," he concluded. "In the original loops, when you had Awakened, they were long written out of history, but this timeline hasn't caught up. Until they're gone, they're a boogeyman you'd be wise to avoid."

  Zuni nodded, absorbing the warning without protest. "That wasn't the only trouble," he continued. "Spiders were there too."

  Saga twirled her martini glass between her fingers, watching the amber liquid catch the firelight. Her tone remained light. "Spiders are everywhere. Claude Noire's late mother made certain of that."

  "Yes, but these weren't ordinary Spiders." Zuni's tone turned sharper, his gaze steady as it locked onto hers. "They were first-class fighters, and their positioning made it clear: they were protecting Luca Frey."

  The dining room fell into an unnatural silence, the crackling fire nearby a faint whisper.

  Saga's smile faltered, replaced by an honest expression of mild disbelief. "Impossible," she said, her tone quieter. "There must have been a mage they intended to capture, and your undead got in the way."

  Her mind churned.

  Since when were the Spider's Syndicate and the Frey family so cozy? Wasn't Cluade Noire killed at the Frey manor in the previous loop?

  Zuni's response cut through her thoughts. "I know what I saw."

  Tobias leaned forward, his sunken eyes narrowing as they fixed on Saga. "You said the boy was no trouble."

  "He isn't," Sage replied, tipping her martini glass to finish the last of the drink. "He's a spoiled black sheep known to be an idiot. I'm sure Zuni has done his independent digging into who Luca Frey is and confirmed that as well."

  Zuni nodded. "All accounts regarding Luca Frey indicated that he was a fool."

  Tobias' expression darkened further, his gaze colder than the chilly winds outside. "Even fools can change. Why would Claude Noire's syndicate risk openly opposing us?"

  Saga almost laughed, but the sound caught in her throat.

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Perhaps because pigs have decided to fly?

  Instead, she sighed and placed the empty glass on the table with a soft clink. "Coincidence?"

  Tobias shook his head, his tone abrasive. "As I told Zuni last Round, there is no such thing as coincidences—not when Aware or Awakened are involved."

  Saga leaned back in her chair, the firelight dancing across her golden eyes as her thoughts brewed at this new insight. "True," she muttered, her voice distant.

  Just what did Luca Frey do to earn such protection from his family's enemy no less? He must have done something significant to gain Claude Noire's favor.

  The silence that followed was dense, broken only by the faint crackle of the ancient fireplace. Shadows flickered and danced on the grand room's walls, but the air remained cool as if the flames refused to share their warmth.

  Not that Saga had to worry about staying warm. Her thin golden silk dress was embedded with ancient warming magic. As for the other two, they were undead, and such basic needs were beyond them. The fire was ultimately there only for aesthetic reasons.

  "Saga, I've tried to track Luca Frey on my own, but I've found nothing." Zuni's voice cut through the quiet with a notable flicker of urgency. "Can you use your detection skills to find him?"

  Saga let out a soft tsk, her golden eyes glinting with faint amusement. She reached into her silk-draped sleeve and produced a golden Duex coin, twirling it expertly on the back of her manicured hand. The spinning coin caught the light, glimmering as if alive. Her gaze fixed intently on the flurry of turning gold, peering at something far beyond the physical object.

  When the coin finally fell to the table, it landed with a muted clink. Saga's eyelids closed, her head dipping forward as a slow exhale escaped her lips. When her eyes opened again, her expression was serious.

  "I'm unable to trace his existence," she murmured.

  Tobias frowned, his sunken eyes narrowing. "Are you saying he's not of this world? Zuni, are you sure you didn't kill him? For god's sake, even with trouble, you raised a whole platoon to take on that brat."

  "No, I'm certain," Zuni replied evenly. "If he were dead, his family would've held a funeral. He's alive. Saga, can you try again?"

  Saga shook her head, her silver-blonde hair catching the firelight as it moved. "What can I say? Wherever he might be, there's not a single coin. It appears that he is in a place that lacks monetary compensation."

  Tobias threw his head back and roared with laughter, the sound echoing off the high ceiling. "Where in this world could anyone survive without relying on your coins?"

  Saga's lips twitched into a smirk. "Perhaps you're right, dear Toby. Perhaps Luca has, indeed, found the grave."

  Not that she believed it herself one bit.

  With a languid motion, she reached across the table and tapped the small figurine representing Luca Frey with a manicured nail. It toppled sideways with a hollow clink.

  Zuni's expression darkened as he leaned forward, swiftly setting the figurine upright again.

  Tobias shifted in his chair, his bony finger pointing toward another figurine beside Luca's. "What about the girl? I assume you tested her, too?"

  Zuni's jaw tightened, his lips pressing into a thin line.

  Tobias glared in his direction, his face in disbelief. "Don't tell me…?"

  Saga erupted with laughter, which chimed like bells, light and unbothered.

  "All of the undead were burned to ash," Zuni replied, his voice calm despite the growing tension in the room.

  "How many did you send?" Tobias asked sharply, his tone a mix of irritation and disbelief.

  "Thirty," Zuni replied.

  Tobias groaned, rubbing his temple with a skeletal hand. "Thirty—and they all burned to a crisp?" His glare shifted to Saga. "What was it you said about the girl? That there was nothing of note to report?"

  "Certainly, that description applies to her." Saga shrugged, unbothered. She leaned forward, her tone sharpening. "But it does not extend to her father. Aside from his sham of a charity, he's the most powerful fire mage across the two continents. Zuni could have sent sixty—no, a hundred undead and the result would've been the same."

  Tobias sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Zuni, you're losing your touch." He paused, reconsidering his words. "Though perhaps that's not entirely your fault. This timeline is new and unpredictable—factors have shifted compared to the previous loops."

  "He wasn't there," Zuni insisted, his tone firm. "I made certain."

  Saga leaned her chin on her hand, her golden eyes glimmering in amusement. "Clearly, not well enough," she countered. "You should've confirmed with me."

  "I watched him leave," Zuni argued.

  Saga chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Mages of that caliber often master magic beyond their primary craft. He likely had a teleportation ward in place, ready to activate if his precious daughter was ever in danger. You know as well as I do—when it comes to her safety, that man is utterly deranged."

  Zuni fell silent, the weight of her words settling over him.

  Tobias leaned forward, his gaze turning shrewd. "The two newest Awakened, both infamous for their uselessness, and yet each managed to stave off their tests—with fire, the only effective counter against the undead." He exhaled sharply. "The Goddess of Luck is making her preferences painfully clear."

  "Don't mention that cursed being," Zuni chided Lord Tobias.

  Saga's golden eyes flicked to the shadowed corner where their leader's presence usually loomed. Luckily, the ledge was empty, its carved edges catching the faintest glow of the firelight.

  Gods were a taboo subject—especially those who had long stepped out of the realm of mere fables.

  * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

  I wonder how that unstoppable lucky pair is doing.

  "Hahhhh…" I exhaled deeply, my eyes closed.

  With Chase's lucky coin and Jasper being who he was, I was confident they had saved Chase's sister from her demise.

  Now, all that remains is that matter.

  "Focus!" the monk scolded in a hushed but sharp tone. "Your mind is wandering again. When this happens during meditation, gently acknowledge the thought without attaching to it, then bring your attention back to your breath."

  I knew better than to respond. That would only result in further scolding.

  Instead, I inhaled slowly and deliberately, directing my focus to the sensation of air entering my nostrils and filling my lungs.

  After supper, instead of retiring for the night, my teacher guided me to this secluded cavern for the next stage of my meditation training. The walls of red and orange clay seemed to absorb the flickering glow of faint light stones at the foot of the cavern walls, casting an ambient, almost otherworldly atmosphere.

  With my eyes closed, the dim hues seeped through my eyelids, forming subtle patterns. This aligned with the sort of meditation I had originally expected to be partaking in from the start.

  [ Sanity: +1 ]

  I smiled at the blue notification that appeared before my vision, as vivid as if my eyes were open.

  [ Sanity: 0 ]

  The benefits of this meditation were having evident effects already, sweeping away any broken pieces to my sanity, without the side effect brought on by my affliction' Ignorance is Bliss,' which would have also resulted in my memory getting partially wiped.

  "It's incredible how meditation can achieve so much," I mused to Apophis after returning to my room. I noted that Leona had yet to return herself from her own meditative practice.

  ~Indeed, it is a power skill. Meditation will ensure your mind is in good order without any unnecessary repercussions.

  Apophis hissed softly, his tone tinged with pride.

  "If I keep this up—" I began, but my voice faltered.

  My gaze locked onto the unusual message floating in front of me. I reread it three times to confirm the words.

  ~Master, what is it? Apophis's voice into my mind carried a note of concern.

  "I—I need to go home," I replied, not taking my eyes off the floating message.

  ~Why? Did something happen? Is the meditation proving too difficult? The stretches can be challenging, but overcoming them is essential.

  I shook my head. "No, it's not that… but I can't keep meditating."

  [ Luca Frey, here is some advice on how to save Adovoria: You must allow Ignorance is Bliss to run its course. ]

  [ There is benefit in diving into insanity's depths and clawing your way back to sanity's shore, again and again. ]

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