My parents seemed to have noticed the collection of restrained auras and came out of the house before the visitors could knock on the door.

"We meet again," said Magnus Julius Daenerys.

Unlike the casual garb he wore the other time, form-fitting dark blue military attire was draped over his staunch form, mirroring the other two fabled class officers. Theirs were of a lesser repute than a Fabled Knight, an advisory auxiliary and a myrmidon for protection. Only the leading man stood apart, in a pristine white uniform; the crimson cape did little to hide the stars and laurel shapes threaded across his chest and shoulders, designating him as a Legatus Legionis, Supreme Commander of a legion.

Mum did not reply to Magnus Daenerys, her eyes darting to the Legate.

His appearance seemed young to hold such an illustrious position, but Epic class was even more magical compared to Fabled, stalling the wear and tear of time for centuries. Even so, the man possessed the perfect patrician anatomy: fair with squared jawlines, tall, and broad-shouldered despite his Shaper class, like a sculpture carved from flesh and blood.

Before the catastrophe, no supreme commander presided over the prefecture. Merely a couple of cohorts, the guilds and the knights of various orders alternated between themselves to maintain the order of things. But it seemed the appearance and fall of a Daemon was an event large enough to summon a man of his calibre.

"I'm assuming you people aren't here to get the fabricators," Mum said. "Well, it had better be something worthwhile, I've a son and apprentice to teach."

The legatus smiled, taking no offence at her words. His gaze drifted to Diana and me.

"You'll show proper deference," barked his myrmidon, however, "in the presence of Legatus Remus Macillus Aelius, Victor of Jhanas, Protector of—"

"Quit that, Wofil," the high Patrician interrupted. "She knows exactly who I am. Been a while, Little Ashlyn."

Mum's expression did not improve. "Well, I haven't got all day." She gestured towards our house to invite them in.

The legate led his men inside. I crept after them to come under my parents' aura. Diana figured it was not a good time to accompany us and bid goodbye.

"A nice home you have here," said Legatus Remus.

"Let's cut the small talk," Mum said as we reached the study room. "I was not quipping; I have better things to attend."

The high patrician narrowed his eyes at her. "You're with child," he said, sounding surprised. "And you defeated a Daemon in that state?"

"Benefit of having a fabled class physique, " Mum said, settling on the couch first. Father and I stood on either side of her, more protectively than we should, as she did all the talking. "And I was not there alone."

"Ah," the Aelius patriarch's eyes darted to Father inspectively. "Jinn O'Ryon, I have heard much about you."

Father grunted. "Hope it wasn't all from the tinted pages your pedant put together."

The Epic Class Magus gave a thin smile. "I can see how you two are a good match," he said. "And no, my sources are as factual as they can be. Even about that blade of yours, I may add."

Father nodded, his expression remaining level the entire time.

"Although oftentimes the first-hand account from the instigator is more factual compared to what others saw from afar." The legatus glanced at Magnus, indicating where his information came from. He finally took a seat across from us, his Myrmidon, Auxiliary, and Magnus Daenerys standing behind as though sitting on the same level would be a great offence.

"You want to hear about the events from us?" Mum frowned. "For what reason?"

"Well, an event as significant as an Ash Lord's fall did not go unnoticed," Remus said, crossing his leg, "or unrewarded. Consider it personal curiosity, or us determining the probability of replicating it. It is not often I hear of mortal hands felling a Daemon. Never with such few casualties."

Few casualties? Three hundred and fifty-six people died. The numbers screamed in the back of my mind, kept me awake at night, never seeing death at such a number. But I kept my silence. Mum's etiquette lessons said nothing about shutting up in the presence of high-ranking nobles and awakened, but it took little to figure out it was not my place to speak up.

"It was nothing you haven't heard," Mum said, answering the Legatus. "We prepared ourselves with the little time we were allowed, but all of it went awry when the Daemon descended. My little boy..." —her palm clasped my shoulder— "...he had to fight demons that outclassed him by a whole rank as we barely kept the Daemon at bay..."

I was not as little as she made me out to be, but I did not complain. Given their ages and vast power, I may as well be.

"That measures up to what I heard," Lord Remus Macillus Aelius said, "though I failed to gather any details on how you defeated the Daemon that outclassed you both together, even whilst inhabiting a fabled class vessel."

"Oh, you misunderstood, Lord Aelius," Mum said, leaning forward. "I did not fail to provide details. It was deliberate."

The Legatus's expression did not change as he allowed himself to exhale. His supporters were another story, however. It was as if they were awaiting their lord's order to discipline the unruly woman. It mattered little how heroic her actions were during the night of terror.

"I need to know what happened to the Daemon, Ashlyn," Lord Remus insisted.

"Like I said, its vessel was dead, broken beyond recognition," Mum said directly. "As for its soul, well, we're but mortals, have little power against the undying."

"Well, I beg to differ," disagreed Magnus Julius Daenerys, cutting into the conversation. "I saw with my own eyes that blade pierce the Daemon's soul, and—"

"You saw?" Mum's eyes drew daggers towards the Knight Lieutenant. "Is that what you were up to instead of saving the people from the swarm?"

Magnus was unimpressed. "Do not try to change the subject, Amadeus," he barked. "I saw what the blade did to the Daemon. It was but a babe trying to wrestle its soul out of its hold. That blade, it might be the only relic we have that gives us an edge against the undying."

Stolen story; please report.

"It isn't," Mum sneered, "and you don't have it. Jinn does."

"And he'll have it returned once we have analysed it," Magnus said, dropping all pretence. "You would not want it lying around your children, would you? Who knows what nefarious influences the Daemon has left?"

"You're quite convincing for such a despotic little man, but we have heard this before. You won't get a second look at the blade, nor will you be welcomed into my house again."

All the masks of decorum and politeness fell from Magnus's face. "And I have seen the likes of you before. Your acts of honour and virtue only work on misguided countrymen, but I see through you, Amadeus. Your mother was the same, but at least your father had the decency to die for his pretence."

A deep crimson aura bled from Mother and swirled towards Magnus Daenerys, wiping the imperious expression from his face. As [Vigil of Protection] awoke to protect me, the augmenter burst with an aura of his own, draining colour from the room. Father was already prepared for it all to go awry and unleashed his nullifying aura when a fourth aura surged, reining them all in.

"Enough!" The Legatus Legionis's voice thundered like a decree. "Sir Magnus, conduct yourself properly. You are not in your home compound lecturing your squires. And please do not speak ill of a hero of the empire."

"As you wish, Legatus," Magnus said with a lump in his throat.

"Ashlyn, I know you have every reason to be worried, especially given the condition you are in," Lord Remus Aelius said. "But we need a definite answer about the Daemon. Do not take this as a threat or even a warning. What you and your... paramour have accomplished was beyond anything any servant of the empire has ever achieved—enough that we even overlook your previous failures..."

Mum scowled at him.

"Please do not lash out at us as if we are all your enemies, here to persecute you," Lord Aelius continued. "Like you, we worry about our people and want the best for everyone."

"Your words," Mum said, leaning back on the cushion, "would have been more convincing if you hadn't brought that conniving fool with you."

"That is it!" barked Magnus. "I am a Fabled Knight of the Empire, and you will show the proper respect my station deserves."

This time, Father stepped forward, weaponising his aura. Its dark presence dug through Magnus's auric defence to strike at his psyche. Fabled Knight though he might be, Magnus Julius Daenerys flinched, his legs wobbling, unable to put up even the barest minimum of defence.

"This is the last time you will raise your voice," Father said, "or I will let you see what the Daemon faced."

"This is outrageous!" the auxiliary came to defend Magnus, but shut his mouth as the Legatus raised his hand.

"Magnus," he said, "it might be better for you to get some fresh air outside."

The knight of the empire looked at him stubbornly, matching the same look I had seen in Ao and even in Tribune Alexis. Finally receiving no support, he carried himself out without a word.

"You can weave your aura into your gift to this degree," Legatus Remus said to Father. "How are you not Epic Class?"

Father shrugged, disinclined to give an answer. Unfortunately, Father was further from Epic class than he had been in recent years. Both he and Mum received a Legendary Honour for not only defeating the Daemon, but also imprisoning it within Ouroboros—a feat that had not occurred in centuries. A legendary honour would allow them to face no resistance from the Will of Aether once they attempted to advance. The problem was the cost that came with wielding Ouroboros. Not only had it drained more than half of his essence, so much so that he was barely maintaining his Fabled Class, it had scarred his soul for better or worse.

My parents did not discuss the details with me for fear of my worrying, but it did not sound healthy, no matter how well they wrapped it in words. The connection between Ouroboros and Father was far from a mere link with his essence threads. They had not told me any of it, but I could see disturbingly clearly that unbinding the relic from him would only cripple his path if he was lucky.

"Let us discuss the awards for your merits," the Legatus said. "First, consider your prior failure resolved. You may choose to return to your position of Knight Victorian if you wish. You too, Jinn O'Ryon, we can use someone like you on the frontlines, though if you want to take a more opulent position, you can."

"And then what?" Mum scorned. "Become a glorified babysitter to some patrician lordling whom I cannot tolerate enough not to choke to death?"

"I presumed you'd say that," Remus smiled, "which is why I came with a more practical offering, though my offer remains. You may choose to return whenever you wish."

Purple light flashed from the pendant he wore, and from the large blessed stone in the middle came a nifty hardwood case, decorated with complicated strips of preservation runes.

The Legatus opened the case to reveal a white bead inside, shining in its luxuriant radiance.

"A dawn essence core," Mum said. "Appears to be even at Fabled class. You certainly do not disappoint, Lord Legatus."

"It isn't much compared to your service. I hope it is an adequate present."

Mum took it without qualms. "Well, you and your people leaving us to our devices would have already been an adequate outcome, but I'm not going to refuse this."

She closed the case and stored it within her blessed stone.

"Now, can we inspect the relic?" Remus asked.

"No," Mum said, her tone quiet and deep, conveying the impression that there was no room for negotiation. "But I'll give you this..." She stood up, facing the painting on the wall. "You have nothing to worry about regarding that Daemon resurfacing for a very long time." She turned, eyes flashing from the Myrmidon and auxiliary to the Lord himself. "Unless you or your people come poking where you have no business."

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