The meeting room was dimly lit, the marbled walls mirroring the flickering glow of lanterns. Kantara, Iruim, and Lutens sat around a circular table; the air hung thick between them in contemplation. The last battle was fresh in their minds, especially in Lutens's mind, his right arm now tightly wrapped with bandages. His fingers involuntarily twitched-a dull, throbbing pain radiating from his hand, an ever-present reminder of what had transpired.

As an Emperor, he couldn't just go to any of the healers present at the guild, because he couldn't risk letting people know that he'd been hurt by a lowly new Ring Bearer-the news would spread like wildfire, and questions would arise.

Lutens huffed through his nose, his signature smirk reduced to a low, humoring appearance. "This kid's something else," he muttered, adjusting himself slightly in his chair. For all the pain, a spark of excitement still tittered within his tone-the usual case whenever Atenyos was mentioned. "Unmatched among the new Ring Bearers. The tenured would go down in a breeze against him, and you two witnessed it. I didn't want him to let it slip so early, but...there it is. Quite unmistakable, I should add."

His eyes golden eyes flashed as he leant forward.

 

"His powers are like mine."

 

There was silence stretched between them; it was deliberate and heavy.

Lutens let the words settle before continuing. "The difference, however, is staggering. His output is only 0.01%, yet he rivals those at 16%, maybe even 20%. That's just his physical prowess. Now, with his newly uncovered abilities…" He trailed off, flexing his bandaged fingers. The pain flared again. "He might be something even more than that."

Iruim scowled and rubbed his chin. "How?" The tone of his voice was laced with incredulity. "How can he have so much power with that low of an output? And if that output were to rise even a bit, would the surge in strength be similarly astronomical?"

It terrified him. Atenyos had already hurt an Emperor—that which was supposed to be out of the realm of possibility of his rank or even any rank—but it was not his strength which bothered Iruim, rather his mind. Atenyos did not fit into the system the Emperors constructed. If he continued to strengthen, wild and unchecked… 

Would he turn into a menace?

But before he could continue, Kantara sensed his unsaid thoughts and cut through the silence. "Atenyos is a good kid," he said with firmness. "His ideals might be unorthodox, but I've seen his eyes. You shouldn't be worried about him-even if he reaches that level."

Lutens leaned back, his head tilted; his smirk deepened. Then, with a quiet chuckle, he murmured,

"I want to train him."

And Kantara and Iruim whipped their heads toward him in an instant.

"What?!" They spoke, surprise tingeing each of their tones.

Lutens returned each gaze without one ounce of hesitancy. "I want to train him," he repeated. "He does have the same powers as I do. Does it not become fitting that I teach him?

Kantara's face locked in a tight jaw. "I understand just what you mean, Lutens," he said with voice measured. "But he's my student." Respectful-but Lutens caught the flicker of annoyance behind his eyes.

Iruim huffed, "How about this?" he interrupted before things escalated any further. "Lutens, you will get to train Atenyos once a week. Atenyos will continue under Kantara's team, but there will be a day set for you alone to work with him. This way, you continue your duties as an Emperor without hindrances."

Kantara's lips pressed into a thin line. The compromise wasn't great, but he knew Lutens had a point. Long after the pause, he sharply exhaled.

"…Fine. I agree."

Lutens' smirk broadened. "Works for me." He rose, rolling his injured wrist with a grimace. "I'll head back to Lland and be back in a week. Until then…" He cast a look at Kantara, the glint in his eye mischievous. "Don't overtrain the kid-we wouldn't want to break him before I get my turn."

With that, the meeting was over. But as Lutens walked away, he flexed his hand again. The pain still lingered, deep and sharp.

Atenyos' raw strength had been terrifying. Even an Emperor had hard time withstanding it, and Lutens knew that if he had taken the hit with a proper guard, it still wouldn't have made much of a difference.

The kid was different.

Lutens smirked to himself.

He's going to be something else.

---

A Few Days Later

The sun was high overhead in the training field, casting long shadows as Kantara's team gathered in front of him. Atenyos's exhaustion from his last battle had worn off, but its effects were still remarkably fresh within his mind.

Kantara stood before them, arms crossed. "Your rest period is over," he said with a level voice. "From this time forward, our training will be focused on the real mission ahead.

Atenyos flexed his fingers absently, feeling the slight crackle of electricity along his skin. Beside him, Ipsum stood somber, the usual grin replaced by something a little more serious.

"As you well know," Kantara said, continuing on, "the main purpose of every Ring Bearer is to combat the Witnesses and the creatures of the Bright Dark. That is not all, however." His face clouded. "There are those of us-people who have been given the Light's blessings-who have decided to use it for their own gains. Instead of protecting this world, they take from it."

The weight of his words pressed down on the group.

"These individuals are called Regressors," Kantara said, his voice firm. "And our next mission is to eliminate two of them."

The air seemed to shift.

The team tensed slightly, their usual relaxed demeanor vanishing, they knew about regressors yet again, fighting humans...killing them, wasn't what they signed up for. Ipsum's lips parted as if to say something, but no words came. The idea of fighting other humans—even those who had abandoned their duty—was unsettling.

Atenyos, on the other hand, was filled with anything but sorriness .His jaw was clenched, his fingers curling into a fist. The thought of people choosing to take these powers and use them to bring even more pain into this already broken world…

Pathetic.

Kantara's eyes flickered across his team, reading their expressions. "Before we discuss the mission further, there's something else you all need to know." He took a breath. "Starting next week, Atenyos will have one day where he won't be training with us. Emperor Lutens has personally requested to train him."

Atenyos and Ipsum shared a look of surprise, their eyes wide with it. Then their faces morphed into a look of excitement in unison. Atenyos chuckled low.

"I guess he didn't get enough from our last encounter," he whispered, his elbow nudging that of Ipsum.

Kantara revealed nothing. "We begin mission briefing tomorrow. Dismissed."

The others all walked away, but Atenyos didn't. His fingers brushed his ring, the faint hum of lightning pulsating beneath his skin.

He watched as lightning flickered between black and white-unstable, raw, yet powerful.

He exhaled.

"This isn't the end, is it?"

The electricity crackled, his ring glowing ever so slightly.

No time to waste.

Kantara watched him from afar, crossing his arms. In the field stood a boy, alone, the lightning dancing around him silently.

The words of Lutens rung in his mind.

"His body isn't used to his power. If his hit hadn't landed, my team would've won-because he'd be burnt out completely."

Kantara clenched his fists.

Atenyos was strong. But strength wasn't everything.

He was going to get Atenyos through this.

No matter what it took.