At Kaeli's house…
"So, Rethrus, what's the plan?" Eri asked, leaning forward.
"Alright, here it is," Rethrus said.
He took a deep breath.
'Damn… there's nothing in my mind right now,' he thought, staring at the table.
"Uh—Kaeli, what's the decision again?" Rethrus turned to Kaeli
Kaeli nodded. "Some of our men will join the war effort. The rest will stay back and guard the Frings Estate in case of a surprise attack. Though, let's be honest, we both know the Merlion family will charge head-on—they're the ones who want this fight."
"Yeah, yeah," the others agreed.
"And since Mr. Cassius already knows about our plan," Eri added, "he wants us to focus on guarding the estate. Simple as that."
"Nice, nice," Gerard echoed with a nod.
Rethrus looked at the map of the Frings Costamado Estate spread across the table.
"Damn… I can't think of anything."
The others exchanged looks.
Then they chuckled.
'Guess he's a kid after all,' Gerard thought.
'Even geniuses hit a wall sometimes,' Kaeli thought.
'This is probably the only time I can say we're the same age,' Eri thought, smiling.
"Ahhh… hmmmm," Rethrus muttered, staring at the map as if it would start whispering answers.
'Just like research,' he thought. 'Alright, what's my objective?'
He cleared his throat. "So… what exactly is our mission?"
Eri tilted her head. "Rescue the girl. Keep our identities hidden. All of us safe, of course."
"That's it?" Rethrus asked, blinking.
"And your exit, Rethrus. Where's your exit?" Gerard chimed in, leaning over the table.
"Right. Right…"
Rethrus turned to Kaeli. "You got anything in mind?"
Kaeli crossed his arms. "Actually… yeah. How about I don't go in with the guild at the start?"
Gerard looked confused. "What do you mean?"
Kaeli shrugged. "Simple. I carry you and Rethrus inside the estate with crates of supplies. Once you're in, it's on you two to stay out of sight. We still don't know where the key is, right?"
Gerard waved his hand dismissively. "Not an issue. I can unlock it from the inside—or Rethrus can just break the lock if things get messy."
Eri folded her arms. "Fine, but what about getting out? That estate has a barrier."
Gerard smirked. "Easy. Kaeli will be on supply duty. He'll deliver a crate to the battlefield, say it's for the frontlines. We hide inside and slip out that way."
Rethrus raised a brow. "And you're confident that your invisibility can carry us with enough time?"
"Please," Gerard said, puffing out his chest. "I was trained as a spy. Hiding's basically my forte."
'Yet we caught him instantly,' they all thought at once.
Kaeli leaned over the map and traced a finger across the parchment. "Now, looking at this, the estate's positioned just before the warfront. That's where we're all headed—straight into the fire."
He tapped the southern edge. "The main entrance is here. That's where the supply carts come in, so that's our cover."
Then, his finger slid upward. "North? Just forest. Thick, wild, and quiet. I'd say that's your emergency exit, Rethrus, in case things go south."
"Like what?" Rethrus asked, brow raised.
Kaeli gave a short shrug, eyes still on the map. "I mean… it's war. We don't know what's really gonna happen. Could be chaos. Could be betrayal. Could be both."
He looked up. "If the plan crumbles, you run north. No second thoughts."
Then he paused, and added, "Oh—and one more thing. As a signal for mission success… make sure there's a trail of water behind the chariot when you leave."
"A trail of water?" Gerard repeated, confused.
Kaeli smirked. "Yeah. Just a small leak from the barrel. Subtle. Anyone watching won't notice, but we will. It'll tell us you're out and safe."
Rethrus gave a slow nod. "Simple. Clever."
Kaeli crossed his arms. "We keep it quiet. We keep it clean. We get her out—and no one dies unless they have to."
Rethrus sighed. "Alright then. After I'm out of the Frings Estate barrier… mission's complete?"
"Ohmm," the three replied in a unified hum.
'Feels like something's missing… but it's decent enough,' Rethrus mused.
Eri stepped closer. "Rethrus… once you're out, you'll still need to escape the city, right?"
"Ohmm," he repeated, uncertain.
Without warning, Eri wrapped her arms around him. "Then I'm going to miss you," she whispered.
Before he could react, Gerard and Kaeli stepped forward and hugged him too.
It was awkward. A little stiff.
But warm.
And for a second, Rethrus forgot how heavy the plan really was.
Kaeli's gaze hardened. "Rethrus, you probably already know this… but this war—it's going to shatter lives. Families in Aurelia will suffer. Do you really think this is a fair trade?"
Rethrus didn't answer immediately. His eyes drifted to the edge of the map, then to the flickering candle beside it. He took a slow breath.
"Yes. It's a magic war—there'll be destruction, loss… but I'm already here." His voice was steady. "Backing down isn't an option. This isn't about morals for me anymore. I just want to finish what I started."
A moment of silence passed between them.
Gerard smirked, arms crossed.
Eri smiled softly, her eyes warm. "Then we're all in this together."
Kaeli nodded, a hint of pride in his voice. "At least we're on the same page."
Rethrus stepped back from the table, his shadow cast long across the map. "Let's go."
Lord Frings sat in his chamber, wide awake, eyes fixed on the moonlight spilling across the polished floor.
Tok, tok, tok.
A soft knock echoed at the door.
"Come in," Frings said without turning.
The door opened, and Mergoth stepped inside, cloaked in shadow.
"My lord," Mergoth bowed.
Frings remained at the window. "Tomorrow… you'll stay here in the mansion. I want you to oversee everything. I don't want outsiders from other guild taking command of our people."
"Yes, milord."
A pause.
Frings turned slightly. "Forgive me if this sounds like doubt, but… can you explain how your curse works? The one that took Rethrus's memory."
"Not taken as an insult, milord," Mergoth replied gently. "I'm glad you asked. The memory was sealed—as long as I live, he won't remember."
"I see…" Frings said. "But how did you manage that?"
"I cast a curse spell that forced the memory away," Mergoth explained. "Then sealed it with a trace of mana—just enough to bind it."
"A trace?" Frings raised a brow.
"Yes, milord. Too much mana, and he might have lost all his memories. We can't risk that… not for someone destined to be a hero."
Frings nodded slowly. "That makes sense."
"Think of the curse seal like a clay jar," Mergoth continued. "And Rethrus's memory as water. I used a small jar—just enough to take what I needed. If I used a larger container, more memories might've been pulled with it."
"Rethrus might be powerful," Mergoth said calmly, "but his mind is still that of a child. Sealing a child's memories too deeply would require too much mana… it would shatter him, my Lord."
"Hmm… a precise process," Frings said. "But you mentioned there's a condition?"
Mergoth hesitated. "Yes. Because of Rethrus's unique power, I had to impose one."
Frings turned fully now. "What kind of condition?"
"Don't worry, milord," Mergoth said with a confident smile. "It's highly unlikely he'll ever meet it."
Outside the chamber.
The hallway beyond was dim, lit only by dying lanterns. Silence blanketed the mansion.
Below, in a forgotten corridor beneath the estate, a lone guard stood at a reinforced metal door. Behind it, the muffled cries of imprisoned slaves and children seeped through the cracks—some sobbing, others eerily quiet.
One girl sat alone in the dark, wrapped in nothing but a ragged shirt. Her skin was pale, her eyes dull, staring into nothing.
In the faintest whisper, she breathed—
"Rethrus… save me."