Fifteen people. In the end, only fifteen had managed to complete the selection test. Out of nearly fifty participants. And strangely enough, among those final few, Tave stood alone as the only Gaia Apprentice.
This, of course, did not go unnoticed. In the chamber where the survivors had been gathered, the other fourteen occasionally cast glances his way. Whether it was admiration for a Gaia Apprentice capable of defeating a Tier 3 Monster, or suspicion that he somehow didn't belong, was unclear. Though judging by the sharpness in their eyes, it leaned more toward the latter.
Then the door at the back of the room creaked open.
A man entered clad in black armor, streaked with subtle traces of red along the plating. His long black hair was pulled back in a tie, lending him an air of authority. The room shifted instantly.
All the candidates rose to their feet and raised their hands in a formal salute.
"By steel and flame, we stand ready, Commander!"
Tave followed without delay. Whatever memories remained of the original Tave, some instinctive sense of military decorum still echoed in his mind.
The man who had entered was a Knight Commander, one of only two in all of Deadbay City. A Gaia Champion, no less. His level was to be somewhere in the fifties.
He looked to be in his early forties, clearly younger than Tave and Lily's father, who also held the rank of Gaia Champion. But this man had not climbed the Knight Order's ranks through connections or privilege. No, everything about him, the gaze, the posture, the silence, marked him as someone who had ascended through talent alone. A prodigy.
The Commander said nothing as he strode past the saluting knights, his face a stoic mask. Reaching the front of the room, he turned, stood still for a moment, and then gave a single nod.
Everyone sat down.
The man's name was Thalos, Commander Thalos, as everyone referred to him. A faint smile touched his lips as he brought his hands together in a calm, deliberate clap. The sound was soft, yet carried authority. In response, the room bowed once more in perfect synchronicity.
"Congratulations," he said, his voice even and composed. "You've each demonstrated remarkable capability. Deadbay City welcomes you with pride as the newest ranks of Squire Knights. Whatever path brought you here, remember… What we do, we do for the Kingdom of Dissidia."
The air held a quiet reverence as the weight of his words settled.
"From here on, various squads will approach you," he went on. "They may ask for your support in Rift Expeditions. Accept these opportunities with an open heart. The battlefield is where true strength is forged, and where a knight truly begins to grow."
Then, with a single motion of his hand, Commander Thalos gave them leave. "You are dismissed."
Chairs shifted and feet moved as the knights stood and prepared to file out. But just as the room stirred into motion, Thalos turned his gaze toward one figure.
"Tave. Please, stay."
Everything stopped. Eyes turned. The question rang unspoken across the room: Why him? Tave could feel it in their stares, in the weight of their glances, as if he'd been singled out for a grave mistake.
Judgments hovered in their expressions. Accusations, even. Some might have already convinced themselves he had cheated, and now the Commander was about to strip away his results.
Tave remained still, jaw tight. Then, as the last of the others stepped out, the door shut quietly behind them.
"Sit, if you'd like," Thalos offered.
Tave stayed standing. His instincts wouldn't let him rest yet.
The Commander studied him for a moment longer before speaking again. "I saw your battle. It was... exceptional."
Tave nodded. "Thank you, Commander."
"You're Dark Element, aren't you?"
Tave wasn't surprised. Though he hadn't openly revealed his affinity during the trial, he'd used a series of hand seals, subtle, nearly imperceptible to the untrained eye. But a Knight Commander, especially one like Thalos, wouldn't miss those details. Nor misinterpret them.
"Yes, Commander Thalos. I have an affinity with the Dark element."
He chose, intentionally, not to reveal the rank of his affinity.
Thalos offered a faint smile, his eyes narrowing slightly with thought.
"That's a rare element," he said calmly. "Train it well, and you might just become a deadly assassin one day."
"Thank you, Commander," Tave replied with a respectful nod.
Thalos tilted his head slightly. "Have you already settled on your fighting style? Your Relic? Your Sigil?"
Tave didn't answer right away. Truthfully, those were details that weren't meant to be shared lightly, not even with someone of Thalos's rank.
The Commander seemed to notice the pause. His gaze softened just a fraction.
"I understand. You carry the burden of being a Knight Commander's son. That much is clear. But worry not, you've already shown you possess a talent that few others do."
Tave remained silent, still watching, still listening.
"I hope you continue to grow stronger. And please, if you have any special requests, don't hesitate to come to me. Especially when you've decided on your aim. You've already delivered an exceptional performance, and as a fellow Knight Commander serving alongside your father... I'd like to see a prodigy rise into someone, this city, and the Kingdom can rely on."
Thalos…
Tave searched his memory for more about the Knight Commanders of Deadbay City. But no, there wasn't much. In the original story, they were rarely featured. Background figures, really. They showed up when war broke out, executed their roles with precision, then vanished into the silence of duty.
And that made it all the more difficult to read the man standing before him. Was he trustworthy? Could he be relied upon? And worse… could his father?
Hell, did he even have the ability to trust anyone?
But no. This wasn't about a trust issue. It was about survival. Being careful wasn't paranoia. It was a strategy.
Never show your back. Not unless you're certain, painfully certain, that the person behind you would rather protect it than stab it.
This wasn't some sad emotional hang-up. It was the only way to live in a world where strength clashed with strength, where power devoured power, and trust was just another illusion that shattered the moment it lost its usefulness.
So why now? Why this treatment? Why this kindness?
Tave narrowed his eyes slightly, watching Thalos as if he were analyzing a puzzle. The man had no real reason to be this generous.
But if it could be useful... if it could be leveraged for his own goals...
Then he'd accept it. Use it. Shape it.
That was how you survived.
"Do you have a special request?" the man repeated, voice calm but firm.
Tave didn't like that phrasing. Special request. The words rang like a subtle debt, a favor that might one day be called in. It tasted too much like an obligation. But the truth was, he did have a request. A clear one. He had a goal, and every step needed to lead toward it.
He needed to awaken the relic. And for that, there was only one Rift that could give him the opportunity.
"Commander," he said, lifting his gaze, his voice smooth and emotionless. He bowed slightly, measured and respectful. "If you permit it, I would like to train myself through participation in a Rift Expedition."
Thalos's expression didn't change, but there was a shift, something subtle behind the eyes.
"I couldn't ask for anything better," he replied after a beat. "That is exactly the kind of responsibility we expect our knights to pursue."
Tave didn't stop there. "And if you allow it, I would like my first Rift Expedition to be with my sister. With Lily."
He didn't mention the Rift by name. He didn't need to.
It was clear to anyone paying attention that Lily, with her Water Elemental affinity and a Water Sigil, would be particularly well-suited for a certain type of Rift. And that very Rift, one shaped by intense elemental fire, was precisely the one Tave needed.
By requesting Lily's presence, without giving away the specifics, he'd indirectly placed himself in the environment necessary for his goal. All without raising suspicion.
Thalos didn't answer right away.
Silence.
A long, weighted pause filled the room. A heartbeat stretched too far. Tave felt the stillness gnawing at his calm like a blade drawn just an inch too close. Why wasn't he answering?
Every second was a thread pulled tighter.
And still, Thalos said nothing.