The faint crackle of a torch was the first thing Leo noticed.
He opened his eyes slowly, blinking up at a wooden ceiling he didn't recognize. His body felt heavy, like he had been underwater for days. The flickering torchlight on the wall painted shifting shadows across the room, grounding him in the moment.
He shifted slightly and felt warmth by his side. Turning his head, he saw Amanda, her hair a soft mess, asleep in a chair pulled close to the bed. Her hand rested lightly on the edge of the mattress, fingers twitching slightly with every breath.
Leo's gaze wandered across the room. Rows of empty beds lined the walls, blankets neatly folded. The air smelled faintly of wood polish and something herbal, maybe medicine.
Before he could call out, the door creaked open.
Talia stepped in, balancing a tray with a bowl and some bread. Her armor was gone, replaced with a simple tunic, but the confident way she moved hadn't changed.
Amanda stirred at the noise.
Their eyes met.
A sharp breath hitched in Amanda's throat, and before Leo could react, she was on him, pulling him tightly into her arms. His head rested against her chest, the steady, frantic rhythm of her heartbeat filling his ears.
Talia set the tray down on the bedside table with a small, relieved smile.
"I'll let the Guild Master know you're awake," she said softly, then slipped out the door without waiting for a reply.
Leo stayed still, letting Amanda's warmth soak into him. Slowly, he raised an arm, wrapping it around her back.
"You were here the whole time?" he murmured, voice rough from sleep.
Her answer came, muffled against his hair—a soft, trembling "mm-hmm."
He exhaled, the sound brushing against her tunic.
"I'm sorry... I made you worry."
Amanda only held him closer, her fingers curling into his shirt.
No words.
Just the two of them.
And the quiet crackle of the torchlight.
Later, they made their way through wide hallways to a door framed by carved oak and silver trimming. Talia led the way, casting a quick glance back at them before pushing the door open.
Inside, Elois sat behind a broad desk, piles of papers pushed neatly to the sides. Suga leaned against the wall nearby, arms crossed. Talia took her place next to him.
Leo and Amanda sat on the sofa across from Elois. The cushions sank under their weight, the fabric warm against Leo's skin.
He glanced between Elois and Talia, the hazy memories from the Arena flashing in his mind.
"I... I saw you two," Leo said, voice still a little hoarse. "At the Arena. With Amanda."
Elois gave a slight nod.
Pieces of the fight came back, flashes of fire, the heavy silence after the Dragon Lord fell. A pit opened in his stomach.
"The Scourge Rite," Leo said, turning toward Suga. "What happened to it?"
Suga pushed himself off the wall, stepping closer. "With the Dragon Lord's defeat, you proved your claim. You completed Amanda's request."
Leo blinked, his mind struggling to keep up.
He turned to Amanda. She smiled. Small, tender, and nodded.
A weight lifted off his chest, replaced by a shaky sense of relief.
He swallowed hard. "Thank you... for taking care of us while I was out," he said. His voice cracked a little at the end. "I'm sorry. I... where am I? And who are you guys?"
Elois leaned forward, resting her elbows on the desk.
"You're inside the Silver Mane Guild headquarters," she said, her tone even. She gestured to herself. "I'm Elois, the current Guild Master."
She pointed toward Suga. "That's Suga, my assistant."
Then to Talia. "And Talia, vice leader."
Finally, her eyes landed on Amanda. "And Amanda, a former member, once part of one of our top parties."
Leo's gaze flicked around the room, the pieces falling into place.
Samuel. Claire. His parents.
The ache in his chest tightened.
Elois seemed to catch it. Her face softened for a heartbeat before she straightened and gestured toward the small table in front of them.
Two forms sat neatly stacked there, ink glistening fresh on their surfaces.
"I'm sorry to rush you," she said. "But I'd like to formally invite you both to join our guild."
Leo stared at the papers, the room settling into a heavy, expectant silence.
Leo reached for the papers, his fingers brushing the edge of the form before he paused.
"I'll join," he said, lifting his gaze to Elois. "If Amanda's here, that's more than enough reason for me."
Amanda glanced at him, something soft flickering in her eyes. She didn't smile, not fully.
But Leo tilted his head slightly. "Still... why the rush?"
Elois exhaled slowly, the first real crack in her composed facade. She folded her hands in her lap, her eyes fixed on his with a kind of deliberate gravity.
"Because time isn't on your side."
She rose, walked to the far end of the room, and stood by the window. Golden light filtered in through the slats, streaking across her shoulders as she turned back.
"The Dragon Lord," she said, voice low and steady, "was part of the Chronos Guild. One of their elites. Possibly even their strongest."
A faint shift in the room followed her words, Suga's jaw tensed, and Talia looked away.
They control nearly half the continent's trade routes. Gold, weapons, food, if it moves in the human kingdom, Chronos is touching it."
"And now that their most feared member is dead," Suga added grimly, "they'll want compensation."
Leo's brows knit. "What compensation?"
Elois returned to her seat. "They'll likely demand you join them. Take the Dragon Lord's place."
Leo's stomach twisted.
"You wouldn't be able to refuse," Elois said simply. "Not if you're unaffiliated. They'd frame it as an honor, a duty, then use your name and reputation as leverage."
"And if I say no?"
Amanda answered this time, her voice quiet. "Then they'll make an example out of you."
Leo looked down, lips pressed into a thin line.
Elois leaned in slightly. "Chronos isn't just power. They're influence. They've got nobles, officials, even parts of the military wrapped around their fingers. If they wanted to, they could spin a story that has the kingdom after you in less than a week."
Leo's jaw clenched.
"You'd be on your own," Suga confirmed.
Elois's tone softened. "But with us, you're protected. Shielded. The Silver Mane Guild has history, reach, and enough bite to keep Chronos honest."
A beat passed.
"Also," Elois added, folding her arms, "you can relax. No one's coming for revenge. The Dragon Lord was feared, not loved. Even within Chronos, he was a liability. They won't waste a single tear, or sword, on his grave."
Amanda reached out, gently pushing Leo's sleeve back.
The mark burned faintly on his skin. A blood-red glyph etched into the back of his right hand, its glow faint but undeniable.
The room dimmed a fraction, as if the air itself took notice.
"The curse," Leo murmured, staring at it.
Elois leaned forward, eyes narrowing at the sight. "Blight of the Vanquished," she said under her breath. "I've only heard of it in old tales, stories passed down by guild elders. Most thought it was just a myth. A lie system users spread to stop hunters from coming after them."
It wasn't painful—yet. But it was there. Always present. Like fingers tightening slowly around his spine. The smallest movements felt heavier than before.
They trembled.
Not visibly. Not enough for anyone else to notice. But he could feel it.
How long before he couldn't fight?
How long before he became a danger to Amanda instead of her shield?
"I'll manage," Leo said quietly. His voice steadied. "I have to."
Amanda's hand rested on his knee, grounding him again.
Elois didn't press further. She gave a small nod and slid the forms toward him again.
"Sign when you're ready," she said. "Then get some rest. You've got a future to fight for."
And for the first time in what felt like days, Leo didn't feel like he was falling anymore.
He had landed somewhere solid.
Somewhere dangerous.
But real.