He walked out of the school building with his hands in his pockets.
With black hair that fell just over his forehead, he has phoenix eyes twhich he inherited from his father that shimmered like dusk-tinted gold, and a face so perfectly sculpted it made people want to turn their heads, he looked like he had stepped right out of a magazine.
There was a confidence in his stride, effortless and calm. His eyes held a sharp intelligence that made him stand out, even when he wasn't trying to do so.
Some of the girls were behaving shy and giggled as he passed by, whispering to one another. But Quinir barely noticed them. He wasn't arrogant or anything but just indifferent towards them.
He was every bit the perfect son anyone could ever want, he is brilliant in school, respectful to his teachers and thoughtful, and never once had he given his parents reason to worry.
Mraniya's heart ached.'How can I explain everything to him?,how should I say we lost our home to his Uncle?'
She stood up as he spotted her and came running towards her with a smile.
"Mom! Why are you here today?!"
Mraniya returned the smile but there was something tight behind it, something which Quinir didn't miss. He slowed as he approached her, his brows narrowing just slightly.
"Did something happen?"
Mraniya opened her mouth to speak but the words just wouldn't come. Her voice trembled, and all she could manage to say was,"I–It's nothing. I just thought I'd come pick you up today… that's all."
Quinir tilted his head slightly, watching her , He could tell something was off. She was never like this. But instead of pressing her, he offered a gentle smile and simply said,"It's okay, Mom. Let's go home first."
He reached out and took her arm his touch warm, grounding.
Mraniya blinked rapidly, her eyes welling with tears.Her son was kind. Sensitive. Always understanding far more than his age should allow.
She quickly wiped at her eyes before the tears could fall, and squeezed his gently patting him on head."Okay," she whispered, her voice breaking slightly. "Let's go."
Quinir noticed the shift in his mother's behavior the moment she gently steered him away from the school gates and toward their roadside restaurant.
He was seventeen now no longer a child.He didn't question her, but he wasn't blind either. The way her grip tightened and her eyes avoided his… something was definitely wrong.
He followed her quietly, the silence between them heavier than usual.
When they arrived at the restaurant, he saw his father sitting motionless at one of the outdoor chairs, his gaze distant, lost in thought. He hadn't even noticed them arriving.
Mraniya took Quinir's school bag and set it gently on the counter without saying a word.
Quinir looked at both his parents , the exhaustion in their posture, the tension in their faces and he knew.
Something big had happened.
He walked over to his father and knelt down in front of him."Dad… are you okay?" he asked softly. "What's wrong?"
Quann blinked and finally looked down at his son. His lips trembled as he opened his mouth.
"I've failed you, son," he said, voice cracked with guilt. "I'm so sorry… we've lost our home."
Then, with a heavy heart, Quann told him everything , how his own brother, Gwent, had betrayed him… how the will was twisted and how they had been cast out like strangers.
Quinir listened quietly, absorbing every word. His expression was calm, but his eyes flickered with something deeper sharp, controlled anger.
When Quann finished, Quinir took a breath and said,"Dad… I think this counts as fraud. If we take the documents to a lawyer, we might be able to sue them."
Quann let out a bitter, self-mocking laugh."We can't do that, son. It's not that simple…"
He looked down at his hands."Your Aunt Mia's brother… he's recently made a name for himself around here. A thug, connected to the kind of people you don't want to cross. I'm almost certain they've got someone watching our every move."
Quann's voice grew quieter."If we file anything, they could retaliate maybe come after the restaurant. Maybe worse."
He hesitated."She also mentioned your sister… hinted at things. Subtle, but clear. We don't know how far her brother's influence reaches. We can't risk anything happening to your sister while she's still in the hospital."
Quinir lowered his gaze, his jaw tightening as a storm brewed behind his calm exterior.
"Okay, Dad. It's fine. We'll get through this," Quinir said softly, then paused. "But… can I see the document once?"
Quann nodded slowly, pointing to the corner where they had stacked their few belongings from the old house."I placed it with your grandmother's things ,inside that old box she always kept."
"It's okay, Dad. Let me check it first," Quinir said gently, not wanting to reopen his father's wounds any more than necessary.
He walked over to the pile and found the familiar box , old, worn, but sturdy. It was the one his grandmother used like a personal safe, even though it only held trinkets, letters from his late grandfather, and things of sentimental value.
Quinir glanced back at his parents. His mother had quietly joined his father, gently holding his arm, her head resting on his shoulder as she comforted him in silence.
Not wanting to disturb them, Quinir picked up the box and carried it outside. He sat beneath the tree near the restaurant, placing the box on the table before him.
He opened it carefully.
Inside, tucked among faded letters and yellowed photographs, was a folded document.
This must be it.
He unfolded it and began to read.
As his eyes scanned the content, a bitter frown crept over his face. He had expected to feel anger… but not this much.The wording was clever , too clever. Hidden clauses, legal traps disguised as favors. The signature placement at the end felt manipulated.
Quinir clenched his jaw.So this is what Uncle Gwent did.
He remembered how his father treated his brother , no different than how he treated Quinir and his little sister Nara. The trust, the love, the sacrifices. And in return… this betrayal.
His fists curled. The pain in his chest burned, spreading into his arms.
He struck the tree beside him with his bare hand , not thinking, just reacting.
A sharp sting shot through his knuckles, and a thin trail of blood slid down his hand. But Quinir ignored it.His mind was a storm of betrayal, pain, and silent rage.
Unnoticed, a single drop of blood fell into the box… and landed on an old ring resting quietly beneath the papers.
The ring shimmered.
A low hum vibrated in the air as the ring absorbed the blood, then burst into a sudden, soft blue glow.
Quinir flinched and squinted.What the hell?
The light dimmed just as quickly as it had appeared. For a moment, he thought he had imagined it. But then
A light tap on his shoulder.
He turned slowly.
Hovering beside him was a tiny, floating creature ,doll-like in size, with soft hair tied into a bun with a beaded thread. It wore a tiny skirt-like wrap, had big doe-like eyes, and cheeks that glowed faintly with mischief.
Quinir blinked, completely stunned.
The creature floated up to his face, leaned in close, and suddenly yelled,
"Boo!,"
Startled, Quinir stumbled backward off the bench, nearly landing flat on his back.
The creature burst into laughter, clutching its belly midair, tears forming in its glowing eyes.
"Haha! Oh my! The look on your face! Absolutely priceless!"
As Quinir watched the tiny creature rolling mid-air, laughing uncontrollably, his brain nearly short-circuited.What the hell is happening?!
Still on edge, he quietly folded the document in his hand, his eyes locked on the floating doll. His grip tightened slightly.If it came any closer, he was ready to defend himself , even if it meant smacking a mystical gremlin with legal paperwork.
The tiny creature suddenly stopped laughing mid-roll, floating upright with an apologetic look.
"Oh my! I'm so sorry," it said in a sweet, bell-like voice. "I should've introduced myself properly before playing around!"
It floated closer , slowly, hands raised as if to show it meant no harm."I am a Yaksha , the guardian of this ring."
It twirled once in the air and bowed. "A boring old man from higher realms placed me as the keeper of this artifact long, long ago. Only those chosen ,the worthy few, can awaken me."
Quinir narrowed his eyes. "Chosen?"
The Yaksha nodded, floating a little higher. "Mhm. Only a specific soul resonance, triggered by sacrifice or inherited blood, can unlock the seal."
It looked around suddenly, scrunching its nose in a rather adorable expression."Eugh… so this is the lower plane. No wonder everything feels... dense. The Arkena here is so thin it's practically nonexistent."
"Arkena?" Quinir echoed, still holding the folded document like a weapon.
The Yaksha blinked at him. "Oh, right. You people wouldn't know that word. Arkena is... the fundamental energy of evolution. The source of growth, power, and ascension. Don't worry , you'll learn all that soon enough."
It hovered a little closer, tapping its chin."Still, it's interesting. This ring responded to your blood ,that means your fate's aligned with something far greater than this dusty plane."
Quinir stared at it, still unsure if he was hallucinating or if this was real.Guardian ring? Arkena? Chosen one?
He took a breath. "So… what exactly do you want from me?"
The Yaksha grinned. "Not what I want, kid. The real question is" it pointed a tiny glowing finger at his chest,
"What do you want?!"