The Beginning After The End Chapter 527: Celebrations and Revelations

ARTHUR LEYWIN

I flipped the stone over in my palm, observing the deep fractures that marred its complex facade. It had taken only a single, intense burst of energy to shatter it. Nevertheless, it was a necessary act—a minor toll to pay when looking at the bigger picture. Its function was complete, so what point was there in keeping it whole?

I briefly contemplated activating Aroa's Requiem. By channeling aether through the god step via aevum arts, I could have reversed the decay and mended the relic. But I paused. Letting out a breath, I placed the gemstone on my nightstand and stood up, surveying the bedroom as if I were a stranger seeing it for the first time.

The master suite of my new residence was vast and airy. A massive four-poster bed took up most of one wall, while the neighboring side was comprised of a shimmering mana barrier. This transparent panel served as both a window and a portal, leading out to a balcony that circled the house on the outskirts of Ashber. Currently, the grounds were submerged in the shadow of one of the Rings of Epheotus, though I knew the light would return shortly before the guests arrived.

On the far wall, a waterfall cascaded into a stone basin, the water being magically filtered as it flowed toward the rest of the plumbing. The room featured matching desks for myself and Tessia, along with a life-sized, incredibly accurate statue of Wren Kain IV tucked in the corner. I made a mental note to move that particular piece of decor to a less intrusive spot once the party ended.

This estate was far more opulent than any place I had previously called home. It was grander than the Helstea manor in Xyrus, offered more luxury than the flying castle, and possessed more enchantments than the elven palace in Zestier. Despite spending two weeks here, it still didn't quite feel like mine.

Walking through the mana partition, I stepped onto the terrace. It offered a view of a wide lake with the Grand Mountains looming in the distance. Shifting my gaze south, I could just make out the silhouette of the Spire. Even though it was hundreds of miles away, it stretched upward until it met the Rings of Epheotus, appearing like a pillar holding the heavens aloft.

The mansion and its territory sat exactly where my parents' modest farmhouse once stood—the very one I had accidentally demolished when my powers awakened at three years old. Ashber had mostly become a ghost town during the war's peak, but a group of friends and allies had purchased half the village in my name. Now, I watched daily as caravans rolled by, filled with people returning to reclaim their lives.

I was still grappling with my emotions regarding the situation. I have never been good at accepting charity, so being presented with a sprawling, incredibly expensive manor and the surrounding land felt overwhelming.

Laughing softly at my own awkwardness, I leaned against the stone railing. Below, a massive shadow glided through the unnaturally blue water, a flash of gold shimmering beneath the surface. Boo was perched on the bank, batting at the ripples with a heavy paw, seemingly hunting the giant goldfish that lived in the enchanted lake.

Through various proxies, the Glayders had secured the land surrounding my mother’s original plot. Meanwhile, the dwarven lords established a trust to fund the estate’s upkeep for as long as a Leywin resided there. Much of the structure hadn't been built by hand but rather "grown" by a collaboration of titans, hamadryads, and elven mages from Elenoir. The magical systems were fueled by massive mana crystals provided by Seris, salvaged from the spoils of Agrona’s hoard. Even Veruhn had contributed, shaping the lake and filling it with seawater from his own realm. To the north, Alaric and Darrin had provided a field full of wogarts.

These were only a few of the many gifts integrated into the property. "Not a terrible spot to rest your heels after saving the world," Regis had remarked upon our arrival. My mother had been moved to tears, while Ellie—still a bit dazed from her time in the pocket dimension—had bluntly asked if she should prepare for a bunch of little Arthurs and Tessias to start running around the halls.

The memory brought a smile to my face.

The house included dedicated suites for Mom, Ellie, and Sylvie, along with several guest rooms—though not nearly enough to accommodate the crowd expected over the next few days.

Turning back, I looked through the mana field into the room I now shared with Tessia. It felt surreal, like a fragile dream I shouldn't trust. I kept waiting for Fate to snatch it all away and wake me up. She had been gone for so long that I couldn't shake the fear that any moment with her might be the last. I kept wondering: what if she vanished again?

My attention drifted back to the broken stone. For a second, the urge to use Aroa's Requiem to fix it and check on her whereabouts resurfaced. What if—

I forced myself to stop the downward spiral. She was simply in town buying supplies. Although we had hired a well-compensated staff to assist us, Tessia had insisted on going herself, bringing Ellie along for some "sisterly bonding." I understood the impulse; there was a certain peace in doing something as ordinary as grocery shopping after the chaos we had endured.

Maintaining my mental focus without King's Gambit was proving to be a struggle. The desire to activate the ability felt like a physical addiction or a phantom limb. Without it, my thoughts felt disorganized and frayed.

I pressed my hand against my chest, though it did nothing to soothe the dull ache in my core. I hadn't touched magic since my return from Alacrya. My core had stopped absorbing aether, and my internal reserves were nearly dry. I had a nagging intuition that once the remaining aether vanished, the core would collapse, and I would...

Clearing my throat, I straightened my posture and walked back inside. The upper floor was connected by a mezzanine that overlooked the central atrium. A tree from Mount Geolus grew from a circular plot in the center, its branches heavy with pink foliage and glowing, iridescent fruit. I knew the fruit was saturated with mana, but without Realmheart, I could no longer feel its vibration.

It was worth it. I repeated the phrase like a mantra, as I had done for weeks. I said it every time I looked at the Rings of Epheotus or the Spire. I said it when my core trembled, or when I looked at my mother and sister. It was for Regis, Sylvie, and the memory of my father's hand on my shoulder.

Regardless of what the future held or the price I had to pay, the outcome justified the cost.

"Arthur?"

I snapped out of my trance, realizing I had been staring blankly at the Epheotan tree—a gift from the Inthirah clan. My mother had approached from her room so quietly I hadn't heard the door.

"Did you have a nice rest?" I asked, forcing a reassuring smile to show I was fine.

She gave me a playful eye-roll. "I was just reading and happened to nod off." She stretched her arms wide and let out a yawn. "I guess that's just what happens when you get older."

With a chuckle, I offered her my arm and we walked downstairs. Our cook, Hela, had a light lunch waiting for us. Hela was a local girl from Ashber who had lost her kin during the raid on Lilia’s caravan. She had boldly approached the asuras while they were magically constructing the house to ask for work, and Mom had hired her on the spot.

We sat at the kitchen island rather than the formal dining table, chatting quietly until the first knock echoed through the house.

"I've got it!" Mom shouted to no one in particular, hurrying toward the foyer.

I cleaned up my plate and followed her, leaning against a pillar in the atrium. Mom pulled open the heavy front door to reveal Jasmine, Helen, and Durden. For a fleeting moment, my mind played a trick on me, and I saw the complete Twin Horns: there was Adam Krensch, messy-haired and grinning; Angela Rose, ready to pull me into a bone-crushing embrace; and my father, young and laughing as he teased Adam.

"I'm so happy you're here. I was worried you'd find the travel too much for retirees," Mom joked.

Jasmine feigned a scowl, though her red eyes were sparkling. "We might have had to drag him here."

"Hey, I only have one arm left! You have to be gentle with it," Durden joked, his laughter instantly transporting me back to our old campfires in the Grand Mountains.

Helen embraced my mother, letting out a weary sigh. "Alice, please tell me there's something strong to drink. Traveling with these two for so long has been exhausting."

Mom laughed, her voice sounding bright and youthful. "Helen, you have no idea what we have in stock."

Jasmine walked past her, looking up at the ceiling with raised eyebrows. "Impressive. Quite the mansion." She finally spotted me. "Ah, look at my useless student. The biggest disappointment of the age. You haven't done a single thing with your life, have you?" Her lips twitched as she tried to hide a smirk.

I let out a dramatic sigh and lowered my head in mock shame. "You're right. I'm a high school dropout, I couldn't hold down a teaching job for a year, and I quit my training in Epheotus early..."

She snorted and tossed something toward me.

I caught the weapon by the hilt, looking at it with confusion.

"One of my original daggers," she explained, looking slightly sheepish. "From our training days on the road to Xyrus. I thought you might want it as a keepsake for this ridiculous house. To remind you of when you were just a weird, cocky kid."

A genuine laugh escaped me, and the weight on my chest lightened. "Jasmine, I preferred it when you were the silent type."

"Is that a challenge?" She dropped into a brawling stance, bouncing on her toes.

"Take your fighting outside!" Mom barked, though she was clearly holding back a smile.

"It's my house!" I yelled back, but I lunged forward anyway, swept Jasmine’s leg to drop her on her backside, and bolted out the door, leaving the dagger with my mother.

Mom blinked in surprise while Jasmine grunted as she hit the floor before she sprinted after me, using wind magic to boost her speed.

"Kids," I heard Helen sigh, followed by Durden’s booming laughter before the door swung shut.

Jasmine and I traded blows for a few minutes until Boo, feeling left out, joined the fray. He tackled me and swiped playfully at Jasmine. Together, we turned our attention to the giant beast, wrestling his massive frame until we were all a tangled, panting mess on the grass.

"Hey! Quit bullying my bond!" My sister's voice shouted across the lawn.

Ellie and Tessia were walking up the path, accompanied by the Helstea family in a carriage pulled by skitters. The beasts flinched as Boo galloped toward them, but Ellie whistled him back. She jumped off the carriage, hiding something behind her back as she ran to her bond.

I helped Jasmine to her feet and went to greet the newcomers. "Vincent, Tabitha, Lilia. I'm so glad you could make it."

We exchanged pleasantries as the carriage reached the entrance. Jameson, who used to work at the Helstea Auction House but now managed my staff, came out to assist them. He took the reins to lead the skitters to the stables and begin unloading their luggage.

Vincent stared up at the manor and whistled. "I saw the drafts—an architect friend in Xyrus helped with the plans—but the reality is breathtaking. Those asuras are incredible builders." He leaned in and gave me a playful nudge. "Maybe you can introduce us? I bet asura-crafted items would sell for a fortune at the Auction House."

"Father..." Lilia sighed, sounding exhausted.

The front door opened again, and Mom appeared, smiling broadly. "You're here! How was the journey?"

"It would have been shorter if Tanner could have spared some blade wings," Vincent complained.

"Dad!" Lilia countered. "You know the pilots are all tied up. They can't just be used for personal trips."

Anyone capable of flying a mana beast was currently working overtime. The Helsteas only managed to get here because of the frequent flights between the surface and Xyrus. It was understandable that they couldn't find a dedicated pilot for a trip to northern Sapin.

"Ignore him," Tabitha said, giving my mother a warm hug. "The trip was lovely. It's been ages since we traveled just for fun. Seeing everyone in Sapin working so hard... there's a new spirit in the air, Alice. There's hope."

Mom led the Helsteas inside, chatting away. Ellie followed after giving Boo a large bone she’d acquired in town. Tessia wrapped an arm around my waist and rested her head on my shoulder, looking at the house with a flicker of anxiety.

"Don't worry, this place is huge enough for you to hide if the crowd gets too much," I joked. "Besides, Sylvie and Virion should be arriving shortly."

"The party isn't what's bothering me," she admitted, tightening her grip on my arm. "I'm happy to celebrate your birthday with everyone. It's just... what comes after."

I understood her concern. These past two weeks of quiet peace had been a gift, but reality was intruding. Virion was needed in Elenoir; his people were leaderless and struggling. Between coordinating with Clan Asclepius, managing the Alacryan refugees, negotiating with dwarven builders, and dealing with the asura, the elves desperately required dedicated leadership.

I looked at Tessia, my heart aching. Her bond with Mordain had grown quickly, and he was mentoring her just as he had once mentored Elder Rinia. Though she wasn't a diviner, Mordain was helping her reach new heights of power. The Alacryans already held her in high regard because of her history with Cecilia, and she had more experience with dwarven politics than almost any other elf.

Furthermore, as the recipient of a mourning pearl, the asuras would be keeping a close eye on her to see what she did with her renewed life. Veruhn had even suggested that many would view her as a peer, almost like an asura herself. I smiled inwardly. Once we wed, she would be part of Clan Leywin. An archon.

"Why that smirk?" she asked, glancing up. "Are you that happy to see me go back to Elenoir?"

I swept her up into a hug, drawing a squeal from her. "It kills me to think of you leaving, but the world needs Tessia Eralith."

"It needs both of us," she countered, bopping my nose.

Even a residence as massive as the Leywin Estate felt crowded once the full guest list arrived. The house was filled with the hum of voices, and I realized there was no escaping the festivities.

I eventually found myself stuck in the dining hall, snacking on walnuts while caught between Gideon and Wren. The two were locked in a heated debate about the "Confluence"—the term people were using for the merging of our world with Epheotus.

"Arthur, are you even paying attention?" Gideon barked, glaring at me from under his bushy eyebrows. "This is groundbreaking!"

"I'm listening," I replied, tearing my eyes away from Tessia, who was across the room laughing with Lilia and Emily. "You're talking about my old steam engine idea."

Wren nudged me. "With the current difficulties in travel, this 'train' concept could change everything."

"I've refined the designs we looked at a decade ago," Gideon continued. "It wasn't feasible during the war, and it would usually take decades to build, but now..."

"With the help of the Kain clan, we can finish the tunnels in months!" Wren added, looking more excited than I had ever seen him. "Building the actual engines for every major city will take time, but the first route could be running by the time the tunnels are ready."

"And who is authorizing this?" I asked, curious about the political side of things. "Who's paying for it?"

Gideon waved a hand dismissively. "The dwarves are all for it. Guilds are already fighting for contracts. They're still setting up their new parliament and choosing a king through trials, but they'll back us. Sapin, however..."

Sapin’s political climate was messy. After centuries of monarchy and a brief stint under the Tri-union council—which answered to Aldir—the nation was in flux. While the dwarves were moving toward a new system, Sapin was struggling to find its footing.

Curtis and Kathyln were the rightful heirs, but they had declined the crown. I had already received several letters asking me to step up as the King of Sapin. I had zero interest in the job.

"The Glayders won't sign off on anything until Sapin has a clear government," Gideon said, sounding annoyed. Then he let out a sharp laugh. "I almost forgot—they mentioned that as 'regent,' perhaps you..."