Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The man had collapsed on the floor, barely conscious. He was breathing heavily and his face was covered in blood. His hands were tied behind his back, and even if they had been free, it would not have changed his situation. He was going to die, of that he had no doubt. However, his torturers had no intention of letting him go peacefully. He hoped to pass out so he would no longer feel the excruciating pain that had been inflicted on him. His tormentors were very imaginative, as he knew only too well, having infiltrated this gang and participated in this kind of activity so as not to risk blowing his cover. Now that his identity had been discovered, it was his turn to receive the blows he had once inflicted. He had already cracked, revealing everything he knew to his torturers about his mission and the list of contacts that had allowed him to join the organization. However, the men who had stabbed him repeatedly wanted to continue toying with him. His thighs and arms were bleeding profusely, but not enough to render him unconscious.

“Nikos, Nikos,” echoed the voice of the gang leader, proud of himself for having found a mole. “I'm really disappointed. I truly trusted you.” ."

Nikos didn't know what the man with glasses was saying. He could hardly hear anything, and he could hardly see anything, so much did the pain cloud his senses.

The man opposite stood up. He had absolutely no charisma, which was not surprising for a small fry like him.

“Your betrayal really hurts me,” said the man, making no effort to hide his smile, “but maybe the fact that I managed to flush out an Okhema government agent will help me climb the ladder. Mydeimos likes it when we eliminate traitors.”

If the man hadn't had his will broken and his jaw completely shattered, he would have told him that Mydeimos certainly wasn't interested in small-time crooks who only ran local gangs. Even the lieutenants of the Castrum Kremnos crime boss had probably never heard of Skott Lyndon. Nikos knew that the man who was torturing and beating him was considered a nobody in the underworld, a nobody whom the Castrum Kremnos bosses left alone because his neighborhood was not considered strategic at all. However, this nobody, Skott Lyndon, had connections, and some of them were apparently quite important in the organization. That was why Nikos had been given the mission to infiltrate the group around this small-time boss. Unfortunately, Skott the loser would be the one to kill him.

“Cut off his fourth finger,” Skott ordered Vincente, his most loyal henchman.

Vincente carried out the order without any remorse, and Nikos didn't even have the strength to scream. Vincente was a former mercenary who had worked for the city of Styxia and loved bloodshed too much to settle for a normal life after Styxia no longer needed him. He had boasted several times about participating in the massacre of the Chrysean heirs, and although Nikos thought it was a tall tale, he knew that Vincente was still a veritable killing machine, especially when under the influence of Nikador's Blood, a drug whose distribution was completely controlled by the Castrum Kremnos organization.

“Poor Nikos, he doesn't even amuse me anymore,” Skott said, yawning. "I would have thought he'd be more tenacious."

“Should I kill him, boss?” asked Vicente, who was surrounded by a dozen henchmen.

“Even though the show is starting to bore me, we have to make an example of him. Mydeimos will surely reward us,” replied Skott, full of disillusionment. “Cut off his remaining fingers and then dismember him. We'll send his remains to his colleagues. I'm sure they'll appreciate it.”

Vincente hesitated, perhaps he had more conscience than Skott.

“What is it?” Skott asked, annoyed.

“I was wondering, boss, if it was really wise to do this. His colleagues might try to avenge him...”

Skott sneered.

“Castrum Kremnos destroyed that organization of Chrysian heirs who were getting in his way. No one will dare challenge us after that.”

However, the sound of an explosion seemed to answer Skott, as if to mock him. The walls shook for a few seconds and screams could be heard outside the room.

“What... what's going on?” stammered Skott, who was as white as a sheet and had completely forgotten to torment Nikos any further.

Vincente signaled to five of his henchmen to leave the room to see what was happening. The building was well guarded; this kind of attack couldn't happen. Skott was shaking and pressed himself against a wall, while Vincente remained calm. He took a dose of Nikador's Blood; with this drug, he was absolutely invincible. His men looked at him before doing the same. They had hesitated, even though the drug was highly addictive and its devastating effects on the brain were no secret. However, if someone had really been able to eliminate all the gang members around the building, they would probably need it. Skott hid behind Vincente. After about twenty minutes, the men Vincente had sent to assess the situation still hadn't returned. The mercenary began to break out in a cold sweat. These men were competent and efficient; they should already be back. Vincente knew exactly what their absence meant. Those who were attacking them had eliminated them and would soon be arriving in this room.

“We're going to evacuate the building,” Vincente declared.

“No... no...” Skott stammered, “if they find us...”

“We can't just wait for them,” said the former mercenary. “We have to go out and let the other men inside take them out. The people attacking us don't stand a chance against us, but it's better to be safe than sorry.”

He hoped that his false confidence would temporarily calm Skott down.

Skott didn't dare contradict him; he too was afraid of Vincente. Vincente's men positioned themselves around the back door of the room where they were and opened it quietly before coming out with their weapons drawn.

All was silent. Skott sighed with relief, thinking that the attackers must have been eliminated and that everything had returned to normal, but Vincente was not so foolish. The silence meant that all his henchmen were dead. He shouldn't worry, he had taken a dose of this miracle drug, no one could resist it, he repeated to himself mentally, but he found it hard to convince himself. His men were also beginning to show signs of concern. They may have been professionals, but they were still unsettled by this unknown threat. They moved slowly along the emergency exit. They hoped their attackers wouldn't discover it. He regretted not bringing Nikkos with them; he could have served as a hostage. It was too late to turn back now. Those who had attacked them were certainly not far away, and they must be very skilled. Skott was so distraught he could barely walk, and Vincente had to grab him firmly to force him to move forward. He couldn't allow his employer to slow them down. They reached a staircase on the side of the building. All they had to do was go down and get their vehicle, hoping their attackers hadn't thought to destroy them first. The smell of blood was everywhere, and Vincente would recognize it anywhere. Those who had attacked them had been particularly effective, but certainly not subtle. When he reached the bottom, Vincente saw the cars on fire. Skott let out a cry of despair, and the henchmen began to panic. Vincente was not calm either.

“Enjoy this moment, vermin of Castrum Kremnos,” boomed a male voice, “for it is the last of your life.” Then two men fell, their throats slit. However, there was no sign of those who had just killed them.

“Where are you?” shouted Vincente, who was beginning to panic. “If you're not cowards, show yourselves!” "

A young man dressed in black, his hair covered, holding a bloody blade, advanced toward them. Vincente couldn't make out his face clearly; after all, it was night outside.

“The members of Castrum Kremnos are in no position to call me a coward,” replied the man, who made no attempt to hide the hatred in his voice.

“Where are your companions?” replied the mercenary. “Are they going to attack me treacherously?” "

“I don't need companions to eliminate a bunch of losers like you.”

The man disappeared for a few seconds, and two more of Skott's subordinates collapsed to the ground, dead. Vincente, who was a very experienced fighter, had been unable to follow the stranger's movements.

“You're a Chrysos heir,” growled the former mercenary. “I thought you were all dead!”

Skott crawled away from his attacker, but the latter had no trouble catching up with him.

“I came for you. Don't think you'll get away with this!”

“Wait,” cried Skott, “spare me and I'll give you everything you want, absolutely everything!”

The young man kicked him violently in the face before Vincente had time to intervene. Skott was stunned and didn't move.

“I hear you killed several Chrysos heirs on the day of the massacre,” said the man, looking at Vincente. “This fight shouldn't scare you.”

The last man in the gang accompanying Vincente desperately tried to escape, but the man killed him instantly by throwing a dagger that pierced his eyes.

Vincente was desperate. This man was certainly not just any Chrysos heir, and the mercenary realized that even the Blood of Nikador would not save him. The Blood of Nikador had the ability to increase the physical strength of any individual tenfold, but against a Chrysos heir of this caliber, it would not be enough. Who was he? Then the mercenary remembered some rumors he had heard, rumors of a Chrysos heir more dangerous than the others, the one the men of Castrum Kremnos had long nicknamed Death, the one Mydeimos was said to have been frustrated at not finding on the day of the massacre.

“Khaslana... you are Khaslana!”

Phainon threw himself behind him at lightning speed and slit his throat with a swift sword stroke. Vincente collapsed to the ground, Phaenon deliberately not killing him outright.

"You're nothing but a pathetic loser, and you claim to have killed several of us. Even the weakest of my companions would have had no trouble against you. "

Phainon stabbed Vincente again, avoiding his vital organs.

“I don't like doing this,” said the Chrysos heir, “but I'll make an exception for scum like you ! An exemplary death to inspire fear. Your leader is familiar with this method, after all !”

The scene lasted a moment, and after a dozen sword strokes, Phainon finished Vincente off. However, the mercenary was not his main target. He returned to Skott, who was shaking so badly that he had lost control of his body. The man with the glasses didn't even have enough composure left to beg Phaenon to spare him. He tried to crawl across the floor again, then turned around and put his hands out as if to block Phainon, who was inexorably approaching. He was truly pathetic.

Phainon grabbed him by the neck and lifted him slowly.

“You have two choices, Skott the loser: Either you tell me what I want to know right now and you'll die painlessly, even though you don't deserve it, or you refuse to talk and I'll subject you to the same torture that you and your men inflicted on the man you just murdered.”

“I... I... don't... torture me...” Skott cried desperately.

“Very well,” replied Phainon with an icy stare of hatred, “tell me where Mydeimos is.”

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Phainon knew he couldn't expect much from Skott. He was a small-time gang leader with no real future prospects if he stayed alive. However, his contact had insisted that Skott Lyndon had connections and certainly knew more about the leader of Castrum Kremnos than anyone realized. Massacring Skott and his men had been no challenge for Phainon. On the other hand, he knew it would be much more difficult to get to Mydeimos and his horrible friends. Skott, unsurprisingly, knew nothing about his main target. However, he did have information about another important person: Hephaestion. The latter was considered Mydeimos' closest friend and confidant, and rumors suggested that the two men were actually even more than that. Phainon didn't care about his targets' love lives, except when it could be useful for his revenge. If Hephaestion was really that close to Mydeimos, Phainon would get even more satisfaction from killing him. Being able to get to the man who had taken everything from him would certainly satisfy part of his desire for revenge. Skott had even given him some interesting details about Hephaestion, details on how to approach him. Hephaestion was in charge of the Okhema sector. This had particularly annoyed Phainon when he learned of it. Okhema, the holy city, the largest capital of Amphoreus, where he had met all his companions, but also the city where they had all been murdered. Phainon had hoped never to return to this city, which was now a shadow of its former self, but Mydeimos liked to play tricks on him. The Chrysos heir hoped that the massacre of Skott's gang and the rumor of Khaslana's return would deprive his enemy of a good night's sleep. It was time for fear to change sides, and all those involved in Castrum Kremnos' illegal trafficking had to know that they risked incurring Khaslana's wrath.

However, his plans for revenge would have to wait, as the priority today was to settle in Okhema without attracting attention. But since the collapse of the Chrysos heirs' organization, Phaenon was penniless. He knew he would have no trouble finding a small job; he had always been good at promoting himself, and his good looks and charm helped convince potential employers. That wasn't his immediate concern, though. First and foremost, he had to find a place to live, and in a city in as much crisis as Okhema, it wouldn't be as easy as it had been a few years ago. Phainon looked again at the contact details he had saved in his phone. The apartment wasn't in the worst part of town, but it wasn't far off. He knew that given his financial situation, he couldn't hope for anything better. Since the death of his friends, Okhema had descended into complete insecurity, and the council of elders, who had believed they could do without the Chrysos heirs, were now completely overwhelmed by the situation. Phainon did not feel sorry for them; after all, they were complicit in what had happened two years ago. The council of elders had therefore, due to their powerlessness, decided to concentrate what authority they had left on the few most affluent neighborhoods in the city and completely abandon the others to criminal organizations, mainly Castrum Kremnos.  The neighborhood where he hoped to find lodging was one of them, but it wasn't one of the areas where Castrum Kremnos was most active. As he walked through the streets, Phaenon observed the passersby. They were few and far between; the streets of Okhema were much more deserted now that the Chrysos heirs were no longer there to maintain order. Those who were there had no choice, and they all constantly looked over their shoulders for fear of being attacked or kidnapped. Phainon knew that this wasn't the worst part of town, that it was even relatively quiet compared to many other neighborhoods, but the inhabitants of Okhema now lived in fear, wherever they were. He hoped he could put an end to this reign of terror.

The apartment was located in the middle of an old building that was still fairly well maintained. After all, broke students couldn't really ask for more. Of course, there was no elevator. After climbing several flights of stairs, Phainon finally arrived at the apartment landing. Everything depended on the other student who lived there, a certain Caelus. How could he convince him to choose him, Phainon, and not someone else ? What could set him apart from the others ? Phainon was broke, a point that would clearly work against him. He could make Caelus believe that he had already found a part-time job, but that was a risky strategy. Once again, he would have to rely mainly on his charm and smile. Because if there was one thing Phainon was well aware of, it was his ability to easily please others, thanks in particular to his attractive appearance. He was very popular among the Chrysos heirs and had often received rather indecent proposals. Even after the massacre of his comrades, when he was on the run and had nothing left, he continued to attract others, which had proved useful to him on several occasions. He knocked slowly on the door and waited for Caelus to open it.

“Coming! Coming!”

Phaenon noticed that the young man with gray hair who opened the door was also very handsome. However, what caught his attention most were the chocolate stains on his clothes and cheeks.

“You must be Phainon,” Caelus said, looking very embarrassed. “I'm sorry, but I'm really not presentable.”

Phainon knew it was time to flash his most beautiful smile and give him his most radiant look.

“It's okay,” Phainon replied. “It happens to everyone.”

Caelus stared at him for a few seconds, motionless, and Phaenon wondered if the young man was already receptive to his charm. However, Caelus quickly looked away without any ulterior motive, and the Chrysian heir realized that it would not be so easy to secure this apartment sharing after all.

“Come in,” Caelus invited him, “but... I don't have anything to offer you to eat.”

The apartment itself wasn't bad at all, but Caelus had left it in a terrible state. It was a complete mess, and Phainon realized that Caelus was neither the king of tidiness nor the king of cleaning. The worst part was the kitchen. Caelus had apparently been experimenting with cooking, and it had ended disastrously. There was cream and chocolate all over the walls. If Phainon had been a normal student, he would certainly have left already, but he desperately needed this apartment sharing, and if that meant he had to cook and clean to prevent Caelus from dying of food poisoning, so be it. After all, the Chrysos heirs had learned to take care of themselves, and Aglaea was very strict about discipline: their rooms had to be spotless and their meals had to be proper.

“I'm really sorry,” said Caelus, who was even more embarrassed. “I tried to make you some chocolate chip cookies, but... I must have messed up somewhere.”

Phainon promised himself that he would never taste Caelus's cooking, no matter what. He couldn't risk food poisoning preventing him from getting his revenge.

“I... stammered Caelus, you're not leaving right away, are you ?”

Phainon stared at his interlocutor for a few seconds. In the end, there might not be that much competition for the roommate spot, as Caelus's tidiness and culinary skills had probably already scared off all the other potential candidates.

“Please don't leave,” Caelus pleaded. “I even tried to bake you cookies to make you stay. Everyone else has already left!”

Phainon looked at Caelus cautiously for a few seconds. His roommate really seemed to be a hopeless case.

“I'll take care of dinner,” said Phainon. “I'm not a complete disaster in the kitchen. But you'll have to make an effort to tidy up your things better, because with everything lying around, we're both at risk of having an accident !”

“That means you agree to stay ! Finally, someone is willing to help me !”

Phaenon didn't have time to react before Caelus threw himself into his arms.

“You're my hero !” "

His roommate was definitely someone very special, and Phaenon still couldn't decide whether that was a good thing or a bad thing.

Chapter Text

Phainon had been staying in the same apartment as Caelus for over a week, and it had not been an easy week. Caelus was truly unique, and the more Phainon realized this, the less he appreciated this aspect of his roommate. First, they had to decide who would do what in the apartment, and Phainon sometimes had to insist, as Caelus tried to offload all the household chores onto him. Phainon would be the one to cook the meals, but he decided that Caelus could buy the ingredients in exchange. Phainon had given him a shopping list and couldn't see how this task would be difficult for the young man with gray hair. When Caelus returned with a basket of fruit and vegetables that were either past their sell-by date or not yet ripe, Phainon realized that he had really overestimated his roommate. Phainon knew that from now on, it would be up to him to do the shopping. Getting Caelus to tidy up the apartment had also been complicated. His roommate left all his things lying around and, strangely enough, felt completely at home in the mess. However, the situation did not suit Phainon at all. The latter had to hide weapons and drugs and couldn't risk Caelus finding them while searching for one of his belongings that he had stashed away somewhere. Faced with Phainon's inflexibility, Caelus had agreed to make some effort, and after a week, their apartment was already starting to look like something. The second problem with Caelus was that he was clingy. Phainon suspected that his roommate had a visceral fear of loneliness, which really didn't help matters. How could Phainon plan his revenge with Caelus always breathing down his neck? As soon as Phainon had to go out to do the shopping, Caelus wanted to accompany him. When Phainon wanted to take out the trash to the dumpster at the end of the street, Caelus went with him. When Phainon wanted to do some reconnaissance, Caelus was right behind him. On top of that, Caelus had absolutely no survival instinct and had a knack for getting himself into trouble, trouble that unfortunately affected Phainon. The first time, Caelus had fun smashing trash cans with his baseball bat. The neighbors were angry, and Phainon realized that discretion had gone out the window. The next day, Caelus went and provoked a gang of hooligans by trying to play vigilante, and Phainon really had to use all his diplomatic skills and charm (luckily, they didn't ask him to do anything indecent) and swallow his pride to prevent the situation from escalating. Caelus crossed the street without looking if there were any cars coming, Caelus ate any fruit without checking if it was safe to eat, Caelus made far too much noise in a neighborhood where a criminal organization was lurking. Phainon was frustrated. Why did his roommate have to be someone like Caelus ?

Caelus went to bed very late at night. Phainon sometimes had to add sleeping pills to the meals he prepared for him, partly so that Caelus would sleep well, as his body certainly needed it after being mistreated, but also and above all so that his nighttime expeditions would go smoothly. Making sure Caelus didn't have an unfortunate accident during the day already took up almost all of his free time. There was no way he was going to let the gray-haired man spoil it for him any further. He wondered how Caelus had managed without him, and Phainon made it his mission to teach his roommate some basic safety precautions.

Unfortunately, the start of the academic year was fast approaching, and Phainon was a little late in enrolling at Vitae Public University, which was undoubtedly the worst university in Okhema and a favorite recruiting ground for Castrum Kremnos. The students at this university did not have bright prospects for the future and most of them were in a precarious financial situation. They were highly susceptible to participating in trafficking activities that were much more lucrative, and Castrum Kremnos knew this and took advantage of it. Phainon had not yet chosen the major he was going to pretend to study. He just knew it wouldn't be engineering, because that was precisely what Caelus was studying, and Phainon didn't want to have to put up with him at university too, when he was going to try to infiltrate the most powerful and cruel criminal organization in Amphoreus. He stared at his computer screen. He had to choose something, but he wasn't feeling inspired. He had hesitated to choose his major at random, but then changed his mind. He absolutely had to choose something that would keep Caelus away from him ! What did Caelus absolutely hate ? Phaenon thought for a few seconds and quickly came up with an answer, his roommate having been a chatterbox all week, telling him his life story at least four times. Phainon tapped on his screen, “History of Ancient and Extinct Civilizations.” Now that it was done, Phainon validated the form to send it to the university. He knew he would have no trouble finding a place; you had to be really desperate to enroll at Vitae, and he certainly wouldn't have too much competition. Although Vitae University was shabby and the playground of a certain illegal organization, it had the merit of having the lowest tuition fees in Okhema. To be honest, this university was on the verge of collapse, and if it was still standing, it was certainly only because certain unsavory characters were financing it behind the scenes. Phainon knew that to take down Mydeimos, he had to find a way to get close to him, and the best way to do that was to infiltrate Castrum Kremnos and climb the ranks. The white-haired man sighed. He would have to become the very thing he despised most in order to avenge those he loved. He knew that his former comrades, whether Tribbie, Anaxa, or Castorice, would not approve of his choice, but they were no longer there to dissuade him.

Phainon now had to find a small part-time job. Job prospects were much slimmer than they had been a few years ago. However, some sectors were still hiring. Maybe he could be a waiter in a bar, a delivery driver, or a garbage collector ? It didn't matter, he absolutely had to find money, and fast. Caelus had promised him that he wouldn't ask for his share of the rent for this month, but in return, he would have to pay the entire rent for next month to make up for it. Then, even though the tuition fees at Vitae University were low, he still had to earn money to pay them. Phainon knocked on the doors of all the companies likely to want to recruit young students, but unfortunately, his search for a part-time job was proving more difficult than expected. Only one cabaret had given him a positive response, but the Chrysos heir didn't really like the job in question. It was a cabaret that was open on weekend nights. According to the owner, Phainon's job was simple : he had to keep the wealthiest customers company, and perhaps more if they took a liking to him. It was perhaps the first time in his life that Phainon wanted to curse his appearance. The owner had assured him that the customers were not allowed to demand too much of him, but Phainon suspected that the reality was different. It didn't matter if he had to prostitute himself, he would do it for revenge. After all, sex was not entirely unfamiliar to him, since he had had the opportunity to try it with Anaxa and Castorice.

Today was his first day at university. Phainon had arrived early but was surprised to find that he wasn't the only student in the classroom. In the front row sat a young man his age with dark hair and green eyes. The young man was engrossed in reading a very thick book. Phainon was astonished because the students at Vitae University certainly didn't want to be there, yet here was someone who was very studious. Phainon decided to sit not too far from him and took the opportunity to discreetly read the title of the student's book: “The Use of Stellar Jade Pearls in the Ancient City of Aidonia.” Phainon was even more surprised; could it be possible that this student was really there to study ? Unable to resist his curiosity, Phainon approached the darked-haired man and gave him a beaming smile.

“Hi, I'm Phainon, and you?”

The darked-haired man looked up from his book to see who had disturbed him.

“Dan Heng,” he replied simply, indicating that he did not wish to continue the conversation.

However, Phainon was not the type to give up easily.

“I see you're interested in ancient civilizations...”

“Why else would I have chosen this major ?”

After all, Dan Heng was certainly not in a situation where he absolutely had to avoid his roommate.

“We all know that students here have little hope for their future and that if they go to college, it's just to meet people.”

Dan Heng looked at Phainon, seemingly not understanding what he meant.

" So, I guess you don't know that it's the great Dr. Veritas Ratio who will be teaching this course."

Phainon looked at Dan Heng as if he had just recited a particularly complex scientific theory that only insiders could understand. He had no idea who this famous Veritas Ratio was.

"He's one of the greatest specialists in ancient Amphoreus civilization. Universities are fighting over him as a teacher. He's the one who discovered the existence of the extinct civilization B. It's a discovery that challenges everything we knew about ancient city-states. I immediately enrolled at Vitae University as soon as I heard he was planning to teach there.

Phainon was stunned. Why would someone with so much prestige want to waste their time at such a shabby university ? No, it made no sense at all. Another special person ? That would make three, including his roommate, the enemy of kitchens, and Dan Heng, a student suicidal enough to have voluntarily chosen to study at the University of Vitae.

“Why did he choose to teach here ?” asked Phainon suspiciously. “He could have been paid much better elsewhere !”

Dan Heng continued to look at Phainon as if he were an alien from an unknown planet.

“Dr. Veritas Ratio has always been a strong advocate of access to the best education for all. So it's no surprise that he wants to help those who are most in need.”

So there are still idealists in this decaying society, thought Phainon. He didn't know whether to admire this famous Doctor Ratio or rather pity him. Idealists didn't last long in a society dominated by Castrum Kremnos, and Phainon knew that sooner or later Dr. Ratio would be forced to admit the cruel reality. Even if they had the best education, those at the bottom of the ladder had no real prospects for the future. The most renowned companies refused to hire workers from certain neighborhoods, regardless of their skills. These companies were full of preconceptions and contributed to freezing society in its unequal state. Because of this, for many young people from these disadvantaged neighborhoods, Castrum Kremnos was the only possible outlet.

Phainon sat down next to Dan Heng. The latter seemed to be a loner, and the Chrysos heir knew at least that his classmate was unlikely to stick to him as much as Caelus did. The other students began to arrive. They were nothing out of the ordinary, and Phainon suspected that Dan Heng was actually the only one who showed any enthusiasm for the subject being taught. The last to enter were clearly thugs. Probably a gang of delinquents who were desperate to get Castrum Kremnos's attention. Phainon knew he should avoid attracting their attention at all costs and planned to keep a low profile.

Dr. Veritas Ratio had finally arrived; he was undoubtedly a very punctual person. He placed his belongings on his desk and glanced around the lecture hall. He grimaced briefly when he saw the hooligans and decided to ignore them completely. Then his gaze fell on Phainon and Dan Heng, who were the only students sitting in the front row. The teacher walked over to Dan Heng and pointed to the book he was still reading before class had started.

“Um, Professor Calderon Chadwick's thesis on the use of stellar jade beads in the ancient city of Aidonia. You can throw that book away now; the latest discoveries have clearly demonstrated how wrong his theories are.” 

Dan Heng stared at Veritas Ratio in complete astonishment for a few seconds, then glanced at his book and immediately put it away in his bag.

“Nevertheless, young man,” said the professor, “you are demonstrating an admirable intellectual openness. I will give you the bibliography of the fifty books that are required reading for this course.”

The crowd in the amphitheater was beginning to get restless. No one wanted to read fifty books, and even Phainon wondered if he had made a mistake in choosing ancient and extinct civilizations as his specialty...

“What is your name, young man?” "

" Dan Heng."

"Tell me, Dan Heng, what is the most distinctive feature of the city-state of Aidonia ?"

" The inhabitants of Aidonia worshipped the ancient titan Thanatos. They did not fear death; they revered it. For them, death was a blessing, and they regularly sacrificed prisoners or convicts to feed and thank it. Death was a holy deliverance. The Aidonians were not interested in whether death was the end of everything or just a gateway to something else; they were interested in death itself, just the passage from life to death. Stellar jade pearls played a key role in their sacrificial rituals. The Aidonians believed that they contained a special energy that Thanatos craved, so they accompanied sacrifices who had a certain prestige. However, these beads were extremely rare and almost none remain today. This was also one of the reasons why the Aidonians used them only in sacrifices to Thanatos, as a way of showing their devotion to death, which alone was worthy of being offered such precious stones."

“ Not bad,” said Ratio, “finally a student who isn't completely uneducated. However, you are mistaken about the role of the stellar jade beads. More than just a tribute, these beads were seen as objects that could summon heroes with unmatched abilities, who would then attend the ritual and guide the dead to Thanatos. We still don't know the exact nature of these heroes or how their presence manifested itself. Were they merely spiritual entities, or did they have a physical existence? We still lack a lot of data about them. One thing is certain, however: it took an enormous quantity of stellar jade pearls for one of them to answer the call, which is certainly why these famous pearls are almost impossible to find today."

The teacher elaborated on his answer for over half an hour. Dan Heng was certainly the only one in the class who religiously took notes on what the doctor was saying. The others, like Phainon, were just pretending. Phainon had to admit, however, that Ratio spoke with such passion that he managed to make a subject that was originally of no interest whatsoever seem interesting. In addition to detailing the rituals surrounding death in the city of Aidonia, the doctor also asked them about the philosophical meaning of death in ancient societies. In the end, the course might not be as boring as Phainon had imagined, even if he didn't feel like reading the fifty books assigned by their teacher. Ratio also told them about what death meant to Civilization B. Although historians and archaeologists had still discovered little about the latter and did not yet know its real name, this civilization did not seem to have a particular interest in Thanatos. It was a warrior city for whom death was part of everyday life. The inhabitants did not fear it, but they certainly did not worship it either. For them, death was not divine. Dr. Ratio was about to begin a long lecture on this civilization when he was interrupted by the bell. Phainon quickly gathered his things and was getting ready to leave when he saw Caelus enter his classroom. What was his roommate doing here ? Would he never get rid of him ?

Caelus walked over to Dan Heng. Phainon realized that the two students knew each other well. It seems that special people attract each other.

“Dan Heng ! I knew I'd find you here.”

Dan Heng continued to tidy up his things.

“I thought you had a class on modern vehicle engineering,” replied the brown-haired man, as cold as ever.

“I was afraid you'd miss me too much, so I ran here as soon as I heard the bell ring.”

Dan Heng sighed but didn't seem at all surprised by Caelus' misadventures.

“You didn't run anyone over, did you ?” asked the brown-haired boy, genuinely concerned.

“Of course not ! I might have knocked over three or four trash cans on the way, but nothing really serious.”

Dan Heng and Phainon sighed, completely exasperated by Caelus' recklessness.

" Oh, Phainon is here too " Caelus finally noticed his roommate. " I've already told you about him, Dan Heng, he's my new friend. I didn't know you both chose the same major. I really didn't think ancient and extinct civilizations were your thing Phainon...

Phainon certainly wasn't going to say that he had chosen this major to get as far away from Caelus as possible, only to end up even closer to him. If Phainon were a believer, he would say that fate liked to play tricks on him.

“I suppose you want us to have dinner with March,” said Dan Heng. “We can invite your new friend too. After all, I'm eager to learn more about the person who will have to put up with you every day.”

“Exactly !” exclaimed Caelus. “I'm sure that with Phainon joining us, our little gang will be even more fun.”

No, Caelus, Phainon begged mentally, I absolutely do not want to be part of your gang. I really, really don't.

However, Phainon knew that he absolutely must not antagonize his roommate, especially when the latter was paying the first month's rent. So, as usual, he put on his best smile and said,

“It will be my pleasure, Caelus.”

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It was one of the nights when Phaenon had to go on a nighttime expedition, which meant it was one of the nights when he had to put sleeping pills in Caelus's food. Phainon really didn't like doing that, but Caelus's curiosity could get in the way of his plans for revenge. Caelus mustn't know anything about him; Phainon had to remain nothing more than an easy-going roommate in his eyes. Phainon was well aware that his closeness to Caelus could put them both in danger. If only Caelus would stop following him around and getting attached to him, everything would be so much simpler. Phainon couldn't have friends; no one could fill the void he had felt since the murder of his former comrades-in-arms. He had to fight Mydeimos and Castrum Kremnos alone. The fewer people involved, the fewer people would be in danger. Castrum Kremnos never hesitated to cause collateral damage to eliminate his enemies, and Phainon would not allow that to happen again. He thought back to the meal he had shared with Caelus, Dan Heng, and March. March was a particularly enthusiastic and pleasant girl, and unfortunately, she was also very special. March had only one dream: to be an investigative journalist. Drug trafficking, corruption, prostitution rings—she wanted to investigate everything. Phainon thought it was more recklessness on her part than courage. She saw field reporting as a great epic adventure and deliberately ignored all the dangers associated with the job, especially when a criminal organization as cruel as Castrum Kremnos ruled the world. Ultimately, the trio of friends strengthened Phainon's determination to eliminate Mydeimos. He would no longer have to worry so much about Caelus' lack of caution or March's crazy dreams when Castrum Kremnos would collapse on its own after the death of its leader. However, Phainon was not naive; he knew that his fight was extremely difficult and stacked against him. As long as he lived, he would work to avenge the Chrysos heirs. It was his only reason for living, and no matter how slim his chances of killing Mydeimos were, he would not give up as long as he continued to breathe.

Phainon stopped in front of an old building. The house had been abandoned long ago and had remained a squat for years. Now, even the squatters no longer wanted to live there. His head was covered and he wore dark clothing, his sword and daggers concealed beneath his clothes. Normally, he wouldn't need them tonight, but unforeseen circumstances could force him to use them. Tonight, he was meeting an informant. Bartholos was an old contact of Cipher's, the most reliable one in her opinion. During her lifetime, she had built up a veritable network of informants, a network that had been very useful in weakening all the criminal organizations, even Castrum kremnos when it was still led by Eurypon, Mydeimos's father. Yet despite her many contacts within the organization, Cipher had not anticipated Mydeimos' attack on the Chrysos heirs and the massacre that would ensue. It was only by coincidence that Phainon had not been alongside his comrades-in-arms that day. Could he have made a difference ? Could he have saved some of his friends ? These questions kept suffocating him, along with the guilt they provoked. He knew he had to stop thinking about it. He had to stop dwelling on his failures and focus on the future and his ambition to destroy the man who had taken his second family from him.

Phainon heard a noise. Although Bartholos was a particularly discreet person, he could not fool the keen senses of a Chrysos heir.

“I know you're here,” said Phainon, who had no desire to play hide-and-seek with Bartholos. “You can show yourself.”

A slender man dressed in purple appeared before Phaenon.

“Khaslana...”

The two men stared at each other in silence for a long time.

“I suppose Skott Lyndon muder, it was you.”

“You told me in your message that this man might have information about some fairly high-ranking people in Castrum Kremnos. I couldn't ignore that.”

“So ?” Bartholos asked with a certain pride. “Was my tip useful to you ?”

Phaenon looked at him. What exactly could he say to Bartholos ? He didn't doubt his informant's sincerity; Cipher wasn't the type to make mistakes in judgment, but if Bartholos got caught by Castrum Kremnos, he might reveal too much under torture.

“He gave me some leads,” replied the white-haired man simply.

Bartholos became agitated.

“I suppose you don't want to tell me any more ! That's not very nice when I'm taking such huge risks to help you !”

“So Skott Lyndon's murder really put Castrum Kremnos on alert ?”

“Officially, it's an accident linked to a settling of scores between rival gangs. Khaslana's name has never been mentioned, and believe me, the bosses are working hard to make sure no one thinks of you. They've taken extensive measures to reinforce security at their local branches. They're taking the threat seriously, but they're not panicking either !”

“I expected as much,” said Phainon simply. “It can't be that easy to scare Castrum Kremnos and its leaders.”

Bartholos took a few steps toward him.

“I assume you didn't ask me to meet with you just to talk about this, Khaslana.”

“I just want to know how Castrum Kremnos recruits its fighters for the underground arenas in Okhema.”

“Khaslana, don't tell me you want to...”

“From what I was able to extract from Skott Lyndon, Hephaestion particularly appreciates fighters who excel in this kind of spectacle. It's the best way I have to get close to one of Mydeimos's associates.”

Bartholos clenched his fists and began to shout.

“ So you're telling me that your brilliant plan to avenge Cipher and the others is to throw yourself straight into the lion's den ? Do you really think that with your golden blood abilities, no one will question your identity ? You have no idea how brutal these underground fights are, and the first thing the organizers do is check the color of each participant's blood ! Are you going to tell me you're going to try to convince them that your blood isn't red because you take too many drugs ? Your plan is absolutely stupid, Khaslana !"

Phainon was not at all surprised by his informant's reaction. It was logical, but Bartholos didn't know that Phainon had a secret card up his sleeve that Castrum Kremnos was far from suspecting existed.

“Don't worry, when the time comes, my blood will be red. As for my superpowers as a Chrysos heir, they won't manifest themselves.”

“No, you're delusional ! If I understand correctly, you plan to fight as a mere human ! These underground fights are nothing more than slaughterhouses ! You'll find yourself facing opponents with no morals and completely stuffed with Nikador blood !”

“Bartholos, I know what I'm doing! I just want you to tell me how I can participate !”

Phainon's tone was firm; he wanted to make it clear to his informant that he would not abandon his plan, regardless of the risks and consequences. Bartholos sighed.

“Cipher would never have approved of what you're doing. You know that, don't you ?”

“Cipher is dead,” Phainon replied curtly, “and I must avenge her, whatever the cost. So don't be difficult and answer me !”

Bartholos took a few steps away from Phainon, resigned.

“I don't have any specific information on the subject. I have no idea how things work in Okhema. All I can tell you is that in Styxia, they force people with huge debts to participate in these fights. Otherwise, they look for victims in fight clubs, gyms, or university sports clubs.”

“Thank you, Bartholos,” replied Phainon, “you've been a great help.”

The Chrysos heir was about to leave when Bartholos stopped him.

“I don't know what it's about or when exactly it will take place, but Castrum Kremnos will soon be celebrating a special occasion. Be careful, Khaslana.”