The pale blue moon hung above the land, its light spilling over the frozen ground as the three figures continued toward the Dark Forest.
Veyris walked ahead without apparent concern for the cold. His golden hair shifted in the wind, and his long shadow stretched across the uneven ground. Behind him, Shad and Fray followed at a measured pace, neither particularly eager to resume the conversation.
It was Veyris who eventually broke the silence.
"Before we enter the forest, there are a few things you should understand about this place. Some concern the world you think you know. Others concern the things you might encounter if you intend to survive long enough to learn more."
Fray gave a faint snort.
"You make it sound as though we've wandered into the wrong classroom."
"Would you prefer that I leave you ignorant?"
"Not particularly."
"Then try to listen without interrupting every other sentence."
Fray looked at Shad.
"Do you hear that? A General giving lessons on manners."
Shad did not respond.
Veyris seemed amused.
"Good. At least one of you understands when silence is useful."
Fray muttered something under his breath but did not continue the argument.
Veyris slowed his pace slightly.
"Let's begin with the realms. You already know that beings are classified by their realm, but knowing the number is not the same as understanding what it means. The names used by the military and the nobility are not merely titles. They describe the standing a being has attained within the established order."
He raised one finger.
"Realm One is called the Jester in military terminology, or the Outcast in political society."
A second finger followed.
"Realm Two is the Footman, or the Chosen."
"Chosen?" Shad asked.
"That's the political designation. Don't mistake it for a prophecy or some form of divine recognition. It marks a position within the established hierarchy."
Veyris continued.
"Realm Three is the Officer, or the Elite. Realm Four is the Commander, or the Baron. Realm Five is the General, or the Noble."
He raised a sixth finger.
"And Realm Six is the Field Marshal in military terminology, or the Minister in political society. For simplicity, beings of this realm are also called Beyonders."
Fray glanced at him.
"So, you're a General and a Noble."
"Correct."
"And if you reach Realm Six, you become a Field Marshal and a Minister—or a Beyonder?"
"Not automatically. The realm determines the level of being you have attained. The military and political titles describe how that level is recognised within their respective institutions. Whether someone actually holds a particular position depends on more than strength."
Fray considered this.
"Then a Realm Five being doesn't necessarily have the authority of a General."
"Exactly. Nor does every Noble possess the influence of someone whose power has reached Realm Five. A title can be inherited, granted, or taken away. Your realm is considerably harder to change by someone else's decision."
Veyris turned his head just enough to look at them.
"Of course, that doesn't mean your realm determines your entire worth. It tells others something about your capabilities and the depth of your existence. It doesn't tell them how intelligent you are, what experience you possess, or whether you'll make a wise decision when your life is at stake."
"That's reassuring," Fray said. "It would be disappointing to discover that all your authority comes from being difficult to kill."
"Some people manage to achieve that distinction without acquiring any other useful quality."
Fray laughed.
Shad, meanwhile, was considering the names.
Jester. Footman. Officer. Commander. General. Field Marshal.
The military sequence was straightforward enough. The political titles were less so: Outcast, Chosen, Elite, Baron, Noble, Minister.
They seemed to describe more than strength, yet Veyris had made it clear that the two sets of titles corresponded to the same six realms.
"Why are the political names different?" Shad asked. "If both titles refer to the same realm, why not use one designation?"
"Because the people who created the systems of classification weren't all concerned with the same things. The military cares about command, capability, and responsibility. Political society cares about status, influence, and where someone belongs within its hierarchy. Over time, both developed their own terminology."
"So the titles aren't universal."
"The realms are the important part. The titles depend on the institution using them."
Shad nodded slightly.
It was a simple distinction, but an important one. If he misunderstood the terminology, he could easily mistake a political position for a measure of strength or assume that every being carrying a particular title possessed the same authority.
Veyris seemed satisfied that they were following.
"Now, monsters."
Fray's expression changed slightly.
"Here comes the interesting part."
"Monsters are also classified into six ranks," Veyris explained. "Their classifications are used to estimate their standing, the danger they present, and the response they require. The names aren't simply decorative. They help determine how a threat is reported and what kind of force should be sent against it."
He gave them the six designations: Stray, Feral, Ravager, Calamity, Abomination, and Dread Lord.
"Those are classifications, not guarantees. A creature's actual danger depends on its abilities, temperament, environment, and circumstances. A creature whose rank is lower than yours can still kill you. And a creature of the same rank can be considerably more dangerous than another. You should already know that by now, considering you came from the Dark Forest."
Shad thought of the mountain-sized creature they had fought at Oakhaven.
"What classification was the creature we encountered?"
Veyris's expression remained composed, but his eyes became more attentive.
"The creature you fought was a Realm Five being. Its classification and its realm are related measurements, but you shouldn't assume that one tells you everything about the other."
"You're avoiding the question," Fray observed.
"I'm distinguishing between two things you haven't yet learned to distinguish."
"Convenient."
"Very."
Fray clicked his tongue.
Shad ignored their exchange.
"Are there beings beyond Realm Six?"
Veyris did not answer immediately.
Then he nodded.
"Yes."
Fray's eyes narrowed.
"How many?"
"That's not your business."
The reply came without hostility, but it was firm enough to end the question.
Fray stared at him for a moment before looking away.
Shad, however, continued watching Veyris.
"Have you ever seen one?"
For the first time since beginning his explanation, Veyris seemed to withdraw from the present conversation. His eyes moved toward the distant forest, and a small smile appeared on his face.
It wasn't his usual playful smile. Something about it suggested a memory he had no intention of sharing.
After a moment, he looked back at Shad.
"I've encountered two."
"Encountered?" Shad asked.
"Seen, if you prefer."
"And you know what they were?"
Veyris's smile remained.
"I said I had seen two. I didn't say that I understood them."
He turned forward again.
"Whether you believe me or not doesn't particularly matter at the moment."
Shad did not press him.
The answer was too deliberate to be accidental. Veyris had acknowledged that beings beyond Realm Six existed, admitted to having seen two, and then closed the subject before either of them could extract anything useful.
Shad filed the information away.
He had learned enough about this world to recognise that the most important things were often the ones people refused to explain.