The chamber was hushed, lantern light glinting off the polished Roundtable carved with old runes that seemed to shift and shimmer in the gloom. Around it sat the heirs of the great Houses, each radiating an aura of power and peril.
Rei Dravantiir lounged in his chair, lightning crackling faintly at his fingertips, eyes cold and assessing.
Juju von Soryuun reclined opposite, emerald eyes half-lidded with languid disdain, white braid draped like a banner across her chest.
Katsu Nori-Velthra sat between them, posture taut, gaze unwavering, every breath weighted by his name's legacy.
Yasmin Kavaleth leaned forward, sharp eyes glinting with restless ambition, fingers drumming a quiet tattoo on the table's edge.
Nyx Eltaraine sat cloaked in stillness, her presence like coiling smoke, dark eyes reflecting the lanternlight with unsettling calm.
Behind Rei, a white-haired woman with crimson eyes stood watchful—Mira of Soryuun, her gaze cutting and cold.
Behind Juju, another attendant in silver robes mirrored Mira's stillness, her presence amplifying the chill of Soryuun's heir.
Flanking Katsu, Kairos and Virenth stood like twin shadows, their eyes sweeping the room, silent but unwavering.
Behind Yasmin, two armored retainers clad in dark jade mantles waited, their expressions hard, eyes flicking to every movement with predatory focus.
Behind Nyx, a robed figure with a mask of black glass stood motionless, hands folded inside flowing sleeves, emanating an aura of quiet dread.
The air was thick with old power, unspoken rivalries, and the brittle tension of heirs gathered too close—each one a storm barely held in check.
A woman stepped forward, the golden folds of her robe shimmering in the lanternlight. Her presence commanded the room, every eye drawn to her with a mixture of awe and wariness.
Headmaster Trystia.
She paused, letting the silence settle before she spoke, her voice clear and resonant—cutting through the chamber's tension with effortless authority.
"Disciples of the Founder Houses," she began, gaze sweeping the assembly, lingering on each heir in turn. "You've all just returned from your journeys—testing your strengths, your ambitions, and your loyalties beyond these walls."
She let the words hang, the air growing taut.
"But that is not the only reason I called you here today. For years, a secret has slept beneath this Academy—a secret belonging to one of your own."
She turned, eyes settling on Katsu, her voice deepening. "The heir to House Velthra was among us all along. Allow me to introduce—Katsu Nori."
A ripple of shock moved through the gathered heirs. Katsu stood still, the light of a dozen lanterns catching the frost at his collar.
Trystia's expression softened, just barely, before hardening again. "His mother, Mortala von Velthra, was hunted—pursued by assassins for reasons known only to herself. She never came to the Academy for sanctuary. She kept her son hidden, even from those sworn to protect him."
At these words, Virenth and Kairos tensed, eyes narrowing in silent alarm. The woman behind Rei shifted, a flicker of something dangerous passing over her face.
Trystia's gaze moved from Katsu to the rest of the heirs, her tone growing sharper. "Whatever the reasons for her silence, the truth can no longer be hidden. The legacy of Velthra returns to this table—and with it, the balance of power in this Academy shifts."
She lifted her chin, eyes glittering beneath the golden hood. "I expect each of you to remember what it means to carry the weight of a House. The time for secrets is over."
She turned to Katsu, her words now meant only for him. "Your place here is not a question, Katsu Nori. It is a fact. Claim it."
The room held its breath, all eyes locked on Katsu, waiting for his answer.
He didn't answer the Headmaster—not with words. For a long, heavy moment, he remained motionless, the silence stretching as every eye lingered on him. Kairos and Virenth exchanged a glance, silent communication flickering between them. Virenth parted his lips as if to speak, but Katsu rose before he could.
Katsu straightened slowly, every movement measured, his gaze sweeping the table. When he spoke, his voice was calm but carried a gravity that rippled through the chamber:
"There are five demons in this room."
The words struck like a thrown blade, silencing even the quietest breath. Katsu continued, eyes fixed ahead:
"And I want it understood—I don't seek battle with anyone here, regardless of who I am or who you are. I count Rei Dravantiir a friend," his gaze flicked briefly to Rei, then sharpened on Juju, "and I have no interest in making enemies of those whose ancestors once stood beside mine."
He let the weight of his words settle, the air thick with unspoken history.
"If you have an issue with me, say it now. I'd rather know my enemies than watch my back for shadows. But if you keep your silence and let that disdain turn to something uglier—then pray your House has another heir in waiting. Because I know damn well I'm all that's left. Tread lightly."
The last words rang out, hard and final, daring anyone to answer.
For a breath, the room was stunned—then Yasmin Kavaleth's lips curled into a tight, predatory smile. "Bold, for a Velthra," she murmured, voice like velvet hiding steel. "But it's always been the way of your House to speak as if they command the whole table."
Nyx Eltaraine leaned forward, her gaze unreadable. "Peace is only peace if it's mutual, Katsu Nori. I have no quarrel… unless you bring one."
Juju's emerald eyes glinted, half-amused, half-appraising. "I hold no grudge against the lost, nor against the found. But be careful—legacy can bite as hard as blood."
Rei met Katsu's eyes, nodding once—solidarity, unspoken but absolute.
Across the chamber, Mira and the other attendants stayed silent, but watched every word as if weighing old debts and new threats.
Headmaster Trystia's golden robe swayed as she regarded the scene, her expression unreadable. "Then let it be recorded. House Velthra is returned. The lines have been drawn, but let them not be crossed in anger—at least not within these walls."
She paused, then added, "May you all remember—power can unify, or it can ruin. The choice, as ever, is yours."
A breath of uneasy tension still hung in the air, but no one spoke against Katsu.
The game, it seemed, had only just begun.
The youngest demon present smiled, the silver crest of Velthra gleaming over his heart—less a badge, more a warning.
"I do not begin wars," Katsu said, his voice measured, resonating off ancient stone and the wary faces arrayed before him. "I seek to finish them. And while I hope we can all become well acquainted, don't mistake my calm for arrogance."
He paused, letting the silence thicken, gaze circling the table—challenging, inviting, daring.
"Someone I trusted once told me—let your words be better than silence…"
The line landed like a whispered threat, velvet-smooth and knife-sharp.
In that instant, the Leviathan's aura rippled out from Katsu's shadow, a chill so deep it prickled every sense in the room. The pressure crawled beneath the skin—a coiled promise, a threat wrapped in velvet.
Rei alone remained still, unfazed or perhaps untouched by the demon's power. But Juju and Yasmin—two predators in their own right—both answered his challenge within smiles edged in anticipation, as if savoring the taste of a storm not yet called.
For a moment, the air between the heirs was not just tense, but electric. The unspoken understanding was clear:
This was not a gathering of students. It was a council of weapons. And the sharpest one had just been drawn.