The quiet of the night hung heavy over the mansion. Sir Eadric's armor clinked softly with each step as he paced the balcony. Aether, caught off guard, observed him, watching how the Head's shadow shifted in the flickering light. He frowned, curious.
"Sleepwalking?" Sir Eadric's voice broke the silence, a mix of surprise and amusement as he turned.
Aether's brow furrowed. Eadric's armor still gleamed from the evening's gathering.
It's midnight... why is he still in full armor? Aether let the question drift to the back of his mind as he gave a small nod in response.
He glanced around the dim space, thoughts racing. Wait—Kai... His son's supposed to be here too, right? He remembered the snippets he'd heard of Sir Eadric's family.
But where would they stay? This place is under the De Meaux name. Doesn't seem like somewhere two noble heads would share.
Instinctively, his hand dropped from his sword hilt as he studied the older man.
A place this grand should house more than just Adelaide's side of the family…
Most rooms seemed dedicated to her collections—especially that unsettling dollhouse display. His thoughts tangled as the mansion's layout refused to make sense.
"You alright, boy? They said you died!" Sir Eadric's sudden voice pulled Aether from his thoughts, his tone oddly cheerful.
"Yeah… I heard," Aether replied quietly, a hint of irritation coloring his words. Eadric's enthusiasm struck him as misplaced.
Is it just me, or does he sound... simple-minded? Aether muttered under his breath, too late realizing he'd spoken aloud.
"What was that?" Eadric raised an eyebrow but extended his hand.
Aether took it in a firm handshake. "Nothing," he said, eyeing the older man's armor again. "But… why are you still suited up? Weren't you at that meeting three days ago?"
Eadric looked momentarily surprised, then rubbed his chin. "Good question. I suppose I didn't think to change. But I've got a few of these—they all look the same." He glanced at Aether's arm, something clearly missing. "But your arm, lad. No implant?"
"Implant?" Aether repeated, tilting his head slightly. "Never crossed my mind."
"Oh, you know," Eadric chuckled, as if explaining a shared joke. "A Ravins-based engine. Strap one on and boom—enhanced." He mimed a small explosion. "Though they say it can interfere with your Story Skill."
"Already know the gist." Aether dropped onto the couch Elara slept days ago with a sigh, leaning back. He still couldn't place Eadric's strange energy.
"So, Leonardo..." Eadric's eyes gleamed with curiosity. "I doubt you're just sleepwalking."
"It's Aether now," he corrected, rolling his eyes. He'd said it so many times already—Marquis, Kai, and now Eadric.
"Oh, pardon me." Eadric smiled, though a flicker of hurt passed behind the expression. "You seem tired, my boy."
Aether let out a dry chuckle. "You noticed, huh? These eyes look like a damn map." He tapped the dark circles beneath them, grinning.
Before he could launch into more self-deprecating humor, Eadric interrupted, his voice thoughtful. "Where are you from again? You speak Kol-nic fluently, but there's something different—almost like an accent."
Aether smirked, finding the comment oddly amusing.
"Long story, Sir Eadric. Nearly drowned in a bath here once, but past that? No clue about accents. Aren't the heads similar at least culturally?"
The knight straightened, his eyes brightening. "Oh, no. Our story goes deeper. My family—along with seventeen others—arrived during the modern period. RH 5,003 to now. Ghent was torn by tribal conflict back then. The sages intervened. We were called 'tribes' then—though I hated the term. Some came from distant districts… others from distant stars."
Aether raised an eyebrow. Despite himself, he was intrigued. The weight of it settled around him. "Of course this place has history... long, layered history," he murmured, a small smile tugging at his lips.
Eadric studied him. "Then again, with your darker complexion, maybe there's a distant link between us?"
Aether's smirk returned, sharp and amused. "Are you saying we're related?"
Eadric hesitated, then chuckled. "Perhaps, in some roundabout way."
"Sure," Aether shook his head, still amused, dismissing the idea outright.
Eadric's laughter faded, but a flicker of hurt lingered in his expression. "Alright, lad. Fair enough. Let's head inside."
"About that 'inside'..." Aether stood, glancing toward the far halls. "The mansion's huge. But two Heads—?"
Eadric's armor clinked as he turned toward the gazebo. Their footsteps echoed faintly, as if they disturbed forgotten voices.
"Like I said, I don't think two families—" Aether began.
Eadric stopped, pressing a hand to his temple with a theatrical sigh. "Has anyone told you that you ask too many questions?"
"More times than I can count," Aether shrugged, attempting to hold back another surge of curiosity.
Eadric resumed walking. "You're right—we don't live in this mansion." He climbed the gazebo with surprising agility.
"Alright then," Aether said flatly, following. Eadric's way of speaking made every answer feel like a maze—or a dead end.
They climbed the spiral stairs to a balcony. Eadric gestured upward with a flourish. "The second mansion is up there."
"Up?" Aether followed his gaze, seeing only a ceiling painted like a star-filled night. Each star shimmered with its own light. "You mean literally up?"
With practiced ease, Eadric stepped onto the balcony wall. "Yes. Follow me. You've used the tube system, haven't you? Say 'down' and it pulls you down. Say 'up' and..." He paused. "Well—watch."
What tube system? Aether thought, he vaguely recalls something Anna said, but before he could ask, Eadric called out:
"Up!"
Before Aether's eyes, a staircase of pure light unfolded, spiraling toward the ceiling like a bridge from myth. Each step shimmered, unreal, beckoning.
Aether hesitated. "Is this even real?"
"The stairs will hold," Eadric assured, already climbing.
Aether placed a tentative foot on the light. It was solid—cool, smooth. Below him, the room stretched further away. He clutched the railing as vertigo hit.
They rose toward the painted ceiling, which now seemed almost within reach.
"This is insane..." he muttered, awe plain in his voice.
Eadric's voice drifted from above. "Just like I said—same tech as the transport tubes in the stem. Say 'down' to descend, 'up' to rise, though you need a specific voice."
Aether nodded. As he reached Eadric, the ceiling peeled back like mist, revealing another mansion above—just as grand, yet subtly different. The illusion shattered. The sight left Aether speechless.
"It's upside-down," he murmured—then reconsidered. "No… if the roof is the beginning, then it's actually right-side up?"
Eadric glanced back with a knowing smile. "Welcome to the second mansion."
Aether exhaled slowly, awestruck. The architecture echoed the lower mansion, but refined—quiet, meticulous.
"Hm," Aether said, trying not to sound impressed.
He was.