The estate stretched before them like a city of glass and obsidian, its spires reaching into the sky, veins of faintly glowing light tracing impossible patterns along the walls. Portals hummed faintly across its perimeter, connecting the vast grounds to hidden sanctuaries, training zones, and the most secret corners of Aetherion.
Arios stepped down from Seraphyx's void-steed, his blade now sheathed, eyes wide in awe. "This… is huge," he muttered, barely believing the scale of the estate.
Seraphyx's tendrils flicked, brushing against the ground. "This is where the most influential and powerful families of Aetherion converge. The estate of the Revenants and the Mirrored Six. You will learn more here than in years of fighting alone."
A figure stepped forward, tall and imposing, cloaked in faint silver light. His aura radiated authority, tempered by warmth. "Welcome, Arios Dreamveil."
Arios froze for a heartbeat. The figure's features were sharp, regal, yet familiar. "You… you're…?"
The man's lips curved in a soft smile. "I am Kairo. Your uncle. One of the second generation of Revenants. I know your mother has not introduced us properly—apparently she wanted to 'protect you from chaos.'"
Arios blinked. "Protect me… from you?"
Kairo chuckled, the sound rich and teasing. "From the chaos in general. Don't worry; I am very civilized… most of the time."
Before Arios could reply, another figure approached—a woman with an aura of absolute authority and elegance, her silver hair flowing like liquid starlight. "And I am Selara," she said, voice soft but commanding. "One of the Mirrored Six, your aunts. You will meet the rest in time. For now, welcome home."
Arios took a hesitant step forward, bowing slightly. "I… I'm honored to meet all of you."
A ripple of movement revealed more figures—uncles, aunts, and even children, some his age, some older. They each carried the weight of their lineage, but their gazes softened as they looked at him. Among them were cousins, some training in the yard, wielding faint glows of void, silver, and mixed energy, already demonstrating small fractions of the power Arios could feel coursing through the estate.
Seraphyx hovered nearby, her tendrils flicking lazily, but there was a hint of pride in her stance. "Your uncles and aunts are… formidable, Young Lord. They will teach you discipline, strategy, and control. And your cousins will push you to adapt to peer combat—do not underestimate them."
Arios's eyes widened as one of the cousins, a girl his age with violet-silver eyes like his own, waved at him with a cheeky grin. "So you're the famous Arios? Heard a lot about you already. Don't disappoint us."
Arios swallowed, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. "I… I'll try my best."
Kairo laughed, clapping him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, nephew. You'll fit right in. And in the meantime, Seraphyx here will make sure no portals or monsters ruin our first family reunion."
Seraphyx's tendrils twitched lazily. "I am perfectly capable of handling them, Uncle Kairo. They won't last a minute."
Arios rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "Unbelievable… first fight, then a family reunion with monsters and teachings all in one day."
Selene stepped closer, her eyes soft but her presence commanding. "This estate will be your home for the next three months. Learn from your uncles and aunties, train with your cousins, and grow stronger. I will return once my mission with your father is complete. Until then, I trust you are in capable hands."
Arios exhaled, a mixture of excitement and nervousness. "I… I understand, Mother."
As he looked around the estate, at the towering figures of the Revenants and Mirrored Six, and at his cousins already sparring with energy bursts in the distance, he realized one thing:
This was the beginning of a new stage—not just for his growth, but for the awakening of his legacy as the Son of Inevitability.
And with Seraphyx at his side, guiding him, he felt ready to face whatever lessons and battles awaited within the walls of the estate.