"I see."
This dungeon wasn't a simple dungeon at all. By all means and informations I deducted from the Laithath writings, this labyrinth was a training ground for the Walkers of the 12 main path of power and it seemed that my kin was responsible for its creation.
This also explains the definition of my ring. The first floor was the welcoming stage my kin created for all the other walkers, and from here on out it was a training facility that tailored itself to the chosen path here.
"Very well. [dispel]."
All at once, the twelve heirs jumped to their feet expecting me to have already opened a passage and immediately start fighting. But it wouldn't be fair, nor fun.
"This is what we are gonna do. You can play rock paper scissors, draw lots or even come to a general consensus, I will not interfere."
The confusion in their looks was delicious, I was barely holding back my laughter.
"The winner will stay by my side for the next three floors and only support sporadically without killing, but in the fifth floor all kills belong to that person, I believe that if we do that something fun will happen."
"Why would we follow this decision without explanation?" -Selan
"Oh I don't really care, you can chose to go with the standard procedure, it is but a selfless advice."
I looked at the young heirs that held doubt in their faces without restrain.
So much for being masters of masking their emotions.
They started discussing what to do and decided that spinning a bottle was the fastest and easiest way to decide who would acquire the 5th floor's artefact and when the decision was made, I walked towards a certain column and started speaking in Laithath.
"Veyron tal'Zephyrian var orain,
Donai trials morra verain,
Therion tredac sel pathain,
Elyon sol vel conquerain."
________________________
When Crow started speaking that absurd language, I felt my heart set ablaze and it was clear everyone else felt it to.
However… it felt like he used my last name.
"What in the…"
I didn't get to finish my sentence because the moment he stopped talking, the column he was standing in front of suddenly opened up like a door.
The scent of rain was coming from that door, inviting me like the most delicious bait to a fish and it was hard resisting the temptation to leave everything and just go.
His voice rang again, happy, filled with mischief, like nothing happened before. I was struggling for my life and he seemed to be completely unaffected by anything.
"Let's go guys, leadership goes back to Yom until the 5th floor. I'll be in the back."
We assumed the standard position, well the other did, I on the other hand went to Crow's right and readied for every possible threat.
"Oh no, you stand on the left Lord Zephyrian."
"But… my right hand…"
"Indeed, I'm the knight until the 5th floor. Save your mana and energies, you will need them."
I was being treated like a damsel in need of protection.
Something that had never happened in my entire life.
Something that I'd appreciate coming from him, but…
He called me Lord Zephyrian…
"You know I had no choice, why are you so angry at me?"
He didn't answer, nor did he deny anything.
He simply waved his hand wind enveloped everyone.
He was using [haste] as good as me without even having the primordial rune of my family.
He then snapped his fingers and a volley of [fire arrows] was floating above him, ready to support everyone at any given moment.
And finally, a mirror appeared to his side, keeping me in his line of sight and at the same time watching our backs.
How can he split his attention in so many tasks…?
But there was no time to be lost in thought. Soon enough, a flock of eagles as big as humans was approaching us at high speed.
This was the worst possible thing. The monsters had clear advantage. I started to circulate my mana to create resonance and push the wind agains the birds, just to give us a better chance, but his hand stopped me on my tracks.
"Have you lost your mind? Or are you simply unable to follow orders?"
"What? No! But this is just too difficult without my resonance and electric spells!"
He looked at me like you look at a dumb kid and I was getting flustered. What was so wrong in wanting to help my companions?
Yet, he didn't answer and just snapped his fingers.
All at once, the dozens of arrows flew with perfect aim and each precisely hit a single wing of each eagle. Destabilising their flight and eventually forcing the others to support them, finally bringing them to the ground, fighting with talons and beaks.
It was the easiest target practice the other heirs had probably had in a long while.
Yom was full on laughing at Rovan saying that he was the fastest this time, and I was just looking at him completely enchanted.
"Crow…"
"I know that you all are not at fault, it just pisses me of. I at least wished for you to tell me something."
"I… I have no excuses."
He continued to walk steadily, like nothing really mattered to him if it wasn't a good joke, his eyes unrelenting in chasing every possible beast that could have escaped his senses.
He didn't acknowledge me at all after that exchange and dutifully protected me and every one.
We all had observed teams tackle dungeons before linking with the system, but just like me, probably everyone else only had eyes for the shining weapons and the martial arts of the main fighters.
However after this experience we were sure of something.
Not only because Crow had already proved himself on the first floor, but because of his actual abilities.
They needed a buff? It arrived before they even asked for it.
The terrain was disadvantageous to us? He'd level the playing field.
Beasts were trying to ambush us? They stumbled on roots before even reaching us.
He didn't kill a single beast and simply served them on golden plates for the other to feast upon.
His mana seemed infinite and at the end of the day, we had safely reached and conquered the third floor like it was nothing.
When he went to an angle of the boss room of the third floor and fell asleep like the surface he was didn't matter at all, our eyes finally opened to what had happened.
"Either he is the best mage to ever exist, or our families simply employed weak ass mages." -Juste
"That is not normal at all Juste, his silent casting, his timely intervention… a walker shouldn't be able to use mana so efficiently. You may not have seen it, but in my family we know." -Selan
"Yeah, father always talks about it as well." -Aurelia
"What? What do you know that we don't?" -Juste
"It's not that you don't, it simply feels like irrelevant information if you are strong enough, in fact, all of us are able to wield mana better than anyone else." -Aurelia
"But he doesn't wield it at all, he asks and the mana simply wishes to obey him." -Selan
I knew what they were talking about, I knew everything about Crow's relation with mana, after everything I've seen him produce with it, the miracles that should be impossible at our stages, I knew very well what the issue was.
"Mana hates mages. It is forced to obey through formations and rules, but there is always some kind of delay or forcefulness to magic, that's why most people focus on martial arts. It's easier to govern the mana that is already yours to begin with."
I finally spoke after two full floors of silence and combat being protected by him.
Never had I felt so certain of my safety before, but at the same time his coldness was agonising.
"When we get back, your dad better explain everything to him. I don't want to be hated because of his decisions."
Yom scoffed, but after a few moments his face grew pale and I knew I had made a mistake.
I didn't even need to turn around to feel his gaze.
"I see. Dad forced your silence."
My body froze, I was teetering between relief and terror.
I had no clue about what kind of reaction he'd have after realising he'd been deceived all along by his family.
"Yom, was it before or after the physical lessons at the academy?"
"Before."
The brothers were talking about betrayal like it was a grocery list.
And then, out of the blue, they both started laughing like crazy people.
Their mana danced in joy and madness, a spectacle so absurd my head started to ache.
"Oh gods, I'm gonna have to spend a lot of his money to punish him a little, say Yom… what about buying the most expensive liquor on the market and drinking it to his face without offering even a drop?"
"Oh!!!! Yes yes yes!!!!"
"Good, you know what, let's make it a party to celebrate our return from this training ground. I want everyone to get senseless drunk!"
"Oh brother, you're making me so proud."
The brothers of Disorder continued to laugh like nothing that happened this day mattered at all. My head was spinning, at least until I felt his arms wrap around my waist.
"Well, that was a good prank I'd say. Thankfully Yom was on board, it made everything funnier."
"What?!"
My voice came out higher than I'd like to admit, but I was completely scatterbrained.
"Well, this morning you left the room without even letting me kiss your forehead. You know I demand a cuddle tax for allowing you to stay the night."
My face was completely red.
He did always smooch my head when we woke up and ask for five more minutes… but this…
"You needed a little punishment, really everyone needed it. The only thing we didn't consider was me falling into a den of monsters, but hey! All's well that ends well."