The walk to the Silver Spire at dawn was silent. The streets of Luminalis were littered with the colorful remnants of the carnival—crushed flower petals and silk ribbons—but the air felt heavy.
"Alhen, be ready," Lira whispered, her hand hovering near her belt where her Mana felt most concentrated. "If those undead things move, I'll flash-step us out."
They reached the massive silver doors of the tower. To their surprise, the four masked, silent figures from the night before were waiting. They stood like statues, their porcelain masks staring into the mist. Without a word, they bowed in perfect unison and pushed the heavy doors open.
Inside, the tower didn't smell like a tomb. It smelled of jasmine tea, old parchment, and the salty breeze of the ocean.
"Welcome, travelers! Forgive the dramatic entrance of my guards. They aren't much for conversation—mostly because they don't have tongues. Or lungs."
A deep, hearty laugh echoed from the top of a spiral staircase.
Descending toward them was not a dark sorcerer or a cold tyrant. He was a tall man in his fifties, wearing a simple but elegant robe of sky-blue silk with silver embroidery. He had a messy mane of grey hair and a beard that looked like it hadn't seen a comb in weeks. His eyes, however, were a vibrant, sparkling amber—filled with life and a mischievous glint.
"I am Lord Alaric Solari," the man said, stepping onto the marble floor. He didn't glide; his boots made a solid, comforting thud-thud as he walked. "And you must be the boy from the library and the girl with the stubborn Mana."
He walked right up to Alhen and, instead of attacking, patted him firmly on the shoulder. His hand was warm—terrifyingly warm compared to his guards.
"Whoa!" Alhen stumbled back, surprised by the man's strength. "You... you're the one who sent those... those things?"
Lord Alaric looked back at his masked guards and sighed. "Ah, my Sentinels. Yes. They're a bit much for a carnival, aren't they? But in a world where everyone wants to steal my tea leaves, a few undead guards keep the solicitors away. They don't eat, they don't sleep, and they are remarkably loyal."
Lira stepped forward, her blue eyes narrowing. "You're a Sword Master? But you look like... a scholar. A nobleman."
Alaric chuckled, picking up a small silver watering can from a side table and tending to a potted fern. "A gardener of souls, perhaps. I saw you in the woods, Alhen. I saw how you moved. Raw. Unfiltered. Like a storm without a map."
He turned to Lira. "And you. Awakening Mana through sheer willpower? That hasn't happened in your lineage for three generations. Your father is a stiff man, but he has good taste in protégés."
Quon, usually wary of strangers, trotted up to Alaric and sniffed his boots. To Alhen's shock, the little dog let out a happy yip and started wagging his tail.
"See? The hound knows a good soul when he smells one," Alaric said, reaching down to scratch Quon behind the ears.
"Why did you bring us here?" Alhen asked, his grip on his sword finally loosening. "What do you want with the 'Weaver and the Wave'?"
Alaric's expression softened, the humor in his eyes replaced by a deep, ancient wisdom. He walked to the wide balcony overlooking the ocean.
"I don't want your power, Alhen. I want to make sure you don't break the world with it. You have the Essence of the North and the Mana of the South. But you're using them like blunt clubs."
He turned back to them, his hand resting on the hilt of a battered, wooden practice sword at his waist.
"The journey you're on... the 'Whole World' you want to see... it's not just a map of places. It's a map of energy. And right now, you're both lost."
He stepped into a combat stance—one that felt as natural as breathing.
"Today, the training ends. The teaching begins. If you can land a single hit on a 'gardener' like me, I'll tell you the secret of the Fourth Place."
Alhen looked at Lira. She nodded, her sapphire Mana beginning to hum.
"Get ready, Lord Alaric," Alhen said, drawing his silver blade.
Alaric just smiled. "I've been ready for twenty years, boy. Show me your heart."