Blackout Ascension: Return of Primordial Heir-Chapter 48: Reunion

The morning sun rose over the walls of the Solaris Academy, brushing the stone courtyards in bright shades of gold. The air was warm and smelled of pine and baking bread from the lower city. It was the kind of morning that made people glad to be alive. Kairos Vedaryan did not feel glad, he felt like he had been dragged behind a galloping horse for ten miles.

He sat on the edge of his wooden bed, staring blankly at the floor. Asteria lay across his knees. He had spent the night awake, rubbing a rough cloth over the silver blade until his fingers cramped. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the charcoal words Luna had sketched in the small parchment.

When the sun and moon turn black, the Fallen will rise.

An eclipse. They were racing against a clock in the sky, and they didn’t even know how much time they had left.

A loud, obnoxious snore struck through his flow of thoughts.

Kairos blinked and looked across the room. Luna Zephyros, the master of gravity and mind manipulation, was currently sprawled upside down on a small armchair. His legs hung over the backrest, his silver hair swept across the floor, and he was sleeping like a log.

The door to the room cranked open. Ignis walked in, kicking the door shut behind him with his boot. The fire mage held a massive wooden tray piled with roasted sausages, slices of cheese, and toasted bread. He had white bandages wrapping his ribs, but the grin on his face was back to normal. Terravarous stooped his frame through the doorway right behind him, carrying a pitcher of fresh water.

"Wake up, lazy bones!" Ignis shouted, kicking the leg of Luna’s armchair.

Luna groaned, pulling his dark cloak over his face, and kept snoring.

"Leave him be, Ignis," Terravarous rumbled, placing the water pitcher on the small desk. "He pushed his mind to the breaking point yesterday. He needs to recover his mana."

"I need to recover my pride," Ignis grunted, stealing a sausage from the tray and taking a huge bite. "We got expelled from the basement by an old man with a sweeping broom. If anyone in the upper capital finds out about this, I am changing my name and moving to the wastelands."

Kairos smiled faintly and sheathed his sword. He stood up and grabbed a piece of toast. "Jovian wasn’t just an old man. You felt his aura, he is hiding down there for a reason."

"Whatever he is, I hate him," Ignis muttered, rubbing his sore chest.

Terravarous looked at Kairos. The giant’s dark face was serious. "We need to visit the Royal Observatory today. If the ancient text is accurate, the Royal Astronomers will know exactly when the next solar eclipse is scheduled. That will give us our timeline."

"Agreed," Kairos said, taking a sip of water. "Let’s eat fast, and then head to the palace courtyard first to check the schedule."

BROOOOMMMM!!!

Suddenly, the loud boom of royal trumpets echoed through the open window. The sound passed over the academy grounds, signaling the arrival of a noble dignitary entry at the main palace gates.

Luna’s eyes snapped open, instantly flipping over the back of the armchair, landing perfectly on his feet like a startled cat. The dark cloak fell from his face, revealing wide, panicked silver eyes.

"That horn," Luna gasped, brushing his messy hair back frantically. "That is the Sylphyros arrival horn. The pitch is three notes higher than the standard Solaris greeting."

Ignis stopped chewing his sausage and stared at him. "How in the world do you know the exact pitch of a greeting horn?"

"Because I memorize important things!" Luna snapped, rushing over to the small mirror on the wall. He tried to smooth out the wrinkles in his black training uniform. "She’s here. I told her I was coming to Solaris, and she actually followed me! I look like I slept in a ditch!"

Terravarous crossed his massive arms and let out a deep, booming laugh. "The Night Emperor is afraid of a girl."

"Shut up, you walking boulder," Luna hissed, splashing cold water from the pitcher onto his face. "You don’t understand the pressure. I am an engaged man now. I have to maintain a standard of excellence."

Kairos laughed, his chest pondering in joy. Seeing Luna act like a normal, panicked teenager was the distraction he needed.

"When the hell are you engaged? Okay, Let’s go greet our guest," Kairos said, grabbing his dark jacket.

They left the dorm room and walked quickly across the academy grounds, heading straight for the central courtyard of the Royal Palace.

****

The morning sun was shining brightly over the white marble statues and green gardens. A large crowd of nobles and palace guards had already gathered near the main fountain. Right in the center of the courtyard, there was a pristine, glimmering white carriage decorated with gold lines. The crest of the Sylphyros Kingdom was pigmented proudly on the side doors. The armored wind-horses stomped their hooves, letting out a soft whinnying sound that echoed in the warm air.

Standing near the carriage door, looking beautiful in an elegant, ocean-blue dress, was Soltheia. She was smiling brightly, talking to another girl who stood opposite her. The second girl wore a beautiful crimson gown with gold embroidery, her white-blue hair catching the sunlight like a halo.

It was Princess Seyana Solaris.

Kairos felt his heart skip a beat. He hadn’t seen Seyana since their moment on the balcony. Seeing her standing there, safe and smiling in the sunlight, made all the bruises and broken bones worth it.

"Soltheia!" Luna called out, trying his best to walk smoothly. He shoved his hands into his pockets, making a confident face, hiding his excitement.

Soltheia turned around, her bright eyes lit up the moment she saw him. She ignored all the rules of royal etiquette, picking up the hem of her expensive blue dress and running straight toward him.

Luna barely had time to brace himself before she flung her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly in front of the palace courtyard.

Ignis gagged, making a disgusted face. "Oh, please. Someone blind me with a fire spell. I can’t look at this."

Terravarous smacked Ignis on the back of the head. "Show some respect. It is love."

Luna’s pale cheeks turned a shade of pink. He awkwardly wrapped his arms around her waist, trying to maintain his cool attitude while smiling like an idiot. "You had a good time," he whispered. "I didn’t expect you to be here until tomorrow."

"I ordered the coachmen to get here fast," Soltheia laughed, pulling back, raising her chin up to look at his face. Her smile faded slightly as she noticed the dark circles under his eyes and the lingering paleness of his skin. She gently touched his cheek. "You look terrible, Luna. Are you sleeping at all?"

"I am perfectly fine," Luna lied smoothly. "Just doing some late-night reading."

While Luna and Soltheia caught up, Kairos walked over to the fountain. Seyana turned to face him. Her glowing eyes darted over his dark combat gear, noting the scuff marks on his boots and the exhaustion weighing down his shoulders. She didn’t hug him in front of the palace guards, because she had an image to maintain as the Crown Princess, but her gaze carried all the warmth in the world.

"You promised me you wouldn’t be moody anymore," Seyana said softly, a teasing smile playing on her lips. "But you look like you just fought an entire army."

Kairos scratched the back of his neck, offering an awkward smile. "Not an army. Just a giant bug and an angry librarian with a broom."

Seyana raised an elegant eyebrow. "A librarian?"

"It is a long, painful story," Ignis interrupted, walking up beside Kairos, pointing an accusing finger at Seyana. "Your family keeps monsters in the basement. I demand royal compensation for my ribs."

Seyana enclapsed her arms, looking at the four boys standing in front of her. Ignis was wrapped in medical bandages. Terravarous had his arm secured in a sling. Luna looked like he hadn’t slept in three weeks, and Kairos had a dark shadow lingering behind his eyes that she hadn’t seen since the Colosseum.

They were the strongest young generals in the world. They were the one of the heroes who had survived the arena. But looking at them right now in the morning light, Seyana realized they were pushing themselves straight into an early grave. They were training too hard. They were taking the burden of the Great War entirely on their own shoulders.

Seyana’s expression softened. She stepped forward, her crimson dress brushing against the stone.

"I have made an executive decision," Seyana announced, her voice carrying the authority of a Princess.

The boys stopped talking and stood at attention. Even Luna let go of Soltheia’s hand and straightened his posture.

"You four are a complete mess," Seyana said, placing her hands clasped on her back. "You are running yourselves into the grave. If the Great War starts tomorrow, you will all fall asleep on the battlefield before you even draw your swords."

"We are training to protect the kingdom," Terravarous replied respectfully, bowing his head.

"You cannot protect a kingdom if you are dead from exhaustion," Seyana countered firmly, looking at Kairos, her eyes silently telling him to stop arguing. "Tomorrow is the Grand Festival of Lanterns. The entire capital is celebrating. So, by my royal decree, training is officially canceled."

Ignis blinked, his red eyes wide. "Canceled? We can’t cancel training! I haven’t burned anything today!"

"Yes, we can," Soltheia chimed in, stepping up to stand beside Seyana. The two princesses exchanged a knowing look. "I just traveled across an entire continent to see my fiancé. I am not spending my vacation watching him punch rocks in a dusty courtyard."

Luna rubbed the back of his neck, looking awkward. On one hand, he wanted to find out about the eclipse. On the other hand, spending a sunny day with Soltheia sounded like heaven.

"What exactly are we supposed to do with a day off?" Kairos asked, genuinely confused. Ever since he arrived at the academy, his life had been nothing but brutal combat, dungeon raids, and near-death experiences. The concept of free time felt completely alien to him.

Seyana smiled brightly. It was a warm smile that made the lingering dread of the Black Mist Knights melt away.

"We are going into the city," Seyana declared. "We are going to eat street food, play stupid carnival games, and act like normal people for one day, and if I catch any of you talking about monsters, dungeons, or cursed magic... I will personally throw you into the castle river."

Ignis grinned, his arrogant attitude returning in full force. "Oh, I am definitely in. The Solaris streets have the best spicy skewers in the world. I will eat ten plates just to spite the hospital cooks."

Terravarous sighed, rubbing his temples. "I will have to carry him when his stomach bursts out."

Kairos looked at Seyana. The ancient threat was still waiting out there in the shadows. The timer for the eclipse was still ticking down. But looking at his friends laughing in the sunlight, he realized Seyana was right.

They needed a reason to fight. They needed to remember what a peaceful world actually looked like.

"Alright," Kairos said, a calm smile breaking across his face. "A day off it is. But Ignis is paying for the food."

"Hey!" Ignis yelled as the group turned and began walking toward the palace gates. "Why am I always paying?!"

"Wait for sometime, my sister Catherine will arrive soon, then we will start our day off!" Soltheia interrupted with a quiet plea.

"No worries.. We also have a bastard coming late," Luna said, exchanging a mocking look with Kairos. "Velanor was coming.. Yesterday he was unable to come due to some issues in our kingdom."

The heavy tension that had suffocated them in the Restricted Archives was broken instantly. The laughter of the young generals lingered across the courtyard. The war was coming, and the shadows were gathering, but for today, they were leaving their swords behind. They were stepping into the light.