Weakness

"EXCUSE ME, SIR MYLES AND LADY LIA, YOU ARE SENT FOR. A FAMILY MEETING HAS BEEN CALLED."

The robotic voice crackles from the other side of the door.

Myles is mid-swing, testing his strength and skill with swords that shimmer faintly with Criole. Each movement is sharp but fluid. Lia watches from the edge of their bed, lounging with a fond smile on her face.

"I'm family now?" he asks, panting—sweat glistening from his brow down to his chiselled abs.

"Myles," she says with a smirk, "my parents let us sleep in the same room."

He pauses, rubbing the back of his neck with a sheepish grin.

Lia rises, adjusting her skirt with casual grace as she turns toward the door. "I'll go on ahead. Freshen up quickly and come, would you?" She winks before disappearing behind the door.

Myles sighs, content.

Stepping into the corridor a few moments later, he sees Terrene.

Their eyes meet—briefly. She immediately averts her gaze and walks past him without a word.

What was that about? he wonders.

Stepping out into the corridor, Myles sees Terrene.

Their eyes meet—briefly, barely—before she quickly looks away and walks right past him.

What was that about? he wonders.

He follows quietly behind her, hoping she'll lead him to the hall.

Suddenly, Terrene stops.

She turns around to face him without warning.

Startled, Myles flinches and unconsciously takes a small step back.

"Myles." Her voice is flat—it startles him a little.

"Hmm?" he responds instinctively.

She points to a grand door he hadn't noticed during their walk. "That's the door to the hall."

He gets ready to enter, but then—She grabs his wrist.

"You're… shivering," he says softly, noticing the tremble in her hand.

"Please… quiet." Her voice lowers, almost a whisper. "It's hard enough as it is."

She bites her lip, eyes darting away from his.

"Be my friend. Please."

The words leave her in a rush—soft, desperate.

And before he can even process them, she slips behind the door and vanishes.

After standing behind the door for a while, Myles finally walks through it.

"Wow…" The word escapes him in a soft breath.

The door opens into a grand hall—walls reflective, built from beautiful, colorful bricks of polished metal. The floor beneath his feet is black, glass-like, but firm and cool to the touch.

At the center of the room, the family sits around a wide pool of glowing liquid. Its surface ripples gently, casting soft light across their faces.

"Take a seat, young man," Julian calls out from the head of the table, his voice steady and commanding.

Myles walks toward Lia's seat and quietly takes the spot beside her.

Across the glowing pool, seated opposite them, are Kaelen, Terrene, and Rai. All eyes are on Julian—except for Thia's.

Her gaze rests solely on Myles.

She's the one who called this meeting.

Julian suddenly begins to speak, his tone calm but edged with weight.

"I know by now you've all sensed the force approaching. To be exuding such an intense aura means two things."

He pauses, letting the silence stretch, the glow from the pool flickering across the walls like a heartbeat.

"Either they've come with vile intent," Julian begins, his voice echoing softly, "or they are fools—ignorant of the kind of people who inhabit the planet they now approach."

He lets the words linger, then continues with more gravity. "My children, I've been made aware… we have a weakness."

His eyes lower to the glowing pool, reflecting the solemnity in his tone. Then he lifts his gaze, meeting each of their faces.

"It is nothing to be ashamed of—but something we must acknowledge, work on, and grow from."

Thia groans and throws her head back slightly. "Oh, for stars' sake... it's Myles."

She sighs again, heavier this time. "I hate to say it, but... he's family now. And he's defenseless."

Lia bites her lip, wanting to speak up—but she knows her sister isn't wrong.Rai sighs, burying her face in her palm, and Kaelen simply purses her lips, her eyes shifting awkwardly.

"Yes, Myles is weak," a voice speaks from the shadows, calm yet firm, "but he has shown glimpses of strength. It only needs to be honed."

All heads turn as the figure steps forward from the dim edges of the hall."Might I be the one to sharpen this dull blade?"

The green-haired knight from earlier emerges into the light, their presence composed but unmistakably bold.

How did I not notice them before? And who is that? Is this not a family…?Myles' thoughts are interrupted by a tug on his shirt. Lia.

"Accept the offer," she says—stern, quiet, and sharp.

Myles rises, composed. "Thank you for the opportunity," he says, bowing respectfully.

"It is settled, then," Allyser declares, smiling. "The boy will train under Verdure."

With that, she vanishes alongside Julian. The others begin to rise.

Terrene casts a fleeting glance at Myles before turning to leave.Lia notices—but thinks nothing of it.

"Listen, we start at dawn tomorrow. We leave for the forests," Verdure tells Myles before fading into unnoticeability—just as they had appeared.

Myles stands upright, glancing back at Lia. "Hey… who was that?"

"Who?"

"The green-haired knight."

"Oh. That's my sister."

"She?"

"What? You couldn't tell she was a girl under all that armor?"

"Not really. Her Criole was hard to read. You know I'm self-taught—I'm still figuring all this out."

Lia sighs, a little guilty. "I wish I could help, but… I'm a terrible teacher, remember?"

Myles chuckles. "At least you're self-aware."

"Hey!" She nudges him playfully, then smiles. "Anyway, Verdure's a great teacher. You'll learn a lot from her."

Myles stands upright, glancing back at Lia. "Hey… who was that?"

"Who?"

"The green-haired knight."

"Oh. That's my sister."

"She?"

"What? You couldn't tell she was a girl under all that armor?"

"Not really. Her Criole was hard to read. You know I'm self-taught—I'm still figuring all this out."

Lia sighs, a little guilty. "I wish I could help, but… I'm a terrible teacher, remember?"

Myles chuckles. "At least you're self-aware."

"Hey!" She nudges him playfully, then smiles. "Anyway, Verdure's a great teacher. You'll learn a lot from her."

Myles stands upright, glancing back at Lia. "Hey… who was that?"

"Who?"

"The green-haired knight."

"Oh. That's my sister."

"She?"

"What? You couldn't tell she was a girl under all that armor?"

"Not really. Her Criole was hard to read. You know I'm self-taught—I'm still figuring all this out."

Lia sighs, a little guilty. "I wish I could help, but… I'm a terrible teacher, remember?"

Myles chuckles. "At least you're self-aware."

"Hey!" She nudges him playfully, then smiles. "Anyway, Verdure's a great teacher. You'll learn a lot from her."

Myles stands upright, glancing back at Lia. "Hey… who was that?"

"Who?"

"The green-haired knight."

"Oh. That's my sister."

"She?"

"What? You couldn't tell she was a girl under all that armor?"

"Not really. Her Criole was hard to read. You know I'm self-taught—I'm still figuring all this out."

Lia sighs, a little guilty. "I wish I could help, but… I'm a terrible teacher, remember?"

Myles chuckles. "At least you're self-aware."

"Hey!" She nudges him playfully, then smiles. "Anyway, Verdure's a great teacher. You'll learn a lot from her."

"I hope so." 

"She's tough, but she knows what she's doing. Give her a chance."

He hesitates, eyes drifting back to where Verdure vanished. "…I'll try. But your family hasn't exactly been warm."

"I know," Lia says softly, her tone more serious now. "But not all of us are the same. Verdure… she won't hurt you."

Myles nods, still unsure, but willing to trust Lia—at least for now.