⊙---Varkane Twins

The Aetherwarden let out a choked breath, his body swaying. He turned his head slightly, eyes locking onto Kael's.

"How…?" he whispered. Then, like a marionette with its strings cut, he collapsed.

A wet, gurgling gasp escaped the Aetherwarden's lips. The massive energy sphere above them fizzled. Kael barely had time to disengage before his opponent's body crumpled, lifeless.

Silence.

The R4's body stiffened. His hands trembled. The massive energy orb crackled wildly—before fizzling into nothing.

Then, the domain shattered.

Battle Concluded: Victory Achieved.

+ 6200 XP

All stats +5

SP +5

Level Up!

Level 8 → Level 10

You have unopened rewards!

Kael barely registered the notifications. His vision swam, his muscles failing. Blood dripped from his wounds, pooling beneath him. He had won—but his body was at its limit.

As he fell to his knees, he saw Lira rushing toward him, her ruby-red eyes wide with terror.

Darkness crept into the edges of his vision.

He had survived. 

And then, the world faded to black.

************

The moment the domain shattered, a deafening crack echoed through the battlefield. The oppressive energy dissipated, and the suffocating darkness lifted, allowing the first rays of light to seep back into the clearing. 

The R4 Aetherwarden lay motionless on the ground, his once-imposing figure now lifeless and broken.

And at the center of it all—Kael collapsed, his body battered, blood pooling beneath him.

Eudoxia barely had time to process what had happened. One moment, she had been on the brink of despair, her strength drained under the weight of the domain's suppression. 

The next, she had witnessed an unbelievable sight—a single warrior, defying an elite R4 awakener and emerging victorious, albeit at a terrible cost.

Without hesitation, she rushed forward, her heart pounding in her chest. Lira was already there, dropping to her knees beside her brother. She gently cradled Kael's head, brushing blood-matted hair from his pale face.

"No! Kael! Stay with me, please!" Lira's voice was trembling, her ruby-red eyes filled with desperation.

Eudoxia knelt beside them, her gloved hands hovering just above Kael's still form. "He's still alive. Just unconscious. He saved us…" she murmured, her voice laced with awe and disbelief.

She took a steadying breath before looking up at Lira. "I am Eudoxia Varkane, daughter of the Varkane Merchant family of the Ascension Auction Exchange." 

She gestured to the man beside her, who was clutching his own wounds but standing tall.

"This is my twin brother, Morvaine Varkane. We were sent here to retrieve an auctioned item, but we were ambushed before we could even reach our destination."

Lira's grip on Kael tightened. She looked up, eyes fierce but wary. "I'm Lira Avryon… and this is my younger brother, Kael Avryon. He's the one who saved you."

Eudoxia's gaze flickered to Kael, then back to Lira. "Your brother… he's unlike anyone I've ever seen." Her voice softened. "I owe him my life. We both do."

Morvaine, despite his injuries, nodded in solemn agreement. "That was no ordinary battle. He fought like—" he hesitated, glancing down at Kael's unconscious form, "—like an Ascendant."

Lira held Kael closer, her expression unreadable. "Then you know why I can't let anything happen to him."

Eudoxia reached into a pouch on her belt and pulled out a small vial of shimmering golden liquid. "Here." She pressed it into Lira's hand. "A high-grade restoration elixir. It's not much, but it will stabilize him."

Lira wasted no time, tilting Kael's head slightly to pour the elixir past his lips. Eudoxia and Morvaine watched in silence as the liquid's magic took effect, sealing wounds and restoring a fraction of his strength.

"Thank you," Lira whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

Eudoxia nodded, glancing once more at the battlefield. "We should move. That fight didn't go unnoticed."

Lira cast one last glance at her brother before standing, determination burning in her eyes. "Then let's get out of here."

Morvaine helped carry Kael, his form slung over his shoulder, as they made their way through the city gates. The streets were swarmed with activity, but the urgency in their pace drew attention. 

As they neared the entrance, Mylar, who had been preparing to leave for the outskirts, spotted them coming. His face shifted from mild curiosity to concern, and he rushed over.

"Lira! Kael!" he called out, his eyes widening when he saw the unconscious figure of Kael. His gaze quickly flicked to Lira, his voice tinged with worry. "What happened? Was it a Darkspawn attack?"

Lira shook her head sharply, a tight knot of emotion settling in her chest. "No... It was an R4. They ambushed the Auction Exchange. Kael... he helped save them, but..." 

Her voice trailed off, thick with the weight of unspoken fear. 

A tear welled up in her eye, but she blinked it away, forcing herself to keep her composure. She couldn't let herself fall apart. Not now. Kael would be fine. He had to be.

"We owe him everything," Eudoxia said, her voice steady despite the flicker of concern in her eyes.

She reached into her cloak and withdrew her Gold Awakeners badge, the emblem catching the light as she held it out. "Take us to the Awakener's Ward. We need to treat him immediately. All expenses will be covered by us."

Mylar hesitated, glancing uneasily at Lira before his eyes dropped to Kael. His brow furrowed as he shifted his weight from foot to foot. 

"The thing is... Kael..." He hesitated, then let out a quiet sigh. "He's not part of the guild. He doesn't have an Awakeners pass."

The words hit the twins like a blow to the chest. Morvaine, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke, his voice low with confusion and concern. "He's not affiliated? Why? Is he a rogue awakener?"

Mylar shook his head, his expression conflicted. "No... it's not that. He's just... not registered yet. His level's too low to be considered for membership."

Lira swallowed hard, fighting to keep the tremor from her voice. "My brother... he's only level eight. We were out there today so he could level up. He wanted to be ready."

The silence that followed was heavy. Eudoxia and Morvaine exchanged a look, their disbelief palpable. 

Finally, Eudoxia spoke, her tone a mix of astonishment and admiration. 

"Level eight? And he managed to defeat an R4?" Her voice trailed off, her gaze sharpening on Kael's still form. "Who is he?" The question lingered in the air, unspoken but filled with unvoiced curiosity.