Chapter 34: No one Messes with a Velmora

Later in the evening hours, Cassia approached the room with quiet steps, her heart fluttering in her chest. She had been pacing for days, unable to leave Lucius's side while he was unconscious. She had tried to focus on other tasks, but her thoughts always drifted back to him, to the scene of his brutal injury, and to the uncertainty of his recovery. She had hoped he would wake soon.

As she reached the door, she pushed it open softly, peering inside. The dim light of the room flickered from the lamp near his bedside. Lucius lay there, his features peaceful but pale, as though still caught between the world of dreams and the waking one. Cassia's hand hesitated in the air before she slowly stepped in, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Lucius," she murmured, her concern evident, "you know, it's best if you rest. You've been unconscious for days… You need to take it easy."

She reached out towards him, her fingers brushing the edge of the blanket, ready to help him if he needed it. But as her gaze shifted towards his face, her words caught in her throat.

Lucius slowly turned toward her, his expression steady, almost too calm for someone who had just woken up. To Cassia's utter shock, there was no sign of the injuries that had been so visible only days ago—no bruises, no bandages, no blood. His skin was smooth and unmarred, his posture strong as if he had never been injured at all. The healing process, which should have taken weeks, had happened in a matter of days.

"Your wounds…" Cassia gasped, her hand falling back to her side, her breath catching in her throat. "What happened to your wounds? Where are they? You're healed…"

Lucius's eyes glinted with a quiet, almost amused look, but there was no hint of the pain that had once gripped him. "Thanks to Kaela," he replied, his voice low and steady, though there was a slight trace of gratitude. "She's a good healer. All my wounds are healed now."

Cassia blinked, still struggling to comprehend what had happened. "But… that's impossible. You were unconscious for days. How could you have healed so quickly?"

Lucius gave a small, almost imperceptible smile, his eyes hardening with purpose. "Now we can start off for our journey to the Arcane Kingdom."

Cassia stood frozen for a moment, her mind racing. She had thought he would need time to recover, that they would have to wait until he regained his strength. But now, with his wounds gone and his resolve firm, it was clear that Lucius was ready to move forward—no matter what it took.

She nodded slowly, though a part of her still couldn't quite believe it. "The Arcane Kingdom," she repeated, her voice a bit more shaky than she intended.

Her gaze lingered on him for a moment longer, still awestruck by the transformation. She had so many questions, but for now, there was no time to ask them. With a deep breath, she squared her shoulders and gave him a determined look. They had a journey to begin, and nothing, not even the impossible, would stop them now.

"I told the others to prepare the ship and make sure our route is confirmed with the Captain. We will be boarding the Mystara, Selene managed to get the ship prepared since it arrived a week ago from the east carrying good. For now, we should probably pack up and head over to the port."

Cassia shocked by how prepared he was, just nodded her head and headed towards the door. Before she reached for the knob, she turned, "Lucius, can I trust you?"

"Have I ever given you a reason to not?" Cassia dazed, felt a stirring in her stomach as Lucius's deep, commanding voice wrapped around her like a comforting embrace, sending a warmth that spread through her chest, making her heart race with a mix of awe and something unspoken. "Cassia..." Lucius looked into her eyes searching for her.

"Um.. it's just that, I have this feeling, like your hiding something from me. Master Theon told me to trust no one." With a pause she searched deep into Lucius' being and asked, "Lucius, can I trust you?"

"I want you to trust me, I have somethings I can't tell you now for your own good but, I really want you to trust me." Cassia sighed and thought about how he literally entered enemy territory, risking his life just to save her from the agents of Varro.

"Lucius of you ever given me any reason to doubt you, don't blame me if I run from you. I appreciate you saving me and all, despite you protecting me the first time I naively came to Aurelia.... If you backstab me I will turn away from you." Lucius swallowed hard, his gaze locking with Cassia's as he searched her eyes for any flicker of uncertainty or hesitation. But to his suprise, there was nothing—no sign of doubt, just unwavering resolve mirrored in her steady gaze. That made him wonder, just how much does she know about this situation.

Reaching out to her, "Cassia I know, I'm barely honest with you..." Holding her hand and guiding her to the bed, "Sit down and ask me all the questions you need answers to. It's best we clear out any doubts. Promise me after this you won't doubt me again." Cassia sat down and thought about his words for a minute.

"Lucius, I..." Cassia began, hesitantly looking to him.

"Go on Cassia, talk to me, I'm listening."

"Who are you? Where do you come from? Why are you travelling the world? Why do you know so much? What are you..."

"Ok, easy there, those are a lot of questions." Lucius chuckled, "let's start with introducing ourselves once again."

"Hi, I'm Lucius Marcellus, Guild Master of the Golden Concord. I'm 22 years old and I have travelled throughout Omora in search of my origins. My Father, have me a task to go on an adventure and study the world. I know so much because I have to know things, in order to find out where I came from..."

"Why not, just ask your father?" Cassia asked.

"My Father didn't get the opportunity to find out, my grandfather was brutally murdered when my Dad was a kid. My Dad took over the family with zero to no knowledge and relied on others to guide him. But as we both know..." Lucius paused and looked at Cassia, Cassia offered a weak smile urging him to continue fully understanding what he meant. "I was born in Velmora, it's hard to trust those that are deeply rooted on lies. None of the people my father relied on spoke the truth. I'm on a journey to find out the secret of Velmora. I have already found out some certain things. I have books in Velmora, when we get back, I'll give them to you. So that's pretty much all you can know about me." Lucius regretfully finished, wishing to continue, exposing his lineage but he swallowed his words and gazed to the beautiful girl sitting next to him.

"Oh ok. I think having said that, I am more confident that you won't sell me out." Cassia let out a soft laugh. Then Cassia turned to him, "How do you know me?"

Caught off guard Lucius, lost in the conversation, hadn't noticed the door creak open.

Suddenly, Dorian and Castor, the twin brothers, strode into the room, their presence immediately commanding attention. Dorian, with his playful grin, seemed completely unaffected by the tension, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Well, well, well, what do we have here?" he said, his voice light and teasing as he looked from Lucius to Cassia. "I hope we're not interrupting a private conversation." Lucius saved by twins, sighed in relief.

Castor, the more serious of the two, barely spared a glance at Dorian's antics. His sharp eyes landed on Lucius, and the unspoken weight of the room seemed to shift. With a straight face, he simply said, "Should we be concerned, or is this just another one of your strategic discussions?" His tone was measured, betraying nothing.

Before anyone could respond, the door opened wider, and Octavian entered, his tall frame filling the doorway. His gaze immediately fell on Lucius, and there was a visible shift in his demeanor. He stood still for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied Lucius with a look that was both protective and threatening. His presence radiated authority, as if he was some father figure ready to discipline, and yet, his eyes held an unreadable intensity.

Lucius, sensing the change in atmosphere, looked up at Octavian, his expression unreadable but a slight tension in his jaw betraying that he recognized the unspoken warning.

Cassia glanced between the three men, trying to keep the mood light. "I was just telling Lucius he needs to rest," she said quickly, almost nervously, though her voice had a steady tone. "There's no need for concern."

Dorian raised an eyebrow, his teasing grin softening as he observed the change in the room. "Oh, we'll leave you two alone, then," he said, still with a touch of humor. "But don't take too long. The strategic discussions can wait."

Castor gave a small, serious nod, his eyes never leaving Lucius for a second. "Don't do anything foolish," he added, his voice firm but not unkind. "We still have a mission."

As Octavian's eyes flicked between the twins and Lucius, his jaw tightened, but he remained silent. His stance was protective, the tension in the room palpable. Lucius stood slowly, facing Octavian with a cool, steady gaze.

The twins exchanged a glance, and Dorian, clearly sensing the moment had shifted, gave one last grin. "Alright, we'll take our leave. Good luck, Lucius," he said playfully, before both he and Castor stepped back, allowing Octavian to step forward.

The door closed with a soft click, leaving Lucius and Cassia alone once again, but the heavy presence of Octavian loomed over them, silently marking his unspoken authority.

"Cassia go pack your stuff we're leaving soon." Octavian kindly smiled to Cassia, then once Cassia left the room, the heavy presence returned. "Now, Lucius..." Gulping Lucius rose from the bed trying to escape his fate. "I'm watching you and by now you should know that it can never happen. Right?" Gulping, Lucius tried to step away from Octavian's gaze. Escape. His mind screamed for him to flee, but his body was frozen, caught in the snare of Octavian's words. "What you're considering… it's not just impossible. It's dangerous. For both of you. Remember, there are rules in Velmora. And breaking them isn't something that anyone… not even you, Lucius, can survive." Octavian turning to take his leave, bowed and said, "You must also get packing, times not on our side. The Kleos Exilium is joining us." It was expected but nonetheless the revelation shocked Lucius.

Even though, paralysed in fear by Octavian's aura, Lucius didn't mind, because no one messes with a Velmora.

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