After being swept up in a big hug, twirled around, and eventually returned to the earth, Teddy's parents ushered us inside.

It was hilarious to see the doors stretch open to fit Arturous' massive body before comically shrinking back to a normal human-sized entrance.

The inside was almost as fantastical as the parents. While clean and orderly, there was a splash of chaos thrown into the mix that disrupted the whole thing. Oddly, this blend of order and chaos enhanced the room's overall ambiance.

Before long, we were seated around a very comfortable living room where the couches practically melted around your body.

It's not as comfortable as Cal's couch, though.

After everyone had been seated, both parents sat on an opposite loveseat and faced all of us, visibly bouncing with excitement.

The two were surreal to watch. They bounced to their own tune and openly displayed their comfort and affection towards each other. The smiles never left their faces, and they seemed high on life.

Teddy cleared his throat. "Mother, father. Why are you two wearing blindfolds?"

Both of their smiles split wide. His mother looked to his dad, and there was a pause as they silently communicated. Like robots in perfect sync, they snapped their heads toward us and reached back to undo their blindfolds.

When the knot came undone, I felt the previously contained mana appear and radiate out of them. The others in the room stiffened and began to breathe slower.

I was unaffected, even if I could feel the dangerous amount of mana stored within the two humans. There was no mistaking it. They were both tier three.

Closing my eyes, I dived into the feeling of the mana as it touched my skin and let the impression overtake me.

Blinding radiance illuminated the day in gold. It banished the darkness as warm and embracing light burned like the sun to those considered foes. Each ray that touched the water's edge scattered to the ends of the world to blaze a path forward.

I tasted sunlight and felt its warmth fill my limbs. In the corners, outside the protective calm, the gentle rays turned into vengeful beams of light that sought to scorch the earth.

I exited the daydream and moved on to the second type of mana radiating from the two. My psyche sank deep, and I let it fill my thoughts.

It was the opposite of the sun's light.

The scattering light met the crashing waves that shook the earth. Mighty tides surged with untamed power, their waves crashing like the fists of titans. They swept away all weakness, their force both relentless and invigorating. Each wave that collided with the shore roared its defiance, sending ripples to the farthest reaches of the ocean, creating a raging torrent in its wake.

The water was sweet and refreshing, cooling my muscles and soothing my parched throat. It was neither warm nor cold but a peaceful neutral. Even as the tsunamis threatened to drown the world around me, I floated, safe and protected.

I opened my eyes and found his mom and dad staring at me. The father had eyes of the deepest blue that swirled continuously like a whirlpool. And the mother had eyes of pure gold that glowed visibly in the lit room.

Their blindfolds were off, and I could see why they had kept them on. Both their eyes drew your attention and made it hard to look away. From a quick glance around the room, the others struggled under the pressure, though not nearly as much as they did under Brelten's suppression.

Beyond the glowing eyes, I saw a physical change that wasn't there before they removed their covering. Along the edges of the father's hair, his hair floated gently as if carried by a bobbing wave. While the mother's already blonde hair had turned gold, the strands looked metallic and shiny.

"Well? What do you think?" his mother asked.

"Am I more handsome than ever?" his dad asked.

They struck a pose, and both of them flexed their muscles. Teddy's dad filled out his shirt as it suddenly became too tight, and the mother displayed an impressive set of her own that rivaled Eodyne's.

Teddy sighed while Isaac groaned. Surprisingly, even Eodyne's mouth hinted at a smile while Igas and Celanae shared equally wide grins.

I wasn't sure how to feel, so I maintained an amused smile and watched as the parental pair retied their blindfolds.

"So you did it, you crossed into the third tier?" Celanae asked, notebook already in hand.

"Indeed we did! The last rift provided enough energy to push us through the threshold."

"And so we have ascended! Our power grows ever stronger!

Each time they spoke, it felt like a comedic duo constantly reinforcing each other, never missing a beat.

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"Does Uncle Brelten and Uncle Allaron know? Or are we the first to find out," Teddy asked.

The father roared with laughter, and his mother touched her cheek. "Oh son, of course you are the first to know! How could we not share the news with our precious boy!"

Another sigh came, but the others ignored it to offer their congratulations. Having known these people for less than an hour, I felt like the odd duck out, but they made me feel welcomed.

"Auntie, Uncle. Are you planning on making a scene?" Isaac cut in.

"Ah, dearest nephew, of course we are."

"Your father has been acting rather uptight lately. What better way to loosen the spear up his ass than to disrupt his party?"

Isaac leaned forward. "What party?"

Instead of answering, Teddy's father snapped his fingers, and a plane of water appeared about my height and Iga's width.

His mother also raised her hand and snapped as the image of a fancy-looking invitation appeared. Adorned with brilliant gold filigree, it featured silver script on black paper.

The invitation displayed a time for a party happening in a week and surprised me with its simplicity. I expected promises of world-rocking entertainment, but it was short and sweet instead.

Isaac leaned back in his chair, and I saw shadows begin to lash the ground at his feet. "He's planning on revealing something at the party."

"Most likely, dear. Knowing Aliistaire, he'll be holding another second event that he'll announce during the party. He does love his showmanship."

"My offer to beat him up stands, Isaac." Teddy's dad declared. He flexed his bicep, which earned a few groans from the group. "Just say the word."

"Please don't. I already swore to myself not to prove father right."

"Rest assured, we shall steal the spotlight from his grand reveal."

"And ruffle some feathers while we're at it."

They spent the rest of the day regaling us with tales of their time in the rift, a doozy of a puzzle rift where they had to survive in a death labyrinth for over two years.

The time difference meant that only four months had passed in the real world while they had the time to train and meditate in the extended rift. Their breakthrough called for a small celebration and required an official report to the adventurers' guild as well as the rest of the nobles.

Tier three was a big deal to the kingdom as it meant another ascender who could protect against the deadliest of threats.

They seem strong, but how much stronger is Brelten?

Eventually, a servant came in and declared dinner ready, so we went into the dining room to eat. The room was just as silly as the last, with a large round table instead of a long rectangle and chairs made in different designs and materials positioned at the table's edge.

We ate the served food with gusto. Teddy's parents ignored the proper eating decorum I'd expect from nobles, so we ate and conversed at the same time. They included me in the discussion, and I had to give an abridged version of everything so far.

I skipped over certain parts, and they, thankfully, didn't pry. In the end, they treated me like one of the group, and I got to spend the rest of the night relaxing.

I don't feel so hollow.

The moment the thought popped into my head, some of my joy faded, but I distracted my tired brain with more delicious food. It didn't completely help, but it made it easier to get through the meal.

After finishing dinner, we followed Nathan and Anastasia to the back of the house, where a plain, undecorated door stood in stark contrast to the rest of the home's riot of colors and clashing styles. Without a single embellishment or edge, the door would have been entirely forgettable if not for its dull brown color.

"Why are we heading to the armoury?" Teddy asked, patting Arturous' rump as the bear lumbered off deeper into the mansion.

Nathan turned around and held up a wooden key. "My boy, we have returned from a two-year-long rift. You think we'd leave without robbing the place of valuables?"

Nathan turned away and pushed the key into the lock on the door. The wood melted away and became glowing red crystal that blazed with golden runes.

When he turned the key, a series of chimes rang out, similar to the ones at the gate. The key then got sucked into the crystal, and the door swung open. Strangely enough, despite its obvious enchantment, the door lacked mana.

The runes were in foreign script and shared a distinct pointy style with sharp lines, rather than the swirling freeform most runes were in.

Nathan held the door for Anastasia and followed behind her after she walked in. One by one, we entered the room and were treated to a hoarder's treasure trove.

Everything from shiny cloth to colourful rocks, all the way to extremely large halberds, could be seen amongst the clutter. The only thing missing were chests filled to the brim with gold and jewels.

"This is even bigger than the last haul," Igas commented as he struggled to lift one of the halberds.

When he leaned to one side and knocked over a pile of neatly stacked books, he left the halberd alone and ignored the glare from Celanae.

Anastasia disappeared in a streak of light and returned a couple of seconds later. In her hands was an ornate silver chest encrusted with diamonds.

"Something good?" Teddy asked.

His parents shared a grin before activating a skill and conjured a banner made of flowing water lit up by golden script.

On the banner, the words scrolled in a loop: 'The Secret Surprise # 13.'

Anastasia knocked over a neatly stacked collection of gemstones and plopped the chest on the freshly cleared mountain of loot. "This is probably the third! No... wait... the fifth!.... uh,"

"The ninth best thing, dear," Nathan supplied.

"Ah, yes." She struck a pose and motioned to the chest. "The ninth best thing you could find inside a rift!"

Do I want to know the other eight things ahead of it? A glance at the wilting faces of some of the others told me no. I didn't.

After deactivating the skills and making the banner disappear, they straightened up. Moving behind the chest, they each placed a hand on a clasp and lifted it slowly, in unison.

"To find one alone would be enough of a celebration," Anastasia began.

"But to find two? Worth a night of revelry," Nathan continued.

"Except, we found three! And that's worth a festival of fun!" they exclaimed together, lifting the lid of the chest to unveil what sat inside.

On a cushioned pillow sat three small orbs, prismatic in color. These perfectly smooth spheres shifted through colors like a strobe light, each pulse unveiling a new shade and hue.

The others gasped, and Celanae's notebook nearly fell to the floor.

"They're pretty, but what are they?" I asked to break the silence.

The looks of outrage and disbelief on everyone's faces made me take a step back. Celanae looked genuinely hurt by my lack of knowledge. Thankfully, Teddy's father took pity on me and gently grabbed one of the spheres.

The stone flared in his hand yet stayed a simple crystal as he lifted it into the light. "This, Cyrus, is an evolution stone. Regardless of the skill's tier, this crystal will bump it up to tier four. It's probably one of the kingdom's rarest and most coveted items," he explained.

"Oh."

That's a bit underwhelming.

Even as I had that thought, the others stared transfixed at the orb. Only Isaac glanced my way, glared, mouthed 'ungrateful,' and then turned back to examine the shiny sphere.