“Eat your fill, Sennin,” my mother said enthusiastically from across the table. “After all, it’s not every night we get to celebrate something so grand.”

A proud smile spread across my stuffed face.

After the ceremony concluded, the village had continued to shower me with praise as I made my way home. It was exhilarating, but honestly, this was what I had been truly looking forward to.

It had been nearly two weeks since I’d been home, and I couldn't be happier.

In anticipation of my success, my mother had prepared a small feast for the two of us. Part of me did wonder, though—what would she have done with all the ingredients had I not been so lucky?

“Hestia requested that I let you know Eldrin will make a full recovery. Some scars might remain, but she said he seemed more excited about that than not.”

Hearing that, I couldn’t help but let a small smile form. Being excited at the idea of showing off battle scars was all too in line with Eldrin's character.

“I’m relieved he’ll be okay. When the Nox began to pummel him…” I paused for a moment, briefly pulled out of my glee as I thought back to our battle, before softly shaking my head. “I’m relieved he’s going to be fine.”

My mother chuckled. “Yes, I hear you quite literally collapsed from relief,” she teased.

‘Valor…’

“Well, do not let your mind dwell on it now. Tonight is for celebrating!”

I nodded in agreement as we both continued to savor the meal she had made.

After we finished, I made my way to the sink to clean our plates while she wiped down the table. Light-hearted conversation flowed between us as we worked.

“Valor said that starting next week, I’ll begin taking part in assignments. Though, it will probably only be simple things at first.”

“That’s to be expected,” she said in a reassuring tone. “After all, you’re starting at the bottom. I’m sure in time you’ll get more exciting tasks.”

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

“Yeah…” I stared into the sink, lost in thought about what those assignments might be like.

“I wonder if it will ever be anything as int-er-est…” My words began to taper off before I could finish my sentence.

“Sennin?” my mother called out, confused.

“The water…”

The grayish, murky water I had been cleaning with had suddenly shifted. Its partially translucent quality vanished, becoming a deep blue—like the sea, where reflections ceased to appear.

As I continued to stare in bewilderment, it grew abnormally still, taking on a glass-like appearance.

Before I could fully process what was happening, the water began to rise, forming the shape of a hand that reached out and slammed onto the edge of the counter, gripping as if something were pulling itself from the liquid.

Stumbling back, my mother immediately rushed over, placing herself in front of me and pushing me back as she did.

Slowly the hand extended into an arm, and the arm into a torso, until eventually it had taken the form of an entire upper body.

“Mahhh qwnrghhh,” it began to speak, though the words were muffled and distorted.

The figure continued to twist and take shape, becoming more defined until it resembled the face of a young woman, so detailed you could almost forget it was not a real person.

“Mahhhhh—” the voice cracked, and suddenly, with striking clarity, a woman’s voice spoke.

“My queen…”

“Aveline—” my mother muttered softly, her once-guarded and alert stance faltering as shock overtook her.

“War... war is coming,” the figure continued.

For a moment, my mother stood frozen in shock before abruptly snapping out of it. Her voice shifting into one of urgency. “What war?! Who is coming?!”

“Ca-Cassiusss…” The watery silhouette began to waver, the voice growing more distorted. “Cassius and… humansslsng—” The last word trailed off into incomprehensibility as the form collapsed.

We stood there, frozen in place. The only sound left was the faint dripping of the water as it fell onto the floor. Eventually, I managed to gather myself enough to break the silence, though my voice trembled with confusion.

“What... was that?”

My mother remained still, her eyes locked onto the where the figure had been.

Her lips slightly parted, but she seemed to hesitate before swallowing so hard that I could hear it.

“It was a warning,” she answered in an almost whisper. “A warning, given at great risk to her own life.”

“Who’s?!” I snapped back in a panic.

Her reply was soft and somewhat distant, with a subtle yet undeniable sadness in her voice.

“...Your sister’s.”