Rifi sat on the cold stone bench in the courtyard, staring at the fading outline of the City Lord disappearing into the HQ. His body was still pulsing with the energy of their spar, but his mind was restless. The words of the City Lord echoed in his thoughts,

"War with the great clans is inevitable."

For a moment, the world around him felt still. The distant hum of the city beyond the HQ faded as his gaze fell to the ground. He had trained relentlessly, pushed his body to its limits, and harnessed his lightning core to an impressive level, but now the stakes were rising. The battles to come were far beyond skirmishes with beasts or sparring duels with comrades. Rifi would be expected to face the most powerful mages the world had ever known in life and death battles, and the idea of it gnawed at him.

On top of all that, he still had to thread carefully, who knows what part the Devils were playing in all of this. The beast hordes were only the beginning, the unrests in neighbouring City-States and even the situation with great clans in Hepestus, who knows how much of it was influenced by the Devils and how deep their roots were by now.

But as Rifi strolled through the busy streets of Hepestus, his thoughts lightened. He had been presumed dead for over a year, his whereabouts a mystery even to those closest to him. Returning to the city had been a surreal experience, especially reuniting with his old friend Rudeus and meeting his wife, Helena and their son Marcus. He had spent the night at their home just yesterday, and now, with some time to himself after the spar, he decided to use his newly earned wealth to do something special for them and Lucilia also.

His hand rested on the pouch at his side, feeling the weight of the 500 mana stones he'd earned. It was more wealth than he'd ever held at once, and he planned to use it wisely—on his friends, who had thought him lost forever.

Rifi wandered through the city's market district, taking in the sights and sounds that were both familiar and distant. Merchants lined the streets, their stalls overflowing with everything from exotic fabrics to rare magical items. Children ran through the alleyways, and the hum of conversation filled the air.

He stopped at a weaponsmith's stall, his eyes catching on a silver dagger. It was simple but elegant, a small wind symbol etched into its surface. It reminded him of Lucilia—sharp, quick, and always on the move. She had been away on a mission for several days, and Rifi was eager to see her again. She didn't need much, but something like this—a symbol of her strength—felt right.

"How much for the silver dagger?" Rifi asked the weaponsmith, a wizened old man with a toothy smile.

"You have good eyes, sir. A tier 5 core of wind element beast was used in crafting this beauty, extremely deadly in the right hinds, but no doubt sir already knows his. 150 mana stones, and I would be willing to part with them. " the weaponsmith replied.

Rifi didn't hesitate, handing over the stones. "I'll take it."

He continued through the market, his thoughts wandering to Rudeus. His friend had been a constant in his life for as long as he was a legionary, a grizzled veteran who had seen too many battles but still managed to keep his spirit intact. Rudeus had a knack for practicality, so Rifi headed toward an armoursmith's stall, looking for something that would suit him.

After browsing for a while, Rifi found what he was looking for—a sturdy, well-crafted scale armour, perfect for any type of combat. Rudeus had mentioned his old armour was nearing its end, and this new armour would serve him well in the battles to come.

Satisfied with his purchases, Rifi spent the rest of the afternoon roaming the city, enjoying the rare moments of peace. It felt good to walk through the streets, not as a soldier, but as someone who had come back from the dead. The weight of his year-long absence still clung to him, but seeing the city alive and bustling reminded him of old happy times, when he and his family were enjoying festivities of this very lively City.

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As evening fell, Rifi made his way to Rudeus's home, eager for the dinner he had promised to attend. The streets were quieter now, with most of the merchants closing their stalls and the city preparing for the evening. The warm glow of lanterns began to flicker in the windows of the homes he passed.

Rudeus's home was tucked away in a more peaceful corner of the city, a little bit outside of the centre of the city. The smell of roasting meat and fresh bread filled the air as Rifi approached the door. He could hear the sound of Rudeus's laughter inside, mingled with the giggles of his young son.

Rifi knocked, and the door swung open almost immediately. Helena, Rudeus's wife, greeted him with a smile. She wiped her hands on her apron, the scent of the food she was preparing clinging to her.

"Rifi, you're right on time!" she said warmly. "Come in, come in. Dinner's just about ready."

Rifi stepped inside, the familiar warmth of their home immediately putting him at ease. Rudeus was sitting on the floor, his one arm missing from their battle with the panther, but that didn't stop him from entertaining his son, who was trying to climb onto his lap with the determination only a child could muster.

"Rifi!" Rudeus called out, grinning. "You're late! This little one's been waiting to show you his best moves."

Rifi laughed, shaking his head. "Looks like he's already giving you a workout."

"Workout?" Rudeus scoffed, gently lifting his son with one arm into the air before setting him down. "This is nothing. You should see him when he's really fired up."

Helena rolled her eyes affectionately as she moved back to the kitchen. "You two sit and talk. Dinner will be ready in a moment."

Rifi sat down at the table, setting the wrapped gifts for Rudeus and Lucilia beside him. He hadn't told Rudeus about them yet—he was waiting for the right moment.

"So," Rudeus said, leaning back in his chair. "You've been roaming the city all day, I hear? What's got you spending your time like a rich man?"

Rifi smiled, resting his elbows on the table. "I've been picking up a few things for you and Lucilia."

Rudeus raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Oh? You didn't have to do that, Rifi."

"I know," Rifi replied, his tone casual. "But I wanted to. You've both been there for me, and after being gone for so long… it just felt right."

Rudeus's expression softened. He didn't say much, but Rifi could see the appreciation in his eyes.

As they waited for Helena to finish preparing the meal, Rudeus's tone shifted slightly, more serious now. "So, what did the City Lord want with you today? I heard about the sparring match, but I've got a feeling there was more to it than just testing your strength."

Rifi hesitated for a moment. He had told himself he wouldn't reveal the City Lord's secret about the impending war with the great clans, but he couldn't lie to Rudeus entirely. He settled on a half-truth.

"He wanted to see how far I've come," Rifi explained, keeping his voice steady. "It was intense, but it wasn't just about the spar. He's preparing the city for something bigger. There's tension all around, and he wanted to make sure I'm ready."

Rudeus frowned, leaning forward. "Tension? You think it's war?"

Rifi met his friend's gaze, choosing his words carefully. "I don't know for sure, but the City Lord's worried. Between the beast hordes and the unrest in the neighbouring regions, it feels like something's coming. But we'll handle it, like we always do."

Rudeus let out a long breath, nodding slowly. "I've felt it too. There's a change in the air, even in the barracks. Everyone's on edge."

Before the conversation could grow too heavy, Helena called out from the kitchen. "Dinner's ready!"

She brought over the meal, setting down plates of roasted meat and vegetables. The savoury smell filled the room, and for a moment, the tension lifted. Rudeus's son clambered into his lap, and the three adults settled into easy conversation over the meal.

It was during dinner that Rudeus brought up Lucilia's return.

"She'll be back tomorrow," he said, his eyes brightening. "I got a message from her this morning. Her mission went well, and she's returning to the city by noon."

Rifi smiled. "It'll be good to see her again. We should meet up tomorrow night."

Rudeus grinned. "Already planning on it. Let's meet at the tavern, the one near the HQ, we passed it today on our way to the City Lord. It'll be good to have all of us together again."

Rifi nodded, thinking about the pendant he had purchased for Lucilia. "I'll be there. And don't worry about the drinks—I've got it covered."

Rudeus raised an eyebrow, his grin widening. "You, buying drinks? I knew something was different about you."

The rest of the evening passed in comfortable conversation, and as the night grew late, Rifi stood to leave.

"Thanks for dinner, Helena," Rifi said warmly. "It was amazing."

"You're always welcome here, Rifi," Helena replied with a smile.

Rudeus clasped Rifi's hand firmly. "Tomorrow night, then. And remember—you're buying."

Rifi laughed as he stepped out into the cool night air, a sense of peace settling over him. Tomorrow, they would reunite with Lucilia, and for a little while, they could forget the storms brewing on the horizon.