54th of Season of Fire, 107th year of the 32nd cycle

  Three days after the Swordpeaks had arrived, envoys from the other eight kingdoms, the imperial representative, as well as dozens of people representing the winter kingdoms’ chivalric orders came to witness the public engagement ceremony and enjoy a celebratory feast.

  “Lady Alabaster,” Lady Frostgrave greeted Newt’s former master with a wide grin. “I see that my introduction from years ago has paid off for your order, and paid off handsomely.”

  Newt’s former master looked like she was about to say something, but Newt’s mind froze.

  “Father, Mother, what are you doing here?”

  Newt’s mother stared at him flatly, then turned towards Newt’s father.

  “He’s your spitting image, especially the manners.”

  The tall, broad-shouldered man with fiery hair looked at scrawny Newt, his malnutrition forever frozen in place and imprinted into his existence by mana. Then he looked at his lean, beautiful wife, and finally at his own frame, considerably more heroic than Newt’s.

  He opened his mouth, but his wife didn’t let him speak.

  “It’s nice to see you too, Newstar. Your grandfather-in-law kindly sent airships to pick us up, so we managed to arrive in time for your ceremony. Oh, right, he also informed us that our son was engaged. Funny how that slipped during our semi-regular correspondence.” She gave Newt a smile that made him think he’d rather face a dreadwalker unarmed than stay in her company.

  Maelstrom chose that exact moment to make an entrance.

  “Good day, mother-in-law, father-in-law.” She seemed every bit the perfect fiancée she was supposed to be, and even Newt would’ve been fooled by the mask, had he not known his future wife for the tomboy that she was. “I see my dear Newstar not only failed to notify his clan, but his parents as well.”

  Behind her arrived Stronggrow, who bowed to Newt’s parents, and Newt had a feeling that out of everyone present, his former teacher was specifically paying respect to Newt’s mother.

  “Patriarch, patriarch’s parents, it is a grand day for our clan, something I don’t think even the ancestor had ever imagined possible.”

  Newt wanted to slip away, but everyone had their eyes on him, his mother’s especially nailing him in place. The whole situation felt weird. He certainly owed his parents filial piety, but the years and their strange family situation had made him see things in a different perspective.

  They were more gentle benefactors who had raised and educated him than they were people who loved him and whom he should love in turn. Especially his father.

  The conversation around him flowed, and Newt floated on top of it without saying a word, considering his feelings.

  As far as emotional attachment, he found himself more emotionally attached to his brothers and sisters with whom he had shared life and death situations than with his parents. In fact, the love he once felt for his now-dead uncle had rivaled what he felt for his parents. And yet the world changed so quickly and so completely.

  Is this how everyone feels in the order? Gatemaster Greenthorn certainly seemed to, as did Lady Alabaster and most of his seniors. His father and mother were both at the peak of the fourth realm, and they would probably remain there. He once more recalled Lady Woodhopper’s story about growing surrounded by graves.

  Newt didn’t want that. He didn’t want a life like that, and yet, he was inescapably heading in that direction.

  “Is there anything I can do to help you reach the fifth realm?” Newt blurted out, shocking everyone.

  Newt’s mother regarded him, then smiled kindly. “No, Son, there’s nothing you can do. We have exhausted our potential, it’s as simple as that.”

  Maelstrom read the atmosphere and took her leave, Stronggrow himself heading away, muttering about getting a drink.

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  “But there must be potions—”

  “Son,” Newt’s father spoke for the first time that evening. “Your kind intentions are noted.”

  He gave a curt nod, as if angered by Newt raising the subject, but remained by his mother’s side.

  “You have found a wonderful young woman to keep you company,” Newt’s mother changed the subject without blinking. “Do make sure not to run off and play gladiator for fifty years while expecting her to wait for you.”

  Newt’s father grunted. “I’m trying to reach the fifth realm, but I haven’t found the right challenge yet.”

  “Oh, I didn’t say anything about you dear. I was just giving general advice on how to have a successful marriage. You’re a wonderful husband, giving me all the time in the world to spend on my own projects.”

  Newt had a feeling a fight was about to break out. He searched for where to be and how to get there, when a savior came.

  “You must be mister and missus Salamandra. A pleasure to meet you,” Dandelion came to pay respect to Newt’s parents, or hopefully to help him get away from them.

  An ironic twist of fate, considering Newt had sought Dandelion so he could reunite with his parents.

  “I know you.” Newt’s father frowned.

  “That makes sense, Mister Salamandra. I go by Dandelion, and I dare say your son is a close friend of mine.”

  Newt could see the absolute confusion in both his parents. The last time they had seen Dandelion Blackfist, he was a cheap criminal turned townlord. What they saw before them was a peak fifth realm expert wearing the colors of the second authority in the empire, following only that of the imperial family itself.

  Dandelion’s appearance alone was enough to smother the cold flames of his mother’s anger.

  “I think I will have to make an appearance with Maelstrom, and her grandfather probably wants to hold a speech.” Newt used the moment of awkward silence, then realized his parents too should say a few words.

  The mere thought gave him a headache. How could lowly fourth realm mages speak after an exalt? What could they even say? Other than Stronggrow, Newt’s parents were the weakest people in the room. Even the servants bustling about were at the fifth realm.

  Newt excused himself, leaving yet another tense situation, wondering how he had gotten to where he was, and whether it would have been better had the old Tidebreaker patriarch forgotten about Newt’s family. It certainly would have made matters easier.

  “Congratulations, Newstar,” Everlast emerged from the crowd, Puresnow following behind her. The former had reached the fifth realm, while the latter was still at the fourth.

  “Thanks, Everlast. How has life been treating you after the tournament?” Newt stopped to have a polite chat, but he really needed to leave the hall and meet up with Maelstrom for their public appearance, and the necklace gifting ceremony.

  “Things have been going well.” She smiled. “Is Dandelion around?”

  There was a tad too much eagerness in her voice.

  She can’t still be after him, right?

  “He’s around. I’m sure he would love to see you too.” The harmless words made the woman smile.

  “I wish you and your wife-to-be many centuries of happiness. May you both become exalts.”

  Puresnow also offered congratulations and her well-wishes, and the two disappeared back into the crowd.

  “This way, Young Lord,” a servant appeared beside Newt, his fuzzy, barely visible aura that of the sixth realm.

  Newt followed him to a side chamber, then out into a hallway, and up the stairs until they reached Maelstrom standing before a closed door, her grandfather and Grandmaster Greenthorn waiting with her.

  “Your last chance to escape, young man.” Maelstrom’s grandfather chuckled, and Newt chuckled in turn, shaking his head.

  Even if he ignored the fact that the man himself would turn Newt into a smear on the wall, he would probably end up assassinated by another royal family before he reached the seventh realm, probably on the day the imperial protection of Explorer’s Gate ended.

  Newt took out a gem-encrusted golden box from his pocket. He clenched it tightly, then looked at Maelstrom. Her pale-blue flowing gown and raised hair made her look like a fair, fragile maiden. Beautiful on the outside, as tough and strong as a glacier on the inside.

  Newt also wore the latest fashion in his order’s colors. The smart suit felt completely alien to him, but his master had commissioned it for him and insisted he must wear it instead of the simple Explorer’s Gate uniform.

  Without warning, the door swung open. There was a moment of murmurs, hushed voices clashing and drowning each other’s meaning, then there was silence.

  The exalts took the first step, and the youngsters followed. They were on a spacious balcony overlooking the entire room. Some people down below Newt knew, most were strangers.

  “Dear friends and respected mageknights,” the old king started. “We have gathered together today to witness two youth binding their futures to one another.”

  A moment of silence then an applause followed.

  Apparently, that was all the old king had to say. Newt resisted his urge to clear his throat and lick his lips. Instead, he opened the jewelry box. Inside was a crystalline necklace, it looked savage and tribal, each segment a bone shard from a ninth realm manabeast, glimmering with light and misting with mana.

  Without hesitation he placed it around Maelstrom’s pale neck. “I shall pursue the future and the pinnacle with you.”

  They were odd words, but ones Maelstrom’s grandfather had insisted on, and Newt had no reason to object.

  Maelstrom repeated the words and gave Newt a short-sword fit for a ninth realm grandmaster. Newt accepted the weapon, and like that, they were officially engaged.