Becoming leader of the village was like being thrown into the deep end of a pool. I barely had time to surface before I was swept into an emergency council meeting.
The villagers arrived with grievances ready and visions of the future burning behind their eyes. They lined up—one after another after another.
Some issues were easy to sort out—like the gardening feud between two elders, or a noise complaint about a young tinkerer testing homemade instruments. But the mood shifted quickly.
A faction emboldened by our victory over Hexa called for a return to the traditional Rotcastor way of life. They believed we could seize the power vacuum left by her death—especially with Nox now within our walls. Without her return to the capital, there would be no clear heir to the lands Hexa had ruled.
Lyric, unsurprisingly, was their loudest voice.
"With Corrin as my vision aid, no one would touch us," she said sharply, her eyes blazing with conviction. "We wouldn't just survive—we'd thrive."
A few murmurs turned into a swell of agreement.
Priya, thankfully, stepped forward. "We need every fighter here when Hexa's loyalists return for revenge."
The stir that followed told me Priya's words held weight. But Lyric didn't back down.
"Maybe we should stop acting like victims," she snapped, voice rising. "How long do we cower, waiting for death to come knocking? I say we take arms and fight them."
A breeze slipped across my back. I turned slightly—Nox had appeared behind me, half-hidden in the shadows of the circle.
"I still think we need to talk about Nox Quell," someone said, eyeing her warily. "She's valuable."
I felt Nox's fingers curl into my side in fear. Gently, I unwound her arms and stepped forward with her.
"I won't hear another word about using her as a bargaining chip," I snapped.
She flinched at my tone, but then straightened, clearing her throat.
Her gaze swept the circle, searching for sympathy—and finding none. When she spoke, it was barely a whisper.
"Ever since I could walk, talk... ever since I was born, I've been a Quell," she said, her voice crackling with emotion. "I know what I am. And I know what Hexa was."
Angry murmurs stirred again. I stepped between her and the crowd, then led her a few paces away, kneeling so we were eye to eye.
"Do you understand what awaits you if you go back?" I asked softly. "I won't let them hurt you—but you need to understand."
She nodded, slow and stiff. "I've always known who I am."
"Then hear this: the person who tried to kill you… was one of Hexa's Castors."
I tried to say it gently, but the words still landed like stones.
Her eyes widened—first with disbelief, then with fury. But it drained as quickly as it had come, leaving her pale and trembling.
"My mother died in battle... They all said—" Her voice broke. "Hexa took me in like a sister. She raised me as her own."
"We don't know if she gave the order," I said. "Only that someone in the Quell clan did."
"Hexa could be cruel," Nox whispered, shaking her head. "But she cared. She helped me when my brother died. When my mother—"
The rumours returned to my mind like a rising tide. Had Hexa orchestrated those deaths?
"This is a lot to carry," I said. "But you have choices. You have the right to take the Quell crown—if that's what you want."
Nox turned and ran before I could say anything more.
I hesitated, watching her vanish into the house. Then I turned back to the circle.
"I'm sorry. Excuse me."
Voices clashed behind me—some panicked, some furious. Priya was already trying to restore order, but I was gone.
Inside, I found Nox curled into a ball, rocking herself silently. She looked so small. So breakable.
I sat down against the wall beside her.
"Why?" she choked. "Why would they want me dead?"
"Because of who you are," I said quietly, kneeling beside her. I took her hand in mine and squeezed it. "Your strength scares them."
"I gave everything to my family," she sobbed. "Every part of me. And now even my friends hate me. I don't know who I'm supposed to be anymore."
I pulled her into my arms, the way I used to hold Vivid when the nightmares came. Now we rocked together, softer than before.
"Shhh," I murmured, resting my chin on her head. "It's going to be alright."
"How do you know?" she sniffed, her body trembling.
"Because you're strong, Nox Quell. So strong. And you're not alone. You have friends here. You have me."
"Not all of them," she whispered. "They look at me like I'm poison. Like I'll turn on them."
"That's because they only know the name Quell. They haven't met you yet."
"Is that why you saved me?" she asked suddenly. Her body tensed in my arms. "Because of my name? Because I might be... queen?"
I paused. Then answered truthfully.
"I saved you because I see you. You—not your bloodline. Not a crown. I see a soul that's growing, bright and fierce. You could do good in this world, Nox. Real good. You just need time to learn."
She pulled back and looked up at me, eyes red-rimmed. "Train me," she said, breath ragged. "Train me to be good like you. Please."
I let out a soft, shaky laugh. "I'm not pure, Nox. Not even close."
I still saw Hexa's eyes as she died.
We fell into a short silence. Then, unexpectedly, she spoke again.
"Do you have family?" she asked.
"I did," I said. "I lost my little sister. Her name was Vivid."
"I'm sorry," she whispered, patting my back in a stiff, awkward gesture that made me smile through the ache. "I lost my brother Cael, I think he would have liked it here. He wanted to change the world, too."
We pulled apart a little. Then she reached out her hand. "I pledge to be your apprentice. Teach me how to be a good Codewright."
I smiled and took her hand. "Then I pledge to guide you, Nox Quell, on your journey. I will guide you to the best of my ability."
"And I pledge to help you, Alis De Aura, I want to help you find peace like you've given me," she said with a shy smile, wiping the last of her tears. "Can I stay here, in your house? Everyone else looks at me like I'm a ghost."
"Of course," I said without hesitation. I had time to smile down on her before a distant explosion rocked the house.