Elias stiffened slightly when he saw Ethan slowly rise to his feet. For a mont, he simply stared, his thoughts taking a curious turn. "He looks just like Captain Cole," Elias murmured to himself, "if Captain Cole were skinnier, younger, and… a lot less fierce."
The thought made him chuckle softly, and with an unhurried step, he began walking toward Ethan. The younger man noticed him and gave a polite nod accompanied by a faint smile.
Ethan's deanor was calm, almost serene, as though the scenery around him had worked so quiet magic on his mind, even with only five percent of his mories intact.
"It's amazing, isn't it?" Elias said, gesturing toward the view, his voice carrying a note of fond nostalgia. "I used to spend my ti here alone in peace."
He paused briefly, then added with a wry smile, "At least, until Marie and Celia ca along."
Ethan chuckled. He already knew of Marie and Celia—nas that had co up more than once. But the man standing before him, with his weathered face and gentle presence, remained a mystery.
Marie and Celia had simply called him "old man," but Ethan found the term far too brusque to use himself.
After a mont's hesitation, Ethan asked, "What's your na?"
Elias smiled casually, the warmth in his expression easing any tension.
"It's Elias," he said simply, then added with a twinkle in his eye, "And I believe you already rember your na, don't you?"
Ethan nodded, a faint smile playing on his lips—just enough to lend him a certain quiet charm. "Ethan," he said simply, though the effort stopped there.
His family na eluded him, slipping further away the harder he tried to grasp it.
Elias tilted his head slightly, his eyes narrowing with playful curiosity. "Ethan… hmm. It rhys well with Cole, don't you think? Ethan Cole."
Ethan shook his head. He wanted to agree and claim the na as his own, but the truth was harder to admit—it wasn't there yet. "Why do you think that?" he asked, his voice calm but tinged with curiosity.
Elias's smile deepened, lines crinkling around his eyes. "You remind of soone. A friend—or, to be more accurate, a ntor—from ages ago."
Ethan stayed silent, the weight of Elias's words settling over him. He wanted to believe it, to think that what Elias said could be true. But before he could speak, Elias continued, his tone softer now. "He's been gone for a long ti… at least, from this world."
Confusion flickered across Ethan's face, but he didn't press further. He already carried too many mysteries within him; adding another seed more of a burden than he could bear.
Elias chuckled lightly, sensing the unspoken questions. "Even if I could connect you to that man, Ethan, there'd be no way for you to verify it. Especially when you have no mories."
Ethan exhaled and offered a faint shrug. "I suppose you're right. But maybe, in a few more days… weeks, even, I'll recover more of my mories."
Elias grinned at that, his voice warm with amusent. "I like your optimism, Ethan. It's a rare and necessary thing, especially in troubled tis like these."
He placed a hand on Ethan's shoulder, his touch steady and reassuring. "But don't feel rushed. There's no hurry here. Stay as long as you need."
Ethan nodded again, and for the first ti in a long while, he felt a flicker of peace amidst the uncertainty.
Elias turned to Ethan with a gentle smile. "Co," he said, motioning with his hand. "Let's head back to the hut." Read new chapters at empire
Ethan hesitated for a mont, his curiosity finally getting the better of him. "Why do you call it a hut?" he asked, glancing toward the large structure in the distance. It was far too big to match the image the word conjured in his mind.
Elias chuckled, the sound rich and unhurried. "Ah, well, it was a hut once," he began, amusent flickering in his eyes. "A small, modest thing—just enough for . But when Marie and Celia ca to stay, I was… how shall I put it? Encouraged to make a few improvents."
Ethan raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Encouraged?"
"Oh, they complained about everything," Elias said, his voice laced with fondness. "The lack of space, the draft coming through the walls, the furniture—if you could call it that. They even protested the way the roof creaked in the wind."
He shook his head, a smile tugging at his lips as though he were reliving the mories. "So, I expanded it. A new room here, a sturdier wall there, better furnishings—all to keep the peace."
"And yet," Ethan said with a small grin, "you still call it a hut?"
Elias nodded, his chuckle returning. "Old habits, I suppose. The girls and I never quite stopped calling it that. The na stuck, no matter how much it grew."
The ntion of Marie and Celia lingered in Ethan's mind, and after a mont's pause, he ventured, "Who are they? Celia and Marie, I an."
At this, Elias's expression shifted—not in anger or irritation, but sothing gentler, more subdued. A shadow of sadness passed over his features, though it didn't entirely dim the light in his eyes.
For a mont, he looked at Ethan as though deciding how much to say, the weight of his thoughts pressing just beneath the surface.
Elias's gaze softened as he spoke. "They're the children of my comrades—a good man and a good woman who gave everything. When they were gone… well, soone had to look after the girls."
Ethan imdiately felt a pang of regret for asking. "I'm sorry," he said earnestly. "I didn't an—"
"Oh, don't mind it," Elias interrupted with a wave of his hand. "It's all right. Really. I've co to terms with it long ago."
There was a pause, the air quiet between them, until Ethan, with his usual careful politeness, asked, "If you don't mind asking… why are you here? I an, why live up in the mountains? And where exactly is this place?"
Elias seed to consider the question for a mont before answering. "This is Stonepeak Ridge," he said, gesturing toward the rugged expanse around them. "Does that na ring anything to you?"
Ethan shook his head slowly. "No," he admitted. "Even if I were to learn the na of every place in the world, I don't think that would bring my mories back." He paused, his thoughts turning inward. 'The system wouldn't allow it,' he thought bitterly. 'It would block everything until I earned it, mission by mission.'
Elias seed to sense Ethan's frustration, his voice steady and kind as he said, "That's all right. There's no need to rush. You'll find your way in ti."
He paused, then added, "As for why I'm here… I'm tasked with guarding this place."
"Guarding?" Ethan repeated, his curiosity piqued. "Guarding it from what?"
Elias suddenly closed his eyes, a hint of sothing unreadable in his expression. "It seems you'll have your chance to find out soon enough," he said. "But for now, I need you to be ready."
Ethan frowned slightly, unsure of what to say. "Ready?" he asked, though he wasn't certain he wanted to hear the answer.
"I know what you are," Elias said, his tone matter-of-fact but not unkind. "You're an Ascendant."
Ethan nodded slowly, though his response carried little confidence. "Maybe. But I think I'm a weak one. If I weren't, I wouldn't be in this ss."
Elias chuckled lightly at that, but his eyes remained thoughtful. "Perhaps," he said. "Or perhaps you're stronger than you think."
Elias glanced at Ethan as they walked, his expression kind but firm. "For what's coming, you won't be near it—not this ti," he said. "First experiences should be observed, not endured. You'll stay back."
Ethan nodded, silently relieved, though curiosity flickered in his mind. What exactly was coming?
As they reached the hut, the sight before them made Ethan pause. Marie and Celia were already waiting, both of them brimming with an energy that seed equal parts readiness and determination.
Marie stood with a massive sledgehamr slung casually over her shoulder, the kind of tool that seed almost absurdly large for soone of her stature.
Celia, by contrast, was ard with a sleek rifle, its precision matched by the orderly rows of ammunition strapped across her body.
Elias took in the scene and smiled faintly. "Looks like you two noticed it as well," he said.
Both girls nodded in unison, though it was Celia who spoke, her voice tinged with worry. "Are you planning to bring this boy along?" she asked, glancing pointedly at Ethan.
Elias smiled and gave a small nod. "His na is Ethan," he said gently. "And yes, he rembers that much, at least."
Marie's face softened, and a small smile played on her lips. "Good," she said, her tone teasing. "At least we don't have to call him this boy anymore."
Elias chuckled a warm sound that broke through the tension in the air. "In that case, it might be ti for you two to stop calling old man."
At this, both girls laughed, their voices bright with amusent. "It can't be helped," Celia said with a grin. "We're too used to it by now."
Marie nodded in agreent, the sledgehamr still balanced effortlessly in her grip. "So habits are hard to break, old man."
Elias shook his head, though his smile remained, a mixture of exasperation and fondness.
Ethan couldn't help but smile himself, sensing the bond between them—a strange yet comforting camaraderie that felt, in its own way, like family.
Celia glanced toward the horizon, her expression tightening with urgency. "We need to hurry," she said firmly. "We can't let them escape to the nearby village again."
Marie nodded, her agreent punctuated by a strangely endearing tilt of her head, though her words carried a weight far beyond her deanor. "If word gets out, it'll be more than just trouble," she said. "Panic wouldn't even begin to cover it."
Elias nodded, his face calm but resolute. "All right," he said, his voice steady.
He raised his hand, and in an instant, a sword flew to him as though called by an unseen force. Its hilt, intricately carved to resemble a dragon mid-flight, glinted faintly in the morning light.
Encased in a scabbard that bore a similar design, it seed less a weapon and more a relic of another age.
Elias caught it effortlessly, his movents smooth and practiced. "Let's go," he said, his tone leaving no room for hesitation.
*Author's Note*
Hey everyone! Just a quick update. I've been going through all the feedback you've been giving , and I want you to know that I'm editing and rewriting the earlier chapters of this series to make it even better.
Your thoughts and suggestions have been super helpful in shaping the story, so thank you for sharing them! Every comnt and piece of advice really ans a lot and helps improve.
If you're enjoying the series and want to see even more polished, top-quality chapters, I'd love your support. Please consider voting with Power Stones, sending gifts, and dropping so Golden Tickets my way.
All of that goes a long way in motivating to bring you the best of the best!
Thanks so much for reading and sticking with . Let's keep making this story amazing together!
Cheers,
Noah Caelum
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