Arthur woke up slowly.
His eyes were still closed, but the fog of sleep was gradually leaving his mind.
His clarity was beginning to return, while his senses came back online after all that time.
He felt good.
His body didn't hurt anywhere. His mind didn't feel fractured like it had before. None of his cores were on the verge of breaking, and he could even feel fragments entering his Terror Core.
Still, he felt weak.
But that wasn't important now, because ever since he woke up, he had been listening to a chorus of voices that brought him immense happiness. He identified his father and mother, as well as Ellie, Sylvie, and, of course, Regis.
He decided to stop analyzing his condition and focus on the conversation. The moment he did, his mother was just telling an anecdote about him as a child.
"…Then he said something like, 'If I run fast enough, I could avoid the rain touching me!'"
The smile forming on his face stopped, because he remembered that after saying that and trying it, he ended up falling headfirst into a well and getting completely soaked.
Unfortunately for him, his mother continued telling the story between laughs.
"Then he tried it, but he didn't even make it two meters before—"
Arthur sat up abruptly in bed.
"There are some stories that should remain in the past," he said with complete seriousness.
Alice smiled innocently.
"He fell headfirst into the well and ended up soaking wet."
'Damnation!'
Arthur closed his eyes and let out a sigh.
He expected to hear everyone's laughter, but the next moment, he felt the weight of someone throwing themselves on top of him and hugging him tightly.
The hug, by his standards, wasn't strong at all. And obviously it wasn't—it was Ellie hugging him. His sister buried her face in his shoulder while wrapping both arms around him.
Arthur returned the hug immediately, feeling the fabric of his clothes begin to dampen.
"I missed you so much," she said between tears.
Arthur's expression softened.
"I missed you too, El."
As he adjusted himself, he looked over Ellie's shoulder.
There he found his father and mother holding back tears, while Sylvie watched the scene from the side with a radiant smile. Regis, for his part, sat wagging his tail back and forth.
Arthur gestured to them with his hand, and no words were needed.
His parents approached immediately, and from one moment to the next, the four of them found themselves wrapped in a firm embrace.
Then he noticed that Sylvie was still sitting, giving them their moment. Of course, Regis wouldn't let that last.
The wolf rolled his eyes, approached her, and practically dragged her out of her chair.
Before she could protest, he gently pushed her toward the group. Alice and Arthur immediately wrapped her in the embrace, and the five of them stayed like that.
Arthur could feel both of his shoulders beginning to dampen from tears. But he wasn't falling behind either.
The five remained in that embrace while Regis watched from outside.
Eventually, they began to separate little by little, until Ellie was holding one of his hands, Sylvie the other, his father with a hand on his shoulder, and his mother holding his face with both hands.
The latter smiled with tearful eyes.
"We all missed you, Art."
Arthur returned the smile.
"You have no idea how much I missed you."
For a few seconds, no one said anything. They just looked at each other, happy to be together again.
Until Regis opened his mouth.
"It hasn't been that long since we last saw each other, princess. No need to be so dramatic."
Everyone pulled apart a bit, laughing, and Arthur turned his head to look at him.
"No. In fact, I'm glad I didn't have to put up with you during that time."
Regis bared his teeth in a grin.
"You're very ungrateful! I'm sure your charming mother didn't teach you to behave like that."
Alice let out a small laugh and began petting his head.
"It's true, Art. So you should start treating him better!"
Arthur rolled his eyes, but at the same time, he was laughing.
Everyone else began to laugh louder and took their seats again.
He wanted to ask how long he had been asleep. At minimum, it had been two days, according to Sunny, but he didn't know how much more time had passed. However, the moment the question arose, he saw Ellie start rubbing her hands together, and a bad premonition was immediately born.
His sister looked up, showing a smile that could only be described as malicious. Then she spoke in an exaggeratedly innocent tone:
"I know that before you left for the Academy, I told you to get a girlfriend to go live with her…" She paused, and her smile widened. "…But I didn't expect you to get two."
Arthur frowned.
"What? I don't have two girlfriends. Not even one."
"Good!" Ellie exclaimed. "Because if what I said turned out to be true, I was going to punch you in the face!"
"Who do you take me for?" he replied. "I obviously wouldn't date two people at the same time!"
"Then why did you give Cass a ring and then kiss Miss Seishan on the forehead?"
Arthur froze.
"What?! Who told you that?"
"Aha!" Ellie pointed at him accusingly. "But you're not denying it!"
Arthur opened his mouth to respond, then closed it. Finally, he shrugged.
"No, because it did happen…" he murmured. "Although I don't know why I did it either."
"I know why!"
Ellie placed a hand on her chest, pretending to be deeply hurt.
"My brother is a womanizer…"
"No!" Arthur shook his head quickly. "I am not!" Then he immediately turned to Sylvie. "Sylv, can you tell them I'm not?"
Sylvie shrugged.
"Arthur is not a womanizer…"
Arthur nodded in relief.
"Thank you."
"…Still, he played with the feelings of two women."
The smile disappeared from his face.
"What?"
Arthur fell back onto the bed and let out a long, defeated sigh.
Reynolds and Alice's laughter soon filled the room.
"I'm not going to lie…" said Regis with a grin. "It feels pretty good not to be the only one bothering the princess." Then he approached Ellie and raised a paw.
"High five, Ellie."
Ellie smiled triumphantly and high-fived him.
"With pleasure."
Arthur covered his eyes with one hand while the rest continued laughing.
At that moment, a woman in a white coat entered his room after knocking.
The woman said, "Sorry to interrupt the reunion, but there are procedures and studies that Mr. Arthur needs to complete."
Arthur got up, smiled and nodded, then moved to say goodbye to his family, but the Spell spoke to him.
[You have earned a new branch of your Legacy: Legacy of Life.]
He stopped, and his golden eyes widened.
'What? How?'
His father noticed his reaction and raised an eyebrow. "Are you okay, Art?"
He smiled and hid his surprise.
"Yeah, I was just about to say goodbye… see you later."
He turned around and followed the woman, who was looking at him strangely.
Fortunately for him, his parents had already done most of the paperwork, but he still had to undergo all sorts of interviews, evaluations, and tests to verify his condition.
The government was fully aware of the fragility of many powerful Awakened. That was why, when they returned, they underwent all these procedures.
Not only did they remain alert to those who might break, but they also had experience using all kinds of preventive measures to reduce the possibility of that happening.
No matter how powerful Arthur was, some scar on the mind always remained. Even more so when the affected person had jumped from Sleeper to Ascended.
Furthermore, due to the amount of propaganda the government had done using Arthur's name, and how he had become a Special Strategic Asset, the government made sure to use its best resources when handling these procedures.
For that same reason, Arthur spent long hours in interviews and studies before being able to see his family again.
Throughout this procedure, he was constantly talking with Sylvie and Regis. The former spent all her time bringing him up to date on what had happened so far and what might happen in the future from her point of view.
During the interviews, he obviously avoided talking about important things. He didn't mention the Relictombs, nor the new zone he visited at the beginning of the Winter Solstice. He also didn't talk about the desert or Eurys and Azarax.
In the interviews where he was asked about his journey in the Dream Realm, he gave the same answer Sunny had given before, adding that he later found a Seed and had no choice but to challenge it. He didn't talk about his Nightmare.
Because of this attitude of not speaking, the interviewers recommended him to attend psychological counseling.
He ended up rejecting it—not because he didn't think it could bring benefits or that he didn't need it, but because nothing he had been through was something he could tell another person.
Only Sylvie and Regis knew his story, and he planned for it to stay that way forever.
Finally, after long hours of tests and interviews, the government agents seemed to finish the bulk of their tests.
Arthur left the last interview already feeling a headache forming. Even so, he let out a sigh and walked toward the waiting room
That was where his family would be waiting for him, as well as, supposedly, hundred and fifty people…
He let out another sigh.
He definitely wasn't ready to greet that many people. Besides… didn't they have other things to do?
Arthur continued walking through the hallways in silence—a silence that reminded him a lot of his Second Nightmare. But at least here, he wasn't surrounded by True Darkness…
Fortunately, he arrived at the waiting room doors and took a deep breath. Then he opened the door and closed his eyes once he saw the room.
He had already sensed them using his Aether sense, but still, seeing so many people waiting for him made him feel strange.
Part of him was happy to see that his actions had truly changed the lives of so many people to the point that they were willing to wait there for him, but another part was… tired.
Even so, that wasn't the fault of these people, so he tried to muster up social energy to face this challenge.
What followed was Arthur receiving a ridiculous number of people greeting him and even giving him hugs. A full hour passed in that same process.
Until eventually, he finished with everyone, and those who didn't belong to the King's Wardens left to continue with their lives. He managed to see people like Kido, Gemma, and Stev among them, as well as unexpected ones like Sid and some Handmaidens.
Those belonging to the first group all stayed in the room, waiting for him to give them an order. And the first order they received from their King was very simple.
"Go home. I need a few days to clear my head."
Fortunately, they understood and left little by little. Some returned to Ravenheart, where they were anchored, and others went to their homes in the Waking World.
Something Arthur noticed was that none of the members were Masters. They were all Awakened. That made sense, but somehow, he had expected that one of them would have launched themselves to challenge the Second Nightmare, but he was wrong.
Considering the potential the King's Wardens had—possessing offensive Aspects and the fact that most had survived many years in the Forgotten Shore, becoming the best Awakened today—the best decision for him would have been to give them support to Ascend. He thought Song would have considered that.
But obviously, there must be some reason why that hadn't happened… a clan like Song wouldn't reject the idea of having eighty more Masters, knowing that number would give them more Masters than Valor…
'I just got back. I don't want to get paranoid now.'
After all the King's Wardens left the waiting room, only his family remained—they had stayed waiting for him to finish. So it was time to go home.
At the Academy's exit, they found a crowd of people waiting for him with banners, shirts with his face on them, and jumping with excitement…
Arthur stood completely frozen, staring at everything. His golden eyes were about to pop out of his head from what he was seeing.
Unfortunately, his senses like sight and hearing had improved greatly since he Ascended, which meant he had to hear many things he wished he hadn't had to hear… and see his name accompanied by other words he wished he hadn't had to see…
He managed to see a banner that said: "Arphis are my parents!" and it had a photo of Arthur holding hands with Nephis…
'Why the hell am I holding hands with Nephis?! We don't even get along like that! And who the hell is Arphis?'
Immediately, he was distracted by another shout: "ARTHUR, MARRY MY MOM SO YOU CAN BE MY DAD!"
Arthur stared at her, completely bewildered. 'I don't think it works that way. And what the hell is wrong with her?! I don't even know your mother!'
Suddenly, another shouted: "ARTHUR! I'VE ALREADY FINISHED THE SANCTUARY IN YOUR HONOR IN MY BEDROOM!"
He frowned, feeling a shiver. 'A sanctuary? In her bedroom? What kind of strange, underground cult are they running in my name? That has to be illegal!'
Finally, the one that broke him was: "ARTHUR, BE MY KING! COME AND COLONIZE MY LANDS WITH YOUR SWORD!"
Arthur's brain short-circuited as he processed the grotesque analogy. 'My lands…? She's talking about me… For the love of all the dead gods! Someone throw cold water on her!'
Fortunately, a few King's Wardens hadn't fully left, and they began to make space for them to exit and get into their PTV.
Arthur let out a sigh as he sat in the back of the PTV, thanking the dead gods that he didn't have to endure any more of that!
The journey to his house was also complicated, but after a few evasive maneuvers and the government's help, they managed to stop any fans from following them home.
Finally, after a long day of tests, interviews, meeting his followers, and being slightly disappointed by his fans, Arthur could say that he had returned—that he was home.
As soon as they arrived, he was surprised by how cozy the new house was and by the fact that Sunny literally lived next door—it seemed that even outside the Dream Realm, he wouldn't be far from him.
Not that it bothered him, actually. His family had invited Sunny to join them for dinner, but he had ended up declining.
His parents told him that over the past few months, Sunny had come to dinner with them on occasion, and they had treated him like another member of the family.
Knowing where Sunny came from, as well as his history, this detail brought him great joy.
Anyway, during dinner, the whole family was present, plus Regis and Sylvie, whom he forced to join.
His mother wanted to cook dinner while the rest stayed in the living room and he told them about his adventures—what he could tell, at least—but in the end, they ordered takeout so they could all be together.
They ended up ordering pizza, and he ordered bones for Regis.
Obviously, the latter didn't like the joke in the slightest, but it was his revenge for making him look embarrassed ever since he returned!
During dinner, Ellie suggested watching a movie, but her mother stopped her immediately… Arthur didn't know why, although he saw Sylvie holding back a laugh at the mention of a movie about him.
That piqued his interest, and he thought it might be related to the banner of him and Nephis…
Arthur shuddered at the thought.
He was already lying in his bed, ready to sleep again, though now that he was a Master, his need for sleep had decreased drastically.
During the month of training with Grey, he only rested once—after the first day. Then he stayed awake until the end without sleeping. He obviously rested from time to time, but he never slept.
Now, lying in his bed, he decided to open his runes and see what the new branch of his Aspect Legacy was.
Name: Arthur Leywin
True Name: Paragon of Purity
Rank: Ascended
Class: Terror
Aether Core: [6/7]
Aether Fragments: [87/6000]
He had actually formed his Terror Core during the Gate crisis—that was the reason he ended up passing out at the end. The exhaustion he already had, plus the pain of forming a new core, finally defeated him.
Fortunately, Master Jet arrived just in time to help him, though it was Regis who ended up killing the Tyrant.
He also vaguely remembered someone else's help at that moment, but he couldn't recall who…
He shrugged and continued with his runes.
Memories: [Infinite Lash], [Dawn's Ballad], [Umbral Husk], [Last Oath], [Silent Whisper], [Drowned Oath], [Veiled Edge], [Hidden Spring], [Tempest Shafts], [Bound Vault], [...], [...], [...]
Looking at his Memories, he realized something very important.
Name: [Dawn's Ballad]
Memory Rank: Transcended.
[2/1600]
Dawn's Ballad was already a Transcended-rank sword. He had thought he would achieve it as a Sleeper, but it was also during the Gate crisis that his sword evolved.
He also noticed something: any kill he made now didn't add to its counter.
He tested it during the crisis, and every kill he made on Dormant or Awakened creatures didn't increase the counter. Only those that matched Arthur's rank added to the counter—obviously, Corrupted would also add.
Now, making the sword reach Supreme rank would be extremely difficult.
Attributes: [Djinn], [Former King], [Being of Aether and Flesh], [Life], [Realmheart], [Static Void], [Godstep], [Djinn of War]
Aspect Legacy: [Weave of Existence]
Aspect Legacy Description: [A silent weave, where every thread of life and reality is bound.]
Legacy of Life: Earned.
Finally, it was time for the truth…
'I still don't know what I did to unlock it, but I'm not complaining.'
Legacy of Life.
Description: [Shadow God claimed that life was just the prelude to death, and war just the key to open its gates. Every kingdom raised, every hero born, every dream nurtured beneath the light would one day fade, be swallowed by him, and find its final resting place within him. To Shadow, that inevitability was proof enough of dominion.
War God found such claims laughable.
Even in the heart of the endless night cast by Shadow, War God did not move.
"You speak as though the end of all things grants you dominion, small shadow. Yet the ending of a tale has never bestowed meaning upon it. Life does not derive its worth from the silence that follows it, but from the struggle that sustains it. Every city raised, every blade forged, every mind honed, every life that dares to defy the encroaching defilement… all of it is born of that struggle."
Her smile widened.
"And yet, you claim them only when they are spent, naming that mercy."
Then she laughed, and the darkness itself recoiled.
"I name it scavenging. For though you may linger at the end of every path, it is I who grants them reason to walk it."]
Arthur sat up abruptly in bed, his golden eyes wide open.
'What?!'
'That… that's so cool!'
The description of his Aspect Legacy was literally an encounter between Shadow God and War God—and not exactly a friendly one!
It made sense, though. Shadow God was the god of death, while War God was the goddess of life.
If the skills in this branch were as cool as the description, then it could be vastly superior to Legacy of Aether.
Arthur continued reading.
Mastery Level: [1/4] Unearned
Mastery Level: [2/4] Unearned
Mastery Level: [3/4] Unearned
Mastery Level: [4/4] Unearned
Struggles Answered: Insufficient.
He let himself fall back onto the bed—disappointed.
Apparently, he managed to earn the branch but not the first mastery level.
'What could they be about?'
What made the most sense was to think that each mastery level was related to War God's domains.
War God was supposed to be the patron goddess of humanity. She was the deity of warfare but also the god of life, since war is synonymous with struggle, and life is a constant struggle for survival. She was also the goddess of progress, technology, craft, and intellect.
So, Arthur's theory was that these branches must be related to progress, technology, craft, and intellect. This was because the way to advance within Legacy of Life seemed to be through the number of struggles answered and their relationship with the meaning of life.
The question then was, where did the domain over war appear?
The answer Arthur could find was that the ultimate goal of the branch was precisely to turn him into the greatest exponent of war, encompassing all of War God's domains.
After all, war was not simply the clash of swords on a battlefield.
War demanded progress to overcome the enemy. It demanded technology to create better tools. It demanded craft to forge weapons, armor, and structures. It demanded intellect to devise strategies, understand the adversary, and adapt to changing circumstances.
And above all, it demanded life.
Because war was, in essence, the highest expression of the struggle for survival.
Perhaps that was the true lesson behind Legacy of Life. It wasn't about mastering life as an isolated concept, but about understanding each of the struggles that made it advance. Every problem solved, every obstacle overcome, every limit transcended were answers to the same fundamental question.
How does life continue moving forward in the face of adversity?
Arthur remained silent for a few seconds, then he sighed.
'…Or maybe I'm overthinking it, and I just need to figure out how to get more struggles answered.'
After all, it wasn't as if he could ask a dead goddess what the hell it all meant.
With that, Arthur finally deigned to close his eyes and sleep.
He had returned. His family was well, and it had grown larger. He had also managed to unlock part of his Aspect Legacy…
Life was good.
For now.