CHAPTER 22: Lumehaven

As Sakura and Kaziel pushed the cart forward, they passed under the towering stone archway marking Lumehaven’s entrance. The moment they crossed, the air felt different—lighter, tingling with magic woven into the very city itself.

Sunlight reflected off the white stone buildings, casting a golden glow over the streets. Golden ivy crept along their walls, while towering spires stretched toward the heavens, their details shining under the sun like celestial towers.

The smooth cobblestone road stretched ahead, lined with floating lanterns that drifted lazily, their gentle glow already lighting the streets. The city bustled with life—merchants called out from colorful market stalls, their canopies swaying in the breeze, while people in flowing silks and embroidered cloaks moved gracefully through the avenues.

Wrapped in Kaziel’s oversized white coat, Sakura slowed her steps, her eyes wide as she took it all in. She had never seen anything like this—it felt like stepping into a dream. Golden fields swayed at the city’s edge, and in the distance, waterfalls cascaded down shimmering cliffs, feeding the crystal-blue canals that flowed through the city like glowing veins. Elegant bridges arched over the water, seamlessly connecting the districts.

Kaziel couldn’t take his eyes off her—the way her excitement lit up her face as she wandered through the bustling streets. She might have been nervous around crowds, but her mesmerized gaze told a different story.

Sakura’s eyes darted from stall to stall, lingering on the vibrant displays of food at the bazaar. She couldn’t look away, her fascination almost childlike as the scent of spices and roasted delicacies filled the air.

“You want some?” Kaziel asked, stepping beside her.

She looked up, nodding without hesitation.

After grabbing something to eat, they continued through the market, stopping at a stall displaying sparkling accessories—delicate pieces that shimmered under the golden light. The craftsmanship was mesmerizing, almost otherworldly, as if infused with traces of magic.

Sakura stared in awe, her fingers twitching slightly as if resisting the urge to reach out.

Kaziel noticed and smirked. “Do you want that too?”

Sakura jerked upright, flustered. “Ah! No…!” she blurted, shaking her head.

She couldn’t ask for too much. She shouldn’t.

But Kaziel just chuckled, eyes glinting with amusement, as if he had already made up his mind.

Then her eyes landed on the heart of the city, and she stopped completely.

Atop the tallest building, a grand temple bathed in golden light, stood a statue—a breathtakingly familiar figure. Long, elven hair flowed as if caught in an eternal breeze, her face serene yet distant, watching over the city with quiet sorrow.

Sakura’s breath caught.

“Mother…” she whispered.

Caelivara.

Her heart pounded as she took an unsteady step forward, barely noticing how the wind carried a faint whisper, as if the city itself acknowledged her presence.

Kaziel, sensing her stillness, followed her gaze. A gentle smile crossed his lips.

“It’s been a while since you’ve seen her, hasn’t it?” he murmured, tilting his head slightly as he glanced at her from the side.

The coat around Sakura’s shoulders slowly felt heavier, as if the weight of history and memories had settled on her. Her fingers gripped the fabric as she gazed up at the mother she had never truly known—etched in stone, watching over Lumehaven with timeless grace.

“So you’re Sakura… nice to meet you.”

Anna stood near the towering statue, her hood casting a shadow over her face, but nothing could hide the sharp glint of her crimson-red eyes.

Sakura turned her head, blinking in surprise as she instinctively leaned closer to Kaziel. “Wh-who is that…?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Kaziel chuckled, tilting his head toward the hooded figure. “Oh, this is the owner of the raven—Anna. Looks like you finally get to meet her in person.” He gestured toward Anna just as the raven swooped down, landing smoothly on her shoulder.

Sakura swallowed hard as Anna stepped closer.

“I can’t believe I’m seeing the Divine Oneness candidate up close..!” Anna mused, her gaze locking onto Sakura’s, her voice was friendly.

Sakura stiffened. Meeting someone new had never been easy for her. Anna stood a bit taller, her presence amplified by the heavy hood draping over her frame. It made her seem even more imposing, though her posture remained relaxed.

Then, Anna’s gaze flickered—a brief shift, but one that didn’t go unnoticed. Her eyes landed on Kaziel’s oversized white coat, resting around Sakura’s shoulders.

A strange sensation twisted inside her.

It was faint, barely there, but unmistakable—a pulse of unease, something she couldn’t quite place.

“Oh, about Anna—she’s like you. An immortal vampire.” Kaziel smiled, tilting his head slightly.

Anna let out an exaggerated sigh, crossing her arms. “I was about to introduce myself.” She pouted at him.

Kaziel merely raised an eyebrow, smirking. “At least I made an entrance for you.”

Sakura’s eyes widened, her expression a mix of innocence and amazement. “Immortal… like me?” she murmured, glancing between them. She couldn't believe there were more of them than she thought.

“Immortals are quite rare to find,” Kaziel explained, his tone casual but firm. “Even though vampires sometimes end up here, they’re considered foreigners. Their origins are completely different from this land, and their homeland is far from here.”

Anna’s gaze lingered on Sakura for a moment before she gave a small nod. Resting a hand on her hip, she turned slightly. “Yup. Though, vampires aren’t truly immortal. Our lives still have limits. We can’t survive without this.” She smiled, tugging her hoodie closer around her face.

The hoodie draped over her shoulders, but underneath, her outfit was light and exposed, revealing her arms to the sunlight.

A vampire shouldn’t be able to withstand that.

Yet, Anna stood there unfazed, her skin untouched by the burning rays, as if the sun itself had no effect on her.

Sakura’s brows furrowed slightly. How?

Before she could ask, Anna chuckled and spoke.

“My cloak is enchanted beyond just the fabric—it extends its effect to make me immune to sunlight. As long as I wear this hoodie, I can walk under the sun without any harm.”

Sakura’s eyes widened slightly. “I see… That’s amazing! I didn’t realize enchantments like that could come from Sapphire Hearts.” She presses her fingers against her chin, still observing Anna carefully.

Kaziel chuckled, crossing his arms. “Now you understand why Sapphire Hearts are so important to our lives.”

“By the way. Kaziel, the cart.” Anna pointed at it, her sharp gaze shifting to Kaziel. “You’re planning to return it to the owner, right?” Her brows furrowed slightly as she studied him.

The cart?

Oh. Now Sakura thought about it.

Her eyes flickered toward the worn-out cart, and she suddenly recalled something—the wheel was already slightly broken when she first saw it.

Wait… he borrowed that?!

“O-of course I will~” Kaziel smiled nervously, but there was a hint of hesitation in his voice.

Anna wasn’t fooled. Her crimson eyes narrowed. “Did anything happen to this cart?”

Kaziel let out a short laugh, awkward and forced. “Ah~ uh…” His gaze darted to the side as his fingers scratching the back of his neck.

Sakura had already seen the damage. Anna crossed her arms, her expression darkening.

“What did I tell you?! That’s why we can’t just take people’s things and ruin their property!” she scolded, her voice sharp.

Kaziel groaned, raising his hands in defense. “I got it, I got it! But I can reward them with the Sapphire Heart!”

Anna didn’t look impressed. “You’re not winning their forgiveness that easily! Don’t think you can just throw around riches and solve everything.”

Kaziel sighed dramatically, resting his arms behind his head. “I’m sorry, mom~” he drawled in a teasing tone.

Anna’s eye twitched. “DON’T call me mom!”

“Too late.” Kaziel smirked.

Anna groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. “I’m telling them you’re going to fix it.”

“Eh~?” Kaziel whined, clearly not thrilled about the idea.

Meanwhile, Sakura stood there, watching the chaos unfold. She felt a little worried whenever they bickered like this, but at the same time… she was strangely relieved.

At least, through all this mess, the raven on her head remained perfectly still—watching, just like her.

A new thought hit her. How did Kaziel even manage to bring it all the way to her place that day? It must have been tough for him.

Anna checked the enhanced sapphire heart in the cart

“This was..”

“It was purified by Sakura.” Kaziel crossed his arms.

Anna looked surprised as her gaze still lingering at the sapphire hearts, her expression relaxed somehow “it looked like back then when we first saw an enhanced Sapphire hearts. Remember Kaziel?”

“Yeah. It was different than most Arcane botanists do.” He said. Sakura looked curious “were they different?” Anna nodded “it was. Sapphire hearts have a lot of shapes, a lot of different energy, they are all shiny and warm. It was all came from the celestials.”

Sakura didnt know about the purified one at all, she seemed to understand why it means a lot to them. “You guys really are sapphire hearts collectors.”

“We’ve done it since childhood. Its some kind of our hobbies~” kaziel smiled.

“Childhood?” Sakura tilted her head. Then the both of them may know each others for a long time. Like a few years in this world.

Anna paused for a moment then she noticed kaziel answered for her “yeah. We were childhood friends since then. I dont remember how did it went…” kaziel thought for a moment

“We were lost in the woods and we made our way out.” Anna’s voice clearly mad that he forgot those first time met,

“Yeah. Something like that~“ he smiled at Sakura. Sakura nodded understandable, “Oh..!” Though, sakura doesnt know how to react, so.. they are both very closed then?

Anna exhaled quietly, keeping her expression neutral. It wasn’t like her to dwell on feelings she didn’t understand, and she sure as hell wasn’t about to voice them. Instead, she crossed her arms, pulled on a soft, practiced smile, one that lacked its usual sharpness.

“Kaziel was my childhood friend. We both knew each others for a long time, so for him to forget a lot of ‘things’ can irritate me too.”

Her voice was steady, but there was a slight tone of irritation and sarcasm, a restraint that only those who knew her well might catch.

But Kaziel didn’t seem to catch the edge in Anna’s voice. Instead, he just grinned.

“She’s like a mother to us, you know? Always lecturing us a lot~” he said playfully.

Anna’s eye twitched. “Huh?! Are you calling me old?!” she nagged, immediately scolding him.

Sakura, still piecing everything together, tilted her head. “What do you mean… ‘us’?”

Kaziel paused, realization dawning on him. “Oh yeah, now that we’re talking about it—Helion. Where is he?” His eyes scanned the area, as if expecting him to suddenly appear.

Anna let out a tired sigh. “That guy. He’s always off on his own. He did say he’d be here soon, but who knows?” She sounded like she had long given up on keeping track of him.

Kaziel chuckled. “Helion’s always been like that. He does his own thing—gambling, wandering around—but that doesn’t mean he can run away from me.”

Anna shook her head. “Tch. It can’t be helped. Still, he’s missing his opportunity to meet the Divine Oneness candidate. You’d think he’d at least show up on time for that.”

Kaziel crossed his arms, looking equally irritated.

Sakura blinked, feeling a bit puzzled. It was the first time she had seen someone be so nonchalant about being late to an important meeting.

If this had happened back in her FarmLand, the person responsible would have been punished. But here… things felt different.

These people were different.

There was no formality, no rigid expectations. Just a strange sense of companionship—an unspoken bond between them.

Sakura glanced at Kaziel, who had suddenly turned, his lips curling into a smirk.

“Speaking of the devil.”

A presence stirred behind them.

“Helion! Where were you?? Stop making Sakura wait!” Anna snapped, clearly irritated as the man finally stepped inside, flipping a coin between his fingers.

The tall, half-fox figure strolled in casually, his golden eyes gleaming with amusement.

“Oh well,” Helion drawled, “I was just waiting for you two to finish bickering before making my grand entrance. You know how much I hate dealing with you both at the same time.”

Anna’s eye twitched. “What’s your problem, Helion??” She whirled toward him, ready to start nagging him next.

Kaziel quickly intervened, raising his hands. “Hey, hey, let’s not start another fight.” He exhaled before motioning toward Sakura. “By the way, Helion, this is Maika—well, now she goes by Sakura.”

Helion stilled.

He already knew.

But he couldn’t say anything.

Not when her presence alone had already caught him off guard.

Helion had met countless people throughout his time. He had faced warriors, scholars, and even Celestials themselves—none had ever unsettled him.

Yet, the moment his golden eyes landed on her, something shifted.

It was a sensation he couldn’t quite place, but it was there—subtle, undeniable.

And it bothered him.

The air around her was different—a quiet hum of energy that didn’t belong in the natural flow of fate. It wasn’t loud or overwhelming, but it was there, lingering beneath the surface like a thread woven from something unwritten.

Helion stepped forward, his black coat trailing behind him, passing by Kaziel and Anna. The golden embroidery catching the dim light with every movement. His fox ears twitched slightly, sensing the subtle disturbance that clung to Sakura’s presence. Though his tail swayed lazily, his sharp golden eyes told a different story.

“Interesting,” he murmured, cupping his own chin “You’re not quite what I expected.”

Sakura stood before him, confused.

Her presence wasn’t just strong—it felt misplaced, as if fate itself hesitated to decide where she belonged.

Helion’s fingers flicked the coin in his hand, letting it spin effortlessly across his knuckles. Normally, fate spoke to him, whispering its inevitable outcomes, showing him glimpses of what was to come.

But with her?

Silence.

That was rare. That was unsettling.

Kaziel watched the exchange, knowing exactly what this meant.

If Helion took interest in someone, it only meant one thing—he would challenge them against their fate.

Anna's gaze flickered between them, realization sinking in.

Sakura wasn’t someone to mess with.

Sakura’s gaze flickered downward, catching the slow, rhythmic sway of Helion’s fox tail. Her head tilted slightly, curiosity lighting up her eyes.

“What is that?”

Helion paused. His golden eyes narrowed slightly, as if debating whether to answer.

Before he could, Anna smoothly cut in. “It’s a fox tail. Helion is also my familiar.” She flashed a knowing smile.

Helion’s ears twitched in irritation. “Familiar. I hate how lightly you think of me, Anna.” His voice carried a hint of annoyance, but Anna only smirked at him teasingly.

Sakura’s eyes widened in delight. “I-It’s so cute…” she murmured, barely able to restrain her excitement.

Helion went rigid. His ear twitched again, his usual calm demeanor wavering.

Uncomfortable.

A strange tension settled between them, his expression unreadable as he sensed something… off.

Sakura, oblivious, kept her gaze fixed on his tail.

“May I touch it?” she asked kindly, her voice laced with innocent curiosity.

At that moment, Kaziel and Anna exchanged knowing glances.

Then—smug grins.

“Come on, Helion~ Let her touch it!” Anna teased, her voice dripping with amusement.

Kaziel smirked. “What’s the harm? It’s just a tail.”

“I know, right?” Anna shrugged, feigning nonchalance. “We never get the chance to touch it either—even as his ‘owner’ myself~”

Helion sighed sharply.

This was going to be a long day.

Knowing full well whenever they wanted to touch it, it was always something happened. It was as if he reverted the fate from them to even touch his tail at all. He was a difficult one to let his guard down.

Helion’s golden eyes darkened slightly. “No.”

“Aww… why would you say that to Sakura?” Anna teased, crossing her arms, her smirk growing.

“It’s alright, Sakura,” Kaziel chimed in, grinning. “Since Helion found you interesting just now, it just means he couldn’t predict your fate very well—because of your presence alone. After all, that’s his ability. Fateweaver.”

“Fateweaver…” Sakura whispered, her mind suddenly reeling back.

The ability my mother once had…

She recalled the distant look in her mother’s eyes, the way she always seemed troubled, as if there were things she wanted to say but couldn’t.

She never knew what the future had shown her mother.

But now, she wondered—how far did Helion’s ability go?

How much could he really see?

Fate is a dangerous thing to play with.

Sakura watched as Anna and Kaziel continued to playfully pester Helion, their teasing only making him dig his heels in further.

His refusal was sharp, final.

But then… he turned.

His eyes met Sakura’s.

Her confused, innocent expression. The way her gaze still sparkled with curiosity, completely oblivious to the weight of fate itself. And in that moment—Something in him shifted.

He changed his mind.

He didn’t like her.