Hollow Daylight [Part 1]

“It’s been hours since you’ve returned,” Emris Iniko, Pillar of Sun Clan, states in an authoritative tone. His ruthless features appear lavishly defined and harshly sharp under the chandelier lights above. “Why haven’t you come to see me sooner?”

‘To what, greet him? Did he forget he’s the one who told me even passing by him was a disgrace? I have never met my father’s gaze head on. He banned it upon hearing of my eye color from Mother.’ Ishaan holds back a scoff, feeling Emris' cold gaze digging into his skin like a physical attack. ‘His forgetfulness is a taunt.’

“My apologies, father,” Ishaan says, “I figured you would be busy.”

The dining room in the metropolis Veil of Night, home to the main branch of Sun Clan, was aesthetic and kept neatly organized, with a long table stretched upon a marble ground in the center, with seven oak chairs positioned stiffly on the sides. Only two are acquired. 

“How’s that league of yours?” Emris questions with a cursory look.

“At our peak or so people say,” Ishaan responds in a practiced casual manner, slicing methodically into a round steak. “However, even mountains have another height.”

“Naturally, son.”

Silence looms the atmosphere, occasionally filled with silverware clinking against each other, while the appetizing smell of spice, steak, roast fowl, and creamy hot pot wafts into their nostrils.

After dinner, Ishaan waits impatiently to be dismissed, discomfort making his posture a bit rigid. His stomach churns in unease.

During the meal, he could sense Emris' glistening aura coiling. Someone managed to piss Ishaan's father off more than he ever could, which greatly shocked Ishaan.

“It’s time for Hollow Daylight,” Emris declares solemnly, his fingers drumming on his armrest. “We haven’t had one in a few years.”

“Indeed.” Ishaan feigns interest. “How long will it go on?”

“Two weeks.”

Hollow Daylight is a 24 hour festival held in the western continent for a specific time, sometimes lasting weeks or months. Every location, even in the slums, features games booths, stalls of food, unique exhibitions, and a huge sale of 86% off everything.

“In time for Christmas.” Ishaan hums softly under his breath. “The people will love that. You’ll end up strengthening their gratitude to you. I conjecture, did you plan to have it now?”

“Of course not.” His father chuckles broadly. “I’m not as cunning as you believe I am, son.”

Ishaan almost laughs. His lips twitch involuntarily. ‘I wonder what the people would think if they knew this whole event was because of wounded pride.’

****

‘Rogue Oberon’ straightens ‘his’ dark brown beanie hat, unruly tendrils of pale green hair flowing to his collarbone.

The scrawny bronze man strides down a hardwood path, clad in a silver blouse with ebony trousers that are secured with a belt and polished onyx shoes.

To the left was a lounge area of leather bench sets and oval coffee tables. Earlier this morning, various people sat, ranging from casual to business attire. Some chatting in sign language, scrolling through their phones or staring off into the distance with a dazed look.

Now, at 1:67 am, there was nobody.

On the right side was an unequivocal space with a simple piano, a large counter in the middle where a mediocre lady stands.

Upon hearing ‘Rogue’s’ approaching footsteps, the lady flinches visible. Her eyes, full of exhaustion, drag over him, as if evaluating his status.

“Hello, miss,” a raspy voice greets. “I’m Rogue Oberon and I am here to check my bank vault.”

The lady pauses, her jaw clenching in realization before nodding firmly.

“Of course, Sir Oberon, it would be my pleasure.” She hastily leads him to the back.

On the way there, the lady kept on flirting with him, throwing seductive comments and rich praises like attack points.

‘A gold digger,’ Slightly amused, Vienna smiles charmingly.

Vienna did not think much of romance. She did date someone in the past, but she doesn’t remember the romance—if there was even any.

It intrigued her how people can connect in inmate ways and never get too attached.

Rune Polymina is a master at sex. Vienna believes there to be very few girls in existence he hasn’t slept with.

Her not being one of them despite having actually dated him always stirs an ugly emotion in her stomach, making her feel as if she has to vomit.

Vienna can discern a blurred memory of herself smiling joyful towards Rune once upon a time. He returned the same fond expression.

However, suddenly, fondness wasn’t their relationship.

It was as if the sun went down and never came up again.

He is the last person she remembers feeling something so fiercely for. 

The Vienna now feels logical pity towards their old relationship and nothing more.

Vienna suppresses a long exhale, keeping the boyish facade of Rogue. With a hint of hesitation, she extends her senses into a string of stella energy.

Surprise washes over Vienna. ‘I can use my powers?’

Then she realized that’s just how arrogant Star Clan is. No one dares to rob them, so they have no need for an anti divine barrier.

Vienna snorts quietly, sensing three guards located before the safe-deposit vaults.

The hardest part of the plan was leaving the southern continent with the money. Vienna's presence is most likely already known to the Pillar of Star Clan. She checked out in an inn with her name to show she was purely visiting, confident they felt her aura, so she needn’t bother to hide.

Currently, she’s concealing her aura into her very being, which was a tough task when using her powers, while back at inn, a sunlight creature with her aura takes residence. 

Drawing back the string of energy, ‘Rogue’ gave the guards a subtle nod and the lady a charming wink before disappearing behind a massive steel door.

Enveloped by a brisk chill, Vienna eyes dart around the countless rows of locked storage units, with the sharp scent of rust and iron floating in the silent atmosphere.

Vienna could just steal from Rogue and to be fair—she is. Not only to make sure he doesn’t get caught, making him look like a victim too, but because even stealing from more than one person isn’t enough.

A celestial weapon is more expensive than an entire realm; if one had a price tag. She needs billions of money.

Star Clan is merely the start of her looting.

Vienna unlocks Rogue’s vault first because she had the passcode, but for the others she has to use a different way.

Thankfully, she decided to pray yesterday.

Vienna gave no fuck about the Eight Phthartic or any higher being, yet she knew her connection to heaven possess it’s advantageous.

She prayed to all eight gods, knowing They couldn’t ignore her. She was too tempting to even the Phthartic and surprise, surprise, one blessed her with an artifact.

God of Enlightenment.

Vienna now owed Him and planned to return the favor. Without His help, her plan would have been more violent.

Destiny horn, an artifact crafted by Aunika, Abysmal Dragon of Wisdom, had the ability to shape shift, unlock things and teleport to a location already locked in.

If Vienna had not known dragons love their treasures to the point of looting others as well, she would have assumed the artifact was made for her.

The drawback of Destiny Horn was that it can only be used once a week.

Rolling her tongue over the roof of her mouth, Vienna grins victoriously as she piles dozens of gems into a far off corner from the door.

The grin soon falls as the ground becomes harder to maneuver quietly. 

Vienna avoids using too much divine power and ends up only looting half of what she desired, realizing she needs an artifact that stores things or a very deep bag.

Because Vienna hasn’t mastered Sun, she couldn’t construct items without the blazing heat of sunlight possibly melting the gems.

Disappointment shadows her achievement, but not for long.

‘Oh, well. It looks like I’ll be robbing all holy clans and maybe even more than once.’

****

A few days later.

A rattling noise resounds from the bells arched on the outward walls of the four door carriage, which glides up a gravel road spiraling uniquely from the clouds, passing by bird shaped road signs and fire stop lights.

Inside the interior covered in dark orange velvet were three figures, each in red and golden deluxe attire.

Raiden Eleodora was one of them, with his short royal blue wavy hair parted down the middle and olive skin glistening under the brilliant sunlight. He coolly stares at his father, Ignacia Eleodora, head of their family, as the man goes on mocking Star Clan for getting robbed.

Cold air conditioner breezes from the edges of the inner doors, easing the humidity.

“Someone managed to pull that off?” Fenara exclaims in shock as her father's laughter blooms.

“Yes. It’s all over the news,” Ignacia says from across them, his lips stretched wide in a feral smirk. “I knew they were a bunch of pussies. I can’t wait to see how they come back from this shame, though it’s not as bad as Winter Clan.”

Raiden’s brown eyes slid over to the young woman next to him, her posture sophisticated and skin smooth tan, with almond emerald eyes and black hair curled up in seashell buns.

Fenara Eleodora, heir to the Eleodora clan and holder of two traits; healing and extraordinary physical strength.

Sun Clan guardians are phoenixes, with traits ranging to immortality, healing, extraordinary physical strength and fire resistance.

It’s very rare for someone not of the main branch to possess more than one, yet Fenara does.

Because Raiden lacks a trait, his father deemed him to have no right to be an heir to anything despite being the eldest.