Solemn Gathering

“I'd almost forgotten about you,” Lawrence said to the unmoving box in the basement.

“I designed Elpis’s Box to automatically play the next recording once you wield at least one magical trace.” Jacob’s words echoed.

“Well, here goes nothing.” Lawrence stepped into the middle of the room, and the box came to life, greeted by a low hum that revealed Jacob's hologram once again.

“We meet again. It’s good that you’ve gotten stronger. We can move on to the next step of your training.”

Jacob moved towards the desk, lifting a small cube with wind magic and playing with it.

“Before we begin, I must reveal to you the purpose of this. This training will translate to the abilities you will unlock once you reach a certain level. It’s not a traditional magical technique. Some would say it’s impossible. But I’m Jacob Blackwood. Anything is possible.” He laughed at his joke, stroking his ego.

Ugh…

“Assiah herself told me what to teach you to be adjusted to this hidden power so you’ll be ready to use it when the day comes. But if unlocked too early, you risk dying to it.”

Dying…? Wouldn’t be the first time. But how pathetic would that be? Dying in a dirty basement like this?

“Your first lesson is active mana cultivation. As you may know, mages regain mana passively by eating, sleeping, and breathing. But with this, you can regain mana during battle.”

That sounds far-fetched. The most common way of regaining mana during combat is drinking potions or having a healing mage cast a spell on you, but even then, it takes a lot to get anything worthwhile back in an instant.

“You might be thinking I’m crazy, right? Well, perhaps I am, but this is a technique I used during the last Great War. I would’ve been long dead without it.”

“Now he’s talking like some crazy veteran.” Lawrence rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, hoping Jacob would get to the point.

“Mana Cultivation requires intense focus. If you break focus while recovering, you risk straining your Magic Circuits, which can cause significant harm. It’ll feel like ripping your veins out.” He described it in graphic detail.

“What the hell, man? I didn’t want to know that.” Lawrence shuddered at the thought.

“The best way to start is sitting down. You want to expend as little physical and mental energy as possible while recovering.” He instructed.

Lawrence did as instructed, sitting down and crossing his legs, looking up at the looming hologram for further instructions.

“Now, close your eyes. Try to sense the ambient mana flowing around you.”

Closing his eyes, Lawrence exhaled slowly to calm himself. He blocked out all external thoughts and sounds. He could only see his mana and everyone else’s who was nearby, but he couldn’t see the ambient mana Jacob was referring to.

He tried for an hour before deciding he wouldn’t get anywhere continuing as he was.

Perhaps it’s because of my inexperience with magic…

Surprisingly, as he got up to leave, Elpis’s Box remained active, unlike last time. Its low hum continued to fill this bleak study with noise.

Could it be that it only deactivates when I complete the current step? He shook his head as he began to leave.

Jacob's sigh was shocking as Lawrence turned around to see his hologram gazing off into space.

“If only…I could tell my family I’m sorry that they died.” He spoke contritely, instinctively causing Lawrence’s mouth to gape open as he was left aghast.

“What do you mean by that?” He asked, even though he knew the hologram couldn’t respond.

Jacob then stared at the floor for a few seconds before the recording ended and the box returned to its dull state.

Lawrence couldn’t believe that the previous family head knew everyone would die and didn’t lift a finger to help them. The mystery left Lawrence with more and more questions, yet no hint of an answer.

Why, why would someone allow something so awful to happen? Shaking his head to try and compose himself, he put the thought in the back of his mind as there were more pressing issues at hand.

He quickly fled the room, locked the basement door, and headed upstairs, leaving the metallic box of chaos behind.

Arriving at his room, Lawrence put on the fully black-suited attire laid out on his bed by Corinne earlier in the day. He stared out the window, covered by a thin cloth, as he put on his black gloves. All housekeepers wore similar attire as they headed off in their carriages.

How should I react to this? I will be in the spotlight, which could be weird if I don’t approach it emotionally.

Corinne softly knocked twice before letting herself in. He turned to see her dressed up in a black gown and bonnet. “It’s about time to leave, Lawrence.”

“Of course.” He replied somberly, putting on his black half-top hat.

As they left the foyer, Bernard was waiting outside, with James sitting in front of the carriage, waiting for Lawrence’s arrival. Both of them had umbrellas, shielding themselves from the light morning drizzle.

“I’m surprised you’re coming,” Lawrence commented as the knight opened the door for him and Corinne.

“All I’m doing is paying my respects to the family of the late Paladin, who shaped Exalta as we know it now.” He responded, joining them in the carriage and closing the door behind him.

They left in a convoy with other housekeepers and exited the front gate. Lawrence peered out of the window as many people on the street took notice of them, taking off their hats and bowing slightly to pay their respects.

Funerals aren’t quite as emotional as I remembered…

Lawrence began recounting the funeral of his mother in the Old World, which felt soulless. Very few people, including himself, genuinely mourned her. If they didn’t need to attend out of respect, He was sure they wouldn’t have.

Looking at Corinne, her long face seemed out of place. The entire ride to the cemetery was quiet and depressing.

About a hundred people, mostly housekeepers, had already arrived when they did. Many others were nobles or important figures, distinguished by their physical stature and demeanor.

Looking up, Lawrence observed the tall and gloomy, expertly architectured cathedral. The dark gray stone and tall spires gave the world a more Gothic feel.

Off to his right was Eva and the royal family, hinted at by the squad of well-dressed knights with red mantles surrounding them. Despite the abject situation, Lawrence thought the princess was quite resplendent in her black dress.

As he walked past, he silently nodded in Eva’s direction, and she did the same with a smile, although there was a visible pain to it.

Seeing so many people of this type dressed in all black was almost like witnessing a murder of crows. Everyone hushed themselves as Lawrence arrived, each taking their hats off as he silently acknowledged them on his way to the inside of the cathedral.

A large red carpet featuring yellow outlines, accompanied by dozens of rows of benches that provided ample space for everyone who arrived, occupied the interior.

On each side, giant stone pillars loomed over him, and magic lanterns hung from them. In the front, a massive stone statue of a beautiful, robed woman with a sphere in both hands stood tall behind an altar filled with wax candles and flowers.

A low hum echoed throughout the cathedral. Two finely crafted wooden caskets sat behind rows of benches. Lawrence gulped as the nerve-wracking moment to speak neared.

For some reason, his body wouldn’t move. He never liked speaking in front of an audience, much less to a crowd.

Bernard walked up next to him and smiled warmly, reassuring him and allowing his feet to move. Lawrence approached the priest, who was standing behind the podium, waiting for him as everyone took their seats.

“Lawrence, may your mother and sister return to the inextinguishable holy light of Assiah. So Qeta.” The priest offered condolences.

He closed his eyes and made a prayer hand sign with his palms outward and thumbs, index, and middle fingers touching the tips. Not wanting to be rude, Lawrence quickly mimicked the priest’s actions.

He stepped aside as the priest approached the podium to address everyone. Aria, Corinne, Bernard, James, and the housekeepers were in the front rows.

The amber-eyed noble noticed a few people he recognized from the academy, including Arno, Stella, and Gabriel. He couldn’t believe Stella had decided to come, although he had a feeling it wasn’t out of pity for him, but rather for the deceased.

“We come here today to mourn the tragic losses of two bright minds who lost their way serving Assiah and this beautiful country. Their remains were unfortunately unrecoverable, but we can only hope their souls have returned to the Eternal Light.” The priest spoke, his bellowing voice echoing loudly, but his tone was soft.

As he moved away from the podium, he gestured with his hand that it was Lawrence’s turn. He nervously approached, gripping the sides of the rostrum tightly and inhaling sharply.

The sun shining through the stained glass windows past the statue put him in the spotlight. He looked around at everyone, returning their gaze as they patiently waited for him to speak.

After a few seconds of calming his nerves, he slowly exhaled, his breath a bit shaky, and cleared his throat, parting his lips to speak.

“As we all walk a path of darkness, no matter how much the world’s light may shine down upon us, we mustn’t be discouraged by what life assaults us with. I miss them both dearly, and sometimes I wonder if it should’ve been me instead…”

The images of Lawrence waking up in the burnt house flashed in his mind as he thought about the heavy responsibility of ensuring he put his second life to good use, for both Lawrence’s and Kaede’s sake.

“However dark my mind may be, they, amongst others, shall be my true guiding light, so I may never stray from my path into the abyss of the unknown. Even if they’re not with me physically, I know they’re watching from above.”

Many audience members nodded approvingly as he left the podium, and the priest took over the remainder of the ceremony.

During the hour when people wanted to share their experiences with Lawrence’s mother, Lorna, and his sister, Lucy, Lawrence learned that Lorna was a powerful woman in government, one of many council members to the King, which explained why Eva was there.

Arno and Jack spoke briefly about their interactions with Lucy, describing her as a brazen fire queen who took the academy by storm with her intellect and charm.

Not long after, everyone transitioned toward the cemetery, where the pallbearers carried both caskets into the giant Blackwood Crypt. Aside from Jacob, many previous family members lie to rest around them as Lawrence, the priest, and Aria entered.

The pallbearers placed the caskets on a mechanism that slowly lowered them into the ground, filling the space with a stone lid. As it closed, Lawrence couldn’t help but stare until it sealed shut.

“So Qeta.” The priest prayed again as Aria and Lawrence echoed it.

After burying the caskets in the crypt, everyone began leaving the cemetery. Except for a few housekeepers, most had already returned to the mansion. Aria excused herself to organize the workers' schedules for the day.

Corinne remained at the head of the household’s side. He heard a collective jingling of metal behind him, discovering that Eva, her knights, and her family were approaching.

King Eraindale was a tall, middle-aged man with a scruffy brown beard, hair of the same color, and amethyst-colored eyes, much like Eva's. He had a few facial scars, presumably from battle, and a distinguished and confident demeanor similar to Bernard's.

The Queen had long, silky black hair and golden eyes. Eva's appearance perfectly matched that of her parents, while her older brother, Leonard, bore a striking resemblance to the King, almost a spitting image.

Her two older sisters, Sophia and Liv, were twins, but their appearances revealed differing tastes and interests.

“Lawrence, I’m so sorry for your loss.” Queen Sera spoke softly, holding both of her hands over her chest.

“We all are. Just know, we’re here for you if you need it.” The King joined in, sounding like a caring uncle.

“Thank you, Your Majesties.” Lawrence appreciated their condolences as he tried to appear remorseful.

It feels like I’m putting on an act for a play, except I don’t have the script and have no time to practice. But if there was anything I learned as Kaede, it was to BS stuff efficiently.

“Please, I keep saying you can call me James.” The King patted Lawrence’s shoulder with a boastful laugh.

“It feels improper…” The young man tried to reason.

The mood shifted to something more lighthearted as everyone let up and smiled, except for Leonard, who remained in the background. When Lawrence glanced at him, he did not seem reassuring or contemptuous.

The adults began talking amongst themselves as Eva pulled Lawrence to the side. “I doubt you’ll be returning to school for the day after this, right?”

“Hmm…why not? I have nothing else going on.”

“Shall we go together then?” She asked curiously, leaning a bit into his line of sight.

“I think my suit is a bit over the top for school. And besides, I don’t even have my uniform with me.”

Her cheeks dropped in disappointment, but she tried not to show it. The sounds of light thumping on the grass came to Lawrence’s attention as a boy not much older than him approached.