Custodian's Fall to a Darcos

“Initiating total collapse to the main lobby,” the Commander declared, and the ground beneath them gave way, sending the entire floor into freefall. The Commander and Snap launched themselves like projectiles, while both Aris and Sophia were suspended momentarily in the air, only to be yanked down by a tremendous force.

The Commander landed first with a thunderous crash, the stone floor cracking beneath the weight of his impact. Snap followed, landing gracefully, and she met the Commander’s disapproving glare with a composed expression. Moments later, Aris, arms flailing wildly, came crashing down, rolling with a groan as he tried to regain his balance.

“Next time, WARN ME!” Aris shouted, wincing in pain.

Before he could even rise, Sophia came tumbling down right on top of him, landing squarely on his face with her backside for the second time that day.

“Oof!” Aris’s voice was muffled as Sophia’s full weight crashed into his chest, her rear landing squarely on his face. “Seriously, again?!”

Sophia's face flushed bright red with embarrassment as she scrambled to get off him. “I—I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to...!” she stammered, frantically disentangling herself from his limbs.

Snap raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “This is becoming a habit.”

The Commander chuckled deeply, shaking his head. “I thought you two hated each other. But now? I’m starting to have my doubts.” He laughed heartily, while Snap couldn’t hide her smirk.

Aris, red-faced and fuming, pushed Sophia off him and got to his feet, glaring at Snap and the Commander. “It’s not what it looks like!”

Snap rolled her eyes. “Sure, sure.”

They were greeted by the grand sight of the Custodian Breach’s main hall. The vast reception room was made entirely of pristine white marble, lined with towering columns that glowed faintly with a soft blue light. The ceiling, impossibly high above, shimmered with shifting constellations, displaying Sagittarius, Capricorn, and Leo among the stars.

Multiple grand staircases spiraled upward from the hall, their steps crafted from perfectly cut-glass crystals. The light from the chandeliers above cast an otherworldly glow, reflecting off the walls in soft, serene hues.

“The heirs to the Black Lily are usually close, but this time, it seems quite different,” the Commander teased, a broad smile mocking Aris as he glanced briefly at Sophia.

Sophia, still flustered, tried to brush the dust from her clothes and muttered under her breath, “Why does this keep happening?”

Aris shot a glare at Snap. “You’re enjoying this WAY too much!”

Snap shrugged, her grin widening. “Oh, I definitely am.”

Aris growled, “What did you just say?”

“Nothing,” Snap replied innocently.

The Commander interrupted, chuckling. “Cut it out. It's odd seeing an aunt teasing her nephew about a girl he barely knows.”

“Aunt?” Sophia exclaimed in surprise, the realization ringing in her ears.

“You’re just as bad, Commander,” Snap shot back, and Aris noticed Sophia’s bewilderment at their exchange.

“It seems we part ways here,” the Commander said, his expression softening. “I’ll go handle the Custodian registration. Sophia, you take care of her.”

Snap stretched, her grin fading into a more serious expression. “Guess I’ll leave you two to fend for yourselves. Just don’t call me for any favors. And I need to fix my Darcos, so I’ll be heading out.”

“You’re not coming with us?” Aris sputtered, trying to hide his embarrassment.

Snap simply dropped into a glowing portal beneath her feet, vanishing without a word.

“So, Aris...” Sophia began hesitantly.

“I KNOW,” Aris interrupted, noticing Sophia’s expression. “Earlier, I was a guide for some girl lost in her own world, and now I’m babysitting someone who can’t handle the slightest bit of danger without freaking out.”

“NO!” Sophia shouted, her voice sharp with frustration. “Why are you always nagging me?!”

Aris crossed his arms, his face stern. “That’s what we’re supposed to do. Those who ignore their roots aren’t fit to be either Custodians or Percivals.”

Sophia, exasperated, mumbled to herself, “Another term I don’t understand... Percivals? What is that supposed to mean?” She thought back to the bits of information she had pieced together, still trying to make sense of the world around her.

“Just wait,” Aris said. “I know you’re clueless about our culture, but at least try to be patient.”

Sophia stayed silent, realizing she didn’t need to respond. She figured that by staying quiet, she could learn more about her father’s roots while discovering her own. “If you say so,” she finally muttered, a fake smile plastered on her face.

Aris recognized the smile but chose not to address it. He had dropped enough bombshells on her for one day, and he didn’t need to add more weight to their strained relationship.

“First things first,” Aris said, his tone sharp. “I need to clean up. My face smells like sweat, and you smell like you’ve been living in an alleyway.”

“Excuse me?!” Sophia snapped, her forehead creasing in anger.

“Nothing!” Aris replied, waving her off.

Ignoring Sophia’s outburst, Aris pulled a small crystal orb from his coat. “This might not be the most pleasant way to travel to the Order Breach, but it’s quick and efficient.”

He walked over to Sophia, holding the glowing orb in his hand. A faint blue hue surrounded its surface as he handed it to her. “The Personality, thoughts and Fear of a person give a rise to a Darcox, This may be weird but inanimate objects or meaning words are sometime give rise of Darcox, the same thing is with the Order Breches.” Aris started his mumbling.

“Okay, so…” Sophia began, her voice tense, as she examined the orb.

Aris nodded. “You’re going to visit the Breach of the Order of the Black Lily.”

Sophia nodded in response to a thing that she already knew again and again. Afterall for which time this was the case at which she was told that she was going to visit the Breach of the Order of the Black lily. It all felt silly and retentive.