CHAPTER 9: THE TWINS REUNITE

THE TWINS REUNITE

The moon hung above Valeris Capital.

Inside one of the Riven family's private training chambers, Arena stood alone, her four-point Codex floating in front of her. She had spent months controlling her magic, learning new spells, preparing for the Magical Knight Trial. Tonight, something felt different.

She closed her eyes. Her magic moved through her body, calm and steady.

"Again."

The Codex opened. Four brilliant symbols rose around her. She moved her hand slowly, and the symbols followed. That was what her instructors praised most. Her control. Her precision.

Arena smiled faintly.

Then a strange sensation ran across her wrist.

She stopped. A faint mark had appeared on her skin, shaped like a small crystal surrounded by four points.

"This wasn't here before."

She touched it. Nothing happened. But the same symbol was glowing faintly on a page of her Codex.

Her heartbeat quickened. She stepped closer, and the moment her fingers touched the page—

CRACK.

The Codex blazed. Wind filled the chamber and lifted her hair. The pressure in the air grew heavy.

"What's happening?"

A brilliant silver light burst from the pages. Arena shielded her eyes. Then the light gathered itself into a shape and something landed softly on the floor.

She lowered her arm.

A wolf stood in front of her. Its fur was silver-white, and crystal-like markings ran along its body. At the centre of its forehead glowed a small crystal shaped like four connected points. Its eyes were pale blue.

Arena didn't move. The wolf walked toward her, slowly.

"You're a guardian," she whispered.

The wolf's ears twitched.

She crouched. "Are you connected to my Codex?"

It nodded.

"So you're mine."

Arena held out her hand, and the wolf pressed its nose against her palm. A soft warmth spread through her body. The mark on her wrist brightened, then faded.

"What should I call you?"

A voice entered her mind.

Liora.

Arena smiled. "You have a name."

I have always had one.

She laid a hand on its head. "I think we're going to get along."

Liora's tail moved slightly. For the first time in months, Arena felt something she couldn't explain. Not power, not pride, not expectation.

Companionship.

She had been surrounded by people for months, instructors, nobles, scholars, the royal court. Yet this single quiet connection felt different.

She sat beside the wolf. "I wish Kevin could see you."

Liora looked at her.

Arena smiled sadly. "I haven't really spoken to him in months."

...

The next morning, Arena made a decision. She was going to find her brother.

She left the training grounds early, Liora padding silently at her side. Servants and guards stared at the crystal wolf as they passed. At the training yard, she found no one.

"Master Kevin usually trains near the eastern grounds," a passing servant told her.

She followed the path. Then she heard it.

BOOM!

Arena smiled. "That sounds like him."

She walked faster. Another explosion. Then Kevin's voice.

"Veyr!"

Veyr?

She stepped through the trees. Kevin stood in a clearing, clothes covered in dirt, a five-point Codex floating beside him. On his shoulder sat a tiny black creature with crimson eyes.

Arena stared.

Kevin turned. Their eyes met.

"Arena?"

"Hi."

He lowered his hand. "You're here."

"I came to see you."

They stood there awkwardly. Months had passed, and both of them had changed. But they were still twins.

"I missed you," Arena said.

Kevin smiled. "I missed you too."

The creature on his shoulder narrowed its eyes. "Who's that?"

Arena laughed. "I was about to ask you the same thing."

"This is Veyr," Kevin said.

Veyr lifted one tiny claw. "Hello."

"He talks?"

"Unfortunately."

"I heard that."

Arena laughed. Then Liora stepped forward, and Veyr jumped down to the ground. The two guardians looked at each other.

"Uh..." Kevin said.

Liora lowered her head slightly.

Veyr raised an eyebrow. "You're a crystal wolf."

And you're small.

Veyr's eyes widened. Kevin covered his mouth. Arena struggled not to laugh.

"I am perfectly sized."

Liora just stared at him.

"She's already judging you," Kevin said.

"I'm not concerned." Veyr flew back onto Kevin's shoulder.

Then Arena looked at Kevin's Codex, and her smile slowly faded.

"Kevin... that's your Codex?"

"Yes."

"When did you get it?"

"After the ceremony."

"You got a Codex? Why didn't you tell me?"

He looked away. "You were busy."

Her face softened. "Kevin..."

"I didn't want to interrupt everything."

"You could never interrupt me."

He smiled. "I know."

Arena looked at the Codex again and counted the points. One, two, three, four.

Five.

"I've never seen one like that."

"Neither have I."

Liora walked up to the Codex, her crystal forehead glowing faintly. Veyr had gone quiet. The two guardians stared at the five points, and for a brief moment, something passed between them.

Recognition.

Then it was gone.

"What was that?" Arena asked.

"Nothing," Veyr said, looking away.

"That didn't look like nothing."

Kevin turned to Veyr. "You know something."

Veyr stayed silent.

"Of course," Kevin sighed.

Arena smiled. "So we're both keeping secrets now."

"Apparently."

She looked at her brother. For the first time in months, she saw something new in him. He was no longer the boy who had stood helplessly at the ceremony. He looked stronger. More sure of himself. He still had a long way to go, but he had changed.

"So," she said. "You really are going to take the Magical Knight Trial?"

Kevin looked toward the distant capital. "Yes."

"Then we'll both be there."

"You're going too?"

"Of course."

"Wonderful," Veyr muttered. "We'll have to watch them compete."

Liora's tail moved. Arena laughed, and Kevin smiled.

For months, the twins had walked separate paths. Arena had been surrounded by expectations. Kevin had been learning to understand a power nobody else could explain.

Now they stood together again, and the Magical Knight Trial was waiting.

Neither of them knew which Captain would choose them, or how their lives would change.

But they were ready to find out.

Together.