By the time Aaron and I wrapped up our homework, I had finished arranging my books. I waited patiently, expecting Mom to call for dinner at any moment.
Just then, my phone buzzed with a notification, the screen lighting up.
I stared, a little stunned. The name was unfamiliar, yet seeing it meant something else: I wasn't the only system wielder alive.
Curiosity prickled at me, but the message required ten MC points to open. I hesitated. I couldn't afford to waste the few points I had left on a random message from someone I barely knew.
"Rowan, the message has been paid for by the sender," Edith's voice said in my head.
I exhaled, allowing a grin to slip onto my face. That made things easier. I tapped to open the message.
The message was brief. Thomas's name was still unfamiliar, and I had never heard of the Diviner's Council. Maybe Elder Elowen had mentioned it in passing, or maybe… it was some kind of secret society? Either way, I couldn't shake a creeping sense of unease.
"Rowan, it's time for dinner!" Mom's voice called from downstairs, snapping me back.
I stood, trying to brush off the unsettling thoughts. I couldn't trust this Thomas. He might be lying, or worse, an imposter.
As I made my way downstairs, excuses filled my mind. I didn't need to go to Fargo. This message could be a trap. But… if there was even a chance it could help people, shouldn't I check it out? A part of me wrestled with the decision, reminding myself of the meager 1,500 MC I'd managed to save up. Yet, with the Level Two Breathing Sword at my side, maybe I could handle myself if things got dangerous.
"Rowan, you okay?" Luna's voice pulled me from my thoughts as I looked up to see her watching me closely. Mom and Mr. Darien were staring too, concern written on their faces.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I mumbled, focusing on my food to avoid their gazes.
"I saw your hand moving… like you were scrolling through a screen," Luna pressed, her brows drawing together. Had she been watching me that closely?
"Oh, I was just thinking about that movie we watched earlier," I said, brushing it off as nonchalantly as possible, though I could feel Mom's eyes on me, searching for a sign that something was wrong.
I focused on my plate, eating slowly as thoughts of the message from Thomas filled my mind. Once everyone was finished, I helped Luna clear the table and pack away the dishes, then retreated to my room.
After waiting until the house had gone silent, I lay in bed, listening for any hint of movement. Only when I was sure everyone was asleep did I make my decision. I couldn't let the chance slip away.
"Edith, show me the map with Fargo marked," I instructed quietly.
Almost immediately, a screen projected the map, showing the world's five clans—and there, in the Clan of Time, lay the city of Fargo.
With a steeling breath, I got to my feet. If someone from the Clan of Time was summoning me, it couldn't be ignored.
After an hour, confident that everyone else was deeply asleep, I summoned my sword. Its familiar weight felt reassuring as I gripped it tightly. I had to be prepared for anything.
"Edith, teleport me to the pinpointed location on the map," I said, bracing myself. A flicker of doubt crossed my mind. Wouldn't Lucius sense my energy if I teleported?
"No, sir," Edith replied, as if reading my thoughts. "The system hides your aura."
I nodded, relieved, and then a portal opened before me. I had been expecting an instant transfer, but the portal hung in the air like a swirling veil of shadows.
"Sir, this is the more economical method," Edith's voice explained. "I chose it to preserve your MC."
I took a deep breath, readying myself, and stepped through, the portal wrapping around me like a cocoon before I emerged into pitch darkness. My grip on the sword tightened. I could feel the heavy stillness of the place, a slight damp chill in the air.
"Light," I murmured, and my sword glowed, casting a soft blue light around me. The magic felt natural, smooth. Holding the sword high, I could make out the rough stone walls of a cave. Shadows danced along the edges, stretching and shrinking as I moved.
Ahead, a figure took shape, approaching slowly. My fingers clenched the hilt of my sword, my body ready to react.
"You know, if I wanted you dead, you'd be dead by now," the figure's voice echoed through the cavern, casual and confident.
The figure snapped his fingers, and light flared across the space. A tiny orb, almost like a miniature sun, hovered in the air between us. I shielded my eyes, letting them adjust, then fixed my gaze on the man before me.
He looked ancient, with deep-set wrinkles tracing his face, his body wrapped in a heavy brown robe that hung loosely from his frame.
"At least I'd leave a scar on your face," I replied, not lowering my sword.
The man chuckled, his gaze as calm as if we were old friends. "I appreciate your courage," he said, hands clasped behind his back.
"Thomas," he introduced himself, "head councilor of the now-dispersed Diviner's Council."
I eased out of my stance, though I kept my sword within reach. "So… you're a system wielder too?"
"Yes, every member of the Diviner's Council wields a system," he replied smoothly. As he spoke, I noticed he barely moved, as if even standing was an effort. Only his robe shifted, caught by the faint breeze in the cavern.
"Why haven't I heard of this Diviner's Council?" I asked, still wary.
"It's a hidden society tasked with assisting the Diviner with certain… delicate missions," Thomas explained. "Each Diviner needs their own council, and, lacking abilities themselves, they rely on the system to enhance their skills."
My head spun with questions, but Thomas held up a hand, cutting me off. "I didn't call you here to interrogate me," he said, his tone darkening. "There's a grave threat ahead, Rowan. Lucius plans to attack the Clan of Time manipulators."
The air felt colder suddenly, as if his words had cast a shadow over us both.
"So soon," I breathed, barely able to process it. "I didn't expect to face Lucius yet."
Thomas's face was unreadable, his eyes watching me with a piercing, knowing gaze. Whatever Lucius was planning, this wasn't going to be a simple battle. The weight of it settled heavily in my chest, the enormity of what lay ahead more real than ever.