7 A Warning

Davyn pulled out a small white hexagon-shaped box. He began chanting in low voice and bright runes appeared on each side of the box. A circle of runic light surrounded the bead on the pedestal and raised it into the air. The box separated and each side positioned itself around the bead. Chains of light connected the parts of the box and slowly pulling them closer. It closed around the bead, almost covering it-

"You have guts."

BAM!

A strong force broke apart the encirclement. White manifested and raised his hand. With a flick of his finger, he blasted Davyn through the wall and smashed the railings outside.

"Trying to trap me in this junk." White's eyes narrowed at the fading runic light. "So this is the level it has been brought to after the war. Still… to be able to survive after all these years…" He glanced at the unconscious Liana and then at Davyn who was slowly picking himself up. Thin cracks of light unfurled on Davyn's skin and face. Strands of light wriggled in the depths of his eyes. White frowned in distaste. "As repulsive as always I see."

There was a commotion coming from the ground floor when many guards entered the Archive. White disappeared from sight and seconds later the guards had arrived at the vault with Brianna leading them. She saw Liana and immediately checked her. Seeing that she was still breathing, Brianna sighed in relief. She turned to Davyn who didn't show any emotion.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Brianna demanded, pointing her spear to Davyn.

"… I'm sorry," Davyn said and jumped off the broken railings. There was a flash of light as he broke through the wall and escaped.

"Alert everyone and don't let him get away!" Brianna barked.

The blue light exuded from the barrier contrasted the tense atmosphere. It had been the first time in Nea's life to see it activated. She had asked several times to many guards but none of them would open their mouth. From here, the Sanctum looked eerily silent. Nea paced on the edge of the barrier. She halted when she saw Brianna approaching her with a stormy face.

Nea asked, "What happened? Is Liana okay?"

"Just unconscious. Davyn drugged her and used her to open the vault."

"Davyn?" Nea frowned. She and he were not very close especially after her mother's disappearance. The sadness pressing on her every day was enough, she didn't wish to spend more time with someone with guilt shrouding his being.

Brianna explained, "He most likely wants to obtain the artifacts stored inside. Though it seems he was repelled in the process."

Nea guessed that White had something to do with that. "Where is he now?"

"He was wounded but managed to escape. We're still trying to find him but there has been no progress so far. Go home, Nea. There's nothing you can do here."

Nea stopped herself from refuting and merely nodded. "Tell me when Liana is awake."

"Of course," Brianna said and returned to the Sanctum.

Nea cast one last glance at the Sanctum and turned away. Davyn had always harbored some non-platonic feelings towards her mother. Although she wasn't sure about Davyn's objective, she had a feeling that it had something to do with her mother.

Her house was located not too far away from the Sanctum. It nestled near the river with a small garden at the back. There were all kinds of medicinal plants. Her mother had been especially fond of concocting new drugs. The house was not too big nor too small. It fitted the two of them nicely. However, in these few years, it had become far too empty for Nea to stomach. Nea stopped in front of her mother's room. She rarely entered it, the reminder was too hard to bear. She only forced herself to clean the room every few weeks or so. This time she felt that she needed to find something to make sense of all of this. Nea opened the door and inhaled sharply. Davyn was standing in the middle of the room with his back towards her.

"What are you doing here?" Nea said.

Davyn looked at her. Cracks of light donned his face.

Nea took a step back. "You…"

"It has been a while since the last time I came here." Davyn sighed. "There are many things that I want to say but I don't have much time left, you see?" He raised his right hand which was almost covered with cracks of light.

Nea pursed her mouth. "You tried to get the Divine Weapon, aren't you?"

"Me? I don't want it. They, however…" Davyn's brows furrowed in distress. "There is a storm approaching. The clan cannot forever shut itself on this island, hiding in denial. Sooner or later the outside world will reach us. There are those planning in the shadows. You have to be careful."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"It's the least I can do… I was too weak… Your mother… It's my fault." Davyn took a ragged breath. "If I was stronger… then…" Davyn shook his head. "I tried to fight back… but a weakling like me…." He gave a bitter laugh. The cracks on his body got bigger and branched out. "Guess…. This is it…." Light shone brightly from the cracks. "Don't make the same mistake…"

Nea covered her eyes as an explosion of light attacked her. Several seconds passed and a low growl rang through the air. Nea opened her eyes and gasped. Instead of Davyn there was a white beastly creature in front of her.