When the time comes...

"How do you feel?" Nadia asked as she got to her feet.

Alex looked down at his hands, inspecting his body for any anomalies before he raised his head to respond. "I feel fine."

Heaving a sigh of relief, Nadia walked over and sat before Alex. "I was worried… I thought I did something wrong."

"Quite the contrary," Alex remarked as he deactivated his Spirituality. "If not for you, I'd be dead."

Nadia flashed a smile. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Same here."

"You should get some rest."

Alex nodded but made no effort to leave as he spoke up. "Tell me something."

"What?"

"...What is a Coven leader?"

Nadia was taken aback by the question for a moment before she burst into laughter. "From the way you acted when Uncle said it, I thought you already knew."

"I didn't think it right to ask then." Alex awkwardly replied.

Revealing a most radiant smile, Nadia replied. " Just like how the Empire has the D.O.D, Judah Dynasty has Covens."

"So basically they keep supernatural phenomenon in check so it doesn't affect the natural world?"

"Something like that but they carry out other… tasks."

"Willing to share?"

Nadia sighed. "I don't know much… I'd rather not share what I'm not sure of."

Noticing that she was struggling with something, Alex decided not to push further.

Just then, there was a sound like a gong being struck but it was rather low which meant that if one were asleep, they wouldn't be able to hear it.

"What's that?" Alex asked.

Nadia grew excited as she rose to her feet. "Come with me."

"Where?"

"Just come."

With no other choice, Alex took hold of her hand and Nadia led him out of the basement.

They ran to her room before Nadia let go of his hand and rushed to open the curtains of her room.

Alex furrowed his brows but said nothing as he watched her.

Nadia glanced at him. "Come quickly."

Sighing helplessly, Alex walked over and joined her on the balcony.

Nadia wrapped one arm around his own and with her free arm, pointed at the Nighteye.

"Watch."

As Alex turned to where she was pointing, he saw it.

Slowly but surely, the Nighteye began to close.

The phenomenon was like someone up there was placing a lid over it, blocking its light.

Once the lid was tightly closed, Eventide was plunged into darkness.

This, however, was only for a moment as not a second later when a golden light flashed in the opposite direction of the Nighteye.

Alex glanced over and gasped at the astonishing sight.

Like a gate, the Lightbringer opened and out of its depths, endless light poured out, bathing the world below in golden radiance.

"...Amazing." Alex couldn't help but mutter.

From beside him, Nadia's voice came. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"It is," Alex admitted.

Feeling a tug on his shirt, Alex turned to face Nadia only to be assaulted by her lips on his.

His eyes flickered before he quickly pulled away.

Nadia met his gaze and she smiled. "When the time comes… I hope you can tell me the truth."

Alex was left speechless.

Nadia said no more as she turned away and strolled over to her bed.

As she pulled the covers over her slender figure, she muttered. "Good morning."

***

It was until a few hours later that Alex convened for breakfast with Arthur and Nadia.

As they indulged themselves in the delicacies before them, Arthur glanced at Alex. "Did it work?"

Forking some bacon into his mouth, Alex nodded in response.

"That's good." Arthur sighed. "Now all that remains is Meditation and Materialization."

Alex shook his head as he swallowed the food in his mouth. "We can go straight to Materialization."

"Hmm?" Arthur raised a brow in confusion.

Glancing around to check if the maids were close by, Alex closed his eyes and controlled his breathing.

The moment his Spirituality became active, he opened his eyes and they flashed golden for a second before the air around them changed.

An invisible energy erupted causing Arthur to gasp.

"You… you already know the basics of Materialization?"

He could tell that what Alex had done was what he did when he was brought to the office in a near-death state.

He had cut off sound from leaving their surroundings.

"Unbelievable," Arthur muttered in shock.

Nadia on the other hand took it naturally, only sparing Alex a glance before returning to her meal.

"I guess I am a genius." Alex casually remarked, not daring to make a deal out of it.

Arthur remained silent before he slowly nodded. "...I guess that's the only plausible explanation for this."

He seemed a bit out of it as he returned to his meal, no longer saying anything.

Seeing as how the conversation was about to die, Alex decided to broach up a different topic. "Before anything else… I believe it's about time I know about the mysterious lady that has been on your neck lately, don't you agree?"

Arthur met his gaze and for a moment, hesitated on what to do.

Taking all things into consideration, he soon let out a sigh. "She is known by many names and possesses several titles but the most apt way to introduce her would be… Lady Anastasia, the 13th family head and also… the last dragon."

"Last dragon?"

"Mn." Arthur nodded as he picked up a napkin and dabbed the sides of his face. "I guess it's time for another history lesson."

"I'm listening." Alex sat up as he spoke.

"Long time ago, some say 5000 years, others say 6000… what I do know is that it's been so long that records are not clear. However, there was a war… a great war. It was known as the War of Desolation."

"Desolation?" Alex raised a brow.

"Indeed." Arthur nodded.

Through this all, Nadia remained silent, indulging herself in breakfast while listening to what was being said.

Taking a moment to catch his breath, Arthur continued. "There were two factions. On one side stood the Ancient Cryptids; dragons, gryphons and foxes. They were led by the one they called, the Harbinger of Destruction."