The Consequences of Secrecy

Lucien sat on the edge of the small couch in their living space, head lowered as his sister Lara's lecture thundered around him. She stood in front of him, pacing back and forth, her expression shifting between frustration and a deep, wounded sadness.

"Do you even realize what you did?" she demanded, her hands gesturing wildly. "Joining a gang, Lucien? Did you even think about Mar? She probably only joined because of you! How could you drag her into this without a second thought?" Her voice cracked, the anger giving way to something rawer. "How could you… how could you…"

Lucien looked up, and his heart sank as he saw her break into tears, her face softening into something so vulnerable that it almost broke him. Even Mar, who was standing to the side, looked stunned, her usual composure faltering as she watched Lara's shoulders shake with quiet sobs.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Lara choked out, her voice thick with hurt. "Soleli told me what happened, and I was so worried. And then he… he accidentally mentioned you were involved too. Do you know what went through my head, Lucien?" Her eyes met his, filled with anguish. "What if something happened to you? What if you'd died, and Soleli just came to tell me that you were gone? Just… gone."

Lucien felt guilt twist inside him like a knife. He had kept so much from her, from all of them, but only now did he see the impact it had on the people he loved. Standing, he crossed the small room and gently pulled her into a hug, holding her tightly as he whispered his apologies. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "I didn't think… I should've told you. I should have trusted you."

Lara's grip tightened around him, and Lucien felt her steady breaths start to calm. Mar stood nearby, watching quietly, a faint relief in her expression as she saw the siblings reconcile.

Later that night, after everyone had finally gone to bed, the house was shrouded in silence. Lucien stayed awake, unable to find sleep, and turned his attention to the stack of books he'd borrowed from Razor. His sister's words lingered in his mind, but he forced himself to focus, hoping to distract himself from the emotional weight of the evening.

He skimmed through the pages, absorbing every detail about the path of the Magus. The text detailed the hierarchy of Magus ranks, and Lucien's curiosity sharpened as he read through the descriptions: Apprentice Magus, Magus, Magus Knight, ArchMagus, High Magus, Magus Lord. The higher ranks were tantalizingly mysterious, and he found himself leaning forward, reading each line with intense focus.

An Apprentice Magus, he learned, was someone just beginning to control the Magus energy within their body. Once they became proficient, they advanced to a full-fledged Magus, skilled enough to wield an array of Effigy Magia and command Personele-class MagusCraft. Lucien paused, remembering Razor's words. So the weapon Razor gave me was probably a Personnel-class MagusCraft. Soleli's and Razor's weapons must be at that level too.

He continued, reading about the next rank: Magus Knight. Those who reached this level could wield Blockbuster-class MagusCraft, a type of weaponry that sounded far more potent than anything he'd encountered. Lucien's fingers traced the lines as he read, absorbing the details about the advanced Core Points and chain links that integrated with the nervous system, enhancing the user's capabilities beyond natural limits.

Yet, as he reached the section on higher levels, he found the information sparse, as though someone had intentionally removed it. Disappointed, he flipped the page and found a handwritten note slipped between the pages.

The Hive Boss was once a High Magus.

Lucien's eyes widened in surprise. A High Magus… the Hive Boss? he thought, brows knitting in concentration. He pondered the implications, trying to understand the hierarchy's hidden power dynamics. If the Hive Boss were a High Magus, it would mean he possessed extraordinary power—enough to rival many in this hive city. But why hadn't he ever connected with other Hive Bosses to overthrow the Tomb World authorities? Maybe it was a matter of politics, or perhaps because the Tomb Cities held even more powerful Magi, perhaps even a Magus Lord—a terrifying possibility that gave Lucien pause.

Before he could dwell on it further, he felt something soft press against his back, then a pair of arms wrapping around him gently. He blinked, momentarily startled as he turned to see Mar resting her head on his shoulder. She looked at him with a faint, sleepy smile.

"Can't sleep?" she asked softly.

Lucien offered her a sheepish grin. "Yeah. Just… reading." He held up the book, which had already begun to feel heavy in his hands.

Mar chuckled, giving his shoulder a light squeeze. "Well, I'll keep you company." She leaned against him, her head warm against his back as she settled into a comfortable silence.

Lucien felt his heart calm, the turmoil of the day slipping away as he returned to his book, reading on into the night with Mar beside him, keeping him grounded in a world that often felt like it was spinning out of control.