Chapter 10 - A Custodian and A stand In

"And whose fault is that? I didn't ask to be dragged into your world, Aris! You keep acting like I'm supposed to know everything, but I don't! I don't know anything!"

Before Aris could respond, they both realized they were no longer in the hallway. The void had spat them out into a completely different place—a large, open room with walls made of polished wood and intricate tapestries hanging from the ceiling. The air was warm, and the soft amber light filtering in through the windows revealed a breathtaking view of snow-capped mountains outside flanked by a dazzling morning sunrise. The room had an eastern aesthetic, with low wooden tables, sliding paper doors, and intricate carvings of dragons and phoenixes adorning the walls.

Aris stared at their surroundings; his anger momentarily forgotten as he tried to make sense of where they had landed. When a second later before the continuation of Sophia's emotional outburst a spark of realisation occurred in his head "Never thought that there would be a summon like this.."

Sophia, still reeling from the fall and everything that had led up to it, looked around in awe and confusion. "Where… Where are we?"

"Somewhere in the Custodian Breach. Probably in someone's Dracox," Aris said, his tone edged with frustration.

"Wow! Another word I don't have a clue about!" Sophia spat back, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Do you have any idea how it feels to watch people talk and exclaim about things you have no idea about, especially when those things concern you the most?"

Aris tried to stay composed, but her words cut deep. "Well, what I'm trying to say is that you are a Custodian..."

"But not in the true sense!" Sophia snapped, cutting him off. "Is that the only thing I'm going to hear today? 'You're not a true Custodian.' Over and over again!" Her voice was laced with frustration, her anger bubbling to the surface. Her head throbbed from the constant tension between them, and she felt the weight of all the unanswered questions pressing down on her.

Being the quiet, reserved person she usually was, this constant battle was pushing her to her limits. Every moment with Aris felt like a match being struck against her patience, ready to ignite her fury. And it didn't help that the one responsible for all this chaos was standing and giving out smirks right in front of her—Aris von Frez, the idealistic fool who had dragged her into this mess.

"If you won't tell me what's happening, then take me home, JUST return me back to the tram or whatever." Sophia demanded, her voice steady for the first time as she tried to regain control of the situation. It was a final plea, a hope that she could end this madness and return to something resembling normality.

Aris's response was not what she expected. He smiled—a wide, unsettling grin that sent chills down her spine. "Are you real?" he asked, stepping closer to her, his words laced with something she couldn't quite place.

Before she could respond, Aris pulled out a charred, burnt-out Custodian card, the last remnants of his once powerful identity. "Then be ready," he said, his voice low and charged with intent. "Are you ready, Lady Sophia... or should I say, Sagittarius?"

With that, he forced the card to give out a final burn reaction, the heat warming the air around them; closing the gap as Embers from the card started enveloping his hand.

"As much as I want to help the will of the Order of the Black Lily, there is no possible reason for me to carry on a dead weight like you," Aris said, his voice steady but laced with irritation. His gaze remained fixed on Sophia, his patience wearing thin.

"Dead weight?!" Sophia's voice rang out, sharp and incredulous. Her eyes widened as she stared at him, anger flaring. "I don't know a thing you're talking about! You just expect me to know everything you know," she concluded, her frustration bubbling up.

"That wouldn't be the case if you weren't so disconnected from the world you were born into," Aris shot back, trying to keep his voice calm, though the tension in his jaw showed his restraint. His heart raced as he fought to keep control, knowing that his anger would only lead to another storm of words from Sophia.

"Again! It's not my fault. It's your fault for dragging me here without my consent," Sophia retorted, crossing her arms defiantly as if to shield herself from his accusations. She glared at him, determined not to back down.

"Again, it was you who wanted to know more," Aris countered, his eyes narrowing, unwilling to let her evade responsibility. He stepped closer, his words like daggers aimed directly at her stubbornness.

"No!" Sophia shouted, stepping forward herself, refusing to be cornered by his logic.

"I would say yes!" Aris interrupted, his tone rising as his patience thinned further.

"You're so annoying!" Sophia hissed, her hands clenched into fists by her sides, her face flushed with anger as she stood her ground.

"I should be the one saying that," Aris fired back, shaking his head in exasperation. He threw his arms up in disbelief, just to show his reluctance of all.

"It's your mistake!" Sophia shouted again; her voice filled with exasperation as she jabbed a finger at him.

"No, it's yours. Also, where is your oh-so-high-and-mighty persona? Did it go out to buy some rice balls?" Aris sneered, unable to resist taunting her further. His eyes glinted with frustration as he raised an eyebrow, daring her to respond.

"You're the high-and-mighty one—the great Custodian!" Sophia shot back, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she tried to mimicked his title mockingly.

"Who told you that?" Aris asked, his voice lowering, his expression serious as he stepped forward, his face just inches from hers.

"No one," Sophia muttered, her sarcasm faltering for a moment as she realized she had no real answer.

"Then why speak of what you don't know?" Aris pressed, his voice cold and sharp, his eyes narrowing as he crossed his arms, daring her to explain taking her sarcasm for real.

"How should I know?!" Sophia threw her hands up in frustration, her voice nearly breaking as it all bore down on her. Her confusion and anger swirled together into one chaotic mess.

"Learn to be active in this world and stop lazing around, ignoring your roots," Aris said, his voice quieter now but no less biting. He turned away from her, his frustration clear as he shook his head, as though the conversation was exhausting him.

Between their argument alone, it seemed as if both of them just for an scenario had forgotten their place and position. They were sitting ducks in a chamber of Green Jade.