The carriage lurched forward with a heavy splash, wheels churning violently through flooded ruts as Tina snapped the reins with far too much enthusiasm. Rain hammered the roof like impatient fists demanding entry. Edric clutched the velvet seat tightly with his good right hand, his left trembling uselessly around his cane. He had already resigned himself to the possibility that this journey might be his last.
Tina wasn't a bad driver, exactly. She was simply a terrible carriage driver.
This meeting with his family was an unbreakable tradition, which meant they were forced to use these outdated, ostentatious vehicles instead of anything modern or safe. Their carriage was entirely black, accented with elegant golden ornaments that gleamed even beneath the stormy sky. On the door panel was carved the Farben family emblem: three half-circles split by a sharp needle trailing a delicate wire. The three circles belonged to the Farben bloodline. The needle and wire had been from his mother's side.
Each of his siblings bore a different emblem, a clear reminder that they all had different mothers. There were seven of them in total, and just like any other powerful noble house, they were locked in a ruthless struggle for the "Throne" — the position of family head. The competition wasn't even veiled. Everyone important knew they were trying to kill one another, even his Father.
It was precisely why Edric had been so paranoid about the two little girls who had appeared at his door in the storm… and why he had chosen not to meet them before departing.
As the marble mansion disappeared behind immense trees and mist, his thoughts turned bitterly to the house that awaited him.
The Farben family was one of the most prestigious noble houses in the entire kingdom. Their generational wealth and vast territories made them arguably second only to the royal bloodline itself, the right hand of the King–So they are called. And yet, when it came to political influence at court, they were weirdly lacking. His Father not being the most political of a man.
How could a house with so little sway in the capital hold onto such immense lands for centuries then?
The answer was simple: they possessed real power.
Nearly every member of the Farben bloodline had awakened for their Realm. In this world, "awakened" simply meant possessing supernatural abilities drawn from one of the seven realms of power — Elementary, Physical, Psychic, Summoning, Illusion, Devour… and Concepts, the rarest and most coveted of them all. Which normally appear at birth.
That was why no one dared challenge the Farbens directly. Political games simply weren't necessary for his Father. Yet, that wasn't the same for his children though. Edric himself thrived in the complexities behind them.
It really was a shame he didn't have any power though.
Edric stared down at his leg, completely paralyzed. Everyone in his family had been born with their Realms, only he remained powerless.
One might think that being sick and unawakened would strip him of any rights within the family. And it was true, he was the least favorite of them all. Yet his siblings didn't see it that way. For some unfathomable reason they still tormented him relentlessly. Well, "they" was far too broad a term—in truth, it was just three specific motherfuckers. He knew exactly who they were, but he lacked any power to retaliate.
Thankfully, Tina and Galleon weren't ordinary servants either. Edric has seen Tina fight before, for what he knew, she was part of the Physical Realm. Which was why she always managed to catch him by surprise and clean the mansion. As for Galleon…well, his was complicated, but he was a Concept, that he was sure.
"You're making that face again, sir."
"I'm not making any face."
"You always make that face when you think about your family."
He sighed and leaned back against the cushions, his golden eyes reflecting nothing despite looking at the rain.
***
Hours slipped by in the drumming rhythm of rain and wheels. The capital of the west should soon be at view. His mansion wasn't exactly close to it, yet with Tina driving like crazy through the roads, he should soon be able to see it.
And soon enough the storm finally eased into a misty drizzle, and the sun—now low and blood-orange—began its slow descent behind the clouds. Only then did Edric finally catch sight of the main city of the Farben state, Whystan, rising on the horizon.
It was enormous, second in scale only to the Imperial Capital itself. From this distance the towering marble walls looked almost delicate, dwarfed by the sheer sprawl behind them, but he knew better. Those walls were massive, thick, ancient, built to withstand anything the world could hurl at them. They had to be.
Their region hugged the sea, a blessing that was also a curse. Beyond the crashing waves lay the Forgotten Continent—lost to time, shrouded in legend. No one knew exactly what it was: whether it had once been a continent like their own or something far stranger. What little was known was enough to make him shiver though.
It was dangerous. Incomprehensible. Home to creatures that defied reason and bent the very fabric of the reality.
Thankfully, the true horrors remained trapped there. But sometimes the weaker ones flung themselves into the sea. If one was lucky enough not to be devoured by the nameless things lurking beneath the waves, it might wash ashore, sometimes right in their shore.
Edric's own mansion, by contrast, stood far inland, shielded by dense evergreen forests and gentle hills. The complete opposite of the main seat. Perhaps a small mercy from his Father.
As the carriage crested the final rise, the golden light of sunset painted the marble city in hues of fire and blood. Edric's grip tightened on his cane.
They passed beneath the colossal gates of Whystan, and the city unfolded around them exactly as one would expect of a great metropolis ruled by the Farbens. Buildings blended ancient marble spires with sleek modern lines in effortless harmony. Thick cables of electricity ran through the ground, repurposing the old sewer systems that had been quietly upgraded into a flawless modern grid.
They passed beneath the colossal gates of Whystan, and the city revealed itself in flawless order. Every street gleamed with perfectly paved asphalt, bearing not a single crack or puddle despite the intense rain that had battered the region. Rainwater was cleverly diverted through channels along the curbs into an advanced underground purification system, where it was cleansed and transformed into fresh drinking water before being pumped back into the city's circulation.
The boulevards were generously forested with meticulously tended trees, their leaves still dripping silver in the sunset light. There were no homeless people, no litter, and no shadows lurking in the alleys. Citizens strolled the sidewalks looking genuinely happy—laughing, chatting, and moving at an unhurried pace. Not a single crime stained these pristine streets.
This was Whystan, the jewel of the Farben state. Some whispered it was even finer than the Imperial Capital itself. Edric wouldn't know. He had never set foot in the Capital.
Whystan was perfect—even Edric had to admit it. His family was truly competent. For anyone who wasn't born a Farben, life here would be ideal. Unfortunately, he was one. That meant his existence was burdened with crushing expectations, endless duties, intricate schemes… and, in his case, a deep, pervasive apathy.
Thankfully no one seemed to notice a Farben carriage passing by, so he didn't attract any attention.
The carriage rolled deeper into the heart of the city, golden wheels whispering over flawless pavement. No traffic to impede their way. Ahead, the towering silhouette of the main family estate rose against the blood-orange sky, its spires sharper than any blade.
Tina's voice floated back once more, gentler this time.
"We're almost there, sir."
Edric simply nodded, golden eyes fixed on the approaching mansion.