Tirnanog

In Ketergia, casting a golden glow over its pristine streets. The city bustles with activity, citizens going about their day as the floating city's towering spires shimmered in the light. Among the throngs of people, two figures walked side by side, their armor gleaming as they patrolled the streets.

Fort adjusted his feathered headband, his long red hair swaying with the motion. 

"I still can't believe it," 

he said, his tone filled with a mix of disbelief and frustration. 

"That damn rebel, he turned into a Grade 3. Right in front of us."

Rooks, ever the picture of nonchalance, twirled his spear lazily as he walked. His purple hair caught the sunlight, giving him an almost ethereal look. 

"Yeah, it was something," he said casually, his tone betraying none of the tension in his thoughts. "One moment, he's just some rogue with Ketergian armor. The next? Boom. Grade 3-level power."

Fort frowned, his hands tightening into fists. 

"How does that even happen? He didn't look like someone who trained his whole life to unlock that kind of power. There's something… unnatural about it."

Rooks smirked, glancing at his younger companion. 

"You're thinking too hard, kid. Maybe he's just… gifted. Or lucky."

Before Fort could respond, a voice interrupted their conversation, smooth and filled with exaggerated confidence. 

"Gifted? Lucky? Please, you're giving that rebel too much credit."

Both knights turned to see a figure approaching—Tranquilia. The Grade 1 knight walked with a swagger, his golden armor polished to perfection. His neatly combed white hair framed a face that was always set in a self-satisfied smirk.

"Ah, Tranquilia," Rook said, raising an eyebrow. "To what do we owe the pleasure of your company?"

Tranquilia chuckled, waving a dismissive hand. 

"Oh, nothing much. I just happened to overhear you talking about that… What's his name? Eyepatch guy? And his miraculous transformation."

Before Fort could reply, another figure descended from above, landing with the grace of a feather. Soudios, the Grade 2 angel knight, folded his radiant blue wings behind him as he joined the group. His blue hair shimmered under the sunlight, and his calm, analytical expression added an air of seriousness to the gathering.

"This is becoming quite the gathering," 

Rooks remarked dryly, leaning against his spear.

"We're all curious," 

Sadios said, his voice measured and thoughtful. 

"A Grade 3 appearing out of nowhere? That's not something that happens every day."

"Hah! Curious? More absurd," Tranquilia scoffed, crossing his arms. "

There's no way someone like him earned it. He probably cheated… or used some forbidden relic."

Fort shot him a sharp look. 

"Cheated? You weren't there, Tranquilia. You didn't see how he fought. That power was real."

Tranquilia's smirk faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered. 

"Please. Real or not, it doesn't matter. He's still just a surface-dweller playing knight. And if he thinks he can match us, he'll learn his place soon enough."

"You're awfully confident for someone who ran away in the battlefield," 

Rooks said with a smirk, clearly enjoying poking at Tranquilia's ego.

Before Tranquilia could retort, Soudios spoke up, his tone cutting through the banter. 

"Regardless of how he achieved it, this guy poses a significant challenge to Ketergia's hierarchy. If someone from the surface can ascend to Grade 3, it undermines everything we've been taught."

Fort nodded, his expression serious. 

"Exactly. That's what's been bothering me. If he can do it, what's stopping others from doing the same? What does it mean for Ketergia's future?"

Tranquilia rolled his eyes. 

"Oh, spare me the philosophy, Fort. It's simple. We find him, we crush him, and we move on. Problem solved."

"You're oversimplifying it," 

Soudios countered, his blue eyes narrowing. 

"If Youth's transformation was the result of a relic or some ancient power, it could mean trouble for us all. Bastion will want answers, and he won't tolerate failure."

The group fell silent for a moment, the weight of Sadios' words sinking in. Above them, the spires of Ketergia loomed, a stark reminder of the city's expectations and the fragile balance they all served to maintain.

"So, what do we do?" Fort asked finally, his voice quiet but resolute.

Soudios' wings unfurled slightly, giving him an imposing presence. 

"We gather information. If this man truly is a Grade 3, then we need to understand how he did it and why. Until then, we tread carefully."

Tranquilia scoffed, clearly unimpressed. "Carefully? Please. If I see him, I'll take him down myself."

Rooks laughed, shaking his head. "Sure you will, Tranquilia. Just try not to run the other way when the fighting starts."

Tranquilia's face turned red, but before he could respond, Sadios stepped forward, his gaze sharp. 

"Enough. This isn't a game. Youth is dangerous, and we can't afford to underestimate him. If we fail, the consequences will be dire—for all of us."

The group exchanged uneasy glances, the gravity of the situation finally settling over them. As they continued their patrol, the conversation shifted to quieter, more speculative tones, each knight lost in their own thoughts about the mysterious youth and the challenge he posed to Ketergia's order.

The group exchanged uneasy glances, the gravity of the situation finally settling over them. After a moment, Rook spoke, his voice unusually serious. 

"You know, this whole thing reminds me of something I heard a long time ago. About 11 years ago, one of the Royal Knights was accused of treason and executed."

Fort's brow furrowed. "Treason? That's not something we've been taught."

"Exactly," 

Rooks said, tapping his spear against the ground. 

"It's not something they want people to know. All I've ever heard are whispers. Apparently, this knight was accused of betraying Ketergia… but beyond that, nothing. No details, no explanations. It's like the whole thing was erased."

Fort's eyes lit up with curiosity. 

"If it's true, do you think there could be records of it? Hidden in the archives? The library must have something."

Rooks rubbed his chin thoughtfully. 

"Maybe. But getting into the archives won't be easy. If those records exist, they're buried deep."

Soudios nodded, his wings shifting slightly. "It's worth investigating. If this person's transformation is connected to something from the past, we need to know what we're dealing with."

Tranquilia snorted. 

"Oh, great. A library adventure. My favorite."

Rooks smirked, his confidence returning. 

"Don't worry, Tranquilia. You can sit this one out if you're scared."

The Grade 1 knight scowled but said nothing, earning a chuckle from Rooks. Fort, however, straightened, his resolve clear. 

"Let's do it. If there's a chance we can find the truth, we have to take it."

The four knights continued their patrol, their minds now focused on a new mission: uncovering the secrets hidden in Ketergia's archives and finding the truth about the treason that occurred 11 years ago.