"How did I learn that...?" Leonardo muttered, eyes wide with shock. His voice faltered as he watched the sheath seem to absorb his words, as if it were an extension of his thoughts. He hesitated, feeling the weight of the weapon in his hand, its structure shifting subtly.

  The sheath wasn't just a mere holder—it was part of the weapon itself, responsive and alive.

  The glowing text on the sheath's surface caught his eye, pulsing with a faint light that outlined each word. It whispered in his mind: [Weapon-skill imbuing is easy, just the extension of the skill is hard to produce.]

  "The glowing text, ah, yes... I suppose it's right," Anna replied, her voice trailing off. She looked visibly tired, her movements sluggish as she leaned against the wall.

  Dark circles framed her eyes, evidence of nearly two days without sleep.

  "Let's just go now..." Elara added, her tone carrying the same exhaustion. She tugged at her baggy pants, the fabric rustling softly in the quiet corridor.

  Everyone was worn out, their energy sapped from endless hours of wakefulness and tension.

  They began to walk, each step heavier than the last, towards the door they had entered through. The spiral staircase loomed ahead, twisting upwards into the dim light.

  "Beds are on the third floor," Anna murmured, gesturing vaguely with her hand. She led the way, her footsteps echoing softly against the stone walls.

  "The floor where your mom's room is?" Leonardo asked, glancing at Anna. His grip tightened around the sheath, its shifting form still an unsettling presence in his hand.

  "She should be sleeping right now," Elara replied, her voice quieter than before. She seemed lost in thought, eyes unfocused as she stared at the stairs ahead.

  "I just don't want to be like Kaelan," Leonardo confessed, his voice barely above a whisper.

  He stared at the sheath again, its shifting texture and form mirroring his unease. The way it adapted, molded by the slightest touch—was this what that Altan guy did? He remembered Altan's spear, the same color as his armor, a vibrant grey hue that blended seamlessly with the metal plates.

  The armor had clung so closely to his skin it seemed to become a part of him, every motion fluid, every strike precise.

  "Anna, the Draconis Hogeol... you never really explained what they are," Leonardo said, his curiosity piqued by the mysteries surrounding Altan.

  Anna took a deep breath, as if searching for the right words. "They represent a dragon, I think," she began, speaking slowly. "Altan represents the ferocity.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  The others, they represent the legs, wings, head... and one embodies the actual body of a dragon.

  I haven't really met them, just Altan. The others... they appear briefly, then vanish."

  Elara nodded, her expression distant. "Some say they exist to protect the families in the tower.

  If the 18 heads fall, the tower could descend into chaos. But like Anna said, I've only ever seen Altan."

  Leonardo pondered this, the idea of the Draconis Hogeol lingering in his mind.

  "A ball? Like the ones where nobles and high society gather to celebrate?" he asked, reminiscing about the grand Moerlan balls at the kingdom's castle.

  Even in Volnia, a small mining town, tales of those extravagant events had reached him.

  Elara chuckled softly, a tired smile tugging at her lips. "You've never seen a modern-day ball, have you?" she teased gently. "There's a floor in the tower with a lake."

  "A lake? You're joking, right?" Leonardo scoffed, imagining a pristine, serene lake inside the towering structure.

  "Ever seen a lake so clear and white it changes color at will?" Elara asked, her eyes gleaming with a hint of mischief.

  "No, I've never—"

  "In a few months, you'll see it for yourself," Elara interrupted, her voice soft but confident.

  As Anna pushed open the door at the top of the stairs, they were greeted by a vast balcony bathed in soft moonlight. The grass on the balcony floor looked greener than ever, almost unnaturally vibrant.

  "The Draconis Hogeol... don't get involved with them unless the tower is," Anna warned, her voice tinged with a hint of caution.

  "They don't necessarily act against the tower, but if the tower's not involved, it's best to steer clear."

  They continued toward the door, each step feeling like an eternity. The weight of exhaustion pressed on them, their movements sluggish as they navigated through the labyrinthine halls.

  "When we enter, go to the first floor," Anna instructed, her words slightly slurred from fatigue.

  "There's a door near the entrance—next to the main one. Just walk straight to the end; don't go upstairs. Once you're done, come back to the second floor and knock and we'll get you." She yawned deeply, rubbing her eyes as she finished speaking.

  They opened the door and stepped into the room. The air was tinged with a red hue, a stark contrast to the orange light they had left behind. It took a moment for their eyes to adjust to the dim glow that bathed the walls.

  Definitely from the Chandelier of the second floor

  "Alright, go now, we're going here" Elara said, pointing toward another door to the side, the one Kaelan had disappeared into earlier.

  "We'll talk in about an hour or so. Don't worry, everything's in the shower." She gave a half-hearted wave before walking off, disappearing behind the door.

  Leonardo hesitated for a moment, glancing back at the door they had entered through.

  It seemed to lead only to stairs, an endless spiral stretching upward. He shook his head and began descending, his footsteps echoing softly in the quiet hall.

  As he passed by couches and finally the lounge he peered into the room, half-expecting something unusual to happen.

  "Maybe another one of those things will appear," he mused, trying to replicate how he had stood before, waiting for some hidden mechanism to activate. He waited a minute, but nothing happened. "It goes up on its own then... or holo... gram!" He exclaimed, the word popping into his mind.

  [Holo-gram, hol-lo-gr-am]—the text appeared for him again, as if mocking his pronunciation.

  "Holograaam," he repeated, stretching the 'a' longer than necessary. He walked out of the lounge and spotted the door Anna and Elara had mentioned , tucked awkwardly in a corner near the entrance. It seemed oddly placed, almost as if it didn't belong.

  "It's wrongly placed..." he said aloud, feeling certain of his observation. He approached the door, noticing a faint pressure emanating from the other side as he grasped the knob.

  something similar to flames.