NOVEL NEXT Chapter 50: The Second Flip
The next fifty years passed by in a flash.
The sands in the hourglass at the top of Kairos Castle trickled down endlessly, a silent testament to time passed. Yet for Lukas, those years felt like a breath—heavy, meaningful, but fleeting. It was strange how time seemed to be all blended together.
One moment, he was dragging his body across the castle courtyard, wings sore, claws aching, scales cracked from collision after collision with invisible barriers of his own making—testing flight patterns, muscle memory, movement, and instinct. The next, he was sitting in the castle kitchen, elbow-deep in dishwater, flicking suds at Styx and pretending it was an accident. And she'd shoot him a look of annoyance but ultimately let it slide.
Honestly?
Lukas could have trained every second of every day. He could have locked himself in solitude and devote every shred of his being to his training. He probably would have made leaps and bounds. But…he had made that mistake in his past life. He had vowed not to make those same mistakes again. Not with Styx. Not with her.
At first, he used excuses: "Oh, I figured I'd clean the dishes again tonight." and "Let me help you with that." or even "I told you steak was good. Human food is nice. I know a couple more that you might like, cook with me tonight."
Styx saw through every lie, every half-hearted reason to stay longer. But she didn't call him out. The Goddess let him stay. In fact, he no longer had to ask. She no longer disappeared without a trace. She began to ask for him to stay. "Lukas, I need you to stir the sauce." and "Dragon Boy, there's this old game with cards that I used to play with my sisters. Want me to teach you?"
At some point, she gave up on false pretenses. They both did. She would simply insist that he stay and Lukas was more than willing to oblige. What began as awkward dinners turned into long conversations in front of the hearth, legs curled under them, laughter echoing through the castle's hollow halls.
Styx told him stories of the Greek Pantheon and the Titans who ruled it, of vows so ancient their words had turned to stone.
He shared stories of his childhood, of being Julien Fronterra, the mistakes he'd made and what his life had been like in Linemall so far.
She listened. And for the first time in a long time, so did he.
But that didn't mean he was slacking off on his training. Every second that Lukas Drakos was not with her, he was immersed in the Divinity of the Seas, and he was ruthless with himself. He pushed past limits he'd once believed immovable. The magic he once feared became an extension of his breath. Where once the currents danced around him, now they answered to him. He twisted this Divinity into something entirely his own—fluid, wild, and controlled. He conjured whirlpools with a whisper, and could calm a storm with a thought. Lady Kaitlyn would have wept with pride if she saw how far Lukas had come.
Sometimes, Styx would watch him from the courtyard balcony, arms folded, hiding the smile tugging at the edge of her lips. He'd catch her watching. She would no longer look away.In fact, she would be waiting until he finished his training which pushed him even harder to accomplish the things he'd set out to do during each session.
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Finally the last grain in the hourglass fell and with that, the first hundred years had passed. It made no sound. But Lukas felt the weight of the sand hitting the bottom of the hourglass.
The dragon stood before it, arms folded behind his back, his silhouette still—statuesque, almost reverent—as the last golden fleck of sand slipped into the base of time. For a long moment, he didn't move. Because now, he had a decision to make. Styx was there too, her face caught between calm and disquiet. Her rosy lips pressed into a thin line.
"You've already made up your mind, haven't you?" she asked him, looking for confirmation of the answer she already knew Lukas was going to give her.
Lukas didn't look at her. "Yes."
She crossed her arms. "You know how many have chosen to continue the Trial? Chosen to take that Second Flip?"
"I'm guessing not many."
"You would be right." she agreed, stepping closer now. "And most of them regretted it. You'd be shocked how quickly genius and ambition can turn to madness in a place like this." Her tone turned sharper. "One hundred years is something. And you have exceeded all expectations. But two hundred more? That's another lifetime. You will be alone. With nothing but your thoughts."
"I won't be alone." Lukas shot back with surprising force and emotion in his voice.
She blinked. Still, Styx tried again. She could not bear to imagine Lukas losing his mind simply because of his pride, thinking that he could stand against the test of time. "You've become more powerful than most mortals I've seen, Lukas. You have no need to stay here any longer."
Lukas turned his gaze toward her now, calm but unwavering. "I'm strong. Stronger than I was before. But I'm not as strong as Rodan."
Her lips parted… but no words came. He'd said it plain, and they both knew it was true. Even Styx—who had witnessed beings of power that went far beyond mortal comprehension—knew Rodan Drakos was something else. A legend. A force of nature. To be able to stand against someone like the Hero From Another World, someone who had a very god as their patron? That required strength far beyond what most mortals were capable of.
And Lukas? He had caught up to many mortals. Surpassed most. But not him. He was no where near close to Rodan.
"If I'm not even at Rodan's level," Lukas said, voice low, "then I can't return. Not yet. Because when I go back...there are those capable of putting my people in danger." He shook his head, more sure than ever. "And Linemall can't afford a Lord who's only halfway ready."
Styx watched him closely. They had spent enough time together for her to notice words unspoken. He did not say it but she felt it linger in the air between them like the soft pull of tidewater. He didn't need to say it. Lukas wanted to stay. He wanted to spend more time with her. Yet the Goddess didn't mention it. She just looked at him for a long, quiet beat before exhaling slowly.
"…Then so be it." Her voice was softer now. The resistance had faded. But just as she turned to leave, she spoke one last word of warning. "Just… tread carefully, Lukas Drakos. Time is a powerful thing. It has been kind to you. It has a price. I hope you are ready when it comes time to pay."
Once she had finished, Lukas stepped forward. Without ceremony, without flourish, he reached out and flipped the hourglass. The mechanism shuddered faintly as the sands began to rise again, reversing fate, continuing the Trial of Kairos Castle.
And so the Second Flip began and Lukas would remain here for another two hundred years.