The Protectors: Rising from Ashes [Progression Fantasy | Action-Packed | Epic Battles]

Chairs scraped softly across the polished floor as the five chosen ones gathered around the long dining table. The warm scent of roasted vegetables, herbs, and fire-grilled meats lingered in the air, mingling with the soft clink of dishes being passed and goblets being filled.

Cassandra sat at the head, arms crossed loosely over her chest, her sharp eyes quietly scanning each face. Her presence alone held the table in a quiet kind of discipline.

Maris returned with a tray balanced effortlessly on one hand, her movements fluid as if she'd done this a thousand times before. Her steps barely made a sound, weaving through the narrow gaps between chairs until she stopped beside Elias. In her hand, a silver goblet shimmered with a dark crimson sheen. She placed it gently in front of him, her fingers brushing the base for a moment before letting go. The rim caught the light, glinting like a whisper of danger.

"Here," she said gently, voice low but certain. "You need this. It'll help your shoulder heal faster."

Elias inclined his head in silent thanks. His hand closed around the goblet, slowly, deliberately, but his other hand hovered near his upper arm, just above the fresh bruise. His jaw tightened ever so slightly as he shifted in his seat, the pain clearly still lingering beneath the surface calm.

Across the table, Eddy was mid-bite when his gaze caught the goblet. His chewing slowed. Eyes narrowed slightly as he took in the thickness of the liquid, its deep red hue gleaming in the candlelight.

He blinked.

"Right," he muttered under his breath, nudging his plate half an inch to the side with the edge of his thumb. "Still getting used to the... blood-on-the-table thing."

Aiden, seated beside him, let out a short breath that almost passed for a chuckle. His lips curled at the edge, half smirk, half shrug, as he leaned closer, the corners of his eyes crinkling just a touch. "You'll get used to it. Or pass out. One of those."

The amusement dimmed almost as quickly as it had appeared. Aiden's gaze drifted toward Elias. Something flickered there, concern, maybe guilt. He looked down, fingers brushing the wood of the table as if grounding himself.

We need to be more careful next time.

Inside, Fenrik stirred. A pulse of unrest surged through their bond, like a beast pacing behind the bars of its cage.

That strength... it surged too fast. I wasn't ready.

Neither was I. Aiden inhaled slowly through his nose, shoulders stiffening. But no one should get hurt again, not like that. We're still figuring this out, Fenrik. Just... try to hold back next time.

There was a beat of silence.

Then Fenrik's voice returned, slower. Weightier.

Then let's get it under control before someone pays for our mistake.

The words faded, leaving a hum of tension just beneath Aiden's skin.

Thorne leaned forward then, the legs of his chair letting out a faint creak. He planted his arms on the table, fingers drumming once before stilling. His grin grew, mischief flickering in his eyes, the remnants of adrenaline still coursing through his posture.

"You should've been there today, Maris," he said, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Training session was... something else."

He jerked his chin toward Aiden with a swift nod, the excitement bubbling just beneath his skin.

"First, Fenrik grew. Like really grew. He's not a pup anymore."

Then, with a flourish, he swept his hand toward Lyric, nearly knocking over his spoon.

"And this one? She nearly launched Alice to the moon."

Alice raised her hand lazily without looking up from her plate, still nudging a roasted mushroom with her fork. Her shoulders slumped in mock exhaustion.

"Still sore, thank you," she muttered, voice dry.

Lyric's eyes widened. She leaned forward, a slight wince tugging at her brows as she pressed her fingers against the rim of her glass, not quite meeting Alice's gaze.

"Sorry about that," she said softly, nudging her glass with a fingertip. "I didn't mean to throw you halfway to the ground..."

Alice looked up at that, fork pausing mid-stab. Her brow arched with exaggerated grace, a smirk slowly forming as she tilted her head.

"No worries," she said, voice lighter now. "Next time, I'll be careful too, about your overly dramatic sparkle bursts."

Lyric blinked, cheeks warming as a sheepish laugh escaped her lips. Her fingers tapped the glass again, quicker this time, as a few chuckles rose from around the table.

Alice shook her head, feigning a long-suffering sigh, lips twitching.

"Honestly. I just wanted a fair match, not to be part of a magical light show."

Thorne snorted, biting back a laugh.

"Pretty sure you left a crater when you landed."

The table rippled with laughter again, the energy lightening, dissolving some of the tension that had curled like mist between them.

Across from them, Maris blinked. Her gaze darted from face to face, catching up with the thread of conversation. She turned slightly, focusing on Lyric now, brows knitting.

"Wait—so you finally used your magic?"

Lyric's breath hitched. Her shoulders tensed visibly, and she shrank slightly in her seat. One hand slid around the cool curve of her water glass, her thumb rubbing across its surface. She stared at the table for a moment, lashes lowered.

"Yeah," she murmured. "But it was just a moment. When I tried again... nothing."

Cassandra, seated diagonally across, didn't turn her head. Her eyes were already fixed on Lyric, and when she spoke, her voice flowed like still water, measured, unwavering.

"One day you will control it," she said. "Just trust yourself."

Lyric hesitated, then lifted her eyes just enough to meet Cassandra's gaze. Her mouth parted slightly, a breath caught in her throat. Slowly, she nodded. The doubt didn't vanish completely, but in its place, something steadier began to flicker. A quiet determination, fragile but real.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Maris shifted then, angling her chair slightly as she leaned toward Aiden. She rested her elbow on the table, chin tipping to the side, expression curious but shaded with concern.

"And how are you holding up?" she asked. "Fenrik seems... more intense lately."

Aiden let out a soft chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck, the motion dragging a hand through his tousled hair. He dropped his arm back to the table, rolling his shoulders.

"That's putting it mildly," he replied, glancing sideways, as though expecting Fenrik to respond from the shadows. "He's growing faster than either of us expected."

His gaze flicked toward Elias, barely a second of eye contact, but long enough for guilt to rise and settle behind his eyes.

"But I swear, today wasn't what we intended."

Before Maris could speak, Elias set his goblet down with a quiet clink. It wasn't harsh, but it carried weight, like a full stop in the middle of a sentence.

"I told you," he said, voice calm, unwavering. His eyes locked with Aiden's. "It wasn't Fenrik's fault. Or yours."

He shifted, rolling his injured shoulder slowly before settling back into the chair. The lines at the edge of his mouth deepened for a breath.

"I didn't react fast enough. And Fenrik's learning to handle new strength. It happens."

Eddy, who had been slouched low, spoon in hand as he traced aimless patterns on the tablecloth, suddenly sat upright. He raised a finger like an academic with a revelation, eyebrows lifting high with theatrical flair.

"Okay, okay. That's fair. But Maris, the real thing you missed?"

He swung his arm dramatically, pointing toward the large arched window that framed the wall beside them.

"The sky. It went full Armageddon for like ten minutes. Clouds, thunder, lightning. All out of nowhere."

Maris turned slowly, confusion knitting her brow. Her eyes followed his finger, landing on the view beyond. The trees danced lazily in a breeze, golden light bathed the lawn, and the sky above was a gentle, uninterrupted blue.

She frowned. Her head tilted slightly, eyes narrowing.

"What are you talking about?" she asked, baffled. "The weather's clear."

Cassandra moved then, not much, just a subtle shift as her cloak brushed softly against the chair. She leaned back with the slow grace of someone who already knew the weight of what she was about to say. Her arms folded with finality.

"That's the point," she said. Her gaze swept toward Elias. "As fast as it came... it vanished."

Maris turned sharply, eyes snapping back to Cassandra. Her shoulders drew back slightly, lips parting in disbelief as her voice dipped, heavy and low.

"How's that even possible? No one can do that. Not even a coven of high witches or a full circle of fae could change the weather that fast. And it doesn't just fade without leaving a trace."

Silence hung like mist, thick and unspoken.

Cassandra, seated beside her, didn't glance away from Elias. Her gaze remained fixed, unreadable. She leaned back just slightly, the movement deliberate, her arms folding with the precision of someone choosing restraint over reaction.

"We don't know," she said, her voice quieter now, almost contemplative. "But it wasn't ordinary. It happened like the sky itself blinked."

Elias didn't speak.

His grip on the goblet tightened a fraction, knuckles paling just slightly. Inside, the thick crimson liquid swirled with a faint shimmer, catching the soft golden glow from the chandelier overhead.

His gaze stayed on it, unwavering. Unreadable. His expression gave away nothing—but there was weight in his stillness.

Then, slowly, he lifted the goblet and took a sip. Silent. Steady. Controlled.

No one pressed him.

Across the table, glances flicked between one another, quick and cautious. Thorne furrowed his brow faintly. Lyric shifted in her seat. Aiden exhaled slowly, gaze dropping for a beat. Curious. Concerned. But none of them spoke.

Only Cassandra sat forward slightly, her hands resting on the edge of the table, eyes sharp with quiet calculation. She didn't blink, watching Elias as if searching for a crack in stone, some glimpse of whatever had stirred beneath his silence.

The quiet deepened, pressing in from all sides.

Whatever had stirred inside Elias...
Whatever had bent the sky and summoned lightning...

It hadn't been just reaction.
It had been something waiting.

The clink of plates began to replace the tension, hesitant at first, then more fluid. Chairs creaked. Utensils clinked gently against bowls. Movement returned, the familiar rhythm of a shared meal creeping back in, uneven, but present.

Eddy glanced from one overflowing plate to another, his nose wrinkling in mock dismay as he leaned slightly back in his chair.

"You all eat too much," he said, almost scandalized, as Thorne reached for a third helping.

Thorne grinned, teeth flashing as he licked sauce from his thumb without shame. "Told you. Our diet's much heavier compared to humans."

Maybe if you didn't inhale half a cow every sitting, Pyrix drawled inside his mind, voice warm and laced with amusement. You wouldn't sound so proud of it.

Thorne's smirk twitched. He cast a quick glance upward, shoulders relaxing just a touch.

You're one to talk. You practically burn through energy faster than I do.

A pause.

At least I don't do it with my mouth full.

A breath of laughter escaped Thorne as he shook his head, muttering under it.

You should show up sometime. Even Fenrik's stepping up. Becoming fearless. Powerful.

Pyrix's response came slower this time, heavier with meaning.

That's because Aiden wasn't afraid to bring him into the light. But you... you're still scared. Not of me, of what happens when you give in.

Thorne's jaw shifted, tension flickering across his features. His hand paused over the breadbasket.

I'm not scared of you, he finally muttered. I'm cautious. There's a difference.

Across from him, Alice let out a huff and pushed her chair back with a scrape. She stretched both arms above her head, shoulders popping as she arched her back.

"I think it's time for a proper bath," she said, glancing down at the smudges on her sleeves. "We're basically walking sacks of sweat and dirt."

"Seconded," Eddy mumbled, hauling himself up with a wince as he rubbed his shoulder. "Every inch of me hurts. Even the ones I didn't know existed."

Aiden leaned back in his chair, a dry grin pulling at his mouth.

"You only trained for an hour. And those weren't even real fights, just basic warm-ups."

Eddy narrowed his eyes, grabbing his napkin and tossing it toward Aiden.

"Says the wolf who probably bench-presses trees for fun. My spine doesn't come with a shock-absorber upgrade, alright?"

Laughter broke around the table, warm and easy. It rippled outward, uncoiling what tension still lingered in the corners of the room.

Elias pushed his chair back with care, rising in a slow, measured motion. He rotated his shoulder slightly, testing it with a quiet roll. His expression remained neutral, but his movements were steadier than before.

"We should head out," he said, voice even. "Some rest will probably heal this the rest of the way."

Chairs scraped back in response as the others stood. Lyric adjusted the scarf at her neck, smoothing the ends over her chest. Thorne grabbed his cloak from the back of his chair. Alice retrieved her staff, flipping it into her hand with a casual twirl.

They began to head for the hall, voices lightening again as they moved.

"We'll definitely be back for your next dinner," Alice called.

"Don't think we're not expecting dessert!" Thorne added with a wink tossed over his shoulder.

Maris stood still for a moment, watching them with an arched brow and a faint twitch at the corner of her lips.

"Greedy bunch," she said under her breath, half amused.

Cassandra remained at the table, her cloak draped like a second shadow as she leaned back in her chair. One hand rested on the armrest, the other loosely holding a fork she hadn't set down. Her eyes followed them as they moved, sharp and steady.

"I'll meet you all in the Conceptorium," she said, eyes still sharp.

Thorne paused mid-step, glancing over his shoulder. A grin curled across his face, teeth flashing beneath the soft glow of the lanterns.

"Ominous name. Should we bring shields or snacks?"

Without looking up, Cassandra replied, her voice as even as ever.

"Maybe both."

A faint chuckle passed between them, but it faded quickly as they exited the hall.

They walked down the stone hallway, boots clicking lightly against the polished floor. The silence wrapped around them like a waiting breath. Lamps spaced along the walls cast flickering golden light, and with each step, their shadows elongated, dancing ahead like ghostly doubles.

Eddy walked with his hands loosely in his pockets, head tilted slightly as he scanned the walls. After a moment, his gaze flicked sideways to the others, brows drawn together in quiet curiosity.

"So... what exactly is the Conceptorium?"

Elias didn't turn. His voice, calm and clipped, drifted forward like a steady current.

"It's the strategic chamber. Where we meet, plan, discuss potential threats. If another invader shows up—and we know one is coming—that's where we decide how to deal with it."

Eddy nodded slowly, absorbing the weight of that. His shoulders straightened, and his lips pulled into a half-smile.

"Okay... yeah. That sounds serious. And very cool."

"We need it," Lyric added, her voice soft but sure. She walked beside Elias, scarf fluttering slightly as she spoke. Her hands were clasped in front of her, but her eyes carried a flicker of firm conviction. "Especially now."

No one responded, but they didn't need to. Their footsteps echoed in unison down the corridor, steadier now, more aligned. The silence wasn't just silence anymore.