Realm Lord
Chapter 172: It Begins

Chapter 172: It Begins

The walk back to their assigned quarters felt longer than it should have, their bodies finally beginning to feel the full weight of exhaustion from their day. The base’s corridors seemed to stretch endlessly before them,lit brightly by the luminous lights hanging from poles.

Building 4 rose before them like a towering monolith, its multiple floors housing accommodations for permanent personnel, and various guild members who found themselves stationed at the Port base for extended periods and very lucky. The structure’s design was more residential than military, with wider hallways and more comfortable furnishings than the purely functional buildings they had seen elsewhere.

They climbed the stairs to the second floor, their footsteps echoing softly against the polished stone steps. The hallway was quiet at this hour, with most occupants either still engaged in training exercises or taking advantage of the base’s other facilities. The numbered doors they passed suggested a capacity for housing dozens of individuals, each room presumably offering the same accommodations they were about to discover.

Room 247 awaited them halfway down the corridor, its solid wooden door bearing a small nameplate that had been hastily updated with their information. Arthur fumbled briefly with the keycard before the lock clicked open with a soft electronic chime.

The door swung inward to reveal accommodations that far exceeded their expectations. The room was spacious by military standards, easily twice the size of their cramped quarters back at the academy. Natural light streamed through a large window that offered a view of the base’s inner courtyard, where they could see other personnel moving about their daily routines.

Immediately to the left as they entered, a well-appointed bathroom beckoned with the promise of hot water and privacy—luxuries that had been in short supply during their recent travels. The fixtures appeared modern and well-maintained, with fluffy towels neatly arranged on warming racks and toiletries provided in small dispensers mounted on the wall.

Beyond the bathroom area, the main living space opened up to reveal two single beds positioned against opposite walls, each made with crisp white linens and military precision. A substantial desk sat beneath the window, its surface clear except for a small lamp and what appeared to be information packets about the base’s facilities and regulations. Two matching dressers provided ample storage space for personal belongings, their dark wood finish lending an air of permanence to what was supposedly temporary housing.

Both young men stood in the doorway for a moment, taking in the unexpected comfort of their surroundings. After weeks of rough travel and uncertain accommodations, the sight of clean sheets and private space that wasn’t constantly rocking side to side felt surreal.

Aziel dropped his travel bags with a heavy thud that seemed to echo his own exhaustion, his expression shifting from tired appreciation to genuine curiosity. "Why do we get such a nice room anyway?" he asked, his voice carrying a note of suspicion. "Most of the smaller guilds and lower ranks in the big ones are stuck sleeping in shitty makeshift barracks or tents outside the main compound. What kind of pull does Cara have around here?"

Arthur chuckled softly, setting his own bag down more carefully beside one of the beds. "Well, seeing as she’s a guild leader at the rank of Chosen... somehow, someway, probably quite a lot. She’s really amazing."

As the words left his mouth, Arthur found himself caught up in memories of their sparring match once again. The way Cara had moved with such fluid grace, the overwhelming power she had displayed, the casual confidence with which she had handled him—it was impossible not to be impressed. A smile played at the corners of his mouth as he replayed the encounter in his mind, lost in admiration for her skill and strength.

The sound of footsteps approaching snapped him back to the present, and he turned to find Aziel standing uncomfortably close, less than a foot from his face. His friend wore a sly grin that immediately put Arthur on edge, the expression suggesting mischief was about to unfold.

"...What?" Arthur said hesitantly, instinctively taking a small step backward.

"Oh, nothing," Aziel replied, his grin growing more devious by the second. "It’s just... you seem really infatuated with Cara..." He paused dramatically, clearly enjoying Arthur’s growing discomfort. "You got a crush?"

Arthur’s eyebrows scrunched together in panic, his face flushing red as he took another hurried step back. "What! No! What are you even talking about!" he protested, his voice cracking slightly with embarrassment.

Aziel maintained his intense stare for one more long second, studying Arthur’s flustered reaction with obvious amusement. Then, without warning, he suddenly broke into a fit of uncontrollable laughter, doubling over as mirth overtook him completely.

Arthur’s embarrassment quickly transformed into irritation as he realized he was being messed with. He glared at his friend, waiting for the ridiculous display to subside. After several moments of Aziel’s hysterical laughter echoing through their room, Arthur decided it was time for payback.

"What about you?" Arthur said, his own grin now firmly stapled to his face. "You and Maya seem like a perfect match."

The effect was immediate and dramatic. Aziel’s laughter ceased abruptly, as if someone had flipped a switch. His expression darkened into a glare that could have melted steel, all traces of his previous mirth evaporating instantly.

"Not funny, dude," Aziel said through gritted teeth. "I’d literally rather date a dude."

This time it was Arthur’s turn to break into hysterical laughter, the absurdity of his friend’s reaction proving far more entertaining than he had expected. He clutched his sides as waves of mirth washed over him, tears forming in his eyes from the intensity of his amusement.

Aziel rolled his eyes in exasperation, clearly regretting his decision to tease Arthur in the first place. "Whatever, dude. I’m going to take a bath... asshole," he muttered, making his way toward the bathroom with obvious haste.

The sound of running water soon filled the room as Aziel began his washing routine, leaving Arthur alone with his thoughts and the lingering echoes of their playful banter. Despite the teasing, there was something comforting about their easy camaraderie—a reminder that not everything in their lives had to be serious or weighted with the burden of their responsibilities.

When Aziel finally emerged from the bathroom, steam trailing behind him and his hair damp from the hot water, Arthur took his turn. The shower was a luxury he hadn’t fully appreciated until the hot water began washing away the accumulated grime and tension from their day. He stood under the stream longer than necessary, letting the heat soak into his muscles and ease the soreness from their training session.

Soon enough, both young men were settled into their respective beds, the comfortable mattresses and clean linens promising the kind of restful sleep they desperately needed. The room fell into a peaceful quiet, broken only by the distant sounds of the base’s nighttime activities filtering through their window.

But despite their exhaustion, despite the comfortable accommodations and the day’s intense physical activity, sleep proved frustratingly elusive. Arthur lay on his back, staring at the ceiling as minutes ticked by without the drowsiness he expected. Beside him, he could hear Aziel shifting restlessly in his own bed, clearly experiencing the same inexplicable wakefulness.

It wasn’t nervousness or fear keeping them awake—they felt no different emotionally than they had during their time on the ship. Their minds were relatively calm, their bodies tired, yet something seemed to be actively rejecting their attempts to find rest. It was as if their very physiology was working against them, keeping them suspended in a state of unwanted alertness.

For Arthur, the sleeplessness was accompanied by something even more disturbing. He could feel it growing in the back of his head—a strange sensation that defied easy description. It was almost like a pit, a hollow space that seemed to be expanding slowly but steadily. The sensation was reminiscent of a bubble forming and growing larger, pressing against the inside of his skull.

The phenomenon didn’t hurt, exactly. It wasn’t painful in any conventional sense, nor did it feel like anything he could point to and describe as uncomfortable. But it was undeniably there, a presence that he could sense with absolute certainty. It felt almost alive, like a living thing that had taken up residence in his mind and was slowly making itself more at home.

Arthur tried to focus on other things—the comfortable bed, the soft sound of Aziel’s breathing, the distant murmur of activity from elsewhere in the base. But his attention kept returning to that growing sensation, that inexplicable presence that seemed to be expanding with each passing moment.

He considered waking Aziel to ask if he was experiencing anything similar, but something held him back. Perhaps it was the fear that voicing his concerns would make them more real, or maybe he simply didn’t want to worry his friend with what might be nothing more than his imagination running wild.

Chalking it up to possible nerves despite knowing he wasn’t actually nervous, Arthur did his best to ignore the sensation and focus on achieving the rest that continued to evade him. He closed his eyes, regulated his breathing, and tried every relaxation technique he could think of.

But the pit in his head continued to grow, and sleep remained frustratingly out of reach, leaving him to wonder what tomorrow would bring and whether this strange new sensation was connected to their training, their location, or something else entirely.