CHAPTER 534: THE HAVEN OF LIGHT

The sun was climbing higher now, warming the mist that clung to the hills surrounding Hevenfort. The scent of wet earth mingled with the faint aroma of baked bread wafting from the mess hall. The new day promised both labor and renewal, the kind of day when the world seemed, for a moment, still capable of kindness.

Cornelius hurried along the cobbled path with a small bundle under his arm. His younger siblings—Cornelia, who was ten, and Conrad who was barely eight—followed close behind. Their eyes were wide, taking in everything: the stone walls of the palace, the banners fluttering with the sigil of the firebird, the distant clang of steel on the training field.

"Is this where you train, Cor?" Cornelia asked, her voice a whisper of awe.

He grinned, puffing his chest out a little. "Aye. That’s where Sir Logan teaches us. He’s strong as three men, and faster than lightning."

Conrad snorted. "Faster than lightning? You’re making that up."

Cornelius laughed and ruffled his brother’s hair. "Maybe. But you’ll see one day."

"I also want to be a soldier like you, Cor." The younger boy said with bright eyes. He had seen his brother grew stronger everyday and even started to grow muscles on his arms and legs.

They walked on until the stone road gave way to softer earth and when they reached the southern gate of the training ground, they met Logan.

Logan greeted the children carefully and let them rode the tryke. After fifteen minutes of pedaling, they reached their destination.

Ahead stood a low building of wood— the main hall of Eos Haven. It looked nothing like the fortress behind them. Vines climbed its outer beams, and bright flowers spilled from clay pots along the windowsills.

Beyond, were neatly arranged rectangular buildings made from brick and stones. Those were the different workshops used by the Gabriela Guild.

Children’s laughter drifted from within, mingling with the gentle sound of adult voices of women.

Cornelius stopped at the gate, suddenly hesitant. He had faced grueling drills and the sting of a blade, but stepping into a place like this made him nervous.

A woman appeared at the doorway. Her hair was silver-blonde, braided neatly down her back, and she wore a gown the color of morning skies. Her eyes—kind but sharp—took them in at once.

"You must be one of Logan’s recruits," she said. "He mentioned you might come."

"Yes, ma’am." Cornelius bowed awkwardly. "I’m Cornelius. These are my brother and sister, Cornelia and Conrad."

The woman was dazed for a moment. What strange names, she thought. Then she smiled. "Welcome. I’m Zeeta. You’ll find no swords here, only books and chores—and perhaps a little mischief if the children have their way."

Cornelia’s eyes brightened. "Books? We can really read here?"

"You can learn to," Zeeta said warmly. "And much more. Come. I will introduce you to Flora and Eva and our guests today, Ivy and Pamela."

They followed her inside. The air smelled faintly of parchment and herbs. Shelves lined the walls, filled with books—some old and bound in cracked leather, others new and gleaming.

At the far end of the hall, a young woman was teaching a small group of children to write their names on slates. Her voice carried softly, patient and melodic.

Logan who followed them watched, entranced.

"Who’s that?" Cornelius asked..

"That’s Thalia. She’s teaching the children in the morning and your siblings can join her class."

Cornelius nodded as he turned back to his siblings, who were already peering over the children’s shoulders, fascinated by the chalk marks on the green board.

"Can we stay?" Cornelia asked eagerly. "Please, Cor?"

Cornelius hesitated. He thought of the empty cottage waiting for them at the border of the training ground—the cracked roof, the thin meals, the long, lonely hours. And then he looked at Cornelia’s face, bright with hope, and Conrad’s shy smile.

He nodded. "Yes. Stay. Learn all you can. But you have to go back yourself in the afternoon. You can also help in the chores here so you can earn your meals."

Zeeta placed a gentle hand on his arm. "You’ve done well, Cornelius. They’ll be safe here."

He bowed his head. "Thank you, ma’am."

The day passed in quiet rhythm. Cornelia and Conrad learned the alphabet, helped sweep the floor, and joined the laughter of the other children as they played in the courtyard. In the afternoon, they helped water the herbs and the vegetables.

Logan lingered outside the building, watching from the garden bench.

After a while, he saw Thalia step out into the sunlight. She carried a basket of herbs and wore a simple gray dress. When she noticed him, she smiled faintly.

"You come early." She said in a gentle voice as she sat beside him.

"My shift is done and I missed you." Logan said, his voice filled with longing.

Thalia lowered her eyes and her cheeks turned red.

When Logan noticed that she was shy, he shifted the topic and asked about the children.

"They looked happy," he said. "They haven’t had much to be happy about... not since their parents died."

Thalia’s eyes softened. "Then this place will help heal that. The Haven has a way of mending what the world breaks."

Logan nodded, but he noticed something in her eyes—a quiet sorrow, deep and unspoken, like a shadow beneath sunlight.

Before he could ask, Cornelius appeared at the end of the path. His dark hair caught the light, and when his eyes found them, something unguarded flickered there—something warm and hopeful.

Thalia straightened, the basket in her hands.

"Cornelius," He greeted softly. "You found your way."

"Yes, Sir," Cornelius said quickly. "And thank you—for telling me about this place."

Logan nodded. "No problem. Keep training hard. And make sure your siblings keep coming here."

Cornelius saluted and took his leave, sensing he was intruding on something private.

When he was gone, silence settled between Logan and Thalia. The wind stirred the flowers at their feet.

"Thalia." His voice was steady, but the air between them changed—charged, intimate. "I told my mother I want to marry you. We will come tomorrow to propose."

Thalia did not know what say. She met his eyes then, her eyes reddened and for a heartbeat, the world held its breath.

Later that afternoon, as Cornelius led his siblings back toward their home, he glanced once over his shoulder. Through the open gate of Eos Haven, he saw Logan and Thalia still standing together—two figures framed by the light of the sunset, speaking softly, like the past and the future trying to find a way to exist in the same breath.

And though Cornelius couldn’t hear their words, something in that image made him believe that perhaps, in this corner of the world, hope was beginning to return.