Regulus adjusted the straps on his massive axe for the fifth time that morning, already sweating from the Esterian sun. He walked through the market square with exaggerated pride, as if every step he took deserved a round of applause.
Beside him, Leo Geyer strolled with way too much confidence for someone who looked like he'd just rolled out of bed. His red, tattered cloak dragged a little, his armor scuffed from the kraken fight days ago. A chain lazily coiled at his hip. And somehow, he was chewing a piece of dried meat like it was a royal feast.
"You walk too loud," Leo muttered.
"You walk like a cocky drunk with a fashion problem," Regulus snapped back.
Leo smirked. "I am cocky. And this 'fashion problem' strangled a kraken, thank you very much."
Regulus narrowed his eyes. "Still weird you didn't use any beasts."
Leo's jaw tensed slightly, but he said nothing.
They passed a street juggler who dropped all his pins when Leo accidentally let a chain rattle from his hip. Children gasped and pointed.
"Are you always this dramatic?" Regulus asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Always," Leo grinned. "It's part of the brand."
Regulus took a step forward, then slipped on a fruit peel.
THUD.
Leo stared down at him. "…Smooth."
Regulus roared, flailing to his feet. "I SWEAR THIS CITY IS CURSED!"
Leo chuckled, tossing the rest of his snack. "You sure it's not you that's cursed?"
Regulus glared. "You're lucky I'm too noble to punch teammates."
"Who says I wouldn't enjoy it?" Leo smirked, spinning a chain once before letting it drop back into place.
For a moment, the two just stood there in awkward silence.
Then Regulus grunted. "…You know, you're really annoying."
"You're just saying that 'cause I'm prettier than you," Leo said, fixing his hair dramatically.
Regulus groaned, rubbing his temples. "Please. Just. Shut up until we find something useful."
Leo tapped his chin, then suddenly stopped walking. His golden eyes narrowed.
"You feel that?" he asked.
Regulus paused. "…Feel what?"
"Magic. Old magic. Like… locked-away magic."
Regulus tilted his head. "You sure you're not cursed?"
Leo smirked again. "Only in the fun ways." Then he started to eat a piece of bread and
Leo set the last bite of bread down,and she's a fountain staring back at the carvings on the fountain. "Something's definitely under here."
Regulus tilted his head. "You gonna punch it? That's usually step one, right?"
Leo smirked. "Nah. Step one is figuring out if touching it gets us cursed."
He tapped the edge of one of the runes. A low hum echoed through the stones. Then a line of faint blue light traced along the edge of the carving, like it had been waiting for someone to wake it.
Regulus straightened up, eyes narrowing. "Uh. That's probably not normal."
"I think we just unlocked something," Leo muttered. "Old seal magic. Maybe a vault."
"Or a trap."
"That too."
The carvings shifted. A circular piece of the fountain slowly slid open like a dial, revealing a small, hidden compartment no bigger than a box. Inside, wrapped in thick red cloth, sat a strange crystal orb — pulsing faintly with a soft, violet light.
Leo reached for it. Regulus grabbed his arm.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?"
Leo grinned. "Nope."
He touched it.
Nothing exploded — not right away, at least. But the orb pulsed again, brighter this time. And a whisper — distant and hollow — echoed in their ears.
"Pride… must not awaken…"
Regulus stepped back instantly. "Yeah nope, I'm out. Let's go tell Rei and the others before this thing starts chanting Latin and opens a demon hole."
Leo, however, was staring into the orb. "It's a memory crystal. I think… it's connected to Maestro."
Regulus blinked. "You mean that creepy golden freak?"
Leo nodded slowly. "Yeah. Someone hid this on purpose. It's old, sealed, and left under a fountain in a city known for protecting forbidden knowledge. Makes sense."
They both turned as a shadow passed overhead — just a flock of birds flying past, but it was enough to snap them into motion.
Regulus grabbed the cloth and wrapped the orb back up. "Let's take it back to Vetra. She might know what to do with it."
Leo pocketed the bundle. "Agreed. But don't tell Kajala yet."
Regulus raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
Leo gave him a deadpan look. "Because he'll try to name it."
Regulus paused. "You're not wrong."
As they walked back toward the mansion, neither of them noticed that the carvings on the fountain were slowly dimming — or that something far below the city had briefly stirred for the first time in years.
The seal wasn't broken.
But it was weaker now.
And it remembered the voice of the sin of Pride.
The two of them made their way through the quiet side streets of Esteria, Leo clutching the wrapped crystal under one arm. The streets were busy a few blocks away, but here, things were quieter — perfect for talking without being overheard.
"So," Regulus said, rolling his shoulder. "You said that orb is connected to Maestro. How do you even know that?"
Leo glanced at him. "Because I've seen this kind of magic before. When I was younger, I stumbled across a battlefield with the same energy — old, refined, but twisted. It left behind a scorch pattern in the shape of stars. Same as his eyes."
Regulus let out a low whistle. "Man's really committed to the 'sin of Pride' thing, huh?"
"He's more than committed. He believes he's perfect. And if something doesn't fit into that vision…" Leo tapped the side of his head, "he deletes it."
"Deletes it?"
Leo nodded. "People. Towns. Ideas. Anything that threatens the image he wants the world to have."
Regulus frowned. "Then why not wipe us out already?"
"Because we're not worth it. Yet," Leo said, voice calm but serious. "And that's the scary part. He's not just powerful — he's calculating. He's got plans inside plans."
Regulus crossed his arms. "Yeah, well, maybe he should plan to meet the sharp end of my axe."
Leo's smirk faded as his eyes drifted toward the wrapped crystal again. "We need to be careful. I don't think Maestro's finished with us. If this orb is what I think it is, it might be… a piece of his history."
Regulus narrowed his eyes. "Wait — like a memory?"
"Yeah," Leo said quietly. "And if we unlock it, we might learn how he started. What he's really after. Maybe even how to stop him."
They both walked in silence for a moment.
Then Regulus asked, "You think he's working alone?"
Leo hesitated. "I think he's the face. But not the only piece."
Regulus groaned. "Of course not. There's always more weirdos."
Leo nodded. "Yeah. And they're probably just as dangerous. Maybe even worse."
Regulus stopped in front of a food stall and grabbed a meat stick, tossing a coin to the vendor. He took a bite, chewed, then said through a full mouth, "So basically... we're totally screwed."
Leo shrugged. "Only if we wait."
Regulus tilted his head. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Leo looked him dead in the eye. "I don't plan on running anymore. Next time Maestro shows his golden face, I want us ready. No more surprises."
Regulus finished chewing and grinned. "Now that's a plan I can get behind."