Sanctuary: Safe Haven

Maggi, one of the squad leaders of Canna's shock troops, had always been a man of strategy and sharp instinct. Two months had passed since he and his men ventured out of the sanctuary, traveling far north in search of new recruits and potential allies. The Kingdom of Kharath had quickly piqued his interest.

Its bustling clans, powerful adventurers, and established guilds presented an opportunity for expansion—a way to bolster the sanctuary's forces. But as time passed, Maggi's initial enthusiasm gave way to disillusionment.

He had been sent here to recruit—to find people who could contribute to the sanctuary's growth, be it warriors, scholars, or tradesmen. Yet, what he found instead was a kingdom filled with smug attitudes and hollow bravado. In the Clan Varran, where Maggi had been recruited after demonstrating his talent in combat, the façade of strength ran deep.

One of the elders had personally taken interest in him, recognizing his raw talent and exceptional abilities. Within a month, Maggi had become one of the rising prodigies in the younger generation of the clan. His skills in combat were unmatched by most, and his reputation spread quickly through the ranks.

However, this reputation was built on a lie—or rather, a well-crafted disguise.

Maggi's bad attitude and cutting words were all part of his act, a way to distance himself from the people he saw as weak or corrupt. He pretended to be one of them, adopting their arrogance to blend in. But as the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months, Maggi found it increasingly difficult to maintain the mask. The secrets he uncovered about the kingdom and its people soured his view.

The haughty clan members who boasted of their strength were the first to flee at the sign of true danger, and the adventurers who strutted around with bravado lacked the resolve that warriors from the sanctuary had in abundance.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Among the younger members of Clan Varran, there were only a handful who could even come close to matching Maggi in combat. Most of the time, if he wanted a real challenge, he sought out the elders—veterans who had seen countless battles and were eager to test the young prodigy.

His first spar with an elder had been a memorable event, showcasing his true strength and securing his position within the clan. But even those victories felt hollow, and Maggi's disdain for the kingdom continued to grow.

His disguise, once merely a front, was beginning to take root. The sneer on his face became permanent, and his sharp words started to carry real bitterness. He found himself loathing the very people he had been sent to observe. The longer he stayed, the more he realized that this kingdom was a sham.

And yet, despite his frustrations, Maggi knew he had a mission to complete—gather intelligence, recruit those worth recruiting, and report back to the sanctuary.

But today, everything changed.

Maggi's carefully crafted façade shattered the moment he stepped into the Adventurer's Guild and saw the man lying casually on the guildmaster's couch.

"Canna-sama!" Maggi screamed internally, his thoughts racing. There was no mistaking it. The white hair, the aura of calm dominance—it was Canna. His leader. A thousand questions flooded Maggi's mind, but he quickly forced them down, schooling his expression into one of indifference.

His fellow Clan Varran members were approaching Canna, likely about to wake him in the most inappropriate way imaginable. Maggi moved faster than he had in weeks, jumping in front of them before they could do anything foolish.

"I'll take it from here!" Maggi barked, his voice louder than necessary. The suddenness of his outburst caused the other members to stop in their tracks, turning to look at him in confusion.

"This is nothing," Maggi continued, adopting his usual smug expression. "I'll escort him to the carriage. You lot can go on about your business."

The other Clan Varran members exchanged puzzled glances. It wasn't uncommon for members of the clan to get into trouble, and they were often called to handle such situations. Normally, the protocol was simple: collect the guilty party, offer compensation if needed, and move on. But the way Maggi had reacted was strange, even for him.

"Alright then," said one of the men, his sharp eyes narrowing slightly. "Ask the guildmaster what happened. We'll need a full report."

Maggi gave a curt nod. "I know the procedures," he muttered, brushing past them as he moved toward Canna. He bumped their shoulders roughly, but they had long since grown used to his brash behavior. Shaking their heads, they left the room, heading for the exit to wait.

Once the room had cleared, it left only Maggi, the guildmaster, and Canna, who was still fast asleep on the couch, utterly unconcerned by the world around him.

The guildmaster scowled and reached for a longsword that lay nearby. He tossed it to Maggi, clearly irritated. "Get him out of here," the guildmaster growled. "He's caused enough trouble. This sword was with him, and I assumed he was one of yours."

Maggi caught the sword, his eyes falling on the emblem of Clan Varran engraved near the hilt. His suspicions were confirmed—Canna had clearly crossed paths with a clan member.

Maggi approached Canna cautiously, his mind racing. There were two very good reasons why he had insisted on handling this alone.

First, it was Canna. Maggi knew better than anyone how Canna reacted when woken up in a rude manner. His leader after all had a very intrusive thought, he might just summon a thunderbolt out of nowhere, probably even punch that individual. That was the thing with Canna, his just too unpredictable, and the last thing Maggi wanted was for Canna to cause an even bigger scene.

Second, and perhaps more importantly, was the presence of Nyx. Maggi was certain that the great-calamity shadow bear was hiding in Canna's shadow. If Mortem had been there instead, the entire guild building might already be in ruins. Mortem's loyalty and protectiveness over Canna knew no bounds, and any slight against his master would be met with overwhelming force.

As he neared the couch, Maggi slowed his steps, praying that Nyx wouldn't attack him outright. Beads of sweat formed on his brow as he extended a hand, carefully shaking Canna's shoulder.

"Canna-sama," Maggi whispered, his voice barely audible. "It's time to go." Explore more at empire

To his relief, Canna stirred slightly, blinking up at him with a half-awake expression. For a moment, Maggi feared that Canna wouldn't recognize him. But then Canna gave him a small yawn followed by a lazy smile.

"Maggi," Canna muttered, his voice groggy. "You're here… Good."

Maggi exhaled slowly, relief flooding through him. He had survived the first hurdle—waking Canna without any incidents. Now, he just needed to get him out of the Adventurer's Guild without causing further chaos.

The guildmaster, standing at the door, watched the exchange in silence. His annoyance was evident, but he made no move to stop them. He simply wanted Canna gone.

Maggi lifted the sword, sheathed it, and helped Canna to his feet. As they left the room, Maggi couldn't help but feel the weight of responsibility pressing down on him. This mission was supposed to be simple, but things were never simple where Canna was involved.