[TBATE] -More Than One Godspell-

Draven
Cold.
Not the gentle nip of autumn or the crispy chill of a brisk morning, but the kind of cold that seeped its way through every layer I wore, sinking deep into my skin while the wind lashed against my face like thousands of needles and carried snowflakes along that only worsened the torment.
Oh, how I hated it when it froze my nose because of how intolerable it was.
"Draven?"
Yara's voice cut through like a melody, soft yet impossible to ignore.
"Can you hear me?"
Before I could gather my thoughts, her gloved hands cupped my cheeks, her thumbs tracing slowly on my icy skin.
"Y-yes! I hear you." I stammered, placing my hand over hers, my gaze caught in the striking crimson of her eyes, unable to pull away from their mesmerizing beauty.
"What were you thinking, professor?" She chuckled, her eyes narrowed in amusement.
"I'm just... thinking about you." I replied, the words slipping out without a second thought.
She let out another chuckle before she leaned closer to have her lips press against mine. "That's very sweet."
"And..." I added, my breath fogging the cold air between us, "I'm also thinking about how our daughter will be as beautiful as you when she grows up. All of the men will go crazy over her."
She shook her head. "You're thinking a bit too far ahead, Draven." Her laughter bubbled up again, this time louder, with her cheeks tinged pink from my flattering words.
"Come on, let's go home." She said, tightening her grip on my hand as she turned and tugged me along as we wove through the snowy and crowded streets of Cardigan, where people just come and go.
"..."
Looking at her, my thoughts turned inward as I couldn't help but question myself. 
How can I, of all men, have been lucky enough to marry such a remarkable woman?
It wasn't just that she was beautiful—though she was, breathtakingly so—it was the way she carried herself. She should've belonged in the grandeur of a High Blood or, at the very least, a named blood of great renown. And yet, here she was, not a distant dream but my reality—my love.
For her, I'd already decided to leave the life of an Ascender behind, no longer willing to gamble my life in the Relictombs. It simply wasn't worth it anymore now that I had a family.
Becoming a professor at the central academy of Cardigan was the safest and the best option that offered a good and stable income.
And maybe—just maybe—if I can make a name for myself, I could even earn the right to name my own blood. My wife and daughter could have a full and prosperous life.
"Heh..."
Am I being too delusional?
***
"With many achievements and as the foremost contributor to the advancement of mathematics, biology, physics, and technology in Alacrya in less than twenty years of service for the High Sovereign. Namon has earned recognition as the most intelligent human ever known."
"Very good, Mr. Taegen." I remarked, giving him a compliment he rarely gets. "There, you see? All it took was a bit of time with the book, and you're already sharper than yourself from yesterday."
"Yeah! Thanks to this, I now know how much of an asshole this man really is!" The boy declared, his voice cutting through the quiet hum of my class.
"Mr. Taegen!" I slammed the desk, having the inkpot wobbling before tipping its dark stain all over my notes. "I'll remind you that Namon, like myself, is a professor at this academy. I strongly advise you to choose your words carefully."
"NO! Seriously!" He burst out, throwing his arms up in exaggerated frustration. "If the dude figured out all these ways to solve impossible math problems, why are we stuck learning every single one of them? I'm here to become an Ascender, not a—whatever he is!" He jabbed a finger at the open book in front of him. "'One number is five more than another number, and three times the greater plus twice the lesser is thirty. Determine the numbers.' Come on! What the f*ck is that question?! Who even asks that?!"
"Enough!" I snapped, and just as the word left my mouth, the bell rang.
As if being unshackled from chains, all students sprang to their feet. Books snapped shut, and without so much as a goodbye, they surged toward the door in a chaotic rush, leaving the classroom before I could have the chance to assign them their homework.
I watched them go, exhaling a heave sigh as I looked at the mess on my desk.
"Great." Grabbing the rag, I began dabbing at the spreading ink stain.
Looks like I'll be home a little late today.
"Professor Draven." A voice called me. "Haven't gone home yet?"
Turning to the door, I saw a man leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, looking at me with his eyes bored with exhaustion.
"It's been a while..."
"Ah, Professor Namon!" I greeted while my arms were still doing the cleaning. "I've made a bit of a mess, so... yeah, as you can see..."
"...Alright..." He sighed.
"What about you? Why are you still here?"
"...Oh, me? Well, I just stopped by to congratulate you." He answered, giving me a thumbs up along with a weak smile.
"Congratulate me?"
"On becoming a father of two." He nodded.
"T-thank you... but how'd you know that??" I stopped.
"Your beloved wife, Yara, told me just now. She and your daughter are waiting for you outside the academy." He yawned, covering his mouth with his hand.
"Oh my Vritra's grace! I—I think I should go now—can you help me clean this up, please?" I hurriedly shoved my belongings into my suitcase.
"Yeah, Yeah, sure, I'll... I'll handle that..."
"You're a life saver. Thank you." I said, picking up my suitcase and quickly making my way to the door.
"Hey, Draven, wait a second..." Namon called after me, stopping me in my tracks.
I turned back at him, curious. "What is it?"
"There's, uh, there's one more thing I wanted to tell you." Namon stared at me as if he wanted to be sure I'll listen to what he was about to say. 
I stepped back into the class, letting the door swing shut behind me. "...Alright, what's on your mind?"
"We... may not see each other again after today."
My brow furrowed. "What—are you going somewhere? Is it a vacation?"
"Please, trust me. It's... best if I don't tell you." He replied, hesitating. His tone softened, almost apologetic. "Just know that—you're the closest thing to a friend, or even a brother, I've ever had. I'm grateful for everything you and Yara have done for me. Letting me eat dinner at your house, helping me when I needed it... and..." He trailed off, as if searching for words that refused to come.
"It means more than I can express. Thank you, Draven." He finished.
I opened my mouth to press further but stopped. Instead, I nodded slowly. "Take care, Professor Namon."
I left the class, my thoughts swirling as I made my way downstairs, passing through empty classrooms and hallways to the academy gate where Yara stood, cradling our sleeping daughter in her arms.
"What's wrong?" She asked as I approached. "You looked like you're in a hurry."
"It's cold out here, and you're pregnant. I didn't want you to wait here for too long." I replied softly, brushing off a strand of hair on her face. My gaze then fell on my daughter, bundling snugly in Yara's embrace. "Heyyyy! How's my little Elara? Heh! Can you believe she's almost two already?"
Yara smiled. "She's growing fast, indeed. Soon, she'll be running circles around you."
"Here, let me carry her for you." I chuckled, reaching out to carefully have Elara in my care.
"We should head home." Yara said as we started walking. "Dinner's already made. Is Namon joining us tonight? I think you both will like my new recipe."
"Uh, no, he is a bit busy this month."
"Oh... he must be having a lot of work to be done. I've seen his name in the papers a lot lately."
"Yeah."
The conversation between me and Namon replayed in my mind often in the next two months that followed.
Namon has gone missing.
He wasn't joking. That was the last time we ever meet and talk.
For a time, the speculation and investigation of his disappearance eventually dwindled into silence as most came to believe that he was dead. 
The newspapers stopped mentioning him altogether as rumors were circulating that he was being held in Taegrin Caelum, so it was thought that it would be best not to mention the young genius' name ever again.
Morning had already arrived, yet the sky remained a murky, brooding gray, the kind that would make people question the hour.
A storm, perhaps?
"Draven."
I blinked, hurriedly swallowing the bite of food in my mouth. "Hm?"
Yara stepped away from the sink, crossing the room to take my hand. Her fingers felt unusually cool, her grip tentative but insistent. "I... I want us to move to Maerin. I want us to live there." She said, trembling ever so slightly. Concern crept further into my thoughts as I noticed the dark circles under her eyes.
Did she not sleep well last night?
I straightened in my chair, placing my hand on hers. "Your hometown? Why? Is there something wrong?" I asked with my voice soft and careful, trying not to push too hard.
Her gaze dropped down to the table, her thumbs brushing lightly against my knuckles. For a moment, I thought my wife wasn't going to say anything, but I chose to stay patient and give her as much time as she needed.
For her, I don't mind waiting at all.
Then, finally, she looked back up at me. "I'll tell you once we're there, I promise. So... please."
"Well..." I let out a slow breath. "I mean, of course. But it's a bit sudden. We'll need more than a day to prepare—"
I didn't get to finish.
Yara leaned in, her lips pressing softly against mine, cutting off the rest of my sentence. Her arms wrapped around me, a sudden, fierce embrace that had me standing up to steady her in my hold.
"Thank you, love!" She mumbled, her voice muffled against my chest.
"You're... welcome." I laughed, stroking her back as I held her tighter.
I then found myself drowning in my own thoughts, thinking about how I can move my family to Maerin in the most economical way possible.
Maerin isn't like other towns or cities in Alacrya. It isn't a place people could simply step through linked portals to get there—No, that damn town didn't even have a portal of its own.
To get there, we'd have to go to Aramoor first, which isn't too much trouble. The real problem here would be finding someone willing to take us and our belongings all the way to Maerin at a reasonable price.
The day passed with many thoughts. By the time the sky turned into a deep blue in the morning, I had already left the house.
I needed to submit my resignation at the academy today and deal with a ton of paperwork at the central office for a permit to Aramoor, so if everything went smoothly—not that it ever did—I might just make it back in time for dinner...
The streets were pulsing with early-morning energy as I trudged through them while still fighting off the sleepiness to stay fully awake. It'd been ages since I'd dragged myself out so early, let alone waded through the churn of the city before dawn. Peddlers shouted over each other, hawking their wares from wooden carts piled high with goods. Children wove between the bustling throng's legs, holding onto stacks of newspapers to make a living out of them.
"Move, dumbass!" A rough shove jolted me forward, nearly knocking me off balance. A man shouldered past me. "Would it kill you to walk faster?" he snapped, throwing a sharp and quick glare at me over his shoulder before continuing on his way.
"Sorry." I lowered my head down slightly and began to press through the busy crowd toward the way to the academy, doing my best to stay out of anyone else's way.
Soon, the first rays of dawn began to appear, adding a warm glow to the clouds and sky. Eventually, I arrived. The gate opened without a touch, allowing me to pass through.
"Professor Draven!" A deep, gravelly voice of an old man called my name. I turned to see it was the headmaster of the academy standing at the far end of the hall.
"Headmaster Ramseyer!"
"Professor Draven, why so early today?" He shuffled closer with his walking stick tapping heavily against the wooden floor.
"O-oh, I, uh..." I briskly walked up to him, closing the distance between us as I rummaged through my suitcase. "Well, I came early to give you this." I pulled out the paper and handed it to him.
He took it, his brows furrowing as he read. "A... resignation..." He whispered. 
"Yes, Headmaster Ramseyer." A strained smile tugging on my face. "My family will be moving to Maerin soon. I really hope the academy there still has a slot for me."
For a mere moment, he said nothing, his gaze just lingering on the paper in his hands. Then, he exhaled a heavy sigh, his shoulders sagging down slightly. "I see," he nodded. "Well, Draven, the halls will be emptier without you around. The Central Academy of Maerin will be lucky to have you. I wish you and your family the very best."
"Thank you, Headmaster Ramseyer," I happily said, though my words felt too small, too shallow to match his. "I promise to visit whenever I can."
"Haha... I doubt that." He laughed.
"No!" I smiled, insistently shaking my head. "You have my word—I'll visit."
"Of course, of course..." He nodded perfunctorily.
I hesitated, glancing toward the door before stepping back. "Haha... I think I should go now," I said with a small laugh that didn't quite reach my eyes. "Goodbye, Headmaster Ramseyer."
"Take care, Professor Draven."
The gate closed after I went out.
Without thinking much, I made my way to the central office, waving away every persistent offer from hansom cab drivers.
The walk ahead would be far cheaper—and, frankly, easier than the long upcoming trek from Aramoor to Maerin. Therefore, until then, I prefer not to spend the money on a ride or anything unnecessary.
"Phew..." Half a day had passed, and I'd finally made it to the office. I went inside, found a seat, and joined the queue. As I waited, I noticed a few influential figures of some wealthy blood were welcomed with priority to be served first.
"How lucky..." The thought escaped through my mouth.
"What?" The sharp response startled me. I turned to find a man next to me who looked like he had just gotten into a fight, his eyebrows raised in confusion. "Were you talking to me?"
"O-oh, no, sorry," I stammered, waving my hand as if to brush away the misunderstanding. "I was just... saying those people over there are really lucky."
He followed my gaze, taking in the scene I'd been watching, and shrugged. "Huh... well, you aren't wrong." He said, leaning back in his seat. "Some people are practically born at the finish line."
I chuckle wistfully. "Agree..." Then, curiosity got the better of me. "So, what brings you here?" I asked.
"Ah, nothing major—just a little accident happened," he replied, lifting his hand to reveal a badly damaged ascender card. "Had to get my card redone. You?"
"Oh, I'm here for permits to Aramoor for myself, my wife, and my daughter."
"That sucks." His bluntness came with a smirk. "You'll have to be here waiting all night."
"No, it won't be that long." I shook my head, though I wasn't really convinced myself.
"Trust me. It will." He huffed, gesturing vaguely at the clock on the wall. "I've been waiting here six hours straight. Six hours for a new card! I've been here basically all morning!"
I glanced at the clock, then back at the line that barely seemed to move.
"..." I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing came out.
"YEAH! That's right." He barked out a feral, growling laugh. "You, my friend, will have the full experience. You'll park your ass here for three hours. And when it's finally your turn to be served, you'll spend another thirty minutes on paperwork. And then? You'll come right back here, waiting for another extra three hours—or longer—all for those morons in there to print you the permits. We may be more advanced than those in Dicathen in... some stuff, but when it comes to something like equal treatment for broke ass folks like us, I'm pretty sure we're just as poor as they are."
"..."
"Mr. Hunson!" A clerk appeared, holding a freshly new ascender card. "Your card is done."
His grin spread wide as he jumped to his feet. "Finally!" He snatched the card from the woman's hands and slipped it into his pocket.
"...uh..."
"Well, that's it for me, pal. Have fun waiting. And hey—just in time for me to get home, shower, and enjoy the best dinner with the woman of my life." He laughed and with that, he strode off.
The best dinner with the woman of my life...
...The woman of my life...
***
"Mr. Draven!"
"Wha—huh??" I jolted awake, my head snapping up.
The tall young man standing before me didn't flinch. "Here you go, sir," he said calmly, offering me a set of documents. "Your permits. One for you, one for your wife, and one for your daughter."
"...Oh, right. Yes, thank you," I blinked, accepting the papers from his outstretched hand and put them in my suitcase. I rubbed my eyes and indolently glanced at the clock on the wall only to freeze in place as the numbers stared back at me as if to say...
I had spent the whole night here.
"AHh!! For Lord Vritra's sake!" The words burst out of me in a groan as I shot out of my seat and ran straight outside, nearly tripping over my own feet in my haste like an idiot.
Bursting out into the streets, I didn't stop to orient myself. I just ran and weaved my way through the throngs of people like a madman with no plans.
Surprisingly, however, I had made it home sooner than I thought I would. Maybe it was the sense of urgency that had propelled me.
Still, I couldn't believe that I had left my own wife and children home alone all night. I didn't think it would take that long for three permits.
Without stopping, I arrived at my doorstep. As I skidded to a halt in front of my house and was about to knock on the front door, a sudden surge of dread overcame me when I saw it was slightly opened.
My breath hitched. I shoved the door wide open and shouted my wife's name. "Y-Yara!"
Every piece of furniture, from the simplest things like chairs and tables to books and other odds and ends, had been gathered into the main hall in preparation for the move.
Yara must've done all of this by herself...
"Yara!" Once again, I called, but there was no response. I stepped deeper inside and went to check the kitchen to the living room, and just as my foot was about to land on the first step of the stairs—
"Mr. Draven." A voice came and stopped me cold.
The tone was authoritative and clipped.
It definitely wasn't my wife's voice...
But a man wearing the classic austere uniform and robes of a soldier. He could have been here for a while. 
Was he waiting for me to come back?
"What is going on?" Without greeting, I demanded. "Where's my wife? Where's my daughter?!"
He must know something.
"WHERE ARE THEY??!"
The soldier remained unfazed. "We're just doing what we were told. I advise you to calm down and let this be done in a proper manner."
"Proper manner?!" My fists clenched. "You kidnapped my wife and daughter and expect me to just—"
"This is not a discussion." He interrupted. "I'll need you to come with me. Now." He continued on, offering no further explanation, no attempt at reassurance—only an order.