Lena paces the room in prolonged agony.

"Is this what it's like for you, waiting for him to come home?" Lena asks, the urge to bite her nails exponentially increasing as she goes on.

Her palms were the first victim, now with crescent shaped marks from her intense fist clenching. She has long forgotten how they feel like as she circles the space of Caelus' extremely empty room, waiting for its owner to return.

"Something has happened," she decides, stopping in the center of the space. "Should I go after them? It's already past midnight."

"And you should be asleep," Celeste responds gently. "Especially after everything."

"I shouldn't be, considering that I've been out of it for almost three weeks," Lena counters, but she doesn't admit the fact that she's afraid of what might come to mind after she submits her consciousness. Tapping her fingers anxiously over her crossed arms, she asks, "Does he not realize that every minute he makes us wait is a potential minute he might be exposed to an attack? What if—"

"Lena," Celeste says, "calm down."

She takes a deep breath. "But..."

"He will return, as he always does," Celeste reassures her. "He just doesn't realize that people are waiting on him. Not used to it, is the better term." She shifts in the chair she's teleported in the room when she came in to accompany Lena. "I don't know if he'll ever understand. But he's trying. He promised, so you can rest assured."

Lena supposes she is over worrying, but Caelus' infamous behavior of disappearing and then returning unconscious—and is even said to have come back in worse states—is terrifyingly concerning, since she's now beginning to know him further, a connection now undeniable between them since recent events. She just doesn't comprehend how someone with such a loving family will act so casually with their life, as if not caring what will happen to him—even worse, what devastation he'll bring to the people that care about him. But for someone who seems as detached as Caelus, it's not too difficult to believe that he may be ignorant to understanding how the people around him feel. Still, his self destructive and careless tendencies are things Lena wants to better understand.

"He did?" Lena asks, surprised that Celeste mentioned how he'd gave his word, despite being oblivious to the care he receives. "This time, or always?"

"This time," Celeste answers. "And I insist that you get some rest. I know my brother's patterns."

"Then why are you here with me?"

"He did say to watch after you, and I thought that's the least I can do while he is unable to do so himself."

Lena is left speechless, and not without a strange feeling bubbling underneath her chest. How does he remember to care for her wellbeing, but is oblivious to his own?

"I am quite fine here," Lena says quietly. "Because of him."

Celeste smiles. "I'm honestly glad he's making some friends. Be kind to him, will you?"

"That goes for sure."

Lena is also equally grateful for the Aveyard's hospitality, and their lack of judgement for what had happened back in the living room. When the two boys have left, Celeste had guided Lena into Caelus' room, where Lena has been staying without complaint because of its emptiness; as long as she stays away from any glass surface, she tells herself, she'll be safe from any temporary activation of her abilities. She can only hope this strange side effect from the drug will be gone soon, because staying away from her only weapon in this city of demons—and especially now that they have a lurking threat known as the Shadow Syndicate—just doesn't seem too wise.

Dwelling on her abilities only manage to make her more anxious, but that's when Celeste announces, "He's back."

Lena straightens automatically as Celeste disappears then reappears with Caelus in tow, who seems unfazed at all being teleported immediately and without warning the moment he's within range.

"Roen's missing," Caelus says before either of them can greet him.

There's a pause, none of them expecting something like this; they'd only been gone for a while, and Caelus' expression certainly does not betray a hint of what had happened, but Lena is almost sure she notices that his eyes are rather haunted.

"Missing?" Lena asks just as Celeste questions, "What happened?"

"It could have been worse," Caelus says, contemplative. "When we parted ways, his apartment appeared as if it exploded, but the air wasn't disturbed other than a foreign presence. And when I had assumed the worst, it was a mere illusion."

"Roen's an illusionist," Celeste says slowly. "But you're saying his missing."

"It had seemed so real." Caelus shakes his head. "It isn't him. Roen's one of the most powerful illusionist I know, and however quirky he is, he wouldn't just pull off some illusions like that to simply disappear into the night right after we separated."

"So he's just... gone?" Lena asks, still confused at what this all means. It's hard to believe that just over an hour ago, they were all here, happily chatting away during and after dinner. It's also hard to believe something has indeed happened to Roen with the blank look on Caelus' face.

"Did you see anything else?" Celeste asks, and the siblings share a look, as if conversing in silence.

Caelus eventually answers, "No."

"What does this mean?" Lena asks, breaking their contact. "Did something take Roen?"

With all the talk about the Shadow Syndicate, Lena hadn't expected anything to happen so soon, and not to mention so immediately. While something is bound to happen, she just never expected it to be quite so straightforward, as if they themselves jinxed it as they were talking about all the terrible situations that are beginning to unfold.

If it's the Shadow Syndicate, then they have just made their first move in a while, since the attack on Caelus.

But then as if reading her mind, Caelus says, "It's not the Shadow Syndicate."

Lena blinks, uncertain what this implies. Before she can raise another question, he clarifies, "I meant to say that I'm not a hundred percent sure they have an illusionist in their midst; we've met a lot of the members so far and I feel like the ability of illusion would have been used much earlier in their schemes, just like their teleporter."

At the mention of Erebus, Lena shudders. If anything, she's glad he's detained now. That man is dangerous, and his ability definitely useful on the surface level, but what makes him terrifying is the versatility of his abilities that he had displayed in the fight against Lena. He'd been so flexible and in tune with his abilities that she never stood a chance. And if the rest of the Shadow Syndicate is a fraction of how powerful Erebus is, they will be having trouble against this mysterious group, especially since they have no advantage to knowledge. On the other hand, their enemy probably know all about their strengths and weaknesses especially since Arcane Academy has been glorifying its students from the very beginning.

Caelus doesn't seem to notice Lena's growing discomfort, but Celeste says, "He's a warper. Don't put him in the same category as me!"

"But they do essentially the same thing," Caelus points out. "It's just a word."

"I don't want to be associated with the likes of that guy," Celeste insists. She begins to ramble about how teleporting abilities work: "He can completely move the spaces—even make them disappear—and access the void in such a way than I can never hope to achieve."

"Fine," Caelus relents, and Lena gets the feeling this is how they usually communicate; with Celeste demanding certain things, and Caelus simply complying. "Warper. Anyhow, he's out of the picture now. So unless they have another warper or teleporter in their arsenal, Roen shouldn't vanish like that, especially from an illusion. So it's not them."

"But it still doesn't change the fact that he's gone, so something must have been at work there," Lena states. "And since you're so sure it's not the Shadow Syndicate..." Slowly, she begins to piece everything together, just as Celeste looks warily at her brother. "You know who's behind it."

This explains how he'd been able to leave Roen's sudden disappearance at such a mystery and return to them. Lena remembers how Caelus had appeared back when Roen was taken by the Shadow Syndicate, and while he doesn't show it obviously, he isn't one who will be settled knowing his friend is out there, possibly in danger. But with that being said, if he has the slightest where their friend is, it's difficult to believe that he is standing right here before them instead of acting on it; when he'd had the slightest idea of where the Shadow Syndicate had taken Roen before, he'd gone off ahead to Sector Andromeda alone long before the order was given to the S-class to infiltrate the sector.

Remembering this, Lena now recalls that the authorities had specifically told the S-class to only subdue the enemy, disallowing any sidetracks despite knowing that three of Arcane Academy's students were taken. It's never been clear if they had known Arcana would pull a rescue mission of his own knowing his city-wide authoritative and strong headed reputation, but that doesn't mean they should have issued such a cold hearted order to neglect the students of Arcane Academy who were in danger. The students—who are merely a liability and potentially a bargaining chip of the enemy—may be saved eventually if the bureau send their best to eradicate the threat, but it doesn't change the fact that they didn't prioritize lives of the young talents. This goes against their own values, even saying much about how they would rather destroy than protect first and foremost.

"Then why are you still here?" Celeste is saying, interrupting Lena's thoughts. "If you truly know who was behind this, you would be bringing him back by now."

"The thing is, he might be safer where he is," Caelus admits slowly.

"What do you mean?" Lena asks.

Celeste looks confused for a moment, before her expression settles into understanding. "Caelus, you don't mean..."

"I have every reason to think so."

Lena doesn't understand, until something Celeste had said before resurfaces from the back of her mind. "... yes, abilities or variants of it are passed down the family line."

If abilities are hereditary, and if Caelus has seen what had happened to Roen and have determined it's all a mere illusion... in addition to the fact that Roen is an illusionist himself...

The only logical conclusion she can pull from all known variables and facts is not at all pleasant.

"Are you implying he's taken by his own family?" Lena straight up voices out what everyone in the room is thinking, because even Celeste has begun to understand what Caelus is trying to say.

"I'd go to the Velasquez myself, right now, to confirm," he responds as if in answer. "But they reside all the way in Delphinus, and it's late."

"That has never concerned you before," Celeste says gently.

"There's a fairly good chance he's with his family, and however bad terms he is with them, I trust that they understand what's been going on in Arcane Academy and the city itself to be willing to protect their own kin," Caelus justifies. "And that's why they have taken him back to them."

His sister is doubtful. "After all this time, you really think they will suddenly care?"

"Even if not out of... love," he begins to say, the hesitation of using the word extremely palpable; the term must be a first for him because even Celeste looks at him in something close to shock, then confusion . "They may as well be protecting their own interests—their own blood. Roen's inherited abilities are strong. And he mentioned that they had hopes of him producing heirs one day."

Lena is growing more confused by the second, and Caelus' sudden conclusion doesn't help because of the fact that he's speaking with rather familiar terms, and also so humanly. She has never encountered the esteemed Velasquez, but based on what she's been hearing from Roen and the Aveyards, it isn't very kind of them to only be using their offsprings for power and fame. Perhaps this is one of the reasons Roen had chosen to live apart from them. And if they are in fact behind this spectacle that essentially had abducted him in a way, Lena can't help but think there might be a bigger ploy to this entire thing.

"Why would they do that, then?" she asks the question that is by far the most unsettling. "Can't they have just showed up, expressed their concerns, and take him home?"

"Exactly," Celeste resonates, contemplative.

"Because Roen wouldn't go even if they asked nicely," Caelus says firmly. "Even if he does comply for a day or two, he would refuse to stay. He's made up his mind long ago."

"Not even if his family truly shows concern?" Lena has to ask.

"I don't know," he admits. "But I doubt it."

"Then what are we going to do? It's not like we can storm the Velasquez, can we? That's rude," she remarks.

Caelus looks at her, nothing in his expression except for a slight raise in his brow.

"Uh oh." Celeste frowns. "I know that look. Lena, don't give him any ideas."

"I'm not getting any ideas," Caelus reassures her. "I'm here now, am I not?"

"It's surprising, honestly. Why didn't you go after him?"

"With everything going on, Roen—or anyone else, for that matter—being in close proximity with anyone familiar may be beneficial. Because even if something happens, others are at least going to be aware of it. We can't have the same thing with what happened to Lucifer; it's worse when no one even cares that he's gone."

With Caelus' admission, Lena is almost certain that he's being possessed. From the entire time she's been here, it's twice now that he's spoken from an emotional point of view. She's never known him to care, but maybe it's perhaps she's never gotten close enough to try. The thing with Lucifer enrages her, because just when he's been so close to redemption, he's now a lost cause, with no one grieving his disappearance—and with the entire city pretending it isn't a problem. Arcane Academy isn't any better either, now that it's fallen into the hands of the authorities.

If Caelus hadn't been there that day when Lena challenged the Shadow Syndicate, and if he hadn't been there to extract her from the mess of it all, eventually even staying with her throughout the worst of the drug's effects... she wonders if she'll share the same fate as Lucifer, with no one to look for her when she's gone.

"Is that why you made me stay?" Lena asks.

"It's the reason I came back."

She stares at him for a moment, before Celeste interrupts, "Can't trust me to look after her?"

This appears to garner a reaction from Caelus, as he shuffles backward, seemingly ready to retreat out of the room. "Lena is one reason, since she's my responsibility."

Lena knows she should be focusing on the fact that he's said 'one reason' meaning there's probably another or more, but she can't help zoning in on her name being used so carelessly by him, and the fact that he just called her his responsibility—even if he's said it with such a straight face.

"There's also something about to happen in Arcane Academy." This, however, successfully gathers the every last bit of Lena's attention as he explains, "There will be an announcement on behalf of the city, and they've decided to involve the institute because the academy is one of the most important foundations of the City of Leatia."

"I don't like this," Celeste says almost immediately. "Do you have any idea what's it about?"

"No, except that Arcana doesn't have any knowledge on this. He isn't even due to return yet."

"That means it's coming directly from the bureau."

"Yes," Caelus answers. And with a final, resigned glance at Lena, he adds, "And I don't see how it's going to be in any form of good news."