Ascension Of The Villain

Vyan stirred awake to a dull sapphire ceiling staring back at him. It was just as plain and smooth as before. The same ceiling he'd laid under just yesterday before making a sentimental exit for independence and finding a library. And yet, here he was again.

Back. Shamelessly.

Wow, he thought, dragging a hand through his tousled hair, life really knows how to twist your ear and drag you right back to where you left.

He had returned here last night, brought back by Adrian, and since Emma and Elian were already in bed, Vyan too had trudged off to bed without a word. He had thought he wouldn't be able to relax here—at some strangers' place in a strange world.

But surprisingly, he had snoozed off the moment he hit the bed. And it had been a pretty sweet sleep.

Vyan rubbed the sleep from his eyes. There was a fleeting grogginess, followed by the faint realization that the sheets under him smelled faintly of lavender. Maybe that fragrance helped him sleep a little better.

He sat up with a soft sigh, his eyes scanning the quiet room. The curtains were drawn, so it was a little hard to guess the time. The room was cool, thanks to the temperature-controlling relic, whose name he hadn't gotten around to learning yet.

He kicked the covers off and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, stretching his arms over his head with a tired grunt.

"It's too cold," he murmured, shivering slightly. "I'll have to ask someone to turn it off."

The hardwood floor was just as cold beneath his feet, grounding him further into this strange reality he was stuck in.

A world where magic was not needed, huh?

Then again, why would they need it? Because they had found great alternatives to magic. They had glowing rectangles, beeping machines, and fast-moving metal beasts which could do everything magic possibly could.

He ran a hand through his face, chuckling self-deprecatingly. "I'm so not meant for this world."

Magic was what Vyan loved. He was nothing without it.

Sure, he might have a lot of talents—swords, archery, fencing, horseback riding, politics, land management, business, and so much more. His talented bloodline hadn't failed him.

But practicing magic and tinkering with it… making artifacts… he loved those things.

And those things were impossible here.

This unenchanted realm really was the worst place he could've ended up at.

Taking a deep breath, he steadied himself. "You can't fall weak. You have to make the best of what you have and find a way to get back home," he consoled himself.

With that determination, he dragged himself into the bathroom. He stood before the mirror and splashed cold water onto his face.

The unfamiliar tap twisted the wrong way, and the water came out far too strong, splashing half his shirt. He cursed under his breath and muttered, "Convenient and inconvenient at the same time… pretty much sums up this world. Geez."

He patted his face dry with a fluffy towel, then stepped out. His eyes immediately caught the neat pile of folded clothes laid out on the coffee table. It was a fresh set of a light blue striped shirt and beige pants.

There was a note on top of the clothes, written in neat handwriting.

"Here are some trend-appropriate clothes for you to change into. You'd better not roam around in those Victorian vintage clothes; it attracts too much attention. And so sorry, you had to sleep in Adrian's old clothes last night. It was all I could find and prepare for you. But I promise these are new clothes. I went out in the morning to buy them. Oh, look down, you'll find a new pair of slippers. Hope you find them comfortable.

~ Emma."

Vyan glanced down at the slippers and then at the clothes he was wearing. Adrian's t-shirt and joggers, which had been laid out for him last night by the same woman. His lips twitched into a smile.

Emma, he thought. She's… not too different from Iyana, is she?

They were different in appearance, sure. But something about the way Emma took care of things quietly, making sure he was fed, properly clothed, and not completely overwhelmed… it echoed Iyana's strength.

Except Iyana's kindness wasn't so freely distributed. She was fiercely selective. If you weren't in her inner circle, you didn't get that warmth. But when you were in it… gods, she would fight the world for you.

Vyan's smile faltered for a brief second. I wonder how Iyana would treat Adrian if the situations were reversed… he mused. Would she be wary of him? Or would she see him as another version of me to protect just like Emma?

Shaking the meaningless thought off, he picked up the clothes and headed back to the bathroom to change. When he finally emerged out of the guestroom, a voice shouted from the living room.

"Vyaaan!"

He jumped slightly. The high-pitched, energetic voice was undeniably familiar.

"You woke up so late! You slept till afternoon!" Elian's voice rang full of that special kind of childhood indignation. It was the kind that said, how dare you not be awake to play with me?

Vyan chuckled under his breath. "Afternoon, huh?" he muttered to himself. "Well, I guess I needed the sleep."

"You missed breakfast and today's episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine."

"What a tragedy. I should be arrested immediately."

Elian nodded solemnly. "You should. But I already forgave you. 'Cause I like you."

Vyan paused for a beat. That one sentence landed deeper than it should've. He didn't really know what to say to that. So instead, he ruffled Elian's hair and said, "You've got suspiciously good taste for a five-year-old."

Elian grinned up at him.

"Oh." Vyan looked around and saw that there was an unfamiliar woman in a white apron cooking. "Where are your parents?"

"Mommy and Daddy? They're at work."

Vyan arched an eyebrow. "So does that mean you're alone at home right now? That too with me," he added, gesturing to himself dramatically, "a total stranger."

Elian shook his head and declared with the confidence only a five-year-old could possess, "Nope. I'm never alone."

Vyan tilted his head.

"There's always Amy," Elian beamed proudly, puffing out his chest. "My little dear sister, Amelia. She's the sweetest thing ever! And also, our babysitter, Nat, is here. And Sammy too," he motioned at the maid working in the kitchen, "So I'm extra not alone."

"Not bad, kid," Vyan nodded sagely. "You've got a whole battalion on duty. I was starting to worry I'd have to be responsible and take care of you two kids."

Elian giggled and bounced on his feet. "Nope, no responsibilities for you. My school's off 'cause of summer vacation. That's why I'm at home. Normally, I'd be at school right now, learning all new stuff."

"And now instead," Vyan said dryly, "you're stuck at home with me. I bet that's a big downgrade."

"Wrong. I get to spend more time with you, Daddy's twin, and that'll always be a plus point."

Vyan let out an amused chuckle. This kid truly didn't take too much time to let people into his heart, did he? "So you're not dropping that nickname, huh? I thought we were making progress. I noticed you slipped and called me Vyan earlier."

Elian placed both hands firmly on his hips and raised his chin like a tiny emperor. "That was a one-time thing. I like calling you Daddy's twin. It's fun. It suits you."

Before Vyan could protest, Elian had already seized his hand and began dragging him across the room.

"C'mon, come meet Amy!" he said excitedly, practically skipping. "Mommy and Daddy won't be back till dinner time. So, until then, you have to play with us."

"Alright."

Normally, he'd be petrified at the thought of spending an entire day playing with energetic little kids, but it was a different case with Elian. Elian didn't make him feel uneasy or awkward. The connection felt natural. In fact, it was soothing and comfortable to be with him.

Maybe he didn't hate kids that much, after all. And Elian was helping him realize that bit by bit.

They reached the living room, where the sunlight filtered in through the wall-sized windows with gauzy curtains, casting a warm glow over the plush carpet and pastel-toned cushions.

In the middle of the floor sat a toddler, surrounded by a miniature plastic universe. Bright-colored building blocks, what looked like a Roblox character figurine, and a plush dinosaur were scattered around her.

She had wispy chestnut brown hair like Elian, which was tied into two uneven pigtails. Pretty sure the hairstyle was done by Elian.

She looked up, blinked at Vyan with those pale blue eyes, and offered him a gummy grin.

"Dada," she chirped and stood up, clapping her hands, then extending them towards him.

"Oh, my goddess," Vyan said softly, startled by the wave of unexpected fondness that hit him. He crouched down slowly. "She's… adorable, Elian. No. That's not even enough. She's ridiculously cute."

He had no idea he could feel this much affection for a little baby. He had always been pretty much nonchalant with them until now.

Amy clapped her hands again, pouting. "Dada."

"Daddy's twin, Amy's asking you to pick her up in your arms," Elian poked.

"I…" Vyan looked hesitant. "I'm not sure how to, though."

Elian slapped his forehead dramatically and shook his head. "It's so easy. Look." He went forward and easily scooped Amy in his arms.

"Yeeyan," Amy babbled, beaming up at her older brother.

Elian melted. "Yes, my dear Amy. What do you want?"

Amy pointed at Vyan and repeated, "Dada… cally."

Vyan frowned in confusion, but Elian understood perfectly. "Amy wants you to carry her."

"Oh." Vyan's gaze fell on the little girl before him. She was tiny, so delicate it almost felt wrong to touch her. Could he really hold something so fragile, so precious?

"You've got this," a soft voice encouraged from behind.

"Nath, nath!" Amy squealed with delight.

Vyan turned to see a young woman around his age with honey-blonde hair and a warm smile.

"Hi, I'm Natasha," she introduced cheerfully. "I'm Elian and Amy's babysitter. Judging by your face, I'm guessing you're not exactly a pro with toddlers?"

He gave a sheepish nod.

"No worries. Just watch me." With practiced ease, Natasha sat beside him and gently scooped Amy into her arms. She demonstrated how to cradle a toddler. Then, almost as an afterthought, but with the same care, she showed him how to hold a younger baby, "for future reference," she added with a teasing wink.

"Now… ready to try?"

Vyan inhaled slowly, steadying himself. "Yes."

With a reassuring smile, Natasha handed Amy to him. He took her with utmost care, as though she were made of spun glass. To his surprise, she snuggled into his arms effortlessly, her tiny hands reaching up to touch his shirt.

"Yayy, Dada. Happy Amy," Amy beamed, her voice full of unfiltered joy.

Vyan laughed softly, relief washing over him. "Happy, huh? You're too cute, you know that?"

What followed was a whirlwind of laughter, chaos, and unfiltered toddler mayhem. The hours melted away. Vyan mostly did the fun stuff—playing, goofing around, building pillow forts—while Natasha handled the rest: diaper changes, feedings, cleanup. Samantha, the maid, wrapped up the household chores and left after preparing dinner.

That evening, Elian declared Amy the queen of a pillow fortress he had proudly constructed. Watching them, Vyan couldn't help but be swept into the moment. It stirred memories—how Aster used to play with him, protect him, fill his childhood with moments just like this.

Those times had been fleeting, but they had mattered.

And now, looking at Elian's wide grin and Amy's sparkling eyes, Vyan felt a quiet ache. He didn't want these two to ever face the kind of loss that stole away childhood too soon. He didn't want them to grow up carrying the weight he had.

So, he made a silent promise: as long as he remained in this world, he'd protect them. No matter what. Somehow, in just one day, these two little souls had found their way into his heart.