Nine years later, Arvin still never uncovered his true surname or background. Instead, he embraced the present and used his skills to build a new life for himself. He had discovered a powerful family of white pantherfolk living in Leonaport Bay, and while the city and the surroundings felt familiar upon first visit back there, there did not seem to be any trace of him ever having been there.

He accepted Victoria's earlier offer and became a scout, spy, and occasional envoy for her—often slipping between cities like Spellwhisk, Velvetglade, and Leonaport Bay, working behind the scenes.

Arvin still possesses the mysterious, magical stone he discovered—a Lumina, more commonly known as a Moonstone. He remained extremely cautious about who learned of its existence.

In the year 248 ATC

Following the events in Fallowbrae, the memories surrounding Arvin's family's true past vanished from his mind. Though he no longer remembered the Nighttail's as his own family, visits to Leonaport Bay always left him with an uncomfortable feeling he could never explain. The streets felt strangely familiar, certain buildings lingered in his thoughts, and every now and then he caught himself believing he had been there before, despite knowing he had not.

Rather than chase memories that no longer existed, Arvin accepted the life he had built for himself. He found steady employment at Sevenfold's Tip, the busy checkpoint between Concordia and the Sevenfold Commonwealth, with even Lady Victoria Vulperian writing a letter of recommendation after the events at Fallowbrae. His skills made him an exceptional scout, investigator, and field operative, skills that translated naturally into protecting the border from smugglers, pirates, traffickers, and illegal trade.

His aptitude eventually earned him the rank of Minor Deputy, entrusted with leading a small team stationed permanently at Sevenfold's Tip. The faces within the unit changed over the years as teammates came and went, but one constant remained: Svala Glacier, a bearfolk warrior from the Glacier Mountains far to the north.

The two had grown closer with every assignment, though their relationship remained complicated. Arvin's tendency to disappear for days or weeks whenever work—or old habits—pulled him elsewhere had more than once prevented something deeper from taking root, despite feelings neither of them seemed willing to voice...

In the year 246 A.T.C., Arvin's team received intelligence that an artifact stolen from Spellwhisk's Eureka's Gem would be smuggled across the border. The team prepared an ambush that nearly collapsed when the smugglers arrived with far greater numbers than expected. It was only through Svala's unwavering resolve that the team managed to hold their ground long enough to overpower the criminals.

The artifact was recovered intact, and those responsible were brought to justice, yet the investigation reached a frustrating dead end. No one could determine who had commissioned the theft or where the relic had ultimately been destined to go.

The only worthwhile lead came from one of the captured smugglers, whose recent dealings had led him to a merchant family in Leonaport Bay bearing the name Nighttail. Curious, Arvin travelled to the city himself, expecting little more than another loose thread to tug upon. Instead, the investigation left him deeply unsettled. The Nighttails were an influential trading family of pantherfolk just like himself, but with no apparent connection to him whatsoever, yet something about them stirred an indescribable familiarity he could neither explain nor shake. The city itself felt equally strange, as though fragments of forgotten memories lingered just beyond his reach, and a profound sense of sadness while wandering over the Shimmering Port.

Lady Victoria Vulperian, who had originally tipped him off about the stolen artifact, remained in contact with him, though her requests had become increasingly rare over the years, she still occasionally sought his help whenever discretion, subtlety, and a trusted pair of claws were required.

By the summer of 248 A.T.C., Arvin finally found himself with something he rarely enjoyed: time away from duty. With the rest of his team more than capable of covering the border, Svala had travelled north to visit her family in the Glacier Mountains.

A part of Arvin had quietly hoped she might ask him to come along, but the invitation never came. It forced him to confront a question he had spent years avoiding. He wanted a future with Svala, a life beyond patrols and perhaps even open their own tavern as his dream once was, yet he could not help but wonder whether his restless nature had already convinced her that such a future was impossible.

While mulling it over, his thoughts wandered to one of Svala's favourite comfort treats: the distinctive pink bottles of honey she always seemed to keep nearby. Reading the label out of idle curiosity, Arvin immediately recognised the producer's name—Effilyn, the last name of one of his old companions from the Voidbreakers.

The coincidence sparked an idea. Perhaps he could surprise Svala with a fresh supply before she returned home. Better yet, it offered him a convenient excuse to visit Leonaport Bay once more. Between Ginny's honey and the lingering mystery surrounding the Nighttail family, Arvin found himself with two reasons to make the journey... completely unaware that the trip would lead to a team reunion and a buzzing adventure.