《The Dead King》


 Chapter 1 - Awaken

    The first thing he could remember was the pain coursing through his body. It shot throughout him in waves, bringing his muscles back to life. His fingers tingled, his toes tingled. His mind raced with thoughts once again.


    Once he realized he was conscious, he tried his arms a bit. They wiggled. He immediately knew he was face down on the ground, limbs spread out. He tried to gain the power to draw his legs in. It was quite difficult at first.


    When he finally managed that feat, he flipped himself onto his back, and slowly opened his eyelids.


    Who was he? Where was he? What was he?


    He didn¡¯t feel human, that was for sure. He didn¡¯t feel his muscles aching. He did not feel his stomach turning, and finally, he realized he was not breathing.


    As sure as he knew he was a human, he knew that breathing was essential. He drew a breath, but his lungs did not expand. He gasped, but it was useless.


    Yet somehow, he did not feel like he was asphyxiating. He felt as though oxygen was unnecessary.


    His vision was back. Eyes wide open, he stared at the brick ceiling above him. Being unable to breathe certainly made him feel as if he was in a dream, maybe in some state, but as detailed and lucid as his sight made him feel, he knew this was not the case.


    He was alive, he was somewhere, he was existing. Where, and why, he knew not.


    He shifted his shoulders. Muscles were working. As the seconds passed, he was regaining strength. Within the minute, he was sitting up from the floor.


    His spine felt as if it was barely holding himself together. His bones felt rigid, his muscles partially decayed. He looked down and saw he was clothed in dark blue robes, a golden cross necklace hung down to his chest.


    Thoughts were coming together. Coherent ones. He knew where he was. Nocturne Castle.


    This is the potion room, he finally thought to himself. My lab. His eyes gazed upon his surroundings.


    It did indeed look like a laboratory of sorts. Tables up against the walls, beakers and flasks sat on them. However, they were all empty. And almost all of them broken. Dust scattered on top of all of it.


    He just now realized his elbow was being supported on broken glass. He jerked, and whisked the glass away with a movement of his arm.


    The muscles were working well now, almost back to a normal person¡¯s. He finally found the strength to get off the ground. As he stood up, his knees creaked. They wobbled side to side, as if ready to buckle at any moment. Something felt very, very wrong.


    He took one step and instantly fell over. His bones moved as if they were an old water wheel being turned in the first time since a river ran dry years ago. He shifted some more, and stumbled back upon his feet.


    He tried walking some more. His feet were in the same condition as the rest of his body. They did not like the new weight they were receiving. His determination, however, was stronger than that of his feet and legs, and they obeyed him.


    Alright, he was mobile again. That¡¯s been squared away. The next thing that he wanted to check was if his heart was still performing its normal bodily function. Two fingers sunk into his neck right below his jaw, checking for a pulse.


    Nothing. Not a movement even after ten seconds. And then that¡¯s when he knew something very, very bad had happened.


    When he pulled his two fingers away, he looked down at them. They were completely pale, decayed, flesh missing from areas, partial bone in sight around the joints. He was staring at a dead man¡¯s hand.


    Instant panic, instant fear. This was not accompanied by an increased heart rate, however. And oddly enough, was not accompanied by chest pain either. He was too distracted to take note of that at this time, though.


    What is this?! What is happening?! Both hands raised up to him. He flipped them back and forth. He extended and curled his fingers. His entire hands were decayed. Fingernails breaking off, skin missing, and what was left was dried out, along with the exposed bones. He reached back up to his face. It felt as if it was in no better condition. His eyes fixed to the exit of the room.


    I have to figure out what has happened. In his panic, he ran, but fell over again, overestimating himself. As he tried to get back up, he clutched his knee to brace himself. When he gripped it, he felt his flesh on the knee squish together far more than it should.


    He was back on his feet, and at that moment, he knew that his entire body shared this decayed state. He moved, he stepped, but was careful not to go too fast. He had no idea how his body in this state was even able to walk, and he did not want to push it.


    Now he was officially walking. Even though panic and confusion plagued his mind, he was careful not to let it overcome him.


    He was now at the entry way of the potion room. His head leaned out into the hallway. It ran both left and right, barely lit from broken windows that poured some overcast light in. There was snow. It was in random piles down the hallway. A red rug was tattered and torn that ran along the floor. Shards of glass on top of that. The only thing that seemed to not be in disarray was the stone brick walls of the hallway. There was not even a single crack to be seen.


    This was Nocturne Castle, the man knew. It was his castle, but from what he gathered, it was in terrible disrepair. Why?


    He stumbled down the hallway, trying to learn to walk properly again, like an infant. He tried not to look at his hands. As he walked down the hall, he heard something metal drop beside him. When he looked down, it was a ring that had been on his finger. It had fallen off. Quickly, he picked it up, and studied it. He needed all the information he could gather.


    Trying to ignore the rather distasteful state his finger tips were in, he focused on the seal in front of the ring. It was the seal of his family. His family¡­ He could not remember them. He knew it was indeed his family seal, but that was all that came to him. The ring really was a piece of him, and he dropped it into his pocket on his robe.


    He continued to walk. He did not have a goal to where he was walking, he needed to explore, to remember. A few twists and turns down some hallways, he found himself in another room.


    A mirror hung on a wall. Quickly, he paced to it. What he saw looking back horrified him.


    A corpse, a zombie, you could say, stared at him. His eyes were yellow, pupils cracked and glazed. He had no nose. What remained were the two holes of his nasal cavity. Teeth were missing from his mouth.


    As soon as he had looked, he had turned away in fright. What has happened to me? This can not be real. He stumbled away, and fell into a chair close by. He tried to remember. He tried to remember as much as he could. He felt as if he had been sleeping for a very long time. He debated if this could all be a very vivid dream, but he felt too lucid for that.


    The potion room. My castle. Potion room¡­ What was I doing¡­?


    In a snap, he remembered something.


    THE POTION!


    He flew out of the chair, and back down the hallway. He was nearly running now, not even recognizing what a feat this was for him. He took the twists and turns of the hallway. He remembered the layout of the castle perfectly, to a tee somehow. It didn¡¯t even cross his mind how even though he could hardly remember a thing, he perfectly knew the layout of the castle as if it was the back of his decayed, rotten hand.


    There he was, back in the lab. He frantically approached the tables and desks, and started to leaf through the papers that scattered the surface. Everything was in disarray. Nothing was organized. It was as if someone had come in and purposely scattered everything around. He started reading notes and papers, and this all aided greatly in his memory.


    After studying one pile of papers, he shifted over to another desk and studied the papers on those. After a while, his head slowly turned to the broken glass on the floor where he first found himself. Dread set in. Slowly, very slowly, he approached the glass on the floor. He knew what happened. He finally knew. He drew close. He picked up a few shards.


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    The first flashback. It was him raising a vial, a hot liquid ran down his throat. His pulse was racing, his stomach turned.


    It was a huge contrast to how he felt now. The memory felt like a light breeze. It was barely there, then gone. Something wrong had happened to his experiment. He returned to his desks. He picked up a few papers and read them.


    I know my math was correct, I double checked everything. The potion should have worked properly. I spent years writing the perfect formula. His mind raced with any thoughts of what could have gone wrong. None came to mind.


    I must have missed something. I must have miscalculated. He squeezed the papers in his hand, crumbling them. He threw them to the floor.


    Now look at me¡­ Look what I¡¯ve become. If anyone sees me in this state they¡¯d-- Wait¡­


    A concern that should have entered his mind a long time ago now made itself known.


    WHERE IS ANYONE?


    He bolted out of the room again, more concerns pouring into his mind. His mind, it was working now more than ever, and his awareness was increasing by the minute. Memories were being remembered.


    As he entered into the hallway, things were becoming more apparent to him.


    What happened to my castle?! Why is it in such disrepair?! How long have I been lying on that floor?!


    So many questions, yet no one to answer him. He wandered about the castle.


    The more he wandered, the more he realized that there was not a soul left. Nocturne Castle, which he had always known to be bustling full of life, was now completely empty, and left completely abandoned. Every room he entered, every hallway, it was all in disrepair. Once cherished items, if there were any left, had been thrown to the floor and broken. Decorations, vases, banners, everything was ruined. Dust coated everything that was left.


    Even though he had convinced himself earlier he was definitely awake, the sheer awe of it all still had him questioning if this was some great illusion. He was now getting frustrated at how little he could recall of everything.


    He was now in the main foyer of the castle. This was the largest room of the entire brick fortress. Banners were ripped off, fabric and glass scattered on the floor. A great gold cross that adorned the wall opposite to the grand entrance was scratched and tarnished. It had been chipped, and near the edges it looked as if it had tried to be pried off.


    Everyone¡¯s gone. Everything¡¯s ruined. I have obviously been on that floor longer than I would dare think. What has happened to my Kingdom?


    He glanced at the entry way. One wooden door lied on the floor, the other barely on its hinges. Snow had accumulated at the entrance, and when he looked outside, he saw nothing but white.


    Snow¡­ that is quite a bit of snow. It must be in the middle of winter.


    He continued to wander. Each room he entered rewarded him with some memory.


    The grand library. Oh, how awful. So much missing. His eyes fell upon empty bookshelves. A few books that were left were scattered sparsely on the shelves. As he walked past bookshelves, he whisked away spider webs that were everywhere.


    This fate was shared with every room he entered. The armory was nearly cleaned out. The kitchen and pantry had food that rotted so long ago, what was left was dried out husks. This clearly had become a ghost castle. It became quite apparent to him that so much looting had happened to his castle. How many years had he been lying on that floor?


    Long enough for plenty of trespassers to take whatever they wanted. The man started to assume that perhaps invaders conquered the castle, captured everyone, and took what they wanted. That must be it. All the wealth he had accumulated through the years, all gone. Everything and everyone taken from him. Then just like that, he remembered something terribly important.


    The hidden vault.


    He ran. He ran as fast as his questionable legs would take him. He ran down hallways, he took staircases down. His memory of the castle was proven as he took the quickest route possible to an unsuspecting room deep within the castle.


    When he got there, a look of dread took over. The torch had been pulled, the hidden wall turned sideways. It revealed a secret staircase.


    NO! They found it somehow!


    He ran down the spiraled stairs. He descended deeper and deeper until he was met with a great steel door. When he stood in front of it, he froze in place.


    The great, thick steel door was shut. It was plagued with scratches and dents. The number wheels by the handle were all spun in random values. The handle damaged greatly.


    The man dared to think that maybe, just maybe, they had failed to get into the vault. Could it be?


    He turned around stupidly to see if anyone was behind him. When he saw no one, he walked up closer to the door. Seven number wheels were all set to random values.


    That¡¯s incorrect. Without any effort, without a second thought, he started to spin each wheel to its correct value. He was nearly shocked that the number he needed was cemented into his brain. He had not lost that at all.


    Once he spun all the numbers to their right value, he tried the handle. It didn''t budge. He tried again, but to no avail. He stared back at the numbers. He knew they were right.


    With great force he yanked the handle as hard as he could. The seal broke. The door moved, it started to swing open. If he had a pulse, it would be racing at great speed right now. When he finally swung the door open enough to peer in, his eyes opened wider than they had since he had woken back up.


    It¡¯s all here. Every coin. The huge vault held massive piles of gold coins. Gems shined in all corners. A massive fortune had laid untouched since he had last seen it.


    He gazed at it all for a few minutes. This was the first good news he had received since this whole nightmare started. He took a few steps in, and bent over to pick up a pile of gold. The coins fell in between his dead fingers, clanging as they fell to the ground.


    It¡¯s real. It¡¯s as real as I¡¯m alive. He didn¡¯t take too much more time looking at it all, as he started to feel paranoid that someone somewhere had heard the clanging gold fall. He shut the vault. As soon as the door handle clacked loudly into place, the number wheels all set to zero. It was state of the art. The best money could buy. It had proven itself to withstand quite a few attempts to break in.


    All the running he had done was finally catching up to him. It took quite a bit of effort to climb back up the spiral stairs. When he got to the top, he pushed the torch back in. The turned wall reverted back to its unsuspecting state.


    How did they even know to do that? That alone should¡¯ve warded off anyone from finding it in the first place¡­ Unless¡­ someone knew.


    He thought to himself if he knew anyone else knew about the hidden vault. His memory was proving to be quite selective in what it wanted to remember, he was frustratingly finding out. However he quickly let it be as he was thankful enough he could still recall the code.


    He started to pace about as he took mental inventory of everything so far. He was deciding what would be the next course of action for him.


    Obviously I¡¯ve been out for quite a while. I¡¯m shocked no one took me anywhere. How odd they just left my body on that floor. Everyone¡¯s gone. The castle is trashed. There¡¯s a shockingly large amount of snow outside. This isn¡¯t adding up.


    He continued to pace about, hand balled into a fist at the front of his mouth, deep in thought. His eyes darted at the ground.


    I need to get out and find out what happened.


    That was his decision. He headed back up into the main ways of the castle. He wandered a little more, one hand clutching his other¡¯s wrist behind his back.


    People can¡¯t see me in this state. I need to hide my face, hide my skin. No one would understand that I¡¯m a walking failed experiment. God, I really failed. Just look at me. The last thing I need is people thinking zombies are real now.


    He turned to travel to his personal quarters. He walked down a few maze like hallways, up several flights of stairs before arriving to a doorway that was missing it¡¯s door. He looked over to where the hinges had been, and took note that the door had indeed been yanked off.


    Inside, his bed was shredded, clothing littered the floor. His dressers smashed, everything ruined. It didn¡¯t even phase him anymore, he had come to accept that the entire castle was in this state. Luckily, he found a pair of dark blue gloves lying on the floor. He picked them up and slipped them on over his hands, concealing his torn skin. He found his cracked mirror still hanging. Ignoring his face the best he could, he studied his clothing. His robes were in good shape. He dusted off his shoulders, chest, and pants. His belt was falling apart, however. He looked around in the room, and found an extra belt. It was chewed up pretty bad, but the buckle was not broken. He swapped them out.


    When he looked up at the mirror, he finally confronted his face. It was hideous. His robes had a hood on them. He threw it over, but his face was still far too visible.


    This is no good, I really need to hide my face¡­ but how? This hood is not good enough. I could tie a cloth around my face, but¡­


    Then he had a goofy thought.


    The theater room.


    Another ten minutes of walking. I could go into the dressing rooms and see what¡¯s left. Perhaps some of the jester¡¯s masks are left behind¡­ Wow, I had jester. Amazing.


    He continued to surprise himself with memories that would randomly arise. He had visited the theater room earlier when he was wandering about. He hadn¡¯t taken note of all the broken chairs before, but he did now as he walked along side of them to get into the back rooms.


    When he got back there, to no surprise, almost everything was missing, and what was left was scattered around. He found most of the chests that used to hold ridiculous clothing to be quite empty. He would be shocked to find a mask at this point. However, as loose pieces of equipment and clothing lie randomly around, so did a mask. And it was not very favorable looking.


    Really, this is all that¡¯s left? I¡¯m not going around looking like a clown. He grabbed a shard of glass on the ground and started to scrape the paint away off of the mask. It came off quite easily seeing as most of the paint was peeling already. When he was done, it was all black, just small pieces of white paint left in random spots. He threw his hood back, and placed the mask over his head. It fit snug. He threw his hood back on. When he looked into a mirror that was on the floor, he noticed he was fully concealed. Not a single person could tell anything was wrong with him, other than he was trying to be suspicious. That was indeed a problem, but less of one than looking like a walking zombie.


    He checked to see if anything else needed to be done. After looking himself over several times, he decided he was fit to leave the castle finally. He made his way back to the entrance. Back at the foyer, he took note of the snow. He had seen it inside the castle too, almost everywhere a broken window had been.


    That is far too much to snow, even for a winter here. This weather is not natural.


    He got closer to the entrance. The light made him shudder a bit. He took footsteps in the snow, it crunched beneath his feet.


    The last thing he did before going out the great doors, was reach into his pocket and grab his ring. He slipped it on a finger over his glove.


    I must find out what happened to me. I must find out what happened to King Sullivan Marin.

 Chapter 2 - Communication

    Despite it being overcast, the light bothered him a bit. He squinted his eyes as he stared at all the bright snow around him. It was thick, and only getting thicker with the current snowfall.


    Marin understood that Nocturne Castle was nestled in the mountains, but they weren¡¯t snowy mountains. Snow did fall during the winter, but this was ridiculous. It was almost impossible to walk. It would be exhausting trying to do any traveling through this, but Marin found out that becoming exhausted was not much of an experience for him anymore. He didn¡¯t have to catch his breath. He didn¡¯t sweat as his heartbeat raced to keep up. He knew for a fact that wearing this tight mask around his face would make it hard for anyone to breathe, but this presented no problem for him anymore.


    He was finding out that his legs either moved or they didn¡¯t. There was no feeling in them. Same with his arms, or anything else. His nerves were completely inactive, and because of this, he didn¡¯t feel cold either.


    Marin did not feel anything anymore. He just existed, and it was hard for him to accept this at first. As he traveled away from the castle he knew, he turned back to look at it. It was in great condition surprisingly. He hadn¡¯t seen it covered with so much snow before though.


    He studied his surroundings a bit. He knew this area. He knew what used to be here. There were farms. Crops grew alongside townhouses. None of that was left. Planks of wood stuck out of the deep snow in some areas, leaving the only clue of what was once there. Everything had been destroyed outside of the castle. If anything was left, it was entombed under the snow now.


    The crops provided food for the kingdom denizens. Servants had lived in outer homes from the castle, farming for the kingdom. It was all gone. Marin tried to put it out of his mind.


    What a terrible fate. I¡¯m not sure if everyone fled, if they were killed, no idea. I can only pray that they¡¯re alright, where ever they are.


    He continued on. He followed a familiar trail down the mountain. Well, he believed there was still a trail under the snow. At this point he could only follow a rough outline of the terrain around him. It was impossible to see anything other than snow and rock from the mountains. He knew that the closest town was over ten miles down the mountain. It would take some time to get there.


    What he really wanted to see more than anything else was another person. At this point, he was debating if he was the only person still alive, anywhere. What if he got down to the town, and it was completely destroyed as well? What if there was not a soul in sight there either? It was frightening to King Marin to think that he might be the last person on earth. What an awful existence to be in.


    Has it been years? Decades? Even¡­ possibly centuries? At this point that is possible as well. If I¡¯ve been dead long enough for the weather patterns to change this much¡­ Hell, I could¡¯ve been out for a thousand years, who¡¯s to say? Nocturne could easily survive a thousand years, if it wasn¡¯t tampered with too much¡­


    He kept walking down the mountain. His legs pushed snow out of the way as he descended.


    Then suddenly, he froze. There in the distance, were two figures. Two figures. Two people! Marin gasped, even though that had no effect.


    He waved. He jumped a bit. He tried shouting, but remembered that took air in his lungs to do.


    Oh no.


    He couldn¡¯t talk. How in the world would he communicate? The figures were getting closer. They now took notice of him. They crouched a bit and spread out. They were suspicious. Marin braced himself, and reacted the same. There was a chance that these could not be friendly people.


    Finally, a voice.


    ¡°Oi! Who goes there?¡± One of them yelled out.


    Marin raised his hands a bit.


    ¡°I said who goes there?!¡± He said a bit more fiercely.


    Marin responded by waving his hands side to side. He couldn¡¯t believe it. People. Words. Never had he been so relieved. This wasn¡¯t a dream. This was real life. He was in a shared existence. He was still on earth in the mortal realm.


    ¡°You better answer him real quick, or this will get ugly for you!¡± The second stranger cried out.


    Marin did everything he could to take air in. It was not happening. He raised his hands higher to show that despite not talking, he had no hostile plans.


    ¡°Are you even able to talk?¡± The first one asked.


    ¡°What kind of question is that?¡± The second one said right back. ¡°If he couldn¡¯t, how could he answer you?¡±


    The two strangers approached him closely now. One had a knife and a beard, the other had a pickaxe in hand, ready to swing. Marin gasped harder. It was almost as if his lungs were sealed.


    ¡°Look at this freak,¡± the bearded knife man said.


    ¡°What¡¯s with that mask? You try robbin¡¯ that castle up over there?¡± The pickaxe man asked.


    Marin gasped even harder for air. He was doing everything he could to try and say a word.


    ¡°You better not have tried getting into that vault, we have dibs on that!¡± Pickaxe man declared.


    The bearded man quickly punched his arm. ¡°Why would you tell him about that?! Are you an idiot?!¡±


    Air instantly rushed into Marin¡¯s lungs. The seal was broken. He doubled over and coughed hard.


    ¡°Oi, what¡¯s wrong with him?¡±


    King Sullivan Marin stood straight back up, and said in a raspy voice, ¡°Are you the thieves who tried breaking into MY vault?¡±


    The bearded man laughed. ¡°Your vault?! Who died and made you king of that castle?¡±


    ¡°Funny you should ask,¡± Marin said with great difficulty. He held out his arms, and ice quickly formed around both the robber¡¯s legs. They were completely immobile.


    I probably should have checked to see if I could still cast earlier. Glad to see it¡¯s working fine, though.


    ¡°Hey, what gives? How¡¯d you do that!¡± Pickaxe man said, struggling to move his legs.


    ¡°He¡¯s an elemental! An ice one!¡± The bearded man declared.


    ¡°Oh hell no! I didn¡¯t sign up for this!¡± The other started swinging his pickaxe down at his feet, trying to break the ice. Marin responded by curling his fingers some, the ice forming up higher above their knees.


    ¡°Wait wait wait wait! Don¡¯t freeze us in place! Please!¡± The bearded man cried out. The other man dropped his pickaxe in response and they both held their hands up.


    ¡°I will not freeze you anymore if you answer my questions,¡± Marin stated, coughing a bit. He struggled to talk. Every phrase he said required a breath before hand, and it was quite difficult to pull air into his lungs.


    ¡°I want to know who you are and what you¡¯re doing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Rocko,¡± the bearded man said. ¡°This is Phil¡±, he continued, pointing at his friend who once had the pickaxe. ¡°We¡¯re uh¡­ Just enjoying a walk through the snow.¡±


    Marin smiled a bit under his mask, but they were unable to see that. ¡°A casual walk, eh? A walk out to the castle behind me?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ yeah! That castle¡­ It¡¯s¡­ very pretty. A nice castle! I love seein¡¯ it. Do you know much about it?¡± Rocko nervously stammered his words. His buddy Phil was completely frozen in fear.


    ¡°You mentioned something about a vault¡­¡± Marin reminded them.


    ¡°Uh, yeah a vault. Well, we might¡¯ve¡­ come across a vault. Well, I¡¯m not even sure if it¡¯s a vault. If we¡¯re bein¡¯ honest it could¡¯ve been-¡±


    The ice rose higher, up to their waist.


    ¡°Okay okay! It¡¯s a vault! Yeah!¡±


    ¡°And who else knows about this vault?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°No one! I swear it!¡± Rocko pleaded back. The ice rose up to their stomachs now.


    ¡°I¡¯m not convinced.¡± Marin was staring at Rocko, but then he looked over at Phil. Phil had done anything but look at Marin the whole time ever since the ice rose up his legs.


    ¡°Your friend over here, he¡¯s not very talkative,¡± Marin stated. He walked up in front of Rocko¡¯s friend. Phil had his eyes pointed as far right as they could go. ¡°Phil, who else knows about the vault?¡±


    No response. The ice rose up to their necks.


    ¡°NO ONE! NO ONE ELSE KNOWS!¡± Phil finally bellowed out. ¡°I told Rocko! I says ay man we shouldn¡¯t be in this castle. Could be haunted or something! Nothing good could come from it! And we gets down to a room. Some empty lookin¡¯ room! And I says look at this dumb torch on the wall and I tried pullin¡¯ it off! And then the wall started turnin¡¯! I says ya see Rocko! This place is haunted! And you know Rocko, he¡¯s always pushing his luck an¡¯ he goes down the new stairs. An¡¯ I gotta look out for my buddy and I go with em. And then we see that big vault door! I told him! I told him I said leave it alone Rocko it ain¡¯t none of our business!¡±


    ¡°Yeah he said that! He said it ain¡¯t none of my business¡±, Rocko added. ¡°Phil always being a good friend, keeping me outta trouble! We left that vault alone, I swear! We are good people! PLEASE DON¡¯T FREEZE US TO DEATH!¡±


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    Marin¡¯s eyes darted at one, then the other, then back, deep in thought.


    They had both their eyes nearly closed, looking at the ground, sobbing a bit.


    Marin opened his hands entirely, and ice around the two hooligans shattered away. They both fell backwards on the snowy ground in front of him.


    ¡°Alright Phil and Rocko¡­ Maybe, just maybe¡­ I believe you. But what you¡¯re going to do for me now is take me back to where you came from. Where do you two live?¡±


    ¡°H-Heroca Town, just at the bottom of this mountain,¡± Rocko said, trying to regain some dignity.


    Heroca Town¡­ Marin did not recall that being the name of the town he knew beforehand. Some things must have really changed for him.


    Rocko and Phil got off the ground and dusted some snow off of them. Phil was still scared senseless of King Marin, and Rocko was the only one trying to act as brave as he could.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get moving then,¡± Marin declared after the two composed themselves. Right before they started walking, Marin pointed down at the pickaxe. ¡°Are you going to take your pickaxe, Phil?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that ain¡¯t mine,¡± Phil quickly said in a rush. ¡°Just found that on the way here!¡±


    Marin knew it to be a lie, he knew that these two thieves were liars entirely. He knew that almost everything they had told them could¡¯ve been lies, but the one thing he did believe is that they were indeed the only ones that knew about the vault. Thieves would never tell other people about a potential score if they could keep it all to themselves. Since they had lost any potential of getting it however, Marin needed a little assurance.


    ¡°By the way,¡± Marin mentioned. He put his hands on each of their shoulders. ¡°If you ever tell anyone about that vault, I will find out, and I will freeze you to death. Understand?¡±


    They both nodded their heads rapidly.


    The three started walking down the mountain. They followed the foot steps Rocko and Phil first made going up the mountain. It was silent for a bit, but Rocko finally broke the silence.


    ¡°So who are you?¡± Rocko boldly asked.


    Marin didn¡¯t answer right away. He took some time to think of an answer.


    ¡°Call me Marin,¡± he finally said. ¡°I used to live in that castle you two have been looting from.¡±


    ¡°You lived there? I find that hard to believe. Not a soul in there except that one corpse we saw in that-¡± Rocko stopped. He froze in place, eyes wide open. ¡°No¡­ it can¡¯t be!¡±


    Phil finally looked up at Marin and his eyes widened too. ¡°It is¡­¡± He confirmed. The two started backing away from the blue robed man they had known to be lying dead on that floor when they first started taking from the castle.


    ¡°You know me, huh?¡± Marin said.


    ¡°I known you to be DEAD!¡± Rocko exclaimed.


    ¡°Alright, calm down,¡± Marin responded. ¡°Let¡¯s not lose our composure.¡±


    Rocko and Phil stood defensively, quivering in their boots. ¡°He¡¯s a dead man! A dead man walking!¡± Phil shouted out.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to hurt you! Calm down! I understand this is hard for you to take in, but I¡¯m alive now.¡±


    Phil bolted in the opposite direction, but a quickly frozen foot caused him to trip and fall over. He started sobbing in the snow.


    ¡°This is what we get Rocko. This is our fault. This is how we die,¡± Phil cried out. Rocko responded by still staring in horror at Marin.


    ¡°H-how is it possible?¡± Rocko managed.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure myself. I created a potion¡­ that didn¡¯t work correctly.¡±


    ¡°It seems to be working now!¡± Rocko said in shock.


    ¡°No you don¡¯t understand, I¡­ Phil, get off the ground!¡± The ice around his foot was gone, and Phil slowly got back up. ¡°I don¡¯t want to get into the details right now, but just understand I mean no harm. I just need you to take me back to the village you came from. I will not harm anyone there.¡±


    The three kept walking, and this time Rocko dared not to ask another question. The two were horrified by this man¡­ This thing, if you could call him that.


    They continued down the mountain until Marin could finally see houses. He almost couldn¡¯t believe it. Structures that weren¡¯t destroyed. Smoke rose from some of the snow covered roofs.


    ¡°That¡¯s it, Heroca Town,¡± Rocko nervously stated.


    ¡°Very good. You two have been quite helpful so far,¡± Marin declared.


    Neither of them answered him. They all walked down into town. When they hit the main road, it had been shoveled so that it was much easier to walk. Marin took in the sights of the houses around him. It reminded him of his kingdom ¨C the houses around his castle before they had been destroyed. He still was not sure how long he had been dead, but he was itching to find out.


    He thought to ask someone a little more intelligible about details of the current world. Marin gathered that his two new friends here knew little more than which direction was up and down.


    ¡°Do you know anyone important here? Someone I could talk with to find out more information?¡±


    Rocko pulled his beard in thought. ¡°I mean, you could talk to the innkeeper. He¡¯s an older gent, he knows a bit. Been through a war. I know him pretty well.¡±


    Marin turned his gaze to Phil. He nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Very well, take me.¡±


    The three walked up in front of one of the largest houses in the village. Rocko stepped up and grabbed the door for the dead man. He entered.


    When Marin was inside, he expected to feel the warmth of the inn, but was quickly reminded that he no longer felt things like that. He shook that thought off, and studied the tavern portion of the inn. Not a single person was here besides them.


    Then he heard movement from a doorway behind the bar. An older man came out. He had silver hair slicked back, and a tidy kept silver goatee.


    ¡°Welcome, welcome to the-¡± He looked up and saw who it was.


    ¡°Oh, Rocko. Phil. What are you two doing here? Who¡¯s your friend?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not much of our friend,¡± Phil muttered.


    The innkeeper¡¯s eyes narrowed at Marin. He was quite suspicious of the black mask over his face.


    Marin stared into the innkeeper¡¯s eyes. Experience. Wisdom. The innkeeper¡¯s silver pupils told Marin much of what he needed to know. The innkeeper was rightfully suspicious of him. Marin knew he was considered a threat at the moment, and had to quickly clear the air.


    ¡°Hello good sir! I mean you no harm. I was hoping you¡¯d answer a few questions for me. I¡¯m a bit out of touch,¡± Marin tried.


    ¡°...What can I help you with?¡± The innkeeper said cautiously. Marin slowly approached the counter. He kept his hands out in the clear.


    ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ been away from society for a while. Might I ask, what year is it?¡±


    The innkeeper certainly hadn¡¯t seen anyone like this before, and with a question like that, he wondered if this was some sort of ruse.


    ¡°854.¡± The silver haired man replied. He took his chances answering him.


    ¡°8-854, did you say? Surely you jest,¡± Marin said, trying to hide his concern.


    ¡°No joking here, sir. Anyone else would not find that to be unusual.¡± The innkeeper was really having a hard time pegging who this stranger was, and what game he was playing at. The stranger¡¯s voice was quite raspy, it almost sounded like he was trying to hide his real voice. What really bothered him the most though, was the black mask over his face.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you remove that mask and we can talk more?¡± The innkeeper tried.


    Marin rested his hands on the counter opposite of the innkeeper. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not something I can do, my face is not in much of a viewing state.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because he¡¯s a DEAD MAN, LOID!¡± Phil bellowed out from behind. Rocko quickly grabbed him to get him to shut up.


    Loid the innkeeper moved his head to the side of Marin to look at the two of them. Rocko had a look of dread. The innkeeper looked back at Marin.


    ¡°Dead?¡± Loid asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story, I-¡± Just as Marin started, a customer walked in the building. Loid¡¯s lips tightened in thought.


    ¡°Sherry!¡± Loid yelled to the doorway behind him. ¡°Can you take care of a customer? I have something I need to deal with.¡± The innkeeper turned back to them.


    ¡°You three, in here,¡± Loid instructed as he pointed to a room. They all walked in and he followed. The room was a bedroom, one of a few that the inn was made up of. When all four of them were inside, Loid shut the door behind him, and instructed them all to have a seat on the several chairs in the room.


    As there were only 3 chairs in the room, the innkeeper took the bed.


    ¡°Now, we are going to figure out what exactly is going on. You can¡¯t take the mask off? Fine. But you will tell me about yourself.¡±


    ¡°My name is Sullivan Marin. I am¡­ was... the King of Nocturne Castle.¡±


    Loid instantly leaned back. He stared in half disbelief, half disgust.


    ¡°The king?!¡± Phil yelled.


    ¡°Not another word out of you two!¡± Loid snapped back. He refocused on Marin. This truly must have been a joke. He would think this to be all a hoax, but there were a few things that kept Loid half interested. He noticed the old royal robes that Marin was wearing. He stared down that the decorated seal he had on his finger. He studied the golden cross necklace. This stranger looked far too¡­ important for this to be some huge set up. He knew Rocko and Phil to be hooligans of sorts, but he also knew they were not capable of setting up something this sophisticated.


    ¡°...The Nocturne Kingdom was destroyed over 200 years ago,¡± Loid started. ¡°What happened to its king is not known.¡±


    ¡°How was it destroyed?¡± Marin asked, trying not to sound too desperate.


    ¡°Many believe it to be self sabotaged. I know not the details of exactly what happened. But after it was taken over, the kingdom was ransacked and burned, and left abandoned. The only thing left of it is the very castle, ten miles up the mountain.¡±


    ¡°Why was the castle not destroyed?¡±


    ¡°I would think because it would¡¯ve taken too much effort. But no one goes up there, they say the king haunts the castle to this day¡­ But you¡¯re telling me¡­ You¡¯re the king. Is that correct?¡±


    Marin¡¯s fingers drummed on the table beside him. ¡°That is correct.¡±


    Loid let out a disappointing sigh. That was not an answer he wanted to hear. He did not believe him.


    Marin knew that too. ¡°I know it¡¯s hard to believe.¡±


    ¡°Have you¡­ any evidence to back this claim?¡± Loid tried.


    Marin looked down at his family seal ring. He figured the innkeeper wouldn¡¯t recognize it. That was no good.


    Loid saw him look down at the ring. ¡°I don¡¯t know the seal on that ring, but what I do know is that it is quite old. Where did you get it?¡± Loid asked.


    ¡°I had it made for me about 30¡­ wait, what year did you say it was?¡± Marin responded.


    ¡°854.¡±


    Marin shook a bit in shock, still trying to stomach that number. ¡°Well then,¡± he managed. ¡°I had this ring made some 260 years ago.¡±


    It was silent for a bit. This wasn¡¯t getting anywhere. Marin had no solid proof to his claims. Perhaps he could take him back to the castle and find a portrait to match his face with. That was ridiculous. Perhaps-


    ¡°Ask him to take the mask off Loid!¡± Phil belted out.


    ¡°I said silence!¡± Loid yelled back. Marin noticed that Loid was really struggling mentally. He watched him look down a bit. This was quite a dilemma he was in.


    ¡°What¡¯s this business about you being dead? If you are somehow telling the truth, you would not be telling me you had the ring made over 200 years ago. You would indeed be dead.¡±


    ¡°That would be the case, if the king had not tried making an immortality potion in 622.¡± Marin uttered.


    Loid¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    Marin threw his hood back. Phil gasped.


    He then grabbed the black mask on the front his face.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t freak out too much.¡± That was all he said, before he pulled the mask off over his face.


    Phil fainted. Rocko looked away in horror, eyes squinted shut, teeth gritting. Loid had such a shocked look on his face, that anyone who saw him would think he saw a ghost. He placed his hand over his mouth. Partially to hide the shock, and partially to stop from throwing up.


    Marin, seeing their reactions, knew it was as bad as he thought it looked. As soon as he had taken it off, he was putting it back on.


    ¡°I apologize for that,¡± Marin said. ¡°But perhaps now you will take me more seriously.¡± The mask was now fit snug on him once again.


    ¡°Alright King Marin,¡± Loid said, still trying to keep his composure from the horror he witnessed. ¡°What can I do for you?¡±

 Chapter 3 - The Offer

    ¡°Did you sleep okay?¡± Loid asked King Marin as he threw a coat on.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t sleep a wink. Too many thoughts in my head, I think,¡± Marin responded.


    ¡°Your voice is sounding better,¡± Loid noticed.


    Marin nodded. ¡°It is getting easier to talk. I have to say, it¡¯s hard to get your lungs working after they¡¯ve been inactive for as long as mine have.¡±


    ¡°Let alone your whole body.¡± Loid smiled a bit.


    Yesterday, the two thugs Rocko and Phil had brought Marin to Loid¡¯s inn. The old king was now feeling more down to earth than ever before. He yearned for conversation. He missed interaction with other people. Some people say being in a coma for decades feels like a one night sleep when you wake up.


    This was not the case for Marin. Being dead for 200 years caused so much of his mind to slip away. He felt like he had been gone for a very long time, in some black void that was inescapable. He had finally returned.


    The four had conversation in that inn room for hours. Marin got Rocko and Phil to admit they had been secretly looting the castle behind Loid¡¯s back, despite Loid forbidding them to ever go to the castle. He was not very happy about that. Rocko and Phil did back up most of Marin¡¯s story though, describing how they had always seen him dead on the floor when they wandered the castle.


    It all lined up in Loid¡¯s mind for the most part. As far fetched as it all seemed, it was believable to him. After talking for a while, Loid¡¯s wife Sherry came around. Marin tried acting as far from being suspicious as possible, and said the mask was just for privacy, that he was ¡®very self-conscious¡¯ of his looks. She was a sweet older woman with gray curly hair.


    Loid had also explained that the mountain range they were nestled in started becoming quite snowy about a hundred years ago, he guessed due to shifting weather patterns. He assured him it wasn¡¯t anything to worry about.


    As night fell, Loid instructed Phil and Rocko to head home, and he would lodge Marin at the inn for free.


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary¡±, Marin had said, flashing a few gold coins in front of Loid. He didn¡¯t question it, just accepted it and said thank you. He offered a meal too, but quickly realized that nourishment like that was not needed.


    Morning was here, but the previous night Marin had requested that they all take a journey up to the castle with him. As much as Loid had shown disapproval to the idea for a while with Phil and Rocko, he gave in without too much fight, showing some guilty interest in wanting to see the castle himself, as well as truly solve the mystery of Sullivan Marin.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go pick up Rocko and Phil at their house, and we will head out to the castle,¡± Loid planned. ¡°Sher! We¡¯re heading out!¡±


    ¡°Be safe, dear,¡± the two heard from the doorway behind the bar. Loid grabbed the handle to the front door, and the two older men walked out to the snow covered street.


    ¡°They live just over here,¡± Loid pointed a ways down. As they started walking, Marin noticed several villagers out and about, working on various tasks. He could feel the eyes of them staring at him.


    ¡°Everyone seems to be noticing me¡­¡± Marin pointed out.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind them. They just aren¡¯t used to seeing strangers in the town, especially ones with masks like yours. Heroca is a bit isolated, you know. They won¡¯t bother you since you¡¯re with me.¡±


    ¡°Heroca Town. I feel like that was not the name of this establishment 200 years ago.¡± Marin stated.


    ¡°You might be correct. Mind you, I hadn¡¯t been born yet that long ago, so I wouldn¡¯t know. I retired here shortly after the Harmon Wars were finished. Opened an inn. Been doing that ever since.¡±


    Marin was enjoying the easy conversation that was flowing between the two of them as they walked. Loid seemed to be a really awesome guy. He was experienced, and had a good head on his shoulders.


    ¡°The Harmon Wars. Sounds serious.¡± It was all Marin could say. He was quite frustrated at his ignorance.


    Loid chuckled a bit. ¡°You really have a lot of catching up to do, my friend. I¡¯m starting to realize how much you have missed in 200 years.¡± He turned to face him. ¡°By the way, how were things 200 years ago? More or less the same as now?¡±


    ¡°Things are familiar enough.¡±


    Loid nodded.


    They continued walking down the street, passing various village houses that looked a little too similar for Marin to keep track of. Eventually though, they took a turn off the main road and passed a few more houses before Loid walked up to one and knocked on the door.


    ¡°Rocko?! Phil?! Time to come out!¡± Loid said fiercely. Marin studied the shack a little bit. It was one of the least impressive houses in the whole village. Most of it was falling apart. The roof had holes in it here and there. It did not look too comfortable.


    ¡°Five more minutes,¡± said a voice from behind the door.


    ¡°You should¡¯ve been ready by now!¡± Loid insisted. He turned back and looked at Marin with a certain face that read ¡®these two dopes.¡¯


    After a minute or two the door opened. Rocko was rubbing his eyes. ¡°We¡¯re up.¡±


    Marin gazed in the house through the crack of the door. He instantly saw vases, furniture, and decorations from his castle.


    ¡°Where¡¯d you get all that stuff in there, Rocko?¡± Marin asked.


    Rocko¡¯s sleepiness melted away instantly. He became quite alert, and quickly slammed the door shut behind him.


    ¡°W-w-what do you mean? What did you see?¡± He stammered.


    ¡°Do you want talk about all that furniture of mine that¡¯s in your house?¡±


    ¡°NO! I mean¡­ yes. I mean, well you know, we were keeping it extra safe for ya.¡± Rocko grinned stupidly.


    ¡°Oi! Whats going on out there?!¡± Phil threw the door open, coming outside as well. He was fixing the coat he had just thrown on. Marin peered inside again.


    Phil connected the dots a little quicker. He slammed the door behind him faster than Rocko had.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s be off!¡± Phil said, trying to get them away from their house as fast as possible.


    ¡°Now that I¡¯m alive again, you¡¯ll be heartily returning my stuff back to the castle real soon, won¡¯t you?¡± Marin asked.


    Rocko nodded his head rapidly. Phil looked bummed, but when he realized that Marin knew, he started to nod his head as well.


    Loid looked the most disappointed in the two of them. When they walked by, Loid slapped the back of the head of the one that was closest to him, which happened to be Phil.


    The party of four were now heading off the village trail, and started up the mountain. Rocko and Phil walked twenty feet ahead of Marin and Loid. They were yelling at each other a bit, Marin guessed about how they got found out. Occasionally, Phil would push Rocko, with Rocko responding by pushing Phil back harder.


    Marin could barely make out what they were saying, but it was something along the lines of ¡®you¡¯re the idiot, no you¡¯re the idiot!¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry, Sullivan¡± Loid started. ¡°If I had known they were taking from the castle, I would¡¯ve put a stop to it a while ago. I can¡¯t keep track of them all the time.¡±


    ¡°Who are they to you?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°I¡­ take pity on them. I¡¯ve stepped in a bit as a father figure to them, though I am not related.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s their story?¡±


    ¡°They showed up at Heroca about seven years ago. Hungry, cold, lacking clothing. They were completely homeless. Somehow had wandered in to our town out of pure luck. I took them in, fed and clothed them. I helped them get a house and they do odd jobs for the village now. Most of the townsfolk look down upon them.¡±


    Marin was now looking at the two in a different light.


    Loid continued. ¡°They told me about the castle a while ago. I knew about Nocturne to an extent. I warned them to stay away from the castle, they had no right hanging out up there. They¡¯ve obviously ignored me.¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t seem to be much of a threat,¡± Marin noticed.


    ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re harmless. Wouldn¡¯t hurt a fly. They do try to act tough though.¡±


    ¡°I really scared them when I was descending from the mountain yesterday,¡± Marin said, a slight grin under the mask.


    ¡°Good, that would do them well. They need to be reminded sometimes that actions have consequences.¡±


    They were halfway up the mountain now. Today brought no snowfall, but a clear sky. The sun shined down on the snow, reflecting the light back to their eyes. Marin had his reasons for taking them up to the castle. He had not yet revealed the reason, though. Loid thought it was to give him a friendly chance to study the castle himself. Rocko and Phil thought maybe it was to have their actions revealed so they could incur some wrath, even though 90% of the damages were not done by them. Neither were the real reason.


    Rocko or Phil would sometimes glance back to make sure the other two were still behind them.


    ¡°The Harmon Wars¡­¡± Marin finally started up again.


    Loid grunted. ¡°Yeah, Belek Harmon. The guy was nuts. But he was arguably the strongest fire elemental ever. Was even a grand wizard at Arkana before he turned!¡±


    ¡°Arkana¡­¡± Marin mumbled in thought. He couldn¡¯t believe it. He knew that place.


    ¡°You must know about that place, right? That wizard city has been around since before the modern year.¡±


    ¡°I do indeed know it.¡± Marin¡¯s brain started to throb as all these external memories started making their way back into his head. He raised a hand to the front of his head as they walked.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Loid asked with concern.


    ¡°I was a student of Arkana. I became a wizard.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true. I spent my early years there learning the ice element.¡± Marin admitted.


    ¡°You¡¯re a legit certified Arkanian Wizard?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I passed the wizard course in¡­ 601? I was 42 years old at the time.¡±


    Loid was dumbfounded. Could this all really be true? Could he be in the presence of a wizard? They were so rare, and it was so incredibly hard to pass the wizard course Arkana provided. Wizards of Arkana are some of the most powerful individuals on the face of the earth.


    Goosebumps traveled down Loid¡¯s back. The hair on his neck stood.


    ¡°I-I¡¯ve never met a wizard before,¡± Loid admitted, trying to hide his partial shock, partial fear.


    Marin stuck out his hand to shake Loid¡¯s. Loid brought his hand in.


    ¡°You¡¯ve met one now,¡± Marin said as he shook his hand. ¡°If you don¡¯t entirely believe me, I wouldn¡¯t blame you. I really hope I still have my certification papers in the castle somewhere. If not¡­¡±


    ¡°Arkana keeps files of every person who goes through their courses.¡± Loid quickly added.


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Loid was gaining more and more respect for King Marin with each passing sentence.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°So you fought in the War?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Yes. I was a Neo Captain. Neo stands for National Elemental Organization. Trained as a shadow elemental at Fort Graylake. 2<sup>nd</sup> class.¡± Loid responded.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have taken you to go shadow,¡± Marin teased.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t my first choice. A friend persuaded me.¡±


    Marin started to feel bad about asking Loid so many questions about the current world. He began to fear that he was starting to annoy him, but the innkeeper insisted that he had no problem filling Marin in.


    ¡°Belek Harmon was a grand wizard, eh? One of the seven?¡± Marin gathered.


    ¡°So it¡¯s been said. He revolted from Arkana. Had some ideology that not everyone should have the chance to learn the elements. Only the strongest and the chosen should be able to wield that power. It appealed to a lot of stuck up elementals. It had caused a 15 year war.¡± Loid explained.


    Marin looked over at him. ¡°That¡¯s some concept.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I understand there are some upsides to an idea like that, but it far outweighs the freedoms people would lose. If he had won, in time, use of the elements would be outlawed, only legal to a select few. And this in turn would cause the elements to become a rarely practiced art, no longer being innovated on. It would cause the art form to eventually die out, erasing all knowledge. Especially if they started burning books and documents on the skills.¡±


    Up at the front, Rocko and Phil were trying to figure out what they were both talking about in the back.


    ¡°What are they saying?¡± Rocko whispered.


    ¡°I can¡¯t really tell. Sounds like some old boring history or something. Talkin¡¯ about elementals I think,¡± Phil said back.


    ¡°The king isn¡¯t talking about how he¡¯s going to kill us for finding his vault? For stealin¡¯ all his stuff?¡± Rocko said nervously.


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t think so.¡± Phil kept jerking his head back sometimes, just to see if Marin was charging up an ice attack to shoot an icicle through their chests.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe him sayin¡¯ he ain¡¯t gonna harm us. I think he¡¯s letting us live til¡¯ we tell him all the information he needs to know,¡± Rocko guessed.


    ¡°What if we pledge ourselves to him? Like, we be his servants. Maybe then he won¡¯t kill us.¡± Phil tried.


    Rocko stroked his short brown beard. ¡°...Maybe.¡±


    Loid caught Marin up with a lot of news the entire way up the mountain. He spoke more about Neo and the War. Rocko and Phil tried guessing their demise. In time though, they were back at the top of the mountain, staring at the great castle before them.


    The black, steep roofs were covered in snow. The brick walls of the castle were chiseled in beautiful designs, all the crevices filled with snow. Nocturne Castle was truly a work of art, and now Loid started to realize why it hadn¡¯t ever been destroyed.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ so much more impressive than I could have imagined,¡± he stated, staring at it with stars in his eyes.


    Marin was satisfied with his reaction. ¡°Built by the finest architects that existed at the time. Not a single coin was spared to make it as great as it could be.¡±


    ¡°I can only imagine the amount of time it took to build,¡± Loid wondered.


    ¡°The beauty ends at the exterior, I¡¯m afraid,¡± Marin admitted. ¡°The inside is quite devastated.¡±


    As they walked to the entrance, Marin saw his original footprints he made when he first ventured out of the castle. Things were a lot different for him now.


    Loid was soaking it all in. He was overwhelmed by the castle. When they entered the grand entrance, they stepped into the large foyer. Loid looked all over, to the ceiling, the walls, and the floors.


    ¡°This is Nocturne Castle. I can¡¯t believe the amount of damage.¡± Loid stated.


    Phil and Rocko were completely unfazed. Instead, they were shaking in fear again.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t us! We didn¡¯t do all this! It was like this when we found it!¡± Phil stupidly cried out.


    Marin¡¯s head quickly turned to them.


    ¡°All you¡¯ve done is lie to me this entire time. What makes you think I¡¯d believe you?!¡± Marin asked. He knew obviously that Rocko and Phil hadn¡¯t done all this, but they were dim witted enough to believe that Marin could think that.


    Both of them fell to their knees. ¡°I know you¡¯ve been plannin¡¯ on killing us!¡± Rocko shouted. ¡°Please spare us! We will work for you, be your servant. A king needs servants, right?!¡±


    ¡°Get up!¡± Marin demanded. ¡°And compose yourselves!¡±


    Rocko and Phil stood back up, and wiped their eyes. They continued to shake in their boots.


    He stepped right up to them. The two could see the yellow in Marin¡¯s eyes from behind the mask. He put his hands on both of their shoulders.


    ¡°No¡­ more¡­ lies. Understand?¡±


    They nodded their heads quickly.


    ¡°If you promise me you won¡¯t lie anymore, I will promise not to kill you. If you break your promise, I will break mine. Does that sound fair?¡± Marin bartered.


    ¡°Oh, very fair, your highness. Your excellency.¡± Rocko pleaded.


    ¡°Stop with the formalities. I always hated those.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ sir.¡±


    Marin turned back to Loid. He was still looking around at the castle. Their eyes connected. ¡°If its not too much to ask, I¡¯d love to study the castle. Have a look around.¡± Loid offered.


    ¡°Please do. If you come across any information about what could¡¯ve happened to this place, let me know.¡±


    Marin¡¯s gaze returned to the two hooligans.


    ¡°Why did you bring us here anyways?¡± Phil asked boldly. For being more of a coward than Rocko was, Phil certainly didn¡¯t have a problem blurting out demands.


    ¡°I want you two to walk with me!¡± Marin said happily, almost sarcastic. He got in the middle of the two of them, and he put his hands behind their back to push them forward a bit. ¡°I want you two to tell me every piece of furniture, every item you¡¯ve taken, from my home. And then after that, you¡¯re going to tell me everything you know about this place.¡±


    They took off down a hall. Loid was now alone in the foyer.


    The old innkeeper hadn¡¯t seen anything like it before. If you would have told him yesterday morning that today he¡¯d be standing in Nocturne Castle, befriending a deceased king, he would¡¯ve laughed at you. Loid had to convince himself this was all happening. He might¡¯ve denied it, if weirder things hadn¡¯t happened in his life.


    Loid had read the cue when Marin walked away with Phil and Rocko that he trusted him to look around alone. He was sure to not abuse that privilege. He walked in an opposite direction than the one they took.


    The place was a wreck, but showed signs that it was once a great and bustling castle. Each room he entered was full of cobwebs. He had to swat quite a few away if he wanted the chance to thoroughly investigate a room. He explored all the major rooms first ¨C the library, dining hall, kitchen, theater, and more. All in terrible shape.


    Yet he couldn¡¯t help but wonder what each room was like in its former glory. He imagined actors playing out a story on the stage. He imagined shelves backed with books, containing endless knowledge. The kitchen ¨C he had the most vivid imagination, seeing as he was an innkeeper and spent quite a bit of time in one. To see this castle restored to its full potential ¨C it would be a dream to see.


    Every once in a while as he explored, he could hear Rocko¡¯s bassy voice coming up with an explanation on how something happened echoing down the hall. Quickly followed up by Phil confirming more or less what he said.


    Loid got to the bedrooms. They were smaller rooms, naturally. Most beds were shredded, the ones that weren¡¯t were rotting. He was impressed by the sheer size of the castle. There was easily 200 hundred rooms, he guessed. If he hadn¡¯t a keen sense of direction, he would¡¯ve gotten lost in the maze like halls a while ago.


    It made him sad seeing all the broken windows. That was unnecessary to break, especially on the second and third floors. Someone went out of their way to smash each one, benefiting them in no way.


    He took a few more staircases up. He took notice that on the upper floors, the vandalism wasn¡¯t as bad, but time still effected everything everywhere. He didn¡¯t even notice that he was now standing in the king¡¯s quarters, Marin¡¯s personal bedroom.


    Loid scooped up some clothing. It was worn and tattered like the stuff Marin wore. Same colors, as well. This was the king¡¯s clothing. At that moment he realized where he was. He wandered around more, and found a passage way into a large study. The shelves were robbed but still contained a good number of books, surprisingly.


    ¡°This is Marin¡¯s study,¡± Loid uttered to himself. Desks had drawers pulled out, papers lie everywhere. He felt a bit guilty wanting to pry into his personal documents, but Marin did tell him to explore and uncover any important information.


    Loid picked up papers and read them. Some were tax receipts, declarations from ages ago, news and files on people who had long since passed. He was overwhelmed by the amount of potential information he could find out.


    When he got closer to Marin¡¯s desk, he found papers that were written in ancient.


    Loid knew the language to be the one from long before the modern year. What was Marin doing with papers written in this obsolete language?


    He leafed through papers some more. So much of it was faded out and unreadable. He looked up to the wall, and saw a framed document.


    It had the seal of Arkana. Loid recognized it instantly. He jogged up to it. The enclosed document was so yellow and faded, but he gathered it was indeed Marin¡¯s certificate of being a wizard. He grabbed it off the wall, when he did, part of the wooden frame fell apart. The disgusting glass cover slipped off and shattered on the floor.


    Oh no.


    Loid fumbled the pieces of frame, trying to gently save the paper inside.


    ¡°Did you find it?¡± Loid instantly heard. He turned around and saw Marin standing across from him.


    ¡°Sullivan! I¡¯m so sorry! I-¡±


    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Marin walked up to Loid. He held out his hand, and took the paper from him. Marin looked at it for a bit. It was hardly readable.


    ¡°Yeah that¡¯s it, year 601, do you see that?¡± Marin pointed at a portion of the paper.


    Loid nodded his head.


    ¡°Here, keep it.¡± Marin folded it in half and gave it back to him. ¡°Let it be a symbol of my trustworthiness, as well as our friendship.¡±


    ¡°Sullivan, I couldn¡¯t. That paper-¡± Loid tried to explain.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean as much to me as it used to. I¡¯m just shocked it¡¯s still here. They left it alone.¡±


    Loid gave in, and slipped it into an inside pocket in his coat.


    ¡°Did you find anything interesting?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Well first off, the castle is amazing. Truly grand. I would kill to see it in its hay day.¡±


    Marin nodded.


    ¡°But when I got here, I noticed some of these papers were hand written in ancient characters. Do you know anything about that?¡±


    Marin raised his eyebrows. ¡°Ancient! Yes, I can read and write in ancient. I encrypt a lot of my personal information in ancient so no one else can read it.¡±


    ¡°T-that¡¯s incredible! Even if you¡¯re from 200 years ago, that language stopped being used over a thousand years ago.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it really came in handy.¡±


    Loid couldn¡¯t believe that Marin admitted some of the most impressive things so nonchalantly.


    ¡°How, being a king, did you even find the time to learn that?¡±


    ¡°I learned it before I became king. I also learned how to play the organ as well. Though mine here seems to not be in good condition anymore.¡±


    Loid looked over where Marin was looking, and saw an undamaged organ. It was covered in dust and wood was rotting, but all the keys sat neatly in place. Huge pipes climbed up the walls. Loid looked around the room a bit longer before returning to Marin.


    ¡°I have a bit of a proposition for you,¡± Marin started. ¡°I¡¯d like to discuss it with you at the entrance, along with Phil and Rocko. They are waiting for us down there.¡±


    Loid raised an eyebrow. ¡°A proposition? Sure.¡±


    The two left the room, and made the descent down the castle back to the first floor, where the entrance was.


    What kind of proposition would this king have for me? There¡¯s not much I could offer him, I don¡¯t think, Loid thought to himself.


    He looked over at Marin. He fixed on the royal dark blue robes he had on. He looked up at the baggy hood that hid most of his head, with the black mask hiding the rest of it. He looked down at his gloves that he knew hid his decayed flesh, and then fixed on the ring on his finger.


    He wondered how Marin really felt about what had happened to him. He wondered how much it bothered him that he was a walking dead man. Marin obviously wasn¡¯t showing too much frustration on the outside, but he also found the king to be quite tempered, and wondered if he really struggled with it in the inside.


    They were back at the entrance. Rocko and Phil were waiting for them.


    ¡°Oi, there they are!¡± Phil pointed out.


    ¡°We waited here the whole time,¡± Rocko declared.


    ¡°Very good,¡± Marin told them. They all gathered in a circle. ¡°I have something serious I¡¯d like to ask you.¡±


    They all stood in silence, waiting with anticipation.


    ¡°I want to restore the castle. Restore it to a working state again.¡± Marin stated.


    Loid was shocked. He did not expect this.


    ¡°R-restore it?¡± Rocko said. ¡°This huge castle? How are we going to do that?¡±


    Loid silently supported the question.


    ¡°I have the funds. But there¡¯s a second part to this proposition. I¡¯d like you three to work for me. To become my subordinates. I will pay you generously, and you can live in the castle.¡±


    Loid was dumbfounded, completely taken aback.


    ¡°Naturally, I will be your king. You will obey me. But I am fair, and you will have my protection,¡± Marin added. ¡°At any time, you can quit. I will release you from my kingdom if you wish.¡±


    ¡°So we are gonna be your servants?¡± Rocko asked.


    ¡°If you would like,¡± Marin said back.


    There was silence for a while. No one said anything. Loid could feel Marin¡¯s hope slipping a bit.


    ¡°I-I¡¯ll do it¡­ if Rocko does it!¡± Phil declared.


    Everyone looked at Rocko. ¡°I¡¯ll do it if Loid does it.¡±


    Loid had his hand over his face, deep in thought. After a while, he finally spoke. ¡°Let me talk to my wife.¡± It was all he had to say.


    The four conversed a little more, but the sun was going down. Marin bid the three farewell, as they headed back to the village. The king decided to stay at his castle.


    Loid assured Marin that he would be back tomorrow with an answer.


    ¡°If we declined your offer, I hope that will be okay with you.¡± Loid stated.


    ¡°Of course it will be.¡±


    Marin watched the three disappear down the mountain. He turned around, and entered the behemoth that was Nocturne. As he stepped back inside the grand foyer, he touched the brick wall to the left of the entrance.


    ¡°I¡¯m bringing you back, old friend,¡± he said to the bricks of the castle wall. ¡°I will not rest until you are restored to your former glory once again.¡±

 Chapter 4 - A Few Trips

    ¡°So what do you think of the King?¡± Loid tried, as they walked down the mountain.


    ¡°He¡¯s scary!¡± Phil said.


    ¡°I thought he would have killed us,¡± Rocko admitted.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky he¡¯s been quite merciful to your thievery. I still can¡¯t believe you both have been lying to me all this time,¡± Loid said, starting to realize the scope of what these two idiots had been doing.


    ¡°Yeah, but we ain¡¯t lying any more! I don¡¯t want to die!¡± Phil declared.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to be bringing the King back all his stuff, then?¡± Loid asked.


    ¡°It will take us several trips but we have to.¡± Rocko pulled on his beard, a bit annoyed.


    Serves you right! You¡¯re lucky he hasn¡¯t ended you both, Loid thought to himself. Hell, we¡¯re lucky he didn¡¯t end all of us. He could¡¯ve easily destroyed or enslaved our entire village, with him being a wizard. Thank God he¡¯s not evil.


    The sun was going down. The sky glowed pink from a sunset, the snow on the ground turned a golden color.


    ¡°Do you think we¡¯re going to join him?¡± Rocko asked Loid. He looked to the innkeeper for answers.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet. I don¡¯t think Sherry will like it. And I won¡¯t leave without her.¡±


    The question was so sudden. Marin was asking all three of them to quit their current lifestyles and follow him. They had all just met the robed figure yesterday. Loid knew that Phil and Rocko could join him much easier than he could, seeing as they didn¡¯t have ties to anything. Loid however ran an inn in the village with his wife, and they were quite established there.


    Loid tended to believe everything that Marin had told him, especially since his claim to being a wizard was proven. So he trusted that the King had funds, somehow, somewhere. The issue was just his ties at the village. He knew his wife wouldn¡¯t like the idea too, and she would need a ton of convincing. It was going to be an uphill battle to bring this offer to fruition.


    By the time they got back to the village, it was nightfall. They had spent nearly the whole day visiting the castle.


    ¡°Get some sleep, you two. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow,¡± Loid told Phil and Rocko, before they headed down the main street in the opposite direction.


    Loid didn¡¯t intend to be away from home for so long. He knew his wife Sherry would not be happy.


    Indeed she wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been gone the whole day!¡± She declared as Loid took his hat and coat off at the door. Sherry looked tired in her stained white apron.


    Loid felt the warmth and coziness of the inn, but his wife had a line of sweat across the top of her forehead.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been working the whole day without you! I¡¯m exhausted!¡± She cried.


    ¡°I understand honey, I¡¯m sorry. But there¡¯s some stuff we need to talk about,¡± he tried explaining.


    ¡°What we NEED is for you to take over, and let me sit down alone in my room for a while!¡± She untied her apron from behind, and handed it to Loid.


    Sherry took off towards a room, closing the door behind her. Loid sighed while running his hand over his silver hair. The talk was going to have to wait. Customers were sitting at the bar, and he was reminded he had an inn to run.


    He got behind the bar and started talking to the patrons.


    Meanwhile, Phil and Rocko had returned back to their house.


    ¡°So we gotta be honest people again, Rocko?¡± Phil asked.


    ¡°We should have always been honest,¡± Rocko admitted.


    He looked at all the fancy furniture in their ran down shack of a house. Phil had been sleeping on a dusty torn up couch that used to be royal and plush. Beautiful vases that had the color faded away sat in each corner of the room. By Rocko¡¯s bed was a lavish dresser with tarnished handles, half of them missing.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t our stuff!¡± Rocko declared after looking at it all. ¡°We gotta return all of it!¡±


    ¡°But it was really hard getting it here,¡± Phil said back.


    ¡°Do you want to DIE?¡± Rocko said sarcastically.


    ¡°No, I want to keep living,¡± Phil stated, not even realizing the sarcasm.


    ¡°Then you know what we must do.¡± Rocko opened a bag of salted meat while sitting on his bed.


    ¡°Hey give me some of that!¡± Phil said.


    ¡°You already ate all yours!¡± Rocko grabbed some and shoved it into his mouth.


    Phil huffed and puffed, but then grabbed some stale bread off a shelf and started eating that instead.


    ¡°We¡¯re gonna run out of food again soon,¡± Phil stated with bread in his mouth.


    ¡°That means its time for us to find some work again,¡± Rocko said.


    ¡°But nobody needs us anymore!¡± Phil yelled.


    Rocko didn¡¯t respond, he silently ate his salted meat. Phil thought as much as his brain would allow him to think as he munched on bread.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t the scary king say he would pay us generously if he worked for him? That sounds like a good deal to me,¡± Phil mentioned.


    ¡°And leave Loid? I don¡¯t know about that.¡± Rocko laid down in his bed after wrapping his remaining meat back up. He placed it on his bed close to him, almost as if he knew Phil would try taking it later.


    The night was coming to a close, and Loid finished serving the last of his regular alcoholics. The fireplace contained dying embers from a long day. When he was done, he tidied the inn up some, and went to his bedroom.


    Sherry saw him open the door. She was propped up in bed, reading a book. An oil lit flame in a lamp was on a dresser beside her.


    ¡°How was the rest of the night?¡± She asked while laying the book in her lap. The glasses over her eyes magnified them.


    ¡°It was fine.¡±


    ¡°Harrel was back. He¡¯s still demanding the property tax.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have the money yet,¡± Loid mentioned as he sat on the other side of the bed, taking his shoes off.


    ¡°And what have you done about that today? Go up to that castle you forbid yourself from going to with some stranger? How¡¯s that going to make any money?¡± She declared.


    ¡°Don¡¯t start judging me on what I do everyday! I haven¡¯t taken any time for myself in a while! If I want to spend a whole day journeying up to a castle, I damn well have the right to.¡± It wasn¡¯t like Loid to raise his voice like that. He was however under a lot of stress.


    Sherry rubbed her forehead. ¡°Look Loid, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m not going to judge you. We have always figured out our finances in tough situations like this before. We¡¯ll figure it out again.¡±


    Loid sighed as he turned over to face her. ¡°I actually want to talk to you about all of that.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about that stranger you met with the mask. The one I went to the castle with. He¡¯s, uh¡­¡± Loid rubbed the back of his head. ¡°He¡¯s the¡­ king¡­ of Nocturne Castle. The rightful ruler.¡±


    Loid was very careful to not mentioned he¡¯s been the king for over 200 years.


    ¡°The king of Nocturne? From the king that mysteriously vanished after that kingdom was destroyed? Are you saying he had an heir to the throne?¡± She asked in disbelief, taking off her glasses.


    ¡°Well¡­ he is an heir. To the throne.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe this,¡± she quickly said, closing the book on her lap.


    ¡°Look, Sherry, that is the king! And you need to believe me! I need to tell you something else. He wants us to join him. Live in his castle and be a part of his kingdom. And share in some of his wealth.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°I went with him to the castle. I saw photos, I saw papers. He is serious, it¡¯s legit. The castle is big and beautiful. It¡¯s in disrepair, but it can be fixed. He has the finances. I believe if we live with him we can be rid of this inn and say goodbye to our own financial troubles.¡±


    ¡°Leave the inn?!¡±


    ¡°Imagine working in a large kitchen with huge stoves. Preparing big meals, and using the finest ingredients. I saw the kitchen Sherry! It¡¯s incredible what it once was. And don¡¯t even get me started on the dining room!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s gotten into you Loid,¡± Sherry said frantically. ¡°We don¡¯t know this man! You just met him yesterday! You¡¯re having all these delusions of grandeur. I know when you left Neo, running this inn wasn¡¯t your first choice, but it was our choice! You want to gamble what we¡¯ve built at some strangers word?¡±


    ¡°If you saw the castle for yourself, you would want to take a chance. This could be something great, Sherry. We could start a new life. One of higher class.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re too old to start a new life!¡± Sherry rolled over in bed, turning her back towards him. She laid down completely, pulling the covers over her body.


    It was silent for a bit, both of them in quite disarray. Loid had a feeling it would turn out this way. She was right though, after he retired from being a captain at Neo, he had felt unfulfilled running the inn at some far away village in the snowy mountains.


    ¡°Loid, my answer is NO.¡± She blew out the flame on her side of the bed.


    He sighed. Maybe she was right. As unfulfilled as he sometimes felt, the thing he yearned for the most was making his wife happy. It was his choice to start the inn at Heroca. She loved the idea of giving people a place to sleep, as well as cooking, and he didn¡¯t mind having conversation with the patrons who came in. He did indeed choose this life, and it wasn¡¯t right for him to try to change it and rip her away from it.


    ¡°Alright Sherry, we won¡¯t do it then. I want you to be happy,¡± he finally said.


    ¡°I love you, Loid. I understand how nice that would sound, but let¡¯s be realistic. Even if it we¡¯re true, we¡¯re too old to upgrade to that standard of living. I like my life in this humble inn, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°...Yes, yes I do. And you make all of it worth it. It¡¯s best not to take the chance.¡± Loid answered as he got into bed.


    Both of them soon fell asleep.


    ***************


    Loid and Sherry woke up with the light that entered through their windows. They rolled around in bed a bit. He grabbed his watch and looked at the time.


    ¡°Good morning, honey,¡± his wife said.


    ¡°Morning, Sher. I¡¯m going to take off early. I need to help the boys take some stuff to the castle, as well as let the king know that I am declining his offer,¡± he said as he got out of bed.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡°Phil and Rocko? Can¡¯t they tell him for you? I¡¯d really like you to stay,¡± she stated.


    ¡°It¡¯s best if I go and address him myself. I promise I will be back at half day, I am only having a conversation with him about it and I will immediately leave. Then this evening, I¡¯d like to draw you a hot bubble bath.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t happy to hear he had to leave for that castle again, but she became more willing when she heard that second part.


    ¡°Are you going to light all the candles for me?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Every one of them, and I will take over for the whole rest of the day,¡± he offered.


    She smiled at him. ¡°Alright Loid, be careful.¡± She leaned in for a kiss.


    After a quick smooch, he got dressed and left the room. He grabbed a quick bite to eat, and by the time he finished eating breakfast, Sherry was up and starting the day. She had the fire going and hot food cooking for the patrons by the time he was grabbing his coat and leaving.


    ¡°Have a good morning honey. I¡¯ll be back soon!¡± Loid hollered.


    ¡°You better!¡± She said, as he left the inn.


    Outside, the morning at Heroca had begun. It was just an ordinary day, but Loid spared no time walking to Phil and Rocko¡¯s house. He didn¡¯t want to be long, as he had felt bad for being gone all day yesterday. He felt bad having to tell the king no, but he figured Marin could get along without him. If he truly had all the gold he needed, the king would have no issue recruiting people to restore the castle, and the kingdom.


    Perhaps he would receive regular updates about the kingdom and how it was growing. Perhaps he would visit it sometimes and check on his friend.


    ¡°Phil?! Rocko?! Time to get up!¡± Loid pounded on the door. It was the same thing everyday. They always overslept.


    Not today though. As soon as he knocked on the door, Rocko opened it, coat and hat on already, wide awake.


    ¡°There you are Loid.¡± Rocko said. ¡°Go to the side of the house.¡±


    Rocko lead Loid over, and they were met with Phil loading up furniture onto a sleigh.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to take us a couple trips,¡± Rocko stated, ¡°but we can get it all back within a week on this sleigh.¡±


    Loid was impressed. ¡°That¡¯s very good of you two,¡± he said. He saw the once great furniture being piled on, Phil was trying to be gentle not to break anything.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to need to tie it down so none of it falls off,¡± Loid mentioned. He looked back into the house from the back door. ¡°Do you have any rope in there?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we have some.¡±


    Loid took care of tying the furniture to the sleigh while Phil was going on about not dying any time soon.


    ¡°That outta do it,¡± Loid declared while patting the tied down furniture.


    ¡°Well, what¡¯s the answer? Are we joining King Marin?¡± Rocko asked excitedly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±


    Rocko¡¯s expression fell. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not joining Marin¡¯s kingdom. I have a life here, and I¡¯ve elected to keep it as it is.¡±


    ¡°I can respect that,¡± Phil mentioned from behind. He grabbed the reigns of the sleigh and started dragging it. ¡°He¡¯s pretty scary.¡±


    They all started walking together up the mountain. Rocko and Phil would trade pulling the sleigh, with Loid sometimes taking it as well.


    ¡°What will he say?¡± Rocko asked.


    ¡°I hope he won¡¯t be too disappointed. He will have to do the restoration on his own. That is, unless, you two join him.¡± Loid said.


    ¡°Not without you we won¡¯t be,¡± Rocko said back.


    Loid smiled. ¡°I hope I¡¯m not holding you two back.¡±


    ¡°You kidding? You¡¯ve helped us both so much. If anything you¡¯ve pushed us forward!¡±


    Loid let out a rare laugh. ¡°Alright.¡±


    The three continued their trek up the mountain to Nocturne Castle.


    Meanwhile, Marin was outside the castle gates at the crack of dawn. The fresh rays of sun met his eyes once again, and he still was not entirely happy with the feeling.


    I could not sleep again tonight. My brain refuses to let it happen. Yet, I feel¡­ as if it¡¯s unnecessary. Perhaps this has to do with my current undead state. Perhaps¡­


    Marin wandered the castle in thought the entire night. He did try laying down a few times in beds that really weren¡¯t in a condition to lay in, but he never fell asleep. He wondered about his offer to the three men. Perhaps he was too hasty to ask.


    His mind replayed him freezing Rocko and Phil when he first met them. That was the first time he used his elemental strength since he had awoken. He had not tried using it again since.


    Marin felt a bit concerned that maybe his skills have deteriorated since he had been asleep. It was easy enough to cast a skill as simple as ice form, but if he were to be pushed to a greater move, he wondered if he would be able to pull it off.


    After all, he was currently the only line of defense to the castle. If some unsavory characters found out that someone lived there again, they might try something bad.


    He looked at his fingers and wiggled them a bit. Icy mist started to flow around them. He expanded his hand and an ice bolt shot away from his palm at a rapid speed, hitting a distant stone incline.


    Ice bolt. Check.


    He thought for a bit. Then he spread his legs, and assumed a form. He waved his arms around in a particular movement, icy mist trailing away from his hands.


    Marin felt his body struggle to move in a tight, controlled form. When he was done, he shoved his hands away from his chest in a fast motion. Instantly, colossal icicles started erupting from the ground around him in a large circle.


    He held his arms out, away from him. Palms open. He waited a bit, and when he closed them, the icicles that had trapped him in a circle all shattered away.


    He felt a bit light headed, dazed even.


    Not used to feeling such head pain from a simple move as that.


    He rubbed his head over his hood a bit.


    Frozen fence. Check.


    I¡¯m not going to push it. We will work our way up over time.


    Marin walked up a small mountain peak to the left of the castle. From up there he could see all the way down to Heroca Town. If he squinted hard enough, he could see even further down, down all the way to green trees at the bottom of the mountain.


    What a view. This is incredible. I had no idea this spot was here. In all the time I¡¯ve been living at the castle, I can¡¯t believe I never noticed this peak. I wonder if the farmers used to come up here all the time.


    When he looked up some, he could see the horizon stretch far into the distance. He was looking south over the entire continent. If someone had a strong telescope, they could most likely see cities far into the distance.


    Marin made a mental note to get a telescope and try it out sometime. He made his way off the small peak and back onto the main mountain the castle sat on.


    After a while, he saw a few figures approach him coming up the mountain. One was dragging something large. He stood still as they got closer. Marin was sure it was the three from yesterday, but he waited before waving.


    They waved to him. It was them. He waved back.


    ¡°Greetings,¡± he shouted out as they got closer. ¡°I¡¯m happy to see you all again.¡± He walked towards them to meet up.


    ¡°Hello Marin,¡± Loid greeted with less enthusiasm.


    Marin looked over at Rocko. Behind him was a sleigh full of his castle belongings.


    ¡°Ah, my stuff. Glad to see you¡¯ve safely returned some of it.¡± He turned his attention towards Loid, who was a bit sullen.


    ¡°How are you doing, Loid?¡± The king asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m good. I tell you, that trip doesn¡¯t feel any shorter even after doing it a few times.¡± Loid smiled a bit. ¡°The boys here will have to do it a few more times to get all your stuff back.¡±


    Rocko nodded at the statement. Phil didn¡¯t look too happy about it.


    ¡°Have you thought about what I asked?¡± Marin finally said.


    ¡°I have, and Marin, I must decline. The missus is not okay with it, and I must consider her in all of this. I hope you can understand.¡± Loid looked to the ground.


    Marin took a bit of a disappointed sigh. He knew this was most likely the outcome. With Loid declining, he knew not even to ask Rocko or Phil, as they had made it known that Loid was a condition. He couldn¡¯t blame them. He was asking a lot.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s understandable. Don¡¯t worry about it. I will recruit other people looking for an opportunity such as this one. It was worth asking you all. You¡¯ve all been understanding to me, especially with my situation.¡±


    ¡°What will you do?¡± Loid asked.


    ¡°Most likely I will head out to a major city to hire workers to clean the castle. After that, I will start recruiting and getting the word out that the king of Nocturne has returned.¡±


    Loid nodded. ¡°If you¡¯re ever back in Heroca again,¡± he mentioned, ¡°feel free to stop at the inn to visit me. I¡¯ll always be there.¡±


    Marin put his hand on Loid¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Seeing how its the closest village to my kingdom, I think I will be there regularly enough. In fact, Heroca may be seeing a lot more work, as it will become the import center for me.¡± He took his hand off and looked at the castle behind him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be running the inn for anyone who comes through. Look, I have to leave soon. My wife is expecting me home at half day and I have a bit of a walk ahead of me going back,¡± Loid said.


    ¡°Yes of course,¡± he turned to look at the two other men. ¡°Phil, Rocko, thank you. We can quickly unload my stuff from your sleigh and you can be back on your way.¡±


    They all walked up to the castle. It took no time unloading the furniture as there was four people working on it. They left all of it along the side of the entrance. He waved them farewell as they took off, back down the mountain.


    Marin was alone once again. Now that he knew they would not be joining him, he had to make new plans. He looked over at his furniture that was returned. He couldn¡¯t tell if it had become so worn from age or from Phil and Rocko abusing it. It was in awful condition.


    I will get this stuff restored.


    He could easily buy new furniture to replace his own, but Marin was quite sentimental, and his old items were one of the few things he held onto from his past. He felt anchored to what was left from when he was truly alive.


    Seeing his furniture get restored would make him feel as if he was too.


    He paced back and forth, in thought.


    I will need to grab a large pouch of money. Scan the castle to see if I should take anything else, and be on my way. I need to travel and recruit some powerful allies.


    Meanwhile, the other three were walking back down the mountain. The sleigh was hardly an inconvenience to pull anymore, seeing as it was empty and they were walking down hill.


    ¡°That¡¯s the last time I¡¯m going up that mountain,¡± Loid said thankfully. ¡°You¡¯re on your own for the rest of the trips.¡±


    ¡°Loid, we¡¯re running out of food again,¡± Rocko told him.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to find more work,¡± Loid said back.


    ¡°Last we checked, no one needed our help!¡± Phil yelled.


    ¡°Plus, it won¡¯t be easy with us having to make these trips back to the castle. Not sure what we will do,¡± Rocko added.


    The innkeeper sighed. He was always looking out for them. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure you have food. But when you¡¯re done with bringing all the furniture back, you need to make some coin. I¡¯ll talk to the mayor about finding you some work. It seems like most of Heroca is struggling these days making money. Hardly anyone comes out here anymore.¡±


    They continued down the mountain. A light snowfall began. Loid took notice immediately.


    ¡°You know, King Marin mentioned that it used to not be so snowy around here. He said snow only fell during winter, and it was never too bad.¡± His sight floated out into the distance in thought. ¡°Could you imagine what this place would look like without snow?¡±


    Rocko shook his head no.


    ¡°Are we almost back?¡± Phil complained.


    ¡°Almost.¡±


    They were half a mile away at this point. Loid wanted to guess the sun was mid sky at this point, but couldn¡¯t tell with the overcast. He pulled out his watch. It was roughly noon. Not too bad, he thought to himself.


    ¡°Hey, you hear something?¡± Phil asked.


    Loid looked back up. He heard a very faint screaming.


    ¡°It sounds like people yelling!¡± Rocko said.


    Loid heard women screaming and men¡¯s voices giving commands. It sounded like chaos coming from the village.


    ¡°Quick, something¡¯s wrong, lets hurry!¡± All three of them started running.


    As they got closer, the screaming became much more apparent. Something was definitely wrong. It sounded like an attack.


    Phil was somehow the quickest. He was getting ahead of the other two. Rocko was huffing while pulling the sleigh.


    ¡°Leave the sleigh behind!¡± Loid ordered. Rocko dropped it and continued running.


    As the reality of what could be happening crept into Loid¡¯s mind, he knew running couldn¡¯t get him there quick enough. His wife could be in real danger. He couldn¡¯t lose her.


    Loid instantly dispersed into shadowy smoke.


    The smoke bolted ahead at a speed much faster than any normal person could run.


    ¡°HUH?¡± Rocko yelled out in utter disbelief. He had never ever seen Loid use elemental power before. Rocko nearly stopped in shock, but quickly reminded himself that he had to keep running.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Phil yelled as he saw the dark smoke wisp past him.


    ¡°I think that was Loid!¡± Rocko responded.


    ¡°What?!¡±


    Back at the castle, Marin finished wandering the castle a bit more, gathering a pack of supplies he thought would be useful. He had visited his vault, and grabbed a large sack of gold coins.


    More where that came from, he envisioned himself saying to some potential servants.


    Once he believed he had everything he needed, he left the castle. Backpack on his shoulders, he was ready to venture out into a world that to him had seemingly teleported 200 years into the future.


    Marin walked up the small peak beside his castle to get a glimpse of the world again. He needed to decide where he would travel to first.


    When he got to the top, he peered out onto the continent once again. After studying it for a while, he thought the east would be a good place to start. Before he left, he looked down on Heroca Town one more time.


    It was on fire, most of the houses burning. Black smoke rose from the village.


    Well, that can¡¯t be good, he thought.

 Chapter 5 - The Raid

    A wisp of shadowy smoke bolted down a snowy path. This dark cloud, that was stretched from the speed it was racing at, was Loid Alkaver. He is the owner of an inn at Heroca Town, and right now, he was moving as fast as he could in his dispersed shadow form.


    From what he had gathered earlier, something terrible was happening at his village. He wasn¡¯t sure what, but judging from the increasingly apparent cries, it was something he had to get to immediately.


    Loid had left his shadow element skills alone for years. After quitting Neo, and moving to Heroca Town, he told himself he would never use the shadow element again.


    That is, of course, if he could help it. If something drastic was happening though, he had no qualms using the power he had used in fighting wars many years ago.


    Rocko and Phil were somewhere behind him, trying to catch up. In dispersion form, he could move faster than any normal person could run. He paid little mind to the fact that using any shadow skills would unsettle them, seeing as they had not ever seen Loid use elemental strength before.


    Dispersion itself is a shadow elemental skill. One that took time to master, and was quite risky to use. The skill was only reserved for highly trained shadow elementals. The user¡¯s entire physical body melts into a shadowy mist, that can then travel freely, and in the air. In this form one can get through small passages that would otherwise be inaccessible. This was exclusive only to the shadow class.


    As a downside, when entering dispersion form, one must constantly focus on composing their mind. If one stays in a smoky state for too long, and loses concentration, they will disperse too much and fade away entirely, unable to be recollected to return to physical form. It was walking a tight rope, a fine line.


    Too many arrogant elementals entered the wispy state and never returned again. Gone, without a trace. No dead body, nothing. They just stopped existing. There are theories that their mind is still out there in the wind, unable to interact with anything, unable to be seen by anyone. For most though, it is generally accepted that they just perish.


    Loid knew the risks, and knew that he hadn¡¯t practiced in years, but found himself quite focused. If he started to feel himself slip away, he would instantly reform. He should be alright.


    The dark cloud finally made it to the edge of Heroca Town. When it did, the shadowy smoke condensed itself, and Loid¡¯s physical body appeared.


    He was in utter shock at what he saw. The village was burning, most of the houses were on fire. His mind raced to decide if this was the doing of one person or a group of people, but without hesitation, ran into the village.


    When he got to the main road, there was chaos. Some of the villagers were fighting raiders dressed in rough leather. A woman had a bucket of water and was throwing it onto her roof. Other villagers were trying to get their families out of the house.


    In all the confusion, Loid ran up to the closest skirmish and knocked out one of the foreign raiders he knew not to be of the village. The man who was fighting the raider previously was panting, trying to catch his breath.


    ¡°Loid¡­¡± he uttered.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?!¡± He demanded.


    ¡°They came out of nowhere. I don¡¯t understand,¡± the villager could barely get out. He had cuts and bruises on him from the fight.


    Loid looked up as he heard a screaming woman. Another raider had grabbed her and was pulling her away.


    Loid held up his arm, and a shadowy tendril escaped from his palm. It lunged for the attacker, and wrapped itself around him.


    The raider let out a cry in confusion as he tried to figure out what was happening. The woman ran. The tendril retracted and dragged the raider towards Loid.


    When the rough looking man in leather was fully reeled in, Loid delivered a swift blow to his face, as hard as he could.


    Loid didn¡¯t have answers, but he knew he had to neutralize every attacker of this raiding party.


    ¡°Hey, we have an elemental!¡± Loid heard someone yell in the distance. Several attackers looked over at him. Someone had seen him using his shadow skills.


    He assumed a defensive stance. They started running towards him. Most of them had random blunt objects they had been using as weapons, and seemed very unorganized.


    Loid¡¯s training at Neo instantly kicked in, and when the first thug charged at him, he dispatched him with ease. A second was running behind the first had a crowbar in hand, mid swing. He dodged it, and delivered a punch to their face.


    ¡°Get em¡¯ Loid! Knock them out!¡± Some of the villagers chimed.


    ¡°Get these fires put out!¡± Loid instructed.


    He had all the attackers focused on him now. With the raiders off of the villagers, the townsfolk could work on putting out the fires that consumed the roofs. Some of the attackers seemed concerned, a little hesitant, but knew trying to take out Loid was the only thing they could do.


    Two more charged at him. He readied himself. As they got close, he held out his arms, and two more shadowy tendrils flew out of him. They shot right into the attackers chests, and both of them fell backwards.


    The other raiders looked terrified. They ran.


    Loid saw the villagers throwing water on the fires around him. He knew if he hadn¡¯t shown up, this entire town would¡¯ve been ruined.


    ¡°Sherry,¡± he said quietly to himself.


    Loid dispersed into shadowy smoke again. He raced off to the inn.


    ¡°Rocko! Rocko! Our village is on fire!¡± Phil yelled out.


    Rocko was wheezing behind him trying to catch up. ¡°On fire?!¡± He responded.


    ¡°Look!¡±


    The two were standing at the outskirts of town, in the same spot that Loid had been earlier. Bright orange flames lit up most of the houses, with columns of black smoke above that. It truly looked like a nightmare.


    ¡°Oh, man. Someone¡¯s cooking fire got out of control again. It spread to all the houses.¡± Rocko mentioned.


    ¡°Should we try to put it out?¡± Phil asked.


    ¡°Duh!¡±


    Both of the dimwits ran into town. When they got to the heart of the town, a few of the villagers saw them. They instructed Rocko and Phil to grab buckets of water and try to put out the fires with them.


    As Rocko ran to the water reserve for another bucket, he noticed a rough looking young man in tattered leathers lying unconscious on the ground. Rocko didn¡¯t recognize him.


    ¡°Who¡¯s this guy?¡± Rocko asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s a raider! Rocko, we¡¯re being attacked. Don¡¯t you get it?!¡± An older man said to him.


    ¡°OH!¡± Rocko started to move faster.


    ¡°Sherry!¡± Loid cried out. He had arrived at the inn, and it too, was on fire. He bashed the door open, hot flames dancing around the walls of the building.


    He covered his face to stop himself from inhaling smoke. He cried out his wife¡¯s name again. He didn¡¯t see her anywhere. He checked the bedrooms, kitchen, and closets. She wasn¡¯t there.


    The inn was creaking. The fire had already consumed much of the inn¡¯s support beams. He couldn¡¯t stay in there too much longer.


    ¡°Sherry! Are you in here?!¡± A board fell from above. He held his arms over his head to stop it from hurting him. He coughed a few times.


    He checked a little longer, but found no one in the inn. He ran out as the one of the largest buildings in the town started to cave in on itself.


    My home, my life, all burning down! Where is my wife?! Who is responsible for this?!


    When he got back outside to the main road, he saw man with a thin black beard. He had on a flame bandanna, leather vest, and chains hanging from his pants.


    Without hesitation, a fireball formed in his hand, and he threw it at Loid. Loid tackled the ground in an attempt to dodge it.


    ¡°Are you the shadow elemental?¡± The man demanded in a gravelly voice.


    Loid looked up at him from the ground. He swore he saw him throw that fireball. This was a fire elemental, and seemed to be the most prominent of all the attackers so far.


    ¡°Are you the one attacking this helpless village?¡± Loid demanded back. He got back up from the ground.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, and you¡¯ll burn along with the rest of this place.¡± The fire elemental held out his arms and they became like flamethrowers. The heat was intense, and at that split second Loid had to disperse and fly to the side. The attacker¡¯s arms followed the direction of Loid¡¯s smoke, and the flames brushed along him.


    Even in dispersion, he could feel the burning heat of the flames. This man was good, he produced large amounts of fire that only skilled fire elementals could do.


    The more of an element you could produce, the more you had spent time focusing and concentrating on the art for a long period of time. It was apparent that this man was devoted to the craft.


    However, Loid¡¯s training at Neo was not wasted on him. Once he was clear of the fire, he reformed. He spent no time preparing his attack. Two large shadowy tendrils escaped from his back this time and shot over his shoulders. They were much larger than what he had created before, and at the end of the tendrils were shadowy hands, fingers and all.


    They shot out at an incredible speed, hands open, ready to grab the assailant. The fire elemental¡¯s eyes widen at the sight, and in that moment, Loid could tell that the attacker had underestimated him.


    The shadowy hands grasped around his entire body, binding the hothead in place.


    ¡°Not bad, old man!¡± He declared as his body struggled to get free.


    The shadow arms held him in place for a bit, until he let out a yell, and his entire body burst into flames. The fire was so hot that Loid couldn¡¯t keep his shadowy appendages in place anymore, and they faded away.


    Loid was feeling as if he was fighting in the war once again. This was the first elemental fight he had been in since he had been fighting fellow elementals that worked for Belek Harmon.


    Seeing how this elemental performed an intermediate fire skill, he tried guessing where he might¡¯ve learned the art. He pulled off Fire Burst without issue. It was a skill in which the user became a bomb, casting fire from them in every direction, all while focusing on the flames not damaging the caster themselves.


    Just like dispersion, this was quite a risky skill to use. If you weren¡¯t careful, you would burn yourself alive, along with anything else around you.


    The man was too reckless to be trained at Neo. He wasn¡¯t stuck up enough to be from Arkana. Those were the only two official schools to learn the elements. This must¡¯ve been a hedge elemental. One who learns their path either on their own or from a noncertified source.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think a shadow elemental as yourself would be hanging around in some crappy village in the middle of these god forsaken mountains!¡± The fire elemental said. ¡°You¡¯ve been quite a pain to our whole operation here.¡±


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°And what operation would that be? Burning down my home? Looting the town? Or is this all just for the thrill?¡± Loid demanded.


    The hothead laughed. ¡°You think so badly of me that I¡¯d just be doing this for fun? Of course I¡¯m trying to get something out of it!¡±


    Another fire attack. Huge flames shot out at Loid. This time Loid performed shadow blink, a skill that can teleport the user a short distance. He appeared behind the fire elemental, and put him into a choke hold.


    The man in the flame bandanna grunted, noticing that Loid somehow got his arms around him. If Loid could just get him unconscious, he wouldn¡¯t be a threat anymore. Just a few more seconds.


    Unfortunately though, the man was stronger than he looked. He reached behind and grabbed Loid by the back of his shirt, and flipped him over himself, causing Loid to land into the snow in front of him.


    The fire elemental¡¯s fist turned red hot, and he slammed it into the ground where Loid had been, right after Loid had rolled away.


    Before Loid could get back up, flames were shooting out of his hands again. This time, Loid didn¡¯t have enough time to react, and was sprayed. He put his arms up to shield himself some.


    When the flames died down, Loid¡¯s clothes were charred, his skin was burned a bit. His silver hair, which had fallen forward a bit during the fight, was singed. He coughed a few times.


    ¡°You¡¯re something else, you know that? Where¡¯d you learn that stuff? Are you ex-Neo?¡± He said in his gravelly voice.


    Loid didn¡¯t respond. He just tried getting back up.


    ¡°Well whatever you are, you did pretty good. But I think it¡¯s time to wrap things up.¡± The fire elemental held out his hand for one more attack.


    In that moment though, a massive ice wall appeared, separating both Loid and the hothead.


    ¡°Huh?¡± The fire elemental took a few steps backward in shock as the new ice attack had made itself known.


    ¡°You¡¯ve picked a bad village to set fire to, young man.¡± He heard in a raspy, undying voice.


    When he turned around, he saw a robed figure. His robes were dark blue, with golden trim. He noticed the impressive golden cross necklace that hung to his chest. When he looked at his face, it was hidden with a black mask.


    Marin looked quite mysterious in the man¡¯s eyes. Where had he come from?


    ¡°And who are you, mystery man? What¡¯s with the mask? Some sort of superhero? Ha!¡±


    ¡°I will be your undoing. But perhaps I will spare you certain death if you answer for me why you have attacked this place,¡± Marin explained.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to answer to you! I don¡¯t have to answer to anyone here!¡± The fire elemental raised both his hands for an attack. Marin¡¯s arm raised as well.


    When the man adjusted his hands to let loose a massive fiery attack, Marin¡¯s own hand closed into a fist.


    No fire escaped from the hothead.


    ¡°Huh?¡± He jerked his arms again. No flames. He looked up in horror at Marin.


    ¡°No¡­ it can¡¯t be¡­ N-nullification?¡± He stood there stunned.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you one more chance to explain yourself.¡±


    The man was filled with anger and confusion. He tried pushing out several different fire attacks, but none worked. Finally, he cursed and lunged at Marin.


    Marin waved his other hand and his legs froze into place. He stopped running. In shock, he looked down at his legs, then back up at Marin.


    ¡°Damn you! I¡¯ll burn this place to the ground! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± With his might, he shattered the ice around his legs and ran for Marin again.


    ¡°What a shame.¡± Marin shot a long icicle from him, and it went through the man¡¯s chest. He fell over dead.


    After he stared at the fire elemental on the ground for a few seconds, he looked back up at the chaos. Houses were still burning, flames dancing on the roofs. He pointed himself towards it all, and with a few hand movements, froze all the flames on the buildings.


    He then heard several people running. He turned around, and watched the remaining attackers running for their lives out of the village. Marin didn¡¯t bother with them.


    He looked back over to his ice wall he had first made when he showed up. With a wave of his hand, the ice wall shattered, the shards vanishing. Loid was now revealed, barely standing, trying to catch his breath.


    ¡°King Marin¡­¡± He uttered.


    ¡°I hope he didn¡¯t get you too bad.¡± Marin walked up to him. ¡°If I had showed up here a little earlier I could¡¯ve saved you that fight.¡±


    ¡°My wife¡­ I don¡¯t know where she is!¡± Loid got out.


    Marin became concerned. His head started darting around. ¡°We¡¯ll find her.¡±


    The villagers had all calmed down. They had been staring in awe at the frozen flames on their houses. They looked like upside down icicles.


    ¡°Everyone!¡± Marin announced. They all turned to look at him. ¡°Has anyone seen the innkeeper¡¯s wife, Sherry? Is she okay?¡±


    They looked at each other. Finally a woman from the crowd shouted out.


    ¡°We tried evacuating the elderly as soon as the attacks started. They might be at the edge of town now, on the other side!¡±


    Marin and Loid took off in that direction. After running for a bit, they saw Rocko.


    ¡°Loid! King Marin!¡±


    ¡°Rocko!¡± Loid said in relief. ¡°You¡¯re okay! Where¡¯s Phil? Have you seen my wife?¡±


    Rocko nodded yes. ¡°Phil went with the elderly to take care of them and protect them. They¡¯re further down the road behind a few houses.¡± He pointed in a general area.


    Now all three of them were running. They passed by a few more buildings before they finally found a small crowd of older people. Phil was with them trying to calm them down.


    One older lady turned and saw Loid. It was Sherry.


    ¡°Thank goodness,¡± Loid said. He ran up to hug her.


    ¡°Loid! Oh Loid! You¡¯re here!¡± She said, all relieved. When they stopped hugging, she looked him over.


    ¡°Oh my God, look at you! You¡¯re all burned up! What happened?¡± She demanded.


    ¡°It was an attack, honey. A gang of hooligans, led by a strong fire elemental. I had to fight him.¡± Loid explained to her.


    ¡°Oh dear. Are you okay? Are you hurt?¡± She was feeling his arms over his ripped sleeves.


    ¡°I might have perished, if it wasn¡¯t for this man right here,¡± he pointed over at Marin.


    Sherry¡¯s eyes widened at the sight of him. ¡°You? You saved my husband?¡±


    Marin looked down a bit. He wasn¡¯t looking to receive any credit. ¡°I merely assisted him. He is quite the fighter, your husband.¡±


    She walked over to him and grabbed his arms. ¡°You have my thanks for saving him, and saving our village.¡± She paused a bit as she looked at his mask that covered his face.


    ¡°My husband says you¡¯re the king of Nocturne Castle. Is that true?¡±


    ¡°Indeed it is, ma¡¯am.¡±


    Some of the other elderly villagers looked at him in confusion and shock.


    ¡°I am¡­ a long lost heir, you could say. I have returned to claim my castle and my kingdom.¡± Marin looked up at Loid, and nodded, in a way they both understood.


    ¡°Well, a returning king is a big deal. I hope you have plenty of subordinates to help you out.¡± She gave him a firm pat on the arm.


    Marin smiled under the mask. ¡°I¡¯m still working that out.¡±


    The attack was over. Heroca¡¯s fires had either died down, was put out by water, or frozen by Marin. Regardless of how it was extinguished, light smoke drifted from the remains. Any attackers that were left had bolted from the town after their leader had died. The town was at peace once again.


    The damage though, was lasting. Roughly half of the buildings that made up the snowy town had burned down. Half of the remaining ones had been seriously damaged. Only a few houses happened to be unscathed.


    Some of the villagers perished in the fight too, unfortunately. People put them on stretchers. Raiders who had died were being drug on the ground by others. They were all cleaning up and salvaging what they had left.


    Some of the older villagers were instructing Rocko and Phil on what they could do to help. As the villagers moved rubble and tried to clean, Loid and Marin walked down the main street.


    ¡°I can¡¯t thank you enough for your help,¡± Loid said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. It was just by chance I had seen the village in flames before I left. I can¡¯t believe this happened. Has is happened before?¡±


    ¡°No, never. In the ten years I¡¯ve lived here, there has never been an attack. It¡¯s so coincidental that this happened as you woke up. I¡¯m glad you were here to defend us.¡± Loid explained.


    As they walked by, several villagers cheered for Marin and Loid. A few came up to shake Marin¡¯s glove covered hand in gratitude for helping them.


    Before walking too much longer, an older woman approached them. She had on glasses, and hair that was part brown, part gray in a loose ponytail.


    ¡°Oh, Helva. Hello,¡± Loid greeted. He shook her hand. Loid turned to look at Marin.


    ¡°Sullivan, this is the mayor of Heroca Town, Helva Yoren.¡± He explained.


    ¡°Pleasure to meet you, ma¡¯am. I am King Marin of Nocturne.¡± He stuck his hand out to shake hers.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard a bit about you, King Marin. You claim to be the rightful ruler of Nocturne Castle up there?¡± She asked.


    ¡°I am that. I have returned to restore the castle to its former glory, the way it was 200 years ago.¡± Marin explained.


    ¡°Well, that shouldn¡¯t be a problem. Whether you are truly the king or not doesn¡¯t matter to me. No one¡¯s made claim to that castle in all this time. If you want to take it over, that¡¯s fine by me. It¡¯s in a terrible state, it will take quite a bit of work to get it up and running again.¡±


    ¡°That is the plan, Ms. Yoren.¡± Marin responded.


    She looked at him for a moment in thought. Then she turned to look at Loid.


    ¡°Can I talk to you both privately in the town hall for a bit? I¡¯d like to let some stuff be known.¡± She stated.


    They both agreed. All three of them headed for the largest house in Heroca, which happened to not get attacked at all, miraculously. It had wooden walls around it, making it the only fortified building in the whole village.


    They entered the building. The front room was large, the ceiling rising up to almost three stories. In the middle of the room was a fire pit, with doors lining both walls. In the center was a large chair in which she normally sat to conduct her business.


    With this talk however, she did not sit down. The three stood near the entrance, not a single other person in the building. She started.


    ¡°Heroca Town has already been struggling. Most of the denizens here have been unable to pay their property tax.¡± She looked over at Loid briefly. ¡°We have not been getting business here like we used to. Traffic has dwindled to almost nothing. No one is coming out here with prospects anymore, funding the village.¡±


    ¡°Why do you think that is?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Could be the fact that snow has made this place quite difficult to get to. It had started becoming quite cold out here over the last few decades. And because of that, it accumulates way too much. Traveling out here has become much more tedious.¡±


    She went on. ¡°I¡¯ve been mayor for 50 years and it has only gotten colder the entire time. Long ago, our summers were fair. Crops could still grow in the right season. Now, snow falls year round. It sits on the ground at all times. Only the elders of this village remember what it used to be like.¡±


    Marin and Loid kept their heads down in thought.


    ¡°And now, with this attack, over half of Heroca has perished. We will not be able to recover. This town will have to be abandoned.¡± She paused for a bit to let it sink in, and to give them a chance to say something.


    ¡°Loid, your inn has burned down. The general shop has burned down. Our imports building has burned down. No one has the funds to rebuild!¡± She added.


    ¡°So where is everyone going to go?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Most have lived in these mountains for decades. I don¡¯t think they could call another place home.¡± Helva responded.


    Loid and Marin looked at each other for a bit. Marin started to get an idea. It was going to be a far shot, but it was worth trying. If the villagers did not want to leave this mountain range, maybe they could be slightly displaced.


    ¡°What if they didn¡¯t have to leave the mountains? What if¡­ They moved into the castle. With me.¡±


    ¡°That castle?! It¡¯s in no condition to live in,¡± she reminded him.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to get restored. Everyone can live in there and work for me.¡± Marin bargained.


    ¡°And I assume you have a massive pile of gold to feed everyone and take care of their needs along with that?¡± Helva asked sarcastically.


    ¡°I¡­ have the gold.¡± Marin said.


    Loid was looking at him, starting to doubt this claim. Marin started to debate whether he should make this fact be known, but he had enough trust in an official like the mayor, and Loid as well at this point.


    ¡°There is a large fortune of gold inside Nocturne Castle that has been undiscovered and undisturbed since the sabotage of it over 200 years ago. I am the only one that knows about it.¡±


    He thought about how Phil and Rocko had seen the vault door, but remembered that earlier he had convinced them a giant sleeping monster was locked inside, and he was keeping it prisoner. They easily bought it.


    ¡°Really?¡± Loid said surprisingly.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯ve come back,¡± Helva said.


    No, that¡¯s not why I¡¯ve come back, Ms. Yoren. I¡¯ve never left. I¡¯ve been here all this time. But I will have to agree with you, seeing as the truth about me can¡¯t be believed easily.


    Marin nodded. ¡°I can take care of the entire village.¡±


    Helva stayed silent for a bit in thought. What a weighty decision. What a risk. At this point though, they didn¡¯t have too many better options.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to go out there and convince them all,¡± Helva finally said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Marin started to walk away, but Loid grabbed his arm.


    ¡°Sullivan, that¡¯s at least fifty people. Are you sure you can take care of them all?¡± Loid asked.


    Marin nodded. ¡°For the time being. At least until Nocturne can become profitable again. I¡¯m not looking to hemorrhage my fortune indefinitely.¡±


    He started for the door. Before he let himself out, he turned to look at both of them.


    ¡°We¡¯ll make this work. Anyone who doesn¡¯t want to take my offer is free not to. I¡¯m not in the business of taking slaves or prisoners.¡± With that, he went out the door.

 Chapter 6 - Speech for the Broken

    Marin walked out of the town hall of Heroca in deep thought about how he would propose moving everyone into his castle. It would not be unreasonable for everyone to turn down this request from a mysterious masked man who had just made himself known yesterday.


    However, with Loid backing him up, and the fact he had just saved the lives of the townsfolk, it could turn in his favor.


    As he walked back onto the snow covered main street of the city, he noticed the chaos from earlier had left a lasting mark. There was blood splattered on the ground in some areas, dying the snow red. Villagers hobbled about, trying to salvage what was left from their burnt houses.


    Marin¡¯s eyes fell upon a mid-aged woman with short black hair and cateye glasses. She was panicking in front of a burned building.


    ¡°Gone!¡± She yelled. ¡°All gone. I had some really rare samples in there!¡± She brought her hands up into her hair, trying not to let herself spiral out of control.


    Marin started to approach her from behind.


    ¡°Ugh, my hellroot, my Fontwell samples, destroyed! I-¡± She heard Marin¡¯s footsteps in the snow, and she turned around to see him.


    ¡°You know where The Fontwell Span is?¡± She immediately asked him.


    ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with that land,¡± he said back.


    She shook her head with a sarcastic grin. ¡°It¡¯s on the other side of the continent. Do you know how many months it took to-¡± She looked over to a man. ¡°Bob. Bob! I need more fontwell samples now!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to get them yourself!¡± Bob yelled in anger. ¡°My shop has burned down!¡±


    ¡°Yeah? What hasn¡¯t?!¡± She shook her head quickly, her black hair whisking side to side. Her glasses were fixed on a long hooked nose.


    ¡°And you,¡± she redirected to King Marin. ¡°I¡¯m not sure who you even are. You show up yesterday wearing that black mask you have on and the next day we are all raided. Coincidence? I think NOT.¡± Her words were fierce and snappy. It was almost humorous seeing them come out of a little frail lady.


    Bob got closer to the two of them. ¡°He saved us, Cheryl. Remember? He killed that raid leader and put all the flames out. He had nothing to do with it.¡±


    ¡°I can assure you ma¡¯am, I had nothing to do with the attack. I am very sorry you lost all your ingredients. Are you an apothecary?¡± Marin tried.


    She looked taken aback from the question. She almost seemed disgusted he made that inference. ¡°An apothecary of sorts,¡± she admitted. ¡°I like to experiment with new potions. I¡¯ve been studying plants and fungi for decades.¡±


    She turned back to look at her house. ¡°And I lost all my stuff. Ugh, the years it took me to¡­¡± Her voice trailed off as she marched into the pile of ash that used to be her house.


    Bob stuck his hand out to shake Marin¡¯s hand.


    ¡°My name is Bob Galrus. I ran the general goods store and handled imports for the town. My whole family lives here and works with me.¡±


    ¡°Your family, are they all okay?¡± Marin asked with concern.


    ¡°Thankfully yes.¡± Bob was a stout man with thin lips and beady eyes. He had a solid grip for a hand shake. Marin was worried that his grip was strong enough to feel his undead hands squish together.


    Bob Galrus continued. ¡°And I have to thank you so much for saving us. Material possessions don¡¯t matter. It sucks a lot has burned down, but you saved my family and for that, I¡¯m eternally grateful.¡±


    He looked over to the apothecary woman.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to forgive Cheryl for that accusation. That was very wrong. She¡¯s just lashing out after losing so much. As far as items go, she¡¯s probably lost the most. She¡¯s spent most of her life collecting reagents.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps I could assist her in restoring her collection,¡± Marin offered.


    Bob gave a thin smile. ¡°Lord knows how much stuff she had.¡± He turned again to look at the king.


    ¡°Why are you wearing that thing on your face anyways?¡± Bob asked.


    ¡°I am quite hideous, I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    ¡°Ah, come on. I¡¯ve seen some bad off people. Surely you can¡¯t be any worse than what I¡¯ve seen.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not something I¡¯m willing to prove.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Bob had his hands in the air, backing off. ¡°I¡¯ll leave ya alone about it. Just saying, it makes you look mighty suspicious, that¡¯s all.¡±


    In the distance, the two could hear sobbing. Another woman had lost her husband, and his body was being taken away.


    ¡°It¡¯s so horrendous what has happened,¡± Bob noted, watching the scene in the distance.


    Bob¡¯s family came around, and they were all introduced to the king. Marin tried being as polite and respectful as possible. He knew the mask and the fact that all his skin was concealed was a bit disturbing, and for that he did everything he could to show he had good intent.


    The citizens were all talking among each other trying to figure out what they would do. They all met at main street besides the town hall.


    Helva Yoren, the mayor, was talking with her husband Harrel. Some of the other older villagers were talking with them too.


    Loid approached Marin after he too had talked with several people.


    ¡°Sullivan, I¡¯ve talked with my wife,¡± he started. ¡°She¡¯s on board.¡±


    With that statement, Marin had new found hope. Perhaps this was all in his grasp after all.


    ¡°That¡¯s excellent to hear. Let¡¯s see how many others would like that offer as well,¡± Marin said quietly back.


    At this point, Marin walked up the steps of town hall. He readied himself for a speech. Some villagers were taking notice of him now.


    ¡°Attention, everyone.¡± Marin demanded. They all stopped talking and looked at him.


    Marin suddenly had a rush of memory from before he had died. He gave speeches like this all time. He had denizens of his castle just like this at one point, and he couldn¡¯t remember a single one of them. He had to put that into the back of his mind for now. He currently had the attention of the whole town.


    ¡°What happened here today was a tragedy. Many have lost everything, some have lost family members.¡± Marin looked down a bit in sadness, he wanted to think of someone he had lost in his past life, but was even more sad to realize not a single soul came to mind.


    ¡°And from what the mayor, Ms. Yoren, has told most of you,¡± he continued, ¡°there is no money to rebuild. This small village¡­ has been¡­ destroyed.¡± He spaced the words out to let them sink in.


    ¡°You will all have to move. Leave the mountains.¡± He stated. There was some panic, and talking among themselves.


    ¡°But I offer a different option.¡± They ignored him. They were all still talking and looking around frantically. Marin looked over at Helva who was quietly supporting him.


    At that moment, King Marin took out his pouch of gold, and dumped the coins. They all clanged loudly as they poured out of the pouch.


    Everyone stopped talking, and looked at the scene.


    ¡°I am the King of Nocturne. My name is Sullivan Marin. I have enough wealth to share among you all. I am offering you all a chance to join my kingdom and live in the castle further up the mountain.¡±


    There was dead silence. No one moved, no one said a word.


    ¡°I understand that this is very shocking. And I would not blame you all for not trusting me. I understand that I have just showed up only yesterday, and I know that this mask covering my face does not sit well with many of you.¡±


    ¡°But I must ask that you look past that. I have been cursed with a face that unfortunately requires this mask. It is a burden I bear.¡±


    Marin threw the pouch down to the pile of gold coins on the ground.


    ¡°This gold here is a show of faith that I am not deceiving you all. Perhaps it was fate that I have arrived at this time. Some of you have seen that I am indeed an elemental. An ice one. As your king I pledge to protect you and treat you fair. You may all live in the castle and I will pay you handsomely for your work in the kingdom. Are there any questions?¡±


    All the townsfolk started talking madly among themselves. Marin watched the reception from his speech, and it was not looking very promising. He waited patiently as everyone talked, waiting for some questions or answers.


    No one was acknowledging him yet. As they all continued arguing, Marin looked over at Loid and Helva, who were more beside him than in front of him.


    ¡°Hey, you think you can just show up, claim you¡¯re some king and adopt us all after we lost so much?¡± An old man in the back of the crowd finally said. Everyone stopped talking.


    ¡°You sir, what is your name?¡± Marin demanded in a booming voice.


    ¡°Gary Hogright. I am 83 years old, and I have lived in Heroca my entire life, ever since Helva¡¯s grandmother was mayor! Just because we suffered an attack does not mean you can show up and claim our town is forfeit, and take over!¡±


    Some of the townsfolk nodded in agreement.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Helva instantly got up besides Marin.


    ¡°And what are you going to do, Gary?¡± She yelled back. ¡°You retired from being a farmer once the snow fell year round. We had to shift from growing food to taking prospecting deals and importing food to keep this town alive! This place was hardly worth anything before, and it¡¯s certainly not worth much now! What do you expect we all do?!¡± The mayor demanded.


    ¡°We survive, just like we always have,¡± he responded.


    More arguments broke out. Everyone was trying to talk over each other. The villagers of Heroca seemed stubborn. They might even try their best surviving with whats left rather than taking their chances with Marin.


    Loid knew it too, but inside he also knew if he would take a stand, maybe others would follow. A trusted villager needed to vouch for the king. Loid approached the center, and got up to break up the chaos.


    ¡°Everyone, listen to me!¡± The talking stopped as Loid took control. Marin noticed right away how he commanded the entire village and they stopped talking. He seemed to be a very respected man in the community.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking his offer!¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Someone yelled out.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ve gone up to the castle. I know most of you know one thing or another about the place. I know a few of you have visited it. But King Marin here knows the castle up there as if he has lived there his entire life. There is stuff in that castle that absolutely proves his claims.


    He is legit! And what he says is true. Need I even remind you all that not only did he save my life, but he saved all of yours as well! You at least owe him something, if not treating him with some respect and dignity, and taking his offer seriously.¡±


    Marin was completely moved by Loid. No emotion showed in front of his cold black mask, but deep in the king¡¯s heart and mind he was really proud of the innkeeper, and new connections of trust and admiration were forming.


    ¡°I¡¯m going too! And so is Phil!¡± Rocko finally belted out from the crowd. Everyone looked over at them.


    Loid smiled.


    Marin took back over. ¡°I want to remind you all that I am making no claims to your lives. You are free to do as you wish. Stay here, move, join me, it is up to you. I can assure you all my intentions are pure. If at anytime you do not feel I am a suitable king, you may leave. You are not locked into this.¡±


    The sun started to set as all the townspeople worked to re-situate themselves. The cold air was harsh, and at night, it got even colder. Everyone had to put aside selfishness and allow those who lost their houses to be lodged with those who still had theirs. The town hall was also opened up as a place to sleep. People worked as the sun went down dragging beds, belongings, and food to different houses. They all debated among themselves about Marin¡¯s offer.


    The King sat in the town hall with Loid, his wife, Phil and Rocko, and Helva and Harrel Yoren. A fire burned in the center of the building, providing warmth to everyone there. Other villagers had set up sleeping mats in the rooms to the left and right of the hall.


    ¡°We¡¯re not staying here, we are going with you,¡± Helva said to the King.


    Harrel nodded in agreement. ¡°We don¡¯t have much of a choice.¡±


    ¡°I am quite honored to hear that,¡± Marin stated. ¡°With you two on board, hopefully we can sway much of the village. I am extremely thankful that you would take a chance on me.¡±


    ¡°You saved all of our lives. And if this all works out as you intend, we will all be happy we took you up on the deal. I just hope that you will still respect that I was mayor of Heroca, and not demote me too much,¡± she stated in a joking manner, grinning a bit.


    ¡°On the contrary, your experience and occupation will be greatly needed. I wouldn¡¯t insult your intelligence and status by giving you a modest job. I will need you to help lead and guide the citizens as you do now, as well as help me file proper paperwork instilling Nocturne as a kingdom again,¡± Marin explained.


    ¡°That, I can more than help you with,¡± she replied.


    ¡°And Harrel,¡± Marin started. ¡°I understand you dealt with the town¡¯s financial work.¡±


    ¡°Yes sir, I¡¯m an accountant. I was in charge of all contracts the town took to bring in money, as well as collecting taxes and managing the village finances.¡± He proudly stated.


    ¡°Then you are also quite valuable,¡± Marin noted.


    The king had noticed Harrel dressed in finer clothing than the other villagers. He wore a fine suit and tie, as well as dawning a top hat on his head. As neat as his clothes was his fine pencil thin black mustache that almost curled at both ends.


    Regardless what character traits Marin could think he had, his demeanor hinted at a well educated background.


    It was discussed earlier that Marin would give everyone a few days to make their decision. Many of the families needed time to decide if this was a lifestyle change they were willing to take up. Tomorrow, the majority of the villagers would decide the fate of the town. It was a big deal.


    Rocko and Phil had already snuggled into their sleeping mats and were dozing off. Marin looked over at Loid¡¯s face, which was staring at the fire, the orange colors dancing upon him. He could tell that Loid was thinking about a lot.


    In truth, Loid was thinking about how he almost lost his wife. If he had not arrived sooner, the raiders could¡¯ve burned down the entire village and slaughtered everyone. Marin or Loid could not get it out of the leader why he had attacked in the first place, but the raiders had no qualms about killing people.


    Many villagers spent the night in mourning over those who had died. Marin thought back to when he saw that woman in anguish in the distance as her deceased husband was taken from her.


    ¡°Why our village?¡± Loid said in a whispered voice, almost to himself.


    Sherry held his hand. ¡°We¡¯re all safe now, that¡¯s what matters.¡± She gripped it tight. ¡°And we have the new King here to thank.¡±


    ¡°It just... doesn¡¯t make sense that such a strong elemental would waste his time with a poor, quiet village in the mountains.¡± Loid said back.


    ¡°My thoughts exactly,¡± Marin added. ¡°I was quite curious and tried twice to get an answer from him. He was determined not to reveal that to us.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Helva started, staring into the fire. ¡°...Ah, no. Never mind. Really hard to say.¡± She looked like she might¡¯ve had an idea, but shrugged it off quick and dismissed it.


    ¡°We have a big day tomorrow. What are the plans, your highness?¡± Sherry asked. She didn¡¯t seem to be entirely enthused about having a new king, but she was grateful, and did everything she could to show respect.


    Marin debated whether he would tell Sherry to not use such formalities as highness, but he let it go for now.


    ¡°Everyone who is on board will start to move what little belongings they have left to the castle. I will have a few people head down the mountain to purchase food and bring it up. It will be that way until I can establish a proper supply network to the castle.


    I will start work on having the castle restored and be made into a proper living space again.¡± Marin paused for a second, looking into the fire.


    ¡°Also, I will need to be vigilant in case of a second attack. We don¡¯t know why they attacked, but their mission failed. I am hoping that they were an independent group raiding for their own selfish means, but if not, and there is something we do not know about, I must be ready.¡± Marin explained.


    ¡°You seem pretty confident in your abilities to protect us,¡± Harrel noticed.


    ¡°¡­It would take some prominent individuals to give me trouble.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see what happened after you intervened in that fight, Marin, but you seemed to have taken care of him quickly.¡± Loid stated.


    ¡°Yeah, he was being difficult. Looking back at it all, I could¡¯ve subdued him for interrogation. But I was quite upset with the whole situation, and was not sure if there were stronger threats around. I could have handled it all better,¡± Marin sadly explained.


    They all talked for a while later, but as the night became late, everyone laid down for bed. Marin was starting to come to the conclusion that he could no longer sleep, and declined a bed, explaining that sometimes he would rather sleep in a chair.


    They were all puzzled over this statement, but Marin had already left an impression that he was not a normal person to begin with, so they all just accepted that there would be some unusual things about him. They all bid goodnight, and Marin sat in a chair as others retreated to bedrooms.


    Marin sat in front of the dying embers of the fire for an hour or two before getting up and walking around. Thoughts of how the next days, weeks, and months would play out occupied his mind. He also continued to try his hardest to remember details of his life 200 years ago. He knew he was king, he knew he had several hundred denizens of his kingdom, but could not for the life of him remember a single one.


    Quite possibly the most frustrating thing he was dealing with, was the lack of memories from his past life. He pondered if maybe he had done something to his own kingdom and didn¡¯t remember it. Perhaps he had gone out of his right mind and killed everyone. Could it be possible? Why couldn¡¯t he remember anything? It also bewildered Marin that despite forgetting everyone and the events of his old life, he remembered he had gone to Arkana to study as a wizard.


    Wait, Loid brought up Arkana, didn¡¯t he? I remembered that part of my life because it was brought up. Maybe, just maybe, memories will make themselves known as I see or hear about related topics.


    On a side note, his ability to speak, ration, and use his elemental skills were seemingly unhindered. Skills that were second nature to him were retained.


    How odd.


    Marin opened the doors of the town hall and walked outside. The glow from the snow on the ground lit the surroundings enough to see comfortably. All the smoke from the buildings had finally subsided.


    Houses that were still intact had some lights on in them. He walked down main street for a while, until he noticed a man sitting on the porch of a burned down building, feet on the stair below him. He was hunched over, looking quite sullen.


    When he saw Marin, the man sat up a bit and rested his wrists on his legs.


    ¡°How¡¯s the night treating you?¡± King Marin asked the man. He had a bald head, and a bushy gray mustache. He was a bulkier man with hairy arms, shown from rolled up sleeves of his coat. Marin guessed that he was somewhere in his fifties.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you,¡± the man noticed. ¡°The King.¡± His voice brought quite sadness with it.


    ¡°You know who I am, but I have not been introduced to you yet.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Bronson. Bronson Chrisler. I¡­ I lost my son earlier today, King Marin.¡±


    Behind the black mask, Marin felt great sorrow for him. He was almost relieved he had the mask on right now, as he didn¡¯t want to show such emotion.


    ¡°I could not imagine the pain you bare right now.¡± Marin got closer, and leaned along what was left of a support beam besides the porch stairs.


    Bronson rubbed his bald head, trying his hardest not to become emotional either.


    ¡°Are you really serious about all this? Do you really have a large fortune to burn on us all? Is that something you really want to do?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I am burning it. Rather, investing. You all seem to be good people, and that¡¯s something I¡¯m looking for. When I showed up during the raid, I saw you all fighting for your families and homes fiercely. I could only wish that I had denizens that felt the same way about my kingdom.¡±


    Bronson grunted. ¡°Your kingdom¡­ You really claim to be the true heir to Nocturne, eh? You¡¯ve left your castle alone for quite a long time, I¡¯m afraid. Better late than never, though.¡±


    ¡°Certain circumstances have¡­ kept me unable to rule.¡±


    Bronson made a sarcastic noise, as if that response didn¡¯t mean much to him. ¡°Well, Loid seems to really trust you. I don¡¯t know what you said or did to him for that to happen, but that counts for something. He¡¯s been my bartender for the ten years he¡¯s lived here. Great guy, a war veteran.¡±


    Bronson didn¡¯t seem too keen on joining Marin. They talked for a while later, and he did thank Marin again for saving the village. After a while, he got up to go enter a house.


    ¡°I hope you get some sleep, King Marin. I can only see your eyes, but they look tired,¡± he pointed out.


    Marin waved goodbye as he entered a warm, cozy house. The cold wind blew outside, but Marin felt no temperature. He started to walk back towards town hall.


    When he returned to the tallest building in the burned down village, he looked up at the roof.


    A pillar of ice started rising beneath his feet. It pushed him up a good distance.


    He took a step, and a new pillar of ice shot up to meet his elevated foot. This continued each time he took a step, rising higher and higher until he stepped onto the roof. All the ice pillars that had formed to support each footstep shattered away as they were no longer needed.


    The cold wind rippled Marin¡¯s deluxe royal robes. A crescent moon adorned the night sky, a few clouds rolling by. He looked down at his gold cross necklace once again. He grabbed it to study it closer. The gold shined dimly in the moonlight.


    Tomorrow would be a new day.

 Chapter 7 - New Kingdom

    Marin never did sleep that night, he had not slept any night prior. He spent the time walking around the town and observing the damages. He had ran into two guards who were on duty at night, and Marin explained to them that he was feeling restless and had to walk around. The guards introduced themselves to him and one expressed interest in joining the kingdom, to which Marin was honored.


    As the morning hour approached, the king returned to town hall and sat in a wooden chair, the same one they had left him in as everyone else went to bed. He knew everyone would be waking up shortly, and it was not his intent to reveal to them that he had spent the entire night awake and wandering.


    The first one to come out at the crack of dawn was Helva, who glanced at Marin still sitting in the chair from when she last saw him.


    ¡°Good morning, Marin. Did you get any sleep?¡± She asked.


    ¡°I enjoyed the quiet time greatly,¡± he mentioned back.


    It was not exactly a yes or no answer, but she paid it no mind. The former mayor of Heroca was already dressed for the day, and the kitchen started coming alive as Sherry scurried her way into it.


    Loid¡¯s wife was asking questions to Helva about where utensils and cooking tools were, since she was in an unfamiliar kitchen. In fact, it was the first time she cooked in another kitchen other than her own in years.


    Marin hovered a bit, offering to help grab and hold items as the town hall started to smell like breakfast.


    ¡°How long have you been cooking, Sherry?¡± Marin asked as he held a bowl for her.


    She had an apron on and was lurching here and there, grabbing ingredients.


    ¡°Oh, since I was a young gal. I wasn¡¯t good at much else, but I loved making food. Cooking is the language of love, dear.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t know that,¡± Marin admitted. She took the bowl from him.


    ¡°Have you ever had a wife cook for you?¡± Sherry asked.


    Marin became dizzy from the question.


    A wife. A queen. The queen of Nocturne. Did I ever have a wife? I don¡¯t remember one.


    He strained himself trying to think of details from before. He didn¡¯t let too much time pass before he came up with an answer.


    ¡°Not in this lifetime, not yet anyways,¡± he finally stated.


    Everyone who had spent the night in town hall came out to enjoy a large breakfast on a long table. In the short time that Marin had spent in his undead body, he realized that nourishment was not needed. None of his organs seemed to work, and Marin was not about to introduce food into a body that would not digest it.


    It saddened the king knowing that he would never be able to eat again. His brain still told him that food was delicious, but it helped that his body gave no craving for it.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that due to my facial conditions, I must eat alone.¡± Marin stated to everyone. ¡°I have to remove my mask to eat and that can only be done in private.¡± It was a good excuse he could give to hide that fact that he couldn¡¯t eat at all.


    Marin tried ignoring any looks or remarks from his statement. He knew that it was not desirable for a king to eat alone, but it could not be helped.


    ¡°However, I wouldn¡¯t want to miss out on the conversations and festivities of a delicious meal, so I will sit with you all now, and eat after. This is the way it will normally have to be.¡±


    They all happily ate together and shared stories and had discussions. It was brought up how Marin learned to be an elemental and he discussed some of his time at Arkana. He was careful to play around the fact that he had attended over 200 years ago.


    Helva talked about how her mother and grandmother were mayor of Heroca as well.


    ¡°In fact, my great grandmother, Heroca Yoren, was the woman to reclaim this town after it was initially destroyed when Nocturne fell. She settled here, rebuilt, and renamed the town after her.¡±


    Marin was a bit stunned. He yearned greatly for any information about Nocturne¡¯s demise.


    ¡°Would you happen to know much about Nocturne falling?¡± He begged.


    Helva unfortunately shook her head no. She looked down for a moment, while eating her food.


    ¡°Civil war in the kingdom, I believe. Maybe even a coup. It did not go over well, instead of a forceful transfer of power, everything was destroyed. The king vanished. It wasn¡¯t known if he was killed, if he fled, if it was all staged, nothing. That¡¯s all I really know.¡±


    If Marin could have goosebumps, he would¡¯ve. Could it all be true, or just tall tales?


    She added a question. ¡°You¡¯re the heir to Nocturne, right? So your grandfather or even great grandfather was the king at the time?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, but I do not know much about him,¡± Marin lied. ¡°I discovered I was the heir and returned to the castle to restore the kingdom.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have any brothers or sisters that could also make claim to the throne, do you?¡± Harrel asked.


    ¡°No. I can assure you, if anyone else attempts to make claim they are the rightful ruler, it will be false.¡± Marin answered.


    Sherry shared her wise advice. ¡°The way I see it, you got here first. No one else wanted it while it was a ruined mess. You¡¯re the one putting the work in to fix it, no one else should be able to say its theirs now.¡±


    Loid stayed quiet. He was one of the very few who knew the truth.


    Phil and Rocko talked among themselves at the end of the table, and enjoyed the food greatly. It was some of the best eating they had in a while, and were sure to eat as much as they could.


    During all the discussions, Marin could not help but to feel grateful. In front of him were his first 6 members of his new kingdom. They all took a chance on him, and he was determined not to let them down.


    After everyone was done eating, and the day was ready to begin, Marin stood up at the end of the table to address his new citizens.


    ¡°Again, I want to thank you all for making me your king. You have all chosen to pledge your loyalty to me and work for me. But this is not one sided. As king, it is my responsibility to put in just as much work, protecting you and making sure you¡¯re well taken care of. I also pledge myself to you, to be a suitable king and see that your needs are met.¡±


    Everyone nodded in appreciation.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head outside now and discuss with the townsfolk further plans,¡± King Marin instructed.


    Sherry stayed behind and took care of dishes.


    Back outside, another town meeting was called close to noon. Many already had backpacks on and possessions packed. It became clear that most people were making their minds up about what they would do.


    Marin stood on the town hall porch in front of them.


    ¡°If you have decided to join my kingdom, you will meet with me and await further instruction. If you have decided otherwise, I wish you luck on your endeavors.¡±


    Marin spoke more trying to convince whoever in the crowd still had second thoughts, but he was approaching the point of reaching a resolution that those who will join him have made their choice.


    Helva also spoke for a while, showing her support and endorsement of Marin. She declared that she and her husband were siding with him.


    Despite this, a few families declared they were leaving. They were packed up, and took off down the mountain. Many said their goodbyes before they left. Among them was Gary Hogright and his wife, who gave Marin a hard time yesterday in the crowd.


    With a shrunken group, Marin started to talk to a few villagers.


    Bob Galrus walked up to the king once again.


    ¡°We¡¯re with ya, my whole family,¡± he stated.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be really interesting having a king in our lives,¡± his wife Erma said.


    The Galrus family had three children.


    An older man who looked vaguely like Bob approached the king.


    ¡°I am Hemet Galrus, Bob¡¯s father. I hope you¡¯ll have room for me as well,¡± he said.


    ¡°Of course, you¡¯re all welcome,¡± Marin said back.


    The family stomped in the snow, walking around Marin and to Helva.


    A familiar short haired lady with cateye glasses walked up next.


    ¡°I just hope you know what you¡¯re doing,¡± she declared in her snappy voice. She walked over to Marin¡¯s side as well.


    ¡°Good to have you on board, Cheryl. We¡¯ll see to it that we restore your reagents,¡± Marin offered.


    Three guards, two from day shift and one from night shift pledged their loyalty next.


    Marin shook the hands of guards Corey Beren and Gus Albore.


    With the final guard, he approached with two other people.


    ¡°I am Max Coronga. I am captain of the Heroca Guard. This is my wife Mabel.¡±


    He shook both of their hands.


    ¡°And this is my brother, Fern Coronga.¡±


    ¡°Fern, hello.¡± Marin shook Fern¡¯s hand as well.


    ¡°We are all taking you up on the deal,¡± Max declared.


    ¡°I¡¯m honored to have the guard helping me out,¡± King Marin humbly stated.


    Marin continued to shake hands of villagers and talk with each of them for a bit. In total he had already accrued over thirty new citizens.


    The undecided shrunk down to a few people. Those that were left were really struggling with a decision.


    One who was left Marin recognized. He had a bald head and a bushy mustache.


    ¡°Bronson,¡± Marin spoke to him. ¡°What are you thinking?¡±


    Bronson Chrisler was surprised to be called out. He scratched the back of his head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I like it,¡± he said.


    ¡°What¡¯s holding you back?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m just not sure if I want a king in my life.¡±


    To Marin, he seemed like a good guy who was trying to hide behind a tough man persona. He remembered that Bronson lost his son in the raid, and seemed so confused as to what to do. Marin could almost feel his uncertainty and fear.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to see me as a king, Bronson. I¡¯d like you to see me as a friend. Someone who will stand besides you, as I¡¯d hope you would stand besides me. We can be united.¡±


    Marin held his hand out to him.


    ¡°Come on Bron!¡± Someone yelled out from behind Marin.


    Bronson looked around side to side, then looked over at his fellow villagers standing behind the king.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    He winced a bit, then walked forward and grabbed Marin¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Bronson gave in.


    When the remaining villagers saw that everyone else either left or joined Marin, and had not chosen the third option, which was staying there, they too made the decision to leave or join.


    At that point, everyone who was on board with the King stayed, and those who declined him were leaving.


    Marin turned to his small crowd of thirty plus villagers.


    ¡°As of now, you are all officially citizens of Nocturne,¡± he proudly stated.


    ¡°What is your first order, my King?¡± Someone shouted out of the crowd.


    ¡°My first order is, that we spend the next few days transferring all of your possessions to the castle. Rocko and Phil!¡±


    The two young men nodded.


    ¡°You are to help everyone bring their stuff to the castle. We will clean out what is left of Heroca and bring it up.¡±


    ¡°Next,¡± Marin continued. He pulled out his sack of gold coins. ¡°Bob ¨C I want you to take this pouch of gold and purchase food and essential supplies the castle will need for the next week. I remember you told me you ran imports and the general store here. Can you make that happen?¡±


    ¡°Certainly. I still have carts that weren¡¯t destroyed. I can travel to Whitewood City at the bottom of the mountain and purchase everything we need,¡± Bob stated.


    ¡°Good, and have your family assist you. Just buy essentials, I will soon hire workers to bring up more long term supplies,¡± Marin explained.


    Marin continued to give out orders to everyone, and one by one, they left the crowd to start working on their assigned task.


    Marin also discovered that Fern Coronga was in charge of city upkeep. That included keeping the village roads shoveled and clear of snow. He assigned him to begin work creating a more suitable path up the mountain to Nocturne Castle.


    ¡°What can I do to help, King Marin?¡± Sherry asked.


    ¡°Sherry Alkaver, how would you like to be Nocturne¡¯s head chef?¡± Marin asked.


    Sherry became all flustered. ¡°Goodness, me?! I don¡¯t know, my king. I hardly believe I am worthy of such a job.¡±


    Marin looked over to Helva and Harrel. ¡°How would you rate her cooking?¡± He asked them.


    ¡°Sherry? Her food is the best in town, we eat at the inn regularly for it.¡± Helva said as a matter of fact.


    Marin nodded. ¡°I think that¡¯s grounds for being my head chef.¡±


    ¡°Oh, dear. I ¨C alright, I will do my best to cook well for everyone. You flatter me greatly, Marin,¡± she finally gave in.


    ¡°And don¡¯t worry, you will have help in the kitchen. I will make sure that anyone assigned in there follows your instructions.¡±


    At that point, the citizens of Nocturne castle, former villagers of Heroca, worked as one to get everything accomplished.


    Marin appointed Loid as second in command. He explained that if he was unavailable or preoccupied, Loid could make determinations.


    ¡°You were a captain at Neo. I do not think you¡¯ll have much issue getting orders across. You may give orders at your own discretion,¡± Marin told Loid earlier.


    Loid bowed slightly with his head. ¡°I will do my best.¡±


    Marin patted his arm a few times. ¡°You¡¯re my right hand man, I¡¯ve decided. You mean a lot to me.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Sullivan. I¡¯m honored.¡±


    The Galrus family took off down the mountain to get supplies. Two horses hauled a large empty cart away. Marin had given them his entire sack of gold coins to get whatever they deemed necessary. The other citizens were gathering their belongings and getting them onto carts. Everyone was working.


    Marin helped out the best he could too. He gave some villagers a hand in moving boxes.


    He entered the town hall, and saw Helva gathering paper work from her desk.


    ¡°I have files on all the villagers,¡± she mentioned. ¡°This will all come in handy in transferring them into the new kingdom.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not familiar on legalities these days. Will you be able to handle all the paper work in declaring us a kingdom?¡±


    ¡°It will take time. Letters will have to be mailed back and forth. There will be fees too.¡± She pushed her glasses up her nose as they started slipping. She placed a stack of papers into a box.


    ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem,¡± he said back.


    Marin walked back outside, and saw that Fern Coronga was already starting the effort of creating a better path up the mountain.


    ¡°Give me a few weeks,¡± Fern started. ¡°And I can even have lanterns along the path. I want to widen it up too. Maybe adjust the incline in some areas.¡± He wiped the sweat off his brow below the knitted black hat he had on.


    ¡°That would be great, Fern. You will be paid well for your work.¡±


    Fern tried playing off what Marin said by swatting his hand and grinning. ¡°I don¡¯t need more than what I need to get by. Thanks for everything, King Marin.¡±


    At this point the King walked about the town, waving to the villagers who were packing, getting ready to travel up the mountain.


    It¡¯s about time I head up there too. We need to settle the castle and assign rooms.


    Loid approached Marin. He opened his coat to an inside pocket and pulled out Marin¡¯s Arkana certificate.


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t forgotten to take this out of my coat, it would¡¯ve been destroyed in the fire. I¡¯m glad it stayed with me this whole time.¡± He held the yellowed paper in his hands.


    ¡°Is there anything left from the fire?¡± Marin asked.


    Loid shook his head. ¡°Looks like it will be a fresh start for me and my wife.¡±


    Marin looked down in despair. He then looked up to Loid. ¡°Anything you need, just let me know.¡±


    ¡°I will keep that in mind.¡± Loid mentioned.


    Marin looked down main street and saw carts heading up the mountain.


    ¡°It¡¯s about time I head up too. The citizens will need to know what to do next.¡± Marin stated.


    ¡°I will stay behind a bit longer and help others pack. I should be up there too by nightfall.¡± Loid tucked the parchment away in his coat again, and left.


    Marin hopped onto a cart that was heading up. He sat besides Gus Albore, a former guard of Heroca. Gus was youthful, the youngest of the guard. He was not married and had no family in Heroca.


    ¡°Tell me about yourself, Gus.¡± Marin asked.


    Gus was lucky to have a house that suffered minimal damage in the raid. Marin had froze the flames on his house before they got too far.


    ¡°My family lives down in Whitewood City. We had a falling out, and I just wanted to leave. I knew there was a village up here in these mountains, and I wanted a change of scenery.¡±


    ¡°How is Heroca versus Whitewood?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Not a huge fan of the snow. But the mountain air is quite enjoyable. It¡¯s much thicker in White Forest, I think.¡± Gus answered.


    Marin knew of White Forest at the base of the mountains and knew of Whitewood City. It was an old city that Nocturne had traded with years ago. He knew that trade relations would be opened again.


    ¡°Joining the guard wasn¡¯t my first choice, but I needed a job to live up here, and the captain really liked me, Max Coronga,¡± Gus added.


    ¡°What¡¯s your opinion on Max?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s more than qualified for the job. He never learned an element, but his skills with a sword are unmatched. The guy laughs in the face of danger.¡±


    Marin took note.


    ¡°What¡¯s it like being an elemental?¡± Gus added. ¡°You took down the raid leader with little difficulty.¡±


    ¡°It certainly has its perks. I don¡¯t have to take nonsense from too many people, and I get to protect the ones I care about. That was my reasoning for delving into the elements to begin with,¡± Marin explained.


    ¡°I¡¯d love to learn an element. It would make me a much better guardsman.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need an element to be strong, necessarily. I¡¯ve known some individuals who are elementally inept and happen to be quite a force to be reckoned with.¡±


    Marin looked off to the side, as if trying to remember something. ¡°I just can¡¯t remember who they were,¡± he said quietly to himself.


    The two had conversation the whole way up the mountain. It was troublesome for the horses to get up the snow ridden path, but as more carts traveled the same route, it became easier.


    Eventually, Nocturne Castle could be seen once again. The formerly abandoned castle was about to receive its first residents in over two centuries.


    ¡°Wow, I had no idea this was just sitting up here,¡± Gus marveled. His wide eyes fixed themselves to the stone monstrosity.


    ¡°Just sitting up here, waiting. Waiting to be useful once again,¡± Marin realized.


    Nocturne Castle was his oldest known friend. Despite not remembering anyone from when he was truly alive, he had full memory of his castle, and the route down every hallway and room.


    ¡°What do you think of it?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s incredible. That¡¯s all I can say. Such a beautiful work of art tucked away up here for no one to see. It makes me feel special being able to live in it,¡± Gus explained.


    Marin guided all the carts into the grand foyer. A few men grabbed the one large wooden door that was still on its hinges, and swung it open. The other had been laying on the floor for quite sometime.


    Almost every villager was in complete awe at the castle. There were a few who had visited years ago, and they still nodded in amazement.


    ¡°There are stables for the horses on the side of the castle,¡± Marin explained to everyone. ¡°But until they are repaired and in working condition, we must hold them up here in the grand foyer. It is spacious enough for all of them.¡±


    The villagers continued to file in, talking among themselves.


    ¡°Welcome to your new home,¡± he told them all.


    Helva approached Marin and they discussed what would be done next.


    ¡°Are there any rooms suitable to live in yet?¡± Helva asked.


    Marin shook his head. ¡°No where near as suitable as I¡¯d like them. I spent a night or two clearing some of them out, but much more will need to be done.¡±


    Helva nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll try to set ourselves up the best we can for now.¡±


    She asked Marin a few more questions before turning to the villagers.


    ¡°There are two hallways in either direction, as you can see,¡± she presented to everyone. ¡°This one,¡± she pointed to the right ¡°contains rooms the right size for residency. Pick out some for yourselves, and clear them out. You can set your sleeping mats up in these rooms and claim them temporarily.¡±


    ¡°Long term room choices will be done later once we can repair this place properly,¡± Marin added. He felt terrible having the castle be in the state it was and trying to have people live in it.


    ¡°It¡¯s much better than the overcrowding we were doing in Heroca,¡± Helva reassured him. ¡°Yes, things are in much dirtier condition than the village, but it is spacious here, and that counts for a lot.¡±


    ¡°We will get this castle cleaned as soon as possible,¡± Marin mentioned.


    A young village girl was marveling over the grand foyer. She had never seen anything like it. Marin took notice and approached her.


    ¡°Hi little one,¡± he tried. ¡°What do think of it?¡±


    ¡°Its scary,¡± she declared. ¡°I like that giant golden cross way up there!¡± She pointed at the fixture that was nearly touching the rafters on the opposite wall of the doors.


    ¡°And look,¡± she pointed at Marin¡¯s necklace. ¡°That looks just like the giant one on the wall!¡± She observed.


    Marin looked at his necklace and at the one on the wall.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, they are the same. This one¡¯s just smaller than that. This little one constantly reminds me of the big one up there. That¡¯s why I like this necklace so much,¡± he explained.


    ¡°Can I have it?¡± She boldly asked.


    The small girl¡¯s mother walked up. ¡°Sofia, that¡¯s enough!¡± She snapped.


    ¡°What a wonderful daughter you have,¡± Marin mentioned to Koreen Miles.


    ¡°Thank you, my king,¡± Koreen responded. ¡°This is Sofia,¡± she looked down to the young girl. ¡°And she doesn¡¯t always remember her manners!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite alright,¡± Marin tried. He turned to the daughter. ¡°I¡¯d give you this necklace, if it wasn¡¯t an important tool for me,¡± he explained to her. ¡°You see, this is not just a necklace. I need it to run the castle.¡±


    She pouted a little bit.


    Marin crouched down to her level.


    ¡°But, if you let me keep this, I might have a surprise gift for you later. What do you say?¡±


    Sofia¡¯s face cleared up and she started jumping. ¡°Okay! Deal!¡±


    Marin straightened back up to Koreen.


    ¡°Thank you, King Marin,¡± she stated. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡±


    ¡°Please, allow me. I have an idea in mind.¡±


    Koreen nodded. ¡°As you wish.¡±


    Marin spent the rest of the evening helping out his newly pledged citizens. Despite being a King, he did not shun manual labor as he lent a hand grabbing large packs off carts and carrying them to various rooms.


    Most of the villagers did not expect him to do this. Frequently, he had to mention that he did not mind helping, and he was happy to do it.


    ¡°Until we are more established, I will be hands on as much as I can be,¡± he explained to Max Coronga, who was stunned that the King was helping him push furniture around in a room.


    ¡°These are some nice pieces,¡± Max noticed.


    ¡°Yeah, I want to get it all restored. Repainted, refitted. New lining.¡±


    ¡°Most of this is solid oak,¡± Max added.


    Marin was taken back that a guardsman could tell. ¡°Very good, that¡¯s right. Some of these chairs are over a century old.¡±


    All of them were actually over two centuries old, but Marin didn¡¯t feel comfortable mentioning that.


    ¡°They¡¯ve all held up to the test of time. The fine details may be destroyed, but the frames themselves are as strong as when they were first carved.¡±


    He sat in a chair, and it barely creaked.


    Max sat in a chair adjacent to him. Mabel entered the room with more of her fine belongings.


    The evening progressed as the villagers unpacked some food from the carts, and everyone sat around in the old oak chairs in several circles. They sat in the foyer and shared stories. In Marin¡¯s circle was Helva and Harrel, Gus and Bronson. As everyone ate, Marin naturally sat and talked, unable to eat.


    Loid and Sherry finally rolled in with the last of the citizens. They joined Marin¡¯s circle, and were caught up on the plans in the castle.


    As the evening progressed, the sky became thick with clouds. A freezing wind blew.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to storm,¡± Harrel mentioned as the two of them looked out the front doors. ¡°Bad blizzard, maybe.¡±


    ¡°Is everyone accounted for?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Everyone is at the castle except Fern, and the Galrus family. Fern is staying the night in Heroca, due to working on the roads heading up here,¡± Harrel responded. ¡°And Bob¡¯s family will most likely arrive tomorrow with supplies.¡±


    ¡°I hope they will all be okay.¡±


    Back inside the castle, Marin gave a few more speeches to the villagers. He assured them all that this uncomfortable situation was only temporary, and that they would all enjoy living inside Nocturne once it was restored.


    ¡°I will give a tour tomorrow of most of the castle,¡± Marin explained. ¡°There are so many features that you will all be able to take advantage of. For now, retire to your rooms and try to get comfortable in your bed mats. We will share new plans in the morning.¡±


    The crowd dispersed. As people walked away, he gazed at Helva. She noticed and he motioned for her to stay. He did the same with Loid.


    After everyone finished retreating down the right hallway to the lined rooms, he spoke with Helva and Loid.


    ¡°I want to discuss some stuff with you two, and show you something,¡± Marin said quietly. ¡°Follow me.¡±

 Chapter 8 - Truths Revealed

    Marin remembered when he first met Loid. It was not exactly on his terms, seeing how Rocko and Phil brought him to the innkeeper initially. It was especially unfavorable terms as both the guys knew Marin¡¯s secret about being dead, and coming back to life.


    Marin was forced to resolve these issues with Loid as Rocko and Phil were freaking out. He took a gamble showing his face to Loid, and revealing the secret.


    It could have gone wrong. Loid could have attacked, called the guard, and stir up a panic. He did not do that, however. Loid remained calm and rational, and took a chance on Marin.


    The king was forever grateful. In seeing Loid¡¯s personality and wisdom, he decided the innkeeper was trustworthy and worth confiding in.


    The mayor of Heroca, Helva, had been nothing but supportive of Marin this entire time. That may have come at the cost of saving the town, but the fact mattered not to him. She was wise, intelligent, and a natural leader.


    She also had valuable knowledge of how the government worked, and being able to file proper work on any civil matter.


    Loid and Helva had become Marin¡¯s two most trusted subordinates.


    This late evening, Marin was going to reveal that to both of them, and give them an early tour of areas of the castle that the rest of the citizens would never see.


    The three of them stood in a circle in the grand foyer as the last of the villagers cleared out.


    ¡°Helva and Loid, I want to thank you for all the support you¡¯ve given me so far. I would not have all these citizens of Nocturne now had it not been for you. Your out going supporting for me has been vital,¡± Marin started.


    ¡°I fully trust both of you, and for that I have a few special things I want to reveal,¡± he added.


    Helva was flattered, and looked down. She adjusted the glasses on her wrinkled face. Loid smiled.


    ¡°Follow me,¡± Marin commanded as he walked down the left corridor.


    The two followed him, and when they were clear of the foyer, Marin started up again.


    ¡°Loid, I want to reveal the secret about me to Helva. It will be in her best interest if she knew.¡±


    Helva¡¯s eyes widened. Her head snapped over to Loid, who remained calm.


    ¡°That is your choice, my King.¡± Loid turned to her. ¡°It¡¯s going to be alright, Helva.¡±


    Marin took both of them down multiple turns of hallways for several minutes. Both of them had now lost the way back to the front.


    Marin knew exactly where he was, of course. He took them far back to the end of the castle, where a familiar potion room was.


    Helva Yoren¡¯s heart raced as her nerves climbed. She had absolutely no idea what she was in for. Would Marin reveal himself to be fake? Not the real king? Was this all a ruse? Or is it some diabolical secret?


    The way Loid told her that it would be alright ended up worrying her more than if he hadn¡¯t said that. Furthermore, what did Loid have to do with all this? Had he known Marin before he showed up? Was this all an act?


    All these thoughts and more plagued her mind. Finally, though, Marin reached the room.


    ¡°Step in here,¡± he commanded. The room was dark, the stone brick walls arched toward the ceiling. It was very ominous.


    Helva and Loid looked around the room. The desks had broken beakers on them. Notes scattered the tables, all covered in complex math. Test tubes and bowls of various sizes lined the floors. In the center of the room was broken glass.


    Marin pointed to it.


    ¡°This is where it happened, Loid. This is where I woke up.¡±


    Loid was straight faced.


    Helva¡¯s head jutted around at both of them. ¡°What are you two talking about?¡± She demanded.


    ¡°Helva, I am not an heir... to the first King of Nocturne,¡± Marin explained.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I AM the King of Nocturne. The first and only.¡±


    Helva took a step back. She looked at Loid who remained silent, and kept his hands together.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Helva asked, starting to lose her nerve. A bit of fear was shown on her face, despite trying to hide it.


    ¡°Why are we in a laboratory? What did you do?¡± She added.


    ¡°Helva, I spent half of my life researching immortality. I believed it was achievable,¡± Marin started.


    She looked down at the broken glass. She looked back over at the furniture in the room. Her heart raced so much she was afraid they would hear it. Despite that, she tried as much as she could to remain stalwart.


    ¡°W-what were your results?¡± She asked, accidentally stuttering.


    ¡°...Not exactly what I had in mind. The potion¡­ half worked. That would be an easy way of putting it. I believed I had worked out all the math correctly, but it must have been flawed.


    The potion killed me. Killed me in this exact spot. I laid here untouched seemingly¡­ for over 200 years.¡±


    ¡°WHAT?¡±


    Helva almost smiled in disbelief. She looked over to Loid for help, but all Loid gave her was a validating nod.


    ¡°And my body¡­ well, my body believed I was dead. It¡­ began¡­ ah¡­ breaking down. Breaking down over the course of two centuries.¡±


    Marin took a pause to gauge Helva¡¯s reaction so far. She was not losing it yet, but was certainly disturbed.


    ¡°It might have broken down¡­ decayed¡­ even more, had it not been so cold in these mountains. I was almost preserved. Not as preserved¡­ as I would¡¯ve liked¡­ Hence the mask.¡±


    Marin rubbed his glove covered hand to the black mask on his face. He then looked at his gloves.


    ¡°And these gloves¡­¡± Marin stared at the soft black leather his gloves were made of.


    He stayed silent for a while. Helva was doing everything she could to compose her self.


    Marin was also doing the same, but was failing.


    He stumbled backwards a bit, and leaned against the brick wall.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he mumbled.


    Loid instantly ran to him and grabbed him. Marin slumped to the ground, his royal clothing rubbing the stone bricks all the way down.


    ¡°I was so selfish,¡± he stated in a cracked voice. He wanted to cry, but tears would never run from his dry eyes ever again.


    ¡°Sullivan, it¡¯s okay!¡± Loid tried.


    ¡°I ignored my kingdom in pursuit of immortality. I¡¯m the reason the kingdom fell. I got what I deserved. Everyone must die, and I was so pretentious to think I could avoid it.¡±


    Helva stood there in more shock than she had ever felt in her life.


    Loid stood above King Marin with a hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him. He too was in such a state of shock, but was numbing his mind from thinking about it all.


    ¡°Now I¡¯m a monster. An actual, walking, talking, zombie of a man. I am the walking result of my own selfish ambition.¡±


    Marin remained silent after that. He sat on the floor against the wall, staring off into the distance. Loid stood by him. Helva stood across. She had no idea what to think.


    ¡°Maybe you did wrong, Sullivan,¡± Loid started. ¡°Maybe you were selfish and lost your kingdom over it. But you need to learn from it. Pick yourself up and keep going. You can be a better king now. You¡¯re alive again¡­ well¡­ No, you ARE alive again, despite how your body looks.¡±


    Loid reached his hand out to Marin. The king raised his head to look at it.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been given a second chance, somehow, to redeem yourself. And you¡¯ve already done a great first step, you saved my village. You saved my wife. I think you¡¯re a good man, Sullivan. You just got caught up in the wrong thing and it consumed you.¡±


    Marin stared for a few seconds, then finally took Loid¡¯s hand, and got up from the ground. Marin¡¯s bones creaked as they straightened back out.


    ¡°Thank you, thank you Loid,¡± he said as he composed himself. He straightened his robes back out, adjusted his necklace, and his hood.


    ¡°As long as I am still alive, I want to be the best King I can be now. Maybe it will make me feel better about my past.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all you can hope for,¡± Loid responded.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for that display,¡± Marin added.


    Marin finally turned back to Helva. She stood motionless.


    ¡°Under this mask, Helva, under these clothes, is a rotting corpse. I am willing to show it to you, if you wish.¡±


    Helva blinked hard. It explained the raspy voice. It explained the yellowed eyes. She took time to think of what to do. They stood there for almost a minute in silence.


    She turned to Loid. ¡°Have you¡­ seen¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Loid affirmed, in a focused look. The glare in his eyes told her that he was telling the truth.


    She looked back at Marin.


    ¡°I¡­ okay.¡± Helva put her fingers along both arms of her glasses, adjusting them. ¡°I do not need to see your face. I¡­ I¡¯m going to believe you, Marin. You do not need to reveal yourself to me. I do not need to see it. I¡­ believe you,¡± she trailed off.


    Marin slowly approached her, and held is hand out.


    She shook it, almost in a robotic manner.


    ¡°You and Loid are the only two people who know¡­ besides Phil and Rocko.¡±


    ¡°Phil and Rocko?!¡± She exclaimed.


    Marin told the entire story to Helva about how he woke up, came down the mountain, ran into Phil and Rocko, and then met Loid.


    ¡°And don¡¯t worry, they will never say a word about it either. They are convinced I will find out, and I will freeze them,¡± Marin mentioned.


    ¡°So you really are¡­ You are the true king.¡± Helva had millions of questions, and could not even begin to think of them all. ¡°Then you should know what really happened!¡±


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°I do not. Everything you told me about the fall of the kingdom must¡¯ve happened after my passing. I can not verify nor deny the legends that you spoke to me. Before I drank the potion, the kingdom was at peace, to my knowledge.¡±


    Marin turned back to the shards sitting in the middle of the room, that belong to the original potion he drank.


    ¡°What baffles me, is the fact that I died and woke up in the same exact spot. I have no idea why I wasn¡¯t moved to a grave, to a tomb. Literally anywhere else. I suppose I could¡¯ve been moved, then put back, but why?¡± Marin pondered.


    Loid and Helva both racked their brains as well.


    ¡°It makes me think that something terrible did happen when I died. So terrible that they left me there. I couldn¡¯t imagine what,¡± the King added.


    Loid tried giving some possible explanations, but all of them seemed far from likely. Helva hovered over the notes as they discussed more possibilities. She could not make out the math on any of them.


    After some time, they left the room and stood in the hallway.


    ¡°I want this room walled off. I want the contents in the room to remain untouched and left in the state they¡¯re in. Can you see to it that it gets completed, Loid?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°I think we can get some stonemasons to make short work of that,¡± Loid stated. ¡°That¡¯s going to require some funds, though.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. That was another thing I wanted to talk to you both about. Are you both up for a little more walking?¡±


    The vault was nestled deeply in Nocturne¡¯s basements. Getting down there took a bit of leg work. During the journey down to the unassuming room, Helva and Loid asked Marin more questions.


    They walked across tattered red carpets that lined most of the hallways. Every time they took a spiral staircase down to a lower floor, it got colder. The stone brick walls remained mostly unchanged, but as they got further down, cracks and wear became more apparent.


    Marin noticed Helva running her hands along the cracks.


    ¡°Yeah, the stone walls this far down are carrying the weight of the entire castle. Their aging is more defined down here,¡± Marin explained.


    ¡°I¡¯m no architect, but will the castle be okay? Will this lead to long term damage?¡± Helva asked with concern.


    ¡°Every brick that Nocturne is made of was carved from the stone of Niyeton. It was built to outlast time itself. If anything the dings and cracks just bring character and experience to the stone. I¡¯m sure it will be okay.¡±


    As they continued to walk, Marin started doubting what he said.


    ¡°Besides, we can get builders to swap out stone bricks once every few hundred years if need be,¡± he added.


    ¡°You might be around for that,¡± Loid tried.


    ¡°I actually don¡¯t think I want to be,¡± he responded.


    Finally, the three of them turned into an unsuspecting room. It contained an old bookshelf, some barrels and chests for storage, and a fair amount of cobwebs. On either walls were a torch holder.


    ¡°Very unsuspecting, right?¡± Marin asked.


    Loid took a moment to look around, trying to find something out of the ordinary.


    ¡°Quite so,¡± he finally admitted when he gave up.


    ¡°But not quite,¡± Marin said as he walked to a corner, and yanked on a torch holder. The bookshelf slid open, revealing a new set of stairs that went deeper than the castle would have allowed.


    Helva marveled over the contraption. ¡°I¡¯ve only ever read about these, its incredible seeing a secret door bookshelf in real life, and having real purpose.¡±


    They stepped down the hidden staircase.


    ¡°I hope we¡¯ll be able to get back out of here safely,¡± Helva added, starting to feel claustrophobic being this far down.


    At the bottom of the staircase, the three were greeted to the solid metal vault door.


    Loid had stars in his eyes. ¡°No way. It can¡¯t be¡­¡± he said.


    ¡°It is. It¡¯s a vault. And its full,¡± Marin stated.


    ¡°This remained down here, untouched the entire time?¡± Helva asked.


    ¡°Almost untouched. There are two troublesome individuals who accidentally found out about it on their own.¡± Marin replied.


    ¡°Really? Who?¡± Helva inquired.


    Marin didn¡¯t respond.


    It took her a moment to realize he didn¡¯t respond, because the answer was apparent.


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    Marin nodded his head.


    ¡°Phil and Rocko¡­?!¡± She demanded.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Somehow accidentally pulled on the holder bolted on the wall. It swung open, and they were down here. They were coming back up the mountain with a pickaxe, ready to break it open, when I met them.¡±


    ¡°Unbelievable,¡± Helva stated.


    Loid shook his head, but seemed less surprised. ¡°Those two idiots,¡± he finally said.


    Marin turned their direction back to the vault door.


    ¡°There are seven number dials here. Each one needs to be spun to their correct value for the vault door to open. Now I know what you¡¯re thinking. I¡¯m taking a big risk allowing not one, but two more people to know about the vault.


    That¡¯s where I have a plan. It will take both of you to open the door. Because I am assigning both of you halves of the code. You both will need to be down here together to withdraw any gold. You both hold each other accountable.


    Should one of you decide to betray me, as unlikely as that would be, it would take the second person to also open the vault.¡±


    Helva and Loid nodded in understanding.


    ¡°You will not reveal the numbers to each other. That would be an act of treason to me. Whoever enters their numbers first, will cover them up with hand, and look away to allow the other to enter theirs. At that point, the door can be opened. Upon shutting it, the numbers all reset to zero.


    I know it seems a bit primitive, but its the only plan I can come up with. It actually reduces the chances that I get exploited, seeing as it would require both of you to decide that path.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s actually quite clever,¡± Loid admitted.


    ¡°Loid, here are the four numbers for you.¡± Marin dialed the first four numbers in. Helva was looking away. Loid stared at it for almost twenty seconds before saying ¡°got it.¡±


    It was Helva¡¯s turn. He dialed in and showed her the three final numbers, while covering the first four. She nodded after some time.


    ¡°Do not write these numbers down anywhere. Keep them only in your head. If at some point the numbers slip your mind, see me, and I will refresh you. Understand?¡±


    They both nodded.


    Marin then shifted his body, grabbed the handle, and yanked the door open.


    ¡°Handle¡¯s a bit sticky, it will need a bit of manhandling to get it open,¡± he briefly mentioned as the thick metal door slowly swung open.


    They all stepped back to make room for the vault hatch to clear the entrance, then gazed inside.


    Loid grabbed his chest to stop himself from having a heart attack.


    Helva nearly lost her glasses.


    This couldn¡¯t be real.


    ¡°Oh¡­ my¡­ God.¡±


    ¡°Its all real. Solid gold, legal tender coins,¡± the King informed them.


    ¡°Its¡­ not even copper or silver. It¡¯s all gold.¡± Loid stated.


    ¡°Look at the gems and statues in the corners,¡± Helva exclaimed.


    ¡°Yeah, I threw some of that in there too.¡± Marin responded.


    Helva inched in some. ¡°Can I¡­ Can I walk in here?¡± She asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why not.¡±


    The three walked inside. Loid and Helva marveled over it all. Marin stood closer to the entrance, occasionally eyeing the door to watch that it wouldn¡¯t swing shut on them.


    Loid never thought in his lifetime he would see such a fortune. Thoughts raced in his mind on how Marin could have possibly ever amassed such a wealth.


    The vault room itself was walled entirely with metal. It stretched back over one hundred feet, all entirely lined with gold. The floor could not be seen besides the very entrance, from the amount of coin.


    The lowest height seemed to be knee high, while the corners nearly reached the ceiling with gold coins and other precious items.


    Loid shoved his hand into the coins, and moved it back and forth as if it was in water, just to confirm his own sight. He lifted a pile to his eyes, and verified that they were indeed real. Correct emblems and writing on both sides verified that it all was indeed minted by the government.


    ¡°So much¡­ so much gold coins. How¡­?¡± Helva struggled to ask.


    ¡°Years of earning, done by myself and other talented individuals. All who are likely dead at this point,¡± Marin answered.


    ¡°You remember who they were?¡± Loid asked with interest. Anyone who was able to contribute even a tenth of this was worthy to be known in Loid¡¯s mind.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t. And I¡¯m hoping that one day I will remember.¡±


    Marin grabbed a large brown bag, and began shoving coins into it.


    ¡°This will allow us to get our feet off the ground. We can always grab more when this bag runs out.¡±


    Helva and Loid watched him fill the bag. Loid approached him and helped place gold in.


    ¡°You were telling the truth. I had fears about the small chance that this fortune you claimed was not guaranteed,¡± Helva turned to look at it all again. ¡°But I can see that it was no ruse.¡±


    ¡°No ruse at all,¡± the rich King said back as he tied the bag shut. ¡°Let¡¯s head out.¡±


    Marin handed the rather heavy bag of gold to Loid, while he turned to shut the vault door. It was slow to shut due to the weight and thickness, and when it did, it created a loud clack. The numbers all flipped back to zero across the door.


    The three of them headed up the stairs, and began to make the journey back to the front of the castle.


    ¡°You may spend this gold for services for the castle at your own discretion. Harrel will be our accountant, and keep track of gold spent. He does not need to know where or how we are getting these funds.


    Naturally, no one will know where we get these funds. When this runs out, you may both get more. Do not be frugal, either. Only the best for the castle, keep that in mind.¡±


    ¡°So this gold is going to restore every aspect of the castle?¡± Loid asked, while shifting the weighty bag in his arms.


    ¡°Yes. The castle cleaned, new furniture bought, old furniture restored. New decorations, tools, items, everything we need ordered. All the amenities the castle should have. You will be in charge of overseeing it all, Loid. I will make a list of details.


    Helva, you will begin filing all the paper work. The gold will cover any fees.¡±


    By the time they got back to the grand foyer, it was getting late. The three conversed for a while longer, discussing their plans.


    Helva left the two after having all her questions answered, and retired to her temporary, unkempt room.


    Marin turned to Loid, who been standing there with the leather bag of gold on the ground.


    ¡°Loid, you told me earlier how you had visions of what the castle could have looked like in it¡¯s hay day. I want you to make those visions a reality. Order everything you need.¡±


    ¡°This is¡­ wow, Sullivan. I never thought I¡¯d have such a huge responsibility as restoring an entire castle in my life.¡±


    ¡°When you explained to me how the rooms could have looked, I knew I¡¯d have no doubts about putting you to the task. I know you¡¯ll do a great job, don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    After a while Loid grabbed the bag of gold and took off for his room with Sherry. He bid Marin goodnight.


    Marin stood alone in the grand foyer for sometime. He had the entire night ahead of him. He looked up to the rafters holding up the ceiling. Tattered banners barely clung to the wood support beams above.


    Time to start taking notes.


    Marin headed up to his personal quarters at the top floor of the castle. Not a single breath escaped his body as he climbed several flights. The final level of the castle was the least damaged. Anyone who had traveled this far up was more interested in stealing rather than destroying.


    That hadn¡¯t stopped someone or something from ripping the door off its hinges.


    Marin¡¯s room was linked to a hallway that lead to his personal office and library. Indeed, his entire chambers were several rooms. In the office, he started organizing what was left of his papers, and read through most of them. Small details about his day to day life from before made themselves apparent once again.


    He read through his personal notes that were written in ancient. An account from his old life was starting to form. He filed all the scattered papers in drawers. The old books that dotted his bookshelf were pushed together into one spot. He wiped dust off of them.


    Various other office supplies were scavenged and placed. He took note of what was left.


    Clipboard in hand, and a barely functional writing utensil, Marin started to jot down notes about the castle.


    He spent the entire night going room to room, hall to hall, leaving notes about what needed to be done. He found great satisfaction in doing this, it brought peace to his non-beating heart that the castle was coming back to life, years of neglect would be erased.


    With Nocturne being restored, he felt that he too was being restored. He drew many ties from the castle to himself.


    Loid entered his assigned room. While he had been gone, Sherry had cleaned it as much as she could. Cobwebs were absent from the corners. Furniture had been dusted and placed neatly. She had placed a few burning lamps against the walls. The floors had been swept, debris cleared out.


    ¡°Its looking nice in here, Sher.¡± Loid pointed out.


    ¡°I just couldn¡¯t stand how disgusting it was in here, ugh.¡± Sherry waved her hands as if the uncleanliness of the castle lingered on them.


    ¡°I have so much cleaning to do!¡± She added, nearly contemplating to move to someone else¡¯s room to clean that as well. She couldn¡¯t stand filth.


    ¡°Tomorrow, dear. Tomorrow. Get some sleep and you can clean to your heart¡¯s desire tomorrow.¡±


    Loid laid into his bed mat. Sherry looked over at the bag of gold coins he sat besides him.


    ¡°What¡¯s in there?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Oh, just some supplies. Very helpful stuff, I can tell you that. I¡¯ve been ordered by the King to hold onto it and not tamper with it, so let¡¯s leave it alone.¡±


    Her eyes narrowed, but she understood. She laid into her bed mat as well.


    ¡°There better be a proper BED in there, because this piece of cloth on the ground is not going to be good for my back!¡± She complained.


    ¡°One more night or two, Sherry. And I can guarantee you, you will have the most plush bed you¡¯ll ever lay in.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Loid. You better be right.¡±

 Chapter 9 - Time to Clean

    Morning came sooner than expected for Rocko and Phil. The transfer to living in the castle came as a major adjustment to everyone, but no one was enjoying it more than these two. They both stood to gain the most, seeing as they had the most pathetic shack of a house in Heroca to begin with.


    Their house in Heroca never burned. Maybe it was from pity, or maybe it was from the fact it hardly looked any more than a toolshed to begin with, but the fire elemental who raided the town never bothered wasting his embers on their humble abode.


    Phil and Rocko hardly had any possessions of their own, and like Marin had ordered, they spent most of the time yesterday assisting others in moving items. The only valuables they had in their house that needed moved up was Nocturne¡¯s own furniture.


    Since everyone used horse drawn carts to haul everything up, they had it all loaded into a cart in one go. It sure beat using a small sled to perform several trips.


    The two slept in a room furthest down the hallway. When they heard the voices and stirring of the villagers down the hall, they walked out.


    ¡°What will we do today?¡± Phil asked quietly to Rocko.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Let¡¯s go see Loid.¡±


    As they walked down the hallway, Rocko brushed his beard into a more orderly state as he did every morning. He fixed a winter cap that was crooked on his head.


    Phil had sandy blonde hair that appeared to be cut within ten seconds by a rusty sword. It was in terrible shape as it was most mornings from sleeping on it wrong.


    Most villagers they passed would hardly acknowledge them if it was not for Rocko¡¯s bulky build. He stuck out as a bone-skinny Phil narrowly followed behind him. Following the hall towards the grand foyer, Rocko poked his head into the first room.


    Loid was tying his shoes on an aged oak dining room chair.


    ¡°Good to see you boys up,¡± he mentioned without breaking eye contact with his shoe. ¡°How did you both sleep?¡±


    Phil had a bad dream but other than that, there was nothing out of the ordinary. Loid finished and with both shoes on the ground, approached them and put a hand on the both their outside shoulders.


    ¡°Are you excited to be here?¡± He asked with fatherly concern.


    They both nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll mostly have you two cleaning up today. You¡¯ll go room to room, removing debris and hauling anything broken out into the grand foyer for inspection. Let¡¯s have some breakfast and we will get started soon.¡±


    Breakfast would not be anything impressive, seeing as the kitchen was in no shape yet to be preparing anything. That would change by the end of the day, seeing as Loid was about to let loose a cleaning-happy elderly woman into the scullery like a wolf unchained to devour a rabbit.


    In the grand foyer, Loid worked with a few other villagers to start handing out bread that was a few days old, along with salted bacon. Snow from outside was melted into drinking water. Everyone stood while eating, conversing about how they slept and what today would bring.


    A moment or two later, the dark-blue robed king made his appearance from a staircase directly below the tarnished golden cross on the wall. Marin descended down the staircase with a thick bundle of wrinkled papers.


    A few other villagers¡¯ heads turned, some waved, but most made no action towards his approach.


    ¡°Should we get someone to announce your arrival? Maybe set some proper etiquette for when you enter a room?¡± Loid asked after Marin joined him. The King¡¯s citizens didn¡¯t make much of an effort to hail the king.


    ¡°Heavens, no. This isn¡¯t Fairgoth. I¡¯m not that type of King. I¡¯m more than happy to be in the background. And I don¡¯t think it would bode well for my ego. The way it is now keeps me humble.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re not one for formalities,¡± Loid reminded himself.


    ¡°Indeed. King or Marin, or King Marin. Let¡¯s keep it simple.¡±


    Loid lowered his head. ¡°Right, right. Well then perhaps I should-¡±


    ¡°No. Please continue to call me Sullivan. I would feel quite lonely without that exception made for you.¡±


    Loid was humbled. ¡°Well, that can stay between you and me.¡± He took a bite of his bread as he looked onto the citizens in the foyer also eating.


    ¡°What have you got there?¡± Loid finally asked, referring to the papers in Marin¡¯s hand.


    ¡°These¡­¡± Marin leafed through the twenty-some papers. ¡°Are all the tasks I want accomplished. Stuff that you can handle. I have a few things here I¡¯m giving to Helva.¡± The king peeled the last few pages off, and handed the rest to Loid.


    Loid took one more bite of dried bacon, and started skimming through the paper work.


    ¡°Oh wow,¡± he reacted at some of the requests. He flipped through several pages.


    ¡°I¡¯ll remind you that more funds can always be withdrawn.¡±


    ¡°This is going to be a huge under taking,¡± Loid stated.


    ¡°I¡¯m just as excited to see the results.¡± Marin looked over the citizens as Loid had, and watched them eat food that he could never eat again.


    ¡°Until this castle is in proper working order, everyone here is tasked to those papers,¡± he added. ¡°You are in charge of them all. You will also have to hire outside workers to perform some of the requests. We need wood carvers, artists, masons¡­ Other skilled laborers.


    Pay them generously. Give them a good tip for outstanding work.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Run all orders and payments through Harrel. I¡¯ve set up an office for him and his wife on the upper floor.¡±


    After the castle denizens finished their breakfast meal, they circled around Marin and Loid who stood in the center. Marin addressed them all, and shared plans for the day and for the next few weeks. He explained that all work would be centered around restoring Nocturne before specific long term occupations are given out.


    He reminded them all that in addition to the new rooms, furnishings, and free meals that would be provided, they would also receive weekly payment for being employed in the castle.


    Rocko and Phil found this quite to their liking. Never before had they been given so much.


    Marin described the castle to a tee to the villagers, letting them know what was on each floor. He explained where Helva¡¯s office would be. Marin informed them that Loid knew where items for the castle would be stored, and stated that the papers in the former innkeeper¡¯s hands had instructions for it all.


    When the meeting was finished, Marin waved Phil and Rocko over.


    ¡°How are things for the both of you?¡±


    ¡°Good, excellent, my king,¡± Rocko stated.


    ¡°I never thought I¡¯d be living here one day,¡± Phil mentioned. ¡°All those times we stol-¡± Rocko stepped on Phil¡¯s foot before he could say anything stupid. This came at incredible pain to Phil, seeing as Rocko was quite the big man.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯re past those times, aren¡¯t we Phil?¡± Marin asked, who still caught on to what Phil was saying before Rocko tried shutting him down.


    Phil nodded rapidly, as he hung his foot in the air.


    ¡°Just do as Loid says and I¡¯ll make sure you both see some coin. Enough so you won¡¯t have to take from anyone else again. Does that sound favorable?¡±


    ¡°You are very kind, King Marin,¡± Rocko exclaimed.


    ¡°Very kind!¡± Phil struggled.


    At that moment, a new cart entered the foyer from the large entrance. It was Bob Galrus and his family. The cart was swollen with goods. Bob piped out some commands to his horses and they stopped.


    ¡°King Marin!¡± He greeted.


    Marin approached with Loid walking up behind him.


    ¡°Bob! How did your trip go?¡± The King asked.


    One of Bob¡¯s children undid the rope over the cart. When the rope was untied, it released a tarp that fell to the side, exposing large amounts of food and supplies. A few other citizens gathered around at the sight.


    ¡°I had enough money from you to buy more than what was needed. We have enough food here to cook for nearly a month. I also bought various tools and wares that we may need.¡±


    Erma Galrus was commanding her children to unload the cart. Plump fruits, vegetables, and fat haunches of meat were being handed off. In the cart was also clothes, towels, cooking utensils, blankets and pillows, and a slew of other quality of life items.


    ¡°You did well, Galrus,¡± Marin declared.


    ¡°Ah¡­ well¡­¡± Bob tipped his hat a bit and shuffled his feet. ¡°Just getting¡¯ what I thought would be important.¡±


    ¡°Loid will be in charge of divvying this up. If you have any questions about it, let him know. I¡¯ve placed him in charge of restoring the castle.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my King,¡± Bob responded.


    Marin turned to Loid.


    ¡°I¡¯m heading up to the offices with Harrel and Helva,¡± he mentioned. ¡°We have paperwork to complete. I¡¯ll leave you to it.¡±


    Loid gave a nod, and Marin walked off.


    ¡°What did you end up doing?¡± Loid asked Bob.


    ¡°Well, we took off down the mountain. Spent the whole day purchasing everything from Whitewood¡¯s bulk stores. Speaking of which, that bag he gave me was all gold coins. Did you know that? It was a tremendous amount of money.¡±


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Loid thought to the huge bag of gold in his room, making the pouch Bob was given comparably minuscule.


    ¡°He was not bluffing when he said he had the finances covered,¡± Loid responded.


    ¡°I guess! Anyways when we were loaded up, we headed back up the mountain. It was really late by the time we got to Heroca, so we decided to stay there. We ran into Fern Coronga who was staying there for the night too.¡±


    Loid nodded. ¡°Is Fern doing well?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Big plans for a new path up to the castle, he said. Early in the morning I wished him luck as my family made the last of the trip up here.¡±


    Loid looked over the notes Marin assigned him with, then back at Bob.


    ¡°You mind doing a few more trips?¡± Loid tried.


    Bob gave a look of no issue. ¡°I run imports, its what I do. You got a new list for me?¡±


    Loid discussed several items on the papers and asked him about the best way to acquire the materials. He discussed several orders with him and told Bob to commission some artisans in Whitewood City who could work on the castle.


    They hovered over the papers, both reading what Marin had written to be done. Finances had to be sorted. They both guessed a rough estimate of how much money they would need.


    There are three materials of coin made. Copper coins, silver coins, and gold coins. There are one hundred copper coins to one silver coin, and likewise silver to gold.


    ¡°The best of their craft easily charge 75 silver an hour for their work,¡± Bob explained. ¡°Some, even up to a whole gold piece. We are talking a small army of them, combined with hundreds of hours of work. Combined with the materials needed¡­¡±


    Bob took a breath. ¡°These requests will cost several thousand gold.¡±


    ¡°We have it,¡± Loid said with little effort.


    ¡°You have it?!¡± Bob spat out.


    ¡°Go through with it all. Hire all the men we need,¡± Loid stated without looking up from the papers.


    From there, Loid and Bob traveled to the offices where they wrote up what kind of workers they would hire and how many of them. They also wrote requests for materials needed.


    Loid also re-homed the large bag of gold to the office as well. Harrel and Bob gawked at it for a while, staring nearly in disbelief. Bob was sent off back down the mountain with orders in hand, while his family stayed behind to work in the castle.


    Helva also gave Bob several letters that needed to be mailed out. Heroca¡¯s courier had decided to not join the Nocturne Kingdom, so until a new one was assigned, Bob took on the mail as well.


    ¡°I need someone to show me where the kitchen is,¡± Sherry asked Loid as he conversed with other villagers.


    Loid knew roughly where it was, but he was caught up in giving instructions. There were two other people, though, who knew the castle very well, and could help her.


    ¡°Rocko. Phil.¡±


    They gave their attention to Loid.


    ¡°I know exactly what you¡¯re going to do today. Take Sherry to the kitchen. Help her clean it.¡±


    ¡°The kitchen?¡± Phil asked.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve decided that¡¯s what I¡¯ll have you do for the time being. You both know the castle very well due to¡­ spending time up here. So help her out.¡±


    Rocko and Phil led Sherry down a hallway.


    She was in her sixties, but had the endurance of one in their forties. She slowly hobbled as she moved. Despite this, Sherry could seemingly continue to work and never move slower. She was always in low gear. Slow moving, but reliable.


    The two younger men had to slow their pace down as Sherry huffed to keep up with them.


    ¡°Now listen to me you two rascals,¡± she breathed out. ¡°We¡¯re going to look this kitchen over and see what we¡¯re dealing with. Loid let me know the King was alright to let me prepare the kitchen as I see fit. So we¡¯re going to do just that.¡±


    As they approached the kitchen, Sherry tied her apron over her barrel body. The three of them stared at two wooden doors that were shut.


    ¡°Is this it?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Yeah. The doors weren¡¯t shut before¡­¡± Rocko noticed.


    ¡°Well let¡¯s go in,¡± she commanded.


    Phil grabbed the handle and yanked on it with his bony arms. The door didn¡¯t budge. It was as if Phil¡¯s attempt was no more in strength than a kite tied to the door handle, hoping that the pull generated from it blowing in the wind would be enough to get the door open.


    ¡°Out of the way,¡± Rocko said as his meaty arm grabbed the door. It flew open with a single jerk.


    They both walked in with Sherry following behind.


    Her mouth gaped open as she studied the large, extended room. It was the largest kitchen she had ever been in. She might have been even more impressed if it wasn¡¯t in such an abysmal state.


    ¡°Dirty¡­ so dirty!¡± She exclaimed. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s huge. It¡¯s the greatest kitchen I¡¯ve ever seen. But its disgusting!¡±


    A coat of dust covered everything. Pots and pans were scattered all over the floor. Cabinets were left swung open, old food shriveled to a dry husk.


    Sherry noticed the chandeliers above that hung from the ceiling, which were able to hold a glass encased flame.


    ¡°Phil, go back and get some lamps. We are going to light this place up.¡±


    Phil took off.


    ¡°Ugh, I can¡¯t believe this place. I¡¯ve never seen a kitchen in such a terrible state!¡± Her face showed a large amount of disgust as she picked up a pot. She forced her hands to grab it as they fought back from touching the black grime that it was covered in.


    ¡°Disgusting! Filthy! So¡­ filth¡­¡± Her words trailed off as she studied the pot. Her hands did not seem so allergic to the cooking tool anymore. She flipped it over, and rubbed the grime away from the engraved seal at the bottom.


    ¡°This¡­ this is stainless! This is steel! This here¡­!¡± She looked over the handles. She moved the pot up and down in her hands as if she was weighing it.


    ¡°This is here is thee highest quality you can get in a pot!¡± She flipped it over several more times, inspecting every inch.


    ¡°Rocko! Hand me that skillet over yonder!¡± She placed the pot down as Rocko grabbed a frying pan with a long handle.


    Before he gave it to her, she saw a large spider web in the pan. Sherry cowardly waved her hands at it.


    ¡°Get that web out of there!¡± She commanded.


    Rocko easily grabbed it all with his bare hand, as if it didn¡¯t bother him an ounce. She took the skillet, and started inspecting it. She studied the handle, the bolts at the head of the pan, the material itself.


    ¡°Amazing. You couldn¡¯t buy better kitchenware!¡± She got up and started lifting every pot and pan she could find. Every item she inspected brought a larger smile to her face.


    After a few minutes, she turned to Rocko who was still standing there with no idea what she would ask for next.


    ¡°What are you standing there for?! Go and get me a dozen cleaning rags. Bring soap! Get mops and scrub brushes. We have a kitchen to clean!¡±


    Rocko and Phil had never been in the back of the inn at Heroca where the kitchen was. They had never seen Sherry work before. Her slow hobble as she moved was quite deceiving, they were finding out. Once she put the gloves on and grabbed a pot with soap, she moved like a machine.


    Phil had finished installing the lamps on the chandeliers. Rocko was doing all he could to keep up with her cleaning.


    ¡°Grab me this, grab me that!¡± Sherry barked out as the two moved to meet her demands.


    She had Phil scrub every inch of the kitchen while Rocko grabbed every piece of rotten trash he could find. Sherry dirtied rag after rag, which gave Phil a break from the scrubbing sometimes to replace the ones she had used.


    Sherry began cranking out clean dishes. She started stacking them on a counter top that was now spotless.


    ¡°Do you two have any special meals you want made?¡± Sherry tried as she was bent over in a chair washing a pan.


    ¡°Hmm, fish. I love filleted fish. With wild rice! That would sound really good right about now,¡± Rocko said back, carrying a large stack of solid metal pots to a counter.


    ¡°This kitchen is so big, you could make anything you¡¯d want in here,¡± Phil mentioned over the sound of a brush scrubbing under a counter.


    ¡°Its starting to look a lot better in here, isn¡¯t it? You boys are some hard workers¡± Sherry proudly stated while stretching her back and looking around.


    ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am,¡± Rocko replied.


    ¡°It¡¯s about lunch time. Let¡¯s take a break and get something to eat in the foyer,¡± she declared, flipping a damp hand towel over her shoulder.


    ¡°That sounds good.¡±


    Meanwhile, King Marin and Helva sat in an office together, discussing records that Marin had dredged up.


    ¡°This here says that Nocturne was declared a sovereign kingdom by RAM in 608. Is that correct?¡± Helva asked Marin.


    The King lounged in a chair opposite from Helva¡¯s desk.


    ¡°Yes, that is the right year. Is RAM still the world¡¯s government? Has it remained unchallenged all this time?¡±


    Helva¡¯s lips tightened as she pondered the question. She had to keep reminding herself that Marin was from a different era now. He was nearly three hundred years old at this point, if you count the time he laid resting dead.


    ¡°Some time in the 780¡¯s they nearly got overthrown, and had to restructure to become much more loose in their ruling,¡± Helva informed Marin to the best of her knowledge.


    ¡°Really?¡± Marin was taken back. ¡°RAM was very freedom oriented. That¡¯s what those letters stood for. Freedom. I find it hard to believe they progressed to a more draconian state over the course of that time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d be surprised what some individuals can do to a ruling body over the course of a few centuries,¡± Harrel mentioned in another corner.


    ¡°Do you know much about it?¡± Marin asked Harrel.


    ¡°Some of my family works for RAM. Their parents were agents in RAM during the restructuring.¡± Harrel got up from his desk and walked over.


    ¡°You see, they started passing more and more laws. They took liberties away with the ruse that it was for safety. When both Neo and Arkana threatened retaliation, RAM had to step back and write up a whole new law book that was more akin to the way it was when they first took over.


    Neo and Arkana have always been at odds, but when they were both discussing to work together to establish a new central order, RAM had no other choice but to back off.


    No amount of soldiers the government could send could ever amount to the raw power that both Neo and Arkana¡¯s strongest elementals provided.¡±


    Marin nodded. ¡°They had to appease the two real powers of the world.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Helva shuffled through all the records that Marin provided her from his personal quarters. She took notes on fresh paper using fresh writing utensils that Bob Galrus had brought up.


    ¡°Well,¡± Helva stated behind her reading glasses. She pulled them off and put on a different pair of glasses. ¡°The fact that we have records of Nocturne formerly being a kingdom will help us greatly. And since we¡¯re dealing with the same government from before, they will likely have records as well.


    I have mailed RAM requesting forms for reapplication. I also requested records for when Nocturne was declared no longer a kingdom, and information leading up to the event. I¡¯m really hoping we can find some solid truth about what happened, King Marin,¡± she added.


    ¡°Time will tell. Thank you for working on this, Helva.¡±


    Loid entered the office room.


    ¡°Marin, we may be able to cook from the kitchen tonight.¡± He stated.


    ¡°Really?¡± The King replied.


    ¡°Apparently you still had good quality cookware in the scullery. My wife, as well as Phil and Rocko have been hard at work preparing it. We may be able to move the food Bob brought up into the pantry and get a cooked meal late this evening.¡±


    ¡°That would be incredible.¡±


    ¡°And as you know, I have sent Bob on his way with papers requesting materials and the proper artisans for the finer work,¡± Loid added. ¡°Also I¡¯ve requested some people who will survey the castle and determine the numbers for how much furniture we will need.¡±


    Marin was impressed. ¡°You¡¯ve done a great job, Loid. We¡¯re really getting off the ground now. I can¡¯t imagine how much we will have accomplished by the end of the week.¡±


    Loid nodded. ¡°Most of the citizens are taking a break right now and eating lunch. I¡¯ll get back to it.¡± He left the room, leaving three of them in the office once again.


    ¡°Loid seems to really be enjoying this,¡± Helva stated.


    ¡°Do you think so?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he felt completely fulfilled in running the inn when he retired to Heroca. I¡¯m seeing a sparkle in his eye now I¡¯ve never seen before,¡± she pointed out.


    ¡°Mm.¡± Marin turned to the doorway where Loid had just walked out moments before. He pondered it for a bit. ¡°Perhaps this is more what he had in mind after the war. The¡­ Harmon Wars.¡±


    ¡°Seeing as he was a captain at Neo, I¡¯d say he¡¯s good at management,¡± Helva mentioned from behind stacks of papers.


    ¡°I chose the right man for the job.¡±

 Chapter 10 - Castle Restored

    With every day that passed, Nocturne improved. The thirty some citizens of Marin¡¯s kingdom worked tirelessly beside the hired workers to restore the kingdom.


    Within the next few days, the kitchen was fully restored. Workers brought in new sets of cutlery and dishes, a full arsenal of kitchen wares, and endless amounts of food. A freezer room was even set up using the outside air to preserve many of the perishable items.


    The workers and artisans who were commissioned to work in the castle were no less than impressed as well. Many of them talked with Marin and Loid about the castle. Some even offered to join the kingdom and work permanently in the castle.


    After several interviews conducted by Nocturne¡¯s higher-ups, which included Marin himself, Loid, Helva, and Harrel, Castle Nocturne gained permanent chefs to assist Sherry, maids to keep the castle tidy, general handymen to fix most issues that might arise, and a slew of other workers who would maintain the castle.


    They even worked with Whitewood¡¯s best plumbers to reroute the water tank to pull from the ground, as well as collect melted snow, to provide the castle with running water again.


    Logistic routes and scheduled supply trips were established. Nocturne had a loading dock on the far left side of the castle where carts could regularly drop off or pick up goods.


    Down in Heroca, Fern watched a caravan of carts roll up the road to the castle, carrying wooden beams, poles, furniture, and boxes of supplies. Some of the carts were even motorized. He watched in amazement as they slowly traveled up the castle road that he had spent every day working on.


    Speaking of the road, Fern quickly discovered that an old road laid undiscovered beneath a few layers of snow and dirt. It was Nocturne¡¯s former road that sunk into the earth as it laid abandoned. This aided in Fern¡¯s effort greatly. He worked to uncover the old road, as well as replacing bricks in many areas that needed it.


    Eventually, extra workers were hired to assist Fern in finishing the roads. They even took on the job of redoing the roads from Heroca down to White Forest, streamlining the journey from the bottom of the mountain all the way to Nocturne Castle.


    In the next week, all rooms had received new furniture. Old furniture was restored to look new, and placed in the top floors of Nocturne where it would receive the least amount of wear. It was exclusively used in Marin¡¯s personal quarters as well.


    The stables were restored to working order and housed the work horses that pulled the carts up and down the mountain.


    The kingdom totaled nearly one hundred citizens at this point. Nocturne was nearing completion.


    Down in Whitewood City, a woman had received a letter from King Marin of Nocturne yesterday. This letter impressed her, noting that Nocturne had done research on all the librarians in the city, herself included, and she was picked for a specific offer.


    She unfolded the paper, and read it once more.


    Dear Ms. Marge Halkress,


    I hope this letter finds you well. I am King Sullivan Marin of Nocturne Castle. You may have heard about the recent developments of this castle circulating in the city as of late. We are indeed re-establishing the kingdom after a dormant period of roughly two hundred years.


    In this restoration effort, one particularly important feature I am interested in making prominent is our library. As you might agree, a kingdom¡¯s true strength comes from the knowledge it pertains, and we are only considering the most quality factors in making this a reality.


    These factors of course include an experienced librarian, and I have chosen you as a prime candidate in taking the role, after considering many other bookkeepers in Whitewood. Your accomplishments have singled you out from your peers in this category.


    I understand you have lengthy resume from being a scribe in Fairgoth to maintaining the archives in Lonedeep. I am particularly impressed with your involvement in recovering the ancient texts from Niyeton¡¯s first stronghold.


    For these reasons and more, I am adamant in requesting an audience with you. At the very least, your expertise would be vital in assisting me with my endeavors. Your compensation will be more than adequate, regardless of how much of a role you take. Your arrival is anticipated at any time.


    Thank you again for considering this opportunity in restoring one of Nocturne¡¯s most complex features.


    Warm Regards,


    Sullivan Marin.


    After reading it once more, Marge placed it on her cluttered desk. She leaned back in her rocking chair. The former librarian glanced around in her small apartment. She managed to fit quite a lot of books in such a small space.


    Well, it can¡¯t hurt to at least visit, she thought.


    Marge stood up, and headed to the door. She threw a leather long coat over her black turtle neck sweater. In a mirror by the front door, she checked her turquoise earrings that hung on her droopy earlobes. She adjusted a necklace with the matching precious stone.


    She left her small abode and entered the busy street. As she shut the door behind her, a young man in an apron was sweeping the street in front of her.


    ¡°Good morning, Ms. Halkress. Heading out?¡± He said with a cartoonish grin.


    ¡°Don¡¯t wait up on me, Jack. I might be gone for a day or two,¡± she coldly mentioned, tying the waist of her brown coat.


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am. See you later!¡±


    As soon as she stormed off, Jack¡¯s fake smile melted off his face. His eyes narrowed into a look of resentment, as he stared at her walking away. When she was out of sight, he dropped the broom and walked away.


    Marge Halkress was a woman of stature. She walked briskly down the busy street of Whitewood City. The clopping noise of her high heels against the cobblestone pavement of the road let everyone know who was approaching. She held her head up pompously, hinting at her high expectations of herself and those around her.


    Most merchants at their vendors were shouting deals and prices, but upon her passing, they quieted down and avoided eye contact, for good reason.


    She noticed it, and to be honest, she preferred it. Marge never had time to barter with the merchants when she was out with plans. They had become an annoyance, and a few choice words from her fixed the loud racket they would always maintain.


    On this unfortunate day, however, a merchant in their stall was new to the city. He bolted from his vendor when he noticed no one approached her with any deals.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, ma¡¯am. If I could get your attention, please.¡± His voice disturbed her greatly.


    ¡°Off with you,¡± she scolded. ¡°Don¡¯t you have any manners?¡±


    ¡°Do you believe in luck? I have a few charms that will bring you great fortune.¡± The short man did his best to walk in front of her with wooden carvings hanging from a stick.


    ¡°Bother someone else, I¡¯m warning you!¡± Marge didn¡¯t slow her walk up at all. Yet the short merchant was somehow walking backwards, keeping with her pace.


    ¡°Alright listen, I¡¯ll bother someone else if you buy-¡±


    In that moment, the poor merchant had roughly two hundred gallons of water poured on top of him. It was a miracle that he was able to stand up through it all as the weight of the water knocked all his wooden charms to the ground, including articles of his clothing.


    The other merchants roared in laughter. An older man nearly fell backwards as he wheezed for air.


    ¡°That¡¯ll teach you to mess with Marge!¡± One yelled out.


    ¡°Your lucky charms really helped you on that one, didn¡¯t they?!¡± Another squealed through their laughter.


    Marge continued to walk until she had made it to one end of the city. She arrived at the northern stables, and spoke with a few carriage drivers who all seemed to be busy hauling wares up to the local mountain.


    ¡°Are any of you heading up to Nocturne Castle?¡± She asked.


    A bearded man stationed at the front of a wagon responded. ¡°We¡¯re all heading there, ma¡¯am. Long list of cargo that castle is requiring.¡±


    Marge studied all the covered wooden crates in the carriage that took up all of her potential sitting spots.


    ¡°Well, I need a ride up there. And I don¡¯t see any consideration of where I might sit,¡± she noted. The bearded man was shocked at the assumptions she made.


    ¡°You can wait for the next carriage to arrive. One should be here in an hour,¡± he tried.


    ¡°You expect me to wait around that long?¡± She asked in an offended tone. Marge was shocked he even made an offer to that extent.


    ¡°You can sit up here with me!¡± A driver from behind piped out. He sat in a similarly packed cart, but was younger and of smaller build. That had resulted in just the right amount of sitting room for Marge.


    She pursed her lips at the uncomfortable seating arrangement. She shook her head slowly, a noise of contempt escaping her mouth.


    ¡°If this is the best you all can muster. I¡¯ll have to make do.¡± She grabbed the young man¡¯s hand, and she hoisted herself up onto the tight seat of the cart.


    ¡°How much is this going to cost me?¡± She added as a small coin purse was revealed from her coat pocket.


    ¡°Oh, I won¡¯t charge you anything. We were heading up there anyway. We¡¯re already getting paid handsomely.¡± The young lad proudly stated.


    Marge waved her hand. ¡°Oh please, I¡¯m not one to receive charity. Name a price,¡± she demanded.


    A dumbfounded look appeared on his face. ¡°Uh¡­ okay. Ten silver?¡±


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    A larger silver coin with an engraved 10 was dropped into his palm.


    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s be off now.¡± Marge waved her hand forward as she looked onto the path before her.


    Back at Nocturne Castle, Marin stood in the grand foyer as he answered endless questions from workers. Some were reasoning prices with him while a man hoisted close to the ceiling polished the golden cross.


    Loid was just as busy as he barked orders to movers who were gently sitting furniture down. The castle was akin to a busy ant hive, with nameless workers dressed in light blues and whites carrying in wrapped goods.


    At that moment, a man entered the foyer with a small brown package. He was not dressed in the same uniforms as the other workers. He wore more tattered clothing.


    ¡°I have this parcel addressed to a Mr. Loid Alkaver of Nocturne Castle. Where can I find him?¡± He asked.


    In hearing his name, Loid walked over. ¡°That would be me.¡±


    ¡°Sign here.¡±


    ¡°Did you get yourself something nice, Loid?¡± Marin asked, trying to delay conversations with price gougers.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I¡¯m not necessarily ordering for myself.¡± Loid took a knife and opened the top of the package. When he peered in, he quickly closed it.


    ¡°Ah, now I remember what it was. Marin, when you have a moment, we will meet in your quarters,¡± Loid stated.


    ¡°Very good,¡± the King responded. He turned to face a salesperson once again.


    A shady looking man wearing outrageous clothing held open a book to Marin, trying his best to convince the King to buy his excessive wares.


    ¡°Your highness, these are made of pure ivory,¡± the salesman coaxed in his oily voice as he pointed at pictures of his exotic imports. ¡°Truly, only these high value items are fit for a king as yourself.¡±


    The book contained pictures of furniture made from ivory, cheetah skin pillows, golden lamps, and gem studded adornments. A humble peasant could only hope to make in a year what one item in the book cost.


    The lure of the salesman was completely wasted on the undead king, however. It had no effect on his reasoning, but this was not apparent to the seller as Marin happily took the offers of the best items. For the King had a large fortune that would take a generation to deplete.


    ¡°It all looks great, please bring it up. I will pay full price for it all,¡± Marin stated effortlessly.


    The seller of exotic goods did all he could to contain his shock. Full price? No negotiation? No discount for a bulk sale?


    This King was the merchant¡¯s new friend.


    ¡°E-excellent, your excellency. Your¡­ um¡­ Right away!¡± He snapped the book shut and continuously bowed as he walked backwards.


    Well, that was the easiest sale I¡¯ve ever made. I¡¯m going to get a huge bonus for this, he thought to himself. A huge grin sprinkled with golden teeth grew on his face, hidden from sight of the King.


    Marin trekked the stairs of the grand foyer and into the office of Helva and Harrel.


    ¡°Is everything well in here?¡± Marin asked as he eyed the growing stacks of papers on both of their desks. It seemed that every time he entered their office, it had become more cluttered.


    Helva¡¯s ponytail had nearly fallen apart as she enveloped herself into the paperwork.


    ¡°Hello Marin. Yes, all is well.¡± She wheeled herself to a different pile of papers. ¡°This is mail addressed to you,¡± she mentioned as she straightened out the letters.


    ¡°Have it sent up to my office. I¡¯ll go through it later. If you need my signature on anything let me know.¡±


    Helva nodded. She looked frazzled.


    Marin headed for the exit, but before he left, he said one more thing.


    ¡°If you get overwhelmed, Helva, we can hire some secretaries to ease your work.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay for now,¡± she answered while placing a stack of papers into a cardboard box. She looked back up to him. ¡°But if it gets to that point, I¡¯ll let you know,¡± she said between labored breaths.


    Marin nodded. He turned towards Harrel. ¡°Same to you, Harrel. Let me know.¡±


    After a quick visit in the main office, Marin decided it was time to head up to his quarters to meet Loid with that package.


    As he climbed the staircases and walked down several hallways, he passed workers who were cleaning and repairing the castle. He waved at a few of his permanent subordinates whenever he saw them.


    Nocturne was alive and thriving. Marin was quite pleased at all the activity in the castle once again. He stepped on fresh, bright red carpets with golden trimming. A single fault in the fabric could not be found. He wished he could feel the texture of the new long carpets, but his sight would have to provide enough context for a rough imagination of how it could feel.


    He turned towards the door to his personal quarters. It was no longer ripped off and on the ground. In fact, a whole new beautifully carved cherry wood door rested on polished hinges.


    Marin grabbed the golden door knob and gently opened the door. When he entered, he saw Loid sitting in one of his refurbished chairs from the before times.


    The former innkeeper glared at Marin. Loid had been keeping the package close by him the whole time.


    ¡°Your personal quarters are looking amazing, Sullivan,¡± Loid mentioned.


    ¡°I¡¯m quite pleased with it,¡± the King responded. He walked around Loid and sat behind a desk that still smelled of fresh varnish.


    Loid watched as Marin took a rare sigh when sitting down. The King didn¡¯t take a load off for anyone besides him at this point.


    ¡°Remind me it¡¯s not going to be this busy all the time,¡± Marin said while closing his eyes and leaning back.


    ¡°The restoration of the castle has been a huge undertaking indeed,¡± Loid said. ¡°But we¡¯re almost done. Things will calm down soon. I can¡¯t even imagine how hard its been for Helva processing everything.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she looked to be in a rough state when I visited her. I hope I¡¯m not overworking anyone.¡±


    ¡°All this extra work is only temporary,¡± Loid reminded him.


    They stayed silent for a bit, Loid allowing Marin to recollect himself. Finally, he opened his eyes and sat up straight in his chair.


    ¡°Well, what do you have there?¡± Marin asked as he stared at the brown box in Loid¡¯s lap. ¡°It must be something important.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s a gift I ordered for you, Sullivan.¡± Loid said while looking down at it.


    ¡°A gift?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I had to have it custom made since it doesn¡¯t exist on the market. I had to commission some fine people to make it. Gold of course was not an issue so I spared no expense in it¡¯s creation.¡±


    ¡°Well that¡¯s impressive, Loid. Let¡¯s see what your efforts have produced.¡±


    Loid got up from the chair, and stood at the opposite end of the desk Marin sat at. He placed the box on the smooth wooden surface, and slid it to him.


    Marin leaned forward and dug his hands into the box. Whatever was in there was engulfed in paper shreddings. He grabbed the item and pulled it out.


    The King stared at a mask of much higher quality than the one he was wearing.


    It was made of a nearly weightless metal, painted in a shineless matte black. The eye holes were covered in a glowing light blue crystal.


    Marin was ecstatic. ¡°Loid, this¡­ This is incredible.¡±


    He flipped it over to the inside. In the mouth location was a filter and a few wires.


    ¡°It¡¯s a state of the art, specially designed mask for you, my king. The mask is made of shaconium, and the eyes are covered in gerian crystal. It¡¯s very pristine gerian, as you can tell from the glow. The outside of the crystal is stained in light blue. As you know, you won¡¯t be able to see the color from behind the mask.¡±


    Marin flipped it over a few more times, speechless.


    ¡°And inside the mask is a voice filter and enhancer. It will convert the raspiness of your voice and make it sound more smooth.¡±


    ¡°Loid, I-¡±


    ¡°The craftsmen guarantee a lifetime of use on the mask. They weren¡¯t sure why I needed something like this made, but when I mentioned the gold I was willing to spend, they used every bit of their skill in crafting it.¡±


    Marin leaned back in silence as studied his gift.


    ¡°Loid, I¡­ I can¡¯t even convey to you how much this means. Thank you so much for thinking of me in this way.¡±


    ¡°Try it on!¡± Loid said anxiously. He was interested to see his spent gold in action.


    Marin set the mask down and flipped his hood back. At this point, Loid almost expected Marin to ask him to turn around or look away, but he didn¡¯t.


    Marin removed his old mask, exposing his zombified face.


    Loid¡¯s rested look hid his overwhelming feeling of seeing the undead king¡¯s true appearance once again. He gazed at the two holes that made up his nasal cavity. He saw the missing teeth exposed from broken lips, and pale white skin, what was left of it, anyway.


    He took a long blink, trying not to cringe at the sight. He wanted Marin to feel comfortable around him, and he dared not make a display from quite an intimate moment.


    Loid felt great relief when the mask covered the monstrous face. The King adjusted the black metal mask, and flipped his hood back over his head. The shade of the hood darkened Marin¡¯s mask even more, to the point where only the glowing, light-blue crystal eyes could be seen in dark scenery.


    ¡°How do I look?¡± Marin asked in a new voice.


    Loid leaned back then forward with his mouth open, more taken from the new sound than the look.


    ¡°More like how do you sound! Wow, that filter is amazing! Sullivan, you sound great!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t notice much of a difference in my voice.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because you¡¯re behind the mask, but I can assure you, you sound a hundred times better. And yes, of course, you look far sharper than before.¡± Loid just stared proudly at his crafted order. He had truly done a marvelous job in thinking this gift up.


    ¡°Well, thank you Loid. I had been debating about getting a better mask, but I had nothing of this quality in mind. And your idea to add a voice enhancer¡­ I would¡¯ve never thought that up.¡±


    ¡°A King needs to look and sound his best,¡± Loid stated proudly.


    ¡°Agreed.¡±


    Loid studied Marin¡¯s office a bit more, then dusted his shirt. ¡°Well, I best be off, then. Your quarters are looking great.¡±


    Loid started to walk towards the door.


    ¡°Well, hold on. Would you like to look around? Not too many other people will see it, but I¡¯d love it if you spent some free time in here with me sometimes, if you would like.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love to. Let¡¯s see you¡¯ve got.¡±


    Upon first entering Marin¡¯s personal wing, one is greeted with the meeting room. This is where Loid presented Marin¡¯s gift. Two plush chairs face a large desk that has a rolling chair behind it. The wall opposite to the door has two windows on either side, Marin¡¯s chair in the middle of them. There are doorways going left and right from this room.


    To the left when entering, is Marin¡¯s personal library and office. It is the largest space in the wing. In the center is a large desk with many drawers, containing documents of the castle from long ago. To the left is an organ with brass pipes rising to the ceiling.


    It had been restored to full working order, the pipes and keys all dusted. To the right was a fireplace with two plush red chairs. Circling the entire room were bookshelves. The few books that had remained in the two centuries were cleaned and placed together.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get more books soon,¡± Marin mentioned.


    Going back to the meeting room, to the right, was Marin¡¯s bedroom. Despite not being able to sleep, he had ordered a large deluxe bed fit for a king. In the room was also a bathroom, a large walk in wardrobe, and dozens of knickknacks and items that held sentimental value. There was also a way onto a private balcony that Marin didn¡¯t care to show.


    The whole wing had been restored to new. Everything was clean and organized.


    ¡°It¡¯s very impressive, Sullivan. I like what you¡¯ve done,¡± Loid reviewed.


    ¡°Hows your room doing?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°My wife loves it all. We have everything we need.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    There was a knock on Marin¡¯s door. It caught Loid by surprise, but Marin was unfazed.


    ¡°Enter,¡± Marin commanded.


    A maid opened the door. She was younger, with a black dress and white apron.


    ¡°Um¡­ there¡¯s a Marge Halkress that¡¯s here to see you,¡± she meekly reported.


    ¡°Ah, the librarian. Very well.¡± Marin turned to Loid. ¡°Let¡¯s go meet her.¡±

 Chapter 11 - The Bookkeeper

    The cart ride from White Forest to Nocturne Castle had consumed most of the day, but it had been well worth it when Marge saw the magnificence of the stone fortress. It was a relief for her to know that this was not a waste of time, especially after seeing the condition of Heroca Town.


    ¡°Yeah, there it is,¡± the cart driver pointed out. Even though he had made several supply hauls to the castle already, it still impressed him every time he saw it.


    ¡°It is quite a work of art,¡± she had to admit.


    As the cart grew closer to the castle, she was able to make out the architecture better. It resembled some of the pride structures in other kingdoms, and she guessed who could¡¯ve been responsible for its design.


    Regardless, much time and money was spent in building this castle in a not so strategic location. It felt isolated from the rest of the world, making trading and supply trips to the kingdom more tedious. Not many would ever see it or even know about it.


    On the other hand, that might just be exactly what the original planner had in mind. Being tucked away in the mountains meant that not too many would bother anyone here. Any army that would march to this castle would spend much energy just to arrive.


    The cart driver dropped Marge off at the large entrance, while he continued on to the side of the castle where goods could be unloaded. Even with most of the snow shoveled, Marge¡¯s high heels didn¡¯t much appreciate the new terrain they were forced to walk in.


    She made as much of an effort as she could to not slip. Two guards on either side of the entrance eyed her as she approached.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to see King Marin. I am Marge Halkress, I received his letter yesterday,¡± she explained.


    The guards nodded. ¡°Walk across the foyer and take the staircase, then enter on the first left. In the office, inform them who you are,¡± one explained.


    Marge stomped her heels on the carpet when she walked in. Her eyes gazed upward at the large rafters which held up the ceiling. Beautiful red banners with golden crosses hung from above. The chiseled design of the walls and ceiling were akin to the carvings of the castle outside.


    It scarcely reminded her of Fairgoth¡¯s castle, which was arguably the most impressive of any other kingdom. She particularly liked the solid gold cross adorned at the end of the foyer. Even for someone as fancy as Marge, she conceded that the castle alone was well worth the several hour trip to get here.


    Workers carrying curtains, rods, and tables all walked around her. She took note of how quickly they all moved, it was as if they were being paid extra to get the job done sooner than later.


    She then walked forward to the dual staircases, avoiding any brisk workers who she might bump into. It was nothing she was not used to, as she regularly avoided busy people in Whitewood. She marched up the stairs, her high heels producing a firm tap on each step.


    When she got to the top, she noticed a sign that read Main Office. When she entered, she saw Helva at the front writing up a storm.


    ¡°Hello?¡± Marge asked when she was not immediately acknowledged.


    ¡°Can I help you?¡± Helva asked in a monotone voice as if she had uttered the phrase one hundred times already today. She didn¡¯t even look up from her writing frenzy.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to see the King. You see, I have a letter-¡±


    Helva quickly called a maid over.


    ¡°Summon King Marin, tell him that the librarian has arrived,¡± she commanded. The maid ran off.


    She finally looked up at Marge.


    ¡°You¡¯re Marge Halkress, right? Your reputation proceeds you.¡± Helva stated while pushing the paperwork to the side.


    ¡°Well, I ¨C I would hope so. The King knew much about me from the letter I was mailed.¡± Marge was not enjoying Helva at all. She did not leave a good impression of her, seeing that her paperwork was apparently more important than her when she first walked in.


    ¡°You may take a seat over there. I¡¯m sorry, but I have quite a bit of work to get done. I must get back to it. The King will be with you momentarily,¡± Helva explained while turning her back to her.


    Marge pursed her lips in annoyance, but conceded to the chair.


    This King better be as impressive as the castle, she thought.


    When sitting down, Marge crossed her legs and adjusted her necklace. She looked off to the side, reading some papers pinned to the wall. After a while, she looked to both to Helva and Harrel, who had no time to idle.


    Well, they do look fairly busy. Perhaps I thought too roughly of her.


    Moments later, Loid and Marin walked into the room. They turned and saw the librarian in the chair. She immediately got up.


    ¡°Ah, you must be Marge!¡± Marin greeted.


    Her eyes widened. The last thing she would have ever expected is for the king to exude such mysteriousness. The black mask and light-blue crystal eyes met her with intimidation. She would almost think of him to be a thug of sorts if it was not for the marvelous royal blue robes he wore.


    She was extremely impressed with the garments of the king. They were of ancient make, woven beautifully using the thinnest threads that man could produce. She also knew the durability of the fabric he adorned, knowing that it could last hundreds of years and still look new. It was a fabric reserved for only the richest and most powerful individuals.


    ¡°Y-your highness¡­¡± Marge could barely make out.


    ¡°I¡¯m King Sullivan Marin of Nocturne. I hope my letter pleased you.¡± His voice sounded artificial, but demanded respect humbly, somehow.


    Marin extended his hand, and they both shook.


    ¡°Oh! You¡¯re quite the elemental,¡± Marin stated, reading the exact angle, grip, and firmness of the handshake.


    Marge had frozen in partial terror and shock from it. Her heart rate climbed as she tried her best to compose herself.


    Marin was strong. Incredibly strong. He was indeed the most powerful elemental she ever met. Marge had shaken the hands of many elementals, some masters of the craft, but none had the readings of Marin¡¯s grip. It was terrifying.


    Marge was in a daze as she started leaning backwards. Loid reached across and grabbed her shoulders, preventing her fall.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry!¡± Marin belted out. ¡°My apologies. I should probably dial that back. I just haven¡¯t shaken the hand of anyone who could read those in many years,¡± the King explained.


    She recollected herself, and Loid removed his hands when it was clear that she would not stumble over anymore.


    ¡°You,¡± she finally breathed. ¡°Where? How?¡±


    ¡°I studied at Arkana for a while. With a grip like yours, I assume the same for you.¡±


    ¡°I- oh, this is so embarrassing. No, Fairgoth had a¡­¡± She shook her head, completely flustered and caught off guard meeting such a powerful elemental.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m a hedge elemental, I¡¯m afraid!¡± She looked disgusted to utter those words. Her whole face was red, she placed her hand over her forehead.


    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s nothing wrong that. The most powerful elementals were always hedges, right?¡±


    Marin looked over to Loid for support on the statement, but he was utterly confused over the series of events that just unfolded.


    ¡°King Marin! I¡¯m sorry,¡± she fanned herself as she spoke. ¡°I just would¡¯ve never expected you to be such a¡­ such a prominent force.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I must say the same. Nowhere in your history did it mention you had studied an element,¡± Marin explained.


    ¡°Well, when you¡¯re a hedge, it¡¯s not proper to include that officially,¡± she admitted. ¡°And I don¡¯t want to be defined as an elemental, but rather as my passion, a librarian.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem here, we are in dire need of a bookkeeper,¡± Marin stated. ¡°May I show you around?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely,¡± she responded, trying her best to put everything that had just happened behind her.


    Marin began a castle tour for Marge. Loid walked behind them. As they traveled, they had to dodge the occasional worker moving items around.


    ¡°As you can see, we are in the middle of restoration,¡± Marin mentioned as they looked into a room and saw two workers setting glass into a window that was previously shattered. ¡°You¡¯ll have to excuse the busy state we are temporarily in.¡±


    ¡°Are you the one behind all this?¡± Marge asked.


    ¡°Yes. When I discovered that I was an heir of Nocturne, I immediately returned and began work on restoring the castle. I made a large amount of gold before hand, and have been personally funding the projects going on here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to see this place back on the map,¡± Marge said back. ¡°It had laid dormant for quite a while. And to see a proper heir to the throne, that¡¯s shocking. I was under the impression that the first king had no children.¡±


    Marin silently agreed. ¡°Let me show you around,¡± he added, changing the subject.


    They walked down a new hallway.


    ¡°Are you the butler?¡± She asked Loid.


    That gave Loid a laugh, but he tried to contain it as much as he could.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry! This is Loid, my friend. He is second in command. Loid is a veteran of Neo and fought in the Harmon Wars,¡± Marin explained.


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    ¡°Pleasure to meet you, ma¡¯am,¡± They shook hands, and Marge felt relief sensing that Loid was at a much more manageable level of elemental strength.


    If he had also had a high reading, she would¡¯ve grown suspicious that more than a kingdom was being established here.


    She was taken to all the major areas of the castle. Marge was able to see the kitchens, dining room, theater, common rooms, and hallways of endless bedrooms. Marin had saved the library for last.


    The long list of features that Nocturne Castle contained was all very impressive to Marge, but not as much as Marin himself. During the entire tour, she couldn¡¯t get her mind off him.


    The totally concealing clothing, the absurd elemental strength, the black mask. It was all very mysterious, and quite nontraditional for a king.


    ¡°Well, what do you think so far?¡± Marin finally asked her after viewing many features.


    ¡°Its all coming together nicely. What a wonderful castle, and in such good condition for being abandoned all this time,¡± she responded.


    They talked for a moment more as they watched workers unpack boxes and sort items.


    ¡°The library is down this way,¡± Marin finally said. ¡°I¡¯ve been saving this area last for you.¡±


    After a bit more walking, they reached the grand library. It was the second largest room besides the theater.


    ¡°And you use this huge room just for the library?¡± She asked.


    ¡°I love books. When I des- err, well, when I got here, this was originally used as a ballroom... I think. But I¡¯ve turned it into the library section of the castle.¡±


    Loid raised an eyebrow. That statement seemed a little off. Marin was hoping his slight slip-up would go unnoticed.


    It apparently went, as Marge stepped into the massive open room, admiring the fresh bookshelves that had been brought in. Solid wood, still shiny from a fresh coat of protection applied to them. Workers moved around them as they wheeled in boxes of books.


    ¡°Your letter didn¡¯t lie, it is obvious you care much about a library,¡± she stated as she reviewed the size of the room. She then looked to the workers removing books from the packaged containers.


    ¡°I¡¯m interested to see what kind of books you¡¯ve ordered.¡± She added.


    ¡°Just a slew of what was available. I contacted several bookstores and ordered what they recommended,¡± Marin explained.


    As he did so, Marge approached a container and sampled a few of the pieces. She noticed he had recklessly ordered much of the inventory. Her vast knowledge on books allowed her to identify much of what she fished through, and it was not too impressive.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to need someone to organize this,¡± she said as she dropped a book back into its box. ¡°And someone who knows a little more about what a decent library should have.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any thoughts on what I¡¯ve ordered so far?¡± Marin asked.


    Marge¡¯s lips pursed. She really liked the King and didn¡¯t want to step on him too much.


    ¡°I would¡¯ve requested some more¡­ sophisticated authors on some of these topics.¡± She finally worded.


    Marin nodded, then looked to Loid. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll need a proper librarian before I order any more.¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Loid responded. ¡°But I see a proper librarian in front of us.¡±


    It was a quick reminder from Loid to Marge about why she was here in the first place. Her eyes trailed as it was apparent to them that she was in thoughts about signing on to the Nocturne Kingdom.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay for dinner?¡± Marin asked before the silence reached a long point.


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t want to impose,¡± she quickly said back.


    ¡°I insist. If you are considering the job, I¡¯d love for you to get an idea of what you can expect here.¡±


    It did not take much more to get Marge to agree. She might¡¯ve showed more interest in the King and the castle than she wanted to let on. She was quite impressed with the operation they had running here, and despite choosing to retire from this line of work, it all had her considering a different option.


    They talked more about the plans of the kingdom in the future, and as Marin continued to explain what his goals were, her admiration of the King continued to increase. This was not a standard political king with selfish desires, but a hands on one who only sought to solidify his kingdom and support his subordinates.


    It was polar opposite from the kingdoms she worked in before. After some time passed, they checked into the dining room. Maids were already setting up the long tables in preparation for a meal. From the kitchen that was just down the hall, pots and pans could be heard clanging, mixed with orders being yelled.


    Marge tried working out how such an abandoned castle could become so lively in a matter of a few weeks. She thought about the economics of it all, but wisely came to the conclusion that Marin had indeed accrued a large amount of gold.


    She knew not how much he had, but it was currently draining, and the kingdom would have to be profitable soon to stop the depletion of funds. Based on what Marin was planning, however, that would get solved in a short amount of time.


    More members of the kingdom started to file in as supper time was in mere minutes. Marin sat at the far end of the largest table. To his right was Loid, and he had Marge sit to his left. Helva and Harrel followed after.


    The dining room was ablaze with conversation, with all three long tables nearly full.


    ¡°Is this your whole kingdom?¡± Marge asked.


    ¡°More or less. Everyone here is invited to eat everyday. Meals are provided free of charge for working in the castle,¡± Marin explained.


    ¡°Once you experience how delicious the food is, you might not want to go back!¡± Loid joked.


    Finally, a long caravan of maids and chefs carrying large platters of food filed out of the hallway. Marge watched as they brought out roasted beasts, steamed vegetables, soft freshly cooked bread, and a slew of sides.


    They certainly have a workforce in the kitchen, Marge noted as all the food was placed in front of them.


    Marin stood up and tapped an eating utensil against his glass. It got everyone to quiet immediately. Once everyone was looking at King Marin in the center, he began a speech.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to see everyone at dinner again. This is a great time for all of us to come together and share in the festivities. Before we start, I want to thank all of you for working so hard to make this castle a Kingdom once again. You all took a chance on this new lifestyle, and I hope it has met your expectations.


    Restoration of the castle is almost complete, finally, and soon everyone will resume a normal schedule. The plans going forward will be to make Nocturne self-sufficient. We have some new occupations we want filled to make the kingdom profitable again in the coming weeks. If you are interested please talk to Loid, Helva, or Harrell.


    Lastly, I just want to mention that if you have friends or distant relatives that are interested in joining the kingdom, please do not hesitate to inform me. I am always looking for capable citizens willing to aid in our growth. That is all. Now, let¡¯s enjoy the food. Everyone, dig in.¡±


    At that, Marin sat down and the nearly one hundred people began filling their plates from the platters of food in front of them. Loid, Helva, and Harrel started filling their plates, but Marge looked in astonishment as Marin made no attempt to produce a plateful as they did.


    ¡°King Marin, aren¡¯t you going to eat?¡± Marge asked. Loid looked up as he realized this had not been talked about yet.


    ¡°Ah, I should tell you. This mask I¡¯m wearing, it is to hide my face, and unfortunately, I can not eat without removing it. Therefore, I enjoy sitting with everyone and eating later. It has to be that way, I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    Marge had several questions to follow up with, but knew it would not be the right time and place to do so. She did not even know if it would be her place to ask. Instead, she had to try to put her bewilderment aside.


    ¡°Please, load up a plate, Marge. I¡¯d be besides myself if you didn¡¯t try our food cooked by Loid¡¯s marvelous wife, Sherry,¡± he added.


    She finally gave in and used some serving spoons to give herself some oven-roasted honey ham, a pile of salt and pepper mashed potatoes, and vegetables cooked with paprika, rosemary, and garlic.


    Her mouth watered as she looked at some of the best food she had seen in a while. She began eating, and the savory flavors of the food nearly overwhelmed her.


    ¡°Marin, I have to ask,¡± Loid started. ¡°How were you able to decipher that Ms. Halkress here was an elemental from a handshake?¡±


    ¡°That is a honed skill. You see, when harnessing the elements, you¡­ shape your hands in certain ways. You understand that, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it becomes second nature with enough training,¡± Loid agreed with a mouthful of food.


    ¡°Right, right. Well, that subtle shape you make with your hands translates to everything you hold, even absent-mindedly. That includes something as simple as a handshake. And with enough practice, you can read that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s incredible!¡± Loid exclaimed. He look to Marge, who nodded her head in agreement. ¡°So were you able to read me?¡± He added.


    ¡°Yes. And you¡¯re not too bad,¡± Marin responded. ¡°Well trained. Something I¡¯d expect from a captain.¡±


    He turned to Marge. ¡°And Marge had quite the reading. I didn¡¯t expect it.¡±


    Marge looked flustered as she swallowed her food. ¡°Oh please. Compared to you, I¡¯m a simple novice. My, my. I even wonder if you somehow have learned to fake that grip. It¡¯s almost unbelievable someone can be that strong.¡±


    Marin chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ve always had a natural talent for the elements, I suppose. Sometimes I forget my own strength. I haven¡¯t had to use it for many years. I fear some practice might be necessary.¡±


    ¡°By the way, Marge,¡± Loid asked. ¡°What element have you pursued?¡±


    ¡°Fairgoth had a court elemental who studied water. When I was very young, I learned from him,¡± she responded.


    ¡°One of the most beautiful elements,¡± Marin pointed out. ¡°I¡¯ve always liked that one.¡±


    It seemed off to Marge that everyone around Marin ate while he just patiently sat there having conversations. She wondered what kind of face could be hidden under the mask that required it. The mysteriousness of the king intrigued Marge greatly. She wanted to learn more, including the source of his vast elemental power, and that would come only from joining the kingdom.


    She had made her mind up. She was joining. She ate in silence as she listened to Marin discuss a new topic with Helva who was just an arm¡¯s reach away. Marge previously was not too fond of Helva, but hearing Marin discuss high-end topics with Helva showed her that she had obviously earned an important role in the kingdom.


    Once everyone ate their fill of food, citizens started excusing themselves from the table. Eventually, the maids started to gather dishes and leftover food from the table. Once Marin stood up, everyone at his end of the table did as well.


    ¡°Well Marge, what did you think?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°It was incredible food, King Marin. You spared no expense in sourcing the best produce,¡± Marge responded as she dabbed her face with a napkin one last time.


    ¡°Thank you. If you ever see Sherry, she would be the one responsible for the cooking. Be sure to thank her. That is, if you decide to stick around.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of that, I¡¯ve made my mind up,¡± she said with a grin.


    Marin stood there in silence, no one able to read his concerned face behind the mask.


    ¡°I think I will sign on to your kingdom here,¡± she admitted.


    ¡°Oh what a relief! I am quite satisfied to hear that! I feared that I would have to plan to recruit someone else. That is good news. You were my first pick, you know. The things you¡¯ve done¡­ It would be an honor to have you as our librarian.¡±


    ¡°The honor is mine, my King. I hope to learn much about you and this kingdom,¡± she stated.


    ¡°We will discuss further details including your compensation later. I am positive that will not be a point of contention. For now, talk with Loid and he will assist you in getting situated here.¡±


    Loid appeared by her side at mention of his name.


    ¡°I must go eat now,¡± Sullivan lied. ¡°I bid you farewell and a good night. And thank you again for lending us your talents.¡± With that, Marin took off down a hallway towards the kitchen. He left Loid and Marge alone.


    ¡°I feel the same as the King does, Ms. Halkress. It is nice to have you on board. I¡¯ve been instructed to provide you with one of the finer living quarters in the castle. It is conveniently located right beside the library,¡± Loid explained.


    ¡°Excellent,¡± she responded. Loid escorted Marge away.


    In the kitchen, Marin checked up on the staff who were now doing dishes and putting away the leftover food.


    As soon as he made an entrance, a chef belted out ¡°Hail, the King enters the kitchen!¡±


    The entire staff stopped what they were doing and looked to him.


    He waved his hand in a downward motion. ¡°As you all were. You¡¯re doing an excellent job.¡± He stated. They went back to their busy work.


    He walked up to Sherry. She assisted in packaging the leftover food before it was moved to the cold room. She looked happy to see him. Marin checked in with her to make sure all was going well. She happily reported that everything she needed was provided.


    Sherry explained how the kitchen staff worked hard and followed her instructions. She even pointed out that she learned some new skills from some of the hired chefs. She was grateful that the food that was brought in was of the highest quality, and that made it much easier to cook and prepare. She showed some concern about the cost of the best food, but Marin waved his hand in front of her, assuring her that he had plenty of funds.


    The King hovered around the staff for a while, watching them work in the kitchen. He gave his approval and left.


    Marin wandered the halls of the castle for a while, waving at and shaking hands of his citizens. When he was alone, he held his own two hands behind his back as he traveled the red carpet floors. He eventually meandered his way back to his own quarters. He stared at the carved cherry wood door for a few seconds before making an entrance.


    Marin sat in his rolling chair behind his desk, leaning back in front of one of the two windows on the back wall. Looking outside, he noted the glow of the snow as the sun began to set. He watched as some carts hauled their last load of the day to the castle on brand new paved roads. He had not set foot outside in some days now. That was bound to change soon.

 Chapter 12 - Unexpected Visitor

    Marin tried keeping himself preoccupied during the night hours since he couldn¡¯t sleep. It was anything he could do to keep himself from boredom. During the quiet nights alone, Marin played his organ and even was in development in writing his own pieces. He journaled as well, encrypting it by writing in ancient. He read some of his books, and sat in front of the fire, pondering.


    Marin also spent an hour or two out on the balcony of the castle. He would lean on the stone walls and overlook the mountains that Nocturne was nestled it. It was freezing outside during the nights, but he had no regards for temperature.


    When this all wasn¡¯t enough, on occasion, he would visit the night shift guards and make small talk. He avoided doing it often so no one would start to wonder if he actually slept or not.


    Marin finally noticed the morning sun¡¯s rays reach over the horizon after hours of darkness. From up in his office, he was relieved to know that a new day was dawning.


    Whenever Marin was seen at the crack of dawn, most commended him for being such an early bird. He always responded by explaining that he was a morning person. Marin knew though that nearly anyone would be if they did not have to battle with the issue of waking up from a comfortable sleep.


    The morning seemed to start like any other. After an hour of greeting the morning workers, Marin made his was to the dining room tables, waiting to watch everyone else eat breakfast. He imagined the smell of eggs and bacon being cooked in the kitchen as the tables started to populate.


    ¡°Good morning, Loid,¡± he mentioned at the sight of his friend sitting down besides him.


    ¡°Good morning, Sullivan. Did the night treat you well?¡± He asked, knowing that Marin experienced every bit of it.


    ¡°Another quiet night.¡± It was Marin¡¯s way of indirectly mentioning that he had not much to do.


    The conversation shifted at the sight of Marge approaching. She had her short gray curly hair balled on top of her head.


    ¡°Marge! How was the room? Is it up to your standards?¡± Marin asked, interested in receiving some feedback.


    She pulled out a chair and sat in it. She adjusted the front of her shirt and turtleneck collar as if she was overly concerned for how she presented herself.


    ¡°I am quite pleased with commodities you provided. Much of it is better than the furniture I have in my own home. I will still have to move most of my possessions here, namely my collection of books, but I am debating leaving much there as your castle has greater or equal to what I have,¡± she explained.


    ¡°I will cover all the moving costs for you, of course,¡± Marin stated.


    Marge never liked others paying for her bills, but seeing as she now worked an important job for this kingdom, she viewed it as benefits for her occupation.


    ¡°That will be fine.¡±


    In a similar way when dinner was brought out, chefs and maids brought out breakfast foods. It was everything you could expect. Eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, hash browns, and more.


    ¡°What¡¯s the plans for today?¡± Loid asked as he jellied a piece of toast.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯re almost done with restoration, right? We will have to go over the whole castle to make sure everything is complete. Also, I¡¯m expecting a letter from RAM soon about our status as a kingdom. We¡¯ve had to jump through all of their hoops to get this completed. I really owe Helva a lot, she¡¯s been quite the asset in this.¡±


    Marin turned to Marge.


    ¡°Seeing as you¡¯re tasked with the library, what are you plans?¡± The King asked her.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to catalog what you have so far, then look into ordering more. I¡¯ve been meaning to ask, how much gold are you willing to allocate for this library?¡±


    ¡°Get the best of the best. Gold is not an issue. Send all bills for the books to Harrel,¡± Marin instructed.


    The response made Marge wonder just how much gold Marin really had. The answer showed great confidence in his fortune. She did not doubt he had the ability to earn the gold seeing how strong he was, but that didn¡¯t stop her from imagining what he could have done to receive it.


    Marin watched everyone eat as he talked with them for the next half hour. After breakfast was completed, they got up, and went their ways. Marin walked down the long table, waving and shaking hands of his citizens as they were still eating.


    He was always asking if they had all their needs met. He briefly talked with Cheryl, Bronson, and Gus about how they were doing. Fern was even in the castle now that all the road work had been done. He was sitting by his brother Max, and Max¡¯s wife, Mabel.


    Max and Gus were employed as Nocturne¡¯s guards, it made sense since they were guards in Heroca. Fern and Bronson were employed as custodians who kept the castle clean. Cheryl ran a garden and a greenhouse in the castle. Marin provided her with plenty gold to recover her collection of fine reagents.


    Almost all the villagers who had joined the kingdom were quite satisfied with their new standard of living. That brought great contentment to Marin.


    The King made his way to the office after breakfast, which became a usual thing. He waited for Helva and Harrel to finish the breakfast they ate together before they started their day in there too.


    When both of them finally entered, Marin greeted them.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask if you knew approximately what time the mail arrives each day,¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯d say noon?¡± Harrel responded. He looked at his pocket watch. ¡°Yes, that seems right. Should be here in about three hours.¡±


    Helva never took notice of the time when the mail came in, so she was thankful that her husband was more observant in that aspect.


    ¡°Are you anxious about that letter from RAM?¡± Helva asked with a playful smile on her face.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say I am looking quite forward to their response. It¡¯s been two weeks since we¡¯ve gone back and forth with them.¡±


    ¡°Give it time, King Marin. I¡¯ll summon you the moment I receive the letter,¡± she said.


    The King had to make do with that answer for now. Helva wheeled herself behind the desk and began pulling papers out. It wasn¡¯t long before one of Nocturne¡¯s staff entered the room.


    ¡°Can I help you?¡± Helva asked.


    The tattered man approached the desk. When he saw King Marin, he bowed to him. ¡°Your majesty,¡± he uttered.


    Marin gave him a slight nod back. ¡°As you were.¡±


    He faced Helva behind the desk. ¡°Ms. Yoren, there¡¯s a pipe exposed in bedroom twelve of the southeast wing. They are requesting that it be rerouted behind the wall. I am able to do it but I knew I¡¯d have to get permission to do so first.¡±


    As the repairman spoke, Helva quickly wrote down the details. ¡°I¡¯ll put the request through Loid. He should inspect it soon and give an answer.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡± He looked to the King again, and waved before leaving the room.


    Marin knew he could easily approve the request, but he almost enjoyed watching his administration handle these decisions for him. He also did not want to belittle the work his office did, so he remained silent.


    ¡°Do you get many people coming in here with issues?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Throughout the day,¡± Helva responded. ¡°Most are so insignificant that I wish they¡¯d sort it out themselves, but every once in a while I get an important one that requires my decision, or one I elevate to Loid, like that last one was.¡±


    ¡°Modifying a room is a big deal, eh?¡± He asked.


    ¡°I¡¯d assume you¡¯d think so,¡± Helva responded.


    The King nodded. ¡°You do a great job. Your judgment has been successful in running the castle.¡±


    Helva smiled. ¡°I¡¯d ask for a pay raise, but you already allow me to buy anything I need or want!¡±


    Marin laughed. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    As they told more jokes, Loid entered the room with an anxious look plaguing his face.


    ¡°Ah, Loid,¡± Helva greeted. ¡°I have a request for you about one of the bedrooms.¡± She grabbed the small yellow sheet of paper from her desk.


    ¡°That is going to have to wait. Sullivan, someone is here to see you, and I do not like the looks of them.¡±


    All the lightheartedness left the room immediately.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m coming.¡± Marin stormed out of the room with Loid.


    They both paced the hallway as they made their way to the grand foyer.


    ¡°What is going on?¡± Marin asked with concern.


    ¡°Some shady man appeared in front of the guards, and demanded to see you right away. Says he wants to know if you really are who you claim to be,¡± Loid explained.


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°I fear he might cause trouble, Sullivan. He¡¯s not dressed like a regular person. He looks quite intimidating.¡±


    The two were now walking down the stairs of the grand foyer. They now had some distance to cover before they got to the doors.


    ¡°Did he say anything else? Where he¡¯s from? Who he represents?¡± Marin tried.


    ¡°Not at all. He refused to talk further until I summoned you.¡±


    Loid seemed very concerned with this man. While Marin had no fear of a singular person due to his own power, he feared a larger organization they could possibly represent or where they might potentially be from. The last thing Marin wanted was to have issues with a different kingdom or establishment.


    They walked briskly to the main doors. Just thirty seconds of walking to the front felt like an eternity to Loid. When they finally made it to the front, Marin saw just exactly who he was dealing with.


    Standing outside the front doors patiently, was younger man, appearing to be in his early twenties. He wore bright orange and black leathers. A large cape and hood he adorned was striped in the colors. In his right hand was a golden pole he was using as a staff, that stood just a hair taller than the wielder.


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    His face lit up when he saw Marin. He didn¡¯t give Loid a single look.


    ¡°Well, well, this man fits the description!¡± He belted out with much satisfaction, as if he had been on a long mission and finally found his objective. ¡°Are you the one claiming to be Sullivan Marin?¡± He directly asked.


    Marin didn¡¯t like the attire of this man at all. He was not a regular person. The bright colors he wore were fighting clothes, leathers worn for sport in melee or elemental battles. Very cautiously, Marin answered.


    ¡°I am who you say.¡±


    The stranger laughed. ¡°Sullivan Marin, the same Sullivan Marin who held the crown of Nocturne Kingdom over two hundred years ago?¡±


    ¡°I am an heir, and I share the same name,¡± Marin explained. This was not good. The name of the first king was not well known. Almost buried, according to Helva. One would have to dig into RAM¡¯s archives or old libraries to find out any information from that time. The fact that this man knew had him concerned.


    ¡°A likely story. What¡¯s under the mask, Marin? Why are you wearing that? Do you have a dark secret you¡¯re hiding?¡± He demanded.


    Loid could not believe the audacity of this man. The way he talked to Marin was very daring, and Loid assumed he had no idea who he was truly messing with.


    At that moment, the King turned to the guards.


    ¡°You two, enter the castle and shut the doors behind you. Lock them. Do not open them until I tell you.¡±


    The guards who were also reading the severity of the situation nodded and quickly did as they were told. Marin stared at the stranger as he watched the guards pull on the doors, shutting themselves in. Loid stood outside with him, but took a few steps back.


    ¡°You¡¯re making a lot demands for someone with no authority here,¡± Marin pointed out with a slip of anger in his voice.


    The stranger was not intimidated. ¡°What I want to figure out is how you got the gears of this whole kingdom turning again in such a short amount of time. The first king who established Nocturne all that time ago was quite rich. Let me guess, you¡¯re that rich as well?¡± He asked.


    ¡°You seem to know quite a bit about the first king,¡± Marin pointed out. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me why you¡¯re really here. Are you accusing me of somehow being that same first king?¡±


    ¡°I just find you mighty suspicious. Too many factors are lining up. Why don¡¯t you remove that mask you¡¯re wearing and settle some concerns for me.¡±


    ¡°I will do no so such thing. I have no reason to answer to you. But perhaps I might treat you with more consideration if you tell me where you¡¯re from and who you represent,¡± Marin explained.


    The stranger did a noisy inhale, as if that was not a response he wanted to hear.


    ¡°Hey! I¡¯m here alone! I just need to get some information from you,¡± he admitted.


    ¡°Then alone you will leave, now. I will have no further discussion with you or your baseless claims. Begone!¡± Marin shooed him away with one hand.


    The stranger stomped his golden pole at the ground. He sighed.


    ¡°My name is Oscar. And if you¡¯re not going to comply with me, I must duel you.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m not leaving without a duel,¡± Oscar stubbornly stated.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to waste my time with you. Let¡¯s head back in, Loid,¡± Marin ordered.


    As they both turned around, Oscar banged his pole into the ground again, and purple amethyst crystals shot up from the ground, dividing them from the large front doors. The crystals were three times taller than their height. It blocked their way to re-enter the castle.


    ¡°I knew it,¡± Marin uttered, only loud enough for Loid to hear. They both turned back around.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t give me what I want, I will destroy your castle and everyone in it.¡±


    Loid¡¯s blood boiled. He was shaking with rage. Marin took notice immediately.


    ¡°Loid, step back,¡± Marin requested.


    ¡°Do you have family in there, old man?¡± Oscar asked to Loid, taunting him upon noticing his rage building.


    Loid assumed a fighting stance. Dark, shadowy smoke began to rise from his back. ¡°If you attempt to harm a single-¡±


    ¡°LOID! I said get back!¡± Marin ordered. Upon hearing the King¡¯s frustration, Loid looked over to him.


    ¡°I gave you an order, now follow it. Stand over there,¡± Marin said more calmly.


    Loid took a deep breath, and realized he had to yield to Marin and let him take care of this dangerous stranger. He stopped grinding his teeth, and breathed heavily through his nose. He walked a fair distance away.


    ¡°That¡¯s right Loid, stand over there,¡± Oscar taunted.


    Marin adjusted his gloves.


    ¡°You have a lot of nerve showing up here acting the way you are. You want a duel? You¡¯ll get one. I will show you first hand what I¡¯m capable of, and after this you¡¯ll give me more respect than you do now.¡±


    Oscar smiled. ¡°Excellent.¡±


    He twirled his golden staff rapidly, and a jagged wave of crystals shot to Marin from the ground.


    Marin responded by waving his hand and shooting a jagged wave of ice right back, that shot through the crystals and nearly hit Oscar.


    He had to jump backwards to avoid being struck by the ice. In an instant, he realized that Marin¡¯s own ice attack thwarted his crystal one, both were cast in the same style.


    ¡°Ice and crystal, they¡¯re very similar elements, aren¡¯t they?¡± Oscar teased.


    ¡°I¡¯m not here to have a discussion with you,¡± Marin answered. He wanted to lightly test his foe to see how he would respond to low skill attacks. Several icicles started forming around Marin¡¯s body. With a few movements, he shot all of them at once towards Oscar.


    He used his staff to parry each of them as they approached. To Oscar, it was a failed attack.


    ¡°I have a few special moves of my own!¡± Oscar exclaimed. In front of him, a glowing red crystal appeared. It started expanding as new spikes grew out of it. He used his golden staff to whack the crystal towards Marin.


    It exploded into countless red shards that honed in on Marin. It was a neat move, but nothing he couldn¡¯t handle. He responded by lifting his arms, and right before the red crystal fragments reached him, they froze in the air, both literally and in movement, before falling to the ground.


    Marin tried a more severe attack by letting loose a large glowing ice beam from his palms. Oscar used his staff to help him jump high into the air to avoid it. He swung his staff again in the air and produced a large, brilliant green crystal shard, that was launched at Marin.


    Again, it was a predictable attack. In response, he held both his arms out, and the cracking sound of ice could be heard as he instantly created a curved ice wall in front of him. It was shaped perfectly so that when the crystal hit the wall, it traveled the shape of the curve and was launched back into the air.


    If Oscar had remained suspended in the air somehow, it would have hit him. Seeing that he had landed back on the ground, he could only watch his own crystal shard fly back into the air, returning to its original creation point.


    ¡°Whoa.¡± Oscar seemed slightly impressed.


    As soon as the curved wall completed it¡¯s task, it shattered away to the ground.


    ¡°How¡¯d you create an ice wall that was shaped perfectly to send that crystal back so fast?!¡± Oscar demanded.


    Oscar¡¯s feet suddenly froze in place.


    ¡°You¡¯re treating this duel quite lightly the way you keep running your mouth,¡± Marin stated. He started walking towards Oscar for a final ice attack. He had finished estimating Oscar¡¯s strength, and it was not anything impressive.


    Crystal spikes exploded from Oscar¡¯s feet, breaking the ice and freeing himself from the temporary trap. Before he could think of his next crystalized move, Marin had propelled himself forward at great speed by launching ice from behind him.


    He grabbed Oscar¡¯s golden staff, and a layer of ice traveled from Marin¡¯s grip up to the top, and down to the bottom of the rod. Marin snapped the staff off where he had grabbed it, and threw it to the side, still steaming from the new ice it was coated in.


    Oscar looked in terror seeing that his weapon was so easily destroyed. He looked over to Marin, but had a swift kick delivered to his chest, sending Oscar backwards into the snowy ground.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Oscar struggled. ¡°That was¡­ something else,¡± he mentioned as he looked over to the broken, frosted piece of his gold rod.


    Marin walked towards him again, and Oscar began crawling in reverse. He didn¡¯t get too far though, before he bumped the back of his head into a newly formed ice wall.


    ¡°Okay, okay! I yield!¡±


    Marin bent over and picked the man up by his chest straps.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever come here again thinking you have the strength to destroy me or my kingdom. You¡¯re a boy. Don¡¯t waste your potential acting like this. If I was ruthless, I could kill you. Tell whoever you work with that they¡¯ll have to send someone a lot stronger if they wish to contend with me!¡±


    The ice wall behind Oscar disappeared. He threw him back into the snow.


    ¡°Now get going, before I decide to keep you prisoner here.¡±


    Oscar¡¯s legs shuffled in the snow a bit before he got to his feet and took off running.


    Marin watched the orange and black cape wave in the air from the haste his foe made. Loid finally walked up to the side of him.


    Once Oscar was out of sight, Marin released a heavy breath and slumped forward.


    ¡°Sullivan, are you alright?¡± Loid asked as he grabbed his shoulders.


    ¡°For someone so young, he has great potential. While he used primitive skills, they were executed flawlessly. That style was not from Neo or Arkana. I wonder where he learned it,¡± Marin made out.


    He grabbed Loid¡¯s shoulder to help his balance and stretched his back. ¡°Well, there was that sparring I talked about yesterday. I didn¡¯t ever think it would come in this form, though.¡±


    ¡°How do you feel?¡± Loid asked as he watched Marin hobble towards the castle doors.


    ¡°I feel¡­ I don¡¯t feel anymore, unfortunately. But I can tell you that my element obeyed my thoughts. So that is good news.¡±


    When they made it to the front entrance, Loid shouted for the doors to be opened back up. The two concerned guards swung them outward, both of them wondering greatly what had happened. They noticed that the loudmouth elemental from earlier was no where in sight.


    Loid explained to the guards everything that had happened. He told them to be extra alert during their shifts, and immediately report any suspicious activity.


    The two walked back into the office where Helva and Harrel had been. When they saw that Marin looked tired, they both demanded to know what happened.


    ¡°Loid, shut the door,¡± Marin commanded as he sat in a chair in front of Helva¡¯s desk. When he had done so, the four gathered together.


    Marin cleared his throat. ¡°Someone¡­ who was quite suspicious of me, showed up. An elemental. He asked a lot of questions about who I was. He also wanted me to remove my mask, almost as if he had expected that I would be wearing it.¡±


    Helva and Harrel were both in shock.


    ¡°He was young¡­ too young to have any concerns about who I am. I believe someone sent him. He asked me for a duel after I refused to talk with him,¡± Marin added.


    ¡°A duel?¡± Helva asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Did you get any information out of him?¡± She demanded frantically.


    ¡°He claimed to be alone. I didn¡¯t want to duel him, but it was made clear that he would cause a ruckus if I didn¡¯t comply. So I laid into him a bit. Scared him enough to send him running away.¡±


    Helva leaned back in her chair, with her fist balled in front of her mouth, deep in thought.


    ¡°That¡¯s interesting,¡± she concluded.


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Marin said back.


    ¡°What did he know?¡± She asked.


    ¡°He knew that¡­¡± Marin looked over at Harrel. ¡°He knew the name of the first King of Nocturne, which happens to be mine. And he suggested that I might be that same person.¡±


    Helva knew that Marin was wording it this way due to the fact that Harrel did not know the secret. Helva understood perfectly what Marin was saying, though.


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous,¡± Harrel stated. ¡°Is he making the assumption that you are nearly three hundred years old?¡±


    ¡°That would be correct,¡± Marin said back, deep in thought about how he had to weave his words around Harrel.


    ¡°I guess its getting around that Nocturne is back, and a Sullivan Marin is ruling it,¡± Loid pointed out.


    ¡°I just can¡¯t imagine why anyone would raise that suspicion about me. Or even care, for that matter,¡± Marin thought.


    It was silent for a moment as they all thought what to say next.


    ¡°Just be careful,¡± Helva said. ¡°Maybe it was nothing. Maybe it was just some reckless kid who read a few books and had made some bad assumptions. But if there are people out there thinking you¡¯re immortal, we will all have to keep a look out, just in case.¡±


    Marin nodded. The meeting was over, and Marin opened the office door back up. There was a line of citizens waiting to sort out issues with Helva. At the sight of the King they all gasped.


    Marin greeted them all before walking down the hallway. Loid followed behind him. When they were alone, Loid pulled him to the side.


    ¡°Sullivan¡­ are you sure you don¡¯t remember anything from when¡­ when you were alive?¡± He asked.


    Marin really pondered it for a minute. ¡°I have tried my hardest to remember. It is one of the most infuriating things to forget your life.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I was just wondering. I hope you remember something one day.¡±

 Chapter 13 - Plans for the Journey

    The events from earlier that day stayed on Marin¡¯s mind. He couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that someone had done too much research about him and connected too many dots. The last thing he wanted was his secret to be exposed to the world, and he was sure that if everyone knew that he was a living zombie, it would cause quite an uproar.


    Enough of an uproar to get not only himself killed, but his kingdom as well. He took solace in knowing that no one outside of the castle could produce any proof of this claim, but that could easily change if his mask was somehow removed.


    He needed better long term solutions. As the day progressed, some could tell his mind was preoccupied. After dinner, he invited Loid to his personal quarters to talk with him. Loid knew that the events from earlier today weighed heavily on him, despite talking most of it out in the main office with Helva and Harrel.


    The two made small talk as they took the staircases to the top of the castle. They passed a few maids who were dusting and sweeping. Finally, Marin shut the cherry wood door of his quarters. They were alone.


    Marin sighed an anxious breath.


    ¡°Loid, I am worried,¡± he stated. Both of them walked to the left doorway, entering his personal library. They sat in the plush red chairs in front of the fire place.


    ¡°Share with me what you¡¯re thinking,¡± Loid said as he leaned forward to listen to every word the king had to say.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried that there are people out there who want to find me out. That kid was just a scout. He was sent to investigate me.¡± Marin looked to the fire place with a worried look under his mask.


    Loid sighed. He looked to the fire place too, and when he noticed the fresh logs in place, he struck a match and lit them.


    ¡°I think we¡¯re going to be here for a while,¡± he uttered as he watched the flames start to engulf the log.


    ¡°And you know,¡± Marin added, ¡°that ¡®duel¡¯ he demanded could have been a test of my strength also. Here I was testing him during the fight, and I didn¡¯t even realize that he could have been testing me, to go back and make a report.¡±


    ¡°You were testing him?¡± Loid asked. ¡°It looked like you had your work cut out for you. He was quite strong.¡±


    Marin shook his head. ¡°Loid, I held back more than you could imagine. If I wanted to, I could¡¯ve ended the duel in two seconds.¡±


    That intimidated Loid a bit. He tried to shake the thoughts if Marin was actually telling the truth.


    ¡°Well, he got a very inaccurate reading then, didn¡¯t he?¡± Loid responded, choosing to believe Marin.


    ¡°I toyed with him. I was very upset with the way he was acting, and in response I also acted immature, entertaining his duel. Maybe I should¡¯ve been more serious and shut it down immediately. Maybe I should¡¯ve kept him here. Maybe I-¡±


    ¡°Sullivan, quit the maybe¡¯s. What happened has happened. You can¡¯t consume yourself in thoughts of what you should¡¯ve done. And need I remind you, this is all speculation. Here¡¯s a maybe for you: maybe you¡¯re being paranoid.¡±


    That shocked Marin a bit. He had never experienced Loid talking to him in this manner until now. He knew it came from a place of care, but it made him realize that perhaps he needed a second opinion on his thoughts.


    ¡°Anyone who knew about you two hundred years ago is dead by now,¡± Loid added, ¡°no one has any good reason to pursue your true identity. What would they gain from it? Exposure? Even if they found out, what good would that information do them? Your immortality potion didn¡¯t exactly work as planned, and I can guarantee you they would not want to share your fate.¡±


    Loid stopped his rant, and looked into the fire. He knew that he had some validity, but Marin¡¯s concerns actually had ground to stand on.


    Loid sighed. ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry. Obviously¡­ we need to be careful. There is still the chance that this is all nothing to worry about, but we do need to be prepared for a worst case scenario. And in preparing ourselves, we can also be protected against other threats that might arise.¡±


    Marin nodded. ¡°That¡¯s what I need to hear.¡±


    Loid finally leaned back in the chair. ¡°Do you have any ideas?¡±


    Marin also watched the flames dance as they consumed the logs in front of him. There was one prominent idea he had, and he was mentally preparing for the fact that it would force him to go out into the world.


    ¡°...I think we need stronger allies.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Loid asked.


    ¡°I mean¡­ Look, our guards are enough to deal with petty situations arising from regular people. We can stop a raid or catch a thief. But Loid, if a wizard shows up on our doorstep, and I¡¯m not here, this castle is in for a deep amount of trouble. You or Marge won¡¯t be able to stop them, let alone our hired soldiers,¡± Marin explained.


    ¡°Are you saying that a wizard is going to show up demanding to find out who you really are?¡± Loid said with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°I¡¯m saying that its going to do us good in the long run to have much stronger elementals who are loyal to me living in the castle.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to venture out to some large cities,¡± Loid stated.


    ¡°I realize that,¡± Marin responded with some difficulty.


    Loid tried to imagine Marin embarking on a trip into a world that was two hundred years into the future. He wasn¡¯t exactly a social person, and the fact that he was used to things as they were long ago wouldn¡¯t help his case. It was going to be a struggle getting anyone on board, especially as mysterious as the King had to look.


    ¡°And how do you plan to recruit these stronger elementals?¡± Loid asked, trying to get Marin to realize what a difficult idea this was.


    ¡°Well, I have monetary support.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t throw gold at everything, Sullivan,¡± Loid sharply countered.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah I know. I¡¯m hoping to find people that would value working for a king, and all it entails. Some people find honor in that, right?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps.¡± Loid tried to picture individuals who didn¡¯t have to answer to anyone due to their strength. Then he tried picturing them submitting to a King. Even with a large salary of gold, he found it hard to do so. There was little chance that someone with enough power to instantly over take a town would want to take orders from anyone less than them.


    Then Loid realized that Marin wouldn¡¯t be less than them. He got an idea.


    Loid leaned forward a bit. ¡°I think you will have better luck if potential recruits knew how strong you were.¡±


    Marin was confused. ¡°You think that matters?¡±


    ¡°Very much so. Especially in the world we live in today. I don¡¯t know how people felt about kings and kingdoms and honor two hundred years ago, but it¡¯s not like that today. Kingdoms don¡¯t hold as much influence as they used to.


    Ever since the central government took over, kingdoms became more figurative than literal. And because of that, kings aren¡¯t as powerful as they used to be. But Marin, that¡¯s not you. You are powerful!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m powerful in a different way!¡± Marin explained.


    ¡°Exactly! You¡¯re strong in the way that matters these days! You can get the respect and the reasons you need for people to join you. You just have to show them!¡±


    ¡°Loid¡­ I don¡¯t know if I completely agree with your thought process,¡± he admitted.


    Loid didn¡¯t hear him. He was too focused on his own train of thought. ¡°We just need to show them¡­¡±


    He snapped his fingers. ¡°Aha!¡±


    Marin shook his head, in partial amusement from seeing Loid in such an excited state, but also in slight terror in wondering what station his train of thought would end up at.


    ¡°You need to join a fighting tournament. Elementals going head to head. A show of raw strength!¡±


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Loid, you are out of your mind if you think-¡±


    ¡°It will be your largest shot at exposure. They are very popular these days. Thousands gather to watch. And, it¡¯s also a great place to meet the powerful elementals you desire! You could very well face off against your future subordinates!¡±


    ¡°My elemental skills are not for theater! Do you take me to be some entertainer? Should I excite the crowd further by striking poses?! Loid, you know that¡¯s not what I am about. And besides, I thought I was trying not to bring attention to myself! Need I remind you why I¡¯m doing all this in the first place? It is to prevent people from learning too much about me!¡±


    Loid found it comical imagining what Marin had said, but knew there was reasoning in his words. It definitely was not something he would enjoy doing, even if it was the optimal way to get what he wanted.


    ¡°Look Sullivan, I know you¡¯re not one for showing off. And I know you¡¯d rather go unnoticed, but this is your best shot at getting results. It sure as hell will beat standing on a street corner handing out fliers. You will meet the people you need to meet, and you will earn their respect. Put the spectators out of your mind, they don¡¯t matter.¡±


    Marin tapped his finger on the chair¡¯s arm in thought. He did not like it at all.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have too many other options. You¡¯re not one to go out and make a power move. And another emergency situation like the raid that happened at Heroca won¡¯t exactly fall into your lap for you to be able to prove yourself to everyone,¡± Loid explained.


    Marin finally stood up from his chair. ¡°I will think about it,¡± he finally admitted. ¡°It certainly is an avenue, albeit one I do not fancy. I¡¯d like to try completing my goal without the sights of thousands, but if I can¡¯t, I may be forced to go with your plan.¡±


    Loid got out from his chair as well. The logs had mostly burned away at this point.


    ¡°So what will you do now?¡± He asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving tomorrow. But I want someone to accompany me,¡± Marin responded.


    Loid was shocked at the suddenness of it.


    ¡°Tomorrow?! Am I to go with you?¡±


    ¡°No. You need to stay here and continue to run the castle, as well as defend it if need be. I will try not to be gone too long. It¡¯s best I leave sooner than later before a new plot stirs up from some who are not too fond of me.¡±


    ¡°Well then who are you going take?¡± Loid asked.


    ¡°I need someone who is young, knows the world decent enough to handle interactions for me, and can reasonably defend themselves,¡± Marin listed.


    It made enough sense. Loid knew with Marin¡¯s mask, he would look just suspicious enough to prevent him from getting the best service he could. It didn¡¯t help that his speech was slightly off from being that of two centuries ago, either. Someone had to assist him in this new world.


    Loid mentally ran through a list of every Nocturne citizen, trying to find someone who met all his expectations.


    ¡°What about Gus Albore, one of your guards?¡± Loid asked.


    ¡°Gus¡­¡± Marin said, remembering the talks he had with him going up to the castle from Heroca in the cart.


    ¡°Yeah, he grew up in Whitewood, making him comfortable in the large cities you¡¯ll be in. He¡¯s a decent talker, he¡¯s young, and being a guard, knows a bit about combat. Do you think he would be a good fit?¡±


    Marin slowly nodded. ¡°He¡¯s a good kid. I think he will do nicely.¡±


    With that in mind, Marin decided he would make the offer to Gus tonight before he retired for bed. They talked for a while longer before he excused Loid for the night, and made his way down to the lower bedrooms where he could find Gus.


    Gus had finished his day shift of guarding the castle earlier. After dinner, he was found regularly sparring in the barracks. Marin was unaware, and had a decent challenge trying to find him. He eventually found Max Coronga, the captain of his guard, and asked where he could find the young lad.


    ¡°Gus is usually found in the barracks playing games with the other guards while off duty. But I believe he told me he was making a trip to the blacksmith to get his weapon sharpened. I¡¯d try there,¡± Max explained.


    Marin nodded and thanked his captain. He needed no further direction as he knew the entire castle like his own body. He passed the guard¡¯s stations and arsenal, and took a turn down a hallway towards the large forge room in the lower floors.


    When he got down there, Gus was seen sharpening his sword on a grindstone wheel. His foot pumped a petal to get a perfect continuous turn. As soon as he saw the king dressed in his royal blue robes, he became flustered.


    Gus dropped his weapon to the side, stood up, and quickly hailed him.


    ¡°King Marin! I ¨C I didn¡¯t expect to see you here!¡±


    Marin waved his hand in a downward motion to get Gus to calm down.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I know I¡¯m not usually around this area. I came to find you, Gus. I have an offer to make you.¡±


    Gus¡¯s mouth opened from the shock and excitement. What task could the king have for just an everyday guard like himself, he thought.


    ¡°Sit back down,¡± Marin instructed. When Gus had done so, Marin approached him, walking away from the entrance of the forge. When he was besides him, he held his hands out, and quickly extended his fingers. A perfect chair made of ice crackled before him. Marin walked around it and sat in it.


    Gus looked at it in bewilderment. Couldn¡¯t he have just gotten a chair from a corner? Or was it truly that easy for him to just create temporary furniture.


    ¡°I¡¯m in need of stronger allies,¡± Marin started. ¡°I need to venture back out into the world, and recruit some more elementals to help guard the castle.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Gus said, at a loss for words about where this could be going. He still stared at the icy chair the king sat in, watching the cold steam slowly rise from it.


    ¡°And I was wondering if you would like to accompany me.¡±


    Gus Albore wasn¡¯t exactly sure what that meant. Did he want him to actually travel to distant lands with him? Leave the castle for weeks when he had a duty here? Why him? Gus didn¡¯t exactly think much of himself, compared to Loid or the King or even several of his fellow guards.


    ¡°Um¡­ You want me to go with you?¡± Gus reiterated.


    ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Marin answered without a pause.


    It was true. Despite all of Gus¡¯s thoughts that he had misunderstood what the King had asked, he indeed was asking him specifically. If he was going, however, he wondered how many other people were going too.


    ¡°So who else is joining us?¡± Gus asked.


    ¡°No one. Just us. I¡¯m trying to keep a low profile, so it will only be me and you.¡±


    This caught him even more by surprise. Marin must have made a mistake.


    ¡°Uh, my King? Surely someone else would be more fitting for such a job¡­¡± Gus reasoned.


    Marin tilted his head. ¡°Are you saying you don¡¯t want to go?¡±


    ¡°NO! I mean¡­ Yes, I would love to go! But I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m qualified for such an important job.¡±


    Marin stood up and rested his glove covered hand on Gus¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Gus, I¡¯ve picked you for this offer. I need someone young, who can navigate a busy city reasonably, and is able to defend themselves. Are you not all three?¡±


    Gus paused in thought. ¡°I guess I am!¡±


    ¡°Very good, we leave tomorrow. I will inform Max about your situation and he will relieve you for the time being. I will see you at breakfast tomorrow.¡±


    As quickly as he had entered, Marin left the room. As he made his exit, the ice chair shattered, the shards of ice on the ground melting away in record speed.


    After he had watched the ice shards disappear, Gus continued to sit there, replaying everything that had happened in his mind. He had so many questions, like where exactly they would be going, but knew the answers would have to come later. He imagined what cities or kingdoms he would possibly be visiting. After a few minutes, he realized he had been sitting there doing nothing the whole time. This was not good, seeing as he needed to prepare for the coming journey.


    ¡°I have to pack!¡± He yelled out alone, bursting from the chair of the grindstone and running down the hallway.


    As Marin prepared himself for another sleepless night, he brought himself back into his library chambers. Spread out on the table was a large map of the continent. At the top corner, RAM was sure to state that it ruled over the whole land in humble wording.


    In the center was a large mountain that read Niyeton. There were also three other prominent landmarks. One side of the map had a large dot that read Arkana. The other side had one that read National Elemental Organization (Neo). One close to the center was the government capital. Smaller dots were sprinkled everywhere else of holds, kingdoms, towns and cities.


    Nocturne was stationed in a northern mountain range, right above white forest.


    Marin debated where he would first embark to recruit allies. He considered Whitewood City, especially since it was close by and Gus was from there, but was concerned that too many people would know who he was.


    Arkana was not a good choice in his mind, either. He knew what most elementals who lived there were like, and he didn¡¯t believe it would be worth trying to recruit from a pool of stuck-up snobs with an elitist mindset. It was best to take a chance somewhere else. Neo was a military base and while everyone training there had good qualities he was looking for, they signed on with that faction to even be there, so that was no use either.


    He also ruled out kingdoms, since he guessed he¡¯d have more difficulty pulling people from their king. That excluded the points on the map that read Fairgoth, Lonedeep, Kybervald, Rayfelt, Orhome, and a few others. He was left with several large cities that were independent of any kingdom.


    After reading the map a bit more and making notes, he rolled up the large paper, and placed it on the side of his desk. He then grabbed a bag, and began packing it. He loaded it up with several pouches of gold, a smaller map, documents, a couple tools and other useful items that he deemed necessary.


    Once he believed his messenger bag had weighed enough, he slung in over his shoulders and practiced walking around with it on. He paced his library, seeing if the bag was getting in his way too much. He adjusted the strap a few times.


    Finally he walked to the center office of his quarters, and placed the pack on the desk. He checked his two windows, and noticed that the sun had completely gone down, starting the long night. Then he entered the bedroom portion to the right. In his room, he stared at his neatly made bed, one that had never been slept in yet.


    Because he had a maid that would enter his quarters to clean once a day, he was sure to ruffle the bed up every morning to create the appearance that he slept. To most, it would be cruel reminder that one would never be able to sleep. For Marin, though, after sleeping for over two hundred years, he did not miss it.


    He just had to deal with the boredom that came from not having to do it. From there, he entered another door that went out to his balcony. Cold wind blew that brought a slight downfall of snow. From up high, he saw two of his guards changing shifts, one holding a lantern, giving it to the other.


    He could barely make out their voices echoing from down below, but he knew they were filling in on any events that had occurred that evening. In that moment, he realized that his kingdom was fully running again.


    Outside from the final allies he wanted to gain, his kingdom was complete. Everything was restored. He had a full running staff including maids, guards, cooks, repairmen, and movers. Even a botanist, an alchemist, a librarian, a carpenter, and a few others with specialty jobs that brought in revenue to the kingdom. Although it wasn¡¯t enough to cover outgoing costs, Marin could afford to stay slightly in the red for many years.


    The castle was repaired entirely. All doors, windows, and rooms fixed. New furniture bought, old furniture restored. Every brick was inspected thoroughly. Ones that didn¡¯t pass inspection were ordered to be replaced. All was well.


    With everything doing so well, it worried him greatly to think that there could be some people out there who would want to attack him or his citizens. Until RAM officially recognized his home as a kingdom, they were not under protection of the government. It made him anticipate the letter from RAM even more, which hadn¡¯t shown up today either.


    Marin returned to his bedroom in the walls of the castle, and shut the door to the balcony. He sat on his bed. Tomorrow would start a new chapter in his life. Marin hoped that he would find success quickly in making new friends so that he could be back at the castle as soon as possible. Time would tell.

 Chapter 14 - We Need a Staff

    The defeat of the match came as a shock to Oscar. As he sprinted away from the castle¡¯s snow covered front yard, the only thing that ran through his mind was the fact that the king had let him get away.


    He wasn¡¯t sure what to expect when he first set off to meet Marin at the newly re-established Nocturne Kingdom, but being chained up in the basement was certainly not his first guess, and it almost happened.


    Once he had covered a fair distance from the castle, his pace slowed to a walk. Several times he looked behind to see if he was being pursued or spied on, but detected no one. Oscar breathed a sigh of relief.


    The battle was on constant replay in his mind as he thoughtlessly walked the path back to Whitewood City. When originally walking to the castle, he appreciated the fantastic scenery of snow covered pines that lined the newly paved road, but as he mentally recovered from the battle, he paid no mind to it now. He barely even noticed the carts that were still bringing items up to the castle, almost running into a few.


    The fancy ice creations Marin used to defend himself with was impressive enough, but Oscar couldn¡¯t get over how easily the gaunt robed figure snapped his gold staff in half after coating it in a layer of frost. He didn¡¯t even think to pick up the remains of it after bolting off. Staffless, humiliated, and discouraged, Oscar knew he had to give a disappointing report.


    He did everything he could to get it off his mind as he got closer to White Forest. Oscar hated losing, but had to swallow the loss and meet back up with the other person who was also on the mission he had been assigned.


    It was evening by the time the crystal elemental arrived back into Whitewood. The city showed no signs of slowing down it¡¯s rambling commerce, and Oscar appreciated that no one paid much attention to him. After navigating the city for some moments, he arrived into one of the countless inns that were established there.


    Opening the front doors, he was greeted by the familiar sight of the tables and chairs. Some patrons were eating, and everyone gave him no more than a quick glance. Except for one woman, who became wide eyed at the sight of him. Oscar returned a disappointing look, and she got up from the table and headed to a door that lined the walls.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your staff?¡± Was the first thing she asked after closing the door with both of them in a small room.


    ¡°Laying in two pieces on the front yard of Nocturne Castle, if no one collected it!¡±


    She cringed at the answer, knowing that it couldn¡¯t have gone well from his tone. She pulled back her long raven colored hair as she sat cross legged on a chair. ¡°Tell me everything.¡±


    Oscar¡¯s rage and confusion peaked from her prying.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you get it Vera?! Showing up without my prized weapon should be enough to tell you how awful it went! I almost didn¡¯t return! I was lucky enough to arrive here with my cape still on.¡±


    Vera knew Oscar¡¯s pride well, and she knew having it diminished in any form would cause great demise to him. She calmed him down, which was not too difficult a task for her. Vera¡¯s favorable appearance always swayed him.


    ¡°He was strong. Knew what he was doing. Ice element,¡± Oscar rambled off. ¡°When he first revealed his element, I thought I had him hands down. Crystal is harder than ice, as you know. But he countered every one of my moves, as if he saw them coming. And then he¡­¡± Oscar nervously flipped his cape¡¯s hood off his head, and ran his fingers through his black hair. He struggled to admit the most humiliating part of the battle, especially to someone he constantly sought to impress.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t enough that he outplayed me, but further sought to embarrass me by snapping my staff in half with a single hand,¡± Oscar explained.


    Vera shook her head slowly in thought. ¡°You didn¡¯t taunt him before the fight, did you?¡± She asked, predicting Oscar¡¯s haughtiness when first showing up.


    ¡°I¡­¡± He recalled what he had rudely said, especially to one of the king¡¯s servants, apparently named Loid.


    ¡°...Damn it!¡± He slammed his fist onto the table, creating a loud bang and shaking a few items that rested there.


    Vera quickly put her hand over his fist, a subtle way to stop him from causing any more ruckus.


    ¡°You did that to yourself, then. Perhaps if you had been more respectful, he would¡¯ve let you lose with dignity. I thought you would¡¯ve been smarter than that, getting on the bad side of a man who just might be over two hundred years old.¡±


    Oscar quickly stood up. ¡°I just assumed that someone who could be that old would be feeble, borderline dead, if you ask me!¡± He turned around to look at the wall, as the realization set in.


    ¡°But let me tell you, dude was quite alive, and moved as if he was no older than me. He had that mask on, you know. But it looked a lot nicer than the one I was described. I think he got a new one. He refused to take it off.¡±


    Vera grinned ever so slightly behind his back. ¡°I think despite your loss, John will still be happy with your report.¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t know why he sent me to beat this dude in a duel. If he had any idea how strong Marin was, he would¡¯ve sent someone else. Maybe even¡­ Ryno.¡±


    ¡°Sending Ryno in to do anything is risky. You know John only uses that loose cannon for the most difficult jobs.¡±


    Oscar stared in thought for a moment, as he played out some horror in his mind. ¡°Yeah¡­ I know.¡±


    Vera gathered more information from Oscar, having him go into detail about everything he could. The skills Marin had used, what he was wearing, who this Loid character was, the condition of the castle. Oscar grew tired of answering the questions after a while, and she finally conceded.


    ¡°We will stay the night here like we planned. Based off what you told me, I don¡¯t think anyone is following you. Tomorrow morning we head back to base,¡± Vera ordered.


    Vera paid for dinner from the inn by the money she was allocated for this mission. They ate a hardy meal in the tavern. As he sat there eating, a few other patrons eyed Oscar¡¯s battle gear that he wore. It was a sure sign that he was a practicing elemental.


    Almost all commonfolk wore cloth based clothing. Wearing leather gear revealed that one had business in fighting ¨C whether beast or man, and dyed leather almost certainly meant that they were not just equipped with weaponry, but the elements themselves.


    It brought certain expectations. Sure, anyone could wear the gear of the elementals, but just like a man wearing the armor of a guard, yet having no authority or training, it wouldn¡¯t bode well when a situation would demand the reasoning for your attire.


    Discreet elementals didn¡¯t bother with the gear, such as Vera, who adorned a regular black sweater and skirt, but Oscar was more than happy to strike fear and respect into anyone who approached him with his bright orange and black skins.


    The National Elemental Organization, or Neo for short, issued the leather gear as well, but color coded based on what division you were in. Oscar¡¯s set up lacked the three lettered stamp of that faction, revealing he was most likely hedged. It was forbidden to adorn the Neo emblem for those not enlisted, as impersonating a Neo official was indeed illegal.


    After dinner was finished, Oscar announced that he would buy a temporary staff in the city before heading back to the room for the night.


    ¡°Would you be careful?¡± Vera asked with concern. ¡°Please, don¡¯t bring attention to yourself. Leave people alone.¡±


    ¡°Do you know me to beef with others?¡± Oscar said a little too loud in an offended tone.


    ¡°I do, actually.¡± She sharply responded. ¡°Just don¡¯t get yourself into a situation.¡±


    Vera reminded Oscar of his hot mannerisms, and even brought examples into the conversation when he denied it. As much as he wanted to woo Vera with his elemental abilities, fabulous charm, and ironclad composure, it was apparent that his track record did just the opposite, as Vera coldly pointed out.


    ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯ve heard enough!¡± Oscar swatted his hand, as if convinced. He stood up, and grabbed the remains of his dinnerware. ¡°And by the way, that time where he had the monkey, that wasn¡¯t my fault!¡±


    Vera just shook her head.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back by nightfall,¡± Oscar finalized before making for the doorway.


    Back outside, the sun started to set on the bustling urban land. Whitewood City sourced much of its product from the surrounding White Forest, a large collection of trees with a pale wood color, earning its name.


    One of the city¡¯s most traded resources was lumber, naturally. The wood from the white trees wouldn¡¯t be a first choice for aesthetic purposes. Rather, it was known for its durability and reliability. For builders, this was far more important.


    Oscar watched as carts rolled out of the city with stacks of the pale lumber, and carts returning with other various goods. He walked the streets as the sunset illuminated the front faces of the houses orange. In the far distance of the pink sky, he could see the northern mountain ranges that Nocturne Castle resided in. He glanced away, trying to forget what had happened, and refocused on the shops around him.


    Stolen story; please report.


    He started to study what each shop sold. He looked to find a weaponry shop. Perhaps even a general store, since they would probably sell walking sticks. He wasn¡¯t overly picky, seeing as this would only be a temporary one until he could get a new one forged.


    ¡°Staff¡­ I need a staff¡­¡± He mumbled to himself as his head turned left and right. His gaze fell everywhere except the front facing direction he walked.


    That was not a good practice, as he soon found out. He collided with someone walking in the opposite direction.


    ¡°Hey, watch it!¡± The stranger pointed out.


    Oscar snapped his attention back to what was in front of him after the unpleasant run in.


    ¡°You watch it!¡± Oscar immediately responded. ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± He asked while gesturing at his garments.


    The midlife gent eyed his black and orange get up. He almost scoffed.


    ¡°Those colors don¡¯t match at all! You look like a clown, I¡¯d suggest reconsidering that outfit.¡± He bellowed out.


    ¡°Why you¡­¡± Oscar breathed. He couldn¡¯t tell if this man was truly ignorant or was just pretending to not understand who he apparently faced. Down by his waist, Oscar curled his fingers as a crystal fabricated itself in his palm.


    Then he remembered what Vera had just got done telling him. He balled his hand completely into a fist, the crystal shard disappearing. He took a deep breath.


    ¡°That matters not. Can you tell me where I could buy a staff?¡± He asked.


    The stranger¡¯s eyes narrowed as he stroked his chin. He debated helping him. His gaze fell to Oscar¡¯s balled up fist.


    After a silence that was longer than Oscar would¡¯ve liked, he started to walk away. ¡°Forget it.¡±


    ¡°Hold on.¡±


    Oscar stopped and turned back.


    ¡°Two blocks that way. Take a left. Second shop in.¡± The stranger admitted.


    Oscar nodded in appreciation.


    ¡°And make your business here brief. We don¡¯t take too kindly to elementals.¡± He added before turning away and disappearing into the crowd.


    Oscar couldn¡¯t believe what he had just heard. He stood there in awe for a moment after coming to terms with that man¡¯s phrase.


    Unbelievable. The audacity of that man. I hate this city, he thought to himself.


    Despite what he was told, Oscar followed the man¡¯s directions. They proved to be right, as the store he encountered resembled an arsenal.


    The larger sized store had a banner across the top of the entrance that displayed a sword and shield. Through the windows, carefully crafted merchandise used for battle flaunted their quality. Before he even entered the store, Oscar spied a row of staffs on the back wall. Perfect.


    Upon entering, shoppers immediately cleared a way for the elemental who took a determined path to the back of the store, where the owner behind the counter leaned. The man was burly, and looked as if he created most of what he sold behind the store in a forge. He wore a dirty white apron that had pockets with tools in them.


    The store owner gave a generic greeting to Oscar, to which he responded by inquiring about the staffs lined on the wall.


    ¡°We got them made from all kinds of materials. A variety of wood, a variety of metal,¡± he explained in a graveled voice. He pointed at several staffs adorned with gems or crowned with a spire.


    Oscar gestured towards the staffs that resembled more of a plain pole. A stick that would perhaps have a broom at the end of it.


    ¡°Ah, melee. Now I understand,¡± The shopkeeper said. ¡°Are you an elemental?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I use the staff to help flow my element.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯re definitely wanting this metal one.¡± The muscled man was knowledgeable. He pulled a dark gray metal rod from the wall, and in a flash, threw it to Oscar. He immediately caught it.


    The other shoppers, almost in fright, had stopped browsing wares to watch Oscar twirl the staff a bit.


    ¡°That¡¯s right up my alley,¡± Oscar judged.


    ¡°Very good, that will be 75 silver.¡±


    Oscar broke out a singular gold coin, to which the owner took, and traded him back 25 silver. He received a large silver coin, that was stamped 20, and a significantly smaller one, stamped 5.


    After the transaction, Oscar turned around. As soon as he gazed at the other two shoppers, they stopped staring and refocused their attention to weapons and tools on the shelves.


    That¡¯s right, you better mind your own business. I¡¯m armed again.


    He exited the store briefly, paying no mind to any other merchandise. Back outside, dusk had crept in, and the seemingly constant bustling of the city was finally starting to wind down. Stands were being collapsed, doors to other stores were shutting. It was time for him to get back to the inn.


    As he made the short walk back, he had more room to himself. He twirled the staff as he walked, the rod dancing between palm and fingers as he naturally manipulated its direction. A few times it swung over his shoulder for him to catch down by his waist.


    Bystanders might¡¯ve been impressed to some degree, if Whitewood didn¡¯t have constant performers doing the same tricks for coin. Which was completely fine by Oscar, as he saw himself as calibrating the weapon rather than showing off some trivial pole skills.


    When he arrived back at the inn, he entered the room to find Vera making notes. A stack of papers sat on the table, with several other sheets spread in front of her as she scribbled on one.


    ¡°Oi Vera, check it out.¡± Oscar stomped the pole¡¯s end to the floor, holding it like a walking stick.


    ¡°That¡¯s very good Oscar. Does it compare to the golden one?¡±


    ¡°Nah.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s too bad. Maybe Jorgen can be convinced to make you another one, if you can somehow persuade him that you won¡¯t lose the next one in another month.¡±


    ¡°Why must you torment me, Vera?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d still have the other one if it wasn¡¯t for your arrogance,¡± she reminded him.


    Defeated, Oscar took to sitting on the bed. He rested the pole along a dresser. Eager to change the subject from his shortcomings, he inquired about what Vera was restlessly writing about.


    ¡°Is that all the information you¡¯ve gathered from me?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Yup. I¡¯ve written up a full report. I do think John Reech will be pleased despite your losing. This was more about gathering intel than anything else,¡± she explained.


    ¡°Gathering intel¡­¡± Oscar repeated to himself, as if he was trying to buy the reason. ¡°What does he even want with some far out king in a far out castle anyway?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not for us to know. We just do what we¡¯re instructed. We owe John that much, don¡¯t we?¡± Vera finished her writing and stacked the papers neatly, before grabbing the entire bundle and placing them into her messenger bag.


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying I wouldn¡¯t do it. It would just be nice to know!¡±


    ¡°If what you told me is true, about Marin snapping your staff in half with one hand, that¡¯s very scary,¡± Vera started. ¡°Your staff was gold infused, along with other metals with unrivaled durability. Coating it in frost won¡¯t cause it to snap, that¡¯s easy.


    Marin actually infused his frost into your staff, making it as brittle as old rubber. That¡¯s a very hard skill to master. And he did it in seconds. If that¡¯s not enough of a reason to want intel on the man, I don¡¯t know what is.¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t understand.¡±


    To Vera, Oscar was still very eager minded. He showed incredible talent for his crystal element, she knew he was a league beyond most other 23 year old elementals. His skill could even double by the time he reached her age in five years.


    However, his shortcomings had caused John Reech to appoint Vera as his supervisor to the mission. Had she been allowed to meet Marin and be a part of the encounter, she would¡¯ve never let Oscar make the threats he had.


    At the same time though, she began to wonder if those threats actually became the reason Marin dueled in the first place. Almost as if John knew Oscar needed to be alone just for the actual encounter. In her mind, Vera wondered if that was just a coincidence, or if her leader, John Reech, was indeed playing 4-D chess.


    Oscar removed his cape and readied himself for the night. His twin sized bed didn¡¯t exactly look the most comfortable, but he paid it no mind. On the other side of the room, Vera had her own twin bed as well. When they were settled, she blew the light out on the lamp.


    In the darkness, they both laid there in silence for a while.


    ¡°Hey Oscar?¡± She finally asked.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad he didn¡¯t keep you prisoner. I¡¯m thankful you made it back safely, even without your staff. I¡¯ll make sure Jorgen makes you another one.¡±


    ¡°Thanks Vera. You¡¯d have a much easier time convincing him than I would,¡± Oscar admitted.


    It was silent for another moment.


    ¡°You¡¯d miss me, eh?¡± Oscar started up again.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d be sad if I got captured.¡±


    Vera became flustered. ¡°Well, I mean. Yeah. I¡¯d be sad that you didn¡¯t complete the mission!¡±


    ¡°I sense other reasons.¡±


    ¡°Oscar, stop. We are associates, that¡¯s it,¡± she tried saying.


    There was another pause of silence.


    ¡°If you¡¯re cold, I could help warm up your bed.¡±


    ¡°GOOD NIGHT, Oscar!¡±

 Chapter 15 - Down the Mountain

    Marin leaned back in his office chair as he waited for the sun to finally rise.


    At the other end of the castle, and a few floors lower, Gus Albore also eagerly waited. The young lad anticipated this morning all night, and noticing his first break out of sleep, he became alert, checking the clock, and seeing how much more time he had before morning officially made itself known.


    Marin on the other hand was not excited. In fact, in no way did he favor this mission he put upon himself. This was the one time since he had woken back up that he patiently waited for the sun¡¯s showing.


    After some time of deep plotting, the sky started to lighten, its black void of endlessness finally changing color.


    ¡°Alright then, time to get to it,¡± Marin had said to himself.


    The guards changed shift at the crack of dawn, and the denizens of the castle began to stir. As always, Marin left his office wide awake and moving as if he so easily could shrug off the paralysis of sleep, which always came as a wonder to those who saw him at that hour.


    Marin didn¡¯t expect Gus to be up as early as him. So it came as a shock to see the boy equally as wide awake and bushy-tailed as he was when he entered the common areas.


    ¡°Gus, good morning. I see you have prepared,¡± Marin noted, hiding all sign of surprise. Gus had on his guard attire, a mixture of leather, plate, and chain. His gear usually included a tabard that all the guards of Nocturne dawned, but seeing as his role would be a traveling companion, he deemed it unnecessary.


    Along with the armor he mastered wearing, Gus had his pack and sizable claymore hanging from his back. It was in contrast to the single traveler''s bag that Marin shouldered, slung down to his side.


    Gus greeted him back, and made known his eagerness for the journey ahead. Marin instructed for them to leave their possessions in the foyer and enjoy breakfast before embarking.


    In the grand dining room, Marin made his semi-usual speech to everyone who was in attendance. He tried keeping them brief whenever he did have to talk, worried that he was keeping everyone¡¯s empty stomachs from the gourmet food his kitchen always provided.


    In this speech, Marin made his announcement about the mission he was embarking on. This caused a stir of concern from his citizens, but he reassured them it was for good reason and that he would be back as soon as possible. He explained that in the meantime Loid would take charge, and all aspects of the castle would continue to run normally.


    After he was done talking, he sat down, and everyone began eating. Gus had the privilege today of sitting at the end of the table near Marin and his administration. He felt so insignificant in the eyes of the elders who ran the kingdom. Helva and Marge talked about logistics and paperwork from RAM, Harrel and Loid discussed potential orders for items they both would submit for the kingdom. Gus remained quiet as he listened to them all.


    Marin gave input when necessary, but allowed his staff to make most of the decisions for him. He was not one to micromanage. After much conversation of the kingdom¡¯s affairs, Loid took notice of Gus, who seemed completely misplaced. He took pity on the lad, and didn¡¯t want him to go unnoticed.


    ¡°Are you excited, Gus?¡± Loid asked him.


    Gus appreciated Loid¡¯s attempt at conversation so he wouldn¡¯t feel left out. His face lit up.


    ¡°King Marin has not mentioned our destinations yet, so that makes it even more of a surprise. I have no idea where we will end up.¡±


    Marin grinned under the mask. ¡°Have you ever been outside of Whitewood or Heroca?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Never. I wonder what kind of world is out there. Deep down I¡¯ve always wanted to travel,¡± Gus admitted.


    Loid was satisfied. He turned to Marin. ¡°Looks like I recommended the perfect candidate,¡± he stated.


    Marin nodded in agreement, deep in thought.


    Gus looked in bewilderment. ¡°You recommended me, Loid?¡±


    ¡°Sure did. I think this will be a great experience for you.¡±


    Marin looked over to Loid as he spoke. He was fairly sure Loid would be able to handle being in command in his absence, but wondered if he pushed the responsibility onto him without enough regard. A larger concern that overshadowed that one was the risk of an attack. That would be out of his control, however, and he felt no need to remind the former innkeeper of his fear. He had to worry only about the things he could control.


    ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll have any problems holding the castle down while I¡¯m gone?¡± Marin asked Loid.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll do just fine,¡± Loid responded. ¡°It¡¯s been nearly a month now since my role of managing the castle. How would you rate me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve done a fantastic job,¡± King Marin reviewed.


    Loid was pleased with the answer, but didn¡¯t want to take all the credit. ¡°I can¡¯t do it without Helva. She is a huge help in managing day to day issues that arise.¡±


    Helva waved her hand in dismissal with a mouthful of food.


    ¡°That¡¯s an easy part of my job. No need to flatter me. If anything, its the legal work that¡¯s been giving me a run for my money,¡± she interjected.


    ¡°Speaking of which,¡± Marin told her, ¡°I will send mail to you from the city I recruit from. I have not yet decided which city that will be yet. From there, I will check daily for mail from you. Send me updates of the castle, and let me know as soon as you hear anything from RAM.¡±


    Helva gave the a-ok symbol with her hand. ¡°Understood.¡±


    They all finished breakfast, and everyone headed off for their regular tasks. Marin performed his usual stunt of going to a private room to eat, which he did no such thing. After 15 minutes or so, he met Gus and they walked back towards the foyer where they had left their traveling equipment. It was all resting beside a large oaken pillar that reached for the slanted ceiling.


    ¡°I have a carriage prepared for us,¡± Marin explained as they grabbed their bags. ¡°It¡¯s waiting for us in the front yard. It will take us to Whitewood City. From there, we will walk.¡±


    ¡°How long do you think we will be gone?¡± Gus asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m hoping no longer than two weeks. But if I¡¯m having trouble finding a good place to recruit from, we may be out for almost a month,¡± Marin responded with a hint of worry in his voice.


    Gus picked up his claymore, secured in its scabbard. It weighed over ten pounds. The straps on the outer case allowed him to sling it to his back or backpack, which ever he preferred.


    ¡°That¡¯s a fine sword. How¡¯d you get it?¡± Marin inquired as they headed to the front doors.


    ¡°Max issued it to me when I became a guard. I was offered the standard sword and board, but I feel more in control with both hands on a single weapon. He¡¯s letting me take it with us. I guess he figured if you wanted a guard to company you, you¡¯d also want them to be properly armed.¡±


    Gus was greeted with the stinging cold air once they cracked the large doors open. Marin, unaffected by temperature, felt nothing, and paid no notice. Down the yard a little ways was a wooden carriage with a horse drawn to it, and sitting at the driver¡¯s seat was Bob Galrus in a beret and coat.


    This caught Marin by surprise. He ordered a carriage driver, but did not expect Bob to be heading it up. He ran the general goods store in the castle that the citizens bought from, and did not think he¡¯d want to take this task on.


    ¡°Mr. Galrus. What a pleasant surprise,¡± Marin stated as the two of them climbed into the back of the carriage.


    ¡°Hello, Marin. Maybe you weren¡¯t expecting me, but when I heard that the King himself needed a ride down to the city, I demanded to take on the job. It would be an honor if you¡¯d allow me.¡±


    Marin did not expect the praise. ¡°Absolutely. I¡¯ve been meaning to catch up with you anyways.¡±


    Bob shook the reigns of the horse, and the carriage took off down the snowy path of the mountains. As they made their way down the mountains, the three of them held conversations. Marin asked Bob how life was in the castle, and Bob happily went into detail about his family¡¯s adjustment to the large living space.


    They talked about the general goods store in the castle. The whole Galrus family worked as a team to run it, and he mentioned that his wife held it down while he was gone.


    ¡°I also took the task so I could see Whitewood again, and maybe pick some stuff out. I haven¡¯t left the castle since my initial supply run when the villagers first got to the castle,¡± he explained.


    They also talked about the food in Nocturne, and life there in general. Bob told a few jokes that got a laugh from Marin and Gus. The conversation shifted to Helva and Harrel, and Bob had nothing but praise for them too.


    ¡°It¡¯s really nice having the same people who ran our town also running the castle. Makes it all very familiar¡­ Honestly like we never even left Heroca. You¡¯ve been so generous, my King.¡±


    ¡°I just want you all to be happy,¡± Marin explained. ¡°Citizens who get all their needs met perform much better in making up a kingdom.¡±


    When Marin had said that though, he mentally trailed off. He started feeling ill. For some reason, that phrase he said felt so contradictory. It didn¡¯t feel right.


    ¡°I¡¯ll agree to that!¡± Bob said with a fist in the air.


    Why did that phrase sit so ill with him? He tried really hard to think. He tried hard to remember something, anything. That was a perfectly nice thing to say, and for some reason, he had shocked himself in saying it. Why? He had this mindset the entire time he had been awake, and why now did that idea sit terribly with him?


    Who was I before I died? What kind of person was I? Why can¡¯t I remember any details of my life?


    ¡°Marin, is something wrong?¡± Gus asked.


    Marin looked up at him. Gus had a look of concern in his brown eyes. The King never took real notice of Gus before, and studied his brown hair that was parted in the middle, reaching down to the bottom of his neck. In that moment, he realized he had been quiet for too long.


    ¡°Nothing, nothing,¡± Marin lied. ¡°Just hoping that I¡¯ve made everyone happy enough.¡±


    ¡°I think I can speak for everyone,¡± Bob responded. ¡°We¡¯re all living such a high quality of life now. You need not worry yourself that you¡¯re not doing enough.¡±


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Marin was still taken back from the sudden ill feeling.


    I really, really, wish I had not lost so much of my memory. Was this the potion¡¯s doing, or had so much leaked out from years of being dead? Something¡¯s not right about me.


    He tried his best to shake the feeling off, but he realized more introspection would need to be done to figure out what had happened. They all continued to talk about various topics. Soon they were passing Heroca village, what was left of it, anyway.


    Marin studied it for a while as the road passed through the heart of the ghost town. It was the first time he had seen the village since he rode back up to the castle with Gus. Bob uttered a few comments as they fixed on it for a while. Gus replayed the raid in his mind as he mainly looked at the burned down houses.


    ¡°I still can¡¯t understand why they attacked us,¡± Bob stated sulkily.


    ¡°I killed my first person ever on that day,¡± Gus stated with dread. ¡°With this very sword.¡± He pat the claymore that laid on the bench besides him.


    To this day, Marin still was afraid that deep down, some might still believe he had something to do with the attack on the village. What a coincidence it was, that when Marin woke back up, two days later, the city was torched by a haughty fire elemental.


    ¡°It was just by chance that I was here,¡± Marin remembered. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I was.¡±


    ¡°Tell me a little more about that,¡± Bob requested.


    ¡°I had returned to Nocturne Castle a few days ago. Your village just happens to be an arm¡¯s reach from the place. From up there, I saw the smoke rising. I knew something terrible had happened, so I rushed down here as quick as possible.¡±


    After they passed through the town, they discussed possible ideas for the village. Bob wanted to tear it all down to stop any remembrance of the events, and Gus suggested restoring some of it and turning it into an outpost for the castle. Both were reasonable ideas, Marin believed.


    Soon they were more than halfway to White Forest. The mountain air began to thicken as their elevation fell, and rocky cliffs and pines began to be replaced with forest trees and grass. This was indeed the first time Marin had been away from the mountains since his long slumber.


    The anticipation of Whitewood City triggered new questions in Marin¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Gus, you said you have family in Whitewood?¡±


    Gus gave a slight look of distaste as his mouth stretched. ¡°Yeah, they live there.¡±


    ¡°If you have any desire to see them, I wouldn¡¯t mind stopping there for a spell,¡± Marin offered.


    Gus shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t talk to them anymore. We¡¯re not on good terms.¡±


    There was silence for a moment, a bit of shock from Marin and Bob.


    ¡°Look, they¡¯re good people, we just don¡¯t see eye to eye, and I wanted to move away. That¡¯s why I went to Heroca.¡±


    Marin¡¯s curiosity was piqued, but refused to pry. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that. Perhaps one day it can be resolved.¡±


    Gus was eager to change the subject, and seeing as it was now an hour past midday, they discussed grabbing a bite to eat in the city. The scenery became quite wooded, and Marin couldn¡¯t help but gaze at the large trees that formed a roof of nearly infinite leaves as they entered White Forest.


    ¡°An incredible forest,¡± Marin noted. Gus hardly looked up at any of it.


    When they reached Whitewood City, the three stabled their horse for a small fee, and exited the carriage. Marin started to have mild anxiety at the huge change in population density. He tried his best to hide it, and allowed Gus to guide him down the busy street.


    A few people gave Marin a double take because of his black mask, but no one made any comments, thankfully. Gus had the perfect restaurant in mind, close to where they were. Bob knew of the place too, and they all agreed to eat there.


    ¡°Grubber¡¯s makes the best sandwiches,¡± Bob stated.


    Gus nodded in agreement. ¡°I used to eat there all the time when I was a child.¡±


    Marin felt all eyes on him from everyone he passed. He stayed close to Bob and Gus as they made their way to a restaurant apparently named Grubber¡¯s. He began to play out scenarios where someone would make accusations of him or demand that he remove his mask, and he was still undecided how he would react.


    ¡°There it is,¡± Gus pointed. A small building had a chef with a burly black mustache painted at the top. Fancy lettering below read Grubber¡¯s. The portrait that made the building stand out was impressive, but it was faded from age. It must¡¯ve been established long ago.


    Inside, the massive front windows handled most of the lighting inside. Tables were painted in checkered patterns, and in the back, a counter stretched left and right, with workers furiously preparing sandwiches.


    Marin felt a tad left out when Bob took in a big whiff.


    ¡°You smell that? That¡¯s a good sandwich over there, I don¡¯t care who you are!¡± Bob seemed to be having the best time out of the three.


    ¡°King Marin, will you be able to eat somewhere private?¡± Gus asked with concern.


    ¡°Actually¡­ I do not eat lunch. Only breakfast and dinner. Personal reasons, that¡¯s all,¡± Marin conveniently explained.


    Bob seemed offended. ¡°You¡¯re missing out on a damn good sandwich, I¡¯ll tell you that. Maybe order one to go?¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡±


    Marin really started to loathe his undead state. The only thing that rivaled it was the fact that he had to keep it a secret as well, and come up with convoluted reasons why he wasn¡¯t able to do things a regular person could.


    The three of them approached the front counter and began ordering their sandwiches. When the worker turned to Marin, he waved his hand, and told him that he was not ordering. He watched as they assembled the sandwiches in front of them. He was impressed to see such a trivial job done so skillfully. The speed and accuracy they created the sandwiches was remarkable.


    ¡°This is a Nocturne funded mission,¡± Marin told them when it was time to pay. ¡°I am covering the costs.¡± He pulled out a small coin purse, and gave the sandwich maker a silver coin stamped 5. He received back several copper pieces.


    ¡°Free food is the best food, eh Gus?¡± Bob teased as he gave a playful hit to Gus¡¯ arm.


    Gus just smiled back to himself, not because Bob made a joke, but because Bob thought he was funny, and that was more funny.


    They sat at one of many small round tables, and chowed into the sandwiches. Marin sat back and watched them eat behind his black mask. Watching other people eat usually didn¡¯t bother him much, but it might¡¯ve this time some. Especially after how much Bob praised the sandwiches, and they really seemed to enjoy them.


    They held conversation a while longer, and after a brief period of chowing down, it was time for Bob to part ways. He crumbled up the paper from his sandwich, and leaned on the stool to get off.


    ¡°I suppose you both will be on your way?¡± He stated as he dusted crumbs off his shirt.


    ¡°Yes. Thank you very much for bringing us down here. It was a good time,¡± Marin responded.


    Bob Galrus thanked Marin for the meal, and headed on out.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be gone too long!¡± He said on his way out. ¡°I like Loid and all, but uh¡­ Well anyways I hope you get us some power players.¡±


    Gus squinted thinking about what that meant. He wondered if Marin was starting to realize that Bob was off his rocker as much as he realized he was.


    ¡°Hey Marin?¡± Gus asked.


    ¡°Yes?¡± He responded as they watched Bob through the window walk back to the stables.


    Gus had it on his mind to say something about Bob, but the thought was fleeting, and he decided against it. Instead he came up with a different question.


    ¡°Any ideas on what cities we will visit?¡± He finally said.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Marin pat his traveler¡¯s bag at the answer, hinting at the map in there. ¡°Let¡¯s hit the road, and later we will figure out where we need to continue to go. We have a lot of ground to cover, and I¡¯d rather not spend most my absence from the castle traveling around, so let¡¯s be off.¡±


    Gus adjusted the sword on his back, and they left the restaurant.


    ¡°We need to get to the south side of Whitewood and head out that way. I¡¯ll let you guide us accordingly.¡±


    Gus sensed a hint of urgency in his voice. He was shocked that Marin was allowing him to guide, as well. He was thankful that Marin¡¯s assumptions in him knowing the city were true. If not, then he would really begin to doubt himself for this mission.


    ¡°Uh¡­ it¡¯s this way, follow me.¡±


    Marin walked to the right of Gus, but in tight spots, had to walk behind him. They navigated the city, and several times Gus gave Marin tips about being in the city. One being to avoid eye contact with street sellers. He picked up on Marin struggling to be in such a rural area.


    ¡°Just stay close to me, I¡¯ll get us there safely,¡± Gus told him.


    ¡°Very good.¡±


    They passed apartments, shops, and various buildings. Gus had them turn on several streets. Despite not living in Whitewood for many years, he still knew his way around really well. That was for good reason, he was getting close to where his family lived.


    Without Marin knowing, Gus took a slight detour to his family¡¯s house. It was on the way to the south side of the city, so crossing an extra street or two to pass by it wouldn¡¯t be a problem, he figured. After a little more leg work, they turned on the street in which he grew up.


    Gus took note of every change over the years. His pace slowed down some when he caught sight of his old house. Marin noticed the slow down, but said nothing. Gus studied the house as much as he could. He wondered if his parents would recognize him after the years, but he bet against it, seeing he now had longer hair and a short beard covering most of his face.


    Maybe they¡¯d recognize him if they stared at him long enough, but he wouldn¡¯t let that happen. The house looked the same more or less, but the windows were dirty. He looked into the windows as much as he could to see if anyone was in there.


    The house was in slight disrepair. He wondered if they had moved out and gone on somewhere else. If that was the case, he¡¯d have a difficult time finding them again. Finally, the front door opened, and he saw his father walking out of the house with a bucket of water. He noticed how much more gray hair he had grown. He almost looked sad.


    For a split second, he thought about waving to him.


    ¡°Gus, why have we stopped?¡± Marin inquired.


    Gus¡¯s head snapped back. ¡°Oh sorry, I thought I saw something. Let¡¯s keep going.¡±


    With that, he passed by his house and continued on. He looked back a single time.


    Marin found that to be suspicious. He turned around also, and took note of the older man looking like an aged Gus. He made no comment, however.


    ¡°This is Whitewood¡¯s main street going south,¡± Gus noted as they turned onto a new street. ¡°We can take this all the way out of the city. It will take us directly south.¡±


    ¡°Excellent. You¡¯ve done a great job so far,¡± Marin reviewed.


    As they continued to walk, Gus tried putting the image of his father out of his mind. How many years had it been now? Seven? Or was it ten. Regardless, Gus became much less talkative after the fact. Both of them paced side by side, not a word escaping them.


    Marin looked over to Gus, and read a troubled look on his face, maybe one that he was trying to hide.


    ¡°You could¡¯ve said hi to him.¡± Marin finally said.


    ¡°What?!¡± Gus belted out as he turned to the king.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t born yesterday, Gus. I know that was your father, you took us past your old house.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything, then?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to interject on whatever you were planning to do,¡± Marin explained.


    Gus looked straight ahead, a slight smirk, and shaking his head. He was half embarrassed, half frustrated that he got found out.


    ¡°I can go back and talk to him whenever I want,¡± he stated as a matter of fact.


    ¡°People don¡¯t live forever, my friend. If you have any ounce of wanting to do so, I¡¯d plan on doing it sooner than later.¡±


    After a while longer of walking, Marin could see the front gates of the city. Ahead of them was a dense forest, but they were definitely going south, as he took note of the position of the sun. Up ahead were stables for horses, and a few cargo wagons entered and left the city.


    ¡°There¡¯s the gates. We¡¯ve gotten through the city,¡± Gus pointed out.


    ¡°That didn¡¯t take too long. It¡¯s been maybe an hour?¡±


    ¡°Sounds about right.¡±


    ¡°Whitewood has grown quite a bit from how I remember it,¡± Marin commented.


    ¡°It¡¯s easy to grow a city when you have building materials surrounding you, I suppose.¡±


    Marin looked around at the trees that made up the forest. ¡°It¡¯s really good wood, huh?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what the city is known for.¡±


    When they passed the gates, Marin opened his bag and unraveled the map. He laid the paper on a tree stump, and with his glove covered hand, pointed out the direction they¡¯d be heading. His finger ran down the road away from White Forest, and stopped at a large dot away from any kingdom.


    ¡°Tarenfall? We¡¯re going there?!¡±


    ¡°It was an idea. Why? You seem upset.¡±


    ¡°No! I mean, that¡¯s a pretty good bet, I¡¯d think. Huge city. It¡¯s high in crime, but there¡¯s bound to be strong elementals there.¡±


    Marin didn¡¯t like Gus mentioning crime, but that almost gave him some ideas.


    ¡°Very well, we will head there first. It¡¯s near the heartland, so if that doesn¡¯t work out, we can go in almost any direction to our next destination. Let¡¯s continue on.¡±


    He wrapped the map back up, and placed it back into his bag. Gus prepared for the long walk by shrugging his back pack some. To be honest, he was very excited to see what the large city had to offer.


    Gus was now traveling the continent with a powerful elemental king he served.


    If only his father knew what he was doing now.

 Chapter 16 - Stonefield Inn

    The path seemed to run forever as Marin and Gus made their way to the outskirts of White Forest. The mountain air from their northern origin was completely absent now, as they made their way south towards Tarenfall.


    Gus took notice of it, but of course Marin was oblivious to the fact.


    It had been a fairly pleasant walk for the two of them, considering the shade they were provided from the sun in the forest. Along with the occasional traveler or cart that past them walking the opposite direction, Marin enjoyed the wildlife that hopped around from the side of the road.


    In the distance, either left or right of the forest path, furred animals such as deer or rabbits could be seen from time to time. Gus pointed out that predators like bears and wolves lived deeper in the forest, where they were a considerable distance from society.


    ¡°If a bear attacked us, you¡¯d freeze it solid, right?¡± Gus asked.


    It was an odd question, but given a bit of thought, it would seem like the best course of action.


    ¡°I suppose,¡± Marin responded. What kind of question was that?


    ¡°Good, because I mean, I can use this sword, but I wouldn¡¯t want to take my chances with a bear,¡± he explained.


    ¡°Is that something I should be prepared for?¡± Marin asked, wondering why this conversation began.


    ¡°No, that would definitely be a rare thing to happen,¡± Gus said back. ¡°I guess I was just curious about what you would do.¡±


    ¡°Well if I had to elaborate on it more, I¡¯d feel ill doing that to a bear, or any animal in that case, but if it was barreling towards us I wouldn¡¯t have much of a choice.¡±


    Hearing Marin¡¯s response made Gus realize how left-field his question was. Truth is, he was fascinated by elemental power. He had never seen it before, only heard of it. When Marin materialized a chair made of ice yesterday, it left him bewildered about what other skills his King had.


    ¡°Sorry if that was a weird question. You know, when you fought that fire elemental at Heroca, that was the first time I had seen elemental skills in action. And the fact that Loid hid that shadow element all this time¡­ It just threw me for a loop,¡± Gus explained.


    ¡°What did you think?¡± Marin responded.


    ¡°It¡­ It was incredible.¡±


    The two continued to walk as they finally cleared White Forest. Gus showed much interest in Marin¡¯s ice element. His curiosity dominated the conversations the two had as they journeyed. Gus asked about how the King learned his craft, and why he pursued ice in the first place.


    Unfortunately, Marin did not have many answers. His botched memory left many holes in his reasoning for what he did, but he did his best to string together some theories on why he chose his path.


    ¡°I studied at Arkana, Gus. I moved there when I was a little less than your age, if I recall correctly. I wanted nothing more than to be a strong elemental. Though I fear it was for selfish reasons at first. As to why I adopted ice as my element¡­ I can¡¯t remember. It was a long time ago.¡±


    Marin¡¯s tone showed little interest in talking about the past, but every small piece of information he gave up to him only made Gus realize how little he knew about his King. Even his appearance was completely concealed. Not a sliver of skin was ever shown to him. For all he knew, there could be ghost under all that clothing.


    The answer Marin gave caused an eruption of questions to enter Gus¡¯s mind. He wanted to know his age, the reason for the mask, the fully concealed clothing, where he had come from, all of it.


    Then he realized how demanding all those questions would be, and the last thing Gus wanted to do was to push his King to unravel more than what he was comfortable with.


    ¡°Well I might be able to answer that, ice is the coolest element out there, hands down.¡±


    ¡°It is quite cold,¡± Marin agreed.


    ¡°Cold¡­? I- oh.¡± Gus started laughing. ¡°I wasn¡¯t being literal. It¡¯s slang.¡±


    ¡°Slang?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. If somethings ¡®cool¡¯, that means¡­¡± Gus tried racking his brain on how he needed to explain it. ¡°People look upon it positively.¡±


    Marin was a bit confused.


    ¡°People are using temperature to relay the favor of a given subject?¡± Marin inquired.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    ¡°So then if something¡¯s hot, does that mean it is looked down upon?¡± He continued.


    ¡°No¡­ that¡¯s also¡­ cool.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Gus felt a major disconnect with him, and he wondered if Marin felt the same. Gus also wondered if Marin had been in some form of exile for many years. His vocabulary and demeanor was not of the current time. He settled on the fact that he may never know, and Marin may never share it with anyone.


    For someone who amassed a large fortune, and returned to start his kingdom, Gus assumed that Marin would be more in touch with the world around him. He realized though, during the time he had been out of the castle with him, the King had been relying on him for basic tasks. His assumptions proved to be false for these reasons so far. Gus was sure there were many secrets that Marin was hiding.


    It did not concern him too much, Gus only looked at what he knew about his King. He had been kind, saved his village, and provided everyone with a considerably well standard of living. Gus truly looked up to him, not just for his elemental abilities. Whatever Marin had been or done before hand, frankly, was none of his business, the way he looked at it.


    Meanwhile, Marin had been worrying about how well his decayed body would hold up for this long distance walking. The fact that a limb hadn¡¯t broken off yet due to over exertion was impressive, he thought, and he hoped that it would stay that way. It would be an awkward situation if Gus had to watch him try to reattach his leg at the knee.


    Trying to put that out of mind, though, he pressed on. In clearing the forest, Marin pulled the map back out to update where they were. It had been another few hours of walking, and they had covered nearly twenty miles.


    ¡°We¡¯re in the region of Tresdor now,¡± Marin deciphered. ¡°A land of stony fields.¡± He rolled the map back up and returned it to his traveler bag.


    ¡°You can say that again,¡± Gus stated, looking at the landscape all around him. It was a stark contrast, going from densely populated trees to nearly none. The two gazed south at the relatively flat landscape around them. It was littered with rocks and stones of varied sizes.


    Several farm houses scarcely dotted the terrain. A few cows that seemed to be a tad bit removed from their property grazed at the small amount of fauna that somehow found a foothold in the rocky soil.


    Marin studied the surroundings. Despite his memories being akin to a few recovered pages from a lost book, he felt familiar feelings from the peaceful scenery. For Gus though, it was a new sight. Seeing as he never left White Forest or the northern mountain range, the new biome met him with surprise.


    They were walking again after a short moment. Marin reminded Gus that time was a factor, and nearly all the hours of the day had been spent. They couldn¡¯t delay their trip by frequently admiring the world they traveled through. Soon enough, they were in talks about an inn they would stay at as the sun neared the horizon.


    Through means of inquiring about an inn with the opposite-direction travelers, they easily discovered that one was only a few miles ahead.


    ¡°How are you feeling? I bet you¡¯re getting sore from all the walking,¡± Marin asked his subordinate.


    ¡°Not exactly. Being a guard means I¡¯m on my feet during the entirety of my shift. This is no different.¡± Gus¡¯s chain links that complimented the leather armor clanged quietly as he walked. Looking at Marin, he noted how much more comfortable his clothing was for long distance traveling.


    ¡°What about you?¡± He added. ¡°Are you getting sore?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t feel a thing,¡± Marin responded. His golden cross necklace reflected in the sunset. The golden edging of his dark blue robes glistened from the orange light. Seeing the robes in perfect sunlight made Gus realize how expensive Marin¡¯s clothes really were. It was appropriate attire for a king.


    It wasn¡¯t too much longer that they finally arrived to the desolate inn on the side of the road. They were nearing the heart of Tresdor, and earlier they had met a fork in the road that would lead to a local kingdom in the west. They had continued south, however, towards the center of the continent.


    The inn did not impress the two of them, it was of a humble build. Small, with a roof covered in straw. The wooden support beams were aged. The inn could easily be nearly a hundred years old. Besides the building was a stable, with a few horses resting inside. A wooden plaque above the door read Stonefield Inn.


    Gus breathed a sigh of relief that the traveling for the day was over, and he would be able to rest for a few hours before going to bed. He walked ahead of his King, grabbing the door for him. The door was in need of replacement, the handle alone looked to give out free splinters.


    Inside, they were greeted with a musty smell. It was well lit, and inviting enough, but it was obvious this was not a place to stay for rich folk. It was empty, minus one bartender, who seemed occupied with a book in his hand. Upon hearing the door creak open, he raised his head from his reading.


    ¡°Welcome,¡± the innkeeper greeted.


    ¡°Good evening,¡± Gus responded, taking ownership of the interaction with the bartender. ¡°How has your day been?¡±


    ¡°Fine enough. What can I help you with?¡±


    Marin stationed himself slightly behind Gus. He knew with his mask and mysterious attire, he wouldn¡¯t not get optimal service. It was better to let Gus handle trivial interactions for him, with his welcoming complexion, along with good looks and charm.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be renting a room, two beds. Also a meal for me and my friend here,¡± Gus ordered.


    The bartender was an older gent, and seemed to keep himself in the same state as his inn. He had unkempt dark brown hair, and a wispy mustache between his long nose and large lips. His shirt carried more than a few stains, which covered his barrel shaped torso.


    ¡°Aye. Coming right up.¡± He reached under the bar, and pulled out a notebook that seemed to be a ledger of some sort.


    ¡°One room. Two beds. Two meals,¡± he uttered to himself as he jotted down the information. Gus caught whiff of his garlic breath. The bartender looked up to Gus, then looked over to Marin, and focused on him longer than Gus would¡¯ve liked.


    Gus prepared for the bartender to make a comment about Marin¡¯s mask after staring for more than a few seconds, but before he got a word out, he spoke up.


    ¡°He is very ugly,¡± Gus intervened.


    The bartender¡¯s beady eyes jumped back to him. Gus smiled, showing his perfectly straight, white teeth.


    ¡°...Uh-huh.¡± He finally said. ¡°Well, let me get those meals ready.¡± He tossed the notebook back under the table, and headed for the back where the kitchen was.


    ¡°Is there a menu?¡± Gus tried as the oily man was near the doorway.


    ¡°The meal is the menu.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Okay. Very good,¡± Gus responded.


    The man stared at him for a few more seconds before returning to the kitchen. Gus looked over to Marin, but realized he couldn¡¯t read any facial expression behind his black mask and crystal blue eyes.


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°He seems like¡­ a reasonable person,¡± Gus tried as he found a seat in front of the bar. He pulled a seat out for his King as well.


    ¡°I will eat in our room,¡± Marin stated.


    ¡°Right. Right, of course,¡± Gus realized, as he pushed the chair besides him back in.


    As they waited for the food, Gus started worrying that the food would be several day old slop. If the inn and bartender were anything to go by, he believed there was a fair chance the cuisine would make them ill.


    Since Marin made no comment or fuss about it, Gus stayed silent too. After a few more moments, the man came back out with two plates of food stacked quite high. To his surprise, it looked appetizing.


    ¡°Oh wow, that looks very good,¡± Gus said in shock.


    The bartender took note of his surprise. ¡°Of course it is!¡± He stated. ¡°I¡¯m the best cook around these parts!¡±


    ¡°Oh, I should¡¯ve known,¡± Gus lied.


    The plates contained a large pile of pulled barbecued meat, a generous portion of diced potatoes and collard greens with garlic.


    ¡°Which room is ours?¡± Marin inquired.


    ¡°That one to the left,¡± the barkeeper responded with a big meaty finger pointing to a doorway.


    ¡°Enjoy, Gus. I¡¯ll be back out when I¡¯m done.¡± With that, Marin took his plate of food and left.


    When he shut the door behind him, Gus looked to his large pile of meat. He grabbed his fork and stuck it full of the boar.


    The meat was as tender as anything made in Nocturne¡¯s kitchen. The man leaned behind his counter watching him eat. Seeing as Gus never came up for air, it was a sign that his food was well liked. He smiled to himself.


    ¡°This is delicious,¡± Gus commented with a mouthful.


    ¡°Aye.¡±


    It was too much food. He had made an effort putting a dent into the sides, but being already filled with the boar meat made it difficult to get anything else down. All the walking he had done made him quite hungry, but there was no chance in him getting all this into his stomach.


    ¡°What¡¯s the deal with your friend in there?¡± The bartender asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s very self conscious about his appearance,¡± Gus answered.


    ¡°He hides his face like a rogue, yet wears robes fitting for royalty. I get a lot of people who come through those doors, but he has the strangest get-up I¡¯ve seen yet.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind that. He is a very kind person. You¡¯ll find that he¡¯s also quite sophisticated,¡± Gus vouched for him.


    After a few more swallows of food, Gus pushed his plate aside. He leaned back in his chair and took a deep breath. He was stuffed to the rim. Roughly a third of the original portion still remained on the platter. He wished to finish all of it, and hoped that leaving some remainders wouldn¡¯t offend the barkeeper.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have expected you to finish all of it,¡± the man admitted, ¡°based on your body size.¡±


    ¡°It was very good though.¡±


    Suddenly, a sound of crackling ice could be heard from behind Marin¡¯s door. The two glanced over. Gus wondered what had could¡¯ve warranted Marin using his element. In a moment, the blue robed figure opened the door with his plate of food completely gone.


    ¡°Ah! Now there¡¯s a man I can respect, he ate the whole meal!¡± The bartender announced loudly. It was the happiest he had been since they arrived.


    ¡°Holy smokes Marin! You¡¯re a clean-plater! How in the world did you manage to eat all that?!¡± Gus could barely get out.


    Marin¡¯s mask tilted down to the empty plate, then back at them. ¡°Oh¡­ uh¡­ Well, it was quite enjoyable.¡±


    ¡°Aye, it must¡¯ve been! Quite shocking a man of your bony stature could eat all that!¡± The bartender exclaimed.


    Marin quickly gathered that he had been given more food than what was expected of him to eat. He yearned to change the subject immediately, to raise no more suspicion.


    ¡°What is the charge for your services this evening?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see here.¡± The bartender reached back under the counter and produced his ledger again. His finger ran over a list of items scribbled. After a moment, he responded.


    ¡°Total¡¯s going to be 47 silver. That¡¯s including the room.¡±


    Marin produced a whole gold piece. It clinked on the wooden counter as he sat it there.


    ¡°Keep the change.¡±


    His eyes widened. ¡°Your charge is only half a gold piece. I wouldn¡¯t want to take a whole coin!¡±


    ¡°We appreciate your hospitality. I insist, please take it,¡± Marin said.


    The bartender looked left and right as if someone else was in the inn watching.


    ¡°I mean¡­ Alright. I won¡¯t fight you too much on it then.¡± He picked up the 100 silver equivalent coin and pocketed it. ¡°That makes you guys preferred customers. You¡¯re welcome here anytime.¡±


    Gus and Marin sat at the bar talking with the man for a while after they ate.


    ¡°Name¡¯s Elmo. This inn was my father¡¯s once upon a time. Never figured I¡¯d be the one running it one day,¡± he said as he leaned on the bar facing them, arms spread wide.


    ¡°What do you know about the area?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Not from around here, eh? Yeah I can tell you a bit. Tresdor is a bit of a no man¡¯s land up here in the north. Ground¡¯s not too fitting for farming. A few people live in the region, but it¡¯s mostly a means of transport between the southern areas and White Forest. West of here is Orhome, a kingdom on the edge of these stony fields. They made it work somehow.¡±


    ¡°So most of the people you get in here are travelers?¡± Gus asked.


    ¡°You bet. And by the looks of you two, you¡¯re also traveling. Where you headed?¡± Elmo said.


    ¡°Tarenfall.¡±


    ¡°Ah, large city. One of the largest. And it¡¯s not under any kingdom. But because of that there¡¯s a lot of crime. Local government there doesn¡¯t do its job too well, I guess. Neo and RAM have a lot of stations in there to maintain order,¡± Elmo explained.


    ¡°How much farther of a walk is it?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°About three days.¡±


    Marin nodded, it sounded about right. ¡°Thanks a lot, Elmo.¡±


    ¡°Aye.¡± He took the plates, and headed for the kitchen with them, leaving the two alone.


    Gus took a deep breath, and leaned forward on the bar, elbows resting.


    ¡°I¡¯m stuffed. That was good, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say so,¡± Marin said uncomfortably.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you ate all that. How in the world?¡±


    Marin looked onward for a moment, feeling guilty about his forced deception.


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll let you in on my secret one day,¡± he finally said.


    ¡°If there¡¯s a secret to how you ate it all, I don¡¯t want to know!¡±


    Marin chuckled. ¡°Right.¡±


    They talked for a while longer at the bar. Elmo eventually came back out and they asked a few more questions, to which he happily answered. The sun was finally down, and it was almost 9 o¡¯ clock.


    Gus ordered a drink with his own money, and the two of them retired to their bedroom.


    ¡°Are you thinking about sleeping soon?¡± Marin asked as Gus shut the door behind him.


    ¡°It¡¯s still a little early,¡± he responded as he sat at the table. ¡°What time do you normally go to sleep?¡± He asked.


    Marin hated the deception, but he fought through it. ¡°It varies. Just when I feel tired.¡±


    The King sat at the table with Gus as he watched him sip on a golden drink in a glass.


    Gus noticed him watching. ¡°The mead here¡¯s not very good. Do you want some?¡±


    ¡°No, no. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    It was quiet for a few moments at the table. The room itself was small, but that made sense seeing how little the building was from the outside. Two twin beds were shoved in either corner of the room, with a nightstand wedged between them. The only inviting factor of the beds were the warm wool blankets covering them.


    ¡°Oh! I have something fun we could do,¡± Gus said as he reached for his backpack.


    Marin raised an eyebrow under his mask in curiosity to what Gus could be getting.


    He was bent over, both hands rummaging in his leather bag.


    ¡°Of course it fell all the way to the bottom¡­¡± He uttered to himself as he moved items around.


    Finally, he pulled out a wooden box with a square checkered pattern.


    ¡°King Marin, do you know how to play chess?¡±


    ¡°Chess! I remember that game!¡± Marin was shocked. He had completely forgotten it up until now.


    ¡°Has it been a while since you played?¡± Gus asked cautiously.


    ¡°¡­It has been a great many years. But I still remember how to play.¡±


    Marin remembered that he had played chess, but couldn¡¯t recall specific instances of when he played or who he played against. It was an unexpected, but pleasant surprise to see that Gus had a board and was interested in the strategy game.


    Gus unboxed the board, and dumped the wooden pieces onto the table.


    ¡°Well I hope you don¡¯t take losses too hard, because I¡¯ve gotten pretty good!¡±


    It was a small travel sized set, made of both birch and spruce wood. The pieces and board were stained in different colors. It was held together with small magnetic metals.


    ¡°Losing is never a bad thing. You never learn anything new when you win. It¡¯s through losses that you become a better player,¡± Marin shared.


    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t get all philosophical on me.¡±


    Marin grinned. The two of them began grabbing pieces to station on the board. Gus picked white since Marin insisted on playing as black. Gus read it as a confidence factor since going first always gave you the slightest advantage.


    Marin leaned back in his chair sideways to the table with his legs crossed. Gus played his knights first, with Marin responding with an equally strong opening.


    ¡°Oh, you know what you¡¯re doing,¡± Gus said quietly to himself as he stroked his chin. He took another swig of his mead and moved a piece. He never once looked up at Marin as he studied the board at all times.


    The game progressed, and they made a few trades. During this time, however, Marin had set his pieces up in a better position than him. Gus didn¡¯t even realize the impending loss that he would take yet.


    ¡°So what are we going to do when we get to the city? I know we¡¯re looking to bring some strong fighters into our fold, but do you know exactly how we¡¯ll go about it?¡± Gus said as he moved a piece.


    ¡°I suppose we¡¯ll ask around at local taverns about where we can find strong elementals. I was hoping that a situation would fall into my lap at some point to find them, but that¡¯s wishful thinking.¡± Marin studied the chess board for a moment. ¡°Do you have any ideas?¡±


    ¡°What if instead of us going to them, they come to us. You know we could post an ad in the quest center,¡± Gus offered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to openly advertise,¡± Marin responded as he moved his queen, putting Gus¡¯s king into check.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°Check, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I see that.¡±


    Gus¡¯s face turned grim as he realized that Marin¡¯s domination plan was coming to fruition. He realized that from here on he¡¯d have to place defensively. He moved his king over a square.


    ¡°You know what Loid suggested?¡± Marin said in a playful tone.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°He thought it¡¯d be a good idea for me to participate in an elemental tournament.¡±


    ¡°Really? How¡¯s that going to help us?¡± Gus asked.


    ¡°Loid had some reasoning that I would meet strong elementals there, and if they saw me fight, it would give them reason to join me.¡±


    Gus stayed silent for a second as his eyes widened in understanding with a slight nodding.


    ¡°Have you given it any consideration?¡± He finally said.


    ¡°Not really.¡±


    Marin and Gus traded several more pieces, until it was all but certain that Marin would win. Gus leaned back in his chair and took a large gulp of his mead.


    ¡°You know, I bet this drink would be a lot better if it was chilled. I¡¯m already missing the ice cubes we have at Nocturne. It¡¯s one of the best perks living in the snowy mountains.¡±


    ¡°Would you like some ice cubes?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but I don¡¯t know where-¡±


    Marin leaned forward and placed a balled up fist above his drink on the table. Cold steam leaked from in between his fingers. A light crackling noise erupted from his hand as he opened it. Several ice cubes splashed into his drink.


    ¡°No¡­ way¡­¡± Gus said in bewilderment. He picked up the drink and rocked it, swishing the ice cubes in floating inside. ¡°That is so cool.¡±


    He took a drink of his mead. ¡°You got to teach me that trick,¡± he added after swallowing.


    ¡°That would mean learning the ice element.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not much of a teacher, Gus.¡±


    ¡°But you could teach me.¡±


    Marin shook his head. ¡°Learning an element isn¡¯t as simple as you think. And it¡¯s not for everyone. In fact, it¡¯s a discipline. You¡¯re always fighting off the desire to become power hungry with it.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t happen to me. There¡¯s not an ounce of desire in me to attack anyone with it. I would just defend people. Like my King.¡±


    ¡°You say that now, Gus. But once you realize the potential devastation you wield, it becomes quite enticing. Even Arkana intensely vets new applicants. If they catch a single whiff of you wanting to be a student to dominate with the elements, you¡¯re rejected.¡±


    ¡°Look, I saw my town burn down. I felt helpless watching my friends and family die. I can only do so much swinging a sword around. But if I had the strength you have, I could¡¯ve prevented any harm from coming to the villagers. It¡¯s not about power for me. It¡¯s about protection. I really would love to learn an element!¡±


    Marin didn¡¯t respond. He remained silent, staring at the chess board. Gus couldn¡¯t read any expression Marin might be making behind his black mask. He really wanted to know what he was thinking. Gus would¡¯ve liked to believe that Marin was wrestling with whether to teach him or not. After a few moments though, Marin leaned forward, and moved a chess piece.


    ¡°Checkmate.¡±

 Chapter 17 - Cloak and Dagger

    It was about two in the morning, and Marin could be found sitting crossed legged on the roof of Stonefield Inn. The nearly full moon gave the landscape a dim glow, just enough to barely see the surroundings. He gazed upon what he saw, deep in thought.


    It had been almost two months since he had first woken up off of the floor. He felt as though since then his life had been in a slingshot. So much had been happening since then. This was, however, the first night he had spent away from the castle, if you didn¡¯t count the single night he spent at Loid¡¯s inn before Heroca saw its destruction.


    Marin had brought a little something to celebrate this memorial occasion. He had grabbed it from his traveler bag before heading outside and planting himself on the roof. His hand reached inside his robe, and he produced a long pipe. Reaching back in, he pulled out a small bag of smokeleaf.


    I can¡¯t eat, I can¡¯t drink, I can¡¯t sleep¡­ Actually, the amount of things I can¡¯t do runs longer than I¡¯d care to list. But if I can talk, that means my lungs work, and that means I can smoke, he thought to himself.


    Marin wasn¡¯t sure if he¡¯d even feel the effects of the smokeleaf, but it was at least worth a shot. If anything, it would make him feel human again for a short amount of time.


    With everything he needed sitting in his lap, Marin flipped back his hood, and raised the mask that Loid gifted him over his head. In the dark of the night, even if someone was out and about, it would be too dark to make out the hideous features of his decayed face.


    Marin stuffed the pipe, lit a match, and blazed the leaf.


    I still can¡¯t believe Gus asked me to teach him the ice element. I¡¯m no teacher. If he wants to learn an element so bad, maybe I should send him off after this mission to learn one.


    Hmm¡­ Arkana would most likely deny him. He¡¯d have a shot at Neo, if he was willing to fight for their cause¡­ whatever that would be at the moment.


    He¡¯d have to. I¡¯m not going to hedge him.


    Marin took a few tokes from the pipe. His lungs expanded, drawing the smoke into his mouth. To little surprise, he couldn¡¯t feel it at all. When he exhaled however, the smoke escaped his maw in a very familiar way.


    Well, I can still smoke. Even if I can¡¯t taste it.


    He still had a million questions that would most likely go unanswered forever about his body. Like how it was able to even function. Why did his sight work, but his smell did not? How could he hear, but not feel a thing. How could he even move and think if his body ate or drank nothing?


    The potion he tried brewing seemed so much simpler than what it made him now. Being immortal? A reasonable feat. Creating a potion that killed you for a few centuries, then reanimated you with just the right amount of bodily features to almost come across human? That seemed a lot harder.


    He may have gotten his wish. As far as he was concerned, he would no longer die of old age. These unintended consequences, however, were not worth the trade off.


    Marin slowly shook his head at the thought of permanently being in his current state forever. He regretted ever drinking the damned concoction he brewed up in the first place.


    He toked on the pipe for a while in silence, occasionally blowing the air out from his nasal cavity. He heard a noise come from the ground to his left. When he looked down, he saw a raccoon shaped animal scurrying about. He paid it no mind.


    Marin truly had no idea how his mission would play out. The only thing he knew for certain is that they¡¯d reach Tarenfall, but after that, anything could happen. As long as it ended with two or three strong individuals working for him, that was all he cared about.


    A few hours passed as he tried his hardest to remember anything he could from years before. All it ended up doing was giving himself a headache. He sighed, as he did every night, from a failed recollection. The one thing Marin wanted more than anything else was to have his memory back from before he drank the potion. There were so many questions that could be answered if he had his memory restored.


    He smoked the last of what was in his pipe, then he cleaned it out. He returned all his items into the inner pockets of his robes, stood up on the roof, and dusted himself off. Morning was creeping in soon.


    Getting on the ground from the roof was easy enough with a few short ice moves. Marin was thankful that he had retained his elemental prowess. Perhaps that was due to the muscle memory or second hand nature his element had become to him.


    Walking back to the front entrance, Marin grabbed the handle to the door. Inside was quiet. Embers from the center fire had completely died off, and just a single gas lamp illuminated the dark room. He guessed in a few hours Elmo would be up to start the day. Marin returned to his room, and when he entered, found Gus asleep in bed.


    Marin sat at the same table he had played chess in earlier, awaiting the morning. His finger tapped the surface in slight impatience as he had run out of topics to ponder about. As creepy as he thought it might be, he focused on Gus, staring at his slumbering body.


    He wondered just what Gus thought about his current situation. His life, his mission that he accepted to go on, and his King. Marin knew that Gus looked up to him greatly ¨C that was obvious. He wondered though, if Gus admired him for the right reasons.


    Finally, Marin looked up at the window above the beds. The sky had lightened. Dawn had just begun. He breathed a sigh of relief knowing that he wouldn¡¯t be alone with just his thoughts anymore.


    Another hour went by before Gus turned over in bed. His eyes flickered open. When they did, they met Marin still stationed in his chair. He became wide eyed.


    ¡°King Marin¡­ have you been in that chair this whole time?¡± He croaked.


    ¡°No. I just sat back down here a little while ago.¡±


    That brought relief to Gus, knowing that Marin hadn¡¯t sat in the chair the whole night, and possibly got some sleep. It still bewildered him how little sleep his King seemingly got ¨C he had sat in the chair as Gus went to sleep, and woke up seeing him there again.


    Gus started to stretch in bed, preparing to get up immediately. Marin extended a hand, gesturing him not to move.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. We¡¯re in no hurry. Take some time to wake up and collect yourself. I don¡¯t even know if Elmo is up yet,¡± Marin explained.


    Gus slumped his arms back down in bed. ¡°Sounds good.¡± He rubbed his face as he sighed.


    After a few moments, Marin got up and headed out of the room. Stirrings could be heard from the kitchen as Elmo grunted. The large man appeared with hair even more upset than yesterday. He licked his hand and flattened it as he headed for a pile of wood.


    ¡°Good morning, Elmo,¡± Marin greeted.


    ¡°Aye.¡± He said, still sounding tired. His large hands grabbed two logs, and he tossed them into the center fire pit. He worked to start the fire as he fumbled with some matches and small twigs.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t happen to be a fire elemental, would ya?¡± He uttered as he struggled to get the fire going.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to displease you,¡± Marin responded.


    ¡°I figured not. Heard ya doing some icy moves on the roof last night,¡± he easily mentioned.


    ¡°Oh. Forgive me if I startled you. I¡¯m surprised you heard that. I just had a lot on my mind,¡± Marin stated, slightly embarrassed he had been found out.


    ¡°Aye.¡±


    Marin had just figured that no one would know of his little outing last night, and was shocked to discover that Elmo had been wise of it. He immediately felt silly for being up there anyways. Perhaps he had just wanted a change of view. From a different height, apparently.


    Silently watching Elmo start the fire, Marin gathered that it was because he had been used to looking down from the high-up castle balcony, and he had unconsciously stationed himself up there to feel somewhat at home.


    Marin debated explaining it all to Elmo, but the innkeeper made no fuss about the topic, so he let it go.


    ¡°Finally,¡± Elmo breathed as the flames planted themselves from the kindling into the large wooden logs. He stood up straight and stretched his back.


    He looked over to Marin. ¡°You¡¯re up early. Plannin¡¯ on takin¡¯ off now or would ya like some breakfast?¡±


    ¡°Two more meals, please,¡± Marin requested.


    ¡°Okay. Give me an hour or so.¡± Elmo left the common area, and returned to the kitchen room behind the bar.


    Marin sat besides the fire, wishing he could enjoy the warmth of the flames.


    Eventually, Gus produced himself from the bedroom, and accompanied his King in a seat to the right of him. He held his hands out, allowing the fire to warm him after leaving his cozy bed.


    ¡°Ah, those flames feel real nice, don¡¯t they?¡± Gus asked.


    ¡°...Yes.¡±


    ¡°So what¡¯s the plan?¡±


    ¡°Well, I have Elmo making us breakfast. After we eat, we¡¯ll pack up and hit the road again. We still have quite a bit of ground to cover,¡± Marin instructed.


    Gus was already back in his regular attire, something he had taken off when he went to bed. His claymore and backpack were still in the bedroom, along with Marin¡¯s bag.


    Any sleepiness that still lingered with Gus disappeared when Elmo returned to the common room with two large breakfast platters.


    ¡°If dinner last night was anything to go off of, this ought to be really good too,¡± he spoke to Elmo.


    ¡°Well if we¡¯re bein¡¯ honest, I¡¯m more fond of cooking the supper meals, but I think this will satisfy you too.¡±


    When Marin was handed his plate, he took back off to the bedroom. He shut the door behind him, and studied the food. After a short sigh, he waved his hand over it, freezing it all. He now had to get rid of it, and employed a tactic he developed that easily saw the demise of the food.


    Gus had no problem disposing of the food himself, but it disappeared into his maw rather than being disintegrated. The entire time he woofed it down, he made satisfying grunts to Elmo, who greatly appreciated them.


    Marin paid a few coins to Elmo after the meals were consumed, and requested an additional loaf of bread for the road. He instructed Gus to pack it into his backpack, and told him it would be his lunch.


    After they had fully packed up, and were ready to hit the road, they thanked Elmo greatly for his hospitality and help. Marin had his travelers bag equipped, slung over his shoulder. Gus had his large sword and backpack hanging off his back.


    ¡°I won¡¯t mind seeing ya¡¯ll again if you come back this way,¡± Elmo admitted.


    Marin said a few more words of parting before heading for the doorway. As he did, new patrons arrived into the building. He passed them, and exited the inn with Gus behind him.


    ¡°Back on the road again,¡± Gus mentioned.


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    It was about half past eight, and the sun slowly rose from the eastern sky. Judging by where it was and the direction they were walking, Marin confirmed that they were going south.


    They paced the cobblestone path once again, covering distance from Stonefield Inn. Gus turned around a few times as they traveled, seeing the small inn grow smaller. He wondered if Elmo enjoyed his employment at the place.


    Eventually, they were out of view of the lone building as they walked in the middle of a green, yet desolate field. After two hours of walking, Marin unraveled the map once again, and they determined their location. They were getting close to the center of Tresdor, signaling a halfway point through the rocky landscape.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to a warmer climate as we head further south,¡± Gus commented.


    Marin¡¯s finger traced the path they would walk.


    ¡°Crossing this river will get us out of Tresdor, once we¡¯re there,¡± he pointed out, tapping on a line that read ¡®The Roaming River¡¯. It divided Tresdor from a different region.


    Gus eyed the distance on the map. ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem too far.¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯ll be real close to Navaren. That might be our next stop for the night,¡± Marin explained as his finger fell beneath the river.


    As the two were in deep study over the map, Marin suddenly heard a noise. He looked up, and scanned his surroundings. It was a very suspicious noise, almost movement like. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, however. He took note of some rocks sticking out from a grassy field.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ¡°Did you hear something, Gus?¡± He asked.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Gus looked around too. Marin instantly refocused his attention. He began to wrap the map back up, and opened the flap on his traveler bag.


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep moving. I¡¯m not too fond of this place, I don¡¯t think.¡±


    He shoved the map back in, and began to move with haste.


    Gus paced to catch up. He wasn¡¯t sure what that was about, but assumed Marin heard a rodent run by, or something similar. He had to disagree with his statement as well. The terrain had been quite beautiful and peaceful so far, and wondered if Marin had been up in the snowy mountains for so long, he forgot what it was like to hear the common noises of nature.


    He remembered that his King was even taken back by all the ambiance of White Forest. Marin had always snapped his head at the sight of something as insignificant as a rabbit hopping along.


    They walked in silence for a while, before Gus couldn¡¯t stand the boredom any longer. He had enjoyed picking Marin¡¯s brain so far on this journey, coming up with scenarios and seeing how he would react to them. He asked him his opinions on trivial topics, information on him that most wouldn¡¯t know.


    ¡°But what if you had to have one. Like, the wedding would be ruined without it,¡± Gus went on. ¡°The ice sculpture is lying right there, shattered into many pieces. Could you mend it, or would you make a new one?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever tried doing that,¡± Marin admitted. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I could.¡±


    ¡°You instantly made an ice chair. With a few extra seconds or even a minute, couldn¡¯t you remake one?¡± Gus asked with an abundance of curiosity.


    ¡°An ice sculpture of a swan is much more complicated than a chair!¡± Marin declared.


    ¡°Yeah I know, but¡­ do you close your eyes and picture it, or do you-¡±


    Marin definitely heard a noise this time. He held his arm out, stopping Gus mid-sentence and in his tracks. His head twisted about, eyeing his surroundings. It was the same type of sound, a quick shifting, a fast form of footwork.


    He looked over to Gus, who looked a mixture of confusion and shock.


    ¡°Did you hear anything?¡± Marin asked again.


    This time Gus stayed silent for a few seconds, before answering negatively a second time.


    Marin stayed still for a while, both of them intently listening. After what must have been nearly a minute, he finally moved again.


    ¡°King Marin, what¡¯s going on?¡± Gus finally asked.


    ¡°You know how to use that sword well?¡± He responded.


    ¡°Well enough.¡±


    ¡°Keep it close to you.¡±


    They started to walk again, but Gus¡¯s burning desire to continue conversation halted as he realized something was wrong. He had been completely unaware of any sounds that Marin claimed to hear, but that didn¡¯t discourage him from believing that perhaps his King was picking up on something that he hadn¡¯t been.


    It was silent again, but after a few minutes, Marin demanded that Gus ask him more pointless questions.


    Gus found it odd that he wanted to talk again so soon after raising his guards, but believed that maybe Marin had realized it had been nothing threatening this whole time. Maybe he did finally see that rodent and refused to admit it.


    ¡°Oh. Okay. Well, I¡¯ve got another one for you. Say that you¡¯re out by a pond. There¡¯s a man drowning. Are you going to freeze the whole pond to stop him from treading water, or do you run out to him by creating a trail of ice in front of you? Also do you slip on your own ice sometimes?¡±


    At this point Marin was almost certain the two of them were being followed. He had Gus continue to talk with him to make it seem like he was unaware. Despite Marin holding conversations with the young lad, he was very focused on hearing any new sounds his stalkers might accidentally make.


    Gus was still on edge slightly as well, but didn¡¯t let it bother him nearly as much. They continued to talk, with Marin answering and explaining much of what he was able to do with his elemental abilities, something he picked up on that Gus really wanted to know about.


    Marin knew at this point that Gus really wanted to take on the ice element, but refused to outright ask Marin again. He gave Gus a difficult non-answer last night. Gus had seen the amount of discomfort he had caused his King, and decided to let it go. It hadn¡¯t stopped his fascination about it, however.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me a bit about your life,¡± Marin requested, finally changing the subject. ¡°I¡¯m curious to know how life was like growing up in the city.¡±


    Marin wasn¡¯t actually that curious, but he had become quite saturated from all the endless scenarios Gus threw his way, and he still needed conversation to flow.


    He sighed as his tone changed. ¡°Yeah, Whitewood City is a real piece of work,¡± Gus started. ¡°I was born and raised in the heart of that trash heap.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°Sorry if that came off as coarse, but I was really happy to leave that place when I did. The quiet mountain life suited me much better.¡±


    ¡°What was so bad about the city?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°The fact that it is a city. I don¡¯t like the constant noise, the crowds, the¡­ harassment you get there,¡± he explained.


    ¡°The shopkeepers,¡± Marin realized.


    ¡°Exactly. I gave you pointers when we went through to keep your head down and walk fast. Imagine having to do that all the time.¡±


    The city life was probably enjoyable for some people, Marin thought, but Gus certainly had the same preference as him ¨C it was not fun living in such a densely populated area. The positives of having everything close by to one living in the city did not outweigh the negatives, in his mind.


    ¡°That and its pretty dirty there too. Disease spreads quicker in cities, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Gus asked.


    ¡°It does.¡±


    ¡°Well there you go. That¡¯s enough reason for me to not live in one.¡±


    ¡°What made you finally leave?¡± Marin continued.


    ¡°That happened when¡­ When I got in a fight¡­ with my family. My father.¡±


    Marin stayed quiet and didn¡¯t respond. He left Gus alone with his own phrase. The silence forced him to follow up on his answer.


    ¡°We, uh¡­¡± Gus scratched the back of his head in thought. ¡°We got into a large argument. He always told me I¡¯d never amount to anything. Said I was too reckless and headstrong, and didn¡¯t care about anyone but myself.¡±


    Again, Marin didn¡¯t respond after the statement, he stayed dead quiet, almost as if he was counting.


    ¡°I ran away,¡± Gus continued on with his story. ¡°I told him it was obvious he didn¡¯t want me around anymore, so I took off without saying goodbye. I ran, ran to the mountains. I never left White Forest before, and honestly didn¡¯t even know what would be up that road.


    But I found out Heroca Town was there. The captain guard, Max, saw me. I told him I was homeless and a wanderer. He took me in and-¡±


    Marin suddenly turned around and shot a bolt of ice from his palm, freezing the foot of a shady rogue directly behind them.


    ¡°You!!!¡± Marin cried out.


    Gus experienced mental whiplash as he tried his fastest to gather what the hell just happened.


    ¡°Gus! There¡¯s more of them! Pull out your sword!¡± He yelled.


    Marin shot more ice at some figures who were blurred from the speed they moved at.


    Gus completely dropped his story and shifted his gears into attack mode. His backpack fell off his shoulders as he reached over his back to unsheathe his claymore.


    Before he could even equip his weapon, a rogue attacker knocked him over with lightning speed.


    On the ground, he looked up at Marin who was enshrouded in cold steam, frost covering both hands. Blurred figures moved past him before he finally caught one by freezing their legs.


    That rogue fell over as he used his daggers to try to break the ice.


    Gus was dazed, unable to process the split-second events that were happening. His eyes refocused, making out a few dark-clad attackers who covered their face in red bandannas.


    They danced around Marin at a speed Gus never knew anyone could achieve. Glowing ice escaped Marin several times as he tried dealing with foes who were much faster than him.


    Gus attempted to get back up, and by the time he was back on his feet, Marin somehow had froze another, the rogue tripping over their frozen feet and falling to the ground.


    He immediately noticed the first rogue that Marin managed to catch had nearly broken free of his frosty foot prison. Before he could say or do anything, Marin noticed too, and refroze him, the ice encapsulating his entire lower half of his body.


    ¡°I-is that all of them?!¡± Gus shouted out, taking note of three rogues covered in just enough ice to render them immobile.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Marin responded, glancing around quickly.


    Gus had his hands gripping the large steel sword tightly now, ready to attack any one of the rogues if they got free.


    After a few seconds that felt like an eternity, Gus looked to Marin, and saw a new blurred figure rush behind him.


    ¡°Marin look out!¡± Gus yelled.


    As the rogue brushed by, a ripping noise could be heard. Marin¡¯s body jutted to the left slightly.


    ¡°You bastard,¡± Marin uttered as he turned around. Gus got a good look at Marin¡¯s back, his freshly torn robe caused from a long dagger slashing through the clothing.


    Marin raised his arms, and a slew of large icicles erupted around the area. He hoped that one would impale his attacker as they crackled and reached for the sky.


    Gus saw the figure hop from icicle to icicle, avoiding every one of them.


    ¡°He¡¯s over there!¡± Gus shouted, pointing in that direction.


    Marin launched several more icy attacks, and this final rogue avoided all of them. They were faster than the others that he had made quick work of earlier.


    Marin extended his hands again, and as the rogue went for another attack, Marin quickly reached down and caught their arm. Before the rogue could free themselves, ice traveled up and down their appendage.


    The rogue wailed in pain, their other hand trying to stab Marin. He dropped them, and froze their legs as well.


    ¡°That¡¯s four!¡± Marin yelled out in the scariest tone Gus ever heard him use. He looked down at the several dispatched attackers.


    ¡°Is there anymore?!¡± Marin asked them. ¡°Or have I caught you all?¡±


    The rogues yelled profanities in response, still squirming on the ground.


    Gus scanned the surroundings to see if any new attackers would make themselves known. At this point though, he felt nearly powerless to do anything about it. By the time he would even be able to swing his sword, these rogues could¡¯ve gotten ten attacks in.


    Marin continued to stare down the four rogues though, not taking any other precautions for another attack. To Gus, it was almost as if Marin knew that there was no one else lurking around.


    After a few more seconds of glancing at the immediate area, he relaxed slightly, and stood to the left of Marin, looking down at the offenders who had apparently been stalking them for a while.


    ¡°You guys took a chance, and failed,¡± Marin told them.


    ¡°Free us now!¡± One of them yelled out.


    ¡°Gus, unmask them,¡± Marin instructed.


    Gus was quivering a bit, but tried his hardest not to look scared to them. His hand slowly went to one of their faces, about to reach for the bandanna.


    The rogue¡¯s head snapped at his hand, almost as if he would bite Gus.


    Gus responded aggressively, quickly ripping the bandanna off. He might¡¯ve untied it gently had they let him, but after that he realized what a dumb thought that was. These rogues attempted to kill them, and he had no reason to be nice.


    He walked over and yanked off the other¡¯s facial cloths, not caring if their neck snapped or not. He got to the last one, the one who had given Marin the hardest time.


    It was a young woman. She had her brown hair tied down closely to her head. She had soft eyes above the bandanna concealing her lower face.


    Gus sighed for a moment, but forcefully ripped hers off too, pulling it over her head. She was beautiful, Gus thought. She would¡¯ve been, if she didn¡¯t have such a mean scowl on her face.


    Marin knelt down to them.


    ¡°Now, I¡¯m probably going to kill you. But maybe not. Maybe not, if you tell me what this was all about,¡± Marin explained gently to them.


    ¡°Maybe you need to take your ridiculous mask off too, you freak! Only seems fair to me!¡± One of the rogues said.


    ¡°I¡¯m not the one squirming on the ground, half-frozen over,¡± Marin reminded them. ¡°In fact, I don¡¯t like your tone very much.¡±


    The ice enshrouding him started creeping higher, up to his neck.


    Another rogue cried out. ¡°If you leave your bags here and run away, we might forgive what you¡¯ve done to us.¡±


    Marin turned to face him as the ice halted its climb on the first rogue.


    Marin chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s what this was about? Valuables? You want my money?¡±


    ¡°Leave it and run!¡± He added.


    Gus stood motionless at them all, four face cloths still clenched in his fist. He had no idea what to think, and just watched Marin converse with them.


    ¡°What a terrible occupation you¡¯ve all chosen, if you can call it that. Isn¡¯t there a more honest way to make a living?¡± Marin asked them. He looked over to the one woman.


    ¡°You,¡± he said to her. ¡°You gave me the hardest time out of all of them. Your comrades here folded as soon as I hit them with some ice, but you, you dodged everything I threw at you. Hell, I didn¡¯t even dispatch of you until you got close enough for me to grab your arm,¡± Marin explained to her.


    She said nothing, gritting her teeth as she squirmed to break the ice.


    ¡°There¡¯s no use,¡± Marin said. ¡°You won¡¯t be getting out of that stuff anytime soon.¡±


    She still said nothing, so Marin stood up from his crouching position, and stretched his back a bit.


    ¡°Well Gus,¡± Marin said. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to figure out what do to with them.¡±


    ¡°That attack should¡¯ve killed you,¡± she finally said.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Marin asked as he looked back over to her.


    ¡°I ran my dagger deep into your back. You should be bleeding out right now!¡± She declared.


    ¡°Oh, I almost forgot.¡± Marin jerked his head around, noticing the large tear on his robe. ¡°I guess you didn¡¯t slice deep enough. But you¡¯ve reminded me the damage you¡¯ve caused. And that makes me very unhappy.¡±


    Marin raised his hands, and the ice on all of them grew to be uniform. It crept up to their necks, and soon each of them were encapsulated in icy pods, only their necks and heads revealed.


    The ice rose from the ground, they floated in the air as all four pods faced Marin.


    ¡°I¡¯m dying to know ¨C and honestly ¨C if you don¡¯t answer me, you¡¯ll all be dying in general. Why attack us?¡± Marin asked them in a threatening tone.


    ¡°You were a calculated target,¡± the woman answered. ¡°You¡¯re wearing the clothing of royalty. We figured you were touring the land with your hired bodyguard. Loaded to the brim with gold and valuables.


    We never thought you¡¯d be the one giving us a fight. Why even have that runt escort you around if you don¡¯t need him?¡±


    ¡°Ah, so it was my attire that caused you to target me,¡± Marin deduced.


    They didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°I know you all had been following us for a few hours. The conversations about me being an ice elemental didn¡¯t cause you to reconsider?¡± He asked.


    ¡°We thought it was fake conversations to scare us off,¡± one of the rogues responded.


    ¡°A bluff¡­¡± Marin realized.


    ¡°If you leave your clothing on the ground, I¡¯ll forget about this whole event,¡± the third rogue said in a nasally voice.


    Marin just ignored him. ¡°Well, it wasn¡¯t a bluff, unfortunately.¡±


    Marin moved his hands in a downward motion, and the four ice pods slammed into the ground. They sat there poking out of the ground like the many rocks that surrounded them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Gus. I think I¡¯m done with these losers,¡± Marin finally stated.


    He began to walk away from them. Gus started to follow.


    ¡°Hey! Hey!¡± One of the rogues yelled out. ¡°We answered you! Now let us go!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not going to let us go, you idiot,¡± the woman said.


    Gus heard the rogues continue to talk as they walked away. As they distanced themselves from them, the voices grew quieter.


    They traveled in silence for a long time, the longest amount of time since they first embarked. It had been a scaring event for Gus, and he had no idea what Marin was even thinking.


    Almost half an hour passed before Gus finally dared to say anything.


    ¡°How long are they going to stay frozen like that?¡± He asked.


    Marin didn¡¯t respond right away. Gus looked down, wondering if it still was not a good time to talk.


    ¡°A day. A day and a half, maybe. I didn¡¯t make the ice too hard,¡± he eventually responded.


    ¡°We just left them on the side of the road. Won¡¯t someone come by and try to free them?¡± Gus asked with concern.


    ¡°No one is breaking that ice. They will just have to wait for it to melt.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±

 Chapter 18 - Across the River

    Gus had a lot to analyze after the ambush he was forced to take part in. Had it not been for Sullivan Marin dealing with, in his mind, the entire situation, he may not be alive now. Gus had thought himself quite capable from attacking the raiders in Heroca, but it had all evaporated from the recent event.


    Those rogues were so quick, he could barely see them, let alone even think about getting a hit in on them. Yet somehow, Marin was able to catch them all mid-flight. How was it possible? Gus analyzed it more as they traveled. He wrestled with whether Marin was so battle experienced that he knew where they would be at a given time, or that his reaction times were astronomical.


    Both were impressive enough, and he wondered if it had anything to do with being an ice elemental. One thing was for certain, though. It was clear Marin would be protecting Gus, not the other way around as he had so imagined. Gus was only there to handle interactions for him, nothing more, apparently.


    He felt mixed emotions of bewilderment and disappointment for himself. He was clearly out of his league.


    ¡°Well, Marin. If it wasn¡¯t for you, they would¡¯ve gotten me. I owe my life to you again,¡± he admitted.


    ¡°You would¡¯ve never been targeted if you were walking alone. I was the reason for their attack,¡± Marin sharply countered. ¡°You heard them, they¡¯re petty thieves looking to make a quick buck. And my attire had attracted their attention.¡±


    Marin looked down to his clothing. Gus heard much despair in his voice, as if he was questioning all the decisions he had made thus far.


    Gus leaned his head back and looked at the large dagger rip on the back of Marin¡¯s royal robe.


    ¡°Well they definitely devalued your clothes from that nasty tear. Perhaps we won¡¯t be the victims of another attack,¡± Gus tried.


    Marin shook his head, and continued on. ¡°My clothing was a factor I had missed. Had I given more thought to this quest, I might¡¯ve realized this could have happened.¡±


    ¡°So what are you going to do?¡± Gus asked.


    ¡°What I¡¯m going to do¡­¡± Marin paused to finalize his plan. ¡°Is I¡¯m getting new clothes in Navaren. And by new, I mean not so new, if you understand that.¡±


    Gus nodded. ¡°Poor man¡¯s gear. Tattered stuff, maybe.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Something I should¡¯ve done earlier.¡±


    Gus was shocked to hear Marin finally admit to an oversight. As strong and wise his King seemingly was, and given his history, he had almost convinced himself that Marin could make no error easily.


    It reminded him that Marin was still human ¨C in some sense ¨C and that he wasn¡¯t this being of higher knowledge. In knowledge, perhaps, but certainly not in power. If anything, Marin¡¯s error gave himself another chance to show off his strength.


    Meanwhile, Marin knew how curious Gus had been about him, and how easily he could impress on the young lad. It gave him great concern, knowing that if the wrong person came into his life, Gus might end up down a troublesome path. It lead Marin into being careful with what actions he displayed to his humble castle guard.


    Upon further analysis, Marin realized he needed to share information with him before he got it from somewhere else, perhaps from a dangerous source. Gus displayed the same passion he had when he was his age, and realized his journey on becoming stronger would not give way.


    Marin gave a defeated sigh as he realized Gus needed to hear this stuff from him, and not from someone who would turn his ambition against him.


    It had been silent for sometime now as they walked, and Marin with no pleasure on his part, began.


    ¡°I know your mind is burning with questions on how I handled that attack, Gus. I welcome you to ask away,¡± he stated.


    Gus lit up immediately. ¡°Are you serious?!¡±


    ¡°I am.¡±


    Gus wasn¡¯t sure where this new Marin had come from, because it was not the one from earlier. His King had been fairly adverse to discussing anything to do with his elemental prowess, and suddenly, he invited any questions. Had Marin finally given in to withholding from him? Or was there other intentions behind the statement.


    If there was, he didn¡¯t mind it too much.


    ¡°First of all, how. How did you even manage to catch them? They were moving so fast!¡± Gus darted his arms around, a cheap imitation of the rogues¡¯ speed.


    When Marin didn¡¯t respond immediately, Gus kept going.


    ¡°In fact, on that last rogue, the girl who dodged all those colossal icicles, you had your hand out in preparation of catching her. How did you know she¡¯d end up right there, in your grasp?¡±


    ¡°It was from a skill called Slow Time.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°A mental ability in which you accelerate your brain¡¯s operations, to the point that the world around you moves in slow motion.¡±


    That sounded unbelievable. Gus had never heard about that before in all his twenty-some years of being alive, and under normal circumstances, would have rejected such an idea. Seeing as this came from someone of great abilities, however, he carefully considered it.


    It also lined up with what he saw, seeing as Marin nabbed each rogue at full speed.


    ¡°...That¡¯s really a thing? You can¡¯t be serious,¡± Gus finally said, all excitement abandoned from him.


    ¡°I do not waste my words on tall tales, Gus. You can trust me.¡±


    Gus looked onward, trying to wrap his brain around mastery of such a skill.


    ¡°How did that even work when you were fighting them?¡± Gus continued, still trying to buy into such an idea.


    ¡°Well, they were moving really fast, as you saw. Faster than someone could normally process. But if you¡­ focus your mind in a particular way, you can slow down their fast movement to the point where they can be dealt with.¡±


    ¡°That was going to be my next question. How did they move so fast? I¡¯ve never seen that in my life. I heard rogues were fast, but that was ridiculous. No one could ever move at that speed.¡±


    ¡°They can, Gus, and you could too, with secret techniques that aren¡¯t openly available to common society.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°I understand this is all coming as a shock to you. There is a world you have not known about, and that was due to your living of an everyday, ordinary life. No fault to you, of course. Most people choose not to dig deeper than the world they¡¯re presented with, and because of that, society remains ignorant on it all.


    The elements are an exception, of course. Those are too large of a power to hide. The governments won¡¯t openly advertise abilities beyond that, however. It is with intention though, I assure you. Could you imagine if everyone could move at the speed of sound? There would be chaos,¡± Marin patiently explained.


    There was a long silence, and for once, Gus didn¡¯t have words to say. Marin knew he was dropping heavy information on him.


    ¡°...In fact, books on the secret skills are illegal,¡± Marin stated in a quieter voice, almost reminding himself. ¡°...They are top secrets, traded underground.¡±


    Marin looked over to Gus, seeing him stare down at the road while they walked. He turned his head back, gaze focused on the road ahead of them. There was a break in the talking, as Gus pondered.


    ¡°Slow time. And the movement of the rogues was another skill?¡± Gus asked.


    ¡°Speed.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ how many skills are there?¡±


    ¡°No one knows. Every once in a while a genius invents a new skill, and it¡¯s only passed around if they record how they did it in a book. Known as skill books. They¡¯re valuable, but also illegal, as I stated earlier.¡±


    ¡°And have you read some?¡± Gus fearfully asked.


    Marin darted his head around, making sure no one was eavesdropping.


    ¡°...I¡¯ve been in possession of quite a few over the years,¡± he admitted in a hushed voice.


    Gus gulped. If this wasn¡¯t some elaborate prank Marin was cooking up, he was in over his head. So much so, he wondered if he would even be able to come to terms with it all.


    ¡°This is¡­ This is a lot to take in.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    From then on, any conversation became sparse. The two traveled side by side, Marin on the left, and Gus on the right. The fields shifted to a downward slope as they continued on, indicating that they even now were still descending in elevation from the north.


    Trees started to appear more often. It wouldn¡¯t be long now before they reached the Roaming River, and in turn Navaren.


    Every once in a while, a traveler or cart moving the opposite direction would pass by them. It had become a common sight to see at this point. Most were merchants or transporters, moving various wares to different cities. Strong horses shouldered the burden of the packed carts. The clopping of hooves onto the cobblestone paths became a semi-regular sound.


    What was not a regular occurrence, however, was the sound of a legion of them.


    Marin and Gus suddenly heard many horses behind a curve of the road. The hundreds of horses trotting against the stone sounded like the roar of an ocean.


    ¡°Do you hear that?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Sounds like soldiers,¡± Gus identified.


    ¡°RAM?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. A company of them moving to a new position,¡± Gus explained.


    They stopped walking in anticipation, and sure enough to Gus¡¯s claim, within a moment a large wall of horses with metal armored knights stationed on top of them came around the curve. They all moved in line, an impenetrable barricade of ordered might.


    Marin marveled for a bit. He hadn¡¯t seen RAM in this sort of condition two hundred years ago. If these were truly RAM soldiers, they had beefed up their forces. The reflective, shining armor of the knights stationed on these steeds were of impeccable quality.


    ¡°Oh yeah, that¡¯s RAM,¡± Gus stated again, sounding more sure than before.


    As good as this group of decorated soldiers looked, it was obvious that RAM had come into a larger degree of finance. Marin wondered if it was from higher tax rates or recent expansion of their empire into new resources.


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ¡°Quick, over here,¡± Gus ordered Marin. He stood to the side of the road, to make way for the central government¡¯s armed forces.


    Marin followed Gus, catching on that new rules had apparently been established since he had been dead.


    ¡°What do we do?¡± Marin inquired.


    ¡°Stand still. Arms to your side. Make no movements as they pass by,¡± Gus quickly instructed.


    Marin started to worry if his mask would arouse suspicion. While they were still out of ear¡¯s reach, Marin asked more questions.


    ¡°Will they inquire about my mask?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°They won¡¯t as long as you stay orderly. I¡¯d hate for them to harass you about it, so just stand still and don¡¯t stick out.¡±


    Marin didn¡¯t need to be told twice. He froze in place as the guards approached the two of them. As they got close, he estimated about one hundred soldiers, with a captain leading the front.


    The knights wore tabards with the three letters in gold across them. The armor was shined and flawless. It was obvious this company of warriors hadn¡¯t seen battle yet. Or if they had, new armor had been granted to them. Steel armor of this quality wasn¡¯t cheap, however, so Marin bet on the former reasoning.


    On either corner of the perfect formation were flag bearers that held high poles. At the ends of them, lengthy red tails over ten feet long flew behind. As impressive as it was, part of Marin¡¯s mind thought this could even be an advertising stunt, a message to anyone who saw that the government was doing well.


    The knight¡¯s faces were nearly concealed, minus their eyes, due to the clad protection of the helm they wore. Besides the guarding of their faces, the helms also caused an intimidation factor ¨C the knights came across as war machines rather than people. He had to remind himself that there were humans under that armor.


    It didn¡¯t phase Gus a bit. He had seen RAM soldiers many times before, and this occasion was no different.


    Again, Gus proved to be right. As the fearsome knights trailed by in a clean motion, they paid the two of them no heed. Marin wouldn¡¯t take a sigh of relief though until they were far ahead.


    A few horses neighed as they marched on. Expenses hadn¡¯t been spared for the steeds either. They were adorned with trimmed cloth, held together by chain mail and leather skins.


    Marin estimated a cost of two thousand gold pieces to fully outfit this company. An impressive figure, seeing as that same amount could afford several well built houses in a village.


    Finally, the tense moment had passed as the soldiers had cleared the two of them and continued up north. Once they were far in the distance, Gus relaxed his tense form.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Gus said as he walked forward to rejoin the cobble road, signaling the end of their fearful stance. ¡°What are they doing out here?¡± he asked himself.


    Marin stepped back onto the road again as well, and turned to look at the company in the distance.


    ¡°They might be going to Orhome. Maybe to reinforce it,¡± Marin guessed.


    ¡°Why though?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know.¡±


    One thing was for certain in Marin¡¯s mind ¨C RAM seemed a lot stronger than it was two centuries ago. He recalled Harrel talking about how they almost went tyrannical ¨C that was before Neo and Arkana somehow teamed up in a threat to remove them. They had certainly grown in power.


    Back on the road, Marin asked Gus everything he knew about RAM. From Gus¡¯s knowledge, they had stations set up in Whitewood, and almost every other city.


    ¡°If they look that well off, RAM has obtained a large amount of funds. Would you know anything about that?¡± Marin asked.


    Gus shook his head no.


    ¡°I suppose Harrel would know more about it.¡± Marin made a mental note to inquire more about RAM to his financial manager when he returned to Nocturne Castle.


    It wasn¡¯t long after they returned to the monotony of walking that they heard a large body of water flowing. The sun had began to near the horizon as they approached the Roaming River ¨C a boarder to Tresdor and the new region they were about to enter.


    The flowing water could be heard some distance away ¨C despite not seeing the river yet, they knew they were about to cross it.


    While Gus had never left the northern regions, Marin was well traveled from some time ago. Most of the continent had slipped his mind from all those years sleeping, but one thing he vividly remembered was the Roaming River, and that helped anchor the rest of his recollection of the geography.


    A wave of comfort rushed over him in relief of knowing that not everything had been changed or altered to a point of unfamiliarity.


    The river was impressive. Marin and Gus approached a wooden bridge held together by iron beams, and a flowing channel of water spanning some seventy feet made its way by underneath. It did not look pleasant to be in ¨C the speed that the water moved at was so quick, it looked to drown anything in its way.


    ¡°Man this river is huge!¡± Gus exclaimed, never seeing one of this magnitude before. It certainly paled in comparison to the trickles of water that made up White Forest¡¯s small rivers.


    Marin nodded, a slight grin under his mask. ¡°This is a larger part of it. These waters travel so far that several cities and towns make use of it, far southwest.¡±


    ¡°Really? Could we ride it all the way to Tarenfall?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t go there.¡±


    ¡°Darn. With a river this impressive, it sucks they can¡¯t partake in it.¡±


    Gus ventured ahead on to the bridge. The wooden boards flexed slightly under his weight. When he got to the halfway point, he veered to the guard rail and watched the water flow under him.


    He marveled at the greenish-blue waters that made their way further south. Some twigs and debris accompanied the journey. It was not long before Marin had crept up besides him to join his sightseeing.


    Gus looked over to Marin, but he made no reaction. He just studied the river as well. For this entire quest, Marin had been against any pauses to the destination for mere enjoyment of the surroundings. For this however, he seemed to put that rule on hold. Gus sensed that this river was no ordinary landmark for King Marin.


    ¡°Have you crossed this river before?¡± Gus asked.


    ¡°Many a times. Hard not to, seeing how long it is,¡± Marin responded.


    ¡°Can I see it on the map again?¡±


    Marin allowed Gus to reach in his traveler¡¯s bag and pull the map out. He unraveled it on the thick guard rail, and studied it.


    Marin continued to gaze down at the river during that time, and allowed himself to be hypnotized by the moving patterns of water. To him, it all started to feel like memories being flushed away from his mind, each wave and ripple representing a thought he once had, lost to the centuries of being dead.


    If only there was a way to reverse the flow of the river, allow his mind to be fully restored. Maybe even create a net to catch the patterns at the end of the path, before it emptied out into the vast ocean where it could never be recovered.


    He could¡¯ve spent a few more minutes in deep ponder, but it was interrupted when he saw his map fly into the water below.


    ¡°Shoot!¡± Gus yelled.


    When Marin looked over, he saw Gus¡¯s arm reaching down below the top of the rail, where the map had launched itself. Gus quickly ran to the other side of the bridge, to see the large piece of paper float down the Roaming River.


    ¡°Well, there goes our map, Gus,¡± Marin stated.


    ¡°Quick, Marin! Use your ice powers and grab it!¡±


    Marin approached the other side of the bridge where Gus was, and observed the map cover distance away from the two of them. A few thoughts ran through his head before he responded.


    If he had lost nearly all his memories, nearly all of his castle¡¯s belongings, nearly all his life, and everything about it, what was a map, too?


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, let it go. We¡¯ll buy a new one in Navaren.¡±


    ¡°A-are you sure?¡± Gus asked, feeling awful from his accident.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a map, Gus. There are much more important things that could be lost. Things that¡­ have been.¡±


    Gus looked over to Marin. That was a suspicious statement for him to make. After Marin felt his gaze for a moment, he walked off.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, let¡¯s keep moving,¡± Marin finally said.


    The sounds of the river faded in the distance as they walked on. Gus felt bummed out from his mistake ¨C he had underestimated the wind that the waters generated, and after letting the map rest alone for a mere second, it flew off the rail.


    He replayed it over and over again, and hoped that Marin wasn¡¯t too disappointed. He seemed to not care much about it from the statements he made, but Gus felt that he thought otherwise ¨C and it was a weird phrase he said. Things had been lost. What did that mean?


    Gus had to settle on the fact that he may never find out. He eventually pushed the whole event out of his mind, and started to think again about the information bomb Marin dropped on him about those secret skills.


    On the road, the two of them reached a signpost. It relayed to them that Navaren was just ahead, and that they hadn¡¯t made an accidental turn somewhere. They had to rely on these since Gus¡¯s blunder, but Marin did all he could to not make the young lad feel bad.


    Conversation was sparse, Gus had seemingly received his fill of information for the time being. Much had been unloaded onto him, and he needed a break from his continuous dive for Marin¡¯s knowledge.


    Speaking on Marin¡¯s knowledge, it seemed like everything the King shared with him only opened up more doors on what he knew. Gus was starting to get a glimpse of Marin¡¯s vast knowledge, not known to him that so much of it had been lost.


    The sun was setting when in the distance, the tops of buildings could be seen. They were an arm¡¯s reach from Navaren¡¯s boarders. The roads became more populated, noises of voices and carts could be heard from every direction. Gus breathed a sigh of relief that they had finally made it. Only two days had passed from traveling and he was already getting sick of the road.


    Navaren itself wasn¡¯t as large as Whitewood ¨C it was more of a town than a city, but hosted a large business district along with the residential. Wrapping around the town were farms to grow crops. The soil had become rich since crossing the river, and farmland was abundant because of it.


    In the town itself, Marin told Gus that he hoped to find a clothing store before the day ended. After Gus spoke with some of the denizens, he got the information he needed.


    ¡°We need a second hand clothing store, nothing new,¡± Gus asked a bystander.


    They were pointed in a direction and they walked with haste. Marin kept his head down and minded his own business while Gus¡¯s sight wandered in every direction. They eventually found the store, and headed inside.


    It was definitely a used clothes store. The large room had a musty smell, and racks of clothing hung from long metal bars.


    ¡°Alright Marin, let¡¯s find you something poor.¡± Gus declared as he started to leaf through the clothing.


    Marin watched him for a bit, before wandering off on his own. He couldn¡¯t recall the last time he wore such dilapidated attire. He guessed he must¡¯ve when he was young.


    Or did he? He was born into nobility, wasn¡¯t he? He looked down at his ring, which contained his family seal. If his family had a seal, he must¡¯ve been rich throughout his life, right? There¡¯s no way he could have worn such garments.


    Wait a minute. I don¡¯t think this is even my ring.


    Marin began to question everything, and began to realize that he truly knew nothing of his past life. Who he was, how he grew up, even his family. He now was doubting the ring he wore.


    No, no. It¡¯s got to be my ring. I remember it. I¡­ remember it.


    Marin took a sigh. He was allowing himself to spiral, and needed to step back and recollect himself.


    ¡°Hey King Marin, what about this one?¡± Gus yelled, holding up a stained yellow-white drawstring shirt.


    Sullivan Marin focused again, and put out all thoughts of doubt. The shirt Gus held up was too revealing ¨C showing any bit of skin was extremely risky, and he knew that the clothing had to be sealed.


    ¡°Find me something more¡­ concealing,¡± Marin offered.


    Gus looked down to the shirt he picked out, then to Marin¡¯s robes, and made the connection.


    ¡°Gotcha.¡±


    It took them a while to find some garments that would fit all of his requirements, but after half an hour, they had assembled dark brown tattered clothing that looked to be in poor condition, but also would fully cover his body as his royal robes did.


    Marin told Gus that he would keep his current gloves and shoes. After purchasing the clothing, which costed a measly 22 silver, they made their way back outside, and looked for an inn to stay at for the night.


    Marin held his new (old) clothes within his arm and torso as they hit the main road. He hoped not too many people would notice the large slash in his garments on his back. It wouldn¡¯t be long before he could change.


    Gus successfully found several of Navaren¡¯s inns. The town had a couple that they could stay at, but Marin insisted they not pick the fanciest one. Inside, Gus made small talk with the innkeeper while Marin slid some coins over the counter for the cost of the room. Gus ate a meal alone that paled in comparison to Elmo¡¯s from last night. Marin had taken off to the room alone as he always had.


    When Gus finished eating, he waited a while before approaching the door to their room. When he got there, he knocked, and Marin responded that he could enter. When Gus opened the door, he saw that Marin had changed out of his dark blue robes and into the tattered clothing.


    It took Gus by shock, seeing his King in such lowly garments. He went from looking like a mysterious noble to a downright rogue.


    ¡°Wow, Marin. You...uh,¡± Gus began.


    ¡°How does it look?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°You look different.¡±


    ¡°Does it look bad?¡±


    ¡°Bad in the way we wanted it to. It¡¯s just crazy that I¡¯m realizing I¡¯ve always identified you by your clothing since I can¡¯t see your face, and now I have to readjust how you look,¡± Gus explained.


    Gus noticed that he had transferred over his gold cross necklace, and ring. It seemed that Marin still needed to keep some familiarity on him. After staring at his King for a moment, he looked to Marin¡¯s old robes on the bed.


    ¡°What will we do with those?¡± Gus added.


    ¡°They¡¯re not too big,¡± Marin stated while grabbing and folding them. ¡°Will you be able to keep them in your pack?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Gus. You¡¯ve been a huge help to me so far, I want you to know that,¡± Marin said to him.


    Gus didn¡¯t exactly believe his words.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I felt pretty useless after that rogue ambush, and even more so when I dropped our map into the river.¡±


    ¡°Accidents happen. You don¡¯t make them very often. And contrary to what you¡¯ve said, you¡¯ve been quite useful. You handle almost all interactions for me, and I really need that. That¡¯s why I took you in the first place. You¡¯re well experienced in the places I needed you to be,¡± Marin explained.


    Gus shrugged. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Within an hour, Gus was in bed, and ready to fall asleep. Marin actually laid on his bed too, but knew he wouldn¡¯t be getting a wink of sleep.


    ¡°You know, you¡¯re a really mysterious guy,¡± Gus admitted in a sleepy voice.


    ¡°Yeah. Yeah, I know,¡± Marin finally acknowledged, even to himself.


    Gus said nothing else. Marin thought about it all for a while. After a few minutes passed, the King spoke again.


    ¡°You know, maybe overtime, I¡¯ll unravel my secrets to you. You never know. I know you¡¯d like that, eh Gus?¡±


    Marin heard a snore.

 Chapter 19 - Brick by Brick

    ¡°You missed one over there, go an¡¯ get it!¡± Rocko bellowed out, pointing to a snow-covered stone in the distance.


    Phil threw his hands up. ¡°That ones yours!¡±


    ¡°Nuh-uh, I done loaded all these ones up that were over there,¡± Rocko explained back, pointing in a direction.


    Phil¡¯s brain cells lit up as he looked from where the two stone piles had once been. A single large stone that was still over to his side rested off away in the distance.


    ¡°Oh¡­ fine!¡± Phil¡¯s stick body shuffled over to the last rock. He bent over, and with every muscle fiber he had, hoisted the rock up to his chest. He brought it back over and dumped it into the large wagon.


    ¡°That¡¯s all of ¡®em. Let¡¯s go,¡± he added, out of breath.


    Rocko and Phil approached the front of the horse drawn wagon. They climbed up to the bench stationed just behind the horse, and Rocko grabbed the reigns.


    It was a clear day at Nocturne Castle. With Marin and Gus off on their quest for stronger allies, Loid was in charge of the day to day operations. That included overseeing the courtyard project Marin requested be rebuilt to the right of the castle.


    Without much else they were capable of doing, Loid assigned the two of them to help Fern Coronga get the job done.


    Rocko snapped the reigns, and the horse moved forward, carrying the load of stones to the other side of Nocturne. Phil lowered his head, and his messy, sandy bangs hung in front of his forehead. It had been a hard day, but their work hours were nearing completion.


    Rocko was a significantly larger man than Phil, and even his muscles hurt. It might have been due to him purposely hauling more than his friend for this project. Rocko had been looking out for him this whole time, and Phil was completely unaware.


    ¡°At least we got the last of these stones,¡± Rocko grumbled, trying to remind Phil and himself that the hardest part had been done.


    Phil looked back up. ¡°Almost quittin¡¯ time?¡±


    ¡°Almost. Jus¡¯ a little longer.¡±


    The horse pulled the cart around the front of the massive castle to the far left, a trek that even took the horse several minutes to do. Down at the other side, Fern was seen operating a stone cutter. He had been cutting up Rocko and Phil¡¯s hauls into manageable bricks. To the left of Fern was a neatly laid cube pile of them.


    When the wagon reached its destination, Rocko and Phil hopped off. Fern turned around to meet them, and he wasn¡¯t entirely happy.


    ¡°About time you both came back around. Did you finally get all of them?¡± He demanded.


    ¡°Aye, sir. This is the last haul,¡± Rocko responded.


    ¡°Good. Well, start grabbing these bricks, and lay them in the order I had over there,¡± Fern instructed while wiping sweat from his brow. He pointed to his freshly cut bricks, and then to the center of the courtyard where he had begun laying them.


    Rocko gave a deep sigh. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Phil.¡±


    Rocko was able to hold four bricks, two in each of his massive, meaty hands, while Phil could only achieve half the amount. His bony twig arms were thinly wrapped it flexed muscle strands as he clutched a brick in each.


    They both huffed as they walked the bricks over, while Fern¡¯s cutting could be heard resuming from behind them. When they got to their destination, they dropped the bricks down. Rocko began laying them into place as Phil turned around to get more.


    The long stone bricks were as cold as they were heavy. Not rough in any sense ¨C due to Fern¡¯s decent talent with a stone cutter, but that hardly made the job easier. He grabbed one and laid it parallel to the one besides it. Afterwards, he shoved the brick against the rest as hard as he could.


    He grabbed the next one, and started to repeat the process. On his knees, he shifted position to lay yet another as Phil dropped two more besides him.


    They were both exhausted.


    When Phil walked away again, Rocko grabbed another. For a moment, he stopped. He felt the stone brick in his hand. He looked down at it. A type of slate ¨C very robust. Fine-grained, foliated, and metamorphic. Originally formed from a shale-type of sedimentary.


    He squeezed the brick as he pondered its properties.


    He could end it all, right now.


    He clutched the stone harder, and started feeling a vibration. He began to hear the bricks around him cry out.


    ¡°Hey! If you¡¯re not working, than neither am I!¡± Phil exclaimed when he walked back over with two more bricks and caught Rocko daydreaming.


    Rocko shook his head and blinked, all the feelings leaving him.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± he mumbled, as he took the brick in hand, and laid it down.


    The sharp noise of metal to stone came alive again after Fern grabbed a new stone from the cart. The sound was loud and unpleasant to the ears, especially Rocko¡¯s.


    It was not long before Rocko stood back up to grab new bricks, beating Phil¡¯s rate of bringing them to his laying. He passed Phil as he saw his clouded breath rise from his mouth like puffs from a train¡¯s smokestack. Jogging might¡¯ve been a less demanding activity for the bony lad.


    Brick after brick was installed into the ground. Eventually, they had cleared Fern¡¯s sizable pile. Fern looked over to the empty spot, and gave Rocko an approving nod. After Rocko stood there for a moment, Fern rolled his sleeve up to spot his watch.


    ¡°Thirty minutes until work¡¯s done,¡± he mentioned while flipping an in-progress rock to its side. ¡°Go ahead and unload the rest of the uncut stones onto the ground, then take Bossy back to the stables. Return to me once you¡¯ve done that.¡±


    Bossy neighed at hearing his name.


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    Phil climbed into the back of the cart, and began handing off the large stones to Rocko, who threw each one onto the ground besides him. When that task was completed, they both climbed into the front bench, and directed the horse back around.


    Bossy moved at a happier pace with a completely empty cart. Phil let out a yawn. The sun was beginning to set.


    As they began to cross the front of the castle, Phil piped up. ¡°I think¡­ I think Fern outta have the horse¡¯s name. Because he¡¯s bossier than Bossy is,¡± he stated as a matter of fact.


    Rocko laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t let Fern hear ya saying that.¡±


    ¡°What do you reckon dinner is tonight?¡± Phil asked, trying to focus on the relaxing time ahead.


    ¡°I dunno. What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Beef. Wait wait, pork! Maybe beef fried in pork fat. Maybe-¡±


    ¡°As if meat didn¡¯t give off enough of its own fat to be fried in! You keep trying to eat like that, you won¡¯t be around in a few more decades,¡± Rocko exclaimed.


    It would come across to anyone as surprising to find out that Phil was the heavier eater out of the two of them, especially given their body size. Phil¡¯s stature refused to gain any more mass than it already had, despite his inhaling of Nocturne¡¯s gourmet cuisine.


    To Phil, all the work he endured was made easier, knowing he had a meal coming that was miles better than whatever he had in previous times.


    When heading to the left-face of Nocturne Castle, at the beginning of the wall, there is a tower with a large opening. Inside, horses fenced in chowed on straw, while a few workers brushed them. This was the stables.


    Rocko guided Bossy to this location, and as much as the horse disliked going in the direction it was made to go, he did not put up a fight in returning to the warm interior of the castle.


    Some stablehands greeted Bossy back into the opening after his long day of hauling rocks. Rocko and Phil hopped off the cart as they took over. They began to untether the work horse from its wagon as both of them walked back outside and across the castle once again.


    Back on the other side, Fern finished cutting the last stone into a brick that he would for the day. He moved the brick over to a new pile he started, then turned to face them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get all this debris shoveled up, and we¡¯re done for the day,¡± he told them. Fern walked over to the corner to a few tools that were leaning up against the castle. He grabbed a shovel, with Rocko and Phil following suit.


    Soon all three were shoveling the remains of Fern¡¯s neatly cut bricks. The stone cutter spat pebbles of broken-off slate from the job, and after a day¡¯s worth of doing so, it had accumulated quite a bit. It was the last task they had to do.


    ¡°Alright boys, it¡¯s looking real good around here. Have yourselves a nice evening,¡± Fern announced.


    Relieved, and with a sigh, they both returned their shovels, and walked away from the worksite. Another day completed.


    A standard work day at Nocturne Castle ended at 5 o¡¯ clock, with dinner starting at 6, and running until 8. It gave most workers an hour to recover some before eating. Rocko and Phil entered the castle from the right side where the courtyard was being remade. Back inside, the warmth from the local fireplaces met them with comfort.


    Rocko unzipped his jacket and hung it from his shoulder while Phil wasn¡¯t feeling warm enough yet to do the same. They were making their way back to their bedroom to unwind for a while. As they navigated the turns of the lengthy hallways, Rocko could still remember how empty and in disrepair it all used to look.


    King Marin returning from his nearly eternal slumber had revived not only himself, but also his castle dwelling, which now housed the population of a large village. Due to this fact, the castle felt very homey in almost every section. Almost every section, minus a few wings in the back, and also the lower basements and catacombs.


    Phil and Rocko were some of the very few people who knew about the hidden vault in the deep basements below. Rocko knew the entire castle had been restored on the wealth that Marin had worked so hard to obtain from centuries ago.


    How he earned that gold though, he wondered if anyone knew.


    Phil jumped onto a plush couch when they entered their bedroom at the far end of the hallway. He kicked his feet up, and rested his hands behind his head.


    Rocko took a comfortable chair in the opposite corner. He leaned his head back.


    They rested for spell in silence. After about ten minutes, Phil was done with their siesta.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go,¡± Phil said.


    Rocko leaned his head back up, seeing that Phil had crept up right in front of him.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go see what Loid¡¯s doing. Maybe he¡¯s playing cards again.¡±


    Rocko was still worn from the day¡¯s work, and couldn¡¯t imagine how Phil was ready to go again so quickly. In fact, he might¡¯ve fallen asleep in the chair if Phil hadn¡¯t disturbed him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like playin¡¯ cards. I¡¯m no good at it anyways,¡± Rocko stated.


    ¡°C¡¯mon. You don¡¯t even have to play. You can just sit and watch. Its fun just to be there sometimes,¡± Phil tried persuading.


    Rocko shook his head, but got up anyways.


    They walked out of the bedroom. Phil finally had his coat off, and showed off his stained white T-shirt. Rocko had on a knitted sweater that an elderly woman made for him. It took much more yarn for her to make than she had imagined.


    A few of the denizens in the castle greeted the two as they walked by. Rocko made a few nods at the maids. They took a few flights of stairs and passed the offices that Helva and Harrel worked in, that were now closed for the evening.


    As they got closer to the room at the end of the hallway, laughter could be heard.


    Loid was indeed playing cards.


    Rocko and Phil entered a sizable space at the end of the hallway of offices. In this back room, a large round wooden table stood in the center. Above it was a brightly lit chandelier with many flames dancing across its rim. Around the table sat Loid and several other Nocturne higher-ups.


    The table was littered with cards, chips, and papers.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    Everyone looked up when they both entered the room. Loid turned around to see them.


    ¡°Ah boys, there you are. Come, come sit.¡± Loid waved his hand at them, gesturing to a few empty seats close by to him.


    Phil happily ran ahead to his seat with Rocko trailing behind.


    ¡°How¡¯s that courtyard looking?¡± He added.


    ¡°Still workin¡¯ on it,¡± Rocko stated as the chair beneath him creaked from his massive body weight.


    ¡°Deal me in! Deal me in!¡± Phil chanted.


    ¡°I had no idea Fern could make bricks so well. He really knows how to work a stonecutter,¡± Helva stated while reading her cards.


    ¡°I guess he picked that up from working on the roads going to Nocturne. Damn hard worker, Fern is. He¡¯s dedicated,¡± Loid responded.


    ¡°Don¡¯t remind me,¡± Rocko said.


    Everyone chuckled. Phil was given chips and a few cards.


    ¡°You in, Rock?¡± Loid asked.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. Alright,¡± Rocko responded. He was also given the same.


    A few hands were played. Phil played aggressively, placing high bets while rubbing his hands together vigorously. Rocko tried to conserve his chips the best he could, and folded every hand he was given unless it was top cards.


    Loid was to Rocko¡¯s left, with Phil on his right. Going around the table, Helva sat with a cigarette between her fingers, hair frizzled and glasses hanging at the end of her nose. Max Coronga, the captain of Nocturne¡¯s guards, stroked his short stone-gray beard while deciding to place a bigger bet.


    Besides him was Ned Calamo, a jittery fellow who recently joined the kingdom as an interior designer. The middle-aged man was balding, perhaps due to the frequent scratching of his head at every thought.


    Lastly was Jasmine Rochon, a short woman of generous proportions who oversaw the maids and cleaning of the castle. She was still on shift but took a short break to play cards when she saw the office had closed.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m doing it. I¡¯m all in,¡± Max declared while shoving his chips into the center.


    ¡°I fold,¡± Helva said.


    Loid scoffed. ¡°You sure you want to do that, Max? Last time you went all in, we had to install a new chandelier.¡±


    Everyone laughed.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious this time. I can¡¯t be beat!¡± He argued.


    ¡°Suit yourself,¡± Loid said back, while equally pushing his chips to the center to meet Max¡¯s.


    Phil would have loved to have some of his own chips in the pot to get in on the action, but he had lost almost all of it already. He sat in place silently, pouting over his measly short stack of what he had left.


    Max threw his cards down, a smirk on the old man that couldn¡¯t be wiped off from the announcement of a new war.


    ¡°Read em¡¯ and weep,¡± Max stated.


    Loid threw his down with a grin.


    Max leaned forward to see what Loid had been holding.


    ¡°NOOOOOOOO!!¡± Max roared as he stood up, arms flailing above him. Rage filled the man, a type of anger that would fuel his survival in any up-coming battle. His face went beet red as he realized he once again had been thwarted by the former innkeeper.


    ¡°Max watch out for the chandelier!!¡± Helva yelled, cowering from him.


    Max looked up, noticing that his arms had missed the dangling ornament by mere centimeters. He then looked back down to the man across the table from him.


    ¡°This is the last time I play poker with you, Loid! You devious plant!¡± He pointed at Loid, who had been leaning back with a goofy smile on his face. Max grumbled as he stormed away, out of the room.


    They all stayed silent for a moment, listening to the dwindling sound of Max swearing as he walked down the hallway.


    ¡°Alright, I think I¡¯ve had enough,¡± Helva said, fixing the glasses on her face. She scooted her chair away from the table, having her fill of terror for the day.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Helva,¡± Loid tried.


    She shook her head no.


    ¡°Hey, if Max doesn¡¯t get that anger under control, I won¡¯t want to play with him too much longer as well!¡± Jasmine stated, her upper chest barely above the table.


    ¡°Alright, alright. Calm down, I¡¯ll talk to him,¡± Loid told everyone, waving his hand in a downward motion.


    The game continued with Max and Helva gone. Within two more hands, Phil was out of chips. He asked to borrow some of Rocko¡¯s, but he declined him. He sat there and continued to spectate the game.


    Soon, Loid had levied the chips of Ned and Jasmine as well, who got up from the table and headed down to dinner at their loss. It had become just Loid and Rocko who played a few hands together. Not wanting to play much longer, Rocko went all in on a hand that lost him the rest of his chips.


    ¡°Oh you almost had ¡®em,¡± Phil declared, shaking his fists at his friend¡¯s loss.


    ¡°I suppose we¡¯re done, then,¡± Loid announced, finally standing up from the table. ¡°You guys want to head to dinner with me?¡± He asked them.


    All three of them left the room, and walked down the hallway. Loid asked how they were both doing and if the castle life had been treating them well. Phil stated how wonderful it was, all due to the fact that he was about to eat delicious meat. Rocko talked with Loid in greater detail about it.


    In the dining room, food had already been leaving the kitchen to feed the citizens for the last hour. People came and went, getting their fill of food. Maids took platters as they emptied, and replaced them with new ones piled high with cuisine. The tables were always loaded, steam trailing off of them from the heat of the cooked grub.


    Loid took a seat at the end of the center table as he always did, and made talk with Marge the Librarian, who was finishing up her meal. Phil and Rocko sat at a different table, and began to chow down.


    ¡°Oh man, steak!¡± Phil declared, stacking a fork high in the medium well meat. Compared to the stale bread and dried, salted jerky he used to eat, he still hadn¡¯t become used to the castle food.


    Rocko pecked at his plate, not eating much. He seemingly had a lot on his mind.


    After dinner, the two of them headed back to their bedroom. Phil¡¯s gut stuck out a few more inches than usual, something that had concerned Rocko a bit, but in the morning, it always shrunk back down.


    ¡°That was exactly what I wanted for dinner,¡± Phil said, satisfied. He sat back down on his sofa.


    ¡°It was delicious, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Rocko asked.


    ¡°Scrumptuous,¡± Phil tried saying. Rocko didn¡¯t even know if that was a real word.


    ¡°What are you gonna do now?¡± He asked.


    Phil reached into a drawer. ¡°I¡¯m still tryna¡¯ figure out how to open this,¡± he stated, holding a wooden puzzle box in his hands.


    He slid a piece back and forth. ¡°This part moves but then it still doesn¡¯t budge. I think I gotta wiggle somethin¡¯ else,¡± he added, his fingers pushing on the corners.


    ¡°Alright well you figure that out, I¡¯m gonna take a dump,¡± Rocko responded while grabbing a newspaper from the counter. He left the room and closed the door behind him. He walked down the hallway, and a person saw him with the newspaper in hand.


    ¡°Rocko!¡± The man said, pointing at the paper between his arm and his side. ¡°You read that?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ yeah?¡± He responded.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could read!¡± The man stated.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Rocko chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m trying my best!¡±


    ¡°Good on ya, buddy. It¡¯s nice to see you trying to learn new things.¡± The man then walked on.


    When he was out of sight, Rocko¡¯s goofy smile instantly disappeared. He took a left into the bathroom.


    He entered a stall, closed the door, and sat down. He unfolded the newspaper.


    In between the pages was a blank letter paper and fancy pen. He dabbed the end of the pen on his tongue, and began to write on the paper, using the newspaper and his knee to support the writing.


    He wrote line after line, spending some time in the stall. Every moment or so, someone entered the bathroom. He quit writing, and waited for the person to complete their business. When they left, he continued to write.


    He filled the letter with line after line of poorly written text. He got to the bottom when suddenly he heard a noise.


    An explosion!


    Rocko¡¯s head jolted up. What the heck was that? It sounded close by. Rocko quickly signed the letter, stuffed it into his pocket, and pulled his draws up. He threw the bathroom stall open, and left the room.


    Everything seemed ordinary. He ran down the hall to his room to check on Phil to see if he had also heard the noise.


    When Rocko threw the door open, his jaw dropped.


    There stood Phil, cowering, biting his nails and shaking. Besides him was a massive hole in the wall exposing the outside. Snow blew by in the cold, dark air. Debris littered the floor, bricks from the wall lay everywhere. Smoke rose from the edges of what was left.


    ¡°WHAT THE-!¡± Rocko yelled out as he slammed the door behind him.


    ¡°It was an accident! I didn¡¯t mean to do it Rocko! Please! I couldn¡¯t get the box open! I don¡¯t want to die!¡± Phil stammered on, giving every excuse he could, pleading to his friend.


    ¡°Phil!!¡± He cried out, placing his hands on his bald head, hundreds of thoughts racing a second.


    ¡°What¡¯s gonna happen to me?! Rocko! Please fix it! Can you fix it?!¡± Phil continued on.


    Rocko paced back and forth, eyes boggling. Someone was bound to show up any second demanding what had happened. What was he going to do?


    After a short moment that felt like an eternity, Rocko picked his head up and looked at Phil, who was nearly crying.


    ¡°Okay, okay, it¡¯s alright,¡± Rocko tried calming him, while squeezing his own hands into fists over and over, preparing himself. ¡°I can fix it.¡±


    Rocko crouched down to the floor. He studied all the bricks on the ground. He focused as hard as he could. The stone bricks began to cry out to him once again.


    ¡°Phil, turn around and look away,¡± Rocko instructed in a serious tone.


    Phil turned to face the corner and covered his eyes.


    Meanwhile, Loid was running down the hallway. He had heard the explosion.


    ¡°Is everyone alright?!¡± He called out, passing bedrooms. A few denizens poked their heads out in fear, others had stayed in their rooms to protect themselves.


    ¡°What was that?¡± He called out again.


    The man who had complimented Rocko earlier met Loid in the hallway. ¡°I heard it come from Phil and Rocko¡¯s room, down at the end, there,¡± he said.


    Loid ran faster. He got to the last door, and threw it open.


    ¡°Guys?! Are you okay?!¡± He yelled as he barged in.


    Rocko was sitting on the couch besides Phil, calming him down.


    The room was immaculate. No hole, no debris on the floor. There was nothing out of the ordinary.


    Loid studied the room for a moment. ¡°Did you guys hear a noise? Like an explosion?¡± He demanded.


    ¡°Yeah!¡± Rocko said back. ¡°It scared Phil really bad, made him cry! I¡¯m trying to cheer him up!¡±


    ¡°Where did it come from?!¡±


    ¡°I heard it outside!¡± Rocko exclaimed.


    Loid¡¯s eyes scanned their room one last time. Where ever the explosion came from, it hadn¡¯t effected their room at all. He gazed at them, then nodded.


    ¡°You two stay here for now. I¡¯m going to head outside and investigate.¡± With that, Loid slammed their door shut, and his footsteps could be heard running away.


    Rocko continued to pat Phil¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°D-did you fix it¡­ Rocko?¡± He asked in a stuttered voice, holding back tears.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s okay now. But you can¡¯t ever tell anyone, and you can¡¯t ever do that again. You understand?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Rocko hugged him.


    Loid spent the next hour or so trying to find any evidence of the loud blast he had heard. Outside, the castle was perfect, despite some guards also reporting the noise. Inside, he talked with several of the residents who shared Phil and Rocko¡¯s hallway, hearing their stories of the noise.


    It was certain to him that the explosion had been heard, heard by many, but there was zero indication that it had happened. His mind raced with what it could have been. An earthquake? Something breaking underground? Something snapping within the walls? There were a million far-fetched ideas, but none that quite lined up with the intensity of the noise.


    Eventually, Loid opened their door again, with a defeated expression on his face.


    ¡°We were unable to figure out where the explosion came from. It¡¯s¡­ bewildering,¡± Loid explained to them.


    ¡°Are we able to come out now?¡± Rocko asked.


    ¡°Yes¡­ Um¡­ be careful. And if you see anything weird, let me know immediately.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    With that, the two were allowed back out. It was getting late though, and Phil was becoming sleepy. Rocko ended up tucking him in bed, and making sure he was feeling better.


    After that was done, Rocko left the room, and walked down the hallway. He traveled to the other side of the castle, near the stables and export zones for Nocturne. Over in that area resided the post office the kingdom ran.


    Late at night, he knew it would be closed. The lights were all off, and not a soul was to be found. After he made sure no one was around, he dropped his enveloped-sealed letter into the mail slot.


    He whistled and walked off.

 Chapter 20 - The Tarnished City

    The rest of the journey to Tarenfall had been one of peace. After a brief night in the inn at Navaren, Marin and Gus purchased a new map at the convenient store, and continued their journey south.


    Leaving Navaren, they passed through rich farmlands, a few larger cities, and the kingdom of Kybervald. When dusk neared, they retired to the last inn that they would stay at before reaching Tarenfall.


    During most of the journey, Marin continued to discuss with Gus the elements and other skill techniques ¨C something he had not expected to do or ever planned for, but it was apparent Gus yearned for these practices, and they had a long journey of walking, with nothing else to keep them occupied.


    Marin finally told Gus that if he was so inclined to master an element, he should join with Neo after this quest. He assured Gus that the National Elemental Organization would be the best place to learn, they had streamlined the process and taught excellent fighting tactics. There would be no better place to become a walking weapon. All he had to do was enlist and pledge himself to them for at least one term ¨C that was four years from what Marin could remember.


    Gus told Marin that it was out of the question. He was not planning on leaving his king¡¯s service anytime in the future. He loved his King, and the loyalty he had developed for him thwarted almost everything else.


    ¡°Really, Gus. You should do it. You¡¯re not transferring your loyalty to someone else. I know you¡¯ll still support me, even from a distance. I know you¡¯ll be back after training, and you will return as a much stronger man,¡± Marin explained.


    ¡°Nope. Not gonna do it.¡±


    Marin grinned slightly from the answer. Gus was very stubborn.


    This entire quest so far had taught Marin much. From all the townsfolk and travelers he met on the road, he was developing a better grip on this era¡¯s society. Language was still fundamentally the same, but two hundred years worth of time had changed some percentage of words, phrases, gestures, even body language. Marin had come a long way to adjusting.


    Gus helped him quite a bit in turn as well. Sharing information wasn¡¯t just one-sided from Marin¡¯s perspective, for almost every fact Marin told Gus about the elements, Gus shared with him sayings, phrases, and the do¡¯s and dont¡¯s of conversations with modern-day people.


    They were now further south than they had ever been. The two of them were now out of the northern regions of the continent, and were beginning to near the heart-land. They had covered much ground in a short amount of time. Based on Marin¡¯s readings of the map, they would reach Tarenfall at the end of the day. They had been traveling for four days now.


    ¡°Look at the kingdoms in the far south,¡± Gus pointed out near the bottom of the map. ¡°I reckon it would take three weeks to get all the way down there.¡±


    ¡°That sounds about right,¡± Marin confirmed.


    The map was rolled up and they walked on. Both of them were ready to finally reach the city. The traveling was a novelty to Gus at first ¨C especially since he had never traveled in his life, but four days in, he had walked quite enough. Gus had also ran out of things to talk about ¨C or rather, things that Marin was willing to share, and for that reason, things remained quiet for some stretches of time. Silence was broken occasionally when Gus pointed out a piece of greenery or chunk of land that he had never witnessed before, and would inquire with Marin on what exactly that was.


    Without much else to do, Gus looked at everything he could, and pondered the long talks his King shared with him. His King ¨C he didn¡¯t look like much of a king at the moment. Gus reminded himself that he was still hauling Marin¡¯s royal garments in his backpack, and in place on Marin¡¯s body were the rags they had picked out from a second hand clothing store in Navaren.


    He looked no more than a lowly peasant with a suspicious reason to hide his face. Gus realized the rich, royal garments he wore took hostility away of him being a rogue, since the clothes hinted at some form of wealth, but that was not the case anymore.


    With his mask and poor attire, he looked ready to nab the coin of anyone walking by, and for that reason, Gus knew he¡¯d fit right in inside the crime-ridden city of Tarenfall. Maybe that was his intention.


    The monotony of Gus¡¯s thoughts didn¡¯t last too much longer than that. Before long, both of them reached the peak of a hill the road took them up on. At the top, they gazed outward to a large valley below them. On the other side of the valley, was a huge walled-in city. They stopped walking for a moment.


    ¡°Holy smokes! Is that it?!¡± Gus pointed out far in the distance.


    ¡°That has to be it,¡± Marin said, also relieved that they had finally made it.


    ¡°Tarenfall¡­¡± Gus said to himself in realization.


    A minute passed as they stared off at the city.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°I think so.¡±


    ¡°We have to be careful. Its a large city, its dangerous, and there¡¯s bound to be powerful people there. Keep your wits about you.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Gus gulped.


    They both started walking again. It would be their final stretch of land they would travel.


    This was going to be, by far, the largest urban setting Gus had ever been in. As he struggled with the intimidation Tarenfall gave from its size, he wondered how in the world Marin was holding up. Oh right, he¡¯s a wizard-level elemental. There would be next to no one that could rival him in any fight. What did Marin have to worry about? Gus somehow had let himself forget.


    ¡°Any thoughts you want to share?¡± Marin finally asked after a time of silence.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got to be honest with you, my King. I am nervous,¡± Gus admitted.


    Marin nodded. ¡°Me too.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Gus was shocked to hear that.


    ¡°Oh yes. I have to do some talking. Persuading, actually. I¡¯m going to be recruiting potent warriors to my kingdom, and I hope I can communicate well enough to them.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve learned a lot,¡± Gus assured him.


    ¡°I hope so.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have me with you, too,¡± he reminded him.


    Marin looked over to him. He reminded himself that Loid pointed out Gus to him in their talk from days ago, and suggested that he should join. Gus indeed had been everything that Marin needed. He was young, charismatic, and a decent talker. He didn¡¯t give himself enough credit for his capabilities.


    ¡°You have a lot of pep in you, that might be just what we need,¡± Marin analyzed.


    Getting closer to the city, the sheer size and magnificence of it became apparent. Gus still fully believed Nocturne Castle was more impressive than anything else he had seen, but this was a close second. There were farmsteads spread out on the outside of the walls, with fields of crops surrounding them.


    It was the obvious food source for the city. Carts full of various wares entered and left the city from the front gates. Above the walls, the tallest building¡¯s heights were exposed, hinting at the density deep within.


    The city of Tarenfall ¨C Gus had never seen a burg of this size. The walls encapsulating the endless perimeter must¡¯ve cost a fortune, more gold than even Marin could possibly have.


    For Marin, it was a hard readjustment. The city met him with almost as much intimidation as Gus. When they were standing in front of the city gate, Marin looked over the arch of the entrance. It reached as high as his grand foyer in his castle. All around the two of them, citizens busily moved around them, quick to get to their destinations. Most carrying items, some stood around haggling and begging.


    Wooden wheels turned against the road as wagons hauled food from the countryside. The city was everything Marin thought it would be, and to Gus, even more.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Gus asked in an elevated voice, battling the hundreds of other voices that filled their ears.


    ¡°We need to establish a base of operations. Let¡¯s find ourselves an inn ¨C and a good one this time.¡±


    Marin had good reasoning for this. If they could set themselves up in one of the richer districts of Tarenfall, most crime could be avoided. They would also be in the city for a while, and that meant leaving their items unattended for hours at a time. They needed to get to an inn they could trust.


    ¡°But I¡¯m not even sure where to start,¡± Marin admitted, scratching the back of his head.


    ¡°Hmm. Well, most cities have some sort of welcome building close to the entrance. Whitewood has one. This place is sure to have one as well. Let¡¯s head in and look around,¡± Gus tried.


    With that, they entered. They passed under the arch of the walls. When Marin looked above, he saw the wide iron gate suspended in the air, ready to drop down at a moment¡¯s notice to defend the city. He wondered the last time they ever had to use it.


    Inside was overwhelming to say the least. Their eyes scanned the buildings around them, reading wooden plaques above the heads of wandering cityfolk. Gus took note of a conveniently placed tavern, but remembered Marin wanted something more secure.


    As Gus looked to the wall of buildings on his left, Marin looked to the right, and spotted the information center on his side.


    ¡°I believe that¡¯s where we might find what we need,¡± he stated, getting Gus¡¯s attention and pointing to the golden sign above the doors.


    ¡°Good job, King Marin. You beat me to it this time.¡±


    Marin grinned under the mask.


    They walked to the building, into the doors of the first floor.


    The inside was welcoming enough. On the opposite wall was a counter with a woman sitting behind. In the center of the room was a large glass table. Beneath the glass was a map of the whole city layout.


    ¡°Hey Marin look at this,¡± Gus declared upon noticing.


    They both walked up to it, and studied the easy-to-read map, showing an aerial view of the city, with all its districts and major buildings marked. The city was divided into six districts. The naming scheme on most of them made sense, but Marin wanted to be sure which district they needed to settle into.


    ¡°Excuse me, ma¡¯am,¡± Marin said to the woman behind the counter. ¡°Which district would be the safest place to stay at for a while?¡±


    ¡°Taren Heights. Top left corner,¡± she responded in a blink, taking notice that they were looking at the map. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it though, the cost of living there is higher than what most people can afford.¡±


    Marin thought it was rude that she would make such an assumption about the status of their wealth. That was until, he again realized what he was wearing. That made sense.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Marin offered.


    She didn¡¯t look back up.


    Marin couldn¡¯t believe it. He appeared as a rogue now. Maybe a beggar. A poor person. That was the first assumption of him. Now, everyone who saw him would instantly underestimate him. Marin began to wonder how he could play that to his advantage.


    ¡°I guess we¡¯re off, then,¡± Gus stated.


    They both walked back outside. Gus had done his best to burn the map to his memory. He explained to his King how long they had to travel on this main road before turning off to a different direction. As they walked, Gus guided his King and yelled at merchants trying to sell him a new sword or helmet, based on the warrior clothing he was wearing.


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    ¡°Unbelievable. It¡¯s just as bad here as in Whitewood City. Don¡¯t people here know how to leave someone alone?!¡± He shouted the last part, aiming it at the abusive peddlers all around him.


    No one tried selling Marin a thing.


    At the end of the road, they turned off left, and deeper into the city. At the center of the city was the square, a large open ended area where performers and events took place. Gus took routes to avoid it, predicting it might cause some trouble.


    It took sometime to walk ¨C eventually they were out of the up-front trading districts of the city where they were constantly harassed. They now passed by residential blocks, run down buildings with suspicious persons making deals in alleys. Some warehouses employed workers who loaded and unloaded carts. They also saw a few restaurants and general stores. Gus pointed out a park with broken swings and rusty jungle gyms. This was not a nice area to be in.


    None of the lurking denizens paid the two any mind. Marin looked to be suspicious enough on his own, and with the flashy claymore Gus wielded, it wasn¡¯t worth any thief''s time to case them.


    ¡°That was a smart move getting us to the heights district,¡± Gus whispered to Marin. ¡°I don¡¯t like these people.¡±


    Marin didn¡¯t want to respond. He wanted to keep talking at a minimum through the questionable districts, especially to not risk anyone hearing what Gus was talking about. He might¡¯ve had to break out a few icicles if they caught wind of Gus¡¯s distaste for the thugish locals.  They kept walking.


    Eventually they worked themselves to a wall, which Gus had stated was the border for the rich district. It was a sure fire way to keep the common rabble out of the more privileged individuals¡¯ living spaces.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m going to get in there looking like this?¡± Marin asked as they got near the gate separating the rich from the poor.


    ¡°Hopefully they won¡¯t pay you any mind,¡± Gus responded as he studied a guard standing near the open arch.


    It was a fat chance. Marin doubted with the way he looked that he wouldn¡¯t draw attention once he crossed over.


    ¡°Halt!¡± The guard yelled as they approached. ¡°Where do you think you two are going?¡±


    Gus walked in front of Marin. ¡°We¡¯re travelers. What district is through there?¡± He asked, hoping that his feigned ignorance would gain them entry.


    ¡°Taren Heights is beyond here. And I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re not getting through,¡± the Tarenfall guard told him.


    ¡°We just want to sight-see, that¡¯s all,¡± Gus tried again.


    ¡°Out of the question. Move along now.¡±


    Marin moved Gus to the side. He produced one shiny gold coin from his ragged clothing. The equivalent of one hundred silver. It was enough money to have a decent night on the town. He flashed it in front the guard.


    ¡°We really mean no harm,¡± Marin coaxed. ¡°I promise you we won¡¯t cause trouble.¡±


    The guard looked left to right, then held his palm open down to his side in a sneaky manner. Marin dropped the gold coin into it.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m taking your word on that. Go ahead.¡±


    Marin and Gus said not another word and walked by.


    When they were out of ear¡¯s reach, Gus leaned in.


    ¡°King Marin, did you just bribe that guard?¡± He whispered.


    ¡°No, no. Of course not. Think of it as a gift. A donation to the armed forces of Tarenfall. Lord knows they need it.¡±


    Gus¡¯s eyes narrowed. It seemed that his King was willing to do some shady stuff to see his mission through. Shady at least with money. How many gold coins did Marin have in his coin purse. How loaded with currency was he? It was dangerous to walk around town with a lot of money, Gus knew that much.


    ¡°I hope you brought enough money to stay here for a while, because I feel like that might need to happen a few more times,¡± Gus guessed.


    Marin stroked the bottom of his mask. ¡°Maybe. I guess there¡¯s up and downsides to these peasantry clothes I¡¯m wearing, huh?¡±


    Marin fully believed if he had been wearing his royal dark blue robes with golden trim, the guard wouldn¡¯t have stopped the two of them. Marin would¡¯ve looked like a noble being escorted by his bodyguard. It was certainly a trade-off.


    ¡°There¡¯s definitely downsides to being in this district with them on.¡±


    Taren Heights was unlike anything they had seen in the city so far. Compared to the run-down apartments and buildings from their previous tour, the Heights boasted posh housing in excellent condition. The roads were tiled beautifully, not cracked and overgrown like the poor districts.


    A few landscapers tended to the hedges and lawns of the villas, keeping them in perfect presentation. Some of the properties sported fountains, beautifully carved and spewing water. The architecture and designs reminded Gus of Nocturne Castle.


    ¡°It¡¯s looking pretty good around here,¡± Gus stated as some retired denizens in fancy clothing stared them down. They rocked in chairs on their porches.


    ¡°A crude reminder of socio-economic disparity,¡± Marin grumbled to himself.


    Gus wasn¡¯t sure what that meant, but it sounded smart.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go find the inn.¡±


    They walked with their guards down, a relief to them. They were in a district where they did not need to worry about pickpockets being close by. It had taken them nearly two hours to get to this side of the city, a reminder to them that they were in place twice the size of Whitewood ¨C and that amount of time was traveling the slender length of the urban zone.


    Gus had to manage conversation with a few guards to find out where the best inn was. He tried his best to stand in front of and cover his tattered king. It worked half the time, the other times the guards were more interested in why he had such a ragged old man trailing behind him.


    After that, Gus tried his hardest not to inquire with the law enforcement while being in this area anymore.


    ¡°I am pretty old, Gus. I don¡¯t take offense to it,¡± Marin assured him.


    ¡°Yeah? How old?¡±


    ¡°Pretty old.¡±


    Gus wondered if that was why Marin hid his face. He wanted everyone around him to see him as a capable and powerful ruler, not an old man who¡¯s best years were behind him.


    ¡°Is that why you cover your face? So people don¡¯t see how old you look?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Gus nodded. He had finally figured it out.


    It didn¡¯t take much longer for them to arrive at the inn. It was indeed where the guard had given them directions to. A towering manor sat in the middle of a square, with benches and a fountain sitting in front. It looked like a former home of a vastly wealthy family, who had turned their dwelling into a business.


    Gus pointed out the sign in the front, indicating it was what they were looking for. The inside of the home was even more impressive than the outside. The walls were lined in velvet, and hanging from there were expensive ornaments and picture frames. Not a single empty space was afforded ¨C beautiful furniture and statues could not be avoided from being looked at.


    For Marin, this was the closest thing to Nocturne he had seen since he left. Whoever owned this establishment indeed had earned quite the fortune. All Gus could think about was how much the room was going to cost.


    A man behind the counter scoffed at the sight of the two of them.


    ¡°Can I help you?¡± He said in silky voice, with a hint of sarcasm involved. The desk clerk was a younger man. He sported jet black hair slicked back with oil. The suit he wore was as dark as his hair. His eyes narrowed at the common rabble who had just entered, who were gazing at the interior work of the manor.


    Gus approached the counter, nervously, but trying to put on a false demeanor.


    ¡°One room, please. We will be staying for a while,¡± Gus tried, with a suave smile on his face.


    The desk clerk gave a repulsed look to Gus, then leaned his head to Marin who was hiding behind him. He looked at any moment to grab his superior and have the two of them escorted out.


    ¡°You must be mistaken,¡± the man responded, trying to handle the situation himself. ¡°Our rooms here start at a minimum of three gold pieces a night. This isn¡¯t exactly the place for people of¡­ your financial position,¡± he tried saying as lightly as possible.


    Gus felt slightly offended. ¡°You¡¯re assuming we don¡¯t have the money?¡±


    The desk clerk chuckled. ¡°No, not at all! I am just simply pointing out that this establishment may be a bit much for you and your, uh, friend, behind you.¡±


    Marin walked besides Gus, and produced a coin pouch. He dumped a pile of gold coins onto the desk. It looked to be roughly fifty gold pieces, a five thousand silver equivalent.


    The desk clerk looked mortified.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take a suite. I trust your staff will take good care of us, seeing what a fine reputation this inn seems to uphold,¡± Marin spoke in his fancy wording. His vocabulary did not match who the clerk looked at, and that fact displaced the man for moment.


    ¡°Of-of course, we would. This inn has the finest reputation in the city!¡± The man gulped, still trying to decipher how these two lowly strangers were holding onto such money. He continued to stare at the coins stupidly, as if they might start to dance.


    ¡°We¡¯ll stay for one week. And keep the change for you and your staff. Consider it an advanced tip, since I have such faith in your services,¡± Marin added.


    The desk clerk finally shook himself out of his trance at Marin¡¯s words. He brought his hands up, covered in snow white gloves. He dragged the pile of gold to his side of the desk.


    ¡°Very good, then,¡± he managed. When he stopped boggling at the gold, he looked up to them. ¡°Can we take your bags?¡±


    ¡°No thank you,¡± Gus said, clasping at his backpack.


    ¡°Very well, then, sir.¡± The sir sounded forced. ¡°Robin here will escort you to your room.¡±


    Another man appeared into the room at the sound of his name. He gestured the two of them to a staircase in the hall to the right.


    Marin and Gus followed Robin up the flight of stairs. He also wore the same suit that the desk clerk had on, with matching white gloves. They were taken down a hallway on the second floor. Beautiful red drapes covered the windows along the side, with gorgeous gold-plated furnishings in between each window. Fancy lamps burning a bright flame were mounted on the wall, giving off a comforting light.


    At the end of the hall were two large, dark oaken doors with golden handles. Robin grasped one of them, and swung the door open. Not a single creak was heard from the door opening.


    Inside, were two deluxe beds rivaling the quality seen in Nocturne Castle. Doors were on either side of the room, leading to a bathroom and closet, respectively. Everything was coated in luxurious materials.


    ¡°We hope you enjoy your stay. If you need anything, please let me or another staff member know,¡± he stated in a dull voice.


    ¡°Thank you, Robin. We appreciate it,¡± Gus said back while still studying the room.


    Robin made his exit, shutting the door behind him.


    ¡°Wow, King Marin. Is this Nocturne Castle or what?¡± He said, still gazing.


    ¡°Feels just like home,¡± Marin admitted. He removed his traveler¡¯s bag and placed it on the right-most bed.


    ¡°Man, if they had any idea who you really were, you would¡¯ve gotten much more respect,¡± Gus pointed out, pulling his backpack straps off his shoulders.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably best if they don¡¯t.¡±


    The rest of the evening was spent relaxing. Marin had suggested that they take the rest of the day off to relax and recover from the long journey, and they would start first thing in the morning on recruitment. The two of them lounged, played chess, and talked. Gus ate a posh meal that the fancy inn provided, while Marin studied some documents he had brought with him.


    They had finally made it. Tarenfall was a spanning city, one rife with opportunities. Marin wondered to himself at dusk about how they would dive into finding strong elementals tomorrow. He had rented the room for a week ¨C that gave him at least seven days to complete his task. He had made it this far. Marin hoped that Loid was running the castle alright in the meantime.


    Hiding in the bushes of one of the villas in Taren Heights, a rogue had seen Gus and Marin enter the hotel earlier. Once he had confirmed that they were staying there, he jumped from the bushes at lightning speed and climbed the house.


    He hopped from roof to roof, eventually clearing the wall separating the rich district from the poor. He continued to travel the roofs of the city, hopping from building to building. At such a speed, he looked little more than a blur to the commonfolk down below.


    The rogue got to a run-down tower in the poorest district Tarenfall had to offer ¨C one ridden with the most crime. He flew into the window on the top floor.


    ¡°Well?¡± A familiar woman said, wearing a red bandanna across her face.


    ¡°They¡¯re staying at The Rose Garden, that fancy hotel in the Heights,¡± the rogue reported to her, gravely voice behind an identically red bandanna.


    ¡°Fine. They¡¯re bound to leave that district at some point tomorrow. When they do, we strike at them hard at the first opportune moment,¡± she responded, instructing her other three lackeys.


    ¡°It¡¯s time for us to get our revenge on that blasted ice elemental.¡±

 Chapter 21 - Sharp Situations

    The rays of the morning sun pierced through the gap where two drapes had met, covering the window. This ray slowly rose in position as the sun¡¯s movement changed in the sky, until the ray had just met Gus¡¯s face.


    His nose twitched, his eyes twitched. In the next moment, his eyes were thrown open. He readjusted himself in the bed of the best suite the Rose Garden had to offer. It was the fanciest hotel in the whole city of Tarenfall.


    When he turned his body, he looked over to see Marin sitting with his back turned at a table in the corner.


    ¡°Good morning, Gus,¡± Marin offered without turning around to face him.


    ¡°Yeah, hi,¡± Gus said sleepily. ¡°What are you doing over there?¡±


    Marin turned around, putting pressure on the seal of an envelope.


    ¡°This is a letter going back to Nocturne, letting everyone there know our status. I bet they¡¯re curious as to how we¡¯re doing,¡± he explained.


    ¡°How do you manage to always wake up before me?¡± Gus asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t sleep much.¡±


    Apparently, Gus thought to himself. How long had Marin been awake before him? At least the time it took to create that letter. Maybe an hour or less, he guessed. Regardless, Marin had let him sleep in for sometime. He usually was up at the crack of dawn, but seeing the ray of light through the curtain gap, a couple of hours had passed since morning started.


    ¡°What time is it?¡± Gus asked with slight concern.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about that,¡± Marin snapped back. ¡°We¡¯ve had a long journey. You needed a good rest. I decided to let you sleep as long as you could.¡±


    Gus thanked him, but wasted no time getting out of bed. He was on his feet, and getting his gear on. Marin still had on the same beggar rags he had been sporting for sometime now.


    Seeing that Gus was getting his gears turning faster than he thought, Marin knew it was time to get the day going.


    ¡°So let¡¯s get some breakfast first, nothing fancy. Then I want to stop at the post office and mail this letter out. After that, our mission officially begins. I¡¯ve been pondering how to go about this for a while now, and I have some decent ideas.¡±


    Gus nodded while throwing on his armor, listening closely to Marin¡¯s itinerary for the day. He was excited to finally get to recruiting, and was interested in knowing what Marin had cooked up for these ideas. It was going to be a decent learning experience for him. He was quite curious to hear Marin talk to other elementals and hear terminology that would probably go over his head.


    Once all his gear was on, Gus went for his sword.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll need that,¡± Marin said.


    Gus turned around to face him.


    Marin continued. ¡°We can leave most of our gear here since we¡¯re not traveling anymore. I don¡¯t plan to wander around the city with my bag on.¡±


    Gus thought for a moment. ¡°It is a crime-ridden city. Are you sure I won¡¯t need my sword?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave it up to you, if that¡¯s something you want to haul around.¡±


    Gus decided against taking his claymore. What good would it have done him when Marin could stop any attack coming his way? Seemed kind of pointless now.


    Marin pushed his gear under the bed as an extra measure of protection. He was already fairly certain there wouldn¡¯t be any prying from the staff, but this was Tarenfall, and he wanted to be at peace knowing he had done all he could do. Gus performed the same, and soon they were out the room.


    Walking down the stairway, they took a right into the dining room. Breakfast had already been laid out for sometime now. Marin took a single muffin and entered the bathroom, to continue giving Gus the appearance he needed nourishment.


    It had become such a regular thing for Gus, he didn¡¯t bat an eye at the fact. He loaded a silver platter with strudels, bagels, sausage links and bacon.


    He sat alone at a small round table, covered with a silken tablecloth. Fancy silverware sat around him, as well as cloth napkins and other trinkets Gus knew nothing about. Instead of using any of it, he took a single fork and began eating in a rather plain manner. A staff member walked by every once in a while looking at him in silent disgust.


    Gus and Marin were not exactly fitting guests for this type of establishment, that had become apparent to him.


    Marin exited the bathroom minutes after he had entered, to see Gus still stuffing his face with the carefully prepared food. He took a seat besides him.


    ¡°They don¡¯t like food in the bathroom,¡± Marin casually mentioned.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°There was a sign in there, informing me of my mistake.¡± Marin grinned, and wished Gus could see his facial expression. Unfortunately, Gus had not much to go off of due to the mask, besides a tone behind a voice enhancer.


    ¡°A-are you going to do something about it?¡± Gus asked, readying himself to get up before finishing his food.


    ¡°No, no. I really don¡¯t care. But what I can say is that they are quite professional around here.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re very professional,¡± Gus breathed in between chomps of food.


    Marin sat quietly after that, allowing Gus to eat his fill. Afterwards, he got up, and took his plate.


    ¡°Actually, I think you leave it,¡± Marin tried.


    ¡°Oh. You know that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s proper etiquette at a fancy establishment such as this.¡±


    Gus shrugged and left the platter there. Both of them walked off, and headed for the way out.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be back later, Robin,¡± Marin told the servant when he saw him at the front entrance.


    ¡°Very good, sir,¡± he responded after he grabbed the handle for them, opening the door.


    Gus and Marin were back outside. It was a clear day, the sun shone brightly on them. Rich folk in fancy clothing admired some flowers in a perfectly grown garden. Two women could be seen gossiping as they walked, covering their mouths with lacy-gloved hands. In another corner, a gentleman in a top hat left his house to get into a carriage.


    Gus stared at it all, and realized this was not a standard of living that he would appreciate to be a part of. Marin was unfazed, he had lived the higher life for some stretch of time, especially when he was in Arkana studying to be a wizard.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get this letter mailed out,¡± Marin started. ¡°Then the fun will begin.¡±


    They stepped down the stairs off the porch, and passed the iron painted gate enclosing the inn. Stepping into the main street, Marin¡¯s eyes wandered, trying to guess where he could find the post office. Gus knew exactly what Marin was doing. They wouldn¡¯t get far trying to figure it out on their own.


    ¡°Pardon me, ma¡¯am,¡± Gus said to one of the gossiping girls who had gotten too close to the two of them. She looked frightened at his approach.


    ¡°We¡¯re looking for the post office. Could you tell us where it is?¡± He continued.


    Gus saw she was greatly disturbed from his abrupt questioning, and he began to think she may just scream and run off from him, possibly even getting a guard¡¯s attention.


    She stared at him for a bit, the frightened look shifted to something more of intrigue.


    She thought Gus was handsome. And in such warrior attire she had never seen in her life, due to being trapped in the Heights, found him just as interesting as scary.


    ¡°Um¡­ uh¡­ The post office is at the end of that road,¡± she pointed, explaining it in a meek voice.


    ¡°Thanks, lady. I like your¡­. Uh,¡± Gus looked her over, trying to find something to compliment her on. ¡°Your gloves.¡±


    She gasped.


    ¡°Alright, Gus, let¡¯s be off then,¡± Marin quickly said, wasting no time.


    Gus had no choice but to leave with his wizard King immediately. As they walked off, Gus turned around, and saw the posh, young lady was frozen, star-struck.


    ¡°Hey Marin,¡± Gus said as they both walked at a business-speed pace. ¡°I think that girl liked me.¡±


    ¡°Probably,¡± Marin responded. ¡°I doubt any of the young people here have seen anything rough like you, ever. You probably came across as a feral, untamed wolf. I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°A wolf, huh? I like that. Maybe I¡¯ll hunt some girls here,¡± Gus teased while smiling.


    ¡°I doubt that would go over well. We¡¯re two steps from being thrown out of this district as it is,¡± Marin explained.


    ¡°I was only joking,¡± Gus stated back.


    The road they walked on emptied out into a larger main one in the district. It contained businesses and restaurants, and to Gus¡¯s surprise, not a single shopkeeper harassing pedestrians. It was a perfect dream of what a trading district should be like, Gus thought.


    Down the road a bit, was the post office. They walked over to it, feeling the eyes of the well-off residents who visited these businesses every day. Marin had debated returning to his royal clothing to take the eyes off of him to an extent, but knew that they would be out of the Heights soon. He reminded himself they only stayed here to base their belongings, nothing else.


    They didn¡¯t even need to enter the building. Marin spotted an out-going mail slot mounted to the wall. The slot dropped any papers put into it safely inside the post office. Marin opened the flap and peered inside to confirm. He didn¡¯t stare long, anxious that guards might be watching him.


    He leaned his head back up, and slipped the letter inside. He sighed.


    ¡°I hope they get that,¡± Marin grumbled.


    ¡°Oh c¡¯mon, Marin. This is Taren Heights. Any worker here is bound to do their job as well as possible. I¡¯m sure your letter will go out just fine.¡±


    Marin nodded.


    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s get out of this place now. I don¡¯t much like the eyes I can feel on me from everyone. Let¡¯s return to the trading district near the center of the city,¡± he instructed.


    They kept walking. Marin felt as if any stopping and staring would be a suspicious activity from the guards. They moved down the main street, hoping it would get them to some city gates and into a different part of Tarenfall.


    On the way there, Gus tried making small talk. He reiterated his excitement for this quest, and thanked Marin again for gifting him with the experience. Marin played it off, stating it was no big deal, but Gus responded otherwise. This was a journey he could¡¯ve barely pulled off on his own, and was happy to have done it with his King. Marin eventually gave in, and ended the conversation with ¡®you¡¯re welcome.¡¯


    Indeed, at nearing the end of the road, both of them spotted a familiar large, stone brick wall that separated taller buildings from the smaller ones in the district they were in. It was an exit from the Heights.


    Marin was relieved when crossing over. No longer did he have to feel like some lowly peasant. He was now on the same playing level as most of the people living around him now.


    ¡°Man, you can really notice the difference,¡± Gus stated, staring at the run-down buildings that now were around them. ¡°What a huge contrast. Are all the city tax dollars going to just that spot behind us? What the heck.¡±


    Marin tried putting it all out of mind. They continued traveling, making their way towards the front district of the city. On the way there, Marin heard roofs creaking around him.


    ¡°I¡¯d say you¡¯re right, Gus. It sounds like the tops of these buildings won¡¯t last long. It might collapse at anytime.¡±


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Sounds? What are you hearing?¡± Gus asked in confusion to the statement.


    ¡°Seems my sense of hearing is more developed than yours,¡± Marin admitted. ¡°I can hear the creaking of the roofs.¡±


    That shocked Gus. He hadn¡¯t heard anything of the sort. How was King Marin ¨C who reportedly was an old man ¨C have hearing better than his young ears? It didn¡¯t make much sense, but Gus reminded himself that Marin had heard the ambush in Tresdor far before Gus ever had, so he fully believed his King was telling the truth.


    As they kept walking, Marin continued hearing the creaking of the roofs around him. He wondered how any of the residents lived with such noises. They¡¯d hear it clearly, seeing as they lived under them. What a windy day it must be, to hear the roofs creaking like that.


    It wasn¡¯t a windy day.


    Marin froze. When he did, the sounds of the flexing tiles on top of the buildings stopped as well.


    He eyed the buildings, especially near the top. It took Gus a second to react to Marin¡¯s sudden abrupt halt.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on, Marin?¡±


    ¡°...Nothing. Let¡¯s keep going.¡±


    During the trip to the front, Marin listened to thugs arguing in alleyways as he passed by. He was sure not to give them any looks. A few tattered men sitting on the ground leaned up against the rotting buildings doing not much. Every once in a while, they passed a guard, who didn¡¯t look to be in a good mood, possibly due to being stationed in such a run-down section of the city.


    Gus talked a bit more, getting Marin to think about other things. He started giving Gus a rundown on his plan, and explained the way he would find himself in the right areas where elementals would be lurking. They eventually reached the trade district.


    The outskirts of it, anyway. They had just passed the wall that divided the zone.


    Against the wall was a shop ¨C a small one, but it advertised on the front that it sold battle equipment. At the bottom, it stated it carried elemental wares as well.


    ¡°Marin. I want to check out the shop,¡± Gus declared.


    ¡°No time.¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon! I¡¯ve been in this city this whole time and haven¡¯t had the chance to look at anything here. Spare me a few minutes?¡±


    ¡°Gus, I know you see the sign says elemental and you¡¯re curious. I can guarantee you, anything in there being branded as elemental usage is a hoax.¡±


    ¡°Would you be willing to humor me? We¡¯ve been strictly business this entire time, and I¡¯d love just a moment to look around,¡± Gus pleaded.


    Marin sighed. Gus so far had been willing to do anything Marin wanted, and had been happily moving at the fast pace he set for this entire journey so far. Gus also declined any opportunity to learn an element at Neo in the future, in favor of serving his King. If exploring this shop would satisfy Gus in anyway, it was best for him to do so, and get the wondering out of his system.


    It seemed Marin had to adjust his plan ¨C not something he was ever fond of doing, but he really appreciated all the effort Gus had given so far, and was willing to return the favor if it meant so much to him. If he could still save time, though, he most certainly would.


    ¡°...Alright. Listen to me closely. I¡¯m going to continue on towards the city square. I have a few dealings I will be making there. Stay here and look around. Buy something if you want to. I¡¯ll be back to pick you up when I¡¯m done. So stay put.¡±


    ¡°Oh jeez, Marin. If you have dealings to make, I should be there with you,¡± Gus rationalized.


    ¡°No, actually I¡¯m realizing that I need to do this myself. If I have any chance of persuading some people, I need to learn how to talk and handle things on my own.¡±


    Gus suddenly felt bad for asking to see the shop. It was obvious Marin was having anxiety being away from the castle, and everything so far had been done at such a quick pace because he wanted this quest to be over with. He felt selfish for wanting to stop him now, especially since he was now planning on trying to handle things on his own.


    ¡°...Nevermind, Marin. Let¡¯s keep moving.¡±


    ¡°Hold open your hand,¡± Marin said back.


    Gus was confused, but he raised his arm and held his hand open. Marin dumped several silver coins of various sizes in his hand, stamped in 20s and 50s.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you now to stay. Look around. Buy something. Take your time. Please, I¡¯ll be fine. Don¡¯t forget who I am. What¡¯s the worst that could happen to me?¡±


    Marin could then see that Gus was having an internal argument with himself. After a few seconds though, he finally nodded.


    ¡°Alright. It¡¯s a deal. I¡¯ll stay here. Maybe talk with the shopkeeper too, and pick his brain. I¡¯ll have a good time,¡± he stated.


    Marin nodded back. With that, he walked off, leaving Gus behind him. He was now headed to his destination alone.


    Gus watched Marin turn a corner. Once he was out of sight, Gus turned around and looked at the shop in front of him. He felt the silver coins between his fingers, then dropped them into his pocket. Time to check out the shop.


    A bell clanged as the old shop door opened. Gus walked inside, and gandered at the tightly packed merchandise in the small building. Armor stands were lined against one wall, and every weapon imaginable lined the other.


    At the end were leather sets in bright colors. The dyed leather skins hanging on the opposite wall to the door intrigued him more than anything else. He had never seen gear like that. It was similar to what he wore, but contained no chain mail at all, and were bright in gorgeous coloring.


    It was elemental armor, but Gus knew not about it. When he reached the end of the store, an old skinny man in glasses came around a doorway to greet him.


    ¡°What can I help you with, sonny?¡± He asked.


    Gus pointed to the armor sets behind the shop worker. ¡°What are those?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s elemental armor,¡± he said casually.


    ¡°Elemental what?¡±


    Meanwhile, Marin was continuing his transit to the city square. It had been another twenty minutes, but fortunately he was almost there. His anxiety caused him to get distracted with his thoughts, not noticing rhythmic movements that had been following him in the distance for some time now.


    Eventually he picked up on it again. As he walked he heard the roofs creaking. A subtle, gentle sound of shifting weight. It was noises that not many people could pick up on. Marin looked to the tops of the buildings again but saw no one. He had half a mind to believe some sneaks were following him at this point. The sounds had not ever stopped unless he quit moving, but there was no one to be seen. Marin understood that he was an outsider in the city, so any suspicion of him would be justified.


    He had no fear for himself. Any encounter between hostile people would result in them being frozen. There weren¡¯t too many individuals out there capable of going toe-to-toe with him, he knew. He shrugged it off and continued walking. If they wanted to spy on him, he did not have much problem with it.


    Step after step though, the feeling of being shadowed started to rest uneasily with him. Who was so interested in this common-looking beggar? Was it the mask? He had seen several other people in the crowds of the city with their faces partially or completely covered as well, so it was not the most uncommon apparel.


    Marin finally devised a plan. He waited until he was walking down a road with little to no people. When that was finally accomplished, he turned off into an alleyway, alone, in the dark.


    As he stopped and stared at the brick walls tightly around him, the creaking he had been hearing also came to a halt. There was no way he wasn¡¯t being stalked.


    A moment or two passed. Finally, two blurs arrived on either side of him.


    Marin moved his arms out at their revealing. He assumed an attack position. Then he saw who they were. It was two rogues in black leathers with the very familiar red bandannas covering their nose and mouth.


    ¡°You guys again,¡± Marin stated in a dreaded voice, realizing these were the exact same people who had ambushed him way back in Tresdor. He would not have believed these rogues had somehow tracked him down to this city and found him if they were not standing right in front of him.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, King Sullivan Marin. We know who you are,¡± one of the rogues said in a nasally voice.


    Marin clutched his fists. He did not wait for them to attack or say another word. With his will, ice gripped the two of them tighter than a mother clutching her newborn for dear life.


    ¡°You have some nerve toying with me again,¡± the wizard said in an annoyed tone.


    Both the rogues struggled to break free of the ice, as if they somehow forgot that they were previously unable to do so. Seeing it was up to their torso with their arms locked in ice below, they could only move about like worms struggling to get free from a bird¡¯s beak.


    ¡°I let you all off fairly easy all things considered,¡± Marin told them. ¡°So why have you followed me once again?¡±


    The other rogue gasped, straining in the ice. ¡°You think you can¡­ treat us the way you did¡­ and get away with it?¡± He said between labored breaths.


    ¡°I think the four of you still don¡¯t realize who you tried messing with,¡± Marin said back. ¡°Speaking of the four of you, where¡¯s the other two. Where¡¯s that leader of yours?¡±


    The rogue didn¡¯t answer. Instead he started chuckling. He laughed more, and broke into a hardy roar.


    ¡°I told you, we¡¯re getting our revenge!¡± He finally belted out. ¡°I¡¯d be worrying more about your biggest fan you left behind at that shop! What a terrible mistake you made, leaving him there!¡±


    Marin gasped. ¡°No¡­ Gus!¡±


    The rogue started laughing harder.


    Marin shook with anger. He opened his hands, curled his fingers in a particular fashion, and in an instant, a wave of blue skin discoloration traveled up their bodies.


    He had frozen them to death. All their blood, every vein, every organ, every bone, frozen. The two rogues were now more similar to popsicles than human. One rogue was mid laugh with his mouth open under his bandanna, which now glittered from the ice in the ray of sunlight that seeped into the alley.


    I have to hurry. I¡¯m coming Gus!


    Marin shot out of the alley and in the reverse direction he had traveled, bolts of ice shooting from behind his feet as he skated on a frozen path he created as he moved.


    ¡°So you¡¯re telling me this sword makes elementals stronger,¡± Gus reiterated to the shopkeeper.


    ¡°Oh yes,¡± the old man reassured. ¡°You see, this blade is infused with mythril. It¡¯s a highly conductive metal for the elemental abilities. Allows you to channel your power through the weapon.¡±


    Gus held the sword by the hilt in his hand. He moved his wrist around as he felt the weapon¡¯s weight. Then he recalled how Marin told him anything being branded as elemental was a hoax.


    ¡°Why would you need a weapon if you can use an element?¡± Gus asked.


    ¡°Oh, many elementals compliment their skills with a physical weapon. Cover all your grounds, I suppose. Are you an elemental?¡±


    Gus¡¯s mouth stretched in disappointment. ¡°Not yet. But maybe one day.¡±


    ¡°That sword is a good place to start. You look like a swordsman yourself,¡± the shopkeeper tried, doing his best to sell his wares to the young lad.


    ¡°Yeah, I am. I have a claymore. It¡¯s just not with me right now.¡±


    ¡°Well, that sword you¡¯re holding would compliment you nicely if you pick up an element.¡±


    Gus studied the weapon, and noticed ancient lettering engraved into the bottom of the blade. The sword itself had an almost mirror-like finish.


    ¡°How much?¡± Gus asked.


    ¡°Twenty gold.¡±


    Gus winced. That was far more money than what Marin had given him. He hadn¡¯t even been traveling with a single gold piece himself this whole time.


    ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful sword,¡± Gus admitted, giving the blade back. ¡°But its just not my time to own it,¡± he said with solemn. If only he had more money.


    ¡°Mind if I look around a bit more?¡± He asked.


    The shopkeeper gestured with his hand. ¡°Let me know if you have any other questions.¡±


    Gus had half his heart into that katana he had gripped, and almost wondered if he should ask Marin for a front on his paycheck for the next few weeks to get it. Was it worth the money? Gus wondered in his mind if the sword actually assisted in pulling off elemental skills.


    Perhaps he could buy it, and hold onto it until he became an elemental one day. More over, what was stopping him from using it like a normal sword until that day approached. If anything, he could get used to using it until then.


    Gus knew he had time to kill, so he spent more time than he would have browsing the rest of the store¡¯s wares. He admired the detailed crests of shields hanging on the walls. He picked up a few sharp shurikens in a container. He studied the spikes on a flail chained to a handle.


    Eventually though, he had seen everything he wanted to. Gus walked back outside, the bell on the door ringing above, signaling his exit.


    He looked at his surroundings, and studied the buildings. He continued to debate within himself if he should get that cool sword.


    How long would King Marin be gone for? Gus leaned up against the wall of the shop. He was sure it shouldn¡¯t be more than two hours. That would still give him plenty of time to make up his mind. It was a peaceful day. He still couldn¡¯t believe he had traveled so far south. Down into the city Tarenfall. What a journey it had been so far.


    Gus¡¯s eyes narrowed. He stood straight up, halting his lean on the wall behind him. Walking up to him was a woman in a red bandanna, brown hair tied tightly to the back of her head. Accompanying her was a similar dressed man with far more muscle mass than her. They wore black leather gear.


    Gus knew exactly who these two were.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Gus yelled as he stood defensively.


    ¡°Hey handsome,¡± she greeted. From behind her back, she flashed a dagger.


    Gus knew this was very bad. Very bad indeed. He stepped to the left in full plan to break into a running sprint, but the larger man besides her moved in a flash, almost teleporting to the direction Gus planned on bolting it in. He grabbed him in place.


    Gus grunted and yelled, but the grips on both of his arms were similar to metal cuffs. Whatever workouts this rogue had been doing, Gus wanted to know.


    ¡°Aw, now why would you plan on taking off?¡± She coaxed as she stepped closer to him.


    ¡°You know damn well why!¡± Gus responded in a thunderous tone.


    She let out a cutesy laugh. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be the first man to run out on me.¡±


    Gus struggled more, yanking his arms as hard as he could. They wouldn¡¯t budge. He kicked his feet out, allowing his full body weight to be suspended by his locked arms. The rogue still didn¡¯t move at all, no signs that Gus would be free anytime soon.


    ¡°Oh, I wanted to show you this,¡± she stated, pulling out a golden cross with a chain hanging from the top. ¡°Do you know who this belongs to?¡±


    Gus became mortified. His eyes stretched open, mouth gaped. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Marin¡¯s¡­¡± He whispered to himself in realization.


    ¡°THAT¡¯S HIS NECKLACE!¡± Gus yelled out, flailing his whole body more. ¡°We should¡¯ve killed you the moment we had the chance!!¡± He added.


    She chuckled. ¡°You definitely should¡¯ve. But your King is weak. Why serve such a weak leader? What¡¯s the point in following someone who doesn¡¯t see a job through?¡±


    Gus swore at her, calling her names not suitable for distinguished conversation. ¡°You would never know.¡± He finished with.


    ¡°Maybe not, but a price must be paid for what happened to us.¡± She pulled out her dagger, which Gus noticed was coated in a suspicious liquid.


    ¡°Let me guess, I¡¯m that price?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Indeed you are.¡±


    Suddenly, Gus heard the cracking of ice. Both the rogues heard it too. She turned her head to the left, down the road where Marin had originally traveled.


    ¡°Look¡¯s like Marin¡¯s finally here,¡± she stated. ¡°But a bit too late, I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    As Marin caught sight of her standing in front of Gus, she smiled, and drove the dagger into Gus¡¯s stomach.

 Chapter 22 - Seeking Help

    To say that Marin moved at a speedy pace would be an understatement. How foolish had he been, having half the mind he had been followed and still deciding to separate himself from his subordinate.


    Never would he have imagined the people who had been spying on him from the rooftops were the same group of rogues who had ambushed them a couple days ago. He had left them in icy pods half way out of the ground, creating ice with the toughness that would take over a whole 24 hours to be conquered.


    In all that time that him and Gus spent traveling, he could¡¯ve sworn he would never see their hides again. Yet here they were, they had successfully caught up to them, tracked them down, and located them in this city.


    Marin pondered how in the world they would¡¯ve known they¡¯d be here, in this city. It didn¡¯t take him more than a few thoughts, though, to remember that these four rogues had been eavesdropping on both of them for sometime, and they were bound to hear Gus or him mention they were going to Tarenfall.


    What a terrible oversight on Marin¡¯s part. He could have never predicted they would chase them all the way here for revenge, especially since Marin believed he had been quite merciful from their attack, suspending them in the ice for only a day as punishment.


    That must have been quite humiliating for them, because they were here now ¨C and ready to get revenge. Marin had underestimated the lengths they would go to settle something that seemed petty in his mind.


    Due to all these reasonings, Marin originally had no issue leaving Gus at the shop. What reasons would there be for anyone to attack him? He had obviously miscalculated. The rogues had made him regret not dealing with them in a more harsh manner. If they end up hurting Gus in a permanent way or even killing him, they would certainly deserve death in his mind. In fact, he had already ended the lives of two of them, just to be safe.


    Marin moved at a speed no normal person could move at. He never did master the skill of Speed, a technique commonly used by rogues or other fighters, but what he had mastered was something of similar movement, and one that lined up perfectly with his chosen element, Kinetic Ice.


    As he moved forward on the road, ice appeared in front of him. With each step, the ice automatically flung him forward at a speed that a strong man could hurl a sports ball, which was considerable when moving at that constant rate.


    This was the same skill Marin had used months ago when he first noticed that Heroca Town was being raided from his castle home.


    Marin¡¯s body was lurched forward, ragged clothing rippling in the wind as he bolted down Tarenfall¡¯s road, barely avoiding other bystanders. He had to hurry. The difference between Gus being attacked or saved could fall to mere seconds.


    He concentrated as he created the ice with special movement properties. The crackling noises traveled ahead of him, as he noticed citizens of the city jerk their heads meters before he would pass them. Behind him, as soon as the ice was no longer needed for his feet, it evaporated away, returning to the plane which he had originally pulled it from.


    In no time at all, he rounded the corner in which he had first left Gus at. Sure enough, and not to his surprise, he saw Gus being held tight by one rogue, and their leader standing in front of him, dagger in hand, and ready to stab.


    He had seconds.


    To his demise, though, the leader ¨C she was ruthless, and took no extra time in seeing her plan done. Not more than a second after his glance of the situation, she drove the dagger into Gus, who then lurched forward, his soft brown hair hanging in front his head.


    ¡°NO!!!¡± Marin belted out.


    He extended his hand, reaching out. He still had a considerable distance to cover, but with all his might, a glowing blue beam of elemental ice lunged from his palm, aiming directly at her.


    It was no use, at the sight of the attack, she used her speed skill to zap to the left, avoiding the beam far before it even got close to her.


    The other burly rogue who had been holding Gus prisoner felt no need to subdue him any longer. After that moment, he dropped Gus, who fell to the ground helplessly, grasping his gut.


    He too, used speed to fly away to the rooftop.


    I will not let them go. They will DIE, Marin thought to himself.


    These rogues were fast, and well practiced, especially her. However, any encounter with a wizard of Arkana was not to be taken lightly. Even if you could outrun one with a mastered speed skill, wizards have a vast array of tools at their disposal to keep up and eventually catch you, in one way or another.


    The leader of the group within a second had climbed up a building quicker than a massive spider could, and was on the roof. She looked down at Marin knowing there was no easy way he could get up to her level.


    How wrong she was.


    A huge ice pillar lunged out of ground in record speed, with Marin standing on top. It shot him up to her level at nearly the same pace she was able to achieve.


    Eyes wide, she realized this ice elemental was more than she had originally sized up. In this moment, the woman came to terms with the knowledge that if she was to get away from Marin, she had to move, and move very quick, spending no time to look back to see if the ice wizard was keeping up.


    She darted off, jumping from roof to roof.


    Marin sprayed kinetic ice on the roofs and followed after her.


    Right before the chase had officially begun though, she shouted out.


    ¡°You can chase after me all you want! That is, if you don¡¯t care about your friend dying! I bet that poison I laced with my dagger is meeting his heart just about now!¡± She taunted, yelling over her shoulder.


    Marin stopped in his tracks. A cold, dreaded reality set into his mind.


    I can¡¯t chase after her. Not now.


    Marin gripped his hands into fists, silently cursing the situation. He had no choice. He needed to save Gus first, payment for the action would have to come later.


    He watched as the blur that she became leaped from roof to roof, until she was nearly out of sight. Marin turned around, he leaped back, flying off the building, and back to where Gus lay dying.


    ¡°Gus. Gus!¡± Marin cried out, shaking him, and looking into his eyes.


    Gus struggled to respond. ¡°Ooooh¡­ Marin. That wench stabbed me. Oh it hurts like the dickens-¡± He curled more, arms wrapped around his stomach, voice sounding stretched.


    ¡°Open up, Gus! I need to see!¡± Marin tried prying Gus¡¯s arms from his stomach and straightening him out. Gus knew what Marin was trying to do, and it took much strength on his own end to allow his arm muscles to relax for Marin to take a look at the wound.


    ¡°This is not good. This is very not good.¡± Marin declared in a monotonous tone. The gash seeped blood from Gus¡¯s side. The dagger had easily pierced through his leather clothing, and strands of flesh glistened in the light from the tear.


    Marin was no doctor in any sense. He had no idea how to tend to the stab wound, other than keeping pressure on it to stop the bleeding. If that woman¡¯s claim about the poison was true in any way, he would not have much time to act.


    ¡°I need a doctor! Anyone!¡± Marin looked up, crying out. The streets had cleared out. Not a soul had stuck around to witness the crime that had taken place moments ago.


    Marin ran up to the shop door that Gus had been in earlier. He grabbed the handle and yanked.


    The door was locked.


    Marin cursed, and ran back to Gus. His options were limited. No one had stuck around for fear of their own life, naturally. Anyone inside the buildings around him had locked their doors to protect themselves. Marin knew if he had any chance of saving Gus, he needed to take the boy and find someone who could help.


    The king grabbed Gus, lifting him up, and holding him in his arms. This came at great pain to Gus, where even the slightest movement irritated his stab wound.


    ¡°Keep pressure on that, Gus! I¡¯m going to find help.¡±


    Gus¡¯s hand covered the left side of his stomach, as small amounts of blood trickled between his fingers.


    Kinetic ice appeared before Marin again, and he hopped on it, lunging himself forward. If he could put some distance between him and the scene of the crime, he might be able to find people who could offer some aid.


    He rounded a few corners, and to his prediction, tattered citizens were walking the streets and talking, not knowing an attempted murder happened just a few blocks besides them.


    ¡°Hello! Anyone, I need help! My friend here has been stabbed, I need a doctor!¡± He shouted out to a few of these people.


    They all ran from him. Seeing an ice elemental actively using his skills in beggar¡¯s attire while holding a wounded man was more than what any of them had signed up for that day.


    Marin pleaded more to them. A few froze in their tracks, not sure what to do. Most ran. There were even some who ignored the situation entirely, as if it was a semi-common occurrence to see a stabbing in the city.


    As he looked to the crowd, Marin prayed that one of the remaining citizens who stuck around to gawk at the scene would be able to offer any form of assistance. None of them did.


    Marin prepared himself to move on further down the road, trying his bets there. Gus was dying in his arms. He did not have the time to wait around for an answer any longer.


    Just then, a man busted out of a diner. He was fat and greasy, with a thin beard, ear to ear, growing from his neck.


    ¡°What in tarnation is the rukus out here?!¡± He bellowed in annoyance, as if this distraction was hurting his business.


    ¡°Oh, my,¡± he stated in a more serious tone when he approached the two of them, and saw blood dripping from Gus.


    ¡°Sir! I beg of you! I need a doctor for my friend! Anyone at this point who can help me!¡± Marin looked down at Gus to check on him. He was going pale in the face, life slowly draining from him. His moans had become quieter.


    ¡°There ain¡¯t a doctor around here for several miles! You¡¯d have to go to¡­ wait¡­ There is a doctor who can help you. Maybe.¡± The restaurant owner uttered the phrase in an uncertain manner, almost as if talking about this doctor brought dread to him.


    ¡°You need to¡­ Ah! Follow me!¡± The fat man started running to the best of his ability. Marin followed after him, ignoring the rest of the bystanders who stood, watching.


    He wasn¡¯t fast at all. His large gut jiggled at every step. It rippled so much Marin wondered if it could be detached from him. He was already wheezing and they hadn¡¯t been running for more than thirty seconds.


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    This was too slow. At this rate, Gus would be dead. Marin needed to do something else. Fortunately, the man knew that as well.


    He started giving directions on where to go, gasping for oxygen between each breath. He bent over, meaty hand on what was left of his knee, trying to catch his breath.


    ¡°Left¡­ go left. Go all the way down til¡¯ you get¡­ get to the willow tree. WHEEZE! Then you need to go¡­ The skinny red path in between the wall! Follow it¡­ until you get to that dark building. The one with the pointy roof!¡±


    Marin ran off without another word. He didn¡¯t even have the time to thank the man, which came at a heavy heart to him, because that was the only person who was willing to offer him help. Gus was dying though, and every second counted.


    Marin skated once again. He zagged left, traversing down a more narrow path than the one he had been on. He followed it for sometime, focusing as hard as he could to find a willow tree. It hadn¡¯t come up yet. He began to think maybe the large restaurant owner had made a mistake, or perhaps the tree had been cut down.


    He kept moving though with little else as options. To his luck, a sorry looking willow tree that was half dead stood its ground on a small plot of land. When he reached it, his head jerked around, trying to spot his next direction.


    In between two houses was an overgrown red brick path, that the ground was slowly eating away at. Behind the two homesteads was a city wall, and he guessed on the other side of that wall was the outside of the district. He ran down the path. As he did, he passed the homes on the left and right of him. There was a gap in the wall with a gated fence.


    The man never had mentioned a fence. It was iron, and painted black, with pointed spikes decorating the top of it. When Marin ran to it, he tried kicking the gate with his foot. It didn¡¯t budge, it was locked with several deadbolts, which seemed a bit excessive.


    Marin froze the gate ¨C not just coated the outside of it in ice, but actually infused the ice into the metal itself, which was a much harder feat for any ice elemental. At that point it was as brittle as sandstone.


    He kicked the gate again, and it burst into many pieces, flying ahead of him. He ran through the gap in the large wall. On the other side, was a lone house surrounded by dead trees. The lawn was dead, brown grass covered the area. A crow flew off at his arrival.


    Trash littered the yard. Scraps of metal and other machinery sat around rusting. Broken glass hid in the long dead grass, ready to cut a foot at a moment¡¯s notice. Whoever created this stuff, left it out to rot when it was no longer of use.


    The black house was in disrepair. Shingles were missing, the windows were so dirty that they no longer served their purpose. Some windows had broken, and were boarded up instead. The fancy architecture of the house could barely be appreciated with much of the finer details broken off. A lot of the outside work had rotted. From what he could tell, the inside must not be too much better.


    This must¡¯ve been a joke. What kind of doctor would live in such a run down house with such unfavorable scenery? Still, Marin didn¡¯t have much of an option. He rushed up to the porch, and the decayed wood flexed under his and Gus¡¯s weight.


    Besides the door was a golden plaque that contained a name, but it was so tarnished, the wording was unreadable.


    Gus let out a quiet moan. Marin didn¡¯t have time to scope the place out. He had to save his servant. Marin didn¡¯t have much options, so at his will, a table made of ice crackled into existence besides him. He laid Gus on it, then began hammering the door with his fist.


    ¡°Hello?! Is anyone there?! I have an emergency!¡± Marin continued banging on the door, but he heard no one running to meet him.


    He shouted more, trying to get someone¡¯s attention. When enough time had passed with no response, which honestly, wasn¡¯t much time, he used his ice powers once again, and relieved the door of its purpose.


    Marin picked Gus back up, who had gone completely colorless, and unmoving. He brought himself into the house while cradling Gus.


    Marin cried out again. ¡°HELLO?!¡± He gazed around at the living room he was now standing in. Whoever lived here was quite the hoarder. No walls in the house could be seen with the packed paper work, filing cabinets and garbage lined up everywhere.


    Beakers and glass jars containing old liquids used up every bit of space on tables and stands. Scribbled notes and crumbled up papers covered the carpeted floor. He even took notice of animal limbs that were hanging near the ceiling. The worst of it all was the fine layer of dust that covered everything in sight.


    Marin didn¡¯t even know where to begin. At last though, he heard a noise from below him. He heard footsteps, and noises of glass clanging together. There was a ruffling noise. Someone down in the basement had become wise of the intruder in the house.


    Then, behind some walls, he heard a person run up a flight of stairs, each step creaking the wood. Someone was coming. They had been down in the basement doing something, and were now putting that on pause to see what was going on in his home.


    The running became louder, and from the kitchen on his right, a man appeared.


    This man ¨C he was not healthy at all. He looked to be mid sixties, around the same age as Loid, but looked to be in far worse condition than Marin¡¯s right-hand man.


    His decrepit body was hunched over, skin wrinkled, thin, full of blemishes and scars. He had a large chemical burn on the right side of his face, and on some of his right hand. He had on dusty, circular glasses held together by wire, that sat slightly crooked on his long, hooked nose. One lens was cracked.


    He had a grossly receded hairline, giving him an elongated forehead. When the hair did start, it didn¡¯t stop. He had it pony-tailed in the back. It was dark gray, thin, and brittle. The man had zero facial hair at all.


    The most maddening part of this stranger was the stained lab coat he wore that at one time was white, and had turned gray and yellow from the countless spills it endured. The length of it reached down to his knees. The man looked as if he hadn¡¯t showered since the Harmon Wars. He appeared to be in the same condition as his house.


    Under any other circumstance, Marin would turn heel and leave immediately. There were over one hundred things wrong with this man and his entire situation in general, he appeared to be unhinged in every way. It would lead any sane person to practice a large degree of caution, and stay as far from this place as possible. That was probably why the gate had been locked.


    Marin, though, had no other options. It was this, and nothing else.


    ¡°What are you doing in here?!¡± The man choked. His voice was raspy and hindered. It sounded as if he had issues pronouncing certain syllables.


    ¡°Are you a doctor?!¡± Marin asked, ignoring his question.


    The man looked down at Gus. He shook his head. ¡°Why do you guys always do this to me,¡± he uttered to himself.


    He ran up to Gus¡¯s body. Moving his arm, he inspected the wound. It had already begun to rot away the surrounding flesh.


    ¡°Balls of Nuro! That wound is majorly infected!!¡± The doctor declared. Marin wasn¡¯t sure what that phrase meant, but he appreciated the man¡¯s sudden grasp of the situation.


    ¡°Quick, follow me!¡± The doctor moved like a chicken, his neck veering around, trying to find something.


    ¡°Actually, come over here!¡± He added, changing course back to the living room. At the long table in the center of the room, he threw his arms across it, knocking every glass beaker and jar taking up space. In one single moment, he had cleared what had taken him months to accumulate on the table.


    It all broke and shattered onto the floor. Suspicious liquids trailed across the room. He gestured Marin to lay Gus onto the table.


    ¡°If you smell something burning, that¡¯s just the hexaglossen relieving itself of its liquid form. Careful not to step in it,¡± he causally mentioned as he produced a knife, and cut more of Gus¡¯s armor off around the stab area.


    Marin looked down, and saw a trail of liquid grow smaller as vapors rose from it. For once, he was glad he couldn¡¯t breathe.


    This man, who may not even be a real doctor, took a closer look at slash. His bony fingers that surprisingly did not differ too much from Marin¡¯s own, felt the wound and stretched it ever so slightly to get a better idea of what he was dealing with.


    It had only been twenty minutes or so, but whatever that rogue coated her dagger with, the poison was so acidic, it had already begun to eat away at the surrounding flesh. The wound was majorly discolored, and it started transforming into a problem more severe than blood loss.


    ¡°This is extremely unfortunate. Quite the morbid situation,¡± the doctor identified. He turned to look at Marin, his neck stretching like an ostrich.


    ¡°This is a stab wound, and the weapon was coated in a deadly acidic toxin. Judging by how the wound now looks, his entire bloodstream is lethal. He will die within the hour.¡± The doctor had some sort of speech impediment. It sounded like he hadn¡¯t spoken at all in some time.


    ¡°There¡¯s got to be something you can do! I begging you, sir. Is there some sort of antidote you can give him?!¡± Marin tried.


    The man itched the front of his chin with a single finger in thought.


    ¡°Perhaps.¡±


    He got up, and ran to the kitchen. ¡°If I can work fast enough, that is.¡± He ran down to his stairway. ¡°Stay with the boy! Watch him! I¡¯ll be back as soon as I can!¡±


    Marin heard the rapid creaking of the old man¡¯s wooden stairs leading to the basement. They creaked at a much faster pace than when he ran up them, indicating that this event was more serious to him than whatever intruder had barged in to begin with.


    The wooden creaking stopped half-way down, Marin could hear a loud tumbling and crashing noise. Had he just fallen down the stairs? It was silent for a moment, but then noises resumed as he heard clashing glass beakers.


    Marin turned to look back at Gus, satisfied that some sort of activity was going on in the basement. Gus had his eyes closed, and had gone completely inanimate. His breathing was weak, as his mouth hung open, trying to draw in the air around him. Beads of cold sweat sat on top of his pale complexion. His eyelids had gone red.


    Marin ran his glove covered hand through Gus¡¯s hair. ¡°This is all my fault,¡± he said to himself.


    He grasped Gus¡¯s wrist. ¡°Can you hear me, Gus?¡± He said a bit louder. ¡°I found someone who might be able to help you. I hope he can help you. I hope.¡±


    Marin took full responsibility of Gus¡¯s predicament. He regretted ever requesting him to come on this journey. He now believed that this quest should have been done only by him. If the young lad should perish, it would haunt him indefinitely. He had his whole life ahead of him, and he should have lived it out in Whitewood or Heroca or where ever that might be, including getting married and having children.


    Everything had changed for Gus since Marin arrived back into the world. Perhaps if he had stayed dead, no harm would ever have come to him. He still questioned the coincidence of the raid on Heroca, it just had to happen two days after he woke back up. That was an event that could¡¯ve gotten Gus killed, and in fact, had gotten many killed.


    Marin lowered his head, and prayed. He prayed that Gus would live, and the mad, questionable doctor in the basement below, would hurry up on some sort of antidote.


    There were sounds of glass shattering below the floor boards. He heard cursing, and liquid pouring. What the heck was going on down there?


    The doctor was repeating phrases. He uttered what sounded to be math in a rapid manner. Marin used his developed sense of hearing to try and listen in.


    ¡°You exposed yourself to solvent 132, I mean who does that?¡±


    Oh great, he is crazy. This man was the type of guy to talk to himself to keep his mind sane, yet with all that talking, how in the world did he develop that speech impediment?


    More liquids could be heard being poured. ¡°AHA!¡± More pacing. Steps moving back and forth. Rustling of papers, more beakers being slammed together.


    Gus was nearly gone now, this man had to hurry.


    ¡°Okay! Okay!¡± The doctor ran back up his flight of the stairs to the kitchen. When he arrived, there were new wet stains on his coat. In his hands was a glass of clear liquid, and a syringe.


    ¡°This! This might do the trick.¡± He got on his knees in front of Gus¡¯s body, and prepared to load the syringe with the liquid.


    ¡°Is that thing clean?¡± Marin asked.


    The doctor froze. ¡°...Good catch. Hand me that glass jar on the shelf. No, not that one, that one! NO! The one over- YES! Bring that to me!!¡±


    Marin rushed over with a jar that had on a lid.


    The doctor grabbed it, and strained, popping the grip that the lid had over the top.


    ¡°This is a sterile substance,¡± he mentioned, swishing the end of the syringe into the liquid. Once he had done that, the syringe was placed into the glass he had originally brought up. He pulled the plunger back with his thumb, and Marin watched the barrel of the syringe fill with the clear liquid.


    He pulled it out, and jabbed Gus with the shot, emptying in the payload into his arm.


    ¡°What we have here,¡± he started while removing the needle from his arm, ¡°is a powerful anti-acidic concoction I have brewed up. It¡¯s general use only, I couldn¡¯t refine it and purpose it directly for your friend here, due to not having the privilege of identifying what kind of toxin was thrown into him.


    But we didn¡¯t really have the time for that, did we?¡± He grinned a wide grin, showing off all his small teeth, which creeped Marin out more than it should have.


    The doctor placed the needle onto the table, and grabbed a jar to screw the lid back on. ¡°Now, that is going to neutralize his blood for the time being. It¡¯s not enough to save him, but it buys me more time to come up with a proper counter to whatever is in him. Which I first have to find out. I¡¯m going to need a sample of his blood.¡±


    With that phrase uttered, he placed his palm inches above Gus¡¯s wound, and blood rose from the gash, as if the blood was almost alive.


    Marin stared in horror.


    The doctor brought his palm up-right, and a small orb of floating blood hovered above his open hand.


    The doctor grinned again, something he shouldn¡¯t ever do. ¡°Oh, I hope this doesn¡¯t scare you. I¡¯m not an every-day doctor, you know. I¡¯m just going to take this sample down to my lab. I will be back up with some medical gauze to treat his wound.¡±


    He walked back to his kitchen, and around the corner. ¡°Feel free to make yourself at home, by the way.¡±

 Chapter 23 - Two Crazy Men

    It wasn¡¯t much, but Gus¡¯s body showed slight improvement from the doctor¡¯s injection. A few shades of color returned to the young man¡¯s skin, and the reddening of his eyelids began to subside. The acidic substance that was in process of dissolving the areas around his wound had halted its spread. Whatever the doctor had done, it was working.


    Gus was still in an unresponsive state, and no movement came from him besides the slow rising and falling of his chest. This toxin that the woman jabbed Gus with had been some serious stuff ¨C it had rendered a hardy, fully healthy man to this state in less than half an hour. It was now apparent to Marin that if he hadn¡¯t treated the situation the way he did, Gus wouldn¡¯t have made it out alive.


    He also had to give it to the doctor who was in the basement below ¨C the man was crazy in Marin¡¯s eyes, but he was smart, and had concocted a solution to buy him time from scratch. Marin knew he had to thank the man ¨C repay him in some generous way ¨C but that wasn¡¯t the highest topic in his thoughts right now.


    What was, is the action he had seen the man do just minutes ago. Marin had never seen manipulation of blood like that before. The way he pulled the red liquid from Gus¡¯s side ¨C it was almost like he treated blood as an element. That was impossible though.


    Blood was not an element. Even if he was a water elemental, only pure water could be manipulated. A skilled water elemental could extract all the water from blood ¨C or any other liquid with water as its base ¨C but not manipulate the entire liquid itself.


    This was indeed puzzling to Marin, a wizard graduate of Arkana who had a solid grasp of every elemental medium ¨C even the ones not of his own mastery. He began to think about any other ways of trickery the doctor could¡¯ve pulled off the stunt, but none came to mind.


    He was not sure if he had the slightest idea of who he was dealing with. He began thinking about Marge, his librarian back at Nocturne. She was a reasonably skilled water elemental. Perhaps she would have some idea of this doctor¡¯s stunt.


    The doctor turned the corner in the kitchen. He was back with medical supplies. The situation with Gus was no longer of dire urgency, so he hobbled at a slow pace. In his arms were white linen bandages, a few bottles of chemicals, and an adherence solution.


    The doctor sighed as he approached Gus, getting on his knees again. Now that he didn¡¯t have to move at a life-saving speed, he took his time and operated at a comfortable speed.


    Marin sat in a dusty chair off in a corner, watching the doctor treat the wound. He started by cleaning it, using swabs to absorb the bodily discharges, and pouring a few chemicals that Marin guessed were disinfectant in nature.


    ¡°You both didn¡¯t have much time. You were down to mere minutes of me saving him. It was destiny, I guess,¡± the doctor mentioned.


    ¡°You have my gratitude,¡± Marin responded. ¡°You not only saved his life, but someone who I deeply care about.¡±


    The doctor began to cover the wound in gauze. Marin watched as he worked professionally.


    ¡°I never got your name,¡± the doctor said.


    ¡°Marin. Sullivan Marin.¡±


    ¡°I am Edward Eisen. Doctor Eisen, most called me.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, doctor.¡±


    Eisen worked in silence until the wound was fully treated. Gus had his entire side wrapped securely, and the doctor placed the caps back onto his bottles. He stood up, and faced Marin.


    ¡°I have some questions I need to ask,¡± Eisen stated.


    Marin arose from the chair in a quick motion. ¡°Of course, anything.¡±


    Marin knew Edward Eisen would need a full explanation and story of what had happened to Gus and him ¨C he was owed that at a minimum. Marin also knew that if the doctor could get the full story in detail, it may give him some leads on the origin of the toxin, and help him identify it to create a full counter to the poison.


    He had already begun to prepare the story in his mind earlier, and readied himself for the full reasoning of bashing down his door, and invading his property. He had felt terrible about doing that, especially after Eisen was so ready and willing to help out Gus. He hoped that he would understand, though, and hold no resentment. Marin was even ready with coin in pocket to repay him for any damages and mental disturbances.


    ¡°My first question ¨C and arguably the most important one -¡± Eisen removed his glasses and polished them on his lab coat. His eyes had been magnified by the lenses. They now appeared to be as tiny as his teeth, which did not help his case of appearing as a normal human. They stared right into Marin¡¯s eyes, even through the mask, and into his soul.


    ¡°- is why you have no heartbeat.¡±


    If Marin had any organs that worked ¨C they would have all turned at once. A wave of fear spread over him, a grip of panic that would¡¯ve given him goosebumps if his skin was not dead.


    ¡°C-come again?¡± Marin responded after a moment.


    ¡°You heard me. I can detect the vitals of anyone from a distance. Don¡¯t try lying to me. I want answers,¡± Eisen smiled wide again. ¡°Or this situation is going to get very dangerous, very quickly.¡±


    That was a not bluff, it was a threat. Marin had seen the blood manipulation earlier, and it was out of his realm of knowledge. That was quite bad, because it meant he had no idea what this doctor was capable of.


    For once, Marin didn¡¯t know what to do. He didn¡¯t have much time to respond, and began to quickly think about what to say. He couldn¡¯t respond with hostility. Even if he could overpower the doctor, it could very well end in Gus¡¯s death, and he didn¡¯t want to take that route. At the same time, exposing himself would equally be a massive risk, met with an adverse reaction.


    His options were extremely limited. It was impressive enough that Eisen could detect that Marin¡¯s heart was not in operation. Mixed with what he had seen earlier, he had no choice but to tell the truth.


    His only hope was that since the doctor had been so kind to assist him and his friend, that maybe, maybe, Eisen would not turn on him.


    It was decided then, and instead of beating around the bush, or hinting at the truth, Marin would just come out with it plainly. Judging by how crazy Eisen was, he doubted anything would surprise him.


    ¡°I¡¯m not alive,¡± Marin stated.


    Eisen became excited, which was expressed in a queer movement of his shoulders and neck. He didn¡¯t like that answer, it was not acceptable to him.


    ¡°Ooh, you¡¯re not alive? Well, you¡¯re standing right here, right now, talking with me. Unless you¡¯re a torchen created by the outlawed fire skills, that wouldn¡¯t make much sense to me now, would it?¡±


    Even more shock from Marin. Doctor Eisen was well educated in the realm of the elements like he was. Torchens were dead bodies reanimated by one of the hardest fire elemental skills there was to master. It was such an abomination that Arkana, Neo and RAM jointly declared the skill illegal to perform.


    Very, very few know about the ability, and even fewer have ever used it.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you know about that,¡± Marin stated.


    ¡°I know a lot of things. In fact, I know almost everything,¡± he proudly declared in a cocky voice. ¡°So when I come across something I don¡¯t know about, I make it so I do. That¡¯s not a hard concept to comprehend, is it?¡±


    Eisen was becoming impatient. Marin had already decided to tell him the truth, but now Marin¡¯s interest had been piqued in a way that had not been since he could remember. Eisen had revealed himself to be a sort of genius. He had an unyielding desire to pursue knowledge. To solve every mystery out there, and because of that, maybe, just maybe,


    Edward Eisen would be able to help him with his entire situation.


    Seeing now that the doctor had given away his burning desire to figure out what the heck Marin was, the King decided to make an attempt at playing the fact to his advantage ¨C a swap of knowledge, of sorts.


    Marin sighed. ¡°I have quite the case for you to solve then, Doctor Eisen. I will tell you everything, if in turn you share some of your knowledge with me. I think that¡¯s a fair deal, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Eisen folded his arms, mediating on Marin¡¯s offer. His glasses were back on his face, magnified pupils staring deep into Marin. He tapped his foot slightly in thought.


    ¡°Alright, what do you want to know?¡± He finally gave in.


    ¡°Are you an elemental?¡± Marin shot out.


    ¡°I think you can answer that yourself,¡± he responded. ¡°You saw what I did.¡±


    ¡°Blood¡¯s not an element.¡±


    ¡°Correct, blood¡¯s not an element, under normal circumstances. I, for one, am not a normal person. Blood is a new fork in the water element that I have invented.¡±


    Could it be true? Marin was mentally doubling over. He hadn¡¯t been caught this off guard since he was a brand new student at Arkana, watching his teachers utilize the power of the elements in ways he never thought possible.


    This far in life, after growing so much in power, experience, and knowledge, could it be possible that he was once again meeting someone who made him feel like a child?


    ¡°You invented a new element?¡± Marin repeated.


    Eisen didn¡¯t see the big deal in it. ¡°Yeah, I did! What¡¯s with the fascination? Are you an elemental yourself?¡±


    Marin thought of an idea. Something he would try. As smart as the doctor was, he guessed there was no way he had not mastered this skill.


    ¡°Can you read handshakes?¡± Marin asked, extending his hand.


    Eisen smiled. Now they were getting somewhere. ¡°Indeed I can.¡± He stepped closer to Marin. The doctor reached his hand out to meet his.


    Immediately, Marin could tell by just the angle of the incoming handshake, that he would be in for a ride.


    Their palms met, Eisen¡¯s gnarly fingers wrapping around the gloved hand.


    Marin had prepared for an aggressively high reading, but it wasn¡¯t enough. Eisen¡¯s grip was one that reminded him of Arkana¡¯s most accomplished elementals. Powerful beings of immense mastery of their element. He hadn¡¯t shook such a hand in decades. Centuries, if you counted the time he was not alive.


    In turn, Eisen pulled away his hand almost as soon as they made contact. He cackled, a foul laugh that Marin swore would fuel young children¡¯s nightmares. Eisen shook his hand in a rapid motion as if he had endured a new chemical burn.


    ¡°Woo! Woo-haha! Now that sir, is a handshake! One of a Neo General! One of an Arkanian wizard ¨C scratch that, a Grand Wizard.¡± Eisen fidgeted around, his excitement barely being contained.


    ¡°You ¨C you are something. Who am I in the presence of?¡± Eisen added.


    Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°I am a wizard,¡± Marin started.


    ¡°Well, no shock there. Sorry for that threat earlier. If I had known an encounter between us would result in a quarter of the city being destroyed, I wouldn¡¯t have said that.¡±


    Marin nodded, assuring him that no harm had been done.


    ¡°Well, Marin the wizard, you have much to explain to me. How has an Arkanian wizard, stuck up and snobby, arrive in this humble abode wearing rags and a face mask? Ah, scratch that for now. My first questions will be about the lack of vitals from you. If I hadn¡¯t felt your physical form earlier, I¡¯d almost swear you were a ghost!¡±


    Marin understood that Eisen would have a million questions, but Gus was still on his mind greatly. He looked down to the boy.


    ¡°I will tell you everything. But first, I want to know that he will be okay for the time being,¡± Marin said.


    Eisen nodded. ¡°He¡¯s completely stable. He won¡¯t be back to full health until I create an antidote, which I can¡¯t start until his blood gets analyzed. Its sitting in a solution right now that takes time, so we have a little over an hour to talk,¡± he explained.


    ¡°Very well. Let¡¯s get comfortable. I will share my entire story to you, from what I can remember,¡± Marin prepared.


    Both of them left the living room they were standing in. Eisen offered for them to get more comfortable in the basement, where he had furniture and space suitable for lounging in.


    Marin agreed, and Eisen led him down the stairs. The entire lower floor was walled in stone bricks. The floor was concrete. The first sight Marin was greeted with was the shelves of books. Most of them medical in nature, some in potion brewing and other experiments. Most of these books Marin had not seen since his days in Arkana ¨C these were some advanced reads and guides sitting on display.


    Past that, were tables and counters of glass beakers and liquids. Bunsen burners sat in every corner, open books and notes had fallen to the cold floor. There were herbal ingredients grind up, with ones drying on the wall.


    Eisen had Marin approach a table with light centered on it. In a glass container was Gus¡¯s blood, with a telescope above that. He explained that once the solution stabilized his blood, he would be able to use the telescope to read the composition, and figure out what exactly had gotten into him.


    After they passed that, they came to an open space with a few empty chairs and a table in the middle, which surprisingly, was all cleared off. Eisen took a seat and gestured Marin to do the same. They were now sitting across from each other.


    ¡°It¡¯s a nice lab,¡± Marin observed. ¡°It reminds me of my old one.¡±


    ¡°You experiment?¡± Eisen asked.


    ¡°I did, a long time ago. I¡¯ve given it up since my¡­ accident.¡±


    Edward¡¯s interest was piqued. This accident must¡¯ve been the absence of his vitals. He began to realize that if Marin¡¯s current state was from a failed experiment, he had met a man of his intellectual level.


    As Eisen remained silent, Marin continued.


    ¡°I tried creating a potion of immortality. I worked on a formula for years. Refined it. Adjusted it. And eventually, believed I had perfected it. In hindsight, I wouldn¡¯t have tried using it on myself first to see if it worked. My, uh, pride levels were quite high, and I believed I couldn¡¯t mess up.


    After I drank it, I didn¡¯t remember anything after that. What happened next was me finding myself on the floor, and some two hundred years had passed by. Based on how my body looked, I had decayed quite a bit, which led me to believe I had died.


    But for some reason, I was alive again. Not truly alive, as you could sense, but in this half-alive state, which has been a curse for me. My muscles are seemingly working. My brain seems to work, as well as my sight and hearing, but nothing past that. I can talk, so my lungs and voice work to some extent, but I require no air to breathe. I can¡¯t feel a thing, I can¡¯t eat, and what bothers me the most, is the fact that I can¡¯t sleep. None of my organs work besides the ones I stated.¡±


    The doctor had his head tilted down, hands in a steeple, finger tips pushing against his lips. It was a lot to take in, Marin knew, but he wondered how it would fair for this mad scientist.


    ¡°...Fascinating¡­ Absolutely fascinating.¡± He held his head up. ¡°It explains the entire concealing of your skin. And the mask. That is a nice mask.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Someone gifted it to me.¡±


    ¡°So there¡¯s others who know?¡±


    ¡°A very few.¡±


    Eisen thought more, and then, his eyes drifted over Marin¡¯s body. He made a silent gesture, almost as if afraid to ask a question.


    ¡°Could I¡­?¡± Eisen waved his hands in an outward motion, as if Marin would know the rest of the question.


    ¡°Are you sure you want to see?¡± Marin carefully asked.


    ¡°It would be an honor,¡± Eisen humbly stated with a smile.


    This was a reaction Marin never expected any normal person to have. It dawned on him though, that there was next to nothing that would scare away this doctor. He lived for this kind of information, these kind of experiments.


    Marin took a moment, then used his right hand to grab the glove of his left. He slowly began to pull it off. Eisen¡¯s eyes widened in anticipation.


    As the soft silken glove glided away, the pale skin of Marin began to expose itself. The doctor studied every imperfection in the skin near the wrist.


    The glove came off in a second, but to Eisen it took hours. When it was fully off, Marin wiggled his fingers, bony joints moving, chunks of skin still attached in some areas. Fingernails were missing, ones that still hung on were cracked.


    He held it out for Eisen to gawk at. He fully extended his fingers, and turned his palm right side up to reveal the other side.


    Marin saw that Eisen was in a state of euphoria, which was something he wished he hadn¡¯t noticed. Eisen stared, face frozen, mouth hanging slightly open, with a grin.


    After a moment, Marin grabbed his glove, and slid it back on, over his exposed hand. This was not exactly something he enjoyed showing off, but if his developing plan of Eisen helping him out would come to fruition, he needed to inform him of everything he needed to know.


    ¡°How about the face?¡± Eisen boldly asked. ¡°If I can study that, I¡¯ll be satisfied with your story.¡±


    Marin nodded. He knew the doctor would ask about it next. Outside of Loid, Phil and Rocko, Edward Eisen would be the only other person to ever see his true face.


    Marin flipped his hood back, and pulled off the black mask with light-blue crystal lenses.


    Marin was now staring back at Eisen with his true face. He had expected Eisen to make at least the slightest repulsion or cringe, but he did not. He smiled entirely, grin ear to ear. His eyes were lit up, a fire in them he had not seen yet.


    ¡°Wow! Absolutely incredible! What a feat! What a feat!¡± This was the most excited the doctor had been yet. He stood up, and walked around the table, hands in front of him.


    ¡°May I?¡± He asked.


    Marin looked reluctant, but then nodded yes.


    Eisen¡¯s hands gently grasped the zombie head. He stared into the eyes of Marin inches away. He looked up his nasal cavity. With Marin¡¯s head in grasp, he moved it side to side, studying every feature he could. He noted the missing teeth. The patches of hair. He looked down Marin¡¯s throat, to see most of it missing and dried out. The doctor was having a field day studying this walking failed experiment.


    ¡°Try talking again?¡± Eisen asked while looking down his throat.


    ¡°Hello.¡±


    Without the voice enhancer of the mask, it was incredibly raspy and almost unrecognizable. Marin¡¯s voice box was so decayed, the voice coming from him now was a shadow of the one he once had. It was barely functional.


    This took Eisen back for a second. Hearing Marin¡¯s sorry, pathetic voice, the psychotic doctor almost felt remorse for Marin.


    ¡°You sound much better with the mask on,¡± Eisen stated.


    Marin nodded in agreement.


    The doctor took several more minutes studying his head before he was satisfied.


    ¡°How your body is even able to work in that state defies all understanding. What a breakthrough,¡± Eisen spoke in awe. Finally he backed away, and slumped back into his chair, bewildered, and full of thoughts.


    Marin spent no extra time fitting his mask back on. After it was in place, he threw the hood up of his tattered clothing back on.


    He looked back over to the doctor, who was unchanged. He still looked down, pondering. Even the great, crazy doctor full of endless knowledge was actually shocked. This would end up being his most difficult project yet.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Marin asked, sounding much clearer with the mask filtering his voice.


    ¡°What do I think?¡± Eisen said in a concerned tone. ¡°I think¡­ I think you might even be crazier than I am, and I thought I was pretty crazy!¡±


    Marin lowered his head. It wasn¡¯t the best answer he had hoped for. He began to wonder if maybe this was above even Edward Eisen¡¯s paygrade.


    ¡°But do you know what¡¯s wrong with crazy?¡± Eisen said while suddenly standing up. ¡°Absolutely nothing. Crazy is what innovation is called. Crazy is what people who don¡¯t push the boundaries of the world see us as. Crazy! Crazy is what we are, my friend. We are crazy!¡±


    He walked over and grabbed Marin¡¯s hand, pulling him up from the chair.


    ¡°And you!¡± He said, putting his hands on both sides of Marin¡¯s shoulders, ¡°are my new best friend! We are going to do great things together, you and I!¡± He declared as he walked away, and over to a shelf.


    ¡°Are you going to try to cure me?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Oh yes, cure you I will! And mastery of your failed potion, we will see done! You, you have almost perfected it. And I will see it complete!¡±


    He started pulling books from the shelf. Marin appreciated Eisen¡¯s sudden display of ambition, but there were other things that would need to be addressed first.


    ¡°Is that blood sample ready to study?¡± Marin asked.


    The doctor froze. His head looked to the side. ¡°Ah yes,¡± he said in a much less excited tone.


    He placed the two books in hand back onto the shelf, and walked over to Gus¡¯s sample.


    ¡°There are other projects that are pending,¡± he reminded himself. ¡°There¡¯s an order to everything. Would you like to help me?¡± Eisen asked.


    Marin agreed, since it meant saving Gus¡¯s life. Eisen looked into the telescope, and confirmed his solution had stabilized the blood enough to study. He began peering down to the microscopic level. The doctor instructed Marin to grab him certain books off certain shelves. With Marin¡¯s help, Eisen began comparing what he saw to what was written in books on toxicology.


    Eisen began asking questions about how Gus was stabbed. Marin informed him on the entire situation, about the rogues who attacked them, and how the dagger was coated in the substance.


    That allowed Eisen to narrow down what kind of poison was used. Rogues were famous for using a select number of venoms that were favorable for coating their weapons with. He asked Marin for a few different books. He pulled out a notebook, and began writing. He started comparing results to what was inside his different texts.


    After what was about another hour, Eisen successfully identified what exact poison had been used. It was a high grade scorpion venom, which had been refined to be especially concentrated. It was also mixed with a few other herbs which exaggerated the acidity and speed in which it terminated whoever was unlucky enough to be injected with it.


    Eisen bolted around, grabbing ingredients and mixing them together. He asked Marin to grab complex solutions which Marin could barely remember about.


    The doctor poured, mixed, and cooked. He studied his books intently, making sure everything was done right. They had worked for another two hours, and the sun was starting to set. All the brewing had reminded Marin of the time when he had worked on making his own potion. While he didn¡¯t remember any of the specifics, the actions that he and Eisen had been doing set him back in time.


    Eventually, he poured the final solution into a freshly cleaned beaker, and informed Marin that it was done.


    Since Marin explained the entire story of the stabbing to Eisen as he studied, he had a better grasp on the situation. The story, though, opened up more questions than it did answering, and Marin told him that once Gus was injected with the antidote, he would share the entire tale of what he had been doing since he woke back up.


    They traveled up Eisen¡¯s creaky stairs, both feeling accomplished from the work of crafting a suitable antivenom. Gus was still lying unconscious on the living room table, but was in much better condition than earlier.


    Eisen drew in the liquid into a new syringe. He shot Gus with it.


    ¡°How long until he gets better?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°A few days. He¡¯ll be conscious again in one day, but it might take a few more before he¡¯s completely back to normal,¡± the doctor explained back.


    ¡°That table doesn¡¯t exactly look comfortable for him,¡± Marin tried.


    Eisen nodded in agreement. ¡°Let¡¯s get him somewhere more suitable, now that he¡¯s not critical.¡±


    Eisen headed to a spare room in his house. The bed in it looked like it had not been used in quite some time. The doctor¡¯s clutter had crept even in here, but it was far more manageable than the other rooms in the house.


    Eisen pulled the blanket back, and Marin lowered Gus into the bed. He straightened out his limbs, and made sure the pillow was comfortable. Marin combed his hair slightly with his hand. After that, Eisen laid the blanket over his body, the top of the blanket halfway up his torso.


    Gus¡¯s breathing was no longer weak or labored ¨C a good sign, and he actually looked to be in a deep, recovering sleep. Marin finally breathed a sigh of relief, now fully believing that Gus was going to live.


    ¡°Doctor, I want to thank you again,¡± Marin mentioned, as both of them stood over Gus¡¯s body.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. You were just lucky to have found me.¡±


    ¡°I am in your debt. Anything I can do to aid your research on me, let me know,¡± Marin told him.


    ¡°Well, first thing¡¯s first. I¡¯m starving. Let¡¯s grab a ¨C ah, haha. I mean, I¡¯ll grab a bite to eat, and then we can continue to talk. We have much to discuss.¡±


    Eisen turned around and left the room. Marin stayed longer, looking at Gus.


    Gus was going to live. He was going to make it.


    It had not dawned on Marin yet, but because Gus had gotten stabbed, Marin inadvertently recruited his first powerful ally to his kingdom.

 Chapter 24 - Crystal Cavern

    It was about half past one when Oscar and Vera reached Sunset Forest. The network of trees earned its name from being the western-most expanse on the continent of Grandom, one that would see the last of the sun before it set over the horizon. It was also considered one of the largest forests at the time, while it wasn¡¯t as old as some of those around Niyeton, the father mountain, it had seen rapid growth in the last few centuries.


    Sunset Forest was home to a secret base deep in, one that Oscar and Vera were trying to get to. John Reech had hidden the entrance so well, even those that were privy to the hideout had difficulty locating it.


    Oscar was lucky to have Vera with him ¨C she had taken more care to study where it was, and without her, Oscar might¡¯ve had to wait at a local town for another base member to eventually pick him up.


    ¡°You better find it!¡± Oscar declared, balancing his battle staff on the back of his neck, with a hand holding it on the right end. ¡°Reech is gonna be peeved if we don¡¯t get back to him soon.¡±


    ¡°Like you¡¯re any help. I¡¯ll be sure to let him know I did all the work in getting us back,¡± she responded in frustration.


    Vera had all the landmarks memorized, for the most part. The real difficulty was finding the mossy stone door beside a drop off. No easy feat, seeing as every rocky face in the forest was covered in moss.


    Oscar was growing tired of the traveling. He had half the mind that Vera was as lost as he was, but held out hope in her as she seemingly guided them in circles. Eventually though, a familiar sight flooded his gaze, a specific creek with lily pads.


    ¡°Oi!¡± Oscar pointed out, ready to let Vera know they were in the right direction.


    ¡°I know, we¡¯re almost there,¡± she said, relieved.


    ¡°And here I thought I was losing hope on you,¡± Oscar teased.


    From there, it was smooth sailing to the entrance. After passing the creek, the two of them walked down a slippery incline. They took a sharp right, and before them was a small mossy cliff face. Vera approached, looking intimidated before the puzzle in front of her.


    She started studying the uneven stone, looking for something specific. Oscar stood in the distance behind her, twirling his metal battle staff in impatience.


    Some time passed as her hands traveled along the stone face. She felt every nook and cranny, looking for something out of place.


    ¡°Pressure points, Vera. You¡¯re trying to find the points that push in!¡± He obnoxiously reminded her.


    She sharply turned around, and gave him an evil stare, part annoyance, part frustration in lack of his help.


    To Oscar though, he felt as if he had been quite helpful. He had continually reassured her about any doubts he thought she might have ¨C a service he had been offering for free.


    He gave her an easy shrug from the stare. She turned around and continued her search.


    Oscar turned his back on her, and gazed outwardly to the forest in front of him. He scanned his view, keeping an eye out for anyone who could be witnessing their actions. Vera was taking a long time, and Oscar knew that it would increase the risk of someone spotting them, giving away the base location.


    Not that anyone would be out here. The base had been cleverly established in a chunk of the rainy forest far from any civilization. He still began to wonder, though, if anyone had ever accidentally stumbled upon it. Reech was so secretive, Oscar wouldn¡¯t put it past him to make the witness ¡®disappear¡¯ from some unfortunate event in consequence.


    Click!


    Oscar turned around to see Vera pushing in the final pressure point. A large portion of the wall began to vibrate. She quickly gestured him over to her.


    He hopped over a small running river in front of him, and met her by her side. The stone wall in front of them sunk inward, then began sliding to the left.


    ¡°Remind me where those points are, later,¡± Oscar quietly mentioned to her.


    ¡°There¡¯s a drawing in my room. I¡¯ll show it to you again.¡±


    When the moving wall had cleared the way, both of them headed inside. After a few seconds, the camouflaged stone door that was now behind them began to vibrate again as it prepared to close.


    Before them was a narrow cave path that gradually declined further into the ground. Above them were chained lamps, dimly lighting the way in front of them. They walked down the entrance, and into the hidden base before them.


    The familiar, musty smell of the cave reminded Oscar that he was home after being away for nearly a week. He followed Vera as she navigated a series of tunnels that sloped downward into the earth. They passed a few turns and splits, a natural defense to the base that would deter invaders.


    What started as a simple cave network grew into a large cavern as they reached the end of the entrance¡¯s maze. Before them was familiarity, but even after living in this subterranean home for years at this point, it was still a beauty to behold.


    The large open-ended cavern that slumbered under Sunset Forest was lit with both a mixture of lamps and beautiful, glowing crystals of varying sizes and color. The ends of these crystals reached out from the rock that they were stationed in, exposing their flawlessness that they seemed to have developed in such a dreary environment.


    This cavern was not just a secret gem mine that remained undiscovered by some large company, but it was also purposed into John Reech¡¯s headquarters and base of operations for his organization.


    Oscar and Vera, who were recruited into his family, were brought to this magical location a few years ago. From what they had been rescued from, this place was paradise to them, and even after beholding the cavern time and time again, the sight never grew old.


    Oscar walked down the stone stairs in front of him, and glanced at his surroundings. The walls had passages burrowed into the stone, creating artificial halls for bedrooms and other rooms cut off from the center cavern.


    In the main cavern itself was nearly everything else. The very center sported a long table to eat and socialize at, in the corners were a kitchen, storage and other crafting stations and utilities. One back corner had an orange glow from a forgemaster¡¯s flame. Another had a sparring ring with target dummies, to the right of that was a range with ringed targets at the end. On the opposite wall from where Oscar stood, was a grander passage that led into Reech¡¯s conference room and office.


    It was the first place that the two of them had to report to when first returning.


    ¡°I wonder who¡¯s home,¡± Oscar guessed as he failed to see anyone dwelling in the center cavern.


    ¡°It is mid-day,¡± Vera reminded him. ¡°Most of them are probably out doing something.¡±


    They walked across the middle of the room, passing the stations around them. When they got near the forge, however, both of them heard a rustling of metal down the hall closest to it.


    Oscar knew that must be Jorgen near by. He waited a moment, and sure enough, the short, muscular man appeared around the corner, holding several chunks of colored metals.


    Jorgen was a black haired man of a dwarven height. That description alone was nearly all there was to him. Black hair covered him nearly everywhere. The hair that grew from his arms and legs almost was a match for the hair from his face and head.


    His muscular form would have been intimidating if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that he stood barely taller than the forge mouth he pulled metal to and from so often.


    A smile formed underneath his beard, unable to be seen from anyone, when he saw Oscar and Vera walk by.


    ¡°Aye, look who¡¯s home!¡± He bellowed out, dropping the ores near his workstation, and briskly walking over to them.


    ¡°Jorgen!¡± Oscar responded. He was happy to see that not a thing had changed with him. Jorgen gave Oscar a hug, then hugged Vera too.


    Before anything else was said though, Jorgen took notice of Oscar¡¯s gunmetal staff, eyeing it up and down.


    ¡°What in blazes is that thing?!¡± Jorgen demanded in a disgusted voice, pointing at the low grade pole that he had clutched in his hand.


    Oscar gave a disappointing look, trying to figure out how to explain what had happened to Jorgen¡¯s latest prized weapon he had crafted for the young man.


    ¡°The staff you made for me is gone,¡± Oscar started. ¡°Lost from battle.¡±


    Jorgen¡¯s mouth hung open in shock as he looked from Oscar to Vera and back. His beady eyes were wide open, hearing the sullen news.


    ¡°Sullivan Marin broke it in half,¡± Vera added.


    ¡°He WHAT?!¡± Jorgen responded in a growl, the angry dwarven noises making him scarier.


    ¡°He froze the staff, and snapped it clean off with a single hand,¡± Oscar explained.


    Jorgen furiously shook his head, his black beard rustling, trying to keep up.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. That staff can¡¯t be broken. It¡¯s made with mythril! Coated in a golden shaconium alloy! I spent a week forging that thing! What happened to it really?¡±


    ¡°That was really it.¡±


    Anger turned into a shocking, numb despair for Jorgen. His gaze drifted in thought as he stepped backwards.


    ¡°I-I don¡¯ believe it,¡± the dwarf said in a softer tone, still in denial.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Jorgen was commissioned by his leader, Reech, to craft the battle staff for him when Oscar had recently reached a new skill level of being a crystal elemental.


    All this time, Oscar had been training his use of his chosen element while using a lower, common grade staff. The expensive, mythril one that Jorgen made for Oscar, allowed him to channel the elemental strength through the staff, heightening his ability to create complex crystals for battle.


    Jorgen was an experienced forgemaster, but even one as well skilled as his him needed nearly a week to meticulously create the weapon. The cavern they lived in contained most of the rare metals he needed, but some had to be ordered from different parts of the land.


    Hours of smelting the exclusive ores in flames that burned in different properties from exotic fuels led to hours of hammering and combining the metals until his finished product was a masterpiece worth hundreds, maybe even one thousand gold coins.


    The forged product after cooling and hardening resulted into a rod nearly incapable of being even slightly bent, let alone ever, ever, being snapped in two.


    And that, from what Jorgen was hearing, was exactly what had happened. His prized weapon he created met its end within an instant in the singular hand of a cold, undead ice elemental.


    Vera noticed that Oscar looked quite upset as the topic had been forcibly brought up, nearly as heart stricken as the day he lost it. Both Jorgen and Oscar had an equally sullen expression, one sad his week¡¯s worth of work was destroyed, the other sad it had been while it was in his care.


    ¡°Look, it wasn¡¯t destroyed in vain. The stunt Marin pulled allowed us to get a measurement of his power,¡± Vera explained, trying to cheer them up. ¡°And besides, at least the staff was the only thing destroyed. I¡¯d rather have that gone than Oscar,¡± she added.


    ¡°Aye,¡± Jorgen conceded. ¡°Still won¡¯t stop me from holdin¡¯ a funeral for the blasted thing.¡± He turned to walk away. ¡°Freakin¡¯ metals from Shacone in his hands now. I tell ya, if he was lookin¡¯ to reforge-¡± Jorgen¡¯s voice trailed off as he stormed away.


    Vera turned towards Oscar. ¡°You could¡¯ve hid that thing and delivered the bad news later,¡± she scolded him as he brandished his clutched staff.


    ¡°Oh yeah sure, let me just put this in my back pocket. Or maybe you had a better way to conceal it,¡± Oscar responded sarcastically. Did Vera really think that there was some way he could hide a metal rod that rivaled his own height?


    She shook her head in realization. ¡°Well¡­ I just hope he can get the chance to make you a new one,¡± she tried convincing herself, knowing how expensive the materials were.


    Their brief stop by the forge concluded as they continued deeper into the cavern, and to the passageway that led into Reech¡¯s office. As they grew closer, the crystals surrounding them become more numerous and brilliant. It was as if they were getting close to the core of the gem network.


    The archway into his office was adorned with them, the fiercest glow yet, and flawless in nature. They were arranged in alternating hues, offering every color of the visible spectrum. In the hallway, the rough, burrowed stone walls were replaced with bricks, signaling a custom made interior.


    The hallway opened up into a spacious, circular room, wrapped in stone bricks. Spacious would have been a good description, if it had not been packed with books, paperwork, filing cabinets, and shelving units containing dusty knick knacks and other enchanted items. Stacks of unorganized papers and books littered most of the floor¡¯s real estate, leaving very little room to get around.


    When all was said and done, the only open space was a trail leading to the center of the round room, with a desk in the middle. A second walkable trailed started behind that, leading to a staircase tucked against the back wall, leading to a second floor above them.


    ¡°You in, John?!¡± Oscar shouted out as they approached the desk. He looked down at a glowing green orb sitting on the left corner of the desk. It had some sort of slimy creature contained inside, bouncing around the glass walls.


    A rumbling could be heard from the floor above. The sound of a wooden chair being scooted back followed quickly after. After a moment or so, an old man in his early seventies began to step down the stairs on the back wall.


    He wore maroon colored robes with gold trim. His wrinkled head was hardly covered by thin wisps of white hair. Under a pronounced nose was a grand white beard that was almost pure in color, if you ignored the light spray of gray that entangled it. It was as if all the hair on his head and lazily retreated to his chin.


    Despite the fancy robes he wore, it was not enough to hide the fact that his body seemed quite malnourished. His stature was that of a feeble man, the slouch of his back weighed down from years of turmoil.


    Yet despite the frail look, he briskly descended the stairs as fast as any healthy, fully capable person could. The old man turned his body to avoid the paper walls of his narrow passageway, meeting both Vera and Oscar at his front desk.


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re back,¡± John Reech said in a soft voice, barely above a whisper. Despite the tranquil tone of his simple statement, it radiated a form of authority.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to read the report. I trust all went well?¡± He added, as he reached out for Vera¡¯s folder of paperwork. Liver spots dotted the outside of his hand, his bony fingers ended with long fingernails. He had two rings on his hand, one of them Oscar was now really taking note of, for some reason.


    ¡°The mission yielded the intel you were looking for, but at a cost, unfortunately,¡± Vera explained. John grasped the folder, and retreated to the chair behind his desk. Oscar and Vera took seats on the opposite end of the table.


    ¡°What¡¯s the damage?¡± John asked as he flipped the folder open, glancing at Vera¡¯s handwritten notes.


    Vera didn¡¯t answer, she held her head down, yielding the answer to Oscar. Before Oscar noticed it was his chance to explain, a moment passed long enough for John to read about it.


    ¡°Ah,¡± the old man grunted, his eyes glancing from the folder to Oscar¡¯s metal staff. ¡°Well, that¡¯s interesting. I wouldn¡¯t have expected that.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have?!¡± Oscar responded in a surprised manner.


    ¡°Other than that, it seems you both did spectacular.¡± He leafed through a few pages. ¡°I¡¯ll deep dive into this after dinner. I bet you two are happy to be back. Take some time for yourselves and relax. I¡¯ll follow up with you later.¡± He closed the folder and rested it on his desk. It was a signal that he was done conversing with them for the time being. It was a short meeting.


    ¡°What part was unexpected? The attempt to break his staff, or the fact that he actually accomplished it?¡± Vera dared to ask.


    The question caught Reech off guard, and it somewhat showed. For a moment, Vera wondered if she had overstepped with the inquiry. John didn¡¯t deny her though, he looked down at the folder for a moment, deep in thought, then back up to her.


    ¡°The attempt, I suppose.¡±


    At dinner, several base members sat around the table in the center of the great crystal cavern. The food in front of them was dimly lit by lantern and crystal alike, but adjusted eyes barely noticed how dark it was.


    Oscar sat besides Vera, who was sitting near Jorgen. On the other side of the table was the chef who took the chance to eat his freshly-cooked food while it was hot. By the chef was another base member named Chel, a redhead gal with a short temper. She had two handguns holstered at her waist, weapons that she refused to part with, even at the supper table.


    At the end of the table was a middle aged man, one in his fifties. He was of obese proportions, his three chins hanging above the massive plate of food in front of him. He was clean shaven and completely bald, a look that did not go well with his fattened, pudgy face. The only thing sitting on his thumb of a head was a pair of black framed glasses.


    Sausage sized fingers wrapped around his fork, taking no time to gouge his medium rare beef.


    ¡°How¡¯s Blane doing?¡± Oscar asked this large man at the end of the table.


    He grunted in response. Oscar and Vera had been gone a week, and Blane took no effort in welcoming them back. Instead, he seemed happier that he had his meal before him, instead of the others sitting around him.


    Oscar looked away, and turned back to Vera. ¡°Nothing¡¯s different with him,¡± he told her.


    They all ate and held discussion, Oscar going over his story of how he fought Marin and lived. Vera was sure to remind them all that Oscar wasn¡¯t very respectful to the target, taunting him and putting on a show.


    ¡°They just needed to know I was serious. I created a crystal wall stopping them from going back into the castle,¡± Oscar explained.


    ¡°You just HAD to duel him?!¡± Jorgen cried out.


    ¡°That was the mission! Find out how strong he is, a duel¡¯s a great way to go about it,¡± he shot back.


    ¡°Yeah well maybe if Vera was there too, you could¡¯ve gotten a duel with honor and he wouldn¡¯t have broken the staff! The¡­ beautiful¡­ staff¡­¡± Jorgen started sobbing.


    ¡°Vera wasn¡¯t allowed to go see him. Just me,¡± Oscar explained.


    ¡°What? That was John¡¯s orders?¡± Jorgen bellowed back. ¡°Why? That makes no sense! Obviously she should¡¯ve gone too. I don¡¯t know why John doesn¡¯t-¡±


    Before Jorgen could finish his statement, Blane loudly grunted at the end of the table. They all looked over to him.


    ¡°Do not criticize Reech,¡± Blane said threateningly, one sausage finger pushing down at the table. ¡°You have no place to do so, and I don¡¯t want to hear it again.¡±


    All conversation stopped at hearing Blane¡¯s bassy voice. There was a long pause of silence. The fat man said nothing else, and began eating again.


    Jorgen lowered his head. ¡°Aye.¡±


    The conversations after that were lower in energy, and everyone talked about their day and events they had going on. An old story or two was told. Chel dared Oscar to do something unsafe, and he claimed he would try it out during a sparring match with the two of them.


    The chef quickly got up as he remembered that a pot in the kitchen needed to be taken off the heat, and Vera had finished eating before everyone else yet again.


    The entire time everyone talked and laughed, Blane sat quietly at the end of the table, the only noises coming from him were the grotesque sounds of teeth ripping away meat as he worked on a new haunch.


    Everything was going well again, until all of a sudden, a massive spark of lightning reached out of the from the entrance of the cavern. The zapping trail of the terrifying white energy rose from the entrance, dancing along the ceiling of the cave until it dispersed. The fiercely loud noise of cracking electricity caused everyone¡¯s head to turn, everyone but Blane, that was, who was sitting with his back turned to the entrance.


    ¡°Oh, Ryno¡¯s back,¡± Oscar mumbled.


    The base members at the table stopped talking again, and waited a brief moment until a new person walked into the cavern from the entrance cave network.


    From a distance, it looked like an everyday old man. He was in his seventies, about the same age as John Reech. This man had a gray goatee around his mouth. He wore a brown hood and cape, and had on brown leathers. It was the same battle gear that elementals wore, such as Oscar¡¯s bright orange and black skins, but this man had a much plainer look.


    As he approached the table, he held his arms out high.


    ¡°FRIENDS! My friends!¡± He declared. A few sparks of white electricity danced off the back of his brown cloak as it trailed behind him.


    The first thing Ryno did was come up behind Blane, who hadn¡¯t turned at all, and who was still entirely occupied with his food.


    ¡°Blane buddy!¡± Ryno greeted as he put his two hands on either side of Blane¡¯s wide, foothill sized shoulders. He shook him back and forth gently. ¡°How goes the food today?¡± Ryno asked enthusiastically.


    Blane grunted in response.


    Ryno released his grip, and patted him on the back. ¡°I love this guy!¡± He told the other base members. ¡°I love him almost as much as he loves food.¡± He gave Blane one more firm pat on the back and walked towards the other base members at the table.


    As intimidating as Blane was, Ryno treated him no more than a younger brother. He was the only one who could man handle the fat man as he did and get away with it.


    ¡°Vera, Chel, Jorgen,¡± Ryno nodded at as he walked by. The three he greeted barely did any more than acknowledge him.


    ¡°Oscar!¡± Ryno said, holding his hand out. ¡°You fought the wizard and lived to tell about it. How did it go?!¡±


    Oscar¡¯s hand met Ryno¡¯s for a handshake. Instantly, Oscar was met with a decent shock of electricity upon contact.


    ¡°Ouch!¡± Oscar yelled as he pulled his hand away.


    ¡°Whoops! I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Ryno went for something in his back pocket. ¡°Gloves,¡± he murmured to himself. ¡°That¡¯s what the gloves are for.¡±


    Ryno slipped on a pair of brown gloves. ¡°Let¡¯s try that again,¡± he said as he held his hand out.


    Oscar was scared, he did not want to attempt the handshake again, hell he never wanted to ever be in contact with Ryno at all, but the fear of disappointing the electric elemental overstepped all of that.


    Oscar shook his hand again, hiding all the concern he could. Luckily, he did not get tazed again by Ryno¡¯s palm.


    ¡°It was¡­ um¡­¡± Oscar struggled to find the words as he looked into Ryno¡¯s eyes.


    Ryno¡¯s bluish gray pupils had tiny flickers of electricity dancing inside them.


    ¡°He was¡­ very¡­ dangerous,¡± Oscar managed to get out as he thought about Ryno. ¡°I mean mysterious! But I¡¯m sure he¡¯s dangerous too.¡±


    Ryno grinned, showing his yellowed, crooked teeth. Some of them in the back were missing. ¡°I bet he was.¡±


    Oscar gulped.


    Ryno suddenly realized he had leaned in way too close to Oscar and invaded his personal space. For sure Oscar would¡¯ve let anyone else know that they were in too close, but again, this was Ryno.


    He stepped back, allowing Oscar to breathe once again.


    Ryno was a stupidly powerful electric elemental, he was several leagues of strength above anyone else who lived in Reech¡¯s base, including Reech himself. From what Oscar had heard, the man could fold even Arkana¡¯s greatest wizards within a single battle.


    It made Oscar wonder why Ryno was even here, taking orders from a man much less powerful than he was.


    ¡°Anyways,¡± Ryno started as he stood straight back up. ¡°I¡¯ve got to talk to ol¡¯ Johnny boy. The Reecher has probably got something new for me already. Dude¡¯s been working me like a horse. It was nice seeing you all again.¡±


    No one responded.


    Ryno began to walk away, but not a few steps in, he turned back around. ¡°Oh, and Jorgen?¡±


    The black bearded dwarf looked up to him.


    ¡°I forgot where the pressure points on the door were again. And it uh, needs replaced. Again.¡±


    Jorgen spat his drink out all over the table.

 Chapter 25 - Begin the Search

    The first thing Gus felt was a steady, aching pain radiating from his side. He slowly opened his eyes, and found that his vision was blurred. His head turned side to side, trying to make out his surroundings.


    Gus was in a room, one he was completely unfamiliar with. He blinked a few times, trying to regain the sharpness his vision normally had. He attempted to move his arms and legs, and found the task nearly impossible.


    He was in a terrible state, that much he was gathering. What happened though, he tried to remember.


    The girl¡­ the knife¡­ the stabbing¡­ Marin!


    Gus jerked his head to the side again, trying to make out fine details of the room. He now realized he was in a bed, with the covers up to his upper chest. What had happened?


    As a few more moments passed, Gus recalled that he had indeed been stabbed by the rogue, and Marin had scooped him up from the ground, carrying him in unknown directions at a fast pace. He recalled his King yelling, shouting in desperation, at random city dwellers, trying to get him help.


    How did that go? Gus couldn¡¯t remember, he had faded out shortly after that, and what felt like a long sleep later, he had awakened in a bed, laying in a room he had no memory about.


    Gus took a deep breath, and a low moan comprised his exhale. He was in a decent amount of pain, but at least his vision was steadily recovering. He looked again to his right. There was something rather large besides him. It was clear like glass, maybe of a blueish hue.


    Gus blinked a few more times. What was that thing? It had two large spikes sprouting from either side of it. As his eyes refocused, it started to resemble a bird. The two spikes were wings. It was a type of bird with its wings spread open.


    Gus closed his eyes again, and fully rested his head on the pillow. How long had he been out for? Whatever had happened, King Marin must¡¯ve succeeded in getting help. He was in a bed, recovering. He hadn¡¯t died, that much was certain. Well, not yet, anyways. He wondered if he had woken up during the slow consumption of the poison in his body. Perhaps he was still on his way out.


    No. Not yet. Gus wouldn¡¯t go down yet. His eyes shot open again, and his vision was clearer than ever.


    The object on a pedestal besides him, it was a beautiful ice sculpture of a swan. A SWAN!


    This was the work of Marin, he knew. Gus couldn¡¯t believe it, after all this time, and everything that had happened, his King remembered one of the countless scenarios he bombarded him with during the journey to Tarenfall that took ages.


    The man did it. He had created a swan. Gus took this as a good sign. Whatever was going on, whether he was recovering or perishing, everything was okay. Marin had seen to it that he was being taken care of, and all was alright.


    ¡°Hello?¡± Gus finally cried out, with great effort on his part.


    He didn¡¯t hear a response. Looking to the other end of the room, a door was closed. He was in this room alone, and as his senses started to work again, he took note of the dust that coated everything. The room had a smell of decay. Where exactly was he? This was no hospital. He felt as if he was in a house that was slowly perishing from rot. Perhaps he had this in common.


    ¡°Hello?!¡± Gus tried again, a bit louder. He attempted to sit up, but that was not something he would be capable of. The instant he tried, a sharp pain ran through the area where the dagger had met his body.


    Then he heard a noise, a rumbling of sorts. Footsteps rapidly pounded the floorboards in the distance, and then in the next instant, the door flung open.


    It was Marin.


    ¡°Gus? Gus!¡± He cried out, running to his side.


    ¡°King Marin!¡± Gus gave a second attempt at trying to sit up, but Marin¡¯s hand instantly met his shoulder, forcing him to stay in place.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t try moving about. Stay as you are, it¡¯s okay.¡±


    Marin knelt at his bedside. ¡°Oh Gus, I¡¯m so relieved to see you awake. You are indeed recovering. The doctor¡¯s antidote is working!¡±


    Antidote? What a relief, Gus thought. He was on the course of betterment, not of death. Marin had really pulled the rabbit out of the hat with this one.


    Marin clutched Gus¡¯s hand through the blanket over him.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Marin inquired excitedly.


    Gus shrugged his shoulders a bit. His mouth stretched. ¡°Not exactly well. But I suppose I¡¯m much better off than I was.¡±


    ¡°You were knocking on death¡¯s door, that¡¯s for certain,¡± Marin explained. ¡°I barely found help in time. God, I would¡¯ve blamed myself forever if you had perished. We have a studious doctor to thank for your life.¡±


    Gus continued to feel Marin¡¯s glove covered hand clutching his. He looked into Marin¡¯s black mask. Sky-blue crystal eyes were the only thing radiating back at him. Gus began to imagine a face behind that mask, one of great concern and care.


    Gus then looked slightly to his right, and eyed the swan sculpture once again.


    ¡°It¡¯s very impressive,¡± Gus stated, his eyebrows gesturing at the crafted piece behind the King.


    Marin turned to look at it. Even he had to remind himself that he created it, somehow.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he responded. ¡°I¡¯ve never tried something like that before. It took a few do-overs before it looked right. I¡¯m no artist by any means.¡±


    ¡°You could¡¯ve fooled me.¡± Gus laughed.


    Marin laughed.


    Then Gus coughed, and the sharp pain coursed through the wound once again.


    ¡°Easy, easy, there,¡± Marin told him.


    Gus did a hard swallow. ¡°You know, who would¡¯ve thought we¡¯d be seeing those damn rogues again so soon,¡± he said.


    ¡°Not I. It still baffles me what they had been trying us for. Two of them are dead, by the way,¡± Marin explained.


    ¡°Dead?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got two more to go. I will get them.¡±


    ¡°King Marin¡­¡± Gus tried.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t try it. My mind is set, it¡¯s what they deserve after what they attempted. I gave them the benefit of a doubt the first time we met them in Tresdor. I was easy on them, all things considered. A day-long timeout for attacking us. But they have taken advantage of my good graces, and now they will pay.¡±


    ¡°Well if you¡¯re certain that hunting them is what you¡¯re going to be doing, I hope you at least recover your jewelry. Your necklace-¡±


    Marin grabbed his shoulders. ¡°My WHAT? My CROSS?! They had it?!¡± The gem eyes of the black mask from the outside showed zero emotion, but Gus could tell it was flooding the inside of it.


    ¡°Y-yeah. The chick. She dangled the thing in front of me shortly before stabbing me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, by the divine.¡± Marin released his grasp, and turned away. ¡°I am a mixture of relieved and furious. It is beyond me how they managed to pickpocket it off of me. Never once did I feel them near me. Never once had I suspected it was gone. Then shortly after taking care of you, I grasped my chest, and realized it was no longer a part of me.¡±


    Marin stood back up, and faced the swan ice sculpture in deep pondering.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve underestimated these rogues. Especially that woman, their little leader. I think I¡¯m out of touch. I¡¯ve been gone for so long, I¡­ I¡¯ve forgotten¡­ things,¡± Marin admitted.


    ¡°Where have you been?¡± Gus asked.


    Suddenly, Doctor Eisen appeared in the doorway. Gus looked over at him with slight concern.


    ¡°How is everyone?¡± Eisen asked.


    Gus wondered what was wrong with his speech.


    ¡°Ah, doctor, please enter.¡± Marin turned towards Gus in bed. ¡°Gus, allow me to introduce to you Doctor Edward Eisen, the man who saved your life.¡±


    Eisen approached the bedside where Gus lie. Gus got a good look at him, and if Marin hadn¡¯t just explained what he had done, he would¡¯ve never trusted someone who looked like him to do any operations on him. He looked like the poster-child of a mad scientist.


    ¡°You¡¯re a young lad.¡± Eisen told him after a moment of staring at him through his lens-focused wire glasses.


    ¡°Uh¡­ thank you. And thank you for saving my life,¡± Gus mustered. ¡°I¡¯d shake your hand, but I¡¯m not really capable of that at the moment.¡±


    Eisen doubled over, laughing hysterically. It was not a good laugh. Quite the opposite, really. The cackle was a mix of a hyena and a choking parrot.


    For some reason, that was really humorous to the doctor. ¡°Yeah¡­ yeah,¡± he responded, after recovering his composure. He adjusted the glasses on his face. ¡°Worry not, my patient, for mobility will be granted to you in the span of¡­! Three days or so. We¡¯ll see.¡±


    Eisen turned to face Marin. ¡°Now that your underling is conscious and thriving, you¡¯ll be taking off, I presume?¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Marin responded.


    Gus was confused. What was this about?


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Gus asked his King.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill those two other rogues, and recover my necklace. I didn¡¯t want to leave until I was firmly convinced you would be okay.¡±


    Gus had half a mind to offer his assistance, but even without his sickly state, he was realizing he wouldn¡¯t be much help. These rogues had mastered skills far beyond anything he could contend with. The only people who could defeat these enemies were strong elementals like Marin.


    ¡°The doctor here will take care of you during your recovery. I will be back everyday if I can to check in on you,¡± Marin informed him.


    You¡¯re leaving me with this mad man?! Gus thought to himself, still not fully trusting of this doctor who looked more like a devious reptile than a human.


    ¡°I can assure you, you are in good hands,¡± Eisen tried convincing Gus. ¡°If you need to go to the bathroom, there¡¯s-¡± Eisen stopped in realization. ¡°Uh, I¡¯ll be back later!¡± The doctor marched out of the room, apparently remembering something important had to be done.


    With Eisen gone, Gus looked over to Marin, who had finished adjusting his belt and was pulling his gloves up higher on his arms. He was getting ready to depart.


    ¡°How in the world will you find them?¡± Gus asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any leads?¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± Marin responded.


    Gus was a touch shocked that Marin was acting with such haste. It seemed reckless. Usually Marin did everything with a plan, and seeing him so bold to wander the city with no lead appeared to be an act of desperation. He really had a bone to pick with these rogues, he had never seen Marin yearn for revenge this much before.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, though. I¡¯ll figure it out,¡± Marin added.


    He started for the door, but turned around last second. ¡°I need you to rest and recover. I trust this doctor. He had no reason to help in the first place, yet he did. Even with¡­ a certain situation he became aware about. So, let him help and take care of you. Try not to let his likeness get to your head. He is quite eccentric, but means well.¡±


    Gus nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± He hadn¡¯t much of a choice, but was willing to do as his King said.


    With that, Marin left the room. Gus stared up at the ceiling, and started feeling the weight of drowsiness overtake his body. He would need more sleep.


    Back out in the hallway, Marin found Eisen standing outside a door near the end. The doctor scratched his chin in thought.


    ¡°Doctor? Is everything alright?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Well¡­ technically yes. I uh, well there¡¯s something in bathroom that I need to take care of,¡± he answered.


    Marin raised an eyebrow, but Eisen could only take his silence as a yearn for a follow up.


    ¡°I created an experiment. A live one, and I uh, trapped it in the bathroom to deal with later,¡± he continued.


    There was a gurgling noise coming from the other side of the door. Something in the room was slurping.


    ¡°Problem is, I don¡¯t exactly know what it¡¯s going to look like now,¡± Eisen finished with.


    ¡°Do you need help?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°NO!¡± Eisen snapped. ¡°I mean¡­ no. I can certainly handle it, I¡¯m just calculating the best way to do so. I need to ready this bathroom for my patient, and that includes disposing of someone ¨C something ¨C that I thought was going to SERVE ME!¡± He yelled the last part for the creature in the bathroom to hear.


    It responded with more wet slurping noises.


    Marin could only imagine what sort of horror lived beyond Eisen¡¯s bathroom door, and even more so what chemicals and ingredients he used to create the thing. The doctor certainly was an innovator, albeit one that perhaps focused on the wrong category of science.


    Marin began to wonder what dark secrets the doctor could have, stories and experiments that would never come to light. If anyone could help him with his predicament though, it would be him. Eisen seemed to be good willed, even if it was just a recent change of heart, and one that could be temporary.


    Eisen swatted at Marin. ¡°Bah, don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯ll have this all sorted out by the time you¡¯re back. Go on and take care of whatever you need to do.¡±


    Marin gave a nod, still unsure of the situation, but had enough faith. He passed the doctor, and headed through the living room, to the front door.


    Eisen had gently sat the front door back into the doorway a while ago. Marin had broken it off its hinges the day he brought Gus in, and the doctor had done his best to make it appear like it was still functioning.


    Marin tried the handle, and to his surprise, it began to swing open normally. Half way through opening though, the door slid away and began to fall. Marin grabbed it, and swapped spots with it.


    Outside, he did his best to pull the door back into the doorway to conceal the fact that it didn¡¯t work. He reminded himself to reimburse Eisen for the damages. That door would need fixed sometime soon.


    The morning was almost over, as the sun crept to the middle of the sky above. As he had informed Gus earlier, he had no leads, and no idea how to track the two remaining rogues down. Marin had half a mind that they might still be looking for him, and wandering the city might be enough to warrant another encounter.


    In the event that they were no longer pursuing him though, he would need to track them down instead. Marin gazed over Eisen¡¯s yard that comprised of dead grass and mechanical scraps lying about. He was going to need a plan, and the first thing he believed he needed to do was gain information about the rogues in the city.


    There was a decent chance that these two specific rogues with red bandannas weren¡¯t originally from here, and if that was the case, there would be no luck in ever finding them again. If they were local though, his best shot would be visiting a tavern down town, one in a poorer section of the city, and inquiring about where he might find their whereabouts.


    He sighed, knowing this was going to be an up-hill battle, but pressed on by walking forward, and down the stone path way of Eisen¡¯s yard, leading to a common road of Tarenfall.


    Back on the main street, Marin began to realize that he might be in over his head. He paced the street of Tarenfall, passing buildings and houses, with no aim. So far, every event had been placed in his lap, and for the first time, he would need to initiate one for himself.


    It didn¡¯t help that every denizen of the city did their best to ignore him. He was reminded that he was a masked stranger in tattered, cheap, brown clothing, and not a single person would waste their time with him. They all walked passed him, giving the secret King not a second look.


    Minutes turned into half an hour, which then slowly grew into a few hours of Marin wandering the streets of the large city. He did well to memorize the street name that Edward Eisen lived on, to easily return back without getting lost. That was revealing itself to be a wise move ¨C this city was a true maze of streets, a monster of an urban land that put Whitewood City to shame.


    Marin had been keeping his eye out for some sort of tavern or club he could enter when he arrived at the poorest section of the city he could find. The buildings were run down, in desperate need of repair, and the people walking the streets looked no better.


    The King grew impatient after not seeing any buildings that advertised his criteria. He rounded street after street, hoping to find at least one establishment that would offer him some potential. Nothing did, and after a while, Marin began to wonder if he should give up on this effort and return back to base.


    Marin then turned to notice two rough looking thugs at a street corner, discussing some sort of shady business. He wondered if there would be any luck in approaching them. Marin hesitated, he stood there still for a moment, weighing his odds. It didn¡¯t take more than that for them to notice him staring, and at that point, he was forced to make his decision.


    ¡°Excuse me gentlemen, I was wondering if you could answer a few questions for me,¡± he tried as he walked towards them.


    ¡°You better keep walking, bud,¡± one of them responded, clearly not in the mood to help him out, and more in one to display an act of dominance. His voice was threatening, a tone of potential violence.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to forgive me, I¡¯m simply trying to-¡±


    ¡°GET LOST!¡± The other demanded, gripping his fists, preparing himself for a physical encounter.


    Marin quickly stepped back, arms in the air. He turned around and walked away in a rushed pace, not another word escaping from his mouth. A few of the bystanders witnessed the encounter, and Marin could feel many eyes on him as he stepped away in embarrassment.


    Marin had no fear for his life or well-being, that much was for certain. As easy as a snap of his finger, he could have their blood frozen solid. It was not an approach he planned for at all, though. He wanted to draw as little attention to himself as possible, and that course of action would be an easy ticket to getting the authorities to notice him.


    He was, however, majorly discouraged, and felt defeated. His current methods appeared to not work, but Marin was not one to change course so quickly. Perhaps he just needed to find the right people.


    Once Marin was sure he had cleared enough blocks from his sour encounter, he began sizing up the wandering locals again, and gauged them to see who might be able to offer him some assistance.


    He took notice of a man walking alone, who looked to be trying to mind his own business. He held a few books in his arm, a strong grasp that would prevent anyone from easily knocking them out of his hold.


    ¡°Excuse me sir!¡± Marin yelled.


    The man looked a bit frightened at the masked beggar who, to him, looked to be asking for money or conducting a scam.


    ¡°I have a few questions!¡±


    The older denizen gripped his books tighter and quickened his pace, not a single time attempting to even look in the direction Marin was at.


    Marin took the hint, and just watched as he sped-walked down the street, clearly concerned, or even annoyed.


    Marin scratched the back of his head. More people were watching him again. He locked eyes with a larger woman who was watering a few plants outside a building, who had boggled at his effort to try to strike up conversation with anyone.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, could I-¡± Marin started, as he walked towards her.


    ¡°Noooo!¡± She screamed as she lifted her water pail and ran into the building behind her.


    This isn¡¯t working. It¡¯s this mask. This damned mask I have to wear. Turns out when I¡¯m not with less suspicious company, everyone appears to be afraid of me. What will I do¡­?


    Again, Marin took off from the area, sticking around for too long might bring a guard, and that was not an encounter that he cared to deal with at the moment.


    He walked again, turning street corners, city blocks passing by him. He was given the same treatment everywhere he went. All the people ignored him, treated him as if he were invisible. There would be no chance to get help if everyone he tried talking to refused to interact with him in any way. He began to wonder if he should go with Plan B, and start freezing the city until he found the rogues, and in turn, his beloved golden cross necklace, which had a purpose other than being just a piece of jewelry.


    Marin still persisted with Plan A for the time being, and tried again to inquire with a few people. If anything, he just wanted a tavern location. From there, if he could sit around long enough, maybe he could converse with the barkeeper on finding the rogues.


    Finally, he got a man who responded, but it was wording he did not want to hear.


    ¡°Maybe I don¡¯t know where the tavern is. Maybe I don¡¯t like what you look like,¡± the orange bearded man replied.


    ¡°I understand that my appearance is bothering you, but I assure you, I¡¯m just trying to recover some stolen items from me. I¡¯m looking for some rogues who-¡± Marin was cut off.


    ¡°You¡¯re looking for some rogues? You need to study yourself! Go back to wherever you came from, and maybe have a decent look at your pals. There¡¯s all the rogues you need. I¡¯m not helping out some masked weirdo like you!¡±


    ¡°Please! They have red bandannas, black leather clothing, and-¡±


    The man he was pleading with flexed his muscles and raised his fists. He took a step towards him, a threatening look on his face that told Marin he was in for a fight.


    Marin backed off. Again, he raised his arms, hands open, signaling that he wanted no more trouble. He walked off as he had every other time, occasionally turning around to see if he was still being stared at.


    At this point, Marin was truly defeated. Every attempt to seek help resulted in humiliating failure. He had no idea it would be this hard to communicate in society with the way he looked. He cursed his undead state, and slumped down to the ground against a building¡¯s wall.


    Now he truly looked like a loser beggar. A masked old man, in burlap clothing, sitting on the pavement with no ability to help his current situation. For a moment, he even wondered if this was the life he deserved for himself, instead of the one he had been trying to rebuild.


    He sighed again, and slumped his hooded head into his arms, deep in thought as to what to do.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    Marin heard someone¡¯s voice close by. He raised his head, and from the ground, looked up at a man he had never seen before. He had straight blonde hair, that fell flawlessly down to his neck where it had been cut to. A cigarette was in his mouth, below that was a bit of scruffy black facial hair that only covered the bottom of his chin.


    He was younger, in his thirties. He reached up for the cigarette, and pulled it from his mouth, a trail of smoke lingering behind as he brought it down.


    ¡°You said red bandannas?¡± He added, barely looking down at the King¡¯s pathetic state. Instead he stared at his surroundings, a detailed focus for anything out of the ordinary.


    ¡°Y-yes. Covering their face,¡± Marin desperately replied.


    ¡°Black leathers, with dark purple trim?¡± The blonde haired man added, now leaning against the wall Marin sat against. His voice was soft. His tone was cool, calculated, and professional.


    ¡°Yes! There was a bit of purple edging, as a matter of fact!¡± Marin confirmed, shocked that this individual knew so much, even such a small detail that he himself almost overlooked.


    ¡°Mhm, mhm.¡± He took another drag from his smoke. ¡°I think I might be able to help you.¡±

 Chapter 26 - Ice the House (Part 1)

    Chapter 26 ¨C Ice the House (Part 1)


    At the corner of a rundown street in Tarenfall, stood a ratty pub for the common folk. Marin had passed the building once or twice in his search earlier that day, but never would he have imagined the crumbling brick establishment with boarded up windows could be a place to dwell at for recreation.


    That was though, the location the blonde haired man had directed the two of them to after a chance encounter. The outside of the tavern didn¡¯t deter the rabble of the city ¨C it was packed with the poor district dwellers inside, who, in their poverty state, found the building to be on acceptable terms.


    This was shocking to Marin, he had never been around or experienced a low class society as this one, and he swore to himself this was the lowest one could go. Despite his questionable memory, Sullivan Marin knew at least he had experienced his previous life on a more respectable elevation in society.


    The sights he experienced now weren¡¯t of a negative feeling, however. In his current state, he appreciated the fact that he could take in a new side of the world he had never been a part of before. His attire blended him right in, and from that, he could learn more about this impoverished lifestyle without disturbing the daily lives of those around him. He almost found it fascinating.


    The blonde haired chain smoker guided Marin ¨C he walked into the tavern, found seating in a corner, and gestured the masked king to have a seat. When Marin sat down, he drank in his sights, witnessing a bar of the lowest standards he had ever seen, one full of unhygienic patrons who packed the establishment like sardines in a can. Marin couldn¡¯t smell, but he imagined a scent similar to a barn that housed animals.


    Music played, but the melodies were drowned out by the shouting of patrons, yelling over each other to get the last word in. When one failed to do so, it was becoming apparent how common it was to smash the other¡¯s skull with a drinking mug or any other blunt object resting on the table. The entire tavern lacked any sort of glassware, Marin gathered that anything made so frail would not last a single day.


    All the chaos didn¡¯t seem to phase Marin¡¯s new-found acquaintance, who found the entire atmosphere of the pub to be a regular occurrence.


    ¡°You¡¯re not from around here, are you?¡± He asked Marin, as he noticed the king staring at the volatile events unfolding around him.


    ¡°...No, I¡¯m not. I apologize if I¡¯m making that look obvious,¡± Marin admitted, trying to refocus on the man and nothing else.


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize to me, I don¡¯t care,¡± he responded, pulling a new paper wrapped cigarette from a pocket inside his coat.


    ¡°So, who do I have the pleasure of conversing with?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°The name¡¯s Travis.¡± He brought the smoke up to his mouth, and produced a small flame at the end of his finger. He lit his cigarette with it, and shook the flame out.


    Travis had just exposed to Marin he was a fire elemental. Marin wasn¡¯t sure if that was done purposely ¨C as a show of power or even a threat ¨C but he wasn¡¯t impressed or intimidated. Travis was acting confidently enough, but Marin wondered how much his attitude would adjust if he had any knowledge that Marin was an elemental in the top one percent of skill level.


    ¡°You vocabulary is of a higher class than your current get-up,¡± Travis analyzed. ¡°The mask as well makes me think you¡¯re in some sort of prince-and-the-pauper situation. Did these rogues steal some valuables from a rich noble as yourself, and now you¡¯re trying to take justice into your own hands?¡±


    Travis kicked his feet up onto the table. Marin stared at the soles of his pointed leather boots. Travis had a smirk on his face, a look of confidence that he had figured everything about him out.


    ¡°...That¡¯s actually fairly accurate,¡± Marin had to admit. ¡°My situation is a tad more complex than that, but it¡¯s a fair summary.¡±


    Travis nodded. ¡°Alright, well here¡¯s how this will go, mister rich noble. You¡¯ll tell me what the Scarlet Eye have taken from you, and I¡¯ll get your stuff back in return for a coin reward.¡±


    ¡°The who?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re the faction of bandits who you speak of. They¡¯re known by the uniform they wear ¨C red bandannas covering their face, and leathers, black as night, with a deep purple trim. I¡¯m privy to their hideouts and secret auctions they hold of stolen wares.¡±


    ¡°I thank you for the information, but I¡¯m not out just to recover my stolen item. There¡¯s two I want dead, and I¡¯ll see to it that it¡¯s done,¡± Marin responded threateningly.


    Travis raised an eyebrow. He removed his boots from the table, and leaned forward to Marin. ¡°Now that¡¯s a bit extreme, don¡¯t you think? I¡¯m not sure you know who you¡¯re dealing with, the people in this order are equipped with skills that are beyond the knowledge of ordinary people, like yourself.¡±


    Marin pressed a finger to the table between them, and frost started covering the surface, emerging from the tip of his glove. ¡°I¡¯m not an ordinary person,¡± Marin said flatly.


    Travis squinted his eyes deep in thought as he watched Marin expose his ice element.


    ¡°I suppose I should fill you in a bit more with my situation before we discuss anything further. I am a wizard of Arkana. I journeyed here with a friend, and this order ¨C The Scarlet Eye ¨C as you call them, nearly killed him, and stole a valuable necklace from me. I have encountered them before in Tresdor, and had the chance to take them out then, but opted not to. I have regretted the decision deeply, and now, you¡¯ll be able to help me track them down.¡±


    The suave demeanor of Travis had partially melted away as he mentally processed what he had gotten himself into. The man had sized Marin up incorrectly, no fault to him, Marin was quite the rarity, but being thrown off so much had put him in an awkward situation.


    Marin recognized he needed a moment to think, and sat back into his chair, patiently waiting for Travis to come up with a response.


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    ¡°...You¡¯re from Arkana?¡± Travis finally asked, taking a puff from his cigarette.


    ¡°I studied there, yes.¡±


    Travis nodded, trying his best to regain his composure. ¡°All I know about that place is that the elementals who come from there are the real deal. You might actually be a match for the order, if what you say is true.¡±


    Travis knew not what power was truly behind the title of wizard, but he guessed it was of significance. Coating a portion of the table in frost from a single finger was a cute trick, but it was nothing to scoff at. He had no reason to believe differently than what Marin claimed, from that alone.


    ¡°I¡¯ll happily pay you for your help in recovering my lost item and leading me to them,¡± Marin responded. ¡°Beyond that, I can take of the rest. You¡¯ll have no qualms with me thinning their numbers, will you?¡±


    Travis shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not apart of them. I could care less what happens. In fact, it¡¯d be nice to see them get shaken up every once in a while. You speak of two specific members though. You¡¯re aware they are hard to distinguish with the whole covering-their-face thing they got going on.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll know them when I see them.¡±


    ¡°You have a whole face covering thing going on too,¡± Travis pointed out.


    ¡°It¡¯s for different reasons, I assure you.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­ okay.¡± Travis nodded, understanding that Marin had some mysteries to himself as well. ¡°I¡¯d at least appreciate a name though, to know who I¡¯m working with. Can you spare me that information?¡±


    Marin nodded in return, shocked he hadn¡¯t stated that yet.


    ¡°I am Sullivan Marin, you may call me Marin if you¡¯d like. I have to ask Travis, are you helping me just for a monetary reward, or is there more motive than that?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just settle on gold being the reason for now, Mr. Marin. Say¡­ twenty shiny ones. Shouldn¡¯t be too unreasonable for a wealthy noble as yourself.¡±


    ¡°I think I can do that,¡± Marin responded. Based on the answer Travis had given him, Marin could tell there might be more than what he was letting on, but if it meant a path to recovering his invaluable cross pendant, almost any price would have been worth it.


    It was entirely possible that Travis had other stakes in the retrieval of the Scarlet Eye¡¯s stolen items stash, whether it be thieving from thieves, or justly recovering his own lost valuables. Marin couldn¡¯t bet on it yet though, and frankly, it didn¡¯t matter much to him.


    Travis had been keeping eyes on his surroundings for most of the conversation, a hyper focus that Marin wondered how long he could keep up. It looked tiresome to be absorbing information not just from the stranger in front of him, but constant notes on the patrons around him.


    He took another drag from his cigarette. ¡°You have a base of operations somewhere? I believe our mention of that little roguish faction has caught wind to some of the guests here.¡±


    Marin quickly turned around to see if anyone was gazing in their direction.


    Travis immediately slapped the table, causing Marin to snap his neck forward again.


    ¡°Are you dense?¡± Travis yelled in more than a whisper. ¡°Don¡¯t go looking around as if ¨C God, you really aren¡¯t from around here.¡±


    Travis had gotten enough of a reading from Marin, and deemed it time for them to relocate. The King was clearly out of his usual environment, and acted more as a liability than an asset in keeping them out of trouble.


    ¡°Time for us to ditch this joint. Keep your head down, follow me closely,¡± Travis declared in a dreaded undertone.


    Marin knew at that point they had picked up unwanted attention. Travis was sharp, and far more perceptive than Gus was. It was hard to notice anything dangerous in a room packed full of rowdy patrons, but Travis had been keeping tabs on almost all of them. It was a talent Marin had to admit that Travis was far better at than himself.


    Travis stubbed out his cigarette, and loosened his blonde hair from behind his ears, causing it to partially conceal his face. He got up, and Marin followed directly afterwards.


    Step by step, the floorboards creaked beneath the two of them. The sound was drowned out by the ambiance of the tavern, and Marin hoped that it would also fair for their current actions of leaving.


    The sights hadn¡¯t gone unnoticed, unfortunately. Marin and Travis passed some large, thugish brutes who sat at the bar, and every one of them were beaming at the duo. Marin became anxious feeling all the eyes on him as they passed by.


    Were these advocates of the Scarlet Order? Perhaps even members who had been tracking the King this whole time? Many of these ideas clouded his mind, and he prepared himself for an encounter at any moment.


    In front of him was Travis. His brown leather coat was so dark, it nearly looked black. He wore tight jeans and cowboy boots. A chain or two hung from his sides. Marin was taking notice of this for the first time. If the skinny man had a bit more muscle on him, he¡¯d fit right in with these brutes they passed by.


    Then something terrible happened that interrupted his thoughts.


    One of the thugs grabbed Marin¡¯s arm in a tight manner despite his hasty walk. This caused Marin¡¯s body to jerk back.


    Instinctively, Marin used his ability, Slow Time. This gave him more perceived time to think of a course of action than what he would normally have.


    The grip was so tight, he believed that his bones would snap. His decayed body couldn¡¯t hold up to such raw muscle, and his number one priority above all else was preserving the broken-down vessel he piloted in this mortal world.


    Marin still didn¡¯t understand how it worked, but understood it was vital nothing happened to it, since it couldn¡¯t heal. What this man was doing risked the entire function of Marin¡¯s left arm.


    After weighing several options to respond with, he realized there was only one safe bet, and it was a path he had been trying to avoid this whole time.


    The world zoomed back into normal time just as ice coated the man who had assaulted him. The ice continued to travel, similarly to a ripple of water on a tranquil pond, freezing every patron in the tavern.


    The smoky frost crackled as it traveled up the bodies of every person. Some were in the middle of dancing, or walking around, and the ice caused their joints to freeze in that current motion.


    The entire event lasted just two seconds, but after that short amount of time, the tavern became silent, and unmoving. What was once a bustling hotspot of activity became a peaceful museum of human-like figures on display.


    The ice hit everyone ¨C every person in the joint, that is, besides Travis and Marin himself.


    Travis gawked, his head snapping in each direction as he processed what had happened. He turned around, and watched Marin as he slipped his arm out of the thug¡¯s frozen hand.


    ¡°Oh my God,¡± he uttered. ¡°Go, go!¡±

 Chapter 26 - Ice the House (Part 2)

    Travis and Marin both ran, slamming open the doors of the tavern, and hitting the street as they took off. As they put some distance between the icy event and where they were, Marin could hear voices echoing behind him.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on in there?¡±


    A few of the poor denizens outside and around the tavern had watched the two of them fly out, and then proceeded to peer inside to see the icy statues of what were once partying people. It didn¡¯t take much longer for a few of these people to start pursuing them.


    ¡°Hey!¡± They yelled from behind as they ran to catch up to them.


    Travis looked over his shoulder to see them, realizing the two of them had not gotten off scot-free from Marin¡¯s stunt.


    ¡°Damn!¡± He yelled. He looked over to Marin. ¡°Why did you do that?!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have much of a choice,¡± Marin responded as they kept running. ¡°Dealing with one meant dealing with the others, and I -¡±


    ¡°You froze all of them! I can¡¯t believe that. You froze ¨C damn, how did you do that?!¡±


    Travis was impressed finally. He would¡¯ve had more time to reflect on that, if he wasn¡¯t dealing with the potential of being apprehended at the moment. Travis had more than a few run-ins with the law, and getting caught again would spell his demise. He couldn¡¯t get caught.


    If the guards saw him and this shady masked man running from a crowd, that would certainly cause them to give pursuit as well. He needed to get away ¨C really get away, and that would involve the use of his element.


    He didn¡¯t want to leave Marin behind, though. After a few thoughts, however, he realized if Marin was so skilled with his own element to pull off a move like he did in the tavern, would the masked King have any issue keeping up with him?


    He thought not.


    ¡°We¡¯re taking a new route. Keep up with me!¡± Travis declared. He jumped to the left, and a burst of flames erupted from the bottom of his shoes. The thrust from the fire launched him high into the air, heading straight for the roof of a crummy building.


    His feet hit the roof, which caused the shingles to break off in the spot he landed, due to the dire need of replacement these buildings were in. Immediately after, an explosion of fire ruptured behind his back, causing his body to be propelled forward at a great speed.


    It was an effective tactic to getting around in great time, using the explosions a fire elemental could make to launch his body in a given direction. It was effective, at the cost of being quite dangerous. An explosion too close would easily dissolve one¡¯s clothes and skin as well. Too far, and no movement would happen. Travis had mastered the perfect distance he needed to make it happen.


    Upon landing on the next roof, Travis turned his head to see what had become of Marin. Satisfyingly, the crackling of ice could be heard as Marin rode a forming bridge of Kinetic Ice towards Travis¡¯s location. He had predicted correctly that Marin could keep up.


    Perfect. As of now, they would get away from the roaring crowd that gave chase. None of the common rabble had any sort of elemental ability, and even if they did, it would be trivial at best. There was no way they could traverse the route the duo had taken.


    Travis continued jumping from building to building, perfectly timing and distancing his fiery explosions. Marin skated his icy bridge that formed in front of him, and rapidly dissolved behind him. This went on for a while, before they approached the wall that divided the districts of Tarenfall.


    They landed on a final roof, Travis stood there catching his breath, while Marin effortlessly stepped onto the roof from his ice right behind him.


    ¡°That outta be far enough,¡± Travis gasped, years of chain smoking finally catching up to his ability to breathe properly.


    Marin arrived to the side of Travis, and looked behind where they had ran from.


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    ¡°They weren¡¯t quite pleased with my actions, were they?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°I mean, I wouldn¡¯t have been either. You killed all those people!¡±


    ¡°Killed? Oh no, no. I didn¡¯t freeze their bodies, I coated them. With ice that should wear off in maybe half an hour,¡± he explained.


    ¡°Oh thank God.¡± Travis produced a pocket watch out of his jeans that had been attached to a chain on his belt. He estimated how much time they had left before they thawed.


    ¡°They¡¯ll definitely be shivering though. It¡¯s not exactly an amusing experience, being trapped in ice. I¡¯d imagine they¡¯d all enjoy a hot shower.¡± Marin smiled under his mask.


    Travis turned to face him. ¡°You¡¯re crazy. One crazy dude. Who are you really?¡± He pocketed the watch.


    ¡°I mentioned I was a wizard.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m started to understand what that title means. I¡¯ve known a few snow cones, but you¡¯re the first I¡¯ve seen to pull off such a move as icing everyone in a tavern. Must¡¯ve been fifty people in there. Probably more. Did you get the chefs in the back too?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I did,¡± Marin responded.


    Travis¡¯s shaky hand pulled out a new cigarette. The events that had unfolded in such a short amount of time warranted a new smoke.


    ¡°At this point I don¡¯t doubt you¡¯d be a decent force against the Scarlet Eye. I wonder if they knew who they were messing with,¡± he talked in between breaths of smoke, aiming to regain his composure.


    They stayed on the roof for a while longer, conversing as they stood watch, seeing if anyone had managed to catch up with them. As time passed, it was becoming apparent no had done so. Travis asked again where Marin had come from and if he had a base of operations somewhere in the city.


    Marin named the street on which Eisen lived on. Travis knew exactly where it was, due to living in the city for so long. The two brought themselves back down to the ground, and Travis began heading towards their destination. As they walked, they did their best to try to bring as little attention to themselves as possible.


    On the walk back, Travis expounded a bit on his life here in the city, and how he knew the Scarlet Eye so well. He had parents that were apart of the organization, and both were eventually killed from some misunderstanding. Since then, Travis had dedicated his time to secretly sabotaging the Scarlet Eye, and making some coin doing so. It hadn¡¯t taken him long to hear Marin loudly rambling in the streets about his stolen item earlier that day, and he had seized the opportunity for a new job.


    ¡°Do they know about you?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Yes. They just don¡¯t know who I am. I stay concealed when infiltrating their hideouts, and I can handle any encounter with them fairly well. I¡¯ve mastered a slew of fire element skills that directly counter their agility based skills. It¡¯s worked out well for me,¡± Travis explained.


    ¡°Have you ever thought about destroying their organization entirely? Avenge your parents?¡± Marin added.


    ¡°And ruin my one source of income? Nah. I¡¯m avenging my parents every day by lifting their stolen goods from them.


    Besides, where one falls, a new will rise to take their place. Tarenfall is lacking major law enforcement. The cycle would just continue.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    They continued to travel, passing street after street, until Travis directed them to take a right. Finally, Marin began to recognize where he was. Eisen¡¯s house was at the end of the road.


    ¡°We¡¯re nearly there,¡± Marin mentioned.


    Travis was curious to see where Marin had been held up at. There was no inn near their location, so he began to wonder if he had an acquaintance living in the city. Perhaps he had even rented out a location for a longer-term stay.


    ¡°You¡¯re in a safe spot, I can tell you that,¡± Travis noted, seeing as they were nearing a corner of the city¡¯s wall. All the houses on this street were secured along the stone brick border.


    Near the end of the road, Marin swung open what was left of Eisen¡¯s metal rod gate. Through a narrow passage, Travis gazed at the spooky house before him, studying the messy plot of land it resided on.


    Despite his vast knowledge of the city and all its housing in the slums district, Travis must¡¯ve missed this one. It was so tucked away, it was easily passed over. He became impressed yet again, shocked Marin had secured such a hidden base of operations. The run down home and trashed lawn would also deter any thieves or hooligans, making it the perfect place to be left alone at.


    ¡°I will apologize on behalf of my host for the appearance of the place. I didn¡¯t exactly have much of a choice when I first came here,¡± Marin said as he approached the patio.


    ¡°It¡¯s actually a smart move,¡± Travis stated.


    When Marin grabbed the door knob, Travis expected him to swing the door open in a traditional manner. Instead, he watched as Marin grabbed the other end of the door, and lift it up from the frame it rested on.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to explain that one too,¡± Marin briefly mentioned. He sat the door out of the way. ¡°But first, there are a few people I¡¯d like you to meet.¡±

 Chapter 27 - Mad Laboratory (Part 1)

    Gus flipped his eyes open at the sound of hearing the door open to his room. When he looked over, he could see Marin entering.


    ¡°Marin! You¡¯ve returned?¡± He asked.


    Marin confirmed as he walked in and shut the door behind him. Gus noticed the sun setting through his window in the room. The day was nearing its end once again.


    Gus sat up. It was a much easier feat than earlier that day.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Marin inquired as he sat on the end of the bed.


    ¡°Much better.¡±


    ¡°Color has returned to your face. You look to be recovering at a good rate,¡± Marin noticed.


    Gus nodded. He had gotten more sleep as Marin had been gone most of the day, and Eisen had done a fair job of taking care of him. He had been fed, and received several extra doses of medicine.


    The bathroom at some point was even prepared for him, after a noisy encounter with some life form that Gus could only hear about from behind his closed door. Eisen had yelled several profanities at the monster while liquid noises could be heard splattering about.


    He thanked God that he never witnessed whatever horror Eisen had created.


    Besides that, Gus gave a good report on the doctor.


    ¡°That¡¯s relieving to hear,¡± Marin stated.


    ¡°What about you?¡± Gus started. ¡°Did you find your necklace?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve made progress on that,¡± Marin was proud to report. ¡°I have enlisted some help in recovering it. You¡¯ll meet the man soon enough.¡±


    Gus nodded. ¡°That cross pendant must really be worth all this effort, huh?¡±


    ¡°Very much so. I have to get it back,¡± Marin responded.


    ¡°What¡¯s so valuable about it? You can¡¯t just have it remade?¡±


    Marin thought for a moment.


    That¡¯s entirely possible. Why can¡¯t I have it just remade? It¡¯s an ordinary piece of jewelry. Am I being this sentimental?


    ...No. There¡¯s a reason why it¡¯s so important¡­ And I can¡¯t remember. There¡¯s something more to that pendant than I can remember. I¡­ I have to figure it out. I have to remember what it is. I must get it back.


    Marin turned to face Gus in bed.


    ¡°Not this one,¡± Marin responded.


    He refused to follow up further than that. Gus accepted that it was yet another thing that was not his business. If it was this important to him though, Gus began to think it was for a reason that was beyond sentimentality.


    Gus began to blame himself for this entire fiasco. Marin should have just left him at home. He hated seeing his King in such a predicament.


    Gus slammed his fist into the bed.


    ¡°What?¡± Marin said.


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault. Everything this far has been my fault! Look at me! Look at how much I¡¯ve impeded your mission! You should have never taken me!¡±


    ¡°Gus¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve had to worry about me this entire time. I¡¯ve been nothing but a liability this far. You would still have your necklace if it wasn¡¯t for me. I¡¯ve caused you so much distress and pain-¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Marin declared in a voice similar to the one he used during the rogue encounter. It was quite intimidating.


    Gus fell silent.


    ¡°You need to STOP blaming yourself for everything! I knew exactly what responsibility I was taking on when I chose you to journey with me. I knew I needed to protect you, and in return you¡¯d-¡±


    ¡°Protect me! Protect me because I¡¯m weak, right?¡± Gus fired back.


    ¡°You¡¯re not a weak person, Gus. Why would you look at it that way?¡±


    ¡°What other way is there to look at it? You explained to me what people are capable of! Compared to them I¡¯m nothing more than a child.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s also the majority of people. You¡¯re looking at the peak of a mountain when you¡¯re already at the base of it. That¡¯s still higher than the rest of the world living in the valley.¡±


    Gus shook his head. He didn¡¯t care for the metaphors Marin spoke in. There was only thing he wanted more than anything else.


    ¡°...What if I want to climb the mountain?¡±


    Marin sighed. He knew exactly what Gus was talking about. The elements.


    ¡°I¡¯ve given you that opportunity, but you deny it.¡±


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    ¡°I deny anyone else guiding me up there besides you,¡± Gus pointed out.


    ¡°What do you want from me, Gus?!¡± Marin asked forcefully.


    ¡°I want you to teach me the ice element. I want to learn it from the best man I know. And if I knew it, maybe for once I could defend you instead of it being the other way around.¡±


    Marin stood up. He went for the door. Gus was really starting to try his patience. In his first thought, Marin was ready to leave the room and let Gus think about the way he had been rudely making demands.


    When his hand rested on the door knob to leave, though, he didn¡¯t open the door.


    Marin sighed again, and raised his head up in thought.


    Gus stayed silent.


    After a short moment that felt like a long one, Marin turned around, and sat back down on the bed.


    ¡°Why me? What do you see in me, Gus? What¡¯s so special about me? I wear this mask, you¡¯ve never even seen my face. You know almost nothing about my past. Who am I to you?¡±


    Gus stayed silent for a moment as he thought.


    ¡°...You¡¯re powerful, you¡¯re wise, you care about me and all the villagers of Heroca. You saved us all from a raid, you used your wealth to rescue us and give us a home, even though we had never met you before in our lives. You¡¯re a defender, not an attacker. You are a benevolent person, not one of selfishness.


    Whoever you are¡­ Whoever you were¡­ Whatever true reason you wear that mask, even if it¡¯s because you¡¯ve done some bad things in your life, that¡¯s all not a King Marin I know. And because of that, I don¡¯t care, I see past that all. You¡¯re my role model, I¡¯ve decided. And I wouldn¡¯t accept anything less than the best person I know to teach me.¡±


    Marin sat with his head down, unresponsive.


    There was silence for a while. It was a lot to reflect on. Marin had impressed too much on Gus, and he weighed it with himself if that was a good thing or a bad one.


    ¡°You¡¯d be a hedge elemental. You¡¯d have no certification of elemental status. No official-¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just a word to me, Marin. I couldn¡¯t care less what people think.¡±


    Marin finally took a sigh after another long pause. He grasped Gus¡¯s leg over the blanket with his glove covered hand.


    ¡°Alright Gus. I will teach you. I will¡­ But there¡¯s a deal that must be made. You must do one thing for me if you want me to become your teacher.¡±


    Gus couldn¡¯t believe it. He had finally convinced Marin. ¡°Yes, yes, my King. Anything!¡±


    ¡°I want you to make peace with your father. You must see him and make amends. That is my one requirement,¡± Marin offered.


    Gus sat back in shock. That was the furthest stipulation that he could have imagined Marin would make. Why was that so important to him? He began to think if he could possibly swallow his pride enough to do it.


    Gus began to slowly nod. Marin stared back with his expressionless mask.


    ¡°...Alright. Okay King Marin, we have a deal.¡±


    ¡°Very good.¡± Marin released his grip, and stood up.


    ¡°What¡¯s next?¡± Gus asked.


    ¡°For you, nothing. Nothing but continuing to recover. If you are looking even better than you are by this time tomorrow, I¡¯m sure Eisen will give a thumbs up on you being well enough to be back in action. Just try to get more sleep.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    Marin nodded, and went to leave. ¡°Are you hungry? You said you¡¯ve been fed well, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Not hungry at all, the doc fed me right before you came back.¡±


    ¡°Good. Alright then. Sleep well.¡± Marin opened the door and left, shutting it behind him.


    Gus waited a moment to be sure that he was gone, and then raised his fists in the air.


    He had done it.


    He was going to become an elemental, and on his terms.


    He pumped his fists several times in silence, ecstatic about what had just unfolded.


    Marin walked down the hallway to the kitchen. Eisen met him halfway.


    ¡°Marin, I did not approve more house guests!¡± The doctor said. He was already adapting to having two new people come and go from his abode, but three was crossing his line of comfort. Seeing as he had isolated himself for so long, Eisen was not in any peaceful situation with other people wandering his home.


    ¡°Relax, doctor. He is necessary, and won¡¯t be here long,¡± Marin tried.


    ¡°Three days, Marin!¡± Edward Eisen held up three gnarled fingers. ¡°No, two!¡± A finger dropped. ¡°You get two days of having an extra person in my house.¡±


    ¡°I will not waste your hospitality,¡± Marin replied.


    ¡°Also I¡¯m going to a need a few samples of you,¡± Eisen announced.


    ¡°What?!¡± Marin responded.


    ¡°Very small ones. Just to study your cells. I need some from your skin and muscle.¡±


    Marin had almost forgotten that he was a failed experiment to Eisen, his newest puzzle to solve.


    ¡°...I¡¯d be far more willing to give you these samples if you¡¯d be more willing to having Travis here.¡±


    Eisen crossed his arms and tapped his foot. He began to realize Marin wasn¡¯t obligated to do everything he demanded. He also couldn¡¯t force the King, Marin was just as strong as Eisen if not stronger. This was going to be a give and take situation.


    ¡°I need you to be reasonable if you want me to be,¡± Marin added.


    ¡°Fine, your plus two can stay for however long you need him.¡±


    The two of them entered the kitchen where Travis had been sitting, who at the moment, had still not come to terms with the state that Eisen kept his house in. There was noticeable distress coming from Travis, who did his best to keep himself composed.


    The remains from the ooze monster that Eisen battled earlier still had not been cleaned up, and Travis dared not touch the globs of suspicious liquid that dotted the household from what it had squirted.


    Upon seeing Eisen again, Travis became repulsed.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you live like this,¡± Travis stated.


    ¡°I never asked you to come here!¡± Eisen replied.


    ¡°Alright, calm down everyone. Wait in the basement for me doctor, I will be down there later to give you my samples. I need to discuss some topics with Travis.¡±


    Eisen wasn¡¯t happy, but agreed and hobbled down the basement stairs, talking to himself in rants.


    When Eisen was out of ear¡¯s reach, Travis began. ¡°This is where Frankenstein was made! I¡¯m telling you! That dude¡¯s nuts! This is not a place where anyone should be living. Why are you working with him?!¡±


    Marin gestured for Travis to lower his voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I had much of a choice. My friend was dying. I had nowhere else to turn,¡± Marin explained.


    Travis shook his head.


    Marin cleared off a part of the table Travis sat at and produced paper and a pen. He rested it in front of him.


    ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± Marin asked as he sat beside him.

 Chapter 27 - Mad Laboratory (Part 2)

    Travis shook off the rest of his imaginations of Eisen, and refocused himself. He grabbed the pen, and started creating a rough sketch of the city.


    Marin watched as he drew lines that separated the districts. The shapes were specific, as Travis showed off the intimate knowledge he had of the city.


    ¡°There are two entry points into their hideout. One is here, at King¡¯s Row.¡± Travis made an X in a district.


    ¡°There¡¯s also one in the trade district. Auctions of stolen wares are conducted in this building.¡± Travis continued drawing shapes and X¡¯s as he described the operations of the Scarlet Eye.


    ¡°Based on the time your pendant was stolen, it will still be in processing, meaning it won¡¯t be auctioned yet,¡± he explained.


    ¡°Where is it?¡± Marin demanded.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be in their stockpile at headquarters.¡± Travis removed his paper he had been drawing on, and rested it to the side. He began on a new piece.


    ¡°Now, we can enter at the trade district, but there¡¯s a good chance we¡¯ll be spotted early. Seeing as there is two of us, our best bet will be entering at King¡¯s Row, despite the fact we will have more underground passage we need to travel, and they are notorious for their booby traps.¡±


    Travis worked the pen, drawing passage ways, and marking potential spots for a trap. Marin couldn¡¯t believe how well Travis knew their hideout. Seeing as he regularly stole from them though, that would be natural. This was his job, after all.


    ¡°Traps?¡± Marin repeated.


    ¡°I can do this alone, if you want,¡± Travis offered, hearing the anxiety in the King¡¯s voice.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m going to get payback. We¡¯re doing this together.¡±


    ¡°Suit yourself. Well with you there to help me, my tactics will be changing. Can you guarantee your ice skills can consistently freeze any opponents?¡±


    ¡°I can indeed,¡± Marin assured him.


    ¡°Fine. So in that case, we take passage B to their front doors. There will be a guard installed. When we round the corner, you ice him. Freeze, coat, I don¡¯t care. You just need to render him immobile.¡±


    Marin nodded.


    ¡°From there, I¡¯m going to pick the lock in three minutes or less. Due to the fact that the guard does not keep keys on him,¡± Travis continued.


    ¡°I can freeze the door.¡±


    ¡°Come again?¡±


    ¡°I can remove any door in my way,¡± Marin offered.


    ¡°I¡­ This is not an ordinary door! This thing is reinforced steel, five inches thick, it comes with-¡±


    ¡°I can remove any door.¡±


    Travis leaned back in the chair, dropping the pen in front of him. He rubbed his face with both hands as he tried to figure out what Marin truly was.


    ¡°That¡¯s going to create too much noise, Marin!¡± He finally said. ¡°I can appreciate the power you seem to have, but all that power won¡¯t help you in this situation! Do you want the entire hive being alerted to our presence?!¡±


    Marin didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°If you are confident in yourself enough to take on the entire crime organization on your own, by all means, I¡¯ll bring you to the entrance, and you can run wild! If that¡¯s not the case though, I need you to allow me to make the decisions here.¡±


    ¡°...Continue.¡± It was all Marin said.


    ¡°Alright. Now, where was I?¡± Travis picked his pen back up and continued to draw.


    The two of them resumed the plans for the operation. Travis talked about who would be where, and what distractions needed to be made. Eventually he made it to the stockpile room. Travis had Marin describe what the cross pendant looked like, and give a rough estimate of its value.


    The value of his item would determine if it was in a lock box or not. Travis explained several more actions that would need to be done. As he did so, he wrote down all the instructions he said. Marin asked a few more questions, and eventually the two of them had ironed out the plan they would stick to.


    After all was done, Travis asked for his payment. It was his policy to always collect before the deed, since he had been burned several times before on bad deals. Marin nearly emptied his coin purse paying him the twenty gold coins. He had hardly any money left.


    Travis nodded in satisfaction as he studied the coins. He opened his leather jacket and secured them into a pocket. When that action was done, he picked up the papers he had been drawing on.


    ¡°Do you want to hold on to these to study?¡± Travis asked as he folded the papers.


    ¡°Yes, I will be looking over them through the night.¡± Marin grabbed them, and placed the several folded plans into his pocket.


    ¡°Look, um, I¡¯m not staying here overnight,¡± Travis stated as he got up. ¡°I¡¯m sure I don¡¯t have to explain why.¡±


    Marin nodded.


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    ¡°I¡¯ll be back here sometime at noon tomorrow. It will be best if we infiltrated tomorrow in the afternoon. Most of the order will be out doing their rounds, as that is peak foot traffic in the richer parts of the city.¡±


    ¡°I will be here waiting,¡± Marin responded.


    Travis headed down the hallway and out to the living room. He said his farewells to Marin, and wished his friend who he knew was healing in the bedroom a speedy recovery. With that, Travis took off, and made his way back onto the streets of Tarenfall.


    His head turned side to side, looking to see if he was being followed. He currently held a large amount of money, and needed to get back to his base before anyone became wise of it.


    Marin grunted as he placed the door of Eisen¡¯s house back on the door frame. With that done, it was time for him to meet the doctor in the basement as he had promised earlier.


    He stepped down into the basement, where Eisen could be seen preparing a microscope, his back turned towards Marin.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be happy to know that Travis didn¡¯t have much a desire to be a house guest here,¡± Marin tried. ¡°He just now left, and won¡¯t return until tomorrow to pick me up.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Eisen responded with his back still turned. ¡°I¡¯m not much of a hospitable guy.¡±


    ¡°And you call yourself a doctor?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°I never gave myself that title. It¡¯s what others call me. I believe myself to be a number of other things, though. A scientist, biologist, chemist, list goes on.¡± Eisen turned to face Marin, he had a scalpel and tweezers in his hand. ¡°But I never cared for doctor.¡±


    Marin eyed the surgical tools in his hand. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re ready for my samples?¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re not taking too much off of me.¡± Marin sat in a chair close to the doctor¡¯s workstation.


    ¡°A negligible amount. You won¡¯t even notice anything different,¡± Eisen promised.


    Eisen sat besides Marin, and rolled his sleeve up. He adjusted his wire framed glasses, and with skilled, precise fingers, made a small incision onto his decayed arm. As expected, there was no bleeding whatsoever. Marin had dried up years ago.


    Using the tweezers, Eisen extracted the smallest sliver of muscle fiber. He placed it onto a sterile dish. He then removed a top layer of skin from his arm, and placed that into another.


    ¡°That¡¯s all I need,¡± Eisen said.


    Marin was relieved. It was far more minor than he thought. He rolled his sleeve down, and Eisen wheeled the samples over to his desk, which was lit by a bright overhead lamp. He placed the samples underneath the microscope.


    ¡°What are you looking for?¡± Marin inquired.


    ¡°I want to study your cells. You see, Sullivan. Despite the fact that your body is ¡®switched off¡¯ in the biological sense, you¡¯re still in operation. A major contradiction, as you could imagine. And I¡¯m going to get to the bottom of it.¡±


    Eisen dialed in the knob of the scope, and he removed his glasses. He peered into the scope, and fell silent as he adjusted the settings.


    Marin waited in anticipation.


    ¡°Annnnd, just as I thought¡­ your skin cells are dead. Yup, they¡¯re absolutely dead. Completely useless.¡±


    ¡°Then how am I-¡±


    ¡°Well, hold up now. Now we move to the muscle cells. This is what gives you your movement. This is what will be the deciding factor.¡±


    Edward Eisen switched the dishes, and he readjusted the lens. A minute passed as he got the focus just right.


    He fell silent once again.


    Marin waited.


    More time passed. Eisen gasped quietly.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Marin demanded.


    ¡°Hold on!¡±


    Eisen slid the dish ever so slightly, in the eyes of the microscope, the tiny sliver of muscle fiber was a massive kingdom of cellular activity. Marin¡¯s interest was piqued more than ever. Eisen was his only chance of ever solving the mystery of what had happened to his body.


    ¡°...They¡¯re alive,¡± Eisen muttered.


    ¡°What?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re ALIVE!¡± Eisen pulled away from the microscope, and threw his hands up. He grabbed his glasses, and put them back on.


    ¡°Your cells are ALIVE, Marin! Somehow, some way! I-I don¡¯t know how it¡¯s possible!¡±


    ¡°What does this mean?¡± Marin stammered.


    ¡°It means¡­ it means¡­ it means I need to do more research! I don¡¯t have a conclusive explanation! I have some theories, of course, but I don¡¯t want to ramble on with ¡®maybe this¡¯ or ¡®maybe that¡¯. I need time, I need to study your cells.¡±


    This was the most excited Eisen had been so far. Marin had pushed the boundary of what was considered possible, and it wasn¡¯t until some two hundred years later that his effects were finally being studied.


    ¡°Turns out you¡¯re not so ¡®switched off¡¯ as we thought!¡±


    Marin was satisfied that progress was being made on his condition. If his cells were still living, there was a good chance he may be able to reverse his state, and become a normal person once again.


    ¡°What else do you need from me?¡± Marin asked, fully ready to help in any way he could.


    ¡°Nothing, right now. I need to run some experiments on your cells. I¡¯ll take good care of ¡®em, I promise. At the moment, we don¡¯t understand if you have any regenerative capacity, so I¡¯d hate to slowly pick you apart, heh heh.¡±


    Eisen wheeled back in front of his table. ¡°Just do whatever you need to do right now, I need time.¡±


    Marin nodded, and left him to it. He walked back up the stairs from the basement and to the kitchen. The place was still a mess from the monstrous creation, if you considered the previous state to be in clean condition, which it wasn¡¯t.


    Eisen had never found the time to clean. Based on how his house looked, he never had. The doctor could really make use of a maid. They would keep the place clean, but Marin guessed how long it would be before he tried experimenting on them.


    Once again, it was night, and Marin had nothing to do but wait for the morning. Wait for Travis to return so they could recover his cross pendant.


    With all the time on his hands, he had to keep himself occupied doing something.


    ¡°Doctor Eisen,¡± Marin yelled from above.


    ¡°Huh?¡± He didn¡¯t sound thrilled to be disturbed.


    ¡°Would you mind it if I took some time to clean the house?¡±


    ¡°You what? You wanna -¡± Eisen chuckled a bit. ¡°...If that¡¯s really something you¡¯re interested in. Clean, but don¡¯t move my stuff around too much. I still want to know where everything is!¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    Well, Marin now had something to keep his mind off of his worries. He took no time to explore what the mad doctor had throughout his house, with a goal of finding some sort of cleaning supplies. He was determined to get this done without bothering Eisen again.


    In some way, it felt like Castle Nocturne all over again. During the early days of him being alive once again, he spent quite a bit of the night hours doing cleaning himself. He wondered how everyone was doing. At some point, he needed to check the post office in Taren Heights to see if his return letter had arrived yet with an update on everyone.


    Marin eventually located rags and soap in one of Eisen¡¯s packed kitchen cabinets. He was determined to see this place in orderly condition. As determined as he was to get his necklace back.


    This house will be cleaned, and I will have back my cross.

 Chapter 28 - Walking Deep (Part 1)

    Marin had a fairly eventful night. He spent most of the time cleaning Eisen¡¯s house, going over the notes Travis had drawn up, and periodically checking on Gus to monitor his status. Eisen had stayed up late to continue analyzing Marin¡¯s samples, but at some point he too hit the sack.


    It was finally morning, and the doctor¡¯s house was in a state of cleanliness and order that it had not been in for quite sometime, according to Eisen, when he admired Marin¡¯s work as he first woke up.


    ¡°If you ever want to quit being a King and become my maid, I¡¯ll definitely hire you,¡± Eisen joked.


    The work was well done, but it was time for Marin to prepare for the mission he was about to embark on. His biggest worry was not finding his necklace in the stockpile Travis all but guaranteed it would be in. If that were the case, Marin feared he would never see his item again.


    He even danced around the idea of trying to buy it at a premium price at the auction if it came down to it. Anything he could do.


    Eisen brought cooked food home from some local takeouts in Tarenfall, since he had all the knowledge in the world besides knowing how to cook. He had also bought extra for Gus, who was on the road to being completely recovered. Marin was happy to know that Eisen was smart enough not to risk Gus with some sort of mad-science cuisine he might attempt.


    Marin and Eisen had some brief discussions as the hour neared for Travis to arrive. The doctor was on the road to some conclusive answers about Marin¡¯s current state, but had a few more tests to run before he was ready to confirm much of it.


    Eventually, the hour was at hand, and a knock sounded at Eisen¡¯s door. Marin rushed over. He swung the door open, on new hinges that made not a sound.


    There was Travis. He had on attire not seen before. Instead of the leather jacket, jeans and cowboy boots, he wore slim black leathers that looked close to those of the Scarlet Eye, but had not the purple trim. Before Marin could comment on the fact, Travis lit up.


    ¡°The door¡¯s fixed!¡± He noticed. His head turned to gaze inside. His eyes opened wide, and stepped inside.


    ¡°Damn! Who cleaned this place? Is this the same house I was in yesterday?¡± Travis scanned the living room, which used to be in complete disarray. It was now tidied up, and looking well off. Marin had organized bottles, dusted, cleaned trash that included carcasses of dead animals, wiped away stains and suspicious fluids, among a slew of other tasks.


    ¡°I had some extra time on my hands,¡± Marin admitted.


    ¡°Extra time?¡± Travis shook his head trying to comprehend. ¡°Did you even sleep last night?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps? That doesn¡¯t sound like a yes.¡±


    Marin was quick to change the subject.


    ¡°What are you wearing?¡± Marin asked, eyeing Travis¡¯s current getup.


    Travis looked down. He realized it was a surprise to Marin.


    ¡°Oh, this. This is what I wear when I run one of these missions. I look a lot like a member of their org. Helps things go smoothly.¡±


    Marin nodded. ¡°I see.¡± He stepped outside, not giving Travis another chance to have a tour of the newly cleaned Eisen residence. ¡°Let¡¯s embark now, I want to waste no time. You can¡¯t imagine the anticipation I¡¯ve had for today.¡±


    ¡°Alright calm down, everything will be fine,¡± Travis explained as he stepped out to the porch with him. Before he closed the door he asked, ¡°are you ready to go? Do you have everything you need?¡±


    Marin confirmed.


    Travis shut the door, and stepped down to the walkway. ¡°Let¡¯s be off, then.¡±


    The sun was at peak height in the sky when Travis and Marin hit the road to start the mission of recovering his necklace. Marin¡¯s nerves were at a high that they had not been since he could remember. For Travis though, he thought nothing of it. This was a regular occurrence for him.


    The two had some distance to cover. Travis allocated two hours for them to reach the entrance of The Scarlet Eye¡¯s headquarters in King¡¯s Row. Under regular circumstances, it would take them just over an hour to get there.


    During the walk, both of them talked more.


    ¡°How many times have you done this now?¡± Marin inquired.


    ¡°More than I could tell you.¡± Travis had been extorting the Scarlet Eye for several years now, as he explained, and he carried out several missions a month, sometimes for himself, but most of the time to recover lost items from a client.


    ¡°I understand that you stumbled upon me when I was in need. Is that how you find most of your customers? Or is there different ways?¡± Marin asked.


    Travis nodded. ¡°It¡¯s certainly a large percentage of my work, finding those who lost their possessions, but I also run several ads in community centers. I brand it as ¡®Lost and Found¡¯. I should still have a few fliers and posters in some of those buildings.¡±


    ¡°It pays more than any regular job, I¡¯d imagine,¡± Marin stated.


    ¡°You¡¯d be right.¡± Travis produced a cigarette, and sprouted a flame at the end of his finger to light it.


    Marin could tell based off of his tone, that Travis wasn¡¯t entirely comfortable discussing his work. For some reason though, he felt the need to probe more.


    ¡°How did you feel about your parents doing illegal work with the Scarlet Eye?¡± Marin continued asking.


    ¡°It is what it is. I don¡¯t blame them for taking the opportunity to get a higher foothold in this world. I¡¯m really just upset that they were betrayed by the very organization they worked for. It wasn¡¯t right,¡± he explained.


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    ¡°Do you know what they had done to earn their death?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Marin. I¡¯m not saying anything further. Let¡¯s just get your item and be done with it.¡±


    Marin had struck a chord finally with Travis, but he felt as if it was for a different reason than the obvious. Travis¡¯s tone about his work and family had been ominous, but at this point, the King was not able to feel him out any more than that.


    They walked in silence for a while. Travis continued to guide Marin the way they needed to go. The crowds were large, people walked in all directions, some selling, trading, talking, or moving items to new locations. Marin had gotten used to it all, finally. He must have spent quite some time in isolation if he had been as sensitive to large crowds as he had been earlier, he realized.


    Travis inhaled the last of his cigarette, and produced a new one to start on. He seemed nervous recently. Marin took note that he tended to smoke faster and back to back whenever this was the case.


    Marin decided to strike up a different conversation.


    ¡°What made you decide to learn the fire element?¡± He asked.


    Travis turned to look at him as they walked. He thought for a moment.


    ¡°Literally this.¡± He sprouted the same flame on his finger as he had for lighting every cigarette he had smoked in their time together.


    Marin was dumbfounded. ¡°You became a fire elemental just to light your smokes?¡±


    Travis grinned with the paper-wrapped smoke in his mouth. He nodded.


    Marin looked away. He tried guessing if that was the truth or not. Then again, Gus was impressed over ice cubes in his drink. Maybe some people entered the elemental field just for a basic task at first.


    He shrugged it off.


    ¡°We¡¯re approaching the gate into King¡¯s Row. Keep your head high, and arms to yourself. There¡¯s more guards here than in any other district. Don¡¯t do anything more than walk with me, and we¡¯ll be okay.¡± Travis flicked his cigarette as they crossed into the new district from the Slums.


    It was an odd name for a district, seeing as Tarenfall was an independent city without a king or a kingdom for that matter. While Travis explained it was the section of the city which housed the barracks and city hall, Marin couldn¡¯t help imagining that at one point, perhaps there was some royalty here. Many years ago, perhaps while he had been dead.


    ¡°Not many come to King¡¯s Row without a good reason. So if we¡¯re asked, I¡¯m going to say we have an appointment with Magistrate Hayes,¡± Travis explained.


    ¡°Magistrate Hayes?¡± Marin repeated.


    ¡°The magistrates live in the city hall. It will give us our reason for heading all the way back there.¡±


    ¡°And do you know this Hayes?¡±


    Travis smiled. ¡°He¡¯s known to be the most secretive magistrate out of the group. No one will risk questioning what I say, for worry of pissing him off.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never met a guard to inquire further than that.¡±


    Guards stood stationed at every corner. Fancy nobles in rich clothing strolled the streets. A duo were having a conversation about money and economics, something akin to what Harrel and Helva would discuss back at his kingdom. They walked by a few other guards off duty, who strolled by leisurely without their helmets on. Travis gave them a nod.


    ¡°They see me here a lot. I think most of them know me at this point,¡± Travis slyly stated to Marin.


    The district was even more orderly than Taren Heights ¨C and a lot better looking. Most of the buildings were made of stone brick, and were kept in good condition, a massive contrast to the slums before it.


    As they passed a large open square, Marin peered off in the distance to see new recruits being trained, receiving their orders from a superior officer. Travis dared not to look in the same direction.


    Travis had them turn several times, weaving in between the facilities of the functional district, avoiding too many sights and encounters. Eventually they made it to a back street behind a large fortress.


    ¡°We¡¯re getting close. Down a little further on this road is a ¨C damn. There¡¯s a guard coming. There¡¯s never guards back here usually,¡± Travis muttered. ¡°Keep walking.¡±


    Marin did his best to look unassuming, as he had been this entire walk so far. Travis had planned to stop half way down this road, but now had to keep walking, and acting as if he was off to somewhere else. When they got close to the guard, he had hoped they would silently pass each other, but that was not the case.


    ¡°Oi, what are you two doing back here?¡± The guard asked as he got close.


    ¡°On our way to see Magistrate Hayes. He¡¯s expecting us,¡± Travis cooly stated.


    ¡°Town Hall¡¯s down South Street. What are you two doing behind Fort Emerald?¡± He probed, looking at Travis with a suspicious eye.


    Travis sighed. He was not liking how things were unfolding.


    In a quick, improvising attempt, he roughly grabbed Marin¡¯s arm, who was still shrouded in beggar¡¯s clothes. His undead body jolted at the sudden grasp, and for a moment, Marin overcame an instinctive thought to defend himself with a chilly ability.


    ¡°This homeless man has been found wandering back here looking for scraps, and the Magistrate has had enough of it! I have finally apprehended him, and Hayes has demanded that I present this poor beggar to him. If I were you, I¡¯d stay away. I don¡¯t know how dangerous he could be!¡±


    It was a stretch, but maybe it would work.


    Marin had not a word to say, and was wise enough to not impede Travis¡¯s attempt to evade trouble.


    The guard pondered for a moment.


    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case, I will see to it that he gets delivered safely. I will be escorting you,¡± he stated in a commanding tone.


    ¡°No, that won¡¯t be necessary,¡± Travis tried.


    The guard unsheathed his sword.


    ¡°You two are coming with me!¡± He declared.


    ¡°Ice him,¡± Travis quietly said to Marin.


    Marin didn¡¯t need to hear the order twice. Within a second, his hand extended, a cool blue mist erupted. The guard who was in a hostile stance instantly froze over, his entire body head to toe covered in thick, clear ice.


    ¡°Come on, hurry!¡± Travis yelled. He ran forward to a pothole on the ground. He looked around to see if anyone else was witnessing the events, and as he expected, no one else was. Travis flipped the pothole over to the side, revealing a hole that led to the city¡¯s sewers.


    ¡°We¡¯re going down there?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°We need to hide this guard. I¡¯m thinking we push him down there.¡±


    Marin was a little shocked. He looked down the hole, which from the sun now shining in, was dimly lighting the mossy bricks below. Was this the only choice they had? He stood there still for a moment, trying to think of something.


    ¡°Marin, we don¡¯t have a better option. Unless you can cloak him somehow, or¡­ I don¡¯t know. What else are wizards capable of?¡± Travis tried.


    Marin sighed. ¡°Fine.¡±


    The two of them pushed the frozen guard into the hole. When the pillar of ice was directly over the pot hole, it fell in, landing sideways on the ground of the sewer tunnel.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, quick, quick. Before someone sees.¡± Travis gestured Marin to follow down in a rapid manner. Marin sat on the ground with his legs hanging into the hole, and slumped in. Travis followed suit, and on his way down, grabbed the metal cover of the hole, and slid it over, hiding the fact that anyone had traveled down there.

 Chapter 28 - Walking Deep (Part 2)

    When Travis covered the hole, all the light from the sky was lost, and the sewer became pitch black.


    That didn¡¯t last for more than a moment, however. Travis produced a floating flame in his palm, that shown brightly enough to illuminate all of their surroundings.


    The flame reflected itself in the mirror-like ice that held the unfortunate guard hostage.


    ¡°How long will he be frozen?¡± Travis asked.


    ¡°What would be a good amount of time?¡± Marin responded, feeling deep sorrow for the man who was just trying to do his job honestly. He stared down at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking six hours.¡±


    Marin wiggled his fingers, and the ice crackled as its composition changed. The experienced wizard was able to adjust the length of time his ice would take to melt ¨C it was no easy task for any elemental, but for Marin, it didn¡¯t take him more than a thought.


    ¡°There we go,¡± he stated to himself, but loud enough for Travis to hear.


    ¡°That¡¯s not going to kill him, is it? Being in ice that long?¡± Travis asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve altered its properties so it won¡¯t. But he will be quite cold once it melts enough for him to move around,¡± Marin explained.


    The duo gathered their bearings after the quick events that had just unfolded, and Travis began guiding Marin down the sewer path. In the tunnel they were in, waste water flowed by down the center to some exit point, and the two of them walked on either side of that.


    Travis¡¯s flame illuminated the sewer quite well. On the walls were torch holders that would once light this tunnel a long time ago, but no one came down here regularly enough to have them stationed any more.


    ¡°We can relax a bit now,¡± Travis breathed. ¡°We¡¯re going to be the only ones down here for a while.¡±


    ¡°Are you aware that the guard will defrost and report who you are and what you look like?¡± Marin bluntly pointed out.


    ¡°Don¡¯t remind me,¡± he responded in a dreaded tone.


    ¡°Yet you didn¡¯t ask me to kill him. On the contrary, you seemed quite concerned about his well being,¡± Marin added.


    ¡°Yeah? What¡¯s your point?¡± Travis asked slightly annoyed.


    ¡°You¡¯re not such a bad person, I don¡¯t think.¡±


    Travis shook his head. ¡°Drop it.¡±


    Time passed as they navigated the sewers under King¡¯s Row. Despite the maze-like layout of the underground, Travis knew every turn they had to take. Every once in a while, a rat scurried by their feet, or a skeleton was found lying on the cracked brick flooring. It was the remains of some poor soul who dared cross the establishment ¨C whether that was the Scarlet Eye or some other shady order. Bodies were regularly discarded down in these abandoned rat ways, according to Travis.


    After walking for a while longer, Travis suddenly halted. He held his arm out to stop Marin from advancing further.


    ¡°Look down at that,¡± Travis instructed.


    If he hadn¡¯t stopped him, Marin would¡¯ve completely missed what his more perceptive partner had noticed ¨C an almost invisible trip wire about three feet from where they stood.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen them set up traps this far ahead,¡± Travis said to himself.


    Travis took a step closer to analyze the wire. ¡°Marin, don¡¯t move an inch closer. Just wait a sec.¡±


    Marin watched as he stepped over the wire, and began shuffling his feet on the stone bricks below him. He crouched down and looked above. After that, he took another step, and slid his feet on the bricks ahead of him. Halfway through feeling them out, a single brick pressed in.


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    When that happened, a large metal rod shot forward with a spike at the end of it. If Travis had been standing some few inches closer, it would have grazed him.


    ¡°Wow, they¡¯re getting good,¡± Travis stated while grabbing the rod, and yanking it from its base in the wall.


    ¡°Marin, would you step back a few feet?¡±


    He obeyed, and walked backwards a bit.


    Travis took the impaling rod he held, and tripped the wire that he had stepped over previously with it.


    Nothing happened, even after several seconds.


    ¡°Yup, that was a dummy trap. That trip wire did nothing, it was the brick pressure plate ahead that would¡¯ve killed ya,¡± Travis explained.


    Damn, Marin thought. This order was no joke, and Marin lacked all of the knowledge Travis had to counter all of their set ups. He would have really gotten his body into a terrible predicament if he had tried pursing them himself.


    ¡°You see,¡± Travis continued, ¡°they counted on you noticing that tripwire, avoiding it, and letting your guard down thinking you had outsmarted their set up. Only to meet your demise a few seconds later.¡±


    Travis tossed the rod down to the ground aside to him. ¡°It¡¯s time for me to be even more perceptive than I¡¯ve been before, seeing as we¡¯re now in their territory.¡±


    He gestured Marin to keep moving. As they started to walk again, Travis¡¯s attitude had changed, he had become far more quiet and serious as they neared the end of their journey to the Scarlet Eye¡¯s headquarters.


    Marin was sure to keep his guard up too. He tried his best keeping his eyes peeled in an effort to assist Travis with finding any traps laid out, but he feared his untrained eyes would miss even some of the most obvious set ups.


    Sure enough, Travis called out all of them far before Marin could. He was fascinated as he watched Travis disarm several different types of traps, all of which he freely explained as he did so. Marin was shocked by some of the designs and cleverness these rogues possessed. Travis informed him though, that these were from blueprints refined and handed down through many generations, and mastery of these traps hadn¡¯t been developed overnight.


    Travis explained that while the Scarlet Eye wasn¡¯t a very old organization, they had been given knowledge and resources from higher up roguish factions, which they would continue to pay back to in the form of money that they earned.


    ¡°You know so much about the Scarlet Eye,¡± Marin pointed out.


    ¡°I would hope so, seeing as my parents were involved with them, and me doing what I do,¡± he responded while popping several springs out of a clamping trap.


    They continued onward. Eventually, the met their first torch that was burning in a holder on the wall. It was a sign that they had made it close to their entrance. Travis extinguished his own flame that had granted them sight this whole time in exchange for the more dimly lit alternative.


    Since the rogues were in this area enough to warrant a permanent lighting fixture, the two of them didn¡¯t need to be spotted from far away with a large bright light of their own.


    ¡°Listen, Marin,¡± Travis started as he realized they were about to greet the entrance of the Scarlet Eye¡¯s home. ¡°There¡¯s a very real chance one of us could get killed in this mission. It¡¯s a low chance, but one regardless. I just want to offer you one last choice to sit this out and let me handle it. I¡¯m used to doing this alone.¡±


    ¡°Out of the question. And, I will be sure that harm doesn¡¯t come to us. You have my guarantee,¡± Marin responded, wondering why Travis was just now telling him this.


    ¡°Don¡¯t guarantee things that are out of your control,¡± Travis warned.


    That sounded a bit ominous, but Marin thought not much past that. Instead, Marin began to explain yet again that there were two very specific rogues that had earned their death sentence, and he would not stop until he saw it through.


    ¡°Okay. This is your choice, then. I hope you find who you¡¯re looking for.¡±


    The two crept forward, slowly advancing. Behind every corner was another lit torch that had been burning for hours now. Travis was expecting at any moment to have an encounter with a rogue who was patrolling the sewers they walked in.


    Meanwhile, Marin began wondering why Travis sounded so against him joining the infiltration all of a sudden. He even had tried scaring him with the chance of death. Was it that Travis had begun to care about Marin, and was against the king risking his life for some revenge? Or was it due to some other reason that he had yet to figure out.


    The way he said that things would be out of his control sounded threatening as well. Marin even toyed with the idea that maybe Travis was wise of a plan that was going to get Marin killed, almost as if the Scarlet Eye knew he was coming, and Travis gave him a final offer to be free of it.


    These thoughts troubled the ice wizard, but Marin reminded himself that these were petty rogues compared to the power he wielded. Even the woman who was a senior member of the organization was no match for him, despite all her jumping and evading tactics.


    Marin would see this done. There was no plan that was good enough to see his demise. He was stronger than anyone else here. Even if they managed to stab him, he was already dead. What more could they do?


    The robed King balled his hands into fists, flexing them.


    They would all see ice.


    They would know an ice age never seen before, moves of an elemental they wished they hadn¡¯t messed with. It would only be some time now before it began.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about any danger, Travis,¡± Marin finally said. ¡°If they had any idea what was coming ¨C even you ¨C you would all stay out of my way.¡±

 Chapter 29 - Infiltration (Part 1)

    The sewer of Tarenfall had opened up into a large hall as Marin and Travis approached the front doors of the Scarlet Eye¡¯s headquarters. Around the corner would be the entrance.


    What had used to be a sewer now resembled an abandoned underground fort, most likely used for the military many years ago during some war Tarenfall was involved in. Seeing as the city had now enjoyed relative peace for many years, it became apparent that the rogue organization had adopted the emptied location for their nefarious deeds.


    Travis now had on a black ski mask, fully concealing his face and signature hair he sported. With his entire body now being covered, he didn¡¯t look much different than Marin himself.


    He usually followed the same routine he always had to a dime when it came to infiltrating the joint, but with Marin assisting him, it was a good time to shake up the actions he normally took.


    ¡°There¡¯s a single guard behind this corner,¡± he whispered to Marin, reminding him. ¡°You know what to do?¡±


    Marin nodded. He was feeling nervous about the events that would shortly unfold, but he tried his best to remain calm. Travis had no anxiety, and that helped Marin to realize Travis was not going into this blindly like he would.


    ¡°When I give the signal, we turn the corner. You freeze him immediately. I can guarantee the guard will be there,¡± he explained.


    They hurried down the carpeted hall, dimly lit with torches on either side. When they rounded the corner, Marin noticed a large stone door with a fierce dragon engraving on it. On either side of the door, was a guard.


    That made two guards.


    The two rogues were both in the uniform of their guild. They wore black leathers with dark purple trim, and red bandannas. They both immediately noticed Marin and Travis. Before they had another second to react, Marin froze the one on the left.


    Travis cursed seeing as there was one extra problem than he had anticipated.


    Immediately after Marin froze the first, Travis lunged at the second. The guard who was lucky enough to not be chosen by Marin to be frozen over, pulled his daggers and engaged with Travis.


    Marin was ready to freeze the second, but Travis had already taken the initiative of dealing with him, and Marin wasn¡¯t confident enough to try and freeze him with Travis so close.


    Instead, he watched closely as Travis battled the other. The rogue moved quick, but Travis had a step that was quicker. The rogue went for some reckless stabs, but Travis darted side to side, dodging them, and grasping his arms.


    Flames erupted from his palms, burning the arms of the rogue, even through the tough leathers he wore. He winced in pain, and dropped the daggers. Travis easily maneuvered behind the rogue, and put him into a choke hold, preventing him from catching a breath. He struggled, and tried to pry Travis¡¯s arms from his neck, but it was not happening.


    The two slumped to the ground as Travis hushed him several times in a soft voice before he passed out. After that, Travis immediately let him go, and got up. One rogue was frozen, the other was now passed out on the ground.


    That rogue wasn¡¯t the only one gasping for breath, Travis was now too, due to the exertion from the quick tussle.


    ¡°Damn,¡± he breathed, lungs fighting the twenty coats of tar that lined them. ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ I¡¯ve never seen them have two guards before. That was¡­ unexpected.¡±


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Yeah. Yeah, I¡¯m fine.¡± He panted for a moment, his body bent down with his hands on his knees.


    ¡°We need to¡­ keep going. It¡¯s time to pick the lock,¡± Travis added, now approaching the front door.


    He knelt down to the dragon¡¯s mouth. Inside, Marin could now make out a keyhole that was nestled inside. Travis reached into his pockets on either side of his outfit, and produced a lock picking kit that was folded together nicely.


    He unraveled it on the ground, and took not an extra second in grabbing two pieces from the set. Marin watched as he worked meticulously, and in silence, doing his best to pick the stone lock in what he had claimed earlier would be in three minutes or less.


    ¡°I could have froze both of them easily,¡± Marin offered. ¡°But you quickly lunged for the second, I didn¡¯t have a chance to do so.¡±


    ¡°I guess I just felt bad about giving you false information,¡± he responded. ¡°I kind of felt like that extra guard was my responsibility, since I only prepped you for one.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m flexible,¡± Marin stated.


    ¡°I have a feeling we¡¯ll be finding out. Since they had two guards, I have a bad feeling that they¡¯ve switched up most of what I was expecting,¡± Travis explained while delicately guiding the two metal hooks into the keyhole.


    ¡°I hope you won¡¯t mind going for Plan B,¡± Travis added.


    ¡°Plan B?¡±


    ¡°Winging it.¡±


    As Travis continued to work his magic on the old lock, Marin turned around to be sure no one would drop in on them. When he was sure there wasn¡¯t a rogue lurking, he turned back to check on his progress.


    ¡°You¡¯ve picked this lock a lot?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t they change it out?¡±


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    ¡°They re-key it each time I pick it, but I guess it costs more money than any of these greedy thieves would be willing to pay to get a whole new door.


    I guess they¡¯d rather lose an item or two every once in a while than invest in a whole new security system,¡± Travis explained while wiggling the metal hook in further.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°But they did put two guards out this time, that¡¯s an unwelcoming change I wasn¡¯t happy to see.¡±


    Click!


    Travis removed the two metal devices, and turned the tail of the stone dragon that lived on the door. It slowly swung open. He had done it.


    As it moved away from them at a snail¡¯s pace, Marin braced himself to face dozens of the order¡¯s members. He would freeze all of them. He had half a mind to warn Travis to stay back, but believed that when the ice started crawling in all directions, he would get the hint.


    He tensed up his muscles, and readied his mind for a complex attack.


    ¡°Stay close. Remember, most of the order is out doing runs. We shouldn¡¯t see too many people, if any at all,¡± Travis whispered.


    The words were slow to be comprehended, but Marin allowed himself to relax after hearing them. That was correct, Travis had told him that not too many would be around. It looks like he wouldn¡¯t be creating the deadly blizzard he had planned on. Not for now, anyways.


    When the door finally had opened enough for them to squeeze through, Travis took the first entry he could. Marin followed immediately after. They were now inside the Scarlet Eye¡¯s base of operations.


    It wasn¡¯t glamorous or impressive. The interior didn¡¯t differ by much from the sewers outside of the place. The stone bricks were mossy and cracked, racks of old weapons were on display in the entrance hall. There was no attempt to decorate the room at all. Everything inside was for functional use rather than decoration.


    Crates were stacked in a corner, several tables and chairs lined one wall. It was dark and dreary, seeing as the entire establishment was underground. It was all lit by chandeliers dangling from the ceiling, by candles that were in dire need of replacement. Many of the weapon racks were empty, and the ones that did hold a sword or shield, were used and worn.


    It was honestly a depressing look in Marin¡¯s eyes. Seeing as he had spent so much time dolling up Nocturne Castle, he felt that the headquarters for such a prominent organization should look somewhat better than what he was beholding.


    Was this really some fearful rogue guild that had him in a rare nervous feeling? By what he studied, he believed getting back his necklace would be easier than he thought. This organization wasn¡¯t anything to get riled up over.


    ¡°Follow me, stay near the wall. It¡¯s darkest over here,¡± Travis began creeping to the right of the entrance wall, feeling the bricks against his fingertips as he shuffled by. Marin followed, but didn¡¯t make such a dramatic attempt to sneak to stay hidden as Travis did.


    ¡°It¡¯s not as impressive as I thought,¡± Marin mentioned.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let that fool you. These guys are killers. Trust me.¡±


    They crept along the side, listening closely for any movements. Travis reached the end of the hall, and darted his head down the opposing corridor. It was clear.


    ¡°This way.¡±


    As they snuck about, Travis made not a noise. Even his footsteps were completely silent. Marin¡¯s poor attire however, did a terrible job in keeping him silent. The old rags rubbed up against each other as he walked, creating a dull but noticeable noise of rough burlap fighting itself. He hoped that it wouldn¡¯t get the two of them in trouble. Along the dark corridor, they approached a room with the door open.


    They would need to get past, but seeing as the door was ajar, Travis would need to poke his head in to see if anyone would notice them. He turned around to meet Marin¡¯s gaze, and gave him a signal to stay put until he was ready.


    Travis slowly approached the doorway, and peered inside.


    A rogue who was sorting coins at a desk looked up.


    ¡°HEY!¡±


    Immediately noticing that this rogue was alone in the room, counting money from some unknown source, Travis sprinted into the small enclosure to deal with the accountant.


    The rogue in turn lunged over the desk, a move that Travis was not expecting. The rogue was ready with daggers to take a stab into him, but Travis reached out, palm open, and created a fire blast that halted the rogue in confusion.


    Black smoke was left from the dirty fire ball, and as the rogue tried to regain his bearings from the unexpected explosion of fire, Travis cut through the smoke and wrapped his arms around his neck to perform another take down.


    This rogue was stronger than the last, however, and with just one arm, was beginning to pry himself free. Travis didn¡¯t even notice this was with one arm, until he saw his other flying up with a dagger in hand.


    Travis had no choice but to let go of the rogue to steer clear of the sharp metal. Before he could go in for a new attack on the freed rogue, ice instantly formed around the rogue¡¯s entire body, freezing him in place.


    Marin walked in from behind the new frozen pillar.


    Travis breathed a sigh of relief seeing that Marin had come to his rescue, and leaned against the wall, trying to regain himself.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Marin asked once again.


    ¡°He was a bit tougher than I¡¯m used too. Probably a senior member,¡± Travis explained in between breaths.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you would¡¯ve had him though. I merely hastened the final result, right?¡± Marin responded.


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°Are we getting close?¡± Marin asked, eager to switch the subject and end this dangerous mission.


    ¡°Somewhat. We have to get past the living quarters, then¡­¡± Travis looked up, and saw the shadow of another rogue sneaking up behind Marin.


    ¡°LOOK OUT!¡± Travis roared, throwing his arm up with a pointed finger.


    Marin immediately turned around, and barely caught the wrist of the new rogue who had ran down to see what all the commotion was.


    The battle was over after the fact, as soon as Marin made contact with this new foe, crackling ice rapidly engulfed the entire body.


    ¡°Damn!¡± Travis exclaimed, shocked at how easily Marin was making this mission seem. ¡°I picked the wrong element! Should¡¯ve gone for ice, seeing how easily you can subdue folks.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not exactly easy to get right,¡± Marin tried. ¡°It¡¯s not the first trick you learn as an ice elemental.¡±


    Travis gestured Marin to talk quieter with a quick hush. It was a reminder that they were in hostile territory and his voice could easily give them away to more rogues.


    ¡°At least this job will be done sooner than expected, even with the extra members that are present for some reason,¡± Travis whispered.


    They stopped talking for a moment as Travis listened to see if anyone new was making their way to their location. When it was apparent that was not the case, Travis waved Marin over.


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep moving.¡±

 Chapter 29 - Infiltration (Part 2)

    Leaving the room, Travis crept down the hall, with Marin following close by. They took several turns and even traveled down a staircase to a lower floor. Travis stopped at every corner, quietly peering around every turn and entrance, looking for anyone who might notice them. Luckily, they encountered no more faction members.


    Minus a few people who normally stayed behind to run the joint, everyone really seemed to be out like Travis had mentioned.


    ¡°We¡¯re getting close,¡± Travis stated quietly. ¡°This next hall is living quarters, and beyond that is the holding room in which stolen goods are stored. There¡¯s a very good chance your item is in there.¡±


    Marin nodded instead of responding with anything. His hopes were at a high and feared responding in a tone that might get them caught, so he just acknowledged the statement, and kept moving.


    Rounding another turn after Travis checking that it was clear, they now were in the living spaces of the faction. A long hallway had doors that were shut lining the walls. Each room was an individual living space. The hall opened up into a common room that had tables and chairs, each containing lanterns and several recreational items on them to pass time.


    Marin took note of several games and reading books littering the tables in an untidy fashion. In one corner, a rogue seemed to have unraveled maps and notes out at one point, hinting at a planned robbery he was developing.


    Everything was left in a state as if anyone using them had instantly vanished. Were these all shared items that no one bothered to take away when finishing with them? Marin could ask dozens of questions from everything he took in, but knew this wasn¡¯t the time to ask, even if Travis knew at all.


    Travis gawked in each direction as they crept up to the door at the end of the hallway. No one was here, or if they were, they were sleeping in their unit if not preoccupied.


    ¡°This is it,¡± Travis stated. When he reached the door, he produced a key from his pocket.


    ¡°You have a key to get in?¡± Marin shockingly asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you about it later.¡±


    With a shining gold key in between his fingers, Travis brought his hand up to the keyhole, and stuck the key in. It was quite a surprise to see that he was in possession of a key that opened up one of the most sensitive rooms in the entire base. Had he looted that key off a rogue earlier? Perhaps he had received it from his parents long ago. Regardless, Marin tensed up as he realized he was mere moments away from recovering his beloved possession.


    The key turned, and Marin heard a metal rod move over inside the door, signalizing its unlocking. Travis swung the door open.


    Marin was greeted to an empty room.


    Travis followed behind, gazing inside.


    This was obviously a dummy room, Marin gathered. Travis must know of a secret wall door that would grant them access to all the stolen wares.


    ¡°It¡¯s EMPTY!¡± Travis cried out.


    ¡°What?!¡± Marin demanded.


    ¡°It¡¯s all gone! None of the stuff is here!¡±


    ¡°Are¡­ really?! This is where it all normally is?¡± Marin asked to make sure.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you this place has been cleaned out!¡±


    Marin¡¯s heart sunk in his chest. All this effort to end up in an empty room.


    ¡°Well, what does this mean?¡± Marin asked.


    Travis shook his head, speechless. His eyes darted around the room, checking every corner, as if the loads of items were secretly packed into one of them. His brained raced with thoughts.


    It was unbelievable. Had they been duped? Perhaps the rogues finally took action with Travis constantly stealing from them, and had changed the location of the loot. That would make the most sense.


    Seeing as Travis was still in a daze, trying to figure out what had happened, Marin offered a question.


    ¡°You think it could have been moved?¡±


    ¡°Obviously its been moved! What, do you think it grew legs walked itself out?! I¡¯m trying to figure out where they put it!¡±


    Alright, Travis was definitely thinking the same thing Marin was, and was much angrier in doing so. Marin stayed quiet after the fact, letting Travis brainstorm.


    A moment or two passed, but not any longer than that, the doorknob to the storage room began rattling.


    The intruding sound caused both of them to jerk their heads at the door, realizing someone was trying to get in.


    Travis cursed at the fact, now having to react to the impending danger before them.


    ¡°Marin, whoever comes through that door, how ever many, can you freeze them all like you did at the tavern?¡± Travis desperately asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then do so.¡±


    The both readied themselves as the rattling moved from the doorknob, to the key lock below. Whoever was on the other side was now unlocking the door.


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    Marin gripped his hands. His previous thoughts echoed once again. They would know ice.


    After a clicking sound, the door swung open. Before the Scarlet Eye rogue could take a second step in, he was frozen in such a hasty manner, that icicles from the frozen body pointed in the opposite direction.


    It was just one rogue, and he barely had time to react to seeing the duo in the empty storage room.


    Travis slowly advanced, checking the status of the newly created thief popsicle.


    It was no contest, and it always seemed to be that way. Every time someone tried encountering them, Marin would just subdue them in less than a second.


    ¡°Wait a second,¡± Travis stated. He continued to study the frozen rogue. ¡°This¡­ this is the same guy I fought earlier. The accountant.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Yes! Did he melt that fast? What is the ice timer you¡¯re using?¡± Travis demanded.


    ¡°Several hours, at least.¡±


    Travis scratched his chin in thought. ¡°Then someone is freeing them. Breaking them out of the ice.¡±


    He then looked beyond the body who stood in the doorway to see if anyone else was coming. The outer hallway was empty, but Travis couldn¡¯t shake a creeping feeling.


    ¡°We really have to move. I think one of the leaders knows we are here, and Marin, that¡¯s not someone you want to fight.¡±


    ¡°Do you know where we¡¯re going? Do you have any ideas where the stuff could be?¡± Marin quickly asked.


    ¡°My only theory is that it was all moved closer to the leadership offices. They knew that would deter me from getting to the stash, seeing as I¡¯m not strong enough to fight one of them. My only hope is we can get your cross while they¡¯re not there.¡±


    ¡°But how do you know they won¡¯t be there?¡± Marin demanded.


    ¡°I don¡¯t. And since that¡¯s the case, you might very well have to prove to me what being a wizard is,¡± Travis stated morbidly. ¡°At this point, I¡¯d call the mission off. But since you¡¯re so persistent to getting your item back, including joining me on this endeavor, we¡¯re going to finish it. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Travis pushed the ice statue over to clear the doorway, and both of them moved with much more haste than before.


    They would have ran if not for trying to still be silent. At any moment now, a leader of the faction may be around a corner ready to deal with them. The mission had gone south, and at this point, Travis was enacting his Plan B, a plan to just go with what he best saw fit.


    Marin knew this, and witnessed a Travis who no longer had his cool. Travis¡¯s concern and fear was palpable, it was similar to what he saw when the blonde haired man first stepped into Eisen¡¯s household.


    Travis took them down a different route, one that lead to an isolated section of the underground base. Every corner was met with a quick glance before turning. They passed by several waterways, including a common room, before heading down another staircase to a lower floor.


    Travis had brought them down to the leader¡¯s headquarters. The narrow hall they walked down would lead into an open area where meetings were held, and behind that, another hallway that lead into a large storage room that hadn¡¯t seen proper use in quite sometime. That was Travis¡¯s best bet where everything had been relocated.


    Travis turned around to brief Marin. ¡°I believe that no one will be in this room up ahead. I think they¡¯re out looking for us in the base. If that¡¯s so, we can sneak by here and into the backroom. I will have to pick the lock, and then we can get your cross.


    After that, the storage room has a run out that can get us out of the sewers. We will be outta here easy,¡± he explained.


    ¡°The treasure room has a run out? It wouldn¡¯t make sense to put the stuff there,¡± Marin reasoned. ¡°Anyone could backtrack into it and steal from it.¡±


    Travis did a dramatic nod. ¡°Exactly. And I¡¯m betting that¡¯s what they think I would think. But I know them well enough to pull a trick like that.¡±


    Travis didn¡¯t have any more time to explain, as he realized that time was short. They could get caught at any minute if a leader came back to their office.


    He approached forward, with Marin creeping closely behind.


    The room was dimly lit, a single torch near the opening. The back half of the room wasn¡¯t lit at all, as it should have been. Travis became suspicious, but didn¡¯t have time to brainstorm a new plan. He walked in as he scanned the entire room. No one seemed to be inside.


    Marin cautiously walked in too. Everything was quiet.


    Then there was a chuckle.


    It caused Travis¡¯s neck hair to stand up straight. Marin felt his guts churn, even though they couldn¡¯t possibly.


    Marin knew that voice.


    It was her.


    Marin couldn¡¯t see her, but knew that one of the leaders of the Scarlet Eye was in this room. It was the same one who drove a poisoned dagger into Gus, the one who he planned to kill.


    It wasn¡¯t possible to freeze her without his sights focused onto the target, but he did the next best thing he could, to stop her from escaping again.


    Marin spread his arms out, and ice wrapped around the walls of the entire room, sealing off any entrance or exit, any doorway or hole.


    Travis jerked his head over in response. ¡°Marin, what are you doing?!¡± He asked.


    The cold, hardened, devilish voice of the woman echoed from the shadows. ¡°Now, now, Marin. No need to react so hastily. I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Show yourself, now.¡± Marin demanded as he took a step forward.


    ¡°And give myself away so early? I know what you¡¯re capable of. No, I think I¡¯ll stay hidden until the right moment.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not leaving here alive, I can guarantee that,¡± Marin stated, talking to the shadows in front of him.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Travis asked Marin. ¡°You haven¡¯t been killing the members.¡±


    ¡°She is the one,¡± Marin told Travis back. ¡°She is the one who tried killing my friend. She dies.¡±


    Travis was speechless. ¡°It was¡­ her?¡± He asked again with dread.


    Marin didn¡¯t answer. He stood ready, with his guard up, fully prepared for an attack that would launch from the shadows.


    ¡°Travis, throw some flames up in the shrouded area. Give me the sight,¡± Marin ordered.


    Travis didn¡¯t respond, or take any action.


    Marin turned to him. ¡°Travis? Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not doing it,¡± he said.


    ¡°What?!¡± Marin asked, astonished. Was Travis now turning on him? Was this indeed a trap? Marin readied himself to freeze his hired guide at a second¡¯s notice.


    There was more laughter from the shadows.


    ¡°Awww¡­ you still hold a sweet spot for me, Travis dearie?¡± The woman¡¯s voice cooed.


    Marin¡¯s head jerked. It looked forward, then back to Travis, then forward again. In that moment, Marin realized, there was a lot of vital information he had missed out on, some back stories Travis had kept secret.


    ¡°What is she talking about?¡± Marin demanded.


    Travis sighed. He removed his ski mask, showing his straight blonde hair down to the bottom of his neck.


    ¡°Man, this is really, really, unfortunate,¡± Travis admitted with a heavy heart, and disappointed tone. ¡°I¡¯m not allowing you to kill her.¡±

 Chapter 30 - Encounter

    After several hours of navigating the city, entering its sewers, and infiltrating the Scarlet Eye base, Marin and Travis had made it to the meeting room, a large hall that stretched far from the entrance.


    Only a single torch had been strategically lit. Marin was able to freeze anyone in sight ¨C anyone of lesser power ¨C that was, and the leader for the roguish faction knew that. The only way she would be able to attack Marin, was if she couldn¡¯t be seen. She lurked in the unlit portion of the room, preventing any attack from the powerful ice wizard.


    As things stood, she may end up a match for him, seeing as Travis now refused to assist him in anyway, including lighting the remaining room for him to see, and acquire his target.


    As Travis had just stated earlier, not only was he no longer helping him with the mission at hand, he told the dead king that he would not be completing it, and Marin found himself in a difficult situation.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Marin demanded to Travis, now asking for some answers on what was going on.


    ¡°You ¨C you just¡­ can¡¯t!¡± Travis declared. ¡°Not her. Anyone else, but not her.¡±


    ¡°Why?!¡± Marin pushed. ¡°What haven¡¯t you been telling me?!¡± Marin was ready to clutch his fist at Travis, freezing him entirely.


    Travis didn¡¯t answer, instead he took a deep sigh, lost in thought, eyes darting around.


    ¡°Tell him, Trav. Tell him why,¡± she said in the shadows.


    Travis was breathing deeply. His rage was building. Suddenly, he took a chair from a nearby table, and hurled it against the wall.


    ¡°DAMN IT!¡± He yelled. ¡°Why did you have to target him, Lorette?!¡± He shouted into the shadows. ¡°Don¡¯t you know who he IS? Did you really have to try and kill his partner? Why have you done this?!¡±


    She started laughing in the shadows. ¡°I¡¯m always down for a challenge, you know me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re an idiot! I told you this was all going to catch up to you eventually. You picked a fight with the wrong person!¡±


    ¡°I know exactly what I¡¯m doing.¡±


    In an instant, Lorette, one of the leaders for the Scarlet Eye, lunged forward from the shadows. She had waited for Marin to face Travis before she made her attack. With a dagger in hand, she shot forward like an arrow, ready slash open Marin¡¯s chest through his burlap clothing.


    An attack like this would guarantee the death of any normal person. Lorette was lethal, a trained, and hardened assassin. She had more kills under her belt than most of the organization combined.


    This move would be the end for Marin.


    That would be, if Marin was not who she kept underestimating.


    Marin had a rare skill mastered, a difficult one usually reserved for more combat-oriented masters of warfare. She had counted it as luck before, but writing it off this time would spell her demise.


    It was Slow Time.


    As soon as Marin heard a noise as insignificant as a pin dropping from the shadows, he triggered his ability.


    To his prediction, it was indeed an attack.


    Marin watched as she drew close with incredible haste, out of the shadows, and directly to him with the speed of a bullet. It was not enough, though. His slow time ability was so refined, even with her Speed skill, he was able to cast his ice, and freeze her.


    In speeds that were measurable in mere milliseconds, ice erupted from the table below. A frosty pillar grew, an icy hand that began grasping her. It froze her, stopping her movement entirely. She was inches away, dagger still pointed at Marin in front of her, but now clasped in an icy prison. Only her head was exposed.


    Lorette¡¯s attack had been halted, countered from a skill she had little knowledge about.


    She gasped, realizing she had failed. She struggled, but her entire body did not move. She could only stare forward at Marin now, who had thwarted her yet again.


    ¡°H-how is it possible?¡± She uttered.


    Before Marin could think, Travis roared.


    ¡°I said YOU CAN¡¯T KILL HER!¡±


    Flames burst from his hands, shooting towards Marin. This had caught him off guard.


    In response, Marin threw up an ice wall. The flames brushed against it, melting it rapidly. When the fire stopped, Marin brought the wall down.


    He readied himself to freeze Travis, but he was no longer in sight.


    Before Marin had a chance to turn around to see where he had re-positioned, he felt the heat of incoming flames from behind.


    Marin hurled himself forward to the ground, dodging the flames that shot past him from above.


    He turned around, and saw Travis. That was all that needed to happen.


    Ice rose around Travis¡¯s body, beginning to freeze him.


    When Travis took notice that his icy tomb was climbing around him, as it had to every other person Marin had dealt with, he began to battle it with his fiery abilities.


    It was time for Marin to use another skill that he had before, dealing with another fire elemental at Heroca Town.


    Nullification.


    Any and all fire stopped being produced by Travis. Bewildered, he could only watch as the remaining ice climbed up to his neck, halting there.


    He strained and struggled as well. It was an instinctive move, but nothing good came from it.


    It was over. Both Travis and Lorette had been pacified.


    Marin breathed a sigh of relief as he picked himself up from the ground. His two opponents were trapped in rock hard ice, only their heads being exposed, an intentional move from Marin.


    He hobbled over to them, his undead body shaken from having been thrown to the floor in a forced choice.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s that then, isn¡¯t it?¡± Marin said in quite an unhappy mood.


    They both stayed silent in response.


    ¡°Travis, you betrayed me. Perhaps I should have expected that,¡± Marin stated.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t betray you. I just didn¡¯t know¡­ you were going after her.¡±


    ¡°I would really like you to clear the air and reveal to me everything that¡¯s going on,¡± he tried.


    Travis scoffed. ¡°Yeah, right. And then you kill us afterwards.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still alive, aren¡¯t you?¡± Marin reminded him.


    Travis looked down, and breathed deeply. He never desired to get himself into this horrific situation. Marin was truly a master. He defied death several times, and he now understood why it was such a bad idea to make Marin an enemy. Marin was quite level headed though, and perhaps, he could get away with his life. Spilling the beans couldn¡¯t hurt at this point.


    ¡°...Obviously I haven¡¯t been entirely honest with you,¡± Travis started.


    Marin nodded.


    ¡°I have a bit of history with this gal over here, sadly,¡± he added.


    ¡°History enough to try such an outright attack on me?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°I¡­ loved her, Marin.¡±


    ¡°You still love me,¡± Lorette interjected.


    ¡°NO! Not anymore¡­ You¡­ You¡¯re a very bad person, and I¡¯ve made the mistake of loving you,¡± Travis forced out of his mouth, words coming from him that felt like vomit.


    ¡°So, you¡¯ve had some involvement with a Scarlet Eye member, even after what they did to your parents?¡± Marin inquired.


    ¡°Parents?!¡± Lorette belted out. ¡°Travis never knew his parents! He wasn¡¯t just involved with me, he founded this organization with me! We were together!¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Marin yelled.


    Travis remained silent with his head down.


    ¡°And he left me!¡± She added. ¡°Left me to become some sort of white knight!¡±


    Travis raised his head, sudden fury beaming from his eyes.


    ¡°You became a MASS MURDERER, LORETTE!!¡± Travis wiggled in the ice, trying to free himself again. ¡°I never agreed to killing people the way you do! You took our whole operation from theft to a killing squad!¡±


    Lorette began laughing again, a cold maniacal laughter that shook Marin to his bones. He had heard everything he needed to. Travis was a thief, a dishonest man for sure, but he had proven himself to have a moral compass. That was enough for Marin to spare his life. The only reason he attacked Marin was for history with a girl he couldn¡¯t let go of. Now was the time he would.


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    ¡°Travis¡­¡± Marin began. ¡°You need to let her go. She has to die.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Travis pleaded, straining in the ice, teeth gritting.


    ¡°She has and will continue killing. Murdering innocent people. Is your love for her stronger than that?¡±


    A tear fell down Travis¡¯s left cheek.


    Marin understood Travis felt great pain, but knew that he would choose the right option.


    Travis closed his eyes, and turned his head away from his only known love.


    Marin waited for a moment, and eventually Travis spoke. ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s not.¡±


    Marin nodded, and smiled warmly, a smile hidden from everyone. Travis had finally given him permission.


    Marin looked up at Lorette. She still had a grin on her face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Marin,¡± she said.


    Suddenly, a rogue hiding in the shadows from above dropped down, driving a dagger into the back of Marin¡¯s neck. He fell over on the ground, the rogue on top of him.


    He drove the dagger in deep, moving it around.


    ¡°NO!!¡± Travis yelled. He writhed in agony, squirming as he watched helplessly Marin get assassinated.


    Lorette started laughing hysterically.


    The rogue pulled the dagger out, and started stabbing Marin in the back rapidly, jab after jab. Each stab was an extra layer of assuring he was dead. After he was finished, he stood up, and walked towards a trapped Lorette.


    It was her right hand man, the third rogue that made up the original four who attacked Marin for the first time in Tresdor.


    Marin laid still on the ground, unresponsive, face first. His shirt was full of holes, each from the stabbing he endured.


    ¡°What have you done?¡± Travis questioned in horror.


    ¡°I did exactly what I had planned, Travis,¡± she slyly said. ¡°I finally took care of Sullivan Marin!¡±


    Travis fought the ice still, even though he believed it had no effect.


    ¡°And when I¡¯m free, I¡¯m finally going to take care of you!¡± She added.


    The burly rogue who ambushed Marin was now taking his daggers, and nailing the ice she was trapped in.


    It cracked from the impact of the blade.


    ¡°He would¡¯ve had you. Killed you if I hadn¡¯t stopped him!¡± Travis declared.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have let him,¡± the rogue said, chipping away at the ice. ¡°I was waiting the whole time.¡±


    Lorette believed she had won. She looked down at Marin¡¯s corpse. To her, it was trophy, a symbol of her prowess and strength. She felt so accomplished, and felt more ecstatic the longer she looked. Her trap had worked, showing that even she was able to take down a wizard from Arkana.


    As her underling worked to free her, she continued to stare at her defeated opponent. It was another murder as usual, but something was off. There was one thing missing that always invigorated her more after a kill.


    The spilling of blood.


    ¡°Wait!¡± She cried out.


    It was too late, ice engulfed the rogue was making progress in freeing her.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Travis gasped.


    They both looked down to Marin¡¯s body. His arms folded in, elbows in the air. He began to pick himself up.


    ¡°IT¡¯S NOT POSSIBLE!¡± Lorette shouted at the top of her lungs.


    Marin raised himself from the ground, perfectly intact.


    Lorette squirmed. Travis rested still, his jaw hung open. There was no way. Lorette was right, it was truly impossible that Marin survived that. Yet here he was, almost as if resurrected from the dead, standing before them.


    ¡°You!¡± Lorette cried out to her grim reaper towering before her. ¡°How did you¡­?! What are you?!?!¡±


    He took a step closer. She strained, hoping that maybe her underling had weakened the ice enough for her to break free.


    ¡°That was a good move,¡± Marin admitted in a calm, morbid tone. ¡°In fact, that definitely would have been my death.¡±


    ¡°Marin! How in the world did you¡­¡± Travis tried asking, unable to even complete the sentence. He was feeling in part thankfulness he was alive, and also fear of how he possibly was.


    ¡°Unfortunately for you, I have already experienced death,¡± he said to Lorette. ¡°And it just doesn¡¯t hit the same way it used to.¡±


    Marin ripped off his mask, showing her his undead, zombie face. It was decayed, eyes yellowed, nasal cavity staring back at her.


    The look of shock on her face said it all. Even a psychopath as her self, a killing machine with no remorse, stared in horror at the impossibility before her. It truly was the grim reaper, and he finally came calling for her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but this is the end for you,¡± Marin said, his cracked lips and missing teeth moving in an animated fashion that defied nature. ¡°Even though I prevented you from killing my friend, the attempt still warrants your death. Sorry to break the news to you that you failed, by the way.¡±


    Marin readied himself to kill her.


    She still had a frozen look of terror, but then she came to realization, and shook the look away. She stared at him, and started grinning. Lorette had already adapted to the new reality of zombies existing.


    She even began laughing, laughing again, and hard.


    Marin paused. What on earth was she laughing about now?


    ¡°You¡­ you think I didn¡¯t know that I failed in killing Gus?! I¡¯ve been watching you the entire time!¡± She cried out.


    Marin stepped back for a moment. Despite everything, she still was not fully defeated.


    ¡°I-I know that you¡¯re going to kill me. But in the end, I STILL WIN! Haven¡¯t you noticed that no one was here?! I sent the ENTIRE ORGANIZATION to kill him and that freak doctor while you were gone!!!!¡±


    Lorette started laughing hysterically again. Her head wiggled in every direction, a psychotic look on her face that was devoid of all thought and reason.


    No. No. NOOOOO!!!!


    Marin¡¯s head spun, a wave of anger washed over his body. He put his hand on Lorette¡¯s head for the first and final time. Her skin went frosty, her entire movement frozen. The freak look on her face would stay permanently still forever.


    She had been frozen to death. Blood, bones, and all.


    She had finally been removed from the land of the living by Marin, but the aftermath of what she had done could very well haunt him for the rest of his life, however long that may be. He didn¡¯t have time to free Travis and get guided through a maze of corridors and locked doors. It had already been such a time consuming process making it where they were, and Gus would surely be dead by then, if not already.


    He had to also consider the fact that Travis may not exactly be up to assisting him after the way he had dealt with his controversial partner.


    There was only one true option left to do if he had any chance of saving his underling. It was a risky endeavor, but at this point, he wouldn¡¯t care who would see, or who might perish. It might very well result in the entire collapse of the underground base, but Lorette had driven him to this point, and he had no other options.


    Marin let out yell, a rage took over him never seen before. He reached his arms up to the air and a large pillar of ice grew from the ground at a massive rate, breaking the ceiling above, and pushing upwards in every direction.


    The ice formed, breaking away the brick and dirt, climbing the earth above it. It was as if an earthquake was going off. The noise and vibrations were overwhelming as stone and dirt fell from above, with the ice pushing everything aside.


    Travis could only watch in awe as Marin unleashed icy abilities he never even thought possible. The crackling ice obeyed its master who commanded it, and it continued to grow upwards, defying the earth itself by excavating its way to freedom.


    Eventually, the sun shown down from above, signaling that Marin had used this massive ice pillar to instantly free himself from the labyrinth underground. The ice had pushed itself to the surface, and created a hollow hole for him to escape.


    The rays of the sun in the sky warmed the brick floor of the Scarlet Eye¡¯s meeting room for the first time ever.


    Seeing that he had created his new exit, Marin placed his mask back on his face, and created an ice pillar below him, that grew and pushed him up and out of the tunnel he had made.


    On the surface, he took a second to gain his bearings. He was outside of the city walls. The underground military base that Travis and Marin journeyed too had taken them outside of Tarenfall¡¯s perimeter.


    He had to get back to Eisen¡¯s house. He had no idea how little time he had, if it all, to save Gus¡¯s life. Lorette had one final card up her sleeve, and in her defeat, she had basked in her revenge.


    Marin began to use Kinetic Ice to rapidly return himself to the city.


    Travis on the other hand could only look up at the light coming from the hole, still completely trapped in the ice. As a few moments passed, and Marin had completely left the premises, Travis could feel his fiery power return to him.


    A wave of connection overcame Travis, now realizing he had access to his element again. It didn¡¯t take long for him to melt the ice enough to break free of his prison that Marin had put him into.


    Once he was out, he looked around and noted that the earth had buried in the surrounding areas of the room. Walls of debris and dirt would stop anyone from entering the meeting place. He began to wonder how much of the base had been destroyed from Marin¡¯s power.


    Turning around, he noted that the rubble had almost entombed him. He wondered if Marin had stopped it from happening, or perhaps he hadn¡¯t, and it was just chance he wasn¡¯t killed from the collateral damage of his anger.


    Whatever the case, Travis had a new understanding of Marin he never had before. It wasn¡¯t just the fact that he was a zombie, his elemental mastery was unprecedented to anything he had ever seen before. The additional skills mastered, including the ability to react to even speeds of a bullet, were unthinkable. The wizard from Arkana was truly someone to never be messed with.


    Travis could only wonder what terrible events had happened to Marin for him to end up in the unliving state he was in.


    Meanwhile, Eisen had taken a break from studying Marin¡¯s cells. He had come up with some fairly conclusive results, but the reasoning behind why his cells were still alive was still inexplicable. Coming off of a headache from staring down the microscope, the old doctor climbed his basement stairs to check on his patient.


    He removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes, walking through the kitchen and to the guest room where Gus had been resting in. It was about dinner time, Eisen guessed. He hadn¡¯t checked a clock to be certain, but if his patient was hungry, that would be the defining time to eat.


    The doctor was still getting used to how clean his house was. Marin had done a superb job in passing the time of night by tidying up his house, and wondered if one day he could too defeat the time waster that was sleep.


    Edward knocked on the door.


    ¡°Come in!¡± Gus could be heard from the other side.


    When Eisen walked in, Gus was seen sitting up in the bed, reading a book.


    ¡°Are you requiring food?¡± The doctor asked.


    Gus looked confused. He checked a clock that was close by.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Doctor Eisen, it¡¯s only 2:30.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    He scratched the back of his head. The day was still young, but he had gotten so much accomplished, it felt like the day was almost over.


    ¡°Well, okay. Sorry,¡± Eisen said. He went to leave, but then turned around last minute. ¡°How¡¯s the book going?¡±


    Gus had requested if the doctor had any books on the elements, which Eisen easily had. To pass the time of recovering, he had given the young lad a large one to study, since it was shared with him that Marin would be training him to become an elemental.


    ¡°It¡¯s really good, I¡¯m learning so much. The elements go way back, apparently.¡±


    ¡°Indeed they do. Alright, well, I¡¯ll be back in a few hours. Enjoy the read.¡±


    Eisen left the room, closing the door behind him.


    In the hallway was a rogue of the Scarlet Eye.


    The doctor¡¯s tiny eyes narrowed. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    The rogue silently lunged forward, and stabbed at the doctor, tearing his skin open, and exposing his blood.


    Eisen grabbed his arm from the rip, and turned around to where the rogue had landed.


    There was three more of them, each clad in the black armor, wearing red bandannas.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who you guys are¡­¡± Eisen uttered.


    He released his grasp on the wound, and his blood shot out of the gash, like a snake.


    ¡°But you¡¯re really going to wish you hadn¡¯t done that.¡±

 Chapter 31 - Aftermath (Part 1)

    When Marin first envisioned himself on a quest to obtain new subordinates to protect his kingdom of Nocturne, he never would¡¯ve imagined an outcome such as the one that had played out. The Scarlet Eye ¨C these thieves, murderers, outlaws ¨C had thrown a wrench into all his plans.


    What should have been a reasonable recruitment effort, had turned into a nightmare of pursuit, an unwanted feeling of guilt, and overall a chaotic timeline of events.


    The rogues should have never bothered him. He shouldn¡¯t have ever met Travis, or the doctor for that matter. Gus should¡¯ve never been stabbed. Yet, fate had played its hand, and all these matters came to pass with or without his desire.


    What Marin could only do now was make the most of these events, and do everything he could to turn them into a positive.


    Right now though, he was trying to stop a major negative.


    Marin didn¡¯t doubt Doctor Eisen¡¯s ability to defend himself. The man was just as powerful as he was unhinged, but he worried if it would be enough to save Gus as well.


    Gus ¨C Marin felt terrible for. Despite the events that had spiraled out of his control, he still blamed himself for the near-death experience his servant had endured. If he had any idea what danger would come his way, he would have never brought Gus along.


    Marin raced his way back into Tarenfall¡¯s city walls. His kinetic ice dashed him forward at a great speed through the farmsteads that settled the outer perimeter. He payed little mind to the farmers and peasants that saw him, who stopped their plowing to watch an ice elemental whiz by for the first time in a while, if they had ever seen it.


    Lorette had sent the entirety of her order to slay Gus and even the doctor as a revenge play for killing her two other partners. If Marin didn¡¯t get to Eisen¡¯s house in time, she would succeed.


    No wall was too tall for Marin. When he approached the intimidating stone guardian that kept the city safe, he pillared his way to the top with ice.


    Quick stunts such as this were usually in the ballpark of tactical elemental practices, such as those taught at Neo, but Marin was such an excellent technical caster, that skills like these were easy enough for him without direct training.


    It would really be put to the test today, because in this moment Marin would be moving as fast as he could, and that required immediate placing and casting of ice. He moved from roof to roof in the city, expertly creating ice bridges over them, strategically placed ramps for soaring greater distances, all while giving the hastily created ice the kinetic property. This would be an impossible feat for all but the highest masters of the ice element to create this special form of ice so quickly and accurately.


    There was one unique feature about Eisen¡¯s house that would help Marin locate the spot in a more timely manner. He was in the slums district, Marin knew, but Eisen was also nestled along the back corner of the city¡¯s walls. All Marin had to do was reach the other end of the city, near the back corner, and he would spot the dark roof of the home.


    He just hoped he wouldn¡¯t be too late.


    Marin made great time, but for him it felt like hours. A few of the cityfolk below gazed up at him as he flew by. Marin believed he even caught the attention of some guards, but at the rate he was moving, no one would be able to catch up to him.


    He crossed into the slums district, and Marin became more careful about how placed his ice. The roofs in this section were poorly made, and some looked as if they would collapse under the smallest amount of weight.


    After a little more time and some fancy ice placement, Marin was relieved to see the pocket in the wall that contained Eisen¡¯s residence. He hoped he wasn¡¯t too late.


    What he saw though, he could have never prepared himself for.


    Upon brushing over the top of the last wall, Marin landed in the dead yard of the doctor¡¯s property.


    Now though, the grass wasn¡¯t the only thing dead in his yard.


    There were bodies. Bodies littering the area. All deceased, all dressed in the attire of The Scarlet Eye. Every person he saw was killed in some unique way.


    One had his chest exploded. One had his top half of his body missing. One was a dried out corpse, every bit of blood missing from him. Marin gawked in horror at all the deceased around him, many who died in quite the graphic way.


    Eisen¡¯s house was in an even more devastated state than when he first arrived. Chunks of the wall were blown out. Shingles missing on the roof, a small part caved in. The windows were blown out, and the door which Marin had spent a considerable amount of time fixing, was no where in sight.


    ¡°HELLO?!¡± Marin finally cried out.


    He had to push all the sights of death out of his mind to focus on finding Gus and the doctor.


    Marin ran into the house. It was trashed entirely. Almost everything was broken. What wasn¡¯t was displaced so much from collisions or even explosions. The sun shown in from the broken roof, which was now littered with holes.


    All the work Marin had done to clean Eisen¡¯s home was all in vain.


    ¡°Gus?! Doctor Eisen?!¡± Marin cried out again, trying to navigate the debris on the floor, along with the occasional dead body.


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    ¡°...Marin?¡±


    He turned his head. It was faint, but it was Gus¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Where are you?!¡± Marin ran towards the sound of the voice, it lead him back to the bedroom where Gus had been staying at.


    The door was gone, most of the wall as well. At this point, Marin wondered if the house was structurally sound anymore. It could come down collapsing at a moment¡¯s notice.


    When Marin entered the room, he found Gus crouched down in the back corner, knife in hand, and a horrid look on his face.


    ¡°Gus, my boy!¡± Marin shouted, quite relieved.


    Gus had the knife in hand, ready to defend himself from another attacker. When he saw his King, he began to lower his weapon and let out a deep breath. He relaxed himself, but a look of fear and concern still plagued his face.


    Marin ran up to him and crouched down to his level, grabbing both sides of his shoulders.


    ¡°Are you alright?! Are you hurt?¡± Marin demanded.


    ¡°...K-King Marin. You¡¯re alive?¡± Gus asked back in a nearly monotone voice, still spacing out.


    ¡°Yes! Yes I am! What happened?! Where is the doctor?¡±


    Gus didn¡¯t answer right away, but soon he focused himself at hearing about the doctor. He shook his head, regaining his sense.


    ¡°The doctor! Oh, man, Marin. Eisen¡­ He¡­ He¡¯s not human! I swear it! The things he did¡­ The things I saw¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, but where is he?!¡± Marin said, cutting him off.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know! I¡­ I¡¯ve been protecting myself in this corner the whole time. I think they¡¯re all gone. All the rogues. I think the doctor killed them all!¡±


    Marin immediately stood up, and helped Gus to his feet as well.


    ¡°We need to get out of here,¡± Marin instructed. ¡°Are you sure you have no idea where Doctor Eisen-¡±


    There was a sudden yelp from down below. It sounded like it came from the basement. Marin quickly grabbed Gus¡¯s arm in response. He waited for a moment for an attack, but it never came. After another moment, Marin gestured Gus to follow him, and they walked down the hallway to the kitchen, which had a door way leading to stairs that went to the basement.


    ¡°Sit still!¡± It was the doctor¡¯s voice.


    Marin had heard it come from the basement.


    He ran down the stairs.


    In the basement, was the doctor. His hair was scattered across his shoulders, undone from the pony tail. His glasses were missing, and his clothing was torn. The labcoat was missing its sleeves, and his left arm was morbidly discolored, blotches of purple and red.


    He held a large syringe in hand, and a member of The Scarlet Eye was tied up on a rolling chair beside him, unable to flee or barely move.


    Marin just barely shouted out in time to stop the doctor from injecting the rogue with some sort of serum.


    ¡°Eisen! What¡¯s going on!? What are you doing?!¡± Marin demanded.


    Gus took a step back. After what he had witness the doctor do, he wanted to be in no short distance of him.


    The doctor jerked his long neck towards Marin, halting his lab experiment.


    ¡°Ah, Marin! There you are! Come assist me in holding this deviant still, I need to try out a new formula!¡±


    Marin was bewildered. What sort of game was Eisen playing? Had he gone mad from the events of the attack? Why was he conducting an experiment at a time like this?


    Marin had enough.


    He walked up to the doctor, and snatched his syringe from his hands, and threw it to the side, onto his desk.


    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?!¡± Marin fiercely questioned.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Eisen yelled back.


    ¡°Get a hold of yourself, Edward! What the hell is going on?!¡±


    Eisen eyed his syringe that had been thrown, then back to Marin. He sighed.


    ¡°Looks like the organization of rogues you¡¯ve squabbled with came calling for some revenge. A lot of them too. But as you¡¯ve probably seen, I¡¯m taking care of the matter. Now if you¡¯re not going to help me, then leave me be.¡±


    Eisen went for the syringe again.


    ¡°Doctor, there are dozens of dead bodies on your lawn, the guards are bound to show up at some point to investigate, and your house is in dire need of repair, yet you elect to take this time for an experiment?!¡± Marin yelled.


    Eisen paused, facing towards his desk, halting his action of retrieving his formula in the syringe.


    He stood there for a moment, then pounded the desk.


    ¡°Fine.¡± The doctor uttered.


    He turned back around, walked up to his unwilling subject, and in one clean movement, snapped his neck, instantly killing him.


    ¡°...But you owe me one test subject, now.¡±


    ¡°We need to take care of the bodies everywhere. Stash them down here in the basement, and I will take care of the rest,¡± Marin ordered.


    Doctor Eisen seemed annoyed, but yielded. He agreed with Marin, and began cleaning up the aftermath of the attack.

 Chapter 31 - Aftermath (Part 2)

    The three headed back upstairs from the basement, and began grabbing the bodies, moving them away.


    As Gus began to pick up body parts, he became visibly sick.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can do this, Marin,¡± he stated.


    ¡°Steel yourself, Gus. You¡¯re alive, aren¡¯t you? Would you rather be dead?¡± Marin said back as he picked up a rogue member under his shoulders.


    Gus silently shook his head to himself. He had to put out of his mind that what he was picking up was once alive. At least the gooey monster that Eisen had destroyed earlier had helped him in getting used to handling organic material such as this.


    Once the bodies had been taken care of, they took a small break in the basement.


    ¡°Thirty-seven, total,¡± Eisen stated. ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee I killed all the attackers, there¡¯s a chance some fled, but any that had an encounter with me are all here.¡±


    Marin couldn¡¯t believe how messy Eisen had been with the rogues, he expected someone of his skill to perform cleaner kills, but he had no room to complain, seeing as he had kept Gus alive.


    ¡°This is all of it, then?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Every body, every bone, every liver. I did two passes,¡± Eisen confirmed.


    Marin then took a step forward.


    Eisen and Gus watched as Marin extended his hand, and began freezing the pile of bodies. It was a unique form of ice Gus had never seen before. It wasn¡¯t transparent as normal, or even opaque. The ice was foggy, and impossible to see into.


    After the ice had covered the entire pile, Marin took a moment, and began subtly moving his fingers. The ice cracked at each movement.


    Whatever ability Marin was performing, it wasn¡¯t instantaneous like Gus had always seen. Marin was such a master at his element, that every move he used had been immediate. Whatever he was doing now, it was actually taking him some time to get right.


    His fingers wiggled more, as if he was conducting some sort of symphony from within his palm. After a few more seconds, he finally clutched his hands into fists, and the ice broke, crackling onto the ground, and began dissolving away.


    Marin turned back around to face the two of them while the ice continued dissipating.


    ¡°That¡¯s taken care of,¡± Marin said, as he walked back to the stairs leading out of the basement.


    Gus watched Marin walk by him, then he turned back to the pile. When the final bit of foggy ice disappeared, so too had everything that was contained inside. The bodies were gone, not a single trace of anything was left from what he had froze.


    Gus could tell Marin was deeply disturbed by everything that had happened, he was not in a good mood, even more so after having to dispose of large pile of bodies in such a brutal way. It was an impressive move, but one he could tell Marin never ever wanted to do.


    Doctor Eisen then headed upstairs as well, leaving Gus standing down there alone. He continued to stare impressively at the now empty floor, replaying in his mind how Marin was able to make things literally disappear.


    He started thinking how long it would take him to learn that ability. Was Marin still going to teach him like he said? His King was very upset for the time being, perhaps he could cheer him up.


    Gus headed up stairs too after a minute. In the kitchen, he saw Eisen drawing a cup of water from a barrel, now looking more tired than he had been earlier.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Marin?¡± He carefully asked.


    ¡°Sitting on the porch, I believe.¡± He took a gulp of water. ¡°If you¡¯re going to see him, let him know that I¡¯m going to clean myself up.¡±


    Gus acknowledged, then headed down the hallway to the living room. From the room, Gus could see out to the front yard due to a lack of a door and most of the wall missing.


    Sure enough, Marin was slumped on the porch stairs, sitting, looking out into the front yard and beyond.


    Gus approached, and took a seat besides his King on the wooden stairs.


    A few moments of silence passed as they sat there in contemplation.


    ¡°Did you get your cross back?¡± Gus tried, finally.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Gus slumped his head down. He was not off to a great start. He wasn¡¯t sure what to say next. He couldn¡¯t think of any thing that would help the situation. He felt unworthy to try and give him any advice or words to cheer him up. Was that even his place to do so?


    ¡°How¡¯s your wound?¡± Marin eventually asked.


    Gus perked up. ¡°Oh!¡± He pulled up the side of his shirt, revealing a nearly healed patch. ¡°It¡¯s doing great! I almost can¡¯t feel it anymore. Every once in a while I still feel a twinge of pain, but that¡¯s completely manageable.¡±


    ¡°Good, good,¡± Marin replied. ¡°The doctor did well, I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t lose you.¡±


    Gus shrugged. ¡°Everyone has to die one day. At least my time wasn¡¯t this week,¡± he stated.


    The words echoed in Marin¡¯s undead mind. Everyone has to die one day. Did that apply to him? Was he doomed to live forever? Perhaps one day he would take it upon himself to keep that statement true.


    ¡°He saved my life twice now,¡± Gus added. ¡°Although I¡¯m now afraid of him now more than ever before.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± Marin asked.


    Gus shook his head. He turned around to make sure Eisen wasn¡¯t anywhere near to listen.


    ¡°I think the Doctor has done quite a few experiments on himself. He must¡¯ve pumped himself with some insane formulas. I¡¯m talking body altering stuff.¡±


    Marin looked over at him in silence.


    ¡°When the rogues attacked, he¡­ he somehow found a unique way to kill each of them. And he enjoyed it. At one point, his jaw unhinged like a snake, and he bit off one dude¡¯s head.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Marin yelled.


    Gus jerked his head around behind him to again confirm that Eisen wasn¡¯t listening. When he was sure of it, he continued.


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    ¡°One guy¡­ One guy he drained all the blood out of his body in like two seconds, leaving him a dried husk. He was laughing hysterically as he did it.¡±


    Marin took a deep breath.


    ¡°The things I saw, Marin. You¡¯re right. There¡¯s a whole side of the world out there I never knew about. What I witnessed, I would¡¯ve never believed if someone told me about it. He is truly a mad scientist. I mean, do you know anything about his past? Anything about what he¡¯s done? Should we be trusting him?¡±


    Marin brought his hands up to his mask, deeply in thought.


    ¡°We have to. We have to because I need his help in a very¡­ secret affair,¡± Marin explained.


    ¡°Really?¡± Gus asked.


    ¡°Yes. I understand that he is a bit crazy. Well, more than a bit. But he seems to understand right from wrong, and not ever cross those lines. Although he might blur them sometimes, from what I saw earlier.¡±


    Gus nodded.


    ¡°Do you know what he¡¯s doing right now?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Oh, yeah. He¡¯s cleaning himself up. I guess he somewhat-¡±


    Gus was cut off from the approaching of several guards.


    Marin immediately stood up. Gus did too.


    The Tarenfall guards had on chain mail and helmets shadowing their faces. They had their swords drawn, and slowly approached, ready to attack or apprehend the two of them.


    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of all this?¡± The guard in the front said in an intimidating tone. He looked ready to make an arrest.


    Marin didn¡¯t respond immediately.


    Gus guessed that Marin was weighing whether or not to avoid the hassle and just freeze them. Before he let Marin make that decision, he stepped in front, and tried talking to the guards.


    ¡°Good evening, officers. What seems to be-¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap,¡± the guard immediately said, interrupting him. ¡°What¡¯s happened around here? We¡¯ve received reports of disturbance, loud explosions and people wailing. As I can see, that would be true.¡±


    The guards were looking at Eisen¡¯s destroyed house.


    Gus responded by trying to come up with an excuse, but it was a pathetic attempt. As he tried smoothing things over with the leading guard, another one handed him some paper work.


    ¡°This is Doctor Edward Eisen¡¯s house, correct?¡± The head guard asked.


    Gus nodded.


    ¡°Where is he? And you there!¡± The guard pointed at Marin. ¡°Remove the mask!¡±


    Before anything else could happen, Eisen appeared.


    He hopped down the stairs of his front porch. He was in a brand new, white lab coat with very little staining compared to his old one. His hair was back into a neat ponytail, and he had somehow found himself a new pair of glasses.


    ¡°Ah, Doctor,¡± the guard said in a calmer tone after seeing the man. ¡°Care to explain what all this is?¡±


    ¡°Forgive me. I mixed two chemicals together that you shouldn¡¯t mix, if you understand.¡±


    The guard took a moment.


    ¡°You caused this?¡± He finally said.


    ¡°It was a careless mistake,¡± Eisen lied.


    The guard looked back down at his paper work, then back at the ruined house.


    ¡°Yeah, well¡­ that still doesn¡¯t explain the cries that were reported earlier!¡±


    Eisen leaned in to the guard. ¡°If you caused the same explosion I accidentally did, I¡¯m sure it would also cause any house guests you had some major distress.¡± Eisen turned his head to look at Marin and Gus.


    The guard also looked at them. He then turned to his backup troops, and began talking among themselves, quiet enough that Marin couldn¡¯t hear. They looked over the paperwork a few more times.


    Finally, the main guard turned back to Eisen.


    ¡°Well if that¡¯s the case, you wouldn¡¯t mind us having a look around then, would you?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. Please, look around as much as you¡¯d like,¡± Eisen offered.


    All five guards walked forward, their swords now sheathed, and began studying the house. Marin and Gus stepped out of the way, and allowed the officers to walk by. They entered, and started looking around.


    The doctor approached Marin as the guards were inside.


    ¡°You came in the nick of time,¡± Marin quietly told Eisen.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing we took care of the bodies when we did,¡± Eisen said back in a hushed tone.


    ¡°We almost didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Sorry about that. I wasn¡¯t acting myself.¡±


    Marin slowly nodded to himself. That was for sure.


    The guards spread out as they searched for anything that would give them evidence otherwise to what Eisen had claimed. They kicked over debris, that made up parts of the house as well as his possessions. Much of the potions that Marin had taken time to organize and make neat were shattered all over the floor.


    The captain guard took the stairs into the Doctor¡¯s basement, but neither Marin or Eisen were worried, Marin had taken perfect care of the situation.


    The three of them exchanged some conversation as the guards continued their investigation.


    ¡°So tell me what happened,¡± Marin asked them.


    ¡°It was about ¨C what, 2:30?¡± Eisen started.


    He looked to Gus, who nodded.


    ¡°I saw two of them in the hallway, never heard them come in. Shocked me, for sure. They made an attack, and I dispatched them quickly. Gus came out to see what the commotion was, but by that time, more were crashing in through the windows,¡± Eisen started.


    ¡°That¡¯s when the doctor told me to stay put in the corner,¡± Gus added.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right,¡± Eisen nodded. ¡°Anyways, at that point, it was just a blur, really. They kept coming, and I fought each one. Judging by the remains of the rogues, I might¡¯ve gotten carried away,¡± he admitted.


    ¡°You really got carried away. Bodies were crashing through the walls,¡± Gus stated. ¡°And you ate a head!¡±


    He had said that part a bit louder than what was comfortable, and Marin gestured for Gus to keep it quiet so the searching guards wouldn¡¯t hear them.


    ¡°Yeah, ah, that. Well, you gotta do what you gotta do.¡± Eisen replied, a feeble attempt to validate what he did.


    ¡°Anyways,¡± Eisen continued, ¡°I found a rogue left that hadn¡¯t met his death yet, so I figured, eh, why not try this new formula I developed on him to record the results? I haven¡¯t had a test subject in ages, and figured to take advantage of the situation.¡±


    Eisen looked at Marin, who only looked back through a silent, black mask.


    ¡°Well, as you shared, it wasn¡¯t such a good time,¡± Eisen ended.


    Eventually, the guard returned to the three of them, done with his search.


    ¡°Everything checks out,¡± he stated. He wrote a few notes on the paperwork. ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d be more careful about your little experiments, Doctor Eisen. Especially with guests in your house,¡± the guard said in a condescending tone.


    ¡°Of course, of course,¡± Eisen concurred.


    ¡°Had that little explosion killed someone, I would¡¯ve booked you for manslaughter.¡±


    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t want that!¡± Eisen replied.


    The guard nodded. ¡°And you,¡± he said to Marin. ¡°Why are you wearing that mask?¡±


    ¡°Personal reasons. I¡¯m quite self conscious,¡± Marin tried.


    The guard tapped his foot. ¡°Yeah, well¡­ You should get over that. It makes guards rightfully nervous when they arrive at a potential crime scene and someone is hiding their identity.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Marin respectfully replied.


    ¡°Alright then. Boys! We¡¯re outta here.¡± The guard yelled for the rest of his soldiers to vacate the premises.


    Shortly after leaving, and Marin confirming they were out of sight, they headed back into the torn up house.


    ¡°What¡¯s next?¡± Gus asked.


    ¡°What¡¯s next is that we start thinking about returning to Nocturne Castle. I think we¡¯ve been away from our Kingdom long enough,¡± Marin stated.

 Chapter 32 - Departure (Part 1)

    ¡°I want you to join my kingdom.¡±


    Eisen¡¯s eyes narrowed in thought. A grin formed on his face.


    ¡°Now why would I do that?¡± He asked in return.


    ¡°Because we need a proper doctor. And because you want to solve the case of my undead state.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been living here in Tarenfall at this house for quite a while now. I¡¯m not one to up and leave so easily,¡± Eisen explained back.


    ¡°Look at your home now, doctor. It¡¯s not suitable to live in anymore. Come live with me. I will grant you a large amount of space in the basements of the castle. I will fund all new tools and supplies for you. You will be paid a generous allowance. Food, housing, all taken care of. All I ask is that you tend to my subordinates whenever they require a doctor.¡±


    Edward Eisen folded his hands together. He had been on his own for sometime, and much preferred it that way. Living under a King was not a facet of life he was ready to take on. Two facts though, would sway his decision.


    He wanted to solve the mystery of Marin¡¯s immortality potion, and secondly, he was nearly out of funds. He couldn¡¯t finance the repairs of his house, or his destroyed supplies for experiments. He had money for food, and that was nearly it.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to pay my food, housing, and all the resources I want in exchange of taking care of your servants?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Indeed. You will also be granted access to all my notes and old science lab to assist in your efforts of solving my case,¡± Marin explained.


    Eisen nodded. He rubbed his hands together. It was too much to pass up, and seeing his current situation, he was practically forced to take the offer.


    ¡°Alright. Deal.¡±


    Marin smiled. ¡°Excellent.¡± He reached his hand forward, and shook Eisen¡¯s. The doctor was now officially a part of the Nocturne Kingdom.


    ¡°So what are we waiting for?¡± Gus said, sitting in a chair in the opposite corner of the living room. ¡°Let¡¯s get back home.¡±


    ¡°Hold on, Gus. There¡¯s a few more things that need to be taken care of before we leave. Our belongings are still in the Rose Garden in Taren Heights. We also need to be back there to check the mail office to see if I¡¯ve received a return letter from Helva and Loid back home.¡±


    Marin then looked outside, and noted the falling sun. The day was nearly over.


    ¡°I propose we take a walk to our inn and stay there for night. Tomorrow morning, we will check the mail, then return here for Eisen to pack up whatever he needs.¡±


    Eisen threw his hands up. ¡°I have much more stuff here that I need to take than what I can fit in a backpack, Marin!¡±


    ¡°I understand that. That is why I will be renting a horse drawn cart to take your belongings back with us. That and I don¡¯t want Gus making the large journey on foot with his still-healing wound.¡±


    Marin seemed to have everything figured out.


    ¡°I would also like to be dressed in something finer than these beggar clothes at this point. Crossing into Taren Heights was hard enough with the bribe I needed to pay, and at this point I care not to risk investigations by any more guards.¡±


    ¡°I have some clothing that looks at least better than that,¡± Eisen offered.


    ¡°Then let us not waste time. Show me to your wardrobe, and we will depart for the inn.¡± Marin stood up, and Eisen led him to his own bedroom.


    The doctor opened the door to the room that was still intact. The inside was ravaged, but not from the fight earlier. Marin had never attempted to clean Eisen¡¯s sleeping quarters. Clothes lay all over the floor, some chewed away by bugs. Dishes and silverware dirtied from use dotted the room, as well as various knickknacks and scientific tools.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Eisen of course, bothered not with what was on the floor. He managed to barely pry open a wooden wardrobe that was unable to fully swing open due to said items on the floor. Inside, were clean clothes still hung up, that probably hadn¡¯t seen the light of day in years.


    ¡°While you lend me these clothes to wear, I was hoping you could inspect some stab wounds at my neck and all over my back,¡± Marin requested.


    Eisen raised an eyebrow with a few garments in hand. ¡°Something happen?¡±


    ¡°It was the encounter with the rogues from earlier. At their base, I was ambushed.¡±


    Eisen agreed to have a look. Marin began undressing himself, and revealed his entire top. His head, shoulders, and torso were completely bare. He had never shown so much of his bare body to anyone at this point since his zombie form.


    He never would under usual circumstances, understandably. The sight of his decayed skin and shriveled appearance would cause most to repulse, but Eisen drank it in. He found no disgust in his new King, only curiosity and excitement.


    ¡°Wow¡­¡± Eisen stated as he felt the multiple stab wounds all over his back. They were deep and wide. The knife had been a large one, and intentionally driven into the flesh to kill. If Marin had a normal, functioning body, the gashes would¡¯ve caused him to bleed to death in mere seconds.


    ¡°Your body is greatly damaged. That¡¯s a large amount of lacerations. And this one at your neck, yikes. Are you still able to move your head around?¡± Eisen said, with actual rare concern.


    Marin displayed he could by moving his head up and down. The large cut on his neck stretched and contracted with the movement.


    ¡°Not good. This stuff will not heal, by the way. Your body is incapable of repairing itself, I found out.¡±


    ¡°No surprise there,¡± Marin responded in a rapsy voice without his mask on.


    ¡°The best I can do for you is to stitch this all up. I might use something more heavy duty for the threads, seeing as it will be permanent stitches,¡± Eisen offered.


    ¡°Whatever you can do,¡± Marin said back gratefully.


    ¡°You can¡¯t allow your body to take damage like this anymore. If this becomes a regular occurrence, you won¡¯t have a body left to move around in. I have no idea what your limits of living are,¡± Eisen warned.


    The doctor quietly left the room, and promptly shut the door behind him as he left for the basement to grab some thread and a needle to stitch Marin up. He saw Gus in the living room still, and warned the young lad to stay away from his bedroom as Marin was changing.


    From the basement, the doctor skimmed over his mismanaged shelves until he found some black thread, and a needle. There was no need to sterilize the tools he would use on Marin since he wasn¡¯t capable of infection. Confirming he had what was needed, he returned to his bedroom to find Marin sitting on the bed, patiently waiting.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get to it.¡±


    Eisen snipped the thread with scissors, and began stitching each and every wound, careful about his punctures into the fragile skin.


    Marin couldn¡¯t feel a thing as the doctor worked. This was expected of course, but it still shook him that the pain he instinctively expected never came. It was just a reminder that he wasn¡¯t technically alive anymore.


    Every moment or so, Marin heard the snip of scissors, indicating that another stitch up had been completed. There were quite a few to work on, so a considerable amount of time would be needed to complete the job.


    Eisen worked in silence for a while until Marin spoke.


    ¡°You have my gratitude for saving Gus once again,¡± he said.


    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t mention it. As a doctor I have to protect my patient, yes?¡± Eisen responded.


    Was that the only reason that Eisen defended him from the attackers? Because he was under his care? With that response, Marin wasn¡¯t sure how much up to the task Eisen was to defending his kingdom.


    ¡°And when he¡¯s not your patient?¡± Marin tried.


    Eisen chuckled. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll still protect him. Protect your whole kingdom now, seeing as I¡¯m a part of it.¡±


    It brought a bit of relief to Marin, but he knew Eisen¡¯s only true motivation for joining was to solve Marin¡¯s case. If that ever came to pass, he wasn¡¯t sure the doctor would be willing to stay much longer.


    ¡°Thank you, Edward. I¡¯m grateful you¡¯ve joined us.¡±


    Eisen snipped the scissors for the last time, and explained to Marin that he was finished with the work. He warned the king not to exert or contort his body too much, as it would run the risk of tearing the stitches. Marin clothed himself in the doctor¡¯s garments, which fit him a little more well than he expected. This was due to Eisen being nearly as bone skinny as Marin¡¯s dead form.


    After placing his mask back on, Marin was fully concealed once again. It was now safe for him to leave the room and see Gus.


    The sun was setting, but the walk back to Taren Heights was only an hour away, and they would be back to the Rose Garden Inn by dusk. They departed, and began the journey through the slums to the inn that Marin purchased a week¡¯s long stay at.


    The doctor¡¯s clothing that Marin now sported was in good condition, and shockingly classy. Marin had never noticed it due to Eisen always wearing that lab coat, which he never took off. At departure though, he had thrown on a brown leather long coat over that, to at least blend in somewhat.


    Eisen had a briefcase with him that contained a few items he would need for an overnight stay at the inn. He wanted to just sleep in his home, but Marin persuaded Eisen not to, due to the unsafe status his house was in.


    In fact, Marin wouldn¡¯t have been shocked to see the place collapsed by the time they returned tomorrow.

 Chapter 32 - Departure (Part 2)

    Marin could feel the eyes of a guard stationed at the gates of the divided districts as they passed into the Heights, but thankfully, he made no protest of the company passing through. Marin only had a couple gold coins left to his name at the moment, and was thankful he didn¡¯t have to give one up to return back to his belongings.


    Being back in Taren Heights was refreshing. No longer was the intimidation of shady individuals taunting them at every corner. Gardens looked lovely, houses were cozy yet sturdy in appearance, and the occasional fountain made itself known by the noise of trickling water.


    The sun had finished setting over the horizon by the time they reached the front door of a beautiful estate that was the Rose Garden.


    Inside, the familiar luxurious atmosphere flooded Marin, who immediately thought of his home castle.


    At the front desk was none other than the same servant who had been discretely rude to Marin and Gus when they first arrived. Surprise flooded his face seeing the return of them.


    ¡°Ah, Mr. Marin. And here I thought something devastating had occurred to you,¡± he said.


    ¡°Forgive our extended absence, plans had to be changed. The three of us have arrived for a final stay at your lovely establishment,¡± Marin gracefully spoke.


    ¡°The¡­ three of you?¡± The desk clerk was now eyeing the doctor, who understandably was not very favorable to look at.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure that won¡¯t be a problem,¡± Marin added as he flipped a pretty gold coin to the man.


    He caught it midair, and admired it.


    ¡°I suppose not,¡± he said, while craning his neck and pocketing the coin. ¡°Enjoy your night.¡±


    Gus was certainly happy to be back in these finer living arrangements, and despite Marin¡¯s inability to sleep, he was too. Eisen wasn¡¯t so impressed with the place, he grumbled a bit to himself as he passed a display of a plush embroidered pillow.


    Back in their rented room, Gus rushed over to his bed, and knelt underneath. His pack and claymore sword were still there. Marin was happy to see his messenger bag was also there, including each item that was contained inside.


    They situated themselves, and ate dinner that was served fresh in the dining room below. The staff still hid their disgust for these guests that weren¡¯t of elegant appearance as themselves, but withheld any comment.


    Back in the room, Marin gave his bed up to Eisen, who completely understood why. To Gus, Marin mentioned that he had no problem sleeping in a chair. Gus didn¡¯t think a thing of it, his King had enough quirks to himself, and what more was that?


    Gus fell asleep almost immediately. The filling of great food in his stomach had led to a drowsiness he was not expecting. In reality his body was still healing from that life-threatening stab wound, and that alone still kept his body from being at complete full strength.


    As Gus snored away, Marin and Eisen sat in the fancy plush chairs of the inn while surrounding a small coffee table. A small gas-lit lamp illuminated the corner. They held conversation.


    ¡°So what did you find out, then?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Your potion¡­ it did something incredible to your cells. It reprogrammed them. Let me explain. The cells of your body die all the time, and replace themselves. That is how people age. You had devised a formula that stopped your cells from dying, and that was your method of producing immortality,¡± the doctor explained.


    Marin thought really hard. The two centuries he had spent dead erased such a large chunk of his memory, and that resulted in complete loss of smaller details such as the complete function of his experimental potion.


    ¡°Okay¡­ okay,¡± Marin nodded. ¡°That makes sense. I might be able to recall pursuing that specific method. It still doesn¡¯t explain my current state.¡±


    ¡°Well, I can tell you this. When you ¡®died¡¯ in the sense that you did, your cells, well¡­ they refused to die in the same way. I¡¯m not sure what agent in your potion caused you to keel over, but you kept living despite no longer taking in air, food, water¡­ any of that.


    Because of this, your cells mutated. They adapted to no longer getting supplies of oxygen and nourishment as they needed, since you had programmed them to never die. I still don¡¯t know how they¡¯re getting their energy for you to operate now, but I can tell you this: they no longer need what they used to. And that¡¯s why you have no need to eat or breathe or sleep for that matter,¡± Eisen stated.


    ¡°You say this, yet you¡¯ve confirmed my skin cells were dead. In fact, there¡¯s quite a bit of my body that died, including a lot of my inner organs,¡± Marin objected.


    ¡°I know. I know. I have some theories, the main being that your cells were able to differentiate what was necessary for your body to function, such as thinking, seeing, moving¡­ Look, so much of it doesn¡¯t make sense to me yet, but I am bent on figuring out the reasons behind it all.¡±


    It was a lot of information. As Eisen explained things, Marin couldn¡¯t help but realize he was now more monster than human, a freak that defied nature. How much hubris had consumed him to create such a potion? Did he really believe he could beat death?


    ¡°Thank you so much for attempting to solve my mistakes. Is there any chance that I could become normal again?¡± Marin asked with sorrow.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. That would be in the realm of cell regeneration, which your body has completely shut off. There might be methods to reignite that, even stimulate it beyond normal, but I fear that may cause a tremendous amount of excruciating pain to you, if not kill you, since your nerves would be rebuilding themselves as the rest of your body did.¡±


    Marin gulped. It didn¡¯t sound too exciting.


    ¡°Now for me, I have mastered a form of cell regeneration. In fact, when I became a blood elemental, I found that with intense study I could order my cells in my blood to do things they normally wouldn¡¯t. That creates an endless amount of possibilities for my body, much I haven¡¯t tried exploring, mind you. The one thing I couldn¡¯t do though, was stop my cells from dying and reproducing, thus my aging.


    Reverse engineering, and mastery of your potion, would create a true, forever sustainable organism, in capable of natural death. I want to see it done,¡± Eisen proudly exclaimed.


    Marin shook his head.


    ¡°Be careful, doctor. Immortality might not be something you want,¡± he warned.


    ¡°That will be for me to decide,¡± Eisen grinned.


    The doctor eventually turned in for the night as well, and Marin was left alone in the chair to meditate on everything that had happened so far. He went through his messenger bag and studied his items, he read a book or two he had packed, and a few times left the room to look over the d¨¦cor in the mansion. It was all dimly lit from lamps that were kept running throughout the night.


    Eventually, he changed out his clothes in the bathroom from Eisen¡¯s back into his own royal dark blue robes, which he had missed greatly. There was still the tear in the back from Lorette¡¯s poisoned blade, but it was not too noticeable, and he kept a few layers of shirts on underneath to continue hiding his skin.


    Morning finally came, the dawn began. The sky lightened as the sun would now work its way up over the horizon. The doctor turned over first, who¡¯s eyes shot open immediately, and sat up as soon as he could.


    Marin was situated in the same chair in the corner, and the two of them made eye contact. Eisen smiled.


    ¡°You just wait for morning all night, huh?¡± He said.


    ¡°Not much of a choice,¡± Marin responded back.


    The speech caused Gus to then turn, who woke up as well.


    After an enjoyable breakfast, the three were off immediately. The first place they visited was the post office to check for a letter from Nocturne.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Sure enough, there was. When Sullivan Marin stated his name and assigned ID number, the mailman handed him over a letter.


    ¡°Just came in this morning,¡± he mentioned.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Marin walked out of the post office. Gus and Eisen were waiting for him outside.


    ¡°You got a letter?¡± Gus asked.


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s see what is going on,¡± Marin responded as he peeled open the envelope. He unfolded the paper, and held it in his glove covered hands as he read.


    Gus waited in anticipation as Marin privately read the letter. A few minutes passed. Finally, Marin folded it up and placed it into his robe¡¯s pocket.


    ¡°RAM is coming to see us,¡± he said.


    ¡°What?!¡± Gus exclaimed.


    ¡°Loid and Helva are urging us back home soon. Apparently all the paperwork has gone through, and some RAM agents will be visiting the castle soon to declare it a kingdom if everything checks out.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s incredible!¡± Gus shouted.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t been recognized yet as a sovereign kingdom yet?¡± Eisen asked.


    ¡°I just recently re-established Nocturne. I¡¯m in the process of getting it confirmed again,¡± Marin explained. ¡°Well, the timing was convenient, then. We are indeed heading back now. Let¡¯s continue on.¡±


    The next destination the three of them traveled to was the trade district to rent a horse and cart. Marin signed paperwork that it would be recovered in Whitewood City.


    Marin shared the fact that he was nearly broke from renting their transportation at this point, but Eisen was more than happy to cover the cost of the rest of the journey.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be paying you back,¡± Marin mentioned.


    The three hopped into the cart, and Eisen was designated to take the reigns of the horse. They began heading back to his house to load his possessions up, and leave the city for good.


    Eisen¡¯s research and pursuit of knowledge was more important to him than anything, and if that meant departing the city he had spent much time living in ¨C at a moment¡¯s notice no less ¨C it was worth it. This wasn¡¯t an ideal situation for him, he¡¯d much rather have Marin stay at his residence while work was done on him, but the unfortunate events Marin had brought with him, the rogues specifically, destroyed his home.


    That and Marin was a King, and had to get back home to his kingdom. Eisen didn¡¯t know how much time he needed to crack the potion¡¯s code, but it could take months, and it was understandable.


    The horse-drawn cart passed through the district gates and into the slums. The denizens living there paid them little mind. A few eyed Marin¡¯s now regal attire he resumed wearing, but no one tried to confront them.


    They turned the corner onto the street Eisen lived on, and within a minute, they pulled the steed up to Eisen¡¯s front gates. It was a snug fit, but he managed to get the cart through the narrow gate opening.


    Back at Eisen¡¯s old house, Marin couldn¡¯t believe his eyes.


    Travis sat on the front porch.


    Immediately, Marin jumped out of the cart, and ran up to him.


    ¡°Travis?!¡± He exclaimed.


    At seeing the three of them, the blonde haired man stood up, and walked forward to meet the King.


    ¡°Hi, Marin.¡± His tone was somber, a sadness plagued his face. Travis was not in any bright mood.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Are you okay?¡± Marin rapidly asked.


    Eisen and Gus approached, and stood on either side of Marin.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. I have something for you,¡± Travis stated. He then threw an item from his hand to Marin.


    Marin caught it.


    It was his golden cross necklace.


    He couldn¡¯t believe it. It was the very same one, the gold shone brightly in the sun. It was unharmed, undamaged. The gold chain was still attached.


    ¡°...What? How¡­?¡± Marin stammered.


    ¡°You paid me to do a job. I did it. It¡¯s as simple as that.¡± Travis sounded very disconnected. He was obviously upset over Lorette¡¯s death, over the fact that the entire Scarlet Eye organization had been destroyed.


    Marin was pleasantly surprised. He had written off ever getting his cross back after what had happened earlier. To see that Travis had enough honor to not only continue the job of finding it, but also returning it to him was something Marin did not expect.


    ¡°Travis¡­ thank you. I can¡¯t believe you got this back.¡±


    Travis nodded. He looked like he was ready to leave.


    ¡°What will you do now?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. You¡¯ve destroyed my source of income. I¡¯m not blaming you for it, but it is what it is.¡± He began to walk away.


    Marin was not ready to let him go.


    ¡°Travis¡­ You were an orphan, weren¡¯t you?¡± Marin asked, remembering how Lorette claimed Travis never knew his parents.


    Travis stopped, but did not turn around to see him. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°I bet you¡¯ve spent your entire life struggling for food. For money. Eventually you became a rogue and met Lorette. You¡¯ve stolen just to survive,¡± Marin guessed.


    Travis said nothing back.


    ¡°I want to make an offer to you. Believe it or not, I¡¯m a King. I have a decent sized kingdom and a considerable amount of wealth. I want you to join me. Defend my home. I will make sure you never need to steal a thing again.¡±


    Travis produced a cigarette from inside his jacket. He lit with a flame appearing on his thumb, then took a puff.


    ¡°Thanks, but no thanks. I don¡¯t need help from anyone,¡± he replied.


    Marin found no reason to try to convince Travis further. He understood that there was much to him that he didn¡¯t know about. There could be a hundred reasons why Travis wouldn¡¯t join, and he was not going to make the attempt to figure it all out.


    ¡°The offer will always stand. I reside in Nocturne Castle, it¡¯s located in the Murok Mountains north of White Forest. If you ever change your mind, you will be welcomed there.¡±


    Travis began walking off again without saying another word.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re a good man, Travis!¡± Marin yelled after him. ¡°You were dealt a poor hand in life that forced you to make shady decisions. I know that¡¯s not who you are!¡±


    With Marin¡¯s final words, Travis turned the corner, and was out of sight. Marin looked down at his cross. Great relief washed over him that all wrong that had happened was made right. He threw it on over his head, and felt complete once again.


    Gus had a large smile on, happy that his king¡¯s item had been returned. Marin still had no idea how it had been picked off of him, around his neck no less. It must have been while brushing up against the large crowds in the trade district, that was his best idea.


    The golden necklace held some sort of importance, Marin was sure, but his memory didn¡¯t grant him the knowledge of why. Perhaps one day he would figure it out again.


    While Marin was quite thrilled at the return of his item, the time to rejoice was not now. They were on a tight schedule, and Marin instructed Gus and Eisen.


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin packing your stuff, doctor. We might be able to leave Tarenfall by noon. If we do, we can reach one of Kybervald¡¯s first towns by sundown.¡±


    While the house still stood, the three of them worked diligently to pack Eisen¡¯s remaining intact possessions. In the basement, Gus hauled out boxes that Eisen packed below. He hastily jammed in his tools involving surgical equipment, his expensive microscope, and other materials. The largest amount of items though, were his books and commentaries on medicine and diseases.


    On the upper floor, Marin packed Eisen¡¯s clothes and other belongings that he deemed fit to take. After loading several dozen boxes, they were about done. Eisen could have taken much more, but Marin made it clear that anything that could be easily bought again wouldn¡¯t be necessary.


    Eventually they finished, and loaded the last box onto the cart. It was a hefty enough load, but the horse they rented was designed to pull large loads over great distances, and the strong steed didn¡¯t mind it one bit.


    They were off. The sun was mid-sky, signaling the noon hour. The doctor took one last look at his house as they pulled away. While he would continue to own the property, anything could happen to his place now that it was unsupervised. Eisen made a vow to return one day, at least to visit the place. He had known Tarenfall to be his home for quite some time.


    ¡°Are you happy to be going home?¡± Gus asked Marin.


    ¡°Indeed I am, although I am nervous over what RAM might do. The central government has changed so much since I¡¯ve known it. I hope everything meets their requirements,¡± Marin stated.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about it,¡± Gus said back. ¡°Even if they fail to recognize us as a kingdom, I always will.¡±


    Marin smiled.


    Time would tell.

 Chapter 33 - New Job

    A certain man in light brown leathers and a cape walked down the stone brick hallway deep in the crystal cavern. He was in his seventies, but well built, and had muscle tones of a much younger man. He had a gray goatee, and a dull glimmer in his eyes, that periodically shined from sparks of electricity. This was Ryno.


    When he finished walking the hallway, he was met with a round room, dimly lit by lanterns of colored light. In here were two others at a desk in the center. One was a massive man. Morbidly obese, from his proportions. He was nearly hairless. Completely bald, clean shaven, eyebrows almost unaccounted for. The only item resting on his pudgy face were thick framed glasses. He looked to be in his fifties. This was Blaine. His body almost engulfed the chair he sat in.


    The other one sitting behind the desk was similar age to Ryno, but was much skinnier and frail. He wore maroon robes, barely noticeable from the large white beard that hung in front of his chest. He had liver spots on his head, visible through the thin wisps of white hair. This was John Reech.


    ¡°Ah, Reecher the creature!¡± Ryno declared, raising his arms up in an act of joy. Ryno always had a new nickname for his leader.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t call me that,¡± John politely requested. It was a request, and that¡¯s all it could be. John couldn¡¯t force Ryno to take him more seriously, though he wished he would.


    Unfortunately though, that wasn¡¯t Ryno¡¯s personality. The man did almost whatever he wanted. No one within a great distance could stop him. It was just from a mutually beneficial relationship that Ryno took on whatever jobs John Reech had for him.


    Ryno wasn¡¯t unreasonable, though.


    ¡°Alright, fine. But I¡¯m gonna come up with a new one for ya, just you wait!¡± Ryno said, wiggling his finger in a silly fashion at John.


    Ryno then centered his attention to Blaine. ¡°And here¡¯s the big man! How¡¯re ya doing buddy?¡±


    Blaine didn¡¯t reciprocate the bubbly personality Ryno had. He remained serious.


    ¡°Have a seat Ryno. John has a new job for you,¡± Blaine responded.


    Ryno was a bit sad that his two friends weren¡¯t as excited he was. He promptly took a seat, a pouting look on his face.


    Blaine began speaking again, once Ryno was seated and engaged. ¡°First off, here¡¯s a letter from our contact at Nocturne.¡±


    Blaine produced an envelope from his back pocket, and slid it across the desk for John to read. It was crumbled up a bit, forced into a curved shape that perfectly matched Blaine¡¯s rather large posterior.


    John made an effort to flatten it out on the desk before opening it. When he did so, he began reading the contents. The handwriting was sloppy, but that was a sure sign that it was written by the very person it came from.


    John was a fast reader. His old eyes darted left to right, reading line after line. After a moment or two, which was making Ryno quite impatient, he folded the letter back up and set it to the side.


    John folded his hands into his lap, and took a moment to think and reflect from the letter.


    The amount of time passing was detrimental to Ryno.


    ¡°Well? What¡¯s going on?!¡± Ryno bellowed out, slamming his fist onto the desk.


    ¡°It seems that Oscar¡¯s visit with Marin has jostled him to some degree. He has set out from his castle to apparently find stronger allies to defend his kingdom,¡± Reech explained.


    ¡°I doubt he¡¯ll find success,¡± Blaine responded in a booming, low voice, throwing his two cents in. ¡°Who would believe his current situation?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t think he would make his predicament public. But that¡¯s not the only update we¡¯ve received. Confirming what I knew earlier, RAM is indeed in the process of filing Nocturne to be a sovereign kingdom again,¡± John added.


    ¡°Looks like that King has been busy,¡± Blaine said, grasping one of his many chins in thought. ¡°Still don¡¯t know why you care so much about him. He¡¯s a deceased man walking. So what. Our resources are spread thin as it is.¡±


    John nodded. ¡°Let me handle it. I have reasons for everything,¡± he reminded him.


    Blaine understood, and said no more to the topic. John Reech was an incredibly smart man, and though he hadn¡¯t shared reason with why Marin was so intensely on his radar, he trusted him.


    Blaine slid his chair back, excusing himself from the room.


    ¡°It¡¯s time for me to get back to training the young ones. I¡¯ll let you know as soon as I get any new letters pertaining to Marin,¡± Blaine said forcefully. Despite being so fat, he stood up quite easily.


    However, he couldn¡¯t stop himself from rocking left and right as he walked. His massive fat body did not fancy moving about. Ryno and John watched him walk down the hallway until he disappeared.


    Once Blaine was out of the room, Ryno turned back to face John.


    ¡°So I hear you got a new mission for me,¡± Ryno said excitedly.


    ¡°Indeed,¡± John responded, reaching under the desk to grab some paperwork.


    ¡°Lay it on me,¡± Ryno casually demanded, grinning, showing all his crooked yellow teeth. He leaned back in his chair, and brought his feet up on the desk before him.


    When John came back up, he was quite annoyed to see the bottom of Ryno¡¯s soles resting on his workspace. He debated telling him to return to a more proper seating form, but understood the fine balance of working with Ryno.


    John cleared his throat.


    ¡°Let me give you a bit of a backstory,¡± Reech began.


    ¡°Boo.¡± Ryno responded.


    ¡°Work with me here, Ryno. This is important,¡± John urged. He knew Ryno had an attention span of a ten year old. Hell, most of his personality was that of a ten year old ¨C but his strength was unmatched and his effectiveness was undeniable, so John had to get pass that.


    Ryno enjoyed the missions but hated the briefings. He just wanted to know where he was going, and what he was doing, that was it. He wasn¡¯t one for petty details.


    John eventually moved his chair to the side to see Ryno¡¯s face after his feet had blocked it.


    ¡°As I was saying,¡± Reech continued. ¡°There¡¯s a school nestled deeply in the Arkari Peaks. Ah, it¡¯s more of a monastery. Their sensei, as the students call him, is a certified wizard. During his time at Arkana, he developed a unique skill pertaining to the electric element.


    It has made him quite powerful, and he refuses to share it. We believe he has recorded it in a skill book that he has locked up in the depths of his monastery. RAM wants it, and we¡¯re going to give it to them. Well, to be specific, you are.¡±


    Ryno removed his feet from the desk and sat up. ¡°They¡¯re electricians like me? So tell me what the skill is? I¡¯ll figure it out myself!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple, Ryno. He will have specific techniques in that book that are unique only to Arkana. You never went there,¡± John responded.


    Ryno swatted at the statement.¡°Yeah, because I didn¡¯t need to go there. What good is that place when you can learn everything yourself? In fact, nobody taught me a thing, and I bet I¡¯m more powerful than anyone there!¡± Extra sparks started dancing around Ryno¡¯s body at the statement.


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    ¡°Alright, alright, calm down,¡± John tried, seeing that Ryno was ready to prove himself here and now. ¡°I just need you to get that book. I don¡¯t care how you get it, just bring it to me unharmed.¡±


    ¡°Whatever you say...¡±


    John started detailing the location of Ryno¡¯s new mission. With a map out, he dotted a few points to show Ryno where he needed to be.


    ¡°It should be quite close to there,¡± John said. ¡°As I mentioned, they¡¯re electric elementals like you. Since there will be quite a bit of sparks flying around, try to limit your own. We don¡¯t want to open a portal to the tempest, right?¡±


    The tempest was a realm of infinite twisters and thunderstorms. The winds were so strong that anyone so unfortunate to be trapped there was hurled around in the air forever. Getting blasted with bolts of lightning was also a regular occurrence.


    Ryno gulped. ¡°I hate that place.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Just before Ryno left, John called out to him one last time. ¡°And let me remind you, their sensei is a wizard. Not only that, I¡¯m sure he will use his unique skill to try to defeat you,¡± he warned.


    ¡°There is no electric based skill that can stop me,¡± Ryno boldly claimed.


    John was not entirely sure of the validity behind the statement, but shrugged it off. Ryno acted cocky, but so far it had never been over-confidence. Any claim he had ever made had been proven.


    ¡°Of course. Forgive me for doubting,¡± John responded.


    Ryno instantly smiled, switching from a serious mood to a pleasant one. ¡°You¡¯re just looking out for me! A good friend you are! Although the advice is not useful, it¡¯s the thought that counts! I am happy to explain why I don¡¯t need it. Anyways, I¡¯ll see you later. John¡­ um¡­ Long John¡­ Well, I¡¯ll have to think of that new nickname later. Cya!¡±


    With that, Ryno paraded back down the hallway, and out of Reech¡¯s quarters.


    Ryno stuffed his map into his back pocket as he arrived into the large center room of the base. It was a massive cavern, adorned with colorful shining gems that were nestled into the rocky walls. They gave off a pretty glow, and it was enough to barely light the whole area. A few hanging lanterns supplied extra light to corners that needed it the most.


    Ryno¡¯s attention was immediately brought to the noises of battle. When he looked the right, he saw Oscar and Blaine having a sparing session inside the battle ring.


    ¡°Good! Good!¡± Blaine bellowed out as Oscar fabricated new crystals of varying colors. They launched towards the fat man, and he defended himself with a crystallized arm.


    Ryno was excited to see his basemates practicing their elements. He ran up to the ring side, and leaned on the arena¡¯s borders as he watched intently.


    Blaine was a mastered crystal elemental. He had trained Oscar to also be one for a few years now. The young lad was showing great progress at twenty-three.


    As Ryno watched the fight, he stood beside Chel, another one of Blaine¡¯s pupils. She had fun shooting crystal shots from her pistols, a unique way of incorporating the elements into a regular weapon.


    ¡°Oscar thinks one day he can beat me! What a load, right Ryno?¡± She snorted as she flipped her red hair back.


    ¡°Oof, that¡¯d be a shocker to see,¡± Ryno responded, satisfied he referenced his own electric element into his speech.


    Oscar leaped backwards, battlestaff in hand as he brought it back for a forward swing. This was a full on fight with his teacher, and he was not holding anything back. Crackling sounds of crystals filled that cavern as they both produced and clashed their shards of minerals.


    ¡°He is getting better, though,¡± Ryno stated, as he saw Oscar moving and casting the crystals faster than Ryno remembered he could do. Perhaps the boy would one day come to be a powerful elemental. There were advanced crystals with amazing properties that could be created with extreme skill. Maybe it was in Oscar¡¯s grasp one day.


    ¡°If he ever beats you, though, Blaine would be the next one he would target,¡± Ryno finished with.


    ¡°I think you should duel Blaine!¡± Chel suggested, secretly dying to see a fight between Ryno and Blaine.


    ¡°Oh, now that wouldn¡¯t be fair!¡± Ryno exclaimed. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna hurt my buddy. My BIG buddy. He¡¯s my-¡± Ryno did a quick dance move, spun around in a circle, and pointed at Blaine. ¡°-Friend!¡±


    Chel rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Alright, fine. Hey, don¡¯t you have a mission to go on or something?¡± Chel asked, losing interest in Ryno quickly.


    ¡°Sure I do. But there¡¯s no reason why I can¡¯t spectate a fight!¡± Ryno responded.


    They watched as Oscar got hurled across the ring, landing in the corner, chest covered in crystal. His staff had flown in a different direction.


    ¡°Okay! Okay!¡± Oscar yelled meekly.


    Blaine raised a thick arm, sausage fingers curled at the end. The crystals covering Oscar¡¯s torso shattered away. Blaine then turned towards Oscar¡¯s battlestaff. Crystals shot out from behind it, launching the rod into the air. The fat man caught it, and stuck it into the ground besides him.


    Oscar let out a few coughs as he stood up.


    ¡°Good show! Good show!¡± Ryno quickly clapped, tiny sparks of electricity shooting away from each clap.


    Oscar and Blaine turned their heads and took notice of Ryno as he shouted out.


    Ryno then gave them a thumbs up. ¡°You guys are great!¡± He added.


    Oscar breathed heavily as he stumbled forward to retrieve his staff from the side of Blaine. When the defeated lad got close to grab it, Blaine¡¯s huge arm came down on top of Oscar¡¯s shoulder.


    It scared Oscar, made him jump a bit.


    ¡°I¡¯m proud of you,¡± Blaine stated to his pupil. Anything positive like that almost never escaped Blaine¡¯s mouth. It was a rare thing for the serious, no-nonsense master to say.


    It caught Oscar off guard. He was used to Blaine listing out every issue and short-coming he found in his elemental practice, especially after a duel like that. He wasn¡¯t sure how to respond.


    ¡°Th-thank you¡­ Blaine...¡± Oscar said, staring down at the ground.


    ¡°You¡¯re growing in skill. You may not realize it, but you¡¯ve become quite adept in the basic abilities. I will be stepping you up to more advanced stuff at this rate. Now, go get cleaned up. I¡¯ll see you this evening,¡± Blaine instructed.


    Oscar bowed, and left the arena. When he did so, he approached Ryno.


    ¡°CHEL!¡± Blaine bellowed out. She quickly turned her head. ¡°You¡¯re next! In the ring!¡± He commanded.


    She groaned as she hopped over the guard rail.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Ryno asked the exhausted Oscar.


    ¡°Like a million bucks,¡± Oscar weakly grinned.


    ¡°Blaine¡¯s not the only one noticing an increase of power within you. I noticed it too! You¡¯re growing from a boy to a MAN!¡± Ryno exclaimed, flexing his muscles in an exaggerated manner.


    ¡°Thanks, Ryno.¡± Oscar stated. ¡°You¡¯re heading out again?¡±


    ¡°Yep. Reechie wants me to retrieve some skill book from a monastery in the mountains. Regular stuff, you know.¡±


    ¡°A monastery? With a bunch of fighters? Let me guess, they won¡¯t handle it over willingly, will they?¡± Oscar asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s why John¡¯s sending me,¡± Ryno grinned.


    Oscar knew exactly what that meant. Ryno once again was going on a mission that would involve a lot of people getting hurt. When John Reech couldn¡¯t get what he wanted with diplomatic means, he sent Ryno in for a more physical option. It was what he was best at.


    ¡°Just come back in one piece,¡± Oscar said.


    ¡°I always do.¡±


    Chel was suddenly circling Blaine in the ring, shooting crystals from the barrel of her hand pistols. He was erupting sharp gems around her, trying to trap her in place.


    ¡°Well, I best be going. I have bit of ground to cover. I¡¯ll see you again later!¡± Ryno announced.


    Oscar gave him a simple wave back. He was fairly beat up from the fight with Blaine and had little energy left to spare.


    Ryno nodded and continued his departure from the crystal cavern.


    He was off to the Arkari Peaks. They were nestled in the northern region, but unlike the Murok Mountains, which were located in the northeast, these were located in the northwest.


    The Arkari Peaks were the most jagged and hard to traverse mountain range on the continent. The fact that a monastery and way of living had been established there was nothing short of impressive.


    Ryno wondered where this skill book would be, depending on the size of the establishment. If it was decent sized, it might reside in a vault underground. If it was a small building, it could simply be in the bedroom drawer of the person who wrote it. It made no difference to him.


    Regardless of the small details, which frankly, he didn¡¯t care about, he would get that book, and there wouldn¡¯t be anyone who would stop him.


    He did not earn the nickname Ryno for no reason.

 Chapter 34 - Broken Peace

    A cold wind blew on a sunny day, high up in the stony peaks of Arkari. Ryno could see pockets of snow resting on the sides of the mountains where the sun could not touch, shaded and protected.


    It was cold up here, but not unbearably so. The wind chill played a factor, but Ryno¡¯s brown leather clothing kept him warm enough. His hood rested over his head as his long cape rippled with the conflicting wind.


    It was peaceful here. Ryno wasn¡¯t sure what to expect when he reached his destination of Arkari, but a tranquil atmosphere complimented by a steady breeze was welcomed. Wind chimes sang their song from the movement of the weather, and Ryno turned briefly to face the warmth of the sun as he listened.


    He could almost stay here for a while. Take in the beauty of the sharp peaks, the rippling of the scarce vegetation, and listen to the chimes that hung sparingly on tree branches.


    Whoever lived out here, it was clear they had chose a life of peace and tranquility. Ryno almost felt bad that he would have to disturb that.


    He stood still for a few moments admiring it all, then shook his head and continued on. He had a job to do, and he was already a day behind from lollygagging earlier in the journey. It was time to see this mission completed.


    He continued on the dirt path that always rose in elevation. At the top of this trail would be the monastery, his destination. As he got closer, more decorations and thoughtfully placed flora could be noticed. Ryno would walk under a few banners that hung across a rope, riding the waves of the wind above him.


    Before much longer, he could see the entrance of the monastery. It was a cement stone wall, with an old wooden gate in the middle. Beyond that were tall buildings topped with pointed orange roofs. Ryno turned to his left, and saw a man plowing a small garden just outside the walls. He wore simple clothing attire, a white robe secured with a belt, and a brown cloth coat over that.


    The man noticed him, and dropped the plow, allowing it to fall to the ground.


    ¡°Hello?¡± He said, walking up to Ryno. He looked concerned, it was obvious that visitors were not a common occurrence.


    ¡°Hi!¡± Ryno said as cheerfully as he could, waving a leather glove in front of him.


    ¡°What brings you here?¡± He asked in a humble tone.


    Ryno grinned. ¡°I¡¯m here to see your master.¡±


    The man raised an eyebrow. Ryno had an aura of devious confidence, one that greeted the man with intimidation.


    ¡°Let me get some people who can help you,¡± the man tried, guiding Ryno to the front gates of the monastery.


    The farmer had a bad feeling about this stranger, but did his best to be polite and honorable. He would talk to his superiors inside the walls and get further guidance on what to do.


    ¡°Please wait here, I will be back with someone who can talk to you.¡±


    ¡°It better be your master,¡± Ryno responded in a simple and polite, yet threatening tone.


    ¡°Ah, ha ha, of course,¡± the farmer chuckled, bowing to the stranger, and entering the gate.


    The latch soundly locked on the other side of the gate after the farmer had retreated into the walls.


    Ryno understood that the simple looking farmer was scared of him, but it was non-issue in his eyes. Either he would return with the former Arkanian wizard, or Ryno would simply seek him out himself.


    He stood and waited. Ryno debated for how long he would wait. With his hood shading the front of his face, his cape surrounded his entire body, occasionally rippling from the peaceful breeze.


    Beautiful place, beautiful place. Ryno thought to himself as he looked around at the surroundings. Maybe after I destroy it, I¡¯ll make it a vacation home for myself.


    Finally, a new voice could be heard. It was more authoritative than the humble farmer of earlier.


    ¡°Hey, you!¡± Ryno could hear from a tower near the wall.


    He looked up, and saw another robed man standing on the ledge of a watch tower that the front wall was attached to. He had on a finer white robe, and orange colored wrist straps and belt. It was better apparel than the former man he saw.


    ¡°Are you the master?¡± Ryno asked, unfazed.


    ¡°What business do you have, seeking out our sensei?¡± He returned in a hostile tone.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to fight him. Bring him out and no one else gets hurt,¡± Ryno responded with a grin, hiding the ultimate reason he was here.


    ¡°The sensei does not accept duels or challenges. We are a peaceful bunch. Be gone now!¡± The authoritative monk said with a hint of worry in his voice.


    ¡°For a peaceful bunch, you sure aren¡¯t polite,¡± Ryno tried.


    ¡°We are peaceful, but we know how to defend ourselves from those with malicious intent like yourself!¡± He rightfully accused.


    Ryno nodded. Well, they¡¯re not entirely stupid.


    ¡°I will give you one last chance to bring him out before terrible events occur at your peaceful home,¡± Ryno warned.


    ¡°I said BEGONE!¡± The man yelled, assuming a fighting stance. ¡°Or that terrible event will be your demise!¡±


    Ryno sighed.


    With a single finger, he gently touched the old wooden gate. It violently and instantly exploded forward, shattering into a million splinters.


    The man¡¯s jaw dropped. His body shuddered, fear physically overcoming him.


    This stranger had so much power kept inside himself, that just touching a gate meant to keep him out caused it to explode.


    ¡°Y-you dare to¡­ a-attack us?!¡± He barely made out.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting to the sensei one way or another,¡± Ryno calmly stated.


    ¡°I will defend my home to my dying breath!¡± The monk declared. Electricity danced around him, and he jumped from the top of the watchtower, landing fiercely to the ground. The hard dirt around him cracked from the impact, and he assumed a strong fighting stance.


    ¡°Well I can appreciate your devotion. C¡¯mon then, let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve learned.¡± Ryno chuckled as he threw his cape back over his shoulders.


    The monk charged, trickles of lightning dancing around his body. He went in for a charging punch. Ryno deflected it away with his arm.


    The monk then assaulted him with various punching attacks and kicks, a form of martial arts he had learned while being in this Arkari monastery.


    Ryno deflected every move, he had an answer for all of it.


    ¡°Your form¡¯s terrible,¡± Ryno commented as he slapped away each attack. Aggressively, Ryno adjusted his footing forward, overtaking the monk¡¯s assault and causing him to step back.


    Ryno had complete control of the fight, and pulled his punches as to not instantly end the encounter. A bit of sparring was something he hadn¡¯t had in a while, and fighting a bunch of monks who used a physical approach to compliment their electric elemental abilities was just what he needed.


    ¡°Yup, you left your self wide open for this one,¡± Ryno stated as an electric palm to the monk¡¯s chest sent him flying backwards.


    The monk¡¯s body slammed up against the stone of a mountain wall. He spat blood as he tried to regain his stance, standing back up after a moment to process what the heck just happened.


    Ryno patiently waited for him to recover, but was interrupted when a new monk emerged out of the entrance of the shattered gate.


    ¡°How dare you!¡± This new monk yelled as he assumed a fighting stance.


    ¡°Hold on, I¡¯m trying to fight this guy first,¡± Ryno told the new monk. ¡°I want to see what he has learned!¡±


    The bloodied monk stepped forward, ready to carry on the battle.


    The new monk ignored what Ryno said. He charged at him, ready to engage in battle as well.


    ¡°I said HOLD ON!¡± Ryno yelled as a massive bolt of lightning erupted from his palm, hitting the new monk, and disintegrating him instantly.


    There was nothing left of the man who had come out to investigate the noise of fighting outside the monastery. Ryno had reduced him to mist ¨C if even that was left ¨C that would be carried away by the wind.


    Ryno¡¯s eyes had gone bright white from the attack, and dimmed back down to normal afterwards. He turned to face his current opponent.


    ¡°Sorry about that, people can be so rude,¡± Ryno grinned, his deformed teeth protruding from his gums.


    ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re a monster. A psychopath!¡± The monk exclaimed. ¡°That was my brother! And you just¡­ You¡¯re insane!¡± Instead of the monk charging for another physical fight, he launched a ray of electricity to Ryno.


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    Ryno caught the stream of lightning into his hand. He was absorbing the attack into his palm, and slowly walking forward as the monk continued to let loose his electric assault.


    The monk strained, sweated, and gave everything he could into his continuous lighting chain.


    Ryno¡¯s eyes began glowing white again as he continued to absorb the attack and walk closer.


    ¡°You can call me a lot of things. Stupid, a monster, a freak, a child, whatever. But do. Not. Call me. A Psychopath!¡±


    All the energy Ryno collected into his palm, was reversed back onto the monk in a massive electric explosion. That monk was also disintegrated.


    Once the smoke cleared, Ryno stood alone, surrounded by a small black crater of ash. His eyes dimmed back down.


    When he turned around, three more monks stood, ready to fight.


    Ryno took a deep breath. Oh boy, here I go killing again.


    The three charged at him.


    The first to reach him, Ryno grasped his face, and violently shoved him backwards at the speed of a bullet. He smashed into a distant mountain. The second went for a punch on the side. Ryno grabbed his arm, folded it in a way that it should never be folded, and threw him by his appendage into the front wall of the monastery. The body shot through the wall, continuing on inside to wherever.


    Lastly, the third one went in for a rising electric kick. Ryno dodged it by swaying his head to the side, causing this monk to do a flip. When he landed, Ryno sent a bolt of lightning through his chest, causing him to fly backwards and land on the ground, dead.


    The entire encounter lasted maybe three seconds, one second for each attacker.


    Ryno began looking around to see who was next.


    There was no one else. No one else came, he stood alone once again.


    After a moment, Ryno noticed the song of the tranquil wind chimes once again. They were unaffected by the morbid events that transpired around them, and happily gave off the same pleasant noise they always had. Ryno wished he could be like the wind chimes.


    He waited a few more moments for a new monk to make themselves known. When that didn¡¯t happen, he walked forward.


    He stepped over the body of a defeated opponent, and crouched through the hole in the wall he had created with another body.


    ¡°Hello?¡± Ryno called out.


    On the other side of the wall was the monastery¡¯s courtyard. One end had a fighting ring and target practice, the middle area towards the largest building contained a shrine. On the far end from him was a breezeway that led into another building.


    Not a soul to be seen. The wind rippled a few long flags that were tied to poles in the courtyard, a few special grown trees swayed peacefully.


    Ryno walked into the center of the courtyard and looked around. He tried to spot a person spying on him through a window, or someone hiding behind a pillar or wall. Finally, his eyes rested in a corner, and he saw a bongo drum.


    Is that a bongo drum?


    Ryno hadn¡¯t seen one in ages. He ran up to it, and sure enough, it was a wooden tube, with an animal skin pulled tightly over it, creating a drum. It was painted with designs, and coated in a protective varnish.


    ¡°A bongo drum! Oh, I love these!¡±


    A distracted Ryno sat down in the corner, crossed his legs, and picked up the drum, bringing it close to him. He first looked it over, admiring the craft work and paint job on it. He guessed that one of the monks up here had made it.


    He sat it down inside his legs, and with a closed fist, knocked on the tightly pulled goat skin. It made a satisfying noise.


    Ryno chuckled, happy to hear it.


    He began tapping the drum with his fingers, creating a beat. The sound changed in pitch whether he tapped it closer or farther from the edge.


    He looked up, and enjoyed the ambiance of where he was. He continued playing the drum. He wasn¡¯t any good, nor was he able to keep a steady beat, but he was as happy as he could be.


    As he drummed his fingers on the bongo, Ryno looked to his left and saw the body of the monk he threw through the cement wall.


    It was bloodied, mangled, and deformed from being sent through such a thick object.


    You don¡¯t look too good, buddy. Ryno thought to the dead monk.


    After a few more moments, a new white robed man walked out of the center building around the shrine.


    He saw the shattered gate in a million splinters, the hole in the front wall, and a body of a fallen brother lying on the ground.


    He looked over, in shock and despair, and saw a seventy year old man in brown leathers sitting on the ground cross legged with a bongo drum in front of him.


    ¡°Hi!¡± Ryno greeted.


    ¡°W-what? What happened?! What is the meaning of this?!¡± The monk demanded, a mix of shock and horror plaguing his face. He assumed a fighting stance in front of Ryno.


    ¡°Are you the sensei?¡± Ryno asked.


    ¡°No! He will be here soon though! Did you kill that man?!¡± The monk continued.


    ¡°Yeah, I did. Took me like, one second to do, tops,¡± Ryno casually stated.


    ¡°Then you will answer to ME!¡± He cried out, as electricity coated his body. This monk was stronger than the others he encountered earlier.


    ¡°Hey, calm down.¡±


    The monk charged forward at Ryno, tackling him, and slamming the two of them into the corner of the building.


    Ryno kicked the monk off of him, sending him backwards a great distance.


    When Ryno got up, he looked down, and saw that his bongo drum had been destroyed. The wood broken apart, the goat skin ripped open and hanging off of the remaining tube.


    Ryno was devastated.


    ¡°You¡­ you broke¡­ my bongo drum!!¡±


    The monk was facing Ryno again, realizing that this wasn¡¯t any normal opponent. That kick had extreme power behind it, most likely from the enhancement skill, a general skill that saw the increase of your bodily strength and durability.


    The monk gathered that from the strength of the kick, he had enhanced more than three times over, an overlapping of the skill to create a more powerful form.


    If the monk didn¡¯t also have basic enhancement, that kick would¡¯ve killed him.


    ¡°You¡¯re powerful. Why are you here? What do you want?¡± The monk asked, realizing that fighting Ryno would likely result in a loss. He grasped his chest in pain, still recovering from the blunt super-charged kick delivered to him.


    ¡°I was here to fight your sensei, kill him, and secure some stupid skill book he wrote that he refuses to share. But now, my highest priority is ending YOU! You will pay for destroying my newly adopted bongo!


    I loved that bongo like a SON! Even though I had only been playing it for maybe ten minutes, that was enough time for me to grow to love it! Now, fight me, and face your death like a man, lest I deliver your killing blow to your back as you run away!¡±


    Ryno charged up, electricity dancing around him, his eyes glowing white once again.


    The monk¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°You want to kill me¡­ over a simple drum?¡± He asked in great confusion. ¡°How many others have you killed for unjust reasons?¡±


    Ryno didn¡¯t respond, he just waited for the monk to act.


    ¡°I will avenge them. I will avenge my fallen brothers, and all else who have died to your sick rationality!¡± The monk powered up too.


    After a stand off of dancing electricity, the monk finally charged, fist clenched, ready to deliver a blow.


    Ryno deflected the punch, and grabbed him by his neck, slamming him into the ground.


    It didn¡¯t kill the monk, but even with enhancement, it injured him greatly.


    In great speeds, Ryno picked him back up, and hurled him into a building.


    Ryno then flew forward, into the wall where the monk¡¯s body had flown, and grabbed him by his neck again, holding him up inside a room of the temple.


    The monk struggled, and gasped for breath, meekly trying to stay conscious. He hadn¡¯t even gotten a single attack in. Ryno was so beyond the power level of any of these monks, there wasn¡¯t any proper fight between them.


    There were no exchanging of fists, electric attacks, or swinging of weapons. There was only what Ryno would do, and how long he would do it.


    ¡°Say you¡¯re sorry,¡± Ryno stated, holding the monk up in the air by his neck.


    ¡°W-what?¡± He could barely breathe out in return.


    ¡°I said say you¡¯re sorry! Sorry for breaking my bongo-friend!¡± Ryno demanded while shaking his body that was barely clinging to life.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ sorry,¡± the monk said in a raspy voice.


    Ryno held him in the air for a moment.


    ¡°...I forgive you.¡±


    Ryno then sent several thousand volts of electricity through the monk, frying him entirely, ending his life.


    He dropped the charred body onto the ground.


    Ryno looked down at the body, a bit sad. He then looked up and studied his new surroundings. He was in a temple room. Incense was burning in a corner, and the bright sun shown through stain glass, revealing all the colors of the rainbow. The colors rested all over the furniture in the room.


    ...Where is that sensei? I better finish this up, or Reechie is gonna get mad at me.


    Ryno left the temple, and walked back out of the hole he had created that breached into it.


    Back outside, standing in the center of the courtyard, was an old man with a white beard. Not as big or impressive as Ryno¡¯s leader, but a decent one nonetheless. He had white robes with accents of orange bordering them. He had a golden belt, and golden wrist straps.


    Ryno sighed. ¡°Please tell me you¡¯re the sensei.¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± the old man replied.


    ¡°Good! Nice you meet you. I¡¯m Ryno, and I¡¯m here to pick up that skill book you have.¡±


    The master clenched his fist. ¡°So, you¡¯re after my life¡¯s work. After I refused to give up my secrets, you¡¯re here to forcefully take them.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s about right. Now we can do this the hard way or the-¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve also killed my pupils and damaged my monastery!¡± The sensei exclaimed.


    Ryno sighed. He looked away for a moment.


    ¡°They attacked me first. I was just here for you. Apparently I wasn¡¯t worth your time, and you sent your underlings to deal with me instead. How did that work out?¡±


    ¡°You shall perish here,¡± The electric wizard said.


    ¡°Do you know how many times I¡¯ve heard that?¡± Ryno said, getting fed up. ¡°Give me the book, and I walk away. You don¡¯t want to battle me.¡±


    Ryno was not so carefree with this man. The sensei was a wizard, and while Ryno was confident he would win, it would require more effort to deal with him. Far more than it took for his underlings. Ryno gave the wizard a chance to avoid the fight, and was half hoping he would take it up.


    ¡°I will do no such thing. We fight. May the stronger man win.¡±


    Ryno grinned. He knew this would be the outcome. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s dance.¡±

 Chapter 35 - Family Reunion

    Sullivan Marin wouldn¡¯t have exactly called his mission a success. In fact, his recruitment effort had ended with less than desirable results. When he left Nocturne Castle with plans of bringing strong allies to his Kingdom, he envisioned at least three new subordinates returning with him.


    Instead, he had one. Granted, the doctor was very powerful, but returning back home with just one new ally left Marin with disappointment.


    With the original plan of going to the crime-ridden city of Tarenfall, Marin hoped that the impoverished state of the city would help open the door of potential recruits to his Kingdom. Instead, the fateful encounter with the Scarlet Eye brought nothing but trouble and heartache.


    In fact, Marin was so fed up with the unwanted situations in the city, that when the bandits had finally been dealt with, he wanted nothing more than to head home and cut the mission short.


    He hoped that the last minute offer to Travis would result in at least one more member to his kingdom, but he had made it clear that he wanted nothing more to do with the mysterious undead king.


    Marin held the reigns of the cart he sat on. Gus and Eisen were in the wagon behind him, sitting and talking about anything under the sun. All around them in the cart were the doctor¡¯s belongings, his stuff that was being transferred to the castle, his new home for the time being.


    At each stop, the horses were fed and cared for, and during the nights, they stayed at the city¡¯s inns. Marin and Gus were even happy to see Elmo again at the Stonefield Inn in Tresdor. They stayed up late that night, telling Elmo all about their travels and what the city was like.


    They were now on the road back into White Forest. They would be home soon. There was one more important stop that had to made though. Marin had made Gus promise that he would resolve all issues with his father, in exchange of Marin teaching him the ice element. When they would reach Whitewood City, Gus would have to make good on the deal.


    ¡°Are you nervous?¡± Marin had asked Gus, knowing that the young lad had not contacted his father in anyway for almost five years.


    ¡°A little. My biggest fear is that he¡¯s grown bitter from my actions, and will reject me,¡± Gus responded back.


    ¡°Whatever the case, you will have done your part. He will know where you live, and they are welcome to visit you or even join us at anytime,¡± Marin warmly offered.


    ¡°Gus may not want that,¡± Eisen interjected, leaning in the back of his cart by one of his dusty suitcases. ¡°I¡¯m sure he left his father for a good reason.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Gus quickly fired back. ¡°After all these years I think I¡¯ve realized I was the one with the problem, and it took living on my own to realize that. I was crazy kid when I lived in Whitewood. I was always getting into trouble,¡± he admitted.


    ¡°Everyone grows up eventually, Gus. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re finding your way,¡± Marin concluded with.


    As they neared the outskirts of the city, Gus¡¯s anxiety built. Confronting his father after all this time would not be an easy task for him. He knew though, that this was something he must do. It was a small price to pay to have the great Sullivan Marin as his personal teacher, after all. He just hoped he would be able to get the hang of using an element.


    Gus had asked the two elemental masters in the cart if some were completely unable to use elemental abilities.


    It was rare, they explained, that some could never contact the power plane. That was the realm that all forms of the elements were pulled from. If that were the case, Gus would be considered elementally inept.


    Other than that, some had a knack for pulling from the power plane, and others found it quite difficult. Time would tell where Gus lie on the spectrum.


    ¡°If the elements really like you,¡± Eisen explained, ¡°You¡¯ll draw most of your strength from them. If not, you become physically skilled, with the elements complimenting your strength. That¡¯s how it usually works for you young elementals.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help you with the physical side,¡± Marin reminded Gus. ¡°I¡¯ve always been incredibly talented with the ice element, and because of that, I¡¯ve been able to lean almost entirely on it. Due to this, I know next to nothing about the physical skills. Slow Time, and a handful of other utility skills were the only ones I made myself master as a decent counter defense from strong melee opponents.¡±


    Gus wanted to ask more, especially on the process of first procuring your chosen element, but Marin held back, explaining that it would all be revealed to him when his first lessons would begin.


    The two horses that pulled the heavy cart into town neighed when they approached Whitewood City¡¯s entrance. They were finally here. It had been a good several days of traveling north to get to this point, and Marin was relieved they would be home soon.


    Marin wondered how everyone was at the castle, and was eager to reunite with his kingdom, that he saw very much as his own family.


    Edward Eisen seemed indifferent towards moving into the castle. On one hand, he was entirely excited to solve the immortality potion Marin first made, but on the other, he had no interest in serving the kingdom, and playing doctor for the citizens. It was a trade-off he had to make. At least money would no longer be an issue for him, as Marin guaranteed the funding of any supplies he needed.


    ¡°Alright Gus, start guiding me to your family¡¯s home,¡± Marin commanded.


    Gus swallowed a lump in his throat. ¡°Okay. Stay on the main road for a couple miles, I¡¯ll tell you when you need to turn left.¡±


    Back in the populated city, the dwellers there were forced to make room for the two horses and cart traversing the right side of the road. Getting in the horse¡¯s way spelled trouble, especially for these horses that were used to ignoring pedestrians in the way in populated cities such as Tarenfall.


    It definitely beat walking, where battles of weaving through the crowds frequently occurred.


    Gus eventually had Marin take the left. In a few city blocks, they would pull up in front of his family¡¯s house. Marin recognized the area. He remembered how Gus tried pulling a sneaky one, stopping by his old home without his King noticing. Unfortunate for him, Marin was a bit smarter than that.


    Finally, after a few more street crossings, they arrived at the home. It looked the same as they had seen it earlier two weeks ago, but still vastly different than when Gus lived in it over five years ago. The house had deteriorated since he lived there. Gus wondered why. As he got out of the cart, part of the young man hoped everyone would be gone, and he could avoid this entire encounter. Marin was unlikely to give up that easily, though, and in that case, Gus then hoped his father was there to get this over with sooner than later.


    Gus walked up to the front door with Marin behind him. Eisen was still climbing out the cart when Gus knocked on the door.


    Gus did a dry swallow when no one answered. He turned back to Marin, who stood intently behind him, not a word to be said. Facing the door, Gus knocked again.


    Someone grabbed the door knob from the other side. It turned after being unlocked, and after the door opened, Gus stared into the tired eyes of his father.


    The man looked a lot like Gus himself. His hair had grayed quite a bit since he left, and wrinkles around his eyes had developed.


    When the older man finally recognized his son through the beard he had grown, his face lit up in a way it hadn¡¯t in many years.


    ¡°Gus¡­? My son?¡± The man said, standing in the doorway of his old home.


    ¡°Hey dad.¡±


    ¡°GUS!¡± The father lunged forward, giving a bear hug to the boy who had become a young man.


    ¡°Oh, my son. I¡¯ve missed you so much! I had no idea what had happened to you!¡± The father¡¯s voice cracked as he tried holding back tears.


    Gus wasn¡¯t sure how long his father would physically embrace him, but it was apparent it would be while, after he had not released him for over ten seconds.


    Through the restraining hug, Gus caught a glimpse of Marin who was still standing there, unable to show any emotion from the mask, and the old doctor Eisen, who surprisingly had a pleasant smile on his face.


    Finally, Gus¡¯s dad released him from the long overdue hug, and grasped the boy tightly at his arms.


    ¡°Look at you! You¡¯ve grown up so much! How have you been? Where have you been?¡± The dad had a million questions to ask, and they couldn¡¯t be answered fast enough.


    ¡°I¡¯m good, in fact, I¡¯m great. I¡¯ve been living in the Heroca Village up until recently,¡± Gus stated, still trying to process the shock of being reunited with his father once again.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    A look of dread suddenly plagued his father¡¯s face. ¡°Heroca? The Heroca Town that was raided a month ago, and destroyed? Tell me you weren¡¯t there!¡±


    Gus reluctantly nodded.


    His father looked at him with guilt, and then looked at the other two men besides him. The two characters with Gus were in no way normal looking, what with Marin¡¯s royal clothes and mask, and the doctor just looking like the doctor.


    Wherever Gus had been, whatever he had been doing, it was apparent he had been busy, his father thought.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you all come in?¡± The father offered. ¡°I want to catch up on everything you¡¯ve been doing.¡±


    As the three walked inside the living room of Gus¡¯s old home, his dad shook the hands of Marin and Eisen.


    He shook Marin¡¯s first, and introduced himself.


    ¡°My name is Rallen Talbor, I¡¯m Gus¡¯s father,¡± he said.


    ¡°Sullivan Marin,¡± the king responded. ¡°It¡¯s nice to finally meet the family of my castle¡¯s guard.¡±


    Rallen raised his eyebrows. ¡°Castle guard?¡± He repeated, greatly impressed.


    The doctor then extended his hand before Rallen could get another thought out.


    ¡°Edward Eisen. Ah, Doctor Edward Eisen, I guess,¡± he stated while rapidly shaking Rallen¡¯s firm grip.


    ¡°Wow, I¡¯m graced with the presence of a doctor!¡± Rallen exclaimed, trying his best to ignore Eisen¡¯s speech impediment.


    Rallen walked everyone into the dining room portion of the large front room, and pulled some chairs out for everyone to sit at.


    ¡°Can I get anyone something to drink? Tea? Water? I think I have some milk¡­¡± Rallen droned on while checking the icebox.


    ¡°Oh, if you have tea, I¡¯d love that,¡± Eisen immediately piped up.


    Marin passed (naturally), and Gus requested water.


    Rallen quickly threw the kettle onto his stove top while lighting a flame, in preparation of the doctor¡¯s tea.


    ¡°Start telling me everything, son. You can¡¯t imagine how bad I want to hear about what your life has been like,¡± his dad excitedly stated, asking the question before he was even at the table with them.


    ¡°Well,¡± Gus started, ¡°I ended up moving to Heroca Town.¡±


    ¡°You headed way up into the mountains! I would¡¯ve never guessed,¡± his dad exclaimed. ¡°I tried figuring out where you had ran to. I had asked all around in the city to see where you might be, but when I found out you were no longer here, I had no idea where in the world you would have gone.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I ended up becoming a village guard up there. I learned how to use a claymore, and I defended the city.¡±


    ¡°You were there for the attack?!¡± His dad yelled as he brought a water over to his son.


    ¡°Yes, I fought the raiders there. I might¡¯ve lost my life, if it wasn¡¯t for this man here,¡± Gus stated, pointing at Marin.


    Rallen looked from Gus over to Marin, as he poured the doctor¡¯s tea.


    ¡°You saved my boy¡¯s life?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Ah, well. I happened to be at the right place, at the right time,¡± Marin humbly stated.


    Rallen brought the freshly brewed cup of tea to Eisen, but then went over to shake Marin¡¯s hand again. When they grasped at the handshake, Rallen leaned forward to hug the robed, masked king.


    ¡°Thank you, thank you so much for being there to save him!¡±


    The hug caught Marin off guard, but allowed it. After a long handshake, Rallen finally sat down with the other three at the table.


    Upon sitting down, Gus¡¯s father, Rallen noticed something about Marin. He took note of the black mask hiding his face, and the dark blue royal robes, trimmed with gold thread. He looked at the beautiful golden cross pendant around his neck, and the fancy jeweled ring on his finger.


    All this fit the description of the new masked king that had restored the fallen Nocturne Kingdom. There was a chance this could be him, especially with the statement he had made about Gus being a castle guard.


    ¡°Could you possibly be¡­ That new King of Nocturne Castle?¡± Rallen stated.


    Marin grinned, and slowly nodded his head. ¡°That I am.¡±


    Rallen began wondering if he had made a serious error not recognizing him earlier. He had not presented any proper etiquette of being around a royal king. He had not bowed or hailed him in anyway.


    Marin could see the panic in the old man¡¯s eyes. He quickly raised his hand. ¡°Ah, please, treat me like any other common man. I have no taste in being treated better than,¡± Marin humbly requested.


    ¡°Are you sure, your highness?¡± Rallen tried asking.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call him that,¡± Gus grinned. ¡°He hates formalities like that.¡±


    Rallen looked at his son, then back at the masked king. Marin made a gesture with his hand that it was true.


    ¡°Just call me Marin. If you ever joined my home, you could call me King Marin, but no more than that.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Rallen said.


    The four of them sat at the table, talking for hours. Gus told his entire story, all the details of moving to Heroca, the captain of Heroca¡¯s guard Max, who trained him. He spoke of his life there in the mountains, and how that changed his attitude. He went into great detail of the raid in the village, the killing he had done, and how in the last minute, Marin appeared to save the day.


    After all that, they discussed how Marin brought most of the surviving villagers into his kingdom, and restored the castle. Gus then talked about his life as being a castle guard. It was all fascinating to Rallen, who was richly satisfied to see that Gus had been living quite the life.


    They talked for so long, the sun began to set, and Rallen had to set up some lanterns for them to continue talking at the table.


    ¡°I never got to ask how you knew who I was,¡± Marin said to Rallen Talbor.


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯ve been all over our newspapers, my friend. The city has seen a lot of new business ever since you re-established that kingdom,¡± Rallen replied.


    ¡°Have I?¡± Marin uncomfortably asked.


    ¡°Indeed. You must have quite the capital for it to effect our city so much. In fact, much of the money spent on that kingdom is still in circulation here. You¡¯ve brought great work to much of the citizens of Whitewood,¡± he gratefully stated.


    Rallen went on.¡°I couldn¡¯t be more happy that my son is working for you. Everything I have read about you has been great. I am honored to have the great King of Nocturne here at my home, and what a privilege it is to be able to speak with him.¡±


    Marin had no idea he was becoming famous already. He knew that all the work he requested would cause some talks about the castle and maybe the king up in the mountains, but to see that he had impacted the city¡¯s economy so much already to the point where many were loving him, including the press, made him a tad uneasy.


    ¡°Ah, well, I¡¯m pleased to hear that I have improved the lives of many people here so far,¡± Marin stumbled.


    Eisen smiled, leaning back in his chair. He had not spoken much during the hours of conversation, only to speak of the fact that he was the kingdom¡¯s newly recruited doctor.


    ¡°Your restoration project is affecting the adjacent cities,¡± Eisen stated to Marin.


    ¡°Apparently¡­¡±


    Earlier, Gus had inquired about his younger brother Geralt. His father explained how he now worked at the local butchery in the city, and he would be home soon from his shift there.


    As the time flew from all the catching up, the front door finally opened once again, and Gus¡¯s younger brother entered the room.


    When he entered, the tired boy expected to see an empty room, with his dad upstairs, preparing for bed. He could have never prepared for what he witnessed now.


    In the dining room, which was just a section of the large front room of the house, was his father. Along with him, though, was a masked man in fancy robes, a hunchback lab coat scientist, and his long lost brother with a newly grown beard.


    Geralt nearly defecated himself in shock.


    ¡°What the¡­?¡± He uttered.


    Gus turned to face him, and smiled.


    ¡°Wuh¡­ GUS?! IS THAT YOU?!¡± Geralt screamed.


    Gus¡¯s younger brother dropped everything he had in his arms, which included a fresh haunch of meat for him and his dad, and ran to embrace his older brother.


    Gus stood up, and caught him as they hugged.


    They both laughed for a while as they patted each other on the back.


    ¡°Bro¡­ you grew a beard!¡± Geralt exclaimed.


    ¡°It looks like yours is coming in too!¡± Gus fired back, noticing the wisps of fresh hair on his younger brother¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Geralt yelled back, pushing him away playfully.


    The entire evening had been wholesome. Marin had no idea how much he would be moved by Gus¡¯s reunion with his family. He was proud of Gus for making this decision. It had become obvious that Gus had ran away out of pure pride than anything else, and his small family were lovingly embracing him again as if he never left.


    It took Gus abruptly running away from home the way he did for him to do some growing up. Now that he was becoming a more responsible adult, it had become time for him to see his family again.


    They talked for a while longer, but the night had brought an end to any further conversation. It was getting late, and sleep was needed all around. They discussed staying at an inn, but Rallen was more than happy to put them up at his home for the night. He had spare beds, and was honored to accommodate them.


    The horses were stabled behind Rallen¡¯s house, and he showed the guests their rooms where they could stay for the night. Eisen had to borrow Geralt¡¯s bedroom, to which the young boy had to sleep in the living room.


    The reunion with Gus¡¯s family had been fun to see, but tomorrow, it would be Marin¡¯s turn for the reunion with his kingdom. He hoped Loid and Helva had taken care of everything well while he was gone.


    Tomorrow he would find out.

 Chapter 36 - Back to the Mountains

    The night¡¯s chilly wind blew in the city of Whitewood as the winter months grew closer. It was a clear sky, not a cloud to be seen. The full moon illuminated the city streets in a dim light, as the countless stars around it tried doing the same in a fraction of the amount.


    From a rustic house in the city, nestled between others of similar presentation, a single lantern was still lit in a bedroom on the higher floor. Inside, Gus and his father Rallen sat on a bed.


    It was late in the night now, but after everyone else had gone off to bed, the father and son had not said enough yet to sleep peacefully.


    After the initial shock of seeing his father had finally wore off of Gus, he now felt a large amount of love for the old man he ran away from. It was only matched by the amount of guilt he felt not seeing him sooner. Gus had blocked out all feelings he had for his family, to the point where if Marin hadn¡¯t made him do this, he might not have ever seen them again.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, dad. I¡¯m sorry for who I was¡­ I¡¯m sorry for what I did,¡± Gus tried saying, feeling remorse for his actions.


    His father, who was sitting on the bed besides him, brought his hand to his son¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize, Gus. You did what you had to do to straighten yourself out. If that meant leaving my care and carving your own path, then of course that¡¯s what you should have done,¡± his father tried consoling him.


    ¡°I just feel like¡­ I could¡¯ve done it better. Maybe not ignore you for all those years. The problem was, I was living my new life out of spite. I know I was a bad kid. I remember the trouble I got myself into. And even now, I don¡¯t think I would have seen you on my own if it wasn¡¯t for King Marin. Maybe even now I still have more growing up to do.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll never stop growing up, son. No one ever does. Everyday you try to become a better person than the day before. What I can say now though, is that I¡¯m proud of you. You left me as a boy and have returned as a man.


    I always knew deep down you were destined for greatness, and it took some important events to bring you to this point.¡± Rallen responded with his own words of wisdom.


    It was silent for a moment as Gus reflected on his dad¡¯s words. All this time, what kept him away more than anything, was the fear of his dad being furious with him for his past actions. That hadn¡¯t been the case at all. If anything, his father had more respect for him now than ever before.


    Gus held back his tears.


    ¡°I love you. I¡¯m glad I¡¯m seeing you again,¡± Gus said to his father.


    ¡°I love you too. Welcome back.¡±


    They hugged once again.


    Before it got too soppy, Rallen stood up, wiped his glistening eye, and suggested they finally go to bed. He assured Gus that tomorrow they would talk more.


    The final light in the house went out as Rallen extinguished the lantern flame.


    The morning came quick, and to one¡¯s surprise, Marin was sitting in a dining room chair at the crack of dawn, praising God that the new day had started.


    ¡°An early riser, eh?¡± Rallen asked Marin. Rallen had believed he would be up before anyone else, but was shocked to see the King already beat him to the punch.


    ¡°You have no idea,¡± Marin responded, coming off another long night of nothing but plaguing thoughts.


    ¡°Breakfast?¡± Rallen asked.


    ¡°Only something small. I don¡¯t eat much these days.¡±


    In the following hour, one by one, a new person made their way to the dining room table. Eisen woke up next, then Geralt, and Gus last, who was aggravated that he was the last to rise. Everyone was already at the table, conversing and enjoying breakfast without him.


    Eisen chewed a mouthful of meat with crooked glasses on, and Geralt was already scarfing down the same. It was boar that he had brought back from the butchery a few days ago.


    ¡°Morning, son!¡± Rallen exclaimed to Gus.


    ¡°Good morning. How¡¯s everyone?¡± Gus asked in a voice that was not fully awake yet.


    ¡°Sit down, Gus!¡± The doctor declared. ¡°You¡¯ve got try this meat from your brother¡¯s butcher job. Most tender boar I¡¯ve ever eaten. Hey Geralt, where do you work again?¡±


    ¡°Morton¡¯s!¡± Geralt bellowed out behind a mouthful of food.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got to pay this Morton a visit,¡± Eisen declared while jabbing more of his breakfast with the fork.


    Rallen brought a plate of food to Gus as he sat down.


    ¡°One of the perks for working at Morton¡¯s butchery, is that Geralt gets all his meat there at a fraction of the price you¡¯d usually pay for it,¡± Rallen explained. ¡°We¡¯ve been eating well here ever since he got hired there.¡±


    ¡°And what do you do?¡± Eisen asked Rallen.


    ¡°I¡¯ve laid pipe for the city for the last thirty years. I¡¯ve been apart of most of the sewer projects here in Whitewood. Though I am close to retirement. Finally. I¡¯ll be happy to be done when I am.¡±


    Eisen nodded. Rallen was a working man. He had been most of his life.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you what a nightmare it was to get our piping system back online in Nocturne,¡± Marin added, the only one not eating food. ¡°So much had to be replaced¡­ rerouted¡­ Eh, it¡¯s an old castle now. I suppose it couldn¡¯t be helped.¡±


    ¡°If I had known, I could¡¯ve taken a look at it for you,¡± Rallen said, finally sitting down as well and eating.


    ¡°We just hired whoever we could. I never really looked in detail for specific people like yourself. You¡¯ve been doing sewer work for thirty years?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Someone had to do it,¡± Rallen grinned.


    They all sat and continued to talk while finishing up breakfast. Afterwards, the horses were fed and brought out. In the front yard of the house, they were hooked back up to the cart, and Gus, Marin, and Eisen prepared to head out, finishing their journey up the mountains of Murok, and back to Nocturne Castle.


    ¡°The offer will always be on the table for you and your son,¡± Marin stated while adjusting the gloves on his hands. Last night, he had extended an invitation for Rallen to join his kingdom if he so desired.


    ¡°Thanks, but I don¡¯t plan on leaving the city. I¡¯ve been here all my life,¡± Rallen responded. ¡°I plan to visit, though. Especially to see Gus.¡±


    ¡°That sounds good. And here, I want to give you something.¡± Marin produced several silver coins stamped with numbers.


    ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡± Rallen asked as Marin held his palm open to give the currency to him.


    ¡°It¡¯s for your hospitality. Letting us stay the night, taking care of the horses, and eating your food.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m more than happy to help out the king-¡±


    Marin didn¡¯t want to hear it. ¡°I insist. Please take it.¡± He extended his arm further to Rallen, a desperate attempt to give him the coins.


    Rallen accepted them.


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    In the cart, Gus had climbed up near the front. Eisen had already been in the cart waiting.


    ¡°C¡¯mon Marin. Let¡¯s finish this travel!¡± The doctor impatiently requested while sitting in the back.


    ¡°Take good care of him,¡± Rallen said quietly to Marin.


    ¡°He¡¯s in good hands,¡± Marin responded.


    I hope.


    After saying their farewells, Marin finally climbed into the cart. Gus grabbed his King¡¯s hand to help him into the front seat.


    ¡°Visit soon!¡± Gus yelled to his father.


    ¡°I plan to! Be good!¡± Rallen waved back.


    After Marin secured the reigns of the horses, he gave the leather strips a firm snap, signaling for the horses to begin moving.


    Rallen and Geralt waved goodbye as they watched the cart head down the road. Gus continued to wave back until they were out of sight.


    They were now back on the road, and weaving through the city to reach the road that would take up into the Murok Mountains.


    After many minutes of silence, and the horses pulling the cart, Marin finally spoke up.


    ¡°Well, was that so bad, Gus?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Alright, alright, I concede,¡± Gus said, knowing Marin was trying to make a point. ¡°I should have done that a while ago. I thank you for making me see him.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t make you do it. You had a choice.¡±


    ¡°Yeah right, you practically did with that deal. Learning the ice element from a master as great as you, Marin? No offer could be too much.¡±


    Marin wasn¡¯t sure if Gus was being sarcastic or if he truly saw him as such a powerful entity. Regardless, he thanked him for the compliment.


    ¡°Rallen might change his mind once he retires, coming to the castle,¡± the doctor stated. ¡°Retirement is quite the lifestyle change. He might eventually live with you, Gus.¡±


    ¡°What would you know about retirement?¡± Gus asked, knowing that the doctor spent almost all his time researching and conducting experiments.


    ¡°Nothing, I suppose. But I¡¯m sure it would give you a lot more time on your hands. Time¡­ that I wouldn¡¯t know what to do with,¡± Eisen responded.


    The three of them continued small talk throughout the transit back to the castle. Eventually, they reached the city gates that would leave Whitewood and continue north. Every moment they got closer back to the castle, Marin¡¯s mind worried.


    Loid had ran an inn but never a castle. Granted he was a captain from Neo, and definitely had leadership experience. Plus, Helva and Harrel would help him out. Everything should be fine. He really had nothing to worry about. What was the worst thing that could happen? The citizens revolt and leave the castle? That was nonsense. He was sure everything would be fine.


    ¡°Hey Marin?¡± Gus asked.


    Marin jolted from exiting the daydreaming.


    ¡°Yes?¡± He responded.


    ¡°I thought I saw a figure in the woods,¡± Gus notified.


    Both Marin and Eisen¡¯s head jerked around. ¡°Where?¡± Marin asked.


    Gus pointed in a direction. It was in an area cluttered with trees. The area had been so shaded from the leaves, practically anything could be seen if you squinted hard enough.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t detect anyone,¡± the Doctor said, subtly reminding Marin he had a detect life skill with the way he could read vitals from a distance.


    Gus was sure he saw the silhouette of a large knight, but dismissed it when both Eisen and Marin hadn¡¯t noticed a thing.


    ¡°Okay, maybe it was nothing. It was there, and gone within me blinking. I must be tired,¡± Gus admitted.


    ¡°You are still healing from that wound. I¡¯d keep an eye on it,¡± the doctor suggested. ¡°Hallucinations from the poison wouldn¡¯t be out of the realm of possibilities.¡±


    The entire event was a reminder that Marin should not be taking too much time to day dream. They had been attacked before in the rocky fields of Tresdor, and that could have been much worse if Marin wasn¡¯t paying close attention.


    Having another situation like that was not something Marin was okay with handling. As bad enough as it had been before, what were the chances that yet another malicious force was eyeing them once again?


    It was unlikely Gus had seen anything. He was still recovering, and the doctor noted that nothing was out of the ordinary. In the slight chance that there actually was someone stalking them from a safe distance, though, he needed to be ready for a new encounter.


    As they continued on, the landscape began changing. The trees of White Forest became sparse, and the soil around them became rocky as they started climbing in elevation.


    Marin knew they would have to pass Heroca Town again, and it was a reminder to him and Gus what had happened there. He might take the advice to get the whole village demolished. It might be a good idea, seeing that an abandoned town with a few intact houses would be a welcoming condition for bandits or raiders.


    ¡°Beautiful mountains,¡± Eisen commented as they headed into them.


    ¡°When¡¯s the last time you¡¯ve been in some pretty mountain ranges?¡± Gus asked the doctor.


    ¡°Never!¡±


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re in for a treat then,¡± Gus said with excitement, ready to see how the mountain atmosphere would treat him. ¡°It¡¯s the best landscape you could live in. That¡¯s my opinion, anyways.¡±


    The roads were smooth and newly paved all the way from Whitewood City to Nocturne. A project funded by his Kingdom to ease the travel of all commerce. Despite the uphill incline of the roads, the horses had no hard time with pulling a cart that was nearly gliding on fresh roads.


    Up ahead in the mountainous distance, snow could be seen. It wouldn¡¯t be much longer before they would be around it again. While the climate would be getting colder for both Eisen and Gus, Marin wouldn¡¯t be feeling a thing.


    The roads were perfectly free from snow as they traveled higher into Murok. Due to the amount of carts coming and going from the kingdom, the logistic network required workers who kept the roads shoveled at all times, especially after a snow storm. They passed carts every once in a while that came down from the mountain. No one passing them even knew it was the King that was heading back up there.


    Finally, they reached Heroca Town. Gus felt familiar feelings as he eyed the wreckage of the town. Doctor Eisen made several comments as they passed the ruins on a brand new road. It was a sad fate for the village, but from it came something much greater, Marin told himself.


    Before they got through the town, Gus saw the silhouette of the knight again.


    ¡°LOOK, RIGHT THERE!¡± Gus shouted out as he pointed to a tall house in the far distance.


    Both Marin and Eisen quickly glanced in that direction.


    Indeed, there was a tall figure standing on the roof of one house that had been spared the fate of the destruction from earlier.


    It was dark, almost shadowy in appearance. A grand cape rippled in the wind that hung from the figure¡¯s shoulders.


    Marin halted the cart. All three of them stared for a moment, wondering what was happening.


    The figure didn¡¯t move. It stood on the roof, away from them, staring out into the world from the height it was at.


    ¡°What should we do?¡± Gus asked.


    Many ideas ran through Marin¡¯s mind. He had half a mind to ignore it and continue on with their business, but after the encounter with Oscar, and knowing some people might have it out for him, he knew this had to be addressed.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to investigate,¡± Marin said in a serious voice. ¡°Doctor, stay with Gus and protect the cart. I will be back soon,¡± he ordered.


    Marin stood up, and hopped off the cart. Eisen and Gus watched King Marin walk towards the house which the shadowy knight stood upon.


    It took him a few minutes, battling the snow and reaching the destination far in the distance. As he got closer, he made out more details of this intimidating figure.


    He seemed to stand a whopping seven feet tall. Maybe taller. He was clad in stunning armor colored in a deep, dark purple. Purple smoke slowly radiated off the armor, similarly to when Loid was ready to utilize his shadow element.


    The cloak was blood red, a large cape that would reach to his feet if it wasn¡¯t gently rippling in the mountain air. In his right arm was a great and long blade. Marin figured it to be about five feet in length, which was a ridiculous size. He had it pointing down into the roof which he stood on, leaning on it as if it was a walking staff.


    Whoever this was, it was clear that they were a great warrior, if not for the size alone.


    Marin grew closer, and the figure still did not turn to see him. He wondered if this great shadowy knight even knew he was there.


    Finally, when Marin was at the bottom of the house, he yelled out.


    ¡°What are you doing up there?¡± Marin shouted.


    ¡°Sullivan Marin, I presume?¡± The knight said, in a voice more spectral than human.


    Marin paused. Great. Someone else who knew him. Was this knight from Oscar¡¯s group, or a new person entirely? Regardless, this would probably spell trouble.


    ¡°Who¡¯s asking?¡± Marin responded defensively.


    The knight turned to face him, then in one clean movement, jumped from the top of the two story house, down to the ground. It shook the earth beneath him, Marin even felt it. The landing didn¡¯t seem to effect the knight in the slightest, however.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s definitely you,¡± the knight¡¯s deep voice echoed ethereally in the wind. ¡°I am disappointed though, that you do not seem to recognize me.¡±

 Chapter 37 - Knight from Before

    At the former Heroca Town, in the Mountains of Murok, Sullivan Marin stood before a knight that was nearly two feet taller than him. Marin had to angle his head high to get a good look at his helm, which covered the knight¡¯s face entirely.


    The intimidating figure not only knew of Marin, but had correctly identified him. What was even more concerning was his words that were still echoing in his mind. I am disappointed that you do not seem to recognize me.


    Why would he? Lost memory aside, Marin knew he was from a former time period, sprung into a new world where everyone of his past were gone. Anyone he could have possibly known wouldn¡¯t be alive now. This knight was making a bold claim.


    Marin had not responded right away from the statement. It took him off guard, and he struggled to find an answer.


    The mysterious knight didn¡¯t rush him. He seemed wise enough to know something was wrong with the man he was claiming to once know.


    After much intense thinking, Marin failed to recall anyone who appeared similarly to who stood before him now. Even in a more dire realization, Marin found himself unable to even recall a single person from his past.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. If I had known you at one time, I do not anymore.¡± Marin simply stated.


    The knight would have lowered his head from the answer if he wasn¡¯t already looking down at Marin. He relaxed his stance, readjusting his dark purple sabatons in the snow they were surrounded in. He then sheathed the massive blade to his back, now that his identification of Marin had been confirmed.


    ¡°I guess I should not be surprised. It has been nearly 250 years since I¡¯ve seen you last,¡± the knight responded, his voice echoing out of the helm.


    Marin panicked, but tried not showing it. This had to be a ruse. No one was immortal. Well, almost no one. Marin knew certain exceptions, but those powerful beings were few and far between. Marin had tried his hardest to become one of those exceptions as well, but partially failed.


    ¡°Perhaps a refresher of who I am is due? It might aid in your recollection,¡± the knight offered in his ghostly voice.


    Marin swallowed a very dry throat. Shock had taken over him, and despite having most of his bodily functions shut off, the anxiety caused him to feel as if they all worked again. Finally, after all this time, he might actually receive some information from his past, if this was in fact a legit situation and not some kind of elaborate prank.


    ¡°I would much appreciate that,¡± Marin responded as calmly as he could, fighting all the excitement in his mind.


    ¡°I am Sygol, a spectral warrior who you aided in stopping the Decay from trying to destroy the world.¡±


    That only confused Marin more. It did not help in the slightest. Sygol? The Decay? Marin didn¡¯t understand. Was there an attempt to destroy the word? If there was indeed a force that strong, wouldn¡¯t a situation like that be taken care of by the powerful leaders of the world rather than him?


    Sygol the Knight didn¡¯t like the long silence after his statement. Marin stood frozen, looking but not looking, directly at the knight.


    Sygol sighed. It was apparent none of it was ringing a bell to the now masked man he once knew.


    ¡°Pyreth¡­? Remnor¡­?¡± Sygol tried. ¡°Do you not remember those people?¡±


    The names brought no reactions to Marin. He did not recognize them in the slightest.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Marin apologized with disappointment. ¡°Are you sure you have the right man? Perhaps you are mistaking me with someone else.¡±


    Marin almost hoped that would be the case. It was embarrassing to him that he appeared so ignorant to the knight.


    ¡°Sullivan Marin, the ice wizard who founded the Nocturne Kingdom in 608?¡±


    There went that idea. Marin definitely was the man the knight knew.


    ¡°Yes, that is indeed me,¡± Marin responded. ¡°Well, in the case that this is all real and you truly know me, we both have quite a bit of catching up to do. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re wondering how I¡¯m alive right now.¡±


    ¡°It was a question I was soon to ask¡­¡± Sygol admitted.


    Marin nodded. ¡°Same to you. Can I ask you to return to my cart and meet some of my friends? Afterwards, we can have a discussion.¡±


    Sygol obliged, and both of them walked back to the cart that was parked in the middle of Heroca¡¯s downtown road. Gus gawked in awe as he watched the massive dark knight approach him, with the doctor admittedly doing the same.


    When they finally reached it, Marin was shocked to see that the knight stood a head taller than the cart itself.


    ¡°Greetings,¡± Sygol said in his spectral voice to both Gus and Eisen.


    ¡°Either I¡¯ve met two anomalies this week, or I¡¯m losing my abilities,¡± the doctor responded.


    Marin knew it was in reference to Eisen¡¯s detect life skill. The doctor could not read any vitals from the knight. It was confirmation that Sygol was truthful in claiming he was spectral in nature. This had to be the case, seeing as the knight was still around from a couple centuries ago.


    Gus didn¡¯t understand what the doctor was talking about.


    ¡°Indeed, another anomaly, doctor. This is Sygol, and we knew each other from long ago. Long ago, if you understand,¡± Marin said, emphasizing that this was someone from his unknown past.


    Eisen squinted his eyes in thought, then nodded understandably.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to take a bit of time to catch up with him, then resume our transit to the castle. Will that be okay?¡± Marin asked the two of them.


    Both Eisen and Gus nodded approvingly.


    ¡°Thank you. I won¡¯t be more than an hour,¡± Marin promised.


    Sygol politely waved to them. With that, Marin and the knight walked away from the cart, and back into town.


    Gus was bewildered. This large knight knew Marin from before? Marin had kept his past life such a secret, and now suddenly, someone had come to reunite with him.


    What was most interesting to Gus, was that this towering knight was just as mysterious and hidden as Marin himself. What concealed past was Marin hiding that his acquaintances also hid any identification of themselves as well? Marin must have lived in secrecy for so long.


    Gus watched as the knight ducked his head into a doorway of an intact house in the town. Marin followed behind, as he shut the door so they could have a private conversation.


    Left outside in the cart, Gus stared at the shack he watched them enter as many theories ran through his mind. It seemed like any time he found out something new about his King, it only deepened the murky ocean of his past that he refused to share about.


    He turned to glance at Eisen, who also had a puzzling look on his face.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Gus asked him.


    ¡°I think Marin has done quite a bit in his life, before the kingdom.¡±


    That was quite apparent. Gus couldn¡¯t agree more.


    ¡°What are those two anomalies you were talking about?¡± Gus pried, feeling like he was being left out from some important information.


    The doctor scratched his long forehead thought, wondering how much he should share with Gus. He decided to let him know about his detect life skill, and how it allowed him to read the vitals of anyone from a distance.


    Gus was astonished, and excited to hear more about the secret skills that the general public have little knowledge of. This was yet another one he could write down in his book that he would have to learn later. That, along with Speed and Slow Time.


    ¡°So, the knight isn¡¯t living?¡± Gus affirmed, after hearing the doctor¡¯s explanation.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even think there¡¯s a body in that suit of armor, based on the voice I was hearing,¡± Eisen analyzed.


    That idea alone sounded like something out of a fairy tale. Gus was beside himself.


    ¡°Actual living armor? Could it be possible?¡± Gus said.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably an artifact, I¡¯m sure. That or someone¡¯s soul was tied to it,¡± Eisen explained.


    ¡°An artifact?¡± Gus asked.


    Stolen story; please report.


    The doctor sighed. So much Gus did not know. Since they would have time to kill, waiting for Marin, Eisen wouldn¡¯t have much better to do than to teach him.


    ¡°Artifacts are objects that have been given sentience and special abilities. They¡¯re generally used as tools or weapons by people, but some can work on their own.¡±


    Gus was shocked. ¡°Living items¡­ Superhuman skills¡­ It¡¯s all real. All the stories I heard before bed¡­¡± He realized.


    ¡°Where do you think they came from?¡± Eisen asked.


    Gus ignored the question. He wanted to know more. He had to.


    ¡°Have you known any artifacts? Anyone with them?¡± Gus excitedly interrogated.


    Eisen chuckled. ¡°...Of course.¡±


    ¡°Tell me!¡±


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s a scarf that can grow and split itself endlessly. It was always around the neck of this woman, who could control it. She could bind enemies by having the scarf wrap around them, or use the splits of it like whips and knock down a house¡­¡± Eisen reminisced.


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding me!¡± Gus exclaimed.


    ¡°Nope, not at all. I also know of a beer bottle that is always full, and every time you swig it, you gained a random power for one hour. But if you drink the bottle again before the power wore off, it killed you.¡±


    There was no way this was real, he had to be making it up. The doctor must be having a grand time getting him riled up this much with these tall tales. He didn¡¯t want to accuse Eisen of playing a joke and insulting him though, if it was all true, but decided to confirm the existence of these ¡®artifacts¡¯ with Marin before officially believing it all.


    Marin and Sygol had entered a small house, that consisted of only one room. There were a few chairs left inside. Marin took a seat. Sygol looked down at the chairs, which were smaller than he would¡¯ve liked. He unsheathed his sword, and took a seat in the relatively small chair, having his legs spread out and leaning on the blade with his right hand.


    As Sygol situated himself, it gave Marin a moment to notice the house. It was in disrepair and raided from it being abandoned. It reminded Marin of his castle when he first saw it again after many years. The windows let in enough natural light to not need a lantern, and the two began to talk.


    ¡°Two hundred and fifty years¡­¡± Marin started, realizing how long it truly had been since his regular life.


    ¡°What has kept you occupied all this time?¡± Sygol asked.


    Marin chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ve been dead.¡±


    Sygol didn¡¯t answer, his set of armor sat still and silently on the small chair in response.


    ¡°...But I¡¯m alive now again,¡± he added.


    Marin attempted yet again to think back to when he was a regular functioning human. Even the general knowledge of his past was quite scarce. It included studying and graduating at Arkana, founding his Kingdom, and crafting the immortality potion. Small details of that, and the insignificant events that happened in between that could not be recalled.


    At least thoughts that were second nature to him, such as speaking, moving, and using his ice element, were remembered. If even that had been lost, Marin would be no more than a new-born infant.


    ¡°And I would take that as a reason for your lack of memories?¡± Sygol followed up with, unflinching at the statement Marin made.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Marin confirmed. He was relieved to finally meet someone who did not seem initially shocked at his predicament. Loid was beside himself. Helva didn¡¯t even want to see him without the mask. Even the experimental doctor Eisen was explosive in finding out. This knight called Sygol, however, was unimpressed.


    ¡°May I ask how your situation came about?¡± A rare sliver of curiosity was found in Sygol¡¯s question.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy to tell you.¡±


    Marin went into detail, as much as he could recall, about his immortality potion and what happened after it. He spoke of awaking on the floor, in a now abandoned castle. He told the tales of entering Heroca Town, finding out what year it now was, and saving the village. He explained how his castle came under restoration, and how he had been out on a mission to recruit new allies.


    The entire time, Sygol sat unmoving, silently taking it all in. It almost seemed as if Marin was rambling to an empty suit of armor, his sanity slipping. This thought entered Marin a few times, but he easily reminded himself that the knight was being respectful in listening to the information.


    After the unloading of his tale, the suit of armor finally moved, with Sygol¡¯s left arm raising ¨C his hand reaching his chin in thought.


    ¡°Sounds like you¡¯ve been quite busy in this last month,¡± Sygol analyzed.


    ¡°You would be too, if you knew nothing but empty darkness for two centuries,¡± Marin stated, sounding more morbid than he would¡¯ve liked.


    It looked as if Sygol winced at the response, but he then swatted away with his hand.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to trivialize your experience in darkness, but I¡¯ve known it for a lot longer than that, and it might come to pass again if I don¡¯t take action,¡± Sygol responded.


    Marin was now truly concerned. That was such an ominous statement. What terrible fate awaited the knight?


    ¡°I suppose I should hear your story, now. Er, again, technically speaking, if I had already known you before my situation,¡± Marin pressed.


    The suit of armor adjusted itself in the chair, trying and failing to get comfortable.


    ¡°Let me give a more detailed introduction of myself, since you have nigh a single ounce of memory regarding me.


    My true name is Yazul Sygollious. I am only known as Sygol these days, though.¡±


    Marin shuddered. That was a name in the ancient language. Marin knew it well enough to identify that.


    ¡°When I had a human form, I served a kingdom that only existed before the modern year. When it fell, my spirit was bound to the suit of armor I always donned. The technique of how it was done has been lost. Due to this ¨C and to my knowledge ¨C it can¡¯t be undone, I have been destined to wander the planet for an indefinite amount of time.¡±


    Unlike the former, Marin was impressed with Sygol¡¯s situation.


    ¡°So it is true then, the suit is unmanned. Your mind pilots an empty suit of armor,¡± Marin confirmed.


    Sygol reached up, and grabbed his helm with one hand. He detached it, revealing an empty hole that entered the chest piece of the armor. A dark smoke slowly rose from the hole.


    He then tossed the helm to Marin, who quickly caught it.


    Marin studied the helm for a while, noticing that the style it was forged in was from another time. He looked up to the headless Sygol for a moment, before the ebony helm dissipated from his hands.


    Marin frantically looked down to see there was now nothing in his grasp. A wisp of shadowy smoke that had appeared from the disappearing of the helm traveled back to Sygol¡¯s armor.


    When it hovered above the chest plate, it reformed into the helm, re-stationed perfectly over where a head should be.


    Marin grinned. It was the shadow element. Loid had performed the same Dispersion trick during the raid in Heroca, only this time Sygol was able to do it with a single armor piece.


    ¡°The shadow element,¡± Marin noted.


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°You learned it while you had a body?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Afterwards,¡± Sygol responded.


    ¡°That¡¯s quite impressive that you first contacted the power plane with nothing more than a suit of armor,¡± Marin pointed out.


    ¡°I had many centuries to figure it out,¡± Sygol admitted. ¡°A lot of free time.¡±


    Marin figured that would be the case. If one had been a part of the mortal plane for over eight hundred years, you were bound to learn just about anything you wanted. It astonished Marin to think that he had worked with this impressive being in his past, and it saddened him greatly to not be able to remember him.


    ¡°Tell me about this Decay, and how I knew you,¡± Marin requested, eager to get back on the main subject at hand.


    Sygol nodded. He needed to continue.


    ¡°The Decay is the name for a cultist organization that wishes to bring Kudu to this realm, and destroy it entirely.¡±


    Marin leaned forward in shock. Vague memories made themselves known. He finally had a sliver of previous knowledge he could grasp at.


    ¡°Kudu! The Decay were the ones who attempted to empower the hungering entity into entering this world!¡± Marin exclaimed.


    He knew of Kudu, many others did too. Marin knew that he was almost brought in from his endless realm, and figured it was this cult that Sygol referenced.


    Sygol nodded approvingly. ¡°Seems like I have sparked some recollection.¡±


    Marin was satisfied that he still had much general knowledge, and some of it bled back into his personal experiences. Sygol did not have to explain what Kudu was, Marin already knew.


    Kudu is an entity that wipes realms clean. It views any development on any realm as a cancer, and wishes to do nothing more than cleanse it, leaving the realm nothing but void.


    Spayce, the mortal realm which Sygol and Marin existed in, was quite developed, consisting of millions of planets and intelligent life. Kudu would consider their realm to be in a highly cancerous state, and would direly pursue the ¡®cleansing¡¯ of it.


    The way Kudu brought realms back to their original void state was by slowly consuming them in a chaotic energy dubbed ¡®The Decay.¡¯


    Marin knew all this.


    ¡°We both encountered some of Kudu¡¯s followers in 603. That is how we met. After being attacked by them, we teamed up with a few other warriors to end their attempts. While we were successful, their leader, Remnor, has returned to life in our realm, and is beginning his actions once again to end this world.¡±


    ¡°Why?!¡± Marin demanded. ¡°Why would anyone want to bring about the end of their own home?!¡±


    ¡°We know Kudu to be a cunning entity. He has most likely promised Remnor and the Decay cult a new world, where they can rule. But you and I both know he would have no interest in attempting to go against his ultimate nature.¡±


    Marin nodded.


    He began to think though, if this was such a dire issue to be taken care of, why weren¡¯t the leaders of this planet alerted to take action against the Decay.


    Marin brought the question up.


    ¡°At the time, they weren¡¯t enough of a threat yet. We were able to dispose of them before it got to that point.


    ...Though, if I don¡¯t fix this again, it might get to that point. And it will take more than words to convince the Grand Wizards, The Neo Generals, or RAM¡¯s Directors to take action. And by then, it will be too late,¡± Sygol explained.


    Marin sighed. ¡°So this is why you found me. You are requesting my help again.¡±


    Sygol tilted his helm, not answering immediately.


    ¡°Initially, yes. Although, after hearing your stories and getting a closer look at you, I fear you may not be in the prime state you were originally at,¡± Sygol admitted.


    Marin raised an eyebrow. Now this was news. The knight had made a bold claim to Marin¡¯s power.


    ¡°During your two centuries asleep, you¡¯ve forgotten much. Is there a chance your elemental skills have dulled in that time?¡± Sygol tried.


    Marin thought hard. His ice element was at a level far beyond most, though he still had not pushed himself to his upper limits yet for final conclusion. There¡¯s also the fact that Marin couldn¡¯t remember in detail just how strong he was from before.


    ¡°I guess I wouldn¡¯t know,¡± Marin answered, realizing that he had no reference to bounce back to.


    ¡°I bring this up based on the encounters you¡¯ve told me you had with the Scarlet Eye. The Marin I knew would have disposed of those low class rogues without so much as a single scratch on their body. Seeing as they got quite a few jabs in, I fear for your abilities.¡±


    Marin shrugged. ¡°I guess we won¡¯t know, will we?¡±


    ¡°We can find out,¡± Sygol offered.


    Marin grinned under his mask. ¡°Are you saying¡­?¡±


    Sygol nodded. ¡°How about a friendly duel?¡±

 Chapter 38 - Breaking the Ice

    Marin opened the door to the small house, walking outside, with the tall knight Sygol following behind him. When Marin gazed out to the main road in which their cart was parked at, Gus and Eisen were seen still sitting there.


    The two who had been waiting for their King and the knight turned their head as Marin approached them.


    ¡°How are you guys doing?¡± Marin asked, worried that they were growing impatient of waiting.


    He looked in the cart, and saw that Gus and Eisen had been playing a game of chess on Gus¡¯s travel board.


    ¡°Can¡¯t say I¡¯m thrilled with the delay, but I¡¯m getting through it,¡± Eisen commented as he moved a chess piece.


    ¡°Thank you for working with me. I will catch you up with everything once I finish up with Sygol. I came over to inform you that him and I will be dueling here momentarily,¡± Marin said.


    Both Eisen and Gus perked up at the news.


    ¡°You¡¯re gonna fight him?!¡± Gus eagerly said, instantly forgetting about his third chess game with the doctor.


    ¡°Yes. You¡¯re free to watch, if you want,¡± Marin offered.


    Gus exploded. This was the exact stuff he lived for. Nothing would bring him more happiness than watching his new master demonstrate a beautiful showcase of all the ice skills he would be learning. He hoped the knight would be strong too, and the fight would be a stunning feature of power and skill.


    Gus rocketed out of his seat composing of Eisen¡¯s luggage. When he did, he wasn¡¯t paying attention, and flipped the chess board over, ending the match in some apocalyptic fashion for the pieces.


    Eisen sighed. ¡°Guess that¡¯s over,¡± he grumbled, as he started picking the chess pieces up.


    Gus rapidly apologized, realizing his excitement had taken over, and began recovering the pieces as well.


    Marin chuckled. If Gus had this much passion for the elements, he certainly would end up becoming a decent user of one.


    ¡°Recover your game pieces, then bring the cart around to the back of the town hall,¡± Marin instructed.


    Marin walked off with Sygol following. They headed for a safe area away from the main road, and away from any prying eyes. Once Gus and Eisen miraculously recovered all thirty-two chess pieces, the Doctor took the reins of the horses and instructed them to head down a side road and behind Heroca¡¯s old town hall.


    While Gus was enthusiastic about the duel, Eisen showed disapproval. He wondered what this was going to accomplish and how it was necessary for any reason. It kept him outside in the cold longer, and the last thing he wanted to see was a mishap where Marin got badly hurt.


    Explaining all this brought Gus back down to earth, but it still didn¡¯t cease his excitement.


    The horses trotted through thicker snow than the main road, something they didn¡¯t really seem to enjoy, but eventually the doctor parked the cart in an area where both Marin and Sygol could easily be seen.


    ¡°You honestly think Marin would allow himself to get hurt?¡± Gus asked Eisen, at this point believing Marin to be such a master that it was out of the question.


    ¡°He obviously didn¡¯t tell you how the Scarlet Eye situation went down,¡± Eisen responded, recalling the amount of damage his back and neck had received.


    ¡°What does that mean¡­?¡± Gus asked, fearing not all had been shared with him.


    ¡°Look,¡± Eisen pointed. ¡°They¡¯re about to begin.¡±


    Marin stood about thirty feet away from the towering knight in void-colored armor. They were in a snowy field, and this would be to Marin¡¯s advantage. Sygol was a melee fighter, Marin assumed, and moving in the snow would hinder his movement.


    Marin on the other hand, used quick-placed Kinetic Ice to zip himself around the field of battle to avoid attacks. He wondered if Sygol knew who he was messing with.


    Despite this advantage, Marin would not allow himself to underestimate the ghostly suit of armor. As a keen shadow elemental, he would most likely subsidize his lack of motion with dispersion. Marin had to be careful.


    ¡°I thank you for the chance to test my might,¡± Marin announced before the fight started.


    ¡°Not a problem, I¡¯m happy to help you gauge where your level is at,¡± Sygol politely responded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll start at your movement,¡± Marin offered.


    ¡°Very well, thank you for giving me the initiative.¡± Sygol raised his massive sword, forged with runes going up and down the length of the blade. At five feet, and the considering the width of the blade, it must have weighed as much as Gus himself, and here was the knight wielding it with one hand, an incredible feat.


    He raised it up, grasped it with two hands, and brought it behind his head, ready for a strike. He posed in a forward motion, ready to launch himself.


    This was it.


    Marin braced for a response.


    At the same time, Gus and Eisen watched from a distance in the cart. Gus had stars in his eyes, ready to watch it all unfold.


    Even the doctor had some guilty curiosity. He stroked his long chin in thought.


    Sygol charged forward at a speed that would never be possible in armor that heavy.


    He closed the thirty feet distance in less than a breath, ready to swing his blade forward and slice Marin in half.


    The kinetic ice formed under Marin¡¯s feet, zipping him to the left.


    Sygol expected nothing less than a dodging movement from the ice wizard, and quickly recovered to prepare for a second assault.


    Marin propelled himself away, creating distance between himself and the knight. His fingers twitched as he created ice around Sygol, trying to coat the knight in a frosty prison.


    Due to the rapidly made ice, it wasn¡¯t strong enough to keep him in place. As the knight¡¯s joints bent for another leap forward, the ice shattered around them, almost as if it didn¡¯t effect him at all.


    Sygol took no extra time launching forward again, eager to get a swing in.


    Marin erected an ice wall, but the slash from the sword shattered the defensive structure in a single hit.


    In response, Marin began to hurl icicles at Sygol while continuing to keep his distance. Marin wasn¡¯t sure whether the knight would try to swing at him while under fire of the sharp ice shards, but it would at least delay his next attack.


    Sygol raised an arm to protect himself as the icicles crashed into his armor, creating small impacts to keep him off perfect balance. He eventually caught a long one in his hand, and crushed it, shattering the long icicle into many pieces.


    ¡°Are we done beating around the bush?¡± Sygol announced as Marin continued his icicle assault.


    Sygol threw his sword at Marin, a move he did not expect. Marin¡¯s Slow Time instinctively kicked in as the blade rushed to his body, spelling certain destruction.


    Marin was able to crouch low, allowing the blade to fly by over his head. When he turned around to see where it would land, it dissipated into shadow.


    Marin looked back at Sygol, and watched a blob of shadowy smoke rush to his hand, the blade reforming from the shadow as it met his palm.


    In response, Marin created massive icicles that sprouted from the ground, hoping to catch the knight off guard, and even trap him in place.


    It was no use, with a powerful swing of the heavy sword, Sygol chopped them all down in one go. He slashed through them like butter.


    Sygol was now sprinting at Marin, which to him looked like a desperate attempt. As Marin continued to surf the moving ice beneath his feet, Sygol jumped into the air, and slammed his blade down into the ground.


    A shadowy fissure erupted from the pierced spot, and the crack that seeped shadow rapidly grew to seek the ice wizard, closing the distance quickly.


    This was a move Marin had to admit to himself was quite impressive.


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    There was no way he could outrun the splitting break in the ground that rapidly moved to his location. Marin pillared up into the air with ice, seeking to remove himself from the ground. When the fissure reached his location beneath him, he casted ice all around it, trying to halt the breaking of the ground further.


    Marin had distracted himself too long during this attack. He kept his eyes off of Sygol for longer than he should have.


    After confirming the growing shadow fissure had been dealt with, he looked onward to see that Sygol had leaped into the air, ready to slash Marin in half.


    The tall pillar of ice Marin stood on was no illusion of safety. Sygol was able to perform jumps that met him at that height.


    In a desperate attempt, Marin tried creating an ice wall sprouting from the pillar he stood on.


    Sygol expectingly crashed through it, unfazed.


    Marin¡¯s Slow Time skill had been used off and on this entire fight, and this was another moment he focused in. As Sygol grew only a few feet away, mid slash, Marin dissolved the ice pillar beneath him, dropping him down as Sygol continued his trajectory into the air.


    When Marin used another icy move to land safely to the ground, he looked up to find where Sygol had gone.


    In the air, the knight¡¯s entire suit of armor gave into the shadow, and he watched the cloud of dark purple smoke fly back down to the ground.


    As Sygol had a bit of distance to recover, this gave Marin enough time to create the best ice he could. He focused as hard as he could, mentally requesting the strongest ice the power plane would lend him.


    Marin watched the cloud reform back into the knight, already in another striking pose, sword ready to swing. Marin then created the strongest ice wall he could.


    As he now knew Sygol¡¯s strength at this point, Marin would not trust any move he could muster. Despite making the most sturdy ice wall he could, Marin still braced for the knight to break through.


    Indeed Sygol did, shattering even the strongest attempt at keeping him at bay.


    By this point, Marin could only try freezing his foe. He coated the knight in ice layer after ice layer, but Sygol broke through every time. The ice only slowed him down, never halted him in place.


    Finally, after Marin¡¯s many failed attempts, Sygol leaped forward again, sword ready to slash. This was at a much faster speed than before.


    Marin guessed he had been holding back, and was now unleashing a strength more true to what he was capable of. It was impressive to see him charge at such a speed, especially after breaking out of the frozen coatings several times.


    Marin used Slow Time, again. He watched the knight¡¯s advance come to a crawl as he figured out what to do next.


    Then, something odd happened. Sygol muttered something in the ancient language, and Marin suddenly had a migraine come over him, one that forced him to lose concentration on the Slow Time ability.


    As Marin experienced real-time again, there was not enough time to react, and Sygol slammed into the wizard, launching him backwards, tumbling in the snow.


    ¡°Marin!!!¡± Gus yelled out, standing up in the cart, watching his King roll across the ground.


    Gus was ready to jump out of the cart to aid Marin, but Eisen quickly grabbed Gus and kept him in place.


    ¡°Don¡¯t! This isn¡¯t something for you to interfere in,¡± The doctor quickly stated, although also feeling great concern over the state of Marin.


    Sygol had never completed the attack. Instead of slashing Marin when he closed in, he kept his sword down, allowing just his body to run into Marin.


    It was almost like Sygol had expected to finally get his hit in on the wizard, and didn¡¯t want to risk killing him.


    Marin felt a great daze after his body completed it¡¯s tumbling adventure in the snow. At least it was snow, and not the rocky ground that tried cushioning his knockdown.


    He tried fighting the daze, and looked up to see if Sygol would still attack him in some revealing ploy that he had been trying to kill him all along.


    He did not. He slowly walked to him, sword re-sheathed on his back.


    Marin began feeling his body while lying in the snow. He tried all his joints. Everything seemed to still be working fine, even after the blunt slam.


    When Sygol finally reached Marin¡¯s horizontal body, he extended a hand to help him up.


    ¡°Thanks for not cutting me in half,¡± Marin said in a defeated tone, as he took the knight¡¯s armored hand. He recognized that Sygol was smart enough to not overestimate Marin.


    Marin stood up, and ran through another mental checklist of all his body parts.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you allowed me to Counterskill you like that,¡± Sygol stated.


    Indeed, that¡¯s what the sudden migraine was, that caused Marin to lose his Slow Time skill.


    ¡°I never expected that to happen. You¡¯re a lot stronger than I could have imagined,¡± Marin noted.


    ¡°And yet, there was a time when you could have easily disposed of me,¡± Sygol admitted.


    Marin was shocked. Could it actually be true? If it was, Marin was leagues under the skill that he once had, and hadn¡¯t even noticed it. At a statement like that, it was now obvious to him that he had failed Sygol¡¯s test.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± It was all Marin could offer. ¡°It appears that I have lost more than just my memory, but power that I once held. I guess I am truly a shadow of my former self, in both physical form and strength.¡±


    ¡°I am sorry too. It pains me to see you in this weakened state,¡± the hollow knight echoed from his helm.


    ¡°Can you elaborate on the duel? Where I was lacking versus before?¡± Marin asked with great curiosity.


    Sygol nodded. ¡°Your ice was not nearly as durable as it once had been. Your connection to the power plane is rusty. Not only that, the choice in moves against me were not well thought out or practiced. Most of the fight, you played defensively, evading my attacks, when normally you would overpower me within the first minute.¡±


    The words were harsh, landing blow after blow to Marin¡¯s confidence. It saddened him immensely to hear how far removed he once was.


    ¡°How disappointing. I¡­ I don¡¯t know what to say. I suppose I wouldn¡¯t be any use in your fight against the Decay,¡± Marin stated.


    ¡°Ah, you still have much talent and strength, Sullivan. But I would not want to risk your life right now when there¡¯s potential of you returning to who you once were. Give it time. You¡¯ve only been reanimated for a month, there could be a chance that more will come back to you in the following ones.¡±


    The words to Marin were like a band-aid on a gashing wound. He would take them to heart, but felt not a lot of hope.


    ¡°...Perhaps. If only there was a way I could regain my memory,¡± Marin guessed, ¡°then maybe my elemental prowess would return too.¡±


    ¡°I wish you luck on it,¡± Sygol tried.


    ¡°What will you do now?¡± Marin asked, changing the subject away from his terrible situation.


    ¡°I will continue my fight against the Decay. You need not worry about me. I have other allies to help me in this situation, and we will likely come out on top,¡± Sygol explained.


    Marin nodded.


    ¡°What you should do is focus on your kingdom, and yourself. From what you told me, you have a great family there now. Protecting them should be your top priority at this time,¡± he added.


    Marin agreed. Sygol spoke a few more words, sharing his guilt for never visiting Marin¡¯s kingdom after it had been formed, and that he was lucky to be able to have the chance to do it again.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad that you¡¯re back in the mortal realm again, Marin. Once I deal with this issue, I promise I¡¯ll be back to see Nocturne.¡±


    After that, Sygol informed him that he would now depart. They both walked back to the spectating cart, where Gus and Eisen had patiently been waiting.


    Sygol gave a few wise words to the two of them, then gave a goodbye wave as his body melted into shadow, taking off in the wind.


    Just as soon as he had first appeared to them, he had now disappeared. Sygol was like a spectral force, an eternal guardian that protected the world. While Marin fought the despair of his realization, it also pleased him to know that he had made such a good friend in the towering knight.


    ¡°Are you alright?!¡± Was the first question out of a concerning Gus, who was still getting over the slam that Marin had received.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Gus. Everything¡¯s okay,¡± Marin tried convincing him. He was okay physically, but he was still getting over the mental blow of the entire event.


    ¡°Are we finally going to the castle?¡± Eisen asked, slightly shivering in the cart.


    ¡°Yes, yes. I apologize again for this delay. I hope you¡¯ll forgive me. I will tell you that I learned much from the encounter with Sygol,¡± Marin tried. ¡°I will share with you all I learned about him.¡±


    As the horse drawn carriage returned to the main road, and continued it¡¯s journey up the mountain, Marin spoke of everything he had learned about himself and the knight, as well as his experience in the battle against him.


    They all conversed for a while, with Gus learning more than he could¡¯ve imagined. The young lad knew almost everything now about Marin, except the blatant fact that he was undead and existed over two hundred years ago.


    Marin decided that one day he would tell Gus the truth and share his situation. One day, when he was ready to hear it. The cart traveled the final curve of the road that led to the kingdom, and finally, Nocturne Castle was in view.


    They were home.


    Edward Eisen gawked at the size and beauty of the castle. Even Gus and Marin marveled at it again after not seeing it for a while.


    ¡°Wow, you told me the castle would be stunning, but this was more than I expected,¡± Eisen admitted with a glimmer of awe in his eyes.


    Marin was satisfied. There was not a soul on the planet who couldn¡¯t appreciate the fine architecture and size of the stone brick behemoth.


    ¡°Welcome to your new home, for as long as you want to call it,¡± Marin told Eisen. ¡°I hope it meets your requirements.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s going to be a problem,¡± the doctor responded, eyeing all the fine details of just the front side of the castle alone. He guessed that it contained at least three hundred rooms. Probably more.


    It pleased Marin immensely that he was back where he belonged. There was no other feeling like being in the castle. It had truly become a part of who he was.


    There would be much work to be done. RAM agents were arriving in the following days to inspect the kingdom. Eisen had to be integrated into the castle as the new doctor. Gus was going to need lessons on becoming an elemental.


    Time would tell how everything would go.

 Chapter 39 - Grand Return

    In the tallest tower of Castle Nocturne, a lone watchman gazed at the mountainous surroundings of the castle through a pair of powerful binoculars. His job seemed fairly monotonous and boring, but on this day, at this time, something quite significant caught his watchful eye.


    Down on the ground, in a horse drawn cart, a familiar mask wearing, blue robed figure sat beside fellow guard Gus. With them was an unknown older man who lounged in the back with his belongings.


    This guard focused the binoculars more just to confirm it was who he believed it to be.


    ¡°It is,¡± he mumbled to himself. ¡°The King has returned!¡±


    Tossing the binoculars down onto the table besides him, he believed now would be a good time to abandon his post and announce to the higher-ups of the castle that Marin had returned home.


    The spiral wooden stairs on the thin tower creaked as the lookout guard dashed down them. This guard¡¯s name was Rudolf, and he hoped that this would not be the time they finally gave in to his generous weight, causing an accident.


    All fears left him as he stepped onto the brick base of the tower. He passed a fellow guard, exclaiming to him his discovery.


    ¡°Quick, tell Loid!¡± He yelled back.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna! Where do you think I¡¯m goin¡¯?¡±


    Rudolf made haste to Nocturne¡¯s main office, taking several more flights of stairs to reach his destination at the bottom level. He passed many castle dwellers and workers, who wondered what the rush was.


    Rudolf was about out of breath by the time he had reached Nocturne¡¯s central hub for processing all paperwork, a location that Helva, Loid, and Harrel were frequently found in. When he barged into the room, he had enough air left to bellow out his grand announcement, one that he thought he deserved to declare as a reward for the boring post he was stationed at.


    ¡°The King has returned!¡±


    Helva¡¯s head rose from the paperwork she was buried in. Not more than a moment later, Loid appeared from a side room.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Loid asked, wanting a confirmation of what he believed he heard.


    ¡°King Marin has made it back home! The cart is pulling up now as we speak!¡±


    Loid, who was wearing his regular suit and tie took no time in passing the guard in a hasty manner, leaving the room and walking down the hallway. He made his way to the grand entrance where he expected to meet his King and friend.


    ¡°Spread the word,¡± Helva commanded to Rudolf as she grabbed her coat and made her way to the exit of the room, in a less hasty manner than Loid had.


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am,¡± Rudolf happily answered.


    Time at the castle under Loid¡¯s management had gone smoothly for the most part. Events had risen up here and there that might¡¯ve been handled better with Marin¡¯s guidance as a natural decision maker, but Loid was confident Marin would see he had done well.


    Loid had received a letter in the mail a day earlier that Marin would be heading home, but this was more sudden than he had expected. He had no qualms about the matter, Loid was ready to give the helm back to Marin after the two weeks of added stress in trying to do right for him.


    The mail in the world ran just slightly faster than a person could travel themselves, due to some transitions of letters being handled by trained fowl. Since Marin had arrived just a day after his letter made it, announcing his return, he had made great haste and wasted no time in making the travel back home.


    Loid paced to the front of the castle¡¯s entrance hall, beautifully decorated with red banners that hung from the rafters.


    ¡°Open the doors,¡± Loid commanded to the two guards stationed at the entrance.


    Without question, and at Loid¡¯s demand, the guards grabbed the front handles on either side, and forcefully swung open the large oaken doors that served as the castle¡¯s front line of defense.


    As they parted, the light of the sun combined with the stinging cold air of the mountains flooded him. Loid raised his hand to shield his eyes from the bright snow, reflecting the sun. As they adjusted, sure enough, he saw a cart approaching. This must have been Marin.


    ¡°Looks like they were expecting us,¡± Eisen noted from the back of the cart as they drew nearer to the entrance.


    The three of them watched as the front doors to the castle open from less than one hundred yards away.


    ¡°It was probably the lookout guard,¡± Gus happily explained. ¡°There¡¯s supposed to be one in that top tower during all hours,¡± he pointed.


    Marin nodded accordingly.


    ¡°Who¡¯s that silver-haired man standing at the entrance like that?¡± Eisen then asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s going to be Loid,¡± Marin responded. ¡°...I¡¯d expect nothing less of him than to be the first one awaiting our approach.¡± He chuckled.


    ¡°He seems pretty¡­ enthusiastic,¡± the doctor noted.


    ¡°Loid¡¯s always been well respected. He ran a tavern in Heroca before it was destroyed. Everyone likes him because he¡¯s diligent,¡± Gus tried.


    ¡°That¡¯s why he¡¯s in charge when I¡¯m not there,¡± Marin ended it with.


    As they grew closer, so did the size of a crowd behind Loid. Everyone who had spare time gathered to welcome the return of King Marin. The King could now make out Helva in her glasses, her husband Harrel in his top hat and pencil-thin mustache, as well as Phil and Rocko off to the side.


    Well, I know now everything Marin had told me was true, Edward Eisen thought to himself. The castle¡¯s impressive, there¡¯s a fleet of citizens all waiting for him. He really is a King.


    Instead of taking the horse-drawn cart to the left where the horses were staged, Marin pulled straight up to the front to greet all his subordinates.


    Cheers could be heard when they reached the castle doorway. Marin halted the cart, and went to get off. Loid took his hand in helping him down. Gus jumped off alone, and someone else assisted the doctor.


    ¡°Look who¡¯s back so soon!¡± Loid declared as a greeting to his King.


    ¡°Hello, Loid. It¡¯s good to be back. How is everyone?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°I¡¯d say I¡¯ve held it together in your absence,¡± Loid responded, a large grin across his face.


    The other castle dwellers nodded in agreement. They all waited in anticipation for what Marin had to say.


    Reading the room, Marin spoke up.


    ¡°Thank you, everyone, for working together and keeping the castle running smoothly while I was away. I have recruited one new member to our kingdom, this is Doctor Edward Eisen.¡±


    Marin then turned around, and gestured Eisen to step forward and make himself better seen. When the doctor stood to the side of Marin, he continued.


    ¡°He is going to be our new doctor. He is also quite the skilled elemental. In offering medical treatment to whoever needs it, he will also defend our castle in dire situations, which I¡¯m hoping will never happen.¡±


    Eisen did an uneasy wave to everyone. He was not a people person, and the entire situation was uncomfortable to him.


    ¡°I uh, thank you, Marin,¡± Eisen struggled. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to life here, and will try to help everyone as I can.¡±


    Eisen¡¯s speech impediment became worse the more nervous he was, which in this state, was considerably noticeable.


    Marin stepped back in to alleviate Eisen from speaking further.


    ¡°I will do a more detailed speech of my travels and of our doctor at dinner tonight. Speaking of which, instruct the cooks to throw a large feast for my return. I want everyone to be there, and to have a good time.¡±


    There were cheers from the crowd, all satisfied at the statement.


    ¡°I thank you for the warm return, everyone. I will see you all at dinner tonight in several hours,¡± Marin ended it with, signaling that the crowd should now disperse.


    Before everyone returned to their business, many took a turn in welcoming the king back and shaking his hand. It took several minutes for Marin to satisfy his denizens and speak with each of them before he finally had a chance to address his administration.


    Finally, after the greeters departed, the ones left standing were the small group of the castle¡¯s managers.


    ¡°Gus, you can go, too,¡± Marin mentioned, removing him from the remaining pool of people. ¡°I thank you again for the taking the journey with me. Take a day off tomorrow from your regular duties, then return to them. I¡¯ll be in contact with you about your training soon.¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Gus nodded, a bit sad he would not be sticking around to hear important matters on the kingdom, but understood he was not in that kind of position. Not yet, anyways. He waved at the rest, and walked off to his quarters deep within the castle. At least he was excited to see his fellow guards after being away from them for almost two weeks.


    The five remaining people standing were Marin, Eisen, Loid, Helva, and Harrel. They stood together in a circle, ready to talk just as a servant hauled the horse-drawn cart away.


    ¡°So, how did it go?¡± Loid finally asked.


    Now that they were alone from anyone else, Marin could speak his mind.


    ¡°Not great. Not great at all. Things had happened that¡­ I would¡¯ve never anticipated.¡±


    ¡°Do tell,¡± Loid urged him.


    ¡°Well, for one, I nearly got Gus killed. A couple of times.¡± Marin was direct and to the point. He found no reason to candy-coat anything he had to say. ¡°At this point, I regret taking him. I should¡¯ve just tried doing it all on my own. The things he had to go through¡­ it wasn¡¯t right.¡±


    Helva lowered her head. Harrel stared with wide eyes, stroking his chin. Everyone was shocked besides Eisen.


    Marin continued, knowing a statement like that was in dire need of explanation.


    ¡°Things went smoothly getting to Whitewood City. As you all know, Bob Galrus carted us down. From there we walked through White Forest. Then in the southern region of Tresdor, we were ambushed.¡±


    ¡°Ambushed?! By who?¡± Loid demanded.


    Marin stood there, telling the story in detail to his friends. He spoke of the Scarlet Eye in Tarenfall, and the terrible dealings with them. It was all chance he had crossed paths with them, and made enemies with their leader before they had even reached the city.


    Marin still had no idea why the rogues were so far removed from their base of operations, but if they were still on a journey, they had stopped to follow them back to the city. It had thrown a wrench in all of Marin¡¯s recruitment plans, but the silver lining in it all was obtaining Edward Eisen, he explained.


    After he told the story of how he defeated Lorette, the Scarlet Eye¡¯s leader, he explained that he was ready to just get back home, and wanted no more risk of Gus coming across danger.


    Everyone was saddened and disappointed at the story. They had all wondered why Marin had cut his mission short, but they now had their answer.


    ¡°That, and I needed to get back to the castle, seeing as RAM will be showing up soon to inspect the kingdom,¡± Marin added.


    Everyone nodded.


    ¡°It will be any day now,¡± Helva said. ¡°We had prepared to do the inspection without you, but it will look a lot better if the King is actually here at his castle, and ready to talk with the agents.¡±


    Marin agreed. ¡°I thank you so much for all your hard work, Helva. You¡¯ve been instrumental in getting this kingdom acknowledged again.¡±


    ¡°So what¡¯s this talk about training Gus?¡± Loid asked, changing the subject.


    ¡°Ah, that. I am teaching Gus the ice element.¡±


    Everyone raised their eyebrows at the radical statement.


    ¡°The boy is passionate about it. Very passionate. I had no desire to teach him, and even recommended him to train elsewhere, but¡­ He really wants to learn from me. So much so, I had him reunite with his father over it.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Loid responded in shock. ¡°He saw his father? Gus had always said he would never speak to him again.¡±


    ¡°Times change. And I tell you, afterwards, he admitted that it was something he should have done a while ago,¡± Marin proudly answered.


    ¡°You guys really were busy. That¡¯s incredible.¡±


    All five of them stood there, talking for nearly half an hour longer. Eisen finally gave himself a proper introduction, and explained his medical expertise. He talked on how he developed an antivenom that saved Gus¡¯s life, and that he had a lot of respect for Marin. Eventually it was time for everyone to get back to their work.


    ¡°Loid, why don¡¯t you stick with me and we will give Eisen a tour of the castle. Afterwards, it will be time to eat. Plus, we need to figure out where to station our new doctor.¡±


    ¡°They took my belongings away,¡± Eisen commented about the servant who took the reins of his cart and drove off.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, our servants are holding it all in storage until we find a good spot for you,¡± Loid responded, seeing the Doctor was severely out of his comfort zone.


    ¡°Well, I just hope they don¡¯t do anything with my jars. You know, those jars. The ones where if they looked at them closely, they might get scared at what they see and drop them,¡± Eisen nervously explained.


    ¡°No one¡¯s going through your luggage, doctor,¡± Marin assured.


    ¡°If you say so. On with the tour, then,¡± Eisen declared, ready to get it all over with.


    Together, the three of them walked around. Marin had to wave and occasionally shake hands with a passing servant or member of the castle. Loid would nod. Luckily, no one paid much mind to the doctor.


    Eisen had to admit, he was impressed. He had spent time in some castles, but none of this caliber. The rooms and halls were ornate, and wealth was exuded around every corner. He saw the dining room, the kitchens, the ballroom, a throne room which Marin almost never sat in, and hallway after hallway of bedrooms. Eventually, Eisen was able to see the grand library, where he met Marge.


    The tour took a halt as Eisen and Marge immediately began conversation about obscure knowledge, both impressing themselves as quite the intellectuals. This was the most comfortable Eisen had been, as he leaned on the counter opposite of Marge, getting carried away explaining ancient history, and topics beyond the knowing of both Marin and Loid.


    Marge was flattered, every sentence Eisen spoke only built her admiration of him. He drank it in, finally happy to find someone who was just as impressed with his knowledge as he was. She fired back with facts just as obscure as his, and Eisen felt quite satisfied that he would be living with someone who seemed to appreciate information as much as him.


    It took Loid a bit of effort to pry the doctor away from the librarian and continue the tour.


    ¡°Now that¡¯s someone I like!¡± Eisen declared as they left the library and continued down a hall.


    ¡°And I don¡¯t like a lot of people! I like you, Marin. Loid, I don¡¯t know if I like you yet or not. But time will tell,¡± the doctor added.


    ¡°Thanks¡­ I uh, hope you do,¡± Loid responded, giving Marin a secret glare.


    Eventually, they reached the opposite side of the castle, where Loid could finally show off the progress of the courtyard that had continued to be built while he was away.


    ¡°It looks really good!¡± Marin commented, impressed with how it turned out.


    New brick path was laid around a carved fountain. Stone walls topped with black metal gates surrounded the entire perimeter. Several benches were restored and repaired. During the day, anyone could now enjoy some fresh air while admiring the park.


    ¡°And who was responsible for this gorgeous restoration?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Fern Coronga. And Phil and Rocko, of course. They worked hard hauling and placing the stone while Fern carved it up,¡± Loid explained.


    ¡°They all did a perfect job. I¡¯m pleased to see Phil and Rocko working hard and being taken care of. They deserve it. See to it that they get an extra reward for everything they did.¡±


    Loid nodded. ¡°I always make sure of that.¡±


    Back inside, they rounded the rest of the castle, concluding the tour before making it to a staircase that would head down to the basement.


    ¡°What¡¯s down there?¡± Eisen asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s the basements and catacombs of the castle. Nothing important down there, other than some storage,¡± Marin explained.


    ¡°In fact, we haven¡¯t done much cleaning in the basements yet,¡± Loid added. ¡°Still thick with dust and cobwebs. I know we should get around to it eventually, but¡­¡± He trailed off.


    ¡°I want to see it!¡± The doctor exclaimed.


    ¡°There¡¯s really nothing down there, Edward,¡± Marin tried.


    It was no use. Eisen was already walking down the stairs.


    Without much ability to object, Marin and Loid followed him down there.


    At the bottom, they were greeted to a hallway, which lead to some small rooms, that lead to a vast open area of the basement, supported by carved stone pillars. An army of wooden crates and barrels called this area their home, some cracked, rotted, and opened, others still sealed from long ago. Above those were spider webs that had yet to be cleaned out. A thick coat of dust covered everything.


    It was not a pleasant place to be, and a small path had been cleared out only for Loid, Helva, and Marin to go further down to get to the vault.


    Eisen stood there, drinking it all in.


    After a while, Loid spoke up. ¡°Finished, then?¡±


    Eisen walked forward, ignoring Loid and still admiring the basement. He was at peace down here.


    Marin tried understanding Eisen¡¯s fascination with basements, seeing as he was always down in his back in Tarenfall. It seemed like an unhealthy obsession, but who knew. Something about them rubbed the doctor the right way. He looked as if he could spend a lot of time down here.


    Then Marin got the best idea ever. How had he not thought of this earlier?


    ¡°Doctor, I have something to ask you,¡± Marin said.


    Eisen turned to look at him. ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°How would you like to be down here? Have your laboratory and hospital in Nocturne¡¯s basements?¡± Marin plainly asked.


    Loid was shocked. This was surely a jest. No one would want to be down here.


    ¡°You¡¯re joking, Sullivan,¡± Loid immediately countered. ¡°We have much better places to station him above-¡±


    ¡°I was waiting for you to ask!¡± Eisen said. He walked to one corner. ¡°I¡¯m setting up my tables here. Then, over there,¡± he pointed, ¡°that¡¯s where the bookshelves are going. I need all these crates removed.¡±


    Eisen walked back up to them. ¡°The front rooms before this one will be where I interact with patients. I¡¯m going to need all my supplies brought down here.¡±


    Marin nodded, a grin under his mask.


    Loid was frozen, mouth agape, finger still pointing.


    They looked over at him.


    He lowered his hand, then closed his mouth and swallowed. He ran his hand through his combed back silver hair, regaining his composure.


    ¡°You¡­ you really want to be down here?¡± Loid asked, his managerial brain trying to comprehend the logistics of it all.


    ¡°I assure you, Loid, he does,¡± Marin said with great confidence. ¡°Nothing would make the doctor happier than being away from the noise of the upper levels. He values his isolation away from everyone else.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ okay.¡± Loid gave in, still wondering why the kingdom¡¯s doctor would want to be stuffed into the lowly basements of the castle.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get you settled here immediately. Loid, have our servants clear out this place, moving the storage to a different wing of the basement. Get it cleaned up nicely, and have it done by tonight. Then, the next morning, we¡¯ll move all the doctor¡¯s possessions in, and we¡¯ll have him set up down here by the end of tomorrow.¡±


    Marin turned to face Eisen. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind spending one night in a guest bedroom upstairs.¡±


    ¡°That will be fine.¡±


    ¡°Alright then, everything is planned out. Sound good, Loid?¡± Marin asked to make sure it could happen.


    Loid nodded. ¡°Easily done.¡±


    ¡°Good. Let¡¯s head upstairs now and get ready for dinner. I have a speech I need to make. Everyone¡¯s been more enthusiastic about my return than I would¡¯ve cared for,¡± Marin stated in a light hearted tone.

 Chapter 40 - Reflection

    The elegant chandeliers and wall torches of the food hall burned brightly, giving the vast room a warm glow. Before Marin was a good percentage of his citizens, sitting in front of fine dishes and silverware, all purchased from Nocturne¡¯s gold vault deep in the catacombs.


    Standing at the end of the center long table of the dining room, Marin studied his subordinates stationed there and those at the left and right tables. The fruitful efforts of rebuilding his Kingdom had not fully dawned on him until this moment. The stark difference of being away for two weeks and now standing before his citizens once again made him see them all in a new light.


    Nothing made Marin happier than being back in Nocturne Castle. Marin watched as they beamed back at him, fully prepared to take in his speech. As Sygol had mentioned, they had become his family.


    The food was ready to come out as soon as he finished and sat down, so he aimed to keep it short and to the point. He cleared his dusty throat, and began talking with the constant aid of the voice enhancer in his mask.


    ¡°First off, I¡¯d like to thank you all for the tremendous welcome I garnered when first returning home. It was unexpected to see so many of you halt your endeavors to greet me in the Grand Hall. It was a reminder to me of your admirable thoughts about your King; something I will always try to live up to.


    I am indeed home, and have no plans to leave again any time in the near future. Most of you understand that I left to recruit stronger allies. This was a mission that ended with mixed results. Efforts don¡¯t always go as planned ¨C in fact, I find that they rather don¡¯t most of the time.


    However, in a turn of detrimental events, a silver lining was produced, and that would be our new doctor. I¡¯d like to formally introduce you all to Doctor Edward Eisen, a man who will be the Kingdom¡¯s official medical chief.¡±


    Eisen was sitting close to the end of the table where Marin reigned. He stood up for just a moment, giving everyone a wave, and a bow. He sat back down, hating to be seen by so many.


    ¡°Doctor Eisen is not one for large crowds or speeches, so forgive him for not saying much at this time. You can expect to have any questions about him answered during visits to his ward. Speaking of which, that will be stationed in the basement.¡±


    It was certainly an unexpected location to house the medical facilities, and Marin knew the statement would be met with confusion. He took a pause for the fact to set in, but not one long enough for everyone to dwell upon.


    ¡°As many of you know, the central government, RAM, will be visiting our castle in the coming days for an inspection. Their judgment will decide whether we will be officially recognized as one of the many kingdoms that dot the land. I am expecting that to be the case, seeing as Helva and Loid have seen to it that we meet all their requirements. But even if we don¡¯t, we will always be a kingdom in my eyes, and you all ¨C my family.


    I thank you all again for the warm return. I will be here for you all if anyone needs me. You may knock anytime at my personal quarters on the top floor if I¡¯m not on the lower levels. Now, everyone. Time to eat. Bring it out!¡±


    At the declaration, Marin sat, and the servants of the castle brought out exquisite dishes of lavish cuisine for all to enjoy. Nocturne Castle always provided superb meals, but this was a cut higher than normal, in celebration for the King¡¯s return.


    After all this time, Marin had finally come to terms with not eating. For a while, he longed for the food he saw before him, but now, with no pains of hunger, it all seemed tasteless. In fact, it probably was. He imagined that all the taste buds upon his tongue were terminated. While he hadn¡¯t attempted to confirm the idea, it had to be true, seeing as Eisen stated only necessary organs were in a working order.


    Marin¡¯s body deemed eating no longer necessary. It had to make that rule, in order to survive over two hundred years on the floor with no nourishment.


    Marin looked over to Marge, his librarian. She was still sporting her typical turquoise earrings hanging from her droopy earlobes, and pendant to match. Even her rings were similar color. She must really adore that gemstone. Unsurprisingly, Marge was sitting right beside Eisen, and Marin now realized their ages were quite close to each other.


    ¡°So Doctor, I¡¯m interested in hearing more about your theory on the disappearance of the Vortexians after their invention in Kurmazon,¡± she asked him.


    Well, there goes any outside conversation between them. They would keep each other occupied for the duration of the meal. Marin had not anticipated a strong interest the two would have between each other. At this point, anything that would keep Eisen happy while living in the castle would be an upside, since he didn¡¯t much fancy being here in the first place.


    Marin then turned to Helva, who didn¡¯t seem to have much of an appetite.


    ¡°Everything well with you, Mrs. Yoren?¡± He asked her.


    She confirmed she was, and made no acknowledgment of the small amount of food she ate. She had been talking with her husband even now about castle affairs, showing that even during dinner they couldn¡¯t stop managing the kingdom.


    Helva was dedicated to her work, and Harrel was like-minded. They went well together, both working off of each other towards their goal. Combined, they had managed the town of Heroca. He wondered how much of a bigger task Nocturne Kingdom was.


    The meal was enjoyable for all, and time flew smoothly as everyone conversed. When it had finished, Marin was one of the last to get up and leave. After a tedious evening of touring the castle, and catching up on all the affairs the kingdom had dealt with, it was finally time for Marin to retire to his personal quarters.


    He traveled several flights of stairs to reach the top floor. This level was the most ornate and well decorated, reserved for the residential areas of Nocturne¡¯s leadership, as well as a few luxury guest rooms to impress any visitors. In the center of the hall was Marin¡¯s very own Cherrywood door leading to his quarters.


    It felt good to once again grasp the polished, golden door knob. The door swung open without a single creak as well-oiled latches glided gracefully. He felt quite satisfied that no expense had been spared in making this level of the castle as perfect as possible.


    Marin shut the door behind him, and stared at his long desk in the center room. Behind it were the two arched windows that saw out to the entire front yard of the castle. He walked over, and sat in the fancy rolling chair he had specifically made for him. He rotated to the windows behind his desk, and looked out.


    Finally home. It is good to be back.


    Marin lost himself in thought as he gazed outward to the mountainous terrain. The sun had already set, and the snow caked upon the mountain tops glowed dimly in the moonlight. It had always been a gorgeous scene, but on this particular night it looked better than normal. Perhaps it had been due to not seeing it for a while.


    Marin was careful not to get completely consumed in thought, for he expected a certain friend to knock at his door at any moment.


    With enough time, it finally happened.


    ¡°Enter!¡± Marin commanded at the sound of the knock. He swiveled his chair back around to face the doorway.


    It opened, and Loid appeared.


    ¡°Ah, there you are,¡± Marin stated with relief.


    Loid was already out of his usual suit and in some more informal lounge-wear. He closed the door behind him as Marin got up to meet him.


    ¡°Come, let us sit at the fire,¡± Marin gestured as he guided his friend to the door on the left, leading into his personal library that contained a chiseled stone fireplace and organ to play music on.


    In front of the fire place where two plush chairs with backs taller than a man¡¯s standing height. Sitting in them made one feel grand, and even more so in front of a fire place that had already been lit and burning from a maid starting the fire earlier.


    The two sat down. The last time Marin and Loid had sat together like this was when they had discussed plans for Marin to leave and find new allies. That had been a while ago.


    ¡°You¡¯ve had quite the adventure, eh?¡± Loid asked. ¡°I was worried about you going into a world which you had become unfamiliar with. I felt better having Gus go with you, but it turned out that he was really the one I should¡¯ve been worried about,¡± he admitted.


    Marin shook his head. ¡°More bandits than I remember. More danger than before,¡± Marin believed.


    ¡°Or just bad luck,¡± Loid responded.


    ¡°Regardless, I learned a lot. I¡¯m just glad I didn¡¯t get him killed. The real miracle was putting a stop to that thieving guild. And recovering my golden cross. Hey, at least I succeeded on some level. We have the doctor. Did you know he¡¯s a blood elemental? He invented it himself. A strong one, he is.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, there are a few things I need to tell you,¡± Loid said.


    ¡°Well, now¡¯s the time to tell me.¡±


    ¡°I kind of took the liberty of also doing some recruiting of my own,¡± Loid stated.


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°I had ordered some advertisements about defenders for our castle on the community boards in Whitewood. Eh, we had four approach us. Three I rejected since they were no better than our own guards. But one, I hired. She beat all of our own, including our Captain, Max. Heck, I don¡¯t know how well I¡¯d fair against her myself.¡±


    ¡°Well that¡¯s interesting. You should have told me about that during my arrival. I would have loved to meet her today. What¡¯s her name? Where is she?¡± Marin pressed.


    ¡°Her name is Ester. She¡¯s a samurai. Looks to be thirty-something. I gave her one of the better rooms on the floor below us.¡±


    ¡°A samurai? One from Ocusomer Island?¡±


    ¡°Yup. A native from there, she says. She left the island after becoming a samurai and ventured out onto Grandom. Ended up out here in the north, looking for work, purpose¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°I see. Did you get her prestige?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t even know that was a thing,¡± Loid admitted in his ignorance. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Marin knew the samurais from Ocusomer measured mastery of swordsmanship on a prestige level. Prestige one was respectable, prestige two was commendable. Prestige three was fearsome and prestige four was nearly impossible to achieve.


    He explained all this to Loid.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ll have to forgive me, the most I knew about samurais were their location. I¡¯m not familiar with their inner-workings and systems. I¡¯m shocked you know about it, with your whole memory loss situation,¡± Loid pointed out.


    ¡°I¡¯ve found that I retain most general knowledge, but personal events and memories are missing,¡± Marin explained. ¡°For instance, I met someone who knew me as I returned to the Murok Mountains, and I had not a clue who he was¡± he casually added.


    ¡°What?! How is that possible?¡± Loid yelled.


    ¡°He is a Knight named Sygol. Virtually immortal, with the unique situation he has going on. His soul was tied to a rather large suit of armor indefinitely. Apparently he¡¯s been on this moral realm for the last thousand years or so.¡±


    Loid was speechless. Marin explained it all so nonchalantly.


    ¡°And honestly, my ignorance of my friends and my past has been a torment. It was embarrassing to not know a friend who knew me so well. And what¡¯s more, Loid, is that I have become significantly weaker since I woke up! That¡¯s right, the powerful Sullivan Marin you know so well is actually not nearly as powerful as he once was.


    I¡­ I feel like I am an echo of myself, Loid. In every way. I want to recover my memory. I want to recover my strength. I would like to sleep, I would like to eat. I want to live. I just feel like I¡¯m bearing a punishment for my ambition. One that will last¡­ who knows how long.¡±


    Loid was overloaded. He recognized Marin was on an emotional rant at the moment, but he was just grazing over very important information that needed to be expounded upon.


    Loid grasped his silver goatee in thought, trying to figure out what to say.


    ¡°Sygol thinks maybe my memory and abilities will come back over time,¡± Marin added. ¡°Its a hope, but one I don¡¯t have much faith in. Things will just have to slowly reveal themselves over time, that knight being one of them.¡±


    ¡°You mind me asking you to elaborate more on everything you just told me? It might give me an idea or two,¡± Loid tried.


    Marin opened his hands as a gesture to ask away.


    ¡°What do you mean weaker? And how did you find out about this?¡± Loid asked.


    ¡°Sygol explained to me that apparently I was once a fierce ice elemental,¡± Marin responded.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°So I thought. I explained myself to him, and he offered a duel. I took him up, since discovering anything pertaining to myself is quite valuable to me. We fought, and Loid, I tell you, I gave everything I had.


    I created ice wall after wall. I erupted sharp pillars of icicles trying to defeat him. I tried freezing him. It all failed. His sword slashed through everything I created like it wasn¡¯t even there. He bashed through my ice walls like they were made of cardboard. It seemed like all he had to do was flex to break out of the toughest frozen prison I tried surrounding him in.


    He is incredibly strong. Quite the force to be reckoned with, I tell you. And yet, after it was all over, he admitted to me there was a time when I outclassed him in battle.¡±


    Loid scoffed. ¡°You don¡¯t think maybe he¡¯s gotten stronger in the last two centuries? More than he could realize?¡±


    ¡°It might be true. But Sygol knew my strength, and knew my current form was lacking. He said my connection to the power plane was rusty. Which would make sense, seeing as my own memory and thoughts have deteriorated immensely.


    My only hope of returning to my former strength would be through training once again, or a recovery of my memories. I don¡¯t know which would take longer, if we¡¯re being honest,¡± Marin explained.


    ¡°Well, where is this knight now? He reunited with you then disappeared?¡± Loid asked.


    ¡°Sygol is in the middle of a campaign against Kudu and his followers known as ¡®The Decay¡¯. My guess is that he caught wind that I was around again, and sought me out to recruit me in his war with them. But when he saw the pathetic state I was in, he understood that I would be no help to him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s pretty harsh, Sullivan. I think you¡¯re feeling a tad too self-conscious,¡± Loid noted. ¡°You are really strong, even if it¡¯s a fraction that he¡¯s claiming you once were. You would be a help in almost any situation. I¡¯m sure he had other reasons to not ask you to join him, if he even had that in mind at all.¡±


    Marin nodded, and took a deep breath of air that he gained no benefit from. ¡°You¡¯re probably right, Loid. He knew I was running a kingdom again, and it would be inappropriate to ask me to drop it to fight some secret cult.¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡± Loid yelled.


    Marin studied the fire, and watched the flames dance upon the logs they consumed. With all of that in mind, there was still so much Marin had to fill Loid in with.


    ¡°Now, about the Doctor,¡± Marin said, changing the subject.


    ¡°Eisen.¡±


    ¡°Yes. He¡¯s going to be working on where my immortality potion went wrong. He wants to perfect it, and perhaps even cure me. That was his main reason in joining the kingdom.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Loid yelled yet again, realizing the assault of shocking news was not yet over with. ¡°He knows your secret?!¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t my plan to tell him. Heck, it wasn¡¯t ever my plan to even recruit him. But he has the Detect Life skill that revealed my zombie state to him. And if I wasn¡¯t going to be honest with him, Gus would have died, I might¡¯ve died¡­ there was nothing I could do.¡±


    Loid wondered if the odd looking doctor could even come close to replicating the potion Marin had made. It would take someone of the utmost intelligence to even develop half the properties of it. However, from what Loid had listened to at dinner from the Doctor, he may be just that. It seemed Eisen knew just about everything there was to know.


    He was even impressing the very knowledgeable librarian Marge Halkress. She was a historian of a higher tier than most scholars, and history wasn¡¯t even the doctor¡¯s strong suit. Perhaps Eisen really would be the key to solving Marin¡¯s case.


    ¡°I just hope his intentions are good. I wouldn¡¯t expect anyone to develop an immortality potion for the charity of another. He might double-cross you in the end, and use the potion for himself,¡± Loid warned.


    ¡°Don¡¯t for a second think I haven¡¯t thought of that myself. It is a bridge we will cross if or when we ever get there. The fact that I could get my condition reversed is worth almost any risk of the Doctor going haywire on us,¡± Marin plainly stated.


    ¡°And besides, I don¡¯t think his benevolency is entirely an act. He did save Gus¡¯s life even while knowing something was wrong with me. He could have ignored the boy and tried to dissect me for all we know. He definitely has ambition, that much is for sure, but even if he tries to use the potion on himself, I expect him to still honor our agreement and help me,¡± he added.


    ¡°Okay. You know what you¡¯re doing, Sullivan. I hope it all goes well.¡±


    Me too. I hope I¡¯m not being too selfish in risking the safety of my kingdom just so a mad doctor might be able to fix me.


    The flames of the logs were dying down. They had already been talking for a couple hours. Marin contemplated throwing another log on, but believed they would be done talking soon.


    ¡°I never did ask if everything was smooth while I was gone,¡± Marin said.


    ¡°It was fine. No issues here, not really. Honestly, I¡¯m satisfied everything went ¨C well, there was one thing that happened,¡± Loid suddenly remembered.


    Marin turned to look at him.


    ¡°There was an explosion,¡± Loid reported.


    ¡°A what?!¡±


    ¡°At least, that¡¯s what it sounded like. In reality, there was no evidence of it happening. I eventually wrote it off, but it¡¯s really confusing,¡± Loid said.


    ¡°When and where?¡± Marin asked, again annoyed that Loid held back another piece of information that he would¡¯ve appreciated knowing sooner.


    ¡°At the end of the southeast living quarters during the late evening. Right by Phil and Rocko¡¯s room. Everyone heard it, but there was nothing out of place.¡±


    Marin immediately stood up. ¡°I need to investigate.¡±


    ¡°We already did. No once could find anything,¡± Loid tried.


    ¡°You said it happened right by Phil and Rocko¡¯s room?¡± Marin confirmed.


    Loid nodded.


    Marin then instructed for both of them to make the journey to their bedroom, despite it being on the bottom floor and needing a solid ten minutes of walking to get there.


    Loid did not expect Marin to react in such urgency, especially after Loid tried convincing Marin that there was nothing the matter, and it was most likely someone partying too hard, or a hooligan setting off a firecracker and running away.


    Marin though, demanded to look things over himself for his own satisfaction.


    Loid could respect that, he would probably be the same way.


    They both paced the castle, reaching the lowest level, and walking down the residential hall of the first floor that mostly housed the castle¡¯s common work force, which included both the boys.


    It was unexpected for the King to be down at this level during the current hour, and most were surprised to see him. Marin gave his greetings to those he passed, before finally reaching Phil and Rocko¡¯s room at the very end of the hall.


    ¡°This is their room, correct?¡± Marin asked when they reached the door.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Loid approached, and gave a firm knock on the door. There was no response.


    After another moment, Loid opened the door, and found the room empty. Phil and Rocko were not present.


    ¡°Where could they be?¡± Marin asked.


    Loid checked his pocket watch. ¡°At this hour? Probably in the rec rooms playing pool or cards. Hard to say.¡±


    Marin walked to the center and started inspecting the room. The King took much more effort looking over their living space than Loid would have ever done.


    ¡°Everyone reported that the noise originated from here?¡± Marin asked Loid to confirm.


    ¡°Yes, yet, no sign anything happened,¡± he responded.


    Marin glanced at each corner. He eventually reached the opposite wall to the door, where Rocko had seen Phil standing scared with a massive hole in the castle from his explosion.


    Marin ran his glove-covered hand over the wall, feeling the bricks that made up their room.


    His hand suddenly stopped. Something was very wrong.


    ¡°Everything okay?¡± Loid asked.


    ¡°These bricks have been relaid. In a completely pristine manner,¡± Marin said, while continuing to note the smoothness in the wall.


    ¡°Really?!¡± Loid said as he approached too and began studying the wall. ¡°How can you tell?¡±


    ¡°I know my castle very well. This has been freshly built. That, and its obvious this wall was not hand-placed. An earth elemental ordered these bricks to place themselves.¡± Marin ran his hand over the small gaps where mortar should have been. ¡°In a hasty manner too, I might add.¡±


    Loid looked over to Marin. Either his King was completely losing it, or he was extremely perceptive and something very secretive was happening right under his nose.


    ¡°H-how is that possible? Are you sure?¡± Loid asked.


    ¡°As sure as the sun will rise tomorrow. And I don¡¯t know why it has been done. But someone in my Kingdom has not been honest about who they really are. And I plan on finding out who.¡±

 Chapter 41 - Back to Business

    As always, it was another sleepless night for Marin, but at least he could spend the long quiet hours in his own dwelling. That certainly beat the tavern or inn he had experienced for the past several days. He passed a few of those hours writing new pieces for his organ that he enjoyed playing, and read some books on Kudu, which he happened to have in his own personal library.


    Later, he could be found on his balcony, overlooking the nightwatch below him. The cold winter wind blew as he toked on his pipe filled with smokeleaf. It was something he felt no effect from, but the familiarity of doing so when he was truly alive made the whole action worth it.


    Finally, as the morning would approach within a couple of hours, Marin laid face-up on his luxurious bed, staring at the framing above him, with his fingers interconnected, resting on his chest.


    Laying there, he began to think of the secret earth elemental hidden within his Kingdom somewhere. He had told Loid that it was his plan to find out who that was, and indeed it was something he aimed to do ¨C he just had no idea how to go about the investigation.


    Marin guessed that interviewing Phil and Rocko on the events would be a great place to start, but after dwelling on the whole matter, Marin began to realize he did not have time to become a sleuth. He had a Kingdom to run, and with RAM showing up soon, he did not have the time nor the extra energy to spend on cracking this case.


    He would have to hire an investigator. Who though? Marin could not think of anyone who would be good enough for the job. Everyone who lived in the castle already had jobs, and hiring an outside private investigator would be folly.


    Marin threw his hands up at his inability to properly address this whole situation. Maybe he would leave it to Loid. After all, this earth elemental didn¡¯t seem to be a hostile player. As far as Marin was concerned, he had created an accidental explosion that he had to quickly cover up. That was apparently the worst thing that had happened so far. It wasn¡¯t of dire urgency to uncover this secret person at the moment.


    After weighing it all, Marin decided that discovering the secret elemental would be a low priority at this time. Maybe when he wouldn¡¯t be so busy, he would conduct some sort of effort, but until then, he would tell Loid to keep his eyes open for suspicious activity.


    Marin looked to his right, and through a window, the sky began to lighten.


    It was day time once again, and that signaled the end of being trapped in his quarters.


    It was only six in the morning, but that didn¡¯t stop Marin from entering the hallway of the top floor, and walking a few doors down to one of the fancy guest rooms that resided close to him.


    He approached that specific door, and gave it a few firm knocks. Marin didn¡¯t expect an immediate opening, but that was okay. He was a patient man, and it was early in the morning after all.


    After hearing some rumblings and mumblings from the other side, the door eventually opened, revealing a frazzled doctor who was getting his circular glasses on straight.


    ¡°Good Morning, Doctor,¡± Marin greeted upon seeing Eisen.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. It sure is,¡± Eisen responded sarcastically, still composing himself after being woken up just minutes ago.


    ¡°Are you ready to travel to my old laboratory?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°As ready as I¡¯ll ever be. Lead the way,¡± Eisen instructed, while pulling his brittle gray hair back into a familiar ponytail.


    Marin never had struggles with the morning hours anymore due to his lack of sleep, but even the doctor had to battle it, continuing to wake up as he walked with Marin to the lower levels.


    Yesterday, before Eisen departed for the night after dinner, Marin had told him that he would be waking him up early to grab the notes from his sealed-off lab the next morning. The doctor was excited, and respected the fact that Marin wanted to get him on the research as soon as possible.


    On the way down, and to the back of the castle where the forbidden room had been closed off, they held conversation.


    ¡°The notes are scattered in a messy fashion. I couldn¡¯t tell you if all the research is even there,¡± Marin explained.


    ¡°Anything will help. If I could recover a good chunk of your research, I should be able to piece the rest of it together.¡±


    ¡°I hope so.¡±


    Eisen was looking forward to the work, and was ready to apply all the knowledge he had into figuring out just how Marin got himself into the state he was in. His stained white lab coat rippled behind him as they both paced to their destination.


    After entering a wing of the castle that was closed off to most, they took several turns to get to the back of the castle where Marin¡¯s old workstations were. Half way down the hallway, Marin halted, causing Eisen to abruptly stop as well.


    ¡°What is it?¡± The doctor asked.


    ¡°This is where it was,¡± Marin responded, realizing that Eisen hadn¡¯t even noticed the old entrance of the lab that had been bricked away seamlessly into the wall.


    Eisen squinted at the former doorway, but then noticed that the bricks were of slightly different texture than the rest of the hallway.


    ¡°Wow,¡± the doctor exclaimed. ¡°You commissioned some really good work to close this off, and make it unnoticeable. I wasn¡¯t even wise of it.¡±


    ¡°Well, had I known that I would¡¯ve met someone who would be taking a crack at this project, I wouldn¡¯t have this sealed away. It¡¯s a shame I have to undo such handiwork, but it can¡¯t be helped,¡± Marin said.


    He then pushed his palm up against the sealed archway, and frost escaped from his hand, slowly coating the stone bricks in the immediate area. After that had been completed, he gently pushed on the wall, and the bricks ¨C which had become brittle from the frost infusion ¨C fell forward into the hidden room behind them.


    ¡°You¡¯re not that great in combat, Marin. But your technical use of ice is very, very good,¡± Eisen commented after watching the mastered use of ice infusion, something that only expert level elementals could perform.


    ¡°It¡¯s because I studied at Arkana. They teach you to use your element for utility, not as a weapon,¡± Marin responded as he walked into the dark room. ¡°But, I¡¯m sure with you being a blood elemental and all, you would know quite a bit about technical expertise.¡±


    Marin¡¯s old research facility was just as he had left it. The very glass from the beaker he drank still littered the ground. He began explaining the whole experience to Eisen ¨C every thing he could remember. The doctor began collecting every piece of paper he could get his hands on. He went through all the drawers, grasping everything he could find.


    After Marin gave his rough recollection of how everything went down, Eisen had a fairly thick stack of aged paperwork in his grasp.


    ¡°Well Marin, look at it this way. Almost no one gets it all right the first time. The fact you used yourself as a guinea pig to see if it would work though, that¡¯s crazy. But hopefully I can see where you went wrong, and right that small detail.¡± Eisen began shoving the papers inside his lab coat.


    ¡°It goes without saying I¡¯m sure, but no other eyes are to ever see that paperwork,¡± Marin said in quite the serious tone.


    ¡°Of course, of course,¡± Eisen confirmed. ¡°I will get on this right away, just as soon as the servants move all my belongings into the basement. I need to get my facilities set up first.¡±


    ¡°I will fund everything you request, in return for taking care of my citizens,¡± Marin also reminded him.


    After Eisen made sure he had everything he needed, they both stepped out of the ominous room and back into the hallway.


    ¡°So, are you going to get that sealed up again?¡± Eisen asked as they walked away.


    ¡°No point now. You have in possession the very reason I closed off the room to begin with. I trust it will stay safe in your hands,¡± Marin hoped.


    The two of them walked back out of the abandoned wing, continuing to talk in a hushed manner. They eventually reached the grand hall of the castle, where Eisen would leave him.


    ¡°Good luck to you, Doctor,¡± Marin concluded with. ¡°Come to me with any breakthroughs, else I will check in with you every once in a while.¡±


    The doctor nodded, said some final words, and hobbled off to a hallway. At the end of it contained a set of stairs that lead to the basement where he now resided.


    Marin sighed. He worried if he was making a bad decision, but hoped Eisen would do the right thing.


    With that matter now taken care of, he checked the time. Morning was already well on its way. Breakfast had already commenced, and those who ate immediately would be done by now.


    That meant it was now time for Marin to head to the main office, where he would meet with Helva. There were other affairs to take care of.


    Marin marched to the end of the grand hall, where the offices of Helva and Harrel resided. Marin peered around the corner, and saw that they both had just arrived to begin their work after a short breakfast.


    They hadn¡¯t expected Marin to show up at the moment, but they happily embraced him.


    ¡°Can you pull for me Gus¡¯s work schedule? I need to see when he¡¯s off,¡± Marin requested.


    ¡°Gus?¡± Helva repeated. ¡°I believe he¡¯s a morning guard, but let me check just to make sure.¡± She walked to set of filing cabinets stationed on the opposite wall. While she had them opened, and skimming through papers, Marin looked over to Harrel.


    Harrel gave him a nod. ¡°Good to see you, my King,¡± He stated.


    ¡°You as well. Thank you for accounting the kingdom¡¯s finances. I know it¡¯s not an easy job.¡±


    Harrel gave him another nod, then walked off to the backroom without another word. Marin noticed something seemed off about the man. He wondered if something was the matter.


    Helva returned to the front with the correct paper. ¡°Yes, he is indeed morning. His hours are from six to two.¡±


    That was good news. That meant Gus had the evening off, and Marin decided it would be during that time his lessons would commence. There was another pressing issue, though.


    ¡°Thank you for letting me know, Helva. Say, um¡­¡± Marin peered off to make sure Harrel was not walking back over.


    ¡°Is everything alright with your husband? I feel as if he¡¯s reserved towards me.¡±


    Helva didn¡¯t answer immediately. She thought, tilted her head, and finally pursed her lips.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°Can I talk to you tonight in your quarters?¡± She asked mysteriously.


    ¡°Of course!¡± Marin said back.


    ¡°Okay. I will tell you then. I needed to talk to you about this anyways,¡± she added.


    Marin grew anxious. What did all this mean? Did Harrel have something against him? He wondered, but after standing still there for too long, Helva noticed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Marin. It¡¯s nothing dire. If it was an emergency, I¡¯d be telling you now. I¡¯ll just talk to you tonight,¡± she tried convincing him.


    ¡°Right. Right, of course,¡± Marin responded, shaking off his thoughts. He had to get back to business. ¡°Could you also send Ester up to my residence? You know who she is, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the new samurai that Loid hired,¡± she said.


    ¡°That¡¯s her. I haven¡¯t had a chance to talk with her yet, and I¡¯d love to conduct my own interview.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll summon her,¡± Helva confirmed.


    ¡°Thank you. Before I leave, any word on RAM?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°They¡¯ll show up any of these days. I just hope our watchtower guard notices and sends word before they¡¯re right on our doorstep,¡± Helva joked with a smile.


    ¡°Indeed. Have Max make it very clear to the watch that identifying them and telling us immediately is quite important.¡±


    Helva nodded.


    ¡°Alright, well, I will be off. I¡¯ll see you later, Helva. Thank you again,¡± Marin said.


    Walking back down the hallway, Marin got lost in thought about Harrel again. He wondered if it was an internal issue Mr. Yoren struggled with, or if it was a struggle with Marin himself. Regardless, there was nothing Marin would want more than to improve any situation that he could.


    It could even be a trivial matter, like a desire for a raise in pay, which Marin would happily oblige. Heck, Marin wouldn¡¯t wrestle with paying either of them twice what he did now, that¡¯s how important their work was to him.


    The entire Kingdom functioned correctly due to his staff, and they were quite valuable to him.


    Marin convinced himself that it was a small, easily taken care of matter such as that. What else could it be? He had to get back up to his quarters now, though. Ester would be on her way up soon, and he was anxious to meet the samurai ¨C a master of swordplay.


    Marin finally sat back down in his rolling chair in the center room of his personal quarters. Checking a golden pocket watch, the time was nearing 11 ¨C the day was already well on its way.


    After keeping himself busy by reading the mail that came in for him that day, there was a knock on the door.


    Marin knew who to expect. ¡°Enter!¡± He declared in his usual tone.


    The knob turned, and it was revealed.


    A woman, about thirty. She wore plain robes of a dull blue color, a humble look that many from Ocusomer sported. She had hair as black as ink, tied neatly into a bun above her head. Tucked in her waistband was a scabbard that housed what Marin could only guess was a katana.


    Marin knew immediately this was Ester. He quickly stood up, and walked around his desk to greet her.


    She seemed shy and quite nervous, but Marin was adamant to put on a welcoming and laid back atmosphere to counter that.


    ¡°You must be Ester,¡± Marin declared as he extended his palm in front of her.


    She slowly brought hers up for a handshake.


    When they shook, Marin read not a twinge of elemental discipline at all from it. That was expected. Samurai focused on blade mastery to such a degree, that learning an element would only take away from it.


    ¡°Please, please. Have a seat. I¡¯ve been excited to meet you,¡± Marin stated as he gestured her over to one of the two chairs in front of his desk. He then walked back around to sit in his own rolling chair.


    Ester grasped the hilt of her blade as she sat down, adjusting the way it pointed while she rested in the chair. It was an action that had become second nature to her.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to be here, my King,¡± she said in the softest tone.


    Marin leaned forward, resting his arms and crossing his hands on the desk before him.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m happy to have you. So, tell me about yourself. What brought you to my castle?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°I was looking for a change in lifestyle, and saw your advertisement on the community boards in Whitewood City,¡± she said.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Marin responded.


    ¡°I¡¯m originally from Ocusomer Isle. I left after I became a samurai to see the world. After traveling for months¡­ I decided I didn¡¯t want to go back. So here I am,¡± she explained.


    Marin nodded slowly, thinking about it all.


    ¡°Are you sure this is a fitting place for you? It¡¯s a lot different than whats on your island home,¡± Marin said.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I like it here. And I really love this castle. I¡¯m happy to put my skills to work keeping it safe. It¡¯s very pretty.¡± Ester seemed quite adamant.


    ¡°Well¡­ okay. I can agree with you on the castle. And we both share a love for it, that¡¯s for certain. Might I ask what your prestige is?¡±


    Ester looked surprise that Marin even knew about that.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m prestige one,¡± she said.


    Marin nodded. Well, that was better than no prestige. She had at least worked to earn the first level. Even one was mighty enough.


    Marin raised his hand, and with a quick crackling noise, fabricated an ice cube in between his fingers. The look of shock on her face said it all. She hadn¡¯t been told that Marin was an ice elemental.


    ¡°If I threw this cube of ice at you, would you be able to slice it in half?¡± Marin asked plainly.


    ¡°Um¡­ I suppose I could.¡±


    Without the passing of more than one second, Marin did just that. With no warning, he threw the cube directly at her head.


    Within the span of mere milliseconds, she had her sword unsheathed, the blade meeting the cube right in the middle, slicing it in half, sending each side flying in opposite directions. It had been a completely instinctive defensive measure, a reactive movement Ester had almost no control over.


    She now stood there with her exposed blade facing downward.


    ¡°That¡¯s good enough for me,¡± Marin stated, feeling complete confidence in his new hired samurai. ¡°Welcome to Nocturne. Have you a schedule that you follow?¡±


    She sheathed her blade and sat back down, replaying in her mind what just happened.


    ¡°Loid just has me on call. I do keep watch throughout the day, though. I¡¯ve made up some rounds for myself, keeping an eye on everything,¡± Ester explained.


    ¡°Well if that¡¯s good enough for him, it¡¯s good enough for me. Would you be alright with the odd job here or there?¡± Marin asked.


    She nodded.


    ¡°Perfect,¡± Marin said.


    They talked for a while longer. Marin shared some information about himself and the history of the castle, while Ester did the same about her life on Ocusomer. Eventually, he excused her from his quarters, and the day continued. The evening approached as Marin spent the day performing several administrative tasks, answering letters, speaking to more people, and filling out paperwork.


    Dinner was served, and Marin as always sat at the end of the table, watching everyone eat while he talked about whatever was on the minds of his friends. Surprisingly enough, Eisen was not present, and after inquiring with Loid, discovered that the doctor much rather eat alone without the company of others in his basement.


    Marin shrugged. ¡°Whatever floats his boat. Not like it¡¯s some requirement to eat specifically here.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a very antisocial person, isn¡¯t he?¡± Loid asked.


    ¡°Yeah I don¡¯t think he cares much for people in general. He was a hermit when we found him in Tarenfall. We were probably the first people in years to enter his house when I brought Gus in,¡± Marin replied.


    Marge defended him, explaining that it was not uncommon for highly intelligent people to be loners.


    ¡°So what are you saying about us, Marge?¡± Loid teased.


    After dinner, Marin entered the kitchens, something he liked doing now and then, to check the status of his cooking crew, and Sherry of course, Loid¡¯s wife.


    As always, it was a busy hive of bees in there. Older chefs were in charge of cooking, while younger lads in the kitchen took the burden of cleaning giant pots and pans. As busy as it looked, Sherry enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the kitchen, it kept her young, she said.


    In the late evening, Marin was found in his room again. It didn¡¯t take long for Loid to come around. Again, they spent some time in the personal library talking, and telling stories.


    There was a knock on his door.


    ¡°Were you expecting someone?¡± Loid asked.


    ¡°Hm¡­ yes! Helva, I believe,¡± Marin answered as he stood up to answer the door.


    Sure enough it was her.


    ¡°Helva, come on in,¡± Marin said.


    He was anticipating this conversation earlier, and was happy that Helva hadn¡¯t forgot to address the situation.


    ¡°Do I need to leave?¡± Loid asked, reading a somber look on Helva¡¯s face.


    ¡°No. Not at all. In fact, you know a bit about what I¡¯m going to tell him,¡± she answered.


    Loid nodded. He knew about Harrel.


    ¡°What are you guys not telling me?¡± Marin demanded as the three of them sat at his desk in the center room.


    ¡°Harrel knows that the facts are not adding up with you, Marin,¡± Helva started off as she crossed her legs and adjusted her glasses.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°He believes you¡¯re not who you say you are,¡± Loid added. ¡°Let¡¯s just say. Either you being undead or a different person is the only way all the facts about you make sense.¡±


    Marin grabbed his chin over the mask. He was silent for a moment as he processed their words. ¡°...I knew this might happen. In fact, why wouldn¡¯t it? He handles so much work for the castle, information about me¡­ All he had to do was put two and two together.¡±


    ¡°And to be honest, King Marin, it¡¯s been hard lying to him about the truth of you. Yes, I said lying,¡± Helva mentioned. ¡°It¡¯s no longer concealing the truth. He knows too much. I¡¯ve had to outright deny stuff I know.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Marin said, realizing the severity of the situation. ¡°So what do we do? Helva, do you trust him to keep my secret safe?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± It didn¡¯t take Helva even a moment to answer. It was almost like she had thought this scenario out already in advance.


    Marin looked over to Loid, who kept his head down. Without any other options, there was only one course of action to take.


    ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll talk with him tonight.¡±


    It was then silent for a moment as everyone pondered.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t hurt to tell him about our monetary situation, either,¡± Helva added. ¡°He already knows you have a gold hoard somewhere. He handles all our finances, and sees that we have some seemingly endless supply of funds. You don¡¯t have to get into detail about it all, but just confirming his suspicions would put a lot of his mind to rest.¡±


    Marin nodded.


    He spun around in his rolling chair to look out the windows, facing away from his two closest subordinates.


    ¡°...What is the status of our financial situation?¡± He finally asked after some quiet thought. Marin had not asked or even checked on the vault in sometime out of fear on how bad the depletion was.


    ¡°If you¡¯re talking about how much gold we¡¯ve pulled from the vault, it¡¯s been a considerable amount,¡± Loid started. ¡°I¡¯m not implying though that we¡¯ve put some kind of dent in your fortune. Think more along the lines of drawing a single bucket of water from a well. It¡¯s almost not noticeable when you realize how much is in there,¡± he explained.


    Marin turned back around to see them.


    Helva nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Alright. Well if we ever DO reach a point where we¡¯ve pulled out more than what¡¯s comfortable, I need to be informed. Because at that point, I need to take action to stop us from bleeding out entirely.¡±


    ¡°I can tell you that the amount we pull out has been less and less lately. Nocturne is turning some gold back around from our exports,¡± Loid tried calming him.


    ¡°Good. That¡¯s good to hear,¡± Marin responded. ¡°Alright. Well, leave me be and send Harrel in. I will go ahead and talk to him.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Marin,¡± Helva said, feeling enormous weight lifted from her. She would feel so much relief after Harrel knew the truth, and she wouldn¡¯t have to hide information from him anymore.


    Loid left with Helva, knowing that Sullivan was not exactly thrilled with the whole situation. Marin was troubled about it all, but understood what had to be done. Loid just hoped that he would work it all out with ease.

 Chapter 42 - Prime Lesson

    It was back to the normal routine of castle life for Gus. Being a morning guard, his post began at six, which meant at five in the morning, he was already beginning to wake up. This morning marked three days since his long journey with Marin.


    As was typical of him, he got up out of bed, and headed towards the barracks for a hot shower. Afterwards, he ate a small breakfast in the dining room, which provided limited options before six. By the time he was geared up and wearing Nocturne¡¯s tabard, it was five minutes until the start of his shift.


    By that time he was waiting in the briefing room with his fellow morning guards, about to receive reports from the night watch about anything important. There was hardly ever anything interesting to report about, but the captain of the guard, Max was adamant in the different shifts communicating with each other.


    ¡°So Morello scared Teddy so bad last night that he soiled himself,¡± one of the night watch guards continued on. Everyone in the room laughed.


    Since there was never any real danger in the castle, the two night shift guards who were tasked with relaying information to morning shift just took the time to tell them all funny stories.


    ¡°You should¡¯ve seen the look on Captain Urshoff¡¯s face when Teddy ran to him saying there was an accident! He stood up, ready to take action, but then smelled a horrendous odor coming from him!¡±


    Rudolf, who was sitting by Gus, had gone beet red from laughing so hard. The jokes and funny stories were always appreciated, it was a good way to start the day.


    Jokes aside though, a nightwatch guard had a specific message to relay once after the laughter had subsided.


    ¡°Hey Rudolf?¡± He asked.


    Rudolf nodded, still shaking off the laughter from the story.


    ¡°You¡¯re on the watchtower, right? This note came through from Max about you being extra observant for the RAM officials who are coming soon,¡± he explained.


    Rudolf went from a lighthearted demeanor to a slightly offended one.


    ¡°What?¡± Rudolf responded. ¡°As if I don¡¯t take my job seriously enough? I¡¯m the best lookout this squad has! Remember, I saw the King coming from miles away before he got here. Had enough time to get half the castle waitin¡¯ for him! Max tellin¡¯ me to be extra observant is like tellin¡¯ Ned to scratch his head more!¡±


    Ned Calamo was an interior designer for the castle who must¡¯ve had a terrible case of eczema on his scalp. He almost always had his left hand up on his head.


    A few guards chuckled at the comparison.


    ¡°Look man, I don¡¯t care how good you are or aren¡¯t. I just gotta tell you the message, that¡¯s all,¡± the night guard explained.


    ¡°Yeah, well. Whatever,¡± Rudolf grumbled.


    The rest of the morning briefing went well, and it wasn¡¯t long before Gus had officially started his shift. It consisted mostly of walking several rounds in the castle, and a few outside postings whom he relieved other guards to let eat and refresh themselves.


    Gus always had his trusty claymore slung to his back, ready to use at anytime if a situation called for it. He made small talk with his fellow guards, but his mind stayed occupied about becoming an elemental.


    He hoped Marin hadn¡¯t forgotten about him, but Gus knew that it couldn¡¯t be true. Marin was too smart a man for that to be the case. He must be very busy, then. Very busy indeed, Gus realized. It dawned on him that it could even be weeks before he got any lessons. That would suck.


    Gus got his break for lunch. He briskly made his way to the dining room with limited time. He had just a half hour to eat, and return to his post.


    At the table, he sat around other castle members, listening to them talk about their affairs. At some point, he glanced to the end of the center table where Marin would sit during mealtimes.


    He wasn¡¯t there at the moment. Gus wondered if he even made an appearance during lunchtime. He knew his King to be quite sparse in his eating.


    In fact, if Marin had much going on, most people wouldn¡¯t even see the King besides an hour at dinner, if you were fortunate enough to not be on duty during that time.


    Gus and Marin had traveled so long together, done so much, and spent so much time around each other, it was a shock to see that his King hadn¡¯t even said a word to him in the whole three days back at the castle.


    Gus understood. He was just a lowly castle guard while Marin had a great weight in managing complex kingdom affairs. It was just a polar change that he had to readjust to. It looked to be that the only time he would spend with him again would be the lessons, if those ever did come to pass.


    Lunch was over, back to the grind. Gus returned to his post, happy that at least his shift would be done in three hours.


    He stood outside, watching carts periodically move goods to and from Nocturne Castle. Gus figured if he mastered the ice element, he could get a better job than just a standard guard. Maybe get promoted to captain, or even the King¡¯s bodyguard. Those were much more respectable titles, he believed.


    After his shift ended, a guard came to relieve him. The Evening Post were now in action at 2pm. As was standard, two of the morning guards had filled the evening ones with any information during the briefing.


    Another day over. Gus made his way to the armory, and hung his claymore on the wall besides the other weapons. He removed his tabard and belt that kept it together. After removing any extra gear, Gus headed towards the barracks.


    Walking down the hallway, he passed Max Coronga¡¯s office. The captain was sitting behind the desk writing some paperwork. At the sight of Gus walking by, he called him out.


    ¡°Gus!¡± He thundered out, as he saw the young lad slowly walk by.


    Gus was slightly nervous. Getting called out by the captain of the guard in such a manner was usually for a bad reason.


    ¡°Yes sir?¡± Gus responded.


    Max casually tossed a sealed note from his side of the desk to the other.


    ¡°Note for you. From the King, I think,¡± he calmly stated.


    Gus became ecstatic, but tried to hide it.


    ¡°T-Thank you, sir,¡± he said as he reached forward to pick it up. It was sealed with red wax, and had a crown emblem on it.


    Gus turned around to walk out, note in both hands.


    ¡°And, Gus?¡± Max called again.


    He turned around.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to have you back, bud,¡± Max stated with a smile.


    ¡°Aye, sir.¡±


    When Gus was out of sight from his captain, he ran down the hallway to the barracks. He wasn¡¯t opening the note right there in the hallway. He would be sitting down at his table, fully prepared to take in whatever Marin had written to him.


    It was about time Marin had finally contacted him. He worried though, that the note would tell him to be patient and wait for the right time for the teaching to begin. Regardless what it would say, though, Gus was happy enough to have his belief confirmed that Marin hadn¡¯t forgotten him.


    Back in his own personal room, Gus sat in a wooden chair, and cracked the seal open. He unfolded the letter, and began reading.


    Gus, it¡¯s about time I made good on our deal, seeing as you¡¯ve held up your end. Meet me today at 3, in the old woods to the left of the castle. I¡¯ve prepared some stuff for you.


    --Marin


    Gus couldn¡¯t believe it. He reread the short note. Then he looked at the time. It was only 2:15. He reread the note, then read it again. He scanned it over and over, committing it to memory.


    This was better news than he had prepared himself for. Gus checked his watch again, and wondered if he should get there early. No, that would be disrespectful, right? Marin said 3, not 2 whatever. He needed to wait.


    Gus wondered if he should bring anything with him. What would he? His claymore? No point in that. He looked around his room, but then looked down at the note, where it said Marin had prepared him with stuff.


    He wouldn¡¯t need anything. Marin had it taken care of.


    Within the next moment, fellow morning guard Corey Beren entered Gus Talbor¡¯s room.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡°Hey man, are you still coming to Glenn¡¯s sparring event? Rudolf said he was bringing that thing he invented,¡± Corey asked while standing in the door frame.


    ¡°No can do, Corey! I have new plans!¡± Gus said with great excitement.


    ¡°Better than clashing swords?¡± Corey jokingly asked.


    ¡°Much better, my friend! Much better!¡± Gus stood up, and pocketed the note. He went to head out.


    ¡°If time permits, I might be there for the second half of it, we¡¯ll see. For now though, I gotta go!¡± Gus took off down the hallway without another word.


    Corey hadn¡¯t even gotten the chance to ask him what new event had him so excited. He watched as Gus rounded the corner, and disappeared.


    To the left of Nocturne Castle was a path that led out of the kingdom, and to a cluster of trees that was simply known as the woods. It wasn¡¯t far away from the castle in any sense, it was just a stone¡¯s throw away. It only took ten minutes to get to it.


    Since snow now fell year round in the Murok Mountains, the trees never regained their leaves. They all sat there dormant, waiting for a spring that would now never arrive. Whether the trees were even alive or not at this point was unknown.


    As the three o¡¯ clock hour drew near, Gus could be seen walking the snowy path to this area. Not a lot of people ever wandered the woods, Gus himself had visited it just once since being here. Due to this, it made sense that it would be a good meeting place for him and the King; a place where no one would bother them.


    Passing a mountain peak or two, the young castle guard finally spotted the woods. With much on his mind about the coming events, he arrived at the scene, with a view of Marin sitting on a log.


    Upon seeing his King waiting there, he began to jog up.


    Marin stood up in response. They both met each other.


    ¡°King Marin!¡± Gus exclaimed.


    ¡°Hey there, Gus. How have you been?¡± Marin responded.


    ¡°I¡¯m doing damn well right now!¡±


    Marin chuckled. ¡°I bet you are! Well, it¡¯s about time we began preparing you, eh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m ready!¡± Gus declared, pumped, with fists out.


    ¡°Alright, calm down! It¡¯s not exactly something that happens over night. We need to Prime you first,¡± Marin explained.


    ¡°What now?¡± Gus asked.


    ¡°First off, I want to ask if you¡¯re sure you want the ice element. You know there¡¯s a slew of other elements available to learn. And once you link with one, you can never link to the others. You¡¯re stuck with what you picked,¡± Marin explained.


    ¡°Are you kidding?! Ice, baby! I¡¯ve seen what you can do, I want that!¡±


    ¡°Are you positive? The other elements can also do really incredible things. I won¡¯t take offense at all, I assure you. Fire is good for-¡±


    Gus cut him off. ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind long ago, Marin. There¡¯s no changing it. I want the ice element, taught directly from you!¡±


    ¡°Well, I figured you¡¯d say that. I just wanted to make sure. Follow me, I have the first thing I want you to do.¡±


    Marin gestured Gus to follow him, and they walked further into the Woods.


    Gus was ready. He couldn¡¯t believe it was finally happening. Curiosity plagued his mind as he wondered what would constitute the first lesson in learning the ice element. Marin said he needed to be primed. He thought about what that could mean.


    After walking for just a moment, Gus spotted a metal tub near a tree, with a towel hanging on a branch.


    After they got closer, Gus saw it was indeed a bathtub, the same ones found in the castle.


    ¡°Alright, what is all this?¡± Gus asked with a large grin on his face. ¡°If you need me to bathe in some sort of ceremony beforehand, wouldn¡¯t it make sense to do it in the castle?¡±


    Marin was grinning under his mask, about to unload the truth to Gus.


    ¡°Not exactly. There is no ceremony. This is where the priming begins,¡± Marin stated.


    ¡°It¡¯s full of ice!¡± Gus said as the looked down into the tub. He reached his arm in, and swished his hand under the floating ice. The water was absolutely freezing.


    ¡°Right. So, the priming processes for fire, ice and electricity are brutal, but they¡¯re much quicker than the meditation involved in slower elements like shadow, light, and crystal. But hey, you demand the ice element, correct?¡± Marin said.


    ¡°Y-yeah,¡± Gus said, all excitement leaving him as he began to realize what might happen to him.


    ¡°Okay, so, you¡¯re going to need to take an ice bath. Many ice baths, actually. Over time,¡± Marin mentioned.


    ¡°What? Why? Really?¡± Gus never once thought something like this would be involved in learning an element.


    ¡°You need to know what it¡¯s like to be cold,¡± Marin responded.


    ¡°Uh, I already know the feeling, Marin! I¡¯m cold right now! It¡¯s cold out here,¡± Gus stated.


    ¡°I mean REALLY cold. Stinging, painful cold,¡± Marin said. ¡°As cold as you could possibly feel.¡±


    Gus scratched the back of his head. While there was not a doubt in his mind he would go through with this, he really had pictured some sort of easier way to go about it.


    ¡°I¡­ did you have to do this?¡± Gus asked, at least trying to make himself feel better.


    ¡°At Arkana? Something like it, sure. I¡¯m sorry it has to be like this, but we¡¯re taking the easiest route possible for you,¡± Marin replied.


    Gus breathed a heavy sigh as he stared at the ice in the tub. ¡°Well if this is the easiest route, I¡¯d hate to see the hardest. How¡¯d you even get this tub out here?¡± Gus asked as he began unclothing.


    ¡°Some servants hauled it out, of course. I supplied the ice in the tub, naturally,¡± Marin grinned.


    Gus did several more exhales as he mentally prepared himself to enter. He was just in his underwear now.


    ¡°I swear, Marin, if this is some prank, I¡¯m gonna kill you,¡± Gus joked.


    Marin gave out a rare hearty laugh in response.


    ¡°No, no, no. I¡¯m not like that. This is all necessary, I assure you.¡±


    Gus had never done an ice bath like this in his life. He had no idea how cold he would feel.


    ¡°Alright, alright then. Here we go!¡± Gus hopped over the side and slipped into the tub.


    It was indeed the coldest possible feeling the young man had ever felt. Every second sitting there felt like a minute. His entire body stung from the icy water. His immediate thought was how long did he have to endure the suffering in this tub.


    Not more than five seconds, Gus was already asking how long he had to sit in there.


    ¡°Let¡¯s give it a solid two minutes. Ah, submerge yourself more,¡± Marin demanded as he pushed Gus by his shoulder further into the water.


    He was now neck deep in the ice, shivering like crazy. Gus wanted to cry out in pain, but knew that wouldn¡¯t help his situation at all, and only make him look weak.


    Gus could barely talk through the quivering of his jaw. ¡°I¡¯m f-f-freezing¡­¡±


    ¡°Good, good. That¡¯s what we need. You¡¯re a strong lad, Gus. I know you can last the two minutes. Just close your eyes and focus if you have to. I won¡¯t go anywhere,¡± Marin coached.


    Close my eyes. Okay. I can do this. I must. Marin is putting great effort into teaching me, and I can¡¯t let him down.


    ¡°J-just t-tell me when t-the t-t-two m-minutes are up,¡± Gus barely got out.


    ¡°Absolutely. Hang tight.¡± Marin stood there watching, mentally counting the seconds as they went by. He felt bad for Gus, this initial process sucked, but knew he would be thanking him later for it all.


    After sometime, Gus could feel his heart slowing down. His extremities were going numb as his body rushed all the warmth it could to the center of his body. Gus also counted seconds as he had nothing better to do than enduring the cold.


    It was finally up.


    ¡°Okay!¡± Marin exclaimed.


    ¡°GAH!!¡± Gus roared as he activated his muscles to lift himself out of the tub. Marin grabbed his arm to help him out. When Gus stepped over the tub, Marin handed him the large dry towel resting on the tree branch.


    Gus immediately began drying himself off, no extra energy to afford a word at the moment. Marin stepped back as he dried off, and began to clothe himself again.


    ¡°How was that?¡± Marin eventually asked.


    ¡°I hated it,¡± Gus said in a serious, unpleasant tone. After he was dressed, he continued drying his hair.


    ¡°Can we go inside? Like, right now?¡± Gus added.


    ¡°Sure, of course,¡± Marin responded.


    Both of them immediately walked out of the woods and towards the castle.


    Gus was quite upset about the whole event. This was not a pleasant experience in the slightest. Never would he have imagined such measures would need to be taken to learn his element.


    Was his motivation deterred though? Not at all. It would take more than that to defeat his desire. That didn¡¯t stop him from cursing this whole priming process, though.


    ¡°Glad that¡¯s over with,¡± Gus finally said after some silence. ¡°You said I have to do that again?¡±


    ¡°Many times, actually.¡±


    ¡°WHAT?!¡±


    ¡°Two weeks of ice baths to play it safe. What time do you wake up in the morning?¡± Marin asked, ignoring Gus¡¯s comical reaction.


    ¡°F-five¡­ why?¡± Gus demanded.


    ¡°Start waking up at four. The ice bath will be the first thing you do before anything else. Your body will appreciate the coldness the most during that time, and, the worst part of the day will already be over! That sounds good, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Gus said, not caring what Marin thought. Gus knew though, that this was a test of his dedication, and understood that if he didn¡¯t comply, it would tell Marin he wasn¡¯t willing enough to receive the element.


    ¡°...But, of course, I will do it,¡± Gus added.


    ¡°Excellent. I will be there for you every morning. You can expect me to cheer you on during this difficult process,¡± Marin said as a consolation, at least.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Gus had never felt happier when he entered the castle again. The warmth of the interior felt like a cozy blanket that hugged his body. Never had he such appreciation for the warm air.


    After a farewell, and a see-you-tomorrow-morning, Marin took off in a different direction, as Gus bolted for the nearest fireplace.


    He sat for countless minutes in front of the fire, warming himself back up. He realized he wouldn¡¯t be getting elemental lessons until this priming was done. At least it didn¡¯t last too long.


    Corey appeared besides him, shocked to see the state of Gus.


    ¡°What happened to you, man? Didn¡¯t you have some fun thing you were going to do? Why are you all wet and freezing looking?¡± Corey demanded.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t fun after all!¡± Gus exclaimed in response.


    ¡°Uhhh¡­ Well, sorry about that. Are you still going to that sparring event?¡±

 Chapter 43 - Iron Discussion

    In the heartland of the Grandom continent, just south of the father mountain Niyeton, lay the city of Emporus, the capital of RAM. It was at this location that the central government for Grandom resided its leading members, and base of operation.


    Emporus was considered the oldest and largest city on the map, due to being the first foundation of human settlement when the ancients first departed from Niyeton. In comparison, its size was triple that of the other leading kingdoms and cities at the time.


    The crown jewel of the city though, was its metal behemoth of a fortress, Irongrip. It was located in the center of the city, and could be seen for a hundred miles. The sheer size of it alone made Nocturne Castle look like a playhouse. No one could comprehend why the ancients built such a gargantuan fortress of protection ¨C or how they were even able to so, for that matter ¨C but it led many to believe that perhaps great dangers had once wandered the earth that no longer do.


    Irongrip was vast enough to house and support an entire population of a city alone, with its many towers, walls, and buildings all connected of crude, cold iron. Yet, the city had grown past even its impenetrable walls, to erect wooden buildings, and housing with straw roofs. Plots of farmland formed a ring around all of that, totaling a massive area size of a city.


    Within the many ringed walls of Irongrip, in the high towers of iron near the center of the city and fortress itself, was the great palace and headquarters of the widespread nation, RAM. It was here that the high council and directors of the government made their decisions and dictations for the rest of Grandom.


    There was no head-figure for RAM that ruled the world. Instead, the high council and directors balanced power among themselves, though not always peacefully.


    Due to this, a grand meeting room with a long table replaced the singular throne that once reigned. RAM had originally overthrown the one ruler hundreds of years ago when it¡¯s rebellion war was successful.


    Inside the meeting room that overlooked the rest of the world, several members were seated at the table of power, discussing current events.


    Sitting in the center, equally distant from both the north and south ends of the table, was High Council member Hugo Duropolis. It was his favorite spot to be stationed at, making sure that his loud opinion would be heard by all who were present in the room.


    His meaty fingers, each adorned with a golden gem ring, drummed the table rhythmically as he pondered the situation presented to him.


    ¡°And what if Orhome is gearin¡¯ for an attack against Kybervald?! I say let them fight. Both Kingdoms are too big as it is! We should withdraw our troops and let them squabble. In the end we will have one less kingdom, and a weaker one at that!¡±


    Hugo¡¯s booming voice echoed the hall as he stroked his gray beard which did a decent job hiding his fat features. The only thing that did a better job with doing so was his luxurious robes, that were too fancy to be ignored.


    ¡°You¡¯re overlooking one important detail, Hugo,¡± another council member named Belmont began. ¡°If Orhome wins, their acquisition of Kybervald¡¯s territory will strengthen them in the long term. Gaining control of their mine will supply their soldiers into a strong enough force to contend with the entire northern region. What¡¯s to say they then don¡¯t claim all of Tresdor and White Forest in several years? We have no other holds in the north to oppose them.¡±


    Belmont Kruse was a council member who constantly opposed Hugo¡¯s hands-off approach to the kingdoms. It was no secret that Hugo benefited the most from kingdoms at war, as he held ownership in many weapon and armor manufacturing companies.


    Belmont was a thin man in comparison to Hugo, who sported much more conservative clothing in comparison to his colleague. All the high council members were rich, but Belmont felt no desire in brandishing the fact.


    ¡°So we increase their taxes! They WILL pay us for the privilege of winning! All the kingdoms answer to us, and they¡¯ll count themselves lucky to even be allowed to conduct a war,¡± Hugo sharply countered, not letting his idea be so easily defeated.


    Hugo and Belmont continued their typical verbal sparring session under the spiky cast iron lanterns hanging from the top of the meeting room. Irongrip was in no way designed as an elegant castle of royal proportions. No luxurious d¨¦cor or warm interior comforted anyone who lived there.


    The rough presentation of black iron and rusty chains that composed most of the stronghold gave hint to a world that the ancients had to contend with. Either that or the sinister master who used to rule with an iron fist, made Irongrip into his likeness.


    Regardless of the reasons that Irongrip came to be the brutal-looking structure that it had been molded into, it gave RAM a fierce appearance, and they had decided to stick with that brand, rather than spend large amounts of money to redecorate.


    As Hugo and Belmont continued to argue, a third council member, along with two RAM directors, sat on the other side of the table, listening.


    ¡°You¡¯ve missed one consideration, Belmont.¡± Lucy Gorma, the third council member intervened. ¡°There is a new kingdom thriving in the north that you¡¯ve forgotten about. Nocturne.¡±


    Belmont chuckled, halting the debate with Hugo.


    ¡°Nocturne Castle is hardly of any influence at the moment. We¡¯ve just recently sent out some agents to inspect the place. We can¡¯t trust what the press is spreading until our own people can verify its existence,¡± he easily explained.


    Lucy shrugged. ¡°All the paperwork checks out. The reports from our mail service have confirmed that there are well over three hundred citizens living in that castle.¡±


    Hugo slammed his fat fist. ¡°That¡¯s just the size of a medium town! Nocturne is not ready to become a kingdom. I say we tax Orhome for winning! Tax! Tax!¡±


    Hugo was throwing a tantrum, eagerly hoping his stance would win the vote, earning him even more coin to his already uncountable stash.


    ¡°It is quite shocking though,¡± one of the directors finally piped up, after sitting quietly for so long. ¡°Out of nowhere, that abandoned castle in the inconvenient Murok Mountains sprang to life so suddenly. And with a ruler named the same as the former; I¡¯m not sure what to make of that¡­¡±


    Director Garren Forlee had been the one to make the statement.


    Unlike the decorated council members who wore whatever clothing they saw fit for themselves, the directors all had a strict dress code. Both directors who sat at the table ¨C Garren Forlee and Perri Virette ¨C wore orderly black suits. Perri had a dark overcoat on over that, and Garren sported an extra top hat with a golden band.


    ¡°In fact, the whole situation is so suspicious, Director Hegris has elected to take a trip there, along with our two RAM agents who are verifying the castle,¡± Garren added.


    ¡°Hegris is interested in what is developing out there, since he¡¯s had a fondness for the empty castle for so long. If anyone knows any history with that mysterious Kingdom in the far north, it¡¯s him,¡± Garren explained.


    Director Nathan Hegris had been keeping close tabs on Nocturne for a while, and finally made the time to visit the kingdom personally out of his busy schedule. Naturally, he was not present for the current RAM meeting being held in Irongrip.


    ¡°Regardless, if the Nocturne Kingdom keeps developing at the current rate its at, we will indeed have further influence up north,¡± Lucy Gorma rationalized. ¡°When it¡¯s verified, we can install troops there and finally have a presence in the mountains.¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Fine. Then the pressure Orhome will exert in the north will be limited with a new rival kingdom overseeing the region. War it is!¡± Hugo Duropolis exclaimed. Whether Nocturne had power or not mattered not to Hugo. If Orhome grew too big for its britches, he would just levy new taxes to keep it in check.


    The other leadership figures at the table were not so ready to allow Orhome to conduct its effort to acquire new land, however. The war would cause a lot of civil unrest, including economic instability. Many would wonder why RAM didn¡¯t intervene.


    ¡°We¡¯ll hold a vote on it. We should have everyone¡¯s choice recorded by the end of the week,¡± Lucy Gorma announced.


    Hugo grumbled to himself, half-knowing that the vote would not pass, and RAM would not withdraw their troops from the kingdoms. If that were the case, the two rivaling kingdoms could not attack each other without attacking RAM soldiers, which was an act of war against the central government itself.


    Unless both kingdoms mutually agreed to remove their RAM troops, the war would not happen. The chances of that happening were slim to none.


    ¡°Are we done talking about the kingdoms throwing fits now?¡± Director Forlee spoke up. ¡°There¡¯s more important matters to discuss.¡±


    Everyone looked to the suit-and-tie director. After a moment, Forlee opened his suit jacket, and threw a tattered notebook onto the table in front of everyone.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Belmont asked.


    ¡°That, my power-hungry council members, is Wizard Kole Sarvoro¡¯s skillbook on Magnetism. The one we asked John Reech to obtain for us, since that ¡®sensei¡¯ in Arkari refused to give it up,¡± Forlee explained.


    Hugo Duropolis choked. ¡°He actually pulled it off? How in the world did Reech get it from him?!¡±


    ¡°With the power of his servant, that electrician freak, Ryno. You know whom I speak of,¡± Forlee said with a serious tone.


    The room fell silent. Everyone knew of the reckless elemental. The man who harnessed so much of the power plane in electric form, most couldn¡¯t understand how it was possible. Ryno had earned a reputation for himself to be an unstoppable force, through his infamy of slaying powerful elementals left and right.


    ¡°How Reech even got that nut job to work for him, that will forever be beyond me,¡± Belmont stated to himself.


    ¡°I hate him! That bastard John Reech! He acts like he has more power and influence than us! He taunts us from the shadows, outplaying us left and right!¡± Hugo exclaimed, slamming his fist into the table again.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who keeps conducting deals with him!¡± Lucy Gorma finally said. ¡°Your greed and desire for more power enables him to keep profiting. In fact, I disapprove of any business with him. You all should just leave him alone.¡±


    It was something easier said than done, however. John Reech had power in getting tasks done that were too shady for RAM to conduct themselves. What Reech¡¯s organization accomplished was beyond the legal realm of the government, so the high council in secret conducted deals to get what they wanted.


    While most of RAM¡¯s leadership resented Reech, they couldn¡¯t deny the services he provided. He could never be tracked down, either. Reech¡¯s base location was unknown to anyone outside his organization, so he could never be arrested for the crimes committed.


    Council member Belmont Kruse leaned forward and picked up the notebook. He leafed through the pages of seemingly incomprehensible nonsense. All the notes written were only understandable to one who had mastery of the electric element.


    ¡°Has this been confirmed to be real?¡± Belmont asked Director Forlee as he continued to study it.


    ¡°Yes. It is indeed the method to manipulating metal by giving it an electric charge. Arkana would pay a fortune to have this in their hands,¡± Forlee replied.


    ¡°I would expect that to be the case. Here we¡¯ve thought all this time that metal was immune to any elemental skill. Now its been discovered that metal can be magnetized through the electric element, giving them access to a whole new realm they hadn¡¯t possessed before,¡± Belmont stated.


    ¡°Ha! Imagine what Arkana would give up to us in exchange for that book!¡± Hugo said with gold coins floating in his eyes.


    ¡°Or Neo,¡± Belmont added. ¡°With this notebook in my hands, we have leverage, and that¡¯s the most important thing. I have some ideas what we can do with it.¡±


    ¡°You all realize, that if the knowledge in that book becomes public, Irongrip won¡¯t be immune to elemental control anymore. You all understand what this entire fortress is made up of, right?¡± Lucy Gorma stated with concern.


    Council member Gorma had brought up a good point. Everyone pondered it for a moment. The crude notebook in Belmont¡¯s possession could very well become a weakness for the impenetrable metal palace of RAM. If a talented electric elemental mastered the contents in those pages, he potentially could magnetize Irongrip¡¯s structure, ripping it apart sheet by sheet.


    The notebook from the outside looked to be nothing of importance. To most, it would be. Belmont tried to imagine what the cost was for him to be holding it now. Knowing that Ryno had been personally responsible in retrieving it, he imagined that more than a few people died as payment.


    Belmont then looked to the two directors sitting across from him. ¡°So, what story has the press come up with, pertaining to the strike at his monastery?¡± He asked them.


    Perri Virette sat with her legs crossed, and hands on her lap. She shook her head disappointingly. ¡°The Arkari Monastery experienced an unfortunate event in which a member revolted against the order and killed the other students. What happened to the master is unknown.¡±


    Virette was a righteous and honorable Director who hated seeing the corruption of the government she served transpire right before her eyes. However, she kept the negative feelings to herself. RAM was struggling to keep its relevancy in a world where Arkana and Neo continued to grow in influence and power. If events such as these needed to occur for RAM to be able to contend with the other world factions, it would do more harm than good in trying to fight it.


    ¡°Very well. Let the story run. Arkana¡¯s Grand Wizards will know what truly happened, and that is the only point that matters,¡± Belmont responded.


    It became silent in the meeting room as everyone pondered what was said.


    ¡°Anyone else have something to bring up?¡± Belmont Kruse spoke after a moment. ¡°...Then we¡¯re adjourned. We¡¯ll reconvene next week with more information, as well as the vote result in the situation pertaining to Orhome and Kybervald.¡±


    Everyone stood up.


    ¡°Belmont, just do your best not to anger Arkana or Neo again,¡± Lucy scolded. ¡°They¡¯ve already forced our hand to restructure once, I¡¯d hate for them to come together again and rid us of our position entirely!¡± She turned away, and left the room promptly.


    ¡°That would never happen,¡± Belmont responded without her presence, almost as if he was reassuring the other figures. ¡°They both share such different philosophies on the elements and life in general. They could never peacefully rule together. That¡¯s why we¡¯re here. We are the mediators.¡±


    Directors Forlee and Virette talked among themselves for a while before finally exiting the meeting room as well. It left just the two other high council members.


    Belmont stood besides Hugo as he continued to leaf through the rustic notebook.


    ¡°How much did you end up paying Reech for this book?¡± Belmont asked Hugo after closing the cover.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t want money this time. The fool asked for all our documentation on Nocturne¡¯s history, and the current paperwork its filing for kingdom status!¡± Hugo had a grin on his face, believing he had received the better end of the deal this time.


    Belmont did a single chuckle. ¡°That¡¯s interesting. What would Reech want with that lousy kingdom out there? To ask for files on that instead of the gold we usually pay him makes me think he knows something about it that we don¡¯t.¡±


    Hugo went from a grin to a lowered eyebrow as his thinking gears began turning.


    ¡°What are you tryna¡¯ say?¡± Hugo asked.


    ¡°I think we need to keep a closer eye on that distant northern kingdom. I¡¯ll have Director Hegris brief me on what he finds out when he returns. I don¡¯t understand the significance that Nocturne holds. It¡¯s a mystery that is currently beyond my field of vision. I¡¯d like to uncover the truth.¡±

 Chapter 44 - Inspection

    It was just a typical day in the Nocturne Kingdom. Marin dealt with his kingdom affairs with Loid, Helva and Harrel. Doctor Eisen tended to patients (sometimes unwillingly), and Marge ordered new books for the library. Bob Galrus managed imports for the castle and his general store while Sherry ordered the cooks to prepare fresh food. Maids cleaned, guards guarded.


    And of course, Rudolf manned the lookout.


    Rudolf was the best lookout, according to himself.


    ¡°Ha! Get up on your cart, will ya?¡± Rudolf chuckled to himself while he spied on people through his binoculars. From the high tower he was stationed at, he was currently looking down on a merchant who just lost his footing trying to get back into his horse-drawn carriage.


    The merchant had instead banged his shin into the wood, and fell back to the ground, hopping about.


    Rudolf was entertained. He reached his hands into a bowl of pretzels besides him and snacked as he observed everyone he could who were out in front of the castle.


    ¡°What are youuuu doing back so soon?¡± He spoke to himself, observing a worker who must¡¯ve returned to a spot they had just been at.


    Rudolf obnoxiously munched and munched his crunchy pretzel pieces, as he got crumbs in his long wispy blonde mustache.


    He continuously adjusted the focus on his binoculars as he fixated on different people.


    ¡°Now who are you guys?¡±


    Rudolf dialed in on a new cart that just appeared from behind a mountain.


    Three people. That¡¯s a nice cart. That¡¯s a DANG nice cart.


    ...Wait a second.


    Rudolf frantically spun the focus dial on the binoculars. He zoomed in as much as he could.


    ¡°Could it possibly be?¡± He said to himself in just a whisper.


    The three individuals in the high-quality metal carriage wore fancy suits. All three of them had sunglasses on.


    White collars, black ties, sunglasses¡­ HOLY MOLY!


    Rudolf spat the remaining pretzel pieces still being chewed. He threw the binoculars down to the splintered table besides him.


    He knew exactly who it was. In an attempt to launch himself out of the chair as fast as possible, his foot got caught in one of the legs. His own leg broke the chair¡¯s wooden one off cleanly, and forcing Rudolf to fall sideways.


    ¡°Damn it!!!¡± He yelled, fighting the pain. The merchant who banged his shin earlier wasn¡¯t so funny anymore.


    Rudolf found himself back on his feet quickly. He had to hurry. The RAM agents had finally arrived.


    He did his best not to stumble again as he flew down the wooden spiral staircase. Each stair creaked as he hastily descended them. Once again, he hoped this wouldn¡¯t be the day he fell through the steps.


    Landing on the brick base, he bolted through the entrance way, running down a hallway until he saw a fellow guard on shift.


    ¡°What is it now Rudolf?¡± He asked, almost annoyed.


    ¡°They¡¯re here! The RAM agents! Get outta mah way!¡± Rudolf violently pushed the guard to the side with the wooden item in his hands.


    He began running again.


    ¡°What are you holding??¡± The guard yelled from behind. Rudolf ignored the question. He half didn¡¯t hear, half didn¡¯t care.


    Rudolf wheezed as he descended several more flights of stairs, sprinting down hallways. When the castle dwellers saw the guard running by, they knew something was urgent, and stayed out of his way.


    The lookout guard burst into the main office.


    ¡°RAM¡¯s here! I saw ¡®em! The black suits have arrived!¡± Rudolf bellowed into the castle¡¯s office for anyone to hear.


    Helva, who was rarely found not working, happened to be sitting back in her chair with a cup of coffee and a book in hand. The presence of Rudolf startled her greatly, but had to gently place the mug down while swallowing a fresh sip.


    As soon as the procedure of slowly placing the mug down to avoid even the smallest splash had been accomplished, she became frantic.


    Helva started snapping her fingers at a maid. ¡°Go get the King!¡± She ordered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where he is!¡± The maid whined.


    ¡°WELL GO FIND HIM!¡± Helva fiercely demanded.


    The maid rolled her eyes and left the room.


    Helva stood up, and began placing her knitted sweater on. ¡°Harrel! The agents are here!¡± She yelled loud enough for Harrel to hear from the other room, as he hadn¡¯t come out yet.


    ¡°I heard! I¡¯m getting ready,¡± Harrel echoed out from a further office behind the main one.


    Helva came around the desk, ready to walk out, when she saw Rudolf holding a wooden pole in his hands.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Helva asked the lookout guard while she studied the snapped off end of the wood.


    Rudolf looked down and realized he had, without thought, been grasping the broken leg of his chair this whole time.


    ¡°That¡¯s uh¡­ Sorry.¡± Rudolf quickly hid it behind his back. ¡°Don¡¯t mind it.¡±


    Helva didn¡¯t have time to follow up on it. She simply walked passed him and to the hallway.


    Word spread quickly throughout the castle, and soon most of the staff knew the situation. Marin was notified minutes later, who stopped what he was doing to meet the agents at the front door of the castle. The day had finally come, and it was no less of a surprise than he had expected.


    Marin knew that many, many years ago, he had his castle added to RAM¡¯s official list of recognized kingdoms. He knew there was a process that the agents carefully went through to approve or deny the request.


    He just for the life of him couldn¡¯t remember how it went. If he had any inkling of what they looked for, he could have better prepared. Helva had a rough idea, but even she had no knowledge of what exact parameters the agents would test for, as it wasn¡¯t freely given out.


    Marin was at the front door with his second in command, Loid. Helva, the main secretary, and Harrel, the castle¡¯s accountant were now all standing together with the grand front doors wide open, waiting for the cart that was drawing dangerously close to the entrance.


    In the carriage were three agents from RAM. More specifically, two, and one director.


    In the middle was Director Hegris. Quite the tall man, sitting a head taller than the two agents on the left and right of him. He was slender, dressed in the typical black suit, with a bowler hat on. His hair was long, with strands of greasy brown hair falling out of the hat in various locations. On his long nose was a pair of sunglasses, concealing his eyes. This matched the same sunglasses on the two agents beside him.


    Speaking of the agents, it was a man and a woman in equally sleek black suits and tie. The man had short tidy brown hair while the female¡¯s black hair was pulled tightly into a bun.


    They all looked quite intimidating, whether that was unintentional or on purpose was unknown to Marin yet.


    The cart pulled up. The two agents stepped off, with the Director following last. Now standing, Director Hegris had become two heads taller than everyone else present. His height was now a match for the knight Sygol¡¯s.


    The strands of hair, stuck together from the grease they were frozen in, fell just past his shoulders. A servant quickly took the reigns of the horse-drawn carriage they arrived in. It was a valet service that kingdoms were expected to have.


    The servant whipped the reigns of the horse, steering the carriage away to the stables on the side of the castle.


    The three RAM officials stared at the four kingdom admins. The seven of them all stood in silence, fixated on each other for an uncomfortable moment.


    ¡°This is it?¡± Hegris finally asked in a disappointed voice, not seeming too impressed with who was presented to him.


    ¡°Welcome, Sir, to Nocturne Castle,¡± Marin said, ignoring the comment.


    ¡°Where is Sullivan Marin?¡± Hegris asked.


    ¡°That would be me,¡± the masked king spoke again.


    The Director took a few steps towards Marin, and leaned forward, craning down at him. He removed his sunglasses, and placed them into a pocket in his trench coat. His eyes had dark bags under them from a lack of sleep. They never went away, and had become a defining feature of the tall director.


    ¡°What kind of King wears a mask to hide his face from his subjects?¡± Director Hegris¡¯s words were accusatory. They were piercing and hot on the ears of Marin.


    Despite this, Marin had come prepared. He knew very well that his mask was going to be brought up. He had answers already for almost any concern.


    ¡°The kind that doesn¡¯t require showing it to earn the loyalty and support of his subordinates,¡± Marin said back without a passing moment.


    Hegris didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°...That, and I am quite deformed, I¡¯m afraid,¡± Marin finally added as a last ditch effort.


    The director¡¯s tired eyes narrowed as they attempted to see through the light blue crystal lenses of the mask.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Hegris finally stood straight back up after a moment. ¡°You¡¯re just as mysterious as this castle. I don¡¯t believe your claim, but that¡¯s not for me to dispute at this time.¡±If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    That was threatening. Marin wasn¡¯t sure how to react to his response.


    Before he could dwell on it longer though, Hegris turned to look at the two agents to his left and right. They had stood stone-faced, not a word said this whole time.


    ¡°Go ahead and begin your scans. I will make conversation with the staff here while you work,¡± he commanded them.


    Both the agents who still wore their sunglasses peeled off from the Director, walking in opposite directions. They stood outside the castle walls as their palms rose into the air.


    A crisp, bright yellow laser of horizontal light escaped their hands. It landed on the exterior of the castle, highlighting every subtle flaw and crack in the chiseled stone it was comprised of.


    The agents kept the ray of light flowing, slowing moving the scanner up and down as they studied the structural condition of the building.


    Light elementals, all of them, Marin remembered. RAM¡¯s entire agency comprised of exclusively light elementals, due to the unique toolkit that light offered them. That hadn¡¯t changed in the two hundred year long gap in his life.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to meet you all, I suppose. I am Director Nathan Hegris.¡±


    Harrel spoke out. ¡°A Director? Here? We had not expected one of RAM¡¯s highest authorities to make an appearance today,¡± he said on behalf of everyone else.


    ¡°Consider it a treat. I¡¯m highly interested in the events unfolding here. Now, as my fellow agency workers give your fancy castle a scan for any imperfections, let me ask, how did you come about bringing this castle back from the dead?¡± Hegris asked.


    The wording hit a little too close to home for Marin. It was almost like he knew his secrets, but just didn¡¯t. The director so far had given him a large amount of uncomfortable feelings, but he did his best to oblige.


    ¡°After traveling for many years, I decided to embrace my destiny as King of Nocturne. I am the heir to throne, so naturally, I-¡±


    Hegris cut Marin off. ¡°The HEIR, you say? And what PROOF do you have of that bold claim?¡± The director fiercely demanded.


    Marin raised his gloved hand, showing the golden ring with the King¡¯s seal on it.


    Hegris¡¯s eyes widened at the sight. The Director who had it all figured out, who been so expertly calculated finally displayed a level of unexpectedness.


    ¡°Let me see that¡­¡± He said quietly.


    Again, Marin obliged. He easily slipped his seal off of his finger, and offered it up to the lengthy director.


    Hegris grasped it in his fingers, holding the ring a decent length away from him as he intently studied it. No one made a movement at the intense situation.


    Marin was quite nervous. He had no idea how this meeting would play out. At any moment, the Director could lunge for his mask and rip it off, revealing his secret. He could immediately pocket the ring, claim it wasn¡¯t Marin¡¯s, and have him arrested.


    Marin debated attacking the Director with his ice element if something like that happened. That would be a terrible decision in the long run though, seeing as he would become an enemy of the government. That would force him to go into hiding and become a recluse, losing his King status and kingdom entirely.


    That was even if he could actually defeat the Director in combat. RAM¡¯s Directors were understood to be the highest leveled masters of the light element.


    Marin kept spiraling as Hegris took his time studying the ring. He had to keep it together.


    He had too.


    ¡°It¡¯s the very same¡­¡± Director Hegris finally said. He then looked over to the masked Marin. ¡°Where¡­ where did you get this¡­?¡±


    ¡°My father, who got it from his father, and so on,¡± he lied.


    Marin¡¯s closest friends, Loid, Helva and Harrel all knew the real truth, but stood their ground behind him, ready to confirm any story Marin spun in support of their undead King.


    ¡°It was recorded that King Marin in the 600¡¯s never married. Never had children,¡± Hegris stated from his knowledge bank of Nocturne¡¯s history.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that it was all kept secret. I don¡¯t know the exact details myself, but I was always told he had a hidden lover.¡±


    Hegris chuckled, then began laughing at the absurdity. ¡°Really? Did he now?!¡± He laughed more, it was a very uncomfortable laugh for everyone listening. Marin was slowly heading down a bad road with the Director that may end up with some serious accusations.


    ¡°And the King¡¯s name had been passed down all the way to you, I¡¯m guessing?!¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Not to a masked grave robber who stole his jewelry? Not one concealing their identity to hide the false truth? You dare try to pass yourself off as a royal descendant?!¡± Hegris said with a massive, evil grin on his face.


    ¡°That¡¯s besides the point!¡± Helva finally yelled out from behind. She had enough of this bully who kept insulting Marin. It was time for her to step in and remind the Director the laws of his own agency.


    ¡°Your code does not state that the ruler of a salvaged kingdom have to be of the same lineage as the former! Even if this was not the true heir, the original King Marin from before forfeited his Kingdom upon his disappearance.


    No one has made claim to the castle in the last two centuries! The masked man before you has every right to the throne according to your own laws!¡±


    Marin was relieved that Helva had said something.


    Loid was too. He already had his hand in a gripped fist, wondering what the ramifications would be for punching this guy in the face.


    Hegris scoffed. ¡°Don¡¯t recite my own expertise to me, woman. You¡¯d do well to respect the government¡¯s leaders, seeing as you were once the mayor of that lowly destroyed village that we passed on our way up here.¡±


    The tension had become immense. After a moment, the director took a deep breath. It was getting heated, but he knew not to overstep his bounds.


    He handed the ring back to Marin. At this point, the King was relieved to get it back.


    ¡°That very seal on the ring in your possession was used to stamp documents we have in the archives at Irongrip,¡± Hegris started. ¡°Original Nocturne documents from the early 600¡¯s. I know the ring to be legitimate. But how you got it, the story you told me, I don¡¯t think is.


    Yet again, I understand it¡¯s not in my power to discover the truth. Perhaps one day it will be. Until then, I will leave it alone¡­


    Ah. Pardon me, but I appear to be receiving a call. What terrible timing as well.¡±


    Director Hegris turned away from the four of them, as he took several steps outside.


    Facing away from them, he placed two fingers on his right temple.


    ¡°What is it?!¡± He demanded.


    Marin had break in the tension, finally. He exhaled, turning to his friends.


    The three of them didn¡¯t look too much better. They hated this Director. The only thing stopping Hegris from discovering Marin¡¯s secret himself was his obedience to the law he upheld.


    Director Hegris was speaking with Director Forlee through a light wave connection. It was a skill that light elementals appreciated greatly.


    Hegris was a fair distance away, but not far enough to not be heard by one listening closely.


    ¡°...What? And there¡¯s a vote for it?...NO! My vote is NO! Who¡¯s the thick-headed blundering¡­¡±


    Hegris stopped for a moment. He scowled. ¡°...Duropolis,¡± he slowly said, seething at every syllable of the name.


    ¡°You tell that fat, bearded pile of lard if he thinks for a second we are going to WITHDRAW our troops, and let those Kingdoms fight to benefit his¡­¡±


    There was pause as Hegris listened to the director at the other end of the light wave.


    ¡°...Well then I¡¯LL write up a resolution! The embargo ends when I get back to Irongrip! And I swear, if I have to¡­¡±


    The four Nocturne admins stood, staring at the Director as he ranted with two fingers stuck to his temple.


    ¡°What do you think he¡¯s talking about?¡± Loid asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯m getting the feeling that his attitude towards us isn¡¯t exclusive. He seems to be quite¡­ passionate in all his affairs,¡± Marin analyzed.


    They waited patiently for Hegris to end his call.


    ¡°...And do you know where I am? Do you know how bad of a time you picked to call me?! I¡¯m standing in front of them right now!


    ...Yeah, now I¡¯m going. Don¡¯t call me again until I say.¡±


    Director Hegris finally brought his two right fingers down from his temple. He took a few seconds to stare out at the mountains in front of him as he weighed large, nation-impacting decisions in his mind.


    Finally, he turned back around to Marin, and approached him again, adjusting his tie.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to forgive me, but even out here, I can not escape the duties of keeping my fellow rulers in check. I sometimes resent the fact I learned Telecommunication, but it was a requirement for joining the agency.


    Anyways, what were we talking about?¡±


    Before Director Hegris could get an answer, the two RAM agents who had been scanning the castle with their light waves had just rejoined.


    ¡°Sir, we finished our inspection on the outside of the castle,¡± one of them said.


    Hegris sighed. He brought up his wrist, checking the time on a flashy golden watch.


    ¡°Let¡¯s continue on with the program, then. I¡¯m eager to see the development of the Kingdom, but I want to be out of here by sundown,¡± The director announced, ending any further conversation with Marin on the current controversial topic about himself.


    Marin was then happy that the agents had finished scanning his castle, however nervous it made him. Nothing had been worse than the horrific interrogation from the Director.


    He was ready to give the RAM officials a tour of Nocturne. Stepping inside, they all looked around. One of the agents produced a clip board and began asking questions on business in the castle while the other agent started scanning the interior of the castle, looking for flaws.


    Hegris seemed to be in another world as he studied every corner. Every once in a while, the Director made a comment, but it was nothing threatening in nature compared to how he was acting earlier. It was odd, the more he saw of the castle, the more mellow his attitude became.


    Thankfully, every aspect the agent brought up, Marin had a satisfying answer for. The agents checked box after box of requirements the castle met, while writing extra comments that Marin couldn¡¯t see.


    The Director did no writing or scanning himself, it had become clear that he was indeed just here for the tour, leaving the tedious inspection work to his two underlings.


    As the tour concluded, it had become clear that Nocturne had every facility online for Kingdom status. Every time an agent wanted to cross examine what he had in his paperwork from earlier filings, it had lined up correctly.


    The Director informed Marin though, that while Nocturne was meeting the requirements, it would come down to a vote from the council in the end.


    When asked, Hegris wouldn¡¯t give his thoughts on the likeliness of whether it would pass or not.


    ¡°All the evidence will be presented to the board, and from there, they will make the decision.¡±


    Harrel asked him a question.


    ¡°Do I have a vote in the decision? Yes,¡± Hegris answered. ¡°But I¡¯m sharing my answer. In a month, you¡¯ll receive a letter either declaring your Kingdom status, or one denying you.¡±


    After the lengthy tour was over, and the agents were satisfied in seeing what they needed to, all of them stood back at the Grand Hall entrance.


    Their carriage was already being called back to the front for them.


    ¡°Well, I have to say. Regardless of whether you are who you claim to be or not, I can see that you¡¯ve respected the castle, and have restored it to state that I can appreciate. You¡¯ve convinced me that Nocturne will be in good hands under your rule, Marin.¡±


    It was a shocking, polarizing statement from Director Hegris.


    ¡°T-Thank you, Director,¡± Marin stumbled out, ecstatic he had finally won him over, even if he still was not fully trusting.


    The cart had been brought to the front by a servant. The two agents took no time climbing in.


    Before the Director did the same, he got close to Marin, and leaned down to him a bit.


    ¡°Before I go, I have one final question,¡± Hegris said in his serious tone.


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Do you know a man by the name of John Reech?¡± The Director asked Marin.


    It was silent for a moment as Marin pondered. Of course, and as always, Marin could not recollect the name of anyone he hadn¡¯t just met in the last few months he had been alive.


    Marin loathed his ignorance, but had to live with it.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I do not,¡± he finally answered.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Just wondering.¡±

 Chapter 45 - Doctors Order

    Anything in the basements of the castle and below had not been considered to be a hospitable quarter for living, but Edward Eisen embraced the location with open arms. He worked with servants to clear out the vast open space, removing cobwebs, forgotten parts and supplies that had been rotting down there for quite some time.


    When that was said and done, the doctor¡¯s meager amount of belongings were hauled down, and Eisen began the tedious work of unpacking and organizing.


    New furniture and supplies were brought in to compliment Eisen¡¯s own items, and before long, it was starting to look like a laboratory.


    Edward sat on a rolling chair. He leaned down, unpacked a fresh box of glass beakers, and began lining them up on a work desk in front of him. Later, he was found filing his commentaries on medicine into new bookshelves. It would take him a while to get this lab into a state that he could appreciate.


    Eventually though, and after several days, just that had been accomplished. Eisen took a step back to admire his new home. This room ¨C this basement ¨C was his home now. Not the castle, but this isolated section specifically.


    He couldn¡¯t care less about the affairs of anything going on above him. All he cared about was down in the basement now, especially now that he was in possession of Marin¡¯s lab notes.


    Research was going great for a while. Being granted all the funding he needed for equipment and supplies certainly made progress accelerate. Of course, payment for all of it came calling in the form of waiting on patients.


    It didn¡¯t take more than a few days for the first citizen of the castle to ring the buzzer to his basement quarters. He was quick to treat some common symptoms and resume his research, but the word spread from the first patient about how good the new doctor was, and soon, Eisen was being interrupted regularly by patients complaining about the smallest issues.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Edward to realize that being a doctor was his first job, and being the mad scientist that he truly embraced came second. While he accepted these undesirable circumstances, it didn¡¯t stop him from being upset about it.


    Despite his rather strong feelings about being the Kingdom¡¯s doctor, his pride to was too high for it to stop him from giving the most outstanding service he could. Eisen frequently had negative things to say while treating the castle denizens, but at the same time his work on them was impeccable.


    Almost everyone could get past a grumpy doctor if it meant the most high quality service possible.


    It had now been more than a week at Nocturne for Edward Eisen. He had been completely unaware of RAM¡¯s visit, as he was for almost all events that took place. Due to his food being brought to him from the kitchen, Eisen hadn¡¯t set foot outside the basement labs nearly the whole time he had been down there. He hadn¡¯t even seen Marin since he obtained his notes from him several days ago.


    At the moment, Eisen was in his chair, hunched over the desk, fixated on the notes. On the left was Marin¡¯s old tattered notes, reaching the point of illegibility, while on the right, was his own notebook, writing his own up-to-date version of what he made out.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way he used Uburtus for the stabilizer. There¡¯s no way,¡± he quietly said to himself as he wrote it down.


    Several times, Eisen was so impressed by Marin¡¯s unique, innovative uses of ingredients, that he had to cross reference them in his own books to make sure it was even possible to use them that way.


    Much of the basic building blocks for the master potion Eisen understood. It wasn¡¯t until the advanced transformation of the ingredients through chemical reactions that would get the Doctor to scratch his head.


    ¡°...That¡¯s interesting,¡± Eisen stated as he read Marin¡¯s use for the organic cell gateway formula, which was used to insert payloads into a user¡¯s DNA for alteration.


    Eisen had several books open all over the desk.


    Every line of instruction Marin had written out, was cross-referenced with his own books. His eyes intently darted left and right as he wrote more notes, and refreshed his knowledge on extremely complex methods he hadn¡¯t studied since he was a young one.


    ¡°Now how would this react so-¡±


    BZZZZT!!!!!


    The sound of Eisen¡¯s patient buzzer shook him to his core, as the abrupt noise pulled him out of a deep trance of his thought process.


    Eisen cursed to himself as he was forced to yet again, stop his work to give service to someone. He rocketed out of his chair, and walked across the basement to the patient greeting area in a smaller room.


    Pacing down a short hallway, the doctor reached the small entrance room where he saw a man standing near the front desk and buzzer.


    It was Phil.


    ¡°Alright, what¡¯s going on?¡± Eisen quickly asked, eager to get his new patient solved and on their way.


    ¡°Uh¡­ hi. You¡¯re the doctor, right?¡± Phil tried.


    ¡°Yes. Who are you?¡± Eisen followed up.


    ¡°My name¡¯s Phil. My friend Rocko said I should come see you. Because I keep coughin¡¯ and-¡± Phil indeed started coughing really hard.


    ¡°Fine, come with me,¡± Eisen commanded as he walked back down the hallway.


    Another case of the common cold, I¡¯m sure, Eisen figured to himself. At least it¡¯s an easy one to care for.


    Phil lagged behind, scared at the weird looking doctor and spooky basement setting.


    When Eisen made it to his main quarters, he approached a patient chair and table set up by the entrance. He turned around, and saw Phil was only moving forward in inches, nervously scratching his wrists.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about, Phil. Come sit down.¡± Eisen could now see that Phil was not an exceptionally smart person, and could tell that he was intimidated.


    ¡°I don¡¯t bite, I promise,¡± he told Phil. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get a look at you.¡± Eisen was sparing the nervous young man his usual up-front and direct attitude for a more gentle one.


    ¡°...Okay,¡± Phil managed as he sat down in the chair.


    A lantern from the ceiling hung down close to the table, brightly illuminating the patient.


    The Doctor grabbed several items from the other side of his room, and reunited with Phil at the table.


    ¡°Now, you said your friend told you to come down here?¡± Eisen asked as he laid out some equipment at the table.


    ¡°Yeah. Rocko¡¯s said my coughing has been keeping him awake at night, but I can¡¯t help it. I gotta cough.¡±


    Eisen told Phil to open his mouth. He titled his head toward the lantern, and with a wooden flat stick, looked down his throat.


    ¡°Rocko¡­ Phil¡­¡± Eisen thought as he studied. ¡°I think I remember you two from earlier when Marin returned to the castle.¡±


    He pulled the stick out of his mouth.


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re definitely sore. Too much coughing. Let me check your temperature.¡±


    Eisen did several tests on Phil. They were all quite typical to the doctor at this point. Mild stuff such as this was all he ever did. No one had challenged him yet with something as complex as a brain tumor, internal bleeding¡­ Heck, he¡¯d even take a third arm growing out of someone if it meant doing something new for once.


    ¡°You¡¯re sick. You have the flu. You need bed rest. And of course¡­¡± Eisen stood up as he walked to the back of his room.


    He grabbed a glass bottle, one of many he had made up earlier on a shelf.


    ¡°...This cough syrup. Take two spoonfuls now,¡± Eisen finished as he handed Phil a spoon.


    Phil struggled to get the cap off, but when he did, he managed to pour a clean amount, and stuck it in his mouth.


    Phil repulsed, swallowing the concoction as quick as he could. ¡°It tastes horrible!¡± He shared.


    ¡°Sorry. I was too lazy to add some sort of sweetener. Perhaps I¡¯ll add strawberries down the road. Do you like those?¡± Eisen asked.


    Phil went bleh as he finished a second spoon, not able to answer in the present moment.


    ¡°That will get you to stop coughing. Now, I want you taking two more spoons before bed, and every night after for three days. Then see me again and I¡¯ll see how you feel. Also, stay away from work during that time. Did you get all that?¡±


    Phil definitely did not get all that.


    Eisen sighed. ¡°Hold on.¡±


    He went back over to his desk, and wrote a note describing all of what he said. He also wrote an exclusive doctor¡¯s note for Phil to inform someone of his order to keep Phil out of work until later.


    ¡°This one¡¯s for you, and give this to whoever decides what work you do each day, got it?¡± Eisen asked while handing Phil the two papers.


    Phil nodded.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°Alright then, off with you. I¡¯ll see you in a few days.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Phil answered, not seeming anywhere as scared as he once was when he first entered the room.


    Eisen saw Phil out of his quarters. When he looked down the hallway to find that no one else was around, he knew he was alone again, and could resume his research.


    He cracked his fingers as he sat back down, which hurt from time to time due to arthritis and age. If he could get this potion figured out, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about deteriorating health anymore.


    It would be his greatest accomplishment.


    Minutes turned to hours as he deep dived. Eisen wrote out instructions, schematics, and ingredient lists of what he would need. He had transferred almost all of Marin¡¯s notes over to his own.


    He couldn¡¯t believe the complexity and intuition Marin had to have in order to write these formulas. He almost wondered if it was someone other than the King who had made it all. Was Marin truly so clever at one point to have figured all this out?


    Nearing the end of rewriting the notes, Eisen discovered something quite outstanding. He read the ingredient name. He stared at it.


    ¡°No¡­ It cannot be¡­¡± He uttered to himself.


    He jumped up, and ran over to his bookshelf. He scanned and scanned, but couldn¡¯t find what he was looking for. Eventually he pulled out an old book that was falling apart, and he leafed through it.


    He then checked the index in the back as a final attempt.


    ¡°Bah!¡± He closed the book and put it back. He kept looking over his library desperately. Each title going down each spine did not match what he needed.


    After a while, he had reached a conclusion.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even have a book on that.¡±


    Eisen sat back down, head in his hands.


    The doctor knew that nearly all the ingredients he needed for this potion would have to be ordered. Some would take months to arrive. But this one, this one was impossible to order, and there was a good chance it didn¡¯t exist anymore.


    His eyes darted about as he thought about a substitute, but there was nothing that came to mind. There was a very real chance that-


    BZZZZZTTT!!!!


    ¡°WHAT?!¡± The doctor yelled out.


    After a moment that seemed like an eternity, a maid¡¯s meek voice piped up. ¡°...Your dinner is here, doctor¡­¡±


    Eisen shook his head, trying to regain his composure. He got up, and headed to the hallway.


    ¡°Forgive me,¡± Eisen stated as he paced to the front to acquire his meal. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that outburst. The time has really gotten away from me.¡±


    Meanwhile, back on the castle floors above Eisen¡¯s reclusive dwelling, dinner was occurring in the dining room. In typical fashion, Marin sat at the end of the table as his friends ate. Everyone acted as they normally did, but Marin had much on his mind.


    He conversed with them as he normally did, but the RAM inspection with the Director ruled his mind. Marin kept thinking about the name John Reech. He didn¡¯t have knowledge of him, but for some reason, it seemed just barely familiar. He did everything he could to remember, thinking in detail of anything from his past, trying his hardest to grasp even the most trivial personal memory.


    After dinner, Marin was found in his quarters. It wasn¡¯t every night that Loid paid him a visit, but it sure seemed that way sometimes. After a knock, Loid was allowed in, and both of them talked in detail about the things troubling the King.


    Not remembering his life from before was certainly annoying, but the bare familiarity of the name John Reech was torturing him more than anything.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go pay Edward Eisen a visit. I understand he¡¯s adamantly working on the immortality potion, but I want to see if he has any knowledge in the realm of memory restoration.¡±


    ¡°Is that even a thing?¡± Loid asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But if there¡¯s something to know about anything, its him,¡± Marin said with great confidence.


    It was a trip down many levels, but after a solid ten minutes of walking, they were at the staircase leading to the basement.


    ¡°Have you even seen him once since he¡¯s been here?¡± Loid said.


    ¡°Just once to give him my lab notes. Since then, he hasn¡¯t been out of the basement. Honestly though, I expected nothing less from him after seeing his home in Tarenfall,¡± Marin explained.


    Loid wondered how bad Eisen¡¯s house had to have looked.


    The staircase led down half way, then did a U-turn to lower down the rest of the way. Following the basement hallway, to the immediate left was a door. Above the door with a lantern hanging, was a sign that read ¡°Doctor¡±. Opening this brought you to Eisen¡¯s front patient room, with a small desk and a buzzer sitting on that.


    Marin gave the buzzer a ring, the same device that brought constant interruption to the doctor¡¯s thought process.


    Marin had to admit the sound was quite abrupt.


    ¡°Office is closed for the night! Come back tomorrow unless its a dire emergency!¡±


    Marin could hear the doctor¡¯s strangled voice echo down the hallway from the side.


    ¡°It¡¯s me, Doctor. Loid is here as well,¡± Marin shouted out.


    ¡°...Is it now?


    Well, come on in, then.¡±


    Marin and Loid walked past the desk of the small entrance room, and down the hall that opened up into the vast basement chamber that served as Eisen¡¯s lab, patient care center, and personal dwelling.


    Eisen was sitting at his desk with his back turned. The single lantern illuminated the location he sat at.


    ¡°How are things, Doctor?¡± Marin asked as he approached.


    ¡°Well, they¡¯re things,¡± Eisen stated in a hint of good and bad.


    ¡°Would you care to elaborate?¡± Marin followed up with.


    Edward sighed. He wheeled around to face the two of them.


    ¡°Come sit at the table,¡± Eisen said sullenly.


    All three were now at the Doctor¡¯s patient table. Eisen lit the lantern above that table once again, after he had just recently blown it out, believing no one would be at said table again for the night.


    ¡°For one, your timing was pretty good. I have some things I need to report,¡± the Doctor started, as he tightened his loose pony tail on the back of his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m eager for your assessment,¡± Marin tried.


    ¡°First of all, your notes were nearly decayed to the point where I couldn¡¯t read them. I had to rewrite them all on fresh paper, and had trouble doing so I tried discerning illegible parts.


    I managed that, though. Your knowledge of alchemy had once been top tier, I can tell you that, Marin. It shocks me, actually, that you had the time you did to conduct such a complicated series of formulas for the potion, seeing as you had other major responsibilities at the time.¡±


    ¡°It was certainly my number one passion project. I yearned for immortality more than anything else in the world,¡± Marin explained. ¡°But if you¡¯re alluding to an idea that perhaps I didn¡¯t come up with the formula, or maybe had assistance in developing it, you might be right,¡± Marin admitted.


    Loid¡¯s eyes widened. Why wasn¡¯t this possibility addressed to him before?


    ¡°Ah!¡± Eisen exclaimed. ¡°So it is possible you had help!¡±


    ¡°It is.¡±


    ¡°Alright, well, then that brings things more into a scope of realism. Anyways though, after drafting all the instructions and formulas into my own handwriting, I developed a list of all ingredients needed for the potion,¡± Eisen explained.


    ¡°I imagine it would be quite the exotic list,¡± Loid commented.


    ¡°Indeed it is! A lot of the stuff is pricey, and comes from the other side of the world. But I have to tell you both, there is one ingredient required that isn¡¯t around anymore. It can¡¯t be bought on the market,¡± Eisen said.


    Marin lowered his head. Great. Another road block.


    ¡°Not only that, I have one other thing I have to tell you both, and this is the worst part of it all,¡± Eisen added.


    Marin prepared himself for the worst, whatever that would be. If it was an admittance that the Doctor couldn¡¯t recreate the potion, he would understand. If he said that his condition was impossible to be reversed, he would have to accept his fate.


    ¡°Your notes were all there, Marin, minus one page,¡± Eisen stated with dread.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°The page that is missing is the final one. The master formula that brings everything together into the final result. I can have everything else ready to go, but without the final formula, I wouldn¡¯t know what to do with everything I have,¡± Eisen explained.


    ¡°Would you be able to figure out what the formula is with all the context you have?¡± Marin asked as a consolation.


    Eisen laughed. ¡°That¡¯s the real trick, ain¡¯t it? Give me a bar of iron, a piece of straw¡­ eh, throw in a piece of rubber. And then tell me to make book out of it. That¡¯s essentially what we¡¯re working with.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s that bad, eh?¡± Marin spoke.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say that the preparation alone for this potion is cutting edge. Even getting everything prepared for the final result alone is quite an undertaking. Discovering the perfect balance of it all would truly be a feat of intelligence,¡± Eisen explained.


    Loid was drumming his fingers on the table, doing his best to keep track of everything that was being said. It was all above his paygrade.


    Marin on the other hand was coming to terms with the bad news.


    ¡°...But, don¡¯t think for a second that will stop me. I will spend all my free time trying to recreate the formula. I will do all the math and calculations I need to replicate what you did, my friend,¡± Eisen added.


    Marin nodded. That was good news. The stubborn doctor wouldn¡¯t be defeated so easily.


    ¡°How long will that take?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Months¡­ Years¡­ A decade? However long it takes,¡± Eisen responded.


    ¡°Well if that¡¯s the case, and this has moved into a long term project, I was wondering if you would be able to help me with something slightly different,¡± Marin humbly asked.


    Eisen raised an eyebrow in silence.


    ¡°I want to regain my memory. Is there any methods for doing so?¡± Marin forced himself to say.


    Eisen leaned back with a grin. ¡°I was wondering if that was ever going to be something you¡¯d ask me. Unfortunately, there is no exact way in doing so. I have some methods I could use to try and jolt your noggin into remembering something, but I don¡¯t think in your state its a very good idea.¡±


    Marin nodded. It was worth a shot.


    After a silent moment of pondering though, Eisen had more to say.


    ¡°...Well, there¡¯s one thing I could try. You see, sometimes when people experience temporary memory loss, a good night¡¯s sleep fixes them right up.¡±


    ¡°Doctor, a very long sleep is what got me into this situation,¡± Marin said back.


    ¡°I understand. But that¡¯s not the same type of sleep I¡¯m talking about. You need REM sleep, something you haven¡¯t experienced since you¡¯ve been walking around again.¡±


    ¡°Inducing Marin into sleep like that could be really risky!¡± Loid rightfully spoke out. ¡°We don¡¯t know what might happen to him if he falls asleep. There¡¯s a chance he might never wake up.¡±


    Marin raised a hand to stop Loid.


    There were risks he was willing to take if they had any chance in recovering his past.


    ¡°I¡¯d say its worth a shot,¡± Marin surprisingly said.


    Eisen looked shocked. ¡°...Okay. I¡¯ll look into it. Give me some time, and I¡¯ll see what I can whip up for you. It might even aid in the recollection of the master formula.¡±

 Chapter 46 - Claymore and Katana

    Gus still had not acclimated to his alarm clock firing off one hour earlier than he was used to. It brought him out of a deep sleep, and he rolled over in bed to give the source of the noise a firm whack with his hand. The clock shut off in reaction to the hit, returning to a silent state.


    He rubbed his eyes and sat up, mentally preparing himself for another torturous ice bath. It had been a whole week now since he had begun Marin¡¯s two-week priming course. Today marked day eight, and he was officially halfway done with the ordeal.


    Knowing that he would soon be outside the castle, walking in the stinging cold 4 am winter air, Gus intensely longed to stay in his warm bed. He shook away the thoughts, though, as his drive to receive the ice element thwarted the desires of failing Marin. That, and he knew this difficult period would only last several more days. He could do it. Gus got out of bed, and began gearing himself up.


    At least Marin was with him through all of it. Gus knew his King got very little sleep as it was, but wondered if he too was also waking up an hour early with him to help him through the challenge.


    It wasn¡¯t long before he made his way through the stables, gazing at the sleeping horses as he walked by. Even the work horses didn¡¯t have to wake up at this stupid hour. He cursed his situation, but pressed onward as he headed out of the castle¡¯s west side entrance, and into the familiar pain of the outside icy wind.


    Gus was growing a resentment for ice ¨C anything cold for that matter ¨C yet here he was, yearning to have such a close relationship with it. For a long time the cold would rule him, but one day, he would rule it.


    ¡°Morning, Gus!¡± Marin cheerfully said while holding a lantern. It was the only light source in these dark woods at this hour.


    ¡°Yeah, hi,¡± Gus responded, taking no time removing his leather gear. It was snowing outside, and Gus thought that being unclothed in the blizzard air would be good enough for anyone, but for Marin, not so.


    The pain of the ice water had become familiar, but it had not waned a single bit in intensity. As always, Gus counted the seconds with Marin, but he could almost swear Marin was counting slower than he should. By the time Gus hit two minutes, it was still moments before his King gave the okay.


    Marin might be purposely leaving him in there longer just for assurance, but Gus believed he himself was most likely counting too fast. Anyone would if they were subjected to what he was going through.


    Eight out of fourteen done. He only had six more to go. Gus dried himself off with the towel Marin had brought out, and got dressed again.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Marin asked his student as they walked back to the castle.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t get any easier. This is all necessary, eh?¡± Gus responded.


    ¡°Oh yes. When I get you to travel to the power plane, that terrible stinging feeling of these baths will cause you to bridge a connection with the ice element,¡± Marin explained.


    ¡°The power plane?! I¡¯m going there? How do I get there? Where do I go?¡± Gus frantically asked, wondering if Marin was sending him somewhere ¨C maybe even somewhere off-world.


    ¡°Calm down, its a mental thing entirely. Your physical body will stay put here,¡± Marin assured him.


    Gus blinked hard. What did that mean? Would he be induced into a dream-state? Was there a realm he could enter through his mind alone? Before he could follow up with more questions, Marin spoke out.


    ¡°Try not to think about it,¡± Marin added. ¡°I¡¯ll explain all of it when we get to that hill. I don¡¯t need you worrying about it while we work on priming you.¡±


    Gus swallowed as he tried putting it all out of his mind. He had to trust Marin, he knew that his King would be sure to keep him safe. No matter how scary this entire process seemed, it would all be okay with the master guiding him.


    ¡°How did the inspection go?¡± Gus asked, switching the subject. Aside from the ice bath, this was the only time he could speak with his King before his busy day.


    Marin shrugged. ¡°As well as it could have gone, I suppose. A director showed up, I¡¯m sure you heard. He was fierce. He has good intentions, but comes off as ruthless. After I thought about it for a while though, I suppose nothing less could be expected from the rulers of the world.¡±


    Gus had heard. Word had spread throughout the whole castle of a Director¡¯s unexpected showing. Hearing the words from Marin though, it had confirmed he was as scary as everyone thought.


    ¡°Are we gonna pass?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s looking good. I sure hope so,¡± Marin tried.


    Back inside the warm castle, Marin and Gus said their parting words before heading in different directions. As always, Gus found an active fireplace, and sat in front of it for several minutes, trying his best to regain feeling in his digits.


    Gus tried to imagine Marin doing the same priming process he was in the middle of. Was there really a time far back enough that Sullivan was also dipping his body into ice baths? Or did Arkana have him do something entirely different. Marin had mentioned that he was doing the easiest method. If ice baths were the easy way to prime, he worried what terrible methods Arkana administered for their element acquisition program.


    Gus bet they had a 100 percent success rate, if the student wasn¡¯t elementally inept. Apparently that was an unfortunate matter that Marin had mentioned earlier. Gus prayed that would not be him.


    Back up, Gus made his way to the dining hall for breakfast. Afterwards, he returned to the barracks where he would get his daily briefing from the nightwatch. During his shifts guarding the castle, Gus couldn¡¯t help but think about how his life would be once he finally grasped the skills.


    He pictured spikes of ice erupting from the ground at the wave of his hand. He would point at someone, and they would freeze in place. He would close his palm, then open it to allow ice cubes to fall into his warm mead. He would be able to do it all.


    Then, he would find himself in Marin¡¯s office. Marin would be promoting him from lowly castle guard to an elemental defender of the kingdom. He wouldn¡¯t be under anyone¡¯s watch. He would personally escort his King around, freezing the next red bandanna covered rogue who tried to attack them.


    He would be strong ¨C he would be great. He would eventually get to Marin¡¯s level of mastery. Then he would craft his own swan ice sculpture for his wedding.


    ¡°Hey, Gus!¡± Corey, a fellow guard snapped at him, getting Gus to leave his day dream. ¡°It¡¯s lunch time. Let¡¯s go eat.¡±


    Gus shook his head. ¡°Right. I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    Gus and his friend Corey were relieved from their positions for thirty minutes to eat lunch. It was always a highlight for Gus, since when he got back, there would be just two hours left in his shift.


    Lunch was the most chaotic time for the dining room, and kitchen, since there was no perfectly set time for it. It just kept running until dinner. When Gus entered the room, castle dwellers were sitting down to eat and getting up at the same time to go back to work.


    Gus and Corey went to the table on the side near the kitchen, to load up on a spread the kitchen kept churning out.


    After they had loaded plates, they sat at the center table with other guards, who all talked as they ate. These days, ever since Gus returned home with Marin, he mostly just listened to other guards tell stories as of late, not choosing to speak so much himself. His mind was constantly preoccupied with the element he would be acquiring soon.


    His eyes wandered away from the guards immediately around him, as he glanced at the other people at different tables eating.


    Eventually, he looked towards the end of the far right table, where he saw a woman eating alone. She had on a plain gray robe. It was a dress style he had never seen in his life before. She even had a sheathed sword tucked to her side.


    ¡°Hey who¡¯s that?¡± Gus suddenly spoke out, shocking the fellow guards around him, and halting their stories. Corey glanced to where he was looking.


    ¡°That girl over there?¡± Corey asked, confirming.


    ¡°Yeah!¡± Gus said. He couldn¡¯t recall ever seeing her.


    ¡°That¡¯s that new samurai Loid recruited,¡± a burly guard said under his breath. ¡°I don¡¯t trust her.¡±


    ¡°Samurai?¡± Gus responded, not knowing what that was.


    ¡°Those blademasters from Ocusomer,¡± he explained.


    Gus shook his head. ¡°Why is she eating alone?¡±


    ¡°I heard samurais like being alone,¡± Corey said. ¡°I heard if you insult them even in the slightest, they come to your bed at night and slice your throat open. They¡¯re ruthless, that¡¯s for sure.¡±


    Everyone at the table agreed. Everyone, but Gus, that was. Who was shaking his head.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    ¡°I mean, look at what she¡¯s wearing! I¡¯ve never seen anybody dress like that,¡± Corey added.


    ¡°I think they¡¯re called kimonos,¡± the burly guard explained, who seemed to know more about them than anyone else.


    ¡°I had an uncle,¡± Rudolf started, ¡°who knew a samurai in Navaren. The tales he told me about how he went around killing people left and-¡±


    ¡°Alright you guys, I¡¯m gonna go sit with her,¡± Gus said, hearing enough crap from his coworkers.


    He knew well enough that if Loid or Marin vetted her, she couldn¡¯t be capable of anything they had been claiming. Gus knew that they knew that too, and were rejecting her due to either her culture, or the fact that she could probably own all of them at once in a sword fight.


    ¡°What?! Gus, sit back down! You don¡¯t know what she¡¯s capable of!¡±


    It was too late. He was up, and grabbing his plate. ¡°You can all be scared of a bunch of fake rumors. I¡¯m not. I¡¯m gonna go talk to her.¡±


    Gus didn¡¯t even turn back to look at them as he walked around the center table, and over to Ester, who was all alone in the corner.


    She raised her head in response to Gus placing his plate of half eaten food down on the other side of the table, right in front of her.


    ¡°Hello,¡± Gus tried.


    ¡°Um¡­ Hi?¡± She said back, wondering what was happening.


    ¡°Do you mind if I eat with you?¡± He followed up with.


    She glanced around him, looking to see if he was being accompanied by anyone. When she saw he was alone, she allowed him to sit with her.


    ¡°I heard you¡¯re a samurai who lives here now. I¡¯m Gus, a castle guard.¡± He extended his hand to shake hers.


    Gus worried if he was being overwhelming. He locked eyes with her, and the crystal blue color of hers dazzled him. She had a reserved look on her face though, as if she wasn¡¯t fully trusting yet.


    After leaving him hanging for a few seconds, she reached out and shook his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m Ester,¡± she finally responded.


    ¡°Good to meet you,¡± Gus said, starting to feel a great desire to leave a good impression on her.


    After a moment, they began eating again.


    ¡°I heard that samurais are pretty cutthroat. I bet no one messes with you,¡± Gus tried making conversation as they ate.


    ¡°No, we are a peaceful people. Our skills are only used to defend, never attack. We don¡¯t hurt anyone unless its absolutely called for,¡± she explained.


    God, they¡¯re idiots, Gus thought to himself about his fellow guards.


    ¡°That¡¯s very honorable,¡± Gus responded. ¡°As you can see here, I¡¯m a sword wielder myself.¡± He reached over his shoulder and grasped his claymore handle for a moment. ¡°Though I doubt I could hold a candle to your skills.¡±


    She took the compliment fairly well, but seemed adverse to praise.


    ¡°We¡¯re all just here to defend the kingdom. That¡¯s all that matters,¡± she humbly spoke.


    ¡°Do you have an element?¡± He asked her.


    ¡°No. Samurais focus exclusively on mastery of the blade.¡±


    That answer kind of scared Gus. That meant she was probably really good at sword play, if that was all they focused on. He tried imagining what kind of skills she might have that went beyond regular human capability. Marin had told him about secret skills, and figured there must be a dozen or two that pertained to using a sword.


    ¡°That¡¯s impressive. Is there any chance you could teach me a few tricks?¡± It was a long shot, but Gus tried asking anyway.


    She lowered her head, and shook it.


    ¡°We¡¯re not allowed to teach our abilities outside of the Isle. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± She looked somber suddenly, a worried look that Gus didn¡¯t like seeing on her face.


    She probably thought that was the only reason he came to sit by her. Learn who she was and demand to be taught what she knew. Now she was worried Gus would get up and leave upon being denied.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry! I get it! Actually, I¡¯m sorry for asking! It was not my place,¡± Gus tried undoing what he had requested. ¡°I think that¡¯s really cool, or uh¡­ respectable. That you keep those skills away from those not proven¡­¡±


    That was a much better response than she thought she would get. She nodded in approval and agreement.


    They continued to talk for a while, as people came and went from eating.


    ¡°It was nice to meet you, Gus,¡± she finally said as she stood up. Gus looked down at her plate. It was empty. Had that much time already gone by?


    ¡°You too! Hey, uh, maybe we can duel some day,¡± he tried in an attempt to see her again.


    She chuckled. ¡°Maybe.¡±


    With that, she took her plate and walked away. Gus caught another glimpse of her katana tucked into her waistband. It was sheathed in a very decorative scabbard. He wondered if he could ever get one of those.


    Gus still had food on his plate. He should probably finish up soon. He looked over to where his fellow guards were sitting to see if they had been staring at him.


    They were gone, not a single of them still sitting there. Instead, other castle citizens were eating and talking. A wave of realization washed over Gus as he checked the time. His lunch break had ended over ten minutes ago.


    Gus cursed as he flew out of the chair and ran out of the dining room.


    The rest of his shift went well. Thankfully, no one seemed to notice that his post was unmanned for the gap of time he had lost track of. Eventually, his shift was over, and he headed down to the barracks to turn in his claymore and kingdom tabard for the day.


    As he walked down the brick hallway, he tried to tiptoe past Max¡¯s office, the captain of the guard. If he was in there, Gus didn¡¯t want him noticing him walking by.


    Not a chance.


    ¡°GUS!!¡± Max called out.


    Damn, he was so close too.


    ¡°Yes, captain?¡± Gus said, entering the room, trying to put on a false sense of confidence.


    ¡°Your fellow guards have reported an absence during your shift,¡± he thundered out.


    Gus scratched the back of his head. Had they seriously reported that? He had only missed out on ten minutes or so. ¡°Oh, yes¡­ Well, I got held up during lunch¡­ and¡­¡±


    ¡°It better have been for a good reason!¡± Max exclaimed.


    ¡°Not exactly¡­¡± Gus said with honesty. It was most likely that the guards had told Max exactly why he was late. He wasn¡¯t going to risk beating around the bush.


    Max was surprisingly receptive at the ownership of the mistake.


    ¡°Well, just don¡¯t let something like that happen again. You know, we¡¯re the castle¡¯s first line of defense in case of an event. Whether from an outside force or a civil matter¡­¡±


    Max was very good at lectures, Gus knew. He hoped that he wasn¡¯t at the beginning of a new one he was cooking up.


    ¡°Yes sir, I understand,¡± Gus said, while slowly stepping away.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ Oh! One other thing!¡± Max declared.


    If it was something other than a lecture, Gus was all for it.


    ¡°Can you drop this letter off at Marin¡¯s quarters on the top floor? He has a table near the door you can leave it on.¡± Max opened a desk drawer and produced an envelope. ¡°I could drop it off at the office and have it delivered that way, but I want it delivered directly to him. Can you manage that for me?¡±


    Gus was intrigued. He nodded yes, taking the letter from Max.


    ¡°You know where it is, right?¡± Max asked with concern.


    ¡°Of course! I¡¯ve walked by it more times than I could count.¡±


    ¡°Right, right of course. Okay, be off then.¡±


    Gus had planned on heading towards the barracks to unload, but with this new letter in his hands, he had to turn right back around and start climbing some stairs. As he traveled, he wondered what Max could possibly be petitioning Marin about. Maybe it was something personal, as Max didn¡¯t want to risk it being read by Helva or Loid in the main office first.


    Gus made it to the top floor, and walked down the hallway that would lead to the King¡¯s quarters. This top floor was the nicest area of the castle, with the most expensive items on display. It reminded him more of a museum than anything else. He passed several other doors that led into guest rooms for individuals with status who might visit.


    When Gus finally made it to Marin¡¯s fancy cherry wood door, it suddenly opened.


    Rocko walked out. He turned to see Gus, and jumped in shock.


    ¡°Rocko?¡± Gus said.


    ¡°Oh, hey,¡± Rocko greeted, quickly slamming Marin¡¯s door shut.


    ¡°What were you doing in there?¡±


    ¡°Just uh¡­ Talking with Marin, you know,¡± he nervously said.


    ¡°Oh, is he in? I have a letter right here that needs delivered-¡±


    ¡°No! Ah, just leave it on the table here, he¡¯s not really in a mood to see anyone, that much I could tell,¡± Rocko explained, sounding smarter than he normally should.


    ¡°Oh, okay¡­ That¡¯s fine then.¡± Gus placed the envelope on the ornate table by the door. ¡°Well, anyways, see ya later.¡±


    Rocko stayed put, watching Gus walk away.


    When Gus rounded the corner, he didn¡¯t continue on. Instead, he waited a couple seconds, then peeked around the corner to Marin¡¯s hallway.


    Rocko had vanished.


    ¡°Hmmmmmm¡­.¡± Gus thought.

 Chapter 47 - Another New Job

    Blaine¡¯s boulder sized gut brushed up against John Reech¡¯s bookshelf as he shimmied by the narrow walkway of his room. It caused several books to fall off onto the ground.


    Blaine might¡¯ve tried picking them up or even feel bad about it happening, if it wasn¡¯t for John¡¯s refusal to accommodate his plus-sized body. Instead, he ignored it and pressed onward to the stone stairs, cursing under his breath.


    There were only a couple people in John¡¯s entire organization that were allowed in his upstairs quarters. Blaine was one of them. After he conquered the stairs, he fixated on the old man at a desk, reading over monotonous government paperwork.


    Blaine¡¯s huffing alone caused John to notice him.


    ¡°Blaine. What brings you?¡± Reech spoke out without looking up from his paperwork.


    ¡°Another letter from Nocturne,¡± Blaine breathed out, approaching the desk.


    He dropped the paper onto the desk, then sat down on John¡¯s bed, which sagged greatly from his weight. Blaine could have placed himself in any of John¡¯s chairs sitting in the area, but at his size, the bed was most suitable for him, and it was close enough to where John was stationed at that they could talk comfortably.


    ¡°Ah, I was hoping for an update from him soon. Let¡¯s see what he has to say,¡± John commented while tearing the envelope open.


    John,


    Marin has returned from Tarenfall with a new doctor named Edward Eisen. From what I could tell, he¡¯s very smart. I was not so worried until I saw that Marin¡¯s old lab had been cracked open. He now has the notes of his immortality potion. It looks like Marin is aiming to remake the potion with the help of this new doctor.


    I¡¯ve gone through Marin¡¯s personal notes and journals to get additional clues. He¡¯s written it all in some other language though, that I can¡¯t understand.


    I¡¯m getting tired of being here. When you tasked me to watch over the castle, you never told me he might wake up. I never signed up to be a spy. I¡¯m hoping you¡¯ll let me out of this soon enough, and send someone else to do this job.


    Just let me know what you want me to do. I will continue to serve, but my greatest wish is to return to the cavern with Phil.


    --Rocko


    John Reech sat back in his chair, looking up towards the ceiling, deep in thought. He began weighing a lot of factors in his mind, deciding what the best course of action would be.


    Based on the long pause, Blaine knew the news wasn¡¯t great.


    ¡°What¡¯s he saying?¡± Blaine asked in his low, bassy voice.


    ¡°Rocko grows tired of his station. He has reminded me again that his current situation was not part of our agreement. I understand that, but I can¡¯t easily install someone else to take his place.¡±


    Reech stroked his long white beard in thought.


    ¡°...I need him there now more than ever,¡± he added. ¡°Especially after the intel I¡¯ve just received from him.¡±


    ¡°More troubling events over there?¡± Blaine asked.


    ¡°Here,¡± John said as he offered the letter to his large right hand man. Instead of relaying the contents of the letter verbally, he figured it¡¯d be best to just let him read it for himself.


    Blaine leaned forward to take the letter from John¡¯s hands across the desk. He leaned back and began reading.


    In the meantime, John folded his hands together, thinking still.


    Blaine finished his reading, and nodded his head. ¡°You think Marin has a chance in succeeding?¡±


    ¡°No. The notes in his lab are incomplete. It can¡¯t be recreated,¡± John responded with almost certainty.


    ¡°Well, then there¡¯s nothing to worry about, right? He¡¯s spinning wheels in mud.¡± Blaine threw the letter back onto the desk. He leaned back, and rested both his tree trunk arms on his stomach.


    ¡°...I would like to see Rocko back here, though,¡± Blaine continued on. ¡°I¡¯m not so sure about the Phil guy he stumbled upon on his way to the Murok Mountains, but he¡¯s been out there long enough. I¡¯ve said this before, but Marin¡¯s just a dead man walking around again from his failed experiment.


    It was you who perfected it. You¡¯re the one who¡¯s truly immortal.¡±


    John Reech nodded. ¡°I understand that. I just don¡¯t need Marin threatening everything I¡¯ve built. All the connections I¡¯ve established over hundreds of years.¡±


    ¡°If there¡¯s some things about Sullivan Marin you haven¡¯t told me, now¡¯s the time,¡± Blaine stated, reading an underlying tone from his leader.


    John was again quiet for a moment as he thought about what to say. Marin being alive again was not something he had anticipated to happen. Not only was he, but Marin had been quite busy with relaunching the Kingdom and creating a new force in the world. John would have to manage him from the shadows, as he did with all governments and kingdoms.


    ¡°...You can go now, Blaine. Thank you for your words.¡± It was all Reech offered after a long pause. He was not ready to reveal and bring him into the entire fold of his plans.


    Blaine threw his hands up in a ¡®whatever¡¯ fashion. He trusted John no matter what, but it was obvious that the apparent secrets about what was truly going on was starting to bother him. He got up from John¡¯s bed, and began to walk away.


    Reech was alone again, staring at all the papers on his desk.


    There¡¯s no way he could figure out the formula again on his own. Pyreth was the real mind behind it, and he is long gone¡­


    John opened the bottom left drawer of his desk. He reached under all the papers and objects stuffed into it. With a great deal of effort, he pulled out an embarrassingly old tattered piece of paper with mathematical writing all over it.


    It was the master formula for the immortality potion, the one page Marin was lacking.


    John stared at it for a while. It was hard for him to believe that he was older than this paper from 250 years ago.


    Edward Eisen. Could you possibly be smart enough to rediscover what¡¯s in my hands?


    ...Probably not. But I will not take any chances.


    Meanwhile, in another room of the Crystal Cavern, Ryno was in the middle of a work out session. He was shirtless, and bench pressing a metal pole that had the weight of Blaine screwed onto either side. Seeing that Blaine weighed 600 pounds (nearly 43 stone), the total weight he was repeatedly lifting into the air was heavier than the largest brown bear you could find.


    That was just what the bar could handle. Ryno could happily work with more weight, but it would require going outside and lifting something that would scare everyone away from him.


    At these weights, Ryno wasn¡¯t just working out his physical body, but was actively improving his Enhancement skill, an ability that caused the strength and durability of one to exceed what was normally possible.


    Vera, one of the base members of Reech¡¯s group, peered in the workout room to see what he was doing.


    ¡°Ryno?!¡± She called out, trying to get his attention.


    Ryno dropped the barbell down harshly into the frame, a loud metal clash echoing in the room.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡°Yeah?!¡± He responded as he sat up to see who it was. His chiseled old-man abs were glistening with sweat. His gray hair cut in a ceaser style was matted to his head.


    ¡°Oh! Vera, its you!¡± Ryno cheerfully exclaimed, while grabbing a white hand towel and drying off his brow.


    Vera held a hand up, then looked away to not stare at his body. ¡°Um, John wants to see us in his office. Can you get dressed and meet us in there?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Sure, sure of course,¡± Ryno responded.


    Vera walked down the hallway without another word. She was very uncomfortable with Ryno. Well, everyone was to some extent. They couldn¡¯t be blamed, his personality had to be tolerated.


    Moments later, Ryno could be seen walking into John¡¯s office. He was back in his typical brown leather gear with a hood and cape.


    When he saw his boss behind the desk, he pointed finger guns at him.


    ¡°Reech for the sky!¡± He exclaimed. Vera nor John laughed, or even really made a reaction to the joke.


    ¡°Well that was a new one I had cooked up,¡± Ryno mentioned as he swung his chair around, sitting in it backwards. ¡°It was pretty funny if you ask me. But anyways, what do ya got?¡±


    Everything was so lighthearted and joking with Ryno. It had to be that way though, because the times he was serious, it meant heads were going to roll, and in quite the explosive way, typically.


    ¡°Thanks for meeting with me,¡± John finally began with both Vera and Ryno on the other side of the table. ¡°I have a new job for the both of you.¡±


    Vera didn¡¯t like the implication of the statement. She was hoping this didn¡¯t mean she was going to be assigned to Ryno for this new mission.


    ¡°Who am I killing now?!¡± Ryno said with great excitement.


    ¡°You¡¯re not killing anyone!¡± John¡¯s voice was elevated with actual frustration, something that was almost never seen.


    He took a long breath, returning to a calm state so he could continue.


    ¡°...I need both of you to journey to a temple for me, and retrieve some rare vegetation.¡±


    ¡°You want me to pick plants for you? Do I look like a botanist?¡± Ryno demanded.


    ¡°That¡¯s why Vera¡¯s going with you. I need her to verify the samples and navigate to the location they grow at,¡± John explained.


    Vera became wide-eyed, as her greatest fear had become true. ¡°W-wait, John¡­ I¡¯m perfectly capable of doing this myself. There¡¯s no reason for him to go. You should save Ryno for bigger jobs. I¡¯d be completely fine with Oscar going, or Chel, or-¡±


    John raised his hand, cutting her off. ¡°It¡¯s not debatable. But if reasoning will bring you to better accepting the terms, I¡¯d be happy to explain.¡±


    Vera just lowered her head.


    ¡°...Well I wanna hear it!¡± Ryno piped out. ¡°She kind of has a point!¡±


    John sighed. ¡°Not only is the location quite dangerous, but there¡¯s a very real chance that someone else might be after these samples. And I can¡¯t risk the mission failing or you getting hurt. That¡¯s why you, Ryno,¡± John began pointing at him. ¡°Are to keep her safe and allow her to complete the job. You¡¯re going to be there to make sure no one stops her. Is that understood?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. I get it,¡± Ryno responded in a bored tone.


    Vera still had her head down. She was quite upset.


    Ryno looked over to her. ¡°Vera? What are you so sad about? We got this, girl!¡±


    Vera was mentally preparing herself to spend what could be a few weeks stuck with the loose cannon.  She had to get over it though. She knew John wouldn¡¯t have her working with him unless this was absolutely important.


    ¡°...Okay,¡± she finally said, lifting her head. ¡°What are the details?¡±


    John shifted some paperwork around, presenting some documents to her.


    ¡°The Hallicent Blossom is a flower that has been growing exclusively inside Saanvoleg Temple,¡± John began as Vera started reading about it.


    ¡°That¡¯s located in the Ubora Desert,¡± he added.


    ¡°I see,¡± Vera said as she studied the map in front of her. John Reech already had all the notes and locations marked for her.


    ¡°The temple itself is ancient, and abandoned. It¡¯s a bit of a maze inside. A long time ago, deep in a chamber, a crystal elemental created a permanent glowing shard that has caused the flowers to grow. The properties of it are still not fully researched.


    I need you to go down there and collect ten of the best looking ones.¡±


    Vera was writing down extra notes as he talked. ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    ¡°And this is the most important part, I need what¡¯s left destroyed.¡±


    Vera paused as she stopped writing. She looked up at him. ¡°You want to destroy¡­¡±


    ¡°All of it. The crystal, the flowers, the whole room. That will be for Ryno to take care of,¡± John explained. His gaze shifted to Ryno.


    Ryno had his head down onto the chair¡¯s back, seemingly asleep.


    John gave the table a decent smack, causing Ryno¡¯s head to rise up quickly at the sound.


    ¡°Did you hear that Ryno?¡± Reech exclaimed.


    Ryno¡¯s head rolled around from absolute boredom. ¡°Yes! Yes I heard! Destroy the flowers, destroy the crystal, the room¡­¡± This was torturous for him.


    ¡°Do NOT destroy the whole temple, alright? It is a historical monument from the ancient days. Just destroy the room and what¡¯s in it,¡± John carefully explained.


    ¡°Okay! Jeez!¡±


    ¡°Why are we destroying this rare species of plant, John?¡± Vera asked. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t it be protected and preserved?¡±


    ¡°The flower can be used for something quite dangerous. We are stopping very bad people from obtaining it for themselves. And the ten samples you collect will allow us to potentially regrow them again in the future.¡±


    John slid a few notebooks and bundles of papers towards her. ¡°This is all the information we have on the flower and how to extract it safely. There is also a rough layout of the temple here so you can follow it and not get lost. I¡¯ve supplied you with every bit of information I could,¡± he explained.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said.


    ¡°And keep Ryno in check, alright?¡± He added.


    ¡°Ryno?¡± John said while looking at him. ¡°Vera¡¯s in charge on this mission. You do what she says. I want a clean report from her about you when you both return.¡±


    ¡°You hurt me, Reechie. When I have ever had a stain on my record?¡±


    ¡°Your record is more than stained. It¡¯s soaked in your mistakes. That¡¯s why Vera¡¯s going, so this gets done right,¡± John explained.


    ¡°Fine, fine,¡± Ryno gave up.


    Vera flipped through the paperwork quickly to get a decent idea of she was working with. During the entire journey though, she would continue studying it all so by the time they got to the temple, she would know exactly how to handle the situation.


    Vera was studious, and great at committing mundane information to memory. This was the reason John wanted Vera to recover the flowers. No one else in the base was as smart as her.


    No one except for John himself, of course.


    ¡°You both leave tomorrow. Start getting your gear together,¡± Reech stated.


    With that, the meeting was over. Ryno and Vera walked out of John¡¯s office together. They said a few more words to each other, mainly Ryno telling a few jokes while Vera responded in the best way she could.


    The Ubora Desert was in the southern region of the Grandom Continent. Sunset Forest, the location where Reech¡¯s base was at, was located to the far west. While it was close to the middle line of Grandom, they would still have to spend a week or two traveling south.


    Ryno could get around much quicker on his own. In dire situations, Ryno could zap around the continent in astonishing speeds. Since Vera was with him, however, this was going to be at standard pace.


    While John wanted this task done as soon as possible, it was not worth the risk of Ryno trying to do the job himself in exchange for a hasty result. The slow trade-off had to be made.


    Back in the office, John sat at his desk alone. The current move he was making with this mission would bar Marin from ever completing the potion. With the rest of the exclusive flowers destroyed, Marin¡¯s mythical ingredient to make the potion work would be out of his reach forever.


    If John could cut off every way that Marin could reclaim himself and grow stronger, he would keep him in check. Marin would stay in the bounds of his management on the world.


    John looked down at his elegant maroon robes, then to his hands folded on the desk.


    On his finger was gold ring he always adorned.


    It was the seal of Nocturne, the same one Marin wore.


    I should have destroyed your body while it lie dead on the floor. Never would I have imagined you¡¯d break free of your permanent slumber¡­

 Chapter 48 - Suspicion

    After continuous talks with Eisen, Marin decided to move forward with ordering all the ingredients needed for the immortality potion. This included expensive and rare reagents that were only grown during specific cycles, and would take months to be delivered.


    Of course, this also included the mythical flower known as the Hallicent Blossom. While the doctor had no book on the exclusive plant, Marin bet he knew someone that did, and that would be Nocturne¡¯s own librarian, Marge Halkress.


    She was the only person Eisen was willing to leave his basement home for. Together, both Marin and Eisen entered the grand library of the castle to consult with her.


    Nocturne¡¯s library had become nothing short of impressive. This was the only feature of the castle that Marin spared absolutely no expense for. He had tasked Marge with ordering nearly every bit of written information that was available to be purchased. In every topic, Marin told her to order nothing but the best ¨C the most reputable authors, professors and greatly accomplished scientists who wrote their discoveries into books that sold for a pretty gold piece.


    The result was an outstanding collection of books that covered a vast array of information. It had become so well known, that many people from surrounding cities journeyed to the Nocturne Kingdom just to make use of the library. Marin knew with all the gold he had spent on it, she had to have something pertaining to the flower.


    They both passed rows of bookshelves, each towering and fully outfitted with knowledge. Marin appreciated them greatly. Despite the decent amount of people in the expansive room, you could hear a pin drop. The rule of silence in the library was well respected.


    At the far end of the library was Marge¡¯s desk, and despite quite a bit of paper and book work she performed, she kept her work space immaculate.


    As Eisen and Marin approached her, she had an open log of borrowed books, and was cross referencing them with who had checked them out.


    When she saw two of the people she had the most respect for, she instantly stood up from her chair to greet them.


    They talked barely above whispers, respecting the peace of the library. After they said some greetings and formalities, Marin dived into the reason they had visited her.


    ¡°The Hallicent Blossom¡­¡± Marge repeated. She pursed her lips as she searched her brain.


    ¡°...Yes,¡± she said after a moment. ¡°The flower that manifested from the elemental who made the amber crystal. It¡¯s named after him, too. Something Hallicent, I can¡¯t remember his first name. Let me check our section on ancient history to see if I can find more. There may be some mentioning of it in either our book on Saanvoleg Temple or¡­¡±


    Her thought process trailed off as she paced around the front of her desk to a section of the library. She walked at a brisk pace, and it took some effort from the two men to keep up with her.


    Marge passed several bookshelves before turning down one. She walked over to a specific section, and began running her finger across spines of books as she tried finding the exact one she needed.


    She had this entire library nearly memorized. For her to just casually walk to same area as the book she needed without much thought was impressive, Marin thought.


    It didn¡¯t take more than a minute for her to finally pull out a worn book that had everything to do with the history of the abandoned ancient temple in the Ubora Desert.


    She handed it to Eisen, then began brainstorming what other books might have potential information. After a moment, she started walking to another section of the library. Without a word, they both followed her.


    She pulled several more books, one on prominent crystal elementals which was likely to have mentioned Hallicent, as well as one on exclusively rare vegetation.


    She had given the doctor four books to comb through.


    ¡°Those are going to contain everything our library has on the blossom, if anything at all. I hope you find what you¡¯re looking for,¡± she finally mentioned.


    ¡°Thank you, Marge. You¡¯ve been incredible,¡± Marin told her.


    She nodded and smiled.


    They spoke a few more words on the subject. After a several more minutes, they both exited the library and left Marge to her work. A decent line of patrons had lined up to be serviced in front of her desk, waiting for her return to the front.


    ¡°I will read through all of these, and tell you the best course of action on retrieving the flower,¡± Eisen explained. ¡°I need to find out if it retains its properties after being dried out and preserved. If it does, we can obtain some at any time. If not, we won¡¯t be able to retrieve it until I can attempt the brewing process.¡±


    Marin understood. He parted ways with his doctor once again, and left him to do the research in the basement. It was slow to be made, but progress on the potion was moving along. It helped that Eisen was hellbent on figuring out the process, and his drive was most likely to gain immortality himself.


    Marin made a mental note to have a sincere talk with him sometime about taking the potion, and what his motives would be after cracking the formula. Whatever they would be, Marin would lenient in accepting them if it meant he could be cured.


    The day progressed in a usual sense. Nothing out of the ordinary, that was, until Loid ran into him in the main office.


    ¡°Sullivan, you have a minute or two?¡± Loid asked him.


    The two walked into Loid¡¯s office, that was just one doorway down the hall after the main one.


    Inside, they both sat down.


    ¡°I know you didn¡¯t want me to worry about investigating this ¡®earth elemental¡¯ that you claim is among our home, but I have found the time to do some sleuthing,¡± he mentioned.


    ¡°That¡¯s funny you brought this up. I had just been talking with Max about assigning a guard to the case,¡± Marin responded. ¡°But that¡¯s nice you¡¯ve found time to do it yourself. Tell me what you¡¯ve discovered.¡±


    Loid lowered his head, and interlaced his fingers on the desk. ¡°Well, I had quite an intense talk with the boys about what they told me on that day,¡± he began. ¡°Their story was that they had heard the loud explosion, but hadn¡¯t seen it. But as you told me, the wall was rebuilt.


    This made me believe that the wall rebuilding and explosion events were not connected.¡±


    Loid leaned back in the chair.


    ¡°For a while I had believed that,¡± he continued. ¡°That was until earlier today, a guard reported to me that Rocko had been seen mailing a personal letter out from our post office.¡±


    Marin raised an eyebrow. ¡°Rocko is literate? It was to my knowledge that him and Phil both couldn¡¯t read or write.¡±


    ¡°I know! That¡¯s what I had believed! Aside from that though, who would he be writing to? He told me he didn¡¯t know of any family members he had, or anyone of importance from before he arrived at Heroca Town,¡± Loid explained.


    He then chuckled, and continued on.


    ¡°...So I had to investigate. I went down to the post office, and our postmaster explained that not only has Rocko been sending out mail, he¡¯s been receiving it too, and from an unnamed source.¡±


    Marin instantly stood up. ¡°We¡¯re going to the post office. Right now. Follow me.¡±


    Marin almost couldn¡¯t believe it. Could it be possible that this entire time Rocko and Phil had been faking who they were? If it was so, what an incredible job they had done.


    Why though? Why would both of them act like dummies for literal years? What was that accomplishing?


    All this was running through Marin¡¯s mind as they both walked down to the post office.


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Loid asked as they traveled to the far left side of the castle.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to think. Could it be possible that he¡¯s dropping letters off for someone else?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t line up with him receiving the anonymous letters back. They were directly titled for him,¡± Loid explained.


    Marin nodded. ¡°Right. You¡¯re right. There¡¯s something very wrong going on.¡±


    It was silent for the rest of the time they walked. Even Loid was spiraling, realizing that there was a chance that everything he knew about those two boys ¨C the two idiots he almost considered sons ¨C were not who they had appeared to be all this time.


    With no regard, Marin swung open the post office door. He entered the room behind the counter of the post office.


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    In the back was the postmaster, arranging letters that had just come in for the day.


    He turned around to see who had just barged in so rudely, but when he saw it was his King and boss, he threw the rest of the letters down onto the desk and hailed them.


    ¡°M-my King!¡± The postmaster said.


    ¡°You told Loid that Rocko has been sending and receiving mail?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Yes sir!¡± He responded.


    ¡°Tell me everything you know,¡± Marin ordered.


    ¡°Uhh¡­ Well¡­¡± The middle aged man¡¯s eyes darted around in thought as he realized the situation had become quite serious.


    ¡°Ever since we established the mail system in the castle, Rocko had been periodically sending and receiving letters,¡± he got out.


    ¡°How often?¡± Marin inquired.


    ¡°About once a week, give or take a day.¡±


    ¡°What address has he been sending them to?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ He sent ¡®em to¡­ Uh, let me see!¡±


    The postmaster scrambled to a desk, and pulled out a thick leather book that served as a log.


    ¡°Just give me a sec to find that out!¡± He added.


    The postmaster started going through lists and files of outgoing mail. It took him a while, and Marin and Loid stood in silence as the man scanned endless entries as quick as he could.


    ¡°...Ah, here we go! Rocko. Address has been¡­ A PO Box. In Alistana.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s that at?¡± Loid asked.


    ¡°Sunset Forest, I believe.¡±


    Loid lowered his head. That was so far away, there wasn¡¯t a chance that Rocko was casually mailing family members or friends of the past. He became deeply disturbed as he came to terms with the fact that the boys had betrayed him.


    ¡°The post office in West Alistana. PO Box number 243,¡± the postmaster added, hoping the entire address would help them out.


    ¡°It¡¯s a PO Box, meaning that there¡¯s no residential location its being sent to,¡± Marin realized. ¡°Rocko is in contact with someone secret. How intriguing.¡±


    ¡°WHY?¡± Loid demanded. He was going through so many stages one would go through about accepting their death. He was currently on reasoning.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re upset, Loid. Trust me, I am too. We trusted those two, we considered them family here in the castle,¡± Marin shared.


    ¡°There¡¯s¡­ There¡¯s a chance Phil has nothing to do with it. Has Phil been sending out letters? Has he been seen here?¡± Loid asked.


    The postmaster confirmed that Phil had not sent or received any mail, nor had he ever been seen at the post office.


    ¡°Is it true the mail Rocko has been getting back has no return address?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± the postmaster solemnly responded, now seeing that some terrible discovery was occurring.


    ¡°Listen closely to me,¡± the King told his postmaster. ¡°You are to intercept ANY mail that comes or goes for Rocko or Phil. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Yes sir!¡±


    ¡°You are to tell me immediately when it happens. I will drop everything I¡¯m doing to come here and retrieve it,¡± Marin carefully explained.


    ¡°Will do, my King. You have my word.¡±


    Marin and Loid left the post office. They slowly walked down a hallway, completely alone. Both of them were still besides themselves about everything that had just unfolded.


    ¡°...I guess we¡¯ll go confront the two of them,¡± Loid finally said.


    ¡°No. We¡¯re not revealing to them that we know anything. You just keep acting like there¡¯s nothing wrong. We¡¯re not going to confront them until we find out exactly what¡¯s happening. But I want to you to keep an extra close eye on them.


    I understand you don¡¯t use your shadow element anymore, but this would be a fitting time to watch them from the shadows if you see them doing something suspicious.¡±


    Loid sighed, then nodded. ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°Listen, Loid. There¡¯s a chance that this isn¡¯t as bad as it seems. While its clear that Rocko is smarter than he¡¯s been letting on ¨C especially with this apparent literacy ¨C he could just be mailing a secret lover or long lost friend and didn¡¯t want to share with anyone about it.¡±


    ¡°What would be his reasoning for all that though? Why go through all the effort of acting dumb just so no one knows you¡¯re mailing someone?¡± Loid responded.


    Marin put his hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying, don¡¯t jump to dire conclusions so easily. Let¡¯s catch the next letter, and go from there.¡±


    Loid nodded, and took a moment. ¡°...Alright. I¡¯ll try to see if I can find anything else out. Don¡¯t bother trying to hire a guard at this point, I¡¯m going to take care of it.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good. I¡¯ll talk with you tonight in my quarters,¡± Marin finished with.


    The day progressed, but Marin had a lot to ponder about. If Rocko had been hiding some intelligence, there was also a chance that he could be the earth elemental as well. Since the elemental¡¯s work occurred in their room, it was fairly likely to be the case.


    Marin prepared himself to have an encounter with Rocko at some point, and get the truth out of him about everything. If he refused, Marin would have him banished from the castle.


    At the same, he wondered if this was all Rocko¡¯s doing, or if Phil played a role in it as well. Marin knew at some point soon though, the answers would all come to light. The timing would be in Rocko¡¯s next letter the post office would process.


    Loid returned to the main office to talk with Helva. As usual, she sat at in her chair behind the front desk, ready to greet and serve anyone who came in.


    ¡°What do we have Rocko and Phil doing as a job here? I know they do miscellaneous work, but is there a typical workload they follow?¡± Loid asked the secretary.


    ¡°They work for Fern. Anytime we need something built or repaired, they¡¯re the ones to do it. The orders have been often enough to keep them busy doing just that,¡± she explained.


    ¡°Do we keep a history of what they worked on?¡±


    If Rocko was an earth elemental, there was a chance that he might have used some of his abilities to free himself from extra manual labor. If he could find suspicious rock or brick placement, he could have Marin confirm that Rocko was indeed the elemental.


    ¡°Not a detailed log, no. I can go through the projects we¡¯ve ordered though, and can guarantee they¡¯ve worked on at least 80 percent of them,¡± Helva said.


    Loid nodded. That was not good enough, he was looking for concrete evidence on the work they¡¯ve done.


    ¡°Okay, don¡¯t worry about it. Would you have an idea where Fern¡¯s at during this hour?¡± Loid continued.


    Helva checked the time.


    ¡°He¡¯d still be on the clock with Rocko and Phil. My guess is that they¡¯re still repairing the pipes from when they froze several days ago. I¡¯d check in the storage room.¡±


    Before Loid stormed out the room, Helva snagged him with a quick question.


    ¡°Is everything okay, Loid? You seem troubled,¡± she asked with concern.


    ¡°Oh, sorry. No, everything¡¯s fine. I¡¯m just concerned about the pipes. I hope the damage wasn¡¯t too bad,¡± Loid tried.


    Fern was going to be the next person Loid would interview. Since he worked so closely with Phil and Rocko, he would ask him if he ever noticed anything odd about the work they did, or any suspicions he might have about them.


    Loid remembered Marin¡¯s words, though. He had to be careful on how he conducted his investigation. If Rocko took notice that Loid was reading deeper into the events that happened, he would attempt to cover up any evidence he could.


    He would have to wait until they were off the clock, and could get Fern alone to talk with him. If Rocko was sloppy and had used his element enough times, Fern might¡¯ve noticed something he shouldn¡¯t have seen. Loid could then bring the evidence to Marin and confirm his theory.


    Back down in the basement, Edward Eisen sat in front of his desk. He had all 4 books open that Marge had pulled for him. He was flipping through the pages, trying to find any information he could on the Hallicent Blossom.


    The book on Saanvoleg Temple yielded no results. It talked about the foundation of the building and what purposed it served in the ancient days, but nothing about the crystal elemental known as Hallicent and his growing of the flowers.


    The book on crystal elementals did indeed talk about Arno Hallicent and how he was known for inventing the amber crystal skill, but had no mention about what occurred in Saanvoleg. Despite not finding what he needed yet, Eisen didn¡¯t count it as a loss. He was getting a decent history lesson.


    The next book finally brought some useful information. On Rare Vegetation, Eisen found the entry about Arno Hallicent¡¯s special flower he grew, and some of the properties on it. In the history of the Hallicent Blossom, it dated the creation somewhere to be in the late 500¡¯s. It also listed the people involved in growing it, and speculations on what purpose it might have served.


    Eisen read the names of the people associated with it.


    The widest grin stretched over his long face.


    ¡°...Well, that wasn¡¯t something I expected to see¡­¡± Eisen mentioned to himself.


    The three people involved in growing and developing the flower were Arno Hallicent, Pyreth Inforgus, and Sullivan Marin.

 Chapter 49 - Man of Water

    Sullivan Marin was sitting in his personal quarters on the top floor. He was lounging back in his rolling chair, looking out the window to the mountain peaks in the distance. His feet rested on the low windowsill, with his hands folded in his lap.


    It was only midday. Usually during this time, he was out and about in the castle taking care of issues. Today, though, he felt like being alone. He struggled to process the events that had occurred lately.


    The biggest one came today when Eisen informed Marin that he was instrumental in helping develop the Hallicent Blossom. The very same rare flower Marin currently knew nothing about, and needed research on. This brought him immense grief.


    Marin felt like this Marin from the past wasn¡¯t him. There was a Marin that studied at Arkana, became a wizard, worked with Pyreth and Arno on creating the Hallicent Blossom, fought the Decay with Sygol the Knight, and founded a kingdom. Along with all that, a slew of other things that hadn¡¯t been revealed yet.


    The Marin sitting in his office, looking out the window, knew nothing of that one from before. He felt so distant from himself ¨C so distant from the past life he lived. At this moment, he debated if he shouldn¡¯t have ever woken up. The worst result of his failed potion was not being a zombie, or being thrust into a future world, it was that he forgot who he was, and everything he had accomplished.


    Marin flipped his hood back, and removed his black mask. He stared at it, and thought about all the people who knew him just from this face covering.


    It was just a sleek, plain black mask, made of a shaconium alloy. The eyes were light blue garian crystal. He remembered how Loid had it secretly commissioned for him, and gave it to him as a gift.


    This was Marin now. This black mask was Marin. That¡¯s all that was left. Even after talking with Eisen to get his memory back, he found it quite unlikely anything he brewed up would work.


    There was a knock on his door.


    Marin quickly fitted the mask back over his face, and threw the dark blue hood on over his head.


    ¡°Enter!¡± He yelled out as he turned around in his chair to face the door.


    The knob of the cherry wood door turned, and swung open. A maid was on the other end.


    ¡°Oh, hi Carol. What¡¯s going on?¡± Marin asked, fully expecting her to say someone needed him.


    ¡°There¡¯s a Grand Wizard from Arkana here to see you, sir,¡± she humbly said.


    ¡°A WHAT?!¡±


    Marin burst out of his quarters and sped down the hallway. Carol obviously misunderstood. A wizard was here to see him. Not one of the Grands, surely not. He would get to the bottom of this.


    Halfway through the trip of getting to the main entrance, he ran into Loid, who was looking for him.


    ¡°What do we know?¡± The King asked his right hand man as they continued to walk quickly.


    ¡°He says his name is Monzane, the grand wizard of water,¡± Loid informed him. ¡°I don¡¯t believe him. He looks like a homeless drunk. I think he¡¯s trying to get free handouts.¡±


    It was not any description Marin expected to hear.


    ¡°Where is he?¡±


    ¡°Waiting for you in the main office. He¡¯s having a decent time talking with Helva,¡± Loid responded.


    They reached the front of the castle, and walked down the center hallway into the reception rooms and main office.


    When Marin entered, his gaze fell upon a sorry-looking old man who was shooting the breeze with his secretary.


    The robe this man wore looked more like a gray burlap sack. It was rough and tattered, and had several holes in the most worn areas. On his head was a woven straw hat. Beside his chair, resting on the ground was a small backpack. Leaning against the wall behind him was a bamboo walking staff.


    The man himself was old, but generous in size. He was slightly shorter than average height, but also wider than a normal man as well. He had a frazzled gray beard spreading out in all directions from his neck, wild and untamed. A layer of dirt covered his face and hands. It was obvious he did not clean himself often.


    Loid was right. This was no wizard, let alone a grand one. This was a beggar posing as some powerful authority. Marin wondered how anyone could buy it.


    ¡°Can I help you, sir?¡± Marin asked the traveling stranger.


    At the question, the tattered man turned to look at Marin.


    ¡°Hello, yes. I¡¯m here to see King Marin! Are you him?¡± The man held his hand out.


    ¡°That would be me.¡± Marin grasped his hand for a handshake.


    Okay, this was a powerful elemental, that was for sure. The handshake said it all. Wizard quality at the very least. While Marin still didn¡¯t believe this was one from the prestigious Arkana city, he recognized he was at least dealing with a master of element.


    He suddenly acquired much more respect for who the man he first thought was a hobo.


    ¡°That¡¯s an Arkanian handshake for sure!¡± The old man said back with a jolly smile on his face. ¡°You must really be Sullivan Marin! My name is Monzane.¡±


    Monzane easily read Marin¡¯s grip right back.


    ¡°...I am a grand wizard representing the water discipline of Arkana. I¡¯ve traveled a long way to meet you,¡± Monzane added.


    Only Arkanians referred to elements as disciplines. You had to have lived there to know that, or at the very least, knew someone from Arkana. Monzane was slowly turning out to be exactly what he claimed.


    ¡°Truly?¡± Marin finally inquired. ¡°If that¡¯s so, you certainly don¡¯t look the part,¡± Marin commented, referring to the lowly clothing and gear Monzane donned.


    Monzane looked down at his robe, as if he was realizing it for the first time.


    ¡°Ah! Yeah!¡± He let out a belly laugh. ¡°I don¡¯t adorn myself with all them fancy pants garments those guys wear. I did for the longest time, but one day I stopped caring.¡±


    Marin couldn¡¯t believe this guy. Everyone in Arkana must hate him. Such a dirty, run-down plain man represented one of the highest seats in the most elegant city-nation on the continent. It certainly couldn¡¯t spell great publicity. Marin wondered how he hadn¡¯t been voted off his seat yet.


    ¡°Well, what can I help you with today, Sir Grand?¡± Marin asked, using proper Arkanian formalities.


    ¡°Don¡¯t start that with me. I get enough of that every time I have to go back to that blasted city. Call me Monzane. And do you have something to drink? I could really use somethin¡¯ to wet my whistle.¡±


    ¡°We have water, milk, juice, tea¡­?¡± Loid started.


    ¡°Bah, I was meaning something a bit more fiery if you catch my drift,¡± Monzane responded.


    Marin nodded, he understood. ¡°Loid, bring our guest the finest whiskey the castle is storing.¡±


    Monzane pointed at Marin in approval. ¡°Here¡¯s a man who gets it!¡±


    Loid shook his head, then took off out of the room.


    ¡°Well, seeing as you called my name in particular, you must be here for me. I am happy to share with you whatever I can,¡± Marin tried.


    ¡°Oh, right. Yes. You seem to be the same Sullivan Marin who attended Arkana in the late 500¡¯s. I was just coming to confirm¡­¡± Monzane started.


    Helva suddenly had a dire look on her face. Marin did too, but it was hidden under the mask.


    ¡°...I think we ought to continue this conversation in my office,¡± Marin stated.


    ¡°Sure. Where we goin¡¯?¡±


    Marin told Helva to tell Loid when he got back that they were in his office. Helva nodded.


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    Monzane stood up, and grabbed his backpack and bamboo walking stick. They left the main office, and traveled a few doors down to a private room, where they couldn¡¯t be eavesdropped upon.


    Inside the room, Marin closed and locked the door. Monzane found a new seat, as did Marin as they began a very long discussion.


    ¡°What do you know about me?¡± Marin asked.


    Monzane began.


    ¡°The news about you has spread over all of Grandom. Everyone now knows of Nocturne¡¯s reemergence, and at the helm, King Sullivan Marin. Nobody thought a thing of it, really.


    But I recalled a Sullivan Marin in our old files. I don¡¯t forget too much, you¡¯ll find out. I went back to our student history, and found a Sullivan Marin who studied, left, then returned and completed the wizard course in 601, turn of the century,¡± he explained.


    ¡°Now, at first, I was sure the names were a coincidence. Many share first names. There are still a few who share the first and last. But when I discovered that both you and the Marin of old were both adept ice elementals, that was cuttin¡¯ it too close for me,¡± Monzane admitted.


    He continued on. ¡°So when I met you today, I read your handshake. Not only is it of an ice elemental¡¯s, but one who studied at Arkana as well. That has sealed the deal for me. You are that same Sullivan Marin!¡±


    Monzane began laughing. ¡°How old you are! What¡¯s you¡¯re secret?! What have you been eating??¡±


    Marin was flabbergasted.


    ¡°You not only could tell I was a strong elemental from the handshake, but you could also tell I was an ice one, and I studied at Arkana?¡± Marin questioned.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been reading handshakes for a long time, my man! I can discover just about everything there is to know about someone from them,¡± Monzane proudly stated.


    Marin realized that this was the power of a Grand. They were a step beyond a regular wizard like Marin, in every way.


    Well, Monzane had him figured out. Marin was now at the mercy of whatever he would do with his information. He just prayed the Grand Wizard was not malicious.


    There was knock on the door.


    ¡°Let me see who that is,¡± Marin stated as he stood up to unlock it.


    It was Loid. He had returned with a large glass bottle of branded whiskey, along with a drinking glass that contained a few ice cubes.


    ¡°Ah! Here we go! Thank you so much,¡± Monzane said in response to being handed all of it.


    Monzane set the drinking glass on the table. He then uncorked the whiskey. Instead of pouring it into the glass to sip from ¨C as Marin and Loid expected one to do ¨C he leaned back, and began drinking directly from the large bottle.


    Loid¡¯s jaw dropped.


    Monzane didn¡¯t sip, he gulped. He kept gulping.


    How was his throat not on fire?!


    After downing half the bottle, he leaned forward and slammed it on the table.


    He wiped his mouth and beard with the dirty burlap robe he wore, then picked up the drinking glass. He removed one ice cube with his fingers, then popped it into his mouth, where he began crunching on it.


    Loid had sat down, with his head in his hands. He was defeated.


    Marin wasn¡¯t sure what to say.


    ¡°...Oh! I have something for ya too. Figured you might appreciate this!¡± Monzane reached down to the side where his backpack was. He unbuckled it, flipped it open and reached in, moving stuff around, trying to find what he was looking for.


    During that moment, Loid was looking over at Marin in a cry of confusion.


    Marin just shook his head. Don¡¯t say a word about it, Loid could understand.


    ¡°Here we go!¡± Monzane brought himself back up to the desk with several folded papers in hand. ¡°These are your files!¡±


    Marin became shocked. He leaned forward as Monzane began unfolding them. As he did, he slid the papers across the desk to Marin.


    Marin started to look them over. They were files detailing his attendance at the prestigious school. It had so much vital information about himself he swore he would never recover.


    He was born in 559 from parents Lawrence and Suzanna Marin. He first attended Arkana when he was sixteen years old in 575. He studied there for eleven years, reaching the wiseman rank in 586.


    Monzane slid him more paperwork.


    There was information on his address, place of living, occupations, current and past, descriptions, health concerns, so much stuff he never imagined he¡¯d have.


    Marin was flipping through the papers, completely bewildered.


    Even Loid was intensely leaning in, skimming over all of it with him.


    It was so much. It was too much for him to handle all at once.


    He dropped all the paperwork, leaned forward, and grasped his head in disbelief.


    ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t believe all this¡­¡± Marin choked, trying not to cry, if that was even possible for him.


    Loid turned to look at Monzane.


    ¡°Are you allowed to take all of this from Arkana?¡± Loid asked.


    ¡°Nope. But who¡¯s gonna notice or care? No one¡¯s gonna miss this paperwork, its on a single student from thousands. The filing cabinets are still stuffed,¡± Monzane chuckled.


    ¡°This is incredible,¡± Loid said. ¡°But how did you know Marin was in great need of this information? How did you know he had lost his memory?¡±


    ¡°Has he?!¡± Monzane spat out.


    Loid was silent for a moment. He began to realize the mistake he made.


    ¡°...I brought all this paperwork to remove it from Arkana¡¯s files. I don¡¯t want anyone else doing the research I did. Someone else with bad intentions could come to apprehend Mr. Marin here and demand him to give up the reasons and methods on how he¡¯s lived for so long!¡±


    Marin was absolutely stunned. Could someone THIS benevolent even exist? Marin just met Monzane an hour ago, and he had already done more for him than he could possibly imagine.


    ¡°Monzane, I am entirely in your debt. If there is anything I can do for you, anything, let me know,¡± Marin stated, not even thinking that was good enough.


    Monzane gave out a hearty belly laugh.


    ¡°Don¡¯t prostrate yourself to me, King of Nocturne. What I did was simply an act of good faith. Though I must admit, I am interested in knowing how you¡¯re still alive in 854. That would make you¡­¡±


    Monzane paused for a moment.


    ¡°...Two hundred and ninety-five years old. You¡¯ve certainly beaten the record of anyone I know,¡± he finished with.


    The number brought a shiver to both Marin and Loid. It was a cold reminder of how old Marin technically was now.


    After a pause, Marin decided Monzane was worthy of hearing the truth. He already knew Marin was impossibly old, and claimed to be secretive of the matter, so he didn¡¯t believe the reasons why would sway him from his current stance.


    ¡°I attempted to brew a potion of immortality,¡± Marin started.


    ¡°Fruitful results, I see?¡± Monzane interjected.


    ¡°Not exactly,¡± Marin responded.


    ¡°The mask.¡±


    ¡°Yes. After drinking it, I died. What year did I do that¡­? Probably around 620. Anyways, my body decomposed, but I woke back up in 854. Seeing that I appeared to look like an unlit torchen, I knew I would be wearing this mask and concealing my skin for the rest of my days.


    That is, unless I can be cured.¡±


    ¡°The potion was a little late to work!¡± Monzane commented.


    Marin shook his head. ¡°Yeah, something like that¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you working on a cure?¡± He followed up with.


    ¡°I have a doctor who is. I¡¯m skeptical if he will succeed, but he is quite brilliant, especially in the alchemy and medical subjects.¡±


    ¡°Well, I hope that works out for you. How were things like in the older days¡­? Oh, you told me you lost your memory. Never mind, then. I bet that paperwork there will come in handy for you helping to remember things.¡±


    Monzane grabbed the bottle of whiskey and started drinking from it again.


    Marin gathered all the Arkana files on him and piled them neatly.


    ¡°Loid, would you take these and place them in my personal library on the top floor?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Loid grabbed them, then left the room.


    Marin then turned to Monzane again.


    ¡°Would you like to stay for a while? I¡¯d love to accommodate you for however long you¡¯d like,¡± Marin offered.


    Monzane nodded. ¡°Sure! I¡¯ll stay a night.


    ...I want to ask though, do your citizens here get a decent amount of entertainment?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°I love to put on a show. With my water element, of course. Nothing gets people dazzled more than a giant water dragon!¡±


    ¡°I mean, that would be incredible. We have a theater room. Are you sure you want to do that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I love doing it from time to time. I have an epic program to play out, and you have a decent sized kingdom who would enjoy it¡± Monzane admitted.


    Marin nodded. ¡°I know everyone would come to watch. I¡¯ll get the word out immediately.¡±


    Monzane held the whiskey bottle vertical to his mouth above him. He had drank every drop.


    ¡°Well, if you want the show to be extra good, I¡¯m gonna need some more of this stuff.¡±

 Chapter 50 - Liquid Performance

    Word quickly got out about the Grand Wizard in Nocturne Castle, and moreover that he was looking to put on a display of his abilities ¨C a show of water manipulation the likes that many hadn¡¯t seen in their lives. Monzane didn¡¯t really strike Marin as the type of person to be in show business, but it might¡¯ve been because he was doing it for the entertainment of other people, and not to show off himself.


    A servant was ordered to bring the water elemental another bottle of alcohol, which he happily swigged from as Marin gave him a tour of the castle. Monzane shook hands with many kingdom denizens as he marveled at the work Marin put into the castle ¨C or rather, his servants and workers.


    He was a big fan of the newly built courtyard, and really appreciated the size of the castle¡¯s theater room. Marin mentioned that some of the citizens put on plays for others out of hobby alone, and that no one was formally paid to do so.


    By the time the tour was over, Monzane had finished the second bottle of whiskey too.


    ¡°Here, you can have that,¡± Monzane casually handed the King the empty glass bottle. He seemed to not care what status Marin had in the castle, he gave it to him like he would any servant.


    ¡°Would you like to perform after dinner tonight?¡± Marin asked while studying the glass bottle.


    ¡°Sounds good to me. What¡¯s cooking in the kitchen?¡± Monzane said back.


    ¡°Something great, I¡¯m sure. I don¡¯t have the cook¡¯s schedule on me.¡±


    Monzane looked around at the chamber he was in for a second, getting lost in thought. After a while, he looked back to Marin, and saw he was holding an empty whiskey bottle.


    ¡°Oi! What a sad day it is to see you with no spirits in hand! Order a servant to bring a fresh bottle, so that you and I might drink from it.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯m not really acquainted with the hard drink, Monzane,¡± Marin stated, realizing the bottles were finally starting to effect him.


    ¡°Ah, no worries! I¡¯ll drink your half!¡±


    Marin wondered if he should cut the tattered water elemental off by lying about being out of whiskey, or any alcohol for that matter. After more consideration, what would be the harm though? The most Monzane would do is pass out and wake up the next morning with an incredible headache. Surely he¡¯s experienced that enough times to know what he was getting into.


    Marin spotted a servant walking by. He handed the empty glass bottle to him.


    ¡°Bring us another one,¡± he instructed him. ¡°If we¡¯re out of this brand, bring something else. I¡¯m sure the grand wizard won¡¯t mind what flavor tickles his throat.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Marin,¡± Monzane began, ¡°is that picture crooked?¡± He had been staring at a frame of artwork that was perfectly aligned. Marin had even made sure that it wasn¡¯t slanted in the slightest.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Why don¡¯t we get you to dinner?¡±


    In the large dining hall, Marin was stationed in his typical location, the end of the center long table. Close by him was Monzane. Marin didn¡¯t always do speeches before supper, in fact, it was not often they ever occurred, but with the grand wizard of Arkana being in their midst, they all fully expected the King to make one tonight.


    Marin stood up, ready to address everyone and share the news.


    ¡°Good evening, everyone. I¡¯m sure most of you have heard, but Monzane, the grand wizard who represents the water element in Arkana, has graced us with a visit today. Many of you have met him, and some have had a talk with him as well. His main reason for being here has been like so many other prominent figures ¨C to view the castle and see what all we have to offer.


    I have been informed that the news our re-establishment out here in the Murok Mountains has reached all corners of the continent, so it is likely that from time to time we will see others visit as well. In exchange for the lovely hospitality we have shown Monzane, he has offered to put on a show for us in the theater room. It will entail a stunning display of his mastery of the water element.


    If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t miss it. Most people never get to see the elements in action, much less from one with a deep understanding of them. He is sure to cause a wave ¨C pun entirely intended. The show will start at eight, so you all have time to ready yourselves after eating.


    Speaking of eating, why don¡¯t we all do that now.¡±


    Marin sat down as everyone clapped. The maids brought out wide dishes stacked high with hot food.


    ¡°Ahhh, Marin. You spoil us! You didn¡¯t have to go this far for me,¡± Monzane spoke as he began falling in love with the smoked meaty haunches presented before him.


    ¡°We serve this kind of stuff every night,¡± Loid told him.


    ¡°WHAT?! Oh boy, I might just move here!¡± Monzane said with disbelief, grabbing just a singular haunch of meat by the bone with his bare hand. He held it like cotton candy, and bit into it.


    Everyone else loaded their plates with cut pieces of haunch meat, as well as a slew of sides.


    Monzane was entirely content with just his one beast leg. He used no dining utensils, or even the plate for that matter, as he never laid it down.


    Everyone conversed as the meal went on. Monzane took the conversation by storm, happily telling tales and sharing his experiences from traveling the world.


    It turned out that while Monzane was a Grand Wizard, he surprisingly spent almost all his time away from Arkana. He only went back for major meetings he was forced to attend in requirement for his position.


    Other than that, he journeyed everywhere. He loved sight seeing, visiting old ruins, and exploring the land. He toured cities throughout the entire continent, taking in the different cultures. It was why Monzane was so early to visit Nocturne, visiting places such as this one was something he did for fun.


    As the meal went on, denizens slowly started leaving as they ate their fill. Monzane finally rested the devoured meat haunch on his plate, showing just the thick bone left. He leaned back and gave his large belly a pat.


    ¡°That was the best I¡¯ve eaten in a week or two,¡± Monzane admitted. ¡°Methinks its time for a nap,¡± he declared.


    ¡°What about the show you¡¯re doing?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°Oh! Right!¡± He sat back up, then clapped his hands twice. ¡°Servant!¡±


    One of the finely dressed servants standing against the wall came to him.


    ¡°Another bottle of your good stuff. If you¡¯re out of that fancy whiskey I¡¯ve been drinking, I¡¯d like me a rum. White¡¯s fine, but I prefer gold,¡± Monzane commanded.


    ¡°Right away, sir.¡±


    Marin still had not gotten used to Monzane¡¯s bold character. He easily commanded Marin¡¯s own servants around like they were his. His personality struck a fine balance. He was a generous man who did for others just because he felt it was the right thing to do, but at the same time, he was not afraid to take the things he wanted. It seemed sometimes even without approval, especially with Marin¡¯s Arkana files he lifted.


    By the time eight o¡¯clock rolled around, Monzane had drank enough to begin losing his spatial awareness. His walking was staggered as he tried making progress down the hallway.


    ¡°Are you quite alright?¡± Marin asked him. ¡°Do you understand you have a show to put on in a few minutes?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Yes of course. Now, this is the way to the theater room, correct?¡± He stumbled out.


    ¡°You¡¯re actually walking away from it,¡± Marin informed him.


    Monzane spun around to face the way he had been walking from. ¡°Right, I knew that! I was just checking that lovely vase over there.¡±


    The theater room saw the biggest attendance it had seen since Marin first built the castle in the early 600¡¯s. Almost every citizen of the kingdom found themselves sitting in the massive auditorium. Even by Max¡¯s decree, most of the guards on shift were allowed to abandon their post if they wanted to watch the show.


    With so much of the kingdom in attendance, Marin hoped that Monzane wouldn¡¯t fall flat on his face and let out a large snore. Monzane swore that the drinking would make the show that much better, but Marin wondered how that could be possible.


    In one of the top balconies of the theater room, Marin presided himself in a chair. He looked around in the other balconies, and noticed all the other administrators of the kingdom in each of them. As he began taking note who was there, he realized Eisen was nowhere to be seen.


    Marin thought that perhaps the doctor hadn¡¯t heard the news due to his complete seclusion in the basement, but then realized that even if he knew, Eisen wouldn¡¯t care to see. He was entirely satisfied in just working on the potion, and some elemental making water figures was probably not that impressive to him.


    Helva waved at Marin in a balcony opposite to him. Marin nodded in return.


    After a several minutes of unexpected wait time, the heavy red curtains of the stage finally began to part. All the talking in the theater room died down.


    Standing in the center of the stage, was none other than Monzane in his old gray robe. The straw hat on his head covered his eyes, and he stood firm with the bamboo walking staff in hand.


    ¡°...Water,¡± he began.


    He held his hand out. A small pillar of floating water manifested above his palm. It wiggled as the liquid fought the invisible force that kept it in place.


    ¡°...The liquid of life, the flow of civilization.¡±


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    He quickly shut his palm, and whipped his arm around. The water grew in volume as it trailed to follow his hand.


    Everyone in attendance was fixated on Monzane.


    He rotated his hand in a quick motion, causing the floating tube of water to spiral in a spring shape. The way he manipulated the water was cool enough to see, but even Marge could accomplish the same tricks.


    ¡°Long ago, in a time before our knowing, mankind fought over this simple substance.¡±


    Monzane stepped back, and the water balled itself, growing in volume rapidly. At this point, the amount of water pulled from the power plane was getting beyond what well-versed elementals could handle.


    Monzane now needed the aid of his staff to continue controlling the amount of water he had generated.


    ¡°BEHOLD!¡± He thundered out. He whipped his bamboo staff around, and the huge sphere of water lowered itself to the stage floor, splashing and spreading out.


    Everyone in the front prepared to get doused, but Monzane expertly kept all the water from leaving the stage.


    The water splashes started structuring themselves and formed into familiar shapes. Incredibly, just out of the water Monzane created, an entire town with many villagers took shape.


    Marin was now baffled. The amount of brain power needed to create such a detailed display was beyond what he thought was possible. Everyone in attendance sat on the edge of their seats in awe at what Monzane had somehow molded.


    ¡°There were an ancient people ¨C many consider them to be the ancestors of everyone we know today. They thrived off this one source¡­ Water¡­¡±


    Monzane stomped his staff. The small water people began moving about as if life was playing out on this miniature, aquatic scale.


    ¡°Everything went well, until a man rose to power, wanting to control all the clean drinking water for his own gain.¡±


    Some of the water making the background hills erupted into the air, forming into a man who held his claw-like hands open over the village.


    ¡°...Much is typical of humanity.¡±


    Monzane swung his staff, and the villagers began melting down into regular pools of water left and right. Eventually all of them were gone.


    ¡°The man thought he had won. He thought he had succeeded. But little did he know the results of his endeavors would wipe out humanity forever. That is when the fabled DRAGON APPEARED!¡±


    Monzane actually looked like he was starting to break a sweat. He grasped his staff with both hands as he raised it into the air, guiding all of the water back up.


    The volume of the water began growing even larger.


    This was getting to the point where only the most accomplished water elementals could keep under control this much water at once. Even Marin was now on the edge of his seat, watching what the grand wizard of water was truly able to handle.


    Monzane let out a grunt as he whipped the staff, and the water began twisting, and snaking out into a long tube. It began carving itself into immense detail.


    Small, pristine scales began lining the floating snake of water. Arms and legs grew from it, each ending with several claws. The front side formed into a head, that of a dragon, with long whiskers growing away from the snout.


    It was absolutely gorgeous. Within several more seconds, Monzane¡¯s sculpting had resulted into a full one-to-one scale of a serpent dragon, with every detail matching those drawn in history books.


    That alone was impressive enough, but everyone was ready to pass out from shock when it started snaking its way through the air, floating above the audience, and flying around to the back of the theater room.


    As beautiful as it was to watch, Marin looked back at Monzane, who had one hand clutching his staff, and the other openly clutching the air, straining hard to keep the water suspended above everyone, and in the shape of a dragon. If he faltered in even the slightest, the entire display would drop from the air and potentially drown some audience members.


    The dragon worked its way around the expansive room, before making its way back to the center stage where its conductor was.


    Everyone marveled the creation. It was truly something they had never witnessed in their lives, and likely never would again. It was inspiring, and it showed just what power someone could accomplish with a little talent and a lot of hard work.


    ¡°And do you know what this dragon did?!¡± Monzane yelled out to the audience.


    ¡°What?!¡± Someone yelled back.


    ¡°Are you sure you want to know?!¡± Monzane¡¯s strained voice blasted out.


    ¡°YES!¡± Several people demanded.


    ¡°HE GOT HIM!!!¡± Monzane smacked his bamboo staff into the stage floor. When he did, the dragon obeyed, and went headfirst to the destination.


    It smashed into the wooden stage planks, erupting into a tsunami wave of water. It violently spread in every direction in front of him, dowsing the entire audience in water. Even Marin and those on the highest balconies got wet from the mist in the air.


    Marin stood up to see if this had been an illusion or real. Had Monzane really just drenched the entire kingdom? Or was it another play?


    The water drained, and soon, the entire audience was still, dead silent, and wondering what the heck just happened.


    Everyone was unpleasantly soaked. No one knew what to think.


    Then suddenly, Monzane held his open palm out towards the audience. He stomped his staff, and watery mist started rising off of everyone in the chairs. It all came back to his hand, where it began returning to the plane that Monzane had pulled it from. This process continued for a minute before he had pulled every drop of water that had made them all wet.


    Everyone was fully dry, and in the same status as before the wave of water hit them. They all looked down at their clothes, pulling on them, bewildered that they somehow went from soaking wet to completely dry.


    They all then looked to Monzane. He removed his straw hat, showing a balding head, then bowed to the crowd.


    The full audience broke out into a roaring applause. People began standing up while clapping. It was the greatest thing they had ever witnessed.


    There was not a single person who wasn¡¯t impressed at the talent of Monzane. The show he had put on was nothing less than legendary.


    ¡°Thank you, thank you everyone,¡± Monzane said, placing the hat back on his head.


    Everyone kept clapping. The applause was not dying down anytime soon.


    Monzane bowed a few more times just to appease the crowd, but after a moment, he began to exit the stage.


    Marin sat back down, shaking his head in disbelief. It truly was a great show. He wondered how long it took Monzane to practice all that and get it right.


    When the applause finally ended, everyone began talking among each other about what they had seen. The theater room was filled with praise and laughter over Monzane¡¯s play. Eventually, people started leaving, and the castle guards helped file people out of the room in an orderly manner.


    Marin went to leave, and saw Loid by the staircase that went to these upper balconies he sat at.


    ¡°What did you think of that?¡± Loid asked him with a large smile on his face. ¡°Ever see anything like that at Arkana?¡±


    Marin chuckled. ¡°I can¡¯t say that I have, and even if I could remember my past, that would still probably be my answer.¡±


    The program Monzane had played out lasted just a little less than half an hour, but it felt like so much more than that. Marin finally caught up with the grand wizard, who was outside the theater room, shaking hands, and accepting the thank you¡¯s of the entire castle.


    Many lingered on to ask him more questions about his craft, and how he learned to hone it so well. He was happy to talk to them all for a while, but soon it was becoming obvious that he was growing fatigued quick.


    Marin finally commanded the guards to move the rest of the citizens along to finally give Monzane a break.


    When they were all gone, just Marin, Monzane, and Loid remained.


    ¡°...Whew. You got a great people here. I think I need another drink,¡± Monzane stumbled out.


    ¡°I think bed rest would do you better. What say you?¡± Marin tried.


    ¡°Ah, yes. Perhaps. Perhaps that would be best.¡±


    Marin directed Loid to give the Grand Wizard one of the best guest suites they had on the top floor, close to Marin¡¯s own quarters.


    The king had in his grasp Monzane¡¯s arm, guiding him up the many flights of stairs to the higher levels of the castle. Loid had gone ahead to prepare the room. With Monzane finally introduced to his bedroom, he bid the King and his right hand man a good night, and quickly crashed on the royal bed, not even taking the time to get tucked in.


    Marin and Loid headed back to Marin¡¯s quarters for a spell to chat about what had happened, and what course of action they would take tomorrow.


    The next day, Monzane awoke with the announcement that he would be leaving after breakfast. Marin walked with him down a tight hallway towards the dining room. On the way, he saw Doctor Eisen who was actually out of his basement home, looking for the king.


    ¡°Doctor! Good Morning!¡± Marin declared.


    ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± Monzane asked, trying to work through his eternal hangover.


    ¡°Our Kingdom¡¯s doctor. He is the one trying to develop the immortality potion,¡± Marin explained.


    Eisen and Monzane shook hands after a small introduction.


    ¡°Well, since you understand Marin¡¯s current predicament, I won¡¯t have to be subtle,¡± Eisen began. ¡°Marin, I have researched the Hallicent Blossom enough to know that dry samples will work just fine. It means we can retrieve them at any time, without worry that they will expire.¡±


    ¡°That is good news,¡± Marin said.


    ¡°The Hallicent Blossom, you say? The one at Saanvoleg Temple?¡± Monzane asked.


    Both Marin and Eisen were surprised Monzane knew about it.


    ¡°Yes, it is a vital ingredient to the potion,¡± Marin explained.


    ¡°I can go get some for you,¡± Monzane offered.


    Marin almost couldn¡¯t believe his words.


    ¡°No, I couldn¡¯t possibly ask that,¡± Marin humbly responded. ¡°You¡¯ve done so much for me already.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m due a trip to the Ubora Desert, it¡¯s been a while for me,¡± Monzane continued. ¡°Saanvoleg is quite the interesting attraction. I know the flowers are deep in there, and it wouldn¡¯t be easy for someone inexperienced to try and retrieve them.¡±


    Marin looked to Eisen, who seemed equally shocked. Eisen just shrugged.


    ¡°I mean¡­ If that¡¯s something you¡¯d enjoy doing, I suppose I¡¯ll take you up on it,¡± Marin finally gave in.


    It seemed like the generosity of Monzane had not exhausted itself just yet.


    ¡°Perfect. I can be down there in a week!¡± Monzane declared as he continued walking to breakfast.


    ¡°A week?!¡± Eisen spat out. ¡°That¡¯s in southern Grandom. You¡¯d need at least two months to get down there!¡±


    ¡°I can fast-travel,¡± Monzane said back without turning around, and still walking.


    Marin and Eisen walked with him to stay close.


    ¡°And how¡¯s that?¡± Eisen added.


    ¡°I can turn into mist and ride the weather patterns,¡± he easily responded.


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible,¡± the doctor said back, believing Monzane was joking. ¡°Only shadow elementals can disperse their body.¡±


    Monzane suddenly turned around, and raised his hand at them.


    His fleshy, skin covered hand became transparent, and soon looked like the very same water Monzane was molding last night.


    Eisen ripped off his glasses and stared closely to confirm what he was seeing.


    Marin felt a shiver run down his spine, if that was even possible.


    The skill Monzane was showing them defied the current understanding of the elements. His actual hand became water.


    ¡°Let me remind you both I¡¯m a Grand Wizard, not a regular one. I have a few tricks up my sleeve that no one else on this planet can do.¡±

 Chapter 51 - Cold to the Bone

    It was three in the morning, and Marin could be found in his chambers. To the left of his front meeting room was his personal library. That contained a fancy fire place, his pipe organ, and a center desk loaded with his personal records, journals, and other information not openly available to others.


    A glowing fire gave the room a cozy feeling, but Marin of course was unable to bask in the warmth. Luckily he didn¡¯t have to dwell on the fact, he currently was entertained by studying the Arkana files Monzane brought him a few days ago.


    Upon further inspection and intense study, Marin was finding out quite a bit about himself he almost didn¡¯t believe. According to these documents, there was a time Sullivan Marin had been considered for a Grand Wizard position for the ice element. He had reached ¡®Great Wizard¡¯ status, which made one a candidate for becoming a Grand. Judging by the year in the entry, he probably got denied, or personally declined, in order to start building Nocturne Castle.


    Sygol was right. He must have been much stronger with his element during his living days. A Marin at the Grand level would be able to defeat the tall knight in combat easily. Marin then thought even if he got his memory restored, he doubted his power would just magically return to him. Perhaps he would have to hone himself once again.


    He flipped through more papers. One of the many requirements for the wizard title was to invent a new skill pertaining to one¡¯s element. According to these documents, Marin had created the skill known as Icecrawler.


    He didn¡¯t remember that. Where was the skill book on that? Was it made accessible to Arkanians, or kept secret within the vaults? Perhaps he had a copy of it at one point.


    Marin squinted his eyes shut, trying to remember something, as if he would actually succeed this time and not fail like the hundred times before. Several minutes went by, but as was typical, nothing came to him.


    Marin checked the time on his grandfather clock once again. It was getting close to four. Overlooking the documents had to be put on hold, it was about time for him to meet Gus for his final ice bath.


    The day had finally come.


    The King opened one of the drawers to the desk, and rested the pile of documents safely inside. He slowly and gently pushed the drawer shut, as if it cradled a newborn baby.


    He iced the dancing flames in his fireplace with a wave of his hand, putting it out. He left his quarters, preparing to enter the woods on the far side of the castle. The time was arriving soon that he would attempt to have Gus gain the ice element.


    With a towel over his shoulder, Marin grabbed a lantern from a nightwatch guard near the stables, and continued on outward into the cold morning air. The yellow light from the lantern illuminated the indefinitely dormant trees in the woods. After walking for a bit longer, he made it to the bathtub he had been visiting every morning.


    From the power plane, Marin pulled an ice lance into existence, which crashed into the shell of ice that had formed in the tub. It broke the ice open, revealing the water. It was ready for Gus¡¯s final dip.


    He should be out in several minutes, Marin thought.


    He leaned against a tree, lantern clutched in his lowered hand, waiting.


    Sure enough, Marin eventually made out the silhouette of body walking towards him. As it grew closer, he confirmed it was indeed Gus.


    Usually Marin had to give Gus a cheerful greeting to perk him up, as he was always outwardly displeased with the early morning event, but on this very day, it was Gus who had great revelry.


    ¡°Last day!¡± Gus shouted out as he approached his King. He didn¡¯t even appear to be cold as he usually was.


    ¡°Indeed!¡± Marin responded, holding the lantern up as Gus met with him.


    ¡°Will I get the element today?¡± Gus immediately followed up with.


    ¡°If fate has it.¡±


    Gus began unclothing for the final time to endure the two minute ice bath. ¡°I hope so,¡± he stated nervously.


    Gus took no moment to hop over the side of the tub, splashing into the water. This was the quickest he had ever started. He was either excited that today he¡¯d bridge his connection to the power plane, or that it was the last ice bath he had to do, and wanted to get it over with. Perhaps both.


    Marin patiently counted the seconds, waiting for two minutes to pass. As the time crawled along, Marin gazed down at Gus¡¯s lengthy brown hair. Together, both of them had been through a lot in the past month. He almost considered the young lad a son at this point. He became glad that it was him who would oversee Gus¡¯s path to power, as others could use his desire for the elements to easily manipulate him for their own gain.


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s two!¡± Marin declared, stepping away for Gus to leap out.


    Gus gasped, clutching the edge of the tub. He hoisted himself out of the water, and swung over the side.


    Marin handed him the towel.


    ¡°I know these 4 a.m. ice plunges have not been pleasant in any sense, Gus. I know you¡¯ve endured a lot to earn your element,¡± Marin stated as he watched him dry his hair.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s been rough, but I¡¯m glad it¡¯s over now,¡± Gus said with satisfaction in his tone.


    ¡°Well, its not over yet. There¡¯s one final hurdle I have in place for you, but it will help ensure you bridge the connection,¡± Marin explained.


    Gus paused the movement of drying his hair.


    ¡°...What?¡± He asked with dread.


    ¡°Finish drying. Get dressed. But afterwards, I need you stay out here,¡± Marin ordered.


    ¡°IT¡¯S FREEZING OUT HERE!¡± Gus cried out.


    ¡°I know! That¡¯s the point!¡± Marin said back.


    ¡°How long do you want me waiting out here?!¡± Gus demanded as he continued drying.


    ¡°I¡¯d recommend mediation to pass the time. Truly embrace the cold during the hours I have you sitting in the snow. If you still don¡¯t acquire the ice element after all this, I can confidentially diagnose you as inept.¡±


    Gus was now getting dressed, wishing he had brought extra layers. That would have defeated the purpose of staying out here, though.


    ¡°...How long,¡± Gus asked again.


    ¡°Stay in the woods. I¡¯ll be back to begin the process with you around noon.¡±


    ¡°W-what about work?¡± Gus asked, beginning to shiver as he realized he would be stranded out here in the stinging cold for nearly eight hours.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already talked with Max. You¡¯re out of guard duty until the end of the week,¡± Marin explained.


    Well, that eased the burden somewhat.


    Marin gave Gus more assurance that he could power through this, then said his farewell. Marin knew this would be the hardest point of the priming process, and it was something he chose not to reveal to Gus until the very moment. Having him fear or worry about what was coming to him wouldn¡¯t help the situation.


    As Marin began to exit the woods, he glanced behind him to see Gus still standing there in the distance, arms wrapped around his body. He just stared back at Marin.


    Marin felt quite bad for Gus, he felt as if he was leaving his loyal follower to freeze outside. He thought maybe he should stay with him out there, but quickly reminded himself there were things in the castle he needed to get for the attempt later.


    Marin gave him a final wave, then continued on. He couldn¡¯t feel too bad for him. This was the most practical way to prime without the official regimens that Arkana and Neo did. They were more brutal in comparison.


    Back inside the castle, Marin returned to his quarters for a few hours. He wanted to continue to study the Arkana documents, but couldn¡¯t get his mind off Gus, so he mostly played his pipe organ. As the morning progressed, he left to sit at breakfast, and talk with his friends.


    He shared with them that Gus was currently sitting outside in the snow, finalizing his priming process to acquire the ice element.


    ¡°I remember my priming process,¡± Loid recalled as he spread jam on a piece of toast.


    ¡°Yeah? What was that like?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°They locked me in a dark room for hours on end. I spiraled and nearly lost my mind. But the chaos of it all eventually bridged my connection via the shadow element. I get Gus has to go through some physical torture, but torture of the mind can be just as bad.¡±


    It was a reminder to Marin that those who pursued the shadow element had to embrace insanity just long enough to make a connection to shadow.


    Loid laughed as he continued to recall. ¡°In fact, that was the only element you had to take a mental wellness test on. If you did not have a strong mental state, they wouldn¡¯t allow you to attempt the priming process for shadow.


    I¡¯ve heard tales of people who couldn¡¯t handle it, and they went crazy, killed a person, horrible things.¡±


    Loid casually bit into his toast. Everyone just stared at him.


    After breakfast, Marin talked with Helva and Harrel about castle affairs and finances. He asked them if the RAM letter arrived yet, as he had for the past few mornings.


    ¡°I told you, Marin. I¡¯ll let you know the moment I get it,¡± Helva continuously reminded him. She understood how anxious the King was about whether the world government would recognize Nocturne as a formal kingdom or not.


    Marin then made some decisions on a few requests from his citizens in the form of paperwork. He reviewed the finances with Harrel, who proudly stated they were on their way to finally breaking even.


    Once his work was done in the main office, he left to visit Doctor Eisen next. Marin walked down the halls, waving to each person he met, a task he found tedious but necessary as King. Finally, he made it to the end of the hallway with a staircase going down to the doctor¡¯s office.


    In the small front room, Marin pressed the buzzer on the desk. A moment later, the doctor produced himself, still chewing on the last of his breakfast. When he saw it was the King, he casually waved him in, walking back down the hallway.


    ¡°Morning, Sullivan,¡± the doctor greeted as they both entered his lair.


    ¡°Good morning. I¡¯m here to pick up the Grunleaf,¡± Marin stated.


    ¡°Ah, is it that day already?¡± Eisen asked as he walked over to a shelf full of plants and herbs.


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s been outside since the ice bath earlier.¡±


    The doctor chuckled. ¡°You¡¯ve had him out there in the freezing air this whole time?¡± He grabbed a bundle of dried crushed leaves off the shelf.


    ¡°I want to make sure his attempt is as strong as possible,¡± Marin said back.


    ¡°Well it will be, that¡¯s for sure. He¡¯s also bound to be sick. Submerging in water and then still having to be out there is a recipe for a cold,¡± Eisen explained.


    ¡°I had him dry off¡­¡±


    Eisen waved his hand in dismissal. ¡°Have him see me when he¡¯s all done. I¡¯ll treat him.¡±


    ¡°You know I feel bad for him, but this is all necessary. This stuff isn¡¯t cheap!¡± Marin said in reference to the bundle of dried herbs in his hand.


    ¡°I know, I just hope it works. If he fails enough for you to use all that up, will you order more and give him another try?¡± Eisen asked.


    ¡°No. We¡¯ll just say its not working out for him. Besides, its not good to use this stuff all the time. It¡¯s hard on the body.¡±


    Eisen nodded. ¡°Tell the boy I believe in him, and I wish him good luck.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    Marin left the doctor¡¯s office, and headed upstairs. In his hands was Grunleaf, a rare and valuable plant that when smoke and inhaled, allowed one to travel to the power plane without the typical meditation to get there naturally.


    Neo used the stuff, but Arkana forced their people to travel there through sheer meditation alone. That was the way it was done for hundreds of years before Grunleaf was discovered. Arkana believed that arriving to the power plane through one¡¯s will alone gave the person more appreciation and strength for their chosen discipline.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    When Grunleaf¡¯s capabilities were found out, elementals could be massed produced, and Neo was formed shortly after. They utilized the plant to crank out soldiers faster than Arkana created students.


    It was also popular for rich hedge elementals who wanted to gain an element quickly. This was the path Marin took for Gus. Shortly after arriving at the castle, Marin had Eisen order a bundle of the expensive stuff for the day he would attempt to gain the ice element.


    With the bundle safely in his grasp, Marin checked the time. It was almost eleven.


    Marin had told Gus noon, but decided to head out now and see him one hour earlier.


    The difference between one hour won¡¯t matter, Marin rationalized. He¡¯s been out there for seven hours, what¡¯s eight?


    Marin exited the castle on the left side, and walked out towards the woods once again. He hoped Gus was still out there, and was alright.


    It was overcast outside with a small snowfall. The snow wasn¡¯t as bright as normal from the sun. As he walked, he looked down to see his familiar snow prints going to and from. He followed them.


    Eventually, he made it to the wooded section. He was anxious to see how Gus was doing. When he rounded the corner, he saw him.


    Gus was sitting down in the snow, with his back turned away from the castle. He was only a few feet away from the tub.


    Marin didn¡¯t shout out or disturb him. He continued to slowly and silently walk up to him. He grasped the Grunleaf tighter, as if he expected it to easily fly away.


    Finally, when he was a few feet away from him, Marin called out.


    ¡°Gus¡­?¡± He said.


    Gus didn¡¯t answer right away. He was shivering on the ground, both arms grasping his shaking body.


    ¡°...Marin?¡± Gus finally responded. ¡°Is it really you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my boy.¡±


    ¡°...I thought you¡¯d never return.¡±


    ¡°Why would you think that?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s been an eternity¡­¡± Gus said with terrible despair in his voice, fighting off the shivering.


    Marin chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s only eleven, Gus¡­¡±


    Marin thought Gus was joking or being silly, but when he walked around to face him, he saw the young lad was not in a great shape.


    His skin was pale, while his eyes and nose were red. Some discharge from his nose had frozen, hanging off his nostril like an icicle.


    Marin then realized it most likely did feel like an eternity to him.


    ¡°Listen Gus, you¡¯ve done it. It¡¯s really time,¡± Marin said as he crouched down, trying to get him to focus.


    ¡°Truly? It really is? No more hurdles?¡± He barely spoke out.


    ¡°Well, getting the element is the final hurdle, technically speaking. But this is it.¡± Marin showed him the bundle of Grunleaf.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Gus feebly asked as his arms unwrapped from his body.


    ¡°This is going to be your tour guide to the power plane, Gus. It will get you to travel there.¡±


    ¡°Do I have to eat it?¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re going to smoke it,¡± Marin said while producing a box of matches from his inner robe pocket. ¡°And I need you to listen. We only have a solid three attempts for you to bridge. If you can¡¯t do it within three journeys, it¡¯s not working out for you.¡±


    Gus became very alert. ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°When you start to hallucinate, if everything around you is a purple misty field, you¡¯ve made it. In front of you, at the center, is a great white light. You need to approach it.


    You won¡¯t be able to walk to it. The only way you can get closer to it is by feeling cold. Do you understand?¡±


    Marin was already undoing the bundle, and spreading the leaf out into three distinct piles. He was getting the matches ready. This was going too fast for Gus.


    ¡°Wait, wait, I can only get close to it by feeling cold?! What if I don¡¯t feel cold? And what do I do when I get to the light?!¡±


    ¡°Make yourself feel cold! Remember the feeling of every ice bath, every time you walked out here in the frigid air each morning. The entire seven hours you¡¯ve been sitting out here! I¡¯ve equipped you the best I could. You must now use all these feelings to bridge your connection,¡± Marin quickly explained.


    ¡°And the light?¡± Gus pleaded.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. Just get to it.¡±


    Marin began striking the match. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time, it just occurred to me that the Grunleaf does not like low temperatures. Ironically enough.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    As the grunleaf began burning, white smoke started rising from it.


    ¡°Breathe it in, Gus,¡± Marin coached. ¡°You must breathe it in.¡±


    Gus was frantic and in a daze, from the freezing cold and from the rapid events occurring. He didn¡¯t have time to think for himself, he simply listened to his King. Gus inhaled the smoke rising as hard as he could.


    He immediately started coughing from it. ¡°Not good¡­¡± Gus pleaded.


    ¡°Keep it up! This stuff cost me over fifty gold,¡± Marin explained.


    Gus was so out of it, he didn¡¯t have time to process the statement and realize how expensive this plant was. He just continued to inhale, fighting off the coughing.


    After a moment of continuous inhales, Gus started feeling quite dizzy.


    ¡°Is it working?¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± Gus said as his vision became blurry as well.


    ¡°Just keep breathing it in. I need you to-¡±


    Gus couldn¡¯t even make out what Marin was saying anymore. His vision had gone entirely unrecognizable. His head spun a thousand miles an hour. He felt weightless, as if he was falling and rising at the same time.


    Gus had no idea what the heck was happening. After nearly losing consciousness, he started to regain himself.


    He blinked hard as all the vertigo left him. As his brain started working again, he studied his surroundings. He no longer felt cold. He no longer felt anything. Looking all around, he noticed he was in a great endless field of purple smoke.


    ¡°Woah¡­¡± Gus said to himself.


    The purple smoke floated around the field everywhere, up to his waist. The sky was pitch black. In the distance though, he saw a contrasting white light.


    ¡°This is it, the power plane.¡± Gus was bewildered. Marin was nowhere in sight. It was just him, standing alone in the field.


    He tried walking, but his legs were unable to move. He then remembered what Marin said. He had to feel to move.


    He began to imagine himself as being cold. Nothing happened. As he stared at the light in the distance it had already begun to dim. Gus panicked. He had to reach the light. He squinted his eyes shut, trying his hardest to feel cold. He tried pretending to shiver. When he looked back up, the light was growing dimmer.


    ¡°No.¡±


    He reached out and tried to walk, but his body started moving backwards quickly, flying away in the opposite direction of the light.


    ¡°No!!!¡±


    The speed increased, and with a zoom, he shot backwards into the dark distance, the light shrinking to nothing.


    He felt dizzy again, and his head started spinning. He lost his vision. After a series of events similar to earlier, and nearly losing consciousness, Gus blinked hard.


    He was back to sitting in the snow in front of Marin. He was staring down at the completely burnt up pile of Grunleaf.


    ¡°Whuh¡­¡± Gus looked up to Marin.


    ¡°Well?!¡± Marin asked.


    ¡°I was there!¡± Gus exclaimed.


    ¡°I know! Did you get to the light?¡± Marin demanded.


    ¡°...No. I tried going forward, but I started flying backwards, away from it.¡±


    ¡°You need to feel cold, Gus.¡±


    ¡°I KNOW!!!¡± Gus started breathing hard, panicking.


    ¡°Calm down, calm down!¡± Marin tried. ¡°You need to be calm. It¡¯s okay. We have two more attempts. When you get back to the power plane, it won¡¯t be so much a shock to you since you¡¯ve been there already. I need you to be relaxed, and focused. Really try tricking your body into being cold.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can do this, Marin!¡±


    ¡°You can! I believe in you. The doctor believes in you too! He wishes you good luck,¡± Marin coached him.


    Gus did a deep breath. ¡°...Okay. Let¡¯s go again. I can do this.¡±


    Marin moved the second pile in front of Gus. He lit a new match.


    The smoke began rising as the flames consumed the Grunleaf.


    Gus breathed it in, preparing for another dizzy spell.


    It was silent between the two of them as he waited for the effects to hit him again.


    Eventually, after several inhales, it happened.


    He lost his vision, his body felt like it was moving rapidly despite sitting on the ground. He fought the feeling of nausea and vertigo. After straining to hold onto consciousness, he blinked hard.


    He was standing up in a familiar purple smoky field. The light was as bright as when he had first arrived again.


    ¡°Okay, I can do this.¡± Gus ignored the surroundings this time. He had wasted valuable time gazing at the empty field the first time, and realizing where he was.


    He was now locked in, and immediately started focusing. He pictured himself plunging into the icy water. He tried feeling the stinging pain of the cold water.


    He felt himself move forward.


    Gus opened his eyes. He was genuinely feeling cold, and was slowing inching towards the light.


    ¡°Yes! Yes!¡±


    At the excitement of moving forward, he lost his focus, and didn¡¯t feel cold anymore. He started moving backwards as a result.


    ¡°NO!¡±


    He squinted his eyes shut as he tried focusing again. This was indeed the hardest thing he had ever done in his life. He meditated, and imagined as hard as he could the terrible feelings he endured for two weeks.


    He could do it. Gus couldn¡¯t tell if he was moving forward or backwards, but he wasn¡¯t about to open his eyes to find out and lose his focus. He concentrated as hard as he could.


    ¡°...Gus.¡± He heard. Gus could hear someone calling out to him. ¡°...Gus!¡±


    ¡°GUS!¡±


    Gus immediately opened his eyes. He was staring at the second burnt pile of grunleaf.


    ¡°NO! NOOOO!!!¡± Gus cried out as he flailed his arms.


    Marin knew by the reaction, he had failed again. He sighed as he started realizing Gus might be inept.


    It was odd, Gus didn¡¯t feel the dizzy feelings of transferring back to the normal world. He must have gotten used to it already.


    ¡°I was moving forward, Marin! I really was! It was working!!!¡± Gus cried out to him.


    ¡°Really?!¡±


    ¡°Yes! I just lost my concentration when I noticed I was moving forward!¡±


    ¡°Then there is a chance!¡± Marin moved the third pile in front of him. ¡°Listen Gus, I really need you to focus! This is your last attempt. I can¡¯t keep spending money on this stuff if you can¡¯t do it.


    Take my advice, don¡¯t lose focus this time. Whatever you were doing to get yourself to move forward, keep doing it and don¡¯t stop. Get to the light.¡±


    Gus ran his fingers though his frozen hair, trying to keep himself composed. This was more stressful than the raid in Heroca. Surely he would cry out, wailing in sorrow if he failed for the third and final time.


    ¡°Light it up,¡± Gus demanded.


    Marin struck another match, and tucked the burning stick under the pile of dried leaves. Gus dipped his face down, and breathed in every bit of smoke he could.


    Glancing up to Marin for just a moment, even his King had both his hands interlaced, close to his face.


    He wanted this just as bad for Gus. King Marin was nearly as anxious as he was.


    He would do it. He had to.


    He breathed in more smoke.


    He became weightless, and his vision went blurry once again. He didn¡¯t feel the other extreme symptoms as he had the first and second time, such as a terrible nauseating spinning feeling. This was due to the fact that his body was getting used to the transfer.


    After a moment, he was able to blink hard.


    The endless purple smoke was all around him. He was back. The light was there, but slightly dimmer than the first two attempts.


    His body was getting too adjusted to the grunleaf. He was back further than before. He had more distance to cover.


    Gus imagined his body plunging into the water. His skin got goosebumps. He concentrated on the cold feeling.


    After a few seconds, he felt genuinely cold, and began moving forward.


    Gus ignored it. He pretended like he was still in the water, counting the seconds. He was moving towards the light at a steady progress. Gus was sure to not react to the fact. He could easily become happy he was getting closer and lose concentration. Instead, he acted like it didn¡¯t matter.


    The light was indeed growing closer and brighter. He thought about all the hours he had been sitting outside, freezing so much his fingers had gone numb.


    He was nearly at the light now. It was so bright, he could barely look at it. When he got close enough, he began to panic, not knowing what to do.


    He lost his concentration, and no longer felt cold.


    NO!


    Gus couldn¡¯t lose it again while being so close. He slammed his eyes shut, and reached out to the light, trying his hardest to feel cold and touch it.


    Gus did everything he could to picture the terrible feeling of the ice bath.


    ¡°...Gus.¡± It was Marin¡¯s voice again.


    NO!!! Gus thought to himself. He kept straining.


    ¡°...Gus!¡±


    ¡°NO!¡± Gus yelled out, reaching both arms out, trying with all his might to hug the glowing sphere. He couldn¡¯t even tell if he was moving forward or backwards anymore.


    He couldn¡¯t fail. He came too far. He had done too much, and he¡¯d be damned if it was all for nothing. All his dreams would be shattered if he couldn¡¯t reach the light.


    ¡°GUS!¡± Marin cried out.


    Gus couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He had failed. Hearing Marin¡¯s voice so clearly, he knew he was back in the mortal realm.


    He gave up, and opened his eyes. He was staring at the third burnt pile of leaves. For some reason though, both his arms were extended and reaching out.


    He looked up at them, and at the end of his arms, were frozen fingers, coated in ice.


    His fingers were coated in ice.


    ¡°Gus¡­ You did it.¡±