Aldrich soon enough got used to a routine of his daily sparring session with Crudel. When he was not sparring with him he was in its library reading as many books as he could fit in his free time. From the books he deduced that the kingdom that Crudel ruled was the petty kingdom of Arlo which became an earldom after the death of its king. The kingdom of Arlo had joined the Valoris and Royce alliance, and was a very important part of their triumph over their opponents. The king of Arlo had sacrificed himself in a battle that paved for a victory in the war and to honour that the Archduke at the time made the petty kingdom of Arlo a earldom, giving its ruling family more land and choice ones at that.

Crudel after that day opened up more, their conversations becoming lighter as time went by. Aldrich even answered Crudel’s questions on how he became the way he was. Many mesmer researchers have concluded that when a person dies their mesmer is released and over time reintegrates itself back into nature, adopting a natural frequency and losing its unique properties. There are exceptions, of course. If a creature’s mesmer is especially potent and dense instead of dissipating it pulls natural mesmer around it to itself becoming so dense that a separate sub dimension is created that separates itself from normal constraints of space and time, which is commonly known as labyrinths.

Due to the mesmer not dissipating it retains its unique qualities especially the astratto which is influenced by the personality of its wielder and is capable of storing one's consciousness as well. The astratto also affects how things are structured with a labyrinth, normally inspired by some memories of its wielder. Once the criteria of a mesmer rich area and a powerful mesmer wielder are fulfilled, there is an extremely high chance of a labyrinth forming. Also because of those being the main criteria to be fulfilled, labyrinth creation is not limited to just humans but animals, even inanimate objects, once there is enough mesmer. Neither is death a prerequisite but simply the most common occurrence. This proved by the fact that a technique which used that concept to create miniature labyrinth like structures were used.

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Crudel was fascinated by the strides that mesmer knowledge and application had made in the centuries and Aldrich was more than happy to share. Crudel’s demeanor had drastically changed, his voice no longer having a scary edge to it but an almost playful and inviting affect to it…almost. Aldrich was in the middle of a spar session as he normally would every day and out of nowhere he felt a familiar sensation in his eye, distracting him for a second. That lapse of concentration earned a hard blow to his side that sent him flying across the grand hall. Aldrich had felt sheer exhaustion that he thought hit harder than any blow from a sword could after his battle against Sir Cecil but after the blow from Crudel, Aldrich laid sprawled on the ground, corrected.

Crudel came over to him and a hint of worry in his voice leaking through,

“Are you okay lad? You need to pay more attention in a re-.”

Aldrich stirred out of sleep, finding himself in the room that Crudel created for him. Aldrich walked out to the hall, witnessing the great damage around the hall. Aldrich approached Crudel, pointing to a crater, damaged wall and ceiling, Aldrich smiled,

“I hope this hall is insured. What idiot came here to make such a ruckus.”

Crudel laughed boisterously,

“It was you lad. You really are something special.”

Aldrich responded with a confused look, clearly incapable of remembering anything that would warrant Crudel’s response. Crudel sighed and put a finger to Aldrich’s forehead . Aldrich felt a head splitting headache and then the memories flashed into his mind. Aldrich laid sprawled on the ground. Crudel came over to him and a hint of worry in his voice leaking through,

“Are you okay lad? You need to pay more attention in a re-.”