Amarok jumped up the manor walls from behind. The backyard was well-illuminated and had an open space for relaxation. Two guards moved up and down.
At the center was a large pool that connected the wall and went till a few steps near the chance room.
Amarok's eyes sparkled as he got an idea. Slowly going down the walls, he tiptoed forward. Floop... A sudden sound echoed; the two guards looked at each other and came towards the pool, taking a look. Amarok sneaked past them, using the cover provided by the objects present.
The manor was huge, at least in Amarok's perspective. He had been here once, so he had a vague understanding of the building. He moved silently between the corridors until his target room. Amarok silently knocked on the door.
"I already said I don't want to see anybody. Leave me alone," a soft voice came from inside. "Even me?" Amarok asked in a low voice. The room was silent before footsteps could be heard. The door creaked open; Lyra's face appeared before him.
Her eyes were red, and her cheeks moist. She quickly wiped her face, forcing a smile. She wore a shirt and very short trousers, thin and stuck to her body, exposing her white skin. He didn't say a word.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, clearly surprised, looking in both sides of the corridor to see if no one was there. "Did something happen? You don't look too good," he asked, observing her demeanor.
"I'm fine, but are you okay? Is something wrong with your head? Do you have any idea what will happen to you if someone saw you?" she said, pulling him in and quickly closing the door. A few seconds later, a group of people passed through the corridor. "Miss, is everything all right?" the familiar voice of Dorn came from outside. Amarok tensed up as he paused. His body tense.
"Yes, uncle. I just want to be alone," she said, glaring at Amarok to stop moving. "Okay, don't hesitate to call me if you need anything," he said from outside, about to leave. Lyra and Amarok heaved a sigh of relief. Just at that moment, a familiar black figure pounced out of his shirt onto the table. The flower vase rolled at the edge.
Amarok's eyes widened. He shot his foot, catching the vase with his toes before it fell on the ground. He stared in this awkward position until he finally heard the footsteps move away.
"That was close," he smiled awkwardly, picking up the vase. Wisdom was moving in the room like it was his. The room, a typical girl's room. Amarok picked up the pendant that fell due to Wisdom. It held the image of a lady. She looked similar to Lyra, just her hair was not white but black. She was simply stunning.
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"What do you want?" Lyra asked, taking the pendant from him. "I just wanted to thank you for that day. You probably saved me," he said, locking eyes with her.
"Okay. You can go now," she said, not looking at him. Amarok felt strange; why did he feel like he expected a little more? She looked in pain; he was curious but also knew he shouldn't pry into other people's matters.
"Okay, I brought this for you." He took out a golden flower. Lyra's heart shook; her body lightly trembled. "I will be leaving now. Good night," he said, picking Wisdom and disappearing through the window before she could open her mouth. She stared intensely at the golden flower, remembering the story Neo recounted. Tears trickled down her face.
.....
Amarok and Mist returned to the manor. She kept looking at him, curious about what happened but was too prideful to ask. Amarok stayed quiet too.
Early the next day, he walked into the study where Neo was, Wisdom always following behind. Neo was currently surrounded by several books he got from Calder's collection. His eyes were half open and big. He blinked, shielding his face from the light.
"I said we would find a cure, but it would take time. If we are not in shape, we might miss clues," Amarok said, arranging the books on the table. They were about various topics, ranging from Rune magic to the history of Elysium.
"Well, we have to start somewhere," Neo yawned. "I think we might have better chances of finding something at Alden," Neo added; he had read through all the books but found nothing. "Me too. Till then, you should take some rest," Amarok said seriously. "What about Master Calder? Have you told him?"
"It's not necessary for him to know now," Neo said after a pause. At that time, Calder entered the study. "You should close doors when you intend to have private chats," he said entering.
Neo and Amarok looked at each other. Even Wisdom looked suspiciously at Calder. Its huge puppy eyes stared intensely. "Don't worry, I didn't overhear anything. Amarok, I was looking for you. Follow me; it's time for you to learn," Calder suddenly said.
"Are we not assisting to the next phase today?" he asked, curious. "Not necessary. We will go on the last day. What do you know about Elysium?" he asked as he moved forward. Amarok followed behind while Neo stood in the study, deep in thought.
"Huh... Elysium is a kingdom located to the south of the Zodiax Way, ruled by King Velvet Ralenot. Elysium is divided into two parts: the Upper Elysium, where the King lives, and the Lower Elysium, where we are right now," Amarok explained as they reached the yard. Mist was currently training, wearing a light combat robe. She danced with a sword under the first rays of the sun, her long hair moving in synchrony.
Her moves were gentle yet furious at the same time—sometimes as calm as a water breeze, other times as violent as a storm.
"Good, Neo has done a good job. Most are not even aware of that, but I want you to understand that being strong in this world alone is not enough. Sometimes only your head, not your muscle, will bring you out of the most perilous situation," Calder said, sitting and observing Mist.
"I understand, Master," Amarok nodded. Calder thought that what he needed most right now was knowledge of this world; that way, he could find a chance of lifting his curse. Mist noticed their arrival but continued training after Calder waved at her to ignore them.