The sky was dark as so was the mood within The Shadow Rock Inn, although taverns and inns alike brightly lit the silent streets, the clouds above covered the moons dimming the city of its natural light.
Vernack stood on the balcony of the Inn, staring into the distance as if deep in thought. Alone with only an oil lamp and a cup of mead atop the wooden table beside him, his eyes slightly trembling as he repeats the words of the Innkeeper in his mind.
'The Elfins were the only one that fought to their last...' The voice echoes onward within Vernack as images of the people in Pyrlord's camp flash as it repeats.
Anger and regret, every scene in his mind made him feel each detail and meaning of the two words. Had he perfected Mana Control earlier in his life he believed that he could have changed the outcome of the battle whether it was worth his life or not,
'Those mischievous Kanisis and Demoniacs, if I ever see your heads still attached to your shoulders, I will make you suffer more than what you have done to us!' He inwardly spat his frustrations as his eyes gleamed in blue light, his mana turning into a torrent the more he realizes his anger against the traitors of their once all-powerful chief.
He tightly grips on the wooden post he was leaning on and as mana surges all over his body cracks on the wooden post would slowly stretch outward the more he his mana surges into his hand. A bead of tear rolls down his cheek as he feels his cheeks tire out after holding all of the sorrow within him.
Tap tap tap. He hears footsteps from inside the inn slowly fading in, he then wipes the tear away and takes a deep breath before taking the cup of mead and chugging it all in an instant.
"The room has been dealt with by the Innkeeper's wife, we can return now." Jon muttered as he entered the balcony, holding a cup of water given to him by the Innkeeper's wife.
"Of Co-- Mhm... Of course." Replied Vernack, as he cleared his throat after he choked on his words trying to hold back his tears.
Jon finished his cup and stood beside Vernack staring at the dark horizon. The silence between the two was nerving yet calming as the two are reminded that they have only themselves from now on, and Meyvil whom they can only hold dear as she was once the apprentice of their mother a long time ago.
"I... I want to... I want to kill them all by my own hand." Jon struggles to complete his sentence as his throat chokes up while holding back his rage.
As Jon uttered the words Vernack felt within him, he looks at Jon with assurance, feeling that this moment to them is only a revelation that they will force to happen no matter the cost. Although Grandmother Bliss has once told them that 'revenge is the pinnacle of anger and prosperity is the pinnacle of joy, when one dwells further into anger, one usually forgets the reasoning for the anger, and when one dwells further into joy, one usually forgets the makers of their joy', Vernack could not help but feel the need to enact revenge for all those whom have suffered the blade of a Mortal with no remorse.
"They will never see the light of day, this day onwards. Neither a grain of sand nor trickle of water will stagger our force, together may Ora shine our path and Ansi be our guide to their death!" Vernack sternly said without hesitance nor weakness only his will to defy their predicament marveled over the sensation of powerlessness.
The might of two overpowers the might of one, but the might of one, when perfectly executed, can topple any might of any number. The two orphans of Meadow Cross did not represent as two different minds and bodies, but after the numerous tragedies they have experienced, they now represent one mind and two bodies, a stronger bond formed at that very moment.
"On the next break of Ora, we must investigate more about Niaulmori and the appearance of that demonaic, Krampus." Vernack continue to sternly speak, taking another glimpse at Jon as if waiting for a nod of agreement.
Jon nodded in reply and walked back inside the inn, while Vernack continued to stay out on the balcony, pondering in what could be the best movement for their situation.
****
"Crow was killed?" The figure wearing a green bandana raised his tone as he listens to the report by the hooded figure beside him.
The hooded figure nodded in response not uttering anymore words, sensing the killing intent exuding from the man before him. He knows how the man before him acts when plans do not go his way, worse he could do is kill the person that reported the failure right after he hears it.
"Mori, I suggest that we lay low for now, those boys are rather insignificant to the true task at hand." The hooded figure said, trying to redirect the leader's thoughts from the failed assassination attempt.
Just after he uttered the last of his suggestion, Mori instantly raised his head and looked at the ceiling of the room, which startled the hooded figure thinking the leader was about to kill him in that instant.
"Do not let any word about this attempt get out, not even Count Mendel must hear about this, do you understand?" Mori slowly turns to look at the hooded figure as his chilling gaze pierces into the hooded figure and made his blood cool instantly.
"Not even a leaf will hear about this, if ever the word reaches the Count or the Master of Court Trials, this mage will surrender his life as your scapegoat!" The hooded figure professed his utmost loyalty to the man before him, kneeling to show a sign of sincerity.
"Go! Clean the blunder that you have made."
The hooded figure then immediately left the hall and yells out orders to the other members of Niaulmori. Mori stands alone inside his hall, only the flickering and crackling of torch fire resounded within the hall.
After a few moments, when all was quiet outside the hall, Mori then pulls out a rolled letter from the hidden compartment inside his dagger's hilt and reads the content of the letter.
'When the time comes, this letter will prove useful!' He then rolls the letter back into the hidden compartment of his dagger's hilt.
****
Time passed quickly as Ora once peeks over the eastern horizon and the third moon raised high above the land of Wesout watching over the people as they awaken and go about their day.
"Got a good night's rest young lad?" The innkeeper greets Vernack as soon as he saw him walking down the stairs.
Vernack slightly nodded in response and walked past the innkeeper without uttering a word about the event last night.
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"Head on over to the kitchen, mi wife is cooking breakfast for you and your brother in return for allowing the attempt to occur last night." The innkeeper added, genuine remorse in his tone as he reminds himself what could have happened if these boys were his actual children that he allowed to be murdered under his home.
"I will tell my brother about it then." Vernack lowly said and faces the innkeeper with a smile, although he still has not gotten over the fact that the innkeeper contributed to the assassination attempt on them but after hearing his plea that night, he understood that he was innocent and only done it out of fear that Count Mendel would uses his noble power to destroy more than his livelihood if word gets out.
Shortly thereafter, Jon and Vernack sat inside the kitchen of The Shadow Rock Inn eating the vegetable stew made by the innkeeper's wife and a newly baked rye bread bought from a local bakery.
"So, where should I start the search?" Jon asks as he munches on the rye bread dipped in the vegetable stew.
"Well we are fairly new here, best choice would be asking the innkeeper for directions or most likely search around alleyways." Replied Vernack, his mind in turmoil as he thinks of a plan for him to do while training in the barracks of the capital.
Vernack has still yet to meet the Felguard Trinida that Felguard Pylot mentioned, if this person could truly somehow help him with his skills, he will find this person all over the capital even if it hinders his training as a Felguard aspirant.
Growing his strength and mastering to control mana faster are his goals in order for him to avenge the death of all those whom suffered the unreasonable slaughter of families who were only living an honest life.
Why did these people have to be slaughtered in a gruesome way? Why do people far from the capital have to suffer the provocations of war before it was declared? After numerous villages and mining camps were burnt down, where were the lords that owned those lands? Where were their "heart for the people' when they needed the most?
From all the murmurs and conversations, most of their reasoning for joining the Cristos are related to avenging their families or friends from afar, some even joined because they felt useless sitting in their homes as they only hear from travelers the tragedy occurring on the border of the capital.
He also heard that only few of the nobles volunteered in taking in the survivors from the different villages and mining camps that were raided and pillaged by the Supriars, leaving not even a delicate newborn alive. Although he could not clearly remember each of the nobles that immediately made a move to help the victims, but few of them he was familiar with; Marquis Braham Cristos and Grand Duke Prauli Cristos.
"Sirs are still hungry?" The innkeeper's wife politely asks, preparing to take their wooden bowls and fill it with more of the vegetable stew she had made from a large pot.
"Nay, I have to eat less, do not want to be imbalanced while I train because of my full stomach right?" Vernack chuckles, he then chugs the last of his water from his cup and returned to their room to pack all of his necessary equipment.
"I want seconds madam!" As soon Vernack left the kitchen, Jon happily yelled out and reached out his bowl for the innkeeper's wife to fill with more stew.
Some time has passed and Vernack has already left for the barracks. Before they slept last night Vernack told Jon that he would be staying in the Barracks for the duration of the training as per commanded by the enlister and was agreed upon by Vernack by signing the contract made by the renowned Martial Lord, Count Xander Kelus.
The Martial Lord was once only a knight of the capital, "Felguard Xander" he was called, an imposing and awe-inspiring figure that could shake the course on the battlefield. They say that his eyes have never lied to him once, the moment he sees an individual and has taken interest in his potential growth, not even the military instructors would question his prediction as of all the times he has seen potential on a person, in the future they would become great generals on the battlefield and the Martial Lord as their commander.
He gained the title of "Martial Lord" after the Southwest expedition towards the fortress built by one of the hideous species of the Luk'Ag-uerans, man-eating ogres. Normally, mortals at the level of a high-ranking knight would overpower ogres whichever part of the world they have spawned.
However, the chief of the fortress differed from all other ogres, as it fiercely trained its whole life to be a masterful Luk'Itfis (Warlord of the Axe), proudly reaching the 6th step towards Luk'tar (War God) which is a feat that most of the Luk'Ag-uerans reach in their warmongering lifetime, Warchief Mabakul.
Felguard Xander led the siege against the staunch fortress of the Warchief that rested about a hundred Massus away from the border of the Dukedom. The fierce battle between the Warchief and the Martial Lord went on for several days after being in a continuous stalemate day by day.
However, on the fifth day of the battle, the Warchief clearly showed signs of impatience as he abandoned the throne of the fortress and led the charge of his remaining several hundred soldiers against the offensive forces of Felguard Xander, thinking that the mortal commander would be tired after several days of continuous and unprolific battle.
The case of Felguard Xander tiring out in the battlefield was far from the guesses that the Warchief had thought. The moment that the Warchief and his men reached half a Massus away from the Martial Lord's army, the Martial Lord strode his steed forward and mana suddenly surges into his sword, but unlike the mana formed by Vernack when he fought Halungr this mana was condensed into the blade and an unfamiliar power dwells within the Martial Lord.
Following behind the Martial Lord, the hundred cavalrymen soared in their strength as mana from each cavalryman connected with each other. The moment that the Warchief and the Martial Lord clashed a resounding boom shook the battlefield and the wind to harshly blow all over the land, causing the clouds to part only leaving a clear sky.
The 6th step of Luk'tar represented the individual's mastery of "sharpness", as engraved on the stone tablets explaining each step towards Luk'tar, sharpness defines the ability to even cleave the stars in the midnight sky. A power that defines the individual's potential as a War General for the Luk'Ag-uerans.
Despite the years of training by Mabakul to reach even the power to slice mountains like paper, but the trump card used by the Martial Lord overpowered the Warchief. Easily defeating the Warchief in one charge and capturing the fortress on the Southwest which led the Dukedom of Cristos to safely pass along the Southwest without worrying about the Luk'Ag-uerans ambushing the merchants and travelers.
This incredible feat that only a number of knights could achieve in their lifetime within the capital granted Felguard Xander the title and position of Martial Lord of the Capital, giving him the right to command the different armies within the capital if need be, and he was dubbed the surname of "Kelus" by the Grand Duke which means "fearless" in the tongue of the native people of Wesout.
****
Jon, riding his muscular steed, wandered around the Underhall District which was directed to him by the innkeeper in search for clues and whereabouts of the Niaulmori hideout. The Underhall district normally would be bustling with people at noon towards the night, as described by the innkeeper, this district is also referred to as the "entertainment complex" of the city.
However, Ora's light has barely shone over the streets of the capital and local stores and arena are still closed with only a few people wandering the streets of the Underhall District, some to prepare for the activities at noon and some just passing by to reach the Western Gate between the Underhall District and the Nadsora District that leads to the harbor where they export or import resources traded from different kingdoms. In addition, this harbor also ships aspiring mages to the island where Spickloha Academia is found.
In this early in the morning, the Dukedom decreed a law that requires the streets of every district must be maintained cleaned daily by a new organization under the jurisdiction of the Minister of Health, that must be done between the first shine of Ora's light and when the Worker's bell is rang.
Jon sees the street sweepers hired by the Minister of Health and some store owners volunteering in the daily district cleaning as per suggested by the Minister of Health to "keep the citizens safe from unknown diseases".
He does not find any of the activities at this time to be unusual, but he remembers the innkeeper mentioning that there are rumors that some scouts of the Niaulmori would send reports to their leader around this time of the morning. Nevertheless, rumors are only rumors, they are baseless and can possibly be manipulated by the source themselves, probably even spreading the rumor themselves in order to mislead those whom wish to root them out.
Sometime later, the Worker's bell has finally been rung and all the street cleaners finished their jobs and moved towards the outskirts of the capital to throw and burn the wastes they have gathered. But after all that time Jon found not even a hint of suspicious activities between the alleyways nor from the passing birds.
"Oi you there dear boy! I remember you, were you not the one that helped retrieve my stolen goods?" An old but joyful voice was heard as Jon passed by an old merchant cleaning his store.
Jon immediately turned to look and remembered that this was the merchant that actually paid for his and Vernack's lodging in The Shadow Rock Inn.
"Sir Merchant! Thank you for sponsoring my stay here in the capital!" Jon happily replied, his genuine smile makes the heart of the merchant melt.
"Ah please, this merchant's name is Lohan Haringold from the land of Diharta in Burigram." Lohan reached out his hand for a handshake, returning a smile as well.
They share a few pleasantries as Jon uses a rope to tie Bale's reins to a pole meant to hold horses outside Lohan's store and entered his store.
"What are you up to early in this morning lad?" Lohan asks as he pours Jon a cup of herbal tea he has been brewing for the morning.
"Ah, just looking around the city and familiarizing the areas, maybe me and my brother will be living here for a while." He nonchalantly replied and sips on the herbal tea.
Lohan glances at Jon and a moment later he smiles as if knowing what Jon was thinking. The child before him is someone experienced at sword fighting, but unlike veterans this boy could not truly hide his intention.
Furthermore, the intuition of a merchant can almost always tell the truth from lies, Lohan can tell that the child is hiding his true intention of looking around the city alone, especially this early in the morning.
"Try looking at the sceneries between Garna District and Shukrog District, there is one scenery where one might find satisfaction." Lohan sat opposite of him and sipped on the herbal tea he poured himself.
"I have traveled to-and-fro, from Wesout and Diharta and lived in this city for multiple seasons now, the sceneries are always clear by the port and the opposite of it are always 'interesting'." He continued.
Hearing these words from Lohan, Jon immediately stood from his seat, his eyes wide in shock, thinking as if the merchant read his mind.
"I have to go immediately Sir Lohan, thank you for the tea!" Jon rushed out of the store and instead of loosening the rope on Bale, he cuts it off and rides Bale towards the Shukrog District.
"Mori, you have messed with the wrong person." Lohan muttered to himself and smiles as he looks at the ripped rope outside his store.