Chapter 18: A Memory Made under the Moonlight
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Arden walked at the noble district bearing the sigil of the Bank of Brewrael. Before he went and took the mission they gave it as a gift from them. It is a gift that will allow him to act upon his ideals. It is neutral ‘badge’ that perhaps would give him a standing that would at least make less than a commoner. Plebeians like him are usually not allowed in the noble district. But with the sigil of the Bank of Brewrael acting as pass. He can freely roam around the noble district without any worries.
The Bank of Brewrael sure is influential, Arden thought. The Bank is a faction that every kingdom and noble doesn’t dare to mess with. They are the major players in the field. They supply and manage the economy and even control kingdoms through Gold. Those who don’t pay them either had their enemies fund them to make them obey. Only the Empire of Light is the exception. They are far too idealistic fanatics that would crush the bank if they spout any blasphemy. So the bank doesn’t mess with them unless they want the whole continent of old and the other continents that despites them to take it as a chance to subdue them.
In others words, they are powerful but not powerful enough to crush a religious military state. So mostly they are friendly with the Empire of Light to the point of supplying them food and weapons. The Bank has the means to ask them to fight for them, which is far better than making them their enemies. So anyone with a sigil of the bank would be treated as neutral.
At first, Arden thought that somewhere along the line some haughty guard would take the sigil off him. But it seems that the fear the bank had has taken a hold on them. Of course, there are limitations. Arden isn’t part of the bank, merely someone that holds a favor with a member from the bank. With Bell and Syr giving him the Sigil, he is a two ranked pseudo-member that can be called to help the bank. Normally, a lot of people would call upon his sigil but the sigil on Arden can only be commanded by Bell and Syr. They are the only ones who can call for help.
Arden took the sigil because of this. He doesn’t plan on using it other than that or getting a pass on noble districts. It holds him neutral but the moment he tries anything the sigil will have no effect. Arden can defend himself with the sigil but taking action in the name of the Sigil is a different matter.
To Arden, the sigil just means that Bell and Syr can act as his benefactors. In his foster father’s words, then the two are his ‘lawyers’ that can allow them to threaten any of his attackers and ‘sue’ them. It is a rather tricky system made by the bank of Brewrael. In fact, Bell and Syr gave Arden the sigil so they can make money off him.
It is a simple exchange.
But mostly it is for the benefit of the two.
But for Arden, he doubts that he will be ever using it other than trying to enter any city without paying for tax.
...
Under the moonlight, her blonde-hair shines. Golden eyes, snow pale skin, made Sena looked beautiful under the night sky. The lamps made from magic stone lit the streets blue. Walking in a place where there are flowers blooming. Sena who was rather lost in thought after studying decided to take a walk. She left Bruno to take care of the villa and with a simple white dress and a cloak. Her hair is showing out but she wore a simple white cloth around her mouth to cover half of her face.
She was heading for the garden located on top of the noble district. Normally she wasn’t interested in anything other than focusing on her studies but with how things are. This might be the last time she would be able to be Sena who wasn’t obsessed with being a knight. Even she needs time like these where she would just stroll around the streets with her boots scraping the dust on the ground or letting her hair flutter around with the wind. Right now she was just a simple noble girl that wants to do something before she takes the role of a knight protector. A knight is a heavy role so thus she plans to have this day, where the moon was blue and bright to be her goodbye from normality.
An ascended knight would do nothing but fight and protect. Bearing that title and taking one’s power to protect means placing a heavy burden. Before wanting to become a knight that protects. Sena studied on what it is like to be a knight. She needed the full scope and studied anything that might prepare her for such grand duty. For years she did nothing but study. And now under this meaningful night, she climbs up the brick paved road leading to the garden. As she arrives in the garden she spotted someone with a tattered cloak. He wore a hood covering his hair. But like her, his mouth was covered in cloth.
Seeing this tattered-cloaked man leaning on the rails of the garden, Sena hesitated. She stopped for a while near the blue roses. The Moonlight blue roses are usually placed in gardens like these. They emit blue dots of light that ascends above the sky in response to the moonlight.
Sena sees that the man was gazing at the big blue circle in the sky. Under the moon and sky was a view of the City of Mesh and the awesome mountain ranges that stretch across the horizon. The plains outside of the walls can also be seen in the position. The rivers stretched into branches that carry the water to different places. Sena knew this place had a great view so she would understand that someone would want to come here. But she never expected such a tattered-cloak fellow to be here.
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Arden felt the moon’s light permeating his face. Although half of his face is covered, he let his eyes that usually don’t have any light on it gaze upon the moon. He removed the jester drawn mask he wore. This time he only wanted to see this place. He heard rumors of a garden located on top of the noble district. This garden had a beautiful view and there are blue roses that emit blue dots that rise up to the starry sky. So how Arden could miss such opportunity?
That is why before leaving he took a climb into this place. And taking a step on such place and viewing the city from above and the ranges passed the walls made him baffled. Arden wasn’t that much of a person who took fun in things. He thinks that helping people is the only joy he had. Studying, practicing and doing anything other than helping is not fun for him.
So it was rare for Arden to enjoy the view. His once lifeless eyes that have no shine on it grew bright at the view before him. This place is beautiful, Arden thought. He scanned the view and can only smile at the wondrous lights down below.
The rivers passed the walls were reflecting the moonlight. The mountains far from the city are as high as the stars as if they touched it. Arden hears the wind whistling in his ears. He sees the scenery with awe. He smells the fresh air and fragrance that the blue roses carry.
He could not stop smiling under this experience. Who knew that a garden located on the second highest point of the city would excite him?
It was unfathomable for Arden to become so stunned at such trifling scene. Even the dull him who thinks nothing but helping people could smile truly. His cold unfazed expression broke and he could not help but naturally smile as if he was the child that he was before succumbing to the fire and ashes of that day.
He lost a lot in that fire. But even so, there were some parts that his heart could not forget. The various places that wonder the eyes, the various seas and mountains and rivers and plains that only a few could see in their lifetimes, Arden, still could remember a bard. A bard sang tales of those places and he thought that one day he might want to go to those places.
Ah, I remembered, Arden thought. That was the only thing that his heart could remember. Before the ashes and flames molded him into a dull person with nothing but helping people in mind. That was his dream.
But that dream was long gone now.
He only wanted to help people now.
Save those he could see crying.
But even so, he could shed nostalgic tears at the beautiful scenery in front of him.
...
She saw the man in tattered cloak shed tears. Sena found it odd how someone could shed tears on watching the scenery. She thought it was weird but when she peaked at that man in a tattered cloak. She saw her golden eyes that have been dyed with the blue light from the sky.
These eyes were eyes filled with a lonely fire. It was sad, nostalgic and a bit bitter. But despite that, the blue-like fire in that man’s eyes captivated Sena. Her family had a thing for people with fire on their eyes. She was no exception.
So seeing the golden-blue-like eyes of the tattered cloak man filled with a lonely yet charming fire on it made her cheeks flush. She stood like an idiot who was dumbstruck at the sight of a lonely man with eyes that charms her. Unable to move she stood while the blue roses emit dots of light up to the sky.
It took a while as she listlessly stares at the tattered-cloak man’s eyes. She never saw such lonely kind of eyes. As if it was a once in a blue moon kind of look. It made Sena’s heart palpitate. Oddly, she felt that time slowed down, her brain, fully capturing the image of the man before her.
Her heart palpitates like mad, her eyes dilated as her vision vignettes only to the man in the tattered cloak.
She was feeling odd.
What was this? Sena thought.
She hasn’t felt something like in her life.
She let her heart and mind’s guard down.
So seeing such eyes and scene made her oddly charmed.
Beat, beat, her heart was the only thing that made noise.
It took a while before the man leaning on the rails to notice Sena’s presence. She saw a strand of the man’s auburn hair and seeing this made her stumble back. His eyes looking at hers and hers looking at his, it was something akin to them seeing two foolish eyes.
When their eyes meet various thoughts appeared on their heads.
The two who could only see half of their faces were oddly embarrassed.
For the two who were at their weakest state. They become fools.
Being fools the two went idiotic.
They let their heart speak for themselves.
The boy with the tattered cloak went and panicked.
The girl in the white dress awkwardly stood up in a hurry.
Standing, while staring at each other, the two could not help but worry.
The boy worried that the lady of a noble class might recognize him.
The girl worried that the boy of lower class might recognize her.
The two’s thoughts were the vaguely the same.
Their hearts were also pumping like the same.
And face with such dilemma the two usually cold-faced two had their faces turn red.
Almost as if they were normal.
The two awkwardly tried to take a cue to leave.
The boy tried encircling which made the girl went the way.
The two awkwardly encircled the garden for a while.
And only until the boy faced the road leading down that he ran away.
The girl who was like an innocent maiden for once held her hand towards that back.
Not knowing why. She could only keep it afloat as she stares at the tattering cloak going further away.
This night was quite odd.
And to Sena, she might never forget about this night.