Jeffrey and Metello walked to the House, the [Acolyte] now perfectly comfortable in his robe. Thanks to it, he felt more relaxed in the streets than before.
They came upon the House and entered a strange scene. A squad of experienced hunters was at the desk with Paul and Mr. Morton, who seemed to have come back. Among them, a bulky [Warrior] wearing a scale mail was shouting at the receptionists.
“Was it really from Saint Casey?”
Mr. Morton replied to him softly, too quietly to be heard by Metello or Jeffrey. But they could perceive very well the answer of the monster hunter, who was even louder than before.
“But what does it mean? Will the Saint Walls fall soon ?”
Metello saw Mr. Morton going mad for the first time ever.
“Quiet now, Mr. O'Callaghan! You'll get more details in the meeting room upstairs. This is silver-ranked and gold-ranked information, do not spread it to unauthorized ears like that, please!”
Metello and Jeffrey looked around. They could notice a group of four people who probably heard at least part of the argument like them. Meanwhile, the [Warrior] got angrier. Thankfully, his squad members managed to defuse the situation and convinced him to go to the said room.
Jeffrey whispered to his squadmate.
“Did he say that the Saint Walls will fall ?”
The information sank in him just now. His heartbeats accelerated. If it was true, it was big bad news.
“I think, yes.”
As the other group stayed far from the desk, speaking to each other about the possible destruction of the Walls, the [Acolyte] decided to go and ask the receptionists. As they came closer, Mr. Morton was the first to talk. He was once again calm and sported his usual smile under his mustache.
“Hello, sirs. Sorry for the noise. What can we do for you ?”
Metello held out their key while speaking.
“We came to give back our mine key and get a new one.”
“Very well. We'll write the report then.” He took his ledger and started asking questions on their hunt to know mainly what monsters they met and how much of it did they clean.”
“For a two-man squad, you did a good job. Now, do you have preferences for the new mine you want to book ?”
“Not really. Only one safe enough for us two and with ratmen inside. We need to make more money.”
Four minutes later, Metello was holding a new key. Before he went out, he asked what he really wanted to know.
“Is it real that the Saint Walls will fall as the big man said ?”
Mr Morton's hand went to hold the bridge of his nose.
"So you heard. As you didn't mention it first, I was starting to hope you hadn't. To say the things shortly: probably not, the Saint's Walls should not fall yet. We can't tell you more about it."
With the resolute tone of the last sentence and the sight of the angry Mr. Morton fresh in his mind, he didn't pry more.
"Thanks. It was nice to see you again, sir."
"It was nice to see you're doing well too."
Metello and Jeffrey considered what to do with the news they got. They went to see if Brorne was there to no avail, then they resolved themselves to go hunting, hoping he would be there to speak about this threat after. On the road to the mine, Metello asked.
"Do you know who is that Saint Casey?"
"No idea."
----------------------------------------
They came back from their hunt three hours later with three bodies each. As usual, they went through the butcher's door. For once, old Johnny was not the one to answer the bell ring. Metello reluctantly went to Dina, a woman who lived all her life in Ironholes. She was one of the “still-ass ignoramus” as would have said Terry, but thankfully, the moderate kind. As she saw who was coming in, she grimaced a bit.
“Hi, Dina. We have five rats and a rabbit to sell.”
“Come here and unload.”
As it was the first time the old man was not here, Metello was curious. He could not wait much before asking.
“Old Johnny is not here this cycle ?”
The woman didn't raise her head from the bodies.
“No.”
“Does he have problems ?”
She looked in his eyes, exasperated.
“Can I do my job in silence ?”
“Sorry.”
A minute later, she offered 150 coppers, and as Metello asked again, she reluctantly answered.
“Johnny is at the meeting concerning a prophecy. And before you ask, I don't know much about it except that it is a bad one that takes place in the Everlasting Night. Now, as Johnny is not here, I have to compensate for his work. So if you could leave quickly, I would be grateful.”
“OK. Sorry.”
Once in the bath area, Metello and Jeffrey looked at each other before the [Rogue] asked.
“So, it's really a Saint's Wall problem ?”
“Perhaps. We should try once again to find Brorne to ask about it.”
After cleaning themselves quickly in the baths, they went to the weapon training area to found it almost empty. A future [Rogue] was training alone, his mentor absent.
Jeffrey called her.
“Hey! Do you know where is Brorne ?”
“Probably at the meeting with all the trainers. That's what Paul told me. It's been for two hours at least as I didn't saw them here.”
“Thanks.”
Before leaving the area, Jeffrey couldn't help but remark.
“The meeting seems to gather a lot of the House staff.”
----------------------------------------
A few hours later, Jeffrey and Metello went back to town from the mine. The monster corpses in their bags weighed on their shoulders. Not being able to get any more details about the prophecy, they had decided to wait for their after-lunch hunt to check for Brorne once again. As they came in through the butcher's door for the second time of the cycle, they saw that old Johnny was back.
“Metello and Jeffrey! My favorite duo!”
The [Lux Acolyte] couldn't help but ask, credulous.
“Aren't we the sole duo hunting ?”
“Yes, but you're still my favorite one.”
The old man finished with a wink. After that, he proceeded to estimate the value of their game and paid them in unusual silence. Metello had waited until there to ask what bothered the two the most.
“So, do you know what is happening with the Saint's Walls?”
“Ow. You heard about this too. What do you know ?”
“Well, it seems that something bad happened in the Everlasting Night and that it will threaten Saint Walls.”
“Yes, that's about it. You don't need to know more than that. I bet you already know more than most of the city folk.”
Even if he didn't know the man that well compared to Metello, Jeffrey added with a playful smile.
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“Is that all you can tell to your favorite duo ?”
“Haha! You got me, boy! But I won't tell you more, it's something which could entice panic. And...”
He stopped to think for a few seconds, then spoke again.
“Well, perhaps I should tell you, Metello. If a panic breaks out, you will likely become the target to blame for a good part of the city.”
Metello went tense from his words. The old man hesitated a bit more and finally added.
“OK. Do not tell this anybody else. But, it seems that a [Nox Apostle] was born.”
Jeffrey was the first to ask.
“An [Apostle]? Is it serious ?”
“Oh, yes. You can consider an [Apostle] is some sort of unique evolution of the [Saint] class.”
Metello spoke in turn.
“But, I thought the [Saint] class was in the last tier of classes ?”
“That's true, but the [Apostle] class is out of tiers, or you could say it is of rare tier. Only one person for each god can have the class at a time. You can guess it's not a weak one.”
“But, all the divine tier class holders on the Everlightened Lands could easily beat him, isn't it ?”
Old Johnny winced.
“It's not that easy, you know. History recorded only four [Apostles] in the Enlightened plains in the last 2000 years. They seemed vastly more powerful than [Saints], but we don't know how much. They never fought full force against former humans. Concerning the Nox variant, we know even less. Nox classes are not much studied as few willing subjects can be found to talk about it. A remake of the Saint John's Breach is probably inevitable. But it could become far worse.”
At that time, the bell rang. He whispered quickly toward Metello.
“I guess you know enough for now. Be extra careful in the next cycles. People could blame you for something going on in the Everlasting Night, silly as they can be.”
“Thank you.”
The two young monster hunters went to clean themselves as always. Metello was silently thinking about what they had been told, shivering. It has not been much time since he felt safe in the streets thanks to his [Acolyte] robe. While he started to think in circles, Jeffrey asked.
“I remember you reading a lot. Did you read about the last Saint John's Breach ?”
Out of his negatives thoughts budding spiral, Metello answered after a bit.
“I remember that undead spread from a breach in the Saint John's Walls. These undead monsters are what made half of the Saint John Empire fall, the half that became our Yellowind Kingdom tens of years later.”
“Yikes!”
Metello chuckled.
“I couldn't have said better.”
A few seconds later, Jeffrey added, his voice trembling a bit.
“I think we should tell Mrs. Richardson. If old Johnny is right and it is almost sure that the kingdom will collapse at minimum, I would prefer for Carl and Isobel to be out of it before things get bad.”
Once again, when they went to find Brorne, he was not there. While walking on the streets, Metello regained his reflexes of scanning the crowd that he hadn't stored far away yet.
----------------------------------------
Mrs. Richardson listened to all that Jeffrey and Metello had to tell her. Once they finished, she spoke.
“A [Nox Apostle]. I didn't know it was a thing, but it seems like bad news effectively. And if old Johnny told you that, the information is probably genuine.”
Metello was surprised to be able to teach the [Priestess] anything. He added.
"We heard someone saying it came from [Saint] Casey. Do you know this person ?"
"Oh, [Fulgur Saint] Casey, the prophetess. Yes, I know of her. I didn't know she was still alive, but she is the real deal when you speak about prophecies. It makes the whole thing a bit more likely."
Jeffrey then explained his concerns.
“If it is real, then the orphanage is in danger. What could we do ?”
“First, we'll wait for this to be confirmed officially. Being hasty is never good. If it is the real deal, refugee convoys will be organized to take shelter in Windless Alliance. The sunlight should be enough there to protect everybody from the undead.”
“But, if the Saint's Walls are already breached ?”
“Don't worry too much Jeffrey. Let the high-level people do the work.”
Unconvinced, Jeffrey said, his voice was much trembling.
“But what can WE do ?”
“Jeffrey, we can't always do anything much depending on the situation. Sometimes, we have no choice but to endure. If you want to protect your siblings, just do as you've done these days, hunting with Metello. For now, go try and relax with your brother and sister. You need it.”
The simple words of the headmistress had an effect. Jeffrey seemed calmer when he went out to look for Carl and Isobel. Mrs. Richardson's gaze went to Metello.
“And you, how do you feel about that ?”
“I don't know. It doesn't feel real. It's as if we were in a heroes story.”
He thought for a few seconds before adding.
“Do you think the Nox army will act quickly ?”
“If the [Apostle] is just born, he will need time to level, perhaps years, but we have too little information for now.”
“If it is really happening, I need to be stronger fast. I know my parents were from around the Deadmount Forest, and that it is near Saint John Walls. If I have enough time, I want to find out if I have some family left. I would have to go there before they move from their home. And if I'm strong enough, perhaps I could help with the undead horde too.”
A complicated smile bloomed on her face.
“This is courageous. I'm proud of you my boy. To think you were the one being bullied some years ago.”
She paused a bit, her smile falling before talking again more seriously.
“For now, focus on what you can do. Being stronger is always better, whether for defending yourself or others. Try to help Jeffrey with that too. I know his wish is for his siblings to be safe. The stronger he get, the better he will keep Carl and Isobel safe, and it will reassure him. Calor knows he needs it.”
“That said, you should be careful not to overwork yourself too much. Perhaps, you should take some time to draw again once every few cycles. I know you liked it, and it will still be beneficial for your class upgrading too. Unless I am mistaken, you should already have progressed well toward upgrading your class. How many levels in Lux blessings do you have ?”
After a quick Prayer of Status, he answered.
“Fifteen.”
“Only ten levels to go. If you can get some artistic blessings while relaxing, it will be a boon for you. It could even be more beneficial for you to push for the blessings that are not far from level up than hunt twice a cycle.”
“But if I absorb more cores, it would be faster to get stronger, isn't it ?”
“Not necessarily, as once you upgrade your class, you will level twice faster as you are now.”
Seeing his disbelieving face, she asked.
“Don't you know that upgraded classes get more ether from the cores you absorb ?”
Metello facepalmed.
“How can I have forgotten about this ?”
----------------------------------------
The next cycle, just after the 6th bell, Metello woke up with a voice in his head.
“Citizen of Ironholes, this is a message from your mayor, [Duke] Cavendish, transmitted by me, [Menta High Priest] Neville.
The mayor will speak to you about the false rumors circulating about the Saint John Walls this cycle at the 8th bell at the Gods Square. Be there if you want to know more about it. May you be healthy and joyful.”
“Did you hear that ?”, asked Jeffrey, waking up too from his improvised mattress on the ground.
“We'll have to hunt a bit later than what we wanted to.”