Elijah groaned in pain as he eventually reached the stable that Benman had spoken of. At least he thought that it was the right one. Every few moments, Elijah would cast a cautious glance behind him- in case that Father Biskmus had caught up with him.
The stable was considerably smaller than the previous one. Three muscular horses grazed on their feed, while in their small stalls. The stable seemed to be manned by a single person. The man donned a thick moustache and an equally lush set of eyebrows. His hair was dark and long. The man exuded an air of rough nature, present in both his gait and appearance.
“SOMEONE… HELP ME, PLEASE,” Elijah yelled desperately, as he collapsed on the ground. The strange man penguin-shuffled towards Elijah and peered over him with curiosity in his eyes.
“Has he died? Where did this poor little kid come from? Oh well, better take him inside.” The man sheepishly shrugged to himself as he grabbed Elijah’s wrist to lift him into stable. Suddenly Elijah snatched the cuffs of the man’s shirt. “No please. Away from here. I need a horse. I need to go to-”
The man withdrew his hand quickly, letting Elijah slump on to the ground again.
“8 silver coins he demanded, opening his palm.
“F-free. Can you give me a free horse?” Elijah whispered feebly.
“And why should I do that? These are hard times. My son has been feeding on grass stew for the past month. No one should go through that, especially not my boy.”
After watching Elijah’s crestfallen visage, he shook his head in disbelief.
“Now listen here son. I will of course, give you a horse if you pay. But you must pay in full. I don’t trust you to bring the horse back.”
“I-I don’t got any money…” he said with a downcast look.
“Well, nothing I can do for you then child. I can house you for a day at most. And then you must leave.”
“B-benman! Benman sent me here.”
“Benman? Now where on earth did you hear that name from?” Elijah shrunk as the man glared at him intimidatingly. “I’m asking a question boy. That name. Benman. How do you know of it.”
“I m-met him a few hours ago.”
“And when did you last meet the bastard?”
“Fifteen minutes ago?”
“FIFTEEN? What am I waiting for then, I must find him at once. That bastard brother of mine left our home a few months ago, and only now he returns. And I hear news of him from a complete stranger? And a kid at that?”
“W-wait…” Elijah gulped as he nervously spoke. “Benman… told me to come to you. To take me east.”
“East? And why would Benman tell me to do that? That bastard doesn’t have any right to ask me anything at all. I’m going now. I’m going to find him and-”
“You can’t go to him… He’s injured.”
The man slowly circled back to him and grabbed Elijah by his collar, lifting him up several feet in the air. He had not noticed it before, but the man was outstandingly tall.
“Injured how?”
Elijah’s pupils dilated in fear, his mouth betraying the shallow and rapid breathing escaping from his lungs. He trembled slightly as he dangled from the man’s aggressive hold. Slowly, even his eyes began to waver, filling with sorrowful tears, threatening to betray his past stoic-like behaviour. Elijah tried to meet his eyes, but guilt had crept on to his heart and it would strangle it’s rhythmic beating every time he would do so. For once, Elijah seemed like the small little innocent kid he was supposed to be. He seemed scared, unsure of himself. Unsure of what was happening to him. Everything had been out of the ordinary since that day he met Raphael. Teleporting people. Voices calling from thin air. Glowing blue shards. Death of his sister. Priests who could hurt you without moving a single finger. Elijah tried to brave an unbothered visage, but truly his very spirit was trembling in fear from it all.
Sighing, the man gently placed him down on the ground, and picked him up properly, on to his back. “Tell me boy. I don’t have much patience unlike my brother. So tell me, and tell me well.”
Elijah spoke of what had happened to Benman and his horse Hefme. He did not mean to spiral and tell Benman’s brother about himself as well, but perhaps because of his flurry of emotions, he spilled his heart to him. He talked about his father’s disappearance, his mother’s death, his sister’s tragic end, and the terrifying encounter with Father Biskmus. His eyes looked quite distant at times, almost as if he wasn’t really there, simply from fear of retelling parts of his story. And Benman’s brother was attentive. There was slight changes in his expression, but his general demeanour altered from anger to a softer sorrowful look. By the end, Elijah was huffing intensely, as if the story had tired him out.
There was a low hanging silence after he recounted his story. Benman’s brother sat quietly, his eyebrows furrowing deeper in thought by the second.
Suddenly he walked away to his stable and returned a couple of minutes later with a horse.
Benman’s brother pointed at the horse, beckoning Elijah to mount it.
“I thought you said you don’t rent out horses… sir.”
“I’m not renting it to you.”
“Then are you selling it? I don’t have the money for it.”
“No, child come here.”
Elijah limped over to him, clutching his stomach. Thankfully the bleeding had stopped, but the pain had not subsided. Benman’s brother grabbed Elijah like as if he were a toddler, and placed him atop the horse. Then right after, he sat behind him.
“Pass me the reigns child.” Elijah obediently handed the horse reigns to the man in confusion. “We will be going together. And child. The name is Keblan. Never refer to me the same as those nobles again. I do not wish to be called Sir.”
“Yes… Keblan. But how can you go with me? How about your so-” Elijah quickly hugged the horses neck as it rose onto it’s powerful hindlegs.
“My son? He can manage by himself.”
“But you said he has to have grass stew-”
“Child, if what you have told me is true, I think it would be best if you keep yourself quiet, and rest for now. You have had a long day. I will wake you when we reach the Eastern Division of Mienn, so take a nap.”
“But how about Benman? Don’t we need to check on him?”
Lines of worry formed around Keblan’s eyes as he thought deeply about his brother. For a moment, he gazed into the distance, mind churning with dangerous thoughts. Finally he seemed to have settled on his answer, with a sigh and pursing of his lips. “He will be alright. He is not someone who would send someone away when his own life is in danger.”
“So he will be alright? He won’t die?”
Keblan clenched his fists tightly around the reigns of the horse. “Don’t ask useless questions now, Elijah. I’m taking you to the Great Mienn Cathedral, to ”
“Wait, I have to go to the bank. I told you that someone who knows something about my sister’s death will be there.”
“Elijah, child, I feel as if you are throwing yourself into a trap. Think this through with proper thought, not with your heart.”
“Can you take me there? Because if you can’t, I’ll walk there.”
Keblan sighed and rubbed the horses flank. “Come now Pelmy, it seems we have to take this boy somewhere. And you boy,” He snapped as he turned to the pale-faced Elijah. “Sleep now. You will faint during the day if you keep this up.”
Elijah attempted to drift off to sleep, but his stomach sent him reminders of the day in the form of stabbing pain. Eventually, the rhythmic clopping of Pelmy’s hooves lulled him to sleep. Elijah made a silent prayer to keep himself safe from attacks in his sleep.
“Elijah! Elijah, get up!” Keblan gently shook Elijah to wake him. “We are here Elijah.”
Elijah stirred from his sleep slightly and rose his head with half-moon eyes. “Where are we?” he mumbled as his eyes reeled from the shock of the high sun.
“Look in front of you. You said you wanted to come here didn’t you? E.C.M.B.? East Central Mienn Bank.” Finally, Elijah opened his eyes to be splashed with the colour of husting and bustling life of Central Mienn. The streets of the biggest city in Mienn was lined with all sorts of restaurants with cuisines from ancient kingdoms. Mienn was a country that prided themselves in their agriculture and food. Many restaurants laid claim to food belonging to kingdoms of ages past before they were wiped out. Elijah sighed uncomfortably upon realising that nobles frequented Central Mienn often as well.
The city was alive with activity. Merchants shouted out their wares from vibrant stalls, their voices blending into a cacophony of commerce. People from all walks of life filled the streets, from wealthy nobles in richly embroidered clothes to humble farmers in simple, worn garments. Women in bright, flowing dresses and men in neatly tailored tunics and trousers strolled along, their faces reflecting a mix of joy and the occasional stress of city life. Children darted between the adults, their laughter ringing out as they played games of tag.
As Elijah came to his senses, he realised that he had been sleeping on Keblan’s back. Keblan kneeled down slowly and gently placed Elijah on the ground.
The smooth tiled road sent a shock of coldness into his body as his feet made contact. “It’s so… cool and smooth.”
“First time you’ve touched a marbled road, child?”
Elijah glanced from building to building in shining awe. His blue eyes glowed a crystal blue as he soaked in the vast stone expanse. “B-buildings… There’s so many. And they’re enormous…”
“If this surprises you, Jordan would blow your expectations away.” Keblan said as he ushered Elijah to walk forward.
“Have you been to Jordan, Keblan?” Elijah asked curiously, while glancing between restaurants and stores. Beautiful. It was beautiful. He stood, peppered with goosebumps, reminiscent of the feeling of excitement after seeing his new school for the first time.
“Yes child… Once with Benman. Our merchant father had attended a banquet at the request of the current Grand Duke Laphnel Kurb’s father. Grand Duke of Jordan. ‘Mienn’s finest merchant’s’ he had said in a grand voice. My father had a very strong deep voice! Everyone in Wintonin village knew it. My grandma always told us that he would become a brilliant talker. And he did! He became one of the greatest merchants to exist in Mienn. You may have heard of him some few times.”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
“What was his name, Keblan?”
“The Golden Pot. That was his nickname anyways. Nobles all over the kingdom would go crazy over the mention of his name. He possessed an intricate mind, immaculate business plans and a silver tongue. In short, he was a true master of his trade.”
“I don’t think I heard of him before…”
Keblan frowned for a few moments before coming to a realisation. “Ah, that must be it. How old are you, child?”
“I only just reached the age of fourteen a couple of days ago.”
“Then you wouldn’t be old enough to know of him.”
“Is he not famous anymore?” Elijah asked with curious eyes.
“He… It’s complicated child. It’s best to keep yourself out of matters like these,” he sighed as he noticed Elijah tightly clutching his abdomen. “This bank is the last place I’m taking you. After that, you’re coming with me to an excellent healer that I know of.”
“A healer?!” Elijah exclaimed frantically. “I told you! I cannot go to a church under any circumstance.”
“This person was a dear friend of my fathers,” Keblan said while ruffling Elijah’s hair. “And he will treat you well. You have too much mistrust for someone so young.”
“I think I should at least walk with some caution.”
“If you had enough caution, we wouldn’t be here right now.” Elijah bumped into Keblan as he suddenly stopped walking. “Here’s the bank, child.”
The child’s face lit up with sparkling curiosity and amazement. It’s grand façade loomed above him as if it were a portal to another world; As if it were a monument of greatness. Large and regal columns of black marble lined the walls of the bank. Keblan grabbed him roughly and draped him over his shoulder as if he were a cloak and walked towards the centre. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it? A red brick building. Great black marble pillars. Some nobles like to call it the Ladybug Treasury because of it’s colour.”
“I can’t seem to see the end. It’s enormous.” True enough, for little Elijah, both ends of the brilliant building seemed to be so far away, that they merged with the horizon. Although it seemed quite empty. In comparison to the crowded restaurants, the bank looked deserted. Not a single person appeared from the bank. “But Keblan… What is a bank?”
Although he was taken aback by the question at first, he replied with a subtle smirk. “You set out from Frieta’s Farm, got ambushed by a crazy priest, walked over to my stable with an injury, all so that you could come to this bank. Yet you never knew what a bank was?”
The boy flushed a beetroot red in embarrassment as he realised. “S-something to do with money. I think they give you money.”
“For free, child?” Keblan stifled a laugh, but then coughed and regained his stoic visage. “There’s nothing for free in this world, child. Every person can purchase only one keep. Although it’s expensive. This bank once had many family keeps, but after the current King’s brother, Rah S enyah rose to the throne that all changed. Under his rule, all the current Grand Dukes tightened their control over their countries.”
“What do you mean, Keblan?”
“The family keeps. They were supposed to pass through generations with no fee. Once you bought a keep, it was for you and your family forever. They changed that now. Once you die, your keep along with it’s belongings are returned to the throne a week after death.” He tapped his feet impatiently as he spoke. Neither the old man nor the blue haired man that Elijah had described had appeared, and it was past their meeting time.
“Describe those two men to me again, Elijah,” he whispered cautiously while scanning his surroundings with a scrutinizing eye.
“Charvaz seemed to be the name of the blue haired man. He was tall and I think he had brown eyes. Pavilon, if that’s his name on the business card, is his older brother, and he had grey hair. Although he had some streaks of blue hair as well. Oh, also brown eyes.”
“Let’s walk inside. They might be inside the bank.”
“W-wait,” Elijah yelped frantically, while clutching on to Keblan. “What if someone we shouldn’t meet is inside there? What if there’s a priest? What if Father Bismus is there? A-and I haven’t said anything about it all this time, but I’ve been feeling more faint. My stomach hurts.”
Keblan set down Elijah gently. The older man dropped to his knees so that his face was level with Elijah’s. “Listen to me child. Don’t panic. I can tell that you panic like this often. It reminds me of my own son. He used to panic like that too. But listen to me,” he spoke slowly, emphasizing each word. His face softened, the tension in his features finally easing. “You’re alright. Take a deep breath, and think about how ugly my moustache looks right now.”
Elijah glanced at his moustache and giggled. “I-it’s not ugly. Just funny.”
“You think it’s funny?!” he snapped suddenly.
“I-I didn’t mean it like that. I meant-”
Keblan slapped Elijah’s back lightly. “Relax, relax! Don’t be so serious all the time.”
Elijah trembled as he met his gaze.
“Kid, our world is so unforgiving and cruel. We have one of the worst kings this kingdom has seen in generations. We have priests running about killing people. Poverty has hit every part of our country while the greedy nobles in Jordan enjoy their food and riches. The world is unfair. But when the world is so obviously fighting to keep you on the ground, there is only one thing you can do to strike them back.”
“W-what is it?”
“Smile!” Keblan stated loudly as he burst out into a smile. It was an awkward smile, but it strangely warmed Elijah’s heart. “Smile and walk through the fire! You see when you smile despite everything, you’re telling the world to screw off.”
“That was rather embarrassing,” Elijah laughed as he shook his head.
“You’re right, it was rather embarrassing wasn’t it? It seems, I don’t possess the same tongue of glib as my father. Now let’s not waste any more time, come on in.”
Elijah smiled and followed Keblan up the marble steps and through the mahogany double doors. The duo retreated almost immediately after entering the light-absent bank. “What is that musty smell,” they both complained in unison.
Almost as if surprised the sudden intrusion, several voices yelped out in a symphony.
“People, switch on the lights! What will our dear, dear customers think of us?!” A voice shouted from within the darkness. Suddenly, a chandelier appeared from above them in glowing brilliance. The bank lobby was only a husk of it’s former glory. Cobwebs covered the great chandelier, and the dust in the air made their skin crawl. The interior seemed quite archaic in fashion, the walls and ceilings lined in colourful, although old tree-wood. The floorboard creaked as he walked towards the reception.
Behind the reception window, a disorganised woman was gathering documents while being flustered. Her glasses lay clumsily on her head, and her hair was tangled with something on her desk.
“Dear customer, pardon my manners. What can I do for you today?” she asked as she tapped her desk, trying to find her glasses.
“O-oh sorry. P-Pavi-” Elijah who was too flustered, too nervous to speak, looked down in embarrassment. Thankfully, Keblan picked up for him with fervour. “Pavilon Cherken, ma’am. Would you know of him?”
The lady covered her mouth and gasped in an exaggerated manner. “Pavilon Cherken? Now that is indeed a name that I have not heard in so many years. He was our executive vice president for many years. However he decided to leave our establishment four years ago. Gosh, he should never have left. Business was already plummeting when King Rah Senyah’s new policies settled in, but with King Ja Senyah and with our dear vice president quitting, business is near extinguished-”
The lady continued to speak about how unjust the new rules were, but Elijah paid no mind to it all. Why did Pavilon Cherken decide to send Elijah here to meet, if had not been working here for so long? Elijah felt somewhat discouraged, as if he had been dragged back to very beginning, with no idea of what was happening. But back in the corner of Elijah’s mind, there was a question begging to be asked. He could feel it. Elijah was close to discovery.
“Can I check for a keep of a deceased person, please?” Elijah asked, abruptly interrupting the lady’s rant.
The lady grew flustered at the sudden interruption as her ears reddened slightly. “Oh dear me, look at me go! Of course dear, I can check for a keep. Keep in mind, it can only be used for seven days after the death of the owner. We uphold tradition, despite business. Now what would this person’s name be?”
“Agatha,” Elijah whispered. He had almost forgotten about her death until now, but the thought of her name, reminded him of the glistening blood in their broken bungalow. “The name is Agatha Velvetorne.”
“Now just give me a few moments dear. I must find the name somewhere along this list.” She fumbled around her desk to search for something. Keblan grew in annoyance as he saw the clumsy, disorganised receptionist take so long.
“Lady. If you’re looking for your glasses, they’re atop your head.”
“A-Ah yes. You are correct indeed. They are on my head. Now if I ma-”
“You best hurry for us lady,” Keblan growled. “We have little to no time, and you’re wasting what time we do have.”
The woman gave a short sheepish smile, and worked on the list immediately, searching for names.
“A- A- A- Argetha, no that’s not it. Agatin, a different name all together. Ah, there you go, Agatha. Oh would you look at that, only one surname with a V for Agatha. Agatha Velvetorne. Yes she has a keep here.”
Elijah slapped his hands on the reception counter and leaned in to the lady, in trembling excitement. “I’m not too late am I? Can I access her keep?”
“Only if you brought identification proving that you are her family.”
Elijah's eyes widened in realisation. Identification? A countryside orphan like Elijah could never obtain something like an identification.
"I- I don't have any identification papers. But please, I am her brother."
The receptionist glanced down at her papers to see the similarities between the drawing of Agatha and Elijah. "You require certain documentation and identification to be allowed access to this keep."
Keblan lunged at the lady, and grabbed her by her collar, lifting her several inches in the air. "Listen lady! Look at this boy. And now look at the drawing you have for Agatha Velvetorne. Are they not exactly alike?" he rumbled loudly with a deathly glare.
“Y-yes but, we have procedures and l-long standing traditions. And- and even if we are quieter than before, we still have to uphold our rules.”
“What do your rules say about getting beat up?”
"Y-you're right indeed, let me call one of my boys to attend you," she squealed. Keblan let her go, and she breathed a shaky sigh of relief. "Stupid commoner scum," she muttered under her breath. Keblan glared at her through the window, and balled his fists as a threat.
"MINKEN, COME ATTEND TO THESE TWO... GENTLEMEN," she yelled as she patted herself down. Soon a series of footsteps echoed through the empty lobby, and a boy presented himself in front of the two of them.
"HELLO SIR. MINKEN IS MY NAME. I WILL ATTEND TO YOU." The boy, short and out of breath, was clothed in brown tattered clothes. His voice was loud and obnoxious, despite it’s squeaky nature.
"Keep 2793, Minken. Now." She demanded as if she wanted to rid the two of them from her sight.
"YES MA'AM," Minken shouted with a salute. He hurriedly rushed out of the lobby. Although surprised by his speed despite his height, Elijah and Keblan followed suit. As they left the lobby into the corridor, they could hear the receptionist grumble about 'protocols' and 'lost traditions'.
The path to keep 2793 was long and twisted. The interior of the bank was much more convoluted than the offset had let on. Much of the corridors were dark, unlit and unused, so Minken had to find the light switches in the dark. “Sirs, you must be one of the very last people to walk into this establishment.”
“You cannot be older than twelve, how and why are you working at a rotting bank? Surely you could help your father,” Elijah asked curiously. Much of the boys his age had retired to the countryside to help their fathers on the farm, or some type of living. However that was the countryside and this was the biggest city in the country. Maybe it was different here.
“Ah, my father is dead,” he said calmly. Elijah’s eyes widened for a moment in shock, but he collected himself. “He worked here once. Back when this bank was magnificent and was named the Ladybug Treasury. But then they had changed the rules suddenly, and the people of Mienn got poorer. Eventually, no one wanted to buy keeps, and slowly this bank became more forgotten. This keep that you’re going to. It’s one of the last 8 bought keeps, despite our thousands of keeps.”
“But why do you still work here, if your father no longer works here?”
“It reminds him of his father,” Keblan interjected. “Or he feels a sense of fulfilment continuing what his father once loved.” Minken nodded in agreement. The journey after that was filled with much quietness. They passed many corridors and elevators until they finally arrived on the seventh floor in front of Agatha's Keep. 'Keep 2793.'
Minken, grinned in accomplishment as they arrived at the great red metal door. "Here is your key, mister," he said as he handed them a large silver key. "Once you unlock the keep, there will be a little rope inside which will turn on the light if you pull it. I must head out now, in case another customer arrives." And with that, the huffing little boy dashed out yet again and disappeared into an elevator. Elijah shakily placed his hand on the cold metal and took a deep breath.
"Are you ready, Elijah?" Keblan asked, to the shaking boy.
"Y-yes I am."
"Then you should open the keep. It's your right."
"Y-yes you're right," he said as he took the key from Keblan's hand. “What do you think I will find behind that door?”
“You know your sister best, not me. What do you think your sister left?”
“I don’t think it is money. I think she knew she was going to die. I think the quiet, hard-working sister I knew of, was only just a façade. She somehow knew those men, and they lead me here. Whatever is behind that door, could be the thing which tells me what on earth is happening. It may my first and only clue to everything.”
“And do you want to know everything? I remember when you were retelling your story to me, you told me that you regretted being too curious.”
“I think I’m curious by blood. I don’t think I can stop myself from this. Every part of me is screaming at me to find out what’s behind that door.”
“Then open the door, Elijah,” Keblan said with bravado. “I’m sure of it. The answers to your questions lies there.”
With no further thought nor talk, Elijah sunk the key into the lock and twisted it. Slowly, he pulled the door open. He walked into the room enveloped by darkness, and began to notice the sound of light breathing. He quickly hid behind Keblan as the older man grabbed the rope for the lights. “There’s someone here, Keblan.” Keblan abruptly yanked at the rope, and the room burst with yellow energy.
The floor gleamed a golden glamour. Gold. And a lot of it. However, that wasn’t the first thing that caught his eyes. Golden hair flowed from her crown and ghost white skin. A girl in a simple navy dress lay in the corner of the keep rolled up into a ball.
For some reason, Elijah’s mind with suddenly filled with memories of Agatha describing a girl. “She has golden hair which falls to her shoulders like silk. It’s different to our blond hair. Her one is golden, almost like a crown. And she’s so pale that you would think that she is deathly ill. But Elijah, gosh, if you saw her eyes, you would stare for an eternity. Pink droplet shaped pupils, and almond shaped eyes. I hope you can meet her one day, Elijah. Enmia, that is.”
He eyed the girl closer and closer, until he was standing above her. Enmia. It had to be her. Nearly on cue, the girl’s eyes burst open as she sat up. Elijah dropped to his knees in delight as he realised the identity of the girl. “My sister didn’t lie,” Elijah cried. “You really do have brilliant pink eyes. Enmia.”