Umbren was bored.

Everyone had come into agreement that it was too dangerous for Umbren to be anywhere but the pantry. When Umbren made the decision he had not taken into consideration just how bored he would be.

Umbren smiled to himself. He never thought he would become anywhere close to bored in this place. A place marked with mystery and danger. When he had first arrived his thoughts were filled with worry and...introspection.

He had feared that if he was left alone he would be plagued with thoughts similar to those which he had when he had first arrived.

Fortunately nothing like that had happened. Umbren had guessed there hadn't been an event that made him spiral into that train of thought.

He had already gotten past all the thoughts that came with the incident that happened the previous day, so it left his head empty.

He had been planning on deciding how to give the ring to Alyze, but the perfect way came to his mind right when he started to think about it. That was good since it saved him a lot of effort, but it still would have been nice to have something on his mind.

Umbren really couldn't do anything until Jarvus had finished the rings. Well, he could talk to Alyze but she was currently running errands. He was actually eagerly awaiting for her to get back so they could talk.

"When did I become like this?"

He knew he had enjoyed talking to Alyze, but recently he found that their conversations offered an escape from the reality of what was really going on. From the mayor hunting him down, his past failures, the ticking of the clock, which with every second his comrades get further away from him.

But he found that he didn't mind the last part all that much. He didn't mind that he was being left behind. Umbren was a little shocked when he first made that realization. When he first arrived in Lucel, he was afraid of what would be done to him because of his failures, but now a part of him actually dreaded leaving.

The door to the pantry opened and Umbren's hand automatically went to the Kukri beside his bed. The reaction was only a reminder of the danger he was in.

He relaxed right when he saw the golden eyes.

"Don't worry it's just me."

Umbren closed his eyes out of agitation, "You could have knocked."

Alyze smiled, "Ya I could have, but I sort of wanted to surprise you."

Umbren gave her a thumbs up, "Well you did that."

As Alyze stepped into the room Umbren took notice of the stool she was carrying.

She placed it right next to his bed, and took a seat on it, "You must be really bored, being stuck in this pantry and all."

"Yep. You got that right. So have you come to ask more questions."

Alyze put her index finger to her chin, "Hmm...I actually don't have any..." She paused for a brief moment, "Well I do, but it's sort of embracing, so...I’ll let you ask a question instead."

Umbren stared at her in surprise, "You want me to ask a question...Hmm, you already answered all the ones I had yesterday."

"C'mon you have to have at least one."

Umbren tensed up as he remembered something very important, "Alyze, you know that cloak your dad lent me."

She nodded

"So...was that really important to him."

"He used to wear it a lot when he traveled, but he doesn't really do that all that much anymore, so I think it's maybe sentimental."

Umbren stared at her blankly, "Oh...really."

"What's wrong with it? Did you tear the sleeve of it or something?"

"I sort of cut a big chunks of it in order to get something to rap my face when I was disguising myself as one of those Isiks."

Alyze's eyes widened. "Umm...well...I don't think he'll be too happy about that. But on the brightside he's been so busy lately that he might not even notice until you leave."

So she thought he was going to leave soon. Umbren didn't know why he was so fixated on that one part of what she said. Surely he would think that the other parts were more important.

Umbren propped himself up, and sat with his leg crossed, facing Alyze, "That's a relief, so what questions did you want to ask me?"

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Alyze started to tap her foot on the floor faintly, "Well I actually have two, but I guess I'll start off with the easiest one."

Umbren nodded

"You mentioned having a bond with your attoka the other day. How exactly does that work."

"Oh! That's easy. The bond itself is one that involves the souls of two individuals."

Alyze's eyes lit up brighter than they had ever before, "Souls?! Really! How does it work?!"

Umbren stared at the ceiling for a bit with a "Umm" to try and come up with a good way to describe it.

"It's sort of like two pieces of thread. The process of bonding is entwining those strings together. That way either individual will know what the other is feeling. It's useful if one is in danger."

Alyze looked as if her mind was racing at a million miles an hour, "There has to be some kind of drawback right?"

"There are some. Like the pair can sense the others emotions even the negative kind. Though the other downside is a little more concerning."

Alyze awaited the next part of his answer with anticipation.

"If one soul leaves for the afterlife the other will be pulled with it."

Silence took over the room.

Umbren scratched his head, "Well the person that bonded the souls can unbind them at any time, so that shouldn't be a problem as long as they know if either one of them is to die."

Alyze's eyes looked as if she had just heard the most interesting piece of information in the world, and Umbren could even faintly hear an "amazing" from her lips.

"Anyway, what's your other question? Do you want me to elaborate on something else."

Alyze shook her head, "No actually this ones a little more simple, or maybe you could say it's more complicated."

Umbren tilted his head, "Hmm? What is it?"

"How did you get that black cloak?"

Worry and a little regret could be seen in those golden eyes.

Visions of that day filled his head. He no longer was physically affected by the memory, but it left him numb.

“I’m sorry. I…I can’t bring myself to speak of it. I want to tell you. I really do, but I just…can’t. I hope you understand.”

Umbren looked down at his hands. He couldn’t bring himself to look into her eyes. He had brought himself to tell the disciples, so why not Alyze?”

Alyze narrowed her eyes in pity, “I can’t say I understand, but I won’t force you. All I’ll do is try to not let my imagination run wild.”

“Thank you.” Umbren croaked.

After a moment of silence, he laid back against the wall that his bed was placed against, "Now that I think about it. I do have one more small question. If you wanted to get out of the village for a better life, then surely you would be able to with those eyes of yours. I heard that luxcian's with golden eyes are especially gifted when it comes to their blessings," He desperately wanted to change the subject.

Alyze smiled wryly, “You want me to answer a question after you refused to answer mine?”

Umbren almost jumped, talking frantically, “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to…”

Alyze laughed a bit, cutting him off, "My question was more personal, don’t worry about it,” She paused, thinking about the question, “My gifts huh…That's true. But let's just say I may be strong enough to overpower the mayor if I wanted to, but not his connections or his guards."

Umbren's heart was still beating from his recent scare, "Hmm. That's unfortunate. Why does he even want you to stay so bad?"

A certain sadness crept onto Alyze's face, "He doesn't want a repeat of the past." The sadness turned to a bit of anger, "But still only if I had one more thing. Just something else, I might be able to get past him."

She was talking to herself more than she was Umbren.

Umbren looked up at the skylight. A hint of orange crept across it. Night was closing in on them. Jarvus must be coming in any minute now.

"Hey, now that I think about it I haven't heard any noise from the forge in a long while."

Alyze looked up at Umbren. Her gaze had started to drift downward as thought overtook her, "Mmm, I guess you're right, I should go and check on him."

As she got up from the stool and made her way to the door Umbren followed.

Alyze turned back and smiled wryly, "What happened to staying in the pantry."

Umbren shrugged, "I've been in here all day, and besides it's almost night time. It's not like they'll barge in the house randomly."

"Suit yourself."

As the two came into the main room, they were both surprised to see Jarvus walk into the house from the main door, rather than from the forge entrance, with a pouch in his hand.

Alyze looked perplexed, "Dad, what were you out doing."

Jarvus' eyes widened at the sight of the two of them, "Oh! I was just out at the market getting something for myself. Umbren come here and help me with it."

As Umbren drew close Jarvus pulled him in and emptied the contents of the pouch, two silver rings.

They both were identical. The only difference was the gem in each. In one, the gem was as bright and yellow as the sun. On the other the gem was a deep purple.

Umbren eyed the two rings as if there were something extremely valuable, "How did you finish them so fast?

"You think I really had time to make them? I just bought them from the market. Now hurry up and give them to her."

Umbren nodded, his mind elsewhere, "Jarvus I need you to distract the mayor tomorrow."

"What do you mean to distract the mayor!"

Alyze stepped closer to the two, "Hey. What are you talking about."

Umbren's tone became quieter and also more rushed, "You'll understand when the time comes."

Jarvus looked as if he was going to say something else but Umbren turned to Alyze, "I'm going to go head to the garden. Meet me there tomorrow, okay.”

"What are you going on ab..."

Umbren grabbed his black cloak off of the trunk next to the forge door, "You'll understand tomorrow."

Umbren left the two in the house alone baffled.

"Well...guess I know what I'm doing tomorrow."

Jarvus went to sit down in a chair by the fireplace, "Hmm..Why would he want me to do that? The mayor would never…” he started to chuckle, “I see now. Seems like a lot of effort doesn’t it?”