When the door opened, palace guards greeted us warmly.
We were led to a room where a long table of food is seen whilst we wait for an audience with their King, the warden of the South— Ifrit and Maru's father.
I was stuffing food inside my mouth with Eriol when Levi walked to us and spoke, "I will conduct a search operation later when I get the granted permission of the Sultan, will you be coming along?"
I glances at Eriol.
'A goal of our own.' I remembered him saying.
I suppose I need to find Ifrit than tail Levi all day.
"I'll stay here and see what I can find about the symbols I'm curious about."
Levi nodded.
Soon, we got an audience with their King. The audience chamber was grand as it was ornamented lavishly. A long violet carpet rolls out the length of the entire room, from the main door leading to the throne where a huge canopy stood over it. There were golden structures seen as well and windows are wide and tall, giving a light and refreshing ambiance to the place.
"I'm sorry to hear about what happened. We will do our best here in Ak'hilheim to help with the search."
It seems like the news about my sister was covered as an abduction case. Father covered for her pretty well... I do hope he could keep such ruse for as long as he could. I don't want anyone finding out about my sister's element yet. Otherwise it would be hard for her to return.
"Aeroooon!" Someone hollered out to me in a singsong followed by sounds of hurried footsteps.
I turned and saw Ifrit running towards us. Palace guards are after her, they must've tried stopping her from intruding in the middle of our audience with his father but they're outright ignored.
"I didn't know you're going to arrive!"
Yet here she is.
News spreads fast, I suppose.
I watch her cup her face with both her hands as she sways side to side. "I'm happy to see you again! If I knew you would arrive I could have prepared well!"
Prepare for what exactly? I wonder.
Ifrit is lively as usual. I'm glad there's someone who can smile that brightly.
It felt contagious so I just beamed back.
"Ifrit!" King Ulf grunted sternly, glowering at her. "Forgive my daughter's rudeness."
"It's alright, your majesty!" Levi answered.
"I heard what happened." Her smile fades, "I will do what I can to help as well so if ever you need anything, just say so."
"Thank you, Princess" Levi bowed down, gallantly.
"Thanks!" I bowed down as well. She's a princess so I have to show my respect despite our ties as friends.
Eriol just went along and tapped his head down briefly.
I need to have a moment with her so I can ask her help about the archives. But how?
Levi glances at me. "I wish to talk to the king alone, if I may?"
Ah, thank god Levi read me.
"Me and Eriol will go and wait for you outside then!"
"Umm... if you're not busy, I want you to meet my siblings!" Ifrit says, sheepishly.
Perfect!
"Sure!" I nodded. She seems elated at my reply.
She quickly snatched my hand and dragged me across the room and towards the corridors.
Eriol followed along, wearing his usual sneer.
We were escorted to a huge room in one of their tallest towers with black marbled floor and tall columns standing in a palisade with thin red curtains draping here and there. Quite the contrary, the floor-to-ceiling windows had no curtains in them. Not even glass. You could simply step out to it and say goodbye to dear life.
There are chandeliers hanging from the high ceilings and huge colorful pillows scattered everywhere. I wonder if this room is a playroom of sort, the windows doesn't seem safe though...
"Aeron's here!" Ifrit yells out as small hurried footsteps is heard echoing around us.
Eriol walked to a huge pillow lying about and threw himself down on it. He sinks to it, making the soft and fluffy character of the cushions apparent.
Soon, five children reached us and encircled around me.
"Hi, Maru!" I greeted, recognizing him from the rest of the children.
Maru waved back at me.
Suddenly, he was pushed back by his siblings as they all circled around me like a fence.
"So he's going to be your King, Ifrit?" A little girl, standing just few feet taller than Maru, spoke.
"He'll become our big brother then?" Another one uttered, this time it's a little boy with hair of copper.
"Will he be playing with us today?" A tiny voice added.
"His hair looks weird... is it real?"
I felt someone yanks a strand of my hair from behind.
Ouch! 💢
"Stop it you guys!" Ifrit stomps her foot down. "Apologize and introduce yourselves properly!"
I watch them huddle around and then finally stood in a line.
"My name is Samir al-Din!" A boy grins profoundly at me. He looks close to Maru but taller. "Nice to meet you! Ifrit said I should apologize so yeah! I'm sorry!"
At least he's obedient, I guess...
"I'm Nasrin, I'm the fourth born!" Says a little girl. She has a smug plastered in her face. Nasrin has a distinct face from the other siblings, a copper colored hair but her eye colors are the same with Ifrit, they were gray and dark-rimmed. She throws her hand to her waist then added, "Umm, sorry—?"
💧 She has no idea what she's saying sorry for...
"Uhh, I'm Leila... sorry for being rude." A little girl with the longest hair, braided with lots of small flowers, curtsies before me. She's more timid than the rest.
"I'm Tahmid Adir, big brother!" The youngest-looking boy with copper hair says. "Why do I need to apologize? Tahmid Adir did nothing wrong, did I?"
"Sorry about my siblings." Ifrit says now.
"It's alright!" I answered. "I should introduce myself too. I'm Aeron! Nice to meet you all, your Highnesses!"
"Why is your hair so white?" Samir al-Din asks, "You look like a pureblood..." He then kept reaching for a strand of my hair...
"He is! Now stop pulling his hair!" Ifrit blurted out.
"Wooooahhh—! A pureblood!" They all gasped, staring directly at my eyes now.
💧 ...
"Cool! When will you be getting married with our sist—!" Ifrit abruptly clawed at Nasrin's mouth and began pulling her away to a corner.
Maru tagged at my sleeve. "Nice to see you too, Maru!" I told him as he smiled at me.
He gestured at me to come closer so I knelt on my one knee to meet his eye level. Maru then reached for my ear and hanged something. I groped at it and realized it was a flower.
💧 uhh— I don't think I would like to walk around with a flower on my ear...
"T-thanks..." I manage to say in a smile.
I stood back up while Ifrit came walking back. "Now that you met all of them, let's walk around the palace! I'll tour you!"
"I want to come with you!" Tahmid Adir murmured.
"Just play here, I'll join you later, okay?" Ifrit replied, patting his head.
"Heh. She just wants to date with him!" Samir al-Din says crossing his arms together.
"D-d-don't say that!!!" Ifrit replied! "I'm just going to tour them as our guests!"
Nasrin grinned teasingly, "Maybe they're off to that honey-sky ...s'mthing."
"I think you mean 'moon' not sky." Eriol intervenes.
"Ahh, yes! It's honey mff—!" Ifrit covers Nasrin's mouth again.
"Don't even think of saying it!!! Where did you even heard that from?!" Ifrit yelped. "And don't teach her!" she tells Eriol.
Eriol just laughed.
"You're having fun?" I asked Eriol as he stood back up and stretched. I walked up to him as he just sneered at me.
"Not really —but it's interesting to watch how you're still this clueless about why they're teasing Ifrit like that."
"What do you mean?"
"Exactly!" He pats my head.
"..." (-_-)
"Do I need to remind you why we're here though? You need to ask her sooner or later." Eriol whispered.
"I know... I'm just waiting for a chance when we can be left alone with her."
"Hey, I got an idea." He stoops to my side and whispered quietly, "When we do get the chance, mention this— 'I can't think of anyone else that can help me but you.' If you say that to Ifrit, she will definitely help us!"
"Ready guys?" Ifrit shows up even before I could have reacted to Eriol.
"Yeah." I nodded,
"Let's go!" She says, beaming.
And off she went to lead the way out as I just waved at the princes and princesses left in that room. They seem happy to meet me. I'm at least glad they're very welcoming.
••▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅••
We were walking the corridors where no guards can be seen. And unlike earlier, there are no soldiers escorting us around. It was just me, Eriol and her. This is the perfect timing I was waiting for.
"Ifrit, I'm going to be straight with you. I need your help."
She turned around and faced me. Walking backwards with her hands folded behind her, she replied, "Hm? What is it?"
"Well actually... it would be very imposing. I would understand if you refuse." I paused and remembered what Eriol whispered awhile ago. My eyes took a glimpse of him as he just casually walks in a carefree spirit.
I took a deep breath and uttered, "Umm, Ifrit— I just can't think of anyone else to turn to but you... so I hope you can help us."
"—!?" She halted dead on her tracks. Her face went beet red. "I will help! Definitely!"
Wow, it worked.
Eriol chuckled but said nothing.
"Thanks, Ifrit." I bowed down.
"Heyyy! Stand up! I haven't done anything yet!"
I stood back straight and handed her the piece of paper. I watch her unfold it.
"I need to know any information about those symbols."
"Patterns?" She murmured, speculating.
"Actually... to me they seem like a customary pattern for a garment of a specific tribe but I don't think they're a form of writing system. They don't look that ancient to me either. I have tried looking for the origin of those symbols but found nothing to no avail. I heard about your father's reputation as the Sultran of Trade. I was hoping you can help us..."
"Hmm..." she stared at it some more, "These patterns may seem ordinary alright but basing from how the sequence is used, I think this actually is a writing system...."
"R-really?"
I glanced at Eriol but he remained placid.
Ifrit nodded. "Ever heard of Dæmon clans?"
"T-t-t-THOSE THINGS HAVE CLANS?!?"
Ifrit giggled. "Come on! Follow me! I'll explain along the way!"
••▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅••
Ifrit took us to the east wing of the palace which has lots of guards patrolling the area. She sneaks pass them all as though she has done this her entire life.
Then again, maybe it really is the case.
We just followed a little behind her as she began to talk when we finally reached inside.
"If you recall, magic in human blood began with our ancestors. It has been said that the gods and goddesses bestowed magic to them as their envoys and to preserve humanity. The first men to acquire magic built tribes that sets them apart and lead their own. The Ergus, Arcania, Sol, Nilfeim, Zl'iir, and Dias. Those tribesmen that were able to preserve their bloodline across generations and are born with the very same features as the ancestors are what we call a pureblood. You're a pureblood of the Arcania, aren't you?" Ifrit asks, glancing at me over her shoulders. "Snow white hair and crystalline blue eyes. The feature that is very distinct to Arcanian descendants."
I nodded, "Me and my twin sister, our mother, and even our uncle are pureblood. They told me we are the last of our kind; one of the reasons why losing Aerra deals a great blow to our family."
Ifrit glances at Eriol, "And you... with the jasper-black hair and brilliant amethyst eyes— you're a pureblood of Nilfeim!"
Eriol nods in response, "Yeah, ya' got that right!"
"Well, just like humans, dæmons have their own way to preserve their kind. They gather in clans that competes to become the strongest from the rest. Though dæmons doesn't normally exist in our land so I can't blame you if you know nothing about them."
"I guess I just didn't consider those creatures can be intellectual enough to form clans"
"Ahh, no! There are dæmons that resembles human and there are also the lowly kinds that resemble fiends. The strong ones can usually talk like with us!"
"You sure know a lot, Ifrit."
She then pushed a wooden bench from a corner, pulls the curtain behind it aside, and revealed a small door that blends well with the wall. It's barely recognizable as a door.
She crawled inside it and we followed.
———
"When I was younger, I don't actually pay any attention to the archives which was a room found inside the library at the north wing of the palace... but one day, the grand central kingdom sent soldiers to inspected the archives thoroughly. What they didn't search though was another room near the treasury. It's where we are heading now. Father keeps all the forbidden scrolls and books in there!"
"Do you have anything about the Prophecy?" Eriol asks, "Or the legend about the centennial ritual?"
"Hmm... I don't think my father would take interest in that. He only prefers collecting foreign items and informations that pertains to or found outside the continent. He otherwise find things related to this land rather boring.
Oh, but we have books about the Ancients!"
We crawled out of the hole and ended up in a room full of gold bars and other valuable items. Walls are made of glass, giving it the look of an eternal corridor that stretches out infinitely.
"In here!" Ifrit hollered from a corner as she opens a mirror that swerved to the side and revealed a spiral staircase that leads down.
From there, it lead us to a square room where a big solitary door is found.
"I really appreciate your help, Ifrit!" I said, patting her once on the shoulder.
"Y-yeah. Of course! Haha!" She says flushing and proceeded to open the door for us.
When the door opens, I caught a sight of what appears to be a library that has floors that goes downwards rather than up.
We went further in and realized it opens to the huge circular library where books, scrolls and other small items are found, displayed on shelves.
"I'm going to look for the scroll, you guys can go ahead and read whatever your feel like reading." Ifrit walked to a shelf with piles and piles of scrolls are seen. She uses a really REALLY tall ladder to get to the higher shelves.
Eriol went off to look around so I did too.
I scouted my eyes to the books on the shelves, letting my finger ran the edge of all the books I passed by. I randomly opened one book and read it. It's a book about dæmons of some thundra plains. Another book is about a Kaeo bird and how to breed them, it sounds like it serves like a horse to some lands... But the bird seems otherworldly. A tamed fiend perhaps? Most books here really seem irrelevant since we don't have fiends and dæmons unlike other continents. I wonder how they are able to travel around with monsters prowling about that freely?
"I found it!"
I walk back to Ifrit as she climbs down the ladder. I looked around and noticed Eriol is out of sight. He must still be looking around.
"Eeek!"
I abruptly turned and saw the ladder ever so slowly swayed off from the shelves and towards my way. She's going to fall!
"Ifrit!" I sprinted across the room and summoned my ability out of impulse. I leaped off from the ground, landed on one of the formless sword I conjured, flipped towards another, and crossed the space until I got to the height were Ifrit is.
Scooping her away from the ladder and off I jumped to grab the edge of the closest shelf.
I watch the ladder go down in a loud thud.
"Are you alright?" I asked her while she holds few scrolls between her arms, wow, so she's just protecting that huh?
I pulled her closer to me as I carried her only with an arm. "Hey... are you in pain? Your face is really red!"
"I-I'm fine!!!" She answered in a muffled voice, her face almost covered. I can feel her body stiffens. Is she scared?
I can feel my arm that gripped at the edge of the shelf going numb though...
"Darn it!" I cursed, my fingers slipping.
I looked down and realized it doesn't seem like I'll break more bones if we dropped from this height. So I allowed my fingers to let go as I immediately wrapped both my arms around Ifrit to protect her.
"You might be forgetting that you can summon me" Eriol appears and air suddenly bursted out below us.
Gently, my feet reaches the ground and so did Ifrit.
"Thanks!" I told Eriol.
He just nods with that teasing smile curled across his face.
"Umm!" Ifrit says, as I turn to her.
Huh?
...
I still have my arms around her.
Oh!
"SORRY!!!" I threw my hands up in the air and stepped away immediately.
"D-d-don't worry about it! I-it's okay!" she replied
"Yeah, she enjoyed that anyway..." Eriol murmured in a smug.
"Yes... I MEAN NO! I mean!!!— it's alright!!! Ugh. Stop teasing, Eriol!!!" She grumbled.
Eriol chortles in a grin.
"Here, check this scroll if it's the one!"
I unrolled it and saw the familiar symbols or lines and triangles drawn in peculiar scheme. "Do you know what it says?"
"Open the scroll throughly! There's something written there..."
I did what she said and saw a familiar writing system I could read. "It says Concealment... by the Black Blood Clan."
Ifrit handed me another scroll. "Now read this!" She specifically pointed one part from it. The translation was roughly done but I read it out anyway.
"Dæmon Clans eventually submitted to the Desert Dæmon Ascteroth Xid but Black Blood Clan resisted. This ended their era and no records found later on confirmed no one claimed the winning power...? Uhhh, what?— that's confusing."
"I think it talks about the battle of power between clans. The desert dæmon fought them all alone and this Black Blood Clan tried to resist as long as they can but lost, leading to their extinction. But after the battles, this dæmon called Ascteroth Xid disappears." Eriol sat down on the ground with one knee bent close to him and the other crossed flat against the floor.
"Wow, you got all of that from this texts?"
"I think I have heard of that story somewhere when I was younger... that's why."
I studied Eriol as he just closed his eyes and said nothing further. "Oh okay..." I murmured, sitting down the floor as well. Ifrit knelt down beside me and reached out another one.
"Finally, read this!" She unrolls the last scroll in her hand and points at another specific text. "This one says something very contradicting to the previous scroll. Both scroll didn't particularly mentioned the date it was written so we can't tell which is the latest"
I just read the one she pointed out, "Black Blood Clan is strongest clan for hundreds of centuries. Human King forms alliance for the first time and asked for help to the dæmons in return of all the dark power they would be able to possess from the land... Err... All I can say is the translation is terrible! I don't understand what exactly they are trying to convey!"
"Exactly where did you saw those symbols anyway?" Ifrit rolls all the scroll back.
I looked at Eriol and he just nodded at me.
I don't want to tell too much so I answered, "I found them on the walls of a chamber underneath the Lake. The same chamber where we found the bandits we apprehended before. I got curious what it was so I'm trying to investigate."
Ifrit literally sprung to my face, "YOU FOUND THEM IN GREENRUN?!?"
————