"It must've been traumatizing.", Seventeen spoke, unable to comprehend what Alice told him. He thought Ruth's past was tragic enough.
This was something else.
Alice nodded, "It was. I still have nightmares."
"You three were burned that night, especially you and Arthur. The two of you had severe burns all over your bodies. It must've taken some extensive healing."
"Well. We were fortunate to have Dr. Hauser treat us. He healed most of the burns except a small part."
Seventeen remembered the burn scar on Arthur's back. "Did you leave those scars on purpose?", he asked.
"Indeed.", Alice said with a nod. She unbuttoned the top of her shirt and showed him a terrible burn scar under her left collarbone.
"Like the scar on Arthur's back.", Seventeen noted, seeing the similarities. The flames did a lot of damage to the skin.
"Allistair has burn scars on his hands.", she said, buttoning her shirt. "Why would you leave them untreated?", Seventeen asked.
Alice had a bitter smile on her face, "I don't know. Maybe a grim reminder of what happened that night. We will forever carry the memories."
She gazed at the stream flowing in front of them. They were sitting on the large rocks beside the flowing water, "Whenever I go to Ascalon, I get reminded of Dad's promise before he died, and also the things I saw back then just come into my head."
"It was said that the head of the Night Family never stays in Ascalon for more than two days even though it is a beautiful city. Now I see why.", Seventeen said.
"People do have a lot to talk about Arken Families.", Alice remarked, "I just don't see why we are special at all."
"Your ancestors were the companions of the Founder. That itself makes them very important. You guys are the same as royalty."
She shrugged, "Arkenstein had a lot of friends. What makes our ancestors different from them?"
Seventeen just smiled, "That's because they, especially your ancestor, Arthemia were with him in everything he did."
"Discovering the continent of Arken, fighting against the corrupted Arken gods, and even establishing a whole civilization. They were all with him in those times. That's what makes them special."
"And you, being the head of the descendants of one of them, must feel proud of your ancestor. Each Arken Family is a legacy of its ancestor, a legacy that will protect Arken and her people after they pass on.", Seventeen spoke.
"Arken Families exist to protect Arken and the people.", Alice recited the first thing she learned as a Family Head.
She smiled at Seventeen, "I have heard the same words you spoke from many people but you're the only one who spoke in a way that impacted me. Thank you.", she bowed her head.
He bowed back, "I am just a teacher, Miss Alice. You don't have to bow your head."
His sincerity surprised Alice. Having the Light attribute enabled her to have a small glimpse at a person's intentions and true nature.
Seventeen is an enigma. His intentions are pure, the purest she had ever seen, like a six-month-old child but she can feel that he was also like her, a person who had also experienced many things, even unbearable pain.
It was as if his soul was in fact two separate pieces, an older experienced piece, and a newborn piece. How is that possible?
'What an interesting man.', she thought and got up. She felt refreshed as if talking about her past to Seventeen while sitting beside a stream helped lighten the burden on her shoulders. The stress she had after returning from Ethereos was gone.
She felt comfortable being with him.
"Thanks for listening to me. It was a difficult week for me but I feel better now.", she said and noticed his expression, "You look like you have a lot of questions."
"Was I that obvious?"
"Yeah."
"Yikes.", Seventeen rubbed his head sheepishly, "I feel like my questions will inconvenience you since it's about the death of your parents."
"It's fine. Of course, you will have questions. What happened that night still baffles me.", Alice said with a smile. "You must've read about it."
He nodded, "That case was pretty popular. Two members of an Arken Family were found dead in a burning house along with their youngest child who was still alive until rescue came."
"At first, suspicion fell on the child. A truly absurd notion. He's a four-year-old and was traumatized by the event. It might've been a case of the child's attribute manifesting violently but it was later found out that he didn't have an attribute."
Alice nodded, "But the fire didn't kill Mom and Dad."
"No. It didn't.", Seventeen said, "The bodies were found with fatal wounds on their chests. Wounds so deep they were visible on the back. Someone else did it. It's said that they even went for Arthur but something stopped them. Maybe the fire or something else."
"The investigation is still ongoing. Well, the Night Family is still investigating it with help from the Ravens and Callens. One major thing that was noticeable on that night was."
"The blue flames.", Alice spoke, "Purity Flames."
"To cover the tracks of the killers?"
"A pretty extreme measure. Well, Purity Flames do consume everything."
Seventeen thought about what she said, "You sure there is no definitive explanation for the source of the flames?"
Alice shook her head, "Nope. Purity Flames are very rare."
"Only one individual possesses it.", he added.
"A good possibility. But what business did the strongest spirit have at a house in Solaria?", she asked, "Besides, There has been no word from Inferno in a long time."
"You are right.", Seventeen closed his eyes, "Thank you, Miss Alice. I now can find answers. I will help you find the truth. I promise.", he held out his little finger.
The memory of her father giving Arthur a pinky promise flashed in her mind. She smiled, tears welling up in her eyes, "Very well.", she locked her little finger with Seventeen's
"Now.", she wiped the tears, "Let's go meet up with Ruth and Jade. I wonder how many drinks our half-elf friend downed before she started singing like an old sailor?"
Seventeen was intrigued, "She can't hold her liquor? I've heard half-elves are lightweights."
Alice laughed, "Oh she's the exception. You'll be surprised."
He grinned, "Oh I wanna see that."
*******
"Wow, Ruth. What happened to you?", Jade can't believe what she was seeing. Her friend, known as a drinking legend in the academy is now drinking less than half of what she used to have.
Ruth just smiled, "I am an instructor, a Lone Knight, and am going to be the head of my family. So I am trying to control myself and besides.", she placed her chin on her hand, "We all know that I don't drink that often."
Jade chuckled, "Yeah. But you have a lot when you do. Remember the time when you finished an entire barrel of extra-strong apple wine from Raveria in one night?"
"Ah yes. It was during the party to celebrate Alice's victory in the Battle Festival during our final year. The poor girl imported the barrel from the Snowfox Tavern and didn't even get a taste of it."
They laughed heartily. "I miss our academy days.", Jade wiped away a tear as she tried to stop laughing.
"Speaking of the academy.", She looked at her friend with a sly smile, "What is it with you and Seventeen?"
Ruth almost choked on her drink, "Wha- what did you say?", she stammered while coughing lightly. "You know what I said.", Jade said slyly, enjoying the moment.
"There's nothing between us.", Ruth was blushing furiously, "He is the most infuriating man I have ever met."
"Oh? The Headmaster told me that Seventeen was the one who saved you from the curse of the Aevas. He even helped your grandma and brother.", Jade pressed on.
"He told you that?"
She nodded, "And he fell from the sky, like in a fairy tale."
"He destroyed my sculptures!"
Jade dismissed those words, "But he did pay for them. You even lost a duel against him. You guys even worked together at times."
She laced her fingers, "The Headmaster said a rather interesting incident happened in the morning and the two of you are rather awkward about it."
"Oh, I am going to kill that man. I don't care if he is the Cardinal.", Ruth narrowed her eyes, her face still red.
Her friend grinned widely, "So what happened?"
Ruth rolled her eyes, "Really?"
"I insist."
"Fine.", she sighed. There is no stopping her friend. "So what happened was..."
Ruth told Jade about the accident in her room that happened in the morning. By the end of it, the young Aria looked like a dream of hers came true.
"Oh my! Ruth, he's the one!", she exclaimed happily.
"Oh shut it.", Ruth sipped her drink to hide her embarrassment. But she can't help but think of her friend's words. Even her grandma told her the same thing.
"Make him yours.", May Aeva said while giving her a thumbs up.
'Damnit, grandma.', she thought and said, "I doubt we are for each other. He's always trying to rile me up with his teasings."
Jade raised an eyebrow, "I think that's part of the charm."
"You've been reading too many romantic novels, Jade."
"They're good.", Jade pouted.
Ruth put down her glass, "I know. You've sent me a lot of them to read."
Jade noticed her embarrassment, "Oh? Don't tell me you've read all of them?"
She slowly nodded. The Sword Princess laughed, "Wow Ruth. You keep surprising me. You used to say you didn't like romance. The Headmaster is right, you have become soft."
"And I guess it's because of Seventeen. We met him and he's a good guy, even Alice can't sense anything bad. Sure, he is a little bad at jokes but that's a cute side of him. Plus, he's the most beautiful guy in Cardinal Academy, possibly in the whole of Crystalia."
Ruth asked for another drink. Her grandmother once told her that things don't always happen at random, especially when they involve feelings of affection and love.
But Jade wasn't done, "I had briefly observed the interaction between you two. It was way better than the ones you had in the past with other guys."
She finished her drink, "You have to be honest Ruth, just like how I did."
"Ah yes. How's Jordan?", Ruth heard that her friend was dating an adventurer. Jordan Clover is an S-rank adventurer and childhood friend of Jade.
"He's doing okay. Currently on a mission from the guild and I am missing him.", Jade sighed and rattled the ice in her glass.
She looked at Ruth, "If you like a guy. Go for it before it's too late. But I don't think that's the case for you. You just need the right opportunity at the right time."
Ruth smiled, "We'll see about that, old friend."