There was a moment of quietness in the room where Felix resided, and the two young men awkwardly smiled at Adelaide. They realized they could have forgotten to tell anyone. Heinz laughed and rubbed the back of his head. " Well, you see, we do know each other..." Heinz trailed off.
"We are classmates and along with Felix, your older brother. We've known each other since my days at the academy," the Doctor finished the sentence. Adelaide nodded and acknowledged this. " OH, I should properly introduce myself. I am Adelaide Eilberts," she bows at the Doctor. Elegant and serene, and her voice with such sweetness.
" I am Ian Anastasios, though that is a name that people here called me. My actual name is Xian Wei," He says so casually. Though the lady was having a hard time understanding the name. "Sseyan Wewya?" Adelaide was keeping up the pronunciation, her tongue twisting from the name. The name was so foreign to her. Ian cannot help but laugh instead of crying. It was rather cute, to be honest.
Ian gave Adelaide the softest and most heartwarming smile that made Adelaide blush from embarrassment. " Lady Adelaide, It is pronounced as se-yan Wey," he corrected. " Though I cannot blame you, Names from the East are hard to pronounce," Ian said while sitting beside the unconscious Felix again.
Adelaide admired the fact Ian was a foreigner from far away, and he also learned the dialect of Athartha. It was such an admirable act. " Addie, heh. If only you could hear how pathetic you sounded, HAHAHA HAHAHA," Heinz held his body to suppress any laughter from his mouth, but he failed to do so, and It irked Adelaide until her face was red as wine. Embarrassing! She was ready to dig out of a hole and die. Heinz even mocked her. " Y-you, SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" she chased Heinz out of the room to scram him away. Hoping it save her face, but Heinz was provoking. Thus, the fight turns into tags around the house—a bunch of foul curses on Adelaide's mouth.
Though to the servants, it was nothing.
Ian sighed deeply, and the room fell into deep silence again. The loud noise of the siblings gradually disperses into the outside. The sleeping person still looked peaceful, despite the heavy breaths in each second. His brow twitched sooner, and large beads of sweat trailed from his pale face. The Doctor was still calm even with the unease scene before him. He was whispering chants and phrases that no one could not understand.
It was like he was praying.
Felix's face twitched from discomfort, suffering in his deep slumber full of untaken dreams.
Thus, this is what Ian meant when he said, 'He will wake up from the dream.' Though, he did not anticipate it was earlier than sooner. Ian was quite thankful fate brought him and Felix to be alone in the meantime.
" How long was it?"
...
Adelaide was sucking on her breath, attempting to catch up with her energetic brother, and her whole garments were now disheveled. " STOP RUNNING AWAY FROM ME, YOU DUMB JERK! YOU EMBARRASSED ME IN FRONT OF SOMEONE!" She yelled at the top of her lungs. Meanwhile, Heinz stopped his tracks where he was a hundred steps away from Adelaide. Heinz squats his whole body to take a breath. " It is not like it's the end of the earth!" he retorted at her.
Verdant fields of the garden and flowers bloom in grace. They were in the garden already without noticing. Adelaide was too busy catching Heinz that she almost forgot she was wearing heels too. She throws a little pebble from the resting figure of Heinz. " Heh... Giving up already?" he breathes heavily. " If it weren't for these heels, I could have a vent that anger on you right now. " she threatened. Though for Heinz, it was like a harmless threat to him. He deems it as a bluff nonetheless.
He scoffed smugly. " Well then, If you said so. Let's test your magic right now. God only knows what his plan is to your ability," the young wizard declared with pride overflowing his ego. Adelaide couldn't believe Heinz was still energetic early in the morning and after what happened. " Hey, I am on full dress and heels!" she growled. He straightened his back again and waited for his sister to retrieve energy. " HEH, I can't hear you~ Oh! You want to show off how your magic is super and lovely?" he teased, attempting to provoke her into fighting.
Adelaide humphed and composed herself again. " Goodness, what is making you so energetic for you today that even I have to be dragged down by it." She stance her shoulders and is ready for the showdown. Heinz seems too focused on Adelaide's posture rather than himself. And this almost bothers her. She closed her eyes to concentrate on the surroundings around her. The wind passed her bare skin. Slight sounds of birds chirping: Absorbing the energy over her body and altering it into magic.
Heinz was slightly frowning, the facade of an annoying and teasing brother dispersed. His face was full of worry and disturbed. His older brother, Felix, who was trained in youth to fight enemies, and a brother who got the ranks so fast—ended up injured and sick because of an unknown assassination. This tug the strings of anxiety under his heart. And seeing Adelaide looking so sad only ache him, but he does not want to tell her that he cares for her. It would be so embarrassing for him.
A wave of wind current and a slight shook the earth rumbled at the garden. ' Here it is!' she exclaimed on her mind.
A little glob of gold shimmers on her hands, and the grounds start popping up with gigantic quartz of golden stones. As if those stones were like mushrooms below. It's pacing almost struck Heinz's footing, though he still deflected before it hit him.
He applauds eagerly to see such well-taught magic. " Sis, You need to open your eyes and move both times. When facing big bad guys, they could be relentless and fierce at the battle." Adjusting again at his foothold. Adelaide glared at him and tried to do the same trick again with her eyes open.
But Heinz keeps avoiding them and hopping like a frog on the pond. That was what Adelaide saw and described to see such a foolish act. She soon got irritated at the same game and halted. " Fool! You keep dodging than fighting. Are you afraid I'll plunge a rock at your pretty face?" Heinz rolled his eyes and swiftly brung out a sword.
It was not an ordinary sword. In the Kingdom of Athartha, Nobles and heroes own weapons that can split a rock in one sway, slay ghosts, may or may not possess you, or have a soul. It was known as the Soul weapon: Weapon that be bounded to you till death. Both of her brothers have it, of course, except for her (Which she still bitterly won't accept the fact.) Felix now owned Lifander: A family heirloom of Gilberts blessed by such holy light. As for Heinz, he obtained Herzschnitzer: It was neither an heirloom to the family. One chance day, he came home with a sheathed sword on his side, oddly for a Mage and grimoire and hand to carry one.
Meanwhile, Adelaide would be full of envy every time she saw her brothers carrying those unique swords. And she couldn't be able to bear ordinary swords that were not striking her: Even if the blades were the finest steel, she desired a special sword. She is high noble in class, yet how dare she touches a common and lowly sword? Heinz waved off the silver piece of a steel sword. " Oops, I 'forgot' that I sheathed my precious soul sword, Herzschnitzer, that could fight without handling it!" he showed off.
"Oh please, you act as if I don't have any weapon with me," she bitterly chided, then she shut her hands: the golden orb that dazzles so much was no longer there. Heinz started to become collective on his stance as if he was reading her every move.
By the inch of time, the young lady's hair was down, and suddenly she fired a nail-like weapon at Heinz.
The shot effortlessly tossed as if a bolt of sudden lightning almost hit him, and he got caught off guard. Though thankfully, he was able to deflect the attack. Heinz was not a fighter nor a warrior like Adelaide, and unlike his brother, Felix would do more than sway a sword so randomly. He was relieved that it didn't nail through his body.
' I need to learn how to use a sword efficiently,' Heinz tears up.
"Surrendering already, Brother?" she snarled, a victory for her, she thought. Heinz scorned her. " Fine! You win, for now though, who would know you got a trick in your sleeve," he curled his lips and demanded he would never lose after another fight. " My soul almost left my body. It paralyzed me to the core!!!" he added. His legs were shaking from the shock.
Hearing this, she was satisfied. " Having tricks makes you survive, even if it's a cowardly move," Adelaide grinned.
The nail-like hairpin that Adelaide threw was stuck on the ground, and Heinz saw a slight smoke coming up the grass—it burned so quickly till it gradually faded. he got curious. " Addie, how did you able to throw that needle so fast? What is that?" He questioned.
" A modified weapon, I thought. Stylish yet lethal." Adelaide smiled. Heinz felt shivers, and that smile was the fakest thing he had ever seen.
The young lady lay down on the field of grass, not caring her dress would be muddy to wear. She spent her energy focusing on a little aura. 'I went overboard today, but it's worth it,' she hummed a lovely tune. Heinz also joined her as he kneeled in the grass, watching the sword's reflection.
Half an hour passed when she heard footsteps on the grounds assuming it was Heinz.
" Hello, Young lady of Eilberts. You seem tired. Want me to help you?" a familiar voice ringed on her head, saccharine and alluring. Adelaide slowly opened her eyes to see the sun's shade blocked by someone--- and this someone was Damien. She gazed at the figure in a daze from the fatigue.
'Am I too tired that I start hallucinating? Am I crazy? I am hallucinating, Lord Damien?' she thought, shutting her eyes again for a moment to yonder.
" What are YOU doing here?!" Heinz howled to see Damien in front of them. He raised his Herzschnitzer, and Heinz did not need to hesitate to point his blade at Damien's chin. Adelaide quickly stood up in shock. Thankfully she didn't wear too much, or else she would trip.
' H-how come... is he here? Is he coming at my neck for what I did yesterday?!?' she panicked. Adelaide was still regretful about her mindless act but still stuck on feeling accomplished. Adelaide glared at him.
Damien was still calm even after getting pointed out by the well-known Herzschnitzer. " Did I spoil the fun of Eilberts? Well, I pardon for this." he mused as both hands were in the air. " Can you also put down Herz-" The young lord tried to back away. But to Heinz, he had his suspicions risen from Damien. " What are you doing here? I thought you were done messing with us last night. " Heinz raged as he pressed the blade harder enough to almost bleed. Damien almost yelped.
Damien looks so speechless. " Messing..? Forgive me, but did I do something so offensive to the Eilberts? If so, then I must apologize sincerely," he shakingly as appearing to be an innocent human blamed for grave sins. But Heinz was not satisfied with this answer yet and still glared at him--he was not letting him go yet.
" How did you get in?" Heinz asked again. Damien's neck almost dripped blood, yet he was still calm despite being held under such suspicion.
Damian gives him a little bit of sigh of relief. " I showed a crest of invitation... Your parents sent me and Emperor's orders," he assured. He reached his pocket with a golden badge formed with roses: The Eilberts family crest of permission.
" Tsk, Whatever," he spun his sword as it reflected the sun, wiping Damian's blood from the hilt. The Herzschnitzer was slightly glowing when it came into contact with the blood. ' So this is how Herzschnitzer is, such a shame I can't see his special technique...' he thought in dismay.
Adelaide stepped up for Heinz, her foolish brother. Although her dress was a mess, she still looked so refined and elegant no matter what.
" Young Lord of Heinrich is such a gentleman indeed. We are deeply thankful for your trouble," she smiled with such a sarcastic tone. When her face was on the ground, she gave the most disgusting look she could ever get: rolling and sneering.
" Yeah, ye ye ye." Heinz mocked, but Adelaide pinched his side and grabbed his head-- forcing him to bow. " You stupid brother, just bow," she whispered harshly. The mage mumbled angrily but still complied with his sister's orders.
Damian flinched. " You... don't need to bow... I guess my visit was too sudden..." he faltered, shaking off his hands from the embarrassment.
" Oh well, This is our second time meeting again. Last night you guys left in a hurry." Damian changed the subject to ease the atmosphere. " But I have to compliment Sir Heinz; he was able to come home early. And lessened the burden and anxiety of his parents," Damian smiled. But to Heinz, he deemed it as some mocking laugh.
Adelaide sighed wearily, immensely not enjoying her brother getting worked up.
Nevertheless, It's the third time she met Damian. What is crueler than beating by death? To her, It was to meet the guy she offended last night.
Heinz was crimson red as if he was about to burst and turn things upside down. " Get to the point! I have no time for you yappin' words," he hissed.
Damian froze. " I heard your brother Felix went home on dawn with no carriage, no henchmen or soldiers around him, and was badly injured. I'm here to investigate this matter. The Emperor already caught wind of Felix's state." Damian dropped his smile and became serious for a moment. Adelaide scrunches into a dissatisfied look.
" ..."
" Fine, go now. I don't wanna even see a single second of you." the mage raged, rolling the back of his eyes. " Let's see how it works for you," Heinz snorted, shifting his gaze to another view. While Damian faintly smiled at Heinz's action and bowed at both of them.
" I shall go then," Damian went out into the garden to enter the mansion. She saw several people with him, cloaked like the blue skies above and the clouds. Bore with the iciness that could pierce each person ever so coldly, she was initially agitated. They were fierce in their little way, and those figures were like a giant to her. The young lady took a small gulp on her dry throat.
Feeling guilty, Adelaide pulled Heinz's hem off the shirt. " Brother, I'll assist Lord Damian," she shakingly whispers to him and striding so fast to catch up with Damien.
Heinz tried to get a hold of her wrist to stop her from going, but he failed. " What---I--DO....nt.." he helplessly said. Heinz slapped his forehead and sighed. " Stupid stupid me, and stupid, stupid sister.."
A few servants accompanied Adelaide and Damian along in the corridor, and she put up the mask full of hypocrisy and smiled from her fear. They never talked on the way to Felix's room, as only a silence invited them in. When they arrived, the gilded door was open wide: Ian was nowhere to be found. However, Felix was occupied staring at the windows outside, where the shine shone ever so brightly. He was unaware of the visitors he had.
" Brother...." Adelaide stammered and rushed at Felix's weak body. When he heard who was calling him, his droopy eyes, which used to be full of pride, who was hailed as Gallant Knight and unstoppable, felt his dignity was stripped away. Felix slowly reached out to Adelaide's cheeks and wiped away the tears. His lips were parted, he wanted to speak, but an illusion of dark suddenly stopped him from talking.
It was smiling behind Adelaide, fiddling her hair while looking at his terrified face twitching.
[ NO! NO! DON'T TOUCH HER!]
[ Ffffff-eee-lll-iiiii--xxxx.... we---akkk. K--ll]