Ercale had no clear understanding of why he had uttered those words, but he held on to a glimmer of hope that his impromptu lie would be effective. He couldn't help but think, *She may possess greater intelligence than the elf, but that's not saying much.* The uncertainty of his situation lingered, and he awaited the outcome with a mix of trepidation and anticipation.
Clare's face bore a thoughtful expression as she contemplated the possibility presented to her. *That can't be true, can it?* she thought, her mind grappling with the concept. *Maybe he's a split personality, then how did his eyes change color?* The questions kept flooding her mind, but she decided to voice her thoughts, seeking clarification. "Do you mean you're his split personality?" she asked, her voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and uncertainty.
Meanwhile, Ercale, somewhat surprised that Clare seemed to believe his explanation, couldn't help but think, *Huh, she actually believed that!?* Before responding, he gathered himself and replied, "Well, we refer to each other as brothers, but you could say that."
"Then how do you explain the change in your eye color?" Clare inquired, her curiosity driving her to seek a satisfactory explanation. Clare's question about the change in eye color caught Ercale off guard, causing him to panic internally. *Wait, what? How did Xain's body's eye color change to match mine?* he thought frantically, searching for an explanation. He took a deep breath to steady himself before responding to Clare's query.
"That's because..." Ercale began, buying himself some time to think. *Come on, think! What should I say? Wait, that's perfect!* an idea struck him. "Xain has been hiding this for a while, but I guess I have to reveal it now. While Xain may be unable to use magic, I, on the other hand, possess the ability of magic!" he exclaimed, his tone brimming with confidence.
"WHAT!" Clare, Kai, and May exclaimed simultaneously, their disbelief evident on their faces. Kai turned to Clare, seeking confirmation, "No one in Ironhelm can possess magic, right?" Clare nodded in agreement, still processing the revelation. "No, no one can," she replied, her voice filled with astonishment. While she knew that the elf and the man they were currently protecting possessed magic, it was because they came from outside Ironhelm. As far as she knew, Xain was born in Ironhelm.
"Wow, you must be able to do all sorts of amazing things with magic, right?" May asked, her eyes sparkling with admiration. Ercale, unable to resist the opportunity to boast about himself, responded confidently, "Well, of course," he replied confidently, his voice tinged with a touch of arrogance. "The power of a De-I mean uh sorcerer is rivaled by few." As he spoke, a fleeting thought crossed his mind. *Probably shouldn't have mentioned that. I don't even know if they even know what a sorcerer is.* Ercale was well aware of his tendency to show off, always a bad habit of his.
Clare thought for a while before asking, "If what you're saying is true, then can you use magic to find The Shadow Baron?" She was willing to believe Ercale's claims for now, hoping that his magical abilities could help them in their investigation. Ercale pondered her question for a moment before responding, "Well, I don't possess clairvoyance, so I can't simply locate The Shadow Baron with magic alone." He couldn't help but think to himself, *These people really have no understanding of how magic works. But I suppose that's expected, considering their isolated lives here.* Ercale understood the limitations of their knowledge, considering the secluded nature of Ironhelm.
"Okay, then I guess it can't be helped," Clare replied, her disappointment evident in her voice. She then shifted her focus to another important question, "How long do you think you'll be in control of Xain's... I mean, your body?" Clare stumbled over her words, still adjusting to the idea of Cain taking control. Ercale paused for a moment, contemplating the answer. *That's something I'm wondering myself,* he thought. He wasn't sure how long this situation would last. "Well, it's hard to say for certain. I'll remain in control until Xain wakes up from his unconsciousness," he explained, hoping it will suffice for now.
Clare nodded, understanding what Cain had said. She then turned her attention to the siblings. "Well, anyway, we have to get you two out of here," she said, her voice filled with determination. May looked confused and asked, "Huh, why?" Kai quickly caught on and said, "Oh, right! Now that Valien knows we're here, he'll come back, won't he?" Clare nodded in agreement. "Exactly. It's not safe for you to stay here any longer. We need to find a way to get you to a safer place," she explained, her gaze shifting between May and Kai.
Kai looked towards his sister, a mix of concern and determination in his eyes. "Come on, May. We can't stay here anymore. It's dangerous," he said, urging her to leave. May nodded, her expression filled with a tinge of sadness. This dilapidated place, despite its state, was still their home, and leaving it behind was not easy for her. "Okay," she replied softly.
"Don't worry, May. I'll find a better place for us," Kai reassured her, trying to lift her spirits. Clare interjected, her voice filled with confidence, "Don't worry. The Ironhelm Guard will definitely help with that. I will personally see to it." Kai chuckled at Clare's sudden display of confidence. "Wow, you have so much confidence all of a sudden," he remarked. Clare's cheeks turned slightly red, and she replied, "Wh-why did you bring that up now?" The tension in the air was momentarily broken as laughter filled the room.
As the events unfolded, Ercale stood there, a look of bewilderment crossing his face. The rest of the group couldn't help but notice his confusion, and Kai was the first to address it. "What's on your mind, Cain? You look puzzled," Kai asked, his curiosity evident in his voice. Ercale, seemingly lost in his own thoughts, veered off from the conversation and delved into his own line of questioning. "When did The Shadow Baron start operating?" he asked, his tone tinged with urgency.
Clare, slightly taken aback by the sudden change of topic, responded, "It's been about two years since The Shadow Baron emerged. Why do you ask?" Ercale's confusion deepened as he continued to probe further. "Did The Shadow Baron simply appear one day without any prior warning?" Kai's confusion grew alongside Ercale's line of questioning, and he asked once again, "Yes, that's true, but why are you bringing this up now?" Ercale's response took them by surprise as he burst into laughter, his laughter carrying a faintly sinister undertone. "Hahahahaha! So, that's how it is. After all these years, you still haven't changed, have you, 'Goddess'?" he muttered quietly under his breath, his words unheard by the others in the room.
"Hey, Clare, remember what I said about not being able to locate The Shadow Baron without magic? Well, forget that, because now I know exactly where they are," Ercale declared. Clare was about to inquire about how he obtained this information, but she was swiftly interrupted. "You don't need to know the details, mainly because you wouldn't understand. Do you know the people living in the slums of the market district?" Ercale asked, looking at May and Kai intently.
"Yeah, but what does that have to do with anything?" Kai started to respond before Ercale interjected once again. "Listen carefully. I need you to evacuate as many people as possible from the slums. If anyone asks why, tell them that The Guard will be conducting an investigation," Ercale instructed, his tone filled with urgency. Before anyone could respond, he continued, "Clare, I need you to go to the station and gather as many guards as you can. Bring them to the market district slums."
As Ercale started walking towards the door, Clare, bewildered by the sudden turn of events, asked, "Wait, what about you?" Ercale turned around and simply replied, "Me? I'm going alone to destroy The Shadow Baron."