Ashton woke up early the next morning as he didn't get a nice night's rest. He got out of the orb and he was aching all over as if he had mined a gold field all alone in the night. He held his name as he grunted with mild pain. He also tried stretching his body, his stuff bones creaking at being disturbed by an abrupt morning stretch.
"Had a rough night?" A voice asked abruptly, jolting Ashton surprisingly as he never knew someone was watching him all that while.
'Alden' Ashton fumed in his thoughts.
"You enjoy freaking people out don't you?"
Alden covered his mouth with his palm gracefully on a pretext to hide his cute chuckling. He finally regained himself and said,
"Sorry if I got you freaked out." He apologized, although his tone never conveyed any apologetic emotion.
Ashton rolled his eyes at him irritatedly and finally gave an answer to Alden's first question about not having a blissful night.
"It feels like I slept on a rock all night." Ashton complained, stretching his shoulder's joint with the help of his other arm. "Or rather still I was thrown into the earth from the thermocline." He shrugged still stretching, his bones creaking as he moved his body.
"Need a little help?" Alden asked.
"With what?" Ashton sneered disgustedly. "A little massage huh?"
"In return, I get ten percent out of your paid allowance." Alden offered a proposal without even telling Ashton what he would be helping with. He gracefully sipped the steamy tea that was placed on the table that was at the center of the room like a rich-evil-aunty from a villainous movie.
"Paid allowance?" Ashton asked, a bit confused about Alden's offer.
"Hmm!" Alden nodded.
Ashton's mind reeled as he could remember he had read something about 'paid allowance' recently. Searching through his mind's database, he recalled. -THE LETTER FROM ERCAN- Ashton dipped his hands into both of his pockets to check for the letter but it was missing. He was so very sure he had kept the letter in the safety of his pocket- somewhere closest to him.
As he panicked, Alden drew his attention back to him by saying, "Looking for this?" He asked, holding out a piece of paper. The exact one that was conveying Ercan's letter. Ashton's brows narrowed as he glared dangerously at Alden.
"How did you get that?" He asked his voice hard.
"Last night, when Ulysses knocked you out."
"You touched me? With those feeble hands of yours?" Ashton wailed in dismay. "You stole from me?" He raged, his voice raising hard at Alden.
Alden shook his head pitifully, he pouted cutely for a bit before saying, "You call my hands feebles? These precious treasures? Aww that's stupid Ashton. A really diminishing conclusion."
Ashton didn't mind Alden's words as he walked towards him with quick paces and snatched the letter from him.
Alden continued not minding Ashton's actions. "So, what do you say Ashton? Do you want my help? To put an end to your throbbing body?"
"No, I don't!" Ashton spat, turning away from Alden.
Unbothered or pretending not to be bothered, Alden picked up his tea cup again, raising it to his cupid's bow- Philtrum to inhale the fragrance of his tea before gently slurping the smooth, rich substance. After taking a brief slurp, he said,
"You have two tests today, Ashton." He reminded his tone dripping with deceit. "And, one is a physical test which is meant to test your physical strength. You know- you wouldn't want to flop at your first physical test due to some minor body ache which you could actually resolve with some peany pay…or would you prefer to flop and get kicked out of this academy?"
"Huh!" Ashton gasped at Alden's words. It seemed more like a threat but on the other hand, his words were true. He knew someone else was rooting for his success outside of the academy- Ercan and failing at his first test would definitely make Ercan lose faith in him.
"My offer is limited. I could change my mind now on not to help you or better still I might increase the peany fee to something more exuberant." Alden said again, raising the cup to his lips once more as he watched Ashton subtly to see if his defiance was faltering.
Ashton's mind was rolling with a windmill as he debated each possibilities with impatient. His eyes never settling as he fought a demonic tug of war in his thoughts.
'What more could it hurt huh? It's just a ten percent pay out of my allowance. Besides, it is a golden allowance.' a damp guardian contemplated.
'What if Alden had another motive aside from this deal? What if he possesses the same fraudulent spirit as the Mages who defrauded me of my comfort things?' a reasoning guardian contemplated.
'What if I fail this test due to holding back?'
"Ashton?!" Alden called gently to remind him his timing might come out as bad soon.
"It's just ten percent right?" Ashton asked, trying to confirm this risky proposal before he acknowledged the deal.
"Yes, ten percent." Alden smiled.
"Okay, do it."
"Good!" Alden mouthed, dropping his tea cup and faced Ashton properly. "Say after me…I, Ashton, give Alden my words, to repay him duly and fully for rendering some help to relinquish my pain."
"I, Ashton, give Alden my words, to repay him duly and fully for rendering some help to relinquish my pain." Ashton repeated, word for word.
Alden nodded and continued but his next words were incomprehensible for Ashton. The boy shrugged.
"Wait a minute! Speak in a language we both understand at least." Ashton complained, sensing some suspicion.
"It seems you're not ready for this, Ashton. This offer will not come around twice in a platter of gold." Alden warned urgently.
Ashton nodded in approval of Alden to continue to make the deal pact. He repeated the strange words after Alden and soon, the deal was sealed after they both clicked their index finger's in a simple, light touch.
Alden advanced to keep his own side of the deal as he tapped Ashton's forehead and the latter's eyes emitted an eerie glow, the blue enchanting glow faltered away briskly and Ashton's normal eyes color came back.
"Wow!" Ashton amused stretching his hands. "What did you do to me? How did you make me feel better? Is this your ability?" He was dazzled to have rejuvenated and he couldn't feel any more pain in his body after Alden had touched him briefly.
Alden smiled, walking back to the table his tea cup was sitting on and said, "Make sure you keep the end of the deal."
"Of course." Ashton smiled back.
The door slid open allowing Marcus to gain entrance into the room. He then announced;
"The tests will begin in about an hour Ashton, get ready."