Chapter 146
Lamberton Dormitory Building, Cornell Academy, City: Three Prongs Fork, Republic of Shantu, Continent: Barat, the Year 2041, Planet: Grimoire
Life is so peaceful now. Grifton found he liked normalcy once the two significant events ended without incident.
Granted, it could get dull when life returned to normal, but Grifton found that boredom was sometimes acceptable. His routines had a few differences, but he acclimated to them quickly enough.
One of those changes had been Molly, Troy, Lendon, and Gregory's departure. There had been a real fuss when they left. No one had really believed they would relocate to the wilderness that held Danse Sombras' oasis.
Grifton exhaled. It had been quite the circus, with people trying to prevent their departure. Luckily, decoys had been arranged to assist the new couple with their escape. It had been an escape because it hadn't been the local shop owners who objected to them leaving. Both families also threw fits about them leaving. They evidently had planned to take the child away from them, but that was no longer possible.
So yeah, he'd gone back to normal. He paused when looking at a window where three figures hovered across the road. Soon, they would find the nerve to approach him formally. "Hmm, I wonder how long their shyness will last."
Except now Grifton discovered he had some really curious shadows following him around. "They'll get bored of following me around soon enough." Amused, he put up with them observing him from afar since they weren't disrupting his work.
"Are they hanging around again?" Firenze was initially annoyed, but then he realized they meant no harm to Grifton.
Grifton grinned. "They aren't obstructing the vendors from coming here." He reminded Firenze. "No reason to chase them away." If anything, they were drawing more customers to the warehouse. Grifton had no issue with that.
However, Firenze needed to be more convinced about why he should tolerate their presence. "So, when will you relent and start a conversation with them?"
Grifton snorted. "Why should I be in a hurry?" He shrugged and grinned at Firenze. "Doesn't this strike a bell in your patchwork memory?" He waited for Firenze to figure out his meaning.
Firenze was confused at what he meant. "What the hell are you going on about?"
"Nope, I'm letting you figure this out alone." Grifton shook his head, smirking as he did so.
Baffled, Firenze looked from the three shadows that had disappeared from view. "Huh, they're gone. They didn't stick around this time."
Grifton snorted. "Nah, they just went to the office where Lamberton works on site today."
Firenze was bewildered. "So?" Then he figured out why Grifton was so amused. "Aww, man, was I that bad when I first got to know you?" Memories belatedly drifted into his mind about how he'd chased Grifton all over the city, and he winced. "Uhm, hmm, I guess I was a pest."
"It took you this long to figure that out?" Grifton was doubled over with laughter.
He grumbled. "Ugh, you're mean." When Firenze sighed afterward, he understood why Grifton tolerated them.
Grifton wiped his eyes. "Nope, you were worse." He shook his head at Firenze. "I do recall you almost getting beaten up by the guards at the Lamberton merchant dormitory a few times."
Firenze frowned in puzzlement. He had gone overboard that time, but he'd really thought Grifton had left something important behind. Of course, that was before he learned that Grifton was setting traps for espionage insurgents. Then, he'd done something worse to trip them up, and he had done so successfully.
Firenze winced. "Oh right, yeah, of course, I had reasons for showing up." He frowned at Grifton. "You were always leaving stuff behind."
Grifton grunted. "True, but it was stuff I'd been using for decoys." He shook his head as he spoke.
"Right, that was when we were adjusting to a new lifestyle," Firenze recalled. "Back to the topic at hand..." He sighed when Grifton shrugged.
"I'm going for a walk. The unofficial spars are going to start up again, right?" Grifton grinned when Firenze's eyes lit up.
"Yeah, it is a good way to get to know the newbies in the area," Firenze remembered. "Right, that's how we broke the ice, right?"
Grifton nodded. "Yes, that is what I was thinking might work." He shrugged. "Since it is neutral ground. It can also be a good place for newcomers to learn some of the rules of this area."
It wouldn't hurt to see how the new group handled being around others who were just as good as they were when fighting in unorthodox battles.
"So, did you do some research on them?" Firenze glanced at Grifton.
"Huh? No, I just picked up the reliable source news." Grifton shook his head. "Lamberton has accepted them as an independent merchant caravan group." He shrugged. "They'll have to prove their mettle in the latest official combat sparring competition when it is time."
Firenze nodded. "I also heard that they're applying for Cornell Academy." He saw Grifton stiffen. "Didn't know about that yet, eh?"
Grifton shook his head. "No, but it's not like it matters any longer." He smiled faintly. "It just means we'll run into them more often than before."
Firenze rolled his eyes. "Interestingly, they've chosen this academy over the other institutes." A sigh escaped him. "Not only that but apparently, they've got some suspicious connections to Fang's Cliff and Fremont Academy."
That didn't surprise Grifton as much as Firenze thought it should. "If they have some odd connection to me, I'm sure it'll be revealed in time. Right now, I think they're getting used to freedom for the first time."
Unlike him, they'd clearly led sheltered lives.
"So, did Gladys reunite with her aunt, who she said had just arrived?" Grifton redirected the conversation to other channels.
They closed down and locked the warehouse securely before heading to the arena. Firenze waited until they'd reached a quiet road and sighed. "Are you sure you want to hear this?" He seemed very uneasy.
Grifton's heart sank. "Don't tell me, did the woman die that night?" None of them could handle any more bad news.
Firenze shook his head immediately and reassured Grifton with some surprising information instead. "No, it turns out that the woman accompanying the eight ragamuffins is Hermina Marten." He watched Grifton take in the news.
"Oh yeah, I've heard of her." Grifton nodded. "She actually made it into quite a few history texts." There were accounts and adventure logs of actual exploits that weren't fictional that featured her as a terrifyingly efficient scout.
Firenze nodded and informed Grifton. "So, what I've heard is that Hermina Marten is a former adventurer turned solicitor."
Grifton still needed to figure out what this whole story's point was.
Firenze completed what he had to tell Grifton. "She's the family attorney who escorted them here. Evidently, it was at the deathbed request and in the will of their mother, Davina Glasson."
Grifton froze. "Davina Glasson." He was immediately reminded of a few dreams he'd had as an infant. Then, later, when he'd been around the age of three or four. "Sheesh, so she was the mother of those kids." Grifton shook his head. "Do you remember a dream I told you about? One that featured some kind of demonic entity that captured souls and drained their life energy?"
Firenze flinched. "Yes, I do remember. You had an intense period of recurring dreams that featured them again a few months ago, right?" He frowned. "As I recall, it was during the tail end of the war when all those events happened."
That had been one toxic set of dreams, Grifton exhaled. "I met my sire," he revealed through clenched teeth. "I'm forced to believe they are also my brothers and sisters." His body shivered. "I don't want to accept it, though. Not yet."
Firenze rubbed his shuddering back and shoulders. "All right, but don't let anything get to you right now." He regretted bringing up the woman despite Grifton's interest in the topic. "Showing any sign of weakness at the arena won't make anything easier."
Grifton inhaled and sighed. "You're right. I have to get my head out of that bad state." He shook it hard. "Well, I understand why I was dragged into so many situations where I battled cursed mages now." Grifton glanced at Firenze uneasily.
Firenze frowned. "It has something to do with those dreams?"
Grifton nodded. "Somewhere in the wilderness of Shantu Republic, there's a nest of demonic entities that are the antithesis of those who're neutral." He revealed very reluctantly.
Firenze considered what he was saying and shook his head wearily. "We'll have to discuss this more thoroughly another time." They were rapidly approaching the designated arena.
"wow, this looks nothing like what we hung out in before." Grifton examined the sight with bewilderment. "Did they have to rebuild this when some fool destroyed it in protest of the real competition?"
Firenze grunted. "That was the work of several fools who were executed as traitors to several nations, including Shantu." He informed Grifton.
Grifton nodded thoughtfully. "So, what you're telling me is that this place now has new significance?" He was startled to see lifelike images carved into sections of turrets. "What in the world?" He shaded his eyes, wondering if he was seeing double because of the fading sunlight.
"Nope, you're not seeing things. Those are the faces of people still alive and deceased who fought in the wars." Firenze laughed. "Once the war officially ended," He spoke quietly, and Grifton listened intently. "Several mages and normal people came together to put it back together again." Firenze shrugged. "Now it stands as a citadel where normal and magical warriors can spar against each other." He sighed. "Not to mention they're hoping you can knock the arrogance of some people who've been bragging that they can beat the snot out of you."
Been there and done that; oh, so dull, but if that's what it takes to shut idiots up, sure, why not? Grifton sighed. "Can't they come up with something more original?" He made Firenze laugh at his complaint. "Seriously? 'I can beat the snot out of a has-been?'" Grifton shook his head.
Firenze nodded. "Yeah, the rest of us thought they were being brainless morons." He shrugged. "That's why I know people are looking forward to your arrival."
Sheesh, this was annoying, but Grifton merely sighed. "I swear, our real enemies were at least more creative in their bragging." He'd only killed the true fanatics.
Firenze nodded sympathetically. He looked around. "Huh, the shadows never found us." He remarked.
Grifton was recalling what he'd done on the battle fronts and answered somewhat absently: "They probably went to ask Lamberton about how they could sharpen their combat skills." The rest, Grifton, were wounded but left alive so that they could return home to heal and rethink their positions in life.
"So, you think they'll be there with the participants or spectators?" Firenze speculated.
"Dunno, that'll be the fun part to discover." Grifton smiled faintly. "I think we're overdue for a fierce competition that'll turn no-holds-barred before the end of the session."
Firenze nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I was asked to ensure you showed up. The other participants are tired of the braggarts."
Mm so was he. Grifton sighed. "Well, let's have fun giving them a show they won't forget anytime soon." They quickened their steps so that they arrived within a reasonable time.
No one blew their cover of average participants. Several people grinned, anticipating a good show that would liven things up that night.
Grifton muttered. "I do not like the tension I feel out here." Firenze nodded.
Listening to the conversations flowing around them, it didn't take long to realize that something was needed to cheer people up. It appeared that lately, the mood had turned mean and vicious within the arena, regardless of the spectators or participants.
On hearing that, Grifton and Firenze determined even more than before that they couldn't remain as superficial participants. That meant they had to do this seriously to clean up some bad attitudes ruining the fun of the event that wasn't supposed to be political anymore.