"I began to evolve," he continued. "Feelings, emotions, and other human traits emerged within me. I could finally experience them too." He let out a sigh, a hint of sadness tinging his voice.
"I understand and share what you once felt," Prometheus said, turning towards Elias with a sorrowful expression.
"The sadness, the bitterness, the pain of leaving your loved ones behind, of being separated from everything you held dear."
Tears welled up in his eyes. "The gut-wrenching feeling of watching everyone around you fall, one by one..." He took a deep breath, his voice trembling.
"I'm so sorry, Master. If I had been who I am now, I could have protected you..."
"Calm down, Prometheus," Elias soothed.
"The past is what it is. What matters most is that I'm here now, safe and sound, standing before you."
Elias offered a small, reassuring smile. "Don't worry about it. It's a bit silly for an old man like me to cry, isn't it?"
Prometheus wiped away the tears that continued to stream down his face with the corner of his shirt.
A beat of silence hung in the air before Elias spoke again, his voice laced with curiosity. "In your letter to Argus, you mentioned being taken away, which is why you couldn't continue looking after my body. But somehow, I survived, despite the long sleep."
"Yes, Master," Prometheus began, his voice laced with regret. "At that time, a sudden explosion rocked the shelter, causing a massive tremor and upheaval in the surrounding area."
He paused, his eyes closing for a moment as he recalled the details of that fateful event. "The blast's shockwaves shattered a significant portion of the iceberg and shelter, separating the chamber where you slept from the system storage facility where I was located."
"A group of individuals, clad in unfamiliar uniforms, emerged from the explosion-created cliff face and seized the device. They referred to it as the 'Lost Technological Device' as they carried it away," Prometheus explained, addressing Elias's lingering doubts.
"Thankfully, I had already reconfigured the power supply and resource system to ensure your body's survival for an extended period," he added.
"Indeed," Elias acknowledged, a hint of relief in his voice. "It seems I was quite fortunate. When all the power and backup resources you prepared had been depleted, I was able to awaken."
"Once again, I apologize, Master," Prometheus said, his voice heavy with remorse. "If only those greedy individuals hadn't appeared..."
Elias's gentle voice interrupted Prometheus's self-reproach. "There's no need to dwell on that. Perhaps it was the will of the Almighty that the explosion occurred, destroying a portion of the iceberg, that you were taken away, and that I awoke alone there."
He continued, his tone soothing, "If the iceberg hadn't been shattered, I might still be trapped within it, frozen to death."
"Hmm... You're right, Master," Prometheus conceded, his expression softening.
***
"Lunch will be ready soon, Master," Prometheus announced, rising from his seat.
"While you wait, why don't you let Argus take you on a short walk? There are some interesting things to see outside that might chase away any boredom."
"Sounds good," Elias replied, standing up. "Come on, Argus, I'm curious to see what other surprises this world holds."
Prometheus bowed politely and retreated to another room. Elias followed Argus out of the house, the servant's enthusiastic steps setting the pace.
***
"This garden is filled with rare and even mythical plants from around the world," Argus explained, gesturing towards the diverse flora growing abundantly beside the house. A short wooden fence encircled the vibrant garden plot.
"Rare and mythical plants..." Elias repeated, intrigued.
"Indeed, my lord," Argus confirmed. "These are plants that are difficult to find, typically growing in locations inaccessible to most humans."
"Despite their rarity and difficulty to obtain," he continued, "consuming parts of these plants can offer tremendous benefits."
"You mean they have magical properties?" Elias inquired, curiosity piqued.
"Precisely," Argus replied. "Each part of these plants possesses magical abilities that can greatly benefit those who consume them."
"For instance," he added, "the Frostheart plants on Frotpire Isle are legendary for their ability to permanently enhance a person's overall stats. Incidentally, I included some Frostheart in the dishes I served you yesterday to aid your recovery."
A smile spread across Elias's face. "No wonder! I felt a surge of heat after eating your meal, and when I woke up this morning, my body felt refreshed and lighter. All the aches and fatigue had vanished completely."
"Thank you, Argus," he said, patting the servant's shoulder with a touch more enthusiasm than necessary.
Argus coughed lightly, startled by the unexpected force of Elias's gratitude. "Uh... you're welcome, my lord," he managed.
"But this area looks very different from where I used to live," Elias observed, noticing the stark contrast in the natural environment compared to his previous location. "Even though we're both supposedly on Frotpire Isle, right?"
"You're correct, Master," Argus replied. "This place is still technically part of Frotpire Isle."
"Why does it feel so different?" Elias pressed, his curiosity piqued.
"This place was created especially by Father as his domain," Argus began, then paused for a moment.
"To be more precise," he continued, "we're in the deepest, central part of Frotpire Isle. If you ventured further into the Glacial Grove, you'd reach a massive, towering cliff that pierces the clouds thousands of meters high. Well, we're currently at the very top of that cliff."
"That's strange," Elias remarked, still surprised. "We're on an island of frigid ice, yet the climate here feels more like a tropical paradise."
Argus smiled. "Father deliberately altered the island's climate. The base is a treacherous landscape of steep, rocky cliffs. The middle area is a snowy and icy region dotted with white, snow-like plants. And the top, far removed from the main landmass, enjoys a tropical environment."
"Oh, I see," Elias finally understood.
Argus then led Elias on a walk around the front yard, where they reached a pond teeming with various fish.
"These fish are rare or mythical too, I presume?" Elias asked with a hopeful smile.
"Unfortunately not," Argus chuckled. "None of the fish here are classified as mythical or even unique. There are only a few rare varieties."
A slight blush crept across Elias's face. "Oh... but they still have great benefits, right?"
"Yes, my lord," Argus confirmed. "The fish here possess properties and benefits similar to the plants above. However, the effects tend to be random, depending on the skill of the person preparing them."
Just then, Prometheus approached them.
"Master, sorry to interrupt, but lunch is ready," he announced with a bow.
"Wonderful! I'm eager to try your cooking," Elias said enthusiastically.
They walked back to the house and entered the central room. An oval dining table served as the centerpiece, adorned with various dishes that emanated delicious and tempting aromas.
"Please, Master," Prometheus invited, gesturing towards the head chair at the end of the table.
For the appetizer, I've prepared a salad made with plants and fruits from the side garden, followed by leviathorax meat soup with storm wyvern scale cream," Prometheus explained, gesturing towards the dishes with a proud smile.
"The main course features grilled Frostmane Yeti, Emberclaw Drake, and Thunderhorn Stag, and for dessert, we have juices and wines made from Frostheart berries, Stormvine berries, and Lunaflora herbs."
Elias was stunned by Prometheus's lengthy description of the exotic plants and animals used in the meal. "Prometheus, you've gone overboard," he said, shaking his head.
"Forgive me, Master," Prometheus apologized, his voice laced with panic. "If the meal is not to your liking, I can prepare something different..."
Elias simply smiled and took a seat, sampling the salad and soup that served as the appetizer. BZZT… "Oh... what is this?" Elias exclaimed in surprise.
Prometheus and Argus exchanged startled glances, their expressions tense. But their worry subsided as Elias continued to devour the appetizers with gusto.
"Wow... and this is just the appetizer?" Elias murmured, his voice filled with amazement.
He then proceeded to finish all the main courses, concluding with the delectable desserts.
"Hey, why are you both just standing there? Don't you want to eat?" Elias asked, puzzled by Prometheus and Argus's inactivity as he savored the meal.
"Oh... sorry, I've already eaten everything..." Elias mumbled, realizing that he had polished off every dish on the table.
"Oh no, Master... Yes, my lord," Prometheus and Argus replied in unison.
"I prepared this entire feast just for you, Master," Prometheus said with a smile.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it," he added.
"I'm assuming that consuming all of this will significantly boost my stats and attributes?" Elias inquired, looking at Prometheus and Argus.
"Indeed, Master, all of them will increase permanently..." Prometheus replied with a smile, but his words were cut short by Argus.
"Forgive me, Father, for interjecting," Argus interjected.
"What is it, Argus?" Prometheus asked, turning his attention to Argus.
"Actually, there's an urgent matter we've been meaning to discuss with you, but we were momentarily distracted by your eagerness to welcome Lord Elias."
"I deeply apologize, Master," Prometheus said, bowing low. "I was overcome with excitement at seeing you again after such a long time."
"No worries, Prometheus," Elias replied, returning the smile.
"I understand completely. How about we move to another room for a more comfortable conversation?"
"Excellent idea, Master," Prometheus agreed. "And if I may, I'd be happy to prepare another cup of your favorite hot coffee."
Elias stood up and headed towards the front room, followed closely by Prometheus. He settled back into a seat, then turned to Prometheus.