Knock, knock." There was a knock on the door. Hope ran to open it and smiled upon seeing who it was.
"Sir Somerset, you have returned?" she asked with a smile. Aldrian nodded.
"Yes, I have, but please do not call me 'sir' any longer. I have resigned my post," Aldrian spoke with a light smile, hiding the pain he felt at resigning his title.
"What?!" Both Nigel and Hope exclaimed simultaneously. Aldrian stepped inside, leaving Hope standing by the door. She quickly closed it and followed Aldrian, who took a seat beside Nigel.
Both Nigel and Hope waited for him to speak. Aldrian started in a low and somber tone, "I'm guessing I have to explain to you why I left. This was a hard decision for me too, but trust me when I say it was necessary. I once served under the royal family as one of his majesty's finest knights with my own army. That was until we fought against the forces of Padrish. They wielded weapons and technology far beyond our own, and we were fighting a losing battle. Being so devoted to the crown, I wanted to prove my worth and kept fighting despite my knights dropping like flies. In the end, I was shot in the back of the head. My knights rescued me before retreating. I now have a metal plate in the base of my skull, and it pains me like hell, but that is the punishment I must endure. His majesty demoted me, and my superior sent me to Delin to oversee the knight squires there. But I chose to be a Gatekeeper instead because I felt unworthy to lead others. So that is why I resigned; I do not want to be tied down to my past."
For the first time since meeting him, Aldrian seemed vulnerable, his head hung low and his fists balled up.
Nigel was speechless. He stared at the man beside him in shock. It seemed he wasn't the only one with a messy life.
"Birds of a feather flock together," he thought, now understanding the underlying meaning behind his mother's favorite proverb.
"Do you regret it?" Nigel asked, staring straight at him. For a moment, Aldrian could see his greatest rival in the boy.
"No, I do not," Aldrian answered firmly. Nigel nodded and looked away. Hope remained quiet, unable to find the right words, her mouth opening and closing repeatedly.
"Former knight Sir Aldrian Somerset, will you be my master?" Nigel's words came out unexpectedly. Aldrian stared at him without blinking. Nigel's head was down, and his eyes were shut.
"I want to learn how to fight so that I can be of aid when we face that Sharma again," Nigel added. The mention of Sharma brought realization to Aldrian. During their fight with Sharma's summoned monstrosities, Nigel had been badly injured. If not for Jim, the boy would have died.
"I am not qualified to be your master, but I can teach you how to fight," Aldrian politely rejected the offer of being his master but agreed to teach him how to fight.
Nigel raised his head and smiled. "Thank you." Not being one for many words, Nigel thanked him and stared at his broken hand wrapped in bandages, along with his chest.
"Thank you, too, for saving my life. I will try to repay my debt to you," he added. The room fell into complete silence for a few moments.
"Nigel, I believe there is something you are hiding from us. Back when we first met, you took me to the city cemetery, and I saw the black tattoos on your body move to your face before swiftly fading away. And in the past four days, you were predicting the rain patterns with accuracy, and your sense of hearing is even greater than Sir—than Aldrian's. If we are to continue staying together, we all need to be transparent with each other," Hope suddenly spoke hurriedly, pausing only when she almost called Aldrian "sir."
Aldrian did not add anything but instead resorted to staring at Nigel, who remained quietly calm.
"If I tell you the truth, you would label me a madman or worse, send me to the church," Nigel said, but Hope shook her head. "After all we've been through just yesterday, I would be mad also if I were to label you that."
Nigel closed his eyes and took a couple of deep breaths before slowly explaining to them what happened on the day of the storm. Of course, he left out some parts, including his family, the being he saw, and other secrets. He revealed that he was a sickly child who had survived the storm and woke up with strange inscriptions on his body and a healthy physique. Nigel shared his experiences after the storm and how these 'abilities' were also scaring him and testing his sanity.
Hope and Aldrian listened intently, exchanging glances here and there. Finally, when he was done, the room fell quiet again as they absorbed what Nigel had revealed. Hope was the first to react.
"Oh my, your story is just like the ones in the legend, except that this is all true," Hope said, clearly shocked.
"Do you know the legend of the Sons of the Tempest?" Aldrian asked after a long while. Nigel nodded, remembering how his mother always narrated that legend for Jim every night; it was among his favorites.
"Does it not sound familiar with what happened to you? After all, Nigel, legends hold some truths in them," Aldrian spoke.
The room was quiet once again until Hope asked, "What do we do now that we are here in Venus?"
"We keep a low profile and try to help Nigel uncover the truth about what happened to him while also investigating the truth of what we encountered at the river," Aldrian answered, and Nigel nodded.
Hope agreed, and they went quiet again. A group made up of three introverted people was bound to face challenges, but at least they had Hope, who was only half an introvert.
.....
At the heart of Venus stood the Church of the Seven, a grand and solemn building that towered over the village. Made from smooth gray stones, the church had tall spires reaching towards the sky, each crowned with symbols representing the Seven Divine Beings worshipped by the people of Denta. The walls were covered in carvings and inscriptions telling ancient stories, adding to the sacred atmosphere.
The large wooden doors at the entrance were intricately carved with scenes of celestial beings and mortals, and the polished brass handles shone in the morning light. Inside, the air was cool and scented with incense. Rows of wooden pews filled the vast nave, leading to the altar at the far end. The stone floor reflected the light streaming through stained glass windows, each depicting a different scene from the legends of the Seven and casting colorful patterns across the church.
The altar, made of white marble and decorated with gold leaf, stood beneath a large circular window that showed the Seven in their divine glory. Fresh flowers, candles, and offerings from the villagers adorned the altar, showing their deep faith. Above the entrance, the choir loft held a magnificent pipe organ, its pipes gleaming in the dim light.
A few citizens had come to pray. They knelt in silent reverence, their whispers and the soft echo of the footsteps of those who were leaving and entering the only sounds in the church.
Keith wore a simple yet elegant black cassock, its clean lines and minimal ornamentation reflecting his humble approach to his faith. A crisp white clerical collar encircled his neck, its stiff peaks framing his gentle face. A pair of silver cufflinks in the shape of tiny crosses adorned his sleeves, subtle reminders of his spiritual calling.
Over his cassock, Keith wore a black clerical waistcoat with intricate embroidery, the delicate patterns weaving a narrative of faith and service. His black trousers were crisp and well-pressed, breaking just above his black leather shoes. A simple silver cross hung from a chain around his neck, resting against his chest.
Keith was praying elegantly on his knees, but then two sets of footsteps approached him quickly. He did not stop his prayer. The two people were Steve and Steven, and they both seemed worried as they waited for Keith to finish. Disturbing a person's prayer was punishable by law here in Denta, even if that said person was a criminal. Denta took the church very seriously, and the church's laws were included in the Kingdom's law. In public, the royal family was the true ruler of Denta, but behind closed doors, the church called the shots. However, this information was known only to a selective few.
Keith prayed for ten more minutes before he got up and greeted the twins. "Steve and Steven, what brings you here?" Keith's voice was low, not wanting to disturb the citizens who were praying.
"A priest near the Irongrove Mountains found a high-tier mirror gate, and he has requested backup. Lord Darrel said we must fetch you before heading towards Irongrove," Steven reported quickly.
Keith smiled and pushed back his glasses with his thumb. "Then let us leave at once."