"Thank you for coming this far, my name is Joseph," the elderly man in front of the trio said.
"It's alright, if it's not too much of a problem, we'd like to get straight to it," Ren gestured at the elderly man.
The old man wore priestly robes, his face framed by a moustache greying from aging, along with his temples streaked in white.
"Yes, Vivian, can you get out guests something to drink, they must be tired," he looked at the man in white that brought the trio in.
"Yes, Sir," he left the room.
"So," Xióng stepped forward, "tell us everything, the Marquis couldn't tell us much since he had his hands full with other stuff."
"Of course, he's a busy man, I couldn't help him with his son's case. I wanted to but with everything going on here I can't leave," the old man smiled.
"With the current rise in Eonborns, the missing children case all around Caelum city, there is something wrong going on here," Ren stated his thoughts.
"If only the Marquis could let the Church of Hel establish a base here, but he rejected them," Joseph said.
"What do you mean, Sir?" Nichole asked.
"You know how the thirteen churches pick a city and help out the people?"
"Yes," Nichole replied.
"Well, the Saint of Hel wanted to set up one here, but for some reason he declined her offer, if they were here, they would have helped."
"Hel? It doesn't matter, tell us what we need to know about the kidnappings," Xióng asked him once again.
"Ha," Joseph's voice faltered, "I wish, even after searching the entire place I couldn't find anything."
"No traces?" Ren looked at Joseph.
"I have a skill I received when I became a priest, and it's helped me keep count of life forms on a certain radius, and it worked all around the orphanage estate, but when the children went missing, I couldn't even feel it."
"It bypassed divinity?! How is that possible?" Ren shot him a surprised look.
"Skills of divinity can be broken through if another skill of the same proficiency is used, but even then I find it odd that they could disappear like that," he looked down at the floor, making an unreadable expression.
"Thank you for your help," Nichole got up, preparing to leave.
"We promise to try our best to find the missing children, not just the kids from this orphanage," Xióng bowed before leaving with Nichole, Ren following behind, leaving with a nod.
...
"At least we got something," Nichole tried to lighten the mood.
"All the kids that went missing are of age seven, not older or younger, the age of seven,
"We have some more places to be, should we split up?" Ren stopped before turning back.
"I think it's a good idea, if we split up, we'll be able to survey all the victims," Nichole replied.
"I'm up for it," Xióng chimed in, "we'll meet her back at night?"
"That sounds like a plan, I'll take care of the north," Ren walked off. "Oh, and you guys if you do find something, report about it."
"Alright, Senior," Nichole waves him off. "So, see you later."
"You too, stay safe," Xióng said before the two headed off to their separate paths.
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CLINK
"You lost your job?" Jack out the glass down.
"The Emperor tried to help me keep the title of General, but the council wouldn't agree," Thomas kept his head flat on the counter.
"First time?"
"First... what first time?"
"You know, losing a job, getting stabbed in the back, the usual."
"You speak like you've seen it happen to you everyday."
"Not everyday, but I've had my particular set of incidents, like the time i had my brother sabotage my entire research, or when my grandfather and father sent me to the battlefield."
"Battlefield?"
"The Battlefront, to be specific."
"When you were...?"
"Sixteen, and sick."
Thomas slowly lifted his head to take a look at Jack, only to see him smiling and staring at him.
"So, why were you disowned?" Jack closed the waiter, and requested him for some snacks.
"I couldn't learn the Blood Moon technique, apparently my younger brother completed it faster than me," he shifted his head back.
"You got anywhere to go?" Jack took a look at the small bowl of peanuts placed in front of him. He took one and popped it into his mouth.
"No, I also realised, I'm poor."
"How poor?" Jack took another one and brought it near Thomas's face, but Thomas swats off his hand, so Jack eats it.
"I barely have enough to pay for this drink, why do you think I haven't bought another?" he looked at the glass of golden liquid before him.
"That's what's holding you back? Waiter," Jack gestured to the waiter to refill Thomas's glass. "On the house."
"I also just remembered that most of my assets belong to the family, even this shirt I'm wearing," he pulled on the thin fabric.
"I'll buy you a new shirt, or any clothes for that matter, tell me buddy, what do you want?"
"Some peace and quite maybe, and a place to rest, you got a place where I can sleep for a night?"
"I have a place where you can sleep forever," Jack puffed his chest proudly.
"The cemetery?" Thomas looked away, a dry chuckle escaping his lips.
"Cheeky bastard, I might as well put you in a coffin, since you look like a corpse," he shot back, trying to get Thomas to budge.
"Alright, if that's the home I'm getting tonight," Thomas got up, his expression still the lifeless one, "shall we leave for your simple abode, Mister Jonathan?"
"Alright, Mister Thomas," Jack got up and extended his hand out as an invitation, but Thomas avoided it and got up on his own.
Jack shrugs it off and takes a few gold coins and places it on the counter, before slightly nodding to the bartender.
"Wher—" Thomas looked back at him, a small sense of shame creeping up. "Maybe I shouldn't disturb you, after all, we barely know each other, thanks for the drink."
"You idiot," Jack wrapped his arms around the swaying Thomas, before walking off, "you ain't going nowhere."
"But I shouldn't, no," his words slurred, but the intention was clear, he didn't want to intrude in the man.
"I ain't letting you go," he applied some pressure on Thomas's neck, knocking the drunk man unconscious.
"Phew, that was easier than I thought," he pulled on his motionless body and laid him on his back. "It's been some time since I've seen Albert."
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"Marquis, let's begin," Finn placed a finger in the tag above the bed, "we have to be quick."
"Tell me when it's the right amount," he placed his palm against Finn's back. "I'll start now," a faint white hue flowed into Finn.
"Keep it up," Finn said. Now flow the force through the first core and all the way upwards, his face strained slightly at the energy's flow inside him.
"Should I keep going?" the Marquis looked at him with concern.
"It's alright, I need some more of it," he continued to control the flow inside him.
A small blue aura appeared around Finn, his eyes slightly burning blue and his long hair standing up as the energy around him fluctuated. The lights on the room dimmed before lighting back up.
"Phew," Finn sat on the bed, "it's done Marquis."
"What happened? Did I miss it?" Daniela looked at Finn in confusion.
"He cast a warding barrier around the room," the Marquis replied to her. "but what exactly is this for?" he turned back to Finn.
"Your son most likely has the skills to see a realm beyond ours, it's a rather unique skill, but it's not helpful for a child, I simply laid out a curtain to block his vision."
"Is that why he's sick?"
Daniela pointed, "That must mean he's been seeing the remnants of the dark qi around here, and dark qi is often associated with—"
"Memories of the dead."
...
"Why do you have such long hair, Mister?" the little bedridden boy tugged at Finn's sleeves.
"It's because my hair grew, and I did not cut it," Finn replied with a small chuckle, "do you also want long hair?"
"I don't know, you look good with long hair, I wonder if I will also look good with long hair."
"Here drink this," Daniela held out a small cup. The cup had a green liquid that seemed to emit a fresh medicinal fragrance.
"That looks bad," the boy took the cup from her hands and downed the drink slowly, "are you a doctor?"
"Nope, not quite a doctor, I'm more of a healer."
"Oh, thanks," he returned the cup.
Daniela took back the cup, shining a small smile.
"How do you feel, Jamie?" the Marquis who was beside him asked the boy.
"I feel better, father, but I can't feel anything below my waist, why is that?"
"It's alright," the Marquis's eyes filled up, "it will come back after sometime, would you like anything?"
"I want to sleep, I feel tired, good night, or good afternoon daddy," the boy chuckled before pulling on the sheets and closing his eyes.
"It's alright, he's sleeping because of the concoction I gave him, when he wakes up he'll feel better," Daniela placed a small black pill into the boy's mouth.
"Is he... going to be alright?" the Marquis asked with tear-filled eyes. "I can't... I can't do anything, will he be able to walk?" he knelt down to the floor.
"Marquis..." Daniela couldn't reply, she knew her words might come off as a false promise. Just as she was about to say something—
MISSION ALERT
HELP JAMIE LAON RECOVER
ACCEPT/DECLINE
"It's nothing Marquis, he'll pull through," Finn put a hand on his shoulder.
The Marquis sat back on to the floor, wiping off his tears with the back of his hand, "I'll trust you. Forgive me for this sorry sight."
"It's not a sorry sight, Marquis, it's beautiful. Your love is unfiltered enough for you to bow down to us, I hope you can keep up this love."
_________________________
"Uh, my head hurts," Thomas pushed open his eyes. He noticed the new surroundings. The room was mildly cold, maintaining a necessary amount of cold.
He took a look around the room, noticing the modern texture around. The walls were white, followed by a monochrome touch of black.
"Where am I?"
"Welcome to my simple abode," a cheerful voice came from his side. He knew the owner of the sound, yet he was surprised to see him there.
"Your abode? I thought the hut I visited last time was your home?" he placed his hand on the mattress, sitting up straight.
"Hut? Ouch, you wound me, that's called a cabin, but if I had to say, this is my real home," Jack leaned back in his chair, before picking up a bell from the table beside him and ringing it.
RING RING
The doors opened as a maid walked in, a tray on top of her hand. The tray had two porcelain cups on top of it.
The maid exchanged glances between Jack and Thomas, "Your boyfriend?"
"Elara, please," Jack blushed as he looked away.
"Whatever you say, Lord Jonathan," she teased him before walking out of the room.
"What was that?" Thomas looked at him in surprise.
"Here, it's herbal tea, good for hangover," he handed over one of the cups to Thomas.
He accepted the glass, the faint scent of the tea lingering around in the air as smoke rose from it. "So, who was that?"
"My handmaid, or so she calls herself. She takes care of everything around here, when I'm not here," Jack took a sip of the hot tea.
"Can you help me?" Thomas's eyes reflected in the green liquid. "I'll... I'll pay you back, if you can help me."
"Pay back? Is that how you see me, someone who's going to ask back all the help I gave you?"
"It's only polite," he continued looking at his tea.
"The tea might fall in love with you if you keep looking at it like that," Jack teased him. "Besides what kind of help do you need?"
"I need a spar, I need to know what my sword is lacking."
"I'm afraid that's one thing I can't fulfill," he took yet another sip of his tea.
Thomas brought the tea up to his face, the aroma filling his nostrils. He takes a small sip, letting the moment stay. "I guess I shouldn't make any requests, considering my position."
"I told you, I can't do it, but my servant is more than willing to," he smirked at Thomas.
"Your servant?"
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