«What's your origin, Herega?» Rokai asked sitting on a rocking chair.
Anfer stood with his arms crossed, looking down at the wall. Herega was surprised by that question.
«I was born in Aostra. I come from the south of the continent. My father and mother were born there too, and as far as I know, my family has never left the continent.» He replied by trying to provide as much information as possible.
«Sure. Aostra is hard to abandon. I was wondering, actually, if you were born outside the continent. You know, there are few people here in Aostra who can practice magic and black magic, first of all the sorcerer who built that tower. However, they are not well-regarded in our continent. Many are killed because they are perceived as a public threat, so they live in small societies. But where does sorcery come from? Many researchers, like myself, who are passionate about the unknown have asked themselves this question, but we have never received an answer. However, I tried to dig into the matter a long time ago. A nation, outside the continent, keeps its activities private, and is not reachable by strangers, nor can its citizens abandon it: Antiqua Costormia. According to my studies and the little information I was able to find from books written by explorers who reached the nation and came back alive: People from the Antiqua Costormia possess blood characteristics that allow the circulation of mana: an abstract substance that determines the use of sorcery. If this hypothesis is true, then one of your relatives should have Costormian blood. Herega, we could not be useful to your training, I mean: regarding the sorcery we could not do much, but in hand-to-hand combat yes, even theoretical. If you want, we can train you and your friends during this month so that you can face the demons. You, on the other hand, a week before their reappearance, can be in contact with one of the sorcerer's societies I was talking about earlier. They will probably teach you something.» Rokai said.
Herega began to confuse all that information, but finding out more about his past was really stimulating, and also meeting someone else who could use sorcerery would have made him stronger, thus letting the demons become a more than approachable enemy.
«Sure.» He replied, «I want to improve more and more. I want to get that treasure and discover my past.» He said getting up from his chair.
Then he thought:
«After all, that entity had said I should rebuild my soul. Will discovering something about my past help this goal?» He asked himself.
Anfer broke off his position, accompanying Herega to another room.
♦️
«This is where you will sleep. As soon as your friends have finished washing, you go too. As soon as you are clean and fragrant, you can put this on.»
Anfer delivered a uniform, similar to a karategi, to Herega.
«It is durable and lightweight, ideal for a warrior. When you go to the tower, if you intend to keep those karategi, we will also give you some shoes. In the garden, instead, we will train barefoot. When you can, bring me the clothes that you have taken off. I will try to give them a good smell. While you wait to finish, you can put your stuff here. When you are all ready, come back to me, we will face the first lesson of theoretical combat.» Anfer said moving away.
Herega thanked him, and he did not sit on the bed until he had washed himself.
«In fact, I haven't washed this cloak for a few days. The other clothes are starting to smell bad too. I didn't think that with that menacing look he cared so much about cleanliness.» Herega thought to himself.
He waited a few more minutes, then Ren and Eavelin arrived already wearing the uniform. The Red-haired youth smiled at both of them, then headed for the hot spring. In the silence and boredom, Herega began to think. He was sure that his parents were born in Nustia, and they never left the continent. But then why was he able to use sorcery? It should have been used by the sister, father or mother, but none of them was able to. Perhaps they had not yet succeeded, but they had the skills? However, he would never get an answer. His father had never returned from the Nustia uprising, and Lytsu and their mother were abandoned. He would certainly not have been able to return home easily. He created a chain in his arms.
«Are you real? Where do you come from?» He kept repeating to that piece of metal. If what the grand master had said was true, then Meta would have its place of origin in the Antiqua Costormia. But why would he attack Goldora? What were his interests in Aostra? All these questions would not have been answered. Yet, from the beginning of this journey, Herega had begun to gain knowledge about himself and about Meta. By going forward and persevering, he could have known the truth. It was clear that this journey had been the work of the sorcerer, and Herega was just accomplish is will. But there was something that didn't add up to his accounts. The entity in the cave had been the cause of the start of the journey. It was certainly the work of Meta but, in the book by Eimin Nustier, the death of the sorcerer is reported in the clash against Lunim. When, then, was that entity created? Perhaps the answers would come to light only through contact with a society of sorcerers, those of which spoke master Rokai.
♦️
Herega concluded that long reflection, dried himself, put on his uniform and joined Ren and Eavelin.
«The master told me to join him. Today we will face the first theoretical training session.» The young man said, tightening his belt.
«Yes, he said us too. Come on.» Eavelin replied.