Mettel expected right then that Master Hartold would just take him away with a teleportation spell to Aethercloud Spire. As it turns out, Hartold wasn't in any hurry to go anywhere despite his words, enjoying the entire Lycren's Arrow festival in town. It probably has something to do with ironing out the details with some people. He wouldn't know.
...
In a dark solemn cell lit by a sole candle, which were filled with the bare modicum of a wooden bed, a chair and a desk—Mother Laresa lied weakly. After parting her last words with all of the church members including Quin, the old lady was near to death's door. Beside her stood a hunchback robed wizard holding a staff, Hartold, gazing down with an unknowable expression.
"You really won't accept my offer, Laresa? I know you said you will leave it to Jess, but I fear she may not be ready. Is this the right choice?" Hartold asked, barely reaching a whisper.
"I already told you… Hartold. Life shouldn't be tampered… with. It is my time. I accept it with grace, gratitude. Jess is capable… of taking care of it. I will tell her her duty. Have you *cough* looked at the… relic beneath the church?" Mother Laresa turned to him.
"I did. I confirmed its condition and the message it holds. It is very close, indeed, but Mettel has already awakened his power. He will be my successor."
"Will there be… enough time?"
"I hope so. I will make right by it."
"Good." Mother Laresa was slowly closing her eyes.
"Hartold. I give you… my peace after… my departure. Yours is still a long road."
"I accept your peace, Laresa II, daughter of Alebel. Do you have anything else you wish to say?"
"… Let me speak with my daughter, Jess, for one last time." Hartold nodded, and with a second, was replaced with a shocked Jess. Upon seeing where she was, the nun composed herself in a moment. Her milky black eyes, stared at the dying woman with great turmoil.
"Jess… you must take care of this church. For a number of years… you will suffer hardships. Beneath here, lies a secret. The secret… why this altar of a church was built. You will inherit my mantle…" Mother Laresa held out her hand, which Jess took in both of her palms. Jess's hands were trembling as do her entire body.
"May I ask how? What is this secret, exactly? Why not one of the First Sisters? Why not Priest Cenaro?" She asked, quivering. Her distress easily betrayed. To which Mother Laresa smiled. The secret, Mother Laresa had already told her about it once. It was a book of prophecy—written in an unknown language said to be from the outer stars. The book itself came from a comet that landed right here, in this area where the church was built. Before even the Church of Sorrow. That was all she knew. Mother Laresa's strength was depleting in a noticeable rate, her voice more stretched out, no longer coughing.
"Just know, this book is… dangerous. But you will… know how to manage. After a number of years… you will go out into the world… that will be your mission. Just remember my… words. That's all. Peace and love. Love…" Jess at this point could see the light in Mother Laresa's eye dim. Jess remained for who knows how long in that cell, kneeling over the bedside.
…..
Church orphanage dorm. Corridors. Hartold was speaking to Quin after reading through the documents of Solquar Chem Plant Mining Operation. Quin was silent for a while. At last, Hartold sighed.
"Have you read through them?"
"Yes sir, I have."
"This report basically confirmed my suspicions. This is more troublesome than I thought. I am sorry about your parents." Quin shook his head, a slight tremor in his voice.
"I… I suspected something like that happened. Although our parents died years ago, way before any of this happened when I was just ten and Raynel was just a toddler, I always knew something was off with that Plant Company. I was told it was an accident. But I knew it wasn't that simple, shouldn't be.
Our parents were… unfortunate parties that got caught up in whatever they were doing. And from that report—there's this suspicious mention of the top-secret project numerous times that they've been developing for a decade. From the gathered information I have so far, the workers and my parents were… collateral damage."
During the monster outbreak, Solquar Plant Chem suffered heavy losses to their facilities and infrastructure. But what grabbed the attention of the people were, a majority of their workers were dead from the monster attacks when the Stonehearth Haven's effective evacuation plan incurred almost no civilian casualties. From then on, the Karan Press found out the true reason—Solquar Chem Plant used its own factory workers to stall time for the safe retrieval of the project they've been developing. Quin only got to know this from the information guild, Aurivis Consortium, after he and his brother arrived here.
"Then you deserve to know the truth: they were building a secret biological weapon, something to deal with the third strata, Crimson Layer. A weapon formed through solquar and forbidden aether spells. During the monster outbreak, indeed, the Solquar Chem Plant used its own workers to stall for time, in order to safely transport this secret weapon." Quin's body shook with horror.
"That… is that true? Such weapons could exist…?"
"Unfortunately, with the rising strength of the dungeon's aether, or perhaps it is not related at all but simply due to their greed that they sought out to gain more advantages against other rival companies and organizations. I only got this knowledge from the Legatus Umbra, the Hunters' information department, myself." Quin could indeed remember something along those lines. Hartold was never supposed to be responsible for something as small as this, as significant this was to ordinary people like him.
It was only due to the possibility that the Solquar Chem Plant had a dabble in forbidden Aether Arts, one presumably in the 1st Extinction Era of the deities 800 years ago. Hartold, and the Aethercloud Spire as an extension, was seeking out to seal any remaining such taboos. And it all lead to him having a chance encounter with Hartold who then requested him to this endeavor.
How in the world did a small-fry like Gun Hotez come to acquire it was a profound mystery, however. Quin was inclined to ask about this. When he did, he got an unexpected reply.
"I am not sure." Hartold's tone was grave. "That is indeed odd. Even when I requested your aid, I expect no more than rumors, sightings perhaps, not actual documents of the event. Such documents, although not containing any information on the Aether Forbidden Arts, is impactful still. This matter isn't over yet." Hartold sighed for the umpteenth time.
"But your part is over, young man. You've far outdone yourself, more than I would like. Your best course of action was to confirm it through me not act alone."
"But at that time sir, the document could've have gone away. I wasn't sure when you're coming back. I wasn't sure either if it was the real thing, so I held off requesting help from anyone."
"You overestimate your abilities and underestimate the forces at play. Gun Hotez may be just a rogue, and you may have succeeded when dealing with just him, but there are powers in the shadow you don't understand nor cannot deal with. This case contains such dangerous elements. From here on out, I will have Mayor Gathos watch over you—as a form of punishment and as a form of protection." Quin could only lower his head in deference. Then the two travelled outside the dorm, looking at the falling sun of the festival's last day.
"Have you told your brother?" Hartold asked.
"Not yet, I will tell him in due time. Perhaps after this." Quin replied.
"Hmmm, handle this delicately, I suppose. Your brother is young. Then this is goodbye, Quin Irishield. May the Aether let us meet in one piece again." Quin bowed to Hartold as he walked out of the orphanage perimeter. He'd returned to his dorm room only to see his brother, Raynel, staring daggers at him.
"What exactly happened brother? What did you do that got you into trouble? What did you and Master Hartold talked about?"
"First let's sit down." The two brothers then sat by their table. It was a good thing all the other children and staff member were out in the festival. Quin then repeated the whole story to Raynel.
"I didn't want you to know this. At least not so soon."
"No… you mean our parents died… because of avarice for power? Their lives thrown away just to give time?"
"Yes." Quin's eyes were grave. Raynel's gaze became blank. The silence turned oppressive, heavy for a while.
"So that's what you've been doing. Why you've been so shady. Why you go out at night and go back in the early morning. I suspected you were partaking in uncivilized activities…"
"Hahaha, I couldn't even bring myself to laugh at that. That perhaps could've been better, having a dubious brother. I admit, I am a reckless one. But listen, Raynel. I know this hurts, and you feel so much anger that you want to go out and destroy them—heck, I was the same as you seven years ago. But don't let it eat you inside. Hatred is not good for anybody."
"To be honest I… don't really feel that much anger." Quin was surprised.
"I just don't know my parents that well, I was just a little less than three years old at that time. I only remember my mother's face like a blurry picture. In any case, I'll heed your advice, brother."
"…. I see." Quin opted to change the topic, it was overlu serious the way things are,
"By the way, have you bid Mettel farewell? They're about to leave tomorrow. I hear the three of you are friends now after what happened two days ago. It still feels so sudden to me."
"We did. But I wouldn't say friends, more like acquaintances. I was actually hoping to ask you about the details over what Mettel did years ago, I could've asked other kids but I figured you'd have a more non-bias perspective."
"Ah that." Quin recollected the facts as he tapped at the table.
"I don't know every side myself, I only heard this from Sister Jess… that Mettel almost killed a kid of his age two years ago. Pushed him from the second floor, I heard. It was because that kid called him a monster, a demon spawn or something due to his white hair and the rumors coming about. That kid in particular was known for his notoriety of pranks and teasing—unfortunately, he really picked the wrong target that time. Really sounds similar to what you and I experienced, huh?" Raynel couldn't help but look at his brother weirdly.
"Sure, we were picked up on by other people as rats, trash, baggage, eyesore, headache etc, and it was infuriating, but why even compare? Our persons are not the same." Quin just smiled at that as he shook his head.
"Nothing. It'll be years before you two could even meet together again. That boy might have trauma but I believe in Master Hartold. Besides, he doesn't seem like a bad kid, it's almost likely an impulse that led to the incident two years ago. Okay, let's have some late supper, shall we? Or do you want to have an early breakfast?"
...….
Lycren's Festival was officially over by the next morning.
At the town's main road, paved with uniform polished patterned stones and an elaborate wooden arch above the wide-open gates, a group of people was gathered to send Master Hartold and Mettel away. For all intents and purpose, the people are whom Hartold personally known and was acquainted with—most of the town was still asleep and weren't aware of their departure. Mayor Gathos was present as well, along with his wife and twelve-year-old 1st daughter Jaina Dunewalker. All three of whom were half-elves. Naturally, the three retired hunters were there as well.
"Good bye Master Hartold! Come by again real soon!"
"You should've come by our bakery shop before you went."
"Thank you once again for protecting our town!"
"It's such a pity you have to go so soon after just returning—please do return safely." Such and such words. Mettel only remained behind Hartold, waiting patiently. Erick and Litney came over him.
"You don't look so gloom now, what, you not gonna miss this town and us?" Erick asked. Litney smiled as she kneeled and gave a paper bag filled with soft bread.
"Here, snacks for the journey. Share some with Master Hartold, alright?"
"I uh… Thank you." Awkwardly, Mettel accepted it. Tryndale was bowing to Hartold right beside them.
"Master Hartold, thank you for your service. May the Aether bless your path."
"You making me look bad by bowing like that, Tryndale. Do I have to bow down too?" Erick quipped.
"No need, no need. Tryndale, Erick, and Litney. Though it's none of your responsibility, I give you my gratitude for acceding to my requests." Hartold bowed his head as well.
"Ah, Master Hartold, it's fine! We're thankful that we can still help in our own ways. It is we who should thank you." Both Erick and Tryndale agreed in their own way. Behind the robe hood, which no one can see, Hartold smiled.
"May the Aether bless your journey, as well. Come on boy, let's sally forth." Hartold urged from behind. The boy and his Master set off from the town of Gathos at long last.
"Master Hartold," He spoke, "Why exactly' aren't we using your Teleportation spell to get to Aethercloud Spire? Surely it would take no more than a second."
"Ah, that. I have to conserve my aether reserves but mostly, what's a journey without an adventure? If people were to use the fastest means of transport all the time, the adventure would lose its meaning." Mettel frowned. Wouldn't they just get tired meaninglessly, then?
"Hmmm, but didn't you say you were in a hurry before?"
"That I did. But who said I didn't include this journey as part of the plans? I would train you on the matters of Aether on our way there, as well—so it's not a complete waste of time." Mettel understood.
"By the by, it is unfortunate that just after making your first friends, we have to go. Were you saddened by this?"
"No, not really. The friendship… isn't really that strong for me to feel anything."
"Hmm hmm. Then what's up with this special limited edition ice-cream you were so careful packing up in your backpack?" Mettel jumped.
"That err, Erick gave one to me, yep. Says is delicious, I was planning to eat it someday." Somehow, the magical ice cream wasn't melting even outside the refrigerator. So, Mettel packed it alongside his stuff.
"Hahaha, I see. It is indeed a miraculous product, able to stay frozen for months in end and readily melts when coming into contact with saliva on top of its main benefits. Marvelous creation. That will be our first lesson, by the way, the divisions, attributes of Aether and Tezhe Pathways, and the way people use them. But I will hold that on for tomorrow."
"Why not today?"
"Because we have a different lesson for today, wilderness survival. Before that though." Hartold stopped at a particular high point of a rocky land, almost level to Gathos Town. The wind here fanned over the two, flapping their clothes in a easy gentle manner.
"Look. Look for the last time where you spent the last three years, Mettel. It would be a long time before you take a look at it again." Mettel did as he was told, feeling confused. By the main gates, some people were still there waiting for them to leave beyond the forests. They waved for the last time as the two looked towards them.
Looking back at this scene, he'd felt an odd palette of emotions bounding through him. Nostalgia, sadness, a bit of anger, happiness, joy. A bubbling of all these things. What's up with him? The boy took a deep breath.
"Beautiful, isn't it? Though pressured by the refugees coming in and the ravages of the monster outbreak, Gathos did well fortifying this settlement." Hartold thumped his staff to the ground.
"Let's get a move on then."
"Right." Mettel delayed for a moment before turning around. Towards his next destination.