The night was inches away, and there I was, in the single bedroom laying on the floor. I hope Novius is okay after seeing the man who was most likely poisoning his mother be removed from his house.
Knock Knock.
"Come in!"
"Hey honey, something has happened with the Weltor family, we are going to get a carriage ride to a nice restaurant George has picked for us. Your father is staying behind to help George and his family."
Phloria's words were heaven sent as Elijah was starving for some fine delicacies.
As the three outsiders were walking down the grand staircase, a voice shouted from above them. "Are you guys going to dinner?"
Poor Novius… Just from looking at him, Elijah could feel the distress in his body. "Yes we are. Would you like to join us?"
An immediate yes came from his voice as he ran down the stairs. Fully clothed and polished, the noble was ready!
The closed circular carriage was already waiting outside in the court. The door was opened by a man with old white hair. Conversations were being sprung back and forth between Novius and Elijah until they arrived at the spot.
"Lavden"
The restaurant was a rather similar take on a dark wood and dimly lit fine diner in Elijah's past life. The entrance was filled with symmetrical plants and people waiting in line. Unfortunately for them, the attendant that was addressing the line completely stopped what he was doing the moment he saw a blue carriage with golden ornate details all over it. That was the signature Weltor Carriage, and the owner of this restaurant serves them as special guests whenever the need arises.
The distinguished gentlemen in a black suit and tie bowed before us as we stepped out of the carriage. "Welcome to Lavden, the owner has already let me know of the situation. Please follow me to your table."
Thank goodness I wore the nice clothes that were in my dresser.
As we were walking past the long line of people, people started to voice their thoughts. "Hey! Why do they get to skip the line?!"
The dimly lit candles on the large round table illuminated the faces of everyone sitting. The food came and went quickly as small portions arrived at our table. Novius explained to us that this restaurant does not take orders, but rather seven courses of different foods are taken to the table after the previous ones are finished. The only items able to be ordered are drinks.
The caring Elijah broke the silence between the four. "Hey Novius, are you okay?"
After clearing his throat, Novius let out his opinions. "I'm just glad they found the reason why my mom was sick. That butler was not even new. Someone paid that man to kill my mom, and it must be that Damaris family…"
Elijah had no idea who the Damaris family was, but they were obviously a noble family that had bad relations with the Weltor family.
"Ahhh, too much food."
By the sixth course, everyone at the table was at their limit. However, Novius still seemed to have a fire in his heart and asked to go for a walk.
The night ended rather quickly and the time came for Elijah to explore. Just to be safe, he put on his lowest quality cotton and linen clothes that were dark brown and black. The window was cracked and the only action left to do was commit. This trip full of novel stimuli had given Elijah a desire to explore.
Hardening his mind, Elijah jumped out the window and slowed his fall by flying. His rustling clothes quickly became tamed as the hard patterned stone touched the bottom of his shoes. Just with a glance around the corner, he noticed no one was around. However, flying in this situation would be simply stupid. Instead Elijah quickly ran to the Grand park.
Something he never had a chance to do was to look over the ledge of the park that blocks anyone from falling into the whirlpool. However, something is odd about this whirlpool.
Backwards?
The biggest whirlpool Elijah had ever seen was flowing backwards which doesn't make even a little bit of sense. However, the water in the whirlpool flows outside into the river that passes just next to his house.
It was time for the big moment. Elijah climbed over the ledge and sat down underneath the railing. A couple moments later, a five year old boy was falling extremely slowly.
From what Elijah could see, the edges of where the whirlpool stood were lined with cave entrances. This hole that everyone talks about so much doesn't look like something a meteor would pierce simply because the walls looked as smooth as stone! This is either simply erosion, or something far more destructive than a meteor.
Elijah Flew closer to the water, and the moment he touched it, a cold sensation washed over his body followed by him losing consciousness.
…
"I will give you part of what makes me, me."
"Save me! Save me!"
…
The sound of a fire crackling echoed through a cave along with the dropping sounds of a dripstone.
Elijah's head was rolling back and forth as he was trying to make sense of what was happening to him. The last thing he remembers was touching the whirlpool, and these strange voices that seemed eerily familiar to him.
Suddenly, a deep voice hit Elijah's ear drums that jolted him awake. "Are you awake yet, kid?"
"Wh-, Who are you?!" Elijah was startled. What he thought to be comfortable turned into something he didn't know how to deal with in a body like this!
My previous life was filled with peace and safety, besides all the different types of physical training I did with my body. Even with my daily routine of stretching and body weight exercises, I am a child with almost zero muscle. What should I do?!
The man had a large black cloak over his body that made his face invisible to the eye. "Hahaha, relax kid. I'm not gonna kill you. I'm the reason why you are still breathing. To tell you the truth, I am no one in this kingdom, and I saw you fall from the top of this cave. It seems like you have simply appeared from thin air… I know you won't understand this now, but your life has now fundamentally changed. You are corrupted just like me, or at least should be." The man said as he readjusted the hood over his head.
After staring into the darkness of what didn't seem real, Elijah begans talking to himself. "Please tell me this is just a dream. Haha, this is just a dream."
The hooded man stood up on his feet. He was a shoeless and homeless bastard! "Kid, you have no reason to worry. I am not your enemy."
An invisible force of resistance was within Elijah's mind, and with his wise and old mind, he was able to calm himself down with the sensical words of the mystery man. "Please, tell me what you mean by corrupted."
While slowly walking side to side to ease the mind of the boy in front of him, he rested his hand on his chin while crossing his left arm around his black cloak. "Don't worry about it, It seems what I thought was the corruption of the, hem hem. I am almost certain you now have an affinity."
Elijah knew he was about to say something important, but he didn't budge. His main goal was to get out of here as quickly as possible. Suddenly obtaining an affinity intrigued him. However, his life was priority as this can be thought over in the future.
"I'm leaving." Elijah stood up and walked towards the huge cave opening that sat right in front of the violent whirlpool. This time, he is staying as far away as possible out of pure fear.
"Hahaha, what do you think you are going to do, fly through the current?!" The man was flabbergasted at Elijah's attempt for escape even though the man was not holding him hostage whatsoever. "Don't you want to learn more about your affinity?"
The water droplets that made its way into the entrance of the cave dripped down Elijah's soiled clothes and face. His face scrunched at the idea of him actually appeasing this man.
"What can you teach me?"