Chapter -15

'Was I able to escape?' Thought Mavis Nueman.

How ironic it was, his whole life he had been running, escaping from one thing or another, and now the only way to face things head-on was to escape.

Escape from a being a toy.

Escape, and meet her.

"Only one active soul may collect karma per world." the damnable voice still echoed in his mind.

The visions and memories haunting him for decades had finally made themselves clear.

'Leave, for you don't belong here' they said.

'Leave, she can't wait forever'

'Leave, or you would too become a doll' They warned

The branches bent and broke as he rushed through the forest.

'$hit, I might have to use it' worried Mavis as shadows threatened to bind him.

Evading the pursuers, he began the chant "Oh, the chains that bind me, now is time for you to protect, enclose and enwrap." The chant was not a necessity, but it was indeed important.

A blue aura enwrapped him as it took form of cubes. Floating they intercepted the shadows.

Flashes and sparks flew about as spikes made of darkness collided with the eerie blue.

Alas, they could not stop them all as a single spike impaled Mavis' arm.

He retreated while clutching the wound that oozed blood.

With no solution in sight, he made his resolve. "GOLDEN CAGE!" He screamed at the top of his lung, as the cubes took the construct of a cage, blue it radiated before enclosing around him.

Lifeless his body struck the ground.

***

"So? What do you want ?" asked Darwin, disgruntled.

"I just want us to help each other" replied a young man. "I can give you two things: Exchange of information and money. And in return all I want you to do is to work with me"

Darwin gave the man a disapproving look; disheveled hair, beaten clothes and talks too good to be true. All spelt fraud.

"Nothing I need." He began to stand.

"Dr. Mavis Bluejack" were the words that made Darwin halt.

"A famous archeologist and a lesser known philosopher, if my memory serves me right, he was researching the 4 temples of Aurtiaz before he went missing."

Darwin sat down as the man continued.

"There were many records of a strange phenomenon, that all the graves had started growing a peculiar blue mold around the Fujir area, which is north of Rostar, the place where Dr. Mavis was doing his research. Of course they could be nothing but just coincidences, but an interesting thing is, despite visiting all the places that Dr.Mavis did, you never went near either, now this is just my speculation but, you have indeed visited them before, long before you even published the first of your works." he was looking straight at Darwin, yet Darwin felt as if he was looking through him.

"Still, nothing you have said helps me." interrupted Darwin.

The man pauses for a bit. "The treasure of Fiztria, I know where it was last held."

Darwin stared at the man's solemn face; an expression brimming with confidence and eyes that showed no deceit but he could tell, this man was not looking at him but something else, as if lost in the future he wants to see.

So he decided, to trust the ambitions of this man, to use him to progress but never to make him a friend.

He took a deep breath before sighing, he would now have to break a promise, "by working with you, you have cost me a few million jennie so it better be worth it." he stood up "Name's Darwin, Darwin Nueman" said he while extending a hand.

"Ging, Ging Freecs." Ging smiled while shaking it before stealing a glace at the nen beast beside Darwin.

***

"'The eye of the sky became drowsy' what does this mean mom ?" Asked Ethan.

"Oh, reading one of papa's books again" smiled Amelia. "Let me see it" she said before closing her eyes thoughtfully. "well, translation from Ancient Kalta are a little heavy on references and idioms, I remember the 'eye' here refer to the Sun" she peeked at Ethan with half an eye open.

"So either he wants to say that it was almost dusk or that the king was sleepy ?" asked Ethan

"Yes, good!" she patted his head."though you would have to ask your father when he comes back to know more about it." her hand stopped as her shoulders dropped a little.

Ethan snapped his fingers lightly, amplifying the sound to a frequency inaudible to humans with his 'will' while carrying the meaning 'do it'.

Milo's ears perked up as it rushed towards Amelia, nuzzling her legs.

"Aww, look who's here, did you have a good nap." She bent to scratch Milo.

Seeing that the mood of his mother had improved, Ethan extended his hand to pat Milo to praise it, but before he could do so, Milo jumped and balanced itself on his shoulders, before making itself home on his head.

Lots of pictures were snapped that day.

***

Ethan's father hardly contacted home, though he did sent letters once a month. Making his mother gaze longingly at the window every once in a while.

In his letters he had mentioned the places he visited. From great deserts and cities to swamps and villages. They were always short and to the point, but they usually made his mother's day who would always look a little relieved after seeing them, but in the last letter he had said that it might take him longer than expected as the search was not going too well. This ruined the mood of Amelia for a week, quite evident from the increased spiciness of food.

But not too long after that letter, another letter arrived which said that he won't be able to write for a few months but after that he would return. She was a little bittersweet about this letter. Oh, and they had curry that night for dinner.