21 Days Later
Chapter 12: 21 Days Later
"What an awakened Franzer can do, you have no idea… Your Highness!"
― Oriana Franzer (LS 1213)
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Year 1212, 19th day of the 4th month- The Villa Behind the Church~
General POV~
Morning hours~
*Chirp. Chirp* *Swoosh*
In the courtyard of the villa three people were doing sword routines. One elderly man was watching over two young ones as they practice.
*Swoosh*
"DAMN! WHY CAN'T I STILL UNDERSTAND AURA!" The red haired young lady started shouting.
"If you just shut up, you might get it..." Said the white haired young man seemingly annoyed.
"SHUT UP STINKY! HEY GRAMPS WHY CAN'T I FEEL AURA!!?" The girl glared at the older gentleman with a pout.
The trio were Julian, Celine and Axel of course and they appeared to be training to invoke their aura and successfully reach Advanced level.
Julian was smiling being amused. He gestured them to keep the doing the same exercise.
From out of nowhere Mavis appeared beside him as he was looking at the two young warriors with a very amused expression.
Celine and Axel kept doing their exercise without minding him too much. So, He looked at Julian.
Julian just smiled and didn't say anything.
"So, Sir Knight. When are you going to tell them that they have already unlocked their aura two weeks ago and just don't realize it because you made his majesty cast an illusion on them?" Whispered Mavis.
"Naturally I would not tell them."
"And what is the purpose of that may I ask?"
"Aura is an inner power Sir Wizard. I told Lucian to cast an advanced level illusion. And if they cannot even break out of it with their will power than they have nothing to be proud of!" Julian seemed determined.
"You do know that it's almost impossible for only an Advanced level warrior to break out of the same rank illusion right? And it's impossible when they aren't even aware of their predicament!��� Mavis stated feeling helpless.
"Then they just need to breakthrough it do they not?"
A very rare smile formed on Julian's face. Mavis nodded understanding what he meant. He smiled as well. He also felt sorry for the kids, for having a monster as their teacher. Julian was a peak Master Rank Swordsman after all.
He then remembered even his liege was under the tutelage of Julian so he couldn't help but ask.
"What about his majesty then?"
Julian thought a while then he said, "He has no motivation to pick up the sword and his magic is way too powerful. So after I trained him enough according to the orders I let him be."
Mavis wanted to ask something and Julian understood what he wanted to ask so he just put five fingers and gestured upwards.
Mavis was in shock. 'To think he was a monster on melee too… Why does it feel like there is more to him than what we all know…'
Marina came when they were having the conversation and she told them breakfast was ready. The kids seemed exhausted so they all went for breakfast.
After breakfast Celine asked, "Where is Lucian? He didn't wake up yet?"
"The lord had woken up some time ago and went to the orphanage's orchard. He said not to call him for breakfast." Marina replied her.
"Thanks boss lady! I will go find him."
Marina could only shake her head seeing Celine run out and Axel to follow him. The older gentlemen just sipped on their tea while all this happened.
After a while.
*knock*
"Come in." Marina said and Jabbar walked in, wearing his usual outfit.
"Welcome back Jabbar. You sure took your sweet time." Marina mocked, because it shouldn't have taken more than ten days for him to return. She knew something might have happened but she still joked to lighten the mood for the serious stuff.
"Sigh! I got delayed."
"Well spit it out!"
"Wait for the lord and we will all discuss."
Marina nodded and looked at one of the maids who got her que.
.
Half an hour later,
Everyone was sitting on the dining table. Lucian was looking straight at Jabbar who seemed solemn.
He nodded at him indicating him to start.
"My lord, apologies for being late but I was delayed by a matter."
Seeing Lucian didn't stop him or reprimand him he continued.
"I heard a rumor when I arrived in Hayton. Some Merchants were excitedly talking about the Great Haranhaul Creed, as they recently announced that the Fourth Great Prophecy will be dawned upon humanity soon."
"""WHAT??"""
Everyone was shocked. Lucian stood up. None of the Great Prophecies amounted to anything good. He didn't even know why they even call it great. Yes, every one of the prophecies came true but in weird ways. And all of them lead to wars. Bloody wars.
The Blood-Soaked Jumat is a prime example of that. 2 Bloody massacres happened in those plains. So much blood spilled that even now the plains are barren and red and smell of the dead….
The last prophecy was,
"A new Deakin Champion will rise from the ashes and will plunge the known realm in chaos."
And they did.
This changed everything. Lucian needed to change the plan and fast.
"Everyone!" He said and all of them looked towards him anxiously.
"If there will be a new prophecy then it means there will be chaos… Most of the prophecies came true after a few years and this time it may happen again. But first we need to confirm the prophecy. We will be traveling to the Capital, Haranhaul Church City as soon as possible.
Say your good byes and pack enough stuff. Make sure you change attires to adventurer ones or normal civilian ones. We cannot draw attention. We will visit Hayton as soon as we can and I will meet my aunt as promised.
After that we will enter Altumia borders for a direct pass to Haranhaul. We cannot go through Brendenrod territory it is too risky so this is our best choice." Lucian ordered them and told them his plans and everyone nodded and dispersed.
"You will stay here Jabbar! This is my safe house and I still need you to protect it." Jabbar seemed reluctant but he would never defy his lord.
"Marina, take all the gold out of my personal account and give it to Mavis he will handle the rest. And get us the normal clothes that we require."
Marina bowed and went on her way.
In the empty room Lucian was standing with closed eyes.
'I don't think this is what master divined, but what he divined might lead to the Great Prophecy's occurrence. DAMN IT! Why can I not divine yet.'
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Year 1212, 20th day of the 4th month- Outside of Bullmar towards the West~
Two carriages were being pulled by four horses. Celine was sitting on the coach of the second carriage with Axel who was acting as the driver. Celine seemed to be enjoying the whole view.
Lucian was inside that carriage deeply in meditation. He casted a few runes making the whole carriage ride comfortable. So, he had no distractions.
On the carriage that was in front there was Julian, Mavis and a young boy named Spike. He had spiky brown hair and nothing impressive to take notice. He was acting as the caretaker and temporary butler to Lucian. He was a jolly young lad who wanted to become swordsman but didn't have much talent.
Marina almost forced Lucian to take him, because when she heard Lucian had no servants with him when he was travelling, she almost made the town turn upside down.
"NO LORD OF MINE WILL GO WITHOUT SERVANTS HELPING HIM!"
Well that said and done now they had Spike as new company. Plus, point was the boy knew how to cook small meals. Which was great because none of the others could cook.
And Spike seemed happy to join, he admired Lucian a great deal. As he was one of the first slaves to be saved by him personally.
They were headed for Hayton the capital city of Eastigar which was only four days by carriage. But with the enhanced ones it will only take them two days. But they decided not to camp out in the wilds so they will take it a bit slower and arrive in three days meaning staying in two human settlements which falls in the way.
First being a small town called Grass Gate and the next was a small village outside the capital called Apple Valley.
Celine and Axel still hadn't figured out that they have unlocked their aura's and kept on practicing. They improved in monstrous rate which even surprised Lucian who was a living breathing monster on his own.
Along the journey they came across a few caravans'. It seemed like many people had the same idea as them. It was good because it will be easier for them to blend in.
Lucian in his meditation was casting an illusion on himself again and again. He was making himself go through a very painful memory. The memory of his masters passing. He kept crying every time he watches the memory but he kept true to his goal. He wanted to see if anything can help him deduce his master's last prophecy.
Divination! Was that powerful an Art. To peer in to the fate of an individual was no longer within the power of mortals. That's why Sages are so respected. Lucian was gifted. But Divination came from being one with nature and the world. No matter how strong one was they cannot grasp the art unless they let nature and world take over them.
It did not take the party long and they reached Grass Gate town in the late afternoon without much hassle. Usually there were bandits and robbers around the area but because of the volume of traffic. They didn't dare to come out. Which was good for everyone.
Arriving at Grass Gate the first thing they saw were plains covered in long grass and there was a huge gate made of grass and bamboos. The walls were made out of bamboo as well and giving the whole town give a poor backward feel.
"Stinky! Is this town poor?" Celine asked Axel. It seemed they grown closer for Celine to directly ask him.
"No they are not. And from what I heard before this town is very rich. The walls aren't ordinary bamboo walls. I don't know much but I heard this place cannot be burned. Or bandits would have burned it years ago." Axel replied in a soft voice which made Lucian and Mavis turn to him with amused smiles.
"What young axel said is true. These walls aren't just bamboo and grass braids. These are blessed by the nature spirits!" Mavis replied with a laugh.
"REALLY? SO DOES THAT MEAN THERE ARE NATURE SPIRITS HERE?" Celine was amazed and shouted. Some civilians were getting inside the town after their day's work and giggle at her shouting making Celine embarrassed and hide behind Lucian.
"No Celine there are no nature spirit here. But yes these walls were once blessed long ago by the spirits. And from my assumptions the walls are over a century old but only looks a bit ragged." Lucian added to the conversation.
"Well it doesn't matter. We will stay here for the night and tomorrow we will be on our way."
As they prepared to go inside the town they didn't notice some people paying attention to them. Or did they….
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~Meanwhile in Bullmar Adventurers guild~
Mira's POV~
'Sigh my whole team is dead and most of the merchants died and I was only able to secure half of the cargo. No one can blame them for not paying me. But this sucks….'
I was feeling rather down and I actually got a Big red mark on my records. Sigh now getting jobs from merchants will be so much harder. I should have joined them. That way I could stay closer to Axel.
*THUD*
A loud sound woke me from my day dreaming. It was Veena one of the clerks of the guild and my friend. She put down a lot of papers in front of me and woke me up.
"Hey there Vii, hope you are having a better day than me.... I am out of work it seems."
"Hmm… What happened to the big strong knight who saved you from bandits? Didn't he offer you to go with them?"
"Well… I am too embarrassed to go… I always feel shy near him and um um he is serving some young lord. And even though he seemed nice and all but you know why I became an adventurer, don't you?"
"Sigh! But you said the guy you have a crush on serves that lord no? So even if you eventually end up marrying him you will still need to serve that lord!"
"M-m-marry?Whaa…" I went back to day dreaming only to be slapped awake by Vii.
"Sigh! If you like him that much you should take the offer. And from what you have said already, if the guy you like is that great and serving that lord then the lord cannot be that bad either, okay."
"I guess you are right." I instantly cheered up and hugged Vii.
"Thanks Vii! I woveee you!"
"Sigh! Just go already!"
"If you sigh that much you will get wrinkles." And before she could hit me again with her books I ran away. Now I need to go to the address they gave me. The old church it seems.
'I am coming Sir Axel wait for me.'