23 The down trip

The answer sounded as if it should be obvious to him. That did not mean he actually knew what the other was trying to hint at exactly. It was all getting tangled up into a mess and he was not liking it at all.

"Don't be vague and say it clearly. Something sent me here and it put me on a time limit to solve whatever mission I have to solve. I can only think of one thing though - the assassination attempt on the crown. It was foiled once before but the culprit never came to light so do I need to uncover them to get past this trial?" Kaito sounded angry but also hopeful.

He really did want answers this time as it was his only link to Noah for now.

"I can't say because I'm not allowed to. It is a trial for you but you do need to remember one thing, this is not real and you are not preventing anything here. You're here just to find an answer, whatever that may be" the oracle seemed to be finished, now no longer interested in talking.

This just made Kaito even angrier and it was visible on his face now.

"Please don't be hasty now, your highness. We don't want any unfortunate incidents on the holy grounds so early" Ryu tried to mediate but his voice held a sliver of promise to it. Kaito tried to ignore it but it held his attention.

As he had said before, Ryu was an enigma to everyone and had been till the end. He never appeared during the riots or the way, content to sit back and enjoy it all.

And yet the temple was never targeted or called in by the elder generations, despite the dislike. It was almost as if they were afraid of this place and its influence. Even so, the lazy smile on Ryu's face made something tick inside Keito's mind. A sort of familiar and yet irritating feeling.

It was the smile of someone who knew something important you did not. Was Ryu in the hold of some information he needed to know about?

"Well, you heard him and I also think it's time we take our leave. Feel free to use this room for now and I will keep you updated with the search" nothing had been made clear to Kaito but he could not ask any longer.

The other party had already left this space before he could gather his thoughts and ask more or even let out a 'wait' pass his lips.

All Kaito could do was sigh in frustration. He got no answers, just more questions and irritating relationships.

Now alone, he took in the colourful landscape outside. The flowers did paint a beautiful scene and the smell was pleasant to his nose. In all honesty, Jess should have liked this place but she never came around to liking it.

Or maybe it was the people that lived here that irked her.

The temple was well known to be almost free from aristocratic influence and made up of people of common blood. Most people posted here generally had a change of heart and got along better with common people.

And this was a big point which turned the nobles off this place - the presence of commoners and to share space with them. It was a big flaw in his court and one he was trying to fix till the end.

Jess had come a long way and he had put her in charge of this. Her work was flawless and he knew she had made progress by leaps and bounds by the time he had died. Most people had spoken of her with fondness after all.

He would just have to do this work all over again.

Kaito did wonder what Noah would have said about all this but his mind already knew. The other was a commoner, a 'servant' but he never shied away from Kaito or anyone else. He was not worse than anyone else.

'Maybe that's why Noah liked this place and chose it' Kaito's mind whispered. He almost waited for his wolf to comment back but only silence greeted before he remembered - his wolf was not here right now.

It took a long time for him to get out of his thoughts but he finally managed to do so the sun had all but set, turning the gentle landscape in front of him into a reddish light.

Kaito exited the room and began walking down the steps. The place had proved to be no better but he had a new direction now.

Then a small sound of branch snapping reached his ears and he froze for a second before continuing as if nothing had happened. He knew now that he was being followed which meant that acting ignorant was important.

If his pursuer knew that he had been discovered then things would get problematic.

Once no other noise reached his ear, Kaito decided it would be alright to take a detour. His course changed from down to the side, and he entered the forest.

A few steps deep, he quickly scaled the nearest tree and crouched down on the branch. It served the dual purpose of concealing his body and providing enough surface to be able to jump down and attack the enemy.

He waited for someone to appear in his line of sight but after a few minutes, it was evident that the one who was following him did not fall for that trick at all.

There was another sound of a small branch snapping and he had a feeling that he was being watched. He had no idea where the other was, but now it was clearly evident that someone was there and they were closer than he had anticipated.

"I'm sorry but you should really head back now" Kaito almost screamed in reflex and swung his knife at the voice behind him. It struck something metallic, producing a ringing sound and he swung once again.

All he could see was a flash of blue and white before the other person was falling off the branch backwards. The white and blue mask flashed in the darkness as if lit by magic and he could recognize it at once.

Wide golden eyes watched as the oracle fell down as a direct result of dodging his knife. The first strike had no doubt been blocked by the shoulder and arm armour present on his one side.

Only, the other did not fall.

Somehow, the other manoeuvred his small body to land on his feet, a very fox-like movement evident in his steps. Kaito felt a relief filled breath leave his lungs at that.

"What were you thinking? Don't try and scare others like that or next time you won't get this lucky. I almost mistook you as an assassin" Kaito quickly jumped down too, his knees bent to absorb the impact of the fall.

The mask on the other's face tilted to face him once again and Kaito found himself at a total loss. Generally, he depended on the other's unconscious actions and facial expressions to read them, but the long sleeves, as well as the face mask, obstructed him fully in this case.

"My apologies, your highness but it is rather late. Your destiny has not arrived yet so we cannot allow you to die just yet" The other's voice was still muffled and soft - a total enigma and yet there was something almost familiar in the way the other was carrying himself.

This place was clearly playing tricks on him now. First, he found that creepy Ryu as familiar and now this small oracle he was sure he had never met before. And he was even being doubted in his skills.

"I can handle myself. If you truly wish to help then give me straight answers" Kaito demanded, clearly not in a mood to entertain the others.

"But I did. Perhaps the fault lies not with me, but with you" the fox mask was once again staring at him and Kaito was sure he could recognise the very look that would be on the face behind the mask.

But as soon as the image began to take shape, it dispersed from his mind and Kaito found himself irritated at it all.

"Whatever. If you can't help me then get lost. I have no need for useless people" Kaito saw the other pause at his words, an almost something on the other's lips before a sort of acceptance crossed the other's lips.

"Very well then. I hope your highness has a good enough journey" the child replied and Kaito was off.

The child watched as the older left, his mind was still heavy in thoughts. As soon as the kind was far enough, the small hands reached toward the mask and pulled it off to free the white face with fox-like blue-green eyes.

"I hope you end this soon and free me of my suffering Kaito. I'm not sure how much longer I can hold. Even now, I can feel my power and life fading away and I just want it all to end already" Noah whispered but it went unheard in the cold winds of the forest.