„Coaxingly offers you its mixture of dream and pain. Feeding upon my soul it crawls in under my skin."

Ince couldn't shut his mouth in amazement. He was there again! That cave he had seen many, many years ago. He had been there countless times in his dreams; in front of these walls which had been appealing him since then. – You've found it. – he whispered.

- Nah, it was teamwork. – Kese grinned. – But...

- Hm?

- There's nothing here. There isn't anything we could see as treasure.

- You said it wasn't like gold. Maybe this place itself is the treasure.

Kese tried to repress a laugh, with little success, and rubbed his aching head.

- Can't you feel it? – the monk asked.

- What?

- The attraction. It is pulling me, and it makes me feel a feeling I can't describe! I don't know how to put it into words, dammit!

- Ince, you've just sworn.

- Oh, my, I'm so sorry! – he started to murmur a prayer for his sin.

Kese looked around with a bitter expression. 'I didn't expect this.' he thought. 'Well, I don't even know what I expected. But it's true, I feel the same as he. I feel like being seduced in a not sexual way. It promises something else...' he stepped closer to a wall and touched the engraved ornaments. The surface was neither stone, nor metal, made out of an unknown material. The light became brighter at the places he touched it. The whole impression was familiar to him. – Amazing. – he whispered in a daze. – Perhaps it's made of a special material they wanted to have. – he turned towards the monk, one hand still on the wall. Ince blinked at him.

- Kese, why is your chest glowing?

The blonde glanced down, reached under his shirt and pulled out the glowing thing. It was his key! – What the heck... – he murmured. – Of course! – he realized why the walls were so familiar. They were made out of the same material and had the same ornaments as his key; only bigger.

Ince noticed the blonde's eyes started searching for something on the walls. – What are you doing?

- I'm looking for a keyhole.

- Do you think you could open something with that?

- Yes. This key's too similar to the walls to be ignored. And why else would it glow? – he searched every centimetres but found nothing. He was disappointed, but decided to summon that golden path again. 'Maybe it'll show me the keyhole' he thought, then concentrated. What he saw surprised him.

He didn't see any keyholes. He saw a few hexagons on the wall glowing in gold, while the rest of the ornaments were dulled and darker. He touched one, he felt like he pushed it a little, then its glow disappeared. He did this with the remaining figures as well, and after he finished, one of the walls moved and lifted, revealing another tunnel. Its walls looked the same like the small cave's walls, and it was enlightened too. Kese and Ince watched it in amazement and awe, and they glanced at each other. The blonde immediately stepped into the tunnel; the monk hesitated a little, but followed him. They went down a spiral staircase, then another tunnel until they reached a dead-end. Kese at first wanted to summon that golden glow again to search for more clues, but he noticed the way up. About ten metres of climbing to reach the next level, and the wall was full of handholds; it would be easy for him to get up there. But not for Ince. The monk examined the wall with fear in his eyes.

- I'm sorry Kese. I think I can't go any further with you.

- No problem.

- I'm really sorry. I can't even stand still on a chair. I'm afraid of heights and I'm not fit enough to-

- Ince, that's okay. I'll go alone. Just wait for me here. – he put down the lamp and began climbing. After only two metres his abdomen started to hurt. 'Damn, I forgot about my wound!' he hissed and bit his lips. 'I hope I won't reopen it.'

He reached the top slowly and carefully, then pulled himself up. He looked around. There was another tunnel again; it looked like the previous, but the air was colder. He shivered: the attraction was stronger than before. It pulled him towards the end of this tunnel, and he obeyed. He arrived to another cave, similar to the first, but the patterns were now a bit different. He made the golden glowing come forth, pushed the highlighted figures again and the walls parted.

And then he spotted it.

A prickle at his neck and in his guts appeared when he laid his eyes on that thing, on a pedestal in the centre of a large cave. Although he was calm, his body got full of adrenalin. He stepped closer and approached that thing.

It was a simple orb, about the size of his fist. Made out of some alloy, or something like the walls or his key. It rested on a linen cloth; it was old and ancient, but not aged. And it was beautiful. The orb was what had been calling him, whispering to him, and Ince too. Now, it tempted him.

Kese didn't know how, but he stood in front of the pedestal all of a sudden. The orb started to emit a strange, yellowish light. – What the devil... – he sighed when he remembered why it was so familiar. He had seen it in his dreams and flashbacks before! - This is...

His hand reached for the orb; he couldn't help it. His heart was beating fast, his fingers were shaking. But he touched it. It was soft and warm and gave him calmness, pleasure, fear and excitement at the same time. The orb fit perfectly in his palm. He lifted it to his face, to take a closer look. He tried to describe the feeling, to put it into words, but he wasn't able, he was so marvelled and delighted. He opened his mouth to say something, but instead of this he just sighed. He couldn't look anywhere but at the orb, it was so, so beautiful.

A ruthless wave of pain hit his head as sudden as a lightning strikes a lone tree. He grabbed the pedestal, but he couldn't remain on his feet any more. He fell to his knees and then to his side, still holding onto the orb. He couldn't release it; he didn't want to let it go. But he had to realised it was torturing him with this tremendous headache, and he lost his hold on that thing.

The orb rolled away; he saw it stop a few metres from him. The aching disappeared. And the blonde closed his tired eyes.

Kese groaned. He had never had such weird dream. It was like thousands of stories, even of full lives had rolled down in front of his eyes with astonishing speed. When a story ended, another began. He had seen the same people in two different lives, and somehow understood the line of history behind them as well. It was really weird. Well, more than weird. If he hadn't known the men and women from his visions and flashbacks, he would have said his mind was a badass imaginative machine.

But he knew them, and it confused him. Why had he had such dream? He groaned again and raised his hand to rub his temples, to prepare for another headache. But it didn't come. His head was light, it didn't hurt; and he felt fine. He wiped his forehead and looked around. Now, he remembered he had been in that strange, glowing, ancient cave inside the Turul Mountain, led there by Ince and a golden path. He was lying on his back and could feel the warmth of the floor, but the air was very cold and made his breath visible. He slowly sat up and noticed a large linen cloth on his stomach. It was on the pedestal before and he must have pulled it down from its respectful place when he had fallen. He touched the linen, and it gave him a good feeling and made him shudder. Kese smiled: he felt like wrapping himself in that cloth and falling asleep for a few hours. It sure would give him nice, soft dreams...

He let out a sigh: he wasn't there for this. And besides, Ince was still waiting for him. Or not? Kese had just made eye-contact with him! The monk was loitering in the entrance of the cave, blinking around at the walls and at him.

- What are you doi- wait, how did you get up here? – the blonde was totally dumbfounded.

- I don't know... – he blinked again. – You were awhile for away.

- ...awhile for away?! – Kese didn't understand what was up with the monk. It was like he was a bit out of reality. – Are you okay, Ince?

- Yes. You called me. – he murmured and started to slowly step closer.

- What are you saying? I didn't call you. – the blonde frowned: the monk was staring into distance, or rather staring at him; his eyes blank and lifeless. Kese got worried. – Are you sure you're alright?

- Yes. – he walked past him, and turned in the direction of the orb. It was still resting on the floor where it had rolled to before. Kese didn't know what the monk wanted to do with it, but he had a very bad feeling about this. He wanted to warn him, to tell him it might not be safe, but before he could do that, Ince bent down, grabbed and lifted the orb. He straightened himself and Kese's chin dropped when Ince began speaking to that thing. – You called me. I've come to you... I'm here now. I'm all yours.

- What?! – the blonde got scared by his words. And got even more scared when the orb started to glow, and its light enveloped the monk. Ince's eyes widened, his body tensed and leaned back. His mouth gaped, but air didn't get in, nor out. The orb started to suck his life out of him.

But it didn't get the chance. Kese jumped up and twisted it out of the monk's grip. The orb hit the floor hard and rolled away again, leaving him collapsed in the blonde's arms.

The monk didn't know where he was when he woke up. He was lying in a scary cave, with a folded vest under his head. His mouth was dry and he felt dizzy, but otherwise he was fine. He carefully sat up and noticed the blonde not far from where he was.

Kese stood with his right side to the monk, his hands raised to his chest. Ince saw he was holding something: a strange, but beautiful orb. The blonde was concentrating on it and was illuminated by its glowing. His eyes were closed; his body was light and free from tension; and god knows how long he had been there like that.

- What's that, Kese? – the monk stood up, but didn't have the courage to approach him. The orb's light was too mystical for his mind, but it quickly toned down as he spoke. The blonde glanced at him, then back to the orb.

How to say it? It was many things: temptation, guide, source of wisdom and knowledge. It promised to grant wishes and dreams. It charmed and scared at the same time. It provided control. And it wanted to have control.

It was hard for Kese to explain this to the monk. He didn't say anything. He didn't tell him anything he had learnt from it. And he also didn't want to tell him about his scar and flashbacks. He just put the orb back, on top of the pedestal with the cloth as well.

- It would be better we didn't tell anyone about this thing.

- Why?

- This is the treasure the pirates wanted. – he whispered and ignored Ince's shocked expression. – It's capable of many things; and some of them are not good. And it has to remain here, in this cave. I can't explain you why, but it has to.

Ince didn't understand the blonde, but he nodded. Kese stood a little in front of the pedestal, then turned and headed towards the exit. – Let's go. – and the monk followed him.

- Erm, Kese?

- Hm?

- Do you know perhaps the way back?

- I will. – the blonde glanced back at the orb once more before they reached the edge of the tunnel. - And do you know perhaps how you'll get down from here?

- Wha-what?!

Kese thought they would never get back to the abbey. It took an eternity for Ince to climb down on that wall because he was very afraid of falling. The monk was trembling when they reached the floor and he could finally sit down. – I'll never climb again! – he sighed while resting. – Tell me, Kese, why didn't we bring water with us? I'm so thirsty... Oh no!

- What?!

- I've lost my hood.

- Your hood? How?!

- It was a separate part of my habit. The seam in the front must have finally given in and it slipped down. Oh, my God- uh, I'm sorry!

- Ince, you shall not take the name of your god in vain! – Kese chuckled, quoting his friend from before. A minute later he pulled him up and they went back to the first, small cave. Right after they stepped out of the tunnel, the wall behind them closed automatically, surprising both of them. Kese took a closer look at it, and was glad the walls showed the same pattern as before. This meant he could come back and visit that cave again when he needed. And he had a strange feeling he would need to come back some times...

He found the way back to the abbey easily, by summoning the golden path. He realized he was gifted with it, and he was able to use it better now. The orb had told him how, or rather, made it clear. He somehow knew it, deep inside in his subconscious; his mind was just too hazy to figure it out by itself. He took a mental note to work on it later, to see what this sense is capable of.

It was late afternoon when they got out. Thirsty, hungry, exhausted, but finally out. Kese inhaled the fresh air deeply and his eyes went wide. – I'm screwed. – he whispered to himself.

He told Ince his goodbye and headed home as fast as he could. When he got back to the village, he ran into Lehel. – Kese, you better hurry. – he stated with a serious look. – Your mother is very nervous; she was looking for you all day. By the way, where have you been? Oh, and how is your wound? I'd like to see it. Kese?!

But the blonde didn't hear him. He had already left him behind before the doc could have finished his second sentence. He rushed right home. He stopped in front of their door and hesitated. It might be better for him not to enter if his mother was in the kitchen. Unfortunately, his window was closed, so he couldn't just climb into his room and pretend sleeping. He had to enter.

He did it as quiet as he just could. But he couldn't by-pass his mother's attention and angry look.

His ears still hurt when he got in his bed. Rozi had pulled them cruelly while scolding him like every time he had done something wrong in the past; and it seemed old habits indeed die hard. And Tas? He had been watching them all along, not saying a word about his absence. He knew his son could take care of himself if he got into trouble. Nothing had proved this better than his clashing with the pirates.

And then a certain dangerous question had come. - Where have you been?

- At the abbey. To get something from Ince; I couldn't bear my headache any more.

- I have been there. – it was always funny how this fragile woman could growl at Kese, making him hunch a little. – And I haven't seen you.

- It's because we went on a little walk. It's been a while since we last talked.

They had been arguing with each other about random things, like Kese should have helped more in the kitchen garden and the orchard this year, he should play more with Csepke, and it would be about time for him to get a girlfriend, etc, until it had got dark and they had to light a candle. They had a small dinner, then everyone went to their beds. But Kese couldn't get himself to sleep. His mind was all around the orb and the past events. Should he just tell them he had found that certain treasure, which was a very dangerous and yet fantastic artefact, capable of control almost anyone? Of course not. Even he couldn't believe what he had found and what he had got to learn.

He had learnt the orb was called The Apple. A Piece of Eden.

He had heard about something like this when he was told about the Magors' religion, which was a unique monotheism in the shinobi world and was very ancient. They said it existed before their world had been created. But as many other things, Kese considered this a myth as well.

But still: The Apple of Eden! Kese had thought it was just an iconic fruit from a small religion. It was more.

He had seen it many times. It was one of the first things that had appeared in his dreams after he had got to the island; however at first he hadn't known exactly what it was for. 'That thing makes formidable an understatement' he thought. Plus what it had done made Kese astonished and messed up.

It had made order in his head. It put everything in its place, and the memories had got linear and coherent. He knew and understood everything now; and The Apple had given explanation why these memories had appeared and to whom they belonged initially. It even told him how he had learnt from his visions and dreams and what was up with his key.

However a few thing was still foggy for him besides these. He needed a little time to comprehend them, and his mind needed to work on it until he completely processed everything. And amongst so many others, one certain thing got more of his attention.

He pulled up his shirt and touched his belly. It was a little sensitive, but smooth. There was no fresh wound anymore, only his usual scar. It had somehow healed completely. He thought he was dreaming when he had discovered this. 'It must have healed while I was out in the cave' he thought. There was no sign of a shinobi medic, who – as he had heard before – could have restored his wound to its former state without a trace, and Ince wasn't capable of doing this. So the blonde had only one idea left who or rather what had healed him: the linen, which was under The Apple. He had pulled it down with him when he had fallen, and it was on his belly when he had got up. This linen had also appeared in his memories; although very rarely and hadn't taken any noticeable action. – So that cloth, huh? – he whispered, still stroking the pink skin on his scar.

Kese sighed then fell in silence. He liked he hadn't have any headache and flashbacks, but his head was full of new knowledge, and it didn't let him sleep. Suddenly, he got an idea.

He got up, lit a candle and sat down at his desk. He searched for an empty booklet and opened it. Before he dipped his plume in some ink, he hesitated. He sighed again and looked at his reflection in the window in front of him. He blinked a few, and smiled; then started to write to the left from the right.

Thank you for reading!^^

-The quote is from Vad Fruttik (Wild Frutties), a hungarian band, the song's title is 'Bálban' (In the ball). Translation by me. :O

-To make it clear: the Magors' religion is the same as our world's christianity. I'll explain this later.

Thank you for the follows, favs and reviews too. They make me happy.^^ :)