AN: Juuuuuuust over 4k this week~ Drayce is such a precious shit in this chapter, oh my god. I mean he's precious in general, but in this chapter particular. Not to mention Caelem is precious, too. He's turned out slightly different than I had initially planned but he's so much more adorable now and I love him very much. Sorry, enough of my ramblings, please enjoy reading~

Chapter 14:

The moment the carriage settled to a stop outside the Crescentia, Drayce quickly climbed out with Blayke right behind him.

Blayke had wanted to return to the Crescentia straight away, but Drayce managed to convince him into visiting the market place first so they could give Syrik that note from Ramus. Even though the market place was within walking distance of the Crescentia, he saw no point in returning home and then heading back out when they were travelling past the markets anyway.

It was late afternoon now, maybe an hour or so until sunset. Not much time, given he still had to return to the labyrinth and speak with Virgil about the bandits and pick up some stones. So he needed to explain to everyone quickly what Ramus had informed him and Blayke of the Radiant Moon. There was a slim chance that this Randian Moon of Compassion wasn't the one spoken off on Caelem's back, but it was all they currently had to work on. And they couldn't afford to dismiss anything outright.

Entering the Crescentia, the first floor seemed eerily quite. But that was most likely due to the fact that everyone was still in the library.

So to the third floor they go.

As they walked up the stairs, Drayce unexpectedly stumbled over a step and he had to reach out for the banister to keep himself upright. He looked down, somewhat confused as to how and why he stumbled. He brushed it off, though, thinking he probably didn't lift his foot high enough and his toe caught the edge of the step. No big deal.

"You all right?" Blayke asked him.

Drayce couldn't say he was surprised that Blayke would pick up the slight stumble and take it as something to be concerned about.

"It's nothing," Drayce replied with a reassuring grin as he pushed away from the banister and straightened his posture to ensure that he didn't stumble again.

He managed to walk up the rest of the stairs without faltering and quickly made his way into the library. And just as he had figured, everyone was still there, either looking through books or speaking with Caelem. It was good to see that the Therian had calmed down noticeably and was speaking easily with Kamali and Faelen. Zohar was also still there, speaking with Shashi, no doubt about what was needed to be done to help Caelem, while Fiorello spoke with Ashton.

It was also good to see everyone getting along so well.

As per usual with him, Ashton appeared to be the first person to notice their return. "How did the meeting go?" he asked them with a small smile and closed the book he was flipping through.

"Very well," Drayce answered as he walked into the centre of the room and unintentionally the centre of everyone's attention. "Not only was Ramus understanding of the situation, he also gave us some potentially important information."

"So the Radiant Moon was indeed important to the Earthlain royal family?" Shashi questioned as he still carried that very same book around.

"Right," Drayce replied. "From what Ramus told us, the Radiant Moon was a gift given to the royal family as a sign unity and compassion in the years after the devastation of the Legendary War by a Celestian. But a member of the royal family stole it out of spite and jealousy. No one knows what happened to it, or to her, after that."

"Interesting," Shashi murmured as he held his chin in thought. "That would explain the use of mana and the need of a stone to reveal the words. But could a Celestian also be the one forcing this spell upon another?"

"I…" Caelem began. "I don't remember much of what happened to me, but I do know that a necromancer was the one who forced this spell onto me. I don't know anything more than that, though."

Zohar folded his arms across his chest as he peered down at the floor in front of him. "There is the possibility that the spell had been passed around simply out of the need to protect oneself from those who desperately seek the Radiant Moon itself."

"Ramus did say that the council and the Earthlain royal family would pay whatever money is necessary to have the Radiant Moon back," Blayke explained. "Which is a good reason for bandits to go after it without remorse."

Caelem winced and his ears drooped slightly as he sunk back into his seat. "That would explain why they were so ruthless with me…" he murmured softly.

Although Drayce felt a protective trill race down his spine upon imaging what those bandits would have and have done to Caelem, he tried to focus on the task at hand. Honestly, the reason why the location of the Radiant Moon was forced onto Caelem was irrelevant right now. They needed to focus on removing it, keeping him safe, and finding the Radiant Moon before those bandits do.

Speaking of those bandits.

"Caelem, what can you tell us about these bandits?" Drayce questioned. "What did they look like? How about classes?"

Caelem sat silently for a moment as he idly clenched and unclenched his hands on his lap. "I remember two of them the most. A young male celestian who appeared to be a necromancer and was issuing out the orders. Quite short though. And the other was a tall male pugilist who was constantly arguing with the necromancer about how he didn't take orders from anyone but the "Boss", as he called them. The others were actually really quite plain looking. Indistinguishable from each other actually. I don't even remember their faces."

Ok, so they needed to be on the lookout for a young necromancer and a tall pugilist. In a city full of explorers, the two weren't exactly an uncommon sight. But at least they had something to work on.

"Fortunately, even though we haven't officially finished the first mission, Ramus has granted us access to the use of Adriane Threads," Drayce said as he idly rubbed the back of his neck. "We've already visited the market place, so the next thing we need to do is to go back to the labyrinth where-"

"No," Ashton suddenly said, cutting him off firmly.

Drayce was startled and turned to face the green-haired scholar. "Huh?" he uttered.

"I said no," Ashton said with his arms folded across his chest and his expression unnaturally stern. "Not now. Not yet. It's nearly nightfall and the labyrinth is dangerous enough during the day. Besides, you're also still suffering from that battle against the Wild Dog, too. You might not feel it now because your mind is elsewhere, but when you stop to take a breath, you're going to feel every little ache and pain."

"He's right," Fiorello added before Drayce had the chance to protest. "A battle against a Wild Dog is no small feat and you had to endure several physical clashes with the raging beast. Rest for the night and head out first thing in the morning where there's more light. I won't take no for an answer either."

Although feeling somewhat cornered, Drayce still wanted to protest, promising to simply speak with Virgil and then maybe mine a stone or two. That was all. He wanted to help Caelem as soon as possible.

"It's ok," Caelem suddenly spoke up.

Startled again, Drayce turned to regard the redheaded Therian. "Huh?" he uttered dumbly.

"You're pushing yourself to help me, aren't you?" Caelem questioned with an expression that was equal parts guilt and gratitude. "You all have. You don't need to do that. I've had this spell on my back for years. I can wait for a few more days."

Drayce stared at Caelem for a moment and noticed how tired he looked and felt, and he felt a prang of guilt for trying to rush things. "….You're right. You're still recovering, too, huh?"

"Indeed," Zohar said. "It would be best if he was stronger before we attempt the removal spell."

Drayce looked over at Zohar in concern, once again feeling a sense of guilt because he never bothered to ask whether the removal of the spell was safe for Caelem. Though leaving the spell as is would be worst, right? It couldn't be good for him health wise and those bandits were unlikely to have taken good care of him.

"Will it hurt him?" he asked.

"No," Zohar said bluntly. "But it will be draining."

Not entirely reassuring, but…

"We still need time to properly fuse mana to a scroll," Shashi stated. "That can't be rushed. So, for now, you will rest. I'll continue to look for information on the Radiant Moon."

Knowing that he had been well and truly defeated, Drayce nodded his head. "Let me know immediately if you find anything," he requested.

Shashi offered him a small smile. "Of course."

That unnatural look of sternness dissipated from Ashton's face as he dropped his arms to his sides and made his way over to Drayce. With a reassuring expression that Drayce was more accustomed to, he placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and gave a light squeeze.

"For now; let's head downstairs and get something to eat," Ashton said as he guided Drayce toward the exit of the library. "I bet everyone is starving. Let's all head down and eat together, like what a proper guild does."

Drayce gave Ashton a small, almost sheepish smile. "Ok, sounds good."

Ashton gave him another smile, but that unexpectedly turned into a knowing look; arched eyebrow and half grin and all. "No talking about treasures or legends, though."

Drayce huffed. "Now you're just being mean," he whined as they all trekked down the stairs.

… … … … …

After dinning, both Drayce and Caelem had practically been order by Ashton and Fiorello to head to bed early. For Caelem, it was because he was still recovering from the injuries he sustained while held a hostage by those damn bandits. And for Drayce because he was on the very frontline in that battle against the Wild Dog that he had suffered the full force of its brute strength.

Seeing that Ashton was edging closer to that overly zealous caretaker that both his father and grandfather warned him about, Drayce decided to simply agree and head upstairs. He also wanted to walk up with Caelem anyway, to see how he was doing and to help him to his room in case he got lost. It was a large building, after all.

"You can claim that room as yours, if you want," Drayce said as he escorted Caelem back to the room they had placed him in earlier that day. "There are three bathrooms, strategically spaced out, believe it or not. And kitchen's downstairs. Make yourself at home."

Caelem walked through the door of his room before he paused suddenly and turned around to face Drayce, his hands fidgeting in front of him. "You're doing so much for me."

Drayce held up a hand to stop him from saying anything more. "Before you ask why, I'll tell you. It's because I want to. Not because of the possibility of treasure, either."

Caelem blinked at him, rather comically and cutely, as he tilted his head to the side in a bewildered fashion. "Eh?"

"I grew up in a village where people took care of one another," Drayce explained with a smile as he allowed his arm to drop idly to his side. "I grew up with a supportive community. I intend on doing the same here, with this guild. You were in trouble, in pain. I couldn't stand by and let this happen."

Caelem continued to stare at him, almost as if he was bewildered by his kindness before he straightened himself upright. "I'll need to repay you somehow," he said as he continued to fidget. "I'm a Masurao. I…I can't just let you do all of this for me and not repay you somehow!"

Oh, he was a Masurao class? To be honest he looked the part, but because of his circumstances of how he was in the labyrinth, Drayce felt it wrong to ask him if he was. Masurao's were famous for being steadfast and loyal, some even going as far as pledging their lives to another, promising to act as their sword.

Drayce hoped that Caelem didn't go that far with him. He wasn't interested in someone acting as his sword, but he would be more than willing to have Caelem in his guild as a guildmate and companion.

"That's fine, but worry about that later," Drayce said as he reached out to place a gentle and reassuring hand on Caelem's shoulder. "Let's focus on removing that spell. Don't worry, Caelem. We'll work this out somehow."

Caelem didn't wince at the touch. In fact, he looked more relaxed because of it. "Hn. Alright."

"Now, let's get some rest," Drayce said as he gave Caelem's shoulder a light squeeze before removing his hand. "I hate to say it, but Ashton is right. The ol' aches and pains are starting to creep in. Must be the same for you, right?"

Caelem grimaced slightly as he reached up with his left hand to idly rub his right arm. "Y-yeah."

"My room is the last down the hall," Drayce said as he motioned with his hand. "Don't be afraid to visit me if you need anything or even just to talk. I'll leave you to get some rest now."

Caelem glanced down the hall and his ear gave a little twitch before he turned back to Drayce and flushed lightly. "Oh, ah, goodnight."

Drayce smiled at him. "Hope you sleep well."

Caelem gave him one more friendly and grateful, yet shy smile before he closed his door.

Drayce turned to head to his room also when he paused. He didn't see Zohar join them for dinner and he wondered if the necromancer had decided to continue researching in the library. Though he knew both Blayke and Ashton were likely to accuse him of trying to research behind their backs, he didn't see the harm in just popping upstairs to speak with Zohar for a bit.

As quietly as he could so not to alert anyone that he was deviating of course, he made his way upstairs, purposely missing every third step to prevent a telling squeak. When he reached the top step, he hurried into the library, glancing around briefly before his gaze settled upon a lone figure by the window.

"Oh, Zohar," Drayce called out as he approached, noticing that Zohar was leaning against the window sill, his attention fixed on a book in his hands. "You're still here."

Zohar glanced up from his book. Though it was darker now, the sun well and truly set, and the only source of light was from that of a candle, Zohar's blue eyes seemed as piercing as ever. "And you are not in bed asleep," he returned as Drayce stopped near him.

Drayce gave him a half smile and one shoulder shrug. "I just wanted to check up on you as you didn't join us for dinner. You're not hungry?"

Zohar simply shook his head at him, prompting Drayce to turn his attention to the book he was reading. He also couldn't help but notice on a table not far from him was a series of papers and notes. It was pretty clear that he had been studying.

"Are you preparing to remove the spell from Caelem?" Drayce asked.

This time Zohar nodded his head as he snapped the book shut in his hands. "There are certain requirements needed before conducting the ritual."

Drayce couldn't help but allow a frown of concern to appear on his lips. "It really won't hurt him?"

Zohar pushed away from the window and stood to his full height. "I will be honest; it won't be comfortable. He had been carrying and supporting that spell for years. It's now part of him. Parting it from his spirit won't be easy."

"I see," Drayce murmured as he fidgeted slightly, looking for further reassurance that this was the right thing to do. "This is really the only way, right?"

"To allow the spell to linger will only result in future health issues," Zohar said as he walked over to the table that had several books laid about, some open and some with obvious bookmarks in place. "A moment of discomfort will only be that; a fleeting moment."

Drayce followed him to the table and looked down at the books, noting that many of them were written in an ancient Celestian tongue that he didn't fully understand. "Have you done something like this before?"

"Not this particular spell, no," Zohar answered honestly. "But I know a great deal on spells and rituals."

"Oh, really?" Drayce said as he noticeably perked up and turned his attention back to Zohar. "I suppose you would know a lot on myths and legends, too?"

The corner of Zohar's mouth unexpectedly twitched into a half smile. "You truly are a dedicated treasure hunter," he said with a mild tone of amusement. However, his expression soon turned into that of subtle concern and he turned those sharp blue eyes to look directly at Drayce. "That's somewhat worrying."

Drayce furrowed his brow lightly. "What? Why?"

Zohar's expression turned stern. "Many of your treasures are connected to cults."

"Oh," Drayce breathed before he winced and found himself looking away as he scratched the back of his neck. "Y-yeah, that's true."

Treasure hunting wasn't all fun and games; it had the potential to be very dangerous.

"Many of their prized treasures and artefacts were stolen as well," Zohar continued. "They are sure to do whatever it takes to get them back."

Drayce sighed and ran a hand over his face. Yet another person to worry about his safety. And he hadn't officially started his job as a treasure hunter yet.

"I see," he murmured. "But are these cults still, you know, around?"

Unfortunately, Zohar nodded his head rather grimly. "Some are," he admitted. "Some are not, true, but their legends, as you know, live on. And some are truly quite…intriguing. And others are still dangerous."

Drayce found himself staring as Zohar idly trailed his finger over the scar across the bridge of his nose once more and his blue eyes seemed slightly unfocused, as if he was remembering something.

He truly wanted to ask Zohar about whether or not the rumours that necromancers were created by the hands of another, and what that meant exactly. But as nosy as he was, he knew better than to ask such a heavy, personal question. Fiorello had mentioned something about finding him in bad shape and if those scars were any indication, then…

He must have been in so much pain. Did…did someone do that to him?

Zohar suddenly turned to look directly at Drayce once more. "Hm?" he sounded more curious than annoyed, though, and Drayce unexpectedly felt himself flush from embarrassment.

"Ah, sorry," he offered with a sheepish grin. "I was just…wondering if those scars of yours still hurt."

"No, they don't," Zohar answered quickly.

And Drayce found himself greatly relieved by that response. "That's good then," he murmured.

Silently, Zohar tilted his head to the side to stare at Drayce for a few moments. His expression remained passive, but his brow was furrowed ever so slightly, as if he was both intrigued and puzzled by something. "You're an inquisitive one," he said after a moment.

Drayce roughly scratched his cheek as he smiled. "As par for the course, I guess."

Zohar continued to study him with his gaze, leaving Drayce feeling decidedly self-conscious all of the sudden. He looked away, and as he did so, his gaze inexplicably caught the title of one of the books on the table. It was the book that Shashi had found, the one detailing the Radiant Moon.

Looking at the rough sketching of the sceptre, Drayce reached out with his hand to idly trace his finger over the words on the page.

"Radiant Moon of Compassion," he read before he smiled slightly, subconsciously noting that Zohar seemed to move to stand next to him, to no doubt glance down at the book as well. "I remember hearing tales of it when I was a kid. It is said to be very beautiful, that drawings of it can't convey its true magnificence. They also say that the Radiant Moon has a consciousness, and after being taken out of spite, it will only reveal itself to those who have compassion in their hearts."

"You will find it," Zohar unexpected stated with resolution in his voice.

Drayce chuckled softly. "I hope so," he said as he continued to look at the drawing. "What kind of treasure hunter would I be if I didn't, huh?"

Zohar unexpectedly placed his hand atop of Drayce's, and equally unexpectedly a strange tingling sensation that was akin to excitement raced down his spine when he purposely pressed his palm against the back of Drayce's hand.

"That won't be the reason why," Zohar said softly.

"What do you mean?" Drayce asked as he turned his head to look at Zohar, only to still upon realising how…close he was to him. He briefly wondered when or how Zohar had managed to get that close to him. And why he wasn't so…unnerved by his closeness.

Before he could wonder anything more the doors of the library suddenly flung open and caused Drayce to jump back in pure instinct.

"There you are," came an all too familiar voice.

"O-oh, hey, Ashton," Drayce found himself greeting shakily as he turned to look at his friend, his hand jerking away from Zohar's. "What's up?"

Though Ashton was smiling at him, Drayce knew better than to think that it was a friendly smile. Oh no, it was far from friendly. It was a terse smile, one that he had often seen directed at his father from the scholar. A smile that had sent his father on numerous occasions all but shrieking in fear.

It was his 'no nonsense caretaker smile'.

Ashton was normally a rather laidback, placid caretaker and scholar. Except when it comes to those times he believes others were pushing themselves or not properly taking care of themselves.

And from the look in his eye, he believed that Drayce being up out of bed and walking around without resting was one of those times.

Oh boy…

"W-what brings you here?" Drayce asked.

"Oh, I'm fairly sure you know why I'm here," Ashton said as he walked, no stalked, into the room.

"We're just talking, yeah," Drayce blurted out in response. "I'm doing anything, I swear. I wasn't researching or nothing. Just standing here, talking. Nothing strenuous. Just checking in on Zohar before bed and stuff, you know?"

Ashton continued to give him that unnerving grin. "Is that so?"

Drayce felt himself break out into a cold sweat as he tried to figure out the best exit strategy. However, he failed to think and move quickly enough. With a speed that was unnatural to that of a simple scholar, Ashton had managed to snare his arms and before he could blink, Drayce found his world turned upside down.

It took him a second to realise that Ashton had literally flung him over his shoulder and was grumbling under his breath as he began to effortlessly carry him out of the library.

"Oh, come on!" Drayce whined as he only half-hearted struggled. "Ash, there's no need to go this far!"

"You treasure hunters are all the same," Ashton was heard muttering as he marched down the stairs to the second floor. "Honestly, the apple doesn't fall far from this tree…"

"Rude!"

"You're going to get some sleep tonight, or so help me."

"Ash, you're being waaaaay too zealous right now."

"I will gag you if you don't fall into a submissive silence pronto."

"Yeeeesh, ok, I'll be good…You'll have to sleep sometime, too…"

"I heard that."

"Gah!"