CHAPTER 6
Part 3: The Elf's Wish
Today, there was a meeting in Lainur's castle. It was being held in the
Firefly Garden, one of the gardens reserved for the king's private use. At
night, the Sol Glasses illuminated the garden and its many flowers
beautifully, lighting them up just like blue, twinkling fireflies. The first of
this meeting's attendants was the master of the castle himself, King Shinlu
Crosellode.
His guest was a young woman, only just past twenty. She had wavy,
chestnut-blonde hair; her violet eyes had a bewitching sparkle to them, as if
they were made of polished amethyst. Her skin was white as the first snow in
her northern homeland. She wore a black military uniform.
At her age, she would have been unfit for a direct audience with the king
if not for her status. She was Meifa Darnénes, a consul from the Northern
Confederation, which presided over the Cross Mountain Range bordering
Lainur.
Meifa took a sip from her teacup. "I hear you've bolstered your
kingdom's magic forces lately."
Her voice was sweet and smoky, but her tone was stiff; she felt
suffocated in the king's presence.
Shinlu didn't raise an eyebrow at the hint of accusation to her statement.
"That's right; it's all thanks to the hard work of our country's magicians. I
really am blessed to be king to such diligent citizens."
"I wouldn't expect it from any other nation, that's for sure. You are
always one step—if not two—ahead of us when it comes to magic. But," she
added sourly, "I am deathly curious to know how exactly you managed it.
While other powerful nations struggle to give their magicians an edge, you
have improved yours in leaps and bounds. There must be something behind
it."
"What? You don't think it's possible they just worked really, really
hard?"
"I find it doubtful. Short of working your magicians day and night or
beating them into shape more viciously than has ever been seen in recorded history, I fail to see how you could produce your results. You understand
where I'm coming from, don't you?"
"U-Uh, I guess..." Shinlu tried desperately to play dumb, but the sharp
glint in Meifa's gaze was making it difficult.
Even so, he refused to let her wheedle out the truth from him. He curled
his lips into an intentionally vague smile.
Meifa wasn't about to give up. "I heard a very interesting rumor on my
way here, you know."
"Really? I'd love to hear it."
"'Shinlu Crosellode has a new tool to power up his magicians. It's so
effective that the army's magicians have grown stronger practically
overnight!'"
"Oh, come on. You know the type, don't you? So in denial about the
absolute power of my magicians that they insist it comes down to a 'tool' or
'trick.' Those rumors are completely unfounded."
"They say where there's smoke, there's fire... Where did that phrase
come from, again?"
"One of the fables in The Spiritual Age. The Mistletoe Knight, Floam,
and Saint Astia pursued a band of looters and only found them when they
followed a far-ranging rumor. The phrase was inspired by that story."
"Impressive. A story with two of the three sages."
"Anyway, I find it hard to believe such sour-grapes conspiracy theories
would give a Confederate consul so much pause for thought. I didn't take you
for the gullible type."
"I mentioned it to you precisely because I have reason to believe in its
credibility."
"Funny. In my experience the rumors that spread among commoners tend
to be the more fantastical ones." Shinlu laughed.
Meifa continued, her voice low. "You don't deny the sudden increase in
your magicians' power, though, do you?"
"Nope. That's the one part the rumors got right."
"I see. Now, our nations are allies, yes? We both want to hold the line
against the Empire's aggression. Don't you think that sharing any helpful
tools you may or may not have is in our best interest?"
"I guess so. If you like, you're welcome to come and see some of our
drills along with your magical companions. It's just like you said: we're
allies. I'm happy to cooperate fully with the Confederation."
Meifa narrowed her eyes, wondering what had turned him so eager. She
could understand why Shinlu would want to keep his secret, especially since
Lainur was an international leader in the field of magical innovation. Until
the official announcement, it was possible he didn't even want his allies
knowing about it.
Just because she understood didn't mean she was happy about it.
It had been two years since the aethometer's announcement. While much
changed, one of the biggest changes was in the invention's production:
namely, that there was now a system allowing it to be manufactured on a
much larger scale than before. Until now, aethometers were produced by a
small team of three: Arcus, Noah, and Cazzy, using their tempered aether.
Exposing Sorcerer's Silver to that aether would transform it into a special
kind of "tempered silver." The creator would then move the silver into a
sealed glass tube. Removing the air from the tube would result in a completed
aethometer, but this final step was no easy task. The process itself wasn't
difficult; it was making sure the device remained accurate that was tricky.
Allowing even the slightest inaccuracy would leave the aethometer useless.
Each successful aethometer created around three or four failed attempts,
making the production very wasteful.
With that method, Arcus would never be able to answer the crown's
request, so he was forced to devise a way to increase his output. He had
perfected his aether tempering technique long ago and decided he wouldn't
mind teaching it to a select few. He asked the Guild to pick out a number of
trustworthy magicians for him to contract and train. Fearing that the creation
process of the aethometer might leak, Arcus made sure that each contractor
was trained and assigned to a single step in its creation, and he even had each
step carried out in a separate location to avoid any one person learning too
much.
He remembered a certain grumpy-faced magician's objection.
"Arcus Raytheft. Is this really necessary? It seems like a waste of money
if you ask me."
"Guildmaster, His Majesty has asked that I carry out the aethometer's
production as securely and secretly as possible, and I don't intend to take
any risks. Even under these conditions, if one of my magicians were to be
rehired or kidnapped, there's still a chance the production process could
leak."
"At this rate, your workers will think you do not trust them. They might
start resenting you."
Arcus couldn't argue with that. The magicians and workers he hired were
handpicked from the very top of their fields. Anyone would think he was
being overly suspicious, but it was a small price to pay for the reduced
chance of leaks. It was better to go overboard than to do too little.
"This is more than a matter of trusting them, Guildmaster. I don't doubt
that the information would make its way out somehow if I let my guard
down."
"Do you really believe so?"
"Anything which has a chance of happening eventually does. Anything
with a chance of failure fails, given time. It's exactly like all those defective
aethometers we produce. It's always only a matter of time. If I don't put in
place the strictest of measures, the process will leak."
"That's certainly an interesting way of seeing things..."
Murphy's Law gave Godwald pause. Personally, Arcus thought the
Guildmaster wasn't worried enough, but since most magical research was
dealt with and spoken about in code, he likely didn't see why further
measures than that were necessary. Despite the precision the aethometer's
production demanded, compared to casting spells and making magic, the
process itself was fairly simple. If you knew how it worked, you only needed
a basic knowledge and command of magic to recreate it—making it all the
more likely to be leaked.
With the Guildmaster persuaded and the magicians capable of producing
tempered silver, Arcus finalized the new production line, centralized in the
Guild's grounds. With the new divided labor system, he expected his
involvement to decrease opening up a lot more free time. Unfortunately,
reality was rarely so kind.
"Why?!" Arcus cried out, buried under mountains of documents in one
room of the Abend estate.
His dreams of any respite were crushed under piles and piles of forms,
files, and papers. They were all reports and requests to do with the
aethometer and its role in creating spells and practicing magic. They came in
like clockwork, swamping the poor twelve-year-old with work.
"This isn't fair, right? It's not fair!"
Noah remained unmoved as he answered. "This much is perfectly
normal. I daresay it was your expectations which were unfair."
"My expectations?! I'm only twelve, you know! I'm just a kid! Shouldn't
I be outside frolicking or something?!"
"You claim to be a child, yet you rarely ever act like one."
"What? Is that how you're gonna speak to your master? And stop looking
at me like I'm the crazy one!"
Cazzy frowned. "Ain't ya the one always tellin' us to stop treatin' ya like
a baby?"
"Forget about that now. Haven't you guys ever heard of child labor laws?
I oughta report this. Why can't you guys just let me out to play or
something?"
"Spoutin' nonsense words again?"
Noah ignored Arcus's outburst, instead piling more papers onto the desk.
"Master Arcus. Perhaps you should stop talking and start working? Otherwise
you shall never finish. This is all a result of your invention, so you ought to
take responsibility and see that this work is done."
"I'd love to, but my motivation's gone out the window. Ugh..."
"In that case, I shall take care of these..."
"Really?! Noah, you're a lifesaver! Thanks!"
"However, you have to deal with this." Noah picked up a thick file and a
bundle of papers.
Cazzy stuck his tongue out as though he had just swallowed a
particularly bitter pill. "The heck?! There's more?!"
"Indeed. These arrived this morning. A new unit wishes to use the
aethometer and has asked for instructions on its use and any precautions they
need to take. Of course, we already have a document containing that
information; it just needs to be transcribed."
"Ugh. 'N' how many copies do we need?"
"We shouldn't need to make more than a hundred if we account for
spares."
"Gimme a break..."
"It is simply a matter of copying them out. What is so difficult about
that?" Noah rearranged the position of the monocle over his eye, but
otherwise his face didn't even twitch.
Cazzy glared at Noah. "If ya got any more surprise work like this in
store, ya better tell me 'bout it now or I'm gonna snap, ya demon!"
"Mind your language. A simple increase in work should not be worth an
affront to the twin phantoms."
"The real demons are the guys wasting my time with all this crap!" Arcus
said.
Cazzy let out a high-pitched cackle. "See, even the kid's doin' it! Listen,
boss, ya know that usually 'demons' are supposed to be the kinda guys who
destroy the world an' all that, not just send ya paperwork!"
"Well, they're destroying my world!" Arcus glared at Cazzy with
everything he could muster.
Cazzy threw his hands up. "Of course, sir! They're all demons, sir!"
"Now that you two have settled down, I shall prepare your portion of the
work, Cazzy."
"C'mon, yer sayin' that like I wasn't gonna help all along!"
Tired of pushing back, Arcus and Cazzy resigned themselves to the work.
"Could you pass me that stack of papers, Cazzy?" Arcus said.
"What, all that? Ya know ya can leave a lot of this to us, right?"
"Sure, I know that. But watch this first." Arcus put the papers and
documents down and opened his mouth again.
"Read the left and copy the right. Copy with a hand more practiced than
the most excellent of transcribers. Not a character out of place, not a
character improved. The single glow of a mysterious light. No tricks, no
deceptions, and no illusions. Behold the perfect work of these well-
intentioned hands."
Perfect Copywrite. A spell designed to replicate writing from one page
on another.
Artglyphs wrapped themselves around both of Arcus's hands. He placed
his left hand on the pile to be copied and the right on the blank sheets of
paper. He muttered "copy" in the Elder Tongue, causing his right hand to
flash once. When the light was gone, the once-blank sheets under his hand
displayed text identical to the sheets on the left.
"Well?"
"My goodness..."
"Whoa..."
Both his servants stared at him, wide-eyed. They likely never even
considered using magic in this way. More precisely, they had never seen text
being copied nigh-instantly like that, so it wasn't something their
imaginations had room for.
Noah slammed his hands on the desk and leaned forward, his eyes
sparkling with interest. "Master Arcus! Tell me more about that spell!"
Arcus grinned. "This is a photocopier spell I came up with in secret. It
prints perfect copies of any page, whether it's got words or pictures on. With
this, I'm more powerful than the entire world's printing presses put
together!"
Arcus threw his head back and let out a hearty, sinister laugh. Noah and
Cazzy quickly turned to each other and lowered their voices.
"Master Arcus seems to be in a particularly good mood today."
"Nah, I think he's just tired. Or lost his mind from all this paperwork."
Though Arcus caught them whispering to each other, he didn't care what
they said. He had to be able to laugh and have fun with this, or the pressure of
all this work would crush him.
"Take a look! There's not a letter missing or out of place! Plus, it barely
uses any aether at all. Even a common magician could use it!"
"It is quite something."
"I know, right? Even if I had to make a billion copies, I could do it just
like that!" Arcus said, snapping his fingers.
"How d'ya keep comin' up with all these crazy new ideas? Ya only just
started feelin' the burn from this paperwork, and ya already know how to
deal with it so quick."
"It's because I know what true convenience looks like."
"Whaddya mean?"
"Huh? Well, you know."
"I keep tellin' ya, I don't! But whatever..."
"As usual," said Noah, "I would like you to explain why you didn't tell
us about this spell sooner! I hope you have a reasonable explanation, because
I am not letting you go until I am satisfied!"
"It's 'cause I forgot to, of course."
"Oh? That's odd, considering how powerful your memory normally
tends to be."
"'Cause I only remember certain stuff! Anyway! Isn't this the greatest
thing you've ever seen?! Isn't this a miracle of modern civilization?!
Photocopiers are the best thing ever! I'm gonna have this stuff done in like,
two seconds!"
The spell wasn't a one-and-done thing. He could keep plugging away,
right hand flashing and left hand transcribing, for minutes at a time. A
hundred copies was a walk in the park, even for someone with Arcus's aether
stocks. At last, the final copy was finished.
"I'm done, Noah! I'm done!"
"Good work. Now..."
"Now nothing! You're like, the best butler ever, but I know that demonic
light in your eye! I know what you're gonna say!"
"I beg your pardon?"
"I'm done for the day! I'm outta aether, okay? So I'm gonna go on
break!" Without waiting for a response, Arcus leaped up from his chair and
dashed out of the room and the estate as fast as his legs would carry him.
"I was only going to offer him a cup of tea..." Noah said after an
awkward pause.
"You're kiddin'?"
"Perhaps." Noah smiled unnervingly.
"Sometimes I dunno if you're a butler or a comedian..." Cazzy grimaced.
Having escaped Noah's dastardly clutches, Arcus arrived at a certain
park in the capital. He didn't have any business here; it was just the first
place he thought to run off to. Going back to the Raytheft place meant he
might bump into his parents, and he wasn't a fan of sitting in cafés by himself
either.
Though he ended up in the park, there weren't many people about, and
taking a walk in such a deserted place felt kind of sad. It was strange, but
perhaps it was due to the time of day. This place was usually filled with
children playing and people stretching their legs on the footpaths. Even the
weather was looking gloomy, and there was an unpleasant, damp smell in the
air, as if it were about to rain. It didn't look like Arcus would be able to stick
around for long.
"Where do I go now?"
He left in such a hurry that he didn't really have anything with him
except his dark blue cloak, hat, and sword. He didn't have the bag he kept his
study materials in either, leaving him with very little he could actually do to
pass the time. Taking a break now wouldn't do anything to reduce his
workload. He considered if he should just head back.
Just then, he heard a voice from behind him.
"Hey!"
Arcus couldn't tell if it was a boy or a girl who spoke, but it was
definitely a child.
"Hey!"
It was obvious that whoever it was wanted him to turn around, because
when he didn't, they began to tug on his sleeve.
"What are—" Arcus began, but then he froze in shock.
He couldn't remember ever being so startled before. The figure behind
him wore an oversized blue robe with the hood drawn. They were around the
same height as him. A steel lantern hung from their hip. The bottom of the
robe dragged across the ground, and the sleeves were so long they hung over
their hands. That wasn't what surprised Arcus most. Even though he was
facing them head on, he couldn't see their face. It wasn't that the hood
covered it; where the figure's face was supposed to be, there was just a dark
space. It was like he was staring into a bottomless abyss. As he kept staring,
eventually two yellow eyes appeared and narrowed, as if they were smiling at
him.
"Hello!"
"H-Hi..." Arcus replied automatically.
His head was a jumble of incomplete thoughts, but the mysterious figure
didn't seem concerned in the least. They raised up both arms, the sleeves
draping, apparently looking for a handshake.
"Nice to meet you!"
Arcus stared.
"You... don't think it's nice for us to meet?"
Arcus didn't know how to react. The yellow eyes in the dark hood turned
sadly to the ground. Overcome with a sudden guilt, Arcus stuck out his hand.
"I-It is nice to meet you!"
"Yay!" The figure grabbed his hand between its sleeves and shook it
enthusiastically up and down as the smile returned to its eyes.
"S-So, uh... what... I mean, who are you?" Arcus finally asked.
Whatever they were, he doubted they were human. From the way they
moved to the way the robe hung at rest, he got the impression that there was
no body to speak of beneath the flowing cloth. It wasn't just its appearance
either; everything about it gave Arcus an uncanny feeling. At least it didn't
seem dangerous.
"My name is Gown! You know me, right?"
"Gown? Uh, you mean..."
"Yeah! You got it!" Gown nodded.
It wasn't the first time Arcus had come across that name. "Gown" was a
name as ubiquitous as the Twin Phantoms—a supernatural being, the Grave
Sprite. He was first mentioned in the second Ancient Chronicle, The Spiritual
Age, and from there disseminated into folklore. He was said to be immortal,
forever patrolling cemeteries at night and grieving the dead. He offered them
flowers and songs to keep them at peace and stop them from unearthing
themselves. Gown was also known as a tomb guardian and a watchman of the
underworld.
Despite the propagation of Sol Glasses widely abolishing darkness in
public places, Gown was still widely spoken of. He still watered the plants
around graveyards and still picked flowers to lay at tombstones. He still
comforted the dead with his song. He carried on his work in the light of day,
sitting on cemetery benches and basking in the warm sun. Some descriptions
of Gown made him a sort of bogeyman, but most people saw him as a figure
to be respected.
This was Arcus's first encounter with a figure from legend. He could
count the cemeteries he'd been to on one hand, so he had no reason to believe he would bump into the sprite itself, nor that it would be so friendly. He
suddenly realized he hadn't introduced himself yet.
"My name is—"
"Arcus! Arcus Raytheft, right?"
Arcus paused. "How did you know?"
"Because you're Arcus!"
"That doesn't make sense!"
"But that's how I know!"
"But it..."
Gown genuinely didn't seem to realize what was wrong with his answer.
Even if Arcus asked again, he could only see this conversation looping back
to where they'd started. He decided just to put it down to Gown's
supernatural insight.
"So, uh, what are you doing here, Gown? You seem a little far from your
usual haunts."
"Yeah! I had to come to this park instead today!"
"You mean something's up?"
"Yeah! Yeah, and that's why I came to see you, Arcus!"
It's here to see me specifically? Why?
"I wanna ask you something, Arcus!"
"Sure, go ahead."
"Thanks! A little bit ago, there was a group of humans that threatened
our promise! I want you to help me catch them!"
"Your promise?"
"Yeah! They dug up an old graveyard in the north and stole the bodies!"
"The north? North of the capital or north of Lainur?"
"No! More north than that! In Alnorsace!"
"Al... You mean the Northern Confederation?"
"Yeah!"
The Northern Confederation was made up of several smaller states
separating Lainur from the mountains. As a neighboring country, it naturally
engaged in small territorial scuffles with the kingdom, and sometimes
relations would sour somewhat. So far they'd avoided any large-scale
struggle, for historical reasons bound up in one particular spot on the border
that were too intricate for Arcus to reflect on in the moment. On average, it
was one of Lainur's allies.
Was Gown saying he chased the tomb robbers out of Alnorsace? Arcus wasn't sure; it wasn't uncommon for beings of his caliber to possess a degree
of omnipresence.
"So how come they were grave-robbing?"
"I dunno! But I don't like it! It's untidy and disrespectful!"
"And you chased them here?"
Gown nodded. In The Spiritual Age, it was said that Gown sent a pack of
hunting dogs to chase grave robbers to the very ends of the world in order to
punish them.
"But why are you here, then? Can't you send your hounds like in the
story?"
"This is more serious than that! Those guys made a very evil herb that
uses the bones of the dead!"
"An evil herb?"
"Yeah!"
Arcus frowned thoughtfully. "You mean like cannabis or something? Or
something that turns people into zombies?"
"Huh? No! It makes you into a monster!"
"A-A monster?" Arcus's eyes widened.
Monsters came in many forms. What exactly was Gown talking about?
"What about the promise you mentioned?"
"Oh! That's a promise us elves made with Chain and Wedge years and
years and years ago!"
"Huh?"
"It was an important promise we made that must never be broken! We
have to do all we can to make sure life carries on in the world! That's why
anyone who interferes has to be punished!"
"Whoa..."
Life in all forms ceasing to exist was a scary thought, but what really sent
a shiver down Arcus's spine was the tone of Gown's voice when he spoke
about punishment.
"I think those bad guys found something written by someone who lived
long, long ago! And now they're using it to do evil stuff!"
"I never knew you could make herbs from dead bodies..."
"It's not just any bodies! They must have been buried first!"
"Huh? Why does that matter?"
"It's easier to attach hex to a body that's been dug up!"
When a spell was cast, the leftover Artglyphs shattered into pieces and became hex. It was said that this leftover power led to the birth of demons.
Though it didn't sound like these ne'er-do-wells wanted to sire any demons,
their activities still sounded incredibly dangerous.
"So will you help?" Gown pressed.
"Uh..."
"You won't?"
"Well..."
"Aww..." Gown's shoulders slumped.
Seeing his head drooping and his eyes downcast, Arcus couldn't help but
feel a stab of compassion in his chest. Thinking about it, he didn't have a
good reason to refuse. In this world, phantoms and elves were creatures to be
revered by all living things. They protected human life long ago and even
now supported it from the shadows. One of them sought Arcus out
specifically to ask for his help. This was about more than his own wants and
goals. As an inhabitant of this world, he owed elvenkind a great deal.
"All right. I'll help."
"Really? Yahoo! Thanks a bunch!" Gown grabbed his hand again and
shook it eagerly up and down.
"I still wanna know why you need my help in the first place, though."
If the stories were to be believed, supernatural creatures like him held
incredible power. Gown ought to have been far more powerful than any
human, and Arcus wasn't sure why he couldn't rely on his Phantom Pack.
"Well, we gotta get rid of all the herbs they made! And they set their cats
on me!"
"Cats? Oh, right."
Thinking back, a passage in The Spiritual Age described Gown's fear of
cats. Even in the man's world, fairy tales and urban legends spoke of
otherwise powerful creatures that feared small animals for whatever reason.
A couple of cats should have been no problem for Gown to deal with, but
Arcus didn't know enough about elves to push it.
"That doesn't explain why you can't send the pack."
"Well, 'cause I don't want the cats to get hurt..."
Gown never was a creature to achieve his goals by "any means possible."
"I don't want them to send their cats after me again, so I decided to ask
someone else for help!"
"I see. But why did you pick me? There are plenty of trustworthy
magicians around, and I'm just a kid."
"I picked you 'cause you're Arcus!"
"That doesn't explain anything."
"But that's why I picked you!"
Given its alien logic, Arcus didn't see this line of questioning going
anywhere. Then again, perhaps it was Arcus who was being unreasonable...
"I'll spend the rest of the day looking for the perpetrators! Catch you
later!"
His compact with Arcus set, Gown vanished from the park, the light of
his lantern fading last. Arcus didn't get the chance to ask any more questions.
He had no idea who they were searching for or what that group's goal was.
He wasn't even sure what he was supposed to be doing in the meantime, so
he settled on just waiting for now.
The next day, Arcus thought about going for a walk through the
cemetery. Gown never mentioned where they should meet up, but the
graveyard seemed a likely candidate. There were some chores he wanted to
finish at the Raytheft estate first, though.
"Master Arcus," came a voice at the door.
"Oh hi, Noah. What's up?"
"You have a... peculiar visitor."
"Peculiar?"
"Indeed. That is what I have been told."
"By who?" Arcus asked.
"The maid who went to greet this visitor. She seemed particularly
perplexed. Have you perhaps found a new friend? One of... unorthodox
nature?"
"Huh. I guess you could say that..."
An "unorthodox" friend. Only one girl came to mind. It's not like there
were other friends it might have been. She had never come to the Raytheft
estate, and she wasn't so odd as to perplex on first contact, so it was in a state
of puzzlement that Arcus went to see who this mysterious visitor was, with
Noah in tow. It was just as they came down the stairs that Arcus spotted
Gown in the entrance hall, waving an oversized sleeve.
"Whoa..."
"Arcus!"
The maid gave Arcus a troubled expression, as though she had no idea
how to deal with their fae guest. Unwitting of her confusion, Gown kept
waving, his eyes sparkling with joy .
"Goodness me," Noah murmured, half in exasperation and half in
amusement. It was a tone Arcus was used to.
Arcus signaled to the maid that she could stand down and walked up to
Gown.
"Why are you at my house?"
"Huh? I told you yesterday I was gonna come and see you!"
"I know, but I didn't think you'd just stroll into my house like that."
As Arcus sighed, Gown slipped past him and offered a long sleeve to
Noah. "Hello, Noah!"
"Good day, Master Gown. It's been quite a while."
"You're so tall now! I couldn't even touch your head if I jumped!"
Their handshake finished, Gown reached up to pat Noah on the head,
compelling him to stoop. Arcus couldn't help wondering where they met
before. It was only then that Cazzy arrived.
"Cazzy!" Gown called.
Arcus was less surprised that Gown recognized his other servant. Cazzy's
past was mired in misdeeds; it seemed fitting that he'd spent more than his
share of time on Gown's territory.
"What on earth is going on here?" a disgruntled voice asked from behind
the group.
Joshua was making his way down the hall.
He had to show up now, huh?
Joshua's face twisted into its usual contemptuous scowl as he looked at
Arcus.
"Hello, Joshua!" Gown called cheerfully.
"O-Oh. Hello..."
Joshua knew Gown, too? He looked perplexed to see the elf in his house,
but nevertheless returned his enthusiastic handshake. Once he was done being
polite, he turned his sharp gaze on Arcus.
"What nonsense are you up to inside my house?"
"I'm not doing anything!"
"Then how do you explain this ruckus?" Joshua shouted.
Arcus couldn't even breathe in his presence without him accusing him of
something. Cazzy and Noah were silent, on their master's orders not to react
in the midst of one of Joshua's tempers. If they raised objections or got into
an argument with Joshua, then they might be barred from the estate.
A voice spoke up from Arcus's side. "How come you're so mad?"
"Hm?"
"How come you're so mad at Arcus, Joshua?" Gown asked again. "He
hasn't done anything wrong!"
"W-Well..."
"Arcus is gonna help me with something! Is he not allowed?" Gown
stepped forward, causing Joshua to take a step back.
Gown was only the height of a child, but he intimidated Joshua. His
upbeat demeanor fell away, a prickly tension rising in its place. It would have
made Arcus lose his nerve, too. Elves belonged to a higher order of life; the
years of work Joshua put in to earn his high-ranking title meant nothing in the
face of a sublime being.
"Are you mad 'cause he's gonna help me?"
"No."
"Are you mad 'cause I'm asking for his help?"
"N-Not at all."
"So how come you're so mad? I don't get it! Tell me!"
"I'm... very sorry."
Joshua's apology was a clear surrender. Gown clearly wasn't one to beat
around the bush—his questions were plain and fair, as a child's wisest
questions are, and they afforded Joshua no room for excuses.
"Can I take Arcus with me, then?"
"Be my guest..."
"Yay!" Gown's eyes lit up, and he began to bob away, his long robe
dragging along the floor behind him.
Arcus had no choice but to follow, but even as he turned around, he
could feel that hateful glare on his back.
"You know what will happen if you dare do anything to bring shame on
the Raytheft name, don't you, Arcus?"
"I won't be doing anything like that. Noah, Cazzy, do you mind finishing
up?"
Leaving his servants to finish their work with the aethometer, Arcus
followed Gown out of the Raytheft estate.
"Gown, Gown, the Grave Sprite
parades the garden of endless sleep:
by lantern-light, for ghosts it sings,
for them a peaceful slumber brings,
by lyric bound to buried stay
and never to their hearths should stray,
Secured, the bound 'twixt life and death,
Gown watches after our last breath."
Lainur's people learned Gown's praise-song as children; for many, it was
their sole point of reference. The lyrics made him sound like a dignified
creature, and yet...
"Look! A butterfly! Here, butterfly!"
Gown stretched out an oversized sleeve as he tottered after the object of
his attention. He looked like a child taking its first steps; he'd been like this
since he left the estate. Arcus walked along the flowerbeds beside the road,
no longer sure whether they were on an important errand or taking a leisurely
stroll. Passing pedestrians' reactions to the elf varied. Some stared at his
strange outfit and absent face. Those who recognized him bowed their heads
or gave him words of thanks. For the most part, Gown was too intent on
chasing that butterfly to pay them any attention; Arcus was grateful that they
were saving time, given that he wasn't stopping to greet anyone.
"Here, butterfly, butterfly!"
Eventually the small insect landed on Gown's sleeve. He studied it
intently for a spell before his eyes lit up and he released it into the air.
"Thanks for before," Arcus said.
"You mean with Joshua?"
"Yeah." Arcus nodded.
He was so used to taking the full brunt of the viscount's anger that he felt
genuinely lighter having someone stand up for him.
Gown turned his gaze away. "Joshua hates you, doesn't he?"
"Yeah. I don't really get why, though."
"As long as people have feelings, there's always gonna be love and hate,
and feelings always get in the way of clear thinking. It's just the way things
are."
He was right. All you could do was acknowledge the weight of your
strong feelings as your membership dues to the human race.
"I'm sorry, Arcus."
"Oh... Thanks."
Gown tottered up to Arcus and gave him a gentle pat on the head. It felt
like an incredibly kind and tender gesture, but that might have been because Arcus was used to Craib's overly rough tousling. Gown's long sleeve got in
the way of Arcus's face, but that just added to the charm of it all.
"Arcus!" Suddenly, a voice called his name from behind, making him
jump.
"Gah!"
Taking a few deep breaths to steady his heart, Arcus turned to find a girl
standing there. It was Sue, his study partner. They had no plans to meet
today, so she must have spotted him by coincidence.
Sue had long black hair and blue eyes with a faint upward slant that
reminded Arcus of a cat's eyes. Her clothing was light beneath her white
cloak, and her appearance was as tidy as ever. Arcus knew she always took
the time to groom herself before heading outside. Lately, she had taken to
wearing a sword on her hip.
"Don't sneak up on me like that! I thought I was gonna have a heart
attack."
"It's your fault for keeping your guard down! Imagine if I was an
assassin! You'd be dead meat by now!"
"Nah, I would've felt your bloodlust first."
"Oh! I guess so."
"Yeah..."
She accepted his defense too easily, given that palpable bloodlust was a
grave fact of life.
"So, what are you doing today?" Sue asked.
"I've got, uh...an errand to run." Arcus glanced at Gown.
Sue followed his gaze. "Who's—eep!"
Her eyes widened when she caught sight of the elf. Arcus remembered
having the same sort of reaction in his first encounter. Her face stiffened as
she stared into the bottomless dark within Gown's hood.
"This is Gown," Arcus said. "Y'know, the Grave Sprite."
"G-Gown? Th-This is Gown? Gown like...from that song?"
Arcus nodded, and Gown walked up to her.
"Hello!"
"H-Hi..." Despite her confusion, Sue didn't forget her manners.
Gown shook her hand as enthusiastically as he had Arcus's.
"My name is Gown! And you're..." Gown paused, tilting his head from
one side to the other in confusion. He should know her name like he did
everyone else's, but he was hesitating. "What should I call you?"
"Oh, um... just Sue is fine."
"Sue! Okay! Sue!"
"So why are you here with Arcus? I thought you only hang around
graveyards."
"I have lots of stuff I gotta do, and Arcus said he'll help me!"
"What kind of help?" Sue glanced back at Arcus.
He opened his mouth to explain the situation when there was another
voice from behind them. This one had a timid tone to it.
"Brother?"
Arcus turned. There was another girl there, this one with his silver hair
and crimson eyes.
"Lecia? What are you—"
Arcus spotted Charlotte Cremelia beside her, with her golden-brown hair
and amber eyes. She was still a little taller than Arcus. Her clothing was
casual like Sue's, but it gave off an air of luxury quality with a price tag to
match. She'd accessorized in white and red, but what stood out most was the
rapier on her hip. As the count's daughter and the heir to the house that
founded the kingdom's rapier fencing style, appearances were of the utmost
importance. The rapier's sheath and handle were beautifully decorated—a
masterwork of swordsmithing.
Charlotte curtseyed. "It is a pleasure to see you again, Arcus."
"It has been a long time, Lady Charlotte." Arcus responded with a quick
bow.
Their difference in status meant it wasn't as easy for Arcus to meet with
Charlotte as Sue. At the moment, she seemed to be going somewhere with
Lecia. Arcus had heard they often went to the capitol together.
"Lady Susia, is that you?" Charlotte asked, glancing at the girl.
"It is lovely to see you again, Charlotte."
"The pleasure is all mine." Charlotte stepped up to Sue and curtseyed.
"You each know Lady Charlotte?" Arcus asked, surprised to hear Sue
speaking so formally.
"Yeah. Charlotte's at the Institute with me."
"I was not expecting you to know Lady Susia, Arcus."
"We have studied magic together for a long time," Arcus explained.
"Is Lady Susia the friend you always talk about?" Lecia asked.
"Yeah." Arcus turned to Charlotte. "May I ask why you address Sue so
respectfully, My Lady?"
Sue let out a self-conscious giggle under Arcus's glance.
"Do you mean to say you haven't heard of Lady Susia?" Charlotte asked.
"No, My Lady. She hasn't told me much of her background at all."
Charlotte cleared her throat. "This is Lady Susia Algucia, daughter of
Duke Algucia."
"Duke Algucia..."
Lecia gasped. "They're one of the closest houses to the royal family!"
Not just one of, but the closest house to the royal family, as far as the
citizenry was concerned. It was said they were the most powerful house in all
of Lainur, second only to the crown itself. Arcus always suspected she was
more than she claimed, but he wasn't expecting this.
"So you really are a big deal, huh?"
"I guess! But I don't want you to change the way you talk to me, if that's
okay."
"Not a problem."
Sue frowned. "It should be a bit of a problem, you know! My father's a
duke!"
"Sue, we've known each other for years!"
"A duke! You know what that word means, right?"
"You just told me not to change how I talk to you!"
"Well, I think you could stand to treat me with just a little more respect."
Arcus felt Charlotte's gaze on them. "Lady Charlotte? Is something the
matter?"
"Nothing at all," Charlotte replied, shaking her head.
Sue turned to Lecia. "You must be Arcus's sister."
"Y-Yes, My Lady. It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Lecia
Raytheft."
"No need to be so nervous! It's nice to meet you!"
Having greeted his sister, Sue returned to Arcus's side.
Charlotte shot her a questioning glance. "Lady Susia... are you not
perhaps a little too close to Arcus there?"
"Is that a problem?"
"He happens to be my betrothed. I believe you should keep some small
distance from others' fiancés, My Lady."
"Huh? I thought the engagement got called off?" Sue said.
"Wh-Where did you hear that, My Lady?"
It was supposed to be a private matter between the Raythefts and the Cremelias. Arcus was just as confused as Charlotte, and even Lecia looked
shocked.
Sue suddenly took Arcus's arm. "So it doesn't matter how close I am to
him, right?"
"I-I'm afraid it does, My Lady!" Charlotte dived in to grab Arcus's other
arm and pulled on it like she was trying to separate it from its socket.
"U-Um, please stop!" Arcus begged, scared he was about to be ripped in
half.
The girls began to giggle. Arcus wasn't sure whether he should join
them. He could only see things getting worse.
Lecia! Save me!
He sent his sister a silent cry for help, but since both Sue and Charlotte
outranked her, all she could do was waver. Were they doing this because they
were fond of him, or was it some form of childish competition? Either way,
neither seemed willing to compromise. If either of them stepped back, it
would be the same as allowing the other to steal Arcus away and stow him
within their own noble house. There seemed to be no way out of this
situation.
"Hey, can I talk now?!" Gown suddenly spoke up impatiently.
Lecia and Charlotte turned towards Gown, only just now noticing him.
They gasped as they realized he didn't have a face, their eyes wide with
shock. It was probably time to explain what was going on.
After Gown greeted the two of them with his favorite hearty handshake,
Sue spoke.
"You said you were helping Gown, right, Arcus? What are you gonna
help him with?"
"You're helping him, Arcus?" Lecia asked, blinking at him in
astonishment.
"Yeah. There's a bunch of people digging up graves in the north, and
Gown asked me to give him a hand catching them."
"Why did Gown pick you?" asked Charlotte.
"I have no idea, My Lady. I asked him, but he just said because it's
me..."
"Yeah! I picked you 'cause you're Arcus!" Gown reaffirmed as Arcus
shot him a questioning glance.
Arcus made a show of shrugging at the girls. He already knew there
would be no point in pressing Gown for a better answer.
"An elf asked you for help!" Lecia suddenly said, her eyes lighting up.
"Huh? I guess he did..."
"He couldn't have picked a better young man to rely on," Charlotte said.
"Yup! You're super reliable, Arcus!" added Sue.
"Erm... uh..."
At least Charlotte and Sue found something they agreed on; they
exchanged a series of satisfied nods. Arcus's arms were safe for the moment.
In any case, he felt disarmed by the volume of open praise.
"I have a thought," Charlotte said, clapping her hands together
gracefully.
"What would that be, Lady Charlotte?"
"I shall accompany you. It would be safer if you had company, would it
not?"
"I... Pardon?"
"Oh! That's a great idea! I'll come, too!" Sue added excitedly.
Arcus couldn't share in their enthusiasm. These were two young ladies
from incredibly important families. He knew the road ahead would be potentially lethal, and he couldn't justify taking them along, but he couldn't
deny that he would feel better with them by his side.
"I'm sorry, Lady Charlotte, but it is far too dangerous," he said.
"I have been training from the day we met, Arcus. Far from being a
burden on you, I can guarantee that my presence shall be invaluable."
"I understand how you feel, My Lady, but..."
"Do I look frail and delicate to you?" Charlotte asked earnestly.
Arcus knew she wasn't just being petty, but that only made things more
troublesome. She was only fourteen (though Arcus wasn't in a position to be
nitpicking about age), and from his experiences through the man's eyes, that
was far too young to be going on such an adventure. On the other hand, he
knew she was more than capable of holding her own from the rumors that
spoke of her strength. She could really make things easier for him, which was
what made it more difficult to come to a decision.
"Please allow me to help you as well, Brother," Lecia said.
"Lecia..."
"Having as many magicians as possible would be a good idea. And I... I
have much aether, which would doubtlessly be helpful."
"That's true..."
Arcus still couldn't agree. He was dwelling on how to talk them out of it,
when suddenly Sue grinned—and he didn't like that look on her face one bit.
"You know, you don't need Arcus's permission."
"Whatever do you mean by that, Lady Susia?"
"Why don't we just ask Gown?" She turned to the elf.
"Me?"
"That's right! Can we help you too, Gown?"
"That would make me really happy! But you know it's gonna be
dangerous, right?"
"We know! But even if we get into danger, you're a famous elf. You'll
be able to get us out of it, right?"
Gown's yellow eyes narrowed thoughtfully. The intellectual air he gave
off now was at complete odds with his usual innocent demeanour. "You're all
children. And elves are supposed to protect children! We always have. So if
you get in danger, I will protect you!"
"We're coming, then!"
"Yeah! But don't worry, I won't put you into danger if I can help it!"
"Gown..." Arcus began.
"To most children I would say no! But these girls are strong! Stronger
than some grown-ups I know! They're all powerful and talented!"
There was no arguing with that. Arcus felt obliged to count himself lucky
that he was getting extra help.
"Hey, Gown? When you said you weren't gonna put them in danger, did
that include me?"
"Huh? No, you'll be fine! Because you're Arcus!"
"Why has everyone suddenly stopped treating me like a kid?"
It wasn't fair, but this world's lack of lawyers or fair trials meant Arcus
had no means to fight back against the injustice of it all. Gown brought the
girls up to speed with Arcus in his usual circuitous way.
"What's that herb you were talking about, Gown?" Sue asked, frowning
at the sky.
"Oh, apparently it's an herb that turns people into monsters," Arcus
explained.
"Huh?"
"M-Monsters?" Charlotte cried, causing everyone to turn in her direction.
"Lady Charlotte?"
"Oh, I beg your pardon. Please excuse me."
Despite her cry, her face was a picture of tranquility. She coughed into
her hand, as if nothing had happened. Arcus decided to do the polite thing
and not press her further.
"What about the promise between the elves, Chain, and Wedge?" Sue
asked.
"Well," Gown began—but he never got to finish his sentence.
A bloodcurdling feminine scream pealed in the distance. Gown lifted his
head and scanned the environs. Either he could see something the others
couldn't, or he already knew what was going on.
"What is it, Gown?"
"One of those bad people! They're causing trouble!"
"No way..."
They'd been afforded no reprieve between Gown's explanation and first
contact with the enemy.
"You were trying to flush them out yesterday, right?" Sue asked.
"I was! But I think now they've split up and are causing trouble all
over!"
"Here in the capital?" said Arcus.
"That's right!"
Arcus couldn't imagine why they'd go out of their way to draw so much
attention to themselves, but if they really were the ones Gown was after, there
was no choice but to investigate—if only to get a concrete idea of who they
were and what they meant to achieve.
"Let's go!" Gown led the group in the direction of the scream.
They ended up in the public square facing the capital's main street. A
crowd of onlookers was already gathered on the road, watching the scene
unfold from a distance. Horse-drawn carriages were stopped on the street,
and there were guards already on the scene.
Arcus and the others slipped through the crowd to find a single man
standing in its center. He was dressed like any other traveler passing through
the capital, save that he carried neither baggage nor arms. His hands were
clasped to his head, and he was writhing in agony. It would have been easy to
write him off as an unwell man, if not for the luminous bands encircling his
body.
They were light belts, streams of Artglyphs which resulted from using
them to draw magic circles. These lacked the aetherial sparkle and luster that
usually came about from the casting of a spell. It was as though each
character was clinging to and drawing in every last speck of light around it,
leaving the surrounding area gloomy.
The crowd raised a clamor of surprise and horror, but since nothing was
damaged so far, it appeared that no one felt the urge to run just yet.
"I knew this would happen!" Gown cried, his voice close to a scream.
"This is one of the people you're after?"
"Yeah! He's one of the really bad guys!"
"What's happening to him?"
"It's just like I was gonna explain before we got interrupted! When a
human uses that herb but its body can't handle it, it absorbs hex from all
around and goes crazy!"
Arcus opened his mouth to say something, but Sue got in first. "Gown,
what's that weird band of light?"
"That's where the hex has gathered! It sticks to the afflicted body,
destroys everything around it, and spills all over the place!"
"Does that mean the hex has a mind of its own?" said Sue.
"No, that's not it."
"So it's more like hex has certain properties which cause it to act in that way?" Arcus suggested.
"Yes! Yes, that's it!"
As they spoke, city guards were attempting to put a stop to the hexed
man's rampage, but the moment they tried getting close to him, the hex
unwound itself into long tendrils and thrashed violently to keep them away.
Getting into close contact with it was impossible; the guards were already
calling for magicians and Seal Arms among themselves.
"How can we stop that thing, Gown?"
"Once it goes crazy like that, it's difficult to stop! The only way to scatter
the hex again is to destroy the body it's clinging to!"
"You mean... we shall have to kill him?" Charlotte asked, but Gown
shook his head.
"When the hex attaches itself to someone, they're practically dead
already. We have to destroy the body now, or it'll be dangerous for
everyone!"
Gown was right. It was uncontrollable and unpredictable. There was no
time to worry about whether the man was technically dead yet or not.
"Allow me to try," Lecia said, immediately launching into a spell.
"Turn my will to flame. May this single spear set the sky alight and burn
through all who stand in my way."
Burning-hot Artglyphs gathered in the palm of her raised hand, taking the
shape of a fiery spear. Lecia launched the Flamrune at the raging man. The
spear distorted the air as it flew, roaring like a gale until its tip reached her
target. Her throw was fast and her aim keen, but the spear hit one of the
bands of light around the man and bounced off, dispersing into the air.
"It didn't work!" she gasped.
"The hex is protecting him! You need something really powerful to break
through it!"
Charlotte unsheathed her rapier. "How about cutting through them?"
"You can't! If you get too close, the hex'll get you, too!"
"...Of course."
The hex flew wildly, approaching the onlookers.
"O, sand, stones, and earth of the grave. Band together by an unseen
hand and fly. The ground heaves violently as it births every existence. May
the earth take breath and yell. Let the crumbling spirits descend, urged on by
raging screams."
"Sailing Graveyard."
This time, it was Gown who cast a spell. Artglyphs appeared and clung to
the ground, pulling earth up violently through the stone paving of the
sidewalk. The earth took shape in the air as though invisible fingers were
kneading it like clay, stretching out towards the bands of hex and intercepting
them before they reached the crowd.
"Everyone get back!" Gown called out to them.
Though the crowd heard him, it was already too late. With the crowd in
the way, the guards couldn't escape, leaving Arcus and his companions with
very few options. At this rate, people were going to get hurt.
"Gown! Could you focus on protecting the onlookers?" Arcus asked.
"Okay! You guys try and fight!"
Arcus nodded, and Lecia looked up at him apologetically.
"Brother, Flamrune is the most powerful spell I can cast..."
"Then you should focus on protecting too. It might be hard to hold back
that hex, but you should be able to do it with some good defensive spells."
"I shall do my very best!"
"Um, Arcus..." Sue began.
"You don't wanna let other people see your spells, right? Don't worry,
I'll handle this. Could you let the guards know what's going on?"
"Got it." Sue raced off towards the muddle of guards.
Arcus wanted to respect Sue's family secrets if he could.
He stepped towards the rampaging man to prepare an attack, only just
leaping clear of the next flurry of blows. Probing its threatened space as he
tumbled and wove between strikes, he approached the limits of the distance
he could close.
"I dunno if I can get in as tight as I'd like..."
The bands of hex curved as they threw themselves this way and that, and
it was hard to tell where they would strike next. Arcus watched carefully,
searching for some kind of pattern. Just then, Charlotte appeared next to him.
"Allow me to move in and draw its attacks. Then you can use that
opportunity to get closer."
"Are you sure, My Lady?"
"I promised you I would be of use, did I not?"
"W-Wait!" Arcus called, but it was too late.
Charlotte leaned forward and dashed towards the man and the hex. The
surrounding guards cried out for her to stop, but she ignored them, her long,
golden-brown hair streaming out behind her as she ran. A band of hex flew out at her, but she dodged it gracefully. It was like she could predict its
movements, even when they showed no discernible pattern. She leaped over
its sweeping strikes and stepped past the tight lashes. The hex was unable to
catch even a strand from the end of her hair.
Now that Arcus watched carefully, he realized she seemed to be moving
in anticipation of each attack.
How is she doing that?
It was almost comical how trivial she made the hex look. Charlotte cast a
glance over her shoulder at Arcus mid-dodge. By showing him she was in a
position to take her eyes off the target, she was telling him to act now.
She really was a reliable fighting partner. This was Arcus's chance.
"What spell are you gonna use, Arcus?" Sue called before he could act,
having come back from the guards.
"It's a big one," he warned.
"I can't wait to see it." She grinned.
"Try and take this seriously, would you?"
Arcus shot a glance at Gown, who waved a sleeve at him to let him know
he should go for it. More earth rose up from the ground around the onlookers.
Arcus wouldn't need to worry about the power of his spell now.
"Lady Charlotte! Please retreat once my spell is cast!"
"Understood!"
Arcus readied his spell. He needed simplicity, speed, and power. He
already had the perfect spell.
"Infinitesimal. Join. Focus..."
Artglyphs rose up and flew towards the raging man, slipping past the
bands of hex and coiling around the man's body to form a huge magic circle.
Charlotte stepped back with perfect timing, struck by her premonition of
what was to come.
Arcus closed his right hand, and the magic circle contracted around its
target. Making a fist, he spoke the final words of the spell.
"Burst gently."
"Dwarf Star."
Once the circle could draw no tighter, it exploded. Flames burst from its
center. Black smoke smoldered into the air. A powerful boom shattered the
air and stayed ringing in the crowd's ears for moments after. Pure power and
force flew out from the ring. Arcus was already on the ground to protect
himself from the shock wave, and eventually the smog began to clear.
Dust flew up and around the square. Static charges sparked and crackled
as they gathered in the air. The area where the hexed man once stood was
now nothing more than a hole of paving stone and rubble. There was nothing
left of the man himself. The crowd, guards, and Arcus's friends looked on in
shock.
"Whoa! Arcus, what was that?! That was amazing!" Sue's shout smashed
through the charged silence.
He looked at her to find her eyes shining and a wide smile on her face. It
was jarring to see her warm enthusiasm in the midst of the frigid tension in
the air.
"What was that spell? I can't believe you never told me about it! That's
so unfair!" Sue whined.
"Well, I only just came up with it recently..."
"Recently, right?! Not yesterday or today! You've had tons of time to tell
me! Why didn't you say anything?!"
"C'mon, quit it! We've got more important stuff to worry about right
now!" Arcus complained as Sue invaded his personal space.
As for Lecia, she was still in a state of shock. "Th-The incantation was so
short, and he barely used any aether, and yet the spell itself was so
powerful..."
"It was rather impressive," said Charlotte. "Even with all the offensive
magic I've had the pleasure of witnessing at the Institute, I have never seen
something like that."
"My brother really is amazing!"
"I still fail to understand why his father deemed him 'talentless.'"
Charlotte sighed, an anxious crease appearing in her forehead.
Meanwhile, Arcus only just succeeded in pulling Sue away from him.
"This is the result of that herb, huh?"
"Yes! His body couldn't handle it at all, but that herb isn't suited to
human bodies, anyway. This was a very bad case!" Gown explained.
"Why does it make the hex gather like that?" Arcus asked.
"I told you yesterday that hex attaches more easily to bodies that have
been buried! It's the earth they were buried in that attracts it! The herb they
made has that same property to attract hex!"
"So it attracts hex just like the graves do..."
"Hey, Gown! What would happen to that guy if we didn't do anything?"
Sue asked.