Explaining to the rest of the expedition what had happened at the altar wasn't difficult thanks to the witnesses, but we had to conceal the part about the installation. The fewer people who knew about it, the better.
The knights who remained in the city to protect the other expedition members were frustrated, especially Ephram, who, despite not being completely healed, insisted that he should have been there to help.
I didn't express my thought that he would hinder us due to his condition. It was obvious that he didn't like to be idle despite the company of his beloved. I didn't doubt his ability, but things didn't always go as we wished; the wound on his head is proof of that, so it's best that he rest and get in good condition before returning to combat, because you never know where the fatal blow will come from.
With the situation clarified, and the clear shock that followed, we spent the rest of the day at the inn, or brothel—I still haven't been able to identify what the establishment where we stayed was. It was clean, tidy, and well-maintained, giving it a respectable appearance, but the noises coming from the rooms were not what one would expect from a place of rest for travelers.
The scholars would have to climb the infernal staircase again to finish their work, and I hope CPAA has disposed of the remains of the metallic bird before the local authorities find it, but until then, we will calm our nerves, waiting for the dust to settle.
Now I found myself seated near a circular table, next to Buldrokkas'tee and Warfarin, internally praying that the small chair beneath me would hold my weight. The same seemed to apply to the Wendigo; the material of our seats creaked and trembled as the vampire watched with barely contained amusement.
A Sarkaz woman dressed in an extremely short skirt and a shirt with a deep neckline brought our food, carrying a tray with steaming dishes in each hand. She made a point of leaning between us with a mischievous smile on her face, giving us a full view of her generous bosom.
I looked away out of respect. Warfarin made a face of disgust, but her piercing gaze made me wonder if it was actually envy. Buldrokkas'tee remained still like a statue, even when the woman showed a particular interest in him, sending a wink over her shoulder and a sway of her hips as she walked away.
When she disappeared through the doors to the kitchen, the Wendigo's posture relaxed and he let out a long sigh.
"Is there a problem? She seemed to like you."
I admit, my curiosity got the better of me and I had to ask.
"No, just… As the son of a member of the Royal Court and heir to a powerful noble family, everyone has high expectations about who I will choose as a wife, and many nobles already have enough problems with their heirs fathering children with every woman they come across. My parents made it clear what they will do if I start making bastards in Kazdel. The country already has enough of those."
"Hypothetically, what would happen to the child?"
I stirred the beans on my plate with a spoon, trying, and failing, to hide my interest.
"Hm… Most of the time, nothing, he or she would live their life without being recognized, but, along with her mother, would have to deal with the shame of living with an absent father, which would only worsen if the father's identity became public. Some are abandoned because their mothers are unable to care for them or because the plan to rise in status as a nobleman's mistress has failed. In the worst case, the nobleman or his family might decide to get rid of the stain on their reputation."
I mumbled an incoherent noise, eating a spoonful of sour beans, or perhaps it was just my mood, as I still couldn't taste anything. I wonder if something spicy would make me feel anything. Seconds later, I was pulled from my thoughts by the next comment.
"...Besides, I'm too young to be looking for a partner right now."
"Seriously? How old are you?"
"One hundred and twenty years old."
That surprised me, but I did my best to hide it, as I didn't want to be rude. Sometimes I forget about the longevity of the Sarkaz.
"And is that considered young?"
"Yes, for a pureblood Wendigo."
"And how long do pureblood Wendigos live?"
"I don't know, there have never been records of one dying of old age. We live so long that something else ends up killing us. My parents are getting old, but if the ancestral spirits are generous, they will have a long and prosperous life ahead of them."
"I hope so."
"Thank you."
Silence returned, and at that moment I noticed that Warfarin was strangely quiet, staring at her plate with a dark aura surrounding her.
"Warfarin, are you alright?"
Slowly, she raised her head and showed me her emotionless face before sighing and eating her food.
"Yes, I am. I'm just thinking…"
I heard her whisper something about –What's the use of having such a large pair?–, but I quickly decided to change the subject, trying to cheer her up.
"I believe this is the moment for you to ask me some questions, isn't it? I will answer them as best I can."
The Wendigo and the Vampire perked up at my words, chewing and quickly swallowing what they were eating before focusing on me, probably formulating what they would ask.
"Your story about being a Sargonian merchant, is it true?"
Buldrokkas'tee was the first to ask.
"No, that's just the most likely story that was constructed according to what others assumed about me. I didn't lie about losing my memories, so my past and race are just excuses to avoid trouble and satisfy the curiosity of others."
"I understand. I'm sorry for your loss."
"Don't worry, it doesn't bother me as much as before, but thank you anyway."
He nodded, letting out a grunt of approval, then Warfarin asked the next question.
"Your Arts, where did you learn them? How do they work? How do you summon spirits and interact with the Eternal Flame?"
Well, I gave her the opportunity; she wouldn't miss the chance to extract all the answers from me.
"To begin with, my Arts are identified by another name, magic, but not the kind you read about in fairy tales, but something born from years of study and refinement. Magic is a general term, but each one has a specific name. Soul Sorcery are the ones I have the most affinity for, something that has been with me for as long as I can remember. They are conjured through the use of staves, using the user's intelligence to materialize them, and the conjurer's soul as a source of energy. Pyromancy is the name given to fire magic, conjured with a Pyromantic Flame in the palm of my hand…"
To demonstrate, I raised my right hand, creating a small ball of fire that gleamed in the eyes of the two individuals who were watching me attentively.
"...Continuing, the power of Pyromancy comes from within, from the will and emotions of the user, and with that, the results can be varied, such as violent explosions from someone furious, or a precise jet from a focused person, but there are two absolutes: a flame can be enhanced, strengthening its power, and the greater the user's dexterity, the faster they can conjure it. Miracles are divine magic conjured through chimes, channeling a fraction of the power of a higer being through faith, but taking Warfarin as an example, people who don't believe with all their heart are incapable of conjuring it…"
The vampire in question became disheartened upon hearing the last part, but there was still hope.
"...However, there is another way to conjure miracles, through intelligence. Every story contains a lesson, so you need to read between the lines, understand what lies beyond the words, and invoke that power."
There was a moment of realization before a smile appeared on her face, and I promised I would delve deeper into the subject later. However, as I prepared to explain the next type of magic, I found myself wondering if it was a good idea, to the point that I fell silent, feeling my expression becoming more serious.
"Listen, if this is something personal…"
Buldrokkas'tee began to speak, but I interrupted him.
"Thank you for your consideration, I'm just thinking about how to explain something. You know that Arts have rules, right? Despite their variety, there's a set of principles that can't be broken, right?"
They both agreed, asking where I was going with this.
"Technically, I don't need a staff, chime, or flame to conjure magic; these tools serve as regulators of power output. Without them, I would become more powerful, but uncontrolled. I could easily finish off my enemies, but I would die in the process. What I mean is that, despite everything I do, my Arts have rules, but the school of magic I'm about to mention breaks those rules. Abyssal Sorcery, Hexes, Dark Miracles, Black Magic—it's known by various names, and can be conjured with chimes and staffs, its power coming from darkness. And what exactly can it do? Well, manipulate time and space, summon vengeful spirits, transform corpses into explosives, and much more. It's something that can corrupt the user if used carelessly. Now, only two questions remain, right? Where did I learn these things? I had many teachers throughout my journey, and they were the ones who taught me, and with that, I was able to develop my skills and learn the rest on my own. I'm very grateful to them, although I recently expanded my arsenal before ending in Kazdel, so I'll leave the rest for later. How can I summon spirits and interact with the Eternal Flame? You could say I have an affinity and artifacts related to the dead, and after explaining how my Arts work, I think you understand why now."
Then I waited, waited for laughter, shouts, questions about whether I had gone mad, exclamations of doubt, but there was only silence, broken by Warfarin.
"T-that, that's a lot to process."
"Now you understand why I withheld so much information? Would you have believed me if I had revealed everything before the expedition began?"
Neither answered, looking away in shame.
"I would have called you mad."
The Wendigo said next, and I nodded in agreement.
"Exactly. Is there anything else you would like to know?"
What followed was a barrage of questions.
"Your teachers, can you contact them?"
"Unfortunately not, they are unreachable at the moment."
"All these weapons and artifacts of yours, how did you get them?"
"Most were looted from corpses or found, although some were reforged by blacksmiths at my request after I defeated their previous owners."
"How come we've never heard of someone as strong as you?"
"I don't know how to answer that, I never bothered to hide, but I also never went around announcing my feats."
"Where were you before you showed up in Kazdel?"
Ah, the perfect question.
"Have you ever heard of Caelid?"
I received a couple of negative shakes of the head.
"Liurnia, Limgrave, the Weeping Peninsula, or the Lands Between in general?"
Two more negatives.
"And Drangleic, Melfia, Lindelt, or Mirrah?"
The same answer as before.
"Then I suppose you wouldn't believe me, but I'll still search for a way to return to where I was before I arrived."
They exchanged glances, their faces filled with confusion and disbelief, exchanging unspoken messages before the vampire spoke.
"Alden, are you implying you came from a completely different continent?"
It wasn't what I expected, but it served its purpose. Terra was used as the name of the world and the main continent, but it was unknown if there were more beyond the ocean.
"I suppose so, and I have no idea how to return."
"That explains why nobody knows your race."
She said.
"Or why you're so strange."
Buldrokkas'tee added next.
"Also why you know nothing about Terra."
I frowned, because what followed was both of them listing everything that made me seem strange to the Terrans, and judging by their tone of voice, they were both enjoying it.
"Wait, does that mean there are no catastrophes and Oripaty where you come from?!"
Warfarin asked, and for a moment, I had to look around, searching for curious eyes and ears. Fortunately, the other people present seemed more interested in flirting with the voluptuous waitresses.
"No, they don't exist where I come from."
Her mouth dropped open, while Buldrokkas'tee had a more restrained reaction with wide eyes. Again, I waited, allowing them both to process what they had heard.
"Wow, then it must be paradise compared to Terra!"
The Vampire gave me a radiant smile, but it was my turn to be taken by surprise, becoming paralyzed like a statue before feeling a strange sensation. The corners of my lips curled into a trembling smile, and something rose in my throat. My chest heaved and fell in a steady rhythm as I chuckled, something that soon turned into a laugh.
I laughed like I'd never laughed before in my life, ignoring the stares of those around us. Drangleic and the Lands Between, a paradise? HA! It would be easier to convince myself that one day I would be free of the curse!
It took me a while, but I finally managed to calm down, catching my breath before offering an explanation for my unusual reaction.
"Forgive me for this, but I'm not used to hearing something so funny. Buldrokkas'tee, Warfarin, I've crossed hell, literally and figuratively. All kingdoms and nations have collapsed, there's no law, and wild beasts roam the regions. Warlords cause death and destruction, and those who aren't strong enough end up dead or worse. There's no shortage of disasters or things trying to kill you. Why do you think I'm so strong? There simply isn't another option. I come from a place worse than Kazdel. From my point of view, Terra is a paradise, because at least here, there's a certain degree of stability, and you can live a normal life."
If before they looked at me with awe, now there was incredulity in their expressions. I stood up, placing some coins on the table to pay for everyone's food, and then retired to my room, but not before offering a few final words.
"I'm sorry for hiding so much from you and I thank you for giving me a chance to explain everything, but if possible, I hope this doesn't change how you see me. I would hate to have ruined our friendship."
When I closed the door behind me, I lay down on the bed, which was too small for my size, staring at the ceiling with my hands clasped on my stomach, trying to ignore the noises from the rooms next door.
"Where did all this come from? Since when am I so open with people?"
-XXXXXX-
With our business here concluded, we began our return to the capital before the authorities questioned us about what had happened. The journey was peaceful and uncomfortably silent, not because of the people who witnessed all the absurdities I caused, but because of Buldrokkas'tee and Warfarin who remained quiet.
The former rode his Burdenbeast ahead, sending me a few glances over his shoulder, while the latter remained embracing my waist as Torrent galloped down the road.
"Alden, are you alright?"
The sudden echo of her voice made me jump, so I took a few seconds to answer the Vampire's question.
"Yes, I'm not hurt."
"That's not what I meant."
I paused and thought for a moment, realizing it wasn't about my physical condition.
"I… I think so. There's no need to worry about what I went through, it's all in the past now."
She didn't answer, but her grip tightened around me and her forehead touched my back, forming an awkward hug. With that done, we continued the journey in silence, as I didn't know how to react.
END OF CHAPTER