The Last Whiteblood's
The Era of Divisions
"Finally.."
Arion breathed a sigh of relief when he made it to Anvio Village. A village was destroyed by a Goblin attacker a few years ago. The village was left destroyed until now, the wreckage of the destroyed house is still there.
Kenneth slightly gaped at the ruined village. He was a little unexpected that Arion was going to come here. Foma who was on top of Kenneth's head only snored slowly.
Arion comes to a house where it is his last refuge from the Goblins. The house was filled with moss and plant roots. Arion entered the house, slowly but surely stepping in.
Arion entered into a room that looked like a room. Arion stood in the room, looking at the wall, where he was locked up by his mother by using magic crystals from the attacks of the Goblins.
"What is this place?" kenneth asked, emerging from beside Arion.
"This is the place where I can be" replied Arion. He sat on his knees and held the wooden floor. "Hanza's father was right here at the time"
Then, he looked ahead. "And I was there" he moved his vision back down. "Mother's here"
Kenneth out, leave Arion alone. He looked at this village. "Why hasn't this village been rebuilt?" ask Kenneth. Foma replied with a soft snoring.
"There must be a reason" Kenneth nodded slowly. He looked back. "You done yet?"
"Yes. Come on" Arion took Kenneth somewhere. Right on the edge of the village, there is a tomb covered with trees.
Arion sat on his knees, holding the stone that was a tomb.
"Whose grave is this?" ask Kenneth.
Arion smiled faintly. "My mother"
Kenneth was a little surprised, he looked at the grave long enough. Kenneth recalled Arion's reply some time ago when he asked them where they were going.
"Where were we going?" ask Kenneth.
"We're going to Anvio Village to visit someone I really miss" Arion replied.
Kenneth sat down next to Arion. "Then, let's pray for your mother"
Arion smiled warmly while nodding. "Yes". They both prayed in front of Arion's mother's grave. After they finished praying, a deer approached them. The animal placed a flower right next to Arion's mother's grave.
Kenneth stroked the deer's head before the animal stepped away.
"Hey!"
Hearing that voice, the two of them both looked back. There was an old man with a hoe standing not far behind them.
"Why are you there?" ask the old man.
"Visiting the tomb, sir" Kenneth replied as he attached a straw hat to Arion's head to cover his hair.
"The grave? I never knew there was a tomb there" said the old man.
"Here-in"
Arion patted Kenneth on the shoulder and shook his head slowly. Arion looked at the man. "We just fed a deer, for charity" he said with a chuckle.
"You're an adventurer?"
"You can say that" replied Arion.
"Oh, so. You better get out of this area. Later, you will be arrested for entering Rabadar Empire territory without permission"
Arion frowned. "Rabadar Empire? What does Uncle mean?"
"What I mean? You're weird, son. Rabadar had become an empire two years ago under the leadership of His Majesty Dominick Gareins"
Hearing that answer, Arion was shocked and confused. "Well, thanks for the info, Uncle"
Arion pulls Kenneth to get out of there. They came out of the village. Many questions arise in Arion's mind, especially what happened to Hanza and Daendra. For sure, that's not a good sign.
"You said your house was a kingdom" said Kenneth, who was no less confused.
"I don't know" replied Arion. They continued to move towards the city of Rabadar. "I have to do something" continued Arion.
***
Arion and Kenneth arrive at the Rabadar Empire's capital. They took a horse-drawn carriage to get here. The first thing the two of them saw was a 40-meter-high wall that bordered the inner city with an outer area.
When Arion was about to step up, Kenneth stopped him immediately.
"What?" ask Arion.
Kenneth pointed in a direction. There's a poster of Arion's face painting, affixed to the entrance gate.
"I have a plan" Kenneth said.
..
"Come in" the gatekeeper allowed some of the comers from outside to enter after giving a clear tax and identity.
"Good day!" greet a thick bearded man. He wore a straw hat and wore a large leather robe.
"May give me your identity, sir" said the guard, he could not turn away from the girl standing beside the man.
The man gave his identity and the girl's identity to the guard.
"Well, the tax is 50 gold pieces"
The man smiled and gave the requested coin. After all the necessities had been met, the guard had yet to let them in. He kept looking at the girl who was always looking down on the ground.
"He's my son" the man claimed to be the girl's father, chuckling softly. Eventually, they were allowed in.
The man and the girl went somewhere quiet, away from the crowd.
"You're crazy!" Arion took off his fake hair violently. It was the one who was disguised as the girl.
"That's the only way" Kenneth also broke free from his disguise. Then he looked at Arion. "You'd better stay undercover, they'll almost recognize you here"
"You kidding? No, my pride is still there" Arion immediately refused.
"You're putting your self-esteem before your life, apparently" Kenneth folded his arms around his chest.
Feeling no other choice, Arion finally agrees even if it is with a sense of force.
"By the way, you're so sweet. I almost wanted to marry you" Kenneth said, laughing out loud.
"Damn it" Arion kicked Kenneth's back.
They're tracing the city. Arion hardly recognized this city anymore. A lot of soldiers passed by and the building changed as well.
"Don't be rude to this kid! You brash soldier"
The noise of someone grabbing their attention. There was a bespectacled Mage protecting a child beggar from four soldiers.
"You don't need to protect him, Heaven Mage. This child-like beggar is simply tarnishing the luxury of this city" one of the soldiers said.
"What the fuck is that word?! Get the fuck out of here!" remove the Mage.
"If you weren't the 10 great knights and His Majesty Dominick didn't give you a place here, surely you'd end up like this child as well" the soldier gave a cynical look, then they passed from there, leaving the Mage with the beggar's son.
"Aciel.." muttered Arion. He recognizes the Mage, he is one of Arion's companions, named Aciel.
Arion was about to approach her, but Kenneth forbade her. "If you want to say hello, you better do it in a quiet place"
Arion nodded, then they left from there.
"You're okay?" Aciel stroked the boy's head. He nodded and Aciel smiled and handed him a bag of gold coins.
"Find food so you can grow strong" says Aciel.
"Thank you very much, Heaven Mage" the boy smiled and his face brightened. He also went from there.
Aciel looked at the boy until he disappeared from his sight. Aciel left there carrying his wand. As he traced the deserted area of the population, he was suddenly pulled into an empty house.
"Damn!" Aciel wanted to take out her nurse, but a dagger drew her to her neck.
A girl pressed her index finger to her lips, telling Aciel to shut up. Then a man came. "This house is empty, it looks like the owner of this house is leaving. We gotta hurry"
"Who are you?" ask Aciel.
"It's me Arion" replied the person holding him.
"Arion?" Aciel's eyes widened but at the same time his forehead wrinkled. Arion opened his fake hair and removed the magic from his face.
"Arion?!" Aciel was shocked not to play to see a missing person all this time.
"Yes, I'm Arion" Arion smiled as he pulled back the dagger from the front of Aciel's neck.
"Is this really you?" Aciel holds both Arion's shoulders while looking at Arion from bottom to top. He smiled as if he could not believe what he was seeing.
"You're alive!" Aciel hugged Arion tightly and then let go. "Where have you been all this time?"
"It doesn't matter anymore, I want to ask you a few questions" Arion said.
"What about His Holiness Hanza and Daendra?" Aciel asked back.
"Yes!" Arion nodded quickly.
"They were expelled and never seen again" Aciel put on a serious look as well as regret. Arion was surprised, he fell silent with his mouth slightly gaping.
"Dominick ascended the throne, you could say this..." Aciel took a breath first. "Listen, I don't blame you but Dominick's ascension to the throne is because of you"
"What?"
The Era of Divisions
