The Master Of Elements

ME 41 Old Man Tom's Pawnhouse (1)

John stopped his steps at door number nine. Then the man knocked on the door with the same rhythm as when he knocked on the cashier's desk.

Geck, tok.

Geck.

Geck, tok, tok.

Geck, tok.

Geck.

No answer came after John knocked on the door. After three minutes of waiting there was no response. John seemed impatient to see that.

“You back a few meters from me.” John said to the two children behind him.

Hearing John's serious tone of speech, Matthew pulled back his two brothers. He stepped back until they were twenty meters away from where John was standing.

Seeing that the two were already quite far away from him, John immediately opened the door in front of him. After John opened the door, a strong wind blew from behind the door. Then a scream came from behind the door. From his voice, Matthew was sure that the one who shouted was a man.

“Who has interrupted my sleep.”

That was the scream Matthew heard. The screams were loud enough, he said. Maybe this is the reason the man in front reminded me to knock on the door first before opening it. But even though they had already knocked, they also still received this kind of welcome.

“After this hour You are still sleeping Old Man Tom.” Said John. “If you don't come out, I'll go in and empty all your wine collection.”

“John? Are you that?” ask for a voice from inside the room.

Not long after that the sound of footsteps began to sound. From inside the room number nine came a middle-aged man with disheveled hair. His clothes also look tangled here and there indicates that this man was really sleeping before.

“Heh.” The man sniffed slowly. “From the smell, you really are John. Why did you come to see me this way. Usually you would just go straight into my room and flush me with water. It's not usually you like this.” Say that man.

“Hemm. Looks like I smell someone else with you.” He said as he sniffed the air around.

“Who are you coming with? I smell three strangers. Who are they?” Asked the man who now turned his gaze towards Matthew and his two younger siblings.

John waved his hand towards Matthew and his two younger siblings. Ask them to come closer to John. “They'll take me to the Academy, Tom. You could say they are new students.” Said John.

“That smells of cooking spices named Matthew, which smells of sweat named Jasper, and the last one is named Ellie.” Obviously John.

Before this, Matthew had indeed cooked for their breakfast. Jasper also did his regular exercises. John's words have a point. Faint in Matthew's body smelled of spices and Jasper's body had the smell of sweat.

“Include yourself kids. This is Tom my best friend. He can't see but he can recognize you from the smell that's on your body.” Imbuh John's.

Can't see? It was fitting that the man named Tom was sniffing the air around him. They recognize people by their smell. It was just right that Tom did not see the existence of the two brothers. All of that also answers John's strange way of introducing them through body odor.

“I'm Ellie.”

“I'm Jasper.”

“My name is Matthew. Nice to meet you Mr.”

From here, Matthew also knows the elements owned by Tom. One of them is the element that during the few days of this journey he researched. Tom has three elements, namely the element of air, the element of water and the element of life. True element of life. Elements that are said to be very rare are found on the continent Andradius.

Matthew did not think he could have a chance to meet the owner of the element of life on his way to Andradius Academy.  This is a very remarkable coincidence according to Matthew.

At that time Matthew decided, if he later difficulties “bergeman” with elements of life in a normal way, or his experiments using weapons that have elements of life, or life, or the difficulty of meeting with the owner of the element of life at Andradius Academy later, then he will meet this person named Tom, to learn the element of life.

…

Tom scrunched his forehead. “Why did you bring them here? It's not usually you bring someone to my place. You never even brought an academy student to my place. They are just prospective students. What made them different so you brought them here.”

“They're Black Shadow's target. If they don't, I don't need to escort them to come to the academy.” John replied briefly.

“Disclosure of Black Shadow? Are you kidding me, John. Black Shadow is only after children under eleven years old. They're going to Andradius Academy aren't they? So why are they after these two kids.”

“They are ten years old Tom. They are the grandchildren of the great lion Frantico. Grandson of Arnold.” Obviously John.

“Gooddaughter of Arnold? Hahaha..” Tom laughed quite loudly.

“I guess these three kids are the kids of them, right? I can't believe the two kids are now parents. Arnold certainly would not have expected that his favorite son who pretended to be dead was now giving two grandchildren.” Imbuh Tom's.

“Where do you know they're alive?” Ask John curiously.

“Of course I know. The boy paid me to take him and his girlfriend away. If not with my help, you guess how they could have escaped so easily without anyone seeing them. Of course it's because of me. Hahaha..” Tom laughed again while holding his stomach.

“Sials. So I'm also one of those people who doesn't know much about all this. Very clever of the two children in planning all this.” John was upset.

“So, what are you here for? It's not just about those who are being chased by Black Shadow is it? Don't you have the potion to change the face. Then, why did you come here.” said Tom who turned a little more serious.

John breathed a long breath. “I followed a merchant caravan to travel. Damn me, the caravan seemed to be carrying out a mission that was a trap for them. Of course I have to intervene, because I don't want innocent people involved. But it seems they are targeting me instead.”

“Are you getting weaker John? Why do you look afraid to face them? Are you unable to face them?” ask Tom.

“Not so Tom. If the one they sent was someone at platinum level I could easily face them even though I still have to protect these two children. But this time that came two people at the Diamond level. I can still finish them off. But after that, the person behind the evil plan could have paid someone else to avenge him.”

“From the pattern alone this person is definitely vindictive. So, I don't want to attract too much trouble as long as these two kids haven't made it to the academy. After I finish off those people at the Diamond level, it could be that the one who comes after is Black Shadow. You know not that all of that can really happen.”

“Now Black Shadow has spread widely. Before this I had found Black Shadow's accomplice in a small village on the outskirts of the Morento forest. They were the ones in charge of kidnapping the talented children from their families and were handed over to Black Shadow.”

“So I met you. I want you to take us with your Falcon. If you're busy, you can just take us to Greenwood. There we were able to continue our journey using teleportation. If you're free, take us to the Academy.”

From that conversation Matthew just realized why they changed the plan. This all started with John interfering with helping the people of the Gold Mine Caravan in a bandit raid. Matthew did not expect that the bandit attack was an attack planned to kill people from the Gold Mine Caravan.

Tom squinted his eyes. “Indeed, how much can you pay? Two years ago alone did you take my collection wine without paying? Now you're asking me to drive you. You know not that I don't give it all away for free. If you ask me to drop you off, you'll have to pay for it.”

“Come on Tom, don't you want to free this one? About that wine, I just borrowed it from you. I didn't buy it. Doesn't matter if I borrow it? If I'm not satisfied later, I'll return it.” John felt innocent.

Matthew, who had been silent, suddenly spoke. “What do we need to pay? Are fifty Crystal elements enough?”