Chapitre 382: High Regard
Leaving the gang behind at the river, the group aimed their sights toward their destination. The horses trotted on until they had put a good distance between themselves and the forest vagrants. Finally their pace slowed.
"Show me," Renat said as his horse came up beside the other man.
"What?" Alaron looked confused until the scientist pointed to his shoulder. The cloak was draped over his injury.
"How badly are you hurt?" The scientist furrowed his brow. At first Alaron thought that Mairwen had sent him, but the genuine concern in Renat's eyes told a different story. "Do you need me to stitch you up? I know it has been a while since the doctor showed me, but I am willing to help if you need it."
'I could do worse in a brother-in-law,' the Guardian noted.
"You don't have to worry about me." Alaron pushed back his cape to reveal his torn sleeve and shoulder. While the sleeve was torn completely from its stitching across the top, the deep cut along the top of his shoulder was already beginning to mend. "I'm not sure if it is from the Spires' healing water or from the Guardian's elixir, but I heal very rapidly."
Even as Renat watched, the edges of the gash seemed to be drawn toward one another in an effort to become whole. It was both fascinating and a tad frightening. "That's a convenient trick to have up your sleeve," the scientist noted.
"There has to be some perk to being a Guardian," Alaron chuckled softly.
"Long life and being able to help others aren't enough perks?" the tall man queried.
The Guardian sighed. "Considering I was ripped apart and reformed not once but twice, experiencing all the pain of a thousand lifetimes in the matter of a few moments, I am going to appreciate the ability to heal more than most people."
"Both of those instances were your fault, brother," Mairwen reminded him from behind them.
"It isn't nice to eavesdrop, Mair." Alaron shot back. "If you want to join the conversation, come alongside your husband to keep us company."
Renat stifled a laugh, wondering how much the Guardian knew about how his proposal plans were nearly derailed by the princess's eavesdropping. As the Guardian did not react to his twin's angry mumbling, it seemed Alaron was familiar with the tale.
The trees were becoming more sparse, so riding three horses abreast was no longer a difficult task. Farms dotted the landscape and the early winter crops were already pushing their way up from the ground. The land between Valiant and Oblivion was especially fertile, making it the breadbasket of the capital city and surrounding areas.
"I was not eavesdropping," Mairwen defended herself as she joined the men. "Eira has been checking behind us to make sure we are safe, and your talking was the only other thing to hear." She quickly changed the subject, "What happened back there?"
"They found me out while I was doing your spying, obviously." Alaron rolled his eyes beneath his hood.
The princess pressed her lips together. "I don't believe they just happened to see you. You are the sneakiest person I know!"
"Wait a second!" Alaron started to get offended then stopped, "No, alright, that is probably fair."
"So how did they get the jump on you, then?" Mairwen cocked her head to one side. She was not judging her brother for getting caught, merely trying to understand.
"They had this thing resembling the elves' message balls only much larger. When they sent it away, it brushed past me. Rather unlucky if you ask me..."
The scientist's ears perked up. "Describe the ball, please."
The other man detailed the ball as well as he could remember it, giving the dimensions with his hands. Renat listened carefully and scratched at his chin.
"Sounds similar to something Yumeto was working on at the University, but he never could figure it out. He gave up and left around six months ago." Renat remembered the man with the ever-so-slightly pointed ears. "Yumeto claimed to have some drop of elven heritage in his ancestry, and that was why he had wanted to recreate their message balls. However, he had not been able to master the complexity of magic using mechanical means."
"Well, someone finished the messenger ball, because it both came and left while I was there." Alaron asserted, shaking his head. "Now that's a handy trick to have up your sleeve."
"Good thing I have two...of the magical kind, I mean." Mairwen produced two of the smaller orbs from the pack on her horse. "Mother gave them to me when we parted. Do we need to send one to Father to let him know about the men?"
"I am guessing they did not have the most honorable intentions if they were chasing you and, you know, trying to kill you," Renat noted.
"I am not positive on their intentions, but I do know they are keeping eyes on the Empress." Alaron described the people of the camp and the conversations he overheard. He told of how everything was made to look much older and more worn down than it was.
"How did they have so many horses if they were supposedly so poor?" Eira had joined them from her scouting. Her calm demeanor suggested that she did not think they had been followed.
"So many things didn't match, including their having a mechanical message ball. Something is very suspicious. Wouldn't you say, Justum?" Alaron turned his head toward the open space beside him. The Guardian had sensed the Fate's presence in the wind, but had not felt the need to seek his guidance until now.
Justum materialized and floated along beside them. His glowing translucent skin gave off a faint bluish light. The Fate's face was deep in thought. "I do find most human behavior quite odd if I am being honest, but theirs seems downright deceptive."
The ethereal being disappeared, causing the humans to wonder what had happened. About the time when they were going to pick up the conversation again, Justum reappeared.
"I couldn't find their camp, but I saw remnants of one. They seem to have moved on already." Justum announced.
"They are worried about being discovered. So to answer your question, Mair, I do think we should alert our father of what we saw. It will give him a chance to investigate."
Mairwen began to prepare the message for the ball when the Fate interrupted.
"No need," Justum said with a negative wave. "I will relay the message to the palace just this once. I need to speak directly with Fate Metis anyway so I am already going into Valiant."
"It must be so hard for you to go out of your way since you can poof from place to place in an instant..." Alaron mumbled under his breath. Justum raised one eyebrow at the Guardian but otherwise ignored him.
"Fate Metis has sent some troubling news from both the palace and the University which require some clarification. Only a face to face interaction will do. Is there anything I should tell him?" The Fate's gaze narrowed on the humans. "He is under the impression that all of you might have had something to do with the murder of Chancellor Fannur."
The humans' eyes widened.
"We did not!" Alaron asserted with force. "That was the lizards."
It was Justum's turn to be shocked. "Lizards?"
"Yes, we tried to stop them, but they escaped." Mairwen concurred.
They went on to describe the lizards and the series of events that had led to Fannur's death and the destruction of his office.
"If it weren't for the princess and her honest husband, I would think this is another one of your famous pranks, Alaron," Justum said when they were finished. "I will have to see if any of the Fates know of these creatures."
"You mean you do not know them?" Mairwen gasped. She had hoped the Fate would be able to give them some insight into their enemy.
"I cannot be expected to know all things at all times. I am not the Maker," Justum responded indignantly. Though his words were directed toward the princess, his anger was clearly at himself. "I will be going now. Safe journey!"
"Wait!" Alaron nearly forgot to ask his question. Justum had already faded mostly from view. "What normally happens when the Guardian's elixir is used on an external wound?"
Justum gave him an incredulous look. "The wound glows until blinding, hurts, and then it is usually already healed when the light dissipates."
"So, there is no black residue and it doesn't cause earthquakes?" Renat tried to clarify.
"No. Why? Did those things occur with one of you?" Justum flicked his eyes between the group.
"Yes on the first and possibly on the second. Mairwen's injury was healed, but black water was left behind and the earthquake felt too well timed to be a coincidence." Alaron explained the events as best he could. "It seemed to be limited to a small area, but still the ground shook. I had no idea that using the vial would cause such a disturbance, I swear!"
Justum pinched the bridge of his nose. "I will look into it." He sighed. "War, letting the world believe you are dead, and now a natural disaster and unidentified creatures...You know, Alaron. I think the Maker was testing me when he made you a Guardian. You've given me more trouble in less than two years than nearly every other Guardian combined."
"Nearly?" Alaron smirked. "Then there is still room for growth!"
"Do not test me. Those are not the kinds of goals you should be setting. The point is, you are trouble! For now, good day!" Justum vanished in a huff.
"Wow." Renat winced rubbed the back of his head at the Fate's abrupt exit.
"I know!" Alaron nodded. "I had no idea he was that fond of me!"
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone