Bab 17: A Knight in Shining Armour?

—18 September 2023—

Arthur Olvasen:

Leaning against the railing that snaked around the overlook of one of Fjellborg Castle's towering spires, my arms dangled lazily as I surveyed the boundless expanse of the sea stretching for as far as my human eye could see.

The winds howled, accompanying the rhythmic symphony of waves crashing against the cliff like a prisoner beating at the bars of a cell, only to dissipate a lingering moment later into the sea with a muted plop, its primal energy spent.

Everything around me felt so- so surreal. As if suspended in time.

Despite only sensing it through sound, I could perceive the icy chill of the water, the mulish power of the waves, and the haunting forewarnings carried by the whispers of the winds that brushed against my ear. Whispering about something. Something unwarranted.

My mind was in a suspended state. Was this eerie prognostication a message? A warning, that the Gods wished to tell me, or was it my paranoia taking over my senses once again. I had no way to tell.

The jarring dubiety about my thoughts being my own or instilled by my own mother gnawed at my psyche, making me feel more and more jittery.

I drew in a deep breath, filling my lungs to their very limit, followed by small bursts until each small inhale started to feel like a bittersweet ache, causing my chest to heave upwards.

The air was fresh, cold and brisk. The tang scent of the ocean and the chaotic aroma of the coming storm created a strange ambiance, soothing out the frayed ends of my nerves. Like balm against a wound.

Then closing my eyes, I released it in a gentle, controlled manner, savouring the moment. It was a peaceful moment.

It was enough to make me forget about myself, who- what I was and drift away in a dreamy world.

Like a droplet dropping in a small pond and garbling the reflection of the world, my calmed senses went into a wild frenzy before calming down as soon as I opened my eyes, realising where I was. I am not in Bergen. I am not there anymore. I am not there. I calmed myself, burying my own rebel emotions.

On a closer retrospect, my own behaviour—at times—felt contradictory to my own self. Cynical. Psychotic even. It was like living in foreign flesh. The body, the mind, the heart… everything was so at odds with each other that it tore my psyche apart.

Blinking away the nauseous feeling that crept to the back of my throat without me knowing, I looked down, coming back from my imaginations and into the real world. Despite it being the exact same of what I had envisioned in my imagination, it felt so… lacklustre?

Was it perhaps because of the people that inhabited this place? The current circumstances? Or the past that I have lived in already? Whatever it was, I had no way to tell. But one thing was for certain, my ideal world did not include these people. Or as a matter of fact, anyone.

Deranged and selfish, right?

Turning my attention towards the thing that had pulled me out of the dreaming world, I took my phone out from the inside of my coat's pocket. Before I had completely pulled it out, it buzzed first and then chimed in my grip. As I turned the screen towards me, it lit up, showing two notifications.

The mood that had soured a while ago was immediately cured, like a splash of water on parched earth. A fleeting moment of relief. As I clicked the notification and it opened, the light from my phone casting a bright light on my face, I saw a picture, causing the stiff muscles in my face to relax.

It was Astrid, holding her index and middle finger up in a "V" sign with Zara alongside her, her arm flung around Astrid's neck, pulling her down since she was much taller than her. Zara had a wide grin on her face, their cheeks touching each other as she too had a "V" sign. Behind them, I could catch a glimpse of Yuki and Trisha, sitting on one of the benches outside some kind of shop.

What is that sign? Did that weird specimen of a human enter Astrid into a cult? Hmmm. I should cut her into 5 pieces. Yeah. That should be appropriate.

I felt my brows scrunch and I lowered the brightness, just a little, so that it stopped stinging my eyes. Exiting the zoomed in image, I saw the text underneath it.

{Yo! We here!}

All this school and yet her grammar is pathetic. Does she even study? Why is she even texting me in English? I had no way to tell. Opening her picture once again, I zoomed in on the background. From the looks of it, it seemed like a shop serving Fish Balls.

There were a lot of places serving this particular dish since it's a staple in this country. However, the woman carrying the tray also has some Potato Lefse in her tray as well. That would narrow down where she has gone to around 10 locations. I might pinpoint her if I—

As I was thinking, the phone buzzed once again.

{No need to track me down -_- Stay away. I am not a baby. If anything, I am supposed to be your caretaker.}

Oh? So she is pulling the caretaker card now?

[Not doing a very good job at taking care of me, I'd say.]

Smirking internally at the quirky reply (or at least I think it is) I was hoping she would not reply and surrender.

{You're not a baby either. Hehe~ Cya later~}

Huh? Doesn't that invalidate the entire purpose she is around me?

Did she text just to let me know that she's out of my RADAR and that I can't track her— Ohhh. So that's how it is. That Yuki. Or Trisha. They must've made her do this to get on my nerves. It's definitely their plot. Maybe I really should kill them.

"I still can't wrap my head around the fact that you- I mean all of the people here, have to live in this kind of bipolar weather all year long." A voice commented from my side before suddenly shutting up. "Dear God, you're thinking about something awful."

It was Maria. Her hair that's curly at the end rested freely on her shoulders, the skin coloured scarf that coiled around her neck keeping them in place in face of the howling winds. She had a frown on her face, and two cups of coffee in her hands. She had taken the liberty to make some coffee since it was her idea to come here.

"What makes you think that?" I asked, turning the phone off and slipping it back into my pocket. If push really comes to shove, I can find Astrid without knowing where she is exactly. It might still be troublesome.

Extending her left hand, she held the cup for me to hold. Grabbing it by the top, I took it from her before looking down at it.

It was black. Just how I liked it.

"No sugar?"

"One cube." She replied with a smile that screamed that she knew I don't prefer sweet coffee but decided to do it anyway. "A little sweetness never hurts. And who knows it might cure that little pout you always have."

Wait, what?

"I am never pouting."

She giggled. Mostly to herself. Now I feel like an idiot.

"I know. But it's not a bad thing you know." She spoke as she walked over to the railing. I was facing away from it whereas she placed her elbows over it and stared into the vast ocean. "No need to be so defensive."

Not exactly sure how to handle this, I took a loud slurp out of the cup of coffee.

"It's sweet."

I didn't really dislike it. Surprisingly. It's surprising because I am quite rigid with my likes and dislikes with a very little flexibility.

Or perhaps it can be because I might always have liked a little sugar, and never really knew about it since Astrid never forced this on me? But that can't be true. I remember disliking sweet coffee from the very start— wait… I can't remember when exactly…

Is it me just going crazy again?

The concerned gaze of Maria once again pulled me back into reality, from my constantly rising potential psychosis.

Perhaps she sensed my discomfort and averted her gaze from my face and looked down. "That's the point. Besides… you didn't say you dislike it."

"I do dislike it very much." I replied, trying to normalise myself.

This is why I hate going back to that place—my family home. It strips away any semblance of normality I gain when I am away.

A smile that flirted with a smirk crept onto her lips. "Then why don't you say it. Loud and clear for me to hear." She spoke, inching closer.

Looking to the other side, I simply took another sip of the overly sweet coffee.

"Eh-Oh?" I could hear her getting cocky with my obvious denial. "It was too loud for me to hear. Want to say it again?"

Ignoring her, I continued to look away from her, letting her get the little moment of satisfaction from shutting me up. Despite being around me for so long, I am still not quite sure what goes in that head of her's.

She's smart, freakishly so. Smart not as a high grade scoring student, but she had good awareness of her surroundings and her intuition and decision making were as good as it could be. However, that is where the problem starts. We've known each other for years, and just like me, most likely, she has also studied my family's past and even me.

Then why was she so overly compassionate? It was a question I asked myself a few times but the circumstances always left me reeling and eventually making me forget about it in the presence of more exigent things at hand.

While Zara and Trisha's family seems to be as neutral as the Olvasens' on the outside, it's quite obvious that they have a visible disdain for the Whites. This has remained as such for decades but hidden. Veiled underneath a thick layer of diplomacy.

And now that the biases for each other have been completely brought to light and grouping has been formed, it's become even more important for us to stay neutral.

Or rather we were never asked to form an alliance. Serves us right, if you ask me. But that's beside the point. What I mean by all this is that before and more so now, why does she continue this all? Aren't we basically glorified enemies who sit in the same room and pretend to be allies?

The more I think about it, the more I come to a certain conclusion but thinking more over it, even that conclusion feels hilarious.

"You know Michael and the others went outside to hang out." She broke the silence once again. I think the amount of times I have stayed silent and made the silence get awkward was getting rude by now.

"Yeah. I know." I replied.

"The girls as well."

"Mhmm."

"And hmm, Astrid too."

"I know. She just told me."

Silence. For a fleeting moment it stayed before it was kicked out. Before Maria could talk, I spoke this time, facing towards the sea as well, getting in the same position as her.

"I never got to thank you for the heads up." I spoke, my eyes going soft at the surreal beauty of the dark clouds cracking up and the citrus streaks of sun extending in every direction from the crevices of those cracks, bathing everything in a layer of ethereal glow. It took me all of my willpower to tear away from the breathtaking vista and glance over in Maria's direction, only to find her already fixed at me. "So thank you. Me and Astrid were able to survive the sudden attack because of your warning beforehand."

The dying rumble of the cloud was a fine addition to the overall ambiance as Maria looked down, pulling her scarf up as it covered her lips. "No need for thanks, Arthur. I told you already-" she paused and left the support of the railing. "-I never once in my life have meant harm for you." As her eyes softened, she let go of the scarf and grinned. "Besides, who's going to be your good friend when you're this lonely, haha."

Again with this loner thing…why is that the first assumption people make about me? Do I look like a loner? A loser? Does my face scream "This guy has no friends and no one likes him" ?

Well…it's not too wrong. A lot of people don't like me and I don't have many friends. But I still do have some. That's quite rude of her to say that. Who cares about people's validation anyways…

…

Nevermind.

"I am not lonely." I rested my case regardless.

The smile suddenly vanished. "Oh yeah. You've got a girlfriend now."

I accidentally took in a giant gulp of the piping hot coffee I was sipping on.

FU–

I definitely overreacted to that.

"Girlfriend?"

I was just as confused. This girl conjures up the most random things ever.

"Astrid, of course, who else." She spoke through clenched teeth which clashed starkly with the overly friendly smile. "Now don't lie that she is not. Everyone knows it."

"She's not my girlfriend." I replied, keeping my voice flat. "I don't know what gave you that impression." I spoke as a matter-of-factly.

Gripping the cup from the sides with her hands that were covered to the tips by her cream coloured sweater, she brought the cup close to her lips and blew it once before taking a small sip out of it. Her throat bulge subtly moved up and down. "Why else would someone move in in a different city with a girl, living all alone, hmm?" She asked, looking at me from the corner of her narrowed eye. "Not to mention the way you behave. It's quite natural to assume that you two are dating."

What's with this interrogatory tone?

"I guess I answered my own question." She mumbled to herself as I straightened my back, placing one elbow on the railing and turning towards her as I leaned against it. "The correct question would be, I guess, why her?" There was a certain intensity in her gaze that made me not directly look at her. I had no way of probing her mind. The difference between our capabilities was not much, so it was hard to get a grip on her thoughts.

"You did answer your own question." However, it was a confusing scenario. I was not dating Astrid. Nor did we have anything between us that would make us look like a couple. At least not in my eyes. Nor Astrid's. "But you answered it wrong."

She sighed, as if she had already predetermined that anything I would say in denial would be a lie.

"Perhaps it might've given a wrong idea to you, or anyone else, because of us living together, but I can assure you, that is not the case."

It felt weird to say that. Was I being defensive? Or perhaps my choice of words was not correct.

"Then how would you explain it then?" She turned towards me, narrowing her eyes.

Oh, so that's how it is.

"You could've asked this regardless in a normal manner." I shrugged. "Not like it's a secret I am willing to take to my grave."

"Really?!"

Gotcha.

"Ehmm–" She coughed awkwardly. "–anyways…sooo, spill the tea? If she's not your girlfriend, then what is it? Why is she living with you?"

"That's your main concern?"

"Hmm. Is it wrong if it is?" She asked, raising a brow, as if I was the crazy one to be not concerned about it.

Well I guess I am…

"I suppose no." I replied and then looked down at the cup in my hand.

The weather was quite humidly cold. And while it didn't affect me much, the tip of her ears and her fingertips were bright red against the slight tan of her skin. Her cheeks were also flushed as she rubbed her ankles together, most likely due to the itch caused by the extremely cold winds. "It's because she doesn't have any other place to go. Also because she doesn't quite fit into the norm."

"That was very elaborate of you, dearest Arthur."

"That's flattering to hear."

"You're welcome." Maria shot back with a roll of her eyes.

Knowing she won't go inside until she hears the story, I took a deep breath.

"It might be a long story."

"I've got all the time in the world." She replied. "Even though I'm freezing to death. Curiosity over life!" She tried to do a little fist pump but refrained from doing so, wrapping her arms around her own body.

"Uhhh— sure…" Weird girl. "Well, uhhh, where do I start? Hmmm…"

"Dear God, Arthur. You can't even recollect your thoughts properly. Are you an airhead?"

"Don't interrupt me, woman. I am thinking." The more I talk to her, the more informal my speech gets.

She sighed. "Parents. Let's start with her parents."

She really is curious about her.

"Well her parents are Mudbloo–err, humans. I mean, normal humans. Normal as in… Uhhh— well, you know what I mean, right?"

She facepalmed. "Yeah. They can't use Arcane Arts, is what you mean, right? Normal people. Not freaks like us."

Snapping my fingers, I pointed at her, as the words finally clicked. "Ah yes, that. So well…she's got a normal heritage. She's currently an orphan."

Her features softened and then turned to one of disbelief. "You're talking about her being an orphan as if it's a job. Show some decency."

"That's just you being weird. I didn't say it in that way." I shrugged. "All these years, and you still can't understand what I am trying to say. And you never fail to make my ears bleed about being my only friend."

She pouted. "I know exactly what you're trying to say–Ohh! I am not falling for that. Thinking I will get mad over this argument and you'll dodge the question. Hah! I can read you like a book."

She's riled up…

"Hmm. Oh well…" Letting out a defeated breath, I continued. "Well her parents died a year before I met her. On christmas eve while they were coming back from work. That would make it 4 years ago from today. And after that, she had been living with her aunt and uncle." I explained as I recalled her circumstances. "The primary node became active after the tragic death of her parents, and the moment it became active, she awakened her Arcane Arts."

"That's… unheard of. Even we can't immediately manifest our techniques after our primary node becomes active." She spoke to herself.

"That is because our abilities are on a spectrum. There are different applications to the main Arcane Art and most of the kids awaken one or the other aspect of it."

"Hmm, yeah. That would make sense. But still—"

"I suppose she was just gifted." I replied with the only plausible explanation.

"But for normal people to manifest an Arcane Art, they have to go through something traumatic or a life-changing event. Or a spark of inspiration that is on the same spectrum as the technique that they have inherited. It doesn't make sense for her to immediately manifest her Arcane Art right after the activation of her primary node. Because our anatomy when it comes to the brain and heart is different from those who are not a part of the lineages bound by the blood contract." She paused for a while, her brows furrowed in concentration. "Unless… something happened to her after her parents' death."

"Hmm. Yeah." I replied. She was right about her. Maria's intuition has always been good.

"Was she…?"

"The behaviour exhibited by her aunt and uncle was quite… troubling, to say the least. It's not something a 12-year-old should have had to endure." I explained. "Hence she caved in from any social contact and ended up sealing herself up from everything. And when she did…"

"...she manifested her Arcane Art." Maria ended my sentence for me. "That would mean her Arcane Art is closely related to her isolation?"

I glanced over at her. "Perhaps. It shouldn't really matter to you."

She slouched. "Just speculating. I am free to do that, aren't I?" She stayed silent for a while. "So she was being mistreated? And then you arrived?" Suddenly there was mockery in her words. "Her knight in shining armour?"

"Hm? No. Not exactly." I closed my eyes, trying to recollect the memories that were not distant. In fact they felt like it happened just yesterday. "She was sent into a mental asylum by her guardians—her uncle and aunt."

"Wait what?"

"As you know we stay away from the world's politics and such, and have no intel sharing with the governments, right? Even if there is, it's under so many wraps that they do not know of our existence."

Maria nodded. "Yeah, I mean, that is one of our rules. To live our lives peacefully without usurping the edge we have over others."

Well that's laughable.

However, maintaining my composure, I refrained from doing so. "Well the specialists had no way of telling what was wrong with her when her Arcanum went out of control, and the Government had no idea how to categorise her condition, since, well, you know, the current president is a pragmatic person. And the idea of her being potentially able to wield "magic"---as the normal ones call it, seemed absurd to him."

"So that oh-so genius president threw her in an Asylum?"

"'Escorted' her to Asylum, yes. Not just her, but the doctor who was claiming it to be a supernatural phenomenon as well."

She rolled her eyes. "Saying "escorted" instead of "threw" doesn't make it sound any better."

"I suppose so, yeah, it doesn't. I mean, it's not supposed to sound better."

She hummed in response. "And youuuuu…? Saved her?"

"Every Syndicate mediates the Arcanum users in their continent. Her name randomly caught my attention when I was going through some files."

"Doesn't sound not plausible but at the same time it seems like a bunch of crap." She spoke as her grey eyes glowed like a neon sign once. "4 years ago. You were 11. We don't get to peek in on files at that age."

"I mean, it is." I replied as a matter-of-factly. "A bunch of crap that is."

She giggled. "Yeah, I'd expect that much of you." She replied, laughing with her hand on her mouth. "The fact that most of you said felt believable and not some bullshit already is a good indication." She then turned back to the view of the sea that was again clasped in a clamp of darkness, the clouds slowly stealing away the beautiful sight of the sun. "Thank you. I feel much lighter now."

"Lighter? Did you take off your clothes?"

"No? I mean–" she paused, "-you definitely know what I mean."

" I do. But what's the fun in admitting it off the bat?" The sound of a crow cawing overhead filled the otherwise still air that occasionally thrummed in tandem with the rumble of the clouds ready to drench the world. "Now that you've known what you wanted, I want to know something too."

Maria's eyes widened. "I fucking knew it!" She pointed her index finger at me. "No wonder you've been talking so much and telling the truth! God, I fell for it again…"

"Language."

"Uuuu…"

"Better luck next time." I patted her back, which made her body tremble, but she stayed, not flinching away.

I wish I could be like her. To be able to act calm during physical contact. Hahhhh…

"A-Anyways. What is it?" She stumbled over her words, pulling her scarf up as she blew into her fists. "I am going to die if I stay outside for another minute."

Now, it was time to get some information out of her. "During the Annual Meeting, why were—"

"Zara and Trisha not present?" Maria finished my sentence, once again.

"Yep."

"Can we go inside and talk? It doesn't have to be a room. Even the hallway would do." She spoke, and then held my hand, sending a cold shiver down my spine. "See? My hands are really cold."

"Yeah, ok… fine." Her hand was really cold. The fingers that coiled around my index finger were like soft ice, and were blood red in colour. Despite me agreeing to it, she did not let go of it. As I looked up at her, she averted and looked the other way.

"Would it kill you let it stay that way? Your hand is warm…"

"Oh?"

I mean, if I was going to remove her hand, it was going to be a hassle since she was gripping my hand like her life depended on it. Despite there being obvious differences in physical strength, there were a few boundaries. Crossing those boundaries blurred one's perception of playfulness and being seriously bent over harming the other person.

"Let's go inside."

With a wave of my hand, I motioned for her to walk beside me. Slipping my hand, and in extension her's into my pocket, I opened the small, creaky wooden door with a plethora of cracks running all over it. The handle was moist, and the damp chill seeped into my fingers with a soothing slither.

We walked slowly in silence, not uttering a word. Once the door closed behind us and the wind became tired of walloping mercilessly that slowly transitioned into the sudden yet soft patter of rain, Maria's hand that was inside my coat's pocket slowly uncoiled from around my hand. Clearing her throat, she rubbed her hands a few times before talking.

"Phew, the weather is almost as capricious as you."

The hell?

"Well that's not nice."

"Hehe." She snickered and then looked the other way, inhaling aggressively with her nose. It would seem like a weird act, but I guess the cold got to her. Taking a tissue out from her pocket, she wiped her nose, the tip of which was just as red as her the tips of her ears. "Well, you remember how I warned you as well, right?"

"Yeah." I could remember it clearly. It hadn't happened that far into the past after all. However, the significance of it was so much that it made an indelible mark on my mind. How did she know? How could she tell? There were a lot of questions, crawling inside my mind like ants scurrying about in search of food.

"Remember when I said if you could remember who we partnered with?"

"I wasn't paying attention."

She looked at me, eyes wide. Then she pouted before looking the other way, her elbow almost blowing my ribs. "Of course you didn't."

"If it's not a surprise, why are you even mad at it?"

"No one said I was mad." She huffed.

"You don't look very cheerful. And you're pouting. Your cheeks are inflated. And you're acting like a child again. I think that is enough indication to tell you're mad."

"Hmmmm- whatever floats your boat." She gave her hair a haughty flick. "Anyways, we were tipped off. Or rather… hmm, I don't know how to put it into words."

The irony.

"Look Arthur, I can't really say much. But I have always wanted the best for you." She suddenly stopped and extended her two hands, palm facing upwards. I stopped as well, coming to a sudden halt and looked down. After a few seconds of awkward silence, she motioned her hands, as if asking me to give my hands to her.

"I am not very good at—"

"I know. That's why." She cut me off.

Should she be trusted, logically speaking? No. But do I trust her? Oddly enough, the answer is yes.

I don't trust my own brother. I don't trust my parents. And sometimes I don't even trust Astrid. However… I just couldn't bring myself to ever doubt Maria.

Statistically speaking, she had never done anything that could prove pernicious to me. But the inherent nature of a normal human being to doubt everything was what kept me at bay. Even more when you factor in the other facets of our circumstances.

Hesitatingly, I slipped my hand into hers. My nerves themselves seemed to almost bristle, and I felt something that could only be called as a survival instinct, ready to lash out like a whip at her.

Abstractly, my teeth sunk into the burgeoning feeling and buried it deep down, like an owner taming its dog that had lost control. A dog that is a weapon for disaster for others, but the dog almost never snaps back at the owner.

As if understanding everything, Maria furrowed her brows and then smiled, taking my hand into hers with an even firmer grip. I felt myself recoil, but unlike the other occasions, she held it strong.

"I'll say it once, so listen to it carefully, Arthur." She spoke as she tip-toed, trying to reach up to my ear. "The Watanabes…" she whispered, her voice creaking like the flooring of a centuries old boat, "...their Arcane Arts has evolved. To a certain extent."

She whispered all that with such speed that I was barely able to register. Evolution of Arcane Arts? Is it related to predicting the future? Those two don't go hand-in-hand. Since predicting the future has nothing to do with their Arcane Arts. Unless…

It's not evolution all together and just an extended property of the already existing Arcane Arts. Or an altered perception—interpretation of their Arcane Art. That's also why despite being the same Arcane Arts, it has evolved into something much different than original.

Arcane Arts were based on its user's interpretation, after all.

Adam was not able to wield the full extent of these powers. If he did, he could've won that war. But even if he did… this world would've been no more. Was that the reason he didn't retaliate? I guess he didn't need to since it had sheer raw power that none of us can replicate.

Wait— that's not the matter of contemplation right now!

Looking down, I saw Maria had left my hands that were still suspended in the air, as if she was holding them.

"Thanks."

This was crucial information. That should explain how Zara and Trisha dealt with the appearances quite effectively and the uncanny behaviour of all of the creatures converging to a single city, right where they were.

"Anytime." She smiled. As I looked into her eyes, she averted her gaze. "Welllll~ I have a few other things to do. The elders' meeting should end soon. We will be informed about the progression of things then." She stepped away but stopped for a fleeting moment and looked back. "You can use some rest too, Arthur. You look pale as hell," were her last words before she gracefully walked away.

How long has it been?

Now that I think of it, it has been years…2 or 3 years since I last properly held a conversation with Maria. Feels… oddly nice.

*ting*

The chime of my phone brought me out of my thoughts.

[I am soaking wet!]

It was Astrid, sending a photo of her wet jacket sleeve and Yuki in the background. Letting out a long sigh, I exited without replying and slipped the phone back into my pocket.

I really need some rest.