"Is that reason enough for you to follow us?"
William retorted from behind. No matter how much he thought about it, it was still strange. Because of one simple reason, no sane person would follow the other. At least not in a journey where no one even know what can happen.
Sir Richard gazed back at him.
"Why not?"
William's eyes darted between Alec and Sir Richard. To his surprise, Alec wasn't saying anything but... thinking.
'What's with that look? Is he... thinking? Well, new surprise, I guess.'
"Because...uh this is..mine and Alec's journey. We cannot have you going with us."
William screched the bridge of his nose.
"Besides, how can we just-"
"That's alright," Alec intrupted him. William and Sir Richard, both landed their eyes on him.
"It's fine. We'll...take you with us." Alec huffed. William was flabbergasted. His jaw was slightly open in offense.
"Just like that?" William confirmed. Alec shrugged in response. For some reasons, Alec was starting to look like an enemy to William. Maybe enemy is an exaggeration. But at that time, william had a sudden urge to gag him.
"But I still can't understand you."
Sir Richard straighten up, ready to prove himself.
"You don't need to understand him, Alec."
A familiar voice.
The three of them looked at the source of the voice. Sir Alestor was standing in the window. Alec hurriedly got up from the bed.
"Sir?" Alec put on his slippers clumsily and smiled brightly.
"Hmm. It's more complicated than I thought."
Sir Alestor looked around the small room. Sir Richard didn't take his eyes off him and William...why does he looks like he's seen a ghost? It's just Sir Alestor. For someone who just saw a powerful man with such a good reputation at slaying the throat at the slight eye contact,this much should be normal.
"Sir..." Sir Richard cleared his throat.
"I told you not to call me that anymore."
"...yes."
Alec was baffled that Sir Richard listened so well to Sir Alestor. But that wasn't really important right now.
"But...what are you doing here?
Sir Richard questioned.
"Yes. It's late and...how did you know we'll be here?"
Alec took a step forward.
Sir Alestor sighed.
"I followed the scent."
"Scent? What scent?" William Walked over.
"The scent of demonic aura that spreaded this morning."
The three of them exchanged looks in their eyes.
How did he know?
"I also saw the match," sir Alestor turned to Sir Richard.
"Hael, I'm disappointed that you lost from a rookie..... But I'm proud of the rookie that he won against a veteran."
Alec and William exchanged glances. Their mouths were close but they talked through their eyes.
-what's he saying?
-I don't know. He's your teacher, not mine.
-Do they know each other?
-how would I know? I don't even know Sir Richard any better.
So many years together, it'd be weird if they don't understand each other.
"I'm sorry, master. But as you saw, there was a-"
"I know what was there." Sir Alestor sighed. He lifted his head to look at Sir Richard.
"That aura... I've seen it somewhere. But I can't remember where."
William sighed. Alec stepped towards them.
"... I'm sorry, sir. It wasn't my intention to hide it from you. Actually, I also just discovered this..uh...that I have this... cursed mana."
Alec struggled to know what to call this power. Truth to be told, Alec's speciality does not lie in magic. There are very few swordsmen who can use magic along with sword.
Sir Richard rolled his eyes. A little annoyed at the reminder of his failure that morning.
"Don't worry. I'm not mad at you or anything."
Sir Alestor reassured Alec and turned his gaze to Sir Richard.
"Hael, what were you thinking, picking fights for petty things."
"What? Master, that's not-"
"But what are you doing here, at this hour?" Alec intrupted Sir Richard.
If he had seen the match individually, why did he show up now?
Sir Richard pressed his lips. His expression was solemn as he waited for Sir Alestor's answer.
Sir Alestor looked at the three of them, silently observing them. He slowly opened his mouth.
"That's not important. " Sir Alestor sighed.
The three younger men exchanged glances. Their eyes seeking the meaning of his words.
"What's more important, is finding out the source of that cursed mana."
Unconsciously, Alec felt as if a sudden weight was casted upon his back. He wanted to find out the reason for that morning's disaster. But a part of him....he felt anxious. Like he didn't wanted to find out. As if... it's not meant to be screched for.
On the other hand, William, who was silent the whole, time couldn't hold back the urge to speak.
"But... isn't the cause...Alec?"
He couldn't really understand what was happening. The guy he grew up with as a brother, he just created a mana twistor? And not any other mana, it's cursed mana for god's sake!
And not a small amount of cursed mana, it was a real twistor.
"Young man, it's not that simple."
Sir Alestor's gaze landed at William.
"There is something that we don't know yet. And that something...is what'll tell us the answer. "
Sir Richard shook his head.
"I don't understand-"
"You don't need to understand. Just know that the cursed mana from this morning was something different from the normal kind of mana we see radiating from people"
Alec glanced up at Sir Alestor.
"Different? "
Sir Alestor cleared his throat.
"Yes... different."
His eyes gave out the truth in his words. His gaze was unyielding.
"But there's another thing that you should know about."
The three of them straightened themselves and waited for Sir Alestor to continue.
"I may have tought you sword, but magic... it's not something I'm very well known about."
There was a hint of disappointment in his voice.
Alec took a deep breath.
"Alright. It's enough that you tought us."
Sir Richard also nodded.
"We're greatful for whatever you tought us."
Sir Alestor was baffled. He looked like he wanted to hit them both on the head.
"Fools. I'm not blaming myself. I'm merely thinking..!"
William shook his head in the back, mumbling.
"Idiots. The lot of them."
"I meant that if I didn't teach Alec magic, and cursed on top of that, then how did that happen?"
******
Inside the room, the lights were off and Aileen was hiding Noah in her arms.
"Do you think he's gone, sister?"
She had sensed Sir Alestor's aura approaching. So she quickly got out of Alec's room on the excuse of preparing some food for Alec.
Cold shiver ran down Aileen's back.
"No. He's still there." She whispered.
"...."
Noah hushed himself. Aileen let out a soft sigh.
"You might not know this but Sir Alestor.... he's not someone we can trust."
Noah nodded.
"I know. You told me this so many times. Sir Alestor told us to settle down far away. "
His voice carried a hint of disappointment.
"Do we have to live all our lives hidden?"
Aileen didn't answer him for a while. She didn't hear it. She felt the question. She too, wanted nothing more than living freely. But humans are too cruel to be considered friends.
She protectively held him close.
"I'll keep us safe...if running all our lives is our fate, who are we to oppose it?"
Noah lowerd his eyes. He knew whatever his sister was doing, was for his own sake. He knew that. But who doesn't want freedom?
'if i could, i would've never taken you here. I'm sorry, Noah. But there's nothing else I can do for us.'
*****
"Master, there's one thing that bothers me."
Sir Richard narrowed his eyes.
"Even if he learned magic from somewhere, just how did he create cursed mana?"
Alec thought about it and realized that Sir Richard was telling the truth. If it was a normal mana twistor, he could've been called a sorcerer. But that's not the case right now.
"Cursed mana or normal mana, isn't the real question still mana?"
A not very bright concept idea of Alec. Definitely not bright.
"Will you shut up for a second?" It wasn't Sir Richard who shut him up, it was William who was obviously more interested in the conversation he wasn't involved in.
Sir Alestor sighed while crossing his arms.
"Since I failed to tell you about the magic and related, I'll tell you where you can find the information on it."
All three of them straightened up.
"And where can we find that information?"
Sir Richard asked solemnly.
"His name's Alfred Cheng. He's an expert in magic related information. Although he can't use magic himself, he posses information that might benefit you."
Their expression changed into a serious one.
"But where do we find him? It's my first time hearing the name."
Sir Richard rolled his eyes.
"Of course it is. Do you think you'll know everyone on the face of the Earth?"
Alec glared at Sir Richard. Although his glare wasn't intimidating.
"That's not what i meant."
Sir Richard crossed his arms while talking a step forward in Alec's direction.
"Then you should know better to shut your mouth if you don't know anything."
"I'll say whatever i want. Why should i listen to you?"
"Because you're an idiot. I'm obviously smarter than you. So you should listen to me."
Sir Alestor looked at William and William shrugged. A simple gesture that if it's not his business, why step in.
Sir Alestor shook his head and decided to step in their benter, himself.
"That's enough. I'll tell you where Alferd lives. Stop this meaningless argument."
Both reluctantly listened to their master.
-Yes, master.
*******
The three of them walked across the seemingly endless dunes of sand. Blazing heat scorching through the high sky. They were soaked in sweat, face flushed from the heat. Their clothes were hanging loose on their bodies, attached to the skin.
A long trail of shallow footsteps followed them along with the hot wind.
"How much more?" William looked up at the sun for three seconds before diverting his eyes.
"Sir Alestor did say that the cave is far in middle." Sir Richard narrowed his eyes in attempt to see farther.
Alec wiped sweat from his forehead.
"We've been walking for two days! Just how far is the cave?"
He turned to look at the other two.
"I mean, where can we even find a cave in a desert? I'm not doubting Sir Alestor, but this is really bizarre."
Sir Richard nidded reluctantly.
"I agree with him. We don't even see any mountain here, where can we find a cave?"
William wiped his sweat with a handkerchief and ringed it.
"A cave does not always mean the one we usually find in a mountain. Sometimes, a cave can be underground. In our case, i don't know what cave we have to find though."
A good explanation,but useless in the situation.
But he still had a point. Maybe the cave js underground? But that would be even more of a hurdle.
"If we go by your logic," Alec looked in a random direction.
" We either walked past the cave, or we haven't crossed it yet. It's one of these two possibilities, no one other."
Sir Richard pulled out his liane sword,his eyes scanning his surroundings to find the target.
His actions couldn't go unnoticed by Alec and William. They diverted their attention to hus movements.
"What's wrong?" Alec's voice was a mixtures of concern and alert.
Sir Richard s grip tightened. His voice came out a soft whisper.
"Something's coming this way."
Willam immediately looked aroud to see what threat could be approaching them.
Almost suddenly, the ground started to shake. The sand from the dunes was bouncing, sliding to a side.
The three of them went on high alert. They stood closer to each other, back to back. Alec pulled out his long sword. William may have been without any weapon, but if the threat approached from his side, he would at least alert the other two.
The ground shook like an earthquake. Suddenly, Alec saw the sand dunes moving. He understood that the attack was not from the sides.
"It's attacking from below!!" Alec shouted.
In an instant, the three of them scattered and the spot where the stood before, the sand moved up, forming a gaint tide.
"No way..." Willaim observed the size of the tide that was casting a huge shadow over them.
-kheeeeeeeehh!!!
A shrill screech came out of a giant snake.