Pendant

'System, is that all they said?'

Item- Merged Damned Soul didn't relay any further information.

'What's so special about that creature? Do they have any plans to capture it?' James thought.

No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't figure out why Piri or the Caretakers would be interested in the massive bird. He didn't believe for a second they had a chance of capturing it. Apart from the unknown entity he named The Collector, he hadn't encounter anything closer to the bird's aura in Skyhaven.

He believed that if it wandered away from the Odon Forest, it could destroy hundreds of Allied Kingdoms on its own.

The other half of the message also bothered James. With the memories of Blay De Tover now his, there was no way he wouldn't know about The Order. However, he drew blanks whenever he tried to recall any connection between it and Kynar.

After successive failures, James believed Blay De Tover's level within the infamous guild wasn't high enough for him to had known about Kynar.

"You," Dacio called out. Pointing towards James.

Absorbed in his thoughts, James ignored him.

Dacio's eyes reddened a bit. He opened his mouth once more. However, before he could speak, Henriksen quickly interjected.

"Kaleb, what's on your mind. Come over here." Henriksen's uncharacteristically loud voice echoed.

James snapped back into reality. Only to notice Henriksen motioning towards him. Behind him, he could see Dacio staring at him with bloodshot eyes.

'Why the fuck is he staring at me like that?'

Saying nothing, James hurriedly walked over.

"Dacio, forgive him. He probably didn't hear your call earlier. We are friends here, there's no need to be angry." Henriksen smoothed things over.

Dacio's intense gaze lessened a bit, however, a frown still distorted his face. James, on the other hand, remained silent. Only staring at Henriksen and Dacio.

Just then, Dacio retrieved a small bronze pendant from his robes. It was in form of a small dragon.

"Take this," Dacio said, passing the pendent to Adam.

'System, is it dangerous?' James mentally asked. Hesitating ever so slightly.

Scanning...

Scanning Completed.

Item: Milky Way Pendant.

Origin: Pendant infused with a Milky Way Stone.

Use: Instant Teleportation.

While James read through the system's message, the frown on Dacio's face had gotten uglier. Although only a second had passed since he presented the pendant, Aebalar's previous actions still left him in a foul mood. James's delay appeared as blatant disrespect from his point of view.

"What the fuck are you hesitating for? Take the goddamn pendant," Dacio said.

Wasting no time, he threw the pendant at James, using a considerable amount of force. With such a small distance separating them, coupled with Dacio's sudden outburst, everyone expected James to sustain damage from the sneak attack.

Contrary to their expectations, however, James moved with inhuman speed. Trapping the pendant in between his middle and index finger. If he had been a second late, it would have struck him directly in his left eye.

'He caught it?' Dacio stared wide eyed at James.

He planned on using him to vent his anger. However, with Headmaster Piri aboard the ship, he couldn't harm any of the youths significantly. Hence, he only planned on blinding one of James's eyes. Although he didn't use all his power in the throw, he never expected James to dodge it. Not to talk of him catching the pendant.

Just then, James casually reduced the distance between him and Dacio. For a moment, Henriksen planned on intervening. However, he shelved such thoughts the moment he saw James's eyes.

Although they looked the same as always, he felt an eerie chill as he stared at them. They weren't the eyes of a human, he thought. For a moment, he believed death's gaze had fallen on him. It terrified him, rooting him in place.

Dacio, on the other hand, slowly fiddled with a nickel ring on his ring finger. He stared coldly at James, silently daring him to retaliate.

Roman and the other youths quietly watched from the side, none of them had any intentions of intervening. To be honest, most of them wondered how James had survived up till now.

A clash between him and a Caretaker would definitely reveal the extent of his abilities. However, not all the youths harbored the same thought. Yoz couldn't stop herself from smiling. She believed a clash between James and Dacio would definitely result in the death of the former. A sight she had long hoped for.

Meanwhile, the other Caretakers casually watched the scene with varying degree of interest. Like the youths, none of them showed even the slightest interest in stopping a potential brawl.

With barely inches separating the duo, James paused in his step. In tensed silence, the duo locked gazes, each donning a different expression.

Unlike Dacio who wore a stern look, James had a mysterious smile plastered on his face.

"I hope you will ensure my safety until we reach the Village, too? Because, I'm not one to forget people's kindness. I will definitely remember you." James whispered.

Just then, Henriksen came to his senses. He hurriedly came in between the duo. Trying his best to calm the situation.

However, James said nothing further. He in anticlimactic fashion, he retreated.

'This fucking brats! Do they know who I am? This bastard thinks he can threaten me? Me?! Just you wait. Let's see if you and that little whore can still talk shit when we get to the Village.' Dacio thought. His bloodshot eyes still lingered on James.

He had never been disrespected so much in one day. He wanted nothing more than seeing James and Aebalar suffer in the most gruesome way possible.

"Kaleb, what did the Headmaster ask you?"

James, who had been staring at river suddenly glanced to the side. There, Rowan stared at him with a shallow smile and an expectant gaze.

He believed that if he knew what Piri asked, he might be able to impress her and win her favor. He believed earning the favor of Kynar's Headmaster would make his life less miserable in the Village.

'Father always said to always seek the favor of the rulers. Only then, can you start living. This will—'

"Nothing."

James's word instantly shattered the grand illusion brewing in Rowan's head. A frown quickly replaced his forced smile.

"What's the point in lying? I just want to know what she... Hey! Where are you going?! I'm not done talking to you."

Rowan's eyes reddened as he watched James walkway.

'Damn it. I would have taught this bastard a lesson if we were back home. How dare a mere peasant act so haughty in front of me?' Rowan thought.

Saying nothing, he walked towards his previous spot.

After the fracas between James and Dacio's, the Caretakers and the youths maintained a relative distance between each other. As the minutes counted down, the youths entered the cabin one after the other, slowly recounting their experiences to Piri.

***

Two hours later.

Solhiem walked out of the cabin with Piri closely following behind. Like the others before him, he couldn't remember anything. He blankly collected his pendant while staring at Piri.

Unlike before, she had a stern expression on her face. After spending two hours interrogating the youths, none of them had encountered The Messenger.

She hoped one of them saw it. After all, it was the only reason she had journeyed all the way to the outskirts of the Odon Forest.

"Children, thank you very much for your time. Unfortunately, I won't be able stay with you any longer. However, as compensation for your time, you won't have to travel on this boring ship any longer," Piri said. Speaking in her usual cheerful voice.

"The pendants in your hands will send you to a bigger a boat. To activate it, infuse a bit of your Mana into it. Simple, right? Hurry now. The others are waiting for you," Piri added.

Like mindless zombies, the youths followed Piri's instruction. The moment they infused their Mana into the pendant, a vortex appeared in midair. Sucking the unsuspecting youths into it.

"Headmaster, how was it? Any luck?" Dacio suddenly said.

Silence greeted his words. However, Piri slowly shook her head.

"Let's go inspect the Forest. According to the Intel from The Order, only The Messenger can cause such a horde. And it only does so when it senses someone capable of changing fate. If none of them saw it, the prophesied child might still be in the forest," Piri said.

Her words instantly drew strange stares from the Caretakers.

"I know it doesn't make sense. But, what if someone found away to avoid the Nether? Remember the prophecy. 'From Nether he will come.' Quick, we can't waste any more time here."

Saying nothing further, Piri and the Caretakers levitated. Within seconds, they disappeared towards the horizon.

A minute after they left, two purple aberrations emerged from underneath the deck. They scanned their surroundings for a moment, before hurrying towards the direction Piri and the Caretakers flew earlier.