CHAPTER 48: IOLL (2)

Selene apparently doesn't like love stories.

That or Excafol's one is irritating her.

"Hm-mhm. Like I was saying then. She started researching about Angas pool. Like a mad demon, she was looking for every bit of information, any books, logs, or maps. And one day, we stumbled on a map indicating the location of Angas pools in titanium."

"Who established such a map?" 

"I don't know, Selene. Perhaps Iollians. They are pretty much the only ones who researched it."

"They disappeared like a millennia ago, you know that right?" 

"Yes, although the map was old, we found the pool right where it indicated. At the time, she was pregnant. That Angas pool was small, more like a puddle. While I was setting up the camp with the guys we had recruited, she disappeared. After a while, she didn't come back. Worried about the worst happening, I ran, looking for her at the only possible place where she could have gone. And I found her, there, her finger touching the puddle. Her body cold and drained of all life. Her skin grey like ash. Her body shriveled. Even her big stomach with our baby was now flat. I screamed, I cried, cursed. But, nothing, my dear wife won't ever come back. Forever."

Excafol finally stops looking at the ceiling and now looks at me, with a serious and dark look:

"So, hearing all that, can you still say that you did what you did?" Saying so, he crosses his fingers and closes his eyes, waiting for my answer I presume.

"Yes, I swear."

"This kid wants to die. Let me fix his brain right-" Selene stands up with a jump and pounces on me.

"No, leave him be. He is telling the truth."

"What?!" Just when Selene was about to strangle me. Excafol speaks.

"He is telling the truth."

"Excafol, you old bastard! After what we have seen, after everything, you would-"

"I know all that. If you don't trust me, then check for yourself, use your eyes." When he says that, Selene now looks at me, her eyes are somewhat shining. Much like Excafol earlier now that I think about it.

"I don't see shit! What am I supposed to fucking see anyway?!"

"Exactly. Nothing."

"AH?"

"Let me explain. Normally, when you receive the goddess blessing, you should have a natural halo characteristic of your dominant Angas. If you inject a sufficient amount of any attribute into your eyes, you can see the halo of other people. But, we can't see his. Why is that? Either because he has no Angas at all, which is purely impossible since even anybody with no elemental Angas is shining white. Or..." Excafol looks at me with shining eyes: "He has all types of attributes."

"What nonsense is that?!!!" Selene answers almost at the same time as when Excafol finishes.

"Like what? He is a god. Ah? That what you are saying? It is impossible to have all types of Angas and you know it."

"No, we only know that no one until now was ever able to use all of them. Even in his case, maybe he will have more affinity with some elements than others as time passes. Kevin, you said there was a man in a white space when you fell inside the pool, yes?"

"Yes, there was, and I think he was a lot like me, same hair, same eyes, and same skin color."

"I see, so either, you got connected to your future self or your alter ego. Could it be a time connection then?"

"Oi! Oi! Oi! You are not seriously believing the brat, are you?!!!" While Excafol is thinking with his hands on his chin, Selene talks to him in a scary voice. But he doesn't even answer. She looks at me all angry and red. "Listen, fucking brat. I don't know about him. But I lost fifty soldiers to that Angas pool shit. All of them dead, not even their armor remained. No nothing! So, if you think I will believe your bedtime story!"

"So then, that red lightning was you."

"What!!" Selene turns her head to Excafol so quickly you would think her neck broke. Red lighting?

"As I said, I don't really remember. I just know that I was screaming. But I couldn't see or hear. I am not even sure I was really screaming."

"Oh, trust me. You were."

Excafol says to me with a big smile. Selene, seeing that, sighs and goes away.

"Listen Kevin, my plan right now is to train you. Rose already did her part as a teacher. So I will ask Selene to help you with more advanced techniques from time to time. But, I want to focus more on elemental training. You might be able to do what I always wanted to achieve but couldn't. For that, we will have to isolate ourselves for some time. Until you are stronger at least. It is also a necessary measure against the possible assassins that might be on the lookout. And also…" Excafol stands up. "I know you can read the book." What!!!