Chapter 8: A New Beginning

"Eat, child." Garpson smiled at the wary young lady, who was contemplating on whether she eats the food served on the plate or run.

The old knight brought the young lady to his lodging somewhere in the Royal Capital. It was a bar, and hell, it was loud.

Eve tapped Garpson's shoulder with a troubled look, "W-won't you get in trouble for this?"

He simply chuckled at her before caressing her tiny head.

"Everything will be fine. Don't worry! The guards in the palace bring some of the war hostages to their homes to… entertain themselves- B-but don't worry! I won't do anything to you, lass. You know what, here-"

Garpson grabbed the dagger on his waist and placed it onto Eve's trembling hands-

"If you're so sure that I'll assault you, then, my lady, you are welcome to stab this dagger into my throat anytime, alright? Now, go eat your meal. It will get cold." He smiled as he drank his beer before blurting an "Ahhh!".

Eve, who feared her own ignorance, found someone she can trust. A tear dropped from her eyes, but quickly recovered from it with glee.

"Yes! Also, just call me Eve!" she wiped her tears and replied with oomph. Right away, she wolfed down the entire plate.

Garpson's heart clenched at the sight. He's never seen such a lovely little girl since the last time he with his family in Nordranor, The Great City of Lordrith's West.

Eventually, Eve's smile and gluttonous appetite attracted the attention of many.

Like this brawny, bald man with a goatee. His face was chiseled like a stone statue, and with his expression it seemed like he is. However, he smiled-

"Hoh, who is this lass Garpson? Don't tell me you stooped as low as those-"

Garpson choked at his food. He pumped his chest repeatedly.

"NO! Rence, you ROTTEN bastard, don't you dare put me in the same canvas as those mongrels-"

"If he does something to you upstairs, instantly run to me. I'll personally choke him for you." After whispering, the baldy blinked at the wary young lady, whose face smiled.

She realized that yes, the people were shouting, but they were not angry. Just, loud.

It was a very pleasant day for her. Not only did Eve found a guardian, she also found a home and perhaps friends.

~(A week later, back to the Fray family manor in the Great City of Fray-)~

'I wonder how Eve is doing?'

Adam thinks about this very question everyday, and not a single day is he totally relaxed. Through Gilgan, he knows she's alive but is still very much worried.

It has been days since he entered the training grounds located beneath the manor. They entered there through a hatch hidden in the flowerbeds of Adarnas.

Adam has learned a lot from his uncle.

Body training, feints, the use of surroundings, dagger throwing, etc. It was a grueling time, and he had moments where he fainted. But, he endure through everything with sheer will.

He also imparted upon his nephew his own sword-style that he simply named 'The Dance of Isabelle'.

But now, they were on the final phase of their training. Learning one's Magic.

{Thump!}

Uncle Prith hit the side of his body with the blunt side of his sword.

"You're losing concentration. There is no room for stray thoughts. This is the last phase of your training."

Magic. It is often mistaken as sorcery by many, but they are completely different.

Sorcery burrow the powers of The Elements, while Magic is the power hidden deep within Humanity.

According to Uncle Prith and further confirmed by Gilgan (who actually told him that The Eyes of The Vagabond is NOT magic nor sorcery), Magic is the physical and astral manifestation of one's own Humanity through the realization of its true meaning.

Gilgan described it as a destination, but the roads that lead to it are infinite in numbers. It is hidden inside Humanity and stays dormant until awakened.

To keep everything short and concise, enlightenment.

Sorcery is much different.

The Elements are abstract beings that make everything in Azaquell as it is.

To use sorcery, one must draw the proper formulas in able to conjure something. Unlike Magic, only people favored by fate can use it.

Sorcerers are extremely rare in Lordrith, and even rarer are the Magicians.

Today, Adam is training while naked and submerged in water order to 'feel nothing but oneself'.

Everything seems to be going well, but Uncle Prith himself is scared. Failure in awakening Magic would probably result in permanent mental damage, but seeing the boy's eagerness and determination, he just couldn't bring himself to deny him.

An hour passed. Two hours. Four.

As of this moment, the old man was walking back and forth while drenched in cold sweat, tempting himself unto pulling Adam out of the water.

After a whopping 5 hours underneath the water, Adam emerged.

Uncle Prith hurriedly checked the boy, who was distant but seemed fine.

"D-do you feel anything amiss?"

"I-I'm fine."

The young man's uncle chuckled in joy, "T-then did you succeed?"

"I-" The boy's eyes were dejected and disappointed.

"Did you do it properly?" Prith was baffled by the result. Again, he checked the child for differences.

"I… I don't know. I couldn't see anything."

"I- I see. I guess you're still too young, normally we awaken at the 18th year of living. Are you sure nothing's wrong with you?"

"Yes… I'm fine. I'm just-"

The boy took a deep breathe. Mother said it helps in frustrating times. With a smile and face that reeked of determination, he replied-

"I'm fine."

Satisfied, Uncle Prith dismissed him.

After sometime packing and wearing his gear that Prith andnthe maids prepared, Adam went downstairs to bow to a casket tended by maids in mourning clothes. In a stone tablet beside it was a carved writing:

'Isabelle of the Fray Family, our light through the dark.'

"You look… foreign, but fresh." Suzuki approached him with her usual lovely smile. Adam wore a black hooded long-coat, underneath was a white, long-sleeved polo shirt. He also donned black pants and shoes.

"I saw this attire in my father's wardrobe once, and saw it again on a portrait of him on the same clothing. It looked odd but appealing, so I requested some of the maids to duplicate it. I made some improvements, though." Adam didn't say that his Uncle used the very portrait as the target practice when they were training for knife throwing.

"And, you're leaving." her tone was sad. It made Adam feel a little glad, but he was also sad for… reasons.

"I need to. My sister is out there, hopefully safe."

There was silence for a while, but with a deep breath Suzuki talked once more.

"There was a war in my hometown that burned my home. My clan died protecting me and my brother, but as we ran away he was taken away by the enemy from my arms. I was so stupid for not holding onto him as tightly as I can. I lost everything, everything but the sword of my clan-"

She brought out a pink-sheathed sword that curved slightly unto the edge.

"Use this. This sword is the sword of my Father, Miyazaki of the Miyamizu Clan, passed unto me. And now-"

Suzuki the elven maid lifted her veil, held the sword's handle in front of her chest upright, and kissed the blade's sheathe that had his Father's formal name engraved to it. Afterwards, she presented it in front of the young man with a bow and a graceful genuflect.

"-passed unto you."

Adam, who was in awe of the woman's display, gracefully accepted the offer.

When the blade found its way to his grasp, he unsheathed it fully. It was beautiful. The blade had a pink tint and carvings of a tree that had great similarities with the trees in the manor except that it had pink petals.

The weapon complimented his small build, almost as if it was made for him. Light to the arms, almost like a short sword but it was definitely longer. It had one sharp edge and the other a blunt, suggesting that it was designed solely for slashes, but also with a very sharp tip.

"That is my clan's katana, and the carvings you see are Sakura trees. Every clan has one of them, but ours burned with my clan. However, I believe their Souls remained here."

"I read about this once in a book, but never did I imagine I would actually hold one in my life. Thank you. I will greatly treasure it. Can I ask about your brother's name?"

Suzuki was a little startled by the sudden request. She was hesitant, but did state his name.

"... Jin. Jin of the Miyamizu Clan." She bitterly smiled.

"I will remember it. From now on, this sword will be named Jin Sakura, The Blade of Miyamizu in honor of him and your family."

And he turned his back at the elf.

[You're quite knowledgeable about customs of other countries!] The nymph applauded.

(Read something here and there back in Gilgan.) He replied with a hint of boasting.

After saying his final farewells to the maids, Adam stepped out of the gate once more. To his surprise, his uncle was waiting for him.

"Can you lend me the pendant for a while?" he reached out his hand. Adam gave it to him even though confused.

Uncle Prith brought out a chunk of glowing metal. It was of the same color as his pendant.

"This is called Solsteel, our family's signature product. It is only harvested on the Northern parts of Lordrith most particularly its edge, and it has the ability to store the energy of light. This pendant of the same material was the one I gave your mother before she left us, and I filled it with tons of light for her. I noticed that it has run out of power, so I will replenish it."

As he rapidly rubbed the pendant and the metal together, light was generated and some of it solidified, dropped, and vanished into thin air in a quick succession of events. The result was a glowing pendant.

"Hold onto it carefully, for it will protect you. The light has properties of life. When one is mortally wounded, it can heal instantly."

"…Thank you Uncle!" Adam smiled brightly.

As he left, Uncle called him one last time. He was all fidgety and blushing.

"C-can I get a hug before you leave?" he was avoiding his gaze, almost as if he's a needy woman.

Adam found it cute, and with a soft chuckle, embraced his Uncle warmly.

"Be careful. Remember, you always have a home to return to."

"… I promise you that I will be back before my grandmother's corpse become ashes. Once more, thank you."

The wind was calm and steady this time. The birds of Lordrith weren't humming, but in Adam's chest-pocket was a single adarna flower that provided a nostalgic fragrance. A symbol... a sign to remember, perhaps.

Once more, the boy sets out in the open, and the pages of the child vagabond continued to write.