Chapter 13: A dragon's pride and crops

Kael and Abel had managed to sleep soundly throughout the night, exhaustion finally pulling them into much-needed rest after the whirlwind of events they had endured. The weight of the day-Liana's true origins, the mystery surrounding the poisoned soil, the troubling possibility of Mr. Arves's true nature, and the nagging thought that Orlae might have played a part in Liana's successful escape-had pressed down heavily on their shoulders.

But that peace was not to last.

The howls began.

They were distant at first, muffled by the dense forest outside the mansion. At first, they barely stirred. The noise was strange but not entirely unfamiliar. They had heard the eerie cries the night before. Kael, as usual, was the first to stir, blinking slowly in the dim light of the room. His eyes darted around, his mind still foggy from sleep, but he quickly realized it was only the forest's nocturnal creatures making their unsettling calls. The sounds felt primal, raw, like something not quite human.

But Kael's exhaustion overcame him. He shifted, turning over and pulling the blanket more tightly around himself, willing the tension to melt away. He drifted back into sleep as the howls persisted.

Abel, on the other hand, lay awake for a moment longer. His thoughts were a whirlwind-too much had happened in the past few days, and the weight of it all was pressing on him like a boulder. He wasn't sure whether it was the howls that kept him awake, or the lingering sting of Orlae's words earlier.

"Not a true dragon."

The words kept echoing in his mind, over and over again, as though Orlae's casual remark had burrowed under his skin, infecting his thoughts. It wasn't even just the phrase itself, it was the fact that Orlae had said it so effortlessly, as if Abel was somehow lesser, unworthy of acknowledgment. It made him feel like a fraud. "Why didn't they say that Kael isn't a true god then?" Abel thought bitterly. "He's just in a contract with one. I've absorbed the magic stone of a dragon, and that should count for something, right?"

He clenched his fists under the covers, his knuckles turning white, frustration bubbling up inside him, his pride and dignity hurt. The words gnawed at him, deeper than he was willing to admit. The way Orlae had dismissed him, made him feel as though he would never be enough.

Abel gritted his teeth, trying to push the thoughts away. "I'll show them," he thought stubbornly, "I'll show everyone that I'm more than just what they think I am."

The silence of the room stretched on, only the howls outside were breaking the silence and Abel remained still, his mind spinning in circles.

...

"Hey, wake up, dude. We've got work to do." Kael said gently pushing Abel back and forth, until he woke up

Kael's hands pressed lightly against his shoulders, giving him a soft shake. At first, Abel didn't move. His eyes fluttered open, still clouded by the remnants of his restless thoughts.

"Huh? Morning, Kael," he mumbled, rubbing his eyes as he tried to push the darkness from his mind. His yawn was heavy, the weight of exhaustion still clinging to him.

Kael, ever the easygoing one, smiled as he adjusted his posture, stretching his arms above his head. "Morning, come on. We've got things to do today."

Abel sat up slowly, the frustration still simmering under the surface, but he masked it well. He wasn't about to let Kael-or anyone else-see his inner turmoil. He had always prided himself on being able to push through, to hide his vulnerabilities. No matter how much the words had stung, he couldn't afford to let it show.

"Let's go see if we can get breakfast," Abel said, his voice steady despite the quiet storm inside. "And then head to the crops. We need to check on the soil, see what's going on with that mess."

He made his way to the edge of the bed, running a hand through his thick, dark hair. The strands fell naturally, framing his face in a way that always felt a little wild. He quickly gave it another rough swipe, trying to tame it into something presentable. Abel glanced at Kael with a hint of his usual confidence, the facade of calm returning as his light blue eyes met Kael's.

"Come on," he said with a nod, "Let's get moving."

As Abel stood and got dressed, his dark skin seemed to catch the light in a way that was both warm and striking. He grabbed his cloak, tying it around his shoulders with practiced ease. Kael followed suit, still smiling as he grabbed his own things. But Abel couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Every step he took seemed weighed down by the thoughts he was still trying to push away. "I can't afford to be weak," he told himself firmly, as though willing it into being.

...

Kael and Abel walked side by side through the narrow, dimly lit hallway, their footsteps echoing softly on the wooden floors. The mansion felt unusually quiet this morning, the kind of quiet that seemed to suffocate rather than soothe. The village's crops had been poisoned, and the food supply was running low. No one spoke about it outright, but the strain in the air was palpable-they were tight on time.

The dining room was just ahead, its door creaking open as they approached. Inside, a few weary faces greeted them with half-hearted smiles. The once well-stocked table now only had scraps left, the remnants of what had been. Some old bread, a few dried herbs, and barely enough fruit to count as a meal. It wasn't much, but it was something. And right now, something was all they could hope for.

"Hopefully, we have some meat for lunch" Kael thought.

Kael noticed James, the butler and immediately went to talk to him.

"Morning, Mr. James, do you happen to know where Mr. and Ms. Arves might be?" Kael asked.

Kael's voice broke the silence of the room, and James, the ever-diligent butler, turned toward him with a polite but weary smile. The lines of exhaustion were visible on his face, but his composure was impeccable as always.

"Ah, Master Kael, Master Abel, good morning," James greeted, his voice soft but warm. He placed the tray he was holding down on a nearby counter, his eyes flicking over to the sparse table of food before settling back on Kael. "Mr. Arves is in his study, and Ms. Arves-well, she's been out in the garden all morning with some other servants, trying to plant fertilizer in hopes of working."

"Guess they're both trying in their own ways, if only they tried like that with Liana." Kael thought and sighed.

"Thank you, James," Kael said, turning toward Abel, who was already munching on the last of the bread, his expression distant. "Let's go to the study first and tell Mr. Arves that we're going to and start with the crops in the farms at the entrance of the village."

Abel didn't respond at first, still absorbed in his bread, but after a moment, he gave a slight nod. "Right," he muttered, finishing the last bite. "Let's get it over with."

...

The two of them made their way to the study, the creaking wood beneath their feet the only sound breaking the tense silence. As they reached the door, Kael could hear the faint shuffle of papers and the occasional muttering coming from inside. Mr. Arves was at work, it seemed.

Kael knocked once before pushing the door open. The study was dimly lit, the heavy curtains pulled tight against the sunlight. Mr. Arves was sitting at a large, mahogany desk, his brow furrowed in concentration as he scrawled something onto a sheet of paper. He didn't look up immediately, too lost in whatever he was writing.

"Good morning, Mr. Arves," Kael said, trying to keep his tone even despite the tension in the air. "We were hoping to inform you that we'll begin with trying to heal the soil of the crops near the entrance of the village."

"Ah the two mages from yesterday, what were your names again?" Mr. Arves asked, not even bothering to look at Kael and Abel.

Kael exchanged a quick glance with Abel before replying. "Kael and Abel, sir. We came by yesterday to discuss the situation with the crops and the village's condition."

Mr. Arves finally looked up from his papers, his sharp gaze flicking between the two of them. There was a brief moment of silence as he seemed to weigh their words, then he leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the wooden desk.

"Ah, yes," he said, his voice more deliberate now. "You're the ones who think you can 'heal' the soil." There was a hint of skepticism in his tone, but Kael couldn't tell if it was directed at them or at the idea itself.

Abel, clearly feeling the weight of the doubt, leaned forward, his voice unwavering. "If we can't heal it, we can at least figure out what's poisoning it. Something isn't right with the land, and we're going to find out what it is."

Mr. Arves regarded Abel for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he sighed, pushing his chair back slightly. "I don't doubt your abilities. But I'm afraid the issue goes beyond what any two mages can solve."

"Then why even send a quest." Kael and Abel thought annoyed.

"Let us at least try." Abel pleaded.

Mr. Arves gave a reluctant nod. "I can't say I'm optimistic, but if you're set on this path, I won't stop you. Just be careful." He paused again, his eyes narrowing as though considering something. "And stay away from the forest if you can. I'm sure you've heard the howls last night."

Kael's brow furrowed at the mention of the howls. He nodded, though he could feel a tightening in his chest. "Yes, we heard them. They were strange, you think that the local animals and monsters are getting agitated from this?"

"It's only natural my dear boy, they can sesne that something wrong is happening next to their homes, it's only logical that they're getting agitated and trying to ward off potential threats." Mr. Arves, his presence looking noble and sophisticated, almost like he returned to his former glory, "Now shoo shoo" as Mr. Arves dismissed them.

...

Kael and Abel made their way through the village, the sound of their footsteps muffled by the soft dirt road leading to the entrance. The early morning mist still clung to the fields, wrapping the village in a faint, cool embrace. As they approached the entrance, the sight of the farms stretched before them, rows of crops that had once been lush and green now wilted and stunted. The once vibrant colors of the fields were now faded, the crops sickly and withering beneath the poisoned soil.

The villagers, their faces lined with worry and exhaustion, worked silently in the fields, moving sluggishly as though the weight of their plight pressed heavily on their shoulders. Some of them looked up as Kael and Abel approached, curiosity flickering in their tired eyes.

Kael gave them a warm smile, trying to reassure them. "Morning," he greeted one of the villagers, a woman with a scarf wrapped around her head, who was inspecting a dying patch of potatoes. "We're wizards from a guild in Eldoria, we've come to help with the crops. We're here to see if we can figure out what's going on with the soil."

The woman studied them for a moment, her expression unreadable, before she nodded, her gaze shifting between the two. "Any help is welcome," she said quietly, her voice carrying the weight of a hundred sleepless nights. She didn't seem to have much hope, but she didn't turn them away either.

Abel, sensing the silence and the sorrow hanging in the air, exchanged a glance with Kael before walking towards the nearest row of crops. His footsteps were purposeful, though there was a slight tension in his posture. The soil here was dark, a sickly shade of brown that seemed almost unnatural. He bent down without a word, kneeling on one leg beside the plants. His fingers brushed over the dry earth, feeling the coolness beneath the surface, but there was something else too-something wrong.

Closing his eyes, Abel placed his palm flat against the soil, pressing it down gently, as though trying to connect with the very heart of the land. He could feel the faint pulse of magic beneath the surface, what he felt wasn't the usual hum of life that he'd expect from healthy or unhealthy soil. Instead, it felt tainted almost forced and artificial, someone was poisoning the soil just like they had previously suspected.

The silence stretched on, broken only by the occasional rustling of the crops in the breeze and the distant calls of birds. Kael stood a few paces behind him, his gaze drifted towards the villagers, in case the culprit was among them.

Abel's brow furrowed in concentration, he was slowly healing the land, but it was tiring him out. The poison had spread too much but with a day or two and no one making it worse, he would be able to fully heal the soil.

When the colors of the fields slowly seemed to return, a faint green tint spreading through the once-sickly crops, Abel finally stopped pouring mana into the soil. He drew a slow, deliberate breath, the weight of his exertion sinking into his muscles. The earth beneath his hand had softened, the once-cracked, poisoned surface now gently shifting back to its natural state. Though the damage wasn't fully reversed, the crops around him were no longer wilting in despair, and the pulse of the unknown mana that had once tainted the land now felt more like a distant murmur than an oppressive force.

Abel straightened up slowly, his body stiff from the effort. His fingers, still tingling with the aftereffects of his magic, flexed at his sides, and he gazed down at the crops. The once-brown fields now showed faint traces of vibrant green-life returning to the earth. Veins of color slowly crept back into the plants as if the land itself was breathing again. A small sense of relief settled over him, though it was fleeting. The work was far from done. The poison was still there, lingering like a shadow, and the land would need more time to fully heal. And so would he. His energy had been drained more than he'd anticipated, and though his magic had provided some relief, it felt like it had taken a piece of him with it. But there was no time to dwell on that. No room for weakness-not now.

Kael glanced over his shoulder at Abel, his brow raised slightly as he studied the fields. "Well, do you have any good news?" he asked, his voice steady but laced with curiosity.

Abel wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, trying to shake off the fatigue that clung to him. He turned to face Kael, his expression serious but with a glimmer of pride in his eyes. "I do, I do," he said, his voice a little more upbeat. "I've made progress. The situation isn't that deadly right now, but the poison is still there. It hasn't gone away completely."

As Abel spoke, the nearby villagers began to take notice of the changes in the crops. Their weary eyes brightened, and a collective sigh of relief seemed to ripple through the crowd. Some even shed tears of joy, their faces lighting up with hope for the first time in weeks. The crops were no longer dying in front of their eyes-this was more than they'd hoped for, especially after nearly three weeks of uncertainty and despair.

One of the older women wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her dress, muttering to herself, "We might make it through after all..."

Abel's gaze softened as he watched the villagers react. "Looks like Orlae was right," he whispered to Kael. "Someone has been poisoning the soil."

Kael glanced over at the villagers, his sharp eyes scanning for any signs of suspicion. The villagers, though relieved, were still jittery-clearly wary of the magic at work. He lowered his voice as he replied, "Good to know. These villagers seem clean, no negative reaction, even in their mana flow." He paused for a moment, his lips curling into a faint smile. "Guess they weren't involved in the poisoning after all."

Abel's gaze lingered on the villagers for a moment before he turned to Kael, his face suddenly serious again. "We'll stand guard at night," he said, his tone more commanding. "Keep an eye out for anyone who might try to mess with the crops again." He paused, a thought suddenly hitting him. "Also… since when can you do that?"

Kael glanced at Abel with a shrug, his nonchalant expression returning. "I just thought that if someone had been doing this for nearly 3 weeks and suddenly someone came and ruined his plan, he would get pretty pissed and accidentally release some of his mana in a quick burst of frustration."

Abel looked at Kael amazed and patted him on the head, "Smart."

"Clearly," Kael muttered, shaking his head with a light laugh.

Abel's gaze turned more serious again, "We still don't know who or why. We've made progress, but clearly there is a lot more going on."

Kael nodded, his expression matching Abel's seriousness. "Yeah. I get it. We'll keep pushing forward, no matter what." He glanced at Abel, the weight of their mission settling over him once more. "And we'll figure out who's doing this. Whoever they are, they're not going to get away with it."

The two of them stood in silence for a moment, the distant murmur of the villagers and the rustling of the crops filling the air. The sense of urgency hadn't disappeared, but for now, they had a moment of calm-one that probably wouldn't last long, they both knew that.

Kael finally broke the silence, his voice lighter now. "Alright, let's check on the other fields, make sure this poison isn't spreading too much. We can't afford to waste any time."

Abel gave a sharp nod, his jaw set. "Agreed. Let's move."