Chapter 14: Elise

After a week of walking, they were finally before the Ghost Gate of Elise. Felix had heard many rumors about the runes, which were woven into the gate. That they were a soul magic most vile, and that they could stop a person who wanted to harm the city of Elise.

There were no guards, at any rate, and the gates were giving out a purple glow. Felix scooted closer to Edward, and took a hold of his hand.

"Don't you worry. We are not meaning anyone in here any harm. We are just here for your license, and things will be just fine," Edward tried to calm him down, but Felix's eyes still shifted to the open maw of the gate. "Now, it will only need a drop of blood."

"Right," Felix let his finger be prickled on the fangs of the Ghost Gate, and the gates slung open. The two walked pass them, and Felix took a good look at the port city.

The buildings were shining golden in the faint light of the fading evening sun. The streets were paved, and people were walking around, laughing and talking. Nobody paid neither Felix nor Edward any attention.

"Right, if I recall correctly, the licenses were given by the adventurer's guild, which is in the West Side of the city," Edward said, and then began to lead Felix towards it.

"Edward, why don't we sign in into the guild?" Their lives would become easier if they did so. Edward regarded him with an amused look.

"They will have us to muck stalls, and babysit dogs, the first couple of months," Edward warned, but that didn't sound all that bad to Felix. In fact, he felt like his life would be easier if they became legal adventurers. "Besides, I will still go to the Emporiums. My contacts are there."

"Yes, but if there was another way for you to earn a living…"

"This is not about earning a living, dear bunny," Edward said, and then hummed. "This is about you and me, and our life together. If you would like for me to become a goody-two-shoes, then I will. But now we can do much better, if we keep to the Emporiums."

Felix regarded these words for a second. With its illegal cargo of Dragon's tongue, the ship they rescued wouldn't even be placed as a quest. Sure, everybody could sell herbs, but there was a limit to how many.

And yet, Felix did want to walk in the sun. He wanted for the word to reach his parents, and for him to be able to see them again, with his head held high.

"I still am keen to join the guild," Felix said, thinking that they could still take quests out of the Emporiums, along the way.

"If that is your wish. Huh, I never thought I'd be anything but an outlaw, in my life. But for you, I will turn my back on that life," even if Edward would be hit with decreased profits, along the way. He knew that Felix wanted to help people, but he also wanted to do so from the warmth of the light, and not from the shadows.

"Thank you," Felix said, and then continued to walk in silence. Their first stop was the receptionist desk, where they got their forms. As Felix filled up his two, both for the license and the joining, he couldn't help but smile.

A rabbit shifter rising through the ranks of a guild was unheard of. Most rabbits were healers, like Felix, and those didn't rise high. Yet, he felt confident that he could do this. With his new ability to manipulate water, he knew that he could become a heavy hitter. Now, if only he knew how to manipulate the water to such an extent, that he could manipulate blood.

When the two handed their forms, the receptionist regarded them coolly.

"So, a rabbit and a cat? I have to tell you both, our tests are hard. If you don't have what it takes, then better take our training program," Edward wasn't worried about himself. He had been fighting since he was ten years of age. His life had made him a warrior. But Felix was still a farm boy.

So, Edward tugged Felix to the side, and began to whisper in his ear.

"You have the license, and you need some rest. I bet that, if we enroll in the training regime, then you can improve. They have mages in here, who know more about water and blood manipulation than I."

"You have a point," even if this took some time, and postponed the reunification of Felix and his family, he still wanted to pass the exam. He wanted to do so from the first try. To prove to Edward, that he wasn't a deadweight, just because he was a bunny.

Not that Felix thought that Edward thought him a dead weight. Edward had known they were soulmates from the start, and every move he had made towards Felix since meeting him had been with this in mind. The adoration was clear to be seen in Edward's eyes. And perhaps that was blinding the cat shifter to Felix's many shortcomings.

"Let us enroll in the training regime," Felix said, and Edward nodded. They returned to the receptionist desk, and Felix spoke.

"I would like to enroll in the training. When does it start?" Felix asked, and the receptionist smiled at him. The woman had seen more than one adventurer crushing their teeth on the test, and then turning tail and going back to their farm. But not these two, it seemed.

Even if the cat shifter had such a potent mana, that the receptionist figured he'd be out of the training before the rabbit.

"Since you have a license which can earn the guild money, you can apply for a spot in the barracks, and for a free training period," she then bit her lip. "But your friend will have to pay his way."

Felix began to shake his head then, but Edward took out a coin purse, and placed it on the counter.

"There are 400 gold coins inside. Do you need more?" Edward asked, and the woman shook her head.

"Your three-month training will cost, with food and board included, 300 gold coins. Sir, I will give you the change right away," with this, she took the coin purse, and, with her mana, took out one hundred gold coins from it, and stashed them in a new purse. "Have fun during your training, gentlemen!"

Edward took a hold of Felix's hand, and began to lead him to the barracks. He wanted for them to get a room together, and he knew that there were few free ones. The adventurer's guild was always at full capacity.

As they walked through a corridor with doors, they saw name plates on most of the doors. Just at the end of the corridor, there was a door without a nameplate. Edward opened it, and saw that it had a single double bed inside. He grinned at Felix, who bit his bottom lip.

"I can sleep on the floor," Felix said. He could sleep in bunny form if he had to. Then, the floor wouldn't be as uncomfortable.

"I can keep to my own side of the bed, dear bunny. You have my word for it," Edward didn't want for Felix to sleep on the floor. He knew that he needed to give Felix time to come to grasp with the fact that they were soulmates, but that didn't mean that he would be parted from the albino bunny.

"It is not that I don't want to sleep with you, it is just that… Edward, can you sleep in cat form, while we share this room?" The request came out of the blue, and Edward let out a sigh.

"Fine, but only if you cuddle me," the smile Felix gave him was blinding. The kiss, just the right among of sweetness. He could get used to this.

And one day, he could get more. So much more. But for now, he would wait for his dear bunny to make the first step. Something he knew, he would need to earn his trust for.