[XASTOL CITY, DRAGONS BREATH TOWER — TOP FLOOR]
"Whew,"
Ivan sighed, wiping his brow as he leaned back into his seat. On his desk sat five stacks of paperwork that nearly rolled off and sank to the floor, accompanied by a small inkpad and a stamp brandishing the Murong crest.
It had been almost a month since the Dwanivit had ended, and he'd been reinstated to the Council. Ivan had done well to clean up. Though his eyebags remained heavy and tired, the dirty grease marks borne from his time in Jianyu had almost completely faded, leaving behind only a few lines running along his nose, forehead, and cheekbone, making each section more pronounced. As for his beard, he'd mostly done away with it, leaving only a sparse stubble stretching along his jaw and chin, and an equally scruffy mustache covering the top of his upper lip. Ivan had also adopted the bun-less hair he'd sported weeks ago by letting some sections fall along his face in thick, straight strands, with others mostly tucked behind his ears.
He looked like a grizzled wanderer, and yet Huin and Gido — who chuckled from their respective tables — thought the look fit him all too well.
"Did Banderd really have to handle all of this?" Ivan fussed, scanning through page after page. There was still so much work to do in rebuilding the people's trust in the council, but this..? It was damn near overwhelming.
"As Speaker, both father and Banderd took on the brunt of the duties regarding Xastol's maintenance," Gido said. "Weren't you a speaker once? You should know as much."
Ivan slumped over, conquered, and shook his head. "Actually, Banderd secretly handled all of the work I found boring and finished it before father could know the difference. Back then, I wasn't as appreciative of him or my position as I should have been." He lowered his eyes and stared off into the distance past the balcony, nostalgically, and envisioned Banderd standing there, watching over the city. "He sure was amazing, wasn't he?"
A hand touched one of the piles on his desk, separating half and picking it up. Ivan looked up to see Huin holding some of his unfinished work in one hand, and his fingers fixing his glasses with his other hand. "Yes," his brother smiled. "As great as Arsaes himself."
Gido also rose and came over, taking a hefty amount from the pile at Ivan's left.
"What are you two doing?" Ivan asked. He stood up, trying to take the pages back, but they refused to let go. "No one dwarf will have to shoulder the burden of an entire city anymore, remember?" Gido said.
Huin nodded. "Your struggles are ours, and ours are yours. You're not Banderd, nor father. You can rely on us, Ivan."
Ivan looked on at them with tender eyes and thought of his late wife, Gwentyn, and of her unwavering belief that the dwarves would be able to change one day. This feeling, he smiled, assenting with a nod, …was it always this sweet?
"Thank you," he finally said aloud. "Thank you both."
FWOOOOO!!
The fluttering sound of a bird's wings flapping in the air caught the Council's attention and directed them to the balcony. A few meters away, hanging outside the Councilroom, floated Strix — the owl Banderd had caged months ago. In the owl's talons sat a small black envelope with a red seal. Its stamp wasn't visible from where Ivan stood, but he approached her anyway, gently rubbing her chest, and took the mail. "Thank you, Strix. Fly safely."
"Hooo!" she screeched, diving down and taking off again.
Huin raised his brow. "A Rejoinder letter? Is it regarding that message you sent out a few days ago?"
Ivan nodded and turned, facing them.
"I'm still surprised you managed to convince her to be your messenger to the continent," Gido noted. "After being stuck in a cage for months, I'd have thought she'd want nothing to do with us."
Ivan laughed and came back towards them. "I guess that's fair. But Strix is an intelligent Sanctum Beast. I think she understands that Banderd's treatment of her — though unfair — was prompted by a deep care for her wellbeing. Besides, the letter I'd sent out was in regard to Jacender and Aleximus, who played a part in freeing her. Not to mention her ties to the Weeping Forest… I'd like to think Strix wanted to repay them in some way."
Ivan flipped the letter in his hands, coming upon the flap, and froze once he had seen the symbol engraved into its stamp.
"Ivan...?" Huin asked, noticing the change in his expression. "What's the matter?"
Staring back at Ivan was an all-too familiar crest: a flying dove clutching two golden-red keys in between its claws.
Ivan swallowed hard. He could already feel the sweat heating around his neck. He cleared his throat, saying, "The message I sent out a few days ago… it was for a land named Cielterre. It's not far from here — maybe a few hours on horseback, but that's not the problem."
Gido and Huin focused intently on his words, realizing they must be important. They, after all, had no knowledge whatsoever of Terra Sanctafei's continent past the Weeping Forest.
"In Cielterre, there is a company based in a large town called Zenica. The company is called Eburacum. They rent out carriages and Floaters for travel, but this isn't their seal, nor are the envelopes' colors right."
"I don't understand," Gido said with a shake of his head. "If it's not theirs, then who does it belong to?"
A bead of sweat fell from Ivan's forehead. "...The Church of Gabriel. I think my letter was flagged somehow and sent to them for review. I was wondering why it had taken so long for us to get a response. Now I know why. It seems they've finally read it."
He pressed his thumb against the stamp, emitting a bright silver glow, and pulled back. Once he did, the flap started to unravel, recognizing his fingerprint and lifted itself, revealing its folded contents.
Huin and Gido became captivated by the envelope's mechanics, forgetting for a moment the gravity of Ivan's words. "Does it only open for your Sanctum Energy?" Gido asked.
"Yes," Ivan said. "The Church is very meticulous regarding who they speak with and how."
Huin tilted his head towards the letter inside. "Then is it as bad as you fear? It appears they already know you sent it and why. They wouldn't bother responding so formally like this if it really mattered, would they?"
"Maybe." Ivan sighed. "But what bothers me the most is who sent this Rejoinder. Since the Church handed me my detention and forced me to stay in Xastol twelve years ago, I haven't heard much about the ongoings on the continent. Due to that, I haven't even heard from my old friends in Pendragon nor the Onix Embassy. The speed of this Rejoinder leads me to believe there is a local Church-based location in Cielterre. I'd guess it borders Zenica to remain independent of the town's laws, meaning it isn't far from Xastol either."
Ivan drew the letter from inside the envelope and slowly unfolded it. "I don't recall any institution belonging to the Church anywhere near Xastol."
"Perhaps it was built recently," Huin shrugged. "While you were raising Hidemi."
Ivan nodded. "I agree. That seems like the most logical conclusion."
He shifted his body as he read the first few lines of the letter. Gido leaned forward, trying his best to get a peek from over Ivan's shoulder. Huin did the same.
"What does it say?" they both asked in unison.
Ivan carefully lowered the letter, letting his hands fall to the side as a wave of anxiety crushed his chest. "It's…."
He crushed the letter in his hands and let out a deep breath.
"It's not good."
-------🅰🆂🅷🅵🅸🅴🅻🅳-------
[XASTOL CITY, IVAN'S HOUSE, LIVING ROOM]
Hidemi and Jacender sat in the living room watching Leon—Jace's pet lion cub—roll around and play. The young cub patted away Hidemi's hands and jumped into Jacender's lap, prancing in a circle like a cat before finally deciding to rest.
Aleximus poked his head out of the kitchen's doorway, saying, "Hey Hidemi, where are your plates?"
Jacender inclined his head and stretched. "He can't hear you," he responded. "Mr.Ivan said to check the bottom drawers."
He heard Aleximus shuffle in the kitchen, then the rustling of drawers, and finally the sound of plates touching the countertop. "It's similar to the ones at home," Aleximus muttered, reminiscing about the Axis.
He walked out of the kitchen, two plates in his palms and another atop his head. A well-stacked sandwich made of goat cheese, braised beef, bacon, and olives sat on each one, pierced through with a skewer. Going along with each sandwich? A glass of apple juice.
"Lunch is ready."
Jacender raised his hands and clumsily waved signs to Hidemi. The boy nodded, barely understanding that Jace was saying the food was served, and moved to the dining table. Jace's cheeks turned pink as he beamed from ear to ear. The twins' past few weeks in Xastol had proved ample enough time for him to learn sign language and communicate with his friend.
He picked up Leon, walked over to the dining table, and set him down by the corner. There, Aleximus had laid out a small bowl of raw steak and generously seasoned potatoes for the lion cub.
"Go on, boy," Jace nudged him. He picked up his sandwich and took a bite, mumbling, "Eat."
Aleximus slapped Jace in the back of the head, earning him a wince. "Ow!"
"Chew with your mouth closed, idiot."
Jace fumed. "Is hitting the only way you know how to say that?!"
Aleximus snorted and took a seat. Compared to the other two, his sandwich had been prepared in a much more presentable manner. The corners had been cut off, and the excess had been made into a small bread-crum salad with lettuce, cube-thin tomatoes, and a slice of lime. He'd even gone as far as making a dipping sauce.
Jacender sucked his teeth and silently cursed his brother. I should've asked Uncle Matsuda to teach me how to cook, too. Show off.
He and Hidemi took a bite of their meals and shook their heads in shame.
-------🅰🆂🅷🅵🅸🅴🅻🅳-------
CLINK! — CLINK!
Jacender and Hidemi tossed their plates into the sink, burping loudly as they patted their stomachs.
Jacender only heard the tail end of Aleximus roaring, "Disgusting!", before he felt his brother's foot dive into his back, knocking him into the sink counter.
Jace wheezed as if a tree had fallen on him and covered his mouth, fearing he'd regurgitate his lunch. "What–What about him..?"
Hidemi flinched, half-betrayed that Jace had entangled him, but several times more terrified with the prospect that Aleximus would strike him next. "Owa..?"
Aleximus huffed air out of his nose. "He's obviously learning it from you!" he snapped, moving for Leon's bowl. The cub had finished before the rest of them and turned over onto his back to rest leisurely. "Even the damn lion has more sense than you."
He picked up Leon's bowl and put it in the sink, rolling his sleeves. "Both of you go clear the tab—" he began.
DRNNNNNN
A hair-raising vibration shook the floorboards beneath them and drilled into the soles of their feet. "Eugh…" Jace shivered. He stared at his goosebump-riddled arms and stared down the hall for the front door. "I wish that doorbell didn't have to jolt us every single time it's pressed."
Aleximus rolled down his sleeves, wiped his palms on the back of Jace's neck as he whipped past him, and made for the door. "Too bad," he said. "Mr.Ivan built it for Hidemi to know when someone's here. Not for you."
"...Bastard," Jace muttered.
Both boys followed Aleximus to the door, leaving Leon asleep, and watched him pull it open. To their surprise, standing in the doorway was a face they hadn't expected to see:
Hisagi Murong.
Hidemi jumped forward, eager to greet him, and hugged his cousin. It had been some time since they'd last seen each other.
"Owa? Owwwa!" Hidemi smiled with a raised brow.
"He says: 'What are you doing here? It's been a while." Jace translated. Aleximus gave him a look. "You speak gibberish now?"
"You get one more chance, you bastard!" Jace shot. "One more!"
Hisagi bashfully tucked one of his bangs behind his ear. "After the Council's reveal regarding my father's killer, my mother and I thought it apt to give you some time alone, cousin. Your father was wrongly imprisoned in part due to us, after all. I didn't want to overstep my—"
"Owa!" Hidemi grinned and grabbed his arm. "Owa, owa!"
Hisagi stammered something incoherent about "This not being proper," as Hidemi pushed past Jacender and Aleximus and allowed his uptight cousin to enter.
It was clear Hidemi didn't care about some time to himself. As far as he was concerned, not having Hisagi around was boring.
Once they'd entered the living room, Hidemi let go of him, leaving Hisagi standing there fidgeting with his fingers, and disappeared upstairs for something. This… I hadn't wanted to come in! Why is he always so forward?!
Aleximus and Jacender entered and sat on the couch in front of the genius of Xastol. Aleximus stared at him, unimpressed, while Jace gave him a welcoming smile.
Where did Hidemi go?! Hisagi sweated nervously. He did his best not to meet Aleximus's gaze, but it felt impossible to pretend he wasn't being stared at. Isn't he about my age? How can he give off such a suffocating aura?
"You." Aleximus finally said. He crossed his arms and cocked his head to the side. "You threw me off a wall."
Jacender bit his lip, holding back a laugh before the dwarf could notice.
He watched as Hisagi cleared his throat and pressed deeper into his palm with the tip of his fingers. He'd completely forgotten about their first encounter; it felt so long ago.
"Ah, that?" Hisagi mumbled nervously. "Well, I—"
"—'This place," Aleximus interrupted in a mocking tone, "...is Xastol City: home of the Murong clan — one of the six ancient clans of Eorðe — the Dwarven clan."
He leaned forward, uncrossing his arms, and sneered. "Sound familiar? Those were your words to us when we first met. You were so high and mighty back then, but now… you're as quiet as a mouse. Guess you lost all that dwarven pride, huh?"
Hisagi felt his blood boil and let go of his fingers. "Watch your tongue, human! Just because I'm showing you respect doesn't mean you can look down on me, got it?! I am Hisagi Murong, a young master of the Murongs and sworn successor to Arsaes' legacy! You will acknowledge that, brat!"
"Sworn successor?" Aleximus asked with a slight smile. He stood up and faced Hisagi eye-to-eye. "Hidemi is the one who used the Song Of Arsaes for the first time in millions of years, right? How can you be his successor?"
Hisagi stepped forward, refusing to back down. His silver pupils shone against his beating eyelids. "A human like you would never know, but Arsaes lost a sacred treasure along this continent when the dwarves first migrated here! An unparalleled Sanctum-Smithing hammer named DiShan — the greatest of them all! It even built the very walls we live behind! Arsaes foretold one day, should he be worthy, that a great dwarf would traverse to the ends of the continent and climb the lost tower of Babylon and find it! 'He whose hammer rings in perfect harmony with Sanctum Energy and Essence, will echo the Song Of Arsaes for all dwarves to hear and recreate the world anew! ' That is the latter half of Arsaes' prophecy — it has nothing to do with the first half, like everyone thinks! Ranking first in the Dwanivit doesn't mean anything to me! I'll work hard and surpass Hidemi, becoming the greatest dwarf ever! No one will stand in the way of that! You'll see!"
Hisagi huffed hard, his head comically inflated from yelling. Once he'd regained his breath, he waited for a response, his neck still steaming. He realized he'd allowed Aleximus to get him out of character.
Crap, he thought. That was meant to be a secret. Now they know my new goal.
Jacender, who had remained silent in the background, stopped smiling as his expression became sterner. He hadn't had many interactions with Hisagi to know much about him, but he knew this: those feelings the young dwarf had displayed before them right then and there were more genuine than anything he himself had ever dreamed of. As someone without a true goal past sticking with his brother, a deep sense of respect swelled in Jace's chest for Hisagi. Life hadn't been easy for them both — that he knew — but to go forward anyway with a destination in mind was more inspiring than anything he had ever seen before.
Aleximus smirked and raised the back of his palm to Hisagi's forehead.
THWACK!
He quickly hit the middle of the dwarf's head with the back of his knuckle and went back to his seat.
"W-What was that for?" Hisagi winced.
Aleximus placed his elbow on the couch's armrest, propped his chin on his open palm, and looked away. "Nothing," he mumbled. "You… were just starting to sound like your old self."
"No one will stand in the way of that!", huh?
He thought of his own pledge of revenge against the Eclipse Guild and felt an ache in his chest. I wonder if that's how I sound.
It was the first time since he'd opened his Sanctum Chamber that he thought of her, but Aleximus recalled Anna for a brief moment. Memories of her chastizing him, celebrating with him and Jace, all of them falling asleep together in the meadow… Even her last words:
"Don't cry. It doesn't hurt unless you let it."
A tear streaked down the side of his cheek, hidden by his hair and hand. To become the best Sanctum-Smith… It sure would be nice to have a dream like that.
Hisagi noticed Aleximus's silence and sighed. Without an invitation, he crouched down and sat on the floor, creasing his hanfu as he did, and searched for the words.
"I…" He looked up at the ceiling at the hammer-shaped lantern and smiled. He'd learned from Hidemi that Ivan had come up with the idea of using human-inspired light designs made for those with breathing problems to become more rhythmic in their inhales and exhales. It was created to soothe his wife's contractions during childbirth. Since he'd heard the story, Hisagi had always wanted to see it: a dwarven creation built from human love. It was a fusion that would have otherwise earned Ivan angry leers and mocking just a few weeks ago. Now, however, things were different. Such things could start being appreciated.
Hisagi looked back at the twins, finally finding the courage to speak. "I'd like to apologize, Jacender… Aleximus. For everything that's happened since we first met."
Jacender met his gaze, his eyes softening, but Aleximus still couldn't bring himself to look up. Hisagi continued anyway.
"A dwarf should strive more than anything to put his people and family before himself. And though I have done my best to uphold that, it's because of you and my cousin that I've realized I've gone about it wrong."
He vividly imagined his father's back, his voice almost cracking.
"After my father's death, I threw myself into work, discarding any thoughts of grief and mourning, and devoted myself to the Council because that's what uncle Band—…. It's what I thought was right."
Aleximus quietly turned to him, listening.
"I've tried to be good," Hisagi said. A tear slipped down his face. He wiped it, but another fell. "I tried to be good — to be dwarven. I put all of my energy into what I thought I should have been instead of…" His voice trailed off. "Instead of what I should have been in the first place: …Hisagi Murong."
His shoulders rose as he sobbed. It was embarrassing — crying before two humans he barely knew, but Hisagi couldn't stop it. He could barely even push out the words without blubbering in the face of the truth.
"I convinced myself that I'd come first in the Dwanivit, that I'd be Arsaes' successor because I wanted to — not because of anyone else! And yet… the reason I did it all was false. My morals were corrupted in the face of vanity because I didn't do it for the sake of being good, like you. I did it because it was the only thing that would hold me together."
His tidy hair fell around his shoulders, slipping past his forehead and covering his face. "Even when we hated you all, you both did nothing but see the best in us! Cousin knew he could use the Song of Arsaes; likely even before he came back to Xastol! Yet he never once hung it over my head or used it to hold himself out as better than me, despite everything I've done to deserve it! You are good people, Jacender and Aleximus! I'm disgraceful, I know! And yet..!"
A small puddle of tears had amassed below his head. "I can only beg that you can find it in your hearts to forgive me!"
There were a few moments of silence as Hisagi sniveled, his true feelings unburied at last. They're not saying anything, he worried inside. Are they angry..?
He started to lift his head, ready for the worst, but what Hisagi found caught him so off-guard that his tears seemingly froze on his face as he let out an audible, "HUH?!"
Before him, failing horribly at holding back his tears, was Jacender, whose face looked like a stretched melon, chewing on his bottom lip as he wept melodramatically. Aleximus, on the other hand, had a face unlike any Hisagi had seen him wear before: bewilderment.
It wasn't often that Aleximus Ashfield was befuddled, so not even he knew how to react. One brow was half-raised, with the other completely flat. His nostrils were semi-flared, like he'd wanted to say something, but his lips were tightly pressed against each other as if he'd stopped himself in the middle of even thinking it.
"Oh, oh, oh…" Jace sobbed. "Hisagi!!!"
"Don't say my name looking like that!" Hisagi shook. "What's wrong with you?!"
Jace wiped his face and choked up. "You were holding back so much pain… I… waahhh!!" He cried again, this time more fervently, and tossed himself into Aleximus's shoulder.
This time, Aleximus knew how to react.
POW!!!
Jacender flew through the air, speeding past Hisagi's head, and met a nearby bookshelf. When he'd fallen onto the floor and pulled himself up, Hisagi noticed a smoking footprint on the boy's face, correctly assuming that his brother had struck him in the face with a kick.
"THAT'S IT!" Jace bellowed, readying himself for a charge. Aleximus jumped off the couch and edged him on, screaming, "Bring it then!"
Hisagi, in between them both, looked left to right, then left to right again, looking for a way out, and screeched. "Stay away from me, you monsters!"
"OWA!!" a familiar voice sounded, cutting through the brewing fight. All three heads turned to the staircase where they found Hidemi Murong standing with a curious smile on his face and something clutched in his hands. At last, he'd returned from upstairs.
Hisagi sloppily wiped the tear streaks from his face, screamed, "Thank Arsaes!", and bolted to his cousin. He ducked behind Hidemi, composing himself at once, and said: "What is the matter with you two?!"
"Wah–?!" Jace spluttered with a pointed finger. "You were the one crying in front of us—"
"—S-Shut up!" Hisagi blushed. "That has nothing to do with why you looked like that!"
Aleximus humorously glared at him and sucked his teeth. "No one told you to trauma dump on us like that, you idiot. Who cares how you were feeling before? What matters is how you act going forward, isn't it? You said it yourself!"
Hisagi stumbled, retorting: "W-Why yes, but it was an apology—"
"Don't apologize for what you believe in, whether it's right or wrong! Your choice is your choice!" Aleximus shot.
"What horrible advice!" Hisagi screamed back. "Don't you know how to just console someone?!"
"Are you a baby?!" Jace yelled. "Why would we console you? We barely know you!"
All three of their heads glew comically large as they yelled over each other, leaving Hidemi standing in the center of it all, confused.
"And I'm not a good person!" Aleximus said finally, putting an end to it all. Hisagi's brow raised, stupefied. "You have no idea what I want or what I've had to do to survive! Spare me with your kindness, alright?! You're a way better person than I could ever be!"
Jace's head turned, ready to argue, but Aleximus cut him off, saying, "Shut it, Jace!"
Hisagi's eyes softened with a smirk. Then he laughed.
"What's so funny?" Aleximus muttered.
Hisagi ran his hand through his hair, resetting it, and chuckled. "I just had a thought. All this arguing… It's so silly, isn't it? I'd forgotten it because of how uptight you always are, but you're still a kid, aren't you?"
Aleximus gritted his teeth with embarrassment. "Like you're one to talk, Young Master," he jibed. "It's just an argument."
"Exactly," Hisagi said. Jacender furrowed his brow at the shift in the boy's expression, pleasantly surprised by what he heard next.
"It's because you can still have such childish arguments…" Hisagi smiled. "...that you're a good person, Aleximus."
Hidemi, reading his lips, nodded in agreement without knowing everything that had happened just moments earlier. He just wholeheartedly believed that to be the truth about Aleximus. Jacender shared a similar sentiment; he shrugged, placing his hands on his waist, and shook his head with a low giggle.
Aleximus palmed his face. He was unable to say anything else in response except to be silent. Whether he agreed or not, Hisagi would win the argument. And he was tired of yelling for the day.
Little did he know that it only made Hisagi's point all the more true.
"Hidemi," Jace said as he approached him. He motioned to the object in his friend's hands and signed: "What is that?"
"Owa!" Hidemi grinned, pleased someone had asked. He ran forward, unwrapping the cloth the item was sheathed in, and lightly placed it on his father's workbench next to the couch.
Hisagi's eyes furrowed as he inspected it. It was curved at both ends, with a diamond-shaped center indented with a tiny silver gem. Carved into the item's sleek steel arms were the words "Gwentyn" and "Hidemi".
"Is it a blade?" Aleximus asked.
"No… Its ends could certainly stab or cut, but not enough to do any lasting damage," Hisagi said as he raised it. "The craftsmanship is semi-S-rank, even though it's yet to be completed."
Jace leaned in. "You can tell all of that with a look?"
Hisagi nodded. "Yes. It's not too far from being finished, which makes it easier. Maybe another day or so, and it'll work. But what do you want to do with it, Hidemi?"
"Owa!" Hidemi smiled, pointing from it to Hisagi, to himself, as if it should have been obvious.
"You want me to help you complete it?" Hisagi flinched. "But it belongs to your father! Is that really okay–"
"OWA!" Hidemi repeated, huffing air out of his nose. The answer was clear: "Do it!"
Hisagi released all his doubts with an exhale and hung his head in defeat. "Alright. I'll do it."
Jace grinned, high-fiving Hidemi as Aleximus scoffed and made his way back to the kitchen. But like before, something rattled. A distant hum, faint as an echo beneath his feet. The doorbell, he realized.
"Who is it?!" Jace yelled from down the hall.
Hisagi vaguely made out the shadows of Xastol's Sentries behind the glass panes.
"We apologize for the intrusion!" someone said from behind the doors. "The Council sent us to fetch you and young master Hidemi! It has to do with news of your departure to Zenica!"
Jacender and Aleximus shared a look. They hadn't expected it to be this soon.
[HISAGI MURONG]