Gnome King: I am now going to announce the objectives of the tournament's first round, so you'd better pay attention, because I'm not planning to repeat myself.
Gregor makes a short pause before he continues.
Gnome King: Very well, then! Your first objectives are as follows. You will need to each find a glowing pinecone and bring it to the city of Galveston. Glowing pinecones grow only on the continent of Avalon, so most of you may not know much about them, but they basically look just like regular pinecones, except they start glowing brightly when you take them in your hand. There is no time limit for completing these objectives, but the earlier you bring the pinecones to their destination, the quicker you can begin your next objectives, which will give you a head start, compared to the latecomers. Lastly, I would like to mention that in this round you will be allowed to form teams with other participants. A team can have as many members as you want, and if you all confirm that you are part of the same team when you reach Galveston, you will pass the first round together, as long as you have at least one pinecone with you. That would be all for now. Good luck!
Hagrid: What?! He can't be serious! How can they even call this a mage tournament with objectives like that? What's next? Are they going to tell us to go pick some flowers?
Damien (brooding): Hagrid… I honestly could not give less of a damn about the tournament's objectives right now.
Gnome King: Oh, I almost forgot something very important! Damien, the healer in armor, and all the members of his group are to present themselves at the gates of the royal castle of Thilias in exactly five hours. This includes the dwarf, the artificial mage, and the thackeray. Failure to do so will result in their disqualification from the tournament. The little girl that travels with them may also join them if she wishes, but she is not required to. Thank you all for listening! Have a nice day!
The gnome then presses a button and the transmission gets interrupted, while the holographic screens in the air start to disappear slowly, one by one.
Hagrid: Wait, how did he know that Jòn was a thackeray? Didn't Jòn himself only find out about this recently?
Elyria: The fact that the king of Thilias knew both about Jòn's and Leah's true identities strongly suggests that he's been keeping an eye on us for a while. He must have spies that inform him of everything that goes on in his kingdom. I wouldn't be too surprised if he knew about my existence as well.
Hagrid: Ah, crap! If that's the case, then maybe he also knows about me being a giant. Maybe they're calling me to the castle to kick me out of the tournament.
Damien: They're summoning us because of what happened with the noble yesterday. They even have bounties on our heads. We shouldn't be too surprised that they'd want to interrogate us. Come on, let's head towards Rachel's house. Going to the hospital now is out of the question without Rachel to guide us, and it would be prudent to get our backpacks before we head towards the castle.
Damien pauses.
Damien: One of us will also have to deliver the news of Rachel's death to her siblings when we get there
I remain silent for a while after hearing Damien's words, and so does everybody else. Leah and Lily are both looking towards the ground, as Hagrid is scratching the back of his head uncomfortably.
JÒN: I'll do it. I'll try to break it to them as gently as possible.
Damien gives me a long look for a few seconds. He doesn't appear to be very comfortable leaving this matter in my hands, but he doesn't seem to want to be the one to deal with it either, and neither does anyone else, by the looks of it.
Damien: Alright! Jòn will be the one to give the news to the kids. Any objections?
Everybody else stays silent, as Leah and Lily are still looking towards the ground.
Damien: It's settled, then. Let's get going. We'll take the same route that we took when we came here, to avoid getting lost. Follow me.
Lily: Can I have Rakaia back, please?
Hagrid: Actually, I think I'd rather hold on to her a little longer, if you don't mind!
Lily: Well, okay… But make sure you keep an eye on her.
Hagrid (spins the amulet again): Don't worry, I'll be sure to give her all the attention she needs!
We all follow Damien and go back the way we came, as we slowly begin to leave the slums behind us, and to enter the richer district that Rachel's house is situated in.
Nobody said a single word while we walked down the alleys, not even Hagrid. Leah in particular seemed to be the most affected by what had happened, and the expression on her face was very painful to watch. Amidst the silence, an enraged Rakaia would occasionally start showering us with a variety of insults and threats, as Hagrid ignored her and kept spinning her amulet despite her never-ending complaints.
Damien: Will you shut her up? I've already had enough of Rakaia to last me for a week. I don't need to hear her constant yammering the entire trip.
Hagrid: Oh, right, sorry…
He closes the amulet and then continues to spin it by the chain.
Rakaia's shouting is still audible, but it's more of a mild annoyance now that the noise has become muffled.
Hagrid: I think my wrist is starting to go numb from all the spinning. Jòn, what do you say? Do you wanna give this a try? I assure you it's a very rewarding experience!
JÒN: I think I'll pass, thanks.
Hagrid: Suit yourself. But seriously, you don't know what you're missing!
Leah: I've been thinking... Could Rachel perhaps not be completely dead? Could she still be somewhere in there, inside her body?
Damien: Leah…
Damien starts to say, but Leah continues to speak, this time raising her voice a little, while looking at each of us in turn, seeking our approval..
Leah: Maybe there's still some way to bring her back! Maybe if we defeat that follower of Ulrake who stole her body, we can bring her back to normal. We can't know until we try!
Damien: Leah, please… Don't make me say this again. Rachel is gone. You can't bring back the dead, no matter how hard you try.
Leah: But how can you know for sure that she's dead? You heard what she said before she left. You all heard her! She told us to take care of her siblings. Why would she say something like that if a part of Rachel wasn't still in there, somewhere?
Elyria: Revenants are born with the memories of their hosts. Because of this, it is common for them to be confused at first, and to have a bit of an identity crisis, as they struggle to differentiate between their own thoughts, and the ones that they inherited from their hosts.
Leah: Then maybe we can still—
Elyria: Even if they may sometimes choose to uphold some of their old host's values and principles, the revenants are still completely different entities than their bodies' previous owners. A revenant cannot be born if their host is still alive. The very fact that this revenant came to be is proof that Rachel was already dead when the servant of Ulrake took hold of her body.
Leah tries to argue again, this time with a lot more hesitation in her voice.
Leah: But… maybe if we…
She stops when she realizes that she no longer has any valid arguments to bring to the table. Instead of continuing her train of thought, her gaze turns towards the ground again, and she doesn't say another word.
Damien: I'm sorry
He turns back and he starts to walk towards Rachel's house again.
We all follow him one by one, with Leah being the last to move from her spot. The rest of our journey towards the mansion was spent in complete silence. When we got closer to the mansion, Rachel's siblings noticed us from afar and came running to greet us.
Suzanne (looks around): Where's Rachel? Did she stay behind at the hospital?
Everybody looks towards me, as I step forward and clear my throat nervously.
Suzanne: What's wrong? Did something happen to Rachel?
JÒN: Yes... We were attacked on our way to the hospital. We thought that Rachel would be safe, but she…
I pause, not knowing how exactly I should deliver the news to her without causing her a shock.
Suzanne: Oh gods, Is she…
She stops for a second before she continues.
Suzanne: Is she dead?
Her direct question takes me by surprise. Before I get the chance to answer, Damien steps in front of me and he kneels in front of Suzanne, with his head bowed down.
Damien: I'm sorry, It was my fault. I promised I'd protect her and I—
Suzanne (forces a smile): Oh, it's okay, Rachel told us long ago that we should always be prepared for this to happen. She taught us how to cook our own food, and how to clean the house, and everything else we needed to know, in case she never came back from one of her journeys.
While Suzanne talks, her brother is trying hard to hold back his tears.
Suzanne: We promised her that no matter what happened, we wouldn't cry. We promised her that we'd stay strong and that…
She stops talking for a second to rub her eyes with her sleeve.
Suzanne (shaky voice): And that we would always remember her with a smile. And that we would keep living our lives and be happy, and… and…
The girl can't contain her tears anymore and she suddenly breaks down crying. Her brother, who was also at his limit, starts to cry as well, in a much louder voice.
We hear a man's voice coming from behind us.
Viktor: Hey, now. What kind of monsters would make such a beautiful girl cry like this?
As we turn around, we see that the man who spoke is almost as tall as Damien, with a well-toned muscular build, wearing a shirt that is half-unbuttoned, with long black hair that reaches his shoulders, and a bristly moustache covering his whole upper lip. On his left hip, he is wearing a golden sheath that appears to be holding a rather expensive sword, at least judging by the multitude of gems decorating its hilt. The man stops in front of Suzanne, and he wipes her tears gently with his right hand.
Viktor: Did these mean people upset you, my dear Suzanne?
Suzanne (stammers): Uncle Viktor, It's Rachel. She…
The girl struggles to get the words out of her mouth, as she is drowning in tears.
Suzanne: She's dead, uncle. Rachel is dead.
She then hugs her uncle as hard as she can, while she is still trying hard to contain her sobs.
Viktor (shocked and pained): Rachel is… dead?
His look then gradually darkens, as he looks towards us. He starts to slowly pull his sword out of its sheath.
Viktor: Are they the ones responsible for this?
Suzanne (shouts): No! It wasn't them! They tried to protect her! They're her friends!
Damien steps towards Viktor and bows his head before him.
Damien: I am the one who let Rachel die. I promised I would keep her safe, but I've failed her. I cannot even begin to express my apologies…
After seeing the pained expression on Damien's face, Viktor slowly calms down, walks over to him, and then places a hand on his shoulder.
Viktor: There's no need to apologize, my friend. It is I who should apologize, for jumping to conclusions earlier. It's clear that you've suffered a great deal from this as well.
Viktor then walks past Damien, and he takes a good look at each of us in turn.
Viktor: Cheer up, my friends! Why all the long faces? Rachel would not have wanted to see you like this. She would have wanted you to smile. We should not be mourning Rachel's loss. We should be celebrating your safe return. And as Rachel's friends, you are all my friends as well!
He turns towards Suzanne.
Viktor: Suzanne! Bring me the finest bottle of wine from the cellar. The one that we were saving for a special occasion. You know which one I'm talking about, yes?
Suzanne (wipes her tears): Yes, uncle. I'll bring it right away!
Viktor: Now, then, friends of Rachel... Before we toast, I would like to hear your names. It would be unfitting to not know the names of the people I intend to share a drink with!
We all just look at him, dumbfounded, for a couple of seconds.
JÒN: Is this really the time and place to have a drink?
Viktor: What are you talking about? It is always a good time and place to have a drink! Drinking brings people closer together. Just ask your dwarf friend. Dwarves are renowned for their excessive drinking habits, and yet they are one of the most united people in the world.
Hagrid: Aye! Although there is a common theory that the only reason why dwarves don't carry grudges is because they're always too drunk to remember what they did on the previous day. My name is Hagrid, by the way. Pleased to make your acquaintance!
Hagrid then shakes Viktor's hand and he introduces the rest of us in turn.
Hagrid: This here's Jòn. This is Damien. Over there we have Leah, and the little girl's name is Lily. Oh, and we also have two cortanas. The one inside the girl's body is named Elyria, and the one in the amulet I'm holding is named Rakaia.
There is a barely audible mumbling sound coming from the closed amulet, as Hagrid stops talking, but nobody pays it any mind.
Viktor (shocked): Two cortanas? And Rachel was friends with both of them?
Hagrid: Well, not both of them. The one in the amulet is more our prisoner than our ally, really, but Elyria and Rachel were definitely very good friends.
Viktor: Well, in that case she will always be welcome here, cortana or no. Ah, here comes our wine!
Suzanne is now hurrying towards us with a bottle of wine in her hands, while behind her, we can see Ella, who seems to have fully recovered after last night, and who is carrying a plate that has several wine glasses on top of it. When the two of them arrive, they place both the plate and the bottle on a picnic table next to us, and then Suzanne starts to open the bottle.
Viktor (to Ella): By the gods! My eyes have been truly blessed to bear witness to such beauty!
He then bows gallantly and kisses her hand.
Viktor: If my heart didn't already belong to Rachel for all eternity, I would have likely fallen for you in an instant!
Ella is looking a bit confused after hearing Viktor's words, but instead of answering him, she decides to bow elegantly, and to introduce herself.
Ella: My name is Ella. I've heard from Suzanne what happened to miss Rachel. I am sorry for your loss.
For a moment, there was a glimmer of sadness in Viktor's eyes, as he heard Ella's words, but he quickly forced back a cheerful smile on his face, before he spoke again.
Viktor: There is no reason for you to apologize, my dear! You had nothing to do with this.
Ella: I assume you are the new master of this house. I believe I owe you an explanation for my being here. You see, Rachel has only just hired me yesterday to work as…
Ella pauses for a few seconds before she continues, as she slowly lowers her head.
Ella: As a slave, I am well trained in house cleaning and cooking, and I also know how to read and write. If you will have me, I promise that I will serve you as faithfully as I've served her.
Viktor gently lifts the girl's chin with his hand, so she can look directly in his eyes.
Viktor : I'm going to stop you right there, Ella. You should not be telling such lies. The Rachel I knew would never have hired a slave to work for her. No matter what your past may have been, once you became a part of this family, you did so as a free woman, and not as a slave. As long as you work in this house, you are prohibited to call yourself a slave any longer. Are we clear?
Ella (smiles): Yes, sir
Viktor: Very well, then!
He then turns to us.
Viktor: Well? What are you all waiting for? This wine isn't going to drink itself!
Suzanne brother, Kevin, pulls on Viktor's sleeve, while he's still sniffing, with tears in his eyes.
Kevin: Uncle... Uncle, what are we going to do? How are we going to live without Rachel? We've tried hard to learn how to live by ourselves. We've handled ourselves for weeks while Rachel was on her journeys. We learned how to buy food, and how to cook, and how to use the fireplace, but we can't… we can't—
Viktor (pats on his head): Do not worry, my young little friend. You will not have to live by yourselves, because starting tomorrow, I will move back in with you!
Kevin: You… you will?
Viktor: Of course I will! Would I lie to you? Once I bring back all of my belongings, I will be living here again, and it will be just like the good old times!
Upon hearing Viktor's words, Suzanne, who was busy filling the glasses with wine, comes running to her uncle and gives him a big hug again.
Suzanne: Thank you, uncle! Thank you so much! I didn't think you'd ever come back!
Leah: I'm sorry to interrupt. But from what Rachel told us, I understood that the reason you two got divorced was that you wanted to spend time with other women. Shouldn't you be discussing this with your current wife before making such promises?
Viktor: Lover
Leah: I beg your pardon?
Viktor: Lover, not wife. Rachel has been and will always remain my only wife.
Leah: Right. Your lover. What do you think her reaction will be to all of this? Can you be so sure that she will agree to move into this house with you, just to take care of your ex-wife's siblings?
Viktor: Oh, she will be furious! She cannot stand children!
Leah: Then how could you make such a promise in her name, without consulting her first?
Viktor: Oh, I never made the promise in her name. In fact, I intend to break up with her as soon as I get back home!
Leah (shocked): You're going to break up with your lover… just to move in with Rachel's siblings?
Viktor: Of course! Why are you so surprised? She will be missed, but in the end, she's just another woman who only loves me for my money and my good looks! I should have little trouble replacing her. There are plenty of other fish in the sea!
He laughs.
Viktor: Now, then, grab your drinks, everyone... Today, we toast for Rachel: the most beautiful and kind-hearted woman I've ever known, and the love of my life. May she always be remembered, and may she continue to live in our hearts, from now and forever more!
After hearing Viktor's speech, we all decided to take our wine glasses, and to join in on the toast.
The next half of an hour was spent talking about Rachel. We told Viktor of the adventures we've had with her for the past week, and he told us of their years together at the mansion. It was clear that none of us were in the mood for drinking, or telling stories, but it didn't matter.
Viktor was right. Rachel would not have wanted us to spend our lives in regret. And we couldn't afford to avoid talking about her from now on just because it hurt to remember her. Rachel did not deserve this.
While we talked, it was becoming more and more obvious that despite his cheerful act, Viktor was likely the one who was suffering the most from Rachel's loss. However, whenever he talked about Rachel, his smile would become genuine, and even Leah had managed to smile once or twice during our long conversation.
When time began to run out, we told Viktor that we needed to be heading towards the castle, and we each went to get our backpacks before starting on our new journey. As we were about to set out, Viktor took us aside for a moment to have a word with us, away from the kids.
Viktor: There is something that I did not dare to ask in front of the children. I saw that you did not bring Rachel's body with you when you returned to the mansion, so I assumed the worst, but I need to know. How did Rachel die?
We all exchange a few uneasy looks, before we finally decide to answer his question.
JÒN: This is going to be a bit hard to believe
Viktor: Oh, believe me, I am not a stranger to the world of magic. I am prepared for anything.
JÒN: Well, what happened was that after Rachel was killed, her body was… taken, by an entity that is called a revenant.
Viktor: When you say her body was taken…
Damien: He means that an evil spirit took hold of her body, after she died
Viktor: And I suppose that there is no way to bring Rachel back, even if you kill this evil spirit?
Damien: No, there isn't, I'm sorry.
Viktor: I understand
He pauses.
Viktor: If the children ever ask me what happened to Rachel, I will tell them that her body was incinerated. I would rather have them believe this than give them nightmares.
Damien: Then we'll make sure to tell them the same story, if they ever ask us.
Viktor: Thank you.
He then turns to face all of us.
Viktor: My friends, I am sorry that we did not have the chance to meet under better circumstances. Just know this, whether you decide to remain in the city or to leave before dusk, you will always be welcome here, whenever you decide to come back. May the gods be with you!
Damien: May they watch over us all! Goodbye, Viktor, and good luck!
>>>End Of Chapter 16<<<