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Chapter 42 - A New Journey

"Was that... too much?"

Adaceus asked, perplexed, downing his position from battle-ready to a passive stance. There was no movement from the smoke, no sound emitted, no thunder aura crackling away, just still silence and know one coming out of the fog.

In confusion, he swayed his head all throughout, gazing at the atmosphere, and then back again at the smoking crater.

He then took a very deep breath and walked toward the crater, going there to make sure that the prince in it was alright. Along the way, he thought and worried about the consequences of this action he had taken, whether he would be scolded or severely punished, but that would depend on the prince's state when he would drag him out.

He stared down the crater.

Unbelievable how this kid managed to get an element... Adaceus said in his mind, and he patted his body, assessing himself and his current state. He was damaged, dirt-covered, and probably had bruises and injuries beneath his clothes if his flesh was normal, not to mention the lingering spasms in his arms because of the lightning coursing through his body. 

The thunder element did this to him. It was a very rare type of element that deals very annoying status effects that leave the afflicted with a paralytic effect and other debilitating statuses when affected by it. Its firepower, or its destructiveness, was comparable to that of a high-tiered magic spell, and was the most powerful element in terms of its attack potency. Adaceus researched all about these elements in hopes of one day gaining one himself, but none ever occurred. 

Let's get this over with. 

He patted away the smoke and saw an unconscious and knocked-out prince. He was down and out, the life away from his eyes, an almost foolish look on his face, and a trickle of drool in the corner of his lips. He was still breathing and still seemed to be fine, if only a little bit dirt-covered.

Adaceus stretched his hand out and got hold of the prince's shoulder, slowly and carefully brought him out with his arm on his shoulder, and proceeded to climb out of the crater. 

At a distance, walking toward hi,m he could see an outline of a domineering figure approaching, crimson and large it was closing in.

Adaceus walked toward the figure, King Grelther, with a slight nervousness as to what he might do to him.

"Is he alright?"

The king spoke.

"Yes, your grace, he's just knocked out, but, not to worry, with a simple healing spell or two, he'll wake right up." Adaceus sounded nervous when saying this, but he couldn't help himself. He had the king's unconscious son dangling on his shoulder, and there was nothing that could make this less bad than it already was. 

"Hahaha!" The king loudly laughed, a hoarse and dry laugh as if this was the first laugh he had ever laughed. "You sound worried, don't be; my child was the one challenging you, and you gave it to him. It was a fair fight, I enjoyed watching it."

"I'm... glad? Your majesty."

He glanced toward Daineel, "He still surprised me, though, to think that my son had an element unlocked in his core. It explains all those late-night training sessions he took himself in."

"Yes, it came to me as a shock too, he has potential with that thunder element, your highness."

"Let's worry about him first," The king then looked back, raising his arm, and gestured with two fingers."

Multiple servants then ran toward them, following the king's silent command. They gently took Daineel out of Adaceus, and he watched as he was taken back to the royal palace. 

"We'll take it from here, Ada, and as for us both, I think we should return to the gala; people will be wondering where I went, and I could do without them nagging at me."

"Yes, your highness."

# # # # # ## # # #

Adaceus placed his arms on the balcony's stone balustrade, letting his arms rest, before setting aside a glass of wine. He breathed the cool air of the outside and slightly opened his mask to only the part of his mouth, grabbed the glass, and took only a little sip of the liquid inside.

He had secretly snuck a glass from the gala's dinner table without anyone noticing, and he escaped to the outside, toward a balcony that faced the city of Prahu itself. He was underage and wasn't allowed to drink any alcohol, and he knew he would be scolded by Hainan if he ever found out, so this place was the best option he had to drink in peace.

He had developed a taste for this beverage ever since he accidentally drank a barrel of it, thinking it was juice in the cellar of the estate. He was warned and cautioned afterward the big misunderstanding, and was promptly barred from ever drinking away by Hainan, which hasn't stopped him ever since then. 

This drink was supposed to have an effect when consumed in large quantities, but still after so many years the effect never came.

Soft footsteps sounded behind him, and he quickly closed his mask and turned his head to see who it was. 

The princess Renett came into view, and upon meeting eye to eye, she smiled.

"Hiding away, are we? My, I wouldn't expect that from the one who thwarted our own prince."

She said, eventually reaching his side.

"Just wanted some fresh air."

"How are you by the way? Even though it was him, the things he did might have done a number on you."

"I'm fine, a healing spell did the trick."

"I see."

"What about you? What brings you here, out in the open?"

"Same thing, fresh air, and escaping the crowd."

She also placed his hands on the stone balustrade and rested her face in the palms of her hands, looking tired. She lowered her head and glanced at the glass in his hand.

"Are you drinking?"

Adaceus looked to the glass, which was empty of the majority of its contents, but a little of the wine was still at the bottom, and he set it aside. He turned back to Renett, and she only sighed and grinned.

"I won't tell."

"Thank you."

Both of them stared at the illuminated city, bright from the countless lights of buildings that it almost seemed to glow. 

Adaceus basked in the serenity of it all.

Being a deity, one responsible for the creation of all things, he had a unique outlook on the world in front of him. He recalled, in the old times of the empty void, of the processes that went into forming a world, the intricacies of going about it, from the spritely beginning to the fully fledged creation.

Everything had to be in balance, a perfect harmony, all little things coming together to form a complete and self-sufficient tapestry where life could prosper, and this world, Ediah, he came to know, was quite special in his eyes. He couldn't quite tell how he found it enchanting as it is; maybe it was the strange familiarity of it, how it had aspects of his old worlds, or how it had innovated itself into a new invention of life, new features that were unknown to someone like him and only unique to here. 

Whatever it was, it captivated him. 

"It's beautiful."

He said softly, almost as if the cold wind blew the words away. 

Renett turned to him and raised a brow. She saw Adaceus gaze at the cityscape with a strong attentiveness.

"That city line over there, each and every one of those buildings contains the bustling of life, sparkling like the finest of jewels that decorate this floating sphere's crust. A true marvel to have witnessed this most profound sight."

"Colorful language you're using, I should assume you've been reading the novels I lent you? Pavretti's works?"

"I thought I should show you what I learned. Pavretti, I feel, has a very beautiful way of describing scenes."

Adaceus then looked at her in a kidding sort of way, which prompted a light chuckle out of her. 

"Well, it is a beautiful night today, the year-end anniversary has really brightened up the city." 

"I have witnessed this sight before when I walked the city streets at year's end, but never quite this up close. It's... a new feeling, seeing this sight."

Adaceus said, a sigh of some sort blowing from his mouth.

"My, this is the first time I ever saw you so charmed by something."

Renett said, resting his head on his arm and looking at him, a little bit of quiver in her lips. 

Adaceus laughed, "Does it really look that way?"

"Well, I can't really be certain since, you know," she then pointed at his face, and he nodded in understanding. "But I've known you for quite a while now, I'm bound to pick on a few things about you."

"Ha, a quick learner as always."

They both shared a quick laugh.

"So, how about you? What have you been up to?"

"Eh, pretty much nothing, well, other than my overbearing Pa forcing me to take on more lessons, you know? Teaching me how to be more princess-like with all those mannerisms and table etiquette stuff?"

"Well ,you are a princess, so it should be expected of you."

"Yeah, but it's starting to get overbearing. I just wanna hold a sword and battle! Be a warrior! Just like what you do, Ada, not learning what every fork does on a table."

"Well," Ada chuckled. "You'll need to start working on your arms, with those twigs, I think they'll just snap in half."

Renett looked at him with a mix of disgust and bafflement.

"Hmpf," she huffed, stomping the ground. "Shut it, with you're old man way of talking I'm suprised you can still hold a sword old man!"

They both paused and stared at each other. Renett snikered and Adaceus chuckled. They both then laughed and looked back at the city. 

Adaceus felt a cool calm, a strange peace as he looked at the view. 

Looking at this now, I realize I've never really new much of this world and what it holds. This view in front of me and the city of Prahu is all I've seen, so much of this is unknown to me, and if it holds sights as amazing as this, it astounds me even more.

A cold breeze blew past him, and a sudden sheen of light, coming from his top right, flickered and undulated with energy waves. It was the little blue orb of light. It buzzed and moved around as soon as he noticed Adaceus was staring at it, and it brightened up even more.

"What are you looking over there, Ada?"

Adaceus turned to her, "It's... nothing, I thought I saw something."

"Alright," Renett breathed the cold air in a long inhale, and gave a stretch of her arms. "I think we should get back inside, the winds are getting really cold for my liking. Are you coming?" 

"Right, I'll be there with you."

Renett took the first steps out, and Adaceus followed suit, but not without taking another look at the city, and then finally at the glowing light.

Amazingly his heart started to beat rapidly, as if adrenaline was forcefully injected into him and coursing through his veins when he stared, wide-eyed at the light. A decision was made then and there.

Seems like it's finally time, time to go away...

He walked, his steps heavy in the realization of what he must do. 

... and maybe go and find my siblings I so despise. 

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