The man helped Luth carry himself towards the other end of the forest, as their steps were back into the cold snow, and away from the dense forest. There was a much lighter breeze that flew through there and light was rising from the east.
He was led towards a carriage which seemed regal as it stood proudly settling its wheels into the snow. There was a carriage drive standing by the corner of the carriage who looked questioningly towards the young man and Luth while they headed his directions.
"Found nothing inside, except for the boy." said the young man, while he pulled back his hair, "Head back, Wake. I want to report back before they throw any tantrum for me taking so long."
Wake, the driver, gave him another look but said nothing as he entered the driver seat ahead. The man took Luth inside as well, and sat him opposite to his figure, before shutting the door as the marriage took up in speed as Wake reigned the horses forth.
Luth got comfortable in the soft and glamorous interior of the carriage being much unused to the comforting surroundings that he was in, he pulled the sac closer to his chest and his mind was in peace for once. It was then he could take a good look at the attire of the man. He wore fine cloths, as if they had been woven to his proportions by skilled craftsmen, his white shirt seemed of the finest cloth stitched with an golden embroidery of a beautiful flower. He wore a dark-blue cloak, but no simple one, it seemed noble, something that Luth would imagine only to be carried by the richest of people, he saw some part of the back of the cloak which appeared of an arc with a great sword ripping through it, sprouting with vines.
As the carriage rode away in the distant the man began to speak to Luth,
"What is your name?" he asked plainly.
Luth looked forward tiredly as he stumbled to answer,
"Luther Mayrim, sir."
There was a moment of silence between the two before the man's senses could hold no more and he gave a light, but loud mirth that shook Luth a bit.
"I'm sorry," he joined finally back, "I did not mean to intimidate you. My name Armon Calenti."
Luth nodded lightly before curiosity got the best of him and asked,
"Are you a noble?"
Armon shook his head, but still retained the small smile upon his face,
"Not by blood, I was born in the countryside." he said as he head back on the seat, "Though I have a good social rank. It is quite the story so let us save it for now. Tell me instead, why do I find a young boy in the dark forest surrounded by bandits?"
Luth hesitated a bit, unsure if he wants to disclose with Armon but eventually sensing no other better option he submitted and answered,
"I... I ran away from my home."
"Ran away from your home! You must have an iron-heart if you dared such a thing, especially in the second-month of winter, you might have been caught up in a storm if Cira had caught had been upset a bit. I am rather surprised as to how you made it so far from Delra with this rip-ragged cloth."
Armon made no effort to even classify it as a cloak from it's condition, only being a cloth in his eyes. He touched the fabric and felt it's material before letting go and staring back at him,
"How old are you, Luther?"
Luth turned his head, gazing out of the window, his eyes catching the sight of the rising sun. It had never rose so beautifully in years in Luth's eyes, all the worries seemed to evaporate just like morning dews within the glow of the bright sun, he observed snow covered fields, he observed sprouting crops in the distance, farmers roaming about in their diurnal routine. He took a moment at then replied, without turning his gaze away,
"Eighteen today."
"Today!" replied with a glint of amusement inside his eyes, he gave him a hearty pat on the back. "You are a grown man, that means. Well many happy returns, Luther."
"Happy returns....", Luth muttered to himself as his eyes landed in there distance where the carriage was headed. He saw a great wall in front which stood still, it was forged out of stone it seemed and marble engravings to add to it's beauty, and it was very lively behind as he could hear the bustle from that far.
"Where are we headed?", he questioned.
"Inside the city of Milio,", answered Armon, "within the northern province of the kingdom of Zion, and also my home."
Luther realized quickly, Zion was one of the greatest kingdom within the continent being near the central parts of it. It was known for the history of it's great kings, some mighty warriors, other rulers of extraordinary capacities. He had seen it on the map in Omir, and had heard about it several times there, but had never the pleasure to step inside the kingdom.
"You don't appear a peasant to me Sir Armon.", he said honestly.
Armon in reply laughed with his usual tone and replied,
That is true. Well, I said that I was born into the countryside as a peasant, but I do now do not live such lifestyle since I am a kingdom official now. Armon Calenti, the commander of the north province of Zion, that is I."
"Commander must be a high rank?"
"Of course, in the non-hereditary power system of the kingdom I am only third to the King's Council and the Supreme Commander. There are o—", Armon noticed that this might be too much for the boy to handle all at one, in this situation of his it seemed impossible as well so he stopped and looked at him for a moment before giving a sigh and spoke frankly, "There is much for you to know about Zion, I will hold it till we get our rest since I am too tired alongside you, but then again I believe you had it much worse that I.", he added the last part as a bit of a tease seeing his bleak condition.
The carriage drew near the gate where two guards stood and bowed to the carriage and opened the door for all of them to enter.
Inside, there were several hurdle of people who roamed about, each figure busy with their own routine, some wandered at shops, other in little restaurants or street-side food shop eating away calmly. From the same gate which he came from there he saw others too coming in, chatting with the guards, peasants and farmers carrying carts loaded with crops and other supplies, travelers looking about the place wither in wonder or curiosity. There was a large amount of people there even for the early morning.
Armon looked outside and rapped at the carriage door lightly, the horses ahead reined to stop and he got out and Luth followed suit nervously since he had never been acquainted in crowds so large ever in his life. Armon dragged him by the hand inside his wrist pulling him inside a small tavern where there sat on one of the dozen table, an old man with a thick beard and a balding forehead. The old man turned to Armon and gave him a smiling revealing the full set of his white teeth—and one of them a bit yellow than the rest.
"Morning, morning Armon," spake the old man cheerfully, then taking note of Luth, "brought a lad with yo'? Tha's great. What can I get yo'?"
"Just the same, old man Marg." Armon answered.
Marg gave him a nod and went towards the back of the tavern towards the kitchen. A little later he came back with two bowls of piping hot stew and some bread towards the side of it.
Both the plates were served and Armon told Luth to eat, which that rather famished boy would do without any questions or complaints. Luth finished his bowl very quickly and was satisfyingly full. Armon continued his meals for several more minutes without a work and Luth never interrupted him till he was at his last bite when he opened his eyes to speak,
"What do you get out of all this, helping me?"
Armon took the final bite, and drinking a glass of water beside the bowl, there was a contemplation in his eyes visible to Luth, and then a gulp, and then his answer,
"It is no pity, do not take it that way. I have lived similarly through struggles, it is a harsh world, Luther. I will not help you with life, but I will give you a chance to find a better one." said Armon, before he stood up and walked back into the carriage, and it started riding when both were in.
"If you are capable, you can join a order in the kingdom, but for that you would have to be capable.", Armon said, looking in his eyes.
"I see...", Luth gave a sigh, straying his eyes from those of Armon. He had found himself incapable of any work that associated with strength and courage, much less do a herculean task like joining the order!
"But,", Armon took a slight pause, studying his body, "But if you are not, I will oblige and see if I may make you capable."
Luth gave a grateful nod re-directing his head towards Armon.
"Thank you."
Armon in reply gave a slight smile. He leaned down, resting his elbow upon his knees,
"Well, do you have any skill? Miero?"
"What is Miero?", Luth naturally asked, being unaware to the term.
"You don't known about Miero? It is the ability of the soul."
Luth tilted his head in a little realization.
"I think I have heard about it. It is magic, right?"
Armon gave a loud laugh at the statement he heard, catching his breath after a few moments.
"Yes, yes, I suppose you have the validity to call it magic till you are eight, but it is no party trick to call magic. Miero is a lot different than what you have been hearing about."
The carriage stopped and Armon motioned him to step out of it, to which Luth quickly complied. They were in front of a large building, made of imposing grey stone bricks, layered o a great height, and it's length reached several meters. There were many people with roaming in the place, several of them, some wore heavy armor, and others dressed in a light uniform, all having the crest of Zion upon their armor or uniform.
"You will go wait in the training fields behind the building, you'd see knights and other staff perhaps there. Just do not talk to anyone unless they do, be careful especially, dome people are pretty hot-headed.", Armon said all this and pointed towards the direction of where the training fields were. "Wait for me there, we will talk about the rest in that place. I have a letter to write, I'll be back in half-an-hour."
Luth answered affirmatively and went towards the fields. There was a dozen or so of knights within there, all of them about their work and physical training. He wondered, Armon had told him about Miero only briefly, and also from his tone he guessed that there were bound to be some present in the place, but here only seemed knights within the place, but it was only early morning and most of the field was empty, only covered in some small patches of snow, as other cleaning staff was busy clearing the place from all the frost that gathered here, likely preparing it for the day.
He quietly rested himself upon a bench in the end, near the entrance of the field. Some knights passed by him as they continued giving him a small glare, but there was no hostility within them, just a curiosity, yet the knights having affairs of their own did not wish o bother themselves with such questions and did their routine without conversing a word to him.