RSTUM 102 (Patreon)

102: Homecoming (2)

The Border of the Dark Duchy, passing through here is like an announcement to the administration of the duchy that Leon has returned. 

This would give Leon precious little time to act before the opposition starts moving, or that was what they thought.

"A message arrived 3 days ago to His Highness, Young Lord Leon Dark."

In front of the six stood several elite knights that were stationed at the border point.

"Let me guess, the Duke wants me to turn around and return to the Capital." Leon spoke in disdain.

"No." Eleanor spoke, "He's probably busy with the aftermath of the protests. This should be from the manager of the duchy.

"I am not interested either way." Leon wanted to turn the horse and return to the road but Lara stopped him.

"Receiving this message means that our House has acknowledged your return. Once you escaped from the Royal Academy, you literally defected from a military institution that you were tied to. We need this to cover your status legally." She said.

Leon looked at the Knight that was handing him a scroll that was sealed by the duchy's royal seal.

Everyone in the group, especially Eleanor, was agreeing with the fact that Leon had to take the order from the Duchy's authority in order to legitimize his return.

However, once Leon extended his hand to receive the scroll, the scroll suddenly caught on fire followed by his hand.

"Aaaah! No! Help! It burns."

Leon started to scream immediately as the cuff of his shirt was beginning to burn and he jumped from his horse on the ground and started rolling… despite it only being his hand.

"Leon!"

"Lad!"

"Young Lord!"

His companions along with the knights all rushed after him but as he managed to put off the fire that caught his shirt, he stood with a burnt and injured hand while pointing with the other at the Knight.

"What… What is the meaning of this? I was about to be assassinated! Help! Help!"

His drama skill was… as a matter of fact not that bad.

Leon was sitting on his side on the ground and holding his hand with tearful eyes. Aside from how the others started to realize that Leon was acting on his own, they had to start acting immediately as well.

"You murderous, sons of bitches. You dare attempt to hurt my sweet little brother! I will eradicate you all."

On the other hand, Lance was taking his sword and about to commit a massacre. He was completely out of the act.

"No! Your Highness! Please, show mercy!" Vadim ran and blacked the enraged Lance.

As for the knights, they were about to piss themselves.

There were a lot of bystanders at this point and they all witnessed how poor Leon was about to be burnt to death.

The situation kept escalating and resolving multiple times until the group managed to slip past the checkpoint without escort as they claimed that they no longer trust the guards.

"Why did you do that?" After taking a safe distance, Eleanor was about to give Leon an earful.

He was healing his hand with Light Magic, which became no shocker to them after getting to know him the past few days, but he still kept a bandage around his hand.

"We were walking into a trap." Leon said.

"We could have made things legitimate for you. This is not an ideal situation." Eleanor kept glaring at Leon.

"I disagree." Leon said, "You said I am a young lord in this land, this is a very ideal situation from every possible angle."

"You have read the scroll before burning it, haven't you?" Vadim asked.

"Yes. It said that the so-called Elders sent their deputy to meet me at the Hunting Mansion… wherever that is." Leon said.

"That is to be expected!" Eleanor said.

"Along with representatives from the Holy Temple who wish to investigate something." Leon added, "It seems that the Temple isn't going to back down."

"Shit." Vadim frowned, "They acted way faster than we thought."

The rest looked concerned but Leon was smiling.

"I don't think I can meet them, can I?" Leon said.

"It will be extremely problematic to avoid them but we have enough political leverage to force them to retreat." Eleanor said.

"Or…" Leon turned to Lara, "I was about to be assassinated. Not once but twice."

The group couldn't get where Leon was going. Aside from burning the scroll, he seemed to have achieved something else.

"Leon was a target for two proven assassination attempts. One at the Royal Academy where poison was found mixed with his vomit and once when he entered the Duchy by the Scroll that was rigged to burn him… or so he made it look like." Lara said, "In other words, with this recent attempt, we can take radical actions under the guise of keeping him safe from getting assassinated."

"I'm glad you lawyered up when you came to get me, guys." Leon seemed to have established himself a solid excuse to avoid whatever trouble that may be coming his way.

Eleanor found his solution effective but his methods were questionable. One day, he won't be able to keep up these shenanigans when the other side starts forcing him out.

And she is right.

The other side has both the right and the might. It will be hard to deal with them without being diplomatic at that time.

On the other hand, Leon believed that he shouldn't play a game whose rules were rigged against him all along. He doesn't have to play it even since he isn't sure about the next step and whether or not he will be staying or leaving.

And so the group sped on the main road towards the city of Stormdale.

***

In the central area between the three Duchies; Dark, Godfrey, and Merlin; there existed a mountain range that acted like a barrier between each of the three Duchies and the outside plains. This was known as the Orcish Mountain Range or the Orcish Highlands.

Long ago, humans eradicated this region of the demonic race of Orcs and colonized it for themselves. As a sign of Human supremacy, they erected three major buildings on these mountains to assert their dominance in the land. The Regional Temple, the Silver Peaks Academy, and the Guardian Mountain Palace.

Each of these buildings was colossal in their size and they were all centered around the border point between all the duchies while being surrounded by many minor towns. In a way, these three buildings formed a very special community around themselves.

At the Eastern Regional Temple of Amber, at the Great Hall where all the Ministers gather under the influence of the High Minister of the Eastern Region of Amber, a woman entered the hall with hasty steps and a stern face.

The High Priest, who was giving a sermon to the young acolytes gathered in the hall let out a long sigh and closed the book he was reading from.

"Reverend Cage, I apologize for intruding on your lecture." The woman said.

"Minister Minerva, a pleasure as always. I hope you are acquainted well with your new position." The elderly man said in his old, seemingly ancient, voice.

"Thank you, Reverend. I gave it my all trying to learn my new responsibilities." Minerva replied and looked at the elder with strong eyes, "I have been trying to contact the Inquisitor Knights but it seems that I have been too late to catch them. I have an urgent report to the Inquisition."

"An urgent report, you say?" The High Minister looked with his lazy eyes at Minerva, "It must be nice coming from St. Lanus where everything is carried out like clockwork. This is the eastern region of Amber, my daughter. Life fleets slowly in these quiet parts. No need to be urgent, no need."

"It surely is." Minerva replied with an awkward smile, "It is about someone who practices the Dark Arts of Shadows."

"Hmmm…" The old man looked at her with widened eyes as he closed his large ornate book and brought it close to his chest, "That's terrible news, my daughter. Very terrible news. Why haven't you contacted the Inquisitors immediately?"

"I…" Minerva was baffled for a second before repeating what she said before, "I have attempted to this morning, Reverend. The Inquisitors seemed to have been dispatched for a mission a few days ago."

"Oh… Oooooh, right." The old man regained his memory, "It must have slipped my mind, they have gone to the Dark Duchy. Something about pursuing rumors of Orcish Shamans."

"I see." Minerva looked down before thinking, "Then I must report to someone here in the Temple. I am sorry to bother you with this Reverend, but who is in charge of organizing the Inquisitors."

"I do that personally, my assistants also keep track of the Inquisitors." The old man replied while rambling but then he asked, "Did you manage to know who the possessor of that evil curse was?"

"He is of House Dark, his name is Leon. Leon Dark." She replied 

The elder high minister paused, froze there, and removed the hood of his toga to reveal his old hair that had not a strand of black. He seemed disturbed but then shook his head.

"Young Leon Dark, you say?" He frowned, "Where have you met him?"

"He was in Fort Marth last I saw of him and he caused a great killing." Minerva said.

"He did, didn't he?" The high minister asked while smiling, "And he used the Dark Arts at that time?"

"No. I witnessed him a day prior when he snuck into the pilgrims' caravan I traveled with. He seemed to have had blood with the Baron of Marth but he used the Dark Arts to flee before being spotted."

"And you knew that person was Leon Dark, how exactly?" The high minister asked with keen eyes that defied his age.

"The… agents of our temple have confirmed it." She replied.

"Hmmm… interesting story." The elderly high minister said, "Still, that can't be Leon Dark."

"Your grace, this kind of information can't be wrong. Our agents won't make that kind of mistake." She pressed forward.

"But it seems they have." He replied, "Do you know why the Temple Inquisitors pursue those who possess the curse of darkness, my child?"

"Of course." She nodded.

"Then let me remind you." He still insisted on speaking, "Like any element, the Dark Arts, or the Shadow Elements as it should be called, comes from the very nature of the world and universe around us. This world and this universe are no evil and thus the shadow is no evil.

It is just that the Shadow possesses a very dangerous and volatile nature. The Shadow exists everywhere where there is no light and make no mistakes, child, the universe is more darkness than light just like the stars in the clear sky.

We, the Light Elementalists, seek the light from the sun, stars, and moon, bend it, and harness it for its qualities which are Healing, Protection, Fertility, and many other known and unknown things.

The Shadow, however, is drawn from the unknown darkness which leads to the abyss. The qualities of shadow are the very opposite of light. It harms, it weakens, it brings death. This is not my personal bias but just the result of the hundreds of researches that were done to rid the Shadow Element of its violent and unpredictable nature.

But as each element possesses a nature, this nature affects the mind of the user. The Shadow Element comes from places unknown and it brings this nature upon its user and erodes their minds. Those who bear the shadows get weird dreams, unstable mentalities, hear voices that are not there, and sometimes they may give in to these voices and let their inner demons work through them.

That's why the possessors of the shadow element must be taken under the Temple's wing in order to protect them from themselves before protecting others from them. That is why it is one of the many serious matters overseen by the Temple."

"I am well aware of all that, Reverend. What are you trying to tell me exactly?" She asked.

"What I am saying is that before you accused that person of being a bearer of darkness, you should have looked into their personal history."

As he said so, he took out a ledger book from his Storage item and handed it to her.

"Page 616, House Dark's 21st generation. Leon Dark is listed fifth on the menu. From the children of the main household." He said where to look.

Minerva was impressed by the old man's ability to recall pages from such a ledger. Still, the real shock was about to be delivered right to her face once she saw the name.

————————————————————

[ House Dark of Amber, 21st Generation, Main Household ]

• Lance Aiden Dark
  
• Hair: Black (father-like)
  

Eyes: Black (father-like)


Talent: S (105%)


Elements: Air, Water, Earth.


Father: William Dark


Mother: Annabelle Dark


Birth: 1/6/787

• Lara Lane Dark
  
• Hair: Black (father-like)
  

Eyes: Black (father-like)


Talent: S (107%)


Elements: Air, Water, Earth.


Father: William Dark


Mother: Annabelle Dark


Birth: 1/6/790

• Dean Royce Dark
  
• Hair: Blackish Grav  (mixed of parent colors)
  

Eyes: Green (Mother-like)


Talent: A (91%)


Elements: Fire, Air.


Father: William Dark


Mother: Catherine Dark


Birth: 5/12/794

• Diane Summer Dark
  
• Hair: Blackish Gray (mixed of parent colors)
  

Eyes: Green (Mother-like)


Talent: A (81%)


Elements: Air, Water.


Father: William Dark


Mother: Catherine Dark


Birth: 5/12/794

• Leon Dark
  
• Hair: Black (father-like)
  

Eyes: Black (father-like)


Talent: E (17%)


Elements: -

• Father: William Dark
  

Mother: Annabelle Dark


Birth: 13/2/795

• Dawn Abigail Dark
  

Hair: Blackish Gray (mixed of parent colors)


Eyes: Green (Mother-like)


Talent: S (117%)


Elements: Fire, Air, Water, Earth.


Father: William Dark


Mother: Catherine Dark


Birth: 25/1/800


————————————————————

The list was simple and contained more information about every child in that generation from the elder to the youngest. There were 6 children in the main household and Leon Dark was the 5th.

But his talent…

"Im… Impossible! I am sure the agents said his name clearly. A Rank E talent? The lowest talent among his siblings is a Rank A! Is he truly the child of the Duke?"

"You can already guess that by the time he was baptized by light, his talent was shown like this and the ceremony was halted. He didn't even get a middle name and the Duke was about to disown him." He said.

"You were there?" She asked.

"I am the High Minister, I was personally holding the kid's hands." He replied and exhaled a sigh. "Then what is the meaning of what happened? Who was the guy that the agents clashed with?"

"Leon Dark was taken by his father at the age of 10 and was held for 8 years away from his mother. I doubt that they gave him combat training and even if they did…"

"It is useless with such a poor talent."

"Yes." The old man retrieved the Ledger of Baptism and continued, "What we heard is that the young lord is on his way to the Dark Territory and the Ambereans were harassing most of the returning pilgrims while looking for him. The Darks, the Godfreys, and the Merlins have surely cooperated to fetch him out from the capital. If my guess is correct, the one you ran into was a lookalike to Leon Dark employed as a distraction or something along those sorts. The Godfreys are good at this kind of diversion."

"And that diversion person used the Dark Arts to draw attention to him?" She asked.

"Might be, who knows?! The Nobles have been trying to employ the Agents of Shadows behind our backs for years. It wouldn't surprise me."

This discussion meant that Leon Dark is not the person Minerva was attempting to report and to think that she was about to accuse an innocent kid.

But this begs the question…

"Then why were the agents after him?" She asked.

If he's so innocent, why were they trying to kill him? The Medjay are no ordinary branch of the Inquisition Knights to the point where they are considered their own independent branch.

"I tend not to ask about what the Agents do and I hear that you have a relative in their ranks. Don't get me into such troublesome affairs, my daughter." The old man said with an elderly sly laugh.

"Forgive me, Reverend." She bowed in excuse, "I shall take my leave as I bothered your lecture for too long."

"Not at all, my daughter. You are always welcome."

The old man watched as Minerva walked out then he immediately halted his duties.

"You can go now, no questions for this day. Write them down and ask in the next lecture."

He turned away leaving his students studying the scripture and immediately lifted while leaning on his walking staff.

He immediately walked into an arched niche and with his staff, he tapped the ground twice.

Immediately, the old man was enveloped in light and teleported somewhere else.

Where he appeared was someplace like a damp basement. It had minor illuminations on its dark walls, low ceiling, and multiple arched pillars, but the white reflection of water was seen on the ceiling at the center of the large chamber.

In the center of this place was a pool of pure water and in it was an old man with strange burn wounds across his body. He was floating and muttering a name repeatedly.

"Leon… Leon… Leon… Leon… Leon…"

"Little brother, you look much better now. I guess you can take your things and leave." High Minister Cage spoke as he looked at the younger old man with annoyance.

"Ah, Charles, my dear brother. I'm sorry I intrude on your fortress of solitude very little so often. You have seen how badly I needed your help."

The old man in the pool rose from the water as if he was walking on it but it was actually the water carrying him with magic.

"Whatever!" High Priest Cage ignored his younger brother and walked away to light a few scented candles, "While you were using the fountain of healing that belonged to the temple, I was busy looking for Leon. All indications lead to Leon Dark."

"Leon Dark. So your Inquisitors have returned?"

"No. A Ministeress seemed to have encountered him but rather than Lightning, he was using the Shadows."

"Amazing! Simply amazing!" The old water mage seemed excited, "Fire, Air, Light, and now Shadow. What kind of talent did the Darks hide?"

"You've seen the Ledgers, none." The High Minister replied, "It is probably the Darks or the Godfrey using fakes."

"That bastard Dwarf called Vadim was ready to sacrifice himself for that child. Fakes my ass." The water mage replied with a menacing smile.

"Nicolas!" Reverend Cage looked at his brother annoyingly, "Return to the Magic Dominion, and don't cause too many problems as it is. This may lead to your demise."

"But, brother, this was our dream! I've been searching! I've looked and looked and the Legacy of Arnold the Old was supposed to be in those caves." Nicolas said and made a strong statement, "That kid who was untalented could have tapped into the secret of magic. He could have…"

"Are you listening to yourself? An 18-year-old who was a political prisoner for years would achieve what you and I wasted decades after." Reverend Cage retorted and looked away, "Just take your things and leave."

"You haven't seen what I saw, brother. The way that kid handled magic and without an Anima, you must see to believe. You have entered the Temple and entered the Magic Dominion for the sole reason of reaching the pinnacle of magic. The Unrestrained Magic, Charles."

"And I am starting to think it is nothing but a myth." The High Minister walked back to the niche of teleportation and under the shocked gaze of his younger brother, he spoke one word, "It is better if you leave."