[Melas] Chapter 85: Adrian VII - Curse (Patreon)

Author's Note:

The quality of this chapter is exceptionally low, I'm sorry. I will finish up this Adrian arc tomorrow before going back to Melas on tuesday. Then I will take a break for finals, but when I come back I will make sure to make heavy edits to these chapters. I promise. Thank you guys for your support, and I'm sorry about this.

For the next few days, Adrian found himself exploring the city of Ma-Dina. He was in awe at the sight of it all— he had seen what it was like when he first arrived, but only from afar. The house was close to the outskirts. But now, Adrian was now walking down the edge of the city, but through the very center of it.

The brown haired boy glanced around with his mouth hanging wide open as he stood at the center of a busy intersection. Elves were all around him— many staring and pointing at the Human boy— as they went about their day. And the way they did that was very different from the way Humans did.

In Xanderia, he would see people getting on mana cars or taking a horse and cart to get around. There was also a short-distance railway system in the works— inspired by the one that was apparently in Jahar’taw, Capital city of the Dwarven Taw Kingdom— which would have made traveling around the city much easier. But here in Ma-Dina, there was none of that.

They didn’t use mana tools. They didn’t use technology. They used their own natural abilities.

Adrian watched as the Elves leapt from rooftop to rooftop. Adult Elves threw themselves off tree houses, swinging with vines from one building to another. The traffic which was usually limited to the ground went up and above what Adrian could see.

And it was not like the ground was empty of people either. Elves were sprinting about, with their own sectioned off parts of the street for those going at full speeds. Of course, most regular Elves were walking like normal. But still, the very sight of those unusual modes of transportation brought Adrian to stare in admiration for a moment.

Apparently it was something Elves were proud of too. The person accompanying him spoke proudly aloud.

“We’re the most natural city in Ghab-Ha, staying true to the Elven roots of being one with nature and living on your own abilities. Maybe that’s why those Human-lovers in the Capital— in Ras-Almal— look down on us. Because we refuse to change.”

Bashar paused, glancing up, then down at Adrian.

“No offense, of course. There is nothing wrong with loving a Human— my sister proves that herself. But to the point of obsession. Now that is when I find it is overstepping some bounds.”

“Yeah,” Adrian mumbled a reply, not sure what to say. He had been the one to ask Bashar to show him around the city more properly— he had wanted to explore since Faizan had been rather down after what happened on their first night here. And Bashar seemed to have taken a liking to Adrian since he found out he was from Villamcreek. The thing was, however, Adrian didn’t know if he liked the man.

Sure, Bashar was nice to the boy. He had been helpful and even kind to him. But it was in these moments where the Elven man went on about his heritage where Adrian began casting doubts about him.

It was… off putting, to say the least. And yet, Adrian still asked Bashar to show him around. And the reason behind that was the girl who was not here at the moment.

Alice had asked Adrian to bring Bashar out of the house. Apparently she was ‘onto something’. What that meant— the body didn’t know. However, with Faizan still upset over the dinner and Alice out of the picture, he should have been glad he at least had someone to accompany him. Except...

He was starting to think that Alice might have been right.

“Elves. We're an amazing people, no? We don’t over rely on mana, instead choosing only to utilize mana tools only when absolutely necessary. It is an admirable way of life, to not always be consuming resources for such simple wants.”

“I guess…” the boy trailed off as Bashar looked at him approvingly.

“Faizan tells me you’ve never left your village until you came to Xander’s Academy. Is that true?”

“Yes,” Adrian said, nodding slowly.

“Then you’d understand what it’s like. To come to the city and see so much… waste.” The Elf man spoke, holding disdain in his voice.

The brown haired boy hesitated, looking around the Elf city. There were very few vehicles; almost everyone traveled by their own two feet. It… reminded Adrian of home. But he shook his head.

“It does— but I think it’s different too.”

“Oh?” Bashar raised an eyebrow, turning to him as they walked down the dirt road with grass and plants growing along the side. “How so?”

“The Elves here— you guys can use mana tools, but you don’t want to to stick to your traditions. But in Villamcreek, we have no choice. We are too poor and far away from the big cities to get anything that could possibly help us. If we were given the opportunity… we would take it.”

The Elf frowned. “Hm, that is an interesting perspective.”

Adrian shrugged. “But I believe it’s true.”

They continued their way back to the house— they had been out all morning and it was lunch time now.

“You know, Walden had a rather unique point of view,” Bashar said, casting his gaze to the sky. “He believed that one should practice asceticism.”

The boy blinked. “Like the Orcs?”

“In a way. But not the same way they do. An Orc’s way of life comes from his repentance for the sins his people committed— for siding with the Demon Lord throughout the Holy Wars. But Walden does it not out of any things he has done, but because he believes a simple way of life is best.”

Adrian nodded. Walden did return to Villamcreek even after receiving an education in the Capital of the Rem Republic. He could have very easily stayed in the city, but he came back.

The boy paused for a moment, remembering his parents. They missed him— he had exchanged a few messages with them over the past year, the most recent one being when he told them he was going to visit Ghab-Ha with his friends. And while he missed them too, he wondered if, after he was finished with his education and found Melas, he would return home to Villamcreek.

He had a plan. A rough plan. But a plan nonetheless.

If Adrian could become a powerful individual within the Holy Xan Empire, he could offer Melas protection. And if that didn’t pan out, he could always run away with her after he finds her. That was the basic idea he had.

But did that include his home? He didn’t really know. He shook his head.

“I see what you’re saying, Sir, but I don’t know if that’s something everyone wants. Sometimes, things have to be complicated and you can’t do anything about it.”

Bashar furrowed his brows. “Only if one chooses to complicate it. Understand, Adrian, that things are only ever as complex as you see it. If you see a tree as a tree— it is just a tree. But if you see a tree as something more— as a source of food, wood, shelter— it becomes something more.”

The boy blinked. He had never once considered that. He looked at Bashar as the Elf continued.

“Now that’s what us Elves do— we see a tree as something more than just a tree. But compared to the Humans in the Holy Xan Empire, we are simple. They see trees as sources of food, wood, shelter, paper, agriculture, and even land. They break everything down into what can be used, and not what is. Such a materialistic way of life— I can’t accept it.”

For a moment, Adrian saw something light up in his eyes. Then it went away as he realized he had gone too far again.

“But I guess we have no choice, right?”

Bashar smiled, and Adrian simply nodded. The conversation shifted back to casual topics as they arrived back at the tree house. They swung open the door, only to be met by a worried Faizan running up to them.

“Uncle! Uncle!”

“Faizan? What’s wrong?”

The Half Elf boy tugged at Bashar’s shirt as tears streamed down from his eyes. Adrian watched his, not sure what was going on. The older Elf leaned over at Faizan.

“Tell me what’s wrong— what happened?”

“It’s grandfather— he…” Faizan trailed off, sniffling as he spoke. “He’s gone..,.”

It was a gloomy gathering that met later that evening. What had been supposed to be a jovial vacation was quickly sullied from the first night of their arrival. Adrian wondered why things went this way— it was better for things to be boring! At least when he was bored in his room, he wouldn’t have to deal with serious adult things like this.

And there was a lot to deal with. The cremation of Ilyas took an hour. Death was something to be mourned, but the rite for it should be quick. The Goddess would embrace their souls faster that way— at least, that was what Adrian was taught by the Church.

He thought Bashar would be against the practice since it was a Human one— but the Elven man remained quiet throughout. This was in sharp contrast to Alima who was crying alongside Faizan as Graham stood behind them with his head bowed.

Adrian didn’t know what to do. He stood beside Alice who had said nothing the entire time. Only when it was over did she turn and whisper to him.

“Don’t sleep tonight. Meet me in the bathroom after Faizan goes to sleep.”

He wanted to protest, but decided this was not the place for it. Nor did he think Alice was foolish enough to press her investigation if she really was onto something.

So later that night, the boy did as he was told. He waited until he was certain the Half Elf boy had fallen to sleep. Only then did he hear a light shuffling of feet. He glanced up and saw Alice heading out of the room. He waited a few moments before going after her.

He went down, quietly closing the door behind him before finding the bathroom. The door opened with a creak and he almost yelped as a hand grabbed him and pulled him in.

“Shush! Didn’t I tell you to be quiet?” Alice spoke in a hushed voice.

Adrian blinked as he took in the light from the mood above. “Uh, no?”

“Huh, you’re right.” She shook her head. “We need to talk.”

“I assumed so,” he said, scratching the back of his head. “Why else would you have asked me here.”

She sighed, ignoring him. She reached for something in her pocket. She pulled out a wrinkled piece of paper— one that had been folded numerous times.

“What’s that?” Adrian asked, frowning.

“This,” she said, holding it out for him to see, “is what I found while snooping through Bashar’s office.”

He stared at the writing scrawled onto it as she handed it to him. He narrowed his eyes. “That’s… the Venerable language? What does it say?” He couldn’t read it that well— he was falling behind in that class in the Academy. The only one after history, which he specifically chose not to do well in.

Alice lowered it slowly, taking a deep breath as she shut her eyes. “It’s instructions on how to cast a spell. It’s magic, Adrian. Black magic.”

Adrian paused as she gave him a grave look. He met her blue eyes which told him everything she felt about it. He opened his mouth—

“So?”

“What?” The girl frowned, lowering the paper. “Did you not hear what I said? This is magic— this Bashar is a heretic! It’s heresy!” She tapped a finger on the page emphatically.

The brown haired boy bit his lower lip. He remembered a girl and her mother— and the Saint and Inquisitors that attacked them without any reason. He knew he shouldn’t have said anything, but he spoke out anyway.

“Just because someone does magic, it doesn’t mean they’re bad.” He folded his arms.

Alice blinked. “Adrian, are you serious?”

“I am,” he said simply, putting a foot down. “And you can’t change my mind.”

The blonde girl’s mouth hung open for a moment. He might have lost a friend here, but— he was right. He knew he was right. Alice scowled.

“Fine, whatever!” she sputtered. Adrian paused, not expected that reaction. He opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off. “But that doesn’t matter, because this is bad.”

She shoved the paper to him.

“Look at it.”

“I can’t read—”

“You don’t have to read, look at that diagram.”

Adrian stared, frowning. “What— oh.”

On the paper was a drawing. There was the shape of a white magic circle made possibly by chalk? But that was not what was important. What mattered was the figure lying in the center of it.

A withered shell of a man was drawn. It wasn’t a real man, just drawing. But the husk of a body that

“It’s a curse, Adrian.” Alice spoke, her voice quivering. “He put a curse on his own father.”

“...what?”

The brown haired boy looked at her, dumbfounded. She flapped it in front of his face.

“It’s a curse.”

“I…”

He glanced at her, still processing this. He killed his father? Why would he do that?

“Why—”

“That’s what I want to find out too,” she said, meeting his gaze. “I haven’t told anyone yet. We need more proof— and we need to find out what he’s planning.”

“Wait, you haven’t told anyone?” he asked, aghast.

“Yes. No one will believe us—”

He cut her off. “You have proof right here!”

Alice crossed her arms. “But we don’t know why he’s doing this.”

Adrian shook his head. “That’s not for us to find out, Alice. That’s—”

The boy paused, hearing a sound from outside. The two glanced at each other.

“What’s—”

“Sh.”

They hugged the ground, peaking through the cracks underneath. Adrian couldn’t really see— it was dark outside with all the candles extinguished. There was a hushed discussion in the room. Two figures stalked through it.

Adrian couldn’t make out any details, not even if they were Elves or not. It was only when one of them lifted their hands and conjured a small ball of light could he finally see. Alice held back a gasp as she saw the magic being cast— even Adrian was caught off guard. But they managed to stay silent.

Adrian could not make out both of them. Only one was illuminated by the light enough so that his face could be seen. And the boy recognized the man— Bashar.

Bashar nodded to his companion before they dispelled the spell. Then they left the room, leaving through the front door. Only when Adrian was certain they were gone did he finally speak.

“W-we need to tell someone, Alice.”

“No— we need to follow after them. Before they get away!”

“Why?”

“Because they planned something. They planned this. Something’s happening right now. We need to stop them.”

Adrian shook his head. That was so foolish! If they went after Bashar, they would surely get caught and nothing would come from it. But Alice was so certain that something was wrong. If he couldn’t get her to change his mind, he could just get her to compromise.

“Then we do both,” he said hurriedly. If what Alice was saying was true and it was really something dangerous, then she should not go. He had seen his friend get hurt because of him before. He would not let that happen again. “You go upstairs and tell Graham and his guards, I’ll follow after them for as long as I can.”

Author's Note:

December 25 2020: Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! No promises on a chapter next week though for Melas. I have a backlog for Salvos, but none for Melas. So I'm not really sure if I can get chapters up then because of New Years time with fam!