Adaceus stood in front of the mirror in his room, looking through the reflective glass to see his enflamed, floating skull. He wore on his body the same black skin-tight suit he wore to conceal his black skin.
He cast his gaze downward, to his arms that were laid out in front of him, the skin resembling dried tree roots and fingers with exposed bone. He turned to his bed and saw, lying on the sheets, a vest. He walked over to it and grabbed it, holding it up to have a better look.
It was light, with a mixture of leather and cloth, and at the chest area, a piece of plated armor. He put it on, the light armor perfectly fitting the peculiar structure of his body. As he rolled down the sleeves of his arms, he set his sight on another item on the table, a pair of braces and a pair of gloves.
He put the braces on first, making sure they were strapped in tight and sure to check if his skin was in any way visible. After confirming that his skin was hidden, he inspected his armor.
It was made of black leather and covered the entire forearm, with the outer layer protected by a shell of lightweight metal plates, colored in ornate silver. Accompanying it were full plate gloves, and specially engraved in it was the symbol of the Blaidhund family crest.
He walked to the mirror and gazed on his new armaments, and with a clap of his arms, the whole of his forearm equipment rang and lit up with magical light before subsiding. Next, he looked down at his vest and tapped on his breastplate. It lit up every time he tapped with an array of colorful lights. Adaceus nodded with his skull head in satisfaction.
"All seems to be in accordance with what I requested, and the enchantments on it seem to be intact. Lunoo's items really are top-notch."
Adaceus continued to inspect his armor, admiring its masterful quality and the pride he had in wearing it, until a knock sounded at the door of his room.
"Ada, it's Rinita. Are you in there?"
Ada, upon hearing Rinita's voice, hurried to the corner of his bed and reached for a pair of boots that were lying on the floor. He quickly picked them up and began hurriedly putting them on.
"Ada?" Rinita asked, her voice muffled through the door.
"Just a minute, Rinita, I'm still putting some stuff on!" He said, raising his voice and hurrying further to put on the boots. Next, he stood up, walking over to a wall and grabbing an item that hung from a rack with swift precision. It was a pendant, the final item that would make his whole armor set complete, before grabbing a very large backpack that leaned on his desk and strapping it on his back.
"I'm just making sure everything is in order; otherwise, yes..." He paused as he walked to the door, catching a glance at himself in a mirror. He stopped dead in his tracks like the world had stopped around him, like time slowed and stopped to a screeching halt the moment he met himself in the mirror. He looked at himself, his body, and breathed deeply into his lungs.
"Yes, I'm ready."
He said those words like a long exhale of air, as if a heavy weight was lifted on his shoulders as he said it.
It's time... time for me to go.
His head swayed to his window, looking further into the vast sky. The empty, three-mooned sky, barren of the 6 planets that were there before.
I will find my answers out there, and I will find where they are, and when I do... I will pay them back tenfold for what they did to me.
"Good, come on out when you want. Miss Ingridt and Master Hainan are waiting for you in the living room."
"Alright," Adaceus said, grabbing his black mask that hung from a wall and putting it on, before running over and opening the door.
Rinita stood there as Adaceus came out of the door, dressed in her usual maid outfit, with a simple smile, stark black hair, an unmoving posture, and her ever-closed eyes.
"I'm ready," Adaceus first spoke, stepping out of his room and closing the door behind him.
Rinita only stood silent, looking down at him, before the smile on her face widened.
"You look good in that armor, Ada. Those suit you."
Ada's eyes widened, looking at his body, glancing at his equipment, down to his arms, and the tips of his feet, before turning to look at Rinita's closed eyes.
"T-thank you," he slurringly said, flustered and wondering why he felt this way.
They both shared glances and, in a few moments in the awkward air, shared a light chuckle.
"You ready to go?" Rinita asked with a light smile, and Adaceus gave her a nod.
"Then follow me."
Ada and Rinita both reached the door that led to the living room area of the Blaidhund estate, with Rinita opening it and showing the way for Ada to enter. There, he saw both Hainan and Ingridt, who, once they saw him come in, pasted wide smiles on their face, Hainan especially a bit more elated.
Ingridt stood up from his seat and walked over to Ada, who placed his hand on his shoulder.
"You look good, Ada. It seems Lunoo's equipment turned out quite well. How are they? Are they what you asked for?"
"And more, Ingridt, they're really excellent, please give Lunoo my thanks."
"She already... probably knows, knowing her...."
Ingridt suddenly noticed a necklace of some sort dangling from Ada's hands.
"What is that?" She asked, pointing to it.
"Oh, this?" Ada said, holding out. "This is the specialty item I asked Lunoo to make."
Ingridt took it and brought it up to her face. It was a pendant with a braided rope as the body and a ruby gemstone along the band.
"It's a little unusual. What is it?"
Ingridt gave it back, and Adaceus took it from her hand. He brought up, drove his head into it, and wore it. He ran his fingers over the thread and touched the little ruby crystal that was on it. Then, slowly he poured both aura and essence into it, and immediately, his face began to be wrapped in a fabric-like material, until, in a quick moment, it solidified into the shape of a helmet.
It only covered the face area on his head with a somewhat unassuming, thin plate, made of pure black-colored steel, featuring a special design of a cross that served as the visor.
"I see."
Adaceus nodded. "It's the specialty item I commissioned Lunoo with making, an item made for myself, as the only way to activate it is to pour both essence and aura directly into the ruby for the helmet to appear."
"So it only works with you, makes sense. As you know, a double core such as yourself is rare."
"Yes. It has simple protection enchantments and can store both of my powers to strengthen it."
"Well, I hope you make it your own. Are you ready?"
"Yes, without the shadow of a doubt."
Ingridt then pulled him in for a hug, sudden and abrupt.
"I know you are..."
A cozy warmth began wrapping around Ada, soothing and caring, and was far flung from what Ada had experienced with Ingridt thus far, but he didn't complain, or that he even could. Ingridt pulled away, and Ada was left feeling content.
"Well, I guess this is it."
Hainan suddenly walked over. He stopped, looked him in the face, and smiled widely.
"You sure you still want to go through with this?"
Adaceus didn't speak, only giving Hainan a resolute nod.
Hainan sighed, as if in reluctant agreement. "Then I can only wish you luck," he said, placing his hand on his shoulders with a calm, kept-together face.
"You've grown up splendidly," he said, a warm, proud smile on his face tinged with a hidden sadness.
"Thank you... Hainan."
"Oh, and before I forget, here, another item to add to your arsenal."
Hainan handed him a long coat, lightly armored with pouldrens on both shoulders, with a collar of beautiful, shiny, and fine fur. It was a luxurious item, and from what Ada could tell, it had powerful enchantments in it as well.
Ada held on to it with bated breath and hesitantly gave it back.
"I can't possibly accept something as gracious as this. You have already given me enough."
"Well, too late, I can't take it back, you've already taken it, and it is out of my hands."
"But!"
"C'mon, Ada, just take it, consider it a farewell gift, and you can never have enough protection out there, so keep it."
Adaceus tightened his grip on it, looking to Hainan as he smiled, and back onto the coat again.
"Are you sure?"
Hainan nodded.
He then took off his backpack and began putting it on, and it fit him like a glove.
"You look excellent!" Hainan said aloud as he patted his shoulder, a gentle, soft smile and teary eyes on his face. "We're really going to miss you, Ada," he said, gently, pulling him into a tight hug.
Suddenly, a ruckus sounded at the door, and as Hainan released him from the hug, a figure flew into the room.
Agie suddenly ran at full speed and launched her entire body at Ada, directly hitting his body with her head and causing pain to assault his stomach.
"Brother!"
Agie clutched tightly around his stomach, squeezing so tightly that Ada felt his eyes were about to pop out. Ada hastily pulled her away, unlatching her from the iron grip of his stomach, holding her by her sides, and slowly raising her so that now she was sitting on his forearm.
"How are you, Agie...urgh," Adaceus asked, clutching his stomach, which was fresh with pain.
Suddenly, a set of footsteps running slowly approached, and another figure appeared through the door. It was Fiora, with a worried expression on her face as she halted her run.
"Brother! I'm sorry, I was trying to calm her down, but she just suddenly ran over."
"It's okay, Fiora," he said, kneeling to Fiora's level. "What brings you here? You seem frantic?"
"We were trying to send you a proper farewell, brother, but Agie up and ran and sent it to disarray. We're sorry.
"I see, that's kind of you, but you don't need to go so far. Still, I appreciate it, thank you, both of you."
Suddenly, Agie, perched upon his arm, became silent, her expression turning ever more sullen as Fiora mentioned farewell. Adaceus noticed and used his other arm to gently place his hand on her cheek, where she clutched it with her little hands, pressing them deeper.
"No need to be sad about this, Agie, we already discussed this, right? This is my wish, and you and Fiora need to be strong. Who knows when Hainan we'll be attacked by some very giant rats, and you need to step in to defend him."
In the background, Hainan's expression turned pouty, arms crossed, and cheeks puffed. Both Ingridt and Ada, Agie, and Fiora smiled at his expense, the younger's even snickering and holding in their laughter.
Ada continued.
"This was our promise to each other, that both of you grow strong and stay strong while I'm away, that you grow up to be excellent young girls. Agie, please... be strong, and be happy right here where you are, could you do that for me, both of you?"
"I can, Fiora, and I will... we swear! It's just, .... you're gonna be gone... and we don't know when you'll ever come back."
"Agie, listen to me," he said, pressing his forehead to hers, speaking in a whisper. "I'm not going to be gone, I am just going to be far, don't make yourself worry about that because I'll be okay. Come here, both of you."
Adaceus grabbed Fiora and pulled the three of them in for a tight hug, their heads resting on his shoulders as their tears moistened his coat.
"I will miss you both dearly."
"Us too, brother," uttered Fiora.
"Me too," Agie followed.
They enjoyed the moment, savoring the warmth they felt for each other in their embrace, knowing this would be the last time in a long time they would see each other again, but worrying about that in this moment was the farthest thing from their minds.
"Oh, I was starting to forget, brother, we have something for you," Fiora said, rustling into her pockets and fetching something out.
A small red ribbon.
"In the stories you read to us, often a knight heading off into battle is always sent off with a trinket or symbol of some sort by a maiden, a thing that gives them favor and good fortune as they head to the battlefront. We wanted to give you the same thing, brother, to give for your journeys."
"We were trying to hand it to you properly, but Agie bolted before we could."
She said this as she sharply glared at Agie. Agie only smiled back in an aloof expression.
"Haha, it's fine, Fiora," Ada said nervously, "there's no need to be angry."
Fiora handed the red ribbon to him with the tips of her thumb and forefinger. It was small, modest, and reserved with only the single color of red. Agie jumped down from Adaceus's forearm, where he then took it and began wrapping it around his right arm, carefully wrapping it around the wrist, using just enough material to go around it a total of three times.
"I'm sorry if it's a bit mundane for a warrior like you, brother, but it's the best that we could do."
"And you didn't need anything else. This is wonderful, Fiora, Agie, thank you."
A wide smile rose on both their faces.
"Now, could you please help me tie this on, nice and neat?"
Fiora nodded and tied the ribbon into a beautiful knot, with Agie eagerly pulling at the ends to tighten it.
"May this remind you of home, brother."
Ada's eyes widened in surprise before he patted both their heads.
Home... that's right, I'm leaving home. This is the place where I technically grew up, a place where my friends... and family are. Family, strange... I've never felt the feeling of family before, even though I have siblings. It was never like this, never this tender and warm, it... feels good, it even stings thinking of leaving all of this behind....
But I've come this far, I can't turn back now, I need to know what lies out there.
But... there's no doubt I'll miss this.
Adaceus then took a glance at the ribbon, seeing it wrapped around his wrist and rubbing it.
"Okay!" In a sudden burst, Agie leapt on Adaceus, a wide grin on her face as she went in for another hug, a more spirited hug.
"Yes, brother, good luck."
Suddenly, another loud sound crashed at the front door, and a landslide of three people poured into the room.
The Blaidhund children tumbled down like a landslide, causing a loud boom to sound, as they fell on the floor bunched into a pile.
"Haah," Ingridt sighed. "Stand up, all of you, make yourselves presentable, we need to send Ada a proper goodbye, and I don't want you all to look like bumbling fools."
They did as they were told, struggling to unfurl themselves from the ball they found themselves in. Eventually, and after a lot of effort, they finally separated and stood stiff like soldiers.
Ingridt sighed, pinching the top of her nose and shaking her head in disappointment. The children grew tenser and tenser, their faces pertrified and their bodies shaking as they waited for their mother's wrath.
Then, out of the blue, a snicker arose from her crinkled face. Then, a harder laugh rose, and she laughed so hard that her head turned back, pushed back from the force.
Then, all in the room also laughed.
# # # # # # # # # # #
Adaceus stepped out to the front door and, with a step, left the confines of his home and onto the stone path of the front yard. Ingridt followed behind him, along with everyone else, gathered for the final farewell.
Ingridt spoke.
"Tell me, Ada, where are you planning on going first, assuming you have a destination in mind?"
"I do. Das-Ahid, the frontier country."
"That's a far road ahead. Why would you want to go there? That place is mostly barren, unassuming."
"I figure it's the best way for me to start. As you said, it's a barren country, with very few dangers save for the common bandit. It's also the closest place that has an Adventurer's Guild, and it's a good way to find information, under-the-table information not found anywhere else, I mean, it'll be useful to know what I'm walking into."
"Places like that tend to have that information, that'd help you to navigate a lot easier, and with your current capabilities, you'd easily be able to fend off grunts. And for the Adventurer's Guild… are you-"
Ada only nodded, and that was all Ingridt needed to know.
"I'm planning on registering as an Adventurer, and with what I'm setting out to do, it seemed like the natural conclusion. I want to explore every inch of Ediah. Being an Adventurer will make me do that ."
"I'm surprised you haven't already, but why there? You know there is a guild here in Prahu, right?"
"Well... you're well known here, Ingridt, and with me being your student. I would probably be assigned a high rank if I registered here, but I don't want that; I want to progress on my own. I want to start on a clean slate."
"Understood."
Ada eyes then locked at the front arched gate on the walls of the house of Blaidhund, just at the horizon.
Over there, when I step out of that gate... Then my journey starts.
Ada suddenly felt a nudge on his shoulder. It was Ingridt, prodding at him with her finger. Ada turned his head to the side in confusion when she gestured her head behind her. Ada then looked behind Ingridt, seeming to catch his attention, all to see a small boy, dual blades hanging on each side of his hip, standing sulkily.
"He's been like that since we came down here... He's... distraught, I think you need to go over there, Ada, he'll like it."
Ada nodded before walking over.
Lujah noticed him coming when he turned his head, and clutched on to one of his arms in a tight grip.
Ada kneeled in front of him.
"Are you going to be okay while I'm gone, young master?"
"I'll be fine, Ada," he said, subtle sadness coating his words.
"This is where we part ways, you know that, right?"
"Yeah.... yeah.... I know."
"Hey," Ada said, reaching out his hand and planting it on his shoulder. "You're going to be okay, alright? No need to be upset about this."
"I-I'm not!" Lujah yelled, clutching his arm even more.
"No need to be angry, Lujah, it's better to save that rage for fighting rather than directing it on me."
"Urk... umm, I'm sorry, Ada."
"It's alright."
"U-um..." Lujah hesitated, his words leaving him in a jumbled mess. "A-are... are... You really going to go?"
"I am, young master, this is going to be my final day here."
"Oh... right."
"What is it, young master?" Ada said, noticing that Lujah seemed strained.
"I-It's just... It's going to be so different without you here."
"You will be just fine, Lujah. That's the truth, you have your family here to support you."
"Where are you going, Ada?"
"Somewhere far away.... at the same time everywhere?"
"Are you going to be alright?"
"I'll be fine, young master, hopefully."
Lujah only stood quietly and then turned his head to face Ada. Ada then formed a fist and placed it directly into his chest, hitting him gently.
"Good luck, Lujah, make sure to keep training, alright?"
Lujah's body started to quiver. It was clear he was struggling to keep himself composed, but in a short, precious moment, the facade toppled over into a stream of tears.
"It's okay, Lujah,'' Ada said.
"I will... I'll become strong, Ada."
He tried to wipe away the tears, but they just seemed never to end. Ada pulled him in and hugged him, and he hugged back, his hands tightly clasping his coat.
"I have no doubt you will be. Make sure to learn and listen to your mother, alright."
"I will train hard! Ada, I promise."
Ada pulled away, stood up, and patted him on his head.
"That's the spirit."
Ada stood up, then turned his head to meet the gaze of Leanor... but with no sign of Dionella.
Someone's missing.
As he wondered where she was, suddenly a pair of arms yanked him from where he was standing, turning him around, and bringing him into a bountiful surprise.
Here she is....
"I'm gonna miss you, Ada!!!" Dionella cried out, shaking him vigorously from side to side, raising him high up with surprising strength. "Please, please, please, please, pleaseeeee!!!! Don't die out there!!!! Pleaseee!!!"
"I won't, Miss Dionella, I promise I'll be safe." He said with a muffled voice.
"Dionella!" Ingridt called out. "You're going to suffocate him at this point, let him down!"
"Oop, right!"
She finally released him, and Ada dropped down, taking a moment to breathe.
"I'm sorry, Ada, was that too rough?"
"No, it's no worries, you just surprised me, as all."
Ada looked up at the girl, meeting her face that was filled with doe-eyed worry and an aloof expression.
"This is it, Miss Dionella, our final farewell."
"Yeah, gosh, I'm really going to miss you, Ada."
"I as well. I wish you luck, Dionella, and I hope that the next time we meet, you'll finally have mastered that magic of yours."
"Hehehe, I promise! I'll be a master magician!" She said, jumping in jolly.
"And I believe you can do it."
She then jumped to him and snuggly hugged him, save for the thrashing. This was a gentle, caring, and comfortable kind of hug.
"Good luck out there, Ada."
"We'll meet again if fortune grants it, Dionella." He said, patting her back and breaking away. "I look forward to seeing how much you've grown."
"And that goes for you, too, Lord Leanor." He said, pointing at him.
Leanor widened his eyes and bowed to him in a dignified manner.
"I won't disappoint."
"Mhm, I've no doubt you're going to go far, and that goes for all of you as well."
Ada said, looking at the three of them in satisfaction.
Hainan then walked behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Ada, are you ready to go?"
Those words echoed in Ada's head. He turned to Hainan and nodded his head, wherein Hainan laid out his hand, showing him the way to the gate. Ada walked, and Hainan accompanied him, until they reached where Ingridt was.
Ada bowed to her and then to Hainan, saying softly.
"Thank you... for everything."
"It's alright, Ada," Hainan said. "It was an honour."
Ada rose and looked at both of them, one last time.
"I guess this means goodbye."
Hainan nodded.
"Stay safe out there, Ada," Ingridt said.
And with that, Ada bowed his head once more before turning his back and beginning to walk, all the way toward the gate. He walked, and walked, and walked the stone path, each step ringing through his entire body, until eventually reaching the precipice of the arch. He looked up at it, the last threshold he would cross into the world.
With a deep breath, he turned back, seeing his home for the last time. He saw the people there, their eyes all locked onto him, all seeming so happy and sad at the same time.
Ada raised his arms high into the sky and waved at them a last goodbye. All of them waved back with wide smiles.
There, the perfect image, that's what Ada would like his last memory of them to be like, happy. He felt happy too; his heart warmed, and with a light chuckle, seeing them wave him goodbye, Ada crossed the gate.
Out into the world.
He left his home happy, but that didn't keep him from focusing on his goal.
This was only the beginning; now it was time to kill deities.