Here he was, right before me. After what felt like forever, we finally meet again. His brown hair now streaked with platinum blonde and left eye now a silvery hue, how could I be sure this was the Tristan I knew?
He stared at me wordlessly while Xenon eyed us both. "It's been some time—" My words were lost in the air as he pulled me into a tight hug. None of us spoke; We didn't have to. This was indeed Tristan. Who else could it be?
My vision blurred as liquid filled my eyes. Why was this happening? My body shook continuously; I didn't want this to end. I thought he was dead… no, he did die. I saw it with my own eyes. He was smashed by a giant ice golem. Did he know this though? Did he know he died in that tunnel?
If Altera didn't bring him back, I don't know what I could have done. Tristan moved his mouth to my ear and whispered.
"How did you do it?"
"What?"
"Everything," he replied.
His confusion made sense. To him, he fainted and woke up in some prison room with a different appearance. I could only imagine the questions he was asked and the answers he provided. After that, he witnessed me use ice abilities to fight some red-haired madman.
He was one of the few people who knew I couldn't use magic, so this situation would be confusing. Nonetheless, now wasn't the time to answer those questions. "Later, now's not the time," I informed.
Clack. Clack.
We turned to see Xenon taping on the wall. "This way, I don't have time. The king is expecting me, so hurry up." This annoying guy always… the King? Me and Tristan exchanged looks as if confirming what we just heard.
The king was the most powerful person in the kingdom. He resides in the capital, Huvusdad. I also heard he was among the strongest mages in the kingdom. For him to request Xenon's presence… who exactly was this guy? I suddenly got this feeling he didn't give his all during our fight.
"This crazy guy knows the king?" Tristan asked openly as we walked. Xenon looked back briefly before facing forward again. As we walked, people greeted him as we passed. I remembered when people greeted him before. He had to be a really high-up up to get all this respect.
We walked in silence for a while, making turns here and there. I desired speaking to Tristan more, but had a feeling in my stomach every time I thought of opening my mouth. Honestly, I could never look at him the same again. He wanted to know everything, but how much could I tell him?
Altera warned me not to tell anyone what we discussed, and the gods were watching. A sweet smell caused my stomach to grumble and mouth to water. What was this? Fruity but also… I didn't really care, I just wanted to eat it. Xenon turned to us and smirked.
"It tastes better than it smells," he said provocatively. Ignoring him and the sweet smell, I pondered the nature of Altera's message. What did she mean by the gods were watching? Could they see our every action and thought like paint on a canvas as she described?
"Where are you going?" Tristan asked as I turned around to see them a few paces from me. Walking back, we entered an empty room with two chairs. "Sit," Xenon instructed. "I brought you here to educate you."
What's with this guy? Switching from quirky to stern at a moment's notice. Maybe he was similar to Clement the deranged, the craziest man in the slums. I sat down, but Tristan didn't. "I prefer to stand," he said, facing a wall. "I don't really care what you prefer; you both are criminals anyway," Tristan and I turned to him simultaneously while he raised an eyebrow.
"Why're you surprised? You stole a key, expect at least 5 years." What was this now? He almost killed me before, now he's giving me prison time? Tristan took a fighting stance. Moving his hand, the ground beneath Xenon's feet turned to… quicksand? "A crazy guy like you doesn't stand a chance against—" Tristan paused as Xenon stopped sinking.
An earthy smell filled the room as the quicksand was now solid. "Simple answer, heat. Nice try though," Xenon teased. Freeing himself from the ground, he wiped his clothes. Tristan grumbled while I adjusted in my seat. "Normally, you both will serve time in prison…" What was he saying now?
"We know, ugh," Tristan rolled his eyes.
"If you'll let me finish, I was about saying you won't serve time at all—" he stretched his hand as Tristan and I were about to speak.
"No interruptions. From what I've seen, you have value elsewhere." Value? What was he on now?
"You aren't serving time in prison because you'll be doing that here," he added. "Take this as your official induction into the association."
"What?!" I exclaimed, turning to Tristan. He looked around the room, avoiding my gaze. "Did you know?" "Kind of," he mouthed. "The muscular woman told me something like this would happen," he added. Xenon shook his head.
"That Tina reads me every time. This will replace your punishment. You will work for the association with 90% less pay—" "90?! That's… That's robbery!" Tristan cried out. "You guys are the thieves though…" This was quite the surprise. Ignoring the pay cut, we were basically getting paid for stealing.
"How much would that 90% be?" I asked after taking a deep breath. This would be the first time Tristan and I ever got something of value without stealing. "About nine pounds and sixty shils a week."
"What?!" Tristan and I questioned in unison. Nine pounds? Sixty shils? We barely got five shils a week for bread. This… This… After 90%? How much were these association members making? Xenon moved towards the door, but Tristan grabbed him.
"Didn't you bring us here for something?" he asked. "No time, someone else is coming in. She's a little crazy, so behave," he was out the next second. Standing from my chair, I stretched my legs and rubbed my pockets. Soon, soon they'll be filled with money. Tristan sat on the ground and scratched his head.
"What's up?" I asked.
"We still owe that portly bastard money." We? This guy borrowed twenty pounds for 'info' and fourteen for the teleportation gate, now he says we?
"All that's on you. I'll pitch in a few shils though—" A brown haired woman suddenly appeared before me. "You dropped this," she said to Tristan, gesturing to a piece of rock in her hand. How? Assuming a fighting stance, I distanced myself from her. Looking around, my rapier was nowhere in sight. Shit! I hadn't seen it since I woke up.
"Tristan!"
"I'm trying!"
Spikes of earth shot from the ground, but she evaded easily. Focusing all my energy, I cooled the air around my palm till it glowed with a silver hue. She didn't move, and my attack landed, to her… surprise?
Why was she surprised that my attack hit her when she didn't even try to evade? Or was it because it left a scuff on her arm?
"Tristan! Golems!"
"I… I can't! Ugh"
The woman appeared before him before I could blink and made quick work of him. She eyed me cautiously before blinking away from view. Squatting, a thin hand swung where my head was.
Adjusting, I performed a leg sweep, but she evaded with a backflip. This was the first time she didn't blink out of view. I didn't notice it before, but the markings on her arms and neck were similar to Tina's in complexity. From that alone, I knew I was outmatched.
"Stop!" She exclaimed. My body froze on the spot. So did Tristan's. What was this? Who was this woman? Reaching into her hood's pocket, she pulled out her round glasses and put them on.
"Black hair, red eyes. Brown hair, brown eyes. Tattered clothes, starved, dirty—" Our expressions seemed to have startled her because she paused. "Are you boys Zane and Tristan?"
"Tristan and Zane," Tristan asserted.
"Why didn't you say so? Xenon sent me to teach you two." So this was the crazy person he talked about. My body was mobile again, and I stood straight. This woman seemed to blink about the room. She even froze our bodies in place.
This wasn't something any ordinary mage could do. She had to be one of those special attributes. And I had my money on time control.