Dashing through the valley and the mocks of lonely olds sitting beside roads they headed for the bus stop. Today the view was quite calm and more beautiful than ever before. The bright lights at the pinnacle were giving spotlight to the peak of the hill. Amidst the two rocky walls the trio landed on the bus stop. The bus was right there taking its halt and that's when Raizon remembered it was the same situation before when he stepped in Ralvon thinking it was Palvon. He smiled a little remembering the scenario in which Goan noticed "What's with the smile Raizon?".
"Oh, nothing, it's just something from my town" he jumbled some words.
Getting up on the bus they again headed for the last longer one as every other was filled. The bus attendance liaison officer came for the check and found out that all three were spectral users so he swung the ticket machine behind. And that's when he noticed it was Raizon again and exactly at that moment Raizon trembled as he knew it was the same officer.
"Hello boy weren't you in Palvon?" He asked "Also when I got back up I didn't saw you, did you stepped down early or something".
"Well…. Huhh... it was more like I thought I should get my body warmed up in Ralvon's gym, and so I got down" Raizon answered.
"Nahhh…. He simply got down early" Shalon and Goan whispered together taunting Raizon about his little stories.
"But you look at it another way mystery boy" Goan claimed "if you would have died yesterday then it would have been completely stupid of you to get down at Ralvon"
"Well me dying means all of us dying" Raizon answered back
"Who told you I was going to die"
"Don't think I didn't see you trembling on your knees" and so the quarrel went on till Palvon.
The city was rich in modernity and culture, clean streets with a busy crowd showing necessary ethicates, everything was beautiful. Especially for a boy like Goan who was mostly raised in villages, such sites are quite rare. Clinged to the window Goan was praising the site with his utmost sincerity. Sky bus, metro and finally tall glassy buildings. But that's when Raizon noticed the sudden nervousness among Shalon.
"What happened Shalon?" he asked.
"Nothing to worry about" Shalon replied
"You can tell us" this time Goan catches the seriousness of the conversation.
"It's about my dad" Shalon revealed "I'm meeting him after a long time"
"How long?" Goan leaned in
"Two years I guess"
"Two years," Goan shouted, leaning further in.
"My mom and my dad are divorced, so it's not often as I stay at my mother's place"
"Oh…. That's sad" Raizon said "but at least now you will get to see him and relive some of your memories".
"Hope so" Shalon smiled a little.
The bus stopped, everybody got down and took their first step in the Palvon city. The plan for the trio was set, and it was to go with Shalon in his dad's house and spend some days resting.
Back at the emerald gym the atmosphere was already dense, Hamock was panting heavily as he clinged his tired body to the ground. The sweat from his body was leaking everywhere, while the previous champion was gazing right at him.
"Is this all you have got, Hamock?" He was still terrifying.
"I'm …. trying" Hamock stuttered.
The training that Emerald does was quite beat skipping and that's what helped them to become champion. Their dominance was for a long time until They appeared. That was the first time Emeralds lost so patheticly and were shaken to their knees. Nobody could forget that last matchup which killed Patt's son and many others in the audience.
In the city, right beside the central street was the mansion Shalon's dad was staying in. It seems he had to continuously transfer from one region to another for his work purposes.
Coming back to the mansion which was huge and beautiful, its white poshed walls were like mirrors, while the little garden within the boundaries was like a heaven. A little water fountain beside the tables along with a little stage decorated with floating flowers, everything was perfect. A Butcher came to recruit the duo as Shalon's dad wasn't around. Shalon's dad often called Mr.Caping was a core member of policia and a strong man looked forward to in his unit. He had previously solved many tricky cases and hence was at higher ranks.
"The master will be so glad to see you, junior," Butcher said.
"I thought he would call you young master" Goan came in.
"I asked him to do so," Shalon claimed "calling me young master after such complications won't be appropriate"
Listening to this the butcher's face fell down a little. Inside the mansion was more grand and royal than the outside, Butcher gave boys their respective rooms. As for Raizon it was far in the corner behind the stair, but had an absolutely beautiful view. Large mountains marking the end of Palvon territory were clearly visible along with the green lawn ending up to the river. The bush with flowers intervening the rows was absolute art; yellow, blue, red every colour of a flower was available and foundering with the beauty.
Right before Raizon could rest himself on the bed, somebody knocked on the door. Opening it he found the little passage towards the entrance empty while no other way to move or hide. It was maybe from some other room, so he thought. Finally a huge bounce on the bed relaxing to the complete satisfaction and comfort. Sailing through the bed sheet he noticed the door to the room was wide open, but he was sure that he closed it.
Goan, our village boy, was more focused on arranging small pots around the window. "As beautiful as my mother," he claimed. All of a sudden there was a bee swinging around the flower and that's when Goan got furious "you traitors, you drink the blood of such beautiful flowers. I won't show any mercy if you harm any of my friends here" and so he brought all the arranged pots inside and closed the window.
Shalon was having a chat with his spectral beast "Turquoise Grasshopper" about how things can turn at emerald gym. Their bond was good and threatening, making them a perfect matchup for each other.
"Well what about that Raizon guy" the beast spoke
"He can manage little by little, and he will soon grow into a good warrior," Shalon claimed.
"Your dreams don't need a good warrior but the best one my friend. Do think on that as all your dreams can be flattered and destroyed in a second" the beast mouthed back.
That's when the butcher rings the bell for the dinning.
"Fresh meal junior and his friends" he shouted.
As the trio set themselves on the chairs they saw quite expensive dishes coming towards them. Roselle wine, Dial capital special Flavoured Steak, and many more.
"Will any of this stuff even go through my neck" Goan was worried by the richness and this time even Raizon was corrupted by the fever.
The butcher was happy to see the kids smile and eat the delicious food. He was quite offended by how Goan was eating but still he was pleased to serve enthusiastic people like him. That's when he looked at the blown candle and started uttering the fact that was eating him for a long time. "Junior, Master will take some time to come back to the mansion"
Shalon was shocked by the sudden change in plan and took a minute to process it long and calmly asked "How much?".
"That's not decided junior" the butcher said "it may be midnight or tomorrow morning. He was quite ashamed to contact me for this purpose but had an emergency".
Shalon who had completed everything on the plate got up eating insufficient and unsatisfied. Opening the door and locking it from inside he gave himself some isolation while Goan and Raizon could do nothing but look at the delicious food in front of them with disappointment.