Sitting at the small wooden table in the kitchen, Nozna and his father ate their dinner. Two bowls of steaming vegetable stew rested in front of them, next to that lay a plate of rye bread sat untouched for the moment.
In the air hung the warm scent of the stew – the mellow sweetness of the roynons mingling with the earthiness of the potatoes. The candlelight flickered gently, lighting up the kitchen.
Outside, the light of the sun had been replaced by the veil of darkness marking night time. The moon hung low in the sky, not fully round, but still bright, casting a pale silvery light over the dark plains and thick canopies in the distance.
The father and son duo ate quietly at first, the silence broken only by the soft scraping of wooden spoons and the occasional slurping of the rich broth.
Jack tore a piece of rye bread in half and dipped it into his stew. The crust began to soften as the bread soaked up the broth.
"How'd the south treat you today da?" Nozna asked, his voice casual, but his eyes didn't meet his father's.
Jack grinned, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
"It was as safe as ever. Heh, barely anything's changed."
Nozna stirred the stew slowly with his spoon, his eyes remained on his bowl.
"How was school, boy?" Jack asked as he took another spoonful of stew.
Nozna hesitated, he stopped stirring his stew. Silence hung in the air.
"I… didn't go…" he admitted.
Expecting Jack to reprimand him, Nozna kept his gaze down at his bowl and braced himself.
However, silence followed.
He's not mad?
As Nozna raised his head, his heart skipped a beat.
His father wasn't angry, he wasn't red-faced or scowling.
He just sat there. His father sat there with an expression he had rarely seen on his face.
His eyes were dull and distant, there was a heaviness in his hairy face.
The only time he had seen this side of his father was during uncle Barun's – Embar's father – funeral. Except this time, he seemed even more hollow, more older, more frail.
Nozna stared at his father in horror. His chest tightened. It was time to tell him.
Nozna's fingers tightened around his spoon, the steam from the stew still rose between the two, however, the blanket of warmth felt fragile, like it could be snuffed out any moment.
Jack stayed still.
"Da… I promised you this morning I would tell you."
His voice trembled, but the words came out clear.
"I'm going to tell you everything."
Nozna had asked Khamat if he could tell his father about the world of Arcans. He had expected Khamat to persuade him not to.
However, to his surprise Khamat hadn't opposed it.
The only thing Khamat had not allowed was information about the Order of the Fallen angels.
"The more he knows about the world of Arcans, the more dangerous it would become for him. What you choose to share is entirely up to you. Though I suspect that your father is partially aware of your situation, Nozna."
Khamat's voice echoed in Nozna's head. The last part had lodged itself in his mind like a splinter. More of their conversation played itself in his head.
Nozna glanced at his father, who was looking down at his bowl, the steam now barely rising.
The stew sat between them, almost forgotten.
Has da always known?
His father had never said anything about his transformation. Nozna had always assumed that, maybe, his father had never seen it, or it was only something that Nozna could see.
Nozna swallowed hard
The silence was heavy.
Then, Jack slowly lifted his head. Their gazes met at last.
"I… have something to tell you too… Nozna."
Without waiting for Nozna to gather his thoughts, Jack spoke again.
"Nozna, I found you in the woods sixteen years ago." He paused. "But not as a human baby."
Nozna was stunned.
"I found you as a creature."
The wooden spoon slipped from Nozna's hand, clattering against the side of his bowl.
Jack began to explain the events that unfolded sixteen years ago.
…
[Sixteen years ago]
Jack awoke with a jolt.
His eyes snapped open in an instant, the bright morning sun forced him to squint and cover his eyes.
A few seconds passed.
Jack turned his head to the side, he looked around the room he was in before shortly realising that it wasn't his.
So familiar…
Jack pushed himself upright, groaning as his head exploded in pain. He grit his teeth, wincing, as his brown eyes darted around the room.
A slanted ceiling of dark oak planks and thick beams loomed above. The walls were wooden and uneven. The scent of dried herbs and medicine filled his nose.
This is… uncle Rob's… I'm in his infirmary!
Against the far wall stood a tall shelf cluttered with wooden jars and earthen pots, each carefully labelled in thick ink. Next to the shelf was a stone cauldron that hung from a wooden beam above, its base rested over a pile of soot filled logs.
Beside the bed, a small wooden table held a wooden basin of clean water.
What happened?
Jack tried to remember what happened yesterday. His mind strained as fragments of memories began to return.
Right! The tree! It fell and hit me…
Jack's head throbbed again as he tried to reach deeper into his memories.
He remembered waking up after he fainted, it was late at night, heavy rain, he stumbled across a wailing creature. But he didn't seem to remember what happened after.
I felt very powerful, very angry? What happened after? Who brought me here? Where's that creature?
Many questions swirled through Jack's mind. Pushing them aside for now, Jack got out of bed and quickly left the room. His boots echoed gently against the wooden floor as he entered the main living space of the infirmary.
This was the only infirmary in the village of Savoda. Established by the Neuni family, the infirmary, alongside their medical knowledge, had been passed down through generations. It was also the place where the villagers brought medicine.
Jack looked around the hut, however, no one was to be seen.
Where was Uncle Rob? Auntie Macy?
He was feeling better now, so he didn't think he needed to stay any longer. He would find uncle Rob later and give him proper payment.
Confused, Jack left the infirmary.
The village of Savoda stretched quietly before him, homes made out of timber scattered across, smoke drifted from a few. The sun was still bright, suggesting it was morning.
Not far from the infirmary, an elderly woman spotted Jack.. Holding a straw basket of dried seeds, she called out in a scratchy voice.
"How are you feeling lad?"
Her gray hair was tied back in a loose braid and her face littered with wrinkles.
"Auntie Sand," Jack replied, "My head still hurts but I think I'm fine for now."
"That's good, that's good." She let out a raspy chuckle. "Hunter Lessan found you knocked out in the forest last night. He called Elder Lawren and the Arbiters to collect you. You should thank him. Oh, and also, you're famous now. Congratulations lad."
The old lady gave a mischievous smile.
Jack blinked, his body turning slightly stiff. "Famous?"
The old lady winked.
"You'll find out soon. But first, rest some more, they found you in quite a nasty state last night."
"Thanks Auntie, but I think I'm alright now. I'll go find my father and uncle Rob."
Sand clicked her tongue with amusement."Young lads are so energetic these days."
"Bye Auntie!" Jack quickly walked away.
Jack made his way down the dirt path, crossing the bridge and river. He briefly passed by the Celia Inn.
Shortly after, Jack spotted the silhouette of his hut.
Upon opening the door, the warmth of the hearth greeted him.
Inside the main room, his father was sitting on a stool at one of the tables. In his hand held a sharp tool, whilst the other held a piece of wood.
"Breakfast is in the kitchen, just bread today."
The man who spoke had a deep and gravelled voice. His silver-grey hair was slightly unkempt, sprawling all over his head. His body resembled a mountain, his shoulders and arms were thick and bulky for his old age.
This was Jack's father: Talin Aurelin.
Seeing his son stand at the door bewildered, he continued.
"What? Don't worry, I'll scold you later." He continued carving at the wooden piece, not moving his gaze. "Go eat first."
Jack stepped forward, "Father… you've recovered?"
"Hmph." The old man did not say anything else. His hands continued working.
Jack proceeded to walk towards the kitchen. Halfway there, his father interrupted his thoughts.
"Have you thought of a name yet?"
Jack paused mid-step.
"A name?"
"For your son."
Jack didn't move, his eyes widened in shock.
"What do you mean?"
Talin snapped back. "Don't 'what do you mean' me. That should be my question to you boy." Setting down the tool and wooden block on his hands, he explained, "Lessan found you in the woods with a baby cradled in your arms."
"They had no idea where the baby came from. Where did the baby come from?"
"But you did save the baby. Hmph, if you're gonna be the hero, then don't get knocked out yourself." Talin cursed. "But I'm proud of you."
Talin gave out a rare laugh. "You bring good to the name Aurelin."
Jack was still processing what his father had just told him.
I saved a baby? Does he mean that creature with black fur? Right, I saw the creature, and then I felt a sudden anger and strength… Then I attacked it! How was the creature in my arms?
Talin looked at Jack with deep eyes.
"Look after him well."
Jack quickly asked. "Can't we just give it to priest Ladnye to look after instead?"
Ignoring his sensible question, Talin stared straight at his son.
"Look after him well."
…
[Present day]
"...And that's how you became my son…"
Nozna sat in silence.
"Y- you took me in… as your son… just like that?"
Jack gave a low chuckle, trying to ease the tension.
"Heh, did I really have a say back then? My old man told me to look after you… And I was the one who found you after all. It was my responsibility."
Nozna looked down at the table. He didn't recall much of his grandfather. Unfortunately, the old man died a few months after Nozna was adopted.
Jack watched him, then gave a warm smile.
"And… I have no regrets."
A long silence passed between the two. Nozna's heart swelled as a familiar tightness gathered in his chest. Nozna wanted to reach out to his father, embrace him and tell him how much it meant.
Nozna finally spoke.
"Did I ever transform back into the creature?"
Jack didn't answer at first. His smile faded as he clenched his jaws. His jaw clenched as his thick beard shifted. His brows furrowed.. Eventually he looked at Nozna and spoke.
"More than once."
Nozna's throat suddenly felt dry.
I thought so…
So da knew all along…
Jack continued.
"But every time you did…it was strange"
Nozna blinked. "Strange? You mean my black fur and bulges?..."
Jack shook his head, then suddenly paused as if choosing his next few words carefully.
"Nozna, whenever you transform, I'd feel… I'd have this feeling that I can do anything, I seem to physically and mentally become stronger. But alongside that… I'd always feel an uncontrollable rage–"
Nozna's lips hurriedly parted. "What?"
Staring at his father, he couldn't wait for Jack to finish.
Jack continued. "When you were little, you'd always cry in your sleep. But on some nights, you would transform, and that's when the feelings would hit me. The first few times, I couldn't resist breaking a table or two… I was surprised too. The strength I had was not normal."
"Later, when we slept in separate rooms… It still happened. At first, I thought I wouldn't be affected, since I wasn't watching over you."
"But, you still transformed, and the same stirring… it reached my room. If I was deep asleep, the strong feelings would wake me up… the first few times, I would always secretly check up on you to see if you were alright. You'd always transform.
Nozna's thoughts tangled like vines..
"So everytime I transform… You would be woken up?"
Jack met his gaze across the flickering of the candlelight. "Yes."
A pause.
"As you grew older, I stopped checking on you… It became routine, the intense feelings would wake me up, and I'd just go back to sleep when it was over."
"When I first found you in the forest I had the same feeling..."
Nozna was suddenly deep in thought. He had recalled what Khamat said earlier. It was common for untrained Arcans to unleash their Arcan powers. According to Khamat, there is the presence of Essence during his nightmare. That's how Khamat met him that night.
The presence of Essence meant that an Arcan power was being used.
His father would always feel these emotions during his nightmares.
Essence, Arcan powers, Emotions.
Can my Arcan powers make other people's emotions stronger? No, da didn't mention anything about feeling sad or happy. Only anger and… strength… physical strength too…
Nozna leaned back in his chairs and closed his eyes. He attempted to feel the Essence in his body.
Maybe I can try to use my Arcan powers…
His father interrupted his thoughts.
"I heard everything yesterday."
Before Nozna could gather his thoughts, Jack confessed.
"I was woken up by your transformation last night, but I also heard your footsteps… you'd never left your room before, so I followed you. I learnt about the World of Arcans… just as you did. And then… I heard his offer… I wanted to stop you… but it'd be selfish of a father."
"I already knew you were abnormal from young, that one day, you would have to take your own path."
"Da…"
Nozna had never seen his father this miserable.
Nozna told his father the truth behind his transformation, describing the two visions he would repeatedly see throughout his life. He then described the other two visions where his father was killed in the south of the forest.
"A nightmare…"
Nozna then proceeded to tell his father everything he had talked about with Khamat. The plan to hunt down the Arcan creature in the south of the Forest. His future travels to Bolman City.
His father muttered. "Strange Beasts are Arcan creatures…"
Nozna then shifted into a playful tone as the atmosphere seemed to turn less tense.
"Khamat said within two weeks, the Arcan creature will be dealt with. The Huntary this year will be completely safe.
"Heh." Jack nodded, before picking up his spoon to take a sip of his stew.
His nose wrinkled as his lips curled in disgust. "Ugh, the stew's gone cold."
Nozna laughed, melting away the last of the tensions.
Seeing his father stay silent, Nozna reassured. "Da… I'll be alright. I'm an Arcan now."
In reality, he was still nervous and uncertain. But he couldn't let his father worry.
"So… your Arcan powers… Is it your nightmare? You make others feel more angry and powerful?"
"I'm still not completely sure…" Nozna admitted.
Jack relaxed, as his shoulders slumped down. "Let's finish our dinner."
Nozna nodded. "Yes da."
The two began eating as if nothing had occurred. However, the lingering tension slowly began to creep up again.
Jack grabbed all the bowls and plates, and placed them into a wooden basin filled with water.
Just as Nozna was heading out, Jack's voice reached him.
"Nozna, this captain of yours… I want to talk to him."
…
Nozna had retreated back into his room. He had told his father he would try his best to get Khamat to come but he couldn't promise that his captain would be absolutely willing to meet up with a Non-arcan like his father.
Nozna sat on his bed, his eyes gazed outside the window staring into the endless pit of darkness lit up by the faint glow of the moonlight. Then, his gaze fell upon the satchel on his wooden desk. Taking out the sheets of papers, he began to study its content. He immediately went onto the sheets displaying information about the Spectras.
Emotion Spectra:
Recipe information: Available.
Tier information: OneTier 8, Two Tier 7s, Two Tier 6s, One Tier 5, One Tier 4, One Tier 3, One tier 2.
Tier 8: Psychologist
Psychologist - Highly resistant to mental or mind controls, can roughly estimate a creature's state of mind, can soothe the minds of creatures.
Tier 7: Pacifist, Hero
Pacifist - Can pacify Arcan powers, reducing their destructive power or effects. Can influence the mind of creatures to reduce anger and a willingness for violence or conflict.
Hero - gain more physical strength corresponding to how many people perceive them as a hero. Can amplify the emotions of guilt, justice, motivation and remorse in creatures, can reduce emotions of temptation and anger in creatures.
At this point, Nozna had stopped reading more. He quickly skimmed over the remaining Tiers but, to him, it was evident that his Arcan powers were not of the Emotion Spectra.
Tier 6: Aphrodite, Beacon of Hope…
Tier 5: Enchanter…
Tier 4 and above: Not qualified to know.
Nozna was deep in thought.
A Pacifist can reduce anger, but not amplify it…
Nozna then reached under his bed. Tracing along the wooden surface, his fingers curled around a handle. Pulling out the compartment, he retrieved a smaller wooden box. Taking off its lids, his sapphire eyes stared at the teardrop-shaped amulet.
The amulet that shimmered with an ethereal fuchsia light. The teardrop-shaped gem rested in a cradle of dark purple material that was attached to a dark chain of the same material. As he continued studying the amulet, his mind drifted.
Is this an artifact?
Closing his eyes, he focused. He felt his Essence. But from the amulet, there was nothing.
There's no Essence. Should I tell Kha- the captain about the amulet?
Da mentioned that this amulet was around my neck the first time he saw me…
Is it really just for decoration?
After trying out his experiment, Nozna hides the amulet back in its original place.
Nozna closed the window panels and laid on his bed. "Goodnight da." He whispered.
The talk earlier with his father had eased most of the uncertainty and worry in his body. He felt much better about himself, about being an Arcan.
I am an Arcan now. This is the right path for me. This is my future now, I just have to trust in captain… and myself.
He didn't know exactly when, but eventually, he fell asleep.
Minutes after, the candle's flickering came to a stop, turning the room into tranquil darkness.