"Did you meet any of the ancestors?" Danver asked while sitting on his chair as Luke was standing in front of him at the other end of the table.
"I did!"
"Whom did you meet?"
"The 1st patriarch, lord Glenn."
A flash of surprise passed through Danver's face as his eyes got wide for a second.
No one in the household from all these generations had ever met the 1st patriarch. It was the first time he was hearing about it. He immediately composed himself back and asked Luke again.
"Then why is your circle still shattered?"
"He said it's been too late! He would have been able to repair it if I had met him before the age of 12." Luke said but didn't hear any response back from the duke. He looked up and saw Danver looking sceptically at him.
"But he gave me a book with a different method of cultivation. He told me to practice it so that I can fight."
"So can you cast magic if you use this method?"
"Not right now, since the technique doesn't use the circle, the formulas of the current spells don't work. I have to research the spells myself!"
Danver was silent again. His brows creased as he was getting more and more doubtful.
"Let me see the book!"
"I'm sorry, father, but I can't show it to anyone nor can I tell the method. That is the condition the patriarch gave me for allowing to take the book with me."
"ENOUGH!!!" Danver screamed in anger as he stomped the table with his hands and got up from his seat.
Luke was pushed back by the intense killing intent released by the duke. He felt suffocated from the pressure. For the first time he realized the danger of facing a 7th circle fighter mage.
"Enough with your lies! Do you take me for a joke? I would have considered sparing you if you had not lied, but now it is out of the question."
"But father, believe me. I really…"
"Enough! I won't hear a single word out of your mouth! Take what you need and pack your bags. You are banished from this household and I want you out of my sight by tomorrow."
"Drake!!" Danver yelled as the door opened and Drake entered.
"Take him away! I don't even want to see him." Danver said and turned away, refusing to even look at him.
Luke was devastated. After his mother died at childbirth, he had always been alone. His father had never looked at him lovingly nor had he been given any lavish facilities and lifestyle that the other son and daughters received.
Still, he hoped that at least his father loved him but didn't show it. But today, that last hope vanished.
He was teary eyed as the pain and sadness of being ignored, not loved and not trusted hurt most then being banished.
He wiped his eyes and composed himself. With determination he looked at his father's back one last time.
"I am not lying father. Not one word since I entered here nor ever when I was in front of you! I don't feel bad about being banished, I knew you wanted me, your weakness to get lost since a long time and it was bound to happen one day. But being called a liar, that's what hurts me the most."
"Fine! I'll leave and even when someday you'll need me, I won't return nor will I help you ever even at the brink of destruction. For I know for sure that one day, I'll grow into a far stronger mage then you ever will be!" Luke said in dominance and turned around to leave.
"You are not to use my name, my title and even the family name I gave you for your profit or even for saving yourself. Because no help will depart from this place for you!" Danver said in a stern voice.
"I didn't plan to. I am not a Ranatosh, I am Luke Blackstone!" Luke rushed out of the room.
Drake sighed as he looked at the retreating back of Luke, he shifted his eyes towards the duke. "My lord." He bowed and then left the room as the door closed behind him.
*****
"The coachman will take you wherever you wish to go young master. I have paid him already." Drake said as Luke was about to board the carriage.
"Thank you, lord Drake!"
"Where will you go young master?"
"I'm thinking of going to Gemburn city between our kingdom and the Glaskow kingdom. My uncle is there and he used to call me all the time. I thought that would be the perfect place to restart."
"You'll have to take the airship then, the teleportation across kingdoms is on hold right now, and being a free city, Gemburn doesn't have a teleportation circle."
"Oh! I didn't know that. I'll go to the port then!"
"Hmm! Take this with you." Drake said as he put a pouch in Luke's hand
Luke opened the pouch and found a big chunk of gold coins.
"I can't take this Lord Drake!" he tried to return it but Drake refused to take it back.
"You'll need it more than me young master! At least let me help you this much as an elder!" he said with a warm smile.
Luke didn't know how to respond. He was almost teary eyed receiving such warmth.
"You've always taken care of me Lord Drake! I…I don't know how I'll ever repay you!"
"Live well young master! Just live a good life. That's enough for me!" Drake asked the coachman to move as he left these final words for Luke.
The carriage started moving and Luke clenched the pouch hard in his hands.
He was determined to show his father what he can do and the mistake he had done banishing him today and repay the love he received from the ones that loved him while he was in the mansion a hundredfold.
'I tried my best Cinthia! Hope your child lives a safe life!' Drake sighed and turned back towards the mansion.