Eiser, Arkas and Sandy got on a cart.
"Dont mind the child, He is my son. Braus, leave space for the gentlemen dear."
That driver said.
That gloomy looking child, Braus, who apparently had an exam tomorrow, sat on a corner, and began to read the book that he had in his hands.
Eiser sat beside that child while Sandy and Arkas sat across them.
"How far can you take us old man?"
Eiser inquired.
"Near the post, it will probably take 3 to 4 hours to reach there."
The driver explained as he cued the rein to make the horse walk.
After some time, Eiser was the only one awake in that cart. Sandy and Arkas, were sleeping lying on eachother, and that child Braus, was also asleep drooling at his book.
Suddenly the cart took a bump which made Braus wake up.
"Braus, You need to study you know! You have an exam tomorrow!"
His father, the cart driver said to him.
Braus didn't answer just kept on reading that book with a gloom in his face.
Meanwhile, Riley and Anastasia were speeding to get to Durdenhiem as fast as they could. Along thier way, They gave lift to a woman and her little child. By thier clothes and demeanor, those two looked like nobles.
Both the woman and the child greeted Anastasia as they saw her clothes, after getting up on the carriage. That child also had a similiar book as Braus' in her hands.
As soon as the woman and the child sat down, The child opened her book and started to read it.
The woman explained that her daughter, Natalie has her History exam tomorrow. So she was preparing for that.
Ana smiled at the look of determination in a child.
She sat beside the child and started to talk to her.
"What are you reading?"
Ana inquired.
"I have a History exam tomorrow."
She replied, contrary to Ana, Natalie had a frown and pout at her face.
"And what is in your history exam?"
"The Story in this book."
"And do you know what happens in this story?"
"No! I dont want to read this story! This is all useless."
"And what do you want to do then?"
"I want to go home quickly and play with my dolls."
After assessing the girl's demeanor,
"Shall i read this story to you?"
She asked her.
"Really? Will you??"
She said as her face lit up suddenly.
"I always ask Mama to read it to me. But she says she doesn't have time!"
Natalie added.
As her mother heard this, she got enraged yet defensive abit.
"Oh That's not true! How cruel. You treat Mama like that!"
Her mother said as she pretended to be hurt by her daughter's complaints.
Meanwhile, Eiser tried to talk to Braus aswell.
"So you have an exam tomorrow huh?"
Eiser said.
"Mm hmm"
Braus mumbled.
"Oh a History exam. Exciting!"
He said as he peeked at the title of the book.
"Mm hmm"
He mumbled again.
"Can i see that book please."
Eiser asked. To which Braus passed him the book.
Even after giving the book to Eiser. Braus was still sitting with his head down, and legs crouched. Her arms were rolled in on which he lay his head.
As Eiser had a look at him, Braus's clothes were all ragged and tainted. He was a thin child, clad in a brown ragged and torn Tunic. His pyjamas were also all dirty and muddy.
"Say, Braus, how about i take your test! Like a preparation for your exam!"
Eiser suggested.
Even after this, Braus wasn't all excited.
"Alright!"
He said.
"Alright then, first question! What was the name of the first Earth Queen?"
He asked.
"Gaia"
He replied, coldly.
"Wow! That's perfect. How about i turn up some heat. Now then, How many Revolution Eras have there been since the First Era?"
"Nine!"
He replied, a little more enthusiastic than before.
"And... Can you name them?"
"The First Kings Era, The Magni Era, The Alexiaris Era, The Ecolipe Era, The Sif Era, The Modi Era, The Jarnsaxa Era, The Ritzche Era and this current Era."
"How are you so smart Kid??"
Eiser said in utter disbelief and shock as his mouth was wide open and pupils were dilated.
Braus smiled abit as he saw Eiser like that.
"Ask me more!"
He said.
"Ask you more? Now you are asking for trouble!"
He said in playful manner.
The more he talked, the more Braus opened up to him.
After asking a few more questions, Eiser finally admitted defeat, yet only after he had heard a full laugh out of Braus's mouth.
"Why dont you read me this story next? I never went to school but i too want to have some knowledge yknow!"
He said as he pinched his thumb in Braus's belly to make him laugh.
So Braus started.
"More than 5000 Years ago, The God Aether created this world, These trees, these planets and everything in between. But even after he did. He could do nothing about it. He would create it and destroy it, like a child. Because he was all alone. He had no father, no mother, no son, no one! Then at some specific point, God created Void and forgot about it. Some time later, that void had a son, called the Devil. The Devil was envious of God's powers and wanted to steal them. So he said to God. "Oh Majesty, why dont you create tiny creatures, inside this world. They will sirely bring you delight". God was lured into his smooth talk but it was all aplan of The Devil. Then God created humans. But not only humans, He also created Five spirits. Fire, Water, Earth, Aether and Electricty. After that the God never got bored again. But it was all according to the Devil's plan. He went into the world that the god had created. He though that by capturing all those Spirits and combining them he could beat the God. So at first he captured the first King of Electricty, Thor and consumed his mind and body. When God got to know that The Devil had tricked him, he gave the remaining four elements, special powers to eliminate The Devil. The four elements, led by the King Aether, remained steadfast and ferocious. The battle took many years to complete but in the end after sacrificing the other three Kings, Finally King Aether put an end to the Devil of Electricity. The End."
After reading the entire story, Braus looked at Eiser with delight. Yet as he did, he got scared abit.
"Eiser?"
He called.
For some reason, After listening to that story, Eiser got that gut wrenching feeling, he usually got after seeing an orb. His mood was spoiled and fouled. That could've been judged by the rumbling Electricty in the weather aswell. Yet as he felt the touch of a tiny hand at his arm. He got back to his senses. He looked at Braus, who had tears in his endearing little eyes.
"Ohh Braus! You read exceptional!!"
He said trying to lift the mood.
"Eiser? Are you alright?"
Braus asked with a breaking voice.
As Eiser heard that he got silent.
A small chuckle on his face, was all he had.
"I am sorry Braus! You read great. But you know what. It was this story. This story was so emotional that i got all teary and angry at that Electric King!!"
He explained.
As Braus heard that his face got all bright again.
"Then did i read good?"
He asked.
"Good? You were PHENOMENAL!! Dont ever let anyone tell on you alright??"
Hearing him made Braus cry.
"Hey why are you crying little guy? Did you feel sympathy for the Kings aswell?"
He said.
Braus wiped his tears as he said.
"No. Yknow what? It was the first time that someone ever complimented me on something!"
As he herad that sentence, Eiser's eyes got all teary aswell.
"Hey, Dont need to cry little guy! You are a strong kid aren't you?" And i know it, You are definitely gonna get a 100 in this test!"
Eiser uplifted him.
The thundering of the clouds went on increasing as They traversed up into the mountains. The thundering was the same above Anastasia's carraige aswell. Who got distracted reading that story by the constant rumbling of clouds.
Riley also looked up towards the sky as a drop of rain fell onto his nose. He cued the reins tightly, as it did and speeded up his horse.
As Riley listened to that story, he got a sudden sense of power or delight. For they used to listen to this story everyweek back as a kid. The Kind King Aether, who sacrificed everything for his duty, for a new sunlight was his favourite character in the story.
"What is your favorite Cahracter frok this story?"
Braus suddenly asked Eiser.
"Hmm... My favourite Character huh? Hey Braus, What if i tell you my Favourite Character is actually The Evil King Thor?"
He replied in a playful yet mystical manner.
"Its alright, i mean he didn't do anything wrong by himself did he. He was curropted by The Devil."
Braus's statement jolted Eiser abit as he started to laugh.
"What is it? Did i say something wrong?".
Braus said in a ravege tone.
After some time, Arkas and Sandy also woke up, as the thundering of the approaching storm had grew severly intense.
"Hey old man! Drop us off here."
Eiser said.
"Are you sure? There still an hour or so of hike before we even reach the post!"
"Yeah I am pretty sure! Besides your son has an important exam tomorrow! You should go home now and rest up abit!"
Eiser said.
The driver pulled the reins and stopped the cart.
Arkas and Samdy stretched out as Eiser said his goodbyes to Braus as they started to descend.
After hiking quietly, being rained on, for thirty minutes. Eiser and the company finally reached the post.
Yet as they did. All three of them heard some footsteps.
And without a moment to spare, the three were surrounded by four people. Eiser could recognize three but one was unknown.
"Red List gang, All three 1st Evolution Masters. Hetairos. What do you guys want?"
Eiser inquired as he had already seen thier faces in the News Magazine he saw in the Fade City.
*********
Tips:
Hetairos has three members
— Hel (Wind)
— Medea (Water)
— Noah (Earth).