"..."
"Kage?"
"Yes..."
"That's why he couldn't be found..." He muttered under his breath.
"We couldn't find a trace of him after we found out he left—this explains it all..." He said, eyes widening while covering his lips.
"Because essence doesn't exist in Kage." I added.
"Essence? I knew it, can you use it already!?"
"Yes, but I currently can't."
"You are more amazing than I even thought!"
"Let me correct you, it exists—even in Kage—it simply gets blocked out."
"I just know that I could neither sense, nor use it..."
"Yes, Kage has always been a strange city."
"There even is a curse there..." His eyes locked onto mine,
"Wait—why can you hear me normally?! I heard that those from Kage lose that ability, or something like that." He leaned forward, creaking the table he leaned on.
"I don't really understand it myself... but I simply can't take new knowledge in."
"But why is it not affecting you then?!"
"It's the same reason why I can't use my essence."
"I used my essence to block the curse away..."
"Wait, you can already control your essence? You're still eleven, right? I have never met someone of your age to be this advanced—and I didn't even know essence could do that!" He said, grinning.
"Please calm down Ed..." Katherine said, putting her hand on his shoulder.
"But that is actually amazing, you are that advanced already, at eleven! When is your birthday actually?!" She pushed herself forward using his shoulder.
"Uh..." I started counting with my fingers.
"Wait." I repeated it again.
"It was a few months ago..."
"I forgot about it... I'm twelve now." I scratched the back of my head.
She looked at me with a gentle smile on her face, slowly sitting back down,
"You should not forget your birthday anymore, okay?"
"You are celebrating your life after all, and that is something beautiful—don't you think?"
"...I'll keep it in mind." I couldn't remember ever celebrating my birthday.
Gears were turning inside of Edward's head, asking me,
"But how could you do it? It shouldn't be possible to block a curse out with just essence... for one such as Kage the only thing to work would probably be a spirit's blessing."
A spirit's blessing?
"I'll explain it all better back home, but this here is an example..." They pulled their sleeves up revealing the accessories they wore, but one stood out on one of their arms.
The same feeling as Arih...
"These bracelets are the manifestation of one of the ways to strengthen yourself." She said, rolling her sleeve back down before I could analyze the bracelet.
After she saw my face she raised her finger,
"It's not something you should take lightly, this power doesn't come for free. It should only be used by those searching for specific abilities, or for those who have reached their limits in essence."
"Why only then, and not for everybody?" My head hung.
"Because it's a contract... for most people."
"You won't get anything for free, you will give up something, and it's something out of your control, it's based on the spirit's whims. After all they are incomprehensible creatures."
"So, do you have a spirit's blessing?"
"No? I don't think so at least..."
"You don't have a symbol on your body—or anything alike?" Edward cut in.
"No... I don't have anything of the like."
"It's just since I manifested my essence it healed me by itself..."
I expected them to be able to read it in my essence, or something similar... I shouldn't have told them.
Edward's eyes were narrowed as he turned to Katherine,
"I've never heard of that..." She said, holding the same expression.
"But honestly, it could be quite problematic if you won't be able to use essence as a knight..." Edward leaned back, crossing his legs.
He looked down at his finger that tapped on the table,
"You would start losing out on the others after a while, the difference between essence and not is massive, and this gap keeps expanding with each layer... but you were strangely able to keep up with Caleb for a while—that should not be possible eit—" He looked up at my fidgeting body.
"That can continue on another day," he said, showing a narrow smile.
I guess he felt like it was becoming more like an interrogation.
After Edward stopped speaking, Albert stood next to our table, putting two orange colored drinks, and the two steaming brown transparent cups on the table—each with a little plate underneath.
Both Mim and I grabbed our cup, going for a taste, with six different eyes staring at us.
The liquid trembled in my hand as I brought it to my mouth,
"This is amazing!" "Do you have more!?" We asked Albert in unison as the sweet, but sour taste spread over our tongues—a drink better than anything before.
"I forgot to say this, but tomorrow we are going back." Edward said, taking a single sip from his tea.
"But aren't the nobles going to start fighting tomorrow?" I had remembered that the lady told me.
"No one cares about that, this entire tournament is just a gimmick to gain traction in this country. No respectable noble would ever join into such a tournament. I sympathize with Caleb, being forced to join and—" Edward swallowed his word as he saw the big eyes of Mim pointed at him.
"Ahem, be ready tomorrow,"
"The way to Kardiotza is a long one."