Chapter 85 - To Copperlin

Caging Aaris in a dark void, Zia stabbed her sword in his chest with an unexpected question,

"Tell me where did you learn that spell?" 

With a shallow bleeding wound on his chest, Aaris was thinking about how to get out of this situation, without much trouble, "I-" 

"Damn you kids, a single hasn't been passed and you started fighting?" Historia placed her hand on top of both their heads.

"Lady Hez? How did you-" Zia smacked her hand from her head,

"Save talk for later, for now…

[ RECITE ]

[ POÈME DE L'AUBE ]"

She whispered and the void disappeared, Zia just stood there stunned after watching her spell getting broken so easily.

"Well then, now we are out of that lonely place, tell me what's the matter with both of you?" Historia looked at both of them and noticed Aaris chest,  a smug suddenly cracked on her face while looking at Aaris, 

"Don't tell me that was a steamy confession and I interrupted both of you! Ah! You confessed your feelings to her and she placed her sword on your chest saying, 

(very well then, but let me warn you don't cheat on me or I'll pierce this sword through your heart where you let someone stay other than me…) ah, youth!" Historia abruptly started turning red and mimicking and teasing them.

-- Aaris - PoV --

There is a limit to imagination and misinterpreting a situation, just how did she get that idea? 

'Please don't get weird ideas, she was just-' I looked at Zia, who I thought would turn red in rage after hearing this, was looking at me with a disgusted look on her face.

"Don't misunderstand! I don't have an ounce of such feelings toward him! And I will never…" she started lashing at Historia and walked away cursing me with her eyes.

"What a cute maiden, did you see her getting flushed?" Historia chuckled after Zia was gone.

What the fuck are talking about? She looked at me like she would turn me into mincemeat the moment she found me alone.

Sigh…

'Anyway, thanks for saving me.' 

"No need to thank me, I was just doing my job as your captain,  now move your ass to the Gate Tower, or else you'll regret this for a whole year." She smacked my head and growled at me.

***

After a while, we reached the tower where Melvi, Styrmir, and Zia were waiting for us. I looked at Zia, she just plainly ignored me and stood beside Melvi.

We all followed Historia to the 7th floor, where an old dwarf was sleeping, only a small portion of the floor was not marked with the magus circle on the slightly bulged curve where the dwarf was sitting and dozing. 

We walked on the magus circle and Historia suddenly turned facing us,

"Well then kids from now on things will get only difficult, this is your last chance to step down if you want to, nobody will blame or criticize you for your decision, so if you are still unsure about the quest, move away from the Magus circle." She looked at us gently,

we looked at each other then nodded Historia, Melvi's hands were still shaking, I wanted to help her but then I saw Zia holding her hand gently, 

Guess she is not evil or ill-will for us but I still can't get thoughts of the earlier out of my mind.

"Great then! Goshoth!" She yelled at the Dwarf and he jumped out of his seat, 

"Who the hell is disturbing my napping time eh?! Don't your parents teach you not to disturb anyone who is sleeping eh! Who is it eh?!" The Dwarf growled and smacked his table in fuming anger,

"It's me Historia, Goshoth old man, now could you please send us near Copperlin domain?" Historia called him and he moved his gaze at her and suddenly smiled,

"Ah! It's you, it's been a while eh? Did you get taller eh? Never mind, just get out of here, show me the paper eh." His expressions changed in a split second from giddy to weary, he walked to Historia and put forward his hand, Historia pulled out a paper from her void and handed it to him.

He looked at and tapped on the wall, a liver appeared and sighed, 

"Well then, prepare yourself eh! Younglings take care of yourself and a small piece of advice from this old man, don't steal anything from there eh." 

"Well kids, prepare yourself!" Historia took a long breath and calmed herself like she was preparing for this for a long time.

"Alright, I wish the blessing of Allfather on you!"  

Goshoth held the lever and pulled it down with all his might and the magus circle started glowing, we blinked and found ourselves, standing inside the cave.

"Where the heck are we?" Styrmir yelled stunned and startled, several small gleaming magus circles were etched on the sides for our vision to pass.

"There is no need to worry, we are inside of a cave hidden near the domain, it was made by Ovyrus with a pact with the Goldmin kingdom, to perform many confidential quests like we are currently on.

You understand that this confidential quest is not just kept secret from our kingdom but theirs also." Historia started treading forward and we followed her.

"Remember, it's our rezevondous and escape point if things get complicated, so once we are out of this cave our mission will begin." Historia and we kept moving forward until a large boulder blocked our path.

"What the heck, how will we get out of here now?! Are we stuck here forever now!" Melvi started panicking and crying, she hid behind Zia where she was petting her head like Melvi was her pet.

"Don't worry let me take care of this-" Zia pulled out her blade, but Historia held her hand before she could completely unsheath it,

"Calm down for a second." Historia placed her hand on the boulder and chanted, 

[ OPEN ], 

The boulder softened and dissolved, opening itself into a dense forest.

"The domain Copperlin is just a few kilometers from here, remember we will enter the village as travelers, I am your teacher and we are students from an institute named Vefron School of Mages, of Esnair came here to research on the coppersmithing done here, got it!"

Historia was marching forward, 

"Roger!" We all huffed in unison, 

"Lady Hez, just what is our quest actually? I read the poster and it said that they want us to find a pendant, just what is so special about a pendant that they made a confidential request along with marking it as a Jack level quest?" Melvi was walking behind Zia, timid and appalled.

"All the rest and important details will be spared by the domain chief here, even though I don't know much about that pendant but I do know that it's something that shouldn't go in bad hands."

Historia's voice suddenly got cold and concerned.

'And why is that?' I noticed that she was acting a bit strange like she was hiding something from us.

"That pendant is said to be composed with a small portion of the Philosopher's stone, mixed along with some strong alchemist's alloys, it was made many centuries before and this domain held the great significance of this pendant since the beginning," Historia replied.

'Then it's certainly not lost, probably- not definitely stolen from them, why did they list this as a lost and search quest?'

"They probably have their reasons, let's save questions related to the quest until we meet with the chief, and…" abruptly Historia stopped and smacked her forehead, 

"How can I forget this? Everyone, show me your familiar!" Historia turned to us with fervor.

"Familiars? But why?" Melvi peeked at her, 

"Let's just say it's to deepen our trust." She smirked

"Alright if you say so," Melvi came forward, 

"Great, let me put a cloaking barrier to avoid unnecessary disturbance" Historia raised her hand and chanted, 

[ STEALTH COVER ]

and a barrier appeared around us and disappeared, 

"It's a translucent barrier, so we can keep a check on our surroundings too." Historia clapped in enthusiasm and cleared her throat, 

"Well then let's start with Styrmir, go ahead!"

"Um- I am sorry to disappoint you but I don't have any familiar, I was unable to summon any spirit in my summoning class, I am sorry to let you down!" Styrmir averted his eyes from Historia.

"Sigh, don't let it bother you it's okay, only 20 percent of mages are able to summon a familiar actually you know, don't let it get you." Historia looked at Melvi,

"Melvi, do you have a familiar?" 

"Um- yes! I have one!" Melvi suddenly brightened up, "gimme a second I'll summon her!"

[ COME FORTH!]

[ I HEED YOUR PRESENCE ]

[ FLYNN ]

Melvi cried out and a magus spirit appeared in the sky, 

"An aerial spirit? Good job Melvi!" Historia looked at the circle.

After a few seconds of the circle appearing a white crow as big as a grown man came out flying and landed beside Melvi.

"Say hello to Flynn! It's my Familiar!"

"Aren't you hiding something from us Melvi?" Historia abruptly glared at Melvi.