Chapter 166: Am I Right?

"What?" Twali's eyes sunk. With all the requests, and Ned doesn't have the desire to be under the House of Tarragon. The servant's rounded face went twitching, he looked at the mana stone over the table—it doesn't help either. Most of House Tarragon's mana stone went to his son. To ensure his growth, Lord Sven gave resources to Master Finn without hesitation.

"Yes," Ned said folding his other arm and rested it to his lap. "I won't work for him, and I won't let my House be lesser and be his own."

"Then," Twali said, shaking his head. "Your request won't be granted, Ned."

"But," Ned said. "We can be allies, that way we both benefit from each other. While maintaining equal footing. But, my House now… is something none would give much of an attention. And it was something of importance to me."

"No," Twali replied. "Allegiance means trusts. Lord Sven saw something from you. As to what it is, I do not know. But to form an allegiance, both sides must benefit from each other. That is why Lord Sven asked for your House to be under his. You don't need to pay tribute, but one day, he will be needing you. Also, I believe your House was created from the House of Woods. Their benefits—the Woods, won't give you enough freedom. House of Woods worked for House Tarragon, but only for protection. Aside from that, what they do, Lord Sven doesn't care. As long as they pay their tribute, both sides benefits.

Now, if you insist on forming an allegiance. Both sides must benefit, be it information, power, knowledge, resources. One must share with the other. This is not something you can pull, Ned. I do not mock your House, but you do not have any of those; especially the power. You are… something that piqued my interest kid. For Lord Sven to personally handle matters regarding you, seemed too odd. There must be something about you."

Ned sighed. Murmurs behind the door vanquished the awkward silence inside the semi-circular room. Ned reached for the bridge between his nose, rubbing it (putting pressure to lessen the pain after a two-day sleep). Am I that exhausted to sleep for too long? Ned thought, shaking his head. From time to time, Ned could feel pressure pulsating from his right hand. Luckily his left hand—

The Mark... Ned talked to himself. With the remaining mana he had, he drew it out from his Core and pushed it to his left hand—wrist to be precise.

With careful control, Ned focused the mana on his left. Then the streaming of light shone. Like blood flowing through his veins, the light traced the sign of the Mark under his wrist—an inverted triangle inside was a throbbing S.

Lord Sven had one. Ned thought. Had—his family had one but lost after the Old King died. Lost? Lost was it?

Ned stopped rubbing the bridge of his nose, he stared at Twali with narrowed eyes. Somehow, Ned felt something was off. Retracting the mana out of his wrist, Ned slumped his back on the soft cushioned chair. 

"Where is Lord Sven now?" Ned said.

"Bogaressi," Twali said in response. "Why?"

"Can you communicate with him?"

"Yes."

"Will you give me a chance to talk to him?"

Silence. Twali pulled his shoulder up and nodded. He looked at Ned with careful eyes while rubbing the copper ring around his left thumb. Flicking his wrist, a cube with rough edges appeared over his palm. 

Former slaves to be trusted by a high noble, Twali was something. He even got a very rare item, a dimensional ring. Most nobles have, but for a former slave to have one... 

Rubbing the edges of the cube, Twali relaxed his hand. An almost invisible distortion made visible around the tip of his finger, injecting mana into the cube. 

"Communication Claim depends on the distance of the receiver," Twali said, raising the Cube closer to Ned. He then placed the Cube over the table next to his right. The Communication Claim remained shining with cobalt blue light. Not too bright, but enough for it to produce shadows dancing around its edges. "Bogaressi and Sudden Plate wasn't that far. But the mana I injected was enough for you to communicate with him for almost five minutes. Another five will take a toll on me. So, you better be concise." 

"Twali," the cube resounded. The voice was like inside a small room: echoing every word that was spoken. "How was Sudden Plate?"

"Lord Sven," Twali said bowing. Although the Cube only lit everytime a word was spoken, still, Twali took a deep bow. "We are preparing for a raid, Lord  Sven. But, future events might change soon." 

Lord Sven's regal voice didn't responded on Twali's answer. Behind the heavy breathing, Ned could hear a wheezing  horse, a racking sound; like a wood being hit against a stone, while wind whistling at the same time. Lord Sven seemed to be traveling, Ned thought. 

"Why is that, Twali?" Lord Sven said, the voice inside the cube. 

"Master Ned might give you the details, Lord Sven," Twali said, voice was very soft and respectful. "He would like to talk, Lord Sven."

Lord Sven sounded indistinct inside the Cube, more like a hum—two short hum. 

"Kid?" He then said, voice forced the Cube to vibrate in a quick succession following his voice. "Tell me."

"Lord Sven," Ned said, leaning a bit closer to the table. Blue light reflected over his silver hair. "How is Twali about the Mark?"

Ned needed to be careful pertaining to Marks. The last time someone knew about the Mark, his Master went inside an infinite loop of time; waiting to be recovered. 

Twali's eyes narrowed but remained in silence. It seems that it wasn't the first time he heard about the Mark. 

Seemed in surprise, Lord Sven didn't respond immediately. The horse neighed behind the background, wooden wheels rolled against the stone. 

"He is fine," Lord Sven said after an almost thirty seconds of silence. "What about it, kid?"

After Lord Sven's inquiry, a short muffled voice responded then the Cube went into complete silent. No more whines and neighs, no more leaves rustling, no more tapping of wood against rocks. Only the breathing, only Lord Sven. Ned assumed.

"Your Mark wasn't lost. Was it, Lord Sven?"

"I don't have it kid," Lord Sven said, heavy breathing followed. 

[He was telling the truth.]

ICE responded to the moment Lord Sven answered Ned. His voice was indeed precise, and straight. Even Ned could tell the Lord wasn't lying. 

[I do not hear any sway of tones.]

Ned remained focus on the Cube, eyes burrowing. 

"Indeed it is," Ned said, blue eyes turned to Twali. "But"—eyes back at the Cube—"someone in your family has it."

Yes, it is impossible that the Old King would let the Mark gone to waste. Even without his offsprings, he must have trusted someone. Someone he was willing to pass on the throne, someone who is least,  someone that people will not expect to continue the bloodline. It was you Sven, or… someone in your family. Just like me; they doesn't have an exact knowledge about Marks. Now tell me, am I right?

"Yes," Lord Sven said as if reading Ned's thoughts. "But—first. Twali; noise"

"Yes, my Lord," Twali said. He then stood and towered Ned with his long legs and imposing black suit. Raising his left hand, he muttered words. "Scato Soporo." White light leaking out his hand like a stream of water. Then, this stream of water-light expanded, enclosing Ned inside a soft bubble. While Twali moved about four or five steps back, making him rest on the wall beside the broken bow. He then folded his arm, remained quiet as if waiting for Ned. Twali opened his mouth, saying something.

"Time is running," Ned said, reading Twali's lips. No voice came inside the soft bubble. Only Ned's breathing and a soft growl from his left. And if he focused deep, Ned could hear his own heart thumping. Ned turned his head to the Claim. Twali made sure to enclose both him and the Cube inside the bubble. That way, Ned could hear Lord Sven, but making sure none would hear their conversation outside. Ned nodded to Twali and back to the Cube. 

"It is safe, Lord Sven," Ned said, his voice echoed inside the bubble. 

"Uh," Lord Sven said. Ned pictured him nodding. "It was my great grandfather,  a very distant relative of the Old King. He has the Mark. But… he doesn't know how to pass the Mark that time, so he died together with it."

"Dead?" Ned said, making sure he heard Lord Sven quite right. 

"Yes."

If he's dead. Then, the Mark died together with him. Ned thought, narrowing his eyes. Silver and thin brows met in the middle. Another dead end. He sighed. 

"But… " Lord Sven said in a very low voice, it was almost a whisper. "But," he said once again. "It has been a hundred and… a hundred and twenty years but my great grandfather's body remained fresh. No—dead, but he doesn't decayed."