Chapter 220: Meeting Roy

"What is the meaning of this Moloatiss?"

Cotilis darted a look at Moloatiss, who, behind Ned, was laughing with all his jiggling body. Even the glasses over his shoulder were frantically shaking.

"Just what you've heard," Moloatiss said. "He is looking for you—Now." He paused and stopped with his laughter. "I will leave the two of you. I have things to attend to. Unfortunately, no human subjects this time."

Moloatiss gazed at Ned before leaving the chamber. He knew that because of Ned, his parasitic experimentation was halted for the time being.

For so long, from O'rriadt to the seas of Scattered Bay, Bogaressi, Bogmoor, and Sudden Plate. Ned met Roy at long last. The hunted human now was at his front. He already met him, not even knowing that he was the man he has been seeking. And again, and Ned hoped for the last time, Glenn was right. Roy was limping.

That man, Ned thought with a smile as he remembered Glenn saying something about Roy.

But, was he really the man that razed the town called Moorkeg fifteen years ago?

As Ned was thinking about this. Cotilis, now Roy, put his clothing in haste and was followed by the blade that laid resting at the bottom of the table along with the shield. He clipped the blade in his waist while he put the shield on the table, in front of Ned, like it was made to act as a wall between Ned and him.

"What do you want?"

Without a second thought. Ned pulled the Cube out of his pocket dimension to show it to the unexpectant Roy.

For a moment, Roy's eyes went wide seeing Ned with the Cube appeared out of nowhere. He rubbed his burned chin. He might be accustomed to the way he looked as he wasn't bothered by how Ned looking at him.

At a close distance. Roy's face was like mountain ranges formed of many high peeked mountains. They were rough to see. The only human about him now was his eyes, to which, at a right angle, would change from dark to brown.

Roy picked up the Cube and stretched it to Ned.

Ned reached it with his index finger and let mana flowed to it. Then the Cube lit bright followed by a series of hum-hum sounds then Ser Edwin's face appeared inside the roughly made Cube. He was bloodied, as fresh as Ned could remember. Dark rings around his eyes, with a pale looking face. His hair was brown and somewhat curly at best. It wasn't straight to start with.

Ned let the human-turned-beast watched the Cube while his eyes were darting the place. It was rather simple, with little decorations, and mana stones as light, and a simple bed to his right.

"So it's true after all," Roy said.

"The Mark?" Ned said. "Yes."

"No," Roy shook his head. "Those are the things that could destroy a kingdom. In which, I'm not planning to get my hands on."

Ned frowned with his statement. Then why did the Knight asked me to look for him?

"Then what?" Ned asked.

"That you were his apprentice, on the surface. That he asked you to look for me. That his partner." There. He paused as if he didn't see Ned in front of him, as if his current life doesn't exist. He just, sat there, with his back against a chair, hands rested over the table in front of him. Uncaring of Ned, uncaring of the light that was being reflected against the shield to his eyes. He paused. "His partner," he said after quite some time. "Testa." His voice was forced as if something was clawing out his throat.

"The reason for this all."

Ned remembered how the Knight thrust his sword deep into his master's chest. He remembered Edwin's eye without any hint of regret. His eyes were cold. Hair stood behind Ned's neck. He can't forget how the Knight changed both of their lives.

And yet, I cannot let him die, Ned sighed of the thought. Ned sat across Roy. Unseen to Roy, Ned's fists were clenched until they turned white.

"I just want information regarding the Mark," Ned said in a manner that it was more of an order.

"All this, for that Thing," Roy said. He slid the Cube back to Ned. "I've seen enough."

And silence once again made an awkward noise.

"Have you seen the Gate?"

Ned began once again.

"The way you talk, your presence, your total demeanor, kid." He spoke instead of Ned than answering. "Who are you? Where did you come from? Before O'rriadt."

These questions were Ned would blissfully disagree to answer. He doesn't need to speak of anything.

Which made Roy changed his approach and said: "I've seen and Yes. The symbols were the same as Marks I've seen before."

Ned said, "So you've seen more than one?"

Roy said, "A handful. More like self searching for answers.'

"A handful," Ned muttered he rubbed his chin in deep thought. "How come you've seen a handful. Whereas Edwin only mentioned one."

"He doesn't believe it first. But after he met Testa, and me. He was convinced."

"So," Ned said. "How did you two meet?"

"Testa and Edwin," Roy said. "Along with four more others were my students back at the Royal Kingdom of Cassan."

The story was twenty years ago: Roy was once a Royal Knight and loyal to the Kingdom of Cassan. He was never a Hunter since he lived a luxurious life in the Kingdom. After taking several missions, Roy was promoted to Gold Rank Knight. To easily distinguish the rank of both parties, the Kingdom and the Hunter Association agreed to use both systems of rank. After he was promoted, Roy was tasked with a mission: Eliminate elves that were invading the southern part of the Kingdom. And so he did, along with the young Edwin, Testa, and the rest of his team.

After completing the mission. Roy saw a piece of an item stored inside a thick and magic imbued glass. Little did he know, that the item would eventually change his life. It was the Mark of the King. Before an elder elf died (Roy didn't even get to know his name) he tasked Roy to bring the Mark back to the Dark Continent. In which he happily disagreed. None returned after venturing the Dark Continent. Innocent with the Mark; Greedy with the reward. Roy sold the Mark.