Chapter 26: Prophet Notius

Chapter 26: Prophet Notius

Miss, are you not going to take any escorts?

Seeing me start to put on a black robe first thing in the morning, Sasha stared at me with a dumbstruck expression.

Yeah.

Wouldnt it be a good idea to take at least a few guards just in case? Or if you take Mister Cassadin

I was reminded of yesterdays events as soon as Cassadins name left Sashas mouth.

The scene of Cassadin growling at me to not provoke him any further, and the shattered glass shards that surrounded us.

Cassadin bared his fangs at me, just as an untamed beast would. Who in their right mind would take the subject of the matter to their own background investigation?

I dont need escorts. Nor am I taking Cassadin.

I answered firmly.

But Miss! If anything happens to Miss

Sasha trailed off, likely worried about me. The deep concern etched on Sashas face was blown into a clearer view by the morning breeze that blew through the window.

It will be alright. Im not going alone. What could possibly happen to me when youre going with me, Sasha?

Sashas brown eyes started to water from gratification. Those watery eyes clearly expressed their loyalty to their master.

If only Cassadin was half as loyal as Sasha.

Then I wouldnt have needed to investigate his background like this. That untamable, crazy donkey of a beast.

But it was better for him to be harder to tame than easy. Because that would make it that much harder for others to tame him as well.

Not to mention, Damian is soon to be released from prison.

Damian didnt seem like a prisoner, but a solitary crane in that cell. I didnt know if the selfish man was going to keep his promise to give me the slave, but learning about Cassadins past was my current priority.

After quickly finishing up my preparations, Sasha and I headed to the location marked on the map.

The destination of the map was a tall mountain located far away from the capital.

There was a thick fog covering the steep mountainsides. I couldnt see a single trace of human life on any part of the pointy mountain. It was a majestic sight of nature left almost untouched by humans.

The silence filling the air around the mountain made me question whether the information the informant gave us was right.

Are you sure the map isnt wrong? Someone actually lives on a mountain like this?

If this information is wrong, then Im going to make sure that the informant will never be able to use his third leg again.

Hearing Sashas ominous muttering, I realized that she was telling the truth.

Lets just start moving.

How long had we been walking up the mountain?

Just when it started to feel as though we had traveled through the mountain for some time, I saw a single house that seemed abandoned.

No, could you even call this a house? It looked like not even a mouse, much less a human, could live in an organized stack of hay like this.

As I stared at the house that seemed like it could collapse with just a small nudge, I found a small handle sticking out of the house. It was a door patched with wooden planks.

Could this be the door?

Knock knock.

Is anyone there?

I knocked, but there was no response.

Maybe no one is inside? Or maybe they moved long ago?

They might be there, so lets wait just a little longer.

Then I patiently waited for someone to come out.

Clack.

The wooden door that felt like it would never open later opened to reveal a human figure.

The one that came out of the straw house was an elderly man with white hair and a beard. An oddly mystical aura emitted from the old man, who had his eyes tightly shut.

Why are his eyes closed? Are they wounded?

How have you come to this humble abode?

Would you be able to tell me in detail what the black crow and the hawks nest are?

Notious shook his head.

You already know the answer.

That is all I am able to tell you.

I already know the answer? Contemplating his response, I asked a different question.

Then, may I ask one last question?

You may ask.

What does it mean when you say that I am loved by the heavens?

I didnt have a single strand of spirituality within me. But hearing that Im loved by the heavens, I needed to ask him out of disbelief.

It means exactly what I say.

There is no effect without cause in the world.

The Great Prophet answered my last question with a vague explanation.

After that, only a couple of other insignificant topics passed between the two of us. Notius talked about the animals that visited his garden and how the melodies that the birds sang within the mountains were pleasant to the ear.

Thankfully, he said that no one other than me had visited him. But because his residency was now exposed, he was planning to move elsewhere.

If fate wishes, we will meet again in the future.

Leaving the prophet and his benevolent smile behind, Sasha and I descended the mountain. Though some of the information was hard to understand, there was a lot to gain from the conversation.

Above all, who knew the reason why Damians father practically fled to the north, claiming he wasnt interested in the throne, and annihilated the Hyran Kingdom was to remove a potential ruler that history has never seen?

To think that he pretended he was completely uninterested in the throne only to be scheming such a dirty secret behind them.

Having a dualistic nature must be a family trait.

Then its highly likely that the black crow Notius mentioned is Damian.

Hale Keane Daeus had already moved away, so his only blood relative left was Damian.

Did he want to put Damian on the throne?

Cassadin was this incidents greatest victim. How would Cassadin react if he learned that the one who had actually ruined his life had already passed away?

It would have been out of vengeance that he had been able to withstand those humiliating, grueling days as a slave.

My poor younger brother.

It wasnt just my imagination that I was reminded of myself when I first met Cassadin. Cassadin was similar to me. A little too much.

If you knew that the bloodline of the man who destroyed your kingdom is still alive, would you be happy?

Some might say that Im the bad one, but the fact that my one and only younger brothers enemy and my enemy were alike made me ecstatic.

You are loved by the heavens.

What Notius said to me passed through my mind.

There was no way a twisted person like me could be loved by the Gods. I dont deserve such a thing.

I knew myself too well.

On the way back to the mansion, I burned the paper map just in case. The worn sheet of paper quickly turned into black ash and was scattered into the wind.

When I returned to the mansion, the sun had almost completely set.

Reaching my room, I took a glimpse at the room next to me. The door to Cassadins room was tightly shut. Not even the slightest sound coming from behind it.

Just as I was debating whether or not to knock on Cassadins door, a dry voice slipped into my ear.

What do you want?

There definitely hadnt been anyone there a moment ago.

So I slowly turned to the gloomy voice I heard from behind me.

With the sunset behind him, the one looking down on me was none other than Cassadin.