Book 5: Chapter 9: Old Hatred

Book 5: Chapter 9: Old Hatred

Without another word, Cassius turned and walked toward the large tree in the middle of the clearing. His wife, the Titan named Rhea, smiled at the group before skipping after him.

“That went better than expected,” Khai’Zhar said.

Zeke turned to face the humanoid form of the Dragon, studying his appearance. Until now, he had been too focused on their survival to notice, but something was definitely strange with the Dragon’s form. Crimson hair, golden eyes, thin upturned eyebrows, a straight nose, and thin lips...

“Why do you look like that?” Zeke asked while circling the man.

“Am I that handsome?” The Dragon joked nonchalantly, all the while following Zeke with his eyes.

Zeke stopped before him, their faces less than an arm’s length apart. “You look exactly like me...”

Seeing them side by side, anybody would notice the similarities. In fact, aside from the horns and ears, the two looked like brothers.

The Dragon seemed taken aback, tracing the outlines of his face like a blind man. When he noticed his red hair, a puzzled look appeared on his face. “That is... strange,” he said. “I didn’t used to look like this.”

“What did you use to look like?” Zeke asked, curious to learn more about the Dragon’s past. However, his hopes were dashed when the Dragon’s form began to dissolve an instant later. He was so surprised that he didn’t even remember to use the absorption spell, resulting in the blood uselessly spattering on the floor.

“I have some things to consider; don’t bother me,” the Dragon's voice sounded in his mind.

Zeke sighed in dismay as he stared at the remnants of his blood mixing with the dirt. There was no way to salvage it now. He turned to the rest of his companions, who were all staring at him, causing Zeke to frown even harder.

He had not told the Chimeroi much about Khai’Zhar, and they likely assumed Zeke to be a summoner. However, that excuse wouldn’t hold up now that they had seen Khai’Zhar’s humanoid form and heard Rhea refer to him as a Dragon. He didn’t mind telling Ash, Gravitas, and Vulcanos the truth, but Snow was different.

Not only was she not under any contract, but she hadn’t even promised to keep his secrets. For all he knew, she could have her father capture him the moment they arrived...

Zeke’s eyes hardened for an instant, but his determination faltered when his gaze met hers. She looked at him not with the eyes of a cunning schemer or ruthless backstabber, but with the eyes of a guileless child. There was so much trust in that gaze—as if he was the only thing she could rely on in this cruel world.

Zeke sighed again. He would have to figure something out. For now, it was best not to keep their hosts waiting.

“Let’s go,” he said, smiling at the Chimeroi. A confident front went a long way to ease their tension at times like these. Besides, Zeke doubted they were still in danger. People like Cassius would not go back on their words. At least, he hoped so.

Zeke set a fast pace in order to catch up to the duo, who were already halfway toward the tree. It seemed their hosts were walking at a deliberately slower rate to give them time to catch up.

As they approached the tree, Zeke began to notice some oddities. For one, the tree was much larger than it had appeared from a distance. While it might not tower over the other trees by much, its trunk was thicker by a significant margin. It resembled a fortress rather than a natural growth.

Wooden windows dotted its surface, carved seamlessly into the bark as if the tree itself had fashioned them. Terraces spiraled up its length, providing an outlook over the surrounding landscape. And there, nestled amidst the branches, was a wooden gate, blending seamlessly with the tree's rugged exterior. It was as if the tree itself had been molded into the form of a grand dwelling.

“Impressive, isn’t it?” Rhea called from up ahead.

Zeke nodded, keeping his gaze fixed on the tree. He had never seen anything like it, nor did he think it possible. “I didn’t know Nature Magic was capable of such wonders,” he admitted honestly.

“It isn’t,” Cassius replied. Instead of explaining, the man gave him a meaningful look and fell silent.

Zeke fell into deep thought. This was clearly a test. But what was the answer?

Cassius had stated that it wasn't doable with Nature Magic. Did that imply he wasn't the one who had done it? No, that seemed unlikely. Did he use Life Magic instead? That was even more improbable. Life Magic couldn't produce anything like that.Fịndd new updates at novelhall.com

Zeke glanced at Cassius, hoping to glean a clue from the elf’s expression. However, the man watched him with an inscrutable expression, leaving Zeke to frown in confusion. This wasn’t going to help.

He was thinking about this the wrong way. The solution had to be something Cassius expected a student of Maximilian to be able to figure out.

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“I see,” Cassius said after a long pause. He shook his head and sighed deeply. “I never expected them to go that far.”

After a moment of silence, he gazed at Zeke, taking note of his emotional state. “I assume you intend to take revenge?”

Zeke nodded resolutely. “I do.”

Cassius shook his head once more, sighing even more deeply. “Such foolishness...”

Zeke glared at him with rage. “What?! Am I supposed to stick my head in the sand and do nothing? After what they did to him?!”

“Honestly? Yes,” Cassius said nonchalantly. “That would be the smartest choice.”

“It would be a coward’s choice!” Zeke glared at the man across from him, his mind consumed with rage and disappointment.

“I shouldn’t have expected anything else!” he spat. “You elves wouldn’t even dare to fight with a knife to the throat!”

Zeke realized he had gone too far the moment the words left his mouth. Simultaneously, he heard something clatter to the ground. Turning towards the sound, he saw Rhea standing over a fallen tray, with cups scattered across the floor. The muscular woman had frozen in her tracks, her gaze fixed on Zeke with a rage he had never seen before.

“What... did... you... just say?”

The words came out one at a time, each dripping with incredulity. They sounded like thunder in the tense silence of the room. The woman clenched her fists, and Zeke saw death in her eyes. However, a gentle voice cut through the tension before anything could happen.

“Enough, Rhea,” Cassius chided softly, causing his wife to look at him with disbelieving eyes.

“He is a child,” he reminded her. “He knows not what he says.”

After a long, breathless moment, Rhea unclenched her fists and nodded, accepting her husband’s words. Cassius smiled warmly. “Will you make us some more tea?”

Rhea nodded mutely and returned to the kitchen after shooting another glare at Zeke.

Her departure was followed by a moment of awkward silence, broken only when Zeke spoke up. “I am sorry,” he said, his head bowed. “I allowed anger to get the better of me.”

Cassius waved him off. “Don’t mind it, child. I shouldn’t have spoken so carelessly, either. The loss of a loved one is not something to be taken lightly...”

Zeke glanced toward the door with a pleading look in his eyes. “Will you tell your wife that?”

Cassius chuckled. “Don’t worry. She won’t hold a grudge. It is not in her nature.”

Zeke nodded mutely, causing another bout of silence to descend upon the room. However, this time, it was far more comfortable. And once again, it was he who spoke first.

“When I learned of your connection to my mentor, I had hoped you might join me in my quest...” Zeke admitted. After so thoroughly embarrassing himself, he decided it was best to be honest about his intentions. It wasn’t like he could make things any worse, after all.

Cassius nodded seriously. “I suspected as much.”

“You won’t help me?” Zeke asked.

Cassius shook his head without a moment’s hesitation. “No.”

“May I know the reason?”

Cassius fell silent, drumming his fingers on the table in a rhythmic pattern as he stared into empty space. “Because...” he said eventually. “I can see where your path leads.” He stared right into Zeke's eyes with a renewed intensity. “...and I don’t like what I see at the end of it.”