Chapter 62 - Eternal Chaos Sword
Everyone was in awe at the sight. An island with a hill on it had series of white homes with different colored dome roofs.
"What a beautiful island," Elliot breathed.
"I know, right?" Lance chuckled.
The entrance to the city was a white bridge. It wasn't too far from the mainland so it didn't require a boat to travel there.
Since they were delayed from looking for Ed, the party arrived at dusk. The sun was already setting on the horizon, bursting an orange sky from above.
"We have a private bath in our inn, so it a shouldn't worry us if we take a bath at night," Lance informed "And actually…"
He trailed off and stopped the carriage in front of a large white house with large golden doors. The doors opened and a man that wore a pale blue suit came out.
"I am glad you're here," the man greeted and bowed. "I will have my servant park your vehicle."
"Thanks, Al," Lance chuckled. He hopped out of the wagon and greeted the man. "Everyone, come here."
The others followed behind Lance and stood in front of the man who was smirking.
"This is Lord Aldo. He is the Lord of the domain Aquaria City is in," Lance introduced. "I booked an inn nearby and the innkeeper told the mayor, then the mayor told Al, that I'd be coming, so he moved us to his mansion here."
"Of course," Al said. "Lance is like a second child to me. He took care of my affairs when I was at the kingdom 4 years ago. Without him, I wouldn't have reached this far."
"Err," Lance chuckled awkwardly. "I only gave you some of my textbooks, Al. You were the one who actually made your moves."
"You flatter me, Lance," Al smiled and gestured for them to go inside. "I will stay here for tonight to have a talk with the mayor, I will leave at dawn. Please make yourselves comfortable."
Elliot and his friends could only awe at the sight. The house– no, the mansion was exquisite, in class and aesthetics. It was a traditional Aquarian home with a large foyer that had a dome ceiling but after the foyer was a large set of stairs that led up to two more floors. The other floors looked more Paladian but the transition between the designs was clean.
"This is your home?" Connor gasped. "Everything looks so expensive."
"This is the Lord's Aquaria mansion," Al said. "It's not necessary mine. Only until I step down from my Lordship."
"Oh," Connor nodded. "Cool."
"Yes, anyway the maids will show you your quarters and I'll be off," Al said. "Welcome to Aquaria."
–
"Cannonball!" Connor yelled, leaping from the marble floor to the large bean-shaped bath.
"No, Connor stop!" Elliot yelled but was too late. The hot water had already splashed onto him.
His body felt like it burned from the heat. He took a potion from his Inventory to relieve burns. "I hate you."
"He must've forgotten that he's tolerant to fire and heat," Ed chuckled, just arriving at the bath with Hope and Lance.
The others dipped on the bath and moaned at the hot water tickling their skin. Aquaria prides itself for having an underwater volcano just beside the island, supplying hot water for the people.
The volcano is said to have magical properties that morphed the marine wildlife to be tolerant with heat. The seafood would be cooked thrice the amount of flame it takes for ordinary seafood to cook.
"This is nice," Lance said, letting his head flip over the tile as he let his body soak under the water.
"Yeah," everyone else agreed and sighed in pleasure.
"We should at least do this once a year," Elliot suggested. "Aquarian water is so good."
"The water from the volcano also has medicinal properties that relieves tension and stress," Lance said. "It's so refreshing."
'Sudden quest available.'
[ Save Etheoria ]
Elliot's eyebrow raised at the message that popped up. He was about to open it when a woman appeared right by the side of the bath.
"Axla?" Ed called. He was about to stand when he realized that he wore nothing but a small towel around his waist so he covered himself. "What are you doing here?"
Axla looked wounded. Her dress had rips from different parts and her skin were full of bruises.
"The Consort found out about you, your grace," Axla said. Xelon and one more guy from the other day appeared behind Axla, all wounded and looked exhausted.
"Your grace, we believe that you need to make your choice now," Xelon said.
Lance stood and pointed a white sphere at the three. "What do you want from Ed?"
"Lance, it's okay," Ed said. "Their the people I talked to you about."
"Your people?" Elliot asked. "But how do you know that their telling the truth?"
"I could feel it," Ed said. "We share the same race, I could feel it."
Lance reshaped his spheres and turned them into swords, pointing at the throats of the three people in front of them.
"We can't just trust people because of some feelings," Lance said. "Show us a proof."
Axla bravely held the sword and gently moved it away. "Etheoria is a place where a powerful item called Eternal Chaos Sword is hidden under walls and layers of Ethereum. This weapon posseses the power to let its owner rule over Etheoria and its neighboring realms, which includes yours."
"And?" Lance ushered. "That does not answer the question. How can we make sure that you really know Ed."
"How many other beings do you know that can nullify Ethereum?" Axla asked. "You are an experienced Adventurer. You should know."
Lance was shocked, but had no other choice than to confess, "No one else."
"Legend said that the Heir of the Duke of Etheoria can harness the power of the Eternal Chaos Sword for the good of the known worlds. This Heir would be known for they will be birthed by the mostpeculiar way and will have the power to nullify Ethereum, which they would use to unlock the chamber where the sword rests. This power will be used by the Heir to control the sword," Axla said.
"No one took it seriously until your grace, Haavok was born from an egg," Xelon added. "His mother, the previous Duchess, gave birth to an egg almost thirty years ago. She became a laughingstock, the not connecting it with the legend until the egg nullified one of the priest's healing magic."
"This took the attention of an evil woman from the other side of the realm. Her name is Biankka Darkcaster," Xelon said. "From a young age, Biankka had always wanted the Eternal Chaos Sword to rule over Etheoria. She had learned magic and sought the power of the darkness just to reach her desire."
"But if the Heir is the only one who can unlock the chamber, why do we need to fear Biankka?" Lance asked. "She also knows she can't bring Ed into her plans since we all know he wouldn't agree."
"The Consort casted Ethereum on herself," Keurig, the other man with Xelon and Axla, said. "She used Ethereum so she can use one specific magic in exchange for half her soul."
Elliot gulped in fear."S-So, she can nullify Ethereum?"
"Using Ethereum to gain the powet to cancel it is impossible," Keurig said. "She used Ethereum to gain the ability to take one specific ability. And she's been saving it to take Duke Haavok's Nullification. One day, when the previous Duke was away, she took siege over the kingdom and pretended to be a victim. She seduced the Duke and now, she had finally killed him."
"We want to tell you more but we don't have any more time," Axla cried. "Any second now, the Consort will–"
Axla was cut off when several people appeared around them. They wore dark gray armor and held large swords. From the entrance of the bath were two men stood close to each other as if covering someone behind them.
"They're here," Axla whispered.
"Yes, we are," a woman laugh and the two men stepped aside for her to pass through. "Axla, Xelon, Keurig, thank you for leading me right where Haavok is."
"Don't lay a finger on his grace!" Xelon yelled. He raised his hand and a sword appeared from nowhere.
Biankka clicked her tongue. "What can you do? Your fellow Knights died because you're all too weak. Can't even defend yourselves, how will you defend him? Once I get my hands on that sword, I will not only rule the kingdom but the entirety of Etheoria."
She looked at Ed and smirked, "So, you're the Heir. You look skinnier than I imagined but regardless. I only want your ability. I will let you go right after."
"Don't let the Consort touch Duke Haavok's skin!" Axla informed. "Once their skin is connected, she will steal his ability."
Biankka clicked her tongue once more before her hair stood and she ran towards Ed in a flash. Her hand was about to reach him when a foot kicked her face, making her roll a few meters away.
Elliot fell to the water after kicking the woman. Lance took him up and laughed after seeing Elliot naked. "You and your little one share one thing in common."
Elliot rolled his eyes and hurriedly took a spare equipment from his Inventory and put it on. He looked at Biankka who was being helped by her guards to stand, she was glaring at Elliot who had a wide grin in his face.
"A red symbol," Elliot whispered.