405 CHPT 405: A Man hidden in A Book.... (Vol 3 Prologue End.)

A few hours had passed since the battle with the Kobolds. Isaac had taken them to the Witches Shop, asking about Lunar power and how it could be held in accessories like Watches and Necklaces. The Witch then proceeded to kick them out, and Isaac seemed just as confused as them at first. But whenever she looked over at him on the way back home, he was deep in thought. Impossibly deep in thought...

It was bizarre to say the least. But even more so was her own development in the current moment.

She hadn't checked her System since she was Level Nine. And now, as she sat on the sink in Isaac's bathroom, she had questions.

***

[Name: Maris]

[Title: None]

[Race: (Undiscovered) Human]

[Level: 12 (145/1200)]

[Stat Points: 3]

[HP: 500]

[MP: 1200/1200]

[Stamina: 20]

[Strength: 15]

[WillPower: 8]

[Intelligence: 15]

[Accuracy: 8]

[Agility/Speed: 28]

[Skills: (Slash LV2), (Blade Proficiency LV2), (Sharp Arts LV1), (Water Element), (Aura), (Helix Shroud), (Combat Meditation LV1)]

*Racial Awakening Requirement has not been met to discover Racial Abilities*

***

Maris had stared at her System Screen for the past ten minutes trying to understand what it meant. After a while she settled with ignoring it. Whatever it was, it obviously wasn't going to reveal itself with her sitting around. A mystery for another time, she was busy.

With that being said, she got up and left the bathroom, trying to ignore her wonderous thoughts of if the dreams were somehow connected to the System change....

As she exited the bathroom, she could hear Warren begging Isaac's mother to make supper sooner than later downstairs. But she didn't hear Isaac, although she barely did anyway. For a Knight he was quite agile and stealthy.

She checked the libraries a few times before heading down the red carpeted halls to reach his room. She liked Isaac's room, she didn't know why but sitting there with Isaac and Warren..... whether it was reading, discussing Heroes, or gossiping about students at the University, it just felt.... right. It didn't feel right back at the Village-- or the Orphanage. It felt lonely..... sad, whenever she wasn't in the water with the fishes.

If Warren and Isaac were there, it would've been more fun. Even if Warren was a crybaby..... he was slowly growing out of it. Claude and Ursula often handled him well anyway.

The thoughts faded as she pushed open Isaac's door and entered the room.

As soon as she did, she nearly tripped over Isaac who sat camped out near the door, head plunged deep into a book he held over a familiar leather backpack. The rest of the room was as it was left. In shambles.

"Uh-- Maris! Why aren't you downstairs?!"

Panic widened his eyes as he tried to shut the book.

Maris dropped to her knees beside him in a flash and stuck her fingers in between the pages he was just reading.

"Why do you have Claude's backpack? I thought the Enforcers took it for Evidence." Her voice could've carved the beads of sweat from his forehead.

"....."

"Stop fucking around." Maris said demanded.

"They were supposed to-- but I hid it. I don't know why..... I just had the urge to. Good thing I did."

"Why...?" Maris questioned as she looked down at the Journal. All she found on its leatherbound surface was the name "Aeron." scratched into the cover at the top corner.

"Because... whoever's Journal this is that Claude had, it's detailing things even my Mother wouldn't understand.... or my Father."

Maris removed her fingers and let Isaac open the book. He looked dire-- stressed out and focused to a point all at the same time. She suddenly wondered if the Journal is what had led him to his odd paintings and questions. He'd been reading it for a while. He was more than halfway done..

"Maris, you can't tell anyone. Not even Warren, Ok?"

Maris flicked Isaac's forehead.

Flick!

"Ah!-- Girl what the hell?" Isaac said, stunned by her sudden out of character response as he sat against the wall beside her, itching his forehead.

"Warren is our friend. You will tell him what you tell me, because he has saved your life like you have saved me."

Isaac shook his head in confusion, "Was that poetry??-- You know what whatever. That's not the point."

"What is?" Maris asked.

Isaac swallowed hard and handed her the Journal.

"Claude has a Journal that belonged to a WereWolf...."