Invitation

The sound of trumpets along with the gaze of excitement echoes in the halls on the throne.

A man in a fedora that's holding a scroll of some sort walks in front and stopped right below King Arthur.

The trumpet stops with a solid tune.

"What businesses do you plead?"

Said King Arthur.

"I come to deliver a message from King Clark."

"Hmm… proceed."

"Ahem."

The man on a fedora opens his scroll sharply and spoke.

"My dearest apologies, I am deeply sorry for what has the previous king has done. To this, a gathering will commence with you of course the main guest. I only ask that you may forgive. May peace be on both sides in our kingdom. Solely, King Clark."

The messenger closed the scroll.

The nobles then whispers to one another and slowly got louder.

Arthur then raise his hand slightly and the mumbles stopped.

Arthur then lowered his hand and spoke.

"Very well, what day will this happen?"

"Today, my lord. However, you have the authority to make it tomorrow or a week or so."

"Hmm…"

Arthur then looked at Merlin each other and Merlin gestures his hands and his shoulders up to say I don't know.

"Has this gathering been prepared already?"

"Yes, with your word, the final touch will be done before you get there."

"Very well then, however, I will bring my trusted hence men and subordinates with me."

"As you wish."

The messenger then looked behind him and nods at a sorcerer behind the men's with trumpets and the sorcerer nods back.

He then pulls a small scroll and a light swallowed the scroll and disappeared.

"In your word, we will ready the-."

"No need for that, my carriage can bring me there myself."

"As you wish, we shall wait for your arrival."

In the adventurers guild, all was grieving for the death of Alex and went to Cecilia to tell her that they are sorry for her loss.

Cecilia tried to calm everyone down while telling them thank you for the concern but still they persist.

In the reception, Luke and Ray we're talking with Lucy with Toru playing with the door.

"So you are okay, we're worried that they might do something bad to you. How did you get out? In…one-piece..?"

"I have some few tricks on my sleeves. Is the fest canceled?"

"No, we're going to resume that but in the deferent forest. A bit sad though, that forest is a little safe but I guess we'll have to go somewhere else."

"Where might that be?"

"The forest Ryham, just to the north of this Kingdom and we'll start next week!"

"Great, now then, I ask for a new quest, do you have any?"

"Just take a look at the board and choose for yourself."

Luke then turned over to the guild board next to him.

Many posters were posted but a lot did not catch Luke's attention.

The poster said missing persons, missing cat and dog, rat infestation, and many more.

Then, Luke saw a poster of a strange anomaly that said's that a strange creature of the dark that's been killing barn animals left and right.

The poster also came with a sketch of the creature with only the face is drawn.

The sketch shows a creature with a very small nose or perhaps it's has no nose at all? Pointy ears that closely resemble an elf and dog-like fangs sticking out of its closed mouth.

If looked very closely, the face resembles a man with little to no hair whatsoever.

As Luke stares at the poster, Ray joined without Luke knowing and stared at the poster.

Ray then looks overs to Luke and stares at it him.

Luke then took a glimpse of Ray and she quickly covered her eyes with her hat.

Luke smiled and spoke.

"I think this suitable for us, a little mystery is good training for the two over there. What do you think, Ray?"

She let go of her hat and looked down on her shoes and spoke with a shy voice.

"If you think… it's a good choice then I'll go with it…"

"You are a friend of mine, so there's no need to be shy."

She looked back up.

Luke smiled and plucked the poster and put it on the receptionist's table.

"I think this is good for us, do you think as well?"

Luke spoke towards Ray.

She covers her mouth ever slightly with her clothes and spoke.

"Y-yes, I think that quest is good…"

Luke smiles and the poster flew to the edge of the receptionist's table perfectly.

"Right! let me grab something before I do something first."

She then went down to the receptionist's table to look for something.

Suddenly, something stopped right outside the guild followed by noise from a horse and its hooves.

Luke hears the noise and turns around and saw a carriage outside.

The door of the adventurers guild is swinging door now. The door was changed because of buck destroying the door.

Toru then opens the door and found the carriage door opened and Merlin inside.

"Get in losers, we got places to go."

Luke then walks over.

"Hmm? What brings you here?"

"You can ask questions in the go, come inside. Toru and Cecilia with you."

Confused, Luke then looked over to Cecilia and motion his hand to come over.

Cecilia agrees and feels a sense of relief to finally get away from the crowd and run towards Luke.

"Great, get in."

"Merlin? Why are you here?"

"King's orders, now get in."

Cecilia then went inside the carriage and sat down.

"You too Toru."

Toru then went inside not knowing the reason behind this.

Luke sighs and walks towards the carriage and puts his foot on the entrance of the carriage.

Just as Luke was about to enter, he remembers Ray and the quest and turns around and found Ray close to the door.

Luke then looked over to Merlin.

"Is there room for another person? I want to bring a friend over."

"A friend? Well…sure, as long that person is quiet."

Merlin then laid on his back in the soft seat.

Luke then stepped down his foot then turned around and starts walking towards Ray.

Luke stops in front of Ray.

"Come join us, we have room for more."

"But our quest?"

"Perhaps that can wait."

"But I need the money for my mother."

Suddenly, Merlin then shouts at Luke to which Luke looked back.

"We need to get going now, we don't want to be late."

Luke then looked back to Ray with shyness written all over her face.

"It's okay if you'll just leave me, I can do this quest all on my own… the two are royalties after all…"

She spoke while clinching her staff while smiling.

Luke sighs and walks towards the carriage.

"Finally, let's go now."

Luke then lefts his right hand up towards Cecilia and opens his palm.

Then a dark mist appears right about Luke's hand.

Suddenly, a dark orb drops from the mist and into Luke's palm.

"Was it that?"

Said Cecilia.

"This is a teleportation marker that only I can use, I have only had a few of this in my arsenal that's why I don't use it quite often, however…"

Luke then tossed the orb towards Cecilia and catches the orb.

"Just hold and make sure you don't lose it, I'll be there shortly to whatever place that may be."

"So are you coming or not?"

"It's a teleportation orb, take a guess on how that artifact works."

Luke then walks away towards Ray.

"Well… guess that's a yes, let's go."

Merlin then shoots the door and knocks on the wooden panel to send a signal to the driver to drive in which he did.

The driver lashes his riding crop to the horses and shouted "He Yah!" followed by the horses shouting and driving off.

The carriage drove leaving thick dust on the way that made Ray cover her eyes.

A strong gust of wind suddenly swipes down and took away the dust in the air and Ray opens her eyes to find Luke standing in front of her.

"Luke? Why are you here? Shouldn't you be with them?"

"Perhaps that can wait, moreover, I wish to see your mother. You said she had an illness right?"

"Yes, but why you asked?"

"Let's just say I'm good with…dealing with illnesses."

In the carriage, Toru, Cecilia, and Merlin were sitting on the soft seat with the orb sitting on the lap of Cecilia.

Cecilia then lifts the dark yet shiny orb and observes.

Toru then noticed Cecilia lifting the orb and went closer.

"You think that's fragile?"

Toru spoke curiously.

"Don't know? Hey, you better be not thinking of something stupid."

"What? Me thinking something stupid?"

Toru blurts his lips to make a sloppy sound with his hand going up and down as he continues to talk.

"Not once of my life I thought of something stupid."

Toru looked away but only at his face.

Toru still locks his eyes to the shiny dark orb and looked back again.

"But can you let me hold it for a moment… just for a minute?"

"No."

"Pretty please."

"No!"

Merlin then lifted his right leg and crossed it to the other and caught the attention of the two.

"You might be wondering why you two are in the carriage."

"Well yeah, you just came out of nowhere."

"King Clark invites us to his castle for a gathering, so you two be in your best behavior."

Cecilia then lowers the orb.

"We don't know if this King Clark guy is the same Clark as Franky told us but us the only person we know whose name is Clark."

"We still don't have any clue as to who is this Clark guy?"

"None, but let's focus here today. A peace gathering is to be help there, hopefully, that last for a good time… I don't believe in true peace."

"Why do we need to be involved in this anyway, we're not even knights and I'm technically not the princess… for now."

"Yeah, why's that?"

"Your Dad wanted Luke to come but since you two will be left unsupervised, we decided that you two should come along."

"Are you saying I'm incompetent!"

"Both of you, yes."

"Fair point."

Said Toru, followed by Cecilia stumping Toru's foot.

Back in the city of Beramuth, Luke stood in front of Ray's house Ray feeling embarrassed and shameful with the house appearance.

Luke noticed her expression and simply smiled at her.

"Sorry with my house… it's a bet-."

"Don't worry, I've seen far worse and it needs more styling that's all. Now, why don't you show me your mother's situation."

"Ah…okay."

She then went to the front door, opens and let Luke in.

Luke walked in and saw a lot of dust laying around to every corner he could see.

With the swipe of Luke's hand, the dust in the corners flew and out to the door.

Ray then went inside and saw the dust fly right beside her.

"Woh."

Out of nowhere, somebody spoke in an old weakened voice of a woman coming from the next room.

"Ray? Is that you?"

Ray then went to the other room and Luke follows.

It was her mother, laying down on a bed with Ray holding her hand.

Luke saw her situation and feels her aura.

There, Luke knew what kind of illness she has. It's an illness that is quite familiar.

Luke felt disgusted by the weakened woman in bed but did not show his expression.

"This is one of my member's mom, he's Luke."

"Luke, my daughter talked about you, she said you used powerful magic back in your mission."

"Yes, it did, but powerful is a bit of a stretch."

"Why are you here so early? Do you not have any quest?"

"Well… we do but, we decided to cut it off for the day."

"I see, then what brings Luke with you?"

"He said he could help with your illness."

"My… illness…?"

She looked towards Luke and Luke stared at her with disgusted eyes.

She felt ashamed, not ashamed because of her current situation, but to something else.

She felt something about Luke as if Luke knows her and her secrets.

"Mom?"

"Ah yes… what is it?"

"Is there something wrong?"

"No… it's just…"

"I believe I know what kind of…illness… your mother possessed."

"You do?!"

Ray's eyes glitter with excitement.

"How do we cure it?!"

"Calm yourself, though I say I know, I do not say that I have the cure."

Ray was then saddened but still has a glimmer of hope within her.

"I would like to talk with your mother…in Private."

Luke spoke his last two words with a slight grunt.

"Ah… okay."

"Don't worry, it will only take a moment, just wait outside the house."

Ray then looked back at her mother again and saw her looking away from her and Luke.

She then nods softly and went outside.

As she closed the door behind her followed by a sound of a small thud of the door, Luke lift his right-hand cast spell that cancels the sound without range where it can reach the mother.

As Luke cast the spell, a high-pitched ere caught the attention of Ray's mother as looked up only to see Luke looking down at her disgustingly.

She then looked back and down to her blanket.

"Stop with your lies, tell me the truth and maybe I'll spare you the pain."

She grasped the sheet on her and felt even more ashamed.

They reached far from the kingdom of Beramuth but still far from the kingdom of Rhuth.

"Aghhg… this is taking so long, are we almost there yet?"

Toru spoke impatiently.

"Still far, but we're far the kingdom."

Merlin then taps on the panel to tell the driver to stop in which he did.

"Why'd we stop?"

"It would take 2 more days to go there, we have an alternate solution."

"What?"

Suddenly, a bright circle appears below the carriage.

Cecilia and Toru noticed this and looked back at Merlin and saw his holding a staff with her eyes bright white.

Then, the whole carriage was disappeared in an instant teleported somewhere.

The carriage showed up to a place that's not quite familiar but very fancy.

The door was suddenly opened by a maid and lay her arm across away from the door and with her eyes closed.

"Come on."

Merlin then went down of the carriage and was followed by the two.

The two went out and saw a castle far bigger than theirs.

"Where are we?"

Asked Toru.

"We're in Rhuth, just behind and follow me."

A man in a black tuxedo with a towel on his right hand that is on his stomach level and the other hand is on his back.

"Follow me, gentleman and my lady."

The man then walks inside the castle in which the three follows.

"You can't fool me. Speak and maybe I can spare you the pain.

She keeps on clinching on her blanket while biting her lips.

"I'll say it again, speak."

"I have an illness! What more do you want!"

Luke keeps on looking at her with a disgusted look.

Luke knows that it's not an illness, but a curse.

"Tell me, how many years have you been hiding this?"

"You know?"

"Yes, I'm quite knowledgeable on your so-called…illness."

She then went silent and bit her lips followed by a small drop of tear from her left eye.

"Let's just get it straight, your illness is a curse I presume you already know that. You cretin."

Shclenchesesch her hand to a fist to the blanket.

"I don't help those who possess this curse, but, since it for the good of my comrade… I'll help."

"You can cure me?"

"With no certainty, No."

Luke still maintains looking at her disgustingly as she looks away from Luke once more closed her eyes.

Her curse is not like any other curse.

It is a curse that was once a gift, a gift of commitment to one's friendship.

This name of the curse before it became a curse is the blessing of a god dubbed the Oath of Friendship.

The god of oath and punishment created an oath that grants mortals with great power with an oath that lasts forever.

This is a chant that requires two or more mortals to cast that bond on one another as a sign of true friendship and loyalty that will be eternally linked to each other.

This power increases gradually to how much they trust each other by heart and soul.

However, once the betrayal is made to the other, the betrayer will be cursed with the divine power of Oath God.

The curse lasts forever and is doomed to die a very slow painful death.

The curse can only be lifted if the one who was betrayed forgives the betrayer both in heart and soul or simply asks forgiveness to the god of oath himself in which he would never grant.

And when the one who was betrayed has died because of the betrayal, the curse will forever be locked, chained for all eternity, and has a special place in hell with the betrayer's name written over.

"How long have you kept this a secret to your daughter?"

She went silent.

Luke sighs.

"I can help, but only with your corporation."

She looked back at Luke.

When she looked at Luke's eyes, Luke couldn't bear to stare at her eyes any longer and closed his eyes with his arms crossed.

"I ask, how much will you sacrifice for the cause?"

Luke opens his eyes once more intensely.

She looked down on the floor.

"Everything…"

"Be more specific."

"Anything for her!"

Luke was then surprised by word and kept silent.

"I don't want her to go adventuring no more, I just her to be safe…"

"Tell me, why did you betray your partner?"

She went silent once again and clinch the blanket with her two hands.

"Speak."

"I did for her! I did for Ray!"

She shouted as tears goes down her chin.

"For Ray, you say? Perhaps I miss judged you, explain further."

"He left me no choice… THEY left me no choice."

"And what choice is that?"

"He got me pregnant and chose her over me, I begged him… but he left me…they left me! They are the ones who betrayed me first, they deserved it!"

"You killed them?"

She looks away with regret and sorrow as tears slowly slip down her chicks.

Luke closes his eyes and opens once more.

"Though I do not get the full story, I still understand...just not fully, But it is a one-sided story, but with that, I could be in some help."

She looked back up to Luke.

Luke then walks to the small crooked table next to the bed of Ray's mother.

"I have a… well… let's just say I know somebody that can help."

"Really?"

"However, I have somewhere to go and we'll be going there along with the other member of our party."

Luke then raise his right hand a little to the small table a dark mist appeared.

The mist then drops a basket with fruits and vegetables and Luke lowered his hand back followed by the mist disappearing.

"This should last you for a day."

"Where is this place?"

"I don't know either, but your daughter can tell you once she's back here again."

Suddenly, they heard the door open and they both assume it was Ray.

Ray's mother quickly looked away and dry her tears with the blanket.

Ray then went inside and saw Luke next to a basket of fruit and vegetables.

"Are you guys done talking?"

Ray's mother then looked to Ray to answer.

"Yes, we are."

She spoke with bits of tears coming down.

Luke then moved over to Ray's mother to cover her and whispers.

"I suggest that you should tell her the truth, but it's only a suggestion of course."

Luke then walks away from the door and went to the hall that leads to the front door.

"Let's go, Ray, we have to catch up with them."

"But they are-."

"Go Ray, you don't want to be left behind."

Said Ray's mother.

She then says to her mother with bits of tears.

"What hap-."

"Go."

Luke then continues walking and Ray swiftly follows as she nods at her mother.

Ray is behind Luke and she spoke.

"The left already, there's no way we can catch up."

"I have a solution for that."

"Ha?"

Luke then raised his right hand to Ray.

"Take my hand and you'll find out."

Ray then took Luke's hand with slight confusion.

Luke lifted his left hand and staff appears on his and with bits of dark mist lingering on the staff.

Luke lowered his staff and closes his eyes.

Luke and Ray's feet began to get swallowed by a dark mist and quickly eaten then fully before she could react.

In the room with the castle of Rhuth, Luke holds the orb with one hand while lifting it in the air.

"Hey be careful with that, Luke said to me directly to take care of that thing."

"Relax, I'm very careful with it. But even so, what do think will happen if I drop it?"

"It would break you num nut."

"But if it won't though?"

"You better NOT."

Suddenly, the orb drips with mostly like smoke and slowly cracks.

Toru took a closer look at the cracks.

Out of nowhere, an orb exploded that launch Toru away and hit burst through the wall.

Cecilia covers her eyes due to the explosion and lowered her hand.

There she saw a silhouette of a man holding a staff and a small girl with a large hat that is holding a staff on the scattered dust.

The man waved his hand the dust around him swirls around with the strong wind hitting Cecilia that made her cover her eyes to the floating dust and debris.

The dust and debris continue to swirl around and are sucked up by the man clenching his palm into a fist.

Cecilia uncovers her eyes and saw Luke and Ray standing on the pile of debris close to the busted wall.