8 The Stone Of A Mage Part 2

During the Warian Era of the ancient times, races hunted each other. There was no clear reason or beginning of why these creatures started to kill each other nor what triggered the war.

Clues were left blank like a piece of clean paper, the origin of the war was unknown and only the the ruins were left behind.

Catastrophe and hostility was the results of the war; Creatures loathed each other that led to seeking vengeance and not long after that, selfishness that brought forth seeking for dominance.

Killing spree was preeminent-- murders were prevalent. Loss were linked to revenge and revenge gave birth to another chain of never ending vengeance.

"...I am your brother."

I flinched.

Sai stared at me sternly and his blue orbs were filled with hatred and disgust. "But, I hate your Father."

He spoke with so much spite, his lips twitched and formed an arrogant bitter smile. The moon illuminated his pale skin and candescent black hair.

'Why?'

He looked mischievous and clever. It was the usual sarcastic Sai whom I met.

As the wind brushed my cheeks, so did his hair that rode the gust of the passing wind.

"Why would you hate your own blood? Why do you keep calling him 'my' Father?! He's your Father too!" My tears that were on the brink of falling froze before they could drop from my eyelids.

The image of my father flashed before me.

I remembered his benign smile every time he greeted me in the morning and how much he cared for me each day; He was also wearing his electric blue orbs just like the man leaning to the stone pillar in front of me.

The same color, but somehow different brilliance...My father have a steady deep emotion in his blue eyes, while this young warlock in front me carries blue eyes filled with chaotic emotions and unfathomable truth.

'Siel, make sure to eat while you study alright?' 'Stop skipping class and don't give Rave a head ache.' 'Follow Aspen's lead.' 'Yesterday I met Hannah and she told me you've been swimming far...Why don't you be careful and obey for once, dear?'

My father would always nag at me like this...

'Yes,yes father' I would always answer casually, not minding him at all. And he will let out a sigh of resign and...

'Come here you kid' he hugged me that morning.

Tap,tap,tap.

He patted me gently with worried eyes.

He was such a kind and normal loving father merman. Why would someone like him be hated, and most importantly, why would his own son despise him?

Sai shrugged. "Nothing much. He just abandoned me and my foolish Mother. He never acted like a Father to me, hence, he is no better than a stranger in my eyes...Well, maybe even worse."

He says that nonchalantly like it's no big deal and even called "her" foolish, but his words when he spoke of our mother sounded very warm.

"He wouldn't...I don't believe it."

'How could my father abandon them? The father I knew of would never do something so heartless.'

Times may be tough, Trivadocea may be chaotic and blood stench may be every where, but the merman whom raised me is incapable of that. I couldn't believe what he say. I've known my father since nonage.

Swish. Swish. The waves danced.

And yet, my heart throbbed painfully when I look at Sai.

That is not the face of a liar.

He is arrogant and too proud. And proud people don't need to lie to prove their point, because they are too arrogant to lie.

I tried to push everything aside and clear my throat.

"M-maybe there was a misunderstanding, I'll ask Father right awa--"

"I don't have time." He cut me off.

He raised his thin arms, his eyes shaded purple again, and mana played around his fingers.

"Truth is, I dragged you to this Island to find a stone. It was a stone from Mother, but as it turned out, it's not here--"

"--I have a proposal."

He heaved a deep sigh, now looking flustered and looked hesitant again. He raised his head and asked,

"Can you find the stone for me? You have legs now anyway. Oh, it doesn't matter if you find it, but It'll be helpful if you can try look for it."

He looked uncertain while mouthing his request. For a moment, I though it was cute, but I was suspicious.

'What's with him? Wouldn't it be more like him if he threatens me to look for whatever that stone is for my legs, than ask as a favor?'

"Why does it have to be me though?" I asked pointing to myself.

He smiled. "Because the stone will only react to a person who have the same blood as I am."

"I'd like to do the search but I have other responsibilities too. Unlike you, I'm busy." That remark also ended his cute phase, as he came back to his cheeky self.

"But why do you need a stone from mother?"

"..." I gulped.

He turned away from me, and nonchalantly answered, "You're fine. You were born a mermaid, weirdly. But as you can see, I'm not. As a half mage, my body is different compare to normal mages. I only have half a mana core. My body cannot hold all my overflowing mana, and that stone that mother created out of her mana serves as a mana core for me. It stores all excess mana from my body."

"Surprise, it was stolen!" He announced.

"But how can anyone steal from you?" I sighed, "Forget it, I'll help you."

I saw the corners of his lips twitch, was that his real smile? I don't know. I continued with our past discussion.

"Sai, I don't think Father abandoned you, I'll help you reconcile---"

His lips stopped in a grim line then he interrupted me.

"I'll give you three days." He posed his three fingers. He completely discarded what I was about to say.

"Decide whether you'll accept my offer or not. Find the Sorcerer Stone and give it back to me before I die."

This time my whole being froze.

'Die?'

I suddenly became alarmed of this sudden change of genre.

I hastily looked up at him, he looked sharp and cold, "My mana is unstable right now. I may be strong but that wouldn't be for long. That Stone is a relic from Mother. That kept my unstable life force to stability."

"My body cannot hold all my overflowing mana right now, that's why it's leaking. My overflowing mana is slowly going to destroy my insides, ultimately eating away my life."

I glared at him with trembling eyes. I have so many questions.

'No...no,no. I can't accept that.'

I just met my brother, and now he is dying? How can that make sense?

In the midst of the chaos in my mind, Sai continued to speak.

"I am Yulian Sailaizer De ArchMage of Eumadory, and currently guardian of Veldorra. I am 'that' mighty." He smiled playfully, taunting and proud.

"As such, I've been looking for the stone for over five years now. But I have to go back to Veldorra. So you have to find it for me instead, Siel."

He chuckled at me.

I stared at him, disheartened. 'How could he share this news to me like this?'

"What's with that dumb struck expression? You look more stupid than ever."

I managed to steady my trebling eyes.

He gave a small smile. Sai started striding towards me, the boulder he used to lean against started to crumble to dust when he left and came towards me.

He lowered his head to lean forward and I could feel his stare so close to my face.

He extended his elegant fingers to me, along with the playful mana circling it, his magic flew towards me and embraced me. I felt warm from the cold ocean breeze.

Violet to red lights flashed everywhere, and the sands vibrated below my feet, the boulders started to crumble as I felt immense amount of heat in my body.

""I'll give you three days to decide..."

He covered my eyes with his cold hand and gently whispered. But even that whisper sounded and felt like he was smiling.

"If you decide to accept my quest...Find me at the shore of the nearest Island of above Trivadocea."

He took my left hand and gentle pressed the back of it, cold.

I felt the tremendous magic swirling on my palm to the back of my left hand. It was throbbing. But before I could react, the gust of magic crawled to enveloped me until my vision blacked out.