Chapter 43 - New Comrades
Nonetheless, certain aspects caught the attention of the media and Solara. Among them was the revelation of human betrayal, dealing with demons, and the existence of a golden aura with the ability to oppose demons.
After this event, all members of the Rogan Family were going to be hunted by a group opposing the darkness of demons, the Holy Light.
"It worked..." Camille breathed a sigh of relief. This time, Wilson had truly been defeated and lost his life. It had been a short but intense battle indeed.
Elion was thrilled to see that his power could be used in such a unique way. "How did you come up with such a combination?" he asked Camille. He knew there had to be many more ways his golden aura could be beneficial.
"I simply tried it out, hoping for the best. Thankfully, it worked," Camille said, beaming with excitement. "I'm sure we'll uncover plenty more secrets of the golden aura."
Rowan approached Wilson's body to ensure that he was indeed dead. He prodded the body with his sword. They couldn't take any chances.
Rowan raised his thumb, indicating to Andre, and gestured towards Elion and Camille. Wilson's enormous sword was removed and lifted by Rowan with ease, showcasing his incredible physical strength. Accompanied by Andre, he moved towards Elion and Camille.
"May I take this sword?" Rowan asked.
"Why?" Elion inquired.
Given its peculiar functioning, he was concerned that the sword might again fall into the wrong hands.
"Don't worry. I'm Rowan Atkins, from the Grand Atkins Family, and I have a deep devotion to swords. I just want to study this sword. Besides, it acts as a link between the Patriarch and the demonic power; I'm sure there's valuable information I can extract from it," Rowan explained.
Elion nodded in understanding. In Solara, many families possessed various skills and expertise besides elemental power, such as weaponry, alchemy, forging, martial arts, and more.
Although the Grand Atkins Family was not the most powerful in elemental abilities, they enjoyed a reputation for their exceptional prowess in swordsmanship.
"Thanks," said Rowan. "This is my friend, Andre Jenkinson."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Andre from the Grand Jenkinson Family," Andre said, flashing a charming smile.
Elion and Camille simply nodded. They hoped to avoid contact with any family for the time being. It would be a risk since they both had secrets that couldn't be revealed to the public.
Who wouldn't desire the secret of affinity with Elemental Beasts? Secrets of Elemental Mights of a few levels to a rank? Possessing a golden aura?
"May we know your names and which family you're from?" Rowan asked.
Elion and Camille seemed reluctant to answer. Rowan understood why they were hesitant to introduce themselves. Andre then pulled something out of his elemental storage ring. He handed over several destroyed Globecomm threads.
"I just 'collected' all these from the Elementalists recording the battle. I destroyed them all," Andre said.
"Live broadcasts recorded didn't have good quality. Your faces couldn't be seen clearly," Rowan added.
Rowan and Andre then removed the memory cards from their Globecomms and destroyed them before Elion and Camille. "And these are from us," Rowan said reassuringly. He wanted to make it clear that they were taking responsibility for their actions.
"We also want you to know that we don't store or send anything that happens here to our families," added Rowan. His tone was sincere, and both Elion and Camille appreciated the gesture.
Elion and Camille smiled. They didn't really mind. After all, it was their fault. If not for Camille's outburst against Ron, none of this would have happened. But, it was a good thing since this would be a warning to Solara that the demons were lurking around within humans.
However, seeing Rowan and Andre's sincerity, they couldn't remain cold.
"My name is Elion. I've been cast out by my family. This is Camille, my friend," Elion replied, withholding too much information from Rowan and Andre.
"Cast out by your family?" Rowan and Andre frowned upon hearing Elion's introduction.
They assumed Camille was in the same situation, cast out by her family. What family would dare cast out geniuses with Elemental Might of five levels and an Elementalist with a unique golden aura capable of opposing demon power?
"Yes. For now, we're just a group of researchers on a journey to find information about the golden aura," Camille explained.
"Interesting," Andre said.
"Research on the golden aura.. Can we join in?"
The Grand Jenkinson Family was known for being great researchers in Solara's history, and Andre was eager to learn more.
Elion glanced at Camille, feeling relieved that they would have new companies on their journey. He knew that Camille was strong enough to defend herself against any ill intentions, so he wasn't worried.
With new friends, he wouldn't have to spend all his time alone with Camille, and they could stay anywhere they wanted without having to return to any town or city to spend the night. This would allow them to save time for their journey and training.
Camille nodded in agreement, hoping Elion would engage more with others and improve his social skills. She knew he spent most of his time reading and practicing.
"Alright, just so you know, what we do might seem a bit dull. But don't get us wrong, we love researching and training. Most of the time, we discuss branches of knowledge and any new discoveries," Elion explained.
"That's what we find fun. We're concerned it might not be your cup of tea," Camille added.
"Oh, it's no different between Andre and me. He never stops talking about everything he reads online," Rowan interjected.
"Heh, you're no different, Rowan. Always going on about swords," Andre joked.
They all burst out laughing at Rowan and Andre's unexpected outburst. The thought of having more members in their group made their journey more exciting and meaningful. This encounter would intertwine their destinies, leading to new potentials in their lives.
"Oh, I almost forgot about the waitress, Camille," Elion said as he walked towards the motionless waitress. He placed his hand just an inch away from her forehead, and his golden aura surrounded her body.
Andre wondered, "What in the world am I watching?"
Even Rowan, known for his serious demeanor, couldn't help but look in bewilderment. Gradually, the golden aura was absorbed into the waitress's body. After a moment, she opened her eyes only to find the restaurant in ruins.
"Oh no!" The waitress cried out in panic as her body trembled with fear. She believed that she was responsible for what had occurred. Her name would be tarnished, and she would never be able to find work again.
"Don't worry. I will help you," Elion reassured her.
"Camille, can you locate the owner of this restaurant?"
Camille nodded before vanishing from her spot in the blink of an eye, her movements too complex for anyone to follow yet still faintly visible to the three of them. She returned promptly with a middle-aged man sporting a chef's hat, who trembled from head to toe as Camille set him down.
"He's here, Elion," she said.
Straight to the point, Elion asked, "Is a hundred gold coins enough for compensation?"
He was keen on settling the matter swiftly. The waitress gazed at him, and he misconstrued her concern. It wasn't the money that troubled her; she was more worried about her future.
The restaurant owner trembled as he replied, "No, no, it's okay, sir!"
He then turned to the waitress and lashed out, "You! Get out of here! You're just bringing bad luck!"
Elion was angry and disappointed by the owner's behavior towards the waitress. He pulled out a pouch containing twenty gold coins and said, "Take this, and let me take the waitress out of here. Do we have a deal?"
The amount was less than what he initially thought of giving because he had lost respect for the owner and wanted to get the waitress out of the situation as soon as possible.
"Sure, thank you!" replied the restaurant owner as he rushed to grab the bag, his voice filled with anxiety.
"Alright, here are eighty gold coins for you. Use it to start a new life and find a new job," Elion told the waitress as he stood up and gestured for his companions to follow. It was getting late, and he was eager to rest. He was still on a mission to make a breakthrough as soon as possible.
However, the waitress had other plans. As they started to leave, she ran after them, yelling, "Wait! Can I join you?" She extended her hand, offering to return the money bag to Elion.
"I don't need the money. I have many. Plus, I'm alone, and I'm sure the restaurant owner will come after me to vent his anger," the waitress explained.
The waitress looked at Elion's group with hope.
"I can be your guide," she said proudly. "Just tell me where you want to go, and I'll take you there. I've traveled to almost every area in Solara since I was a child. My father was a professional cartographer, and I accompanied him on his trips. Unfortunately, he passed away a month ago."
She added, "I'm also a Level 20 Earth Elementalist. I can even help you build a resting area if you need one. And I—"
Camille silenced her before she could say more by placing her fingers over the waitress's lips.
Camille smiled and said, "Enough, I understand. I'm sorry for your loss. We're more than happy to have you join us." She was happy to have made three new friends in just one night, including the waitress.
"What's your name?" Camille asked.
"Lisandra."
Andre questioned, "Why did you let yourself be bullied if you're an Elementalist?"
Lisandra replied with an embarrassed smile, "I'm not skilled in combat, but my Elemental Mastery is excellent. It's at the highest level."
Rowan and Andre were surprised to hear she was just one level away from perfection. If Lisandra honed her talent to the fullest, she would definitely become at least a Great Elementalist.
Elion wasn't worried because Camille and his two new friends were also great in combat. They could teach her if she needed more time to develop her skills.
Elion urged, "Alright then. Let's go. We'll get to know each other more on the way. We need a place to stay for tonight. Plus, we need to get away from this mess quickly."
The five left Lamar Town, which, unfortunately, would experience a terrible atrocity in a few days.