Chapter 12: Outside The Castle [2]

There were no unnecessary details in the contents of the letter. Just plain instructions with a few explanations for clarity.

But Ardyn still had mixed feelings about all this. He was grateful and appreciative, of course, but he was also ashamed to have received so much help. He didn't even have anything to give back to Evan and the others. He felt like a leech.

He stole a glance at Evan, who was still diligently writing. He wondered if he really deserved Evan's trust and faith. What if Ardyn never got to meet his Summoner? What if he died on the way?

To be honest, if I die, I'd be doing this world a favor, he thought wryly.

Still, a human's instinct was to survive. The longer he stayed in this world, the more Ardyn wanted to live.

So he would have to do his best from now on. If optimism was the best way to get by, then nothing was impossible. There had to be a way to escape the scrutiny of the Calamity somehow, right?

He made a mental note to learn more about this world. He needed more information before he could hatch a plan.

Evan had mentioned the Summoner's Necklace earlier. If all went well, he could just stand still and wait for his Summoner to come to him. Even if it might take a long time...

He made another mental note to ask Mathias and the others how he could find his Summoner. It couldn't just be a one-way connection, right?

My brain is about to explode, Ardyn thought annoyed. I feel like I'm back at school, stressing over my exams.

Welcome to the real world, Adrien.

"I'm done," Evan announced, folding the papers neatly and placing them in two envelopes each. He walked over to Ardyn and placed them in one of the inside pockets of the bag.

"The one in the red envelope is for Gideon's friend. Give it to him once you're in Prismond Town," he instructed. "The one in the blue envelope is for you."

Ardyn blinked. "For me? But you already gave me one…"

Evan smiled. "This is a different kind of letter. I only want you to read it when you're on the boat, or when you're safely in Prismond Town. It's better that no outsiders see it, okay?"

Before Ardyn could answer, Evan closed the bag himself and gestured towards the door.

"Let's go."

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Evan led Ardyn out of the palace through the back doors, nodding to the guards as he motioned for Ardyn to go to the area where they had first entered.

"So... magic," Ardyn began, still fascinated by how Evan had managed to create a hole through the thick stone wall. "How does it even work? What kind of magic do you have?"

"All Summoners can use white magic, also known as sacred magic," Evan explained. "But its application varies from Summoner to Summoner. For example, I can manipulate physical objects like this," he said, pointing to the hole he had created. "I can deform something and create gaps in a surface, but I cannot duplicate it or increase its weight."

Ardyn nodded, listening intently.

"Right now, I'm just creating a temporary hole, a quick object manipulation skill," Evan continued. "I can also create a defensive shield for myself and my Guardians, but I cannot perform healing or similar tasks. Healing magic within Summoners is quite rare, but there are a few out there who possess this kind of ability."

"I see," Ardyn said in awe. He had always been fascinated by the concept of magic, so to see it manifest before his eyes was both frightening and amazing. "What about Guardians like me? Is it possible for me to have my own magic even though I don't have a Mark?"

"See, that's what puzzles me right now," Evan said as he went through the hole and gestured for Ardyn to follow him. "All Guardians, including Otherworlders, have marks on their bodies that are solid proof of them being blessed with the gods' destiny. Yet you told me earlier that you do not have one at all. I still cannot understand why."

"Because we don't have magic back in our world," Ardyn said as he cautiously stepped through the hole and came to a stop next to Evan. "Besides, I should know my own body best, don't you think? I've never seen anything unusual on any part of my skin."

Evan closed the hole and returned the wall to its original state. "Are you certain of this? What about your childhood? Did your parents not mention anything unusual that happened to you in the past?" he asked curiously. "Magic manifests the moment we Summoners and Guardians are born, so your parents probably would have noticed something."

Ardyn shook his head. "Not possible. My mom loved to tell me stories about when I was a kid. I'm sure she would have told me if something was strange. My dad, on the other hand, is one of the most straightforward people I've ever known. He, too, would have told me if he noticed anything."

Evan frowned deeply. "That is most unusual. On the other hand, the Book of the Otherworlders never specified how your kind developed their magic or how they discovered their Marks. Though it's possible that the writers glossed over that in favor of investigating the purposes of your kind here..."

Ardyn felt uncomfortable at the mention of the book. He didn't know what to make of this discovery. It felt like he and his fellow humans from the same world were being treated like aliens here — which they technically were — which was why he was beginning to understand the reason why Evan had told him never to tell anyone about his true identity.

He couldn't wait to get his hands on that book, but he knew that it was better to wait rather than be too hasty.

The two of them walked through the gardens, a comfortable silence falling between them. Evan had mentioned that he wanted to walk around here so that Ardyn could loosen up a bit, and it seemed to work.

Ardyn could feel himself slowly relaxing in the atmosphere, and his mood lifted slightly when he saw the green fireflies circling around the flowers. The sight of them made him feel nostalgic for a moment...

And oddly wistful.

Wait…

Why was he feeling this way?

"Why does it look so familiar?" Ardyn wondered aloud, causing Evan to turn to him with a curious look on his face.

"What is?" Evan asked.

"This scene. The garden… these fireflies," Ardyn blurted out. "It feels like something's missing, though. Damn it, I can't seem to figure out why…"

"Fireflies? Ah, you mean these flying things?" Evan gestured towards the fireflies. "Is that what they're called back in your world? Here, we call them 'glowbeetles'."

"Glowbeetles?" Ardyn repeated. That was certainly a weird term.

"Yeah." Evan nodded. "Glowbeetles like nature, especially flowers. They like to come to gardens like this during the night when they are usually awake."

"Oh…"

"By the way, you said this scene is familiar to you?" Evan asked, puzzled. "Well, of course, if you had a garden in your home…"

Ardyn shook his head. "No… I lived in an apartment back in my world. There wasn't a garden there."

"I see." Evan was thoughtful for a moment. "Then perhaps just something you remember from a dream?"

Ardyn's eyes widened instantly.