Mr. Dalfinger

"Mr. Blackwell... I didn't expect you to visit this late. Come in." Ecrucio was surprised but was more curious about his arrival. He didn't think too much of it considering he hasn't done much to gain the attention of the royal adviser. But somehow in some way, deep in the back of his head he thought that something was up. But he ignored it for the time being as he led Mortimer over to the counter of his shop so they could discuss matters relating to what he was here for. "So, what do I owe you? Surely a royal adviser such as yourself didn't come here just for a little chat." Ecrucio says as Mortimer smirks. "Of course. I do have a busy schedule. But I was hoping to exchange something for some information. Hopefully you can provide me some." Mortimer deals out. "Information? Well, I've been in this city for years so I probably got some." Ecrucio says to him. "But wait here one moment, I believe I left something in the back that I must go get. It'll just be a second." Ecrucio says to him as he turns around to make his way to the back. But before he could even reach the doorway, Mortimer spoke up. "I know you have it." Mortimer says which catches Ecrucio off guard as he looks back over to him. "Pardon?" He states. The tension in the air rising as anxiety slowly builds up inside Ecrucio. "I said that I know you have the gemstone Mr. Dalfinger." Mortimer repeats which shook Ecrucio a bit. How did he know? Ecrucio asked himself but chose to play ignorant to it. Whatever he wanted, it was definitely something that he doesn't want to give him.

"I have not the faintest clue as to what gemstone I have? I have plenty you can choose from if that's what you want." Ecrucio responds but Mortimer is persistent with his prying. To the point that his prideful temper was showing a tiny bit. "Do you take me for a fool old man? Your Magnum opus, a collaboration of two brilliant minds coming together to build a sword so powerful that it turned the tides of war. You really expect me that your last and final creation wouldn't crawl its way back to you. Your sins have not been forgiven old man. You're even lucky that you and Solomon were accepted into this kingdom in the first place after the war especially after the many lives that your sword took" Mortimer drawls on to which, at the end of it made Ecrucio snap back at him. "That sword was not mine but his! I was merely just a helper..." Ecrucio tries to defend but Mortimer hits him back. "A helper that was the main reason that the sword was so powerful. Solomon only specialized in enchanting. Sure, his weapons held great power on their own but when mixed with yours... devastating is what I could call it." Mortimer points out as a sinister smile creeps up onto his face. Ecrucio's hands shook in place. His mind racing back to that time in his life. He was right, Solomon's enchantments could only fell a hundred men at most but with his help... it felled not hundreds but thousands of soldiers... it was clear to him already that it was all his fault for the most part. But even now he has yet to admit it truly to himself. Thus forcing him to live with his sins of the past trailing behind him like a road stained in blood. "... what do you want Blackwell? Are you here just to torture me with my past?" Ecrucio finally asks the big question. One that Mortimer was glad to answer for him.

"I might know that you have the gemstone but I want to know who brought the gemstone to you..." Mortimer revealed as Ecrucio gulps in nervousness. "And what if I don't tell you?" Ecrucio says as Mortimer laughs haughtily. "I did say I had something in exchange for it." He starts as an evil glint shines upon his eye. "In exchange for information... then you can assure the safety of your son." As soon as those words left Mortimer's lips, Ecrucio quickly marched on over and held him by his collar in a furious rage. "What have you done to my son!?" Ecrucio shouts but Mortimer only laughs at his face. "Nothing yet... but if you refuse to tell me everything then consider your boy to be in mortal danger. I do have the power to ensure that after all. So make your choice wisely old man... you've got enough years to back that up now don't you?" Mortimer says in a calm, whispering voice. Ecrucio couldn't help but look at the man in front of him in fear. To save his son from the monster in front of him, he has to endanger someone's life yet again. One whose image reminded him of himself. One he could consider a second son...

...

The store bell rings as the door opens. Alerting Ecrucio who looked young but not too much younger than he was in the present. "Welcome to the shop. How many i- huh?" As Ecrucio turned around, expecting to greet them as he did. He was met with no one. Confusing him quite a bit. He looks to his left, then to his right. No one in sight. Then suddenly, a voice of a little boy takes his attention. "Over here Mr shopkeeper!" They say as Ecrucio looks down to see a very much younger Derrick with a big smile on his face. "Oh, well hello there little boy. I didn't see you there for a second." Ecrucio says as he greets the little man. "It's fine! I'm here to make a purchase!" The young Derrick says as he shows him 3 pieces of silver coins in his hands. "I see. So what do you want to purchase here? I have lots of items here for you to choose." Ecrucio says. But the young eccentric Derrick already had something In mind. "I want a rock!" He says with a big toothy smile but Ecrucio didn't really get it at first. "A... a rock? What kind of rock?" Ecrucio tries to get a clarification which thankfully the young lad provided him with. "One that's good for alchemy!" Little Derrick exclaims with excitement which makes Ecrucio chuckle a bit. The boy reminded him of his own son when he was tiny. But the years kept on going and soon the boy was off to seek his own adventures. "Is that so? Let me check if I got some in store. Just wait right here young man." Ecrucio tells the boy as he heads on over to the back so he can find some assortment of minerals and rocks he could give the boy. "Do you run this shop on your own Mr?" Suddenly, Derrick spoke right next to the old man which startled him quite a bit.

"Goodness gracious! You scared me there little one." Ecrucio exclaims as he holds his quickly beating chest. "Sorry!" Derrick apologizes with a smile as Ecrucio sighs. "What was it you asked me?" Ecrucio says as he looked to the boy questioningly. "I asked if you ran this place on your own?" Derrick repeats as Ecrucio gives a somber sigh before answering. "Well, not always. I had a son who used to help around here. But as with all things, he grew up and went out on his own. Now it's just me in this shop of mine." Ecrucio tells the boy as he continues to rummage for the items the lad seeks. "Sounds lonely. But I get it. I'm living on my own too!" Derrick tells the old man which surprises him. "You live on your own? At this age? Why?" Ecrucio inquires. " I used to live with my mommy who's the greatest alchemist I've known! Then she went on an expedition and never came back. So I live all by myself now!" Derrick recounts to the old man which left him speechless and baffled at the fact he told him with nothing but a smile on his face. "I see..." Ecrucio didn't know what else to say to the boy as he just takes his attention back to his rummaging. Unfortunately, he found only one thing he could give to the boy. A red gemstone. "Although I don't have much of a selection for you to choose from, I did find this one." He says as he shows the gem to the boy who looks at it with fascination. "This right here is a special little gemstone. Believe it or not, I used to use this type of stone for one of my greatest achievements... that I truly regret ever achieving." Ecrucio expresses as thoughts of his past start to resurface.

"Why do you regret it? It's your greatest achievement right?" Derrick asked. Not really understanding what he meant by it. "It was. But because of it... let's just say, it hurts a lot of people. People that didn't deserve to be hurt. And I blame myself for creating such a force." Ecrucio says as his lip starts quiver. He didn't mean to let the boy hear his story but here he was. Recounting his regrets and sins upon a boy as pure as him. But what the boy said next surprised him yet again. "Well, that doesn't mean it is your fault." Derrick tells him with a smile. "Maybe you did make it but I'm sure you weren't the one that used it to hurt other people right?" Derrick says to him which Ecrucio felt right in his soul. "It's like with your son! You might've raised him from birth but once he grows up, he becomes his own person. Separate from the father. At least that's how I see it!" Derrick expounded which made Ecrucio realize something. Maybe the boy was right. Maybe the guilt might still linger but taking it in that light made his sins a tiny bit lighter on his shoulders. With this revelation, he couldn't help but smile himself just like Derrick is. "That's... very profound of you. What's your name if you don't mind me asking?" Ecrucio asks him as the boy replies eccentrically. "I'm Derrick! Derrick Barnes! Aspiring alchemist!" Derrick exclaims in confidence as he raises his hand for a handshake. "Ecrucio Dalfinger. Humble shopkeeper." Ecrucio introduces himself as well before shaking his hand. "Here is your stone Derrick. You can have it for free." Ecrucio says which surprises Derrick this time around.

"Are you sure?" Derrick asks as Ecrucio nods. "Of course. And, if you find any special rocks out there, you can take them here And I'll buy them off you. That way you can make a little money." Ecrucio suggests as Derrick lightens up in joy. Thanking him for the generous offer. "Thank you Mr Dalfinger! I'll be going now!" With a smile on his face, he watches the boy exit the shop as the store bell rings once again before the door closes. Leaving Ecrucio alone in the shop. A moment of silence to think by himself about what the boy had said to him. "... thank you, little one."