CHAPTER II.  Criminal

CHAPTER II.

Criminal

We met the next day as he had arranged, and I inspected the rooms of which he had spoken at our meeting. The room consisted of a couple of comfortable bedrooms and a single large airy sitting room, cheerfully furnished, and illuminated by two broad windows.

So desirable in every way were the apartments, and so moderate did the terms seem when divided between us, that the bargain was concluded upon the spot, and we at once entered possession. That very evening, I moved my things around from the hotel, and the following morning, Ashu followed me with several boxes and bags.

For a day or two, we were busily employed in unpacking and laying out our property to the best advantage. That done, we gradually began to settle down and accommodate ourselves to our new surroundings.

Ashu was certainly a not difficult man to live with. With his amazing stories about his recent exploits and books, he was one entertaining man.

He is a hardworking man, there was a time when he remained woke for 3 days straight, reading maps and books for god knows what.

Sometimes he does not return home and there are times he returned all bruised up.

I immediately treated him, when I found him. Don't why but he refused to head to the hospital. He is so stubborn.

As for me, I applied for the guild, and not recently became a member.

I completed up to three jobs just in weak, they were quite easy.

One of them was catching a local thief, the pay was good but was finding little too boring for my taste.

As a child, I always craved excitement, my mother told stories about, how the world was an interesting and exciting place, a place filled with adventure and treasure, due to that I joined the army as a war mage but...

I forgot that excitement and danger kind of belong to the same family.

Now that, I retired as a war mage, I again carved for that sense of excitement and danger, I don't want my life living, catching petty thieves.

So that's why I decided to ask Ashu; "Can I join you, pretty please!!"

"No!" He flatly rejected it without even thinking for a second, but I too did not learn the word give up.

And so, my quest to convince him, Began.

"Please, please, please…"

"For God's sake!! Fine but answer me this, are you okay with heights and long-distance travel?"

"Yes!"

"Okay then, let's go."

"Where are we going?"

"To see the tomb of count Dorthey, the valley of Lutia."

"Okay, just we two?"

"Yes."

"When do we leave?"

"How about in three weeks? I need to prepare some things before that, in meantime why don't you train that body of yours."

"Okay, thanks by the way."

"No-Need to thank me." As the weeks went by, my interest in him and my curiosity as to his aims in life, gradually deepened and increased. His very person and appearance were such as to strike the attention of the most casual observer. He was over six feet in height and so excessively lean that he seemed considerably taller. His eyes were sharp and piercing, save during those intervals of torpor to which I have alluded; and his thin, hawk-like nose gave his whole expression an air of alertness and decision. His chin, too, had the prominence and squareness which mark the man of determination.

There was something on my mind regarding him, I voiced my thoughts and asked; "Ashu, if you don't me asking, is there a story or a reason behind your obsession with you becoming the king, you seem more than obsessed, why is that?"

"No, No reason at all, it just… I have a wish, that I want to see it happening and Ark of Covenant is the key to making it happen."

"What kind of wish?"

"To the make world equal for everyone and end the reign of discrimination. To create a better future for this world and its citizens.

I want that every human can have a chance to become something they dream to aspire to." Said, Ashu with so much enthusiasm and a blazing fire

Of determination in his eyes. Just looking at them, I can feel the burning desire to achieve something great.

"But… from what I heard, the Ark of the Covenant is hidden by the previous silver king, Albert. K. Wiseman, before his disappearance. Nobody knows, where he is or where he has hidden the treasure, not even a single person.

Many dangerous people desire to obtain that treasure, for many reasons. Do you really think, you can compete with them; they are some very powerful people we are talking about, with great influence in the current world, and a massive army of strong people under them."

"Yes, I know, I'm not the strongest or richest right now but I have my goal clear, I know what I want to achieve, and how can I achieve that? That's why I'm gathering strong and courageous people with me, people with great ambition and dreams they can pursue."

"Ha-ha, I love that fire in your eyes, you can count me in!"

"Thanks." I have never seen a man like him in my life, I don't know what the future has stored for him but… I really want to see his destiny with my own two eyes.

And just like that three weeks passed and the day for exploration came.

Two days before the event, Ashu asked me to help him with packing our bags. He gave me to task to pack our essentials, like a lot of protein bars, 6 packets of matchboxes, sleeping bags, knives, ropes, nails, and hammer, and four bottles of water, how can I forget the most important thing, the toilet paper.

While I pack these things in our bags, he, on the other hand, was packing the stuff that I was not familiar with, out of curiosity I asked what he was packing, and he said weapons and a few chemicals.

Our packing was done and we then headed straight for the valley of Lutia.

"How are we going to get there?" I asked as we walked towards the guild.

"Leon will be going to help us."

"Oh!"

We met with Leon, and Ashu asked for a ride that he can burrow for a few days.

"So, you guys are going to the Valley of Lutia. How about you guys take my car, currently I don't have any carriage available?"

"No sweat, that'll do just fine." With that, Leon went away to bring his car while we were waiting outside the guild.

Few minutes of waiting paid off; Leon brought his car. He asked us, which one of us knew driving. Ashu took the keys and sat in the driver's seat.

"Guy's, before you go, I have a piece of news for you, I heard that The King-slayer has been caught by the third regiment and is being held down at Val Shiri prison of the base town, because of that the route for the valley is secured completely and unauthorised access is impossible. So, I suggest you take another route."

"Hmm…Okay, but can you tell me about this King-slayer, what did he do?"

" ! My dear friend, were you living under the rock these past few weeks or what, how is it that you, don't know about him!? What about you, Ray, don't tell me that even you don't know?"

In response to that, I nodded.

"For god's sake, why don't you guys try once to read the newspaper?"

"Are you going to tell us about him or not?"

"The King-slayer, official name Cale Valtia stark, once was a member of the Valtia family, who has been presumed to be the strongest family of assassins, who guard kings from the shadows, rumour has it that, this guy not only murdered The King of Elesia Empire and his army single handily at the age of seventeen, He butchered everyone who was at the palace at that time. He was in the run, for quite some time, just recently he got caught by the third regiment.

He is going to be relocated for his execution in a few days, that's why the government issued that route for the Valley is unauthorised."

"…"

"Now that you know about this, do what I suggested. Take the other route for that, okay."

"…"

"Ashu! What happened? You look dazed."

"N-Nothing… Let's go, thanks Leon for the warning and don't worry about us."

"If you say so, bye I got a lot of work to do inside." After, saying our farewells we were on our way.

I don't know why but Ashu has something on his mind, something was bugging him. He remained silent; I tried asking but he told me that he was thinking about the route that's all.

I held the map in my hands and started guiding him along the way but…

"Hey! Where are we going? Leon warned us to not take that route!?"

"Are you scared!?"

"No, but…"

"Don't worry, I'm just curious to see that King-slayer fella."

"Hmm… Why the sudden curiosity!?"

"I don't know but my mind is telling me to see that guy, don't worry we are strong."

"…"

And just like that, we arrived near the Base town. As Leon, told us the security is quite tight around the base town.

"Ray, I'm thinking of him asking to join in my quest."

"Are you serious!! Haven't you heard that the guy is a monster, he killed everybody in the Elsia empire, I get that he's strong but why associate ourselves with the bad guy?"

"We can't be sure about that yet."

"Ray, I decided to ask him to join me in my journey to achieve my dream, that is if is a good guy, don't worry I know what I am doing," Ashu said, with seriousness and determination in his eyes.

"Let's just say that he is a good guy and he agrees to join you then what? Are you going free that guy, you know what that means right, we'll be defying the government and authority which in turn will put us on the wanted list."

"That's why I'm going to ask you too, Ray. Are you… No, will you go to help me in my adventure to achieve my dream? I know I'm asking something I shouldn't but… I'll be quite happy if you join me."

"…" I was silent, I don't know what to do. On one hand, I want my boring life to be exciting and filled with adventure. On another, I don't want to make the government my enemy. A difficult choice to make.

I decided; "Fine, I'll join you, I like to see what kind of world you create. And the world you want to create is like what you dream of making, then I want to be a part of that."

"…!! Thank you, you won't regret it, but… are you sure, our journey will be going to be dangerous?"

"It's not like I have any family to take care of, so don't worry."

"…" with that, he forwards his right hand for a hand-shake, and I accepted his gesture, with a smile.

This is where my whole life will be going to change, don't know for better or worse, but I can't wait to see the future.

"What now? How are going to meet our potential comrade?" I asked.

"I have a plan!" Ashu said that with a huge grin plastered on his face…

Just by looking at him, shivers ran down my spine…

To be continued….