Chapter Fifteen

It had been two days since I spoke to Strig and he reminded me about our deal. A deal which I had forgotten until two days ago, now I had to investigate something I know nothing about plus my problems, I felt like a winner.

I sat at the back of the class away from the other students, I hadn't talked to anybody since the training class and they in return hadn't said a word to me, I planned to stay on my own and not hurt anybody and it was working. I just watched them laugh like they didn't have any care in the world.

"Casto, I'm starting to lose patience I reminded you about the deal and all you've done is avoid me".

The voice almost made me jump out of my seat.

"I will get to your deal, I'm just taking some time to myself to think about things properly", I replied.

"Besides if I'm going to find who betrayed you and your team I'm going to need details about relevant events ".

"Okay, what kind of relevant events?", he asked.

"I don't know, I'm not a detective you're the one that was an elite war guard", I replied.

"Hmmm... I'll tell you about me and my team and the event that got us killed", He said.

"Now you're talking, like I said you're better at this".

"In the war guard there are rankings for both individuals and teams, I was a high ranker in the first rank team. My team was made up of five rankers including me, there was Axil, Derz, Ghill, Rickhel, and Me".

My eyes widened as I heard Rick's name.

"You mean Rickhel was your teammate?!", I asked.

"Yeah, that's right", he answered.

"Now I get why you don't trust him, but if he was guilty would he have given your book to me?", I asked.

"It surprised me too, but let me finish my story".

"Okay sorry, continue".

"So like I was saying Axil, Derz, Ghill, Rickhel, and I was an elite squad tasked with infiltrating and getting information that was classified from the royal family".

"Wait, the royal family? Isn't that like treason or something", I asked, interrupting his story.

"Just let me finish before you begin questioning", he said.

"Okay".

"Like I was saying, we were sent on a mission to retrieve classified intel, and none of us knew what we were retrieving. We made our plan to infiltrate the highly guarded royal compound. On the day of the mission, we set out to carry out our task and Rickhel was called in by the council, as the leader I should have been informed that the council wishes to see one of my teammates before we go on a mission. We couldn't risk losing the chance we had, so we told Rickhel to meet us at the escape point since he was crucial to our escape plan as he uses the book of nature and can control light".

"Wow, I've never asked which book he wields or Axy for that matter, control of light? that's cool", I commented.

"Yeah, it's quite something. Our plan went smoother than any of our plans had ever gone, and it made me suspicious. At first, when we got to the compound we barely saw any guards, but we still carried on regardless. We got what we needed but we never left the compound. It was like a reaper summoned by a soul mage, it just stood at our exact exit path. We tried to move past it but was too strong and fast for me and my team, made me wonder what could summon such a strong soul. It was in our fight with the reaper that I lost my teammates. When I was the only one left standing the soul mage walked out of the shadows but I couldn't properly because he was wearing a robe covering his or her face, next thing I know I'm stuck in this book unable to do anything for years until I met you". He concluded.

"You are not a very good narrator", I said.

I could feel the intensity of his anger even though I couldn't see him.

"I'm sorry about that, and I'm sorry about your teammates, but I've got one question. What happened to Rickhel that night?", I asked.

"That is what I would like to know too, he never showed up and it might or might not be related to what happened to us".

"Okay so...".

"Casto!?", a voice startled me. I looked up and I saw Recci standing in front of my table.

"Who are you talking to?", she asked.

What was I even still doing in class I should have left a long time ago. I got up from my seat and turned to walk away.

"Is it because of the training field? is that why you are angry with us?", she asked.

I stopped and took a deep breath, contemplating whether to answer the question or not.

"I'm not angry at anybody, it's personal", I answered and doubled the speed of my walk out the door.

The walk back to the mansion was filled with a lot of thoughts. Thoughts like, will I ever be able to make friends? Will I ever be able to control the book of wrath? But the loudest question in my head is what is its name?

"I know you feel alone, but for what it's worth I'm right here with you, literally I'm right inside your mind", Strig said.

That got a smile out of me.

"Thanks, Strig. So u think I should start by asking Rickhel a few questions about that night", I replied.

"We've started your investigation, so start teaching me more I want to be able to compete with my mates".

"Don't worry I will teach you how to summon without a chant and I will also teach you how to summon other types of blades from the book blades like a scythe, you know the book of swords was called the book of blades when it was first created", Strig said.

"I did not know that, but cool".