Chapter 17: Why Doesn't She Move?

The sun wasn't shining bright that day. The lively house of the Hephaestus was still gloomy as a silent night. There was a motionless woman's body lying on the white bed of the wooden house. Beside of it, there was a little boy, who's head was lying on the woman's hand with a glimmer of hope.

These are what the bird staring from the window, sitting on a tree could see.

"(Mom isn't waking up. What did that woman do to her?...Maybe I should find out. But what can I do...I'm just a three years old who can't even go out on his own yet. DAMN IT!)" Erland got down of the bed.

"Erland, where you at?" Randi called out.

"Ugh...I'm here. Coming..." said Erland.

He headed downstairs with no interest. When he reached Randi's room, he saw her at a sorrowful state. She was gravely injured. One part of her head was completely covered with bandages. He looked at her desk and saw a broken knife.

"Randi. What happened?" said Erland.

"That should be my question. What happened?" said Randi.

"A lot of things. You know, uncle Svend-"

"Skip that part. Your father told me everything already. I connected the dots and got an answer. Tell me what happened to your mom."

"After I told her about the whole thing that happened, you know, the whole Svend suspecting me and me awakening my power thing. She got sick after hearing all that."

"That doesn't make any sense. Wait, you awoke your power again!?!"

"I think that I did or maybe I didn't. Something took over me and used me at the moment."

"So she got sick after hearing all those. Is that all?"

"No, that's not all- half it is. A white robed woman from the central Naos came. She shot something at mommy. She coughed a lot of blood and she hasn't even moved ever since."

"I can't make any sense out of it...How did the woman know about the situation?" Randi looked confused. 

"I asked for help at the central Naos. By the way, those brats who bullied me gave us a box, even at a day when mommy threw a sudden party. Don't you think that it's strange?"

"It is. Some people has been keeping an eye on us."

"Yeah. I feel like we are still being watched."

"Hm...I don't blame Svend on suspecting you to be honest. You suddenly change into some all knowing prodigy. You are a mere three years old. It's hard to believe...Let's just accept that you are a Lord gifted all knowing prodigy for now."

"Don't start talking like him." Erland crossed his arms and looked away.  "Do you know why mommy isn't waking up?"

"I don't know. I am too sick to even move from this damn bed. Did you eat? It's already lunchtime."

"No..." Erland shook his head. "Wait, where is daddy?" His face looked pale as soon as he remembered he hasn't heard of his father in a long time.

"We both headed somewhere to get something. On the way, some people attacked on us. Your dad's hand got badly injured. Those men got bombs. Remember that if you ever see someone with black round things with something that can light some fire up, stay away from them no matter how good of a guy they seems. They are a part of the people who sells human. By the way, your dad's at a friend's house. He was too much hurt to move here since our house is too far from that place."

"Um...I once heard from a kid of the orphanage that, the men she used to live with, sort of did stuffs like that. I am not sure."

Randi's cold face seemed to be filled with fury of anger "Ain't gonna lie...I am so eager to slap you right now that my blood is boiling. Listen Erland, you are little. You know little. No matter how smart you are, you can do nothing when it comes to experience. I hope I won't have trouble to make you understand my words. Do not make any decision on your own ever again. Even when you have to play, ask someone to come with you. Remember that the family you are from is different. It might be hard to swallow all these at such a young age. But you have to accept it."

"(She's right...I used to be a teenager so what? I am just a little kid now. I don't even have all my memories back. I even cry like a baby sometimes. I'm an idiot.)"

"What's up with that face? Is Ceol around? By the way, what's the priest's name?"

"Uh..."

"Hm?" Randi raised an eyebrow.

"It's...Arne."

"Why did you hesitate so much to tell me that name? Did he tell you not to?"

"No. I couldn't remember his name well."

"What a load of nonsense I've been hearing. Anyway, go have lunch. Then head off as soon as you can. Go to the central Naos with him. Gather any information you get from them. Since you know that priest well, there is a chance of you gathering more information than expected. I suspect even the central Naos when it comes to these matters."

"These matters?"

"Just go, I am puzzled right now. I need some time...You can't get hurt in the Naos at least...Go."

"(I am the one who is puzzled right now. Everyone is starting to act different. This isn't time to defend myself. If I die for being an outlander, I die.)"

Erland searched the house to look for Ceol. He found no one, not even his sister. Being worried, he searched the backyard in hope to find his sister.

Once Erland reached the backyard, he found his sister, sitting by the tree. Seeing Erland, she stood up.

"You need anything? I left your lunch on the table." said Hilda with a tired expression.

"I don't want to eat actually. Were you crying?" Erland got close and held her hands.

"No! I wasn't! Why would I? Even if you don't want to eat, you have to. Mommy will get mad at me if she hears that you haven't eaten yet. Come on, you skipped breakfast. Not this one too."

"Me and Ceol will go to the central Naos."

"Why? Me and Ceol can go there. You have been going through too much. You need some rest." Hilda kneeled down to his level.

"That's what a dummy would say. I can't take care of Randi and mommy at the same time."

"Ceol can go alone. I can't just send you off with anyone no matter how much I trust them." Hilda held Erland's shoulders.

"Just let me go. I will be fine!"

"No..." Hilda looked down.

"Why? Even Randi trusts him now. She told us to go together. And also, I know the priests, he doesn't."

"Erland can you shut up for a moment? This all happened because of YOU!"

There was an awkward silence between the two. 

Erland slowly nodded and backed away as Hilda's hands slid off from his shoulders. Erland held back a lot of words to say and buried the sadness he felt. He quietly walked away from the backyard to his house.

The bird who was spectating them was still there. It flew away, the moment Erland walked away as well.

Ceol opened the door of the backyard. He was holding a white bag. His white shirt was dirty and his hair was smeared.

"Good morning. Or rather afternoon I guess." said Ceol with a faint smile.

"Good afternoon. Ceol, can you please take me to the central Naos?" said Erland.

"Huh? Me? Did you get permission?"

"No, he didn't. Don't listen to him." Hilda pulled Erland.

"But Randi said yes. Also, there is a chance for us to wake mommy up." Erland freed himself from Hilda's hands. He moved away and got close to Ceol.

Hilda looked down, thinking all these are pointless. She walked towards the door of the house and started to close it, slowly, using her all of her mental strength.

"Do what you wanna do then. I don't wanna take these anymore."

Hilda slammed the door.

"(I wish mommy was awake...Mommy...when will you wake up? It's been a day but it feels like years since you've been gone)"

Being hopeless, she wept, hiding her tears away from the others...not to seem weaker than she already seems to most people.

Erland and Ceol was standing outside without any clue about anything.

"Ceol, let's leave these stuffs inside and go. We are running out of time." said Erland.

"I have no choice it seems. But at first you have to take your lunch." said Ceol, pointing an finger at Erland, nagging him.

"Ughh- Okay." said Erland.

They both headed outside after taking their lunch. Things went smoothly. No one followed them, neither did they encounter any problem on their way. They easily hired a carriage by luck. Even though they had to spend all the deben in their pocket, they reached the central Naos safely.

"Alright then. Let's look for Arne." said Erland.

"Um...are you sure that you are gonna go inside with wet shoes? Maybe we should dry our shoes a little." said Ceol.

"Eh...That's gonna take a whole lots of time. Damn it!"

"If you parents hear that you said such words they are gonna go after me first." said Ceol with a sigh.

"Why?" Erland tilted his head.

"Because I let you say such thing."

"Oh. Anyway, let's dry our shoes up."

There was a flowing canal beside the Naos. There were huge white rocks and small black pebbles. Erland sat beside the canal and placed his shoes aside. Ceol sat beside him and kept his shoes as well. The sun was shining bright in all of a sudden.

"A sudden ray of sunshine in the middle of such day is a gift from mother nature isn't it Erland?" said Ceol and gazed upon the sky.

"Maybe. I am not as poetic as you."

Ceol laughed faintly "You sound old in all of a sudden. Did all these suffering numb you, my friend?"

"I don't know." Erland threw the pebbles in a random place.

"Have you noticed that a bird in black and white has been following us since then?"

"Maybe it's some other bird."

"Or maybe not. Each creature has their own uniqueness. I can see it with my soul and my eyes." said Ceol, looking at the bird.

"(He may not be wrong. He might be a bard but he has quiet a knack to see through things clearly.)" Erland looked at Ceol a bit and then got back to his pebble throwing business again, waiting to meet Arne again, by chance.

"What are you two doing here? Don't you know that the canal's water is only to drink? You mustn't touch it!" said a man who came from behind.

"Yeah yeah, we are moving." said Erland, sounding like an old man tired from his jobs.

"You have drastically changed." said Ceol. A gentle breeze moved his hair as he took a deep breath.

"('Cause I don't care about getting caught anymore.)" Erland spoke in his mind, darting his tired eyes away here and there.

"Excuse me Sir, can you please tell us where we can find Hierius Arne?" Ceol spoke to the man.

"He is on the southern side. Probably in the church or maybe outside. I don't know." said the man and walked away.

"Didn't really help but thanks..." said Erland and started to walk.

"Hey, Erland." Ceol gazed upon the Naos.

"What is it?"

"The Naos' building. It's beautiful..."

Erland gazed upon it. His eyes widened. He got astonished by it's beauty.

"It really is beautiful." Erland admired its beauty for a split second "Anyway, we gotta get going now."

"*sigh* You really are like an old grandpa now."

They were heading inside to look for Arne. Some guards stopped them saying that they are not allowed to go inside due to an unknown incident. With no choice they left the building.

They headed to the southernmost part of the area. They only got a glimpse of natural beauty and nothing else. Being disappointed, they were about to head off.

"It's you two. What a coincidence. I was just looking for you two." said Arne who appeared out of nowhere, appearing with his usual attire and a soothing faint smile.

"Arne, we need your help again-" Erland was about to finish his words. Ceol grabbed his mouth and said,

"Erland, be polite. Good evening my Hierius. We would like to ask you some questions about Aunt Gunhild's condition.

"Gunhild...Huh...Yeah ask away my child." Arne crossed his arm and rubbed his chin with one hand.

"The Hierius who visited us last night shot something at her. She has been motionless ever since and she has also coughed a huge amount of blood. Will she be okay?"

"Hm...Lords know well." said Arne confidently as he tilted his head.

"HUH?!" Both Ceol and Erland were shocked and disappointed by such an answer.

"What...So all we did went in vein?" said Erland.

"Patience. We are mortals Erland. Patience must be our divine virtue to achieve something since we lack natural supernatural power. Do you understand me?" said Arne calmly.

"Is there anything I can do though?"

"I don't know much. But I do know one thing."

"Wh-what is it?"

"You should stick with me for now. The police are eager to hear from you since you are the main victim of the incident."

"The whole draug taking me thing?"

"Yes, the draug taking you thing. Since I am a part of the central Naos, I have been issued an order from the government to send and gather any intel I get about the incident. I assume that you have been followed by several police and people already."

"No."

"Oh?" Arne arched and eyebrow while rubbing his chin. He uncrossed his arm and then kneeled slightly to Erland's level. "That is surprising indeed."

"But there has been a birdie who's been following us."

"Such keen eye..."

"...Ceol noticed it by the way." said Erland, being tired from all these and unwilling to speak.

Arne laughed a bit and then stood up. "My my, you are not in the mood to talk even a bit. So my proposal to you, is that, you will hang around with me a little bit so that I can gather some intel in a friendly way. I am concerned about how the police will treat you so this is a mere offer from me."

"I accept."

"Oh and Ceol isn't it?" Arne looked at Ceol. "I have heard your songs a lot of times around the corners of the city. They soothe my ears as well as my soul. Mind cheering up the kids in the garden a little whilst I have a chat with little Erland? The garden is just on the right by the way."

"I would love to." said Ceol and walked away with a polite bow.

"Um...couldn't we talk with him as well?" Erland scratched his head.

Arne grinned and replied "It would bring unnecessary trouble...Erland Hephaestus..."