Twisted truths
The Moirai Grand estate was huge, with meticulously maintained gardens looking a lot better than the time Josh first arrived here. It also featured marble statues and elegant fountains catching the morning sun. In the distance, the lively Sif'ur city buzzed with activity, its towering buildings casting shadows over the serene estate.
The sound of swords clashing could be heard all over the estate. Timothy and Josh were busy at it, both of them had beads of perspiration running down their faces as each man studied the other. Josh had a calm look on his face as he calculated each and every possible move Timothy might try to make. Timothy's expression was one of bewilderment; he could not perceive Josh's sword art at all. At best, all he could do was evade and block the incoming attacks with no possible route of launching his own counter-attack. But before the duel could commence further, Josh spoke up, "I think that is more than enough for today, don't you think so, Mr. Moirai?" Josh asked. But instead of a reply, he got a slow eye roll from Timothy. Confused by the strange behavior, Josh was about to ask Timothy if there was something he said wrong or perhaps -
"Mr. Belling, I am but a few years younger than you, and we have been staying in the same house for two weeks straight, but yet you still refer to me as 'Mr.' That does not sit well with me, and I hope you can change that." Timothy cleared Josh's confusion, but Josh still did not understand what was wrong. To him, only a few people were worthy to be addressed by their first names, and Mr. Moirai was not one of those fortunate souls. But either way, the kid had asked nicely, so he had to change something.
"Oh right, I will change that. But I believe you have some questions to ask me, especially ones related to my sword art, am I right?" Josh cocked up a brow with half a smile gracing his face, and if any lady noble or peasant were here, they would have melted at Josh's current appearance.
Timothy slowly nodded as he tried to arrange his thoughts. He wanted to ask Josh for guidance, but he didn't want to seem desperate.
"Mr. Belling, if I may ask, what is the name of your sword art?" Timothy made sure to start out slow. Josh nodded, having predicted this question.
"My sword art is called Ethereal Blade Dance. Well, that was not even the real sword art because it did not have its core component. Do not worry, Moirai. Once you arrive at the sanctum, you will understand a lot of things. Right now, I'm not allowed to share much with you because you are still a Seeker. But once you have risen up to Acolyte, then I will be allowed to share more with you. But as for now, I cannot," Josh explained. Timothy nodded, clearly understanding Josh and deciding not to push further.
"Understood, but there is something you need to explain to me." Timothy gestured for Josh to come closer to him, and he leaned in, whispering something in his ear. Josh's eyes widened in disbelief before a chuckle escaped his lips, quickly building into hearty laughter that echoed through the Estate. His shoulders shook with amusement, and he wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. But that strange moment could not live long because in a matter of a few breaths, Josh was back to his composed and calm self. Timothy was visibly startled by Josh's reaction to his question. But before he could inquire why Josh was laughing, Josh began explaining: "Excuse my manners; it's just that I thought you wanted to inquire about something serious, but instead, you want to know why we are still in Sif'ur? Well, Moirai, I can explain it to you, but I won't. All I can tell you is that your little city reeks of foul energy, and the two of us are going to investigate it and also solve it. That will speed your advancement into an Acolyte."
Timothy could not rid himself of the unsettling suspicion that Josh's mysterious words hid a deeper purpose to their assignment, as bizarre events continued to haunt the city.'This city is rotten,' Timothy thought as he recalled what happened to his sister, Evelyn.
"Moirai, I have been meaning to ask, where did you get the ring from? It's been 13 days and nights since you started wearing it, and I have not once seen you take it off." Josh's question felt like bait to him.
'Should I tell him or should I keep you a secret?' Timothy asked Richard through their mind link, 'From what you have told me about him and what I have assessed during this past week, I believe that this man is a high-level konqueror of the mindweaver's path, so lying to him would be futile and it would cause a rift between the fragile bond you have. So, no, do not lie,' Richard advised.
Meanwhile, Josh had his eyes on Timothy, noting down every minor change from the moment he asked the question. The way his eyes widened slightly at the mention of the ring, his unfocused gaze right after the question. Josh recorded down every minor change up until Timothy spoke up - "This is a Rune artifact that Nana left for me. I found it in our library with a letter. She didn't explain what it does, but just that I should keep it on me at all times. Unfortunately, I would have shown you the letter, but just after I was done reading it, it burned up." Timothy, being smart, decided to reveal his own version of the truth. Josh stared at him for a bit longer than frowned.
"This complicates things. Uh, can you please take me to your family's library? I need to see which books were your Nana most interested in. That might unveil a new layer to the mystery behind her death." Vaguely understanding Josh's intention, Timothy agreed, and they left the training grounds heading for the library.