Chapter 12: Chapter 12: Friends and Bastards

The throne hall was separated by stonework. Four marble columns within that separate those who go in and out. Robed men and women stood still on the walls near the double doors leading to the throne hall. Their ears perked up as they heard the noise inside. The double doors swung open. Three people clad in cloaks stepped out. A grey-haired man casts a glance at the robed woman talking to a knight.

The man's eyes met with the robed woman. Her pointy long hat swayed as she turns her eye towards the man. The knight that was talking to the robed woman craned his head and followed the woman's eyes. Nolan, who had an argument with the head of the Imperial Royal Guards, neared the two.

The scarlet-haired woman cocked her head back. The Knight curled his scabbard and fronted Nolan. He blocked Nolan's way, he was about to speak but Nolan grabbed his right wrist, pulled him, and put his other hand on his shoulder. Nolan's dim eyes produced light.

"Are you a Knight of Sunspawn?" Nolan beamed. "Your armor strikes me beautiful, and you look robust, friend!"

The man's wariness disappeared. He beamed a smile. "I hear that a lot." He nodded. "Are you perhaps the Walker that made that fancy one squeal? His head was like a berry!"

"Indeed," Nolan took a step back. He pointed his eyes at the scarlet-haired woman. She glances at him with impassive eyes.

"The lady's bothered by the searing sun. My name is Todd, Knight of Sunspawn!" said the Knight. "And you are?"

"Nolan, Bleak Walker." He told Todd. He cast his eyes at the scarlet-haired woman. He neared her and squared his body in front of her, his eyes locked on her. "May I know this lady's name?" he asked.

She examined Nolan from head to toe. She looked at his eyes and said. "Hannah, Sorceress of the Elemental Valley, the Last Disciple of Roman Kalisto. Perhaps you've heard of my esteemed master, Walker?"

Nolan nodded thrice. "Master Kalisto, he should be on the barren lands right now."

Her eyes rounded. "How would you know?" she neared him.

"I know because there's only one scarlet-haired mage with an elemental robe like him. I believe he should be in the Glass Cones Trail." Nolan mirrored Hannah.

"Master is there?" She sweated. Her eyes dilated. "He was ambiguous and vague about it. To think he would be in the barren lands!"

"Roman Kalisto, Grand Sorcerer of Elemental Valley, has been known for his eccentric hobbies. The Lady should realize that he would try to journey to the barren lands. The Glass Cone trail is the perfect place to unravel his spells." Nolan folded his arms.

Hannah's brows arched. She raised her chin. "You know of my master and the trails of the barren land. I assume that you've been there, Walker?"

Nolan nodded. His eyes swirled as the two sigils appeared in his eyes. Todd gawked at the two sigils with his mouth hung open. Nolan smiled as he squeezed his eyes shut, the sigils of his eyes disappearing from his irises. The sigil eyes made Hannah's eyes grew in delight.

"How far did you reach, Walker?" asked Hannah.

"Old Pale Pass, Satin Path and once jumped down the Stasis River. I've brothers and sisters with me, but they are no longer here, sadly." Nolan said, his eyes beamed with melancholy.

"I see," Hannah nodded. "I take it that you introduced yourself to me because of my discipleship?"

Nolan nodded. He snaps his fingers and a rune glowed with fire on the tip of his pointer finger. He winced as the flicker zapped his soul of energy. "I would like for the lady to send some of her energy to my core. You must have heard about the empowerment right?"

Hannah studied the glowing rune. "To stimulate it and make it stronger. Your knowledge of the rune is quite adequate, I heard that Walkers used the runes to combat enemies that cannot be harmed by normal weapons. Why do you want to stimulate your core?"

Nolan explained, "An accident shut my core, and due to this I was forced to retreat back to the City." He lied with a straight face. Of course, he couldn't say that he went back in time and that other than his body, there was no way to strengthen his talents in rune carving.

"I see," She nodded. She pointed a finger at Nolan's stomach. A needle made of light struck his navel. Nolan's body shook, he ground his teeth as the needle digs deep into his body. He felt electric shocks over his sinews as the needle of light stimulates his body.

"Not flinching, not uttering a sound. A veteran Walker, so young as well," she nodded twice. Todd watched Nolan's veins moved like worms around his body. The glow traveled through his body until the light slowly dissipated around his eyes, giving his eyes a bluish glow.

"The Third Vision," said Todd. "Is this normal, Hannah?"

She nodded. "It is, I can see that he has familiarity over the runes, and his experience has already made him enlighten over his own meager powers. It is no surprise that he would gain the Third Vision, the use of all of his senses, concentrated into the eyes."

"Thank you," said Nolan, bowing his head. "I am grateful that you accepted my request, although we only met, my lady."

She waves her hand. "It is a simple matter. You've given me the location of my master. I can scry for his located and send him my intentions. In fact, I am more in debt to you for this." She looked at him. "Do you have any desire other than this?"

Nolan looked back. "Then I ask for friendship," he extended his hands.

Hannah and Todd watched Nolan with widened eyes. Their blank face slowly formed a light smile as they shared a look. Todd laughs slightly, he took Nolan's hands. "I thought Bleak Walkers don't make friends?"

Nolan shook Todd's hands. "I am different." He pointed his hand at Hannah.

Hannah beamed a smile and grabbed his hand. "I don't usually associate myself with wanderers, but if this means that this would please you then I shall accept, Nolan."

Nolan smiled. "It's been a long time, old friends," He thought. "As usual you two are easy to befriend as long as you say it straight. Hah, to think that I would still remember you two pulling me out of the rubble. It has been too long."

The entrance of the castle was bustling with faction leaders chatting with others. Celesta chatted with the other holds, her large frame making her no lesser than the leader she was talking to. Ciara, whose head was lowered listened in to the conversation, while her eyes would dart at the people going out of the reception hall of the throne hall.

She spotted Walkers clad in a cloak, striding out of the castle. A figure, clad in a cape walked out of the entrance, his eyes pointing in their direction. The dim eyes of Nolan met with Ciara. She still remembered his eyes and the way he helped her out.

He strode to Celesta. "Greetings, Leader of the Sword Maidens."

Celesta casts a glance at Nolan. The leader that was talking to Celesta walked away to join his peers. Celesta sized Nolan from head to toe. She raised her hand and smacked it on Nolan's shoulder. Nolan budged, but his face stayed impassive.

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"Celesta, Leader of the Hold of Sword Maidens," said Celesta.

"Nolan, a Bleak Walker." His eyes swirled and the sigil in his eyes appeared.

Celesta rounded her eyes. She nodded. "So you are the one that saved this subordinate of mine?"

"Yes." He glances at Ciara. "I saw her saving someone. I thought that she needed help."

Celesta looked at Ciara with motherly eyes. "She's talented and has the potential to be the next leader of the sword maidens, but she's not that yet."

"I see." Nolan placed his eyes on Ciara. "Looks like you've been bruised? Who did this to you, Ciara?"

"I," Ciara stuttered. "I've been rounding the thugs around the slums along with the girls, Sir Nolan."

"Just Nolan," said Nolan. "And you mention the slums? Could it be that they are the ones that did this? Have you taken care of them?"

She shook her head. "Unfortunately, they were able to escape. I will find them."

"That's the spirit!" Celesta patted Ciara's back.

"It is my duty," said Ciara.

Nolan folded his arms, "May I ask how many of them are they?"

Ciara beamed at him. "I wasn't able to count."

"I see," Nolan nodded thrice. "Make sure to be careful, Ciara."

"Yes, Nolan." She said while tugging her sleeves.

Celesta casts a glance at the two. "It seems like you are not bothered by her face, Nolan?"

Nolan nodded. "I do not judge anyone by their looks. That's asking to befriend a wolf disguised as a sheep. One must always look at the heart of the individual."

Ciara rounded her eyes. She looked down as her cheeks burned. "What a kind person," thought Ciara.

"Nice words!" Celesta patted Nolan's back with a loud smack. "You are a good man, Nolan! I thought you Walkers would be gloomier!"

"Not all Walkers brood perpetually," said Nolan.

"I keep that in mind!" Celesta mouthed. "You gave that brat a scolding! I applaud you for that."

Nolan smiled. "I was only telling the truth. I cannot stand those who are like that. Sir Zachariah should walk what he preaches."

"I agree." Celesta nodded twice.

Nolan glances at the ceilings. "It seems like it is time for me to move on. It was a pleasure speaking with you two." Nolan turned. He moved to the exit and melted into the searing sun. Ciara's eyes stared at his figure as he vanishes from her sight.

"His eyes...were so cold," thought Ciara.

...

He moved along the teeming crowd. His cloak blended with the weary travelers, the horses, and the camels and the carts moving around. He moved slowly while hidden in plain sight. He wove through the streets while keeping out of sight.

He spotted someone. His eyes glowed blue as he tailed the person until he reached a particular street that was just a block away from the slum district. Rough men in leather armor clad in padded clothes chatted with their fellow comrades.

The men near the building didn't spot Nolan who was calmly observing them with a tranquil fury. His eyes were burning with a cold seething gaze. He had this quiet calculated look as he examines the building, calmly calculating what he should do to them.

"You bastards," he thought. "There's no need for me to move and act. The Throes will catch you fools and the sword maidens will have your heads. I don't remember Ciara speaking of such things happening to her. Therefore, the fact that her face got bruised was partly my fault. But, the one that hurt her was you sons of bitches."

He grounded his teeth. Behind the hood, his face was distorted badly. If Vie could see the face that Nolan was making, she would surely feel her spine shiver. Nolan barely makes any expression, but his fierce and cold expression made him looked like a demon.

The afternoon slowly arrived. The busy streets allowed Nolan to stay hidden among the crowd. The thugs around the building slowly disappeared, and by the time night came. Nolan covered his face with a piece of cloth. He checked his body, tightened the straps of his body and waited until he could hear the sound of cheering. The rough men brought wenches inside the building, their hands groping their butts.

Nolan waited until midnight. He waited like a statue around the alleyway until the noise inside the building quieted. He crept sneakily near the building. He picked the locks and woke the wenches that were sleeping with the thugs. The murderous eyes of Nolan made the wenches move without making any noise. The men that they slept with were killed while the rest who were drunk got their throats slit.

Nolan spread lamp oil around the foundations of the building. He crept down the cellar like a puma and poked holes on the barrels of wine that the thugs have. A room that was filled with alchemical materials was used by Nolan. He mixed cannon powder and sawdust. He wrapped them in a bundle and placed them near the foundations.

He swooped around the room and searched for the leader. The leader who was sleeping got dragged by Nolan, interrogated until he learned who bruised Ciara. The leader was hung just outside the building, his neck wrapped in a rope that was slowly tearing. Nolan placed a lit lamp oil around the waist of the leader. He then poured oil into the building and moved out of the place. Later on, the building, shone brightly as it burned throughout the night.

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