On the opposite side of the mountain, towards the south-east, the cold was not much, but it was still as empty as any other place. Like Scythe in the North, there was another bigshot in the south, Harth. Though he paled in comparison.
Like Scythe, his na was not that well known among the participants. Like Scythe, he did not have many under him, but what he has was enough for Harth to declare himself as the King of South.
But Evan did not care a single silver about anything. He was with his two companions in the south, and nobody had yet to bother them. Well, the very reason was that Evan tried his best to keep them hidden. His only priority was to keep the two siblings safe.
They were staying in a cave. They have not found it by coincidence, though. Evan invested quite a sum to buy the map of hidden places like that and used one of his artifact to hide it. And it seed he was not the only one with that foresight.
After the night long ditation, Evan opened his eyes and found so usual but familiar aura inside it. The two siblings, Lillian and Lan, felt nothing, they were already up before him. The curly-haired girl saw the unusual expression on his face.
"Is sothing wrong?" Lillian asked.
"No," Evan shook his head. "You two stay here. I will go for a walk ahead."
Evan left the two siblings in the hidden cave. He walked down the path, following the unusual aura. It was just like soone left just for Evan to follow. It could be a trap or sothing else. He will only know getting there.
Moving for a good few minutes in the dense forest, Evan ca to a stop. His palm was on the sword in the shoulder. The slow wind blew as he heard a voice from behind. And then everything turned silent, even the slow wind stoped blowing in the surroundings. A barrier was established in about ten tres of the surrounding, restricting any view or voice.
"Good seeing you old friend."
Evan looked back, still gripping the sword. The owner of the voice was a young man of his age. A rather angular, handso face with short, dark hair. The man who addressed him as an old friend was sitting under a tree almost defenceless, but Evan knew better. If soone thought this gentle-looking man to be defenceless, they would be utterly mistaken.
"I am not your friend," Evan said, sighing. "Aasan."
"You almost broke my heart," Aasan who was sitting under a lone tree, leaning in. "The best acolyte among our peers."
"It's all in the past."
"Right," Aasan nodded thoughtfully. "Care to sit and have a talk?"
Evan shook his head. He removed the grip from the sword. "Say what you wanted to say and make it quick. I don't have ti."
"Taking care of our master's offspring, eh?" Assan asked with narrowed eyes and a sleek smile on his lips. "Should I help as well? You know it is the duty for a disciple to take care of their master's children in his absence."
"Enough ssing around. Didn't I say I don't have ti to entertain you?"
Aasan crooked his lips. Sighing, he ca to the main topic of why he ca here.
"Do you have any intention of participating in the so-called 'Little War'?" There was clear mockery in Aasan's tone. "The tradition of the Maha Tower."
"What do you an I am precipitating it?"
"So you call this precipitating?" Aasan mocked. "Fine, I will ask you in your language. Do you have any plan of showing your true colours here? The best acolyte among our ti."
"It is in the past," Evan shook his head, saying, "I am not that man anymore."
"So you only take part for the sake of it?"
Evan said nothing, but his silence was an answer.
"Smart choice." Aasan nodded a couple of tis. "I know you always make smart choices, but sotis you are quite late.
"Well, no good will co rembering the past."
"Why are you here?" Evan could not take it anymore.
"Nothing, just wanted to see an old friend."
"I am not your friend," Evan said, gritting his teeth. "Never were."
Aasan nodded thoughtfully again. "But you could have been."
Aasan stood up then, tossing the crystal ball that held the barrier together. "The ti is almost over. Oh, by the way, the new friends you made in the sanctuary are in for quite so trouble. Apparently, this guy Scythe was after them. Will you try to help them?"
Aasan looked to see any worry or panic in Evan's expression, but found none. He gave a dissatisfied grunt as the barrier beca unstable.
"I won't take any of your ti now. Goodbye."
Evan gave a slow nod before turning away from there. "We don't know each other," he said, walking out.
"Never seen your disgusting face before," Aasan added. His eyes followed the disappearing figure.
When Evan was gone, the rcenary man, Laman, ca from behind. He was still dressed like a rcenary, equipped with articles not that flashy.
"So what did you two talked about?" Laman asked.
"Nothing serious."
"What do you plan for now?"
"Nothing," Aasan said flatly. "Let's just watch the play though I imagined it to be boring."
.. .
The sun rose like any other day; the mist hovered in the air wilfully. Wrik felt quite fresh after having a good sleep. All the tiredness he stacked up washed away by a fair margin.
Wrik looked at the short-haired girl who was flustered for no reason.
"Just do it like the first ti," he said, holding out his arm.
Byul nodded and triggered her ability [Link]. Golden light glowed from her palm as she cautiously touched Wrik's palm.
"It worked." Both of them said together.
After Byul asked him to practice with her, this was the first ti they were trying. Though the link succeeded on their first try, the bewildered expression on Byul's face told him she did not know where to go from here.
"What do I do?" she asked.
Wrik tilted his head towards which made her blush a little. 'It is your ability and you are asking soone else!' he sighed and ca up with sothing. "Try sothing. Close your eyes and focus on the link. It might help."
Byul nodded, closing her eyes. She focused on the thin golden string that connected both of them. With her concentration, the thin link beca quite thick. She tried to flow a strand of her mana through the link and discovered she succeeded easily.
"It worked," she said. "You try it as well."
"Wait," Wrik was flabbergasted for another matter. Just know he did not hear Byul's voice in his ears, but it rang in his head. "You can use telepathy?"
"What?" Byul was similarly confused. She opened her eyes bewilderedly and asked. "Did I do that?"
"Try it again."
Byul nodded and closed her eyes. [Is it working?] she asked.
"Yes," Wrik said. "You can really send out thoughts telepathically."
"How about you try it as well," she said, opening her eyes. "It might work."
"Let's see," Wrik nodded and closed his eyes. He focused on the link and found he could transfer mana to her as well. Then he tried to send out his thoughts telepathically to see if it works or not.
"Stop it," Byul cried the mont Wrik tried telepathy. She unconsciously stepped back and cut off the link.
"What happened?" Wrik asked with confusion.
Byul breathed a few tis to calm herself down. She touched her temple with her palm, sighing in relief. "I don't know. I felt sothing assault my mind and panicked."
Wrik raised an eyebrow. "I think it's my fault. I may have a problem transferring a clear thought."
"It's alright, I'm good."
"That's a relief," Wrik eyed the short-haired girl. "By the way, why did you ask for training? You could ask Tanya, Michelle or others."
Byul beca flustered at his inquiry. "I tried," she muttered. "But I could not succeed with any of them."
"What?" Wrik frowned. "Why is that?"
"Apparently, I can only bond with only one person with my current ability. And when I first linked with you, it unconsciously made the bond a permanent one," Byul said looking down. Clearly, she was afraid of his wrath. "I was not in my right mind and had no prior experience before that. Don't be mad. I think I'll be able to break the link after I master the ability."
But Wrik did not flare up like Byul thought him to be. She looked with the corner of her eyes to see him frowning.
Wrik opened his lips and was about to say sothing, then they heard a voice from behind.
"Pretty Brother, do you have a minute?"
It was Lily, she was standing a dozen tres across from them.
Wrik nodded. Giving a second look at Byul, he moved to Lily.
Lily looked quite tired. Her eyes were sunken. It seed she did not have a good sleep. It appeared she thought about his proposal for the entire night.
Wrik raised his eyebrows at the tall woman, asking if sothing that matters.
"I decided," she said. "I agree with your plan, and Dairyl will help you too in breaking those slave brands."
"That was quick," Wrik muttered. He had not thought Lily would agree with him, only thinking after one night.
"But I have a condition."
"Of course," Wrik said and nodded. "What is it?"
"I will do anything in my limit to help in your plan, but in return, you would do anything to help eliminate Arjamith Adam D'borge."
"It's a promise then."
_________________
End of Chapter: Undercurrents.
Next Chapter: Scam.
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