Legacy of the Dark Sage

"I think now you understand why I acted the way I did."

"You thought I might be a mercenary hired by the Armakea," Kyran supplied.

Nahir nodded, "Yes, that is correct."

"And here I thought you are just an asshole."

"I do not deny my actions did make me one."

"It\'s good that you know. I don\'t mind if you acted that way around me," Kyran told him. "Only, never treat Neah like that again."

"I won\'t, you have my word."

Cyneah was conflicted after hearing their exchange. It sounded to her as if Kyran was giving Nahir his blessings. It made her wonder again, why Kyran was here.

Thinking back on it, when they were alone in her personal chamber, he did not answer when she asked if he specifically came in Somuli because he knew she was there. He only said the Abbot had told him that he would find what he was searching for if he went to the borders and she selfishly assumed he was searching for her. But remembering how fluently he speak the Somulian language, it meant he had been there for some time. If he really came for her, why did it take long for him to find her? He mentioned a news about a Saint reaching the other Sovereigns, but not once did he say that he came because of that too. Could it be that he came in Somuli in search of something else, and she selfishly assumed it was her?

Cyneah shook her head inwardly. Again, her insecurities was clouding her judgment. Although, Kyran had repeatedly emphasize he was helping the Eidums because of her, her own insecurities made her doubt his intentions.

On the other hand, she was surprised at Nahir. She did not realize he harbored such thoughts. Right from the start, she found his hostility toward Kyran unreasonable and only suspected his judgment had been affected by the Abbot\'s abduction. As the Abbot\'s son, he was the one greatly affected by the situation. She did not consider there was more to it than what he let on.

"Going back on topic," Nahir said, looking at Kyran intently. "What is an outsider like you doing in Somuli?"

Hearing Nahir\'s question, Cyneah\'s ears perked up. She, too, wanted to know the answer to that.

Alas, it seemed Kyran was not willing to answer at once.

"Let me ask you first," he said while leaning forward to return Nahir\'s gaze. "How did you know about outsiders?"

"It\'s because of the complete being I spoke of," Nahir replied at once. "I am well-verse in different Somulian languages, yet I did not understand what that complete being had said. So, I began my research. After a few years, I would meet some complete beings that would speak strange words. Then after observing them, I realized they did not have Divine Armaments. At first I had considered those beings as having an Anathema, or even an illness. But when I talked to my father about it, he told me about the outsiders.

"I did not know how my father knew about them," Nahir admitted. Then he leaned forward as well, not taking his eyes off Kyran\'s. "But you can ask him, yourself."

"Ask him…?" Cyneah repeated in confusion, not understanding what Nahir meant at first. But then, a thought flashed in her mind and she looked toward Kyran\'s direction, her expression lit up in understanding.

When the two of them were alone in her personal chamber, she teased him about his hobby of kidnapping people. He brushed it off by sounding offended, but now that she thought of it, he sounded a little off that time.

Kyran only looked at Nahir, but a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he asked, "Is this is what you meant about knowing your father well?"

"I have been reading the findings about my father\'s abduction," Nahir said with a shrug. He leaned back and continued, "When reading through the statements of beast-likes who saw my father in the underground shelter, none of them mentioned about seeing a person like you.

"They did, however, mentioned, seeing him with a young beast-like. They only stood side by side, but some remembered my father laughing aloud for no apparent reason."

Nahir looked at Kyran with squinted eyes, "You are that beast-like."

It was not a question, but a statement.

Kyran regarded Nahir in silence. Now that the older man was not acting like an asshole, he was actually a sharp person. A person like him could be a good ally or an annoying enemy.

"And you conversed with my father telepathically."

Cyneah listened to their conversation intently. It was a little frustrating that she could not see their expressions, and could only discern them through the sound of their voices and at times their light auras. However, since she could only see Nahir\'s, it was really hard to follow.

"You\'re not saying anything, so I take it that is your silent acknowledgment."

Kyran only smiled.

Seeing the younger man was not keen on responding, Nahir continued with his guess, "According to the town leaders, when my father was abducted, the ceiling of the shelter caved in, rendering their attempt to save him futile. They did not even see the abductors\' faces. Thus, the investigation came to a stand-still.

"Curiously enough, when I asked my people to investigate why my father was in the underground shelter, we discovered the town was actually under siege…"

Nahir went on to explain their findings that the perpetrators of that siege was from the Howling Pass. Which was why he was initially led to believe the ones who abducted his father were mercenaries, and that they might have been hired by an Armakean leader.

But there was another possibility. Which was the Abbot hired the mercenaries to \'abduct\' him.

Nahir thought of this possibility after discovering the young beast-like with his father. At that time, he only thought the beast-like was with those people who sieged the town. However, there was also a possibility that he was a completely unrelated beast-like that his father found useful.

Then Kyran was added into the equation, yet he did not fit in any of Nahir\'s initial findings. After all, Nahir had thought his father had asked the help of a young beast-like, but was then greeted by a \'complete being\' looking like an Imon-spawn.

Add to that, he got jealous of Kyran\'s closeness to Cyneah, which clouded his judgment.

"As an outsider, I suppose you have the ability to change your appearance," Nahir quipped. This time, he was only voicing his guess and did not know whether it was true or not. Besides, changing one\'s appearance involved a highly advance magic spell and even then, the change was limited. For one thing, if a complete being used it, they could only change the color of their eyes, hair or even complexion. Not their \'race.\'

"That is one thing I find curious about you," Nahir admitted with a slight frown. "My father told me that an outsider\'s abilities and magic will be restricted because of the different magic law in Somuli. However, that does not seem to apply to you."

Kyran remained silent and only listened to Nahir.

Seeing the younger man was still keen on keeping his silence, Nahir continued, "Anyhow, my father believed you have the ability to resolve the Eidum\'s situation. Thus, he asked your help. In turn, well… I suppose he traded your assistance by providing you intel."

Nahir then looked at Cyneah.

"As for the extent of the assistance he asked of you, I don\'t know. Although, I have an inkling it involves the \'abduction\' part."

Silence ensued after Nahir shared his thoughts.

After a few minutes, Kyran finally reacted. He took a deep breath and regarded Nahir for a few second before saying, "For the record, your father only asked my help in dealing with the situation here. And yes, in turn, he gave me intel about where to find what I am searching for."

He tilted his head toward Cyneah.

Cyneah, unable to properly distinguish Kyran\'s silhouette, did not see his subtle movement.

"What about the abduction?"

"I was the one who suggested, he needs to disappear."

"So you really abducted the Abbot," Cyneah said with an exasperated sigh.

Kyran looked at her with a groan, "Did you have to sound like that?"

"You really have to stop abducting people."

"I don\'t…" Kyran groaned in exasperation.

Nahir\'s eyes squinted slightly at their exchange. Whether it was intentional or not, the two had started to speak in different language again. Nevertheless, he more or less guessed Cyneah was reprimanding Kyran about abducting the Abbot.

Nahir cleared his throat and asked, "Where is my father?"

The two stopped and looked at Nahir.

Cyneah was also wondering where Kyran hid the Abbot.

At the moment, there were several elites from the Eidums and the Nobles looking for the Abbot. There might even be some Armakean looking for him. Yet none of them were successful.

Kyran was the one who suggested not telling others about the truth of the old man\'s abduction. This was to prevent the information from leaking. However, because of Nahir\'s attitude earlier, Kyran knew it would be counterproductive in the long run if someone like him would keep getting in his way because he did not trust him.

Besides, Nahir had agreed to his proposal of a conquest. If the two cooperated, then it would be easier for Kyran to move around. He had been thinking about Dusk\'s warning too, and knew he had to finalize his plan soon.

"Earlier, you said you\'d unmask me in front of others," Kyran started.

"I said that in the heat of the moment," Nahir shrugged. "Besides, you already admitted my father\'s abduction is staged, so you are not really worried about me revealing the truth, right?"

"I\'m not talking about that," Kyran replied, his voice dropping a note. "There are bigger things you are probably unaware that is happening in Somuli."

"If this is about the Sovereign and the Nobles I am well aware of it—."

"That is only a part of the bigger picture," Kyran cut him midsentence. "The old man also had no idea who he asked for help."

"Who he asked for help… are you talking about yourself…?"

"I am."

Cyneah tensed after hearing this. Obviously, Kyran intended to tell Nahir the truth about them.

Kyran\'s eyes turned reddish-purple but because of the face-altering mask, it only made his dark brown eyes changed into a deeper shade.

"Old man, can you hear us?"

The projector lit up inside the old man\'s room. He was surprised to see his son looking back at him in confusion. Of course, he knew Nahir was not really looking at him but at Kyran.

\'So Nahir has arrived.\'

"I told him the truth," Kyran told the old man.

The old man\'s eyes widened, \'W-What?\'

"He can also hear you. Neah is also here," Kyran replied.

Nahir looked at Kyran in disbelief. He heard his father\'s voice just now. However, he could not see him, nor could he sense where he was. How was it possible?

"How…? Where is he exactly?"

"When you said you\'d unmask me, I told you \'I don\'t think you can handle the consequences.\'"

"Yes, you said that," Nahir replied, suddenly sensing an ominous foreboding.

"That does not apply only to me, but also to Neah."

Cyneah closed her eyes. As expected, Kyran did intend to tell them the truth.

Frankly, she did not mind. No matter what, she believed in Kyran\'s judgment. If he believed it was fine to reveal the truth, she would not stop him. Even if the result would not be ideal, it did not matter as long as they faced it together.

"Old man," Kyran called the old man\'s attention, before looking at Nahir solemnly.

"Have you heard about the Dark Sage?"