Chapter 28

  Drakkel and Auril were deep in conversation. But, at some point they had both fallen asleep. So, Drakkel woke up to the carriage stopping.

  When he woke, he found that his head was laid on Rillian Adore's shoulder. In utter surprise and humiliation at the fact, he quickly sat up and apologized to him. But Rillian Adore wasn't bothered by it at all, even letting Drakkel know that it was fine.

  At that point, Auril had woken up as well.

  “It seems that we’ve arrived at SwordSmith Villa,” She said.

  As Drakkel stretched his upper body, he replied, “Great. Then we’ll leave now.”

  “Do you want us to wait for you?” Auril asked.

  Drakkel thought they had intruded too much on the two.

  He shook his head. “You and your father have already done enough. You should continue to look for the place you want to stay.”

  Auril smiled. “Actually, we’ve already discussed it. Towering Heights seems like a nice town. Once we’re done helping you, we’ll see if we can buy a place there. I’m not a sword outcast so I should be able to find work as a guard.”

  “That's good.” Drakkel said. “I’m glad you two have found a home.”

  He put on his bamboo hat and he and Rillian Adore stepped off the carriage.

  They walked up to Rou who sat in the driver's seat and Rillian Adore said, “Thanks for providing us with a ride, Rou.”

  Rou nodded. “Not a problem. If only my Auril could marry a dependable and kind young man like one of yourselves! Then I would have nothing to worry about!”

  “Father!” Auril shouted from the carriage

  Rou laughed. “Let me go then, so we can get settled. If you two ever require my services again, just let me know.”

  Rillian Adore and Drakkel bowed their heads.

  Rou then struck the reins and yelled for the horse to move. He rode off as Rillian Adore and Drakkel watched.

  When Rou left, Drakkel put on his bamboo hat and observed his surroundings. This was not the first time he had been to Joyous Encounters so he wasn't surprised by the way it looked. It seemed that it hadn't changed much from when he was last there.

  The sky had taken up several hues of orange red and purple as the streets bustled with people.

  Those who passed had clean clothes and healthy skin. They talked and walked at leisurely paces, paying the two no mind.

  Among the regular people were those who held various weapons and donned robes of many different colors. One could see them separated into groups with those with weapons and those without. So of course among this scenery, Drakkel and Rillian Adore didn't stand out too much.

  The buildings within the city were more luxurious than those in most other inner cities, with some being made of concrete, some dark wood and a small few, with granite. As he turned his attention away from the streets and to a large structure that sat in the middle of the city, Drakkel realized that maybe some things had changed after all.

  The manor of SwordSmith Villa had always been a sight to behold. Surrounded by a long barrier, it was the largest of the top seven Swords Clans. But it looked as if during these times, that it had become even more extravagant.

  Fancy statues were littered around the place and the one simple gate that represented the entrance to the manor was decorated with jade and gold fixtures. The manor itself was intricately designed down to its last detail. In its extravagance it could almost be compared to the emperor's palace in Dragon’s Dwelling.

  Two white and gold robed disciples stood at the front gate, looking bored and uninterested. In their hands were specially designed weapons made of the finest material. When it came to weapons training, Sword Smith Villa was unique. It was originally started by three masters and a blacksmith. The three masters each had their own weapon style and specialized in combat for these weapons, so Swordsmith Villa contained three weapon styles and was also home to the best swordsmiths in the world.

  The three weapon styles were the piercing spear created by Simella Rose, the defensive bo staff created by Sen Fo and the scissoring scythe created by Ton Lee. Because of this, the villa had many options for any wishing to join its ranks. If it weren’t for the fact that it was selective in who it took in, it could easily have been the Swords clan with the largest number of members. But because of its growing power and looser restrictions, the Golden Peak swords clan currently held the title.

  Since they had been dropped a little bit away from the manor because the manor prohibited people from parking their carriages for too long, Drakkel and Rillian Adore had to walk a small distance to get to the front gates.

  As they almost reached the point where the disciples could easily see them, a carriage approached from the distance.

  Rillian Adore suddenly grabbed onto Drakkel’s arm, covered his mouth, and pulled him in the complete opposite direction of the manor.

  The manor had a solid gate and surrounding walls with two disciples guarding it. Now, they were hiding behind a wall of one of the buildings across from it.

  Because of the angle, the carriage that just arrived, blocked their view of the place.

  Thinking that Rillian Adore had seen or felt something threatening, Drakkel kept his mouth shut. But he didn't want to be stuck in this position with Rillian Adore’s hand placed so firmly on his mouth.

  He gently tapped Rillian Adore’s arm and he nodded, slowly lowering it. At the same time, he let go of Drakkel's arm, fully releasing his body.

  Wondering why he was so urgently pulled away, Drakkel looked out for where Rillian Adore’s gaze was fixated.

  Carriages weren't allowed to park in front of SwordSmith Villa manor for long, but even after waiting 5 minutes, this one didn't leave. Whoever owned it must have been either somewhat influential or close with the owner.

  Because his view was blocked, Drakkel couldn't see who the carriage belonged to. He could only stand still as he and Rillian Adore continued to wait in the corner.

  After twenty minutes, the horses neighed and the carriage sped off from whence it came. And it was then that Rillian Adore stepped out from the corner and casually walked over to the disciples, pretending as if nothing occurred and even making no mention of it to Drakkel.

  As they approached, the two disciples, one male and one female stopped them.

  The female disciple said, “Who are you? What business do you have with SwordSmith Villa?”

  Drakkel then remembered what his master told him- he shouldn't show the pendant unless it was a last resort.

  As he thought up an explanation, Rillian Adore stepped forward. “I’m Rillian Adore. I was involved in the Shadowy Ridges incident and have some questions for the Clan Leader.”

  The two disciples seemed unsure at first. After all, Rillian Adore's weapon was still in its sheath and wrapped with a cloth and many Rillian Adore impersonators had popped up a while ago. On top of this, it was normally the newer disciples that guarded the gates of the Sword's Clan manors. What was probably made worse for this Swords’ Clan was that many different people stepped through the gates.

  Yes, Rillian Adore had an intimidating aura but he wasn’t the only one. How could the disciples, especially those who were most likely new, recognize him after seeing so many different faces everyday? However, when Rillian Adore pulled out his golden pass, they quickly bowed.

  “We apologize,Sword Master Rillian. You can step through. By the way, we just saw..”

  Rillian Adore’s gaze suddenly intensified and the disciple speaking quickly shut her mouth.

  With trembling lips, she said, “Nevermind…”

  Rillian Adore nodded in response.

  As he and Drakkel were about to step in, the male disciple asked, “And… who is this with you?”

  Without turning to face the disciple, Rillian Adore only answered. “A servant that I’ve taken a liking to.”

  Drakkel's mouth twitched. This explanation again?

  However, the female disciple excitedly said, “Wait! There were talks of a man that assisted you in Shadowy Ridges and Lunala Isle. That wouldn't be him, would it?”

  Rillian Adore shook his head. “No. That man and I have already parted ways. This one is just a servant.”

  The female disciple’s expression fell for a moment. Then she recovered, clearing her throat and nodding. “Ok. Sorry about that. You may enter.”

  The two disciples stepped aside to allow Rillian Adore and Drakkel Flto walk through.

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  Outside the manor gates, were stone paved streets. But inside, was a marble walkway surrounded by a bountiful garden filled with trees and exotic flowers. As they walked down the long marble path towards the palace-like manor, butterflies flew in the air around them.

  The manor itself had one official opening in the front. The opening consisted of double doors made of dark engraved wood.

  There was a line of people waiting to get in and after waiting for some time behind them, they finally reached the front.

  Rillian Adore knocked on the door and a few minutes later, a disciple opened it.

  “Hello good sirs.” He stated. “What services will you be requesting today? I do have to warn you that we are currently backed up on sword smithing requests until next month.”

  Rillian Adore shook his head. “We won't be requiring any of those. Is the Clan Leader in right now?”

  “He is.” The disciple answered.

  “Then let him know that Rillian Adore of the Golden Peak Swords Clan needs to speak with him,” Rillian Adore said.

  The disciple looked them up and down.

  He seemed more knowledgeable than the two at the gate, for after looking at Rillian Adore carefully, he quickly went back.

  Within a few more moments, he returned and gestured to the inside. “Please follow me.”

  After the disciple found someone to replace him on door duty, he led Rillian Adore and Drakkel down long halls of the manor and past many disciples carrying an array of weapons.

  The manor was large so it took them some time to travel through it but they eventually reached a room sealed by double doors.

  Standing at the front, the disciple turned to them. “This is the meeting room for the heads of SwordSmith Villa. Clan Leader Fieren is here. I will announce your presence.”

  Rillian Adore nodded.

  The disciple then announced their presence. “Rillian Adore of the Golden Peak Swords Clan and his servant are here, Clan Leader Fieren!”

  A voice from the other side replied, “Let them in!”

  What lay behind the double doors was a room with pillars at its side and a sizable chair at its end.

  A man with straight dark brown hair containing a few gray strands sat atop the chair, speaking with three people who stood before him. He had handsome features for one so old and his figure was so sturdy and well built that even his decorated gold and white robes couldn't hide the strength hidden underneath.

  He said to the two women and one man, “You are all dismissed!”

  Drakkel remembered now.

  SwordSmith Villa began with three masters and a sword smith. But as time went on, the villa gained more renown and money through its sword smithing abilities than through its sword fighting techniques. Later on, the swordsmith faction of it became the leader and the fighting factions became more like second-in-commands.

  The three people bowed and left the room. The man who sat on the chair at the end said, “Leave us, Ginte.”

  The disciple replied, “Yes, Clan Leader.”

  After bowing to him, he hurried out, closing the doors behind him.

  Although the man sitting before them was mainly a swordsmith, he seemed unbothered by Rillian Adore's presence. In fact, it looked as if he was certain he could take him in a fight. But who knew if this was true?

  Like medicine, swordsmithing was a secondary skill. Both could be learned along with sword fighting. No one had ever seen Ren Fieren fight and whether he practiced or not was a tightly kept secret of his clan.

  One didn't have to be a Sword Fighter to be the Leader of Swordsmith Villa. So who could say if he was a Sword Hero or a Sword Master?

  No one outside his clan truly knew. Perhaps even in his clan, no one could say exactly what level his sword skills were at.

  Ren Fieren said, “So, Rillian Adore, you actually came to visit me without your master. I thought because he was just here, you would arrive with him. But he just left and you just arrived. I guess the world is unpredictable. What is it that brings you here?”

  Drakkel thought for a moment. So that was it? The carriage Rillian Adore was avoiding was that of the clan leader of the Golden Peak Swords Clan?

  “How has your meteoric stone collection been?” Rillian Adore answered, crossing his arms.

  Ren Fieren’s eyes narrowed as he sat up, straightening his stance.

  “Why do you ask?” He questioned.

  “Because, while at Shadowy Ridges, I was made to mine it,” Rillian Adore answered.

  Ren Fieren’s eyebrows went up. He actually seemed to be surprised.

  Rillian Adore continued, “You know as well as I do that there is no authorized meteoric stone mining area in that town. Have you seen a sudden uptick in the amount of meteoric stone you've been receiving?”

  Ren Fieren pressed his hands together and leaned his face forward. It was clear that he understood Rillian Adore's implications, so he answered carefully, “Yes, we’ve been receiving more meteoric stones. But, I’ve checked myself. We only received them from approved mining areas.”

  Drakkel stepped in. “Are you sure? Maybe you didn't see anything amiss because you aren't directly in charge of supervising the transactions. Who in your clan is in charge of it?”

  Ren Fieren’s gaze darted to Drakkel, leaking a murderous intent. The look sent shivers down Drakkel's spine, causing his whole body to tense up.

  Ren Fieren was clearly irritated now. He stated with a hint of annoyance, “And who is this mysterious person that dares to interrupt?”

  Rillian Adore returned a cold glare to the clan leader. “He is my assistant. I gave him permission to speak if I missed something.”

  Ren Fieren’s gaze returned to Rillian Adore, his eyes looking at him questioningly. It appeared as if he didn't believe him. But after a moment, he seemed to reconsider and let it go.

  “What’s his name?” He calmly asked.

  “Wind,” Rillian Adore replied.

  Drakkel’s mouth twitched. He couldn't have said that on purpose, right?

  The clan leader let out a hearty laugh. With his eyes narrowing at Drakkel, he answered, “Wind. A simple name, for a simple servant.”

  Rillian Adore’s fists began to clench.

  Drakkel could tell he had crossed an invisible line. To avoid outing himself, he decided to change the subject.

  “If you don't know where the meteoric stone was going, could you provide us with a way to contact the Hidden Desires Swords Clan. I hear they have a wealth of information about all the goings on in the Empire.”

  Rillian Adore relaxed his fists and nodded.

  Ren Fieren rubbed his chin, thinking for a moment.

  Then he answered, “Very well. There is a brothel in Towering Heights called Blossoming Flowers. There is a woman there who goes by Pisa Lorvent. She is a disciple of the Hidden Disciples Swords Clan and a person that assists us in communicating with them. If you want to see her, just tell the front desk these words, ‘When a flower blooms, hidden desires take root.’”

  Rillian Adore cupped his hands and bowed, not even saying a thank you.

  Drakkel bowed along with him, adding the “Thank you” that he seemed to have forgotten.

  Rillian Adore and Drakkel turned to leave, but right before they opened the door, Clan Leader Fieren said, “I’ve never seen you so attached to someone, Rillian. Your master and I are old friends and he used to tell me how you would have trouble befriending others and that this problem only got worse after you defeated the Sword’s Wind. In this man's presence you even seem more relaxed.”

  Drakkel’s heartbeat quickened a bit as Ren Fieren continued. “I’m happy that you’ve found a friend.”

  Rillian Adore faced Ren Fieren, giving him a curt head bow, before turning back around to leave the room.

  As they left, they passed the hallway which led to the hall of swords in SwordSmith Villa.

  Drakkel gazed at it, wondering if his sword was there.

  Likely because he was staring as they passed it, Rillian Adore asked, “Is something wrong?”

  Drakkel shook his head. “It’s nothing. Let's keep going.”

  Once they reached the outside, Drakkel thought of the earlier incident. So Rillian Adore had avoided his own Clan Leader and Master, but why?

  After a moment, his eyes opened wide as he thought of the reason. It couldn't have been because of him could it?

  After all, although Rillian Adore didn't know him, he should have known that he was trying to hide his identity. There were also rumors about his collision with demons.

  If he had shown up in front of Clan Leader Adore now, with the thorough checkup of one’s background and character needed before joining the Golden Peak Swords Clan, couldn't he have been put in danger?

  He discreetly shot a glance at Rillian Adore before quickly moving his eyes away. After a few more moments of deliberation, he sighed and shook his head.

  He might have been overthinking. Rillian Adore was initially trying to take him to his clan, so why avoid it now?

  Besides, why would the Golden Blade bother with the plights of a complete stranger? Maybe he had his own personal reasons for avoiding his clan that he didn't want Drakkel to know about.

  When he reasoned this out, he calmed down and was able to focus on other things.

  These other thoughts allowed him to realize that as the sunlight faded and the bright image of the sun began to sink into the horizon, he slightly regretted the fact that they had Rou and Auril leave. But with this regret came guilt. After all, the two needed to look for a home during the day since that was when everything was open.

  He didn't want to hold them up when they already had a plan for themselves. He also didn’t know that he and Rillian Adore were heading back to Towering Heights until now.

  It would have been unfortunate if they needed to go somewhere else and dragged Rou and Auril away from the place they already considered their new home.

  Drakkel again looked to the side. Since Rillian Adore didn’t say anything, he could only think he thought the same.

  As they walked through the heavily populated city, watching people hurry home for the day, Rillian Adore asked, “Where should we stay for the night?”

  “Wouldn’t you know better than me?” Drakkel replied. “I’ve… never been here.”

  Rillian Adore nodded. “Legend’s Springs Inn is nearby. It’s not a bad place to stay.”

  Drakkel agreed and they made their way there.

  On their way to the inn, the two passed many stalls selling some variation of pastries, teas and snacks. It wasn't long until Drakkel’s stomach grumbled as a whiff of a certain nostalgic scent drifted into his nostrils.

  His eyes darted to the cause and his attention quickly became held by one particular stall in the corner. However, the items at Joyous encounters were more expensive than the ones found at Immortal Peak. The money he received from his master would be completely drained by one bag.

  “Do you want some?” Rillian Adore asked.

  Drakkel actually felt bad about the way he treated Rillian Adore earlier after fighting with Tifon and while riding with Auril.

  He didn’t think he deserved this kindness.

  Not wanting to be a further burden, he was about to shake his head in response, but Rillian Adore had already stopped and walked over to the stall, handed the stall keeper a golden coin, gathered two bags and left. As he returned with the two bags of steaming hot sweet roasted peanuts, the stall keeper was still bowing to him several times.

  He offered a bag to Drakkel and said, “The stall keeper didn’t have any change, so I bought too many. It’s a lot for me to finish on my own.”

  He held the extra bag near Drakkel. “Why don't you take one?”

  With the way he asked, Drakkel really couldn’t say no.

  He nodded, grabbed the bag from Rillian Adore’s hand, and said, “Thank you,” before gratefully devouring the peanuts as they made their way to the inn.