"What kind of favour?" I asked as I looked at her with an expressionless face, though inside I was a bit… not in the mood to listen to another over the top issue which isn't isn't my problem.
"I need you to come with me on a small adventure," she spoke in a sheepish voice before she looked carefully at me and then continued,
"There is this thing called Bregma, found in the forest located a few kilometres away from Asul Extension. The place is quite dangerous, but not as dangerous for someone like you, to be honest."
I kept gazing at her for the next few moments and then asked in a serious monotonous voice, without any change in my expression,
"Give me a reason for helping you out."
Although it may be quite tiring to add another side quest, whilst my main quest hasn't even progressed much, I guess it won't be really a bother if the rewards make up for the time lost.
She looks at me and then nods with a serious expression as she then continues,
"It would be better if I explained everything before telling you about the reward. Albeit it may alone not give you a definitive reason there are a few other things which might interest you."
After speaking this much she hurriedly stands up and begins frantically searching for something within the shelves filled with numerous books.
For the next few moments, she rummaged through every shelf one by one without any pause and finally, finding what she was looking for; she pulled out a book which was placed on one of the top shelves.
It seemed more like an old diary than a book. From there, she went to her study table and from one of the drawers she took out an artefact that looked like a magnifying glass.
Straight from there, she moved towards me as she huffed a little before speaking," Look at these notes. Read them carefully using this glass and after you have done so, tell me how much you have understood."
I observed her slightly tired face as she caught her breath, before putting my cup down and beginning to read the book slowly and carefully.
The book began from a theory about the existence of an elemental mass in this world at its centre, literally, and about its unique property to generate mana infinitely.
Then it went on to describe its features and about the various advances and possibilities of being able to use such an elemental mass.
Next was the elemental mass of space that allowed one person to travel from one place to another instantaneously. There was actually something that was discovered near the Kunle Mountain of this world which had almost all the properties of this elemental mass but honestly, there was one problem… it was too volatile and the amount was exhaustible.
Heck, even a brutal war broke out over this, destroying a couple of nations. Too bad, the first person who got his hands on the elemental mass, ended up using or perhaps destroying all of it at once, all because he was furious. Well, he did lose everything because of the war so one couldn't really fathom what he was going through.
The list kept going on and on about another 4-5 elemental masses and their probable locations along with their properties and limitations.
And finally, my eyes landed upon the elemental mass of Bregma. The metal of negative elements, the metal with the property of removing each and all curses, poisons or perhaps everything as long as it is related to mana.
'This reminds me of my own Rejection Fragment… interesting… interesting…' I thought as I read more and more about Bregma. In ancient times, it was something that was said to be a monster that eats everything… down the history lane, it changed from being a monster to a metal and finally to an elemental mass. There were also various instances about the Bregma thing being used by different people over different time period however there was no definitive proof of it.
There were many locations mentioned where Bregma could be present but most of them were ruled out except for three locations. The closest location was the one which Ariel told me about, a few kilometres south of Asul Extension, within the Hellfire forest, the elemental mass is supposed to be. However, anyone below the level of Royal Guardian is sure to die.
After reading a few more details about the whole Bregma thing, I observed Ariel sitting in front of me holding a cup of coffee as she looked at me with impatient yet complex eyes. She was nervous as her hands were slightly shaking and I looked deeply in her eyes before speaking,
"You are shaking."
"Just tell me your answer," she demanded as she looked at me trying to get over it as fast as possible. I pondered over the whole situation before asking,
"What do I get in return?"
She looks at me before speaking,"If we find the Bregma, you can have half of it. If we don't find it, I still have an artefact heirloom which I can give you to make up for your efforts."
I observed her for a few moments before asking,"what makes you trust me so much? You don't even know me?"
While I had been spending a lot of time with her, it still wasn't enough for her to bet on me like this. I wonder what is her reason for doing what she is trying to do… Though she answered me immediately clearing my doubts,
"Many reasons to be honest. First you are powerful yet you don't have that pride that most of the powerful ones possess.
Second is that, this is one in a lifetime chance where someone as powerful as you is so close to me without me getting killed or enslaved or something.
Third is about me having less time and not as much of a choice as I… Well, let's just say that I don't have much of a choice here.
Then there is the fact that you don't belong to any factions I have known, neither you work for Favian, nor you belong to Azem. I haven't heard of anyone like you before too… so most probably you aren't from here… from this place… from this planet… from this timeline… who knows?
There are many more reasons, but I guess this much is enough… or should I elaborate more?"
I looked at her determinant face as she looked at me with those clear green eyes and I sigh before nodding and answering,"Yeah, that much reason is enough for me."
She then looks at me before asking again,"So… what is your answer? Will you help me out or not?"
Hearing her question, I once again ponder over the pros and cons of this whole situation…. Hmmm I wonder how Nyx would react to me leaving here… plus I don't know how long it will take to return from that place?
'Though I am interested in Bregma. Mostly because of its properties being similar to my own power… Hmmm…' I kept thinking and thinking before finally sighing and coming to a conclusion,
"All right. But I have a condition of my own," I spoke and with sparkling eyes and a bright expression, she smiled widely before speaking,"as long as it's not too absurd, I am ready to comply with anything."
"Dion will go with us," I said my demand, and she made a slightly complex expression before a sudden mulling expression came on her face.
I can't trust Dion being left here, when the entire Asul and Asul Extension might just explode into a civil war. I would rather keep him by my side and keep him protected than put him at a risk where I can't do shit about it.
"Is he really that important to you?" Ariel asks and I nod at her before speaking,"he is the most important piece of my life here."
She smiles, making an understanding expression as a tear falls off her eye and she wipes it out before speaking,"I think I made the right choice in choosing you," and then patting my shoulders she smiled before moving downstairs as she spoke,"Don't worry. I will find a way so that you can bring him with us while keeping him as safe as possible."
I…. I kinda felt that she misunderstood my intentions towards Dion, but looks like it is going to work out just fine so I won't be clearing this misunderstanding.
I then proceeded to move towards the artefacts that Ariel used and recharged it slowly and thoroughly before looking at places around me. This place didn't have those mana parasites right now…. I wonder… I wonder… I walked towards the window gazing at the sky and….
"Fire magic: Spark," I muttered and then…
-BOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!!!
A humongous explosion occurred right out of the minimum effort that I just put…
I…
"What the f*ck happened?!!!" I saw Ariel with a baffled expression as she looked at me wondering what I just did, while I just stood there… looking at her with a slightly dumbfounded face.
The sourc𝗲 of this content is free(w)ebnov(𝒆)l