After much discussion, a decision had been somewhat made. A team would be created, a strong force capable of journeying to the world where Immortui resided, with the goal of helping Quinn and bringing him back.
The thing was, none of these people had been directly involved with the Immortui case so far. The search was on as the respective members went off in search of them, to inform them of what was going on.
Peter was to go regardless of this journey due to his link with the Boneclaw. It was declared that he had great strength in the first place, and even more with the help of the kings.
Chris, Sil, Ray, and finally Russ—these were the members to be recruited. However, there were more than those selected who wished to join the journey as well, and it wasn't just Layla.
Edvard was taking a stroll through the settlement. He wasn't disguised, nor was he taking a secret path. Instead, he was simply walking through the marketplace.
This garnered a lot of attention as many vampires would bow and offer their greetings to the original leader. In turn, he would smile and wave back as he continued his walk.
"I never thought I would feel like this," Edvard thought. "I wonder, why do I feel a bit empty being left out of this whole thing? I was in a slumber and only woke up a short while ago.
"I don't have many attachments to those currently here. Why do I feel a little saddened by the fact that I can't go?"
The constant greetings from the public continued, and eventually, two young men approached him whom he recognized. They bowed down with their bodies at a 90-degree angle.
"Sir, we didn't expect to see you here. We hope all is well," Ronkin said.
The two that Edvard recognized were Ronkin and Jeouk. The two had become close after a series of events, and since they had both finished their regular day jobs, they were heading through the market to one of the inns to grab something to drink.
"You know what, maybe the three of us should have a drink together," Edvard suggested.
The three headed to an inn, and as they did, there were curious heads that twisted and turned. It would be an understatement if Jeouk and Ronkin said they weren't nervous about the whole thing.
It wasn't as if the leader, an original at that, would normally drink with regular vampires. Sure, they had done the same thing with Quinn, but that was when they thought he was like them.
"Everything will be on me today, so please drink up," Edvard said, taking a big gulp of the drink in front of him.
Not wanting to be rude, the two decided to drink along with their leader. There was general chat, asking about how the two were doing, and in turn, they asked how he was and how Quinn was doing as well.
"Quinn... I'm not too sure how he is doing, and I'm not too sure myself, to be honest," Edvard said, playing with the empty mug of drink as if deep in thought.
"I will have to ask you young ones to forgive me as I go on about my rant, but you see, there is quite a lot that I wish to get off my chest."
The two couldn't decline, but they did wonder what would make an original feel this way, to invite them to a drink together.
"I have managed to live an incredibly long life," Edvard explained. "And the settlement has changed a lot compared to the past. My role itself was extremely significant when it came to taking out the werewolves, a group that caused us great trouble.
"But lately, I have been thinking about the past more and more. Were the werewolves really all that bad, or perhaps the ones who have consistently caused trouble for everyone else are us, the vampires.
"You see, I was unsure if what I did back then was the right thing. In the end, I went into a slumber, living with this regret. I have woken up this time, and I feel like this is a chance that maybe I could redeem myself."
What Edvard didn't say was that he had a thought in the back of his mind. What if the fighting between the vampires and the werewolves was all set up by Immortui as well? If it was, then he was used as a puppet, which angered him even more.
"I thought this was a chance to help out, but it looks like even my own powers aren't helping me with this. I am not fit to help out."
Although the two could feel the strong emotions emanating from Edvard, due to his vagueness about the situation, they were unsure why he felt this way.
"I think you might be worrying too much," Ronkin said. "You have already helped in many ways, even with me and Quinn. You kept his secret and guided him on what to do. The other thing I would say is, I'm not as strong as you.
"But even then, I thought if I just did what I could, helped out a little and did my part, then it would be able to contribute to the bigger picture."
"I think Ronkin is right," Jeouk added. "Besides, maybe it isn't your time to help right now or play a big part. But as long as you keep trying and doing what you're doing, who knows? Maybe all those small parts add up to one big contribution, or the help you wish to bring about will come."
Edvard smiled. He wasn't expecting to get much out of talking to these two, other than getting a lot off his chest. But their words were certainly more helpful than he thought.
A few more drinks were ordered, and Edvard left the two to enjoy the rest of the night themselves. He could tell that they were uneasy and that his presence was putting some pressure on them.
Heading back, he entered his castle, still thinking about what he could possibly do. The castle itself felt empty. Muka wasn't there as she was helping with the search for the others.
"Ronkin is right. Maybe I should just go ahead and see what I can do. Let's see if I have anything that can help the others."
Edvard decided to head to his armory. Things looked different but familiar at the same time compared to before. The castle had undergone improvements, but it was built with slight differences in the rebuilds.
What Edvard was hoping for was that all the weapons and armor he had kept from the past had been moved as well.
Turning the special combination on the grand two giant doors, they started to open, revealing a room filled with weapons and equipment. At the very back, behind a glass cabinet, something caught his eye on a mannequin's body.
"Wait a second, that can't be... how is it here?" Edvard exclaimed as he rushed forward, running past every other piece of equipment to reach the other side.
That's when he noticed the glass cabinet had been broken, but nothing was stolen. Instead, armor was placed on top of the mannequin that wasn't there before. Reaching out, Edvard brushed his fingers against the red armor and could feel its power.
"How is this here? How is Ray's armor in a place like this? Why is it here? Did he decide to bring it back at some point, and why and when would he do this?"
There was no note or explanation, but Edvard, who had used the armor before, was sure of it—this was the same armor. The powerful armour he had used in the past, that allowed him to be considered stronger than the other original members.
Of all the things to see now, he was seeing this, the amour he had used in his fight against the Werewolves it was appearing in front of him again.
'I can't believe it, is it my luck, or is it just fate, whatever it is this is my chance.'
"Maybe with this, with this, I can be strong enough to help the others."
*****
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