"Relax, Eleyn, I brought him out of Terra Draconum," Seraphis said, her tone dripping with the kind of calm only a person who’s just done something unthinkable can muster. Her white hair shimmered faintly under the warm glow of Eleyn’s ornate chandelier, a stark contrast to the fiery storm brewing in Eleyn’s piercing ashen white eyes.
Eleyn shot her a look that could only be described as ’why did you kidnap my child with questionable decision-making skills?’ It was the kind of expression that would make even seasoned warriors reconsider their life choices.
"Fine," Eleyn hissed, her voice the embodiment of restrained fury. "Let’s hear it then." She quickly pivoted her attention to Judge, who was kneeling on the floor like he was auditioning for Saint of the Year. "But let me make one thing clear, young man—this DOES NOT mean you’re off the hook."
Judge, in all his crimson-cloaked, green-vested glory, nodded solemnly, though the perpetual smile on his mask made it hard to tell if he was genuinely remorseful or secretly plotting his next escapade.
Eleyn quickly removed the mask that seemed to let Judge make whatever face he wants. This was not somewhere he can plot.
Seraphis clapped her hands together, the sound was crisp and authoritative, as if signaling the start of a long, winding tale. "Alright, let me start from the beginning. Context is key, after all. First of all—hi again, Eleyn! It’s been, what, ten? Fifteen years since we last saw each other? I’ve lost count to be honest. You’re looking as radiant as ever. Secondly—and this is very important—my egg hatched... early, very early."
Eleyn’s stern demeanor wavered at the mention of an egg. Her eyes lit up with the kind of enthusiasm usually reserved for discovering a sale on priceless magical artifacts. "What? Where?" she asked, her voice brimming with curiosity. "When did it hatch? Why didn’t you tell me sooner?"
Seraphis sighed dramatically, her shoulders slumping as though she carried the weight of the world—or at least a particularly heavy burden of regret. "That’s where the tragedy begins," she said, leaning into her storytelling mode like a bard about to earn a standing ovation. "Right after my sweet, precious baby hatched, she was kidnapped."
Eleyn gasped, her maternal instincts kicking into overdrive. "Huh?! Kidnapped? By whom?"
Seraphis gestured vaguely with her hands. "Exactly what I said. One moment there she was, perfect and adorable, and the next—poof! Gone. All I saw were these glowing purple orbs at the scene. Two of them. Menacing. Felt like those divine powers, but strange somehow. And then—poof!—she was gone. Corwin and I searched high and low, but we got separated during the search. It’s been three years, Eleyn. Three long years, and I still haven’t found her."
Eleyn’s eyes narrowed, her mind clearly piecing together clues faster than Judge could concoct an alibi. "Purple orbs, you say?" she asked, her voice tinged with suspicion. "Did you know my son’s eyes can glow purple when his emotions run wild?"
Judge’s head snapped up so fast it was a miracle his neck didn’t audibly protest. "Mother!" he blurted out, his voice filled with the indignation of someone whose embarrassing secret was just aired to the world. "Do you mind not broadcasting my features like they’re market gossip?"
Seraphis raised an eyebrow, her expression teetering between genuine surprise and the kind of exaggerated shock only a seasoned performer could pull off. "Really? Purple eyes? That’s fascinating," she said, her voice was filled with curiosity.
"First I’ve heard of it." She wasn’t lying, technically—just… editing the truth for dramatic effect. No need for Eleyn to know about Judge’s growing prowess in domain control just yet. That little tidbit could stay tucked away in her mental filing cabinet labeled ’For Later Revelations.’ It was for Judge to tell his mother himself, if he ever wished to do so that is, which Seraphis felt like he would.
"Anyway," Seraphis continued, steering the conversation back on course, "I actually met Judge during my travels. He caught my attention when I gave him a small test of wits."
Eleyn tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. "What kind of test?"
Seraphis smirked, clearly savoring the memory. "I asked him a hypothetical question: ’Between Illusory Fiend, Veilcrawler, and Shrouded Grasper which one would he prefer to hunt and with wich weapon?’ His answer was intriguing enough for me to decide he needed a proper weapon. So I took him shopping for guns, to Limdon because... well— Terra Draconum doesn’t exactly have a gun store. You wouldn’t believe what he said to me during that trip."
Eleyn raised an eyebrow, clearly bracing herself for whatever nonsense her son had spouted this time. "What did he say?"
Seraphis’s grin widened. "When I saw he had been buying high-end arms with no bargaining, I asked him How does he have so much money, and he told me something nostalgic, ’Let’s just say my allowance laughs at your annual salary.’"
Eleyn groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose in exasperation. "Of course he did. That’s my son—always leading with his charm. I told you that when we first met right?"
Seraphis laughed, the sound rich and full of mirth. "Well, it certainly left an impression. And when asked whether he knew you and he told me he was your son, it all clicked. I decided then and there to take him under my wing as my disciple. He reminded me so much of you, Eleyn. The wit, the audacity, the flair."
Judge, still kneeling, decided to chime in. "I prefer to think of it as inherited excellence."
"Quiet, you," Eleyn snapped, though her lips twitched as if suppressing a smile.
"Anyway," Seraphis continued, clearly on a roll now, "did you know your son can freely change his height? It’s how he’s been masquerading as a mercenary named Dorian Caine. Fear’s Eye, they call him. Quite the reputation he’s built for himself."
Eleyn’s jaw dropped. "Fear’s Eye? That’s the name they came up with? And JUDGE, what’s with the changing height?"
Judge coughed, clearly enjoying the spotlight, but taken aback by the sudden outbreak. "I have this principle I yet have to understand completely, but I can disappear to a personal space and alter my body, I do know that it is related to the purple eyes I have.."
"Hmm, I do have to ask more, but I don’t want to" Eleyn muttered, shaking her head and changing the topic and turning to Seraphis. "My son, a mercenary. What’s next? You tell me he’s secretly a playwright?"
"Funny you should mention that," Seraphis said, her tone conspiratorial. "Let’s just say he’s picked up a knack for scriptwriting too. I may or may not have been his first audience."
Eleyn buried her face in her hands, muttering something about "too much like his father" under her breath.
As the laughter subsided, Seraphis’s expression turned serious. "But enough about that. Eleyn, why did you summon Judge back so abruptly? I had plans for him, you know." Continue reading at freewebnovel
Eleyn’s face darkened, her tone somber. "I had a premonition," she said, her voice heavy with dread. "If Judge stayed in the place he currently was any longer, he would have died. Strangely, Limdon was said to be a safe city that was harsh on people with no money. Did you guys run into a dangerous band?"
The room fell silent, the weight of her words settling over them like a thick fog. Judge, for once, had no witty retort, his ever-present smile suddenly feeling more like a mask than ever.
"We were in the capital, but yeah we killed someone from the assassin organization that tried to off your daughter." Seraphis nodded slowly, her eyes flicking to Judge.
Eleyn smiled as if something clicked, "So that was why Alex was telling he was so proud of Judge that he finally have a son like him."
"It’s a good thing I brought him back then. I hate to admit, but Judge reminds me too much of Alex. But Eleyn…" She hesitated, her voice softening. "If I find my daughter—Selina—I’ll need your help."
Eleyn reached out, placing a comforting hand on her old friend’s shoulder. "You have my word, Seraphis. We’ll find her together."
Judge, finally breaking the silence, raised a hand sheepishly. "So, uh, does this mean I’m off the hook?"
"Not a chance," Eleyn and Seraphis said in unison, their voices ringing with unmistakable authority.
———
"He is dead," Victor held Noel in his arms as he spoked to another man beside him.
"How strong are the enemies? Noel even had the blessing of goddess Umbra." The person, Master Thadd, expressed his opinion. "Any info on the ether traces?"
"No Master Thadd, surprisingly there is no trace of ether."
"But we did came as fast as we could," He turned to think, "Which means there was no ether involved in killing, any other traces than the blade on his chest? And that blade is ours right?"
"Yes sir, it is issued to his wife Isadora."
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"Then let’s find her first."
"Master thadd, his body seems fine, but his blood is strange."
"How so?" Thadd rushed to the body to inspect,
"This!..." He yelled in surprise, "The blood seems to have undergone corruption!"