"Visions of old that were placed to hide the truth from strangers and ignorant ones show me your true colors, Revelation!"

"You misbegotten bastard!" Rover howled, his anger knowing no bounds. "You left us here to fight! You made us fight!" He grabbed the kid by the collar. "You watched us fight for our lives and laughed, didn't you? It's all a game to you! You're the lowest of the low! You..!"

Ace listened to it for a moment amused but soon got bored and took out his Kris pointing it at Rover's chest. The guy was red in the face with sweat running down in torrents. His axe lay broken a few paces away. "If you remember everything so well, you should agree that I'm the only reason you're still alive and release me immediately. I can walk perfectly well and without being carried."

"You're threatening me? I should kill you right this moment!" Rover roared in Ace's face who only pushed the dagger closer to the heart, drawing blood. "Death is too good for you! Hell, monster is a compliment in your case! Your parents are..!"

"Unhand me" Ace said in a whisper, his voice cold as ice. The dagger slid forward reaching the pumping red organ. A flash of pain passed through Rover's face but he wasn't backing down until he said his piece of mind.

"Don't, he doesn't deserve it" Dawn said softly taking him by the hand. "Even if you die, he'll never understand, never learn." Her murderous greens eyes settled on Ace. "Any similarity between you and a human is purely coincidental. We should have known better."

Ace sheathed his dagger and awarded her with a mirthless smile. "You should have. Hopefully, you've learnt your lesson."

What had they expected when they taunted him? Worked behind his back? Faked friendliness? Was he supposed to just ignore it and let it pass?

He shook his head. They were idiots to believe he would react like a normal person in real life would. First he wasn't just a kid and secondly this was a game.

He looked at Monthu to see his reaction; whether he understood or not.

His face was down from tiredness, resting on his knees. But as if sensing Ace's gaze his head lifted. "I would berate you and kick your ass to the moon but I'm too exhausted even for that. Just know that this time you went overboard."

Ace crossed his arms over his chest. "They started it! I just paid them back!"

"And what did I, Par, Aurora or Hawk do to you? We fought like it was our last fight, used everything we had and saw it not being enough. It's not fun. And then you come down to tell us that we had been fighting ghosts." There was no anger in the voice Ace noted. It could mean many things or one that the guy was too worn out to even put emotion in his words.

"You'll do" he said with self-assuredness. "So don't expect me to apologize."

"I wouldn't expect you to get a flash of regret. Apology never even came to my mind" Hawk said from another wall.

Everyone was holding them up beside him.

Ace threw a few logs down and lighted them up with [Burst]. Here, they couldn't call him a monster now.

Fire caught his attention as its fiery tongues reached up. Colors danced mesmerizing him. He had forgotten how pretty they could be. He sat beside it and watched how flames licked the logs and changed from one shape to another in a rush.

"How long are you going to sit there staring?" Hawk asked with amusement and Ace's head shot towards him. He blinked a few times clearing his head and in a perpetual vision noticed a pile of ashes. How long had it been since the fact?

"I'll be finished for today if you've no patience" he answered standing up and yawning. It would have been better to take a nap but it was too late for that now.

He looked around and saw everyone rested and going in the direction of dungeon entrance. They had planned to leave him behind.

Ace looked back at Hawk who shrugged at his questioning gaze and turned to leave too. He was midway when the kid opened his mouth. "Thanks." The guy twirled to stare back in wonder but Ace wasn't going to play a wounded animal. He went past him and fell in step with Skele at the back of the group. They'll need him again soon enough and then he'll like to hear some apologies.

Outside, not twenty meters from the cave, they were stopped by a bunch of people. Reaching them Ace recognized the tired lines on the front guys face as Achiles', leader's of Rover's guild. He had aged twenty years since Ace last seen him. He wondered why the guy didn't tick the option that allowed one to always look fresh and healthy.

"How did it go?" was his first question addressed to his guild members.

Their smiles were forced. "We defeated them. Or that would be if they had been there in the first place."

"What do you mean?" Achiles asked, uncomprehending. "We've seen them with our own eyes in that room."

"It was only a masterfully crafted illusion. We were chasing shadows."

"If that is so, who killed our members then? Or will you say they did it themselves?" Achiles asked angrily. "If you failed, at least don’t spit nonsense. I have no time for lies." He shook his head tiredly. "I had trusted you."

Ace saw Rover's face turn red as he desperately thought of a way to prove himself right but couldn't do.it. No one knew about the illusionist girl and real knight but him. And he didn't feel like giving a hand.

He turned around from Dawn telling truth that sounded as pathetic lies and got himself on Hound who grunted not very happily. The black beast had liked Ace less and less by each moment they spent in the group's company. The kid was much better when he was vulnerable: alone, blind and lost.

"Skele," Ace whispered softly. "Let's go. You wanted to go to the city if I remember correctly."

The necromancer nodded being uninterested in the debacle Rover and Dawn found themselves in. "How are you going to get me inside looking like this?"

Ace looked over his companion with a calculating eye. He had five white hairs sticking from his grey skull with glowing yellow eyes. A ragged cloth Ace wouldn't have used to clean floor for fear of infestation hung from the shoulders to the knees. It had holes that gave a great view of greyish bones on a verge of rotting. He had to scrunch his nose from the smell too.

"Is there a lake or a river nearby?" he asked.

"Yes, why?" Skele asked pointing behind the cave.

"You need a bath. I can make you presentable but if you stink of twenty years without shower, it'll all come to naught.” Ace had made the situation look much worse but otherwise he was sure he would never be able to get the glaring mage in water. His look only proved the kid's thoughts.

They left the group and went to the little pond that was on the verge of becoming a swamp. Luckily skeletons didn't need to breathe and Skele could go to the middle where were some clean water. Ace made him clean himself for an hour or so and then told to levitate himself out of there.

He sniffed at the mage who was throwing daggers from his eyes and pretended to think for a moment. "I suppose this will have to do."

"What now?" Skele barked out while Hound snickered from beside Ace. He had very human-like emotions Ace noted.

"Now I try to imagine how you might have looked when you weren't bald and broke." Skele wanted to say something about that but Ace started to chant. "Beloved dreams, feared nightmares, different worlds, same horrors combine into one and come crashing onto the mortal souls, Phantasm!"

In his mind he pictured a man of thirty that looked younger than his years, just past twenty. He had short dark brown hair, face chiseled from work near the windy shores with warm sea green eyes. There were laugh lines near his lips that were curled up in a little smile. He wore a black buttoned up shirt, same colored trousers and deep red coat floating around the ankles. Its important looking appearance in stark contrast with his workers face. In hand he held Skele's same simple scepter with a dark ruby at the top but the handle had been polished to shining and the gem filled with power that could be seen pulsing inside if the light caught at the right angle.

Then he fixed this image on the skeleton before him. It took some fumbling around but he thought it looked perfect. "Try moving around and saying something. I need so see if anything is lagging behind."

The guy did as told not letting his gaze lower and see himself before everything was finished. Ace watched him walk around. Legs were fine moving in sync through both eyes but hand fingers were slower in left eye. It meant illusion was imperfect and he had some correcting to do.

While doing that in his mind, he asked Skele. "How old would you be now?"

The mage was taken off-guard by such a question. "I don't know... Underground birthdays tend to lose meaning."

Ace rolled his eyes. "Do some simple math. Add some twenty years to the age you died at and here you go."

"Fifty seven then, maybe eight or nine."

A man with a graying head rose before Ace’s eyes. He had warm features but there was ice coldness in his deep blue eyes, lips set in a straight line. His back was straight and official looking costume without a mark but hands had wrinkles showing his age, shaking lightly. In his right hand he held an ancient staff with a dark ruby in its head. There was an aura of danger surrounding him; dark secrets lay hidden in the folds of his wrinkles.

Ace smiled and thought it looked really cool and he wanted to keep it. For that he removed his previous work of art and put this one on. It fit Skele perfectly as a glove so he made the guy look at his reflection. "What do you think of my handiwork?"

He waited a long time but no answer came. His companion was still staring at his reflection with wide eyes. Ace felt proud of his work; now he could finally see the dead mage's reactions.

"Is this really me?" Skele asked in a raw voice. He held his hand to touch his face as if unable to believe. Most likely he didn't.

"It's just an illusion" Ace said shrugging. "I can't turn you into a human." It was an inalterable one that would last forever until dispelled so he cast another one over it that was a livid thing but invisible for now. It would come of use if Skele had to do something besides simply moving like say grow a pair of wings. "But you'll be pretending to be your own son." Then he cast the spell again and put another solid mask this one in full view hiding the first one. It was the thirty or so happy-go-lucky mage he had thought of before. After that another layer of live illusion that he could control at will and he was done.

Breathing a sigh of relief, he returned to his victim whose eyes had widened even more. "What did you do now?" he asked in wonder.

"Made you younger. As I said, you'll be your own son and will be looking for any information regarding your so called "father" - yourself" he made air quotas around the word father, chuckling. He found it humorous to think about pretending to be your own child.

"I never had a child."

"You seem to have gotten one and a grandchild too. What a lucky guy!" Ace said in a mock happy tone. "Take it like a man and at least pretend to be in ninth heaven over the news."

"Shut up" Skele glowered and Ace had a feeling he touched a raw nerve. "Fine but stay around me. Remember, if you'll get dirty, I'll have to create the stain because it won't stick. So don't leave my side at any cost, I'm the thing that'll keep the illusion intact and allow you to be part of a crowd."

Skele nodded and rose shooing Hound away who had come and started circling him. The beast was amazed at the transformation; only the smell assured him that it was really his master. "Can you get this idiot in too?" Skele asked, watching as flames danced around his arm but did no damage. "Can you make it burn?"

Ace smiled sweetly and touched the uppermost illusion tenderly. Skele yelped and brought his hand to his chest. It had turned red and sent waves of pain to Skele's uncomprehending brain; undead didn't have a notion of suffering, their nerves were non-existent. "How did you do that?"

"Put it in water or you'll have a nasty burn mark" advised the kid barely holding his laugh. Skele followed the instructions and the pain lessened. He turned his gaze back to his helper and tormentor. "Eyes are but most easily deceived human organ. True illusions cover much more than that. Remember the one in the cave. It was a masterpiece."

"And you can do that too?"

"Yes" Ace said not without a glint in his eyes. This magic was limited only by one's imagination and he had never had problems with his.

"Why in the world are you not a well-known illusionist then? I've had a taste of this kind of magic before but what you did is ridiculous! I knew it was a trick and it hurt like hell anyway! And the pain was exact too."

"Fantasy tinged with experience that is all. Being a troublesome child one gets to know all kinds of pains and train his imagination thinking up stupid adventures and then excuses for them."

"That doesn't answer my real question" Skele said not backing down. He was too amazed by his body and the child's to notice anger boiling beneath the forest green eyes.

Illusion magic was the strongest of all, able to confuse a human being and in a way alter reality, but there were only a handful of good illusionists. That was because one had to create everything perfectly in his imagination for another being to believe it. Sights weren’t that hard but feelings were. It is almost impossible to recollect how a scraped finger or a hungry stomach exactly feels when you’re not experiencing it, the knowledge just fades from a person’s mind yet the illusionist must make a person believe he’s feeling that. They have to create the emotion and unless it matches perfectly with what a person’s brain receives as normal the illusion will have no effect. That is why if a person’s brain sees someone passing through a wall, he can do it too but if he tried it himself first he would touch solid rock.

But before Ace could snap back a remark Hound jumped on him, falling him over. He licked the kid's face and barked at his face. "You dumb beast how many times did I tell you not to do that?" Ace hissed, brushing his face with a sleeve and glaring at the giant dog like thing made of thick shadows and flame. Then his mouth's corners went up as he once again murmured the spell of [Phantasm]. This time he aimed it at Hound.

The creature started to shift: his color changed to dull grey, ears elongated while sharp teeth became ones that carnivores had and lastly paws turned into hooves. The kid turned to Skele with his hands behind his back. "It's perfect, don't you think?"

The young man beside him looked at the donkey jumping around to get a better view of himself and smiled. It made wrinkles around his mouth more pronounced but at the same time softened his features even more. He looked like a man of gentle breeding but hardness in his face’s contours prevented him from turning into a stuck up noble. Ace petted himself mentally again and called upon Hound. Once he came, he fastened two bags to his back and got up. "Let's return to the others. Hopefully, they'll be finished by now."

Skele nodded and picked up the donkey's reins after Ace had murmured the same spell for the umpteen time that hour. It was living magic for the animal. He was even more likely to get into trouble than Skele.

Their arrival seemed to have been waited upon as Achiles rose to meet him. He was surprised to see Ace’s companions but pretended not to notice them. "I wanted to say goodbye and thank you for keeping my deceitful guild members alive." "You shouldn't have bothered" Ace said throwing a look at Monthu who ignored him and noting Dawn's and Rover's hurt expressions as they were called traitors without being called them. He remembered how restoring the guild was the only thing on their mind and he leveled a calculating look to their faces. Should he do it or not?

"Still I'm thankful for keeping to your word and not leaving them behind or..."

That cracked him up. It was exactly what he had done. With a lazy smile he lowered his head between the donkey's ears and with hands underneath it allowed Achiles to talk some more nonsense while he watched the duo.

After a minute Rover had finally raised his head and noticed Ace's attention but he didn't say anything. The fight had left him. It was a very sad thing. And boring.

It made Ace feel like he had to remedy the situation and he knew just the way. His smile brightened just thinking about what was going to happen in the next minute.

He jumped from his ride and having no qualms about ignoring Achiles went to the duo. "I forgot to give you something. The real knight dropped it" he said giving a pendant that he had made from the pieces found in the knight's inventory. It showed up they were parts gained from defeating the real ghost knights that together made up a necklace. It had to be taken to the man as proof of defeating them. The putting of pieces together had been a fun passing time while everyone fought for their lives.

"What is..?" Dawn started to ask what was on everyone's mind but Ace watched only Rover's face. It was easy to determine when he had finished reading the item's description as his face reddened and continued doing so growing purple in the process. "YOU LITTLE-" he was cut off by a slap to the face.

Ace lowered his hand and smiled good-naturedly. "A thank you would be enough."

Rover sputtered unable to find words and Ace sighed. It seemed like a simple thank you was too much for the guy to master up so he turned away and got back on the donkey. "It was nice to know you, good luck on restoring your guild and see you some other time" he said shortly and glanced at Monthu with the others asking whether they were coming or not. There was a moment of indecision as they looked at each other but then stood up and without a word came next to Skele.

Ace used that as a sign to leave and squeezed Hound's shoulder to start moving. The donkey snorted and went where the path lead, a bunch of humans trailing behind him. A few steps later he had to stop and allow another child on his back. He looked at his master for help but the guy was still looking at his own appearance pretending there was dust on his coat. He was hopeless and Hound was forced to follow the kid's instructions. Why did society always corrupt them so quickly?

When they were out of the earshot of the guild, Aurora expressed her discontent. "Why did you do it, Ace?"

"What in particular?" Ace asked, not ready to apologize for anything she might not have recollected.

"Leaving on your own! We were talking and the next moment you're gone! What if something had happened to you?" she said eyeing Skele.

He noticed that and made a low bow in her direction. "Sorry for my bad manners, I've had a lot on my mind. Worglan Harbert at your service."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Aurora" the girl said raising her hand to shake his but he lowered his head and kissed her knuckles. "It's my pleasure to make acquaintance of such a lovely young lady." He held her hand for a moment longer before releasing, receiving a glare from Hawk and rolled eyes skyward from Ace.

Aurora blushed lightly clutching her hands behind her back. "So what are you doing here? Are you coming with us to the city?"

"That was my plan" Worglan said, an easy smile finding a way to his lips. "I need to learn a few things there. What about you? Do you have a set destination?"

"I think we'll just find a tavern and rest for a day or two."

"Is that so? Then would you like to..." Skele started to suggest something and Ace turned his attention away. He hadn't known the guy was a shameless flirt or he would have given him a frog like build with bubbly face, large eyes and a large belly. It was never too late but an angry Hawk was better than a sad Aurora. There was just something wrong about purposefully making fun of naive people when they had to live their whole lives being laughing stock anyway.

"Why does Hawk look so unhappy?" Par asked breaking Ace's train of thought. "Does he want to ride too?"

Ace chuckled at that. "I think he's just thinking about the state of the city. There seem to have been an increase in bad people that might think about hurting us."

"Why are we going there then? Can't we stay here?"

"Myself I'd dare anyone to try and stop me from reaching an inn! I don't remember the last time I slept in a bed!" Par didn't say anything but Ace could feel he wasn't convinced so he turned around to face him. "Think about it! Fluffy goose feathered pillows and blankets! A bath and clean clothes! Warm food made by real cooks, not that I have anything against Aurora's food" he added quickly seeing defiance in the kid's eyes. "And most importantly desserts! If we're lucky we might even get some ice cream! Now tell me you'd rather stay here in the middle of nowhere!"

There was indecision on Par's face. "But you said it is dangerous there. Brother always said that safety comes always as a first when travelling somewhere."

Ace shook his head. "That is if you're alone or in a small group! But we're six and you can call upon many pets to aid you! What could possibly stop us?"

This finally brought a smile to the kid's face. Most likely he had been taught a lesson about safety in numbers too.

Ace was about to turn around when a thought came to his mind. Like a conspirator he whispered in Par's ear. "What do you say if we make this old bag of bones lose his trot?" The kid looked up at him, not understanding. Ace smiled and shouted out. "Hold tightly." He hit Hound lightly on the neck twice knowing he had heard what was wanted of him. The beast threw a glance at his fool of a master and seeing no response lurched into a gallop, instantly leaving the group in dust.

Par grabbed onto Ace's clothes with a death grip but the kid didn't mind, hearing angry curses from behind. He had a feeling donkeys didn't move like this but for now there was no one around and wind brushing one's face was always a welcome thing.

Hound left the animal path they had been going through and jumped into a thick forest. He found invisible tracks there carrying his riders safely under the canopy of trees. They were dark and oppressive but small bursts of light shining here and there tried to lighten the mood. Hound had stopped on one of such rays basking in the glory of sun he hadn't seen for so long.

And then he was off again jumping over roots and brushes, making paths where there were none. Ace and Par held onto him as if their life depended on it, which was most likely true. The beast had finally felt the joy of freedom and wanted to explore it to the most. He might have been a creature of darkness but being confided in a dungeon wasn’t his way of having fun.

A message flashed in Ace's peripheral vision and he guessed who it might be but had no free hands to make sure. He still liked his place on the crazy going donkey.

It took forever and a bit more before Hound wasted enough energy to slow down into a trot again.

"Remind me to never let him loose again. He has a streak of madness in him" Ace said clenching and unclenching his hands to get the feeling back in them. Not receiving a reply he glanced back and saw Par looking at his hands in wonder. "Is everything okay?"

The kid nodded, slowly.

"You sure?"

At that, the kid raised his head to meet his eyes. Ace saw disbelief and amazement shining in Par's. "I didn't fall off." The kid said slowly as if tasting each and every word leaving his mouth. "You should have?" Ace asked tilting his head to the side. "I'm weak" Par said as of that explained everything and continued to look at his hands.

Ace blinked a few times not understanding it at all but left it at that. He had more pressing business at the moment. Like a red flashing message.

Empty.

Monthu had sent him an absolutely empty message. That didn’t bode well.

/Did you want anything?/ he asked Monthu in a normal voice as if he hadn't just kidnapped the guy's brother and gotten them lost.

/Where in the world are you?/ was his angry reply and he could imagine the guy glaring at no one in particular.

/I would be honored to answer that if I had the slightest idea myself./

/You got yourself lost?/ Monthu asked anger and disbelief fighting for supremacy in his tone.

/It's a dark forest!/ Ace said, defensively. /And that donkey had been without freedom for far too long!/

/Stay there. We'll find you/ Monthu said threateningly, already knowing that he was only wasting his breath.

/But of course!/ Ace said, looking around the place they were in. It was a small clearing overgrown with dark blue flowers. They released a sickly sweet smell that made his nose scrunch in disgust. How hadn't he noticed them sooner?

Loud crashing noises interrupted his daydreaming and he trained his eyes to the left. Someone was moving at quick speed there and soon would be upon them. Not thinking much Ace started to chant. "Deep within the earth hidden powers lay, awaken to my call and stop my enemies in their tracks, Wild Vines!" The last word was said as four people burst into their clearing.

It was a middle age man with three young women; none over twenty yet. They all wore noble clothes that no longer looked the part; torn and muddied from their flight through the forest. It was clear they hadn't decided to do that for the fun of it.

As he thought that, a soft sound of horses galloping reached his ears. They were still a good distance away but these people could never escape them on foot.

"Release me this instance! I'm still The Lord of House Kerayn!" the man hissed in anger, directing his gaze at Ace sitting on his donkey with Par behind him.

"I have a feeling it won't be for long" Ace said in a friendly manner, dismissing the lord's words as if they were nothing.

"You little brat! Do as I say if you want to live! Release me now!"

Ace tilted his head as if considering the offer. Then he slowly shook his head. "Sorry. Don't feel like it."

"Little maggot! You'll pa-"

"I hate being insulted" Ace said calmly, his eyes directed at the lord anything but that. He called upon [Flare] and sent it towards where the sound was coming from. It travelled forward a few minutes before he heard exclamations of surprise and joy. He wasn't sure what that could mean but none the less brought the little flame and a group of riders to himself.

They emerged, unaware of the immobilized foursome in the thick underbrush. The animals tried to avoid the collision but still stepped on the human barrage. There was a sound of cracking bone and then a cacophony of screams and shouts that made Ace cover his ears. From the corner of his eyes he saw Par do the same. The kid was looking wide eyed at the sight before him, unable to turn away from the disgusting sight before him.

Ace removed one hand from his ear and poked the kid. He swiftly turned to him, almost falling off the donkey in the process. Ace said nothing but jumped off donkey. There was a question in the kid's face.

*I want to talk to them.* Ace wrote since the kid still had his ears covered. *I'll be right back.*

With that he turned and went closer towards the throng of people. Most riders had lowered themselves to the ground and horses milling blocked his sight of the unlucky foursome.

He ducked under one animal and got into the circle. There were three new people there and two of them were familiar. Now he understood why there was a shout of joy when he had sent his little flame ahead. Hiding her in his clothes now was useless but he did it anyway. Who knows, maybe they had been too focused on their prey and hadn't noticed it coming to him.

That done he turned to the unlucky lord and saw him being dragged onto a horse. In the struggle on the ground one side of his golden robe had gotten torn while whole left sleeve was now crimson colored. He had his other hand tied to his person and there was a thunderous expression on his face. But like everyone else here, he knew that his anger could get him nowhere so he kept it on a tight leash allowing himself only to glare. His eyes narrowed even more taking note of Ace, but he kept quiet.

It was fine with the kid and he turned his attention elsewhere. The girls were treated more kindly but were bound too. Three soldiers helped them up the horses.

The other two people had their eyes trained on him.

Noticing that he turned to them with a bright smile and waved his hand. "Hi! I'm Ace! Nice to meet you! Are these people criminals?" he asked pointing at the lord.

"In a way" one of the two men answered. He had dark brown hair and the same colored eyes. They weren't looking down on him, but neither was there any friendliness. "But you should know that as well as we do."

Ace tilted his head faking confusion. "I should?"

"You stopped them in their path. A good reason is needed to do that to a lord."

"He surprised me! And then called me a brat!" Ace said in a tone that implied the lord was the worst person in the world.

"You called us with the flame" the other person said and Ace turned his attention to his plaything. He remembered very well setting him up to find the secret documents, saving his hide from soldiers and then helping to get acquainted with a lord with enough power to get his revenge. In a month since their meeting the guy had improved his station considerably.

Previously he had been just another pocket thief on the streets. Now he wore red satin clothes with silver ornaments and there was an emblem of a demon cat near his heart that matched one that all three soldiers had. His long black hair was trimmed to fall in graceful waves around his shoulders and soften the angular lines of his face and the glare in his eyes. Ace could have wagered it was faked. He was supposed to be surprised at the revelation, maybe disgusted or intrigued but not angry. He had no reason to be mad as he hadn't lost a single thing because of the flame's interruptions in his life.

"He insulted me, I didn't want him to get away with that" he said with a shrug, turning back to Par. "I'm happy to have helped."

"Wait!" the guy said removing the distance between them in two strides and grabbing the kid's shoulder. "Show me the flame again."

"Why should I?" Ace asked with a worry in his voice. "It's mine!"

He pushed the man's hand away and took a step back towards his friend without letting the guy out of his sight.

*Deception successful +5% experience*

"Don't frighten him. He's just a child" the good lord said coming closer too. There was a small smile on his face, although, his eyes stayed cold and emotionless. "Hey, kid. What did you say your name was?"

"Ace."

"So Ace would you like to come with us and see what happens to this man who has been so rude to you?"

Ace knew a trap when he heard one. "Would you let me?" he asked starry-eyed, all his worries forgotten.

"Of course. You deserve to know he pays for what he's done."

But sometimes the bait was too sweet to pass up, traps be damned.

"I would love to!" he said brightly. "Just let me tell my friend, I'll be gone for some time!"

"We can ta-"

"No!" Ace said with more force than was necessary. "His brother will kill me if I take him anywhere else so let me talk for a moment and I'll be good to go."

"But it's dangerous for a lone kid in the forest!" the lord disagreed lightly.

Ace glanced at the donkey who through his right eye looked like a creature of nightmares; black pits for eyes, shadows and fire for a body.

"I believe he'll be fine" he said with conviction. "And his brother is close by."

After that he jogged towards Par but didn't get on the donkey.

"Is something wrong?" the kid asked him.

"They need me to testify to have stopped the man and that he was very uncivilized. I'll have to go with them" he said brightly but in an instant noted how Par's shoulders fell together with his expression.

"You're leaving again" he stated unemotionally. It worried Ace somewhat. Since when was the kid so caring about what he did?

"I'm sorry. I really wish I could take you but your brother would be furious." There was a sad look on the child's face. Even he knew that his brother was already furious and it could hardly get any worse. "Hey! Don't look so forlorn! It's not like I'm leaving for real! We'll meet up in the evening when you'll catch up in the city!" It wasn't giving the expected result. "Par! Let's make a promise then!"

"What promise?" the kid asked warily.

"Once we're back together we'll go on a great adventure! We'll take a mission to hunt some monsters and will have all the time in the world to deal with them and play around in the sunlight! It's been too long since we enjoyed it. What do you say?"

"Won't you have somewhere to go again?"

"I won't" Ace promised, nodding his head purposefully while feeling like the worst person ever. How much one had to do for a sweet and trusting person like Par to lose confidence in them? Well, he seemed to have passed that line and went even farther ahead. He had some repairing to do. "I'll do what they need from me here and we'll have the time of our life! Don't doubt it for a second!"

There was a bit of indecision in Par's eyes but then he smiled a little and nodded. "Could we play catch then? I always wanted to try it."

"Sure" Ace said, his lips curving upwards. "Just don't expect me to go easy on you! I'm an undefeated champion of catch! You have till tomorrow to prepare to face me!"

The kid nodded eagerly before asking. "Will you be done by then? Won't be called back because of something?"

"I should. If not, it'll be their problem! I can't waste all my life for them. And bye now! The more quickly I leave, the more quickly we can leave this stifling dark place" Ace said raising his eyes to the towering trees that were trying to block the sun even from this little clearing.

"Bye..."

Done with the conversation Ace turned and walked back to the lord and his trustee. "It's a bad habit to listen-in on others' conversations. Didn't your mothers teach you better?" he asked, chagrining them with a finger. "It shows low morals."

A vein twitched on the lord's neck and Ace's smile brightened; he hit a nerve.

"Let's move out. We haven't got all day" the guy barked out and jumped on his horse in a swift motion.

Ace watched as soldiers hit their animals' sides to get them moving. The bound girls sat on them while their owners walked beside. One of them was holding a rope that was wrapped around a failure of a lord. He had to go on foot like a commoner and that seemed to irritate him the most from the way he was glaring at the ground as if it had been at fault for all that had went wrong in his life.

Ace felt himself being lifted and squirmed against the hands unsure of what he had missed. "Calm down. I'm putting you on my horse." It was the voice of the guy with whose life he had once played so he stilled and allowed to be thrown unceremoniously over the animals back. Then the guy got up behind him and sat him up getting the reins. "Have you ever ridden before?" "No," he answered not giving it a moment's thought. He was going back to his innocent child's act, one of his old favorites.

He looked down wide-eyed and leaned against the guy's chest. "We're so high up! What if I fall off?" he asked adding a tremor to his voice and closing his eyes.

*Deception successful*

Ace almost fell off the horse after noting the message. How could the guy have believed him when not twenty minutes ago he had been riding on a donkey?

The man put his hand around Ace with a sigh. "You're not going to fall off. Fine now?"

Ace dared a glance before closing his eyes back shut and nodding barely. There was a grunt from behind him but no more words were exchanged.

To not be bored to death Ace concentrated on the sounds and echoes of the hoof beats. It helped him get a general idea of his surroundings; they were still in the forest.

It wasn't even close to being exiting so he thought about what else he could do.

The note about mystic eyes being updated caught his eye but he shook his head at that thought. Last time he had anything to do with that ability he became blind. It was best to test it with caution and when he had a healer at ready beside him.

"What's your name?" he asked his companion finally.

"James" was his curt reply.

"That's it?"

"It is."

"What's his name?"

"Lord Koronhan."

"And the evil one?"

"Hourn"

"Shouldn't you have called him a lord too? His clothes look expensive."

"No."

"No to he's no lord or no his clothes aren't that good?"

"Are you deliberately being obstinate?" his companion, James, asked, more like growled. "Can't you stay quiet for longer than half a second? I need to think."

Ace stiffened. That was not nice. It was rude. And he didn't like that.

With a finesse any actor would have envied he pretended to lock his mouth shut and throw the key away. At the same time his back straightened and he pulled away from his companion as far as it was possible sitting on the same horse and didn't look or utter a single sound till they reached the spare horses. Or left the forest. Or entered the city. or went to meet its leader. He could have been mute, blind and deaf for all the attention he paid to the outside world.

The meeting was a quick one. Everyone knew Hourn to be guilty and didn't waste time calling him on that. He, of course, tried to plead innocence but proof was in the juries’ hands and they didn't like liars. They stripped him of his titles and privileges, confiscated his lands and sentenced to two years of prison or public thrashing.

And in all that time Ace hadn't heard a single mention of the crime. Not even by the guilty party. He wondered whether all trials went like that but didn't shrug at the indifference. The acting had to be perfect to fool someone and he planned to receive his apology no matter what. He deserved it for managing to be so quiet; he was sure it was the longest silence of his life and it wasn't anywhere near over.

"There will be festivities tonight. Will you come?" "It would be an honor" the good lord said. Ace had already forgotten his name. It was way too long. "Then do so."

"By the way whose is this kid? I’ve never seen such a well behaved one in my life."

"He stopped Hourn in his tracks and then called us to him since the guy had insulted him" the lord explained to his superior to whom Ace had to raise his head yet. The guy’s boots were shiny black unlike those of his two companions having walked through a forest.

"Is that so?"

"It is, Your Grace."

"He looks to be overly shy."

James pushed him forward but Ace refused to lift his head or utter a sound. If he had to embarrass himself and them to gain his apology, he was all up for it. "Say something" James hissed in his ear but Ace didn't acknowledge it. Not even blinked an extra time.

"I think he's terrified, Your Grace" the lord said with a shaky laugh. "He's been through things today and hearing us giving punishments for unnamed crimes haven't helped. I'm really sorry, Your Grace."

The other man seemed to think about it for a moment. "Bring him to the celebration. I want to meet the kid who'd stopped a lord and even called guards upon him for nothing more than being ordered around."

"Yes, Your Grace."

Ace felt like rolling his eyes at the repeatedly used honorific but kept himself in check. He might have had his head down but people tended to look upon things at all the wrong times and he didn't want to risk it.

"You can leave now."

They were out in seconds.

Only after they were safely sat in the lord's study, one Ace remembered quite well from his previous visit here, did the two turn to him. He was sure they were throwing daggers from their eyes but he didn't check.

"What the hell do you think you were doing there?" lord asked quietly, thinly veiled anger rolling off his tongue.

"Ignoring the Duke! That's what he was doing! Did you want us killed or something?" James asked not even pretending to hide his rage. He hadn't been long in the upper society but knew well that angering ones superiors was very, very bad. "He could have executed you on the spot for that! And us together!"

Ace's eyes widened at that. Could the guy really have done something like that? The whole city belonged to him so most likely yes. It sent a shiver through his body but he ignored it and stayed calm. At least someone in the room had to keep his head clear.

"You were a chatterbox previously! Tell us now! What in all that is holy were you thinking? Or were you trying to get us all killed?"

"James, that's enough" Lord said brushing a hand through his hair. "I don't see him answering if we're shouting his head off." 'That's one smart guy' Ace noted deciding he liked the lord more than his old plaything. The guy was passionate and daring but daft as a horse. "What is your game, kid?"

At that Ace raised his head looking innocently at the lord. He pretended to move his jaw but didn't open his lips. Then he shrugged as if saying I can't do anything.

"What is he doing? Has something happened to his mouth?" lord asked, uncomprehending. He turned to James who was looking at the kid with his mouth wide open. And staying like that. "Speak up" lord prompted.

"I can't believe it... I just can't..." James whispered repeatedly looking at Ace who was barely holding back a smirk.

Unlike him the lord had no patience at the moment. "God dammit! Use that mouth of yours! Say what the hell is going on here!"

James turned to him. "When we were riding, he kept on asking questions so I told him to shut up. He closed his mouth and like kids love to do faked locking it and throwing the key away." There was wonder in his tone. "I never saw even one keeping to that."

The lord wasn't in a philosophical mood. He was exhausted physically and mentally and wanted to steal an hour or two of sleep before the evening festivities started and this wasn't helping. "Kid stop your nonsense. We need you on your best behavior tonight."

Ace crossed hands over his chest and shook his head. He was going to turn into a marble statue first than allow some guy find displeasure in his actions, and announce it.

"You want us all dead?"

Ace shook his head.

"You're just not going to talk?"

Ace nodded.

"James?" lord said turning to his servant with a glare in his eyes. "Yes?" "You said we needed him, he has information, so deal with him now. Make him into a respectable person till evening." That said he stood up and exited the room leaving the two staring at the space he had occupied just moments ago. Then they looked at each other as if asking the other what it had been all about. None was the wiser so James resumed his shouting while Ace continued to ignore him.

It took two hours for the guy to tire out and take a breath. Ace thought he learnt more words than he had ever wanted to know in his life time.

Then the pleading begun. Evening was coming closer and James was growing desperate. He needed the kid to drop his haughty appearance but he had no idea how to make him. He promised him things, threatened him, prayed to his good will, begged him, shook him, terrified him but nothing worked. It was like trying to make a stone wall talk - impossible.

An hour before the event he gave up. It was pointless and he had to change. "Have a nice evening. I'm sorry to have bothered you."

The words brought a wide smile to Ace's face, one the guy didn't see since he was turned away and out the room before the echo of his voice died down.

"It took him some time. I hope he’ll be quicker next time..." Ace smiled like a Cheshire cat and left the room and the house.

He went straight to the shop in which he had once ordered a set of clothes. It had been almost a month ago but he expected to still find it there. Luckily, the same apprentice shopkeeper met him and although she wasn't happy that he had taken his sweet time arriving for the clothes, brought him his order. After extra two golds she was smiling and laughing suggesting he came here more often. Feeling in the mood Ace ordered another set of clothes, these ones less extravagant and more appropriate for outdoor travelling. She eagerly wrote everything down and promised to make them as fast as possible, forgetting all about the time it took him to return previously.

He left with a bag of clothes in hand and was on his way to the lord's manor when he noticed a gentleman walking down with a cane that looked anything but a tool to lean on. It was beautifully carved; light lines dancing among themselves not making any real shapes and the handhold was in the shape of a wolf's head with ruby eyes. Wood hit the ground with a soft thud sending sound waves scurrying to scout the world and then returning as echoes to describe it.

Ace wanted one too.

Now.

http://www.royalroadl.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=119&t=2724http://www.royalroadl.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=119&t=2648&p=17548#p17548

Author's Note:

Sorry for the late update, had to leave for the village :/

Thanks for the good words last chapter and hope you enjoyed this one too.