“You know, Cain, I’m gonna be a famous artist one day! And I’ll have my own exhibition! Displaying all my works there in my own extravagant gallery in the city! You know, like the Grand Museum in Libelishe Kingdom!” said Higa enthusiastically. He was drawing on his book, Cain sat next to him. They were at Emerald Horn inn.

“We haven't been there, how do you know how it’s like?” responded Cain.

“Heh! Grand Museum is every artist’s dream, Cain! Don't you dare mock at my future!”

“It was a question, Higa the greatest artist of all time,” sneered Cain.

“See? That’s a mockery right there!”

“Wouldn't it be better if you make it like a troupe? You travel around the world, while showing off all of your arts or whatever instead of performance or act. And by doing so, I bet you could learn a lot for your drawing or painting,” Cain shrugged.

“Oh! That’s a good idea!” responded Higa.

“You realize we have to fail at Kingsmight entrance test to travel as we please, right?” said Lexa, she came to the table with drinks for them. It was late at night in the inn, only few people left drinking at the bar.

“Shush, Lexa! Just give this man a dream,” Cain chuckled.

“Ah, damn right,” said Higa, “but at least Kingsmight sends one or two of its squads for expedition, hmm… if I become a Kingsmight, the money I get maybe could afford a building or two in the city, for my gallery of course!”

“Hmm, maybe I also could open a restaurant or something!” exclaimed Lexa.

“Ooh! Lexa the slowest chef is marking the history on culinary culture!” said Cain while laughing.

“Hehe, of course that’s all after we travel around the world, right?” Lexa smiled, did not bothered by Cain’s joke.

“Of course!” responded Cain.

“Oho! Look at those eyes, Lexa! The eyes of the landscape-hungry person!” said Higa.

“Hahaha! I’m seeing that!” Lexa laughed.

They all laughed.

“Huh?” Cain looked at Lexa, “Lexa, why are bleeding!?”

He stood up to see her clearer.

Lexa was bleeding on her chest, blood was licking its red on her clothes.

“Oh? That? Isn't that because of you, Cain?” said Higa as he and Lexa stood up. The table and the chairs were thrown to the side by them.

“Wha-?” Cain looked over Higa, his clothes was soaked with blood, there was even a red puddle under his feet.

“Wh-what’s happening!?” Cain panicked when he saw that.

“You failed to keep your promise, Cain,” said Higa.

“I took an arrow for you, and look what at what you’re doing, enjoying your adventure? Just like that?” said Lexa.

“N-no! It’s not like that!” said Cain.

Higa and Lexa walked slowly towards Cain. They slowly turned into blood, still with their familiar faces. In a blink of an eye, Lexa stabbed Cain on the chest with her hand. Higa, on Lexa’s back turned into swords, then flew, pierced Cain’s body, exactly on the spots just like when Higa died.

“Gaahh!!!”

Cain woke up, he was panting, sweating. He was pale, his lips were chapped.

He blinked repeatedly and looked over his surrounding.

“Akh…” he rubbed his throat, “so thirsty.” He took a glass of water from the table without standing up. He drank the water in one go.

“Puahh!” he wiped his mouth, “how long I’ve been out?” he said. He looked at the window, it was still dark outside.

“Damn dream…”

Cain stretched his body, cracking some bones. He tried to stand up, but his legs were enervated. He mustered his strength to sit on the bed and made it.

“Haahh… huh? Beil?”

Beil wasn't there.

Cain looked at the door, it shut tight, but he could see a bit of scratch mark on the lower part of the door. Then he looked at the window.

“Probably he went out from the window,” said Cain. There was a large tree in front of the window, Cain thought Beil probably woke up and went out from the window.

“Hmh… weird, I’m hungry…” he said.

Cain clenched his right fist repeatedly. “I hope that potion works… oh well, everything from the book never fails me.”

After a while, he washed his face on a bowl of water and cleaned up the potion-brewing tools.

“Maybe I should grab a snack…”

Cain went out from his room, and descended the stairs. He saw Beil at the desk in front of the main door. He was being rubbed by a woman behind the desk.

“Wow, you look so tired, no wonder you’ve been holed in your room for the entire day. Are you alright?” asked the woman. She was the innkeeper.

“Yeah, I’m alright… wait, what do you mean the entire day?” Cain looked puzzled.

“...” the woman looked at Cain, “the last time I saw you was yesterday,” she said.

“What?? You mean… ugh… I’ve been out for a day because of that potion?” said Cain.

“Potion?” asked the woman curiously.

“Nothing,” said Cain, “alright then, I’ll rent the room for two more days.” Cain gave her a couple of coins.

The woman just nodded in response. Then, Cain and Beil went to the Hunter Guild. He left his stuff at the inn.

Krevias Hunter Guild

“What the actual freak! You look worse than Rollei when she’s on her period!” said Vigel when he saw Cain.

“And you look worse than him right now, Vigel,” Rollei replied.

“What happened to you?” asked Ziraf.

“Uhh, it’s nothing, I’m just tired,” replied Cain, he sat with them. Then called the waitress and ordered some food.

“Hey, did you hear the news from Heindop Town?” asked Trom.

“Heindop? The eastern town of Krevias?” responded Ziraf.

“Yeah, they saw a fleet from Jarvagr Continent near Sharksea Tribe Island. You know, those weird-ass flying ships of ‘em,” said Trom.

“Flying ships?” asked Cain curiously.

“Yeah, just like those ships in the sea, with those sails and all, but they have weird parts attached on them, and sail in the sky. Only Jarvagr Continent has that kind of ship, must be magic or some kind of ancient technology,” replied Trom, “too bad they’re so cheap to share their techs.”

“It’s not like they’re on friendly term with us,” said Vigel.

“True, well, they’re the ones who lost in the past war, they don't have to play nice with us,” said Ziraf, “and as long as Valfikr still has the Mighty Iligo, I bet they’re reluctant to pay us back.”

“Wait? The King of Arozora?” asked Vigel.

“You don’t know, Vigel? Really?” Rollei with her smug face looked at Vigel.

“Please, do tell me, o lady Rollei,” said Vigel.

“Huh, as you know, we used to have war with the Kingdoms of Jarvagr Continent, it was bad, heard that from my grandma. Even when we got help from Farferis, it was just combat slaves. Then, a man appeared, he offered to help us, but what Krevias did not expect was, that man, single handedly sunk a dozen fleets of Jarvagr. That heavy loss made Jarvagr halted their war plans, then a year later, that man ascended to Arozora’s throne with a fair challenge of Ruler’s Truth, until now, no one ever snatched that throne from him. When our Jarvagr neighbor heard the man that caused them heavy loss became the King, they stopped their interest towards Valfikr, not even a small raid to Valfikr east beach line was seen after that,” explained Rollei.

“Holy shit! Single handedly!? thank Goddess, King Iligo does not have war seeker mind. I can’t imagine what kind of destruction he could bring if he decides to,” said Vigel

“(Ah, I heard that, the old man said he once helped a certain Kingdom because he did not want to see the Kingdom’s lake becomes the collateral damage of their war. That’s when he told us about Olren Lake. And flying ship? I’d like to see it one day,)” thought Cain.

The waitress came with Cain’s food.

“Oh yeah, guys, are there any must-see places in the city besides the lake?” asked Cain to the group.

“Ah, I forgot you’re a wandering Hunter, you want to sightseeing, eh?” said Ziraf.

Cain nodded in answer. He gave Beil some of his food.

“Hmm, there is a marvelous temple in north Havelvaih, the Great Temple of the Goddess,” said Hoffa.

“Or Bivili Market, that place is super crowded, but the food stalls in there are my favourite,” Vigel added.

“Oh, I’ve been to Bivili, it has intriguing buildings, and of course, the food there is delicious! Right, Beil?” exclaimed Cain.

“Meip!” Beil seemed to agree.

“Okay then, looks like I have my destination tomorrow,” said Cain.

“I’m curious, you haven't taken a single Hunter quest since you came here, right?” asked Vigel.”

“Uh-huh,” answered Cain.

“You don't need money? I know you got a good haul from the Horde Brawl, but it’s not going to last, Cain. You should start to take up quest,” said Ziraf.

Cain took the last bite of his food and drank his glass of cold red tea to its last drop. Then he smiled

“Wait! Don't tell me, you're actually a prince from a distant kingdom. Like a illegitimate child or something, and you’re here because you’re banished from your homeland in your brother’s fear you might disturb his succession to the throne!” said Vigel.

Rollei rolled up her eyes with a groan.

Cain got up from the chair. “Who knows,” he smirked to them, “thank you, guys. See you later.”

Cain went back to the inn with Beil. When Cain hit the bed, he quickly fell asleep even though he just slept an hour ago.

…

In the morning, Cain and Beil were in the crowd of Havelvaih city street, looking their way to the Great Temple of the Goddess.

After Cain asked some people in the street, they arrived at the temple.

It was a huge temple, four large pillars with painting of water waves supported the carved stone roof. A wide stairs between two waterfalls on each side was the entrance to the temple.

“Whoa…”

There were many people there. Some of them also astonished to the view, others just entered the temple right away.

“Let’s go, Beil!” Cain couldn’t wait to see what’s inside.

When they entered the temple, they were greeted by a spacious hall. Filled with carved stones and paintings, in the middle, there was a huge statue of the Goddess with stretching hands to the left and right, water was streaming around the statue’s hands. Around the hall, there was a small water way on the granite floor with some plants on the pot around it, making the hall felt pretty fresh. The carved holes on each corner of the ceiling made the hall well illuminated.

Cain saw some of the people there were kneeling in front of the statue, asking for blessing and such.

He continued to the next room, it was another spacious hall, yet it was totally different from the previous one, it was beautifully illuminated with blue and yellow light from the pool around the hall. The water was glowing like Olren Lake. No holed ceiling there, so no sunlight entered this hall, only the light from the water, as if it were night. In the middle of the hall, there was a fountain, with a little statue of the Goddess on top of it.

“This is beautiful…” Cain walked around.

A group of robed women came and petted Beil with their curious faces. Cain just shrugged and left Beil to them.

Cain proceed to the next room. It wasn’t a big hall, but big enough to throw a party there. With a statue of Dragon Tyrant Rex in the end of the room, this room was illuminated with lumines crystals around the wall. There were six pillars in the room, oddly, the pillars were not tall enough to touch the ceiling, only halfway to the tall ceiling. There were big water spheres on the top of each pillar.

There were lesser people here than the previous rooms.

Cain observation in the room halted when he saw a group of old men were talking each other not far from him. What made Cain cautious was their robes, they wore robes that were identical to the Water Saint’s robe he fought two days ago.

He swiftly got behind the pillar. Then, from the entrance to the room, he saw two familiar faces, two women.

It was Freis and Isore. Isore had a bandage on her forehead. They walked past Cain and the pillar, to the group of old men.

“Greetings, Water Saints,” said Freis and Isore, they both bowed their heads.

“At ease, Isore, Freis. I don't see Tirkogara since two days ago, where is he?” asked one of the Water Saints, he had a heavy voice.

“(What are Water Saints doing here!?)” thought Cain, “(wait… temple… saint… crap! Are they related!? Is this their base or something!?)”

“Not need to worry, Sir Algas, Sir Tirkogora is resting after he pulled off a series of high water magic to explain how strong water magic is to the students two days ago,” said Freis.

One of the Water Saints scoffed. “He’s too old, he should be looking for his successor by now, hahah!”

“What happened to your head, Isore?” asked the Water Saint called Algas.

“Ah, this is because of my training, Sir,” Isore replied.

“Pff! See? Even his student can’t protect herself from a silly injury! How the heck Tirkogara taught you, huh?” said the Water Saint.

“Silence, Jeggra, it’s no use mocking his students while he isn't here, do that when he’s here,” scoffed Algas, “though you’ll always welcome to become my bed warmer, Freis,” Algas smirked, he looked at Freis throughly from head to toe even though Freis’s body was fully covered by a long robe.

Freis and Isore couldn't say a thing. But Cain could see Freis was clenching her left fist.

“(... Even among themselves they are like that, huh? They even harassed that Water Saint’s subordinate.)” Cain peeked at them from behind the pillar while trying not to be seen suspicious by others.

Then, a woman entered the room. Cain glanced at her. “(Huh? I think I’ve seen her before,)” thought Cain.

She walked to the Water Saints. All eyes in the room were locked into her, she was a beauty with a bewitching smile.

“Ah, gentlemen, I’d like to discuss something with Miss Fe privately,” said Algas.

The Water Saints nodded and left Algas and the woman called Fe.

“Attention! The Water Saint Algas is gonna use this room, move your ass out from here!” exclaimed one of the Water Saints to the people in the room.

With that, people there went out from that room.

“(I think I should go, it’s bad just being here! Oh shit!)” Cain quickly went back to behind the pillar. Freis and Isore were walking to the entrance. They were the last people there besides Cain, Water Saint Algas and the woman called Miss Fe.

Freis turned around at the entrance and raised her hands, a layer of water closed the room.

“(Damn it, she closed the entrance… how do I get out from here without being seen!?)”