Chapter 105 – Archie’s Luck

Barbados was an old dog. Stubborn and would not change his mind. Archie didn’t tell Mia about what Barbados wanted. He merely took a step and watched them argue until evening. Mia was no fool. She was angry and was filled with the need of vengeance but a night of arguing made her see a bit of reason.

Archie didn’t give his opinion. In fact, he just walked down the village while in thought. He passed by the village people who were starting their days. His thoughts were filled with his village. He was called Archie of Avilla after what he did. But in honestly he never really wanted the title. He was Archie, of nowhere. A Proctor turned city hero who did what nobody wanted to do during that time.

Archie trotted to this empty area. He faced the fields where the farmers were busy taking care of their crops. There were rows of vegetables with different sizes and shapes. The baskets that were near the fences of the farmland were filled. Archie sat on a stump and rested his arms on his knees. He looked at the farmers with weary eyes. He watched them swing their tools. He could hear their tools hitting the soil. There was a fresh air coming from the forest nearby. And the air seemed to enter Archie’s pores.

Archie clutched his hand together. He looked back at the things he had encountered and reflected. From the invasion that happened in Avilla City. To the escape out here in this remote village that Mia somehow knew. He could not make due to what he should be doing.

Still, oddly, he wanted to help her out of debt. He wanted to help her because Shig saved his life back there. Archie knew what he was doing when he fought for them. He knew that there was no hope of defending the stronghold. But he still joined them because they needed help. Justicar Vigo actually offered Archie a golden branch. But he refused them out of principles.

And that he didn’t like the Templars. Their thinking was way too zealous for him. But in honestly one of the big reason was that it was due to that expedition. He could not forget Cassia’s death. He could still recall her head exploding as those turrets hit her. It was something he would never forget. Every time he sleeps he would remember. And that made it hard for him to abandon them.

Archie doesn’t what to see something as helpless as that again. It was a so helpless that it made him weak. It made him want to help people like Mia who was on the run. Any sane person would run away and try not to prove the Templars more. But yet here was helping them despite the danger.

Archie laughed. Making the farmers glance at him. He returned their curious eyes with a smile which made the farmers returned to their work. He stood up and sauntered to the fringes of the village. He looked at the overarching cliffs down below. The road leading to this village was built of rocks and dirt. Down the road, he could see the merchants traveling with their motored carriage. He sat near the cliff and watched the merchants go up. After that, he made his way back to the village where he browed the merchandises of the merchant. There were peculiar items and one of them was an odd bracelet. This bracelet gave off a strange sign and seeing it made Archie feel like he should buy it. He bought the bracelet and half-emptied his pocket.

He pocketed the item and went back to the house that Mia owned. While returning he saw Barbados maintaining his vehicle. He was filled with grease and soot. He looked like he didn’t want to be bothered so Archie went inside the house ambled straight to his room.

There, he studied the bracelet and when he did he felt something changed inside him. He felt the runes that were attached to his vambraces and greaves disappear. He was suddenly in this empty void where he saw the runes now looking like tattoos instead. He focused his will and suddenly his entire arm went blazing. He shook his arm off but found out that the fire went out.

Suddenly, he was back to his room sitting. The mattress and the small stool was the furnishing of his room. He looked at his hands and saw that the runes were now tattooed on his body. The bracelet has disappeared and was now on his left arm.

Archie thought to himself that it was weird. But when he imagined activating the runes a wisp of fire appeared on his fingertips. It made him panic and he stumbled back. He felt something on his right and seeing that it was a branch. Archie listlessly took it and there he saw the branch blazed. It stayed lit and there was no sign of it being burned. It surprised Archie and when he swung the branch there was whistling that then scarred the cobble wall.

Archie had no idea why. But seeing what he just did. Archie thought that he was sucked in by that item. There was synchronization between the item and the runes that made it like this. In other words, Archie got himself a new item out of pure luck. It was a coincidence and it surprised him! To think that random browsing would allow him to spot such great time.

Lady Fortune seemed to smile at me, he thought. He then focused his will and to his surprise water appeared. He conjured wind and wind appeared. He conjured earth and he was able to launch earth pebbles. By the time he was done testing this newfound power. Archie felt exhilarated. It was an odd power that seemed like it could have many uses. He didn’t know what the goddess of lucks wants from him but he knows that with this sudden luck of finding power. He would able to help them.

He made a commotion inside. And looking around his room it seemed like he threw a tantrum. Noticing this, Archie started to clean the room with a smile on his face.