Chapter 10 - Nobility

Ardon took the freshly dressed Eric to get some food at a restaurant before continuing on their journey. On their way, Eric noticed people staring at him with strange looks and moving to the side to get out of his way. After a few minutes of walking through the crowded town, they reached the restaurant. Eric looked on to see the place full, not a single table left. Ahead of them, a large crowd surrounded a man dressed in formal attire.

“We should just eat at the food stalls we passed before,” said Eric.

"Huh, why would we do that??”

"Erm. Because it's full" Eric said in confusion while gesturing towards the full tables.

"Oh… hmm no need, we eat here,"

Ardon shoved past the people waiting, trying to speak to the headwaiter. The crowd cried out in annoyance at being pushed aside. Ardon ignored them and continued with Eric following. When the crowd saw Eric following behind, the mutterings and curses fell silent. Yea, I'd fear a masked man, as well.

"What is going on here!!" A voice sounded out from the back.

A tall man with black hair exited the back room wearing an apron and stormed over towards the commotion, his face full of anger.

“Who are you??” Ardon asked.

“I'm the owner of this establishment who do you….”

"Good, bring us to a private room, and a round of the finest dishes you have,” Ardon said, cutting him off.

"Who do you think you are.. Coming in here ordering me around… Someone fetch the gaur……" the owner raged before stopping himself at the sight of Eric standing behind. Eric stared at the man who was looking back wide-eyed at him. The owner lowered his head at Eric's gaze, his legs trembling.

"Y..ye yes my lord right away, follow me,"

They followed the nervous man to a room on the second floor, inside a fat man with golden rings, and necklaces sat in between two pretty women that were feeding him.

"Sorry sir, but the young master here has already reserved, this room." the owner said pointing at Eric who was standing behind Ardon. Wtf…. This is Ardon’s deal, not mine. I suggested we eat at the food stalls.

The fat man stood, hustling the two women out of the way. He looked Ardon up and down, narrowing his eyes, his jaw tightening.

"I don’t care about this stupid fuck hiding his face, I was here first!!!!”

"Hold your tongue sir," the owner said, panic in his voice.

"Hold my tongue!! Hold my tongue!! How dare you, No one but the imperials can order me and yet a mere peasant from some backwater town dares to tell me to hold my tongue,"

Veins popped out on the fat man's temples as he berated the owner. The owner pleaded with the man to not speak out of turn, as the mana surged chaotically in the small room. The fat man held his hands out, a small bolt of electricity arcing between the two. Just as he was about to fry the tall restaurant owner, an audible sigh sounded out from Ardon as he pushed Eric in front of him.

"Hey what are you doing….,” Eric protested, trying to get back behind Ardon. I didn't make this mess. Does he want me to die or something? Eric felt the mana surge more violently, making his eyes lose focus. Ardon’s firm hand from behind steadied him, stopping him from falling.

“My lord, are you ok,” Ardon said, faking surprise. WTF.. is this guy talking about? “It's ok master, I will deal with this pest,” Ardon said before Eric could voice his concerns. Ardon then used his mana to encompass the man. The fat pig of a man collapsed, his breath caught in his throat. His eyes bulged in shock, gaze lingering on Eric, begging for mercy. Eric looked into his eyes, hesitating on what to say or do. Four loud snaps echoed around the room, followed by a hallowing scream from the man as Ardon snapped his four limbs with mana.

“Get rid of him and bring some food,” Ardon said to the owner with not a care in the world for crippling the guy. Eric stared at him in disbelief at Ardon as the owner left, dragging the fat man out along with his fancy women.

“How can you do that and then sit there as nothing happened?”

“Yea, I should have killed him, but I don't want the headache when we reach the capital,”

“No!! How can you kill and injure people with no hesitation, no concern,”

“Hmm, Life is death and death is life, a boar's death means life for its predator, one fat man's limbs mean we can eat nutritious food in peace to strengthen ourselves.”

“Hm ok, but we could have eaten somewhere else instead of making trouble. Also, why do people look at me in awe and avoid my gaze like I'm some powerful person?”

Ardon took off his mask and lowered his hood, displaying his ancient blue eyes and ashen hair. He took a seat around the table, inviting Eric to join him. While sitting and waiting for food, Ardon stared at Eric, who questioned him with his eyes.

“Only those with imperial blood have our hair and eye colour,” Ardon said with a sigh.

Our hair and eye colour?? My hair and eye colour only changed after the mana mutated my neurons.

“My hair and eyes were not always this colour, so if you think I'm some long-lost lord or something, you're wrong.”

“Hm… Let me guess you had black hair and brown eyes before your awakening” Ardon said while smiling at Eric.

“Awakening…?? My hair changed because I absorbed the mana leaking from the rift with the help of the….” Eric stopped himself before revealing Amiy.

“It's ok, you will learn when we get home”

“What fucking home!!! My home is on earth, the place you invaded and slaughtered thousands of people”

Ardon looked at Eric with sadness as he patted him on the shoulder. “It will be ok”

After 20 minutes of sitting in silence, the food comes. Two beautiful maids walk in pushing a cart loaded with deliciously smelling food. “Would you like help to eat my lord?” one of them said to Eric. “No, Leave!” Eric said dismissing them, still angry from before. They sat and ate in silence, Eric focused on consuming all he could.

The owner entered an hour later to see if everything was satisfactory. He stopped dead when he saw Ardon, not masked. He quickly tried to kneel to the ground before Ardon rushed over and picked him up.

“I'm sorry your maj…”

“Ok ok.. You go now and forget seeing me here,” Ardon said, cutting the man off.

The owner scampered off out of the room, trembling. A flash of confusion ran across Eric's face at the display before he returned to concentrate on the food. After finishing five dishes, he could feel a food coma coming along and his eyes closed. A soft slap across his head woke him up.

“Time to go..” Ardon said, his hood and mask back on hiding his identity.

The two stars orbiting dipped below the horizon, as Eric and Ardon left the town, heading back to the forest where the dragon rested. A merchant leaving town offered the finely dressed Eric a ride, Ardon stepped up and denied him before Eric could accept the kind offer.

“Why not just let him take us… it's so far away,” moaned Eric.

“You need exercise, you are lazy”

Eric ground his teeth in frustration as they continued the long walk back to the forest. After reaching the forest, Ardon called out for the dragon. “Brinsoph” he shouted. The ground rumbled and trees moved to the side as the enormous dragon stumbled through the forest like a dog excited to see its owner. The dragon stopped in front of Ardon, its tail wagging back and forth, throwing dirt in Eric's face.

“What is your problem, stupid dragon,” Eric said while spitting dirt from his mouth.

“Who's a good little dragon…” Ardon said, cooing over the enormous dragon acting like it's a little puppy.

Little dragon???... After playing with the dragon for a while, Ardon and Eric boarded the noble beast and headed into the sky, flying over the town that looks so small from above.

Grand empress Solora sat in her chambers as handmaidens helped her dress, brush and tie her ashen hair up. When fully dressed, she headed to the throne room. The room was enormous, a red and gold carpet laid the way to the thrones that sat looking down on the large open space. Large guards bordered the sides, holding huge two-handed swords that sparkled from the light that shone from a crystal chandelier that swung above. Solora sat down on the smaller throne designated for the empress. She called for a servant nearby to fetch her daughter and bring her to the throne room. After a small amount of time the large doors that led into the room opened, and a petite woman walked in dressed in a gold and red gown, followed by an entourage of guards and advisors.

"That's my seat, " the petite woman said with a smile.

"I'm so sorry empress Lillian I was simply just reminiscing of old times, could I speak to you alone for a moment," Solora said with a curtsy.

Lillian called for her retinue to stand aside while she spoke to her mother, then she took her mother in an embrace.

"What is wrong mother is there any news?"

"Not yet, child, I'm sure we will hear from your father soon"

"It's been so long, I hope he will not hate me for abandoning him," Lillian said meekly, tears forming in her eyes.

"Shh. you did not abandon him, you saved him, remember?"

Ardon, I hope you succeed, for all our sakes. Solora thought while comforting her daughter, who now had tears running down her face.