Burning Soul

Theo bowed with a sorry face, “I’m sorry for waking up late, maybe the treatments I’m getting made me too sleepy and I woke later than usual!”

“I told him it was okay as we are leaving late anyways, but he won’t just listen!” Catherine rubbed her forehead. “Shall we get our breakfast? I’m starving and we have to leave as well, we can’t just fool around!”

Just as she finished Theo’s stomach made an appearance with the growling sound, he stood with a bright red face!

This brought a smile to the faces of everyone there,

“Let’s go get something to eat, you have a long way to go and you are still recovering!” Dimitri pointed at his arm,

“I’m learning to live with it but I don’t really think I’ll be able to do anything helpful ever” He sighed and started walking past all, he still hadn’t recovered from the sickness of losing not only his arm but also attacking his close companions, it was evident on his face.

“He is in no wrong Gramps, if I was at his place I’d have done the same.

I can’t imagine the pain of hurting your own sibling and still being able to walk with it.” Milot shrugged his shoulders while commenting.

They followed him to the Dining hall where someone was already waiting for them, it was Naomi.

Since the siege of the cathedral, they haven't seen each other, though Dimitri had also told her not to spoil the beans about Aeneas and other’s journeys which he had spoken about with her earlier.

Catherine went ahead and hugged her tightly, Sylph joined them as well, “It’s been a long time Cathy, I’m glad you are all safe!” She had wet eyes.

“I’ve told her many times that it isn’t her fault but she ain’t listening!” Dimitri spoke to which she replied immediately, “It was my brother who came looking for me, you should’ve let me go!”

“Nonsense, we beastmen would never hand over our friend!” Milot replied with a proud face and steaming temper,

“Besides they weren’t only after you, Your brother isn’t stupid to just cause this huge commotion and leave

If he was after you, he’d have done it covertly!

The manner of his act was provoking, it wasn’t a rescue mission.

Besides, this isn’t why we have gathered here.” Dimitri reminded her with a clue that they were not to talk more about it or Theo would catch on, but to his surprise, Theo showed little to no interest in their talk, he sat on one of the chairs and began eating for himself with no change in expression at all!

“He’s not fine is he?” Naomi asked Catherine in a whispering tone, “I can not believe this much happened!”

.

.

…

They all sat down and had breakfast, the start of the day was uneventful. No one was talking about anything on the table, it was a very awful feeling.

Later Naomi first got up and headed back in the safety of the Palace, she was still not to step out!

“Okay now,

As per the plan, we will leave with a small convoy as we need to travel deep in the forest and carry a lot of stuff as well.

We need to take a small detour, there is a place we need to visit before heading to the shrine!” Milot spoke, even Dimitri was confused, he didn’t plan the detour. It was Milot’s own plan.

“Okay!” Theo replied meticulously

After sharing a few looks Catherine and Milot lead the way to the Main road where a convoy was already waiting, it consisted of half a dozen guards, two wizards and two sentinels. It was a small convoy but with enough support to last days on the journey.

Looking at the preparation Catherine asked the obvious question, “Is our journey going to last long?”

They had a simple task, to investigate the shrine and retrieve the Quinx Gem for Naomi!

“I can’t thank you enough for doing this much for me, I can not pay you back even with my life!” Naomi was constantly saying only these words, “No need to thank, we are helping each other anyway!” Unexpectedly Theo was the one to reply, he was after all the first person to encounter her.

“We need some intel on the things going on around the shrine and also a way to retrieve the gem, as much as we know it’s quite tough keeping its form!

If we damage it, retrieving another one is impossible!

The gem forms once in a hundred years and to keep it a secret we put up the guards in the first place, but if out up many, people would figure it!

So the security was on the loose side, also if we damage that one, there’ll be no more gem to retrieve for the next hundred years!” Milot explained the reasoning behind the detour,

“You mean to visit the Witch’s place don’t you?” Dimitri asked Milot, “Witch?” Catherine inquisitively asked, “Yeah there’s a switch in the forest who knows about a lot of old stuff, it’d be handy if we could get some intel from her!”

“You know she never listens!” Dimitri rubbed his forehead, “Do you know her well?” Catherine asked him.

“She was a resident advisor wizard of the palace long ago, with age she’s lost her edge!

Later she left the palace! The Library you see in the Palace is hers originally, I just happen to take a liking to it!” Dimitri spoke.

They remembered the Library Dimitri spoke of, it was such a grand library no one could forget easily!

“So, it’s just a quick detour, what’s this much stuff for?” Catherine was puzzled as well!

“It’s not that easy kids!

Remember I told you, she’s got some screws loose now, so it can take a bit longer!” Dimitri laughed the matter off!

Both Dimitri and Milot laughed out at it, the only one missing the fun was already on the cart.

“He won’t be smiling anytime soon,” Catherine spoke in a low tone pointing towards Theodore,

“Let him heal on his own pace dear, he’ll find his reason!” Dimitri reassured her.

They sat in the cart to get going, the only thing that worried them was Theodore’s attitude, he was still looking super gloomy.

As they were leaving the palace, Theo glanced at the Cathedral and asked Catherine, “Why did Aeneas and others not come with us?”

His question was expected by them, “Umm, they are still recovering and you Jura is a little impulsive so let’s just not make them worry about us!” Catherine replied, “Besides, our mission isn’t that hard so let’s not disturb them!”

Listening to them he didn’t react much but rather stayed quiet, this was very nerve-wracking to see.

“Theo, are you alright?” Catherine asked in a worrying tone, “Yeah, I am, what better I can be right now?” His tone carried a gloom, even though he showed as if he was smiling, internally he was all but smiling!

‘Vivian, will he never smile!’ she thought to herself…