Lea sighed softly as he made sure his katana was once again secured around his waist, tightening the wrapping that held it to him. He grunted and wiped some sweat from his head as he looked around, Alucard was gone and he wasn’t sure where exactly someone like him would go. He decided it best to not worry about it as he grabbed a note from his pocket and saw the picture stored within, it was Inferno. Lea read the letter again and sighed. It was the keepsake of his master, along with the sword, and the note read:
“Lea Arizaki, My time in this world is limited, and I have a goal I must accomplish before I go. I may not return to you after this goal and so I want you to seek out Inferno, and the royal family of Elderitch, and become a servant of them. I do have one mission for you to seek out while in their services, learn of the Abrien, and what this ancient bloodline is capable of. My intel tells me someone amongst their group holds such powers, and it will be your key to silencing whatever ruin my vision has shown. I wish I knew the details of it more so I could aid you a bit more, but the rest is in your hands. You are my precious student until the end, and it pains me that I must end my teaching here. But you must take what you have learned and clean this world of the demonic force that jeopardizes your very existence. I apologize again, as I have for years, that I have failed to protect your mother when I found you. I hope you can find it in you to forgive this old fool. You were like a son, and I will carry that thought into my grave. Your mother and I will be watching you, and I will always be there in the memory you hold. When you swing that blade, remember what I have taught you. Lea, I love you like a son, goodbye.”
Lea chuckled softly, weakly even, as he gently wiped a tear from his eye and folded the note in half and gently placed it in his bag safely, looking towards the castle of Elderitch. His mind was set, and he planned to aid them against Alucard, and any threat that stands in their way. “Of course I can forgive you master. Mother may be gone, but she is always watching me. I hope one day to learn your mission.” He started as he walked off in the direction of the kingdom. “One day, I will face you again at the gates of the afterlife and hope to hear your tales, and hope you will finally confide in me what you saw. That is if what you saw never comes true.” He said simply as he spoke as if his master would hear, walking at a slow pace to just take in what was around him, the beauty of nature. Lea always appreciated the look of the world around him and always took time to admire what it was.
As he walked, Melody and Sazh were nearby, and had heard his little conversation, nodding to each other as they headed off in the other direction. They had been sent to spy on anyone suspicious that was heading to the kingdom, and Lea fit the bill for them, hoping that would be enough for their boss. “Arizaki, I feel I’ve heard such a name before. Wasn’t that the name of the man who hired Leblanc to kill that general on the other continent?” Sazh asked as he pushed some of the fur on his head back to keep it out of his eyes, his golden eyes peering to Melody gently, no hostility about him at all.
“I don’t recall, but we can always find out. Leblanc keeps everything, even old bounty notes, so she has to have it in her crate. But don’t look at me to find it, because you know she’d kick both of out asses if she found us snooping through her stuff.” Melody chuckled a bit as she walked, looking around some as the sounds of birds overhead filled the empty void of silence, the duo had been partners for years and yet it was always somewhat silent between them. They had no room to learn because they’ve practically learned all they could of one another.
“You’re right, but isn’t it curious still? That last name is very foreign to most lands, so the odds of two different families we encounter sharing a name is unheard of. And even if they are the same, why do father and son share such different ideals?” Sazh asked and stretched his arms a bit and clamped his hands behind his head as he walked. “If you ask me, it doesn’t make sense. This Lea character is definitely going to be a wrench in the machine, because Leblanc is under the impression Arizaki is a name she can trust…” He said and took a long pause looking serious, before shaking his head and chuckling. “Listen to me ramble like I have any idea what to think, there is absolutely no way he is related to the guy we just saw.” He laughed it off, which made Melody a bit skeptical.
Melody wanted to push the matter further, because something about Sazh getting serious out of nowhere was particularly weird for her, because it was never like him to act that way. She let him take point as she stood back a bit and placed her hand to her mouth in a questioning fashion. Was he onto something? Was there something Leblanc wasn’t telling them? Her original lack of interest was now faded as she thought of what her companion said. Sazh was always carefree and smiling, so that sudden change really caught her off guard. She sighed softly but quietly enough that Sazh would not hear her as she caught up, she was going to do her own little investigation, she was now determined to figure out if this was a coincidence or if Lea really was related to the man named Arizaki. If he was, what does that make of his mother, who was said to be dead. To many questions filled Melody’s mind as she nodded, her resolve clear.
-
Lea smiled as he took a deep breath and looked at the castle gates. After his years spending his life hidden away in a secret village, a huge kingdom with beautiful gates and castle were new to him and it felt like a breath of fresh air. He approached the gate and looked at everything as he breathed in deeply once more. “Elderitch, kingdom of the noble Adams-Grace family, protectors of the realm and saviors who stopped Drazernon. To think I would be face to face with such a brilliant spectacular sight. No wonder my master wanted me to come here, this will be a very enlightening time. Hopefully they will grant me an audience. I should bring a gift.” He said as he went to the guard standing in front of the gate.
“Entrance papers please.” he said, his voice stern and gruff, but deep down there was a hint of caringness that the knight probably would never show unless he has to, He looked Lea over with a semi skeptical look but didn’t seem to worried about the man, he seemed very passive for the time being so he wasn’t much of a threat that would need to be watched. He gave a nod before waiting patiently
“Entrance papers? I am sorry good sir, but I have received no such things, I do however have this.” He said handing him his master's note, which the guard took carefully and with gentle fingers unfolded it and scanned it, noticing an insignia at the bottom.
Without hesitation he nodded and handed back the letter before turning to a guard at the controls. “Open the gate, this man needs to papers, he is the student of master Oliver, his majesty's mentor. We are to let him in without question.” He instructed and the guard quickly opened the gate to let Lea in, the wolf confused at this but didn’t push for answers as he walked into the kingdom, seeing the bustling marketplace right before him.
“Hmm, quite the curious reaction. Is my master really that important? I guess I will ask when I come face to face with the king. For now I just have to explore a little, this marketplace is magnificent. It would be a crime for me to see the castle without seeing this, and I could use this as a chance to get the king a special gift for the trouble. But where to start?” He said as he started walking around, looking for something that could potentially catch his eye that would be worth picking up.
Lea stood by a stand that had a variety of weapons ranging from ornamental to actual weapons for use, and was entranced by everything there was, some of the weapons made of material that he has never seen before. The shopkeep found the mans enthusiasm something to behold as he always enjoyed giving people a lesson in such works. While they talked about the weapons and material, a young adult wolf, with black fur and a white underbelly, was walking around doing some shopping while also reading what resembled a book used for schooling. His name was Kenta Sirion, a student at the school in Elderitch. Neither Lea or Kenta were paying attention and without a seconds notice both accidentally collided into each other, Kenta gasping as he stumbled back and landed on his backside, his book landed beside him and his groceries scattering.
Lea was more lucky as he only stumbled and was able to catch himself, but looked up and quickly started to gather up everything for the wolf. “I am terribly sorry, I should have paid more attention. Are you hurt?” Lea asked as he bagged up everything carefully and with surprising speed as he walked over to the fallen wolf.
Kenta groaned a bit and rubbed his head softly as he looked up to see the other man extending his arm to help him up, which Kenta gladly accepted as he was carefully helped up. “Oh no, no need to apologize, it’s my fault for trying to do my studies while also walking around a crowded street, it was foolish of me, but I try to push as much studying in as I can with exams coming up. Thank you for your help by the way. The name is Kenta Sirion, I am a culinary student at the school in the royal district. Shocking I know for a commoner to be in such a place.”
Lea smiled as he listened to the man talk, a surprised but pleased look appearing on his face as he heard culinary was his field of study. “I am Lea Arizaki, I am the student of Master Oliver. I am actually here to meet with the royal family and work under them. You said you are learning culinary?” Lea smiled, getting a nod from Kenta. Lea gave a pleased chuckle as he looked at him. “Well if you wish to really impress you instructor, I can teach you some recipes from my village, it is something few have tasted and I can guarantee it would win you a perfect score on your exam.” He explained in which Kenta smiled.
“I would be honored honestly, that would be something worth doing honestly because I want my stuff to stand out so I can pass.” Kenta said, delight in his voice as he talked to the wolf, the two now walking together as Lea started towards the upper districts, which surprised Kenta as most people of the lower classes tended to avoid these districts. “You are heading up there? That’s a shock. Not because of your appearance or such but most of the common folk never go up here for anything.”
“Truth be told, I do have reasons. My master told me to seek out the royal family, my purpose is to serve them and protect them from some impending ruin. I just wish I knew what my master meant by such things because it has left me clueless.” He said to Kenta, who was a bit more than shocked by that, hearing the word ruin. Kenta could tell by the look on his face that Lea wasn’t kidding either, he was serious. He looked around at the peaceful and beautiful city as he wondered what it could mean, something in his heart was hurting and wanting to get out, but he pushed it aside and nodded.
“Well, maybe his majesty will know. Let us go ask than shall we?” Kenta asked, getting a nod of approval from Lea as he smiled at his new found friend. The duo set off for the castle, as a dark mystery now loomed above, and only time would tell what it means.
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