[XASTOL CITY, GAN JIANG INTERSECTION, CITY CENTER, ARSAES NATIONAL PARK — TWO YEARS AGO]
Hisagi stood before Arsaes National Park with his mother, Xué, and his father, Ruo Murong.
His father was a thicker man, with a round face and a frame not too dissimilar to his brother, Banderd. He wore a silver and dark brown hanfu and held a silver bottle of Xakron wine as he stumbled through the streets. His gruff voice echoed loud enough for passerby dwarves to hear and shoot him a disgruntled look. Day drinking was not a good look — especially for an esteemed Counselor. But Ruo had no care. Today was a joyous day in that it was Hisagi's birthday. In addition, he had held an unofficial ranking test for his son, which he measured would place him at the rank of a Koda.
Xué shook her head and pushed her husband forward, embarrassed to be seen by others in public like this. Hisagi was of a similar mind and made sure to keep a few steps between them.
"BWAHA!" Ruo chortled, taking another sip. The bottle was nearly empty but he wouldn't yet let go. "My son has surpassed the Koda rank! What a joyous day!"
Hisagi did his best to not make eye contact with the chuckling food vendors and other children dotted along the intersection and instead kept his eyes peeled on Arsaes's statue; the greatest dwarf anyone living in Xastol could ever aspire to be. How he envied the children who got to play with their parents and didn't have to worry about Sanctum-Smithing at their age yet. His father had made sure to drill into him that Sanctum-Smithing was imperative to being a true dwarf, and that without skill, one was worthless. So, the boy took to staring at the statue of his great ancestor, searching for the meaning in his struggles behind the great dwarf's eyes. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't see anything. Arsaes offered no response.
Xué, finally growing tired of her husband's behavior, reprimanded him sharply by pinching his arm and snatched the alcohol from his hands. She swiftly tossed it into a nearby garbage can, whispering, "That's quite enough for today, thank you!"
Ruo clicked his teeth and slumped his shoulders forward. "But Xué—"
"But nothing!" she said as she pinched him again. "That is enough. You're embarrassing Hisagi on his birthday! Do you really have to make it all about you?"
"Bah!" Ruo stuck out his tongue and beckoned Hisagi forward. "It's as much my day as it is his. Isn't that right, son?"
Hisagi nodded respectfully and approached him. Once his father was within arms reach, Ruo stuck out his hand, making like he'd ruffle his head but brushed back one of Hisagi's loose bangs instead.
"You must look proper, Hisagi! A dwarf must always be presentable!"
"As if you're one to talk," Xué sighed. She pushed her husband away and led him towards a nearby vendor. "Hisagi, I'm going to get your father some water and a meal. If you'd like to stay outside, feel free, okay? Some sun in the park may give you some peace."
Hisagi nodded as his mother walked off with his father. But what am I to do? I don't have any friends…
FSTTTLE
A sound caught his attention, drawing his eyes deeper into the park where he saw a flash of black amongst a small array of schist boulders and bamboo trees.
Hisagi had no idea why, but his body moved on instinct, running immediately for the source of whatever he'd seen.
That was Sanctum Energy, he thought, recognizing the glow that came from it. But it wasn't from a person… Was it an object?
When he finally cleared the trees and crossed the clearing, he stopped before a young boy, heaving as he inspected him.
He's… he realized, taking in the timid child's appearance.
The boy was a year or so younger than him and had short brown hair with golden eyes just like Hisagi's. He didn't wear a hanfu, but instead wore a short-sleeve jacket-esque shirt with a short, unfolded stand-up collar and buttons that looked like miniature hammers. He recognized the boy immediately.
He's the one father and the others talk about — my cousin, Hidemi. I heard he's deaf…. What's he doing here? And why's he alone?
As he thought, Hidemi stirred, finally noticing that someone was there. In his hands sat a black tablet that glew brightly with ancient Dward letters carved into its surface. At his feet stood a line of ants who watched curiously at what he'd been attempting.
"What are you doing?" Hisagi asked. He couldn't help but grow curious at the sight of a cousin he'd never met before.
Hidemi cocked his head to the side, unsure of what Hisagi had been asking him and tapped his ears. For some reason, that irritated Hisagi, who prided himself on being able to get answers whenever he wanted. The fact that this boy couldn't communicate with him didn't sit right with him.
"Awa…" Hidemi sighed and lowered his head. The ants scattered, running away now that he was no longer working. He shrugged and beamed happily at Hisagi, more pleased to have someone to speak with than anything else.
"OWA!"
"Are you… Trying to say hi?" Hisagi asked with a stupefied expression. Hidemi was waving so fast his hand looked like a blur.
"...Owa?" Hidemi nodded, clueless to his words. He locked his fingers together and waved signs in an attempt to communicate, but Hisagi was still lost.
"You…" Hisagi started curiously, his eyes falling on Hidemi's black tablet. He knelt next to him and pointed at it. "You mean this? Do you want me to touch it?"
Hidemi nodded harder, happy that he'd understood and clapped playfully.
Then why didn't you just point at it?! Hisagi fumed inside.
He sucked his teeth and picked up the tablet, inspecting it carefully. …Are these letters? Thereare traces of Sanctum Energy all around it.
He felt the individual grooves and strained his eyes to see small hand signs next to each letter. "A-Amazing," he gasped.
Each letter here contains a wisp of vibrating energy. This isn't a tablet made of individual letters; it's a translation rock. Each hand sign here serves as a tracker that bonds an individual energy strain to an individual letter. They all form hundreds of complex patterns and motions, creating language… There have to be at least thousands of words here in this tiny tablet. Has he seriously been using this to teach himself how to read?
His mouth fell open, taken aback by how incredible the object in his hands was, but more shocked that his cousin's advance Sanctum Sense was even capable of understanding it.
Is he really worthless like everyone says?
Hidemi smiled nervously as Hisagi's face crumpled into a humorous glare.
And yet, something about his naive face fills me with anger…
He huffed out his nose and stuck his finger in Hidemi's chest. "Your father made this for you, didn't he? You should be prouder to have such a priceless item in your hands!"
Hidemi grabbed his chest and feigned tears.
"Quit lying! We both know that dwarves have iron skin. That didn't hurt you at all!"
Hidemi grabbed his belly and doubled over, laughing at Hisagi's annoyed expression. It seemed that this was the first time anyone had been able to unnerve him.
Hisagi understood that and recollected himself. He paused for a moment, his eyes traveling from the tablet to Hidemi and back to the tablet.
Then, after a point of extreme hesitation, Hisagi threw up his hands, saying, "Alright, I've made up my mind!"
He smiled for the first time and handed the tablet to Hidemi.
"Listen you—" he began, but stopped himself. No… If I'm to do this, then I need to say his name.
"Hidemi," he said, heart fluttering the instant he uttered the name. He instinctively ducked down in fear that others were listening.
What was he thinking acknowledging or even speaking with a half-breed dwarf? It was unheard of for anyone like that to be accepted in Xastol. No one liked the boy, and he was often afraid to come out of his father's house. So why? Hisagi asked himself. Why was he doing it?
The truth was that even he didn't know.
He locked eyes with Hidemi. "Pay attention closely, alright? Starting tomorrow, every afternoon around this time, you'll meet me here in the park so I can study this tablet, alright? In exchange…"
His cheeks felt hot as Hidemi's eyes bore through him.
"In exchange, I'll be your friend and teach you how to read lips, alright?!"
Hidemi froze for a moment with no response; due in part to his disability. But then, surprisingly, he nodded with a smile.
Excitement coursed through Hisagi's bones. H-He understood me!
Hidemi laughed at his face and mocked him, causing Hisagi to suck his teeth again. He could tell that even though this was the first time they were meeting, his cousin was a good person. He was the first dwarf other than his father to ever speak to him. And that took strength, even if it wasn't for all the right reasons.
Hisagi jumped to his feet and made his way back towards the park exit.
"You better not be late tomorrow, got it? A dwarf must be punctual!"
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[XASTOL CITY, THE DWANIVIT — PRESENT]
Hisagi's eyes burned with hatred for Hidemi. He'd been upstaged and outclassed all along, and the realization did not do well for his confidence; something he'd spent painstakingly long recovering after the death of his father.
Behind Hidemi, his counter ticked and ticked until a score of 801 points stood still, surpassing Hisagi's.
Damn it all! Why?! Why him?! I was supposed to be Arsaes's successor, not him! The Council prepared me for it; Father expected it! That was my fate, not his! I was to win this Dwanivit and finally…
He covered his quivered brow and wailed, his composure crumbling as he hunched over and screamed into the ground. …And finally become a true dwarf…
Esi took in one quick breath after another with fear laden in his eyes. Hisagi… I've… I've never seen him like this!
He whipped his head towards Hidemi, his eyes unknowingly growing softer as he studied the boy's gentle smile. Why? Esi asked himself. Why would he help us?! He could have easily placed first and taken the Sanctum Essence from everyone else's ores… So why? Why does he care?
Was this what Nahasch meant? Aleximus wondered. He thought back to when the dark lord had told Hidemi to "be the change". He's so authentic, it's stupid.
"B-But is this really fine?!" a participant said, running forward. He was a strapping young boy with dirtied clothes and a caked brow; obviously from a poorer family. "He's the son of a murderer! He's not supposed to be a real dwarf!"
Others who had been caught in the fantasy of Hidemi's performance cast unsure glances to one another. The boy was right, they all thought. At least… to an extent. The sins of his father were too wicked to overlook, no matter how great of a power Hidemi possessed; Arsaes's successor or not.
"I knew it'd come to this…" Banderd murmured. Ivan, you must hurry… Or else we will lose our people…
In the spectators' stand near the Counselors, Aleximus groaned, irritated that things had not yet been resolved. "Didn't he just prove himself?! What more could they want?!"
"Alas, understanding isn't so simple, human child," Davaa spoke. "Everyone here has been raised to believe things in a certain way — the 'right' way. And now that belief has been fundamentally challenged and broken at the hands of a crippled half-dwarf. It will take more than skill to bridge that gap…"
Xué nodded. "We dwarves need a focus now. Something to unite for, not against. Hidemi's next step is to provide that now."
"Rrr!" a low voice growled.
Aleximus looked down to see Leon near his feet, biting at his robe. He picked up the cub and looked around. Jacender was gone.
"What the—" Aleximus started. "Where did Jace go?!"
"Your brother?" Xué asked. She pointed at the stairs exit and said, "He left moments ago, after the participants' items had come down."
"Right," Daava added. "Said he needed to use the restroom, so I told him the direction to go. Is everything alright?"
Aleximus smacked his forehead and tucked Leon into his armpit, ready to go after his brother. He was sure Jacender was up to something; he just didn't know what. But as he took his first step, a realization struck him too:
I can't leave Hidemi here alone..!
He grew angrier as he concluded that Jacender had most likely left on purpose, then knowing he wouldn't be able to chase after him. But why? Where could he possibly need to go in Xastol that was so important?
...Either way it's not like I can do anything about it right now…
He turned back around, squeezing Leon tightly as if in reprimand for allowing Jace out of his sight and focused his attention on the insults being hurled below.
Just don't be an idiot, Jace…
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[XASTOL CITY, JIANYU PRISON]
Ivan lurched forward, barely able to keep himself upright as the door hinge to his cell eroded with the fading crackle of electricity and knocked down the entryway with his final burst of strength.
The Sanctum-Essence sigil had taken much energy out of him, but he didn't have time to worry about his well-being.
He glanced at his seared palm and grimaced at the sight of his trembling blood vessels. The pain was almost unbearable; hot like cooked molasses had been rubbed into his skin and someone had wrapped his wounds with salt-sprinkled bandages. Even the slightest air that brushed against it set off the greatest deal of hurt.
If not for the determination he held to leave the cell, Ivan knew he'd be blubbering like a child. He was no fighter, nor was he a healer, an alchemist. He was just an engineer who'd been clever enough to escape a cell he'd spent months observing. But even that title didn't matter, because at the end of the day, Ivan Murong was simply a father who yearned desperately to see his son.
With a low wince, Ivan picked up the broken chair leg he'd affixed to the keyhole and stepped outside the cell for the first time since he'd been put in there. He paused for a moment, fearing there may have been additional security measures and listened intently to see if the guard had heard the door fall. When he was sure that Wèi was not coming, Ivan slinked into the corridor, making his footsteps as light as possible.
There isn't any Illodium here, he thought to himself. He surveyed the torches hanging from the wall and deduced that the flames were made of energy, and not natural. Once he understood that, he opened and closed his free hand again and again, willing his Sanctum Energy to come forward.
I can feel the Sanctum Essence around me again, but it looks like it will take a little while until I can fully access my Sanctum Energy again. I'll have to make do with this chair leg for now.
He inched quietly down the narrow hallway until he reached the thick wall separating him from where Wèi's desk sat. He carefully pressed his ear against it, taking in the sounds of the guard's Newsbox flipping pages. Ivan could also hear the brutish guard taking large, heavy sips of tea.
Ivan sucked his teeth. I need to get past this wall. But how?
There was no time to waste and there was nothing he could do to open the barrier from his side. Ivan knew he'd need to take a gamble.
TOK! TOK!
He bounced back as soon as he hit the wall with the chair leg, readying himself for Wèi to come check. Just as he foresaw, he could hear Wèi fumbling on the other side, knocking over his drink as he did and jumping to his feet.
"What the…" he guard murmured.
Ivan's heart beat in his chest so hard, it felt as if someone were striking his back. He could almost feel Wèi's puzzled expression from the other side of the wall. Would he be able to do this? Could he strike and disable a guard so imposing using physical strength alone with absolute accuracy? Who was to say that Wèi wouldn't shoot him the second the wall cracked open?
"Damn it, what's that noise?!" Wèi snarled from the other end, beating back against the wall with the butt of his gun. He narrowed his eyes, whispering, "Wait a minute…" to himself before "No way he escaped..!"
Ivan heard him reach for his waist and pull for his keys. Then came the sound of the drawer where the wall's keyhole waited for him to be used.
GRBBBBBBB!
Ivan stepped back, his pulse quickening as the wall before him started to shake. He braced himself and raised the chair leg. One chance, he repeated to himself. I have but one chance to knock him out! I can't miss! I won't!
"Arsaes give me strength," he whispered, begging it to fall lower. "Come on…"
But just as the light started to creep in through the opening of the moving wall, a loud noise disrupted his train of thought and almost caused him to jump.
"W-What the hell?!" Wèi gasped. Ivan heard him turn his back to the wall and face whatever had just approached. "Who the hell are you?! What are you doing here?!"
"W-Woah, calm down," another voice told him. "I'm just looking for someone!"
They sounded
The wall was almost to the floor now as Ivan's eyes adjusted to the light; the first natural light that had set upon his face in nearly four months.
Whose voice is that? he asked himself. It's young. Like a child's. Is there a lost boy or—
However, before he could finish his thought, the wall in front of him sunk into the ground immediately, leaving him face to face with Wèi's exposed back.
"The person I'm looking for—" the person in front of Wèi began.
Wèi's eyes widened, instantly remembering why he had opened the wall in the first place as his body spun towards Ivan.
Without wasting a breath — almost on instinct — Ivan swung the chair leg with all the strength he could muster and cracked Wèi in his temple, knocking him off balance as he turned and bouncing his head against the nearby wall.
The guard's knees dropped a moment after, a trail of blood leaking down from his nose to his chin and forming a small puddle as his face hit the ground.
T-That was the first time I'd ever hit someone! Ivan huffed, still shocked that he had attacked. He dropped the leg, unable to believe what he'd done and knelt immediately to turn Wèi over.
Ivan felt Wèi's nose and released a sigh of relief once he felt that he was breathing. Thank goodness.
"Um," the voice from earlier interrupted. Ivan flinched and jumped to his feet.
He could see him now: a young white-haired boy with blue eyes dressed in his people's garb. He couldn't have been any older than Hidemi.
"I thought dwarves didn't like to fight," the boy asked him with a raised brow. Ivan took a step back, overcome with shock, and blinked hard.
"You're… human…"
"Yeah?" the boy said, scratching his face. "Everyone keeps having that reaction when they see us."
Us?! Ivan jumped. There's more? Inside of the walls?!
He thought back to his conversation with Banderd months ago and the thought he'd had when he was told of the humans helping Hidemi:
I wonder who such daring humans are to dare venture near Xastol. Do they not fear the Church? Or are they after something else..?
This must be one of the two boys who helped Hidemi! There's no other explanation!
"You!" Ivan shouted. He dashed forward and grabbed the boy's hand. "You're with Hidemi, aren't you? How is my son? Is he safe?! Please, tell me!"
"Son?" the boy repeated. He looked into the man's caramel eyes and put the pieces together. No way! This guy is—
"You're Hidemi's dad!" he beamed happily. "You even have the same eyes, huh? He's fine! My name is Jacender and I'm your son's friend!"
Ivan's heart wavered at the mention of the word friend.
He's genuine! He considers Hidemi to be his friend! That's so wonderful!
"I-It's a pleasure to meet you, Jacender," Ivan chuckled. He wiped away his tear and stiffened his lip. "My son hasn't been giving you too much trouble, I hope?"
Jace's eyes focused on the tears welling in Ivan's. They told him everything he needed to know about the man in front of him without a single question asked. He's a good guy. Just like Hidemi.
He grinned, responding to Ivan with, "He's the best!" and stuck his thumbs up. "He's funny and silly and super smart! It's a blast to hang out with him!"
"I see," Ivan smiled. "That's good… That's good…"
"But I don't understand! What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at the grounds?"
Jacender shook his head. "Before we came here, my brother, Hidemi, and I were all looked after by Nahasch, the Lord Of The Weeping Forest. He said you were locked in a place called Jinyu Prison and told me how to get here. He said to only come when everyone was distracted with the Dwanivit and that I'd know the right time when it came."
Jace thought back to Hidemi's impressive showing of Sanctum-Smithing by using the Song Of Arsaes. He had to set Leon down quietly and leave without Aleximus noticed, which was an incredibly difficult task on its own, but getting into Jianyu Prison was a feat of its own.
In actuality, Jianyu was a prison located directly underneath DragonsBreath Tower, spanning its large dungeon basement. It was placed where generations ago to display the absolute law of the Council and its doctrine, showing that justice would always prevail over the corrupt.
"There were two sentries outside the tower, but I managed to distract them and knock 'em out!" Jace smirked. The guards at the ground floor had no idea what he was doing there, nor if they could even take him into custody at all due to his status as a guest. Jacender had used their hesitation as a means of catching them off guard.
Ivan's mouth dropped open at the sound of such daring words. He managed to sneak into Dragons Breath Tower so easily? Who is this child?
He was reminded immediately of Runnulf and how he would act during his youth. Ironically, he had no idea that the boy who stood before him was Runnulf's child himself.
"You said you were looking for me, right? Why?"
"Huh?" Jace's eyebrow rose again. "Simple! Hidemi needs moral support! What better person than you?"
Hearing those words made the tears return to Ivan's eyes. He kept himself from crying but he couldn't help stop his hands from shaking. He'd dreamed for weeks of seeing his son again and feared that he might have forgotten him. Or maybe… that Hidemi might have even hated him for not being there for him after all this time.
"Moral support, huh?" he laughed under his breath.
He straightened his posture and narrowed his eyes, a newfound focus rising within him. "Jacender, was it?"
Ivan placed his hand on the boy's shoulder as he nodded.
"Thank you."
He set forward, breaking off into a sprint and ran for the exit. Jacender followed after him with a wide grin.
"Anytime!"
[SILENCE IN UNDERSTANDING [II] ]