CHAPTER 493: 492. HOLY GROVE (1)

Davian stood tall in a resplendent ensemble of white, blue, and gold that spoke of both authority and refinement. His deep-blue coat, tailored to perfection, swept elegantly past his hips, its edges and epaulettes embroidered with intricate golden designs that shimmered under the light. Beneath it, a crisp white vest hugged his frame, fastened with ornate golden buttons, while a matching cravat rested neatly at his collar. A gold-trimmed belt cinched his waist, complementing the polished chains and delicate motifs that adorned his attire. His violet eyes, sharp yet calm, contrasted strikingly against the regal tones of his outfit, making his presence impossible to overlook.

He was waiting in the corridor for Ocean and Sol, he wasn’t able to sleep all night thinking about his date with Reina. He hadn’t expected to see her, he wouldn’t admit it but he had been missing her despite everything and seeing her all of a sudden that night it had taken all of his strength to hold himself back from rushing out there and hold her in his arms.

These kinds of thoughts had frequented his mind even when he was at the war. On the silent nights whenever he used to look at the clear starry skies, he would think of her sparkling presence when he would close his eyes he would think that he had heard her voice, encouraging him to keep moving forward.

Each day, each moment he was close to death he would think of the smile on her face when he would finally meet her again.

When he did finally see her, he had been thinking about what he would say, what he would do but when he did see her, he couldn’t do anything. He only ended up venting to her again like he did when they met for the first time and just like last time she had been the cause of his strength and the light that tore through his darkness.

While he could say Ocean Ryujin was a violent storm that ravaged his enemies and protected him, Reina Aurelius had been the ray of sunlight in the darkest night.

Both equally important.

While he was thinking, the doors of Ocean’s chambers opened and he walked out cradling Sol on his arm.

Davian smiled at them as he straightened up.

"Good morning, Master, Sol." Davian said and Ocean smiled back while Sol’s face remained blank.

"It is a fine morning, Your Highness, but shouldn’t you bundle up a bit? It’s all snowy outside." Ocean spoke while he looked at him up and down.

Davian chuckled, "It seems like you’ve forgotten, Master. My home is a frosty land, this much cold is normal for Frosthail people."

Ocean hummed and Davian looked at Sol who was thoroughly bundled up.

"You really must be concerned though, considering Sol is dressed up so thickly. How many layers is that? Ten?" Davian joked as he moved forward and attempting to take Sol from him.

Sol looked at Davian’s arms and turned his head, burying his face into Ocean’s collar clutching his shoulders.

Davian chuckled, "This one is clingy."

Ocean chortled too, patting Sol’s back softly before looking at Davian.

"Let’s get going, shall we?"

Davian nodded and they started walking.

Davian couldn’t help but sneak a glance at the child in Ocean’s arms. Ocean liked kids, that much he could see and he would mostly pick up the people who were in need. Yet, his benevolence wasn’t unlimited.

He hadn’t experienced it himself but he knew what might happen to those who would dare to betray Ocean Ryujin. The man who had controlled the waves of two wars one after another was far more capable of destroying the nations just as well as he was of making them.

Though he had no idea what went through Ocean’s head, he could still be by his side and learn. That’s what his father and mother had told him too.

"Ocean Ryujin is a person who’s usually born once in a thousand years. The one who is destined to change the course of the world. Any move from him is bound to create waves and if you’re not on his side you will get swept away."

The words of his father had been marked in his mind likewise, his mother had also told him that.

"I know you respect him, but I would ask you to keep a safe distance from Ocean Ryujin. If you don’t get too deeply attached then it would be easier when you finally leave."

He couldn’t understand why his mother had made it sound like that. He knew Ocean was eccentric and would do anything to see his plans through but Davian couldn’t possibly leave Ocean’s side.

Anyone who wasn’t on Ocean’s side was either his enemy, his pawn or someone who wasn’t even there on the chessboard. And Davian didn’t want to be in any of these categories.

He may be one of the chess pieces in Ocean’s mind but for him Ocean was an existence who had become his strength when he needed it the most.

The three got in the carriage and Sol took the window seat with Ocean sitting beside him and Davian sat adjacent to them.

He eyed as Ocean sat with the refined air of grace, his face covered by the white mask with golden engravings that looked like a flying Dragon. His hair was resting over his shoulders moving slightly with the movement of his head. A golden earcuff with a sapphire dangling from it sat over his left ear and his usual earstud with four gems: sapphire, ruby, topaz and obsidian- perhaps was on his right ear.

Davian was always fascinated by the choice of Ocean’s jewellery.

"Master?" Davian spoke up.

"Hm?" Ocean spoke, his aqua eyes sliding in place to gaze at him.

Davian found everything about Ocean to be so smooth that he felt like this man wasn’t really at times. It was as if he was something that was specially crafted to boggle people’s minds. One look at him and anyone would be ready to do his bidding.

"Do you know anything about this Holy Grove that we’re headed to?" He asked.

Ocean paused for a moment as if gathering his thoughts before he crossed his legs one over the other and started.

"The Hold Grove originally was the Holy ruins of a Temple. Years ago when I visited Denril the place was just the remnants of the old Temple with a deep lake that had blessed powers."

Ocean’s eyes drifted out of the window as he continued, "The High Priest and those from the high standing of the Temple were the only ones allowed since there was dark matter lingering in the woods that surrounded the Holy ruins. They would visit the Holy Ruins to take a dip into the blessed lake."

"Dark matter?"

This also seemed to have caught Sol’s attention as he turned with a slight frown tugging at his golden eyebrows.

"There was dark matter in such a place?" He asked and Ocean nodded before glancing at Davian.

"Dark matter is like the remaining energy of the demons,"

Davian’s eyebrows twitched and Ocean continued, "The time had weakened it too much yet it persistently existed in that place. But it was bound to the place and corrupted the animals in the woods."

"But it’s dangerous, didn’t those animals attack the people from towns nearby?" Davian asked.

Ocean smiled, his eyes seemed distant for a moment as if he was reliving some memory.

"It was unlikely," he murmured, "The lake was blessed because there were a Dragon’s remains in it."

Sol’s eyes widened as he reached out gripping his arm.

"What?"

Ocean looked down at him and Sol blinked before he left go and Ocean placed his hand over Sol’s head.

"The Dragon was long dead but his remains were stuck there because of the dark matter. The Dragon was keeping them bound to that place." Ocean explained.

Sol’s face fell, "Is he... still there?"

Davian looked at him and Ocean smiled brushed his hair careful not to mess it up.

"No, he’s been freed."

Sol looked up, "What? But then the dark matter-"

"It was also erased." Ocean spoke and Sol stared at him.

Ocean sighed, "When I visited that place the Dragon asked me for to help. He requested me to remove the dark matter so that he could finally move on. I did as he asked and he left."

Sol looked relieved but there was a sense of sadness in his eyes and Ocean added, "The stone on the pendant that Kai has with him is the same one that I got from that lake... Though there’s not a lake left after the Dragon was released so, I wonder how they’ve changed that place."

Davian observed them for a while before he asked, "Say Master? What are you going to do after it all ends?"

Ocean looked at him, "What?"

"I mean... you are planning on making His Highness Eric the King, right? What after that?"

Ocean observed Davian for a long moment before he smiled, Davian noticed as how that smile didn’t reach his eyes.

"There’s still too much too so, Your Highness. Sometimes, what we see on the surface is hiding miles and miles of depth underneath. It takes lifetimes to finish it all. Do you think there would be some time left after it ends?"

Davian couldn’t understand the cryptic answer but Sol seemed to have as he sat down silently beside Ocean and took a hold of the fabric of his sleeve.

Davian couldn’t ask for an explanation. His mind told him that ignorance in this aspect would be the best. If he dug any deeper he might not be able to return.

But what could it be that was weighing so heavily over his Master’s shoulders?