The child's wide-eyed wonder mingled with confusion as he stood amidst an unexpected scene of tranquility. His gaze darted back and forth between Arthur and the child's own mother, uncertainty etched upon his innocent face. The mother, with a subtle nod, silently urged the child not to provoke Arthur any further.
Arthur, his deanor softening, broke into a gentle smile as he tapped a rock in his hand, causing it to crumble. From the remnants erged a small, stony feline sculpture. "How about this?" he asked, extending the figurine toward the child. "This kitty needs soone to take care of it."
Fear gave way to unbridled joy as the child eagerly snatched the stone cat from Arthur's hand. As the child waved his newfound treasure around, Arthur rose from his crouched position, a warm smile on his lips. He exchanged nods with the mother and then quietly departed, leaving the two of them behind.
Joey, his brow furrowing in confusion, couldn't help but voice his bewildernt upon recognizing the child from their earlier encounter. "Do you have multiple personalities?" he inquired with a frown. "You stopped this child from drinking water earlier, and now you're handing out toys?"
Dorian, unfazed by the situation and wearing a relaxed expression, explained, "The river is poisoned. It had a sweet aroma despite being water. That's why Alexie prevented the child from drinking it."
Joey's skepticism lingered, but Arthur t it with an enigmatic smile. The agent slowly realized the truth, a flush of embarrassnt washing over him. "You should have stopped my outburst," Joey admitted sheepishly.
"You don't trust , Joey," Arthur replied, a hint of amusent in his voice. "As long as you're convinced I'm a villain, nothing I say will change your mind. That's why I've left it up to you to decide whether I'm the enemy or not."
Koby, with a smug grin, chid in confidently, "Even though I didn't know about the poison, I knew my teacher wouldn't do sothing like this without reason. So, what's our next move?"
Arthur's smile faded, replaced by a resolute expression as he resud their march toward the temple. "We'll dismantle this place," he declared. "But first, I want to witness their religion firsthand."
Dorian's eyes glead with newfound excitent. "Finally, sothing interesting!" he exclaid, following after them with a bold swagger. At this rate, he might as well be mistaken for a bandit. "I get to take down a temple!"
However, Arthur quickly put a halt to Dorian's enthusiasm. "You won't be participating in this fight, Dorian," he stated firmly. "I've already defeated you once, and this is your first assignnt. When the chaos ensues, your job is to prevent the citizens from becoming unwitting human shields."
Dorian's disappointnt was palpable as he wore a dejected expression. "You're not going to make use of my brilliant combat skills?"
"I'm afraid they won't be necessary," Arthur replied, waving his hand dismissively as he continued on his path. "Do your best to protect the citizens."
Dorian watched as the rest of his squad departed, a simring anger in his chest. That Alexie dared to assign him such a mundane task was infuriating. Protecting the citizens? In his opinion, they should fend for themselves.
"ow!"
A high-pitched sound echoed behind him, drawing Dorian's attention. He turned to see the sa child from earlier, gazing up at him while raising the stone cat figurine. The child, with a bright smile, mimicked the sound of a cat as he waved his sculpture.
Annoyance etched on Dorian's face, he asked gruffly, "What do you want? Shoo! Go play sowhere else!" He waved the child away, but the little one paid no mind and continued to laugh, with his mother approaching apologetically.
"Please excuse him, sir," the mother implored as she took hold of her child to pull him away. "This child has always been mute. That's why he doesn't have any friends."
"That's not my concern," Dorian retorted, his scowl deepening as he resud his walk. He was still contemplating his task when he felt a tug at his long robes from behind. Turning, he discovered the child clinging to his attire. Frustration evident, Dorian lifted the child by his clothing, their eyes eting.
In that close proximity, the child pushed his toy toward Dorian again, emitting feline sounds. Dorian, feeling powerless, reluctantly set the child down before resuming his journey.
From that mont on, the child trailed after him. Dorian scoured the area for any signs of a shelter where he could gather the citizens and secure them. Only then could he join the fray after accomplishing his mission.
"Hey, you there!" Dorian called out to a laborer toiling in the fields as he found himself by the river's edge. "Is there a shelter or any sizable building nearby?"
The sun hung low in the sky as Dorian approached the workers to inquire about a shelter. The man in the field greeted him with a nod and a warm smile before returning to his labor. Dorian seethed with frustration, aggravated by the child who had trailed him and was now gleefully showing off his new stone cat to anyone who would watch.
Grumbling under his breath, Dorian couldn't co up with a better plan to gather the citizens. He decided to return the child to his mother, who seed to be the only person willing to engage with him. However, he had a twist in mind.
"There might be a horde of monsters headed for the city when the armies engage," Dorian fabricated, his expression stern. "Is there a designated shelter for such situations?"
The child's mother looked concerned as she took her child from Dorian's shoulder. "We have a shelter in the temple," she explained. "The priests usually warn us by ringing a bell three tis. Since we haven't heard any bell, we should be safe."
Dorian nodded, a plan forming in his mind. "I see. Where is this bell located?"
She pointed in the distance. "It should be in the highest tower among those three."
With a newfound purpose, Dorian set off alone toward the temple.
The priests guarding the temple wore crimson masks adorned with gems and carried double-spears that could transform into dual blades in an instant. Their disciplined and emotionless deanor left Dorian suspicious, as if they were re puppets.
The watchtower housing the bell was positioned alongside the temple walls. Rather than searching for a way inside, Dorian decided to scale the tower with his bare hands. However, the vigilant priests made sure that no one approached.
As he pondered his options, the child appeared behind him once more, owing cheerfully. A mischievous grin spread across Dorian's face as he pointed towards the guards stationed near the walls.
"How about you go show your new toy to those guards?" Dorian suggested to the unsuspecting child, who eagerly agreed to be his diversion.
anwhile, Arthur presented a letter to the guards, leading them to the High Priest's presence. The priests all wore masks adorned with runes, both enhancing their powers and concealing their identities. There was sothing eerie about their eyes that unsettled Arthur.
As they walked through the massive fortress, Arthur noticed that everyone inside, from servants to worshippers, wore the sa red attire. Their eyes seed vacant or lost, hinting at a powerful illusion within the fortress.
"The High Priest will see you here. You may wait until then," a priest inford them before departing. Arthur took a seat on a couch beside a pond, a thoughtful frown on his face.
Koby, sitting beside Arthur, voiced his concern. "Was it wise to leave the citizens to Dorian, Alexie? Such an important task should be entrusted to soone responsible. Dorian doesn't see others as equals."
"I never intended him to," Arthur replied, his frown dissipating. "Dorian needs to understand the responsibilities that co with his abilities. When the chaos erupts, the citizens will beco our foes. It will be his duty to restrain them without causing harm."
Joey, surprised by Arthur's intentions, inquired further, "Are you trying to teach him a lesson?"
Arthur smiled and responded, "More than a lesson. I want Dorian to empathize with those beneath him and grow as a person. I believe he has the potential to learn, but if he doesn't, I can always find soone else."
As the trio conversed, the High Priest arrived, resplendent in his crimson robes adorned with golden runes. He greeted them with kindness, smiling as he spoke. "I heard that you requested my presence, young Master Dorian. It warms my heart to see the Lord Marshal sending his own son to et ."
Arthur politely corrected him, returning the smile. "You may be mistaken, Honorable Priest. Although Dorian Stormblade is part of my squad, he had other matters to attend to. I have co here bearing a letter from the Lord Marshal himself, penned by the Knight of the Silver Rose."
The High Priest's curiosity was piqued as he gestured expansively. "And who might you be, young one? I sense great potential within you; you must be soone of importance to the Lord."
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