Immortal || ONC 2021-COMPLETE

Chapter 3

Time passed quickly with the rowdy group of patrol knights. Their group was lively and exciting, and there was always someone to talk to. Marcus and Gordon hadn't had the chance to talk since the incident, Marcus was fine with that. He needed to sort through his own thoughts. He had tried multiple times to get more information out of Garrett, but he wouldn't say any more on the subject.

A few days later, the group finally arrived at the capital. They all paused a moment, giving Marcus and Gordon the chance to take it in. The two brothers stood side by side, gaping at the scene in front of them. They had never seen anything so magnificent. They've heard tales their whole lives about the beauty of the city, but to experience it was something else.

The city seemed to sparkle. There were countless buildings, shops, schools, and houses that looked more like castles. The roads were neatly paved, and the trees and bushes in the area were all precisely trimmed. The thing that caught Marcus's attention the most, the pale blue sea just past the city. He'd always wanted to see it but never had the chance.

"Wow, Marcus look at that," Gordon said quietly, equally awestruck.

"Yeah."

After gaping some more, the patrol knights urged them on. There was a renewed sense of excitement to get to the city. The patrol knights had business to take care of before they could finally take a break and see their families. Marcus and Gordon were excited to see the sights up close. Various odours filled the air, different meats and sweet scents. Marcus's mouth was watering. They didn't have much palatable food back in the village.

As they neared the gates, the patrol knights suggested the boys find an inn and get some sleep. They had walked through the night to get there quicker but now in the light of day, they no longer felt tired. They wanted to explore and eat.

Once they were past the gates, they said their goodbyes to the patrol knights, who were clearly looking forward to reporting back to the knight's headquarters and getting some rest. Gordon took a little more time to say goodbye, he already made a number of friends with these knights.

Garrett finally approached Marcus, a gentle smile on his face. "Listen, I know you have questions. I just can't give you the information you're looking for." He looked around, making sure no one was listening.

"I suggest you make a stop before attending the trials. A man that goes by the name Bastian. I don't know him personally but I've heard of him. He's the local historian and has a bookstore, you can probably find him there."

Marcus nodded "Thanks, Garrett. I appreciate all your help."

Garrett chuckled. " Not a problem kid. And one other thing, not all knights are as...understanding as I am. Keep this to yourself until you get some answers."

With that, the patrol knights left to continue their work and lives. Marcus and Gordon watched them leave. Gordon took in a breath and motioned towards one of the busy streets, "Shall we?"

They started exploring the nearby streets. They decided to spare a bit of money to get some food. They sat in what appeared to be a lush park and ate their food. Marcus was so focused on his food, and getting strings of meat out of his teeth that he hadn't noticed Gordon watching him.

"Uh, yes?" Marcus asked annoyed, finally noticing the strange look on his brother's face.

"Um, nothing," Gordon said, a frown on his face.

Marcus shrugged and licked the sauce off his fingers.

"Actually," Gordon started again,

"Out with it!" Marcus snapped, a mouth full of food.

"Sorry, it's just that, I've never seen anyone do something so brave before." Gordon sounded embarrassed as he spoke. "I mean, you were about to be killed and you only thought of me." He paused, remembering something, "And, what was that with your hand-"

"It was nothing," Marcus said sharply. He knew he wasn't being fair to Gordon.

Gordon nodded, focusing his attention back to his own meal. He decided he wouldn't press the subject any further.

Marcus and Gordon found themselves a cheap inn and got a small room with two cots for next to nothing. It wasn't comfortable, but it was better than the ground. They slept deeply and peacefully, forgetting everything that happened for some time and recharging their bodies. They didn't need to report for training and testing for another few days, so they had time to get more acquainted with the city.

Marcus had already decided. He would seek out this Bastian and get some answers. He hadn't experienced quite the same feeling as during that fight, but there was a shift in his very existence, like some part of him had been walking around in a haze his whole life, and now things were sharp and clear. He figured he could ditch his brother at some point and look for the bookstore.

After having a simple breakfast at the inn of eggs and bread, they headed back out to look more. Gordon was particularly interested in the shops that boasted of new medicines or tools that could help make everyday life a little more simple. Although Marcus started the day feeling hot and irritated, he couldn't help but feel better in this bright new city.

"Oh hey, look at that!" Gordon exclaimed. There was some sort of performance going on in the square. Marcus stopped abruptly to watch with his brother, not aware of the person walking quickly behind him. The man bumped into him, knocking him down to the ground.

"Hey watch it!" Gordon said, helping Marcus up.

"I apologize." The man said curtly.

"No it's fine, it's my fault-" Marcus started as he looked up at the man. He wasn't very tall, but he had such a presence about him. His eyes were as blue as a glacial lake, and he had the look of someone who had known nothing but pain.

The man had been about to leave when Marcus spoke. Something stopped him. He looked at Marcus curiously. He didn't say a word, he simply stared at Marcus deeply, leaving Marcus with the feeling that he was peering into his very soul.

Then the man simply said, "Do you know what you are?" sounding genuinely curious.

"Huh?" and just as abruptly as he had met the man, the mysterious stranger disappeared among the throng of passersby.

Gordon shrugged, "Weird guy." But Marcus could tell, he too was perturbed by what had just happened.