Void World: Shattered Souls

Esker in Lethiel: Part 3

Esker POV

*splash!*

"Wake up."

"Who's that!", I growled, feeling the scattered water over my face. Wiped my eyes before opening to face the black sky, it was night. Next, got up to face the bonfire in front of me.

"So you're up."

I looked aside to face... the alchemist?! The light of the flame was giving his ash white complextion a bronze tan and reflecting in his eyes as ember. Eyes this bright, it was definitely the alchemist. "You!!", I frowned. "What are you doing here?!"

"Camping.", he replied, plucking at his ears.

"He who never gets out of his lab is out in the wild?!", I chuckled. "For real!?"

"You're as stupid as always.", he dropped a heavy sigh.

"And you look like an old fart."

"Well, because I'm old.", he sighed again. "Now, listen carefully. I was keeping an eye on you."

"I knew it. But how?", I frowned. "Spies? I didn't sense anybody following me."

"Grasshopper, I used a grasshopper to keep an eye on you.", he smug smiled looking into the firepit.

"Really! You possessed a grasshopper?", I exclaimed, shocked. But why was I shocked? This guy can almost do anything.

"Whether I possessed a grasshopper or cockroach is not important. There are way more serious things you should worry about", he said raising his gaze up to the tip of the flames. "Like the duo you got a trashing from.", finishing in a mocking tone he huffed.

A vision played in my head. Matilda putting her index finger to her lips, Bolthor charging in and... blackout. "What do you mean?", I stated frustrated.

"It must be frustrating for you.", he chuckled. "Being defeated by a bunch a mortals.", he laughed out.

Don't laugh. Don't laugh on me!! Right now the most frustrating thing, ...is you. "What do you mean?", I repeated.

He smiled, sighed, "Let me tell you why you lost."

"Damn you-"

"Beaten dogs don't bark.", he mocked, laughing loud at the flame. "Now, listen. That Bolthor, was using a magical hammer. Hammer of Dilan."

What does he think I am? I've that much sense to tell that it was a sorcerous weapon.

He continues, "It transforms the users willpower into physical strength and amplifies it."

"Oh, never heard of it. You sure know a lot."

"I forged it. For a cyclops named Dilan.", paused to scratch his chin and continued. "I wonder how it ended up there?"

"Oh." I tucked my tongue and paused for a moment. Unwillingly, all the bad memories of that hammer filled my head. I will..... "I think I'll bring it back."

"Nah. It's useless..."

I looked at him, confused. Useless? Really? Well, it knocked me pretty hard.

"You must be thinking why it's useless.", he smirked.

"Enough. You just killed my curiosity.", I poker-faced. I don't understand this guy. He doesn't care one bit about his things. "On second thought, it was really useless against me. It couldn't hurt me one bit."

"A true weapon is something that can make someone as weak as an ant as strong as a lion. On the other hand you yourself have to be strong to use that hammer.", he ended with a smirk then spat at the fire. Almost sarcastically.