Chapter 391: Lord Rain (1/2)
Arthur made himself comfortable in the chair, which locked around his body to prevent him from escaping. But he knew that, with a single attack of his chains, he would be free to go. It was wise to go through the trial, though.
The room was bland, and it didn't have anything to see other than countless flowery pots. Thus, Arthur spent the waiting time staring at the flowers, trying to remember their names.
His time was Larza was a hellish one, spent mostly in humiliation and grievance. However, there was one side of it that he benefited from: the time he spent studying. He studied the Alvan Language and herbology under Larza, a field within her expertise.
”Lunist Rera,” Arthur muttered the name of the plant. ”Jerni Ves,” and the name of another. The first was a plant that radiated moonlight, and the second one absorbed it. The fact that some species of Demis benefited from the moonlight made these two plants oppose each other.
Their existence created a tunnel of moonlight between them, a decorating technique that he read about in one of Larza's books. As he kept muttering the names of the plants, hours went by.
”And what about the crystal plant?”
”An embodiment of purity, one of the few agents used in alchemy for mixing purposes,” Arthur answered the spirit who appeared in the room without flinching.
The spirit walked toward the plant and crouched beside it. Then, with a thin and bony hand, it caressed the crystal leaves of the plant. Arthur stared at the robed spirit in front of him and the hand of bones.
”I never thought that Lord Rain would be a lich,”
”There are many things you don't know, human,” the lich answered with a neutral tone, but Arthur still felt the coldness in its voice. ”But it seems botany is one you know of,”
”That's inaccurate,” Arthur replied. ”I know herbology, the names of herbs, mostly magical ones, and how to make use of them.”
”Ah yes, your race loves useful things. That's why you love spirits, don't you?” The lich retracted its hand and stood up. It turned toward Arthur to look at him with its hollow sockets. ”Yet, you killed a spirit.”
”If I didn't kill it, I would have been devoured by it. So the Spirits Realm, at least the higher worlds of it, should only contain friendly spirits.”
”And who decided that, exactly?” The lich gave a snicker. ”Conceited human,” it shook its head at Arthur after giving its judgment of his character.
”Then you punish me knowing that some spirits found ways to hurt seekers?” Arthur rebuked. ”That violates the first contract.”
”Ah yes,” the lich turned back toward the crystal herb. ”The first contract between the Spirits Sovereign and the First Seeker, a lovely notion of humans befriending spirits.”
”There are Demis too,”
”You are all humans to us, only some of you being less human than others,” the lich grabbed the pot of the plant and lifted it. ”Don't you think that it's ironic, human?”
”What is?”
”Your race created the world humane to symbolize compassion and benevolence, but it is you who wage wars and kill other creatures.”
”A part of humans lives within every spirit.”
”It amuses me how defensive you got of your race that you try to establish our similarities,” the lich laughed again. ”Now tell me, human. What's the name of this herb?”
Arthur stared at the lich and then at the herb. He remembered this one clearly, as its name was linked to him. Since the herb could mix herbs, establishing harmony, it was called by this name.
”Its name is Seika,”
”Yes, The Loved,” the lich nodded and placed it down. ”That's who you are, right? That's what they call you: Seika, a man loved by living beings and spirits alike, but a ruthless murderer if the need calls for it.”
”Who are you, and how do you know me?”
”I don't know you,” the lich shook his head. ”I know a friend of yours, a friend who wouldn't shut up about you. She visited me a few days ago to tell me about your arrival to my domain.”
”Gala?” Arthur's soul shook. ”She was here?”
”Noisy brat, I must say,” the lich nodded. ”That brat told me a lot of things about you. No, she told me everything she knew about you, even the guesses.”
”Where is she?”