Chapter 857 (1/2)

In spite of himself, Randidly couldn’t help but grin and spin around to tackle Arbor when they were out of sight of the solemn-faced group beyond the treeline. Ever since he acquired the Crown of Cataclysm and Gloom, it was slowly dawning on him what possessing such a crown would mean, but he had largely ignored it.

For all that he was slowly acquiring the tools to influence a larger group, that didn’t make him comfortable using them.

He was much more comfortable feeling the comfortable interplay of Aether between himself and Arbor. They play fought, wrestling around in mock struggle for almost a minute. The two rolled around in a scuffle, Randidly feeling largely overwhelmed due to his single limb.

Randidly’s two riders stood to the side. He could sense in them their curiosity toward him and the status of this thing he struggled against, but Randidly had made his will clear, so they left him to it.

It was a small thing, that he noticed just in passing as he considered the watching riders, but it almost appeared that their intelligence was slowly improving the longer they were summoned. Was that his imagination, or were these riders capable of growth?

Very quickly, however, Randidly lost that suspicion as he allowed himself to be carried away by the joy of interacting with Arbor.

“How have you been?” Randidly asked with a grin. Flowing back from Arbor was warmth and happiness.

Nodding sharply, Randidly asked. “And Naffur? What is he like?”

This time, the flow of images from Arbor was more complex. But it boiled down to two distinct concepts. The first was of barely controlled mirth and not a little concern. Something that combined equaled an adjective like silly or clumsy. And the second…

Friend.

Okay then Neveah, Randidly thought with a wry smile. I suppose Naffur was a good choice.

As if he was a devil to be summoned by his name, Naffur hesitantly walked up to the spot where Arbor and Randidly were playing. Some part of Randidly wanted to cease the struggle against Arbor and appear distinguished before this member of the Order Ducis. After all, this was someone who obviously looked up to Randidly and wanted to emulate him.

But Randidly valued this rare moment to relax and spend time with a plant born of himself too much; he would rather sacrifice something of his dignity to savor it.

He had too few moments like this on Tellus, and somehow Randidly suspected that the impending threats hanging over Earth would make such breaths of release even more difficult to come by here.

Finally, he allowed Arbor to pin him to the ground and sighed in defeat. Arbor chirped happily and hopped off, dancing around his defeated foe. It made Randidly laugh, loud and long, watching the pure glee in Arbor’s movements.

Moments like this… are why I fight, Randidly thought, as he stood and turned to Naffur. Although most of the joviality drained away, he was still in a good mood.

“You can take off your mask. I’d like to see what you look like.” Randidly said casually.

Naffur flinched but nodded. Slowly, he reached up and removed his mask, revealing a pale-faced teenager. Strangely, the uncertain worry in Randidly’s eye made him reminisce about the origins of the System; Donny had looked at Randidly in a very similar way as he had been told to lead the village.

So young. Even younger than Simon… Randidly thought, but he said. “Nice to meet you Naffur. I’m Randidly Ghosthound. Did you have something else to say? Or questions? I’ll stay here for an hour. As the leader of your Order… I suppose it’s my responsibility to offer you what advice I can.”

This revelation hit Naffur hard; he stammered for several seconds. Finally, he coughed into his hand and said. “I… well, it seems like you know Ajax. Is there… something wrong with him…? During the fights with the ogres, he was the bravest of us all. So… I hope you can forgive him.”