204 YES FROM HER HEART AND SOUL (2/2)

”You're not being overdramatic.  It's just a natural reaction,” Argent said.

Aurum glanced at her brother and wanted to ask; then why didn't you react the same way?  But knowing Argent, something like this probably didn't even faze her.

Anthea sat back on her seat.  ”Can you tell me the details on how you managed to get the dragon king's sword?”

Argent then went on and told her mother how she did it.  From the information she got from the Xing Emperor about how a guy who looked like her stole a map of a treasure that didn't exist, then finding about the legend about the 'child of all', Aurum sending her the image of the map of the supposedly non-existent treasure, and then her finding the underwater temple and getting the artifacts.

She didn't bother to mention the things that happened in the that temple.  Specifically, the trial she had to undergo just to get the sword.  Although she could barely remember what happened, she knew if she did even try, she would definitely have that nightmare again.  And she truly didn't have the time to analyze the meaning of that nightmare.  Not with all these problems around.

After Anthea heard Argent's story, she had no doubt that the man who stole this map from the Emperor of Xing was Dorian.  But she was more concerned about this 'child of all' business.  Because from what she had gathered so far, it definitely had something to do with the Blackbourne bloodline.  Again.

”It seemed like your father really did fail in obtaining the artifacts,” Anthea said.  Because if he did, then how could Argent take the sword?

”He did actually,” Argent said and then told her mother what the dragon king said to her.  That her father managed to collect the three artifacts but then failed to proceed at the very last step.

Anthea gazed down at her hands and clenched both.  She couldn't help but put herself in Dorian's place.  When he thought that everything was in his reach, but at the end it still escaped him.  Dorian must have been devastated.  Because too much was at stake with his success.  Not just his life but the life and future of his child as well.

”Mother, do you think Father is still… alive?” Aurum asked hesitantly.

Anthea raised her head and said without an ounce of hesitation or doubt, ”Yes.”

It's something that she couldn't really explain.  But she was sure, from the bottom of her heart and the depth of her soul that, yes, Dorian was still alive.  That's why even after reading that letter, she never doubted that her husband had already encountered his demised.  Because there's just no way that he did.

He might be in a situation where he couldn't go to them.  He might even be trapped somewhere.  Knowing Dorian, he would definitely find a way to get back to them.  She was sure of that.  So the least they could do was to gather the three ancient artifacts and open the Mythos continent.

Whatever the consequence of that might be.

”What should be our next move?” Anthea asked.

Argent glanced down at the letter once again, particularly at the last part.  ”I think we should go back to Albion first.”