The Sight Beyond The Haze

Chapter 73: Their First Encounter

As soon as we stepped on the city proper, both Idris and I noticed the population or the lack of it on the supposedly bustling city. Although the Nobilia Sect has an ancient history as long as one passed their qualifications, tests, and the judgment of their elder, they would definitely let anyone inside of their sect and be a member of it. It was terribly simple as that, but not every person who would set out on an adventure towards the unknown and lengths of the Dancing Forest came out either alive or a member of the famed Nobilia Sect.

Sometimes, this journey would even kill explorers.

We were both walking in the stalls that should have both customers and sellers but somehow were all empty around the marketplace. It was desolated and the only source of noise we both could hear was from the temples of the sect which was located within the inner court of the three parts of the city.

"So the owner of this temporal illusory fragment didn't even bother on putting up a scarp of any of the Nobilia Sect's people," Idris remarked as we both walked past the plaza. She sounded disappointed, maybe she was anticipating on seeing other people besides me. "I sort of miss all of these. Haven't really gone here in a while."

"But if the members are the only people in the city, won't it be as desolate as this?"

I looked around yet again. It was such a great place but it was too big for the few hundred or so disciples and members of the Nobilia Sect.

"The distant relatives and the servants of the sect are all located outside the great city wall," Idris explained and pointed at the first wall that we encountered. It stretches up to the clouds and stayed there while its structure looked rather intimidating. "As you know there are three parts behind that wall and that makes up the Adaman Civitas, including this suburban part, then it would be four parts. Besides those servants and the relatives of the disciples, merchants who are looking for exotic objects and strong authentic magical talismans also often come here. The magical creatures around the forest has also very good relationship with the sect. Why do you think, out of the liberation of the Queen Leniesha a thousand years ago, they were the only sect that survived?"

I nodded, understanding what she meant and it made sense since the Nobilia Sect was as old as the foundation of the country itself, it has seen both war and peace times. From the liberaton of Queen Leneisha from the tyrannical ancient sects to the creation of both the Eirini and Haefen that were the leading force behind running the mainlands of the Dalcanoraz smoothly, to peaceful times, and now back to a war again.

The cycle was a circle and it just kept on repeating the same events again and again.

Idris and I entered the first wall. While we were both surveying the place, Idris said something that also made me wonder of the same thing.

"This is a big place, how the heck are we supposed to find c**k-tie-tus in this illusion if we want to knock him out of his blue balls?" Idris asked.

Although she had a point, I cannot help myself to frown on her.

"He is older than you, Idris," I reminded her. "Give him the respect his dignity due."

Idris rolled her eyes on me and clicker her tongue, but she heeded my advice and changed the way she address Cocytus. As I was about to answer her question directly, my eyes suddenly caught a fmailiar blonde hair twisted into beautiful perfect curls around her face. She was wearing a very pretty Baroque dress, white and black that she looked like she was attending a funeral.

Behind her, she was dragging the arm of a boy whose eyes were wide and green in shade. He had a brunet hair and his eyes were quite intimidating in its intelligence. They were both running towards a figure who was wearing a white robes, his back was straight and his lips were moving, talking to a man who looked like a younger version of Isaiah Amitiel.

Isaiah Amitiel was very pale which was quite the contrast against his son. He somehow looked like Cocytus but gave off a different aura. Cocytus, despite his arrogant attitude, has a very warm disposition and intense to the maximum while his father was not.

"Eris," Leigh called out to the Seer who became even cuter with her younger self. "I told you to get something you would like. What did you get, my dear?"

Both Eris and Cocytus were holding each other's intertwined hands. Cocytus was wearing a dirty traditional white tunic that hung loosely on his frame. It was very filthy and looked as though he rolled on a muddy field.

"Is that Great Uncle Leigh?" Idris asked and gave off an amused chuckled while pointing at Leigh whose back was in front of us.

My eyes shifted from the children's form to Leigh's. He was also wearing a very stylish fur cloak. The way he looked with the cloak made him seem ethereal, an immortal, which was true of course. Unlike his modern style, Leigh's jet black hair was extremely long which stretched out down to his slender waist which was accentuated since his hands were on either side of it.

"It is so sinful to have a face like Great Uncle's," Idris remarked and sighed. "Now what do we do?"

"We break the illusion to Cocytus and get out of here," I answered, directing my attention to my arm which was almost faded off from my body. "I do not have any idea how to find those students who were all kidn*pped, but we need to survive if we are going to rescue them."

"Can't we just get out of here and this place?"

I frowned at Idris again who pouted her lips on me, looking like a cute puppy with green eyes. I suddenly realized that I was surrounded with people who have brilliant green shades of eyes. Cocytus. Idris, my sister. And Haziel Imbert.

I do looked plain compared to them.

"What?" she demanded when I continued on frowning at her. "Fine!" Idris snapped at me and rolled her eyes again away from my direction. "It's our responsibility, I know."

I nodded and moved along, straying at the sides to hear what Leigh was telling Isaiah Amitiel. He picked up little Cocytus and turned his question to Eris.

"And who is this young man?"

"His name is Cocytus, Leigh," Eris answered to Leigh's answer calmly. She talked like she was just speaking with someone her own age when Leigh looked as though he was on his teens already, both him and Isaiah Amitiel actually. Eris' brilliant blue eyes were on Cocytus who was playing the loose strands of hair on Leigh's head.

Isaiah Amitiel, feeling as though his own biological son was being too impudent and rude towards a Deity, immediately went and bowed his head in front of Leigh who was still carrying Cocytus on his arms.

"My Lord, please forgive Cocytus for intruding upon you and the Great Seer," Isaiah said to him, his head was still bowed. "I would make sure that this won't be happening again."

Leigh laughed with amusement, not in the least insulted or offended by the kid or by the father. He shifted little Cocytus' weight on one of his hands and, using the other one, he pinched Cocytus' plump childish cheek and rubbed at his hair. With the probably tickling touch from Leigh, Cocytus smiled and grinned in a toothy way, like an innocent white but filthy bunny.

"Your son?" Leigh asked to Isaiah who nodded at the question as a response. "I see that the Great Seer has taken an interest on him, is that good, my lady?"

Eris smiled, nodding solemnly at the men in front of her. She stepped closer towards Leigh and held out her hand. Understanding what she wanted to do, Leigh bent down and let the girl touched Cocytus' hands.

"I see great potential within him in his future," she said in a ver calming tone. "A great Fate is upon this kid and he would always be in the very top of everything he strives to do. He would be a great person."

Leigh's blood red eyes gazed at the kid, there was something within those eyes that softened. Abruptly, the scene changed. Idris and I were plunged into darkness only to land heavily on the ground.

I heard Idris groaning loudly and I would do the same if we were not just pressed for time. I quickly get up, immediately observing our surroundings. Idris and I were in some kind of temple where some people gathered, maybe just less than a dozen or maybe even less than that.

I held out my hand for Idris to help her to get up which she accepted gratefully.

"He is aware," I concluded.

Idris was still not able to get her bearings right but from the looks of it and the feel of the illusion, I knew that he was aware of it and he was letting it consume him.

"Idris, we have to get him out of here."

There was breathlessness on my tone that made me think I would just stop breathing the moment I think of it. I shook my head at that thought that entered my mind. I cannot just imagine myself dropping dead from dyspnea.

I felt my chest tightened but I shrugged it off though I knew that I would not be able to do that later if we stayed here longer.

"Cocytus is aware that this was all just an illusion but he was letting it absorb him."

I pursed my lips, looking at the scene unfolding before me. There was some sort of ritual, everyone was bowing their heads on the tablets in front of them. Everyone was on a parchment-colored fabric, making them appear as though someone could write on them like they were indeed paper.

They were only about a few people in the hall that was bowing their heads and wearing parchment colored clothing. I spotted Leigh beside Eris who was wearing a very pretty parchment dress, ballooning around her small figure.

Cocytus was also kneeling in front of the tablets with his hands clasped in front of him. He was no older than four years old and was extremely very cute. His loose tunic was tucked very neatly and there was an adornment on his forehead of a white band.

Unlike the older Cocytus who always has an often mocking and judgmental expression, this kid right now does not mirror the arrogance his older self has. I sighed secretly and wonder what happened to this very innocent and cute kid to turned into an arrogant i***t.

"The Mourning of the Souls," Idris whispered while looking at the scene unfolding in front of us.

"What?"

My head whipped to Idris. She has already regained her balance. Although she looked like she had been whiplashed, she did not look like she was in a terrible state at all. She was still wobly, using her bow as a cane to support her own balance.

"It's a festival for the Lady of the Death Doors, you know, one of the Deities," she explained. "Like the elves, the Nobilia Sect worships the Deities. I guess that kind of make sense why would Cocytus be here. This is basically Great Uncle Leigh's territory. All the Deities would be welcome here. But if Cocytus is actually aware of it then what do we do? And why is he letting it consume him?" Idris asked almost immediately after explaining to ne.

She looked at me as though she was actually expecting me to know the answer to that, but I do not know, just like her. Cocytus has always been a free spirit, no ties in this world could ever bind him and he has always looked like he was happy with his life. He has a father who loved him deeply, Eris who cared for him since they were just children, and even a second family who was always welcoming him with open arms.

Why would he let himself be consume by this illusion? We have to talk sense to him.

Before I answer Idris though, maybe to create a plan or a semblance of it at least, someone was already talking beside us both.

"Father has always been good to me," Cocytus said with a sigh. "And I just wanted to watch him in this lense."

He looked at us both and there was a bittersweet glint on both of his eyes.

"Can you imagine Phlegethon Tharraleos being your father? He has always been the best thing I have and to think that I would have to say good-bye to him makes me extremely sentimental."

Idris stared at Cocytus face. He was still wearing his suit from the earlier occasion, a sleek and posh tuxedo. He looked good even in my eyes, but Cocytus was somehow different from hsi usual jovial self.

"We're all bound to die, you know," Idris pointed out and shrugged. "If you say good-bye to him now or even a few decades, he'll be the same. He would even look the same, i***t, so get your s**t together and let's rescue those students."

"But that won't be happening to us, he'll die as I live."

I did not hear what exactly he said but his voice was a reflection of sadness before the scenery vanished before us.