Arthur: When A Tree Falls

Chapter 6: Wulix' Argentium

Arthur was pacing past the Tomato Soup door, waiting for the Wulix girl to appear. At last, the girl appeared. She looked the same, light-brown hair in a braid - which again fell over her shoulder - silver headband across her head. Arthur only now could actually see the headband properly. It was a thin silver thing, which thickened a bit on her forehead, where a little diamond bead sat. It was gentle, but it was there. For the rest the girl had dark brown eyes, a crooked nose and thin, small, pink lips. She wore an outfit similar to Arthur's except for the jacket. She wore a cape-like brown jacket, which looked slightly battered. She smiled, then opened her mouth to speak.

"You're a new Uphlet, right?" Arthur nodded, "For a moment I thought Ella was going to upgrade you, since she looked highly surprised when she saw you. Of course, the hall is very big, so maybe she was looking at one of the people sitting next to you, but it isn't very likely she'd upgrade either of them. Finn and the asian girl, I mean."

"You know them?" Arthur asked, not intending to be rude by interrupting her.

She laughed. "I know Finn, at least. I was a Uphlet the same time as he was for a week. Then I got upgraded to Vinchman, and Wulix quickly after. But that was four years ago, so, well. Ella doesn't like me that much anymore. She's been a Zaclin for a very long time." she said. "What's your name? I'm curious, as you remind me of someone."

"Arthur." he answered.

She nodded. "I'm Eylin. Arthur, huh? Is by any chance your last name Redworth?" Arthur shook his head. "Oh, well, I thought maybe you had an ancestor you're named after called Redworth. Maybe your grandma was born a Redworth. Do you know about that?" Arthur shook his head.

"Her name was Waters." he said, and Eylin nodded slowly.

"You know, you strike me as special. I'd love to take you up to Wulix and show you a picture of Arthur Redworth. He was a famous Wulix." she said, and Arthur laughed.

"I can't really go to Wulix, I'm a Uphlet. They'll see immediately, won't they?" Arthur said, and she shrugged.

She reached in her cape-like jacket. "Not quite, if you wear a headband like we do. A so called Argentium." She took out a headband. "If you put it around your head and take off the army jacket I can take you. You're not famous so no one will recognize you as Uphlet. People from Wulix don't wear army jackets. It's a bit of a Uphlet and Vinchman thing."

"Do you know why Uphlets don't have an item like you do?" Arthur asked, as he put the headband over his head.

She shook her head. "No. I've been here for over four years, but it's always been this way."

Arthur nodded, but still had a lot of questions. "So, why did you want to talk to me?"

"I need to show you the picture of Arthur Redworth, like I said. I'm ninetynine point thirty-two percent sure you are related." She said, as she stuck her small hands in her pockets. She started walking to the stairs, which led to the door Finn had said was the door to Wulix. Arthur followed her shortly. "The thing is, Arthur, I saw Ella look at you and I was so sure she'd give you that upgrade. Then she didn't. And then I looked at you again, and you looked like exactly like Arthur Redworth."

"Who is this Arthur guy, anyway?" Arthur asked, and Eylin laughed. They neared the large door of Wulix.

"He's one of the most important people from Wulix. You see, for four years have I been one, so surely I know a bit about its history. This man, was the most important man for Wulix because he had created the Argentium. The very first. You see, at that time, there was an evil spirit lurking through Arboria. We don't really speak of it much anymore, it's been dead and gone for ages, but it was very evil. It stopped people from killing their Alter Ego's. And that's why we're here at Arboria. Now the important thing about the Argentium now, is merely its symbol. But at that time, the silver headbands protected the Wulix against that spirit. I've been doing research on it in Silva, the small village right outside here. Some people there say the spirit can return, but I don't believe that, really. I do believe a different spirit is coming, the one that cannot be held at bay by an Argentium. Especially not these," she said, as she pointed at the one she was wearing.