Arthur Pov:
Waking to a scrutinising pain, caused by my lovely sister body slamming me, I jumped out of bed. Still dizzy of the fast awakening I stumbled and threw Sylvie out of bed with me. She gave a little kyu from her. It seems that if she is in her fox form her speaking pattern reverts to her infant times. Or maybe that was just a scream of confusion. Who knows?
"Arthur why did you do that." It was the latter.
"What do you mean? I was as startled as you Sylv. Elli here seems to have learned quite the manners in her school for young ladies. Waking up her big brother with this technique."
"You did not wake up no matter what I did and big brother Nico told me that I can use any means if it means I have to wake you up." Nico you will regret this.
"Thank you for waking me up but next time do it without that much force. Please."
"Maybe. Now get ready we have to go down eating breakfast and go shopping for your supplies."
I gave a small nod and shoed her out of my room. I went to take a shower and waited for Sylvie to take one as well. At first she refused to get in the shower so I had to take her there by force. She threw a little tantrum and tried to wiggle herself out of my grasp but I held tight. After what felt like an eternity but was actually just half an hour she had taken her shower. We went downstairs ate breakfast and went out shopping. At first we bought normal school supplies like books, writing supplies, uniforms and regular clothes.
Afterwards we split up Nico decided to go Gideon since he must create the ships so that the alacryans will attack via the coast, but we also said that we will make it harder for them and implant a bomb in the mechanism so if taken apart it will detonate. It is still possible to reconstruct the machine but it will make life harder. In addition we also thought about giving him the plans for the train right now but stopped since he will have enough time later on. Lilia, Cecilia, Elli, mom and Tabitha went shopping in other districts and I went on my way to a very important meeting.
Walking through the streets of Xyrus I went inside a small ally. There I saw an old man sitting. He asked me for some change and knowing what he was I thought about giving him something more than last time. "Here. Is this enough?" He took it and seemingly disappeared with mirage walk. Afterwards I went towards the shop of Windsom. Waiting outside I looked at the sign with his name. I acted nervous but smirked inside.
Opening the door I walked inside. "Aren't you the man I saw just outside? Why were there?"
"I was just taking a break."
"And asking adolescent children for money?"
"How about a deal? I give you anything in this shop as a compensation."
"Okay thank you for your generosity." I started brushing through the shelves in search of something interesting. But then a black cat with galaxy coloured eyes started to look at me and follow me around. I walked a bit more while keeping Sylvie close to me until I came to the elixirs. I selected three since Nico and Cecil will need one as well. We could do it with aether but this way it is less suspicious. "How about you stop this hide and seek game? At first it was that old man that disappeared outside and now you. Can't you guys just be honest and don't sneak around?"
Windsom looked at me interested but still did nothing. "I mean you. I guess you are Windsom or is it the name oof the one pretending to be an old man." I said and looked direct at him. He seemed more surprised than expected and took some steps back. He started glowing and transformed into his human form.
"Impressive for a lesser. That you have felt my presence."
"Thank you but it is rather strange for an old man to disappear suddenly. And reappear in a shop just after he has gotten some money in a secluded ally. He had do be something else and he can't be a beggar since he wouldn't get much if he begs in this ally. Plus you seemed to be more intelligent than you want people to recognise. Lastly I was informed about lord Indrath's lacky that has galaxy coloured eyes."
"Lacky you say?"
"Yes that is what she called you. Why do you ask?"
"Who called me that?"
"Mom or you might know her by the name Sylvia?"
"Mom?"
"She asked me to call her that and take care of her unborn child Sylvie. But that is not important now. I can see what those elixirs can do and I want three in total. For me and two other friends with great potential."
"Why should I give them to you?"
"I will trade them not just take them."
"Money has no meaning to me."
"I know but what about information?" He looked at me with a questioning gaze and motioned to keep going. "I have been fighting and preparing with my friends for the past few years ever since we met Sylvia or found each other. During that time I have figured out that several people are traitors to this continent. I will give you this information and I will get the elixirs."
"Why should I agree? From my perspective you just want me to do the miscellaneous work."
"That is half true and half wrong. If you agree you can deal with them on your own and show results to lord Indrath. But I hope you will wait for some months they still have some roles to play. For an example the dwarven rulers, an elder and a lance still have some important tasks like creating the council. And since the council is not now stable it would be horrifying if they just disappeared suddenly."
"I see. That is a tempting argument that you have there lesser. But tell me why shouldn't I just take the information from you along with lady Sylvie?"
"Because I am a strong warrior just like my comrades. In the coming war you will need me."
"It seems that you are different. What has made you like this?"
"Who know maybe killing hundreds of Alacryans or something like that. Do we have a deal Windsom? And if you are no lacky what are you then because it is strange to call you that."
"I am an elder of the Indrath clan. And yes we do have a deal but do not disappoint me lesser or you will regret it." He gave me two more elixirs and I gave him a copy of the documents that state the crimes that the traitors have committed.
"Could I ask for your attention elder Windsom?" he looked at me and nodded while shifting his attention towards the documents. "Are you content with the information and if you are could you listen to my plan?" Now he seemed to have shifted his attention towards me. "If the rulers get killed an elder needs to take their place. Therefore I recommend elder Bhund. Elder Rahdeas will die sooner or later. I hope not by our hand. Elder Rahdeas has taken in an alacryan but this alacryan has died inside a dungeon. Therefore I propose to let the Vritra get rid of him. If they don't do it on time we can still do it afterwards. But if the Vritra kill him we could convince the dwarven lance to calm down the dwarves and control the situation. Of course he will not be in possession of his artifact since it would be too dangerous."
"How do you know about that boy?"
"I have investigated all elders and the royal families of all races ad have found that out."
"You are really smart for a lesser and a kid no less. It is a shame that you were born as one. Anyway your plan is cruel and efficient. I will follow it. And do I presume correctly that I should not hunt down traitors until the time is right?"
"Yes please wait some time. In the near future I will attend a dungeon dive with a class of the Xyrus academy. During that dungeon dive I intend to disappear. Fake my death for some time together with my friends. My theory is that when we are gone a group of racist students will try create a terrorist attack. I also guess that they are controlled by the Vritra."
"Explain how that is useful for them and why you believe that will happen."
"For one it was an only human school and therefore the human nobles that are against the unification of the three races. Since their noble status and the privileges might get lost. Therefore I guess that a racist group will become reality and what better pawns are there then idiotic young nobles that are easily influenced. As for what the Vritra get from this attack. One several more or less capable mages of Dicathen will die and the council might dissolve because of that. We will use this time to get slaves as a workforce and fin out more traitors while showing everyone that the Vritra are the obvious enemy."
"As expected of you. You are taking the operation of the Vritra and use it to gain more than you can ever lose. It really is a shame. Nonetheless why do you believe that your plan will succeed? They might just not believe you."
"I have connections to the royal families of the elves and humans and I was trained by their lances. I hope my words will be enough to convince them to help me. I will get the information and then get the council to stop the attack before to many die or get heavily injured."
"You have one year at the most. Make the best out of it. Now go and use the elixirs so that you can become stronger as fast as possible."
I bowed toward him, turned around and hold my arm out for Sylvie to jump on. We went outside of the shop and out of the ally. Now everything should be prepared. Nico should have the necklaces for Elli and mom and I have the elixirs.