Isaak's P.O.V
The morning brought a frosty chill and a dewy humidity. We hadn't stopped during the night, instead we took turns keeping watch while the others slept below. It was my turn now, and I studied the sun as it rose.
When we had gone through that town, Archer had burst back upstairs, looking awfully red and flustered. He had obviously rejected Saga's plan to 'carry on'. He completely avoided my eyes and went out of his way to keep a large distance between himself and Saga. Willow looked suspicious but didn't say anything.
"I think we're only a day away now." Saga appeared beside me.
"So, we'll be there by tomorrow morning?"
"If all goes well."
"Tell me about that King, Colm."
Saga glanced at me. "He's the king of Odriscia. He's powerful, and-"
"Not that. Not the facts." I sighed. "What type of person is he? I mean, inside. From what I've been told, he sounds like he kind of just wants the best for his country and people, but just has some sort of screwed up perception. Why?"
Saga looked at the sky. "I met him once. A long time ago, when he was a child. His father, Darmen, wanted to see me. Darmen himself was messed up. As a prince, he was captured by the enemy – Vandalind – and tortured for two years. Since then he was never the same." Saga released a weary breath. "Darmen abused his children, and his wife. He was a greedy, ambitious leader, whose mind had turned to one that was sick, malicious... sadistic. He probably past on some of his skewed beliefs onto his boys. Though his wife was kind enough, she died when the boys were young, by her own hand, as she was mentally unwell."
"So... Colm had a messed-up childhood."
Saga nodded. "Very much so. When I met him, I could almost see his future. He was clever, even at his young age he seemed more intelligent than his father. He could somehow see that the country was dying at the hand of his father. That's why Colm killed Darmen; he loves his country more than his own blood. He believes in sacrifice and putting duty before emotions and family. He knew he would be a better king than his father; and he was right. Everything he does is well thought out, every move he makes is purposeful. He is patient and determined. He is almost a perfect King."
"Almost?"
Saga's brown eyes hardened. "He is only 27 years old, and he's never really left his castle. He hasn't experienced compassion, he hasn't really seen normal suffering, or happiness, or love; he has been hidden away from the world and even though he feels he knows everything, he doesn't. He is ignorant, despite his incredible intelligence."
"What do you think he'll do to Ash?"
"He won't hurt him; he can't risk weakening him. Not physically anyway. He'll probably play with his mind, try and find a weakness that he can exploit."
I closed my eyes. It's okay, Ash. We'll be there soon.
"Saga... are there any other types of magic that you haven't told me about?"
"What do you mean?"
I drew my rapier sword from its sheath. "Well... this has magic, doesn't it? Isn't that why I can use it so well?"
Saga ran his finger across the blade. "Ah, yes. That's a very ancient type of chorren." He turned back to the front of the boat, the morning sun reflecting in his brown eyes. "Long ago, there was another breed; a powerful one, immortal too. The aridian. They had a chorren completely different to ours; it's mysterious to us. Even I don't fully understand it. But whatever it was, they had the ability to instil their magic into certain objects. And only those with their blood were able to activate the chorren in it."
I stared at the rapier. "So... my mother was descended from them... the aridian?"
"Yes."
"So... I also have that blood?"
"Yes." He gave me a smile. "That's what makes you so special."
"If they were so powerful, why do they no longer exist?"
"War does strange things." He answered vaguely. I could tell by short tone he wasn't going to tell me much more.
"Are there many descendants of the aridian?"
"Not many, but a few."
"If they were immortal, does that mean I'm immortal?"
Saga chuckled. "So many questions! No, it doesn't. You need to have a decent amount of immortal blood to inherit immortality."
"What breed are you, Saga?"
He tilted his head to his side. "A mixture."
"You are an onama?" I gasped at him.
"Of sorts."
"So, you have a lot of immortal blood."
"All my blood is immortal." He sighed. I could tell he was started to get frustrated by the questions, but I was too curious.
"How many immortal breeds are there?"
"A few. Seers, jades, aberidus; to name some."
"You have seer blood, don't you?"
He glanced at the sky. "Perhaps."
"Do you have-"
"Ah, Isaak, enough."
I blushed. "Sorry..."
"Here, I'll teach you how to fight."