After recruiting Riley — finally completeling the gang in the process, The three said their farewells to Old Regto Pa, Paulo, The rest of the Bald Theif gang and all the orphanage children, as they made their way back to the Signet Manor.
During their way as Eiser was examining Riley's body Sandy walked ahead as suddenly he saw a newspaper in his feet.
Confused yet faintly excited, he opened the news magazine and started to read it inaide his head. Yet suddenly he got super ecstatic and ran back towards Eiser.
"Blue Bro!! Blue Bro!! Look at this!!"
He said as he handed over the news magazine to Eiser.
"We are in the News Magazine!! That's huge!! And as Saviours of the country at that!"
He said delighted, posing in a fashionabale manner.
The three made their way back to the Signet Manor, after taking a short detour to a clothing store to get Riley's new clothes.
After some time of bickering, The three reached The Signet Manor. As Wandera saw Riley and Sandy inteoducing him as one of thier own now, Wandera couldn't hold herself as she came running forward and engulfed him with her embrace. It was the first time, that Chloria, Arkas, Lolopechika and even Anastasia had seen Riley up close.
That 21 year old tall man had a slight beard and a buzz cut to adhere with the rules of The Bald Theif Gang. The grey dress shirt that he wore or even the back straight pants, only added to his mature aura that he carried coupled with his sharp cheek bones and jawline, and his hunter eyes; Arkas could only feel rage stanidng in presenxe of such a gentleman.
"Hey, Sparkles! The clothes are in Pecko's room right?"
He said, as he glared at Riley the entire way he went upstairs to Lolopechika's room.
After greeting with Riley, and Arkas finally feeling superior after wearing the clothes that Eiser had bought. It was time for Eiser's party to say their goodbyes to everyone and head on towards their next destination.
Arkas felt shocked and somewhat betrayed as he heard Eiser talk about leaving.
A fleeting feeling of discomfort that he felt had finally come out to face him. Eiser's decision to leave enraged Arkas. Yet he couldn't speak or stop Eiser from leaving. For after all, everyone has to leave someday.
An enraged Arkas, stomping his feet, went up to the roof after hearing Eiser's decision and left the conversation.
On the roof, he bit his tongue, held back his tears as all he remembered was his father leaving one day and then returning in the form of a corpse.
Even thiugh he held them back, Arkas's eyes were still all shiny and watery with tears. Eiser was the first friend he had made after Rampel.
The one who grabbed him from the depths of infernos — where everything melts amd boils. Even though he had held them back, tears were stilling running endlessly from Arkas's eyes. For he couldn't see anyone else being saperated away from him ever again. The Pain of longing is the worst of all. Arkas had experienced that pain before and he wasn't ready to bear it all again.
On one side it was the Sparkle, the glimmer that had saved him from the abyss of hell and revenge — Eiser. And on the other was the one who would be left all alone in the abyss of loneliness if he left — His mother, Chloria.
Saddened by the greif, Arkas suddenly felt a warm touch on his shoulder. He sniffled and wiped his tears as he looked back and got shocked.
For a second there, it looked to him like it was his own father that had held out a hand for him to join him. That same determination, that same smile, and the way Eiser had held out his hand, it all made Arkas see visions of his father in Eiser, he held out his hand for him to come along.
"What the hell are you being a pain in the ass for? Just come along!"
Eiser said to him. Behind him stood everyone. Chloria slowly walked ahead, a gentle smile on her face, watery eyes, hiding emotions, as Arkas held her tight and started to cry like a baby.
She pat him, kissed his son on the head. Everyone watched, in awe, tears in Lolopechika's and Anastasia's eyes as Wandera came from behind and hugged them both aswell.
"Go! Write your own story! Surpass your father and when you return, you better not be a crybaby like now."
Chloria comforted him as her own voice broke aswell.
After a brief embrace and weeping, Arkas had finally let out that stinging feeling out. He walked infront of Eiser with a determined face, who was standing against the wall with his back leaning on it.
Arkas walked straight up to him, everyone held their breathes as he did. Suddenly all the laughters and the tears were silent. It was a moment of stillness.
Eiser looked him in the eyes as he started.
"I solemnly swear, that I, Arkas Lycaon, will become the strongest man in this wretched world, for you, and for the mother I leave behind for you!"
These words that had flown out of Arkas's mouth, had made Eiser shocked abit. Yet as he saw the look in Arkas's eyes. That fierceness, determination — It made Eiser take a gulp. As he stood infront of him, he held out his hand as a smirk culred across his face.
Arkas, also smirking, shook that hand, matched his eye after he had sworn that oath.
Everyone at the back, seemed amazed by Arkas's determination. It made everyone, think about their purposes for taking that path and walking at matching paces with Eiser.
In the evening, Eiser alone left the Manor, as everyone back packed their bags for their next journey.
Eiser roamed through the streets and finally reached the hospital. Huffing, he went to Therdeo's office. He knocked at the door and then opened it and went inside. As he did, he saw him praying infront of a Holy Orb. Eiser had seen, his father, Roger do that same thing, yet he himself had never done that in his entire life.
After he was done praying, Therdeo finally welcomed Eiser.
"Ahh Eiser, you're here. Come have a seat."
He said as he arrowed towards the sofa.
"I see you pray aswell, huh? Doctor?"
He said as he sat down at the sofa.
"Ahh yes yes.. I do. Its a part of my routine. Do you not submit before the God yourself?"
"No. Never done that!"
He replied in cold tone.
"And may i ask why that is?"
Therdeo inquired.
"I dont know, to be honest, I don't really find this God thing right you know! Like all you have to do is praise him!"
"Are you saying that you dont believe in the existence of God?"
"No not that! I know that a god exists. Ofcourse, how would this world be running without a god. That timelt conversion of day into night and night into day, the changing of seasons! I know that there is a ruler."
Eiser clarified.
"Then you perhaps not find it entertaining in talking to God?"
"What do you mean? Talking to God? Like while you are praying all you do us just is praise him. Don't you?"
"Yes, and that is what i meant by Talking! We are not praising God because he gave us lives, and all these blessings, Well ultimately it is because of that, but in the pure sense it is because we find these blessings useful or helpful."
Therdeo explained.
Eiser got abit confused at Therdeo's explanation. So he continued.
"For Example, You helped the people of Falu get free, but you dont want them to praise you or you don't want something in return. Same thing with praying, God has blessed us with all these blessings ye he doesn't demand something in return, Yet we finding those blessings useful, want to thank god. So these prayers and The books of the First Kings are just a way to show us the correct way to be thankful to God. Ultimately, These prayers and rules were set by God himslef, but these were done to make people fall in line. Not everyone in this world has a clean pure heart. These prayers also serve as way to warn us about the Day of Jugdement. I hope you didn't feel bored due to my long explanation."
Eiser listened to Therdeo's explanation in detail. At the end of it, he had no words to explain anything. He was left in utter shock. Therdeo was a man of a great character and Eiser had seen just that.
With a huge smile on his face he got from the sofa.
"Thank You, Therdeo!"
He said, as he bowed infront of him.
Therdeo blushed a bit at this.
Yet those innocent emotions that Eiser had on his face made Therdeo smile aswell.
"Ohh i almost forgot, i came to tell you that we plan to leave for Trankava in the Morning! So come with us!"
Eiser said.
His heart skipped a beat as Therdeo heard that, suddenly his expressions went pale and frightened.
"I-i have still some work to finish! Please.. You guys leave tomorrow at your earliest convenience and i will make sure to follow."
He stuttered as he said.
Eiser gave it no mind and just headed out.
"Alright then! I better stsrt praying to God Aether aswell now, Dont I?"
He laughed as he went out.
The next morning, Eiser's gang said their final goodbyes to Chloria, Wandera, Lolopechika and Captain Signet, as they filled their carriage with rations, alotted to them by Captain Signet and finally left for their next journey.
Riley drove that horseback carriage, as Eiser and the rest were inside the wooden carriage. It had a window to see out with wooden bars and a door infront to conceal the inside. That fourwheel carriage itself was spacious enough so that all five of them could sleep inside it at night.
As their journey started, Sandy stsrted an interesting topic after being in thought for a long time.
"Hey so i was just thinking... But now that we are all together and officially going out as a gang. What should we call ourselves?"
That burning question got all three of them inside the carriage thinking. Riley, driving the carriage, didn't think about it much tho.
"Like do we have to? I mean if we are famous enough, Eventaully people would give us a name themselves dont they? Like the people of Cut and Fade Cities for example."
He said.
This thought annoyed Sandy.
"Shut up! I want a name for ourselves that we decide! I dont care what people call us? What if they decide to call us "Fashionable Thieves?" Like they named the Bald thief Gang!"
He replied in a fury.
"Woah! This Fashionable thieves name has a nice ring to it doesn't it!"
Arkas said in cheerful tone yet when he saw Ana and Eiser look at him with disgust he immediately turned back.
"Or not.. It was just a thought. Hehe".
"Hmmm.... What do you think Eiser?"
Anastasia said.
"Uhh me?? ummm.... I dont know!"
He said deep in thought. Yet then siddenly something hit Eiser.
"What about To Eremos?"
He said, as he did, everyone looked stunned. Their eyes widened, Riley who was snoring just a moment ago and giving useless opinions, was fired up to hear this name!"
"Now that's more like it!"
Riley approved.
So did Ana and Sandy.
"Huh? Why are you all looking at me? It is just fine! We can have this name!"
Arkas said after being blashful abit upon being stared at by all three inside the carraige.
"Sooo!! It is decided! We have a name after being fully assembled!! TO EREMOS ready for their first journey!!"
Sandy shouted inside the carriage and all five jumped with joyboth inside and outisde the carriage. To their first journey together, they raised a toast together of apple juice at the night. And had a party inside their carriage. As Arkas impressed with his singing skills so Eiser and Sandy jumped up and danced.
With all smiles and no breaks, To Eremos, started their first ever journey with a celebration!
************
Tips:
The next stop: The Mullet City, The city of the Archdiocese of Falu.