“Excuse me?” Whil asked in surprise.

“This is your home is it not?” Thornwell asked pointing at the house they were standing right in front of.

“Nope. Not my house. I don’t live here,” Whil replied.

Thornwell then gave a giggle. “I can tell that you’re lying.”

Whil’s heart pounded harder and faster. Who were they? Were they criminals? Was he going to be kidnapped? The streets were unbelievably empty and he was scared that no one could hear him scream if he was taken. His grandmother might. Even so, what can she do?

“Don’t fret child. Calm your heart. You Humans get aroused very fast. It almost amuses me,” Thornwell said. “You are Whilliam Rubbit, are you not?”

He was more scared the moment Thornwell spoke his name. His eyes widened and looked to every corner of the streets and every window on every house.

Thornwell gave a louder giggle looking at Whil. “My, my. Whilliam. Calm yourself. I knew your father. Patton Rubbit was a friend of mine. Meeting you here was a surprise for me. Not as much as how it surprised you I supposed,” Thornwell said while holding a laugh.

“You knew my father?” Whil said giving a confused look.

“Yes. Might we converse inside?” Thornwell suggested.

Whil squinted his eyes and leered Thornwell. He could not trust him. How could he? They just met. Although, Thornwell did not really looked like a criminal of any sort. He looked more like a nobleman with a bodyguard. He is the Prince of Drainrock, but Whil did not know that. He took a long while thinking of the stranger that claimed he knew Whil’s father.

“Couldn’t you trust me? Very well. How about this. We leave all our things including our weapons outside with the unicorn. If we try anything when we’re inside your house, you are more than welcome to use your Creature against us. How about it?” Thornwell offered.

Whil scrunched his face, thinking. He could not possibly trust Thornwell’s words, but he needed to find out what that Thre’adil knows about his father. With a sigh Whil said, “Fine”. A part of him wanted to know who this man was. How did he knew his father? Were they really friends? Was he lying? They entered the front door and Whil shut it tight. “Have a seat.”

They all sat in the living room. Thornwell sat on the sofa while Bergarious was on a couch next to him. Whil was sitting right in front of Thornwell on a comfortable looking chair.

“I won’t be here long. A night’s stay would be nice. I am in a hurry back to Drainrock. You see, I am Prince Thornwell Drogan. This is my consort, Bergarious Frompt. More like a personal fighter really,” Thornwell introduced himself and Bergarious.

“A prince!” Whil said in shock. Then, he started laughing. “Right. And I'm an Elven knight roaming the land of Geldar,” he said sarcastically. “What would a Thre’adilin Prince be doing here?”

“I was working in Hercia, with the Republic. Then, my father, the King of Drainrock demanded my return to my kingdom. I know it’s hard to believe but I am telling the truth.”

With the Mind Sigil Glove on his left hand, Whil decided to try to read Thornwell’s thoughts. As he concentrated his energy, he started seeing his surroundings once more. He saw through the walls of his house. He saw outside of his house and a couple of his neighbour’s houses. He could see his grandmother lying down in her room, probably sleeping and one of his neighbours eating dinner. Suddenly, he felt dizzy and nauseous.

“It’s not polite to spy on other people,” Thornwell commented.

“What?” Whil said as he shook his head fighting the dizziness.

“You were ‘visioning’. That is not very polite. What if your neighbours were doing something indecent?”

“No I wasn’t,” Whil retaliated.

“Don’t lie. I told you I can tell if you’re lying. I felt a surge of energy spreading to your brain expanding your view. You were visioning.”

“How can you tell?”

“I am gifted with Sense.”

“You have a Creature?” Whil questioned in curiosity.

“No. I am a Thre’adil. Certain abilities we gain by birth. Same goes to the Sigils as well. Plenty of us needn’t the aid of Creatures to use magic and abilities. Although they are much weaker in form. Call it ‘light magic’. Bergarious here can blast wind from his palm with his Wind Sigil.”

“What Sigil do you have?”

“None. I only have Sense.”

“How did you know who I was? Sense?”

“Yes. Your father marked you as he did your mother and me.”

“Marked me? How?”

“With a magic he developed with the Matter Sigil. He reshaped the property of a very small portion of your energy into a symbol. It is so small and weak in form that most with Sense might never realise it unless they concentrate hard enough.”

“What symbol?”

“That I cannot tell. It is more like a unique design that I myself fail to describe. A matchless pattern in a pool of energy. Very faint, but not to those that are used to the pattern.”

“Then, what can you tell? My dad already marked me for a reason.”

“Yes. So that I could recognise you and find you if need to. Not for any other purposes.”

“How did you know my dad?”

“That as well I cannot tell. Let’s just say we were very close friends.”

“Then what can you tell me?”

“I'm afraid nothing.”

“I have the rights to know. He was my father. I need to know. Why did he left me? Is he alive? Where is he? You must know something.”

Thornwell looked to the floor. His expression changed. His lips moved a couple of times as if he had something to say but could not. With a soft tone, he said, “he’s alive”, as if mumbling in silence. As Whil heard what Thornwell said, his face brightened in happiness. It was the happiest news he had come by after years of wondering what happened to his father.

“He is? That is great. That’s…amazing. Where? Where is he?” Whil asked in his obviously chiming voice of happiness.

“That I sadly do not know.”

His face turned quite stale after he heard Thornwell. The broad smile went away. “What do you mean you don’t know? How can you know that he’s alive but not know where he is?” Whil sounded a little furious.

“Calm now child,” Bergarious said.

Thornwell gestured his hand to Bergarious telling him to stay quiet. “The boy has the rights to be enraged. I would as well. I am truly sorry Whilliam. I know he is alive. I can feel his presence. I can feel his energy. My Sense linked my energy with his. My Sense tells me that he’s alive, but my Sense cannot find or pin his position what so ever. I cannot even communicate with him. We can only feel each other. He made us linked so that we would know whether one or the other is still alive or not. He had been in hiding for years. The last time I met him was after the attack in Ygmod. He came to me crying, on his knees. He was mourning for you. He could only wished that you’d survive the attack.”

“Why did he left me behind? Why couldn’t I follow him? Tell me. Tell me what you know. Why did he left me?” Whil asked sounding more demanding than before.

“Forgive me Whilliam. I cannot say. I have promised him that I would keep you safe if I were to ever find you. It took me six years of searching to finally bump into you by rare chance.”

“Why can’t you tell? What is so hard for you to tell me?” his voice sounding rather desperate.

“Whilliam, please. Do not do this to yourself. Do not do this to me. You must understand that he wanted the best for you.”

“The best? Yeah, right. The best. Fatherless. He wanted me to be motherless and fatherless.”

“He wanted you to have a normal life. He couldn’t allow you to follow him.”

“What’s normal about having no parents?” he suddenly yelled. Everything went quiet. Thornwell could only leave his mouth open as he was about to say something until Whil suddenly yelled. Bergarious turned his head, looking outside the window; he did not want to get involved in Whil’s temper. Whil’s breath went from heavy to calm. His eyes were a little blurry from the tears that came out in anger.

“What happened?” A soft voice asked. Esmer was awakened by Whil’s shout.

“Nothing grandma,” he answered. He got up from his chair and walked away from Thornwell and Bergarious. “The guestroom is down the corridor to the left,” he said while leaving the area.

“Who are these people, Whil?” Esmer asked.

“Just…a couple of friends.” He went up the stairs and locked himself in his room.

----- ----- ----- -----

It took him quite a while to open his eyes. They opened a little and slowly. He looked at the clock on his bedside table and realised that he had taken quite a nap after that little tantrum he pulled a couple of hours ago. He looked out of his balcony and stared at the stars. Although he was mad about his father leaving him, he was happy as well as he at least knew that his father was still alive out there somewhere. There is a chance that he could find his father. His father would be glad to see him for sure. Sitting by himself in his room, he started imagining that he found his father and gave him a huge hug. He smiled to the thought.

Suddenly, his stomach grumbled. He did not have dinner yet. He was starving. He could feel his stomach eating him from the inside. He held his belly and massaged it. He jumped off his bed and exited his room. The struts in his movement was wobbly. Slowly, Whil walked down the stairs to get himself safely to the kitchen for some grubs. As he reached the kitchen, he saw Thornwell sipping some tea and Bergarious shining his sword. He took a chair and sat beside Thornwell and across Bergarious. Thornwell watched carefully.

“Aren’t you supposed to put your weapons outside?” Whil asked.

“Well, your grandmother didn’t seem to mind,” Bergarious answered.

Whil gave a short hum, agreeing. Thornwell put his cup of tea on the table and moved closer towards the edge of the table.

“Look, Whil. I want you to know that I would do anything to find your father. Trust me on that.”

“Take me with you. I decided that I wanted to find him myself.”

“I don’t think I can. It might be dangerous. I cannot put you in harm’s way.”

“No. You can’t, but I can. It’s my own decision. You’re not gonna’ decide for me. I’m coming with you whether you like it or not.”

“As stubborn as your father,” Thornwell commented. Whil gave an intent look at Thornwell. “Very well. We’ll leave the day after tomorrow at first light.”

Whil gave a small grin and a nod.

After dinner, Whil went back to his room and started packing bit by bit. He figured he might need a couple of clean clothes for the journey. He collected two clean shirts and a jacket to pack. Then, he grabbed a couple of trousers and undergarments as well. After piling them all together, he paused a while thinking of what he might forget. He turned his head around and scanned the entire room. He looked on his bed and under, he looked on the tables and lastly he checked the drawers.

There he saw, the necklace that he took with him after the destruction of Ygmod. A small piece of Ygmod that he brought around since he was seven. As he grabbed the necklace, he was suddenly in a different room. He was in a kitchen. Everything was a little fuzzy and wind seemed to be blowing from every side of the room. Sandy gusts flew around with the wind. The dusty sand came from the walls, furnishings, floor and even the ceiling. Bit by bit they flew being blown by the harsh wind. Whil tried to look around properly. Where was he? What was this place?

The more he spun around, the more he realised where he was. The floor looked familiar. The dining table and chairs were very familiar to him. At the end of one corner of the floor looked like a trapdoor. Then, he noticed that he was in his own kitchen back in Ygmod. There he stood in his old house that was destroyed years ago with wind and dusts blowing harshly. He turned to his left and he saw the study right across the kitchen. The door was wide open and his father was there. Patton Rubbit, Whil’s father, rushing about the room putting things in the same box that he saw years ago which had ‘IMPORTANT’ written at the side.

“Dad!” Whil yelled but the sound muffled by the loud gushing wind in the whole house.

“Dad!” He tried again.

Then, his dad climbed out of the window with the box in his tight embrace.

“Dad! Wait up!” Whil yelled again. He tried to chase him. As he reached the study, he heard a muffled command and laughter that sounded very reminiscent to something he heard once. Suddenly, a flash of bright orange invaded his house as quick as the wind blowing around. Before he knew it, fire rushed towards him in an instance. Whil covered his face with both his arms and jumped on his back avoiding the fire.

As he uncovered his face, he realised he was back in his room. He was lying on the floor and his back was aching from the jump he made. Was that a dream? He quickly sat up and held out his right palm. The necklace was there in his hand. Was it the necklace that showed him what he saw? Whil was utterly confused. He was puzzled.

“What happened?” Darreos suddenly asked from his bracelet.

“Nothing. Nothing happened,” he answered slowly.

“What do you mean nothing happened? I couldn’t feel you just now. All your energy signature was gone instantly for quite a while. It was like you disappeared and then reappeared again.”

“It’s OK. I'm fine. Nothing happened. Trust me,” Whil convinced Darreos while his eyes still locked onto the necklace in his right palm. “Maybe I should sleep now. I guess I'm just tired.”

“If you say so,” Darreos responded with doubt in his tone.

Whil went to the drawer of his bedside table and put the necklace inside it. He jumped on his bed and tried to forget what happened just now. It might have been him being too overly excited to go find his father that he started to imagine things; too vividly though. Then again, it felt so real. He shook his head trying to forget it and gave a little giggle. “I'm probably crazy,” he thought to himself.

“Just crazy.”