The icy lake and snow acted as mirrors, reflecting the sun's images back into the sky. Fishermen, hunters and Dreamers each exited out of one of Mistwood's gigantic stone gates.
People walked down the streets and alleys, talking and laughter mixed, creating a lively atmosphere in contrast to the coldness of winter.
Most buildings were made of scraps, scavenged from the ruins nearby. Their exterior, upon a single glance, gave anyone the idea of a rundown hovel, barely kept together with nails, boards cement and cloth.
But reality couldn't be more different. The interior of nearly all houses and shops, except the ones near the high walls were wood. After stepping inside, one would be greeted with the warm and comfortable atmosphere of a wooden cabin.
In such a building, a tavern near the East Gate, Elyas and Noah sat opposite each other.
"Eat well. You haven't eaten much for months. " Noah said as he pointed to the fish soup on the table.
"You're too kind. I will definitely repay you some day. " Elyas said hurriedly as he soaked and stuffed a loaf of bread down his throat.
It was a normal, average fish soup. But for Elyas, who hadn't tasted food for over a hundred years, its taste was nothing short of divine.
"Man! This tastes so good!" Elyas cut himself and added: "Can I have another one?" He asked Noah as he emptied the bowl in seconds, smiling the whole time.
Noah was speechless, he was reconsidering his hospitality.
"You can, but no more. I don't want to go broke." Noah said as he called the waiter.
Elyas showed a puzzled expression. He asked Noah while his head followed the waiter that had his soup order.
"Aren't you part of the Protection Protocol? How do you manage to go broke when the government's backing you up?" He said, placing a piece of bread in his mouth.
"Oh it seems good at first...But on top of having to play magical police, I get paid shit. The amount they pay us isn't a salary, it's per completed mission and each one takes at least a few weeks."
Noah said with a pained voice. he glanced at the coin pouch by his waist wistfully.
He subconsciously looked at the fish soup that the waiter put in front of Elyas.
"Oh, so it's like that… sorry to make it harder for you." Elyas said as he looked down at the bowl.
Noah glanced at Elyas and shook his head "No pressure. I'm doing this to repay someone's kindness, not for me to profit."
After a short pause and looking at Elyas who was busy with his soup, Noah spoke
"...Although if you join the Protocol, with the help of another Heartless who managed to stay alive for over a hundred years— my job of hunting rogue Dreamers will be much easier!"
Through frantic munching Elyas managed: "You keep saying...over a hundred years...what's up with that?"
Noah's expression grew stiff.
"Don't tell me..." He whispered softly
"Vernis fell a hundred years ago. But… the First Whispers were over three hundred years before that."
Elyas froze, his spoon halfway to his mouth. A cold weight gripped his chest.
'… Four hundred years had passed' He had walked, breathed, and survived for centuries without realizing it.
The warmth of the tavern, the chatter of people outside, the taste of fish soup—none of it reached him. Time had moved on without him, and the world he knew was gone.
Slowly, he blinked, forcing himself to breathe. The thought of Michael, still possibly alive, anchored him. This was terrible… and terrifying… and yet, there was a reason to keep going.
'...Thers still a chance.'
"Noah," he said, his voice steadier than he felt, "do you know any places that can teach or train me?"
Noah's lips curved into a smile.
"Yeah, I know a few places actually. Let's go visit some."
Noah got up and put some coins on the counter. Elyas followed him closely behind as they walked out of the tavern.
…
In Mistwood's main street, under the dimming light of the setting suns, a big building stood.
It dwarfed most shops around it. Its architecture reminded one of a rundown high school mixed with a Victorian era mansion.
The foundation was made of stone. Grand marble stairs climbed several metres to the main entrance, concealing a the basement.
Its main floor, which was on the same level as most building's' roofs, was made of plaster. It was ornate with perfectly lined up windows. The contrast compared to the hovels surrounding it, created a imposing view.
Inside, in the main hallway. Elyas walked alongside Noah who wore a blank expression.
The tapping of shoes on the wooden floor, the smell of oil lamps on the plaster walls coupled with the afternoon sun peeking in from every window, created a relaxing atmosphere.
"...Why do you have such bad luck?" Noah asked Elyas, his eyes droopy and his steps heavy from tiredness.
" I didn't even know we had schools for dreamers, why are you blaming me? You started a fight everywhere you went! " Elyas didn't hesitate to call out Noah.
"There's no use in arguing. As much as I don't like it, this is our last hope. "
Soon, Noah stopped by a door. He hesitated as he looked at the tag beside it.
Managers office
He inhaled sharply as he turned the handle.
"What do you wan— oh! It's enforcer Jones!" A fat man said as he rushed beside Noah
Noah's expression turned stiff when he saw the man. He was contemplating on how to act, meanwhile, Elyas was examining the room
There wasn't much to look at, it was a simple office. A large wooden table and several chairs. A rusty hanging clock near the corner of the door and several wooden cabinets behind where the fat man sat.
Noah stretched his hand as he tried his hardest to act friendly.
"It's been how long? Five years since then? You've…certainly grown much "grander" than before. " Noah spoke as if a man had pointed a gun at his head. The words couldn't be more forceful.
Upon hearing Noah, the fat man was weirded out. But shook his hand anyway "Enforcer Jones, are you alright? you're red…I know we didn't have a great relationship, but it was all in the past."
He paused, seemingly remembering something.
"To think you came to visit me on your own." He rubbed his hands together as he walked to his desk and carried a paper out.
He turned towards Noah and Elyas "This is a contract for two hundred gold. I know it's not much, but please take it as my apology. "
Noah's expression changed immediately. His words were no longer forced but full of anger and resentment.
"You… Do you think this is enough? Do you think I'm stupid? I helped you integrate into society, helped you when everyone of my colleagues wanted you dead… And this, this is how you repay kindness after you backstabbed me? ! "
"I'm sorry enforcer, this is all I can give you right now. I know it doesn't bring your position back… But I will do anything to repay you, please, give me a chance. " The fat man said, not daring to look at Noah out of shame.
Noah sighed " Hanan, you're lucky today. I need something from you. You see this man behind me? He is Elyas. A legacy like myself. I need you to sign him in. "
Hanan immediately turned his head towards Elyas, reevaluating him. he hurriedly returned to his desk and got a few papers out.
" Enforcer, know that back then I was forced to testify against you."
Noah rolled his eyes as Hanan quickly put the papers along with a few ink pens on the desk.
"Sir Elyas, do you mind filling these forms? " Hanan asked Elyas gently, trying to please Noah.
"Sure. " Elyas sat down at one of the chairs and filled the form. Soon, they were out of Hanan's office and the school's hallway.
"You and that guy don't seem to be on good terms."
"It's a long story, just know that the guy was a notorious criminal before I helped him." Noah spoke with a pained tone, reminiscing about the past
"If that bastard doesn't sell me again, today shouldn't be a problem. "
Elyas nodded his head. A question kept rising up in his mind. "Your financial situation isn't good, so why didn't you get the two hundred gold coins? "
"The protocol prohibited us from interacting. I don't want to leave evidence of today, let alone sign a contract. " Noah said dryly as he yawned
"It's getting late, do you want to spend the night at my house? "
"Sure, seems like a good idea."
...…..
As the suns hid themselves from the moons in the horizon, in the mostly empty streets of east gate, a pair walked alongside each other.
The city was mostly populated by weathered houses and hovels. with a few shops here and there. The main street however, only had hotels and shops.
In the middle of night, under the colourful cascade of the moons' rays, the shabby buildings covered in snow sparkled like diamonds.
The pair stopped by a specially run down and weathered house.
"Is…this your home?" Elyas asked as he looked forward.
A small house with colorless Gray walls stood before them. Its windows had lost their transparency. The walls had as many holes as stars in the sky, and a faint creaking sound could be heard from inside.
Noah moved to the shabby door, grabbed a key from his pocket and opened it.
"What do you think?"
Noah moved quickly, turning the candles and oil lamps on. Elyas was already inside, studying the interior.
The spacious living room, now illuminated, felt familiar and warm. The holes from outside were blocked off by nailed planks, preventing the assault of cold. The house gave Elyas a sense of comfort he hadn't experienced in a long time.
"It's cosy." Elyas said as he plopped on the big couch in front of the cold fireplace.
Noah laughed "You seem to like the couch, good. since I live alone, I don't have a second bed, you might have to take the couch."
Elyas nodded and smiled "You've already done a lot for me, it's not fair for me to take your bed too.
Noah walked closer and squatted down near the fireplace. After tossing in several pieces of firewood, he lit it on fire with a flicker of his hand.
"Sleep well." Noah said as he took the stairs and walked up to his bedroom.
Elyas however, didn't sleep.
He took out a yellow calendar and started to write in it.
"I am four hundred years old. Today I realised something I didn't before. Heartless are immortal and can live up to centuries. Noah is probably one himself and mistook me as one too, since I lasted in the void for a hundred years."
"But I'm not. I'm a normal dreamer so how did I last that long? Moreover, I still haven't found a good answer for why I got a second wish. Also I know people like me and Noah are called legacies, but I don't know why. There's apparently several times the whisperer appeared since Noah keeps referring to that day as the "first whispers"."
Elyas looked at the notes and reread them. Afterwards, he opened a window and threw them in the void.
'It's good to keep notes, but only for yourself.'
He lay on the sofa, feeling the warmth of the roaring fireplace.
As he tried to answer these questions himself, without realising, he had fallen into sleep.
...
The morning of next day. In the main street of mistwood.
As the bright morning suns were pushing the seven moons into slumber, Elyas walked towards the same grand building he and Noah visited yesterday.
He took in the fresh morning air and walked up the marble stairs.
'Alright, today is the day I get my answers.'