An Expected Betrayal |TBATE

Chapter 5

VIRION ERALITH

I sat in Goodsky's office thinking about what happened this last month. After Arthur told everyone his deepest secret I decided that he was a danger. An anomaly. It was only after the first week that he disappeared that I realized my mistake and started to look for him.

That boy told us his deepest secret because he trusted us and instead of pulling him closer we pushed him away. He needed us and we abandoned him. I greatly regretted my choice and I wanted to apologize, so I sent out a search order.

Unfortunately no one had found even a trace. The only thing we knew was that he ran to the beast glades and no trace of him was found after that. I even sent Aya and Alea out to look for him but they only got dead ends.

Sighing, I made my way to Tessia's training room. I knocked on the door before entering without an answer.

In front of me was my granddaughter whom I loved very much. This time, however, she was different. Her eyes were devoid of any emotion and she was meditating her core. She had a thousand yard stare and a cold, distant face. She hasn't shed a single tear or shown even the smallest smile since Arthur ran away.

I knew that, on the inside she was heartbroken. She said that she told him to never show himself in front of her again. Tessia regretted her choice of words almost instantly and ran back to Arthur's home only to find him missing.

Tessia decided that she would stay strong until she found him; she cut off her emotions and put all her time into training. She refused to show any weakness, not even to me. She wanted to be like her first love; strong and confident.

"Hello little one," I said as I sat down in front of her. "Hello grandfather," Tessia replied, with no emotion in her voice. "No more grandpa," I thought. I felt as if my heart was stabbed, because of everyone's ignorance we pushed the one person that keeps everyone happy away.

"Tessia, it's ok to cry. We're trying our best to find him. You've bonded with Sylvie right? You need to stay happy, you are her mama." I said as I stroked her face. There was no change in her face or eyes. She truly had forgotten all sense of her previous self.

"Don't worry. I need to stay strong for when I find Arthur. I'll show him that I'm worthy to stand by his side; show him that I'm sorry and that I truly love him. It doesn't matter that he had a past life. Until I'm in his arms I won't have any liabilities." replied Tessia as she got up and grabbed her sword to practice.

"I've sent Sylvie to the beast glades to train as well. Hopefully she'll even find traces of Arthur. Now, please leave me alone, I find isolated training much more effective." said Tessia.  I compiled and left to go and talk to the Leywin family.

That girl was no longer my granddaughter. She was a husk of her past. I still loved her; just like any grandparent, I cherish her. I just wish I could see her smile again soon, after all, it was partly my fault she ended up like that.

I walked past the library to hear a familiar voice. I walked in to see an unexpected sight. Young Eleanor Leywin and Feyrith Ivsaar III hovering over multiple books of differentiating topics. Feyrith was teaching Eleanor about multiple subjects while he himself studied them beforehand.

Young Eleanor also awakened at the age of 8. Not as early as her brother but still insane. Feyrith also broke into the solid orange stage. I understood why and how they were bonding; they were the only people that accepted Arthur for who he was. They resented us because of what we did; I didn't blame them. I left them alone because I didn't have the guts to confront them.

***

I walked up to the Helstea mansion and knocked on the door.

'Hello-, Oh Elder Virion! For what reason do I owe this honor?" proclaimed Vincent. He brought himself to a 90 degree bow.