A Mysterious Arrow

Chapter One: An Unwanted Visit

    As the Ivory white sun rose above each mountain of Ataraxia and made the sky seem red, orange, and pink, a man of blue peered his eye open, for he was too old to take in the entire sky anymore. At least, too old to humans. Ardonian males live to about 350 human years, the blue man, formally known as Galleous Sendaris, Duke of Sendaria, is currently 54, which seems alright if you don't take into account the many wars he's lived through. He was alive during the very first war between Sendaria and Greece when he was nine, the Great War when he was 20, and the Second Great War when he was 39. As his family left him one by one, with people to be left behind, Galleous started to teach secondary-age children how to use their Songs, once they all grew of age and became adults, Galleous found himself lonely. His mother, father, brother, and foster child were all dead, and he refused to marry, he had no need to. As everyone he knew fell in love one by one Galleous felt like an entirely different creature from a vast dimension. He never could fall in love, even if he felt like he needed to.

    Galleous staggered up and nearly plummeted to the floor. During the Second Great War, one of the discs in his spine got hit out of it's place, and Galleous developed a slight limp that he'd have for the rest of his days. When he finally balanced, his dear messenger bird, Merlin, flew to his windowsill with a piece of paper in his beak. A letter. Galleous raised an eyebrow and staggered over to the window, grabbing the letter. "What? Not going to talk?" he asked, smiling with a snark. "I'm afraid it's too much of a serious matter to speak of out loud," Merlin said. Galleous' smile dropped. "What happened?" he asked. "He threatened not to tell," Merlin said before flying away. "Who?" Galleous tried to ask, but Merlin was already gone. Gallelus opened the letter, and it read as follows:

    Dear Galleous AR. Sendaris,

    With every morning that passes, I feel as if I haven't seen you in decades, which would be true. I know how you are & I know that you know how I am. Everyone has anxieties and insecurities, and you and I most of all. But, I have been searching for you and I assume that you would wish to hear for your sake. I am finally going to give you a long-awaited visit, unfortunately, it is a political matter, but fortunately, Ria will join as well.

    Sincerely, Senn Voltaris of New Voltaría, August, Ninth.

    August ninth. Galleous said to himself. That was five days ago. If they weren't coming today, it would be tomorrow. Galleous sighed. Why had Merlin gotten this information to him so late, he hadn't yet mentally prepared himself for such a reunion. He hadn't seen them all in fifteen years, who knows what they could be like now? Suddenly, he heard a knock at his door. It was time. Galleous limped to the door and opened it reluctantly. It was Senn. He was much more mature looking. He was now 32 and the King of New Voltaría, his markings were now red and no longer colorless, and his hair had more coils than the last time he saw him, which is something Galleous expected. As soon as Senn saw his former mentor, he smiled wide and pulled him in for an almost suffocating hug. "Galleous!" he exclaimed. Galleous was so shocked he couldn't hug Senn back. "Just look at you!" Senn said, pulling away. "You are the survivor of the fittest, my dear friend!" he said, referring to his scars. "Hello to you, too. You look....older." Senn looked down at himself and then back up at him. "Well. yes." Senn laughed. "Come on in, then." Senn followed Galleous inside as he continued the conversation. "How are you and that Magnorite boy?" Galleous asked, referring to Igneous De La Cruz, The King of K'arthen. He and Senn had a rumored relationship when they were teenagers. Senn flushed at his name. "Wha- we- we were not together in any way shape or form." he denied, frantically. "What about now?"

    "No! I haven't even seen him in-" Senn stopped himself. "You're telling me you haven't talked to him in fifteen years?" Galleous asked, shocked but not at the same time. "I just- it's complicated." just then, another voice joined the conversation. "You say that every time someone asks about you two," Ria said. Senn turned around. "Okay, we are not here to talk about my non-existent love life, we're here to talk about the Prime Songs turning into Ardonian relics and going missing!" Galleous furrowed his eyebrows. "What?" Senn took a deep breath, he was relieved to have changed the subject so quickly. "Yes, of course," Ria said, knowing exactly why they were getting to the point so quickly. "We don't know why or how or even where they went. But we know enough. Agressium: Sword, Mobilium: Blade, Protisium: Arrow, and Supporium: Bow. That's all the Aurelis Masters have told us." The Aurelis masters are an association of the most knowledgeable men in Ardoni history. "What does it mean?"

    "We don't know," Ria said. "But we do know who might have one of them,"
"Who?" Ria and Senn looked at each other, knowing that Galleous might refuse the next part. "A girl, an orphaned child. We thought you could harbor her for a few weeks we could-" Galleous already began to shake his head. "No, no, no, no, no! I am not going back into the foster care system! Not after-" Galleous couldn't form his words. After the death of Hubris, he had no interest in being a father. "We should give him some time to think," Ria said before leaving. Senn took a step near Galleous. "Look, I get it, you blame yourself, and you miss him, we all do. But, if you know your problems and you know how to fix them but you refuse to, that's your fault." Senn's words stung. He didn't understand. No one did. "I'll give you a few days to decide, but we need to address this matter as soon as possible." with that, Senn left, leaving Galleous frustrated.