Meraki

The Prologue Chapter 8: Treasure of Lies

Early the next morning, Sying and Aether were asked to go to the Knights of Favonius headquarters to see Kaeya, the Cavalry Captain. The duo complied with the request and found Kaeya muttering to himself inside headquarters.

"This is bad... Such a hassle... What am I going to do?" Kaeya mumbled.

"What's wrong Kaeya?" Aether asked.

"You don't usually lose your chill." Sying added.

"Oh, thank the stars! Aether, my Lord, your arrival must be the grace of the gods!" Kaeya exclaimed. "If I may ask, envoys sent by the Nova god to save this mere mortal, could you spare a moment?"

"Cut it out Alberich." Sying growled, crossing his arms.

"Can't say I don't have time..." Aether sighed.

"Marvelous! I cannot let my peers hear about this! I cannot seek help from anyone else but the two of you. Please, let us move to somewhere more fit for such conversations. Let's talk in the courtyard just outside headquarters. Come with me." Kaeya decided. The two boys followed the Cavalry Captain to the destination he spoke of.

"Just tell us what this is about already! I'm running out of patience." Sying commanded.

"Let me tell you both a secret first. It's a secret of my past and I confide in you to keep it." Kaeya stated.

"Don't worry, my lips are sealed." Aether promised.

"As a matter of fact, my grandfather was a pirate! Yesterday, I was glancing through the notes my grandfather left and stumbled upon records that spoke of a treasure." Kaeya explained.

"Treasure?" Aether repeated.

"Seriously?" Sying muttered quietly.

"According to his notes, the treasure is buried in the Lost Arcadian Ruins. But the location of the ruins is currently unknown. I've tried searching for clues..." Kaeya spoke, but Aether asked a question.

"I'm just curious, but what kind of treasure is it? Gold or gems?" Aether wondered. Kaeya laughed.

"Haha! Treasures that consist of nothing but gold and gems are third-rate treasures. My grandfather's treasure is a sword. A magic sword that grants the wielder unrivaled power." Kaeya said. Aether's eyes sparkled in excitement as Sying just gave a blank stare. "The sword was dropped from Celestia into the sea by a god. It was later salvaged by my grandfather's crew by pure coincidence. The moment he gripped the sword, thunder roared, billows howled, and the clear skies were suddenly swallowed by raging winds. With the might of the magic sword, my grandfather went on to defeat a hydra, a silver-haired banshee, and a wicked abyss dragon. But the immense power of the sword enticed many more greedy pirates. To avoid meaningless conflicts, my grandfather hid the magic sword."

"Do those things really exist?" Aether asked while Sying frowned, waving his tail back and forth.

"The world we live in is fascinating, full of unknown and inexplicable wonders." Kaeya answered.

"That's just insane." Sying mumbled.

"A gang of Treasure Hoarders has been very active lately and many ruins have had their relics stolen by them. I'm afraid that they will discover the Arcadian Ruins and the magic sword will be lost." Kaeya told them.

"We won't let it fall into the wrong hands!" Aether declared. Sying sighed.

"Great! Please keep it a secret. I'll wait for your good news." Kaeya said and walked off.

"Isn't this exciting Mr. Sying! We'll be looking for a powerful sword. Do you think the Guild has any information?" Aether exclaimed.

"The Guild won't have any information about the Arcadian Ruins. It would be better to ask Kaeya if he has any ideas." Sying responded. The duo returned to Kaeya who was waiting outside the Knight's headquarters. "If you have clues, hand them over." Sying demanded.