Trace of Arcane - Book 1

Chapter Eleven

The third clue of the scavenger hunt proves difficult for the teams to deduce, forcing me to drop hints. "It is a person in the market, and that's all you will get from me." After the tip, they scuttle away, the gears in their minds turning. All the information is there, waiting to be deciphered – a specific detail they'd discovered at the abandoned building perhaps? I settle to spy on the military training, musing over how these highly trained minds would tackle such a cryptic clue. Surely it would take them some time.... And as fast as they scuttled, the first team had returns.

"Okay, here is the last clue and there you will find the present."

In the park, among the green, A single tree, it can be seen. With leaves so wide and branches high, It stands out to the careful eye.

At first glance, it may seem like others, But a closer look will help uncover, The unique features that it possesses, Different from the rest, it surely impresses.

What am I looking for?

And off to the park they go. I ask Zig to stay behind wanting to know if he managed to contact Kassism and ask about our trade agreement. As he responds, I begin to wonder if I could find someone to confide in.

"'Hey," I interrupt, "want to hear a joke?"

"Sure." he responds.

"Why did the scarecrow win an award?"

"I don't know. Why?"

"Because he was outstanding in his field."

I give a nervous chuckle. He looks a bit confused before chuckling and I wonder how far I can go.

"I have another." I say

"Okay," he responds

"A man falls down from working in the field and is taken to his home where he is expected to die and suddenly wakes up.. His wife changes out of her black clothes and, irritated, remarks, "I really cannot depend on you in anything, can I!"

I start to laugh and he joins in. I feel encouraged by this.

"A guy was walking to a refreshment shop and on his way he found a girl tied up to the tree. He untied her and they had sex. Guy gets to the bar, friends ask why he's so late, tells them about the girl he found and all the different positions they fucked in. Friends give him props and ask if he got head, and the guy replies "I couldn't find it," and I laugh, but my laughter is cut short by the look of horror in his face.

"Eden," he asks, "what is it with all the dark jokes?"

"Nothing," I reply as my hand shakes. "Just let me know how things with Kassism go." I need to distract him, "Look, the others already have a head start, you should hurry."

He sprints away, as I head to the elder's council.

***

"Your time is coming to an end now, you can return to the field for community service," says Yaval as I clean up after the meeting.

"May I stay a little longer?" I can feel myself getting desperate.

"I am sorry, but this was a dispensation. It was never meant to be permanent." He looks like one who had aged many years in a short time, his eyes had sunk deeper into his socket and composure was bowed, like someone weary of a long journey and it seemed like life had been sucked out of him. He opposed the council in every concession they made towards Lux, pointing out the flaws in their decision making. Thales had started to become a more permanent fixture in the council and was given a place of honor in the hall of Purrus, a place in which he deigned to visit and spoke above others with much condensation.