AfterDuo: Children's tale

Chapter 3: Something Happens To The Seer

Amelia sighed and rolled her eyes. "We need the help of your... son... to find Spencer. I need my training buddy and he seems to have just disappeared." The female godslayer said and rubbed the back of her head. Ryu looked over and tilted his head, but then walked closer to Alaric.

"So you are the great Alaric that I heard so much about from mother and both Aunts." the boy said as he smiled up at the powerful godslayer. Retla glared and lightly scoffed when he heard Aunts that meant Tokali, his mother.

"Why do you need Retla?" Alaric asked, concerned, "He is only five years old, I doubt he will be much help in your quest. Frankly, I think he will be merely an extra responsibility." Alaric added, and Nairo nodded his agreement. Several others looked similarly convinced. Retla, however, had something to say. In a voice like water flowing over crystal, he said

"I can be helpful. Mother has trained me so I don't lose control of my magic." Alaric nodded, but countered,

"But not losing control does not matter when looking for a highly powerful being that has been missing for nearly a year. I fail to see why an eight year old boy is demanding my young heir be brought on this crusade."

"It is a simple tracking spell. A magic user could do it in their sleep when learned." Ryu oohed, and said to himself

"So that's why mother didn't teach me that, so I couldn't find all the other gods and keep me safe." Alaric continued, growing louder until he shouted the final three words.

"We have magic users in spades in this venture, including a goddess. And if it's so simple, where is he?" Alaric sighed, then said in a calmer voice, "Sorry, it's just that I don't think we can find him. It's been a year with no word, and Mokali is panicking. I'm not much better. We all looked for him, Mokali, Tomala, Tokali, Kynareth, Mogasi, Chara, everyone. But not a whisper has been heard from him. Not even Furorem and Fortitudo can find him, they're so agitated now that they speak to no one but each other in their own language." Nairo leaned over to Arachne and whispered,

"Who's Furorem and Fortitudo?" Arachne replied, equally quiet,

"Spirits that live in my father's mind."

"Oh." Alaric was still talking,

"Wherever he is, he is beyond Godly, Human, and Monsterous ability to find." Alaric finished, taking a breath and put his hand on his son's shoulder, crouching down to look him in the eye. His son matched his gaze without blinking "I'm just worried that you might meet the same fate. And I've lost too many children already." Retla saw his father's face and took his father's hand in his small one. The two were quiet, as was the rest of the room. Even Togaru dared not ruin the moment. Alaric straightened up after a second, and turned to the rest of the group.

"So, besides my son, what can I get you today?" Arachne raised her voice,

"Can you tell me what happened to my father? Who saw him last? Even if we don't know where he is, I'd still like to know more about him." Alaric sighed and inclined his head,

"Perhaps we could move this to the parlor, Miss James?" Arachne nodded, and the two left the hall.

Retla waited until his father was out of the room, before sighing and cracking his knuckles.

"As much as my father knows, there is no way to track this Spencer down. But Tokali has a tracking spell that makes it possible to find anyone. She never wanted to find Spencer to begin with. I can find him, but if you can get to him is the question."

Nairo coughed into his fist which poorly concealed a laugh. The room looked askance at him and he shrugged.

" It's just funny. For a five year old, you are very articulate and prophetic. It's just," he waved his hand for a second looking for the right word, "Unusual." Retla bared his teeth in a mockery of a smile.