— Entry #9 - June 1st - Thursday -

Two days of walking later and we finally reached Rullus City. I would be celebrating that if we weren't stuck right now outside of the city. Apparently, the Magic Council has put a warrant out for the arrest of the Elites and myself as well and that warrant even applies to human kingdoms. So they are checking everyone that comes into Rullus which is a big problem.

Right now, they are trying to come up with some plan on how to get in the city without being spotted.

I stop writing when an idea crosses my mind. My eyes flickered up to the others hearing them talking. I close my journal and put my things in my bag. I get up and walk over, crouching down behind the bushes beside Phil to look at the gate. There is a line at the gate, the guards checking the wagons and every person who comes in. I even see them stabbing wagons that have hay in it checking for people hidden inside. That is actually quite smart. "You know, they may know your faces, but no one knows mine," I pointed out making Phil look at me.

"That's right," Phil said before he looked at the others. The both of us move away from the bushes and over to the others. "Guys, what if we send Seto in?"

"But Seto could get lost in Rullus, it is a huge city," Riley pointed out. I looked at the city, while I can't see it since the walls block out the view, I can see the palace that is far away inside it. The city itself is on an incline.

"And we don't have the currency that humans use to pay the fee--"

"We don't need money," Phil said making me look at him. In his hand was a golden rectangular piece of metal that has symbols in the metal. I stare at it. What is that?

Violet pointed at it. "Is that what I think it is?" she asked.

I looked at Violet. "What is it?"

"A traveling trader pass, it is so they can travel between kingdoms with ease and not have to pay entrance fees," Phil explained.

"How in the Nether did you get that? You aren't a traveling trader, Phil," Reed said confused. Which I am as well.

Matthew smiled. "Well, a village elder gave it to us in exchange for our services. He didn't have the money to pay our building fees. His village was attacked and destroyed by dark mages, in exchange for us repairing the damages, he gave us that. It's come in handy multiple times," Matt said making me smile as well.

Phil turned to me. "If you show this, you can enter without paying any entrance fees," he said before giving it to me.

I took it, looking at it before I looked at him. "Wait, but I don't have a wagon or anything like they have--"

"That won't matter. They can't question your motives--"

"But they can assume you stole that since you have no wagon or anything," Violet pointed out. I look at the pass for a moment. I'll just wing it I guess.

"Where am I going after I get in?" I questioned.

"Once you find Lisanna, place this on the floor and activate it," he said handing me a small round device. I look at it, it looked like a ball but it is made of metal and has a button on it.

"What is it?" I questioned.

"You'll figure that out later. You're looking for a woman with brown hair that's dyed with blue accents in it. She's about our age, she owns the shop called The White Blade, it is near the market square. You'll know it when you see it. Good luck and don't get caught," Phil said. I nodded before I put the pass and device in my bag. I walked out onto the road with Kala following me, pulling my hood up as I went to the end of the line and wait. As I did, my mind started to wonder.

I bit on my bottom lip, thinking. I could tell that Brice and I...we are close friends. It isn't just how he acts, it's how casual we talk. He's royalty after all, for me to address him so loosely must mean that we have a history of being side by side. But what that history is...he thinks I'm dead. I felt my heartache making me grip my satchel strap.

Brice thinks I'm dead, so does Ty and Bodil and all my friends back home. My eyes avert down to the ground. I'm glad to know they are trying to make sure my sacrifice wasn't in vain, but...to lose a dear friend, that has to cut deep.

I let out a shaky breath, my eyes flickering up seeing that while lost in my thoughts, I have moved closer to the gate check-in. I pull out the pass from my bag, noticing Kala is looking at me.

'What?' I questioned her.

'You alright? You seem sad suddenly,' she thought to me.

Probably from thinking about Brice and them. I looked away from her. 'I'm fine...' I told her before my attention went to the guard. I give him my pass, he looks at it and I see a questioning look on his face.

"You're a wizard?" he asked me catching me off guard. Was there something weird about the pass? I did notice a strange mark on it, but I just shrugged it off.

I nodded. "Yes," I answered. I saw his eyes narrow with suspicion suddenly. I don't like this, maybe I shouldn't have told him that.

"And yet you want to enter a human city?" he asked me.

I nodded. "Yeah."

"Why?"

"W-Well I--"

He grabbed my arm, Kala started growling at the guard beside me, ready to attack at my say. But before the guard could speak, a hand grabbed their wrist, stopping them.

"Rullus is open to anyone who wants to come in, even wizards, you know this, so let go of him," a person said. I look at the person, seeing they wore a teal striped sweatshirt with the letters C and S in gold on the front, has green and purple mismatched colored eyes, brown hair, and black boots. But what caught my eye was the weapon that is strapped to his hip. I haven't seen a whole lot of swords that I remember, but I've seen mine that is currently hidden under my coat perfectly, but this one looks like it was made for someone of high standing. Also, this person doesn't make any move to hide the fact he has a weapon on him either, which makes me think this person is either cocky about their skills or they actually have decent skills with a blade.

The guard looked at the man, looking as if he was going to talk back but stopped when he saw who grabbed him. I looked at the guard, seeing his facade quickly melt away making me wonder who this man is that his mere presence is enough to do that.

The guard let go of me, the man let go of the guard, holding his hand out. "His pass," he said. The guard didn't move to hand my pass over at first, but after a few seconds, he handed my pass to the man. The man grabbed my arm. "Come on." He dragged me away, Kala following me.

He lets go of my arm but keeps walking, so I follow him. I want to thank him but I also want my pass back since that is Phil's and not mine. As we walk, I make sure to keep my eyes on the man but I also look around at the city around me. The city itself is quite a stunning sight to behold. It just radiates a warm and welcoming aura. I take it since it is pretty late in the evening that most people have retired to their homes, but there are still some people out. There are vendors set up, selling various things. But I also notice how the street looks decorated like some festival is going on. That could explain the many vendors and the fact people are dressed in vibrant strange clothes that must be costumes.

"Was there a festival?" I asked the man.

The man nods. "Yes, the All Souls Festival, it is a celebration of our ancestors. Honoring them and the sacrifices they made in the past," he said making me smile a bit. I can hear music, I look ahead seeing we are heading towards a crowded area that has to be the market square. I see people dancing and instruments being played.

"What kind of festival is it?" I asked.

"Dancing, food, fireworks...it's sort of like diving into the old ways," the man said. I smiled watching the dancing, making sure to keep up with the man. Wait, fireworks?

I looked at the man. "Fireworks? What are those?" I asked him making him look at me like I just highly offended him or something. I lose my smile. "What?"

"You've never seen fireworks before?" he asked me as he stopped making me stop as well.

I shake my head. "No, why?"

He sighed, looking away from me. "Geez, you wizards are uncultured as ever. Granted, fireworks are only a recent invention, so I'll forgive your ignorance. But if you are going to stay overnight, they are doing a fireworks show that you would be a fool to miss," he said to me. That sounds great, I want to see that.

But I lose my smile, knowing that I'm probably not going to be able to. We are sort of in a hurry after all. "Sounds great but...I can't stay here for long. I only came here to see someone and I'll be off as soon as our business is done," I admitted.

He gives me a small smile. "Some other time then," he said before he leads me out of the square and going towards the palace. My eyes flickered up, looking at the castle beyond the walls that protect it from the city that surround it. It's a beautiful castle, reminds me a lot of the palace that Prince Brice and his family owns.

But I stopped, seeing how we are going towards the gates, making the man stop too. He turns halfway to look at me as we are a few feet away from the gates. "W-Why are we going in there?" I asked him nervously.

He sighs. "I guess I didn't give you a whole lot of reason to trust me. But...I'm asking you too. There's someone inside that wants to talk to you," he said. I freeze realizing something. He must know who I am, he wouldn't be saying that if he didn't know. I take a subconscious step back. He puts his hands up toward me when I do, probably aware of how I took that. "Oh no, no, don't worry. You're not in any danger, I promise you. We want to help, the...the Elites are friends of ours."

"W-Who are you?" I asked wanting to know his name.

He put his hand on his chest. "My name is Chimney Myllet, but my friends call me Chim. I'm Prince Lucilius's cousin. My cousin wants to talk to you," he said making me alarmed. So this man is royalty basically?! But for some reason, I felt my nerves relax.

Is that reason I'm so calm because he is human royalty? Is it because of how close I am too human royalty in my world? Either way...if I trust the human royals in my world...I should try to trust the humans' royals in Vienna as well.

"S-Shouldn't you have guards or something with you? Aren't you royalty?" I asked him.

Chimney shrugged his shoulders. "Eh, you aren't technically wrong there. I am a prince, but the current king is my uncle, not my father," he said.

"Then do you live in the castle?" I asked. He nods at me. Wait, if he isn't in line...now I'm just confused. "Why do you live in the castle?"

I saw his expression sadden suddenly making me regret my words. But before I could take them back, he spoke. "My parents were killed by dark mages...the king took me since I had nowhere else to go and my father was the king's brother. I am a prince...but not a traditional one like my cousin Lucilius is. He grew up preparing to be a king, I grew up preparing to be a duke and/or lord. I do have a claim on the throne, but that is only after the current heirs in front of me are gone which I wish will never happen. I pray to Mianite nothing would happen that would cause me to have to act on my claim of the throne. That's why I live in the castle," he said.

I bite on my bottom lip for a moment. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean--"

He waves his hand. "Don't worry about it, I get that a lot. Come on, Lucilius is waiting," he said. I nod and we go up to the gates and go inside. Upon entering, I almost find myself walking into my memories. While it doesn't look exactly like Prince Brice's castle, it sure looks sort of similar in some aspects.

I stop and grab a horse that was stood beside me when my left knee gave a little. I winced, gritting my teeth as the soreness hit me. Chimney stopped, looking at me when he noticed I wasn't following him anymore. Kala looked up at me. 'It's your leg, isn't it?' she thought making me nod.

"You okay?" Chimney asked worried as he walked up to me.

I glanced at him and nods. "Y-Yeah, it's just my leg. Just give me a minute," I said.

"You hurt your leg?" he asked me.

I nod. "Yeah, but don't worry about it. It's a permanent injury," I said.

"You know, the court physician is pretty good, maybe he could look at your leg for you," he said to me. I hesitated, not wanting to be more of a burden than I can be...but my leg hurts from all the walking we have done for the past two days. Maybe Lisanna can hook us up with horses or something.

I nod a bit. "If you think he can help," I said before he came up beside me.

"You need help walking?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, it's my left leg," I said before he put my left arm around his neck and helped me walk.

Chimney looked to a guard. "Tell Aslac that I'm bringing him a patient with a leg injury," he ordered. The guard nods and leaves. We follow after the guard, but at a slower pace since I can only take so much movement. Chimney had also told a guard to fetch Lucilius and tell him to head to Aslac's chambers.

By the time that we got there, the door was held open by a guard, Chimney helping me inside the room. The room was pretty big, having almost two floors to it but the second floor being open with shelves of books and such that I could see at least. On the first floor, there were tables with open books, herbs, beds for the sick and injured, and potion bottles everywhere. It looks like a physician lives here, which is correct since that is what Aslac is, he is a physician. Chimney sets me down in a comfy chair, pulling a stool over to me and resting my left leg on it.

"Stay here," he said before he looked away from me. "Aslac! You here?!" He walked away from me.

Kala sat down beside me on the floor, looking at me. 'You are probably worrying Phil and them,' she thought to me making me nod. I'm aware of that, I'm probably taking way longer than they expected.

'Can't be helped, besides, Chim still has Phil's pass that I need to get back from him,' I thought to her. She lays down on the floor beside my chair while I hear talking from behind a curtain. I look at it, seeing it get pushed aside and Chimney and an older man coming out.

"You brought a wizard here?" the older man asked.

Chimney nods. "Yes, I did. He hurt his leg, can you take a look at it?" he asked. The old man, I'm assuming is Aslac, comes over to me. I look at him as he pulled a stool over to me.

"So, how did this happen?" he asked me.

I paused thinking, how exactly should I answer this question. "I-I don't know really. I had gotten hurt protecting a child from harm...how or with what exactly, that I cannot answer," I said honestly. The old man took my boot off, pushing my pant leg up to look at my leg. As he did, someone else entered the room, my eyes flickered up to look at a man that looks around my age.

Chimney stood up straight, looking at the man. "Hey, Luci," he said. My eyes widen a bit. Wait! That's Prince Lucilius?!

Lucilius sighed. "You know how I hate that name," he said towards Chimney who smiled in return.

"I know, that's why I call you that," he said. The prince looked at me. He isn't entirely what I expected but at the same time, he is. He is wearing a dark maroon tunic and black pants with a dark brown sword belt on and a brown jacket on. He has black hair and blue eyes and pale skin. He doesn't look even remotely like Chimney, yet again, they are just cousins. Not all cousins bear a resemblance to one another. At least I think they don't.

"Y-You're Prince Lucilius?" I asked him.

He knows. "Yes, I am the High Prince Lucilius Myllet of Rullus. But you can call me Lucilius, I'm not one for titles among friends," he said.

"Friends?" I questioned.

He gives me a soft smile. "Well, I am friends with Master Violet and Master Riley, as well as the Fyre Brothers and Master Shiro. Any friends of theirs are welcome in Rullus," he said.

I pointed at him. "But you aren't the king?" I asked. I see them both lose their smiles making me yet again regret my question.

Chimney looked at me. "He basically is--"

Lucilius looked at Chimney. "Chim--"

Chimney looked at Lucilius. "Lucilius, you are the king right now. You just haven't been crowned yet is all," he said making Lucilius seem saddened by the words or just irritated. I couldn't tell.

My eyes soften. "Is something wrong with the current king?" I asked them. I saw Lucilius and Chimney stiffen up at that question while Aslac was wrapping gauze around my ankle and shin.

"This should help with soreness, I'm assuming this is an old injury that never properly healed. I'll give you something for the pain, wait right here," Aslac said before he walked away from me to a table. I lower my pant leg, putting my boot back on. My leg does feel better now.

I look at the two princes. "How did you know who I am?" I asked them.

Chimney pulled out Phil's pass. "This pass, it has the Fyre Brother emblem on it. And you aren't an employee of them nor are you a Fyre Brother. And I had heard that this mysterious sorcerer had a dog familiar and has a magic type that is foreign to Vienna. I took a guess and I was right," he said making me on edge. I bite on my bottom lip, my eyes looking away from them. Damn...what do I do now?

"Don't worry, we aren't gonna turn you in. We may worship Lord Mianite here, but the Elites wouldn't go out of their way like this without reason. So you are safe here," Lucilius clarified. I relax a bit at that. At least they are being nice to me.

'Think it is safe enough to let the others here?' Kala asked. I frown. I don't think so. I rather not have to explain why more people are leaving than entered at first.

I give them a soft smile and thank them both. They may worship Mianite here, but at least they aren't just handing me over without asking questions first. At least they aren't blind followers.

"Do you know why Mianite isn't happy with you?" Chimney asked me. I nodded.

"We have a few suspicions but nothing that has been confirmed, only theories I'm afraid. I did nothing to him and yet he is pissed at me," I admitted. Chimney then hands over the pass to me, I put it in my satchel for safekeeping.

"I'm sorry about what happened at the gate. You shouldn't have had to deal with that," he said before Lucilius asks about what happened. Chimney starts to explain but my mind wanders off. This...scenario is familiar to me. I don't know why.

I wince as my head starts to ache making me touch it and close my eyes. I let out a shaky breath and open my eyes. Well, honestly, I'm assuming that it is familiar since I'm sure that Brice and they tried to treat my leg at Rolyra City during the battle. I lowered my head, looking over at Aslac. He's making something, some...potion I think. I heaved myself up to my feet, going over to him as the two princes talked. I went besides Aslac.

"Didn't I tell you to stay sitting?" Aslac asked me as I look at the open books on the table.

I nodded a bit, my hand pulling one of the books closer to me. I can't exactly read the language well, but some of it I can due to Rowan's lessons before I left. "Y-Yeah, sorry," I said before looking at what he is doing and I am right, he is making some potion. "I thought alchemy was impossible without magic."

Aslac nods. "And you are right, it is impossible without magic, but this isn't alchemy," he said.

I looked at what he is doing. "That's not alchemy? But you are making a potion," I pointed out.

I saw Aslac smile a bit, but he didn't entirely tear his attention away from what he was doing. "Actually, it is a tincture made from herbs and such for medical use," he said.

"Really? How does that work?" I asked curiously. I honestly wanted to understand this because it is intriguing. He isn't technically doing alchemy since that is impossible without magic, and yet he is making things similar to potions that work without magic being needed.

"Science," he said.

"Science...I don't get it," I said.

He chuckles lightly. "No, I suspect you don't given magic cannot be scientifically explained leaving wizards to ignore science in general," he said. I watch him, getting more interested in this.

"So these herbs, where do you find them?"

"Out in nature. They are plants, each one does a different thing," he said before pushing a book towards me. I take it, opening it. I'm upset of course that I can't really read it due to the language it is written in. I frown, about to close it till he speaks. "If you are interested, you can have that book. It is about the basics of botany, the study of plants."

I look at him. "Wait, really? Are you sure? Don't you need it?" I asked him. I don't want to take this if he needs it but at the same time, I want this book. Knowing that humans can make tinctures from plants and have it work is intriguing to me. I want to know how and why they do this. And judging but how this book looks, he uses it a lot. The book has a dark leather binding, with years of use and age visible on it.

"I have another copy, go ahead," he said before I thank him and put the book in my satchel to read later, well...after I have James use his magic to translate it for me I will read it later. I watch him pick up a small bottle full of liquid which he shakes, looking at it before he gives it to me. "This should help with the pain. It won't taste good but good medicine tastes bad."

I take the bottle, opening it. And one whiff was repulsive, I turn my head away from it, needing a moment to recover from that.

I hear him chuckle. "Don't smell it, just down it in one or else you won't be able to at all," he said. I hesitated before I just drank it and my god the taste was just as horrible as it smelled. I involuntarily slammed my hand on the table with the bottle in it. It isn't that it is nausea-inducing, it is just...horrible. He took the bottle. "It will start working in a bit, for now, sit down and rest your leg. I'll make a few for you to take with you."

"Thank you," I told him. Hopefully, this will help with the leg pain.

"What are you doing here in Rullus, Seto? It is Seto right?" Chimney asked me making me realize that I never actually introduced myself.

I looked at the two princes and nod. "Yeah, I'm Seto and this is my familiar, Kala. I should have introduced myself earlier. Sorry about that. And given how you are friends of the Fyre Brothers...I guess I can tell you what is going on," I said before I explained everything that had happened that lead up to this point. The only things I left out would be things like what happened between Violet and me, and the revelation of figuring out my real name. I think the only people who know that I figured that out are Shiro and Violet since the others haven't brought it up since I figured it up.

It isn't that I'm avoiding being called Harvey...it just doesn't feel right. I like Seto better, it feels more natural and belonging to me. Harvey just feels like a stranger's name. Hopefully, when I figure out my real last name, Harvey won't feel as strange to me.

I crossed my arms. "I appreciate the help getting into Rullus, but I don't want to involve anyone else--"

Chimney smiles a bit. "Oh that sucks since I'm gonna join you," he interrupted me making me look at the prince.

"But you can't--"

Chimney chuckles, looking at his cousin. "Look at him, it's cute he thinks he's gonna be able to convince me otherwise," he said.

Lucillus sighs and looked at me. "Don't bother, Seto. You aren't gonna be able to talk Chim out of this. I would join you...but it is probably better if I stay here. Unlike my cousin here, I would be easily recognizable and the Council against us is not something that my kingdom needs right now," he said with a small smirk on his lips. I smile back at him as Chimney's gaze shifts to his cousin.

"You know, sometimes your words, they hurt," he said. But he looks back at me. "But yet again, Luci isn't wrong. I'm not so well known, which is a good thing when you think about it."

I stare at him for a moment, my eyes softening. "Are you sure about this?" I asked wanting to make sure that he is really okay with this.

Chimney nods. "Yeah, I am. Now, The White Blade? I know where that is," he said.

"Don't you want to pack some stuff through first?" I asked him.

He nods again, seeming to like my question. "Good point, but do you guys have horses?" he asked me.

I shake my head. "No--"

"How many in your party?" Lucilius asked me.

I pause, thinking. "Eight not including Kala," I said.

"Kala can run alongside you, Kala's breed are fast enough runners to keep up with horses," Lucilius responded surprising me. I look at Kala.

'Is that true?' I ask her through our mind-link.

'Yes, I can keep up with a horse. Just not over a long period that is,' Kala thought back to me.

Before I could respond back, Lucilius spoke again. "And besides, I plan to give you the horse that I know for sure is okay with dogs. Not all horses like dogs, a lot of them are just fine around each other. But I just don't want there to be problems with your horse and Kala," he said. I nod at him. Good to be cautious. You never know and I rather Kala not get hurt at all. Nor any other animal, especially horses since they are such gentle creatures and I like them.

I smile at him. "Thanks, this means a lot," I said. He has no reason to help us, especially not to give us horses, horses that he may not be getting back. So it is nice that he is giving us such things. I bet the others will be happy. Walking is so much slower than being on a horse. We'll get to our destination much faster this way.

Chimney looked at me as he spoke, "After Aslac makes your potions, I'll lead you to the White Blade."

To be continued...