Hunter of the Evernight
Chapter 434: I am known by many names

Chapter 434: I am known by many names

"Oh Albus dear, we seem to be out of quite a few food items," Rose muttered as she inspected the store room, taking stock of what remained.

Pursing her lips, she added. "Whatever shall we do?"

Albus appeared at the store entrance at that moment, his brows raised as he scrutinized the room illuminated by a single oil lamp.

"Well, we should be able to get by a few more days, right?"

"That won’t do at all," Rose remarked. "Astra is almost 70 days long and it is assured that with the current state of things, foodstuffs would surely get scarcer with time. Waiting till we are completely out of supplies won’t be good."

"So what do you suggest we do?"

"Would you be a darling and head over to the market to get a few items?... It would be really helpful."

Albus gawked. "Just yesterday you said I shouldn’t leave the house even after I’d said I only wished to head to the library to collect a few books, now you wish for me to head to the market?"

"This is hardly the time to bring up past discussions." Rose casually said, waving his argument away before it could even bear fruit.

Albus massaged his temples. "You really are something else."

Ignoring his comment, Rose intoned. "I’ll make a list of everything we need so you go ahead and get dressed. I’ll join you in a few minutes."

"Hah, fine." Albus turned to leave only for Rose to call out to him.

"Oh, and Albus dear?"

"Yes love?" Albus quickly changed his demeanor for fear of getting on Rose’s bad side.

Turning, he found Rose smiling mischievously. "Be a darling and get me a quill with some ink along with a piece of paper."

***

Alex and Aiden appeared in the same spot Alex and the others had emerged from after their sojourn in the Abyss.

Taking a calm look around, Alex intoned. "I didn’t think I’d be seeing this place again."

"And yet, here you are," Aiden commented from the side.

Alex smirked. "Life is quite unpredictable."

"I agree."

Aiden was the first to move, taking a couple of steps to gain some distance from Alex as he asked his first question. "Who are you?"

Silence reigned for a few seconds as Alex remained in place, his expression unreadable as his gaze continued to scrutinize the environment.

Then, Aiden stopped and turned to face him before inquiring yet again. "Who are you?"

"... I am known by many names." Alex slowly began, his tone measured as it was deliberate. "Aldrich, Cain, Lucius, Orion, and even the Dark Lord, but perhaps the one that has stuck with me the most is Alexander Regulus."

Taking a moment to gather his thoughts, he continued. "However, that is not the onus of your question. You do not wish to know the name tag I am referred to by others. Instead, what you wish for is to know the person behind those names. Am I right?"

Then he turned to regard Aiden, finding the Family Head silent as their eyes clashed.

As tension rose, Alex intoned. "So with that understanding, I will leave you with this. I am but a man who finds himself in a land so surreal it borders on the unreal, actively seeking to return to what he calls... Home."

An unknown emotion flickered in Aiden’s eyes at that moment.

Perhaps it was a surprise that Alex did not attempt to lie or curiosity about the mysterious origins of the man before him, regardless, Aiden deemed it only right to respond in kind.

Taking a deep breath, he muttered. "This is my first stroke."

Then his hand moved, slowly unsheathing his sword from its cover.

At the same time, four audible snaps were heard concurrently, each snap manifesting a different Ability in reality.

First, a shadowy figure with eyes ablaze with white light and wielding a blade that shifted between material and immaterial arrived before Aiden, but instead of utilizing the blade, she swung her fist, catching Aiden briefly off guard.

Aiden calmly reacted, utilizing the cover of his blade to block the powerful strike which resulted in a resounding shockwave before swinging his blade to deal with the threat.

However, before he could do so, a powerful force grabbed onto him from behind, seeking to pull him toward its origin with no desire to release him despite his struggles.

But that still was not the end as four monstrous beasts emerged on both sides of him, their appendages primed to further restrict the Battle God’s movement while at the same time, the crimson sky above disappeared, instead replaced by a night sky illuminated by several twinkling white lights.

Immediately, information, both deadly and miscellaneous rushed into Aiden’s mind, seeking to turn his brain to mush.

Faced with those four carefully structured attacks, Aiden was forced to admit... Alexander Regulus was no simple opponent.

But that was where acknowledgment ended as a moment later, a powerful wave of antimagic erupted from within him, sweeping away everything born out of an exertion of Alex’s Will.

Alex stood in place, his expression the epitome of calm as he said. "I survived the first stroke."

"... Indeed, you did," Aiden muttered, noting the presence of the ghostly warrior standing beside Alex.

Curiosity bloomed but he left it untouched, instead focusing on the main task.

"Which means I am afforded one answer from you," Alex remarked.

"I’m listening."

"Why can’t you let Ana go?"

"..." Aiden stayed silent for a moment before ultimately replying. "I expected that question."

"As you should."

"And I have the right to not answer."

"It is your choice to make."

"However... I choose not to do so."

"Then please, give me an answer."

Taking a deep breath, Aiden remarked. "Ana is a latent danger to this world."

"One dragon?" Alex inquired with a raised brow.

"I would deign to ask if you are familiar with the War of Desolation otherwise known as the War of Annihilation."

"I am." Alex nodded with Aiden inquiring further.

"And you are aware that the dragons had participated in that war which is why they are extinct today."

"Indeed."

"But are you aware that the Dragon God, Dominator of Space/Time, had placed a curse on Eventide upon his death?"

"A curse?" Alex turned curious.

Aiden nodded. "Of course. A curse fueled by his Avatar."

"How do you know this?"

"Aren’t you curious about its contents?"

Alex shook his head as he calmly replied. "I’m more interested in knowing the origin of your Intel."