Chapter 53: Heir to The Throne
"After all these years, it’s still here!" Matthew chuckled, brushing the thick layer of dust from the old cookware. His voice carried a faint warmth, the tone of a man who had just rediscovered a forgotten part of his youth.
The small chamber felt like a remnant of another age. Smooth, carved stone benches lined the wall, their edges rounded by time. A squat stone stove occupied the center, still blackened from fires long gone cold. Wooden shelves, wooden ladles, a dented pot, and a few sealed jars that had somehow survived the years. There were even old bedrolls stacked neatly in a corner, covered in a fine crust of dust but still whole. The air here smelled faintly of moss and old smoke.
Thane crouched beside a round stone well tucked near the wall and pried the lid open. A rush of cool air brushed his face. It wasn’t a well at all, but a hole that dropped straight down. And he could see the river below. When he leaned over, a small light flickered up from the depths. With quick reflexes, he lowered a rope and drew from the water.
"That’s the river we just passed."
"You’d have to meet Dwarven Master Goodwind for this. He is a master at Secret Bases. He made this. And I never quite appreciated the extent of his creation."
"We settle here for now!" he said at last, hefting a pile of nearby rocks.
Thane helped move them, watching as Matthew closed the hole of their entrance.
When the gap had been filled, Matthew pressed both palms to the new wall. Pale, vine-like tendrils unfurled from his hands, threading through cracks in the stones like roots seeking soil. They twisted, merged, and hardened, sealing the rock in place. A faint green mist shimmered and then faded.
"From the outside, it will look like a slump of fallen stone!" Matthew said, exhaling deeply.
Thane whistled, impressed.
"That’s so convenient! With a place like this, I could watch T— I mean, I could hide and make secret bases in places like this!"
Matthew smirked faintly.
"I could teach you. I can see that you already have mana."
"Erm... I don’t really know much about magic," Thane admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. His gaze drifted to a patch of mushrooms growing at the base of the wall.
"Hmm? These look similar to Groundling mushrooms. May I... cook?"
Matthew raised an eyebrow.
"By all means. Groundling mushrooms are easy to grow, after all. Look at this generous spread. If you know how to cook it, then feel free!"
Thane grinned, already rolling up his sleeves. He rummaged through the supplies, checking the cookware with a practiced hand. The pots were a little warped, but still usable.
"Well then, time to resurrect the miracle of Goblin Stew, version two."
He pulled up his sleeve, summoned his Celestial TV remote, and subtly flipped through channels. A familiar jingle chimed. Cooking with Garron Duskbane! flashed across the screen. Garron’s deep, cheery voice echoed faintly.
Thane followed along step by step, with his head locked on ahead.
Unlike before, the group was not as hungry as Seraphina, Vayne, Sayla, and Stratus. The latter was looking at the stew, but to these three, they noticed that Thane had a very unusual cooking methodology.
He was looking blankly ahead and would then look down at his cooking, and then back again.
The three glanced curiously at Thane.
But despite his eccentric means, Thane’s methods were precise.
The mushrooms were chopped with precision, the herbs mixed with a care that would’ve made Garron proud. He improvised when needed, adding a touch of elven salt and some faintly glowing roots he found in an old crate.
The aroma began to fill the small chamber, a deep, savory scent with hints of spice and earth.
Josiah sniffed the air and leaned closer.
"That smells... amazing."
Priscilla smiled softly, watching as Thane stirred the pot.
Priscila was the one who marveled the most.
"His skills in cooking... That’s the legendary Goblin Stew! The original recipe that was lost! It’s a bit different, but this bears the work of... Garron Duskbane!"
By the time Thane finished, the three quickly dipped their ladles and took a portion of the stew.
Thane was surprised but quickly grabbed his plate, which was washed by Priscilla.
Thane smiled and was rather touched by the woman’s maternal act, and Thane couldn’t help but recall his mother.
Laughter rippled softly through the room, a fragile peace forming amid exhaustion. They ate together, the warmth of the stew filling their bellies and driving away the cold. The taste was rich and earthy, each bite soft but satisfying. Even Matthew, who had probably eaten his share of campfire meals, seemed moved.
"It’s been so long since I tasted something this good!" Matthew cried.
Josiah kept eating but had no comment.
Priscilla kept grilling Thane about the steps, and Thane would suddenly daze out and would point and look at something before he would answer.
When the meal ended, the group relaxed by the dim firelight. Their conversation drifted toward their respective homelands. Thane listened, asking questions between sips of the broth, absorbing every word. Thane revealed that Seraphina was missing and the plot that had played out, but did not mention meeting and saving her, to keep her location secret.
"So the kingdom is as messed up as Sanctus Luminara..." Thane was amazed at the terrors and chaos in the kingdom.
"It doesn’t have monster problems in its forests, but the infighting and corruption make up for it. And the former king has died and left the throne empty."
Matthew also had a grim look.
"We intended to flee to Sanctus Luminara... But it seems... if her majesty Seraphina is missing... then... all hope is..."
"Hope?" Thane wondered.
"The late King Asa Galvenstern was the man who united the fractured tribes of Gravulkar. He was just, righteous, and fierce. But when he passed, evil men without his wisdom or foresight usurped the throne. This is why we fled."
Thane’s brow furrowed.
"And where do you three fit in all this? Why were they after you and the boy?"
Matthew hesitated, glancing toward the quiet child who sat near the fire, eyes distant.
"Because the boy is the king’s last heir," he said softly.
Thane froze, nearly dropping his bowl.
"He’s the son of the king?!"
Josiah turned away, his shoulders tense, refusing to meet Thane’s eyes. The silence that followed was heavy, the only sound the faint drip of water from the ceiling.
"Yes," Matthew said.
"He is Josiah Galvenstern, son of King Asa Galvenstern. I am an old acquaintance of the king. I was his bonded companion before the Rebellion of Gerth. But I could not serve him after I married Priscilla. She is Manaless and Powerless."
Thane blinked.
"She can’t harness either Mana or Power?"
The woman bowed her head in sorrow.
"Yes. The Manaless make up nearly a fifth of the three kingdoms’ population. They are often enslaved, treated as lesser. I was one of them. Matthew freed me... and chose to marry me."
"It is difficult for any free woman to live without Power or Mana," Matthew added quietly.
"But I would not let the world dictate her worth. I left my post to live humbly. We made peace in the wilderness, far from the courts of men. Until the day the king came to me again."
Thane leaned forward.
"He asked you to protect the boy."
Matthew’s eyes dimmed.
"Yes. He knew his enemies were close. He left Josiah with me, and I swore to protect him. We lived quietly at the border, but secrets have a way of finding air. The Red Chains came for us, and we have been running ever since."
"So... you’re fugitives... And if I stay with you, I’ll be branded one too."
Matthew smiled faintly.
"You understand quickly. Yet your presence lifts a burden from us. You fought those men alone. After all. But should you leave us, we would understand.
Thane shrugged.
"I’ve been accused of worse things than helping fugitives. I’ll stick around long enough to get you somewhere safe. After that, I’ll see where God leads me."
Josiah looked up briefly, something unspoken flickering behind his eyes. Then he turned back toward the dim wall.
Priscilla was already asleep, her head resting on a folded cloak. Matthew stood, stretching quietly.
"Take your rest, Master Thane. I’ll keep first watch."
"Nah," Thane replied, flicking his wrist as the Celestial Remote appeared in his hand.
"You rest. You need your mana back. I already had my nap, and besides..." His grin widened.
"It’s binge time." Thane sat up and stared straight ahead.
Matthew didn’t understand, but saw genuine joy on the face of Thane. It was so pure, so innocent that it seemed like there was nothing in the world that could disappoint or disturb Thane.
His eyes were locked on the covered exit. And Thane was smiling as his fingers did a strange, quick motion. And time passed, Thane held that position for minutes!
"Umm... Ok... I’ll take you up on that offer." Matthew spoke.
As the others settled into slumber, Thane leaned back against the wall. The faint glow of the Celestial TV shimmered in the dark. A gentle chime appeared on the top corner of the screen.
[Time Remaining: 9h 53m]
[Total Viewing Time: 49h 25m]
He flipped through the menu and continued the episode he failed to watch about the body of magic.
A familiar face appeared, standing before a chalkboard covered in shimmering runes.
Aetherion paced slowly across the ethereal classroom, gesturing to a floating diagram of human anatomy lit with rivers of light.
"Monsters themselves are blueprints for the body of magic." Aetherion continued from when Libra closed the channel.
"The angels shaped them, and in so doing, they taught us how to harness mana. Each monster core reflects the element of its dungeon. Those that cast spells or shoot magic naturally, such as those Blaze Heart Salamanders, Ixion Mares, and Fire Ogres, are finest for cultivation. But even those that cannot may be refined, through alchemy, through pills, through medicines of mana." Aetherion continued.
"Libra... I want to learn magic, fast. I need to be able to summon Esau... And I want knowledge to be able to use the souls and even learn how we could merge that soul with Esau’s. If I hold the remote, I’d go everywhere. So instead, my dear Angel Assist... I want you to map out the shows I would watch!"
Libra frowned. It sounded like Thane was determined and serious. But Libra felt as if a great battle would happen.
He gritted his ghostly teeth.
"Fine... But you must give me authority to take control of your TV!" Libra demanded.
"Huh? That’s a bit too extreme..."
"Not with your ADHD! Give me that damned remote and let me queue your shows!" Libra barked back.