Chapter 90: Aster

The man remained silent as he watched Noir. The little mana squirrel sat comfortably on his shoulder, swishing its enormous bluish tail from side to side.

Noir, for his part, narrowed his eyes. He was convinced that question had some hidden meaning.

"It definitely means something."

The man raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"What you just said."

"What did I say?"

"That I have a lot of friends."

The stranger thought for a few seconds before answering.

"It was a question."

"No. It was a suspicious question."

Arlene let out a little laugh from behind the young dragon.

Noir let out a growl and turned his gaze toward the man. The conversation was starting to veer off track too much, and he still had an absurd number of questions he wanted to ask him.

That stranger was an immortal; he’d met dragons and had appeared in the middle of the Silent Stones as if he’d been lost for several days.

On top of that, he was still annoyed that he’d had to figure out for himself that the man could reattach his own head after being decapitated.

The young dragon approached slowly.

The man stopped smiling.

"What?"

"Now it’s my turn."

The stranger crossed his arms.

"Your turn to do what?"

"To ask questions."

The man couldn’t help but let out another weary sigh.

"That doesn’t sound very promising," he said, scratching his beard.

"Don’t worry. This time I’ll try not to cut off your head." Noir flashed a smile, revealing all his sharp fangs.

Arlene put a hand to her forehead.

"You’ll try?"

Noir slowly turned his head.

"I’m being reasonable."

"That’s exactly what worries me."

The man nodded.

"I agree."

Noir opened his eyes.

"Why does everyone agree with you?"

The immortal smiled slightly.

"Because you’re the only one who finds it reassuring to say you’ll try not to behead someone."

The young dragon fell silent for a few seconds. Then he looked at Arlene, at Uki, and finally at the little demon princess. Even the golden orb began to spin slowly above his head.

Noir let out a long sigh and looked back at the man, who stood calmly before him, though his eyes continued to scan the surroundings from time to time.

"First question."

The immortal crossed his arms and waited for the questions to come.

"Go ahead, ask."

"Who are you?"

The man remained silent.

Noir waited.

So did Arlene.

Even Uki raised his head slightly.

After several seconds, the man let out a long sigh and looked toward the enormous stones surrounding them. The light from the bonfire partially illuminated his face, while the shadows of the monoliths stretched out behind him.

"My name is Aster. Let’s say that a long time ago, I was many things. A traveler, a soldier, an explorer... even a mercenary for a while."

Arlene opened her eyes slightly.

"Mercenary?"

Aster smiled.

"It was a long time ago."

"How long?"

The man fell silent again.

Noir raised a claw.

"That means it was a very, very long time ago."

"Probably."

The young dragon frowned. It was clear that Aster was avoiding a direct answer, but at least he had said something new. He didn’t know how long an immortal creature could live, although, judging by the way the man spoke, he seemed to have lived long enough to have seen several generations come and go.

And possibly entire civilizations.

"Okay."

Aster raised an eyebrow.

"Is that all?"

"For now."

The man looked slightly surprised.

"I thought you’d push the issue."

"I’ll do that later."

Aster let out a sigh.

"That’s not very reassuring either."

Noir smiled.

"Now you know how I feel."

The young dragon took a few steps around the man as he watched him. The little mana squirrel remained perched on his shoulder, though now and then it glanced toward the enormous monoliths that stretched out around the camp. He noticed that the creature was restless.

He didn’t know exactly why. But something had caught its attention.

"Second question."

Aster closed his eyes for a moment.

"Go ahead."

"What are you doing here?"

This time, the man took longer to answer. His expression changed slightly as he looked at the enormous stones.

Noir stopped and followed his gaze. The place looked the same as before: moss-covered monoliths, flowers growing among the grass, and darkness stretching as far as the eye could see.

But now that Aster was there... Everything seemed a little different.

"I was looking for something."

Noir looked up.

"What?"

"An answer."

The young dragon blinked.

"That’s very mysterious."

"I know."

"And annoying."

"I know that, too."

Noir moved a little closer.

"Can you stop talking like some mysterious old man who shows up in the middle of the night?"

Aster looked at him.

"I’m an old man."

"That’s not what you mean!"

Arlene started laughing.

The young dragon turned his head.

"Don’t laugh."

"I’m not laughing."

"You just did."

"Then I guess I am."

Noir let out another growl before looking back at Aster.

"Explain yourself."

The man remained silent for a few seconds. Then he walked slowly toward one of the enormous monoliths near the campfire.

Aster reached out and touched the stone’s surface.

"The Silent Stones aren’t just ordinary stones."

Noir narrowed his eyes.

"I figured as much."

"Why?"

"Because ordinary stones don’t have so many mysterious inscriptions on them."

Aster seemed to think for a few seconds.

"That’s a good point."

The young dragon smiled.

"Thank you."

"But that still doesn’t explain anything."

The smile immediately vanished from Noir’s face.

"That was very rude."

Aster ignored the comment.

"These stones have been here far longer than any current kingdom can remember. Even when I was young, no one knew who had placed them here."

Silence fell over the camp.

Noir slowly raised her head.

"When you were young?"

"Yes."

"But you said you’re immortal."

"I am."

"Then when was that?"

Aster looked toward another monolith.

"A long time ago."

Noir closed his eyes.

"I’m going to behead you again."

"Noir."

Arlene called out to him immediately.

"It’s an educational threat."

"There’s no such thing."

"There should be."

Aster let out a soft chuckle before continuing.

"The Silent Stones are ancient. Far too ancient. And although most people consider them mere abandoned monuments, some stories claim they were once something different."

Noir stopped arguing. His curiosity had returned.

"Different how?"

Aster looked directly at the young dragon.

"They say these stones used to speak."

No one answered right away.

Noir looked at the enormous monoliths that stretched out around the camp. The idea was absurd. But after having seen a golden sphere that could communicate with particles, a squirrel made entirely of mana, and a man who could reattach his own head, talking rocks weren’t exactly the strangest thing he’d ever encountered.

"Were they talking?"

Aster nodded slowly.

"According to some old stories, travelers could hear voices when passing through this place. Others claimed that the stones sang at night. Still others, more dramatic, said you could hear the voices of the gods."

Arlene frowned.

"I’ve never heard anything like that."

"Because most of those stories disappeared."

Aster’s expression grew more serious.

"And the few that survived changed over time. People forgot details, mixed stories together, and transformed the tales until no one could tell what was real anymore."

Noir looked back at the stones.

"So, did you come here to find out what they are?"

"Something like that."

"What does ’something like that’ mean?"

Aster sighed.

"It means I’m not sure I’ll find what I came here to look for."

Noir opened his mouth to ask another question, but before he could, the little mana squirrel moved.

Everyone turned their heads.

The creature had jumped off Aster’s shoulder and landed on the grass. Its little legs began to glow as it ran quickly among the monoliths, away from the camp.

Noir took a step forward.

"Where are you going?"

The squirrel didn’t answer.

The young dragon watched it for a few seconds.

"Lately, no one wants to answer me."

The little creature kept moving forward.

Aster watched the direction in which it was disappearing.

"I think we should follow it."

Noir immediately shook his head.

"No."

The man turned to him.

"No?"

"No."

"Why?"

The young dragon pointed toward the darkness.

"Because we’re in the middle of a place full of ancient stones that might have once spoken. You just told us you came here looking for something, and now a creature made of mana decides to run off into the darkness. That’s exactly how trouble starts."

Aster remained silent for a few seconds.

"You have a good point."

Noir smiled.

"Thanks."

"But I still think we should follow it."

His smile faded.

"Why?"

Aster pointed toward where the creature had disappeared.

"Because it’s probably heading toward something important."

Noir remained silent.

Arlene immediately noticed the young dragon’s expression.

"No."

Noir slowly turned his head.

"What?"

"That look."

"What look?"

"The look you get when someone says something is important."

"I don’t have that look."

Arlene crossed her arms.

"Yes, you do."

Aster nodded.

"Definitely."

Noir looked at both of them.

"You’ve only been talking for a few minutes."

"And I already know you pretty well."

The young dragon narrowed his eyes.

"That’s concerning."

Uki let out a small growl and began walking toward the darkness. The little demon princess looked at Noir, waiting for his decision, while the golden orb slowly moved toward the spot where the squirrel had disappeared.

Noir looked at everyone.

Then he looked into the darkness.

Then he looked back at Arlene.

"We’re just going to see what’s going on."