One page flipped after another; Thomas had just woken up hearing that sound. Looking to the side, he found it to be William using a candle's light reading the empty book like a blind person, his sense of touch was the only means for so
"You're up this early?" said Thomas Yawning
"It is not that early" said William continuing to use his fingers trying to decode it
Thomas stared at the window looking at the raising sun. It hasn't been long since morning took its place
"There is no earlier then that" said Thomas removing his blanket and standing up, he looked around to find the other beds empty "Where did they go?" he asked William
"Down stairs" replied William
"Such a helpful information" replied Thomas wearing some clothes
"Did you uncover anything?" asked Thomas leaning beside William peeking on the empty book, he was reading it with a bandaged hand
"Nothing" replied William
"What are you doing anyways, using your fingers like that?" asked Thomas
"I am trying to read it, even though it is gibberish" said William, he looked to the side to find Thomas giving him a ridiculous look
"What? You think I am crazy?" said William
"No, I just never saw someone read with his fingers" said Thomas
"It is carved into the paper" said William
"Carved, into it?!" said Thomas taking a cup of water out of a nearby bowl
"As you heard, sadly I can't see the carving's clearly, so I have to imagine the shape of these letters" replied William
"Can't you just, carved it into something else, you said ink flees into the sides when trying to write it down, make every carved letter into a container in wooden planks" replied Thomas
"Use it" he said to Thomas handing him a knife
Thomas did as he was asked, griping into it by the edge he placed it tip down on the table
William proceeded to give him the instructions "Now, write two horizontal straight lines and add a downward curvy one, this should be enough"
The moment Thomas went to do so, heat burned his hand in an instant as he let go of it
"What the heck, what was that!" said Thomas
"The result" replied William "Even if you managed to write it down fast, the plank will burn up"
"How do you know that?" asked Thomas
William reached underneath the table taking out a plank, a hole was made through it, it had burn marks on the edges of it
"Oh…" replied Thomas seeing that sight "Well, how long will it stay like this?" staring at the knife beneath his feet
"I don't know, a day, two" replied William "I already wasted on knife"
"What if you carve in cold water?" said Thomas?
William did not say a word; he showed his bandaged hand before putting it back
"It turned into fire?" asked Thomas
"Worse, it started to boil instantly" replied William
"Well, at least we've got a use for this book now" said Thomas "How do you read it anyways if it's filled in gibberish and is unwritable"
"I memorise the shapes, that is all I can do anyways," said William
"Hello Boooys!" said Isabel from behind them "Still stuck in the same page I see" she said, she was wearing similar noble's clothing to the ones they wore the first day
"It is not easy to memorise carved drawings on paper" replied William
"Anyways we've got to go now" said Isabel pulling the book away
"Is it already time to go?" said William
"Where?" asked Thomas
"The butler told us to dress up, we are meeting the king," replied Isabel
"And where do I hide this?!" asked William taking the book back
Isabel went towards the bed; with her leg she pushed the plank underneath lightly revealing an empty dark little space
"What Is that?" said William
"I made it" replied Isabel putting the book in there and closing it up
"Why would you make such a thing?" asked William as they walked out
"Why not?!" replied Isabel
Going down they reached the room where they always eat together, finding the rest of the group fully dressed and ready
"Your late," said Henry
"Thomas overslept," said William
"Anyways you'll find us waiting for you" said John as he left the room
"Sara chose for you what to wear, don't over think and just take it" said Henry following the rest
"What's wrong with my taste?!" said Thomas as they left
"Everything" replied Isabel taping his shoulder and following the group
Thomas and William walked down the hall way
"I mean, my choices aren't that bad, I might have a weird taste, but it is not barbaric" said Thomas to William who was walking with closed eyes, both palms open and in the air
"Are you even listening?" said Thomas
"I am trying to remember the shape of the words" replied William
Thomas with an open jaw walked silently for a moment before he said "Your dell(delusional)"
They walked through the light, the room circled by Sigel knights, each of them was of silver status, by the king's throne the rest of their group stood facing each other with a path emptied for his highness to walk
Isabel waved for them to hurry up fast, they stood in line with the res
"How long were you waiting for?" Thomas whispered for Isabel
"Double whatever number you thinking of" replied Isabel whispering as well
"Shh!" Sara shushed them with a quiet voice
"King Arthur is going to step in; you may give your respects and greetings in silence" shouted the guard by the door as it opened
The same old man stepped inside, dragging his feet along the way as his snoring breathing echoed across the empty grounds. The boys and girls kneeled down, the knights bowed, as he towered over the throne
Beside him walked the butler holding a not so fancy box, but it was clean at the very least
The king waved his hand for them to step up. They bowed before his throne watching the ground, they were nervous
The air felt weird, the butler spoke breaking the silence
"Today, marks a new age" he said "The king has finally decided after long thinking, two of you shall pass to the next level"
"Are we going to die?" whispered Thoams to Isabel
"Why are you asking me?!" Isabel whispered back, both of them not breaking eye contact with their feet
"The king shall appoint two of you, to fight for the position" said the butler "The great commander of the Varish"
Silence roamed free as Arthur the first moved his hand up, his finger stretched forward slowly, wrinkles left no part untouched. The butler looked down watching his movement
He pointed towards John, he stepped closer than the rest as the hand moved again, it was stuck between William and Henry, noticing the tattoo once more the king squinted his eyes choosing Henry
"They king, made his choice" said the butler opening the box "You may lend me your hands"
They stretched them forward, palm down
From the box a stamp of iron filled with little nails was brought forward, an ink bottle filled the hole inside the handle
He put the nails with care upon the back John' hand, he pressed lightly until a little tick, was heard from it
John relaxed after hearing the sound, it wasn't too painful, the butler pressed hard at once, ink and blood both dripped rivers covering the floor and John's hand and he gripped in pain
Sara wanted to step up worrying about him but the king's gaze kept her in place, it was fear that kept her legs intact to the ground, she calmly returned to her same gesture
The butler left john fighting the pain dipping the stump he held in water, he took it out clean and stood before Henry
Seeing the butler's eyes, he offered his hand without a word
The same was done to him leaving him in pain as the rest could only listen in their place
"You may leave to get some treatment, when time comes you shall be called upon," said the butler
A maid give a quick bandaging to each of them as they left
Sara helped John whole Thomas guided Henry
They reached their room upstairs where a nurse awaited them, she took care bandaging the both of them and spoke saying
"The blood will stop shortly, when you start to feel numb you may take off the bandages" she left them after saying that
"That was scary" said Isabel "I thought that I might actually die"
"How does it feel to a tattoo like Henry huh?" said Thomas as he pocked John's shoulder jokingly
John was in pain once more
"Thomas!" Sara yelled
"What? I did not touch the injury!" relied Thomas
"It all hurts, the whole arm" said John leaning back and covering his eyes with his other arm, his left that was untouched
William spoke up saying "The butler talked about a position for one of them"
"I think I did here that," said Isabel
"He said something about a great commander," said Thomas
"Isn't that the tittle of the masked man?" said Sara
"Not really, he told us to call him commander, nothing else" replied Isabel
"It is still close though" replied William
Henry was removing his bandages as Thomas spoke up
"What are you doing?! We won't have her come back in time"
"It is okay, the blood stopped, and I already feel numb," said Henry
The moment he removed the last layer, William's jaw dropped
"What is that?" said Isabel
"It does look like one of a commander, or a warrior's," said Thomas
"This, thing" said William "It is the same one as the blind mysterious man"
John removed his as well, the both of them had a tattoo of a crown hanging by the ledge of a sword planted in the ground, some blood did continue to drip, but barley any touched the floor