They went together to a nearby eatery and sat in a corner where there weren't too many people. They started eating their meals quietly.
"Have you found anything about the people you're looking for?" Juan asked, taking a big bite of his bread.
"Not yet. There's no record of their entry into the city. We'll go look for some people who can help us after dinner."
"Good. I'm telling you— even if you find them, don't try doing anything on your own. If it's anything like what happened in your village, it's not as simple as you think. There are probably powerful people behind them and a couple of them probably have siunis. Got it?"
Arsh didn't say anything and just kept eating. He also wondered if there might be important people behind these men before, but he had no idea about those who possessed a Siuni. Still, what Juan had said made sense at that moment. Could a group of men really wipe out an entire village without leaving a single person alive?
He had no idea how siunis granted powers to humans. All he knew were the protective symbols he had seen in the Bruil chamber and a few symbols Will had shown him and that were in his notebook. He needed to find out just how powerful a Siuni could make a person.
"What kind of powers do Siunis give people?"
"Anything, really. For example, the elder who helped you yesterday was a healer. A Siuni can make a person physically stronger and faster—that's the most common. Many people can handle carrying these kinds of siunis without problems. There are also Siunis that allow the user to control fire, darkness, light, or even manipulate other people's minds. And these are only what we know. Much about Siunis is not yet known."
"Is it possible for me to become powerful, with a siuni, I mean?"
"That depends on the kind of power you want. For some, overwhelming strength is power; for others, the ability to control or influence others, or knowledge itself, is power. Being a shield to protect something is also a form of power. First, you need to figure out which type you have. Later, we'll think about how to develop it. Finding a siuni isn't easy, and there are many risks. The siunis must also be compatible with each other."
"What do you mean by compatible?"
"Think about it. Let's say your Siuni is connected to fire, and you want to take another one that's connected to water. Like I said, Siunis link the soul's energy to the body. So if you try to create that link between two forces that naturally clash, what do you think will happen?"
"I'll die."
"You got it. That's why you should focus on what you already have first. Maybe it'll be enough to give you what you're looking for."
He was aware that his Siuni wasn't connected to something like fire or water. He also felt there was nothing that could give him the kind of physical strength he wanted. If his enemies were physically stronger than him, he would need to gain something to make up for that gap.
"What's your Siuni?"
Juan laughed. "You can't ask someone that so easily. It's as much our strength as it is our weakness."
"Then when I learn what mine is, I don't need to tell you, right?"
"We'll talk about that when the time comes… I know there are things you don't want to tell me, and that's okay. I believe you'll be able to grasp the power of your Siuni."
…
As darkness fell over the streets again, Arsh and Nesame met at the agreed time and headed toward the port. Unlike the place they had visited with Juan the night before, this area was lively and noisy. Workers from ships, travelers, and port laborers from various countries staying in the nearby inns, were still bustling about despite the late hour.
They entered a tavern crowded with foreigners wearing different clothes and speaking in various languages, clearly foreigners. Arsh didn't know exactly who they were looking for, but his eyes scanned the room carefully.
"Is your friend here?"
"I hope so. He usually hangs out here… Oh, there."
Nesame nodded toward a man sitting at the end of a rather crowded table, chatting cheerfully with those around him.
The man, in his late twenties, noticed someone was watching him and cut his conversation short to look around. His gaze swept across the room and finally settled on Nesame and Arsh. After a brief flicker of surprise, a smile of recognition and pleasure appeared on his face.
"Brother Nesame," he said, rising to stand. "It's been a long time. May Arienne's blessing be upon you. Seeing you here is a surprise. Since you became a father, you hardly visit these parts more than once a year."
Nesame inclined his head with a slight smile. "May Arienne's blessing be upon you too, Mirtam. I'm not here for leisure. There's an urgent matter, and we may need your help. Do you have time?"
The cheerful expression on Mirtam's face softened into seriousness. He gave a brief apologetic glance to those at the table, then turned fully to them. "Of course. Let's talk. Hopefully, it's nothing too bad."
They left the tavern together and moved to a quiet corner away from the noise.
Mirtam gave Arsh a brief look, raising an eyebrow slightly.
"So, who's this young man? I don't think I've seen him around here before," he said.
"He's a relative from my village," Nesame replied, without going into much detail. Then he quickly got to the point: "I need you to gather some information for us. It's not difficult—just find out who they are and where they've gone."
"Who exactly are you looking for?"
"A group of Symranians."
Hearing the word, Mirtam's shoulders tensed slightly, and his gaze drifted briefly into the distance. Then he brought his eyes back to Nesame.
"May I ask the reason?"
He asked in a voice that was both curious and alert. Going after the Symranians wasn't exactly a wise idea. It could easily land someone in trouble.
Nesame quickly explained what happened without beating around the bush, while Arsh listened as if he were a disinterested bystander. Arsh watched Mirtam's anger grow as he listened to the details. Afterward, with no need for further convincing, Mirtam quickly agreed to gather the necessary information.
…
Before heading back, Arsh decided to walk down to the seaside. The first time he had seen the sea was as a child, when he visited Thage with his father, and back then it had reminded him of a desert. Like the desert, it seemed endless and of a single color. But unlike the desert sands, the drops of water that hit his face with the waves were not scorching—they were refreshing. Now, looking at the same view at night, he found himself thinking the same thoughts he had ten years ago.
Although the night breeze made him shiver, he sat on the rocks by the sea and started to think thoughtfully about his siuni.
What he needed was a clear memory of that day to understand the Siuni. Even though his memory was hazy, he tried to focus. He tried to recall what had happened before he saw the golden threads emerging from his hand in the well. At first, He thought maybe he would possess a power like King Bertham's, able to move the earth—but it wasn't like that. Somehow, escaping from there was the only thought on his mind.
Then, just as he was sinking into despair, he felt a sharp pain and saw some lights. After that, the golden threads from the Siuni showed him the way. He kept following them until he climbed out of the well, and then they disappeared.
He felt as if some lights were flickering in his mind. He remembered that while he was in the well, he had instinctively followed the golden threads. Though he had his doubts, he somehow knew they would get him out of there.
"This Siuni doesn't give me any physical power. It's a guide."
He thought for a moment and closed his eyes tightly, focusing his mind on a single face and a single question: "Where is Professor Millway?"
When he opened his eyes, he looked at his left hand. Golden threads, glowing faintly around the crescent symbols, began to sway in the air. Arsh followed the threads as far as his eyes could see. They led toward the sea, to the northwest.
Now he understood—the power the symbol gave him was to help him find the things he was looking for. But he also felt it wasn't enough.
Then he remembered what Juan had said: "Learn and believe."
Now Arsh realized that he understood the meaning of the symbol, and the only thing left was to believe in the power it could give him.
The wound in his hand slowly vanished, leaving only a golden glow in its place. Arsh believed with all his heart.
Someday, it would show him the path to his revenge.