“I’m Noir. Or at least that’s what they used to call me.”

  Tempus heard that name before. Because who wouldn’t.

  “T-there’s no way that you’re the previous, missing King of Tenebris, are you?”

  The man tilted his face and made a slight frown.

  “But, I am him.”

  That would mean the man in front of him was at least hundreds of years old. Tempus wanted to scream on the top of his lungs but somehow what came out was a choked voice. If Tempus was a bit calmer and more rational, he would have taken the man's reputation, which was a good man, into account. He wouldn’t take a log besides him, point it at Noir while trying to crawl away. But right now he panicked because of one thing.

  “But why would you know my name?” he asked with a trembling, cracking voice. Which was very pitiful in his own opinion. But fear has drowned down all of his shame at the moment.

  Because why would someone as big of a name as Noir, know ‘a nobody’ like him? Tempus was scared that he’s somehow fell to a big conspiracy or something without knowing.

  Noir sighed deeply, face full of disappointment. Which made Tempus freeze.

  “You don’t remember me?”

  Tempus' mind that was noisy with a lot of overthinking, halted. He gaped at the man.

  “Remember you?” Tempus asked uncertainly.

  Noir kneeled down so that he was at Tempus’ eye level. Tempus flinched at the movement.

  “I used to aid your parents in their travels. Since I was chased out of the Kingdom years ago,” explained Noir further before sighing again.

  “Can you believe it? My own little sister, the current Queen and ruler of Tenebris kicked me out of my own home. Not only that, she’s still searching to find me now.”

  Tempus could only stare, trying to process all of the information Noir had given.

  “But I guessed at that time, you were too young to remember things after all,” Noir shrugged.

  Was that why his voice seemed familiar? Because Tempus met the man before? His inner musing was interrupted by the intense stare that the man was using.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  “But we have more pressing issues at the moment.”

  Before Tempus could register it, the man grabbed his wrist and pulled Tempus closer.

  “Be wary, with that lightshow you did, you have revealed your location to all of us. Right now, you should keep quiet,” whispered Noir.

  “W-what do you mean?” Tempus asked in a low volume also. The man didn’t explain further, instead he grabbed Tempus' satchel with the speed that Tempus only saw in the fastest thief on the alley he used to live in.

  “H-hey!”

  Noir took out the spare clothes that Tempus had.

  “I will be borrowing this for a tad while, if you don’t mind,” the man said as he unfolded the clothes.

  Tempus do mind, but it’s not like he had the courage to even rebel against the former King.

  “In exchange, I promise to buy you a new pair of clothes, after this.”

  Tempus heard the sound of galloping from a far. Which was an odd thing to be happening in this usually empty forest.

  “There is no time to explain, for now I need you to trust me,” Noir said with much more urgency in his voice.

  Tempus reluctantly nodded and saw the older man going behind a tree. There are a little flash of light for a second although not as strong as the ones from his pocketwatch earlier.

  What emerged was not a man rather a teen that was a tad younger than him. That didn’t change the pointy ears nor the dark hair.

  “W-what? Is that you Noir?”

  Noir laughed softly and hopped closer to Tempus.

  “This is how I sometimes disguise myself. I transformed into an old man as of recently so that I could avoid being caught by my sister’s army. So I think being a child is a wise move because I think she’s searching for the old man version of me now.”

  Tempus was still adjusting to the fact that there was magic that could disguise someone's appearance to different ages when Noir started his next question.

  “Do you happen to have bandages, fabric, or something of sorts?”

  “Oh yes,” Tempus rummaged through his satchel and brought out a short fabric that he had as his makedo for a scarf if he got too cold, “maybe this will do?”

  ”Yes! Exactly what I need. I give you my thanks.”

  Noir took his fabric and started to wrap his eyes. Somehow feeling Tempus‘s questioning look even when he’s blindfolded, he gave a little chuckle.

  “You see, I can change my appearance at will, yet the pointy ears and my coloring stayed.”

  Noir took his discarded hood back from the ground and wore it, even though it's oversized.

  “And unfortunately, that would reveal that I’m a Tenebrian. Which would be disadvantageous, If I were to keep hiding.”

  Noir sighed and started to gather the woods and tied it up masterfully with the rope he apparently had in his little pouch. Tempus wondered how it fits there. He done it so fast like he did this so many times before.

  “Now lead the way to the town, bid your farewells if you need to. I’ll help you out on making a story for your departure,” stated Noir and that made Tempus blanched.

  “W-what? Why?”

  “My apologies Tempus. But as of now, my sister’s soldiers would stop at nothing to find you. It’s not safe for you nor the people around you.”

  Tempus saw Noir putting half of the logs onto his little pouch. Noir threw another half to Tempus, the ones that was tied in a way Tempus could bring it like a backpack.

  Again Tempus noted to himself to ask about what magic Noir used for the pouch later. For now he needed to know about something else.

  “And why would they be after me?”

  “You look too much like your mother, they would surely recognize you. But I’ll take a guess that Aeterna didn’t tell you about that yet.”

  “My mother?”

  Tempus was shocked to see that Noir knew his mother's other name.

  “Your pocketwatch over there.”

  Noir pointed at his satchel. Tempus tighten his grip on the satchel and turned his gaze towards the pointed direction.

  “Is the key to one of the Seven Legendary Relics.”