Chapter 114: Noel

The man not only had a black hood covering his face loosely, but his hair was also unkempt, making it hard for Aria to see him. However, in the split second that Aria was able to catch a glimpse of the man's looks, she was immediately reminded of a soul that existed back in her time. His striking golden eyes were rare, and she had always praised this man for the beautiful pair.

Noel was his name. Someone she could be considered as a guardian to.

Noel's hands laid limp beside his body for a few seconds, but then, he made a move that completely caught Aria by surprise. He stretched his arms, wanting to choke Aria. His feet moved forward to immobilize and entrap her, wanting to latch on and make her lose her footing.

Aria had great reflexes, and Noel wasn't in his top condition. She was able to evade the strike and step away from Noel's feet, but his hands had slightly grazed her face and caused a small scratch. Aria touched her face, feeling blood seep out of the wound. Noel stayed in his place, his posture still lacking energy as he scrunched forward.

"..Noel, is that really you?" Aria questioned, bracing herself and brandishing [Halvargg]. Indeed, she might have a been a bit distracted due to Noel's sudden appearance. She lowered her guard down for a split second, but now that she escaped that shallow memory and began to focus on the fact that she was still currently inside the Tower- a place where she was meant to battle enemies and seek rewards, she couldn't be lenient on anything.

She shook her head, wanting to erase the softened thoughts she was starting to form against Noel. The memories they had created together in the past caused her to feel somewhat relaxed, but judging from the situation, it seemed like the boy wanted nothing to do with those past affections. He was hostile, like a threatened little animal who bared his fangs although he was feeling devoid of energy.

To explain it in short words, Noel was one of her apprentice, one that was up in the favorability rankings for her. Like the rest of her apprentices, Noel was a child that she took in. He had a great talent, and came from a village that she once saved. In that incident, even though the rest of the villagers were scared, this one simple five years old child stood up against the frightening opponent with a determination to protect the rest.

This showcase was what caused her to be moved once she arrived there. Noel was already bruised and battered, and his entire body was covered in open wounds. Even so, Noel was undeterred and still stood in front of all the other people. She was attracted by his glow, especially his pair of unwavering eyes that contained a sharp gaze to him. After Aria saved the village, she asked him whether he would want to go with her, especially since her apprentices only numbered to two at the time. She thought that someone like Noel would be a great addition to the entourage with the morals he brought.

It turned out that he wasn't just morally gifted, however. He was indeed talented in fighting as well. His body was not at all the type to grow huge muscles, but he had excellent core strength that could allow him to bypass what his physique's outer look displayed. He was promising, and he did prove that he was up to her standards once she seriously started training him.

She faintly recalled the opponent she faced that time. It was a Bone Dragon, a monster that shouldn't have appeared in a small village of Noel's scale. Somehow, it had landed there and began terrorizing the entire place. It was a very scary situation for all of the villagers, who knew little to nothing but basic self protection. It was very dazzling to see such a hero like figure, although it was quite nonsensical to wish to contend with the gigantic dragon.

"Noel, do you not remember me?" Aria tried to pry into this man.

Was he not Noel? The man reacted when she called him for the first time, but what if it was just someone who looked identical to him? Or perhaps, if everything was just an illusion caused by an external monster that made her recall Noel specifically out of her thousands of memories?

Noel twitched, as if reacting to Aria's calls. Aria noticed this small reaction and thought that something might be binding Noel, causing him to not be able to think straight and reply to her with a sane mind. Aria gulped a mouthful of saliva as she carefully approached the young man, still filled with caution.

"Noel?" Aria called out once more, wanting to draw the attention of the man.

"Stop.. stop calling me," Noel finally spoke up. His teeth were chattering as he spoke, and his mouth opened and closed multiple times. His body tremored, and it finally peaked when he clutched his head and squatted down, as if he was enveloped in extremely deep pain that he couldn't escape from.

Just because Aria had called him.

"Noel, I think you are.."

"STOP CALLING ME!" Noel screamed on top of his lungs. His screams did not end there, it evolved into muffled groans and grunts of pain. His chains were practically digging deep into his skin as he tried to struggle, making Aria wince at the end result of all his actions. His wrists and ankles were starting to seep blood because of the painful friction.

However, Noel seemed to be experiencing a much deeper pain. As Aria hurriedly approached him and inspected his condition, Noel suddenly turned his head to look at her in the eyes. His hands stretched behind Aria's head and forced her to only be separated by a little margin not longer than three centimeters away from his own face.

His sparkling golden eyes enraptured her, but that was not the only reaction she had. She felt dizzy, as if the world was beginning to spin around. However, amidst this effect, she was able to confirm that the man's identity was truly Noel, her apprentice. She couldn't mistake him. He looked just like the child she had seen for years, only matured.

Just then, the Tower's room began to warp. From the dark, creepy torture chamber, light began t emanate from every inch of the surface area. It blinded Aria with all of the brightness as her eyes found it impossible to adjust to the sudden change.

Aria couldn't open her eyes until minutes had passed. This time, Aria woke up to a much more surprising situation. She was laying down on a bed, and a wet cloth was place on top of her head. The excess water dripped down her face, showing that the one who treated her was a complete amateur who didn't know to squeeze the water out first.

Aria was lightheaded, but she forced herself to get up and wanted to assess her conditions.

She shook her head left and right, regaining her perfect vision before surveying the entire room. It was a small, cozy space with no one inside except for herself. A bucket of water was placed on the table next to her along with a glass of water and some tablets.

Question marks instantly formed inside her head, making her agitated and wary over the situation. Where was Noel, the man she had reunited with due to the Tower?

Aria feel into deep thought as she recalled Noel. The fact that he was inside her Tower would not be a coincidence. At the betrayal scene, mostly every single one of her apprentice were not present. There was only one apprentice that came and helped bring her downfall. Noel was not this person.

'...Noel was in a torture chamber back then.' Aria was still awfully surprised by the act Noel had committed. He was usually very gentle according to her memory, and rarely became aggressive unless it was for a noble cause. What had caused the child she once knew to be trapped in that place?

Exactly what happened after she was betrayed and disappeared underground?

'First, Dianthe. Then, Rallaka. Leonis. My teacher, Zehell. And now.. Noel?' Aria muttered inside her head, trying to make sense of why all of this was slowly being introduced to her. Was this the System's way of telling her something?

(A/N: It was here that I noticed that Noel is the opposite of Leon but I swear they're not related AHAHAH)

Although she was considerably worried, she had something much more important to take care of.

Where was she now? Inside the Tower, or warped into a completely different realm? A deceptive, illusory world? Whatever it was, Aria was now deemed defenseless as [Halvargg] was not by her side.

She also tried emulating her System features, but none of it worked. Not even her status.

Aria scratched her head, confused at what was up.