It's been a few hours since Ashly and Lucas arrived at Ethneal. Lucas has been very determined and began asking people, but no one knew this man and those who did just didn't know where he was.
After a few more minutes of searching Ashly got fed up. "We should take a small break Lucas, we have been walking for a long time." Ashly said with less tone in her voice than she wanted.
"We still have all the time in the world like you said. We just need to be more patient as I doubt we will find this man today." Ashly said patting Lucas's back. Lucas turns to Ashly and gives her a stare that doesn't want to stop.
"Listen Lucas, if things don't go right we can just wait until tomorrow. We can call it for the day after a few more minutes." Ashly said trying her best to reassure Lucas.
Lucas stops walking after a while, and turns to Ashly. Lucas then sighs. "You're right Ashly, I am rushing this. I think it's best to stop for today, we did search for much longer than I thought we would." Lucas says with a disappointed face.
Ashly and Lucas then sit down on a bench to take a break. Ashly looks at Lucas. "Why aren't you wearing a mask other than the fact that it's expensive?" Ashly asked.
Lucas looks at Ashly and gives her a slight smile. "Well it's because even with this disappointment of not finding the man. I'm still having fun watching all of this stuff happen. My younger self would of exploded into pieces if I even just spend an hour here."
"Your smile is very genuine, and I thought you were still going to be a bit more sad." Ashly said as she looked at his small smile.
"Oh don't get me wrong, like I said I am smiling because I'm feeling better. Just because I'm feeling better doesn't mean I'm still not feeling pain inside it's more of a distraction." Lucas says.
"Listen Ashly I won't force myself to smile like I tried when we first came here. I wanted this to all work out perfectly, but I have to understand that not everything can go according to my wishes." Lucas says as he looks ahead on the performances.
"If you're feeling annoyed because I told you to smile I would agree with you. I'm just hiding my sadness, and you aren't trying to pretend anymore." Lucas looks at Ashly. "Thanks for trying your best to change."
"Listen it's fine Lucas I can see what you're trying to do." Ashly says, "I don't fully understand everything, but I'm trying to."
Ashly and Lucas both rest on the bench for a while longer. "Ashly I was meaning to ask you this for a long time." Lucas says and Ashly gives him her attention, "Do you really think I'm a bit stupid? Or believe I am because you did call me stupid a lot."
"No not really Lucas, I never meant it when I called you stupid. Usually I say it out of anger or annoyance. That was my ugly self and now I realize I shouldn't have said it, and I never meant it." Ashly says.
Lucas then looks ahead. "That makes me feel better Ashly. I feel much better now, and I feel rested." Lucas says and then he thinks for a little while.
"Ashly I know what I said earlier, but I think I want to continue searching." Lucas said which made Ashly roll her eyes. "I know but I just can't help but want to continue, I feel like a moth trying to get to the light."
"Well you can go by yourself, I'm tired of searching already. I still feel bad so I just want to rest a bit more Lucas." Ashly says.
Lucas hands Ashly some money. "Listen go and rent some place for the two of us, while I continue searching for a bit longer. I want to continue, and I won't force you to come with me." Lucas says.
"Meet me right here in 30 minutes alright, that's how much longer I'll search. If I'm not back by then, then just go back and put a note to the location of where we are staying at." Lucas says.
"That's fine with me Lucas, I'll make sure to leave as soon as you're not back." Ashly says. "I do mean it, I will have a paper ready, and if you're not here even after ten seconds I'm out."
"Understood." Lucas says as he stands up to have one last search. As he passes a street he hears a familiar voice. He turns around to see Robert walking up to him.
"Say why are you walking aimlessly, are you a bit lost?" Robert says with a big smile that almost seems forced.
"Oh I'm not lost at all, I'm just searching for someone. It's personal reasons that I can't tell you Robert." Lucas says surprised to see Robert at all.
"Oh well you wouldn't mind my help wouldn't you?" Robert asked. "I did come here for the festival, but I can spare some time to help you. I hope this is my way of asking for your forgiveness for judging you hard the first time we meet."
"No it's alright, it's no hard feelings really, you were right about what you said. I wasn't prepared for the real world, and to be honest I'm a bit glad you told me that. If you didn't give me a warning then I wouldn't have been mentally prepared or partially prepared." Lucas says.
"Look if you do want to help me then we will do this search for 30 minutes alright?" Lucas says.
"Where is that girl you were with back when I saved you two?" Robert asked.
"Oh she is looking for a place for us to stay at, which is why I can only search for 30 more minutes." Lucas says.
"Oh in that case it's still fine, I'm very great at finding people. Just tell me how he looks like, and I'm sure I can find him in just an hour or less." Robert says.
"Yeah I have a photo of the man, here have a look." Lucas then shows Robert the photo of the man which seems clear to Robert.
"I now remember who that man was, I had a relative who bought land from him. The man's name is Philip, and gosh has he changed." Robert said.
They begin to walk. "Philip is a well off individual Lucas. That already narrows our search down to a small area." Robert says, "He has to be at the center with the rest of the rich people."
"That makes so much sense now, most of the shows first begin there. Due to that it's quite expensive to hold a seat there, i should of guessed that." Lucas says.
"I told you I can do it in an hour or less." Robert says with a smirk, "There is one tho problem we will face, and that's wealth. We aren't rich, but we can't do anything about it so we will have to bear what they will say to us." Robert says.
Robert and Lucas make it to the center of Ethneal. It's so much different than the rest of Ethneal, it's so beautiful. For a small place that only has rich people it's crowded.
The theater performances happen here, and the best of the best only perform here. Lucas remembers hearing about this area, and how most people feel jealous. This place is also where a bunch of important people go for the festival.
Lucas can smell the faint smell of strong alcohol, and classical music playing. As they are about to enter they are stopped by a guard. Without a second to think Robert takes out a card, and shows it to the guard. The man seems a bit surprised, and lets them enter with a smile.
Lucas is a bit curious to what the card was, but he is distracted by the scenery. Many people are dancing ,and there are many women who are laughing together while the men drink.
"Hey Lucss, you may not belive me, but I think the outside is better than here. The people outside are celebrating the festival, and having fun which is what this festival is supposed to be." Robert says.
Lucas then walks up to a few people. "Hey excuse me do you-" he is then interrupted by a man who tells him to leave them alone. "Rude." Lucas says under his breath as he leaves them be.
He is about to ask another person but. "Leave me alone you ugly boy, you don't seem like you belong here." One man said, "Your ear seems mutulated, just don't touch me." Lucas then leaves the man alone.
Lucas then spots a young man who seems approachable and goes towards him. "Hey sir do you know this man by any chance?" Lucas asks as he shows him the photo of Philip.
"Oh of course I do, he is a very kind and generous man." The man said which makes Lcuas smile. "Sadly he isn't here at the moment if you where here to speak with him. He left an hour ago back to his room which I don't know were it is, sorry." The man said.
"Thanks for your help." Lucas says as he walks to Robert a bit disappointed, "Philip is already gone, and we missed him."
"I'm not to surprised as Philip does love theatrical shows. Since they finished an hour ago he must have left soon after." Robert says.
"Well thanks for you help Robert, I'm leaving now. I'll return here tomorrow to meet him as early as I can." Lucas says.
"Well then I hope you get to speak with Philip, he's a nice man." Robert says. "Goodbye and good luck with finding him Lucas."
Lucas begins to leave the place, and he seems to notice Robert isn't leaving. "Hey! Why aren't you leaving as well?" Lucas asked.
"Oh don't mind me I'm just trying to have some fun here. I did bother entering here so I must stay a bit longer you know." Robert says and Lucas understands.
Lucas leaves the center, and feels a bit better. He finally has a place to find him. "This was definitely worth trying." Lucas says not wanting to think what would've
happend if he didn't insist on checking for a bit longer.