《Elydes》 Map The Baquaire Archipelago Map If you were wondering about the archipelago geography and the seven major islands, I hope this answers your questions. Keep in mind that the distance between the islands is not on scale, and I pulled them closer together to make a clearer map. I might also make some minor changes as I continue writing the story, but this should remain a pretty accurate representation of the Baquaire Archipelago. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Have fun finding Whiteshore, Greenside, Sylspring, Higharbor, and focal places of the story like Virya''s estate and Yatei''s tree. Prologue Prologue Most seventeen-year-olds don¡¯t expect to be lying on a hospital bed, waiting to die, but Mat wasn¡¯t surprised. The rhythmic beeping of the machines monitoring his vitals was the only thing keeping him company. Entombed in a room smelling of lemon disinfectant, staring at the white ceiling as if it hid all the answers. Why was he born with a congenital heart disease? Why did he have to die without ever getting a chance to live? Just why? If the ceiling knew anything, it was keeping it for itself. Selfish bastard. He¡¯d been in and out of hospitals for most of his life. But this time was different. Mat knew he wasn¡¯t going to get any better. His only hope was in receiving a heart transplant, a feeble hope. He was going to die long before his name reached the top of the waiting list, and a compatible donor was found. Putting his hopes on a last-minute miracle would ruin what little time he had. It was better to accept the inevitable and enjoy what he could. Books were all the friends he needed. They narrated a thousand lives, adventures and mysteries. His mind could travel the whole world and beyond, to remote magical realms. Things he never got the chance to experience. He didn¡¯t fear death. Such was inevitable for everyone. Billions had died before him, many more would die after, unless someone nuked the planet and put an end to the cycle. Maybe a fifty-fifty chance at best. Luckily, it wasn¡¯t his problem. Mat would have the answer to the greatest mystery and know what came after. There might be nothingness, but there could be an afterlife. Either case, he would soon know. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Living seventeen years or seventy didn¡¯t make much difference in the grand scheme of things. The universe remained indifferent. He was a little speck of dust that lasted a little less than usual. Even the Earth wasn¡¯t going to notice. He didn¡¯t immediately realize he was crying until he felt the wetness of the pillow. ¡°Fuck!¡± Mat yelled, or at least tried to. There was no more strength left in him to raise his voice that much. His body had betrayed him one more time. Despite years of trying to rationalize and find peace with himself, a small part hoped for a cure, a miracle. A bit of luck for once in his goddamn life. Hope lurked at the corners of his thoughts, luring him in with reassurances and sweet, empty words. Promises that wouldn¡¯t be kept. The time for sweet lies was over, fate cared not if he didn¡¯t want to die. Mat felt like an idiot for getting mad at the unfairness of life. The world didn¡¯t even pretend to be fair. Still, the anger he thought he¡¯d let go long ago came back like a crashing wave. He never gave it voice, never complained aloud. His family was always watching him with worried gazes, waiting for him to break. He dreaded their sorrowful expressions and pity. They wanted to help, but there was nothing they could do, he couldn¡¯t be fixed. Their pain only served to feed his guilt. Not only was his life miserable, he was also making the life of anyone who loved him worse. Alone in his room, he gave voice to a long list of swears. Normally he would have worried about what someone might think if they heard him. Now, for the first time in his life, he didn¡¯t care. He was angry at the world, furious. He wouldn¡¯t even reach his twenties and the time he had lived, sucked. Why! A nurse came to check on him, but one glare accompanied by the continuous swearing was enough to make her retreat. He wanted to be alone. Out of breath from the brief exertion, he stared at the ceiling again. At least it didn¡¯t lie. All people had to die, and this was his time. There was no hidden meaning. The only answer was that there was no answer. That was it. Taking a deep breath, Mat cleared his mind and let the anger flow away. Soon his life would end, and that was fine. He would be free at last. With a weak, genuine smile appearing on his lips, he truly felt at peace. Not much later, he closed his eyes for the last time while his mother and sister squeezed his hands. He tried to smile. Not sure if it was for them or himself. They were saying something, probably crying, he couldn¡¯t hear them. Soon only a long beep remained in the room, announcing the end of his unremarkable life. Chapter 1 - A New Beginning Chapter 1 Sight, smell, touch and sound came back to him all at once. He couldn¡¯t tell up from down, all his senses were meshed together, adding to the confusion in his head. A bright light overshadowed everything else, and before he could make anything out, a wave of pain hit him in the chest. Breathing was painful. He tried to ask what was happening but only managed a shrill cry. Where was he? Was he hurt? He remembered dying. Did he end up in some kind of afterlife? The pain rapidly receded after a few breaths, allowing him to see through the tears. Sight didn¡¯t bring good news. Huge blurry humanoid figures loomed over him, and his thoughts ran wild. He must have ended up in some kind of hell. Realizing he was crying out loud he tried to regain his composure. It¡¯s all fine. Everything is going to be all right. Before he was successful in either stopping his tears or calming his racing heart, one of the giants reached out with slender arms. The mysterious figure was undeterred by his yells and picked him up, drawing him nearer to its mouth. Mat fought against his unresponsive body to move his arms and defend himself, but he wasn¡¯t fast enough. He caught a glimpse of the entity¡¯s ivory teeth, sealing his inevitable demise. Too terrified to do anything, he closed his eyes and prayed for a quick death. There was a wet sensation on his forehead. Was the figure trying to determine if he tasted good enough? ¡°I taste horrible, leave me alone!¡± Mat unsuccessfully tried to speak, only producing unintelligible sounds. After a few tense seconds of suspense, it seemed to have worked, no further attempts at eating him were made. Three different voices spoke in a strange language he never heard before. As long as they weren¡¯t trying to eat him, there was a chance. Maybe we can reach a deal. Slowly opening his eyes, now free of tears, Mat noticed that the figure holding him was still showing its teeth, and they looked suspiciously human. Something poked his face. Mat stared at his hands that finally decided to move. You cowards! Where were you just now? He didn¡¯t stop to ponder about the futility of arguing with his own limbs, but he did notice they appeared different from how he remembered them. Though his vision was blurry, he was sure his hands weren¡¯t that small and chubby. Suspicion started to tug at him. Stopping to think clearly for the first time, he replayed the recent events in his mind, reinterpreting them in a new light. A new possibility began to take shape. All the pieces fit together like a puzzle. Returning his attention to the figure carefully holding him, he confirmed the entity looked human, probably female judging by the long wavy hair, and she was¡­ smiling. Fuck! She wasn¡¯t a giant, he was the small one, really small, about as big as a baby. I¡¯m not Sherlock Holmes, but I think I got reincarnated. * * * A few hours and an embarrassing feeding session later, Mat was left alone to think in his crib. Even if a basket and a blanket would be a more fitting description. He didn¡¯t care, there was more than enough space for him, and the blanket was soft and comfy. The house¡ªfrom what his poor eyesight could tell¡ªbelonged a few centuries in the past. No signs of anything that could indicate an industrial revolution, all items looked handcrafted. As for the exact technological level, that was anyone¡¯s guess. It could have ranged from ancient history to the Renaissance. Even though he liked reading about ancient and medieval times, he was no historian. It¡¯s probably better if I focus on the problems at hand. Making flimsy conjectures from a few hours of evidence gathered through terrible eyesight didn¡¯t seem particularly worthwhile. Speaking of which, nobody mentioned how shit a baby¡¯s vision was. Everything was blurry, and even colors were an undefined mesh. Not to mention, in all the novels he had read, reincarnators were always calm and collected. It seems I was reincarnated! Now let¡¯s begin phase one of my five-step plan for world domination! What a load of bullshit. Getting reincarnated was a mess. You had no idea where you were, your senses sucked, and your limbs had the same grace as a frog suffering from epilepsy that had been run over by a car. His terrified reaction was completely normal, and he wasn¡¯t saying that to feel better about himself. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. He was stuck in a basket, surrounded by people he didn¡¯t know, who spoke a language he didn¡¯t understand. To top it all off he was completely and utterly alone. He missed his family. His home. Usually, when he felt lost and alone, he would seek refuge in a book, except here he didn¡¯t have anything. He would give an arm and a leg¡ªon second thought, let¡¯s start with a finger¡ªto have his copy of Lord of the Rings with its worn-out cover and tea stain. Or a bowl of ice cream, or ten. Mat wanted to cry, but he couldn¡¯t even do that since it would alert his new parents. Getting comforted by people he met a couple hours earlier was the last thing he needed. Calm down. Everything is going to be fine. You got a second chance at life, maybe this time you won¡¯t even have a debilitating defect that will cause your early death. Ignore that you¡¯ll never see anyone you ever knew before this day ever again. As they say ¡®out with the old let¡¯s go with the new¡¯ or something like that. Somehow, his perfect reasoning wasn¡¯t able to calm the rising panic in his chest. To his advantage, this wasn¡¯t his first panic attack. Slowing his breathing, Mat focused on a simple physical sensation at a time: the soft blanket against his skin, the sound of chirping birds outside. He tried to anchor himself to reality and not lose himself in a spiral of negative thoughts. All this would have been easier if he could recognize his body. Still, he kept at it. A delicious scent of cooked food was coming from another room¡ªfood he wouldn¡¯t be able to eat. Focus, stupid brain, that¡¯s not helping. With a few more hiccups he managed to stop his mind from spiraling and chose to meditate to further calm himself and pass the time. It was no mystical technique, just a simple focusing on slow breathing and trying to banish any stray thoughts. It was an exercise he had done a hundred times when panic or anxiety was about to overwhelm him. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exha¡ª Mat lost himself in his rhythmic breathing, taking comfort in the familiar action. *Ding* New skill learned! Meditation (lv1) - Consistent practice allows to reduce overwhelming emotions and enter a calm state of mind. A black text on a semi-transparent white window was standing in front of him. Mat stared at it blankly for a full minute. He would have continued for longer if the window didn¡¯t dismiss itself. Something that should have felt foreign, gave him a comforting sensation. He didn¡¯t know if it was because he spent many years of his life staring at a computer screen or the fact it was written in English. It was a little piece of home, a few small words with many implications. Worried it was all just some hallucination, Mat tried to resummon the window, yelling in his mind any keyword he could think of, since speaking was out of the question. System! Status! Menu! Skills! Stats¡­ Show me something, dammit! Why isn¡¯t it working? It couldn¡¯t be a hallucination, not for how long he had stared at it. What was he doing wrong? He tried every possibility he had ever read in stories. Wait! Maybe that was exactly the problem. He wasn¡¯t on 21st-century Earth anymore. Most of those terms were linked to the post-internet world. What would be the easiest and most intuitive way to see your status or your skills? Well¡­ that seems almost too obvious, but let¡¯s try. Body Stats Skills (1/7): It was so obvious. If you wanted to see your status, you only had to think about it. That required a purposeful focus on the idea of yourself and a desire to know, it didn¡¯t appear with any stray thought. After getting reincarnated, a game-like interface didn¡¯t feel that weird. Mat wasn¡¯t particularly surprised by his stats. His Strength and Dexterity were probably normal for a baby, same for Constitution and Perception. As for Mind and Spirit, they weren¡¯t unexpected either. Obviously they were related to his mental faculties, exactly how, he had yet to determine. He was residing in the body of a baby, undeveloped brain included. How he could think so clearly was a mystery. Maybe his reincarnation forced his brain to develop faster, or his soul had something to do with it¡ªsomething akin to a soul must exist since he reincarnated. If it¡¯s the second option, then when my brain develops, will I become smarter than before? Mat couldn¡¯t help but wonder with starry eyes. Who had never been guilty of wishing to be born smarter? Sooner or later, everyone came to terms with the fact they probably weren¡¯t some unappreciated genius and simply only one of many, maybe a bit above average. There were always people more intelligent and talented. Perhaps in this life he would wait until fifth grade to find someone smarter than him. A baby could hope. All he had were speculations and wishes. His status didn¡¯t tell him much, it didn¡¯t even explain what each stat meant. Some were obvious, but not all of them, which left him with more questions than before. Realizing he was getting sidetracked, he resummoned his status that chose to dismiss itself. Even if it didn¡¯t tell much, it did have some important info. His race ¡®Human¡¯ was in the same red color as his skill. That had to mean something, even if he had no idea what. More importantly, he could only have seven skills. Hopefully, he could increase that or at least switch his skills for new ones. Finally, and most exciting: the profession. He wasn¡¯t a hundred percent sure, but it sounded a lot like a D&D class. Surely it wasn¡¯t just there to indicate what he did for work or something. It had to be better than that or he would be more disappointed than a kid who got his presents stolen from under the Christmas tree. He was going to become a wizard and fly in the sky, and that was a fact. Mat prayed to any god willing to listen to not break his heart a second time, metaphorically speaking. Getting to know his new family and exploring a completely foreign world was starting to gain more appeal. A tinge of fear was still there, but with mysteries to uncover and things to learn, it was relegated to the back of his mind. He couldn¡¯t wait to get some answers. And to do that, he would have to learn the new language as soon as possible. He needed answers. It seems it¡¯s time to start my five-step plan to conquer this world! Muahahahahaha! Mat imagined his acute cries were deep villainous laughter. Chapter 2 - Jackpot Chapter 2 Mat observed Rellan¡ªhis father, even if it still felt weird to think of him that way¡ªsifting through a messy pile of papers and scrolls scattered on his desk. It was a familiar sight, Rellan was some kind of researcher. Mat wasn¡¯t sure exactly what he studied. From the sketches of dilapidated buildings and weird hieroglyphs covering the walls of his study, he hypothesized some ancient civilization. In the last six months, he spent many hours observing him meticulously go through dozens of books and ruined tomes, writing tiny annotations on journals and spare pieces of paper. Guided by an order only he understood. There had not been any fireballs or flashy displays of magical power yet, but there were many inexplicable events. His parents moved and carried things around the house with little to no effort, no matter how heavy the object was. Just now, when his father wrote, his hands moved unnaturally fast and graceful, while his handwriting remained perfect. He could even swear he saw the ink move on the paper by itself a few times. Rellan always wrote using the same pen, yet he never once witnessed him add ink in six months. The little silvery stick was a bit underwhelming from afar, but after he got a closer look, he spotted a series of small, strange, interlocking symbols carved on its sides. The delicate craftsmanship was superior to anything else he had seen in this world thus far. What worried him the most was not if magic existed, but that he hadn¡¯t been able to perceive anything mystical yet. In each novel he had read, the main character always discovered how to do magic in a couple hours to a day at the latest. Mat had not made any progress in half a year. Either he had no talent, or he was missing some key detail¡ªhe hoped for the latter. I didn¡¯t go through the trouble of getting reincarnated to end up as a background character that gets killed off-page. Mat sighed. Each time it was his father¡¯s turn to watch over him, he ended up looking at him work on his theories for hours. With recurring ¡®ohs¡¯ and ¡®ahs¡¯ among other exclamations whenever a piece of the puzzle only he could see fit together. He had been fascinated by his work at first, but since he could barely understand the new language, let alone read, it got boring fast. Mat had no idea what his father was searching for, but he admired his zeal and patience. Occasionally he cursed some Philip ¡®something-something¡¯ for cutting his funds, though he never raised his voice. He was 99% percent sure ¡®something¡¯ wasn¡¯t a nice adjective, but an insult of some kind. Mat liked listening to his calming voice. Rellan had a different accent from anyone else¡¯s. Even if there were many words he didn¡¯t know, he usually got what people meant. Boredom turned out to be an excellent motivator to learn the language. The only problem was that he couldn¡¯t make people talk about what he wanted to know. Being limited to the house or the lawn outside, there was only so much he could learn. He counted on his tiny hands the times his parents brought him along during their errands around the village. With unpaved dirt streets and wooden buildings with thatch roofs, it hadn¡¯t been an impressive sight, but the cheerful atmosphere and tropical climate held a charm. It reminded him of some tourist destinations he wished to visit in his previous life. Ignoring Rellan¡¯s ramblings in the background, Mat patiently waited for the weekly notification. It should b¡ª *Ding* Weekly Summary: Life Experience: 46 XP ¨C Skill Experience: 100 XP No profession detected¡­ all XP siphoned toward race enhancement. Body stats Skills (1/7): Not much had changed apart from his stats increasing a little as his body developed. There must be some approximation since his strength value remained the same while he had grown a little stronger. Learning from zero to move your limbs or flex your fingers was terribly frustrating. There was nothing worse than inhabiting a body that refused to follow your commands. He had improved a lot, but there was still a long way to go. Now my sight is only partially crap. Hurray! And my limbs graduated from wet noodles to well¡­ something slightly better, I haven¡¯t thought that far. Locked in his unresponsive body, Mat discovered a few things. The most important and frustrating was how hard it was to gain new skills. Despite all his knowledge, he was unable to learn another. He worried about only having seven, but that now seemed an unreachable goal. He needed to perform an action to learn a skill, the knowledge of it wasn¡¯t enough, otherwise, he would have learned a ton from his past experiences. Okay, maybe not a ton but at least some. Being constantly watched and only able to crawl didn¡¯t leave many chances to perform notable actions. Crawling clearly wasn¡¯t a skill. He tried drawing on the floor and walls of the house to test his theories, but with his mediocre dexterity and improvised charcoal from the fireplace, the results only astonished his parents¡ªand not for their beauty. Making an innocent expression and pointing to his sister, Keandra, worked. That was until they spotted his dark nails dirty with coal. An amateur mistake, but it had been hard to clean the evidence without being able to reach any water. I¡¯m sure I can draw better, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s worth it, at least not yet. On the plus side, his past life had to count for something. He got most of his levels in Meditation in the first month, then it slowed to a crawl¡ªno pun intended. It made sense that the higher the level the harder it got, he just didn¡¯t believe the difference could be this large. He must have reached the limit of his past experiences and now it was all uncharted territory. I should have paid more attention to those meditation tutorials on YouTube. As for his second discovery, after the weekly update, he messed around for a day with his interface. When he focused on the word Human it opened a new window. He didn¡¯t know what the enhancement did, but it couldn¡¯t be anything bad or too drastic. Anyone could reach it in less than five years with just the XP from Life Experience. His parents must have done it and they didn¡¯t look different from a normal human. It couldn¡¯t be anything drastic or harmful. This window also proved the red color must refer to some kind of tier system. With each new discovery, new questions were added to the list. What did the star indicate? Was it some kind of secondary grading system? Why was there no star beside his skill? What did the enhancement do? A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. The best way to find the answer to the last question was to reach 10,000 XP. He got 100 XP for each skill level and 30-50 XP for Life Experience every week depending on his actions during said week. The first time he started crawling he got almost 80 XP and around 60 XP when he first visited the village. Life Experience was a straightforward name, the details of how it worked were not. He could guess the life of a baby dependent on his parents wasn¡¯t ideal. Mat had a choice to make. Gradually piece together the rules and sneakily gain experience or ask the people who already had the answers. No point reinventing the wheel when he could get access to the information put together by an entire civilization. Seems it¡¯s time to start speaking. At six months old it was a bit early, but he had too many questions. He didn¡¯t delude himself into thinking he could pass for a normal baby forever; he was going to slip sooner or later. Might as well make clear he was a bit odd. If he said his first word today, maybe in a month he could ask some simple questions. He was already considered weird since he always called his parents before he did his ¡®physiological needs¡¯. Peeing and pooping himself was already humiliating and he couldn¡¯t stand to bear it a moment longer than necessary. His first word was nothing special to him, though it might be for his parents. Having them both present would be ideal. He wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about his new life and family. They had even given him a new name, Kai, but he never thought of himself like that. He was Mat, Kai was another person. Don¡¯t lose yourself in stupid thoughts, dumbass. He wasn¡¯t ready to let go of his name. He was an Earth teenager who got reincarnated. This new world could be exciting, and his family was nice enough, he just hadn¡¯t spoken to anyone in half a year, and he barely understood what was going on around him. There was a barrier between him and anybody else. Naturally, his decision to start speaking was for purely logical reasons. No emotions involved. * * * Waiting for the perfect moment, Mat ended up postponing it for another week. Fine! As soon as we get back home, I¡¯ll say mom or something. The whole family was walking through the village, along a path he had never been brought to before. From what he overheard, Rellan and Alana¡ªhis mother¡ªwere bringing his sister, Keandra, ¡®somewhere¡¯. He didn¡¯t know that word. Keandra was one year and a half older than him and they¡¯d celebrated her second birthday the day before. Mat scanned every inch of ground they passed, afraid to miss a single blade of grass. He was confident he missed none thus far. Keandra stubbornly insisted on walking by herself. They were descending a dirt path, and although the incline wasn¡¯t that steep, for the short legs of a two-year-old, each slope was like a mountain. Their speed wasn¡¯t exactly fast. He admired the emerald parrots flying among the swaying canopies of the palm trees, their feathers glimmering in the light. Their older sister, Eleni, stayed close to Keandra to make sure she didn¡¯t fall. She smiled encouragingly and offered her hand whenever there was a particularly hard step. How she possessed that patience at six years old he didn¡¯t know. Keandra didn¡¯t share a snippet of the trait, as she recklessly took one step after another down the incline. I hope she doesn¡¯t fall. Mat enjoyed the warm sun on his skin, it was around late summer¡ªor this world¡¯s equivalent. From what he could tell, the climate was tropical, with a wet summer season and a dry winter. There was a pleasant breeze, and without the suffocating humidity he was used to, it was enjoyable. It might as well have been a hundred years since he last enjoyed the smell and sound of nature. They reminded him of something he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on. This whole world had an uncanny resemblance to Earth. Not everything was the same if you looked closely, as there were often tiny details that showed this was not his home planet. The leaves of that shrubbery were bright purple, the trunk of that palm had a weird pattern, and no birds on Earth shimmered with a metallic color. Still, just the fact he was human¡ªor something so similar to be indistinguishable¡ªshould have been impossible. I mean, we had zero actual knowledge of other worlds or alternative realities, my opinion isn¡¯t worth much. Mat admired the white and lilac flowers growing on a vine. They had seven heart-shaped petals, those were a new sight too. Noticing they were stopping, Mat looked away from the vegetation to their destination. His mouth hung wide open. Now he understood where the familiarity was coming from. The smell of salt was unmistakable. A white beach extended in both directions, a little farther it gave way to an endless crystalline expanse. I think I know what that word meant. ¡°Sea!¡± Mat exclaimed, his gaze captured by a dozen shades of aquamarine that painted the view. Crashing waves continued to hit the shore, while his family exclaimed in surprise. I really hit the jackpot with my new location. ~ ~ ~ Cressida stepped on the deck of the Darya for the second time during the two-week-long journey. The first was when she boarded the ship. Her clothes were made for palaces and to walk the paved roads of the capital, not to stand on a deck like a common sailor. Already she could taste the salt on her lips and suppressed a grimace. The sea would quickly ruin the delicate lace of her dress. They were nearing their destination and she would not disgrace herself; she would stand with dignity and poise. A good first impression could save months of work, even if she didn¡¯t know if there was anyone who could appreciate her subtle efforts in this gods¡¯ forsaken archipelago. Cressida had no idea why the Merian Republic bothered to annex a territory with no natural resources or strategic value. No doubt it was the idea of some privileged buffoon trying to hide their incompetence with an easy win. They would not be the ones to worry about what came after, always leaving the hard parts to others. Taking a deep breath, she recomposed herself. She got to where she was through her own ability and hard work, this was just another obstacle in her path. The Darya creaked underneath her, reminding that the challenge might be greater than usual. It was a miracle the ship held together. Once, it had been the jewel of the Merian navy, had hosted important diplomats and participated in historic battles that made the Republic what it was today. That, however, was several centuries ago. This ship was already old when her great-grandmother was born. With a glance, she noticed the blue paint was peeling off in several parts. The maintenance was poorly done and with the cheap products on top, but that had at least been maintained somewhat. She didn¡¯t dare imagine how long it had been since the runic scripts of the array were last updated, but she had a feeling she was better off not knowing. Even her cabin temperature control failed multiple times, making the journey far more miserable. Still, she would have rather burned alive before going to her husband¡¯s room. Ervyn told her what an honor it was to sail on such a renowned ship. She wasn¡¯t a fool like him. The Darya was an insult, a tease as they crushed his political career together with all her future hopes. This ship was a relic left behind by the tides of time, and she would not let the same happen to her. Cressida had been absent for just three days to attend the one hundredth birthday of Serinna Vyke, a completely unremarkable woman. She wouldn¡¯t have bothered if it weren¡¯t for the fact her husband sat on the highest pier of the Azure Council. In those three days needed to travel to Serinna¡¯s summer estate and back, her husband managed to ruin years of planning and efforts on her part. She could not fathom how even a squirrel-brained individual like Ervyn could have accepted this assignment. He was going to be a governor, he said. That was more than a month ago, and every single detail of the moment was imprinted into her brain with devastating clarity. That proud smile of his as he told her he received a promotion. The suffocating feeling, as if someone punched her in the chest and stole her breath. Even before asking for clarifications, she¡¯d known it was bad news, but she could have never imagined the extent. Exiled to a place she hadn¡¯t even known existed. He was going to be the governor of a handful of useless rocks with no value. The classical glorified position, where they sent pampered scions no one could afford to fire or old geezers to retire. It was also the perfect place to kill the career of a political rival. She had not looked him in the face or spoken to him since that night, not a word. Divorce tantalized her, but eventually she resigned herself to the situation. With two children, it would be near impossible to find another palatable husband. Cressida wondered how she ended up marrying such a trusting fool, before remembering those were the exact reasons she was able to seduce him. ¡°Evryn,¡± she called, her voice calm and smooth, not betraying any of her emotions. As they got closer to their new home¡ªeven if the thought repulsed her¡ªavoiding him wouldn¡¯t be feasible. She had already idled in her misery long enough. It was time to assess the damage and make plans for the future. Not even a second later Ervyn appeared beside her. Despite his impressive stature, his current demeanor was anything but imposing. ¡°Issy, sweetheart, I told you how sorry I am. They told me it was a¡ª¡± She patiently waited for him to finish his useless apologies. Another time she would have been amused by the stark contrast between his hulking figure and the beaten puppy expression. She was considered tall, and yet he was more than a head and a half taller than her, with a physique to match, due to his military background. She supposed his naive brain wasn¡¯t the only reason she chose him, but that was a thought for another time. ¡°It¡¯s already been forgiven, honey.¡± She put on a serene smile. Swearing at his face and slapping him would have hit the spot, but that would solve nothing and hurt her hand more than him. It was her fault. She should have known better than to leave an imbecile alone in that den of vipers. No one was going to help her besides herself. She had to be practical. When their destination came into view, even her low expectations were disappointed. Higharbor was supposed to be the biggest city of the Baquaire Archipelago. It barely looked like a town. There was no airdock anywhere in sight and even the greedy merfolk didn¡¯t come here to trade. For the gods¡¯ piety, this was a goddamn archipelago, and the main traders of the sea didn¡¯t bother with it. Cressida had no idea how, but she would find a way to turn this setback into an opportunity. She always did. If there was no airdock she would build one. If those greedy bastards didn¡¯t include these rocks in their trade routes, she would personally jiggle her purse to make them come and find a way to sell them seawater if necessary. Chapter 3 - The First Step Chapter 3 Finally able to communicate with other people, time moved faster. There were always new things to learn and places to explore. In his previous life, Mat had been unable to travel for both health and financial reasons. Comfort was taken in having the whole world at his fingertips, to know and see what was happening on the other side of the planet in seconds. Now he had no way of knowing what was going on with the other side of the island he lived on, let alone the planet. It was a new reality he had to adapt to. It didn¡¯t take him long to confirm magic and spellcasters existed. They shaped the Essence of the World to their desires. Alana didn¡¯t exactly call it Mana, but there was no better translation for magic energy in his opinion. He asked how he could become a mage, but his mother smiled and told the first of a long series of ¡®I¡¯ll tell you when you¡¯re older.¡¯ Her smile reminded him of when he proclaimed he would become an astronaut in elementary school. Oh, sweet innocent times¡­ He was dying to learn more about magic, it was freaking magic! But showing so much interest in something he should not even understand would be suspicious. He could wait a little longer. Damn! I wanna know! I should have thrown a tantrum, Mat berated himself. Some people¡ªnamely his sister, Keandra¡ªsaid he cried in his sleep that night. She was lying. New discoveries caught his attention. His village was called Whiteshore, located on the northwest side of Yatol Island, the third largest of the seven major islands of the Baquaire Archipelago. He had wanted to ask about other nations and their relation to the archipelago, but that would be an unusual question to come out of a toddler. Mat cursed himself for being such a patient person. Why can¡¯t my stupid brain stop thinking of the consequences? Just why! Future problems should be for future-Mat to worry about. Despite his sound reasoning, he stuck to his initial plan. He didn¡¯t care if people thought he was a weirdo, he just had no idea how they would react if they found out he had the memories of his previous life. What would they think and say, would they throw him out of the house and burn him at the stake? That was one thing he didn¡¯t wish to know. To make sure he didn¡¯t betray himself, he decided to only ask questions about things he could point at, and subjects mentioned by someone else first. He was walking by the seaside with Alana, looking for seashells brought to shore by the waves, when he pointed to the sea. ¡°All the water you see is part of the Shallow Sea for miles and miles, further than you can imagine,¡± Alana explained with a shining smile as she looked at the sea with the same gaze she gave to his father, Rellan. ¡°What does shallow mean?¡± Mat innocently asked, staring at the waves sparkling in the low sun. ¡°It¡¯s the opposite of deep, it means there is little water. If you were to go under the water, it wouldn¡¯t take you long to reach the bottom. Do you understand, Kai?¡± Alana looked at Mat, who smiled and nodded. ¡°However, it isn¡¯t called ¡®shallow¡¯ only for that, the main reason is that there is very little mana in this region. You don¡¯t have to worry about it, it¡¯s not a bad thing. Thanks to the low mana, most humans aren¡¯t interested in these islands, let alone higher races. And only a few animals become scary awakened beasts. We are safe here, blessed by the guardian spirits of the archipelago.¡± Alana kissed him on the forehead. ¡°Now, my smart little boy, let¡¯s go home. You¡¯ll have time to become a researcher like your father when you grow up.¡± After such revelations, Mat heard none of this, he was completely lost in his world. That may explain why I can¡¯t perceive any mana, maybe I¡¯m not completely untalented. More importantly: ¡®higher races¡¯? What the actual fuck! By the time Mat was able to put order to his thoughts, they were already in front of their house and his mother was cooking dinner. I must be patient. I¡¯ll get my answers¡­ * * * Slowly learning about Elydes¡ªas this new world was called¡ªMat reached his second birthday. It was an important milestone in the Baquaire Archipelago. As they had done with Kaendra, it was tradition to bring every child to the sea for their first ¡®swim lesson¡¯, usually a glorified small dip. The aim was to learn the Swimming skill¡ªthe first and only skill for most kids¡ªand introduce him to the workings of the Guide, aka, the interface that showed his status. It usually took a couple weeks to a month to get the skill if the parents gave consistent lessons and the child was cooperative. Keandra always boasted about how she got Swimming in a week, but with his sister¡¯s stubborn and bold personality, that was only to be expected. Putting aside his overachieving sister, Mat prepared for the big day. He would finally be able to get some answers. Body stats Skills (2/7) The growth in his stats had been frustratingly slow. The most important change was his new Acting skill that popped out five months prior. Mat wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about that, it was like saying he was good at deceiving his family. Knowing children were not expected to interact with the Guide before two years of age, he wasn¡¯t too upset he only gained two skills. There were already many things to learn in his everyday life in the village. He also mastered the new language and was trying to teach himself to read. The first step had been to ask his father to read him something and ask a few questions, while not showing too much interest. There was a distinct lack of children¡¯s narrative in his collection, but Rellan was happy he showed curiosity in his work and was more than eager to read him a manuscript about some long-lost civilization. He loved those books, even if they were written with archaic words. They also had an abundance of illustrations¡ªmaybe because they were handwritten¡ªthat gave him an easy excuse to look at them later. He then patiently went over what his father read and pieced the puzzle together. While not the best method, he enjoyed it. He was a tiny Indiana Jones, sitting on the floor of his father¡¯s study and deciphering an ancient text to discover its hidden secrets. The unmistakable smell of old paper only added to the experience. He was sure his parents had a hint of what he was doing after he spent so much time with his nose in those thick tomes. They must believe he imagined himself reading like his father, never considering he would succeed. Walking down the familiar path to the sea with his family, this place felt like paradise. They were surrounded by palm trees and colorful flowers. One more detail made this day even more exciting. He was so close to his goal, which made the idea of getting a new skill more appealing. The weekly summary was in a few hours. If he got lucky, he might reach 10,000 XP by then. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Rellan and Alana entertained most of his innocent questions, but they were tight-lipped about the Guide. As for his sisters, Mat felt bad trying to corrupt Eleni to disobey their parents. While Keandra refused to answer, saying he was too little to understand¡ªcoming from a three-year-old it was truly something. Most likely she didn¡¯t know much either and didn¡¯t want to admit it. Reaching the beach of white sand that gave the name to their village, Mat enjoyed the warmth under his bare feet. It was early spring and not yet scalding, making it perfect together with the chill breeze coming from the sea. Most importantly the tide was fair. The six moons orbiting Elydes influenced the sea in complicated ways. Usually, the moons somewhat balanced each other out and the tide was ¡®fair.¡¯ When they aligned, they could create extremes of both high and low tide. Fishing was the main livelihood in the archipelago, which was why each village had a tideseer who studied the moons and predicted the tides. In Whiteshore that was his mother¡¯s duty. There was no magic involved, just tons of charts and mathematical formulas. Alana had shown them to him, but this time it was he who decided he was too young to understand. It was still early morning, the only people around were the fishermen, their small boats with white sails visible in the distance. The day must have been successful, a group of three were traveling in a tight formation. Kai knew it meant they were dragging along a fish too big for their boats. Looking at the darker waters on the horizon, Kai was filled with equal parts of unease and wonder. Alana had assured him no scary awakened fish came close to the shore, but after looking at the behemoths the fishermen dragged behind, he couldn¡¯t stop being slightly nervous. Thankfully, for more than a mile the water was clear and shallow, his little legs could barely scratch the bottom. If something decided to swim to shore, he would see it coming. His mother was the swimming teacher of the day, but before they could start there was one last step. Alana walked to the waves, with one hand toward the sea and one holding the pendant on her neck. The pendant depicted two concentric circles crossed by a line, a sacred symbol in the archipelago. The outer circle represented the sea, the inner one the islands of the Baquaire Archipelago, and the line the people who inhabited them. The islanders made offerings to their ancestors and to a number of spirits that were said to inhabit the archipelago. The entities venerated changed from village to village, except for two. The most important and powerful. Today he needed to ask the favor of one of them. Alana started to solemnly speak, ¡°I ask for the favor of Kahali, the venerable spirit of the sea and protector of our shores. Grant us your favor and accept my son into your waters. May he join his ancestors as a descendant of the sea.¡± She continued chanting her plea for Kahali¡¯s blessing, throwing Mat an encouraging glance. She told him what he had to do a hundred times and it wasn¡¯t anything complicated. He must kneel with his hand stretched forward a palm beyond the waves and wait for the water to touch him first. Only then would he be allowed to dive into the sea. Unless you were truly unlucky and chose a period of falling tide, it was inevitable for a bigger wave to come, but how long it took varied. If it happened in the first seven waves you were considered blessed by Kahali, but if you had to wait for more than seventy it was a bad omen. The spirit of the sea cared for all the sons and daughters of the islands, but he had his favorites. Mat found it odd to give importance to something that wasn¡¯t your merit. He didn¡¯t care, it was only luck¡ªor fate if you wanted to be fancy. Standing with his family watching him in anticipation, he admitted he might care a little bit. Just a tiny bit. Each wave passing came as an eternity, their slow rhythmic crashing the judge of his worth. One wave¡­ Two waves¡­ Three waves¡­ Four waves¡­ Oh, c¡¯mon! I know I¡¯m from another planet, but I promise I¡¯ll become a perfect believer if it takes less than the fourteen waves it took Keandra. He could already imagine the disappointment of his parents as the waves passed without bothering to go an inch farther. Suddenly, the cool water touched his fingers, it was the seventh wave. Without wasting time, Mat ran into the crystal waters, not waiting to hear his family¡¯s exclamations. The water was too cold for his taste, but his elation made him ignore the unpleasant sensation. Keandra is going to be so jealous. Turning back to his family, he accepted the praise with grace. His father wasn¡¯t native to the islands, but still looked at him proudly. Alana¡¯s smile was the brightest. It was nothing, my genius can¡¯t help but shine through. Some people are so exceptional they can¡¯t help it. Eleni was also smiling cheerfully, while Keandra stood frozen with her mouth closed in a thin line, her little fists clenched at her sides. He almost felt bad for her. Almost. The best he could do was not smirk at her, there would be time for that later. After basking in the moment, it was time to get started. The rite of passage would not be complete until his first swimming lesson concluded, and the temperature of the water was getting to him. It wasn¡¯t freezing, though not far from it. He had always hated cold showers. Rubbing his arms, he asked Alana to begin the lesson. Mat wasn¡¯t an Olympic swimmer, but he had learned the basics in his previous life. ¡°The first thing to remember is that your body floats in the sea, you need to remain calm and let the sea carry you if you are worried.¡± She was a great teacher, explaining each step and demonstrating it, remaining patient when he didn¡¯t get it immediately. Naturally, Mat was using his Acting skill to its full potential. Once he proved to his mother he mastered the art of not drowning, they passed to some simple movements. After half an hour, Mat was left free to practice under his parents¡¯ hawkish gazes. He was sure most children didn¡¯t have such long sessions, but Keandra insisted on continuing for hours on her first lesson, lasting until hunger won her out. Thanks to his abnormal sister, his parents didn¡¯t even argue when he said he wanted to continue. Keandra said she wanted to practice her skill and joined in, dragging a reluctant Eleni behind. She was too damn competitive, but it offered the perfect opportunity to act while Rellan and Alana were distracted. Relying on his past memories and experiences, he adjusted his form, taking a few strokes back and forth. It didn¡¯t take long to get the expected result. *Ding* New skill learned! Swimming (lv1) ¨C Increases your movement proficiency in the water. Mat tried to hide his glee, going underwater before yelling his triumph. That had been easier than expected, his past life experience wasn¡¯t useless after all. He wanted to continue practicing, until he saw Alana glance his way. If he started swimming expertly there was no way no one would notice. Keandra would throw a fit if she knew he destroyed her record. While funny, it would be problematic. I can never enjoy good things. He reminded himself she wasn¡¯t even four. Even technically older, he had to be the responsible big brother¡ªat least a little. Better make the best of the occasion. He hadn¡¯t been allowed near the sea until today, playing around in the water wasn¡¯t half bad. He didn¡¯t need to worry about what people would think if he acted goofy or talked to himself. In this case, being a child meant total freedom. *Ding* Weekly Summary: Life Experience: 98 XP ¨C Skill Experience: 200 XP 100 XP from Swimming, and I must have leveled Acting too¡­ No profession detected¡­ XP siphoned toward race enhancement. Red: 10,000/10,000 XP Congratulations, race enhancement available! Beginning enhancement from Human (Red¡ï) to Human (Red¡ï¡ï) ¡­ Wait! You mean like right no¡ª Mat¡¯s next thoughts were interrupted as a pulsing heat started to expand from his heart with each beat. A few seconds later, his whole body felt on fire, the cool water of the sea doing little to help. Wasn¡¯t the worst pain he ever felt. When he broke his arm in fifth grade it had hurt worse, but it hadn¡¯t affected every single part of his body. He couldn¡¯t avoid moving his arm to ease the pain, even floating perfectly still, the burning was ceaseless. Each beat of his heart caused a new wave of liquid fire to spread from his chest to the tip of his toes and fingers. Fuck¡ª! Mat screamed underwater. After what felt like an eternity, the pain started to recede. With each beat it was a little less intense, the coolness of the sea embracing him finally recognizable. He tried to move his fingers to see if it would cause any pain, it didn¡¯t. His eyes shot open to analyze the situation, he was still underwater. Mat pushed with his feet on the seafloor to reach the surface an instant later. Strangely, there wasn¡¯t a desperate need for oxygen like he expected. A few deep breaths later he felt fine, better than fine actually. His parents were smiling at him, mistaking his actions for a child¡¯s antics. It must have been way shorter than I thought. He was tempted to check his status to see the changes, but the burning pain had given way to a wave of bliss. As if he just received the best massage of his life after running a marathon, each part of his body was relaxed. Wanting to enjoy the sensation a little longer, he let his body float beneath the waves. The surface was close overhead, yet he could have been in a different place entirely. Rays of light filtered from above. The world was quiet, but not scarily silent. The muffled sounds of the waves and his sisters playing present in the background. He was at peace and didn¡¯t have to worry about anything or anyone. There was only him, but he wasn¡¯t alone, the sun and sea kept him company, while the waves gently rocked him back and forth. Mat closed his eyes. No thoughts or worries bothered his mind, he was even more relaxed than after a session of Meditation. He couldn¡¯t remember the last time he felt so at peace, if ever. Tiny motes of light appeared all around him. At first, there weren¡¯t many, then hundreds more, thousands, too many to count. The whole world burst alight, yet his eyes were closed. Myriads of tiny dazzling particles revolved around him in apparent chaos. He could feel there was some underlying pattern. He could almost see th¡ª A brush movement woke him up from his reverie. He was out of the water, gasping for air. He hadn¡¯t felt the need to breathe a moment ago, now he couldn¡¯t get enough no matter how many breaths he took. Alana had pulled him out of the water and was still holding him firmly. ¡°Are you okay, Kai? You were underwater for more than a minute. What were you thinking, I thought you¡¯d drown.¡± Rellan stood beside Alana looking at him with equal parts panic and relief. Today his perception of time was really shit. There was no need for air before. He didn¡¯t dare think what would have happened had he been alone. That put an abrupt end to the day. As they walked back home, he took a moment to try and understand what happened. Mat¡¯s eyes fell on a flashing light in the right corner of his vision, showing a notification he hadn¡¯t acknowledged. The Guide¡¯s messages came and went as they pleased¡ªwhich frustrated him in no small part. However, he had to consciously glance at them at least once. If he got one while he was sleeping or focused on something else, he would get that annoying pinging light. Wondering if he got more levels in swimming, Mat willed the notification to appear. *Ding* New skill learned! Mana Sense (lv1) ¨C Remove the veil and see what lies beyond. Now, that explains a few things¡­ There¡¯s still a chance to learn forbidden magic and give a try to world domination. Chapter 4 - New Horizons Chapter 4 The walk home was uncomfortably silent. His parents were convinced he almost drowned¡ªwhich he had, just not for the reasons they thought¡ªand were beating themselves up for it. His sisters didn¡¯t know how to respond to the weird atmosphere. After a few unintelligible mutters among themselves, they ran ahead. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, I was too impatient for you to get the Swimming skill. I was a fool, why did I leave you alone? What was I thinking?¡± his mother said. She repeated that same sentence a dozen times, carrying him in her arms, despite his protests. Mat didn¡¯t know what to say, the truth carried too many secrets and his castle of lies would come tumbling down. But he couldn¡¯t stay silent either. He couldn¡¯t let them think they were bad parents. After they got home, he decided a compromise was the best option. ¡°Mom, I have to tell you something.¡± His voice little more than a whisper. Alana¡¯s keen ears perfectly heard him. ¡°Yes, sweetie?¡± Now came the part where he asked his mother what the Mana Sense was in vague terms, putting forward his best naive face. This is surely going to get me more levels in Acting. Dammit! After a lot of back and forth caused by his confused explanation coupled with her disbelief, Mat repeated the whole speech to his father. His mother kept throwing expectant looks at Rellan, as if waiting for him to come up with a reasonable explanation for their child¡¯s crazy story. His father remained silent, trying to maintain an impassive expression, something he wasn¡¯t very good at. Judging by how many times his brows moved up and down, he was equally astounded. It¡¯s just a feeling, but this might not have been the wisest idea¡­ Mat tried to dry his sweaty palms against his clothes and squeezed his Acting skill for all it was worth. This was supposed to be the smallest of his secrets, he truly learned Mana Sense by chance. He expected his parents to be surprised, not this shocked. To put any doubt aside, Rellan proposed a simple test. Mat was annoyed they thought he was lying, but¡ªon second thought¡ªhe realized he was doing exactly that, just not about Mana Sense. Rellan got down on one knee to be at his height and put his empty palms in front of him. ¡°Kai, I need you to focus and use the skill you got, tell me if you see something.¡± A spike of panic shot through Mat. After he got the skill, he hadn¡¯t noticed anything different. He hesitated, unsure of what to do, Meditation and Acting worked passively, helping him improve. How did he use a skill actively? What if he wasn¡¯t able to? Calm down, it must not be that hard if they¡¯re asking their two-year-old son to do it. You¡¯re overthinking this. Taking a deep breath, Mat focused on the air over his father¡¯s palms with a solemn expression. He tried to recall the feeling when he learned the skill. As if pressing a button, something clicked in his brain and the world turned alight. Countless bright particles were swirling around him. He could see them outside of his field of view, which was disorienting. The lights moved in his vision, but he wasn¡¯t seeing with his eyes. The skill was called Mana Sense, not Mana Sight. Before he got overwhelmed, he closed his eyes. That was more manageable. He took a few moments to admire the spectacle, then turned his attention to the task at hand. In front of him, two shapes of flowing lights overshadowed everything else: his parents. Focusing where Rellan¡¯s hands should be, he almost burst out laughing. A wonky, smiling face glowed above his father¡¯s right hand. It was such a weird sight that took him completely off guard. It was so out of place, reminding him of an emoticon back on Earth. Well, I suppose that works. ¡°Your right hand, Dad.¡± Mat giggled, pointing. The three-sixty sense was starting to give him a headache. He deactivated the skill and opened his eyes. A series of surprised expressions flashed on his parents¡¯ faces before they appeared to accept the undeniable truth. ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± Mat asked, uncertain. He was sure he was going to get at least a couple levels in Acting after this. ¡°Absolutely not, sweetie. It¡¯s just¡­ very unusual. People don¡¯t usually get that skill without help, let alone without any guidance at all.¡± Was it that extraordinary? He got the skill by chance. ¡°Is it because there is little mana where we live?¡± Rellan assumed his familiar teaching voice. ¡°Not exactly, a higher mana density would certainly help, but only if it¡¯s very high. The most important thing is the difference from what you¡¯re used to. ¡°The Essence of the World is everywhere around us, but our senses are so used to it we don¡¯t notice. It¡¯s only when we move to a place with a different density that we realize something is different. If you were in an area with scarce mana like this island and moved to a place with ten times the concentration, you would certainly notice something amiss. It would also work if you moved to a place with less mana, but with more it¡¯s usually easier.¡± Alana threw her husband a look, but he was too lost in his thoughts to notice. Mat took a second to realize no sane person would expect a two-year-old son to understand that explanation. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. His father was usually more knowledgeable, but his mother was way better at explaining. ¡°Maybe some rich mana current touched the shores while Kai was swimming,¡± Rellan hypothesized to his wife. ¡°It¡¯s rare, but not impossible that a higher concentration of mana was brought by the sea currents. It¡¯s only weird I didn¡¯t notice, it must have been very small.¡± Before his father could rethink his theory, Mat changed the topic. ¡°Dad, are you a wizard? Can you throw fireballs out of your hands? Smiling fireballs?¡± Mat mimed what he believed a powerful wizard would do with exaggerated gestures throwing his arms around. Rellan smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Kai. I learned the basics when I was young, but in the end, I chose to follow a different career.¡± A hint of bitterness in his tone. Occupying the silence, Alana added her thoughts. ¡°Even if Kai encountered a temporary higher mana area, it¡¯s still impressive he got the skill. He must have some affinity with mana. Do you think we should find him a teacher, dear?¡± It was weird how adults sometimes talked as if you weren¡¯t there. He distinctly remembered his previous parents on Earth arguing about his medical situation right in front of him, or even doctors giving bad news after bad news as if he wasn¡¯t within earshot. He might only have been seven or eight, but he understood enough. People acted as if children were dumb as rocks and would instantly forget anything they shouldn¡¯t remember. This time he was all too happy they moved on from the strangeness of his situation to care. Mat listened in silence. He was two years old after all. It would be weird if they treated him any different. I suppose it¡¯s part of being a child. Adults decide for you without asking your opinion, thinking they know better. Alana and Rellan were discussing whether to give him any opportunity they could get or let him be a child. He would have liked them to ask his opinion, but it was true he didn¡¯t know enough about this world to make an informed decision. Dammit! I guess I¡¯ll have to trust their judgment. There were no proper experts on mana in Whiteshore, at most they knew as much as his father. If they wanted a proper teacher, they would need to go to a bigger town, maybe another island, which made the decision more difficult. Better wait for a couple years before considering sending him to a tutor. There was no point hiring an expensive expert when there were many fundamentals he still had to learn. Rellan would teach him what he knew for now, and then they would revisit what to do. Mat was fine with the decision. He wasn¡¯t in a hurry anyway. His carefree life at home was too good to abandon. He was happy he had been able to use his baby charm to convince Alana to continue the swimming lessons under strict supervision the next day. What was the point of living on an island if you couldn¡¯t enjoy the sea? Now that things had settled down, Mat remembered he had yet to check his status. Body stats Skills (4/7): The new skill was written in orange instead of red, a definite proof of it being some kind of ranking system. The race enhancement was extremely underwhelming. He awaited it for so long and it only gave him 3 extra points, nothing else. He had worked for two years for that! Half of his stats hadn¡¯t even changed. Kai started brooding when a thought hit him. Wait a second¡­ Rellan said the most important factor to unlock Mana Sense was the difference in the mana density from what you¡¯re used to. What if he was the one to change? Suddenly improving his Perception might have made something he ignored become noticeable. It was a flimsy hypothesis at best. He wasn¡¯t even sure Perception included mana sensing. Maybe he truly got lucky, though it was hard to think it was a coincidence that happened after he enhanced his race. Once exhausting all his brain power with speculation, one thing became clear, he was tired of piecing breadcrumbs together. It was time to grill his parents for some answers. * * * Mat imagined himself marching to his parents demanding answers, it didn¡¯t exactly go like that¡ªin truth, it didn¡¯t go like that at all. He had to put together bits and pieces from a dozen conversations during the next few weeks to get a decent idea of how the Guide worked. The most important discovery was that to fully unlock the Guide there were two milestones or seals. They were the reason why the Guide completely ignored him for now. The first was at seven years of age, when he would be able to modify the Guide to his preferences. He would unlock the customization option. While the second at fourteen would unlock the ability to get a profession. Until then, the Guide was stuck in child mode and there was no secret password to get access to the complete version. ¡°It¡¯s for your own good. You can learn how to best use the Guide without getting overwhelmed and committing mistakes,¡± Alana told him. Mat wasn¡¯t convinced. Okay, maybe letting a child choose a class whenever they wanted wasn¡¯t the best idea, but why block the customization option? The idea of having to wait for years was so frustrating. He learned how the color tier system worked. Honestly, he should have guessed it himself when the second color turned out to be orange. It followed the colors of the rainbow or of the visible light spectrum: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. At least in theory. Neither of his parents had ever heard of anyone with a skill above Green, and even that was only through hearsay. Races followed the same colors, not only for the sapient ones, but also for each bird in the sky and fish in the sea who managed to awaken and unlock their own version of the Guide. Each tier was additionally subdivided into a three-star system, from Red ¡ï¡ï¡ï he would then reach Orange ¡ï and so on. Not all races started at the same level either. Even humans could be born higher than Red ¡ï, but with the low mana of the Baquaire Archipelago, it never happened here. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sweetie, the Guide always offers a path for growth, you must work hard to gain Experience Points and you can reach and surpass anyone. Even better, you can improve in the peacefulness of our island.¡± Mat was skeptical. Starting from the lowest point possible, no matter how you put that: it was a disadvantage. The question was how big. As for the benefits of a higher grade, his parents proved evasive. After pestering them for more, Rellan told him the red-tier would give a handful of extra stats. ¡°Those who are born Red ¡ï¡ï¡ï will get higher stats as they grow. When you earn it for yourself, you¡¯ll get the same benefits all at once. It doesn¡¯t matter until Orange anyway. And all the best people I¡¯ve ever met earned it themselves.¡± His father was trying to be reassuring, but that wasn¡¯t Mat¡¯s takeaway. It was nice knowing that getting Red ¡ï¡ï was going to grant him benefits until he reached adulthood. However, if even his parents admitted that Orange was important, it must be a big change. His father¡¯s words also implied some people were born at Orange directly. Alana truly didn¡¯t seem to care about it, though Rellan sometimes let a sliver of bitterness escape. Mat knew he was from the Merian Republic on the mainland, but he rarely talked about his life there. On the continent of Talthen, not everyone started at Red ¡ï. He had come to the Baquaire Archipelago for research purposes and decided to stay after he fell in love with his mother. Who knew what life was like on the continent? It sounded like an exciting place. He couldn¡¯t help but daydream about exotic places and adventures. He wanted to explore all of it. Chapter 5 - The Vastaire Ruins Chapter 5 As time flew by, the shackles of infancy fell away, granting Mat freedom and enough distractions to fill his every waking hour twice over. No one expected anything from him, he was only a child. Having to worry about having fun all day may get boring eventually, a point he was far from reaching. His long list of unanswered questions wasn¡¯t forgotten, there was simply no one to protest if he took his time. In his previous life, his childhood had been cut short when he got diagnosed with a heart condition that put his life on a timer. He couldn¡¯t remember when he started floating along, like a passenger to his own life. It happened long before he died, that much he was certain. Then he got a second chance. Mat¡ªmore precisely Kai¡ªwas born. And without realizing it, he fell into his old habits. It was time to fully take advantage of his second chance at life and stop looking from afar. Waking up to the smell of the sea, enjoying the sun and waves, running around Yatol with a group of children that shared his passion for exploration. The last part hadn¡¯t been planned. He was minding his own business when the other children joined one by one. At first, he thought it would be annoying to have a bunch of brats in tow. He tried to ignore them, hoping they would get bored and go away. That worked most of the time, except some pests were more persistent than others. Ana was the beginning of the fall. A little girl with an apple-shaped face, big green eyes and cascading dark brown hair like most people in the archipelago. She was adorable and naive, like only someone who solely knows the sweetest side of life could be. If she demanded his attention or made fun of him like other kids, she would have been easy to ignore. Instead, she asked if he would play with her with those big eyes of hers, and his fate was sealed. His mind could not conceive saying no to her. It was all downhill from there. Before he realized, he had a small following. Who could say no to those round chubby faces? He didn¡¯t have the heart to deny them such a perfect role model. After he took advantage of his innocent child card against his parents, it was truly karma to be defeated by the same blade. Babysitting a clutch of little ducklings had not been in his plans, but their cheerfulness almost made up for the headaches they caused him. Kai never got tired of their looks of pure wonder when they discovered something new. He liked his family, they just didn¡¯t know the whole him. There was no one to freely talk to. With his little band of misfits, he could do or say anything, and no one would question it. Besides laughing at his antics. Thus, he resigned to his new role. He never thought he would feel so carefree and happy in his life. Kai made sure the entrance to their secret meeting place was clear. A wall of lush bushes hid a small clearing from the main path, forming a C-shape against a camp of critterbane. The insidious plants made sure no one approached from that side. Kai didn¡¯t know its scientific name¡ªif it had any¡ªbut the thorny bramble with urticant properties was grown around important plantations by farmers to keep critters at bay. It wasn¡¯t dangerous to humans, if you considered a week-long burning itch not dangerous that is. One way or another they had all suffered it. When you told a child to stay away from something, somehow it never worked. Making sure no one was looking his way, Kai walked to their super-secret entrance. He pushed aside a few strategically positioned branches and squeezed through a small opening in the tall shrubbery. The clearing was no more than five meters across and not much longer. There were better places, but nothing could beat the feeling of accessing a secret corner of the world that was only theirs. Two of the four members of his fearsome band were already present, sitting on some logs which had been brought here at no small cost. Ana, being one year older than him, was the second youngest of the bunch. She was showing her collection of seashells and conchs to Lou, who silently listened to her ramblings and rearranged them by color and shape. Lou had a hard time interacting with other people, and Kai could relate to his awkwardness, having always been the odd one out in his previous life. Unfortunately, no one could be as mean as innocent kids. Even if they may not realize they were acting like jerks, a child¡¯s words stung the same. Quiet and calm, he was the easiest kid to have around. Kai was forever thankful for him. With him, there was no need to talk and no awkward silences. He joined his companions in admiring the new additions to Ana¡¯s collection. If they were back on Earth, these shells would have belonged in a museum or an art installation. They had a thousand shades of reds, blues, yellows and purples, and an even more diverse range of forms. Every time Kai thought he had seen them all, a new seashell was pushed to shore by the waves or revealed by the tide. The fact half of them were as big as his head had become so ordinary, he hardly noticed anymore. He focused on admiring the spiraling shapes and patterns. Poorly suppressed laughter announced the arrival of the last two members of the group. The twins, Uli and Oli, emerged from the bush, chuckling. Their curiosity and mischievousness were only matched by their inexhaustible energy. They were seemingly unable to stay still for more than five seconds. For all the time he had known Lou and Ana, they hadn¡¯t exasperated him a tenth of what the twins did in a day. No matter how many times he wanted to strangle them, he couldn¡¯t stay angry at them. ¡°What are we waiting for? Can we go now?¡± Uli said, or at least Kai thought it was Uli. They wore different braided bracelets, but they switched them so often Kai had long given up trying to tell who was who. ¡°Kai, you promised to show us the ruins!¡± Oli continued. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. He indeed made the unforgivable mistake of mentioning that his father had shown him some of the ruins left by the Vastaire civilization. The group pestered him for weeks till he promised to take them there. The Vastaire were the original inhabitants of the Baquaire Archipelago. Rellan hadn¡¯t told him much apart from what little was known about them. They disappeared around 8000 years ago, leaving behind several scattered ruins around the islands. It wasn¡¯t even known if they were a distinct sapient race or a subgroup of another known race. The human migration to these islands ¡®only¡¯ happened around 800 years ago. Apparently, any stretch of time shorter than a millennium wasn¡¯t considered much. The current inhabitants of the archipelago were probably on the losing side in one of the wars on the continent of Talthen, seeking to build a peaceful life on a land most considered worthless. That was until 51 years prior, the Merian Republic decided to magnanimously annex the archipelago. When the Republic arrived with an army there had not been much of a discussion. For better or worse, the thin mana of the archipelago only produced natural resources of little value. The presence of the Republic only consisted of the governor in Higharbor and not much changed since. To stop the twins from pestering him, Kai decided to get going. It wasn¡¯t a coincidence he chose today. His mother told him there was going to be a particularly long low tide. The shallow water around the shore retreated for miles creating a vast stretch of white beach. It was ideal for traveling along the coast. This way they could avoid a three-hour-long trek on a dirty path and cut the journey to two hours. Kai remembered the first time he walked up to the sea and found a completely different landscape. The crystalline waters were pulled back to reveal a white expanse filled with wonders. Crabs and other crustaceans skittered here and there, hiding in seaweed fields and hunting for stranded fish. They were in turn all hunted by seabirds who came to take part in the feast. Countless seashells of all shapes and sizes laid around like spots of colors on a white canvas. You could easily pick them up, but some of them ran away when you got too close, reminding you they were the homes of tiny inhabitants. His eyes raced between all the wonders demanding his attention. And they had not yet gotten to his favorite part. The seabed was mostly flat, with deeper areas here and there. During a low tide, they transformed into small biomes full of life. They housed all sorts of sea creatures that thought swimming back and forth was too much of a hassle. It was like treasure hunting in an aquarium. He never knew what kind of fish or mollusk he would find next. Low tides weren¡¯t rare, but only once every few weeks did it happen to this extent. Kai still rememb¡ª ¡°How much longer?¡± Oli asked no more than five minutes since they started walking. Kai had been clear on the length of the journey. ¡°Look at that.¡± He dodged the question and assumed an expression of awe, pointing to a bright ruby crab peacefully skittering a few meters from them. ¡°Where!¡± The twins¡¯ heads turned in unison, scanning the sand for their prey. Hopefully, they would start a hunt for the most funny-looking crab or something. Anything to have them off his back. Sorry, little crab, it¡¯s you or me. Noticing the two devils reaching for it, the poor creature showed it wasn¡¯t completely powerless and dashed to the nearest pond, leaving the twins in the dust. ¡°Are we there yet?¡± Uli asked three minutes later. Kai silently cursed his fate. This was going to be a long journey. * * * Two hours and much, much patience later, they reached their destination. A small cluster of ivory towers rose by the shore. Each building was a single piece of stone with no seams¡ªa typical feature of magical construction according to his father¡ªand small pentagonal holes dotting their walls. They were once doors and windows, now left empty. Their height and width varied a lot. Rellan told him they were all connected underground. It was uncertain if they had always been like that or sank into the ground with time. The highest tower stood against the sky like a small skyscraper. He was used to buildings twice that size, but his companions were another story. Their little jaws dropped in awe, the biggest building they had ever seen was the two-story house of the elder of Whiteshore. The ivory towers stood like the bones of a colossal beast stripped of all flesh and color, leaving only an empty husk. It was a melancholic view; they must have looked even more impressive in their prime. Kai felt some sort of sadness for what had been lost, and also admiration. After millennia they were still standing smooth and unblemished. It was hard to imagine all the history they had seen. Time had left its mark. The empty pentagonal holes of the doors and windows were the most obvious sign, though not the only one. Upon closer inspection, there were regular gaps and dents where components of less durable materials had once been affixed. On the inside, it only became more obvious. Only the ivory stone remained as pristine as the day when it had been created. The elements weren¡¯t the only thing responsible for their current state. There were traces indicating plundering that took place long ago, before his mother¡¯s ancestors ever reached these shores. The only valuable things remaining were the writings etched on the walls his father studied. The twins had already raced ahead to explore the ruins, hopefully they would be able to not kill themselves trying to climb the towers. Thinking again, Kai ran after them. ¡°Uli, Oli, slow down!¡± The two scoundrels acted as if they couldn¡¯t hear him. Seeing it was a lost cause, Kai turned to Lou and Ana, who were dutifully following him and looking around with wide eyes. At least they listened half the time. He was starting to explain what he knew about the place when a group of unknown voices picked up in the distance. A loud boom rocked the ground. The twins ran back to him even faster than before. ¡°What was that! You said no one was here.¡± Ana grabbed his arm for comfort, looking around as if expecting some unseen beast to pounce on them. Even Lou took a step closer. After making sure everyone was fine, Kai shifted closer to find out what was going on. Walking beyond the first row of towers, a shocking sight greeted him. Half a dozen buildings that had stood for eight millennia were laying on the ground in pieces, people busing over them moving chunks of rock. ¡°Stop right there! This area is off limits, go play somewhere else.¡± Kai was so shocked, he hadn¡¯t realized a middle-aged man in black attire had walked in front of him, barring the way. He cast a sneer at them and his chin was held up as if he couldn¡¯t bear to look their way. He gestured for them to scram as if swatting a bug. To say Kai was annoyed beyond measure was an understatement. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± The man looked at him with annoyance like observing a particularly persistent fly. ¡°We¡¯re obviously clearing these buildings. How no one on this island thought to use this perfectly good stone for something useful is beyond me. I suppose you can¡¯t expect much from¡­¡± He looked directly at them that time, as if that explained everything. ¡°We can both free this beach and get raw materials at the same time. Soon we¡¯ll put this stone to good use.¡± He gestured around as if he could already see it. ¡°The new villas will be the pride of this island, hopefully they will also attract some respectable citizens. The Seven know you need it.¡± Kai¡¯s mind had gone blank. ¡°Are you destroying a piece of history to build some dumb villas?¡± His voice came out shriller than he intended. He didn¡¯t even see the blow coming, a moment later he was on the ground holding his face, not sure if anything was broken. His friends were stunned in place. The man was already returning to his crew, but they could hear him mutter, ¡°The gall of these savages. They can¡¯t even teach their brood to respect their betters. The Republic brought them civilization and they don¡¯t even thank us.¡± Kai laid still on the ground. Ana started crying while Lou said something to him. Kai didn¡¯t notice, he remained frozen in place, his heart pounding in his chest. A myriad of thoughts and emotions fought for his attention. He was angry, confused and humiliated. The anger won, his rage numbing even the pain. Furious at that idiotic moron and at himself for being a powerless child. He felt the urge to do something, to act, scream and break something, possibly that asshole. It took a moment for reality to reaffirm itself. A harsh but undeniable realization ¨C there was nothing he could do. Becoming aware that Ana was crying and the twins panicking, Kai pulled himself together. They were his duty. He needed to make sure he led them back home safely. His face hurt and swelled more with each second passing, but he ignored it. ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry. Let¡¯s go back home.¡± Drews AMA Here it is, my first AMA. Thank you for all the questions. I put all the general, random and funny questions at the beginning and the ¡®spoilery¡¯ ones in the second part. I ordered them so the further you read, the more spoilery the question. It¡¯s mostly details about general world-building that have not been revealed yet and little about the plot. But if you prefer to read the story completely blind, be warned. PART 1 - The Random and The Funny Unfortunately, I have no furry friends in my life right now. But I have a rabbit living in the garden of my condo XD. It¡¯s been a while. You are welcome to try if you can find me :p. I¡¯m 62 kg (137 pounds for my American friends) so it''s pretty easy. Thanks for the question! Let¡¯s just say publishing Elydes has been a bit of a trial by fire. I didn¡¯t really know what I was doing and had to learn a lot of things on the go. Most of all how to deal with trolls online. But I¡¯m getting better at it. Creating interesting worlds and stories has always been one of my passions. The part where I have to put what¡¯s in my head on the page not so much, but I enjoy working to improve my writing (most of the time). Well¡­ the short answer is no. But let¡¯s give a little background. I think some people might already know, but English is not my first language. It takes me quite a while to write and do 2-3 edits, by the end my mind is completely fried. (If you notice strange expressions and a mix of UK and US spelling that is the reason XD). Following RR, Patreon, Discord and dealing with the publishers also more hours each day. I¡¯ve been nearing burnout a few times. I¡¯d love to put out more chapters, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a promise I would be able to keep. With that said, Elydes is my first novel. I¡¯m slowly improving and building a better routine, losing less time obsessing after the numbers. As some of you must have noticed between the Yellow and Blue Patreon tiers, Green is missing. It is going to take a while, but I plan to add a Green tier with more advanced chapters. After that, I¡¯ll continue to increase the number of chapters in both Yellow and Green. This is going to take a while. So you¡¯ll need to be patient. I have plans for the next 3~ books and a few key plot points after that, characters I want to introduce and scenes I want to write. The series will be around 10 books long, but that¡¯s just an estimate, it could be more or it could be less.
  1. I think that¡¯s a great idea! If anyone wants to suggest skill names and descriptions in the comments I¡¯ll make sure to take them into serious consideration. I can also add a discord channel dedicated to that if you want.
  2. If there¡¯s an interest, I¡¯ll be happy to write side POVs when I get the time. Just let me know which character you¡¯d like to know more about.
PART 2 - SPOILERS In general, I¡¯d say seafood and fish are the main staples of the Baquire Archipelago, plus tropical fruits like mangos, papayas and coconuts. Seafood is preferred fresh, while fish is often roasted or salted to keep it good longer. It changes a lot depending on which island and town you¡¯re on. For example, Greenside and Sylspring¡¯s inhabitants get meat from the Veeryd jungle, other places don¡¯t have access to that. After the Merian Republic took over, many more dishes and spices are currently being introduced. So the cuisine of the archipelago is evolving, especially in Yanlun and Higharbor. Yes. Red-Orange-Yellow-Green-Blue-Indigo-Violet - ROYGBIV. Never thought about sub-red and ultra-violet. Those would belong more to a scientific world and the color system was created by humans on Elydes, who generally are not that well versed in the light frequencies they can¡¯t perceive. Kai¡¯s paternal grandparents cut ties after their son chose to marry a local and stay on the archipelago instead of pursuing his career. It¡¯s possible Kai¡¯ll meet this side of the family when he goes to the Republic. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. He will have to build it up from Red. Naturally, if he has a higher race, it will be easier to improve till it catches up. At the same grade, each race has the same number of skill slots. However, some races are only born at higher grades, so they have immediate access to more skill slots. The true difference between races is their average stats and talents, here not all races are equal. Probably. Kai is a person. I didn¡¯t think it made sense for him to feel attraction for other people before going through puberty. When he becomes a teenager things might change. But I don¡¯t think Kai wants to die a virgin a second time. And before someone asks: no harem. If you paid attention, Dora has already revealed something about that. I don¡¯t want to give too many details away :p I think Kai would measure about average, which it¡¯s a huge achievement, considering his start. It would depend on what they specialize in. Are they a warrior, a mage or a legendary farmer? An offensive peak-power with large-scale abilities can¡¯t destroy Elydes, but can significantly affect the planet if no one stops them. With the help of the Guide it¡¯s theoretically possible to reach the peak. As for the obstacles in the way and if humans can actually achieve it in practice, that¡¯s another story. P.S. I asked Virya her grade, she didn¡¯t want to share. The main factor that determines lifespans is the race grade, even if some professions and higher Constitution also influence it in minor part. At Red grade it is not much different from ours, at Orange it is around 150 years, if they are in good health. Keep in mind, your average human commoner enjoys far fewer comforts than people on Earth, so they often die sooner. As for the higher grades, it¡¯s complicated. Advancing to the next color increases your lifespan based on your physical age. If someone at death¡¯s door manages to advance to the next grade (and somehow survives the process) they¡¯ll at most gain a few months. The younger you are the more you gain. Human children grow at about the same rate regardless of their grade, as they get closer to maturity that slowly changes. At around 20 years old it¡¯s when the differences in the aging speed become obvious. The main pillar of the story has always been Kai¡¯s life. How someone from Earth would fare, adapt, grow and change. Getting stronger is a necessity to fully travel the world and explore all the possibilities, but it¡¯s not the end goal. His relationship with his family and other people (old and new characters) will feature more heavily after the training arc. It¡¯s rare, but Kai¡¯s case is not unique. However, reincarnators don¡¯t usually maintain their full memories and 99% of them were already from Elydes. The power of Kai¡¯s magic is influenced by: training, affinity, skill level and stats. It will undergo a drastic increase in power after he gets his profession (depending on what he choses). There are so many factors to consider that it¡¯s hard to answer. The training arc (as in Kai time at the estate) is almost over. There will be at most a couple lesson chapters. It was always in my plans to do a longer time-skip now that all the pieces are in place. I¡¯ll show Kai¡¯s progress through his actions. He¡¯ll spend more time around other people in towns. I think the problem was that Kai was too isolated at the estate. It would have been better, if he trained around more people and with other things happening on the side. It¡¯s something I''ll certainly keep in mind for the future. Overall, the training arc could have certainly been improved, but I¡¯m not displeased with how it turned out. It was important to set the basis for Kai¡¯s future development and to show him grow in confidence and turn him into a more active character. He still has work to do, but he¡¯s not the same insecure kid who first came to the estate. He might complain and swear after Elijah, but he never considers giving up or that he can¡¯t do it. The only things I would change (bar completely rewriting the whole story) would be cutting a chapter and putting a different POV in the middle. I might combine chapters 68 and 69 when I do the final edit. As for the archipelago arc more in general, I don¡¯t want to spoil it. I can tell you that Kai will take a more active role. He¡¯ll get involved in the event of the archipelago and interact with old and new characters. END OF SPOILERS Yep, it took much longer than I thought, but it was worth it. Now, I have a question for you: did you enjoy the AMA? Do you want me to turn it in a recurring thing? Chapter 137 - Truth and Ignorance Chapter 137 - Truth and Ignorance The smell of blood wafted over her, Val stood on the elevated platform, unblinking. Down below, the judge read the list of crimes of the next convict in a loud, cold voice. Pirating, pillaging, murder, and two dozen minor offenses. The sentence was always the same: death. For once Val had no objection to the justice of the Republic. Public executions weren¡¯t common, though she had seen her fair share. She was meant to bridge the Republic and the islanders. Her father had brought her to witness them since she was four, blood gushing out of the corpse as it flopped lifeless to the ground. She hadn¡¯t understood what was happening besides her terror. Repetition had sealed her emotions behind a veil of apathy. Some convicts begged and cried behind the sacks hiding their faces, most just waited their turn in silence, resigned to their fate. The executioner carried out the sentence with the same efficiency. He waved the two-handed greatsword like a feather, the gleaming milky metal cut through each neck in a single, elegant slash. Blood slid off the blade like water on a waxed canvas. Val thought the executioner was a man due to his height, though he could as well have been a tall woman. He donned a plain white robe that covered him from head to toe, a pristine mask with no holes for his eyes. The justice of the Seven Moons didn¡¯t have a face, it executed the will of the gods with swift efficiency. Each strike hit the exact same spot in an indifferent arc. Cheers rose from the crowd as heads rolled to the ground. She stood in an honored position on the dais with her father, on the right of the governor¡¯s family. An unusually high number of councilors had come to witness, forcing some to seat below the dais. The left side was almost as crowded with senior officials, watching with stony and bored expressions. Val dared a glance over her shoulder. Lady Cressida sat beside her husband with an icy smile, wearing a dress dark as a moonless night to show her mourning for the pirates¡¯ victims. She was certainly regretful and upset, though not over the dead. Valela often suspected the woman to plant her people to steer the crowd. This time the cheers appeared genuine. Everyone had heard of the heinous crimes committed in Sylspring, and of the prompt, firm response of the Republic. What most didn¡¯t know was the extent of those crimes. Three hundred seventy-three dead, almost a thousand injured and hundreds of gold mesars in damage, maybe more. The inspectors were still assessing the destruction to property and infrastructure. Part of the loot had been recovered with the captured ships, but nothing could bring the dead back. Adrian flashed a smile at her, his hazel eyes brightening up from the highest step of the platform. He was about to whisper a word when his mother glanced at him. His grin withered into a blank slate, and Val turned before Lady Cressida could meet her eyes. Since the boy got his profession, he had begun to casually appear wherever she was, eager to show off his capabilities. Her father told her to lead him on enough to keep him interested. No more than that. She could find a better marriage prospect on the mainland. He was more bearable than his older brother, no doubt. Emanuel thought anyone not from the mainland was beneath him, even though he barely remembered it himself. Just one more year. As soon as she got a profession, she would be off. With a letter of recommendation from her teacher, Lady Gelia, she had a good chance of landing in one of the academies in Meria. A step closer to realize her goal. A small commotion woke her from her considerations when a convict tried to break loose. With enchanted chains on both hands and feet, he didn¡¯t take a second step before two enforcers grabbed him and forced his neck on the block for the executioner. His screams were cut short with another graceful slash. It was surprising that Lady Cressida had allowed them such an easy end. One word to the judge, and she could have them flayed to death, or they could have disappeared before the trial. The woman never showed emotion in public without a purpose, though Val remembered how she had stormed through the town hall the night of the event. Simmering with rage, like the sea before the storm. She whispered in great detail how she¡¯d deal with the culprits. Cressida had given orders to every officer in sight, and they had scrambled to obey, no matter if they outranked her. It was no mystery who truly held the power among the upper brass, but usually, her words came through her husband. Sylspring had been one of the jewels of the archipelago, second only to Higharbor. The damage to future earnings could be even higher, worse yet if the voices spread. The islands had little to offer. Peace and safety had always been the two shining pillars of her policy. If they fell, they might bring down everything else with them. The whole economy would collapse, and Cressida would never gain the power to demand her due from Azure Council in Meria. With the captains slain in the raid, catching the fleeting vessels had gone smoothly. Every leaflet who talked about the accident never failed to mention how swiftly the Republic dealt with it, bringing justice to the victims. They couldn¡¯t contain the news, but they could spin it in a less damaging way. An isolated accident that would never be repeated. Today¡¯s display would prove the governor had everything firmly in hand. The pirates were common criminals and dealt as such, treating them any different might give them importance. Show that this wasn¡¯t just a routine execution. After the last head rolled, the governor stood up to give a brief speech about justice, so did her father and a slew of other councilors who didn¡¯t have the gift of brevity. Pirates in the archipelago¡­ People would have laughed in your face for mentioning the possibility. Everyone knew there had never been raiders in the Shallow Sea, the idea itself was close to a contradiction. Could it be an unfortunate coincidence as the Republic was eager to proclaim? Don¡¯t be a fool. On that her father was right: inconvenience and unfairness couldn¡¯t change the reality they faced. And burying her head under the sand would only stop her from preparing against the dangers. The Archipelago was changing. They could either ride the waves forward or get swallowed by the sea. If it wasn¡¯t a knife deep in her stomach or a pirate raid, it would be something else. Those were the consequences of her father¡¯s pact from more than ten years ago. His support to the newly instated governor for the promise Ervyn and Cressida would support an islander to take over in the position. More layers had been added to the deal over the years, but that was the foundation of their partnership. It wasn¡¯t the brilliant and foolproof plan she thought as a child, but it was the best she could work with. The endorsement of the previous governor would go a long way. They would never succeed without Cressida''s connections and resources¡ªwhich the woman never forgot to remind them. The higher someone climbed the political structure, the more restrictions the Republic put. To be named governor, even of an annexed, marginal territory like the archipelago, there were several conditions to satisfy written into law. She¡¯d have to reach Green in both race and profession to be considered for the role. An idea as absurd as pirates in a place where early Yellow was the absolute peak. It was a chasm that had never been crossed by any native in oral or written memory. That was the reason for her father¡¯s sacrifices, and her duty to accomplish. ~ ~ ~ Flynn cleared his throat to announce his presence before approaching the desk. ¡°I¡¯ve finished to copy and organize last year''s reports on fishermen''s accidents, sir.¡± The officer jolted awake opening his eyes wide and sitting up straighter. He was old, as old as people got in the archipelago, and close to retirement. He proudly sported the soaring hawk crest on his chest. His gray uniform was pristine like his trimmed beard streaked with white. The senior clerk¡¯s eyes darted to the paper in his hand, intently reading before settling down on him. He deliberately put down his quill as if to say he better have a good reason to disturb him. ¡°What do you need?¡± Flynn did his best to appear oblivious to the man¡¯s napping and repeated his words. ¡°Have you put them in alphabetical order?¡± The clerk sneaked a glance at the clock behind him. ¡°That is from the first letter of the alphabet to the last.¡± So that¡¯s what that word means? It¡¯s too hard of a concept for me. I thought it by the most pointless. ¡°I did, sir. I triple-checked to make sure there were no mistakes, sir,¡± Flynn lowered his head, cowering under his superior¡¯s gaze and stealing a glance at the document on the desk. It was the same sheet of paper he had seen three hours ago, a list of the yearly yield of beets, turnips and cabbages. ¡°I¡¯ll check them later to ensure there are no errors. You are done for the day. Good work, kid.¡± With a dignified nod, he went back to study his document. He massaged his temples as if the future of the Merian Republic depended on his decisions. ¡°Thank you, sir,¡± Flynn gave a slight bow of the head and left. What am I doing? According to the official customs that had been drilled into him during his education, bowing wasn¡¯t required except in official ceremonies and few other circumstances. Still, senior officers always liked it when he made them feel important. The more incompetent they were the more they liked a bit of flattery. And if they were over forty and had been stationed in the archipelago outside of Higharbor, chances were they weren¡¯t misunderstood geniuses. Not that he complained. That had made getting his hands on documents he shouldn¡¯t have known existed all the easier. Though lately, he had to stop snooping around. Many new faces and personnel had popped up after the raid. Contrary to the old geezers, these newcomers wouldn¡¯t be outsmarted by a clam. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Nothing to worry about just yet. The pirates had burned down one archive and made a mess of the others. Flynn had been careful, there were no clues to find, none that would lead up to him anyway. Now, even when his superior mistakenly passed him reports he shouldn¡¯t see, he promptly sent them back. What am I doing? His body went through the motions carried by skills and habits. He smiled, bowed his head and scraped like a good boy eager to please his boss. His swelling revulsion was buried so deep not a shadow showed even when no one was watching. Outside the office department, the breeze carried the smell of salt and fish. Large puddles on the streets rapidly shrunk under the summer sun. The weather didn¡¯t improve his mood by much. Where to go? He had been given a small room in the government building in poshtown for half his salary. The idea of those claustrophobic four walls with no windows led him in the opposite direction, toward the sea. ¡°Hey!¡± Two kids in blue uniforms waved at him from across the street. Selui and Tolo had also graduated from the Republic¡¯s scholarship program. Flynn waved back with a smile and deftly freed himself from the small talk. What am I doing? He might get a transfer to a different position if he tried. After graduation, he had been offered a job more in line with his skills. He had chosen to work as an assistant in Sylspring to stay close to his little sister. Their mother had officially died of a bad fever three years prior. Without any other adult in the family, he was a blank slate ready for the Republic to fill. Now that his sister had officially gone to live with distant relatives in a small village on Katol, asking for a transfer wouldn¡¯t raise suspicion. That had been the original plan¡ªin case he wasn¡¯t discovered and executed for treason first. Flynn remembered a time when the idea of infiltrating the Republic''s ranks had been exciting. He hadn¡¯t had any doubts. He would find its weaknesses and help bring justice for his dad¡¯s murder. He¡¯d make his mother smile again, a true smile, like when his dad was still with them. Guided by a purpose, everything had been simple and clear. He knew who he was and what he needed to do. Now everything was a mess. There is no going back. Not anymore. All his certainties had crumbled. His head only knew chaos. He desperately clung to the mask he built, knowing that if he stopped going through the motions he would shatter. Only the spirits could say how long it would take to get up again, if ever. They¡¯re all the same. It was ironic really. It had been those dumb lessons about loyalty to the Merian Republic that caused the first cracks. Countless lessons about their generosity and all the good and wonderful things they brought to the archipelago. What a gift it was to be part of such a great country. They should be proud to have been personally selected for that program. Flynn had a hard time keeping in the laughter during the first class. How could anyone believe something so stupid? Most of his classmates agreed and joked about it. However, little by little, his peers stopped making fun of what they were taught. After a month they began to actually believe and repeat that nonsense with fervent eyes. Flynn couldn¡¯t understand, but it was fine. He had his mission and his mother had warned him how weak people fell for the lies of the Republic and betrayed the archipelago. When he got back home that year, he was praised for his courage and reminded of the importance of their mission. They had been chosen to free their homeland. The words were different, but he recognized the same fervent light in his sister¡¯s eyes. Without a second thought, he squashed any doubt. Obviously, the two things couldn¡¯t be more different. The Voice of the Ancestors was fighting for justice, their actions were blessed by the will of the spirits. Still, the seed of doubt had been planted. It poked at him at inconvenient moments, made him realize details and similarities he would have otherwise missed. Each time he went back home, his mind couldn¡¯t help but compare what he saw and heard. No, they weren¡¯t the same, but could he say they were entirely different? They had both lied to him, and neither cared what it took as long as they got what they wanted. What does it matter now? I¡¯m screwed with both. He needed time to think but he couldn¡¯t afford to run away. The investigation of the raid had officially been closed, the guilty pirates captured and executed. Though Flynn hadn¡¯t missed how the new faces in Sylspring asked questions and observed everything with keen eyes. Even without proof, each islander will be a suspect. The cheery bustle of town pressed down on him, he never minded it before, now he found it suffocating. Each person seemed to be stealing glances at him. Flynn headed toward the southern gate with all the calm he could muster. He needed a quiet place to think and breathe. Even if no one suspected him, he couldn¡¯t stay with the Republic. The only reason he joined was to get information to report back. And he wasn¡¯t going to help plan another raid that would hurt the governor as much as the islanders. There was a limit to how many conceited idiots he could tolerate, especially without a good reason to endure. At the same time, he couldn¡¯t go back to the Voice. The rebels must suspect he had helped Kai escape and kill Tridel. His mother couldn¡¯t protect him from that. What am I going to do? Even more ironically, he now understood why people believed such nonsense and lies. He¡¯d give everything to have his certainties back. For his life to make sense once more. All he had left was a fistful of sand, nothing. No path forward, no place to go back. The people he met with the Republic only knew the facade he put forth. And he could count on one hand the times he met his friends with the Voice in the last years. No, they were more likely to try to kill than help him. Alone, until he broke down and started screaming about the insanity of the world. Then somebody would kill him and put an end to it. If I hadn''t helped him, I¡¯d still have something to cling to¡­ Flynn had known there would be a price to help Kai, but not that it would be so steep. Damn him and me both, I¡¯d probably do it again. At least he had done something good. That had to count for something before the ancestors, right? Once he had seen through the veil of lies, there had been no going back. He couldn¡¯t look the other way from what and who was sacrificed to fulfill the Voice¡¯s mission. He only had to close his eyes to see the bodies that had filled Sylspring and smell the acrid smoke of the burning buildings. He would never choose ignorance. Though he did wish the truth didn¡¯t suck so much. What am I going to do? ¡°Flynn?¡± The voice pulled him out of his musings. As if summoned by his thoughts, a kid with penetrating gray eyes stood before the southern gate. Kai was a head shorter than him, but he always managed to make it feel like he was the one looking down from above. A pensive expression occupied his face. ¡°Do you have a minute? I need your opinion.¡± Without waiting for an answer, Kai grabbed his arm and dragged him through the gate. The enforcer on duty just gave them a passing glance. Even if he reported back, the Republic already knew they were acquainted with each other, though Flynn had done his best to minimize the extent of their relationship. He could at least say pretty please if he needs something. Kai let go of his arm but didn¡¯t slow down, continuing to mutter under his breath like he was trying to solve an impossible dilemma. ¡°What do you need?¡± Flynn hurried to keep pace with him. ¡°Can¡¯t stay a day without me, can you?¡± Kai motioned toward the shoreline. The tide was higher than average, but the moons hadn¡¯t pulled enough water for a proper high tide. This side of Sylspring had always been quiet, after the raid, barely anyone came here. The heat of the sand underneath their shoes, waves crashed and sent droplets flying in the breeze. The last time they met, their talk had ended abruptly. Mostly due to his sour mood, Flynn recognized. He couldn¡¯t help him and then get mad at him for the consequences. It was my own choice. Though it irritated him that the kid seemed completely oblivious to his current plight. Not like he could help even if he knew. Kai''s casual behavior helped him forget his problems. With only them and the sea, he could pretend the world was whole again. They walked at least a mile before his mage friend was satisfied with the distance and paid him attention. Flynn understood caution very well, but this was excessive. And I thought I was the paranoid one. ¡°So, what¡¯s the problem that requires my boundless wisdom and walking to the other edge of the island, Your Majesty?¡± Flynn expected Kai to roll his eyes at the moons or reply with a snarky remark, neither happened. Kai looked straight at him, dead serious. ¡°What does your profession give you?¡± Flynn couldn¡¯t believe his thick skin to ask such a question. Kai was always so damn mysterious with his own skills and abilities. How could he ask him that? Reading his expression, Kai rephrased it. ¡°Not necessarily yours in particular, what does an average profession give?¡± ¡°Do you want to know more about professions to weigh your options?¡± Why can¡¯t the kid talk straight? ¡°It¡¯s a bit early for you, but sure, Uncle Flynn will share his wisdom. All at the low, low price of a single silver.¡± Kai¡¯s eyes widened slightly before he mentioned getting paid. That part was a joke anyway. What¡¯s up with him? Is this a new way to mess with me? ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Kai nodded a bit too quickly. ¡°That would be extremely helpful for when I have to choose.¡± Maybe I should have asked for two silvers. Seems like he¡¯s feeling generous today. I could use the money if I need to run away. Unsure if he was truly getting paid, Flynn did his best to recall the lessons he got at the scholarship camp in Hawkfield. Half were nonsense, the other half contained something useful beneath the layers of windy words. ¡°Professions give three benefits: attributes, skills and boons.¡± He mimicked the air of one of his haughty teachers. ¡°Boons you can forget till Orange or Yellow, Red professions don¡¯t give any. As for skills, most people get one, while a few very exceptional individuals get two.¡± Kai nodded along. He didn¡¯t seem overly impressed by his knowledge. Probably his fancy teachers had already told him some of it. ¡°As for attributes, in the archipelago, people consider one stat point per level the average. To get below one, you really need to have fucked up and lazed around a lot.¡± Flynn wanted to tease him, but Kai made it so hard. Knowing him, the chances the kid would get a bad profession were below none. ¡°One and a half points is the sign you¡¯ve put effort in improving your race and skills, above that are true geniuses.¡± Flynn grinned cheekily, receiving a flat stare response. Kai didn¡¯t even blink, just waiting for him to continue. ¡°Anyway, the Republic has higher standards. You need to gain two stats per level to be considered talented. Those are the basics, but it¡¯s more complex than that. ¡°Some professions with higher attributes offer only one skill slot or vice versa. It¡¯s not always a straightforward choice and you need to consider what they actually do. Rare professions are considered better even if they give lower benefits, though not all of them are useful.¡± Strolling along the shoreline, Flynn gave his best overview, recalling all the details from those mind-numbing lessons. ¡°I see.¡± Kai had a thoughtful look. Not properly impressed¡ªas he should be¡ªbut Flynn knew that was the best he would get. ¡°Why the sudden interest?¡± Chapter 138 - Pick One Chapter 138 - Pick One The midday sun made sea crests sparkle like diamonds. Kai lost track of how far they walked. The sandy beach had morphed into a rocky cliff. Sylspring was barely visible, a hint of the wall and a few buildings peeking in the distance over the palm trees. It was just them for miles. Should I tell him? Flynn peered at him with a curious glint in his green eyes. Kai had been too swept up in his profession choice and let slip more than he intended. He did put his own neck on the line for me. And he knows about the spatial ring, but no one has come to mug me yet¡­ Flynn had helped him escape from the rebels though he was also responsible for the kidnapping, albeit involuntarily. Still, he didn¡¯t have to save him from Tridel or follow him into Sylspring while the raiders pillaged the streets. Swept by madness and worry, Kai hadn¡¯t stopped to consider Flynn¡¯s help then, or in the days since. The pirates had thrown his life upside down and, before he could breathe, the dilemma about his profession came up. I did thank him, right? I¡¯m sure I did. He did look a bit grim earlier¡­ Kai scoured his brains, the memories of that night were pretty messy. He couldn¡¯t say for sure¡ªwhich was answer enough. He had taken his help for granted and pulled him into a deadly situation for his sake. If he had gone alone, he wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance of defeating two pirates and saving Ele. Flynn broke the questioning stare first. ¡°Well, we should head back. You¡¯ve dragged me quite the distance. Though I can¡¯t really blame you, we¡¯d be swarmed in moments if people knew I was sharing my deep knowledge.¡± No, this is not right. He should insist more till I reluctantly give in. ¡°I¡¯ve broken my Second Seal early,¡± Kai blurted out. ¡°Now I¡¯m deciding which profession to pick.¡± Despite the crashing of waves and chirping of birds, the world appeared to turn silent. Flynn froze in his tracks and looked back at him, coming closer and closer. He studied him an inch from his face for several seconds, searching for something he couldn¡¯t find. ¡°You are not joking, are you?¡± He stepped back, still intently watching him. ¡°If you are, you''ve got me. You can laugh at me now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not. It wouldn¡¯t be a very funny joke, would it?¡± Flynn scrubbed a hand through his hair. ¡°I had heard it was possible, but¡­ I didn¡¯t actually believe it was true.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing extraordinary.¡± Kai shrugged. ¡°I did the same with the First Seal.¡± ¡°No.¡± Flynn shook his head, lightly slapping his cheek as if to wake up from a dream. ¡°Yes, I did, stop being so dramatic. You just need to unlock Favor early for the First Seal.¡± I¡¯m not boasting, I¡¯m being honest. The fact he looks so impressed has nothing to do with it. Flynn¡¯s eyes widened, brows furrowed, and his jaw mouthed a jumble of questions at the same time. Finally, he took a deep breath, pulling himself together. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s a good idea to pick a profession early?¡± Probably. Hopefully. It¡¯s too late for regrets anyway. ¡°I plan to discard it and pick another at fourteen. So, it¡¯s not a problem.¡± To Kai¡¯s disappointment, Flynn must have gone through his whole stockpile of shock for the day. The boy just looked at him blankly. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that¡¯s extremely dangerous.¡± ¡°There are ways to reduce the risks,¡± Kai patted him on the shoulder, putting a silver mesar in his hand. ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re right, we should head back. Just keep this information to yourself.¡± It was going to be hard to keep his profession a secret. He hadn¡¯t broken any law, but the less people knew, the better. He needed time to come up with a plan to mitigate the risks of the attention he would get. Reishi had already given him some ideas¡­ ¡°Wait!¡± Flynn woke from his stupor, throwing the coin back at him. ¡°You can¡¯t just drop that and leave. I can help you choose if you give me more information.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already told me everything you know about professions,¡± Kai pointed out. ¡°It was a very nice lesson, quite informative.¡± Virya had taught him as much, but her standards were unconventional. What was normal for her was very different from what was normal for ordinary people. Flynn¡¯s knowledge gave him a realistic view of what to expect from people in the archipelago and the Republic. ¡°Come on. You have to tell me something, pretty please.¡± Trust was one thing, but what if the next time Flynn got drunk, he slipped something? The sure way to keep a secret was if no one knew. Telling his options was an unnecessary risk that would force him to reveal more secrets, like his Favor and the blessings from Yatei and Kahali. Though some general snippets can¡¯t hurt. It¡¯s a bit cruel to dangle the fact before his face and walk away. ¡°Promise not to tell anyone?¡± It was nice to share information once in a while and he could relate to the curiosity burning in the boy¡¯s eyes. Nothing to do with boasting. ¡°I swear on my life,¡± Flynn solemnly proclaimed with a hand over his heart. So theatrical, a simple yes would have been enough. ¡°Whoever told you that you can¡¯t get boons from a red profession duped you.¡± Kai could see the obvious conclusion flashing through Flynn¡¯s face, maybe he hadn¡¯t scraped the bottom of his shock stockpile after all. Kai checked his neck to see if he had grown a second head. No such luck, sadly. ¡°Now we should go. I¡¯m getting hungry.¡± Important decisions were better on a full stomach. ¡°Can¡¯t you give me one more hint?¡± Flynn scrambled to catch up with him. ¡°I¡¯ve yet to decide what to pick. There is nothing more to say.¡± ¡°How many choices did you get?¡± Flynn pleaded with his eyes. ¡°I won¡¯t ask anything else. I had three myself, it was the highest anyone in my year got.¡± Kai glanced at the rocky beach. The path back to Sylspring was long, it would be more pleasant if Flynn didn¡¯t pester him till the southern gate. ¡°Fine. I got seven, happy? Now close your mouth before a bird decides to build a nest in there.¡± *** In his own room, Kai stretched his neck, it was time to tackle one of the most important decisions of his life thus far. He was jittery, his hands faintly shaking. He hadn¡¯t managed to eat much, but he couldn¡¯t feel hunger either. I¡¯ve got all the information I can get my hands on. Nervous and excited in equal measure, he summoned the Guide with a thought. The words appeared in cursive calligraphy on a scroll. *Ding* Do you wish to select a profession? Yep. Seven pages hung before him, he had already read them enough times to remember them by heart. He checked for any change, each word was still the same. He¡¯d already somewhat narrowed down his options, but Kai decided to go through them all one last time. He wouldn¡¯t forgive himself if he missed something. Profession: Sword Apprentice Main Requirements: Swordsmanship ¨C Advanced lv10+; Defeat 10+ opponents stronger than you with a sword. Description: You¡¯ve wielded your sword from a young age and never let go of its hilt. Embark on your journey to become one with the blade and cut down your foes. Attributes: 1 Strength, 1 Dexterity, 0.50 Constitution per level. Boon: None Skill slots: 1 Sword Apprentice gave more than decent attributes, 2.5 for each of the ten levels of Red. Though to counterbalance it gave little of everything else. No boon and only a single skill slot. The raw power of the stats was tempting, not enough to make up for the drawbacks. He had learned the sword to shore up the weaknesses of magic until he grew more proficient with casting. The path of a pure swordsman wasn¡¯t terrible, but not something he wanted for himself. He hadn¡¯t trained his mana skills to pick this. Maybe if it was a magic swordsman¡­ Waving his hand through the scroll, Kai dismissed it. One out, six to go, yay! Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Profession: Splinter in the Dark Main Requirements: Assassinate a stronger target without getting caught; Ambush and kill 10+ enemies stronger than you; Improvisation lv1+. Description: You¡¯ve masked your true strength under a veil of deception and lies to let your enemies underestimate you. Hidden in plain sight or in the shadows, no one will suspect your true capabilities until you strike. Attributes: 0.5 Strength, 0.5 Dexterity, 0.25 Mind, 0.5 Spirit, 0.5 Perception per level. Boon: None Skill slots: 1 Fuck no! Splinter in the Dark would probably count as a rare profession, though it only gave one skill slot and the attributes were worse than Sword Apprentice. The only good thing he could say was that the stat distribution was more balanced, which would help if he planned to discard it later. No, thank you. I don¡¯t want to be an assassin or a spy, running through the night wearing edgy black leather. Striking from the shadows and hiding in plain sight did hold some appeal, but if things went his way, he wouldn¡¯t need to do that anymore. He was going to grow powerful enough to defeat any opponent that stood in his path head-on. With this, the two easy rejections were out of the way. Another dismissal and five options remaining. Let¡¯s get to the fun stuff. Profession: Blessed by Waters Main Requirements: Blessed Swimmer lv30+; Water Magic lv30+; Blessing of Kahali. Description: Embraced by the waters and recognized by the Great Spirit Kahali, you¡¯re at home among the waves and beloved by the sea. The Shallow Sea is your treasure trove and your companion to explore. Attributes: 0.25 Strength, 0.5 Constitution, 0.5 Mind, 1.5 Spirit per level. Boon: 1 Skill slots: 2 Profession: Veeryd Progeny Main Requirements: Nature Magic lv30+; Blessing of Yatei; Defeat 10+ Red beasts and 3+ Orange beasts. Description: Accepted by the land of the islands and blessed by the Great Spirit Yatei, you have no fear for the wild and untamed Veeryd. The jungle is your hunting ground, offering you shelter and its bountiful resources. Attributes: 0.5 Strength, 0.5 Dexterity, 0.5 Mind, 0.5 Spirit, 0.5 Perception per level. Boon: 1 Skill slots: 2 Two solid choices anyone in the archipelago would pick without a second thought. Blessed by Waters gave slightly more attributes while Veeryd Progeny had a more balanced distribution. Both were rare professions that offered two skill slots and one boon. Thank you for blessing me. No doubt this was another benefit of receiving the blessing of the Great Spirits. Only they knew how people would react if he showed them off. It wasn¡¯t just gold plating either, they both sounded powerful in their own right. Blessed by Waters would be a water mage profession with major advantages in the sea. Since he lived in an archipelago, that would be an easy condition to satisfy. He¡¯d be able to explore the depth of the ocean to his heart¡¯s content. Spirits only knew what treasures he would uncover. I should go visit Mama Clam, I¡¯m sure she must miss me dearly. Then there was Veeryd Progeny, a hybrid profession that would make him a hunter with a sprinkle of Nature Magic on the side. Even Uncle Moui would turn green with envy if he knew I got this. Its description also talked about bountiful resources. A wealth of mana herbs waited for him in the jungle, which would help his Alchemy too. If he had to think of one drawback, these two professions might not work as well outside of the archipelago. Anyway, it wasn¡¯t truly a problem since he planned to discard them before he sailed for the mainland. Damn, it¡¯s such a shame not to take them. If only the other ones weren¡¯t so good. They were great options, but the last three professions were better still. With a weeping heart, Kai forced himself to dismiss them. Four out, three to go. Profession: Promising Herbal Alchemist Main Requirements: Alchemy lv40+; Herbology ¨C Advanced lv25+; Modify 10+ recipes. Description: You have expert knowledge of herbs, of how to process and combine them to brew something superior to the sum of their parts. You are no stranger to finding and harvesting your ingredients or growing them with the help of your magic. Push your limits, build on what you know to expand the boundaries of your knowledge. Attribute: 0.5 Dexterity, 1 Mind, 1 Spirit, 0.25 Perception per level. Boon: 1 Skill slots: 2 I wonder which one Reishi would like me to pick¡­ Kai chuckled to himself. The merman would never shut up about why that was the best choice. I¡¯d probably wake up chained in a basement with a cauldron and an infinite supply of herbs. Promising Herbal Alchemist gave great attributes, skill slots and a boon he had earned himself. It was every bit as good as the previous two, with one crucial advantage: a clear path to practice. After the breaking of the Second Seal, there was no more general Life Experience to reward his actions. He would need to practice the domain of his profession to gain XP. Blessed by Waters and Veeryd Progeny would require him to go out in the sea and jungle to progress them, probably risking his life against unknown dangers. With an Alchemy profession, all he needed were ingredients and a cauldron. I might take up Reishi on his offer and lock the chain on myself. I do get into a lot of trouble¡­ Adventure and battles could always wait till he had grown up. He could hide himself in a cozy basement and brew potions for the next two and a half years. No worries and no risks. The merman would supply the recipes and ingredients he needed, and he could grind away in peace. Exploring the archipelago had its appeal, so did spending some carefree time. The death of the night of the raid was still fresh in his mind. He¡¯d much rather wake up in a comfy little house, away from other people and problems. Kai couldn¡¯t banish the idea of waking up drinking a nice tea and reading a book. The sun was shining from the window, thick walls reinforced with steel and enchantments kept him safe and hidden. No, that¡¯s not weird at all! It¡¯s not a kidnapping if I go of my own free will. With a deep sigh, Kai pushed away the daydreaming. This time he didn¡¯t dismiss the scroll page. Maybe that¡¯s the right choice¡­ Profession: Mana Child Main Requirements: Mana Sense lv50+; Mana Manipulation lv50+; Runes lv20+; Less than 12 years of age. Description: You¡¯ve delved into the arcane from a very young age, and never stopped digging to uncover the secrets of the Essence of the World. As your skills grow, you won¡¯t grow complacent but continue to widen the scope of your knowledge. Attributes: 1 Mind, 1.5 Spirit, 0.5 Perception per level. Boon: 1 Skill slots: 2 Yeah, it can never be easy. Mana Child had the highest attributes among the seven options. They were divided among only three stats, true, but that wasn¡¯t necessarily a downside. While Strength and Dexterity were cool, mental stats were better for magic. Mana Child was a general mage profession that didn¡¯t limit him to any single field of the arcane. It might not have a path of progression as clear as Promising Herbal Alchemist, but it was a close second. He could pursue anything as long as he made use of mana. He could fight to the death using Empower and Water Magic or peacefully carve runes at home. Alchemy would count too, though it would probably give less XP than if he took a specific profession. Hard to find any weakness with this one except spreading myself thin. But I might be wrong depending on the skills and boon. Most of his general skills were mana-related and would benefit greatly from this choice. It was also interesting to see that Mana Child had an age restriction. Maybe choosing a profession early wasn¡¯t only a disadvantage. And this makes two serious contenders. Profession: Favored Son of the Isles Main Requirements: Blessing of Kahali and Yatei; Favor 30+ Description: Son of a distant world, you¡¯ve been adopted by the Great Spirits of the Baquaire Archipelago who have bestowed their blessing upon you. Become one with the islands and sea, read the will of the Great Spirits in every wave and blade of grass. Attributes: 0.5 Constitution, 1 Spirit, 0.5 Perception per level. Boon: 2 Skill slots: 2 The last one, though certainly not by importance, Favored Son of the Isles was the most intriguing profession. If he were to pick based on his curiosity alone, it wouldn¡¯t even be a contest. Virya had told him boons were rare and he would only get one at Red, and the mage was never wrong. On top of that, the requirements mentioned Favor. Everybody knew that a profession couldn¡¯t grant even a scrap of the seventh stat, but what about helping him gain more or make use of what he had? What would those two boons and skills do? The description mentioned he might become some sort of mediator for the Great Spirits, but it was otherwise vague. If Favored Son of the Isles showed him how to gain more feats, it wouldn¡¯t matter if he later discarded it, those would stay with him. The attributes weren¡¯t too great compared to his other options. Still, two stats per level was extremely good according to Flynn, and an extra boon more than made up for the difference. If only it wasn¡¯t for that one damn flaw. Steeling his will, Kai waved the page away. I hope the spirits won¡¯t take it personally. Even if it wasn¡¯t clear what he would need to do to gain XP, he could figure that out with time. The true problem was that it offered no Mind, not even a quarter of a point, nothing. One of the main reasons he broke the Second Seal early was to solve the riddles of Virya''s cube and obtain the prize hidden inside before the timer ran out. Spirit would help, Mind was fundamental. It sucks, but it might also give boons and skills that are useless to me. That would leave me with nothing. Certainties before vague hopes. That was what Dora and Elijah taught him. Two pages floated before him. He¡¯d narrowed down his options from seven, now he had to pick one. They gave the same amount of Mind, so that wasn¡¯t going to help. Mana Child granted slightly more stats while Promising Herbal Alchemist would make him rich. Kai couldn¡¯t find any real flaws with either of them. From Flynn¡¯s reaction to the snippets he told him, more than a handful of people would kill to pick either one. Even if he discarded it later on, the choice held a heavy weight. His fourteenth birthday was years down the line. As the raid taught him, he could never know what life would throw at him in the meantime. This choice would determine his future. Perhaps save his life or doom it. His eyes frantically darted between the two pages looking for something to cling to. Panic was slowly rising in his gut like an inevitable tide. Flynn¡¯s words of wisdom flashed in his mind. The raw number of benefits was important, so was what the profession actually did. What do I want to do? Who do I want to be? After the raid on Sylspring, two quiet years were tempting. No sudden dangers or surprises, just a clear and safe path before him till he sailed to the Talthen continent. *Ding* Are you sure you want to select Mana Child for your profession slot? I¡¯m about 73% sure, proceed! Chapter 139 - Mana Child Chapter 139 - Mana Child The Guide didn¡¯t give him any time to prepare. As Kai made his decision, the glowing mana veins throughout his body began to flow faster. The sparse ambient essence inside the bedroom streamed into his body on its own. What¡­? Kai observed the whole phenomenon in wonder. No book had described the process in detail. Somehow he had thought the Guide would just ¡®poof¡¯ his profession and make it appear like it did with skills. A foreign presence was guiding his own mana, a myriad of colorful motes whirled inside of him. It should have filled him with some amount of worry, and yet Kai was as relaxed as a sunbathing lizard. I feel like I should panic a little, right? This is so damn weird. The concentration of mana grew far beyond what his body could contain but there was no discomfort. Peaking at an invisible threshold, the streams of glowing motes stopped, and the action began. Thousands of threads twisted and expanded, weaving a second mana network around his own, integrating seamlessly with his veins. A warm tingling pervaded his body, not exactly pleasant, but not painful either. Compared to when he advanced his race grade, this was akin to receiving a professional massage. Through the veneer of tranquility, his curiosity peeked out, daring him to reassert control over his essence. He had never witnessed mana behaving like this. Was this the Guide taking over? How would it react if he tried to¡­? Curiosity killed the cat. Don¡¯t be an idiot. Poking the Guide while it rebuilt his mana network was very dumb. Kai blamed the strange calmness that had taken over, the awareness that nothing could go wrong. It was probably a measure to help the process go smoothly. Before he could mull over his state of being any longer, the filaments of mana completed the process. A twin intricate network of swirling channels overlapped his familiar mana veins, linked but distinct. As waves of excitement crashed upon his calm, the process was done. The familiar glowing pathways formed a new maze. He¡¯d need weeks, maybe months, to learn all the new bends and twirls. The concentration of mana inside his body was still noticeably higher, clouding the finer details. Kai didn¡¯t get a second to take a closer look when notifications filled his vision. Anything else could wait for later. *Ding* You¡¯ve gained the profession: Mana Child. *Ding* Profession skill learned! Gifted Novice (lv1) ¨C When passion meets diligence, true talent is born. A Mana Child is naturally gifted at developing his knowledge and skills of the arcane. *Ding* Profession skill learned! Mana Echo (lv1) ¨C Create an echo of a mana construct or casting you¡¯ve observed to reproduce it at will. The quality and quantity of the copies is determined by the level of the skill. *Ding* Boon granted! Mana Spring: Grants improved body capacity to hold and shape the Essence of the World. *Ding* New Feat: Precocious Child: For breaking the Second Seal more than two years ahead of time and selecting a profession, you are awarded: +2 Favor! Kai¡¯s jaw hung half-opened. One thing was hearing about how the profession worked, another was reaping the benefits himself. The feat was just the cherry on top. It can¡¯t be a bad choice if the Guide rewarded him, can it? Any remaining qualms about his decision were wiped from his mind like mist by a rising sun. Soon it would be twelve years since he opened his eyes on Elydes. From the day he had learned Meditation, he had never stopped wondering when he would get a profession. The day is finally here. Kai summoned his status to ensure he wasn¡¯t dreaming. Body stats Boon: - Mana Spring Profession Skills: General Skills: It was all there. The empty Profession slot with None had been a permanent fixture of his status for¡­ well, always. Not anymore. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Kai blinked and reread the line a dozen times. Mana Child didn¡¯t fade or disappear, it was real. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t get any free attributes yet. He needed 5,000 XP for level one and 1,000 more for each level after that. Not a small amount, but it was a grain of sand compared to the XP needed for advancing his race. With his race at the peak of orange grade, his profession would be easily pulled along through the first levels. The boon also explained why his body housed more mana than usual. Kai was trying to estimate the extent of the boost when a knock woke him from his reverie. ¡°The door was open,¡± Ele poked her head inside. ¡°I was trying that mana exercise you told me when I felt something weird. Did something good happen? You¡¯re smiling enough to blind the sun.¡± Kai touched his face, he hadn¡¯t realized it was split by a toothy grin. He couldn''t have known taking a profession would cause a disturbance in the ambient mana, and obviously, his sister noticed it as she diligently trained Mana Sense. Ele¡¯s brows furrowed in concentration before her eyes widened in shock. ¡°Did you really take a profession?¡± It sounded closer to a statement than a question. I might have taught her how to use mana skills too well¡­ Too late for regrets, Kai pulled her inside and made sure to properly close the door behind her. The dampening enchantments would block any sound from reaching their mom¡¯s ears. ¡°I did.¡± There was no point denying what she could plainly see, though this wasn¡¯t how he had planned the conversation to go. Improvisation to the rescue once again. ¡°After the raid, I was offered the choice to break the Second Seal early, and I took it.¡± ¡°Why¡ª Ho¡ª Did y¡ª¡± Ele tried to speak three sentences at once. She closed her eyes. When she reopened them, her gaze nailed him to the floor. Oh, boy. Here we go. ¡°Why did you do something so reckless without telling anybody? There is a reason why people wait till fourteen,¡± her tone was mild, slightly curt. Anyone who didn¡¯t know her wouldn¡¯t think much of it. Kai knew his sister was borderline furious. Improvisation and his innocent smile did him little good. He had told two people in fact and asked for advice from Reishi. Kai had enough awareness to shut his mouth. He didn¡¯t think telling her he did go to someone else would help. Without interrupting her stare, Ele sat on his bed, patting the spot beside her. ¡°Sit down.¡± Kai complied with a resigned air and readied himself for a long lecture. No doubt Alana would do the same, and Moui too if he got the chance. Ele uttered a single word. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Why did you do it?¡± Ele sighed. ¡°You must have had a very good reason, right?¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± It was his time to stumble over his words. Where should I start from¡­ Kai looked at his sister, determined. ¡°I considered all the possibilities and thought it would be the best decision. I¡¯m so tired of feeling powerless.¡± There were two dozen more reasons why that was the best option for him, but the moment he spoke, Kai knew that was what mattered above everything else. He felt like a boat lost in the storm, on the brink of sinking if the wind blew in the wrong direction. How could he say no when a profession was offered to him? Especially when there were reasons that made it a viable option. He was tired of waiting. Her scolding look softened as Ele hugged him. Taken aback, Kai sat rigidly. I¡¯m safe then? Ele pulled back, keeping her hands on his shoulders. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me or Mom before doing it?¡± The anger was gone, though a scolding tone remained. ¡°You and Mom would have told me not to do it no matter what I said.¡± His whole family would have given him that same answer. He could already smell the self-flagellation on his sister. If he¡¯d warned them and then done it anyway, they would feel responsible for his choice. As if every danger in the world was their personal failing. This way they couldn¡¯t blame his childish whims on themselves. ¡°That¡¯s not true¡­¡± Kai raised an eyebrow. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I understand that you might not feel safe after what happened¡­¡± Her mana pulsed uneasily before she regained control. ¡°But we¡¯re going to keep you safe. The Republic will ensure there are no more accidents, you have nothing to worry about.¡± And who¡¯s going to protect us from the Republic? Or the rebels when they decide to come back? Kai could fill a book with all the things beyond their control. Most were highly unlikely, but not all. He had earned the right to be paranoid after getting kidnapped. ¡°Now it¡¯s done. It was my choice to take a profession.¡± Kai attempted to dispel the dark cloud over his sister. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve got something pretty decent. Even if I waited, it couldn''t get better than that.¡± Ele looked skeptical at his boastful statement. ¡°I¡¯m quite sure that¡¯s not how it works.¡± ¡°Really? Then I guess everybody gets two skills and one boon¡­¡± As if a jolt passed through his sister, she sat straight up, any trace of gloom banished from her face. ¡°What did you get, exactly?¡± ¡°You know¡­ the usual stuff. I don¡¯t want to bore you with the details.¡± Kai hid his smile behind an impassive look. ¡°Come on, I can see you want to tell me.¡± ¡°Do I? You didn¡¯t sound very interested before¡­¡± He continued to tease her with dismissing statements until Ele resorted to her secret weapon: tickling. One way or another she would force the truth out of him. The room was filled with laughter as Kai tried to return the favor. Without Empower his shorter arms weren¡¯t a match for her. He ended up falling out of the bed to escape her grasp. ¡°I''ll tell you. I¡¯ll tell you,¡± he raised his hands in surrender and dried the tears at the corners of his eyes. Kai didn¡¯t hold back much apart from the skills since he didn¡¯t understand them entirely yet. ¡°I knew you were blessed by the spirits, but this¡­¡± Ele looked at him up and down, like she expected to see a halo or a tail. If you only knew the other options¡­ Kai made her promise not to tell their mother or Moui yet. They also agreed that Kea absolutely couldn¡¯t find out. The main requirement to unlock the Second Seal early was danger, lots and lots of it. Neither of them dared imagine what Kea might do if she found out. She was only one year from gaining her profession, but that might not matter if she discovered he had gained one before her. Kai politely pushed Ele out of the door. He thought she would never stop asking questions. Finally, he was blessedly alone once more. He had considered telling her about his plan to discard his profession. Maybe getting it all out in one go was better, though he¡¯d never get to testing Mana Child if they started that argument. There wasn¡¯t anything to be done now that he had broken the Second Seal, but they were still in time to change his mind on that. It would be an uphill battle to convince them there was a mostly safe way to do it, as long as he didn¡¯t level Mana Child too high and made the proper preparations. Unsurprisingly, there was a solution to everything if you paid and knew the right people. Still two and a half years, no need to hurry. Future Kai will be happy to deal with it. Future him was always more patient and resourceful than Present him. Worst case scenario he could delegate the task to Future-Future him. A completely foolproof plan in his humble opinion. Time to unwrap my presents. Sitting cross-legged on his bed, Kai examined his mana network and reserves. The glowing pathways had doubled, he was sure most red professions weren¡¯t so complicated. Well, not everyone is me. Maybe Ele is right, I''m getting a big head. Stopping his mind from wandering on tangents, Kai focused on his body. He had gained an intuitive understanding of his reserves through countless uses and training, now Mana Spring and his profession channels had thrown that sense out the window. Boons were passive boosts. While they didn¡¯t level like skills, they could grant priceless advantages like an intuitive understanding of a weapon, an improved affinity for an element, or, in his case, of his mana pool. The concentration of essence in his body had not diminished, if anything it was a hair higher. He was glowing like a human-sized lamp. When Kai absorbed more motes of mana, he lost as many as he gained. This must be my new limit. The question is how much higher is it? His first idea was to cast a water spell, though his mother made him promise not to cast magic inside the house. Opting for a more unassuming route, Kai expelled an orb of mana in his hands to create a training construct. It was one of the largest designs Dora had taught him to train Mana Manipulation. Wasting no time shaping the mana, Kai simply let the sphere orbit around him. He had practiced with it enough times to instinctively know how much mana it required. He could make about twelve attempts before he reached his limits. It wasn¡¯t the most scientific method, but it would give him a rough estimate of the boost from Mana Spring. One by one, spheres of mana were expelled from his body, joining an increasingly busy orbital space. After fifteen Kai was forced to fuse them together to maintain them. After twenty-four, Kai just let the new ones dissipate. It would be a pain to refill his reserves, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to care right now. I¡¯ve doubled my mana. He knew the increase was significant, but he hadn¡¯t dared believe it. Now the proof was before his eyes. His body could now contain two times the essence it stored before. And that wasn¡¯t even the best part. Humans needed roughly half their mana before they began to suffer side effects, but the boost from Mana Spring was added on top of that. He didn¡¯t need to spare a part to survive. Kai had expelled a total of thirty-six orbs. His body only needed a quarter of his reserves, and the mana he could use had effectively tripled. It felt like the last twelve Christmases had come all at once. And I¡¯ve got two more skills to go. Chapter 140 - Profession Skills Chapter 140 - Profession Skills High on the benefits of his new profession, Kai was in high spirits, almost floating. Mana Child was everything he had hoped and more. From its description, he had worried the profession would be centered around developing his magic like a student or scholar, with little to no combat potential. The skills and boon did go in that direction, yet a higher mana pool granted him incredible flexibility. It would help him train longer and fling more spells when he hunted an awakened beast. Till now, he burned through his reserves with a few powerful casts and was forced to rely on his Swordsmanship to do the heavy lifting. It¡¯d be nice to stay back and blast a drake like a proper mage. His tiny mana pool had been the bane of his existence. It had slowly improved as he had grown up and upgraded his race, but it was still limited. He had often wondered how mages didn¡¯t run out of mana. Do all magic professions get a similar boon? Probably not every profession and certainly not at Red, maybe at Orange. It was frustrating that any information about the Guide was so scarce on Elydes, especially in the Archipelago. The islanders considered it the gift of the spirits, studying the divine was very close to blasphemy and disrespectful to the ancestors. Kai had heard of libraries in Higharbor, but he doubted the Republic would be much freer with important knowledge. I should have asked them more before they left the estate¡­ Virya had taught him little about professions beyond Red and boons. Not that he hadn¡¯t tried to pry more information. Dora caved in after a few weeks if she thought the knowledge did no harm. And even though Elijah never admitted to it, he often let slip valuable knowledge if Kai trained without complaint. The more time passed the more he came to realize the unbelievable luck he had with his teachers. They¡¯re gone, no point in wallowing in what could have been. I have to work with what I got. Another matter worth looking into was whether the boosts from Mana Spring scaled with him. Once his natural mana pool increased would the boosts also increase or remain the same? It¡¯s an amazing boon either way. Would it be too good to hope it¡¯s the first? Kai pulled out one of his new profession skills, he¡¯d figure it out eventually. Gifted Novice (lv1) ¨C When passion meets diligence, true talent is born. A Mana Child is naturally gifted at developing knowledge and skills of the arcane. It was his first meta-skill that affected other skills directly, and he could hardly think of something better. Gifted Novice would help him learn and train faster anything that had to do with magic. More than half of his skills were related to mana and arcane disciplines. Since it was a red skill, Kai didn¡¯t expect a mind-blowing improvement¡ªat least not at level 1. No matter how big or small, even if it spared him ten minutes a day, that would add up over months and years. Remembering the long days he had spent on his mana skills, or brewing potions throughout his childhood, Kai would wholeheartedly thank his profession even for a 1% bonus. Would it also work for skills that consumed mana like Empower and Blessed Swimmer? Will it help me study herbs or a recipe faster for Alchemy? With its passive nature, it would be a challenge to test and measure how Gifted Novice worked. There were thousands of details he¡¯d like to verify. Why can¡¯t it just tell me exactly how it works? If people had any sense, three- or four-page descriptions would be the norm. He pulled back the skill in the vain hope he had somehow missed a drop-down menu, no such luck. I¡¯ll have to figure them out myself and track my daily progress. Such a damn chore, yay! Dora had long taught him that studying magic often meant tedious and methodical work. While the years spent learning Alchemy had made him excellent at taking notes, they hadn¡¯t increased his enjoyment of the task. Kai opened the next skill to lift his mood. Mana Echo (lv1) ¨C Create an echo of a mana construct or casting you¡¯ve observed to reproduce it at will. The quality and quantity of the copies is determined by the level of the skill. Now, this was something he could test with a lot of fun practical experiments. I only need a test subject to copy. There must be a fellow mage somewhere in Sylspring¡­ About to take a walk outside looking for inspiration, his eyes fell on the sound-proofing runes he had painted on the walls. Two sets were hidden behind a bookcase and a painting of the Vastaire ruin, ivory constructions surrounded by a lush jungle. The one on the door was perfectly visible in its deep purple ink. This should count as a mana construct, right? He stepped closer to take in all the details. General skills were all straightforward in use and function. Nothing happened. How was Mana Echo supposed to work? Was I wrong? Kai activated Mana Sense to get a better look at the glowing lines, and then he knew. His gaze narrowed down and darted all over the script. His eyes and mind worked on their own, though he also knew he could stop it any time if he wanted. He mulled freely while another part of his mind was busy on the task. It was a simple formation of twenty-two conjoined runes, to block sounds around a specified direction and distance. The most complicated section was the self-sustaining part to keep it running. This is so weird. A few seconds later, it was done. Befuddled, Kai sat at his desk. He could feel something, like a thought at the edge of his mind. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. On a hunch, he took out a clean sheet of paper and a jar of inscribing ink. Dipping his quill, his hand sketched the rune formation as if guided by its own brain. All twenty-two runes and their links were done with rapid and precise movements in less than a minute. Kai examined the fresh purple ink with wonder. He could spot some minor imperfections, and the paper wasn¡¯t an ideal medium to hold the enchantment. Still, the mana flowing through the runes proved it worked. Repeating the test, Kai measured the process with an hourglass. It only took about a tenth of the time he needed to inscribe them manually. That¡¯s something. He scoured his room and spatial ring for any enchanted scrap he could find. His mind could store up to nine minor enchantments before he was forced to dismiss one of them, but the number dropped to five when he copied the one on the bathroom shower. The more complicated the formation the more space it required. The time to create an echo also varied with the complexity and his familiarity with the enchantment. The shower took about ten minutes, and the copy he drew had several minor mistakes that caused it to fizzle out before his eyes. He could tell the runes that had been drawn wrong, but if he interrupted the skill halfway, he was forced to start from the beginning. The only solution Kai found was to study the enchantment for longer, which seemed to improve the copy and bring the echo closer to the original. After half an hour of intently studying the glowing lines in the bathroom, he ran back to his room, ignoring an annoyed Kea who yelled after him. When he drew the runes this time, each one worked properly. Damn, I¡¯m almost out of ink. Mana Echo needed actual enchanting ink to activate. Luckily, it didn''t care about quality, and he could get away with diluting it with water. I guess that¡¯s fair, it can¡¯t be considered a mana construct without any mana. Kai massaged his eyes, his mind was throbbing painfully. He recognized the signs of skill overuse. The more he pushed the longer he¡¯d take to recover. That slightly dampened his enthusiasm, slightly, meaning he barely managed to sit without jumping up and down in excitement. He had just begun to scratch the surface of Mana Echo. Using the skill to efficiently copy his own runes was a single use, likely the most boring one. A more interesting idea was to create an echo of someone else¡¯s enchantments. Even if the copy wasn¡¯t perfect, he could fix the flaws later. Does that count as stealing? I don¡¯t think enchanted items are patentable, but it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if they are, and I¡¯ll get sued by some huge corporation. Moral quandaries aside, Kai noted down other ideas for the skill. Runes were just one type of mana construct. There were others, without counting all the types of magic casting. I already got two levels, though that¡¯s probably normal for a red skill¡­ *** ¡°Did you receive some good news?¡± Alana asked after dinner. Uncle Moui silently observed him, washing the dishes. ¡°Maybe¡­¡± Kai beamed innocently. Ele looked at their sister. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go for a walk? I want to see if the old fishing shop has opened again.¡± ¡°I need to check if my bowstring isn¡¯t crooked,¡± Kea tried to slip towards the stairs. ¡°It¡¯ll be fun, and I¡¯d feel safer if you came with me. But I can go alone if you¡¯re too busy¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll come,¡± Kea grumbled, stopping in her tracks. ¡°I need to check on the bowyer.¡± ¡°We can visit all the places you like.¡± Ele threw him a meaningful look over Kea¡¯s shoulder, quickly bringing her out the door. Great¡­ If his mother didn¡¯t suspect something earlier, now she definitely did. ¡°Do you need to tell me something, Kai Tylenn?¡± Alana looked at him expectantly with a sweet tone and warm smile. Fuck, she knows. His enthusiasm had been hard to hide. He could have managed with Improvisation, but he hadn¡¯t. Maybe I wanted her to notice. No point dragging it out any longer. ¡°Have you gotten into trouble?¡± Moui added a stern look for good measure. His Uncle¡¯s Mana Sense shouldn¡¯t be good enough to distinguish his profession yet, but Kai was starting to doubt his assumptions. ¡°Define trouble,¡± he sat at the empty table, looking innocent as a baby. Not like him as a baby, but like some other, more naive child. Alana took a seat across from him with a heavy sigh. ¡°How much should I worry?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing bad¡­¡± Kai dithered to gather his courage. ¡°I just took a profession.¡± His mother paled despite her tanned skin, thankfully she was already sitting. Her hands stretched over the table toward him, and Kai didn¡¯t think she wanted to caress his hair. She opted to grab onto the dinner table till her knuckles whitened. The conversation went about as expected. After the initial shock wore off, they pulled the whole story out of him interrupting every second sentence. Kai endured a storm of reprimands for being reckless and not asking them for advice. Somehow the fact the Guide offered him the possibility on its own made it better for his mom. Professions were a personal matter between you and the spirits. Families could offer advice, but the choice was his. Though normally people were fourteen¡ªofficially adults¡ªwhen they picked theirs, and parents had the right to advise their children before then. It was an interesting conundrum. Ultimately, there wasn¡¯t anything to be done since he had already taken up a profession. Kai waited for the scolding to be over before revealing the details of Mana Child, causing another bout of shock. Moui sat beside his mother. ¡°You really got a boon and two skills? I¡¯ve heard of one guy who was offered a boon, but he only had one skill and the attributes were terrible.¡± ¡°Mine are pretty good, higher than two.¡± Kai used his best humble tone. He expected they would accuse him of lying or look skeptical. There was not a shade of doubt on their faces. A nice fuzzy feeling warmed his heart. Whether it was because they thought highly of him or believed he wouldn¡¯t lie, it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°I¡¯m going to go to bed.¡± Kai used this time of respite to make a strategic retreat. ¡°Good night, Mom. Uncle.¡± It was hard to be angry at him for taking a profession early when Mana Child was better than anything they had ever heard of. *** With the dawn of a new day, Kai discovered his mana regeneration hadn¡¯t increased with his reserves. He hadn¡¯t even consumed more than half, but he wasn¡¯t full. With the low density of the archipelago, it likely meant he¡¯d have to refill manually every day. Just a minor inconvenience. Positive thoughts. ¡°Kai,¡± Alana greeted him downstairs. She didn¡¯t add anything else, but he could feel her eyes staring a hole through his skull. Kai went back to his room without knowing what he had eaten. Moui waited for him on the stairs, an unreadable expression on his face. ¡°Good morning,¡± Kai forced a smile. ¡°Good morning.¡± Is this a new kind of punishment? Guess I deserve it¡­ Kai waited for his Uncle to move down the stairs, but the man remained where he was. Fine. ¡°Can I go hunting with you today?¡± ¡°Why do you want to¡ª¡± Moui broke his impassive stare with a frown. ¡°No, I¡¯m not going to bring you to fight more beasts.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that. I just want to watch you hunt in the jungle. Can I? Unless you didn¡¯t plan to go today.¡± No better place to keep an eye on me. Kai could hear the grinding of the gears in Moui¡¯s brain as he tried to find the pitfall. ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to your word. We leave as soon as your sister is ready, be there.¡± Hiding a smirk, Kai was ready in half that time. The hunter threw him suspicious looks all the way to the Veeryd jungle while Kea seemed amused. What did they tell her? ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead. I agreed to meet my friends. We¡¯ll stay near the outskirts,¡± his sister waved at a group of teens waiting at the edge of the treeline, already walking. ¡°Be careful,¡± Moui yelled after her. Kea raised a hand to show she heard. The hunter watched her disappear into the vegetation before moving his attention to him. ¡°So, what¡¯s up with you? And don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s nothing, I know you¡¯re up to something.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I just want to spend some time with my favorite uncle?¡± ¡°I¡¯m your only uncle, and we both know that¡¯s not the reason.¡± Moui crossed his arms, without any intention of taking a step further till he confessed. ¡°I just want to watch you hunt.¡± ¡°Kai.¡± A warning note rose in his tone. This is so unfair. I¡¯ve not done anything yet. ¡°And I was hoping to see you use some skills that use mana. Do you by any chance have some?¡± Chapter 141 - Favorite Uncle Chapter 141 - Favorite Uncle ¡°Why? What are you planning?¡± Moui peered down at him with a stubborn frown. ¡°So, that¡¯s a yes,¡± Kai grinned. ¡°I knew I could count on you, Uncle. Come on, let¡¯s go, you need to show me your wonderful skills.¡± Not waiting for a response, Kai strolled into the Veeryd jungle humming a happy tune. With a heavy sigh, a second set of steps followed behind. His smile grew larger. Glad you can still see reason. You had me worried for a moment. ¡°Do you know a quiet place where you can show me your skills?¡± ¡°Follow me,¡± Moui grumbled and marched off the trail into the thick vegetation, uncaring of any shrubbery or branch in his way. Kai followed the path the lumbering hunter opened. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯re going to have the best time together.¡± The outskirts of the jungle around Sylspring were the home ground of gatherers, whether professionals or people wanting to make ends meet with herbs and small game. Awakened beasts preferred the higher mana regions deeper in, and large predators had long been hunted out of the outskirts. The main danger was getting lost or bitten by a venomous creature, as safe as it got inside Veeryd. ¡°Uncle, what kind of skill do you use to keep critters away? Does it use mana?¡± No fly buzzed around them. Kai had managed to recreate a similar effect by projecting his mana presence, though it never worked quite as well. Observing the blinding figure with Mana Sense, Kai tried to use Mana Echo, but the skill couldn¡¯t latch onto anything. Is it because I can¡¯t copy that skill or am I doing something wrong? Moui glanced over his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s a passive effect of a profession skill to heighten or hide my presence inside the jungle.¡± I¡¯m not sure if that counts as a mana construct or a casting. Maybe if I knew exactly what to look for. At Yellow in both race and profession, Moui¡¯s twin network shone with blinding light. Being incredibly intricate on top also didn¡¯t help. His Mana Sense was high enough to observe the main pathways, but he quickly lost himself in the myriad of branching channels thinner than a hair. At least I can look without getting a headache now. He¡¯d need a month just to figure out the flows of mana, as for understanding what any of that meant or how it worked¡­ I¡¯d have better luck trying to reinvent astrophysics. ¡°Are you going to tell me why you need to observe my skills?¡± Moui asked, the scowl fading. With a mysterious smile, Kai answered just as the hunter was about to open his mouth again. ¡°I want to try to copy them with my profession skill.¡± Teasing was an art that required balance. A broken branch crunched under his boot, breaking the silence, his eyes bulged in disbelief. ¡°You can copy my skills?¡± ¡°Well, as long as they use mana, probably? Hopefully. I¡¯m still trying to figure out how it works.¡± Kai beamed at him. ¡°That¡¯s why I need my favorite Uncle''s help.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask me that directly?¡± Moui said with exasperation. ¡°I was beginning to think that you¡­ it doesn¡¯t matter. Next time, just tell me if you need help.¡± That you what? And where would be the fun in that anyway? ¡°And that¡¯s why you¡¯re my favorite uncle.¡± ¡°I¡¯m your only uncle.¡± ¡°One does not exclude the other,¡± Kai said with a cheeky smile. Moui shook his head in exasperation. ¡°Hurry up.¡± The hunter increased his pace. Though he wasn¡¯t technically running, he might as well have been. Each stride took three of his own to keep up. Kai scampered after him, too proud to run. You¡¯re just taking advantage of my shorter legs. Climbing up a rocky cliff covered in moss, Kai seriously wondered if the hunter was just leading him through the thickest greenery and mud pits for fun. A mile back was already enough. The low mana density told him they were still in the outskirts, but there were no signs anyone passed by here in quite a while. No broken branches, trails, or harvested plants to show the passage of the gatherers. Kai doubted anyone had come this way more than once a year. And they were both able to perceive anyone who came near them anyway. Pushing a branch out of his face, he hid his relief as Moui finally stopped. The place before him offered enough of a distraction. There were no clearings or meadows in the Veeryd jungle¡ªapart from those people created¡ªthough this must be as close as it got. The high trees gave way to small wet shrubberies as the ground sloped gently toward a pond with a creek feeding into it. An orange frog jumped into the water with a panicked croak, its bright form hiding beneath the lily pads. The pond was no more than six meters across and wouldn¡¯t reach his waist at its deepest. The lower vegetation allowed scant rays of sunlight to peek through the green canopies and reflect off the surface. ¡°You¡¯d never told me about this place,¡± Kai said, admiring the crystal-clear pond. He always had a soft spot for hidden sites. Only a handful of people must have ever been here, and he was one of the lucky few. A sweep of Mana Sense made sure there were no beasts nearby. The water from the creek had a higher mana density, likely originating from the heart of Veeryd. Several pseudo-mana herbs were growing in the pond, some might even reach Red. Three years ago, he¡¯d have already been busy harvesting them, now he cared more about having found such a pretty hidden spot. I could follow the creek to its source. Who knows where it leads¡­ ¡°There are a great many things I haven¡¯t told you,¡± Moui said. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one with secrets.¡± Kai gave him a long, flat look. ¡°You need to work on your mysterious vibe, Uncle. The stoic hunter look is decent, but you need to add more intrigue to your stony face. If I were anyone else I¡¯d think you were about to murder me.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. He really needs a social skill. His words cut right through Moui¡¯s pleased demeanor, a slight flush on his face. ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to do anything like that.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t sulk, Uncle. It¡¯s fine, I can teach you.¡± Kai patiently patted him on the shoulder. The hunter¡¯s fists clenched at his sides, ¡°I¡¯m not sulking, and I don¡¯t need to learn that.¡± For a moment, Kai thought his favorite uncle would throw him in the pond. Unfortunately, Moui pressed his lips in a thin line and slipped away from his pats. No chance to show off his Water Magic today. ¡°What kind of skill are you interested in?¡± Moui said, his whole attention on stringing the bow on his back. I haven¡¯t lost my touch yet. There have been few people to practice with since Elijah is gone. ¡°I think anything will do as long as it uses mana. Try one, I should be able to tell if it works.¡± ¡°Okay. We can start with the basics. This is Piercing Shot.¡± As Moui nocked an arrow with one fluid motion, mana swirled around his fingers and latched onto the dart before he released. The shot whistled through the air burying itself into a tree behind him. The low thud made the canopy shake. ¡°Try slower." Kai thought he¡¯d gotten something from Mana Echo, but it had been too brief to be sure. Moui grumbled under his breath how an arrow couldn¡¯t fly slower, though he did take care to carefully perform each step of the draw. With his eyes and senses ready, Kai latched onto the first sign of swirling mana. Mana Echo responded to his command, analyzing what was going on through his senses. When the arrow flew through the air, the skill stopped. ¡°Can you try again? And don¡¯t release the shot this time.¡± Without complaint, his uncle nocked another shot. ¡°Like this?¡± ¡°Yes, perfect.¡± Mana Echo followed the shiny threads layering around the dart like woven silk. Kai got the impression the skill didn¡¯t start from where it left off the previous attempt, but it moved slightly faster. It¡¯s actually working. His eyes never wavered, but the excitement quickly died down as seconds turned to minutes. Kai became more and more aware of Moui¡¯s stare, and his own growing embarrassment. ¡°How much longer do I have to keep it? Piercing Shot is not made to be used like this.¡± ¡°Almost there. I need just a bit longer,¡± Kai kept a casual tone despite his face heating. Please, come on. How damn long does this skill take? After what felt like an eternity, the echo finally formed in his mind. Kai dismissed the copies of four enchantments from the previous day to make space. ¡°Done!¡± The arrow hissed beside him, planting itself deeply into the tree. ¡°Did you actually copy my skill?¡± Moui asked, stretching his arm muscles and shoulder. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Want to test it?¡± The hunter offered his bow. ¡°I¡­¡± Kai¡¯s eager smile froze on his lips, hand stretched halfway. The last time he had tried archery was years ago. Kai could still remember the shame and Elijah¡¯s taunting glances. Why does it have to be a bow skill? Couldn¡¯t he show me a knife skill or a throw? Moui frowned before his eyes flashed in apparent realization. ¡°We can go fetch a lighter bow, this wasn¡¯t made with a child in mind. I know where your sister goes to play with her friends.¡± ¡°No, this is fine. It¡¯s just a test to see how it works.¡± Kai hastily grabbed the wooden grip with both hands. The last thing he needed was Kea asking him to see his archery technique. The bow was almost as tall as him, made of a dark polished wood lined with tiny enchantments. Getting into position, Kai took an arrow from Moui. ¡°You don¡¯t need to make a full draw.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Nocking the arrow so the fletching wouldn¡¯t brush the bow when he released, Kai soon discovered that no, it wasn¡¯t fine. It was like trying to bend an iron bar, his muscles strained with effort, barely drawing back a palm. ¡°I told you. We can go ask Kea to lend hers.¡± Empower surged through his arms allowing him to draw halfway through. ¡°See. I. Can. Do. It.¡± Kai gritted his teeth. ¡°You should lower your elbow, keep your back straight, eyes on the target, not on me, you need to draw with your shoulders, not your arms¡­¡± Moui fell into teaching mode, correcting his posture. Nope. Once was enough. I¡¯m happy with my sword. Letting his profession skill take the lead, mana slowly wrapped around the arrow like layers of tape. The difference with Moui¡¯s Piercing Shot was glaring. Though he couldn¡¯t tell how much exactly since the arrow missed the tree and buried itself deep into the ground. Lucky you. Want to switch places? ¡°You need to be firm when you release the arrow, don¡¯t let your finger brush the string. Try again,¡± Moui gave him another arrow. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Piercing Shot worked. Don¡¯t you have another skill I can copy?¡± ¡°Not many that I can use for twenty minutes straight, and testing needs to be done properly,¡± Moui patted him on the head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, no one is good the first time they use a bow.¡± Great. With his calm and reasonable words, Moui gave him no excuse to refuse. ¡°Can you explain how your skill works?¡± the hunter generously offered. ¡°Profession skills can be tricky to master.¡± ¡°It¡¯s called Mana Echo¡­¡± Kai had to admit he wasn¡¯t an expert on the topic. He could probably figure it out by himself, but it''d be much faster with his Uncle''s help and experience. Praying the spirits to be merciful, he resigned himself to his second lesson of archery. Maybe this time it¡¯ll go better. The first test was to measure their shots against each other. Moui could draw the bow like him and shoot from the same distance. They just needed to hit the same tree. It took Kai three tries before his arrow planted itself into a trunk¡ªnot the one he had been aiming at. Going second, Moui hit a palm from his. His shot barely penetrated a few fingers into the bark, while the hunter¡¯s was halfway through. ¡°Perfect, let¡¯s move on to another skill,¡± Kai smiled brightly. He had never expected a copy to be as good as the original. Especially since he didn¡¯t push Mana Echo beyond the minimum threshold to make a copy. ¡°Don¡¯t be hasty,¡± Moui observed the two arrows with a thoughtful look. ¡°We need to see how hard you¡¯d hit without my copied skill.¡± ¡°I¡­ fine. One more.¡± I guess that¡¯s reasonable. It''ll be useful to see how much a copied skill helped. If he had to suffer this humiliation, he might as well do it properly. After¡­ some tries, his arrow finally hit a trunk, planting itself only half as deep of what he had achieved using the echo. ¡°Done. Now we know.¡± ¡°You said you could improve the quality of your copies,¡± Moui all-too-reasonably said. ¡°Do you know how much? Piercing Shot is an easy skill to measure the difference.¡± There was no smirk on his tanned face, nor amusement in his dark green eyes, but Kai knew this wasn¡¯t a coincidence. I underestimated you. I¡¯m glad my lessons did not fall on deaf ears, young padawan¡­ By the time they walked outside Veeryd, the sun was kissing the horizon beyond the jungle. His arms and back were strained. Spirits knew how sore he¡¯d be in the morning. Worse of all, Kai couldn¡¯t really be mad. One reasonable suggestion after another, Moui helped him figure out more of Mana Echo working than he could have managed alone. The three new levels in his status taunted him¡ªlevel 6, while Gifted Novice went up to 3. Observing Piercing Shot for longer helped, but the return quickly worsened. While the gap could be shrunk, his echoes would likely always be less effective and cost more mana than the original. There was also good news though. After looking at several of Moui¡¯s skills for hours, he had figured out a fundamental piece of Mana Echoes. Initially, Kai had thought he should have let the profession skill work on its own. How wrong he had been. While spending more time copying Piercing Shot helped, the true key to improving his copies was understanding. The more he understood what was going on, the faster and more effective his echoes were. When he finally started to wonder how, where and why mana threads wove that way, the copy drastically improved. ¡°Don¡¯t sulk, it was good training.¡± Moui patted him again. ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡± Kai pressed his lips together. This isn¡¯t over. Trying to avoid his uncle''s eyes, Kai noticed a man watching. The look was brief, but something was off about him. Like many other farmers, the guy sat in a chair in the middle of his field. He glanced at each person who walked out of Veeryd. Eyes too sharp for somebody at the end of a hard day of work. Chapter 142 - Paranoia Chapter 142 - Paranoia ¡°Something¡¯s wrong?¡± Moui asked, his stern visage looked down at him. The man was too perceptive. ¡°I¡¯m just tired,¡± Kai gave a weak smile and continued to walk. He let his gaze wander over the fields like a bored child, careful not to watch any person for too long. Inspect quickly spotted an unusual pattern. Two more people a little farther away caught his attention, an old woman and a teen girl. Kai couldn¡¯t say what it was, the way they sat or stood or their posture, but their interest in the comings and goings from the Veeryd jungle left little doubts. One can be a coincidence, but three? ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I pushed you too hard.¡± The hunter''s low voice rumbled. If I tease you, it¡¯s only fair that you can do the same. ¡°I said it¡¯s fine,¡± Kai brushed him off, his mind busy considering the possibilities. ¡°It was good training.¡± South of Sylspring, the jungle treeline was several kilometers long. There were only five or six paths the hunters and gatherers used, still too far to check from his position. Most of those people were no more than pinpoints over the green fields. Kai couldn¡¯t think of a way to check the comings and goings without arousing suspicion. ¡°Still, I shouldn¡¯t have insisted.¡± ¡°Uncle, I wouldn¡¯t have agreed if I didn¡¯t want to do it, no matter how much you argued. It¡¯s fine. I appreciate you helping me figure out the skill.¡± The observers looked like any other islanders, with tanned skin and muddy clothes, worn out like anyone who spent their day working the earth. Could they be rebels? No, that doesn¡¯t make sense. It had not been long enough for The Voice of the Ancestors to poke their heads out of whatever hole they hid in. This effort was too large and organized for them. What would they gain anyway? This has to be the Republic. The thought of natives of the archipelago working for the government wasn¡¯t reassuring. Kai crossed his fingers, hoping they were undercover enforcers. There must be skills to change appearance. If Hollywood magic could do it, I¡¯m sure real magic can as well. But what are the chances there are these many people with such a skill? If you hear hooves, think horses not zebras, the most obvious solution was usually the correct one. It could also be one person capable of disguising other people, though the chances of someone with such strong and rare skills being in Sylspring were even lower. It was an awful lot of trouble to justify a much easier solution he didn¡¯t want to face. The pirate attack on the town might have hurt the economic interests of the Republic, but it also pushed the population closer to their governors. People wanted safety, no matter where it came from, or from who. The Republic had been the hero who saved the day, which wasn¡¯t too far from the truth. From what he heard, the raiders would have pillaged and killed for hours more without Zerith¡¯s intervention. He took my secrets to his grave. I doubt the next captain of Sylspring will be half as good or accommodating to me. Especially now that anybody could be a spy. Since Kai learned of the scholarship program, he knew this day was inevitable. Though he thought there would be more time, ideally after he left. Wishes rarely come true. Leaving the observers behind, they continued down the dirt paths that crossed the farmland to join the streams of people heading back to town. ¡°Uncle, how¡¯s the Hunter¡¯s Lodge? Noticed anything unusual?¡± Kai¡¯s hopes to avoid trouble by staying away from the Republic and the rebels were rapidly shrinking. Why couldn¡¯t the two sides have at each other while he minded his own business? Yeah, that¡¯s not likely unless my Favor reached a hundred while I wasn¡¯t looking. ¡°Huh? How do you know? Did you sneak into the jungle?¡± Damn. I never hated being right more. ¡°I was just guessing. Can you tell me what happened?¡± Moui frowned, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Nothing much really.¡± ¡°Uncle, weren¡¯t you feeling really bad for mistreating me?¡± Kai used Improvisation to let his voice break with emotion. ¡°You mercilessly tormented me for the whole day, this is the least you can do.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t¡ª¡± Moui missed a step, caught off guard by the sudden shift in tone. ¡°I asked you if¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll feel much better if you answer my question,¡± Kai added with tears swelling up in his eyes. To close the deal a couple of passersby threw the hunter disapproving looks. And I didn¡¯t even pay them. You might have won a battle, but the war is mine. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, just stop that.¡± Moui surrendered, looking over his shoulder and lowering his tone. ¡°Many hunters have disappeared since the raid, and things have been¡­ different. That¡¯s it, nothing particularly strange given what happened.¡± Kai nodded, that was about what he had expected. Despite the official effort to sweep the accident under the rug and act like nothing happened, Kai¡¯d bet the governor wasn¡¯t going to forget so easily. Judging by those strange spies, the Republic knew where to direct their attention. The dense jungle wouldn¡¯t be able to protect the rebels any longer. Even if they had abandoned their hideout, Flynn had told him many members at the Hunters¡¯ Lodge were affiliated with them. ¡°Uncle, I think it¡¯s best you don¡¯t frequent that place anymore. And keep Kea away from it.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Moui forced him to stop with a hand on his shoulder, squatting to his height. ¡°Kai, what are you not telling me?¡± ¡°Just trust me on this. That place means trouble.¡± Kai bit his cheek. Whether the rebels had gone into hiding or not, the Republic wouldn¡¯t stop before turning every stone and leaf. ¡°I¡¯ll explain when we¡¯re home.¡± If there were spies watching the comings and goings from the jungle, spirits knew what else they were observing. Paranoia kicking in, Kai made a conscious effort not to glance over his shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Moui looked straight into his eyes, finally agreeing. Glad I¡¯ve never joked on serious topics. His family didn¡¯t know about the involvement of the rebels in the raid nor of his kidnapping. What was the point in worrying them after it was over? What they didn¡¯t know couldn¡¯t hurt them. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. *** It was a new day. The cheery bustle outside his window was the same as before the accident, a tad less loud. After spotting the spies in the fields, Kai began to notice oddities everywhere he went. He had barely managed to sleep a wink last night, expecting people to break down his door and kidnap him again. After the raid, his profession had taken all his attention, but he couldn¡¯t avoid the memories forever. Each time he closed his eyes, images flashed in his mind, being tied up in a basement, a town in flames, lifeless bodies in the streets¡­ There is no more danger. Inspect was good at picking up patterns, maybe too good. Just because someone he hadn¡¯t seen before asked questions or observed his house, it didn¡¯t mean they were secret government agents or hitmen. Not every odd action hides a conspiracy, and coincidences happen all the time. It¡¯s probably nothing I should worry about¡­ Kai was only able to remain calm since Hallowed Intuition was silent. Its warnings might not have been clear, but there had always been a warning when something dangerous was about to happen. He had told Moui about the rebels and why he should stay away from the jungle, trying not to reveal how he discovered it. His Uncle knew there was more to it, luckily he didn¡¯t press him for more answers. What a damn headache. I can never catch a break. Perhaps if he kept a low profile and trained his skills out of sight, everything would turn out for the best. Yeah, how many times did that work? That was one of the reasons why he hadn¡¯t taken an alchemist profession. The quiet never lasted long and he wasn¡¯t very good at ignoring what happened around him. This time he¡¯d rather get a warning before all hell broke loose. Better safe than sorry. Kai had no idea how many times his luck had saved him, but he needed to increase his chances beyond what Favor would provide. Maybe he would have already been killed without it, or kidnapped by more competent people. Only the spirits knew if he had survived fighting Tridel and the pirates on his own merits or if fate might have played a part. I gained every point of it myself, except the two I was born with, so it was me either way. I literally earned my luck. What was certain was that trouble had found him many, many times regardless of how high his seventh attribute got. Be it for his own fault or chance, Virya had warned him Favor was ¡®unpredictable by definition¡¯. Pulling away from the window, Kai put on a pair of loose green pants and a sleeveless white shirt to head outside. His problems weren¡¯t going to solve themselves if he remained hidden in his room. With some effort, he stopped using Inspect on every passerby he met. Even if they were truly spies, that knowledge would do nothing but make him lose his mind. He needed to think clearly to find a solution. His innocence wouldn¡¯t protect him if he got pulled into the investigation of the Republic. He¡¯d rather not find out what would happen if they learned about his spatial ring, skills or profession. In the merchant district, Kai knocked on the metal gate, smiling at the old butler who came to open. ¡°Master Kai, what a pleasure,¡± the man¡¯s cold eyes told him he shouldn¡¯t be here. ¡°I don¡¯t recall you having an appointment with Master Reishi. It has been an extremely busy week.¡± ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t. I hope it¡¯s not a problem, Reishi said I was always welcome,¡± Kai slipped inside before the man could react. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for him in his study. Don¡¯t worry, I know the way.¡± While several servants and guards glanced at him, no one stepped in his way. He must have broken a dozen etiquette rules, but the merman wouldn¡¯t care, and there was only one butler who could actually order him around. The two men at the main door let him in after a glance behind his back, probably to check on the old man who must have resigned himself to the facts. The mansion was bigger than any house had a right to be. He could get lost among the hallways, but he remembered the path to the study from his previous visits. The butler was grumbling behind him. ¡°Wait Master Kai, that¡¯s not proper. I can show you to a different room.¡± One where you can forget about me till next year? Reishi should still be in town to set things up after the chaos from the raid. If not, it was only a matter of time before he stopped by. ¡°This room will do just fine, thank you for your concerns.¡± The door swung open on well-oiled hinges and the gleaming point of a spear tickled his nose. Maybe I should have knocked¡­ ¡°I come in peace,¡± Kai slowly raised his hands in surrender. ¡°Hi, Jiro. I¡¯m truly sorry for your brother, I wish I could have helped him, but I was too late.¡± The young man who had guarded his lab came into focus with his dark green hair. Kai had to admit reminding him of his dead twin brother, Jomei, while the man pointed a spear at him, wasn¡¯t one of his brightest ideas. Having a weapon an inch from my face doesn¡¯t encourage rational thinking. ¡°Kai, what are you doing here?¡± Reishi called, sitting at his desk. Jiro lowered his weapon, taking his place beside the door. ¡°I came to see you. I thought you¡¯d like to hear the news,¡± Kai said while glaring at the butler. ¡°Sorry for not knocking.¡± You could have told me Reishi was already here. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m sorry for the¡­ welcome. I¡¯ve heightened my security after what happened. Algyle, bring us some tea,¡± Reishi dismissed the old butler. ¡°Jiro, you can guard outside my door.¡± With a small bow of the head and a nod of acknowledgment to him, Jiro closed the door behind him. Kai was happy to see the merman looked better compared to the last time. Still tired, but not about to flop dead from overwork. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I came unannounced. I can wait if you¡¯re too busy.¡± Kai looked at the two piles of documents on the desk. ¡°An hour more or less won¡¯t make a difference.¡± Reishi waved him to sit on the sofa while he joined him. ¡°I¡¯m glad you came. Am I right to assume you went through with it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And¡­ Did you take an alchemist profession?¡± Reishi¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement. ¡°You must have been offered one.¡± ¡°I was,¡± Kai answered truthfully. ¡°But I didn¡¯t take it.¡± The merman flopped on the plush sofa with evident disappointment. ¡°What did you take then, if you don¡¯t mind me asking.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a general mage profession with a focus on learning. It will also help my brewing. It¡¯s quite good.¡± ¡°Sounds fun. Do you need my help figuring it out?¡± A spark of interest reignited in his gaze. ¡°Profession skills work quite a bit differently from general skills. I¡¯ll offer you my expert consultation for half the price.¡± Kai¡¯d bet if Reishi learned about Mana Echo, the merman would find a way to make him copy more alchemy skills. ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯m fine. That¡¯s not why I came here today.¡± ¡°Anything I can help you with, just tell and it will be done,¡± Reishi snapped his fingers with a pompous gesture¡ªquite impressive with his webbed hands. ¡°Did anything happen?¡± Kai stared at his feet. How could he present his worries without sounding like a madman? ¡°Well¡­ I noticed some strange things lately¡­¡± By the time he had finished describing the suspicious people he noticed and the secrets he¡¯d rather keep from the Republic, they were both holding a cup of steaming mint tea. Reishi listened without interrupting, a pensive look on his scaled face. ¡°Am I worrying for nothing?¡± Tell me I¡¯m just paranoid. ¡°I have good and bad news,¡± the merman started off. ¡°I¡¯ll start with the good one.¡± Yay. ¡°I don¡¯t think you should worry too much about your profession. Actually, it might be better if they found out about it. They¡¯ll think you wasted your full potential by being hasty and might lose interest in you, which is what you want from what I understand.¡± Kai nodded, he hadn¡¯t thought about it like that. If Reishi was right, he could at least cut one of his worries from the list. The merman took a long sip from his cup. ¡°That is unless they learn how good your profession is. And from what you¡¯ve told me, it¡¯s pretty good. I can get you some enchanted clothes to hide your mana channels like mine.¡± He straightened his aquamarine silk robe, glowing with runes. ¡°They are much more common on the mainland, but even here I¡¯ve seen many people wear them. It shouldn¡¯t attract much attention as long as you stick to appropriate places.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯d like that if it¡¯s not too much trouble,¡± Kai readily agreed. Most merchants and half the tourists wore some form of enchanted clothing. Not many islanders did, but for once he could take advantage of the fact he didn¡¯t look like most natives. ¡°I¡¯ll call my tailor to fix an appointment and place an order,¡± Reishi refilled his cup. ¡°It costs about five to ten silvers or so for a custom pair depending on the specifications. Then there is the bad news.¡± Wasn¡¯t that enough? Who spends that much on clothes? ¡°Go on,¡± Kai readied himself. ¡°The Republic is indeed having an investigation. They sent people from Higharbor to sweep the town, and they¡¯re out for blood.¡± Chapter 143 - The Investigation Chapter 143 - The Investigation ¡°My connections inside the council have been quite tight-lipped, so I don''t have the full picture of the investigation.¡± Reishi was uncharacteristically serious, not the hint of a smile on his pale blue features. ¡°Despite their official response, the Republic isn¡¯t going to forget, they won¡¯t be satisfied until they find someone to punish. They know someone else was involved in the raid, and they¡¯ve sent resources and personnel from Higharbor to get to the bottom of it. From what I heard, the orders might come from the governor himself.¡± Kai uneasily fiddled with the red fringes of the velvet sofa. "How worried should I be?¡± He wasn¡¯t sure whether to congratulate himself for being right in his paranoia or slap his face for jinxing it. The Republic had always been reluctant to spend resources to deal with the rebels. In Greenside, only when the Voice became too annoying did the enforcers respond with a harsh and swift strike. But this time the mosquitos had stung a sensitive spot. They won¡¯t be happy with just swatting it, they want to squash it for good. If Kai truly saw their inspectors and spies in the streets, he had underestimated the scale of the investigation. This time, the retaliation was going to be different, in both scale and approach. Goodbye to my sweet and peaceful time. You lasted a whole day and a half. ¡°I don¡¯t want to scare you,¡± the merman took a sip of his mint tea, softening his tone. ¡°But when the Republic is looking for people to punish, you need to tread carefully. If you get caught in the middle, I might not be able to pull you out.¡± Kai crossed his hands to keep them still. ¡°I already planned to stay as far away from them as possible.¡± ¡°Good. I hope you don¡¯t have any dubious acquaintances or time spent in shady places.¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡ª¡± Reishi raised a hand to stop him. ¡°It¡¯s better if you don¡¯t tell me anything in case a skilled truthteller questions me. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve never interacted with suspicious characters and are completely innocent.¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Reishi nodded a bit too emphatically. ¡°That¡¯s a good start, but you need to be more than innocent. You need to be unremarkable and boring. If during their investigation they discover your grade or the specifics of your profession, they won¡¯t turn away because it wasn¡¯t what they were looking for.¡± Kai¡¯s hand unconsciously touched the amulet beneath his shirt. The pendant had been enchanted by Virya to show his race as Orange ¡ï. Anyone looking would only see a piece of polished iron. That was unless they took it away from him. Then he would jump to Orange ¡ï¡ï¡ï and the truth would be obvious. And if his grade was so high, what about his profession? Or the ring he had on his finger and all it contained. If the first piece fell, they wouldn¡¯t stop shaking him until the whole castle of cards came apart. ¡°What should I do?¡± His apparent calm was kept together by thin threads of Improvisation. Reishi¡¯s gaze weighed him. ¡°I assume you have more secrets aside from the ones you¡¯ve told me. You don¡¯t need to tell me that either.¡± ¡°To not betray me to a truthteller?¡± While Kai had never heard the name before, it was pretty on the nose. It must be how they called someone with a profession and skills to detect lies. He had always suspected Zerith had a similar skill, though he was never able to confirm. Obviously, the Republic needed to have an order of creepy inquisitors. They must be rare since I¡¯ve never heard of one before, otherwise I¡¯m beyond screwed. ¡°Just common courtesy. And speculating in my head what other ridiculous secrets you¡¯re hiding is fun. Maybe one day you can tell me if I guess correctly.¡± Reishi refilled his cup, peering deeply at him. ¡°So, you know, one of my contacts told me a truthteller landed in Sylspring this morning, directly from Higharbor.¡± Great. Reishi waved his worry away. ¡°Oh, don''t worry too much about that, by law you don¡¯t need to answer a truthteller unless it¡¯s relevant to their investigation.¡± Thank all the spirits! ¡°That¡¯s a surprisingly reasonable and fair law to avoid abuse of their powers,¡± Kai said tentatively. Was there really no catch? Reishi burst into laughter, almost choking on his tea. The merman coughed into a napkin, never losing the grin on his blue lips. ¡°Sometimes I forget you¡¯re still a child.¡± There was no mocking in his tone, but Kai''s confusion immediately turned into visceral irritation. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± There were few things that triggered him more than being called a child. I¡¯m not a damn child, you dumb fish! ¡°Your innocence, it¡¯s adorable. Come on, don''t glare at me, we were all there once.¡± Reishi gave him an annoying pointy smile that showed his ivory teeth. ¡°Unfortunately, fairness has little to do with it. The higher and richer you are the more you have to hide, and it doesn¡¯t exclude the venerable members of the Azure Council. They¡¯d never allow someone who could end their career with a question to exist. The fear of that ability being turned against them vastly surpasses any utility.¡± Kai crossed his arms with a glower. Indeed, assuming the laws were thought to be just even in principle had been naive of him. There was no need to laugh. ¡°Sorry I laughed.¡± Reishi finally wiped that smirk from his face. ¡°More tea?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± As always, Kai accepted the peace offering with grace. The merman poured the rest of the teapot. ¡°Even with those laws, you must not lower your guard. Most truthtellers love to wring out information from casual remarks or take advantage of people who don¡¯t know the regulations that bind them. They¡¯ll make you think you have to answer every question if you let them.¡± Now, I kinda expected that. I¡¯m not that naive. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°I¡¯ve bought a law codex, but I haven¡¯t had time to read it with what happened.¡± I¡¯ll need to start getting through it, at least the important parts. Another project to add to the pile, yay! The thick volume still rested in his spatial ring. Originally, Kai wanted to learn the basic laws for his alchemy business, though the first few pages of obtuse jargon had made him procrastinate on the task. Lawyers must get a perverse joy from making everything unnecessarily cryptic and long-winded so only they know what it means. Reishi nodded sagely. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea, you should always know the laws of every place you visit. Ignorance is the root of every poor bargain, and a sure way to cheat somebody.¡± ¡°I guess you must be an expert on that.¡± Kai immediately regretted the snarky comment. Merchants did have a certain reputation¡­ Okay, that was an asshole move. Before Kai could beat down his pride and mutter an apology, the merman spoke again. ¡°Did I ever try to take advantage of your ignorance to swindle you?¡± Reishi¡¯s face was impassive. Actually, you tried a couple times, though I think you call that haggling. As people say: the only honest merchant is a broke merchant. Attacking how the merman did business probably wasn¡¯t the best idea. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that.¡± ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t¡­¡± Reishi narrowed his eyes with an amused glint. ¡°Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have gone easy on you in our negotiations.¡± He¡¯s lying, that wasn''t easy mode. ¡°What I meant to say is that you need to know something to defend against it. That¡¯s why you must know it so well.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Reishi''s pointy smile came back. ¡°Do you want me to draw our next deals by myself since you think so highly of me?¡± ¡°Of course, I know you¡¯re not someone who would ever take advantage of a friend who trusts you. You¡¯ll only give me the best deals, right?¡± Kai reciprocated the smile. Their gazes crossed for several seconds before they both burst out laughing. Spurred by each other''s amusement they took a minute to stop giggling like fools. ¡°Thank you, Kai. I don''t remember the last time I laughed so hard, I needed that.¡± Reishi dried the tears from his eyes. ¡°So, you''ll let me draw the next draft of our contract?¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome. And no, I¡¯m not going to give up our friendly haggling.¡± It better be friendly! "Was worth a try.¡± Reishi shrugged. ¡°Anyway, it wouldn¡¯t be bad if you spent the next months brewing in a secluded space, just until things settle down. I could arrange something if you want.¡± Why doesn¡¯t that surprise me? ¡°I appreciate the offer, but I need to level my profession.¡± While practicing Alchemy would fall into the purview of Mana Child, the XP growth wouldn¡¯t be fast or efficient. Especially if he only brewed potions day and night. The merman slumped down, disappointed. ¡°I know you must be excited to use your new profession, I couldn¡¯t think of anything else after I got mine but be mindful when you practice it. Rare or unusual skills will attract attention and make people curious. It would be better not to use it at all for the next few months.¡± What are the odds Mana Echo falls into the category? ¡°I¡¯ll be careful,¡± Kai promised. The timer on Virya¡¯s riddle had less than nine months remaining, waiting wasn¡¯t an option. He needed the extra attributes, the more levels the better. After making his stance clear, Reishi didn¡¯t insist, and the conversation turned to lighter topics. They set up an appointment with the tailor to get fitted for the enchanted clothes. Half an hour later, Kai walked out of the mansion in a cheerful mood. ¡°Till next time.¡± He waved at the old butler. ¡°The pleasure was mine, Master Kai.¡± The gate was shut close with more force than necessary. Alfred, you¡¯re such a jokester. The talk had settled his mind. It wasn¡¯t all good news¡ªactually very little of it was¡ªbut now he knew what to look out for. A known danger was always less scary than the dark. Just keep your head down, don¡¯t attract attention and don''t let anyone see your magnificent profession. What could go wrong? Kai forced himself to ignore the passersby who glanced at him. His house was the safest and most unassuming place and he¡¯d probably be spending most of his days there for the foreseeable future. Suddenly feeling a bit restless, Kai strolled down the streets, letting his feet take the lead. He could justify a longer walk since he was already out. It was almost noon, but he wasn¡¯t hungry yet. He enjoyed the sea breeze, standing in the shade of the buildings to avoid the beaming sun. I won¡¯t get many chances to let loose anytime soon, I better make peace with it. He should probably avoid training Blessed Swimmer and Empower. Even in the desolate southern beach, far from the town, he couldn¡¯t be completely sure that no one was watching. Physical exercises in general might be too eye-catching. If someone was passing Sylspring through a fine comb for any suspicious sign, they¡¯d likely take an interest in a kid that was stronger and faster than he should be. Indeed, practicing magic might become a problem too. The shores weren¡¯t safe from prying eyes, and the jungle was the worst possible place to be. A kid who goes into Veeryd to hide? Yeah, that¡¯s someone who would attract attention for sure. Maybe I could try practicing casting underwater? Lost in his thoughts, Kai bumped into a person coming out of an alley. They both dodged in the same direction at the last second, sealing their fate. With an arm on the ground to regain his balance, Kai narrowly kept on his feet. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I wasn¡¯t looking whe¡ª Flynn?¡± Sitting on the paved street of poshtown, scowling, the boy looked up at him. His annoyed frown turned into surprise. ¡°Did you miss me so much that you started stalking me?¡± Kai rolled his eyes, but still offered him a hand to stand up. ¡°I could ask you the same. Were you following me, why are you here?¡± Flynn dusted off his clothes and massaged his backside. ¡°I live here.¡± He pointed to the two-story building in white plaster behind him. The plain color and lack of decorations made it look unassuming in contrast with poshtown''s colorful and flamboyant architecture. ¡°So, what¡¯s your excuse? Because it looks to me like you¡¯re the one doing the stalking.¡± He could be lying, but what would be the point? ¡°Do you really live here?¡± ¡°Yes, it comes with my job,¡± Flynn avoided his gaze. ¡°I can show you the hole they stash us in if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± ¡°I believe you. Still, it¡¯s a pretty nice area.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s not too bad¡­¡± Flynn tiredly shrugged. ¡°Anyway, I was just taking a walk. The town isn¡¯t that big, and coincidences do happen¡­¡± Kai paused. What are the chances it¡¯s just random when I have 34 Favor? Or was it Hallowed Intuition making me wish to stretch my legs? Reishi had told him to stay away from dubious acquaintances. An ex-spy for the rebels likely fit that category, still he needed to see if fate was truly playing with him. He might know something I need. ¡°You know what, Flynn? I think I was looking for you.¡± Kai put on his brightest smile. ¡°Why don¡¯t we have lunch together?¡± His green observant eyes searched for a catch. ¡°Are you paying?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Where are we going?¡± Flynn threw an arm around his shoulder, leading him down the paved street. ¡°Any place is fine, but I''d rather not go to the Sage Tree Inn if possible.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m no longer friends with the owner.¡± I should have guessed she was affiliated with the rebels. ¡°It¡¯s not a problem, we can go to my house.¡± Flynn¡¯s arm stiffened. ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s a good idea? I don¡¯t want to bother your family.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s only us today. They are all out working, but my mom always insists on preparing for me, so there is enough for three.¡± Shit, is family a taboo topic for him? Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have mentioned my mother¡­ Flynn didn¡¯t blink, it was hard to say with him. Though it burned to admit, Kai was pretty sure the boy''s acting skill was higher than his. ¡°Okay, but if you didn¡¯t want to pay, you could have just said so.¡± Flynn patted him on the back with a knowing look. ¡°I don¡¯t judge.¡± Kai suppressed the impulse to slap his face. ¡°Yeah, you caught me.¡± We also have walls with excellent soundproofing, the perfect place to quietly strangle someone or share compromising information. Whatever happens first. Chapter 144 - The Path Forward Chapter 144 - The Path Forward Kai sneaked a glance at the boy walking beside him, Flynn was being unusually quiet. Should I have asked how he¡¯s doing? Noticing him looking, Flynn flashed a smile at him. ¡°Do I have something on my face, or are you just admiring my handsomeness? No need to be ashamed, it happens to a lot of people.¡± ¡°I was just thinking whether it would be more satisfying to punch your left side or the right,¡± Kai said with a wondering tone like he was choosing whether to buy a coconut or papaya for breakfast. ¡°What do you think?¡± Flynn put a hand on his chin to check and clenched his jaw. ¡°I think the right one is my best side. I¡¯ll let you punch the left one if you let me do the same.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it, but I go first.¡± Still an idiot. After the quipping exchange was done, Flynn went back to a brooding silence. His smirk disappeared like footprints on the water¡¯s edge when Kai turned his attention back to the bustling street. His house was just outside poshtown, a five-minute walk. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± The new coat of white paint on the door hid the arrow hole where Moui nailed a raider. Kai opened the lock with a smooth clank and let Flynn inside. ¡°Don¡¯t¡ª¡± Kai paused, telling Flynn not to do something would likely sound like a challenge or invite. ¡°Just put back anything you touch, and make yourself at home.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a very nice house, it looks even better than from outside.¡± Flynn inspected the room. ¡°Does it?¡± Kai gave him a brief tour. ¡°That¡¯s the kitchen, the bathroom is over there and our bedrooms are upstairs. It¡¯s a bit messy right now.¡± Kea had left a bunch of half-finished arrows and a mess of twine in the living room; a bundle of canvas with Ele¡¯s equipment sat in a chair. In the kitchen, the plates and a pan from this morning''s breakfast waited to be washed. I said I would take care of it, didn¡¯t I? Mom would have a heart attack if she knew I brought someone without tidying up. With a sigh, Kai got to work cleaning and heating up the meal. He didn¡¯t forget to follow Flynn with Mana Sense in the back of his mind. The boy was snooping around downstairs, without touching anything, and stopped when he found the bathroom. A moment later, Kai heard running water. Can¡¯t fault him for admiring my masterpiece. ¡°Stop poking my enchantments, if you scratch them, I¡¯ll scratch your eyeballs,¡± Kai yelled at the wall. ¡°And don¡¯t drip on the floor.¡± Flynn poked his head back into the kitchen. ¡°You have hot water?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t the Republic have it too?¡± ¡°Not in the storage closet they give us. I share a bathroom with a dozen people and I have to heat a bucket if I want to take a bath in winter.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡± Kai looked at him with deep pity, glad he didn¡¯t have to live like that anymore. ¡°Anyway, lunch is ready.¡± He served reheated meat skewers with crunchy bread from the posh baker and a tropical salad. Kai placed the plates on the table. Flynn observed them with a critical eye, smelling the food like a connoisseur with a bottle of aged wine. I¡¯ve seen you eat far worse while complimenting the cook. ¡°This will do.¡± Flynn declared his verdict with a solemn nod. After the first bite, he began stuffing his mouth like a starved child. ¡°Glad it satisfies your palate, your majesty.¡± Kai raised his eyes to the sky, setting a jug full of water on the table. He couldn¡¯t let him choke to death until he got the answers he needed. ¡°No need to wait for me.¡± Flynn mumbled a sorry with a full mouth but didn¡¯t stop eating. Guess we might finish what Mom prepared for once. She¡¯ll be so happy. First to finish, Flynn stretched his grubby hands toward his plate. Kai¡¯d bet it was just to annoy him rather than for hunger. He¡¯d already eaten for two. ¡°Try me.¡± A simple smile and the wooden skewer firmly in his hand were enough to dissuade the thief. ¡°I was just stretching my arms.¡± Flynn retracted his hands with a pout. ¡°Obviously.¡± Kai bit a piece of snake meat off the skewer. ¡°Anyway, did something interesting happen lately?¡± Very smooth genius, very smooth. ¡°About the same.¡± Flynn used a piece of bread to clean his plate till it was pristine. ¡°I¡¯m just waiting for things to settle down before I decide what to do next.¡± There was something more in the look Flynn gave him, but Kai had no idea what. Did he think the question was weird or was he playing dumb? Damn, how do I probe for information when you don¡¯t know what I¡¯m looking for? Normally Kai had to beg him to shut up, today any attempt to extract information led nowhere. Flynn responded with a witty remark or a joke that closed the conversation. Kai swallowed the last morsel of beets with a glass of water, never taking his eyes off him. Even the hints at his new profession didn¡¯t evoke much curiosity. Kai thought he would get pestered until he was forced to speak or throw him out of his house. Is he mad at me? ¡°Well, thank you for the meal.¡± Flynn stood up. ¡°Do you want me to help you clean up? I need to be back on duty soon.¡± Kai put the last skewer down. ¡°I can do that later. We need to talk first.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that what we¡¯ve been doing the whole time?¡± Flynn raised a questioning eyebrow. Does he truly know nothing? Why did I bump into him then? ¡°I want to show you my room. Come on.¡± Before the boy could protest, Kai marched upstairs, leaving him no choice but to follow. If he had to put all his cards on the table, it would be better to do it where no one could eavesdrop. ¡°What¡¯s up with you today?¡± Flynn mused out loud. ¡°You¡¯re being weirder than usual, and trust me, that¡¯s not a low bar.¡± Ha. Ha. Very funny. Kai waited till they were both inside and slammed the door shut. ¡°I¡¯ve got soundproofing enchantments on the walls, no one will hear us here.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­?¡± Flynn retreated a few steps. ¡°Very cool, your room is amazing. Much better than mine, but I really need to go.¡± ¡°Sit down and stop acting like an idiot.¡± Kai took a seat on his bed and pointed to the only chair. ¡°We need to talk about what happened during the raid and figure out what we¡¯re going to do with the new Republic investigators sweeping the town for culprits.¡± Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. For a second, Kai thought Flynn would dash for the door and was ready to tackle him. Then the boy dragged his feet to the desk chair like it was the executioner¡¯s block. ¡°How do you know about the investigation?¡± ¡°A friend told me.¡± Kai crossed his arms. ¡°Since you couldn¡¯t bother warning me.¡± Flynn pressed his lips in a thin line. ¡°What does it matter to you? You¡¯re not the one they¡¯re looking for and you don¡¯t risk getting your head chopped off if discovered.¡± Kai froze an equally snarky response on his lips. The fact the boy had such a punchable face didn¡¯t help, but he needed to be the adult here. Calm down and think things through. Yes, it wasn¡¯t as simple as Flynn made it out to be, he was also risking a lot if the Republic started digging into him. But maybe the boy wasn¡¯t entirely wrong either. I might get robbed or forced into a shitty contract. Whatever situation I end up in, I can find my way out. On the other hand¡­ he would likely be tortured for information and killed. He¡¯s Fourteen, an adult by law, and I doubt it would make any difference anyway. The more Kai pondered the matter the worse he felt. Indeed, there were a few facts he hadn¡¯t considered. All he had worried about since the raid were his broken plans and his profession. The only topics they talked about when they met. If he has closed with the rebels, he might risk getting killed by them too, and he can¡¯t go back to his family either. Staying with the Republic is also not an option¡­ Oh, spirits, smite me now! I might be a bigger fool than him. The only reason he had invited Flynn today was because the boy might have something he needed. And I just snapped at him because he didn¡¯t come running to check on me about my problems. Fuck, I¡¯m a hypocrite. Kai wished he could sink into his bed for shame. And he was supposed to be the adult, wasn¡¯t he? ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Kai muttered, though that seemed hardly enough. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I was¡­ a bit of an egocentric asshole. I should have considered your situation and checked if you were okay sooner.¡± The chair creaked as Flynn leaned forward as if he couldn¡¯t hear him properly from a meter away. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t need to nanny me.¡± Kai cleared his throat, avoiding his gaze. ¡°But it¡¯s not fine. I didn¡¯t even thank you properly for your help during the raid.¡± ¡°I got you into trouble in the first place, so we¡¯re even. And you don¡¯t need to worry for me, I know how to take care of myself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the same thing.¡± Kai stared at his hands, afraid to look up, his heart was thumping in his ears. ¡°You were just trying to warn me and didn¡¯t know that Tridel was stalking you. And you also didn¡¯t need to follow me to my lab, but I¡¯m grateful that you did. I¡¯d be dead twice if it wasn¡¯t for you.¡± The expected jokes didn¡¯t come, silence stretched. Gathering his courage, Kai forced himself to raise his eyes. Flynn was looking out the window, turning his back on him. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m fine.¡± His tone, quick and even, didn¡¯t betray any emotion. ¡°I just need a moment.¡± Kai noticed how the little of his face he could see was a different shade than normal. If his skin wasn¡¯t tanned, he would probably be bright pink. That¡¯s¡­ not what I expected. Guess even acting skills have limits. A minute. Two minutes. Three minutes. When Flynn finally turned around, his eyes shone with something more than his mischievous glint. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes, stop asking me that. You¡¯re the kid that needed saving. Luckily for you, I¡¯m a selfless paladin. You need no fear, I¡¯ll save your ass every time.¡± And here we go. If I ever need shade, I can take cover under his big head. ¡°Do you want to try another spar since you¡¯re so brave and strong?¡± Kai scoffed with a smile. ¡°I¡¯d be honored to learn from such a mighty hero.¡± ¡°I fear your bedroom isn¡¯t big enough for a proper duel.¡± ¡°Well, tell me the day and place you prefer, and I¡¯ll be there.¡± Kai took out a notebook and pen with a flat smile. ¡°What kind of role model would I be if I taught you to resolve all conflicts with violence?¡± Flynn sighed dramatically, slumping down in the chair. ¡°Maybe we should start with philosophy. You see, cultivating the mind is as important as the body. There are three fundamental principles to lead an honorable life¡­¡± Spirits spare me, I¡¯d rather watch the tides rise. Kai¡¯d bet gold that the boy could go on for hours, spouting nonsense if he dared him. ¡°I get it, I get it. Now shut up, we have yet to decide what to do with the Republic.¡± Quieting down with an offended harrump, Flynn rocked on the chair and rested his legs on the bed. ¡°I told you that there is no need to worry. We just need to keep our heads down and everything will be fine.¡± ¡°First, take your damn shoes off my bed.¡± Kai slapped his feet off with a glare. ¡°And second, what if you get interrogated by someone who can detect lies?¡± The boy continued rocking the chair without worry. ¡°Many enforcers have some kind of intuition skill, but they aren¡¯t as infallible as they let you think. There are ways around if you are prepared and have a counter¡ªwhich I do. Not that anyone would have reason to suspect me to begin with.¡± That¡¯s not how Reishi made it sound, did he just want me to be cautious? ¡°So, it¡¯s not a problem if a truthteller questions you¡­?¡± With a painful crash, Flynn tipped over the chair. ¡°Shit! Cursed gods!¡± Tell me he¡¯s cursing about the fall. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yes. No.¡± He stood up massaging his shoulder. ¡°You didn¡¯t say a truthteller was in Sylspring, right?¡± It couldn¡¯t be that easy, could it? ¡°Weren¡¯t you saying that lie detection skills aren¡¯t a big deal?¡± Kai could feel his hopes crumbling into dust. ¡°That¡¯s for general skills.¡± Flynn scrubbed a hand through his hair, pacing back and forth in the cramped room. ¡°Questioners get their abilities from their profession and spend all their time leveling them to sniff out lies. I wasn¡¯t even sure there was one in the whole archipelago, why should a damn questioner come to our town?¡± The boy loomed over him and looked straight into his eyes. ¡°Are you completely sure it was a truthteller and not just another investigator? They¡¯re the equivalent of a high official, the mayor should have gone to welcome them if one arrived in Sylspring.¡± ¡°Yes, the truthteller landed here this morning from Higharbor.¡± Before Flynn could continue his manic steps, Kai grabbed his arm. ¡°Sit down. We can figure this out.¡± Maybe nothing of this was about me¡­ Did I bump into him to warn him? Or maybe I¡¯d also be fucked if they question him and follow the breadcrumbs to me. ¡°Did you notice anyone new today?¡± Flynn shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know, there have been a ton of new people lately.¡± ¡°Did you talk with anyone you hadn¡¯t seen before?¡± Kai forced his tone to remain calm and still his tapping foot. ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­ No, not today at least.¡± Good, we¡¯re not fucked yet. ¡°I think whoever this truthteller is, they didn¡¯t make a fuss so they could ask questions unhindered.¡± Kai began to think aloud. ¡°I heard they have restrictions on what you have to answer. But what if they ask you about the rebels over lunch or make small talk in the hallway?¡± ¡°They could question other officers and employees without letting them know they were even suspects and ensure no one runs away,¡± Flynn finished for him, looking like he had managed to recompose himself¡ªat least on the outside. ¡°You need to leave Sylspring,¡± Kai stated, that was the only option. The truthteller could reveal his or her identity and change tactics at any moment. They could also get suspicious if Flynn avoided every new person. Even knowing the dangers, the risks were too big. ¡°Who would suspect me if I suddenly ran away without explanation?¡± Flynn said, sarcasm dripping from each word. ¡°It¡¯s not like they¡¯d chase after me.¡± He closed his mouth, passing a hand over his face. ¡°Sorry. I know you¡¯re trying to help, but I don¡¯t want to spend the rest of my life hiding.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± He can¡¯t hide with the rebels either¡­ he¡¯d be alone till they find him. ¡°But you can¡¯t stay there either. They¡¯re not going to be satisfied by scaring the Voice into hiding this time. What are the chances some other member sells you out?¡± Flynn clenched his fists. ¡°It¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°And I don¡¯t think coming clean to the Republic and telling them what you know is an option either?¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather cut my tongue.¡± Flynn exhaled slowly. ¡°Since the arrival of the truthteller wasn¡¯t made public they won¡¯t be too suspicious, if I¡¯m lucky. I can come up with a reasonable explanation to leave, but I¡¯ll need to resign in person.¡± His eyes stared blankly at the floorboards. ¡°Where would I even go?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to Higharbor, that¡¯d be the last place someone who has something to hide would choose,¡± Kai closed the conversation. Flynn¡¯s attention jolted on him. ¡°What do you mean we?¡± ¡°Two people will attract less attention than one. I also wanted a change of air, Sylspring is becoming too stuffy. It¡¯s decided, I know a guy who can take care of the journey.¡± Certainly, it can¡¯t be a worse place to train than here. I¡¯ll fit right in with all the spoiled scions. Chapter 145 - Linked Fates Chapter 145 - Linked Fates Why didn¡¯t I say something? Flynn raked a hand through his hair, ripping through any tangles in his brown curls. Not a wince. Without glancing at his fingers, he let the proof of his inner panic disappear on the cobblestones. He casually strolled down the street to get back to poshtown, his face the picture of routine boredom. Inside, the cracks he fastidiously kept together for weeks were coming apart. He wanted to scream curses to the sky and slap himself. All his levels in Controlled Appearance seemed hardly worth anything. Now¡¯s not the time for foolish mistakes. Get a grip. An easy tell of nervousness was becoming hyper-aware of your body, like suddenly realizing you had two hands. A lesson he had received long before gaining his skill. With an effort, Flynn stilled his arms at his sides and ordered his heart to slow to a more comfortable pace. There wasn¡¯t anyone who would notice out here, but he couldn¡¯t afford a blink out of place back in the clerk''s office. A fucking truthteller in Sylspring. Most truth skills worked on your reactions, expressions, voice, smell, heartbeat or a combination of those; the best ones read your mana fluctuations. Those were still general skills with ways to counter them. The abilities of a truthteller were granted by their profession. Flynn had no idea if there was a way around them even if he knew how they worked. And he didn¡¯t. While his education at Hawkfield had not delved deeply into the topic, it taught him enough to know that hoping to deceive a questioner was pure lunacy. Truthtellers were chosen as children before they opened their First Seal. Brought up to unravel any lies wherever the Republic pointed. Cursed gods and bloody idiots. The governor of a minor territory like theirs shouldn¡¯t have the pull to call one from the mainland, and certainly not send them out of Higharbor. That was what they told him, what he had believed till a few hours ago. Could it be a mistake? Kai had sounded completely sure, and Flynn trusted his words more than what the Voice or his pompous teachers told him. Where did he hear it? There was a chance his friend had misunderstood, though the knowledge he had shown made the possibility unlikely. His own curriculum had failed to mention the restriction truthtellers had to abide by. When one asked a question, it was the duty of a citizen of the Republic to tell them everything they knew. As simple as that. His education was less broad than he had been led to believe. The more he spoke with other employees and¡ªmore often¡ªoverheard, the more incongruities came up. A sea of small, seemingly insignificant holes and deficiencies. The scholarship program promised to create the first generation of Republic citizens native to the archipelago. He always thought that meant obedient and grateful little boys and girls, but maybe the lies ran deeper. For all the time he had spent studying the crimes under Common Law, he had little understanding of how political positions were appointed above a mayor or the limits of the governor¡¯s authority. We were never really the same, were we? Never expected to do anything beyond what we were told or wish for more than the scraps they presented as gold. Flynn had never considered himself particularly interested in the political machinations of the world. As long as he knew what was right and wrong, his friends and foes, the path before him was crystal clear. He knew what needed doing, it was only a matter of how to achieve it. Then came the first thread, the first doubt. He hadn¡¯t thought much of it, a single string hardly affected the final result. So he had pulled at it more out of pride than anything else. He wasn¡¯t afraid of the truth. Before he realized it, the whole tapestry was coming apart, his life spinning into incomprehensible chaos. The only choice he had was to keep pulling and pray the end result would make more sense than what he had now. His steps rapidly led him toward the government building, just slow enough not to seem hurried. He gave a brief nod or smile to everyone who crossed his gaze while making sure to avoid getting entangled in a conversation. Why didn¡¯t I say something? The impulse to slap himself rose again, he might have indulged it if no one else was watching. He should have done something, argued harder, said it wasn¡¯t going to happen. When Kai told him leaving was the only option and that he was coming with him, he stood there like goddamn fish on shore. As if he was drowning in a storm and someone threw him a rope, relief had flooded him. He had muttered weak rejections, aware that anything but outright refusal would lead nowhere. The argument had not lasted half an hour before he agreed to the plan. Grabbed onto Kai with both hands, knowing he might pull him down with him, but too scared to let go. Such a selfish bastard. He had tied their fates together with a double knot, conscious he was leaving Kai the short end of the stick. No number of words would convince the Republic they were vague acquaintances after this. If the truthteller or the investigators found his links with the rebels, they¡¯d both pay the price. The pristine three-story building that housed the town hall stood before him. The heart of the bureaucracy that kept Sylspring going. Imposing white columns marked the main entrance guarded by a pair of enforcers in black uniforms. The well-lit halls had never felt menacing before. Flynn faltered, straightening his own blue uniform to take time. A small stream of people came and went without sparing a glance. I¡¯m still in time to turn away¡­ With a polite smile, he went inside. The enforcers gave him a nod of recognition. No one stopped him when he walked past the public area into the employees¡¯ offices. He reciprocated a friendly wave to the people he crossed, getting a few nods in exchange. There were so many new faces, stuffing the place into a constant chatter of activity. He wasn¡¯t supposed to be back for an hour yet, but the desk he shared with the other two assistants was free. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. He took a clean sheet of paper and ink, tapped the quill on his chin twice and began writing his letter of resignation. With his minor position, an oral notice to his senior officer would be enough, but the Republic loved their paperwork. A written notice would also show this wasn¡¯t a spur-of-the-moment decision taken today. The words came easy, he had dreamed of the possibility even before the pirate raid, though he never thought he¡¯d actually go through with it. He cut the snark and curses, leaving clear and apathetic words. A few concise lines: name, position and reasons to leave. The accident offered the best excuse, many junior officers continued to leave or requested a transfer after the raid. He added a few more personal notes about his family, his desire for a change and a new opportunity in Higharbor like he agreed with Kai. Checking his draft, he fixed any mistakes and added some pointless flowery. After a moment of thought, he added some more, clerks liked their meaningless big words. Satisfied, he rewrote it on a new paper in the best calligraphy he could manage. If not beautiful, it was precise. Higher Dexterity had done wonders for his writing. Flynn forced his hands to slow down, his letters couldn¡¯t appear rushed. Adding his signature and date at the bottom, it was ready. Not his best work, but it would do. As he waited for the ink to dry, he put the folded draft into his pocket to not leave any trace. I¡¯m really doing this. Kai was right, this was the best solution for him, to keep him away from scrutiny. The truthteller¡®s presence wouldn¡¯t remain a secret forever, sooner or later they¡¯d take a more active role in the investigation. If rumors began to spread, every action he took would appear a hundred times more suspicious. If he was lucky, he could be gone before the questioner knew he existed. Few would suspect he had learned of the secret arrival the same day and chosen to leave. Not zero, but lower than any day I wait. Flynn loosened the grip on his heart and let a few slivers of nervousness peek through his facade. Some worry was expected when he was about to leave his job. He walked to his senior officer, waiting for the old clerk to pay him attention. His heartbeat raced beyond his control. ¡°What do you need?¡± Curt tone, telling him to be brief. "I wanted to personally deliver my resignation,¡± Flynn placed the letter on the desk. His gaze lowered as if afraid to meet the judgment of his superior. He dried his sweaty palms on his pants, not sure if that was part of the act. Voices and clatter of activity continued unabated, no one turned to look at him. The old man threw a glance at the paper and muttered something about how this job was harder than people thought and not everyone could do it. ¡°You have a day to clear your room and gather any personal possessions if you have any.¡± The clerk put his letter in a drawer and turned back to his work. Not even bothering to dismiss him. Guided by Controlled Appearance, Flynn said goodbye to a few coworkers he had a friendly relationship with. It had only been a few months, and no one seemed overly distraught. He received a few pats and words of comfort, from their looks, most of them believed he had been fired. Flynn wasn¡¯t sure what happened till the sun warmed him with its rays. No one had stopped him or arrested him. I¡¯ve actually done it. He walked to his room without looking back. Relief made him breathe lighter while guilt racked his insides. He had mentioned his imminent journey to Higharbor in his resignation to show he had no intention to hide. There was no going back now. The claustrophobic four walls of his apartment¡ªas they called it¡ªwere a welcome sight for the first time since he slept here. Room 253 had been his home for months. If I never see this place again, it will still be too soon. The bed and a chest took up three-quarters of the floor. Flynn quickly gathered a few pairs of clothes and stuffed them into a bag, ignoring whether they were clean or not. He hid one of his coin pouches in the middle. A dagger and three notebooks later, he was done. Most of his personal belongings had been left with his sister, and he wasn¡¯t going to get those back anytime soon. The rest were buried beneath a palm on the southern beach, together with most of his money. There was still time before he had to meet with Kai at the docks. The boy had assured him he would find them a passage on the first ship to Higharbor. Flynn didn¡¯t know how he could be so sure, but that didn¡¯t even make it to the list of mysteries surrounding him. Flynn walked into the hallway eager to leave this building behind. He had almost made it to the door when a young woman with auburn hair in a pixie cut entered, struggling to carry two bags. She was older than him, still shy of twenty. Her face lit up when she saw him, flashing a sweet smile that made a dimple appear on her cheek. ¡°Excuse me, could you point me to room 13?¡± Flynn took a second to reciprocate the smile, ¡°The rooms in this building all have triple digits, I think yours is in the other building east of the main square.¡± The girl slumped down, letting the bags hit the floor, defeated. Still in the way of the exit. ¡°Could you show me where it is? I¡¯ve just arrived here and I¡¯m still not very familiar with the town.¡± Her big hazel eyes looked at him. Flynn stared at her, dazed while his mind considered a dreadful possibility. ¡°Sure. I can take you there.¡± The girl''s smile widened, ¡°Thank you a lot. You¡¯re my savior, this is already the third building I¡¯ve been to. I¡¯m Annyl by the way.¡± ¡°Flynn.¡± Annyl lifted her bags without any effort, moving out of the only exit. What were the chances? If a ship came to ferry the truthteller, it was possible it would carry more people. This girl was certainly not what he expected a questioner to look like. ¡°Are you also new?¡± Annyl hinted at his backpack. Shit! ¡°Actually, I¡¯m moving out.¡± Flynn began to lead the way through the streets at an unhurried pace. He stopped his eyes from glancing at each street they passed to calculate the quickest way out. ¡°Oh, why? Did you ask for a transfer?¡± ¡°I quit. I¡¯ve decided to move to Higharbor.¡± And if she was a truthteller, was their meeting a coincidence or did she hear he was leaving? ¡°That¡¯s a pity. It would have been nice to know a friendly face.¡± Annyl said sadly. ¡°I guess it¡¯s understandable, I¡¯ve heard many people wanted to leave after what happened. Was it as terrible as they said?¡± ¡°Worse probably. I still have nightmares.¡± He could avoid her questions, but if he appeared suspicious the Republic might decide to try a more forceful method. He¡¯d likely get stuck in Sylspring for days or weeks, and they¡¯d take the chance to dig much deeper. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t want to make you think of that. I just can¡¯t believe anyone would cause such harm, don¡¯t you think?¡± She says sorry and then keeps pushing. Flynn¡¯s face darkened remembering that night, ¡°Yes, it was horrible.¡± ¡°Especially to the people they say they want to save,¡± Annyl muttered to herself, loud enough that there was no doubt he heard. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Flynn faked the confusion proper of a taboo topic. ¡°Have you not heard the rumors? Since you were here you must know more. I know we¡¯re not supposed to talk about it, but I promise not to tell if you do.¡± She winked with a conspiratorial smile. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of them.¡± Even though that wasn¡¯t why he knew. ¡°So you believe it was them?¡± ¡°Yes, I couldn¡¯t believe they would push themselves so far, but everyone saw the fires before the accident began.¡± That should be enough, even if it was a pretty girl asking he had already pushed the limits of what he¡¯d normally say. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I don¡¯t like to talk about it.¡± ¡°I understand. I hope you have a good time in Higharbor, it¡¯s a beautiful city. Any idea what you¡¯re going to do there?¡± ¡°Not really, but bigger city, bigger opportunities, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, so you decided to move on a whim?¡± ¡°A friend asked me to go with him, he has always been very resourceful. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll figure something out.¡± ¡°He must be a very good friend.¡± ¡°He¡¯s the best friend I have,¡± Flynn stopped before a pastel blue building with a soaring hawk on the door. ¡°This is the building.¡± Truthteller or not, I hope to never see you again. Chapter 146 - Departure Chapter 146 - Departure ¡°So, that¡¯s why I¡¯m leaving for Higharbor,¡± Kai concluded, lifting his bag on the kitchen chair to emphasize his point. Half the dinner plates were still on the table, this was the first chance to talk to his whole family. He had made clear he wouldn¡¯t be alone. His merchant friend could help him settle down, and while they didn¡¯t have many interactions with Flynn, his help during the raid hadn¡¯t been forgotten. Four pairs of eyes locked on him, silently deliberating his fate. Only one of them tried to crack a smile, and it still was a bit uncertain. Cold sweat ran down his back. Kai maintained his stoic composure. He had managed to deliver his speech without stuttering, he couldn¡¯t falter now. They had to know how serious he was. He had given Flynn his word and he had no idea what he would do if his mother forbade him to go. Yatei help me. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do fine, remember to take care of yourself,¡± Ele stepped forth, pulling him in a hug and breaking the tension. ¡°I¡¯m going to miss you so much.¡± ¡°Thank you, sis. I promise I will.¡± Words could hardly express how grateful he felt. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you too, a lot.¡± Ele would support him in anything he chose as long as it wouldn¡¯t get him killed, but she was likely overstating her thrill for his sake. ¡°Have fun in the big city,¡± Kea managed to make the encouragement sound like an insult. She was never a fan of unexpected changes, and in her defense, to say he had dropped the news overnight was an understatement. Kai gave her a grateful nod all the same. ¡°I¡¯m sure Higharbor has nothing on Sylspring.¡± With a gloomy glower, Kea strode out of the kitchen with Ele after her. A quick encouraging smile before she also disappeared beyond the doorway. Now the true test began. His sister''s acceptance would matter little if he didn''t pass. There was only one authority who could declare life and death in their household, especially if it regarded her children. Alana watched him with measuring eyes, her face an impassive visage betraying no hints of her thoughts. Moui stood beside her, mirroring her demeanor. The hunter had a higher threshold of risk and was usually more open to his unpredictable decisions. Yet, Kai knew he would get no support from him, not while his mother was within earshot. His uncle would back up his mom¡¯s ruling, whatever that was. He might have argued his case if Kai had gone to him first, but there had been no chance for that. This choice was as sudden for them as it was for him. By the time he secured a passage and discussed it with Flynn, the day was already over. ¡°Kai.¡± Alana paused to ease her tone. ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit down?¡± It wasn¡¯t a request, he took a seat beside his bag. His mother towered over him before taking her chair with a sigh. ¡°Do you remember when we spoke about making important decisions? Traveling to another city isn¡¯t a small thing, you should have warned us so we could discuss it together.¡± ¡°I came to tell you as soon as I knew,¡± Kai tried not to sound defensive. ¡°The chance came out of the blue and I¡¯d have to wait a long time for another.¡± He had explained his urgency to the best of his abilities, briefly mentioning the Republic investigation and how that could complicate his life. Though Flynn''s links with the rebels weren¡¯t his secret to tell, and it¡¯d risk dragging them into the whole mess. Alana took his hands, gentle but firm, and forced him to cross her gaze, ¡°Do you promise on the spirits that you¡¯ll be safe?¡± It took him a few moments to grasp what that implied, afraid saying it out loud would break the dream. ¡°Does this mean I can go¡­?¡± His mother gave him an exasperated smile. ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t stay with us forever, you never hid that. Though this is sooner than I anticipated.¡± She punctuated the statement, her gaze falling on their hands. ¡°If you think it''s important you go to Higharbor, then you can go. I can¡¯t keep you here forever. Better you learn more of the world before you try to sail beyond the archipelago.¡± ¡°Some lessons can only be learned through experience,¡± Moui said, sharing a look with Alana. Am I missing something here? ¡°Thank you, Mom.¡± Kai relaxed his tense muscles, letting out a relieved breath. This went better than he could ever imagine. ¡°Not so fast, sweetie. You haven¡¯t answered my question, I expect you to keep out of trouble. You¡¯ve never been to a big city before, they are chaotic and it¡¯s easy to get lost.¡± Alana launched into an endless list of dangers he might meet in Higharbor. From scammers and pickpockets to kidnappers and very dangerous people who came out at night. Kai made a show to listen to every monster that waited to drag him into a dark alley, more nostalgic than scared. Can¡¯t be worse than any metropolis on Earth. It¡¯s been so long since I lived in a place like that. ¡°When did you visit Higharbor, Mom?¡± ¡°It was a long time ago with your father. From what I heard it hasn¡¯t improved much with the years. Now repeat to me what you absolutely must not do.¡± ¡°Stranger danger, be skeptical of everything you hear and keep to the safe public areas,¡± Kai said, counting on his fingers. ¡°Are you not forgetting something?¡± Alana¡¯s gaze bore down on him. ¡°Always bring a friend along if you go out at night and stay out of the shady areas, especially if someone you just met asks you to go, no matter what they promise.¡± His mother nodded, satisfied. ¡°Good. We¡¯re going to write that down before you go. Now, let¡¯s get your luggage fixed.¡± ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve already prepared everything I need.¡± Kai pointed at the backpack beside him. The important books and equipment were safe in his ring, together with his eighty silver mesars. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°You¡¯re not going to go to Higharbor carrying one measly bag. Have you taken enough change of clothes and folded them properly? What about food? It¡¯s a long journey and sailors always overcharge you on board.¡± Alana took charge of his luggage, ignoring his protests. The next morning, Kai dragged a heavy bag down the stairs on top of his backpack. It had been a hard-fought battle to not carry a third. Apparently, his mother had been buying him clothes he wasn¡¯t aware of. He had managed to leave ten silvers beneath her pillow with a quick swipe from his ring. ¡°Are you sure we haven¡¯t forgotten something? You don¡¯t have many winter clothes and the seasons move rapidly.¡± ¡°Mom, I¡¯m sure Higharbor has decent shops if I need something.¡± Slowed by the bags, Kai didn¡¯t manage to reach the doorway before being pulled into the fifth rib-crushing hug. ¡°I¡¯m going to miss you so much, sweetie. Remember you promised to write to us every two weeks, at least.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to miss you too, all of you.¡± He locked eyes with Ele and Kea, receiving a bright smile and a disgruntled snort. ¡°I¡¯ll send you a letter as soon as I land.¡± ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want us to accompany you to the docks?¡± Alana pulled back, kissing him on the forehead. Please don¡¯t, there have been enough teary goodbyes in private. ¡°I think we can manage, right Uncle?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure he boards the right ship.¡± Moui took his extra luggage from him. Kai looked away as his uncle got uncomfortably close with his mom. Goodbyes made everyone touchy. I¡¯m not going to miss that. The crisp air of the morning greeted them outside. The sky was streaked with reds, yellows and pinks as dawn poked the horizon. Three heads watched them go from the doorway until they turned the corner. ¡°I wanted to give you this,¡± Moui stopped to take out a small paper packet tied with a string. Don¡¯t mind if I do. The knot quickly loosened, revealing a palm-long blade with a bone handle. Kai didn¡¯t have to test it to know it was sharpened to perfection. He wouldn¡¯t be slaying beasts with this knife, but it was discreet enough to hide in a pocket or a sleeve. ¡°Thank you, Uncle. I love it.¡± ¡°I thought so, I carved the handle myself.¡± Moui ruffled his hair. ¡°I hope you won¡¯t have to use it, but in case trouble finds you, it¡¯s better to be prepared.¡± ¡°I''ll be extremely safe, the only danger will be dying of boredom.¡± He just needed a safe spot to grind his skills and profession. There had been enough mishaps for years to come. Moui muttered something about miracles under his breath but gave him no time to reply. ¡°She took less than I thought to get over the stubbornness, I¡¯ll wait just ahead.¡± ¡°What do you m¡ª¡± The hunter slipped away with his bag, while Kea ran to the corner and came to an abrupt stop before him. Oh¡­ he does know her really well. His sister took a moment to catch her breath, eyes throwing fire. ¡°I want you to know I¡¯m not going to stop training like we did together even if you leave.¡± ¡°I never thought you¡¯d stop. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll reach Orange ¡ï¡ï before you choose a profession.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Kea stated like it was written in stone. ¡°I¡¯ll show you my progress when you come back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to miss our training, sis.¡± Kea scrunched her brows, ¡°I¡¯ll miss you too, little brother, a little bit. Don¡¯t let the snooty brats of the city bully you. If I can¡¯t beat you, no one else can.¡± Done with her piece, she sprinted back the way she came. I guess that went well too. Kai caught up with Moui. Reishi had managed to find them a spot on a merchant ship that would leave this morning, he couldn¡¯t be late. Streams of workers already filled the streets to get an early start, sharing nods with those they knew. Despite the few months he spent in Sylspring, there weren¡¯t many people Kai would consider more than passing acquaintances. He had already dropped by Old Selly¡¯s shop to say farewell to Telu the previous day. Sylphie¡¯s Herbs had been miraculously unscathed by the raid, that witch¡¯s luck might rival his own. Flynn is coming with me and Reishi said we¡¯d meet in Higharbor. No suspicious individuals followed them till they reached the warehouse where the merman told him to meet. ¡°Thank you, Uncle. I can take it from here.¡± ¡°Stay safe, kid. I¡¯ll make an offering to Yatei for you.¡± Moui watched him enter the building. Jiro found him before Kai could take three steps inside. The guard led him to a room where Reishi was waiting and closed the door behind him. ¡°Please sit,¡± Reishi put down a fold of documents. ¡°Did you already have breakfast? I can have someone fetch some food if you want.¡± ¡°Thank you, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ve eaten plenty.¡± Kai sat on the chair across from him. ¡°When does the ship set sail? I thought I didn¡¯t have much time.¡± ¡°There''s still an hour or so, and your friend is already aboard. I just wanted to make sure this was what you really wanted.¡± His deep blue eyes examined him. ¡°Yesterday you were in such a hurry we didn¡¯t have time to talk.¡± Kai felt his ears heat up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I showed up with a big request without warning. It must not have been easy to organize it while you¡¯re already busy. I truly appreciate your help, I know I owe you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about money or favors. Though the captain of the Ventura did owe me, so I didn¡¯t have to pay anything.¡± Reishi chuckled. ¡°But I was asking if you had considered this decision carefully.¡± ¡°You think I shouldn¡¯t go?¡± ¡°I think you might have not considered all the possibilities. Higharbor is both the safest and most dangerous place in the archipelago. A talented child will attract less attention there, but you need to tread carefully. It might take a few months before I can visit.¡± Why does everyone think I can''t last a day if they¡¯re not looking over my shoulder? Kai was tempted to show him the five pages of warnings his mother had forced him to write. Embarrassment kept his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll be prudent. Is there something else you wanted to tell me or can we go?¡± ¡°There is.¡± The merman tapped on the desk. ¡°I don¡¯t want to tell you who you should be friends with, but I know trouble when I see it. Even if he doesn¡¯t mean it, he could drag you with an unsavory crowd all the same.¡± Does he know about the rebels? How? He¡¯d need to talk to Flynn later, though he wasn¡¯t going to change his decision either way. ¡°And what do you see when you look at me?¡± Kai raised an eyebrow. ¡°Is it more or less trouble than when you look at him?¡± The merfolk¡¯s lips quivered, struggling to stay straight before he covered them with a webbed hand. ¡°Let¡¯s say I see a different variety of trouble in you.¡± After igniting his curiosity, Reishi refused to elaborate on that. ¡°I understand your concerns, but I trust Flynn. He has distanced himself from any unsavory company. And if he can put up with me I¡¯ll do the same for him.¡± Thoughts ran beneath the unreadable scaly face. ¡°Then let me accompany you on board. I¡¯ll introduce you to the captain, Ventura is an eccentric lady, but you can trust her if she swears on her father¡¯s grave.¡± Kai frowned, ¡°Wasn¡¯t that the name of the ship?¡± ¡°It¡¯s both.¡± The merman shrugged, leading the way. ¡°I told you, eccentric. It can get a bit confusing, but most people on the ship just call her captain. She¡¯ll stop in a few towns to trade along the way, but she assured me she¡¯ll reach Higharbor in three or four days. I might find you a faster route if you want to wait.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± Kai followed him outside. The sooner they left Sylspring behind the better. Proudly moored at the dock with two masts and light pink sails, the Ventura¡ªthe ship¡ªwas impossible to miss. Its name in bright red letters on the hull was what Kai imagined a giant could write with her lipstick. Well, that¡¯s certainly a statement, she must not lack courage. Sailors busy loading supplies hardly spared them a glance even as they walked on board. ¡°You¡¯ve come.¡± Flynn greeted him, a hint of surprise or relief disappeared behind a grin too quickly to be sure. His eyes shared a glance with Reishi. Did they talk without me? Kai didn¡¯t get a chance to ponder the matter. Flynn¡¯s grin stiffened, boots punctuated each step of a new arrival on the deck. A middle-aged lady with a pink feather hat and painted red lips came up to them. Yatei¡¯s mercy. ¡°This one is even cuter.¡± Ventura winked at him and pinched his cheek. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll deliver them both safely to Higharbor, you have my word.¡± Reishi threw him an amused smile and bent to whisper in his ear. ¡°Don¡¯t take any deal she offers you.¡± ¡°Have a nice journey,¡± he added in a louder tone, already walking off the ship. Chapter 147 - Past and Present Chapter 147 - Past and Present Ventura leaned in with a smile too white on her red lips. Two blonde curls escaped from her pink feathered hat, framing her face in a way that must not be a coincidence. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, hon¡¯. It¡¯s normal to be a little afraid, but this is an easy journey. I gave my word to take care of you till Higharbor, and I intend to keep it.¡± She booped his nose. The only worry I have is you. Kai resisted the temptation to swat away her hand. He¡¯d be on this ship for days yet, better not to offend the captain of the Ventura on his first minute aboard. Damn confusing names. ¡°I¡¯m not scared.¡± ¡°Of course you¡¯re not, hon¡¯. You¡¯re a brave young man.¡± Ventura flashed another smile that said she didn¡¯t believe it for one second. ¡°Is it your first time on a proper vessel? The question stumped his thoughts, bringing back long-buried memories. ¡°I¡¯ve taken a ship before.¡± How long has it been? Whiteshore, a lifetime away. After the governor took away everything they ever knew and forced them to relocate to Greenside. Kai missed whatever Ventura was saying, though it didn¡¯t seem to require an answer. ¡°Warn one of the crew if you¡¯re feeling seasick, and don¡¯t wait till you start emptying your insides on my deck, hon¡¯.¡± The woman was already marching to shout orders to her crew. Waves buffeted the hull of the ship in the rising tide. Men and women with tanned skin and bare feet cast off the ropes tying them to the berth, pushing against the pier with long poles to guide their way out of the docks. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Flynn threw him a worried look. ¡°Getting me a way to Higharbor is more than enough. You¡¯re still in time to stop the ship if you want to stay here.¡± Kai pushed down the morose mood, this journey wasn¡¯t an exile like the last. ¡°I¡¯ve told you I want to go a dozen times already, I¡¯m not changing my mind. We¡¯re stuck together. Try to stop the tears of joy.¡± Recalling Reishi''s warning, Kai had the growing suspicion Flynn might have been the one to inform the merman about his own past. Reishi was well-informed about trade and politics, but not about the rebels. Why is he being so weird about this? Hesitation and uncertainty were not something he ever associated with Flynn. The boy brimmed with the confidence of an old fisherman at sea. Kai had thought it was due to the truthteller¡¯s threat looming over him, but with the Ventura sailing for deeper waters, they were now safe. The Republic would have already stopped them if they suspected something. ¡°How¡¯re you doing?¡± Kai peered at him, trying to pierce his self-assured visage. Spirits, I¡¯m so bad at this. ¡°I¡¯m great. We¡¯re leaving Sylspring behind for Higharbor, a proper city.¡± The cunning smirk was back, burying whatever anguish he had beneath a sea of smugness. ¡°I was just checking if you were getting homesick. Don¡¯t fret, with me here you don¡¯t have anything to fear.¡± Kai rolled his eyes. ¡°I already feel so much safer.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my duty to look after you.¡± Flynn clapped his back, speaking with the cadence of an old mentor. ¡°As long as you listen to me, you¡¯re going to be fine. Come, I¡¯ll show you to our quarters.¡± The cabin they had to share reminded Kai of his room in Greenside, just smaller. Two beds occupied all the space and one of them was a hammock. The ceiling brushed against his hair and forced Flynn to bend down. Overall, it was better than he imagined. He had passed his first journey at sea stashed on a crowded deck for a day and a half, his expectations weren¡¯t exactly sky-high. With how sudden their journey had been set up, Kai thought he¡¯d have to sleep with other sailors or in the cargo hold. This beat both options by a mile. A knapsack with Flynn¡¯s things slumped in a corner. It was maybe a fifth of his own luggage. The boy looked with an amused smile, as Kai struggled to fit the bags his mother forced on him inside the cabin. ¡°Traveling light, your Majesty?¡± ¡°Shut up, plebeian.¡± Flynn gave him a mock bow. ¡°My deepest apologies, your Majesty. Forgive this humble servant, I¡¯m sure you couldn¡¯t survive without bringing your fifth favorite scarf.¡± ¡°You¡¯re forgiven, I¡¯m feeling merciful today,¡± Kai gestured with a pompous wave. ¡°I couldn¡¯t part with my snacks. I guess a hardened man like you doesn¡¯t need such trivialities.¡± The smirk was wiped from Flynn''s face in less than a blink. His eyes darted to the heavy luggage as if they had turned into solid gold. ¡°Maybe I was too hasty in my conclusions.¡± Kai stood up to protect his bag, his body filling most of the cramped cabin. ¡°Keep your grubby hands away from my things.¡± ¡°I just want to see what you brought,¡± Flynn threw him the pitying look of a mistreated puppy. ¡°You said we were friends.¡± This is so not fair. ¡°Fine. But tell me if you take something, and don¡¯t touch my other things.¡± Kai flattened to the wall to let him pass. ¡°All the food is in the left bag, it needs to last the whole journey.¡± ¡°On my honor,¡± Flynn put a fist on his chest in some kind of military salute. He knelt before the bag like it was a holy relic, slowly unlacing the straps that kept it close. Kai shook his head. He knew better than to leave him alone with his snacks and was soon proven right. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were just looking?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saving it from spoiling,¡± Flynn bit into a ripe peach, a new import from the Republic. A few drops of juice ran down his shameless chin. ¡±I¡¯m also freeing more space in our cabin, you should thank me for my sacrifice.¡± This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°You¡¯re truly a hero.¡± ¡°I know.¡± He nodded, mumbling the words with a full mouth. A salty breeze welcomed them on deck. The vessel had made it out of the bay and was gaining speed as its light pink sails swelled with the wind. A flock of seagulls cawed in the sky, escorting them like a guard of honor. Sailors moved with intent spurred by Ventura''s commands. No one dared to dally longer than a breath in her presence. Getting a good share of annoyed glances from the busy crew, they stopped in an empty spot on the quarterdeck. The ships gently rolled over the waves while the pastel buildings on shore rapidly shrunk. Flynn leaned on the wooden railing beside him, contemplating the horizon in a rare silence. From the moment Kai learned of the truthteller, his life had fallen into a blur of activity. He had to choose his next steps, organize his departure and win over his family. It had been hardly a day, and he was already leaving Sylspring. Spirits knew when he would be back. Watching the shore fade before his eyes, the reality of the situation began to sink in. It wasn¡¯t homesickness, he hadn¡¯t spent enough time in Sylspring for that. There wasn¡¯t a sense of mourning like when he left the estate. Yet, as the urgency of his hasty departure fell away, Kai was left with a sense of hollowness he couldn¡¯t quite place. That touristy town might not have been home, but he was comfortable there. He knew what to expect, how to navigate its streets and people. Now, for the first time in years, he had little idea of what waited ahead, and couldn¡¯t run away to the estate if things went badly. When was the last time¡­? Right. The last time he sailed a ship on the open sea, he had traveled from Yatol to Yanlun. Not the faintest idea of what was going to happen to his family. Kai distinctly remembered the fury and powerlessness, raw and unbridled like only the emotions of a child could be. Four little children sprang up in his mind: Lou, Ana, and the twins Uli and Oli. As close to friends as he got before Flynn and Reishi. Their faces were blurry in his memory, an innocent and fleeting summer dream. He remembered promising a crying Ana they¡¯d meet again soon. Greenside had quickly beaten out of him any idea of keeping that promise, pushed his thoughts away from the foolish delusion of a child. His childhood abruptly ended the day he boarded the Republic''s ship. No point looking back at what would never be again. Yet this second journey at sea was different. He wasn¡¯t a helpless child at the mercy of fate. He chose to be here. He might not know what lay ahead, but he was more ready than ever before. Skills in his status, silver in his pockets, and a profession on top. I¡¯m different. Sylspring was little more than a colorful jagged line on the horizon. The sea turned into a darker shade of blue as they headed for deeper waters. ¡°Thank you,¡± Flynn broke the moment of contemplation, though his gaze remained on the frothing waves. ¡°You didn''t have to go so far to help me. I truly appreciate it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± Kai kept his voice steady, glad the other boy couldn¡¯t see him blush. ¡°And I told you that Sylspring was becoming too stuffy with the investigation anyway.¡± ¡°Maybe, but you took a risk by helping me. You¡¯ll get implicated if people come looking for me.¡± Now you¡¯re being an idiot. Kai turned to look at him until Flynn reluctantly met his gaze. ¡°Consequences like those you paid for helping me escape from those jerks?¡± At the time, he¡¯d been so mad at him for his involvement with the rebels that he had ignored the price it cost his friend. Swept in the chaos and death that ensued, he spent no time to ponder the results of Flynn¡¯s actions. Always an excuse¡­ Guess we¡¯re both idiots. ¡°I¡ª¡± Flynn scrunched his brows. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have stayed with them anyway.¡± Kai gave him a flat look. ¡°Can you stop being an idiot or do I have to throw you into the sea? Even if that were true, you did more than simply burn bridges. It¡¯s not a contest, but if it was, you¡¯d be winning.¡± It was his turn to look away, Kai focused on the rolling waves the ship left behind. Silence stretched once more. Great, now I¡¯m definitely blushing. ¡°I guess, I¡¯m the best then,¡± Flynn muttered. From his tone, Kai was ready to bet everything he owned his smirk was back. ¡°You¡¯re pretty decent.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, kid.¡± Flynn patted his head with mock reassurance. ¡°You won¡¯t have to fear anything as long as you follow me.¡± Spirits, what have I done? I take it back! ¡°Don¡¯t call me kid.¡± Kai glared at him. ¡°And you¡¯re not in charge.¡± ¡°You are three years younger than me,¡± he pointed out, looking down at him to highlight their height difference. While Kai was just hitting his growth spurt, Flynn was in the middle of it, standing a full head over him. ¡°I¡¯m the one who got us this trip.¡± He hated how shrill his voice sounded in his ears. ¡°And I¡¯m the only adult. What are you going to tell the enforcers when they ask you where your parents are?¡± ¡°Why would they do that?¡± Flynn gave him a triumphant grin as if he had stepped into an unseen trap, ¡°Because¡­ Higharbor is closer to the Merian Republic than the rest of the archipelago. Kids are not supposed to wander the streets of the upper city without a family member or a guardian.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already been to Higharbor?¡± An accusation rather than a question. The boy¡¯s smile grew wider. ¡°They brought us there a couple times during my education. I also had to suffer through lessons in proper Merian civility and decorum.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Kai had suspected Flynn omitted a few details to his advantage, though it couldn¡¯t be an outright lie either. ¡°When exactly did you want me to tell you? Before or after you decided we were going to Higharbor and left me to organize the trip? It¡¯s not like it would have made any difference.¡± ¡°Huh¡­ That¡¯s¡­¡± Kai vainly tried to find a counterargument. There weren¡¯t any that would hold. ¡°Fair point.¡± The pleased look on Flynn¡¯s smug face would tempt a saint to slap him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, little brother. There won¡¯t be any problem as long as you listen to my wise advice.¡± I guess two brothers traveling together would attract less attention. ¡°Will people even believe it? We don¡¯t look that much alike.¡± Kai rested his forehead on the railing as a patronizing hand descended on his shoulder. ¡°I know you¡¯re not as handsome as me, but you can be my less dashing sibling. Trust me, no one will suspect a thing.¡± The dark churning waters hid the seabed of the Shallow Sea. With the winds blowing in its sails, the Ventura cruised with surprising speed. Flynn would likely survive the fall, though there was a chance he might not be able to catch up to the ship. That would mean a bunch of angry sailors. Ventura might even ask him for remuneration or make the rest of the journey unpleasant. Pity, maybe tomorrow¡­ Kai removed the offending hand from his shoulders. ¡°I need to work on my skills, don¡¯t disturb me.¡± Without giving him a chance to respond, he disappeared into their cabin, shutting the door. The undulating motion of the ship and the bustle of the sailors outside posed another challenge. He had long learned to push distraction out of his mind even without Attuned Meditation. After two hours of mana exercises, Kai took out Virya¡¯s cube. He had solved sixteen layers thus far. The intricate puzzle of sliding pieces and runes required to thread his mana into three strands to find three complementary solutions. His mind strained to juggle the different tasks, conscious that even the tiniest mistake would mean starting over. There was progress, albeit painfully slow. Past were the days when he could complete a whole layer in one sitting. He managed to stave the worry since Inspect allowed him to remember every inch of conquered ground, and take up from where he left. I¡¯ll get my extra attributes. Lost in the glowing lines, the day flew by. He was close to completing the seventeenth layer. A coconut barely missed Flynn¡¯s face as he entered without knocking and distracted him. The clicking pieces announced his success as the puzzle reset. A step closer to solving this hellish contraption. He barely held back a shout, hitting his hand on the low ceiling in his triumph. Nursing his hands, Kai walked out to stretch his cramped legs. Something was different. Loud voices, wooden buildings and people, lots and lots of people on land not far from him. ¡°Welcome to Old Port, hon¡¯,¡± Ventura¡¯s thumping boots came up to him. Chapter 148 - Doubts Chapter 148 - Doubts The Ventura was moored at the pier extending two dozen meters from land. Little beyond a line of wooden buildings swarmed with people began without apparent end. Their loud bustle washed over him. Three other vessels and a fleet of countless boats floated around them. Old Port¡¯s dock wasn¡¯t much different from the one in Sylspring, just far more chaotic. Ventura chuckled at his dumbstruck face. ¡°You must have taken a really good nap, hon¡¯. I need to close some deals, and we¡¯ll set off again tomorrow at noon. Take your friend with you if you want to go on shore. I¡¯d rather not have to send a search party if you get lost.¡± Kai hid his annoyance, nodding like a dutiful kid. They weren¡¯t at Higharbor yet and he had already been assigned a damn babysitter. With a fond smile, Ventura pinched his cheek while sending a withering glare above his head. Two young sailors struggling to carry a large oak chest on deck froze in their steps. ¡°If you bump that chest once more, I¡¯m going to bump your heads. I¡¯m not paying you to damage my goods, you fish-brained fools. You better pray I won¡¯t find a speck of chipped paint on my statues.¡± Such a sweet lady. Her ability to switch between opposite voices and expressions was nothing short of extraordinary. Kai threw a pitying glance at the poor sods while Ventura was already off to yell curses at somebody else. Old Port was the first major town rising along the eastern coast of Yanlun, about a third of the way to Higharbor. That was about the extent of his knowledge, he had always been more interested in the far lands of the Talthen continent. Might as well check it out. The summer sun warmed his skin, mages needed to stretch their legs too. After he wrung his mind for hours to solve a layer of the cube, the idea of using any more of his mana skills was enough to give him a headache. Ideally, he¡¯d go for a swim, but he could settle for walking on shore. Do I really have to ask Flynn to be my chaperone? Kai was used to being on his own, and he hadn¡¯t thought this time would be any different. It was common enough to see kids by themselves or in small groups with the permission of their parents. Therein lay the problem. His family was beyond reach, and he didn¡¯t have the excuse of running an errand for his teachers either. The Baquaire Archipelago was renowned for its safety, but kids were expected to have some degree of supervision before fourteen. Even if just as a vague presence in the background like he was used to. Kai was confident to sneak away to shore and get away from any questions with Improvisation. The true problem was when they got to Higharbor. Reishi owned a few businesses where he could host him as long as he needed, but Kai didn¡¯t want to rely on him for everything. No matter if the merfolk said it was no big deal. He¡¯d already asked for too many favors and the pile of debts was high enough as it was. I thought I was over with this shit. Why can¡¯t I grow up already? Kai massaged his eyes. It might just be his tired mind, but he couldn¡¯t see any other viable solution. Maybe Flynn made more sense than he¡¯d like to admit. As if summoned by his thoughts, the grinning boy sprouted out of the ship''s belly twirling a silver coin between his fingers. ¡°Finally decided to come out of your burrow? If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d think you were trying to avoid me.¡± Spirits why? He''s going to be so smug. Kai considered going back into his cabin to sulk, though it would only postpone the problem. ¡°Do you want to go check out the town?¡± He kept his tone casual. The matter held no importance to him. ¡°You want me to accompany you?¡± An amused glint shone in his eyes. Fuck, he knows already. ¡°You don¡¯t have to come if you don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my duty as the older brother to show you the ways of the world.¡± Flynn puffed his chest up. ¡°Let¡¯s go, it¡¯s been a while since I was here.¡± Waving to Ventura to signal they were going on shore, Kai lost a battle against his own curiosity. ¡°Have you already been here?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been to almost every town in Yanlun for¡­ different reasons, and Old Port is quite close to Sylspring.¡± Flynn¡¯s tone wasn¡¯t even particularly boastful, which arguably made it worse. How many have I visited? Two? Kai bit his tongue, feeling more like a child than ever. But any thought of sneaking away on his own was quickly abandoned as they went down the pier. The clamor of hundreds of voices swallowed them. Stalls selling fish began just one street over, where men and women animatedly haggled or shouted their wares. It was like he was back in Times Square at peak hour, plus the smell of sweat and of seafood left too long in the sun. Crowded didn¡¯t begin to describe the mass of people, not something he missed at all. He could hardly see the street beyond the wall of men pressing him on all sides. Maybe this was a mistake, nothing wrong with being a hermit. ¡°Come on, I know a quieter place. Keep an eye on your pockets if you''re carrying anything.¡± Flynn took his wrist and Kai followed without protest. The boy elbowed his way through the suffocating crowd. Dirt roads and a shred of blue sky, that was about as much as Kai could see. He could only imagine what muddy mess they would turn into when it rained. As for tourists, the simple idea that someone would willingly come here for fun was ridiculous. Despite himself, Kai couldn¡¯t help grabbing tighter onto Flynn''s arm. He led the way with confident steps, seemingly unaffected by the press of bodies. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. I should have stayed on the ship. Without a gust of wind to stave off the heat, breathing was hard. Kai was covered in sweat in minutes, body pressed from every direction. Even the last sliver of sky was crushed by the forest of people towering over him. An eternity later¡ªprobably no more than a handful of minutes¡ª, they reached the end of the stifling mass. The crowd gradually became sparser till he finally stopped brushing against another body with every step. ¡°You, okay?¡± Flynn glanced over his shoulder. ¡°It always makes an effect the first time you come here. The docks and the market are the worst. We must have docked on a bad day.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, I just didn¡¯t expect there would be so many people.¡± Kai tried to fill his lungs, but no amount of air was enough. On Earth, his parents never took him to crowded places, afraid for his feeble health. Sylspring market at noon had been his upper limits before today. ¡°You know, Old Port was the biggest town in the archipelago before the Republic picked Higharbor for their capital. Though squishing in another dozen villages during the relocation hasn¡¯t made it any better.¡± Flynn explained, easily falling into the role of tourist guide like he¡¯d been doing so all his life. The town was about the size of Sylspring, but there were no wide-open streets, paved squares or pretty shops. Old Port had been built on the philosophy of trying to fit as many people as possible in the least amount of space. Kai quickly lost track of the endless series of winding streets Flynn led him through, keeping close to avoid getting lost. Squat wooden buildings held more squat houses on their heads in some strange, leaning pyramidal fashion. Precarious walkways and bridges joined them at different levels. They created a symphony of creaking wood in the background while barefoot children and adults ran and climbed over them like a swarm of busy ants. The only stone buildings were in the fenced neighborhood on the southern side of Old Port that housed the Town Hall and most of the Republic¡¯s population. Stern enforcers regulated the traffic in and out, requesting their IDs before letting them through. Despite the strict security, the place wasn¡¯t much nicer than the average neighborhood of Sylspring. Even the shops were somewhat lacking compared to what he was used to. Kai hardly found any mana herbs worth taking a second look. They don''t have access to the Veeryd jungle after all¡­ ¡°We can go browse the market tomorrow,¡± Flynn proposed. ¡°You can find everything they have here and more for half the price, trust me.¡± ¡°No.¡± The idea of facing that sweltering mob sent a shiver down his back despite the heat, and easily killed his curiosity. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s better if I keep my money for Higharbor anyway.¡± ¡°If you say so,¡± Flynn shrugged, leading the way back to the Ventura as the moons took to the sky. Safe on board, Kai accepted the suspicious stew they served and ate with the rest of the crew. The taste wasn¡¯t half bad, though he¡¯d rather not know the ingredients. Flynn went to play cards with the sailors, loudly complaining about every loss and blessing his luck when he won. Even if Kai barely understood what the weird figures and numbers on the cards meant, he was quite sure there was more than luck involved. Brink was the most popular game, like in poker your hand seemed to matter little if you knew how to trick the other players. It would be interesting to test his Favor on a game of chance, but he needed to have a better grasp of how to play first. Feeling his eyelids drooping, Kai chose to retire early. Back in his cabin, he lay down in the hammock, feeling a rare level of exhaustion. The voices and laughs faded into the background as he dozed off lulled by the waves. Waking in a strange mood, he spent the morning on board working on the cube. The raid had wrecked his flimsy schedule and he needed to make up for the time lost. He had a clear idea of how the next three mana threads and runes had to be woven for the next layer. If the same pattern continued, there would be three equivalent layers before the cube rearranged its runic patterns. Then it would require four solutions for each puzzle. He could hardly fathom how long those would take, though he doubted Virya would stop there. If the mana weaving wasn¡¯t enough, he also had to move the sliding pieces on the fly to change how the runes interacted with the enchantment. The level of multitasking required was absurd. Seven more with five? That should be hard enough, right? It was a relief when the Ventura raised the anchor for the next stretch of their journey, away from the suffocating bustle of Old Port. "Watcha doin¡¯?¡± Flynn leaned on the railing beside him, munching on a stick of caramelized walnuts. Kai narrowed his eyes. ¡°Where did you get that?¡± ¡°You said I could take any snacks from your bag, and I was hungry.¡± Not a whit of shame on his face. As if it would have made any difference if I told you not to touch them. ¡°I also told you to tell me when you took something,¡± Kai struggled to keep the snark out of his voice. ¡°I¡¯m telling you now, ain¡¯t I?¡± Flynn continued to crunch. ¡°I can share a bite with you, okay?¡± How generous. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°But are you truly fine?¡± He squinted at him, moving an inch from his face. ¡°You¡¯ve been a bit off since yesterday.¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing great. I just don¡¯t love traveling on a ship, that¡¯s all.¡± Kai moved down the railing to make some space. Flynn scouted after him, unconvinced, going as far as to stop his chewing. ¡°Is this about the little brother jokes? I know you hate being called a child, we can figure out a different story if you want.¡± Spirits¡¯ mercy, it was easier when he was less considerate. ¡°I told you I¡¯m fine.¡± Kai went to the opposite side of the prow, and Flynn followed a second later. ¡°So¡­ you don¡¯t mind if I call you kid?¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather you stopped that if possible.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the actual problem then? I can¡¯t promise to fix it, but I¡¯ll try if you tell me what I¡¯m doing wrong.¡± Kai breathed the salty air deeply to drown the irritation, mostly aimed at himself. Flynn was nothing but persistent, he had to give him that. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with you, not about this anyway. I¡¯m the problem. I hate being treated like a child, but I can¡¯t even navigate some random town. Maybe I should be treated like one.¡± I can¡¯t believe I actually said that out loud, damn you. Old Port had been a bitter reminder of how little he knew of the world outside his bubble. He had been like a lost puppy, reliant on somebody else to carry him around. A complete and utter failure. He had wanted to believe the biggest obstacle was the way adults treated him, that, if given the chance, he could sail to the mainland right now. He wasn¡¯t so sure anymore, defeated by a single fishing town. If a crowd was enough to overwhelm him, maybe he needed a caretaker in Higharbor. Kai looked at the sea parting before the ship, vainly trying to avoid the pair of eyes burning a hole in his skull. Flynn threw him a disbelieving look. ¡°Let me get this straight, you¡¯re upset because you didn¡¯t manage to do something the first time you tried? And people say I think too highly of myself.¡± Kai knew his ears were already on fire. ¡°It¡¯s not like that at all.¡± ¡°No?¡± Flynn burst out laughing. ¡°Navigating a town is not supposed to be hard, everyone can do that.¡± Flynn made a show to dry the tears in the corner of his eyes. ¡°There are a thousand easy things I can¡¯t do that someone else would take for granted, and not just ¡®cause I haven¡¯t tried. No one is good at everything, not even me.¡± ¡°I know that.¡± But he also had his past life, he was supposed to know how to do better. ¡°But do you, really? I don¡¯t understand half the things you can do and I¡¯m three years older than you and I¡¯ve traveled a lot. I¡¯ve got a lot more time and chances to learn about the archipelago.¡± Okay, I might have a bloated opinion of myself, just a tiny bit. ¡°Flynn.¡± ¡°Yes, little brother?¡± ¡°Thank you for telling me I was being an idiot.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Whenever you need it, I¡¯ll take this burden upon myself.¡± Chapter 149 - Gains Chapter 149 - Gains The waves crashed against the white limestone cliffs, a slow but inexorable battle between sea and land. Clinging on top like mushrooms on an old log, the little houses of Wildcliff huddled together to resist the harsh winds. It had been a much more pleasant stop than Old Port. Smaller in size and far quieter. Close to the rim, the howling gales that hit the steep rock were often louder than the people who inhabited the town. Tidy pebble streets rolled down the hills between houses with pale walls and burgundy shingled roofs. The sharp gusts helped relieve the heat of summer, though Ventura hadn¡¯t been as appreciative. It was understandable, carrying her wares up the narrow path carved into the cliffs had been a hazardous experience. On the plus side, Kai had greatly expanded his repertoire of curses. The town was one of the rare settlements that relied on agriculture and cattle over fishing. Not that the locals feared the sea. During his brief stay, he had seen plenty of teenagers jump from the highest cliffside at over forty meters. It was considered a rite of passage for each fourteen-year-old, in honor of the great spirits of the sea, Kahali. From the sheer number of jumps and screaming laughter, Kai suspected the adrenaline rush had as much to do with it. He wouldn¡¯t have minded trying himself, but Ventura had forbidden him before they even touched shore. The wrinkly mayor of the town said the same, he wasn¡¯t old enough for it. The best they let him try was the twenty-meter kids drop. Such nonsensical rules. Kai scowled at the forbidden cliff, he¡¯d come back for it. A few dashes of red shingles peeked over the steep precipice as the Ventura sailed for deeper waters to avoid the low tide. ¡°Still sour about that dive, little brother?¡± Flynn flanked him with a teasing smile. ¡°I¡¯m not sour.¡± ¡°Of course not. You¡¯re just honing your glares on the cliff. Those rocks must already regret their life choices.¡± Kai turned his perfectly cool gaze on him, making Flynn¡¯s laughter fill the quarterdeck. A few sailors noticing the commotion shared amused glances. Somehow everyone else on the ship knew too, though that was probably his fault since he had publicly argued with the mayor. Yeah, I was probably trying to make up for Old Port. ¡°Come on, you¡¯ve not missed out on much. It¡¯s the same as jumping from the lower cliff, you just spend a second longer being slapped by the wind.¡± Flynn pulled him away from the railing. ¡°We can find plenty of stupid ways to break your neck in Higharbor too.¡± Kai let himself be dragged away, giving a last loving look at his stony archenemy. ¡°It¡¯s just annoying that I¡¯m always held back by that.¡± ¡°Everyone takes the same time to grow up. I can¡¯t assure you¡¯ll be as tall and handsome as me, but you¡¯ll get there too.¡± You didn¡¯t have to do it twice. The first time he¡¯d died at seventeen, just shy of reaching adulthood. Not that it would have made a difference. His fragile health had made him dependent on his family either way. Then he had to do it all over again from the starting line. During his first years in Whiteshore, it had been fun to have a second childhood without a ticking clock hanging over his head. That illusion broke abruptly when they had been relocated to Greenside. He had been tired of waiting since the day his father was murdered. Spending time at the estate had made it more bearable. That was now over. While he could ignore his age limitations in Sylspring, traveling to new locations and meeting new people made the weight of those shackles far heavier. Just two years and a half. Taking a lungful of the salty air to calm his irritation, Kai marched to their cabin. He was close to completing the eighteenth layer of Virya¡¯s cube. If he pushed through, he might work it out before they reached Higharbor. ¡°Are you going to play with your puzzle again?¡± Flynn asked, slumping. ¡°I¡¯m close to solving it.¡± With all the secrets they shared, there had been no point in hiding the cube, though his snooping friend thought it a mundane puzzle. The ship didn¡¯t offer much privacy, and Kai couldn¡¯t risk a sailor overhearing. Not that I have any idea what Virya hid inside. ¡®It¡¯s beyond your wildest imagination. Finish it within a year or it''ll be lost forever¡¯. Damn witch, she loves her mysterious veil too much. ¡°You say you¡¯re about to solve it every time. I could teach you to play Brink.¡± ¡°Maybe later,¡± Kai said. He had already figured out most of that card game by watching him play. ¡°I¡¯ll come as soon as I¡¯m done.¡± Inside the cramped cabin, his bag was slumped in a corner. Alana¡¯s food supplies had found a worthy challenger in Flynn. With a pitying look at the dwindling provision, Kai sat on the short bed and took out the cube. His fingers slid the lacquered pieces of dark wood with practiced ease, while his mind was already at work weaving three threads of mana. Not knowing how many layers were left to the final prize was by far the worst part of the challenge. An uncertain task with an even more uncertain reward. The temptation to hold back and to cut his losses whispered in his ears. Too much effort and time staked on a vague promise that he had no way of confirming. It would be crushing if he gave his all and ended up with a fistful of sand. The cube was one of the main reasons why he broke the Second Seal and picked Mana Child. What if that still wasn¡¯t enough? I just need to succeed, problem solved. Kai crushed his doubts. This wasn¡¯t the first challenge of this nature Virya or Elijah had put him through¡ªthough it was by far the greatest. He had long learned the lesson, if he began to contemplate failure, he had lost. I¡¯m training both my mana skills, Inspect and Runes. That will be useful either way. ''The road to failure is paved with brilliant excuses,'' Elijah whispered in his ear. Looking for justifications was the same as having doubts. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Shut up, butler! Nobody¡¯s perfect. Flynn had been right on that. Not that he shouldn¡¯t aim for perfection, but he had to accept there would be setbacks and mistakes along the way. A brief session of Attuned Meditation got rid of any stray thoughts, Kai devoted every brain cell to the puzzle in his hands. When he came out of his cabin for his victorious walk, the sun had already set behind the western horizon. How many hours did I spend in the cabin? ¡°Did you succeed?¡± Flynn strolled over with a bowl of fish soup and a slice of hard bread for him. Kai accepted the lukewarm food with a thank you, a sliver of guilt in his gut. Despite his apparent casual demeanor, he must have been waiting quite a while. ¡°Yes, I solved it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Flynn raised an eyebrow. ¡°Can you show me?¡± I did open one layer, just a thousand more to go. ¡°I¡¯ll show you when we get to Higharbor, I don¡¯t want to look at it again tonight.¡± A hint of suspicion flashed through his green eyes. ¡°I guess that¡¯s fair. Come on, the crew has already started playing.¡± ¡°Wait, take this.¡± Kai took out a silver mesar from his pocket. ¡°What for?¡± Flynn swiped the coin with an almost automatic gesture, before frowning at him. ¡°I know you must feel deeply in debt, but you can enjoy my charming personality for free.¡± Kai raised his eyes halfway to the sky, too tired for a full roll. ¡°It¡¯s for betting, so you can play for me too. If you win, we can split it fifty-fifty.¡± He had never expected to have to pray for Flynn to take his money. ¡°What if I lose?¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s on me. I just want to be part of the game.¡± Kai added to prevent the argument he saw rising in Flynn¡¯s mouth. ¡°What? Are you afraid to lose?¡± Any trace of hesitation was snuffed out by a confident smirk. ¡°I¡¯m just afraid you¡¯ll regret not investing more in me. Let¡¯s go! I can teach you how to play while I wipe their purses.¡± Flynn headed for a group of five sailors playing Brink. Judging by the pile of copper mesars on the board, they were the wealthiest bunch after the captain''s table. The group¡¯s conscience that stopped them from taking advantage of a kid was quickly put to rest when Flynn showed them the piece of silver. ¡°Take a seat, but don¡¯t cry when you lose.¡± A thin man with a shifty look gave them permission to sit on the deck. ¡°There¡¯s no pulling back after the game starts.¡± Kai quietly took a seat behind Flynn, eating his cold dinner. If it was his money and he would benefit from a win, shouldn¡¯t his Favor also affect Flynn? And yes, he was also feeling guilty for spending the whole journey in his cabin. One silver wouldn¡¯t be a big loss either way. When dealing with the seventh attribute there was never a straight answer, and the link between Favor and chance was a matter of scholarly debate. High luck improved the general outcome, but its specific workings remained a mystery. A stout middle-aged sailor with a graying beard shuffled the deck and dealt the cards. ¡°We all start with seven cards¡­¡± Flynn began to explain the basic rules of Brink. Kai was about to tell him he knew already when he noticed the looks of ridicule that crossed the five sailors. Fine. Have it your way. ¡°So, you need six yellow swords to win?¡± Kai asked the dumbest question he could manage, obtusely staring at the cards. ¡°No¡­¡± Flynn smoothed his frown and masked the cunning glint that crossed his face. Facing away from the others to talk to him, no one noticed anything apart from his heavy sigh. ¡°Remember what I told you? There are only five yellow swords in the deck.¡± ¡°Then how do you win?¡± Improvisation painted his face in puzzlement. The spark of hope on Flynn''s features fell into exasperation. He distractedly drew a card and threw a blue scepter for his turn. Even Kai knew that was a poor play to open a game. ¡°Let¡¯s start from the beginning¡­¡± He spoke each word slowly, making frequent pauses for his dimwitted friend to catch up. Flynn gave an apologetic glance at the sailors who could barely hide their snickers. ¡°I should have known it would take a while, I can teach him later if I¡¯m distracting you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, kid. We don¡¯t mind.¡± The bearded man said with a greedy smile. Kai wasn¡¯t sure if it was their ploy, his Favor or just a lucky night. By the time the five sailors refused to continue playing, his one silver had multiplied four times. ¡°Can¡¯t we play one more game? I think I almost figured out how this game works.¡± Kai turned to Flynn, scrunching his brows. ¡°We¡¯re winning, right?¡± ¡°Yes, little brother. I think we are.¡± Gritting his teeth, the thin sailor was about to walk back when he was pulled away by the others. The night filled with curses to unfamiliar deities muttered under their breath. ¡°Come on, little brother, we can find someone else to play with. I¡¯m proud of you, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get it in a few more games.¡± They had not taken two steps when a looming shadow crossed their path. ¡°I think you two had enough fun for one night,¡± Ventura said, her red lips pressed into a displeased line. ¡°Why? We won fair and square,¡± Flynn protested. ¡°¡®Cause I¡¯m the captain of this ship, and you¡¯ll do as I say while you are on board.¡± Ventura leaned over, talking in a whisper. ¡°And those same men would have beaten you up fair and square if I didn¡¯t stop them. The merfolk paid for your passage, not to upset my crew.¡± Standing back, she was all smiles again, fondly pinching their cheeks, ¡°Come on boys, it¡¯s time to go to sleep.¡± Flynn didn¡¯t look convinced, so Kai grabbed his ear in one hand and stifled a yawn with the other. ¡°Come on, big brother. I¡¯m tired.¡± It wasn¡¯t the time to be stubborn. ¡°Let me go, I¡¯m coming.¡± Once back into their cabin, they pushed their bags to the door and Kai put their winnings in his ring. Rocking in his hammock in the dark, he could still feel a smile on his face. ¡°That was fun.¡± Before he could hear Flynn¡¯s answer, he was already drifting off. Since his race grade was one step higher, Kai was the first to wake up the next day. With the little light that filtered under the cabin door, their bags were exactly as they left them. Moving as silently as possible, he made his way outside. The cool morning breeze wiped away the last traces of sleepiness. *Ding* Profession XP (Domain): 856 ¨C Skills: 1500 Damn. Not bad for my first week, everything considered. He couldn¡¯t pass definitive judgment with a single data point, but that had to be at least great. Spirits¡¯ mercy, he was almost halfway through his first level. Kai sent all his gains towards his profession with little hesitation. He could siphon the XP from practicing Mana Child''s domain into his race, but he needed to get those stat boosts first. Profession: Mana Child lv 0 ¨C 0 > 2,356 / 5,000 XP Boon: - Mana Spring Profession Skills: The profession skills would slow down the higher they climbed, but the diminishing return on XP for professions wasn''t as harsh as those for Life Experience. Working on the cube had netted him more than he imagined. Virya¡¯s enchantment is the definition of arcane, and I do need to use both my mana skills for it. It must have also helped level Gifted Novice¡­ ¡°Morning.¡± Flynn walked up to the railing, covering a yawn. His gaze suddenly focused ahead. ¡°Look, I think we¡¯re there.¡± Kai forgot about his gains, squinting his eyes. The first rays of dawn pierced through the morning fog lighting dozens of ships anchored at a dock of ivory stone. High lavish constructions peeked over them. The whole coast was covered by majestic ashen buildings. Kai took a moment to realize the marble palaces inland must have been built on a hill, making them tower over the capital. They had reached their destination, Higharbor. Chapter 150 - Higharbor Chapter 150 - Higharbor As the Ventura drifted closer to the docking area pushed by its pink sails, more details slowly came into focus. Kai swept his gaze over the port to grasp any useful information. He had heard stories of this place since he was a child. The largest and richest city, the seat of the Merian Republic''s power in the Baquaire Archipelago. Higharbor had the same polished aura of Sylspring but with a grander, stately feel. Its buildings lacked the cozy and warm atmosphere of the seaside destination. Straight, soaring lines drew the eyes up their elegant and intricate decorations. The architecture of the docks demanded to be admired. Kai could glimpse the numerous skilled hands that had designed the ivory port to guide his first impression. Likely an attempt by the governor to present the islands as something different than a backwater and rural territory. How terrible to get grouped with the rest of us. Laws and decrees rolling out of Higharbor to the rest of the archipelago had painted a picture of the man in Kai¡¯s head. Not a very flattering one. He could almost see the governor¡¯s planning, the cold and calculated moves to maximize his profits and power. They were heading straight into the belly of the beast. Kai would recognize the stone of the Vastaire¡¯s ruins anywhere. Perhaps that lavished pier was made with the same ivory towers he had witnessed on Yatol as a child. Demolished for the greed of a man after they stood for millennia. ¡°Have you already been here?¡± Flynn asked, looking at him as intently as he had been studying the city. ¡°I told you I¡¯ve never traveled beyond Sylspring.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look very impressed. I stared for hours the first time they brought me here. I couldn¡¯t believe such a big city existed. Same for the other kids in my scholarship class.¡± Flynn scowled at the ivory construction. ¡°I think that was half the reason for the trip, so we could be awed by the might of the Republic. It¡¯s little more than a town. A pretty pompous one, but still a town. Higharbor was the biggest settlement in the archipelago, but it didn¡¯t reach a hundred thousand in population. As the morning sun dispersed the mist, Kai could glimpse a stretch of coast clear of buildings in the distance, the limits of the city. ¡°Maybe I¡¯m just better at hiding my awe. I read about the cities in the mainland, this is a much smaller version of them.¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Flynn agreed with a distracted nod. ¡°Anything you plan to do?¡± ¡°Reishi gave me the name of one of the businesses he runs here. We can stay there for a day or two while we look for long-term lodging.¡± Large cities were always overpriced. Kai was confident that held true no matter what world he lived in. While his pockets were full of silver now, he needed to make it last. It could be months yet before Reishi managed to organize his business and continue their alchemy venture in Higharbor. ¡°Spirits, save me,¡± Flynn raked a hand through his hair. ¡°I meant what you planned to do for fun. We¡¯re going to Higharbor. The city is filled with exotic foods, taverns and strange ways to spend time. Last time they brought us to a place where a group of actors performed stories. Is there nothing you are looking forward to?¡± Sorry, I¡¯m not so eager to waste my shiny coins. ¡°No, not really. I just need a place to train,¡± Kai said in a flat tone, more to annoy him than anything else. ¡°You¡¯re impossible,¡± Flynn covered his eyes with a hand like he couldn¡¯t bear to look at him. ¡°There is more to life than training skills.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s why I already passed you in grade.¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯ll let you know almost no one reaches Orange ¡ï¡ï at fourteen. I¡¯m a genius, you¡¯re just an anomaly.¡± ¡°Of course, whatever helps you sleep at night, old man,¡± Kai smirked and patted his arm like he would reassure a child, ignoring Flynn¡¯s glares. ¡°I also train my skills,¡± he took away his arm with an offended sulk. ¡°I can simply do that by talking with people without shutting myself in a dusty cabin.¡± Was he training his social skills by speaking with the sailors? ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re amazing for your venerable age. Just tell me if someone tries to bully you and I¡¯ll beat them up.¡± Flynn stood up straighter to highlight their difference in height. ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯re stronger than me yet. I wasn¡¯t fighting seriously last time we sparred.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you a rematch.¡± Kai accepted the challenge. I do need a bit of target practice for my spells. In a pure cold weapon fight, Flynn might not be an easy opponent. With their age difference, and the profession levels the boy must have gained since last time, his physical attributes were bound to be significantly higher than his own. Well, I can''t improve fighting against weaker opponents. And I can always beat his ass with Empower and Water Magic if he starts gloating. The crew of the Ventura swarmed the deck, tanned sailors lowered the sails and prepared the ship to moor. A row of oars emerged from both sides of the ship to guide them closer to the pier. Slivers of the paved land emerged beyond the forest of masts and hulls. ¡°There¡¯s one thing I¡¯m looking forward to,¡± Kai suddenly said. He had avoided thinking about them during the journey to not get his hopes up and end up disappointed. ¡°I had some friends who went to Higharbor.¡± ¡°You mean they were moved here during the relocation?¡± ¡°Yeah, we were just children, so I don¡¯t think they remember me. And I wouldn¡¯t know where to look for them anyway.¡± While not a metropolis by Earth¡¯s standards, tens of thousands of people still wasn¡¯t a small number. They could have moved to another town or¡­ Kai steered his thoughts clear of the worst possibilities. Maybe it¡¯s better not to know. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°We¡¯ll find them.¡± Flynn declared with certainty. ¡°If you were half as weird as a child, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll remember you too.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Anything for my little brother.¡± Flynn threw an arm around his shoulders and ruffled his hair. Kai suffered the affront in displeased silence. You get a freebie. Next time I¡¯ll break your hand. The Ventura sailed past dozens of other ships, more than he had ever seen in Sylspring. The deepwater port was the main reason the Republic chose to nest in Higharbor. The seabed had continued to be further excavated after their arrival, allowing large vessels to moor during all but the most extreme low tides. As they emptied their cabin, his own bag was far lighter than when he came on board in Sylspring. It¡¯s easier to carry this way. Ventura came to escort them on shore, fussing over them to ensure they had a place to go. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to see you go so soon, it was so nice to have you on board, hon¡¯.¡± The captain imprinted a kiss on his forehead before he could react. ¡°I stop at Higharbor at least once per season except for winter, I¡¯ll be happy to host you again if you need a ride.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to remember,¡± Kai struggled to keep his hands still and not clean the red lipstick mark he could feel on his head. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t need a guide on shore, hon¡¯? Two young boys such as yourself, you never know when you might run into trouble. I can find someone for cheap.¡± ¡°We¡¯re sure. I already know the place,¡± Flynn politely turned her down for the third time. Reishi said not to accept any deal with her. Even if it seemed harmless, there was no point risking it when they could do it on their own. ¡°Such a pity.¡± Ventura dried a nonexistent tear from her eye. ¡°I pray you¡¯ll stay safe.¡± ¡°Safe journey, Captain,¡± Kai wiped the smile off his face as soon as they were out of sight, furiously rubbing his forehead clean. ¡°Stop laughing, it¡¯s not funny,¡± he glowered at Flynn. ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you, little brother.¡± The gaudy constructions looking over the docks were more imposing from up close, easily surpassing the highest buildings of Sylspring. Kai took out a letter with the directions Reishi gave him. He passed it to Flynn since he had no idea where any of those streets were. ¡°Do you recognize the names?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Of course, yes. Or, of course, I¡¯ll never admit when I don¡¯t know something?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe you have so little faith in me. I¡¯m the greatest navigator in all the archipelago after all.¡± He puffed his chest, indignant by the outrageous slander. Kai threw him a skeptical look. ¡°Of course, I can ask for directions and easily find out,¡± Flynn grumbled under his breath. ¡°I only came here twice, and they didn¡¯t let us roam the city.¡± Streams of people strode the paved roads in the early morning, carrying themselves with the self-important air of the local capital in the archipelago. Seeing the unapproachable air of the passersby, Kai left him to the task. At least a third of them were foreigners, be it from the Republic or somewhere else, but even the natives didn¡¯t have the typical friendly demeanor. Cities are overrated. Despite the initial impressions, they received polite replies and easily found the indications they needed¡ªFlynn¡¯s skills must have helped. The Golden Pearl Tavern was just far enough from the docks to avoid the bustle of the sailors. A three-stories stone and wood building with a shingle roof and a clean exterior. As good as any he saw in Sylspring, though Kai wasn¡¯t sure how that measured in Higharbor. Kai took a single step inside before stopping in his tracks. An unmistakable iridescent glow filled the room. Straight before the entrance, his precious treasure rested in a crystal display cabinet for all to see. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, isn¡¯t it? A unique treasure salvaged from the ocean depth.¡± Kai woke from his stupor to notice that a distinguished old man in pristine clothes had come to welcome them. ¡°Yes, it is,¡± he said, snapping his fingers before Flynn¡¯s transfixed gaze. The man looked them over with a polite smile. ¡°You must be the esteemed clients Master Reishi warned me about. Please come in. You are probably tired from the long journey, I already prepared your rooms.¡± Reluctantly leaving his precious behind, Kai let himself be led into two adjacent rooms on the third floor. Just for a couple of days until we decide what to do next. ¡°Let me know if you need anything.¡± He bowed down and left. Inside the spacious room, Kai immediately noticed a plump bed that begged him to take a nap. After sleeping in a hammock for four days, he wanted nothing but to doze off for a few hours. I can always insist on paying if I want to stay longer. Quickly settling in, Kai left his clothes inside his bags and took the chance to take a bath. Washing away the sweat and salt of the journey was a cathartic experience. To avoid the tempting bed, he dragged Flynn outside. ¡°We¡¯ve just arrived. I want to look at that pearl again.¡± Guess Reishi got his money¡¯s worth. ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to show me all the attractions? Come on, we also need to look for a place to stay.¡± ¡°That tavern looks good to me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too expensive. We can¡¯t afford to stay there for long. Wait¡­ what¡¯s that?¡± There was a faint buzzing in the background. Kai focused his ears, the sound was rapidly growing louder. The street turned dark, a gleaming something flew over their heads in the sky. Before he could grasp what was going on, the thing was gone, the buzzing becoming faint again. His head jerked to take another better peek, but the tall buildings prevented his eyes from following. What the fuck is that? ¡°Oh, that.¡± Flynn dismissed him as if he were pointing out a palm tree. ¡°It¡¯s just an airship. The wealthy piggies use them to travel from the mainland.¡± Right, an airship. How did I not think of that? Kai ran to the intersection of two streets, finally getting a decent view of the aircraft. It reminded him of the zeppelins from the 19th and early 20th centuries. The oblong shape gracefully glided over the lavish palaces built on the hill to disappear somewhere on top. ¡°There is an airdock somewhere up there,¡± Flynn helpfully informed. ¡°But they don¡¯t let anyone unauthorized come near.¡± ¡°Let me guess, you¡¯ve tried?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve tried. I wanted to see the flying monster,¡± he exclaimed, breaking the cool facade. ¡°It¡¯s a flying ship. Just a metal framework and lots of enchantments.¡± ¡°Let me guess, you read about that too?¡± Flynn threw him a judging look. ¡°Yes, I did, though I didn¡¯t expect to find one here.¡± Kai tried not to sound too much like a bookworm smartass. He was willing to pay to peek at the array on that zeppelin. ¡°There is truly no way to take a closer look?¡± ¡°We can try in the upper city. We need to register our ID to go there, but we¡¯ll need to do that anyway if we stay in Higharbor longer than a week.¡± Flynn began leading the way. ¡°Come, we can take the long way to see the city.¡± Glad I didn¡¯t come alone, I¡¯d certainly fuck up the bureaucracy. The clean paved Ring Road running around the hill framed the inner city, linking the docks to the heart of the town and housing shops like the ones in Sylspring. Further inland, the outer city wasn¡¯t as prosperous, though Flynn had only been there once. The divide with the upper city was just as blatant. Every glimpse of the palaces and manors on the hill exuded lavish opulence. With bright colors, blooming flowers and intricate decorations. Kai began to create a map in his head. It would take some time to wrap his head around the size of Higharbor. He just had to get used to the people and labyrinthine streets. One step at a time. ¡°Do you remember the names and ages of your friends?¡± Flynn asked as they were waiting in line at the Town Hall for the registration process. ¡°I¡¯m good at finding people, the more details you remember the better.¡± ¡°There were four of them¡­¡± Kai delved into the nostalgic sea of memories. There was the innocent Ana with her prized shell collection, quiet Lou, and the twins, Uli and Oli, always ready to pull a prank. Lost in the past, he didn¡¯t immediately realize Flynn had gone silent, a deep frown marking his brows. ¡°I know that¡¯s not much,¡± Kai said. ¡°They must have changed a lot since then, it¡¯s fine if you can¡¯t find them.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡± Flynn hesitated before meeting his eyes. ¡°I think I¡¯ve met them¡­ They were part of the Republic¡¯s scholarship program in Hawkfield.¡± Chapter 151 - The Upper City Chapter 151 - The Upper City His mouth hung agape, muttering a numb ¡®oh¡¯. There must be some better, more appropriate reaction buried somewhere in his mind. Kai couldn¡¯t find it. They were alive and well. His heart lightened as he discarded the grim possibility. Or alive at least¡­ I should have known they¡¯d get into trouble. I did teach them how to learn and train skills when we were kids. Maybe it was arrogant to think that those basic instructions were the reason why they got into the scholarship program. The Republic might not be as picky or demanding as Virya, but they didn¡¯t just choose anyone for their indoctrination program. ¡°I don''t have all day,¡± a middle-aged woman grumbled, pulling Kai back to the present. The queue for registration had moved, just two more people were ahead of them. He scuttled forward with an apologetic look. The distant and vague prospect of meeting his childhood friends had suddenly sprung up much closer than he imagined. Flynn observed him with a studious look, keeping his silence. ¡°Are you sure it was them? It has been years, they must look very different now.¡± Kai couldn¡¯t help himself, though he knew it was a stupid question. ¡°I don¡¯t think there are many twins named Uli and Oli. I only talked to them once or twice, but they had a certain reputation for getting into trouble with the teachers. I also heard the names of the other two, though I can¡¯t be completely sure.¡± Yeah¡­ that¡¯s the twins. At least they¡¯ll get better professions and prospects. They can¡¯t believe the bullshit the Republic teaches them after they forced us to relocate. Flynn had told him enough of those classes at Hawkfield to make him worry. It had been close to seven years, half their lifetime. More since the time as babbling babies didn¡¯t count for them. People changed, children more so. It wouldn¡¯t be weird if they were complete strangers and forgot him. Spirits knew what might have gone down since they last said their goodbyes on that ship, and he made a promise he couldn¡¯t keep. I should have found a way to visit them sooner. The end of the queue saved him from more brooding. A bored clerk took their ID, wrote down their names and asked a series of routine questions. When did they land in Higharbor? Where were they from? How long did they plan to stay? What did they plan to do? From the look of total disinterest of the man, none of the answers seemed to matter. Kai was happy to let Flynn take the lead, only speaking when he was directly questioned. He needed time to untangle the jumble in his head. Jumping into the worst-case scenario without enough information was a bad habit he wanted to get rid of. I need to get out of my head. The beaming sun welcomed them outside the stuffy office at the foot of the hill. ¡°Do you know where they are now?¡± Kai asked, shielding his eyes with a hand. ¡°They¡¯re still in the program¡­¡± Flynn shuffled with the papers of their registration. ¡°Each class and year has slightly different schedules. They¡¯ll probably be in Hawkfield during the summer, but they¡¯ll come back here in a few weeks, months at worst. There must be more kids in the program who know better, we can ask around.¡± It has been years, a few more weeks won¡¯t make a difference. Kai nodded, glad he¡¯d have more time to prepare, and guilty for the relief he felt. ¡°There is no hurry, we still need to find a place to stay.¡± When he heard Flynn knew them, he feared they¡¯d find them that same day, maybe waiting outside the registration office. ¡°As you command, Your Majesty.¡± Flynn bowed, gesturing to the hill. ¡°Shall we go visit your summer palace or do you wish to fetch your carriage?¡± Where did he even learn what a carriage is? There aren¡¯t any in the archipelago. Kai marched toward the hill ignoring him and hiding the smile on his face. ¡°Stop being an idiot. You can pay for lunch today.¡± ¡°Wait, Your Majesty! I ask forgiveness if I caused offense, it¡¯s not proper for a servant to pay. What will people think of you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll manage the shame, and you can afford it. You¡¯ve earned as much as me betting with the crew.¡± Flynn caught up to him, cutting his shenanigans. ¡°It wasn¡¯t bad. We could go play again tonight. I heard Higharbor has the best betting dens.¡± A Thousand Ways to Lose Your Mesars in a Day, a book by Flynn Soveili. ¡°If making money was so easy everybody would do it. The only winners are the dens, trust me.¡± A crew of sailors was one thing, but he wouldn¡¯t go against a bunch of professional gamblers even with his Favor. And their ploy was unlikely to work a second time. ¡°You don¡¯t think we are good enough to do it?¡± Flynn tempted him like an imp whispering on his shoulder. ¡°We could make so much silver.¡± Begone spawn of darkness! I will not be tempted. ¡°I¡¯d rather quit while I¡¯m ahead,¡± Kai fended off all his attempts to convince him. It had been fun, true, and he wouldn¡¯t mind betting again in the future to test his Favor. But it couldn¡¯t become a habit, a single winning streak didn¡¯t make them professionals. Grumbling, Flynn accepted he wasn¡¯t going to be moved on this. Crossing an invisible line, the higher mana density washed over them, marking the boundaries of the upper city. There was probably an array like in poshtown, though the increase was much sharper. It must be ridiculously large, even if it¡¯s not as powerful as the one at Virya¡¯s estate. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. The upper city stood over not one but two hills overlapping against each other. The lower one was a fenced ground for the private residences of high officials and diplomats. Kai spotted some rare patches of lush green and trees peeking over the iron gates. The governor''s own palace was up there, where he lived with his wife and three kids. Somehow, he had never thought the man could have a family, children even. And that they were probably not that far from him right this moment, enjoying the wealth they pilfered from the island. Don¡¯t let him ruin the day. Kai hurried after Flynn up the highest peak that housed the critical infrastructures of Higharbor. That included the airdock where the zeppelin landed and the public and private offices of the Republic. A large ivory dome glinted on top where the local council, headed by the governor, met to manage the archipelago. The same halls where the relocation had been passed. Maybe visiting the upper city wasn¡¯t such a great idea after all. Kai didn¡¯t know how the legislative process worked and didn¡¯t care to learn. The people who ruled over his life could be just a little further up right now. He didn¡¯t realize his teeth and fists were clenched till Flynn hurried him on. ¡°It¡¯s a big lump of rock, isn¡¯t it? Do you want to go take a look? You need special permission to enter, but we can look outside and make fun of who comes out.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve seen better lumps of rocks,¡± he didn¡¯t trust himself to go anywhere near that place. Putting a face to those people who ruined his life in Whiteshore would only serve to make him madder. Better they remained nameless shadows than actual people. ¡°Let¡¯s go see the shops, I¡¯m hungry.¡± Great, now I¡¯m stress eating. ¡°Me too, we haven''t had a proper breakfast in ages,¡± Flynn agreed enthusiastically, dragging him to a baby blue shop with glazed and fruit confections on display. ¡°I always wanted to try this one.¡± The smell of sweet baked goods that wafted out of the door was heavenly and made him forget his dark mood for a moment. ¡°Good morning, misters,¡± a young man with dark hair and pale skin welcomed them. His smile noticeably stiffened as he scanned them from head to toe with a critical eye. ¡°Can I help you?¡± Kai stared down at himself, suddenly feeling very self-conscious. A quick deliberation concluded he was dressed perfectly fine. He had even washed and changed at The Golden Pearl. His beige trousers and green shirt were a bit wrinkled since he stuffed them in a bag, but there were no holes or stains he could see. Great, capital snobbery. No one had given him a second look even around poshtown. Kai was ready to stomp out of the door with his tenuous mood about to shatter. ¡°I¡¯ll take a couple of those cloudberry thingies, also two¡­¡± Flynn ordered without giving the employee a second glance. He threw the exact coins on the counter and left with a smile. ¡°Whaff?¡± He stuffed one of the fruit confections in his mouth and offered him the bag, ¡°Take your pick.¡± Kai bit into a cream puff harder than was necessary. The dough was warm and fluffy while the filling had a strawberry aftertaste. He couldn¡¯t help but let out a pleased moan. Probably the best thing he had eaten since Dora left. ¡°He was being an asshole for no reason,¡± he complained, going for another. ¡°Yeah, most of them are, especially in the upper city,¡± Flynn agreed, chewing his third tartlet. ¡°You can spend half your life being irritated or ignore them.¡± Or I can get unreasonably wealthy, buy that business and fire him. Is that an overreaction? Most of the passersby who strolled the wide roads had the pale complexion of the Republic. More than he had ever seen in one place. The natives were less than a quarter. Either dressed in plain clothes on an errand or bright silks and necklaces of pearls. As if they hoped to hide their identity behind the layers of lavish wealth. On a hunch to confirm Reishi¡¯s words, Kai activated Mana Sense. The sheer quantity of enchanted clothing nearly blinded him. From simple rough cooling runes to intricate tapestries of hundreds of glowing lines woven into the silk. ¡°Did you see something interesting?¡± Flynn asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± The whole city was pulling him out of balance. It wasn¡¯t the suffocating crowded chaos of Old Port, but it was just as weird. A world of stone and marble with hardly any green apart from decorative flowerpots. It was starkly different from everything he had gotten used to in the previous eleven years on Elydes. If I adapted to getting reincarnated, I can do this too. It just takes more than a day. ¡°We should probably go get lunch then, my treat.¡± Flynn continued to walk and joke without a care. His acting was flawless. ¡°You can pick the place.¡± No way he¡¯d offer so readily to pay. ¡°Let¡¯s get off this hill, I¡¯m sure there are plenty of fine places in the inner city.¡± Kai reciprocated the grin. ¡°I¡¯m not sure your wallet could take the prices up here.¡± ¡°You¡¯re very wise, Your Majesty.¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°Lead the way, my faithful servant. If you continue to do well, I¡¯ll consider giving you a day off next month.¡± ¡°Such moving generosity.¡± ¡°I know, I can¡¯t help it.¡± Kai strolled down the hill. He was relieved to sense the mana density fall. Away from the governor¡¯s presence and the pompous atmosphere. The streets were still paved but had weeds growing at the seams, and he could spot the dirt path of the alleys. The people themselves were a more casual mix of origins. Though they walked with their high chins and straight shoulders, they didn¡¯t have the same judging eyes¡ªfor the most part. Guess the capital is still the capital. The inner city was a more comfortable halfway step between the opulence of the gilded hill and the rest of the archipelago. Browsing around the streets, Kai quickly settled on a clean restaurant that promised the best fried seafood of the archipelago. He didn¡¯t know if that was true, but the spicy fried squid was the best he ever tasted. Crunchy breading, tender inside and not too oily. I missed this so much. Food does make everything better. After they ordered a second round, Kai fought off Flynn''s attempts to steal from his plate with a tiny crab pincer. Narrowly avoiding getting his hand impaled, the thief snatched the last piece of shrimp and threw it into his mouth. Kai let him enjoy his victory, he couldn¡¯t have eaten another bite for all the gold in Higharbor. The second plate had definitely been a mistake, and his stomach was close to bursting. But it was so worth it. They went for a walk in the shade of the building to help digest before retiring in The Golden Pearl. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Flynn asked, sitting in his room. ¡°Find a place to rent.¡± There must be something like that in Higharbor. A cheap inn could also work, though I¡¯d prefer a place without the constant coming and going of people. Flynn shuffled in his seat, staring at his feet, ¡°I mean, after that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll need to train my mana skills and profession.¡± The cube was the main priority, and it didn¡¯t require much space, any private room would do. He could also go to the upper city to recharge his reserves when he ran low. Finding a place to train Blessed Swimmer and Swordsmanship would be more annoying, though he heard there was a beach on the northern side of Higharbor. The city kids need to have some kind of training ground, maybe they¡¯re renting those too? With the craziness he had seen in the upper city, one more talented kid shouldn¡¯t attract attention. ¡°What do you plan on doing?¡± ¡°I¡ª I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ll probably find a job. I didn¡¯t really think about what came after.¡± ¡°Now you¡¯ve nothing but time to decide since no one is hunting you down, probably.¡± That sounded more encouraging in my head. Chapter 152 – A New Accommodation Chapter 152 ¨C A New Accommodation The glowing network of runes was his entire world, nothing else existed. Not the bead of sweat coming down his brow or his thumping heartbeat. Careful and precise like a surgeon with his scalpel, Kai split a fraction of his attention and twisted his mana. The thread connected to the fifth and last rune. It was done. Spirits bless me. His senses tensed in anticipation, afraid he would have to start over due to some minor mistake. Instants ticked painfully slow. No pulse canceled his mana, the cube had accepted his solution. Kai relaxed his stiff neck and let out a relieved ¡®Yes¡¯ with the breath he had been holding. Virya¡¯s riddle hovered an inch from the table he was sitting at, a hundred filaments of mana swirling beneath the wooden surface. Shit! A greater wave of worry clutched him. The sleek dark pieces clicked and shifted by themselves, rearranging the countless chains of runes woven into the cube. This was the thirty-fifth layer, the last of the fifth configuration. Come on, come on. How many cursed layers did Virya put into this thing? With a snap, the last piece slid into place. A perfect and smooth cube gently fell on the table. The enchantments he had spent the last month studying changed into an entirely foreign configuration. Fuck me! Why? Seven more layers with six solutions. Kai wanted to scream and throw the damn puzzle across the living room, but he was too exhausted even to properly rage. He slumped into his chair, staring at the pale cream ceiling. It¡¯s going to be forty-nine, isn¡¯t it? Seven by seven, yes, that was something Virya would like. He had made offerings to Yatei and Kahali on the feeble hope they could spare him from that, but even the Great Spirits were powerless before the heartless witch. No reprieve or truce for little ol¡¯ Kai. The extra attributes in Mind and Spirits gave him the strength to push forward. He was going to do it even if he had to scramble his brain from dawn till dusk for the remaining five months and a half. He was too committed to pull back. Virya must have known I¡¯d find a way to cheat. Maybe not a profession, but something for sure. There is no way I¡¯d solve it otherwise. Multicasting (lv1) ¨C To control mana to its full potential, a mage needs to learn how to split their focus and perform numerous tasks at a time. It was the latest of a long series of skills he had unlocked by working on the cursed puzzle¡ªprobably the most powerful. The question was if he was going to take it before or after reaching Yellow¡­ ¡°Still working on that thing?¡± Flynn''s upsettingly cheery voice breached his thoughts. He strode inside the room and set down his bag on the chair across from him. ¡°What¡¯s with the face, did you fail again?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t fail, I just reset it. Again.¡± Kai struggled to force the frustration out of his tone. ¡°I thought I might finally be done with it, but it wasn¡¯t enough.¡± ¡°Have you considered how your teacher might have duped you? Maybe there is no way to open it.¡± Flynn tapped onto the lacquered cube. ¡°I still think we should try with an axe.¡± ¡°No!¡± Kai swiped away the cube into his ring. ¡°It won¡¯t work. I¡¯ll open it, I just need a little more time.¡± ¡°If you say so¡­¡± his friend stood back with a disappointed look. ¡°I¡¯m getting close, just a few more layers,¡± Kai said, unsure if it was for Flynn or for himself. ¡°Let me know if you change your mind, I know just the guy to crack it open.¡± Flynn gathered his satchel and left for the kitchen, his voice dampened by the wall. ¡°I¡¯m going to cook lunch, we¡¯re both going to starve if it was up to you.¡± The mention of food made Kai aware of his own hunger. A glance at the shining clock hung above the kitchen door confirmed it was indeed past noon. I can¡¯t believe I let Reishi convince me to buy it. Even the cheapest one cost him eleven silver mesars, just to tell time. The rhythms of city life required punctuality, or so the merman said. The sun always worked fine for him. Let¡¯s get some good news. The week would officially be over at midnight, an arbitrary rule he made to not constantly obsess over his XP. But everyone knew rules were made to be broken anyway. *Ding* Profession XP (Domain): 834 ¨C Skills: 600 Something is going well. While the goal of Life Experience was to encourage the exploration of new skills and activities, Profession XP rewarded practicing Mana Child. New and challenging activities earned more XP, but routine practice was also useful. Limited to the domain of a single profession, one couldn¡¯t always push for new experiences. Since they had landed in Higharbor more than two months ago, Kai had roughly figured out the domain of Mana Child. His profession pushed him to delve and expand his knowledge of the arcane. Deciphering the enchantments copied with Mana Echo, learning new runes and alchemy recipes granted the most XP, but almost anything to do with mana and magic would work. Virya¡¯s cube fit in almost perfectly, it was hard, challenging and required the use of several skills. While the foundation of the puzzle remained the same, the runes and configuration were always changing. He might earn more if he varied his practice with other activities, but the difference wasn¡¯t worth the time investment with the months ticking by. I¡¯ll consider that after I open this damn thing. With a thought, Kai summoned the next notification. Profession: Mana Child lv2 ¨C 7,000 / 7,000 XP Boon: - Mana Spring Profession Skills: I thought it¡¯d take one more week, but I¡¯m not going to complain. I definitely need the boost. His race at the peak of Orange was dragging the levels along. Profession skills worked no different from any other, except for their unusual effects. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Kai had thought Mana Echo would be faster to train since it was an active skill. Higharbor streets and passersby were a treasure trove of enchantments, while skills were relatively harder to come by. He had observed the mana abilities of adults and teenagers training on the southern beach or in the few green areas around town. Still, it also required him to leave his newly rented house and spend hours to find the right target. Gifted Novice perfectly overlapped with the domain of his profession. Slow and steady, it constantly grew without needing him to do anything more that he hadn¡¯t already planned. Seems to be working either way, and Mana Echo can¡¯t go beyond level 100 unless I evolve my profession, but I can¡¯t do that. *Ding* You¡¯ve satisfied the requisites to progress Mana Child to lv3, do you wish to proceed? Yes, please. Something akin to an electric shock crossed through him, his eyes shot open. There was a faint tingling from his mana channels as they grew more complex. Kai felt more awake than ever. One and a half points in Spirit increased his mana capacity, pulling more motes from the world around him. The headache from skill overuse was washed away by the boost in Mind, granting him a new sense of clarity. His thoughts were faster, sharper, ready to tackle another twenty-four hours on the cube if necessary. Last was Perception, the smallest increase at half a point, but the most glaring. The light filtering from the window was brighter, the grains of dust on the wooden table impossible to miss, his soft cotton shirt unbearably itchy. Kai knew the colorful particles swirling around him would also be slightly clearer if he activated Mana Sense. There was no difference in his body attributes, but he got the impulse to jump and run. A shard of euphoria reminiscent of his race enhancement. Yeah, I truly needed this. The higher his stats the quicker all his skills and XP grew, advancing his profession faster in turn. He was ever more confident that taking a profession early had been the right decision. His nose picked up a waft of cooking steak, herbs and spices from the kitchen. Kai was barely conscious of his steps until his head poked over Flynn¡¯s shoulder. A piece of meat sizzling on the stove, making his mouth water. ¡°How much longer?¡± He stared at the steak with yearning. Flynn looked at him over his shoulder, jolting a step away. ¡°Did you gain another level? You have that unhinged look in your eyes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t look unhinged.¡± ¡°Go look at yourself in the mirror and tell me if I¡¯m wrong.¡± Flynn shooed him away. ¡°I still need a few minutes here, and I won¡¯t let you ruin my masterpiece with your creepy looming. I¡¯ll give you ten coppers if I¡¯m wrong.¡± Kai stomped his way to the bathroom mirror, an addition that came with the new place. He admitted that maybe his eyes showed too much white, and the half smile on his lips didn¡¯t help his cause. Vaguely unsettling at best. He washed his face, the water like icy needles on his skin to his boosted Perception. Rubbing himself dry with a towel, his expression was back to his usual self. Quiet gray eyes and messy blond hair. I forgot to finish the heating enchantments. His stomach grumbled. Making a mental note for later, Kai walked back to the kitchen. ¡°So?¡± Flynn grinned. ¡°Where is my money?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t agree to any bet,¡± Kai hid his sulk, setting the plates for lunch. ¡°But I was right, wasn¡¯t I? I thought you were about to stab me when you appeared behind me earlier.¡± Kai gave him a crooked smile. ¡°I¡¯m still in time to amend my mistake if you insist.¡± ¡°Tempting, but then who would cook for you?¡± Flynn served two steaming steaks and a crunchy salad. ¡°You¡¯ll be completely lost without me.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± he dramatically sighed. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll have to keep you for now.¡± Kai was paying two thirds of the rent, but he wouldn¡¯t exchange the difference for the chores Flynn took on. Unprocessed foods rarely lasted a week even with the coolbox he had enchanted. Someone needed to get groceries every second day, and Kai was glad that someone rarely had to be him. Cutlery clinked on the plates. The juicy meat tasted even better than it smelled, melting in his mouth. It was a rare treat, away from the hunting grounds of the Veeryd jungle, they couldn¡¯t afford it more than once per week. Flynn looked up from his meal. ¡°You¡¯ve got to level 3?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Is he worried I¡¯m catching up to him? ¡°And are still bent on your plan? How dangerous is it to discard your profession exactly? You said it like it was no big deal, but everyone I¡¯ve talked to says the opposite.¡± Oh, that¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± Seeing Flynn wasn¡¯t convinced, Kai went on explaining. ¡°The main danger is when you lose your attributes. If you have fifty Constitution and suddenly you lose half of that, there is the risk you can¡¯t handle the backlash and end up crippled.¡± ¡°¡­or dead.¡± ¡°That too,¡± he conceded, casually gesturing with his fork. ¡°If you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing.¡± Having your attributes drain out of you wasn¡¯t a pleasant experience on all accounts. If you lost too many of your attributes, there was a high risk of permanent damage to the body or mind, depending on which stats you lost. Since Mana Child only offered mental stats, he knew where he fell. Couldn¡¯t you wait till we were done eating? ¡°And is there a way to safely avoid that?¡± Flynn¡¯s voice dripped with skepticism. ¡°If you have a hundred Strength and lose one point you hardly feel the difference.¡± Kai sent the last bite with a gulp of water, placing down his knife and fork. ¡°The reason why people don¡¯t do it is because everyone has their profession higher than their race. If they discarded it, they¡¯d lose most of their attributes, and probably die.¡± In a very painful and gruesome way according to Reishi. Let''s skip that part. Flynn was still frowning, but Kai could see the pieces clicking together, so he gave the last push. ¡°With my race at the peak of Orange, I¡¯ll survive as long as I don¡¯t raise my profession past red. I¡¯ll simply need to pay for a healer and buy the right potions to ensure there are no permanent injuries.¡± Kai cleared the table and put the plates in the sink. I¡¯ll keep Mana Child a couple levels below ten to stay extra safe since my profession is above average. It was rare, but people had successfully done it before. Otherwise, why would the Guide bother to offer the possibility in the first place? The healer was going to cost a pretty penny, and the potion too, if he couldn¡¯t get his hands on a suitable recipe and brew it himself. Yes, perhaps it wasn¡¯t as easy as he made it out to be. The process was not going to be pleasant even if everything went according to plan, Reishi had been very clear on that. Or I could just not discard it. The thought came unbidden, though it wasn¡¯t the first time. He liked Mana Child, it was powerful and could evolve in nearly any direction. Considering the age restriction, he¡¯d be surprised if he met anyone else with it. I don¡¯t need to worry about that for a while. ¡°I¡¯ll go brew some potions in my room, knock if you need anything.¡± ¡°¡®kay,¡± Flynn said, seemingly lost in his thoughts. His bedroom was spacious even considering that it doubled as his working place. A wide bookcase covered the wall opposite the door from the floor to the ceiling. His dad¡¯s volumes took the two middle rows, with his journals and alchemy manuals below. He had pushed his bed against the right wall, while a long workbench took the left one. Boxes of herbs and a shiny silver cauldron were waiting for him. After two months in a dingy house close to the outer city, Reishi had convinced him to move to a place he owned. ¡®If you¡¯re so insistent on renting a place, you might as well pay me.¡¯ Kai couldn¡¯t remember how they got to that conclusion, but the merman made it sound like the only logical choice at the time. He definitely used some kind of skill, damn merchant. Maybe I can copy it with Mana Echo and use it on him¡­ Kai browsed the book of recipes he had been working on. It was always exciting to get to work after an attribute boost. Steps of the recipes that had seemed incomprehensible suddenly became obvious or far easier. Body stats Spirit even went up a point naturally. Alchemy was a nice distraction from the cube, a different kind of challenge that still fell within the purview of his profession. He was working in a limited capacity for about fifteen hours a week. Reishi had yet to figure out the logistics to supply the same volumes of ingredients as in Sylspring. Bent on his cauldron and new discoveries, time flew by. Kai was finishing sieving a dexterity-enhancing potion when a knock came from the door. ¡°One second.¡± Is it already dinner time? There was still light outside his window. The door opened and Flynn poked his head inside. ¡°I said one second, I¡¯m almost done.¡± Then people say I¡¯m not patient. ¡°I thought you¡¯d want to know this immediately. Your friends are back in Higharbor.¡± Chapter 153 - Forgotten Childhood Chapter 153 - Forgotten Childhood Hi, I¡¯m Kai. You know, the kid that you ran around with ages ago. The one who said he was going to visit you soon but never showed up. Well, here I am. Better late than never, right? ¡°You don¡¯t have to go see them right this moment,¡± Flynn said, not for the first time. ¡°We can wait another day or two or three, I don¡¯t think they¡¯re going to mind.¡± Twilight tinged the cloud in the distance with streaks of reds and oranges. With summer now over, the temperature was pleasant, some may say chilly. The women strolling the streets had taken the chance to pull out colorful shawls, with pearls jingling on their fringes. Kai dried his hands on his shirt, willing and failing to slow down his heart. He forced a smile. ¡°It¡¯s fine. We¡¯re halfway there anyway.¡± If he walked away now, spirits knew if he¡¯d ever muster the courage again. Startled by the sudden news, he had run out of his house, almost forgetting to wear his enchanted clothes. His childhood friends were within walking distance after seven years, how could he wait? Excitement quickly gave way to nervousness. He was about to meet four teenagers who would hardly remember him. Even if he had a thousand Favor¡ªand he didn¡¯t¡ª, there was no way to avoid the awkwardness. What if they are angry that I broke my promise? Or worse, they don¡¯t remember me at all and watch me with blank looks? He had done harder and dangerous things, but this was a piece of his childhood. A perfect carefree memory, idealized by nostalgia and time. Would he be able to look back at them in the same way after today? ¡°Are you sure it was them? All four of them together?¡± Kai asked, already knowing the answer. ¡°I am,¡± Flynn showed no frustration. ¡°I¡¯ve talked with three different people who were at Hawkfield. They all said the same. The Republic offers the students communal lodgings while they¡¯re in Higharbor. Something about extra classes, fostering a team spirit and getting the generous chance to work for the Republic for free. Those four will be there.¡± ¡°Right. Thank you for finding them.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± Flynn casually waved him off, though his grin grew wider. ¡°I told you I would do it, and when did I ever lie to you?¡± Probably this morning when you said you didn¡¯t eat the blueberry pie I was saving for dinner. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s been so long I can¡¯t remember the last time. Maybe never?¡± Kai said instead, thankful for the distraction. ¡°Exactly!¡± Flynn puffed his chest. ¡°My flawless reputation was on the line, of course I had to find them.¡± Kai rolled his eyes. They were crossing the Ring Road around the hills of the upper city. Tourists and locals alike filled the streets lit by glowing orbs. The area extending from the port in the south was the beating heart of activity and business. The crowd became sparser once they reached the northern district. Aside from the strip close to the shore, this side of Higharbor was quieter. It was a relatively recent addition to house the growing population. It extended in straight grid-like streets with fewer shops and more residential buildings. His wandering had rarely brought him here. Fewer people on the streets meant fewer skills and enchantments to copy with Mana Echo, making it a terrible hunting ground. Kai vaguely remembered the Republic reserved a vast area extending till the edge of the city for their less essential infrastructure and personnel. Another reason not to come. Less flattering rumors said it was where they carried out their secret and shady tasks, though Kai hadn¡¯t found proof of that, yet. Citizens were free to cross through most of the government district with no restrictions. He had observed it once from four blocks away and judged it was enough. The farther he stayed from the Republic the better, not even his curiosity could tempt him closer. Why did they have to be here? No, it¡¯s not a good excuse to go back. I can do this. Kai glanced at his friend. ¡°Are you sure you want to come?¡± They had sailed to Higharbor exactly to avoid the eyes of the Republic, Flynn especially. Flynn shrugged without any sign of worry. ¡°Remember I¡¯m also one of the scholarship brats. I¡¯ve spent most of the last four years around places like this. It¡¯d be strange if I didn¡¯t come, I¡¯ve got nothing to hide.¡± I guess we¡¯re safe. It¡¯s been months and no one came to ask for us. They might have already closed their investigation in Sylspring. His family told him everything was ¡®fine¡¯ in their letters. He wasn¡¯t going to ask for more explicit information on traceable paper. The Republic handled most of the mailing service and one could never be too safe. They crossed into the government district without a break in stride. There was no gate or fence, Kai took a moment to realize they were inside. No one stopped to ask for their IDs, or what they were doing there, no one so much as glanced at them. The streets were sparkly clean, and every building followed a similar style, shaping three or four stories of lifeless white plaster. A dozen too many banners with a soaring hawk closed the deal. They were now in enemy territory. ¡°Quite dull, isn¡¯t it? They copy the same buildings everywhere.¡± Flynn said, not showing any worry that someone might overhear. ¡°Most of it is cheap housing for the Republic¡¯s personnel and their families.¡± Honestly, I¡¯m a bit disappointed. ¡°Yeah, I thought it would be¡­ more?¡± Where were the pits of screaming people? The claw marks of those being dragged away? Or the dark chambers of the inquisition? ¡°I think the dormitory is up there.¡± Flynn pointed to a couple of monotonous white buildings facing each other. A small green space grew between them. Seven high trees in a circle with benches and ornamental bushes below. ¡°I¡¯m not sure where they live exactly, but we can ask around.¡± Reminded of the reason why they came here, Kai found his throat was suddenly dry. He could spot a few dozen kids chatting and playing on the grass, though it was too far to distinguish their faces in the low light. ¡°I think I¡¯ll manage it from here, you don¡¯t need to come with me.¡± Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Flynn peered down at him with an eyebrow raised. ¡°There should be a few people I can introduce you to.¡± ¡°Yes. You can go back home, I¡¯ve already made you skip dinner. I¡¯ll ask someone to point me in the right direction.¡± Kai couldn¡¯t feel any hunger himself, glad his stomach was empty. Flynn looked to be silently debating, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take a walk around to see if they built anything more interesting. We can meet here in half an hour or so. Just leave a trail if you get kidnapped.¡± Ha. Ha. Ha. ¡°I¡¯ll try to remember.¡± Kai watched Flynn¡¯s back disappear behind the buildings, in equal parts relieved and anxious. If this went poorly, there would be no one he knew to witness his embarrassment. I¡¯m going to remember this for the rest of my life if they don¡¯t recognize me. With earth magic I won¡¯t need a shovel to dig myself a hole. The sun had gone down in the time they took to cross Higharbor, and a cloak of clouds covered the moons. The only sources of light were the shining globes hanging from fixtures in the building that painted the world with their cold light. Come on, waiting won¡¯t make this any better. Reason and logic were of little help. His legs were made of lead, Kai forced them to move with excruciating effort. His back was drenched in sweat despite his short sleeves as if he was truly dragging an unholy weight. Damn, I should have paid for the cooling enchantment on the shirt. It had seemed a pointless extravagance at the time. He couldn¡¯t stand to pay the ludicrous price that slimy tailor asked for such a simple set of runes. The cloaking enchantment was the one he truly needed; he could learn to make the others himself to save the silvers. Reproducing them from an echo hadn¡¯t been hard. The problem was working with the fabric, weaving enchantments into clothes was completely different than drawing them on a flat surface. It required a set of instruments and skills he didn¡¯t have. Stop stalling and move your ass. Closing his eyes, Kai counted to ten, when he reopened them, he was ready. He marched to the small green area, shadowed by the trees. Some of the kids had their blue uniform with the hawk pin, but most wore casual clothes. No one paid him any mind when they realized he was just another kid around their age. Who should I ask? Kai inspected the different bands of young boys and girls, looking for someone alone he could approach. Everyone sat in a group. He took half a step toward a girl before she waved to her friends and went to join. Maybe it would have been better to wait and come with the daylight. Leaping out of the shadows to introduce himself wasn¡¯t going to help his case. I thought there¡¯d be more loners. Wait a second. Kai squinted his eyes, putting his extra points in Perception to good use. Three people were sitting on a bench around a table, two with their backs to him. One of the boys turned to the girl beside him, revealing the profile of his face. He was not seeing double, there were two of them. Each step closer made him more certain. Two suspiciously similar boys and a girl were chatting together, wavy brown hair and tanned skin typical of the natives of the islands. ¡°¡­mad, they ran to Mr. Renner shouting that I¡ª¡± the boy stopped telling his story when he noticed him. ¡°Do you need something?¡± Kai hadn¡¯t even realized he was standing so close to them. His mind struggled to reconcile the round face of his memory with the teenager before him. The voice was breaking into adulthood, the hair was also shorter and neatly combed, completely unlike the wild mane he remembered. The age was about right. The twins were a couple years older than him, a few short months away from getting their profession. ¡°Do you need something, kid?¡± The boy repeated, standing up to loom over him. He was a head taller. Arms crossed, his face scrunched up in an expression that Kai supposed wanted to be intimidating. ¡°If you don¡¯t need anything, get lost. We are having a private conversation, and you were not invited.¡± Such a brat. That checks out. ¡°Stop it, don¡¯t be so rude,¡± the girl spoke for the first time, turning to look at the newcomer. ¡°You can sit with us if you want. What¡¯s you¡ª¡± Ana froze. The moment their eyes crossed, Kai knew it was her. The same cascade of hair. Those large green eyes wide with shock, looking just slightly smaller in her grown face. Kai could see her incredulity melting as she scanned him from head to toe. ¡°Is it truly y¡ª?¡± She almost tripped on the bench to take a closer look at him. He hurried to help her, but she quickly regained her balance. Her hands tightly gripped his afraid he¡¯d disappear like in a dream if she let go for a single moment. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Kai felt his mouth curving upward whether he wanted it or not, his eyes itching and moist. He was pulled into a rib-crushing hug with a strength that defied her lithe body. At least one of them recognizes me. ¡°Hey! You didn¡¯t tell me you had another boyfriend.¡± The last boy protested, with dramatic indignation. ¡°I thought we were a thing. How could you betray me with this little shrimp?¡± ¡°Shut up, idiot.¡± The other one said and pointed at himself. ¡°No one¡¯d ever pick you. Everyone knows Ana¡¯s with me.¡± Kai tuned out the twins¡¯ bickering. Ana''s arms were still tightly wrapped around him, with no intention of letting go. Luckily, I don¡¯t need to breathe for a while. Damn, why is she also taller than me, we just have a one-year difference. We were about the same height as children. ¡°But seriously, who the hell is this guy?¡± One of the twins said, Kai wasn¡¯t sure which. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t judge your taste, but you could aim higher than this.¡± He chuckled at his own joke. ¡°Yeah, isn¡¯t he a bit short for you?¡± The other agreed. I¡¯m so going to strangle them. Ana finally let him go and turned to them. ¡°How can you not recognize him? Gray eyes, light hair, shorter than us.¡± She poked at him like he was an anatomical model in a classroom. Tu quoque, Ana! I thought I taught you better manners. ¡°How many people like that do you know?¡± she tapped her foot exasperated. Adding another hint, she lowered her hand to his ribs. ¡°Think smaller and odd.¡± What am I, invisible? After all I did for you, is this how you repay me? You can¡¯t even recognize your wise teacher. Kai nursed his wounded pride in dignified silence, standing up straighter as he waited for the realization to dawn on the two blackheads. The twins looked at him from different angles with thick confusion. Slow and inevitable recognition flashed in their eyes. ¡°No way,¡± they both uttered, words echoing at the same time. ¡°Kai? Is that really you?¡± He threw his hands up in exasperation. ¡°Who else? You were¡ª¡± Kai didn¡¯t get to finish his sentence as he was tackled to the ground, his breath stolen from him. He groaned beneath the two larger bodies crushing him. I should have drowned you as children and done this world a favor. By the grace of some misguided and blind spirits, the twins had managed to reach Orange ¡ï¡ï and put on enough muscles to make up for their thick skulls. Caught in an awkward position beneath both their weights, Kai failed to disentangle his limbs. Bar using Empower or magic, he was stuck under them. Straining his muscles, he pushed them off just enough to speak. ¡°I can''t breathe, get off me. Now!¡± A long minute later, which severely tested his patience and resolve not to use offensive spells, Ana dragged Uli off him. With one weight lifted, Kai managed to knee the other in the crotch. ¡°Why me?¡± Oli slumped to the ground, holding himself in pain. ¡°You were too slow,¡± Kai dusted off his clothes, checking for any tears. If they damaged the enchantments in the fabric, he was going to do far worse than that after what he paid for them. Apart from the wrinkles, grass and sweat, there was no damage. ¡°Stop whining, I didn''t even hit you that hard.¡± He offered him a hand to stand up, feeling just a tinge of guilt. Ana dragged them to the table, vibrating in excitement. ¡°You have to tell us everything. How are you here? Did you also get the scholarship? How was Greenside? When did you¡ª¡± Oh, boy. Feeling a shadow loom over him, Kai almost jumped out of his seat to avoid another tackle, but the twins both sat within his sight. A large boy towered over him. A head yet taller than Uli and Oli, and wider and bulkier than any teenager should have a right to be. What the fuck? The stranger cocked his head, puzzled, ¡°Kai? Is that really you?¡± It took Kai an embarrassingly long time to reconcile the image of a skinny and timid boy with the half-giant before him. ¡°Lou?¡± Chapter 154 - Reunion Chapter 154 - Reunion Kai craned his neck to get a better look at Lou. Two pairs of eyes examined each other with disbelief and faint recognition. If he randomly saw him in a crowd, he would never suspect the teenager before him was the same quiet kid of his memories. Now that he purposely searched for it, the hulking boy''s observant gaze carried a trace of his little friend. Kai was stunned by the drastic transformation. Lou was the first to react, pulling him into a hug. Oh, shit. Not again! To his great relief, Lou was much more gentle than the twins¡ªor even Ana. The bulging muscles beneath the blue uniform wrapped around him like steel wires, tight but not crushing. The giant boy was aware of his own strength and didn¡¯t try to squeeze him till his eyeball popped out of their sockets. He was always the thoughtful one and the easiest to manage. It hardly surprised him that Lou had reached Orange ¡ï¡ï after seeing the twins. He was the oldest of the group, probably just shy of getting his profession. Even with a higher grade, Kai wouldn¡¯t bet on himself in a contest of Strength. To think there was a time they followed me like dutiful little ducklings. ¡°Let the little shrimp go, he needs to answer our questions.¡± One of the twins protested not ten seconds later, echoed by his brother. ¡°Yeah, give us at least a couple hours with him to make him spill what happened. We¡¯ll help you suffocate him later and hide the body.¡± And I thought they¡¯d get better with age. I¡¯m such a fool. ¡°Huh, sorry,¡± Lou released him, embarrassed and concerned. ¡°I didn¡¯t hurt you, did I?¡± While Kai was just beginning to hit puberty, Lou must have sprouted early. He had a low rumbling voice and patches of beard on his chin¡ªnatives didn¡¯t grow much facial hair to begin with. What did they feed him? ¡°No, you¡¯re good,¡± he patted him on the shoulder. After the two blockheads tackled and crushed him for several minutes, his hug was like the touch of a feather. Standing proud, Kai squared off with the three of them. He needed to act before things got out of hand. ¡°Who do you take me for? Don¡¯t think just because you¡¯ve grown a little I can¡¯t drown you anymore.¡± The twins burst out laughing, while Ana covered her mouth with a hand. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s really you,¡± Lou said. A toothy grin split his face as they sat on the bench around the table. What¡¯s that supposed to mean? Ana giggled a beaming smile and slapped Oli on the arm. ¡°See? Lou immediately recognized him too.¡± ¡°He must have overheard us speaking.¡± Oli squinted at him and gave a curt nod. ¡°But I should have realized it was him from the ominous stare he gave us. He always did that when he got mad.¡± Uli energetically agreed. ¡°Yeah, like a creepy vengeful spirit planning your death. I was just confused because I remembered him being bigger.¡± You know I¡¯m right here¡­ Yatei¡¯s mercy, their education went down the drain without their mentor. Kai sighed, holding his head between his hands. All four looked to be doing fine, more than fine actually. He¡¯d prefer that they didn¡¯t have anything to do with the Republic, but they had benefited from the training, no doubt. Lou and Ana even recognized him, and there wasn¡¯t a moment of awkward silence with the twins around. Though they had clearly forgotten the respect due to their first teacher. A few drowning sessions should fix their characters¡­ ¡°Come on, little shrimp. You need to tell us everything that has happened since you left.¡± Oli said, impatiently fidgeting in his seat. Kai met his gaze, trying on the eerie stare that apparently he was famous for. ¡°If you call me little shrimp one more time, I¡¯m going to find a field of critterbane and throw you inside.¡± How many times did the twins play pranks with the urticant vine as children? It might be time to even the scales. Oli gulped as if recalling some scary memory. ¡°I was joking, don¡¯t take it personally.¡± Unfortunately, it always took a few lessons to drive the concept home with him, and the impertinent grin was right back. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll grow too, someday.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve grown up. Don¡¯t think you can beat us that easily.¡± Uli glanced at Ana as if for confirmation. Kai could feel her attention on him, a shiver ran down his back. He wasn¡¯t the only one with Mana Sense at the table, though her touch wasn¡¯t delicate and quick like his. ¡°Huh, it¡¯s weird.¡± Her brows scrunched in focus or confusion, maybe both. ¡°He¡¯s at the beginning of Orange like me. I hope you don¡¯t mind me saying it, I was so curious I didn¡¯t think to ask.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s fine.¡± The knot of tension melted away, both his cloaking enchantments were working correctly. He¡¯d rather avoid having to explain why he had a profession since they knew he was younger than them. A chorus of ohs crossed the table, followed by their congratulations. ¡°Still not as good as me.¡± Oli tapped a fist to his chest. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I''ll share some advice for free. If you work hard, you might reach my level one day.¡± Ana slapped his arm again and ignored his pained indignation. ¡°Get off your cloud. You¡¯ve been acting dumber than usual since you got your enhancement two weeks ago. Kai has plenty of time to beat you, as do I. At most he might ask Lou for advice, not you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure Kai doesn¡¯t need it,¡± the hulking boy said, looking at him with serious eyes. ¡°But I¡¯m happy to help if you need something.¡± Oli grumbled something about being unappreciated under his breath. ¡°Even if Kai beats my time, I won¡¯t ever be the last.¡± He directed a smirk at his brother. ¡°It was just one day and sixteen hours, that doesn¡¯t count,¡± Uli glowered at his twin with gritted teeth. ¡°I¡¯d have beaten you if I didn¡¯t hurt my arm.¡± ¡°But you did lose. And it was sixteen hours and a quarter.¡± ¡°Ten minutes at most. Enjoy while it lasts, we¡¯ll see who reaches the next enhancement first.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°I¡¯ll still have won this one¡ª¡± Lou watched their bickering amused, while Ana pulled her hair back in exasperation. From the look on her face, she was contemplating whether to slap them both. Ultimately, she recognized a failed cause and opted to ignore them. ¡°So, you also got a scholarship from the Republic?¡± The question quickly got the attention of the table. ¡°We didn¡¯t see you in Hawkfield, did you get accepted late or were you placed in one of their mysterious locations?¡± What¡¯s that about? ¡°I¡¯m not in the program,¡± Kai answered truthfully, causing looks of puzzlement across the table. ¡°You didn¡¯t get accepted?¡± Ana spoke up. ¡°With your grade, you should have more than made the cut. I don¡¯t believe your skills can be that bad.¡± Trust me, it¡¯s better if you don¡¯t know. Kai remembered the first selection in Sylspring when he had met that strange girl. ¡°I passed the tests but I refused, I wasn¡¯t interested in joining.¡± Should I tell them that I¡¯d rather stab my leg than work for the Republic? Or is that too drastic of a statement? Maybe it¡¯s better to test the waters first. They were in the government district, and he didn¡¯t want to sound like he was judging them. They didn¡¯t have as many opportunities as him. They must be doing their best with what they had, even if they joined the people who destroyed their homes. ¡°How did you reach Orange so fast by yourself?¡± Uli asked, skeptical. ¡°I had a mentor who lived near Greenside who tutored me. He left for the mainland a few months ago.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ana nodded slowly like she was trying to make sense of a difficult puzzle. ¡°You could try to get in now since your teacher left. You¡¯re a bit old, but I¡¯m sure you can pass with your grade. We can help you train the skills they value the most.¡± ¡°Thank you, I¡¯ll think about it. I¡¯m doing fine on my own.¡± Kai dodged the question and changed the topic. ¡°What was that piece about mysterious locations you mentioned earlier?¡± ¡°You mean the hidden class for special lads,¡± Uli answered, dramatically weaving his hands. ¡°No one knows much about it, except that it exists. You should ask Lou about that, maybe he¡¯ll tell you. He¡¯s the one who got accepted into it but refuses to share anything with us.¡± The twins both turned to scowl disapprovingly at the hulking teenager, silently mouthing traitor. ¡°You know I can¡¯t talk about that, people aren¡¯t even supposed to know I got in.¡± Lou crossed his arms defensively. ¡°Ask me literally anything else.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Uli and Oli opened their mouths at the same time. ¡°Who¡¯s your favorite twin?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, right?¡± ¡°Maybe in your dreams. Everyone knows I¡¯ve always been his favorite, right Lou?¡± Ana came to the rescue, saving the boy from the corner he dug himself into. ¡°Kai, why don¡¯t you tell us about what happened after we left Whiteshore? How was Greenside? I heard it¡¯s close to the Veeryd jungle. My class took a trip there last year, but we didn¡¯t see much.¡± Greenside¡­ Kai took a moment to realize they had no idea of what had happened. Even without his father''s murder, he could hardly pull any happy memories from that humid hell hole. ¡°Greenside was okay. The beaches were rocky and the sea cold, but I spent a lot of time at my teacher¡¯s place further up the coast. My family moved to Sylspring about one year ago, I think. So it¡¯s actually been a while since I was there.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Sylspring where that accident happened?¡± Uli whispered to his brother. ¡°You mean the town that was¡ª¡± ¡°We were raided by a crew of pirates a few months back.¡± Some rumors must have escaped the net of the Republic. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it''s fine. I don¡¯t mind talking about it.¡± Kai raised a hand to placate Ana who was glaring at the twins. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a pirate ship slipped through, but it was a small thing,¡± she said as Lou nodded along. ¡°The enforcers managed to repel the attack before the pirates could do any actual damage to the town. The governor had already taken precautions to ensure nothing like that will happen again.¡± Or maybe the Republic spread those rumors¡­ ¡°If you consider many shops were pillaged and burned before the raid was repelled, and hundreds of people dead not much damage.¡± Kai forced himself to take a deep breath. Silence befell the table, the four teenagers shared awkward glances. Oli, unsurprisingly, was the first to break it. ¡°Are you sure there were so many deaths, I heard that¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you heard,¡± Kai interrupted, some of the heat bleeding into his voice. ¡°But I was there, and I saw the bodies lying in the streets. Remember I taught you how to count, I know how many graves there were.¡± Perhaps his feelings on the matter weren¡¯t as cold as he imagined. He unclenched his fist below the table. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I know what I saw. It¡¯s true it could have been much worse, but I wouldn¡¯t call it small.¡± ¡°Is your family alright?¡± Lou asked, looking at him with worried eyes. ¡°I remember you had two sisters, Eleni and¡­ Keandra?¡± ¡°My sisters are doing fine, my mom too. They escaped before things got bad.¡± ¡°What about your dad?¡± Kai knew it was coming, but his heart still skipped a beat at the mention of his father. It happened when he was five, it shouldn¡¯t matter, yet it did. Rellan¡¯s lifeless body over a pool of crimson was forever seared into his mind. ¡°He¡¯s dead,¡± he stated simply, his voice flat like talking about the weather. He could see a wave of condolences, worry and pity surge through the table, he anticipated them. ¡°He died in Greenside the same year we moved there. It¡¯s been years, I barely remember it. It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m fine.¡± A rain of apologies and concern fell on him all the same. Kai waited it out and steered the conversion towards different topics. ¡°You need to tell me about yourselves too. I arrived in Higharbor about two months ago, but you¡¯ve been here for years. How was it after we were forced to leave Whiteshore?¡± His question opened the floodgate, Uli and Oli raced to explain their impressions of the capital coming from their small rural village. The mind-boggling size of the buildings and roads coupled with the bizarre people and customs. ¡°The awakened fish was at least this big. They gave me a whole silver mesar for¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not how I remember it,¡± Ana repeated for the umpteenth time as Uli and Oli took excessive creative liberties in their retelling. The twins couldn¡¯t go a minute without straying into random tangents about people they met and pranks they pulled years ago. Lou periodically added a few details, mostly happy to let the others lead the conversation. He was the unquestionable final judge when the other three couldn¡¯t reach a consensus on what truly happened. The houses they relocated to in Higharbor were slightly better off than the thin wooden boxes they got in Greenside¡ªat least in appearance. The capital had an image to uphold after all. Yet the first year had been hard, with their lives uprooted and left in such a foreign environment. There was however a glaring difference: there had been no famine here. Many were hungry, but no one died. Their families easily found jobs in the growing city. Their story focused on the goods and wonders they could get in Higharbor, things they could have only dreamed of in Whiteshore. The fact they had been forced to leave their homes and their possessions behind was entirely forgotten through the pages of their childhood. They had better lives now; they had trained hard and earned the honor of a scholarship. The Republic promised them even better and brighter things in the future. They drew the long straw and were too young to remember what they lost, or who wasn¡¯t as lucky. That and years spent eating bullshit propaganda. Kai didn¡¯t force the topic, too content to catch up with them. His stories about Veeryd elicited a particular fascination. The jungle was a rite of passage for the kids at Hawkfield, but they hadn¡¯t spent nearly as much time there as him. For a moment it was like old times, the five of them chatting on the beach. Waves crashed on shore, sand still warm with the setting sun. Not a single worry in the world. Kai¡¯d never thought they¡¯d meet again or that talking could be so easy. They only knew him as the weird kid who taught them facts about the Guide and appeared to know every answer. Lest he ever forgot, they teased him endlessly about the quirks or strange phrases he used to say. Mostly habits from Earth he lost over time. How do they even remember those¡­ Hours later they were the last people left in the small park, every other kid had long disappeared into the dormitories. With the lowest grade, Ana''s eyelids were drooping low. When her head crashed to the table startling her awake, Lou declared it was time for bed. ¡°Five more minutes. I need to know about the drakes, I¡¯ve never seen one,¡± Oli protested, backed by his brother. ¡°Did your teacher truly make you run through the jungle carrying a chair?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure Kai can tell you about them next time we meet,¡± Lou said, placing a hand on both their shoulders with finality. ¡°He also needs to sleep and he¡¯s not going to disappear if you look away, right Kai?¡± Looks like someone had to step up with me gone. ¡°Yeah,¡± he yawned, though he wasn¡¯t that sleepy yet. ¡°Whenever you want.¡± The twins accepted the decision with surprisingly little protest, lightly grumbling as they helped a dozing Ana not trip in the roots of the trees. ¡°We should meet by the beach tomorrow,¡± Oli said. ¡°We can train together and compare our skills.¡± Uli shared a complicit look with his twin. ¡°That¡¯d be great. You must absolutely come and tell us more. We could also go see the ruins on the western coast of Yanlun one day. Just like we did when we were kids.¡± Chapter 155 - Cursed Night Chapter 155 - Cursed Night The pastel light of three moons peeked through the bed of clouds. Pale red, blue, and a sharp violet from the Lost Sister wandering the skies above. Kai made a non-committal sound under the twins¡¯ hopeful gazes. ¡°We can meet by the northern beach.¡± They had never been good at taking no for an answer. If tonight was anything to go by, seven years had done little to improve them on that front. He had no objection to another meeting, a few hours were hardly enough to make up for years lost, though he wasn¡¯t going to blindly agree to anything. It¡¯d be hard to keep his grade and skills a secret if they trained together. What should he reveal to them, what could he afford to? Would they be able to keep his skills to themselves or would they run to tell the Republic? His mind was too sleepy to consider all the possibilities. After they had welcomed him back with open arms, part of him wanted to tell them everything that had happened to him. It would be nice to have somebody he didn¡¯t have to hide from, or fake who he was. Just like when they were children, though his secrets weren¡¯t as heavy then. Time never goes backward, only forward¡­ Was it Dora or Elijah? Either way, the meaning was clear, no matter how deeply he wished for something, it didn¡¯t make it a reality. They weren¡¯t four innocent ducklings anymore, and he wasn¡¯t that naive. He needed to consider the consequences before he revealed anything. Dora had reprimanded him too many times for his recklessness to forget. If he dove headfirst, sooner or later he would splatter himself against a rock. I¡¯ll figure it out in the morning. ¡°Great, tomorrow it is. I can¡¯t wait to see how far you¡¯ve progressed,¡± Oli grinned, helping Ana along who waved at him with a drowsy smile. Wait, that¡¯s not what I¡­ ¡°See you tomorrow then. We can discuss the plans for our trip. I can¡¯t wait,¡± Uli added, excitedly hopping after them. In the time Kai took to come up with a response, they had already reached their dormitories. Their enthusiastic whispers faded into the night. Damn fool, should have known that if I give them a hand they¡¯ll take my arm, and legs too for good measure. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to them, the twins always get carried away,¡± Lou chuckled with a sympathetic look. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be tomorrow, we can arrange when you prefer.¡± Kai hadn¡¯t realized the boy remained beside him until he spoke. The hulking teenager could be surprisingly unassuming for someone of his size. Maybe it was the same quiet kid of his memories in a much bigger package. ¡°Thank you, I might need some more time,¡± Kai nodded with gratitude. ¡°I mean, seeing you was great, and I want to meet again, but I have other commitments too.¡± Improvisation kept him from stumbling over his words. I¡¯m definitely too tired. Before Flynn brought him news of his friends¡¯ arrival, he had already spent the whole day working on the cube and brewing potions. He couldn¡¯t wait to fall on his fluffy bed and hug his pillow. Lou''s amused expression didn¡¯t change, though Kai could somehow detect a question in his gaze. Perhaps for how the light reflected in his observant eyes, or it was simply the dark playing tricks on his exhausted mind. Most of his days were occupied by his work on the cube. Saying he had to solve a mind-wrenching, multi-layer puzzle fabricated by an ancient, evil witch might not be the wisest idea. They didn¡¯t need to know everything. ¡°I¡¯ve told you I''m a bit of an alchemist. I¡¯ve got a contract with a merchant to deliver potions each week. I can meet with you, I just need to figure out my schedule.¡± Good, half-truths always work the best. A dark frown covered Lou¡¯s face, his cold anger sent shivers down Kai¡¯s back. ¡°Do you have the document? If you didn¡¯t understand what you were agreeing to, I can help you get it nullified. There are laws to protect minors from being trapped in a contract.¡± Taken aback by the shift, Kai needed a long moment to make sense of the words. ¡°No, no, I wasn¡¯t tricked into signing anything. It¡¯s a fair contract, Reishi is just¡­ very passionate about making us earn more.¡± Is this Karma for lying? Sorry Reishi, I shouldn¡¯t have made it seem like I worked for you all day. Even if you¡¯d probably love that¡­ ¡°Oh, I¡ª I thought¡ª¡± The dangerous air evaporated into an embarrassed silence, Lou stared awkwardly at his feet. ¡°Are you sure he¡¯s not taking advantage of you? You can tell me if you need help.¡± ¡°Reishi¡¯s a friend,¡± Kai assured him. ¡°He could have haggled a much better contract for himself if he wanted.¡± ¡°You¡¯re friends with the merchant who employs you?¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± Kai wasn¡¯t sure he understood the undertone this time. Is that weird? Was it odd for a boy not yet twelve to hang out with a merchant? Maybe. He wasn¡¯t used to being judged by normal standards, and Reishi wasn¡¯t that much older than himself. Normality is overrated. ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± Kai glanced at the moons above to highlight how late it was. Better if he shut his mouth before he dug his grave any deeper. ¡°I need to get home. I¡¯ll stop by as soon as I can or send someone to let you know.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll accompany you,¡± Lou followed beside him. ¡°Thank you, but there is no need. I can find my way home.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t let you walk back alone in the middle of the night,¡± Lou spoke with the same tone of finality he used with the twins. ¡°Higharbor is a large city and it¡¯s easy to get lost. What¡¯s your address? Not every area is safe at this hour.¡± Kai vainly looked for a way out, there were few things he found more irritating than being babysat. But the look on Lou''s face didn¡¯t contemplate any argument, he wasn¡¯t going to allow him to cross the city alone, no room for compromise. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Shit! Flynn must have seen me chat with them and gone back home hours ago. Defeated, Kai hung his head low. ¡°It¡¯s this way.¡± Another lie came back to kick his ass, how awfully poetic. Standing at the peak of Orange with a profession, he didn¡¯t need protection. If there was a threat he couldn¡¯t handle himself, Lou¡¯s presence would make little difference, no matter how many muscles the teenager got. And the eventuality of meeting any danger was highly unlikely with Mana Sense and Hallowed Intuition, not to mention his Favor. ¡°You live pretty far,¡± Lou took the lead, looming protectively over him. ¡°You could have waited until the next day to come visit or sent us a letter.¡± Kai barely managed to stop a glare. Unless he revealed his grade and abilities, the only option was to endure in silence. When they were five children in Whiteshore, Kai had been the de facto leader of their group, regardless of any age difference. Chatting with them deluded him that their dynamic would stay the same. How foolish. They had both changed, and Lou had gone to fill the vacuum Kai had left behind. It was so much nicer when I was in charge. Now he must see me like a kid in need of protection. Just great. Cold crystal lamplights lit the paved road out of the government district. Kai sensed three pairs of eyes pass over him, no one ever lingered more than seconds. Even the patrol of enforcers crossed them with just a friendly wave. Clearly, walking with a boy who wore the uniform of the scholarship program had its advantages. The Republic might not restrict access to this neighborhood, but they were also unlikely to enjoy having people who didn¡¯t belong wandering around in the middle of the night. The suspicion would have at least gotten him questioned¡ªlikely more than once. The number of lights sharply decreased when they stepped into the outer city. Small areas of shadow formed between each crystal when the clouds obscured the moons. Kai relaxed nonetheless, glad to have moved to a neutral place in the city. Suddenly his stomach grumbled, the sound unmistakable in the quiet of night. Darkness managed to hide his flushed embarrassment. He had indeed skipped dinner to get here when he got the news. ¡°When was the last time you ate?¡± Lou looked down at him, suspicious. An unsaid threat in the air. Spirits, not another one. ¡°I had dinner early,¡± he lied without regret. Unfortunately, his tummy had other plans, loudly complaining again. ¡°Did you really¡­?¡± His tone was flat, but the skepticism couldn¡¯t be more glaring. Damn, what¡¯s wrong with this cursed night? ¡°I¡¯m going to eat a midnight snack when I get home. When I heard you were in the city, I was impatient to meet you. So I came immediately.¡± If lies betrayed him, he was able to wield the truth just as well. What do you say to that? Eh? Silence stretched before Lou''s answered. ¡°I missed you too. I¡ª I¡¯m sorry, I should have come looking for you sooner.¡± His voice faltered. ¡°I thought it would be easier after I got my profession, but I shouldn¡¯t have waited¡­¡± Okay, now I feel terrible. He¡¯s winning without even trying. How is that fair? ¡°I should be the one to apologize.¡± Kai thanked Improvisation again for keeping his words clear. ¡°I was the one who promised to come visit you, and then took seven years to do it.¡± Their footsteps were the only sound on the paved streets of Higharbor, echoing in the night. There were no taverns in this residential area. Lou''s chuckles broke the quiet. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone remembers that promise apart from you,¡± Lou''s grin flashed in the night. ¡°You always loved to take responsibility for everything, so ahead of us even if you were younger. I¡¯m sorry I let you carry the burden by yourself while I waited by the side.¡± You truly want to destroy my cold dead heart tonight. You were just a kid. ¡°Let¡¯s just say we¡¯re even then,¡± Kai magnanimously conceded. ¡°Are you sure Ana doesn¡¯t remember either?¡± ¡°Yes. Well, maybe she does, but I can assure you she didn¡¯t expect you to find us first. We had made plans to travel to Greenside after graduating from the program.¡± ¡°Really?¡± By some miracle, his voice didn¡¯t crack, but he couldn¡¯t hide his disbelief. All he could do was stare at the paved road and continue to put one foot before the other. ¡°Yep, the group couldn¡¯t be complete without you.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± Kai didn¡¯t trust himself to say more. They were almost at the edge of the inner city, where a column of light rose from the Ring Road. Lou grabbed his shoulders, forcing him to meet his gaze. Firm and gentle, he cast a shadow over him. ¡°Did you think we had forgotten about you?¡± Kai let his eyes wander, but Lou¡¯s towering frame was cumbersome, making it hard to avoid him. The hulking teenager had no intention of moving without an answer. He had always been good at patiently waiting. Perhaps better than him. Fine, I¡¯ll do it. You got pretty bossy without me. Kai stopped delaying the inevitable, two observant green eyes looked down at him. The squared face with an early patchy beard was so unlike his memories, but the eyes were the same. Thoughtful, worried, never betraying what was going on beneath the surface. What am I supposed to say? Yes? Probably yes? ¡°Isn¡¯t that normal? To forget people, I mean. We were children, I wouldn¡¯t have faulted you if you had moved on.¡± Kai cursed himself the moment the words left his mouth. Was that truly the best he could manage? Lou''s impassive expression was breached by a faint smile. ¡°When were any of us ever normal? That was why we met in the first place, I never really fit in with any group, but with you, it was easy.¡± He chuckled and pulled him in for a hug. ¡°No, we didn¡¯t forget you. We wouldn''t be able to even if we tried, you were pretty¡­ memorable.¡± The height difference was obvious, especially when he began patting his head. An adult reassuring a kid that everything was fine. Despite Kai¡¯s instinctive dislike for the treatment, his irritation flowed away. I¡¯ll let it slide just this once¡­ How could he be mad at someone who said shit like that? It was so incredibly unfair. Seven years, and they remembered him, and planned to go look for him. What could he say to that? Guess I was a pretty amazing teacher, wasn¡¯t I? Kai tried to pat Lou in the same way, his short arms couldn¡¯t quite reach the giant¡¯s head. So unfair. ¡°You can let me go now.¡± ¡°Just a moment.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just gloating on the fact you¡¯ve grown faster than me.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Lou chuckled, squeezing him tighter. ¡°You¡¯re just so small. I don¡¯t know why you were always bigger in my imagination.¡± Damn, jerk. I have yet to go through puberty. You were supposed to be the kind one. ¡°If you try to pick me up, I¡¯m going to punch you,¡± Kai threatened with a smile, anticipating his thoughts. ¡°And I don¡¯t mean in the shoulder or your stomach. The higher you are, the bigger the tumble when you fall.¡± The stupidly big teenager appeared to consider the proposal for a second before freeing him. He gave him a final condescending pat on the head, grinning. His amused look didn¡¯t last long when Kai kicked him in the shin. Lou let out a satisfying cry that seemed more of surprise than pain, hopping on one leg while he held his hands on the other. And people say violence doesn¡¯t help, I already feel much better. ¡°Don¡¯t scream, people are trying to sleep.¡± Kai gave him a reproachful look, pointing at the buildings around them. ¡°I know that,¡± Lou whispered furiously through gritted teeth. ¡°Why did you kick me!¡± ¡°You know why, and you deserved that.¡± He took a step back to get out of reach. Maybe he should have thought twice, but it felt so right in the moment. ¡°What are you going to do now, big boy? Hit your small powerless friend?¡± When it was clear Lou had no intention to retaliate, Kai headed down the street. ¡°Let¡¯s get home. You can crash on my couch if you don¡¯t want to walk back.¡± ¡°Did you have to hit me so hard?¡± Lou limped after him with a sulk. Closer to the boy he was than the responsible adult. If it¡¯s wrong, why does it feel so good? Kai shrugged. ¡°You¡¯d have avoided it if I kicked you any slower. Really, it¡¯s your own fault if you think about it.¡± ¡°How do you know I¡¯d have avoided it?¡± Lou caught up with him, favoring the unharmed leg. ¡°That¡¯s what I do, Lou. I know things.¡± Kai slowed down and helped him along. ¡°And Ana couldn¡¯t stop singing your praises all night.¡± All hail Improvisation! Sometimes his mouth was faster than his brain. Despite his bulk, Lou was light on his feet, he could roughly assess his attributes. Though it was more an instinctive feeling from the fights he had experienced helped by Inspect. Spirits willing, the boy wouldn¡¯t suspect a thing. Chapter 156 - A Day on the Beach Chapter 156 - A Day on the Beach Salty droplets tickled his face. The crystal sea on his right was quite lively this morning. Stirred by the winds in the early sunlight, the wave crests sparkled like diamonds against a background of aquamarine waters. The shades of blue and beryl grew darker further off the coast. Streams of people were already pouring into the promenade along the shore of Higharbor. The end of summer had little impact on the numbers filling the streets. With Autumn approaching, the worst of the heat had subsided, making crowds much more tolerable. Kai dried his face with a hand. ¡°Is this a bad idea?¡± ¡°Maybe. Does it matter?¡± Flynn raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯ve already decided you¡¯re gonna do it, so why worry about it?¡± Yeah, thanks. If there is a switch to turn it off, I haven¡¯t found it. It was impossible not to feel a tinge of envy. Kai had spent three days thinking about what to do, and he wasn''t any closer to an answer. How could Flynn always be so confident and unflappable? Delaying the meeting any longer would be rude, or worse, suspicious. The twins were dying to show him their progress and skills, Ana and Lou too, albeit not so overtly. They had been all too eager to invite him to train together. Their motives couldn¡¯t have been more transparent, to flex on their poor ol¡¯ mentor. He could come up with excuses not to go or watch from the sidelines, though that would only postpone the problem. The more he tried to avoid it, the more attentive and curious they¡¯d be about him. ¡°You¡¯ll get old and wrinkly if you keep worrying.¡± Flynn flicked his ear, making him jolt away. ¡°It will be fine, or we¡¯ll know better after today.¡± Kai glared at him, hands defending the sides of his head. ¡°Remind me why I¡¯m bringing you along.¡± He calculated his chances of throwing him off the pier. There were no dangerous rocks nearby and the water was deep enough to cushion the fall, though Flynn would likely drag him along into the sea. ¡°For my charming looks and personality.¡± He put on his most slappable grin. ¡°Also, for my inscrutable wisdom.¡± Right¡­ I must have hit my head pretty hard last night. How did this ever sound like a good idea? His irritating friend had gone through the Republic brainwashing program too. That made him the closest thing to an expert that Kai could get his hands on. It was always good to have a second set of eyes and perspective¡ªeven if the value of his judgment was dubious at best. ¡°I¡¯ve only talked to him once, but Lou seemed pretty alright.¡± Flynn held his chin in a pensive pose as he imparted his wisdom. ¡°A bit stiff, but he managed to string three sentences without mentioning what a gift and honor it was to be accepted into the Republic scholarship program. Trust me, that¡¯s not something to take for granted.¡± The stone pier turned to wood and then sand. They took off their shoes before proceeding. The sun hadn¡¯t risen long enough to warm the ground, leaving it pleasantly chill under their bare feet. A vast flat expanse dotted with people spread before them. Nothing special as far as scenic beaches went, except for its artificially enlarged size, an attempt of the governor to distinguish the capital. From what Kai heard, the project had never reached any level of popularity with mainlanders apart from when the governor organized an event or festival. Without another use, it was left for the locals for most of the year. Many were jogging in groups, sparring or otherwise training. They passed an old woman with leathery skin yelling at a group of kids swimming in the water. There were few open spaces to train inside the city unless you were willing to pay the Republic for their facilities. Kai came here once or twice a week to train with Flynn, he recognized about one in ten faces and no one he ever talked to. Anonymity in a sea of people. ¡°Hey! You¡¯ve come,¡± Ana raced towards them with a beaming smile, stopping in front of them to catch her breath, hands resting on her knees. No signs of the other three anywhere close. ¡°You must be Flynn. Lou told me Kai would bring a friend,¡± she greeted politely with an assessing look. ¡°Have I seen you somewhere?¡± A small frown scrunched her brows. ¡°You must be Ana, Kai told me a lot about you,¡± Flynn offered to shake her hand, all charm and openness. ¡°I remember you from Hawkfield, you were pretty memorable.¡± ¡°You are part of the scholarship?¡± She took a second look at him, her demeanor already more friendly. ¡°I graduated earlier this year. I remember you were always so busy that we never got the chance to chat. You followed the mana classes, right? Best in your year.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Ana played with her hair, blushing. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say the best. Sevila and Celui are pretty good, maybe one of the better ones.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re humble too.¡± Flynn smiled again, poking Kai in the ribs. ¡°Any chance you can teach him that?¡± Very funny, especially coming from you. Why did I ever agree to this plan? There were few things Flynn did as well as being the center of attention. And if they were looking at him, they weren¡¯t paying attention to Kai. Ana giggled at his expense. ¡°I¡¯ll try, but it might be hard if he¡¯s like I remember.¡± In a blink, the two were already in deep conversation about common acquaintances at Hawkfield and sharing stories. Names and references flew over his head, if Kai didn¡¯t know better, he¡¯d think they had been friends for a lifetime. ¡°No way¡­¡± Ana laughed at a story about a certain professor Tenner. Flynn nodded, solemnly placing a hand over his heart. ¡°I swear, that¡¯s exactly what he said, word for word. He can¡¯t see a palm from his face without his glasses.¡± Why do I feel like a third wheel? When it became clear they had no intention of stopping anytime soon, Kai loudly cleared his throat. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we get going? Where are the others?¡± ¡°Oh, sorry.¡± Ana''s head snapped to him, remembering why she was there. ¡°They¡¯re waiting ahead where it''s less crowded. Come, I¡¯ll show you.¡± She grabbed his hand to lead the way along the beach as if he had been the one wasting time. The blessed silence was cut short as Flynn got the conversation started again. ¡°Come on, you have to tell me all Kai¡¯s embarrassing stories as a child. Was he always so¡­¡± This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. "Peculiar?" Ana helpfully offered. They both glanced at him and shared a knowing look. ¡°I remember one of the first times I met him. He couldn¡¯t have been much older than three years, but he had this way of looking at people that made even adults snap to attention¡­¡± Spirits have mercy, this was a terrible idea. Kai considered stepping between them to make them shut up, but this was exactly why Flynn was here. Turning a bend in the coast, the beach shrank in size, palm trees and shrubs thrived about fifty meters from the shore. When Hallowed Intuition whispered to him, he was ready to listen. He rolled to the side with a swift motion, a hand brushing his back. Two figures crashed into the spot where he had been standing with a loud groan. One time was more than enough. The twins earned a mouthful of sand for their effort. Kai had to give it to them, they had committed to their ambush, going as far as hiding under the marbled sand. It could have worked if he wasn¡¯t expecting it. ¡°How did you dodge that?¡± Oli protested in a tangle of limbs. ¡°Did Ana tip you off?¡± Uli stepped over his brother to stand up but was pulled back to the ground, swiftly devolving into an all-out wrestle. To distinguish one another, they had different leather bracelets woven with shells on their wrist, though Kai trusted their mana veins more. Using Inspect, a series of minor channels didn¡¯t quite align perfectly. ¡°She didn¡¯t need to. I¡¯ve also got Mana Sense and you are quite predictable,¡± Kai didn¡¯t hide his smirk from them. Skill and experience could bridge the gap even if he restrained his physical attributes to a stage lower. The brothers¡¯ eyes narrowed to slits, measuring him up like a slippery fish in the shallows. They weren¡¯t going to give up easily. ¡°Stop playing and get up,¡± Lou walked over to them with an exasperated look. ¡°You can¡¯t complain he didn¡¯t come earlier if this is how you greet him.¡± ¡°He said we¡¯d meet the next day and then stood us up for an eternity.¡± Uli sulked. ¡°Yeah, he owes us for breaking his oath.¡± Pointing out that he had made no such promise and that he had been busy brewing potions was likely pointless, they already knew that. Kai put Lou between them before they got any ideas. ¡°Tell me you wouldn¡¯t have tried to tackle me if I came the first day?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± The answer took an instant too long to come. ¡°Your betrayal was the only reason.¡± They nodded in unison. ¡°Anyway, who''s that guy?¡± The twins finally noticed Flynn. ¡°I think I¡¯ve met him before¡­¡± His friend had remained on the sidelines watching the scene with Ana like some kind of live show. Another exchange of greetings followed while they studied the newcomer. Their suspicion quickly melted away when they discovered he was a fellow from Hawkfield. Apparently it let Flynn pass their friendship test, not that Kai needed their approval. If only they knew¡­ ¡°You should convince Kai to join too, he¡¯s not too old.¡± Uli agreed with his brother, for once. ¡°It¡¯s a great opportunity. You can work for the Republic if you do well.¡± ¡°I told you I can¡¯t.¡± Kai made it clear he wasn¡¯t interested, but it wasn¡¯t getting through to any of them. They only wanted what they thought was best, though good intentions could be blind. To avoid an argument, he used his contract with Reishi as an obstacle. He bent the truth a bit to make it sound more restrictive than it really was. He just had to ensure they never met with the merman. I promise I¡¯ll make it up to you. ¡°Listen up,¡± Lou called the group to attention like a drill sergeant. Kai jolted, surprised to hear him raise his voice for what was probably the first time in his life. ¡°We can chat later, training first. Flynn, do you want to join? It¡¯s a similar routine to what we did at the camp.¡± ¡°I¡¯m in. I¡¯m just not sure if Kai can keep up.¡± He patted his shoulder with concern. You¡¯re committing a lot to the act¡­ ¡°He can run with Ana. Her biggest focus is on mana and knowledge skills, their level should be similar.¡± ¡°You¡¯re with me then.¡± She puffed her chest. ¡°It can be hard if you¡¯re not used to it.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Lou wasn¡¯t the only one treating him like a little kid, and she had a single year over him. ¡°I told you I¡¯ve trained with my teacher.¡± ¡°Okay¡­ just don¡¯t be stubborn if you can¡¯t keep up.¡± While Kai had decided to undersell himself a little for now, he wasn¡¯t planning to be a total slouch, far from it. He considered faking being at Orange ¡ï¡ï, but Ana could read his grade. If he told them he wore a cloaking enchantment they¡¯d ask him to take it off and inspect Virya¡¯s amulet. Orange ¡ï¡ï¡ï wasn¡¯t something people in the archipelago achieved before fourteen, let alone at his age. ¡°Thank you, I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± Kai said. ¡°You can do the same.¡± Without much fanfare, the group started running to warm up. Flynn easily took the lead with his profession, a shiny new unknown to soak up their attention. Lou wasn¡¯t far behind with the twins straining to keep up. What did they say? Actions speak louder than words. Little by little Ana lost her overconfidence. She tried to stay a step ahead of him, but Kai easily matched and surpassed her. Her breath became more and more ragged as she pushed beyond her limits. It was cute how his little friends wanted to show off to their old mentor. Maybe it was time they remembered he had been the boss for a reason. Thankfully, Ana had more common sense than Kea and slowed down before collapsing. ¡°You¡¯re pretty good,¡± Oli said, as the twins circled him. Not a drop of sweat on them. ¡°How high is your Running skill?¡± Well, that works. Thanks for the idea. ¡°I evolved it to Orange years ago, one of my highest skills. Remember I taught you how to get it.¡± Oli nodded with a thoughtful look while Uli gave a low whistle. ¡°You¡¯re not lying, are you?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Kai increased the pace till their lazy smiles turned serious. They were in excellent shape, making full use of their attributes with some kind of variant of a running skill. He was tempted to activate Empower and double his speed, their expression would be priceless. One day I will, I can be patient. The session ended too soon, it was supposed to be a simple warm-up. Kai avoided any suspicions with the excuse of a powerful movement skill. They continued with a variety of squats, pushups and stretches. It made him nostalgic for his time at the estate, though it was nice to train with other people instead of alone. Kai played oblivious to the eyes observing him, waiting to see him falter and fail. A number of skills¡ªhalf of which he Improvised on the spot¡ªwere used to justify how he kept up with the twins. ¡°Are we done already?¡± He had condensed an artistic trickle of water on his forehead to hide the fact he had barely broken a sweat. The twins also looked far from pleased that their plans to overwhelm him and gloat had been thwarted. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you focused on mana skills?¡± Ana asked, any trace of cockiness scrubbed away from her. ¡°I do, but my mentor insisted that I train a broad mix.¡± His mysterious teacher was his other excuse, that walked far closer to the truth. ¡°How high is your Mana Sense and Manipulation?¡± Ana bit her lip. ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer, but mine are level 37 and 32.¡± Oh dear, I¡¯m not sure you really want to know. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m about the same.¡± Kai put his index and thumb a little apart. ¡°Just a tiny bit higher.¡± General Skills: Wracking my brains on the cube paid off. 80 and 70 are such great round numbers. ¡°Okay, time for some weapon training,¡± Lou stood up, ending their break. ¡°Kai, did you learn to wield a weapon?¡± ¡°My mentor taught me a little Swordsmanship.¡± Chapter 157 - Friendly Sparring Chapter 157 - Friendly Sparring Inside a ring drawn in the sand, the twins circled each other like drakes looking for an opening. No provocations or snarky remarks were exchanged, both were entirely focused on their opponent. Each expertly wielded a practice spear a head longer than themselves with eyes serious and unblinking. The blunt snap of dulled spear points shot in tentative strikes. Two mirror images sought a crack to squeeze through and gain the upper hand. To no one''s surprise, Uli and Oli were evenly matched, each exchange of thrust and jabs always returned them to the status quo. Sitting outside the ring beside Ana, Kai watched the duel in fascinated silence. He had readily agreed to let them go first so he could see how the spar worked. The first to land a hit below the shoulders or force the other out of the circle won. No head strikes or dirty blows, the goal was to train their weapon skills. With Inspect and Elijah¡¯s teachings, Kai considered himself a decent judge. He could usually get a feel of where a fight was leaning, and be right more often than not. Though if someone offered Kai a hundred gold mesars to guess the winner, he might as well flip a coin and let his Favor decide. ¡°Who do you think will win?¡± he asked. Ana must have more experience assessing the skills of the identical twins. ¡°They¡¯ve reset the score after they reached Orange ¡ï¡ï. It¡¯s eleven to twelve for Oli right now with seven ties.¡± Ana alternated her gaze between the twins with a pensive look. How can the spar end in a draw? Or did I miss something? Seeing her intent focus, Kai chose to wait and keep his doubts. From how they explained the rules to him, there would always be a winner and a loser. Unless they both refused to fight, maybe¡­ ¡°Uli has been training hard to beat Oli to the next enhancement,¡± Ana bit her thumbnail, a small frown on her brows. ¡°That might make him more determined, but also more rash. Oli won¡¯t let go of his lead, and Uli is one spar down, so he¡­¡± As she went back and forth between the pros and cons for each twin, Uli put a stop to the stalemate and lunged forward. Spear cut through the air like lightning aimed at his brother¡¯s chest. Sharpened point or not, Kai¡¯s heart skipped a beat. The flimsy leather protections they brought would do little to diffuse a frontal blow. His mind already created images of Oli skewered on his brother''s spear. The twin lowered his body to dodge and used the shaft of his own spear to divert the strike over his shoulder, countering with a jab in the same movement. Uli narrowly dodged, brushing the attack to the side, and bringing his weapon back in a defensive stance to fend off the flurry of blows that followed. With neither side willing to retreat, the fight devolved into close quarters. Spear points were forgotten, and they started using the shafts like quarterstaffs to whack each other. Kai lost sight of who was who in the wild melee. One of the twins let go of his spear and elbowed his brother in the stomach. His victorious smirk had not yet fully formed when it was smashed by a punch in the face that knocked him down on the ground. As his shoulders hit the sand, he threw a vicious kick on his twin¡¯s knee that brought him down with him. ¡°Give up, this was my win.¡± ¡°Never, you cheating bastard!¡± ¡°You broke the rules first!¡± Limbs and curses intermingled on the ground. Uli and Oli rolled in the sand, trying to wrestle the other into submission. Ana sighed audibly, a touch disappointed and not at all worried. ¡°It¡¯s another tie. They¡¯re only allowed to strike with their spear in a weapon sparring and they can¡¯t hit the head. Oli would have won if he didn¡¯t respond to the first strike, but he also broke the rules.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we stop them¡­?¡± Kai raised an eyebrow afraid they¡¯d break a limb or choke each other to death. Ana grabbed his arm to stop him. ¡°They''ll jump back on each other the moment you turn away if we intervene,¡± she waved off the angry yells coming from the wriggling pile of limbs. ¡°Better to let them settle it, they¡¯ll stop when they get tired.¡± Even Lou didn¡¯t look particularly worried, idly chatting with Flynn as if this was nothing out of the ordinary, and the twins weren¡¯t trying to strangle each other five meters from them. They must know best, right? You can¡¯t fight the tide, or stupidity. ¡°Does this happen often?¡± ¡°Sometimes,¡± she shrugged. ¡°This is just their eighth tie.¡± Wait. Didn¡¯t the count start two weeks ago when they upgraded their race? Kai kept his Mana Sense on them to be safe as Ana told him about what they did in Hawkfield. She hadn¡¯t given up on changing his mind on the scholarship yet. And her casual mentions about all the wonderful things the Republic offered them weren¡¯t particularly subtle. True to her word, the shouts and curses from the two thick skulls died down after a couple minutes. When they stood up, their faces were barely visible beneath all the sand that stuck to their sweat, but there were no broken bones and fewer bruises than Kai expected. They spluttered on the beach to clean their mouths and shook off the sand like wet dogs. Though dogs would probably be smarter¡­ ¡°It¡¯s a tie,¡± Lou announced before Uli or Oli could speak a word, ignoring their protest of unfairness. The twins plopped down beside him and Ana with an identical scowl on their faces, and acted as if the other didn¡¯t exist. ¡°Don¡¯t pay them attention, they¡¯ll get over it. What was I saying¡­ oh right, the history lesson. You can¡¯t imagine the vastness of the Merian Republic''s dominion on the continent. Hundreds of times the size of the archipelago¡­¡± Two hundred and fifty at most, and the archipelago is made up of islands. So it¡¯s not a fair comparison. Ana didn¡¯t notice how far from impressed he was by anything she said. Kai was about to step into the ring to escape the spill when Lou and Flynn preceded him. If he insisted on going next, she might get offended. Yatei have mercy. I know she thinks she¡¯s helping me, but can¡¯t she get the hint? The beginning of a new spar gave him the chance to close the topic. While Flynn could use a sword without skewering himself, he was far more proficient with daggers and throwing knives. Neither was an ideal weapon for a frontal duel, but he was the only one with a profession. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. There wasn¡¯t a perfect match among the training weapons they brought, Flynn made do with two long knives. Uli lent him his chest and arms protections. They weren¡¯t a perfect fit, but that made little difference. Sparring meant getting bruises, Kai hadn¡¯t realized how lucky he had been with Elijah, who could perfectly control his hits. I was spoiled rotten, and I didn¡¯t even know it. Sorry butler, you were right. Lou raised his guard, wielding a longsword. ¡°Ready?¡± ¡°Yeah, I was born ready.¡± Flynn¡¯s grin didn¡¯t last when the hulking teenager charged at him with an overhead swing. The air whistled cut by the sword as if he wanted to split his head like a melon, though Lou aimed for the shoulder. No friendly banter or probing strikes to get an idea of his opponent¡¯s skills, Lou pressed with a chain of impressive blows. While none of them were aimed at a vital point, a bit of leather wouldn¡¯t stop a wooden sword from breaking a bone. Flynn bent and twisted to deflect. He danced around the ring, making full use of the available space to dodge and evade. He was faster and more agile, but he struggled to match Lou¡¯s raw might using a knife. Lou was taking full advantage of the superior reach of his weapon to keep him at a distance and leverage his Strength. He never gave Flynn a moment to breathe or reverse the momentum of the fight, relentlessly chasing to pin him down or force him outside the ring. ¡°Come on, Lou. You got this!¡± Ana cheered, echoed by the twins. ¡°Flynn, kick his ass or I¡¯ll kick you out of the house!¡± Kai yelled, ignoring the glances the others gave him. ¡°You can do it!¡± Despite Flynn''s confident facade, it¡¯d be a huge blow to his pride if he lost with a profession on his side. We¡¯ve trained together. Don¡¯t you dare lose to an overgrown teenager! Shouting encouragement, doubts started to arise. Kai had to admit Lou was pretty fucking good with a sword, and he might have slightly underestimated him. While Elijah had never let him forsake his physical training, magic and mana skills were his main focus. Swordsmanship was a secondary skill for him, especially since the butler had left. He must have some high skills to have reached the second enhancement. Lou lunged forward with a series of quick jabs. A side slash pushed away Flynn¡¯s knife, an instant too late to parry the following blow that scored a hit to his left arm and put an end to the duel. It barely grazed the leather vambrace, but a hit was a hit. Dammit! Both teenagers lowered their weapons, catching their breath after the intense exchange. Kai slumped, trying to hide his disappointment. I¡¯ll take him to that exotic restaurant he wanted to try in the upper city. ¡°You won,¡± Ana ran to congratulate the victor. Lou shook his head with a thoughtful expression. ¡°It¡¯s his win, he struck me first.¡± He bent to pick up the second knife lying in the sand at his feet, hidden behind their bodies. ¡°You¡¯re really good.¡± You sneaky bastard! Flynn accepted his weapon and shook hands with a humble smile. ¡°It was a close fight. I just got lucky at the end.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call that luck, you baited me until I overextended,¡± Lou said without any resentment. "You won fair and square, your throw would have caused me a much more serious injury than mine.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d notice,¡± a mischievous glint flashed in his eyes. ¡°Want to go for another?¡± Lou asked, hopeful. ¡°No, no. I think I¡¯ve got enough for today, maybe another time. Kai wanted to have a go too.¡± Flynn strode to him, helping him up. His voice lowered to a whisper. ¡°You thought I¡¯d lost.¡± ¡°Not even for a second,¡± Kai smiled. ¡°Only I can beat you.¡± If I use Empower. Oli went to pick up his spear. ¡°Okay, Kai, show me what you¡¯ve got. I¡¯ll go easy on you.¡± ¡°Wait! I want to fight him too!¡± Uli protested running to fetch his weapon. ¡°Too late, I¡¯m already in the ring and you¡¯ve got no protections.¡± Guess it¡¯s time to put them in their place. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, I believe in you,¡± Flynn ruffled his hair and gave a loud pep talk. ¡°Just remember my lessons and show them what I¡¯ve taught you. You can do this.¡± Thinking again, I¡¯m going to go check out that restaurant alone. Lou whispered something in Oli¡¯s ear that made him go a shade paler and nod his head dutifully. Satisfied, Lou gave the twin a pat on the shoulder and came to offer him his longsword. ¡°Remember you can stop the spar at any time. You don¡¯t have to entertain them if you don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Thank you, I¡¯ll keep it in mind.¡± Kai tested a few swings. It was longer than the sword he kept in his ring, made for a grown adult, but it wouldn¡¯t be the first time he used something similar. The group cleared the ring and redrew the smudged line in the sand while Kai wore Ana¡¯s leather protections and took position in the center. ¡°Ready when you are, you can have the first strike,¡± Oli leveled his spear at him. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best not to take advantage of my attributes.¡± Same for me. Reading his stance, Kai dashed toward him. Against a spear, he needed to close the distance to have a shot at victory. Oli intercepted him with three quick jabs and forced him to retreat, though he didn¡¯t press when Kai parried them. They exchanged more probing strikes. Oli wasn¡¯t putting his whole weight into the strikes either, careful to aim for the protections or his longsword to disarm him. They both avoided a contest of Strength, making it easier to hide his physical attributes. Kai¡¯s favorite strategy was to overwhelm his opponents by increasing his strength and speed with bursts of Empower. Even against Flynn, he didn¡¯t completely restrain the use of the skill. What would be the point of not using an ability that would always be available to him? To train Swordsmanship, you moron. In truth, it wasn¡¯t complete idiocy since training his mana skills was crucial, but maybe he could try something different today. Without pushing his body to its limits or casting spells, his entire focus could go to his Swordsmanship, on how to outsmart his opponent through sheer technique. This could be more useful than I thought. It was exciting to measure himself against someone else, who also used a different weapon. The sword in his hand became the only thing that mattered, his whole world, everything else faded in the background, vaguely aware that he was falling into a meditative state. The beach filled with the rhythmic snapping of wood as they exchanged blows, slowly growing in intensity. Oli¡¯s easygoing demeanor turned serious, his jabs fast and precise to keep him at bay. The power and speed behind each blow continued rising until the twin realized he was being pushed on the defensive regardless. Face scrunched up, Oli flexed the muscles in his arms and pushed his entire Strength into a sweeping strike to force him back. There! The steps flashed into his mind, and his body moved accordingly. Gripping his sword with both hands, Kai stepped into the blow. The closer to the grip of the spear the weaker the attack. He met the impact head-on and felt it vibrate through his bones. A faint creak of wood from his sword, it was holding. Surprise painted over Oli¡¯s face as the events caught up to him. Kai charged before he could fix the opening or retreat. A single, humorous double tap on his chest closed the spar. ¡°I win.¡± He retreated in case the twin reacted like in the first duel. A wide smile grew on his lips, his breath ragged and sweat condensed over his body with Water Magic. It was a perfect technical victory that hadn¡¯t required his real attributes. Oli didn¡¯t move, he stared in shock and confusion, trying to understand how things had gone so terribly wrong. ¡°Damn idiot, I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re related! What the fuck was that strike?¡± Uli stomped his feet. ¡°You left yourself completely open. Of course you lost.¡± As if a spell was broken, everyone started talking at the same time. ¡°You did great,¡± Ana congratulated. ¡°Oli made a mistake, but you did well to take advantage of it.¡± ¡°I¡ª I knew you could do this. You just had to believe in yourself,¡± Flynn looked at him like a proud parent, drying a fake tear from his eye. ¡°Now¡¯s my turn.¡± Uli rushed to take his spear, protections already on. ¡°Calm down.¡± Lou stopped him. ¡°Kai¡¯s two years younger, you can''t charge at him just to do better than your brother.¡± Thanks, it¡¯d be hard to hold back if he went all out from the start. ¡°He can spar with me,¡± Lou went to pick up an identical sword and stepped into the ring. ¡°It¡¯ll be interesting to compare sword techniques.¡± Where is the no-pressure attitude? It¡¯d be polite to ask. ¡°Can¡¯t I take a break first?¡± ¡°You can rest later, I¡¯ll go easy on you.¡± Lou¡¯s eyes keenly observed him. ¡°Just show me what you got.¡± Chapter 158 - The Duel Chapter 158 - The Duel Expectant gazes burrowed into his back. Flynn¡¯s gaze carried a question, ready to make up some random excuse to offer him a way out. Kai shook his head with the tiniest movement. Beneath his fake sweat and heavy breathing, the fight with Oli had been little more than a warm-up. Swordsmanship had gone up a level, even if he had already been close before the fight, it meant he was on the right track. Just another friendly sparring. What could go wrong? Sometimes I wonder if I enjoy challenging my Luck¡­ Putting on a bright smile, Kai gripped the hilt of his wooden blade and marched back into the ring. Lou was already in position, practice sword casually resting on the sand. Kai wasn¡¯t about to trust that laid-back pose, the memory of Lou¡¯s berserker ferocity against Flynn was still fresh in his mind. Is he a battle maniac behind the quiet persona? There must be some motivation behind his rapid advancement¡­ ¡°Attack when you¡¯re ready.¡± Lou took a textbook stance: squared shoulders, wide legs, muscles taut but not stiff, hands firmly wielding his longsword with his guard up. His expression was relaxed, but it was impossible to avoid a tinge of tension when he looked ready to charge at a moment''s notice. It might just be me, but he doesn¡¯t look very friendly. Anyway, here we go. Letting go of his distractions, Kai swung two probing strikes, careful not to unbalance himself to receive the retaliation. Lou easily parried him¡ªas expected¡ª, but the fierce response didn¡¯t come. The looming tower of muscles limited to defending against any slash and lounge he threw at him. Calm and controlled. ¡°C¡¯mon Kai, you need to focus. Is this all you got?¡± Lou stared at him like a disappointed teacher. ¡°You were fighting better than this against Oli.¡± That was so unlike anything Kai expected from his quiet childhood friend, he took a second to realize Lou was taunting him. Then again, it had been almost seven years, he had been arrogant to presume he knew everything about the grown teenager. In the back of his mind, a tiny voice whispered to stop there and lose. It was the most prudent choice. But the boot of his pride squashed the voice like a bug, he couldn¡¯t give up so easily. Pressing his lips in a thin line, Kai swung his sword with renewed vigor, inching closer to his real power. He sent a rain of meticulous strikes to find an opening in his opponent''s defenses. Fending off the barrage of attacks, Lou began to press him with strikes of his own. He wasn¡¯t anywhere close to his full Strength, but it was enough to force Kai into a difficult position. Frustration at his restricted attributes mounted with each swing he blocked. Not only was he fighting an uphill battle, but limiting his stats took another chunk of concentration from the duel. All he had to do was reveal more of his attributes, a tiny bit. The Strength and Dexterity in his arms begged to be used. Perhaps his caution with his friends was overblown. It wasn¡¯t like he had done anything illegal. If the Republic discovers there¡¯s an eleven-year-old kid who has reached Orange ¡ï¡ï¡ï, they¡¯re definitely coming to bother me. The governor is too greedy to leave a silver mine lying in his backyard. And the twins suck at keeping their mouths shut. The more people knew a secret, the higher the chances it would leak, be it on purpose or by accident. Gritting his teeth, Kai retreated, palm up in surrender to stop Lou from pursuing. ¡°I. Need. A break,¡± Kai Improvised a ragged breath, though the sweat on his brows and back wasn¡¯t faked. The sun was rising over the sea. The temptation to throw all caution to the wind would be too great if he didn¡¯t stop now. Lou''s impassive eyes studied him as he lowered his longsword. ¡°We can keep going, you are doing good. The only way to improve is to push yourself, and you can¡¯t learn without losing.¡± I¡¯m not planning on losing. I should have told him I was just a mage. Improvisation offered him half a dozen excuses to get out. He just needed to pick one and swallow his pointless pride. Why was it so hard? It¡¯d be a waste to refuse this opportunity, wouldn¡¯t it? That¡¯s the reason. He hadn¡¯t found a decent training partner since Elijah had left, and he yearned for it. Flynn was capable, but he was no swordsman. Fighting him was like chasing a slippery eel, it didn¡¯t push his technique higher. Against Lou, Kai could feel his Swordsmanship progress after months of near-stagnation. When would he get another chance like this? A glimmer of an idea flashed through his mind, and his decision was as good as made. The plan was too clever not to be used. ¡°I¡¯ve got a skill that boosts my strength temporarily.¡± Kai pushed back his hair slick with sweat, it needed a cut. ¡°I know this is a weapon sparring, but can I use it? You can also stop holding back.¡± ¡°How many useful skills do you have?¡± Uli huffed. ¡°It¡¯s so unfair. Oli swatted his brother. ¡°Who cares about that. Kai, you can teach me that skill, right?¡± ¡°You can ask him about that later.¡± Lou silenced them, his attention back on him with a frown. ¡°Are you sure you can match me? Those skills usually come with drawbacks if you abuse them.¡± ¡°I know my limits, I can do it,¡± Kai nodded with conviction. ¡°I have enough mana to last for a duel.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a mana skill?¡± Ana blushed when she realized she had spoken out loud, and mumbled her next words. ¡°You can tell me about it later.¡± ¡°If you are sure,¡± Lou hesitated. ¡°But warn me if you¡¯re about to run out of mana, and don¡¯t try to overdo it. I¡¯m ready when you are.¡± Now¡¯s my turn to have fun. After stretching his arms, Kai charged with a powerful swing. Not a drop of Empower flowed through his muscles, but the full weight of his attributes gave his sword more than enough power. The wooden blade whistled through the air. Honestly, he had been an idiot not to think about it sooner. He had the perfect skill to hide the physical attributes of his grade. Lou parried his blow with a grunt and a flash of surprise. His eyes narrowed. If he didn¡¯t believe him before, he did now. In a snap, he burst forward with the ferocity he showed fighting against Flynn. Kai was forced to focus on defending alone. Each blow reverberated through his body like the hammering of a blacksmith on an anvil. As he so smartly predicted, Lou¡¯s physique and muscles more than made up for the difference in grade. Damn. Overgrown. Teenagers. If Lou¡¯s swings weren¡¯t aimed at his sword, Kai might have thought his childhood friend was trying to kill him. He tightened his knuckles on the hilt till they whitened, getting disarmed would be an embarrassing way to lose. Lou''s technique was blunt but flawless with no weaknesses to leverage. The relentless assault forced Kai on the defensive without any opportunity to reverse the momentum. If he didn¡¯t do something soon, his dear friend would drive him out of the ring. Fuck no! No risk, no reward. Kai feinted an opening to bait Lou closer and twisted his shoulder to slip past his defenses. It was a reckless blow that left his head and chest exposed. In a real fight, he would receive a wound far worse than the one he inflicted, but with these spar rules, the winner was the one who scored the first hit. Lou awkwardly parried the blow and took a step back to dodge the follow-up. Before the chance slipped by, Kai charged on the offensive with a chain of quick strikes. He might not have the Strength advantage, but he still had a slight edge in Dexterity and flexibility. Spirits, I missed this. It was exhilarating to let go of any restriction and push his body to its very limit. Blood and adrenaline pumped in his veins, his muscles quick to follow his commands. If Lou¡¯s swings were like the thunderstrike of a storm, he was like the raindrops incessantly tapping. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Kai was on top of the world, he could taste victory. His furious flurry of strikes forced Lou back into the center of the ring. A soft murmur whispered in the back of his mind. Kai had no time to examine the obscure message Hallowed Intuition bore, and he didn¡¯t need to. Lou¡¯s next strike shot up his arms, carrying enough strength to make his bones rattle. Already strained by the battle, Kai felt his hands going numb. The following swing came quick like lightning, barely giving him the time to raise his guard. The impact crashed into him with the same overwhelming power and frightening knowledge. You were holding back. Either that, or Lou also possessed a boosting skill. It wasn''t just the strength behind each strike that grew, his already immaculate Swordsmanship became more complex and refined. Instead of simply rushing forward like a bull, Lou wove feints and light jabs into the strikes. Each blow could hit like a thunderclap or the brush of a feather. With hardly any clue to distinguish them, a single misjudgment would spell the end, forcing Kai to needlessly brace and slow his momentum. His arms and shoulders burned with protests from the harsh treatment, a worry for later. Kai forced his body to swing and deflect faster than ever before. His feet danced and dashed around the ring to not get pinned down, making full use of his size and flexibility to dodge. It was all useless. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks, making Kai almost lose grip on his sword. He couldn¡¯t win. That was the simple truth. He could grit his teeth and keep holding on. Learning under Elijah made him a grandmaster at prolonging fights against stronger opponents. But that same knowledge also made him aware of the truth. He couldn¡¯t win. He was completely outmatched, and there was no clever trick to lead him to victory. Lou was stronger, faster and¡ªspirits be damned¡ªbetter than him with a sword. Unless the older teenager made a colossal blunder, Kai stood no chance of winning. And Lou had yet to commit even a minor mistake. Fuck me. There was a solution. If he activated Empower for real, he could use the surprise burst of power to score a hit. He had already told them about the skill, it wouldn¡¯t even be weird to flare the ability for a single strike. Under the barrage of attacks, Kai couldn¡¯t spare the time to ponder for long. Empower was right there, he needed but a thought to reach for it and victory would be his. What¡¯s the point? It wouldn¡¯t help grow his skills or make him a better fighter. There would be nothing to be gained except a cheap victory to safeguard his pride, using Empower for what was effectively cheating. Kai fought till his body screamed at him to stop, and then some more. There was never any opening. Even when it became crystal clear to everyone that Lou had won, his swings never slacked. Methodical and inexorable, the hulking teenager whittled him down like a block of marble under a sculptor¡¯s chisel. With sweat burning in his eyes, Kai missed the exact moment his sword flew out of his numb hands, but he saw it tumble on the sand. His knees hit the sand as his limbs refused to listen to him any longer. Lou loomed over him like the shadow of death, hiding the sun, longsword still firmly in hand, breath barely ragged. I¡¯m going to die. Kai reached for his Water Mana on instinct, halfway through casting a spell to defend himself when the teenager dropped his weapon and crouched beside him with eyes full of worry. ¡°Are you okay? Did you overdraw your skill?¡± His rough hands patted him down looking for injuries. There were no cuts, though Kai had more than one strained muscle. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, I got carried away,¡± Lou rambled with guilt, the sweat running down his face showed he was still mortal. ¡°Blessed gods, you''re a tough nut to crack that was forged from adamantium. I thought I had you half a dozen times, but you always managed to hold on. I¡¯m truly sorry, Kai, I shouldn¡¯t have pushed you so hard. Do you feel pain anywhere?¡± The rest of the group was upon them. Ana and Flynn fussed over him while the twins buzzed around like overhyped children who had too many sweets. ¡°Where the fuck did you learn to fight like that? That was awesome!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember the last time someone held out against Lou that long. You absolutely have to spar with me now.¡± Kai put on his best reassuring smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± He slowly flexed his hands and arms, hiding a wince. Nothing a potion couldn''t fix. ¡°Just a little sore, but I¡¯ll be fine. I think I¡¯ve got enough sparring for one day.¡± Lou let out an awkward chuckle and dragged the twins away. ¡°Give him some space.¡± Kai waited till he was confident his legs wouldn''t fail him. Standing up, the movement sent jolts of pain through his back and limbs, there was hardly any part of his body that didn¡¯t hurt. Even his jaw ached for having clenched his teeth too hard. He closed his eyes as they were getting moist. It had been a while since I pushed myself so far past my limits. Spirits, I¡¯d pay silver for one of Dora¡¯s suspicious concoctions. Flynn helped him stand up and slowly take off the leather protections. Kai was especially grateful when he fended off the barrage of questions from the twins¡ªeven if he used old stories about him to bribe them. He wasn¡¯t in the mood to talk. They sat outside the ring, and the buzz of the duel gradually quietened down. The twins fought to another tie. Ana, Lou and even Flynn alternated in much tamer sparrings with pauses to rest between them. Kai wasn¡¯t paying them enough attention to know which twins ended up on top, absently nodding whenever Ana spoke to him. He had managed to sneak a potion out of the ring into Flynn¡¯s satchel to drink it without suspicion. His body was slowly recovering, not that he paid his condition much attention. While Attuned Meditation helped him ease his mind, the loss still seared his pride. Sure, Lou was older than him, but he had the advantage of reincarnation and awareness since birth. ¡®You can¡¯t be the best at everything, dummy.¡¯ Fucking Flynn, he¡¯ll never let me hear the end of it. The logical part of his brain knew he was being unreasonable, but the emotional side struggled to accept he had been bested by one of his little friends. Swordsmanship wasn¡¯t one of his main skills, and it was normal for Lou to beat him if that was his primary focus. Like the proverbial fish in a small pond, who believed himself mighty without ever having seen the ocean, he had spent so long in his isolated bubble that he became convinced of his own invincibility. There would be people who could best him in the Archipelago, and thousands more on the mainland. He was brilliant, but not unique. Somewhere on Elydes, there would always be a better duelist, a better alchemist and a better spellcaster. I guess it was good that I lost. Maybe next time I¡¯ll¡ª His musings were rudely interrupted when two pairs of hands grabbed him. He didn¡¯t need to hear the twins¡¯ wild cackles to know it was them. ¡°Put me down right now, or I¡¯ll¡ª¡± ¡°Or you¡¯ll what¡­?¡± Oli challenged, stopping his arms from squirming away. ¡°What are you gonna do?¡± Uli chuckled, firmly clutching his legs. When Kai looked for help, there was no one to save him from the two blockheads. Lost in his own thoughts, he hadn''t realized everyone else had gone into the sea. Ana was swimming while Lou and Flynn idly chatted in the waves. Any threat would only spur them on. He needed to change tactics. ¡°Put me down, I¡¯m hurt, I can¡¯t swim.¡± ¡°He looks fine to me, doesn¡¯t he? That potion Flynn gave you must have been really good.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Uli nodded sagely. ¡°He looks perfectly healthy to me.¡± The healing potion had restored him to almost prime conditions, but Kai couldn¡¯t fight both when they had already secured his limbs. ¡°Lou will be really mad if I¡¯m hurt further.¡± Kai tried to dissuade them. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t let you drown,¡± Oli said with a dumb giggle that was far from reassuring. Uli could barely contain the laughter. ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll take extremely good care of you. Trust us.¡± After he had kept Empower hidden in the spar, Kai wasn¡¯t going to reveal the true power of the skill to deal with two fools. I should have drowned you for good when I had the opportunity. He could only accept his unjust fate as the sea grew nearer. His pleas to let him take off his clothes had fallen on deaf ears too. Flynn merrily waved at him from the sea while Lou watched him, stoic. Weren¡¯t you feeling guilty? Here¡¯s your chance to help! ¡°Ready for your healing bath?¡± Uli and Oli cackled madly, swinging him with his limbs and throwing him like a ragdoll into the sea. Kai flew in a long arc over the waves and crashed into the cold waters with a loud splash, coming close to hitting the seafloor. I¡¯m so going to murder them. If they thought being two against one protected them, they had committed their last mistake. With Blessed Swimmer, Kai swam to shore looking for vengeance, aiming for the two figures rolling in the sand amidst laughter. He emerged from the sea clenching his fists, clothes dripping with water on the sand. A hand gripped his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s better if you leave your shirt before you go after them,¡± Lou had somehow materialized behind him. ¡°It looks expensive, and you don''t want to ruin it.¡± Kai glared at him. Why did he wait till now to appear? Despite all, his advice cooled his anger. His shirt was enchanted to hide his profession and cost more than a few silver mesars. The twins jumped into the sea arms around their bellies laughing and taunting him to follow. Fine. Vengeance is best served cold. ¡°Don¡¯t mind them,¡± Lou dragged him to where they¡¯d left their bags closer to the palm trees. ¡°You¡¯re a pretty fast swimmer, your skill must be quite good.¡± Kai took a deep breath to calm himself. ¡°It¡¯s pretty decent. Can you let my arm go now?¡± Lou didn¡¯t respond, tightening his grip instead. ¡°What¡¯s up with you?¡± The twins were enough without the supposedly thoughtful boy acting up. Fifty meters from the shore where the greenery began, Lou finally let him go and watched him with icy eyes. ¡°Why did you lie?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Kai dusted himself off, but there was no hint of humor in Lou¡¯s gaze. ¡°Kai, I¡¯m not an idiot.¡± His apathetic tone erased any chance that it was a joke. ¡°You¡¯ve mentioned Running and five other skills while we trained earlier. You also said you had Mana Sense, Mana Manipulation and an observation skill in your stories at the dormitory. Alchemy requires two or three more at the very minimum, and Flynn told me you can draw runes.¡± Damn, Flynn. Why couldn¡¯t you keep your mouth shut? ¡°Don¡¯t blame him,¡± Lou towered over him. ¡°It was just a hunch from his stories until you confirmed it with your reaction.¡± Fuck! ¡°I¡¯ve also seen you Meditate earlier by the ring. Adding Swordsmanship, the boosting skill and Swimming, which you also just confirmed, that makes sixteen or more skills. And it would be strange if you¡¯d already mentioned every skill in your status.¡± Lou inched even closer and grabbed the amulet on his neck. The necklace must have fallen outside his shirt during his impromptu bath. ¡°What¡¯s this, is the pendant enchanted?¡± The metal wouldn¡¯t reveal any secret, but its effect would become apparent if he took it off. ¡°I¡ª¡± Kai grasped for Improvisation but was silenced with a warning glance. ¡°I thought your Swordsmanship was weirdly high for a mage apprentice. Too high for someone at the beginning of Orange.¡± Lou looked at him with a silent threat. ¡°I hope there is an explanation for all of this, I really do. Why did you lie? Did you get involved with dangerous people?¡± Kai had always known there was a brain behind those observant green eyes, but he underestimated Lou by a lot. I think I¡¯m fucked. Chapter 159 - Trust and Honesty Chapter 159 - Trust and Honesty Kai tried to make space between them, but the string of his amulet was still in Lou¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s not what you think,¡± he squeaked. Really brain, couldn¡¯t you think of anything better? Lou let go of the pendant. ¡°No? What¡¯s your explanation then? Why did you lie to my face? You get one chance to tell the truth,¡± he emphasized with his finger. Damn me, I should have counted my skills. He¡¯s not going to give up now, is he? Different possibilities ran through his head. There would be no lying his way out of this, that much was clear. Kai could refuse to talk, though that would mean cutting ties with his childhood friends at best. If Lou chose to dig or involve the enforcers, the situation could escalate in unpredictable ways. It wasn¡¯t a bet Kai was willing to make, and it had taken far too long to reunite with them. Then the question was how much to reveal. Lou had already proved himself capable of connecting clues most people overlooked. If facts didn¡¯t fit perfectly, he¡¯d notice and deduce more than Kai intended to say. Fuck. There wasn¡¯t enough time to think this over. The hulking teen studied his every move with a steely gaze as if he expected Kai would try to run or fight him. Spirits, I didn¡¯t even get the fun of breaking the law and he treats me like a criminal. As the shock faded, irritation rose to take its place. Lou¡¯s reaction was excessive. He could have asked like a normal person instead of being so dramatic. ¡°So¡­?¡± Lou tapped the fingers on his crossed arms. There was no crack in his visage, face hard as stone like he was looking at a stranger. ¡°Who recruited you?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kai rose to match him. Surrounded by adults, he¡¯d learned how not to make his stature matter. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m what¡­? Some sort of spy or something?¡± He let out a humorless laugh. He¡¯s being ridiculous. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to think or who you are.¡± A crack in the ice let through a sliver of emotion, too thin to identify. ¡°I¡¯ve met you three days ago, and half the things you told us were lies. Were any of your stories even real? Was there a mysterious teacher or did you make him up too?¡± ¡°Of course he¡¯s real.¡± Kai clenched his fists at his sides, a string of irate accusations ready to erupt. Lou didn¡¯t retreat, but his body tensed like he did back in the ring. Guess we are strangers¡­ They couldn¡¯t just go back to Whiteshore with the snap of a finger, no matter how friendly they acted. Seven years meant more than half their life, likely the most meaningful part. It wasn¡¯t a gap that could be mended in two meetings. The fairytale reunion had come to an end. Kai¡¯s proud posture slumped down. Trust required time and honesty, there hadn¡¯t been much of either, and he couldn¡¯t deny his own faults. Lou was looking out for his friends, and he wasn¡¯t part of them anymore. Yes, he could have been nicer about it, but the teen had asked him directly for an explanation instead of going behind his back. That was something, though Kai wasn¡¯t sure what. For once, he ignored his mind and went with his gut. He pulled Virya¡¯s pendant over his neck and offered it to Lou. A tingling crossed his skin as the enchantment turned off. ¡°Here, take it.¡± Lou hesitated for an instant before holding it with two careful fingers. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Just a cloaking enchantment to hide my grade. Don¡¯t worry, it doesn¡¯t usually bite.¡± Lou scrunched his brows, examining the unremarkable piece of metal. ¡°I can¡¯t see anything, are its runes hidden? That¡¯s not something you can just buy in a shop.¡± The question was soon forgotten when his gaze moved on him. Lou blinked several times, eyes widening and mouth ajar. ¡°You are Orange ¡ï¡ï¡ï!¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Kai rolled his eyes. ¡°I thought you¡¯d have already deduced that by now, Sherlock. You also didn¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve learned mana skills.¡± ¡°Sher¡ª what?¡± He shook his head, mumbling. ¡°I¡¯ve only got Mana Sense.¡± His wary demeanor was overwhelmed by incredulity, Lou gawked at him as if he had turned into a unicorn. ¡°How? How is this possible? You¡¯re eleven,¡± his voice rose an octave higher. Impossible is my middle name, boy. I¡¯m about to rewrite your reality. Kai dismissed the cringe lines, though he couldn¡¯t stop the wave of smugness that swept through him. A mysterious smirk on his face. ¡°Three amazing teachers and years of grueling work. I gave you your first lessons about the Guide, did you think I would sit around without you? The only lie in my stories was to downplay my training to make it sound more realistic.¡± Okay, that¡¯s a bit boastful, but also kinda true¡­ Lou closed his mouth, chaos and confusion swirled in his eyes. ¡°Where are your teachers now? What kind of contract did you sign? Does the Republic know about this?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we take a walk as I answer your questions?¡± Kai took his pendant back and gestured to the shore away from Higharbor. Carefree as ever, their friends were still swimming among the waves. Well, Ana did most of the Swimming while the twins tried to drown Flynn. Should have helped me when you had the chance. Good luck to you. Kai waved at him as he strolled into the sparse vegetation growing by the beach. Mana Sense scanned for anyone who might have come near. Distant voices were muffled in the sea breeze, but he could never be too safe. Lou followed a step behind, gaze burrowing into his back. Where do I start? His mind sure does go to the worst scenarios too. ¡°First, I didn¡¯t sign any contract with my teachers,¡± Kai began talking before he could regret his decision. ¡°I know it¡¯s weird, but I doubt I had anything to offer that was of value to anyone at Green, especially since they planned to leave the archipelago. Not that I knew that in the beginning. I was probably like a pet project for them. ¡®Let¡¯s take this random kid and see what a commoner can achieve.¡¯¡± Lou interrupted his mindless rambles with a strangled sound. ¡°Your teacher is green grade?¡± ¡°Teachers, there were three of them.¡± Kai dismissed his reaction and gave him a reproachful look. ¡°Try to pay attention, you were so attentive as a child.¡± This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it At least green grade, Virya might have been higher. They gave me that ¡®if I tell you then I¡¯d have to kill you¡¯ look whenever I hinted at the topic. ¡°As I was saying, my mom was looking for a tutor for my Mana Sense and we heard of this place on the road to Sylspring¡­¡± The story was quite jumbled since he hadn''t prepared what to say, maybe it was better this way. It was too easy to slip in false details with Improvisation. Once Kai had given him a general overview of his years at the estate, Lou regained his impassive poise and asked questions to poke holes in his story. There were none. That¡¯s the advantage of the truth. It¡¯s relaxing to not worry that I might screw myself over. He had omitted some details about the estate that were best kept confidential. Lou couldn¡¯t expect him to reveal everything his teachers told him. They had stopped by a rocky beach, Higharbor was hidden by a bend in the coast. Only the tops of the upper city poked over the palm trees. ¡°It¡¯s a pretty unbelievable story¡­¡± Lou muttered in the end, thoughtful. Kai couldn¡¯t disagree. It was already good the suspicious teen didn¡¯t dismiss it outright. ¡°It is, which is why I don¡¯t go around showing my grade. I¡¯m sorry I lied to you. My teachers have left, and I don¡¯t want any attention.¡± Maybe he has a lying detection skill? Lou absently nodded, the fire and ice gone from him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I tried to intimidate you.¡± He stared at his feet, like an awkward teenager, switching the weight between his legs. ¡°It was already weird how you reappeared out of the blue, and then you had such high skills. That¡¯s not something that just happens.¡± ¡°Guess not. But I was never a normal child, was I?¡± ¡°No, you were not.¡± Lou met his gaze, amused, still a hint of guilt in his smile. Kai patted his arm. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, big boy, I was never scared by you.¡± Okay, perhaps a teeny-weeny bit during the sparring, but it was due to exhaustion. My brain wasn¡¯t thinking straight. ¡°No¡­?¡± It sounded like a genuine question. Kai looked at the overgrown teenager from head to toe and gave an unimpressed shrug. ¡°Nope, you¡¯re just a harmless teddy bear.¡± Lou managed to look both relieved and offended with a small frown. ¡°Aren¡¯t bears dangerous beasts from the mainland?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never been there, it¡¯s just a saying my teachers used.¡± I¡¯m not sure who thought making cute stuffed replicas of big killing machines was a good idea. Lou accepted it readily. ¡°You used to say such weird stuff all the time when we were kids.¡± I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s a compliment. ¡°So you believe me?¡± ¡°Honestly?¡± Lou turned serious. ¡°It¡¯s obvious you¡¯re still hiding some things, but yes. Your story explains how you¡¯re free to be here. And you truly have a contract with a merfolk merchant¡ªyes, I''ve checked. I believe your story is mostly true.¡± I can take that for now. ¡°And¡­ Can you promise to keep this to yourself?¡± It had been freeing to share his story, but now his fate lay in the hands of another person. ¡°I¡¯d rather not find an officer outside my door.¡± The truth isn¡¯t anxiety-free either, or is that the fear of betrayal? Lou didn¡¯t deny the possibility, meeting his gaze with equal intensity. ¡°Can you promise whatever you¡¯re hiding won¡¯t endanger me or the others? And I don¡¯t mean just the stuff about your teachers, also whatever else you''ve been hiding since we met each other.¡± Shouldn¡¯t teenagers be, I don¡¯t know, dumber? I must have taught you too well. Kai solemnly put a hand over his heart. ¡°I swear on the Great Spirits that, to my knowledge, my secrets won¡¯t affect anyone but me.¡± Lou nodded, satisfied. ¡°Then I swear not to share any information you privately reveal to me without your consent. May the ancestors spurn my spirit, and the Seven Moons curse my soul if I break this oath.¡± You had to outdo me, didn''t you? A weight lifted off Kai¡¯s shoulder, he hadn¡¯t made a mistake to trust him. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry I jumped to conclusions, it¡¯s just¡­¡± Lou smiled sheepishly. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of anyone reaching the peak of Orange at your age in the archipelago. Or getting a scholarship from such powerful teachers.¡± ¡°I told you it¡¯s fine.¡± Kai waved him off. ¡°I was simply lucky and a genius to boot, someone was bound to notice.¡± ¡°You mean you were born with a Favor higher than zero?¡± Kai groaned, thumping his feet to head back. ¡°Stop deducing facts I don¡¯t mean to share. And this falls under the oath too.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m smart enough for that.¡± Lou gave him a smug smile. ¡°You¡¯re the genius after all.¡± I¡¯m so going to drown him. With the truth out, the mood on the way back was far more relaxed. They walked at the edge of the greenery having idle chat, occasionally meeting other people who looked for privacy away from the city. ¡°So, what¡¯s the deal about the special class in the scholarship program?¡± Kai poked. ¡°I¡¯ve already told you about me, it¡¯s only fair you share something too.¡± Lou scrunched his brows. ¡°I can¡¯t talk about that. Ask me something else¡­¡± ¡°Wait, did you sign some kind of shady contract?¡± Kai pulled his hair back. People always accused others of what they did themselves. ¡°Is that why you were all riled up?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Lou scowled. ¡°Sure¡­ You¡¯re not the only one who can make deductions.¡± The big boy sighed audibly. ¡°Just don¡¯t tell anyone else about it, please. It¡¯s not what you think.¡± Now Kai was definitely intrigued, but hearing Lou¡¯s grave tone, he reluctantly gave up his plans to tease him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I think I can keep a secret.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± It was the only weakness he uncovered, and he couldn¡¯t use it. ¡°Do you think I should tell the others about my grade?¡± He¡¯d rather not, but he was open to discussing it. Lou thought about it a whole second before shaking his head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°Unless you want to. The twins are trustworthy, but they aren¡¯t always the most dependable. And Ana¡¯s confused, it¡¯s better not.¡± ¡°Confused?¡± Kai repeated the word. ¡°You mean she might go tell her teacher or an enforcer?¡± ¡°She just does what she thinks is right, and best for you.¡± ¡°And you don¡¯t agree with her?¡± Kai prodded. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you think the governor isn¡¯t our selfless savior?¡± He couldn''t keep a mocking tone out of his voice. ¡°I¡¯m not blind, but it¡¯s not that easy,¡± Lou glowered. ¡°It rarely is,¡± he agreed. ¡°But when they abandoned us to starve in Greenside, it was pretty fucking clear to me. And ours wasn¡¯t the only town to suffer.¡± Kai struggled to keep his anger at bay, despite the years the rage was always fresh and ready to answer. Not like he could go see a therapist. He had taken a step forward with Lou, but it was still early to open that argument. ¡°Anyway, we¡¯re almost there.¡± Recognizing the familiar stretch of beach, he ran ahead. Ana was working on a mana construct under the shadows of the palm trees, while Flynn was taking a nap a little closer. ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± he opened a lazy eye when he stepped closer. ¡°Did you have a nice chat?¡± ¡°Yes, where are the twi¡ª¡± His senses warned him of two figures dashing out of the vegetation, arms wide open to tackle him. Do they ever give up? Kai didn¡¯t panic. His body aimed to dodge at the last second, so they¡¯d have no chance to adjust their trajectory. They were almost upon him, and his muscles were tense and ready to respond. Now. Pushing against the sand to dash, Hallowed Intuition whispered something was wrong. His leg met resistance where there should have been none, unbalancing him. Eyes darted to the culprit. Flynn had sneaked closer and gotten into the way of his retreat to trip him. There was no time to recover. ¡°Why¡ª¡± Uli and Oli were upon him. The impact forced the air out of his lungs as his shoulder crashed on the sand. Damn traitor! ¡°Sorry, this was the price of my freedom.¡± Flynn apologized, no trace of regret in his tone. ¡°It was you or me, and I didn¡¯t feel like drowning. You shouldn¡¯t have left me alone with them.¡± Kai vainly tried to fight back the bodies weighing on him. Unarmed combat wasn¡¯t one of his strong suits, grappling even less. One of the few flaws in his education. Given their hobbies, the twins must have more than enough experience. Kai got no chance to slip away or fight back and was hauled by his limbs towards the sea. You¡¯re all going to pay! This time the twins opted to drag him around amidst the waves. Kai patiently waited for them to get bored. They couldn¡¯t keep a hold of him forever, as they lowered their guard, he struck. Two against one was a hard matchup, but Blessed Swimmer made him unrivaled in the sea. With Empower as a pretense to use his whole stats and a sprinkle of Water Magic, Kai was assured they drank as much seawater as him, each. He accepted a tentative truce when they offered to teach him how to grapple. From their toothy grins, their intentions to have fun at his expense were obvious, but he accepted nonetheless. It was a weakness he needed to shore up, and their smug expressions would be a great source of motivation. ¡°You can forget about me paying for any restaurant.¡± Kai glared at Flynn on their way back to Higharbor. ¡°I was just trying to give you more opportunities to bond with your friends.¡± ¡°Not. A. Single. Chip.¡± He repeated with deep satisfaction. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Flynn tried with his beaten puppy look, but he had abused his acting skill one time too many. Kai gave him his best evil smirk, ¡°No, you¡¯re not yet. But, don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be sorry soon.¡± ¡°Maybe we should talk about this after we¡¯ve all had the time to calm down and think this over.¡± ¡°I¡¯m perfectly calm.¡± Flynn ignored him, switching to another topic. ¡°What do you think about visiting these ruins? The twins couldn¡¯t shut up about it.¡± Chapter 160 - Secrets Unveiled Chapter 160 - Secrets Unveiled Dodging under Lou¡¯s outstretched arm, Kai punched his ribcage without hesitation. Two quick blows fueled by a trickle of Empower, there was no time for a third, he slipped behind him on the sand to create distance. Kai raised his fists, legs half bent to dash for an opening. Don¡¯t get caught, strike and retreat. If six weeks of brawling with the twins had taught him one thing, it was to avoid grappling at any cost. He was light and fast, that was his advantage. Weight and mass would always be against him if the fight ended on the ground. ¡°Did you have to hit me that hard?¡± Lou groaned, massaging his side with no apparent desire to pursue him. ¡°Even if you can fix it with a potion, it still hurts.¡± ¡°You said not to hold back,¡± Kai replied, his focus never wavering from his opponent. He knew better than to lower his guard till the fight was officially over. ¡°Go all out, use Empower as much as you want, it makes no difference to me.¡± Kai mimicked the low stiff tone. ¡°I¡¯m invincible now that I¡¯ve got my profession too.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t talk like that,¡± Lou sulked, too smart to get provoked. ¡°And that¡¯s not what I said.¡± ¡°Maybe those aren¡¯t the exact words, but the meaning was clear.¡± Kai dared him to deny it. Getting a big head after choosing a profession was a rite of passage, and it was his duty as a mentor to pull Lou back on the ground. They were alone in a small alcove, miles away from Higharbor. ¡°I¡¯ve not gained enough XP for a level yet.¡± The big boy grumbled and dashed toward him in the same breath. Kai made a feint to his right. Counting that Lou would see through his attempt, he turned his bait into a proper dodge. He danced around him with Empower boosting his speed. Elijah had taught him how to punch and kick without embarrassing himself, but he never had anyone close to his age to spar with before now. The chase continued around the ring of sand. His plan to teach Lou humility had one flaw. The teen was irritatingly competent, with better experience and actual skills for hand-to-hand combat. I should have used more of Empower. As an unofficial rule, Kai chose how much to boost at the beginning of the spar to make it fair. He was using 30% of how he could push Empower without serious consequences. Lou took a kick he could have dodged and grabbed a hold of his leg, a thin smile on his lips. Shit. Kai desperately tried to free himself, Lou parried each blow with a grunt and hauled him off his feet. Unable to leverage himself properly, he could only brace as he crashed on the sand. His back took the brunt of the impact. ¡°I yield.¡± He managed to squeeze the words out in a strangled whisper. His new sparring partners had long bashed out Kai¡¯s stubborn pride. Forced into the exact position he wanted to avoid, the fight was as good as over. While the twins might have feigned not to hear him, the big boy promptly offered him a hand to stand up. As if he hadn¡¯t been the one who ruthlessly slammed him on the ground. ¡°You good? Did I hit you too hard?¡± He checked for injuries like a worried parent. Kai studied his face. If Lou was mocking him, he was hiding it well. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I probably hit you harder.¡± He had scored more hits, but the teen could shrug off his punches like water. It was totally unfair. ¡°I can take it.¡± Lou patted his head, smiling down at him. Now he¡¯s definitely mocking me. Kai slapped his hand away. ¡°Do you want more practice dodging spells? I¡¯m curious to see the difference now that you¡¯ve got a profession.¡± Two weeks ago, Lou had broken the Second Seal and officially graduated from the scholarship program. This was the first chance Kai got to use magic without the twins or Ana around. Checking no one else was nearby, Kai condensed three water marbles over his hand, ready to fling them. ¡°Huh¡­ are you sure you have enough mana?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Kai widened his smile. ¡°I¡¯ve got more than enough.¡± As Reishi had pointed out, breaking the Second Seal early was hardly considered an advantage. The secret of his profession was a minor secret after he revealed his grade, though he had kept the specific skills for himself. His reserves never run dry thanks to Mana Spring. Even if refilling them is a pain. ¡°Still, maybe it¡¯s better if we practice Swordsmanship first,¡± Lou argued with his reasonable tone. ¡°You¡¯ll fight better if you don¡¯t have to worry about running out of your boosting skill.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Kai conceded, letting the water marbles drip on the sand. ¡°One spar, first to reach three points wins.¡± One point was awarded for every limb hit, two for the torso. They picked up their practice weapons and wore leather protections. Kai maintained the same trickle of Empower, though the gap in skill with a sword was smaller. With new sparring partners to test his skills, his Swordsmanship had grown again. Swordsmanship ¨C Advanced (lv25>30) How much higher can his be? Alas, he wasn¡¯t the only one who had improved. Lou had trained as hard as him and didn¡¯t have to juggle his mana skills on top. Capitalizing on the advantage in strength granted by Empower, Kai pressed with a flurry of slashes. Whether or not the best defense was to attack, he needed an edge. Playing at a disadvantage, a straightforward fight would mean delaying his loss. The rapid clank of wood covered the crashing waves. Blow for blow, his reckless tactic paid off. Kai scored three points on Lou¡¯s side and shoulder and received two hits. While it wasn¡¯t a strategy he could reliably execute, a win was a win. ¡°Let¡¯s go for another round.¡± Lou scowled, dissatisfied. ¡°We agreed on one. I don¡¯t want to run out of mana for my spells.¡± Kai grinned, another set of water projectiles already condensed over his palm. ¡°Do you need rest?¡± If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°No. But if you score less than ten shots in a hundred, we go for another.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± He walked out of the ring in the sand while Lou remained inside to dodge. Unarmed combat was a new venture without any skill, Swordsmanship was a hobby, but mana and spellcraft were his home ground. Circling outside the ring, Kai didn¡¯t rush, leisurely casting more water marbles. Ten tiny orbs revolved around his hand with barely an effort, another side benefit of the time spent working on Virya¡¯s puzzle. Who knew this level of multitasking could seem easy. At the opposite end of the circle¡ªten meters apart¡ªLou showed a brief hint of surprise at the number of projectiles. He had become harder to shock since he had learned Kai could cast elemental magic. Should I tell him Water isn¡¯t my only affinity? That should have an effect¡­ Saving his idle musing for later, Kai hurled the volley of shots. The tenth projectile was in the air before the first even landed to cover every direction Lou might dodge. His bulk was no help here, a bigger body meant a bigger target. The teen performed an acrobatic leap that avoided all shots but one. Not his wisest move. Kai was tempted to adjust the trajectory but let them go wide. The next set of ten water marbles struck before Lou could hit the ground. He hissed as he was pebbled by strikes. Eight hits. Nine in total. Lou had bet the next shots would take longer to arrive, and lost. The game was as good as over, but neither of them paused, entirely focused on predicting each other''s moves. ¡°You¡¯ve been holding back.¡± He stated simply. ¡°I focused on aiming fewer shots. We can use a bigger circle next time.¡± Kai flexed his fingers. ¡°It¡¯s not like you never give yourself a handicap with your sword to make it more interesting.¡± Lou acknowledged him with a grunt. Despite his best effort and creative maneuvers, he was hit by thirty-nine shots by the end. He looked content with the result, which meant he must have gained a few levels in his skills. I finally understand why Elijah found this game so fun. ¡°Here,¡± Kai offered him a potion from his satchel. ¡°I think I can do without today, I¡¯m not that hurt.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, it just costs me chips. I¡¯ll feel bad hitting you if you don¡¯t drink it.¡± Kai performed his ritual coaxing for a good cause. The raw ingredients were cheap, the true cost was his labor, and he didn¡¯t mind. Reishi sold them for four copper mesars. Everything¡¯s inflated in Higharbor. Lou reluctantly accepted the green vial. Convincing him to accept them had been another point of contention. Though the thoughtful boy couldn¡¯t argue they made their training much more effective. Dora had fed him suspicious brews since Kai first stepped into her lab, so he had never stopped to ponder the extent of his advantage. But Alchemy was more than a neat way to earn money. While common citizens had to rest for days if they pushed their bodies beyond the limits, he could just take a sip and be ready to go again in a few hours. The rich kids likely did the same or had a healer on staff, but they were a tiny percentage. He could have never afforded to drink them daily if he didn¡¯t brew them himself. Kai downed his tonic, the warmth spread through his body, healing any damage Empower might have caused. ¡°I better go now. I want to finish a project before we go on that trip.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll stay a while longer. Be careful on your way back.¡± Yes, Dad. ¡°So, if a man asks me to follow in a dark alley, I should say no?¡± Kai scrunched his brows in confusion. ¡°And what if they have really good candies? It would be rude to refuse.¡± Lou raised his eyes in exasperation. ¡°Just don¡¯t do anything too stupid.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s almost noon. I bet all the shady people are slumbering in their dark lairs.¡± ¡°Just take care.¡± Lou waved goodbye, ignoring him. ¡°You too. I¡¯ll see you in two days.¡± Kai had missed having a proper workout since coming to Higharbor. His bouts with Lou were a pleasant break from Virya¡¯s torturous cube. Unfortunately, no suspicious strangers approached him to offer free sweets on the way back. The paved streets were sparsely populated this close to lunch. There were no friendly waves, hardly anyone looked at him, everyone was busy with their day. I still prefer Sylspring. Flynn wasn¡¯t at home, busy in one of his odd jobs. He changed them so frequently, Kai had stopped inquiring about them. After a long shower, he heated the leftovers of the previous day and prepared for a migraine-inducing afternoon. He cleared his dad¡¯s notes from his desk and took out his nemesis. The cube taunted him with its glossy dark surface and delicately carved runes. He had been working on the forty-second layer for five days now. It was a tricky one. He had delayed their trip to the Vastaire ruins to finish the sixth configuration. He didn¡¯t dare hope it would be the last, but it would make him feel much safer to take a break after he finished it. Plenty of time to complete the next seven. Relaxing with a brief session of Meditation, Kai cracked his fingers and activated Mana Sense. Chains of interlocking runes lit each side of the puzzle. Inspect picked up the four patterns he had already discovered, while he only had clues for the last two. Hours meshed together. Flynn must have placed a cup of tea beside him, but it was cold by the time Kai noticed. The glowing symbols were all that mattered, each side was connected and flowed into the other altering the whole construct. The runes always changed their arrangement, but they were the same two hundred and ninety-four symbols. He had learned to recognize each angle and curl better than his own thoughts. Threads of mana dove through them, searching for a path. The fifth rune lit up for one glorious second before it fizzled out. The layer needed one final solution to be complete. His head pulsed for the protracted use of his skills without break. He was so close. So close. Another plate with animal-shaped cookies had materialized beside him. Kai bit off the wing of a stylized parrot, his mind couldn¡¯t spare the energy to tell how it tasted. Six threads entwined into the labyrinth of runes, looking for an exit. Five of them knew where to go, while the last hesitated. The sixth adventurer carefully examined the ever-changing walls of the maze, cautiously advancing and more often retreating. A single hasty step could spell the end of their entire expedition, sending them back to the entrance. By a mix of fate or skill, the passage aligned, revealing a chance for safety. The sixth seeker hobbled to the end, spurred by the cheering of his five companions. When they finally stood before the final gate, all six touched their runes at the same time. Kai took a second to realize he had succeeded. The puzzle levitated a palm from the table, its lacquered surface lit by a myriad of runes. It always took longer to reset at the end of a configuration since it also had to rearrange the pattern. This time was different. The chains or arcane symbols raced into a flurry of activity while the sliding pieces moved with furious clicks. The swirl of mana stopped. Seven runes glowed in a circle on each side of the cube, bright enough he didn¡¯t require Mana Sense to see them. Six sides, for a total of forty-two runes. Kai had the urge to slap himself. I can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t think of that. His heartbeat pumped in his ears. The cube gracefully fell on the desk. Was this really it, or was it another dumb level of the puzzle? Kai approached the object that had been his bane for the better part of a year with trembling fingers. ¡°Did you finally solve it?¡± His hands jerked forward, brushing against the inert puzzle. As if gravity had been the only force keeping it together, the cube fell apart along the sliding pieces. They tumbled on the desk like a pile of sticks. Kai turned to glare at Flynn who sat on his bed, a book lying open beside him. ¡°Sorry, I was waiting for you to wake up so I could cook dinner.¡± His friend gave him a sheepish smile, curiously peering at the pieces on the table. With more important worries, Kai examined the messy pile. A silver gleam buried within caught his eye. Delicately moving the inert pieces aside, he revealed a silver disk carved with mysterious symbols. If they were runes, they were unlike anything he had been taught. Not simply unknown, but in a completely different style. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Flynn''s head poked over his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s shiny. Is it valuable?¡± Kai carefully picked it up. It was heavier than he expected, so it couldn¡¯t be silver. The metal had a faint golden hue, or was it green and blue? Depending on how it was hit by the light, the color of the reflection changed, though a hint of gold remained constant. The symbols ran in concentric circles on both sides, three tiny nubs were disposed at equal distance along the edge. Kai ran his fingers over them, looking for a clue that could reveal its purpose. It can¡¯t be a glorified paperweight, Virya said it''d be useful to me. With the barest pressure, the top nob rotated with a click. The silvery sound echoed through the room. Kai shared a perplexed glance with Flynn when a loud crash came from outside. Chapter 161 - Strange Events Chapter 161 - Strange Events Alarmed shouts and murmurs rang from outside. ¡°You don¡¯t think it¡¯s connected, do you?¡± Flynn voiced what they were both thinking, backing off from the silver disk. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Kai deposited the strange artifact into his ring, careful not to press another hidden switch. Better if he didn¡¯t touch it until he knew more. The window in his bedroom overlooked a narrow side alley. There was a cloud of dust and the rapid shuffling of people towards the main street. No sign of what had caused the crash. Only one way to find out¡­ Kai put on his shoes as he ran to the front door with Flynn on his heels. A small crowd had gathered across the street for the commotion. All eyes were focused on a pile of rubble lit by the cold crystal lamplights. No one was looking in their direction. They squeezed between the group of gawkers to get a better look. Wood, stone and scraps of concrete lay scattered. A whole storefront and part of the wall had collapsed, revealing slivers of turned shelves and goods. Before the ruined shop, a middle-aged woman frantically dug through the rubble. Kai recognized the bright red and yellow paint on the wooden debris, pieces of the Secret Crafts sign he walked past each day. It sold silver-plated keepsakes and odd souvenirs that had as much to do with the archipelago as a cube of ice. Stores like this were a dime a dozen in Higharbor and rarely held anything of value. ¡°It was a shoddy job. I told them so, but did they listen? No, obviously not. All that mattered was that it was cheap.¡± An old man with a gray mustache grumbled to no one in particular. ¡°These rookies think my job is easy, and they can do the same, and this is¡­.¡± Kai let the rambles fall into the background, his attention caught by the woman trying to lift the rubble. The hem of a blue skirt poked out of a wooden plank. Shit, is somebody down there? Three people from the crowd helped the woman dig in the debris. With a grunt of effort, they lifted the largest remaining piece of the sign, stone and concrete still attached. The middle-aged woman rushed to pull out a young girl. ¡°Ellie, baby, are you hurt? Mama is here.¡± The girl stared at the crowd with a dazed expression, not helped by her mother''s shaking. She was likely in a state of shock, but there was no visible wound on her. After a few seconds, she squeezed a few words through the barrage of her mother¡¯s, standing on her own two legs. A chorus of relieved gasps crossed the crowd. Apart from the dust on her clothes, she was entirely unscathed, not so much as a scrape or bruise. ¡°The Moons must have protected her.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a miracle no one got hurt.¡± ¡°Bless the spirits.¡± Kai pulled back from the crowd toward his house, trying to parse his jumble of thoughts. No building had fallen on him, but he mirrored the girl¡¯s confusion. No, this can¡¯t have anything to do with me. It was a weird coincidence, it had to be. There was no other connection between the silver disk and a poorly constructed facade collapsing. It didn¡¯t make any¡ª Flynn roughly pushed him with full strength. Kai flew a meter back landing on his butt on the paved street. He didn¡¯t have time to curse before a ceramic vase crashed with a sharp clatter. Heads turned in his direction, attracted by the noise. Flynn crouched beside him. ¡°Are you okay? Sorry for the shove, you looked too lost in your thoughts to react.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Kai stood up, massaging his backside, better that than a cracked skull. ¡°Thanks for the help.¡± The back of the crowd shifted their attention to them, muttering prayers to gods and spirits alike. Demanding to know what was going on, a squad of enforcers made their way through the mass of gawkers. What the fuck is happening? ¡°I told you not to drink so much,¡± Flynn shook his head disapprovingly and dragged him into another alley in the opposite direction. The enforcers were more interested in the collapsed building. Better not to reveal they lived across the street. Why didn¡¯t Hallowed Intuition warn me? He had been distracted, but the whispers were proportional to the danger, and he had risked having his head split open if he was hit at the wrong angle. While he might have survived, thanks to his Constitution reinforcing his bones, the warning bells should have blared like Higharbor on Founding Day. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Flynn hissed when they were sure no one was following. ¡°One can be a coincidence, but two?¡± ¡°Punch me if I kno¡ª,¡± Kai tripped forward, his foot caught on a bump in the ground. He came close to meeting the ground a second time and regained his balance by clutching a discarded table conveniently lying in the alley. The culprit was a black silk purse half buried in the dirt. The pouch jiggled with coins when he picked it up. Checking the contents, Kai counted sixteen silver mesars into his palm. ¡°The fuck is going on?¡± Flynn exclaimed in both awe and fear. ¡°¡®Cause something is happening. Didn¡¯t your teacher tell you what that thing does?¡± Kai shared his feelings. ¡°No, she only said it was priceless and would be useful to me. I mean, tripping on a purse of silver isn¡¯t bad.¡± He tried to put a positive spin to reassure his friend as well as himself. ¡°A knife is also useful, but it can poke a hole in you as well as anything else.¡± Flynn snarled, pacing with both hands in his pockets. ¡°I don¡¯t know about you, but I don¡¯t feel like breaking my neck on the sidewalk tonight.¡± Kai wished he had a better answer for him than silence. Flynn¡¯s words made a troubling amount of sense. What if the silver disk was some kind of weapon he had inadvertently activated against himself? No, don¡¯t be ridiculous. ¡°That witch would never give me something that powerful,¡± Kai said with all the conviction he could muster. Virya had counted each drop of help she bestowed on him. Even hidden behind a mind-bending puzzle, she wouldn¡¯t hand him a tool that could kill a person with a click. ¡°We just need to wait it out. Whatever this is, it must end, maybe it already did.¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. A flock of seagulls cawed overhead, and something hit his shoulder with a wet squelch. Kai pressed his lips to suppress a string of curses. The Universe had taken his words as a challenge and gave him another jab. The worst thing he could do was lose his cool. Fuck the Universe and fuck Virya. Was it too much effort to put a warning note inside her dumb puzzle? ¡®Don¡¯t touch the switches¡¯. I¡¯m so damn tired of her mysterious bullshit. ¡°Better that than a brick on your head.¡± Flynn helpfully provided, a smile tugging at his lips. Glad my misfortune amuses you. Kai sent him a withering glare that only made Flynn chuckle and offer him a frayed handkerchief to clean his shirt. If this indignation was the price to calm his friend, Kai was willing to pay it. He was the reason they ended up in this situation. ¡°Wait for me at home, I¡¯ll come back when I¡¯m sure it''s over.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not leaving you,¡± Flynn protested. ¡°Who¡¯s gonna watch your back if something else drops on your head?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll dodge faster by myself. They simply took me by surprise, that''s all. It won¡¯t happen again now that I know what to look for.¡± Faced with Flynn¡¯s stubborn hesitation, Kai pressed. ¡°We don¡¯t know if these accidents are following me or are linked to the place where they started. I¡¯d rather not find out our house burned down while we weren¡¯t there.¡± ¡°Wait¡­ Do you think that could happen?¡± Flynn paced in the narrow alley, raking a hand through his hair. ¡°You should come back with me, we can both wait it out there. There isn¡¯t much that could happen in a closed room.¡± ¡°What if these events are following me, and our building burns down because I''m there?¡± Kai shook his head. ¡°You need to trust me on this. I wouldn¡¯t tell you to go if I wasn¡¯t confident in handling it myself. Bird droppings and lost purses are hardly fatal.¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± ¡°Go,¡± he urged. ¡°Make sure our house is safe and the enforcers don¡¯t snoop around.¡± Biting his lip, Flynn was slowly swayed. ¡°I¡¯ll check our house and come looking for you if you¡¯re not back in half an hour.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll count on it. And start cooking dinner while you¡¯re at it, I¡¯m starving.¡± Kai marched out of the cramped alley before Flynn could change his mind, and dove into the night crowd, paying close attention to his surroundings¡ªespecially the sky. Perhaps it would be better if he stayed in an unpopulated area to not involve anyone else or attract attention. He was about to disappear into another side street when Lou¡¯s warnings on the shady parts of Higharbor popped into his head. Any other night, Kai would consider the teenager''s worries overly cautious, but he couldn¡¯t readily dismiss them with how things were going. He wasn¡¯t in the mood to get stabbed, mugged or kidnapped. To his left, a young man slipped on the sidewalk, tripping six more people down with him. Already on high alert, Kai evaded the tumble. He increased his pace on the thin hope he might outrun the accidents if he moved fast enough. Please, get this over. Hallowed Intuition remained silent. Sparing a few moments of focus, an indistinct mass of whispers filled his head with chaos. Nothing he could use or make sense of in a reasonable amount of time. The skill was still there, it had simply chosen to take a vacation from its duties. Damned slacker, I better not get killed for this. The scraps of an idea were forming in his head. Whatever was going on had to do with Favor, that much was clear, though it was different from the good luck or providence the attribute should provide. Forced to keep in mind his surroundings, the answers eluded him. Kai wandered without goal, sticking to the well-lit roads. His eyes and senses darted over people and buildings to predict what random occurrence would happen next. Most events were innocuous enough. A tear-stricken reunion between a mother and her long-lost child, two light globes enchantments fizzled out, and a man ran out of a tavern laughing hysterically and threw mesars to the crowd. No more bird droppings or bricks fell on him, the sky had given enough for the night. Searching for less crowded places, while keeping to the secure areas, Kai found himself in the upper city. Perhaps some unconscious part of him felt less guilty about bringing calamity to the rich; the elites who isolated themselves on a hill to watch the commoners from above. A patrolling guard took interest in him with a stern gaze, Kai pulled on Improvisation to hide his panic. His frantic look for dangers must have aroused the enforcer¡¯s suspicions. I¡¯m a defenseless kid, not a threat. Kai met the gaze of the enforcers with a smile, waving energetically like a kid who had eaten too many sweets. The officer gave a curt nod and went back to his patrol. Calm and collected on the outside, Kai continued his wandering. It had been a couple minutes since the last accident, but he didn¡¯t dare hope till the count was closer to five. It¡¯s finally over! Now, where the fuck am I? Two rows of spindly trees flanked a wide boulevard, their bluish leaves rustling in the wind. The fenced private residences showcased their gaudy statues and marble ornaments like peacocks in mating. No useful clue then. He found the stiff pretentious attitude of the upper city unbearable enough even without counting the tight security. He rarely visited the upper city beyond the shops at the base of the hills. When in doubt, the easiest solution was to head downwards. The two hills were only so big, and the slight incline was easy to spot, he¡¯d reach Ring Road and find his way from there. I might make it before Flynn comes looking for me. Entering a small square, he moved around the statue of some Merian warrior he didn¡¯t care to know about. In his haste, he barely noticed two teenagers coming from the opposite direction. Kai sidestepped them, brushing a boy who had made no effort to halt his walk. Rude brats. ¡°You! Stop!¡± A female voice demanded. Kai murmured an apology, hoping that would appease whatever spoiled scion he had offended. Just keep walking, she¡¯ll lose interest. A hand grabbed his arm, firm enough he¡¯d need to apply his Strength to free himself. ¡°She¡¯s talking to you, kid. It¡¯s impolite to ignore someone speaking.¡± And so is touching a stranger without permission. Damned spirits, I knew I shouldn¡¯t have come here. Kai masked his annoyance behind a veil of shyness and turned to the strangers. They weren¡¯t much older than him. The boy was about Flynn¡¯s age, though he was clearly from the mainland, with honey-blond hair and hazel eyes. Perhaps he would be considered handsome if it wasn¡¯t for the condescending look that sent a spike of irritation through his veins. A new challenger for the most slappable face approaches. I must warn Flynn he¡¯s got competition. The teen stood with his chin high and shoulders back, perhaps it was meant to impress him, Kai couldn¡¯t tell. Being used to Lou, this attempt at intimidation was laughable. He had to clench his jaw to suppress a chuckle. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m in a hurry,¡± Kai said, terse but polite. ¡°Is there something I can do for you?¡± A brush of Mana Sense revealed the strangers¡¯ clothes hid their mana channels. The fabric could light a room with all the enchantments that had been woven into it. If he weren¡¯t in such haste, he wouldn¡¯t have minded using Mana Echo to borrow a few copies for himself. Displeased by his reaction, the boy pursed his lips and stared down his high nose. He let go of his arm and took a step back to let the girl talk. She wore an embroidered dress of flowing silk and straight chestnut hair down her shoulders. Her proud posture was far more effortless than the boy¡¯s. Distracted by her appearance, Kai hadn¡¯t realized she was a native of the archipelago, likely not much older than him. Her green eyes burrowed into him, brighter than most islanders, like polished emeralds. Have I seen her before¡­? Oh, shit! How was she called, it¡¯s been years. Vela? Nalela¡­? ¡°Go ahead, Adrian. I¡¯ll reach you in a moment.¡± ¡°Do you know him?¡± Adrian did a second take on him, perplexed. Instead of answering, the girl smiled sweetly. ¡°I¡ª I¡¯ll wait for you at the mansion, and have supper prepared.¡± The boy blushed, almost tripping on his feet as he walked up the boulevard. They were alone in the square. No hint of her smile when she moved her attention back to him. ¡°I thought I¡¯d seen you before.¡± The girl narrowed her eyes like a detective who found an important clue in a crime scene. ¡°You¡¯re that kid from Sylspring, Kai Tylenn.¡± I¡¯ve got a stalker, how exciting. ¡°I didn¡¯t know I was that famous,¡± Kai gave her a cheeky smile, too tired to care. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but what was your name again?" Chapter 162 - A Mesar for Your Thoughts Chapter 162 - A Mesar for Your Thoughts Her emerald eyes widened as if he had insulted her entire family line, and dead cat for good measure. Don¡¯t look at me like that, you¡¯re the weird one for remembering me. It¡¯s been almost four years. ¡°Wait. You truly don¡¯t remember my name?¡± She scrunched her brows, her voice lined with genuine surprise. Did she think I was making fun of her? A bit conceited, but people did call her little princess¡­ Oh, I do remember a name then, should I tell her? ¡°Why would I lie?¡± Kai shrugged. The information hovered at the edge of his mind, just out of reach. He might recall it if he focused, but why go through the effort when this was much funnier. ¡°Are you so famous that people recognize you in the streets?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡ª¡± The blushing spread from her neck to the tip of her ears. ¡°I¡¯m Valela Hightide,¡± she stiffly offered her hand. Okay, maybe I¡¯m doing it a little on purpose. He¡¯d like to blame his exhaustion and hunger, but he just couldn¡¯t resist poking holes in her standoffish demeanor. She was the same proud girl he had met during the selection in Sylspring. An odd and imperious queen inquiring about a peasant. Kai accepted the shake, her palm surprisingly cold. ¡°Well, Valela, it was nice meeting you again. I hope you¡¯re doing great, but, as I was saying, I¡¯m in a bit of a hurry.¡± ¡°I have questions.¡± The little princess stated, as if that explained everything. ¡°Me too, tons of them. Like, why do we exist? Why do people on this hill always look down their noses? Why is everything here three times more expensive but only half better?¡± He turned to go. ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t think there is a law that forces me to listen to you.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± ¡°Why?¡± Kai raised a brow in challenge, concealing his amusement. ¡°Are you going to call back your little bodyguard if I don¡¯t?¡± Nothing like a sprinkle of reverse psychology to ensure she didn¡¯t involve someone else. ¡°Adrian is just a friend, and I can¡ª.¡± The affronted look was back. Valela shut her mouth as if to prevent the words from escaping, hands tightened into little fists. A pulse of mana broke through the enchantments in her dress. The adult poise was gone, leaving behind a flustered girl about to stomp her feet and throw a tantrum. As she was about to burst, her mana retreated. Such a pity. Within a single breath, Valela regained her stately mask. ¡°I¡¯m going to pay you to answer my questions.¡± Her voice hardly betrayed any emotion. Oh¡­ she wants to buy me? Flynn will forgive me, this story is worth gold. Kai scratched his head with a pensive look, debating the matter. ¡°Okay, one silver per question.¡± Higharbor was an expensive city, and the competition for alchemy goods was fierce. ¡°One s¡ª That¡¯s ridiculous.¡± She collected her tone. ¡°It will take you a minute.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s my price. You don¡¯t have to agree if you don¡¯t want to.¡± Kai gave her the once-over. The delicate embroidery of her cream silk dress must have taken countless hours of work of a skilled artisan, not to speak of the gold hair clip, or the flower pendant with three emerald petals matching her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sure you can afford it.¡± I''d feel guilty if her clothes weren¡¯t worth more than I¡¯ve ever earned my whole life. Valela pulled out a little squid-shaped purse from a fold in her dress. It had a round head with googly eyes and ten tiny tentacles. Her face dared him to say anything. ¡°It¡¯s very cute.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± She checked the contents of the squid without letting him peek inside. ¡°I accept your deal. Know that breaking a contract is punishable by law, you can¡¯t lie.¡± I¡¯ve done my homework. According to the Republic''s tedious legal code, verbal agreements weren¡¯t binding without a third party acting as a ¡®reputable witness¡¯. And he also remembered the lesson his mother had taught him as a toddler: laws were applied arbitrarily depending on the standing of the people involved. Does she know, or is she making it up to scare me? Whatever the law said, he didn¡¯t like his chances if Valela pursued the matter. In the best-case scenario, he¡¯d be put through the scrutiny he had spent the last year avoiding. It was her way of guaranteeing he didn¡¯t lie, he hoped. Too late to turn back now. I dug my own grave and jumped inside with both feet. ¡°Okay, but payment first,¡± Kai put his palm up. The least he could do was ensure he didn¡¯t get scammed. After an indignant glare for doubting her honesty, the little princess smacked a silver coin in his hand. ¡°Thank you for your patronage, my lady, what would you like to know?¡± He grinned at her. ¡°Alas, I lead a pretty boring life.¡± Valela opened her mouth before closing it again, her eyes wandering on the swordsman that overlooked the square. It confirmed she had insisted on stopping him as a matter of pride rather than any deep interest. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she finally asked. Really? It was such a generic question. On the top of his head, Kai could come up with half a dozen responses that were technically true and revealed nothing of importance. That was without using Improvisation. I¡¯m talking with you? Taking a stroll? Being pestered by an insistent girl? The first rule to successfully make fun of other people was to know their boundaries, and when to stop. She wouldn¡¯t appreciate it if he played with semantics. Well, I can''t tell her I was running away from a series of strange coincidences. ¡°Assuming you mean here, in Higharbor,¡± he waited for her nod. ¡°I wanted to gain more experience traveling before I sailed past the archipelago. The capital held the most opportunities and information.¡± That was the truth, maybe not the whole of it. For a second, Kai worried she would argue or call him a liar. ¡°You want to go to the mainland?¡± she quietly contemplated. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Yes, when I¡¯m fourteen. And that¡¯s another question.¡± Kai put his palm out with a grin. Instead of protesting, Valela pressed her lips together and took out another silver from her little squid. ¡°Did you earn enough to buy an enchanted shirt and live in Higharbor by yourself or did someone help you?¡± There was no second blunder, she carefully worded the following questions to maximize the information. The fat squid dished out an endless sequence of shiny coins without slimming down¡ªmore than it could reasonably contain. It must be a spatial item. I didn¡¯t know they made them so cute and small. Spatial runes were notoriously fickle to inscribe. Only a master enchanter could make them work on such a small object, and there was none in the archipelago to his knowledge. It must be a rich people thing. The amount of money she could throw to satisfy her idle curiosity was humbling, and a little depressing. She asked what he¡¯s been about since they last met and more about his beliefs. Despite making his answers sound as monotone and bland as possible, her interest was only rising. Why did I have to run into her? ¡°Would you consider working for the Republic?¡± ¡°I would consider it,¡± Kai said curtly. He¡¯d rather stay vague and not give her funny ideas to recruit him. To his surprise, Valela made no attempt to press the matter. She gave him a single absent nod as if that was all the information she required. ¡°Have you received no help apart from your teachers¡¯ instructions to train your skills?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Kai had the impression this wasn¡¯t the first time she asked him. ¡°I mean, they gave me free access to mana herbs to practice Alchemy and a few alchemical potions.¡± Valela perked up, "What kind of potions? And this counts as part of the previous question, your answer wasn¡¯t complete.¡± He gave her a long judging look till she surrendered another coin with a scoff. The rich were always such misers. ¡°They gave me healing remedies for the wounds I got during training, tonics to make me recover faster and to keep me going for longer.¡± Spirits, she must think they beat me up. ¡°Oh,¡± the little princess was disappointed by his answer and paused her string of questions. If Yatei had any mercy, she was bored of their game. With the purse I found earlier, I made more silvers tonight than in the past three months. Who knew having a stalker was this profitable? ¡°Have your teachers left for good?¡± When Valela made up her mind, her words took him by surprise. The night breeze caressed his skin, sending shivers down his back. ¡°How do you know about that?¡± A hint of smugness pierced through Valela¡¯s flat smile. ¡°That¡¯s not how this game works. You¡¯re the one who needs to answer.¡± Kai gritted his teeth, she knew a suspicious lot about him. This wasn¡¯t something she could chance upon with a simple inquiry. If I walked away now it would be more suspicious, and she¡¯s confirming what she already knows. ¡°Yes. They left and are not planning to come back.¡± ¡°Do you know their real identities?¡± ¡°No.¡± Nothing apart from vague suspicions. His tone made clear that was all she was going to get. ¡°Okay, final question, what¡¯s your real grade?¡± She observed him closely to read his reaction. ¡°You had already reached Orange last time I met you, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve not enhanced your race at least once.¡± ¡°That¡¯s personal information.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve made a deal,¡± she pointed at the coin in his hand. ¡°You get my money and I get your answer. I¡¯ve already paid you.¡± Kai threw back her silver. ¡°I never said I would answer all your questions, and a verbal agreement deal isn¡¯t binding without a witness.¡± Her cheek flushed at being called out. She did know what she was doing. ¡°It¡¯s an honor contract to keep your word between respectable citizens.¡± Is that even a thing, or is she making shit up? ¡°I¡¯ll pay you five silver mesars for this answer.¡± She tried to bribe him, her fingers had already fished out the coins from her purse. ¡°Still no, I think we¡¯re done. It was interesting meeting you.¡± ¡°Ten?¡± Valela shook the poor squid dry, one coin skipped on the square paving, but her attention was on him. ¡°I got eighteen silvers, not like your grade is such a big secret anyway. I can tell you I¡¯m Orange ¡ï¡ï¡ï.¡± Kai halted his steps. ¡°That must be public information if you¡¯re as famous as you say.¡± If she was determined to investigate him, there was little he could do to stop her. She certainly had the money to spare, and contacts in the Republic. If that happened this would turn into a mess. What¡¯s with this fucking night and my Luck, I bet I would have found her outside my door tomorrow if I ran away. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you if you answer a question of mine.¡± People can¡¯t fight the tides, just ride the waves. His grade wasn¡¯t as important without knowing when he achieved it. She hesitated an instant. ¡°Deal, I¡¯ll answer as long as it¡¯s not a secret about someone else.¡± ¡°Okay, but you go first.¡± It was a risk, but when would he get access to inside information again? He had hoped to lay low and ignore the Republic till he left for the mainland. That didn¡¯t seem likely to happen now. Valela couldn¡¯t have gotten the information by herself, and if she knew about him, who else? Dammit, is this encounter part of tonight''s coincidences? ¡°How do you know so much about me and where does your information come from? How many people know?¡± If exposure was inevitable, he would take the initiative. Valela pursed her lips. ¡°That¡¯s three questions.¡± ¡°I can reword them into one if you have the time to waste. And it¡¯s only fair I know since it¡¯s about me.¡± Her internal debate was longer this time, but the conclusion didn¡¯t change. ¡°After we talked last time, I asked around to confirm your story. There weren¡¯t so many people who reached Orange at your age outside Higharbor.¡± I knew she was a stalker! ¡°Well¡­ then I read a report a while ago, it mentioned your teachers had left. They were important people on the continent.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve read a report about me?¡± Kai felt the blood drain from his face, this was worse than he thought. Then a realization hit him. ¡°Was it from the Republic?¡± ¡°Yes, well.¡± Valela stared at her feet. ¡°It''s nothing unusual really, you¡¯d be surprised by the number of people who they have a file on. Yours wasn¡¯t even particularly accurate. I thought you were still in Sylspring, which was why I was surprised to meet you here.¡± Was he under surveillance right now? He forced his breathing to slow to not hyperventilate. ¡°How many people read it?¡± Kai pushed the word out of his mouth in a strangled tone. ¡°I¡ª I don¡¯t know, not many. Adrian wanted to show me the central archive, and I recognized your name by chance. It didn¡¯t look like anyone had checked it since it was put there. It was a terribly boring read and I skimmed through most of it.¡± Kai had never been more glad to be called boring in his life. Maybe it wasn¡¯t as bad as he thought, though he had severely underestimated the reach of the Republic. ¡°Your grade?¡± Valela asked with a soft voice. ¡°I won¡¯t tell anyone else if you want to keep it private.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same one you have, I just had my enhancement and I¡¯d be grateful if you didn¡¯t share it. Now I need to go.¡± Kai hurried back to the inner city. Stupid artifact and stupid night. Could he trust her? If she believed half of what she said about propriety and honor, she might keep his secret, if only to safeguard her pride. Pieces of their previous conversation in Sylspring floated in his mind. She had promised to keep his privacy then, and no one came to bother him. Well, except Zerith perhaps. Was he the one who wrote the report about him? Fuck! Whatever the little princess chose to do, it didn''t change that the Republic was keeping tabs on him. Better knowing than not, I guess¡­ The brisk walk through the upper city helped cool his mind and panic. Kai reached Ring Road and made his way home. The rapid back and forth had been closer to an interrogation than a friendly conversation. Let¡¯s be rational. What¡¯s the worst that could happen? If the governor learned of his grade and profession, he might be forced to sign a shitty contract which he had wanted to avoid. Or it could only turn into a minor inconvenience. He had bet on worse odds. What he needed to avoid at any cost was revealing his spatial ring and the stupid silver disk that landed him in this situation. Both were worth more than anything else he possessed put together. The chances they would let him keep them were below none. What a headache. Flynn found him not far from their house. ¡°I was coming to look for you. Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes, did our house burn down?¡± ¡°No, the accidents were following you, but there is something you should see.¡± He underlined with a meaningful look and refused to elaborate until they were back in their house. ¡°I found this inside one of the pieces of your puzzles.¡± Flynn offered him a folded piece of paper with a wry smile. ¡°If it makes you feel better, it was quite well hidden.¡± Chapter 163 - The Whims of Fate Chapter 163 - The Whims of Fate Kai stared at the folded paper in his hand and fought not to feel like an idiot. Virya had actually left a note. I almost wish she didn¡¯t. ¡°It¡¯s blank, I¡¯ve checked with a backlight too,¡± Flynn informed him. ¡°Is there some secret ritual to read it? Do we need to spill blood on it and chant a secret incantation?¡± Kai rolled his eyes, smiling faintly at the attempt to lift his mood. He was grateful Flynn never teased him where it hurt. ¡°It probably needs my mana. The cube was also attuned to my essence signature.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ that¡¯s boring.¡± ¡°Most magic is, we just like to pretend we¡¯re wise and mysterious to fool you peasants.¡± Kai theatrically waved a hand while he separated a strand of mana from his channels and prodded the sheet. Rows of dense and precise writing glowed to life, spreading on both sides of the letter. ¡°That¡¯s not very impressive.¡± Flynn looked skeptical. ¡°I still don¡¯t see anything.¡± Kai gave him a mysterious smirk. ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re a peasant without Mana Sense.¡± The writing faded as soon as he retracted the strand. ¡°It¡¯s some kind of invisible ink that reacts to my mana signature.¡± ¡°Neat,¡± Flynn squinted at the paper as if he could balance the lack of a sensing skill through sheer concentration. When that failed, he snorted his annoyance. ¡°Now I get who you took after, your teacher is even more paranoid than you.¡± ¡°Well, thanks.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a compliment. What does it say?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, there are quite a few sentences.¡± Reading with Mana Sense was an unfamiliar experience. The letters rapidly moved in and out of focus if he moved his concentration. Not only had Virya left a note, but she had also fit a surprising number of lines on the small piece of paper. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go cook dinner, I¡¯ll tell you everything while we eat. I¡¯m still starving.¡± Not that he could feel much hunger after the interrogation with Valela, but he¡¯d rather not have Flynn hanging over his shoulder. Patience and silence weren¡¯t some of his friend''s virtues. Not that I¡¯m much better¡­ ¡°Okay, but you better not leave out any details.¡± Flynn punctuated with a suspicious glance. ¡°You also owe me half of that silver we found. Your crazy teacher¡¯s pranks aren¡¯t very funny.¡± ¡°Sure, just leave me alone.¡± Flynn blew him a kiss before disappearing into the kitchen. Blissfully alone, Kai sprawled on the couch. The wooden pieces of the puzzle lay inert on their coffee table where Flynn had left them. Spirits, I feel like such an idiot. All the trouble could have been prevented if he had checked first. The hollow pocket that had contained the letter seemed impossible to miss now. A physical reminder of his failure. She could have put a clearer warning. How was I supposed to know the disk would activate with a light touch? It was so like Virya to give him an artifact with no explanation and expect him to figure it out. Kai had not stopped to question it. He had spent countless hours working on the puzzle, lured by the promised reward. When a shiny artifact finally appeared before him, could he be blamed for not seeing anything else? Am I making up excuses? Next time he found an unknown magical artifact, he was going to take every precaution before touching it. Lesson learned. So perhaps Virya had done it on purpose, she let him put his hand on the stove to teach him how fire burns. One final loving lesson. Nothing like a traumatic experience to make the lecture sink in. Damn, crazy witch. Kai Inspected the paper for the beginning of the message and tuned Mana Sense to read the minute calligraphy. No point playing ¡®what if¡¯, it was time to get some answers. My warmest regards, Kai, I¡¯m pleased you¡¯ve found a way to solve this puzzle box within a year. Resourcefulness and flexibility are hard lessons to teach. Sometimes, to achieve an important objective, we must be willing to make sacrifices. The object contained within this mana puzzle is known by most as a Fate Fulcrum. Through my centuries traveling Elydes, only one Fate Fulcrum has fallen into my possession, the one currently in your hands. An entire book wouldn¡¯t be enough to explain everything there is to know about this artifact''s history and purpose. If you¡¯re curious to research its origins, I won¡¯t discourage you, but I¡¯d advise you to be discreet about your inquiries. Many organizations would consider the very existence of this artifact heretical, and all would deem it too dangerous to leave it in the hands of a child. At its most fundamental level, a Fate Fulcrum''s purpose is simple: it gathers Fate from its possessor to funnel it in a burst. The process comes with some caveats. While the artifact can control the amount and direction of the release to a degree, it can¡¯t control the result. Unbound Fate is inherently unpredictable. Beneficial, harmful and anything in between. You can picture throwing a hundred dice in the air: remote coincidences and outcomes will rain upon you, while you can¡¯t choose on which side the dice will land. A higher Favor will skew the odds slightly in your favor, but a single unfortunate roll is enough to land a blade through your heart. Like any tool, the outcome largely depends on the person who wields it. By wisely regulating the parameters in your control, a Fate Fulcrum can be an invaluable asset to redraw the board and create opportunities. But every use always carries a risk that can only be minimized, never erased. P.S. I¡¯d advise you not to activate the Fate Fulcrum inside a densely populated area, if not as a last resort. Despite his eagerness to read on, Kai stopped to ponder the new information before his thoughts escaped him. As usual, Virya had said a lot and left even more unsaid, hidden between the lines. The mention of a ¡®sacrifice¡¯ in the first paragraph confirmed he needed an extra advantage to solve the puzzle. The mage might not have predicted an early profession, but she had expected him to pick up general skills to solve the puzzle and discard the ones he had painstakingly trained. It¡¯s always like this with her, Kai groaned massaging his eyes. A test, within a test, within a test. He had sidestepped the problem by taking Mana Child, though Kai couldn''t tell if it was a stroke of genius, or pure foolishness. It had been a drastic decision, perhaps more so than discarding one of his prized skills. Time would tell if he had made the right choice. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. A Fate Fulcrum. He took out the silver disk from his spatial closet. The cold metal reflected a faint golden hue, highlighting the mysterious script that covered both sides. Each sign flowed into the next in an unbroken chain. It is certainly priceless. An artifact that could affect Fate itself was beyond his wildest imagination. Kai had never heard or read even a vague mention that it was possible, and his teachers hadn¡¯t mentioned it either. In the archipelago, people barely knew how Favor worked, let alone ways to alter it. From the tone of the letter, it was unlikely the Merian Republic thought any different. In his hands, he held the power to make coincidences pour down on him with a single click. The applications were endless. Yet, it was a double-edged sword. While he could skew the odds in his favor, the outcome rested in the hands of Fate. The question is how much control I have. The remainder of the letter contained instructions on how to use the artifact in a few dry lines. And the answer was: not much. The Fate Fulcrum''s ability to alter chances wasn''t endless. It needed to gather Favor from him to charge. All he had to do was keep it close. It worked in his spatial ring as long as it was on his person. The higher his seventh attribute, the faster it would gather. There was no other way to speed up the process. He could check the charge with Mana Sense on one of the outer circles of flowing scripts. It was glowing faintly, like candlelight about to go out, and if he was reading it correctly, it was as good as empty. Great. I blew whatever charge it held by accident. Kai checked the letter again. There was no clue about how much Fate he had wasted, or how long it would take to recharge the same amount. Would it take a day, week, month or year? Plenty of time to find a use for it I guess¡­ Kai wasn¡¯t particularly eager to jump back into the streams of Fate anytime soon. The so-called parameters he could control consisted of the three silver nubs along the edge of the disk. Unsurprisingly, the one he had accidentally clicked was for activation. The one on the lower right controlled the amount of Fate channeled. And one on the lower left was to anchor the release of Fate to him or to the location where it was used. Overall, not a huge amount of control. Then again, if this artifact was a reliable tool, he doubted Virya would have given it to him. The Fate Fulcrum sounded like the birth child of a mad genius, or the prototype of some heretical research. Though if it was possible to weaponize Fate itself, someone would have already conquered the world by now. Maybe this was the best that could be achieved. She did mention Fate was unpredictable by nature, whatever that means¡­ The artifact was like throwing a poorly rigged die, a bet with ultimately no way to guarantee success. There was too much the notes didn¡¯t mention. Lack of details on its workings, or how far could its effects reach and last. Only a small part of the flowing script appeared to have a purpose. Was the rest simply decorative or was it undiscovered? Is it because Virya doesn¡¯t know either? Or did she give me the basics, and expect me to figure out the rest by myself¡­ Kai couldn¡¯t stop the growing feeling he had been cheated. He should have known the witch would never make things easy. Her gifts were never straightforward, and her reward for success was another test. Yes, he could imagine situations where the Fate Fulcrum could be useful, but it could also get him killed. Dinner distracted him from his mounting irritation. Kai sat down in the kitchen with no appetite. ¡°That bad, huh?¡± Flynn raised his brow. It¡¯s not his fault. Kai took a spoonful of stew to stop a snappy response. He chewed grumpily, using food as an excuse to postpone his explanation. After he forced the first bites, his hunger gradually rose. They were supposed to dine hours ago, and his stomach demanded his due after a day of full work. ¡°It¡¯s not bad, just frustrating.¡± He grumbled. While Flynn didn¡¯t probe him about the artifact, Kai could feel him vibrating with curiosity. Scraping the bottom of his plate, he half explained, half ranted the contents of the letter. He was glad he didn¡¯t have to deal with this by himself. Venting his annoyance noticeably improved his mood, and so did the disbelief and awe on Flynn¡¯s face. If his friend hadn¡¯t witnessed the effects of the Fate Fulcrum tonight, there was no way he would believe a word. ¡°Can I see it?¡± ¡°I told you it doesn¡¯t work right now, it needs an unspecified amount of time to recharge.¡± Virya might not be omniscient as he believed years ago, but she must know that for sure. She just chose not to share that information to make his life harder. ¡°I know, I just want to look at it.¡± Flynn extended his grubby hands with a pleading expression till Kai caved in. He accepted the silver disk with a look close to reverence, eyes wide with awe. His long finger held it lightly as if he feared the artifact would smite him if he grasped it tightly. ¡°I can keep it if you don¡¯t want it.¡± He said with a cheeky smile. Nice try. ¡°Not a chance.¡± He had worked too hard for it. Even if he found a common pebble inside the puzzle, he would keep it. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t want it.¡± ¡°I said I was frustrated with it, hand it over.¡± Suddenly Flynn didn¡¯t worry about being delicate with his touch, and Kai had to pry the disk free from his hands. Honestly, he thought his friend would be scared by it. Flynn always liked shiny objects and betting¡­ Well, too late for regrets now. ¡°What are you gonna do with it?¡± Flynn asked. ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet. It¡¯s dangerous. We were lucky no one got hurt tonight.¡± Well, beside me meeting a stalker and almost having my skull cracked open. If he understood how the artifact worked correctly, the coincidences it caused were neither good nor bad, just random events with a low chance of happening. Still, crowded cities were already prone to accidents without him turning the wheel and tinkering with Fate, and people were fragile things. ¡°We need to be careful,¡± Flynn agreed, though his tone made Kai suspect they had reached two different conclusions. ¡°I asked around. The front store was actually poorly built, and the vase that fell on you wasn¡¯t properly secured to the railing." Flynn tapped on the table. ¡°The disk just makes unlikely things happen, right? Maybe none of these would have happened tonight, but they were always a possibility. We couldn¡¯t have found a purse of silver if someone hadn¡¯t lost it earlier.¡± He was considering what happened before I even came back¡­ Kai had already made these considerations himself, but he had no time to confirm them yet. ¡°Even if you¡¯re right, no one can predict every possibility.¡± ¡°Not in a city,¡± Flynn agreed again. ¡°So we need to find an isolated place where something rare we want could happen. Like, I don¡¯t know, we can go look for pearls and treasures at sea. Then click, you use the thingy and increase our chances to find something precious exponentially.¡± ¡°And the chances that an awakened beast will emerge from the deep sea to eat us.¡± Why was it that, for once, when he wanted to be cautious, someone else tempted him with a crazy plan? ¡°We¡¯ll take the proper precautions and prepare an escape plan.¡± Flynn talked like the decision had already been made. ¡°We can go when the tide is low. You can¡¯t meet dangerous beasts if there aren¡¯t any nearby. And the sea isn¡¯t the only option, there are plenty of places in the archipelago where there are no beasts.¡± He must have thought this through¡­ Kai followed the reasoning, the plan put order among messy ideas floating in his own head. Maybe it was what Virya meant about controlling the parameters. She wasn¡¯t just talking about the nubs on the disk but about the environment. The time and place where he chose to use the Fate Fulcrum. It¡¯s not that easy, is it? There would always be some threads he missed. The meeting with Valela was fresh in his mind, it was better if he restricted his reckless ideas for the time being. So he continued to play devil¡¯s advocate. ¡°What if we get hit by lightning? The sky is pretty much everywhere.¡± ¡°Just choose a sunny day.¡± Flynn easily dismissed the objection. ¡°Do you think the disk can affect the weather?¡± ¡°Huh, I don¡¯t know.¡± Was there a maximum distance that the Fate Fulcrum could affect? ¡°Then we should test it and find out. You said you could decide how much Fate to release, we can start with a tiny one.¡± Kai considered the idea. He might need to use the artifact again, be it only to create a distraction. Better if he knew how it worked before then. ¡°Even if I agree, and I¡¯m not saying I am, the disk is empty, it will need time to recharge.¡± Flynn shrugged. ¡°More time for us to plan.¡± Is it such a bad idea¡­? Chapter 164 - The Promised Journey Chapter 164 - The Promised Journey Kai burned the copy of the mage¡¯s letter he had transcribed for Flynn. The candle flame consumed the paper, and the winding wisp of smoke thinned and disappeared. The faint acrid smell lingered in his bedroom before dissolving through the open window. During the last two days, they had poured their minds over those short paragraphs. While Virya¡¯s open statements could imply a lot of different things, they gave away no solid information, just conjectures. Kai had his doubts about Flynn¡¯s methods, though he agreed they¡¯d need to test the Fate Fulcrum. There was a whole wide world out there, and Higharbor was no more than a provincial capital of a backwater territory. If he wanted to explore it, he couldn¡¯t discard a viable weapon in his arsenal. The artifact might be risky and unreliable, but he could choose when and where to activate it. He wouldn¡¯t wait for an external force to swoop down and wreck his life, as had often happened. It was time to play ahead. There was barely any change in the glow of the silver disk that indicated its charge. The flowing script still had the intensity of a dying ember, though it didn¡¯t flicker anymore. How much did I blow by accident? Kai hoped the cube had stopped the disk from collecting Fate, he didn¡¯t want to contemplate the possibility he had wasted close to a year¡¯s worth of charge by accident. It was possible Virya had put some kind of blocking enchantment in her puzzle. If she predicted he would activate it by accident, she might have wanted to ensure the release of Fate wasn¡¯t catastrophic. That was definitely the only logical conclusion. There was no way to confirm or disprove it, all signs of mana had disappeared from the lacquered wood when he completed the cube. The remaining pieces were no longer indestructible, no stronger than wood from a mana tree, worth a couple silvers at most. Since when do a hundred copper mesars sound little? Higharbor truly twisted my conception of wealth. ¡°Are you ready? We¡¯re going to be late.¡± Flynn¡¯s voice echoed from downstairs. I¡¯ll eat my shoes if the twins are on time. ¡°I¡¯m coming, just a minute,¡± Kai yelled back. He surveyed the collection of clothes and books on his bed to see if he had forgotten anything. Clothes check, potions check, rope and random gear I¡¯ll probably never use check. The trip to the ruins shouldn¡¯t last more than a week, ten days at most. He often used to trek back and forth from the estate, but since settling in Higharbor, Kai had been reminded of the convenience of city life. There was a shop for everything, and people willing to run errands for him, if he was willing to pay. Not that he ever tried, that was lavish spending of spoiled people, though he was tempted. If he could brew a batch potion in the time he took to run to the bakery for snacks, wasn¡¯t it more logical to pay someone else to go while he worked? That¡¯s how they trick you. After the first step, it¡¯s a slippery slope. Before I realize I¡¯ll be like those insufferable brats of the upper city. Flynn had promised to take care of supplies, and there were enough villages and small towns along the way food was not an issue. No harm in packing a couple snacks for emergencies. Having to fit everything inside a bag is such a hassle. Kai folded everything inside the backpack as orderly as he could. The ring was so convenient, no weight, no risk of wrinkles in his shirts or potential water damage to his notebooks. If he pushed the air outside, the spatial closet was as good as vacuum-sealed. But the spatial artifact was the one secret he couldn¡¯t afford to reveal. It was invaluable for both worth and utility, it contained the Fate Fulcrum and his other precious possessions. None of his childhood friends knew about it, not even Lou. While they had reconnected in the last two months, their view of the Republic was dubious. He didn¡¯t want to put them in a position to choose between him and their beliefs or security. It wouldn¡¯t be fair. Then the dilemma was which books to carry. He couldn¡¯t go visit a Vastaire site and not bring his dad¡¯s old research. Since coming to the city, he had delved back into the messy volumes. He hadn¡¯t been able to dedicate the time they deserved between his work on the cube and his business responsibilities to Reishi. Yet, the extra levels in Inspect and his attributes had allowed him to make significant strides. He had gotten quite decent deciphering their glyphs. Since several ruins had been demolished for resources by the Republic, many of the writings his father had collected all over the archipelago were the last of their kind. Now that I¡¯m done with Virya¡¯s accursed puzzle, I might finally finish organizing Dad¡¯s notes. Maybe pay a printer to make some copies when I¡¯m done. Kai picked three books full of notes about the Vastaire glyphs and architecture, leaving the others behind. No matter how careful he was about handling the ring, the only way to ensure he wouldn¡¯t be found out was not to use it. Meeting Valela had reminded him he couldn¡¯t lower his guard. He couldn¡¯t discount that someone might spy on him. Even if the girl kept her silence, an official must have ordered the first report made, and there was no way of knowing whether they would check again. Maybe never, maybe tomorrow. Downstairs, Flynn was pacing in the living room staring at the clock Kai had already regretted buying. Life was much simpler when he could eyeball the sun and say, ¡®Good enough¡¯. ¡°You take ages to get ready.¡± He lifted his bag on his shoulders. ¡°We agreed to meet outside the city in twenty-two minutes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s plenty, and they don¡¯t have a clock to check anyway.¡± Kai took the keys to close their house. ¡°You don¡¯t need to accompany me, I can manage on my own.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather not take the chance. You are almost better than me at finding trouble. And that¡¯s not a compliment that I give lightly.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°I¡¯m honored.¡± Flynn chuckled. ¡°You know, I heard they were planning to put bells to ring the hour.¡± Yatei have mercy on us, they want to ruin everything. They followed one of the main roads west. The northern coast of Yanlun was rocky and jagged, so the twins had planned to cut inland for the most direct route. The ruins were relatively close, and the terrain was mostly flat with no dense jungle in the way. It should take about three days of march according to Lou, two if they kept a decent pace. Kai had vainly tried to convince them to take passage on a merchant ship and cut the journey. He even offered to pay for everybody, but the twins insisted they had to go on foot, it was part of the experience ¡®like we did as children¡¯. Hopefully, this time the trip will be less of a disaster. Is this their way to set things right? Crossing into the outer city, the houses were shorter, stone and marble shifted to wood and plaster, though the buildings facing the main road never grew too shabby. A steady stream of people filled the streets, most heading toward the city. While Higharbor got most of its trade and visitors from the sea, the constant flow of produce from the inland farms was fundamental to feed the burgeoning population. They crossed a dozen carts pulled by stout horses on their way out of Higharbor. There was a guard post at the city limit, but no wall. Perhaps they considered the heavy presence of the Republic enough or didn¡¯t have the budget for such a large project. They were let through without a glance, only the people coming in received any scrutiny. Kai looked around, it was only the fourth time he had gone inland, and the first from this road. Usually, he looked for a secluded field to practice his Nature Magic on the crops, leaving behind lush pumpkins and beets. The farmland extended for miles on soft slopes, greens mixed with browns now that winter was approaching. It was a picturesque landscape and an alien one to the archipelago. Two decades ago, most natives wouldn¡¯t have recognized more than a third of the crops planted. A reminder that times were changing, and neither the environment nor people would be left unscathed. They stopped in a grassy patch by the side of the road. To Kai''s immense surprise, there was no sign of the twins. He choked the ¡®I told you so¡¯ threatening to spill from his lips. ¡°They were the ones who organized the trip.¡± Flynn pointed out. ¡°They were the ones who insisted we did this,¡± Kai corrected him. It was to be seen how much planning they actually had done. Despite all the changes, the twins'' habits remained the same. It was comforting in a way. ¡°I bet they¡¯ll be the first to demand we hurry up when they get here.¡± The grass was wet with morning dew, they sat on their bags to observe the unending line of people heading into Higharbor. With the sun up, the temperature was pleasant despite the season, slightly chilly when the wind blew. They only had to wait about a quarter-hour before four familiar heads emerged from the traffic. Ana had her nose lost in a map while Lou surveyed the terrain with a stoic look. The teenager was the first to notice them. He gave a small wave that prompted the twins to flail their arms and shout their names. Surprised by the commotion, Ana missed a step. She slapped Uli and Oli on the back before smiling at them. ¡°What are we waiting for?¡± Uli greeted them upon coming closer, and Oli dragged him to his feet. ¡°Come on, little shrimp, we have a lot of ground to cover.¡± Kai sent a knowing glance to Flynn, who shook his head. ¡°Have you finally decided on our route?¡± ¡°We¡¯re aiming for Saltcreek village.¡± Oli explained before he was interrupted by his brother. ¡°Milltee is closer.¡± ¡°We¡¯re never going to make it before nightfall.¡± ¡°We are if we cut through¡ª¡± I see we¡¯re in good hands. Kai wondered how they sold him that spending days crossing Yanlun¡¯s hinterland would be fun. Sweaty days away from a shower and sleeping on rocky ground when he had a warm bed at home. I should have fought harder for the ship. Reincarnating in Elydes had forced him to adapt to a life without the comforts of modern society. That didn¡¯t mean he enjoyed it. It was one thing to make sacrifices out of necessity or to train, but to inflict that upon himself for fun? Lou shared a sympathetic look, mistaking the cause of his gloom. Hoping to reassure him, Ana silently mouthed behind the twins¡¯ back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve got this.¡± Then she raised her voice. ¡°Either way, we need to go down this road to reach both villages.¡± Uli and Oli threw dirty looks at each other before they both tried to take the lead. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°This way!¡± Positive thoughts, this will be fun. Kai followed them trying not to think of all the productive ways he could be spending his morning doing. The skills he could have trained, the potions he could have brewed. Taking a break was fine. And sure, the trip could have been cut if they took a ship, but it didn¡¯t matter. He allowed himself one last mournful look at the city and the comforts they left behind. Goodbye civilization, welcome wilderness. He had always planned to visit more Vastaire ruins to reconnect with his father, but his dreams didn¡¯t include camping in the wild without personal space for days. I love being social. The group¡¯s chatter brought him back to the present. Ana was reminiscing of their last trip together to the ruins before everything went down. ¡°Do you remember how tall they were? I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes¡ª¡± What she didn¡¯t mention was that the Vastaire site no longer existed. Destroyed after millennia because their ivory stone would make pretty palaces. Not to mention the rude fuckers they met there. Is this why I¡¯m so annoyed about this trip? His four friends appeared to have selectively kept only the good memories of that day, but he perfectly remembered what happened. Faced with the childlike grin that split the twins¡¯ faces, Kai also tried to focus on the best parts. ¡°I heard these ruins are even bigger,¡± Uli said. ¡°Yes, enormous. They say it was one of their largest settlements.¡± ¡°Said who?¡± Kai couldn¡¯t stop himself. ¡°That¡¯s baseless nonsense. We¡¯re not even sure if the Vastaire lived in the ruins that are left, or if their cities had been swept away by time and the ivory towers were simply the only buildings made to last.¡± Following his outburst, every pair of eyes was on him. His four friends shared looks with a certain note of amusement. ¡°What?¡± Kai interrogated, but no one answered him. ¡°Well, you should know some basic historical facts since we¡¯re going there. Where to start¡­¡± A little lesson can¡¯t hurt. Their education went down the drain since I left. The cultivated land continued for miles dotted with farmers at work. The sun shone in the sky, but the temperature never got too hot. Time passed faster than he expected. They stopped to eat in a field of wildflowers before continuing down smaller paths. ¡°Are you sure we¡¯re going the right way for Milltee?¡± ¡°And Saltcreek? How much farther is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± Ana kept a firm hold of the map. ¡°Both villages are this way, trust me.¡± The farmland became a patchwork in the early afternoon. Cultivated fields separated by wild grassland and spare trees. Somehow both villages always remained on the same road. Right till the sun dipped over the horizon and they reached Mateili¡¯s Rest, a settlement of farmers sprawling on a low hill. ¡°It seems I was wrong,¡± Ana said with no hint of shame. ¡°Well, it¡¯s too late to reach another village. We might as well stay the night here.¡± ¡°You did it on purpose!¡± Oli accused, stomping his feet after her. ¡°I¡¯ve no idea what you¡¯re talking about. It was an honest mistake.¡± Kai¡¯s mood took a leap when they found a small inn with clean beds and a warm meal. He was so happy he tipped the old owner an extra night, and it was still less than what he¡¯d pay for a night in Higharbor. Sitting in the main hall, Kai watched the twins and Ana argue over the map. Lou had gone to refill their water supplies, and they weren¡¯t likely to reach an agreement before he played arbiter. Maybe this trip wasn¡¯t such a bad idea. ¡°I¡¯m glad I¡¯ve come. I¡¯ve never visited any Vastaire ruins,¡± Flynn said, his tone was casual, but he had a suspicious glint in his eye. ¡°You know, tomorrow we¡¯ll be in the middle of nowhere. It will probably be sunny again, with no people or beasts nearby.¡± Chapter 165 - Traveling Chapter 165 - Traveling Islanders were defined by their bond to the sea, seafarers living where the waves met the shore. That was how Kai had always seen it before he came here. Along the northern coast west of Higharbor, the Shallow Sea continued to be uncharacteristically deep, a labyrinth of low trenches and shallows. It was a challenge to traverse it without waiting for the high tide to come in, and even the most seasoned sailors didn¡¯t dare sail vessels larger than a boat. Combined with the jagged shore that offered few good docking spots, it wasn¡¯t a surprise that most settlements were established inland. The village they left this morning, Mateili¡¯s Rest, had been founded by its namesake more than a dozen generations ago in the windy countryside. Centuries before the Republic had set its eyes on these remote islands. Talking in the common hall of the inn, more than one person had no problem admitting it had been years since they saw the sea. Yet they were no less islanders than him. Kai continued to mull. Ahead of him the twins were engaged in another argument with Ana. Their options grew thinner the further west they moved, but that didn''t dissuade them from quarreling. It must be a way of keeping themselves entertained. When they were children, they couldn¡¯t go a minute without asking ¡®How far?¡¯. I guess this is progress. Across rolling hills with tall yellowing grasses and thorny bushes, the occasional tree stood guard over the landscape. The group proceeded west on a series of winding dirt paths. The fading lines in the ground slowly reclaimed by the vegetation rarely saw the wheel of a cart or human foot. Close to winter, fields of purple and indigo wildflowers filled the air with sweet fragrance whenever the wind blew. The land wasn¡¯t infertile, but far too rocky to be worth the effort for most people, especially when there was plenty of arable land further south. It was a different scenery than any other Kai had observed in the archipelago. Drier, without the vibrant greens, but full of life and critters hopping and skittering in the underbrush. From the summit of the steeper hills, they could spot the sea as a thin blue line on the horizon. With his keen Perception, Kai could also smell a faint trace of salt in the breeze, hidden beneath layers of earth and plants. The Baquaire Archipelago might be a speck in the vast lands under the domain of the Merian Republic, but it held so many places that begged to be explored. With his gaze locked beyond the horizon, he had forgotten what lay at his feet. We always want what we can¡¯t have. There is still so much I don¡¯t know here. The largest three of the seven major islands were dedicated to Yatei, and the smallest three to Kahali, while the fourth was named after one of the mythical founders of the archipelago. Velu, the island where humans could sometimes meet the spirits. Of all of them, he had only been on two. And he hadn¡¯t seen much of Yatol, where he was born. Not to even count the myriad of minor islets strewn around their bigger cousins. Most were little more than rocks that came and went with the tides, but that still left hundreds, some with permanent villages on them. So eager to sail for the continent when he hadn¡¯t seen but a fraction of his own homeland. I¡¯ve got years before my fourteenth birthday, no risk of getting bored. If he couldn¡¯t visit every place, he could learn about them in other ways. ¡°We really got lucky with the weather,¡± Flynn muttered to no one in particular, shielding his eyes from the sun beaming in the cloudless sky. The top of another hill granted them a far view of their surroundings. ¡°How far is the next village? There isn¡¯t a shack in sight.¡± Very smooth, Kai ignored his veiled hints. My answer stays the same. ¡°We''re about fifteen miles from the closest village, I believe,¡± Lou glanced at the trio arguing over the map. ¡°I¡¯d have to check to be sure¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, I was just wondering. That¡¯s quite the distance.¡± Flynn waved away his own question as if it didn¡¯t hold any particular interest. ¡°We¡¯re basically in the middle of nowhere.¡± You sneaky motherfucker. Walking in the middle, Kai sent a silent threat only his dearest friend would see. He was repaid by a brief smirk. Lou continued to talk, unaware of the exchange of glances. ¡°There¡¯ll be more villages closer to the western shore, but this region is the least populated area of Yanlun. If we don¡¯t count the Veeryd jungle anyway.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know that. Did you, Kai?¡± Nothing but honest curiosity on his face. ¡°I imagine we¡¯ll have to walk the same path on the way back.¡± Kai glared again. Would Flynn stop pestering him if he gave him false hope? ¡°Is there something I¡¯m missing?¡± The bulky teen glanced between them, and Kai was more annoyed he had been the one to slip the act than afraid of looking suspicious. ¡°Nah, Kai just isn¡¯t a fan of walking.¡± Flynn gave a friendly slap to his back. ¡°It¡¯s not efficient enough for him, he¡¯d much rather run all the way.¡± ¡°Huh, that¡¯d be a long run,¡± Lou nodded to himself, pondering the logistics of the proposal. With a last sneaky wink, Flynn changed the topic to what kind of foods they could expect to eat tonight. ¡°I think the bean soup would have been better with a bit of pepper. Have you tried the new place? The one they opened just north of Ring Road. They make the best spicy squid in the city.¡± Under Lou¡¯s watchful gaze, Kai could only follow suit. He didn¡¯t understand why Flynn was so eager to play with Fate. I mean, he does bring some good arguments¡­ It was the first time they were this far from any settlement since leaving Sylspring, and the low charge of the artifact wasn¡¯t an actual problem. At worst, nothing would happen, and they''d know there was a minimum threshold of Fate to activate the Fulcrum. In either case, it would be a shadow of the night in Higharbor. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Flynn might have a point, partially. But he wasn¡¯t the one chased through the city by a string of coincidences, without any idea what was going on. Maybe, just maybe, Kai was slightly¡­ apprehensive about repeating the experience. He didn¡¯t like the prospect of losing control over the situation again, and the Fate Fulcrum was unpredictable by its own nature. Well, the return trip will give me a better estimate if there is a minimum threshold. I¡¯d be surprised if anything happened with a three-day charge¡­ Swept in the relaxed chatter, Kai enjoyed exploring the new smells and plants of the countryside. Buzzing bees pollinated colorful flowers, while plump rodents nibbled on roots and nuts in the underbrush. He wouldn¡¯t mind running ahead to see more of the region. If he were alone, he could store his backpack in his ring and leisurely skip between the slopes. No one to judge him if he hopped after the hamsters to catch one. I know, I know, being social is important, and complicated. They caught sight of yet another village. Two dozen little houses with thatched roofs huddling around a creek. As they passed by, they returned the waves at the people working in the fields of beans. Into the afternoon, glimpses of faraway villages became a periodical occurrence. It was somewhat unusual that none appeared to reach a hundred people. From what Kai knew, settlements of that size shouldn''t have survived the culling of the Republic seven years earlier. Was it too much hassle to relocate them? The sea was miles away, and not even traversable by most vessels. The Republic couldn¡¯t simply load them on a boat and go, though it wasn¡¯t an insurmountable barrier. If the governor was determined to see it done, they¡¯d have made them march through the island if necessary. Once Kai thought the Republic only cared about freeing the best stretches of shore to sell, and maybe that played a part, but the full picture was more complex. Gathering the natives into towns was about control and wealth. The Republic didn¡¯t have the manpower to govern or tax a population spread into a myriad of villages and seven major islands. It was easier to crush any rebellion if you had to look through a handful of towns rather than a thousand tiny settlements. Without anyone realizing it, the governor had stripped away the biggest advantage they had. These villages inland are too isolated to have any importance. The sea connects people, without that there is no worry they might do something. Kai regretted not stopping in one of them when he saw their destination. Before them stood a rocky hill, the highest they had met in their journey. That was all the good he had to say. Grey Quarry, an uninventive little settlement founded by the Republic to mine stone. One look at the dingy town peeking over the wooden wall, and he knew to temper his expectations. The last stop before reaching the Vastaire ruins further north. And, with sundown approaching, also their last option to sleep with a roof over their heads. Kai could taste the stone dust on his tongue a mile before they reached the gate. The square buildings he could glimpse beyond the palisade reminded him too much of his prefabricated house in Greenside. ¡°State your name and purpose,¡± a balding guard interrogated, barring the gate with a sneer. The stench of bad breath and alcohol let Kai keep his distance. The twins were right, no decent place can be called ¡®Grey Quarry¡¯ even if it¡¯s the biggest town around. ¡°We come from Higharbor to visit the nearby ruins, sir, do you know them?¡± Ana stepped forward with a friendly smile and a squeaky voice. ¡°We¡¯re looking for a place to spend the night.¡± The man sucked his teeth, spitting at his feet. ¡°Do you have an official identification? We can¡¯t let dangerous strangers inside in the middle of the night.¡± Amazing. We had to find the frustrated guard who had nothing better to do than to abuse his power. The horizon was still lit by a crimson sunset. It was hardly evening, let alone the middle of the night. Kai kept his mouth shut, knowing his wisdom would only lengthen the time between him and a bed. Six kids must be an immense security risk to be let inside. ¡°Of course,¡± Lou put a hand on the twins¡¯ shoulders to quieten them and collected the IDs. Official identifications were another perk of the scholarship. ¡°I assume everything is in order?¡± The guard didn¡¯t hide his surprise at the papers, his look quickly morphed into distaste as he failed to find anything wrong with them. ¡°Yes,¡± he grunted. ¡°Do you also have enough mesars to stay at an inn? Vagrants aren¡¯t allowed in our respectable town.¡± ¡°I can assure you we have enough, sir,¡± Ana chirped with a hesitant frown back at them. Even after the journey, a passing glance at their clothes would be enough to tell they weren¡¯t hurting for money. Though that wasn¡¯t the problem. Who the fuck asks for a bribe from a group of kids? From the way Lou¡¯s back stiffened, he must have caught on too. ¡°I¡¯d like to trust your word, but how can I be sure?¡± A greedy glint gleaned through his terrible acting. ¡°It¡¯s my duty to ensure the well-being of our little town, and I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t let you inside after dark without a good reason.¡± Subtle as a ton of bricks. The twins¡¯ hushed whispers grew furious, ready to share a piece of their mind if Lou didn¡¯t stand in the way. The tall teen looked silently ahead, Kai didn¡¯t need to see his face to imagine his observant gaze debating how to solve the situation. I¡¯m too tired to deal with this shit. Kai checked his pockets for the smallest coin he could find. He¡¯d rather throw a silver in the sea than in the hands of the guard. ¡°It¡¯s late, can you let us in this charming town?¡± He slipped a single copper mesars in the hand of the guard, cursing that he didn¡¯t carry chips. The man obtusely stared at the coin, making Kai wonder why he had bothered trying to be subtle. ¡°There are six of you.¡± Are you kidding me? Improvisation could barely contain his growing contempt and irritation. He searched his pockets for two more coppers. ¡°That¡¯s all my mom gave me.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± the man spit again, missing his shoes by an inch. ¡°Don¡¯t make trouble.¡± Kai slipped inside the gate without looking back. ¡°A true example of professionalism,¡± he muttered, not caring whether he had been overheard. The streets were even dustier than he expected, painting the building''s lower half in various shades of gray. His first impression wasn¡¯t wrong, nine out of ten buildings were the same identical boxes they used in Greenside. The few people on the streets hurried along with bent backs and grim expressions. What are the chances that this town has a decent inn? ¡°Why did you pay a bribe?¡± Ana stepped in his path with an outraged look, Kai wasn¡¯t sure at who. ¡°We needed to get inside.¡± He replied matter-of-factly and walked around her. The first inn''s broken windows looked like it had seen a murder this same week, so he moved past. ¡°We should have called his superiors.¡± Her voice rose behind him. Kai sighed looking at her idealist expression. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have made a difference. If he was so open about it, he must not fear any repercussions. I¡¯d bet his superior will take a cut of the bribe too.¡± ¡°Even if that were true, we could have called for the mayor. They can''t all be corrupt in this town . We sh¡ª¡± ¡°Enough,¡± Lou stopped her, holding her gaze, calm but firm. ¡°Let¡¯s look for a place to stay, we¡¯re all tired. We can discuss this in the morning.¡± Closer to the heart of the town, the buildings grew marginally better, though the gray dust was omnipresent. Kai could already feel it grating inside his clothes. Guess there might be a place worse than Greenside. A severe old woman with hair a shade darker than the stone greeted them inside the Lucky Duck Inn. The stark interior was as cheerful as its hostess. ¡°How many rooms? Breakfast is not included if you pay for a single night.¡± Kai would bet she hadn¡¯t been the one to choose the name. A single night. They¡¯d reach the ruins in the morning, and everything would be just fine. Chapter 166 – Remnants of a Past Age Chapter 166 ¨C Remnants of a Past Age Coming out of the dusty town, a line of carts headed west to load their cargo at sea. The crates glowed with chains of rough spatial enchantments. The stones paving the streets of Higharbor had to come from somewhere¡­ The ivory rock stolen from the Vastaire ruins was easily recognizable across the upper city. It adorned mansions and important public buildings, shaped into statues for the heroes of Meria. The monumental docks welcoming people into the capital were the most blatant example. Yet it remained a limited resource. Importing from the mainland was expensive, and there were no marble or alabaster caves in the archipelago. The geography of the islands was flat except for the occasional hill like the one Grey Quarry had been built on. Ordinary constructions and houses had to settle for more modest materials: granite, limestone or basalt. None of them were fancy rocks, but they got the job done for the rising middle class of Higharbor. ¡°Well, that place sucked.¡± Oli grimaced at the rocky hill behind them. ¡°I¡¯d rather sleep in a barn than go back to that dusty inn again.¡± ¡°I can still feel the stone powder in my clothes,¡± Uli rubbed his shirt with a scowl. ¡°I told you we should have stopped at a village before the town.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯d be miles farther from the ruins. No, we should have walked further up and camped under the stars. We''ve brought tents anyway.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t that bad,¡± Ana muttered with little conviction. The twins gave her a long look and spoke as one. ¡°Yes, it was.¡± Ana hung her head low. She appeared to have forgotten about the bribe. Perhaps Lou had calmed her righteous rage for justice while he wasn¡¯t looking. Would it have been better to argue with her? The group wasn¡¯t as brainwashed as Kai had first feared, still, they never voiced any criticism directly at the Republic. Not even the twins who had made their dislike apparent. It was always the rude people, the corrupt guard, the general neglect of the town, never the institution governing over them. ¡°Why would anyone live in a place like that?" Uli and Oli got a shiver of repulsion, agreeing in their dislike. Well¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t think they had much choice in the matter.¡± Heads turned towards him, mostly with perplexity. He couldn¡¯t undo years of biased instruction, but that didn¡¯t mean he had to shut up. To not falter under their attention, Kai pulled on Improvisation and his forgotten political bone. ¡°I talked with the cook at the inn last night. The town was just another tiny settlement before the relocation. Most of the people who live there now had little say in choosing their new home.¡± Now he had the attention of the whole group. Flynn gave him a mindful look while Lou wore his impassive mask, his thoughts were anyone¡¯s guess. ¡°Why don¡¯t they just move to some other place if they don¡¯t like it?¡± Uli asked with a frown, echoed by his brother. ¡°They don¡¯t have to stay there if they want to move someplace else.¡± Ana nodded emphatically. ¡°All citizens are free to move to any approved settlement within the archipelago.¡± Her words carried the tone of a rehearsed line. ¡°I think you¡¯re underestimating how hard and expensive it is to move.¡± Kai kept his voice mild. If they had told him that while his family was stranded in Greenside, the answer could have been a little different. ¡°It can take weeks or months to find jobs in a new town. You also need a house, food and other essentials. Not many people can afford that, especially if they¡¯ve got a family to take care of.¡± Change was always scary and hard for most people. Till the discomfort surpassed their personal threshold, the misery they knew was better than the uncertainty of a new place. He suspected the quarry miners had to sign some kind of contract to make things harder, though the people at the inn were tight-lipped on that. ¡°Many probably did leave,¡± Lou broke the tense quiet. ¡°The streets were quite empty for a town of that size. I heard working in the quarry pays well. But yes, they should invest more to keep the place livable.¡± They? ¡°Do you remember how tall those ruins were? Are these as big?¡± Oli wondered out loud after a brief silence. In a blink, they went down memory lane on their trip as children. ¡°They should be bigger,¡± Kai answered vaguely. ¡°Larger than the temple of the Seven Moons in the upper city?¡± ¡°See for yourself and tell me.¡± His father''s notes contained some rough sketches of the ruins and many, many observations. The journal in question rested now in his backpack, easily within reach. Why should I ruin the surprise? There were no more villages on the way. No islanders would build close to the ancestral places, and the Republic hadn¡¯t broken that unwritten rule. The ground turned less rocky and the vegetation denser. There were different kinds of palm trees, eucalyptus and bushy shrubbery with leaves ranging from faded purple to deep emerald. The greenery slowed down their march till they found a path cutting through. The group was brewing in anticipation, their pace hastened with each mile covered. When the ground gently sloped towards the coast, Kai knew they must be close. Mana Sense picked up the edge of the greenery, he turned off the skill to not spoil his first impression. He wanted to see the remnants of a past era with his own eyes. Excitement made his heartbeat pump in his ears, his own expectations timidly rising. He had been little more than a toddler the last time he visited the ruins. Will they seem smaller now that I¡¯ve grown? Kai let the group walk ahead to enjoy their reaction. With a final slant marking the reach of the high tide, the dark ground turned into pale sand. The twins hopped down without hesitation. Stolen novel; please report. ¡°Blessed Moons.¡± ¡°Shit.¡± ¡°What are they like?¡± Ana discarded her dignified poise and scrambled after them. Her face soon mimicked the twins¡¯, eyes wide, jaw hanging open. The remaining trio hung back, sharing the amusement. ¡°After you,¡± Kai waved them forward like any proper guide should. With a nod of agreement, Lou and Flynn confidently strode forth. Their cool demeanor crumbled into awe. They are so cute. Sometimes I forget they¡¯re still kids. Time to see what the fuss is about. Kai locked his gaze on the ground and jumped over the slope. He wanted a complete view when he looked up. His feet crunched on the sand. When his steps were swallowed by looming shadows, his nose rose and he was five again. A forest of towers soared from the sands like colossal white bones against the crystal sea. Some ended in broken peaks covered in ivy, others in elegant spires ascending the skies. Kai craned his neck as far as it would go to catch their entirety. The rough drawings in the journal had not done them justice. They were majestic, towering far higher than any building in the upper city. Ivory bridges connected the structures with thin arches. How arrogant he had been to think his doubling in height made any difference before these pillars of bone. Well, shit. I don¡¯t remember the ruins in Whiteshore being this high or vast¡­ The skyscrapers on Earth were made from glass and steel. There was something inherently imposing to stone, a weight that the sleek buildings of his previous life couldn¡¯t compare. The ivory towers defied gravity with their very presence. With their jagged lines, the broken peaks were still standing firm after eight millennia. The wind whistled, and the waves crashed vainly against the farthest pillars, hundreds of meters away. He was insignificant, their scale humbled him. Kai basked in the shadows of a faraway past, in something greater that was now gone, that had left its skeleton behind. Were they even more impressive in their prime? Falling back to reality, he wasn¡¯t surprised to find the twins were missing. Their backpacks and shoes lay abandoned in the sand, drawing a trail to their laughing figures amidst the forest of stone. For an instant, Kai feared to see a tower crumble like when they were children. But no deafening crash broke the peace. No sneering enforcers walked out of the ruins announcing they were to be demolished. It was just them and these ancient giants. ¡°They are bigger than I thought,¡± Lou absently said. The four of them leisurely advanced, drinking in the sight. ¡°How many buildings are there?¡± ¡°Eighty-seven,¡± Kai jumped on the chance to share his knowledge, his father had personally counted them. ¡°At least those still standing, there might be more broken or buried under the sand. What? I know my stuff.¡± He shrugged off Flynn''s judging gaze. ¡°Are they stable?¡± Lou threw a worried glance at the twins climbing a broken tower. ¡°I remember the ones we saw at Whiteshore were intact.¡± ¡°They are as safe as they come. Whatever broke them happened millennia ago, before humans reached the archipelago. I don¡¯t think you can damage them without Stone Magic or specialized skills and tools.¡± Looking at the jagged spires with missing chunks, his imagination ran wild. These hadn¡¯t been damaged by a demolition crew. What was powerful enough to break them like that? Was it linked with the mysterious disappearance of the Vastaire civilization like his father had speculated? ¡°Are they also idiot-proof?¡± Ana asked, looking at the twins squeezing inside an empty window. ¡°Depends how thick their skulls are.¡± Kai gave his professional opinion. ¡°There might be something else that could break those stones after all. Though it¡¯s more likely that they¡¯ll get lost inside. Most of the buildings are linked underground.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on them.¡± Ana sighed and stalked towards the tower, shouting after Uli and Oli. ¡°Wait for me!¡± ¡°Should we set up camp?¡± Kai asked. ¡°Yes, Mister Fun, let¡¯s go set up camp.¡± Flynn teased. Lou offered no back up, ruffing his hair with one big palm. ¡°It¡¯s good you¡¯re trying to be responsible.¡± What does that mean? ¡°Fine, we can deal with it later. I¡¯ll meet you here for lunch.¡± Kai took his notebook and pen and thrusted his bag to Flynn. ¡°Don¡¯t let it get wet, and scream if you need help. I¡¯ll know it was you.¡± Is this enough ¡®fun¡¯? I just wanted to take care of the boring stuff first. Kai strode towards the ruins, twirling his dad¡¯s enchanted pen. Ivory pillars surrounded him on all sides, broken boulders created hurdles on the disjointed walkway. Rellan had walked these same paths years ago. He couldn¡¯t get the grin off his face. I didn¡¯t expect them to be so vast. Where do I even begin? The written pages could never do them justice. To think he had worried they¡¯d get bored. A week would never be enough for a complete exploration. More so if the structure continued underground, and he had to dig through the sand. I need to plan this out. He had memorized the map his father drew, but he was having a hard time reconciling those messy strokes with reality. The ruins extended in all directions, and a flat paper couldn¡¯t properly represent them. Kai wandered the ruins till the discordant information fit together in his head. When he was confident he could tell his way around, he picked one of the structures he knew had access to the underground complex. The doors had long sunk into the ground, but there were broken tops and windows like the ones the twins used. Taking advantage of his small size, Kai squeezed through a hole close to the ground. The sides of the entrance were smooth and sharp as if the masons had just finished laying the stone. He poked his head inside to look around, he was close to the ceiling. The floor was about two meters down, not a problem if he wasn¡¯t entering headfirst. Kai hooked his legs on the window to shorten the jump and landed on a handstand, flexing his arms to absorb the impact. His landing echoed in the chamber. Alas, there was no one to cheer his grand entrance. Standing upright, Kai analyzed his findings. An unblemished white room except for a thin layer of sand and a few hermit crabs skittering away. No glyphs or signs of any kind on the flawless walls. The ruins were definitely more impressive from the outside. There was a hole in the floor and one in the ceiling that gave access to the adjacent floors. On the wall, a regular series of square punctures in a rising arc might have once housed the stairs. Evidently, they had not been made from the same durable material. Kai turned his attention to the passage on the floor, another similar jump. The majority of the Vastaire''s writings were discovered underground. That was where he had the highest chance to find something his father had missed. The height wasn¡¯t a problem, he should then be able to make his way up even without Empower. Hopefully, the twins wouldn¡¯t be too reckless in their exploration. Ana might struggle to cover the distance without a rope, though the holes of the stairs aligned with the entrance to climb up. Kai hopped down, landing in a crouch. The layer of sand was noticeably thicker, and the air was humid. Sadly, there were no glyphs on the walls of the chamber or any other meaningful findings. Any interesting pebble or splinter must have been looted thousands of years ago. There was no chance to find anything that wasn¡¯t etched or chained into stone. Unmoved by logic, a corner of him couldn¡¯t help but hope he would get lucky. Something¡¯s odd. Kai took a second to put his finger on it. The mana was marginally denser, the difference was close to unnoticeable even with his high skill level. Such tiny changes could be due to natural fluctuations. Is it because we¡¯re underground? Eager to prove his theory, he headed for the passage and groaned. The next level was partially flooded. Of course it is, you dimwit, we¡¯re below sea level. He didn¡¯t want to ruin his new notebook, or his dad''s pen. His eyes fell on the silver ring on his finger. He had promised himself not to use it unless absolutely necessary, but there was hardly a safer place than this. Apart from them, there was no village or person for miles and miles. A strand of mana linked him to his spatial closet, where an item in particular screamed for his attention. Chewing his cheek, Kai took out the Fate Fulcrum. The sun was shining, there were no awakened beasts or people for miles, and he would only be using a tiny charge. There might be a way to increase his chances after all. Chapter 167 - Underwater Exploration Chapter 167 - Underwater Exploration Kai stashed his silver disk and clothes inside his ring and jumped to the lower floor. The knee-deep water was hardly of any help in the landing. But if it wasn¡¯t enough to cushion the fall, it was enough to drench him thoroughly. Damned cold water. Away from the sun, the icy droplets sent shivers down his arms and back. Scant rays of light penetrated from the opening in the ceiling. The polished ivory stone reflected the light coming from the windows two floors up. A school of tiny yellow fish tickled his legs in their panic to flee to the deeper chamber. The mana density had increased yet again, though it didn¡¯t reach any degree that warranted worrying about. Water and Shadow particles swirled around him, with a minor presence of his other major elements and the occasional stray Space mote he snatched for himself. It wasn''t enough to birth a beast, and even if some mollusk or crab got lucky to awaken, a red-tier animal was hardly a threat. Kai used his enchanted crystal to better light the chamber as he mulled over the plan taking form in his mind. If he wanted to use the Fulcrum, he had to take thorough precautions. Tapping his fingers on the pale walls, Kai activated Inspect and Mana Sense. Rocks in nature often had tiny fractures where they might break, the stone of the ruins was flawless inside and out. This aligned with the theory his dad wrote in his journals. Rellan had believed that due to the way the Vastaire built their structures, the stone could be broken but not damaged. Unless a force surpassed their durability threshold, they remained immutable through the millennia. Unaffected by weather and time. The Fate Fulcrum made unlikely events bubble to the surface, even if the chance they would occur naturally was minuscule. But those events had to be possible. It¡¯s a theory. I¡¯m not an expert in magic constructions, and neither was my dad¡­ He would verify their stability before proceeding. He didn¡¯t feel comfortable betting on any life but his own. And a collapse was only one possible danger. With five teenagers climbing the towers, his biggest worry was to find them splattered on the ground. A few slippery droplets falling at the wrong time and place, or a sudden gust of wind could make them lose their grip. Or an osprey mistaking them for prey, a vine coming loose, a swarm of angry bees¡­ Without knowing the limits of the artifact, his mind could conjure an endless number of ludicrous scenarios. That''s why I need to test it away from people. No matter how unlikely the deadly circumstances were, he was not going to take any chances. His best bet was to activate the Fulcrum when the group was away from the ruins and any potential mishap. The release of Fate had lasted about half an hour in Higharbor. Given the smaller charge he would be using, this one might be even shorter. Perhaps he could activate the artifact at night while his friends slept in a safe area. They might not realize anything odd happened. Should I ask Flynn if I missed something? His friend had been the one campaigning to test the silver disk, but Kai didn¡¯t want to encourage him towards anything reckless. It might be better to keep him in the dark till all was said and done. He had already told him he planned to use it during the return trip, so Flynn shouldn¡¯t suspect anything. Though I¡¯d be super mad if the positions were reverted, and he decided for me. He knows the potential dangers of the artifact¡­ Stuck in a flooded chamber underground, Kai decided to set aside the matter and carry on with his exploration. Either case, he needed to become more familiar with the ruins before he used the artifact. He might have overlooked a potential danger. Even if the spirits smiled at him, there was no way to ensure the random coincidences brought him something useful. The artifact might need to gather more Fate, there might be nothing to find, or a thousand other possibilities. It would be useful as a test, but he couldn¡¯t wager all his hopes on it. His dad had visited many ruins, it was possible he might have missed some hidden glyphs. Enough stalling, waiting won¡¯t make the water any warmer. Taking a deep breath, Kai dove into the frigid waters towards the next chambers. The world turned silent and darker, lit only by the enchanted crystal in his fist. Its blue light reverberated in the twisted tunnels. Thanks to Blessed Swimmer, he was always at home in the sea. Wait! Does this mean the water is linked to the sea, or is the proximity enough? The edge of the ruins bordered the waves, but he hadn¡¯t checked whether they were directly connected. If so, the upper floors might empty with the low tide and make his exploration more convenient. With the oxygen ticking down in his lungs, Kai focused on his surroundings. The chamber he was in brought some variety, with two passages branching on opposite walls beside the one leading deeper into the room. Where do I go first? Eenie meanie miney moe. Kai picked a corridor at random, swimming in slow regular strokes for efficiency. He tried to match the confusing maps with what stood before him. Rellan had drawn them for his personal use, not imagining someone else would need to decipher his scribbles decades later. The pale ivory tunnel extended into darkness. Sand and debris had filled a noticeable portion of the ruins, halving the once spacious passages. Scampering crustaceans and mollusks hid under the sand, scared of the foreign light he carried, while schools of blue and green fishes swam curiously toward him. It was harder to extend Mana Sense through denser materials. Scouting the waterway wasn¡¯t a problem, he could get a rough picture of the complex dozens of meters ahead. But the tiny details buried under meters of sand and gravel were a different story. At least I¡¯ll see any beast from a mile away. Most inanimate objects contained a fraction of the mana living entities possessed. While Kai couldn¡¯t directly perceive them, he could identify their silhouettes with the flows of mana around them. Each material bent the streams of essence in slightly different ways. He opted to move slow and steady rather than to hurry and later wondered if he had missed a glyph buried on the floor of a chamber. In a corner, a red crab threateningly clacked its pincers at him. Kai waved back a friendly greeting as he floated over the little guy. A forest of deep blue kelp with a faint luminescence filled the next corridor. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Behind the plants gently swaying in the current, a series of side rooms opened on both sides. Their doors were mostly buried, leaving only a small opening he could squeeze through. Kai poked his head inside for anything immediately visible and checked them with his skills from outside. This is going to take a while, I should have filled the ring with air. One after the other, Kai methodically moved through all the chambers. About a third of the towers had access to the underground system, most of them were in the highest buildings located in the central cluster. When he moved too far from his initial entrance, he found a closer breathing chamber to resurface and note down his progress. A simple Water spell ensured he didn¡¯t get his notebook wet. The complex hadn¡¯t been purposefully built to be a maze, but being flooded and half-buried complicated things. Diving in dark tunnels brought back memories of his underwater hunt with Ele. He had been forced to leave Sylspring before he could visit Mama Clam again. She must miss me dearly. I bet she must have prepared another pearl for me. He regularly exchanged letters with his family, though there were things that couldn¡¯t be expressed through words. Now that he was done with Virya¡¯s puzzle, he should find the time to visit. But it¡¯d take a week at sea counting the back and forth, and his mom wasn¡¯t going to let him go easily once he got there. He didn¡¯t want to take advantage of Reishi¡¯s patience. The merfolk had been accommodating with their Alchemy business, and Kai planned to give it his full focus for a few months, especially after he had taken time off for this trip. So many things to do and so little time. Without the sun to keep track of time, Kai fell into a rhythm. He dove into the cold waters, explored the dark chambers, scared the crap out of some little critters, resurfaced and repeated. He found an etching on the wall in a half-buried room. A short text praising some ancient monarch with a name he couldn¡¯t pronounce, and the Blessing he or she bestowed on the Vastaire. It had already been recorded and translated by his dad, but it proved the squiggly doodle on the maps marked the place of his writings. Most of the etching referred to obscure historical events and figures that made no sense to him. The writers rarely gave any context since their meaning must have appeared obvious to them. There was also the chance he or his father had gotten something wrong in the translation. Kai broke the surface of the water, taking deep breaths. A patch of reddish algae growing against the ivory walls proved it was a new chamber he hadn¡¯t been in before. I should go see how they¡¯re doing before they start worrying. Would it be suspicious if I walked out with dry clothes? Lou already knew about his Water Magic, but the twins and Ana didn¡¯t. Then again, they weren¡¯t the types to look for a strange explanation like magic when he could have left them in a dry chamber. And he didn¡¯t really like having salt in his clothes. I¡¯ve not brought enough shirts to change them every day. Taking a run-up, Kai leaped for the opening in the ceiling. He overshot a little, hitting his ribs on the passage. With a curse, he managed to grab hold of the floor and pull himself up. A jump later, he popped out of a window and landed on the pale sand, just a shade darker than the ruins. The warm rays of the sun banished the chill of the underground waters from his bones. Noon and lunch must have passed by a few hours. ¡°Found him!¡± Lou announced, striding towards him. Shit. Kai gave him a sheepish smile. ¡°We were looking for you.¡± The teen sighed. There was no anger, just the look of an exasperated parent. ¡°Sorry, it was hard to tell time down in the flooded underground.¡± Lou kept his gaze for a second before shaking his head, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I know the Vastaire ruins were important to your father, but try to warn us if you plan to go out on your own. If I didn¡¯t know you, I would have thought you drowned.¡± ¡°I will,¡± he promised. It was hard to argue when Lou used his reasonable tone. ¡°By the way, have you prepared anything for lunch?¡± His stomach rumbled at the thought of food. ¡°There was when I left, but I can¡¯t guarantee it will still be there. C¡¯mon, I¡¯ll show you where we¡¯ve camped.¡± ¡°Did you fall off while climbing?¡± Ana joined them on their way back to camp. ¡°No, sorry for worrying you,¡± Kai noticed they were heading deeper into the cluster of ruins and not toward the greenery. His suspicions were confirmed when they stopped before one of the central towers. ¡°You set up camp here?¡± Up close, he had to crane his neck to watch the massive ivory pillar before them. In its prime, it must have been the highest one in the ruins, but now the pinnacle was broken in a clean cut. ¡°Uli and Oli insisted it was the only sensible choice.¡± Ana began to climb with little ceremony, making use of the regular holes that once held the fixtures of the building. ¡°It¡¯s sheltered from the weather and safe from the tide. So it¡¯s not a terrible choice¡­¡± While Kai couldn¡¯t dispute their logic, it felt odd to sleep and cook dinner inside the ruins, as if they were violating a sacred place. Following Ana, he entered a spacious room. Their bags were lined up against the wall, and an impromptu fireplace lay extinguished. ¡°Did you get stuck in a room unable to climb out?¡± Uli asked with weird enthusiasm. Hello to you too. ¡°No, I¡ª.¡± Kai tried to explain but was interrupted by Oli. ¡°Did you fall off a tower, hit your head and lay unconscious on the beach?¡± Did I miss something? ¡°No. I didn¡¯t realize how the hours flew by.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± both twins slumped, disappointed. They scowled at Flynn who lay sprawled by the hearth, enjoying the sunlight peeking through a window. ¡°I told you he was fine. He forgets about everything else when he¡¯s focused.¡± Kai furrowed his brow. ¡°Did you bet on what happened to me?¡± ¡°Absolutely not. What gave you that impression?¡± Flynn grinned brightly. ¡°But even if we did, and I¡¯m not saying that¡¯s what happened, I was right. You can¡¯t blame me for it, you can be a bit forgetful.¡± I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s how it works. ¡°Here, I¡¯ve kept your lunch safe.¡± Flynn offered him a pot to distract him. ¡°It¡¯s empty.¡± Kai pointed out the obvious. All that remained were a few crumbs of what might or might not have been a stew. ¡°What?¡± He widened his eyes and pulled a hand over his face in shock. ¡°I¡¯ve no idea how that happened!¡± ¡°Hey!¡± The twins stood up. ¡°You said we couldn¡¯t have it because you were saving it for Kai.¡± ¡°No, I said I would keep it safe.¡± Flynn corrected them, his dramatic surprise already gone. ¡°And I can assure you, the food is extremely safe right now.¡± He patted his belly. Uli and Oli shared a glance, slowly advancing towards him. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure.¡± Since Lou had mentioned how the food had been left unguarded, Kai had already resigned. He perused their supplies to cook another meal while the twins chased after Flynn. His traitorous friend fled out of a window, granting him the gift of silence. *** Busy mapping out every nook and cranny of the ruins, five days fled him. His dad had been extremely thorough in his exploration. Kai didn¡¯t know how Rellan had managed to spot every detail of interest, no matter if it was buried below meters of sand. I should ask Mom what his profession was. After Inspecting many towers, he hadn¡¯t found any signs that could forecast a collapse in the ivory structure. That still left his other worries. There was something weird about the mana density within the ruins. While the increase wasn¡¯t significant, it was there. It grew the deeper he went in the chambers and reached its peak in the center of the underground complex. Rellan had dismissed it as one of many mana oddities. Small pockets of higher concentration weren¡¯t unique. The Essence of the World was always in motion and ever-changing. Kai couldn¡¯t accept that there was no answer, and he also couldn¡¯t find any other explanation. It was incredibly frustrating. He had tried to follow the flows of mana through the maze of corridors, but those streams just looped onto themselves without any detectable source or origin. Lou asked to come with him once. No one else had shown interest in exploring the icy waters below the ruins. The soaring towers with their jagged tops held more appeal, granting incredible views of the coast. The twins made it their mission to climb every peak. Despite Kai''s worries, they were great climbers and had managed to complete their mission before the week was over, leaving them temporarily aimless. With just a few subtle hints, he convinced them to volunteer for a supply run in a nearby village. And Ana obviously couldn¡¯t let them go alone. Spirits knew what they¡¯d buy by themselves. From the window in their camp, Kai observed Flynn and Lou jogging away along the coast. His friend had shown no surprise when he revealed what he had been planning. Convincing him to keep Lou busy had been harder, but he had ultimately agreed. With a thought, a silver disk reflecting multiple colors appeared in his hand. It was finally time. Chapter 168 - Testing Fate Chapter 168 - Testing Fate The circular script on the Fulcrum glowed with a soft light, it had gathered Fate for more than a week. Kai wished he had observed the artifact before activating it the first time, so he would have a reference. It could be quite a bit or a speck of dust. The gathering speed depended on his Favor, which was his most impressive attribute. But whatever mad enchanter built the artifact, they probably didn¡¯t plan to lend it to the first guy on the streets. There is one simple way to know for sure. Kai descended the broken tower towards the submerged floors. He had debated where to activate it. The structure the twins had chosen to set up camp in was in the center of the cluster, aligned with the higher mana density area underneath. Under the moons pulling, the tide was leaning against low. The half-flooded chamber was dry, with the layer of sand dark with humidity. Kai dove into the dark waters. He barely felt the biting cold, the anticipation of the moment swelled inside him. Swimming, he pushed himself against the familiar tunnels to gain speed and emerged a minute later in an underground chamber. One of the few not linked to a higher room, and only accessible from the flooded tunnels. Kai scrunched his nose. The air was damp and stale despite his best efforts to bring fresh oxygen through his spatial closet. Kai retched a bit when his feet touched the slimy floor. A handful of sand had stopped him from slipping, but it didn¡¯t stop the mushy sensation. The ivory walls were almost unrecognizable beneath the coat of algae. Why did I think this was the best place again¡­? He had chosen to anchor the release of Fate to the place of activation instead of himself. It might increase the chances of discovering something about the ruin. The dilemma had been where to activate the artifact. Underground, his senses and movements would be restricted by water and walls. While on the towers outside, he could easily survey the whole ruins from his vantage point and have more mobility. Perhaps that would have been the wiser choice, but all the mysteries he was interested in were in the depths of the tunnels. That had sealed the deal. This chamber was in a central position that would allow him to reach the corners of the underground complex in the shortest amount of time. I¡¯m going to feel like a big fool if nothing happens. Checking the nubs of the silver disk had been tuned correctly one last time, Kai swallowed his nervousness and gave a light press. Click. The silvery sound echoed like it was both from far away and right beside his ear. The glow accumulated in a week dissipated like embers blown away by the wind. As the tiny sparks disappeared, Kai stretched his senses to investigate for any change. The underwater chamber was eerily silent, only disturbed by the occasional dripping of water. C¡¯mon, spirits, give me something. I¡¯ll settle for anything, no matter how small. Seconds ticked by as Kai spread Mana Sense dozens of meters in every direction. The strain of the skill was mounting in the back of his head. He just needed a sign that something unusual was going on. Was the charge not enough? Last time the click had barely faded when a storefront collapsed. Five minutes later, nothing had happened. His shoulders slumped. Dozens of careful preparations to minimize the risks and days of patience to wait for the right moment, all for what? Kai released his hold on Mana Sense with a sigh. Hallowed Intuition had formed a hushed murmur, a constant humming if he focused on it. The skill had also behaved erratically in Higharbor and had failed to warn him of the vase almost cracking his skull. Its predicting abilities relied on Favor to work, and the Fulcrum interfered with Fate. He had no idea how, but the two things clearly interacted. Perhaps the artifact disrupted the flow of Fate and made the whispers of Hallowed Intuition even more cryptic. At least I¡¯ve confirmed something. Tests, yay! Kai was about to dive back into the water to see if the fishes inhabiting the tunnels exhibited weird behaviors when the murmurs of the skill hit a crescendo. His skin tingled from his toes to the tips of his ears. A pulse of essence crossed his entire body and continued through the ruins. The mana currents churned below him, wildly accelerating their motion, denser by the moment. The fuc¡ª Kai jumped into the flooded tunnels and pushed mana into Blessed Swimmer to navigate them faster. He had no idea how long it would last, and this might be his only chance to understand what the fuck was going on. The waters themselves were stirred by the wild streams of mana, rousing the sand and reducing visibility. Schools of fish and skittering crabs fled in a panic, the mollusks that couldn¡¯t move dug themselves in the ground. Kai relied on Blessed Swimmer to not get swept away as he looked for the origin of the event through the chaos. The ambient mana had already more than doubled, and the density was still climbing higher. His skin had gone numb to the continuous tingle. Spirits, the mana must be five times higher than normal now. Kai stopped in a large hall with a single entry where his dad had recorded an etching. Sand and debris filled two-thirds of the space, whirling in the water. Blessed Swimmer couldn¡¯t protect him completely, a sliver of rock cut a thin line in his arm, bleeding a red thread. Is this the place? He shaped Water mana into a shield to observe the mayhem without distractions. Blue, dark and iridescent motes swirled. He narrowed down Mana Sense to see if he could get any conclusive answer. It doesn¡¯t make an¡ª A strident cry split his thoughts, breaking through the confused humming of Hallowed Intuition. Hoarse and incomprehensible. The mana storm started abating, the sand filling the chamber stirred, heaved, as if something¡­ Wha¡ª That¡¯s not possible! Another raspy cry pierced the indistinct mass of whispers, echoing in his mind with a somewhat desperate note. Kai abandoned his curiosity and bolted for the door with all the Strength he could muster. He smashed into the corridor opposite the entrance and pushed on with hardly a grimace. Empower surged through his body granting him superior speed. At the edge of his senses, an incandescent mass of mana uncoiled in the chamber. Kai didn¡¯t stop to get a better view and pushed harder against the water. Whatever that was, he didn¡¯t need Hallowed Intuition to know it was bad news. Mana overflowed his veins, powering his limbs. Kai reduced the drag with Blessed Swimmer trying to outrun the impending sense of doom. Bruises and cuts accumulated on his body in the hurry to make it out. He charted the fastest path to the surface, he needed to get out of here now. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Shit, shit, shit¡ª A low rumble spread through the water from behind. Bones rattled and movements faltered in some kind of primordial fear. Another hoarse cry. Run. Flee. Hurry. The presence in the heart of the ruins began to move. Kai couldn¡¯t spare the Mind to extend Mana Sense, he knew with certainty that it was coming towards him. It reemerged in his range, cutting through the tunnels with terrifying speed. A light shone above. His muscles screamed as he hurled himself out of the dark waters directly into the dry chamber. He had no idea which tower he was in, but Kai didn¡¯t hesitate to climb higher. His instincts screamed to run. Kai only dared to stop when he reached the broken top of the building, warm sunlight bathing his body. He balanced on the jagged top of one of the lower towers to survey the terrain. Sword firmly in his grip, his chest heaved to catch his breath. The tower where they camped stood fifty meters away. Overlooking the beach, the Vastaire site was entirely untouched by the storm below. The crystal sea glimmered in the sun, calm and peaceful beyond the ruins. Whatever that thing was, it had given up its chase once beyond the water. What the fuck was that? I checked all the underground chambers, they could only be accessed from outs¡ª Hallowed Intuition humming rose faintly, a shadow shot from the sands below. It crossed the distance in a blink. Kai surged Empower and raised his sword in a defensive stance. Long needle-like fangs and a dark abyss crashed against the steel. Unable to fend off the attack, Kai was thrown back like a rag doll. His back painfully hit the opposite wall. The adrenaline helped him ignore the pain, nothing appeared to be broken. His sight was slightly hazy from the impact, but he gritted his teeth and stood up to meet the threat. A glimpse of dark blue scales slithered off the tower and disappeared into the white sands. Mana Sense had caught more than his eyes, a signature brighter than any beasts he had fought before faded into the cloud of essence below. That¡¯s not possible. There was no awakened beast for tens of miles in every direction. No time for hows or whys. Kai downed all four vials he had prepared for emergencies. The most potent recipes he could brew from Dora¡¯s book. Heat radiated from his stomach through his body. His head cleared and the scrapes on his skin stopped bleeding. Then the enhancing potions kicked in, sharpening his mind and strengthening his body. Future-Kai will deal with the consequences if I survive. The foul smell of rotten fish filled the air. Kai pinpointed the source to a dark green patch of dense ichor painting the ivory stone. His hopes were quickly dashed, his sword was clean. The beast must have been injured before it attacked him. Damned spirits, I said to send me a small sign, not a fucking kaiju. Peeking over the edge of the tower, the beach looked sunny and peaceful. Mana Sense couldn¡¯t perceive anything off apart from the abnormal concentration of mana beneath. Kai didn¡¯t trust it for a second. The dense cloud of essence hung below the sands. He might be able to pierce it if he were closer, but that would mean moving closer to the threat. Why did he pick such a short tower in his mad escape, damn idiot. Jumping to a higher building now would leave him exposed to a strike. Calm the fuck down. What are your options? After its initial strike failed, the beast appeared content to ignore him, perhaps nursing its wound. There was a chance the monster would get bored and go away if he waited long enough. The mana was already dissipating, and the normal ambient essence couldn¡¯t sustain beasts of that power. That might take a couple hours, if he was lucky. Shit! He couldn¡¯t wait. Flynn and Lou would come back before then. Knowing them, any warning sign would draw them closer instead. Flynn had promised to keep the other teen busy for an hour. Kai had been sure it would be ample time to exhaust the effect of the artifact and hide any trace. He hadn¡¯t considered the consequences might be this dangerous and alive. Guess that leaves only one option. With a single viable path before him, Kai was somewhat relieved. There was nothing to be done besides giving it his best shot and hoping he didn¡¯t die. That¡¯s a cheery thought! Hallowed Intuition had stopped constantly humming, meaning the interference from the Fulcrum might be over. Plans huddled in his mind. He chipped away at them, till a single, awfully reckless idea remained. He threw the empty vials onto the sand below. A sharp whisper proved his danger-sensing skill was working again. The tumbling glass didn¡¯t reach the beach before a scaled tail smashed them to dust. Definitely still there. From the bestiaries he had read at the estate, he could think of a few monsters that might fit the description. Unless this was some exotic species. I hope I¡¯m wrong. Kai descended to the lower chamber, senses tense for any sign of danger. Hallowed Intuition warned him of the mortal danger below and advised him to go back at each step. I¡¯ve got no choice. He needed to taunt the scaled monster while giving up as few advantages as possible. He hadn¡¯t gotten a good look at the beast, but if the spirits had any mercy, it was too large to squeeze through the windows. That left only the passages in the floors. It¡¯d be far easier to anticipate, though he wasn¡¯t looking forward to fighting a monster with that Strength in close quarters. The ivory tower was a shield but also a trap that limited his movements. It¡¯s the only way. Kai spared ten breaths on each floor to see if the scaled beast would make its move. His improved boosting potions should give him at least twenty more minutes before the side effects kick in. He had to close it before then. He spied on the dark waters two rooms below, close enough. Kai summoned a stream of seawater towards him. He absorbed half of it in his ring and let the rest pool around him for good measure. His Magic was stronger when it could directly control a liquid without wasting power condensing it. C¡¯mon, fishy fishy. Searching the room, Kai gathered a handful of pebbles. Right hand still wielding his blade, he used the left to throw them in the water one by one. Pluf. Pluf. Pluf. The power of pebbles transcended species and language. Hallowed Intuition granted him a brief warning before the beast emerged from the water. There was no strike this time. Two long feelers broke the surface, lazily testing the air. They were linked to a sharp snout covered in dark blue scales with a metallic gleam. Without haste, the spiked draconic head emerged fully, almost filling the entire door frame with its size. The massive body slowly coiled in the lower chamber without apparent end. Two icy, blue slitted eyes fixed on him. Kai stopped breathing. The tail finally emerged from the sprinkling water with its finned ends, and the beast broke the stare. A few specks of white flooring remained visible beneath the massive body. No arms or wings along the serpentine body, and two symmetrical wounds along its midsection leaking dark green ichor. The same foul smell of rotting fish filled the chamber. The cuts were oddly straight and deep, judging by the amount of ichor and careful movement of the beast. His suspicions were correct. A freaking sea serpent. I demand a refund! Perhaps early Yellow, he didn¡¯t have enough experience to tell for sure. The odds he could beat this monster in a fair fight were not in his favor. A forked tongue tasted the air. The snake let out a low disdainful whistle, revealing a row of glass-like teeth. Its jaw was more than large enough to swallow him in a single bite. Kai tensed his muscles, sword before him and elemental spells ready. The entire reserves of Mana Spring were ready to be used. Spirits bless me. What are you waiting for? Do you want me to throw a pebble on your stup¡ª The sea serpent struck, ravenous jaws open to tear into his flesh. The water on the floor surged, consuming half of his elemental reserves to form a revolving shield around him. Hallowed Intuition whispered in his ear, giving the final go-ahead. Empower flooded his body to bursting. Kai abandoned his sword and dove for the jaws like an Olympic swimmer, following the exact timing suggested by his skill. A sharp pain shot from his left shoulder and leg where the fangs cut into him. Then the world turned dark, and even more foul smelling. Kai didn¡¯t wait for the serpent to constrict his body or test its stomach acids. Streams of water gushed out of his ring, forming into a series of sharp blades hacking the beast from the inside. A glass-cracking hiss shook the serpent¡¯s body. The sound made his vision go faint for a moment, it might have knocked him unconscious if it wasn¡¯t for the water shield around him. The fleshy walls contracted to squish him, but the shield was much more effective against constriction and blunt damage than its piercing fangs. Realizing its efforts were in vain, the snake changed tactics and started to retch. No, you don¡¯t. Kai took two daggers from the spatial closet and plunged them into the dark flesh to prevent the serpent from spitting him out. His ears rang with the continuous cries. Empower and potions strengthened his muscles to help him hold on while rivers of dark green ichor flowed around him. Just do me a favor and die already. His Water Mana was the first to run out, forcing Kai to take a more active role. He braced and stabbed his daggers between each contraction. Ignoring his disgust in favor of survival, he began exploring the insides of the beast. The cries of the beast grew louder and desperate, then weaker. Kai continued hacking even when it stopped moving. Finally, a notification blinked in the corner of his vision. The sea serpent was dead. Who the fuck said being small is a weakness. Chapter 169 - Glorious Aftermath Chapter 169 - Glorious Aftermath How do I get out of here? Kai fumbled in the dark. Slick with ichor, his hands slipped on the creature¡¯s cold insides. He had lost one dagger when his water shield had worn out and left the full weight of the beast on him. The gashes on his shoulder and leg became harder to ignore as the adrenaline of the fight wore off. A pungent smell pervaded his nose, and there was a sour taste in his mouth. Knowing he would just swallow more foul liquids, he had to force his lips shut and suppress the instinct to spit and vomit. Where are the jaws of this thing? His skin was stinging with the acids that came up when the sea serpent tried to retch him out. He was lost in the layers of flesh, muscles and organs. How many minutes had passed since his last breath of oxygen? Ten, fifteen, more? His lungs burned, and he wasn¡¯t helped by the blood loss. I¡¯m not going to die suffocated by a stinking dead beast. Mana was running dangerously low, a trickle of Empower allowed him to hold on. He had to get out before the side effects of the enhancing elixirs hit him. If he passed out, chances were he wouldn''t wake up again. I¡¯ve won the fight. Not even Fate can be this cruel. His remaining dagger scraped the inner layer of the serpent¡¯s skin. A faint light pierced the tough scales, promising salvation. Close and unreachable. The awkward position made it hard to properly leverage his blade. C¡¯mon, just a little m¡ª He pushed everything he had into Empower to pierce the tough hide. With a metallic clank, the dagger snapped in half. Shit, no, no, no! This can¡¯t be happening. Desperate, Kai discarded the useless blade and tried to open a way with his fingers. His nails broke against the tough scales of the beast. The edges of his vision were getting blurry, and his mind hazy. Keep your cool, you can do this. Kai stopped his flailing, panicking was the worst thing you could do underwater, a waste of oxygen and energy. This was just a very murky pool. The long body of the beast offered two directions. With his limbs growing heavier each second, he couldn¡¯t afford to hesitate. He delved into the dark. Pushing aside another fold of flesh, a beautiful ray of light pierced the rotten abyss. Hope broke his thin control, and Kai dove for it with desperation. The glow brightened, his hands gripped the gap of his prison and pulled him out. He emerged from one of the cuts on the midsection of the serpent, blinded by the sudden light. He didn¡¯t need his eyes to heave for breath, air filled his lungs, sweet and fresh despite the taint of ichor. Kai hauled his body free from the cursed serpent, immensely grateful for whatever had inflicted the wound. Bent over the sand, he had no time to enjoy his freedom, he convulsed and vomited his guts out till there was nothing remaining. The taste of his own bile was a welcome improvement. Spirits, next time I ask for a sign, give me something smaller and less gross. The sun warmed his hunched back. Kai cleaned his hands on the pale sand before attempting to do the same with his face. The beast must have found its way out of the tower trying to squash the bug in its throat. He thought he heard people shouting, but he was too tired to make sense of those familiar voices. He needed quiet to rest, the beach was nice and inviting. Kai lay on the sand admiring the beautiful blue sky over the ruins. The bony pinnacles reached for the clouds, fading as his vision turned dark. *** Pain returned him to wakefulness. Kai pushed his eyelids open, spotting the familiar ivory ceiling of the towers. His head was pounding, clouded by a veil of fog, but it was nothing compared to the state of his body. If someone had offered him to fall down three flights of stairs instead, he would have taken the deal. Is this our camp? He failed to turn his head. Gravity weighed on his body like an unmovable boulder, flexing a single digit was a herculean effort. Judging by his sorry state, it couldn¡¯t have been more than an hour or two. The side effects of the boosting elixirs compounded with the strain and wounds of the battle. For each extra attribute the potions had squeezed out of him, he would pay ten times longer. ¡°Blessed spirits! You¡¯re awake.¡± Steps echoed closer. Kai squeezed his eyes to focus on the blurry figure hovering over him. ¡°We were worried you suffered an internal injury. I wanted to bring you to a healer, but carrying you to town would have risked worsening your wounds.¡± Lou watched him, his usual calm breached by conflicting expressions that Kai couldn¡¯t distinguish in his dazed state. ¡°Flynn knew where to find your potions, so we decided it was better to wait. Few healers could do better and none of them are near Grey Quarry.¡± He wanted to reassure him he was fine. His lips parted, but he only managed a low groan. Spirits, I feel like I¡¯ve just been chewed and spit out by a giant beast. Careful fingers touched his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s okay, you¡¯re safe. Your wounds aren¡¯t too deep, but you¡¯ve lost a lot of blood. You need rest, try not to move or you¡¯ll risk reopening your stitches.¡± The teen brought a cup of water and held his head to help him gulp. The pause gave Kai time to catch up to the deluge of words. Already guilty for the situation, he acquiesced to his demands, though he might have managed to move with the help of Empower. The worst of his states was due to the aftermath of the enhancing elixirs, and Lou was right, rest was the only remedy. ¡°I¡¯ll come back to check on you in a few minutes.¡± After making sure he didn¡¯t need anything, Lou disappeared from his field of view. The teenager hadn¡¯t said anything, but many questions crowded his face. How the fuck am I going to explain all this? Oh, you know, a huge snake came out of nowhere and tried to eat me. No, it¡¯s just a coincidence it happened while I was alone in the ruins. The sword you found? It was laying around, I¡¯ve no idea where it came from either. It might be a blessing he couldn¡¯t move or speak. Lou was no fool, and Kai could use the time to decide on his version of events. Improvisation offered him a sea of possibilities. Honesty and deception wove together. He delved into them, trying to decipher the best course of action. Most of it depended on how much Lou had already deduced. A Yellow tier beast in the archipelago was no small thing. If Kai tried to deny everything, the teen might decide to inform the Republic. That had to be avoided at all costs. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. All my preparations¡­ How did it end up like this? I should have known you can¡¯t control Fate. Flexing his fingers then arms and legs, Kai gradually regained control of his body. He rested alone on the lower floors of their tower. They must have brought him there to move him as little as possible. Distraught, Kai noticed the pending notification. He could use some good news. *Ding* New Feat: Yellow Hunter - Through your cunning and planning, you¡¯ve defeated a wounded Yellow Sea Serpent before fourteen. A feat most would consider impossible at your current grade. You are awarded: +3 Favor! Risk and reward always come hand in hand. As Moui had told him, gaining feats became harder the older he got. Kai had done the easy pickings, now every milestone was a deadly trial unto itself. It gave me the same Favor of the blessings from the Great Spirits. If ordinary people had to go through such dangers for the same gains, he had starkly underestimated the boons Kahali and Yatei bestowed upon him. Only the milestones for his race improvement surpassed them, but those required years of strenuous efforts. I¡¯ll forgive you for sending me an overgrown snake, though I¡¯d like a warning next time. General Skills: Nothing like risking his neck to improve his skills. In less than an hour, he had made progress that would have otherwise taken months. Hallowed Intuition had benefited the most. It was incredibly hard to train a skill that required him to get in danger to work. Breaking through the interference of the Fulcrum must have been a challenge. If only it didn¡¯t need a threat that meant certain death¡­ And finally¡­ *Ding* Profession XP (Domain): 1251 It was the highest amount he had ever gained in a week, and it would have been higher still if he possessed a fighting profession. Mana Child¡¯s domain was knowledge and training, he got no direct bonus for defeating a beast except for the extreme use of mana skills. Alas, the pleasant distractions couldn¡¯t last forever. A different kind of disturbance hopped in through the window. Took you longer than I thought. Flynn landed with barely a crunch on the floor. His attempts at stealth were made vain by his stumble when he noticed Kai was watching him. ¡°How¡¯re you doing? Lou told me you were awake.¡± His face was another tapestry of emotions, though this time Kai had the Mind to sieve through them. Relief, worry and guilt. ¡°You know it¡¯s not your fault, right?¡± Kai cut to the chase, glad to have an easy problem to solve. ¡°I¡¯ll be perfectly fine by tomorrow.¡± A week tops. His friend looked in every direction but his, each step a calculated decision as if he was hanging over a cliff and not a plain solid floor. ¡°I was the one who insisted on using that thing again.¡± ¡°And I agreed, knowing the risks. We needed to test it sooner or later.¡± Kai gave him a crooked grin. ¡°Do you truly think you can make me do something I don¡¯t want?¡± Flynn bit his lip before allowing a reluctant smile to appear. ¡°Maybe not, but I should have been here to help you.¡± ¡°Well, that one was my idea, don¡¯t try to take credit for it. Neither of us knew this would happen.¡± Kai avoided mentioning that his presence would have been a hindrance against the sea serpent. Flynn didn¡¯t look entirely convinced by the argument but still sat cross-legged beside him. ¡°And what happened exactly? That snake was huge. You¡¯d have to sail a day into the ocean to encounter something similar.¡± Wouldn¡¯t I like to know? ¡°I don¡¯t think it came from the sea.¡± ¡°Where else? From underground? I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯d have to dig almost as deep. Beasts don¡¯t just pop out of nowhere.¡± Kai pursed his lips. Now that he had to say it out loud, he knew it would sound crazy, but it was the only possible answer. ¡°I think it did.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It appeared out of nowhere, literally.¡± He had been there when it happened, and his memories were clear enough. One moment there was nothing, the next the colossal beast was there. Chewing his cheek, he added. ¡°I think it was teleported here.¡± Flynn gave him a long look, trying to spot the sign of a joke. ¡°I thought your disc only affected chances of unlikely events that were possible.¡± ¡°I think that still holds true.¡± Kai couldn''t blame him for his skepticism. Outside the estate, he had never heard mention of any other kind of spatial magic. Well, besides expanded storages. ¡°Pass me that cup.¡± ¡°This? Why?¡± Flynn gave him the empty metallic glass, looking even more confused. ¡°Give me a minute and pay attention.¡± Kai closed his eyes to sift through his mana veins. Even gathering the elemental motes was a chore, and that didn¡¯t begin to scratch the problems with Space magic. He never had any issue imagining water or plants moving and changing, but how do you visualize space bending? It wasn¡¯t something humans could perceive. He had a little more success compressing the distance between two points, though that wouldn¡¯t make for a very impressive demonstration. Focus. Kai closed his hands around the object, trying to recall the trick Dora showed him. The cup was small and sturdy, made for travel. Taking ten breaths to visualize his intentions as clearly as possible, he let the spell loose. With a pop of air, two-thirds of the cup disappeared from his hands and a ringing clutter of pieces fell a meter away. Here goes a month of motes. ¡°Damned ancestors!¡± Flynn jolted to his feet with wide eyes. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me you could do that.¡± ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t do much. I¡¯m not good with spatial spells.¡± Kai offered him the part he had failed to teleport, waving it before his nose to show it was harmless¡ªa clean cut of the glass''s lower part. The sight tickled something in his memory. It could be how the snake got injured¡­ Flynn accepted the slice of metal and poked the pile of metallic shavings with his foot. As his caution melted away, fear turned into fascination. ¡°You were trying to destroy it, right?¡± He fished out a dozen of the bigger pieces to fit them back together. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Oh, well, it¡¯s not that bad. I could piece them together if you give me a couple hours and a lot of glue.¡± I feel so much better. Kai glanced at the pile of scraps. Most fragments of metal were smaller than his thumbnail, but there wasn¡¯t much metallic dust. ¡°It was one of my best attempts. Anyway, there are better mages than me out there.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that some sloppy archmage could have teleported the big snake here by accident?¡± Flynn continued to play the puzzle game. ¡°I don¡¯t think it was someone.¡± ¡°You mean¡­¡± ¡°The sea serpent appeared inside a chamber of the ruins where mana was acting weird, that can¡¯t be a coincidence,¡± Kai explained. ¡°I think we should add ¡®mysterious ruins¡¯ to the list of hazardous places to avoid.¡± He had gone fishing for strange events in the remnants of a race he didn¡¯t understand, and this was the result. Not one of his smartest choices, or maybe it was given that he survived. Space Magic was the cause of the accident, no doubt, but that still didn¡¯t answer the how. If the Fulcrum only increased the odds, it might have happened before¡­ Is it just this Vastaire site that is special or are there others? It must be something linked with the towers even if I found no runes¡­ Lou¡¯s return put an abrupt end to his speculations. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re feeling better, but you shouldn¡¯t exert yourself.¡± His eyes fell on the pile of metal scraps. ¡°Is that my cup?¡± ¡°Huh, maybe¡­¡± Kai smiled. It was time to see how deep he had dug his grave. Chapter 170 - Spoils Chapter 170 - Spoils ¡°Sorry for the cup,¡± Kai smiled apologetically. ¡°What did you do with it?¡± Lou crouched beside the metal scraps, more confused than upset. ¡°He failed a magic trick.¡± Flynn teased him, taking advantage of the distraction to whisper in his ear. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about your sword, I¡¯ve hidden it.¡± He slipped away, muttering he¡¯d check that no more beasts fell from the sky. Thank you, this might not be a complete disaster. ¡°What kind of trick does this to a cup?¡± Lou asked, studying the tin shards. ¡°It was an accident. I tried to use an element I¡¯m not good at.¡± Kai blushed embarrassed. He hoped to leave it at that, but the spirits must have been distracted. ¡°¡­Space?¡± Lou watched him with disbelief. ¡°You¡¯ve also got an affinity for spatial magic?¡± How the fuck¡­ Kai was too taken aback to hide his surprise, and there was no point denying it. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the only option that makes sense.¡± Lou picked up a slice of his cup. ¡°There are a few elements that can cut metal like this at your level, and you also said it wasn¡¯t intentional. That leaves just a failed spatial transit.¡± Kai arched his brow. ¡°Did you learn that in your special class?¡± He thought it was a shadier and more pompous version of the program Flynn had attended, but there might be more to it. There were hardly any mages in the archipelago, and the different types of elemental magic weren¡¯t common knowledge. ¡°What else did they teach you?¡± ¡°You know I can¡¯t speak about that,¡± Lou mumbled uncomfortably. This is not fair. ¡°Right¡­¡± Kai scowled but didn¡¯t press, examining his injuries to hide his annoyance. The wounds were hidden beneath the layers of gauze that had been expertly tied better than he or Flynn could have managed. Something else Lou had learned in his mysterious class. Kai winced when he moved his right thigh. The creature¡¯s fangs had sliced him open just by grazing him. If he recalled the bestiary correctly, about half of the species of sea serpents were venomous. He must have won the coin toss there. I¡¯d already be dead if I was poisoned by a yellow beast. A wave of searing pain flashed up his right leg when he attempted to stand up. Gritting his teeth, Kai pushed the weight on his good leg and got to his feet. ¡°Wait,¡± Lou hurried to his side as if he expected him to topple. ¡°You¡¯ll risk making it worse if you strain yourself.¡± Kai let him fuss over him but refused to sit down. They needed to talk before the twins and Ana returned, spirits only knew what a mess it would be with four people poking around. ¡°I drank a few enhancing elixirs to help me in the fight. I¡¯m feeling much better now that the side effects are fading.¡± He took a few tentative steps with a relaxed smile. ¡°These wounds are barely a scratch.¡± Fuck, it hurts. ¡°You still should take it easy. What kind of elixirs did you take?¡± Lou checked him over again. ¡°I know it was an emergency, but you should be careful with those things, they can be dangerous.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯ve brewed them myself.¡± Kai grabbed his arm to make him stop. ¡°Remember that I¡¯m an alchemist, I made sure they have no long-term consequences.¡± Dora said it would be fine if I didn¡¯t take too many. Kai rummaged through his backpack, grateful someone had the foresight to bring it down here. He let Lou help him put on a clean pair of clothes, careful to avoid his injured side. He also picked a tonic for blood loss from his official stash. He had stronger potions in his ring, but he preferred not to overdo it after all the vials he had already drank. ¡°You¡¯ve got anything to eat?¡± There was only so much the potions could heal on an empty stomach, and he had vomited his guts out after the fight. He chewed a few mint leaves to clean the taste from his mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll get you something, just don¡¯t jump around.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± Kai tried not to sound exasperated. Lou had to look after the twins for the last seven years, so he could forgive his caution. He sat down to wait and prepare for the inevitable questioning. He needed to check on the beast''s carcass and retrieve his sword. The sea serpent¡¯s scales had been absurdly tough, and he¡¯d be damned if he let them go to waste. One thing at a time. Lou came back carrying salted jerky from an unspecified animal, dark bread and a wooden cup of water. Questions and concerns were still apparent on his brooding face, but he seemed willing to wait. Let¡¯s rip the band-aid right off. ¡°Ask away. I can see you want to,¡± Kai chewed the jerky. He was ready to deal with it, but he wouldn¡¯t complain if Lou was hesitant to argue because of his convalescence. ¡°Can you tell me what happened?¡± ¡°A sea snake tried to eat me, and I killed it. You must have seen it. It was pretty damn big.¡± ¡°Yes, but how did it happen?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, it was probably hungry.¡± His joke was met with a flat face, so Kai decided to be serious. ¡°I¡¯ll need you to be a bit clearer than that. I¡¯m not certain of how that happened myself.¡± It wasn¡¯t a lie, and he needed to know what Lou suspected. Vague questions were a good way to let someone confess more than they intended. Did he learn this at the camp too, or is this just him? The teen mulled over his thoughts before speaking. ¡°Sea serpents shouldn¡¯t be found anywhere near here. It¡¯s odd it appeared while you were alone in the ruins¡­¡± His deep tone softened to not sound accusatory. ¡°Did you know this would happen?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Kai teased him with a smile before elaborating on his monosyllabic answer. ¡°I was lucky the snake was injured and not very bright. If I knew what would happen, I''d have run away and called for help. I don¡¯t have a death wish.¡± I¡¯d have certainly made better preparations. Without Hallowed Intuition I¡¯d be a little snack in the stomach of that overgrown eel. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°But did you know that something was going to happen?¡± Lou straightened, glancing at the windows of the tower. ¡°Are we safe now?¡± ¡°I think it was a one-time event.¡± Kai drank a long gulp of water to take time. ¡°I found an unusual concentration of mana in the ruins. I had no idea what it was, and still don¡¯t. This morning I went to probe it, and then, well¡­ you''ve seen the results. I waited to be alone in the ruins just in case, but I had no idea any of this would happen.¡± Lou nodded, seemingly accepting the explanation. ¡°What did you do exactly?¡± I thought you¡¯d be more skeptical. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, I was frustrated and played around with my mana. The waters in the ruins started going crazy, and then that snake came out of nowhere to chase after me. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s even connected.¡± ¡°Do you think you could repeat that?¡± Lou had his usual thoughtful frown. ¡°No, and I don¡¯t want to try. One time was plenty.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, sorry I asked.¡± Lou hurried to apologize. ¡°I was just curious, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re safe.¡± Kai deflected his questions with vague answers as they chatted. Whether because he was injured, or Lou simply saw him as the victim, the teen accepted his explanation without insisting. It¡¯s hard to suspect something that shouldn¡¯t exist like a Fate Fulcrum. And I certainly didn¡¯t plan for a giant snake to appear. Truth be told, the things Kai didn¡¯t understand were far more than those he did. Apart from skipping on the Fulcrum and the dynamics of the fight, he had been largely honest. ¡°Are you fine?¡± Lou asked for the umpteenth time. ¡°And I don¡¯t mean just physically. You were swallowed by a serpent and had to cut your way out.¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay, you know I¡¯ve fought beasts before. It was lucky the snake tried to eat me whole.¡± Kai shrugged. It wasn¡¯t an experience he was eager to repeat, but he had survived. He didn¡¯t understand what all the fuss was about. Am I weird? I mean, it was probably the grossest thing I¡¯ve ever done, but the snake is dead, and I¡¯ve got a feat. All¡¯s well that ends well and so on. ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want to talk about it,¡± Lou said. ¡°Just remember I¡¯m here if you need me.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± How could Kai be annoyed at him after that? So damn unfair. This conversation had gone differently from what he expected. When Lou had suspected him that day on the beach, he had been far colder and demanding to get to the bottom of it. Guess he trusts me more now? Damn, now I feel like the bad guy for making him worry. ¡°Can you help me go check out the serpent?¡± Kai persuaded Lou to help him climb out of the tower, the dead eel was waiting for him. I¡¯m gonna make a bag out of you, I bet someone in Higharbor would buy it. There must be enough for an entire clothing line. The peaceful beach was marked by messy tracks where the serpent had its death throes. The smell of rotten fish reached him first, making him gag. Memories of struggling in the darkness flashed through his mind. Maybe I¡¯m not completely over it. My poor lunch, don¡¯t you dare move out of there. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Kai stopped breathing through his nose. ¡°I want to see it.¡± The carcass of the beast lay behind an ivory pillar, winding at the feet of the towers. Meters and meters of blue scales gleamed under the sun. A short trail of dark green ichor where he had escaped its body. How the fuck did I pull it off? Coiled inside a chamber, he hadn¡¯t realized its true length. If it stretched, it would be higher than most pillars in the ruins. He cautiously approached, expecting those icy eyes to shoot open and rush at him. Nothing moved. Mana Sense confirmed the serpent was most definitely dead and leaking mana. Dozens of seabirds pecked at its eyes, fins and jaws. More flew in every minute, squabbling to take a bite out of the fallen giant. Kai was happy to let them feast on his prize. He didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with the flesh of that beast. ¡°Good job killing it.¡± Flynn balanced his steps on the body of the serpent. A flock of seagulls cawed indignantly when he hopped down. ¡°It must have been awkward on land.¡± ¡°Yeah, it was also injured.¡± Kai jumped on the chance to downscale the fight. As the name suggested, sea serpents lived in the ocean. Another factor that had played in his favor, though slow wasn¡¯t an adjective he would use to describe it. It was much harder to judge the grade of a beast after it was dead without specialized skills, with a little luck, no one would suspect the snake was Yellow. He just had to chop it up and Reishi would find a way to sell it discreetly. Wait! Do they think it swallowed me whole by accident? Kai wasn¡¯t going to argue with them, though it stung his pride. ¡°I think we should warn the authorities,¡± Lou said like the matter held little importance. ¡°Why?¡± Flynn and Kai spoke at the same time. That was exactly what they needed to avoid. He would tear the scales off barehanded and drag it on his back before he let someone else steal his spoils. Lou didn¡¯t back down under their gazes, but he switched to his reasonable tone. ¡°It was your kill, so you have the final say. I¡¯m just wondering how you plan to skin it without the proper equipment. And what about carrying it? The hide alone will weigh a couple tons, to not even talk about the bones or¡­¡± With hardly a pause for breath, the teen listed half a dozen logistical problems that made the task highly impractical or downright impossible. Even if he used his ring, it would be far from enough. ¡°Also, do you have a hunting license?¡± Lou switched his eyes between them, meeting blank gazes. ¡°Do we really need one?¡± Flynn grumbled. ¡°The Republic doesn¡¯t even enforce half of their laws.¡± Damned bureaucracy, always needs to ruin things. Lou scrunched his nose. ¡°That¡¯s true for small game or red beasts, this is not the same.¡± He gestured to the several tons of dead sea monster. ¡°How do you plan to enter into Higharbor without the enforcers noticing?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be a reason not to involve the Republic?¡± Kai said, happy to have a solid argument. They¡¯d certainly take it from him with some bullshit excuse. Lou faltered before answering. ¡°They gave me a license when I graduated. We could say I was the one who dealt the killing blow, and you supported me. I can get at least half of whatever they manage to salvage.¡± Perhaps I should burn it for the spirits? Kai discarded the possibility just because Kahali might not receive well an offering out of spite. ¡°How do we explain finding a sea serpent on land? I don¡¯t want the governor demolishing another Vastaire site.¡± ¡°It¡¯s rare but sometimes beasts stray on shore, and the serpent was injured,¡± Lou said. ¡°And they¡¯re going to find out either way, it will look less suspicious if we go to them on our own.¡± Kai glared at the deep blue scales, clenching his fists. He remembered how his dagger had snapped without making a dent from the inside, and they¡¯d need more than a little cut. Even if he bought more knives in Grey Quarry, the task would still take weeks and not address any of the other problems. Fuck me. ¡°Are you sure they won¡¯t scam us?¡± Kai glowered at Lou even if it wasn¡¯t really his fault. ¡°I¡¯ll ask for a contract.¡± ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll do it your way, but I¡¯ll take out its fangs first.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡ª¡± Kai raised a finger to stop his objections. ¡°You said it came to shore because it was injured. Losing its teeth will make the story more believable. We should also take a few scales to make it look more battered. C¡¯mon Flynn, you can keep whatever you manage to take before the thieves get here.¡± The scales were as tough as he remembered, though it was possible to pry them apart along the seams with a sharp knife and a little help from Empower. He used the time to refill his elemental reserves, there was no shot he could dislodge the fangs without Water Magic. Lou left them shaking his head, but Flynn readily took him up on his offer. ¡°It''s so long, no one is going to notice if a few are missing.¡± I¡¯m so proud of you, I think I¡¯m gonna tear up. Kai had managed to tear off five palm-sized scales when a shout announced the return of the rest of the group. ¡°Where did that thing come from? Did it wash up on shore?¡± Uli abandoned his supply bag to run quicker, while Oli stamped his feet towards them, grumbling. ¡°Why does the fun shit always happen when I¡¯m away.¡± Thank the spirits, Lou reappeared with a backpack to explain what had happened, already including himself and Flynn in the fight. ¡°I¡¯ll go find someone to take care of this. I should be back before night, or early tomorrow.¡± With a final round to ensure they had everything they needed, he disappeared among the greenery. ¡°I don¡¯t think we should be doing that.¡± Ana looked disapprovingly at them, a hand over her nose to protect her from the smell. The twins didn¡¯t have the same qualms. ¡°So I can keep every bit of scale or hide I manage to free?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°Can I keep a fang?¡± Uli stared in wonder at the glass-like teeth. Kai grinned. ¡°Go wild.¡± Chapter 171 – The Contract Chapter 171 ¨C The Contract ¡°You said the beast was injured before it came on shore?¡± The inspector surveyed the sea serpent¡¯s battered carcass in her dull uniform, her nose wrinkled at the pungent stench of rotten fish that choked the air. Kai couldn¡¯t blame her. He had run out of curses for his improved Perception hours ago. While a day wasn¡¯t enough for the flesh of a yellow beast to decay, it let the internal liquids seep out, forming dark and foul puddles on the sand. The majestic creature had been stripped bare of every shred of its dignity. A thin trickle of greenish ichor leaked from the dark flesh where the blue scales had been ripped free¡ªsurely the job of some savage predator. Despite the distaste at having to surrender part of his spoils, Kai had limited their harvest to that single section. It allowed them to conceal the straight cuts that had wounded the serpent and preserve the hide. No one would suspect spatial magic had anything to do with the jagged mess. The ruinous injury was almost negligible before the work of sea birds. Flocks of ravenous feathered friends pecked at every ounce of flesh not protected by the metallic scales without mercy. Even the crown fins circling the draconic beast had been reduced to a series of stark bony spines. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Kai dutifully bobbed his head. ¡°We were very lucky the beast was weakened, or we would have stood no chance to put it down.¡± He had offered to do the talking to arouse less suspicion. Who would suspect such a naive and honest little kid? ¡°We tried to shoo away the birds, but they kept coming back.¡± He hung his head in shame. The inspector watched him closely but failed to find any fault in his act. With a curt nod, she continued her examination towards the jaws, evading the pools of foul liquids around the sea serpent. As she was about to crouch before the head, she jolted back with a frightened shriek. She somehow managed to keep her balance, but couldn¡¯t avoid walking into a pool and splattering her clothes. An osprey covered in ichor stumbled out the jaws, a strip of dark flesh firmly in its curved beak. With a proud screech, the bird of prey flapped its wings and flew away to secure its prize. ¡°They¡¯ve been getting bolder since there is no more food on the outside.¡± Kai nodded emphatically from a respectful distance. Mana Sense had warned him of the intrepid bird, but it would have been rude to butt in the work of a professional. The inspector looked at her soiled clothes with a grimace of disgust, her fingers flexed on empty air with unexpressed frustration. Kai didn¡¯t doubt she¡¯d wring the bird''s neck if it were within reach. If they asked him, the dark spots were an improvement over her dull uniform, though she didn¡¯t seem to share his fashion sense. With a harrumphed breath, the woman schooled her posture. She advanced towards the beast, checking there were no more surprises. A flick of her wrist and two men of her crew approached and lifted the mighty jaws. Looks like it skimped on the dental insurance. Kai had to bite his cheek to not laugh at their befuddled expressions. A total of thirteen lonely spikes remained in the mouth. Half of them were chipped, the others shorter than a dagger, minuscule compared to the ones that had been packed away. It had been hard work to relieve the serpent of its fangs. The glass-like teeth were sharper than his knives, and tougher too. He had to spend long hours finely manipulating water into the thin seams of the jaws to extract them. ¡°You must have been lucky indeed to run into a toothless sea serpent,¡± she commented. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like it, the fangs look almost surgically removed.¡± Kai drew a circle on his heart, bowing reverently to the sky. ¡°Bless the Seven Moons. The priest always says the gods work in mysterious ways.¡± ¡°Bless be their light.¡± The two workers chanted by instinct, staring dumbly at the serpent. The inspector echoed the invocation but her narrowed eyes stayed on him, lips pressed in a thin line. What are you looking at? I¡¯m the picture of innocence. Kai played naive and unaware of her mood, enjoying her frustration. The contract had been signed in double copy and safely stored. With no evidence, there was nothing she could do, and she knew it. Okay, this might have been a better idea than I gave it credit for. ¡°Everything alright, ma¡¯am?¡± Lou took this time to step forward with a pacifying expression. His squared shoulders and stature made him look years older than his age. ¡°The kids are tired and scared after this experience. I¡¯d like to bring them back to Higharbor as soon as possible, I¡¯m sure you understand.¡± The woman broke into an understanding smile that didn¡¯t touch her eyes. ¡°There are a few simple matters to finalize, and we¡¯ll take care of this.¡± ¡°Of course, we need to evaluate what can be harvested.¡± The teen gave him a pointed look. ¡°Kai, why don¡¯t you go prepare with the others?" You¡¯re no fun. Kai left Cadet Lou Denule to deal with it. They just needed the inspector to sign on the specifics of the beast to ensure they didn¡¯t get cheated. There was little to argue with measuring tape and numbers. He hadn¡¯t had time to go through all the clauses of the contract, but Lou had already proved himself a skilled negotiator. Their final earnings were closer to two-thirds of the serpent rather than half as he had promised. A cheap price to not come close to the putrid carcass again. Guess he was being modest¡­ He waited to reach the inner circle of the ruins before whistling a happy tune. The healing potions had done their job, his right shoulder and leg were still tender, but he had no issue climbing the ivory tower to their camp. The twins lay snoring in a corner, looking oddly innocent in their sleep. They had worked through the whole night to secure their unofficial stash, and then spent the morning masking their work to make the tears look believable. Flynn had left earlier in the morning to keep their harvest away from the Republic¡¯s crew. While it was unlikely that someone would check their bags, it was better not to test a scorned official. Flynn would wait for them in a village on the path back to Higharbor. ¡°Is it done?¡± Ana asked, her tone ringing with disapproval. ¡°You know, we didn¡¯t do anything illegal.¡± Perhaps it was poor form to reap the most valuable parts before signing a contract, but not strictly illegal. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Well, probably. I should check but it sounds reasonable. Ana stopped packing her bag and turned to face him. ¡°It¡¯s immoral.¡± ¡°No more than charging ridiculous fees for a service because they¡¯re the only one who can provide it.¡± Kai rummaged through their supply for a snack. ¡°We were the ones who risked our lives to put that serpent down. Is it not fair that we decide what to do with it?¡± Ana bit her lip, mumbling something under her breath. ¡°I¡¯ve kept you a bowl of stew. You just need to reheat it.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Kai accepted the peace offering. ¡°Do we have a plan for our way back to Higharbor? I¡¯d rather avoid stopping in Gray Quarry.¡± An inquiry on their travel arrangements was enough to rile her up and forget the argument. Ana launched herself into a lengthy explanation of why the route she had charted was the superior option. Unsurprisingly, Uli and Oli were still not willing to relinquish command of the map. Though Ana wasn¡¯t keeping her tone low, the brothers continued to blissfully sleep. They occasionally turned or mumbled about sea beasts and cakes, he wasn¡¯t sure a roaring monster would be enough to wake them up. Kai watched the twins with envy. He wouldn¡¯t mind getting a nap himself, but their time in the ruins was coming to an end, and he still had work to do. After Ana reached the ninth reason to follow her route back to the capital, he fled with the excuse of relieving himself. Yeah, she would definitely make PowerPoint presentations if she knew they existed. Descending the towers towards the flooded levels, he left his clothes behind and dove into the dark waters. His senses spread through the labyrinth of tunnels looking for any threat. Nothing. Some ripped fronds of kelp and messy sand dunes, but the underwater world had returned to its peaceful state. Not the shadow of a red mollusk. The dense cloud of mana had dispersed, and even the minor essence anomaly had vanished. Slowly, Kai made his way to the chamber where the sea serpent had appeared. He hesitated in the doorway, doing a double check on Hallowed Intuition to get the all-clear. He swam inside, lighting the dark room with his enchanted crystal. A school of vibrant yellow fish fed on a patch of algae on the ceiling. The sands descended towards the center forming a shallow crater. This was the place where the beast had emerged, though the concentration of mana was now the same as on the surface. He Inspected every inch of the walls, floor and ceiling to see if he had missed something the first time. He had not. There was no rune, no scratch, the chamber was immaculate except for the etching his dad had recorded. It was one of the shortest writings, three lines of glyphs. A prayer for a god whose name he couldn¡¯t pronounce, to display gratitude for their mysterious Blessing. Are murderous sea serpents a gift from some forgotten god? Kai ignored the sting of disappointment. If it were an easy mystery someone else would have already solved it. He released a bubble of air from his ring to breathe and continued his search. There must be something. Floating in the chamber, he closed his eyes and switched off his crystal to focus on Mana Sense. The lulling muted washing of water drove him into deep Attuned Meditation. Among thousands of particles swirling around him, the elemental motes shone brighter. The colors of his four highest affinities were all represented - flowing blue was the most abundant, vibrant green the least. That wasn¡¯t why he came here though. Kai searched for his most frustrating element. An iridescent mote blinked in the corner of his view. And then more, some close enough to be converted by his will, others teleported away before he could reach them. ¡­twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty¡­ It could have been a useful place to gather Space mana, if it wasn''t away from any decent city, and buried meters underwater. The problem with Space Magic was that, by the time he gathered enough mana to cast a cantrip, he hardly remembered his last test. And the complexity of even the most basic spells. By the time he was forced to reemerge for air, he was sure Space particles were more common down there than anywhere else he had visited. While still not being a tenth as plentiful as Earth motes. Beggars can¡¯t be choosers. This wiped out any remaining doubt, his theory was correct, spatial magic was responsible for the sea serpent''s appearance. If it was a clue for something, he just had to find out what that something was. Kai scoured the underground system for any other sign. There was nothing else. Checking the same halls for a fourth time would just waste his time and make him lose more of his sanity. Perhaps there was some mention in his dad¡¯s journals, or in another Vastaire site. Neither of which he could check at the moment. He found an isolated tower to read the deal Lou had made with the Republic. There was no place safer than his ring. On the third page, there was a clause that prohibited scavenging the carcass of the sea serpent, though the wording only included the person who had signed the contract, i.e. Lou. Good enough. Lou was indeed recognized as the sole owner of the beast''s parts. It wasn¡¯t weird since he was the only one with a hunting license. No, Kai didn¡¯t worry. The teenager was hesitant to accept a potion from him, there was no way he would steal materials worth close to a gold mesar¡­ No, he wouldn¡¯t¡­ Kai put away the contract to go look for Lou, just to check on how he was doing, maybe he needed help. No other reason. On the beach, there was no trace of the inspector, though the crew she brought was already at work. In no more than a couple hours, they had managed to saw the scales on the underbelly of the serpent, and they would soon begin to skin it. He couldn¡¯t help but stare as they sliced open the impenetrable hide, their hands and tools glowing with mana. How does that work¡­ His eyes intently observed them as he attempted to make an echo of their skills. ¡°Kai.¡± The voice interrupted his skill. Kai turned to see the hulking teenager marching towards him. ¡°Lou, I was just looking for you.¡± He smiled brightly. The teen stopped within arm¡¯s length, throwing a glance at the workers behind. ¡°The sea serpent is yellow grade.¡± Oh, that¡­ guess the inspector knew her job after all. ¡°Really? That¡¯s great news, it must be worth more than I thought.¡± Damn, stupid mouth, don¡¯t give him strange ideas. ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± Lou suspiciously narrowed his eyes. ¡°The snake refused to tell me when I tried to pet him. Then I was focused on not getting eaten.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a no.¡± Damn, he caught on fast. It¡¯s not really a secret¡­ ¡°Its grievous injuries must have weakened it a lot before it got here,¡± Kai waved at the workers, getting an awkward nod in return. ¡°Thankfully you were here to save the day, right? Have you thought about how much you want to keep and sell?¡± Lou resisted only a moment before he let himself be led through the towers for some privacy. ¡°We don¡¯t need to discuss about shares.¡± Kai struggled to keep his grin. ¡°We don¡¯t?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s your kill, you can have it all.¡± Oh¡­ I didn¡¯t doubt you for a second. ¡°No, you were right. It would have been a mess if I tried to deal with it on my own. The twins already have their stash, you should get at least¡­a third?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t joke like that,¡± Lou darkened. ¡°Have you any idea how much that¡¯s worth?¡± Probably better than you. ¡°You said it¡¯s mine, so I can give it to whoever I want.¡± ¡°Okay, you can give me five percent for the help,¡± Lou said like the words caused him physical pain. ¡°No way, do you want people to think I¡¯m a miser? You get twenty.¡± ¡°Ten.¡± ¡°Fifteen, last offer.¡± Kai raised a hand to stop his objections, ¡°It¡¯s decided.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s how it works.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s how it should work. As they say, my money my rules.¡± Kai ignored his protests. ¡°C¡¯mon, Ana wants to leave tomorrow at dawn, we need to pack.¡± It had been an eventful journey, but he was glad to go back to civilization. Chapter 172 - Shopping Done Right Chapter 172 - Shopping Done Right ¡°Found anything to your liking, young man?¡± The owner of the shop rubbed his hands with a salesman¡¯s smile. ¡°Here at Salsbury¡¯s, we only acquire the very best goods for our clients. Each blade is a unique piece enchanted by a master runesmith.¡± You and every other store in the upper city. Do you also sell Excalibur, or is that not good enough for your shelves? ¡°Really?¡± Kai gave his very best performance as an impressionable kid. Mouth opened in wonder at the shining knives and short swords on the ebony counter. It was undoubtedly the worst collection of tacky weapons he had ever seen, not an easy feat. He had become something of a connoisseur of ornamental junk since returning from the trip two weeks earlier. He picked a dagger with a curved handle inlaid with silver filigree, purple amethysts and polished quartzes. It was a marvel how someone could fit so much useless clutter on a single weapon. A dagger was supposed to be quick and strike deep in close quarters. This thing was the exact opposite: unbalanced, cumbersome and unwieldy. The merchant slickened his receding hairline, showing a golden tooth. ¡°I could tell you had a good eye, young man. That¡¯s an excellent choice! One of the finest daggers that has graced my establishment. You see,¡± he tapped on the chain of runes that lined the gleaming steel. ¡°With these enchantments, the blade will never lose its edge or rust. You cut a dragon¡¯s scales and not¡ª¡± Kai tuned out the nonsense pitch. Mana Echo needed time to copy the enchantment, so he was forced to play along, but he didn''t need to listen. Judging by the inefficient linkage between the runes and the sloppy composition, the blade had been crafted by an apprentice¡ªand not a very skilled one at that. Every weapon shop he visited was the same story. As soon as the owner saw his jiggling bag of coins and young age, they tried to saddle him with a piece of flashy garbage. And every time he had to perform his wide-eyed acting. At least it¡¯s good training for Improvisation. ¡°I think I might like this one best¡­¡± Playing the indecisive, Kai moved through the entire display and made an echo of each enchantment. None of them were particularly interesting, but the more runes he collected, the more ideas he would have to create his own designs. Inscribing a weapon presented a different set of challenges than what Kai was used to. The enchantment had to be reliable, able to endure some punishment without breaking. No one wanted to have their sword fizzle out while they fought for their life. Which was why most runic chains were short and stable. The skill of the runesmith lay in the precision of the runic inscription and in the efficiency of the integration with the material. With Mana Echo at level 47, he could copy and store them without worrying the skill would reach its limit. Kai pursed his lips. ¡°Do you have anything else? I don¡¯t think any of these is the one.¡± ¡°Of course, of course.¡± The man suspiciously glanced at the window before pulling an ornate red leather box from the shelf behind him. He leaned on the counter and whispered. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a look at this?¡± Kai noted the man must have eaten onions for lunch, a bit of wasted brain space he wouldn¡¯t be getting back. The velvet interior revealed a double-edged blade encrusted in cheap gemstones. Unless this one boils water and does my laundry, I¡¯ll pass. ¡°It''s a Tyranese knife,¡± the man explained, offering him the blade with both hands. It might have piqued his interest two weeks ago¡ªif he was drunk and blind. Now Kai knew Tyran was just an independent city-state famous for exporting cheap weapons, and not some mystical dwarven foundry. Like any other, Tyranese blades could be priceless pieces or crap. ¡°It¡¯s a must-have for every young man on the mainland.¡± The salesman continued to speak too close for comfort. ¡°It must be the Moons¡¯ grace that I got my hands on one. I¡¯m only willing to part with it because I see the seed of a great warrior in you.¡± Well, the other guy said I could be the second coming of Quert, the Broken Blade. Maybe I should go back to him. ¡°Oh,¡± Kai hung his head low. ¡°Then it¡¯s not for me, I want to be a baker.¡± The merchant faltered, his eyebrows formed curious wiggles as his brain failed to compute. ¡°¡­a baker?¡± ¡°Yes, I want to open the greatest bakery in the Merian Republic.¡± He nodded emphatically with total seriousness. ¡°The blade is a gift for my father.¡± ¡°I see.¡± He collected himself with another oily smile, crouching behind the counter. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ve just received something that would make the perfect gift. Trust me, your father will be the envy of the city. Where did I put it¡­ Here.¡± ¡°Nothing too flashy, if possible,¡± Kai recommended. ¡°My dad doesn''t like showy blades, says it alerts his targets before he guts them.¡± ¡°Targets?¡± The man hit his head in his hurry to stand up, biting down a curse. ¡°I mean awakened beasts, he¡¯s a hunter,¡± Kai said with an innocent smile. ¡°What else could I be talking about, mister?¡± ¡°Beasts, right. I just¡­ It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± The man dried the sweat on his forehead with a silk handkerchief. ¡°Why don¡¯t we check a different selection?¡± An hour later, Kai walked out of Salsbury¡¯s Wares with a straight dagger of dark gray alloy, and a head full of new schematics. He had now visited all the major shops in Higharbor. He always made one purchase to not arouse suspicion and repay the donation. His hands twitched, eager to write down the echoes floating in his mind. He hid them in his pockets and strolled down the hill towards his house. Transcribing the enchantments before the shop was too brazen even for him. Once again, he was treading a gray line. No merchant would welcome him in their shop if the story got out. In his room, the walls were covered in sheets of paper. The rune section was encroaching on the walls devoted to the Vastaire mystery, with more piles stacked on his floor and desk. It was impressive how many he had gathered since he came back from the journey. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Dipping one of his quills in a bottle of Kai¡¯s Handy Mixture, Kai adjusted his breathing and let the skill take over. The replicas came out better after he Meditated. His hands moved with precise and quick motions, copying the runes he had observed earlier. And done. Two hours had flown by, Kai put the last paper down and hung the ink to dry. There were always tiny imperfections, but he could fix those later with Runes and Inspect. Phase one of his project was finally completed, he had gathered the available knowledge. Now he just had to figure out the best design for his weapon. Looking at the stacks of papers, he massaged his eyes and lay on his bed. Why does every project get out of hand? A gleaming crystal fang hung over his desk, longer than his arm, almost transparent and wickedly sharp. Two dozen more of different sizes lay in a crate below his bed. The rest he had sold to Reishi with the shares the Republic had delivered. He had just kept enough hide to commission a few sets of armor. ¡®Let me know when you want to take another trip, I¡¯ll pay for transportation.¡¯ The merfolk had shown his pointy grin, laughing when Kai tried to convince him it had been an accident. Yet, Reishi¡¯s enthusiasm for the unexpected goods hadn¡¯t stopped him from demanding the backlog of potions. And he has the nerve to call his father a greedy fish. The coins from the beast¡¯s sales were still flowing in. Lou had been right, Kai had underestimated how much a sea serpent was worth. He had received his first gold mesar three days ago, a fat piece of yellow metal worth a hundred freaking silvers. It was completely impractical to use since most shops had no goods that pricey, but he had no intention to spend it. It was a reminder of how far he¡¯d come from starving in Greenside. Reishi estimated he would make another coin, yellow beasts were rare and expensive in the archipelago. Okay, this project isn¡¯t going to complete itself. It was good training for his skills, and fit the domain of Mana Child. The clash with the serpent had left a dent in the sword Elijah gave him, so it was only fair the beast provided the replacement. He¡¯d start by designing a dagger, a smaller challenge before the main course. It would have been easier to commission the entire work, but he was too deep to turn back now. He had tested how sharp and durable those fangs were on his flesh. And, let''s be honest, there was nothing cooler than making a weapon out of the beast that had tried to eat him. Initially, he had planned to complete the whole project by himself, but reality made him readjust his ambitions. He couldn¡¯t draw the runes with a quill, and without an etching skill, he¡¯d waste the material. Shuffling the new papers, Kai added another layer to the wall. It was easier to get his ideas in order if he could see them. He would design the schematics himself. Sharpness and toughness for sure, they are a staple for a reason. And then maybe a wind rune to reduce air friction? Lighting my sword on fire could also be cool, though I don¡¯t think it¡¯s compatible with the fang. The sea serpent wasn¡¯t an elemental beast, but ocean creatures rarely worked well with Fire. One of the reasons that made beasts'' parts valuable was the mana they naturally contained. They could support enchantments without wasting precious space for a condensing array, or a manual reserve. Kai sifted through his collection of borrowed designs, narrowing down the list of options to his favorites that were also compatible. Probably. He¡¯d have to consult an expert to make sure. He was left with a thick stack of papers. Starting from the basics, he got to work sketching different combinations. Ahhh! There are too many variables to consider, he raked his fingers through his hair and wondered if pulling them would make him feel better. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Flynn poked his head through the door with a double knock. Kai put his hand down in his lap. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± He said, sitting on the floor surrounded by loose papers and arcane sketches. ¡°It¡¯s just my creative process. You wouldn¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Sure¡­ Just remember to mention me in your will before you go insane, ¡®kay?¡± Flynn tiptoed into the room trying to avoid the sketches and picked up the dagger from Salsbury¡¯s Wares on the desk. ¡°Hey, is this for me? You didn¡¯t have to buy me another gift.¡± He balanced the blade on one finger before making it disappear in one of his pockets or sleeves. Same as every other knife Kai had bought in the last two weeks. Guess I can take a break. ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± he collected the papers and stood up. ¡°Why do you even need another one, weren¡¯t the last five enough?¡± ¡°You can never have enough knives,¡± Flynn said like it was obvious. ¡°I¡¯d like a serrated one for my next present.¡± ¡°I¡¯m done visiting shops for now.¡± Kai was about to gather another stack of paper from the floor when he noticed a blinking notification. ¡°Go play with your toys downstairs.¡± He shooed his friend out of the door. *Ding* Gifted Novice has reached lv50, requisite for the first milestone met, congratulations! Nothing like some good news to cheer his mood. He had been looking forward to his first profession skill upgrade. Gifted Novice was a strange skill to train. Anything that made him gain XP with Mana Child worked, but nothing could make it jump a level or progress faster. Slow and constant. Its effects were equally hard to test. Gifted Novice (lv42>50) ¨C When passion meets diligence, true talent is born. A Mana Child is naturally gifted at developing knowledge and skills of the arcane. It made him better at anything in the domain of mana and magic. With such a wide-ranging ability, it wasn¡¯t surprising the effects were subtle. He was progressing faster in his mana skills, though it was impossible to tell what was due to the skill and what to the bonus attributes in Mind and Spirit. An upgrade can¡¯t hurt. Gifted Novice (lv50) ? As you reach the first milestone, you are presented with two choices to continue your journey. This choice might influence the future of your profession: Huh¡­ that¡¯s refreshing. The Guide went straight to the point without the ambiguous wording it often used for general skills. He only had two options, though there might not be a third considering they covered everything. Get better at learning new or old disciplines. The choice was easy, another welcome change. He already had his hands full with Alchemy, Runes and spellcraft without branching into new areas. Doubling down on his specialties was better in every way. Confident in his choice, Kai reread the options out of habit. You sneaky bastard! Do new disciplines also include those I have no skill for? It simply said he couldn¡¯t use a skill over level 30, not that he needed one in the first place. Like that, the options were much more balanced. The benefits of improving his strong suits were obvious, but new disciplines included a myriad more areas that his fourteen skills couldn¡¯t cover. Ultimately it didn¡¯t change his decision, he was already enough of a generalist as it was, but it made him feel the sting of giving up on a useful ability. Damned Guide! You couldn¡¯t give up the last laugh, could you? *Ding* You chose to improve your comprehension and memory of known disciplines. Gifted Novice (lv50) can now reach lv75. Perhaps now I should be able to tell the difference. Before procrastination could get a hold of him, Kai picked a clean notebook and noted down his skill levels with the last time he had leveled them. While the Guide had no mercy, it never lied. He¡¯d track his progress to see the effects of the skill. His eyes fell on the pile of runes. He was going to get plenty of time to test it. Maybe it wouldn¡¯t hurt to consult with a runesmith to analyze the fangs. Work smarter, not harder. Chapter 173 - The Runesmith Chapter 173 - The Runesmith The stocky building nestled between its soaring neighbors. Plain granite walls, windows covered by dark curtains and a sturdy oak door, an unassuming oddity in the opulence of the upper city. Kai had walked past it twice before he realized this was the place, his eyes slipped over the gray cube. Everything in the upper city was made to impress, to showcase the wealth and status of their owners. Everything except this house. There were no metal ornaments on its facade, no blooming flowers or sculpted heroes. He had seen public bathrooms that looked more ostentatious. So this is the place? Kai rechecked the address on the slip of paper. Reishi had written the note himself, there were no mistakes. The supposed best runesmith in the whole archipelago lived here. Is this why that sneaky fish was smirking in the end? He had to coax the merman through five cups of tea to get the address and a letter of introduction. And he agreed to bring forward his next delivery of potions. Kai had thought Reishi¡¯s reluctant act was a ruse for those benefits, once again, he had underestimated that devious mind. Spirits willing, this runesmith guy is going to be easier to deal with. Kai straightened his clothes and climbed the steps to the door. There was only one problem. Where is the doorbell? Do I just knock? Every house on the hills had one, usually of sparkling brass or silver, shaped into the head of some animal. Kai examined the oak door with Inspect. Not only was there no doorbell, but there was no handle either. The only feature of the front door was a peephole at his eye level. C¡¯mon, that wasn¡¯t even a proper jinx! Out of better options, Kai did a double knock and stepped back with his best smile. Even if the smith was eccentric, Reishi''s letter of introduction should get him a deal. He just had to be patient and respectful. Easy. A minute passed, then two. No answer. Maybe the smith hadn¡¯t heard. There was a reason why people who lived in big houses had doorbells. Resting his cramped jaw into a neutral expression, Kai knocked again, if a bit more forcefully, still within the bounds of politeness. Minutes ticked by, the street filled with a small traffic of passersby as he awkwardly stood there, though no one paid him attention. He pulled his backpack at his feet to look less inconspicuous. It bulged with his designs and a sample of the sea serpent¡¯s fangs. ¡°Ehm¡­ excuse me, is anyone home?¡± There was no sound of footsteps or voices from inside. What do I need to do? Damn Reishi, I bet he¡¯s laughing right now. Kai tried to peek inside through the peephole, there was just darkness. Was he making a fool of himself in front of an empty house, or was he being ignored? His pride didn¡¯t allow him to give up just yet. Fine. It was rude to probe private possessions with Mana Sense, but he was running out of options. If the owner wasn¡¯t home no one would know, and if they were, they had been rude first. The skill surged forward at his command, ready to sweep through every crack in the building. There was¡ª That¡¯s weird. Kai furrowed his brows in confusion. According to Mana Sense, there was no house at all, he stood before a void of empty darkness. The harder he tried to look, the more his attention slipped away to its flashy neighbors as if the squat house didn¡¯t want to be looked at. It wasn¡¯t by chance that I walked by without noticing this place. Either there wasn¡¯t a drop of essence in the building, or it had been hidden. Judging by the motes of ambient mana that seeped through the granite walls and vanished, it was the latter. Cloaking enchantments were quite common, the clothes he was wearing had one to hide his profession. Most distorted or altered the mana signature, to make something disappear entirely was different. He had only seen it with the items he received from his teachers, though they didn¡¯t work in quite the same way. His spatial ring let a few motes pass through to look like a piece of ordinary silver¡ªwhich was perhaps more subtle. Still, enchanting a whole building would be anything but simple. Reishi wasn¡¯t hyping up this guy''s skills for nothing. Thanks to Inspect, Kai noticed there was a single pinprick of light on the door, right at the edge of the dark area where the handle should have been. Essence was always swirling in motion, but this mote stood perfectly still. Frustrated by the situation, Kai skipped introductions and reached for it with his will and skills. No matter how hard he pushed, the pinprick stubbornly refused to move an inch. ¡°Why don¡¯t you move!¡± he snapped. Just what I needed, now I¡¯m arguing with a door. Kai puffed his cheeks and exhaled slowly. As a last resort, he extended a tendril of mana. The stubborn mote of light disappeared at his lightest touch and an identical pinprick appeared on the other side of the door. What¡¯s going on¡­? He repeated the action with the same result, only this time it moved in the upper right corner of the oak frame, away from his reach. In his moment of hesitation, the point of light moved back to the initial position. With his interest piqued, Kai kept testing the puzzle. Every time he touched the mote, it reappeared in a different spot unless it took him more than a second, then it reset. You want to play hard to get? Have it your way. Kai cracked his fingers and molded his mana into a dozen tendrils to cover the door gate. If the door wanted to challenge him, he was happy to oblige. With a light tap, the chase began. The mote ran away blinking all over the wooden surface, and he followed, playing a game of whack a mole with his mana. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Compared with Virya¡¯s puzzle, this was laughably easy. After twenty touches or so, the motes became two, then three, four and finally five. He was starting to have fun when the point of light reset in the initial position. Kai wondered if he had been too slow when an empty compartment sprung open from the side of the door, making him jolt and almost trip down the steps. Blessed spirits, he cautiously approached. The metal locker was two palms across and three fingers high, seamlessly disguised in the granite wall. ¡°What am I supposed to do?¡± Kai asked out loud, hoping for a hint. There were no further instructions or answers. The compartment could fit a hand, or¡­ a letter? Cursing Reishi again for the lack of clear directions, he put the letter inside. The paper had barely touched the bottom when it sprung close with the same sudden movement. Kai thanked the spirits he had not put his fingers in. He expectantly looked at the door, forcing another polite smile. Five minutes later, his face hurt, and the door soundlessly opened. There was no one to greet him, just a hallway shrouded in darkness. Not spooky at all. ¡°Should I come in?¡± Kai hesitated a moment before jumping inside, he wasn¡¯t going back empty-handed after all the hassle. As soon as he crossed the entrance, the gate slammed closed behind him, plunging him in the dark. For fuck¡¯s sake! When a series of crystals lit up on both sides of the hallway, Kai squinted at the blinding lights, lowering his gaze. His skin gave a familiar tingle, warning him the mana density had jumped several times, similar to Dora¡¯s greenhouse at the estate. A red carpet embroidered with intricate geometric forms and runes covered the floor. They shaped a preserving enchantment, a variation he hadn¡¯t seen before. Fascinated, he observed how the runes were woven for both decoration and function. There were a series of closed doors on both sides of the hallway, spaced out by short marble plinths housing all kinds of enchanted artifacts glowing with mana. There was a golden chalice, a bone-white sword, a vase covered in runes, and more he couldn¡¯t identify. Kai looked down at a pink spiraling shell covered in holes. He could almost hear a voice singing amidst the washing wav¡ª ¡°Stop gawking and come inside.¡± A deep voice rumbled. ¡°And don¡¯t touch anything, I don¡¯t like people snooping around.¡± Geeze, and Flynn says I¡¯m grouchy. Kai reluctantly stepped back from the pink shell-flute. That mesmerizing voice echoed in his ears, beckoning him to come closer and listen to the song. Maybe another time, he couldn¡¯t study it anyway. Each plinth was enchanted to scramble his mana senses, and something nastier if he touched the items. The enchantments also cloaked every wall inside the house, it was clear the owner had a way of watching him. Kai considered flipping his middle finger at the air, no one on Elydes knew what it meant. He had the inkling this guy wasn¡¯t very well-versed in societal norms. If he passed it as some form of foreign greeting, it might just work. I can always do it on my way out. With a cheerful wave at the polished walls, Kai strolled down the corridor. Every door was barred, leaving a single path forward. The carpet ended upon black onyx stairs that, instead of leading up to the second floor, spiraled underground. ¡°Hurry up, kid, I don¡¯t have all day.¡± The voice rumbled again. Why does it feel like I¡¯m walking into a trap? Kai descended, the light grew dimmer with each step, he¡¯d bet the blinding welcome had been no accident. Images of old, grotesque men flashed in his head. Reishi wouldn¡¯t send him to an unstable individual, right? The steps ended before a large bronze door, where chains of delicate glowing runes intersected to form larger symbols. The sight was enough to make his head hurt, he hadn¡¯t seen anything with the same level of intricacy since Virya left. He recognized perhaps a tenth of the symbols, and he couldn¡¯t begin to guess their use. ¡°Come in, kid. I don¡¯t bite. Well¡­ unless I¡¯m hungry. You better hurry.¡± A raucous laughter echoed from some unseen enchantment as the gate opened with a creaking. Just enough to let him squeeze through. Reishi owes me an explanation. Steeling himself for whatever waited inside, Kai entered brushing against the cold metal. The smell of old paper, ash and iron washed over him, he stood before a large round hall with a vaulted ceiling. A dozen different desks and an uncountable number of chairs and stools filled the floor in no detectable order. No surface was left unoccupied. Papers, books and scrolls covered in runes, pointy metal and glass tools that looked like torture devices, and a number of what were probably half-finished products glowing with mana. The amount of chaos made his room look like the embodiment of neat and tidy. ¡°I should have known that merman would sell the information. Well, he can forget about me buying another fluffy pillow from him.¡± A squeaky voice grumbled. ¡°What do you want, brat? Did the basilisk get your tongue? I¡¯ve no time to waste.¡± Kai searched the hall for the origin of the strange voice, his eyes zipped over the clutter coming up empty. That was until a crumpled paper flew at his head and a pile of scrolls moved. All the images he had conjured in his head collapsed, and Kai could only stare with wide eyes. He had been right about one thing, the runesmith was old. The gremlin was no higher than him, probably shorter. White tufts sprouted from a head that sported a pair of protruding bulbous eyes too large for a human. The iris was a thin orange stripe around his black pupils focusing on him. ¡°What are you staring at? Never seen someone so handsome?¡± The gnome scratched one of his hairy, pointed ears, showing his sharp teeth. Kai woke up from his stupor, resisting the urge to scan him and the entire hall. The runesmith was certainly shielded, and he might take offense if he tried to steal his secrets. ¡°Sorry, sir. You¡¯re very handsome.¡± It wasn¡¯t a lie, in an ugly-cute kind of way. Will he bite me if I try to pet him? ¡°You betcha I am! Now tell me why you¡¯re here.¡± He beckoned him to come closer, cursing under his breath. ¡°Broken gods, I came to this archipelago to get some peace, not to be disturbed at all hours of the day.¡± Kai tiptoed around the papers and scraps of metal filling the floor. It was impossible not to step on something, but the gnome didn¡¯t seem to mind. He was seated on a plump pink pillow embroidered with dancing sirens. ¡°I¡¯m Kai,¡± he offered his hand in greeting. The runesmith studied his extended arm like a strange type of insect. ¡°Edgar,¡± he finally said, pulling out a knobby hand with six fingers and a knuckle too many. ¡°If you think flattery and manners will get you anywhere, you''re dead wrong.¡± ¡°Edgar?¡± Kai blurted absently, fascinated by the strange hand. The palm was surprisingly soft, and each nail looked carefully manicured. ¡°You can also call me Edgarmoulous Katorius Xe¡¯Talouvoi if you prefer. No? I thought so.¡± He pulled his hand back, cleaning it on his worn robe. ¡°Now say your piece and go. I hope your parents didn''t waste too much money paying that merman, ¡®cause I¡¯m not taking orders.¡± ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t pay Reishi, he¡¯s just a friend.¡± Whom I¡¯m going to strangle as soon as I see him. Edgar narrowed his bulbous eyes and burst into laughter. ¡°A human with a fish friend. You''re a funny one.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying.¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re not, that¡¯s what makes it funny.¡± Kai masked his annoyance by rummaging through his backpack. He took out his designs and a crystal fang, looking for a place to put them. ¡°Here.¡± Edgar pushed his scrolls back making something clatter to the floor at the other end of the table. He flipped through the papers with a disinterested wave and focused on the fang. ¡°A sea serpent¡¯s tooth, early yellow grade. I don¡¯t recognize the variety.¡± ¡°I wanted to¡ª¡± Kai tried to explain when was silenced with a finger. ¡°I¡¯m going to help you make whatever knife or pointy thingy you want.¡± ¡°Really?¡± That was easier than I thought. Suspicion began to tickle him. ¡°How much is it going to cost me?¡± ¡°I just want to study your cloaking enchantment.¡± ¡°My shirt?¡± ¡°No, the one for your race grade. Is it the ring, or one of those pendants? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll help you remove it if you have implanted it under your skin, I¡¯m an expert.¡± Chapter 174 - A Lovable Gnome Chapter 174 - A Lovable Gnome ¡°Do we have a deal, kid?¡± Edgar gave him a crooked smile. His bulbous eyes scanned him, looking for the hidden enchantment. Is there a point in denying? Kai discarded the possibility. Confidence could be faked, but the gnome had been too precise in its assumptions to be bluffing. He might also possess a lie-detection skill or¡ªmore likely¡ªan artifact. From the metal contraptions poking out of the pockets of his yellow robe, to the rings on his fingers and earrings on his pointy ears, everything the gnome wore glowed with mana. But he doesn¡¯t know which item is disguising my grade. It was a relief to know Virya¡¯s concealing amulet worked with an experienced runesmith. The problem was that the enhancement made him still appear as Orange ¡ï. If someone watched him closely, it wouldn¡¯t take long to notice his skills and attributes didn¡¯t add up. ¡°How did you know?¡± Kai went straight to the point. ¡°Cause Mama gave me a beautiful pair of eyes.¡± Edgar blinked and let out a squeaky laugh. ¡°You should ask what didn¡¯t give it away.¡± He hopped off his stool and put on a silver-rimmed monocle that enlarged his black pupils to comic proportions. ¡°No one ever notices until I tell them.¡± Kai crossed his arms, trying to not flinch as the gnome came closer, peering through his enchanted glass. For once, he wasn¡¯t the short one. Edgar¡¯s wild tufts of hair might just reach his nose if he stood up straight. ¡°That''s because most people are idiots. It¡¯s obvious to anyone with a brain and the attributes to back it up.¡± The gnome fingered the golden hoop on his flopping ear. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a seamless cloak. It¡¯s quite clever, I¡¯ll give you that. You use a shitty enchantment on your shirt so no one would suspect the good one. Is it some kind of family heirloom? Is that why it doesn¡¯t fit you?¡± Darn it! How did you find out my evil plan? Kai smiled. ¡°It was a gift.¡± If the gremlin was interested in it, he¡¯d keep the cards close to his chest. Edgar grunted, displeased at the short answer. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a free piece of advice, kid. Everyone worries about hiding their Strength, but it¡¯s Dexterity that gives one away. From how you walk and balance on those spindly legs, it¡¯s written all over you. It might work with ignorant bumpkins, but anyone with a little enchantment knowledge and an observation skill can tell.¡± ¡°You were watching me the entire time, weren¡¯t you?¡± Kai narrowed his gaze. He had barely taken a few steps into the hall. Even if what he said was true, the gnome had been too confident. Edgar curved his lips, showing just a sliver of his sharp teeth. ¡°I saw you ring my doorbell.¡± The door puzzle? I should have made it look harder. He must love peeping. ¡°Why did you make it so easy if you don¡¯t want visitors?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t seen other people¡¯s attempts. I¡¯d pay gold to see you call it easy in front of them.¡± Edgar chuckled and hopped back on his pink pillow. ¡°You¡¯re the second kid who made it through this year. If I made it any harder, people would throw a fit and start yelling. When it¡¯s achievable and they still fail, most are too ashamed to tell anyone or come back.¡± The gnome pulled a handful of purple nuts from a pocket and loudly crunched them. ¡°Lend me your cloaking enchantment for one month and I¡¯ll inscribe whatever weapon you want. Deal? I think I know where you hid it.¡± Kai bit his cheek, trying to look conflicted. If Reishi had taught him anything, it was to always haggle even when the deal was good. Runesmiths were rare in the archipelago, and good ones rarer still. ¡°I can agree on that, but I have ten fangs to enchant, and I need a substitute to mask my grade to Orange ¡ï¡ï.¡± Always start high and work down, you¡¯d be proud of me. Edgar scrunched his wrinkly forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t push it, kid. I find your trinket a bit interesting, but it¡¯s just an odd cloaking enchantment. As you can see, I can craft them too,¡± he gestured to the house around him. ¡°I can give you another piece to disguise your grade, but I¡¯ll only inscribe two blades.¡± With Improvisation, Kai hid his surprise beneath an impassive look. The gnome must desire to check his amulet pretty badly. Edgar¡¯s house said a lot about his skills and interest in the field. ¡°Four fangs, and I¡¯ll lend it to you for two months. My trinket must not be so worthless if you can''t even find it.¡± Did I push it too hard? The gremlin pulled on his ear again before he broke into a disquieting large grin. ¡°Let¡¯s make a bet then. If I can point out your trinket, you just get the cloaking and the sea serpent¡¯s tooth you brought. If you win, I¡¯ll inscribe all the yellow fangs you have. Deal?¡± Mhmm¡­ I could take the two blades, that should be enough, or¡­ ¡°Deal, but I also want an enchantment to hide my profession.¡± Kai shook his six-fingered hand. Virya, don¡¯t fail me now. ¡°You¡¯ve got yourself a deal, kid. Don¡¯t cry if you lose.¡± Edgar gave a large victorious smile, his bulbous eyes wandering over the accessories on his finger, wrist and neck. He slowly raised his hand to point. ¡°It¡¯s your ring!¡± Kai exhaled a breath of relief. ¡°Nope.¡± Spirits, for a moment I thought I made a mistake. ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± Edgar squealed. ¡°That ring is definitely cloaked!¡± ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯s not the one that hides my grade.¡± Kai repaid his victorious grin. Since the ring had been enchanted by Elijah and not Virya, it had been a risky, but not a blind bet. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Sorry butler, the witch wins this one. The white hair on the gnome stood up like a vexed cat, so Kai pulled the metal amulet over his neck as proof. ¡°See¡ª¡± ¡°Gimmie!¡± The gremlin had snatched it away, deflating on the sirens of his pillow. ¡°How¡­? This almost looks like¡­¡± His ears quivered in excitement. He shuffled with a multitude of lenses and mechanical gadgets to probe the pendant. With a brush of his finger, the tools appeared and disappeared from pockets too small to contain them. Kai narrowed his focus. Oh, is the robe a spatial artifact, or is he using it as a disguise? He switched weight between his feet as the gnome ignored his existence, the exclamations growing louder with each minute. Kai had never been able to glimpse a wisp of mana from the pendant, though the gnome was clearly seeing something. ¡°Where did you find this? Do you know who made it?¡± When Edgar looked up, his left eyelid trembled¡ªhopefully it was just a sign of excitement. ¡°I¡­¡± Kai retreated a step, considering the chances the gnome would pounce on him. ¡°I¡¯ll be happy to answer all your questions about the amulet in exchange for a favor when I need it.¡± His brain couldn¡¯t think properly with an unhinged gnome staring at him. Edgar considered it for a split second before agreeing. ¡°It must be something of similar value, don¡¯t come asking for an invisibility hat or an elemental bomb.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Would Virya be angry if I told him about her? Well, she''s not here. I don¡¯t know much anyway. Kai kept his explanation to the witch alone, without elaborating on the estate or its other inhabitants. The gremlin looked surprisingly pleased with the information. He smiled like a giddy child on Christmas Eve, clutching the amulet to his chest. If he starts to whisper sweet words to it, I¡¯m out of here. ¡°Let¡¯s see what I can do with this tooth.¡± Edgar made the pendant disappear in one of his pockets. With a wave, the papers Kai brought flew in his hand. ¡°Huh, these designs are a bit subpar¡­¡± His frown and grimace deepened as he browsed through them. ¡°The rune composition is creative, I suppose, but that¡¯s about the only thing I can say. This sword would break down in a week, and this one would be absurdly inefficient using a sea serpent''s tooth. And this! How could anyone¡­¡± The gnome rambled on the numerous foolish mistakes in the designs, taking out a red bottle of ink to scribble over the gravest errors. ¡°Where did you get these?¡± Looking at Kai¡¯s embarrassed silence, he got his answer. ¡°Oh, these are yours. Looks like your teacher truly left, or she would have chopped your hands off to prevent the embarrassment.¡± No need to sugarcoat it, asshole! ¡°I¡¯ve never enchanted a weapon before,¡± Kai defended himself. Edgar didn¡¯t look impressed. ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t have started with a fancy yellow material. You can¡¯t build a golem if you can¡¯t dig a hole.¡± ¡°I came here to ask for advice.¡± ¡°And that makes you slightly less foolish. Most of these designs need to be redrawn from scratch, and the others were made with as much luck as skill. I¡¯ll need to see the fangs you have to fit the runes. I said I¡¯d enchant all the ones you have, which only includes the yellow sea serpent¡¯s teeth currently in your possession. How many did you buy, kid?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, about twenty-five or so?¡± Kai enjoyed the blank look on the gnome¡¯s face. Edgar pulled on both his ears, grumbling about spoiled brats. ¡°Why did your parents let you buy so many?¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t, I hunted the serpent myself.¡± ¡°A yellow beast in the archipelago¡­? Wait a second.¡± The gnome pulled off the golden earring, slammed it against the desk a couple times and put it back on as if nothing had happened. ¡°Could you repeat that?¡± Guess now I know what he uses to detect lies. Kai remained vague on the details of the hunt. The runesmith didn¡¯t seem to care either way, mumbling curses in a foreign shrill language and pulling his ears like he wanted to rip them off. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll do it. Bring me the materials tomorrow, I¡¯ll fix your disgraceful designs and get them done when I get the time.¡± ¡°Actually, I was hoping to work the runes myself.¡± Kai¡¯s best smile was met with cold shoulders. ¡°You¡¯re unqualified to work with material of this grade,¡± the gnome said disdainfully. ¡°I know, but maybe with your help¡ª¡± ¡°No. Our deal doesn¡¯t include babysitting, I¡¯m too busy to take on an apprentice.¡± Well, I doubt I¡¯m going to get anything better. ¡°You do owe me a favor¡­ It looked like my answers were very valuable.¡± Kai reminded him. He had thought of getting a free item in exchange, but tools and weapons could be bought with mesars, knowledge was much more precious and harder to obtain. ¡°Give me a moment.¡± Edgar walked to a corner. Hidden behind the cluttered desks, his squeaky voice still echoed clearly in the underground chamber. ¡°Broken gods and rotting titans, why are you punishing me? Okay, I stole a piece of iridium from the altar, but I only did it twice fifty years ago! I''m a changed gnome now.¡± If a god was listening, they didn¡¯t answer. The gnome walked back with a resigned look, his ears flopping lower than usual. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a few tips, but no apprenticeship. You¡¯ll do what I say when I say it, and I don¡¯t want to hear you whine if you¡¯re too dim to learn.¡± Fine by me, Kai nodded. ¡°Good. What skills do you have for enchanting? Besides those for basic mana perception and manipulation.¡± ¡°Runes.¡± ¡°And¡­?¡± ¡°Does Inspect count as one? I evolved it to make it better with Runes.¡± The gnome blinked twice. ¡°I¡¯m starting to see why your teacher left. I¡¯m busy right now, we can start your lessons in a week, or two, or three. No rush.¡± He rummaged through his pockets and took out two stud piercings with a moonstone each. ¡°Here, take them and get lost.¡± Kai frowned at the pair of enchanted earrings. ¡°What¡¯re these for?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you want a disguise for your grade and profession?¡± Edgar raised a bushy white eyebrow. ¡°I didn¡¯t promise you a custom job. Those will work just fine, and improve your squalid fashion sense on top. Free of charge.¡± ¡°They are earrings,¡± Kai said. ¡°Your deduction skills are astonishing, though I still fail to see your point. Why don¡¯t you reflect on it outside my house? I hear they sell a wonderful apple pie across the street.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wear it,¡± Kai pointed to the sides of his head. ¡°My ears aren¡¯t pierced.¡± The gnome snorted and took out a long pointy needle. The metal was marked with dark spots of either rust or blood. ¡°Fine, stay still or I might miss. You might feel a little pinprick. Do you want them on different sides, or on the same ear?¡± Kai jumped three steps back, nearly tripping on a broken horn left on the floor. His hands rose to protect his ears. ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything that doesn¡¯t require making a hole through my body?¡± Edgar rolled his bulbous eyes and put out the needle with a disappointed sigh. ¡°You¡¯re such a baby, they¡¯re just a couple of tiny holes.¡± He rummaged into his robe. ¡°Does this work for Your Highness, or is your wrist too soft?¡± Kai caught a metal bracelet an inch before it hit his nose. A chain of fine interlocking plates covered in finer runes that softly glowed with mana. He considered asking if seawater might corrode and rust the metal, but one look at the angry gnome was enough to dissuade him. ¡°That¡¯s perfect, thanks.¡± He squeezed through the bronze door and didn¡¯t look back till he left the granite building behind. Sun and fresh air welcomed him outside, though he missed the enhanced mana density. Damn, I knew it! There was no bakery that sold apple pie across the street. Chapter 175 - First Blade Chapter 175 - First Blade Not as painful or exhausting as his days at the estate, but infinitely more frustrating. Kai had to stretch his patience threefold to study under the gnome''s tutelage. Edgar made clear he had no desire to teach him. From abstruse explanations to tedious lessons on material composition and rune synchronization, the little gremlin put more effort into trying to make him quit their arrangement than teaching him. His favorite assignment was to have Kai draw a rune combination three hundred times and ignore him for the rest of the day. It might have worked if it wasn¡¯t for a detail the gnome couldn¡¯t have predicted. Mana Echo made any repetitive task trivial. Kai grasped the true potential of his profession skill when paired with an obsessive teacher. He could rest his mind and let the ability take over his hands, improving the quality of the copy as he grew more familiar with the runes. It was true, his progress was slower than doing it manually, but he also gained muscle memory with a lot less effort. If he had to do a hundred more repetitions to balance it out, it was still more than worth it. Pulling on his ears, Edgar grunted something about cheating brats, but he couldn¡¯t deny the results. Between a grumble and a curse, he pointed out each foolish mistake and what he needed to improve. Be it just to let him know how inept he was. ¡°You are supposed to draw runes, not abstract art. What are these sloppy angles? My great-great-great nephew could do better when he was five, and his mother had dropped him on the head in the crib.¡± Spirits, he makes it hard to be grateful. There was value in figuring out things for himself, though Kai would always pick having a competent teacher if given the choice. The gnome could point him in the right direction and avoid pitfalls miles ahead, too prideful to give erroneous instructions. Kai had never progressed so rapidly since Dora left. It¡¯ll all be worth it. It¡¯ll all be worth it. It¡¯ll all be worth it¡­ Drawing perfect runes was the basic requirement, then he had to combine and tune them to the material he wanted to enchant. Kai couldn¡¯t complain, Mana Echo had drastically reduced the boring part, and he enjoyed the problem-solving aspect. If he wanted to design the enchantment for the sea serpent¡¯s fangs, he had to do it properly from start to finish. Edgar demanded the schematics meet his standards. No two pieces of steel or bone were the same, and so should each weapon or tool be uniquely fitted. After two weeks, Edgar begrudgingly accepted that Kai wasn¡¯t going to quit, and they reached a sort of understanding. The runesmith would give him an hour of proper education if Kai didn¡¯t bother him for the rest of the day. An hour and a half if the gnome liked the baked bribes he brought. *** I¡¯ve checked seven times and there are no mistakes. Kai anxiously chewed his cheek, awaiting judgment on his latest dagger schematic. The previous twenty-two attempts had been deemed inadequate to be inscribed by the runesmith. Too sloppy, too unbalanced, too ugly, drawn by a thousand-year-old grandma with dementia and trembling fingers. Kai had heard them all. He had taken every criticism without complaint¡ªwithin earshot of his teacher¡ªand adjusted. His twenty-third design was the culmination of a month of learning and abuse. The design had been reduced to its most fundamental components, oceans away from his lofty dreams of flaming swords and invisible daggers. The gnome had made clear Kai had no business setting his sight on the stars if he couldn¡¯t make a proper knife, and so he did. The dagger would cut really well and last for a lifetime without losing its edge. Simple and effective. What else did you need from a knife? Each enchantment had been fitted for the three-palm crystal fang and its mana capacity. The stroke of each rune arranged according to the essence composition of the material. Edgar¡¯s bushy white eyebrows rose and fell as he examined the sheet of paper. The runesmith could judge the designs with a glance but enjoyed the torment of drawing out his verdict. Stop being an ass and tell me. With no small effort, Kai smoothed his features and commanded his hands to stay put at his sides. He wouldn¡¯t give the gnome the satisfaction of seeing him squirm. ¡°Mhmm¡­¡± The bulging eyes left the schematics to land on him. ¡°I see you¡¯ve finally listened and simplified your enchantment. Using a yellow-grade material is still beyond foolish, but I¡¯ve learned to temper my expectations. You can¡¯t beat sense into a rockhog, it will always gorge itself to death if given a choice.¡± Is this the best you can do? Try again, he watched him unbothered. Edgar plucked another eight-shaped donut and chewed with excruciating slowness. His six fingers hovered over the pink box of sweets before cleaning the hand on his robe and turning back to the paper. ¡°You could have made it without these linkage segments. And it¡¯s always better to hide the core runes beneath the handle¡­¡± He pointed out with a disapproving look. ¡°But I suppose this might be considered an acceptable try, for a novice.¡± Kai couldn¡¯t stop himself from exhaling in relief, though he cursed himself when he noticed the satisfaction that crossed the gnome¡¯s gaze. It doesn¡¯t matter. I did it! He wouldn''t let the gnome sour his achievement. The sweet wave of triumph swept through him, melting the headache for skill strain. ¡°Maybe I should try inscribing it myself¡­¡± He wondered out loud. General Skills: The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. While he had refused to specialize Runes for a particular task, his skills had improved greatly. Engraving enchantments on a weapon had looked like a risky task, but after his recent progress, it was just another step to create his own weapons. He had a few ideas on how to do it, and a runesmith ready to offer his reluctant help. How hard can it be? ¡°Broken gods,¡± Edgar pulled on his jeweled ear with a groan. ¡°Just as I was thinking I had managed to squeeze some sense into your tiny human skull, you prove me wrong. Listen to me, kid. You¡¯re not gonna touch a red turd without a proper engraving skill and equipment, understood?¡± Always so dramatic. I¡¯ve got more than enough spares even if I fail my first attempt. ¡°Yes, teacher.¡± Kai respectfully bobbed his head. He had learned to carefully word his answers to work around the gnome¡¯s lie-detection earring. ¡°Don¡¯t yes-teacher me, and bring me that fang!¡± Damn, distrustful gremlin. ¡°I read there are inks that allow you to draw on bone like you would on paper.¡± He said with the reasonable tone borrowed from Lou. ¡°I could make some replicas of the fang to practice before trying the real thing.¡± Directly from Dora¡¯s alchemy book, N.42: Kai¡¯s Unforgettable Signature. The first time he saw it, he couldn¡¯t figure out why he would need ink that could seep into stone, bone and metal. It was one of the most complex recipes since it had to be adapted to the material. He should be able to make it with the extra attributes from Mana Child. From his disdainful scowl, Edgar wasn¡¯t impressed by the idea. ¡°Let¡¯s assume you get your hands on something like that. Those inks are notoriously fickle to use and never last as much as a proper job. You¡¯d have a better chance drawing runes with a scalpel.¡± ¡°I¡¯d still like to¡ª¡± Kai was silenced with an imperious finger. ¡°We could try to crack your head on a book and see if you gain years of crafting experience. I heard it worked with my cousin Eugenie. Well¡­ right till he jumped off the walls of the Zon¡¯Kerloi, believing he could fly.¡± The gnome pulled a thick volume with an iron spine from his pockets. ¡°Wanna try?¡± Fine. He threw an annoyed glance at the gremlin. ¡°Pity.¡± Edgar extended his bony hand. ¡°The fang. Now.¡± Kai weighed his chances to make it out of the underground hall with the tooth, somewhere in the realm of one in a million or two. With a sulky frown, he went to fetch the fang from the corner of the desk he was allowed to use, and reluctantly surrendered it. ¡°Was that so hard?¡± In a flash of mana, two thin slices separated from the yellow-grade fang where the handle would be placed. Edgar wiped the scraps off the desk, though Kai knew better than to believe his nonchalant attitude. The gnome was a show-off. ¡°Now, let me show you why you¡¯re a fool. To inscribe an essence-rich material, the right ink and drawing perfect runes are not enough.¡± He pulled out a strange tool with a needle and a vial containing a midnight-blue liquid. When he pushed mana into it, the pointy end moved up and down, drawing on the ink like a tattoo needle. ¡°Pay attention, kid.¡± The runesmith began working with a steady hand to engrave the tooth. The lines were tiny and precise as if they had been drawn by a sharp pencil. Despite the time spent in the lab, Edgar had never let him witness the actual process. Kai didn¡¯t waste time and focused on Mana Sense. The world burst alight with color and swirling motes. While there were a thousand shiny distractions in the underground hall, his eyes were firmly on his teacher¡¯s work. The engraving needle glowed with hundreds of runes, distorted to protect its secrets. And the ink shone brighter still, leaving behind incandescent lines that bent the mana of the fang. Huh, is he¡­? Amidst the spectacle of light, it took some tuning to notice a more subtle display: a hundred delicate filaments melting into the fang. Kai thought it was part of the tool function before he retraced them to the gnome¡¯s hand. His attention immediately sharpened, he stared intently to not miss a fraction of the process. ¡°There are many ways to enchant a weapon. I¡¯d advise using one that leaves a physical mark for a novice, but that¡¯s not the most important aspect.¡± Edgar talked without diverting his eyes from his work. ¡°The only way to ensure an enchantment will hold is to shape the runes directly into the mana of the material. So the structure won¡¯t crumble if the runes get damaged.¡± ¡°You only get one chance at this when you are inscribing. You can do without a skill for the physical etching, but you need one to engrave the mana of the substrate.¡± The runesmith molded the essence of the fang before the ink arrived to fix it in place. ¡°Depending on your skill, the runes will be able to endure more damage before cracking. You can still break mine with a scalpel, but won¡¯t have to worry about them getting chipped in battle. I suppose I can let him do it¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen many enchantments made like this.¡± The difference became obvious as the work proceeded. Instead of simply linking them, the runes and the essence of the fang fused to become one. ¡°You can only do it with mana-rich materials, and it¡¯s a lot of extra work. If the runes are safe inside the walls of your house, or on a self-heating pillow, most don¡¯t think it¡¯s worth the effort.¡± Edgar said with disdain. ¡°They always laugh right till something breaks. Can you imagine having an itchy back when your favorite automated backscratcher stops working? Absolutely dreadful.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t imagine the horror,¡± Kai agreed. Even red-graded materials were rare in the archipelago. And if his heating mug broke, he could just fix it. ¡°Most weapons I saw weren¡¯t made like this either.¡± In his wanderings through the stores of Higharbor, he could hardly remember any sword engraved that way, and those always came for three times the price. ¡°Why make a weapon that will last a lifetime when you can have it break after a year and sell it again? Especially if your customers can¡¯t tell the difference,¡± Edgar sneered. ¡°Listen to me, kid. The world is full of people with no integrity who will sell you garbage if you let them get away with it. Not everyone is a virtuous gnome like me.¡± More like prideful, though I guess it works the same. ¡°I¡¯ll remember your advice.¡± Kai painted his face with sincerity. Whether for pride or honesty, Edgard would never sell something half-baked. ¡°You should. This is done.¡± The gnome wiped the excess ink off the fang to reveal a network of dark runes, the lines so fine they looked braided from threads of spider silk. ¡°Admire, this is how a proper enchantment is made.¡± The blade shone with a dangerous blue light. The mana of the fang had grown stronger, and Kai had no idea how that was possible. Edgard relished in his awe, grinning gleefully. He pulled a piece of carved wood and a leather string from his pockets. His fingers moved in a blur and fastened the handle with incredible Dexterity. ¡°Here, keep it away from strong mana sources for a day to give the runes time to settle.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Now scram, and see if you can avoid stabbing yourself till you''re out of my house. I don¡¯t want any blood on my carpet.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± Kai said dryly. He left without complaining that the gnome had hardly given him half an hour of his time. It didn¡¯t matter, not when he gained something so much more valuable. The day was bright and chilly outside. He greeted every passerby with a smile on the way home. It had been a close call, but Mana Echo had managed to create a copy of the inscribing skill. It was a rough cumbersome thing that occupied more than half the space in his mind, but Kai would give it up for nothing in the world. The gnome had never seen him copy anything but runes and presumed that was the extent of his ability. Indeed, it was much harder to copy skills, his echoes a shadow of the real thing. That was unless he had time to refine them. With two dozen other fangs and a teacher who loved to show off, Kai couldn¡¯t wait to finish his next design. My evil schemes are coming to fruition! The bells of Higharbor filled the streets with their festive clangs as if to celebrate his success. He didn¡¯t mind their clamor. The sounds continued past the fifteen rings for the hour, though he didn¡¯t worry since they didn¡¯t follow any of the warning rhythms. Probably they are just testing something, or someone is pulling a joke. ¡°Did you hear?¡± a girl loudly whispered to her friends. ¡°The temple of the Seven announced the Moons are going to align in seven days.¡± Chapter 176 - Celestial Alignment Chapter 176 - Celestial Alignment News of the alignment swept through the streets, faster than his feet could carry him home. The bells eventually quietened, and excited voices rose to take their place. It was rare six moons aligned for any length of time¡ªnot counting the Lost Sister that was unpredictable by nature. Beyond the celestial spectacle, the phenomenon carried numerous meanings and omens. Superstitions like those of the elusive Wandering Moon, though these held more truth. Kai had seen the alignment five times before and witnessed his share of unexplainable events. Temperatures drop to freeze water, spirals of sand and leaves floating unchained by gravity, and wild fluctuations in the mana currents. Some claimed to have had premonitions of the future, seen the spirits of the ancestors or received mighty gifts. Magic being real on Elydes didn¡¯t stop people from making shit up: it just made it harder to parse the lies. The grains of truth were drowned by hordes of superstitions, with no way to test or verify them. ¡°Blessings!¡± A woman with graying hair greeted him at the limit of the Ring Road. She had set up a stall outside her bakery, offering sweet buns to every passerby. The smell of warm food made his mouth water. Kai couldn¡¯t tell if it was a pious act or a marketing strategy, in either case, who was he to refuse free food? ¡°Blessings.¡± He repeated, the word was already filling the city in the background. The woman gave him a chubby bun and turned to another man. She must be a believer. He had never been particularly interested in the faith of the Seven, though it was impossible to live in Higharbor without picking something up. The alignment was only more important in the Republic, where the moons were worshiped like actual deities. I guess they are real. Such a weird thought weighed heavy on his mind. With seventy million believers across the mainland, there must have been miracles and blessings aplenty. Kai stole a glance at the clouds. A pale, yellow moon hung uncaring in the winter sky. If the gods were watching, they gave no sign of acknowledgment. Knowledge of deities was even harder to come by than information on Fate and Favor. Or better, people were only willing to discuss the virtues of the Seven Moons, how and when to pray and show your devotion to the faith. He had never found a bookshop in the capital that had less than a dozen volumes on religious doctrine. Before the gods, people were supposed to bow down in worship, they weren¡¯t supposed to question them. What were they? What was the extent of their power or the limit of their actions? Had the Seven always been there, born with the celestial rocks orbiting the planet, or had they appeared later? Not a scrap of paper or a broken sentence on the topic. The books he was allowed to browse at the estate hadn¡¯t contained more than vague passing mentions, and after his teachers had left, he had known better than to ask out loud. Virya¡¯s attitude of treating deities like forces to be studied and negotiated with was considered heretical by islanders and mainlanders alike, and Kai was in no mood to be burned at the stake. Away from the hills of the upper city, the echoes of blessings grew fainter as the population tilted in favor of the natives. Besides the mystical shenanigans, true or otherwise, there were more direct consequences to six moons linking. That was why the alignment went by another name in the archipelago - The Festival of the Tides. Depending on the timing of the alignment, the sea could rise to swallow coast and towns or disappear beyond the horizon. His mom could probably tell him which with her moons charts. The door closed behind him, Kai enjoyed the sudden silence of his house. How could anyone survive the noise of the city without a soundproofing enchantment? It had been one of the very first additions when Reishi handed him the keys. A few circles of shining runes hidden behind paintings and bookshelves to quieten the clamor. Did they always look so ugly? Every line was inadequate, sloppy, inefficient. In light of his recent progress, every tiny oversight had become a glaring mistake. Kai diverted his gaze before the impulse to redo could win. If he started to look for flaws, he could spend the next week redrawing every enchantment in his house and still have more. It doesn¡¯t need to be pretty as long as it works. Edgar might have rubbed off his perfectionism on him, but the gnome wasn¡¯t there. He would rather starve than leave his home. No one would know how absolutely terrible his work was. Damn, stop thinking about it. ¡°Have you heard the news?¡± Flynn strode in the living room with a toothy smile. ¡°There is going to be a Festival of the Tides! It¡¯s been so long since the last.¡± It does feel like a lifetime ago, I was still at the estate¡­ ¡°It was hard to miss on the streets. They rang those damn bells for five minutes straight,¡± Kai wasn¡¯t surprised his friend already knew. Flynn always had a knack for gathering information, even without leaving the house. He must have known what the noise meant. ¡°But I¡¯m not sure they¡¯ll celebrate the festival here.¡± It had been the Faith of the Seven Moons to give the news of the alignment, not the local tideseer. Kai didn¡¯t even know if there was one. The traditions in the Republic were different. While they might not care to actively convert the population, the city was the heart of their power in the archipelago. ¡°You know Higharbor continues beyond those flashy hills, right?¡± Flynn asked with complete seriousness. ¡°Have you spent so much time walking among the clouds that you¡¯ve forgotten about us lowly mortals?¡± ¡°Very funny.¡± Yes, the place had a few nice shops and a scenic view of the city, but that wasn¡¯t the reason. He went to the upper city because of Edgar. ¡°I don¡¯t like it there any more than you do.¡± ¡°If you say so, Your Highness.¡± Flynn gave a teasing bow. ¡°Maybe you should try going out for reasons that don¡¯t include training.¡± ¡°I do that all the time.¡± ¡°Buying food or shopping for materials to train doesn¡¯t count. When was the last time you went out for fun? Just to walk, see the sun, or talk to people?¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°I can do all those things while I run my errands.¡± Flynn gave him an exasperated look as if he had just proved his point. ¡°Let¡¯s focus on the future. There will be plenty of celebrations for the festival in the outer city. I can show you around, I found this tavern with the most interesting people. You need a referral to enter but I¡ª¡± he stopped and narrowed his eyes on something at his back. ¡°Is that for me?¡± ¡°No,¡± Kai answered before understanding what he was referring to. The handle of his new blade slightly poked from his satchel. A sliver of polished wood that could have belonged to a thousand different things. How did he spot that? He cursed himself. There had been no time to hide it. The gnome could see every angle of his house, and he wasn¡¯t going to use his ring in the streets. ¡°Was it made by the grumpy gnome? Can I try it?¡± Flynn approached with his beaten puppy look. When that didn¡¯t work, his grabby hands dashed forward. Kai was ready to dodge him, but the space inside the house was limited. They ended up wrestling on the couch and then the floor. ¡°It¡¯s mine.¡± He clutched his satchel with no intention of letting go. ¡°C¡¯mon, don¡¯t be stingy,¡± Flynn tried to pry his fingers open against Empower. ¡°I just want to see it.¡± ¡°The things you watch have the tendency to disappear.¡± Kai snapped back. He would trust those words more if they came from a giggling toddler. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault if you always bring such interesting things home. I¡¯ve listened to you rant about that grumpy gnome every night for a month, I¡¯ve the right to be curious.¡± Flynn suddenly let him go and stood up with a sulk. ¡°You¡¯ve even forgotten my birthday last week.¡± Shit! Did that pass already? Guilt and shame washed over his reluctance. Kai ordered his hands to release the bag and pull out the blade. The dagger was the first of many, he had a chest full of fangs waiting to be enchanted. He was already planning to give most of them away¡ªon his terms. Flynn patiently waited till he deposited the crystal knife in his hands, or maybe he was too stunned to move. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful. Are these the enchantments you designed?¡± He stared at the chains of delicate runes with wide innocent eyes. It was a pity he couldn¡¯t admire the mana hidden inside. ¡°The first enchantments Edgar approved,¡± pride surged through his veins. ¡°And¡­ I¡¯m sorry I forgot your birthday. I was so busy it slipped my mind.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Flynn waved him off. ¡°It¡¯s next week, but it¡¯s nice for you to bring a gift ahead of time.¡± Kai took a second to compute the words. ¡°What!¡± He wished his gaze could burn, equally furious at himself for having fallen for such an old trick. ¡°Give it back!¡± ¡°Nope, it¡¯s rude to take a present back.¡± Flynn had darted out of reach with a cheeky smile. He stood with the kitchen table between them. ¡°And if you believed me, you had actually forgotten about my birthday. Tell me how many days are left and I¡¯ll give it back.¡± Kai pressed his lips. His stupid brain couldn¡¯t recall the information. ¡°F¡­ Th¡­¡± His friend gave away no information. ¡°Three!¡± ¡°Seven. It falls right on the festival.¡± Dammit! Where is my Luck when I need it? ¡°I wrote it somewhere, I would have checked.¡± He was almost sure he did, a good eighty-five percent confident. ¡°You mean in one of your hundred notebooks, or in one of the eleven stacks of loose papers in your room?¡± Flynn gave him a skeptical look. ¡°Do you want to bet if you can find it before midnight?¡± ¡°I¡ª Okay, you might have a point. I won¡¯t forget again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, I know you¡¯re terrible with those kinds of things.¡± Thanks, I guess? Flynn ruffled his hair, chuckling at his glare. ¡°You¡¯ve other qualities. Like, I don¡¯t know¡­ you¡¯re rich, fun to tease, entertaining to watch and¡­ did I already mention the money?¡± ¡°I already feel much better.¡± Kai pushed away his hand. ¡°It makes me wonder why you don¡¯t just rob me and run away.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m playing the long game. Do you take me for an amateur?¡± Flynn stood back in dramatic shock like he had received a grave insult. ¡°I¡¯m a professional, I¡¯m gonna let you fatten properly before I make my move. You already earned a gold mesar, who knows how much more you¡¯ll make next year?¡± Kai rolled his eyes. ¡°And you''re telling me this because¡­?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s all part of my evil masterplan,¡± Flynn facepalmed at the foolish question. ¡°Your mind is just too limited to see it.¡± ¡°Right, that makes perfect sense.¡± He didn¡¯t point out the tiny flaw in the reasoning. The ring and his teachers¡¯ gifts were worth more than anything he might have earned in a decade or two. I should be the one to give him lessons on evil schemes. ¡°Do as I say, and one day you might be able to see it too. Now I need to go live a life of crime! I heard they¡¯re giving out free food on Ring Road.¡± Flynn headed for the door. ¡°And thank you for the dagger, it¡¯s the best gift I¡¯ve ever gotten.¡± You''re welcome. Faced with the mess of paper in his bedroom, Kai plunged into the tedious task of bringing order to chaos. Countless pages covered in runes for practice, messy notes on new alchemy recipes Reishi provided, and a considerable pile where his dad''s journals mixed with his own writings. How did I let it get so out of hand? It¡¯s Edgar¡¯s fault for making any amount of chaos look trivial compared to his lab. He had almost gone through Rellan¡¯s whole research, looking for mentions of spatial phenomena and beast sightings. Thus far, he had come up empty-handed. There was mention of other small mana anomalies in five other sites, two of which had been demolished by the Republic, but nothing about the true mystery. Did Dad never notice? No matter how rare, there must have been other spatial events through the decades. Though it was possible they didn¡¯t carry a large yellow beast, and no one noticed. Kai grumbled in annoyance as he ordered the books. If no one found out in eight millennia, it won¡¯t be easy to solve. By the time Kai was done, the crystal lamps lit the streets outside. While the chaos was nowhere near defeated, he had dealt it a heavy blow. He could even reach his bed without the risk of tripping on a book. A neat stack of letters from his family rested on his nightstand, his mom non-so-subtly suggested he should visit. There was still a large pile to sort through, especially runes stuff. Deciding what was worth keeping was going to be a grueling task. What if he lost the schematic for a heating pane, it was always better to save an extra copy, wasn¡¯t it? No, I¡¯m not going to become a crazy hoarder. He wouldn¡¯t allow himself to end up like Edgar. Each visit to the runesmith was a fresh reminder of how insane he might end up if he wasn¡¯t careful, helping him keep his resolution. Back in the underground chamber, Kai was ready to tackle a new schematic. He planned to add a little more flavor to the enchantment this time. Edgar offered to take care of it instead¡ªlikely to see him gone sooner¡ªbut there was no way he would accept. The gnome might not let him witness the enchantment if he didn¡¯t design the runes, or decide he had fulfilled his teaching duty. Both unique opportunities he couldn¡¯t squander. The test with his copied engraving skill had been an utter failure. His mana separated into tiny filaments, swaying like an epileptic octopus. Despite his best efforts to control them, he had completely botched the red drake tooth he bought for experimentation. Part of it might be his lack of experience with an advanced skill, but he could only manipulate the copy so far. He needed every new chance to improve the echo and see how the skill worked in the hands of an expert. Profession Skills: He had used the last Mana Echo upgrade to improve the maximum quality of his copies, but they were still not as flexible as the original. Perhaps if he reached the second milestone¡­ Making use of the week before the alignment, Kai managed to complete two designs for a pair of daggers with wind and water enhancements respectively. Finally, it was the day. Outside his window, the sky had filled with an unusual number of moons. Chapter 177 - The Festival of the Tides Chapter 177 - The Festival of the Tides Dawn rose from the sea over a city that already buzzed with life. Flynn stumbled out of his warm bed, stretching his limbs. He opened the window, the chill air stung his skin and the sounds of the capital rushed in to wash away any sleepiness. The boisterous caws of seagulls perched on the rooftops, the subtle creaking and groaning of the buildings. Each noise was crisper after a night shielded by the dampening enchantment. But it was the people he was most interested in. It had become a ritual of sorts to begin each day listening to the city and its inhabitants. In the relative quiet, his skills could pick up distant voices that would be otherwise lost in the later clamor. The chatter of daily life as people prepared to go about their day. Now and then he also overheard interesting nuggets. Enforcers complained about their superior, a man left his lovers to return to his family, sailors commented on a new merchant ship carrying precious cargo. Today was different, the preparations for the Festival made the bubble burst with anticipation. Children prattled in high pitches to their families, asking what was going on. Then the milder voices of parents and older siblings patiently explained the significance of the alignment. Flynn could hear the smiles in their voices with painful clarity. What was his family doing? Would his sister stare at the moons in wonder like she used to? No. The naive toddler with her little nose pointed up at the sky had been replaced by a sour child burning with hate. Salea would be fourteen this year, a grown woman. No doubt she planned to pick a profession that would help their crusade¡ªjust like he did. For years he had wanted to believe his little sister was still there, buried beneath the layers of resentment. If only he could say the right words or do the right thing, she would come back. He had tried smiling for both, filled the silences with talk and laughs. He had offered the spirits everything he had for a sign. When that didn¡¯t work, he had even prayed to the Seven Moons for help, but the gods were uncaring. No matter what he tried, she kept slipping away. They had hardly seen each other after he was accepted into the program, and every time they met, she was a little more like their mother. Her smile cold and calculated. She watched him as if he were another piece on the board instead of her brother. Spirits know where they are now. No doubt their mother had interpreted the moons as a sign of favor from the ancestors. Had she worried when he disappeared? Come looking for him? She probably did, though he couldn¡¯t say if she had come looking for her son or for the traitor. ¡®Don¡¯t disappoint me¡¯ was the last thing she said to him. It had made her priorities crystal clear. He had spent years deluding himself that they could go back, he just had to be patient and do as he was told. Swallowing the truth had been a slow and bitter process. No matter what he did, his family was gone. They had been irremediably broken the night his dad was murdered, and his words couldn¡¯t do shit about it. His mother was dead, and the sweet sister looking up at him with large eyes only lived in his memories. I had to leave, they left me no choice. The wind carried more laughter and smiles. Flynn shut the window, but the dull ache lingered. It wasn¡¯t supposed to hurt anymore, yet it did. The memories refused to leave him alone. Will they even remember it¡¯s my birthday? Another stupid thought. Why couldn¡¯t his mind listen? Why would they start remembering now? His best birthday had been at Hawkfield surrounded by the enemy, and his present an extra portion of stew in the mess hall. It was a very tasty stew though. Forcing his thoughts on the present, Flynn hurried to the bathroom. While Kai would already be up, he always stayed in his room meditating. That should leave him enough time to get ready. He had promised to show him around the outer city, and he intended to deliver. He turned the knob towards cold water, letting the freezing jet wash his face till the skin was numb. Drying himself off, he raked a hand through his brown curls to make them intentionally messy and smiled at the mirror. It was his birthday, people expected him to be happy. Good enough. ¡°Happy birthday, old man!¡± Kai ambushed him outside the door, his grin grew wider when he jolted in surprise. You were supposed to still be in bed meditating. Damn thoughts, Flynn cursed himself, wearing a confident demeanor as if nothing had ruffled him. When had he stopped paying attention? He should have heard the steps, or seen him through the wall with Mana Sense. Kai was right, the skill opened a whole new world. It was worth the slot just for the secrets it could reveal. Especially in a city like Higharbor, where every second person carried an enchanted item. He¡¯s gonna be so smug when he finds out. ¡°Here¡¯s your gift.¡± Kai pulled out a tiny square package with an oversized golden ribbon. The crimson wrapping of the package looked expensive, likely from one of the shops in the upper city. Flynn furrowed his brow. Thankfully there was no glow of mana, so it must not have cost too much. ¡°You already gave me one.¡± The sea serpent¡¯s fang was the prettiest and sharpest blade he owned, which were the same thing really. He had taken it as part of their game without realizing how much it was worth. He felt a pang of guilt, but Kai would have hidden it in his ring when he got home if he didn¡¯t want him to have it. Or knock me down¡­ It was amusing to think a kid who was a head shorter than him could beat him up to a pulp. Time and painful sparrings had made that lesson clear. His pride hung on the fact he could do the same with most adults. ¡°I can bring it back if you don¡¯t want it.¡± Flynn clutched the little box and sighed. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll make this sacrifice for you.¡± ¡°Such honor, I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m worthy.¡± Kai rolled his eyes, watching him in anticipation. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll make it up to me.¡± He graciously conceded. Untying the ribbon revealed more wrapping, and a second box inside, and then a third, smaller box. Finally, his present stood in the palm of his hand: the tiniest and cutest pastry he had ever seen. It wasn¡¯t much larger than his thumbnail but had been decorated like a real cake. Tiny red and white stripes with a golden fifteen on top. ¡°Do you like it?¡± Kai grinned, letting a speck of mirth show. I wish I could see what poor clerk was forced to package it. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Flynn hid his relief and pursed his lips. ¡°Are you trying to tell me that I¡¯m fat?¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± ¡°Kiddin¡¯, I love it! Since I was a child, my deepest desire has always been to celebrate my birthday with a tiny cake. How did you know?¡± He took one of his pocket knives to cut the pastry precisely down the middle. ¡°Here, your share.¡± ¡°Do you sleep with a knife?¡± Kai delicately picked his half between two fingers. ¡°You don¡¯t?¡± Flynn threw his present in his mouth. ¡°Mhmm¡­ for a moment I could almost taste it on the tip of my tongue.¡± ¡°I know, can you believe it cost one silver?¡± Flynn almost choked. ¡°Rich people are crazy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m rich.¡± Kai smugly grinned, bringing out the gold mesar he was obsessing over. ¡°Exactly my point.¡± Midway through breakfast, Kai brought out a normal-sized mango cake. It was always mango with him. Flynn preferred almost any other fruit, but it was the thought that mattered. ¡°Let¡¯s go! I¡¯ll show you the Festival.¡± Kai groaned. ¡°Do we have to go this early?¡± ¡°I know it must be horrifying, but you¡¯ll survive a day without training.¡± ¡°How do you know? Are you going to take responsibility if I drop dead?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll leave you in a ditch and deny knowing you. Now get ready. Today no reading dusty tomes, no designing runes and no alcheming. My birthday, my rules. We¡¯re going out.¡± Kai flinched at each word till he slumped defeated. ¡°As you command, birthday boy.¡± ~ ~ ~ Despite the daylight, Kai could see the shadows of six moons inching closer among the clouds. The alignment wouldn¡¯t be till the evening, but the effects were already notable. The port was the first destination for the day. Theirs and of another few thousand people, judging by how packed it was. The smell of salt filled the air like when tropical storms blew from the sea. Everyone wanted to check the mysterious seawall. ¡°You okay?¡± Flynn shouted to be heard over the crowd. ¡°We can come back when there are less people.¡± Kai forced a nonchalant smile, pushing away the claustrophobic feeling of the crowd. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can do it.¡± Despite his words, he felt immediate relief when Flynn led him away from the human wall. They headed for the statue of an imperious Merian hero on horseback. A dozen teenagers had the same idea, waiting their turn, they managed to climb on the horse. Who would have thought these statues weren¡¯t completely useless? Flynn watched with wide eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it¡¯d actually work.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not bad,¡± Kai begrudgingly admitted. Everyone knew the governor had promised to stop the high tide from submerging the city, though it was different to see it in person. A line of meter-high pillars had been planted along the shore. The sea stopped against an invisible wall like in an aquarium. A few spurts hit the crowd when the waves surpassed the boundary of mana. Schools of fish and large hulls were visible through the barrier, swimming and floating over the children. Even knowing that each vessel was firmly anchored, Kai couldn¡¯t stop the feeling that the ships were about to crash over everyone¡¯s head. Fine, it¡¯s quite impressive. He squinted and activated Mana Sense. The network of runes on the pillars morphed as he watched, never making any sense. The enchantments had been obscured and covered in white plaster to hide the physical engravings. According to Edgar, it was a mediocre cloaking that could be pierced by anyone with a little time and patience. It was the only part of the project for which the Republic hadn¡¯t consulted the gnome to cut costs. Either way, Kai knew he would have no luck, the line of enforcers didn¡¯t allow anyone to get close enough. ¡°I think it¡¯s some kind of movable array, linked through an elemental resonance to¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make it boring,¡± Flynn complained. ¡°Magic doesn¡¯t always need an explanation.¡± ¡°Actually, it does.¡± ¡°Not today, I invoke my birthday privileges!¡± Power is already going to his head. ¡°Looks like I was wrong. A mage wrote magic scribbles on the ancient stones and waved his wand to push back the sea.¡± Kai delivered with a flat tone. ¡°I knew you¡¯d see the truth.¡± Spirits, what have I done¡­ It would have been cool to swim through the streets of a flooded city, though it would have caused considerable damage. The last alignment had generated a low tide like the one before that. He vaguely remembered the high tide during a Festival in Whiteshore. Their village had been high enough to avoid the worst of it, and the wooden houses were easy to move and repair. He had cried when his parents forbade him from swimming through the flooded forest. ¡°Can we go home now?¡± Kai had been planning on exploring the Festival, though he was beginning to understand the other boy had no intention of going home before dark. ¡°C¡¯mon, this is just the beginning. Try to have fun.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Kai put on an oversized smile and helplessly followed Flynn. Away from the port, it got less crowded as they entered the maze of streets. Every citizen of Higharbor was outside for the Festival, but they could walk without squeezing other people. ¡°Here we are.¡± His friend excitedly announced. Both sides of the road had been filled with colorful stalls with no apparent end. And the air filled with chatter, laughter and merry songs. ¡°You can always get the best deals and food during a Festival.¡± Huh¡­ When was the last time I went to a market instead of a shop? He had stopped by in his first week in Higharbor and he never came back, charmed by the shiny stores in the richer districts. Seeing the improvised stalls and merchants shouting their wares, Kai had to admit he had missed the feeling. Scour the stalls for hidden gems, laugh at the ridiculous stories of the sellers, and haggle on every piece. The smell of spices and fried snacks. It wasn¡¯t just about buying, but an adventurous experience. ¡°Here,¡± Flynn paid a copper and a handful of chips, realizing that Kai only had silver. ¡°May the spirits smile on you.¡± The woman manning the stall gave them two coconut drinks with a warm smile. ¡°So how is it to walk around us mortals again?¡± Flynn teased him and took a sip. ¡°Think you can survive another hour away from your dark chambers? We can go back if you need to recover.¡± The crowd wasn¡¯t suffocating with the winter air. Kai pressed his lips before letting the smile show. ¡°Only one way to know, birthday boy. Show me everything.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, I¡¯ll make sure to not leave any pebble unturned.¡± Flynn gave him a toothy smile. ¡°This way, we have much to see. I know where we can find an appropriate offering.¡± The rising waters meant the Festival of the Tides would honor the great spirit of the sea, Kahali. They bought a straw basket and went browsing for seven offerings that spoke to them. Symbolism and personal meaning mattered more than value, though the merchants offered plenty of expensive knickknacks. It wasn¡¯t necessary to pick a theme, but Kai went with shells like his dad did on their first Festival. A purple star-shaped conch for his innocent childhood, a black pointy one for the first year in Greenside, a white spiral for change at the estate. One by one, he looked for the right shape and colors to represent every stage of his life. Flynn chose a more eclectic mix: a cracked mirror, a blade with no handle, a creepy doll with no eyes. Each item looked to be broken or damaged in some way, except the final spyglass. Though Kai didn¡¯t get the chance to look through before it disappeared inside his basket. He swallowed his questions, ignoring his burning curiosity. Flynn appeared to be enjoying himself despite his somber collection. They continued to explore the endless alleyways as the moons drew together. If there was something the market didn¡¯t lack was food, especially of the unhealthy variety. They found an old man who sold some kind of fried pancakes that could be filled with their choice of cream, honey, fresh fruits and nuts. After the third, they were both bursting. The sun dimmed and the moons shone brighter. With their baskets full, they joined the procession of people out of the city. They had to move inland to bypass the seawall and reach the waters, though they didn¡¯t need to go far since a large part of the surrounding vegetation had been flooded. When six moons became one in the sky, the islanders walked into the sea to let their baskets float away and reach Kahali. There was no request, the great spirit of the sea would provide as she saw fit. Flynn looked lost in his thoughts on the way back. A stream of lanterns soared from the upper city, bringing prayers to their gods. I¡¯m really glad we did it. Now I want my bed, and to not see anyone for a week. ¡°Thank you,¡± Flynn spoke up when they got home. Kai looked for the signs of a joke. His mischievous eyes were strangely innocent. ¡°You¡¯re welcome, but for what exactly?¡± ¡°It was the best birthday I had in¡­ well, a while.¡± You did most of the work, I should be the one thanking you. Wait! Am I a terrible person? ¡°Huh¡­¡± Kai stared at his feet. Improvisation offered a dozen gracious ways to respond. None of them were good enough. They weren¡¯t honest. ¡°Thank you for not letting me get lost among the clouds. I had a lot of fun too, we should do it again next year. Good night.¡± He performed a strategic retreat to his room. Was that the best you could do, brain? ¡°Good night, Kai.¡± Flynn echoed after him, a smile in his tone. Chapter 178 - Schemes and Rewards Chapter 178 - Schemes and Rewards On his way to Edgar¡¯s lab, Kai could hardly take a step without hearing the passersby discuss some odd event. Some guessed the meaning of the vivid dreams they had during the alignment, others had heard a mysterious wail in the night or found a golden egg on their balcony, and more men and women than he cared to count announced they had found their soulmate. ¡°I swear it¡¯s true, Nina. My cousin¡¯s friends gave birth to triplets last night. It must be a sign from the gods.¡± I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s how it works¡­ Kai was skeptical. Most of these claims had nothing to do with the moons¡¯ conjunction. The cheerful atmosphere and the rivers of alcoholic drinks offered a convincing explanation. He had also heard a few merchants advertising mystical experiences, though Flynn had steered him away before he could learn more. He had witnessed a few unusual events himself, but nothing that flashy. Large whirlwinds of mana, the ambient density rising and falling, and he could swear Hallowed Intuition had whispered twice before turning silent when he paid attention. Maybe the alignment can actually influence Fate. Edgar¡¯s house was forgettable like usual, slipping out of his mind if he let his attention waver. Before he could knock, the oak door swung open with a creaking. Kai was convinced every sound inside the granite house was designed to fuck with the visitors. ¡°Back already?¡± The grumpy gnome greeted him without raising his gaze from Virya¡¯s amulet. ¡°You said you¡¯d leave me alone for a day.¡± ¡°I did. The alignment was yesterday.¡± ¡°Rotting titans, why do good times always pass so quickly?¡± Edgar groaned and distractedly waved to the chaotic lab. ¡°Take your pick of a seat and don¡¯t disturb me.¡± You sure know how to make me feel welcome. Kai wandered the hall for a new desk corner. His usual spot had been filled with clutter. Careful not to cause a chain reaction, he moved a pile of papers and books and a half-melted silver wire to free some space. Perched on a stool, he pulled out his design and got to work. The warm, mana-rich environment and the blessed silence. Kai fell back into the rhythm, runes assembling in new configurations in his mind and on paper. The day off had given him plenty of ideas and time to recover his strained skills. Their work was interrupted when a package flew out of the wall with the gnome¡¯s lunch, and later with his dinner. Once empty, the hidden compartment disappeared behind the impenetrable cloaking of the house. How does that work? I want home deliveries too. Chewing on a spiced chicken thigh, Edgar seemed to remember he wasn¡¯t alone. ¡°Let me see what you¡¯ve got, kid.¡± Yes, Grumpy. Ehm¡­ Is it racist since he¡¯s not a dwarf? Kai swallowed a curse when the gnome touched his notebook with his oily fingers. He pressed his lips shut and patiently waited for the runesmith to watch over his work. ¡°Mhmm¡­ it¡¯s good,¡± Edgar muttered between the bites. Kai perked up at the unexpected praise before the gnome went on. ¡°I mean the food, this design is garbage. You completely butchered the balancing and¡­¡± Kai accepted the pointers with curt nods. Despite the harsh words, his schematic wasn¡¯t that catastrophic, and the mistakes were fixable. Nice try, but I¡¯m not going anywhere. ¡°Thank you, teacher.¡± Kai grinned brightly. ¡°Your wisdom is always enlightening.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, I know. I¡¯m such a generous gnome to help dim kids.¡± He scowled. ¡°If you''re having a hard time, I could write you a referral to another runesmith. They might be more¡­ amenable to your slow progress.¡± He struggled to suppress the hopeful light from his bulbous eyes. Kai feigned to ponder. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Is there anyone as good as you in the archipelago?¡± The gnome scrunched his face like he had eaten a lemon. ¡°M-maybe.¡± His eyes widened in mock surprise. ¡°Oh, so there¡¯s a better runesmith in Higharbor¡­¡± ¡°No,¡± Edgar snarled before lowering his tone with unnatural gentleness. ¡°I didn¡¯t say that. Artistry and genius are just so difficult to define. It¡¯s not impossible that there is a field where they might excel.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ll stay with you.¡± His pointed ears flopped down. ¡°Great.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to seeing you tomorrow, teacher.¡± ¡°Please, be late.¡± *** Over the next few days, news from the edges of the archipelago reached the capital. The twin islands, Kanlun and Kawei, had been hit by a mana storm during the moons¡¯ conjunction, while a kraken¡¯s tentacle washed up on the shore of Sanborn on Yawei. Amidst stories and rumors, Kai was particularly interested in sightings of high-tier beasts. He had asked Flynn to look out for them, and the boy brought quite a catalogue. ¡°Everyone¡¯s talking a lot of bullshit after the Festival, so it¡¯s harder to confirm them.¡± Flynn checked the edge of a blade on his thumb before sharpening the next knife. ¡°The stories always grow larger and more ridiculous as they spread. By the time they reach Higharbor, they¡¯ve gone through a dozen tellings.¡± Kai chewed his cheek, frustrated. It was always difficult to obtain information beyond the city, and the Republic was never forthcoming. ¡°So, you think they¡¯re not true?¡± Flynn shrugged. ¡°I doubt a storm of thunderbirds flew over Easternedge or that a sea dragon capsized a vessel. But there were eleven sightings from the opposite sides of the archipelago. There was probably a beast involved in at least some of them. You think they could be connected to the ruins?¡± It was Kai''s turn to shrug his shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t know. They say beasts often get confused during mana events. It¡¯s possible it was just the moons¡¯ influence.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Or maybe the alignment caused more ruins to spit out beasts. Am I just seeing what I want to see? ¡°Let me know if you hear more news.¡± ¡°Yes, boss.¡± *** Despite Edgar¡¯s attempts to get rid of him, Kai continued to smile and learn. As his knowledge of Runes and enchantment grew, he became ever more certain he had gotten an amazing deal out of their arrangement. The gnome¡¯s bottomless pride wasn¡¯t without reason. Out of all the enchanting shops Kai visited in the upper city, no one could hold a candle to Edgar¡¯s work for efficiency and precision. Flynn told him there were exclusive shops and artisans that worked on commissions. He needed a contact in the Republic and an invitation to be allowed inside. I could track down Valela, she definitely knows how. No, it was too much hassle just to satisfy his curiosity. The little princess would demand something in exchange, and he would receive more scrutiny than he was comfortable with. They¡¯re probably still not as good. He already had his hands full between alchemy and enchanting. A blade at a time, the number of sea serpent¡¯s fangs was dwindling, and so was the time for his secret project. Kai had hit a ceiling with the mana engraving copy. Each new level in Mana Echo improved it a little, but the skill was still too unwieldy to make lasting enchantments unless something changed. There was only one way to salvage his evil schemes. He needed to reach the second milestone. With a bit of flattery and a box of cream puffs, Kai convinced Edgar to let him train on the discarded sketches scattered around his lab. He had to leave the copies in the underground chamber, but it didn¡¯t matter. The sketches offered a limitless source of new material to copy, and experience. He drew countless pages of runes till each muscle and tendon in his hand hurt, and his head pulsed with skill strain. Finally, he saw the blinking light. Mana Echo (lv75) ? As you reach the second milestone, you are presented with four choices to continue your journey. This choice might influence the future of your profession: Thank the spirits, I thought my hand was going to break. Still inside the underground lab, Kai hid his elation. Edgar continued to ignore his existence, grumbling over his cloaking project. What do we have here¡­ The first two options were the same he had received in the previous specialization with the addition of greatly. Still not enough to make the cut. The last one was a surprise, proving the options were influenced by his actions. He might be tempted if he wanted to become a runesmith. And that leaves¡­ Kai smiled at the third option. It was an evolution of what he picked last time. He didn¡¯t hesitate to select it. *Ding* You chose to allow the creation of more complex echoes. Mana Echo (lv75) can now reach lv100. Muhahaha! I did it! ¡°What are you chuckling about, kid? Did you finally lose it?¡± Edgar asked, sounding vaguely hopeful. ¡°I warned you not to fry your brain with your cheating skill. I won¡¯t take responsibility.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. My brain is perfectly healthy. Just finished fixing another design like you told me.¡± Kai pulled the sheet he had completed three days before. ¡°Can you spare a little time to engrave it?¡± ¡°Let me see if you can follow instructions,¡± Edgar snorted with exasperation. He glanced at the paper. ¡°Passable. Give me that fang, I¡¯ll do it now, but you leave afterward.¡± ¡°Of course, teacher.¡± Evil always triumphs! *** Kai couldn¡¯t stop grinning, on his way home he hopped like gravity had no hold on him. He had managed to pull it off. The upgrade had worked as anticipated, raising the ceiling of what Mana Echo could imitate. Now he just needed to witness more engravings to perfect his copy. The gargantuan skill echo hung in his mind like a beautifully complex machinery. It can''t be a green skill, can it? No, my profession is still Red¡­ It must be a yellow skill, probably quite high level. The success lifted a weight off his shoulders. He had neglected everything to pursue Mana Echo, and it paid off. I could take some time off as a gift to Edgar¡­ With the twins and Ana back at Hawkfield, and Lou busy with the job he couldn¡¯t talk about, Kai had rarely visited the beach or the cultivated fields to practice Nature Magic. It was time to catch up. He had quite a few skills waiting for the last push to reach a milestone. When he proposed the idea the following day, Edgar imposed a single condition: that he would take a week instead. Kai managed to talk him down to three days by threatening to not leave. Time to go for a swim. Water Magic had been on the brink for more than a month. The skill easily overcame the bottleneck after diving into the waves and trying a few ambitious spells. Kai swam to shore to consider his choices. A flick of his wrist left him dry to sit on the sand. Water Magic (lv50) ? As you reach the first milestone, you are presented with three choices to continue your journey. Contrary to profession skills, general skills could continue unchanged if he didn¡¯t want to specialize. He had feared he wouldn¡¯t get the option he craved, and be forced to delay his choice instead. Thankfully, it was there. Improving his Magic inside a body of water was interesting. It was the first specialization that mentioned a straight-up improvement to his spells. And at Orange, the upgrade was sure to be notable. Maybe if I were a merfolk or a siren¡­ It wasn¡¯t viable since it lacked flexibility, and it would leave him powerless if he didn¡¯t hang around the ocean. The greatest benefits always came with the greatest drawbacks. If someone chose to specialize their skills and profession for a single task, it would be hard to predict what they could achieve. Something to keep in mind. The third option was the one he planned to get since he found it in Virya¡¯s library. *Ding* You chose to attune to the element. Water Magic (lv50) can now reach lv75. The hand of the Guide was barely perceptible, just the slightest touch of warmth. Understanding appeared in his mind as if it had always been there. It could be clearer. The stretch of beach was deserted, Kai summoned a small marble of elemental mana and visualized the desired effect of the spell. Ice creaked into existence forming an opaque blob. He stared transfixed as the ice melted into his palm. It was smaller than he expected for the mana he consumed, and definitely not in the shape he had in mind. None of that mattered. I¡¯m going to have so many cool drinks this summer. It would have been such a game-changer during his stifling time in Greenside, or after an exhausting training at the estate. He had learned to make do with enchantments, but they were awkward to carry and slow to use. It will also be nice to have something hard to throw. Liquid water wasn¡¯t the most offensive element. Kai continued to experiment with his new ability. He could also summon steam, though it was even harder to control and immediately dissipated. He had known it was possible to expand his major affinities to its most adjacent neighbors, though it wasn¡¯t the same thing as having an affinity for Ice. Each spell took more mana than it should have, and it didn¡¯t intuitively follow his desires unless he perfectly visualized each step. It was easier and more efficient when he tried to freeze water instead of directly condensing ice from the air moisture. I just need to practice. Spells grew more intuitive with use and repetition. It was why it was so hard to get the hang of Space. Mhmm¡­ Blessed Swimmer is also close to evolving¡­ Chapter 179 - Progress Chapter 179 - Progress With an objective in mind, Kai focused on the skills close to the next advancement. Making use of the attributes he gained from Mana Child, he stretched his abilities in inventive ways for the last levels. It was addicting to see the blinking notifications marking his progress. He messed around with the Guide to add a celebratory jingle, so he¡¯d immediately know when he reached a skill milestone. Blessed Swimmer (lv50) ? As you reach the first milestone, you are presented with four choices to continue your journey. Those were some interesting upgrades for a swimming skill. Then again, Blessed Swimmer wasn¡¯t an ordinary one. He had only been able to learn it thanks to the Blessing of Kahali. The specializations doubled down on his underwater instincts while branching in different directions. Once he discarded the vanilla option, Kai was left with a torturous choice. Treasure Hunter whispered of the marvelous prizes that waited to be discovered underneath the waves. When he went pearling with his sister, Blessed Swimmer had given him an inkling of where to look. A faint direction that something valuable was nearby. Kai could only imagine the benefits of strengthening this ability, probably increasing its precision and range. I want to take it so bad. I bet even Ele would be envious if she knew. The idea of adventuring underwater charmed him like a siren¡¯s call. Kai wished to take it without overthinking, but the stupid voice of reason demanded he consider all angles. Why am I like this? I hate myself, I can never make an impulsive decision with these things. Yeah, I would probably regret it later, but it would feel so good for a little while. Yes, there were some drawbacks to this specialization. The low mana density of the Shallow Sea didn¡¯t produce many treasures. There were exceptions like Mama Clam¡¯s golden pearl, but those were rare. Treasure Hunter couldn¡¯t make precious prizes sprout from nothing, not even with his Favor. He would need to try different hunting grounds and deal with his worst nightmare: the Republic¡¯s bureaucracy. Spirits, I won¡¯t be surprised if you need a permit to breathe on the mainland. That still didn¡¯t answer the most important question, did he really need the money? More mesars never hurt, a stroll through the upper city was enough of a reminder. However, if wealth was the issue, he could make more coins with alchemy and enchantments. It was more reliable and carried fewer risks. The reason Treasure Hunter appealed to him was the thrill of the adventure. The infinite possibilities promised by the unknown prizes. He already had enough hobbies weighing on his limited time. He¡¯d need to delve into higher mana areas away from shore to be worth it. Danger and treasure always traveled hand in hand. If he came across anything like a sea serpent underwater, he might not even realize what killed him. I hope you had fun destroying my dreams. Damned reasonable-Kai, go get a life. And the Guide was clearly conspiring against him with reasonable-Kai. Vigilant Diver was another devious taunt. A reminder that Blessed Swimmer and Hallowed Intuition couldn¡¯t protect him from every danger. Like Ele loved to say, it didn¡¯t matter if he saw the shark if he couldn¡¯t avoid it. Perhaps this was the smart option for a treasure hunter. A protection to search more dangerous areas and insurance for a long career. Boring option, pass. What¡¯s next? Reckless Diver¡­ Your honor, I rest my case. The Guide is colluding with reasonable-Kai. This is baseless slander! I¡¯m not reckless, I just take calculated risks with a high mortality rate. And I don¡¯t even do it intentionally most of the time. The treacherous Guide didn¡¯t come forth to apologize or change the description. While the effects of a skill were the same for everyone, descriptions were personal, influenced knowledge and experience. What did ¡®call the sea to his aid¡¯ mean? Could he control the oceans and shape the water against his foes? That sounds far too overpowered. No matter how rare, Blessed Swimmer was a swimming skill and Reckless Diver its specialization. It likely strengthened the blessed sixth sense he received underwater and the mana enhancement he could use. Whatever the case, it would improve his combat potential. A very compelling argument. And it sounds cool. Treasure Hunter would be another time sink he couldn¡¯t afford, while Vigilant Diver was boring and overkill with Hallowed Intuition. Like the butler said, the best defense is getting stronger. *Ding* You chose to be a Reckless Diver. Blessed Swimmer (lv50) can now reach lv75. A trip to the sea confirmed his suspicions. The cold water embraced him and dampened every sound. Besides boosting himself with unattuned and elemental mana, Reckless Diver offered a third option that consumed both. Let¡¯s see¡­ He became one with the ocean. Safe, protected, aware of every current and creature in his surroundings. Master of his body, like he had been born with fins and spent a lifetime underwater. The waves parted to help every stroke and movement. The sea guided him towards his objective before he knew what it was. Even his Water spells were slightly stronger and reached farther without being hindered by the sea. How much mana am I consuming? Responding to his worry, the Water particles surged into flowing streams eager to join and aid him. They formed a revolving shield before being absorbed. In minutes, he had replenished his reserves, though he felt the first signs of skill strain. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. It would be too good if I could use the skill and replenish myself endlessly. The Guide is such a miser. Commanding the streams of Water mana to stop, the headache also abated. He could probably sustain the basic boosting for hours without feeling the strain, and the essence expenditure wasn¡¯t high. Guess I can accept this. But I still want compensation for slandering my name. Did you hear me, Guide? Stop ignoring me! * * * Between one blade design and the next, Kai continued to grind the skills close to evolving, eager to push the old timers over the last stretch. Alchemy was probably the hardest orange skill to level. It was time-consuming and required expensive new ingredients and coveted knowledge to progress. The recipes Reishi brought him rarely pushed his abilities, though the constant stream of production eventually added up. With one last level, the trumpets blared a triumphant tune and awarded him the awaited milestone. Alchemy (lv50) ? As you reach the first milestone, you are presented with four choices to continue your journey. Long years of brewing had not gone unnoticed, he had gotten three options besides the basic one. Two possibilities that he would have to pass up. At least I don¡¯t see any slanderous lies. Now, what do I pick? It was easier when I had a single option. Master of Herbs sounded like the responsible choice. Probably what Dora had picked¡ªif she hadn¡¯t been hiding her skills. Alchemy was a vast and complex discipline, even those who dedicated their entire lives to its pursuit could only tackle a small part. In Higharbor, merchants supplied beasts¡¯ parts and infused minerals from areas with a higher mana density. While Dora had given him an introduction, Kai had to spend weeks figuring out how to process and mix them in a brew. He had forced himself to use odd ingredients to gain the last level, pushing the boundaries of his comfort zone. He could never quite predict their reactions during the brewing process. Even when he fucked up, herbs didn¡¯t explode or shoot up in flames, minerals sometimes did. And beasts¡¯ parts were arguably worse. He would die a happy man if he didn¡¯t have to scrape another shark''s bladder from his walls. He could still smell the pungent stink¡­ Eew! Mango cake, fried pancakes, coconut ice cream, Kai banished the memory from his mind. Would it be so bad to only use herbs? Ingredients were only part of the equation. Since selecting their first profession, most alchemists picked a field of specialization: healing remedies, enhancing elixirs, poisons, enchanting inks or alchemical explosives, just to name a few. The possibilities were endless. Less than a third chose to remain generalists at Red, and the number fell to a tenth when choosing their orange profession. Specializing in an ingredient type instead was a bit unconventional. Master of Herbs would help him use every mana weed, and it didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t reach beyond his field. While he wouldn¡¯t improve much with them, he could still grind minerals and squash all the spider eyes he wanted. Mhmm¡­ let¡¯s see the others first. Novice Researcher intrigued him. Modifying recipes required tens if not hundreds of tests to isolate the variables. It was tedious work, but there were few things more rewarding than creating new recipes. Never settle, always strive to refine a potion, Dora¡¯s words echoed. Alchemy was a journey with no end. There was always something that could be perfected. Even the book she left him was waiting for the day his skills could improve upon it. Novice Researcher would serve him to get familiar with new ingredients, which would help him learn new recipes and shore up his deficiencies. It was the option he found more appealing. And the million-dollar question is: how useful is it? It was easier and faster to buy recipes than to make them. And Dora¡¯s book could provide him with what he needed. When both options failed, the potion was usually beyond his alchemic abilities. Experimenting was sometimes fun, and always expensive. Even if he succeeded, it was difficult to recoup the cost and make a profit. I could ask Reishi to finance it, we¡¯d need to choose something with market potential¡­ Unable to make up his mind, Kai moved to the last option: Master of Production. He would need to thank the merman for it. The efficiency boost would increase his earnings, though he wasn¡¯t really interested in money. Not in the small margins the specialization would net him. If he needed a few more silver, he could work an extra hour. Master of Production would make little difference in the short term. Sorry, Reishi. I know you¡¯d love it if I picked this, but mass production is kinda boring. Kai discarded the option with little regret. Now came the hard part. Master of Herbs would improve his skills the most, though it limited his possibilities. While Novice Researcher was well¡­ fun. It had an uncertain earning potential, and might or might not get him some useful recipes. Those are a lot of ifs. He could also Stay the Course and not pick anything, but it was a waste when there were viable options. What do I need from my Alchemy? An endless source of potions and a way to earn a living. Those were the main points, and neither specialization would influence them much. Alchemy was more than a hobby but not his main pursuit. Even if he ended up changing his profession, he wouldn¡¯t become a full-time alchemist. He could afford to make unpopular choices. *Ding* You chose to become a Novice Researcher. Alchemy (lv50) can now reach lv75. It¡¯s for the best. He still had his second milestone to specialize, for now, he saw no problem being a generalist. Novice Researcher was more interesting and encouraged experimentation. Pushing his boundaries always made skills grow faster. Kai rummaged through the drawers on his desk to find the tear of the deep. A deep blue crystal infused with Water mana. Flynn had bought it cheap from a merchant who thought it was a pretty rock. Examining it with Mana Sense and Inspect, he got a few ideas on how he could grind it and mix it in a potion without wasting its potential. He could have achieved the same with some thought, but it now came easier and faster. And I can get even better ideas if I think about it. Kai smiled satisfied. Testing the specialization''s influence when he modified a recipe would be a much more laborious process. He¡¯d first ask Reishi if there was a potion he wanted to alter. The merman never lacked ideas to make a profit. We¡¯ll have plenty of time to discuss it on the ship. I¡¯ll probably have to wait till we get back to test it¡­ ¡°Ready to go?¡± Flynn¡¯s voice echoed from downstairs. ¡°Just a minute.¡± Kai turned to pick up the large brown bag. It had already been filled with everything he might need for his journey home. Alana¡¯s subtle hints had become more obvious in her letters. His twelfth birthday was like a nice time to surprise his family with a visit. Edgar had engraved the last fang two days ago, and Reishi was about to go back to Sylspring to check his business there. It was the ideal time. The perfected copied skill lay like a monolith in his mind. I hope they¡¯re doing as well as Mom says. The final sea serpent¡¯s sword lay on his bed. The culmination of months of work. The gnome had fused two fangs to make a double edge. The fusion was so seamless that Kai wouldn¡¯t believe it had once been two pieces if he hadn¡¯t seen it himself. It had complicated the balancing, but he had managed to pull it off with a little help from the runesmith. Both sides were covered in intricate chains of delicate runes. Edgar had carved them with transparent ink, so the runes were almost invisible on the glass-like surface. Even a three-times fool couldn¡¯t chip the enchantment. The gnome insisted he had used the special ink to celebrate getting rid of the stubborn pest infesting his lab. I think he might like me. Beneath the leather braiding, the ivory hilt had been engraved with a cloaking enchantment. Another idea of the gnome since his professional pride would hurt if someone stole his work. Kai picked up the sword and gave a few practice swings. He couldn¡¯t wait to sneak into the Veeryd jungle and test it properly. He put it back into its sheath and stored it in his ring. Time to go. Chapter 180 - Calculated Risks Chapter 180 - Calculated Risks Flynn leaned on the railing near the prow of the ship. The wind blew back his hair and fluttered in his ears, the taste of salt on his lips. The Silver Edge cut through the waves so smoothly it seemed to glide. He had always found being trapped on cramped vessels stifling, now he was beginning to see their appeal. The sea continued endlessly in every direction, a canvas in shades of blue and teal, wrinkled by the white ridges of the waves. A smattering of puffy clouds dotted the sky, while the lively wind filled the silver sails. There was freedom at sea, a different kind from the maze of alleys of a city, but freedom nonetheless. He might have learned to like it under different circumstances. He had never been on an enchanted vessel before, the hull and deck shimmered with a web of bright lines. It was a wonder anyone could make sense of it. While the Silver Edge wasn¡¯t the biggest ship he had boarded, it was certainly the fastest, rapidly advancing to their destination. At this pace, we might make it in two days. Soon the pastel houses of Sylspring would emerge from the horizon. The town he grew up in. The town that changed from a prosperous community into a slick tourist attraction. The town that gave him everything and then took it away. He never thought he¡¯d come back, not for a long time at least. Maybe that was why he had agreed to accompany Kai, to prove to himself he was over the past. I¡¯m not scared. Intrusive thoughts of his family kept resurfacing no matter how many times he pushed them down. Were his mother and sister hidden in the cellar of a dingy house in Sylspring? Or in one of the camouflaged shelters throughout Veeryd. The Republic had employed significant resources to scour the jungle, but he couldn¡¯t imagine they had found every buried shack and treehouse. The Voice¡¯s network extended from Veeryd and beyond, to the islands where different independence groups were nestled. He had never been told much about them¡ªnot intentionally at least. Last he heard, there were more than ten factions scattered all over the archipelago. His family could be anywhere. His mother and sister wouldn¡¯t be welcomed by all of them, but Maela knew how to be convincing. Or maybe they¡¯ve been caught by the Republic months ago and are dead. Or rotting in some forgotten cell. Guilt stabbed him for leaving his sister, his hands tightened on the railing. Familiar conversations replayed in his head. He should have convinced her to leave, or brought her away whether she wanted it or not. Once they were on a ship for the mainland, it didn¡¯t matter if she hated him. It had all happened so fast. He had been stupidly confused about what to do. He didn¡¯t know where she was and lacked the resources to escape. I should have done better. ¡°What are you doing to my poor ship?¡± Flynn turned to see Reishi stroll towards him with his confident gait. The merman had stayed in his cabin for most of the journey and discussed alchemy-mesars-something with Kai. He could have stayed there a little longer. The embroidered silk robe flapped in the wind behind him. He could buy a mansion in the upper city with the shining jewels and gems the merchant wore. ¡°What?¡± Flynn realized his nails had dug into the railing, leaving thin crescents on the pale wood. He tried to smooth the damage and awkwardly put his hands in his pockets. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t realize.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. The ship will heal itself.¡± Reishi gave a loving pat to the wood. The merfolk slanted on the railing beside him and stared at the sea with a lazy smile. ¡°You are not looking forward to going back home? You were born there, right?¡± As if you don¡¯t know that already. He gave an ambivalent shrug. ¡°Not particularly, I like Higharbor better.¡± Merfolk were hard to read with his skills, but Flynn would never fail to recognize the sly intelligence hidden in the pale blue eyes. ¡°Really? Nothing you are looking forward to seeing? Maybe the house you grew up in, or your old friends?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing left for me in Sylspring.¡± Flynn pressed his mouth in a line and clenched the hands in his pockets. He was about to walk away when Reishi stopped him. ¡°Mhmm¡­ You know, my father is also a merchant, like my grandfather and every other Senyu in the last forty generations.¡± Reishi caressed the wood with a sigh. ¡°It took me a while to realize I was modeling this ship after the Fortuna. That¡¯s his vessel. I¡¯ve always found him insufferable, but it seems I can¡¯t avoid following in his steps.¡± A thin wrinkle appeared on his scaly brow, his hands gesticulating a difficult concept. ¡°Well, not exactly like him. I¡¯m not a hypocrite, but in the same general direction.¡± How could I have lived without knowing that? ¡°Very interesting," Flynn said with a flat expression. When he tried to leave again, the merfolk grabbed his arm. ¡°My point being, it¡¯s hard to escape our origins.¡± There was a sad look on his face that skirted dangerously close to pity. ¡°And we can never really forget where we come from.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not you.¡± Flynn abandoned the pretense of politeness. He was about to yank himself free when the merman let go of his sleeve. ¡°No, that you certainly aren¡¯t.¡± Reishi nodded with a thoughtful look. ¡°Enjoy your stay on my ship, let me know if you need anything.¡± He sauntered away to talk with the sailors. Did you also take the pretentiousness from your dad, or did that come for free? I shouldn¡¯t have promised not to steal anything, he¡¯s so loaded he¡¯d never notice. As if summoned by his thoughts, Kai sprouted from the bowels of the ship with a perplexed look. ¡°Did I miss something?¡± ¡°Just chatting. Reishi was telling me about himself.¡± ¡°Oh, are you making friends with him?¡± If you mean snooping around in each other''s backgrounds, then yes. We¡¯ve been friends for a long time. ¡°Something like that,¡± Flynn smirked. ~ ~ ~ Kai bit his cheek, suspiciously squinting at his friend. There was definitely something Flynn wasn¡¯t telling him. They were making fun of me, weren¡¯t they? No, his grin was amused, not teasing. When Flynn turned towards the sea, a shadow covered his face. Kai couldn''t explain what it was, just something he picked up after living with him. But the reason behind it was obvious. I¡¯m such a fool. I shouldn¡¯t have asked him to come. He had read his mom¡¯s letter and organized the trip home without thinking twice. Naturally, Flynn would come too. His friend had been off since they came aboard the Silver Edge. Unable to figure out what to do, Kai spoke up. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± ¡°Huh¡­ the future.¡± Flynn continued to gaze into the horizon with a slightly somber air. ¡°What about it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what I want to do¡­¡± Does he want to leave? Kai had an unexpected spike of panic. Would he be left in Higharbor alone? Lou and the others were away most of the time. No, that couldn¡¯t be it. ¡°Anything I can do to help? I''ll share my wisdom if you ask nicely.¡± He smiled brilliantly. ¡°How generous. Please, forgive the tears in my eyes.¡± Flynn said tersely, his attention on the far seas, his frown smoothed. ¡°Actually, there is something you might help me with.¡± Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°What? I¡¯ll do my best to help unless it¡¯s something boring. In that case, you are on your own.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯ll be interesting, trust me. You¡¯ve studied how to discard a profession, right?¡± Kai blinked. Did he mishear something? ¡°Yes¡­ why?¡± ¡°¡®Cause I want to change mine.¡± Flynn grinned like it was the best news in the world. ¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s a good idea¡­¡± Flynn pursed his lips. ¡°Weren¡¯t you also going to discard Mana Child?¡± ¡°I was considering it, but it¡¯s not the same thing.¡± ¡°Please, enlighten me. How so?¡± he said with a skeptical look. ¡°Well¡­ First, I¡¯ve a higher grade, and I won¡¯t level Mana Child too high.¡± Kai confidently nodded. ¡°My race is just one enhancement behind. I¡¯ve also been siphoning the XP into my race, so my profession is level four. How high is yours?¡± Flynn challenged already knowing the answer. Shit. ¡°That¡¯s not the point. Changing profession is an unnecessary risk. You won¡¯t be getting any more skill slots, you¡¯d be lucky if you get half an attribute.¡± That was the same reason Kai hadn¡¯t made up his mind about Mana Child. It was likely he could get a profession with higher bonus attributes, but a handful more stats would make little difference in the long run. Especially after he evolved his profession to Orange and advanced his race. What mattered were skill slots and boons. Those benefits added up each time he evolved his profession. If he had one less skill slot at Red, he would always have less skill than people who had taken a better profession. The question with Mana Child was if he could get better. He had been offered one with two boons, though that was due to the blessings from the spirits, and came with serious drawbacks. That was a problem for another day. I¡¯ve never heard of a profession that grants three skills at red, and Flynn already has two. ¡°You don¡¯t have anything to earn. Just the risk of crippling yourself.¡± ¡°I can decide what risks to take for myself,¡± Flynn snapped in anger. ¡°You do reckless shit all the time, and I don¡¯t tell you how to behave. If you don¡¯t want to help, just say so. I¡¯m doing it anyway.¡± Kai failed to respond. The words stung him, even more when he couldn¡¯t come up with a counterargument. He might be a bit of a hypocrite indeed. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean it like that. Of course I¡¯ll help you. It¡¯s just that you might not get offered anything better.¡± His reasoning didn¡¯t make much difference judging from the boy''s stubborn look. ¡°It¡¯s not about skills and attributes. I need to do this. I took Keen Spotter because my mother told me to. I¡ª I can¡¯t forget it if every time I look at my status it¡¯s there as a reminder.¡± Flynn took a deep breath, voice quivering slightly. ¡°I need to cut with the past to move on.¡± Is that why he didn¡¯t want to tell me what it was called¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± Kai exhaled slowly. ¡°You will?¡± ¡°Of course, but we¡¯re going to do this properly.¡± Kai began to pace on the deck. ¡°While it¡¯s good that Keen Spotter is only level four, it¡¯s not enough. I¡¯ll need to find the correct potions, and a healer to oversee the procedure. We might as well aim for a better profession if you want to do this. We¡¯ll focus on training the skills you prefer, and look for a chance to get you field experience. What kind of profession are you hoping to get?¡± Flynn''s gaze wandered around. ¡°I¡¯m not really sure.¡± Excuse me! ¡°You planned to discard it, and just wing it?¡± Flynn had the decency of looking embarrassed. ¡°I made up my mind on the spur of the moment. I would have thought about that next, obviously.¡± ¡°Obviously.¡± Kai massaged his eyelids. This was going to be harder than he thought. Is this how people feel when I propose an idea with calculated risks? ¡°There''s no time like the present to start. What would you like to do? You wanna be a potter? A fisherman? A farmer? A sailor?¡± He leaned closer to whisper. ¡°A thief?" ¡°Stop overreacting, they¡¯re watching us.¡± Flynn smiled at the sailors, observing the commotion. Kai nodded thoughtfully. ¡°So you want to be a thief¡­ That''s going to complicate getting field experience, but I¡¯ve a few id¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a thief,¡± Flynn grabbed his shoulders to keep him still. ¡°I want something with combat potential. Apart from the bonus in Dexterity, Keen Spotter doesn¡¯t offer much. I don¡¯t want to feel useless when the next sea serpents fall on our heads.¡± ¡°There will be no next time.¡± Kai scowled. He had learned his lesson. ¡°Obviously,¡± Flynn smirked. ¡°And you¡¯re plenty good already. Apart from Lou, I can¡¯t think of a better fighter at our age.¡± Valela might too, but she doesn''t count. Flynn didn¡¯t beam with smugness like expected. ¡°I know that I blind people with my awesomeness, but there are stronger teens in Higharbor if you look around.¡± ¡°What does it matter? Remember you told me no one can be good at everything? You can do many things better than me, fighting isn¡¯t the only thing that matters.¡± ¡°Maybe not, but I don¡¯t want to be a burden. You¡¯re so far ahead of me, you might as well be on the mainland. And I can¡¯t keep up with my current profession.¡± ¡°Are you worried I¡¯ll ditch my faithful sidekick for someone stronger?¡± Kai grinned. Flynn held his gaze, speaking slowly. ¡°No, and we¡¯re never going to talk about this again. Unless you want to wake up naked before the Temple of the Seven Moons, with not a chip to your name.¡± That¡¯s oddly specific. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. We¡¯ll focus on your Knives and sparring. You¡¯ll need to give me a list of your other fighting skills.¡± Kai tapped his foot. ¡°Do you have any mana skills? Maybe an evolution. You do? What is it?¡± Flynn bit his lip, suddenly hesitant. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a skill¡­¡± Yes, that explains a lot. ¡°No pressure, but you said you wanted my help. No one is going to hear us over the wind.¡± ¡°Fine. It¡¯s Mana Sense.¡± I¡¯m going to strangle him. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me? I could have helped you train it.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s exactly why I didn¡¯t say anything. You always go on about how great Mana Sense is. You¡¯d have chained me to a chair and forced me to do boring exercises if I told you.¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± I mean, probably. Just a couple hours a day for his own good. That also explains how he always finds the cool box with my stash of ice cream¡­ ¡°I would have respected your wishes,¡± Kai lied through his teeth. ¡°What level is it and how long did you have it?¡± ¡°A little while,¡± Flynn answered vaguely. ¡°Land!¡± A shouting interrupted. ¡°Sylspring¡¯s within sight.¡± Kai saw the sailor perched in the crow¡¯s nest over the sails. The woman pointed at the horizon with her spyglass. When he turned his attention back down, Flynn was gone. Sneaky bastard! This isn¡¯t over. He scoured the deck with Inspect without success. He debated going on a wild goose chase, but with land approaching, he had a better idea. Kai marched through to their cabin, their bags were all there. Let him come to me when he gets hungry. He could faintly see Sylspring through the window. They had made it in time for his birthday. He couldn¡¯t wait to see his family¡¯s faces when he appeared. Mom will be mad I didn¡¯t give her time to prepare. A year in High Harbor had flown by. There were just two more till he officially became an adult at fourteen. It always sounds like a lot till it¡¯s gone by. Body stats Profession Skills: General Skills: He had made a nice dent towards Yellow, but the goal was still far. He had used his entire profession experience to level Mana Child¡ªexcept a little to round the numbers. The higher his stats, the faster he would progress. After he got to level 8, he would siphon them towards his grade. That would increase his pace, though it might not be enough. As his skills grew, they netted more XP, but also advanced slower. Gifted Novice will help a little¡­ And he still had to decide what to do with Mana Child. It was a generic mage profession without any obvious strong point, though that also meant he could evolve it in the direction he preferred. Was it possible to get more than two skills and one boon? And if yes, could he get it? What would I even take? He wanted to be a mage, but that could mean a thousand different things. He¡¯d need to make a choice. He always hated picking one thing since it meant closing the door on everything else. And what about after he gained that power? Like Flynn, he had no idea. Traveling the continent seemed too vague of a goal. We¡¯ll figure it out. First, I need to survive my birthday. Chapter 181 - Welcome Home Chapter 181 - Welcome Home Kai first glimpsed the quaint wooden taverns of the docks with their bright and suggestive signs. The best place for sailors and locals alike to get drunk. Further up, the pastel houses grew in rows, rarely rising more than two storeys high. Everything looks so tiny and picturesque after staying in Higharbor. From the prow of the Silver Edge, he could grasp the entirety of Sylspring in one look. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it,¡± he said tersely. There had been no sound of footsteps, but Mana Sense had picked up the fool trying to sneak up on him. Did he think he could get away with it? Flynn froze, hand midway to recovering his luggage. ¡°I¡¯ll just take my bag and be on my way.¡± ¡°Stay put, and carry my luggage too while you¡¯re at it.¡± Kai passed the bags to him. With all that weight, he would be too slow to run. ¡°I¡ª¡± Kai turned to nail him with a look. ¡°I¡¯m happy to help,¡± he nodded. ¡°Good.¡± Kai channeled his best Elijah impression. ¡°I¡¯ll give you till after my birthday to decide what you want from your next profession. Then we start your training.¡± Better to wipe out any dissent from the beginning. If they were going to do this, he wouldn¡¯t settle for a half-assed attempt. ¡°I didn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°You asked for my help and now you¡¯re going to get it. All of it. From now on, I just want to hear ¡®Yes, sensei. How many laps do you want me to run?¡¯¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a Running skill.¡± ¡°Running builds character. You¡¯re going to write me a list of your skills, and we¡¯re going to review it later.¡± Kai straightened to make every centimeter of his height count. ¡°Are we going to have a problem?¡± Flynn held his gaze. He looked about to retort when he pressed his lips shut. ¡°No.¡± ¡°No, what?¡± ¡°No, sensei¡­? What does that even mean?¡± ¡°That you must do what I say, when I say it, if you want to achieve greatness. I¡¯ll make a man out of you.¡± I think I can perfect this persona, the butler would be proud. ¡°Yes, sensei.¡± Flynn acquiesced with a dramatic bow. Don¡¯t think I¡¯ll lower my guard so easily. ¡°You¡¯ll start by using Mana Sense till I tell you to stop.¡± Flynn scowled. ¡°You said I¡¯d get two days to think about what I want.¡± ¡°Unless you plan to discard Mana Sense, you might as well start training now. We have so much to catch up on since you lied to me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get a headache if I keep it going for long. And I didn¡¯t lie, I just didn¡¯t share a fact and made sure you wouldn¡¯t find out to avoid persecution.¡± He said with a cheeky smile. Kai wasn¡¯t amused. ¡°Pain is weakness leaving the body.¡± He said, proud he managed to say the line with a straight face. ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to get stronger? If it were easy everybody would do it.¡± Flynn scrunched his brow, mulling the words. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll do what you say. But stop acting like a drill instructor, I got enough of those in Hawkfield. Also, I won¡¯t do any nonsense training. These are my terms, take it or leave it.¡± Damn, I was beginning to have fun. Oh, well¡­ ¡°We have a deal then.¡± They shook hands. Kai could perceive the faint touch of Flynn¡¯s Mana Sense. It was subtle, far more delicate than Ana¡¯s. He might have missed it if he didn¡¯t know how to look for it. Sneaky bastard, I can¡¯t believe he managed to keep it hidden for so long. As the Silver Edge closed in on the dock, the crew furled the sails and carefully guided the ship through the moor. Reishi stood at the railing to ensure the hull wasn¡¯t scratched against another vessel. A sailor threw ropes at the dockworkers on the pier and secured the ship. ¡°Thank you for the swift ride.¡± Kai walked up to the merman. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, it¡¯s always a pleasure to have you on board. What¡¯s the point of buying a fancy ship if I can¡¯t show it off to my friends.¡± Reishi gave him a pointy smile. ¡°Moving goods and making money?¡± ¡°Kai, I didn¡¯t know you were so materialistic.¡± The merman shook his head in disapproval. He lasted a whole three seconds before they both burst out laughing. ¡°Send my regards to your family. I¡¯ll let you know when I can organize the materials for your experiments.¡± ¡°Take your time, I left my equipment in Higharbor.¡± Kai waved as he and Flynn made it on shore. Reishi stayed behind to supervise the unloading of his cargo. Heading into the throng of activity of the port, Kai was assaulted by the familiar sight. There was a knot in his chest, anticipation mixed with a little apprehension. He had spent almost a year apart from his family. How much had they changed? Would there be any awkwardness? Was Kea going to challenge him to a death duel when she saw him? If Flynn saw his hesitation, he didn¡¯t say. ¡°C¡¯mon, you¡¯ll have a lot to catch up with your family.¡± Stop being foolish. ¡°Yeah,¡± Kai exhaled slowly and led the way. He remembered the streets well enough, and the town planning was straightforward. After months in the upper city, the ornate buildings of poshtown looked tame by comparison. Closing in on the afternoon, people hurried to finish their work or idled by chatting and laughing. Passersby exchanged friendly nods and waves with every person that crossed their gaze. There was an atmosphere of quiet contentment that had always been lacking in the frantic capital. It¡¯s more peaceful than I remember. Too soon they stood before the white door. His family¡¯s home was as good as the day they bought it, with a few signs of use and furnishings that made it look warmer. ¡°There¡¯s someone inside,¡± Flynn closed his eyes to focus on Mana Sense¡ªa habit that would need to be fixed. ¡°I better go find a place to stay. I¡¯ll meet you tomorrow morning.¡± He was about to lay down his luggage when Kai stopped him. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous, you¡¯re staying with us.¡± He wouldn¡¯t leave Flynn to wander alone through depressing memories. ¡°We gave no warning. I don¡¯t want to burden your family, and I don¡¯t think there is room for me.¡± The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°We¡¯ll make space. My Mom always asks how¡¯re you doing, she''ll disown me if I let you go to sleep in an inn. Come on.¡± Before Flynn could protest again, Kai knocked on the door. ¡°One moment,¡± a muffled voice called from inside, the shuffle of steps followed, and the door opened. Alana looked perhaps healthier than he remembered, with bright eyes and long hair tied behind her. She looked distractedly over her shoulder before her eyes narrowed on him. ¡°Kai?¡± ¡°Hi, Mom. I was in town, and I thought I¡¯d stop by.¡± He smiled brilliantly. Getting over the surprise, Alana squeezed him in a tight hug. After she tested the sturdiness of his bones, she took a step back to examine him from head to toe. ¡°Oh spirits, look how much you¡¯ve grown. Are you eating enough? Why didn¡¯t you send word you were coming? The house is a mess, and tomorrow¡¯s your birthday! Yatei¡¯s mercy, I¡¯ve not prepared anything, I¡­¡± ¡°Mom,¡± Kai had to call her three times to pause the deluge of words long enough to speak. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Whatever you have will do. I didn¡¯t come here to visit the house or get a party.¡± ¡°I know, sweetie. But it would have been easier if you had sent a letter.¡± Her scolding frown fought with the smile that kept pulling at her face. ¡°It was a sudden decision. I wasn¡¯t sure if I would make it in time.¡± Kai grabbed Flynn who was slinking away. ¡°I told Flynn he could stay with us, I hope it¡¯s not a problem.¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Alana greeted him with a hug, but let go when Flynn stiffened like a wood plank. ¡°You¡¯ve grown so much too. I must thank you for looking after Kai.¡± Flynn awkwardly stared at his feet. ¡°Oh, it was nothing.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to lie to me,¡± she winked. ¡°I know my son can be a handful sometimes. He always has his head lost among the clouds. Come in, come in. You can take Kai¡¯s bed tonight.¡± ¡°Mom!¡± That was not what he had in mind. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary,¡± Flynn agreed. Alana waved the outcry away. ¡°Kai, you know it¡¯s the duty of the host to make the guests comfortable. You¡¯re smaller, you can comfortably sleep on the couch.¡± Didn¡¯t you say I¡¯ve grown a lot? Seeing his mother¡¯s stubborn look, the protests died on his lips. ¡°Fine,¡± he tried hard not to sulk. This must be for arriving with no warning¡­ They barely had time to deposit their bags when Alana dragged them into the kitchen. Plates of snacks and drinks appeared. His mother prepared dinner and interrogated him about everything that had happened since he left. ¡°Is that the truth?¡± She asked Flynn for confirmation, not for the first time. His friend smiled, amused. ¡°More or less, I think Kai really bought groceries once or twice.¡± Damn, brain! Why did you think bringing him along was a good idea? Kai glowered at him, regretting his decision more and more. ¡°It was at least six times.¡± Six in a year, not a great look. Yes, he had left most of the chores and errands to Flynn, but he had never complained. That was their deal in exchange for paying a third of the rent instead of half. He didn¡¯t think money talk would convince his mother. Alana pursed her lips disapprovingly. ¡°Is that how I raised you?¡± ¡°No, Mom.¡± It¡¯s also true he could have stayed in a cheaper place if it wasn¡¯t for me, and I insisted on paying rent to Reishi. The sound of two pairs of steps came from the door. Moui barely showed any hint of surprise when he saw him, greeting him like he expected him to be there. ¡°Welcome back.¡± He scratched his neat beard, sharing a look with Alana. Kea sized him up like she was readying for a fight. She had sprouted in height, being only six months from getting a profession¡ªeveryone knew girls grew up faster. Her hair was in a practical pixie cut. From her athletic figure, it was clear she hadn¡¯t spent her time idling. She hasn¡¯t pulled out any knives yet. It¡¯s not the worst-case scenario then. ¡°Nice to see you, sis. Did your hunt go well?¡± ¡°Decent.¡± She watched him unblinking. After their mother cleared her throat, she added. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you too. I¡¯m happy you¡¯re here.¡± Her smile was unnerving. Are you happy because you can hug me, or because you can stab me in my sleep? The chatter in the kitchen continued till dinner. While Flynn never failed to point out any embarrassing moment, he skillfully avoided mentioning the calculated risks Kai had taken. They all laughed at the odd behavior and extravagance of the capital. His friend had a talent for telling stories that Kai couldn¡¯t help but envy a little. Even though there wasn¡¯t a low tide, Ele was the last to arrive. ¡°I missed you, little brother.¡± She beamed, pulling him into a hug. ¡°You should have told us you were coming back, tomorrow¡¯s your birthday, right? You must tell me everything that happened.¡± Her transformation wasn¡¯t as obvious as Kea¡¯s, though Kai found it more profound. Ele had shed her youthful appearance, looking more like a woman than a girl. She carried herself with confidence. While still simple, her clothes had clearly been chosen with care, and her hair braided with a blue ribbon. ¡°She¡¯s got a boyfriend,¡± Kea whispered after dinner, confirming his worst suspicions. ¡°She has completely lost her mind.¡± Flynn almost choked on an apple. Kai ignored him and forced his expression to remain casual. ¡°Do you know where he lives?¡± he muttered back. It¡¯s my duty to check if he¡¯s a lout. ¡°Yes, but she¡¯ll suspect me if something happens. So don¡¯t try anything.¡± Damn. He went to poke Ele for information. His sister must have noticed them talking because she immediately exposed him. ¡°Kai, I appreciate the worry, but it¡¯s not necessary. Sabe¡¯s a nice guy, and I don¡¯t want you messing with him.¡± ¡°Sabe?¡± A vague face emerged from the depth of his mind, obnoxiously outgoing and annoyingly handsome. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the name of that pearl diver you couldn¡¯t stand?¡± Ele played with a lock of auburn hair. ¡°People change. He¡¯s kind and sweet, and I like him.¡± Her gaze turned serious. ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t try anything.¡± Kai thought he might be ill. Under his sister¡¯s gaze, he could only force the words out. ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± ¡°Promise me.¡± She continued, unmovable. Kea¡¯s right, she has lost her mind. ¡°Fine, I promise, I won¡¯t intentionally try anything.¡± Ele smiled and kissed his forehead. ¡°He¡¯ll be excited to finally meet you. I could bring him tomorrow.¡± Yay! What a nice birthday gift. I¡¯m dying to know him. They talked well into the night, telling stories and anecdotes too long for the letters. Sylspring had been blessedly boring since his departure. The Voice of the Ancestors appeared to have been driven away for good, and the new captain of the garrison was a stickler for rules but fair. Finally, Alana decided it was time to retire, tomorrow was Kai¡¯s big day. The birthday boy opted to sleep on the floor of his bedroom. It was the only place where the soundproofing was still held up, and it would offer more privacy than the living room. I¡¯ll need to fix and upgrade the enchantments, they¡¯re just embarrassing. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to sleep on the bed?¡± Flynn watched down from his puffy mattress. ¡°I can take the floor, your mother doesn¡¯t need to know.¡± Kai pursed his lips. He definitely didn¡¯t want to, but Alana was right. It had been his idea to invite him and so was his duty as the host. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve got enough blankets and pillows I¡¯ll barely notice the difference.¡± But I still notice it. ¡°Are you doing okay?¡± Kai asked, trying to make himself more comfortable on the blankets. ¡°I know coming back must be complicated for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± Flynn said, though he remained hidden over the bed. ¡°Are you sure?¡± He sighed. ¡°No, not really, but I will be.¡± The voice came steady, perhaps too steady. ¡°It was good that I came back. And before you ask, yes, it was nice to spend time with your family. You don¡¯t need to worry.¡± Mhmm¡­ he¡¯ll tell me if something¡¯s wrong. ¡°Okay, good night.¡± ¡°Good night, Kai. Your bed is like a cloud.¡± I know, you jerk! Tired from the journey, he quickly drifted off despite his accommodation. When he woke up in the morning the room was empty. He could perceive five glowing figures bustling about downstairs. Kea¡¯s slacking. Flynn must have also been using Mana Sense because they suddenly looked at the ceiling when he prepared to go down¡ªor maybe it was his sisters. Cheers and smiles caught him on the stairs. ¡°Surprise!¡± ¡°Happy birthday, little brother!¡± ¡°Happy birthday, sweetie!¡± Kai Improvised his surprise. They cheered him till he could feel his ears heating up. He let himself be dragged to the living room where a mango cake already waited for him. ¡°Mom, I told you there was no need to do anything.¡± ¡°Your twelfth birthday is an important day.¡± ¡°You say that on every birthday.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because they are all important,¡± Alana nodded sagely. Kai let go of his mock exasperation. He couldn¡¯t deny he enjoyed the treatment, a little. When did they even get the time to prepare his favorite cake? His family was sneakier than he thought. ¡°I hope you didn¡¯t waste money on a gift. I¡¯ve got everything I need.¡± Kea did look a little relieved, though none of the others gave any sign. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, our present didn¡¯t cost anything.¡± Alana smiled at Moui, hand resting on her stomach. No, I can¡¯t jump to conclusions. ¡°Mom¡­?¡± ¡°Guess the secret¡¯s out. You¡¯re going to have a little brother!¡± "Or little sister," Moui added lovingly. Chapter 182 - Best Birthday Ever Chapter 182 - Best Birthday Ever ¡°I told you it''s a boy,¡± Alana looked lovey-dovey at Moui, who embraced her from behind. ¡°I can just feel it.¡± The hunter gave a patient smile, crossing his hands with hers. ¡°I¡¯ll be happy with whatever they are, but I think it¡¯s a girl.¡± Kai was frozen in shock, and he wasn¡¯t the only one. Kea watched their mom with comically wide eyes, while Flynn was like a deer caught in the headlights, awkwardly standing by the side. Ele alone was unaffected. ¡°Congratulations, Mom. I¡¯m so happy for you and us.¡± She dried the tears in the corner of her eyes. ¡°You knew?¡± Alana glanced at her daughter with an exasperated look. ¡°I just became sure of it myself.¡± His sister giggled happily. ¡°I had some suspicions.¡± Focusing on Mana Sense, Kai saw a feeble swirl of mana on Alana¡¯s belly. It was interwoven with his mom¡¯s grade and profession, and he might have never noticed if he didn¡¯t know where to look. Blessed spirits, it¡¯s true. He was going to become a big brother to a baby noodle. He knew his mother wasn¡¯t yet forty, and looking younger still due to her orange grade, but somehow the possibility had never crossed his mind. Yatei help me. I can¡¯t fuck this up. ¡°When¡ª¡± Kai wet his lips, clearing his throat. ¡°When will the baby be born?¡± It couldn¡¯t be soon, the bump wasn¡¯t visible beneath her dress. Alana came closer, guiding his hand on her belly. ¡°I¡¯m at about nine or ten weeks. He should be born in about seven months or so.¡± Her eyebrows furrowed. ¡°Did you not like the surprise, sweetie? Sorry I didn¡¯t get anything.¡± ¡°Of course I loved it, Mom. I just can¡¯t believe I¡¯m going to have a little brother.¡± Kai grinned, doing the math in his head. That¡¯s odd. ¡°Was the baby conceived during the moon conjunction?¡± Alana shared an amused look with Moui. ¡°I think it¡¯s possible, what do you think, dear? Is our baby a blessing from the spirits?¡± ¡°No, no,¡± Kai raised a hand to stop them. ¡°I don¡¯t need the details, sorry for asking.¡± Moui chuckled, ruffling his hair. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, kid. I would have bought you a gift if I knew you were coming.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. You didn¡¯t need to get me anything anyway.¡± ¡°Congratulations, Mom.¡± Kea still looked dazzled. ¡°Are we going to eat this cake or we are waiting for it to melt?¡± She always knew how to break the tension. The mango cake tasted as good as it looked. It was his mom¡¯s best recipe, a slight acidic note complemented the sweetness with a cream filling throughout. After eating two slices, Kai was shown outside without much ceremony to let his family scheme his birthday. Flynn was tasked to keep him busy and away from trouble. So much for a welcome home. ¡°You okay?¡± Flynn asked. ¡°Worried the baby will take over your youngest privileges?¡± Kai raised his eyes to the cloudy sky. ¡°My mom doesn¡¯t give me special treatment. No, I was simply taken aback. I can¡¯t imagine having a little fragile baby with how messed up the archipelago is.¡± ¡°There is never the perfect moment.¡± Flynn philosophically mused. ¡°And the archipelago is doing well enough. I don¡¯t like them any more than you do, but there are plenty of opportunities as long as you don''t mind bowing your head.¡± ¡°Maybe, but do you have any idea what the islands will look like in a decade or two?¡± ¡°No, probably quite different. Things are changing rapidly.¡± ¡°Exactly my point. Change is unpredictable. For all I know the Republic can drag us into a war tomorrow, or abandon everything, or sell us to slavery, or¡ª¡± ¡°Stop overthinking, you can¡¯t control everything.¡± Flynn took advantage of his distraction to put an arm around his neck and ruffle his hair. ¡°We can only fix what we can see, we¡¯ll deal with new problems when they arrive, ¡®kay?¡± Kai freed himself with a glare and fixed his locks. ¡°Was that necessary?¡± It would be a challenge to reach the head of the taller boy, but he could be patient. ¡°Yes, you were being a dummy. Remember, it¡¯s my burden to remind you when it happens.¡± Flynn seriously said with a fist over his heart. ¡°C¡¯mon, what do you wanna do, birthday boy? Today I¡¯m at your command.¡± He crumbled into his usual nonchalant gait. Kai narrowed his eyes, calculating. ¡°What if I want to ride you around town?¡± ¡°Then you better hold on fast.¡± Flynn performed a theatrical bow and let him climb on his back. ¡°Where do you wish to go, Your Highness?¡± ¡°To the shopping district!¡± Kai got his revenge by messing with his friend''s hair. He had only made one miscalculation, Flynn was less embarrassed than him, running the streets with a kid on his back. Urgh! The shamelessness is strong with this one. Kai stared back defiantly at the judging passersby. He opted to walk on his own two legs when they entered poshtown and an enforcer moved in their direction. Sylphie¡¯s Herb Shop was still there on a corner street, and Old Selly alive and kicking. She greeted them with the syrupy look of a granny. ¡°What can I do for you? Looking to make those muscles even stronger?¡± She dramatically leaned on her cane to peruse her shelves and picked a box of shiny crimson vials. ¡°Latest delivery. The perfect potion for a dashing young man such as you. Oh, Kai, you¡¯re there too? I hadn¡¯t seen you, my sight is not what it once was.¡± And to think Flynn stole from her, while I was the one she robbed. Kai hid a grimace. There was not enough justice in this world to make her blind. ¡°We¡¯re not here to buy. Just thought I¡¯d pass by to say hi to Telu. How¡¯s he doing?¡± ¡°Oh, great! My dear nephew is away apprenticing with a merchant,¡± Selly tapped her invisible tears with a silk handkerchief. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a look around? Let me know if something catches your eye, I sell many interesting potions nowadays. I¡¯ll give you a discount.¡± Somehow I doubt that. Despite his skepticism, Kai gave a passing glance with Inspect. The shelves were full of merchandise organized in neat rows, though the most interesting stuff was locked behind the counter. Not that it made any difference when using Mana Sense. There were some decent high-tier red herbs, but he would get better deals buying in bulk through Reishi, and the few low-orange ingredients weren¡¯t worth experimenting with. He had outlived the small shops. ¡°I¡¯m good unless you got some interesting herbs from the heart of Veeryd.¡± Old Selly pursed her wrinkly face in disapproval. ¡°You know those get directly sold to special buyers.¡± Yeah, Reishi gets most of those for me. Kai pouted. ¡°Too bad then. We better get going.¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Don¡¯t be rude, Kai. Maybe your handsome friend wants to buy something.¡± Old Selly winked at Flynn, bringing out several boxes of potions. ¡°Here at Sylphie¡¯s Herbs, we only sell the best. I¡¯ll give you a special price for a smile.¡± Kai jumped in front before Flynn¡¯s ego began ballooning. ¡°Mhmm¡­ these are quite good actually.¡± He examined the collection of shiny colorful vials and jars. ¡°Do you know who made them?¡± ¡°A prestigious master alchemist of course. I¡¯m not at liberty to reveal their identity.¡± Old Selly smiled, greed dripping from every wrinkle. She was already calculating how much she could spill from them. Kai nodded, leaning over the counter to hide his smirk. ¡°Hear, Flynn? How no one told me I have become a master alchemist?¡± He looked up as Selly¡¯s confusion turned to shock. ¡°It was nice seeing you had such high regard for my products, but my friends can get them for free. Send my regards to Telu when he comes back.¡± Kai left the shop in a good mood. Okay, they weren¡¯t all his products, but close enough. It would have ruined the moment to specify ¡®fifteen out of twenty¡¯. ¡°So, where are my potions?¡± Flynn asked with a mischievous smile. Oh, damn. ¡°We better go back. My mom hates tardiness.¡± Kai strode back home without looking back. He had never been stingy with his potions, when there was a good reason to use them. I¡¯ll need to brew more health and recovery potions if we are going to train together. The house was noticeably tidier when they got back, though Alana ushered them outside again. It was time for their almost-tradition: a trip to the sea. Everyone grabbed a bag with beach towels and home-cooked food. They chose the northern beach. It was usually busier, but in early spring the tourists were still sparse. Setting up in one of the more secluded spots a little further up, there was enough privacy. They sat talking by the sea, and later had a picnic. Kea convinced him to go swimming. The waves were cold, though Kai quickly warmed up, obliterating any competition his sister proposed. She didn¡¯t look too distraught. Perhaps she had learned that comparing herself with him was pointless, and she should put her self-worth elsewhere. Is that too much to hope for? ¡°We go for a run,¡± Kea informed him with no room for compromise. ¡°Okay.¡± Kai easily beat her at every challenge on land. ¡°You¡¯ve improved.¡± He congratulated her honestly¡ªalso to prevent her from coming up with something else. Kea looked for any sign of mocking. When she found none, she bit her lip. ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel like it. You beat me at everything, and it¡¯s not even close.¡± ¡°That''s because I¡¯ve improved too,¡± Kai stated with no smugness. ¡°How are you doing compared to other kids in Sylspring? Can you make Orange ¡ï¡ï before fourteen?¡± Naturally, he had already confirmed the answer with Moui before asking. They are your target, not me. ¡°I will,¡± she nodded to herself with a resolute look and marched away. That went well, I think. ¡°I feel bad for your sister.¡± Flynn mused, munching on a sandwich. ¡°Did you have to beat her so badly, and make it look easy?¡± ¡°Trust me, this is for the best.¡± He had already made the mistake of holding back once, and it didn¡¯t go well. ¡°Also, Ele¡¯s boyfriend is here, and he wants to meet you.¡± ¡°Where?¡± Kai jolted to scan the beach for the threat. ¡°Over there,¡± Flynn pointed with his sandwich. The tall interloper was easy to spot. Sabe was exactly how he remembered: a twenty-year-old guy, tanned, with a stupidly handsome face and sculpted muscles. His hair was cut off on the sides and styled into thin braids, a tribal tattoo wound up one arm. He was chatting in an overly friendly manner with his family, and they were laughing, Moui included. Spirits, am I too late? ¡°Well, at least she has good taste. He¡¯s gorgeous.¡± Flynn nodded in approval at the new arrival. Kai glared at his treacherous friend. ¡°What?¡± Flynn was unapologetic. ¡°I do have eyes.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t stand him.¡± Kai marched towards the group. Ele noticed him first. Hanging from her boyfriend¡¯s arm, she sent him a meaningful glance to douse his fire. ¡°Here¡¯s my little brother,¡± she introduced him cheerfully. Sabe showed a smile with shining teeth. ¡°I was looking forward to meeting you, Kai. Happy birthday! Your sister always talks so much about you. I¡¯m Sabe, don¡¯t know if you remember me, we met once a while ago.¡± He offered to shake his hand like adults had adopted from the Republic. Under Ele''s continuous gaze, Kai couldn¡¯t crush his hand. With the age difference, he would need to use Empower to succeed. ¡°I remember, you were the guy who insisted on pairing with my sister after she turned you down.¡± ¡°Kai¡­¡± Ele''s voice rose dangerously high, but Sabe interrupted with an embarrassed laugh. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I was a bit of an idiot back then. She was the best pearl diver I¡¯d ever met, and also the most beautiful.¡± He looked lovingly at his sister. ¡°I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about her.¡± ¡°Stop it.¡± Ele slightly slapped his chest, blushing. I want to burn my eyes and pour salt on them. That would hurt less. ¡°Anyway, I like to think I got a tiny bit better now.¡± Sabe winked at him. ¡°We could go pearling together one of these days. Ele said you loved the last time. I¡¯ll be happy to show you around.¡± Aren¡¯t handsome guys all supposed to be douchebags? You¡¯ll slip sooner or later. ¡°Sure. One of these days.¡± Under his family¡¯s gaze, Kai maintained an air of politeness, and Sabe ignored any of his subtle gibes. Maybe he was too dim to recognize them. Instead of a quick greeting, the interloper showed no intention of leaving. Thankfully, he made no attempts to touch him or pick him up¡ªprobably Ele¡¯s doing. Sabe amiably chatted with his family. Even Flynn seemed to have fallen under his charm. Kea was the only one to share his dislike, mainly because she couldn¡¯t stand friendly outgoing people. She excused herself at the first chance with an appointment that Kai was sure was made up. When the sun kissed the jungle to the west, he reasoned it wouldn¡¯t be rude to close it. ¡°Mom, can we go home? I¡¯m not feeling great, I think I¡¯m still tired from the journey.¡± Tired of watching the interloper. ¡°Sure, sweetie.¡± Alana combed his hair and checked his forehead for fever. ¡°Sabe, why don¡¯t you dine with us!¡± What! ¡°I don¡¯t want to intrude.¡± Yes, thank you. At least he has some sense. ¡°It¡¯s no bother at all. We can add a seat at the table.¡± Alana shared a complicit look. ¡°My children always complain that I cook too much food. You¡¯d be helping us. ¡°Okay, if Kai doesn¡¯t mind. It¡¯s his birthday.¡± Sabe looked at him with an honest look, though it wasn¡¯t really a choice with the eyes of his entire family on him. He gave a smile that not even Improvisation could save. ¡°Of course, the more the merrier.¡± Best birthday ever. Kai let them go ahead to finish the preparations, suddenly not tired at all. Alana gave him an admonishing look but was mollified when Moui offered to stay with him on the beach. ¡°Try to give him a chance. Sabe¡¯s a bit vain, but he''s a decent guy. And he adores your sister.¡± The hunter rumbled while Kai made stones skip on the calm sea. ¡°I did.¡± He threw a pebble. Six skips. ¡°Really?¡± His Uncle¡¯s look made clear he wasn¡¯t fooling anybody. Three skips. He went looking for a stone that wasn¡¯t faulty. ¡°I just don''t like him.¡± ¡°Would your reaction have been any different with anyone else Ele chose?¡± Moui let the silence hang long enough to prove he was right. ¡°You just don¡¯t like change, especially with our family. It¡¯s understandable, but try to make an honest effort for your sister.¡± Nine skips, decent enough. ¡°Fine, father. I¡¯ll give him a shot.¡± Moui looked as if struck by lightning. Kai felt satisfaction in piercing his stoic persona. ¡°It will be odd for the baby if I call you Uncle. Better if I get used to it now.¡± The sound was weird in his mouth, he¡¯d need to would learn with experience. Rellan would always be his Dad, but he couldn¡¯t let his guilt shackle him in the past forever. ¡°Right.¡± The hunter bobbed his head. ¡°That¡¯s very thoughtful of you.¡± Why do you sound surprised? ¡°Are you worried about the baby?¡± Kai probed, inverting the roles. With a pensive look, Moui picked up a stone. Thirteen skips. ¡°I¡¯m terrified. I never thought I¡¯d be a dad.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do fine,¡± Kai patted the shoulder of the giant. ¡°You were a great uncle, you¡¯ll be an even better dad.¡± ¡°Thank you, Kai, I appreciate it. I know you¡¯ll also be a great big brother.¡± I doubt it, I probably won¡¯t be here most of the time. There isn''t much I can do¡­ ¡°Uh¡­ father, I need to stop by Reishi¡¯s. He had a present for me, it shouldn¡¯t take long.¡± ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll tell your mother.¡± With a grateful nod, Kai ran through the streets. An idea formed based on a piece of information he had read long ago. The merchant district was close to the opposite side of town, luckily Sylspring was smaller than the capital. Heaving for air, Kai reached the merman¡¯s manor in five minutes. The butler in a maroon uniform scrunched his nose in distaste but let him inside. ¡°This way, Master Reishi is waiting for you. Would you like a wet towel to make yourself presentable?¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, thank you.¡± Kai dashed inside the study, ignoring etiquette. Reishi was slouched on his plump chair, a leg hanging on the armrest. He fumbled with the document on his desk to recompose himself, then he noticed it was him and slumped back down. ¡°I know it¡¯s your birthday, but you could have knocked. Did you come to get your gift?¡± The merman waved a wrapped package. ¡°No. I mean, yes.¡± Kai fumbled to put his thoughts into coherent sentences. ¡°How much do you know about elixirs? Those that can enhance the grade of a baby before they¡¯re born. Can you get your hands on them? Chapter 183 - Oh Oh Oh! Chapter 183 - Oh Oh Oh! ¡°Why don¡¯t you close the door and sit?¡± Reishi put down the package and massaged his scaly temples. Huh¡­ I let myself get carried away. Kai took a seat with a sliver of guilt. ¡°Thank you for the present. What did you get me?¡± He picked the abandoned gift and carefully undid the golden wrapping. There weren¡¯t many objects with sharp squared edges. ¡°It¡¯s a book.¡± He wished he could sound more enthusiastic. The tome looked old and expensive, worthy of his collection. The yellowing paper was protected by a carmine leather cover filigreed with floral motifs. He would gladly spend hours browsing the contents, if his mind wasn¡¯t occupied by his unborn sibling. ¡°Not just any book.¡± The merman scowled. ¡°It¡¯s the diary of master alchemist Lyliana Lyveli, and it contains some of her recipes.¡± The name didn¡¯t ring any bells, his education on important personages was quite poor¡ªsince his teachers didn¡¯t want to give away their origins. This Lyliana must have been notable, the title of master carried a certain weight on the mainland. Many would be outraged by how it was thrown around in the archipelago. He leafed through the pages with a growing suspicion. ¡°Did you give me a recipe book so that I could brew them for you?¡± The merman gasped. ¡°Do you have such a low opinion of me?¡± He shook his head ruefully. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything. Sure, it¡¯d be a waste to not brew some of those potions, and they would sell really well, but that¡¯s entirely up to you.¡± Kai gave him a flat look. I¡¯m surrounded by shameless people. ¡°And pray tell, did you also happen to get your hands on the ingredients required?¡± His pointy smile broadened. ¡°Isn¡¯t the world full of wonderful coincidences? Tell me that''s not the perfect gift. No?¡± Failing to elicit any reaction, Reishi pivoted to the previous topic. ¡°You wanted to talk about enhancing elixirs, right?¡± He composed himself in his armchair, long fingers crossed on the desk. In a blink, he wore an impenetrable businesslike facade. ¡°Yes,¡± Kai let his thoughts flood freely with rising excitement. ¡°I read there are elixirs to increase the grade of an unborn baby, or at least improve the odds. There were also others for different benefits, but that¡¯s what I¡¯m most interested in. I don¡¯t care about the cost.¡± ¡°May I ask where you learned about them?¡± Any trace of mirth was gone from his voice and demeanor. ¡°I¡ª¡± Kai took a second to recall. Yep, it was definitely at the estate. ¡°I read it in my master¡¯s library.¡± The merman nodded without surprise. ¡°And I assume this sudden interest isn¡¯t simply academic curiosity but necessity. A new family member perhaps?¡± ¡°My mom¡¯s expecting. The baby is due in about seven months.¡± Spirits, I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s really happening. ¡°Mhmm¡­¡± Reishi tapped his nails on the mahogany table. ¡°Well, congratulations to your family. It¡¯s good you came here now. These types of elixirs need to be taken at a specific time to be effective.¡± Kai leaned forward in his chair with trepidation. ¡°So you can get them?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that simple.¡± Reshi''s icy eyes fixed on him. ¡°You need to promise this conversation won¡¯t leave this room.¡± Again, he was taken aback by his seriousness. ¡°Yes, I swear.¡± He must be missing a piece of vital information. Reishi exhaled a slow breath. ¡°Any elixirs to improve the grade, affinities, attributes or other qualities of an unborn is a strategic resource and heavily regulated. The Merian Republic is no exception. Unless you can get official permission, we¡¯d need to skirt the gray line of the law, heavily.¡± Of course it¡¯s the government meddling. Why did I even wonder? He had underestimated his request. Grades determined people¡¯s future and social status, naturally the Republic would keep both hands on the market. ¡°Uh¡­ I don¡¯t want to put you into a difficult position.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Reishi reassured him. ¡°But it will be very expensive even for the red elixirs, and risky. Smuggling the most precious elixirs is a capital offense. We won¡¯t deal with anything that rare, but you need to understand they don¡¯t treat these kinds of things lightly.¡± ¡°Another way for the people in charge to cling to their power, I assume.¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± The merman confirmed with a humorless chuckle. ¡°Let me be clear, I¡¯ll deny knowing anything if they find you out. Are you sure you want to do this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s only fair. I¡ª¡± He should probably spend long days thinking about this, shouldn¡¯t he? And definitely ask Alana and Moui. But Reishi also said the timing was crucial to use them. Nothing worthwhile is ever easy. Kai chewed his cheek. Higher attributes meant more Life Experience, faster skill leveling and a cascade of other benefits. The progression feats were a nice consolation prize, but between saving crucial years of effort and a few points of Favor, there wasn¡¯t a question at all. It was a massive advantage for the children on the continent, Kai had envied them since the day Virya told him about it. He wouldn¡¯t be able to be present for the childhood of the baby, but if he could do this, he could give him or her a better start in life. Even Red ¡ï¡ï meant being years ahead of his peers. ¡°I am. I want to try this. Get the option ready if my family agrees.¡± Kai held his gaze, determined. ¡°If you¡¯re sure it won¡¯t put you in danger.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have offered it if I wasn¡¯t comfortable with the danger. ¡°Reishi waved him off. ¡°Enhancing elixirs for red grade should be accessible to anyone with money and connection, but the governor has been keeping an iron grip on them. I imagine the mana situation of the archipelago makes them more precious.¡± ¡°How much is it going to cost?¡± Reishi made a noncommittal grumble, rummaging through his drawers. ¡°I don¡¯t usually deal with these types of commodities. I¡¯ll make some inquiries and we can discuss the details when I know more. If my contacts don¡¯t fail me, I should get back to you by the end of the week.¡± Since the merman was pensive and focused on his documents, Kai took it as a silent dismissal and left. ¡°Thank you for the book.¡± The butler briskly saw him out, slamming the gate after him. Kai hardly paid attention to the cranky Alfred, mulling over the conversation. Perhaps it wasn¡¯t fair to ask for such a favor. Not that he could do anything now. Why can¡¯t I ever think first? True, he hadn¡¯t known what his request entailed, though he could have guessed a lot of it, and asked in a more tactful way instead of a rash demand. Guess I¡¯ll have to brew whatever¡¯s in this book, and then some, to make it up to him. Reaching home saved him from further speculation. His birthday wasn¡¯t over yet, and six people were waiting for him inside. Time to smile. The white door opened and Kai dove into a flurry of voices. He got a brief respite to deposit his new book in his room before he was dragged to his birthday party downstairs. Two tables had been pushed together to make room for Sabe and Flynn, plates with steaming food at the ready. Alana had ensured everything was delicious and abundant. Between each bite, Kai fended off an unending stream of questions about Higharbor. He had been telling them about the mysterious capital since he came back, but their curiosity was insatiable. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. When they cleared the table, his family and Flynn shared embarrassing stories about him. Kai couldn¡¯t really be mad at him since his mom and Ele were the instigators. ¡°He was such a cute baby, always glowering at people.¡± They laughed like it was the funniest thing in the world. It was not. Why did I expect anything different? And why does Sabe need to be here? It was one thing being teased by his friends and family, another to have Ele¡¯s new boyfriend hear and chuckle at his less stellar moments. Worse yet, the tall guy didn¡¯t even have the decency to offer a good reason to hate him. Never showing the perverse colors he was sure to be hiding. I¡¯m onto you. ¡°Kai, this is for you.¡± Ele pulled him aside and offered him a tiny velvet pouch. ¡°I told you I didn¡¯t need anything.¡± Kai kindly reproached. A dark sapphire pearl tied with a silver thread fell out of the pouch. His palm tingled with the telltale signs of mana. ¡°Happy birthday, little brother. I know it¡¯s not much, but I immediately thought of you when I found it. Do you want me to add this one to the other?¡± Ele gestured to the green bead at his wrist. The first mana treasure she had found while diving in Greenside and the gift for his seventh birthday. ¡°Thank you, sis, I love it.¡± Kai hugged her and let her tie it to his bracelet. From the deep blue glow, the pearl was well into orange grade, made more precious by its water affinity. Elemental treasures were rare and harder to use since they required the crafter to have the same affinity. With the latest upgrade to Alchemy, he had a few ideas on how it could be done. No, I¡¯m not going to grind my sister¡¯s gift with a mortar. Shut up brain! It was worth a small pile of silver, but it was what it represented that moved him. Ele must have dove into one of the deepest pools off the coast to find it, and instead of selling it, she kept it for him. ¡°Do you like it?¡± She smiled brightly. ¡°Sabe helped me find it.¡± Of course he did. ¡°It¡¯s perfect.¡± Kai grinned. ¡°I also have something for you, wait here.¡± He hurried up the stairs to pick up a large bundle he had left in his bedroom. ¡°What''ve you got there, sweetie?¡± Alana noticed him coming back down and attracted every other pair of eyes. ¡°I come bearing gifts.¡± He grinned, short of laughing ¡®oh oh oh¡¯ and giving his best Santa Claus impression. They already had enough ammo to make fun of him. ¡°You didn¡¯t need to buy us anything, it¡¯s your birthday,¡± Ele said, though her eyes studied the bundle with thinly concealed curiosity. ¡°What is it?¡± Kea perked up from the couch to get a better look. ¡°Something I made while experimenting with my skills.¡± He put down the bundle on the table, untying the latches with cruel slowness. ¡°I had a few spares, and I thought, why not give them to you?¡± ¡°Are you bringing us your magical scraps?¡± Kea pursed her lips. ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to take them if you don¡¯t want to.¡± Kea was about to respond when Flynn whispered something in her ear. Her eyes narrowed on the bundle. ¡°I¡¯ll take whatever you give me since it¡¯s your birthday.¡± How magnanimous of you. Why did he have to ruin my fun? Moui silently observed, barely shifting in his seat beside Alana, but Kai could feel multiple people brushing him with Mana Sense. His heart swelled with pride. Not that they would see anything, Edgar had told him how to enchant portable cloaking amulets. Better not to let strangers peek in his luggage. Sensing the curiosity in the room had reached its peak and was about to turn into annoyance, Kai opened the last latch. He put his arm inside and extracted the prizes one at a time. ¡°For you, Mom.¡± He offered her two crystal kitchen knives. They were definitely overkill, but his mother had never been interested in weapons. If only the sea serpent could see its fangs being used to chop vegetables or filet a fish. The thought put a smile on his face. ¡°They¡¯re enchanted to never lose their edge.¡± The room filled with ohs and ahs. They had minor variations in the rune schematics with his first dagger to still make them a challenge. ¡°Thank you, Kai. These are beautiful.¡± She kissed him on the cheek. ¡°But you really didn¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, Mom. I bought a large set of materials to train, and I found an enchanter who was eager to help me. They really didn¡¯t cost me much at all.¡± He thought it wise to skip the part when he was swallowed by a hungry yellow beast. ¡°And these are for you,¡± Kai gave the next pair to Ele and explained their peculiarities. Besides the set of sharpness and toughness runes, one was enchanted to reduce water drag and the other to light dark caves. Moui got the largest knives. His eyes lit up with a childlike glee when he gripped the handle of one long jagged blade. He looked about ready to swing them around, but he steeled his face into a stoic mask and spoke with his low gruff voice. ¡°Thank you, Kai. These must be worth a fortune.¡± Probably. I got the deal of a lifetime with Edgar. He¡¯s truly a generous gnome. ¡°What¡¯s the point of making money if I can¡¯t spoil my family? I¡¯ll let you figure out how they work.¡± The hunter was using Mana Sense to examine them, though he would probably not be able to tell the true value of Edgar''s engraving method. Let alone what the runes did. ¡°Mhmm¡­ guess we¡¯re done.¡± Kai made a show to close the bag. Kea cleared her throat, arms crossed before her chest. ¡°Yes, dear sister?¡± He smirked in the most infuriating way possible. If she wanted her present, she could at least get over her pride and ask him nicely. ¡°Is there anything you want?¡± Her lips pressed till they became bloodless. Flynn whispered in her ear, again, making her face contorted into a grimace. ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything for me?¡± More whispering. ¡°Please.¡± The word seemed to cause her unspeakable pain. ¡°Of course, sis. How can I deny you when you ask so nicely?¡± Kai pulled a final pair of glass-like daggers and retreated before she tested them on him. He watched satisfied as his family marveled at his gifts. Indeed, what was the point of being wealthy if he didn¡¯t share? He didn¡¯t dare hope this would help the talk about the elixirs for the baby, but that could wait till tomorrow. He needed a battle plan to go into that conversation. Huh¡­ Why is that guy still here? ¡°I designed these specifically for you.¡± Kai walked up to Ele as she was offering one of her knives to her boyfriend. His sister cocked her head with a smile that made him certain he had just committed a huge mistake. ¡°I was just showing him, though maybe he should just take one. It will be difficult to use both at the same time underwater.¡± Sabe watched uncomfortably between the two siblings. ¡°I don¡¯t think your brother wants¡ª¡± ¡°They¡¯re a gift. I should be able to do what I want with them, right Kai?¡± Okay, maybe I deserve this. ¡°Yes. Ele, I¡ª¡± ¡°Unless Sabe had his own knife.¡± His sister reasoned aloud. ¡°In that case, I would have no reason to give him one of mine. That bag still looks quite full.¡± She smiled sweetly, looking at the blade poking out of the bundle. Kai cursed himself under his breath. Wasn¡¯t this supposed to be his birthday? He marched taking inventory of what was left, quite a lot really, but what was he willing to part with? This one will do. ¡°There is really no need,¡± Sabe tried to refuse the blade, or maybe just get out of swinging range. ¡°Take it.¡± Ele and Kai said at the same time and shared an amiable glance. ¡°You can push mana into the rune on the hilt to activate the fire enchantment.¡± He helpfully explained. It had terrible compatibility with the sea serpent¡¯s fang, but he had wanted a challenge. ¡°It¡¯s better if you don¡¯t use it inside a house.¡± ¡°It has a fire enchantment¡­?¡± Ele pursed her lips, quickly catching on. Kai played innocent. ¡°Yes, why? I thought it¡¯d be cool.¡± And extremely fun to use underwater. ¡°It¡¯s perfect. I always wanted a flaming blade.¡± Sabe interrupted their stare contest with his perfect smile. ¡°Thank you, Kai. Your sister said you were brilliant, but she still undersold you. I can¡¯t believe you made this yourself.¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± His ears burn fiercely. Worse yet, Sabe sounded sincere. He must have a very high Acting skill. Fine, he would give this guy a chance. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m glad you like it,¡± he mumbled before excusing himself. He recovered his bundle and bid everyone goodnight, sleepiness was making him sloppy. But don¡¯t think I¡¯ll let my guard down. I¡¯ll be watching him. Flynn reached him on the stairs, throwing a friendly arm over his shoulders. ¡°Going to bed already? The party can¡¯t go on without the guest of honor.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll manage. You seem to be getting on well with my family, bonding over my misfortunes.¡± ¡°They¡¯re very nice, though your uncle always watches me when he thinks I don¡¯t notice¡­ Anyway, you should take it as a compliment that we talk about you and that you¡¯re so entertaining.¡± Kai glanced at the arm still around his shoulders. ¡°Flynn. What do you want?¡± ¡°Well, you see¡­ Everyone seems to be getting a knife tonight. Even that guy you don¡¯t like. So, I thought that maybe¡­¡± Kai rolled his eyes. ¡°You can play with any blade I have apart from my sword, just put them back when you¡¯re done.¡± ¡°Really?¡± he said with a toothy smile. We¡¯ll see if you still like knives after I¡¯m done with you. ¡°Remember training starts tomorrow at dawn. I need to see what skills you have to help you.¡± ¡°As you wish, boss.¡± Flynn followed him to their shared bedroom and produced a wooden box. ¡°This is for you.¡± ¡°For me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s your birthday. Did you think I¡¯d forget to buy you a gift?¡± he raised a question eyebrow. ¡°The answer is no. Come on, open it.¡± I did tell him I didn¡¯t want anything¡­ Kai casually flipped open the lid and froze. ¡°Is this really¡­?¡± Chapter 184 - Surprises Chapter 184 - Surprises Kai studied the contents of the box, two identical metallic cubes gleamed like platinum. A web of squared seams and five tiny buttons crossed their surface. It wasn¡¯t the metalwork that left him in awe as much as the dense filaments of mana. There were several intersecting layers of enchantments, each made up of hundreds of runes. He wouldn¡¯t know where to start: replicating any individual part would have been a challenge by itself. Every layer was connected to the next by dozens of runes, interacting in inexplicable ways. That¡¯s probably the point, someone¡¯s jealous of their work. His fingers itched to take each piece apart. Like any valuable object, the design had been cloaked to avoid copycats, but Edgar had taught him how to break basic concealments. With Mana Echo, he might even get some usable schematics out of it. Or maybe it will explode in my hands if it¡¯s enchanted against tampering. Kai suppressed the silly impulse. He recognized enough runes to guess their purpose. The paired cubes were infinitely more useful intact. ¡°I thought you¡¯d like a way to keep in touch with your family while we¡¯re away.¡± Flynn winked, confirming his suspicions. ¡°They¡¯re communication cubes. You can send and receive brief messages with them.¡± ¡°Huh, like telephones.¡± Kai nodded, he had read the theory. Some kind of very primitive phone that used a combination of spatial magic and sympathetic links to transmit vocal or written messages over long distances. ¡°A telewhat?¡± Flynn furrowed his brow. ¡°Nothing. Just a made-up word.¡± ¡°You¡¯re weird.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Kai graciously accepted the compliment. ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re friends.¡± ¡°It sure never gets boring with you, little one.¡± Flynn patted his head. ¡°Did you like your present?¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± he bit back the snappy response. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s very thoughtful. How did you even get your hands on these? I never saw any on sale even in the upper city.¡± According to the books he had read, they were rare and expensive, though not unobtainable. Despite that, he had never seen any communication tool in Higharbor. Flynn smiled smugly. ¡°I can tell you it wasn¡¯t easy. I met a guy, who knows a guy, who knows¡ªwell, you get it. Long story short, I found the merchant who supplies the cubes to the Republic. Then, I made friends with her son¡ªa decent enough fellow, though he doesn¡¯t hold alcohol very well. He got me a meeting with his mother where I convinced her to sell me a pair with my charming personality.¡± He wiggled his eyebrows. For once in his life, Kai suspected Flynn was underselling the efforts it had taken to get his hands on the paired cubes. He had to admit he was a little impressed. ¡°It must have cost you a fortune.¡± Shit! How much did he pay for it? Though he had never seen one in a shop window, they must sell for a gold mesar at least. He would feel the pitch himself, a painful one. ¡°I got a great deal.¡± Flynn dismissed him with a nonchalant wave and began to dig knives out of the bundle. ¡°These communication cubes are one of the cheapest models. They have a defect that makes them work only once every two weeks instead of one, and have a limited range. I hope that¡¯s fine. It was how I managed to buy them off the Republic.¡± ¡°Flynn, how much did you spend?¡± ¡°I told you it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± He balanced a crystal blade on his finger, throwing it in the air and catching it again. ¡°How much? Let me at least repay half. I can¡¯t accept this.¡± The dagger flew and stuck in the wall opposite the bed with a low thud. ¡°Why not?¡± Flynn stopped juggling blades and scowled at him. ¡°You always give me expensive stuff. Can¡¯t I buy you something nice for once? I¡¯m not a child, I can decide how to spend my money!¡± Flynn huffed, eyes burning and daring him to disagree. Damn you, it¡¯s not the same thing! The stuff Kai gave him were trivial purchases or potions and enchanted items he had crafted himself. They cost a fraction of his wealth, while the communications cubes must have cost nearly everything Flynn had. Seeing his stubborn look, Kai swallowed his objections. If it was a matter of pride, words and reason wouldn¡¯t help. ¡°Tell me you didn¡¯t¡­ Did you get into debt?¡± He couldn¡¯t stop himself from asking. The question must have been less tactful than he thought. Flynn took a sharp breath and loomed over him, ready to punch his face. ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot! I spent no more than I had.¡± As in all of it? ¡°Right, sorry. I just¡­ you know how I am¡­¡± He struggled to find the right thing to say. ¡°My family will be overjoyed when I tell them. It¡¯s the best gift I could have dreamed of receiving.¡± Flynn watched him with an impassive gaze before breaking into a cheeky grin. ¡°Does this mean I can have my pick of the blades you made?¡± * * * ¡°Ehm¡­ Can you hear me?¡± Ele¡¯s hesitant voice echoed in the living room. It was slightly distorted, as through a bad mic, but recognizable. Behind his unflappable persona, Moui tensed like a bowstring while Alana looked at the metallic cube with wide eyes. ¡°Yes, I can hear you, sweetie. This is very¡­ odd.¡± She articulated each word, speaking far louder than necessary. Don¡¯t laugh, don¡¯t laugh, don¡¯t laugh¡­ ¡°I know, right?¡± Ele sounded clearer. ¡°I didn¡¯t think these things actually existed.¡± They giggled at their voices, getting over the strangeness of speaking into the ¡®magic box¡¯. Soon, they chatted like usual, talking about the market and the next low tide. Alana slumped disappointed when the purple light began to blink. The signal that the artifact was about to shut off. Ele walked down the stairs, carrying the paired cube back to him. ¡°That was incredible.¡± ¡°Can we really use these to talk with you in Higharbor?¡± His mom asked, fighting a giddy smile. ¡°We can use them once every two weeks.¡± That was the reaction he had been hoping for. ¡°They¡¯re perfectly legal, though it¡¯s best if you don¡¯t talk about them to other people,¡± he casually added. Somehow, instead of looking reassured, they all turned to look at him. What? The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Is there a reason why I¡¯ve never seen one?¡± Moui inquired, eyes digging into him. ¡°We won¡¯t get into trouble, right sweetie?¡± So much for trust¡­ Oh well, it¡¯s probably easier if they know everything. He should really fix up those dampening enchantments. Not that this topic was that dangerous. After Flynn had provided the last pieces of information, it had been easy to figure out the situation. Despite the growing trade, the archipelago was isolated, and foreign merchant ships only stopped in Higharbor, where the Republic could enforce their influence. ¡°There are no laws against using or possessing any communication tool. But the governor buys and bribes the merchants to make sure none of them reach the open market.¡± Confusion and questions swept the room. ¡°Don¡¯t they lose money doing that?¡± Ele asked. ¡°It¡¯s a price they¡¯re willing to pay to ensure people can¡¯t communicate outside their control,¡± Moui answered, eyes darting at the people around the room. ¡°Uh¡­ at least that¡¯s what I think.¡± ¡°You¡¯re probably right,¡± Kai nodded. ¡°The Republic wants to keep the monopoly of information around the archipelago. They can¡¯t forbid the cubes since they¡¯re widespread on the mainland, so they try to control who gets access to them.¡± It was an endeavor destined for failure as the trade with the continent grew. That might still be a decade from now. After the debacle with the Voice, Kai couldn¡¯t really blame them for trying. I¡¯ll bet the rebels will get their hands on them anyway. Maybe I can blame them. It¡¯s always the common people who get fucked in the end. ¡°Are you certain we can use them?¡± Moui peered at the cube sitting on the table with suspicion. ¡°Yes, as I said, they¡¯re perfectly legal. There are many people who have them but keep silent.¡± According to what Flynn told him. ¡°Unless you go around shouting you have one and pull attention to the subject, the Republic won¡¯t bother us.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep it.¡± Alana picked the palm-sized cube, humming a cheerful tune. ¡°It''ll be nice to hear your voice while you¡¯re away. Have you decided when to go back?¡± ¡°No, not yet. Ehm¡­ Mom, there¡¯s something else I wanted to talk to you about.¡± ¡°What is it, sweetie?¡± Well, I won¡¯t get a better chance than this. ¡°It¡¯s about the baby.¡± * * * Spirits, that was hard. Alana and Moui had grilled him for an hour over every detail. They had eventually agreed the benefits of enhancing elixirs were too high to dismiss the option. While it wasn¡¯t yet a yes, the fact they hadn¡¯t rejected the idea made him hopeful. Fingers crossed Reishi will give me some good news. ¡°Keep running!¡± Kai shouted after Flynn. They were on the southern beach. A short five-minute walk had brought them into the middle of nowhere. In Higharbor it would have required an hour minimum. ¡°Is there a reason I¡¯m doing this?¡± Flynn heaved between breaths. ¡®Cause I think it¡¯s amusing. ¡°Of course, do you doubt the wisdom of your teacher?¡± From the look his friend gave him, Flynn was definitely a man of little faith. ¡°Fine. You can stop. Have you prepared a list of your skills? I need more information to know how to proceed.¡± ¡°Yes, here.¡± He produced a folded paper half drenched in sweat and grinned when Kai wrinkled his nose. ¡°You asked me to run for miles. What did you expect?¡± Karma is such a bitch. He carefully opened the sheet with the tips of his fingers. While the words were a little smudged, his full status was listed in tiny, neat rows, and in surprisingly elegant calligraphy. ¡°The clerks of the Republic love good handwriting. I swear they don¡¯t care about the reports as long as they are pretty to look at.¡± ¡°Uh,¡± Kai nodded distractedly. This was way more information than he expected. Body stats Profession Skills: General Skills: ¡°Just the skill names would have been enough.¡± Flynn watched him with a smirk. ¡°Why? Are you gonna stab me in the back?¡± ¡°No, but¡­¡± This was a lot, basically a summary of everything his friend had accomplished. ¡°Then what¡¯s the problem?¡± His eyebrow rose in question. ¡°I always thought it was stupid how people are obsessed over hiding their status. Don¡¯t get me wrong. I see how if your status gets public, it can screw you over badly. But if you want to betray me, you already have a thousand worse ways.¡± Mhmm¡­ I guess he''s right. Did he think a lot about betrayal? Kai focused on the information. There was a single skill in Red, and three over the first milestone in Orange. That wasn¡¯t half bad. His grade was also further along than he had imagined, though it must be due to siphoning the profession XP. ¡°How did you get Mana Sense so high?¡± Level 36 was more than a little side hustle. He owed him an explanation. Flynn casually stretched his arms. ¡°Is it? Keen Spotter is a profession based on gathering information. Keen Senses and Adaptable boost my perception skills in different ways, making them easier to level.¡± Damn cheat. And why do you have a skill called Charm? ¡°Do you want to see my status?¡± Kai blurted out, surprising even himself. The only people who had ever seen the complete version were his teacher and Ele. ¡°You don¡¯t have to. I didn¡¯t show you mine for that.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say it¡¯s stupid to hide it?¡± Kai pointed out. Flynn already knew about his spatial ring and fate artifact. Like he said, plenty of ways to screw him over. ¡°Do you want to see it or not?¡± He chewed his lip conflicted until curiosity defeated his reluctance. ¡°If you want to then show me, but I don¡¯t want to know your skill levels. I don¡¯t look pretty when I cry.¡± Always so dramatic. You¡¯re the only person I need to beg to see my status. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll try to protect your ego.¡± Kai picked up a stick from the nearby greenery to write in the sand. When he was finished, the waves had already erased the first half, though Flynn was already done reading. ¡°You look a bit ill.¡± ¡°You think!¡± Flynn glared at him. ¡°How can you have thirty-seven points in Favor? That¡¯s basically cheating! Your Spirit and Mind is also ridiculously high even before counting your profession. And you even have a yellow skill I¡¯ve never heard of!¡± Damn, don¡¯t make me blush. It was great to finally tell someone. Kai vainly tried his hardest to stop the smile from blooming on his face. ¡°Come on, you¡¯re not doing so bad yourself.¡± He patted his shoulder, concealing his enjoyment. ¡°It took me years to amass my Favor. As for Spirits and Mind, it¡¯s probably thanks to my mana and alchemy skills, and yes, I¡¯m also a natural-born genius. Look, you have more Strength and Dexterity than me. You can also improve your stats.¡± Minus the blessing of the spirits. ¡°Kai, patronizing me is not helping. Unless you want me to see my Strength in action.¡± ¡°Sorry, you¡¯re right.¡± It had just been so long since he showed his status to someone, and the butler had treated praise like lethal venom. With an effort, he pushed the grin off his face. ¡°I was being serious, there¡¯re ways to increase your stats. Have you got the feat for defeating an awakened beast alone?¡± ¡°Yes, my mother made me hunt a red piton.¡± ¡°Well¡­ I wasn''t talking about red beasts.¡± Chapter 185 - New Leads Chapter 185 - New Leads ¡°It¡¯s just a little scratch, stop being such a baby.¡± Kai scowled under Flynn¡¯s weight, careful not to trip in the underbrush of Veeryd. ¡°We¡¯ll have the whole jungle after us if you don¡¯t lower your voice.¡± ¡°I got bit by a fucking drake! I want to see you shrug that off.¡± Flynn leaned heavier against him, limping over a broken branch. ¡°That stupid lizard almost chomped my leg off.¡± ¡°Now you''re being dramatic. It was just a little nibble, you were good at dodging at the last second. If you were slightly faster, it wouldn¡¯t have touched you at all.¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re being an asshole.¡± ¡°You told me you wanted to get stronger. Did you think it would be easy?¡± ¡°No, but why did I have to fight a goddamn drake?¡± he sulked. ¡°I had never seen one that big, it was probably mid or late Orange. There were a hundred easier options.¡± ¡°You know how the Guide works, the reward is proportional to the risk. I wanted to ensure you¡¯d get a decent feat, and it worked, didn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Flynn snorted and gritted his teeth when a branch brushed his bandaged leg. ¡°But what if I was slower? Would you have gotten there in time?¡± ¡°I was ready to intervene the moment things went wrong,¡± Kai reassured the sullen boy. ¡°I mean, I was at least seventy percent confident I¡¯d make it in time.¡± Flynn made a curious choking sound, hands tightening on his shoulder. ¡°What about the remaining thirty percent?¡± ¡°I was confident in you.¡± Kai grinned brightly. ¡°Now, hush. I think another beast is following us.¡± He helped Flynn sit on a fallen trunk, while the teen silently stared daggers at him. Hallowed Intuition tingled his mind, narrowing the direction of the threat. A burning presence entered his Mana Sense range, moving towards them in fluid strides. Kai pointed to a thick shrubbery where the beast was coming from and raised a finger to his lips. If they spooked it, the animal might stalk them for miles before it struck. Flynn furrowed his brows and concentrated on finding the mana signature. His muscles tensed ready to dash, fingers tightening on two daggers. Trees covered in moss and vines surrounded them like gnarly pillars, their canopies greedily caught the sunlight before it reached the ground. Kai withdrew the glass sword from his ring and channeled Shadow mana into the enchantment. It was a low-orange beast, it likely had far higher base physical attributes than him unless he used Empower. He didn¡¯t. Kai casually stood in the beast''s path, slanted posture, not looking directly at where the predator would emerge. He hummed softly, forcing himself to stay relaxed. The presence got closer, the graceful body of a jaguar. Just their luck. It must have followed the smell of blood from the heart of Veeryd. The constant dripping of humidity and the rustling of leaves covered its steps. C¡¯mon, little kitty. There¡¯s absolutely nothing suspicious here. A murmur in the back of his mind. The crunching of twigs. The feline pounced, a shadow out of the underbrush. Empower blazed through his body, magnifying his attributes. Enough to turn halfway, adjust his stance and brace for impact. The jaguar¡¯s deadly jaws gaped to rip his throat out. The fangs stopped short. His veiled sword impaled the feline straight through its heart. The impact sent him skidding on the wet ground, almost losing his balance. He was close enough to smell the rank breath of the jaguar. There was confusion in its golden eyes as life slipped away. Crimson droplets flowed down the invisible surface toward his grasping palms. Kai stopped channeling Shadow mana and freed the weapon from the dead beast. A glass-like blade appeared in his hands, blood dripping off its smooth surface. He had wanted to try this trick out since he had designed the enchantment. Shadow concealed and diverted attention, in the half-light of the trees the sword was undetectable. It actually worked! A pity I couldn¡¯t fit all my affinities. Even with Edgar¡¯s help, a sea serpent fang had poor compatibility with certain elements. The runes needed to be reliable, the gnome wouldn¡¯t allow it any other way. I¡¯d need another target to test the others. ¡°That was stupid.¡± Flynn cheered him, slumping on the trunk. ¡°What if you missed the heart? It could have clawed your throat before it died.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t miss.¡± He couldn¡¯t stop a little smugness from seeping through. ¡°And the strike would have slowed it enough to dodge.¡± Probably. It was a calculated risk. He would have gotten his head out of the way, not sure about his arms and torso, but he could survive a scratch there. Kai quickly harvested the fangs and claws of the jaguar with Water Magic. They didn¡¯t have time to skin it properly or carry it with them. The spare space in his ring was already filled with the drake¡¯s remains. They had immediately dismissed using the Fate Fulcrum to attract awakened beasts. Best to venture deeper into the forest and search patiently even if it took a couple days. One time had been enough to learn their lesson. It was a shame to leave the jaguar behind with how rare they were, but the jungle would take care of it. Some lucky beasts would feast on the carcass and advance their grade, by morning there wouldn¡¯t be even the bones left. ¡°Let me see your leg.¡± Kai crouched to check Flynn¡¯s injury. Away from the heart of Veeryd, they had a little time before other beasts caught the scent and mustered the courage to investigate. The bandages were covered in dark red patches, mostly dry. Flynn cursed like an old sailor as he untied the gauze. ¡°Would it cost you to be gentle? You¡¯ve got a blacksmith¡¯s hand.¡± ¡°It¡¯d be easier if you stayed still and didn¡¯t nag me.¡± He uncovered a series of gashes on the tanned skin. Thank Yatei, the drake didn¡¯t get the chance to thrash, so the wounds were reasonably clean. The hemostatic balm had stopped the bleeding. They would need a few stitches, but Kai preferred to avoid testing his sewing skills unless it was an emergency, for both their sakes. Okay, it¡¯s a little worse than the one I got. ¡°How bad does it look?¡± Flynn kept his gaze up to not look at the injury. ¡°Will I need to wear pants when I go swimming?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say scars were cool?¡± Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. He sighed. ¡°It depends. Not all scars are made equal, and I would have chosen a better spot than my thigh.¡± Kai rolled his eyes. If Flynn could be this dumb, he was fine. ¡°Alas, your leg still looks unremarkably boring. The healing potion is doing its job, and there are no signs of necrosis, so the antidote must have worked too.¡± ¡°Like you said it would. I¡¯m not going to die from the drake¡¯s venom, right Kai?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I didn¡¯t have time to brew a fresh batch, but I¡¯m reasonably certain.¡± ¡°Kai!¡± ¡°Stop whining. I gave you the whole vial to be sure.¡± Kai cleaned the wound and redid the dressing. A stronger healing potion could knit the flesh together, but it would also sap his strength and they still had miles to trek. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± * * * ¡°Had a nice time exploring the jungle?¡± Alana put a plate of freshly baked cookies between them. ¡°It was fun to be back. There is nothing quite like it near Higharbor.¡± Kai crunched on one, mintberries and coconut. Worth burning his tongue. His mom gave him an exasperated look and a glass of water. A crease formed between her brows when she looked at Flynn. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want someone to take a look at your leg? I know a really good healer. If you''re worried about the cost, I¡¯m sure Kai will be happy to help.¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± He buckled under his mother¡¯s gaze. ¡°Of course I will.¡± They hadn¡¯t hidden hunting a drake, though they hadn¡¯t specified its strength or grade. While they shared equal blame in the retelling of their encounter, Alana deemed him responsible for corrupting Flynn into reckless behavior. I¡¯d feel offended if she wasn¡¯t right, he kept his mouth busy eating. Flynn smiled pleasantly. ¡°That¡¯s very kind, but I¡¯m fine. It was barely a scratch, and the healing potion already took care of it.¡± He blew on the cookie before munching, earning a look of approval. ¡°Mhmm¡­ these are great! You need to tell me how you made them!¡± ¡°It¡¯s my secret recipe,¡± Alana beamed proudly and winked at him. ¡°But I¡¯ll write it down if you promise not to tell anyone.¡± ¡°On my heart,¡± Flynn shared a conspiratorial grin. Food had squashed his surly mood, mostly. He didn¡¯t forget to glance at Kai when no one else was looking. The meaning was clear, ¡®you owe me one¡¯. Damn flatterer. Kea had fixed the stitches on his injuries, delighted they needed her help¡ªthough she¡¯d rather die than admit it. With the potion Flynn took, it¡¯d be like it never happened in a day or two, minus the pain he went through. No plan is perfect. It had been a successful expedition. Moui had once mentioned a yellow basilisk stalking the heart of Veeryd. But the central area extended for dozens of miles of dense jungle, and with Hallowed Intuition and his Favor, the chances of running into trouble were close to none. Moui and Kea arrived as if summoned by his thoughts. His sister hummed cheerfully, while the hunter observed them closely. ¡°I heard the hunt went well. It¡¯s a pity you couldn''t bring back that drake,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe next time I should come with you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a wonderful idea,¡± Kai surprised him by agreeing. He wasn¡¯t worried Kea would snitch on the gravity of the injury, but Moui knew the jungle and its beasts better than anyone else. He might poke holes in their story if he gave him the chance. Kai thought fast. ¡°Oh, I almost forgot to ask. It¡¯s just a rumor, but did you see any trace of Vastaire ruins inside Veeryd?¡± Was that too obvious? ¡°You mean the ones Dad studied?¡± Kea said, grabbing the last three cookies. He silently thanked her for smoothening the change of topic. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been going through his research journals. Apparently, an old hunter told him he saw broken towers deep in Veeryd, but Dad was never able to verify it. There is no name for the witness, and he¡¯s probably dead by now.¡± Rellan had reported many such rumors that were impossible to confirm. From folk tales with feeble links to the ancient civilization, to strange sightings near the Vastaire sites and stories of underwater ruins. Nothing helped shed light on the greater mystery of the sea serpent''s appearance. Moui scratched his beard, successfully diverted from further inquiries. ¡°I don¡¯t know about towers, but I¡¯ve seen ivory constructions.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡ª Really?¡± Kai hadn¡¯t expected a straight-up confirmation. He had spent hours pouring his mind over the journals without success only to stumble onto a new lead. ¡°What did they look like? Can you tell me how to find them?¡± ¡°Too deep for you to go.¡± Moui regretted speaking up already. ¡°I only went there once, and it almost cost my life.¡± So that means near the very center. ¡°It¡¯d be useful to know their location for my research.¡± ¡°If you aren¡¯t planning on going, why do you need to know?¡± ¡°To match the position with other sites.¡± His confident answer didn¡¯t sway the hunter. ¡°I might fund an expedition in the future.¡± ¡°If you do, I¡¯ll tell you then.¡± Moui said, unmovable. We¡¯re getting nowhere. Kai went to fetch a notebook and tried a different approach. ¡°Can you tell me what you remember?¡± He quizzed Moui on any shred of information he recalled, hoping he would slip more details. No such luck. From what the hunter said, the ruins were greatly damaged and covered in vegetation. He hadn¡¯t gotten the time to examine them closely. Though he didn¡¯t say it outright, Kai suspected it had been on the same hunting trip when the hunter first met the basilisk. Wait, did that basilisk come from the ruins? The story of the mysterious king of Veeryd had always left him puzzled. Few knew about it, and fewer from personal encounters. It was logical that a strong beast lived where mana was the densest, but how had it gotten there? Everyone agreed there was only a single basilisk in the heart of the jungle. As far as Kai knew basilisks couldn¡¯t reproduce asexually. Had all the others died off? Was it the last member of its species? Some beasts lived far longer than humans, but that sounded highly unlikely. As much as it appeared from nowhere. New theories and suspicions, but no answers. Maybe he¡¯d actually need to fund an expedition or wait till he could defeat a yellow beast in a fair fight. Neither of them was a short-term goal. I wish I could go ask it. Hey, Mr. Basilisk, do your anger issues come from when the hunters murdered your family while you were just a baby lizard? No, no, you can¡¯t eat my leg. We need to talk about the time your father went to buy milk and never came back. Hmm¡­ it might work. The intrusive thoughts didn¡¯t bring any sudden revelation. They were washing the dishes after dinner when Kai thought to ask his mother. ¡°Did Dad ever mention strange spatial events around the ruins?¡± ¡°Mhmm¡­ No, never.¡± Alana looked lost in the soapy water. ¡°I guess it¡¯s possible. You know your dad, he muttered to himself about his research, but he wasn¡¯t the best at explaining what he was doing.¡± ¡°Yeah, thank you.¡± Seeing her melancholic mood, Kai didn¡¯t press and retired early. Their excursion into the jungle hadn¡¯t only benefited Flynn. Mana Manipulation (lv75) ? As you reach the second milestone, you are presented with four choices to continue your journey. He had shaped mana in a thousand exercises to get that last level. It turned out all he was missing was to use the skill in a fight. Without even trying he broke through the hurdle. Let¡¯s take the win. What did I get? There were three decent options, none of them excessively restrictive for his future. Going by exclusion, Kai eliminated Fine Tuning. It must be the result of solving Virya¡¯s puzzle. Controlling tiny precise quantities of mana would be useful in Alchemy and Enchanting, not much in a fight. When a beast or pirate charged at him, his spells needed to be simple and powerful, there was no time for artistry. On the opposite end, Elemental Novice would be extremely useful in a fight, and not at all for crafting. There were very few recipes that required controlling elemental particles at his level, and less for Runes. Even in the long term, unattuned mana was the foundation of crafting. The reason why people with poor affinities turned to it. So that¡¯s a no too. *Ding* You chose to become a Diligent Student. Mana Manipulation (lv75) can now reach lv100. Dora and Elijah had drilled in him how training and preparation were the keys to success. If he had to improvise in a battle, things weren¡¯t going well. The same with crafting, only constant exercise could lead to perfection. With the decision made, Kai easily slipped into the world of dreams. The next morning, an errand boy brought him news from Reishi to meet him at his mansion. Chapter 186 – Greedy Merfolk Chapter 186 ¨C Greedy Merfolk Under the disapproving gaze of old Alfred, Kai knocked twice before walking into a different study on the upper floor. The room was gaudy and welcoming. Lacquered furniture carved from expensive wood, blue curtains woven with silver threads and incredible lifelike paintings. On the desk, a shimmering crystal lotus was used like a paperweight. Reishi waited on the velvet sofa, holding a book and a cup of tea. He didn¡¯t turn to look but poured another cup. ¡°You came quickly. Please, sit.¡± His nerves had buried the hunger from skipping breakfast. ¡°Thank you.¡± Kai accepted the drink and took a sip of the amber liquid out of politeness. The spicy herbal tea didn¡¯t soothe his jittery mind, though the porcelain cup stopped his hands from fidgeting. He had waited a week for this, slowly warming his parents to the idea of the enhancing elixirs. He had fixed and upgraded every enchantment in the house, adding a condensing array in every room when he heard it might help the pregnancy. They all wanted what was best for the baby. A higher grade would give the child a substantial advantage. Alana and Moui had agreed to go ahead if the troubles of getting it weren¡¯t too great. When Kai opened his mouth, the words came in a flood. ¡°I told my parents they could come talk to you after we work out the deal. They want to ask you a few questions, I hope that¡¯s okay. I know you¡¯re very busy. I¡¯ll make it up to you, just tell me what you need.¡± It was a gamble to give the merman an open request, but Reishi had already been so helpful that Kai couldn¡¯t bring himself to care. The future of his sibling was on the line. He would spare no expense. ¡°Slow down a moment.¡± The even tone of the merman dragged him back to Elydes. Reishi rarely showed excitement. Today, his tone also lacked his usual wry amusement. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t ask you first,¡± Kai said. ¡°When they agreed to the elixirs, I was too thrilled and didn¡¯t think it through.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a problem,¡± Reishi put down his cup and met his gaze. Pensive and serious. His colorful crest flopped with signs of tiredness. ¡°But acquiring the elixirs might be more complicated than I thought.¡± Kai cocked his head. He tried to ignore the foreboding that loomed ever stronger. ¡°Do you mean you can¡¯t get them?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not¡ª¡± Thank the spirits! Then what¡¯s the trouble? He had the worst thought. ¡°Can we not verify their quality?¡± That was one major problem when buying from unofficial sources, there was no guarantee on the quality of the goods. He had stupidly thought Reishi would solve it, like always. But if they couldn¡¯t work it out, the deal was off. He¡¯d never give his mother anything dubious. ¡°Kai, shut up and let me speak.¡± Reishi punctured the sentence with a dab of irritation. Kai mumbled an apology, nailed by those icy eyes. ¡°As I was saying, there is a problem. I told you I didn¡¯t deal with these kinds of wares. I trust the supplier on the quality, but I severely underestimated the cost.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± a weight lifted off his chest. Kai slumped into the plump couch. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I told you I don¡¯t care about the price. I¡¯ll pay all the silver and gold that it takes if the product is legit. And I can increase the alchemy production.¡± ¡°Kai,¡± the word rang again like a command. ¡°Maybe I wasn¡¯t clear enough: unless you¡¯ve hidden a pile of gold somewhere, you can¡¯t afford this. Expanding our alchemy business won¡¯t change that.¡± The merman waited for the words to sink in before continuing, his thin blue lips pursed in distaste. ¡°The government put an embargo on any kind of enhancing elixir. What¡¯s worse, they¡¯re enforcing it to ensure their hold on the supply. Merchants always find a way when there is a demand, but my acquaintances are charging a steep premium. The supply is limited, and there is no way to lower the price since there are families in Higharbor willing to pay.¡± Why does the Republic always need to ruin everything? Damned jerks. ¡°How much is it?¡± Kai braced for the blow, ready to wish goodbye to his newly wealthy status. He still wasn¡¯t ready. ¡°A gold, a bottle.¡± Blood drained from his face. His precious shiny coin. No, it didn¡¯t matter. He was willing to bleed for his sibling. ¡°That¡¯s not too bad.¡± Kai forced himself to chuckle. ¡°You almost had me worried. How many do I need?¡± Reishi gave him a pitying look. ¡°Your mother needs to take a bottle every week for three months to be effective.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± The math carved a trench in his soul. That was way too many mesars, by a long shot. If he poured together his savings of years, he might get to four golds, perhaps a little more. Double that if he sold his serpent blades, though he would need to accept worse trades to sell them rapidly. ¡°What are the chances to improve the grade of the baby by using them for two months instead?¡± I¡¯m Favored, I can take the bet. ¡°Too low to matter,¡± Reishi stated mercilessly. ¡°Three months is the minimum period, ideally it should be closer to five or six. Enhancing elixirs are always unreliable. Even if your mother took them from the day she conceived to when she gave birth, there is no guarantee of success. Given that would be extremely unlikely for the baby to get no benefits, but still possible.¡± The merman took out a fold of papers and offered it to him. ¡°I researched the numbers for you. By taking a standard red elixir for three months, you have a fifty-fifty percent chance for the baby to gain red ¡ï¡ï, and ten percent for red ¡ï¡ï¡ï. It increases by about a fifth for each extra month.¡± Kai raced through the papers. There the report was extensive, a lot of words and details for what Reishi had already told him. He had been sold on the idea, his mind had already envisioned the future of the child. In a blink, it was ripped away from him. He couldn¡¯t accept it. There was still a possibility. ¡°I can¡¯t afford it, but you can.¡± Kai reasoned out loud. ¡°You can lend me the money, and I can pay it back in time.¡± It would mean drastically altering his plans for the next two years. He¡¯d have to spend a large share of time brewing and enchanting. It¡¯s doable. What¡¯s a couple of years for a lifetime of benefits? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Kai.¡± Reishi sounded truly regretful. ¡°I should have been more cautious before making promises, but I can¡¯t lend you that much money.¡± ¡°Why not? I know you can afford it!¡± he snapped. He didn¡¯t know the exact net worth of the merman, but it was definitely enough. ¡°I¡¯ll pay interest on the loan. How much do you want?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about that.¡± Reishi massaged his temples. ¡°Hiding the purchase from the Republic was already problematic before I knew they took it that seriously. What if you get into debt and then your sibling is born at the beginning of red anyway? It¡¯s a terrible deal with dubious benefits. I won¡¯t do it.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Blood pumped in his ears, Kai forced his mouth closed to maintain a semblance of calm. ¡°You don¡¯t get to decide for me! Am I your friend only when it''s convenient?¡± He immediately knew he wasn¡¯t being fair, but the words had already left his mouth. Instead of losing his temper, Reishi turned to frozen stone. ¡°Think however you like. Hate me if you want, but it¡¯s my money and my choice.¡± The merman said icily. ¡°I imagine you also wanted me to lie to your parents about the cost?¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± There was no way Alana or Moui would accept it if they knew. Fuck¡­ The thin thread of hope snapped, letting the future he envisioned fall into darkness. His anger deflated to nothing. He was empty, void, watching his body from the outside. His accusing words sounded more and more like a childish tantrum. Unfair. Unreasonable. Stupid. Spirits, I¡¯ll cringe at this for years to come. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± A whisper through the quiet room, shame choked his throat. He stared at the embroidered carpet beneath the coffee table, following its golden swirls. Anything to avoid Reishi¡¯s gaze. I can¡¯t believe I actually said that. Elijah was right, I¡¯m a brat. Silence stifled the air, the merman sighed heavily. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I know human kids can be¡­ temperamental during their teenage years. Maybe I¡¯ll tell your mother to spank you more often.¡± The smirk was evident in his tone. ¡°Maybe you should,¡± Kai made a mighty effort to look up and meet the mocking blue eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I had an idea in my head and couldn¡¯t accept there was no way.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice you realized. You''re stubborn like a barnacle glued to its rock. Sometimes you must let go if you don¡¯t want to get smashed by the waves.¡± Reishi poured himself an abundant cup of tea, still steaming hot thanks to the enchanted porcelain. ¡°I¡¯m afraid this is one of those times.¡± He added a sugar cube, stirring slowly. ¡°The only option would be to get on the Republic good-boy list and buy from them at a fifth the price. You might have a chance if you show them your status and sign a contract, though I¡¯d advise that even less than taking a loan. And you might still not get the elixirs in time considering their bureaucracy.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± After avoiding them for years, Kai wasn¡¯t going to walk up to them like a wrapped present. That might be a choice for a lifetime. ¡°Hmm¡­ can¡¯t you buy them for me? Don¡¯t you have contacts in the governments?¡± The merman shook his head ruefully. ¡°I would have considered that if it had any shot of working. My friends are happy to take my money off the book, but the sales of restricted items end up in the official records.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not important enough to get on their good-boy list? I can¡¯t imagine there are many better merchants in the archipelago, if any. And I know for a fact the governor likes money.¡± Kai raised an eyebrow, teasing him. ¡°Did you do something naughty? Or do you need to prove you¡¯re pregnant to buy them?¡± ¡°Neither of those.¡± Reishi gave him an awkward smile. ¡°They¡¯re happy to let you pay for the elixirs for someone else, if you don¡¯t abuse it.¡± ¡°Then what is it?¡± Kai leaned forward to sip his spicy tea. Desperate for anything that might distract him from his shame. The merman searched his face as if he expected to find the signs of bad humor. ¡°Kai, you know I¡¯m not human? These shiny scales aren¡¯t just a handsome quirk.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with buying elixirs?¡± Kai frowned, genuinely perplexed. Reishi gave him another long look and burst out laughing. ¡°Oh, Glorious Waters.¡± He fell into another bout of hilarity upon seeing his continued confusion. ¡°Did anyone ever tell you how adorable you are? Please, don¡¯t change.¡± He produced a purple silk handkerchief to dry his tears. Kai felt his face heat up from embarrassment and annoyance. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡°Do you know the Merian Republic is a human kingdom?¡± ¡°Yeah, I know humans are the majority.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not the majority, humans are the only ones who can become true citizens. That¡¯s how it goes for most kingdoms. The Republic tolerates merfolk since we bring gold and trade, but they won¡¯t sell us any item on the restricted lists. Even the least of them like red elixirs.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Kai gaped dumbly, unsure how to respond. He had rarely seen the merman interact with anyone apart from his underlings and sailors. Due to the isolation of the archipelago, the islanders didn¡¯t really have stereotypes of other races. They gawked at anything and anyone different, from the merfolk to the humans from the mainland. Eventually, they got used to it and moved on. He had always attributed it to the shock of a country bumpkin rather than discrimination. He had no idea of the disposition of the people on the continent towards the other races. Was it about distrusting people from rival nations? What were the relations between humans and gnomes, elves or any other sapient lineage? Were there racial wars going on? ¡°Do I need to call a healer?¡± Reishi observed him amused. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to cripple your mind.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± Kai nodded. How did he ask the merman any of that? ¡°I mean, no. There is no need for a healer, I¡¯m good. I should probably go, I don¡¯t want to take more of your time.¡± With a thousand thoughts swirling in his brain, he opted for a retreat. ¡°Do you still plan to sail back to Higharbor in two days?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m happy to give you a ride,¡± Reshi answered the implicit question. ¡°And Kai, you should really consider expanding our alchemy business anyway. Better to be prepared the next time you need a pot of gold. Trust an expert on this, wealth can¡¯t solve every problem, but it''s damn convenient to have.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± He halted at the doorway. ¡°Thanks for everything. It must have taken you a while to research everything.¡± ¡°It was fun to explore new avenues.¡± Reishi waved him away. ¡°See you soon.¡± Kai didn¡¯t notice where he was going till he reached his house. He gathered the courage to explain the news to his mom after he sold her on the idea. Alana didn¡¯t seem to mind as much. ¡°It wasn¡¯t fated, sweetie.¡± She cupped his head gently. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the spirits will take care of your little brother.¡± It would have been nice to get some more concrete help. I appreciate your support, but how many blessings can you guys bestow? Neither Yatei nor Kahali bothered to answer. He spent the morning training with Kea. Her progress was notable, inching closer to Orange ¡ï¡ï, but the distance between them had not closed. Kai was still figuring out how to best help Flynn get a decent profession. The main question was if his friend wanted to discard Keen Spotter as soon as possible or aimed to enhance his grade first. That would impact how many skills they could change. In the meantime, Flynn had plenty of catching up to do with Mana Sense. Years of fun exercises he had missed out on. Who was Kai to deny him any longer? It¡¯s all for his sake. He¡¯ll thank me one day. Speaking of progress, Kai even learned to look at Ele¡¯s annoying boyfriend without the impulse to punch his perfect face. He didn¡¯t forget to impart a few words of wisdom, in case Sabe thought to break his sister¡¯s heart. The tall man looked amused when he heard Kai¡¯s reasonable warnings, a little less when the temperature dropped and the water dripping from the docks froze. And that¡¯s done too. He performed a final check of the enchantments around the house and left a little pile of silver that would only be found after he was gone. Flynn¡¯s gift would help them keep in touch over the distance and mollified his mom''s displeasure at seeing him gone. It was time to sail back to the capital. Aboard the Silver Edge, Kai was still lost in his thoughts. He had had little interest in making money since there wasn¡¯t anything he cared to buy. He hadn¡¯t realized the Republic hoarded the good stuff. He couldn¡¯t do much about it right now, though it would be different on the mainland. Reishi had confirmed the government didn¡¯t control the market there. I¡¯ll need to get my finances in order. How fun¡­ ¡°Did your mind recover?¡± Reishi appeared in a flutter of silk on the deck of the ship. ¡°I¡¯ll call the ship medic if you need.¡± They hadn¡¯t talked again since that day, and Kai was grateful the merman didn¡¯t treat him differently. ¡°I think I¡¯ll manage. You just gave me a lot to think about.¡± ¡°I know you really wanted them, but buying those elixirs off the books is asking to be robbed. If you want to help your sibling, you¡¯d be better off hiring tutors with that gold.¡± Kai nodded, ¡°You¡¯re right. Huh¡­ I just had a random bout of curiosity. How closely tied to the Republic do you need to be to buy them? Like would the daughter of a councilor in Higharbor have access to them?¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible. It depends on how influential they are and their ties to the governor.¡± Reishi peered at him. ¡°Why? Do you have friends you didn¡¯t tell me about?¡± ¡°Mhmm¡­ more like a stalker.¡± No harm in asking. Chapter 187 - Stalker Chapter 187 - Stalker Bidding goodbye to the Silver Edge, Kai and Flynn stepped on the ivory docks. The shuffle of people and voices washed over them. No matter the place or the hour, silence and privacy were foreign concepts in Higharbor. I already miss Sylspring''s peace and quiet. Goods and news from all over the archipelago and the mainland flowed through the capital, and it was also where a certain stalker lived. With her fame and reputation, the little princess shouldn¡¯t be hard to find, though getting her help might prove more problematic. One step at a time. He had missed his own house more than he thought possible. Clean and spacious, if a little messy. While he enjoyed spending time with his family, six people were too many¡ªespecially when they had to share a single bathroom. ¡°Happy to be home?¡± Flynn put down their luggage and went to check the rooms for any signs of intrusion. Sometimes I wonder who¡¯s more paranoid¡­ ¡°I¡¯m happy to have a bed and not sleep on the floor every other day.¡± Kai took in the familiar atmosphere and smell of herbs. ¡°Do we have anything to eat?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ remember you told your mother you¡¯d take a fair share of the chores?¡± Flynn mused, coming back from his inspection. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to tell her you lied next time we talk.¡± Kai narrowed his eyes. ¡°I should have seen it. You only bought me the communication cubes to blackmail me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re catching on to my schemes.¡± The teen gave him a sly grin. ¡°Unfortunately, it¡¯s too late to save yourself. Groceries are on you, I¡¯ll rest my poor bones here.¡± He stretched out on the couch, kicking off his shoes. His lower thigh had healed well, and he had deemed his scar cool enough for him. If you want to play, let¡¯s play. ¡°Okay, but¡­ before I go, have you decided to keep your perception and social skills?¡± Kai inquired. ¡°Yes¡­¡± His voice was lined with suspicion. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Most of your skills need other people to work. I wouldn¡¯t deprive you of such a chance for valuable training.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve plenty of ways to train from here.¡± He produced a throwing knife, juggling it between his fingers. ¡°I¡¯ll keep myself busy.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure of it. I do have a few Mana Sense exercises that would be great to practice. Counting the mana filaments inside a tangleweed is extremely rewarding. You should be getting a level soon. Now, where did I put that herb¡­?¡± He began taking out random plants from his ring. ¡°You promised to do as I say if it¡¯s useful, and I wouldn¡¯t want to make you a liar.¡± Flynn pressed his lips together and put his shoes back on with a sulk. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go. Only this time.¡± ¡°Of course. We¡¯ll share the duties that don¡¯t interfere with your training. Don¡¯t forget my mangos.¡± Kai waited for the door to shut before he slumped on the couch. Home sweet home. * * * Kai was proud he had managed to track down Valela without Flynn¡¯s help. He kept an open ear and made some discreet inquiries. As the daughter of the high councilor, everyone in the upper city gossiped about her. Their estate occupied the largest swath of land after the governor¡¯s family. The lavish complex of ivory stone and imported woods spread over the top of the hill towards the sea, enclosed by a dense hedge and a cloaking array that barred his Mana Sense. He only caught a glimpse of the high buildings and flowering trees inside. The private guards patrolling the ground stared down at anyone who walked closer than ten paces. They strode towards him with steely faces when he didn¡¯t move along. Selling your soul to the Republic must pay well. He had known she was filthy rich since she buried him in silver to satisfy her curiosity, but he had underestimated the scale. It confirmed she would have access to the restricted list, and that she wouldn¡¯t be moved by any amount of money he could dish out. At most, she¡¯ll say no, or demand an outrageous price¡­ The problem was getting her alone to talk. The little princess rarely graced the streets used by common mortals. When she did, she always moved from one place to the next escorted by a pack of guards and lackeys. He didn¡¯t want to discuss such a private request in front of everybody, and he couldn¡¯t knock on the gate of her estate. Well, technically he could, though that would attract unwanted attention. Odds were the guards would shoo him away before she knew he was there. His possible embarrassment played no part in his choice to discard the option. Kai strode through the paved roads of the upper city. Getting enhancing elixirs for his mom was a timely matter. He had given himself a week to find a semi-discreet way to learn her habits and figure out a way to contact her. If he failed, he would swallow his unease and approach her directly. I can''t believe I became the stalker. What a world. Five days passed with little meaningful progress. Despite his misgivings, he had grown a begrudging appreciation for the immaculate streets and parks of the upper city. Little oases of green and quiet with stunning vantage points to admire the sun setting over the capital and the sea. Lines of orderly lights ran through the lower city to fight off the darkness and tinged the capital in a soft glow. If he stretched his Perception, he could hear the faint echoes of people having fun in the Ring Road. It¡¯s probably the closest anyone can get to peace in the capital. A week wouldn''t be enough to ascertain her routine. Stalking without social media was a hard job. He might succeed in a month, or maybe someone would take notice of his suspicious behavior and arrest him. Both sounded equally likely. I admit it! I should have taken Flynn¡¯s help from the beginning and endured his teasing. Happy? The damn jerk will be so smug. Kai stifled a yawn. He had gotten a little sidetracked and wandered aimlessly. Globes on sculpted iron poles illuminated the tree-lined avenue while the blue shard of a pale moon hung lonely in the sky. A rose marble mansion with bronze statues near the porch helped him get his bearings. He headed towards the residential area Valela was known to frequent. At this point, his best shot was a meeting by chance. He had stocked up on Favor and it was time it paid rent. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Blessed spirits! Kai blinked twice. The girl walked by herself at the intersection of his street. He hadn¡¯t thought it would actually work. He took a few hesitant steps and squinted to confirm he wasn¡¯t mistaken. The figure was female and young, perhaps a couple years older than him. She wore a blue lace dress that was relatively plain for the standards of the upper city. Her face was hidden by a wide cream sun hat. Given the absence of the day star in the sky, there could be few reasons to carry one. A runaway princess. Being constantly subjected to other people¡¯s attention must be exhausting. Each step increased his certainty. Despite her discreet attire, her walk exuded the quiet confidence of someone who didn¡¯t need to raise their voice to be heard. A stark contrast with the shy girl who hid under a hat. ¡°Valela!¡± Kai sprinted after her before she could disappear into another street or mansion. His Favor might not give him a second chance. The runaway princess turned to watch him with mild surprise. She looked more mature than he remembered, fully inhabiting her royal demeanor. She wasn¡¯t a girl playing dress up any longer, though her young age was noticeable in the soft curves of her face. Another figure blocked his way. Kai dodged, but the nameless stranger moved to stand between them and grabbed his arm. A middle-aged woman, plain face and stony expression built like a gnarly spike. She regarded him with a cold gaze like a buzzing insect. Mana gathered in his palms, Empower was ready to surge through his body. Only Hallowed Intuition''s lack of warning held his hand enough for Valela to talk. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Ferla. I know him. He¡¯s not a threat.¡± The woman brusquely let him go. ¡°Let me know if you need help, miss.¡± She gave Valela a nod and a stern look to Kai. ¡°This one is more dangerous than he appears.¡± Then she was gone. Kai caught a swirl of Shadow mana and a slippery presence camouflaging into the night. ¡°What a charming lady.¡± He peered at the trees, trying to follow the rude woman. ¡°Ferla¡¯s my bodyguard. She doesn¡¯t like when strangers approach me without permission.¡± Valela strode up to him, her bright emerald eyes unmistakable behind the brim of her wide hat. ¡°What are you doing here, Kai?¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± How could I not prepare for this part? Stupid brain! ¡°I could ask you the same question.¡± He stared back suspiciously. ¡°Have you been following me? I thought it was a strange coincidence to find you here.¡± Really, Improvisation? Was that the best you could give me? Though her expression didn¡¯t change, Kai could feel the skepticism flood down from her high nose. ¡°I was nearby and needed to get some air. I didn¡¯t know you also lived on the hills.¡± Valela challenged him. Kai held up her gaze. ¡°So, you know where I live? I don¡¯t remember telling you that last time.¡± ¡°I¡ª it was a reasonable assumption given your financial situation. You know the Republic has a file on you, which has not been updated since last time, by the way.¡± Kai had lived long enough with Flynn to notice the tell signs of high social skills. He let the matter drop in a tie. ¡°Well, since we¡¯re both here, we might as well walk together if you¡¯re fine with it.¡± Valela considered him from her height advantage, unreadable thoughts churning behind the surface. ¡°Why not. The air is pleasant tonight.¡± ¡°Is your bodyguard listening to us?¡± She glanced at the spot the woman was hiding in. ¡°Ferla¡¯s a professional, and she knows how to be discreet. Nothing we say will be shared with others, unless I choose to.¡± Of course, Your Majesty. ¡°Hmm¡­ Why do you even have a bodyguard?¡± Kai asked. The enforcers regularly patrolled the upper city and checked every person coming and going from the hills. ¡°I doubt there is a safer place in Higharbor, or is it a rich people thing? Can¡¯t be seen walking around without a servant.¡± It wouldn¡¯t really work if Ferla hides in the shadows¡­ Her hand fell on the left side of her stomach with a complicated look. A moment later, she was self-assured again. ¡°You can¡¯t expect us to keep every pest away by ourselves.¡± She gave him a wry smile. ¡°And why do you always worry about being overheard? One might think you have something to hide.¡± Damn, she¡¯s gotten better. ¡°I just like to be mysterious.¡± Kai gave her a cheeky grin, hoping she wouldn¡¯t dig deeper. ¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s the entire reason.¡± Valela seemed close to rolling her eyes, only slightly shaking her head instead. ¡°Why did you come looking for me? Don¡¯t get me wrong, it¡¯s nice seeing you, but you usually run away like a startled cat when you see me.¡± For your information I only make dignified retreats, thank you very much. Kai briefly debated denying his reasons for being here. It¡¯d be a terrible idea. There was a subtle difference between teasing and treating someone like an idiot. Something told him Valela wouldn¡¯t appreciate the latter. No beating around the bush, eh? Why is it so hard to say? ¡°Uh¡­ I¡ª I need a favor.¡± Kai muttered, looking for her reaction. Valela didn¡¯t give anything away and waited for him to continue. Would it kill you to say something? And why is the night so warm? He dried his hands on his shirt and took a breath, bracing for rejection. ¡°Do you have access to the list of restricted items of the Republic? I need something I can¡¯t buy anywhere else. Of course, I¡¯d pay for it.¡± Her eyebrow arched, face still impassive. ¡°I won¡¯t ask how you learned about that list, but even if I wanted to, you need to register before making a purchase. And I won¡¯t lie for you.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Kai hung his head low. ¡°So you can¡¯t get me the enhancing elixirs¡­¡± Valela faltered the rhythm of her steps. ¡°You mean the potions for an unborn baby?¡± ¡°Yes¡­? What else did you think I wanted?¡± The princess looked away, examining a tree that had suddenly caught her interest. ¡°The items on those lists are restricted for a reason. They could pose a security risk in the wrong hands.¡± Kai didn¡¯t stop himself from rolling his eyes. ¡°Of course! Never be that some peasant babies are born with a higher grade. The Republic would be overrun in a day!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± She said, flustered. ¡°The elixirs aren¡¯t even supposed to be there. You don¡¯t know the other items that are on those lists.¡± Communication tools? Bombs? Did she think I was planning to burn down a town? What exactly is the Republic keeping for themselves? ¡°Yeah, sure. What could even be that dangerous?¡± Valela didn¡¯t take the bait. ¡°Unfortunately, it¡¯s restricted information. I can¡¯t talk about it.¡± Pity. Maybe Reishi knows¡­ ¡°Does this mean you can get the elixirs for me, if I pay you?¡± ¡°It depends. I would need to know who they are for.¡± She looked at him with her brows furrowed. ¡°You¡¯re a little young to be having a child.¡± Kai replied with a flat stare. ¡°I¡¯m not. My mom¡¯s about twelve weeks pregnant.¡± ¡°Oh, congratulations to your family.¡± She strolled along like nothing. ¡°Then I could get you the red ones, but they won¡¯t be cheap.¡± ¡°The price won¡¯t be a problem. Are you saying there are higher-grade elixirs?¡± ¡°No.¡± Valela bit her lip, lowering her voice. ¡°Well¡­ not on sale. And not that anyone in the archipelago could afford them anyway. I¡¯d also like your discretion on this.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep silent like a fish.¡± Kai smiled. He wanted to quiz her for more information, but first, he needed to secure his prize. ¡°How much do the red ones cost?¡± She had a pensive look, likely knowing an answer would mean she was agreeing to help him. ¡°Two golds.¡± ¡°Two for a bottle!¡± His eyes bulged. Wasn¡¯t the Republic stock supposed to be cheaper? ¡°A bottle? It¡¯s two golds for a four-month supply. What would you even do with one dose? Only a scammer would sell them individually.¡± Valela peered at him in realization, playing with an auburn curl that had escaped her hat. ¡°The elixirs need to be consumed consistently to be effective. If you want more, it¡¯s seventy silvers for every extra month.¡± I knew I wasn¡¯t stalking you for nothing. His heart pumped in celebration. ¡°When can you get them? You know it¡¯s a timely matter.¡± Valela pulled the lock of hair behind her ear. ¡°I¡¯ve yet to agree to anything, I only said I could, not that I would. The Republic doesn¡¯t want people to abuse the system, so I can only buy restricted items for someone else twice a year. And I¡¯ve already used it once and the year is far from over¡­¡± Kai pressed his lips in a line. He didn¡¯t know whether this rule was true or just an excuse. Either way, there was no arguing when one person held all the cards. ¡°What do you want in exchange? I can pay you in gold.¡± My poor shiny coins. ¡°I don¡¯t want your money.¡± Valela pursed her mouth as if offended by the notion. ¡°Let¡¯s just say you owe me one favor. I¡¯ll come to collect it when I need it. Do we have a deal?¡± Chapter 188 - For a Few Silvers More Chapter 188 - For a Few Silvers More ¡°How did your date go?¡± Flynn greeted him with an irritating cheery mood. He was practicing his evolved Throwing skill across the living room. The blades embedded with a thud into the wooden board he used as a target. Kai answered with a scowl. He had succeeded in his goal, yet it didn¡¯t feel like a win. ¡°That bad, uh?¡± He hit the bullseye and went to retrieve his knives. ¡°She must have chewed you up thoroughly.¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± Kai headed to his bedroom, not in the mood for more conversation. There had been no haggling with Valela. After a pitiful attempt at negotiation, he had managed to snatch a few assurances. The favor he owed her couldn''t get him arrested or killed and had to be collected before the year was over. That had been the most contentious point. He wouldn¡¯t let an open favor eternally hang over his head like a sword of Damocles. To his surprise, she hadn¡¯t demanded a contract but settled for his word that he¡¯d respect their deal. Whenever he closed his eyes, he could still see her infuriating half-smile, curiously observing him like a mouse in a maze. Is it some kind of test? Is she having fun with me? Breaking his promise was out of the question. Even if Kai was willing to disregard his integrity, she had the power and connections to complicate his life. He didn¡¯t expect she would demand something outrageous, but not knowing vexed him. Just what I needed. Now I can¡¯t stop thinking about it. It had been the only way to get what he wanted, and at quite a modest price. While it was by no means cheap, the Republic demanded a fraction of the money he would have paid on the black market. He also didn¡¯t need to worry about being saddled with faulty products or to hide the results when the baby was born. It was maddening how easy it was. After the officers confirmed his mother was pregnant, the Republic would deliver the goods to their house in Sylspring. Kai just needed to meet with Valela to complete the transaction and they¡¯d be done. A six-month supply of red elixirs for three golds and forty silvers¡ªthe most his mom could use. He could have bought a house in Higharbor for that amount, but such was the price to influence natural grades. Unless the gods of Luck decided to fuck with him, the baby would be born at least Red ¡ï¡ï. In the morning, Kai used the communication cubes to contact his parents and pitch the deal. With an official source and a price he could afford, Moui and Alana gave their go-ahead with some reluctance. They were bothered by the cost, but they couldn¡¯t forbid him to spend it on his sibling. ¡°This is extremely kind of you, sweetie.¡± Alana¡¯s voice echoed from the metallic cube, heavy with emotion. ¡°Your little brother is lucky to have you.¡± ¡°I know that¡¯s not a small amount.¡± Moui rumbled. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do this, but thank you.¡± Kai fiddled with the hem of his shirt, uncomfortable and embarrassed. ¡°Stop being dramatic, I just spent a few mesars. That¡¯s what they are for. I didn¡¯t lose an arm or a finger.¡± "I don¡¯t know many people who would do the same for their families,¡± the hunter mused. ¡°We really appreciate it.¡± ¡°Moui¡¯s right. Don¡¯t sell yourself short. Oh! The light is blinking, I think your magic box is about to turn off. It was nice talking to you. We love you, sweetie.¡± ¡°Love you too.¡± Kai watched the magic animating the cube petering off. Their words made him guilty like he was buying off his unborn brother. He would have spent the same amount if he didn¡¯t plan to sail away to the mainland, but he couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling he was a fraud. I wouldn¡¯t have minded if Ele or Kea buried me in gold before I was born. Maybe I¡¯m overthinking this¡­ That evening, Kai met Valela in Blue Birch Park near the top of the lower hill. The wiry trees weren¡¯t any different from ordinary birches but for the bluish tinge of their leaves. They contained faint traces of mana, on the cusp of a low-red plant. Valela sat poised on a wooden bench. She donned a red dress brocaded with raging flames that didn¡¯t have anything discreet. Tonight, she wasn¡¯t hiding. While he couldn¡¯t see anyone else, he was sure Ferla stood nearby, hiding in the Shadows. ¡°You¡¯ve come.¡± She greeted him, standing up. ¡°No second thoughts? It must be a considerable expense for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± Kai hauled a fat purse of gold and silver on the bench. He couldn¡¯t brush off the impression he was about to sign a deal with the devil. I¡¯m going to regret this, aren¡¯t I? The contract was a single page of straightforward text, made for his convenience rather than hers. An assurance she wouldn¡¯t run away with his money. Her name was already signed in precise letters at the bottom. Kai checked the paper with Mana Sense for any catch. It was as simple as it looked. ¡°Have you decided what you want from me?¡± he asked, adding his signature and pocketing the contract. ¡°Hmm¡­ Not yet.¡± Valela gave him another infuriating smile and made the money disappear into her squid-shaped spatial purse. ¡°I¡¯ll contact you when I make up my mind. I¡¯d like to stay and chat, but I need to go before they notice I left the party.¡± ¡°Have fun.¡± ¡°I probably won¡¯t, but thank you for the sentiment. Let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.¡± She waved him goodbye and slipped away into the night. I probably won¡¯t, but thank you¡­ * * * The Water Sphere swirled mysteriously on the table. Kai could now appreciate the masterful craftsmanship Virya had put into the enchantment. A delicate web of runes covered the surface to enhance the reading precision, the lines so thin they were barely visible to his senses. She didn¡¯t use ink to do the engraving, that¡¯s for sure. He had been brewing different variations of Kai¡¯s Unforgettable Signature to test Edgar¡¯s skill. The results were promising, though he had only drawn simple designs on low-grade materials. ¡°So, I just need to touch this thing?¡± Flynn peered at the orb, perhaps hoping to glean an anticipation of his test. ¡°It¡¯s not gonna smite me or something?¡± The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°It¡¯s totally safe,¡± Kai smirked to peeve him. He had almost forgotten about the sphere. After he had managed to convince Flynn to aim for Orange ¡ï¡ï¡ï, they had decided it would be worth it to check his affinities. Even if he didn¡¯t learn spellcraft, professions could bridge the gap with a little work. ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡± With a firm nod, Flynn grabbed the sphere with both hands. ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything. Oh¡­ it¡¯s shining.¡± The waters inside the blue orb stirred like a gathering storm, a very modest storm. Twenty-four marks glowed around its surface and dimmed when he pulled back. ¡°Huh, is it good?¡± He couldn¡¯t avoid an insidious sliver of hope in his tone. ¡°It¡¯s decent.¡± Kai signed the value on his notebook. It was one point better than Kea, and less than half of Ele¡¯s. Most islanders tended to have an affinity for Water, lending credibility to the theory of environmental factors. ¡°I see.¡± He didn¡¯t betray any emotion. Despite his uncaring act, no one could avoid a little disappointment. ¡°It¡¯s not bad.¡± Kai attempted to cheer him up. ¡°You won¡¯t become a Water mage, but it¡¯s better than average. There are close to a hundred affinities, and most are lucky to get one major affinity over thirty. Having a middling one is a good start.¡± Flynn looked at him with suspicion. ¡°How many do you have? Because I remember seeing you move the sea, make mounds of dirt and plants grow.¡± He drummed his fingers on the couch. ¡°I¡¯m forgetting something¡­ Right! There was also that weird teleportation trick, and the time when¡ª¡± ¡°That''s not the point.¡± Kai hushed him. ¡°This isn¡¯t about me. We¡¯ll know more about your affinities after a proper testing.¡± Flynn slumped onto the couch. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s even worth doing that? I¡¯m not going to cast spells anyway.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to become a mage to make use of affinities. I¡¯ve already found a specialist to perform the ritual and made a down payment.¡± It was his duty as a mentor, and Kai couldn¡¯t deny a little curiosity. A few silvers were hardly worth mentioning after the elixirs. ¡°Better knowing than not. At most nothing will change, but it could help in your next profession selection. When your Mana Sense reaches the first milestone, you¡¯ll also be able to perceive elemental particles.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Flynn surrendered, trying to slink away. ¡°I better go train my Mana Headache then.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you forgetting something?¡± ¡°Mhmm¡­ Nope. Unless you mean your congratulations for being such an amazing student. They¡¯re completely deserved, but there is no need.¡± Flynn grinned, his eyes covertly darting around the room for an escape route. ¡°I''m gonna go practice the exercises you showed me.¡± ¡°Flynn, you agreed to learn Mana Manipulation.¡± ¡°I¡ª I must have been drunk. I remember doing no such thing.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, stop whining and trust me on this. You know how useful Mana Sense is, shaping essence is just as fundamental. Everyone should take them. Unattuned mana is the easiest way to upgrade all kinds of skills.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got Enhanced Dash without it. I¡¯m good.¡± ¡°An intentional upgrade is better than relying on a bout of luck. You have many other skills closing on a milestone, and more that you could learn with Mana Manipulation.¡± Kai held his eyes with honesty. ¡°You know I¡¯m right.¡± Flynn huffed in exasperation. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll do it.¡± He stomped back like a child needing to take a sour medicine, grumbling to himself. ¡°At this rate, I¡¯m gonna become a training-obsessed hermit like you. I also need to discard a skill. Great. Can¡¯t wait to deal with the headache.¡± "Still going for Subterfuge?¡± ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t need it anymore.¡± His eyes unfocused as he looked at his status. ¡°Okay, here it is.¡± ¡°Wait¡ª" Flynn slumped to the floor like a puppet with its strings cut. Kai barely reacted in time to make him fall towards the couch. Mhmm¡­ I forgot this could happen with orange skills. Perhaps I should have warned him earlier¡­ How long is he going to stay out? Subterfuge was one of his lowest skills, but Flynn was at Orange ¡ï¡ï. Which meant Kai didn¡¯t have the faintest idea. There wasn¡¯t much to do in these situations except wait. Fainting is better than vomiting and retching over the carpet. We could have thought this through better¡­ Do I need to carry him upstairs? No, he¡¯ll be fine. * * * The answer turned out to be longer than he hoped, and less than he feared. The Guide took its toll for every second chance it offered. Flynn remained unconscious for a day, and bedridden with a migraine for another. If a single orange skill was this harsh to discard, it wasn¡¯t a point in favor of dropping a profession. The somber stories of excruciating pain and people ending up crippled flashed in his mind. Well¡­ I can use Flynn as a test run and see. ¡°What are you smiling about?¡± The teen narrowed his eyes on him and interrupted his fun Mana Manipulation exercises. ¡°Nothing. Just stray happy thoughts. Are you ready to find out your affinities?¡± Kai jiggled the house keys, their appointment was in less than an hour. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± He ambled towards the door, brows scrunched in thought. ¡°What happens if Water is the highest?¡± ¡°In that unlikely case, I¡¯ll craft you a better blade to stab things. It¡¯s a win-win.¡± Flynn grinned. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m ready. Will you let me choose the enchantments on the blade if I fail?¡± ¡°Sure. Remember there is no failure or success, just chance. It doesn¡¯t mean anything.¡± ¡°I know, but if it¡¯s really bad could you make me two daggers?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Why am I getting the impression he¡¯s wishing for it? To no one¡¯s surprise, the ritual specialist they were going to meet lived in the upper city. Showing their IDs, the enforcers let them through the hills. Though Kai had never met him personally, Reishi recommended him as the best unless they wanted to spend a fortune. Since when did ten silvers feel like copper chips? He had received a letter from his mom confirming they had got the first stock of elixirs. They tasted like strawberries and cinnamon according to her. Spirits knew which alchemist came up with that. Dora would have never approved of modifying a recipe for taste¡¯s sake, but Kai was grateful someone did. What he was less pleased with was the lack of words from Valela. It was to be expected since it had only been a week, though he had hoped for a fast resolution. Ehm¡­ Spirits, how much do you want to make her forget? No, it¡¯s not a bribe, see it as a friendly exchange. I scratch your back and you scratch mine, deal? They reached their destination before the spirits got the chance to answer his query. Kai wouldn¡¯t hold the grudge. Evidently, they must be really busy doing important spirit-stuff. Just get back to me at your earliest convenience. No hurry. They stood before a black onyx mansion. While it wasn¡¯t the flashiest building in the street, Kai could recognize the signs of wealth in the quality of the materials and the layered arrays that covered the property. ¡°Are you sure we¡¯re in the right place?¡± Flynn fiddled with a pen he used in place of a knife, betraying his nervousness. ¡°It¡¯s not ominous at all.¡± ¡°You should have seen Edgar¡¯s home. This is homely.¡± Kai knocked on the lionhead doorbell. It looked like it was made from gold. ¡°We¡¯re in the right place.¡± A pretty woman in her twenties opened the door, quickly hiding her confusion behind a smile. She gave Kai a once-over and checked the paper folder in her hands. ¡°Are you Flynn Soveili?¡± ¡°That¡¯s him. I¡¯m here as moral support.¡± ¡°Oh, my apologies,¡± she smoothly switched her focus. ¡°Please, follow me. Master Falter will receive you as soon as he can.¡± They were led to a large hall. Ten plush black chairs lined both sides of the room with a white door at the opposite end. Seven adults and three young kids were already waiting there, all from the mainland judging by the tone of their skin and features. They gave them a cursory glance, then ignored them to quietly chat among themselves. Is this where dreams come to die? Every rich parent in Higharbor wants to know if their child has a talent for spellcraft. I should ask Reishi if I can learn to perform the testing myself. With a few more polite words, the woman left them. They sat in the first free chairs, awaiting their turn in silence. The queue moved rapidly. There was some drama when a little girl with golden curls came out crying and ran into the arms of her mother. After a brief argument where the parents insisted there must have been a mistake, they were politely but firmly led out by the assistant. I don¡¯t envy her job. It must be why they ask for payment first¡­ ¡°Flynn Soveili, Master Falter will receive you now.¡± ¡°Can I spectate?¡± Kai asked. ¡°Of course,¡± the secretary smiled. ¡°There is a small fee of five silvers. You must understand that Master Falter is an esteemed professional, and you could glean many things from observing his work.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ll wait here.¡± Kai was pretty sure this Master Falter just didn¡¯t like people watching him work. ¡°Good luck.¡± Flynn gave him a weak smile, disappearing behind the white door. Minutes stretched interminably while Kai waited. The teen walked out with a somber look, not meeting his gaze. ¡°What happened? Did you get a major affinity?¡± ¡°No,¡± he broke into a grin. ¡°I got two.¡± Chapter 189 - Enlightening Chapter 189 - Enlightening Relaxed in a comfy armchair, Kai smelled the sweet scent of coral flowers. The sun filtered through the matte windows, suffusing the hall in a warm light. Pictures of natural landscapes hung on the cream walls, and an unseen harpist played a tune in the background. He had to admit the House of Enlightenment could almost justify its price tag. Built to combine coziness and sophistication, the dampening arrays blocked any trace of the clatter and noise of the city outside. There was no sign of the screams, blood and stench that were sure to inhabit the building. From the lowest peasants to queens and emperors, The House of Enlightenment offered assistance for a fundamental step in everyone¡¯s life¡ªfor those who could pay. If the receptionist was to be believed, they had been offering their services for over three thousand years. It had been the talk of the capital when they opened a branch in the archipelago. A sign of civilization. ¡®Highly experienced staff and the best facilities to ensure a pleasant transition to a higher state of being. Across Talthen the House of Enlightenment brings the process of advancing down to an art.¡¯ Fliers and announcers had flooded every corner of the inner city for a week. It had a bit of a pompous name for a place where people came to progress their race. When Flynn finally hit the end of Orange, they decided to check what the fuss was about. Better than using their house or a patch of shrubbery. Pity. That would have been fun to watch. While enhancing wasn¡¯t as bad as advancing to another grade, no one would call it pleasant. Gross, messy and excruciatingly painful, maybe, but not pleasant. And still, people would give anything to reach it sooner. He was no exception. With the second milestone of Gifted Novice, which doubled down on the skills over level 50, his mana skills had progressed smoothly. He had made decent strides towards Yellow and kept alive the flickering hope of advancing before fourteen. It was possible teaching someone else helped too. Virya always said how it offered new perspectives. How long is he going to take? Waiting for Flynn¡¯s return, Kai broke the seal of the letter he had gotten this morning. His mom hadn¡¯t stopped writing just because they could talk every two weeks. The pages were brimming with her neat writing. The pregnancy was going well. The baby was due in a month, and Ele had gone to live on her own to free her room. They were all excited, but that wasn¡¯t the main piece of news. Kea had celebrated her fourteenth birthday, breaking the Second Seal and becoming an adult. To no one¡¯s surprise, she had chosen a hunting profession. Moui beamed with pride, though his mom didn¡¯t say anything about herself. Hmm¡­ Did she still hope Kea would choose a safer career? While Kea was never going to settle for a crafting path, she seemed to have calmed down a little. With a relaxed sigh, Kai put the letter away and basked in the serene atmosphere of the House of Enlightenment. Things were going well. Flynn emerged accompanied by a motherly woman in a staff uniform. He had a brilliant smile, his skin glowed and his eyes zipped around. Unused to his new Strength, his steps took him further, hopping instead of walking. Ahhhhh¡­ They grow up so fast. A little pride swelled in his chest. Despite his dramatic complaints, Flynn had taken the training seriously, eager to leave behind the profession that had been imposed on him. As Kai stood up to meet them, the staff member fired up a selling pitch. ¡°The sudden increase in attributes can be a lot to take in. We can shorten the adjustment period by weeks. Trust us, the House has been doing it for millennia.¡± Sure¡­ Do you just charge gold, or do you take kidneys as well? With people on the high of their new grade, they must make a killing. ¡°I think I¡¯m good, ma¡¯am.¡± Flynn turned her down, his words noticeably faster than usual. Maybe there¡¯s hope for him. ¡°Are you sure we can¡¯t interest you in any of our services?¡± The woman showed a little disappointment, like a mother who saw a stubborn son making the wrong decision. ¡°We have the best gyms and instructors to get used to the change. We also hired a chef. Getting accustomed to your new Perception can be tricky without help.¡± ¡°You have snacks?¡± ¡°Thank you. We¡¯re fine.¡± Kai stepped between them. He wasn¡¯t about to buy whatever overpriced smoothie or magical cracker they sold. ¡°We¡¯d love to stay, but we have another appointment. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find plenty to eat along the way.¡± He said, seeing Flynn¡¯s pleading look. ¡°It will just take a moment. We can package our best samples. We have a manual with useful exercises to practice at home. They¡¯ve all been perfected through the millennia. You won¡¯t find¡ª¡± They do love to say that. ¡°We¡¯re already running late. Maybe next time.¡± Kai fended off the assault of products and dragged Flynn out. His friend was still in his own world, gawking at every potted plant and tile as if he had never seen one before. The rush of stats could be inebriating, but Kai was starting to suspect it was more than the euphoria of a new grade. Did they drug him? They must have given him something to help the pain. Or is it a profession skill? The last months had been a painful reminder of how quickly he could burn through his savings. He had dipped his toe in the circle of private sellers of Higharbor and redefined his idea of wealth. There was a whole world of luxury goods if you had the right contacts. They needed to save money for what really mattered like the potions to boost Mana Sense. ¡°Come back from the moons.¡± Kai pulled Flynn out of the way of another pedestrian. The woman murmured something about drunken teenagers. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°I¡¯m great!¡± His wide smile was not reassuring. ¡°I¡¯ve never felt this good in my life. You need to try it! I didn¡¯t feel a thing. Well, I felt plenty of things, but I can¡¯t remember any pain. It was like floating on the sea on a sunny day. Like¡­¡± He stared transfixed at a seagull flying over them. Kai grabbed him before he could chase after it. ¡°Can¡¯t wait for it. Just let me snap my fingers so I can reach Yellow. Uh¡­ it didn¡¯t work.¡± ¡°Uh? Right! We¡¯re in the same grade now. I can¡¯t believe I actually reached you,¡± he said with a stupid grin, trying to poke his face. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Kai slapped away his hand. He had gotten faster and nimbler on top of his longer arms. ¡°Yes, we are, for now.¡± Enjoy the moment while it lasts. He didn¡¯t point out that he was three years younger, with a higher profession level and almost halfway through Yellow. Everyone knew the last upgrade was the hardest since skills slowed down the closer they got to evolving. Better skills trample stats. I¡¯ll need to remind him. * * * Whatever concoction Flynn had taken wore off quickly. Reaching home, he had stopped gawking at every shiny object that took his fancy. He ate for three people and returned to his usual annoying self, plus the peacock pride for his achievement. Kai didn¡¯t have the millennial experience, but he knew one easy way to get used to a new grade. He didn¡¯t need to argue to convince Flynn. They were both eager for some sparring, if for different reasons. Flynn wanted to test his new abilities, Kai wished to remind him who was the wise mentor and who the young trainee. They walked to a secluded location in the greenery near the beach further west. Tall and stout palm trees grew from the sandy ground surrounded by leafy shrubbery. It made for more interesting terrain than a plain field. While Kai could shell a target with spells and slashes, Flynn''s abilities were more suited for surprise attacks and brief exchanges. They changed into their training gear, stiff leather protections for the head, limbs and torso, and an arsenal of blunt weapons. That had been a wise purchase, they couldn¡¯t always borrow from Lou and the twins. Half the year, his friends were at Hawkfield or working spirits knew where. They should be back this week, or was it the next? Flynn secured a wooden throwing knife to his bracers. ¡°Want to change the rules now that we¡¯re the same grade?¡± ¡°The usual will do fine. I pick Water.¡± Kai put down his sword, opting for spellcraft. They varied the restrictions to make the fight safe and challenging. The aim was to train and improve, not to win. ¡°Going with your best affinity? Afraid you¡¯ll lose?¡± Flynn teased him. ¡°Envious cause you need half an hour to cast a cantrip?¡± ¡°I''ve evolved my Mana Sense for like a week. You yourself said that elemental mana is tricky.¡± ¡°Mhmm¡­ It¡¯s been nine days, almost ten.¡± Flynn gave an annoyed grunt. ¡°About a week. I''ve not trained all my life to become a mage. I bet you were not much better than me in the beginning.¡± ¡°I kinda was,¡± Kai said factually. ¡°I was seven and had trained seriously for about a year, but I was quite a bit better.¡± Mental warfare is part of fighting. Instead of snapping back, Flynn got a mischievous glint, perhaps catching on to what he was doing. ¡°Don¡¯t cry when I kick your ass.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll believe it when I see it.¡± Kai taunted him forward. ¡°C¡¯mon, you can have the first move.¡± ¡°If you insist.¡± Instead of rushing forward or throwing a blade, Flynn disappeared into the underbrush. Damn, I should have been more of a jerk. Mana Sense swept around him in the agreed five-meter radius. Obviously, there was no one there. His repertoire was limited to Water Magic and Empower, adding the unfavorable terrain, a foolish mistake could cost him the fight. He¡¯ll be faster and stronger unless I overcharge Empower. Maybe we should have revised the restrictions, but it¡¯ll be more fun this way. Flynn wouldn¡¯t be used to his improved attributes yet. Kai assumed a wide stance and focused on his surroundings. Not knowing what to expect, his blood pumped in excitement. How long has it been since I¡ª A dagger whistled through the air from above, strengthened by Infused Throw. The sneaky punk must have climbed a tree. Taken aback by the odd angle, Kai was slower to dodge. Empower surged smoothly thanks to its second specialization, flowing into the right muscles to get him out of the way in the nick of time. The wooden projectile brushed his cheek below the helmet and hit the ground. The impact sent a wave of splinters and dirt flying. Kai moved to avoid getting blinded. When the dust settled, he gaped at the small crater. What the fuck! The soil was crumbly in this area, but still. If he had been hit it would have been more than a scrape. The dagger had been reduced to a few chips of wood. ¡°Sorry,¡± Flynn yelled, then his voice lowered in embarrassment. ¡°I''m still not used to my mana and Strength.¡± Oh, you¡¯ll be sorry soon! Kai drew on his elemental reserves, condensing and freezing blobs of water with a gesture. The volley of ice shards shot in the voice¡¯s direction. Each one was no bigger than his pinky, blunt and fragile. They couldn¡¯t break a bone, but they¡¯d hurt like Kahali¡¯s wrath if they hit the gaps in the armor. The underbrush was shredded by the horizontal hail. Leaves and bark rained down, and Kai heard a satisfying yelp of pain. ¡°I said I was sorry. It was an honest mistake!¡± Flynn sounded indignant, the echo of his voice moved rapidly. Just making sure you¡¯ll remember the lesson. ¡°I made a mistake too! I thought you¡¯d dodge since we¡¯re in the same grade and all.¡± Flynn didn¡¯t rise to the bait and remained silent. If he made any sound at all, the far waves and caws of seabirds covered him. They were both unwilling to lose and playing it cautiously. If either of them failed to estimate their strength difference incorrectly and committed to an attack, they¡¯d lose. Where did you run? Usually, Kai would chase him after the initial strike, but this was uncharted territory. Could he catch up to him? With the bubble of Mana Sense around him, he might corner his opponent, which made it tempting. Though running on the uneven terrain would leave him open to ambushes too. So damn annoying. Kai stayed put, assuming Flynn would be impatient for a confrontation on the back of his enhancement. He was right. Wooden daggers shot out of the underbrush, aimed at his chest and back protections. The projectiles were fast, but they didn¡¯t have the same destructive power as the first one. Kai pushed aside his pride and used Hallowed Intuition to evade them. The volleys of projectiles he sent in response didn¡¯t have any more luck in hitting, but he knew Flynn would run out of throwing knives before he ran out of mana. Guess he had some sense in saying you can never have enough daggers. He could think only of one way he could lose. That¡¯s why when Flynn Dashed from a tree covered in Shadow, Kai was expecting him. The magic shroud was patchy and ineffective against his high-level Mana Sense. It was more than the increase in Spirit and Mind could achieve, the sneaky punk must have trained in secret. Since he didn¡¯t think Flynn would be capable of casting a spell in a fight, he gave him an extra instant to commend the effort, then he pelted him with water bullets. Got him. Defying common sense, Flynn twisted in midair and managed to dodge most of the grapeshot if not for a few hits on his armor. He kicked a palm trunk and redirected his momentum away with a somersault, hiding again in the shrubbery. ¡°Come play with me, you coward!¡± Kai yelled to little effect. Sometimes he regretted not having taken Acrobatics too. He¡¯d give it some thought when he reached Yellow. There are never enough skill slots. What followed was a series of more desperate attempts to close the distance. Flynn was indecently fast, using Enhanced Dash and his Dexterity to move in unpredictable ways. But Kai had no blind spots with Mana Sense. He could conjure an attack or a shield from any angle. While Water wasn¡¯t the most offensive element, it was flexible and could slow down his opponent. ¡°I¡¯ve got a pillow if you need to cry.¡± Kai strolled around the trees. ¡°Don¡¯t be shy, if you come out now, I¡¯ll buy you an ice cream.¡± Is it wrong that I¡¯m enjoying this so much? Hallowed Intuition whispered, he avoided another dagger. The metal glinted past him and embedded in a tree, it was one of Flynn¡¯s main weapons. The twin blade followed soon after, in a desperate throw with more Strength than finesse. Kai relaxed slightly. He had been counting and was certain Flynn had no more knives to Throw. ¡°Ready to give up? You gave it a good try.¡± I¡¯ve still won. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t gloat, but¡ª A swirl of Shadows entered his range behind him. The shroud was far less patchy than the first one, losing Kai a moment before he noticed it. Surprise cost him another. He hastily cast a volley of bullets. Flynn Dashed out of the way, faster than he had ever moved before. He zigzagged, using the trees to take sharp turns. Dodged the second volley and took the third head-on. It slowed him down, not enough for a fourth. Shit¡ª Flynn tackled Kai on the ground. The impact punched the breath out of him. He flared Empower, flailing to push him off. He conjured a hasty Water spell, but they were too close to be effective. He needed a moment to focus and find leverage. A hand grabbed his exposed wrist. ¡°Got you,¡± Flynn grinned triumphantly. A possibility made its way to his mind. Kai knew he had fucked up. Shadow cloaks must not have been the only thing he had practiced. The grasp was too strong to free himself in time. A second later, Lightning coursed through his body. Chapter 190 - Past and Future Chapter 190 - Past and Future ¡°Don¡¯t be a sore loser.¡± Flynn brimmed with satisfaction. ¡°I won fair and square.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a victory if you knock us both out,¡± Kai grumbled and pulled away. He walked ahead on the beach, Higharbor rose in the distance beneath a cloudy sky. His defensive Water spell had made electricity course through both their bodies. Lightning was one of the trickiest elements to control, and Flynn was far from mastering it. Kai hadn¡¯t been too surprised when his friend got an affinity of 54 for Shadow. Scholars had found some correlation between people''s behavior and their affinities. It happened often enough to be noticeable, but not to be reliable. Not sure what five major affinities say about me? That I have a split personality? It sounds like this world''s version of an astrological sign¡­ Lightning had been the real shock. It was an uncommon element, and at 47, it wasn¡¯t a small affinity. Kai would have much rather done without being hit by a human taser. Who knew lightning could be so painful? Despite the healing potion, each step made him wince like he had received a beating. Must be why villains used it to torture people in movies. Flynn caught up with him, still with that unbearable smile. ¡°C¡¯mon, I didn¡¯t use that much power.¡± ¡°No? Tell me, how much elemental mana you have left?¡± ¡°Huh¡­ Well, I¡­¡± ¡°I knew it!¡± Kai pointed an accusing finger. ¡°You used everything in a single spell. Not that much power, your empty head! How long were you saving mana for that? And don¡¯t you dare lie to me!¡± His eyes wandered around guiltily. ¡°I don¡¯t know. About five or six hours? Lightning mana is sparse, and I¡¯m terrible at absorbing it. Honestly, I didn''t think it was a lot. Spirits, I wasn¡¯t even sure it would work.¡± Five or six hours of accumulation, he says. Not a lot, he says. ¡°You didn¡¯t know and decided to test it on me?¡± His voice rose with each syllable. Kai clenched his fists at his sides and marched away from him before he might commit murder. ¡°I tested half the charge on myself a couple days ago. I knew it wasn¡¯t dangerous.¡± ¡°Just fucking painful.¡± ¡°How many times have you hit me with a spell in the last months?¡± ¡°I was helping you train Vigilance and your Perception skills.¡± Kai defended himself. He might have gotten a little trigger-happy, but the situation was totally different. ¡°You were happy with how rapidly your skills were advancing. You know how the Guide works, no pain no gain. And a little water pebble doesn''t hurt nearly as much.¡± ¡°Maybe not one, but I got hit by hundreds. I was pelted with bruises for weeks. Try explaining why you didn¡¯t want to get touched on a date,¡± Flynn said with dead seriousness. ¡°Don¡¯t laugh, it¡¯s not funny. People either thought I was in a gang or got beaten by my family. I had to beg a girl not to go to the enforcers.¡± Kai burst out laughing imagining the scene. They would have thought him crazier if they knew the true reason. ¡°You have to admit it¡¯s a little funny. You could have said something, I would have aimed where it was less inconvenient.¡± ¡°Such as?¡± Flynn raised an irked eyebrow. ¡°I need all my body parts, and they are quite hard to hide on a third date.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯ll think of something.¡± Kai chuckled, then he remembered he was supposed to be upset with him and firmed his face in a scowl. ¡°That still doesn¡¯t change the matter. You agreed to that training, I didn¡¯t agree to get electrocuted.¡± ¡°We were sparring, and I was trying to win. I respected every restriction we agreed upon. I admit I might have underestimated the effect of the spell a tad bit, but I got hit by my cast too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you used an element you had no idea how to control. I told you Lightning was dangerous.¡± Kai sent a withering look, though the anger had left him. Worse than his body, what had been hurt was his pride. He could argue it was a tie. The truth was it had been his match to lose, and he had lost it spectacularly. Elijah would have kicked my ass to the other side of Veeryd, and he¡¯d have been right. He had broken one of the fundamental do-nots of combat, growing overconfident like an idiot. He was lucky it had been a spar and not a real fight, or the consequences would have been deadly. And worse yet, he had panicked when Flynn rushed him. There were so many things he could have done better. Thrown up a wall of ice, ran away with Empower to take time, not fucking stood there casting the same ineffective attack. That¡¯s why you do sparring, genius. Flynn had played it perfectly. He baited him the entire fight for a shot at victory, days if they included his preparations. It seemed so glaringly obvious in retrospect that Kai wanted to put his head underwater and scream. The teen held back his full speed with Dash and ran around to get used to his attributes. Then he used a clumsy Shadow spell, so Kai would think his higher grade had made little difference and his magic wasn¡¯t a threat. He held back till the last moment and used the opening he created to full effect. He played me like a damn fiddle. They were halfway back when Flynn awkwardly broke the silence. ¡°Kai, listen,¡± he cleared his throat looking for the right words. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have cast the spell blindly to win. I¡¯m sorry.¡± The words hit him like a slap. He had made him apologize for winning like a sore loser. Kai couldn¡¯t remember the last time he had felt so pathetic. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be sorry. You¡¯ve won fairly.¡± ¡°I did¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. Now wipe that grin off your face and let¡¯s go home. That victory puts our sparring to a few hundred to one. And it won¡¯t happen again.¡± Kahali smite me if it does. I¡¯ve gotten complacent living in a city, theory isn¡¯t enough if I don¡¯t put it into practice. Apart from the Sea Serpent, I¡¯ve not had a decent fight in forever. * * * A globe lit the bedroom, the door was shut, and the curtain drawn tight to not allow any outside distraction. Kai sat stiffly at his desk, his entire focus balancing between Edgar¡¯s skill and the modified stylus in his hands. He methodically engraved the runes on the dagger of Yellow alloy. The slightest wavering would ruin the enchantment. This was his tenth and last attempt, infused metal could be reforged only so many times before it lost its natural mana and degraded. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. While his heart raced, his hands remained firm on the stylus, his mind focused on Mana Sense. He had specialized Inspect to intuitively grasp the flows of mana. His goal had been to support Alchemy and spellcasting, but it was having all sorts of unexpected benefits. It was a double engraving, drawing the Runes in both ink and essence simultaneously. Both presented their unique challenges. Kai¡¯s Unforgettable Signature could penetrate any material, but the ink was finicky to use. If he indulged a moment too long, it would eat into the alloy and splotch, if he moved too fast, it might dribble off the surface. Shaping the runes inside the alloy was more straightforward, but it grew harder with each second. Mana Echo ground against its limits to manipulate a copy of a much higher grade, the strain rising behind his eyes. Edgar made it look so easy. He had double engraved tens of red tools and a dozen orange with his copied skill, but he had never managed a proper enchantment on a yellow material. The mana was denser and harder to shape, rapidly exhausting his skill and causing him to make more mistakes. Don¡¯t rush, don¡¯t slow down. You¡¯ve got this. Kai linked the last runes and Inspected the dagger for any mistake. Flaws could appear after the ink had settled. The mana flowed smooth and uniform, he let go of the breath he had been holding. As if to confirm his success, the Guide sent him a notification. I did it. It was the design he had created for his first sea serpent fang, modified to work with the alloy. Not the most challenging enchantment, but still up to Edgar¡¯s standards. Huh¡­ What did I get? *Ding* New Feat: Talented Engraver - You¡¯ve engraved a lasting enchantment on a weapon beyond your grade without a specialized profession. You are awarded: +1 Favor! The spirits haven¡¯t forgotten about me! Like Moui promised, feats were becoming harder to obtain as he grew up. Talented Engraver rewarded him for an accomplishment and not a fixed milestone in his status. You could have given me more Favor, stingy Guide. Why is the notification still blinking? *Ding* Mana Engraving (lv1) ¨C Master enchanters know how to shape runes directly into the essence of their craft to create everlasting enchantments. Oh¡­ Yeah, I accept your apology. His Archive had collected plenty of orange skills over the years, including the orange version, Superior Engraving. The possibility of an upgrade had crossed his mind, but he hadn¡¯t dared get his hopes up. This was the second yellow skill he had ever got. Edgar¡¯s definitely going to kill me if he finds out. Then a worse realization hit him. What skill was he going to discard? He couldn¡¯t refuse it, could he? Mana Engraving was yellow grade, and not something abstruse like Hallowed Intuition. He could actually train the skill, gain 700 XP for each level, and free Mana Echo for a new project. You evil Guide! How could you do this to me? General Skills: His status had been honed to the most essential elements years ago. There was no fluff or skill for emotional comfort, every ability was there for a precise reason and function. Kai opened the curtain to let some air and light in. He could add Mana Engraving to the ever-growing list and forget about it till he advanced to Yellow. That would be a shame, and a stress-free choice. No, I need to consider all the possibilities. He picked out his notebook and began the tedious task of writing pros and cons. Having them on paper always helped clear his thoughts. Outside of his fundamental skills, there were maybe three skills that might not cripple him entirely if he discarded them. Not to say there would be no consequences. They stood at the end of the list still fulfilling an important role. Kai massaged his eyes. He technically didn¡¯t need Herbology to practice Alchemy, but his brewing would suffer significantly. The duo was already a barebone combination. Most alchemists had seven or eight slots dedicated to the craft. I can¡¯t abandon it. Herbology might not be flashy, but I need it. What¡¯s next¡­ Improvisation wasn¡¯t strictly necessary. While he tried not to use it with his friends and family, it had saved his ass countless times when haggling with merchants or dealing with officers. He couldn¡¯t always fight his way out of a situation, sometimes his fate hung on picking the right words to say. He would encounter plenty of powerful people and unknowns on the mainland. A social skill offered an insurance when his Favor failed him. So that¡¯s a no too. Great. Seems like Past-Kai knew what he was doing. Last was Attuned Meditation, the first skill he had ever learned. It had carried him through his darkest and loneliest days as a baby. He had no idea how his life would be if he hadn''t learned it the day he reincarnated on Elydes. It wasn¡¯t a stretch to imagine it might look very different. The skill had been his silent helper all along. It had helped him push through when his dad died, and helped him at the estate when he was about to crack under the expectations. Meditating in the morning had been an ingrained habit to focus his mind, and gather elemental mana since it evolved to Orange. I don¡¯t need a skill to do either of those things¡­ While he wouldn¡¯t be as effective without it, the loss wasn¡¯t going to hinder his abilities like Herbology. The specialization of Inspect would help him absorb elemental motes. Attuned Meditation was too slow to level, at second to last place in his status despite twelve years of training. If he were to be honest with himself, he had outgrown the skill. It would be nice to keep it if he had the space, but between Attuned Meditation and Mana Engraving the choice was painfully obvious. Dammit. This is the emotional choice, isn¡¯t it? Kai sighed, he had found the last flaw to hone off his status. The decision was made. It would hurt to lose 30 levels, both literally and metaphorically. He informed Flynn in case something happened, made a quick stop in the bathroom and retired early for bed. He got cozy on the soft sheets and fluffy pillows, making sure blood would flow to all his limbs. It¡¯s not going to get any better than this. *Ding* Do you wish to discard Attuned Meditation (lv30)? Be aware that this choice is irreversible and may have adverse effects. Instant sleep here I com¡ª * * * Kai woke up in the late morning of what he thought was the next day. His head pounded, vertigo and nausea hit him when he tried to stand up. He had been cheated, getting knocked out by the Guide was nothing like sleeping. I didn¡¯t miss the discard one bit. It¡¯s not fun when I¡¯m the one to do it. A knock at the door and Flynn walked inside carrying a steaming cup of mint tea. ¡°I heard you wake up. I thought this might help.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± He rasped, his mouth dry and disgusting. He accepted the mug with both hands to not spill the liquid and slowly brought it to his lips. He gulped down as many sips as his stomach could tolerate to wash the stale taste off. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s better if you lay down a little longer. I can bring you lunch too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m good, I¡¯ll come down in a bit.¡± He ordered his head to stop spinning and attempted a smile. ¡°Meditation didn¡¯t go through any milestone, so it should pass soon.¡± Flynn gave him a long look. ¡°You remember we agreed to meet with Lou¡¯s group tonight, right?¡± Shit, was it today? ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Do you want me to warn them you¡¯re sick? We can postpone it to another day.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll come.¡± They had organized the meet-up months ago. He couldn¡¯t stand them up when they came back to town. ¡°¡®Kay, call me if you need anything.¡± When the door closed, Kai put down the mug and rummaged through his ring for a potion that could help. Dora said it was better to wait out the headaches, but it couldn¡¯t hurt to try. He swallowed a mix of healing and invigorating potions. It was time for dessert. *Ding* New skill learned! Mana Engraving (lv1) ¨C Master enchanters know to shape runes directly into the essence of their craft to create everlasting enchantments. Chapter 191 - Catching Up Chapter 191 - Catching Up The worst symptoms of the discard dulled to a mild hangover. Kai took a hot shower, forced down a meal and did some light stretching. He wouldn¡¯t trust himself to do a summersault or fight a beast to the death, but that shouldn¡¯t be necessary to deal with his friends. Well, probably¡­ A brawl was always on the horizon with Uli and Oli around. Since they would meet in a tavern and not on the beach, he might survive the night unscathed if he played his cards right. Under no circumstance could he reveal his situation. If the twins found out about his weakened state, they would take advantage of it without mercy. I can do this. Kai gave a mournful look at the stylus on his desk. If only he could test Mana Engraving till dawn. He had tried the skill on a spare scrap of red leather, and the difference with Edgar¡¯s echo was obvious. It was like he passed from wearing worn-out sandals, three sizes too small, to a custom pair of boots made by a master artisan. He could focus on where he was going instead of limping every step of the way. Mana Engraving was a full-fledged skill that would improve with experience and use. A whirlwind of ideas, experiments and designs fluttered in his mind. I should look into selling enchanted weapons. Reishi will be delighted. His main source of wealth had been Alchemy, with few meaningful ventures outside of it. He brewed the most profitable potions in large batches, and a selected list of higher-grade concoctions on commission. It added a little variety to his work and kept his skills sharp. What the work lacked in excitement, it made up in mesars in his pockets. Higharbor was a market with stiff competition, but Reishi had a firm grasp on the rest of the archipelago. Kai wasn¡¯t the only alchemist to supply him. He didn¡¯t have the time to brew for thousands of people, though the cheeky fish said he would always be his favorite. Like that means anything. Damn, I hate how well that works. It was time to expand his business. Rune smithing was a hard market to get into. While everyone could afford a red potion, few could buy enchanted tools. A healing tonic would be consumed in a day, and people would be back for more, but an engraved sword or a cold box could last for years. The price and margins were higher, which meant people were less likely to take a chance on a nobody. The wealthy buyers of the capital relied on renowned shops and professionals. Without a master to vouch for him to their clientele, Kai hadn¡¯t managed more than the rare, odd job. Truth was, he was a far better alchemist than an enchanter. He was decent, almost great in some specialized areas, but not enough to turn heads around, till now. If I wasn¡¯t already Reishi¡¯s favorite human, I¡¯ll be now. Mana Engraving would push his abilities to another level and make him stand out from the competition. Dreaming of wealth and runes, Kai changed his clothes and went downstairs. The clock ticked above the door, Flynn was still not back. Then he says I¡¯m always late. There was half an hour to spare, not counting the walk there. Kai slouched on the couch, scheming about his future business empire. He would focus on weapons since that was where the double engraving was most valuable. With minutes on the clock, Flynn arrived home with messy hair and a missing button on his shirt. ¡°Sorry, I lost track of time. I¡¯ll be ready in a moment. Everything¡¯s okay with you? Did your headache get better?¡± ¡°Yep, I¡¯m good,¡± Kai woke from his musings of world domination with a smile. ¡°Just hurry up, I don¡¯t want to run and sweat. Where were you anyway?¡± ¡°Oh, you know¡­¡± Flynn halted on the stairs to give him a wink. ¡°You aren¡¯t the only person who¡¯s eager to see me. In the last few weeks, I¡¯ve been busy pushing the last stretch of the enhancement and I promised I would make it up to her.¡± Of course¡­ ¡°Weren¡¯t you dating that fisherman guy, Sevli?¡± Kai raised his voice to be heard upstairs. ¡°Sev? He''s old story. We broke up three weeks ago, he got annoyed that I didn''t spend more time with him. I¡¯m seeing Belia now.¡± The dreamy sigh was apparent in his tone. ¡°I met her at the market. She¡¯s sweet and smart and has the most beautiful smile. I should bring her here sometime, she was curious to meet you.¡± ¡°Sure, we can talk about it in a couple weeks.¡± If it lasts that long. Since Kai had started his mentorship project managing Flynn¡¯s time, the teen had three girlfriends and two boyfriends. Perhaps it was a way to stay sane after the harsh training. His friend fell in love as quickly as out, and no relationship had lasted more than a month. Angsty teenagers and their drama. No, thank you. Flynn''s love life wasn¡¯t his business, and he couldn¡¯t force him to stay cooped up training like a hermit. The teen always used the excuse ¡®I¡¯m leveling Charm¡¯. Yatei have mercy on me. Flynn walked back down in record time wearing a wrinkle-free outfit. ¡°Don¡¯t be jealous, you can¡¯t find a girlfriend if you never leave the house or talk to people.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not jealous.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He clearly didn¡¯t believe him. ¡°I can introduce you to Belia¡¯s younger sister if you want. I¡¯m sure she would be fascinated by your magic tricks.¡± Wait¡­ was that why he was suddenly eager to learn spellcraft? ¡°Pass.¡± Flynn peered down at him. ¡°Are you not interested in... other people?¡± ¡°Not right now.¡± Kai bit his cheek. Puberty had hit him like a sledgehammer, making each morning awkward. He was glad his body was growing up, he only wished it didn¡¯t have to be so damn uncomfortable. ¡°I¡¯m too busy.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Flynn didn¡¯t press the matter. ¡°Lemme know if you change your mind or have any questions. I¡¯ll be happy to answer them.¡± Thanks¡­? ¡°I will.¡± Kai put on an indifferent look, ignoring the jumbled emotions brewing beneath the surface. It wasn¡¯t envy, not really, but there was something. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Reincarnation had left him in a strange limbo, he wasn¡¯t an adult, and he wasn¡¯t a child. Kai knew he lacked some experiences to be truly mature, but he couldn¡¯t imagine dating anyone in their early teens. Nope, that¡¯s not going to happen. There was no solution. No girl in her twenties would want to date a twelve-year-old kid, and he would worry if they did. Probably sprint in the opposite direction and not look back. It won¡¯t matter in a decade. There are people who live for centuries¡­ That sounded like a solid plan: ignore the problem till it goes away. It was going to be a long wait, maybe he¡¯d think of a better solution in the meantime. The evening breeze outside brought him back to the present. The sky over the shingles roofs was painted orange and the crystal lamp lights illuminated the streets. ¡°Hmm¡­ Kai.¡± Flynn adjusted his shirt without slowing. ¡°I was wondering when I¡¯ll change my profession. I don¡¯t think there is a point in waiting anymore. I¡¯ve already bought the potions to lessen the backlash like you suggested.¡± Right¡­ To his perfectionist tendencies, there was plenty yet to be done, though it would have a minor impact on the result. One look at him and Kai knew his arguments would find no ground. Flynn wasn¡¯t asking for permission. If they delayed any longer, he might decide to go ahead on his own. This is as good as it¡¯s gonna get unless he trains another year. ¡°I need to find a healer. I¡¯ve looked into it, and it shouldn¡¯t take long to find someone to supervise the process,¡± Kai conceded. While the risks were lower at the end of Orange, he wasn¡¯t going to cut any corners. ¡°You should think if you want to learn an elemental magic skill. It might influence the professions you get, though it won¡¯t do much at level 1¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re not delaying it again,¡± Flynn stated flatly. ¡°I¡¯ll think about the skill.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± His role as mentor was to offer advice, but the decision was ultimately Flynn''s. It was worth a try. With a central position in the Ring Road, the Green Clover was a slick establishment, half tavern, half restaurant, its emerald namesake hung from the sign. It was as fancy as they got without stepping into the extravagance of the upper city and making a hole through their wallets. They got there with a minute to spare, and the lively bustle of patrons greeted him inside. Pale green walls, green glass coring the lights and the subtle smell of fresh grass. Three conjoined halls were filled with merchants, foreigners and the new middle class of Higharbor. It looks clean enough, but it¡¯s still early. A waiter with a service smile showed them to a booth separated by wooden screens. It had not been overkill to make a reservation. Kai was crossing behind a table when a conversation between two patrons caught his interest. ¡°¡­attack on Yawei.¡± An aged man with silver hair spoke to his companion. ¡°They said it was a slide, but I¡¯ve never seen rocks and dirt leave bite marks like that. I¡¯m telling you¡ª¡± ¡°Kai! We¡¯re here.¡± Ana¡¯s head poked out of the booth, Flynn already exchanging greetings with the twins. The duo had disappeared inside another booth that was enchanted with soundproofing runes. Under the expectant looks of his friends, Kai crossed the invisible boundary of the booth. The noise of the tavern fell into a muffled hush. Enough to tell other people were there, but not what they said. It looked like an inaccuracy in the runes design, though it probably worked better this way. ¡°Little shrimp, I missed you.¡± Uli took advantage of his distraction to crush him in a hug, joined by his brother. ¡°Look how much you¡¯ve grown.¡± Oli feigned exaggerated shock and ruffled his hair in the most annoying way possible. ¡°I almost didn¡¯t recognize you.¡± Ha. Ha. Ha. You¡¯re so funny. Kai vainly tried to free himself. He was no match since the twins had gotten their physical attributes buffed by their profession. He made a token effort against his protesting body, he couldn¡¯t show weakness before two opportunistic jerks. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know I¡¯m perfectly average for my age. You¡¯re just older.¡± ¡°Of course, of course.¡± The twins agreed, sharing a meaningful look between them. ¡°I bet you¡¯ll grow any day now.¡± ¡°Yes, I heard if you¡¯re pious enough, the Moons will bestow a blessing on you. You could ask them to make you taller.¡± Kai glared a hole through their empty heads. No matter how much he grew, all his friends remained a head taller than him. It was fucking unfair, that¡¯s what it was. When is age supposed to make them mature? To think they¡¯re considered adults, spirits protect us! ¡°You two, stop bullying him.¡± Ana came to the rescue. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to them. You do look taller, you¡¯ve almost reached me. They¡¯re just jealous you''re more handsome than them. How¡¯ve you been? You¡¯re a little pale, are you not feeling well?¡± ¡°Ehm, I¡¯m great.¡± Kai smiled, puffing his chest. He was relieved to notice her petite figure was the same height he remembered, while she looked more mature and relaxed. She was the last person still in the training at Hawkfield, a few months away from getting her profession. Lou remained seated while they chatted. He stared at the wooden table in deep thought as if he hadn¡¯t noticed their arrival. ¡°Ignore him,¡± Oli whispered loudly enough for people outside the enchanted booth to hear. ¡°He likes to look brooding and mysterious.¡± ¡°Yeah, since he got a promotion, he loves to remind us how great he is. Lou raised his gaze with a flash of surprise. ¡°Uh, I¡ª¡± His brain caught up to the situation, and he threw an exasperated look at the twins. ¡°Can you please stop telling that to everyone we meet? I didn¡¯t get any promotion.¡± ¡°Sure. We believe you.¡± ¡°Must be why you suddenly disappeared for months without a word. Nothing suspicious going on.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a promotion.¡± Lou ignored them with a tired look. ¡°Sorry, Kai, Flynn. I was distracted. Work has been particularly demanding lately.¡± How did he get even bigger? Standing up to greet them, Lou was both taller and larger. Kai would fit neatly in his shadow. ¡°What¡¯s got you so worried?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡ª¡± The teen caught himself with a wry smile. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. We should order food now that you¡¯re here. Why don¡¯t you tell us what you¡¯ve been up to?¡± ¡°Nothing much really. My mother¡¯s having another baby, and Flynn wants to change his profession. What about you?¡± They took a second to connect the words. ¡°Youhewhat?¡± Uli helpfully summarized their thoughts. ¡°A baby?¡± Ana squealed. ¡°When are they due? Do you know if it¡¯s a boy or a girl? We need to visit Sylspring!¡± ¡°You know discarding a profession is dangerous,¡± Lou said with a serious frown. This will be fun. Voices talked over each other before they found their stride. Ideas for a possible visit to Sylspring were thrown around while Flynn managed to convince them he wasn¡¯t suicidal. Better to start over and waste a couple years now than be stuck with a profession he didn¡¯t like for life. Food and drinks came and went while they caught up with each other. Uli and Oli ordered ale, using peer pressure to convince Flynn and Lou to join. I¡¯ll never understand why people love to drink something that nine times out of ten tastes terrible. He shared a conversation of looks with Ana who agreed completely. The twins were apprenticing to become guards of all things, revealing some juicy insider information. The governor and local council wanted to transition the garrisons from enforcers to local guards, like in the Republic proper. ¡°We¡¯re not supposed to talk about it till it gets officially announced,¡± Lou grumbled. ¡°Chill, it¡¯s already an open secret. We¡¯re not all stingy like you.¡± Uli and Oli gleefully ignored his warning. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If the waiter is a spy, we¡¯ll say it was your idea to reveal it.¡± The explanation grew more jumbled and confused as the twins got tipsy, though Kai pieced together the main points. It was about money and power¡ªthough they didn¡¯t explicitly say it. The enforcers stationed from the mainland cost more than locals, and their jurisdiction fell under some branch of the military. The transition would probably take a decade, but some military garrisons would remain stationed till the archipelago was considered integrated into the Republic. Which usually took about a century or two. The news was interesting but not as surprising as Ana choosing to become an enchanter. She had gotten over not getting into the secretive elite class and seemed happy with her choice. She already had an apprenticeship lined up for her. As for Lou, he remained tight-lipped. Kai couldn¡¯t blame the twins for pestering him and joined in halfway through the night. I¡¯ll find out what you are hiding. Chapter 192 – A Price for Everything Chapter 192 ¨C A Price for Everything Kai faltered, his fingers brushing the golden pommel. The oak door was engraved with growing plants and runes. Cloaking, sturdiness and polish enchantments, the complete package. Is this the right place? When he received word a healer at the House of Enlightenment had accepted his request, he pictured many scenarios. This wasn¡¯t one of them. He had followed the directions of the receptionist to the largest door on the highest floor. I didn¡¯t send them any requests. ¡°You can come in.¡± A voice with a musical accent commanded. The cloaking runes only stopped people outside from peeking in. Is it too late to run? Exhaling a slow breath, Kai put on a neutral polite expression and pushed inside. Light filled the spacious study with no apparent source, the air was sweet and fresh as if he were standing in a flower meadow. Despite the curious paintings and a bookcase containing ancient tomes, his attention was taken by the woman sitting behind a cluttered desk. She wore a silver robe woven with runes, inky black hair in a ponytail and a pair of enchanted spectacles on her straight porcelain nose. Her skin was paler than any he had seen, giving her an ethereal appearance. She must not be from the Republic¡­ An aura of power exuded from her, bending ambient mana with her presence. There were few high-ranking Republic officers at that level in Higharbor, though Kai hadn¡¯t gone close to any since Zerith died. Despite the runes obscuring her from prying eyes, he didn¡¯t doubt she was at the late stages of Yellow, perhaps even half-step to the next grade with her profession in Green. She put down a yellowing parchment to look at him. ¡°You¡¯re the one who was looking for a healer to supervise a class removal? Sorry, I think you call them professions here.¡± Realizing he was staring, Kai blinked away and ordered his legs to approach the desk. ¡°Ehm¡­ yes. To both.¡± Up close she looked younger, not yet thirty, though appearances could be deceiving. She could be thirty-five, or a hundred and five. Her dark eyes examined him from head to toe with a glance. ¡°I assume the request wasn¡¯t for you. Clearly you don¡¯t have a physical profession.¡± What are you implying? His large reservoir of patience had been consumed by his friends¡¯ incessant teasing last night. He was ready to snap when his skin tingled. She wasn¡¯t looking at his physical body. Can she pierce Edgar¡¯s enchantments? He needed to tread carefully, denying would attract more attention to the matter. Kai tried to recall Elijah¡¯s attempts at imparting him a modicum of etiquette, this woman was dangerous. ¡°I apologize if my request was unclear, the healer isn¡¯t for me. I¡ª¡± ¡°Was the information provided correct?¡± A glimmer lit her eyes. She didn¡¯t seem to realize she had interrupted him. ¡°Level four profession with a late-stage orange grade?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kai pursed his lips. ¡°I think I¡¯m in the wrong place, I didn¡¯t forward my request to the House of Enlightenment. It was a pleasure meeting you, now I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± Get that Butler, my manners are immaculate when I need them. Her gaze nailed him in place. ¡°You¡¯re in the perfect place. I¡¯m the best healer in this quaint little town, and the entire Baquaire Archipelago.¡± She stated the fact as commenting on the weather. ¡°Unless those quacking hawks smuggled in someone without my knowledge, but that¡¯s unlikely.¡± Is it worse or better that I think she isn¡¯t bragging? ¡°Miss¡­¡± ¡°Yeiko Ayakave, administrator of this branch of the House. Yeiko is fine, I find formality to be a waste of time in most cases.¡± She offered her hand with indifference, a few ink stains on her pale fingers. You¡¯re the boss who got my money¡­ Kai shook her hand long enough to not be rude, conscious her dainty hand could snap his neck like a twig. ¡°Yeiko, let me be straightforward too, I can¡¯t afford to pay for your services. You must be rather busy, so I won¡¯t take any more of your time.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have called you if I didn¡¯t think it was worth my time. I¡¯m willing to supervise the removal process for free and provide the facility.¡± She gestured at the building around them. She did say for free¡­ He halted and narrowed his eyes. ¡°What will you get in exchange for such a generous offer?¡± ¡°Data for my research.¡± Yeiko crossed her fingers on the table. ¡°I¡¯ll need to know the attributes and benefits of the patient¡¯s current profession for the removal. Also, general information such as age and other physical parameters. The more details I can get the better.¡± Obviously, there was a catch. I had to run into the mad scientist. ¡°What are you researching exactly?¡± Blood sacrifices? Experimental procedures on unsuspecting victims you lure with false promises? ¡°I¡¯m studying how the Guide and attributes affect the human body. I can go into more specifics, but I doubt you¡¯d understand.¡± There was no disdain or arrogance in her tone, just dispassionate logic. Her gaze made him feel like a little mouse. Spirits, I got soft living in this city. Kai stared back with the fire of defiance. Compared to Virya, this woman was a kitten. Said kitten could claw his head off, but still. ¡°Try me.¡± Yeiko raised her eyebrow the slightest bit. ¡°Are you familiar with the healing arts, the seven founding principles of mana veins, and the influence of the Hyperial realm on the Guide?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of them.¡± He couldn¡¯t say he understood any of them, but he had heard the terms. ¡°Very well. I¡¯m trying to determine how the Guide weaves mana through flesh and soul to create a resonance¡­¡± Words flew straight over his head together with his confidence. Kai maintained an attentive facade to safeguard his waning pride. From the tenth he understood, he was reasonably sure she wasn¡¯t lying about her motives. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Those are my main research goals,¡± Yeiko concluded, the hint of a smirk pulling at her lips. ¡°Do you have any questions?¡± ¡°No, that cleared my doubts. Thank you for satisfying my curiosity.¡± ¡°The search for knowledge should always be encouraged. When can I expect to see the patient?¡± ¡°I¡ª I¡¯ll need to ask him if he¡¯s willing to share the information you¡¯re requesting. I can¡¯t make that choice for him.¡± There would be little harm in revealing the details of Keen Spotter since Flynn planned on discarding it. It was different for attributes, especially Favor. While stats could be deduced by an attentive observer and were less important than skills, they were still private information. ¡°That¡¯s acceptable. Send a letter to the House within the week and they''ll fix an appointment. People willing to discard a profession are rare, but so are my skills and time.¡± She took out a piece of paper from a drawer filled with neat writing. ¡°Here¡¯s the contract I use, the terms inside are non-negotiable.¡± The door swung open on silent hinges and Yeiko turned back to reading her parchment like he wasn¡¯t even there. Why do I always attract such strange people? Or is it a prerogative of powerful individuals to act weird? * * * They went over the contract in detail, not finding any shady wording or hidden clauses. Apart from providing the information Yeiko mentioned, Flynn would need to do a couple checkups and report any unusual symptoms. There weren¡¯t any solid reasons to refuse the offer. Caution was good, but it didn¡¯t pay the bills. True healers didn¡¯t come cheap, especially if they had to guarantee the safety of a delicate process like a profession discard. Four days later, they entered the welcoming halls of the House of Enlightenment. The middle-aged woman who manned the receptionist''s desk was expecting them. ¡°Please, this way.¡± She led them to a room with no windows. It had an empty table and a simple bed freshly made with white sheets. It looked somewhat hospitable if a little bare, that was until Kai noticed the leather manacles linked by chains to the frame of the bed. Not creepy at all. ¡°The administrator will be with you shortly.¡± The receptionist bowed, leaving them with the door open. ¡°Still in time to change your mind.¡± Kai stopped himself from pacing. It wasn¡¯t his time to be stressed. ¡°About the healer or the discard. We can run out of here.¡± ¡°I want to do this,¡± Flynn didn¡¯t show the slightest wavering, face firm with determination. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Spirits make it so. ¡°This is the patient.¡± Yeiko appeared in the doorway like a ghost, black hair and porcelain skin. Kai jolted and cursed. She wore a white robe that didn¡¯t help the impression¡ªlikely some kind of healer work uniform¡ªwhile she carried a chest and a notebook. ¡°That¡¯s me. I go by Flynn.¡± If the teen was uneasy for her presence, he didn¡¯t show it, shaking her hand with confidence. ¡°You look like a competent healer, miss.¡± ¡°Yeiko. I¡¯m the best you¡¯ll find.¡± She arranged her tools on the table with practiced motions. The chest was a spatial item that contained a wealth of vials and odd enchanted instruments. She put aside three potions, pale green, sludgy black and deep blue. Each one shone at peak-orange grade. ¡°You¡¯ll need to take these to soften the backlash of the removal.¡± Kai stepped forward and took out his own two vials. ¡°We¡¯ve already bought the elixirs to help the discard.¡± Their murky glow now looked inadequate. Profession removal elixirs were niche goods. He had to pay a premium to order them from the mainland through Reishi¡¯s contacts. Yeiko snatched them out of his hand before he could react. Her eyes narrowed observing the potions behind her gold-rimmed spectacles, mouth scrunched in distaste. ¡°You¡¯ll use mine.¡± ¡°This wasn''t our deal. We''re not paying for those.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to. They¡¯re free.¡± Yeiko stated, still acting like Kai and Flynn were some odd-shaped furniture. ¡°How do we know what¡¯s in them?¡± The woman stopped tinkering with her tools and turned to regard him with cold boredom. ¡°It¡¯s part of my healing duties. I can¡¯t get reliable data if the patient uses random garbage. Mine are much higher quality than anything you might find. They¡¯ll make the process considerably less risky and painful.¡± So you say¡­ He was getting irked by her manners, adding to his dislike for the whole affair. And what was he supposed to do with the potions he bought? They were specific to discard Keen Spotter and impossible to resell on the archipelago. Should he just throw them away? ¡°Kai, it¡¯s fine,¡± Flynn stopped his reply, placing a calming palm on his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll take them.¡± He bit his cheek. ¡°You don¡¯t know what¡¯s in them.¡± ¡°She¡¯s the expert who¡¯ll oversee the process, I¡¯m already in her hands. And I doubt the head of a famous institution can afford to go around poisoning random people.¡± Yeiko gave him an appreciative nod. ¡°Indeed, while there are plenty of potions I¡¯d like to test during a class removal, it¡¯s not worth damaging the House''s reputation over them. I''d risk losing my position or getting transferred again.¡± Again¡­? That wasn¡¯t as reassuring as Kai would have liked it, though it sounded honest. Seeing the tension Flynn had been masking rising in his stiff shoulders, Kai didn¡¯t want to make things harder for him. Fine. Reishi knows where we are in case we mysteriously disappear¡­ Yeiko proceeded with a quick fire of questions about his profession, attributes and history. She noted everything down with precise strokes in an unknown language. ¡°I¡¯ll know if you lie.¡± She communicated with the same apathy. The glint of challenge in Flynn¡¯s eyes was washed away by the weight of the situation. While he didn¡¯t volunteer any information not explicitly asked, he also didn¡¯t lie, as far as Kai could tell. ¡°That¡¯s everything for now.¡± She put aside her journal and picked the three vials. ¡°Take the black one first, then the green, wait to take the blue one till I tell you. The first two are to strengthen your body against the backlash of losing attributes and half your mana veins. The last one will numb your senses.¡± ¡°Will it knock me out?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t faint during a profession removal, but it will ensure the pain doesn¡¯t break your mind.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± His voice tightened. He gulped down both potions, making a disgusted expression at the taste. ¡°I¡¯m getting all tingly and woozy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s normal, just lay down and relax. It will take a minute for the elixirs to have full effect.¡± Yeiko turned to Kai. ¡°You can watch if you don¡¯t have a problem with blood, but you need to stay out of the way. I don¡¯t want interruptions when the procedure begins.¡± He pressed his lips together. ¡°I¡¯ll stay.¡± Flynn lay in the bed, opening and closing his hands with a giggle. Kai lowered his tone. ¡°What are the chances that something goes badly?¡± Kai thought the healer had ignored the question when she finally spoke, her tone contained the tiniest sliver of warmth. ¡°No matter how many precautions you take, there is always a chance for something to go wrong during a removal. But I don¡¯t foresee any problems today. I¡¯ve done this before, low level red professions are easy to remove. Losing Dexterity brings the mildest repercussions after Strength, the backlash from Perception is trickier, still nothing to worry about.¡± Spirits, so she does know how to be reassuring. ¡°What would be something to worry about?¡± Kai asked since she was willing to share her knowledge. ¡°Mental stats. Mind and Spirit are the worst. Protecting the conscience and soul is more complicated than the physical body. If something unexpected happens, you can find ways to mend a crippled arm or learn to live with it. A broken mind is a different story.¡± Fuck. ¡°But it can be done?¡± Yeiko gave him a long look. ¡°Yes. As long as you have the appropriate grade and take the proper precautions, anything can be done. I¡¯ve successfully assisted such patients. The true danger is when you lose boons along Mind and Spirit. Boons affect the body in unpredictable ways, and you never know what type of backlash to expect.¡± Kai had no time to ponder or curse the new information. The healer went to stay by Flynn¡¯s bedside. ¡°It¡¯s time. Pull up the Guide and prepare to discard your profession. After you drink the blue potion, you¡¯ll only have seconds before falling unconscious and wasting the elixirs.¡± She made Flynn repeat back to ensure he understood, and secured his limbs with the latches on the bed except the arm who held the last vial. ¡°The less you move, the fewer chances you injure yourself. Bite this one as soon as you drink the potion.¡± She gave him a stick covered in leather. By far the most anxious-looking person in the room, Kai dried his sweaty palms on his shirt. Following instructions, Flynn gulped down the blue potion and bit on the stick. The teen''s body tensed in anticipation. Tendons showed on his neck, hands gripped tight on the white sheets. The hint of fear that had slipped in his eyes soon morphed into drowsy perplexity. That was when the screaming started. Chapter 193 - The Discard Chapter 193 - The Discard Flynn''s screams tore through the room, barely muffled by the piece of leather between his teeth. His eyes shot open, awake, but they did not seem to register anything he saw. Muscles tensed against the bonds keeping him tied to the bed, as he wanted to rip his arms off. His skin turned red, and his mana veins swelled like roots ready to burst. He didn¡¯t curse, didn¡¯t ask for help, didn¡¯t beg for the pain to stop. He just screamed like an animal being hacked limb by limb. ¡°Stay back. You can¡¯t help him.¡± Yeiko¡¯s cold voice cut through his shock. Kai looked at her with wide-open eyes, only then realizing he was standing beside the bed. He wanted, needed to help him, ease his suffering in some way. Another scream brought him back to reality. There was nothing he could do, except get out of Yeiko¡¯s way. Reluctantly, he stepped back. His gaze glued to the writhing form on the bed. What¡¯s going on? I knew it would be bad, but this¡­ Mana Sense didn¡¯t bring him any relief. A swirling of chaotic essence raged inside Flynn. His mana veins were unfolding from the thinnest capillaries, ripped from his network and seeping out his skin. Thousands more filaments rose from Yeiko¡¯s hands, moving with intent over her patient. Some were thick and solid like ropes, perhaps elemental in nature, they wrapped around Flynn to stop him from hurting himself further in his thrashing. Others were thinner, ethereal, passing through his skin, losing themself in the maelstrom of mana. Blinded by the chaos, Kai couldn¡¯t begin to guess what she was doing, but it was more than he would be able to. Flynn screamed his throat raw till his yells turned hoarse, his body slacked on the bed like it had lost all strength. Maybe it had. His eyes were still awake, darting around aimless and full of tears. Yatei have mercy. Why¡ª When Kai thought the worst was over, blood started pouring out. Crimson droplets flowed from his eyes, nose and ears, then from the pores on his skin. The white sheets were stained red, and the smell of iron choked the room. ¡°Do something!¡± Kai snapped, nails digging into his clenched fists. ¡°Help him!¡± ¡°I am,¡± Yeiko spoke with infuriating calm. Her attention never wavered from her task. ¡°It will only make it worse if I intervene before the Guide is done. Stay silent or leave the room!¡± Kai tasted blood in his mouth, teeth clenched, he must have bitten his cheek without realizing it. He couldn¡¯t feel pain, or much of anything. There was so much blood, more than a person should have outside their body. Flynn convulsed against his visible and invisible bonds. Muscles and tendons strained like twines about to rupture. Mouth opened soundlessly. Pain contorted his features and blood blinded his eyes. Why does it have to be like this? Why can¡¯t the Guide make it painless? Is it to discourage people from changing professions? Mana Sense showed Flynn was still alive, heart obstinately beating. The mana channels of his profession unraveled one by one. Kai didn¡¯t know how much longer he could bear the sight, despite being only a powerless spectator, or maybe because of it. He wouldn¡¯t wish this on his worst enemy, and certainly not on a friend. ¡°Why is it going so slow? How much longer is this going to take?¡± The healer scowled at being interrupted, again. ¡°It¡¯s a mercy. He wouldn¡¯t survive if the Guide went any faster. Since he has a low-level red class, the whole process won¡¯t take more than ten minutes.¡± ¡°And¡­ How long has it been?¡± ¡°About two and a half minutes,¡± she said curtly. How is this just a quarter of the way through? Knowing Yeiko was about to kick him out, Kai swallowed his questions and quietly observed. He wished he still had Meditation to bring him away from the present, instead he focused on Mana Sense to monitor the discard and Flynn''s conditions¡ªperhaps to not see the bloody spectacle too. Keen Spotter had woven an intricate network of channels through his mana veins. Now they were being undone one by one. Kai lost himself in the unraveling stream of light that flowed away. His whole existence focused on their shifting glow. ¡°It¡¯s done,¡± the healer announced at last. If someone had told him an hour had passed, Kai would have believed them. Opening his eyes, he shivered at the sight. Blood covered every inch of the wiry body on the bed. With the process over, Flynn had slipped into unconsciousness, his eyes closed, almost peaceful. ¡°W¡ªwill,¡± Kai swallowed to firm his voice. He didn¡¯t dare take a breath in the blood-soaked air. ¡°Will he be fine?¡± The healer stood impassive, not a stain of crimson on her white robe. A nebulous green glow surrounded the bed, her hands moving between a series of precise signs¡ªprobably a language of power. ¡°The discard went well. There is no permanent damage to his body or channels, though I can only be certain when he wakes up. You should go, he¡¯ll sleep for a few days.¡± Her tone made it clear he had consumed her patience. ¡°The House will take care of him till he recovers.¡± He¡¯ll be fine. He must be. Kai thought it¡¯d be hard to leave. It wasn¡¯t. As soon as he opened the door, he ran out of the building without stopping. It was a lovely late summer day, the sun''s warmth caressed his skin, but couldn¡¯t make him stop shivering. He puked his breakfast on the side of the road. The acrid stomach juices filled his mouth. A few passersby muttered in disapproval at the uncivilized peasant who came where he didn¡¯t belong. Kai glared back, daring anyone to meet his gaze. None did. Cowards. He recomposed himself, cleaning his mouth with Water Magic. Guilt took the chance to catch up to him. He shouldn¡¯t have left that room till he was sure Flynn was okay, but his legs refused to move towards the building complex again. The staff won¡¯t let me back in. It was an excuse, he knew. Kai strode down the hill, he needed to get away. He didn¡¯t stop till he found himself aimlessly wandering in the streets of the outer city. This wasn¡¯t how it was supposed to go. Flynn had reached Orange ¡ï¡ï¡ï and kept his profession at level 4. They had taken every precaution possible, done everything by the book to make the discard go smoothly. Maybe that was smooth. She said it went ¡®well¡¯. What does bad look like? Everyone had told him discarding a profession was dangerous, and he had also read accounts about it. Nothing could have prepared him for that. He had naively thought they were exaggerating or hadn''t made proper preparations. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. So much blood. No matter how far he ran, he could still smell its metallic scent. Kai had never considered himself squeamish or scared of pain¡ªnot the physical kind. Injuries and wounds healed, suffering passed. But this was on a different scale. Mana Child was at level 8 and it had a boon on top. How would it be for him? Even if he bought the best potions and hired the best healer to make it through unscathed, could he bring himself to go through with it? Should he? * * * Kai visited the House of Enlightenment each morning and evening. Flynn had been transferred to a pristine recovery room with a window on a park. The administrator had sent word that he would make a full recovery and ignored any other inquiry. Guess she got what she needed. Apart from his pallor, Flynn slept peacefully. Half of his mana channels were gone, and the remaining flow was stilted, showing the damage wasn¡¯t just physical. Kai had learned the basics of medical diagnosis from Dora, but his skills felt wholly inadequate for the task. He¡¯ll be fine. On the fourth day, the receptionist informed him Flynn had woken. Kai raced to the room, uncaring of her protests. Yeiko stood over the bed, interrogating the patient about the process. She froze him in the doorway with a glance. Flynn sat with his back on the headboard of the bed. He looked tired despite his long sleep, but his eyes were alert, darting to him with a weak smile. ¡°We¡¯re done for now.¡± The administrator finished writing down her notes and closed the journal with a snap. ¡°I¡¯ll be expecting you back in a week. Don¡¯t overwork yourself and don¡¯t consume any mana if possible.¡± With a curt nod, she was gone. Kai closed the door and waited for her steps to disappear into the distance. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Good.¡± Kai arched an eyebrow. ¡°Now the not-bullshit answer.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ It¡¯s like I¡¯ve been grinded to pieces by a clumsy butcher and then put back together, only some parts went missing in the process. Don¡¯t worry, the scary woman said there shouldn¡¯t be any long-term consequences and I should recover in a month.¡± ¡®Shouldn¡¯t¡¯¡­ Never thought I¡¯d wish for someone to lie. ¡°Do you¡ª Do you remember what happened?¡± He needed to ask. The blood had given him nightmares and he wasn¡¯t the one who lived through it. ¡°Sorry, you don¡¯t have to answer.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± His gaze wandered lost on the trees growing outside. ¡°I do and I don¡¯t. My memories are fuzzy, worse than the time I got into a drinking competition with a sailor. I remember the very beginning, the pain and screaming, then it all meshes together.¡± It¡¯s probably better this way. ¡°But I don¡¯t regret doing it,¡± Flynn added with a bright smile. ¡°You should see the feat I got. Not to even mention my list of professions!¡± Kai advanced till he loomed over the bed. ¡°You went through them without me! You need to tell me. Now. Which professions? How much Favor did you get?¡± ¡°Calm down. My head hurts and I can¡¯t really recall with you this close¡­¡± Flynn held his empty skull with a look of dramatic suffering. ¡°Also, they said they¡¯ll start charging me for the room if I don¡¯t leave within the hour.¡± Damned cheapskates. ¡°Let¡¯s go then. Do you want me to carry you home? I can run with you on my back. We¡¯ll be faster.¡± Stop stalling, I need to know! ¡°No, not home. I¡¯ve not eaten any real food in four days. I wanna go to that fancy restaurant, you know, the one where the waiters offer you tiny snacks at the entrance.¡± Kai rolled his eyes. Of course, he wanted food. ¡°Fine. Get off your lazy ass and start walking. I know the place.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still convalescent. I don¡¯t think my memories will come back if you treat me like that¡­¡± It¡¯s written right in your Guide! You sadistic monster! He smiled through gritted teeth. ¡°Would you please follow me to the door? Or should I send for a carriage?¡± ¡°Thank you, my faithful servant. My legs will do fine.¡± He attempted to stand up, swaying on his feet and falling back on the bed. ¡°Uh¡­ thinking again, how long will it take to fetch the carriage?¡± * * * The floor of the house had not been swept and dirty pans waited in the sink. It had been a frantic few days. And who knew dust accumulated that quickly? ¡°Five points of Favor!¡± Kai almost didn¡¯t believe him. ¡°Can you stop yelling in my face?¡± Flynn buried his head beneath a pillow on the couch. ¡°I wasn¡¯t joking when I said my head is killing me.¡± ¡°Uh, sorry. I didn¡¯t expect the feat would give so much.¡± I mean, he just had to go through excruciating suffering, possibly crippling, and a small chance of death. I had the right idea to have him do the test run. Favor would weigh on the list of pros for the discard, though images of blood were still fresh in his mind. He wasn¡¯t sure which way the scale was leaning. ¡°What about your professions? How many did you get?¡± ¡°That¡¯s personal information.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, just a few hints. Don¡¯t make me beg you, or I might think torture could be more effective.¡± Kai poked his ribs. ¡°You can¡¯t even defend yourself in this state.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare! I just woke up from a coma.¡± Kai¡¯s grin widened. ¡°Try me.¡± ¡°Spirits! You¡¯re terrible when you want to get something. I got four, one more than last time.¡± He sulked, hugging a pillow. ¡°But the scary lady said I shouldn¡¯t take one for another week since my mana veins are still weak.¡± ¡°That will give us time to discuss what''s the best option.¡± Flynn narrowed his eyes. ¡°Isn¡¯t that just an excuse to get more details?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Kai confirmed with no shame. ¡°You tell me more and I¡¯ll buy you ice cream.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you something about my awesomeness, but it better be some damn fine ice cream. And you need to use your tricks, I don¡¯t want to get it half melted.¡± ¡°We have a deal. Now, talk.¡± ¡°Well¡­ let¡¯s say it was a good idea to take the magic skills¡­¡± Flynn gave his information like a greedy merchant with his coin. Before the discard, Flynn had traded Vigilance and Close Combat for Shadow and Lightning Magic. With two high-level Perception skills, he would notice danger without an ability to stay alert. And Daggers covered most of the fighting in close quarters. It hadn¡¯t been an easy choice. There was no useless skill, just some that were less valuable than others. Kai couldn¡¯t deny he was a little envious of his higher affinity for Shadow, but it was Lightning that burned him. Of all his elements, he didn¡¯t have anything that was naturally offensive. Evolving Water Magic to create ice had padded the problem, but it still wasn¡¯t as efficient as a bolt of lightning. Even without a skill, it could easily incapacitate a person. After he managed to tease enough information out of the greedy bugger, the discussion ended up being shorter than expected. Six months of training and a higher grade had not gone unnoticed. There were four options but only one offered a boon, so it was no choice at all. Kai took five more days and three barrels of ice cream to coax the description out of Flynn. Finally, he had the words written down on paper. Profession: Shifting Shadow Main Requirements: Daggers lv50+; Controlled Appearance lv50+; Stealth lv30+; Acrobatics lv30+; Shadow Magic lv1+; Defeat 5+ stronger opponents with a stealth attack. Description: You¡¯ve learned to hide in the shadows or in plain view, so no one sees you until you strike with your cool daggers. Become a badass fighter, infinitely better than any shorty mage, and stab your enemies in the butt! Attributes: 0.5 Strength, 1 Dexterity, 0.5 Mind, 0.5 Perception per level. Boon: 1 Skill slots: 2 ¡°So this is what it says?¡± Kai reread the description and gave him a long look. ¡®Shorty mage¡¯ seemed oddly specific. ¡°Word for word.¡± Flynn solemnly nodded without a crack, hand on his heart. ¡°The values are correct.¡± Cheeky bastard. You better tell me what boons and skills you¡¯ll get. They still had to wait a few days for that. Promising he would have his revenge, Kai retired to his room to brew some potions before bed. He was cleaning his cauldron when someone knocked on the door. I didn¡¯t even cause any explosion or noxious fumes this time. Damn neighbors. Kai stifled a yawn and headed downstairs. The knock grew more insistent. ¡°I¡¯m coming! Just a moment.¡± When he unlocked the door, he froze. A pair of burly enforcers locked eyes on him. The older one in his thirties stepped forward. ¡°Kai Tylenn?¡± Instead of waiting for an answer, he consulted a paper and gave him a once-over. ¡°You need to come with us.¡± Chapter 194 – Two Paths Chapter 194 ¨C Two Paths Heart racing, panic twisted his guts. Kai suppressed the impulse to run. This was straight out of his worst nightmares, kidnapped by the Republic to be never seen again. It¡¯s not the time for foolish ideas. I need to think about this rationally. Improvisation wrote surprise and a hint of fear on his face, he needed to stall without alerting them. From the way the two enforcers were eyeing him, there was no chance to convince them they had the wrong guy. The paper they checked must have his description. It¡¯s the damn file they have about me. Don¡¯t worry my ass. The guy in his thirties was in charge. He had a crooked nose, probably broken in a brawl and never healed properly. The other one in his mid-twenties stood a step back, trying to look stern, though the attempt was somewhat defeated by his ridiculous mustache. The recruits stationed in the archipelago were all relatively young except for high officers and those sent here as punishment. The two enforcers had reached Orange in both race and profession. He might beat them, or at least get away if he took them by surprise. Don¡¯t be rash. Think. If I attack an officer, the Republic will chase me to Elydes¡¯ edge. And I¡¯ll have to reveal my grade and skills. ¡°Ehm¡­ why do you need me? Am I in any trouble, sir?¡± Kai looked up at the two men looming over him with wide eyes. From the way they postured, it was more than a courtesy visit. Still, they hadn¡¯t grabbed him, so they didn¡¯t see him as a threat. ¡°It¡¯s quite late. If you tell me what it is, I¡¯ll be happy to come to the precinct first thing in the morning.¡± Just a little kid with a reasonable request. Have a little decency! The two men exchanged a look, broken-nose guy took the lead again. ¡°The order to bring you in for questioning was signed by the commander himself. Look kid, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re in any trouble, but you must come with us now. We have clear orders.¡± He flashed an official-looking paper, an illegible signature over a hawk sigil at the bottom. Kai only managed to read a few lines, not that it would have made a difference. This wasn¡¯t Earth: if the Republic wanted to take him for interrogation, they didn¡¯t need a reason. Resisting would just give them excuses to arrest him. ¡°Huh¡­¡± he frowned, hoping to look naive and puzzled. ¡°Can¡¯t you tell me why I have to come, sir?¡± He observed their reaction and carefully extended Mana Sense to read their energy flow. It was considered very rude¡ªbut only if he got caught. When mustache-guy looked uncertain at his partner, and his flow stilted, that was all the answer he needed. ¡°I¡¯m not at liberty to say,¡± the other enforcer replied, impassive. They wouldn¡¯t make it a mystery if I was some kind of suspect. They don¡¯t know. Is this about Valela? No, that doesn¡¯t make sense either. She would have come herself or sent a message if she wanted to collect her favor. It must be some other shady bullshit¡­ He didn¡¯t have the time or information to figure it out. The enforcers were getting impatient. ¡°Can I go put on some proper clothes?¡± Kai gestured to his loose shirt and bare feet. ¡°I imagine soon didn¡¯t mean naked.¡± Broken-nose gave him a once-over and grunted. ¡°Be quick, kid.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll take just a minute.¡± Kai closed the door before they could think of coming inside and raced up the stairs. Flynn was standing in the doorway of his room. He rubbed his temples, still weakened from the backlash of the discard. ¡°Everything¡¯s okay? Who was it?¡± ¡°Two enforcers asked me to go with them.¡± His gaze focused, suddenly alert. ¡°I''ll keep them busy.¡± He nodded with a determined look. ¡°You run from the window and don¡¯t stop till you reach the western beach. There¡¯ll still be a crowd around, and the guards at the gate never stop anyone.¡± Did he already have an escape plan? ¡°Wait.¡± Kai raked a hand through his hair. ¡°If I was in trouble, they wouldn¡¯t have left me out of their sight. It might be just some bureaucratic nitpick.¡± But if it¡¯s nothing, why the urgency and secrecy? Higharbor is a city of tens of thousands, the captain won¡¯t deal with minor cases. What do I do? Dammit! ¡°Are you sure?¡± Flynn¡¯s eyes kept darting to the door, his hand fiddled with a throwing knife. ¡°If you go with them, we don¡¯t know where they¡¯ll bring you. You might not get another chance to leave.¡± ¡°If I run away, they¡¯ll know I have something to hide,¡± Kai reasoned out loud. He headed to his bedroom to get dressed¡ªthat would be useful either way. ¡°I¡¯d have to leave the city and hide or find a way off the archipelago. But all the ships that sail for the mainland leave from here. And if they have a file about me, they¡¯ll know to keep an eye on Reishi too.¡± Fuck! ¡°Calm down.¡± Flynn stopped him from pacing, a deep frown on his face. ¡°I know a way to get into contact with the right people if you need to hide.¡± His brain caught up with him and he stared in disbelief. ¡°You mean the Voice?¡± He whispered even though the soundproofing muffled his voice. ¡°Did you keep in touch with them after what happened!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to do with them, I just know they¡¯re out there.¡± Flynn crossed his arms. ¡°I¡¯m not talking about Maela. There are many groups of the Voice that cut contact with her, and now I suspect I know the reason.¡± His eyes wandered lost for a moment before they snapped back to the present. ¡°Anyway, what¡¯s important is that a group is in Higharbor. It¡¯s not hard to find them in the lower city if you know what signs to look out for. From what I gathered, they deal in contraband and steal from the governor¡¯s warehouses. They¡¯ll know how to make people disappear.¡± Kai bit his cheek. His choices were too limited to discard the possibility. ¡°Do you trust them?¡± ¡°Not really, but more than the Republic. I didn''t have any dealings with them, so I can¡¯t say for sure. I just put together the hints and rumors. They won¡¯t mind helping you if it hinders the Republic, and with your abilities, you can make it worth their while. They might also offer a way out of the archipelago.¡± This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. A way out¡­ Loud knocks came from the door, the enforcers were getting impatient. The capital only employed the best for themselves. It was possible they were monitoring the windows. Kai checked his reserves, his mana was almost full. I can lose them if I use Empower and Shadow spells. Running would give him time to figure out what the Republic was after. There would be ways to patch up the situation later if he didn¡¯t commit any grave crime, though it would wreck every plan he made for his future. I guess that¡¯s out the window either way. If he went with them, it might be nothing or it might get him forever entangled in the governor¡¯s schemes. They might not give him another chance to escape. Spirits, why couldn¡¯t they mind their own business for one more year? The knocks got more insistent. He needed to make a choice now. Fuck it. Kai headed down the stairs toward his doom. He couldn¡¯t predict the response of the Republic if he ran. His family, Reishi and Flynn might get involved. With a baby on the way, he couldn¡¯t do that to his mom. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Flynn stopped him. ¡°I am.¡± It was a gamble he needed to take. ¡°Here, keep this safe for me.¡± Kai took off his silver ring. He couldn¡¯t risk getting caught with it and all it contained if he got searched. One thing was hiding his grade and profession, another was carrying two priceless artifacts. His hand felt wrong without it. Kai didn¡¯t linger and opened the door with an embarrassed smile. ¡°Sorry, I needed to use the bathroom.¡± The senior enforcer eyed him, lowering the hand used to knock. ¡°Uh, it¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s go.¡± Mustache-guy came back from the nearby alley overlooked by the windows of his house. They made him walk between them, deflecting any other question with monosyllabic answers. Not like I¡¯m going to run now. Tipsy people filled the streets, the nightlife of the capital was in full swing. Crossing the Ring Road, they got looks, loud whispers, and even some giggles. A kid sided by two burly enforcers: it might have looked funny if he wasn¡¯t the one getting escorted. They continued into the upper city to the garrison headquarters. Kai reckoned the architects must have used up their creative energy designing the town hall and the council assembly. The large squat building was made of a familiar ivory stone, looming over the road like a boulder. It was imposing for sure, though quite plain compared to its gilded neighbors. Since we¡¯re here, I can scratch the secret murder possibility¡­ ¡°This way.¡± The enforcers led him through a side entrance. Kai was firmly guided through the corridors with a hand on his shoulders, uncaring of his curiosity. Mana Sense ground against the invisible bonds of warding the building. It was like watching through mud, his vision and range were restricted to a skill of half its level. Shit! I truly walked into the dragon¡¯s den. A shiver ran down his spine. The reality of the situation started to sink in. He almost regretted his choice. Hallowed Intuition¡¯s silence was only partially reassuring. There were plenty of awful things they could do without technically harming him. Bless Yatei, I didn¡¯t discard Improvisation. Most of the personnel in the building were high Orange, Yellows weren¡¯t rare either, many with a fighting profession. His fate hung on his acting skill. And they might also recognize I¡¯m using one if I¡¯m not careful. Great. ¡°Wait here.¡± Kai was shoved inside a plain gray room with no features except a table and two chairs. The door clicked shut behind him. He was trapped. His hands moved to fiddle with his ring, only it wasn¡¯t there. And I thought things couldn¡¯t get better. He paced the three meters of the room before sitting down. Was someone watching him? The walls were enchanted, blocking his senses from piercing. The runes were meticulously drawn but uninspired, there was no art in them, as if the enchanter had followed a textbook line for line. He could probably unravel the design in an hour. A nice way to kill time. Kai was halfway through the process when the door opened and two people in uniform walked in. A man with graying hair hunched by age, and a woman with a stone facade. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me it was a mutt child,¡± the man sneered in distaste, showing his yellowing teeth. Kai didn¡¯t need to read the shiny badges on his chest to know the geezer must be the commander. Despite his average stature and physique, the aura of power was unmistakable. About at Yeiko¡¯s level¡­ ¡°You said to follow all possible leads, sir.¡± The woman browsed through a folder. ¡°From our record, he¡¯s quite accomplished for his age. Given our situation and his proximity, I thought it would be worthwhile to check.¡± She gestured casually with her papers. The geezer stared down to read. He scratched his beard, taking a second look at him. ¡°Fine. Find out what the mutt knows. I¡¯ve already wasted enough time on this.¡± He strode out of the room grumbling. Well, that¡¯s somehow relieving, he doesn¡¯t look too sharp. Hmm¡­ I might sleep in my bed tonight. The woman closed the door and took the seat in front of him. ¡°Forgive his manners, being in charge can be very stressful. You¡¯re Kai Tylenn, correct? The son of Rellan and Alana Tylenn.¡± Her smile looked so genuine Kai trusted it less than Flynn¡¯s description of Shifting Shadow. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I must thank you for coming so readily, Kai. You can call me Inspector Seryne.¡± She seemed everything the captain wasn¡¯t, professional and in possession of a functioning brain. Kai was pretty sure the badges on her uniform weren¡¯t those of an inspector, but he managed to clamp his mouth shut before it could blabber. He bobbed his head. ¡°Can you tell me why I¡¯m here?¡± ¡°Yes, you must excuse the sudden summon. We¡¯re investigating a difficult case and could use all the help you can give us. There is no need to be nervous. I¡¯ll ask you a few questions and send you on your way.¡± That answered exactly nothing. What are they hiding? ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. I¡¯ll do what I can.¡± ¡°Excellent. There might even be a little reward for you if you know something important.¡± She winked with a conspiratorial look. ¡°So don¡¯t hold back on any details, no matter how minor they are. You were born in Whiteshore, correct?¡± Kai answered a series of random questions about his life, his parents¡¯ occupation and personal interests. He couldn¡¯t tell what she was after apart from muddying the waters. She focused on mundane details and then flew over the estate. This can¡¯t be about me if the commander didn¡¯t think I was worth his time. Was it all a ruse to lower my guard? Despite his ego, he wasn¡¯t important enough to require such measures. He left Improvisation in charge of his body while sticking mostly to the truth¡ªnot counting his feelings on the Republic. Flynn told him being entirely honest was as suspicious as lying when talking to someone with a truth detection skill. Enforcers loved taking those abilities. Seryne noted down his interest in history and turned the page. ¡°You were involved in an accident with a sea serpent about a year ago? It was¡­ in the Vastaire ruins on the western coast.¡± It wasn¡¯t surprising they knew since they had harvested the remains. ¡°Yes, I was there with my friends to visit the ruins.¡± ¡°Did you notice anything peculiar before the beast attacked?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Kai scrunched his forehead. ¡°It all happened so quickly. The serpent came out of nowhere, and I¡ª I thought it would eat me. Thankfully it was already injured.¡± Seryne nodded sympathetic. ¡°You were lucky indeed. Do you have any idea where the sea serpent could have come from?¡± ¡°It came out of the sand near the ruins.¡± ¡°I see. Then one final question, you¡¯ve been very helpful, Kai.¡± She pulled out a sheet from her folder placing it before him. ¡°Do you recognize any of these symbols?¡± He observed them intently. ¡°I think they are Vastaire glyphs. My dad had a few of them.¡± ¡°And do you know what they say?¡± ¡°No.¡± Seryne smiled again, a wide grin. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a second look, Kai? I think you might remember something.¡± Chapter 195 - Lemon Sorbet Chapter 195 - Lemon Sorbet Seryne leaned in, seeing through his act. Was it a truth-sensing ability, or did she notice contradictions in his answers? It might also be any number of strange professional skills. Fuck it! I¡¯m so tired of this shit. He had played their game for years, tiptoeing around and playing dumb. Despite his efforts to mind his own business, he still ended up in an interrogation room. What was the point? If the Merian Republic was going to screw him over, it wouldn¡¯t matter if he was polite. He might as well get some satisfaction. Let¡¯s try a different tactic. Kai erased his timid hesitation and turned the paper ninety degrees. ¡°The Vastaire wrote right to left, up from down. This one is a prayer of thanks to their god, but it¡¯s incomplete. And this glyph was transcribed incorrectly,¡± he tapped on a half spiral crossed by a hook. A glint of excitement flashed in her eyes, quickly hidden. ¡°You¡¯re quite a smart young man, Kai. Did your father teach you to read them?¡± ¡°I can tell what they say in broad terms, most of the time. We lack the context for a proper translation, and some glyphs are too rare to decipher.¡± He slouched back in his chair. ¡°Why do you need to read the Vastaire scripts anyway?¡± ¡°What makes you think we need that?¡± Kai rolled his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s quite insulting if you call me smart in one sentence and stupid in the next, Inspector Seryne. We both know you need my expertise with the ruins. It¡¯ll be faster if we don¡¯t talk in circles.¡± The smile washed off her face. The inspector drummed her fingernails on the table, studying him. ¡°The reports didn¡¯t lie. You¡¯re quite something. I imagine you wouldn¡¯t have been taken in by the Lady of Blood if you weren¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Huh, you mean Lady Virya?¡± I knew that witch practiced blood rituals! ¡°That¡¯s one of her names. She appears to have left the archipelago for good and has been sighted on the continent. But this isn¡¯t about her, we could use your assistance with our investigation.¡± Finally, we¡¯re getting somewhere. ¡°I see. What are you willing to pay me? My time is limited, and I already had plans on how to use it.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t helping your country and the safety of the archipelago reward enough?¡± A shadow of mirth in her tone, so subtle he almost missed it. ¡°No. I want to be paid in gold and get access to the lists of restricted items.¡± The mood in the room froze in an instant. Seryne pressed her lips in a line, amusement gone. ¡°Those are some lofty requests for a child. I said we could use your help, not that we necessarily do. You¡¯re just one of many threads we¡¯re pursuing.¡± ¡°Then you won¡¯t mind if I leave?¡± Kai stood up, the chair rattling behind him. ¡°I would very much like to return to my bed if you don¡¯t need me.¡± ¡°Stay where you are. We''re not done.¡± The inspector waved him to his seat annoyed. Kai held her gaze long enough to make his point before sitting. It was a balance between self-confidence and arrogance. He had a few good cards in his hand, but so did she. If he played rashly, she might decide to arrest him with some bullshit excuse. ¡°If you¡¯re determined to be uncooperative, we can go ask your sisters or mother to help. Perhaps they¡¯ll be more inclined to earn the Republic¡¯s gratitude.¡± She can¡¯t read your thoughts, just your reactions. His fists clenched beneath the table. Whether it was a veiled threat or subtle probe, he couldn¡¯t give them a weakness to exploit. ¡°Go ask them to translate the glyphs,¡± he snorted. ¡°I¡¯m the only one who took up my dad¡¯s research after he died. They won¡¯t know more than the grandma across the street. There isn¡¯t another Vastaire expert in the archipelago, or the continent for that matter. I¡¯m the only living person who can help you with this task you won¡¯t mention.¡± He stared back in defiance. Clues and snippets of information had begun to paint a picture in his mind, he wasn¡¯t going to let her walk over him. ¡°Uh¡­ You seem to have thought of everything, kid.¡± She regarded him with a pitiful look. ¡°But we don¡¯t need you, just your knowledge. I can send a team to retrieve the notes and journals your father left you and solve the problem without you.¡± Damn cheaters. Kai gritted his teeth. ¡°I didn¡¯t know the Republic was into thieving.¡± ¡°We are duty-bound to confiscate any material for the common good.¡± Seryne smiled coldly. ¡°You¡¯d receive a fair compensation for your contribution, of course.¡± Yeah, fair like merfolk¡¯s generosity. Kai exhaled a dramatic slow breath. She hadn¡¯t won yet. ¡°Mhmm¡­ I guess you could do that. Given that you would never find the entire research and you¡¯d lack the information my dad told me personally. But yes, if you¡¯re lucky and have a good scholar at hand, you might decipher the notes and get a half-decent translator in a year or so.¡± ¡°You¡¯re underestimating our resources. We have a team ready to study the material.¡± Good luck with that, I left the most important volumes in my ring. ¡°And you underestimate my dad¡¯s notes. But sure, want to do six months? Five? I don¡¯t think you have even one.¡± Kai spoke with a confidence he didn¡¯t possess. ¡°You came to get me in the middle of the night without knowing if I would be of any help. And you don¡¯t strike me as a common officer, yet you are willing to spend all this time on a tiny chance.¡± Stolen novel; please report. You¡¯re not the only one who has been listening. Seryne''s face was a mask of ice. The fact she didn¡¯t let anything show was telling. Kai tasted victory on the tip of his tongue. ¡°I¡¯m going to guess your situation must be quite desperate. Or maybe it worsened today? That would explain the sudden summon¡­ So, how close am I?¡± The Inspector observed him in silence. Coming to a decision, she gathered the papers into her folder. ¡°Withholding information against public safety is a serious offense, even for a minor. Maybe a night in a cell will make you more cooperative. I¡¯ll check if your father¡¯s research is as complicated as you say.¡± Shit! I pushed too far, good job brain! Kai felt himself sinking in the chair. No one liked cocky brats, he had let years of irritation surge forth at once. If he annoyed her beyond reason, he was done for. Keep calm, she could be bluffing. ¡°You could just pay me and spare yourself the hassle. The Republic can afford it.¡± He struggled to keep his voice firm, showing panic would seal his defeat. ¡°You could do without me or coerce me to help, but they¡¯ll both take time and not be as effective as my willing cooperation.¡± Did I overestimate my value? ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The rhythmic drumming of her fingers filled the gray room. Seryne made a show of pondering the matter, enjoying how the scale had shifted in her favor. ¡°It¡¯s late. Perhaps it''s better if we talk again in the morning with a clear head.¡± Dammit. ¡°I won¡¯t be so agreeable tomorrow, or any other day.¡± Kai crossed his arms like a stubborn child, the impression wasn''t hard to sell. He had a vague idea of what was going on, but his knowledge and value would fall off if he got stuck in a cell. He could only hope her urgency was higher. The inspector halted, pensive again. ¡°You aren¡¯t worth being paid in gold, and at most I can grant you temporary access to the red list while you work for us.¡± ¡°Why would I work for someone who pays me less than what I¡¯m earning.¡± Seryne broke her stony facade with a chuckle. ¡°Welcome to the world of public servants, Kai. Do you think I get paid in gold? No one joins the military to get rich.¡± Great. Now I¡¯m an underpaid government employee. His nerves loosened a degree. Since they were haggling, the worst crisis had been averted. Still, the situation wasn¡¯t ideal. ¡°But you must get other benefits on top of your salary, probably a promotion if you solve this investigation. It¡¯s not the same for me.¡± ¡°Huh¡­ you¡¯re right,¡± she unexpectedly admitted. ¡°With your grade and qualifications, I could find you a spot in my department, so you¡¯d get those benefits too. What do you think?¡± They¡¯re trying to hire me now? She sure doesn¡¯t waste time. ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯m not interested.¡± ¡°Then you can¡¯t complain.¡± She dismissed the rejection without missing a beat. ¡°You¡¯ll get paid in silver when you show your worth.¡± Well, she got me¡­ Damned misers. He could only make the most of his situation. His carefree life in Higharbor was over. ¡°What do you need my help for? I assume the governor didn¡¯t develop a sudden passion for Vastaire¡¯s glyphs.¡± ¡°Sadly not. It¡¯s a delicate matter that can¡¯t be allowed to spread among civilians and cause panic.¡± ¡°And I thought you kept avoiding the topic just to be annoying, you were hurting my feelings.¡± His mouth blabbered faster than his brain, and Kai cringed under her icy glare. ¡°Uhm¡­ sorry. It¡¯s hard to discuss my temporary employment if I don¡¯t know what you need from me.¡± ¡°Yes. I was getting to it.¡± She pulled another file from her folder. Kai suspected it was spatially enchanted to contain so many papers. ¡°There have been a series of accidents around the archipelago.¡± He flipped through the sheets and froze halfway through. There were several life-like drawings of dismembered bodies. Swollen fishermen floated on the waves on shore, a family lay in a pool of blood in their broken house, a couple was nearly ripped in half on the jungle floor. I heard rumors, but I didn¡¯t think it was so bad¡­ He didn¡¯t allow himself to show any reaction, he wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the subjects had been picked with purpose. Closing the file were pictures of dead beasts: a massive harpy eagle, an overgrown horned drake, a tentacled something and a familiar sea serpent. ¡°As you can see, the situation is urgent. These are just some of the most recent accidents. Ordinarily, there would be nothing to worry about. Beast attacks are inevitable, but the numbers have been increasing at a worrying rate.¡± Seryne produced another paper with a grid filled with numbers. She didn¡¯t wait for him to read and started explaining. ¡°In the previous sixty years since the Republic started recording, there has been an attack from a yellow beast every three years on average. In this last year alone, we¡¯ve already reached eleven confirmed cases, and we might have missed some.¡± Despite the mild temperature in the closed room, cold sweat ran down his back. ¡°And you think these beasts had something to do with the ruins?¡± Spirits, tell me it doesn¡¯t have anything to do with what I did. ¡°Almost every sighting has happened around a Vastaire site and, in your case, inside one. It¡¯s a pretty strong correlation. We need you to confirm if the ruins are indeed the cause and find a way to stop it. We have quarantined the ruins, but we don¡¯t have enough personnel to safely guard them all.¡± Kai raked a hand through his hair. ¡°Can I examine your investigation so far? Looking for me probably wasn¡¯t your first idea.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be presented with the information you need in due time. I¡¯ll assume you have accepted the task.¡± ¡°Can I refuse?¡± Kai rebutted, not that he planned to. If the attacks were getting worse, he couldn¡¯t ignore them and sleep at night. ¡°You can pass your father¡¯s research and any other spare piece of information to my team. Naturally, you¡¯d have to sign a contract of silence.¡± Yeah, hard pass. ¡°I wasn¡¯t lying when I said it would take months. My dad wasn¡¯t the most organized writer, and his research was never completed. I¡¯ll help you however I can for proper compensation.¡± He wasn¡¯t foolish enough to work for free. With the excesses he had seen in the upper city, the Republic could afford to pay for a good cause. Inspector Seryne snorted a laugh. ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can, but you¡¯ll have to prove you''re worth it.¡± She began to gather back her files when Kai stopped her. ¡°I¡¯ve not finished reading that one.¡± He snatched the paper with the number of accidents per year. Kai needed to know if his tinkering with the Fate Fulcrum had been causing this. His eyes darted through the grid of numbers, looking for the right columns. It wasn¡¯t the most intuitive system and lacked a graph, but he made sense of it. One, two, one, three, two, four¡­ He leafed through the papers and caught himself before he could sigh in relief. The upward trend appeared to have started around six or seven years ago, with one or more sightings. It reached six last year, but half had happened before they visited the ruins. The increase was becoming almost exponential. Guess the chance to summon a sea serpent was higher than I thought. ¡°Did you notice anything interesting?¡± Inspector Seryne observed him closely. ¡°Just confirming when the attacks started increasing. They¡¯ve gone over one every three years for a while. Anyway, we were discussing my compensation¡­¡± He was at a disadvantage since he had to accept, but Seryne wasn¡¯t haggling with her money and was impatient to close the deal. Used to negotiate with a merfolk, Kai was able to squeeze every last chip and benefit she was allowed to give him. It was a two-week contract for a flat twenty silvers to be reviewed based on his contributions, a bet that he would surpass their expectations. It was far less than he would like, but when life threw him lemons, he could only freeze a lemon sorbet. ¡°I¡¯ll be expecting to see results,¡± the inspector unlocked the door. Another enforcer with icy eyes was waiting for them outside. ¡°You can go retrieve all the material and essentials you¡¯ll need for your work. Officer Makyn will help you carry your belongings.¡± Yay, I got a babysitter. I imagine he¡¯s here just to carry my bags. ¡°Do I need to sleep here, in the precinct?¡± Where did our trust go? I thought we had an understanding. You look away, and I promise to only steal half of what I see. Seryne checked a silver pocket watch with a worrying smile. ¡°No, not here. You¡¯ll be leaving for the ruins on Kawei. The zeppelin leaves in less than an hour, so you better hurry. Officer Makyn is authorized to drag you if you¡¯re late.¡± Chapter 196 - Against Time Chapter 196 - Against Time Kai slumped his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ve already signed your papers. I can reach my house and be back on my own.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t doubt that, but the streets are dangerous at night, and we can¡¯t risk any unintentional leak of information on a mundane contract. I¡¯ll see you on board.¡± Seryne vanished down a corridor with unhurried steps, likely enjoying how their extensive negotiations had left him no time to pack or argue. Damn her. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Kai strolled to what he thought was the exit. The walk to his house would take ten minutes at a steady pace, which made twenty to get to the airdock. He had a library of journals and loose papers to gather, not to mention clothes and other necessities. I¡¯m going to strangle every single one of them one day. ¡°The exit is this way.¡± Officer Makyn gestured to a door in the opposite direction. The man was in his late twenties, eyes like shards of ice, short military haircut, spotless uniform and no funny mustache. He could have used one, he looked cold even by the garrison standards. Kai decided he would break that fa?ade. This was the only petty revenge available to him, caution be damned. All he wanted was to be cozily wrapped in his warm bed instead of out here, bullied into helping. What¡¯s the point of worrying about tomorrow when you can have satisfaction today? He turned on his heels in the direction indicated. ¡°Do you mind walking before me? People will clear the way faster when they spot your friendly face.¡± With a grunt of confirmation, stoic-boy took the lead. Hmm¡­ did I get rusty? It has been a while¡­ Nagging was an art he had honed through many years and hefty sacrifices¡ªElijah and Moui¡¯s especially. It was essential to determine how far he could push his target before they bit back. ¡°So, what do you do in your free time? I mean apart from perfecting your menacing gaze in the mirror. Any hobbies? I bet you¡¯re an enforcer like Seryne is an inspector!¡± Stone-face ignored his amicable attempts at conversation, walking faster. He could have used a few lessons in etiquette. Tough crowd, eh? Worry not, I never give up on difficult cases. Curious about his grunt friend, Kai extended Mana Sense through the wards of the precinct to probe him. The results shocked him¡ªalmost as much as the man turning on him with the murderous look of a cornered drake. These stupid wards are messing with my skills. Why the fuck did I get a yellow babysitter? He must be at Moui''s level, that¡¯s complete overkill. ¡°I thought we should get to know each other since we¡¯ll be spending time together.¡± Kai smiled sheepishly. ¡°You must be good at beating the soul out of people to reach yellow so young, huh? Or are you older than you look? What kind of moisturizer do you use? Do you have a sample? I dabble in Alchemy so I make my own.¡± The blabbering nonsense worked its magic. Grumpy-dude lost his homicidal glare and stood back, looking almost repentant. ¡°Do not do that again. I don¡¯t like to be startled.¡± Duly noted. He¡¯s sensitive about his age. Kai was welcomed by the chilly night air and familiar surroundings. He strode down the most direct road to his house. They must have spent a couple hours inside the headquarters: taverns and pubs were alight with voice and music, but the streets were deserted. ¡°Do you know how much longer we have?¡± ¡°About forty-six minutes. The zeppelin leaves at midnight.¡± Shit. ¡°Hurry!¡± Kai sprinted down the hill, uncaring of his demeanor. He¡¯d get half an hour to pack for an indefinite stay. Shirts, notebooks, can I pack my cauldron? I¡¯d also need to carry herbs¡­ this is a nightmare! ¡°Do you want me to carry you home?¡± Serious-boy offered. ¡°We¡¯d move faster.¡± Kai couldn¡¯t tell if he was teasing him or if it was an honest proposal. ¡°No, but thanks for the offer. It¡¯s nice that long-legged people want to help the less fortunate.¡± Channeling a trickle of Empower into his run, he sped across the Ring Road to his destination. The door opened on his first knock, Flynn stood there with disheveled hair and spirited eyes. ¡°Kai! Are you okay? I thought¡ªoh¡­¡± His gaze fell on his stoic companion. ¡°They were so taken by my expertise, I got hired to tend a nest of grouchy snakes.¡± Kai slipped inside and shut the door. Quick-boy already inside. Damned distrustful babysitter. I¡¯d curse you if you weren¡¯t totally right. ¡°Snakes¡­?¡± Flynn looked between them, brain trying to catch on. ¡°What are you talking about and who¡¯s this?¡± He¡¯ll piece together the clues later. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s why the Republic kindly recruited me.¡± Kai theatrically winked within the boundaries of the contract of silence. ¡°I¡¯ve no time to explain, I need to pack my notes of the Vastaire and leave. The friendly neighbor who¡¯s giving me the stink eye is my porter, Mabin. What, Mabin? I¡¯ve kept your identity secret and he¡¯s going to see which books are missing anyway.¡± Mabin struggled to respond to such solid reasoning. ¡°We could have taken them all.¡± ¡°You have no idea how many books I have. Why don¡¯t you sit down and relax while I get my things? Have something to drink, eat a snack. We should still have some mango ice cream.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to assist you.¡± Spirits, why did I need to get the zealous, paranoid officer? I already signed their stupid contract. What does he think I¡¯ll do if he let me out of his sight¡­? He shouldn¡¯t suspect an innocent twelve-year-old. ¡°Everything¡¯ll be fine,¡± he gave Flynn a reassuring smile. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Kai marched up the stairs with clingy-guy stepping on his shadow. There was no time to scheme or ponder¡ªperhaps that was why Seryne wanted him to leave tonight. ¡°Here¡¯s my room. Don¡¯t touch anything unless I tell you.¡± The place was decently tidy apart from his work desk where his cauldron and tools waited to be cleaned. Every paper was neatly piled in its place and the scent of herbs filled the air. Kai rummaged through his wardrobe for his old spatial backpack, the runes were double engraved and holding strong. ¡°Less gaping and more helping, Mabin. We need to pack every piece of paper and leather on these six shelves and two boxes. Be careful, some of these books are old. I¡¯ll hold you responsible if I find any rips or wrinkles.¡± Snoopy-boy stopped contemplating the Alchemy and Engraving equipment and got to work. Kai had made no secret of his crafting abilities through his sales, though the Republic might not have been paying attention. They¡¯ll do it now. I bet this will go straight into my file. He was going to yell at the unfairness of life later, first he needed to gather every scrap of information on the Vastaire. He wouldn¡¯t give the Republic any excuse to search his house by missing something. The journals were on their shelves since he had made little progress researching the space anomaly. Kai combed his bedroom for any stray paper while his porter fit the bulk of the material inside the backpack. Mr. Suspicion never took his eyes off him, as if he¡¯d leave unsanctioned clues. I can¡¯t be too obvious. Hopefully, I¡¯ve given Flynn enough hints. ¡°That¡¯s everything. How much time¡¯s left?¡± "Fourteen minutes,¡± clock-guy answered without hesitation. ¡°Five till we go.¡± Kai bit back a curse and darted around his room. He threw random clothes, potions and equipment inside a second bag. His mom would have disowned him if she saw such sloppy luggage. ¡°Done.¡± He forced the flap closed, tying the latches. Note to self: keep a bag ready for emergency evacuation. Damn, I wanted to bring my cauldron¡­ His handy porter grabbed both bags, jaw clenched when he lifted the spatial backpack. Even with the enchantments halving the load, it must weigh half a ton. At least he doesn¡¯t go out of his way to be an asshole. Or is he just committed to being here ¡®to help¡¯? ¡°Don¡¯t hold it by the straps or you¡¯ll risk tearing it.¡± The beast leather would hold, but why should Kai take the chance. ¡°C¡¯mon, it¡¯s my favorite spatial bag and I wasn¡¯t the one asking for this.¡± ¡°Do not try anything stupid,¡± paranoid-guy muttered before switching hold. Does he think it¡¯s a plot to slow down his reaction when I stab him? Can¡¯t say I didn¡¯t consider that, though that¡¯s a bit much. Maybe he¡¯s just thinking I¡¯d run¡­ ¡°I¡¯m incapable of doing something stupid even if I tried. Time?¡± ¡°Thirty seconds.¡± There was a hundred percent chance he had forgotten something he would remember as soon as they left. They headed downstairs to find Flynn waiting with two bags of his own. ¡°I¡¯m coming with you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not.¡± Kai¡¯s heart warmed at the attempt despite its foolishness. ¡°There''s no reason we both go feed grouchy snakes.¡± Even if he could convince Seryne he needed an assistant¡ªwhich was doubtful¡ª, it was a terrible idea to drag them both under the scrutiny of the Republic. Flynn was the last person who should attract their attention, especially when he was weakened from the discard. ¡°We need to go now.¡± Officer Makyn picked this time to act bossy. Right when I was starting to like you. ¡°It¡¯ll take a minute. Go wait outside or we¡¯ll end up wasting longer.¡± Kai held his gaze, wondering if Mr. Death-stare would bump him on the head and carry him with the bags. ¡°One minute. I won¡¯t ask again.¡± Nosy-boy left the door ajar, standing within earshot. Could be worse. Flynn nervously chewed his lip. ¡°I won¡¯t let you go alone.¡± ¡°There is no need to stab yourself in the leg for solidarity.¡± Kai wished he had the time and privacy to explain. Alas¡­ ¡°You can barely stand on your feet without a profession. You¡¯ll be more helpful here. Someone needs to warn my family and Reishi I¡¯ll be away for a while, and keep an eye out for the usual things.¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± Kai looked straight into his worried eyes. ¡°It¡¯s the best way and you know it.¡± Stubbornness and conflict struggled before falling to begrudging resignation. ¡°Fine.¡± Flynn deflated, leaning against a wall. ¡°At least take my lucky ring, I¡¯ll feel better if you have it. I''ve kept enough Luck for myself.¡± Kai took a second to get his meaning and two more to decide. He grabbed his spatial artifact, confirming the Fate Fulcrum wasn¡¯t inside anymore. It¡¯d be a risk if discovered, but he wouldn¡¯t be burned as a heretic. The secret closet contained the notebooks with his investigation in the ruins, his best potions and an arsenal of weapons including his enchanted sword. What¡¯s the point of having good stuff if I don¡¯t use it when it matters? ¡°Thanks,¡± he put the silver band back on his finger. ¡°Be safe and don¡¯t do anything I wouldn¡¯t do.¡± ¡°Same for you.¡± Flynn gave him a smirk that was only slightly forced. ¡°I''ll take care of things and continue my work. You be careful.¡± ¡°Always am. See you soon.¡± With a curse for the forced timeline, Kai closed the door behind him. His trusty sidekick waited below a lamplight, sizing him up with an inscrutable look. ¡°Hold on, we can¡¯t be late.¡± The man didn¡¯t wait to lift him like he was another bag. ¡°What are you do¡ª¡± His protests were swallowed by the wind. Without warning, Mr. Jerk raced up the streets to the airdock at break-neck speed. Shit. He held on for his life, ribs grinding against his steel grip. Muscle-dude carried his luggage on one shoulder, spatial backpack in one arm and him in the other. There was some mana skill going on, but Kai couldn¡¯t focus enough to examine it without getting discovered. They must have looked ridiculous. Thank the spirits, there was no one to witness his indignity. Except for a man hugging a tree too drunk to remember them. The ride got bumpier up the hill. It was a relief when vengeful-guy put him down in front of an enchanted fence. Kai wobbled on his legs, heaving like he had been the one running. ¡°Was that necessary? You bruised my ribs.¡± Is this what it''s like to have a physical yellow profession? I should have asked Moui to show me his limits. ¡°You wanted time to say goodbye and told me not to carry your backpack by the straps.¡± The insolent porter explained with cold logic. Kai was sure he was being made fun of, though there was no sign in the tone. He¡¯s more devious than he looks. ¡°Can you walk to the berth?¡± ¡°I can.¡± Kai stumbled forward, hands raised defensively to prevent being grabbed again. The enclosure around the airdock blocked Perception skills and was patrolled by guards that interrogated anyone who strayed too close. The berth tower was a critical infrastructure through which the wealthiest mainlanders traveled, and hundreds of gold coins were transported. No expenses were spared to ensure the safety of the facility. And yet, the obstacles that had thwarted his curiosity for so long proved no match for a sheet of paper with a hawk sigil. They were easily waved through, though Kai got no chance to snoop around as they raced the last stretch. The airdock sat at the top of the smaller hill, it occupied the space of three mansions on prime estate. Anchored by taut chains to the berth tower, a silver zeppelin floated ten meters off the ground. Shrouded by darkness, its large oblong shape covered the moons. Kai couldn''t stop himself from gawking. He had always seen them zip by in the sky, often no more than a dot on the horizon. Up close it was the size of a blue whale, a behemoth placidly hovering in the air. Two pairs of rotor blades buzzed on tiny fins, and a slim gondola with round windows cropped underneath. ¡°Our ride leaves in two minutes.¡± Officer Makyn rushed him inside the high building. They climbed several flights of stairs and popped out on a narrow platform near the top. A hanging bridge linked them to the gondola of the zeppelin. Kai stepped on the swaying wooden boards, the troubles of the night forgotten before the flying vessel. He wanted to sail on one since he had set foot in Higharbor. The night turned to day when he used Mana Sense, the ship was covered in a web of cloaked arrays brimming with power. Despite their similar appearance, its workings differed greatly from helium balloons used on Earth in the 19th and 20th centuries. Kai recognized delicate Air runes and obscure Gravity runes, their shapes shifted as he looked to hide their workings. He wouldn¡¯t have minded staying on the suspension bridge to admire the marvel of magical engineering for days, unfortunately, he had impatient-guy pressing him forward. With one last step, the door locked shut behind him. Chapter 197 - Schemes and Plots Chapter 197 - Schemes and Plots Crystal globes suffused the area in a soft light. The room was sparsely furnished with engraved alcoves and paintings that made it look fancy without taking up space. Crates stamped with the hawk sigil lay neatly piled in a corner. A woman in a blue and silver sailor uniform came to talk with Officer Makyn. Kai eavesdropped on the conversation till it was clear they were talking logistics. I''ll get the chance to see what the Republic is up to and solve the mystery of the Vastaire ruins. I just need to not get gutted till then. The floor of polished wood swayed gently when the chains and the bridge linking them to land were loosened. Kai wouldn¡¯t have noticed they were moving if he wasn¡¯t looking at the morphing landscape outside the glass window. Among the arrays that encased every surface, some must cushion the shocks and vibrations. Thus far, Kai was able to conclude one thing: the cloaking was irritatingly good, rivaling what he had seen in Edgar¡¯s workshop. Runes shifted and clouded his sight, he had no idea where to start cracking them. ¡°Did you see something interesting?¡± Inspector Seryne spoke up behind him, wearing an affable smile. ¡°You cut quite close to our departure.¡± ¡°I had a lot to pack and little warning.¡± Kai reciprocated the empty expression. He was relieved to notice his backpack was still nearby. He had no doubts the Republic would get their hands on his research eventually, but there was no need to make it easy. Well, Dad would have wanted to freely spread his research far and wide ¡­ The guilty thought rose unwarranted and true. The bulk of the books weren¡¯t his work to hoard, though Kai hoped his dad would understand the situation. When dealing with an overpowered party, he couldn¡¯t give up any advantage. Seryne followed his gaze to the bag, her composure cracked when she tried to pick it up. If she was Yellow below her cloaking, she hadn¡¯t picked a physical profession. ¡°This is quite heavy. Your father¡¯s research is more extensive than I thought. Is everything about the Vastaire?¡± ¡°Yes, most of them are accounts of little use and extensive theories on their language and culture. The important bits for your investigation are about a quarter of the material. Unfortunately, I had no time to sift through them.¡± ¡°I see, it''s better to be meticulous than to miss something. You did well. Was there anything you forgot to bring, maybe in Sylspring? I could send someone to get them for you.¡± ¡°This is everything.¡± Kai grabbed his backpack, dragging it on the floor. ¡°As I said, my family gave everything to me since I was interested in the research.¡± She had better stay away from them unless she wanted to make him do something reckless. ¡°Hmm¡­ Actually, there are a few volumes missing. My dad sold them when the governor¡¯s relocation left us stranded in Greenside. It would be great if you could recover those.¡± Seryne ignored his gibes. ¡°It has been several years, but I¡¯ll see what I can do. I can store your spatial bag in the cargo hold if it¡¯s too unwieldy to carry.¡± Over my dead body. ¡°I¡¯ll manage, thanks. If you want to help, you could clear one doubt I have¡­ I¡¯d like to know your rank.¡± The woman scrunched her sharp brows, perplexed. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Why do people love wasting time in pointless games? ¡°I thought we agreed not to talk in circles. No ordinary inspector would command a yellow-grade officer¡ªwho is not a simple enforcer¡ªor be put in charge of this operation. So, who are you?¡± He was certain of his first deduction, while the latter was more of a gut instinct. That was why he bundled them together. Seryne stood unruffled by his claims. ¡°Who told you I was in charge? I¡¯m just following orders.¡± That confirms she¡¯s not an inspector. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me the garrison commander is running the ship. If not by name, then you do it in practice. For all I know, you brought him to see me, so he¡¯d lose interest.¡± It was a risk to pass a suspicion as fact. If he was wrong, the whole charade would crumble. Just have to be right. I won¡¯t get anywhere if I play it safely. Kai gestured tiredly to the zeppelin around them. ¡°C¡¯mon, it''s not like I can go anywhere. We¡¯re stuck together, isn¡¯t that lovely?¡± The woman regarded him, impassive. ¡°I¡¯m Military Intelligence and one of the people overseeing this operation,¡± she said. It was a vague answer, though that fit her role. ¡°I will look forward to your contribution, Kai.¡± Her eyes looked over his shoulder. ¡°Officer Makyn will show you to your accommodations now.¡± Nice talking to you. Don¡¯t miss me too much. ¡°This way.¡± His stalwart porter lifted the backpack and led him towards one of three doors with a hand on his back. He didn¡¯t push but didn¡¯t allow him to wander off. Either they didn¡¯t want him to snoop, or the guy was eager to get rid of his charming company. Kai was too exhausted to protest, the last few hours had been a mesh of anxiety and frenetic runs. Now that everything was done, his problems could wait till morning. The corridors were well-lit and lined with windows to reduce the cramped feeling. While the walkable area occupied more of the zeppelin than he thought possible, the vessel was the size of a two-mast ship. Every inch of space was precious. A one-way ticket to the continent cost gold¡ªhe had checked. Traveling inside the archipelago was cheaper, but the flights were monopolized by the Republic. There was no way to get in without connections or bribes. It hadn¡¯t been worth the investment to satisfy his idle curiosity. The zeppelin was gaining altitude and speed, gliding away from Higharbor north. Streams of lights crowded the hills below, growing sparser into the inner city and then fraying into darkness at the edges, with just a few pinpricks in the farmland. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The aerial view brought back old memories of his first childhood, nose glued on an airplane window to watch cities grow tiny. It had been so long. On the bright side, I¡¯ll fly for free working for the overlords. Two turns and a set of stairs later, they stopped in front of a door near the tail of the vessel. It looked like one of the smaller cabins, but there were no cheap rooms on board. If he didn¡¯t have to share with anyone else, he¡¯d consider it a win. ¡°We¡¯ll land by morning, ask any staff member if you need anything¡­¡± Makyn looked at the polished door as if he could see through the enchantment¡ªmaybe he had a way around them. Averting his gaze, he deposited the bags by the entrance. ¡°Get some sleep and don¡¯t wander around. You¡¯ll be expected to show your expertise when we land.¡± His babysitter left without another word¡ªgiving credit to the theory he wanted to be done with him. Ouch, and I thought we had something¡­ Watching the man disappear beyond a corner, Kai considered exploring the ship, but the space was too cramped to move stealthily. If he acted suspicious on his first day, they¡¯d never lower their guard. And he was sleepy. He managed to lift his backpack with Empower. The lock was open. Kai turned the handle ready to run into the warm embrace of Morpheus. He halted. The room was little more than a closet, with no window and requiring him to lean over to not hit his head. That wasn¡¯t the problem. A person, a girl, sat on the narrow bed with a book on her knees, her emerald eyes rose like she¡¯d been expecting him. She wore normal clothes instead of a dress, though they still looked more expensive than his entire wardrobe. Taken aback, Kai dropped his backpack and Empower surged in the nick of time to save his feet from being crushed. ¡°Hi, Kai. Long time no see.¡± Valela put aside her book. ¡°Stop gaping and come inside.¡± ¡°No.¡± He shut his eyes, wishing her away. He had enough surprises for a day. Why couldn¡¯t he get some peace? The lack of sleep must be giving him hallucinations. Yeah, that was it. When he peeked between his clenched eyelids, she was still there. Dammit, spirits! Whisk her away! ¡°Stop being dramatic and shut the door. I just came to say hi since I heard you were aboard.¡± Kai studied her, thoughts swirling. ¡°Are you the reason I found two enforcers at my door?¡± Valela pursed her lips, muttering strange words under her breath. As he thought she might be losing it, the door slammed shut behind him, brushing his neck. ¡°That almost hit me!¡± ¡°Almost means it didn¡¯t.¡± She sighed. ¡°The cabins are shielded against eavesdropping, so now we can talk freely. And no, I didn¡¯t have anything to do with your recruitment. I just heard of it and anticipated my departure.¡± Couldn¡¯t you give me a heads-up too? Kai narrowed his eyes. ¡°Can you prove your innocence?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Despite what you might think, I don''t have any power in the Republic. Entering a contract with Captain Seryne will complicate things. I hope you read all the fine print before you signed. I meant to contact you sooner, but these last months have been very hectic, as you can imagine.¡± Huh, she¡¯d be more hands-on if she needed my help¡­ What''s the point of saving a favor that won¡¯t be valid in half a year? He gave her the benefit of the doubt. Kai crossed the meter separating him from the bed and deposited his bags. ¡°Scoot over. I want to sit too if we need to talk.¡± Valela gave him a look worthy of a slighted princess and moved with a grumble. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me you were an expert on the Vastaire sites.¡± ¡°I have many hobbies. Now, could you tell me why you¡¯re here?¡± Kai covered a yawn. ¡°I¡¯d like to get some sleep tonight, and I think you¡¯re in my room.¡± ¡°How good are you at deciphering Vastaire glyphs?¡± Valela fidgeted with the fringe of her buttoned shirt. ¡°Can you help find a solution to the beast attacks?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I can¡¯t say that for certain. But I¡¯m the best at what I do in the archipelago.¡± Kai didn¡¯t even have the energy to be properly smug. What a shame. ¡°Why? Afraid I¡¯m scamming the Republic?¡± She gave him an exasperated glance. ¡°Be serious. I need to know if it¡¯s worth dragging you into this.¡± ¡°If you hadn''t noticed, they¡¯ve already kidnapped me.¡± Kai knocked on the wooden wall of his cabin. ¡°I appreciate the sentiment, but you are too late to rescue me.¡± ¡°The Republic manages thousands of people all over the archipelago. You¡¯re not that important to the higher-ups.¡± She pointed it out a bit too eagerly. ¡°I can find a way to get you sent home if you show them you¡¯re incompetent.¡± Oh¡­ it¡¯s too late for that. ¡°They aren¡¯t going to let me go anytime soon, and I want to figure out what¡¯s going on.¡± He wasn¡¯t going back to hide under a rock. ¡°Is the situation as serious as they told me? Have there actually been eleven beast attacks?¡± She slumped on the bed, losing her regal poise. ¡°Probably more. The death toll is closing in on a hundred.¡± Blessed spirits, I almost wish they came to get me sooner. Silence fell in the cramped room. ¡°So, what can I do for you? I imagine you came to cash in your favor.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Valela was strangely hesitant. ¡°I need you to report everything you find out and hear to me. I know we agreed on nothing against the law, but the contract of silence only forbids talking to unauthorized people and I got that covered. I¡¯ll understand if you don''t want to take the risk. I can find another way for you to repay the favor.¡± Finishing her piece, she held his gaze despite her clear unease. Or we could say we¡¯re even and leave it at that, no? ¡°Why do you need me to spy? If you¡¯re on this ship, you must have access to more information than I.¡± ¡°Yes and no. It¡¯s complicated.¡± Valela clenched her small fist in frustration. ¡°I don¡¯t want to involve you any more than necessary.¡± Mhmm¡­ disagreements inside the Republic? Tell me more. People won¡¯t stop squabbling till the moons fall on their heads. ¡°Won¡¯t Seryne be suspicious? My smiling porter knows you came to see me, and I don''t think they¡¯ll share super secret information with me.¡± She looked perplexed before shaking her head. ¡°What you find will be enough. I often show interest in talented individuals, so that won¡¯t be a problem. Just act like you can¡¯t stand me once we land, and I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying you¡¯re always a nosy meddler?¡± Kai chuckled, clutching his heart in sorrow. ¡°And I thought I was special.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that!¡± She protested, though her burning cheeks told a different story. ¡°I just¡­ it doesn¡¯t matter. Will you do this or not?¡± ¡°Depends. Will this screw over the Republic?¡± Valela watched him disapprovingly. ¡°It will help the archipelago and give a few headaches to some officers,¡± she said diplomatically. ¡°It¡¯s possible a few will get fired, depending on how things go.¡± Who am I to say no to that? ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes, and I¡¯ll accept on one condition.¡± He used his index for emphasis. ¡°You also need to keep me informed about your side of the investigation. I don¡¯t care about getting entangled further.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t how this works.¡± She puffed her cheeks. ¡°You know you¡¯re the one who owes me a favor, not the other way around.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t forced to accept it if you don¡¯t want to. These are my terms, take it or send me on a different quest, my Lady.¡± ¡°Fine. But I can¡¯t tell you now. They might actually suspect something if I stay here any longer.¡± She stood up, slowing just enough to avoid hitting her skull on the low ceiling. ¡°Don¡¯t look for me. I¡¯ll contact you after we land.¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s always a pleasure dealing with you,¡± Kai merrily waved goodbye. ¡°Please close the door on your way out.¡± The walls of his cabin shook when she left. He dragged his bags closer and memorized the wrinkles in the leather, so he¡¯d realize if someone moved them. His freed bed was just large enough to fit him comfortably. I can finally sleep in peace! Future-Kai will deal with the problems of tomorrow. Chapter 198 - Best Scholar in Town Chapter 198 - Best Scholar in Town Aryanne went through the stacks of reports: geological surveys, mana readings, death counts, beasts¡¯ autopsies, wild scholars¡¯ theories. She had spread the documents on her desk, hoping to get some inspiration. How did they all connect? I should have gotten more feats. Why does she always have to be right¡­ Every soldier made fun of Fate till they got stuck in an impossible job. Nothing made sense. The table aboard the zeppelin was too small for the papers. Now the clutter just irritated her. She rearranged the papers into neat piles, her eyes skimmed through the information. If she excluded a mana oddity linked to the Ephemeral Realm, magical phenomena still followed their arcane rules. How did high-grade beasts¡ªrelative to a Red-1 area¡ªand the remains of an obscure civilization from the previous era fit together? The command had been convinced the ruins attracted yellow beasts like a siren¡¯s song. It was possible marine and avian beasts reached the archipelago, but what about land-bound animals? Did they swim from the continent? That silly idea was put to rest by the last zoological report. Among the carcasses recovered there were draconic variants and deep-sea horrors that hadn''t been sighted in millennia on this side of the continent. The amount of funds wasted on such an obvious dead-end was infuriating. Any reasonable person would realize Space Magic was involved, though it presented some inconsistencies. The mage corps couldn¡¯t find any signs of teleportation. Linking two locations created detectable ripples and left behind essence residue and spatial tears. Even a bunch of graduates out of an academy should have found something. The beasts¡¯ appearances pointed to the Vastaire sites with overwhelming evidence. She couldn¡¯t be wrong. It was the so-called mana experts who failed to find the shadow of a clue. Brain-dead morons. Ninety percent of the personnel here were failures or greenhorns, but they couldn¡¯t all be idiots, could they? Were the teleportations somehow concealed? Magic on that level was beyond yellow grade and exceedingly rare. Aryanne realized her nails were leaving grooves on the table. Pushing aside her vexation, she covered the damage beneath a stack of papers. With all the sites quarantined, it was just a matter of time till she found something. A lead to follow. The issue was if someone else recognized the potential in the catastrophe. This investigation would make or sink her career. If the attacks continued escalating, the archipelago might face a massacre in the next few years. Failure to solve the situation would make her the scapegoat of her superiors, while success would net her a promotion. She knew that when she accepted, and also something else, the real prize: finding what was causing the beasts¡¯ appearance and how to control it. Yellow beasts were uncommon outside dense mana areas. The discovery of rare species would attract the interest of the upper brass on the continent and make her rise through the ranks faster than her mother. She could leave these gods-forsaken rocks with a promising career and a senior office on the continent. May the Seven Moons shine their light upon my path. She had never been pious, but she wasn¡¯t in the position to reject any help. ¡®Only failures and idiots waste time on prayers to justify their own incompetence,¡¯ her mother would mock her. The gods rarely cared for the affairs of mortals, thankfully. It never ended well when the divine and earthly mingled. Aryanne wouldn''t refuse a little divine guidance, time and chances were slipping through her fingers. She needed results yesterday. So far, her best leads were the trail of deaths and an impertinent child who should have been slapped harder by his mother. A quick knock dragged her back to the cramped cabin. Aryanne made sure her desk and appearance were in order before answering. ¡°Come in.¡± Sergeant Makyn gave a formal salute over his heart, leaning slightly to fit inside the room. ¡°Here to report as requested, ma¡¯am.¡± Cold professionalism, efficiency and no excuses. His file warned that his last assignment had ended in catastrophic failure and high casualties. Someone must have had it out for him to demote him to a desk job in this archipelago. The details of the case were classified, leading to all sorts of wild speculations among the bored officials. The past was irrelevant, and his misfortune was her luck. It won her one reliable subordinate, loyal for the helping hand she had extended when no one else would have. It was also a reminder of the price of failure. I can¡¯t take the fall for this. Captain Seryne waved him over. ¡°At rest, sergeant. Take a seat, no need for formalities.¡± The chair was too small for him, making the scene somewhat comical if one disregarded his glacial expression. His presence had made the paper pushers uneasy, giving no resistance when she poached him. Truly a bunch of morons. ¡°There has been no progress from the teams investigating the sites. The escaping avian beast has been shot down¡­¡± Makyn summarized the expected news in a monotone voice. ¡°Valela Hightide was waiting in Kai¡¯s cabin at his arrival. They talked for about eight minutes before she left, looking upset.¡± How did she find out so quickly? The little demonspawn always nosed around where she didn¡¯t belong, getting her hands on all kinds of information and people. Another nuisance the command had saddled her with, as if she didn¡¯t have anything better to do than play nanny. Seryne had considered getting rid of her, but the girl sat in a web of political connections. Anything that happened to her would give them an excuse for more interference. She unclenched her fists below the desk, voice cool. ¡°What do you think of the kid? Is he worth the effort of bringing him on board?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too soon to say, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your personal impression?¡± If time wasn¡¯t short, she would already have him arrested and confiscated his research. That backpack had been heavier than she predicted. Makyn pondered before answering. ¡°He¡¯s smart for his age, and more accomplished in Alchemy and Enchanting than was reported in his file. I believe he didn¡¯t oversell his knowledge of the ruins and can contribute positively to the investigation.¡± That was good, though Seryne had learned to interpret his silences. There was a but coming. ¡°Speak freely, sergeant. Anything I should be made aware of? I want your honest assessment.¡± ¡°He gave a few hints about his recruitment to the adult looking after him, but nothing that could be considered a breach of contract. It was too vague without prior knowledge of the situation. He gathered all the Vastaire material in his possession and I found no hidden compartments.¡± Makyn paused again, pensive. ¡°It¡¯s his character and attitude that might be a problem. He resents the Republic beyond being forcibly recruited, and¡ªspeaking frankly ma¡¯am¡ªhe¡¯s one of the most irritating punks that I¡¯ve met in a while.¡± There was no anger in his tone, maybe a sliver of mirth, hard to tell with him. ¡°He was indifferent to my aura, and repeatedly tried to provoke me. Not stopping even after he verified my grade.¡± Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Seryne couldn''t help but raise an eyebrow, she had seen senior officers being afraid to raise their voice at Makyn. That kid was either extremely clever or a complete moron. ¡°Hmm¡­ Considering by whom he was taught, it was to be expected he wouldn¡¯t be intimidated by a presence alone.¡± Given the average grade in the archipelago, the kid must consider himself blessed by the Moons themselves. He would be in for a rude awakening. His masters were gone, and the talented child was still a child. ¡°His dislike for the Republic might have to do with his father,¡± she mused. ¡°The report didn¡¯t specify the circumstances of his death, but it was in the aftermath of one of the local governor¡¯s plans to increase prosperity. It¡¯s likely he considers the Republic responsible.¡± The truth didn¡¯t matter, politicians always complicated her job. That brute and his harpy wife had been a thorn in her side from day one, pushing the boundaries of their authority into military jurisdiction. Good thing the commander was attached to his measly power and kept them busy. Seryne clicked her tongue. ¡°We can¡¯t afford to compromise the territory¡¯s security over a child¡¯s petty grievances. Use whatever means necessary to handle him if compliance becomes an issue.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± ~ ~ ~ A loud knock made Kai jolt awake. His bags lay untouched beside him. Checking that there was no drool on his chin, he rolled off his bed and put on a shirt. ¡°Coming.¡± A woman in a blue and silver uniform waited for him with a tray of sausages, eggs and a glass of pink tropical juice. The window behind her stole his attention. A stripe of grassy land and the crystal sea beyond, unmoving. Is this Kawei? Damn, I wanted to see what it was like flying during the day. ¡°The vessel will disembark in twenty minutes, sir. Please, let me know if there is anything else I may assist you with.¡± Sir? Do I look like an old fossil? He¡¯d never understand the obsession with formality, but it was easier to go along with it. Maybe that was how it happened: people who couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue let the stuck-up individuals win. ¡°Is there a bathroom on board?¡± ¡°This way, sir.¡± Kai prepared for what would undoubtedly be another exhausting day. With a full stomach, he might just survive. The berth tower was a compact construction standing on a cliff and surrounded by plain military buildings. He was relieved when his faithful porter came to carry his backpack. ¡°Good morning! I missed your smiling mug, it works better than a cold shower. I hope your bed was larger than mine.¡± The prankster of a chap answered with a grunt and strode away with his bag. ¡°Rest is important! How are you gonna carry my bags if you get sick?¡± Kai was forced to hurry after him. ¡°Not in a chatty mood? Fine, I¡¯ll take the burden of talking upon myself.¡± They joined the line out of the zeppelin. Officers with dour faces carried crates and luggage. Valela walked ahead with her maid, she granted him a ruffled glance before ignoring his existence. She¡¯s good at this. If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d think she¡¯s mad at me. Packed inside a crowded room, he toned down his friendly banter. His skin wasn¡¯t thick enough for the collective attention, but Makyn must have caught on and stuck close to other people once outside. The wind buffeted them with sharp gusts. The cliff with the airdock plummeted twenty meters into the sea below. Kai had heard you could glimpse the shore of Kanlun, the twin island, on a clear day, and people walked between them with the low tide. There were no clouds and no land in sight¡ªmaybe his Perception wasn¡¯t high enough. A town spread in a bay a few miles south. If his memory served him right, it was Eastwin, the largest settlement on Kawei. It looked similar to Sylspring, just lacking the polished district and colorful houses. Kai had no time to explore or talk to people. The procession marched straight to the port and into two barges waiting for them. Before the sun closed on its zenith, they were sailing on rolling waves. Kawei was the third smallest island, so they should reach the ruins on the northern coast before dark. Valela and Seryne were on the other boat, battling for who could stand more stately on the deck. It¡¯s a tough call. This might become a test of endurance. Kai was ready to spend another day of fun with his best buddy, but Makyn walked up to him with another guy. Looking to replace me already? The newcomer didn¡¯t look like a threat to their friendship. He wasn¡¯t too old, but his blonde hairline was fighting a messy retreat. The yellow robe he wore was tight on his belly and the silver rings on his fingers had lousy enchantments to make them shinier. ¡°Kai, this is Aldred Marlene,¡± Makyn introduced. ¡°He¡¯s one of the scholars working on the Vastaire ruins. You¡¯ll show him your research until we reach our destination. And he¡¯ll update you on our progress.¡± They did mention something about work¡­ What a bummer. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m looking forward to comparing notes,¡± he extended his hand. Maybe this was what he needed for a breakthrough. The intruder looked down his nose with undisguised disdain and ignored his greeting. A promising start then. A room on the barge had been reserved for them, the floorboards creaking under their steps. Makyn put down the backpack and stood guard by the entrance. ¡°Show me what your father left you, boy.¡± Aldred tapped his foot. He hadn¡¯t carried any books or papers with him. ¡°I don¡¯t have all day.¡± Yatei grant me patience. He didn¡¯t need to like someone to work with them. He had been hired to do a job and had his professional pride to uphold¡ªeven if the pay was a scam. ¡°We can start with my research, and then discuss what the Republic found.¡± There were two round tables and a few crates arranged together. Kai began unloading the books and folders from his bag. In the hurry to pack, the various sections got mixed together. He had to take out quite a few before he found what he needed. ¡°These are my father¡¯s journals on the language. He never got the chance to organize all his notes, so they are a bit messy. We should start¡ª¡± ¡°I can read on my own, boy.¡± Aldred tried to shove him away, looking surprised when Kai didn¡¯t budge. They were both late Orange, but only one of them was keeping up exercise. Well, I tried. He went to sit beside Makyn. ¡°What? I¡¯m available if he needs anything.¡± The proclaimed scholar sneered. ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± He browsed through the journals with the glow of a skill around him, squinting to make out Rellan''s writings. ¡°See. He¡¯s got this." Kai settled in for a long wait, using Mana Echo to copy his skills. The man had an orange profession, and it wasn¡¯t like he had anything better to do. Aldred had two skills that enhanced his reading speed and memory of what he had read. There were probably more abilities at play, but Kai could only copy those that used mana. A couple hours later, he tested the new echoes on one of his journals. These might actually be useful. ¡°What¡¯s that book you¡¯re reading?¡± Aldred demanded with nervous sweat on his forehead. ¡°Your father must have written a paper with his findings.¡± Kai gave up his read with a sigh. ¡°I told you he didn¡¯t get the time to do that. Everything I have is where you can see it.¡± Most of the organized summaries he made were in his ring to conveniently check them when he needed them. ¡°Why don¡¯t you let Kai explain to you what he knows?¡± Makyn proposed, though his usual cold tone didn¡¯t lend itself well to diplomacy. ¡°Are you a scholar too now?¡± Aldred pointed his finger, a shade of purple growing from his neck. ¡°I''ve got everything under control and don¡¯t need to get anything explained by a country boy! It¡¯s a lot of material to parse and I can¡¯t focus if the boy keeps distracting me.¡± Kai gave Makyn an ¡®I told you so¡¯ look and patted his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s got this handled.¡± * * * Several hours later, Kai walked on the deck with two new skill echoes in mind. He stretched his limbs in the dying sun. It had been an enjoyable time after he removed himself from the situation. Just the occasional innocent remark to stoke the flames. He didn¡¯t have to do much really. The more Makyn insisted he helped, the more worked up and irascible Aldred got. It had quickly degenerated into a one-way shouting match, with the scholar questioning the grunt¡¯s intelligence and demanding to talk with his superior. It has been a while since I saw a good soap opera. I really thought he would punch him in the end, but he only marched out. Maybe next time. Beyond the near shore, trees had been cut down to make space for the Republic¡¯s camp of operations. He had been told the ruins were just beyond a ridge in the nearby jungle. The first barge was unloading while theirs closed in on shore. He had underestimated the scale of the operation. There were dozens of box-like buildings and tents in a military grid. Squads patrolled the area or helped carry crates off the boat. Kai did a double take and squinted at the figure on shore that looked strangely familiar. Chapter 199 - Politics Chapter 199 - Politics While Kai had never seen him in a dark-blue uniform, he would recognize that unreasonably large figure anywhere. As the barge rowed closer to shore, he became certain. Feeling the attention on him, Lou turned to the approaching boat and met his eyes. Distance hid his surprise right till he dropped the crate he was carrying. He hurried to pick it up and scurried away amidst the yells of some senior officers. He could have at least waved. Two streams of people carried supplies to opposite ends of the camp. Nothing too unusual by itself, but the people in the larger group wore black or gray uniforms, while the smaller stream had different shades of blue like Lou. There was also a third group that didn¡¯t follow that logic. Some wore common clothes, others had colorful robes with no matching style. They kept away from the bustle and looked more interested in checking the cargo. ¡°I didn¡¯t miss what you did.¡± Makyn came to stand beside him, more somber than usual. ¡°I¡¯ve no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± His perplexed look was the picture of innocence. ¡°You two did a splendid job on your own.¡± His eyes hardened. ¡°This is not a game, Kai. People are dying. You¡¯re here to help figure out what¡¯s going on. Not to play games.¡± Kai craned his neck up to look at him face-to-face. ¡°I don¡¯t recall ever refusing to help or holding back what I know. And if you want to nitpick, I didn¡¯t exactly have a choice in coming, did I?¡± ¡°We need your father¡¯s research, but we can do without you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± His eyebrow rose with false amusement. ¡°Then I¡¯ve changed my mind. Send me back with the barges and you can keep my backpack.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve signed a contract.¡± That¡¯s convenient. ¡°If that¡¯s the problem, I¡¯ll pay you back triple for breaching the agreement as by law.¡± Kai raised his chin in challenge. It wasn¡¯t the smartest choice to tempt a soldier who just had his patience stretched thin, but he wasn¡¯t going to get bossed around. Makyn clenched his jaw, his gaze could freeze the stars. He towered over him, his mana presence swelling to press down on him. Oh, please. You might crush me in physical stats but stay in your lane. His own essence flared, cutting through the aura like an enchanted knife filleting a fish. Pushing mana outside the body left you vulnerable, especially if it was adrift. The man stiffened when he lost connection with a chunk of his aura. ¡°If you don¡¯t have any other brilliant arguments, keep your lectures to yourself.¡± Kai turned back to the workers on shore. Their barge had connected to the pier and was being secured with ropes. ¡°How am I supposed to help when you put me in a room with a pompous fool with a fragile ego?¡± Makyn stood back, placid as a lake. ¡°That man is an exception. We have many more competent people.¡± He studied him with the slightest frown. ¡°I¡¯ll trust it when I see them.¡± * * * The rest of the day turned into a whirlwind of activity, people mingled with the newcomers. Lou was nowhere to be seen and Kai wasn¡¯t allowed to wander outside the camp for security reasons. He had been assigned to the scholar quarters in one of the largest square buildings near the shore. The walls were a strange mixture of rock and compacted earth that screamed of magic construction. Before stepping inside, he sneakily tested them with his fist and bit down a curse. It was like hitting cement¡ªnot pleasant. There wasn¡¯t any give in the material, though it was crumbly when he scratched it with his knife. While he might be able to create something similar with Earth magic, it¡¯d be inefficient since he lacked the skill. Functional, but not made to last¡­ How does it react to water? ¡°Fascinating, isn¡¯t it?¡± A woman walked up to him, watching the dirt wall like it was made of gold. She wore a leather jacket, a green skirt stitched with orange patches and long boots. Her red hair was gathered in a messy bun escaping over her glasses. ¡°You should have seen when they cast them out of the ground. I still have the shivers. If we¡¯re lucky they might build another to make space for the new people.¡± Kai took a step back from the strange woman. ¡°You are¡­?¡± ¡°Oh, foolish me.¡± She pushed a lock off her face and enthusiastically shook his hand. ¡°I¡¯m Sonya, one of the scholars who¡¯s helping to crack the mystery. I¡¯m more of an enthusiast and small-time adventurer really. I was in the archipelago on a break when this started, and I have experience with forgotten civilizations and languages. I couldn¡¯t refuse the opportunity when they came whispering about magic and ruins.¡± Kai blinked at the deluge of information. Strange but harmless. She was late Orange, with her profession channels close to the next grade. ¡°I¡¯m Kai. Guess I¡¯m also a kind of history enthusiast.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the kid that Darlo was talking about!¡± Her teal eyes widened with delight. ¡°I heard you¡¯re bringing us new material to work with. Come, you¡¯ll be staying with us. Everyone is so excited to meet you.¡± How does she have more energy than me when she''s three times my age? He was dragged inside the construction with barely time to grab his bags. Three men huddled over a table covered in papers and books, arguing over the original use of the Vastaire sites. A light globe hung on a rope over them. The group ranged from a grandpa with a snowy beard to a young man who hadn¡¯t lost his baby face. ¡°Look who I found, Darlo.¡± Sonya presented him to the third man like a winning competition dog. ¡°He¡¯s the new boy they told us about.¡± Put on the spot, Kai waved with a dumb grin. Sure he had already burned any chance to be taken seriously. ¡°Nice to meet you all.¡± Darlo looked at him from head to toe with skepticism. ¡°You¡¯re the so-called genius child who¡¯s bringing revolutionary information?¡± He was a thin middle-aged man, and the unofficial leader of the mismatched group from the way the other two stayed back. Probably because he was the only one with a yellow profession. ¡°Hmm, I never called myself a genius. The research was my dad¡¯s work, I just studied it and organized a few things.¡± The humble remark earned him a nod of approval from the grandpa and an awkward smile from the young man. Darlo had already turned back to the table, indifferent. It wasn¡¯t the enthusiastic welcome Sonya promised, but his expectations weren¡¯t sky-high anyway. As long as they kept an air of civility and didn¡¯t throw a tantrum, it was enough. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°I heard there was another scholar due to join us from a different team.¡± Darlo glanced at the door like he expected someone to appear. ¡°Do you know where he is?¡± Kai shrugged. ¡°They don¡¯t tell me anything.¡± He hadn¡¯t seen Aldred since they came on land and wasn¡¯t eager to rehash the encounter. ¡°They like to keep a tight hold on information, don¡¯t they? Huh, you probably want to settle in, so you can show us what you brought!¡± Sonya dragged him towards one of two inner doors. ¡°You¡¯ll be staying with me. Don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t snore.¡± Yatei have mercy on your poor servant. The room hosted two pairs of bunk beds, a chest, a table and a couple chairs. A sheet hung separating them to provide some privacy. ¡°We won¡¯t spend much time in here, but I thought you¡¯d prefer to share the room with one person instead of three.¡± Sonya showed him the spaces he could use. ¡°Take the bed you prefer, I don¡¯t mind.¡± That¡¯s surprisingly thoughtful¡­ Kai flung himself onto the empty side and set down his backpack. When he heard they¡¯d camp near the ruins, he had prepared himself for some rough living conditions. This was worse than he hoped and far better than he feared. My poor shower. How lonely must it feel¡­ It would take some adjusting to live without the comforts of his own house, but there was no point crying over spilled potions. The moment the Republic came knocking, he had said farewell to his privacy, though the plain houses left little space for hidden enchantments and spying. I¡¯ll need to verify if¡ª ¡°Is this spatial bag where you keep the notes?¡± Sonya kneeled beside his backpack, looking like a child with a cake she wasn¡¯t allowed to touch. ¡°Without enough glyphs and materials to compare we¡¯ve been stuck for months. Do you mind if I take a look?¡± She sure doesn¡¯t waste time. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Kai waved her on. ¡°Just be careful handling the older volumes.¡± ¡°I promise on my eternal soul I¡¯ll treat them with care. I can tell we¡¯re going to be great friends.¡± The smile she gave him wasn¡¯t half as bright when she took out the first book. ¡°Uh, we should probably show the others too¡­ Damn, this thing is heavy.¡± ¡°Let me help you. Do you want me to show you the research? My dad followed his own brand of chaotic order.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯d be amazing,¡± she beamed. Then her shoulders slumped, ¡°If you aren¡¯t too exhausted by the journey. A healer I know told me it¡¯s important for children to get a lot of sleep.¡± ¡°I¡¯m almost thirteen.¡± With a half a year of approximation. Spirits, there is nothing worse than having to point out my age. Sonya gave him a once-over, adjusting her glasses. ¡°Of course! You must forgive me, my sight isn¡¯t too good. I can see you''re a young man.¡± I¡¯m pretty sure those lenses aren¡¯t enchanted for visual acuity¡­ The trio in the main room wasn¡¯t too eager when Sonya announced he would give a presentation. Darlo looked at him with open hostility¡ªmaybe afraid he would threaten his authority. That lasted till he opened his mouth on the first journal; the rest of the evening was a blur of paper, glyphs and arguments. It was nice to have someone appreciate his research with such fervor. He never had anyone to share his passion for past civilizations since his dad died. They had barely scratched the pile of journals he brought, and his throat hurt from talking too much. He had no idea what time it was when he crashed into his bed, only that he couldn¡¯t hear a voice in the entire camp. The next day repeated much the same, bent over books and writings. Kai made ample use of the skills he nicked on the boat. Aldred had mysteriously disappeared, but no one had the mental resources to spare for him. Going through Rellan¡¯s research, there was tons of new information the four scholars needed to assess. Darlo didn¡¯t like him much but maintained a veil of cold politeness. Kai had to admit he had underestimated the group. They had been held back by the lack of information since the governor demolished a third of the Vastaire sites. With the deluge of new material, they were flying through the books he had spent years studying. The new perspectives also made him notice details he had always missed. There was no time to explore the camp. He only went outside to eat at the mess hall and use the common bathroom. Sonya filled in the last gaps with disinterested comments. Though it remained unsaid, the division in the camp was hard to miss. One side was under the military, officially in command of the operation. The other smaller group was funded by the high-ranking officials and politicians who oversaw the archipelago. They were spearheaded by the governor and wore the blue color of the Republic. On paper, both groups worked to find a solution to the attacks, but when it came down to it, Kai¡¯d bet an arm they had their own agenda. He wasn¡¯t sure where the safety of the inhabitants was placed on their lists, but it wasn¡¯t at the top. I basically get to choose which flavor of poison to take. This just keeps getting better. ¡°Trust someone who has tried. Don¡¯t get sucked into that nonsense,¡± Sonya warned. ¡°You won¡¯t get anything apart from hurt and disappointment. Our job is to find the Truth. Humans can¡¯t fight the seasons.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he dutifully nodded. He hadn¡¯t seen anyone spying on them, though spies probably didn¡¯t walk around with a bell around their neck. The scholars were neutral freelancers hired for their expertise. Kai could respect that, but the archipelago wasn¡¯t their home. Once they were done, they would sail away and never come back. He didn¡¯t have the luxury to look away. Makyn stopped by to inquire about their progress. He talked to everyone individually and left without saying goodbye, the cold-hearted monster. Kai saw Valela and Lou amble around the camp, never finding the chance to talk to either. I get Valela, but why are you avoiding me too? You better not just be sulking that I uncovered your mysterious job. I promise I won¡¯t rub it in your face too much, just a week or two. The following day, the scholars got the chance to visit the nearby ruins escorted by two guards with blue uniforms. Kai was excited to stretch his legs and see the place for himself, his companions not so much. They had done several field trips and saw it as a chore that kept them away from real research. ¡°It¡¯s not the job of a scholar to recover the material,¡± Darlo huffed, walking up the trail across the jungle. The ruins were a couple miles away from the camp, most of them uphill. ¡°And where¡¯s the fun in that?¡± Sonya tried to cheer him up, but Darlo only deepened his frown. ¡°We might notice something new with the information Kai brought.¡± The chaotic woman also didn¡¯t mingle well in Darlo¡¯s pecking order. Though she seemed unaware of it¡ªor acted that way. She must be committed to avoiding politics. When they reached the top of the ridge, Kai thought he knew what to expect. He didn¡¯t. An army of pillars rose from the jungle that tried to swallow them. Vines, weeds and trees climbed the ivory shards, unable to entirely cover the smooth surface. There were more towers than the two ruins he had visited combined. ¡°It¡¯s quite a sight, isn¡¯t it?¡± Sonya shielded her eyes from the sun. ¡°To think they¡¯ve stood for eight millennia.¡± He tried and failed to count the buildings. ¡°It¡¯s massive.¡± ¡°I guess compared to the other sites it is. If the measurements we have are accurate, this should be the second-largest cluster. C¡¯mon, it¡¯s even better up close.¡± Kai rushed the descent to the annoyance of their escort. The towers were hidden by the trees¡¯ canopies before reappearing among the shrubbery. The vegetation at the end of the trail had been cut to form a clearing where seven magically constructed buildings and two dozen people stood. Darlo padded the sweat off his brow with a silk handkerchief. ¡°Do we already have a planned route to explore?¡± He turned to the woman in charge of their security escort. ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll be divided into two groups and circle the site in opposite directions with adjustments according to your requirements.¡± It¡¯s almost impressive how they manage to suck the fun out of everything. ¡°Can I go study the ruins alone? I¡¯ll have different interests since it¡¯s my first visit.¡± Kai put on his best smile. The mana density was too low even for red beasts, not that they would pose a danger. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll scream if a vine tries to strangle me.¡± The woman was unamused by the joke. ¡°Unfortunately, I can¡¯t let you go unaccompanied and there are only two of us to protect everyone.¡± ¡°I can go escort him if that¡¯s not a problem, ma¡¯am.¡± A voice intervened. After ghosting him for days, Lou sauntered up to him like nothing. He saluted the guard without meeting Kai¡¯s gaze. Fine, let¡¯s play strangers. ¡°Don¡¯t you have other duties to attend, cadet?¡± The woman''s tone was suddenly more amicable. ¡°No, ma¡¯am. My captain cleared me for the day. I¡¯m available to help where needed.¡± ¡°Well, if you insist on escorting the little scholar. Keep him to the outskirts of the site and return before dark.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± When the two groups disappeared into the ruins, Lou finally stooped to look at him. ¡°Since I¡¯m more familiar with the terrain I can show you the most relevant points of interest if that¡¯s alright with you.¡± Kai fought to not roll his eyes. ¡°Sure. Lead the way, guard boy.¡± He followed the mysterious stranger into the greenery and waited to be out of the keenest ears before speaking. ¡°Why are you¡ª¡± ¡°We¡¯ll talk later. Valela wants to see you.¡± Chapter 200 - Complicated Chapter 200 - Complicated It must be my lucky day. Not one but both his elusive friends wanted to talk with him. ¡°How do you know Valela? And what are you doing here?¡± Kai was successfully sidetracked from Lou¡¯s stubborn secrecy. The dirt path ran through ivory pillars and gnarly trees grasping for the sky. The signs of the Republic''s activity were everywhere: broken branches, moved earth and hardened rocks like those for their houses. Lou stiffened his shoulders but didn¡¯t stop striding into the dense shrubbery. ¡°What did you think I was doing all this time? Going around murdering kittens?¡± ¡°No, wait¡­ You work for her?¡± ¡°It¡¯s complicated.¡± Why do people love to say that to avoid answering? ¡°So I¡¯m too dumb to understand?¡± ¡°You know that¡¯s not the reason,¡± Lou said, still marching ahead. ¡°I just can¡¯t talk about it.¡± Kai struggled to keep his tone civil. ¡°I know you joined some shady project of the Republic, and you probably work for the governor since you wear his colors and he funded the scholarship program. I¡¯m not here to judge, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve got your reasons. But can I get one straight answer?¡± Lou halted and turned back on him. His jaw clenched and the veins pulsed on his neck. ¡°When I say I¡¯m not allowed to talk about it,¡± he uttered through gritted teeth like every word took a colossal effort. ¡°It¡¯s not a trust issue, I literally can¡¯t tell you about it.¡± The burly teen swayed like a reed and leaned against a tower to keep his feet. Tears swelled in his eyes for the first time since Kai had known him. Not tears of sadness or joy. When the drops ran down his face, they were crimson. Yatei¡¯s mercy. Kai was at his side before he realized. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you hurt? I¡¯ve got every healing potion.¡± He pulled a handful of vials out of his pockets using his ring, not caring how strange it looked. Mana Sense scanned every inch of the towering body. He couldn¡¯t find anything wrong with him apart from strong fluctuations of pain. ¡°Potions can¡¯t help.¡± Lou raised a hand to stop him, heaving for breath. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just. Need. A minute.¡± ¡°People who are fine don¡¯t usually leak blood from their eyes.¡± Kai watched in case the symptoms worsened and he toppled over. ¡°What kind of fucked up shit did you get into? Is it some kind of magic, or a curse? I can help if you tell me what¡¯s going on. Just a hint if you can¡¯t say more.¡± Lou exhaled a slow breath. ¡°I¡¯ve got no doubts you¡¯re an even better mage than you showed me, but you can¡¯t help with this. I did what I had to. Trust me, it¡¯s not as bad as it looks. I hope you¡¯ll forgive me if I don¡¯t share the details.¡± He somberly chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re hilarious.¡± ¡°I know.¡± He smiled, showing blood on his teeth. You stupid dumb giant. I should have beat more sense into you as a child. Kai raked a hand through his hair and paced between two trees. There was only one explanation he could think of. ¡°You signed a soul pact, didn¡¯t you?¡± He had read of magically enforced contracts, though the books never described the consequences of breaking one. He activated Aldred¡¯s memory skill. Mentions and obscured passages rose through the fog of years. Nothing that could help him now. Understandably, Lou remained quiet. A frown deepened on his brow. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say a word, I¡¯m just thinking aloud. A pact must include at least two people¡­ Who¡¯s the asshole that made you accept it? I swear, I¡¯m going to find them and squeeze their necks till their heads pop.¡± ¡°Kai, stop.¡± Lou took one faltering step, a hand on the tower for balance. ¡°You can¡¯t make someone enter a subordinate contract against their will.¡± ¡°Or maybe you have to say that. Just because you dress it differently, the essence doesn¡¯t change. There are plenty of ways to make someone act against their will.¡± Kai stopped his manic pacing. A thought smashed his mind. ¡°Was it Valela¡­?¡± It hurt to believe he had been deceived so thoroughly, but she stood in the center of everything and didn¡¯t lack the social skills to pull it off. I¡¯m such an idiot. Lou rubbed his temples. Opening his eyes, resignation mixed with determination. ¡°It¡¯s possible to sign a subordinate contract with someone of equal or weaker grade, but the pact will wear out quickly. And the backlash for minor infractions is proportional to the power imbalance between the parties.¡± Is he reading a textbook? ¡°You¡¯re saying it¡¯s not her?¡± Kai regretted not delving deeper into the topic when he was at the estate. Virya only gave him access to generic volumes, but they didn¡¯t mind answering questions when they were in the mood. ¡°I¡¯m just explaining common knowledge about contracts. I can¡¯t control your thoughts.¡± Oh¡­ there is a little wiggle room. ¡°So it¡¯s not her.¡± A contract between them wouldn¡¯t be very effective. She was just an enhancement higher than Lou. The discovery brought him an annoying amount of relief. She¡¯s still involved somehow¡­ ¡°We¡¯re running late.¡± Lou stood firm on his feet. ¡°She needs to talk with you, and she can¡¯t disappear for long without attracting attention.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. I should go ask her directly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant,¡± Lou groaned. ¡°Please, don¡¯t tell her about this.¡± ¡°We shouldn¡¯t keep her waiting. Where is she?¡± ¡°Kai¡­¡± ¡°Lead the way, guard boy. I promise I¡¯ll play nice.¡± If she tells me what I want. Lou studied his face, frowning, not that he had a choice. He strode across a patch of coral flowers and weeds. ¡°You are infuriating sometimes, you know that right?¡± Thanks, I do try my best. Crossing a patch of thorny bushes, they reached an ivory tower covered in lichens and blooming blue vines. It rose thirty meters to a jagged top like many of its neighbors. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°We need to enter here,¡± Lou nimbly climbed inside a window and stuck his arm out. ¡°Do you need a hand?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll manage.¡± Kai took a run-up for a graceful bounce that almost crashed him into the other teen. ¡°I told you I could do it. Where is she?¡± The interior was eerily similar to the towers on Yanlun. With earth and weeds in place of kelp and sand. Stray blocks of condensed rock piled here too. Hmm¡­ Compressed earth takes less space and it¡¯s easier to move. ¡°We need to go down.¡± Lou pointed to the square opening in the floor. A rope tied to a boulder provided easy access. ¡°The diggers and earth mages have already cleared this area of dirt and rubble. We shouldn¡¯t meet anyone, but in case we do, you want to explore this area for research.¡± ¡°Whatever you say, guard boy. You¡¯re the brains of the operation.¡± ¡°And I thought the twins were a handful¡­¡± Lou muttered as he lowered himself down the rope. Kai stepped into the hole and landed in a superhero crouch. Empower strengthened his legs to absorb the impact. The light dimmed since the windows were filled with dirt and roots. ¡°Show off.¡± Lou was envious of his glorious entrance. ¡°You¡¯ll sprain an ankle if you touch down wrong.¡± Kai grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t have three tons of muscles to weigh me down.¡± The unfairly large teen shook his head and climbed down the next aperture to the lowest level of the tower. It was connected to the underground complex with three doors. Scant rays of light filtered from the ceiling and cast most of the place in shadow. Dirt and rocks were piled in the corners. The air was damp, smelling of mud and moss. It must have taken an ungodly amount of effort to clear the room. Kai was curious to meet these earth mages. He had seen a few richly robed individuals on the day of his arrival, but they disappeared after that. How did Dad do it? The journals skimmed through the logistics of his exploration in favor of detailed accounts of architecture and glyphs. While there were skills like Mana Sense to perceive through rock and debris, it was easy to miss something. It was probably why the Republic went through the hassle to clear the ruins. Lou took out an enchanted globe to illuminate the chamber. Looking around to reorient himself, he picked the leftmost door. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a map?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve memorized the undergrounds,¡± Lou casually said¡ªdefinitely trying to get back at him. ¡°The meeting place isn¡¯t far.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just making sure.¡± The site was many times larger than the sea serpent ruins. Not enough to get lost forever, but enough for an unpleasant day. They jogged through a series of winding corridors. The mana density was slightly higher at this depth. Maybe it was the dark and humid cold, or the snake hissing in a corner. The atmosphere made him uneasy. Flashbacks of being chased through underwater tunnels crowded his mind. It¡¯s a little spooky, so what? These ruins are completely different. Another light peeked behind a corner, making him forget his worries. Valela stood with her arms crossed. A glowing ball floated lazily around her. She had left her swaying gowns for the pants, hat and brown leathers of a stylish adventurer. ¡°You¡¯re late, I can¡¯t stay long.¡± We¡¯re skipping greetings then? Kai set himself before her. ¡°What kind of pact did Lou make? What are the terms and who did he sign it with?¡± Lou stared blankly at him, mouth open, aghast. Better to get to the point if time is limited. The princess was taken aback and barricaded her thoughts behind a stoic veneer. Her gaze shifted between them. ¡°Lou told me you knew each other. How much did you pester him? It¡¯s dangerous to flaunt a soul pact.¡± ¡°So you know about it. How do I break the contract?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve no idea what you¡¯re talking about. I can¡¯t help you with this.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t or won¡¯t? Valela scowled. ¡°It¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°I swear if you say it¡¯s complicated, I¡¯m going to hit you.¡± Her eyes burned in irritation but her voice remained calm. ¡°It¡¯s an intricate situation with many moving pieces.¡± Cheater. ¡°I¡¯m serious. Who¡¯s forcing kids to enter binding contracts?¡± Lou recovered from the shock enough to glare at him. ¡°I¡¯m an adult and three years older than you. I wasn¡¯t forced to sign the c¡ª¡± He swayed on his feet, clutching his chest with a pained grimace. A wet cough left blood in his hand. Kai hurried to support him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡ª¡± ¡°I assume this wasn¡¯t the first time you made him push his restrictions today.¡± Valela sent him a reproachful look and helped Lou sit on a nearby boulder. ¡°He should be fine if you stop pressuring him.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t tell me this is fine! He can¡¯t mention a word without bleeding.¡± Valela stood up, hands on her hips. ¡°I¡¯m not debating fairness with you. We must work with what we''re given, not with what we wish it¡¯d be. You''ll only make things worse for him if you don¡¯t drop this.¡± Seeing Lou¡¯s strained expression, guilt and anger bubbled. He needed to do something. ¡°There must be a way to void the contract. For every skill and spell, there is a countermeasure.¡± ¡°Contract magic was studied to prevent exactly that. Otherwise, why would anyone bother?¡± she patiently explained. ¡°Maybe there is a way on the continent, but it¡¯s not something we can get our hands on. And even if we could, it would create more problems than it solved. I can¡¯t tell you the specific terms, but Lou wasn¡¯t forced to accept the deal, and there are significant pros with the cons.¡± Without information, Kai could only trust their words. Trust was frustration. ¡°Why can¡¯t he mention it if it¡¯s not shady?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡ª¡± Valela pursed her lips. ¡°The fewer people know, the better for everyone.¡± His fists clenched in irritation. ¡°How am I supposed to trust you if nobody tells me what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Kai, please¡­¡± Lou weakly said, attempting to stand up. ¡°Well, he¡¯s not totally wrong.¡± Valela sighed. Both heads snapped at her with surprise. ¡°Why did you think I called you here? I promised you an explanation on the ship, and I was going to if you had let me talk. It won¡¯t answer everything, but it might help clarify.¡± Huh¡­ Right, it was about the investigation. Seeing Lou''s pale visage, Kai decided to accept the consolation prize, for now. ¡°Uh¡­ What¡¯s up with the two camps and why do you both act as if you don¡¯t know me?¡± Neither relationship had been particularly secret, and the Republic loved snooping. ¡°Because the military probably doesn¡¯t know about it,¡± Valela answered for both. ¡°And it¡¯s better to keep it that way since you joined us in this mess. But it¡¯s easier if I explain in order. What do you know about the Republic power structure in the archipelago?¡± Kai shrugged. ¡°The governor¡¯s on top?¡± He had never been interested in learning the bureaucratic intricacies. ¡°How do you expect to improve things if you don¡¯t know how they work?¡± Valela looked peeved. She smoothed her clothes, halfway realizing she wore pants and not a dress. ¡°Yes, the governor holds the most power, followed by the council and the heads of the various departments. At least that¡¯s how it works in a normal province, but the archipelago has been annexed for less than a century.¡± Basically yesterday. Valela ignored his looks to continue her lecture. ¡°Usually, the commander of military forces works under the political wing and the governor. But in new territories, stability and integration aren¡¯t assured and the military wing has the final say if public safety is at risk. Right now, the beasts¡¯ accidents are threading that line, and both want to control the investigation.¡± ¡°You mean they¡¯re squabbling like children?¡± Kai delivered in a flat tone. ¡°Ignore my face, I¡¯m actually shocked to my core. But how does that interest me?¡± Valela huffed. ¡°You mean apart from the fact the archipelago is our home, and you¡¯re now involved in the investigation?¡± ¡°You read my mind.¡± He nodded with seriousness. The princess looked strangely untrusting of his words. ¡°The two sides are keeping information from each other such as our acquaintance. And besides stopping the attacks, they want control of whatever is behind the beasts¡¯ appearance. The whole archipelago could be impacted if the military gets their hand on it first.¡± Beasts go on a murderous rampage and the guys in charge want to figure out how to make a mesar out of it. How could that ever happen? He hadn¡¯t expected the divide to go so deep. ¡°What if it¡¯s not something that can be controlled but only stopped for good? What will they do?¡± ¡°I know the Republic does many questionable things and you¡¯ve no reason to trust them, but they¡¯re humans too. They¡¯ll stop it.¡± Oh, I¡¯m sure some are decent people. The question is how many, and if they¡¯re the ones in charge. ¡°Can you swear on that?¡± ¡°I can do better,¡± Valela held his gaze. ¡°I promise to do it myself if they delay. That¡¯s why I need you to tell me if you find anything. Can I count on you for that?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Wait.¡± Kai raised a hand to ask for silence. The unease he felt since coming down here had grown into something tangible. A terror suddenly gripped his guts. Hallowed Intuition¡¯s ominous whispers rose, heralding nothing good. He stretched his Perception to find the threat. Did some military personnel stumble upon their meeting? The threat had no clear direction, and Mana Sense didn¡¯t detect any other human in the vicinity. With the skill drawn, he quickly noticed when mana started to flow unnaturally. Motes gathered inside the ruins. Not again. I didn¡¯t do shit this time. There was no time to curse. Kai grabbed both Lou and Valela. ¡°We need to get out of here!¡± Chapter 201 - Run Chapter 201 - Run Run. Run. Run. ¡°Release my arm,¡± Valela demanded while Lou coolly asked. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why do we need to run?¡± This can¡¯t be happening again. He stopped at an intersection of two corridors. Kai had lost count of the twists and turns they had taken to get here. Should he climb the nearest tower for an exit? It was slower to move in the dense vegetation outside. I should have never come here. The tunnels were narrow and dark, the flow of mana growing stronger like when the sea serpent appeared. Could the ruins have another reason to gather mana? He¡¯d rather find out from a distance. Why now? Where do I go? Lou and Valela were speaking again. He couldn¡¯t hear them. The only sound was blood pumping in his ears. ¡°We need to run.¡± What beast is it going to be this time? What if we can¡¯t outrun it? Heart raced, shallow breathing. His eyes darted between the corridors covered in slick moss. Mana sped into a chaotic vortex all around. Where was the summoning chamber? If he picked the wrong direction he might run into the gaping maws of a beast. Panic set in. A slap woke him from his stupor. Kai held his cheek, more from shock than pain. ¡°You slapped me.¡± He said accusingly. Valela blushed but didn¡¯t avert her gaze. ¡°You weren¡¯t making any sense. What¡¯s going on? Is this a prank for not telling you everything? I need to head back.¡± ¡°Kai, you¡¯re safe.¡± Lou gently guided his eyes on him, voice deep and soothing. ¡°Tell us what¡¯s wrong. Why did you start running all of a sudden?¡± Hmm¡­ He should be a radio host. No, focus. Run. ¡°We¡¯re not safe. Can¡¯t you feel the mana gathering?¡± Lou scrunched his brows, a gruff Mana Sense swept around him, but it was Valela who spoke up first. ¡°The mana density is increasing.¡± Her voice was lined with delight. She pirouetted following the streams of essence. ¡°We need to follow it. This is our chance to figure out what¡¯s going on.¡± Kai grabbed her before she could wander off. She stared icily at his hand, but he didn¡¯t loosen his grasp. His instincts screamed to run fueled by Hallowed Intuition and his last experience. He clung to his veneer of clarity. ¡°This is how the ruins summon yellow-grade beasts. We need to get out now.¡± Valela stopped yanking her arm, blood drained from her face. She lightly shook her head, eyes narrowing. ¡°How can you be sure? This could be our only chance to figure out what''s going on.¡± Kai held her suspicious gaze. ¡°You need to trust me on this. There is no time to explain, we need to leave the mana anomaly.¡± The princess was about to object when Lou stepped between them. ¡°Ma¡¯am, I can vouch for him. We need to move.¡± The teen didn¡¯t wait for her response, deep eyes peering at Kai. ¡°Where¡¯s the beast going to appear? I can¡¯t find the source.¡± Kai put aside the odd bout of trust. ¡°Give me a moment.¡± He extended his Mana Sense as far as he could, but there was no end to the chaotic flow. ¡°I can¡¯t tell either. It should be in one of the larger chambers.¡± What if the Vastaire who lived here decided to put the summoning chamber in a tower? Or in a room at random. We need to run. Lou¡¯s grip tightened on his shoulder. ¡°Kai, focus. How much longer do we have?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± How long did it take for the sea serpent? He hadn¡¯t thought much about that day, or at all really. One experience didn¡¯t make a rule, he only had guesswork. ¡°About five minutes. Sorry, I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Despite his even tone and reassuring smile, Lou was tense like a bowstring. ¡°I know an exit near the edge of the ruins. This way.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Valela threw worried looks at the murky tunnels. ¡°If Kai¡¯s right, we need to warn the others. There are people digging and mapping the underground and more outside.¡± Damn. ¡°The scholars are here too.¡± Kai rubbed a hand through his hair. ¡°I don¡¯t know if they went underground.¡± He didn¡¯t want to see them ripped apart¡ªnot even Darlo. Lou spoke with forceful calm. ¡°Remember every group has guards. They¡¯ll notice something is happening and get to safety. We have no idea where they are.¡± Or they¡¯ll run straight for it like the princess. Shit, it was better when I was alone. Valela raised her chin. ¡°Can those guards fight a yellow beast?¡± ¡°Better than we can, ma¡¯am. You can¡¯t die here. We¡¯ll warn them when we are safe.¡± Kai observed the exchange of glances. Curiosity almost burned through his urgency. Almost. He could pester them after they got out. Valela looked between the corridors, ready to dash. Her shoulders slumped in defeat. ¡°Lead the way, cadet.¡± ¡°This way.¡± Lou moved from jogging to all-out running. He held the scabbard at his side to keep it from rattling. They chased his back through the maze of dark and damp tunnels. Boots stomped the ground with labored breaths¡ªKai cursed his inadequate clothes and shoes. In Higharbor he didn¡¯t need sturdy clothing and quickly outgrew the old ones. If they had given me more than an hour to pack¡­ Not every tunnel and chamber had been cleared. Some had a layer of earth and bluish moss, others were barred by a wall of rocks. They passed a patch of pale mushrooms infused with Shadow mana. If he didn¡¯t get eaten, he might come back to collect a sample. The whirlwind of mana swelled, stronger and vaster. Spirits willing, it was just a byproduct of the size of the ruins with no other effect. No matter how far they ran, Hallowed Intuition didn¡¯t quieten, if anything the whispers grew more frenzied. Lou had the lowest grade at Orange ¡ï¡ï but made up with his physique and profession. He checked on them over his shoulder with breath to spare. Kai kept up with Empower, a precise trickle to conserve his mana, and Valela¡¯s strained breaths closed the line. She was months away from her Second Seal and running must not be one of her hobbies. She slowed, muttering under her breath. Before they could think of stopping, mana revolved around her, and she closed the distance. I must ask her how that works if we survive. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. They stopped in a wide chamber with a single door and an opening in the ceiling four meters above. ¡°Climbing is too slow. We need to jump.¡± Lou crossed his hands to make a foothold. ¡°You first, ma¡¯am.¡± Valela was catching her breath. Her eyes burned with protest. ¡°I¡ª¡± ¡°Go. I can handle it.¡± Kai stopped her from overthinking it. Her lips pressed in an annoyed line. ¡°I¡¯m going to jump back down if you¡¯re lying.¡± With a stiff look, she took a run-up and jumped on Lou¡¯s hold. Her leap was graceful but lacked Strength. She would have missed the opening if Lou hadn¡¯t pushed her. Valela flew into the room above with a scream at an unexpected speed. A string of bloody curses when she landed. ¡°Are you fine, ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she answered curtly. Constitution was the most unassuming attribute, making bones and muscles sturdier among other things. Kai set himself across from Lou, making a foothold for him. ¡°You¡¯re next. No arguing. You know I can jump by myself.¡± The teen read the stubborn determination on his face and followed the order like a good boy. ¡°We¡¯re going to talk about this later.¡± We sure are. He got a flash of concern when Lou¡¯s towering form charged towards him. Kai gritted his teeth and braced. The boot hit his hands with the weight of a bull. Empower wove through his body. He held firm with a grunt, though he had no Strength to push him. Lou leaped over him. He gripped the edge of the passage with both hands and pulled himself up in the same motion as if he had done it a million times before. His arms extended down the opening. ¡°I¡¯ll catch you. No arguing.¡± Damn punk. Kai estimated the distance. If he missed, the fall would hurt quite a bit. He sprinted, and a push from Empower sent him gliding through the air. Getting grabbed by Lou and lifted like a child was less elegant. Emergencies called for heavy sacrifices. Sunlight fell from above together with a wisp of fresh air. There were two more floors to cross, the ceiling slightly lower. Valela and Lou were ready for another jump when the streams of mana stopped. Everyone¡¯s attention snapped to the phenomenon below. Damn, this wasn¡¯t five minutes. The anomaly reached its peak. The whisper that had quietened after the jump surged, Hallowed Intuition begged him to run. ¡°Don¡¯t stop! We¡¯re out of time,¡± Kai urged. Fuck. A series of shocks crossed the cloud of mana. A piercing screech echoed from the tunnels below. Restricted by walls and ground, Mana Sense couldn¡¯t reach the beast, but Kai didn¡¯t doubt it was there. Hungry. We didn¡¯t run in the wrong direction. Valela unfroze, eyes wide, the reality of the situation sunk in. She almost tripped in the run-up. Her leap had no grace but more than enough Strength. Lou helped her adjust the trajectory so she didn¡¯t crash into the ivory stone. She should work on her jumps. Lou looked at him like he was taking measures to throw him up. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it. My Mana Sense is better to keep an eye on the underground. Hurry.¡± A low threatening growl resounded from the tunnels, and Lou acquiesced with a disgruntled look. ¡°Get ready. I can jump this distance by myself.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be right behind you.¡± Kai dragged a few large rocks together. He had only gathered a small reserve of Earth mana to experiment with the camp barracks, and it would be little use in a fight. While Lou leaped behind him, Kai closed his eyes to visualize the spell. He ignored the yells to hurry. The dark brown motes flowed into the pile of rock and dirt, fusing them into an ugly slab. Veins of lighter crumbly earth crossed the half-melted rock. You won¡¯t win any beauty pageants, but it¡¯s a decent first try. He pushed the malformed plate over the floor aperture, praying it wouldn¡¯t immediately crack. For once, spirits were merciful. The slab wouldn¡¯t stop a yellow beast, but it might delay or make it choose a different path. ¡°Kai, hurry.¡± Crossing the last two floors was a blur. The muffled growls were followed by a stronger clamor that made the tower shake. Kai caught a fleeting presence at the edge of his range in the tunnels below, gone too fast to determine who or what it was. Each second they feared a beast would burst from the floor. When the windows showed light instead of a wall of roots, they threw themselves on the weeds outside. Valela landed with a wince of pain, holding her left ankle. ¡°It¡¯s just a bruise, I can walk.¡± Her pristine appearance was marked by tears and scraps. She drank a blue vial before Kai could offer one of his. We¡¯re out. Relief flooded his veins. Yells echoed in the distance. They stood at the edge of the ruins with only two pillars behind them. He didn¡¯t recognize the area. After the mad rush, they took a few seconds to rest. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you also had an affinity for Earth,¡± Lou mused. ¡°You mean he has more?¡± Valela quipped in. ¡°Uh¡­ I remember you could use Water.¡± Does anyone else want to mind my own business? No one? ¡°It¡¯s not like you¡¯ve told me yours either.¡± Kai huffed. ¡°Sorry. I was just surprised.¡± Lou hung his head guilty. Valela stood up with a grimace. ¡°I noticed you fusing the rocks if that helps.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. We better move further to be safe.¡± An enraged roar crossed through the jungle to prove his point. Not the faded echo they heard in the tower, it was coming from outside. Crashing trees joined by distinctly human screams of pain. Damn. That beast sounds stupidly large too. Why can¡¯t the ruins summon a magic hamster for once? Valela headed straight for the commotions, limping on one leg. ¡°We need to help them.¡± Hmm¡­ she must really care. ¡°We¡¯ll only get in the way.¡± Lou used his reasonable tone. ¡°The yellow guards will deal with it. The best we can do is get to safety and not give them more people to rescue.¡± Kinda boring, but it makes an awful lot of sense. Maybe we can watch from a distance. ¡°The safest place is with the group.¡± Valela continued marching undeterred. ¡°The guards can protect us there, and I can help from a safe distance.¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am¡ª¡± ¡°Remember who¡¯s in charge. I¡¯m going, you can do what you prefer.¡± She¡¯s a whole other level of stubbornness. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Kai followed her¡ªnot like it was a real choice, Lou wasn¡¯t going to leave her. It wouldn¡¯t be terrible to observe the battle and see how yellow grades fought. ¡°Let me go ahead, my Mana Sense has the longest range. I don¡¯t want us to stumble in the path of the beast.¡± ¡°I can do it too.¡± Valela somehow managed to walk elegantly despite her limp. ¡°I¡¯m studying to enroll in a mana academy, Mana Sense is my highest skill.¡± ¡°Oh, is your skill at level 90 too?¡± The princess missed a step, Lou caught her before she could kiss the ground. ¡°As I thought.¡± Kai waved imperiously to make way. ¡°Behind me, peasants.¡± After enduring their bullshit secrecy, it felt nice to show off. His Mana Sense was at level 96 to be precise, but it would be a problem if the princess fainted. No longer restricted by the cramped corridors and ground, he could stretch his perception almost a hundred meters. A colossal, blinding presence thrashed circled by a dozen fireflies of different brightness. Yells to surround and strike the beast reached them clearly. Climbing over a fallen tree, the battle came into view. He might also use someone to catch him too. That shouldn¡¯t be possible. One of the immaculate towers had been smashed to pieces with a single ivory spike still standing. Chunks of stone were strewn over the devastated jungle floor. The large crater where the pillar had stood left no doubt of the culprit. A colossal lizard growled on large squat legs, a dozen meters of brown armored skin covered in black spikes. Crouched in the burrow, the tail whipped to keep the soldiers at bay. Its long snout was filled with jagged teeth like that of a crocodile. It didn¡¯t look as agile or long as the sea serpent, but Kai would have picked the snake every time. Its jaws snapped forward crushing the arm of a man too slow to retreat. His companions pulled him back in time, but the excruciating screams didn¡¯t stop. A black spear split the air in retaliation. It stuck behind the joint of a leg drawing dark-red blood faster than his eyes could follow. The armored lizard let out a guttural roar. Standing at the brink of Mana Sense, Kai noticed the wave of brownish mana gathering too late. Shards of rock exploded in every direction around the beast. Kai hastily conjured a layer of ice. A piece of stone larger than his head flew on their right, narrowly missing the shield and felling a tree. He didn¡¯t want to know if it would have blocked the attack. A lizard built like a tank that can also use stone magic, because why not, right? Let¡¯s give it a rocket launcher too. And I complained about a little snake. Thankfully, the soldiers had reacted faster than them and were mostly unscathed. Recognizing the attack, they took shelter behind nearby towers. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s better if we leave it to the experts. I think they have it handled.¡± Kai proposed. If they kept away from the jaws and barbed tail, they should be able to chip its defenses away till it died. Valela stared at the ongoing battle, unresponsive. Lou heartily nodded. ¡°Yeah, we¡ª¡± A rumbling croak filled the jungle. Kai turned to see the world''s fattest toad squeeze out of a tower on their left with a triumphant squeak. Tons of bluish flesh covered in purple warts crashed into the jungle. Kai might have laughed if the beast didn¡¯t shine with a burning yellow presence. Chapter 202 - Meddling Beasts Chapter 202 - Meddling Beasts Why is there another one? He had heard a screech inside the tunnels, but he had blamed it on the spatial anomaly. In all of the reports he read, beasts always appeared alone. Did Seryne withhold information? Or was it the size of Kawei''s ruins? Croak! The human-sized toad surveyed the scene with its protruding eyes, horizontal pupils looked unblinking in opposite directions. It swelled its lighter vocal sac and took a cheerful bounce. The ground shook under its glistening bluish body while the vegetation hissed and withered. You¡¯re right, Mr. Frog. The why doesn¡¯t matter till we get rid of you. The stone croc-lizard was around high yellow, while the fat toad was closer to the beginning of the grade. He hadn¡¯t seen enough beasts of that level to judge more accurately. Crouched beside the broken tower, the croc-lizard let out a low growl. It took advantage of the general shock to bolt at the nearest soldier. The man had his screams cut short beneath the fangs of the beast. Bones crunched and blood dripped down the brown scaly snout. The disturbing sounds broke the lull and prompted the rage of his comrades. Before any of them could charge in retaliation, a spear-wielding man shouted to change their formation. Deterred by the snapping jaws of the beast, the soldiers followed the command, retreating out of striking range. Blue and black uniforms were brought together in the emergency. Run. ¡°We need to get away from the fighting,¡± Kai whispered and shook Valela¡¯s shoulders to repay the earlier slap. ¡°You were zoning out. We need to move. Lou, can you carry her?¡± Hearing his name, the big boy woke up from his stupor. Fear painted his face, showing his fifteen years of age. ¡°Hmm¡­ yes.¡± He nodded and mechanically moved through the motions with a blank look. Valela¡¯s gaze darted all over the place in a frenzy. ¡°I can walk.¡± ¡°Not fast enough. You¡¯ll get us killed if you can¡¯t run.¡± The chunky toad showed no intention of joining the ongoing battle. A slimy mucus oozed from its purple warts, sizzling a trail of death in the vegetation. The acid might kill or cripple them before they used a potion, if his concoctions even worked. Dora¡¯s vials in his ring might have a chance, but they weren¡¯t made for this type of poison. Such rotten luck. Guess I should be grateful we didn¡¯t meet it in the tunnels. The toad bounced closer. Kai wasn¡¯t going to underestimate a yellow beast just because it looked dumb and clumsy. He suppressed the urge to run, creeping back to not attract the attention of the beast. With Valela on Lou¡¯s back, they retraced their steps towards the edge of the ruins, using the leafy shrubberies as a cover between the ivory towers. A new squad of guards joined the fray from the camp. The officer in charge sent six men to keep the toad busy while the main group dealt with the main threat. Excluding the poor sods who had gotten eaten or maimed, they might just survive till more reinforcements arrived. Croak! Preening its slabbery frame, the toad inflated its throat and spit a purple blob at the coming attackers. The spit glowed with mana, crossing the distance like a bullet. The squad dove to avoid the attack. The acid splashed in the middle of the group, showering them with purple droplets. Plants hissed and burned, but the sound was soon overpowered by pained screams. A young guard held the melting skin of his face. He writhed on the ground crying in pain as his companions attempted to wash off the acid. The rest of the unit avoided the worst, some ripped off their sizzling clothes and took cover behind a pillar. The fallen man stopped screaming, either dead or unconscious. Another guard in a blue uniform dragged him away from the battle, leaving only four people in military black. Two with yellow professions and only one with his race. Croak! Instead of pressing the attack, the toad turned and bounced towards the trio. Guided by chance or hunger, the beast would reach them in seconds. There was no point in stealth. ¡°Run!¡± Lou sprinted, Valela holding onto his shoulders. Empower flooded his body, Kai dashed after them. They just needed to take time for the guards to catch up¡ª The whispers of Hallowed Intuition spiked. Mana Sense latched on to the bright skin-melting projectile flying towards them. Dodging would leave a straight path for Lou and Valela. They might avoid the main strike but not the aftermath. Damn, Mr. Frog! Kai cast a revolving water shield behind him. It was faster than using ice and it didn¡¯t run the risk of shattering and sprinkling the acid around. The glob plunged into the bubble, twisting its shape. A solid shot would have pierced through, but the liquid glob messily dispersed its momentum. He fed more mana into the shield to keep it from exploding in his face. His attempts at freezing the acid were hindered by the foreign mana. His head pounded with effort. Kai got the tinted liquid under control and sent it splashing back at its owner. The fat toad was too committed to its charge to evade. It tanked the lethal mixture head-on. The acid splashed over its coarse hide with no effect besides an indignant croak. The wannabe prince frog bounced with renewed vigor towards the princess and her two squires. You¡¯re the one trying to kill me, asshole. Lou and Valela were safely out of range, so Kai sprinted for his life. Blocking the acid had taken a chunk of mana. He wouldn''t win a contest of endurance, and a frontal fight sounded even more ridiculous. Where the fuck are those guards! He didn¡¯t have the breath to curse or look around. Another glob of acid was heading for him. With his friends out of the way and the whispers of warning, Kai ducked behind a tree and cast a layer of water to take care of the splashes. The ground trembled, the toad was about three bounces away, bulldozing through the vegetation. He conjured a volley of icicles and scrambled to run. The bolts shattered against its thick hide, dealing no damage and making the toad madder. Why don¡¯t you go bully someone at your grade, you failed frog! He could have really used Flynn¡¯s Lightning affinity right now. Nature and Water couldn¡¯t do enough damage without a long cast, let alone the elements he had no skill for. His sword might pierce the thick blue skin, but that would mean using the ring and going within striking range of the toad. He wasn¡¯t that desperate yet. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Hallowed Intuition solved his indecision, yelling at him to move. Kai didn¡¯t question the command, he threw himself to the side. A dark projectile shot overhead splintering a tree and spraying acid in its wake. Rotting ancestors, what was that? He rolled on the ground, a veil of water over him. The strike wasn¡¯t made of acid but of slabbery flesh. The toad slurped back its long tongue with a disappointed croak. Kai could smell the sweet stink of decay wafting from it. I¡¯m so fucked. Mana pumped in his body to get him to the closest tower for cover. Jumping inside would leave him unable to dodge and possibly trapped. He was close to the area where they exited the ruins, the dense jungle a little further beyond. Spirits willing, that would slow down the beast. The meaty toad tensed for a final bounce, at that distance not even Hallowed Intuition would save him from a strike. He wouldn¡¯t make it in time. Mana linked his spatial closet and his sword. Exposing his secret was better than excruciating death. He had to be alive to suffer the consequences. A streak of snowy brilliance sailed over his head with blinding mana. It centered on the voice sac of the toad, interrupting its jump. Frost crept over the blue skin and fought to cover the beast. Valela stood alone thirty paces away, a bone-white wand glimmering in her hand. She chanted in a language of power to prepare for another attack. The enraged toad flared its mana, the frozen skin cracked to push back the ice. ¡°¡­ selrih¡¯va neshse!¡± Valela finished her arcane spell. A jet of orange flames flew from the wand. The crackling fire splashed over one of the toad¡¯s protruding eyes. Why does she get to have fireballs? How¡¯s that fair? The beast wailed in pain, thrashing against a tree to extinguish the flame. Done with her second spell, Valela had the presence of mind to make herself scarce. The toad directed its fury at the only target available¡ªhim¡ª, the dark tongue struck with lopsided aim. He cast a water shield and sidestepped the attack. The oozing flesh barely slowed to pierce the bubble, but Kai wrapped the water around the stretched tongue and froze it. The added weight made it drop limply to the ground where vines and roots rose over the ice to lock it in place. Fucking got you! The toad made panicked gurgling sounds, trying to pull it back. Unable to spit properly, it sprinkled acid around him. Despite the ecological damage to the jungle underbrush, Kai easily fended off the stray droplets. He summoned more Water and Nature mana to prolong the tug of war. The rubbery flesh rebuffed his ice blades and melted the roots. He just held on because the toad was unwilling to pull with its entire Strength and rip its tongue off. You should have apologized when you had the chance, Mr. Frog. Bullies never end well. Lou charged out of the dense shrubs. He wielded a longsword with both hands, metal brimming with a dark glow. He channeled his momentum into an overhead slash. The black blade cut two thirds of the tongue before stopping. Murky blood poured from the wound, but Kai''s relief was short-lived. ¡°Take cover!¡± Pushed beyond reason by the pain, the toad went berserk. Its mana churned and the purple warts on its back spewed out a purple mist that melted any plant life into sizzling puddles. Lou tried to run back. His weapon got stuck in the flesh, delaying him an instant too long. The deadly tide washed over him. Kai hastily summoned a clear mist to protect him. He grabbed Lou¡¯s belt and yanked him back with the full might of Empower. The teen landed beside him, giving Kai the time to properly condense a water shield. He drenched them thoroughly, dragging them to cover. Well, you can¡¯t do that with fire or lightning. ¡°Are you hurt anywhere?¡± Lou coughed and scrambled to get his feet under him to run. He looked deathly pale, steel sword rattling on the ground. ¡°Just¡ª Uh¡­ Some superficial burns.¡± He sheathed the sword that almost cost him his life and poured a potion over the twisted red skin on his wrist. ¡°Thanks for the help.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome. It was nice of you to come back.¡± ¡°Yeah, I told Valela to let you die horribly for our sake, but she insisted.¡± Lou chuckled awkwardly. ¡°Sorry¡­ that was too soon.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nice to see even rocks can grow some humor.¡± ¡°I should have let you get eaten,¡± Lou snorted. ¡°Too late, you''ll regret it for the rest of your life.¡± Half-blind and copiously bleeding, the toad thrashed through trees and slammed into a tower. Its croak turned into guttural wheezes of pain. The blackened tongue hung limp and useless from its mouth. It worked even better than severing it fully. ¡°Surround it!¡± A dozen soldiers ran out of trees, armed with bows and spears. All but one wore the uniform of the military. ¡°Keep away from the acid mist and finish it from a safe distance.¡± The man in charge approached them. ¡°We got it handled,¡± he snorted. ¡°Run to the forward base for rescue before you get yourself killed.¡± Kai was too shocked to formulate a response. He was pretty sure it was the same yellow guy from the initial charge. Did you stop to take a sandwich along the way? The main team still fought with the croc-lizard at the center of the ruins. The gravely growls of the beast shook the leaves of the trees With the frenetic pace of battle, it might have been less than a minute from the toad¡¯s first strike. Kai didn¡¯t believe for a second that it was a coincidence the military arrived right when Mr. Frog posed no threat. Did they try to get us killed? Nails dug in his clenched fist and blood pumped into his ears. Fury burned his mind, fueling the desire to shove the man into the acid mist. He could use a root to trip them to be more discreet. He didn¡¯t care whether it was the bullshit infighting of the Republic, or a bunch of cowards scared to risk their lives after their comrade got melted. Someone would pay for this. Lou dragged him away bodily. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯re safe, it¡¯s over.¡± This is so not over. He glared a hole through the fucker¡¯s head and committed his cowardly face to memory as Lou carried him away bodily. Not only did they let them almost die, but they also stole the kill. He would be surprised if he got a chip for the carcass. ¡°I¡¯m going to mur¡ª¡± Lou covered his mouth before he could finish his threat. ¡°Don¡¯t be a fool, they can hear you,¡± he whispered in his ear. ¡°There is no point warning them to watch their backs. If it was intentional, I¡¯ll take care of them.¡± The cold fury in Lou¡¯s tone doused his flames. The teen might lack experience fighting doomed battles, but he had an iron hold on his temper. Hmm¡­ they do say revenge is better served cold. They circled the ruins¡¯ outer edge when Valela limped into sight. She stood near the tower they had escaped from, clutching a green vial in each hand. ¡°Are you hurt anywhere? I¡¯ve more than enough potions.¡± ¡°We¡¯re fine, ma¡¯am.¡± Lou hid his injured hand. ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious.¡± Valela bit her lip, head down in shame. ¡°I can¡¯t explain how sorry I am. I know I almost got you killed. We should have run away immediately when we escaped the ruins.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize. No one could have predicted this would happen.¡± Kai nodded. He would have gone to look anyway. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± ¡°Still, if there is anythin¡ª¡± Screeeeech! A slender draconic figure perched on the window of the tower. Its pearly scales shimmered in the sun while its tail ended in a bleeding stump. Its slit blue eyes set on them with the unmistakable mana signature of a low yellow beast. Nonono. This can¡¯t be. Why are there three of them? The wyrmling spread its two leathery wings, letting out another piercing screech. It dove towards them with lazy grace. Kai burned his remaining Water mana to summon a wall of ice. The shield barely held under the first assault, large cracks forming over its surface. The group scrambled to retreat, but there was no shelter or running from this flying beast. Even the useless soldiers were too far away to help. Lou grabbed on his longsword, stiffly forming his guard. Valela fiddled with her spatial satchel to retrieve her wand, chanting a spell that would take too long to complete. Spirits, what a shit day! There was no other choice. Kai pulled his enchanted crystal sword from his ring, getting ready for another confrontation. His elemental reserve was as good as empty, but he still had enough unattuned mana to fuel Empower. If the soldiers bothered to help, he might even survive the wounded lizard. The wyrmling¡¯s fangs breached the ice. It flicked its forked tongue to taste the air and probably their fear too. It leaped, jaws open in a hungry snarl. Only, it never reached them. Its flight ended halfway. The beast hit the ground in two separate pieces missing a wing. Makyn, his faithful porter, stood between them with a bloodied sword. Moving in a blur, he stabbed his blade through the slitted eye and finished off the wyrmling. He turned to regard them. ¡°Are any of you hurt?¡± Kai grinned. The spirits hadn¡¯t forsaken him after all. ¡°Have I ever told you how much I love your smiling face?¡± ¡°No.¡± His icy eyes fell on his sword. ¡°Where did you get that blade?¡± Chapter 203 - The Lesser Evil Chapter 203 - The Lesser Evil Kai scratched his head in confusion. Improvisation masked his nervousness and the cold sweat down his back. He was happy to avoid a death duel with the wyrmling, though it peeved him to have revealed his ring for nothing. The beast lay in a widening pool of pale ichor, slitted eyes staring empty at the sky. It was two meters of gleaming pearl scales, its tail probably severed during the teleportation. Despite being low yellow and wounded, it was hard to believe how easily Makyn had killed it. The same man who now watched him, expecting an answer. I can still salvage this. ¡°You mean this one?¡± Kai looked at the serpent sword in his hands as if he¡¯d just realized it was there. Edgar had helped him cloak the elemental enchantments, though it couldn¡¯t hide the fact it had them. ¡°It¡¯s quite pretty and sharp. Valela gave it to me earlier.¡± He peered at the princess¡¯ fat satchel with unconcealed desire. ¡°I can¡¯t believe all the stuff you fit in that bag. How many weapons do you carry?¡± If he blabbered enough, his companions might decide to go along with him. He was out of better options. Lou nodded along without missing a beat, no doubt planning to question him later. Valela shifted her gaze between him and the sword. She hid her puzzlement behind a prideful smile. ¡°As today has proven, it¡¯s better to be prepared for any occurrence. You never know when you might need a sword.¡± Thanks, sorry I thought you were a spoiled brat. Even if he gaslit Makyn that the sword had always been there, Valela and Lou would piece together the truth. Kai was confident they wouldn¡¯t sell him out or rob him¡ªat least not out of greed. Makyn waved off an approaching soldier. ¡°I¡¯ve got this handled. Go help finish the other beasts and help the wounded.¡± The man tripped on his feet to get away from the steely gaze. Without another soul for a hundred meters, his attention switched back to them. ¡°I saw you pull it out.¡± The man stated with unwavering certainty. Spirits¡­ I should have picked a dumber porter. Kai raised an eyebrow. ¡°So you were watching as we almost got eaten?¡± It explained why Hallowed Intuition hadn¡¯t spiked at the danger. With the ongoing battle in the distance, the whispers were constant in the background. Valela stepped forward with her arms crossed. ¡°Why did you wait till the last moment to intervene?¡± She managed to look down her nose despite the height difference. ¡°You can be certain the council will learn every detail of today¡¯s disappointing performance. The military¡¯s incompetence almost cost our lives.¡± Hmm¡­ Nice Karen-mode, you must teach me how to do it. Makyn tempered his stare from polar arctic to cold professionalism. ¡°I was occupied with other duties and had just reached the site, ma¡¯am. If there were any cases of gross negligence among the troops, you can be assured they¡¯ll be dealt with accordingly.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure. The high councilor will be happy to hear every detail.¡± The man acquiesced with a nod. ¡°As for the wyrmling, ma¡¯am.¡± His boot tapped the carcass bleeding pale ichor into the grass. ¡°I was keeping a distance to give you some privacy and intervened as soon as I noticed the threat. Since the ice spell fended off the initial assault, I waited for an opening to finish off the beast. It would have been problematic if the wyrmling escaped to the skies. I apologize if I didn¡¯t immediately reveal myself.¡± Yatei¡¯s mercy, is he a lawyer too? ¡°Huh¡­ that¡¯s a reasonable decision if what you say is true.¡± Valela conceded. ¡°I expect to receive a full report and be given full access to investigate today¡¯s event.¡± Makyn stood unruffled. ¡°I don¡¯t have the authority to grant that, ma¡¯am, but I¡¯ll inform my superior of your request.¡± He looked back at Kai, scanning him from head to toe. ¡°It still doesn¡¯t change what I saw.¡± You¡¯re more persistent than the stain I burned on my wall. Can¡¯t you pretend to get gaslighted and forget about it? I should have fired you when i had the chance. ¡°Am I required to explain every action I take to you?¡± In a last-ditch effort, Kai stomped his feet like a kid throwing a tantrum. ¡°The contract said I¡¯d share my knowledge of the Vastaire civilization. This has nothing to do with it.¡± Makyn¡¯s gaze grew a few degrees colder, lingering on the silver ring and chain bracelet. ¡°You¡¯re correct. You aren¡¯t forced to answer my questions.¡± Despite the flat tone, the meaning was crystal clear. If not him, whom? You merciless bastard. I can¡¯t even be properly mad at you since you just saved us. Dammit¡­ The constant running and fighting for his life crashed on him like a wave. His shoulder sagged as adrenaline left his body. He was exhausted emotionally and physically. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s talk. You two can go ahead.¡± It had been foolish to believe he could bamboozle the man. Lou looked concerned, while Valela scrunched her delicate brows. ¡°Are you sure? You can come under my employment, you¡¯ve been very useful today.¡± Her emerald eyes promised she¡¯d take care of the situation if he wished. You mean to erase the favor I owe you? I hope the offer doesn¡¯t expire if this goes wrong¡­ ¡°Thank you for the offer, I¡¯m good. You know who to look for if I¡¯m mysteriously found dead.¡± Kai chuckled, throwing a meaningful glance at his porter. He was in too deep to give up. The investigation of the ruins had grown beyond a matter of curiosity to potentially affect the entire archipelago. The military would give him the best shot at finding the truth. ¡°I see. You can keep the sword. I''ve got people to call and letters to write. Come find me when you¡¯re done, I¡¯ll need your witness account of the events.¡± Valela gracefully limped away. Her request for a meeting would ensure he returned safely. Lou threw him one last glance before following her. Some familiarity was expected after they survived together. She still wanted to pretend they didn¡¯t know each other. Makyn might wonder how they met in the ruins, but anything could have happened in the general chaos. Unless nosy-boy lied on when he got here, but he doesn¡¯t strike me as a liar. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Officer Seryne would have more pressing issues to worry about. Today confirmed that beasts appeared inside the Vastaire sites, though not even he knew there would be three of them. Spirits have mercy. If it wasn¡¯t just the frequency of the accidents increasing but the numbers too, the situation was escalating quicker than anyone predicted. There is nothing that I can do about it now. Alone with ice-boy, Kai offered an empty grin. He just wanted to be done with this. ¡°It¡¯s just us. Ask away.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s find a quieter place.¡± Makyn walked away from the ruins, expecting him to follow. Let¡¯s follow killer-boy into the isolated jungle. What could ever go wrong? Makyn knew Valela expected him back, and it was better they were alone if his secrets got exposed. ¡°Wait up!¡± Kai hurried to catch up. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be helping with the croc-lizard and toad?¡± ¡°The toad is already dead, and there are enough reinforcements to take care of the blackstone terragon without casualties. I won¡¯t be needed for the cleanup efforts.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ when can I expect to get my share of the beasts?¡± Makyn glanced over his shoulders, a look that said he made even less sense than usual. ¡°What? Me, fancy-girl and big-boy did most of the work before those cowards decided to show up and steal the kill. And we also distracted the wyrmling for you.¡± ¡°The command will ascertain what happened. The Vastaire sites and everything related to them have been claimed by the Republic to aid in the investigation.¡± This is a total scam. Kai stomped on the lush underbrush, flaring his mana to keep the buzzing insects at bay. ¡°Are you telling me the Republic doesn¡¯t reward the soldiers who put down a beast?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a contracted scholar, not a soldier,¡± Makyn said with infuriating calm. ¡°My contract didn¡¯t include getting almost eaten by an overweight toad and fighting for my life.¡± The man slashed the wet branches in their path with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯ll see if I can get you some credits for your contributions.¡± ¡°At the very least.¡± Kai had no idea what these credits were, but beggars can¡¯t be choosers. He could perceive nothing but trees in every direction, and even the growls of the dying croc-lizard had faded. ¡°How much further do we need to go? Is this where you bring kids to butcher them?¡± ¡°Only the chatty ones,¡± Makyn said dryly. I¡¯m just making friendly banter here. No hard feelings. ¡°Have I told you how nice it was of you to kill that wyrmling?¡± he beamed. ¡°Also, a little tip, people usually change their inflection or expression when they make a joke.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Kai forced an awkward laugh. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re such a jokester.¡± They moved on a path opposite the main camp. With every soldier going to assist at the ruins, no one would stumble upon them besides the chirping parrots perking on the canopies. Creepy-boy stopped in a clearing of ankle-high weeds. ¡°This is far enough. You have a spatial artifact?¡± He hasn¡¯t tried to skewer me yet. That¡¯s a good sign. ¡°What do you mean¡ª¡± ¡°Kai, my patience has a limit. If you want to talk, I don¡¯t want more lies.¡± Not like you¡¯ve given me much choice. He waved his silver ring. Worst case scenario he would swallow it, bury it, or give it to Valela for safekeep. He trusted her pride wouldn¡¯t allow her to steal it if he played it right. ¡°It¡¯s cloaked. Do I need to show you how it works?¡± ¡°No.¡± There wasn¡¯t a twitch on his face, he looked at the priceless artifact with mild curiosity. His smooth expression made any tiny emotion stick out like paint on a white canvas. ¡°I assume it was given to you by your previous masters. Few can afford such an expensive gift.¡± ¡°Yes. And they¡¯d be really upset if someone else were to take it from me.¡± Makyn scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m not a thief. I didn¡¯t bring you here to rob you.¡± Why then¡­? Indeed, if Makyn wanted to rob him, it would have been easier to stay silent and not raise his guard. He could then strike when Kai least expected. A mugging in the night, drugging his soup to take the ring while he slept. The ways abounded. The soldier was smart enough to come up with ideas of his own. If it¡¯s not to steal or coerce me into giving it up, what else¡­? To kidnap or kill me? That makes even less sense. While Hallowed Intuition wasn¡¯t always reliable with its warning, it would have given a sign by now. Did Makyn just want to confirm his suspicions? Could it be that simple? Either that or he hasn¡¯t decided what to do yet. ¡°Are you going to report my ring?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my job. I can¡¯t hide important information from my superior officer.¡± Great. It¡¯ll earn me enough time to get to Valela if this fails. Kai waved his hand. ¡°That¡¯s just robbing with extra steps, you might as well take it now and be done with it. If you write it in a report, the voice will spread, and someone will get greedy.¡± ¡°There are laws in the Republic. The army isn¡¯t a group of criminals,¡± Makyn coldly said. Strangely he showed no anger or indignation this time. ¡°Are you telling me you¡¯ve never met any corrupt officer who abused their power? Someone will break the law if the reward is high enough.¡± Makyn pressed his lips shut. His eyes blinked with fury, though it didn¡¯t seem directed at him. ¡°Can you ensure nothing will happen to me?¡± Kai pressed his advantage. ¡°My ring isn¡¯t relevant to the investigation, but it might get me killed if it gets revealed. I won¡¯t be much help then.¡± He held his gaze with determination, confident in his assessment of the porter. Makyn drummed his finger on the hilt of his sword. ¡°I can keep this matter private, but I need something in return.¡± That was unexpected, but not unwelcome. Kai¡¯d trust him more if they both got something out of the deal. ¡°What do you want?¡± The man raised three fingers. ¡°No more lies. No more harassing my ear with pointless prattle. You¡¯ll do what I say in any matter regarding the investigation. As long as you don¡¯t break these rules, I won¡¯t report the artifact.¡± What¡¯s this slander? I was just trying to be friendly. ¡°When you say¡ª¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t a negotiation.¡± You¡¯re such a bully. I guess your requests are reasonable. ¡°Fine. We have a deal.¡± Kai shook his cold hand, bones creaking under the brute¡¯s grip. This was as good of an outcome as he could have hoped. One step at a time I¡¯ll lead you to the dark side. My side. Makyn showed a rare smile. ¡°What¡¯s your true grade and profession?¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± ¡°Remember, no lies. You wouldn¡¯t want to break the pact already,¡± he said with surprising cheerfulness. ¡°No one at your grade could have summoned a wall of ice that fast. I¡¯ll also keep this secret if you don¡¯t break your word.¡± Wait a second¡­ A disturbing idea chipped at his mind. Who had played who? Like the first tile of a domino, the thought brought him down an inevitable path. Was this why Makyn had brought him here? Use information he didn¡¯t value to make him agree to a convenient deal. When the man agreed to keep his mouth shut, Kai had been too relieved to even bargain. You sneaky bastard! Kai clenched his jaw. He could be wrong, but it all fit so perfectly. ¡°The deal is not to lie. I don¡¯t have to tell you my grade.¡± Makyn nailed him with an icy stare. ¡°Do you want to play the game of literal interpretations?¡± You just got me because I had to fight a chunky toad and am exhausted. This won¡¯t happen again. ¡°If anything happens to me or my ring, I''ll make sure the entire archipelago knows it was you.¡± Kai attempted to retain some sliver of pride. He pulled off the bracelet, the enchantment peeled off his channels with a tingle. ¡°Is this good enough?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Makyn inspected him, back in his impassive mask. ¡°It was a waste to take a profession so early.¡± ¡°If I didn¡¯t, I¡¯d be in the belly of a yellow beast.¡± Though not the one you think. His expression darkened. ¡°That¡¯s true. Sometimes you must pick the lesser evil.¡± Chapter 204 - Fallout Chapter 204 - Fallout Moans of pain echoed from the healers¡¯ tents, soldiers shouted orders and hurried to their tasks. Kai stood still amidst the whirlwind of activity, too busy glaring a hole in the back of one particular officer. There must be a skill to make looks kill. He could almost taste the smugness as Makyn strode back to the ruins. After confirming their deal, the man had accompanied him back to camp without another word, but Kai knew he was internally gloating. This was just a momentary setback. A small loss in a larger war. If I ditch the ring, he¡¯ll lose his leverage over me. Revealing he was an enhancement higher than he showed wasn¡¯t the end of the world. Cloaking enchantments were widespread, and the older he got, the less Orange ¡ï¡ï¡ï meant. No one could see his progress toward Yellow, and having a profession would be seen as an unfortunate curiosity by most. To think I considered him a good porter. Spirits, I need some good news. *Ding* Profession XP (Domain): 1434 Body stats Mhmm, that¡¯s better. It had already been an eventful week before he got tangled in his second spatial anomaly. While Mana Child wasn¡¯t a fighting profession, nothing pushed his magic skills like fighting for his life. I still want to punch that soldier, but I didn¡¯t lose much by not killing the toad. I didn¡¯t have enough Water mana anyway. And to think his reserves would be a third without his profession. Kai couldn¡¯t regret his choice. He fiddled with the silver band on his finger. The problem was different - Makyn had got him good. If he buried the ring or used Valela to hide it, there was always the chance something could go wrong. More importantly, he would give up one of his greatest assets. He¡¯d have been donzo against the wyrmling without his sword¡ªor Makyn''s intervention. He¡¯s still a jerk. Kai could carry a blade for safety from now on, but the spatial closet also contained a store of potions, tools and other weapons. He¡¯d rather face the challenges head-on than cripple himself. And that obnoxious deal reassured him he wouldn''t get robbed. Let¡¯s wrap up this mess. I need a nap. He downed a potion to heal his body from overcharging Empower. Valela had openly announced her intentions to meet him, it would be strange if he didn¡¯t go. She wasn¡¯t hard to find, he followed the stream of blue uniforms to a blue tent. Despite the relatively modest design and size, the shiny fabric woven with runes stood out like a mana pearl in the low tide. I wonder if it has a shower¡­ No one gave him a second glance till a gnarly woman barred his path with a spear. Her severe eyes narrowed on him. ¡°You!¡± ¡°I¡­?¡± Do we know each other? He was spared the embarrassment of answering when Lou pushed aside the flap of the tent. ¡°Let him through, Ferla. Valela asked him to come.¡± How could I forget the friendly bodyguard who hid in the Shadows? How have you been? Kai moved the pointy stick away from his nose and flashed a grin. The woman didn¡¯t reciprocate. He was pulled inside the tent before he got the chance to win her over with his friendly banter. ¡°We¡¯re all a bit tense after what happened today and are looking to tighten security.¡± Lou sealed the entrance behind him. ¡°You can talk freely, the tent is warded against eavesdropping. Ferla blames herself for not coming to the ruins, even if it wasn¡¯t her decision.¡± ¡°Yeah¡ª Oh¡­¡± Kai took in the interior. A bowl of fruit and tarts sat on a gilded table. Even the air smelled better, without the sweat and blood of the camp. There was no shower in sight, though half the space was hidden behind a curtain going from the ceiling to the embroidered carpets on the floor. ¡°How much does it cost to buy one?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, it was a gift. Father insisted I take it since I¡¯m representing the council.¡± Valela sat behind a little desk, going through some documents with a maid. ¡°She¡¯s Nalia, I trust her with my life.¡± ¡°It¡¯s neat.¡± Definitely better than his accommodation. He smiled at Nalia, who replied with a disapproving frown, turning back to her work. Did I lose my touch? Or do I have something in my teeth? ¡°Did everything go well with that officer?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ yes.¡± Valela met his gaze. ¡°I can get you back to Higharbor if he threatened you or¡­¡± she glanced at his enchanted accessories. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to help.¡± Kai fought the impulse to cover the ring. ¡°It¡¯s really fine. We just had a nice chat, he won¡¯t be a problem.¡± He was too embarrassed to go into details. ¡°Do you need anything else? I¡¯m really tired.¡± ¡°One last thing,¡± Valela pulled a black sheet of paper and a pen. ¡°I need your signed testimony of today''s events. Do you know how to make one?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°Good, I¡¯ve made you a draft, so our stories fit.¡± She pulled five papers covered in writing front and back. ¡°I skipped over your exact abilities. Just stick to the facts and add any detail you¡¯re willing to share. Also, memorize it in case the military questions you.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Kai meant it to be teasing, but Valela just nodded and went back to her work. Lou gave him a sympathetic look. He stoically guarded the entrance like he expected an assassin to strike in at any moment. This is going to be fun. Kai got to work, matching his version with Valela¡¯s. It was like being back in school. He put down his signature to turn in his assignment, then he bolted from the tent before she could grade him. Valela and Lou hadn¡¯t inquired about his spatial artifact, though they must have put together something. Not asking which item held the enchantment to reassure him of their intentions. Props to them, I wouldn¡¯t have resisted the curiosity. He had one last thing to check before he could take a nap. The notification that had been dismissed during the fight was pinging in the corner of his vision. *Ding* Nature Magic has reached lv50, requisite for the first milestone met, congratulations! ~~~ A downpour battered the camp, thunder broke the monotonous patter. An appropriate end to an already cursed day. The damp and cold air crept into her study, four walls of cast stone and a window veiled with privacy runes. Both crafts had been executed with middling skill. It was a constant struggle to stretch her two hundred gold budget over a month. Aryanne always despised the snooty officers who refused a job on the frontier. No one could achieve anything noteworthy without getting their hands dirty. But being stuck in a dirt cube on a backwater rock made her rethink some choices. Pull yourself together. If mother did it, so can you. She tugged her hair into a tight bun on the back of her head. There was a reason why she would climb the ranks faster than her peers. She was going to do whatever it took to succeed and leave this mana-starved archipelago. The cold crystal light on the desk made the room look even bleaker. The only ¡®luxury¡¯ she allowed herself was a black leather chair from Higharbor. Rummaging in her spatial bag, she took out a bottle of moonfire and poured herself a glass. The bitter liquor burned her throat, spreading warmth and tranquility. Let¡¯s sort this mess. The final list just came in: twenty-nine injured, seven dead and two missing¡ªwhich meant more bodies to be found under the rubble. Because, naturally, it had to be a blackstone terragon on top of everything. A C-rank species with innate magic abilities that could crack the towers. No one could have predicted the appearance of three beasts, but that wouldn¡¯t stop the commander from laying the blame at her feet. Confirming the origin of the phenomenon wasn¡¯t enough to justify the loss of these many resources. Aryanne checked the names, hoping she hadn¡¯t lost anyone too valuable. The worst losses were a half-step yellow sergeant and two mana researchers who ran straight into the maw of the terragon. Heartless Moons above! She downed the remaining liquor and threw the glass with enough Strength that only sparkly dust reached the floor. She would bash their heads in if they weren¡¯t already dead. They were investigating the appearance of yellow beasts, what did they expect to happen running into a mana anomaly? At least the dirt mages had the sense to flee when they noticed the disturbance and brought the diggers with them. It was probably to protect their useless lives more than wisdom, but cowardice had its uses. Even second-circle half-mages were difficult to replace here. And the loss of half her mana research team on Kawei was going to be a significant setback. Patience, I¡¯ll do without them. It¡¯s not like they¡¯ve achieved much of anything. Aryanne flipped through the preliminary report. Among the wounded, nine would require extensive leave and four were too crippled to continue their service. They didn¡¯t have enough contribution credits to afford regenerative healing, and none of the soldiers here could pay out of pocket. They¡¯d get an early retirement, or a desk job if they were lucky. Cut your losses and move on. She had to reassess her plans given the new information. The headquarters would need to reinforce the troops quarantining the Vastaire sites and update the engagement protocols. Aryanne drafted the orders as her mind analyzed the situation. Was the appearance of multiple beasts an exception, or the herald of what was to come? The local garrison wouldn¡¯t have enough personnel to cover the sites if the threats kept increasing in number. They¡¯d be forced to pull back. Or maybe not¡­ Her lips curved into a thin smile, never stopping to write. The governor and council had tried to impose their guards for months. Why not put them to good use? She could turn an inconvenience into a meat shield and gain more time. She¡¯d lose some control over the minor sites, but it was a necessary risk. As long as she uncovered the anomaly, it wouldn¡¯t matter. Captain Seryne stamped the seal over her signature at the end of the document, her pen tapping on the desk. Her instincts had been right - the ruins were better than an untapped vein of mana gems. In truth, she might have underestimated the scale. The creatures weren¡¯t artificial lifeforms or constructs, they were flesh beings coming from somewhere. The question was how many there were, how many the ruins could summon at a time, and how many more the archipelago could shoulder before the mainland intervened. If she reported the potential value to the central command, they might send professionals in a day and crack the mystery in a week. They''d also take over the operation and the rewards. I¡¯d be lucky to get a transfer off to some second-rate location. Why should she share her efforts when she took all the risks? The garrison commander was too proud to request reinforcements, and the governor too jealous of his power to invite a larger military presence on the islands. Neither of them would tip off the mainland till the archipelago burst up in flames. She had to crack the case before it reached that point. With proof of a spatial anomaly linked to the ruins, she could focus the entire garrison on a solid lead. There was no way three teleportations hadn¡¯t left some clue. She had to figure this out no matter what. As she finished drafting the new orders, a familiar presence approached the door with two crisp knocks. ¡°Come in.¡± The words left her mouth by habit before she remembered the shattered glass and the bottle of moonfire on the desk. The door swung open¡ªtoo late to remedy¡ª, she stilled her hands from any guilty jolt. A captain can¡¯t be expected to renounce every comfort. Makyn strode inside dripping like a wet cat, not that she had carpets to worry about. He made no comment when his boots crunched on the glass dust, saluting with stoic discipline. ¡°I¡¯m here to report, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°At rest sergeant, your shift was over half an hour ago.¡± She gestured to the blue bottle of moonfire¡ªthere was nothing to hide. ¡°Do you care for a glass? It has been a hard day for everyone.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t drink, ma¡¯am.¡± How surprising. ¡°Take a seat. Do you have new information?¡± ¡°The clean-up crews have finished searching the site and collected the carcasses to be examined. There were no signs to indicate a fourth beast. The last two soldiers have also been found and confirmed dead. They¡¯re awaiting your instructions on how to dispose of the bodies.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Organize them to be buried in Eastwin when the barges come, unless they¡¯ve set up different dispositions.¡± It would kill morale to have a cemetery within sight of the camp. While writing a will was mandatory, privates rarely went further. Maybe the researchers had paid to be cremated and shipped back home. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± His pale blue eyes observed her impassively. ¡°I¡¯ll find some mages to preserve the remains till the transportation arrives.¡± ¡°As long as it doesn¡¯t get in the way of their other duties. Their loss is a tragedy, but we can''t spare more resources at this critical juncture. The safety of the territory will be at risk if the situation worsens. Did the teams find any clue to the origin of the anomaly?¡± ¡°None so far, ma¡¯am. The mana cloud has dispersed, and the site has returned to standard levels with no detectable changes. It¡¯s possible we¡¯ll uncover more tomorrow. The researchers were hesitant to return to the site after the attack, and the storm didn¡¯t help.¡± Scared of some water and their shadows. She had been trapped in her office dealing with the fallout, and they had found an excuse to slack off. ¡°They can rest for today.¡± Since she was too late to intervene. ¡°But we can¡¯t let our losses be for nothing. Every person with some expertise will search the ruins from dawn till dusk starting tomorrow. We need to figure out what causes the anomalies before the trail goes cold.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll inform the officers, ma¡¯am.¡± She tidied up the documents on her desk. ¡°Do we have any mage skilled in spatial magic? Maybe as a secondary discipline or personal interest.¡± The Mana researchers had studied spatial theory at the academy. It was why she had picked them for her team, though she was beginning to suspect ¡®studied¡¯ meant they read a couple books and understood a word in ten. And two of them had to get themselves killed. ¡°Not that they¡¯ve made known, ma¡¯am. I can make some inquiries in case we missed someone.¡± ¡°Do it, and send the same request to the other teams.¡± It was a long shot, anyone with a passing ability in spatial magic would put it on top of their qualifications. She had scoured every file in the central archive and the five researchers were the best she found. It was possible the blue tunics had been hiding someone, though not likely. Space experts were in demand even on the mainland, why would one bother to sail to the archipelago for work? The commander might be able to pull some strings if I sell it to him correctly. He loves playing the knight in adamantine armor. ¡°There is also something else, ma¡¯am,¡± Makyn continued. ¡°As you know, Valela Hightide was visiting the ruins during the accident and was nearly killed by the acid toad. It appears one of our teams delayed providing help.¡± Gods, and how did they even manage to fail? She rubbed her temples. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. I¡¯ve cross-referenced the witnesses, and the stories didn¡¯t add up. The team captain claimed he was waiting for reinforcements to engage the beast and didn¡¯t notice the girl was in danger. I¡¯m working to confirm his intentions.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± She¡¯d rather maintain plausible deniability. Most officers were aware of the tensions between the military and political wings, but the truth didn¡¯t matter. The council would use any excuse to increase their influence on the investigation. While that girl was a thorn in her side, her death would invite a dagger. This time it works in my favor. ¡°We¡¯ll accept the help of the governor guarding the ruins to ensure this doesn¡¯t happen again.¡± Seryne smiled, she could see the gears turning in Makyn¡¯s head¡ªperhaps he was too smart. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± The soldier nodded with a glimmer of satisfaction. ¡°I¡¯ve secured Kai Tylenn¡¯s cooperation going forward as requested. There won¡¯t be any more problems of insubordination.¡± Better than nothing, I can¡¯t forsake even kids here. Maybe he¡¯ll be worth the hassle. She didn¡¯t care to know if Makyn had threatened him with a knife or won his trust with a cookie. ¡°Good job, sergeant. We¡¯ll need to use every piece available to prevent the loss of more lives." Chapter 205 - Spatial Anomaly Chapter 205 - Spatial Anomaly Droplets fell through the collar of his shirt, drawing icy lines down his back. Kai bit down a curse. The Republic couldn¡¯t even provide the appropriate clothing for the job. The rope ladder swayed when he reached with his hand to dry his neck. ¡°Don¡¯t squirm. Are you trying to make us fall!¡± Darlo''s strained voice complained from above. ¡°If you were scared of heights, you could have let them lower you down.¡± ¡°My bad.¡± Kai was pretty sure the man was the one with acrophobia, but he kept his mouth shut in the name of tranquility. The last thing he needed was a feud when they¡¯d be stuck together the whole day. Not like the fall could kill him. Well, maybe if he lands on his head¡­ They had been woken up with orders for another exploration. The torrential rain of the previous night had turned the camp and the ruins into a swamp of muck. With the sun just rising, it would take hours to dry the landscape outside. Down here, only the spirits knew. The scholars had escaped the beasts unscathed. Darlo¡¯s group had never gone underground, while Sonya¡¯s had waited it out in a chamber. This morning, the military had assured the ruins were absolutely safe. Do the towers need to recharge? I bet they have no idea if that¡¯s true. Kai jumped the last rung of the rope ladder, his shoes squelched into the mud. Amazing. He had given up trying to keep his feet dry with magic. Every step drenched them again, and he was low on elemental mana from the fight. Enchanted globes lit the dark tunnels. The air was choked with humidity and the smell of wet earth. Darlo landed behind him. His audible sigh of relief was cut short by a squeal as he slipped on the slick ground. The scholar landed with a splattering of mud for the third time today. ¡°Are you alright, sir?¡± A young soldier tried to help him up. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± He slapped the hand away, his face turning a shade of purple. ¡°I didn''t sign up for this! I¡¯m a scholar from Terasia, not a lowly digger. I demand to leave this place at once!¡± The man was only tolerable when they didn¡¯t have to leave the camp. I thought he¡¯d last longer. We just got here. Seeing Darlo have a worse time than him cheered his mood somehow, though the one-sided shouting made him feel bad for the soldier. The poor guy had to fend off shouts and spittle, unable to defend himself. Sonya rushed back from the corridors, hearing the commotion. ¡°Darlo, it¡¯s just a little mud.¡± She patted him down. ¡°Remember why we¡¯re here. The ruins showed signs of activity after eight millennia and we might be close to solving this mystery. Think of all the stories you¡¯ll be able to tell.¡± ¡°They can¡¯t treat me like this!¡± ¡°Of course not. We¡¯ll file a complaint tonight, but now we have a job to do. How can we discover what¡¯s going on without your sharp mind?¡± The tantrum let the rest of the group catch up. They moved down the tunnels with no aim. The locations where beasts appeared were occupied by mana researchers and mages. They were left wandering old areas where the only notable changes were layers of sludge. Lights and voices echoed at almost every corner, the underground complex housed more life than it had seen in millennia. The entire camp had been sent to the ruins. It was not exactly clear what they were supposed to do, except get results. Kai dodged the water dripping from the ceiling. The sea serpent¡¯s attack on Yanlun¡¯s ruins had left no obvious clues. Three teleportations might have created more marks, but he tempered his expectations. Can¡¯t wait to spend a day in these cold, cramped, drenched and smelly tunnels while being covered in mud. He exhaled a slow breath. He didn¡¯t want to end up like Darlo. He had the perfect means to distract himself: a decision pending in the Guide. Nature Magic (lv50) ? As you reach the first milestone, you are presented with five choices to continue your journey. The specializations hung before his eyes. He had read them countless times and come no closer to a decision. Nature was a layered element about life thriving in the wild. Due to its complexity, Kai had only been able to use its basic application of manipulating plants. Now the first milestone opened branches that would require years of mastering. ¡°What does he mean we have to wait half a day?¡± Darlo¡¯s furious tone broke his focus. ¡°Do you think my time is worthless? I want to see where the spatial anomaly took place now.¡± The scholar argued with the head of their escort. It was obvious the man didn¡¯t have the authority to grant them access, so the conversation was going nowhere. Seems I¡¯ve got nothing but time. I need to pick something¡­ Plant Dominion doubled down on his foundation. It was guaranteed to be useful since it made him better at what he already did. The downside was that devoting himself to plants might make the other aspects of Nature harder to unlock. I can¡¯t discount the straightforward benefits it offers¡­ It¡¯s a safe option. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Restoring Growth would boost the healing abilities of his spells. He could already restore plants and mushrooms, so he assumed this would extend his abilities to humans and animals. Why else say ¡®life¡¯ instead of plants? The ability to heal himself in a pinch was invaluable. It would have been an obvious choice if potions didn¡¯t already cover his needs. There was no way to say if Nature Magic would be any better since regeneration was a minor aspect of the element. It might be slower, too expensive or work poorly on humans. There are too many ifs. It sucks, but Restoring Growth is out. Kai scrubbed a hand through his hair. There would be more milestones and opportunities. He had to prioritize what he needed now. They had stopped in an underground chamber not linked to any tower. The rain hadn¡¯t reached here. He used the chance to dry his shoes and sat on a rock while the scholars argued over a map. Was there any significance in the places where the beasts appeared? No one seemed to care about his opinion. Hurtful, back to the Guide then¡­ There were two more specializations, the singular ones. Nature Cycle would subvert what he had learned. Instead of wandering the farmland to leave a trail of overgrown produce like some fae sprite, he¡¯d leave a trail of blighted crops. Life couldn¡¯t exist without death. We could almost say it''s natural, Kai chuckled at the bad pun. Casting rot and decay wasn¡¯t his idea of a good time, but it would boost his offensive potential. He could always use more firepower with his elements. There was also the bit about letting life blossom, probably gaining some type of boost. It wasn''t just destruction, for destruction¡¯s sake. Maybe this will heal me too? Hmm¡­ I can¡¯t exclude it just because it¡¯s morbid. Lastly was Wild Awakening. An ecosystem wasn¡¯t complete without animals and critters. This was by far the most nebulous option. It would allow him to commune with animals to an unspecified degree. Will I talk to seagulls and fish like some discount Snow White? Lo and behold the clam whisperer! Kai loved to cozy up to furry friends as much as the next guy, but he hadn¡¯t seen much of those on Elydes. The first thing that flashed to mind were the jaws of a beast snapping at his face. Hmm¡­ Can I have a conversation with them? Please don¡¯t eat me, or you¡¯ll choke to death. The sea serpent hadn¡¯t stopped to listen, perhaps the chucky toad would have, though the bugger had been a glutton. Wild Awakening sounded like the path of a druid, not something he had envisioned for himself. He liked his comforts too much to live in a hut with a bear and two skunks as friends. Are druids even a thing here? Maybe they live in air-conditioned palaces. He wouldn¡¯t refuse the option outright. The question was whether he¡¯d be able to control animals and beasts. That would be a much more reliable power than negotiating with hungry monsters. It does say ¡®feral and untamed¡¯, that¡¯s not very promising¡­ Nature was wild by definition. It would be an interesting ability to explore but the effects were too uncertain. Right now, he needed reliable power, not a fun party trick. Maybe at the next milestone. This one is out too. He could also Stay the Course for a generic buff. Once he mastered Nature, he would be able to use those aspects, the specialization was a convenient shortcut. It might take years and a yellow skill to get any result. That¡¯s even more unreliable, so I have two options. Yay! They both offered clear benefits. Plant Dominion might be a little stronger, but it was at the expense of future flexibility, and it was bland. His Nature affinity had too much potential to be limited to growing pumpkins and cabbages. The circle of life it is! *Ding* You chose to delve into the Nature Cycle. Nature Magic (lv50) can now reach lv75. Now I just need a sickle and a black cloak to finish the look. How does this work? The touch of the Guide was seamless, a new awareness in his mind. Kai searched the corners of the chamber for a test subject. He saw a skittering spider, but he wasn¡¯t ready to try that yet. He ripped a weed with a thin stalk and blue leaves. It shone with the glow of a pseudo-mana plant. Perfect. Uhm, I should imagine it dying? This is completely healthy and normal. Summoning a marble of Nature Mana, he pictured the weed decaying in his hand. When he opened his eyes, the plant shriveled like someone pushed the forward button on a timelapse. The leaves turned brown and fell, the dry stalk flopped and cracked into specks. Kai watched transfixed when the green mana flowed back into his palm, denser than before. Death was the nourishment of life. I¡¯m the god of rot and I¡¯ve never tasted defeat! ¡°Are you okay, Kai?¡± Sonya asked, spectacled eyes peering at him too close for comfort. ¡°You¡¯ve been making strange noises.¡± He jolted upright, getting rid of the evidence behind his back. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I was lost in my thoughts.¡± Sonya gave him a knowing smile. ¡°Talking to yourself, eh? Nothing to be ashamed of, I do it all the time. Helps clear the voices in my head.¡± She winked. ¡°Hmm¡­ yeah.¡± Since they were in a dry chamber, the scholars ended up studying one of his dad¡¯s journals as a protest. ¡°Did we make any progress?¡± ¡°Not much. There is no change in the ruins, apart from the section blown up by the stone lizard. We''ll have our chance to visit the site of the spatial anomaly soon. Come, let me show you.¡± A large boulder worked as a table, it displayed three maps depicting the layers of the underground complex. A maze of chambers and corridors still partially buried. Two circles had been drawn on opposite sides of the central area. Kai looked puzzled. ¡°Why are there only two marks?¡± ¡°Have you not been listening to us?¡± Sonya gave him a scolding look. ¡°Ehm¡­¡± His ears burned fiercely. ¡°Sorry, I was dealing with the Guide.¡± ¡°Oh, skill milestone or evolution? Those can be quite grueling. So many beautiful possibilities and you¡¯re forced to pick one.¡± She stared blankly for a moment, then her attention snapped on him. ¡°You were asking about the map. According to the trackers, the stone lizard and the wyrm appeared in the same chamber. That¡¯s why there are only two marks.¡± Kai bit his cheek. ¡°Uh, that¡¯s not good¡­¡± ¡°Why do you say that?¡± ¡°Well,¡± he ignored her intense gaze. ¡°If more than one can appear in the same chamber, it means there can be multiple teleports in a row.¡± And they said it was absolutely safe to be here. ¡°Maybe the beasts were transported together,¡± Sonya pointed out. He shook his head. ¡°Two yellow beasts of different species can¡¯t stay that close without fighting. And the wyrmling had its tail severed by spatial forces. If they were teleported together, it¡¯d make more sense for the terragon to be hit since it was much larger, but it didn¡¯t have even a nick.¡± ¡°Mhmm¡­ I can think of other explanations, though they¡¯d be nitpicking.¡± Sonya adjusted her lenses on the maps. ¡°If they were teleported one after the other, it¡¯s strange¡­¡± ¡°Uh¡­?¡± Kai propped her with roles switched. ¡°Don¡¯t leave me hanging.¡± ¡°You know, during the event, I sat down to observe the cloud of mana,¡± she said like that was a perfectly normal reaction. ¡°The mana vortex continued to rise till it was crossed by a shock and started to wane with no break. I thought the shock was caused by the teleportations, maybe the toad and stone lizard overlapping. But if the wyrm was transported later¡­¡± Her frown deepened. ¡°There could be many explanations, I don¡¯t know much about Space Magic. But that was why I thought the beasts all appeared together.¡± It was indeed odd. Kai was sure every teleportation on that scale would create ripples. It was as if the Space rupture had happened once, but the beasts came out at different times. ¡°Finally! It was about time they showed us.¡± Darlo walked to a new guard speaking with their escort. ¡°What are you waiting for? Let¡¯s go see this.¡± They gathered maps, journals and bags and headed back into the tunnels. Kai wasn¡¯t thrilled to leave behind the dry chamber for the squelching mud, his feet were drenched in cold water in seconds. Crossing a few turns and rooms, voices echoed from up ahead and sunlight joined the cold crystals. Turning a corridor, the floor was cracked by a two-meter hole and a much larger breach in the ivory ceiling showed a sliver of sky. Two dozen people shuffled in the chamber below. Kai recognized the elegant and impractical robes; it must have taken quite an effort to keep their clothes spotless. The earth mages and mana professionals must see it as a worthwhile use of their mana. ¡°This is where the blackstone terragon emerged and made its way outside.¡± Their guide led them to another rope ladder. Darlo groaned, he leaned on a wall like a lizard playing dead, suddenly not so eager. Kai went ahead, the air buzzed with an energy that was both familiar and alien. Iridescent Space mana flickered in the air. A whisper brushed his thoughts just out of reach. It wasn¡¯t a warning danger, quite the opposite, it beckoned him to move closer. Chapter 206 – Digging Deeper Chapter 206 ¨C Digging Deeper ~Come.~ Kai followed the ethereal whispers. He couldn¡¯t tell how, but they were different from Hallowed Intuition. Indistinct voices called him forward. A vast ancestral presence at the edge of his consciousness reached out to him. ~Come closer.~ He didn¡¯t realize he had climbed down the ladder into the chamber till a figure barred his path. He stopped half a step short of crashing into a bright saffron robe. ¡°Huh?¡± Kai looked up, jolted awake. The man had flaming red hair and a stiff upper lip. His enchanted robe did nothing to hide his yellow grade. ¡°What¡¯s a child doing here? We¡¯re trying to work. Where are your parents?¡± He scanned the hall over his head. Kai vainly tried to hold on to the sensation. The bizarre pull dissipated like a dream upon waking, leaving only the awareness that something had happened. He scowled at the annoying guy. Few things triggered him more than being called a child. There was no trace of the whispering presence. The chamber had been cleaned of debris, leaving spotless ivory stone marked by cracks and claw marks. Thank the spirits, the terragon had left the hall before going on his destructive rampage or there¡¯d be nothing to Inspect. ¡°We¡¯re scholars.¡± Sonya descended beside him with a beaming smile. ¡°Investigating the link between Vastaire remnants and the anomalies. And you are¡­?¡± ¡°Mage Chevinsi.¡± He puffed his chest like he expected them to recognize the name. ¡°I pursue mana theory and mastery. And I¡¯m also an expert in spatial magic.¡± A bit self-obsessed. Kai gave him a second look. ¡°You know Space Magic?¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± his face turned a shade closer to his hair. ¡°I studied its underlying principles and workings.¡± ¡°So you can¡¯t cast any spells.¡± Kai spelled out loud, head hung low. Space was such a confusing affinity, it would have been nice to meet another user¡ªeven if he was a douche. ¡°We can¡¯t choose our affinities,¡± Chev harrumphed and crossed his arms. ¡°I¡¯m the best theoretical expert you¡¯ll find in this archipelago.¡± A few chuckles echoed from the other mages in the chamber. The red-head silenced them with a glare. ¡°Is there no one who can use spatial magic?¡± Chev scratched his non-existent beard. ¡°Child¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m almost thirteen.¡± ¡°Kid, it¡¯s rare to have a major affinity for Space, and rarer still to learn how to use it. There are a couple of people with a minor affinity,¡± he glanced over his shoulders, raising his tone. ¡°But it¡¯s too low to do anything with it. It¡¯s better to use tools to detect the spatial residue and study the mana ripples with our skills.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Kai nodded. He had no idea if what Chev said made any sense, but he didn¡¯t mind playing along if it earned him more information. Even basic magic knowledge was inaccessible in the archipelago. ¡°Anyway, you shouldn¡¯t be here. Haven''t you heard about the beasts? This place is dangerous. How can the Republic stoop so low as to bring a child?¡± He shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing. I didn¡¯t think things were this bad on the frontier.¡± Does he live on the moons? ¡°Well, I¡¯m already here. Can¡¯t you show us around Mr. Mage?¡± Kai said with a naive smile. Since the guy interrupted him, he might as well make himself useful. ¡°You seem to be very knowledgeable, sir.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯d be wonderful,¡± Sonya joined in. ¡°It would save us so much time to hear the opinion of an expert. And, who knows, maybe you''ll get inspired from a different perspective.¡± Chev blushed under her intense gaze. ¡°Sure, miss. I needed a break anyway.¡± Several crates and tables had been set against the walls. Food rations, water and a wealth of enchanted equipment Kai couldn¡¯t wait to borrow. Despite the two dozen people present, the hall was large enough to not be cramped. What was that strange call? He stretched his ears and mind for any mystical sign. Nothing. It was a little disturbing how he had followed the whispers, but he couldn''t perceive any malicious intent even now. His own instincts told him to go. Either the presence meant no harm, or it was a whole other level of scary. It can¡¯t be a coincidence it happened here. It must be linked to what¡¯s causing the spatial anomalies. They might even have the same cause. Iridescent Space motes blinked everywhere he looked, twice as many as in the sea serpent¡¯s chamber. His higher Mana Sense and specialized Inspect played a factor, but the difference was stark. The double teleport had left a mark. Kai absorbed the particles flickering close to him. Mindful he was in a room full of mages, he suppressed the impulse to reach for them with his mana or hands. No one suspected he had an affinity for Space, and his hidden aces were running dangerously low. Chev walked them to the center of the chamber, gesturing to an empty patch of air. ¡°There are clear traces of spatial magic, and the dimensional veil is thinner. It might be why this place was chosen in the first place.¡± The mage took out a sphere made of seven interlocking rings, each piece covered in runes. The inner golden loops spun with snappy shifts contrasted by the slow motion of the outer layer. ¡°What¡¯s strange is that the ripples tracing the origin of the teleport lead nowhere. Not concealed, but it¡¯s as if the anomaly came from here.¡± He gestured to the chamber. ¡°That¡¯s obviously not possible¡­¡± Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Kai half listened as the man rambled to himself. An argument broke out between a group of mages near the end of the hall. A few worrying words caught his ears. ¡°What are they talking about?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Chev gave them a distracted glance. ¡°They want to excavate the chamber to look for a spatial array or anchor.¡± What! ¡°You mean they want to rip apart this place?¡± Kai struggled to keep his tone even. ¡°Nothing so drastic. More like carefully bisecting the stone to look for runes.¡± Chev waved it off. ¡°The anomalies must be linked to the ruins since no beasts appeared from the sites that had been destroyed. It¡¯s not too unusual to hide delicate enchantments beneath the rock to keep them safe, and it would answer many questions.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we look for it without wrecking the ruins?¡± Kai said with a choked voice. ¡°Trust me, we¡¯ve been trying for months. Well, they, I¡¯ve just joined. Though I can assure you that whatever it is, it¡¯s hidden extremely well. We won¡¯t make any breakthrough unless the stiff faces have been hiding a fourth circle mage specialized in mana analysis.¡± His mind whirred for a way to stop this. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the workers who mined the sites have found something if there was an array beneath the rock?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Chev shrugged. ¡°It has been many years since, from what I heard. Any sign has probably been erased. I don¡¯t want to speak ill of them, but workers are often brutes. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they destroyed the enchantment without realizing it, or they noticed and ignored it.¡± ¡°Still¡ª¡± ¡°Kid, your passion is admirable, but let the experts do their job. I¡¯ve studied mana for nine years at Akantha to become a researcher. This is our best shot at finding a clue and stopping the accidents. Now, it¡¯s time you go. Don¡¯t you have a nanny or something to look after you?¡± He looked around. Sonya had gone back to the other scholars. ¡°Wait, kid! Where are you going?¡± Not again. Kai strode away. Suddenly, everyone in the chamber seemed to be discussing how and where to mine the ruins. The earth mages wanted to use stone spells, others argued that magic might ruin their finding. Better to use a professional chisel and scalpel. This is madness. Why was everyone''s first instinct to cut apart something they didn¡¯t understand? What if they broke it further? His eyes darted about, desperate for a ray of hope. He spotted a familiar figure talking to another mage. ¡°You need to stop them!¡± ¡°Excuse me a moment,¡± Makyn said to the woman dressed in a ruby overcoat who turned up her nose. He dragged him to the side with a scolding look. ¡°Remember the part about behaving?¡± Kai matched his gaze. ¡°They want to destroy the chamber. The beasts began appearing after the governor mined the sites for stone. What if it makes more beasts appear?¡± Makyn studied him with stern eyes before sighing. ¡°Not here. Follow me.¡± They climbed the ladder to a nearby room. The soldier took out a black crystal ball glowing with sound and cloaking runes, it projected a bubble of mana around them. ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°The beast attacks started rising seven years ago, right after the governor quarried the Vastaire ruins. They broke something that lasted eight millennia. And this is the result. Now, you want to smash more things before understanding what¡¯s going on.¡± Kai heaved for breath. Ice-boy watched him unruffled. ¡°We know.¡± ¡°What do you mean you know?¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t the only person who can read numbers.¡± Makyn studied him with a pensive look. ¡°But we can¡¯t sit still. The attacks are increasing, and this is our shot to find a solution.¡± ¡°What if it makes the situation worse?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a risk. Do you have a better idea?¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± Kai squeezed his brains for a solution. ¡°We can keep searching. It¡¯s not been a full day since the anomaly.¡± ¡°Many people have been looking into the beast attacks for almost a year, and for months into these ruins. There might be a clue we missed, but it¡¯s unlikely we¡¯ll find it anytime soon. If we wait and still make no progress, it¡¯ll be worse when we¡¯re forced to excavate the chamber.¡± But¡ª No matter how he racked his brains, Kai couldn¡¯t come up with a solid argument. ¡°Everything will be fine. The situation might look overwhelming, but the Republic deals with much harder cases every month.¡± Makyn looked about to pat his head when he pulled his hand back. Is he trying to comfort me? ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Makyn¡¯s expression fell back to stone. ¡°Did you discover anything useful?¡± ¡°Actually, yes,¡± Kai reported his and Sonya''s speculations about the arrival of the stone lizard and wyrmling. He wandered back into the summoning chamber, eavesdropping on the mages. Sometimes wisps of mana wove around them. Any of his questions were met with scorn and invites to scram. ¡°Where did they find these haggard historians?¡± An old hag laughed with her colleagues, not even pretending to lower her voice. ¡°The solution is clearly magical. If they let me open the ground, we¡¯d be done before supper.¡± Are mages all insufferable jerks? Being forced to wake up at dawn to search the ruins hadn¡¯t helped the overall mood. He didn¡¯t understand half of what they said about dimensional ripples and tears, but he kept gathering a stash of iridescent motes for emergencies. He might have been more helpful if he had taken the Space Magic skill. Not that I have any idea what to discard. Kai joined with the scholars, discussing the glyphs etched in the wall. They compared his dad¡¯s notes and their own experience to put together a rough translation. The People (Vastaire) thank thee [untranslated deity¡¯s name] for the guidance through the darkness (waters?) to receive the Blessing of Wealth (Abundance?). May your eternal expanse (ocean?) and shelter (shore?) remain untouched by [untranslated section]. They had pored over the obscure verses since the anomaly happened in this chamber. Unless they recovered more information, there was a limit to what they could achieve before falling into guesswork. It was a mystery how Rellan had arrived at most conclusions. Kai suspected it involved a couple decades of dedicated work and multiple profession skills. Not something they could emulate. Is this unnamed deity the entity behind the calling? Does it have anything to do with Yatei and Kahali, or did the great spirits appear with the humans? Kai massaged his eyes. It would have been easier if information about gods wasn¡¯t considered taboo. Could gods move to new places? Did physical distance even matter for them? He lacked the fundamental basic knowledge of the subject to reach any conclusion, and it was the same for the others. Except for Sonya, they were scandalized by that line of thinking. ¡°Merciful Moons!¡± Darlo hushed any question. ¡°The nature of gods is not something mortals should wonder about, least of all a child.¡± ¡°Forgive me.¡± Kai did a discreet job of hiding his sarcasm. He moved to less heretical questions before the man¡¯s exclamations called attention to him. Were the beasts the blessing mentioned in the text? A bunch of ravenous monsters was an odd thing to be thankful for, unless they summoned them to be slaughtered¡­ It feels like I¡¯m reaching. You put something underground to protect it or control who has access. The summoning chamber where the toad appeared was no different, except smaller and less crowded. He had shared his expertise without holding back, and they still hadn¡¯t gotten far from where they started. Is cutting apart a chamber the only solution? ¡°You go ahead, I¡¯ll reach you in a moment.¡± He waved Sonya to go on, the other scholars had been all too eager to leave for the surface. What time is it? Globes lit the ivory chamber. They must be well past dusk judging by his grumbling stomach. With the whirling of activity and people, his escort was nowhere to be seen. The chamber was empty beside a few abandoned crates and a table with a jug of purple juice. Kai pushed Mana Sense and Inspect for any hint, the result was the same as the previous twenty times. Nothing. While the mages and mana experts had been a disappointment, there were a few yellow grades between them. If they hadn¡¯t found anything, he stood no chance. Hmm¡­ I might as well try. He had a single advantage that might make the difference. Iridescent Space motes fluttered in a blob refracting green, blue and red. More than he had ever gathered at once. I¡¯ve got nothing to lose. With elemental magic, the more precise the visualization and intent, the more efficient and powerful a spell was. Repetition then helped refine a cast till it became second nature. This had only become more important after he specialized Mana Sense. Kai ignored all those lessons and focused on a single desire. Show me the origin of the spatial anomaly. Thousands of painstakingly converted motes scattered in a spectacle of electric colors around him. They flickered in and out of reality, some disappearing into the ground, others just blinking out of existence. Kai stood in the empty chamber. Seconds ticked by. It was a long shot anyway. *Ding* You¡¯ve been offered a bargain by the god of the Hidden Sanctuary, Zervathi: Free my vessel from the ancient shackles and receive wondrous rewards. Do you wish to accept or refuse the bargain? Be warned that a bargain is a binding pact, and you may receive punishment for an infraction. Chapter 207 - Bargain Chapter 207 - Bargain You¡¯ve been offered a bargain by the god of the Hidden Sanctuary, Zervathi: Free my vessel from the ancient shackles and receive wondrous rewards. Do you wish to accept or refuse the bargain? Be warned that a bargain is a binding pact, and you may suffer punishment for an infraction. What the fuck? The whispering presence was back, hovering at the edge of his consciousness. Vast. Overwhelming. Terrifying. His heart drummed in his chest, breath short. The words remained unchanged on the scroll. He wasn¡¯t hallucinating, and the Guide expected an answer. ~What are you waiting for?~ A voice rumbled with impatience, echoed and shattered from a far distance. ~I do not extend this honor lightly, elfoid monkey child~ Excuse me? The overbearing attitude snapped him out of his stupor. A prismatic filament extended from him to the air in the middle of the chamber where it vanished. Hallowed Intuition was silent, though the skill might not measure up if he was facing a god. Kai put more stock in the Guide to not do anything harmful. ~I shall accept your apology. Now, we may seal this pact.~ Shit, he can read my thoughts. ~Don¡¯t test my mercy. I shall forgive these crude words, but the time to accept my offer is not infinite.~ Kai scrunched his brows and reread the notifications. The Guide never put time limits on any decision. He had to figure out what was going on, binding pacts and punishments were quite ominous. Wondrous rewards also sounded scummy as heck. Is he using FOMO tactics? ~What gibberish do you speak, mortal?~ Stop reading my thoughts and get out of my head! ~If you put an end to the screaming in your head, I shall stop listening.~ Kai drew his sword and slashed the filament that must be the origin of the voice. The prismatic tendril looked like it could be severed by a stiff breeze, but the enchanted blade moved through it with no effect. It¡¯s not a physical object. His mana surged into the runes. At the risk of straining on the enchantments, he mixed every element together and his unattuned essence to increase sharpness. The crystal sword quivered and shimmered half-translucent with Shadow, Water and Earth. ~Wait!~ Kai raised the glowing blade to brush the thread. The entity¡¯s panic reassured him of his chances. Either the god was powerless to act, or the Guide was shielding him. Why should I? ~Why? WHY!~ The voice thundered in his mind, making Kai¡¯s vision blur. ~I¡¯m Zervathi! God and sovereign of the Hidden Sanctuary, beacon amidst the Darkness, shepherd of Truth, bestower of Gifts and guardian deity of the Vasheyr kingdom.~ Hmm¡­ That¡¯s a very impressive resume, forgive me if I don¡¯t bow. But this puny mortal still doesn¡¯t comprehend why he shouldn¡¯t evict you from his mind. Kai tightened his hands on the hilt, threatening to cut the connection. A pact with unclear requirements and rewards that could be unilaterally enforced wasn¡¯t worth the risk. While the chamber was deserted, a guard might walk in at any moment. He wasn¡¯t eager to explain the situation either. ~WAIT! This is your unique chance at receiving my blessing, mortals can¡¯t even comprehend its true value!~ I¡¯ve got two blessings, and they weren¡¯t so rude or bossy about it. It sounds to me like you''re the one who needs something. It was interesting to meet the alleged god of the Vastaire¡ªthat was pronounced Vasheyr. He¡¯d file away every sentence Zervathi uttered for further examination, but he wasn¡¯t going to sell his soul for dubious promises of power. ~It appears I underestimated your standing, you must be a prince of these elfoid monkeys.~ We¡¯re called humans. ~Hummans, I see. Such a quaint name. And tell me humman prince-child, did those blessings grant you an invulnerable vessel? Shelter your dwelling from Darkness? Grant the sight to discern Truth? Or bestow the arcane secrets of Space? Perhaps I shall look for a more willing mortal!~ Kai bit his cheek. He had no idea what most of that was, but they sounded awfully tempting. You could never have enough blessings or Favor, especially when you were a nameless kid from the archipelago. What do you need from me? ~A god does not need for anything. It would be the honor of every mortal to provide assistance and gain my gratitude.~ Kai forced his conscious thoughts to be irritatingly polite. Zervathi seemed to only hear the thoughts he consciously stated, and not his background impressions and understanding. Then why did you send me a bargain? ~Accept or refuse my offer. The shackles sealing my cage are already falling. I may still decide to wait the events out.~ Fine. Then I refuse. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ~Hmm¡­ What do you desire to know to accept the task?~ Kai rolled his eyes at the shameless god. What did you ask an immortal entity, an almost unlimited source of knowledge? A hundred days wouldn¡¯t be enough to answer all his questions. He had to be practical. These ruins are full of people, many stronger and more knowledgeable than me. Why did you pick me? ~You were the most promising candidate who possessed the requisite for the assignment. ~ Meaning¡­? ~The tether is growing faint, I shall advise you to hurry.~ The voice grew fainter and garbled. Kai would have called bullshit if he couldn¡¯t see the prismatic filament unraveling into fine fibers. He paced in tight circles around the chamber, careful not to stretch the connection. What do you need me to do in exchange for your blessing? ~Free my vessel from the shackles keeping me trapped in the Hidden Sanctuary.~ Sure, let¡¯s free a shady god imprisoned for millennia. What could ever go wrong? ~I detect coarse sarcasm in your tone, elfoid monkey child, but Shade is not part of my domain. I mean no harm to you or your hummans, my only desire is to be liberated from my chains. Truth is one of my domains, I cannot lie.~ So you say. Ding Zervathi, god of the Hidden Sanctuary, is a shepherd of Truth and as such he cannot lie. Kai read the words with mouth agape, his brain trying to make sense of what his eyes were seeing. He checked the hanging notifications from all angles. It was legit and was dismissed by his thoughts. You can manipulate the Guide. ~Order cannot be manipulated, I was granted some leeway as a deity sworn to Order.~ Zervathi¡¯s voice unwound into whispers. ~Our time is running out, humman child. Do you have more pernicious qualms about the quest?~ There were a million things Kai wanted to say, half of them not particularly polite, but the thread had gotten so thin it was invisible in places. How do I know you¡¯re not sending me on an impossible mission? ~What use would I have to see you perish? Reaching out and offering you a bargain already required considerable effort. I¡¯m not fond of waste.~ So¡­ assuming that I believe you, how do I get to this Hidden Sanctuary and free you? ~You need to find the Altar of Covenant on the highest peak. When the shackles have sufficiently weakened, the path shall become clear.~ Zervathi said in a feeble murmur. ~The end of our time is imminent. You must make a decision.~ Kai dried his sweaty palms. When was he going to get another opportunity to bargain with a god¡ªeven a shabby one? How much would he regret it if he wasted it? Stupid Fear Of Missing Out. Okay, I want clear terms for what I need to do and the reward I get. You can¡¯t saddle me with some paltry blessing. I also want insurance that you won''t harm any humans. And¡­ I want half the payment in advance. Can you¡­ boost my affinity for Space? Ding You¡¯ve been offered a bargain by the god of the Hidden Sanctuary, Zervathi: Reach the Hidden Sanctuary before the gates fully open and provide Zervathi assistance to escape his shackles. You shall be rewarded with the strongest Blessing of your choosing that Zervathi may bestow. In exchange for this undertaking, Zervathi shall endeavor to not intentionally harm any human for a hundred years unless first threatened, and provide a minor blessing of Space upon the agreement of the pact. ~Is that to your satisfaction, impertinent human?~ The commanding voice was barely distinguishable, though the snark pierced through. The prismatic thread snapped into a mist of vanishing color. Kai was ready to curse when he saw the notifications didn¡¯t waver. It seemed the connection had only been necessary to communicate and haggle. Hmm¡­ What do I do now? Kai raked a hand through his hair. He hadn¡¯t expected the god to accept his requests so readily or he would have asked for more. While the task wouldn¡¯t be easy, it didn¡¯t require drastically changing his plans, and the offer was too tempting to be refused out of hand. He had only managed to improve his affinities through blessings, and he had run out of great spirits on the archipelago. From what he knew, it would be near impossible to be accepted by the god of a different pantheon. Zervathi must have been trapped in the Hidden Realm since the Vastaire fell eight thousand years ago and was desperate to get free. That amount of time would exasperate even a divine entity. Spirits help me. Give me a sign, what¡¯s the best decision? Kai looked around the empty chamber. No answer came. Yatei and Kahali showed no sign they opposed the bargain. With a simple yes, he could boost his affinity for Space magic¡ªthe rarest element he possessed. And that was only the appetizer, he¡¯d get an even better blessing when he completed the mission. That would set him apart from the snooty brats of the continent. Calm down. Don¡¯t get blinded by the shiny priceless trinkets you may never get another chance to gain. Think this through. Where¡¯s the catch? It was obvious Zervathi had hidden some information. The question was how badly those details would screw him over. With the Guide as an intermediary, he should be able to contain the damage. Kai refused to believe a random deity could bend the rules of the greatest power on Elydes. Zervathi had purposely been vague about why he picked him. One reason must be his affinity for Space, though there must be more. Because he thought I¡¯d be an impressionable child? He did keep mentioning my age¡­ and if I were a deity in need of help, I¡¯d keep away from the Republic. The Seven Moons might not like their followers helping another deity. Ultimately, the biggest issue was if he could complete the task. The Hidden Sanctuary must be the place where the beasts came from. Was it in a faraway land or¡­ Can it be a sub-dimension¡­? Kai remembered Dora mentioning them in passing, mystic realms that orbited around Elydes'' main dimension. From the books he found in Higharbor, they were more akin to a myth on the continent that only appeared in tales and legends. Wait¡­ is that the Blessing the Vastaire were thankful for? The pieces began to fit together in his head. The Hidden Sanctuary wasn¡¯t an ideal paradise if it was swarmed by yellow beasts, but he didn¡¯t have to go there alone. Focus on the current problem. How do I reach it? He had to find ¡®the Altar of Covenant on the highest peak¡¯¡ªclear as a mud pit. It was probably somewhere in a Vastaire site, so that narrowed the search. He could just let the Republic carry him along. There weren¡¯t that many ruins left, and the name of the place sounded grand enough to be recognizable. Yatei and Kahali watch over me. The promised blessing was what tipped him over. Not just for the tempting boost, but because a god imprisoned for millennia must be short on divine power. If Zervathi was willing to invest energies in advance, he must have a decent chance at succeeding. No pain, no gain. Nothing of value is ever easy. Ding The god of the Hidden Sanctuary, Zervathi, has bestowed a blessing of Space upon you! Uh¡­ No Favor? What a cheapskate. Ding You¡¯ve accepted Zervathi''s bargain. A binding pact has been struck, failure to complete the quest will result in you forfeiting your body to Zervathi. Wait, what? That self-important asshole! I should have also specified the cost for failure. Kai wanted to slap himself. He had known there would be a catch, but he couldn¡¯t stop himself from charging into it. He exhaled slowly, voices and steps echoed closer from the dark corridors. I can do it. This doesn¡¯t change anything. There was no choice but to succeed. He didn¡¯t know what Zervathi thought ¡®provide assistance¡¯ meant, but to him, it stopped well before getting killed. His plans hadn¡¯t changed, he needed to reach the Hidden Sanctuary to stop the beast attacks. Now he had clues to the nature of the spatial anomalies and the assistance of a god. Until the deity was freed, their interests aligned, and the self-important asshole had sworn an oath to not harm any humans. I should have said sapient species. Damn brain, why didn¡¯t you think of that¡­ Kai was about to test the difference in his Space affinity when another notification flashed in his vision. His arms slackened at his sides with a groan. What now? Ding New Feat: Daring Haggler - You have spoken and successfully negotiated a bargain with a minor deity. You are awarded: +5 Favor! Huh, at least the Guide isn¡¯t a miser. I can use all the Favor I get. ¡°What are you still doing here?¡± Makyn appeared in the doorway, scanning the chamber for threats. ¡°Your shift for the day is over.¡± Kai beamed a smile. ¡°Nothing much, just unveiling the mysteries of life. Why? Were you worried about me?¡± The soldier regarded him with a flat stare. ¡°C¡¯mon, there is no need to be ashamed, but I can take care of myself. I was looking for clues before the mad magicians blew up the place.¡± ¡°Did you find anything?¡± ¡°No.¡± Iridescent mana motes fluttered in his vision, they stood out like stars in the clutter of ambient mana. Their seemingly random motion followed a pattern, congregating in clumps around the room. Kai slumped his posture. ¡°Nothing at all.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve tried your best. This is our only lead. The excavation of the main summoning chamber has been set in two days.¡± ¡°Can I be present?¡± ¡°If you won¡¯t make problems.¡± The soldier peered at him. Kai dutifully bobbed his head. ¡°I¡¯ll behave with the respect and reverence owed to a god.¡± Maybe this won¡¯t be a complete disaster after all. Chapter 208 - The List Chapter 208 - The List The frenetic search following the beast attacks gave way to the preparations for the imminent excavation. Soldiers returned to their daily tasks while mana professionals argued over who would take the lead. Can¡¯t wait to find out how bad of an idea this is¡­ It was odd to go back to the scholars after Kai had a divine revelation that shed light on the mystery. Should he drop subtle hints to lead them to the right conclusions? Or mislead them from the truth? Under no circumstances could anyone suspect he had struck a bargain with a god. He didn¡¯t know half of what was going on with Zervathi and the Hidden Sanctuary realm, and how they fit together. The few clues he got only raised more questions. He didn¡¯t like keeping the truth from Sonya, her head would burst with excitement if she found out about the bargain. Her reaction would be priceless. Maybe when the Republic finds out¡­ ¡°Uh, what¡¯s this?¡± Kai raised his eyes from the glyphs he was translating and accepted a stack of papers from Makyn. The first page was blank with a single word in blocky letters: Restricted. With his attention piqued, he didn¡¯t wait to leaf through the pages, his eyes widening in wonder. ¡°That''s the Red List of restricted items as agreed by contract.¡± ¡°I was beginning to think you had accidentally forgotten.¡± It had escaped Kai¡¯s memory, though it was a welcome distraction. His attention darted through names and prices. There was an onslaught of rare potions, crafting and skill knowledge, mana ingredients, enchanted weapons and equipment. They ranged from a few silvers to more than one gold. There was the elixir he bought for the baby. Spirits knew if he would be present for the birth. That was only weeks away now and the Republic wasn¡¯t likely to grant him leave. Hopefully, Flynn had found a way to explain his sudden disappearance to his family. The farther away they stay from this, the better. He buried the melancholy and scanned the information. There were a few neat items, but nothing that caught his eye¡ªthey were still red goods. Makyn had chosen to loom like a statue over him and showed no intention of leaving. ¡°What¡¯s the last column of numbers?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the price in contribution credits, it¡¯s the internal currency of the Merian Republic rewarded for extraordinary service. Normally, you¡¯d have to join a branch of the Republic, but you¡¯ve been granted access so long as you¡¯re employed by us. You¡¯ve earned thirty credits for your work with the beasts and Vastaire writings.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Thank you.¡± Kai didn¡¯t expect to see a chip from slaying the toad, and he doubted he would if he hadn¡¯t asked Makyn. The soldier gave him a stiff nod. ¡°The Republic rewards competence. The army is an opportunity to make a career even if you start from nothing.¡± Oh, is this another attempt to recruit me? Well, feel free to throw me all the money you want, I won¡¯t complain. Kai chewed his thumbnail to show how terribly conflicted he was. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± A credit was roughly equivalent to a silver mesar, though certain items could only be purchased with them. It was more than the fistful of dust he had expected to receive, but not a sum to leave him breathless. He halted on a page where the prices suddenly skyrocketed. He couldn¡¯t recognize half the items listed without the brief description accompanying them. ¡°And these are¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s a partial version of the orange list. It¡¯s a show of good faith and trust in your capabilities. I¡¯ll need that back when you¡¯re done reading, you can come to me if you want to purchase anything.¡± Do they think they can bribe me with their shiny trinkets? I''ve gotten my fill with a god, no more pacts with dubious individuals till that one is solved. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± His eyebrows climbed up his forehead as he continued to read. While the orange list was shorter, every entry cost at least a gold with many in the tens. There were better versions of the communication cubes Flynn had tracked down, elixirs to help train skills like Mana Sense and Swordsmanship, manuals to learn particular skills, instructions for professions¡­ They sure keep the good stuff for themselves. Greedy hoarders. Kai froze on the last page. Seed of Fire: consumable, grants minor increase to Fire affinity - 5,000 credits. There was no price listed in mesars, not that he could have afforded to pay 50 golds. If this list was curated for him, they were trying to awe him with goods he could never afford. I hate you all. Makyn leaned to see what had caught his attention. ¡°That only works to boost minor affinities and it¡¯s more effective the lower your value is. It¡¯s not worth buying it unless you have money to burn.¡± That does make me feel marginally better. You¡¯re a terrible salesman. The higher the affinity, the harder it was to improve. He had to bargain with a god for an elemental boost. If money could get him the same, he¡¯d slam his head in the nearest wall. Thank the spirits, things weren¡¯t that easy, The list continued with consumables that covered the most common elements such as Earth and Water. No Space, mercifully no Space. Kai silently cursed them anyway. Damned bastards, the Merian Republic is on another level. While it burned to admit, there was no point denying reality. These were the advantages of joining a large organization rubbed in his face, though only a select few might afford the benefits. Kai was ready to put down the list when his eyes widened at the very last line. Distilled Essence (Orange): grants 1000 XP upon first consumption - 1 gold/100 credits. ¡°You¡¯re kidding me! How''s that even possible?¡± The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. I thought it was a myth. ¡°You drink it and gain a boost to progress your grade,¡± Makyn unhelpfully provided. ¡°The ingredients, professions and production methods are a state secret, but you might learn them one day if you join the alchemy branch.¡± Yeah, no thank you. I¡¯d be surprised if they¡¯re allowed to see the sky without an army of guards. One gold coin for 1000 XP was a steep price, even putting together every chip he had ever earned, he wouldn''t get more than ten. His hands clutched the paper crumpling the edges. ¡°Does this mean that if someone has 300 gold mesars to burn they could skip Orange ¡ï¡ï¡ï?¡± How¡¯s that fair? Cheating brats. ¡°You only gain the full benefits from the first couple of elixirs.¡± Makyn doused the fire of injustice with his impassive tone. ¡°They lose most of their effectiveness after twenty, and stop working after fifty.¡± It¡¯s completely fair then! Woe you for only getting what? Twenty-something thousand free XP? C¡¯mon Kai, take a deep breath¡­. Together Orange is more than half a million, so it¡¯s not too much. Makyn showed the slightest smile as the world crumbled around Kai, and the soldier wasn¡¯t done torturing him. ¡°That is unless you change to a different recipe. There are other similar potions held by a few organizations and old families, though they all suffer from the same problem and are generally more expensive to make.¡± If only I could get my hands around your necks. I. Hate. You. All. So. Much. ¡°Is that how you reached yellow so young?¡± Kai stared daggers at him. ¡°I¡¯m thirty-eight, there are many younger than me, and no. My family wasn¡¯t that rich. I was born at the last stage of Red and climbed from there.¡± Makyn lowered his voice. ¡°You should also know that using more than a couple bottles of Distilled Essence will cut the status feats you get from the Guide. Though most people don¡¯t care much about Fate.¡± That did make a difference for him. Kai chuckled. ¡°You really are the worst salesman on Elydes.¡± Makyn pursed his lips. ¡°Stop speaking nonsense and tell me if you want something. I have other duties to attend to.¡± ¡°Of course, sir. You showed me these lists with no ulterior motives whatsoever.¡± Kai reciprocated the honesty. ¡°You are limited to two purchases on the orange list. And keep in mind it may take some time to receive the items.¡± Makyn fell into his monotone voice. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Kai browsed the pages. He wasn¡¯t short for money, but neither was he swimming in it. There was nothing he needed in the red list, his attention moved to the orange pages. Ignoring the half he couldn¡¯t afford, it left about fifty items to consider. What do I need¡­? Definitely to fulfill Zervathi¡¯s bargain, nothing else matters if I fail. There was a lack of manuals on how to access hidden realms and free chained gods¡ªa truly embarrassing oversight. No information on Space Magic or dimensions either. Two books caught his attention: The Seven Pillars of Faith: treaty on the gods - 1 gold/100 credits, and The Lost Sister: a study of the effects of Fate - 2 golds/200 credits. What are the odds that they contain useful information besides religious preaching? I need better odds than that. Given the steep prices and limited purchases, Kai couldn¡¯t justify going for them. He wasn¡¯t going to find the information he needed on the list of the Republic¡ªat least not on the orange one. He didn¡¯t need a weapon either, his sea serpent sword was far better than anything on sale. It was too soon to buy the potions to discard his profession, he hadn¡¯t made a decision yet. The alchemy and enchanting materials were also of little use since he wasn¡¯t going to get many chances to craft. That left a few defensive enchantments and a slew of potential potions with the most disparate effects. Kai gave the papers back to Makyn. ¡°I¡¯ll need some time to think about it.¡± No more getting pressured into hasty decisions, he could afford to wait a day or two. * A thin drizzle covered the jungle, slipping over the tree canopies in large drops. A line of mana professionals and elite soldiers marched towards the ruins, followed by a small contingent of blue uniforms led by Valela. Kai walked somewhere in the middle. The other scholars hadn¡¯t been invited, leaving him the odd one out. The weather was pleasant to stave off the heat now that he had the elemental reserves to shield himself. For the other mages not so much. A few had water-repellent robes or rigid umbrellas, the others slumped forward, spewing complaints about lacking civilization. Isn¡¯t Water one of the most common affinities, or is it different on the mainland? Many Earth mages and general mana professionals were soaked like wet cats, a significant blow to their distinguished demeanor. A couple threw him scornful glances, though most didn¡¯t notice him. Maybe they¡¯re just incompetent? He had seen them raise houses from the ground and move boulders with a gesture, but that was all they did. While the mana researchers spent every day arguing about mana theory and occasionally shaped intricate constructs with no application. Once Kai got beyond his initial awe, these renowned experts were a harsh downgrade from the all-powerful mage ideal in his head. Virya, Dora and Elijah had performed extraordinary feats with casual ease, and they never emptied their bag of tricks. I know it¡¯s not a fair comparison, but they¡¯re disappointing. Beyond the outer ring of the Vastaire site, most trees had fallen under the rampage of the beast or the axes of the laborers. A field of mud and weeds surrounded the ivory spike where the terragon had made its last stand. A rock path had been erected to give direct access to the underground chamber. Heading into the dark tunnels, Kai couldn¡¯t get rid of his somber mood. Hallowed Intuition was silent, probably it was his dislike of destroying one of the few remaining sites. He vividly remembered the timeless towers collapsing on Yatol as a child. I can¡¯t stop this, but I can make it worth it if I get more clues on the spatial anomalies. He had debated whether to learn Space Magic, though it would be of little use at a low level, and he had absolutely no skill to discard. His improved affinity helped spot elemental motes, but they were still pitifully scarce outside the summoning chambers. It¡¯d be a slog to train, and the discard will knock me out two days unless¡­ The mages were setting up their equipment just outside the hall when a young researcher said something that sent them squabbling over their roles. He had seen children with more discipline. Lou walked behind him and poked with his gruff Mana Sense. Oh, you¡¯ve gotten sneaky. Though you should really work on that skill. I¡¯ll give you a few lessons for old times'' sake. Kai waited a minute before following him into a corridor. The teen led him deeper without exchanging a word till they reached a chamber covered in moss. Valela waited with Ferla at her side, the princess activated an enchanted cube that muffled the sounds and perception around them. Does everyone have one of these now? Where¡¯s my spy gadget? ¡°You want to talk now?¡± ¡°What better time than when everyone''s attention is on excavation? The mages will argue for another hour at least.¡± Did she set up that argument? Valela scrunched her brows. ¡°Are you alright? My offer to get you out still stands.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine and dandy.¡± Kai hid his worries behind a grin. ¡°I simply wish we¡¯d be more cautious with the excavation. I thought these mages would be more skilled. What¡¯s the point of their silk robes and shiny tools if their solution is to blow things up?¡± ¡°If only¡­¡± Valela gave him a half-smile. ¡°Do you know what defines a mage?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Kai scrunched his brow. This sounded like a trick question. ¡°Their ability to use magic?¡± ¡°Everyone can use magic, you just need to evolve a skill or a profession enough times. What distinguishes mages is flexibility. We can take mana and shape it according to our needs.¡± Valela summoned a flickering light, making it dance between her fingers. ¡°Any true magus needs to master at least one field to earn their title, such as a language of power, rituals, unattuned weaving or elemental magic.¡± She threw a peeved glance at the mossy wall behind his back. ¡°The earth shapers here are half-mages. They¡¯ve given up flexibility and specialized their skills to do the heavy lifting. They¡¯re great at moving and compacting dirt, but if they face any other challenge, they¡¯re helpless like a flipped turtle.¡± That does explain a few things¡­ Valela blushed. ¡°Please, don¡¯t call them that. Half-mage can be taken as an insult by some.¡± He bobbed his head. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure they don¡¯t hear me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± She ruefully shook her head, pulling a hazel lock behind her ear. ¡°Anyway, do you have new information?¡± ¡°A few things.¡± Kai recounted the scholars¡¯ work on the Vastaire and the speculations on the spatial anomalies. Valela wrote it all down in a notebook. ¡°That¡¯ll be useful. Is there nothing else?¡± ¡°That¡¯s all I got. We¡¯ll learn more today. Or wreck another ruin for nothing and worsen the emergency. Huh¡­ that might happen even if they succeed.¡± Guilt prickled him, but they didn¡¯t share the blind trust to confess about a divine bargain. The stakes were too high. Valela peered at him. ¡°You know I¡¯m trying to help the archipelago.¡± And the governor¡¯s interests. Either she¡¯s ridiculously perceptive or she¡¯s fishing for information. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know when we know more. Let¡¯s go find out if those half-mages will blow us up or not.¡± Chapter 209 – Hidden Beneath Chapter 209 ¨C Hidden Beneath Kai tapped his foot on the mossy floor waiting for the hourglass to empty. He had yet to decide whether he liked these spy subterfuges. Like any other kid on Earth, he had once fantasized about being a secret agent, but dreams rarely survived the encounter with reality. He was tired of sneaking under the nose of the Republic. And while racing to solve the spatial anomalies first was more exciting than keeping a low profile, it was still stifling. Like the muffling devices to have private conversations, there was a sea of unknown skills and professions. He could never know if his ploys to deceive the Republic were effective. He was playing a game where he didn¡¯t know all the pieces and rules. Perhaps a team of soldiers was monitoring him at this moment through an unknown scrying method. Kai waved at the air. No one responded except for the dripping moisture from the ceiling. How rude. Unless it¡¯s Morse code¡­ Getting recruited by the Republic had shed some light on the giant looming over his life. The garrison in the archipelago wasn¡¯t the most savvy except for a few individuals, at the same time, their roots extended deeper than he could understand. No matter how cautious or clever he was, he couldn¡¯t work around the obstacles he didn¡¯t know existed. The lack of information was frustrating. Spirits willing, Valela knew what she was doing. Even if she genuinely cared about the archipelago, she was playing into the hands of the Republic and the governor. If you can¡¯t beat them, join them I guess¡­ The last grain of sand trickled down the neck of the hourglass¡ªit should be long enough. Kai stored it in his ring and headed into the damp tunnels. He took a circuitous route before rejoining the main group at the summoning chamber. The non-essential personnel for the excavation waited on the upper level, looking down at the crack in the ceiling where the terragon had clawed its way out. The aperture in the ivory stone had been enlarged and smoothed to let the soldiers intervene in case of danger. No one seemed to notice his return from his wanderings. Valela stood on the other side of the hall with a dignified pose. Captain Seryne was also present, arguing with the mana professionals in the chamber below. It was rare to see her on the field, she usually stayed holed up in her office at camp. From the cold smile plastered on her face, she wasn¡¯t pleased with the delay. ¡°Where have you been?¡± Kai jolted. ¡°Did you really have to do that?¡± The hands that were raised to face the threat fell back down. ¡°I went to stretch my legs. It looked like the mages would take a while to set up and they still haven¡¯t.¡± Makyn watched him unapologetic. ¡°It¡¯s not safe to wander alone in these tunnels, you should know that.¡± ¡°The mana went crazy before the beasts appeared, there was no danger apart from that.¡± Kai waved at the hall below. The best defense was attack. ¡°The destruction of the sites started the accidents, and this will make it worse.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know that for certain.¡± Kai gave him a look. ¡°It seems pretty damn likely to me. I¡¯ll bet you my contribution credits on it.¡± He offered to shake his hand to seal the deal. ¡°It¡¯s against protocol to use credits for betting.¡± Stuffy-boy ignored him. ¡°Ask a guard to accompany you if you need to wander around again.¡± He left to talk with a squad of soldiers. Kai sat on the cleaned ivory floor to wait. A few iridescent particles blinked in his vision; the higher density was strangely confined by the walls of the summoning chamber. They gathered in small fluttering clumps, but if there was a hidden meaning, he couldn¡¯t tell what it was. Please, tell me I won¡¯t have to study spatial theory. That sounds as much fun as astrophysics, it¡¯s better enjoyed from a safe distance. The boost to his affinity was obvious, probably around 10 points. He¡¯d need a suitable ritual to know the exact value, Space was a hard element to test even in Higharbor. Without being able to gather the motes, Kai soon regretted not having brought a book to kill time. It took another hour before the Earth mages were ready to begin. Valela outdid herself to make them squabble. The experts had decided to use magic for the excavation, enchanted tools would also risk damaging their findings and they didn¡¯t have skilled manpower. Knowing the earth shapers made up most of the mana professions might have also played a role. A portly man with a purple hat gathered his silk robes, hands extended dramatically on a square section at the edge of the chamber. The expedition tensed with bated breath, every eye zeroed in, soldiers gripped their weapons, mages pushed their Mana Sense¡ªKai included. The flamboyant mage separated a thin sheet of ivory stone and lifted it to reveal more plain ivory. No runes, no fluctuations in the ambient mana or in the Space motes. A collective sigh filled the hall. The tension rose and ebbed like the tides for the first dozen cuts. People fell soon into the rhythm of the monotonous work, the hushed tones rising to casual chatting and jokes. Five stone shapers joined the excavation to speed up the process, while the panes of stone were examined and prodded by the mana researchers. The superficial layer of the floor and walls was removed without revealing any runes or causing any arcane reaction. Well, they¡¯re being careful at least. He sacrificed his copied reading skill to create an echo of their stone-cutting skill. Earth and Stone were close enough that he could crack a rock with his own spells, but it had an outrageous cost. Kai relaxed his Mana Sense and Inspect when the copy started to hit a plateau. He couldn¡¯t risk skill strain before anything interesting happened. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°It might be wise to increase the thickness of the cuts,¡± the portly mage said to his colleagues, patting his forehead with a lavender handkerchief. ¡°We¡¯ll run out of elemental reserves if we have to remove a meter and a half of stone at this pace.¡± Yatei¡¯s mercy, not even my thoughts are safe from jinxing. Kai was ready to jump down to slap his lazy face when a familiar redhead beat him to it. ¡°That¡¯s not the plan we agreed on.¡± Chev stood up. ¡°We get a single shot at this. It¡¯s better to take all the time required.¡± ¡°Easy for you to talk when you¡¯re not the one putting in the effort.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because your group insisted on handling it alone. I¡¯m perfectly willing to take your place.¡± ¡°With what skills?¡± The earth shaper chuckled, turning to his colleagues for support. ¡°Everyone knows that mana researchers tend to be¡­ lacking in affinities.¡± Chev clenched his fist at his sides, his face taking an enraged tint. ¡°Say that again!¡± Seryne loudly cleared her throat. ¡°Esteemed magi, may I remind everyone you¡¯ve been employed by the Republic. While your expertise and brilliant minds are appreciated, this is a military operation.¡± Makyn leaned in to whisper. The captain nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll continue to tread with caution as planned. If your reserves run too low, we¡¯ll resume the work tomorrow. Is that acceptable?¡± Her gaze bore down on the mages till they lowered their heads in acquiescence. Chev threw a smug smile to his rival, who harrumphed back to work in a fluttering of robes. Thin sheets of stone piled up while the summoning chamber grew larger. Hmm¡­ there might be nothing to find. For all I know the origin of the teleportations was entirely placed in the Hidden Sanctuary. The sliver of sky in the ceiling above dimmed with the rays of late afternoon when an excited squeal rippled through the hall. A woman in sky-blue robes gripped a sheet of ivory stone, hand pointing to the center of the chamber. Soldiers and mana experts snapped to attention. ¡°What is it?¡± Seryne hopped down a wooden ladder. ¡°Let me see.¡± What¡¯s this about? Mana Sense wasn¡¯t picking up anything but plain stone. With a perplexed frown, Kai closed in to the opening to see. The mages huddled in a circle, obscuring his view till they were forced to step aside for their captain. A web of inky and glowing lines marred the ivory floor in chaotic tangles. The runes were too small to read even with his Perception, and continued beneath the floor revealed, more complex than the zeppelin or the crafts in Edgar¡¯s workshop. I can¡¯t believe they were right¡­ Enchantments that masked themselves weren¡¯t a new concept, though not even the gnome had managed something so seamless. It was on the level of Virya and Elijah¡¯s cloaking, too far beyond his abilities to measure. To think they lasted for millennia¡­ ¡°Stop there, kid,¡± a soldier barred him from jumping below with a stern look. Already tense for the development, it wouldn¡¯t be ideal to test their resolve. Kai squinted to make out the network of thin lines from above. Black splintered symbols interwoven with a flowing script that shimmered in the light. He couldn¡¯t make sense of them, and the issue wasn¡¯t just their size. Those aren¡¯t the same runes I learned. Runes were a written language of power capable of channeling and shaping mana. These enchantments used two entirely different alphabets and tongues. The glowing lines vaguely reminded him of the runes engraved on the Fate Fulcrum; he¡¯d need to examine them closer to be sure. While the sharp inky lines were completely alien to him. Chev and two other mana researchers ordered everyone back. ¡°Uh¡­ they look like an archaic elvish dialect, and these resemble the old shade sigils.¡± ¡°As much as a merman resembles a siren¡¯s butt. No, that¡¯s¡ª¡± In a series of crystal snaps and puffs of mana, the flowing filaments came undone. Losing their anchor, the jagged inky runes quickly followed suit and dispersed in dark wisps. A wave of ominous murmurs soared in his mind, the intensity rising with each second. The direction of the threat was nebulous¡ªprobably the result of spatial interference. Though ultimately the danger would appear somewhere. I had fucking warned them. ¡°Stop gawking and do something,¡± Seryne yelled, pointing her fingers at the fading enhancements. ¡°We need to study and figure out the anomaly.¡± Waking from their daze, two researchers stepped forward to attempt to stop the runes from decaying. ¡°There is nothing we can do, ma¡¯am.¡± Kai didn¡¯t pay them any attention, adrenaline rushed into his limbs ready to bolt. Should he stay with the elite soldiers or seek safety away from there? The troops threw wary looks at their surroundings but maintained their confident demeanor. They got into ranks on the upper level while a team of seven formed a perimeter around Seryne, who was still yelling at the mages. Should I warn them? Defeating multiple yellow beasts shouldn¡¯t be a problem with the military might gathered here. None of them would listen to a child, and the howls from Hallowed Intuition kept worsening. Kai dashed to where Valela and Lou were standing in the blue group. Ferla stepped forward to stop him, spear raised. He halted with a glare. ¡°Something dangerous is coming, we need to leave.¡± Valela pursed her lips, likely annoyed he had approached her in the open. She waved her bodyguard off. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Not again. Can¡¯t you do as I say and argue later? Kai gritted his teeth and forced his tone to stay level. ¡°Remember last time? This one is worse.¡± Probably. It was hard to interpret the manic whispers. He¡¯d rather cry wolf for nothing than stay underground, waiting for another stone lizard to blow them up. Valela shifted her gaze between him and the unraveling runes in the chamber below. ¡°Let''s move towards the exit in case¡ª.¡± The rumble in his head spiked. A wave of spatial particles burst from the floor below, flooding outward into the ruins. That¡¯s not good. An iridescent string formed above the exposed runes. A mana researcher extended her hand to prod it before thinking better. The strand drifted through her arm. Her confusion was replaced by screams of agony as her arm flopped to the ground in a gush of blood. Fuck. The spatial distortion innocently blinked out of existence, but more fluctuating threads of rainbow colors grew and shrank. A yellow soldier got bisected at the waist, his sword clattered to the floor in two useless pieces. Screams and commands tore the air as the expedition jumped into frantic activity. The confidence evaporated from the soldiers and the ranks loosened. The portly mage rushed to climb the ladder. His rush sent the mana professionals into a full-blown panic, trampling each other to reach safety. They should have brought more ladders. Kai had no more time to ponder the gross lapse in logistics, the spatial distortions were floating to the upper floor and beyond into the ruins. A clot of Space mana condensed before his nose. ¡°Dodge!¡± Kai ducked and threw himself to the side as the deadly string whizzed over him. A spray of warm blood splashed on his face. One of the guards of Valela¡¯s escort held the bloody uniform at his side with a pained grimace. ¡°Head for the exit. Now!¡± Before she had finished giving commands, the dozen people in her group were moving with some semblance of order. Two guards carried the weight of their injured companion. A pair of hands grabbed Kai and lifted him on the go. ¡°Are you injured?¡± Lou didn¡¯t look at him, eyes fixed on their surroundings for the spatial distortions. They formed without warning, whizzing through the air and disappearing just as quickly. Kai got to his feet. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Chaos had fallen into the military ranks, retreating towards the edges of the upper level and into the side corridors. Blood and screams soaked the air. This wasn¡¯t something they could fight. Why couldn¡¯t it just be more beasts? The stone bridge leading outside was fifty meters from them. The flamboyant Earth shaper was somehow already climbing it, his purple hat lost somewhere in the rush. A two-meter-long multicolored string formed before him. To the man¡¯s brief Luck or Favor, the spatial tear didn¡¯t drift towards him, but downwards cutting through the bridge like butter. The passage collapsed in a roar of rock and dust, destroying their direct route to safety. Dirt and mud fell over the rubble from the surface. Fuckin¡ª ¡°Dodge left!¡± Kai Empowered himself for an abrupt turn. For once, no one doubted his command and jerked to the side. An iridescent thread zoomed on their right. ¡°Head for the corridor.¡± He dashed to the nearest exit across from them. There was no time to care about what everyone else was doing. If he slowed down, they¡¯d have to worry about tears from behind too. ¡°On our right!¡± The distortion nicked Ferla¡¯s arm who pushed Valela out of the way. The stern woman didn¡¯t glance at her wound, getting the princess on her feet and continuing to run. The Space density still climbed, mana swirling around them. Kai found himself at the head of the group. With Hallowed Intuition warning of danger all around, he pushed the limits of Mana Sense and Inspect to scan their surroundings. "Left!" ¡°Duck.¡± He dove into the dark corridor as the immaculate ivory was slashed. The group followed behind, all the eleven mana signatures were present despite a few bright bleeding wounds. Kai raced ahead, aware that the cramped corridor could turn into a death trap at any moment. They needed to outrun the spreading spatial distortions. The next room had a single door leading deeper, he was about to dash for it when the mana swirled again. ¡°Halt!¡± A colorful bubble barred their exit, standing strangely stationary. His doubts didn¡¯t last when a bristled pink snout emerged from it. Chapter 210 - Unfortunate Encounters Chapter 210 - Unfortunate Encounters The pink snout turned into a bristled muzzle with three pairs of tusks: a yellow boar the size of a minivan stood on stout legs. The iridescent bubble collapsed on itself, cutting a few hairs on its stubby tail. Anomalies shouldn¡¯t appear outside the summoning chamber, yet they did. The consequences for breaking those enchantments were worse than he imagined. They¡¯re portals, not teleports. How did he not see it sooner? No one had witnessed the appearance of a beast and lived to tell the tale. The portal that brought the terragon and the wyrmling must have allowed more than one to pass. The connections must be growing more stable, perhaps due to the failing shackles of the Hidden Sanctuary that Zervathi mentioned. His lack of knowledge of spatial magic left him with more speculations than facts. Could he cross them to get to the Hidden Sanctuary? Should he? It seemed¡ª Oink! Fifteen meters across the chamber, large beady eyes studied him. The boar puffed a warm fetid breath. The group came to a forceful halt behind him. Kai didn¡¯t dare avert his eyes, hand on the hilt of his sword. There was no time to strategize. While the hall was more spacious than the corridors, a stocky beast and twelve people would leave little freedom to maneuver. Space and ambient mana swirled with no sign of abating. The boar barred the way forward, and the spatial tears spread at their backs, extinguishing any chance of retreat. Can¡¯t we all be friends? Would you mind moving your¡­ moderately-sized butt out of the way? The boar took away his indecision by charging. Its hard-nailed feet skittered on the ivory floor, eating the distance in a breath. ¡°Watch out!¡± He couldn¡¯t block a frontal assault or spare the Mind to check on Lou and Valela. Empower flowed into his legs. Hallowed Intuition had the decency to give him more precise directions. When the boar was one stride from running over him¡ªtoo close to adjust¡ªKai dodged left and released his Water spell. A layer of ice coated the floor of the chamber. The ice immediately cracked under the weight of the beast, making the boar skid out of control. Three tons of pork barreled past him, a shield of water pushed him out of the tusks'' way. Lou was on the right flank, and the group had the common sense to disperse to the sides, except one man who spent an instant too long frozen in terror. The boar trampled over him with a sickening crunch and crashed into the opposite entrance. Kai landed with a roll. One look at the bloody mincemeat on the floor was enough to know the man was already dead. Fuck. Should I press the advantage to kill it? Spells wouldn¡¯t be enough, he¡¯d need to use his sword up close to carve the thick hide. If he failed, he might get entangled in a long battle. Yellow beasts were stupidly resilient, the sea serpent had taken minutes to die even as he ripped at it from the inside. ¡°Move!¡± He waved the frozen guards to the next corridor. ¡°Now!¡± The spatial rends blinked within his Mana Sense range, expanding outwards. The boar might barely squeeze through the passage, but it was better than waiting here. They just needed to reach a chamber with a link to the towers and move outside. Half the group hurried past him, Valela stood by the doorway commanding everyone to move forward. She stared at the bloody remains on the floor, face pale, a wisp of light floating around her. As the overgrown swine was already getting up, barely dazed, a colorful string fluttered into existence, cutting crimson ribbons in its side. The beast let out a shrill squeal and crashed into a wall to escape the spatial tear. Sorry piggy, you should have taken the friendship deal. Ferla dashed towards it shrouded in Shadow. Her spear glowed with mana. Wielding the weapon with both hands, she planted it through the skull of the panicked boar. Eeeeeek! The beast jerked to slash the bodyguard with its tusks and forced the woman to abandon her weapon and retreat. The boar refused to peacefully die and thrashed madly despite the stick in its brains. The bodyguard appeared beside him, grabbed Valela and dragged her away. ¡°Hurry, miss. It¡¯ll take a while to die, but it won¡¯t be able to follow.¡± I wouldn¡¯t be so sure¡­ ¡°That was s¡ª Fuck!¡± Kai dashed for the corridor. With a wet grunt, the boar charged in their direction, blazing with enough mana to visibly glow. Its black eyes were blind with rage and pain, the broken shaft of a spear poked like a horn from its head. Why me? I didn¡¯t do anything! Kai cast another ice spell on the floor, but the berserk boar trampled over it without even slowing. He was ready to vault over it, though Hallowed Intuition had warned him he would be safe. By Fate or its cracked skull, the boar missed the tight passage and caught the corner of the entrance with its head. The walls of the chamber shook. The beast didn¡¯t get up this time, dead or unconscious. Kai didn¡¯t go back to check. Blinking motes swarmed together. ¡°Dodge right!¡± Valela veered her run without hesitation. An iridescent string zoomed through the corridor on their left, it sliced the immaculate walls before dissipating. Kai closed the line behind her, hoping that whoever led the group wasn¡¯t fleeing in panic. The rends were sparser, but Space mana was still dense and frenetic. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Earth, rocks and moss coated the floor, slowing his run in the dimmed light. They crossed three chambers before stopping. Mud squelched under his shoes. A cascade of vines dangled from the opening in the ceiling, letting through a gust of chill breeze. A man and a woman in blue uniforms were already upstairs, divided between keeping guard and helping the others follow. They were Yellow while most of the guards below were Orange. In the rush to run no one had thought to take a rope. The mud sucking on their feet hampered them from taking a proper jump. ¡°You go first.¡± Valela assumed a commanding tone between her labored breaths, gesturing to the uncertain guards. ¡°Miss.¡± Ferla used the harsh look she usually reserved for strangers. ¡°We¡¯re here to protect you. Let us do our job, we¡¯re losing time.¡± Valela bit her lip. ¡°What if they can¡¯t make the leap¡ª ¡°Make space.¡± Kai stepped forward but no one paid him any mind. Without the imminent threat of death, his authority had already expired. Damn. It was nice while it lasted. ¡°I can make a ladder.¡± Kai pushed through the blockade of bodies, he didn¡¯t stop to explain and cast a vibrant ball of mana. The vines hanging from the aperture writhed and grew thicker, extending like ropes to the floor. ¡°They¡¯ll hold a couple of people if you guys upstairs keep them steady.¡± The guards gaped at the magic display, some awed, some wary as if the vine bridge might rise to strangle them. What? Have you never seen a competent mage? ¡°Now would be a good time to move. We have no idea how far the spatial tears can extend, and I¡¯d rather not find out.¡± The yell got the desired effect. Valela was placed on the leafy vines by Ferla and reluctantly climbed. When Kai stood aside, the guards threw him strange glances, refusing to meet his gaze. It would have been nice if someone attempted to make him go first, but it didn¡¯t matter. With Hallowed Intuition and his spatial affinity, he had the greatest survivability, even higher than the yellow grades. ¡°You should go,¡± Lou said, guarding the three tunnels leading into the chamber. Huh¡­ Arguing would only waste more time. ¡°It can hold both of us.¡± Kai climbed the vines, he lifted himself up with his arms alone. Shouts and rumbling growls echoed from the main group¡ªspirits willing, it wasn¡¯t another stone lizard. Yellow beasts shouldn¡¯t be a problem with the number of yellow soldiers the military brought. Once they escaped the spatial instability, they would be fine. Well, most of them¡­ Kai pushed back the flashes of limbs and torsos, there had been no chance they would listen to him. He couldn¡¯t help such a large group. I had fucking told them this would end badly. A flood of thoughts and worries threatened to sweep his mind, ramifications from what happened today. It wasn''t time to analyze them. Kai stepped on the upper floor, the pale light of a dying sun peeked from the next opening. The ceiling was low, the guards had formed a line to help each other up. Casting another ladder of vines might save a few seconds, not enough to bother. The mana was still noticeably denser and chaotic, but there had been no spatial tears since Kai observed the area with Mana Sense. He took Lou¡¯s hand to hoist him up. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°You too. There was no need to close the group, I¡¯m more suited to spot the threats.¡± ¡°Then shouldn¡¯t you scout ahead?¡± Kai shook his head. ¡°The spatial anomalies are expanding from the summoning chamber, the main danger is underground. And shouldn¡¯t you be protecting Valela for your mysterious plans?¡± She was already in the upper chamber with Ferla at her side. The princess threw worried glances at the group below with a bone-white wand in hand. ¡°She has enough people looking after her.¡± Lou sighed, meeting his gaze with clear eyes. ¡°Kai, if you didn¡¯t come to warn and lead us out, we would have suffered many more losses. You¡¯ve already helped enough, let me do at least this for you.¡± What do I say to that¡­? ¡°Uh, okay¡­¡± he crouched to touch the vine ladder, hoping he didn¡¯t look too awkward. He had done some experiments since the last specialization. Instead of casting a spell, he pulled on the mana still present in the plant. The vine withered beneath his touch, returning about half the Nature mana spent. I still have room for improvement. ¡°That¡¯s new.¡± Lou positioned his large frame to shield him from the main group, the seriousness replaced by a wry smile. ¡°You know, sometimes I¡¯m tempted to shake you upside down to see how many tricks fall out.¡± Kai rolled his eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve seen almost everything after tonight.¡± It would be hard to hide his Space affinity, though it was possible the military hadn¡¯t noticed in the mayhem. He could blame his ability to sense on Hallowed Intuition, it wasn¡¯t entirely false. ¡°Almost.¡± The bulky teen looked amused. ¡°Yes, almost. What kind of mage reveals all his tricks?¡± ¡°Hmm, most of them I believe. At least among those I met, they were all eager to show off their abilities if you gave them an excuse.¡± If they were like the Earth half-mages, that¡¯s not surprising¡­ It must be an ego boost to come to the archipelago where there are almost no mana professions. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t take the mages you met in the archipelago as an example. I¡¯m technically an apprentice. And I''m not the only one with a few tricks, I saw a few glowing skills here and there. What are you hiding, big boy?" Lou stared at his boots with an awkward look. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t have to tell me if you¡¯re forbidden by you-know-what. The last thing I need is carrying your unconscious lumbering body out of here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± Lou lowered his tone to a whisper. ¡°They¡¯re mostly evolved skills. I¡¯m not particularly magically talented, but I¡¯ve got a small affinity for Water and an average one for Darkness.¡± That was easy. I should have asked sooner. ¡°Cool.¡± Kai had his suspicions after the fight with the toad. He didn¡¯t know much about Darkness, except it shared a link with Shadow, though not as strong as Water and Ice, or Earth and Stone. While Shadow was focused on concealing and slipping away, Darkness was about expanding and devouring. Lou chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s not the reaction I usually get.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just an affinity¡ª.¡± "Hurry up, we need to get out of here,¡± Valela yelled from upstairs. There was a single guard apart from them. A graying man at Yellow helping those who needed a push. ¡°C¡¯mon, you go first.¡± Lou smiled. ¡°Fine.¡± Kai was about to take the runner-up when Space mana surged. In a split second, an iridescent bubble swallowed half the chamber. Hallowed Intuition screamed of danger. Rotting ancestors, are you kidding me? There was no time to jump, the only way out was back into the tunnels. A pair of long hairy legs poked into the room two meters from him, followed by another identical pair and the most disgusting spidery face Kai had ever seen. It had eight bulbous eyes and a pair of fangs larger than any respectable arachnid should carry. I¡¯m so done with this shit. The spider let out a rasping screech¡ªno arachnid should be allowed to produce sounds either. The monstrosity tried to emerge from the portal with its fat hairy body. Fuck no! Kai raised his hand. He didn¡¯t waste time for efficient casting, he directed every mote of Water mana in his body forward. A wave flooded the beast to push it back, replacing the screeches with a low gurgling. The spell wouldn¡¯t harm a yellow beast. It didn¡¯t need to. While Kai didn¡¯t know the first thing about Space Magic, he knew two things. Those portals were unstable, and he was good at destroying cups. Maintaining the jet of water, he gathered the Space mana he had stocked since Zervathi boosted his affinity and threw it at the pulsing bubble. No visualization, who needed precision when you just wanted to mess things up? The bubble writhed and fluctuated wildly as the spider glowed with Shadow mana and pushed back the wave. With a whistle, the portal collapsed on the abdomen of the beast. Shreds of meat, chitin and green ichor exploded into the chamber. The rear of the spider wasn¡¯t bisected as much as obliterated. The surviving head and hairy legs slumped on the floor, and Mana Sense confirmed that not even a yellow beast could survive that. Kai retched at the slimy something that landed on his shoulder, there was a sour taste in his mouth he didn¡¯t wish to examine. He remembered once finding a barrel of fish gut left to rot for weeks in the sun - this was so much worse. Without hesitation, he turned the water jet onto himself. He spit, retched and washed himself again. ¡°Are you fine?¡± Valela shouted from above, covering her nose with a handkerchief. ¡°Never been better. That was the most disgusting thing I¡¯ve ever done.¡± Lou stood still with his eyes closed, dripping green ichor and unidentified organs. ¡°Please, help.¡± He spoke without opening his mouth. Kai considered teasing him, but that would have been too cruel even for him, so he summoned a second flow. In such a short battle, he had burned through more than half his Water mana. Lou didn¡¯t have to beg Kai to be the first one out. Pumping his legs with Empower, he jumped to the upper floor. Trees were visible through the windows. Most of the group was already out and Kai was eager to get away from the reeking chamber. A red twilight tinged the sky above the jungle in the west. Screams, growls and roars. A group of soldiers and mages stood in the middle of the ruins besieged by four bright yellow signatures. Chapter 211 - A Helping Hand Chapter 211 - A Helping Hand Kai swept his surroundings for any other mana signature: there were only four beasts. Peeking from a leafy shrub, he glimpsed a group of mean-looking lizards circling the soldiers near the broken tower. That¡¯s strange. They all belonged to the same species¡ªperhaps another quirk of the spatial anomalies. Low wiry bodies armored in black scales, horned heads and swishing tails. They were similar to the drakes he fought in Veeryd, though leaner and double the size. Their veins were a shade brighter than the boar, and the largest one was comparable to the terragon. Still better than a giant hairy spider. Probably¡­ The memory made him gag, he could faintly smell the remains of the battle wafting from the tower and his own clothes. The Space motes had fallen to ordinary levels. He¡¯d allow the Republic to take care of the carcass as a show of good faith, they were the professionals after all. A rumbling growl snapped his head back to the battle. The soldiers kept the drakes back with spears and shields while the Earth mages raised rocks from the ground to slow their movements. One of the smaller lizards struck too close before retreating. It was about to get skewered by a spear when the alpha flashed with mana. The soldier pulled back the attack just as the beast spewed a jet of flames at the formation. The fire clashed over a shimmering barrier and washed to the sides of the formation. Weeds turned to ash, sludgy mud hissed and cracked. Thank Yatei, they stood in the central clearing, away from the vegetation. The last thing they needed was to start a forest fire. Darlo and the scholars will be overjoyed to have been left behind today. The expedition counted two-thirds of the troops who left the camp that morning, a few missing limbs and many bleeding wounds. It was possible some were lost in the ruins, but the death toll was heavy. Captain Seryne shouted orders from the center of the formation surrounded by half-mages and wounded. Somehow the portly Earth shaper was there too, shaking like mango jelly. Kai didn¡¯t see Makyn, but it was hard to distinguish the faces of the frontline soldiers behind shields. He¡¯ll be fine. He was probably the fastest person in the summoning chamber, he must have gotten out. Kai couldn¡¯t contemplate any other possibility. The remaining guards had reached him outside the tower, using the breather to check the injuries they suffered during their escape. Their team was sheltered by the vegetation, easily able to circle around the battle and find safety. Hmm¡­ Unlike last time, he wasn¡¯t the one being chased by a beast. Kai scanned his party. There were three people at Yellow: Ferla and two old guards who had recently advanced. From the white knuckles gripping their spears, they weren¡¯t eager to test their abilities. Playing hero one time was enough. The Republic can deal with its own mess. ¡°We should group back at camp.¡± ¡°We should go help them.¡± Valela scowled at him. ¡°Do we have to? They got it handled, we¡¯ll just complicate things. And how are we going to block those flames if they attack us? My mana is running low, and a shield isn¡¯t going to cut it.¡± Ferla gave a look that skimmed on approving. ¡°I¡¯m with the apprentice on this one, miss. This area isn¡¯t safe. I¡¯ve lost my spear against the boar, and we don¡¯t have the might to provide assistance without risking further losses.¡± She swept her gaze on the fight. ¡°The military claimed command of all combat matters, they can handle those themselves. Our duty is to oversee the investigation on behalf of the council, we need to report what happened.¡± The guards looked pale at the idea of rejoining the fray. Instead of rebutting, Valela turned pensive and examined their group. Her emerald eyes lingered on him. ¡°Can you tell if the spatial anomalies will spread to the surface?¡± Oh, boy. Why couldn¡¯t she just be a cold-hearted schemer? ¡°Give me a second.¡± He did another sweep of their surroundings and pushed Mana Sense inside the tower. ¡°From the ambient mana, it looks like it¡¯s staying underground, but I can¡¯t say for sure. I don¡¯t know spatial theory, I followed my Danger Sense to get us out.¡± ¡°Your Danger Sense?¡± Ferla narrowed her eyes. ¡°Mine couldn¡¯t predict the location of the tears till they appeared.¡± Kai chewed his cheek. ¡°Mine is at Yellow¡­ and works with Favor.¡± The revelation sent a wave of gasps and whispers among the guards. He had to give something to conceal his Space affinity, and it was obvious he had a danger-sensing skill after he had warned them in the summoning chamber. The Favor part would make the story believable. It was a given that anyone born at the bottom of Red would have a high seventh stat if they advanced quickly. He hadn¡¯t given away anything that a clever observer couldn¡¯t deduce by themselves. The point of concealing his abilities was to save them for when it mattered, and he was in well over his head. Valela didn¡¯t look surprised. ¡°I¡¯ll send one group back to the campsite to contact the council while we provide assistance from a safe distance.¡± Her words calmed most of the guards¡ªat least those that would leave. Almost every Orange guard was selected to head back, except Lou and another young islander who insisted on staying. Likely another recruit from the shady program. Ferla wasn¡¯t pleased. ¡°Miss, I must advise against this plan.¡± ¡°I appreciate it, but you don¡¯t need to worry. I don¡¯t intend to put myself or anybody else in danger. If we manage to distract one beast and land an attack, I¡¯ll be satisfied.¡± Gaining the reluctant nod of her bodyguard, Valela asked the obvious question. ¡°Kai, are you willing to stay with us? I¡¯ll take care of the flames if they attack. You don¡¯t need to fight, just warn us if you perceive anything, so we¡¯ll retreat.¡± ¡°You mean more than being in a war zone?¡± His comment crashed on flat faces. With multiple pairs of hopeful eyes on him, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say no. ¡°Uh¡­ Sure, I can do that.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Thank you.¡± Valela smiled, showing her relief. ¡°I¡¯ll see that you¡¯re appropriately compensated. There will be some changes after this.¡± There were a few things I wanted to buy from the orange list¡­ They circled the outer rim of the site. Half of the group proceeded back towards the camp and gave their spears to Ferla. The remaining six approached the central clearing, keeping a direct route for retreat. The fight in the ruins was in a stalemate, both sides were unwilling to commit to an attack. A drake had gotten a long slash on its foreleg, another had an arrow sticking from its eye. Despite that, Kai wasn¡¯t sure who held the advantage, and he still couldn¡¯t spot Makyn. Dammit. The soldiers were at a disadvantage since they had to endure the attacks head-on to protect the wounded and non-combatants in their midst. Earth shapers'' spells were too slow to be effective against the beasts. If the mage casting the barrier ran out of mana, they¡¯d be literally toasted, and probably lose half the expedition. Valela stopped on the last ring of trees for cover. A tower on their left. She fumbled her bone wand, missing her earlier confidence. The princess would be their main damage dealer. They had no archers among them, and Ferla wouldn¡¯t engage unless she was forced to. ¡°How does that work?¡± Kai waved at the wand to break her tension. It was made from yellow materials and heavily enchanted, though he couldn¡¯t pierce the cloaking, ¡°Uh, this?¡± Valela looked at her magic stick. ¡°It¡¯s a focus for casting, it makes my spells stronger and more efficient. You don¡¯t have one?¡± ¡°No.¡± Kai pursed his lips. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen one on sale.¡± There had been none even on the restricted list of the Republic. ¡°Oh¡­ I see. Since mage artifacts require complicated enchantments, they classify as yellow weapons or higher, even when they¡¯re made for apprentices. They must be hard to find in the archipelago if you don¡¯t know the right people,¡± she nodded to herself. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m ready. I¡¯ll aim at the injured one on the right.¡± Under the cover of the vegetation, the yellow guards nodded, preparing their spears for a throw. ¡°Be careful, miss.¡± Ferla glowered at the drakes. With a grim face, she changed her grasp, ready to fling her weapon. A shroud of Shadows crept around them. ¡°Certain beasts can perceive mana more accurately than mages. I can cloak us for a few minutes. We¡¯ll get one chance to strike, we might as well make it count.¡± ¡°I apologize for making your job harder,¡± Valela said. The stern woman looked at her charge and fought off a smile. ¡°That¡¯s what keeps it interesting, miss. One volley then we retreat. I¡¯m too old for these reckless fights.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± Valela bobbed her head and began chanting under her breath. ¡°Ovym vesh ivlast¡ª" Kai soon gave up trying to memorize the words, it all sounded like gibberish to him. It¡¯s kinda slow, though it might be effective if you have a cover or frontline. Blue motes gathered on her wand. They were a shade lighter than Water, their swirls slower and sharper. Valela must have a main affinity for Ice that swallowed the one for Water. She also used Fire against the toad. And maybe Light? I didn¡¯t hear her casting when she summoned her shining wisps in the tunnels. From what Virya told him, a language of power gave mages access to a wider variety of elements if they knew the words and how to pronounce them. Though the spells would still be weak without an affinity to back them up. Kai readied his sword, hoping he wouldn¡¯t have to use it. Those drakes lacked the colossal size of the other yellow beasts he had seen, which was no benefit at all. His body wouldn''t survive a direct hit anyway. Slow and heavy was better than fast and nimble. Why did I get roped into this again? Shouts of pain and fury reached his ears, the soldiers were struggling to hold the line. Kai swallowed his reluctance. Valela or not, he couldn¡¯t run away without at least trying to help¡ªeven if some of them were exploitative assholes. While he would never like the Republic for what they had done to his home, he recognized most were just humans trying to get by. Some might deserve to get punched in the face, but not to get burned alive by a beast. Only the top of the pyramid had actual power and agency. Spirits, it was easier when they were just an indistinct entity I could hate. The injured drake on the right whipped its tail at the defenders, and its largest cousin released another torrent of flames. The mana barrier cracked under the physical strike, letting a stream of orange flames seep through. The smaller beast dismissed its torched tail with a growl. Shit! Valela took the chance to release a dazzling white comet, far denser than the one he remembered. With three snaps, Ferla and the two guards flung their spears. The projectiles whistled through the clearing. Committed to the tail strike, the drake jerked his head back in time to eat an ice beam in the face. The freezing spell crackled on his scales when the first glowing spear hit the injured leg. The beast staggered forward. Two more spears poked its belly, one piercing the black scales. Hmm¡­ maybe I should have joined too. Long-distance casting isn¡¯t my forte. Unable to open its jaws, the drake let out a strangled growl, falling towards the soldiers. Though a few hesitated, many weapons and skills flashed to take advantage of the opportunity. It wasn¡¯t going to get up again. The three remaining beasts roared, striking forward. Two were too far from the fallen comrade, while the alpha was unable to spew fire without a break. It charged the formation, uncaring of the spears pointed its way. In a flare of mana, the head of one of the smaller drakes separated from its body as it retreated. The attack didn¡¯t come from the formation either. Observing the fight through Mana Sense, Kai recognized the familiar signature. That¡¯s my porter! I¡¯ll give you a raise. Makyn turned to face the second drake. The cheeky bugger must have been waiting for an opportunity to strike again. He had a long cut on the side of his blood-soaked uniform¡ªtoo precise to not be the result of a spatial tear. He should have listened to¡ª. Hallowed Intuition flared to life, rumbling in his mind. ¡°Retreat!¡± Instead of fighting to avenge its pack, the alpha turned to flee without caring for its last member. Naturally, it chose their direction. Kai could swear its burning eyes set straight on him before he turned to run. I didn¡¯t even attack. ¡°Wait¡ª¡± Ferla scooped Valela and disappeared into a flutter of Shadows. The other yellow guards had already turned their tail, while Lou and the native girl had been waiting further back. Kai could read Lou¡¯s hesitation in his mana flow, he could catch up to them, though that would hardly help. ¡°Run left!¡± The soldiers were following the beast at a slower pace. Brimming with Empower, Kai turned a few degrees right. The drake aimed for him, eating his head start. Oh, well. Just another day at work. He jumped into an ivory window and landed in a roll. Noticing the turbulent mana and spatial tears underground, Kai boosted his leg to leap into the upper floor. He was about to get to the top of the tower when Hallowed Intuition told him better. A stream of flames flew from a window. Positioning against a wall, a simple water barrier took care of the rest. The shield boiled and hissed, but easily held. Since the drake went through the trouble of heating the water, Kai sent it back when a scaled head poked through the window. The attack was timed with the whispers of danger, spilling over the beast''s eyes and snout before it could leap back. It crashed backward into a tree, roaring in pain. Honestly, you could have just gotten away without stopping for a snack. He stuck his hand out to send a volley of icicles before the drake could get back on its feet. Just for good measure. A flash of mana bolted towards the beast and left a sword through its skull. You must really love waiting for an opening. Makyn stepped back from the thrashing drake. The injury at his side wasn¡¯t bleeding, but he looked deathly pale. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I should be the one to ask you that. Here, I¡¯ll lend you mine.¡± Kai threw down his sword. By the time he descended the tower, the beast had gone silent, and he had a notification blinking. His faithful porter waited for him with a bloody blade. ¡°Thanks, the lease will cost you just half the kill.¡± Kai grinned and offered him a potion. Makyn stared back with not a hint of humor. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I already took one.¡± ¡°Well, this one¡¯s for blood loss. And don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t need it.¡± The soldier examined the potion for a second before drinking it. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome, I can¡¯t have my employee die on the job. By the way, I was joking about the sword. I¡¯ll be fine with twenty-five percent.¡± Kai patted his shoulder. ¡°Though the potion is another twenty-five percent, that¡¯s premium quality.¡± ¡°Just cut the nonsense, and say it already,¡± Makyn grumbled, leaning against the tower. ¡°What do you mean¡­ oh, that. Yes, I did tell you this would end badly half a dozen times. I mean, it could have gone worse.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t know. You could have blown up the summoning chamber or destroyed the other one too.¡± Makyn scrunched his brows. ¡°And how would we know if that happened?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Kai pushed his sensing skill through the ground and Inspected the raging mana swirling underneath. Spatial rends cut into the ivory stone. ¡°I think we better leave.¡± Chapter 212 - Evacuation Chapter 212 - Evacuation A thin drizzle fell from the cowl of clouds, the night was lit by dim crystal. Everyone was cold and miserable, patience was stitched together by the common desire to get away from the epicenter of the anomaly. The order of evacuation had come as they set foot back into the main camp. The emergency barges were bound to arrive soon. There wasn''t space for everyone, a group would have to march along the western coast before getting picked up by a second round of vessels. Only a small team would remain near Kawei¡¯s ruins to report on the situation. When they left the Vastaire site, the spatial tears had given no sign of dying down, and the mana levels were still growing. No one was able to descend into the underground complex to verify, but the consensus was that both summoning chambers must have been destroyed. Thankfully, yellow beasts were equally vulnerable to spatial rends, and half the howls carried torturous notes of pain. The remaining half would be more than enough to overwhelm them, but in the absence of humans, the beasts were happy to battle it out among themselves. Another piercing roar echoed from the jungle. People had stopped screaming after the first dozen, most even stopped flinching. They hurried faster to pack and carry supplies in silence. Many soldiers and mages had been killed or severely injured, piling on top of the losses of the previous accident, just a few days prior. If the military hadn¡¯t given the evacuation order, Kai wouldn¡¯t have been surprised by the guards deserting. And who could have predicted this¡­ To be fair, nothing had happened the last time the governor quarried the Vastaire sites for stone, though that had been before the anomalies started. The destruction of the summoning chambers must have shaken the failing enchantments in the Hidden Sanctuary. Kai stuffed his dad¡¯s journals inside the spatial bag; the scholars had kept a few volumes for themselves. Sonya and Darlo had drowned him in questions, only held back when they had been called to be consulted by the command. Makyn and Valela had also disappeared when they left the Vastaire site. A young guard in a blue uniform knocked on the door to their shared room. ¡°Kai Tylenn? Come with me. You¡¯ll be on the first vessel to Eastwin.¡± No drenched nightly march from me. Yay! ¡°Thank you, but I''d rather wait with the others. They should be back soon.¡± ¡°The remaining scholars will be evacuated in the second round. You need to be ready to embark when the barges arrive, we can¡¯t delay your departure.¡± ¡°Why are they not coming?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t informed, sir. I¡¯ve received orders to bring you on board.¡± His tone and eyes prayed and demanded to not make things difficult. Kai suppressed the desire to argue. ¡°Give me a second.¡± He did one last sweep of the room to check if he had forgotten something. There were dozens of spare sheets of paper, hopefully nothing important. He double-checked the latches of his spatial backpack before walking into the cold drizzle outside. The last thing he needed was soggy books. The sea churned restlessly two hundred meters from camp. Still no sign of the barges. Medics hustled between the rows of injured near the shore. Kai stopped counting the missing limbs after getting to ten. The metallic smell of blood was thick enough to pierce the rain. Spirits knew how many more laid dead in the ruin, or the belly of a beast. Should I have told them about Zervathi¡­? The moaning of the wounded deafened the calls and filled him with guilt. Could he have prevented these deaths? Even disregarding the consequences for his own person, there was no certainty Seryne wouldn¡¯t have proceeded with the excavation anyway. I don¡¯t want to imagine what will happen when the Republic learns about the hidden realm. Things were bound to get worse before they improved. He still had some notifications pending. He pushed them away, not in the mood to look at his gains when he was surrounded by so much death. The guard left him with a crowd of people staring at the dark horizon, mainly mana professionals and crates of supplies. He briefly considered going to look for the scholars. In the night and chaos, he was just as likely to miss them, and even if he found them, he didn¡¯t have the authority to evacuate them. Kai casually wandered under a large turquoise umbrella. The owner was facing the opposite side, ranting with his colleagues. No matter the situation, the mages couldn¡¯t stop squabbling over who was right. It was probably their way of coping with stress. ¡°The spatial veil between dimensions will heal itself.¡± Mage Chev''s voice rose over the rest. ¡°If permanently damaging the veil were so easy, every land on Elydes would be a wasteland.¡± ¡°You also said there was no chance of an instability this large, Mage Chevinsi.¡± A female responded, her figure hidden by the crowd. ¡°Yes, and you agreed with me, Mage Alynna. We were clearly mistaken about the origin of the anomalies. They aren¡¯t accidental teleportations but portals. You saw the drakes emerge from an unstable spatial bubble before they attacked us.¡± ¡°That blob of spatial energies could have been anything,¡± Alynna said. ¡°We didn¡¯t take any proper measurements, it was likely the byproduct of an erratic teleportation. Why would anyone open a gate to use it like a teleportation? The mana cost alone would be ludicrously inefficient.¡± "These enchantments are incredibly ancient and not working as intended. There could literally be a million reasons. We have no idea of the Vastaire''s capabilities.¡± Alynna loudly scoffed. ¡°Look around us. We¡¯re in a mana-starved archipelago that barely qualifies as a Red area. We can¡¯t assume this is the work of some magically advanced civilization just from a piece of overengineered runescript. If none of us recognized the runic alphabets, they must have been inferior to the Acaelei¡¯s runes and forgotten by time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a ridiculous leap in logic. We don¡¯t know enough about the situation eight millennia ago, and mana density can shift over eons.¡± If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Not this drastically. That theory has never been proven.¡± ¡°It has! Your old-timey bunch just refuses to accept reason. Rubarth and Cervanni have published six volumes with their surveys of the Almani peninsula, the meta-analysis of the essence sediments shows that¡ª¡± More unknown names were thrown out like Pok¨¦mon trainers trying to counter each other. Kai quickly lost track of the conversation. If that¡¯s what mages were like on the mainland, he was glad he didn¡¯t receive a formal education. It was somewhat reassuring when an Earth shaper threw out the idea of a sub-dimensional space and was laughed off. Should I hope they figure out the truth? It would be easier to figure out how to get into the Hidden Realm with the help of someone who knew how it worked. His pact with Zervathi didn¡¯t require him to be the first inside, or to go alone. The problem was if the Republic allowed him inside at all¡­ I do need to get there ¡®before the gates fully open¡¯. I don¡¯t think breaking those enchantments helped my schedule. The word fully gave him hope there was still time. For now, he¡¯d wait and see how the situation developed. The mana researchers were convinced the spatial instability would settle down, though the timeline began another fierce debate. Their speculations ranged from hours to months. A wave of relief swept through the crowd when four flickering lights appeared on the horizon. The barges soon became more distinct on the dark sea and lined up to approach the single pier. Two officers checked a list of names before letting anyone through with just a small scuffle when two diggers tried to sneak aboard. This situation sucks. The injured boarded first, followed by the mages. Kai stuck close to Chev. While mana professionals could be exhausting, he needed all the information he could get. The hold of the ship was occupied by crates, bodies were pressed on the deck. ¡°Uhm¡­ Mage Chevinsi.¡± Kai lightly pulled his sleeve. The redhead turned, lowering his gaze on him. ¡°What are you doing here? Are you alone? May the Moons light our path.¡± He elbowed another passenger to draw seven points on his heart. ¡°This wasn¡¯t the place for a kid, even before all this madness. You¡¯ll get sick if you stay out here under the rain, I¡¯ll¡ª¡± ¡°There is no need to worry about me, Mage Chevinsi.¡± Kai took the required advice with a patient smile. ¡°May I ask you a question?¡± The man looked around at the crowded deck and shook his head with a scowl. ¡°Go ahead. I doubt we¡¯re going to get a chance to rest before reaching land.¡± Kai bobbed his head to satisfy the man. ¡°Uh¡­ Is it true what you were saying earlier? Are the beasts really coming through a gateway?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been eavesdropping on our conversations.¡± Chev looked at him disapproving. ¡°Being born in a rural place isn¡¯t an excuse for bad manners.¡± Don¡¯t glare. Don¡¯t glare. Don¡¯t glare. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Kai lowered his gaze, repentant. ¡°Well¡­ I can¡¯t fault you for looking for a distraction in this situation. Indeed, a gate is the most reasonable explanation. The question is where they are coming from.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we just jump in one to find out?¡± Kai mused while his heart tensed. That would be much easier than to ¡®find the Altar of Covenant on the highest peak¡¯. Unless I end up in a beast¡¯s den¡­ But there must be a limit to their numbers if they all come here. ¡°We¡¯d have to find a madman willing to jump into an unstable spatial gate.¡± Chev chuckled and patted his head. ¡°It¡¯s nice to be a young dreamer.¡± ¡°So it would never work¡­?¡± ¡°I guess it¡¯s theoretically possible. I can¡¯t be sure without a careful analysis. Awakened beasts are much more resilient than humans, one would most likely die, squished or sliced by spatial forces. Or those gates might work one way only, stranding you in the empty space between realms.¡± Chev pursed his lips. ¡°And it¡¯s also possible they aren¡¯t gates at all, but just a bubble of Space energy ferrying the beasts between two places.¡± Let¡¯s put them as the very last resort. Zervathi would have mentioned it if the solution were that easy. Kai didn¡¯t need to fake his disappointment. ¡°I see¡­ There is no easier way to distinguish a gate?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I heard that with some stable portals, you can see your destination like watching through a window. But I¡¯ve never witnessed it myself, gates aren¡¯t practical in low mana areas. Now, let¡¯s go search for a dry place in the cargo for you.¡± * * * Kai sat on his cot inside the buzzing zeppelin bound for Hawkfield. A spotless sky outside the round window lit the cabin. He had directly embarked when they touched land in Eastwin. He wasn¡¯t entirely sure if it was Seryne or Valela who was pulling him along, or what they were planning to do next. Better than being left behind, I guess. It was time to see what the whole debacle had netted him. Profession XP (Domain): 1534 It was a little morbid how death always brought such rewards. The XP was another step towards his advancement. Yellow before fourteen was becoming a much more concrete possibility. 1534 XP are equivalent to one and a half gold mesars if I bought the Republic¡¯s Distilled Essence¡­ Some people must have money to burn. *Ding* Inner Calm (lv1) ¨C Calamities, pain and death won¡¯t chip at your rationality. Assess the situation and decide the best course forward. I can learn to do most of those things on my own with experience, though ignoring pain would be neat. It was infinitely better than Pain Resistance since he could level the skill through its other aspects without hurting himself. He¡¯d consider it when he unlocked more slots. *Ding* New Feat: Giant Slayer - You¡¯ve contributed to the defeat of numerous yellow beasts, proving your ability to cross the chasm between grades. You are awarded: +1 Favor! Getting involved in deathly shenanigans sure is profitable. He¡¯d probably not get more from killing yellow beasts unless he defeated a hundred. Favor would strengthen his bond with Hallowed Intuition, which had leveled for the fourth time since he found two enforcers outside his door a couple weeks ago. A knock woke him up from his musings. ¡°Come in.¡± He called, already knowing who was there. Valela entered his cabin, closing the door behind her. She raised her hand to stall his question and took out her cube enchanted against eavesdropping. "Better to be safe.¡± The dark circles under her eyes made him suspect she hadn¡¯t closed them since the accident. ¡°Make yourself at home,¡± Kai gestured to the cramped space. The cabin was even smaller than the one he got on his way to Kawei, and he had to share it with another person. ¡°Uh¡­ thank you,¡± Valela scanned the place with a glance, and took a seat in the second cot. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I didn¡¯t contact you sooner. The matters demanding my attention kept piling up once we reached camp.¡± ¡°Is everything alright? I mean, besides the obvious fiasco.¡± Valela winced. ¡°You can''t imagine, ours wasn¡¯t the only site hit. Every ruin on the archipelago spewed out beasts after the summoning chambers were destroyed.¡± Blood drained from his face. ¡°You mean they also experienced spatial tears?¡± He couldn¡¯t even imagine the destruction. Yatei¡¯s mercy, what if they destroyed all the summoning chambers? ¡°No, it wasn''t as extreme in other places. There were two or three beast attacks per site. The teams recognized the mana gathering and dealt with them. The spatial instability on Kawei appeared to have settled down. Or at least, the scout teams didn¡¯t see any more beasts exiting the ruins in the last¡­¡± she checked a pocket watch. ¡°Thirteen and a half hours.¡± Not the apocalypse yet then. ¡°What are they going to do about all the beasts on Kawei?¡± ¡°Scouts will be posted to keep an eye on the situation, but probably nothing for now.¡± ¡°Nothing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible they¡¯ve not informed me of their plans. Most settlements are on the other side of the island, and there are no nearby villages after the relocation seven years ago.¡± Valela said. ¡°Yellow beasts can¡¯t sustain themselves or mate in the thin mana of the archipelago, so they¡¯ll weaken and be easier to hunt.¡± Not what he would have chosen, but it wasn¡¯t a terrible plan. ¡°Thank you for informing me.¡± She gave him a tired smile. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. The military will probably suspect our relationship after you escaped the accident with us.¡± ¡°Sorry about that.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous, you saved our lives. I¡ª¡± she pursed her lips and stared at her shoes. ¡°I thought I¡¯d be able to keep a level head no matter what happened, especially after last time. But it all happened too fast, and I didn¡¯t know what to do. Again.¡± Kai chuckled at her peeved face. ¡°I heard no one can be good at everything. It¡¯s normal to panic in dangerous situations if you¡¯re not used to it.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Spirits, they¡¯ll definitely suspect us if we behave like this.¡± They shared an awkward smile. ¡°Anyway, do you know why we¡¯re going to Hawkfield?¡± Valela raised an eyebrow. ¡°No one told you? The military suspects there is an undiscovered Vastaire site near the heart of the Veeryd jungle.¡± Chapter 213 - Preparations Chapter 213 - Preparations Fields of golden wheat, barley and rye extended for miles. Kai pressed his nose against the cold windowpane, he had heard Hawkfield was the breadbasket of the Republic, but it was different seeing it in person. The ears of wheat swayed like waves touched by the wind, the fields crossed by a network of shimmering canals and little houses with tiled roofs. They would need an army of farmers to plant and harvest everything by hand. Hmm¡­ What kind of skills do you get from a farming profession? Waking up at dawn to till, sow and tend the crops. The hours of mindless physical labor sounded enticing after courting death in the last few days. If he added skills and levels to the mix, it might even be fun. He had gotten quite good at nurturing cabbages and turnips with Nature Magic. Who knew, maybe he had the potential to become the best farmer in the Republic. I¡¯d get bored after a while¡­ If he squinted, he could glimpse large silos and buildings rising in the distance, where the promising youth of the archipelago came to be brainwashed. Flynn told him that Hawkfield was a Republic town built from the foundations up. Everyone there worked for the government one way or another. It was an isolated enclave surrounded by farmland for miles and miles. The little news that got out were the stories of the kids in the program, though they weren¡¯t reliable sources. Ana must be down there too. She has four more months till she gets her profession. The zeppelin zipped over Hawkfield, gliding over buildings of white plaster and stone. They were set along a grid of perpendicular streets and interspaced by mowed fields of grass. Everywhere Kai looked, blue banners with the soaring hawk flapped, or hung draped from balconies and windows. It was an idyllic place compared to the wild and muddy jungle of Kawei, yet it had something profoundly unsettling about it. Maybe the too clean lines of the architecture, or the military efficiency with which the tiny passersby below seemed to move. There were no markets, no children running around, not even a tiny aquamarine line of sea on the horizon. Despite standing in the middle of Yanlun¡ªthe largest and central island of the Baquaire Archipelago¡ªHawkfield had nothing of the native charm. It was a piece of the Republic through and through. The zeppelin was anchored to the berth tower by long metallic chains. No one came calling for him. Kai gathered his bags and headed for the holding door of the vessel. He queued behind Lou and Valela¡¯s group, hoping to go unnoticed. They had agreed to keep the distance of a professional relationship. Acquainted but not familiar. Seryne was there too. Heavy lines marked her face, she was either ready to fall asleep or have a manic episode¡ªKai¡¯d rather not be there to find out which one. She was the first to exit when the hatch opened, followed by a squad of soldiers and crates. Will she get fired or demoted? He descended the winding stairs of the berth tower, the air had the clean and dry smell of farmland ready to be harvested. He took a lungful of oxygen, there wasn¡¯t even a hint of salt. The impression he got from the air was only reinforced, everything looked so foreign. Where exactly do I go? Did I lose a memo, or did they actually forget about me? Men and women in many shades of uniform walked down the gravel roads. The minutes ticked by, no one so much as looked in his direction. Should he snoop around? Pretend to get lost and run away? The nearest settlement was dozens of miles away across the Republic farmland. Should I ask for directions? Lou strolled from a corner, his boots crunching on the gravel gave away his arrival. ¡°Are you lost, kid?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just suffering from the Republic''s poor organization.¡± Kai crossed his arms with a scowl. ¡°Can you believe their rudeness?¡± ¡°Truly unforgivable.¡± Lou shook his head, pointing to a large four-stories building in the distance. ¡°C¡¯mon, it has been a few hectic days. If you can bear the insult a little longer, I¡¯ll find you a place to stay.¡± ¡°It better be nice, with a proper bed and a large bathroom.¡± It had been too long since he took a warm shower. He¡¯d also need to buy appropriate gear to explore a buried ruin since the Republic couldn¡¯t be trusted with that. ¡°By the way, do you know who brought me here?¡± ¡°We put you on the barge to Eastwin, and the military on the zeppelin. They probably expected you to follow them. They¡¯ll realize you¡¯re missing in a couple of hours and send someone to look for you.¡± Lou gave him a little smirk. ¡°I had a hunch that this would happen and came to check.¡± I¡¯m an external contractor, not their employee! How is it my fault when no one tells me anything? ¡°So, shouldn¡¯t I wait for them?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. The military doesn¡¯t have enough sway in Hawkfield to push things. Like you said, it¡¯s their fault for the poor organization. Your contract with them will end soon, and the council will want to hire such a capable expert too.¡± Hmm¡­ I won¡¯t say no to a bidding war. ¡°When are we moving out to search Veeryd for¡ª?¡± Lou¡¯s hand bolted to hush him. ¡°Kai, I¡¯m pretty sure you also signed a contract of silence about our investigation.¡± He lowered his tone to a whisper and glanced at the passersby before letting him go. ¡°Aren¡¯t we in a Republic stronghold?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that simple. The Republic doesn¡¯t freely share classified intel among its members.¡± That does make a lot of sense¡­ Stolen story; please report. ¡°Right¡­¡± Kai could feel his ears heating up. ¡°Sorry, I was just used to being around the camp where everyone knew about that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, just be mindful of your surroundings. You¡¯re lucky it¡¯s me. The punishment for violating a clause won¡¯t be a scolding if an officer overhears you. Wait till we get inside a private room if you want to discuss an ongoing investigation.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Kai followed him into a large governmental building. The ground floor was filled by busy clerks, while the upper floors housed a half-empty dormitory. Nothing says civilization like the smell of paperwork. His room had a single bed. No more sharing spaces with strangers, though the bathroom was in common with three other lodgings. Kai plopped down on the clean sheets¡ªnot as fluffy as he¡¯d like but passable. ¡°When are we leaving? Did the mana researchers find anything else? What¡¯s the plan now?¡± Lou massaged his eyes and sat in a chair across from him. ¡°I don¡¯t know, a few days to a week. Can I count on you to be more discreet?¡± ¡°When am I not?¡± ¡°Like¡­ twenty minutes ago?¡± ¡°That was the exception that confirms the rule.¡± Kai gave him a brilliant smile. ¡°I¡¯ve no idea what that means.¡± ¡°Me neither. Now tell me what you know, I promise to be silent as a fish.¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t much.¡± Lou scratched his stubble. ¡°Both the military and political wings didn¡¯t expect things to escalate this quickly, or drastically. Right now, the upper brass is scrambling to decide what to do next¡­ Some people are calling to ask reinforcements from the mainland and let them handle it.¡± Just what I needed. It¡¯s already crowded enough, I won¡¯t ever get to the Hidden Sanctuary if more parties get involved. His value was dependent on the lack of resources in the archipelago. If a professional team arrived from the continent, they might not need his expertise¡ªor give him far less leeway. He might have to escape and look for the entrance to the sub-dimension on his own. Kai ignored his twisting guts to keep his voice even. ¡°How likely is that to happen?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯m barely an officer, I don¡¯t have access to that kind of information. This is more what I overheard from Valela, I¡¯ve already said more than I should.¡± ¡°Please, it¡¯s important.¡± It wasn¡¯t fair to ask, but he needed to know, the answer would determine his path forward. Kai could already see Lou filing the information for later. Lou observed him pensive before finally continuing. ¡°Among the ranks, most soldiers had wanted to call for help for a while. The new guards were more hesitant to invite strangers to take over, but opinions have been changing after the last events. However, neither the governor nor the commander wants to hand over their authority to the mainland.¡± ¡°So, we¡¯re safe¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the word I would use, but neither side will call for reinforcements, for now.¡± Lou was still peering strangely at him. ¡°If there¡¯re more casualties, voices will reach the mainland one way or another. Valela also thinks the governor will cut his losses before it gets to that, so the council can negotiate the terms.¡± Basically, one more fuck-up and I¡¯m screwed too. Great. ¡°Hmm¡­ What about the ruins in Veeryd? I thought we were headed there.¡± ¡°We are, but it¡¯s a long shot, many doubt those ruins even exist. All the other Vastaire sites were located near the sea. It¡¯s also weird that there have been no signs of spatial anomalies. If a bunch of yellow beasts appeared in the jungle, we should have noticed something by now.¡± So either they don¡¯t exist, or those ruins are special¡­ Lou stood up, heading for the door. ¡°I hope you know I¡¯m grateful for your help with spatial tears and beasts. We wouldn¡¯t have all survived without you, but I¡¯ll need to tell Valela about this conversation.¡± Kai nodded distractedly. ¡°That¡¯s only fair. I¡¯ll tell her I forced you to speak.¡± ¡°There is no need, it was my choice. Please don¡¯t do anything stupid.¡± ¡°When do I ever?¡± * * * Kai positioned the three boxes on the table before him, their polished surface reflected his smiling face. Three days of rest and two marching on the road. He had been worried he wouldn¡¯t get his goods in time. The temporary lodging he was assigned in Wildepoint¡ªthe forward settlement of the Republic near Veeryd¡ªwas half the size of the one he got in Hawkfield, and a third as comfortable. Still better than camping in the jungle. Spirits, I didn¡¯t even get a week of civilization. At dawn, they¡¯d be trekking through Veeryd. No matter how the expedition went, he probably wouldn¡¯t get the chance to spend his credits. He had signed another contract with the military till the beast attacks were stopped. The council hadn¡¯t been able to match their offer, or maybe they just weren¡¯t as desperate. Seryne had managed to maintain command of the operation¡ªlikely through some underhand tactic. Each time she appeared, her confident demeanor looked a little less believable, the cracks stitched together with prayers and wishes. Why else would she offer me a gold a week? She must know I escaped the ruins with Valela. That was on top of the other benefits: 200 credits for outstanding service, and the ability to buy three restricted items on the complete Orange List. While not officially stated, both rewards were contingent on signing with the military, and too tempting to refuse. Kai lifted the lid of the largest box. It held a white booklet with the title in elegant black letters: A Hundred Shades of Power. He leafed through the pages covered in runes. The manual detailed how to precisely measure an affinity. The drawback of checking a single element at a time didn¡¯t affect him, and for 150 credits, it had been too convenient to pass up. He¡¯d much rather be self-sufficient than pay a ritual specialist. After the boost from Zervathi¡¯s blessing, he wouldn¡¯t trust the ritualist in Higharbor to not leak his affinity for Space. Drawing the runes wouldn¡¯t be a problem with a little practice, and the ingredients weren¡¯t hard to find either. He could provide the elemental motes to fuel the ritual himself. I¡¯ll have to wait till after the expedition is over. The next box contained a single vial filled with a dense red liquid: Swift Absolution (Orange). A less exciting purchase, though it fit within his remaining budget for only a gold mesar. If the Republic didn¡¯t lie, the potion would protect him from the backlash of discarding an orange skill. He still hadn¡¯t decided whether he would use it to learn Space Magic, but it was convenient to have the option open. Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t work with yellow skills, or he could have discarded Mana Engraving, losing only three levels. Every orange skill in his status took years of work and served a clear purpose. Even if he didn¡¯t end up using Swift Absolution, Flynn would certainly find a use for it. I hope Mom didn¡¯t chew his head off when he told them I disappeared. The baby was due in days or might already be born¡­ Kai directed his thoughts to the remaining oblong box before the tide of worries could wash over him. He could apologize and make it up to them after he survived this ordeal. He needed to stay focused. He¡¯d eat his new boots if the expedition into the Veeryd went without a hitch. And the best for last. The last item cost him all his credits and most of his savings. A dark blue wand with a pale wooden handle sat on a bed of velvet, the glossy surface pulsed with a web of runes: Tidal Wand (Peak-Orange). The corner of his mouth pulled up in a toothy grin. Kai reverently picked up the wand, his fingers finding purchase on the handle. He waved it dramatically at his wardrobe. ¡°Avada Kedavra!¡± The wardrobe was deader than dead, and he realized one of his lifelong dreams. When he saw the wand on the list of items, he knew he had to buy it. The Orange List only had a small selection of focuses for spellcasting, but it covered all the basic elements. Kai let his Water mana flow through the runes and summoned a cube of ice. It was about a fifth larger than he expected. It was the largest boost to his offensive potential he could hope for. Not bad. It¡¯ll take some getting used to it, but this might just make the difference. The Tidal Wand only improved a single element, and cost five golds between credits and mesars. He¡¯d rather not know how much Valela¡¯s was worth. His stomach grumbled. Kai stored the booklet and potion in his ring and the wand in his right pocket, the opposite side of his sword. He walked down two flights of stairs, heading for the mess hall. Wildepoint was a military outpost. From the main street, he could see both the iron gates of the palisade enclosing the settlement. The outpost was swarming with soldiers in preparation for the expedition. Kai entered the large building and got in line for his bowl of stew with half-cooked vegetables and suspicious pieces of stringy meat. The food wasn¡¯t likely to improve in the next few days. He had a spoonful halfway to his mouth when a young woman with auburn hair in a pixie cut approached his table. ¡°Can I sit with you? Looks like we¡¯re both new here, and I don¡¯t like eating alone.¡± Her smile made a dimple appear on her cheek. ¡°I¡¯m Annyl by the way, nice to meet you.¡± Chapter 214 - Misleading Truths Chapter 214 - Misleading Truths ¡°No,¡± Kai said, letting her hand hang before him. Annyl halted mid-motion, one leg over the bench to sit. Her face scrunched in genuine puzzlement. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Trust me, I¡¯m as confused as you. Improvisation took hold of the interaction. He focused on a red fibrous vegetable in his stew, and shyly stirred with the spoon. ¡°Uh¡­ you asked if you could sit. I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯d prefer to eat alone.¡± A sprinkle of brutal honesty against social norms, he didn¡¯t even need to lie. Soft whispers brushed against his thoughts. He couldn¡¯t make out what Hallowed Intuition was saying, but it started acting out when Annyl approached his table. He didn¡¯t need any more reasons than that. The skill rarely activated out of combat unless he was about to receive a physical blow of some kind. The easiest solution was to avoid the set course of action. Annyl looked at him, lips wordlessly parted. Clearly, she had intended the request as a rhetorical question, her tray of food was already set on the table before him. That¡¯s a bit presumptuous with someone you just met. Who are you? Kai bit his cheek. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t make great company.¡± Still avoiding her eyes, he pointed to a table in a corner of the mess hall. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go with that girl over there? She¡¯s alone too, and she¡¯ll make better conversation.¡± He was happy to eat alone. What kind of woman invited herself to the table of a kid? Either she was a saint, who used the excuse of her loneliness to approach without hurting his pride, or she was a weirdo. The whispers in his mind pointed to the second option. Annyl¡­ did I hear that name before? It stuck out since it wasn¡¯t a common name in the archipelago, but he might just have read it in a book. Her pretty face and large hazel eyes didn¡¯t ring any bells. He was sure this was the first time they had met. The memory skill doesn¡¯t give me anything either, though it¡¯s only an echo. ¡°There is no need to be shy.¡± The interloper took a seat, smiling like his words had been nothing but an amusing quip. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re a very interesting young man.¡± Go away, I don''t want you here. Telling her to get lost again would clash with the timid persona. He should have been more direct in his rejection, but it might have made no difference if she was so determined to strike up a conversation. As usual, Hallowed Intuition refused to provide clear instructions. The murmurs rose and settled, tickling his mind. They lacked the desperate frenzy displayed when his life was threatened. Was the danger not that big, or simply of a different nature? Stupid obscure messages. How many more levels till I get a written note? Annyl chewed the stringy stew in no hurry. ¡°This is not very good, is it? The cook must be low-level, or not a professional at all.¡± She looked at him for solidarity. ¡°Mhmm.¡± He stuffed his mouth to avoid answering. If he finished his meal quickly, she would have no chance to chat. The interloper wasn¡¯t deferred by his silence. ¡°You¡¯re Kai, right? I heard a couple soldiers mention your name.¡± She rested her chin on her crossed hands and leaned forward with a warm smile. ¡°I must admit I recognized you earlier. I was curious to meet you, it¡¯s not every day you hear of such a promising young man who¡¯s helping an important investigation.¡± Her intervention was timed right as Kai was about to take another bite. ¡°I can¡¯t talk about it.¡± ¡°Oh, the silence clause¡­ You really put me to shame.¡± Annyl winked at him. ¡°It¡¯s fine, everyone in Wildepoint knows about the beast attacks. They¡¯ve been scouring the jungle for unusual sightings, and they¡¯re the one who located the ruins.¡± Kai couldn¡¯t stop his curiosity. ¡°They found the site?¡± He needed to learn more about the situation. Annyl nodded. ¡°The scouts have just returned. One of them at least. They ran into a dangerous yellow beast and had to separate.¡± How did she get access to information? ¡°Are you a soldier joining the expedition?¡± That might explain her interest in him, and the potential danger down the line. As long as he was the one asking questions, it should be fine. She had no calluses on her hands and a dainty physique, but looks could be deceiving. Her profession showed as early yellow. ¡°A soldier¡­? No, I take care of logistics. You know, supplies, equipment and making sure everyone does their job, that boring stuff.¡± She waved it all away, pulling a lock of auburn hair behind her ear. ¡°I hope I didn¡¯t scare you by telling you of the beast. There¡¯ll be plenty of strong soldiers to defend the expedition. You are a scholar, right? How did you end up becoming so knowledgeable in the ruins?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ my dad.¡± Kai slurped the last spoonful of his meal and downed a glass of water. ¡°Sorry, I need to go prepare.¡± He scuttled away before she could drag him deeper into the conversation. Going to put back his tray and plate, he watched her in his peripheral vision. Annyl continued to idly eat with no sign of annoyance at his rude behavior. Again, either she was one of the nicest people he had ever met, or something was off. Goodbye, strange lady. He might ask Valela if she were here. He hadn¡¯t seen her since leaving Hawkfield, he hadn¡¯t seen many blue uniforms around at all, probably another internal power play. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Hallowed Intuition stopped bugging him when he left the mess hall. The tension left his shoulders. He must have handled it well enough, or he had completely misinterpreted the warning. He considered checking whether Annyl really worked for the logistical department. Though that would give away he suspected something. If she approached me off the books, either she doesn¡¯t want me to know what her deal is, or she can¡¯t act freely. Better to keep it that way. * * * ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again. I told you I managed logistics.¡± Annyl sat behind a desk, cheerfully waving a notebook and pen. ¡°I need to confirm a few details to ensure you get paid appropriately. You know how clerks are with their paperwork, they¡¯ll take any excuse to complicate things.¡± Persistent and annoying? Kai took the only free seat inside the plain office room. A dying ardevia flower hung on the windowsill, fires and crystals illuminated the night outside. He had been ordered to turn in his will¡ªstandard procedure in case of death on the job¡ªand ambushed by the interloper. Well¡­ I can exclude Annyl being a serial killer. She¡¯s not acting independently. She needed some pull with the upper ranks to bring him here, or more likely, she was working for a faction of the Republic. The issue was which one, was she with the military or the governor? And why is she using stupid excuses to talk to me? ¡°Okay, first question!¡± Annyl announced with a brilliant smile. ¡°You were born in a small village called¡­ Whiteshore, correct?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kai sped through the list of mundane questions. Hallowed Intuition buzzed in the background, alerting him of the importance of his answers. Is it a truth-sensing ability? Or is she digging for some particular information? Gradually the questions turned less innocent. ¡°I¡¯ve never signed any contract other than the one with the merchant named Reishi and the Republic.¡± Annyl noted down the answer without ever losing her jolly attitude. ¡°Hmm¡­ Not even with the mage who taught you magic?¡± ¡°No.¡± She leafed through the pages. ¡°You were very fortunate then. You were taught elemental magic by a mage who lived on the road to Sylspring?¡± Kai raised his eyes to meet her gaze. Next time he would go with arrogance instead of shyness. ¡°How¡¯s that relevant to the expedition? I¡¯ve not been hired for my magical abilities.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s standard procedure to confirm the abilities of external contractors who are paid at least a gold mesar.¡± Did you just make up that rule, or is this why Seryne¡¯s offered me that much? Either way, it didn¡¯t change his situation. ¡°I had three teachers who taught me magic.¡± ¡°What circle did they belong to?¡± Kai furrowed his brows. ¡°What¡¯s a circle?¡± ¡°It¡¯s one of those ancient traditions that mages like to throw around to complicate things.¡± Annyl shrugged like she thought it ridiculous. ¡°It means the grade of their highest profession.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Did your teachers give you any valuable resources to help your training? Such as specific knowledge of skill or alchemical solutions?¡± This is definitely not standard procedure. ¡°Lady Virya wanted to see how far I could go without external means. Though her time can probably be considered a valuable resource,¡± Kai curtly said. He was ready to storm off, but when his legs tensed to stand up so did the whispers. Just the slightest fluctuations, enough to tell him that wasn¡¯t the solution either. ¡°My teachers were private people, they didn¡¯t like to discuss their lives.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m sorry. I let my curiosity get the best of me. It¡¯s not every day you get to hear about such powerful figures¡­¡± If she expected him to add more, Kai was happy to disappoint her. He watched her blankly till she let out a nervous chuckle. ¡°Let¡¯s get back on topic, shall we? We¡¯re almost done. Speaking of the expedition, you can translate the glyphs found in the Vastaire sites?¡± ¡°More or less. I¡¯m the best at it, but any translation contains some amount of guesswork.¡± ¡°Of course. What¡¯s important is that you didn¡¯t hold back any information regarding the Vastaire.¡± Annyl gave him an apologetic smile. ¡°The Republic has invested a lot in you, so I need to confirm your statement that you¡¯ve been holding nothing back. It¡¯s just a formality.¡± Kai didn¡¯t need a skill to know she was lying. ¡°The bulk of the information is in my dad¡¯s journals, but I shared my expertise to the best of my abilities whenever required.¡± A pity no one had asked his opinion about spatial anomalies and forgotten gods. Is that good enough? Annyl scribbled down the answer. ¡°Did you break any clause of your contract with the Republic?¡± ¡°Not to my knowledge.¡± ¡°Did you sign any other contract that could interfere with your work for the military or receive bribes?¡± ¡°No.¡± Well, Valela didn¡¯t pay me for those, and it was just a verbal agreement. ¡°Perfect. This is the last question. It¡¯s a bit personal, but I¡¯ve been asked to confirm a fact during the last spatial anomaly on Kawei. Do you possess a yellow danger-sensing skill that allows you to avoid spatial tears?¡± It must be Seryne after all¡­ A wave of relief washed over him. A known threat was always preferable. ¡°Yes, I was able to dodge the spatial tears. Can I go now?¡± He marched out of the door before Annyl had finished nodding, not stopping till he Kai strode through the narrow streets of the outpost. The whispers lingered in the back of his mind, fading with excruciating slowness. An ominous feeling loomed in his gut. He could understand how they wanted to confirm his abilities before the final expedition, but what were those questions about his teachers and his skills? He had skirted around most questions without any outright lies, but something was off. Annyl let him get away with too much. It was always possible that she was simply incompetent. Or she couldn¡¯t press him because half her questions were off the books. I never thought I¡¯d be eager to trek into the jungle and leave all this behind. Hmm¡­ I probably better make myself scarce when this is over. ~ ~ ~ The captain had her eyes glued to the list of names on the report with poorly concealed dismay. All those born in the central regions always thought they were chosen by the Moons themselves. ¡°Did all these traitors disclose classified information about the investigation to foreign forces?¡± Annyl fought not to roll her eyes, reporting information to the local governor or officers on the mainland could hardly be considered disloyalty. No more than enlisting the help of a truthteller with a false authorization. Social Acumen and Emotional Insight told her everything she needed to know about the captain. It required a ludicrous amount of desperation or arrogance to think she would get away with it. The training of a truthteller was far more extensive than their signature profession and skills. They were trained to detect lies in all their forms, including those on paper and flesh. ¡°As I wrote in my report, only one is suspected of contacting a foreign nation,¡± she calmly said. That had been a worthwhile use of her talents. To think spies had already infiltrated this forgotten corner of the Republic. ¡°I can confirm the others at least believe they¡¯re following lawful orders.¡± ¡°They¡¯re breaking mine.¡± Her hand slammed on the desk. Annyl maintained a placid smile. ¡°Orders from high-ranking officers can supersede those of lower officials under conditions of suspected threat to national interest. Do you want me to contact the central command to confirm¡ª¡± ¡°No!¡± A beautiful sliver of panic flashed in the captain¡¯s eyes. ¡°There is no need. Have you verified the kid¡¯s claims?¡± ¡°I did.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not hiding any information regarding the investigation?¡± The captain sat straighter in the chair. Annyl bowed her head just enough to let her hang on to the illusion of control. ¡°No. He was honest in his efforts.¡± That was debatable at best. Another misconception about truthtellers was that they couldn¡¯t lie. She was under no obligation to report every detail of an unlawful order. ¡°And can he reliably predict the spatial tears?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± That one was at least true, though her skills had told her there was more to it. The kid had been a pit of half-truths and misleading answers. Truth was much more malleable than people assumed, influenced by both personal beliefs and unknown realities. She itched to put him through an actual interrogation. Just an hour would be enough to dig out his secrets. It was a pity he had given just enough to rob her of the excuse. Her suspicions weren¡¯t enough without an order. Seryne picked up the papers again. ¡°Thank you, you¡¯re dismissed.¡± ¡°With your permission, ma¡¯am.¡± Annyl left with a slight bow. No doubt, the governor would also demand a report on his wife¡¯s behalf. It was easier to go along, though these provincial squabbles were becoming tedious. Just because truthtellers were soul-bound to not meddle in politics or take personal initiative, some fools thought they were servants with no will. Her only loyalty was to the Merian Republic. Everything would be reported back to the headquarters. Perhaps the command would grant her leave to interrogate the kid after she sent in the report. Chapter 215 - The Expedition Chapter 215 - The Expedition Kai removed the chair and the glass shards of broken vials from the door and windowsill. No one had come for him that night. Already jittery for the expedition, he had slept little and woken up with just darkness outside. Hallowed Intuition had stayed quiet since he had left that office, but the encounter with Annyl hung in his mind. He wouldn¡¯t blindly trust a skill. The Fate Fulcrum and the spatial anomalies had both muffled the whispers. While those were unintended side effects, there must be abilities that could obscure a Favor-based skill. Once they were inside the jungle, he¡¯d be too far to reach. Let¡¯s hope these are the ruins. Zervathi promised a safe passage to the Hidden Sanctuary if I got to the Altar of Covenant when the time was right. There weren¡¯t that many sites remaining. While the passage might stay hidden without godly guidance, the Republic had scoured every other ruin. The only other possibility might be Velu, where the spirits dwelled. To respect their will, the island remained uninhabited except for the occasional pilgrimage. It housed the largest Vastaire site that had been discovered, and Kai had seen reports of yellow beasts appearing. With divinities being real, the Republic was hesitant to profane their land. They left a small team to quarantine the ruins after failing to find any clue. Kai didn¡¯t want to consider the final possibility: that the Altar had been destroyed seven years ago by the governor and his whole quest was doomed. If that were true, he¡¯d need to take more drastic and risky actions. All the enchantments seemed anchored to the Hidden Sanctuary. A god should know, right? Kai put on his waterproof pants and boots. Hawkfield had a nice selection of shops to trek into the wild, no more days spent drenched wading through mud. He left most of his dad¡¯s journals behind and filled his backpack with rations that would last him weeks. The military was supposed to provide the meals, but there were too many unknown variables. Dawn was warming the barren outpost, a small crowd had already gathered in ranks in the central square. Half the soldiers and mana professionals were new faces, many reaching half-step yellow or higher. Valela and Lou were there too with a small contingent of guards. Ferla stood by her side, even by her standards she looked less than pleased. They had also stepped up their average grade, though their numbers were a third of the military. Given the death toll of the last operation, he¡¯d be surprised if everything went smoothly. Hmm¡­ I should ask her what¡¯s the deal with Annyl. She¡¯s the most likely to know, and least likely to be involved. Valela was busy talking with another grizzly guard. He was about to nonchalantly wander to their group when Makyn stood in his path. ¡°I sent a man to escort you.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I must have missed him. I woke up early since the expedition is on a strict schedule.¡± Could I ask him? He doesn¡¯t usually lie outright, that I know of¡­ Given their agreed collaboration, Makyn shouldn¡¯t be involved with that strange woman either. The soldier was pretty good at reading between his bullshit. He would have asked him directly if he wanted something. Unless I misjudged him and they¡¯re all playing me. Damn, this is annoying. There are too many ears to ask anyway. The soldier gave him a curt nod. ¡°We¡¯re almost ready to depart. Go get briefed and do as you¡¯re told. The Veeryd jungle is a mana zone, you can¡¯t be careless.¡± Boy, I hunted among those trees since I was a child while you were¡­ probably still bigger than me. But you had no idea the place existed. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful,¡± Kai marched to the group of non-combatants. Barely concealed mutters for his age quickly spread, with more amused glances at the scabbard he was carrying. ¡°What¡¯s a kid doing here?¡± ¡°Look at the sword he''s carrying. Is the little soldier here to protect us?¡± ¡°I mean, he¡¯s not bad for his age, but he doesn¡¯t have a profession.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know we¡¯d be getting a mascot.¡± This is going to be great. ¡°You¡¯re here too!¡± A hand grabbed his shoulder. Kai found himself a palm from Sonya''s beaming smile, teal irises watching him from behind her glasses. She squeezed him into a hug before he could respond. ¡°It¡¯s so nice to see you. Things got pretty crazy that night, didn¡¯t they? They told me you were safe, but I wanted to confirm with my eyes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you too.¡± Kai slowly patted her back. He was relieved to have one friendly face and not have to awkwardly stand by himself. ¡°Hmm¡­ Is it only you?¡± ¡°Of our group, yes. There are two scholars who studied the ruins of Velu. Hey, Mehvin and Ivonn, this is Kai. The one I was telling you about.¡± Sonya energetically waved to a man with white-streaked hair and his bald companion. Both immediately turned away, acting as if they didn¡¯t know her. ¡°What a funny pair.¡± Sonya leaned closer, lowering her voice. ¡°They¡¯re a bit stuffy but Mehvin is very knowledgeable about ancient languages and cultures. Darlo was also offered to join the expedition, but you know him¡­¡± ¡°Not a fan of long walks in beast-infested areas?¡± ¡°Something like that. He was upset we had to walk in the rain before getting picked up that night. He said he¡¯d look for a milder adventure away from this beautiful and mysterious archipelago.¡± Kai raised an eyebrow. ¡°Those were his exact words?¡± ¡°Of course, that¡¯s what he meant in his heart. He was a big softie¡ª¡± This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Okay, listen up!¡± A soldier spoke uncomfortably loudly to get their attention. ¡°I¡¯m Sergeant Savel, I¡¯ll go through your instructions for this expedition in case someone hasn¡¯t been to a mana zone before. We can only protect you if you don¡¯t endanger yourself, so you need to¡­¡± Kai quickly tuned out the speech. The briefing boiled down to staying in the center of the group and doing nothing unless specifically requested. Don¡¯t touch anything, don¡¯t pick up anything, don¡¯t wander off without a soldier even if you¡¯re about to soil yourself. Hmm¡­ I imagine protecting a group is much harder than protecting yourself. It still sounds overkill outside the heart of Veeryd. His eardrums were severely tested before they were allowed to head out the southern gate. Wildepoint had been built on the edge of the jungle, clearing a circle of trees for half a mile around the outpost. A wide dirt path led into the green sea. It received frequent use, judging from the lack of any wild weeds reclaiming their territory. The twins did say they were brought here for the scholarship program. The expedition counted about a hundred people, less than half the camp on Kawei, though their offensive potential and expertise were far superior. Kai was relegated to the center of the convoy, walking behind half a dozen men carrying large, expanded backpacks. The novelty of having a kid in their midst had quickly worn off as the trees loomed over them. Leafy canopies shield them from the morning light, though they¡¯d do little to shield them from the heat when the sun rose above them. I missed this. It had been half a year since he had last visited Veeryd. The smell of wet vegetation, lush vibrant plants and parrots chirping in the distance, it all brought back many fond memories. His first fight with a red boa, countless crossing to and from the estate, getting abandoned in the inner regions by the butler. While he had never entered from this side, the air carried a hint of familiarity. Now if only he wasn¡¯t surrounded by dozens of sweaty men and forced to march in ranks, it would be perfect. ¡°How pretty,¡± Sonya cleaned the glasses on her sleeve. ¡°Mhmm¡­ there is something different from the jungle in Kawei.¡± Kai nodded, admiring lilac flowers on a vine. ¡°This place always felt more¡­ alive.¡± That was the only way to describe it, and Nature motes thrummed around him in agreement. There was an undeniable difference from any other green patch in the archipelago. Perhaps it has to do with Yatei. I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s the connection with the colossal tree near Greenside, but I did get my blessing there¡­ ¡°It¡¯s probably due to the mana.¡± Sonya picked up an emerald leaf from a nearby bush. ¡°The density is about the same near the outskirts.¡± ¡°Huh¡­ sometimes I forget you¡¯ve never seen the world outside the archipelago. Mana can stunt as much as it helps a tree grow, it all depends on the elemental composition.¡± ¡°You mean like Nature mana?¡± ¡°And also Earth, Light, Water, Plant, Life and many others. Every environment needs the right balance for it to flourish. The vegetation will adapt to their circumstances, but it takes time. A sudden elemental shift can destroy a forest even when the density remains the same.¡± ¡°You know a lot,¡± Kai mused. Four years at the estate hadn¡¯t been enough to receive a complete education when he had to grind his skills, and Dora¡¯s lessons had focused on singular plants rather than ecosystems. ¡°Just bits and pieces,¡± Sonya waved away the compliment. ¡°Ancient civilizations aren¡¯t my only interest. Some things look obvious after you visit many places. Hmm¡­ You should see the luminescent meadows of Imish when you get the chance, the flora there is a perfect example of an elemental shift¡ª¡± The mana slowly climbed as they crossed the outer ring of Veeryd, the plants grew lusher, leafier and taller¡ªthroughout it all Sonya never stopped her downpour of stories. When half the non-combatants heaved for breath, she didn''t show a drop of sweat, always lively chatting like they were on a casual excursion. Kai was happy to leave the burden of the conversation to her, only occasionally chipping in to ask questions about life on the mainland. Her stories of cities made of glass, haunted valleys and sunken kingdoms reignited his desire to sail to the continent. Once the pact is fulfilled, I might leave the archipelago early and get away from the snoopers of the Republic. I¡¯d bet a hand that Annyl will bring more trouble. There were so many places to visit and explore that one lifetime wouldn¡¯t be enough. Thankfully, he would get access to several if he advanced his race, a couple centuries at Yellow if he reached it early in life. While attributes were attributes, a higher grade only lengthened the time you had remaining. It was the disadvantage of being born at Red, the clock ticked against you the longer you took to climb. Kai hadn¡¯t noticed since the slowed aging only kicked in after puberty. He was on course to gain the full benefits from Yellow. Chatting with Sonya helped stave off the boredom. Kai hadn¡¯t considered how long it would take to move such a large group, their pace only slowed as the beaten path grew thinner and the jungle denser. He didn¡¯t dare to imagine their speed when the trail ended, and they had to trek through a wall of ferns, shrubs and vines. Yatei have mercy, it¡¯ll take days to get to the heart. Despite all the recommendations, no beasts came within sight of the convoy. The march proceeded with no hold-up, except a few insect bites and a furry spider dropping on the robe of a mage. They set up camp by the edge of the inner area. The stew was surprisingly tastier than the one he had eaten at the mess hall of Wildepoint. He got no chance to speak with Valela, or anyone else for that matter. Her group kept to themselves, and with the military¡¯s paranoia, he was never farther than two steps from another human. Worse yet, he had to share a tent with five other people, one of whom snored. Spirits grant me patience. If there is no space, why does Seryne get her own private tent? The next day began much the same, with more recommendations since they were actually entering a dangerous area, and a hard cracker that tasted of sawdust for breakfast. Kai was tempted to reach inside his bag for his own food, but worried the group would fall on him like a pack of rabid seagulls. Worst case scenario he might be forced to surrender his supplies. Heading into the inner reaches, the mana density was distinctly higher. Around mid-morning, a feral screech and the soldiers halted the expedition. The beast was killed before he could glimpse the fight. From then on, the attacks kept repeating every hour or so. It was always over in seconds. The non-combatants stuck close to the middle, and the soldiers cut a way through the dense greenery, careful of where the trees grew too thick. There were myriad places where a threat could hide, though Mana Sense made most of them trivial. ¡°Why do they keep attacking?¡± Awakened beasts were naturally aggressive since hunting was their faster way to grow stronger, but they weren¡¯t suicidal. They should be wary of a larger group. ¡°Maybe we crossed their territory,¡± Sonya shrugged. ¡°Crossing a mana zone in a large group always attracts attention, especially where such expeditions are rare. If they''re hungry enough, an unknown enemy might be a better bet than another beast they know they can¡¯t defeat.¡± Hmm¡­ guess the precautions weren¡¯t for nothing. The mana-saturated jungle made for a much more interesting environment. He had found three high-red herbs and an orange one, though none of the soldiers was willing to make a detour to pick it, which wasn¡¯t helping his mood. They were forced to slow down further, and Sonya¡¯s banter could only help so much. That night the camp was even more cramped, set on a small hill around a towering rubber tree. If this goes well, I can ditch them on the way back. People didn¡¯t smell too nice after two days of marching. A world without deodorant had accustomed him to a different standard, but there was still a limit to it if he had to share the tent with them. When he kindly offered to wash them with Water Magic, they got them mad at him. It¡¯s not my fault if you stink. That¡¯s an objective fact. Worse yet, there was an extra snorer in his tent, and the beast attacks picked up under the cover of the dark. He woke up cranky from a stilted sleep. He took out a bag of whiteberry cookies he had bought in Hawkfield¡ªconsequences be damned. They were a bit stale, but they still beat the tasteless crackers by miles. Munching on his food, he dared any of the fools in his tent to come closer. Revenge never tasted so crunchy or sweet. ¡°What are those?¡± Sonya peeked over his shoulder. ¡°Can I have one?¡± ¡°You can have the bag, just don¡¯t let any of those five get a crumb.¡± Kai pointed at the faces one by one and marched off. He had caught sight of another, familiar person. ¡°We¡¯re going on a walk,¡± Kai informed Makyn. How does he look as good as the day we departed? The soldier gave him a once-over. ¡°We¡¯re about to set out, I don¡¯t have time.¡± ¡°We can easily follow them.¡± ¡°I need to guard the convoy.¡± ¡°How many yellow professionals do you need to bully a red monkey? C¡¯mon, we can walk ahead and act as scouts. Anything you want, just get me away from here.¡± ¡°While I sympathize with your plight, I can¡¯t entertain you.¡± ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll share my candies.¡± Kai grabbed a paper bag from his backpack and jiggled it in front of him. He couldn¡¯t endure another day of this without having tried everything in his power. ¡°I bought this one in the upper city of Higharbor. You won¡¯t find anything better in the archipelago.¡± Makyn examined the bag of hard candies. ¡°Still no.¡± ¡°Fine. You can have the whole bag.¡± You greedy boy. ¡°I¡ª¡± Kai gritted his teeth and pulled out a second bag¡ªwhatever it took. ¡°Two bags! Last offer.¡± ¡°I''ll inform the vanguard I¡¯ll be joining the scouting party for today.¡± Makyn grabbed both bags with one hand. ¡°Wait here.¡± Chapter 216 - Towards the Heart Chapter 216 - Towards the Heart Veeryd rustled with life and chirps. Deep into the inner reaches of the jungle, parrots and canaries didn¡¯t fail to let their presence be known. There was no whiff of unwashed bodies, the air smelled of wet verdant plants not yet choked by the humidity of the day. Lost in his surroundings, his boot scraped on a moss-covered root. Kai grabbed a vine and stepped on the spongy ground to balance himself. Damn, I¡¯m rusty. Once upon a time, he could silently glide through the forest, hopping among the trees without a footprint or broken branch in his trail. Unlike proper skills that never lost their edge, a learned expertise was different. And he hadn¡¯t kept up the practice after he left the estate and moved to Higharbor. Elijah always insisted I learned to skulk through a forest. It was a pretty weird fixation, though if I can cross thick greenery, any other place will seem easier. Veeryd was the only place in the archipelago where he might need to avoid roaming beasts. If books and merchants didn¡¯t lie, they would be more common on the continent. Slowly, the old lessons trickled back. How to step on the soggy ground without squelching, which branch would bend without breaking, the roots and rocks that he could solidly tread, the amber berries to hide his scent¡ª ¡°Stop daydreaming before you get yourself killed.¡± Makyn¡¯s tone fell on his thoughts like a cold shower. The soldier stood on a fallen log, untouched by the vegetation, as if he were strolling in his back garden. The bag of sweets still in his hand, he threw a green and white striped candy into his mouth. Okay, you¡¯re passable too. It¡¯s not that impressive when your Dexterity is five times mine, if not more. ¡°I¡¯m being careful and keeping up with the convoy.¡± Kai leaped over a low stream. ¡°Not like anything could happen while you¡¯re with me, killer boy.¡± His icy eyes glowered at him, the effect was somewhat weakened when he munched on another sweet. ¡°I agreed to bring you scouting, but you either take this seriously or go back.¡± Do I also get my candies back? I would have bargained better if I had known you¡¯d accept. ¡°I¡¯m extremely serious,¡± Kai performed a strict military salute. ¡°I noticed the red arboreal snake camouflaging in the vines over there, the couple of buried lizards we passed, the macaw in that hollow tree, and the harpy eagle circling over us.¡± Makyn remained expressionless till the last mention. His head snapped up, quickly pinpointing the bird of prey stalking them. It was the only orange beast they had come across, in the middle stage. It hid among the higher canopies skirting the limit of his Mana Sense, though it couldn¡¯t escape Hallowed Intuition. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, harpy eagles are pretty smart. It¡¯s observing us to see if we¡¯re worth the risk. It won¡¯t attack now that we¡¯ve spotted it.¡± Kai could have baited it to swoop if he kept acting unaware, but the birdie wasn¡¯t strong enough to be an issue. ¡°I told you I make a pretty good scout¡ª¡± Makyn disappeared in a blur of movement. The mana presence dashed among the trees like he was racing on plain ground, too fast for the eyes to follow. A rustle of leaves and broken branches cracked over him, and a piercing screech was cut short before it could peak. With a thud, the soldier landed a few meters away. He held a bag of sweets in one hand, and a large dead bird with a crown of feathers and a curved beak in the other. What a showoff. ¡°That was unnecessary.¡± ¡°Flying beasts are an insidious threat to guard against, it¡¯s better to get rid of them when you get the chance. If it followed the convoy and ambushed the non-combatants, it might have become a problem.¡± That¡¯s a lot of ifs. Guess we¡¯ll eat overgrown chicken tonight. ¡°We¡¯re not at the Heart of Veeryd yet. You can leave it with the convoy, I¡¯ll be fine on my own.¡± Makyn shifted his gaze between the cumbersome bird and him. ¡°I¡¯m on scouting duty.¡± Spirits, he¡¯s such a stiff stickler for the rules. Worry not, boy! The candies were the first step, you¡¯ll fall to the fun side soon enough. ¡°It¡¯d be a waste to leave it here. Do you want to walk around with it? C¡¯mon, the cook will be delighted to have something to add to the stew.¡± Harpy eagles were relatively light, but with its wings and plumage, the carcass was taller than him¡ªwhich was a lot. ¡°It¡¯ll take you seconds. I can keep an eye out for beasts on my own.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t wander.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I was just planning to run away. Would you mind telling me which direction you¡¯d search for last?¡± Makyn watched him with no amusement. ¡°I¡¯ll be still as a gutted fish,¡± Kai swore with a hand over his heart. Left alone, he observed the sea of unawakened critters in the jungle underbrush. A smattering of rays pierced the dense canopies, making an emerald fern sparkle with morning dew. He almost expected a powerful beast to pounce from a bush, but the deadliest animal was a blue-striped spider. Its bite would burn, but it couldn¡¯t chip his orange-tier Constitution. How disappointing. My jinxing powers have failed me. ¡°You didn¡¯t move.¡± Makyn reappeared behind him in a rustle of leaves. ¡°I would never disobey your orders.¡± Now, that¡¯s definitely a skeptical look. You¡¯re being hurtful. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡°So, where to now? We can¡¯t risk the convoy getting ambushed by a red mouse. It might nibble at the boots of the soldiers.¡± Makyn gave up on his ineffective freezing glares and led the way. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t lower your guard in mana zones, no matter how weak they are. Beasts sometimes roam outside their hunting grounds. The easiest way to die is to be negligent when you don¡¯t expect a threat.¡± You¡¯d have gotten along great with the butler, but he has already etched the lesson on my soul. Despite the teasing comments to his porter, Kai had never stopped scanning his surroundings. ¡°Hmm¡­ if these ruins aren¡¯t summoning more beasts, there should be a single yellow creature to worry about.¡± The Republic must already know about it, the stories were no secrets. Annyl had told him the scouts who located the ruins had been attacked by a dangerous monster¡ªpossibly the infamous basilisk. A single monster would be easily cut down by the dozens of yellow soldiers. Makyn let out an exasperated breath. ¡°Who told you about that?¡± ¡°A woman I met in Wildepoint mentioned it.¡± Kai stretched his senses for any sign of guilt. ¡°She said her name was Annyl.¡± ¡°Did she give a surname or rank?¡± Not a ripple in his mana flow or voice. Better this way¡­ it¡¯s odd he doesn¡¯t know who she is at all. Was Annyl a fake name? ¡°Only that she worked in logistics.¡± He glossed over the topic with nonchalance. ¡°I already knew about the King of Veeryd. Most people think it¡¯s a tale to keep overconfident fools from getting killed, but I doubt we¡¯re that lucky. My stepdad is a hunter and believes it¡¯s real.¡± ¡°What else do you know?¡± The soldier opened a way through the vegetation with methodical slashes. ¡°The scout who made it back was unclear in her report.¡± To think the Republic snoopers haven¡¯t learned everything. Or is this still their internal squabbling? ¡°It¡¯s a basilisk.¡± Makyn turned to loom over him, hand tightening on his sword. He searched his face for signs of a joke. ¡°Do you know what species?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen any kind of basilisk in person. Are they more like a snake, a lizard or a drake?¡± Bestiaries were one of his favorite books to read at the estate. Strange monsters with mystical powers living in exotic environments, it was like reading a D&D manual, only it was real. But in a mana-poor archipelago, it wasn''t useful knowledge with everything else he had to learn. ¡°Their aspect changes with their species and grade. You¡¯re sure there is only one?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ They say the King kills any other beast that advances to Yellow. I don''t know if it''s true or a rumor added to spice up the stories.¡± Kai scratched his head. ¡°Can basilisks really turn people to stone?¡± ¡°No, not usually. Transmutation magic is quite hard to use offensively. Some species can, but not at Yellow. Though basilisks have venoms that will leave your body with the mobility of a rock if they don¡¯t kill you first.¡± How charming. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Kai waved him on. ¡°We¡¯ll kill it if it¡¯s stupid enough to attack.¡± Makyn shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not that simple. All species of basilisks are C-rank and above.¡± He bisected a blue ferret pouncing from a bush. ¡°What do you mean C-rank?¡± Kai said skirting the poor red critter. ¡°Uh, the archipelago is truly a peculiar territory.¡± The soldier let the impression of a smile slip through. ¡°Like sapient races, our attributes and abilities aren¡¯t equal simply because we¡¯re at the same grade. With beasts, the difference is more extreme. A squirrel and a hydra at Green will have wildly different powers. The Republic ranks them from F to A to define their threat.¡± ¡°And is C bad? It doesn''t sound that high.¡± ¡°It is. At that rank, beasts possess innate magic, like the blackstone terragon, or other nasty abilities that can dominate foes at their stage. While B and A-rank creatures can cross the divide between grades.¡± Hmm¡­ we can¡¯t be that unlucky. Kai bowed to move under a thorny branch. ¡°How do humans fare in the ranking?¡± ¡°Assessing the power of sapients is never straightforward. Intelligence and equipment add an entirely new dimension to the equation. If I were to generalize, most people with a fighting profession will fall in D, with some in E, and rare exceptions in C.¡± ¡°And you are¡­¡± Kai innocently probed. ¡°Not that strong. Humans are complicated, it depends on the match-up and battlefield. In real life, you rarely get a fair fight one way or another.¡± Makyn managed to look even more somber. Well, he¡¯s great at ambushing beasts. Either he¡¯s being modest, or the personnel they stationed on the archipelago is worse than I thought. ¡°And basilisks are C-rank and above,¡± the soldier reiterated. ¡°Depending on the species, it¡¯ll be difficult to defeat it without casualties.¡± Yeah, I don¡¯t think any soldier in the convoy reached the peak of Yellow. Though quantity is a quality of its own. This was the most Makyn had ever talked. The man left to brief the scouts about the King of Veeryd, coming back just as quickly. They delved through the wet jungle, each with their own thoughts. Ferns, vines and shrubs pulsed with the highest mana in the archipelago. The greenery was broken by small clearings with claw marks and trampled trees. Makyn frequently stopped to take care of aggressive beasts attracted by the scents and sounds of the convoy. Around most of the archipelago, the vegetation was somewhat Earthlike, here, it was like entering a different planet. Trees rose like pillars of gnarly wood with leaves and flowers larger than his head. Kai had trekked this far once before with the butler, but the sight still amazed him. He picked four orange herbs, growing like silver from the ground. As if he had stepped into the garden of a giant, he craned his neck up to the far jungle tops. Why do bugs have to grow larger too? A fly the size of a ping pong ball buzzed like a drone near his head. Kai swiped it away, cringing when his hand met the squishy body. He cleaned the back of his palm on a leaf and flared his mana to dissuade more critters from approaching. ¡°Manifesting your aura is an invitation to get ambushed if you¡¯re not the strongest predator.¡± Makyn indifferently cut a way through a net of vines. The Heart should still be a couple miles away, but the border wasn¡¯t defined enough. Kai retracted his mana to a feeble pulse. ¡°Is this better?¡± The soldier gave him a once-over before nodding. ¡°Your signature will get lost in the ambient essence. Beasts won¡¯t notice you unless you step on them. We won¡¯t go farther than this today.¡± They wandered the jungle for a place to set up camp. Sharing their intel with five other scouts, they settled for a rocky clearing by a creek. Kai strode back into the convoy with a smile. Even the smell of sweating humans couldn¡¯t chip his mood. He chatted with Sonya about the lush jungle, ate a tasty stew and slipped into the world of dreams. At the crack of dawn, he left the snoring tent to devour his breakfast before the rest of the camp joined him. His hopes for another excursion were quickly dashed when Makyn was nowhere to be found. The soldiers held their weapons with a restless air, whispering to themselves and tightening their patrols. It¡¯s reasonable to be a little nervous. We¡¯re almost there. The Heart covered a large swath of land in the center of the jungle, but they only had to traverse half of it to reach the Vastaire site. After the dense vegetation of the inner reaches, the oversized flora was easier to cross. Plants fought for nourishment, greedily covered the sun and smothered their rivals, leaving a sparse underbrush. Hmm¡­ it can¡¯t be a coincidence that the ruins are in the middle of it. Either they¡¯re leaking mana, or they were built there to take advantage of the density. Back on march among the ranks of men, Kai also started to feel jittery. Tension and anticipation mounted without an outlet. Inside the Heart, every beast that attacked the convoy was at Orange, usually not in the early stage. Though they were quickly dispatched, they kept the expedition on their toes. It would have been problematic if I had come alone. The military can handle the beasts, it¡¯s what they get paid for. If the Altar of Covenant was here, he might soon complete his quest and gain another blessing. It was also possible the summoning chamber here had been destroyed long ago, and that was why no yellow beasts had been sighted. Perhaps he was in the wrong place and the shackles around the Hidden Sanctuary would fail, dooming him. Don¡¯t be stupid. If the spatial anomalies are anything to go by, the entire archipelago will notice when the gates fully open. ¡°Halt!¡± The shout echoed throughout the convoy. The soldiers at the front compacted. Kai frowned at the image in his mana vision. There was no threat, just bright pools and pieces strewn around a large shapeless blob, leaking dense streams of mana. An acrid metallic smell wafted to him, linking the pieces of the mystery. By the time he pushed his way through the ranks, Kai wasn¡¯t surprised by the sight of gore that awaited him. Fresh crimson blood and shreds of meat covered the jungle floor like a macabre art installation. In the center lay the dead carcass of a¡­ something, Kai couldn¡¯t tell what the poor sod had been, just that it once had silver fur. From the mana still flowing into the environment, the creature must have been well into yellow tier. Guess we know where the summoned beasts ended up. Kai was about to move closer to Inspect the scene when screams of alarm resounded from the tail of the convoy. Chapter 217 - The King of Veeyrd Chapter 217 - The King of Veeyrd Kai was shoved aside by soldiers running towards the commotion. The King of Veeryd was here, no other beasts could threaten the convoy. Support auxiliaries and mages fled in the opposite direction, thwarting his attempts to move closer. ¡°Form a line!¡± An authoritative shout rose above screams. ¡°Everyone below Yellow retreat¡ª¡± Trees cracked followed by a wetter sound. A rattling hiss pierced the chaos of voices: half a dozen different people shouted orders. Kai recognized Seryne and Valela somewhere ahead. Bodies pressed against him, his instincts urged him to act, to run and swing his sword. Don¡¯t be an idiot. He stopped elbowing his way through the crowd. Even if he reached the front line, he couldn¡¯t face a basilisk in a head-on fight. He could barely contend with low-yellow beasts by burning through his elemental reserves and Empower. If half of what Makyn told him was true, the King was on par with the blackstone terragon, or stronger. His physical attributes couldn¡¯t keep up, it was uncertain if even his spells would be effective. I¡¯ll just get in the way. It was a sour truth to swallow. A deep-rooted part of him rebelled at leaving his fate in the hands of the soldiers, but rationality won. Jumping into the fray for pride was foolish. Kai followed Hallowed Intuition''s plea to get away and focused on his highest orange skill: Mana Sense; something he was better at than most of the mana professionals. He needed to gather information to find a way of helping. At the edge of his range, dozens of bright presences shifted in a semblance of order. Some were leaking light on the ground, lifeless or dying. Where is the King? Since they didn¡¯t have a profession, beasts possessed a single set of mana veins, channels so bright they looked incandescent. Even red creatures stood out, the basilisk should be akin to a lighthouse, yet he failed to spot it. Kai closed his eyes to focus on the whispers of danger and Inspect. He located a wispy presence, the shape moved like a fluttering breeze, almost invisible among the mana density of the Heart. Another rattling hiss and the soldiers¡¯ reactions confirmed it was indeed the basilisk. Great, the murder machine can camouflage. It explained how it had sneaked up on them while they were distracted by the other beast¡¯s carcass. Kai struggled not to lose track of the basilisk. The long serpentine figure bolted faster than Makyn. It skirted the edge of the convoy, rising and ebbing with the soldiers like in a mortal dance. The military adapted to the attacks, making use of their numbers to cover their backs. Then, the fluttering glimmer retreated outside his range. Kai strained his skills till his brain throbbed behind his eyes. The soldiers'' slow and cautious steps mirrored his confusion. ¡°Where is it?¡± Versions of that question echoed from a dozen different mouths. The convoy held its breath as seconds flowed into minutes of confused murmurs. Kai followed the orders of an officer. The expedition rearranged to respond to threats from every angle, anxiously waiting for action. Did it just run away? ¡°Can anyone spot that thing?¡± Seryne''s peeved voice cut the stalemate. ¡°Where are the scouts?¡± A shuffling of bodies and voices rose in response, dozens of people started discussing the attack among themselves. With dangerous beasts in every direction, Hallowed Intuition never completely quieted. Unless the basilisk moved closer or specifically targeted him, it was hard to parse the clutter of warnings. I should be grateful I have a way to track it. That level of camouflage during combat was ridiculous, I can¡¯t even tell at which stage of Yellow it stands. Kai slipped through the ranks to see the site of the battle, remaining at a safe distance to not provoke the troops. Clawed prints marked the soft jungle ground, amidst uprooted trees and minced vegetation. The tracks were double the size of any drake he met in Veeryd, though it was hard to make estimates between different species. One look at the soldiers got rid of any idea to ask questions. Grim men kept guard on the dense greenery, one sobbed over a fallen comrade who lay in a pool of blood. Three. Kai counted the bodies. Three lives had been snuffed out in the brief battle, and many more suffered injuries and bruises. Those seriously wounded had already been hurried away to the medics in the center of the convoy. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Makyn strode from behind him. A fresh bandage on his upper arm was darkened with blood, and his usually spotless uniform was stained in mud. They were minor inconveniences, but the sight disquieted him. That had never happened before, his porter never got hurt or had a wrinkle out of place. ¡°I was on the opposite end of the convoy when it attacked.¡± ¡°Good. Keep to the safe areas with the other non-combatants.¡± His mouth bent in a grim line. ¡°You were right, it¡¯s a basilisk.¡± Why couldn¡¯t the stories be exaggerated? Like it was a little cute lizard barely touching Yellow, or a misunderstood guy accidentally poisoning its friends. ¡°Do you know what rank it is?¡± Kai voiced the obvious question. If it had feasted on every other beast that came through the gates, it was no slouch. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Makyn shook his head. ¡°We can¡¯t say for certain, its cloaking blocked the scouts'' skills. It could be a peak yellow C-rank, or mid-stage B-rank. This ambush was a probing attack for infringing on its territory. It¡¯s possible it was holding back its abilities, the basilisk wasn¡¯t a species anyone recognized.¡± This just keeps getting better. It must have come from the Hidden Sanctuary decades ago. It was all wrong. Humans ambushed and hid their powers, beasts just barreled through all defenses. ¡°What kind of creature retreats like that?¡± ¡°The dangerous kind. Come with me, the captain wants to see you.¡± Better and better. ¡°Did she say why?¡± ¡°No.¡± If Kai was stuck before, he definitely couldn¡¯t run when they were stalked by a bloodthirsty lizard. A provisory camp had already been set up, while Earth shapers and soldiers methodically felled the vegetation around them to provide vision and avoid another ambush. They passed beside the medic¡¯s tent. Six people in different states of injury lay on cots, their bodies were still like statues, not even their pupils were moving. Kai would doubt they were alive if he couldn¡¯t see their mana still flowing at an unbearably slow pace. Makyn opened the flap of an enchanted tent, waving him in. Familiar voices were arguing inside. Yay! The air was chiller and dryer inside. Four people bent over a table showing maps of Veeryd and battle reports. Captain Seryne and a man dressed in the mottled scout uniform stood opposite Valela, while a wrinkly old mage in cream robes sat in the middle, looking half asleep. ¡°We need to go back.¡± The princess threw them a frosty look. ¡°We¡¯ve already suffered losses before even reaching the Vastaire site. We have to go back and regroup.¡± Seryne stood straighter to highlight their height difference. ¡°Let me remind you, you¡¯re here just as an observer,¡± she said with a fake smile, using the patient tone of a teacher with their dim pupil. ¡°I¡¯m in charge of this expedition. And we¡¯re not going to return empty-handed while the archipelago and its inhabitants are under threat!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve recovered critical information on the danger we¡¯re facing, with the right preparations we can be back in a couple of weeks.¡± Valela pursed her lips. Waves of irritation rolled off her, though her voice remained even. ¡°Continuing now will just be a waste of lives, the convoy isn¡¯t equipped to face such a high-level beast. How are we supposed to look for the source of the anomalies with that monster stalking us?¡± Seryne covered a chuckle with a hand and dipped her head in apology. ¡°Pardon me, sometimes I forget the natives of this little archipelago aren¡¯t used to¡­ facing adversities. Trust me, dear, we¡¯re perfectly capable of taking care of a measly basilisk.¡± Valela gripped the edge of the table, leaning forward to hold her gaze. ¡°With how many losses?¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± the captain turned towards them, ignoring the question. ¡°Kai, come join us. Maybe you can help solve a point of contention.¡± Wisps of mana darted around Valela in response to the condescending dismissal. She seemed ready to jump over the table and punch Seryne in the nose. With a visible effort, she released her grip on the wood and threw him a dirty look. Hey, I didn¡¯t do anything. The attention of the tent shifted on him¡ªbesides the napping fellow. Kai turned his expression into a blank canvas and approached the only free side table. ¡°How may I help, ma¡¯am?¡± Seryne gave him a syrupy smile. ¡°I¡¯ve heard you have a peculiar danger-sensing skill that works with Fate. Did it work when the basilisk attacked?¡± The princess¡¯ flames got doused in water. She glared again at the captain before looking down in shame. Well, there was no way it wouldn¡¯t get out. Kai wasn¡¯t surprised by the Republic¡¯s interest after the meeting with Annyl, though the request was still odd. ¡°Aren¡¯t there other people with similar skills?¡± Hallowed Intuition couldn¡¯t be the only yellow skill of that type in the expedition. ¡°Not any that works against this beast.¡± The unnamed scout snorted, intently studying him. ¡°The concealment of the basilisk goes beyond camouflage and mana cloaking. And while skills based on the seventh attribute are unreliable, they¡¯re harder to counter if the target doesn¡¯t have higher Fate than you.¡± Hmm, thanks for the heads-up. So I just need to get more Favor than everyone else? ¡°I can¡¯t be sure.¡± Kai wanted to underplay his skill, though they seemed to know more than him, and Seryne wouldn¡¯t get fooled by his answers. ¡°I got a warning when the basilisk attacked. The skill works better if it comes close and I¡¯m directly targeted.¡± Those were universal facts of any danger skill. When it was uncertain whether someone could detect lies, it was better to mix half-truths. Now that he knew what to look for, Kai was confident to notice sooner, though not enough to outrun the beast. ¡°I see¡ª¡± ¡°You can¡¯t involve a civilian in this.¡± Valela¡¯s fire rekindled. ¡°He isn¡¯t employed as a fighter. And he¡¯s not even an adult!¡± ¡°His contract is to provide whatever help necessary to stop the anomalies. And he signed with the military,¡± Seryne calmly stated, showing a flash of satisfaction at Valela. ¡°But I won¡¯t force him to do it if he''s too frightened. Kai, you¡¯ll be protected at all times. You just need to join the patrols and warn us when your skill reacts. Are you up to the task?¡± At least try something better than some dumb reverse psychology. That¡¯s insulting. ¡°Will I¡ª¡± ¡°Naturally this will count towards your contributions.¡± Pride and money, really? He gulped for dramatic effect. Moving around the soldiers would give him access to more information and freedom. He might even get a few levels in his skill. ¡°Can I have Officer Makyn to protect me?¡± * * * ¡°The bush on the left!¡± Kai commanded. A volley of javelins and arrows shot to decimate a lush patch of shrubbery with star-shaped leaves. An emerald shadow dashed deeper into the greenery with a rattling hiss. More projectiles flew in after the King, missing by a wide margin. None of the soldiers attempted the chase. The basilisk was more agile and faster than any of them combined inside Veeryd. Unless it revealed itself to attack, Mana Sense couldn¡¯t even perceive its wispy presence, and its green hide meshed into the vegetation. Kai remembered when Moui once sold a couple of its scales to Reishi. The hunter had been unbelievably lucky to find them and live to tell the tale. His fear suddenly made so much sense. Thank Yatei, he¡¯s not here. Out of courage or stupidity, Kai had never been particularly afraid of any beast¡ªnot the sea serpent, or the chunky toad that almost melted him. The basilisk was different. It wasn¡¯t its ridiculous attributes that made him scary, but its sly nature. The King stalked them each step towards the Heart, waiting for a soldier to lower their guard to strike without committing to an assault. Two men had been dragged into the jungle before anyone could react. One more had died chasing. Beasts became smarter as they advanced, but Kai never expected them to observe and execute plans like a human. Knowing it would lose in a fair fight, the basilisk used guerrilla tactics to weaken them. Makyn had told him it wasn¡¯t a common behavior for a yellow beast, which meant rare but not unheard of, which was disturbing. ¡°It¡¯s B-Rank.¡± The porter lowered an enchanted bow taller than him. Kai raised an eyebrow in surprise. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the best archer, but my last shot bounced off its scales, and the medics are having trouble fully neutralizing the venom. It¡¯s probably mid-yellow, perhaps high if it¡¯s still holding back.¡± ¡°Yeah, why not peak stage?¡± ¡°Because it would have already killed us all,¡± Makyn said with complete seriousness. Yay! Initially, Kai had little luck spotting the basilisk with Hallowed Intuition. Whatever cloaking the beast employed it partially muted the skill; that was before he located where it was going to strike on a lucky gamble. The wily lizard must have seen him pointing and switched targets to him. Ironically, being targeted made his skill much more effective. Kai could feel the danger lurking in the jungle, rapidly moving around the convoy. It faded and grew, but it never disappeared. At least I got a level. Gotta appreciate the small things. And we haven¡¯t spotted any other beasts since I got a new stalker. The oversized jungle surrounded them on every side, the mana levels still climbing. There was less than an hour of daylight left, and the sun had already disappeared beneath the trees. No one wanted to try to spot the basilisk in the dark, and sooner or later Kai also had to sleep. A hissing echoed from the shadows, outside the range of the archers. After losing half their number, the scouts rejoined the ranks to act as spotters. The damned lizard is taunting us. The convoy marched with an uneasy pace, using crystals to light their way. They were spurred by the need to find shelter and slowed by the awareness that a wrong step might mean death. ¡°Behind us!¡± The shout had not left his lips when screams rose from the tail, the basilisk must have figured out there was no point targeting him. Kai didn¡¯t know if he should be happy or more terrified. Fuck. Valela was right, we should have gone back. ¡°Tighten the ranks and continue the march!¡± Seryne ordered. ¡°We can¡¯t stop now.¡± I wonder whose idea that was? The dark forest loomed alien around them, rattling with sounds of death. Held by skittish soldiers, arrows were loosened at every bush. The whisper tickled, too obscure to offer direction. ¡°Look!¡± A scout pointed to a large shadow ahead of them. ¡°A tower!¡± Chapter 218 - Looming Threat Chapter 218 - Looming Threat Excited exclamations spread through the group. Kai stepped forward and squinted, the moons were covered by a blanket of clouds. Blinded by the enchanted crystals near him, he shielded his eyes to make out the dark form. A gnarly tree had engulfed the side of a broken tower and morphed it into a grotesque shape. Vines wrapped around the jagged top, with sparse slivers of ivory shining through. Further beyond, similar misshapen giants emerged from the vegetation till the jungle blended into the undefined background. They had reached the lost Vastaire site. The place his dad had never managed to find, it was real. The air was thick with mana over ten times the archipelago average. The answers they sought were buried here. Thrilled by the hope of a safe shelter, the scout broke the ranks to move forward. Kai tried to reach for the man before stilling. His smile froze as the whispers rose with crystalline precision. ¡°Watch out!¡± The scout halted, glancing back, the realization of the situation set on him. He was a short few meters ahead, too far for anyone to reach without compromising the formation. The ranks had frayed at the sight of their destination and hastily reformed. Kai found himself half that distance away from safety, more than he remembered walking. Shit. A rattling hiss cut through the night air and straight through their souls. He aimed his wand to cast a hail of projectiles at the greenery beside the tower. Thin ice shards rained down on the vegetation. He had no hopes of injuring the basilisk, but he might ruin its camouflage and persuade it to run. Behind him, the soldiers readied their weapons. ¡°Shoot!¡± Makyn bellowed with an authority he didn¡¯t possess. Arrows and javelins rained down following his trail into the darkness. They didn¡¯t have to wonder at the unknown for long. A long wiry beast bolted out of the darkness. It evaded most of the blows, keeping low to let the rest skid off its emerald scales. The scout stood halfway on the side, but the King wasn¡¯t aiming at him. As the initial volley abated, a pair of slit golden eyes fixed on Kai with malicious intelligence. Are you that cranky I ruined your stealth? The warnings turned into frantic shouts. His brain blitzed with urgency, slowing his perception of time. If he turned to run, the beast would be upon him before he took three steps. Honed by years of training, his instinct didn¡¯t fail him. Kai doubled down on his attack, commanding his mana to flow into his wand while he unsheathed his sword with his right hand. A stream of ice and water shot toward the crouching beast. The basilisk ignored the projectiles and sprung in an emerald blur towards him. As life and death brushed together, the outside world stopped existing. His Mind and Spirit bore down on his arsenal of mana skills to condense the stream. Kai remembered images from his previous life, with enough speed and pressure, water could cut through metal. Intent is everything. The basilisk bent its body and darted at sharp angles, deflecting magic and arrows off its hide and turning them into glancing blows. The thin jet of water cut through shrubs and earth without effort. The strongest spell he ever cast made no difference if he couldn¡¯t hit his target. It only delayed the inevitable. The monster had actually been holding back when it acted scared of a frontal assault. Kai had already crossed his limits, he had nothing else to give. No one could save him if the basilisk was willing to pay the price. A few chipped scales and surface wounds to get rid of the bug who ruined its stealth. He tightened his grip on the enchanted blade, Empower flooded his body to brace for impact. If the lizard thought it could get away with this, it was dead wrong. I¡¯m not going down alone. Kai was ready to abandon his wand to wield the sword with both hands. Then the jungle turned into day. A second sun rose behind him, illuminating the verdant plants, the dilapidated ivory towers and the charging basilisk. Taken aback by the flash, the King of Veeryd staggered to an abrupt halt. Its long muscular body coiled, wiry limbs dug into the ground to arrest its momentum. The beast came into full focus. The basilisk measured over three meters across. Emerald scales refracted a rainbow of hues as the sudden light broke its cloaking and revealed a weave of burning channels. The draconic head sported a crown of horns and two symmetrical crests. It took shelter behind the front limbs while the long tail ending in a curved bone flexed for balance. In the brief halt, the attacks caught up with the slippery beast. Pressurized water and enchanted metal carved lines into the beautiful hide. Black ichor spilled on the ground. The basilisk let out a furious piercing hiss, and the gaping maw showed rows of curved fangs glinting with venom. Not so smug anymore, eh? A pulse of mana enveloped the King to reassert its cloaking and it bolted away into the broken tower and the underbrush beyond. The only signs of the fight were a terrified scout lying on the ground and a trail of dark green ichor, eating through the plants it touched. They weren¡¯t the only ones to bleed anymore. Fucking coward. ¡°Halt! Don¡¯t follow it.¡± Makyn commanded again. ¡°You''re not in charge.¡± The scout leader from the tent spoke up. ¡°It¡¯s wounded. We can finish it.¡± The cheering soldiers paused, shifting their attention between them. ¡°Back into ranks,¡± Seryne appeared to address the troops. ¡°We need to set up camp. The beast should leave us alone for now, but we''re not going to take any chances. I want eyes in every direction¡­¡± After delivering a series of orders in quick succession, Seryne lingered on Makyn. ¡°I understand the urgency of the situation, but we have a chain of command for a reason. Don¡¯t overstep your boundaries, sergeant.¡± Makyn bowed his head. ¡°It won¡¯t happen again.¡± The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Damn, my porter is going through his rebellious phase. I¡¯m so proud. Seryne looked at him with a studious look. ¡°Good job, Kai. You can rest for tonight. Tomorrow your ability will be required to help the exploration of the site.¡± I can even sleep. How generous! ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. I¡¯ll do my best to help.¡± Apart from the near-death experience, everything was going according to plan, he¡¯d get a front-row seat to look for clues. I just need to stay alive. Why couldn¡¯t that psychotic lizard just die? In the middle of the marching convoy, Kai looked up at his porter. ¡°You good?¡± Makyn grunted in assent. ¡°I wasn¡¯t the one who almost died. Stepping outside to bring back someone else was foolish. I should have stopped you too, you¡¯re not going to step out of my shadow from now on.¡± ¡°Yes, boss.¡± One time was enough. That lizard is such a meanie. Makyn watched him with a weird expression. ¡°Are you alright?¡± If it were on anyone else, Kai would have said it resembled warmness, but that wasn¡¯t something his faithful porter did. He grinned brightly. ¡°I¡¯m great. Why?¡± ¡°Your hand is shaking.¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± Kai looked down at the hand still gripping the wand. Fumbling to sheathe his weapons, he hid his hands in his pockets. ¡°I¡¯m just tired. The jungle gets cold at night.¡± Makyn gave him a slow nod. ¡°By the way, you were correct,¡± Kai spoke before the man would. ¡°The basilisk dropped its cloaking when it was blinded by that light. It¡¯s higher than mid-yellow, though not quite at the high stage.¡± His scan confirmed the King must be a B-rank creature. He didn''t know whether to be relieved to finally have an answer, or terrified it still had room to grow. ¡°You¡¯re fast at assessing grades.¡± ¡°I was the closest one. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I need to thank my savior.¡± Kai strolled inside the convoy towards a group of blue uniforms. Cheerfully waving at Ferla and Lou, he looked beyond them. ¡°I¡¯m assuming that light was your doing.¡± Valela let him through, her shoulder slumped. ¡°It was. I wish I could have done more and stopped it for good.¡± Two guards from her group counted towards the people they had lost to the beast today. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. That was plenty. Your spell was timed perfectly to save my life.¡± Kai wiggled his eyebrows. ¡°What else could you wish for?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± She gave him a weak smile. ¡°Though the timing was more luck than skill. I could have acted sooner to scare it away, but I was afraid to blind the soldiers if I didn¡¯t aim right.¡± Spirits, she cannot take a win. ¡°You did great. If you acted earlier, you wouldn¡¯t have caught the basilisk at its most vulnerable moment within range of our attacks.¡± Kai patted her shoulder while Ferla stared daggers at him. ¡°It¡¯s a pity the same trick won¡¯t work twice with that sneaky lizard.¡± * * * Kai jolted awake, striking the hand on his shoulder. ¡°What¡ª¡± His eyes focused, Makyn stood over him to wake him up. He was sleeping on a cot, inside the camp, safe. The dusty vault of an ivory chamber closed around him. ¡°Sorry, you took me by surprise.¡± The soldier dismissed the scratch on his arm. ¡°It¡¯s almost time to go. I thought you¡¯d like to eat your breakfast in peace.¡± How long did I sleep? It felt no more than a few minutes since he closed his eyes, and it was hard to tell time underground. It had taken hours to properly set up camp inside a cluster of chambers. He usually had no trouble falling asleep, but the basilisk¡¯s rattling hiss kept echoing in the night until the Earth shapers had walled the entrances. Boorish lizard with its stupid whining. Such a sore loser. Kai stretched his limbs with a groan. He couldn¡¯t properly relax as long as the King stalked outside their camp. No doubt, it was licking its wounds, ready to strike when they lowered their guard. With his grade, he¡¯d survive one night of shitty sleep. ¡°Your backpack is over there.¡± Makyn pointed behind him. ¡°Thanks.¡± He grabbed a random piece of salted jerky. When his stomach failed to respond, he brought out a bag of mango cookies to the same result. He forced himself to swallow some food, drinking from a canteen. ¡°I can tell them you need to take the day off if you¡¯re not feeling well.¡± Kai looked up to Makyn, surprised. His porter was taking the bodyguard job very seriously. ¡°And Seryne won¡¯t mind?¡± ¡°No one can force you to use your skill.¡± Fair point. ¡°I¡¯m good. It¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve come into Veeryd or hunted beasts.¡± ¡°I imagine the other times you were accompanied by your mentor, and you could go back to safety after it was over.¡± Makyn stiffly sat on the cot beside him, gazing straight ahead. ¡°Being stalked by an overwhelming foe isn¡¯t the same thing. It can be¡­¡± ¡°Overwhelming¡­?¡± Kai helpfully provided. ¡°Yes, especially if it¡¯s your first time. Even on the mainland, you rarely meet such nasty beasts outside high-danger areas. It¡¯s normal to be scared.¡± Hmm¡­ you¡¯re kinda bad at this, but I appreciate the effort. It was nice knowing that someone saw him as more than a useful pawn, though taking a day to rest or not, he still had to do it. And the sooner he could return to civilization the better. ¡°Do you want a cookie?¡± Makyn definitely had a sweet tooth, he ended up eating two with a little coaxing. The camp had been set up across six chambers at the edge of the underground complex. The largest part of the Veeryd site was buried and crossed by large tunnels. Another proof that the basilisk likely originated from the ruins and wanted them out of its house. The Earth mages had moved and compacted the ground to free up space, though the place still smelled of stale mold. If it was the price of being surrounded by solid walls, Kai was happy to pay it. Long slabs of rock covered the entrances, enough to offer a warning in case the basilisk decided to break through. Kai followed his porter to a side chamber where a group had already gathered. Eight soldiers and four mana professionals, everyone fully at Yellow. They were supposed to map the ruin and locate any point of interest for the main group. ¡°You¡¯re late.¡± The head of the scouts greeted them with a snort. ¡°We¡¯re already ready to head out. You know your role, kid?¡± I think someone¡¯s called Vert, or was it Bert? ¡°I¡¯ll warn you if I feel anything.¡± Kai smiled as numerous pairs of eyes examined him. The people in the team ranged from curious to skeptical, but most remained indifferent. Bert set the formation of the party with Kai and the mages in the center. There was a minor scuffle when he wanted Makyn to act as the frontline. His porter glared icicles till he was assigned a better position to be his bodyguard. Good boy, I¡¯ll give you another cookie tonight. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Bert scowled. ¡°The reports say this site is on par with the one on Kawei if not larger. We¡¯ll move underground along the edge in a spiral till we reach the center.¡± Inside the narrow chambers and corridors, it would be easier to counter the basilisk¡¯s agility, if the beast showed up. The earth mages rolled the boulder blocking the entrance to reveal a tunnel covered in bluish moss and layers of dirt. They entered two by two, swords and shields and then spears. Makyn equipped his longbow, staying before the mages. Kai keened his senses for anything out of place. The damp air hummed with mana on par with the estate. It¡¯s even higher than outside. Zervathi did say the Altar of Covenant was on top of the highest tower, so we¡¯re not going to find it even if it¡¯s here. It was probably better that way, he needed time to plan and learn the terrain. Space mana had double the standard concentration, slightly lower than inside the summoning chambers. It was harder to tell minute differences with such high density. The motes whirled in chaotic streams according to their nature. He stood no chance to make sense of them unless they moved deeper. They methodically moved through outer corridors and chambers. Some showed recent claw marks and moved earth, most were untouched grooves. No beast or rattling hiss disturbed their march. The King had gone silent. Hallowed Intuition thrummed like static in the background, as calm as it would go inside the Heart of Veeryd. Walking about a mile of winding passages, they stopped before a buried corridor. The basilisk must have gotten lazy halfway through its work. Bert scowled at the dirt like it was a personal affront to him. ¡°Can you open a way?¡± A mage with raven hair in an elaborate chignon walked forward. She placed her hand on the wall and closed her eyes with a concentrated look. A pulse of Earth mana delved into the tunnel. You could have done the same without moving a step. Kai rolled his eyes at the theater. The mage shook her head. ¡°It goes on too deep. We¡¯ll burn through our reserves to reach the end.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll head deeper in to see how far the blockade goes,¡± Bert snorted. ¡°There might be easier places to cross.¡± The number of obstructed ways kept increasing. The area where they entered was probably an exception that had given them an optimistic view. They followed a winding path of tunnels, often backtracking when hitting a dead end. With the whispers quieting, Kai dedicated his time to unraveling the messy streams of mana. To find logic in the chaos. Though the streams folded on themselves, he was certain they must have an origin somewhere inside the ruins. The solution was to isolate the elemental currents that flowed more consistently. If only he could freely move¡ª *Ding* Mana Sense has reached lv100! Requisites for skill evolution met, congratulations! Chapter 219 - Silent Triumph Chapter 219 - Silent Triumph Kai watched the notification hanging in the air. His boot got caught in a root, but Makyn grabbed his backpack before he had any chance of tripping. ¡°Thanks.¡± He regained his footing with an embarrassed look. The people who turned at the commotion quickly lost interest. Only Bert grumbled something unkind under his breath. ¡°Any danger?¡± His porter peered at the bend in the tunnel. It was nice knowing the man had enough confidence in him to expect he wouldn¡¯t trip for no reason. Alas, Kai couldn¡¯t discuss the matter with twelve other people present. ¡°All quiet. The King must know it¡¯d be at a disadvantage down here.¡± He tried to contain the smile tugging at his lips and dismissed the Guide. Whether Makyn believed him or not, the man gave a curt nod and went back to studying the path for threats. Mages and soldiers trudged through the meandering tunnels without a squeak from the evil lizard. The lack of any remarkable discovery brought them into a monotonous rhythm. No one realized something remarkable had happened, a life-changing event in the dripping quiet of the underground. Like all goals someone pursued for years, he was so used to them feeling unreachable that his mind struggled to wrap around his success. I did it. I brought a skill up to Yellow. Disbelief morphed into elation as the reality of the situation sank in. He had acquired Mana Sense on his second birthday, more than ten years ago. The third skill he had ever learned. Now it had ticked the last level, ready to evolve. Kai had earned four levels since the Republic recruited him a little more than two weeks before. It was a ridiculous pace even with Gifted Novice boosting his gains, though the Guide rewarded risk and new experiences. He had been involved in two mana anomalies on Kawei, scoured ancient ruins, fought multiple yellow beasts, talked with a god, avoided spatial tears, and got stalked by an elite monster. Throughout all that, he had never stopped using Mana Sense for a moment. Hmm¡­ it might not be so outrageous after all. Should I wait to see the evolutions? They were treading in the most dangerous place Kai ever visited. The basilisk had dug out sections of the underground with no apparent logic. He would have suspected it was a ploy to lead them deeper, but the overgrown tunnels were too old for any amount of devious planning. They had passed a skeletal old tree, its roots extending into the nearby rooms. Carpets of vines and flowers covered entire chambers where scant rays of light filtered from the broken towers. Walls of mushrooms filled the damp tunnels in between. Even if incomplete, the number of excavated tunnels was astonishing. It must have been the work of a bored King over its long rule, or perhaps, the continuous effort of a long line of them. The site had the highest concentration of mana in Veeryd, any dominant specimen throughout the millennia must have burrowed around here. While there wasn¡¯t a whisper of danger, broken plants and clawed imprints served as fresh reminders of the King. There were no other awakened beasts around, and strangely enough, much fewer mana herbs than Kai expected to find. Okay, show me what I got. Mana Sense (lv100) ? As you reach the final milestone, you are presented with four choices to continue your journey to new heights: Plenty of choices, yay! Specializing a skill at the milestones allowed him to experiment with different abilities and potentially unlock specific evolutions. They were important decisions, but they weren¡¯t final. There would have always been more chances to adjust the aim when the skill advanced to the next grade. Once he evolved Mana Sense, the change would be permanent. He¡¯d be stuck with the skill unless he grinded it back from Orange. Since it had taken ten years the first time, Kai¡¯d rather not screw this up. Yeah, no pressure at all. He kept an eye on the path as he examined the four options. Perhaps it would be wiser to postpone his decision till he was back to the camp, though an evolution might help him glean more from the ruins. Spirits knew if he would get any more chances to explore these tunnels. Walking beside him, Makyn would soon notice¡ªif he hadn¡¯t already. The porter was too keen to miss his eyes moving back and forth on words that weren¡¯t there. It was enough not to attract everyone else¡¯s attention. Now the fun part. What do I pick? Not every skill possessed a straightforward evolution, though it came as no surprise that Mana Sense did. Even at level 100, his skill still had a wide margin of improvement in both range and precision. Advanced Mana Sense was the safe option if there was no alternative. It would give him no distinct advantage and close no door. Mana might have countless depths to explore, but my time is limited. I can¡¯t do everything. Hmm¡­ I¡¯ll put it aside for now. If he picked Elemental Vision, a hundred lifetimes wouldn¡¯t be enough to learn everything there was to know about that field. Shaping the elements was his preferred school of magic, and his main offensive weapon. There was a simple elegance he had grown fond of. Elemental spells offered room for creativity and proficiency without overly complicated rules. He could spend months making an ice bolt stronger and more efficient, or he could chuck mana at the problem to overwhelm his foes. Still¡­ Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. He would be more tempted if he were evolving Mana Manipulation; Mana Sense would only give him a minor boost to his elemental casting. It would be convenient to detect Space motes¡ªespecially in his current situation¡ª, but it sounded like a wasted upgrade with his other affinities. It does also mention understanding¡­ Improving his grasp on an element would strengthen his spells, though understanding required time and study. It would offer little help for completing Zervathi¡¯s quest. Elemental Vision might also allow him to use his minor affinities, like Wind and Fire. They¡¯d be neat to have while brewing elemental herbs in alchemy, though it wasn¡¯t essential, and not particularly useful in combat. Okay, let¡¯s move on to Mana Observer. The time spent crafting and solving Virya¡¯s riddle had not gone unnoticed. This evolution would help when he brewed and carved runes. He could think of many enchantments he would like to spend hours studying, like the ones he had seen in the summoning chamber. He had to focus on one thing at the expense of everything else. While Mana Observer would be of great help in his lab, on a battlefield he rarely had the luxury of dedicating his attention to a single subject for any amount of time. Though it might help to spot the sneaky lizard¡­ Hmm¡­ As long as I¡¯m not fighting more than one enemy, it might be useful. Last was Mana Sight. While he had never purposefully worked for it, any human had inevitably tried using Mana Sense through their eyes. Now he could do it without feeling stupid. To see essence wherever he turned, no matter the distance, would be¡­ What would that even look like? To look at the sky and see swirling currents of mana. His senses had long surpassed those of a normal human, he could recognize people walking miles away. His skill would scale with his Perception, as much as Spirit and Mind. The trade-off was equally meaningful: Mana Sight would cripple his ability to sense essence around him in the long term. If he reached Green, having the equivalent of Mana Sense at Orange would be like not sensing anything at all. How far would his sight be able to reach behind a wall or underground? Even if the limit wasn¡¯t insurmountable, he would be blind to anyone approaching him from outside his field of view. Nope. No matter the benefits, he would be too vulnerable to ambushes. And he couldn¡¯t even imagine fighting without being able to perceive what was going on around him. It would be a death sentence. Perhaps if I was a scout. With all the information on the table, the choice appeared blatantly obvious. While Elemental Vision didn¡¯t explicitly cripple him like Mana Sight, a skill focused on the elements wouldn¡¯t improve anything else to a meaningful degree. Unattuned mana was crucial to crafting, and materials with an affinity were rare. But the benefits this evolution offered couldn¡¯t justify forsaking Alchemy and enchanting. The pros of Advanced Mana Sense were that it closed no doors and offered a boost to every aspect. Mana Observer was broad enough, and he¡¯d gladly pay a minor loss in efficiency. Focusing on a single target at the expense of his surroundings could get him killed, though the skill didn¡¯t force him to do it at every moment. I¡¯m going to find you, evil lizard. Are you sure you want to evolve Mana Sense (lv100) into Mana Observer (lv1)? Be Aware this choice is irreversible. Yep. And don¡¯t you dare give me second thoughts! Congratulations, Mana Sense (lv100) has successfully evolved into Mana Observer (lv1)! Kai clenched his jaw to hide his excitement behind an indifferent visage. The manic energy of triumph urged him to run and explore his new skill. Instead, he had to keep the monotonous pace of the soldiers. Be patient. We shall feast with a stale cookie tonight! He had just wrapped his body under control when another light blinked in his vision. *Ding* New Feat: For evolving an Orange skill to Yellow through your own efforts before your fourteenth birthday, you are awarded: +1 Favor! Uh¡­ that¡¯s a bit cheap, but I¡¯ll take it. Grasping to the stingy nature of the Guide, Kai got his euphoria under control with the help of Improvisation. The reward of the feat would have probably been higher if he was still restricted by his Second Seal, and netted him nothing at all if he had used elixirs to boost his skill. Overall, he was pretty satisfied, it would have taken him another year to evolve Mana Sense without a profession. ¡°Good news I assume?¡± Makyn gave him a vaguely amused look, his voice was barely a whisper. ¡°Yes.¡± Kai focused on their surroundings in case anyone else noticed. They had reached a vast chamber overgrown with pale blue flowers. Each plant was a red herb near the peak of the grade, and there were hundreds. The garden was marred by five random claw imprints as if the basilisk couldn¡¯t stand its beauty. Activating his skill, the meadow turned alight with flowing Water mana. Inside such a dense area, Kai was momentarily overwhelmed by the number of motes he could perceive. Colorful elemental particles swirled around him as if his affinities had all been blessed again. Even elusive Space mana stood out with no trouble. The details and range of his skill had doubled¡ªand that wasn¡¯t even the selling point of the evolution. When he focused on a single bell-shaped flower, it was like pointing a spotlight on a dark stage. Every single channel and capillary transporting mana appeared in excruciating detail as if it were a palm from his nose. Kai blinked to divert his attention, and the world returned to his new normality. It would take some time to get used to the blinding colors. His gaping had not passed unnoticed, Bert was watching him with a sneer and shared a chuckle with another soldier. It seemed everyone attributed it to the small fortune at their feet. The rest of the team was less obvious than him, throwing cool glances at their surroundings. These weren¡¯t the first mana herbs they encountered, though they were the most numerous by far. ¡°Why are there no flowers that reach Orange?¡± Kai wondered aloud to sell them on their fantasy. ¡°A bit greedy are you, boy?¡± Bert snorted. ¡°Everything you see belongs to the Republic.¡± Then you have the nerve to call me greedy¡­ ¡°The basilisk probably eats them as they mature,¡± the Earth shaper spoke up, attracting everyone¡¯s attention. She bent to pick a flower with an elegant bow and gestured to the claw marks around the meadow. ¡°The whole underground complex must be its garden. It probably harvested the plants early when we invaded its den.¡± A bearded mage dismissively waved his hand. ¡°Even if that beast had the foresight to tend a garden, which is debatable, it cannot consume random plants. The basilisk will need to share an affinity or some other attribute to not get poisoned.¡± The woman stored the flower in her robe with no hurry or annoyance. ¡°If it were an orange beast you might be right. But this so-called King of Veeryd must be a C or B-ranked beast, it won¡¯t have a problem digesting them. Even if the benefits are minimal, it¡¯s not like it costs him anything.¡± Okay, I changed my mind. That lizard is the greediest of all. ¡°That¡¯s just a theory," the bearded mage said, soon falling into another debate with his fellows. Taking advantage of the impromptu stop, Kai checked his progress. Body stats Profession Skills: General Skills: Risking his neck had paid off. After making a pact with Zervathi, his Favor had almost regained its rightful place in the lead. It was a pity he couldn¡¯t evolve Mana Echo without evolving his profession first. Oh, well¡­ I cannot complain, Hallowed Intuition made up a third on its own. Using Mana Observer to get used to the changes, Kai was ever more sure the swirling essence around them must have an origin. The currents were chaotic but not random. He might just have a way to find where they led. Chapter 220 – The Den Chapter 220 ¨C The Den Even without the sun as guidance, his grumbling stomach didn¡¯t forget to remind him it was dinner time. They wandered the underground maze to chart the site. They found no more traces of the basilisk than claw marks and ripped weeds. Kai had lost count of the number of mana herbs they passed by. None were higher than Red, giving credit to the Earth shaper¡ªNelynna. I can¡¯t believe that lizard got even more evil. How can it eat my money as a snack? Does the King have no shame? Kai had nicked the most interesting plants with an affinity, he recognized a few from Dora¡¯s book. By chance or planning, the entire mana flora of the archipelago appeared to grow in these tunnels. He liked to imagine his teacher had come shopping inside these ruins with the basilisk grumbling in the corner. At the red tier, rare herbs weren¡¯t worth more than a handful of silver. They belonged to the Republic, and that was enough of a reason to pick them. Makyn gave him a disapproving frown each time he swiped one, but he did nothing to stop him. How much longer do we need to go? The ruins extended on multiple levels and buried passages complicated things. Kai had long abandoned any attempt to create a mental map and only had a vague idea of their relative position. Though there hadn¡¯t been much action, it was exhausting to move in the basilisk¡¯s shadow. Hallowed Intuition required constant attention, Kai could never release the hold on his skills in case the King chose to strike. The other mages looked fatigued, but their yellow race granted them a considerable attribute advantage. They threw him cool glances, hoping he would speak up and offer them an excuse to go back. I can keep going another day. Kai went back to his current riddle. The mana density tended to grow towards the center with many inconsistencies and fluctuations. Streams of essence twisted on themselves to create higher areas in random spots that never stopped shifting. It was a cheating puzzle that changed as he solved it. More than once, the streams presented a new configuration when the team backtracked from a blocked tunnel. It would have taken days to make sense of it without his evolved skill. Mana Observer had a very broad definition of target. It could be a chamber, a field of weeds, a patch of land or just a current of mana. The only limit was how far he could stretch his focus. The area and number of details would increase with his Mind stat, allowing him to cast a wider net and reducing his blind spots. It was the best pick. Nature and Water were the easiest motes to track through the winding paths. Kai was still awed by how bright and sharp everything looked, using the chance to refill a small stash of Space mana. They were closing in to the center when a rotten stench wafted over them, strong enough to make his eyes water. Kai watched the passage for an ambush, breathing through his mouth. No whispers came. ¡°What¡¯s this smell?¡± Nelynna pulled a white handkerchief over her nose, quickly imitated by her fellow mages. The soldiers grimaced and held their weapons steady. ¡°A little smell won¡¯t kill you.¡± Bert scoffed, adding a line to the map he was drawing. ¡°Let¡¯s move, we must have found its den.¡± Crossing into a tunnel covered in pale thorny vines, Kai noticed Space mana thrumming ahead of them - he had found the summoning chamber. They entered a large room with a vaulted ceiling. The passage to the upper level was buried by debris, and the only source of light was their enchanted crystals. A dozen carcasses were strewn at the edges of the room in messy orders. Some were piles of bones and scales, others had shreds of blackened meat and fur hanging from their skeletons. The air was choked with the stench of rot and decay and the droning of flies. With a retch, one of the mages bent to vomit, causing a chain reaction through the ranks. Kai covered his nose and looked away. The sounds of gagging were enough to make him feel sick. He could taste acrid stomach acid in his mouth. Take a deep breath. Wait, no! Focus on the iridescent lights. Only half the soldiers maintained their position with pale faces. If the basilisk had picked that moment to attack, Kai couldn¡¯t say how many would have survived. He slowly managed to calm his stomach, grateful his only meal had been a dried ration. ¡°Form up, you fools!¡± Bert sucked his teeth and spat on the grimy ground. ¡°We¡¯re in the den of a beast.¡± Fear pulled the formation back together. The vomit could hardly ruin the putrid air of the chamber. ¡°Does your skill pick up anything, boy?¡± ¡°No.¡± Kai tersely answered. ¡°Huh, I didn¡¯t think basilisks could be such cowards.¡± The scout scowled out loud as if the beast could hear and understand him. ¡°It can¡¯t even defend its own home.¡± It¡¯s smart enough to pick its battles. Or it¡¯s waiting for its wounds to heal. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°Can we head back?¡± The bearded mage¡ªKevyk¡ªsaid what was on everyone¡¯s mind. He patted his sweaty forehead and kept his nose high up to avoid looking at the graveyard around them. ¡°We¡¯ve already mapped most of the underground anyway.¡± ¡°Most is not everything.¡± ¡°The rest of the map can be deduced with what we have.¡± Nelynna agreed with Kevyk for the first time during this mission. ¡°We have our orders to¡ª¡± Bert swept his gaze over the team, gauging the general mood. ¡°We¡¯ll return to camp after sweeping this den. Look around to see if you can find anything useful. There must be a reason why the basilisk built its den here.¡± The soldiers guarded the only open entrance leading into the chamber while the mages spread to carry out the search. Kai felt the touch of multiple Mana Senses brush against his being. He moved to examine the remains. Mana Observer spared him the need to touch them. Every carcass belonged to a yellow beast, eliminating any doubts about what happened. The King of Veeryd had turned the mana anomalies into a delivery service for fresh snacks. There are way more beasts here than in the other ruins. Is it for the mana density or is this place special¡­? Kai pitied the poor beasts that exchanged the Hidden Sanctuary for the waiting jaws of the basilisk. He turned to his porter. ¡°Do you think the King let us find the first carcass on purpose?¡± Makyn moved through the slaughter scene with the practical ease of someone used to such sights. ¡°It¡¯s unlikely. It¡¯s possible the basilisk dragged it in our path when it noticed us coming, but we were too many miles away to be set up. That teleported beast must have escaped as we were nearing the Heart and ran in our direction by chance.¡± So, it¡¯s a Lucky lizard too. Probably why Hallowed Intuition has a hard time warning about it¡­ Kai analyzed the thick streams of mana congregating in the chamber. They shifted under his gaze, but he was pretty sure this room wasn¡¯t the origin of the anomalous concentration. He looked at the blocked passage in the ceiling. Maybe it¡¯s outside. Zervathi said the Altar was on the highest peak. Or the streams might not have anything to do with it. He turned back to the decomposing remains. Three presented the horned snout and scales of a draconic species. The others were harder to determine. There was the broken chitinous carapace of some monstrous insect and the curved fangs of a big cat. The question is how many bones I can fit inside my ring. Even in such poor conditions, he must be looking at several gold coins in value just lying around. Enough to touch the rotting carcasses. Why do yellow beasts need to be so massive? It¡¯s better to focus on mana herbs¡­ ¡°I¡¯m getting a strange reading on the spatial residue.¡± Across the chamber, Kevyk excitedly waved some kind of enchanted fan. ¡°I think we¡¯re in a summoning chamber.¡± Who would have thought¡­ ¡°Are you sure?¡± Bert strode up to him. ¡°Quite, the variation in the dimensional¡ª¡± ¡°I found some glyphs,¡± Nelynna interrupted him. With a wave of her hand, she made a thick layer of dirt and moss fall to the ground. Another swipe revealed a pure ivory wall with a series of etched symbols. ¡°They might be important since they¡¯re in this chamber. Can anyone copy them?¡± Makyn lightly cleared his throat. Fine. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Kai took out a small notebook and pen from his pocket and walked up to the glyphs. Several skeptical eyes followed him. ¡°These aren¡¯t random wiggles.¡± Bert scowled. ¡°You have to copy them precisely for the experts to examine.¡± Somebody didn¡¯t bother to read my file. ¡°I think I got it.¡± Kai refrained from mentioning this was his field of expertise, so they wouldn¡¯t demand he translate the writings on the spot. There were many lines of elegant glyphs. It wasn¡¯t the usual prayer to an unknown god or the historical record, he had only seen around a third of those symbols before. He¡¯d need to check the journals in case he forgot something. This might actually be the real deal. ¡°Are you sure that line is correct?¡± Nelynna peered over his shoulder. Apparently, the woman was unable to copy them herself but could drone over him while he worked. ¡°Yes.¡± Kai drew the last glyph and did another check, fixing a line¡ªnot the one she pointed out. There were several mentions of the Blessing he now knew indicated the Hidden Sanctuary. With the context from Zervathi, it was much easier to guess the meaning. He doodled his rough ideas in English, making sure his writing was bad enough that not even someone from Earth could guess the meaning. Blessed be [untranslated Vastaire name] for [untranslated piece] and to the shores (archipelago?). May his name always be honored and [untranslated piece]. We renew our pledge to Zervathi for sheltering the Vastaire from the enemy (Darkness?). We renew our gratitude for the bestowal of the key (Altar?) to lead the Vastaire to the Hidden Sanctuary. We renew our dedication to respect the vow (pact?) [untranslated piece]¡­ ¡°Are you done?¡± Bert grabbed his notebook from his hands. He compared it to the glyphs on the wall and stored it in his pocket. ¡°Uh, good enough. Okay soldiers, it is time to make our way back¡ª¡± Kai clenched his fists. There was a limit to the obnoxious behavior and to his patience. I won¡¯t feel guilty when I mistranslate the glyphs. Holding back the knowledge acquired from Zervathi would be enough to delay the scholars, though the text contained some crucial pieces of information. It was only a matter of time before the Republic put things together. ¡°I¡¯ll get your journal back when we return to camp,¡± Makyn said. ¡°Did you find anything interesting?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to finish.¡± Kai went to join the ranks. He¡¯d need more time to check his journals, but he was reasonably sure the text spoke of the Altar. It meant he was in the right place. Now I just need to find it. Kai watched the swift flow of mana, the origin must be nearby. If only there wasn¡¯t an evil lizard stalking the ruins, he could sneak out and find it tonight. It must have a link with the entrance to the Hidden Sanctuary. I can wai¡ª ¡°Look out!¡± Kai pointed at the tunnel the soldiers were entering. Scouring the ruins with no sign of the basilisk throughout the whole day, their formation had grown slack. Realization and dread fell on the young faces, spears and swords rising too late. A scaled, emerald snout leaped out of the shadows, twisting around the weapons to chomp down on the extended arm of a soldier. Gleaming golden eyes gazed at him with glee. There was no sign of the wounds from the previous night. Mana bent around the basilisk as if it were the very source of the streams. His elemental reserves responded readily. There wasn¡¯t enough space to aim his ice spells without hitting the soldiers. Kai hurled his Nature mana at the thorny vines around the beast while an arrow whistled past his ear. The greedy King was unwilling to release its prey, giving the pale creeper the chance to wrap around its body. In the instant the beast was slowed by the insignificant plant, the dart plunged into its triumphant eye. A piercing hiss rattled the tunnels, the basilisk jerked its head back without releasing its bite. The soldier was pulled into the shadow without a sound, already paralyzed by the beast¡¯s venom. Swords and spears crashed on the empty ground; arrows and spells were equally useless. Soldiers screamed the name of the lost companion. ¡°Chase it!¡± Bert yelled already darting after it. He was fast, but the King was faster. Kai focused Mana Observer on the fleeing presence. He pushed the skill till the basilisk was the only light in a world of shadows, he pierced its cloak to reveal its incandescent veins in frightening details. Compared to the King, the soldiers were like flickering flames. The ichor leaking from its eye did little to slow it down as did the limp man in its jaws. The distance between the chasing party grew with each leap. When it escaped their sight, the basilisk attempted to reassert its camouflage. Kai had to fight not to let the presence slip from his focus. Even after doubling his range, farther targets remained harder to observe. If he couldn¡¯t track it directly, he could track the mana it disturbed. Streams of essence flowed around the King. The more he watched, the more puzzled he became. How is this possible? Switching the skill focus on the streams, there was no denying it. Mana swayed around the basilisk to an unnatural degree, pulsing from a spot on its back in particular. A spot of absolute vacuum with not a speck of mana. Spirits, tell me that¡¯s not the Altar. Chapter 221 - Three Ways to Take Down an Evil Lizard Chapter 221 - Three Ways to Take Down an Evil Lizard Kai pressed his lips in a thin line. It had been dark when they arrived at the site two nights before, letting him hope his hunch was wrong. The cruel light of day slayed those illusions. Verdant trees and lush underbrush couldn¡¯t hide the chunks of ivory stone. Beneath the greenery lay a scene of devastation. Whoever attacked the Vastaire millennia ago had done a thorough job. Every rising spire had been cut down with no exception. Towers only grew shorter and more jagged towards the center where a broken stump of rock covered the basilisk¡¯s den. What are the chances that¡¯s not the highest peak? Damn Zervathi and his stupid instructions. There was always the possibility of a mistranslation with ancient texts, the tiny, insignificant chance he was in the wrong place. Kai didn¡¯t delude himself. Together with the other scholars, they had poured their minds over the glyphs he recovered. The writings were one of a kind, they narrated how the Vastaire struck a pact with Zervathi and gained access to the Hidden Sanctuary. The exact sequence of events was muddied. He¡¯d bet his blessings that the Altar of Covenant was in these ruins. The highest peak must have been shattered when the Vastaire fell, but the Altar survived¡ªor at least a piece of it. It might be the cause of the anomalous mana density in Veeryd. The King had probably perceived the streams of essence and decided to carry it around. That was his best theory. He had long debated whether to confide in Sonya for a second opinion. He could never be sure who was listening in the overcrowded camp, and the stakes were too high to take the risk. Even without his knowledge, the scholars slowly limped closer to the truth. Kai limited his contributions to ideas of no value, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to lead them astray. In part, he didn¡¯t want to lie to Sonya, and he wasn¡¯t certain he could pull off the misdirection. This wasn''t his expertise, and they were professionals with numerous skills dedicated to their job. ¡°Did you find what you were looking for? We need to go back.¡± Makyn observed the vegetation, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. ¡°We¡¯re exposed out here.¡± Kai glanced at the dozens of mages and soldiers working around them. Unless the basilisk decided to jump from a tower, he couldn¡¯t see how he¡¯d be in danger. ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯ve recorded everything I can see from this position. The disposition of the buildings is very interesting.¡± Kai put away his sketches of the ruins with a wise look. After carefully studying the architecture, he had come to the conclusion the site was large. Probably larger than the one on Kawei or Velu. He jumped down from the ivory boulder to appease his porter. The soldier had his gratitude for recovering the notebook and accompanying him outside. If Seryne had her way, she would have stashed him in a box until she required his skill. As long as she doesn¡¯t pay attention to what else I can do. His boots squelched on the muddy ground, the earth shapers had created a clearing. They pushed back the vegetation and sealed the towers with slabs of ivory. The half-mages weren¡¯t good enough to mold stone after cutting it, so they opted to secure the slabs with tons of rock and debris. It wasn¡¯t a terrible plan. The King¡¯s greatest advantages were stealth and agility, the idea was to mold the battlefield so they controlled the only entrance and could trap the basilisk. No beast would come out without Earth magic, or one of its subsets. It was a massive project given the size of the site. The undertaking was further slowed by overgrown plants and the threat of attacks. Fifty meters of leveled ground weren¡¯t a great buffer against the King¡¯s speed. It stalked the edges of their formation, haunting them with its rattling hiss. Despite Seryne''s assurance of safety, everyone knew the beast could barrel through the soldiers and kill any of them. It had been unwilling to risk another confrontation thus far, growing cautious after their last encounter. Apparently, basilisks couldn¡¯t regrow their eyes at Yellow. Such a pity. Though the King must possess a keen sense of mana to have identified the Altar. Kai didn¡¯t like his chances even if the basilisk were completely blind and missing a limb. His strongest spells barely made a dent in the emerald scales. The chasm wasn¡¯t something he could bridge with planning and tactics. His sea serpent sword might pierce the hide if he overworked the enchantments. The problem was landing a hit before he got gored or poisoned. His Mind could barely follow its speed, and he was entirely outmatched in physical stats. Unless the King decided to stand still to be killed, he stood no chance. Yatei¡¯s mercy, why me? Playing hide and seek with a sadistic lizard wasn¡¯t enough? Now I need to go pet it to recover the Altar? He didn¡¯t want to end up like the soldier the basilisk dragged away in its jaws. Everyone thought the man had died till his screams echoed in the tunnels that night. Whether it was a tactic to lure them or plain cruelty, the sounds of a human being getting devoured were enough to terrify him. Kai suppressed a shiver as they descended into the safety of the underground. A frontal assault was out of question. He needed to find a better way to recover the artifact. ¡°Thanks for letting me see the sun.¡± He waved goodbye to his porter. ¡°I¡¯ll go lie in my box, call me if anyone needs my help.¡± Makyn removed his hand from his sword and stopped him. ¡°You know it¡¯s for your safety.¡± Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Among many other reasons. ¡°Of course.¡± Kai dutifully bobbed his head. ¡°That''s why the captain sent me to lead the vanguard and map the basilisk¡¯s den. Her concern brings tears to my soul.¡± The soldier looked about to say something but tersely shook his head. ¡°Let me know if you need to go out again, or any help with your research.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Kai patted his arm and leaned in to whisper, ¡°And you let me know if you want something tastier than dust to eat.¡± At least his plan to corrupt Makyn one cookie at a time was proceeding smoothly. While the soldier wouldn¡¯t break any rule, he could make space within them given the right excuse. Kai strolled off to find a quiet place to think. He¡¯d need all his brainpower and then some to figure out how to get the Altar. The camp had expanded to include nine chambers in a closed loop with a single point of access outside, and two to the underground tunnels. Every other entrance had received the same treatment as the towers, sealed with a slab of ivory and tons of rock. No one would define the place as comfortable, livable perhaps. He had been moved away from the other scholars into the officials¡¯ chamber. Either Seryne valued his ability to sense the basilisk that highly, or she wanted to keep an eye on him. The woman acted like she owned him since he had signed the contract. If it helped lower her guard, Kai was willing to play the obedient errand boy. The more they underestimated him, the greater his chances of success when he acted. We¡¯ll see who laughs last. The captain might have caught on to his mingling with Valela. Outside the commonly shared duties of defense and upkeep of the camp, the blue contingent had been confined to three chambers. Kai had been warned that entering any area without authorization could compromise the safety of the camp, and it would be met with harsh punishment. He¡¯d rather not test them for now. Away from any form of civilization, the laws of the Republic held even less sway. Huh? Not this jerk again. He was almost thrown off his feet as a man ran into him. Kai only avoided the fall because his back crashed into a wall. Damn, I¡¯ll need to waste another healing potion. ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going, boy,¡± Bert sneered. ¡°Didn¡¯t your skills warn you?¡± Kai gritted his teeth not to wince. ¡°It did. I wasn¡¯t fast enough to react.¡± A whisper was no help when a yellow professional went out of his way to bump into him. He could have used Empower to dodge, but odds were Bert would have just hit him harder. After chasing the basilisk through the tunnels had inevitably failed, the man had blamed him for not warning them sooner. It hadn¡¯t gotten better when the soldier¡¯s agonizing screams had filled the tunnels. Kai had replayed the scene many times in his head. The basilisk had struck too fast, Hallowed Intuition didn¡¯t work as well when he wasn''t targeted directly. Perhaps if Bert hadn¡¯t grown complacent and allowed the formation to grow slack, his comrade might still be alive. Guilt must be eating at you¡­ It wasn¡¯t a problem he could win with reason. Kai walked away without looking back. Inside this chamber, the air was almost free from the smell of bodies, and the floors had been scrubbed clean of dirt to reveal the polished ivory underneath. It was as good as it got down there, though the treatment didn¡¯t extend to his lodging. Seryne had made the Earth mages erect a series of walls to divide the space for the officers. The mages must not have planned correctly, leaving a long and narrow space against the ivory wall. More like a short corridor than a room with a sheet serving as the door. Kai climbed over a crate to reach his cot and the table beyond with his backpack. While he considered himself a connoisseur of cramped places, this was definitely the most awkward to move in. If the basilisk broke into the camp, it would get stuck between the walls before reaching me. That¡¯s at least half a star of value. Kai took out pen and paper, writing in English in case anyone spied on what he was doing. Later, he¡¯d burn it or store it in his ring. How do I steal the treasure from an evil lizard and survive? The easiest way was to wait for the soldiers to kill the beast and then steal the Altar. That presented its own set of problems. How long would it take to set up the battlefield and hunt the beast? The basilisk had shown it wasn¡¯t above running away when it was outmatched. If it decided to flee, he¡¯d be screwed. Let¡¯s focus on what I can affect first. Counting on the Republic to kill it, what were his chances to loot a priceless artifact, run away, and open a way to the Hidden Sanctuary? That was taking for granted that the gate would still work with a fragment. Fuck my life. Kai took a deep breath. If he hadn¡¯t taken Mana Observer, he would never have found the artifact. It was possible no one would notice it until they examined the body of the basilisk. Flynn had shown him how to pickpocket someone a couple times, could he swipe the Altar from the carcass under everyone¡¯s eyes? Improvisation and his spatial ring might give him a chance, though it would also expose his secret if he failed. The issues would only multiply after the Republic identified the Altar. That¡¯s my best chance to do it. I can¡¯t miss it. He needed to ensure he would be present when the soldiers fought the basilisk. He tapped the pen on his chin before adding another line. If he set aside matters of personal satisfaction, killing the beast wasn¡¯t a necessary part of the plan. He just needed its treasure, though the idea of getting close enough to steal from the King sounded even crazier. Even if he used a spell to do it, there was no way to safely approach that monster. I need to be ready if the chance arises, but I can¡¯t plan for it. There was only one more possibility to reach his goal. Makyn¡¯s arrow had shown that for how terrifyingly strong it was, the King wasn¡¯t immortal. His chances to loot the carcass would drastically increase if they killed the basilisk without the whole expedition watching. Which is also something that can¡¯t be planned¡­ He could think of a few ways to engineer a battle. Come up with a random translation of the glyphs that required them to explore the underground. Contact and convince Valela they needed to hunt the basilisk before the Republic. Have Makyn accompany him outside and taunt the beast till it attacked them. Neither of these plans had a high likelihood of success, though any was more than zero. They would also all lead to more deaths. It was like murder with extra steps. He couldn¡¯t lead a group of people into a deadly fight on the slim chance he recovered the Altar. Well, it¡¯s not like I expected this to be easy¡­ Goal: How do I steal the treasure of an evil lizard and survive? All three solutions had issues that could arise outside of his control. From not being able to approach the carcass, to getting found out, or dying. There was no way to ensure success, though he could increase his chances. Kai played every scenario in his head, trying to come up with a countermeasure. He needed to figure out the details of the Republic¡¯s hunting plan to improve his odds. Outside of that, the more fights with the basilisk he was in, the higher his chances to get the Altar. While he wouldn¡¯t instigate a suicide mission, he could jump in if someone else had the brilliant idea. Which meant he had to convince Seryne to send him along on any expedition. Great. I need to play the dutiful little soldier. With a groan, Kai destroyed his notes and left his room to make himself available for any task. Captain Seryne spent most of her days inside her new office, the woman was obsessed with finding herself four walls to sit in. Between empty discussions with the other scholars and tedious errands around the camp, Kai had to wait two more days before he got his chance. The mana of the site started to churn and rise beyond its normal density in preparation for a spatial anomaly. Chapter 222 - Calamity Chapter 222 - Calamity Kai scrambled off the chair, grabbed his sword and almost tripped on his backpack to get out of the long closet serving as his room. He extended his senses through the ruins. It was time to roll the dice. People shuffled around him in a frenzy of activity on par with the churning mana. Essence was streaming into the underground tunnels just like in the recorded anomalies, but the Veeryd¡¯s site was unique. The already dense mana was rising beyond anything he had experienced before. From the remains in the basilisk¡¯s den, the beasts must either be summoned more frequently or in greater numbers. Ranks of men and women ran with wrinkled uniforms to their assigned tasks for the emergency. Everyone had received orders on how to behave in case of an anomaly, though the unease remained palpable. When dealing with obscure magical phenomena there was always a degree of unpredictability. No amount of preparation could guarantee their safety. Kai could feel tense anticipation brewing in his gut. The last few anomalies had brought grim surprises and acquainted him with death. Calm down, this is the chance you need. Being an external contractor, Kai had not been made privy to the internal plans. His only duty was to be available for any command. He set himself by the door of the officer¡¯s chamber, sword hanging from his belt and wand stored in his pocket. He was the personification of a model soldier ready to be deployed. You¡¯re looking too eager. Improvisation set his face in a somber grimace just in time for Seryne to emerge from her room flanked by six other officials. Given the position he chose, her eyes soon landed on him. She waved him closer without stopping her march. ¡°You¡¯ll join the team heading to the summoning chamber.¡± So much for not forcing me into danger. Not that I can complain. Kai strode after her, trying to find a place in the group of people. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Bert scrunched in a scowl. ¡°Ma¡¯am, we don¡¯t need¡ª¡± ¡°Not now.¡± The captain hushed the chief scout down with a hard glance, turning back to him. ¡°Be ready by the western exit in one minute.¡± With a curt nod, Kai headed for the designated place. He had been cultivating the image of a kid in way over his head, resigned to do what he was told. His contribution to the scholars¡¯ research had been negligible, and his only talent was Hallowed Intuition. From the two levels in Improvisation, he was doing a discreet job of it. Besides Makyn, everyone else hardly realized he was there. The more they overlooked him, the easier it would be to steal the Altar from under the Republic¡¯s nose. Thirty people assembled in the western chamber, more joined each second. There were only two possible ways to deal with a mana anomaly: bunker down or go to meet it head-on. From the soldiers he overheard, Seryne had made plans for both, thankfully she hadn¡¯t picked a cautious approach in the end. Hmm¡­ Makyn might have helped sway her decision. Kai hadn¡¯t failed to point out the disastrous consequences that the appearance of another beast with innate Earth magic would have brought. Not only could it ruin their plan to trap the basilisk underground, but the summoning chamber could also be destroyed. Spirits knew what the consequences might be. ¡°Fall in! We¡¯ll head out immediately.¡± Captain Seryne came to lead the group personally. Well, I didn¡¯t expect that. Though she¡¯s bringing most of the camp with her¡­ Around fifty people had formed up, two-thirds of the soldiers and most of the mages. Only the support personnel and the blue contingent from the council remained in camp. Valela and her cohort came to see them leave. Her face was a blank canvas. Knowing her, she must be vexed at being sidelined, but she still preferred to keep her contingent out of danger given the choice. Nelynna and another Earth shaper stepped forward to unlock the exit. Boulders and slabs of ivory rolled over with a staggered rumble. The departing group smoothly divided into three teams to be more maneuverable inside the narrow tunnels. A vanguard of twelve people jogged into the dark first. To his surprise, Seryne placed him in the main group behind her and an old mage. If he were to take a guess, his safety wasn¡¯t what she was worried about. ¡°Speak up if you perceive any danger.¡± Despite being away from action, Kai was relieved. He wasn¡¯t that eager to face the basilisk again. He¡¯d be close to the people making decisions to react accordingly. It¡¯d be so much easier if the Altar was some random rock no one cared about. Why does it have to be in the jaws of a basilisk? Kai exhaled a slow breath as they moved out into the tunnels. He had tried not to indulge in pointless commiseration, but heading towards danger, he couldn¡¯t help cursing the evil lizard. That King had turned an easy quest into an uncertain venture with its greed. He¡¯d continue to search the ruins for the slim chance the artifact he perceived on the basilisk wasn¡¯t the Altar, but at this point, the chances were very slim. It had been a couple minutes since the disturbance started, colorful currents of mana still streamed underground. The flow of essence was in complete chaos. While Mana Observer had proved it could pierce the basilisk''s cloaking, he held little hope of spotting it in these conditions. The group marched at a reckless pace, weaving around the obstructed passages for the summoning chamber in the center. Kai was forced to run to keep up with the yellow professionals. Surrounded by unfamiliar faces, he felt exposed without his faithful porter watching his back. Makyn had been assigned to the rearguard who followed from a distance to ensure the basilisk wouldn¡¯t strike the main group from behind. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. In an ideal scenario, the soldiers would ambush any confused beast as it stepped through the spatial bubbles, collect the carcass and head back to camp. If there was one thing Kai had learned, it was that plans rarely went smoothly. They might have missed a second chamber in the initial scouting, though the most worrying unknown was the King. Would it quietly give up its snack without a fight? Beasts grew more powerful by hunting and consuming other creatures. Kai didn¡¯t know enough about the biology of a basilisk to tell how many meals would make a difference, but any chance that the monster might advance to the late stages of Yellow had to be avoided at all costs. The stench of death and rotting carcasses welcomed them in its den. Kai couldn¡¯t help gagging even if he expected it. The vanguard made space to let them enter and secured the only entrance. ¡°Do something about the smell,¡± Seryne ordered, carefully stepping on the grimy floor. The graying mage nodded with an equally disgusted expression. He chanted arcane words under his breath and summoned a gust of wind to sweep the room. Without proper ventilation, the spell hardly made any difference. We actually made it in time. Mana was still swirling, countless iridescent motes whizzed around them. Subdued whispers of danger tickled his mind, not yet to alarming levels. If Kai had to pick a problem, it might be the number of soldiers. While the summoning chamber was large, forty people would leave little space to maneuver in a battle. Reaching an agreement, Space mana swarmed in the center of the room. ¡°It¡¯s coming,¡± Kai warned. Multiple gazes snapped between him and the forming anomaly. ¡°Be ready to engage.¡± A pulsing bubble emerged from nothing to light the chamber in shades morphing from violet to green and teal. The soldiers arranged a circle of spears and shield bearers with archers and reserves behind them. Whispers rose as the gate writhed and bent on itself to expand. Spatial magic was a fascinating sight when he didn¡¯t have to run for his life. Dimensions appeared to lose any sense of logic when he peered into the forming gate. The space inside was sometimes larger and smaller. Could you move faster? Kai glared at the anomaly. A dozen mana professionals were already waving their bizarre, enchanted instruments and taking notes. At this pace, the Republic would put together this wasn¡¯t a teleport. Damn, you¡¯re getting chunky. Spirits willing, the size of the bubble was just a side effect of the abnormal mana density and not a measure of the threat. The gate continued to twist and swell like a balloon floating a palm off the ground. It was in no hurry to pop a beast out and get the show going. Worried murmurs spread through the ranks at the nerve-wracking wait. ¡°Silence,¡± Seryne commanded. ¡°Strike as soon as you have line of sight and don¡¯t give it any time to react.¡± With another mind-bending shift, the bubble presented a clear surface fraying at the edges. White, green and black swarmed like blobs of color on a pale silver canvas to create a drawing of wriggling lines. A green patch wrapped around ivory and brown spots with darker shadows moving in between. Shit. Kai looked around the chamber. Most looked deeply puzzled, but there were also sparks of understanding. The old mage squinted at the portal through a monocle. ¡°That¡¯s not possible. It looks like¡ª¡± A dark furry shape with curved fangs pounced out of the gate. It had six limbs and a snout somewhere between a feline and a bear. Kai had no time to examine the creature. Its growls turned into gurgling sounds as two dozens spears and arrows pierced it. At least that worked. Kai retreated with his back against the walls of the chamber and clutched his wand. Despite its mortal wounds, the yellow beast still struggled. Burning mana shone around its form when a spear through its skull put an end to its suffering. Just in time for another six-legged bear to jump out of the portal. Without a shred of hesitation for the unfamiliar environment or a look at its dead companion, the beast used the distraction to charge the encirclement. Shields glowed with skills in response, the soldiers quickly served it with the same flurry of strikes, but the ranks were compromised when a third bear arrived. How many more are there? With three creatures the size of small cars, the confines of the chambers were getting crowded. The portal had shrunk with each beast that crossed it, back into a writhing mess of iridescent colors, but the damage had been done. Any person with a brain could tell it was a portal, worse yet, it even showed a glimpse of the plane on the other side. Seryne stared with spirited eyes, not at the soldiers fighting for their lives but at the spatial gate. ¡°Could it be¡­?¡± If I said no, would it help? Probably not. And his emergency plan to jump into a portal was equally doomed. Whether the yellow beasts were attracted by the anomalies, or the Hidden Sanctuary was chock full of them, it¡¯d be like facing the basilisk on his own. Wait a second, where is Makyn? Kai scanned the chamber, skulking to the entrance. The rearguard should have caught up with them by now. Fuck. He must be alright. ¡°Ma¡¯am.¡± Seryne turned to him with her eyelids wide open. ¡°Another danger?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s the¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. You don¡¯t understand what this means! The high command will want a piece, but it¡¯s mine. I found it¡­¡± her voice turned into incomprehensible whispers. Either she lost it, or she has put together the pieces. ¡°Ma¡¯am, it¡¯s important¡ª¡± Hallowed Intuition howled in his mind, urging Kai to pay attention to the fight. The portal had blinked out of existence. The soldiers had managed to kill the second six-legged bear, one more lay dying in a pool of blood and a fourth one was engulfed in burning essence. Not just to his mana sight, actual flames danced on its pitch-black fur growing brighter. ¡°Kill it now!¡± If the soldiers heard him, it didn¡¯t make a difference. With two spears stuck in its torso, the creature stood over the bodies of its companions and roared like a living pyre. Kai just had time to raise his wand when the flames burst forward to swallow the chamber, a wall of water formed to meet the surging inferno. He channeled more mana into the shield to stop it from evaporating and expanded it to include more people. Beyond the rippling spell, fire quickly consumed the oxygen of the chamber and died down. A searing wave of air washed over him when he lowered the barrier, the stinking rot replaced with an unpleasant burnt smell. Fuckfuckfuck! At the epicenter of the blast, three soldiers had turned into charred husks together with the spiteful bear. Further away people moaned in pain with severe burns, some saved by their shield skills or high attributes. Kai cast his hose spell to cover the chamber in a drizzle and lower the temperature, overwhelmed by the amount of destruction around him. He didn¡¯t know how to help. It wasn¡¯t supposed to go this way, not even in his worst-case scenarios. Elemental affinities meant those mutant bears had been at least C-rank and they got four of them. In a moment, the situation had turned into a bloodbath. A dozen people were down with severe injuries. There was another clear patch where a mage had summoned a transparent shield, while more had found shelter by jumping back into the tunnel. Soldiers ran to help the fallen companions and distribute healing potions, though those would hardly be enough. ¡°Captain, what are your orders?¡± Bert was unscathed with the rest of the vanguard guarding the entrance. Seryne stared at the scene with a transfixed look. ¡°Retreat to camp. Now.¡± ¡°What about the wounded?¡± ¡°Have someone carry them, we can¡¯t waste time. This is a matter of extreme urgency.¡± She scanned the devastation with a grimace. ¡°Where is Seargent Makyn?¡± Bert avoided her gaze. ¡°The rearguard never reached us. We were still waiting for them when the anomaly appeared.¡± ¡°Cursed gods, why can¡¯t anyone do their job? We can¡¯t wait for them.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll prepare the wounded to be transported, but we might not have enough men to carry everyone and protect ourselves from the basilisk.¡± ¡°Then leave the dead behind and get them later. I don¡¯t care how. Just find a way to get us moving.¡± Seryne waved him away and went back to mutter to herself. A rising anger woke him from the shock of the event, Kai marched into her path. Keeping himself from shouting in her face was the hardest thing he had done today. Only his worry for Makyn made him maintain a tone of forced politeness. ¡°We¡¯re in the den of a basilisk, you can¡¯t just leave them behind to get eaten. If we send someone to search for the rearguard, we¡¯ll have enough people to transport everyone.¡± ¡°When I need the opinion of a child, I¡¯ll let you know,¡± she scoffed. ¡°You don¡¯t even understand what¡¯s at stake. This is more important than any one person, I need to contact the mainland immediately to salvage this.¡± His nails dug into his palms. Self-control wavered. Would it be so bad to stab an officer of the Republic? To think he had extended his shield to save her from the fire. What an idiot. Kai was about to vent a long list of curses when he perceived a new group approaching the chamber. Only two people remained from the rearguard, leaking trickles of light. Chapter 223 – Desperate Options Chapter 223 ¨C Desperate Options Mana Observer zeroed in on the limping duo. One looked familiar, though Kai couldn¡¯t be sure. He had never studied Makyn¡¯s channels closely after how the man reacted the first time. Why are there only two of them? Sight would solve his doubts. He ran to the entrance of the chamber, heart beating in his throat. The wounded were being rounded up amidst pained moans, leaving only four soldiers to defend the passage. Should I push through? He was no healer. Running up to them would save a few seconds and be of no help. Finally, the guards heard the heavy steps. Their stances rose to prepare for a fight before recognition lowered their weapons. Two bleeding figures limped forward. One used a broken spear as a crutch, he leaned on a taller man who walked backward to keep an eye on the tunnel. His faithful porter was fine. Reaching the light of the main group, Makyn relaxed enough to show a sliver of relief. He had lost his bow and still gripped a sword wet with dark green ichor. There had been ten people in the rearguard, a squadron of elite soldiers who had advanced to Yellow with at least their profession. Two were all that remained. Thank Yatei, he¡¯s alive. Kai hadn¡¯t realized when he started liking the man. It had been amusing to tease him, and frustrating when he had to reveal his spatial artifact. Now they had reached a comforting understanding. It was probably an insidious side effect of having him constantly around while being surrounded by hostile strangers. You sneaky boy. Only I should be allowed to corrupt you. One of the soldiers on guard broke the formation to help them inside. She searched behind the duo, her mouth opened to ask a question when Makyn beat her to it. ¡°We were ambushed by the basilisk. Ceskelle and I are the only ones left.¡± The limping man, Ceskelle, accepted the help to sit down in the relative safety of the room. His empty eyes fixed on the scorched ground. ¡°What happened here?¡± Makyn swept his gaze over him to the devastation beyond with a grimace. ¡°We heard the echo of an explosion.¡± Yeah, what didn¡¯t happen? And we still had it better than you. ¡°I¡ª We¡ª We were attacked.¡± The woman gazed at the dark corridors as if she still hoped to see someone else. ¡°The ruins summoned four six-legged flaming bears.¡± Kai jumped in to clarify. ¡°It was going well till the last one decided to blow itself up. We had no way to avoid the explosion inside the chamber.¡± Makyn looked at the massive burnt husks remaining from the fight. ¡°C-ranks?¡± ¡°That¡¯s my guess. Though you told me they were rare.¡± He couldn¡¯t prevent a hint of accusation from seeping through. No one could have predicted this, and his mind struggled to accept there could be so much death without an explanation. Makyn spoke almost as an afterthought, his attention was on the severely burned people being hastily tended. ¡°They should be rare. A single C-rank species is enough to lord over a forest and they¡¯re usually territorial. These summoned beasts must be coming from a high-danger area.¡± This just keeps getting better. ¡°Why are they moving the wounded?¡± Makyn growled. ¡°This is an easily defensible position. It might kill them if we don¡¯t treat their injuries properly.¡± Kai¡¯s anger reignited with no delay. ¡°Seryne¡¯s orders. She wants to return to camp immediately.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t¡ª¡± If the man expected to see the hints of a joke on his face, he was disappointed. ¡°I need to go report what happened.¡± Makyn marched to where Captain Seryne was speaking with a circle of mages. Despite being physically unscathed, the mana professionals didn¡¯t take the situation well. Many shook with pale lips, sobbing or catatonic. ¡°Ma¡¯am.¡± "Sergeant Makyn.¡± Seryne''s eyes flashed around. ¡°Where is the rear guard?¡± she asked, ignoring Kai¡¯s glares. ¡°Me and Ceskelle are the only survivors, ma¡¯am. We were guarding the back of the party from threats, but the basilisk slipped in between us and the main group and ambushed us in a chamber. No one expected it to try a frontal assault after how cautious it acted.¡± ¡°Dammit.¡± Seryne pursed her lips. ¡°Did you at least manage to kill it?¡± Wait¡­ Shaken by the event, Kai had yet to consider the possibility. How else would they have gotten away with the two of them? He couldn''t stop the excitement from bubbling in his mind, and he hated himself for it. How could he think of his benefit in the middle of such a tragedy? And yet¡­ A carcass laying unguarded underground¡­ He couldn¡¯t and hadn''t even considered such a perfect scenario. I¡¯m sorry, but I must make the most of the hand I¡¯m dealt. ¡°No.¡± Makyn cut off his dreams before they could soar. ¡°It¡¯s possible it succumbed to its wounds, but it¡¯s unlikely given the considerable resilience it showed.¡± Seryne pursed her lips. ¡°How did you survive?¡± ¡°The basilisk fled after I took his other eye. I thought it was better to come to inform you than to attempt to give chase,¡± Makyn said, back behind his impassive facade. ¡°I request a team to go to retrieve the bodies of the fallen for burial, ma¡¯am. I¡¯ll be back by the time the wounded have been stabilized to be safely moved.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t spare the men, returning to camp is our highest priority.¡± Seryne examined the preparation. Makyn pressed his lips and kept his tone even. ¡°Forgive me, ma¡¯am, but what could possibly be so important? It will be a very short delay.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not for you to know, sergeant. This matter can¡¯t wait. There has been an unexpected development. I need to access the long-range communication equipment at camp.¡± What difference do minutes make when we¡¯re alone in the middle of Veeryd? Are you afraid someone else will put together what you saw? This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Makyn stood rigid like an ice statue as if scared that any movement would betray unacceptable emotions. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. I¡¯ll go help the wounded.¡± What? That¡¯s it? Kai rushed after him. ¡°Can¡¯t you do something? You said moving the wounded is dangerous.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not in charge. Besides making suggestions there is nothing I can do.¡± Makyn paused as his voice started to rise, exhaling slowly. ¡°My job is to follow orders. If the captain says we must not be delayed, she must have her reasons.¡± What sort of bullshit is that! ¡°What if those orders are wrong?¡± ¡°Following wrong orders is better than everyone going with their own head whenever they think they know best. Trust me. Human beings create and follow rules for a reason. Even when they¡¯re not perfect, it¡¯s the best we have.¡± Kai stood rooted. His rational side could understand the reasoning, while every other part of him vehemently opposed it. Seryne was full of shit, and her hurry was guided by her self-interest. People won¡¯t listen to me no matter what I do or say. Bonking the woman on the head would cause panic and possibly a life sentence. He could shout how the ruins summoned beasts from a hidden realm. But that would mess with his plans as much as hers. Hmm¡­ It¡¯s not worth dragging us both down. ¡°Wait for me.¡± Kai followed his fastidious porter. Makyn was wrapping a white gauze on a young man with severe burns on half his face and the better part of his torso. The skin was red and blistered, wet with blood where it cracked. A green paste had been clumsily applied. Even the best healing remedy couldn¡¯t cure such wounds in minutes, and this balm was high orange at best, probably not made for burns. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine.¡± Makyn stopped him from touching his disfigured face. His tone carried certainty that didn¡¯t leave space for doubts. The young soldier weakly nodded, eyes hazy under the effect of some painkiller. He rasped his breath and passed out. ¡°You might want to use this for the burns.¡± Kai offered him a cyan jar. ¡°It¡¯ll prevent any infection. It¡¯s lucky you brought it with you, isn¡¯t it?¡± Makyn uncorked the potion and applied the balm. ¡°It must have fallen out of my pocket.¡± ¡°You can be quite clumsy.¡± Kai forced a smile. Using the ring with so many people around was a risk, but he couldn¡¯t sit back while men died. The mages weren¡¯t in any condition to spy on him with Mana Sense, and sleight of hand did the rest. They moved between the worse wounded. A look from Makyn was enough to dissuade anyone from hurrying them. Not that most soldiers needed much convincing. When they assembled to move, Seryne was fuming. Perhaps the solution was to say yes to your superior officer and do whatever you wanted. It was far too soon to move the most injured, hopefully they would survive. I still have Dora¡¯s potions¡­ Other than a few drops, they still rested in the engraved wooden case she gifted him. Too conspicuous to bring out even if he wanted. Despite his progress, he was still many years away from brewing something on that level. A couple healing vials won¡¯t make a difference for twenty people. A chorus of suppressed cries and curses accompanied them into the underground maze. They didn¡¯t have enough material to build stretchers for everyone. Those who could walk hobbled along in the middle of the group, while the others were awkwardly carried. At Yellow, no one lacked the Strength to lift a body. Worse were the ones they left behind. After much insistence, the mages had sealed the chamber with a rock wall. As if cast stone could stop a determined beast. And even in the best scenario, they¡¯d be food for the next summon unless they came back to get them. They were still better off than the rearguard. The metallic stench drifted over them even if they walked around the scene. It hadn¡¯t been since the raid on Sylspring that Kai had seen so much death. Lives snuffed out with nothing to show for it. Just the greed of an uncaring officer who didn¡¯t consider anyone beyond herself. Out of mercy or strategy, Valela had made a wise decision by staying at camp. He¡¯d tell her about what they saw. If the military was going to learn it anyway, it would be better to inform as many factions as possible. The harder question was what he was going to do now. ¡°How badly did you injure the basilisk?¡± Kai asked for a distraction. Makyn walked in front, carrying the other end of a stretcher with a passed-out woman. ¡°Five slashes and more minor cuts. The only lasting blows will probably be the ones to its eyes and tail, unless it can regrow them.¡± Huh. Blind and crippled¡­ It would have been nice if it lost its head too. ¡°Do you think it ran away for good?¡± ¡°Most beasts would look for another territory, but this basilisk has already behaved unpredictably.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a no?¡± ¡°There are no other mana-dense areas that can sustain it on the archipelago. It would slowly weaken if it left the Heart, the only way it has to recover is to improve its grade.¡± Well, it¡¯s better than it disappearing. What do I do¡­ The situation was slipping out of his grasp no matter what he tried. Lost in his own head, Kai risked dropping the stretcher when they came to a sudden halt. ¡°Careful.¡± Makyn snapped. ¡°Sorry.¡± The unconscious woman was fine¡ªapart from the life-threatening injuries. With a grinding of stone, the gate was opened, and they filed into camp. Bright artificial crystals and a small crowd of people greeted them. Kai left the stretcher to a medic as a mayhem of questions rained down on them. Shock and horror were the most common reactions, though he also observed bits of schadenfreude. ¡°What happened?¡± Valela stood out flanked by her bodyguards. ¡°There were more beasts than we anticipated with an affinity for fire.¡± Seryne curtly said. ¡°You¡¯ll be briefed after the injured are looked after.¡± She ignored every question, beelining for her quarters and whatever tools she kept there. Kai was about to slip away when an unpleasant man barred his path. ¡°You, boy. Come with me. The captain wants to talk with you.¡± Bert didn¡¯t wait for an answer and grabbed his arm to drag him roughly. She just walked away. Couldn¡¯t she tell me when we were stuck together in a room? This day was severely testing his self-control. He had never wanted to stab people so badly. ¡°I can walk.¡± He tried to jerk himself free only to hurt himself. There were probably manacles with more give than the scout¡¯s grip. Where did my porter go? Damned physical professions. Bert shoved him inside a storage room and closed the door. ¡°We wait here.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we go to her quarters if she wants to see me?¡± This affair stank like a rotting fish. ¡°The captain¡¯s busy, she¡¯ll call you when you¡¯re needed.¡± Did she notice the ring? Improvisation strained to maintain his outer calm. ¡°Can¡¯t I go grab something from my lodgings?¡± he asked with a yawn. ¡°No.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a few meters away. It will take like twenty seconds.¡± Kai reached for the door. He barely had time to react when Bert forcibly shoved him back. Empower surged to absorb the blow, but his ribs still painfully crashed into a crate. ¡°Sit and shut up. Next time I won¡¯t be so gentle.¡± You¡¯re making a very good case for the stabbing plan. With the scout''s eyes fixed on him, Kai couldn¡¯t even swallow his ring. He needed to get rid of the jerk if he wanted to run. But once he crossed that line, there was no turning back. He¡¯d be a criminal, or a fugitive at best. Bert never glanced at my finger, so at least he doesn¡¯t know. With that crazy captain, it might be anything¡­ After considering all the ways he could castrate Bert with a well-aimed spell, Kai opted for caution. He couldn¡¯t jump to conclusions. He had never shown his Earth magic to anyone in the expedition except Lou, and perhaps Valela. There would be more chances to run, he¡¯d be ready to swallow the ring just in case. Kai jolted when the door finally opened to reveal his porter. Better late than never. Makyn glanced at him with a somber look. ¡°The captain wants to see him.¡± Oh, great. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Kai whispered as soon as they were out. He gave a subtle hint in his hand. ¡°Is it about¡­?¡± ¡°No.¡± Thank the spirits. ¡°What then?¡± ¡°The situation changed.¡± There was no time to ask for clarification, Seryne¡¯s office was a few steps away. Inside, the woman waited behind her desk with a disturbingly wide smile. Several documents were arranged before her. Translations of the Vastaire glyphs, reports on the mana anomalies and two papers covered with an intricate web of mana. ¡°Please, take a seat.¡± Kai glanced at his porter for any hint, but the man was back into his frozen aloofness. ¡°How may I help? I know I shouldn¡¯t have questioned your decisions earlier.¡± I should have kept the water shield to myself and let you burn. ¡°There is no need to apologize. We were all quite shaken after what happened and said things we shouldn¡¯t have.¡± She gave him one of her affable smiles. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure the injured are taken care of as we prepare to return to Wildepoint, and I¡¯ll send Sergeant Vert to retrieve the bodies.¡± ¡°We¡¯re leaving?¡± Kai blurted out. After all the efforts the Republic had put in, they weren¡¯t going to give up. Everyone knew Seryne was tied arms and legs to the success of this mission. ¡°I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ve all underestimated this task. Rest assured the military will take care of the matter and make the archipelago safe for all its people.¡± She must have sold the information. ¡°That¡¯s very nice to hear, ma¡¯am. But why am I here?¡± ¡°I was getting to it. You¡¯re a bright kid right, Kai?¡± ¡°Guess it depends on who you ask.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be humble, everyone praises your contributions to the Vastaire research. Or at least they did. Lately, it seems you¡¯ve stopped trying.¡± She offered him the document with the most recent translation. ¡°Do you have any idea about the Blessing the writings keep mentioning?¡± Chapter 224 - Unforeseen Complications Chapter 224 - Unforeseen Complications ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kai stopped himself from making any nervous motion, though stillness could be suspicious too. He rose in his seat, letting some irritation seep into his voice. ¡°If I knew how to stop the beast attacks, I would have done so a long time ago and spared the archipelago.¡± The smile plastered on Seryne¡¯s face didn¡¯t waver in front of his outburst. She was about to open her mouth when Improvisation urged him to keep the initiative. ¡°Blessing might not even be a proper translation. It could be how they referred to their monarch or kingdom. Without the cultural and historical context of the Vastaire, we¡¯re doing a lot of guesswork.¡± As if he had suddenly realized he was almost shouting to the leader of the expedition, Kai lowered his gaze. ¡°I¡¯m doing my best to help, ma¡¯am. After presenting the scholars with my father¡¯s research, I let them take the lead since they have more experience.¡± Seryne showed the smallest crease of confusion between her sharp eyebrows. A breach into her certainties. She glanced behind him, a silent consultation with Makyn to confirm his words. What he said was misleading, but it wasn¡¯t a lie. Seryne must suspect he knew about the Hidden Realm. She can¡¯t imagine I¡¯ve spoken to a god. Will she try to shut me up over her speculations? While many had seen the blurry shapes inside the spatial gate, few would understand what they meant¡ªespecially in the aftermath of the tragedy. Even if they realized the beasts arrived through gates and not teleports, it was a huge mental leap to imagine there was a hidden dimension connected to the ruins. The ones with the necessary knowledge to arrive at such a wild conclusion were the mana professionals and the scholars. Is that why she went talking to the mages after the explosion? And he was the only scholar present. Now her accusations of incompetence made more sense. Someone would stop trying to solve a mystery if they had already found the answer and wanted to keep it to themselves. ¡°You haven¡¯t answered my question.¡± Seryne focused back on him. Her affable pretense had turned into a vexed gaze. ¡°Do you know what this Blessing is?¡± Kai shrugged with all the nonchalance he could muster. ¡°Your guess is as good as mine.¡± ¡°I need you to tell me, yes or no?¡± The captain pressed him with a disquieting wide grin. She must be using a skill. Improvisation failed to offer any viable solution. Silence or more deflections would be like admitting directly he was lying. From what Flynn told him, these kinds of skills still latched on to his reactions to establish the truth. He might just have a chance. Kai kept his mana flow steady, praying his sweaty palms wouldn¡¯t give him away. It was normal to be nervous when being interrogated. And despite all the evidence, he had never been to the Hidden Sanctuary. He couldn¡¯t be sure it was real. It¡¯s not clear-cut. ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± Seryne intently peered at him, jaw clenched in concentration. After several tense seconds, she brushed her hair back to hide a blush of embarrassment and looked at Makyn again. Kai couldn¡¯t resist turning. Those icy eyes lingered on him, his usual composed demeanor muddled by complicated emotions. Then the soldier focused on his superior officer and spoke. ¡°He¡¯s lying.¡± Fuck you too. The man wouldn¡¯t disobey a direct order. It wasn¡¯t surprising, just disappointing. Kai stiffly sat in his chair, there was nothing else he could do. He might have had a chance to take Bert by surprise, but Makyn wasn¡¯t so foolish. What would they do to shut him up? While the truth couldn¡¯t be kept forever, the first party to move had a considerable advantage. Seryne had already proven she didn¡¯t care about any casualty standing between her and her goals. ¡°I knew you were a smart kid. Did you hide your knowledge of the glyphs?¡± She smiled triumphantly. ¡°You must have put it together when I said the situation changed beyond your understanding. Didn¡¯t your mother teach you that eavesdropping would get you in trouble?¡± You literally blurted that out to my face¡­ And don¡¯t flatter yourself, I found out much earlier. Kai crossed his arms, trying to maintain a neutral expression. ¡°Not sharing a wild hypothesis no one would believe isn¡¯t a crime. I wasn¡¯t sure before today.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve broken your contract by withholding information relevant to the mission, the reason doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pay the penalty.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not that easy,¡± Seryne said with mock regret. She picked one of the documents woven with mana. The crest of the Republic took the first page, only the hawk carried a sword in its beak. Below it was a flowing signature. ¡°The Fourth General of the northern front has declared this affair a state secret and granted me complete authority till the reinforcements arrive. Every citizen, even if not officially part of the military and underage, will be subject to martial law for the safety of the Merian Republic. You¡¯ll be detained till the extent of your crime can be ascertained in a trial.¡± Better than getting killed, I guess. To his own surprise, his rage quickly evaporated. The Republic¡¯s bullshit left him a single path forward. Whether dangerous or doomed to failure, he now knew what he had to do. Seryne continued her speech to stroke her ego. ¡°Given your age, they might commute your sentence into active military service. I shouldn¡¯t need to remind you that sharing any information about our current situation will be a much more serious crime. Do you have any questions?¡± If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. And here¡¯s the cherry on top. You didn¡¯t want to miss anything. ¡°Just one. Why does this say Averlenne Varlette Seryne? That¡¯s the name of the general, right? Does she have any relation with you? Is that why you called her?¡± Kai observed with fascination as the captain''s triumphant visage reddened to a ripe tomato. Did I strike a nerve? Let me guess, mommy issues? Her finger pointed to the door, shaking slightly. ¡°Get him out of here! He won¡¯t talk or leave his cell till we depart.¡± If that woman didn¡¯t have the power of life and death over him, Kai would have laughed in her face. Instead, he waited till he was out the door before chuckling out loud. ¡°Take this more seriously,¡± Makyn growled, guiding him to another chamber. ¡°Of course,¡± Kai was hit by another burst of hilarity. Uncaring about the looks he received, he dried a tear from his eye. He was fucked and he couldn¡¯t bring himself to care. Spirits, I¡¯m losing it, but this is so funny. ¡°Thank you very much for selling me out, by the way.¡± ¡°We agreed that you wouldn¡¯t hold back any important information for the investigation. And I¡¯ve kept my end of the deal.¡± Hmm, he does have a point¡­ ¡°You¡¯re right. Though it¡¯s not like anyone would have believed me or it would have stopped the beast attacks.¡± Makyn sighed heavily. ¡°You don¡¯t understand what¡¯s at stake.¡± They stopped in the storage area in front of a stone cube with no windows. The door was just a wooden panel leaning against the aperture. ¡°You¡¯ll stay here till we¡¯re ready to depart. I¡¯ll send someone to bring you stew later.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I didn¡¯t know we had a cell.¡± The inside revealed an equally plain interior half-filled with empty crates, a dim crystal and a bucket. The only notable features were the sound-dampening enchantments hidden in the walls. ¡°It¡¯s bigger than my room.¡± ¡°It¡¯s temporary.¡± Makyn produced a pair of thick manacles. More worrying were the enchantments that covered the steel. Kai had never seen anything similar, but he could imagine their purpose. ¡°Your hands.¡± Humor quickly drained off him as he took a step back. This wasn¡¯t an obstacle he had anticipated. ¡°Are you serious? Where would I even run?¡± ¡°It¡¯s protocol to shackle a suspect awaiting trial when there isn¡¯t a proper holding cell.¡± He spoke with a tone that left no room for compromise. His back hit the wall of the storage unit. ¡°I broke a clause of a contract by omission, which has not even been proven. I didn¡¯t murder anybody. Half the camp could wipe the floor with me.¡± If they get the first strike. ¡°Which is why you¡¯re only getting your hands cuffed. Don¡¯t make this more difficult than it has to be. Every person in the expedition is subject to martial law, the captain was very explicit.¡± ¡°That¡¯s bullshit, and you know it. Seryne¡¯s afraid the opposing factions will learn of what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°The reason¡¯s not relevant, breaking the law has consequences.¡± Makyn advanced till he loomed over him. ¡°It¡¯s either this or I¡¯ll seize your ring and you still get handcuffed.¡± Fine. Kai reluctantly surrendered his arms, the cold steel locked on his wrists with a metallic clank. The enchantment quickly proved his worst fears. He lost his connection to Mana Observer, and his flowing essence became sluggish and unresponsive.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only till we leave Veeryd. Don¡¯t try to use active skills or mana, you¡¯ll only hurt yourself.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± His voice dripped with sarcasm. Makyn didn¡¯t answer, he just unfastened his scabbard. ¡°I¡¯ll keep it for you. Do you have any other weapons besides your wand?¡± ¡°Not on me.¡± Somehow it hadn''t occurred to him that a prisoner wouldn¡¯t be allowed to carry a sword. Another setback to his plans. He might have underestimated the difficulty of escaping a tad bit. "Anything else? Do you want me to sign a soul contract to not breathe too hard?¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t try anything stupid. You¡¯ll get caught, and the consequences will be more than a slap on the wrist.¡± Makyn hesitated in the doorway. ¡°Do you know how many lesser realms have been found in the entire Republic?¡± What¡¯s this about? Kai considered ignoring him out of spite. His curiosity won. ¡°I don¡¯t know, about a dozen?¡± While hidden dimensions were rare, their domain on the mainland was more than a hundred times that of the archipelago. ¡°Two.¡± Oh¡­ ¡°So they¡¯re really rare.¡± ¡°There are probably more that have not been publicly disclosed, but the number is incredibly small. If news of this one got out before the Republic secured this island,¡± the man paused as if he lacked the words to describe it. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if another kingdom invaded this territory or destroyed it to prevent us from getting our hands on it. By not disclosing your suspicion, you could have caused a calamity.¡± Okay, I didn¡¯t know that. But it¡¯s not like I planned to tell anyone else either. ¡°What¡¯s so special about them anyway? Isn¡¯t it just a hidden corner of the world?¡± He couldn¡¯t imagine how that worked, probably some mind-bending spatial nonsense. ¡°That¡¯s classified information.¡± Of course, it is. Kai gave him a flat glare. Leading him on like this had been just cruel. He now understood why they made such a big fuss. Hidden realms must have some kind of strategic or material value beyond their rarity. Once more Makyn lingered and spoke again. ¡°After the Republic secures the area, you must agree to sign a binding contract to keep silent on this matter. Given your age, you¡¯ll get away with two or three years of military service if you¡¯re cooperative.¡± How generous. ¡°I¡¯ll be my most agreeable self.¡± The soldier gave him a frozen look. ¡°Do you need anything before I go?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± Kai jiggled the manacles. ¡°I¡¯ll just sit and admire my new pair of fashionable bracelets. Do they also come in a different color? Plain metal clashes with my eyes.¡± The wooden panel that passed as a door closed. Something heavy got dragged over it and more things were piled on top. If moved, they just needed to cause enough noise to attract a soldier. Given the size of the camp, there was no way he wouldn¡¯t be heard. At least there is no guard. Seryne must be paranoid that I might give information away. Hearing steps grow faint, Kai searched the room for anything useful. The place had been erected the day before. From the smell, the empty crates must have contained food rations. He could break the wood to recover a nail. With the silencing enchantments in the wall, no one would notice till they came to check. The issue was he had no idea how to pick a lock. The handcuffs'' tiny keyhole looked too well-crafted for an amateur. I¡¯ll ask Flynn to teach me all his shady tricks once this is over. A wave of melancholy swept over him. Things wouldn¡¯t get back to normal for a while¡ªif ever. He was going to miss his new sibling¡¯s birth, his friends and his family. Sorry, Mom, your son is a bit of an idiot sometimes. The deal with Zervathi should have been a breeze, then everything that could go wrong did. The basilisk, the broken Altar and the Republic. He could blame it on bad luck, but he had chosen to take the risk. When betting with his life, unforeseeable issues were bound to arise. Enough moping around. I need to escape and hunt down a blind basilisk. If he failed to uphold his end of the bargain before the gate to the Hidden Sanctuary fully opened, Zervathi would own his body¡ªwhatever that meant, it couldn¡¯t be good. It would be hard to recover the Altar, possibly deadly, and get him in trouble with the Republic even if he succeeded. Yet, it was the only solution. The expedition was preparing to leave, and he wouldn¡¯t get another chance to visit the ruins once reinforcements arrived. Kai examined the manacles on his wrists. Makyn had not tightened them excessively, but there would be no way to free himself without dislocating his thumb. Those things were never as easy as in movies. The runes had also been engraved inside two bands of metal fused together. There was no way to scratch them off. I¡¯m a freaking mage, how hard can it be to break an enchantment made to prevent exactly that? The answer was somewhere between a lot and extremely. Most of his skills refused to activate¡ªeven the ones from his profession. His mana was like a dense syrup that dissipated as soon as it left his body. If Makyn let me keep the wand and the ring I must have no way to use them. And I didn¡¯t pack a hacksaw anyway. His only minor success was with Mana Observer¡ªlikely because of its higher grade. An inch was like stretching a rubber band to its maximum length. He wrapped his arm around the metal to study the runes. The enchantment had been cloaked to prevent tampering. It was decently made, though it must not have been a priority since whoever was cuffed shouldn¡¯t be able to look. Compared to Edgar¡¯s standards it was subpar. With much patience and a growing headache, Kai managed to pierce the veil. Most of the runes had been used in ways he hadn¡¯t seen before. There was no obvious flaw, if the military used them to restrain criminals that was to be expected. Though if they could mass-produce them for all their units, they must cut some corners too. By the time Makyn brought him a bland dinner and warned him they¡¯d be leaving in the morning, Kai began to doubt it was even possible. The handcuffs siphoned his essence to sustain themselves, so there was no way to overwhelm the enchantments with sheer mana. He could spot the fault lines he needed to break, but he had no way to touch them without his mana. If only he had access to his skills for ten, no, five seconds. Wait, I¡¯m an idiot. If his hands hadn¡¯t been tied, Kai would have slapped himself. How could he forget he had another skill at Yellow, one he never got a chance to use? One that was made specifically to mess with runes. Chapter 225 - Break Out Chapter 225 - Break Out True to his prediction, he could use yellow skills, though they were still inhibited. Kai ignored the strain mounting in his head to fight the shackles with a single-minded focus. He needed to stretch Mana Engraving outside his body. He would get out of this cell no matter the cost. If the Republic thought they could throw him away when he was no longer useful, they were delusional. They could come up with a hundred excuses for why they were the lesser evil, how they saved the archipelago and whatnot. But the only thing that motivated Seryne was self-interest. He wasn¡¯t going to waste years of his life working for the military. C¡¯mon, Edgar¡¯s skill can¡¯t be stopped by a mundane enchantment. Kai had never gotten the chance to fully explore what Mana Engraving was capable of, and this was definitely an unorthodox use. The handcuffs warmed beneath his wrists. The ineffable pattern of the skill stretched and contracted between his desires and the enchanted manacles. Break! As if a fissure caused the whole dam to collapse, a dozen filaments breached the surface of his skin. Gritting his teeth, Kai channeled more mana to maintain the skill. If he faltered for a single moment, Mana Engraving would snap back and make his efforts vain. He didn¡¯t have the Mind to break the bonds again, not if he wanted to be in shape for what came after. Kai carefully guided the threads into the steel shackles. He had studied these runes for hours, they were elegant in their design without any obvious flaws. The original schematics must be the work of a master enchanter, the same could not be said for the person who crafted this pair. The faulty balance and poor assimilation with the steel were too minor to exploit unless he was willing to spend months. Luckily, there was a larger defect. The link between the mana siphon and the restraints it fueled wasn¡¯t properly traced or had been damaged when they were assembled. It¡¯s time my Favor did something. He just had to nudge the faulty link to cause a chain reaction that would render the handcuffs useless for a while¡ªhopefully. He didn¡¯t have the time or energy to recheck his calculations. Here goes nothing. A tendril no wider than a hair prodded the glowing line and¡­ dissipated, blown away by the mana coursing through the runes. Kai bit down a curse. I¡¯ve got eleven more tries. Slow and steady. Desperation led to urgency, which led to mistakes. With sweat pouring down his head, Kai guided his threads to alter the fault line. He needed the tiniest of changes to bring the enchantment off balance. Ten. Nine. Eight¡­ Why don¡¯t you fucking work? The brief lapse in concentration made one of his last three tendrils scatter into the ambient mana. Kai suppressed a wave of frustration and screamed with closed lips. Raw emotions could boost as much as disrupt his capabilities if he didn¡¯t channel them properly. Calm down. Think. A mage always finds a way. Mana Engraving was meant to forge runes from pure essence, at least ideally. Not even Edgar had reached that level, using it in conjunction with physical ink. It might be possible to briefly create a rune with it, but not while being restricted by the manacles. Kai didn¡¯t have enough power to overwrite the runes engraved into the steel, and he couldn¡¯t squeeze any more mana out of his restraints. He needed to use enchanting ink or a catalyst of some kind. I should have a batch in my ring. The tendril barely moved towards the silver band before dissipating. Dammit. I should have known. The filaments could only resist outside his body thanks to Mana Engraving, using them for another purpose lost the protection of the skill. He was down to one attempt. The effort of maintaining his yellow skills turned into a pulsing headache that muddled his thoughts. Where do I find a catalyst here? His gaze wandered over the plain walls and crates, the half-finished stew and the feeble crystal lighting his cell. Nothing he could use. His pockets were empty except for his wand and an empty vial. There was nothing else. Hmm, maybe¡­ In its most fundamental definition, enchanting ink was a solution that could hold and channel mana. Naturally, there were a thousand more details to consider depending on the runes someone wanted to engrave, but right now he didn¡¯t need to craft a masterpiece for the ages. Kai bit hard on his lip, fighting through the instinctual reluctance to hurt himself. Blood dripped down his chin into the seam protecting the runes of his handcuffs. As a mage at the peak of Orange, mana flowed through every part of his being. C¡¯mon¡­ He lightly shook the steel to make blood seep inside, thankful the manacles hadn¡¯t been welded completely. With excruciating precision, he aligned his last tendril on the section he wanted to alter and imbued the skill into his own blood. He just needed a tiny, temporary modification to the mana flow. It has to work. Kai released a slow breath, a coppery taste in his mouth. Isolated by dampening enchantments, he could hear his blood dripping on the floor, forgetting to even breathe. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. He didn¡¯t have the energy for another try. His eyes fixed on the glowing manacles as seconds ticked away with unbearable slowness. The runes sizzled in a cascade effect throughout the metal loops. A tingle of pleasure crossed his body as the bonds that had cut off his skill were disrupted. Kai stopped Mana Observer from flooding into the chamber around him. You fools thought this was enough to contain my genius! Linked to his blood, the runes had completely fried. Despite his confidence, he didn¡¯t wait to see if the damage was permanent. His elemental mana responded to his command with barely an effort, Kai condensed a jet of water to cut the metal chain linking his shiny bracelets. ¡°I¡¯m free!¡± Since they had isolated the cell with such care, Kai didn¡¯t have to contain his triumph. For now, he kept the steel bands on his wrists. Even without the enchantments active, they had been made to restrain physical as much as mana professions. He didn¡¯t want to risk sending shrapnel into his arms if he tried to cut them. Okay, the easy part is over. Kai took a moment to gather his thoughts and apply a healing potion on his lip. He carefully extended Mana Observer beyond the walls of his prison. Even a mage would struggle to recognize his touch if he didn¡¯t specifically focus on them, but he wasn¡¯t going to take any chances. Each entrance to the chamber had a soldier stationed, neither were looking at his cell. Kai wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Seryne had kept his arrest a secret. Thanks for the help. He stored the pieces of the broken manacles to leave no clues behind. He was about to also clean the blood on the floor when he reconsidered. That would add a nice dramatic touch. Let them wonder what happened here. Standing before the walls of rough cast stone, Kai steeled his resolve. He was crossing a line he couldn¡¯t walk back. Unless Makyn had lied about the importance of the hidden realm, Seryne would come looking for him no matter what. I just need to give her something else to worry about¡­ He kneeled by the wall facing away from the guards and drew a finger in an arc to guide Mana Echo. The stone parted beneath his touch. The copy had been perfected by watching the Earth shaper work for hours. It was only capable of a single action, cutting, but it was damn good at it. Kai grabbed the block of rock with his magic before it fell. The murmurs of idle chat flooded in. The soldiers were quite relaxed, probably relieved they were leaving the Heart in the morning. He crawled outside and resealed the hole, spending a significant chunk of mana to make the result seamless. Even if they assumed he broke through the manacles, no one knew about his affinity for Earth. A pity I won¡¯t be here to see their reactions. Just imagining them finding the cell empty in the morning was enough to put a smile on his lips. With a little luck, he might throw off the Republic long enough to finish his business. Kai wrapped himself in a cloak of Shadow and crept to a different wall using crates and the stone rooms as cover. The ivory confines of the chamber were thicker and required more mana to part, but it still opened for him. His finger dug into the cold damp soil of a tunnel. He prevented any dirt from falling into the chamber with a wave of Earth and Nature. Melding the stone of the ruins was beyond his abilities, but the cut was so smooth no one would notice unless they examined the entire chamber. Let¡¯s get going, I¡¯ve a few stops to make. The camp had been set in a closed cluster of chambers with the officer quarter in the center. The easiest way to recover what he needed while remaining unseen was by walking outside of it. Kai took out a crystal light and kept his hand on the wall to orient himself. He refilled his reserves in the rich mana ambiance. While he had no skill for them, Earth and Shadow were the most abundant elements in the underground complex. He would need quite a bit of it before the night was over. This should be right. The ruins blocked his perception. If he had taken the wrong measurements, his majestic escape would end before it began. Kai cleared a wall with another pulse of mana and cut the most unassuming hole he could manage. Light leaked from inside. There were no exclamations or sounds of alarms. Kai bent and slipped in. He had barely taken a step when a hand dragged him inside, the carpet partially absorbing the fall. ¡°Hey.¡± Kai raised his hand in surrender, smiling brightly despite the two blades pointed at his throat and crotch respectively. ¡°Nice to see you too, sorry for coming uninvited.¡± The room wasn¡¯t large, a table and a bed occupied most of the space. He had only peeked at the layout of this chamber once before the military forbade him from wandering. His memory hadn¡¯t betrayed him. ¡°Kai?¡± Valela gaped at him and lowered her wand. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°You know, I¡¯m just passing by to keep my end of the deal.¡± He shrugged, glad Lou had withdrawn his sword with an equally surprised expression. Only Ferla didn¡¯t waver. ¡°Do you mind telling the tenebrous lady to lower her spear?¡± ¡°Ferla it¡¯s fine. He¡¯s not a threat.¡± ¡°I''m harmless.¡± Kai bobbed his head in agreement. The bodyguard scowled. ¡°Miss, he could be conspiring with the military.¡± Valela considered the notion for an instant before shaking her head. ¡°They¡¯re already winning. This would be too convoluted to be worth it.¡± She held Ferla¡¯s gaze till the woman reluctantly lowered her spear, still watching him with suspicion. ¡°Why would he break into your room at this hour if he didn¡¯t have nefarious intentions? That''s not fair. Just because something looks bad, smells of wet tunnels and comes in through a wall, doesn¡¯t mean you shouldn¡¯t trust it. ¡°I¡¯d have sent a notice if I could.¡± Kai accepted Lou¡¯s hand to stand up with a grateful smile. ¡°I¡¯ve been kept busy.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± The teen watched him with a worried frown. His eyes lingered on the wound closing on his lip and his shiny steel bracelets. ¡°I was worried something happened, but the soldiers refused to let me see you.¡± Valela offered him a chair and a glass of berry juice, which Kai gratefully accepted. ¡°They told us you were too scared by what happened in the summoning chamber and refused to leave your room.¡± Those damn fuckers. ¡°Is it safe to talk here?¡± There were no windows, and the makeshift door was barred, but what he was about to reveal was already considered a state secret. ¡°The room is warded.¡± She took out her enchanted cube. ¡°Just for caution, no one can hear us. Why did you come here? This could land you in serious trouble if the military finds out.¡± Oh, I think we¡¯re well beyond that. Kai took a sip of the sweet berry juice to wash the taste of blood from his mouth. He tapped his fingers on the glass to cool it. Revenge was best served cold, and he was about to make Seryne very mad. ¡°Remember how I agreed to keep you updated on my research? I¡¯ve been arrested for finding out what¡¯s going on.¡± Kai stopped their exclamation by raising a hand. ¡°The beasts are arriving through spatial gates connected to a hidden dimension.¡± The room fell silent as they elaborated on the meaning of his words. Then Valela and Ferla started talking at once while Lou just looked at him, searching for the truth on his face. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous! They must have sent him here to trick us.¡± ¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t misunderstand something?¡± Kai finished his drink as he waited for the clamor to die down. ¡°I¡¯ve seen through the portal with my eyes, but you don¡¯t need to believe me. Captain Seryne has contacted the military on the mainland. That¡¯s why she decided to retreat. They¡¯ll be arriving soon, you can probably estimate the timeline better than me.¡± ¡°I thought she chose to retreat not to lose more people.¡± Valela looked thoughtful. ¡°But this does make more sense than her suddenly growing a conscience. Can you tell me exactly what happened? It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t believe you, but I need some proof to present to the council.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, just don¡¯t tell them it was me who provided the intel.¡± Kai spent the next half an hour going through every detail and clue. The strangeness of the teleportations, the rare species and the Vastaire glyphs. Ferla asked questions to poke holes in his story that ended up reinforcing it. ¡°Excuse me, I need to send a message.¡± With a pale face, Valela left the room with her bodyguard. Lou sat beside him, a dark expression and fist clenched. ¡°Kai,¡± he pronounced his name like a curse. Then he deflated leaving only worry behind. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have broken out from the military¡¯s custody. Valela is well-intentioned, but she can¡¯t protect you if they want to take revenge on you for this. They¡¯ll know it was you who told us.¡± I don¡¯t plan to stick around and find out. The words refused to come out, choked in his throat. Amidst all the revelations, Lou was focused on what was best for him. They had discovered a hidden realm that would forever change the archipelago and the boy was thinking about him. What had he done to deserve it? ¡°Thank you.¡± Kai managed to squeeze out. Because what else could he say? He didn¡¯t trust his voice to say more. His conviction and crazy plan shuddered in his mind. I must have done an amazing job at raising you. Kai wanted to tell him there was nothing to worry about, but he also didn¡¯t want to lie with a half-truth or worry him about the extent of the danger. So they just sat in silence till Valela burst into the room. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, time was of the essence.¡± She froze upon noticing them. ¡°Is there anything I can do for you? This went well beyond our deal. You can hide until we¡¯re back in Higharbor. I know a lawyer that can help your case.¡± ¡°I can cross the jungle on my own.¡± Kai tried to sound nonchalant. ¡°But if you want to help, I could use a little distraction in¡­ let¡¯s say twenty minutes. Something to get the officers away from their quarters.¡± His path had already been set. He needed to get his sword to mug a big evil lizard. Chapter 226 - Herald of Chaos Chapter 226 - Herald of Chaos ¡°Of course, it shouldn''t be a problem. I already planned to go test her intentions after the order of retreat.¡± Valela drummed her fingers on the table. ¡°What do you need to steal? Maybe I can get it for you.¡± He¡¯d have rather not gone into details and needless worries, though he couldn¡¯t resent her for looking out for him. Her help would make the attempt considerably less dangerous. Escaping an unguarded cell was different from sneaking past yellow professionals. ¡°You should hide here till morning.¡± Lou failed to hide his simmering irritation. A rare breach in his usual composure. ¡°Planning to cross the Heart alone is already a bad idea. Your danger sense won¡¯t save you from the basilisk.¡± ¡°I have it on good authority that the lizard has been blinded and crippled. If it¡¯s half as smart as it has shown, it won¡¯t show its ugly snout for a while.¡± Kai projected all the confidence he could muster. ¡°And to be precise, I¡¯m not stealing anything. I¡¯m just getting back my belongings.¡± ¡°What is it you need? Can¡¯t you just stay safe for once?¡± Lou rumbled with a silent plea. I really wish I could do that. ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± Kai gazed into his friend pensive eyes, Lou would probably try to stop him. Valela was harder to predict, her mind still busy with the ramifications of the hidden realm. It would be complicated to slip away in the confines of the room if Ferla came back. Not to mention, he would be giving up their help to retrieve his belongings. Damn Zervathi and damn my greed. The bargain had already been struck, and he couldn¡¯t take back his choice. Improvisation offered him a castle of lies to get what he wanted. After the shocking news he brought, anything else would be easily believed, enough to last the night. They deserve better. He had yearned to reconnect with his childhood friends and worked to bridge the years apart. Now that Lou had accepted him back, Kai couldn¡¯t repay care with lies. ¡°I need to get my sword back.¡± ¡°Do you need it right now?¡± Valela looked perplexed. ¡°It¡¯ll be easier to recover when the expedition disbands, and I can lend you one if it¡¯s urgent.¡± ¡°It needs to be my sword. It has been engraved with enchantments specifically suited for me.¡± Kai bit his cheek. If anything happened to him, it was better someone knew what. ¡°Do you mind using your stealth cube thingy?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Valela brought out her enchanted cube again, isolating them inside a bubble of magic and runes. ¡°What is it?¡± Lou read behind his intentions before he could answer. ¡°What do you need your sword for?¡± He¡¯s definitely going to strangle me. Kai forced as much of the truth out before his conviction wavered. ¡°I¡¯ve struck a bargain with a divinity. It¡¯s a quest I need to complete in these ruins. After that, I¡¯ll meet you back in Higharbor.¡± Lou massaged his temples. ¡°Tell me you¡¯re not being serious.¡± Valela quickly recovered from her mute disbelief. Her emerald eyes fully focused on him. ¡°Which of the Great Spirits contacted you? And what are the requirements to complete the quest?¡± Kai didn¡¯t feel the need to specify it wasn¡¯t either Kahali or Yatei he dealt with. He was frankly surprised they knew what a divine bargain was and didn¡¯t question him. ¡°I can¡¯t explain. I know I should have been more cautious. The request didn¡¯t seem difficult before some unexpected obstacles arose. I¡¯d feel safer if I had my sword with me. Can I count on your help?¡± ¡°The underground tunnels are still dangerous even if the basilisk is injured.¡± Valela tried to be diplomatic. ¡°We can find a safer way to solve this when things settle down.¡± If only¡­ He shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s something that needs to be done specifically at this Vastaire site. And the military won¡¯t let anyone come close after the news of the hidden dimension. This is my only chance.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll come with you to watch your back.¡± Lou suddenly stood up. ¡°Two is better than one.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡± The idea horrified him. He was only taking this risk because his back was against a wall. He wouldn¡¯t be dragging anyone else on this gamble against all odds. ¡°Did the spirits ask you to do it alone?¡± ¡°No, but¡­¡± Kai wracked his brains, Lou wouldn¡¯t buckle with a random excuse. He needed a concrete reason, so he summoned a veil of Shadow around himself, the last affinity he had kept hidden. It wasn¡¯t as impressive in a well-lit room, but it made his presence slippery if they didn¡¯t focus on him. ¡°You can¡¯t do this. I plan to avoid a fight if possible.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Lou examined him with a critical gaze, a half-smile and not in the least surprised. A shroud of Darkness swallowed his hulking form as if the light itself dimmed around him. ¡°I think I can manage to be stealthy too.¡± Even his voice came out muffled. Dammit. Kai wanted to argue it wasn¡¯t good enough. Darkness didn¡¯t have the same elusive qualities of Shadow, though his presence was little more of a void to his senses. He had to focus Mana Observer to pierce the cloak. It was probably a dedicated skill, much more effective than freeform magic. Why did he even learn this? Lou looked at Valela, suddenly tense and formal. ¡°Permission to leave, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°If there is no other way¡­¡± she looked between them with resignation. ¡°Permission granted.¡± ¡°You can''t come,¡± Kai blurted out, wishing he sounded more convincing to his own ears. Lou regarded him with painfully honest eyes. ¡°Would you not help me if I was in trouble?¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± He hesitated, losing any chance Lou would believe his lie. ¡°This isn¡¯t your mistake to fix.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Stupid truth policy. ¡°What do you think will happen if you get yourself killed?¡± Lou glowered at him. ¡°Do you think your family and friends will just mourn a day and move on? What happens to you also affects the people you care about.¡± The burly teen slumped. ¡°I won¡¯t stand by and watch you march into a suicide mission. Even if it¡¯s your own foolish head that landed you in it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve no intention of repeating this mess,¡± Kai said, and he meant it. There were good reasons why he had accepted the bargain, though it had been stupid to lock himself in an uncertain deal with no way out. ¡°I still need to retrieve my sword. I can meet you here when I¡¯m done.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to scream your name if I don¡¯t see you.¡± Lou threatened with a smile. Damn, stubborn boy. It could have all been avoided if he had lied to their faces, though Kai couldn''t bring himself to regret it. And his plans didn¡¯t include letting Lou anywhere near the basilisk, crippled or not. ¡°I¡¯ll count on you for the distraction.¡± Slipping back into the dark tunnels, the damp cold helped him focus on his current task. If he got blinded by the risk ahead, he¡¯d trip right into the one before him. Makyn had said he would keep his sword safe, which hopefully meant his lodgings. He wasn¡¯t going to have time to check too many places. While no one would be expecting him to infiltrate the camp, the officer chambers housed the strongest professionals in the expedition. Shadow magic wouldn¡¯t protect him if he walked in their direct sight, or maybe even their peripheral. That¡¯s why he needed Valela¡¯s distraction. Kai jogged through a mossy corridor and checked his mental map to get into position. Having learned his lesson from jumping into Valela¡¯s room, he cut a hole thinner than his pinky and sent his senses through to observe the situation. The chamber he picked was the one dedicated to the ¡®bathroom¡¯, and it shared a wall with his goal. Squares of beige cloth had been hung between the improvised stalls to provide privacy. There were three people, fewer than he expected. This chamber was sure to always have someone present, but it was also the least guarded. A wooden pane covered the exit to stop the lack of ventilation from spreading the stench of human waste through the camp. No one would go to investigate if they heard a suspicious sound. Adjusting his angle of entry behind a latrine, Kai cut a round hole and slipped inside. His cloak of Shadow surrounded him in case anyone decided to stretch their Mana Sense. He froze at the sound of a satisfied sigh and a wet plop on his right¡ªclearly the person wasn''t focused on him. He crept closer to the inner wall, hiding behind a large square cube of stone boxes where the Earth Shapers had sealed a filled latrine. C¡¯mon, it should be about time. A handful of seconds later, a ruckus of voices rose in the distance, prompting the three occupants to finish their business. Alone in the chamber, Kai didn¡¯t abandon his cover and steadied his fingers to cut a thinner hole. Make my Favor be worth something. The room wasn¡¯t one he recognized, clothes lay abandoned on an unmade bed and floor, as if the occupant had just left. Not knowing how much time he had, Kai hurried to open a way inside and slid the ivory block back into place. The stone was so perfectly smooth, no one would notice unless they pushed against it. The voices were louder and angrier now. Seryne responded with sneering outrage to Valela¡¯s demand for answers. He could just make out the words when steps shuffled outside the room. Kai threw himself underneath the bed, wrapping the veil of Shadow tighter around him. Few people were important enough to have a real frame and mattress. He prayed he hadn¡¯t left any obvious sign. A man strode inside, the mottled leather boot stopped a palm from his nose. He grabbed something from the bed. ¡°A stupid whore who doesn¡¯t know her place,¡± he grumbled under his breath. His heart stilled, recognizing Bert¡¯s voice. Kai prayed his heart to slow its incessant beating, too afraid to breathe. Another voice called from outside. ¡°I¡¯m coming.¡± The scout had marched out, slamming the door. I need to hurry. Extending Mana Observer as lightly as he could, Kai exited upon a short corridor between two rows of rooms. He didn¡¯t waste a breath to Empower his legs and jumped, just enough to grab the edge of the roof and silently pull himself up. The overworked Earth shapers hadn¡¯t bothered to cast anything more than stone boxes, giving him a convenient plain surface to move onto. Kai had considered walking around as if he belonged to the expedition. He was confident that whether Seryne had kept his arrest secret or not, she wouldn¡¯t have bothered to make an announcement. But being the only kid in the camp, his figure was too recognizable. Even if no one stopped him, people might remember seeing him. He overlapped the layout in his mind with what he was seeing. He crawled forth with his fingers and toes, his cheek and shirt grated against the rough stone. Judging by the loud arguing, Seryne and Valela weren¡¯t close to concluding their dispute. There were three soldiers still in the chamber who might decide to wander around at any moment. Grim luck made his endeavor much easier. The camp would be far more crowded and guarded if they hadn¡¯t lost so many people, with dozens of wounded resting in the healing tower. A third of the beds are probably empty. Why did I have to pick Bert¡¯s? Kai crept twenty meters to Makyn¡¯s lodgings, one of the few places he had bothered to remember. The room was empty, he didn¡¯t have to search hard to spot the sea serpent sword inside. Wait for me, daddy¡¯s here. He considered cutting a hole in the ceiling, but the cast stone was more brittle than the ivory one. It would create dust and be difficult to realign. If he had to bet on someone to notice minor details, it would be Makyn. Fine. Two soldiers stood just outside his line of sight. Kai kept his attention on the corner they would need to cross to spot him. He didn¡¯t want to focus on them in case they were perceptive to mana skills. He lowered himself in front of the door and bent his knees to quietly absorb the impact. Locks were a luxury the military hadn¡¯t thought necessary except for Seryne¡¯s office. With a simple push, Kai was inside. There wasn¡¯t a speck of dust or other clue that a human lived here. The place looked like the room of a spartan inn, the only sign of habitation was the folded uniform on the tight sheets of the bed. The few personal effects were stored in a plain wooden chest by the wall¡ªhis goal. Almost there. In his rush, Kai almost missed the cloaked enchantment on the aperture. Almost. You sneaky boy. I know some tricks too. The runes unraveled under the focus of Mana Observer. It was an alarm made to send a signal of some kind. Without any restrictions on his skill, interrupting the flow of mana was laughably easy. His sea serpent sword had been laid on top in all its shiny glory. Kai stored it into his ring. He wouldn¡¯t have bothered to go through Makyn¡¯s possessions if the alarm hadn¡¯t piqued his curiosity. While he understood the soldier''s point of view, the man had still screwed him over. Let¡¯s see. Time for retribution. The contents were terribly mundane. Perfectly folded clothes, a pair of black boots, a set of serrated knives, material for the upkeep of various equipment, generic potions and a small bag of money. Kai hadn¡¯t fallen so low to steal cold cash. Since it would be obvious someone opened the chest, he carefully dug deeper. Hmm¡­ This is better. Beneath the shirts there was a bag of sweets, his bag of sweets. It¡¯ll be too obvious it was me if I take it. He turned his attention to the remaining items. A very photorealistic picture of a group of late teens in military uniforms. From the festive mood and the man with graying hair standing in the middle, it must be some kind of graduation class. Kai squinted to recognize a younger Makyn, weirder yet, he was smiling. Not his thin smirk or faint smile, but a full-blown grin. Creepy. This is too sentimental. Kai discarded the photo of a little boy and a pretty woman with dark indigo hair for the same reason. His revenge didn¡¯t quite reach that point. He knocked on the bottom of the chest to be thorough and his eyes widened when the sound wasn¡¯t quite right. Bingo. Another enchantment hid a fake bottom, even better concealed than the alarm. There were only two objects inside. A broken arrowhead, probably some kind of personal memento, and a black notebook. Kai put the book in his spatial closet without a second thought. It might add another layer to the mystery of his escape. He could always discard it if the content was too personal. Satisfied with his loot, he hurried to reorder the chest. It had taken less than a minute altogether. Makyn would suspect him of the sword¡¯s disappearance, but without proof, Kai¡¯d have plausible deniability. How could a kid accomplish all this alone? He must have a partner! Captain Seryne was paranoid enough to make up a wacky conspiracy, and hopefully bring her search away from him. The two soldiers hadn¡¯t moved from their position. Kai climbed over the rooms again. He made a quick stop by his lodging, helped by the fact it had no roof, and filled his ring with supplies. With that, he had accomplished his main goals while the argument in the next chamber wasn¡¯t close to waning. Valela must be giving her all. Hmm¡­ Why not go wild? Since he was already here, he might add one final layer to his deceptions. Seryne¡¯s office was only a dozen meters away, and definitely empty. It would throw off the military further and deliver justice in one fell swoop. Since the door was locked and in full view of a guard, Kai was forced to open a hole in the ceiling and lift the slab with Earth magic. He jumped inside. There wasn¡¯t time to read through the pile of documents on the desk. Letting his Favor guide him, he picked a random folder with classified on the cover and climbed back outside, using what remained of his mana to seal the breach. He retraced his steps to Bert¡¯s room. The coast was clear, he slipped inside, cutting a secret compartment in the stone wall to hide the folder. It would ensure that the scout wouldn¡¯t find it first, and make the espionage more believable if they came looking. It was clear that whatever devious mind was responsible for his breakout and the stolen documents had access to Stone Magic. I think I¡¯ve sown enough chaos for today. With his work completed, Kai hurried towards the tunnels. It was time for some fun and possibly deadly work. Chapter 227 - Preparations Chapter 227 - Preparations Kai realigned the block of ivory stone and cast a layer of dark moss to make the patch indistinguishable from the rest. Heading down the muddy tunnels towards the meeting point, he repeated the process again for the first exit used to escape the storage chamber. Once his break out was discovered, someone would put together that cutting through stone was the only way to leave the camp unnoticed. The camouflage wouldn¡¯t stand up to scrutiny if an Earth shaper examined the walls, though Seryne might not want to involve them. It¡¯ll be even more awkward to explain if no one knew I had been arrested. Her intention to leave the Heart in the morning, together with the seeds of chaos he planted should delay any organized response. If everything went according to plan, he would be long gone by the time an organized party came searching for him. Hmm¡­ When did anything ever go as planned? His lips curved in a rueful smile. It should be good enough. I¡¯ve other problems to worry about right now. A large shadow stood by the passage into Valela¡¯s room. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Lou took out a crystal light at the sound of his steps. His low voice carried the barest hint of surprise. He wore tight-fitting clothes with numerous pockets, a longsword in one hand and a round shield reinforced with steel plates in the other. Nothing extraordinary, but with his muscular frame, Lou looked like an adventurer ready to face a ferocious beast. I just need to make sure he doesn¡¯t get eaten. If Kai had his way, Lou wouldn¡¯t come close to the King. The teen looked down at himself with a shrug. ¡°If the basilisk is blind, enchantments are more likely to attract its attention than to help. I didn¡¯t have any armor that could block its claws and fangs, so I aimed for stealth like you said.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea, though your weapon and shield are enchanted.¡± Kai pointed out with a casual wave at his equipment. They must have cost a pretty mesar. He would have missed them if he wasn¡¯t already on alert from infiltrating the camp. The suffused glow of the runes got lost in the dense ambient essence until Mana Observer focused on them. Standard sharpness and sturdiness bundle, with a pinch of elemental flare for Darkness. The effects hidden underneath the cloak were less impressive but still well made. How many enchantments must he have come across without realizing? The only cloaking he recognized were those that were poorly made, giving him a biased view of what was out there. Now I really want to test Mana Observer in Higharbor. Lou grimaced at his blade. ¡°They told me no human below yellow would realize. I thought they¡¯d be good enough to hide from the King, but I can go fetch some unenchanted equipment.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t. They¡¯re good.¡± Kai patted his shoulder. Suspiciously well-made. While most beasts could intuitively perceive mana, their instinct wasn¡¯t comparable to a specialized ability unless they had a talent for it. And basilisks lacked that specific gift among their deadly repertoires. ¡°My skill is just really good at piercing veils.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite a niche specialization to take.¡± Lou furrowed his brows in thought before his eyes widened a fraction. ¡°Have you already evolved your skill?¡± Damn boy, I can¡¯t say a word without you pulling three more. ¡°No comment.¡± Kai looked down at his sea serpent sword he had gone through so much trouble to recover. He could obscure it with Shadow, or use a more practical solution. In a blink, the white opaque blade disappeared into his ring. It wasn¡¯t the time to hold back secrets. He had already used it in front of Lou when a wyrmling attacked them during their first spatial anomaly. The big boy scrubbed a hand through his hair. He cautiously waved his hand around him and poked him with a finger. ¡°It¡¯s not an illusion¡­ You really have a spatial artifact.¡± A scream of dramatic shock would have been appreciated. Kai slapped away his hand and flashed the silver band in front of his studious face. ¡°Stop looking at me like I¡¯m some kind of exotic creature. One of my teachers gave it to me as a goodbye gift when they left the archipelago.¡± ¡°Sorry. I suspected something, but I never thought I¡¯d see one for real.¡± Lou stopped pacing around him, though kept peering at him with interest. ¡°You¡¯re like a walking bundle of mysteries. Most people can only dream of possessing such an artifact or striking a bargain with a divinity.¡± ¡°Well, after tonight I¡¯ll be an open book,¡± Kai said with some sourness. ¡°You can be the mysterious one. I¡¯ve got no more secrets to give.¡± Almost none. Lou lost his amused glint. ¡°You know I¡¯ve told you everything I can about that.¡± His jaw clenched, forcing the words out. ¡°And it¡¯s nothing quite as exciting.¡± Just a shady deal to take advantage of the archipelago''s lack of resources. ¡°Yeah, I know. I don¡¯t need you to faint right now. We must get going.¡± Kai took out a casket of polished cherry wood from his spatial closet and knelt on a carpet of moss to open it. ¡°I¡¯ll have to get used to that,¡± Lou grumbled at the sudden appearance. The rows of gleaming potions inside quickly caught his interest. ¡°Seems like you¡¯re not out of surprises just yet.¡± Two vials for each of the seven strongest recipes Dora created. Kai had been saving them. He had only taken a sip of Kai¡¯s Nullifier to eliminate the drug when the rebels had kidnapped him, and a few drops of Kai¡¯s Second Wind to recover. Once he finished them, they¡¯d be gone for good. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. If this isn¡¯t an emergency, I don¡¯t know what is. Lou crouched beside him. ¡°I¡¯m not an expert, but I''ve never seen this many high-tier potions. Are they all yellow grade? And why is this labeled Kai¡¯s Prowess? Did you use code names in case someone stole them?¡± he said with a smirk. ¡°That¡¯s exactly why. Good guess.¡± Kai snatched the golden potion from his hands. ¡°They¡¯re a goodbye gift from my alchemy teacher, all peak yellow.¡± He selected another vial containing a silver solution and poured a single drop of each in two empty vials, diluting them with water. There was another reason why he had saved them till now. ¡°These are enhancing potions. The silver is for mental attributes and the gold for physical ones, but they¡¯re not made to be used at our grade.¡± The recipe book said early Yellow in both race and profession. Hmm¡­ a few side-effects are better than being dead. It¡¯s just a drop. Thinking again, he took out four more vials and added a few drops of Kai¡¯s Second Wind and Kai¡¯s Restoring Light. It was incredibly wasteful to use them this way, but he couldn¡¯t gamble with their lives. ¡°This one is for slow recovery. And this for fast healing.¡± Should I add one for the basilisk¡¯s venom as well? If I¡¯m hit, I won¡¯t be able to move and that¡¯s already a death sentence. Lou carefully stored the vial in his pocket. ¡°What do we need to do exactly? You didn¡¯t say what your bargain involved. The plan is to avoid the basilisk, right?¡± ¡°Huh¡­ Well¡­¡± He gathered his courage to push out the words. ¡°I need an artifact that¡¯s on the basilisk.¡± Lou advanced on him with a threatening posture. ¡°You¡¯re kidding me. Please, tell me that¡¯s a joke.¡± If it helps, I wish it was. ¡°I didn¡¯t know when the god offered me the bargain,¡± Kai raised his hands to pacify the growling teen. ¡°From what I was told, I needed to find a piece of inert rock in some ruin. The King must have perceived it was special. You don¡¯t have to come with me.¡± ¡°Yes, I should just let you get eaten. Why didn¡¯t I think of that?¡± Lou nailed him with a furious gaze, making a clear effort to keep his hand at his sides. His fists clenched till his knuckles whitened. ¡°Are you absolutely sure the basilisk is carrying what you need, and that there is no other way around this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the only thing that makes sense.¡± Lou cursed under his breath. ¡°Fine. We¡¯re going to do this. But if we survive, you¡¯ll tell me the whole story, and why you thought getting pulled into the affairs of a divinity was a good idea.¡± ¡°I promise,¡± Kai bobbed his head. ¡°I have no plan to repeat this.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Lou gave a humorless chuckle. ¡°To think I considered keeping the twins out of trouble difficult. You¡¯re on a whole other level.¡± Thanks¡­? ¡°I was serious when I said I can deal with this mess on my own. I¡¯ve got a plan.¡± Kai was warmed by his willingness to help, but it¡¯d be easier if he was the only one in danger. ¡°I¡¯m not backing down just because it¡¯s dangerous. I¡¯ve already made my decision.¡± Lou loomed over him again, looking offended at the notion. If Hallowed Intuition hadn¡¯t stayed silent, Kai would think he was about to get hit. ¡°Spirits help me,¡± Lou sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know whether to curse or bless the day you fell back into our lives. Can you promise me you won¡¯t get yourself killed?¡± ¡°Only if you do the same.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± Lou pulled him in a bone-crushing hug and lifted him off the ground. ¡°I also swear I¡¯ll stab you myself if you do something so foolish again.¡± Duly noted. ¡°Okay, put me down. We need to move,¡± Kai managed to squeeze out. The burly teen released him with a chuckle. ¡°Yes, little shrimp.¡± ¡°I can stab you from down here just fine.¡± Kai elbowed him in the stomach to reinforce the point. ¡°We need to find and then mug the basilisk. I¡¯ve got a plan to minimize the risks involved with recovering the artifact.¡± Lou slumped in relief. ¡°You know, I was scared your idea was to sneak up to the King and hope it wouldn¡¯t notice you pickpocket it.¡± The nerve on this one. He couldn¡¯t tell if the impertinent teen was teasing him. ¡°Don''t forget who taught you to write.¡± ¡°You mean your dad?¡± ¡°And who helped you out when you couldn¡¯t understand a lesson? Exactly. I¡¯ll admit this situation has worsened beyond my expectations and I take full responsibility. But if you want to help me, you need to do as I say.¡± Kai held his gaze till Lou offered him a half-nod. ¡°How can I assist? Two minds are better than one.¡± He clearly wasn¡¯t sold but seemed willing to listen. That¡¯s good enough. Kai explained the idea that had been brewing in his mind ever since Makyn had told him the basilisk was blinded. Not having to do everything alone required some adjustments. When all the pieces fell into place, he was quite proud of the result given the nature of threat and his limited resources. Lou crossed his arms. ¡°So, you want me to act as a distraction and wait aside while you do all the dangerous parts.¡± Yep. ¡°That¡¯s the most sensible distribution of tasks given our talents. Look, neither of us can face the King head-on even if it¡¯s injured, but you don¡¯t have a danger or mana-sensing skill at Yellow. If the stealth fails, I¡¯ll be able to tell immediately and escape.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it. We could ask Valela for help, there are many high grades in our camp.¡± Kai shook his head. ¡°The King will run away if we bring too many people. Not to mention, the military would suspect something. Apart from us, everyone''s primary issue will be the hidden realm. The only person I trust is Valela, and she¡¯s not equipped for this.¡± That was without considering all the secrets he¡¯d have to reveal. There was no way to contact the princess without at least Ferla learning of what was going on. He honestly doubted Valela would even accept. She always put the archipelago first in her list of priorities. And whether it was true or not, the hidden realm was far too disruptive to leave everything behind just to help him. ¡°I trained my skills too. I can move faster than you if I need to dash.¡± For how much Lou disliked the idea, he couldn¡¯t argue with the facts. They discussed the plan, ironing out the details till neither of them could improve upon it. I might even survive. Kai covered the entrance to Valela''s chamber with a layer of moss and mud, though it would still be suspicious if the military discovered the entrance. To avoid any future trouble, he circled the outer edge of the camp and cut a dozen more holes. Now she¡¯s beyond any accusation. May chaos fester! ¡°Let¡¯s move. You¡¯ll need to be back before dawn to avoid attracting suspicion.¡± ¡°One last thing.¡± Lou rummaged through one of his pockets and took out a black jar with the distinct glow of an orange concoction. ¡°It¡¯s odorless powder. Not as fancy as your potions, but it¡¯ll be good enough to hide our scents. Even a yellow beast shouldn¡¯t be able to smell us if we keep away from its snout.¡± Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner you had that? ¡°So we don¡¯t have to cover ourselves in mud and weeds?¡± Kai couldn¡¯t hide his relief. If they wanted to have any hope of not being perceived by the basilisk, physical camouflage was as important as the mana one. ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s better to use both. A little sprinkle on your clothes should last for half a day.¡± Lou took out a pinch of a fine gray powder to show him. Great. When the transformation was complete, Kai felt like a failed ninja. He was covered in mud and random leaves. He had a cloth over his mouth and nose to conceal his breath. It was probably overkill, but he wouldn¡¯t refuse anything even if it only had a one-in-a-million chance of helping. All bow to the hobo of the woods! If the evil lizard could see me, it might die laughing. Lou was in a similar attire, though he must have had experience camouflaging because it didn¡¯t look nearly as bad on him. He consulted a map he had borrowed from Valela before heading out. They advanced into the underground maze cloaked in their respective skills. While Kai continuously replenished his elemental reserves, Lou¡¯s skill-supported shroud was far more efficient. They had already decided on every major detail, so they wouldn¡¯t have to speak and make noise. Looking for the King was the biggest uncertainty in the plan. They were counting on the beast being too prideful to leave the site. The ruins were its home and hunting ground, possessing the mana density it would need to recover. I¡¯m so screwed if it left. Lou patted his shoulder with a frown. Kai gave a thumb-up to proceed. Careful to heed any whisper of danger. They would set up the battleground near the center of the ruins, just clear of the summoning chamber. Kai¡¯d rather not mess with the stone anywhere near. If the enchantments had been woven into the walls, it¡¯d be disastrous. He had considered intentionally causing another calamity before dismissing the idea. If beasts and spatial tears started flooding the ruins, the King would be much faster at fleeing to safety. It might also annihilate the camp along with a chance to get himself killed. The basilisk¡¯s speed was the main threat they needed to neutralize. They reached the central area without a hitch. Kai was about to start the preparation when a rattling hiss made him freeze. Chapter 228 - Hide and Seek Chapter 228 - Hide and Seek A whisper of danger bloomed in the distance. Did our stealth fail already? Kai reached for the enhancing vial in his pocket, his fingers closed in on the cold glass. Once he drank it, he would be on a timer. If he didn¡¯t steal the Altar from the basilisk and get to safety before the effects ran out, he¡¯d be screwed. Either by getting eaten or by failing his quest. Don¡¯t be rash. Mana Observer flooded through the maze of corridors and chambers, but the high density outshone the subtle twinkling of the beast. To pierce the basilisk¡¯s camouflage, he needed to focus his skill on a specific spot at the detriment of everything else. The odds of picking the exact place over hundreds of meters of tunnels weren¡¯t high. Where has that damned lizard gone? The murmurs in his head fizzled out with the echo of the hiss. They sounded more like a suggestion than a scream to flee for his life. It hasn¡¯t spotted us yet. Or it¡¯s a trap to lower our guard¡­ Waiting in ambush, the King had come close to crunching his skull several times. It had grown into an all-powerful monster in his head. Kai had to stay rational. The basilisk was a beast. An extremely clever and devious one, but a beast nonetheless. If it didn¡¯t commit mistakes, it wouldn¡¯t have been blinded and crippled by Makyn. Lou lightly nudged him, gesturing to the potion with a silent question. His taut figure was hard to make out behind the shroud of Darkness even when the skill wasn¡¯t running at full power. ¡°It¡¯s not after us,¡± Kai whispered. He concentrated Mana Observer on Lou to see him clearly. Confirming their target was still nearby saved them considerable hassle, though it also hastened their plans. They needed to get the battlefield ready without attracting its attention. ¡°We better hurry.¡± Lou nodded and pointed to a wall. It was honestly irritating how the teen had memorized the underground map faster than he had. Guess Mind isn¡¯t everything. The admittedly brilliant idea that made his plan not a complete suicide was simple. Hallowed Intuition¡¯s warnings made no difference if they couldn¡¯t escape or fight back. So they would create a way. Kai withered the creeping vine covering the ivory wall and traced his finger on the cold rock with precision. He cut a thin and long passage into the chamber on the other side. Due to the obstructed tunnels, reaching it would require a five-minutes detour. While the basilisk was several times faster, it couldn¡¯t teleport or break the sturdy rock. It should give us enough time to disappear. At worst, we can jump back and forth till it gets tired. While the King was agile and wiry, it was still a huge beast. The passage was large enough for a human to squeeze through sideways, and no more. In any other place in the archipelago, their plan would be folly, but here it had a chance. Playing hide and seek through a maze of tunnels only they could split. Kai cut the passage with a slight incline, so the chunk of stone slid out without the need for a spell. Suppressing a grunt of effort, they laid the slab down as silently as possible. He easily darted into the chamber on the other side and looked back at his bulky friend. ¡°Is it too tight?¡± I¡¯d tease him mercilessly if he weren¡¯t risking his life for me. Such a waste of an opportunity. Life is so unfair. Lou took measures and sprung through in a single jump. His muscular frame angled to the side, brushing the edges with millimetric precision. He landed in a roll on the soft moss and stood up in the same motion. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± Show-off. ¡°Was that necessary?¡± ¡°I needed to know how quickly I could cross it in case of emergency. C¡¯mon, I¡¯ll lead while you make sure the basilisk doesn¡¯t sneak on us. Don¡¯t speak unless you notice something.¡± Fine. Lou could be a bit bossy, probably because he was so used to acting as the responsible adult with the twins and Ana. It was slightly annoying, but Kai couldn¡¯t argue since they were solving his mess. It didn¡¯t matter who was in charge as long as they followed his plan. We¡¯ll talk once this is over. While he couldn¡¯t spot the basilisk, he could set Mana Observer on the crossings the beast needed to pass to reach them. His attention remained on his perception skills till Lou pointed him to a new passage to clear. They moved between chambers and corridors, opening a new set of cramped doorways throughout the center of the site. They kept working on the same level, though they set a few slits on the floor for an emergency exit. Another rattling hiss split the darkness of the underground. Without needing to exchange a word, they retreated through the previous passage in a quiet hurry and didn¡¯t stop before they passed five more. The King was becoming restless. It must have found the cut slabs of stone, and the idea of a pair of moles digging holes through its home didn¡¯t seem to thrill it. The intervals between its hisses were getting shorter, while whispers in his mind lingered longer and longer. Damn lizard. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Given the basilisk''s pesky talent for camouflage, Hallowed Intuition only warned him when the beast growled or purposely targeted him. They''d be dead before realizing it if they stumbled upon it in between two passages. The King had hissed three more times before it crossed the threshold that Kai watched with Mana Observer. He had just finished cutting into another corridor, the stone slab was slowly sliding in their fingers. He tapped Lou¡¯s shoulder twice in the agreed signal. The threat was close, but they hadn¡¯t been spotted yet. If they ran the stone would crash on the floor. They were twenty meters from the closest passage on the opposite side of the chamber, and eighty quickly shortening meters from the basilisk. His skill clung to the beast, disregarding the rest of the world to pierce the cloak and peek at the incandescent veins beneath. Kai noticed the uneven flow where its eyes used to be. The last segment of the tail abruptly ended in a stump. Makyn didn¡¯t lie. He got it good. More importantly, he spotted the shard of void among its crown of horns. The streams of essence flowing through the ruins bent around the Altar. The King stilled a couple strides outside their room. Blood froze in his veins, but the beast didn¡¯t dart towards them. The draconic snout twisted around as if it were trying to pinpoint something. It must have perceived my skill. Beasts usually couldn¡¯t feel his touch, though the King had never cared to abide by conventional rules. Perhaps he should be thankful it couldn¡¯t locate the source, same as human beings. At least it looks like our stealth is holding. I didn¡¯t cover myself in mud for nothing. The slab finally slid out the hole, multiplying its weight manyfold. Empower and spells would weaken the veil of Shadow, a risky move when the basilisk was already alerted. His muscles strained to hold the stone. Kai was worried the beast would hear his bones cracking even with Lou taking most of the burden. You¡¯re not a lumbering giant for nothing. They delicately lowered the slab onto the mossy ground. His arms relaxed right as the stone crushed a creeping vine. It wasn¡¯t a dead or dry plant, it didn¡¯t creak like a siren, just the quietest squelch. The basilisk snapped in their direction, mana surging before it even moved. Fuck. ¡°Run!¡± Empower strengthened his body. Already handling Earth mana to cut the stone, Kai gathered the remaining motes to send the chunk of ivory towards the rampaging lizard. The slab flew powered by his magic and Strength. It was too dark to see with his eyes, though Kai rejoiced when a deafening crash and a pained growl shook the chamber. Even though it was blind, the slippery lizard had managed to duck its head at the last moment and took the impact on its back. He had no time to revel in his victory. Lou dragged him inside the newly opened passage as the lizard darted towards them despite having been just hit with a boulder. Claws extended into the aperture, producing a strident screech against the ivory stone like nails on a chalkboard. ¡°Good throw.¡± Lou led to another passage without hesitation. ¡°Can you do it again?¡± ¡°No, it took most of my Earth reserves.¡± It was more luck than skill that he found his target. The devious lizard wouldn¡¯t be caught by the same trick twice. Couldn¡¯t you get squished and spare me the trouble? Mana Observer was locked onto the beast, Kai took out a light crystal not to trip. The basilisk''s enraged hiss echoed behind them. It had already given up its futile endeavor and was traversing the tunnel with frightening speed. ¡°We need to go ahead with the next step.¡± ¡°We¡¯re still missing six passages to complete the chain.¡± Lou lowered his shroud. His pupils were widened with all the fear and worry his stealth skill had concealed. Being stalked by a deadly predator must have taken its toll. I¡¯ve already asked too much of him. ¡°It¡¯ll have to be enough. It¡¯s too dangerous to continue.¡± Kai took out the vial in which he had mixed the enhancing potions Dora left him. ¡°The effects should last about half an hour. See you later. Stay safe.¡± Without giving him a chance to protest, Kai downed the liquid and darted in another direction. The diluted potion burned down his throat. He had no time to consider whether he had been too cautious or careless with the dosage. A wave of mana swept through his body like liquid fire. In a single stride, he crossed twice the distance. He would have crashed into a wall if his enhanced Dexterity didn¡¯t compensate. The pain quickly subsided to leave a feeling of euphoria. Kai stopped beside one of the breaches he cut. Keeping track of the King and piercing its camouflage only required a third of his Mind, he could even disengage his skill for a moment without losing track of it. Well, damn. This is miles ahead of anything I can brew. He should have remembered that Dora always stated things exactly as they were regarding her brews. If she wrote this was meant for yellow grades at the bare minimum, she meant it. One more drop and I would have killed us both. The higher he soared, the more crushing the fall. Thankfully he hadn¡¯t been stingy with the healing potion. The side effects would be brutal, he had to close this before the enhancement ran out. A look at the King propelling itself confirmed the chasm between them had shrunk but wasn¡¯t near to closing. Slowed by its injuries, the beast moved at four times his speed. Why is it so damn fast? ¡°Hey, sadistic lizard. I¡¯m here!¡± Kai shouted at the empty room. Three tunnels away, the basilisk switched direction towards him. The map of the ruins and their network of doorways appeared with crystal clarity in his head. Kai dashed to the aperture on the other side of the room, and through three more to his planned spot. He lay in wait squished between two ivory walls and strengthened the cloak of Shadow around him. The basilisk released a piercing hiss in the empty chamber he had been in a handful of seconds earlier. It flickered its forked tongue, trying to get his trail. The stealthy predator fails to find its prey. I hope you appreciate the irony. He patiently waited in the cramped passage for the King to get bored. It was too wary of its surroundings to be ambushed inside the chamber. When it failed to find any clue, it wandered outside with a low growl. Two tunnels headed out of the chamber¡ªthe spirits must be with him because the beast picked his direction. Closer. Come a little closer. Kai took out his wand and readied his Water mana. With the enhancing potion flowing through his veins, the intentions of his spell manifested as life-like images in his mind. The basilisk ambled along, frustrated by its slippery prey. Its posture was lopsided on the shoulder that the boulder had hit, and it moved with a slow sprint. Now! Kai released as much mana as he was capable of, this chance was too perfect to hold back. The spell took effect as the beast crossed his hiding place. Water flooded into the tunnel to slow and distract the King, while a stream froze around his prize and yanked it back. The Altar was stuck among the basilisk¡¯s spikes. Knowing his cast wouldn¡¯t hold much longer, Kai fed more elemental motes into the spell. The spike of void broke free and flew in a wide arc through the water into his waiting hands. His fingers tingled with mana. In the dark, it was a smooth multifaceted object, long as his forearm. I can¡¯t believe that it worked on the first try. He had been prepared to play tag with the basilisk through the maze of passages. He had dozens of distractions and creative spells ready to steal the Altar. None of that was necessary. He was almost disappointed. Obviously, it succeeded. I designed the plan. Heeding Hallowed Intuition, Kai retreated beyond the basilisk¡¯s reach. The claws sent droplets and wind to brush his hair, its furious hiss muffled by the water still filling the tunnel. Sorry, I don¡¯t mingle with losers. He just had to lose the dumb lizard and pick up Lou. With the network of passages they had created and their stealth abilities, neither would be a problem. They had already set up three meeting points, depending on the basilisk¡¯s position. Kai ignored the whiny lizard throwing a tantrum behind him and dashed through the tunnels to shake it off. This quest had turned out to be far more problematic than he expected, but it was finally complete. Why doesn¡¯t this thing go in my ring? No matter how many times he connected to his spatial closet, the shard of the Altar remained in his hands. He took out a crystal to examine the artifact. It looked like an obscenely large, polished diamond. When the light hit it, the gem cast a thousand colorful shades on the walls around him like a disco ball. A physical representation of the myriad currents of mana starting from its shiny surface. Because it¡¯s a spatial artifact as well, you dummy. He should have expected it from the god of a hidden dimension, though it wasn¡¯t heavy or cumbersome to move. Then he noticed another problem. Instead of wandering aimlessly, the basilisk was heading straight for him. Kai tried taking an abrupt turn, but the beast quickly adjusted its route, gaining ground on him. He checked his muddy clothes and Shadow spell. His camouflage was intact. On a grim hunch, his eyes fell on the Altar and the streams of mana revolving around it. Fuck. Chapter 229 - Desperate Gamble Chapter 229 - Desperate Gamble Dammit, work! Bearing down with the full might of his enhanced Mind and Spirit, Kai imagined an impenetrable cloak of Shadow enveloping the Altar. Dark motes flowed out of him in droves and wrapped around the artifact. It worked¡ªfor exactly half a second¡ªthen the veil swelled and burst into a torrent of colorful lights. I can¡¯t run from a murder lizard while I¡¯m carrying a magic beacon. The streams of essence couldn¡¯t be contained or cut off from the mana flow of the ruins. Kai interrupted the cast before the spell could burn through the rest of his Shadow reserves. The boosting potion and dense ambient mana increased his regeneration, but it was a losing battle. He had spent a huge chunk of Water and Earth to set up and execute his trap. A loud thump sent a vibration through the tunnels as if another boulder had slammed on the floor. That would have been the plan if his attempt at snatching the Altar had failed. Lou would create a distraction every five minutes to give him a breather and confuse the basilisk. They¡¯d string the beast back and forth till an opportunity presented itself. It wasn¡¯t a spell-proof plan, but it was pretty decent given the grade difference at play. My plan would have worked if this Altar wasn¡¯t defective. The King barely flinched at the commotion in its relentless pursuit. It must have carried the artifact around for years, if not decades, becoming familiar with the underground flow. Can¡¯t you take the loss with dignity and fuck off? Kai wove through the chain of passages, his legs burned with pain and power far beyond his limits. He pushed against the mossy ground and jumped through a breach in the wall. They¡¯d cut six intersecting loops around the summoning chamber. Each time he changed direction, he forced the basilisk to retrace its steps and lose ground, but his zigzagging run became less effective with distance. The best he could do was maintain his lead. While his elemental reserves were slowly refilling, his unattuned mana was draining to support Empower. He had to keep track of the incandescent form of the lizard and make sure he didn¡¯t run into a dead end. Not every awakened beast had more endurance than humans, but this was a B-rank basilisk a grade over him. He stood no chance of outlasting it, especially with a timer over his head. I¡¯ve got about twenty-four minutes before the potion runs out. Once the side effects kicked in, his chances of escaping would be nil. Even if the mixture of Kai¡¯s Restoring Light and Second Wind healed him to prime condition¡ªwhich was unlikely¡ªthe basilisk would catch up to him without the boost. Can¡¯t I have something go smoothly for once? Kai leaped into another passage, never slowing his run, and he squeezed what he could spare of his brains for a solution. The King wouldn¡¯t be stupid enough to get robbed twice if he threw away the Altar. The only people who could rid him of the threat were at the camp, but he had sowed too much chaos to go back without getting arrested. Not to mention the beast would catch him if he left the network of passages. I could escape to the Hidden Sanctuary¡­ His left hand tightened around the shard. He would have preferred to ensure Lou was back to safety before he calmly figured out how it worked. Alas, the world had never cared for his desires. Zervathi had promised the path would be revealed once he reached the Altar. How easy though? The portal might take minutes to open or require a ritual. The basilisk could follow him inside, though he wouldn¡¯t need the artifact once the portal was open. A rumbling thump shook the center of the site as Lou tried to attract the attention of the basilisk again. Five more minutes had passed, twenty left. The only change in the stalemate was moving closer to exhaustion. Well, I¡¯m not drowning in choice. ¡°Hey, Zervathi! Can you hear me?¡± Kai spoke to the crystal between his huffing breaths. ¡°I found the Altar. How do I get to the Hidden Sanctuary?¡± He infused his mana into the artifact, attempting to transmit his thoughts. Each mote was a precious resource, and they all disappeared as if he poured water into a bottomless abyss. Does it need more? Or am I doing something wrong? In the lack of light, his boot slipped on a patch of slimy mushrooms and sent him crashing into a wall. Kai clenched his teeth to ignore the pain on his shin and stood up. He couldn¡¯t rest, he had to keep moving. The rattling hiss of the basilisk resounded closer than ever. He reversed into the previous passage to salvage his lead. The god was silent. There was no mystical light or divine sign showing him the way. Damned douchebag. Answer me! Kai desperately tried not to think of the worst possibility: the Altar had been irreparably damaged and couldn¡¯t work. More likely, Zervathi had a different concept of a clear path. There must be some condition to activate the Altar. Wait¡­ He touched the gem with a tendril of iridescent mana. If he needed to contact another dimension, there was no better element than Space. That was how they had spoken the last time and probably why he got chosen in the first place. The Altar pulled on the thread, forcing Kai to feed more mana into it in a tug-of-war. Well, it wasn¡¯t that complicated. The shard glowed brighter and brighter from within. It cast the grim underground into a rainbow of morphing colors. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. As if a magical beacon wasn¡¯t eye-catching enough. Why didn¡¯t you play trumpets too? ~I had high hopes for you. You¡¯re truly a superb specimen, elfoid monkey child.~ The thunderous laugh that rocked his mind cut off into a furious cry. ~What have you done to the Altar of Covenant? Why is there only my unbreakable divine shard left?~ Dazed by the shouts, Kai lost his footing again. He used the oblong gem to hook on a corner and redirect his momentum. I found it like this. And it wasn¡¯t on the highest peak like you said. ~That¡¯s appalling. When I ruled, not even the vilest heathen would dare desecrate the divine artifact of a righteous god in such a way! Manners and decorum must have been lost to the turning of the ages.~ My condolences to you. It must be terrible. ~Horrendous, really. I¡¯ve dedicated centuries of my existence to banishing Darkness. To think after all my contributions my name would be forgotten¡­~ Yeah, that must suck. Kai might have felt some sympathy at any other moment. I¡¯m a bit busy running for my life. So, if you could take me to the Hidden Sanctuary, I could free you from your shackles and we can both be happy. ~Younglings are always so impatient.~ Kai got the distinct impression that Zervathi was shaking his head. ~In light of your contributions, I shall forgive your coarse attitude. A barbarian can¡¯t be faulted for his lack of education.~ You¡ª Another futile thump echoed in the distance. Exhaustion and urgency stopped Kai from articulating what he really thought. Once he fulfilled his end of the bargain, he wouldn¡¯t have to listen to Zervathi complaining ever again. My deepest apologies, oh mighty god. I had a long day. If you could please speed along, your humble servant would be eternally grateful. ~I see you''re eager to carry out your divine duty. Huh¡­ could you stand still? Even with a solidified shard of my essence, transdimensional magic is a delicate art in my diminished state.~ Of course. How long do you need? ~A few minutes in any of the chambers you crossed shall suffice. Any movement messes with my calculations. What would be the point of bringing you to the Hidden Sanctuary if you missed a limb or your head? Mortals can be oddly fragile.~ If Kai had breath to spare, he would have screamed. He had been forced to listen to this pointless prattle for nothing. Was this what Makyn had felt with him? No, not even on his worst days could he match this. Did you miss the part where I was ¡®running for my life¡¯? Unless you can stop a yellow beast from chewing me, I can¡¯t slow down. Zervathi sent him the impression of a sigh of resignation. ~Are you hummans always so emotional? Let me see¡­~ The Altar¡¯s kaleidoscopic lights brightened till Kai had to close his eyes to not be blinded. Then a pulse of spatial energy rippled around him through the ruins, making him wonder if the spectacle was even necessary. ~Mhmm¡­ I see the issue. I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t halt that pitiful Bar¡¯Ghelith basilisk. What did you do to earn its fury?~ It was the one to find your Altar and it wants it back. ~Well, Bar¡¯Ghelith basilisks weren¡¯t called Vindictive Death for nothing. Truly scum of the earth. I remember one of my champions attempted to exterminate them once. They¡¯re tenacious pests, known for their ability to hold a grudge for centuries. Extremely cunning and elusive with a preference for warmer climates.~ Fascinating. Is there nothing I can do? ~Of course, don¡¯t despair. You can hide the shard in a place outside its reach and slow it down with your body. So that another worthy champion may take up your mantle and continue the quest after your inevitable demise.~ I meant a plan that doesn¡¯t involve my death. ~Alas, no¡­~ The rumbling voice grew dimmer and sad. ~I have invested greatly in your success. I must cut the connection to preserve my power. Good fortune to you, child. Even if your attempt fell short, your sacrifice shall be remembered.~ The thread of Space mana snapped, and the Altar dimmed into a transparent gem. Did that asshole just hang up on me? Kai came to a halt inside one of the longest passages they had cut. A two-meter corridor between two chambers. He panted for breath, chest heaving and heart drumming. His body was consumed by attributes he hadn¡¯t earned, he wanted nothing more than to lie down and rest. Not yet. He hadn¡¯t heard Lou¡¯s last attempt at a distraction, but the potions must have less than ten minutes remaining. He wouldn¡¯t give up till he was officially doomed. The basilisk hesitated at an intersection before deciding to approach him from his right. Kai deactivated Mana Observer, knowing the beast would notice his touch. His mind rejoiced at having the burden lifted. He focused on tracing an alcove in the smooth ivory. One last cut, slightly to his left. It wasn¡¯t a terrible idea, besides the dying-for-nothing part. Conscious that a psycho lizard was barreling towards him, he used a spell to remove the stone instead of letting it slide out. The alcove perfectly fit the shard. It was deep, but not too deep. He could have made it unreachable for the basilisk. But what would be the point? He wouldn¡¯t be able to recover it before the reinforcements from the Republic locked down the site. Kai dashed to his left, hiding behind the corner in a veil of Shadow. His back hit the creeping vines covering the wall as the basilisk burst into the chamber on the other side of the passage. Its forked tongue whipped the air and the beast released a deep rattling hiss, full of triumph. Okay, it¡¯s a shitty plan. The King strode towards the artificial passage. Claws extended into the aperture, screeching against the ivory to reach its stolen treasure. The calls turned shorter and raspier when it failed to grab hold of the shard. Snout and forelimbs extended into the narrow passage, but the spiky crown on its head rasped against the wall, unable to reach inside. Its body was made to sprint and dart, with powerful though short limbs relative to its size. Kai had to admit he had gotten lucky with the improvised measurement. When it fully extended, the claws could just scratch the edge of the alcove he created. A palm from reaching the crystal shard, resting inside. The beast gave no sign of giving up, filling the underground with skin-crawling screeches, one failed attempt after the other. C¡¯mon, lizard brain. It¡¯s not the time to turn into an idiot. You can¡¯t reach the alcove from that side. It could just be his mind playing tricks, but his limbs seemed heavier. He had no idea how much longer the potions would last. He might not even get the full duration since he had only consumed a drop. When the hellish sounds stopped, Kai carefully extended Mana Observer. He leaned over to confirm that the basilisk was gone, likely racing towards his position. I¡¯m actually doing this. Empower surged in his legs, he leaped over the passage and infused the creeping vines covering the wall with Nature mana. The plants coiled around his arms and legs to hold his weight. Confident they wouldn¡¯t snap, Kai took out his sea serpent sword and extended his veil of shadows to cover it. He was surprised by the calm reigning over his mind. In a handful of seconds, he might die but he was strangely at peace. Maybe it was the physical and emotional exhaustion or a side-effect of the potions kicking in. Or just the awareness that he had done everything he could. The reason didn¡¯t matter. His mind was clear of any thoughts. He hung in a heap of vines to lay his trap. Waiting. Without moving a muscle. Meek whispers of danger heralded the arrival of the King in the pitch-black chamber. Kai stopped breathing. He felt exposed without Mana Observer monitoring his surroundings, but this was the only way his gamble might succeed. Though blind, the basilisk would notice an enchanted light or the warmth of a torch. The plan he had strung up with hopes and prayers, all bet on the beast¡¯s arrogance to succeed. Why should the predator worry about the prey? The little mouse who stole its treasure had run without ever fighting back. The chasm between them was so vast that his best spell tingled its scales. The soft squelch of damp ground moved closer. How a beast of that size could make such little noise was probably magic. Hallowed Intuition grew more restless. It didn¡¯t suggest him to run, the skill knew that would be a death sentence. Stay still and wait, pray not to be discovered. There is no other way. A rattling hiss pierced the silence, making him aware the basilisk was below him. So close, Kai could smell its rotten breath, rancid with the beasts and humans it had devoured. The King just had to raise its head, taste the air with its tongue and eat him like a crunchy snack. The strident screech of its claws against the ivory wall brought a wave of momentary relief. He hadn¡¯t been discovered. Kai freed his arms from the vines, in precarious balance with the harness around his legs. A spike of panic almost pierced his calm - he needed to act. He had a single shot. If he failed to inflict a mortal injury, or the basilisk noticed the deception, he was dead. Worse, if the basilisk decided to play with its food. The shard clinked against the floor inside the passage, making the King hiss gleefully and sweep away his hesitation. Kai severed the vine wrapped around his thighs and let himself fall forward. The fall sent a breeze through his hair, both hands gripped the hilt of his sword. Not a wisp of mana left him till he heard the basilisk¡¯s tongue whip the air. Right then, the world bloomed into color with Mana Observer locking onto his target. The basilisk head was extended inside the passage as far as it would go, claws over the shard. Kai infused his sword with Earth to increase its weight and unattuned mana for sharpness, aiming for the largest vessel of incandescent mana. Recognizing the danger, the King raised its snout to retreat but its crown got stuck in the narrow entrance. Surprise motherfucker! The blade penetrated the side of the neck where the spiky crown gave way to lesser scales. The sword got stuck halfway through when Kai grabbed one of the bony spikes to get the leverage to push it deeper. The wound would have killed any orange grade on the spot, but the basilisk refused its fate. He twisted his blade and held on for his life as the beast thrashed madly beneath him. Something nicked his left leg, sending a wave of numbness through his body. Before the venom could fully paralyze him, Kai cast a torrent of water and ice to push himself through the passage. His shoulder hit the corner of the wall, slowing his flight. He landed roughly with his legs halfway into the narrow corridor, mana flowing through his veins turned dense as honey and unresponsive. You needed to be a douche till the bitter end, didn''t you? More accursed screeching filled the underground as the basilisk tried to claw for him. Chapter 230 - The Hidden Sanctuary Chapter 230 - The Hidden Sanctuary Oh, well¡­ The plan worked better than I could hope for. On the other side of the passage, the basilisk refused to die despite the blade stuck through its neck. The beast gurgled hisses with manic fury, its claws screeching on the ivory stone at his feet. You know this could have been resolved peacefully if you left me the shard. I would have even given it back once I was done. Kai stared at the darkness overhead, unable to blink, robbed of any physical sensation beyond sight and hearing. His skills and mana were slow to respond. Mana Observer required his full focus to just expand over the beast. He couldn¡¯t pierce its cloaking, but he could see bright ichor gushing from its wound. The basilisk painted a ghastly outline by thrashing in the enlarging pool of its own blood. It slammed its head through the narrow passage to reach him, determined to tear him apart in one last act of spite, though its claws were too far to threaten him. Can¡¯t you be quiet? I¡¯m trying to focus. Since the King didn¡¯t run to his chamber, it was either too mad to reason, or too injured to cross the distance. Both boded well for him. Kai was pretty sure he had severed a major artery when he twisted his sword. With a crack, the beast broke one of the bony spikes on its head and reached deeper into the passage. A claw scratched the sole of his boot, failing to find purchase. Damned lizard. The enhancing potions could wear off at any moment and doom him. Kai reached for the vibrant green motes plodding along inside his veins. He was back to his first lesson with Dora, slowly gathering each mote as if picking colorful pebbles from the beach. The claw poked his foot again, this time dragging him a hair closer before it cut through the leather of his boot and lost purchase. It has to be enough. Kai released the spell, praying to Yatei it would be successful. A green marble of essence flew into a pale shrub, a branch creaked to wrap around his wrist and drag him to safety. C¡¯mon, little plant, pull! The shrub had just started to move him when a claw hooked his toe and stopped the progress. For an instant, the two forces were evenly matched¡ªthe insignificant plant and the deadly claw. Then the branch snapped right as the basilisk lost its grip. You absolute jerk! The beast managed one gurgling growl, too weak for a proper celebration, but strong enough to drag him toward its waiting jaws. There wasn¡¯t time to cast another spell. He had moved less than a palm towards the basilisk. An insignificant distance, and yet far too close. Spirits, help me! Don¡¯t you want to look after your investment? We can strike a bargain if you lend me a little help now. Unable or unwilling, no one answered him. Kai demanded his body to move, his magic and skills to activate, but willpower alone couldn¡¯t defeat the basilisk¡¯s venom. He was trapped inside his body. The claws screeched on the ivory floor, cutting into his foot. Please, anyone? I don¡¯t care who! His body moved away from the beast. Without his sense of touch, he took a second to realize it wasn¡¯t a miracle. A hand had grabbed him, pulling him to safety. Kai recognized the rough Mana Sense scanning his body. He wasn¡¯t about to get eaten by a vindictive beast. It was over. The barricade he had erected in his mind crumbled, a flood of emotions threatened to overwhelm him. Nothing showed up on his paralyzed face. Or perhaps he was crying, he couldn¡¯t tell. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Lou lowered his stealth skill and took out a crystal light. Panting for breath, he checked his body for injuries. ¡°When the basilisk didn¡¯t come looking for me, I didn¡¯t know what to do. What happened?¡± Well, what didn¡¯t happen? There was a defective artifact, a self-centered god and a very stupid plan that ended up succeeding. A few seconds earlier would have saved him years of therapy, though Kai couldn¡¯t fault him for that. Lou had no skills to locate the basilisk, each time he moved he risked running to his death. He was only safe when the beast made enough noise to reveal its location. The King''s anguished cries resounded in the maze. Lou observed the dying beast with hard eyes. ¡°Is that your sword? How did you even manage that? Your plan didn¡¯t include fighting the basilisk head-on. You had promised not to do anything reckless.¡± I swear I can explain. There were a few hiccups along the way. The teen walked out of his field of view with a cold expression. ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Very funny. Wait! It¡¯s dangerous. Kai struggled to observe Lou¡¯s glowing figure. How could the boy lecture him and then do that? The basilisk had already shown how eager it was to die in company. Even in their death throes, beasts couldn¡¯t be underestimated. Come back right now! Lou ignored him and approached the passage, a longsword aflame with mana in his hands. He slashed at the clawed forelimb as if he were chopping wood, out of range of any retaliatory strike. The King couldn¡¯t advance and had gone too deep into the passage to easily retreat. With each step it crawled back, Lou followed. Even its hardy scales gave way under the flurry of strikes. Pained growls filled the chambers, Lou pummeled the beast with the efficiency of a butcher. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. One limb after the other, the lizard was carved to shreds and fell silent. Only then, the bulky teen lunged towards the head to pierce the skull through the scarred eyes. Kai observed the macabre spectacle, unsure of how to respond. He would have felt pity if it were any other beast, but the basilisk had gone far beyond hunting to survive. ¡°Sorry,¡± Lou said, wiping the droplets of dark-green ichor from his face. ¡°I wanted to ensure it was dead for good. And I couldn¡¯t tell if the wound you inflicted was lethal.¡± No problem¡­ Hopefully, you got¡­ all your anger¡­ out. The side effects of the concoction were kicking in, reversing the boost to his attributes. His mind and senses dulled, each thought required unbearable effort. His body would likely be in pain if he could feel any part of it. ¡°Kai?¡± The world darkened, and Lou¡¯s voice slipped away to a muffled background noise. He was about to embrace unconsciousness when a cold fire flowed down his throat. A pleasant chill spread through his body, making his skin tingle. His mind cleared enough to see Lou standing over him with the healing vial he had prepared, and drinking one of his own. ¡°Is it working?¡± The teen raked a hand through his hair. ¡°Cursed gods, I should have gotten better at reading mana flow. Please don¡¯t die on me.¡± I advise my intensive program. Just forty hours a week for a couple months. After I¡¯m done with you, Mana Sense will become second nature. Still unable to move, Kai reached into his elemental reserves with excruciating slowness and conjured a single drop of water. A soft drip in the damp underground. Thankfully, Lou had always been a smart boy. His frown quickly smoothed into a smile and his posture relaxed. ¡°Can you hear me? One for yes, and two for no?¡± Drip. ¡°Will you be fine?¡± Drip. ¡°Why did you have to fight the basilisk¡­¡± Lou grumbled with a disapproving scowl. ¡°I should bring you back to camp.¡± Drip. Drip. ¡°The basilisk¡¯s venom took a day to wear off for the yellow soldiers. That was with the help of the healers. I can¡¯t leave you here.¡± Drip. Drip. ¡°Kai, I¡¯m not¡ª Hmm¡­ Do you have something for the venom?¡± Drip. ¡°Your pockets are empty, is it in your¡­¡± Kai created a sliver of mana to connect to his ring. The simple act took as much effort as his strongest spell. Dora¡¯s casket clattered beside his hand, and Lou wasted no time browsing through the vials inside. ¡°Is it Kai¡¯s Restoring Light? I know they¡¯re code names, but why did you make them sound so pretentious?¡± Oh, shut up. Drip. Drip. ¡°Kai¡¯s wisdom? No, that name can¡¯t be right.¡± Lou didn¡¯t bother to hide his chuckles as he read through every label and picked Kai¡¯s Nullifier for last. Why does it always end like this? It took a third of the vial before the numbness started receding. It was already incredible how Dora had created an antidote that could purge most poisons below Green. Coming back to all his senses, Kai was assaulted by a wave of pain as if someone had beaten every inch of him. That was after he had already taken the healing potion. ¡°Thanks¡ª for the help.¡± Kai coughed, trying to stand up. ¡°I¡¯m glad you came along.¡± Lou¡¯s smile froze on his lips. ¡°I didn¡¯t do much.¡± ¡°You mean apart from saving me from the basilisk and getting eaten by some critter while the venom wore off?¡± ¡°I should have come sooner. Why did you fight the basilisk anyway?¡± Lou tried to keep his tone light, though it was clear he was upset. ¡°It¡¯s a miracle you survived.¡± I¡¯d say it¡¯s a mixture of genius and unrivaled skill, but yeah, it was pretty close. ¡°I¡ª¡± Kai looked around for the Altar. ¡°Are you looking for this? It was in the passage.¡± Lou passed him the crystal shard. ¡°Is this the artifact you needed to recover? I¡¯ve never seen anything like it.¡± ¡°That makes two of us. It¡¯s somehow connected to the mana of the ruins.¡± Kai accepted the shard and explained how he had been forced to face the King. ¡°You should go back to camp and rest. The military must not suspect anything in the morning.¡± ¡°I can deal with that.¡± The brooding boy dismissed the notion, stretching his arm. ¡°I think the side effects are milder for me since I didn¡¯t push myself like a madman.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that bad.¡± Kai jumped to his feet, only slightly stumbling. It would take a few days to completely recover, but he could move with no issue. ¡°Without the King, I can easily deal with any threat below yellow. Hmm, what should we do with the carcass?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll leave it here.¡± Lou cut his dreams with no hesitation. ¡°Any material we recovered will be a dead giveaway of what happened. The other beasts will take care of dispatching the evidence.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right¡­¡± This whole affair was too messy and dangerous to risk it on a bit of coin, though it burned him to leave it behind. Greed and arrogance already killed the lizard. I don¡¯t need to follow in its footsteps. They chatted about getting their stories straight, and where to meet in Higharbor. No one could guess what would happen when the military reinforcements arrived, or who would take charge of the hidden realm. They¡¯d need to lay low till the situation settled. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll be fine?¡± Lou glanced at the Altar with his pensive gaze, though he didn¡¯t ask about its purpose. I did imply I couldn¡¯t talk about the bargain. There have been enough revelations for one night. ¡°I¡¯ve got it handled from here.¡± Kai smiled with all the confidence he could muster. ¡°I¡¯ll see you in a week or two.¡± ¡°Keep away from trouble.¡± ¡°I will.¡± He waited till the presence left his range to turn his attention to the Altar. Time to close this bargain. Kai wove a thread of Space mana. The shard initially repelled it, but after some prodding it accepted the connection. ~Why are you calling upon me again, mortal child? I have to conserve my divine power.~ Zervathi thundered. ~Hmm¡­ You¡¯ve stopped running like a Vervakir maniac. Did you solve your issue?~ Yes, I killed the basilisk, thank you for asking. Kai placed the Altar in the center of the chamber. Is this good enough to open a portal? ~For one such as I, it shall suffice. Stand back and observe carefully, human. You¡¯re fortunate to bear witness to magic of such complexity and beauty.~ The shard shone with a swirl of multicolored lights. Kai closed his eyes before the spectacle could give him a headache and focused on his perception skill. Spatial essence wove around the artifact in a tapestry of runes and mind-bending shapes. For once, Zervathi hadn¡¯t exaggerated. The magic was so far beyond his level that he could only admire the display like an art installation. Other worries were poking his thoughts. How long will it take to break your shackles? He¡¯d rather hear a straight answer before he arrived on the site. The god had implied it would be an easy task, though finding the Altar should have been too. ~Once you reach the place where my vessel has been imprisoned, it shall be a simple matter. The cage has already been greatly weakened, I just require a mortal to deliver the finishing blow from outside.~ So there is no danger or hidden requirement? ~No.~ Zervathi huffed in annoyance. ~The troublesome part was breaching the shackles to open a portal here. Even a trained monkey could assist me. You¡¯ll have no problem. Now, hush. I need to concentrate.~ The kaleidoscopic lights had dimmed to a soft glow, while an iridescent portal hovered over the Altar. It looked as if it were made from liquid metal, pulsing with rhythmic waves. It expanded till an adult man could comfortably fit inside and turned transparent. The outlines of an ivory chamber appeared crisp, as if he were looking through a clear window. The walls were engraved with rows of familiar glyphs, denser than any writing he had recorded. Though it was the black, sharp runes that caught his attention. Enhancements like the ones he had seen in the summoning chamber in Kawei covered the pale stone. ~It¡¯s done.~ Zervathi spoke noticeably quieter. ~Bask in my power.~ The ruins opened larger portals in seconds. Kai couldn¡¯t stop his thoughts. ~I¡¯d like to see how you fare after eight millennia of imprisonment, ignorant humman. And how can you even compare unstable connections along traveled pathways to my masterpiece? It¡¯s so preposterous that your language lacks the terms to describe it!~ My apologies. He made a dramatic bow to the gate. ~I¡¯ve stopped expecting any form of manners from you. Now, grab my divine shard and come. I see we¡¯re both eager to complete this bargain.~ Kai sent a vine to grab the crystal, took a deep breath and crossed the threshold. Chapter 231 - The Imprisoned God Chapter 231 - The Imprisoned God Kai faltered as the window into the Hidden Sanctuary stood before him. He had witnessed firsthand how dangerous spatial magic could be in his clumsy attempts at teleporting cups and shells. If Zervathi made a mistake, he would be turned into human mush before realizing it. Is it safe to cross? ~Of course.~ Zervathi declared, seemingly offended. ~As safe as I can make it.~ That¡¯s not the same thing. Kai glared at the shard in his hand, unsure where to direct his irritation. While the god remained quiet, the complexity of the portal reassured him somewhat. The filaments composing the frame were woven so tight, he would have assumed they were solid blocks if he hadn¡¯t seen them form. Delicate runes lined the edge, morphing every time he glanced at them. One moment they were vaguely familiar, almost understandable, the next entirely foreign. Hmm¡­ What language is this? Overcome by curiosity, Kai focused Mana Observer at a squiggly spiral on his right. It was made of six concentric squares, a seven-pointed star and a wavy sea, a broken fractal¡ª A headache slammed into his brain, shattering his vision. When he could see again, his head rested on the mossy ground with his skill already deactivated. He stood up wincing and massaged his forehead to soothe the pain. I thought it was safe to look at it. ~I said you could admire my art, not bash your head through it.~ Zervathi rumbled. ~Have you ever heard the concept: look and don¡¯t touch? I didn¡¯t think I needed to warn you that fire is hot. Mortal minds aren¡¯t made to understand the divine, you¡¯re fortunate your body has passable survival instincts.~ Thanks a lot. ~You¡¯re welcome, monkey elfoid child. Now, if you could hurry along¡­~ Bracing himself, Kai strode through the window into another world. The surface of the portal rippled and clung to his body with a tingle, but he was too committed to pull back. The silvery gate swallowed him into a frigid embrace, and he staggered into the Hidden Sanctuary. Kai gasped, the cold air stung his lungs as he reoriented himself. He had crossed the incomprehensible distance between realms with a single step. The temperature drop was more than a side effect of the portal. Goosebumps ran up his arms and his breath condensed in a thin fog before his nose. ~Huh, it worked perfectly¡­~ Surprise turned into elation. ~Naturally those cursed shackles are no match for my brilliance!~ Kai ignored the cheering god in his head and wrapped his arms around himself. Even during a winter storm, the weather never dipped below freezing in the archipelago. This was likely the coldest place he had been to in this life. Thank the spirits I was born on a tropical island. I forgot how much I hated the cold. The glyphs and chains of inky splintered runes were the same ones he had seen through the window, only more ominous. While these didn¡¯t morph under his gaze, he avoided looking at them with Mana Observer to be safe. He did a quick count of his fingers and toes, nothing was missing. His body wasn¡¯t pulled into a million motes, he hadn¡¯t fallen into the void, or even felt nauseated. Besides the chill in his bones and a slight itch, it had been no different than crossing a door. That wasn¡¯t too bad. Is this how it usually works? ~Who do you think you¡¯re dealing with, child?~ Zervathi sounded very pleased with himself. ~Even in my diminished state, I¡¯m a god. Dimensional crossings are within my primary domain. I don¡¯t make mistakes.~ Forgive my ignorance. Kai rolled his eyes. It¡¯s my first trans-dimensional travel. ~I¡¯ve not studied you hummans for long, but your facial expression doesn¡¯t seem to align with your words.~ You can see me? His eyes searched the space. A notification blinked twice as he had coded for feats, but he dismissed it. Apart from the enchantments and glyphs, the chamber was made of ivory stone without a single window or entrance. The only hint of color was the portal showing the underground at his back. ~I¡¯ve brought you beyond most of the shackles that bound my prison. I can see and hear everything close to my vessel.~ Just what I needed. ~What did you say?~ Hmm¡­ wait¡­ why¡¯s the mana so thin? It was more than just the cold, ambient essence was sparser than he believed possible. If he were to count the stray motes swirling around him, he might not reach a thousand. Coming from the Heart of Veeryd, the difference was stark. The air wasn¡¯t filling, and his skin felt parched from seconds of standing there. There was almost physical discomfort, a knot in his gut as his body struggled to hold on to his mana. ~Not pleasant, is it? Try spending a few millennia here. Those heinous bastards sealed the chamber in every material, magical and metaphysical way they could.~ Sounds like a paranoid bunch. ~Bah! They were barely competent, they were only lucky to catch me by surprise. Thank Order, they didn¡¯t think to suck out the air already in the chamber, or your lung would have exploded from the lack of pressure.~ Zervathi chuckled. Hilarious. ~No, it would be absolutely terrible.~ He thundered, any trace of humor gone. ~Do you have any idea of the efforts I went through to bring you here? To have all that wasted in some cheap and crude show. No¡­~ Zervathi was as self-absorbed as only a god could be, though Kai sincerely hoped he hadn¡¯t gone mad. Eight millennia must not be easy even for immortals. He glanced back at the portal, just a step away. ¡°Can¡¯t you let in more mana and heat in here?¡± he spoke aloud. Since the god was spying on him, he''d rather keep him out of his thoughts whenever possible. ~While the shackles are failing, there are still wards in place that would recognize the breach and obliterate your soul. But you need not worry. You shall be safe as a dragon egg in its mother''s clutches if you follow my instructions. Given your lack of common sense, I shall remind you not to tamper with the treacherous runes in here.~ ¡°What do I need to do?¡± Kai slowed his breathing to conserve the finite amount of air. Reaching the Hidden Sanctuary was the first part of their bargain, now he just had to assist Zervathi in escaping his shackles. ~Come to the Altar where my vessel is imprisoned.~ Kai glanced at the shard in his hands with a furrow in his brow. ¡°You mean¡­¡± ~The Altar of Communion is seventeen strides beyond the spatial gate.~ ¡°Oh,¡± he walked around the portal, careful not to step on the dark enchantments. There was indeed a circular dais hidden behind the window. Chains of splintered runes converged on the seventh layer, becoming so dense that the ivory stone appeared like onyx. A pitch-black sphere rested on top, not much larger than a human head. It was so dark and muted, not a ray of light reflected off its surface like a hole in the fabric of reality. That¡¯s odd¡­ Every surface was visible though there wasn¡¯t a light source anywhere, and the world dimmed when he looked at the sphere. ¡°Is that ball your vessel¡­?¡± ~Obviously not, the void crystal is the last layer of my prison. My physical vessel is trapped inside.~ Zervathi urged him forward. ~What are you waiting for? I¡¯ve disabled the pressure component; you can step on the enchantments on the Altar.~ Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°What about the rest of the chamber?¡± ~I told you not to tamper with them for a reason. Even monkeys, children and peasants know not to step on defensive arrays.~ ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Kai wished the god was free so he could strangle him with his own hands. Thankfully his paranoia had saved him once again. ¡°That isn¡¯t common knowledge where I come from.¡± ~May Order watch over me, civilization must have sunk to the foul depths in the last millennia. What wicked fate must have befallen my archipelago to house such a primitive race?~ ¡°My condolences,¡± Kai snorted. He stopped by the edge of the altar where the enchantments grew too dense to proceed. Up close, he could see many white slivers cut into the stone of the altar, severing inky clusters of runes. The grooves were no more than a few hairs wide, reminding him of the spatial tears he had seen on Kawei. ¡°Is there anything else I should know?¡± He¡¯d rather not die because the god had forgotten to tell him something that was taken for granted. ~Mhmm¡­ Don¡¯t activate your skills unless I tell you to and make sure your enchanted items don¡¯t touch the Altar if they haven¡¯t been shielded. Also, it goes without saying, that you must isolate yourself.~ ¡°Remind me how that''s done.¡± Zervathi sighed deeply. ~Now¡¯s not the time for jokes. Retract your mana from the outer layer of your skin and don¡¯t absorb or expel any motes.~ ¡°Of course.¡± Kai bobbed his head. ¡°I just wanted to make sure we had the same definition.¡± Keeping his flow contained wasn¡¯t easy when his mana desperatedly wanted to leave his body and fill the void around him. Kai methodically redirected his outer capillaries towards the main veins. It was awkward and uncomfortable to keep hold of so much essence, but he did what was needed. His shirt had a weak cooling enchantment. Ideal in the jungle, not so much in the freezing chamber. Kai stored it in his spatial closet alongside the wristband that hid his grade. ¡°Will the ring be a problem?¡± ~Your humor is still lacking.~ Zervathi scoffed. ~I told you that shielded items aren¡¯t a problem. Just don¡¯t let my divine shard touch the enchantments, that could end badly.~ Kai cautiously lifted his boot onto the first dais, his toes poking out where the basilisk had clawed through the leather. He waited to make sure there was no reaction before switching his weight to keep climbing. With each step, his stomach twisted in anticipation of some death ray coming to reap his soul. This was such a bad idea. ~There is no danger. I¡ª WAIT!~ Kai froze as he was about to touch the fourth layer, afraid to even breathe or speak. What? ~I scratched the confines of my cage by accident. You¡¯re free to continue.~ Are you fucking kidding me? ~No, my sense of humor is superior to yours.~ He pressed his lips shut, his arms trembled¡ª though not from the cold. The bone-deep irritation helped him climb to the highest platform of the Altar. Up close, his eyes struggled to cope with the tridimensionality of the sphere absorbing the light. ¡°What now?¡± ~Shatter it.~ ¡°What? You want me to punch it?¡± ~If you like. I told you it¡¯d be easy, break that vile thing and the bargain shall be fulfilled.~ ¡°Won¡¯t it explode or curse me? Can I smash the prison of a god that easily?¡± ~Don¡¯t flatter yourself, I¡¯ve been working on weakening it for millennia. By now the void crystal is nothing more than a hideous paperweight, but these cursed wards prevent me from destroying it completely.~ Kai started at the ominous ball of evil. It was more than common rock, though at this point he didn¡¯t have much choice. While Zervathi was hardly forthright in his explanations, there was no doubt that the inky runes belonged to the invading force. And Kai liked to believe the Great Spirits would have said something if he was about to unleash a malicious demon on the archipelago. ¡°Can I use a weapon?¡± ~Nothing that is enchanted. You can use your hands, head or any other part you deem up to the task.~ There wasn¡¯t any weapon in his ring without a rune. He was about to use a journal when he got a better idea. ¡°Hmm¡­ Can I use your shard?¡± The Altar was pointy and hard enough to work as a weapon. ~If you must subject me to this indignity, make it quick¡­~ Here goes nothing! Standing as far as he could, Kai slashed the ball with the shard. Crack! His arm swung in a wide arc, not finding the resistance he expected. A wave of darkness burst forth, stealing away his senses and burning his skin. In the time he blinked and shielded himself with his arms, the chamber was brightly lit. The pain was gone too. There wasn¡¯t a trace of the black sphere, not even a glass shard or dust. Instead, a new set of cracks had marred the stone of the dais like a white starburst. A delicate white statue slumped in the center. ¡°As I¡¯ve said.¡± A voice chirped. The statue stood up in a flutter of wings and dusted itself off. It adjusted the oversized crown over his pointy ears before deciding to throw it off the altar, clinking on each step. ¡°Even a trained monkey could complete the quest.¡± Kai stared at the palm-sized fairy, trying to reconnect the thundering voice to its acute chirping. ¡°Is this your true form?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be an idiot, human. A vessel is just a means for gods to exert their power on the material realm, though it also makes them vulnerable. This one was a trap to mock and imprison me.¡± Zervathi glared at its tiny body and burst into manic laughter. ¡°Those fools thought they could imprison me for eternity. They didn¡¯t even predict that by sealing the Hidden Sanctuary, the mana density on my archipelago would fall, causing their enchantments to fail.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Kai slowly retreated. The portal still hung across the chamber, showing the underground on the other side. He was glad it all worked out, but he¡¯d rather get away from the unhinged doll. ¡°If you would give me my blessing I would get going.¡± ¡°Just summon your Guide.¡± The fairy scoffed. Ding New Feat: Intrepid Explorer - As the first sapient to find the entrance to the Hidden Sanctuary after eight millennia. You are awarded: +10 Favor! Kai gawked at the number. That was the notification he had pushed aside earlier. If his accidental prize was this high, he couldn¡¯t wait to see the main course. Ding Congratulations! You¡¯ve fulfilled your end of the bargain with the god of the Hidden Sanctuary, Zervathi! As reward for your efforts, Zervathi shall endeavor to not intentionally harm any human for one hundred years unless first threatened and grant you with the strongest Blessing of your choosing he may bestow. Finally. ¡°I would like another boost to my Space affinity, and what else did you say you could¡ª¡± Ding The god of the Hidden Sanctuary, Zervathi, has bestowed a blessing upon you to repay your clumsy efforts! You are awarded: +2 Favor! ¡°That¡¯s not what I asked.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not very sharp, are you?¡± The fairy studied his dainty hand as if he could wish it away by staring hard enough. ¡°You see, I¡¯m a little short on divine power after my imprisonment. That¡¯s the best blessing I¡¯m currently able to bestow as per our agreement.¡± What! You little¡ª Zervathi waved him off. ¡°You may go ahead and spread the glory of my coming. Just leave my divine shard behind before you walk out.¡± He had risked death more times than he cared to remember and gotten entangled with the Republic all for two measly points. Receiving Intrepid Explorer was the only thing that kept his simmering rage in check. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a god of Truth? You cheated me!¡± Kai clenched his fist. ¡°Lies aren¡¯t part of my domain.¡± The fairy sneered, shaking his head. ¡°If you¡¯re so ignorant to have made false assumptions, you have only yourself to blame. You should be grateful to have received the honor of aiding me. The first blessing was already plenty. Now give me my shard before I lose my patience.¡± Hallowed Intuition had stayed silent since he had crossed the portal. Faced with the slew of esoteric enchantments, the yellow skill must have reached its limit. Though it had shown no reaction even after Zervathi had destroyed most of the runes with his emergence. Hmm¡­ The god probably wanted to exhaust his powers before blessing him. The same reason why he only asked for the divine shard now. Kai would bet the artifact could be salvaged for power, or some other godly shenanigan. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think I will.¡± Kai marched towards the portal. ¡°I order you to stop right now! Wait!¡± The fairy buzzed in front of his face with an irate expression. ¡°Why?¡± Kai calmly smiled. ¡°What are you going to do if I don¡¯t? Smite me?¡± ¡°You dare anger a god?¡± Kai strolled around the annoying bug. ¡°You can¡¯t do anything, right? You said you¡¯re out of divine juice, and the bargain forbids you from harming humans anyway.¡± ¡°You, insolent monkey! That¡¯s only valid for a century.¡± The fairy gave a slightly unhinged laugh. ¡°What¡¯s a hundred years after spending millennia imprisoned? I¡¯m immortal, I can wait for as long as it shall be necessary.¡± I should have asked for a longer grace period, though a hundred years should be enough to find a solution¡­ ¡°Huh,¡± Kai scratched his brow with the shard, no doubt the nosy god was still reading his surface thoughts. ¡°Guess we¡¯ll see each other in a century then. Good luck recovering without your magic rock.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Zervathi cried again, buzzing before him with his arms crossed. ¡°What do you want in exchange for that shard?¡± ¡°For you to stop the beast attacks on the archipelago and a better blessing when you¡¯ve recovered.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a ridiculous price just to save me a short decade of toil.¡± The fairy sneered with a smirk. ¡°And remember I can¡¯t lie.¡± Damn, bug. ¡°Then just stop the beasts from crossing.¡± The shackles that imprisoned Zervathi were the same that sealed the Sanctuary. No one could predict the consequences of freeing the god. If a single beast as powerful as the basilisk were released, it could turn into a massacre. There could be hundreds or more other beasts. No way he¡¯d trust the Republic to handle it. The fairy pouted. ¡°That¡¯s still too much.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you the god of the Hidden Sanctuary? That should be easy for you.¡± ¡°At the peak of my power, you¡¯d be correct. It would hardly require a thought. But as we both now know, I¡¯m quite powerless in this state.¡± Zervathi gestured to his fluttering body with a scowl. ¡°Doing what you ask would consume almost all the power contained in that shard, I¡¯d be left no better off.¡± Kai chewed his cheek. ¡°So you can¡¯t stop the beast attacks?¡± ¡°Mhmm¡­ I didn¡¯t say that. I would be able to do it if I could spare my energies somewhere else.¡± The fairy chuckled darkly, pointing at the portal. ¡°Carrying a being unharmed across dimensions is taxing. I¡¯ve kept enough for a single trip since leaving you here would break our bargain. However, if you agreed to remain, I could use that power to save the archipelago.¡± ¡°You want me to freeze to death in this chamber?¡± Kai was willing to forgo his rewards and risk his life to keep the islands and his family safe, but certain death¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, humman. I¡¯m not that cruel.¡± Zervathi smiled, showing a row of pointy teeth. ¡°I shall open a way out of here. The rest will be up to you. I can assure you there are other ways to leave the Hidden Sanctuary.¡± ¡°I¡ª What chances would you give me to find them?¡± Disappearing would solve his troubles with the Republic. He would also bet his life again for the sake of the archipelago. ¡°Hmm¡­ Have you such little faith in your abilities, child?¡± I¡¯m not a fucking child. ¡°That¡¯s not an answer.¡± Kai stepped closer to the portal. ¡°I admit, you¡¯ll probably die. But don¡¯t you want the chance to prove me wrong?¡± ¡°Not particularly. For all I know, you could open an exit into the den of another basilisk.¡± ¡°Fine, I shall sweeten the deal.¡± Zervathi counted on his dainty fingers. ¡°I¡¯ll ensure your safety out of this temple, and you may seek my help three times after. As long as your wishes don¡¯t require more than a third of the power I¡¯ve regained, I shall grant them. Take it or leave it, this is the best deal you¡¯re going to get, child. You have my word.¡± You sneaky¡­ Once more truth turned against him. The open-ended nature of the bargain would grant him a lot of flexibility, though the trick was also obvious: the longer he waited the greater the reward. During the first months, he¡¯d be on his own or be forced to waste his requests with little value. ¡°I can pick any reward if you¡¯ve regained enough power?¡± "I meant what I said.¡± The fairy enounced with condescending slowness. ¡°Before you leave the Hidden Sanctuary, you may beseech me for anything within the established constraints." ¡°Hmm¡­ Can you help me contact my family first?¡± ¡°No. They don¡¯t know my name and I¡¯ve never met them. Keeping the portal open is already draining me. You have thirty seconds to decide before I¡¯ll be too weak to send you back and the bargain is off.¡± The damn bug knew how to push his limits. If he had to decide between his family¡¯s safety and their peace of mind, he¡¯d choose the first. He had always been good at surviving. Glaring at the fairy, Kai offered him the shard. ¡°You¡¯ve got yourself a deal.¡± Chapter 232 - Epilogue Chapter 232 - Epilogue Seryne forced her palms to lay still on her legs. She had been sitting in the empty hallway for the better part of an hour. Being the one waiting to be summoned was a strange sensation, and not one she enjoyed. Crimson Moon lend me your strength. A clerk with a thin goatee opened the door. ¡°Captain Seryne?¡± He read from his clipboard with a disdainful smile¡ªas if he didn¡¯t remember her name. ¡°The general will receive you now.¡± How dare he treat me this way. Keeping a calm expression, she stood up as Sergeant Makyn walked out the office. The soldier disappeared down the corridor with a terse nod. After everything she had done for him, he didn¡¯t even greet her properly. I should have left him to rot pushing papers. He let that damn kid escape and made everything go downhill. The sneering clerk went to sift through a pile of documents without giving her another glance. It was all a ruse. The lowlife must be reveling in her humiliation. Captain Seryne wouldn¡¯t give him the satisfaction of seeing her squirm. She kept a dignified poise as she approached the oak door. To think she had been ordered to wait outside the secretary¡¯s office, her mother must have been very displeased. Mother will understand I¡¯m not the one to blame. She dried her sweaty palms on the pants of her uniform and took a slow breath to calm her racing heart. Everything was fine, the general would see reason. It wasn¡¯t her fault that she was surrounded by incompetent morons. With an appropriately repentant expression, Seryne stepped inside. The office was starker than she remembered. The garish trophies the local commander displayed had been replaced with six standards¡ªone more than she remembered. The bright heraldry stained with blood, each belonged to an army her mother had defeated. Thump! Her attention snapped to the stately woman behind the desk, deciding the fate of thousands with the stamp of her seal. The decorated blue uniform couldn¡¯t hide the square shoulders and muscled arms. Though she was more than twice her age, not a wrinkle showed on her handsome face. The general had never forgiven her for taking an administrative profession. Seryne never understood the appeal of risking her life on the frontline like the daughter of some farmers. Her talents were better suited to a command position, where her mind could shine. ¡°Mother, I¡ª¡± ¡°Sit.¡± She didn¡¯t raise her voice, halt her work or look up, but the word fell with the power of an avalanche. Aryanne hurried to do as instructed, mother never liked to repeat herself. ¡°How many times do I have to tell you, it¡¯s General Seryne when I¡¯m in uniform?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. Just stop disappointing me.¡± She finished signing the documents with a sigh and turned her dark blue eyes on her. ¡°The stunt you pulled will make me the punchline of the northern front.¡± ¡°M¡ª ma¡¯am, no one will laugh when we find the hidden realm.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve brought two Space warpers in the fourth circle. Do you have any idea how much they cost? Neither could find conclusive evidence of a lesser dimension behind the spatial distortion.¡± The general poured herself a cup of amber liquor smelling of fiery spices. The drink burned with enough Fire mana to charr the insides of anyone below Yellow, though her mother downed it like water. ¡°Not a single beast appeared since our arrival. Even your so-called ¡®summoning chambers¡¯ brought no result.¡± Aryanne scratched at the cuticles of her fingers. ¡°That¡¯s impossible, I know what I saw. The extinct species, the ancient enchantments and the portal to another place. A realm is the only logical explanation.¡± ¡°Stop dreaming. There is no lesser dimension hidden on the Baquaire Archipelago.¡± Mother nailed her with a hard gaze. She took out an anti-spy construct from her ruby amulet. A dozen layers of protection sprung around them against eavesdropping, scrying and divination. That device alone could buy a small ship, not to mention the spatial artifact, awarded by the consul in person for her service. ¡°That will be the only story you¡¯ll speak of outside this room.¡± ¡°What do you mean, mother?¡± ¡°Blessed Moons, use your brain and stop embarrassing yourself. What are the possibilities if the mages didn¡¯t find anything?¡± Aryanne bit her lip, speaking slowly not to stutter. ¡°Either there is nothing or¡­ someone has hidden it from us. But that would require a colossal effort. There is no way¡ª¡± The general gave her a look full of scorn. ¡°The evidence indeed points to a lesser dimension, enough to warrant preparations. The neighboring kingdoms can¡¯t mobilize the necessary resources to seal a dimension without alerting our informants. A force from the heartlands might, but they would just demand we hand over the archipelago. Given the timing, we can also exclude a natural phenomenon. That means we are dealing with either some ancient safeguard or a powerful sentient entity.¡± ¡°How¡ª¡± Aryanne stopped herself to digest the information. ¡°The enchantments we found were already crumbling. To seal a dimension would require a powerful spirit or demon. The Moons would never allow an outer divinity to intrude, and none of the local divinities have any affinity for Space.¡± ¡°Your thinking is too limited. This entity might belong to the lesser realm or the Void, but the details don''t concern you.¡± The general scowled. ¡°Do you know the only thing worse than mobilizing the army for nothing?¡± Aryanne lowered her gaze, knowing her mother expected no answer from her. ¡°It¡¯s having the prize stolen right under your nose. The Merian Republic would become the laughingstock of the continent. And be certain that if you make us look weak to our neighbors, it will be your head on the chopping block. And I don¡¯t mean metaphorically.¡± This couldn¡¯t be happening to her. She didn¡¯t deserve this. She had done nothing wrong. ¡°Mother, how could I predict¡ª¡± A pressure choked the words in her throat. Aryanne was too scared to even breathe. For a second, she thought she was about to get slapped like a child, then the general retracted her aura. ¡°I won¡¯t tolerate any more excuses. Now, tell me how you allowed this whole situation to degenerate.¡± ¡°I¡ª It was¡ª¡± ¡°Speak clearly, you aren¡¯t a child anymore.¡± Aryanne gulped, her mind racing for someone else to take the blame. ¡°It was Kai Tylenn who sabotaged the expedition. He has probably been working for a foreign power from the start.¡± This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°You¡¯re blaming a kid? One with only a red profession and no connection outside his masters. I¡¯ve ordered a scryer to look into him, his fate led nowhere. At most, he was the pawn in someone else¡¯s game and he¡¯s now dead in some ditch.¡± He had a profession? ¡°I¡ª Sergeant Makyn. There is no way the kid would have escaped if he had done his job properly.¡± It was just a passing suspicion, but the man deserved to be punished anyway. ¡°The soldier has already been interrogated by a truthteller. While he admitted some sympathy for the boy, he followed your orders to the letter and checked the manacles to ensure the kid couldn¡¯t escape.¡± The general poured another cup of amber liquor, then pulled out a classified folder from a drawer. ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± Hoping the general wouldn¡¯t notice her hands shaking, Aryanne quickly skimmed through the familiar pages. ¡°It¡¯s a report on the spatial readings inside the Veeryd site, the last one I compiled.¡± ¡°Then tell me why it was left in the ruins. Specifically, in the room belonging to Sergeant Vert. My team found evident signs of an Earth shaper and what must be the basilisk¡¯s carcass.¡± Her presence hung heavier with each word. ¡°It¡¯s clear you had no idea what was going on under your watch. If you weren¡¯t my blood, I¡¯d have you executed for this level of incompetence.¡± No, no, no. Why couldn¡¯t she see it wasn¡¯t her fault? ¡°Mother¡ª¡± The general slammed her fist on the table. ¡°Another word and you¡¯ll be sifting reports for the next fifty years. The commander of the local garrison will be executed for this embarrassment since he put you in charge. You¡¯ll receive a note of demerit and be demoted to a petty officer.¡± After destroying any prospects of a future career, the general dismissed her with a wave and went back to stamping orders. ¡°Go tell my secretary you¡¯ll be working under him. I need to find out who sabotaged us. For your sake, I hope they¡¯re equally stumped by the dimension sealing.¡± ~ ~ ~ Dark clouds crowded the horizon, the subtle smell of a storm brewing was carried by the winds. Lou walked the paved roads of Higharbor to the outer city. For all the vexing restrictions binding him, the oath also brought advantages. The knowledge and resources to obtain his rare profession were the most obvious, but there were more subtle gains too. I vow to serve the office of the governor, the high council of Higharbor, and the Baquaire Archipelago as a territory of the Merian Republic¡­ The deal had been born from a compromise not sanctioned by official channels. There were five pages just to establish the hierarchy of command and exceptions he had to follow. Lou hadn¡¯t entirely understood the implications when he signed it at twelve. It engraved loyalty onto his soul beyond question, the wording was unbreakable when he was following a direct order. When multiple factions of the Republic bickered and he was left to his own devices, the waters got muddier. His involvement had been easily dismissed. He was free to go with the order not to mention the Vastaire¡¯s investigation again. While the exchange wasn¡¯t equal, the governor had also bound himself with more than the words of the contract. Neither party would gain anything from exposing their deal. The only way the governor would allow the military to interrogate him was as a corpse. Lou was under no illusion; he would be made to disappear if he became a liability. Lady Cressida wasn¡¯t someone to be weighed down by past investments if they lost their usefulness. Cursed spirits! Why didn¡¯t I stay? Guilt grappled him, a small part of him had hoped he would be discovered and punished. He should have never let Kai out of his sight. When he found no message at their agreed meeting point, he thought it was a temporary delay, an unforeseen holdup. With each passing day, the logical solution festered in his mind. For all his reckless behavior, Kai wouldn¡¯t disappear without a sign. Was he simply stuck somewhere, unable or too scared to send a message? His feeble hopes crumbled when Valela brought him the news: the military had used some arcane way to establish that Kai was dead. Why couldn''t you stay out of trouble¡­ Had Kai known death was likely when he smiled and sent him away? Or had he merely bitten off more than he could chew? If he had truly gotten involved with the Spirits, a myriad of things could have gone wrong. Though it couldn¡¯t be a coincidence that the beast attacks had stopped on the same day. I¡¯m sorry¡­ He had sworn to himself he would protect him, and still failed. Lou stopped in front of a wooden house reminiscent of a time before the Republic. An old building for the standards of Higharbor, still kept in good condition. Privacy enchantments adorned the facade. Not something that people in this neighborhood could commonly afford. It had taken a while to track Flynn down, the teen had disappeared after Kai had been recruited. He had visited half the pubs in the city before he found someone who recognized the name and was willing to sell him the address for a price. Lou had never known what to make of Flynn. The boy was easygoing and had also frequented the scholarship program where he fared quite decently. It was unusual he hadn¡¯t looked for employment in the Republic, though it was hardly a unique case. Still, there was just something about him that told Lou to stay vigilant. Whatever his personal impressions were, Flynn was the only friend Kai had outside their old group. Valela had insisted on personally meeting Kai¡¯s family to deliver the news. He was ashamed of his relief at not having to face them. The least he could do was inform Flynn. Steeling his resolve, Lou knocked. The door opened almost immediately as if Flynn had been waiting on the other side. ¡°Lou?¡± Flynn gave him a once over, pulling back his messy hair. A bright smile flashed on his face. ¡°I should have known it was you when they told me a big menacing guy was looking for me.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know how else to contact you.¡± Lou stared at his feet, not missing the glint of the knife that disappeared up his sleeve. ¡°I needed to talk to you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Flynn leaned with an arm on the doorway. ¡°Sorry if I don¡¯t invite you inside. I¡¯ve just moved in, and this place is still a mess. I should have known. They looked too eager when I asked to rent it.¡± He deserves to know. Lou forced himself to meet the mischievous green eyes. ¡°Kai¡¯s dead.¡± It was the first time he said it out loud. His eyes stung, forcing him to blink and avert his gaze. ¡°What?¡± The smile froze on Flynn¡¯s lips. ¡°Kai¡¯s dead,¡± Lou repeated, the meaning sinking in with the weight of a boulder. He couldn¡¯t deny the facts any longer. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I wish I could explain more¡ª¡± ¡°Were you there when he died?¡± Flynn stared at him unblinking. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Have you seen the body?¡± ¡°No, but¡ª¡± Flynn held up a hand to stop him. ¡°Trust me. I don¡¯t know how, but he¡¯ll come back.¡± He regained his grin. Lou slammed his hand on the door before it could shut. The contract was compelling him to silence, but he squeezed between the cracks. ¡°You don¡¯t know what happened. There is no way he could have survived.¡± ¡°And you don¡¯t know Kai like I do.¡± Flynn snorted up with a furious glare. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t die without letting the world know. It was nice seeing you again. I need to go. Bye.¡± The door closed under Lou¡¯s slack-jawed stare. ~ ~ ~ A little part of her died when Valela saw the light dim in Alana¡¯s eyes. ¡°How?¡± The woman grabbed her hand over the kitchen table with a Strength that defied her grade. ¡°There was an accident during the expedition. Kai was ambushed by a beast. I¡¯m sorry, he died before the soldiers could get to him. Though I didn¡¯t know him for long, he was an incredible person. I¡¯m sure he will be welcomed among the ranks of the ancestors.¡± Valela delivered the official story, fighting to keep her voice steady. That was the only way she had been allowed to communicate the news. The truth was much worse. She had no idea what happened, too busy dealing with the ramifications of the lesser realm he had revealed. Why are the Spirits so unfair? The worst part was that even if she could go back, she would have made the same decision. The hidden realm radically altered the future of the archipelago, from a forgotten rock to a strategic location. No matter how much she loathed herself, the fate of her people overshadowed her or any other individual. They¡¯d need to tread carefully if they ever wanted to see the rule of the islands in the hands of a native. There remained a smidgen of hope because no one had found a way to access the lesser dimension, and the beast attacks had ceased. ¡°Are you¡ª¡± A beautiful young woman with pearl earrings tried to hold back her tears, dabbing her cheeks with a handkerchief. Her face puffy as she tried to find her voice, ¡°Are you certain he¡¯s dead?¡± ¡°I saw the body. He was beyond the skill of any mortal healer.¡± That was a break from the official story, but she couldn¡¯t let them hang on to false hopes. Hopefully, this would help them find closure. ¡°If it¡¯s of any comfort, it looked like he had died on the spot. He didn¡¯t suffer.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± A girl around her age screamed. She had a pixie cut and a fiery look that said she would have leaped at her if a burly man didn¡¯t hold her back. ¡°Let me go. Now!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not her fault, Kea.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a liar!¡± She elbowed her way free and stormed out of the room, slamming the door. A baby started crying in the background, prompting the older sister to get up with a lost look. The man moved to console Alana, who was sobbing in the chair. Moui, if Valela remembered correctly. She had rushed here so quickly that she hadn¡¯t had time to check their names. ¡°What grade was it?¡± He regarded her with a somber look. Her brows furrowed. ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°What grade was the beast that ambushed Kai.¡± Valela shouldn¡¯t have been aware of the details, but she had already gone off script and told them she had been present. Breaking the rules one more time wouldn¡¯t matter. ¡°It was a peak Orange drake near the Heart.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Moui nodded, whispering soothing words to Alana. ¡°Thank you for informing us personally. I know you didn¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Understanding she was being dismissed, Valela took out an envelope. Gold couldn¡¯t bring their son back, but it could relieve the problems of the living. For now, that was all she could do. ¡°Please, contact me if you need anything.¡± ~ ~ ~ About two years later. Inside the chamber of a forgotten ruin, an iridescent portal bubbled into existence. A ragged young man leaped out, landing in a crouch. His gray eyes studied the room, a white crystal sword in his grip. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª End of Book 3 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chapter 233 - Chase Chapter 233 - Chase A cloudy cloak draped over the moons, leaving only the cold crystal lamps to illuminate the streets of Higharbor. Beyond the shops and stalls of Ring Road, voices and bodies grew sparse. Flynn stole a glance over his shoulder. A band of drunken sailors sang a lewd shanty about the three sirens, while a woman smoked a pipe on a balcony two floors up. None of his perception skills detected suspicious individuals, but he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling he was being followed. That merchant has made me paranoid. What should have been a done deal had turned into an hours-long argument. Somehow the oily guy had found out the black market price of cloaking spheres and wanted to renegotiate. As if the Free Brothers or the Spirits¡¯ Hand would trust a foreign merchant; not even private buyers would step into the same building as him without a trusted intermediary. Why did I trust Nem again? His tips always bring more trouble than they¡¯re worth. The demand for privacy wards had soared with the Republic''s stifling presence. Restricted goods skirted the line of legality. The wealthy and powerful didn¡¯t like being told what they weren¡¯t allowed to have, so possession of lower-tiered items wasn¡¯t a crime¡ªtrafficking, however, was another matter. Punishment ranged from a hefty fine to a one-way trip to the executioner¡¯s block. Flynn had sworn not to deal with anything that dangerous¡ªand had kept his oath as far as he knew. If possible, he wouldn''t touch the goods. His talent was in connecting buyers and sellers for a fee, and most people understood they paid for quality and discretion. I should have known no reliable merchant delays a meeting twice. Some people wouldn¡¯t believe that jellyfish stung till they touched one. A few fruitless days without a buyer would do more to convince that guy than a divine revelation. Hopefully, the greedy fool would learn before Flynn left Higharbor. A gold or two wasn¡¯t worth missing Kien¡¯s birthday. The faint crunching of gravel under a boot echoed from the street behind him, causing Hunch to flare. Flynn Dashed into the alleyway, running through a series of winding turns without looking back. Keen Perception helped him discern a slew of information from how someone walked. Were they arrogant, confident, or uncertain? He¡¯d need to observe them to form a complete picture, but the sound of a stalker¡¯s steps was pretty distinct. The muffled movement of someone holding back their weight. If it were an innocuous passerby, Flynn should have heard them coming from a mile away instead of appearing out of nowhere. Moving on gravel was a beginner''s mistake, though Hunch told him otherwise. Did they do it on purpose to lure me out? A year ago, he would have turned to face the pursuer, but the scar on his back had stripped him of that arrogance. Since the Republic had covertly doubled its investments in the archipelago, crime became scarcer, and a lot more dangerous. Even unparalleled talent and greatness had their limits if he ran into a rogue with double his attributes. As ol¡¯ Nasi says: better to exceed in cautiousness, than to meet a fool¡¯s death. From the paved roads of the upper city to the maze of meandering dirt alleys of the outer circle, Higharbor held no more secrets than the hilt of his serpent dagger. His job was to get to know people and places. New faces stuck out, he could safely find out who was after him in the morning, if he cashed in a few favors. A hint of violet shone through the cloudy sky where the Wandering Moon peeked through. He stopped in the nook between two houses to listen. The caw of seagulls, a married couple arguing over who last washed the dishes, the cheery ruckus of a tavern. Five minutes passed without any sign of his pursuer. Tension faded away. Flynn slipped his knives back into their sheaths under his clothes and headed home. Perhaps the danger wasn¡¯t the stalker but their employer. He had always stayed away from the Republic¡¯s shady affairs and the true criminals. And despite his greed and oily smile, the merchant hadn¡¯t seemed the type to hire thugs to threaten him. He rarely misjudged humans. I guess there is a first time for¡ª The soft drumming just behind the corner sent his instincts flaring. His gut had been right, if the stalker managed to follow him, he must be dangerous. Why did he alert me again? What game is he playing? His hands rose to his throwing daggers before Hunch told him that would be a bad idea. Flynn resisted the temptation to exert Mana Sense over his pursuer. If he was forced into a confrontation, the less information he revealed about his skills, the better. The stranger wasn¡¯t the only one holding back. Flynn darted into a closed alley and kicked off the wall to climb over the roof of a dingy house. Out of sight, he melded into Shadow and raced a meandering path through the fishing district as quickly as he could keep up his stealth. Damn Nem, I¡¯m going to punch your handsome face next time I see you. He ran circles around the outer city to the Merry Gale. Lowering his cloak, he wove through the crowd of tipsy customers for a familiar barmaid. Marleen carried a tray of cheap beers with her trademark grin, exotic red hair fell in pretty locks to her bosom. ¡°Can you keep an eye out for me?¡± Suspicion melted into a blooming smile as she recognized him. ¡°Sure. Why don¡¯t you stay for a drink? If anyone¡¯s giving you trouble, the boys can take care of it.¡± Marleen gestured to a group of rowdy young men, downing ale like water. She grasped the situation on the fly without judgment or questions. That¡¯s why he had always liked her. For a while, he thought it might be love, but they would end up a disaster living under the same roof. If only he had understood that a little earlier like she did, he could have spared himself a lot of heartache¡­ Flynn repaid the beaming expression. ¡°Maybe next time. Just Sketch them down and keep away. They might be dangerous.¡± He slipped towards the backdoor. ¡°Thank you for the help, Marly. I owe you one.¡± ¡°You sure do.¡± She winked. ¡°I¡¯ll add it to your tab.¡± For Yatei¡¯s sake, don¡¯t blush! Flynn pinched himself to free his mind from stupid thoughts. Back into the labyrinthine alleys, he ran half a mile concealed in Shadow before halting to listen. Ten minutes, still nothing. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. What a shitty night. He should be relaxing on his couch with a full stomach, not perched on a shingle over a stinking alley. Someone was also going to have a bad day when he discovered who was behind this. Flynn ran and waited twice more to be certain he had shaken off his pursuer. Or was there more than one? Unless the governor himself was after him, he should be safe. Hunch gave him no warning when he headed back to his neighborhood. Flynn took one last winding path. He would find out who was messing with him, but he always had his best ideas on a full stomach, and he was famished. The stink of fish and humans waned to the crisp azul trees as he walked into the residential district. When he had bought the house, the area was barely outside the slums. As the city expanded, the neighborhood started to house the booming middle class. Freshly painted houses sprouted in ranks, noisy families moved in, and the streets got paved with lamplights at each corner. He had thought of moving, but the pedestrian community offered a new kind of anonymity and more pleasant company. Not to mention his building had tripled in value. One of his best investments without even trying. True genius can¡¯t be hidden¡­ A kid with one front tooth missing stood in front of him, two more little terrors chuckled behind the brat. Large deadly eyes that could melt any enforcer¡¯s heart pointed up at him. ¡°Can you play with us, Finn? We need someone to be the evil troll.¡± Uh, he sure practiced a lot¡­ Hard work should be rewarded. Flynn crouched on one knee, wishing for nothing more than a meal and his bed. ¡°Do you even know what a troll is?¡± He only had a vague idea himself, but as an adult, he could feign omniscience. ¡°Ehm¡­¡± Nimmy looked at his little companions for help and scratched his head. ¡°An ugly evil monster. It eats people and it¡¯s big like you.¡± He raised his arms to show he was perfect for the role. You little brat. ¡°C¡¯mon, kids.¡± A stout woman came to his rescue with a patient smile. ¡°Flynn must have had a long day. Let him rest. It¡¯s time you go to sleep.¡± Nimmy turned his pleading eyes at her. ¡°But Ma¡¯¡ª¡± ¡°No buts.¡± Her warmth turned to steel. ¡°It¡¯s already late. And who taught you to make that look? Are these the skills they teach you at school?¡± ¡°They told us we must practice every day to raise our levels.¡± Nimmy articulated with a proud look. ¡°Did they¡­?¡± His mother nodded. ¡°Then maybe you should practice Cleaning Your Room more often.¡± Pride withered to horror, his little friends exchanged a look and disappeared into their homes. ¡°That¡¯s not fair!¡± ¡°It¡¯s time to be brave.¡± Flynn ruffled his hair and slipped in the kid¡¯s pocket one of the sweets he had bought in the upper city for Kien. His mother played along, feigning ignorance. ¡°I¡¯ll play with you on my next day off.¡± Flynn walked the last steps to his house. He disabled two metal locks, three mana wards and closed the door behind him. In over two years of business, he had kept the best enchantments for himself. Within the walls of his house, not even a Fate scryer would be able to spy on him. The ship tickets and a jar of copper mesars were on the kitchen counter where he left them that morning. He did one last check of the other warning wires covering every window and the stash below his bathroom tiles. Everything was in its place. A relieved breath escaped his lips. Kicking off his shoes, he crashed on the couch and unbuckled all his knives except for five to be more comfortable. He really needed a vacation. Between the Republic¡¯s shady movements and the new bands of thugs, Higharbor was becoming stressful. The excitement of living in the capital had long faded as he conquered every reasonable challenge Higharbor had to offer. He wanted to check the wild stories of the frozen peaks from where you couldn¡¯t spot a hint of sea, and the so-called metropolis on the mainland. The sailors were definitely lying about the size. I can¡¯t leave yet¡­ Maybe I can prolong my trip, they always ask me to stay longer anyway. His stomach grumbled, reminding him he still had to eat. With a groan, Flynn stood up and lit his stove. He looked in his cold box and took out the few ingredients remaining. He quickly sliced some vegetables and fileted a redfin bass. Turning to grab a pinch of salt, Flynn furrowed his brows at the chopping board. He was pretty sure he had cut the fish into four pieces, not three. Then again, he hadn¡¯t been paying too much attention. He yawned and scratched his nose on his wrist. I should sleep more¡­ He threw the sliced vegetables into a pan. When he turned back to finish preparing his bass, a pair of violet eyes stared back at him. ¡°Meow.¡± A cat with lustrous silver fur sat on his kitchen counter, observing him with idle curiosity. What the fuck! Flynn jolted back, hitting his leg on the corner of the table. Biting back a curse, he raised his kitchen knives to defend himself. Hunch didn¡¯t offer any advice. The skill worked best with sapient races, but it would offer some sign if his life was in danger. The majestic feline licked its paw and declared him unworthy of its attention with a lazy meow. It nibbled on another piece of fish. I didn¡¯t eat or drink anything the merchant offered. I would have realized if someone drugged me. His senses were sharp as always and his mana flow showed no alteration. He wasn¡¯t hexed, and he definitely wasn¡¯t dreaming. A silver cat stood in his kitchen and ate his dinner as if he wasn¡¯t standing there. It must have slipped inside when I checked the windows. That¡¯s it! I¡¯m just too tired. While it was strange he hadn¡¯t noticed, people always told of odd things happening when the Lost Sister hung in the sky. He had often laughed at such absurd stories. Maybe the spirits were messing with him in retaliation. ¡°How did you get in here?¡± Flynn cautiously approached the counter, showing his open palms. Lightning Magic would serve him as well as any blade. ¡°You¡¯re not going to bite me, are you?¡± The cat didn¡¯t hiss or raise its silver coat, continuing to watch him with aloof condescension. Flynn took it as a promising sign, he rested his hand before its whiskers waiting to be touched first. After some tense seconds, the cat lifted its head to lick his fingers. ¡°Meow.¡± It rubbed its neck on his arm, showing its fur was as soft as it looked. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll forgive you for stealing my dinner.¡± Flynn scratched behind its ear, eliciting a satisfied purr. ¡°But you still owe me an explanation. How did you get in here?¡± A sharp knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. He wasn¡¯t expecting anybody. ¡°You just stay¡ª¡± The feline had disappeared. ~~~ Kai had hoped the looks would stop after he bought normal clothes, but passersby kept being rude. ¡°People really have no manners.¡± The woman in that tavern had stared daggers at his back just for asking directions. Now, a kid was eyeing him from a window like he was some kind of attraction. Huh? A single glance sent the toothless brat scrambling back in fright. Higharbor had changed more than he expected, and not for the better it seemed. What am I doing wrong? He had been wandering for the better part of two hours. Admittedly, this wasn¡¯t the best plan he had ever devised: aimlessly strolling through the city following Hallowed Intuition. Despite its last specialization, the skill remained finicky as ever to use outside of combat. He had only trained it looking for shelter and treasures inside the Sanctuary. It was the first time he used it to track a person. The whispers had led him in random loops throughout the entire outer city. He only persisted because he shouldn¡¯t have heard anything if there wasn¡¯t someone with a strong bond with him somewhere close. Unless I misinterpreted the description¡­ No, it doesn¡¯t make sense¡­ The portal had opened in a submerged ruin off the coast of Kawei. Zervathi had left him stranded in an air bubble, several meters below sea level, though swimming to shore had been quite pleasant without the fear of abyssal sea monsters ripping him to shreds. All the ships he had found in Eastwin headed for the capital. And unless inflation had run rampant while he was away, the only captain who hadn¡¯t turned him away, fleeced him. ¡°People have lost any sense of shame.¡± He shook his head. ¡°If this is a bust too, I¡¯ll look for a place to stay and leave in the morning. Hmm¡­ I should probably stop talking to myself.¡± Inside the Sanctuary, it had been a way to retain his fluency for when he escaped, or maybe just his sanity. Losing the habit had proved harder than he expected. ¡°Who cares? People are staring anyway.¡± Kai stopped in front of a two-story house. The white walls and blue overlays of the windows were a common aesthetic choice if a little anonymous. ¡°What a mess of runes¡­ it¡¯s definitely not Valela. And Lou should have better taste.¡± It hurt his soul to see such an assortment of random cloaking enchantments and wards. Like a kid who thought more was always better and poured his collection of watercolors on the white canvas. Sure, most of the runeworks weren¡¯t much themselves, but even the most incompetent enchanter didn¡¯t deserve to have their work disgraced to this extent. I almost hope Hallowed Intuition is wrong. But no. The whispers definitely told him that was the house. ¡°Well, there is only one way to find out.¡± Kai strode closer and knocked. Counting till ten with no response, he knocked again. ¡°Hey, I can tell there is someone in here. Open up.¡± So rude. He was about to shatter the puny magic on the lock for being an eyesore when the door finally opened. ¡°Flynn?¡± Kai looked up at the young man before him. He was still the same kid he had met years prior, besides the failed attempt at stubble and the obnoxiously tall lanky frame. ¡°Damn, I was sure I had caught up with you.¡± The young man chuckled with a lopsided grin. ¡°I should have known that strangeness and you always travel in company. Dinner¡¯s almost ready.¡± He walked back inside, leaving the door open. Well¡­ Nice to know I was missed. Kai stepped inside. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you t¡ª¡± Flynn suddenly stopped still. ¡°You¡¯re late. You said you¡¯d be fine.¡± His shoulders were shaking, though he didn¡¯t turn to face him. ¡°It has been two years.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know. I ran into some¡­ complications. It¡¯s a long sto¡ª¡± The words choked in his throat when two glassy green eyes met his gaze. Flynn threw his arms around him. ¡°I told them you¡¯d be back.¡± His voice cracked, and Kai could feel Flynn trembling against his shoulder. "I missed you too." Kai returned the hug. Chapter 234 - Just Kidding Chapter 234 - Just Kidding That went better than expected. A rhythmic tapping sounded from the kitchen. Kai sat on the couch, trying to ignore the gaze fixed on him. ¡°I¡¯m not going to disappear if you blink.¡± ¡°Sorry, I had a weird day¡­¡± Flynn turned to his minced onion. ¡°It¡¯s still strange seeing you here, in my house.¡± ¡°All good. I can¡¯t fault you after vanishing into the Hidden Sanctuary for two years.¡± He had been such a fool to think surviving in an unknown realm would be just another challenge. Zervathi had pressured him into an impossible decision, but it was his arrogance that made him readily accept. Kai had yet to decide whether he regretted the decision. He wasn¡¯t blind to the upsides, though he would not return even for all the gold in the Republic. His mind had already connected to the sword in his spatial closet when he caught himself. Caressing a blade for reassurance wouldn¡¯t scream mentally stable. I¡¯m safe here. No beast would attack him in the living room. For the first time in two years, Hallowed Intuition was eerily silent. Even in case of attack, the clutter of enchantments around the house would give him ample time to respond. Kai realized the chopping had stopped and Flynn was gawking at him again. What did I do now? Why do people keep staring? ¡°You mean you were trapped in a lesser dimension?¡± ¡°Oh, that. Yes.¡± Kai let his arm hang over the back of the couch. ¡°Though it¡¯s better if you don¡¯t go around telling people. The Republic was very touchy about the subject when I left. Also, I think you''re burning something.¡± He pointed to the smoke rising from the pan. Flynn snapped back to turn off the stove, muttering something under his breath. ¡°A pocket dimension¡­ I thought of it, but it seemed too far-fetched to be true. Is that why they¡¯ve been crowding around the Vastaire ruins? You now need special permission to visit any of the sites.¡± ¡°Probably. That¡¯s where the passages between the realms were built, though Zervathi isn¡¯t going to let anyone through until he recovers his power.¡± ¡°Zervathi?¡± ¡°The mighty god of the Hidden Sanctuary and annoying stuff.¡± Kai rolled his eyes with a dramatic voice. ¡°A buzzing fairy who uses the fact he can¡¯t lie to trick you into terrible deals.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not joking?¡± Flynn completely gave up on the stove to stare at him. ¡°Why would I? He¡¯s nothing special really, not for at least another couple centuries. He lost most of his power during his torturous imprisonment. He can never shut up about it.¡± Flynn warily looked around him as if he expected to be smited. ¡°I don¡¯t think you should speak like that about a god. What if he hears you?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ why don¡¯t we ask him? He¡¯s listening right now. Say hi to the old snooper.¡± Kai waved a hand through his air. Instead of chuckling, Flynn went two shades paler, leaning against the kitchen counter for balance. ¡°Hey, I was just kidding. I can tell when he¡¯s looking since he blessed me.¡± ¡°Kai. Why don¡¯t you go take a shower while I try to salvage our dinner? We can talk after we eat.¡± He pointed to a corridor with a strained smile. ¡°It¡¯s the first door on the right. You can use the clean towels on the shelf.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Hmm¡­ I thought my joke was funny. Do I need to work on my humor too? Apparently, talking to himself, beasts and minor divinities wasn¡¯t enough to stave off the rust. The people on the streets had been plain rude, but he couldn¡¯t tell what he had done wrong with Flynn. Were social interactions always so hard? I should have kept Improvisation. Kai sighed. He had been forced to abandon the skill for Space Magic during his first month. By the time he advanced to Yellow, there had been too many alluring options to pick a skill that wouldn¡¯t help him survive or escape. I just need a little training. Thankfully, I didn¡¯t meet my family first. What am I even going to tell them? Despite the thousands of reunions he had played out in his head, the thought of facing his mother and sisters filled him with fright. He¡¯d much rather face a chasm crawler in close combat than meet his mom¡¯s gaze. Perhaps I should ask Flynn¡­ He¡¯s always been good at dealing with people. No point in worrying now. Getting lost in his head had almost gotten him killed before he learned to focus on the present. The bathroom was small and clean. Glossy white tiles painted in blue geometric patterns, a fluffy carpet with a dancing crab, and most important of all, a shower installed over the tub. ¡°Spirits be blessed.¡± Kai drew a curtain over the small window and shed the cheap clothes bought in Eastwin. The runework was simple and solid, with an actual heating enchantment in place. He couldn¡¯t remember the last time he showered. Water Magic was functional to keep him clean, but it wasn¡¯t relaxing. Kai left his sea serpent sword leaning against the tub and abandoned himself to the flowing warm water. He scrubbed his body with a piece of scented soap, closing the plug to lie down. Makeshift basins and improvised fire runes couldn¡¯t replace the real thing. And not fearing an ambush in the back of his mind helped too. It¡¯ll be fine. He wished he was still small enough to let the warm water submerge him, but had to settle for his head while his legs dangled over the edge. Most of the teens I saw weren¡¯t taller than me. It¡¯s him who¡¯s grown abnormally tall¡­ A double knock woke him from his trance. ¡°Are you okay in there? Did you find everything you need?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good!¡± Kai stood upright, splashing water all around. He hurried to close the faucet, the water had already built up to the edge of the tub. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°You aren¡¯t flooding my bathroom, right¡­?¡± ¡°No!¡± He opened the plug with his toe, directing all the water with a flick of his wrist. ¡°Your crabby carpet is perfectly dry.¡± ¡°It was a gift.¡± Flynn sounded slightly defensive. ¡°They have good taste.¡± It was definitely a statement. ¡°Thanks¡­ Dinner¡¯s almost ready.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be out in a minute.¡± Every drop of water flowed off him into the tub as Kai stepped onto the dancing crab. No point wasting a towel. Smelling his clothes, he cast a sphere of soapy water and threw them in. His high Perception made scents difficult to ignore, especially on himself. It wasn¡¯t the same as a proper wash, but he had only worn them for a couple of days. He scrubbed a hand through his messy hair and looked into the mirror. His reflection peered back with the sharp clarity a bowl of water couldn¡¯t match. Tanned skin and locks bleached by the strange sunstar of the Hidden Sanctuary. A diet of mostly beast meat had turned him into a slightly buff teenager. He truly didn¡¯t understand why people kept staring. Sure, he had a few pale scars, but most were hidden underneath his shirt. His pale facial hair remained in that awkward limbo between childhood and adulthood. On a whim, he decided to shave it off with a blade of water. He had worried it would become too much of a bother to take care of when he was trapped. Water is definitely the most versatile element. Most natives in the archipelago didn¡¯t grow a full beard. He didn¡¯t remember his dad doing so either, though that might have been a choice. Minor details like that kept slipping his memories. Kai retrieved his clothes. He was about to walk out when he noticed a casket concealed beneath the bathroom tiles. The runes easily unraveled under his gaze. He had almost missed it amidst the random assortment of enchantments. That¡¯s quite a bit of gold. He must be doing well for himself. Kai strolled into the living room. The table had already been set with two plates of roasted vegetables and fish in a purple sauce. Flynn was twirling a knife between his fingers and staring at the kitchen cupboard with a deep frown. ¡°Welcome back to civilization.¡± He turned to give him a once-over. ¡°I had less stored than I remembered. It¡¯s not my finest creation, but it should be edible.¡± ¡°It looks great.¡± After being forced to eat raw meat and gnarly tubers, anything cooked was a win in his book. The zesty sauce made him moan in appreciation. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten better.¡± ¡°It¡¯s one of my skilless talents.¡± Flynn gave him a long look before glancing behind him. ¡°Wait to try something actually decent¡­¡± Did I say something weird? Kai savored every bite. ¡°How did your table manners improve after being stranded in the wild?¡± His friend chuckled. ¡°Your mom will be happy after she finishes strangling you.¡± That¡¯s¡­ something. Kai dabbed his face with a napkin and took a sip of water. ¡°It amused me to act snobbish while I ate burnt drake thighs in a cave.¡± One of the many small habits he did to keep his sanity. Flynn burst into a quick laugh before he awkwardly covered his mouth. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re not joking. How was this Hidden Sanctuary exactly? The name is nice.¡± Pretty and twice as deadly. ¡°Mhmm¡­ It¡¯s kind of like a huge island, maybe three times the size of Yanlun or so.¡± He waved his fork to paint the picture. ¡°There are a few smaller isles, but you want to stay away from the deeper waters. Most areas have mana dense enough to breed yellow beasts at maturity, though you can also find sparser pockets.¡± ¡°That sounds¡­ like a death trap.¡± ¡°Yeah, Zervathi certainly hoped so at one point. That stingy bug.¡± Kai chuckled. ¡°The first weeks were pretty rough, though it wasn¡¯t that bad afterward. Hallowed Intuition warned me about the routes to take and places to avoid, the rest simply was a matter of running fast enough to not get eaten.¡± One problem had been the giant spider guarding the resources he needed to escape. From the gaping look Flynn gave him, he decided to keep that story for another time. ¡°What about you? You must have stashed at least a dozen golds in your bathroom.¡± Kai tried to redirect the conversation towards a safe topic. Flynn¡¯s smile strained while he kept looking behind him. ¡°You looked through my things?¡± ¡°No, of course not. I just counted through the cloaking wards. Like briefly glancing as I was passing.¡± It¡¯s not the same thing, right? ¡°Those are the best wards I have. They¡¯re worth half the contents of that safe.¡± ¡°They are?¡± He had spent a significant chunk of the past two years decoding arcane enhancements from millennia ago. His mind already cracked runes before his brain caught up. ¡°I almost did miss them. They might have worked better if they were arranged properly, the person who installed¡ª Did you do it yourself¡­?¡± Why am I so bad at this? ¡°Who else would you trust to secure your house?¡± ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s not terrible for an amateur.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to lie to me.¡± Flynn grimaced. ¡°You¡¯re already being too nice, it¡¯s weirding me out.¡± ¡°I was always nice.¡± Kai stabbed a carrot with his fork. He might have just been a tad more mindful since it was their first meeting in years. His friend gave him a disbelieving stare. ¡°You were¡­ understanding if I pointed something out, usually kind where it mattered. But you were as nice as a cat thrown into the sea on most days.¡± Ouch! I remember no such thing. ¡°Not to say I actually mind it.¡± Flynn hurried to add. ¡°It¡¯s good you¡¯ve grown more than just in height.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still taller¡­¡± Kai pointed out, still a bit sour. ¡°Measuring yourself against perfection will lead to disappointment.¡± Flynn flashed his old smug grin and winked. ¡°You¡¯re the second-best thing. One day you might even reach some of my greatness. Let¡¯s say about a third, half if you follow my teachings.¡± Kai rolled his eyes with an unwilling smile, glad his friend hadn¡¯t lost his foolishness. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± While washing the dishes, they idly chatted about the changes in Higharbor. His family and Lou were fine as well. Flynn kept glancing over his shoulder, perhaps a new mannerism he picked up. Sitting on the couch, the conversation fell back to the Sanctuary. Kai had prepared a speech to explain how he ended up trapped there and why it had taken two years to come back. What he hadn¡¯t predicted was the flood of questions that quickly hijacked his preparations. ¡°The Guide assured me that Zervathi couldn¡¯t lie. I was a bit naive, I know, but I couldn¡¯t let a horde of yellow beasts swarm into the archipelago when I got there.¡± At least on that, he had confirmed the danger had been real. ¡°Any other questions?¡± ¡°Quite a few, but you don¡¯t have to talk about it if you don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind. Ask me anything.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve spent years alone in what doesn¡¯t sound like a very nice place.¡± Flynn gave him a worried look, ready to pull him into another hug. ¡°You¡¯re allowed to not be okay.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m fine.¡± Kai beamed. ¡°I¡¯ve survived. And I told you it wasn¡¯t all that bad.¡± Flynn opened then closed his mouth, swallowing whatever disagreement he had. ¡°I do have another question.¡± His eyes wandered behind him again. ¡°It¡¯s not exactly related, and it might seem a little odd¡­¡± ¡°The only sapient being I¡¯ve chatted with for the last two years was a narcissistic divinity with a god complex. I know how it sounds, but I bet the Seven Moons combined can¡¯t match his self-obsessed rants. Point is, you could grow a second head and it would be less strange than the things I had to endure.¡± His friend bobbed his head, hugging a pillow. ¡°Have you seen a cat?¡± ¡°A cat?¡± ¡°Yes, a feline with silver fur and violet eyes. They could also be teal or green. I don¡¯t know, it changes every time I look. It has been haunting me all night and stealing my food. One moment it¡¯s there and the next time I blink, it¡¯s gone again.¡± So that¡¯s where you were. That pest¡¯s always causing mischief. ¡°Right there!¡± Flynn stood up. His finger pointed behind him with wide eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not crazy.¡± Kai turned to see Hobbes sprawled on a carpet, head between his paws to groom his furry butt. He raised his royal eyes on them, one yellow and the other blue, too intelligent for a common animal. Deeming them unworthy, he returned to his business with unhurried practice. ¡°Tell me you¡¯re also seeing it.¡± Flynn pleaded, grabbing his arm. ¡°I¡ª You mean the carpet, right?¡± Kai cocked his head. ¡°I guess the pattern could resemble a cat.¡± It''d be a crime to waste such a perfect opportunity. And he did say I was being too nice¡­ "There is a live, breathing cat there.¡± His friend sounded a little frantic, rousing a sliver of guilt and pity. The devious beast had once also made him believe he was imagining things. ¡°You must be seeing it too.¡± The second Flynn turned to glance at him, Hobbes blinked away in a silver flash. ¡°No, no. I saw it! It was right there. I¡¯ve also touched it. I¡¯m not imagining things, it¡¯s real.¡± Damn cat, you made me wait three months to touch your fur. How¡¯s that fair? ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Kai patted his shoulder with a straight face and helped him sit down. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that severe stress can cause hallucinations. Have you been sleeping enough? Consumed any unknown substances?¡± Flynn shook his head. ¡°I¡ª I don¡¯t think I did¡ª¡± A silver cat blinked in Kai¡¯s lap, lazily stretching his limbs. ¡°Meow.¡± He must be in a merciful mood, or got bored. ¡°There! Again, how can you not see it?¡± ¡°Oh, you meant Hobbes,¡± Kai widened his eyes in dramatic realization and scratched the diabolical furball behind his ears. Chapter 235 - Night Chapter 235 - Night A viridian river swirled overhead, a fault line in the confines of his prison. Its eerie light bathed the jungle on the western side of the Spike, granting a moment of sight. Colossal trees surrounded him, indifferent beholders to the carnage below. Rat-sized insects skittered for cover in the underbrush as slit yellow eyes searched for prey. The spatial disturbance dispersed from the starless sky, plunging the world into darkness. Kai heaved for breath. Nights lasted longer in this realm. He had lost track of where he was or how long he had been awake. As if boulders had been chained to each of his limbs, he pushed himself forward, ignoring his body¡¯s plea for rest. He didn¡¯t know how much longer until the false dawn brought him relief. Daylight carried its own danger, still better than the ravenous predators that stalked the moonless hours. Somewhere on his right, an elder drake shook the ground with a raspy roar. A chorus of howling snarls rose behind him in response. Weak species didn¡¯t survive in the Sanctuary. Blood Crawlers hunted in packs, making up for their lack of sheer Strength with cunning and savagery. A sharp branch tore into his arm. Kai stumbled, clamping his wound shut to staunch the bleeding. How long had he been running? Pushed beyond exhaustion and covered in an array of cuts and bruises, Hallowed Intuition urged him onwards with a requiem of whispers. I can¡¯t stop. That single truth held him together. Peril lurked from every patch of grass and silent tree. Slowing meant certain death. Kai rushed where the murmurs seemed most feeble, he couldn¡¯t die without letting his family know what happened. His grazed bare feet scrambled over a chitinous carapace. Under the might of Empower, the insect crunched loudly, spraying his foot with a slimy gore that stung his skin. Another somber tune joined the chorus of warnings in his head. Venom wasn¡¯t a priority. I need to keep running. Kai leapt over a ditch. In the dark, he landed at the wrong angle and twisted his ankle. His face slammed into the ground, the force of the jump rattling his brain. Unconsciousness was ready to embrace him and end the suffering. What was the point of struggling anyway? The howls of his pursuers sang with the thrill of a meal. I can¡¯t stop. Kai dragged himself up and stumbled on. He gritted his teeth to ignore the pain in his leg and sent the last wisps of mana to fuel Empower. As the thumping claws beat the ground behind him, Hallowed Intuition continued its mourning song, a hundred ways to die woven in one. He couldn¡¯t outrun the pack. I need to find shelter. Conscious it would give his position away, he scanned his surroundings with Mana Observer. There. The hungry howls were almost upon him. Kai stepped towards a dark pond. He rubbed his blood-slick fingers on a stick and threw it forward. Deactivating his skill, he bolted in the opposite direction. He threw himself under a fallen trunk and scraped his mana veins far below the safety threshold to wrap Shadow around him. The blood crawlers would rip him to shreds far quicker than overstrain. The log smelled of death and decay. He pressed a hand over his mouth, ignoring his need for oxygen to muffle his breathing. Tiny legs skittered over his back. Kai paid them no mind. Pained snarls and angry howls resounded in the jungle as the forward hunters clashed with whatever horror lurked in the pond. Water and acrid blood splashed around him. Kai allowed himself a half breath of reprieve. His end had been pushed a few hours further. He flicked off the centipede trying to burrow under his clothes and began to restore his reserves from the dense essence, careful to avoid drawing the attention of the pack. Another hour, another chance to survive. I must¡ª The rotten log burst apart, sharp jaws closed around his shin. Kai screamed, trying to kick off the blood crawler, but another beast seized his foot and dragged him outside. A cyan disturbance snaked through the sky, revealing the obsidian maws and segmented limbs of the predators before darkness swallowed them again. Empower and Water Magic surged amidst the agony to free himself. Ice blades cut into the thick hide, he swung his sword towards the slit yellow eyes. For a moment, he thought he would succeed, then more crawlers chomped onto his arms to force him still. Jaws ripped into his flesh and crunched bone in no hurry to kill him. No matter how much he struggled and overdrew his mana, more beasts kept coming to tear him to pieces. His screams drowned by the blood gurgling in his thro¡ª His eyes shot open. Kai jolted back in a crouch and took stock of his surroundings. White plaster walls, a torn blanket, wooden splinters and a toppled leather couch. A crystal half-illuminated the shadow looming over him. A young man approached with open palms, speaking ¡°...okay?¡± Flynn¡­? ¡°Are you okay?¡± Flynn repeated and offered him a hand. ¡°You were screaming in your sleep, so I tried to wake you.¡± I¡¯m safe. I¡¯ve escaped. ¡°I¡ª¡± Kai released the hold over Empower and elemental mana, glad he hadn¡¯t cast any spells. He accepted the offer to stand up, realizing too late his palms were clammy. ¡°I¡¯m good. Just had a bad dream.¡± Stolen novel; please report. ¡°It must have been quite the nightmare.¡± His friend forced a smile, standing awkwardly. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Kai dried his cold sweat on the torn blanket and straightened the makeshift bed, though he couldn¡¯t do anything for the broken armrest. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about the blanket.¡± His eyes shifted down, ¡°And the couch.¡± He had finally escaped the island, yet his mind insisted on dragging him back. Flynn dismissed his worries with a casual wave. ¡°I was thinking of buying a new one anyway.¡± A bruise was swelling beneath his eye, though he angled himself away from the light. Did I? Fuck. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your face too. I didn¡¯t mean to hit you. It¡ª it¡¯s never happened before.¡± Kai rummaged through the clutter of mana materials in his spatial closet. He had already consumed the potions he brought into the Sanctuary, and brewing more had been a challenge until he crafted a passable cauldron. ¡°Here.¡± He took out a balm. Flynn eyed the weird dwarf coconut carved into a jar. ¡°I¡¯m fine, you just grazed me. It¡¯ll be gone in the morning.¡± The lie crumbled under another grimace, blood already darkening the bruise. Not even one night and I¡¯ve already fucked it up. Thank the spirits I didn¡¯t summon my sword and start swinging. ¡°You don¡¯t need to lie to make me feel better. This is the least I can do. I know how hard I hit.¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡ª¡± Flynn sat on the broken couch with a sigh. ¡°It was like getting hit by an iron bat. Shouldn¡¯t mages be all brains with scrawny bodies and stick arms?¡± Kai welcomed the attempt to lighten the mood with a laugh, perhaps a bit too loud. ¡°I must have missed the memo. And I¡¯ve also reached Yellow.¡± ¡°Of course you did.¡± Flynn winced when the balm brushed his cheek. ¡°Don¡¯t take it personally, but next time I need to wake you up, I¡¯ll use a stick.¡± ¡°That¡¯s only fair. I can sleep in a tavern till I find a place to stay.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. I¡¯m not letting you out of my sight until I¡¯m certain you won¡¯t disappear into some fairy kingdom, again.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± ¡°If you say something that stupid again, I¡¯ll be the one to punch you.¡± From the challenging stare Flynn threw at him, he wasn¡¯t kidding. Kai considered getting hit to ease his guilt. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ good.¡± Flynn tentatively touched his cheekbone, raising his brows in surprise. ¡°What¡¯s in this balm anyway? It smells of lemons and the pain is already fading.¡± ¡°Just a couple of yellow herbs I found on the island. I also added a few orange ones to improve the consistency and give it a citrus scent.¡± Since the space in his ring was limited, there was no point in saving weaker herbs. Flynn grabbed Kai¡¯s hand to stop him from applying more. ¡°Tell me you¡¯re not being serious. Do you have any idea how much yellow ingredients sell for?¡± ¡°About half a gold?¡± Few arrived in the archipelago, so he had never worked with those materials before the Sanctuary. ¡°We¡¯re not talking about beast parts. Healing plants range from three golds to more than twenty, depending on their stage and rarity. What were they?¡± Kai scratched his nose. "I think the root was mid-yellow. Same for the water stalk, though it also had an elemental affini¡ª Ouch!¡± He massaged his arm where Flynn punched him. ¡°I told you I¡¯d hit you if you said something stupid.¡± He cracked his knuckles. ¡°I could have bought three new couches with this.¡± He pointed to the balm on his cheekbone as if he wanted to scrape it off. ¡°Isn¡¯t your face worth more?¡± ¡°Well¡ª I¡ª You might have a point,¡± he conceded, a reluctant grin cutting through his exasperation. ¡°Still, you could have warned me your home remedy was liquid gold. Why are you keeping it in a nut?¡± ¡°I was out of glass jars.¡± Kai shrugged. With the enchantments, it should have no problem storing the balm. ¡°The coconut was yellow too, if that helps.¡± Flynn exhaled a slow breath, raising his hands towards him. ¡°Please, let me strangle you. Just a tiny bit.¡± ¡°Meow.¡± Hobbes blinked on the couch, staring at Kai with the deep-rooted disappointment of a life of broken expectations. Hey! Don¡¯t you try to take the moral high ground with me. I¡¯ve seen you rip a patch of yellow flowers just because their scent made you sneeze. Oh, yes. I remember every detail perfectly. Unused to the cat¡¯s shenanigans, Flynn was taken aback and leaned to pick him up. More surprisingly, his silver majesty didn¡¯t claw his eyes out, instead, he contently slumped into his arms. ¡°See, Hobbes understands me.¡± Flynn grinned at Kai. ¡°You¡¯re impossible.¡± He scratched the demon overlord behind the neck, eliciting a pleased purr. ¡°Now, try to get some sleep. We have a busy day tomorrow.¡± ¡°We do?¡± ¡°I told you I¡¯d help contact your family. We sail for Sylspring at noon, and we have many errands to run before that.¡± They had only a couple hours to chat, hardly enough to catch up. This was all news to him. ¡°I thought you meant the communication cube.¡± ¡°It¡¯s on cooldown. I spent the extra charges to organize Kien''s second birthday, which is in three days by the way.¡± What? ¡°I haven¡¯t bought a seat on any ship.¡± Kai stammered. He wasn¡¯t ready to face his mom or his little brother. Did Kien even know about him? Had the elixirs worked to raise his grade? ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I always buy two tickets just in case.¡± Flynn waved to him on the stairs. ¡°I¡¯ll poke you awake at dawn.¡± Hobbes rested his head on Flynn¡¯s shoulder, enjoying the pats with a triumphant look enhanced through their bond. You ungrateful kitten. I should have made a pillow with your fur. We¡¯ll see who you''ll whine to next time you¡¯re hungry. Kai laid his head on the remaining armrest of the couch. Eyes closed, despite knowing he wouldn¡¯t be getting a wink of sleep tonight. Advancing to Yellow had reduced his need for rest. Not enough to live on a couple of fitful hours, but he had survived with less for far longer in the Sanctuary. His thoughts were a chaotic whirlwind about his family. What was he going to say to them? ¡®Hi, I¡¯m not dead. Sorry for disappearing without an explanation for the past two years. It was kinda my fault, though I also helped save the archipelago. So, please don''t be too angry.¡¯ I¡¯m so screwed¡­ The ideas he had didn¡¯t even work in his head. Hours passed as he imagined an endless sequence of speeches and scenes. The stream of thoughts ended abruptly when an ice cube hit his collarbone and bounced into his shirt. Kai sat upright and melted the ice with a thought. ¡°I¡¯m awake!¡± ¡°I know.¡± Flynn waved at him from across the living room with a mischievous grin. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d use a stick?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t find a cane long enough to safely poke you. And the ice looked like fun.¡± I¡¯m going to¡ª Hmm¡­ he welcomed me into his house while I punched his face and broke his furniture. I guess I owe him a couple years free of torment. ¡°What time is it?¡± Sparse rays of light filtered through the curtains. It was close to dawn, though that told him little. His internal clock was set on the weird day-night cycle of the Sanctuary. ¡°We have about six hours till our ship leaves.¡± Flynn elucidated, probably reading his confusion. ¡°But we have a ton of things to do. Better get to the market before the streets are packed with people.¡± ¡°We?¡± Kai scratched the lines of scars on his shin. ¡°I don¡¯t need anything.¡± ¡°Yes, we.¡± He gave him a judging look. ¡°We need to buy supplies. You also need to get a gift for Kien¡¯s birthday, and you can¡¯t walk around in that state.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with these?¡± He looked down at his saffron shirt and deep purple pants. The merchant in Eastwin said he looked great, the price tag definitely helped, but still. Apart from a few wrinkles from sleeping in them and a small tear, they were more intact than anything he had worn in the last two years. "Spirits.¡± Flynn scanned him from head to toe with a judging gaze. ¡°Your clothes are completely mismatched. And what about your hair? It looks like the barber gave up halfway through. Do you want your family to see you for the first time like this?¡± ¡°I cut it myself,¡± Kai grumbled on the defensive. He didn¡¯t think to pack any decent mirrors before getting stuck in the Sanctuary. ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad to know you¡¯re not talented at everything.¡± A blade appeared in his hand. ¡°C¡¯mon, let me fix you up. I can at least make your haircut symmetrical and lend you some clothes. I won¡¯t be able to live in this city if someone sees me walking around with you,¡± he waved a circle around Kai. ¡°Like that.¡± Chapter 236 - Madness Chapter 236 - Madness Wind swept his face with a spray of salty water. Kai sat on the prow of the Ylena, gripping the railing as if his life depended on it. His guts twisted each time he glanced at the endless blue expanse. Only the thin coastline on the horizon prevented him from panicking. There is no danger. Hallowed Intuition remained silent, the strongest beasts Mana Observer could detect were innocuous red coral sharks. He still couldn¡¯t help feeling exposed and vulnerable. The open sea meant certain death. Years of habit and horrific sights had ingrained that knowledge deeper than reason. Get a hold of yourself. I¡¯m not going to fear the freaking ocean. Eldritch tentacles weren¡¯t going to drag him to the dark depths to devour his flesh, mind and soul. The Shallow Sea was one of the safest stretches of water on Elydes. But it seemed with each passing day, his mind found more and more foolish reasons to complicate his life. I could swim alongside the ship till my brain gets over this stupidity¡­ He had been fine when he arrived at the submerged site. Blessed Swimmer strengthened his danger sense and bestowed an innate tranquility while he was underwater. It was subtle, but without any actual threat, he could indulge in the sensation. Will the crew complain if I jump in? People continued to stare even after Flynn had fixed his hair and bought him a new wardrobe. Kai had to admit the blue outfit with silver buttons looked good on him. His old clothes were three sizes too small, thankfully Flynn had also kept his Alchemy and Enchanting equipment. I¡¯ll need to upgrade them when Reishi sails back to the archipelago. Now¡­ to dive or not to dive? Before Kai could decide whether to tell the sailors to not jump after him, Flynn leaned on the railing beside him. ¡°We¡¯ll make landfall in Old Port and reach Sylspring by morning.¡± He smiled at the shimmering waves, glancing at him. ¡°It must have been a while since you boarded a ship.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The underlying worry was obvious. Kai pried his fingers off the rails, but he couldn¡¯t hide where his nails had chipped the black paint of the ship. He simply needed time to adapt. ¡°I¡¯m just enjoying the sun.¡± ¡°Mmmh¡­¡± Flynn didn¡¯t let anything slip from his face, and when he spoke up, the question wasn¡¯t what Kai expected. ¡°Are you sure Hobbes is fine? I still think we should have carried him on board.¡± Yatei have mercy, that cat let you touch his silky fur once, and he already owns you. ¡°Hobbes got on the ship before us. He¡¯s enjoying snooping around.¡± The silver furball was sampling the supplies of salted fish in the ship''s cargo hold. His Majesty still preferred it fresh, but he wasn¡¯t beyond indulging in the food of peasants for a change. It was rare for Hobbes to take the initiative to share his experiences through the partner skill. The cat had held a grudge for over a month the last time Kai shut down the bond, though His Majesty didn¡¯t have any qualms about ignoring him. I must be the mature one. Leading by example, Kai sent an acknowledgment mixed with praise for the valiant discovery and regal taste. Warm contentment spread through the link before Hobbes hurriedly cut the connection with a wave of panic. Uh¡­ is he looking for my approval, or does he just need somebody to stroke his ego? ¡°What if a sailor or another passenger sees him?¡± Flynn lowered his tone. ¡°You can tell at a glance he isn¡¯t an ordinary pet, they might try to catch him, or worse.¡± Oh, boy. He really has you tied to his little paw¡­ ¡°Have you ever tried to catch a Space cat?¡± Kai stared at the foaming waves that crashed on the prow of the ship, demanding his body to relax. ¡°I have. It¡¯d be easier to grab a fly with chopsticks.¡± That¡¯s enough for now. Flynn furrowed his brow. ¡°What are chopsticks? You know, it doesn¡¯t matter. What if someone on board has a trapping skill? Or Hobbes gets tired? Or takes a nap?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen a pack of grown Lightning Hawks fail to brush his fur. There is no danger. You know Hobbes is an awakened beast, right¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, but he¡¯s so tiny and soft.¡± Flynn waved with his hands to illustrate the inoffensive size. Kai sighed at the smitten fool. ¡°Strength isn''t his talent, but he advanced to Yellow just before we left the Sanctuary. And I¡¯m not sure if he has reached full maturity.¡± ¡°Hobbes is a yellow be¡ª beast?¡± His friend stammered. The realization that he had snuggled with a murder kitten sank in, his expression paling. ¡°How? I didn¡¯t perceive anything. Hunch would have warned me if he were a threat.¡± ¡°Spatial travel isn¡¯t his only specialty. There wouldn¡¯t be much point in sneaking around if he couldn¡¯t make himself look inconspicuous.¡± Kai patted his shoulder, making sure Flynn didn¡¯t topple over the railing. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Hobbes considers himself above the rough means of violence. You should have seen the fit he threw last time blood got on his coat.¡± ¡°How¡ª¡± ¡°Meow.¡± Hobbes paraded between them, tail straight like a fluffy banner. Despite their bond being closed, Kai got the distinct impression the furball knew they were talking about him. Speak of the devil and he shall be summoned. Looking for cuddles after the snack, the traitorous cat wove around his leg before heading for Flynn. His friend stood straight like a block of wood, chewing his lip, though he didn¡¯t flinch back. Cautiously, he bent to rub a hand through the lustrous silver fur. ¡°You¡¯re not going to claw my eyes out, right?¡± ¡°Meeeoow?¡± Hobbes flopped onto the wooden boards of the ship¡¯s deck, pawing the air. Two adorable violet eyes stared up with innocent confusion and a hint of sadness. The fool immediately fell for the act, crouching to give him belly rubs. ¡°Sorry for such a silly question. I know, I know, Kai¡¯s the violent one. Of course, you wouldn¡¯t hurt a fly.¡± If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Hey! I only answered your question. ¡°When I said Hobbes doesn¡¯t like fighting, I didn¡¯t mean he was completely harmless.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to besmirch the name of this blameless kitten.¡± Flynn scowled, holding the devious feline in his arms. ¡°How did you even manage to befriend him with your rough and scary demeanor?¡± How did I ever think having a familiar was a good idea? I should have picked a taming skill instead of a partner bond¡­ ¡°That kitten was more than eager to beg and act adorable when he was hungry.¡± ¡°Is that the truth, Hobbes? Did you sell yourself to this guy to fill your belly?¡± Flynn scratched the purring cat and raised a disapproving gaze at Kai. ¡°How could you take advantage of this naive little baby?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what happened.¡± ~ ~ ~ ¡°Where is it?¡± I had more left. Kai rummaged through the hollow hole he called his home. Despite the clutter of moldy pelts, engraved bones and other failed pieces of enchantments, the cave measured no more than two meters across. It didn¡¯t take long to confirm he hadn¡¯t misplaced his homemade jerky and bubble fruits. Dammit. Four months of constant fear and exhaustion. Perhaps it shouldn¡¯t be a surprise that he misremembered something, only that it had taken this long. Even when the murmurs abated long enough to close his eyes, he only managed short breaks of fitful sleep. The danger was ever present, whispering in the back of his mind. He didn¡¯t dare tune out the only skill keeping him alive. A bloody tapestry of runes covered every wall of the cave to cloak him from the outside. His shell of rock prevented insects and beasts from burrowing inside¡ªfor the most part¡ªbut there were plenty of behemoths capable of breaking through. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not losing it.¡± Kai paced the cramped space in two strides, hands raking through his hair. ¡°I just forgot how much I ate. It happens to everybody.¡± It just never happened to me before. I must still have something¡­ He grinned at the silver band on his finger. For a moment he dared hope, but no, the only edible things stored were the strange mana fruits he picked. Those were just as likely to kill him as to satiate his hunger. There was no other solution: he needed to head out and gather more food. Simple. Just dodge birds of prey and wyrmlings circling in the sky, the stone snakes camouflaged on the rocky ground and whatever other calamity the Sanctuary decided to throw at him. Fuck. Why didn¡¯t I ration better? ¡°Calm down. It¡¯s no big deal.¡± Kai slowly stretched where the wyrm claw had grazed him on his shoulder. It still hurt, but it shouldn¡¯t impair him as long as he wasn¡¯t forced into a fight. When did anything ever go to plan on this forgotten island? He let out a humorless chuckle. ¡°Not that it makes any difference. If it isn¡¯t today, it will be tomorrow. I still need to leave eventually. Unless¡­¡± No, no, no. ¡°I can¡¯t ask that damned fairy for help.¡± He only had two requests remaining. His first one had been easy - the way to escape the Sanctuary with the highest chance of success. It didn¡¯t require Zervathi to spend his power, only his knowledge. Unfortunately, the answer hadn¡¯t been as straightforward. Go to this site, grab that artifact, learn how to tamper with millennia-old runes but don¡¯t get blown to pieces. And in the end, he might still need another request to make that work. No, he would make do with what he had. The longer he delayed, the weaker he would grow and the higher the chance of getting himself killed. Now or never. Kai took out a jar and rubbed his body in mud berries and dirt. If he ran into a perceptive beast that pierced his Shadow spells, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to have an additional layer of camouflage. As ready as he was going to be, he slowly cut the rock along the line he had fused many times before. * * * Not again. I counted, there were six left! Kai massaged his eyes, he wanted to cry and punch something, but his healing remedies were running dangerously low to waste them. The enchanted chest was empty, his supplies gone. Searching between the roots of the tree brought the same result. More than the food, it was the feeling of slowly losing his mind that scared him. He had counted the tubers and jerky before going to sleep, no more than two hours ago. What other explanation is there? It had been a month since his supplies began disappearing. Sometimes a week passed with nothing happening, other times twice on the same day. There wasn¡¯t any detectable pattern. ¡°Sure, it would make sense if it was my mind breaking.¡± But why only the food then? Kai had suspected some peculiar critter capable of molding the stone unnoticed, but even moving to a new shelter hadn¡¯t helped. Living trees weren¡¯t as easy to manipulate. He could still trace the broken and twisted mana veins where he had shaped the wood to his desires. He was certain nothing had tampered with his house. And if there was a beast capable of that, why would it settle for his leftovers when it could just as easily devour him? What else could it be? ¡°I¡¯m not crazy.¡± ~I see you¡¯re struggling, child.~ An aged-up and wise tone echoed in the narrow shelter, coming from everywhere at once. ~If you require my help, all you have to do is ask.~ ¡°Stop the charade. I¡¯m not in the mood for a chat.¡± ~I see my Sanctuary hasn¡¯t broken your spirit.~ Zervathi snorted with his squeaky fairy voice. ~You remain uncouth as ever. When you get eaten, remember it was you who refused my generous advice.~ ¡°Nosy as ever.¡± Kai glared at the roots of his ceiling till he was certain he was alone. Initially, he suspected the god wanted him dead to preserve his divine power. But more than once Zervathi popped up to offer him free advice¡ªand devolved into long rants about his brilliance and the injustice he had suffered. He¡¯s probably lonely or ended up with some loose screw due to his imprisonment. ¡°Just what I need. Wait, didn¡¯t I¡­¡± Kai rummaged through his spatial closet for his notebook. He leafed through the pages to the last entry. Day 161 - early morning - Tree Shelter III 4 pieces of snake jerky [peak-orange] and 2 purple tubers [mid-yellow] (probably edible). ¡°Yes!¡± Kai fist-bumped the air. ¡°I¡¯m not crazy!¡± Or I¡¯m hallucinating, but if I had reached that state I would have already died. He had to believe that he hadn¡¯t gone nuts yet, or this would all be pointless. There had to be another explanation. Someone or something was stealing his food. It infiltrated his shelter and left without a trace. It was like it could walk through walls¡­ Just you wait. * * * Did I botch the temperature or the sieving? The recipe still needed some work. As Kai predicted, the star-shaped creeper could be used to brew a healing balm, what he hadn¡¯t foreseen was the burning itch. He yearned for the sweet relief of scratching his lower back. I can¡¯t give up now. He had been laying still for three hours, waiting for the thieving rat to appear. He had almost caught it a week ago. The critter disappeared in a flash, leaving behind a single silver hair. There was only one element that allowed such instantaneous movement. If that pest thought he could steal from him and get away, he had no idea who he was dealing with. C¡¯mon, little pest. You¡¯re the main course tonight. The enchanted chest he used to protect his supplies lay beside his head, ready to spring the trap. Kai was debating whether to rub his back against the leafy branch he used for a bed when a soft tap sent a wave of excitement through him. He didn¡¯t dare extend Mana Observer in case the rat was sensitive to it. Space might be the most elusive element, but it wasn¡¯t without weaknesses. The cunning beast scurried over his things, daring enough to sniff his face. It took all his self-control to breathe regularly and not react. He had to be patient, he would get a single chance before it blinked away. If he acted hastily, all his preparations would be for naught. Satisfied with its inspection, the critter approached the chest. Its thieving paws tapped on the wooden lid, unleashing the torrent of spatial mana he had sealed in the runes. The essence flowing through other living beings could also disrupt a teleportation. Kai flooded the area with more mana and snapped his hands close around the soft fur of the¡ª ¡°Meeeeow!¡± The critter squeaked in panic. What? A crystal light fell out of his ring, illuminating the scrawny silver kitten struggling in his grasp. Large teal eyes stared up at him with terror. He had never seen such a tiny orange beast. Hmm¡­ his size must help with blinking around¡­ The thieving kitten dramatically meowed as if it were already being eaten. Iridescent mana pressed against his own trying to blink to safety. ¡°A cat, seriously?¡± Kai scowled at his shelter, the snooping god wasn¡¯t looking. He wasn¡¯t about to kill a kitten, even if it was a devious thief that played with his sanity. ¡°Fine. Just stop whining.¡± The beast blinked to the other side of the room before it touched the ground. The critter intently studied him, its irises morphing into bright green. ¡°What? You got your life. Now, leave me alone.¡± Kai shooed the kitten away, but the shameless animal remained. It had the gall to stare at his food chest with unmitigated desire. ¡°Meow.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s mine. Where did you even put my food?¡± He could see the bones poking through his tiny frame as if it were starving. ¡°Okay. Just this time. But you must promise not to come back again.¡± Chapter 237 - Reunion Chapter 237 - Reunion Rays of dawn bounced off the vaulted ceiling. Kai grasped at the fleeting serenity. He had paid extra coin for a single cabin after the last accident. The rocking of the waves had delivered him four wonderful hours of restful sleep. He had only woken once when Hobbes had slid under the covers of his cot. You lovable pest. His fingers scrubbed the snoozing furball curled against his leg. The evil mastermind leaned into his hand with a soft purr, licking his thigh. Impressions of warmth and safety slipped through their bond. Mhmm¡­ you look so innocent you could trick a truthteller, right before you rob her blind. Kai contentedly rubbed the silky fur, knowing it wouldn¡¯t last. The Ylena creaked under him with a few jolts and settled into a gentle lull. The bustling voices of sailors and dock workers drifted in from outside. They had reached Sylspring. He pulled the sheets over his head, wishing to delay the inevitable. His family was out there, within walking distance. Nerves and excitement rippled through him with equal intensity. Perhaps he could check on them from afar and delay the reunion till he felt ready. It was so strange. There was no need to check the wards of his shelter for intruding beasts, he didn¡¯t have a list of deadly tasks to accomplish, and he could get as much as food he would ever need by tinkling a little silver. Nothing would stop him from lazing around or going anywhere. Overwhelming freedom and limitless possibilities. Hobbes yawned, exposing his little pearly fangs. He arched his back and paws with a satisfied meow. Violet eyes contemplated him silently as the king took in his domain. ¡°Morning to you too.¡± ¡°Mew,¡± Hobbes jumped off the cot and disappeared in a silver flash before touching the floorboards. He¡¯s so much nicer when he¡¯s asleep. With a deep groan, Kai sat upright, almost hitting his head on the ceiling. Procrastination never made anything easier. He raked a hand through his hair and donned his new clothes. If he got to hug his family and little brother, he didn¡¯t care if they cursed him after. In the cramped corridor outside his door, Flynn was chatting with another passenger, a foreigner judging by his pitch-black hair. His friend¡¯s eyes darted to him. Excusing himself from the conversation, he discreetly checked on the state of the cabin before grinning. ¡°Got your beauty sleep?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Kai pressed his mouth in a grim but determined line. ¡°I¡¯m ready to go.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, stop worrying. Your family will be overjoyed to see you. Then, they might want to chain you in the basement for the next three decades. But hey, I promise to visit at least once a year.¡± ¡°Your generosity knows no bounds.¡± ¡°I try my best.¡± Flynn gave him a friendly slap on the back. ¡°Do you want me to go first and warn them?¡± Kai grabbed his bags to head outside, taking the time to think. ¡°I¡ª Would that help?¡± ¡°Probably not. I¡¯ve already told them you were too stubborn to die, especially to an orange drake. So I¡¯d need to share the details to make them believe me.¡± ¡°Wait¡­ I was killed by a drake? Who said that?¡± He had taken for granted that Seryne would cover up his escape, but they couldn¡¯t even bother to make up a believable story. ¡°That¡¯s the official version the Republic stands by.¡± He nodded, amused. ¡°No one believed it, naturally.¡± ¡°Does my family think I¡¯m alive¡­?¡± A string of hope wove into his tone. If they suspected he wasn¡¯t dead, it would make the reunion a lot less awkward. ¡°They know there was something shady going on with the circumstances surrounding your disappearance, but¡­¡± Flynn¡¯s hesitation closed the picture. ¡°They think the Republic is just hiding their responsibility for my death,¡± Kai concluded for him. ¡°Probably. I can¡¯t say for sure¡­ After your funeral, I didn¡¯t want to bring up the subject.¡± ¡°My funeral?¡± Kai blurted out, stumbling on the uneven steps to the deck. Three sailors eyed him weirdly but backed away when he stared straight back. ¡°I had a funeral?¡± He struggled to moderate his tone. ¡°Oh, yeah.¡± Flynn¡¯s chuckle carried a somber note. ¡°I wish you could have seen it. You got a casket and everything. The Republic even provided an urn of ashes to bury. Hopefully, they weren¡¯t human, that would be morbid¡­¡± I¡ª How¡ª Kai didn¡¯t know how to feel anymore. The bustle of Sylspring washed over him, making him lose sight of his worries. He should have expected the town to change after visiting Higharbor, but the sheer extent of the transformation baffled him. Long piers branched out from the paved port into the Shallow Sea, a fleet of boats ferried visitors from larger vessels. The Ylena moored amidst a forest of masts. While the sun hadn¡¯t fully escaped the horizon, sailors and merchants already scurried around like busy ants. Kai couldn¡¯t recognize even one of the pastel blue, yellow and pink establishments that crowded the shore. Everything was alien and new. ¡°I can show you around if you want. Half the pubs on the main roads are overpriced traps to rip off wealthy tourists, though they also get the best bards and don¡¯t water down their ale. On the inside, it¡¯s more of a mixed bag¡­¡± Flynn pointed out the places he had been to in an endless deluge till they stepped on solid ground. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Kai smiled, he appreciated the distraction. ¡°Do you visit here often?¡± ¡°A few times a year. It¡¯s not hard to learn these things when you talk to people, especially if they¡¯ve already had a few drinks. You should try it out sometime.¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Why? I already have you to do it for me.¡± Flynn grabbed his own shirt in dramatic shock. ¡°Is that why you¡¯re being nice all of a sudden? You¡¯re using me!¡± ¡°You found out my evil scheme,¡± Kai nodded with a straight face. ¡°Now, are you going to lead the way or not? I don¡¯t have all day.¡± ¡°Fine, but I want the right to snuggle Hobbes in exchange.¡± ¡°Be my guest. You can scratch his back all day long if you manage to convince him.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± Flynn shook his hand and leaned closer to whisper. ¡°Are you sure he¡¯ll be fine in such a busy town? Won¡¯t he get lost?¡± Spirits, do I need to remind him again that the cat''s an awakened animal, an entire grade higher than him? ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Hobbes can always tell my general direction. He¡¯ll nose around, maybe haunt some poor guy, and come back when he¡¯s hungry.¡± ¡°If you say so.¡± Flynn threw a mourning glance at the ship, unaware the sly feline was observing them from a roof on shore. ¡°Do you want to go directly there or wander around for a bit?¡± ¡°Now¡¯s fine.¡± Kai marched down the streets, unwilling to let his determination falter. ¡°Wait, they moved houses last year.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Another piece of his past that was gone. ¡°Sorry, it slipped my mind.¡± Flynn scratched his head. ¡°They wanted a quieter place for Kien, and that building had too many memories.¡± How much did I miss¡­ The roads grew less crowded the further they were from the port. Flynn attempted to play the tour guide, though Kai couldn¡¯t hear a word he said. There were a few flashes of familiarity when they crossed into posh town and the merchant district. The strict confines of Sylspring had blurred together with different areas of enhanced mana density. After two years in the Sanctuary, Yanlun felt like a desert to him. No matter how deeply he breathed, the air was never quite filling. He couldn¡¯t fault the mainlanders for comparing the archipelago to mana-starved rocks, but if he had to choose between safety and a dense ambience, he would pick the first every time. There is still plenty of time before Zervathi causes chaos. A new residential district had sprouted up on the southern side of town. Fenced little villas and houses of brick and plaster. The closer they got, the faster his heart raced. Kai dried his sweaty palms on his pants. He had been less nervous sneaking into the ice dragon¡¯s den. After all I put them through, this is nothing. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± A ring of pale green houses with maroon shingles huddled around the inner courtyard hidden behind an iron gate. Flynn waved to a shriveled old woman on a rocking chair, her snow-white braid coiled in her lap. ¡°Hey, Nemaela, you look even more beautiful today. I like what you''ve done with your hair.¡± The grandma grumbled something incomprehensible, though she must have recognized the voice because the enchanted gate clicked open. She watched them enter with one muddy eye. ¡°And you¡¯re still a sweet talker. Make sure your friend doesn¡¯t make trouble. People here like the quiet.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Kai was too anxious to care about the comment. The air choked in his throat, it was like his insides were being squeezed and then pulled apart. He could hardly put one foot in front of the other. The mana density doubled across the gate. A willow overlooked the small garden in the central courtyard. Though it couldn¡¯t compare to the upper city in Higharbor, they were definitely doing well. ¡°You came!¡± A toddler with aquamarine eyes squealed, running towards them, hands stained with mud. He stumbled over a patch of grass but regained his balance without losing the smile. Is he¡­? Kai stood still like a nail in the ground. The boy couldn¡¯t reach his knee and was already at the peak of Red, the elixir must have worked perfectly. There couldn¡¯t be any doubt. Kien jumped straight into Flynn¡¯s arms. ¡°Mom said you arrive tomorrow.¡± ¡°I managed to free up sooner and wanted to see you. You¡¯ve gotten so fast, and big. A few more years and I¡¯ll have to look up at you.¡± He spun the giggling toddler in the air before setting him down. ¡°Are you being a good boy? And not making your mom worry?¡± ¡°I¡¯m always good.¡± Kien took a few dazed steps and grabbed his finger. ¡°Come. You must see what I made!¡± ¡°I will.¡± Flynn easily thwarted the attempts at being dragged off with a fond smile. ¡°There is someone I¡¯d like you to meet first.¡± The wide eyes quickly fixed on the only stranger with a pout. Kai studied him back. What do you say to a precocious little brother when you see him for the first time? He wore his brightest smile and crouched on the grass to offer a handshake. ¡°It¡¯s nice to finally meet you.¡± Dammit. I should have relearned Improvisation. His little brother scrunched his nose at the offer and hid behind Flynn¡¯s leg. ¡°Mom said I shouldn''t talk to odd strangers.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a¡ª¡± ¡°Kien! I told you to play where I can see you.¡± A woman strode out of a door with a wooden spoon in hand and flour over her nose. Her pace slowed to a crawl when she saw them. ¡°Flynn. We weren¡¯t expecting you¡ª¡± She froze in her tracks, staring at them and blinking repeatedly. Kai found his mouth suddenly dry. It was like hardly a day had passed. Alana had her hair a little shorter and a thin wrinkle at the corner of her eyes¡ªthat perhaps he was only now noticing thanks to his higher Perception. ¡°Mom.¡± He managed to force out a monosyllabic sentence. Great job brain. You continue to prove a disappointment. His brother shifted his gaze between them, guilt turned to puzzlement. ¡°She¡¯s my mom.¡± Flynn pulled him aside, whispering an explanation Kai couldn¡¯t make out. The courtyard was spelled into silence. Alana trudged forward, her figure grew blurry as tears swelled in his eyes. Kai didn¡¯t realize when he moved to meet her. Suddenly they stood in front of each other. ¡°Kai? Ar¡ªare you really here?¡± She slowly reached to caress his face but stopped short, as if afraid she¡¯d dispel the illusion if she acted hastily. ¡°I¡¯m here. I¡¯m sorry that I took so long to come home.¡± He couldn¡¯t tell who had initiated the hug, only that their arms were wrapped around each other, and his gaze reached over her hair. He just had the presence of mind to prevent himself from crushing her. ¡°All that matters is that you''re here now.¡± Disbelief still tinged her voice. She made no effort to hold back from squeezing him; her Strength surpassed the peak of Orange with her profession. ¡°Bless the spirits, I knew they¡¯d bring you back to me.¡± His ribs cracked under her grip, but he didn¡¯t pull back or complain. If given a choice, he¡¯d prolong the moment for hours without a second thought. No more words were needed, just silent sobs and smiles. ¡°Are you my brother?¡± Kien squeaked. He reluctantly broke the hug to address the toddler staring up at him with a defiant expression. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m your big brother.¡± ¡°Then why did you make Mom cry?¡± ¡°I¡ª I made some mistakes, but I¡¯ll try to do better now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay, Kiki.¡± Alana dried her eyes on a sleeve and bent to kiss him on the forehead. ¡°You see, these are happy tears. You don¡¯t need to worry about me.¡± Kien watched them, still unconvinced. ¡°My brother went to a place he can¡¯t leave. How can he be here? Where was he?¡± He spoke with the blind confidence only a two-year-old could manage. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ complicated, Kiki.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll explain it to you.¡± Flynn offered to take his hand. ¡°Why don¡¯t you show me what you made? I heard you are quite the artist. I came here just to see.¡± Kien chewed his thumb, but ultimately couldn¡¯t resist the tempting offer. ¡°Come, Finn. I show you.¡± Alana mouthed him a silent thank you before she grabbed Kai¡¯s arm in a steel grip. ¡°Merciful Yatei, when did you grow so tall? Have you not been eating enough? You look so thin and tired.¡± She poked his ribs with a disapproving shake. ¡°Come. We were just finishing breakfast, I can cook you something up. Moui will be overjoyed to see you.¡± ¡°Yes, Mom.¡± Kai staggered to follow her furious pace into a luminous house smelling of sausages and coral flowers. He recognized some of the old furniture and the portraits of him and his sisters. A man in a loose green shirt and a morning stubble sat at the kitchen table with a mug. ¡°Honey, did Kiki play in the mud again?¡± Moui squinted and scanned him from head to toe. The handle of the mug cracked, spilling tea over the paved floor. ¡°You are alive. I knew the story that girl told us was bollocks, but you actually came back.¡± ¡°Hi, Uncle,¡± Kai said, still too overwhelmed to formulate a better response. ¡°I must tell everybody you¡¯re back.¡± Alana vanished into the house, humming to herself. The hunter pulled him into another tight hug, proving he was still bigger and more muscular than him. ¡°I knew you were hard to kill, but I didn¡¯t dare hope. Did the Republic keep you prisoner? Are you safe now?¡± ¡°I should be. They think I¡¯m dead,¡± Kai reassured him. ¡°No one should come looking for me.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡± Hmm, isn¡¯t that the understatement of the century? Alana¡¯s return saved him from having to delve into the topic. ¡°Take a seat. Ele will be here soon.¡± She pushed him into a chair and lit the stove. ¡°Did Kea move out already?¡± Kai frowned, though it wasn¡¯t completely unexpected. She always had a fiercely independent streak. ¡°It¡¯s complicated, Kea didn¡¯t take it well when you disappeared, and Ele is married now.¡± ¡°Married?¡± His voice rose an octave. It was his fault, his sister was only twenty. He should have been here to advise her not to settle for some guy. Kai had still not gotten over the shock when Ele burst through the door. She heaved for air, her braids hanging wildly around her head. ¡°Mom! I came here as soon as I could when I saw the message. What¡¯s the emergency?¡± Her gaze swept through the room, looking for the crisis, then snapped back on him. A hand rose to cover her mouth while her eyes sparkled with tears. ¡°Flynn was right.¡± Chapter 238 - Reconnecting Chapter 238 - Reconnecting ¡°I¡¯m good. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Kai flexed his biceps in the hope they would stop probing him. He had been stuffed with food till his stomach was ready to burst. Used to burnt beasts and bitter roots, his mom¡¯s cooking tasted heavenly down to the last bite. Despite repeated reassurances that he was perfectly healthy, his family wasn¡¯t willing to relent. Once Alana was certain he wouldn¡¯t starve, she sat beside him and took his hand hostage. She intently watched his every move, determined to make up for the years of lost contact in a single day. Ele wasn¡¯t any better. After squeezing his ribs, she hovered over him, poking his body as if he were a fish on auction. ¡°You have another scar here.¡± His sister ran a cold finger from his neck to his upper back. ¡°Please stop. It¡¯s just a scratch.¡± Kai jerked away and buttoned his shirt up. If he let this continue, they might ask him to strip next. ¡°I don¡¯t even remember how I got that one.¡± He had received two claw marks, one talon and an ice blade between his shoulder blades. The advancement to Yellow had healed most of his scars, while the deepest wounds turned into thin pale lines criss-crossing his tanned skin. Without a proper mirror, he wasn¡¯t even sure how many he had. Thank Yatei, they don¡¯t know how I looked before. Jagged wounds and torn flesh weren¡¯t a pretty sight. In the Sanctuary, he couldn¡¯t afford to splurge on his healing concoctions for vanity. And he received far fewer scars once he had advanced his grade. ¡°He looks alright to me, hon¡¯. Let him breathe a little, he¡¯s not going to disappear.¡± Moui marked the sentence with a look that said you better not. The hunter stood like a sentinel by the window, stealing glances outside. He didn¡¯t trust the Republic would let him go easily. I¡¯m not sure whether the truth is better or not¡­ Countless brushes with death dressed in an abundant dose of desperation and fear. The petty squabbles of the military and politicians now seemed so insignificant. Kai couldn¡¯t bring himself to care. He wouldn¡¯t go around shouting his name from the rooftops, but he wasn¡¯t going to hide under a rock either. If any fucker thought they could take advantage of him, they were welcome to try. ¡°He¡¯s clearly been neglecting himself.¡± Alana shook her head. ¡°When was the last time you ate a decent meal?¡± ¡°Hmm, Flynn cooked me dinner in Higharbor.¡± ¡°Those were some leftovers I threw together.¡± His friend watched him from the farthest chair in the kitchen, amused at his plight. ¡°Hardly a proper meal.¡± Kien sat on his lap with a sulk and puffed cheeks. The toddler was less than enthusiastic about a new big brother who soaked up all the attention. Great. I managed to ruin my first impression. How hard could it be to win over a two-year-old? The bag of sweets they bought in Higharbor should do the job, or he could enchant some toy. He can¡¯t be harder than Kea¡­ He¡¯ll probably forget by tonight. That¡¯s how children work, right? Looking at the crowded kitchen, someone was still missing. ¡°Mom, where is Kea? Is she not coming?¡± Despite their rocky relationship, Kai had expected her to hurry over¡ªeven just to punch his face. Mom said the situation with her was complicated¡­ Does Kea hate me? His family exchanged a conversation through glances, everybody was in on it, but nobody talked. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Kien squeaked, eyes sparkling at the knowledge he held. ¡°My sister is on the mainland. She went to fight monsters. And she¡¯s gonna tell me everything when she comes back!¡± ¡°She did what?¡± Kai searched their faces, hoping his brother had misunderstood something. No one spoke up, even Flynn stared at his feet with a guilty look. Kien looked at their silent reactions with a frown. ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡± ¡°No, sweetheart. You¡¯re right.¡± Alana smiled with a hint of sadness. ¡°Keandra left a few months ago to travel the mainland. The archipelago was too small for her¡­¡± Dammit. ¡°How could¡ª¡± Kai bit his tongue. Once his sister made up her mind, no one could stop her. Going to the continent had always been his grand plan. Perhaps if he had shut up about it, his sister might not have gotten the idea. The mainland was a dangerous and messy place. While his own track record was rather questionable, Kea was even more impulsive than him. His mind shuddered at everything that might go wrong. In truth, her choice wasn¡¯t that surprising. She was never going to settle for a quiet life, though he wished he could have been there for her. May Kahali watch over her. ¡°Kea matured a lot after you left.¡± Ele tried to lighten the mood. ¡°She knows how to look after herself, and she¡¯s traveling with a group of islanders.¡± Kai couldn¡¯t tell if she was saying that just to make him feel better. He had grown quite a bit himself, though the circumstances were quite different. ¡°Do you have a way to contact her?¡± ¡°We do,¡± Alana said with a sigh. ¡°But letters take a long time to arrive, and it¡¯s hard to respond if she isn¡¯t staying in the same place. We mostly receive her letters now and then, usually once a month.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell us more about you? Where were you?¡± Moui left his guard post by the window since no enforcers tried to leap through. He stood beside Alana, and she leaned against him. ¡°Dear.¡± His mom held his uncle''s hand over her shoulder. ¡°Kai only just came back.¡± Oh, boy. Here we go. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You deserve to know what happened.¡± He had only been delaying the inevitable. The reunion had gone as well as he could hope¡ªexcept for Kea¡¯s absence. Now it was time for the stressful portion. ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a long story.¡± Flynn took his cue to ruffle Kien¡®s hair. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go play outside? You can finish your sculpture.¡± ¡°But I wanna listen to the story.¡± This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°It¡¯s just boring adult stuff, trust me. I can tell you a better one.¡± The toddler bit his lip, looking between them. ¡°You promise?¡± Flynn offered to shake his pinky. ¡°On my honor. I¡¯m a much better storyteller than your brother.¡± He winked before leaving the kitchen. With the innocent ears protected, Kai quickly inspected the room. There was a difference between not cowering before the Republic and being foolish. Those greedy assholes wouldn¡¯t let the bone go if they got a whiff of it. The walls on the outer streets were enchanted to muffle sounds; the appliances in the house also had a smattering of runes. A couple cooling and heating enchantments, pumps for water piping, an array to condense mana, and one to remove smells in the bathroom. Nothing suspicious. Kai decided to close the door to be meticulous. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Moui asked with a note of alarm. ¡°Just checking the house.¡± While Kai wanted to be truthful, he didn¡¯t want to share information that would endanger them. ¡°The Republic wants to keep what happens at the Veeryd sites a secret. I can tell you, but you must not discuss it outside this house.¡± ¡°Of course, little brother. We¡¯re not fools.¡± Ele smiled while Alana slammed her hand on the table. ¡°I knew it was them. What did they do to you?¡± Where do I start? ¡°Do you know of the beast attacks that spiked a few years ago?¡± Kai painted the situation he had found himself in two years prior with broad strokes. The need for a translator of the Vastaire glyphs, the spatial anomalies, and the infighting between the military and political wings. ¡°We found a hidden realm connected to the ruins spread throughout the archipelago.¡± Soft gasps circled the table. ¡°You¡¯re not kidding?¡± Ele leaned on the table toward him. ¡°You mean there is a whole realm separated from reality here, in our archipelago? Just like in the tales?¡± ¡°More or less.¡± Kai scratched his head. The reality of the Sanctuary was far grimmer than those legends depicted, there were no flying castles or waterfalls of gold. Hmm, I might as well¡­ With a theatrical swirl of his hand, Kai summoned a long cerulean horn that shimmered like a sapphire. Since he was already this deep, he might as well provide proof. And why not play into their fantasies? ¡°How did you do that?¡± Moui blinked, slowly reaching to touch the horn. ¡°Did this belong to a yellow beast?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got a spatial item, and yes. Though the drake was already half dead when I found it.¡± He had more impressive items stashed in his spatial closet, but those didn¡¯t sparkle quite as much. ¡°You mean you landed the finishing blow? By yourself?¡± Ele stared at him with wide eyes. She didn¡¯t have as many qualms, grabbing the trophy with a look of reverence. ¡°Is this Water attuned¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah¡ª¡± ¡°You mean you were trapped in this realm for two years?¡± Alana pulled him into a hug. ¡°Oh, sweetheart. That must have been so scary.¡± ¡°It wa¡ª¡± Kai gulped and chose silence before his voice could break. It was quite terrifying, especially during the first year when he lacked the experience, skills and had a lower grade than most of the beasts there. ¡°How could the Republic send a child to such a dangerous place? It¡¯s deplorable.¡± ¡°Ehm¡­¡± * * * Kai leaned against the cupboard, making the glasses inside clink. A heavy breath escaped his lips. His family had left to organize the feast to celebrate his return¡ªand to gather their thoughts. Admitting to his family he had chosen to be trapped was one of the hardest things he had ever done. It had also stopped a flood of ravenous yellow beasts from crossing and got him away from the Republic, but that only made it marginally better. Well, I knew it wouldn¡¯t be easy. Ele fell silent before excusing herself, saying she left her house in a hurry and didn¡¯t want to worry her husband. His mom said it was fine, that she understood. Though Kai could tell it wasn¡¯t as easy as she made it out to be. Beyond apologizing for what he put them through, forgiveness was out of his hands. For better or worse, it was done. He hadn¡¯t gone into details about the Sanctuary or Zervathi. That was what the Republic would be most interested in. If his family knew nothing, they wouldn¡¯t need to worry about a truthteller knocking on their door. The existence of the hidden realm was a secret, but if it came down to it, he could spread flyers around town to make it public and solve the issue. The governor can deal with the aftermath for all I care. The floor creaked lightly when Moui poked his head into the room. ¡°How¡¯re you holding up? I know that conversation wasn¡¯t easy for you either.¡± The hunter looked more relaxed since he learned about the whole situation. ¡°It was my fault for landing us in this situation.¡± Kai looked up at him, heart pounding. ¡°Do you forgive me, Uncle?¡± He blurted out before his brain could think better. Moui stilled with a pensive frown, then slowly nodded. ¡°Yes. I think you¡¯ve already paid plenty for your foolish decisions. And it wasn¡¯t fair that you were put in those circumstances in the first place.¡± ¡°Uh, thank you.¡± Kai poured himself a glass of water to keep his hands busy. ¡°What about Mom and Ele?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the same for them. I had my doubts about what happened, but they buried you, Kai. They grieved and buried you. Alana had only just stopped visiting your tombstone each week.¡± Moui leveled a heavy gaze at him. ¡°I¡¯m not saying this to make you feel worse. They need time to accept what¡¯s happened. I¡¯m sure they understand, but they can¡¯t help how they feel.¡± ¡°I see.¡± He appreciated the honesty. ¡°Dad!¡± Kien scampered into the house with Flynn at his heels. The toddler proudly lifted a grumpy silver cat in his arms. ¡°Look what I found. Can we keep it? Can we?¡± ¡°Mroow,¡± Hobbes complained about the indignity with a sullen look, strangely resigned to his fate. A mix of duty and protection flowed through their bond. From the smile Flynn was desperately trying to suppress, this wasn¡¯t a coincidence. Moui patiently crouched. ¡°Kiki, I told you not to bring strays in the house without asking. That¡¯s¡ª¡± The hunter froze, staring at the cat¡¯s violet eyes. His voice held on with a thin veneer of calm. ¡°Put that down. Now.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Kien thumped his feet and hugged the furball tighter. ¡°I wanna keep it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Uncle.¡± Kai chose to intervene before Moui made an enemy for life. ¡°Hobbes is completely harmless. He¡¯s my cat.¡± ¡°Meew.¡± How did you even understand that? Are you peeking through the bond? ¡°Sorry, I meant I¡¯m his human.¡± Kai corrected himself, bending to the whims of his overlord. If Hobbes was willing to play with his brother, he could satisfy his narcissistic quirks. ¡°But that¡¯s, that¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°I know,¡± Kai patted the bigger man¡¯s shoulder. Moui hobbled away with a pale look. It was impressive that he had seen through Hobbes so quickly. The diabolical cat¡¯s camouflage worked differently from the basilisk¡¯s invisibility. Space bent to make Mana Observer slip over him, even a casual inspection would reveal nothing more than an ordinary grumpy feline. ¡°Is this your kitty?¡± Kien slumped disappointed. ¡°Yes, but you can play with him as long as you like.¡± ¡°Can I?¡± His aquamarine eyes lit up. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m sure Hobbes will be happy too.¡± Kai rubbed the furry belly, gritting his teeth when the pest scratched his hand. ¡°He loves it when you squeeze him tight. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± It¡¯s your duty as the older kitty. Kien sauntered away with a gleeful giggle. Ahaa, the sound of success. Another week and he¡¯ll hug me too. What were gods when he could earn the favor of children? ¡°You put him up to it, didn¡¯t you.¡± Kai stared at the shady mastermind. Without any witnesses, Flynn burst out laughing. ¡°Did you see Moui¡¯s face? That was priceless.¡± He threw an arm around his shoulders a little more seriously. ¡°Anyway, how did your conversation go?¡± ¡°As well as it could, I suppose¡­¡± ¡°That good, huh? C¡¯mon, let me show you around the house. Alana said you can have the second-best guest room.¡± ¡°Did she?¡± ¡°Her exact words.¡± Flynn helped him settle in the room on the ground floor. More space, wardrobes and drawers than Kai knew what to do with. He was wondering whether to sort what to sell and what to keep in his ring, when a knock woke him from his daze. ¡°Can I come in?¡± Ele stood by the doorway with a slight heave, as if she had run back again. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ll go check that Kien and Hobbes don¡¯t have too much fun.¡± Flynn hummed. ¡°You can stay.¡± Ele nervously played with her braids. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to leave like that. I¡ª¡± Her eyes glistened as she searched for the right words. Flynn gravely nodded, his hand lightly settling on her shoulder. "It''s okay, you can tell him. He should know I''m your husband." What¡ª Her hand smacked him faster than he could blink. ¡°Don¡¯t be an idiot.¡± His sister said with a half-smile. ¡°But that¡¯s why you like me.¡± Flynn massaged his arm with a silly smirk and slouched in a chair. ¡°Ouch. Why did you have to hit me so hard?¡± ¡°¡®Cause you¡¯re a slow learner.¡± Ele looked at Kai with a sigh. ¡°And I married Sabe if nobody¡¯s told you.¡± Why did she have to pick that unbearable guy? If someone¡¯s too perfect, they must be hiding something. ¡°I had guessed as much. Anyway, you don¡¯t need to apologize to me for earlier. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± His sister sat on the bed, bobbing her head. ¡°It¡¯s just a lot having you leap out of the sea and back into our lives. I¡­ I cried when they told us you were dead. We buried the casket, and I grieved you for weeks. Flynn insisted you were alive whenever we had drinks, but I couldn¡¯t believe it. Now I¡ª I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s just a lot¡­¡± She¡¯s a better sister than I deserve. ¡°I understand if you need space. If there is anything I can do to help, just ask.¡± ¡°Mhmm¡­¡± Ele patted the bed beside her. ¡°I think it might be easier if I knew what you were up to in that realm. How did you survive? What did you eat? How did you escape?¡± Chapter 239 - Survival Chapter 239 - Survival While the ivory stone was familiar, everything else wasn¡¯t. Instead of narrow tunnels and buried chambers, the vast halls of the temple were spotless, almost sterile. Flowing scripts circled the walls and floor in golden tapestries splintered by inky runes. Kai strode across the eerie chambers, careful not to brush the enchantments, his boots echoing through the colossal architecture. Aside from the lack of people, the place hardly looked abandoned¡ªdefinitely not for eight thousand years. The dense mana saturating the air made his body tingle. Each breath was reminiscent of the suffocating humidity of Greenside, and just as unpleasant. It took a conscious effort to not heave, drawing in more air would only worsen the symptoms. The last time he had experienced anything similar was during his arrival at Virya¡¯s estate. Even then, the mana gradient hadn¡¯t been quite as extreme. Once he adapted to the new conditions, he would replenish his reserves much faster. ~The promised exit is on the second left. Don¡¯t touch anything or wander around. Those treacherous cretins have made the wards unstable with their tampering.~ The fairy shrilled with condescension in his head. ¡°I know.¡± Kai scowled at the god, keeping to the indicated path. He couldn¡¯t fathom how the enchantments still functioned after all this time, but he wasn¡¯t eager to test them. The currents of mana flowing through the runes were enough to obliterate him several times over. The temple must be a dangerous site, he was eager to reach a safe place and gather his thoughts. As long as he paid attention to Hallowed Intuition''s warnings, he shouldn¡¯t have any problems avoiding danger outside. Then it was only a matter of time till he found a way to escape. If the worst case happened, he could use one of his three wishes. Hmm, why is it so damn cold? Contrary to the abundant mana, the temperature lingered around the freezing point when Zervathi opened a breach in his prison. Tales spoke of hidden realms presenting all kinds of crazy environments, some in defiance of logic and natural laws. Hopefully, he hadn¡¯t gotten stranded in a frozen wasteland, that would make for a very unpleasant stay. ~Turn right into the Hall of Abnegation, remain on the left and continue for sixty-six strides to the Supplicants¡¯ Steps. You¡¯ll be safely delivered to your destination as promised.~ The godly navigator informed him. ~Now I shall take my leave. You may call upon my name when you¡¯re ready to beg for my aid. My realm has been left in serious disrepair since my imprisonment. To think I have to waste my time on you when there is so much work to be done.~ ¡°Uh¡­ Then why are you still talking?¡± Kai noticed the connection snap shut. Praise the spirits. I thought he would never leave. Having regained the privacy of his mind, he strolled through the last stretch. Glyphs and runes etched with gold covered both sides of the Hall of Abnegation, but his desire for safety beat any lingering curiosity. He descended a set of ivory steps two at a time, and only realized he had crossed the boundary when the enchantment closed behind him. Chilly gusts and blinding light welcomed him out of the hazardous temple. Boots crunched on fresh snow. One hand rose to shield his eyes while the other wrapped around his torso for warmth. Please, anything but a frozen wasteland. Kai squinted, transfixed at the foreign scenery. A pale sun drifted on the horizon, its edges melted onto the dark sky as if a painter had splashed water onto a fresh picture. Or a god has abandoned his realm for a few millennia¡­ For the first time, he actually considered whether he might have bitten off more than he could chew. The dying light didn¡¯t offer any warmth. Zervathi¡¯s temple was halfway up a mountain. It was hard to judge its size when he was standing on top of it and clouds shrouded the peak. I¡¯m not on a glacier. So there is that¡­ Kai rubbed his hands together, his breath fogged over his fingers. The sooner he found a warmer place, the better. Looking down the white slopes, panic wrenched his guts. Wait¡­ Is that¡­? That explains how they built the sites. Snow continued for a few hundred meters of steep incline until the slope uncovered ivory rocks and a forest further below. It must be where the Vastaire had mined the stone for their buildings. There was no trace of a quarry throughout the Baquaire Archipelago. His dad thought they had used some kind of arcane magic to create it, or transported it across the ocean. The answer was less magical¡ªor more, depending on the perspective. I still need to get down. The entrance to the temple was carved into the mountain face, but the cliff prevented him from circling the structure. Unless he wanted to climb down, a snow-covered field was the only viable option to descend. The spooky temple wasn¡¯t so bad after all, it could offer him shelter till he figured out what to do. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Reminded of his vow of caution, Kai threw a handful of snow on the ivory steps. The ball sizzled into a thin fog. He couldn¡¯t go back, the temple gate was impenetrable from outside. It must be how the temple managed to look so pristine. Guess that¡¯s a no¡ª Hallowed Intuition tore through his thoughts. Kai threw himself onto the ground as a roar shook the mountainside, bearing down with an overwhelming presence. He caught a swirl of wings stirring the clouds before an icy flash illuminated the bodies of two massive monsters. The fight ended just as quickly as it started: golden ichor rained from the clouds with a scaled wing of the same color. After another thundering roar, the aura retracted, letting Kai breathe again. That was far beyond the basilisk or any other beast he had encountered. A chorus of growls and screeches rose from beyond the cliffside. Kai stole a glimpse of majestic eagles and wyrmlings diving on the remains when furious whispers of danger drowned his thoughts again. The snowy peak shook and collapsed into an avalanche. He could only cast a shield and let the snow swallow him. * * * I need to get out. Kai crouched in the hollow of a rotting tree, unsure how long he had stayed there. Hungry, cold and tired. Sleep wasn¡¯t an option, a yellow predator could stumble on his shelter at any moment. He needed to be awake to parse mortal danger from the jumble of whispers. How could I have been so stupid? He couldn¡¯t tell if it was the fear of being eaten alive or his willpower that kept him together, albeit barely. Since his supplies had run out, he had been surviving on the wild plants he managed to scavenge. The murmurs and Herbology stirred him away from deadly weeds, but they were less accurate with those that merely made him cramp or bleed from his eyes. Kai had headed into the forest because of the lower mana density, expecting it would be easier to hunt for food, but battles attracted attention, and fresh blood doubly so. He was forced to abandon half the prey he killed or flee with the parts he managed to hack off and stash in his ring. Even when successful, he had no way to cook them. The last time he had been foolish enough to light a fire, he was forced to use Dora¡¯s elixirs to escape. Flames meant attention and attention meant death¡ªanother hard lesson learned. He had to work with the elements he had. Frozen meat was easier to break and swallow without tasting it. He needed to gather more food before he grew too weak, but his legs refused to move. The wound from the last hunt pulsed painfully on his side. An instant too late, and a drake would have munched on him. I¡¯m already weak¡­ I¡¯ll be too slow¡­ If he lay here, there would be no more pain. He could eat a nightmare berry and be done with it. Though at that point, he might as well use one of Zervathi¡¯s requests for a decent meal and a few days in a safe shelter. He might find the will to give this another try if he rested. Stop being an idiot and get up. You¡¯re not going to die in a stinking hole. A stubborn spark of pride tugged at him, Kai was sure he had strangled the remaining vestiges a month ago. One wish had gone towards finding a way out of there, and another was reserved to make that plan succeed. That left a single request of wiggle room. If he wasted that now, he might as well doom himself. ¡°How else am I supposed to survive?¡± Kai whispered into the darkness of his rotting shelter. He needed to rest, to sleep for longer than an hour. ¡°Is that too much to ask?¡± Yes, stop whining and get up. Any wish will just delay our escape. ¡°Why must you be such a jerk¡­?¡± Zervathi would need seven years to regain the necessary power to send him back on his own¡ªbasically a death sentence. The current plan lowered the timetable down to two or three years, given that he managed to fulfill all the requirements. He had no idea how he was supposed to cross the island when he struggled to survive in one place. You can worry about that later. You need to get food. Get. Up. Now. ¡°Fine.¡± Kai crawled out of the trunk to face the verdant jungle. If he had to die, he might as well do it while standing. * * * Slicing the meat into finer morsels, Kai pushed the bowl along the stone floor of his cave. ¡°Is that good enough for Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Mew.¡± The picky kitten appraised the dish with a critical eye. Then his stomach got the better of him, and Hobbes threw himself on the meal with a voracious appetite. At this rate, I¡¯ll have to roast your meat next. He had cut his food once on a whim, and now the pest refused to eat it otherwise. It was a mystery how a cat could eat so much while staying so small. After regaining a healthy size, the kitten had barely changed. Hobbes pushed the empty bowl back with his little paw. His violet eyes nailed him with a pleading look. ¡°Meow.¡± ¡°You spoiled little brat.¡± Kai got down to more slicing. Feeding another mouth forced him to go out more often, though it was a small price for his sanity. Last night the kitten had even slipped into his bed to snuggle with him. ¡°Hmm¡­ What species are you?¡± While he had only explored the area between the slopes of the Spike and the western forest, the kitten was the first beast with a Space affinity he had encountered. It was also the first that didn¡¯t try to run away or eat him. ¡°Where are your parents? How could they abandon such a cute face? Did you get lost?¡± Hobbes tilted his head, confused why the meal was getting delayed. He was already so slippery that Kai couldn¡¯t understand how an adult cat could have died. ¡°Well, just enjoy this while it lasts. I need to leave soon, but you can follow.¡± ¡°Mrow?¡± ¡°I have to. I¡¯ve already stayed too long. I also have a family I want to go back to.¡± Technically, he could stay put for seven years. Though the longer he remained in the Sanctuary, the higher the chances of something going wrong. Despite having gotten better at surviving, he needed to run into the wrong yellow beast only once to be done in. ¡°Do you have any idea where I can find an Astral Harmonizer, a stable Gateway and a manual on ancient elven runes that I can read?¡± ¡°Meeew,¡± Hobbes squeaked impatiently. ¡°Hmmm¡­ I thought so.¡± Kai gave him the refilled bowl and took out the map. ¡°I mean, they¡¯re at one of these sites. The question is which one should I pick?¡± Zervathi provided an outline of the island as part of his first wish. The problem was that there were too many potential locations marked, three for the astral trinket, six for the gate, and two dozen where he might glean the Vastaire style of enchanting. Some of these places were probably inside death zones, infested with beasts, or had wards that could crush his body and shred his soul. I should have asked for more information. He could exclude the sites on the Spike. It was already a miracle¡ªor his Favor¡ªthat he hadn¡¯t gotten killed on the first day. Climbing the mountain would leave him exposed to aerial attacks, not to mention the monsters that nested on top. ¡°Uh, that still leaves too many options. I can learn about the runes in every place where I can find the other components. So, I can exclude those too, which leaves seven possibilities¡­¡± Kai squinted at the map, hoping to glean some information he was missing. Apart from the areas he had filled out around the forest, there were few landmarks noted. ¡°Do you think this is some kind of pit?¡± He pointed to three ominous lines on the other side of the island. Hobbes was too busy licking his bowl to share his genius. ¡°It must be a pretty large hole to have been marked¡­ or maybe a lake?¡± The area contained all the pieces he needed, but the journey alone would be risky and long. ¡°Better if I check closer places first¡­¡± There remained a single place with an astral trinket, an isle close to the shore beyond the forest. ¡°Guess I¡¯m going there¡­¡± Diving into the sea wasn¡¯t ideal, but then again there were no good options, just the least bad ones. Perhaps there was some kind of low tide he could use. The swim didn¡¯t look too long anyway and Water was his strongest affinity. Chapter 240 - Dark Waters Chapter 240 - Dark Waters ¡°You took a swim in a sea full of monsters?¡± Ele hugged one of his pillows with a horrified expression. ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t know that at the time. And the other options sounded worse.¡± Kai shrugged. He had skipped over the most gruesome and dangerous details in his retelling, but there was no way to make his first year on the island sound cheery. ¡°We can stop here, you don¡¯t have to listen to more.¡± ¡°No, you must finish the story.¡± Flynn leaned forward in his chair. ¡°What did you see in the water? Did you find what you were looking for? How did you survive?¡± Ele chewed her lip. ¡°I¡¯d feel better knowing how it ends. If you don¡¯t mind continuing.¡± ¡°Of course, you don¡¯t have to tell us if you¡¯re not ready.¡± Flynn bobbed his head, watching with a pleading expression that said the exact opposite. Kai fiddled with his silver ring, gaze lost in the grain of the floorboards. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It was a long time ago. I¡¯m over it.¡± His sister rested her hand on his back. ¡°You made it out in one piece in the end, right?¡± ¡°Not exactly.¡± ~ ~ ~ The isle stood about two miles off the coast. Ivory structures covered in algae and vines rose from the dark frothing sea, staunchly buffering the waves. Occasional ospreys and cormorants landed on the ruins. There were no flashes to indicate the presence of defensive wards¡ªat least on the outside. Despite the millennia of abandonment, the other site Kai visited on his way here had incinerated a winged serpent. The ruins on the archipelago were only bare of enchantments because the mana density had fallen too low to sustain them. ¡°Waiting any longer won¡¯t help.¡± He had observed the target for a full day-and-night cycle¡ªthree days on the outside. There were no low or high tides, the deep waters shifted between rough and rougher, though that made little difference. If he pushed his skills, he could cross the distance in minutes while sustaining a cloak of Shadow. ¡°Mrow.¡± Hobbes pushed his head against his leg, always keeping Kai between him and the water. The little guy had no problem finding him each night, though his blinking range didn¡¯t reach that far. Kai bent and scratched his ear. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be back sooner than you know. Ow! What was that for?¡± The kitten had pawed his hand and mistrustingly watched the turbulent waves. ¡°Meew!¡± ¡°I have to go. It¡¯s either this or crossing the island for a place that might be even more dangerous.¡± Kai licked the blood off his hand and applied a balm to close the scratch. This was one of three sites that held an Astral Harmonizer, and it might be the only ruin not protected by active wards. Without the artifact, the gateway would shred him to pieces, Zervathi had been pretty clear on that. I can¡¯t wait for seven years, I need to leave this place. ¡°It¡¯ll be alright,¡± Kai spoke in a soothing tone as he stroked Hobbes¡¯ back, away from the claws. Hallowed Intuition murmured of danger below the waves, but that was hardly news. Even on shore, in one of the lowest mana areas he had found, the skill never stayed silent. There were threats in the greenery to his left, threats circling the sky, and even threats buried underneath the sand. Of course, the sea would be no exception. On a more positive note, the essence density didn¡¯t increase as far as his senses could reach. He shouldn¡¯t encounter anything higher than low-yellow. ¡°C¡¯mon, I can do this.¡± Kai stripped off any clothes that would slow him down and strapped two knives to his legs. The sea serpent sword, ready to be drawn lay in his ring. His mana reserves were full with an abundance of Water and Shadow. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a jiffy.¡± He cheerfully booped Hobbes. The cat watched him from the cover of a palm with pale blue eyes. In and out. I can be done in under an hour. He checked the whispers for any looming danger and crept forward. His feet dug into the cold sand pointing toward the closest point to the isle. The deafening roar of the waves erased his memories of the crystal calm of the Shallow Sea. Just a little swim. When the next wave retreated, Kai leaped into the frigid waters and swam under the surface to escape the waves pulling him to shore. Blessed Swimmer told him how to slip through the currents, though the feeling of peace he expected didn¡¯t come. He had no time to dawdle, the faster he reached his target the sooner he could get to safety. The murky waters hardly contained any life, only the dark green kelp swaying in the currents and playful white fishes trying to take a bite out of him. Hmm, that¡¯s better than I imagined. Kai limited Mana Observer¡¯s range to half its maximum radius. Powerful beasts could be alerted to his skill, but from that distance, they would notice him anyway. He channeled his mana into Empower and Blessed Swimmer to skim through the sea with minimal resistance. The seabed disappeared into an unnatural darkness with scattered fields of anemic kelps poking through. A whisper of warning prompted Kai to take a hard left. Right. Left. Lay still. Kai strengthened his cloak of Shadow and retracted his senses, floating just below the surface. He disregarded the instinct to run, trusting the skill that had kept him alive thus far. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. The kelp jerked away as some big fish headed toward him. A pale emaciated fin poked through the inky blackness below. Murky waters stirred as frenetic whispers filled his mind. Death was approaching, and moving would bring it faster. Not¡ª. A ghastly presence washed over him, freezing his blood. Terror gripped his soul. Kai was about to run for his life when the swaying kelp trailed away. The beast having missed him or uninterested in such a stringy meal. Damn fish. You made me lose a decade of my life. Kai stole a breath of oxygen and raced toward the isle as soon as Hallowed Intuition allowed. The seafloor only grew more desolate, devoid of plant or animal life, just him above a dark abyss. He leaped out of the sea onto a slick ivory slab. His body shivered uncontrollably, but not from the cold. The ruin loomed over him like a cluster of towers half sunk into the sea. ¡°I¡¯ve done it.¡± He dried himself with a spell and took out a pelt to fend off the gust of winds. ~ ~ ~ ¡°Most of the entrances had been sealed millennia ago. And a ward protected the only open passage I found that couldn¡¯t be seen from the shore. It was just a force shield that rebuffed anything trying to cross, but I had no way to break through.¡± Flynn furrowed his brows. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you cut through the rock with your echo skill?¡± ¡°I almost got fried trying.¡± Kai shook his head. ¡°The enchantments protected the entire structure from magical tampering.¡± ¡°So you crossed the dead sea for nothing?¡± Ele grimaced, now squeezing a pillow in each arm. ¡°Did you manage at least to safely go back and look for another ruin?¡± Perhaps I should have. ¡°Not exactly.¡± Kai scowled. They couldn¡¯t understand his level of desperation, he would have done anything to escape. ¡°I had noticed the structure had sunk, so I thought there might be an entrance underwater. And I was right¡­¡± ~ ~ ~ A dark breach in the stone two dozen meters below the surface led deeper into the ruin. Hallowed Intuition alerted him of danger lurking inside. Not any worse than a day spent in the Sanctuary. He had taken a huge risk to reach the isle, he couldn¡¯t leave empty-handed. The Astral Harmonizer was the hardest piece to recover. He could fulfill most of the other requirements with enough time and practice, but this artifact wasn¡¯t optional. I have to at least try. Filling his lungs with a mouthful of oxygen, Kai dove toward the passage. The breach welcomed him like a dark maw. He wrapped a crystal with a cloth to soften the light, just enough to illuminate the way. The rift cracked the ivory stone through three different chambers. Kai squeezed into the upper layer since it had the smaller entrance¡ªand hopefully, the lowest chance of being occupied. The ivory room was vaguely familiar, though larger and with fragments of broken runes etched in the walls. Zervathi had only given precise directions to the location of the site, and not a mote more. Kai avoided the enchantments still pulsing with mana and swam into an empty corridor. The passage led into a maze of chambers, enough to wander for hours. From the glyphs he could decipher, the site was some kind of research facility or place of study. He committed the writings to memory. The language he had found around the Sanctuary was much more specific than the one in the archipelago, with more technical elements and less religious undertones. He¡¯d need hours of study to be certain of their meaning. Given his limited air supply, he couldn¡¯t afford to dally. Active wards and collapsed passages forced him to loop back around when he tried to enter the upper chambers. He was about to return to the surface when he popped out into a room that still held air. Finally a little luck. The chamber smelled of mold and death, with a single entrance and blackened runes circling the walls. Whatever their purpose, they allowed algae to cover them, so he felt daring enough to send out a filament of mana. Receiving no reaction, he cast a Nature spell to wither the algae off the stone. ¡°Hmm¡­ this is more like it,¡± Kai observed the results of his efforts with a silly grin. A network of circles and lines pulsed in a blue light. Once he made sense of the perspective, he easily matched his memories with what was depicted. He had found a map of the ruin. It was high time my Favor paid off. A myriad of delicate runes wove inside the wall and around the map, likely hiding more uses. ¡°Some kind of control room maybe?¡± Kai decided not to push his luck by messing with millennia-old enchantments. ¡°It¡¯s clear enough already.¡± If you wanted to store something important or precious, you¡¯d probably choose a room with fewer entrances, close to the center of the facility. Six chambers fulfilled the criteria, set in a spiral, each on a different layer. The geometry was far too precise to be a coincidence. With a mix of excitement and apprehension, Kai plunged back into the dark waters. Feeling safer the closer he was to the surface, he headed to the top room first. More chambers contained breathable air, but every passage to the upper levels was barred by wards, buzzing with mana. I should have known. Swimming in a convoluted loop past the defenses, Kai managed to reach the chamber below. An array of flowing runes on the entrance flickered without triggering. Rows of immaculate shelves stood arranged in a circle inside, but whatever they had contained must have turned to dust long ago. Without letting himself get demoralized, Kai dove toward the lower levels. The waters grew colder together with the whispers of danger¡ªstill within an acceptable degree. The third chamber was empty while the fourth contained a hexagonal altar brimming with a strange mana. An affinity he didn¡¯t possess. Hallowed Intuition advised him to go back like it always did. I¡¯ll check just one more. He might have missed a chamber, but his instincts told him he was following the right track. The whispers reluctantly provided another winding path downward. There were hardly any runes active at this depth, or an enchantment that wasn¡¯t broken. Or shattered by something¡­ I better hurry. Kai released one extra breath he had saved in his ring and used the last specialization of Blessed Swimmer to refill his Water mana reserves. He was so close. Pushing against one corner, he dashed into the fifth chamber. Yes! Six artifacts rested on a circle of plinths and failing runes. Each shone with multiple layers of runes, but a silver pyramid caught all his attention. The shape and iridescent motes blinking over the surface fit the description Zervathi had provided. The first piece to bring him home. Kai stored the Astral Harmonizer in his ring when the whispers suddenly turned into frantic screams, deafening his thoughts. By the time he turned around, inky darkness was already flooding the chamber like smoke in water. Fuck. He froze a barrier and wielded the sea serpent sword, but the approaching darkness swallowed his shield as if it wasn¡¯t even there. He was thrown into the pitch-black nothingness, losing his sense of sight and hearing. Only dread remained. Pain exploded from his right leg as a series of curved hooks cut into his flesh and dragged him down, toward the depths of the facility. Kai desperately channeled every element into his sword and swung. His strike was rebuffed without the slightest give. More hooks dug into his arm, wringing the blade from his hands. He screamed into the inky darkness when an aura far beyond any peak-yellow beast silenced him. His mind went blank. Only the certainty that he was about to die remained. He had made a bet and lost, been too confident that Hallowed Intuition would warn him in time to escape. His magic wouldn¡¯t be enough to save him even if he were the luckiest man in the world. He wouldn¡¯t be seeing his family, or anybody else again. Please, help me. Piercing pain shot up his chest as if his ribcage was being pulled apart, digging toward his heart. ~As you wish, elfoid monkey child.~ The haughty voice of the god shrilled. ~Get your odd-shaped tentacles off my property.~ A flash of prismatic colors banished the darkness. The next thing he knew, Kai could feel rough sand pressing against his face and his sword fell beside him. He pushed himself up, spluttering and wheezing for air. The ivory isle stood across the sea, miles away. What¡ª His hands searched his body for injuries, but there was no blood. Even the scratch Hobbes had given him was gone. ~I chose to interpret your request charitably and stitched your fleshy body up.~ ¡°Thank you,¡± Kai muttered, hugging his body in shock. ~You¡¯re very much welcome. You¡¯re lucky I was bored enough to watch your idiocy. Though this still counts as your second wish. You only have one remaining.~ ¡°I¡ª¡± He was about to die, then he was not. He had gotten away with the artifact and his life, though he had lost his only protection. There would be no second chances the next time he ran into trouble. Not if he wanted to leave this realm. Kai closed his hands to stop them from shaking, though he couldn¡¯t stop his teeth from clattering. A cold dread was rooted into his bones. ¡°What was that thing?¡± ~Just some misshapen horror that snuck into my Sanctuary while I was away. The fauna of my Sanctuary has evolved in peculiar ways without my supervision. To think sapient creatures would dare attack someone blessed by me. Truly scandalous. I shall add a culling to my list of chores¡­~ Zervathi rambled on about his grandiose plans to regain his glory. ~ ~ ~ Ele wrapped him in a hug. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry you had to go through that.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize, I told you I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°You had a literal divinity fish you up from the jaws of a sea monster.¡± Flynn watched him gobsmacked, leaning on the rim of his chair. ¡°Stop saying you are fine.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t go back into the sea, did you?¡± Ele probed him. ¡°I¡¯m not that stupid. That was the first and last time I willingly took a swim.¡± Chapter 241 - Favored Son of the Isles Chapter 241 - Favored Son of the Isles Kai strolled through poshtown, a soft breeze ruffling his hair. Beyond the line of pastel buildings, the sky was tinged with shades of orange, red and pink. Even this close to the rainy season, the warmth of the sun lingered in the paved streets beneath his sandals. Much had changed, but underneath its colorful and magical veneer, the archipelago remained his home, filled with lively merchants and the salty smell of the sea. Now, there were just more shades of people and goods. ¡°Fresh drinks! Fresh drinks! Last of the day!¡± A girl advertised exotic drinks from an enchanted cooler. ¡°Directly from the mainland.¡± ¡°Someone brought them across the ocean?¡± Kai couldn¡¯t hide the skepticism in his voice. Even with an expanded cargo hold, the weeks of voyage would be too expensive to justify anything but liquors. The girl jolted and did a double take on him, putting on a hasty smile. ¡°Yes, sir. Directly from the orchards of Namelia. There is nothing more relaxing after a long day of hard work, you have my word. I can sell it at half the price to prove it.¡± ¡°Uh, sure. I¡¯ll take one.¡± Kai rummaged through his pockets for a handful of coppers. He eyed the coconut and wooden straw with a glint of suspicion. "People like a piece of home with a little novelty.¡± The girl promptly justified, mistaking him for a tourist. Sure¡­ Kai took a sip. The pale green liquid had a citrusy scent. The exotic taste was something between apple and orange. If he were to guess, the imported trees were grown in the hinterland of Yanlun, probably around Hawkfield. It¡¯s not bad. Not sure if it¡¯s worth the price of two full meals. The cost of living had grown significantly while he was away and people hardly glanced at the feats of magical engineering. Even among the natives, one in three islanders wore an enchanted accessory, usually clothes with cleaning or waterproof properties. ¡°I like it,¡± Kai nodded at the girl who stood in front of him. ¡°Have a pleasant evening.¡± The stares had only gotten marginally better since he wore Flynn''s approved clothes. His hair was in order, and he didn¡¯t have anything in between his teeth. Kai had worked to conceal his presence, thinking his grade might be the problem. But despite his best efforts, people still acted strange. Whatever, I¡¯ll ask Ele later¡­ Or not¡­ She and Flynn had fussed over him like he was some sort of lost chick. He shouldn¡¯t have told them about his lowest point in the Sanctuary. No matter how many times he repeated that things had gotten better, they still wouldn¡¯t listen. Eventually, he had escaped to get some air. It wasn¡¯t all that bad. I can count on a single hand the times I risked getting eaten in the last few months. Finishing his drink, Kai let his feet lead him across Sylspring. Despite everything that happened, he felt relieved to have shared the story, to have broken down the barrier between him and his sister. Dinner promised to be another awkward affair, but he still had time to kill. He stopped to observe a Fire breather who had gathered a small crowd in the main square. The woman danced and jumped through the circles of flames she conjured, much to the awe of the audience. Her acrobatics skills were good, her Fire Magic not as much. Probably early Orange. Well¡­ it seems to be working for her. A pile of coppers and more than a few silver mesars were already at her feet. Her sculpted features and athletic figure helped, judging by the number of men gawking in the audience. Good for her. Kai added another copper and wandered toward the shopping district. From the windows overflowing with colorful vials and jars of exotic ingredients, Sylphie¡¯s Alchemy Shop seemed to be doing well. A teenage boy with a pair of enchanted spectacles entertained a pair of customers. I¡¯ll stop by another time. There had been enough reunions for one day. He didn¡¯t even know if Telu and the old crone knew about his disappearance. Hopefully, Reishi was doing well too. The merman had expanded his business beyond the archipelago, though he still visited regularly to keep an eye on things. Flynn reassured him he would know when the merchant came back. Kai roamed through the less flashy districts. After two years alone, he enjoyed being surrounded by people if they didn¡¯t intrude on his personal space. Each passerby appeared so carefree. The idle chatter of the closing market filled him with a peaceful nostalgia. He grasped at the quiet serenity. A part of him still expected to wake up back on the island. Perhaps in the clutches of some dream monster feeding on him. Don¡¯t be an idiot. This is not the Matrix. You¡¯ve escaped. ~ ~ ~ Kai pulled himself off the ivory ground with a groan. A gold and blue mosaic danced on the floor, he stared at the runes till they stopped spinning. He hadn¡¯t felt such a migraine since a Granite Stomper kicked his head. By habit, he cast water to rinse the blood off his face when a sharp pain blurred his vision. The blob splashed over his torn clothes. Fuck. ¡°You didn¡¯t say it would hurt this much.¡± Kai glared at the ivory fairy, buzzing over two years of efforts with a disinterested look. ¡°Mhmm¡­ I had forgotten about your peculiar need to state the obvious. The strain is merely temporary.¡± Zervathi snorted with a strident mix of shrill and thundering. ¡°You just morphed your vocation. Did you expect it to be entirely painless? Or did you want me to waste my divine might on your superficial comforts?¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± Kai shut his mouth. Arguing with the god was an exercise in futility. ¡°Did it work¡­?¡± The fairy waved his dainty hand in dismissal. ¡°Naturally. Despite some unexpected surprises, my being is beyond mistakes. You may check the results by yourself and pledge your eternal gratitude. I''ve outdone myself.¡± You didn¡¯t sound nearly as confident earlier. Kai cast the notifications. The culmination of uncountable blood, sweat and tears, the final missing piece to go back home. *Ding* Congratulations! Through the eternal wisdom and benevolence of the god of the Hidden Sanctuary, Zervathi, your profession has successfully completed a horizontal evolution. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Mana Child (lv10) has transitioned to Favored Son of The Isles (lv7). Warning: Due to the extraordinary circumstances of this divine intervention, some experience and levels have been lost in the process. *Ding* Congratulations! The god of the Hidden Sanctuary, Zervathi, has fulfilled your third and final request. The bargain is now complete. The world appeared to slow as his heart raced in his chest. Could he truly go home? Kai checked his status for absolute confirmation. It was all there and more. ¡°Will it safely send me back?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve fulfilled your request to the best of my considerable abilities.¡± The fairy fluttered over his head, forcing him to crane his neck. Then why are you still here? He forced down the irritation and respectfully bowed his head. ¡°Could you share your precious wisdom one more time?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Zervathi scratched his pointy nose. The pest wallowed in his knowledge for a good minute before abandoning himself to a dramatic sigh. ¡°I¡¯m too kind for my own good. If you follow my instructions to the letter, I¡¯d say you have a decent chance to reach your destination with all your limbs and sanity intact. Though you would do well to double-check that sloppy siphoning array.¡± Kai¡¯s gaze darted to his patchwork of elven and human runes. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome, human. Hmm¡­ Who knows, I may yet find a use for you.¡± ~ ~ ~ The warmth of the setting sun wasn¡¯t a dream. Kai had done it. He had assembled the ridiculous list of requirements and used his new profession skill and boon to tie everything together without getting squished by spatial forces. With one thought, his status appeared on an invisible sheet framed with blue runes. Body stats Boons: Profession Skills: General Skills: Two years of purgatory had pushed him further than he thought possible. Then the surge of attributes and skill slots carried him across the better part of the next grade. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder what his old teachers would say. Dora would give him some strange concoction to celebrate; Elijah would probably grit his teeth and mutter ¡®he better not get a big head¡¯; Virya might even raise her manicured eyebrows in a brief moment of surprise. Three boons and three profession skills¡­ He hadn¡¯t even known that was possible¡ªand it wouldn¡¯t be without the blessings from three different divinities. Zervathi had promised him a way to escape the Sanctuary if he saved up enough divine power to alter a red profession. When the fairy tinkered with their investment, Yatei and Kahali decided to chip in too. Kai had learned that gods could interfere with the Guide on his first meeting with Zervathi, though he had failed to grasp all the various possibilities. It was both intriguing and terrifying. If this was what three minor deities could accomplish, what else was out there? According to his godly ranter, the price requested by the Guide grew outrageously high with each subsequent grade. Which was why Kai had been forced to not evolve Mana Child beyond red, if he didn¡¯t want to be stuck there for seven years. Well, I can¡¯t complain. They even kept the flavor of my old profession skills. If he really had to nitpick a flaw, Favored Son of the Isles was a bit of a Swiss knife lacking a specific focus. Though that wasn¡¯t necessarily bad when it granted so much flexibility. No longer would he be holding back and patiently waiting. Nothing would stop him from evolving it to Orange once he met the requirements. I can reach level 10 in a few months, though Astral Pathway will be a chore to train¡­ Space mana outside the Sanctuary was pitifully thin, and he had consumed his entire reserves to cast the skill through the network of portals the Vastaire had built. Even with Hobbes boosting his affinity, it would be a pain to gather enough iridescent motes. Hmm¡­ Mom won¡¯t be happy if I¡¯m late after I¡¯ve came back from the dead. Kai continued to ponder his status while he headed home. Alchemy and Blessed Swimmer had lagged behind since it was difficult to practice them in the Hidden Sanctuary, though he must still be well ahead of his human peers. His skills had only slowed down when they advanced to Yellow. Part of it was expected, and part was due to his lack of attributes. To fuel yellow abilities, he needed yellow attributes. Risking his neck daily had mitigated the issue, though it couldn¡¯t entirely solve the problem. His Mind and Spirit struggled to push Mana Observer to its maximum range and precision; and it was even worse for Body Augmentation. The only exception was Hallowed Intuition since it relied on Favor. What might force someone else to abandon the skill, allowed him to shine. The feats for advancing his race before fourteen and surviving the Sanctuary had been¡­ proportional to the challenge. Nicely at the peak of my attributes. Just twenty more till I reach a hundred. Turning the corner to his cluster of houses, Kai approached the granny napping by the gate. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m¡ª¡± Her cloudy eyes shot open, pointing a gnarly finger at him. ¡°Alana¡¯s delinquent son! Your mother made me lose what little hearing I had left to ensure I would recognize you.¡± The old woman grabbed her white braid like a garrote. ¡°I don¡¯t care what trouble you caused, but you¡¯ll only get one warning from me. You better start behaving, kid. Your mother doesn¡¯t need more worries, and neither do I. Understand?¡± Kai was too speechless to respond, so he only nodded. ¡°Good. Now hurry along. I¡¯ve taken care of thirty-three sons and nephews.¡± The granny listed off as if she were talking about a kill count. ¡°I know how to discipline children like you.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± He ran inside the gate, cautiously extending his senses when he passed by her. She was Yellow, in both race and profession. Her threats suddenly gained a new dimension. I¡¯m sure we just got off on the wrong foot. ¡°Kai!¡± Alana came running from the courtyard and threw her arms around him in a quick hug. ¡°I was about to come looking for you. Did you get lost?¡± ¡°Sorry, mom. I was just curious to see how the town had changed. I didn¡¯t mean to make you worried.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I just¡ª¡± ¡°I know.¡± Kai put a hand on her arm. ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s Kien¡¯s birthday, but the day after we can go together. You can show me the best places to buy fish or walk the promenade.¡± He wasn¡¯t exactly sure what his mother did for fun. Alana held onto his hand. ¡°That would be nice. But do you think I only know how to buy groceries?¡± ¡°No, I¡ª¡± How did he manage to put the foot in his mouth again? He might need to think again about picking a social skill. ¡°Is everything ready for dinner? I wouldn¡¯t want to make you burn something.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, everything¡¯s ready. We¡¯re just waiting for your sister and Sabe.¡± ¡°He¡¯s coming too?¡± ¡°Of course, he¡¯s your sister''s husband. Hopefully, the father of a few children too. Spirits know that you and Kea are not making me a grandma before I¡¯m gray and withered.¡± ¡°Please stop.¡± Kai covered his ears. ¡°You¡¯re still young, there is plenty of time.¡± His mom ignored him, humming to herself. ¡°I¡¯d like a few more babies around. Kien would have someone near his age to play with. He has difficulty relating to his peers, you know. And you also have to think about marriage now that you¡¯re an adult.¡± Kai gently squeezed her hand. ¡°Mom, that¡¯s not going to happen.¡± Alana chuckled and lightly slapped his chest. ¡°You always had a flair for the drama. Wait till a girl sweeps you off your feet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen.¡± Chapter 242 - Beloved by the Spirits Chapter 242 - Beloved by the Spirits Kai headed to the southern beach with his family at the brink of dawn. An elderly couple strolled along the waterside, and a man was jogging in the distance. The scenery would be close to perfect if it weren¡¯t for the pieces of broken glass abandoned around a bonfire, likely the result of teenagers or tourists having fun the previous night. ¡°Damn litterers,¡± Kai grumbled. Living near a town of thousands, this was the best they would get for a sacred ceremony. The northern beach would already be trodden with fishermen and sightseers. He let his family walk ahead while he gathered the sharpest fragments. Shimmering shards floated into a sphere under his palm. It was hard to distinguish the smallest slivers buried in the sand, but glass was nothing more than a mixture of molten rock. He got the job done by consuming more Earth mana. ¡°Neat trick.¡± Flynn gestured to the floating ball of glass. ¡°Can you do that with dust too? I know some people in Higharbor who would kill to find a magic cleaner.¡± It wouldn¡¯t be efficient, but dust wasn¡¯t far from dirt either. Kai grunted and crushed the glass into fine powder. ¡°Probably. I¡¯ve never tried.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, stop brooding. The beach is practically pristine. You should see the weird garbage they find in Higharbor.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not brooding.¡± Kai pursed his lips, he probably was. ¡°I just want this day to be perfect for Kien.¡± His own second birthday was amongst one of those perfect memories he cherished. The pride of his parents, laughter with his sisters, learning two new skills and almost drowning. Mom was pretty upset, but it wasn¡¯t that bad¡­ The trash was another reminder that times were changing, whether he wanted it to or not. The concept of litter didn¡¯t even exist in Whiteshore. Flynn poked his ribs. ¡°You were zoning out again,¡± he justified, leaping back to avoid retaliation. ¡°We¡¯re all here, that¡¯s what matters. Kien doesn¡¯t care about the beach, but he¡¯ll remember his brother¡¯s melodramatic face.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have¡ª¡± A hand raised to his face to check. ¡°Fine. You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Of course, I am. Now, why don¡¯t you give Kien a little encouragement?¡± Flynn grinned. ¡°Just drop the look of ¡®I¡¯m about to murder someone¡¯.¡± ¡°I¡­ okay.¡± It was a chance to bond with his brother. The toddler was standing alone by the shore while Alana discussed the last details with Moui. Kai strolled up to him, dragging his feet on the sand so as not to jolt him. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do great.¡± He offered an encouraging smile. ¡°Mhmm¡­¡± Kien glanced up and then back down at the sand, biting his lip. He raised his thumb to his mouth, only to realize mid-gesture and let his arm hang down. What do I say now? Ele robbed him of the opportunity. ¡°It¡¯s okay to be nervous, Kiki. But the ceremony is really nothing to be scared about. We¡¯ll all be here with you, and later we can open your gifts and eat yummy food.¡± She extended her hand. ¡°Can you be brave for me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The toddler bobbed his head and held onto his sister. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go prepare. Do you remember what you need to¡­¡± ¡°What did I do wrong?¡± Kai exhaled a slow breath. ¡°He just needs more time. He met you yesterday, and I can barely believe that you¡¯re back myself.¡± Why is he here again? Kai turned to confront his nemesis. Sabe¡¯s obnoxiously handsome face looked at him with his perfect teeth. ¡°Ele didn¡¯t tell me all the details, but if you need anything, I want you to know I¡¯m here.¡± The tanned pearl hunter offered a friendly and unrequired pat. ¡°We¡¯re family now.¡± How could I let this happen¡­ As if a lump had gotten stuck in his throat, Kai fought the urge to not choke. Unfortunately, he had promised his sister last night that he would try to get along. Today wasn¡¯t about him. ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± ¡°No problem, man.¡± Sabe lit up like a praised puppy. ¡°I¡¯m happy to help.¡± You get one chance. One wrong step and I¡¯m onto you. Before the crowds of the day could swarm the beach, his mom began the ceremony with Moui at her side. ¡°I ask for the favor of Kahali, the venerable spirit of the sea and protector of our shores. Grant us your favor and accept my son into your waters. May he join his ancestors¡­¡± Alana chanted at the sea while Kien waited beside her. Having been blessed by Kahali put Kai in an odd position. He had been touched by the first seven waves, a good omen. Though he didn¡¯t know whether the Great Spirit actually cared about the ceremony or if it was a purely human invention. Contrary to the chatty fairy, the spirits had always preferred a hands-off approach. Ele tightly held Sabe¡¯s hand, leaning against his shoulder. ¡°What if the waves don¡¯t come? The tide is almost low. I don¡¯t want him to be disappointed.¡± ¡°The spirits won¡¯t let that happen,¡± Kai stated with absolute certainty. He wasn¡¯t going to let chance or the whims of a god decide his brother''s fate. Adding a little oomph to a wave with Water Magic would be easy. ¡°Thank you.¡± His sister smiled, relieved and unaware of his intentions. Flynn gave him a conspiratorial wink. ¡°I¡¯ve got a good Hunch about this.¡± "¡­forevermore amidst your waters.¡± Alana finished her plea. Kien extended his little hand on the sand, waiting to receive the approval of Kahali to step into the sea and learn to swim. I should wait for a bit not to be suspicious. Up to seventy was still considered¡ª Kai froze when the first wave washed over Kien¡¯s palm and splashed his face. With a gleeful squeal, the toddler scrambled into the sea. Surprised cheers echoed as his family crowded around him. ¡°Damn, you got really good.¡± Flynn threw an arm over his shoulder and whispered. ¡°I was looking for it, but I couldn''t perceive a thing.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything.¡± The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Yeah¡­ Of course not.¡± Flynn winked again and joined the celebration. Is my brother really favored by Kahali? It could be a coincidence, but it was the very first wave. Kai would have understood the second or the fifth, but that wave had come almost unnaturally strong. Had the spirits actually taken an interest? Kien''s joyful laughter interrupted his thoughts. The toddler would have already learned Swimming if he weren¡¯t forbidden by tradition. He was having the time of his life splashing in the sea. Alana and Moui watched on with proud looks and bright smiles. Hmm¡­ it probably doesn¡¯t matter. Kai went to join the battle of splatters. * * * ¡°You cheated.¡± Flynn sulked, drying his hair with a towel back at the house. ¡°Everyone uses what they¡¯ve got,¡± Kai replied with a grin. ¡°You have your physical attributes, and I have my spells. It only seems fair.¡± After Kien had learned Swimming and gone to shore to take a nap with his parents, the water battle had devolved among the so-called adults. Kai had the lowest Strength without using Body Augmentation, but that hardly mattered when he could control the sea. Even with Ele joining forces to wrestle him underwater, Kai could just cast a bubble around his head. Their fruitless attempts to drown him were adorable. Flynn crossed his arms. ¡°You¡¯re no fun.¡± ¡°Because I didn¡¯t let you win?¡± ¡°You almost drowned me. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever drunk so much seawater in my life.¡± Kai felt a pinprick of guilt, though he couldn¡¯t remember the last time he had this much fun. ¡°I appreciate your sacrifice, and I¡¯m happy to give you a rematch anytime you want.¡± ¡°Next time I will choose the terrain though.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± Kai patted him on the back. Water Magic was far from the only trick in his arsenal. He was curious to see if his friend had kept up the training. ¡°C¡¯mon, I don¡¯t want to make Kien wait.¡± They walked into the living room already set for another feast. His mom was still convinced he was undernourished and needed to stuff him like a calamari during the Festival of the Tides. ¡°Meeeow.¡± Hobbes sauntered into the room from his morning of mischief at the market. The little diva quickly got the attention he wanted. ¡°Kitty!¡± Kien raced towards him with starry eyes to scoop the furball into a hug. ¡°I missed you.¡± Hobbes sent a wave of grumpiness through their bond and endured the scratches with a stoic purring. Such a hero. It¡¯s his birthday, you can survive a few belly rubs. ¡°Mrow.¡± Fine. I owe you a fish. Yes, a very big one. The glutton had become quite enamored with seafood since he had arrived in the archipelago. In the Sanctuary, the sea and its creatures had always been off-limits. ¡°It¡¯s time to eat, Kiki.¡± Alana picked the boy and cat up. ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry? I prepared all your favorite dishes.¡± ¡°Can the kitty eat with me, mommy?¡± Kien pleaded with innocent eyes that, Kai suspected, weren''t entirely innocent. ¡°Mew.¡± Hobbes matched his puppy eyes, lifting his silver paws. The Familiar bond was a two-way street, and the furball grew more devious by the day. Faced with such weaponized cuteness, Alana was forced to yield. ¡°I¡¯ll find something for the cat to eat. Now go sit, Kiki.¡± ¡°Yes, mom.¡± Kien scurried to obey and dragged a chair beside him for Hobbes. Plates of steaming lobster, spicy purple sauce and icy drinks quickly filled the room with a delicious smell and lively chat. Kai was glad to enjoy the food and leave the spotlight to his brother. He wasn¡¯t the only one surprised by the ceremony. Had Kahali blessed Kien? Was he destined to become a great seafarer? Apparently, this wasn¡¯t the first peculiar event to befall his little brother. His exceptional results could be attributed in part to his grade, but some details still gave Kai pause as Alana recounted the stories. As a baby, Kien had cried to keep Ele home just before the Wandering Moon reversed the tides and a storm hit the archipelago. Another time, he found a copper keepsake in the market, only for it to belong to a visiting mage who gave him a golden mesar as thanks. Either he¡¯s extremely lucky, or he¡¯s actually beloved by the spirits¡­ During the whole conversation, Kien was more interested in feeding Hobbes samples from each plate. The cat perched on a chair, smelling each bite before he accepted or dismissed the offerings with an imperious wave of his paw. Hmm¡­ They might be a bad influence on each other. ¡°Kiki, don¡¯t give him food from the table. I¡¯ve already prepared a plate for him.¡± Kien stilled with a crab leg dipped in sauce in his hand. ¡°Kitty likes this more.¡± His aquamarine eyes looked up pitifully. "Meeeow." Hobbes voiced his agreement, throwing a contemptuous glance at the plate on the floor. ¡°Don''t make me repeat myself, Kiki. You know the rules. The food stays on the table.¡± ¡°Daddy.¡± Kien turned his baby charm toward the weaker target. Moui hurried to hide his smile when Alana looked at him. ¡°It¡¯s his birthday, honey. We can make a little exception.¡± The hunter caressed her arm. ¡°Fine. But just for today,¡± his mom reluctantly relented. ¡°And no more sauces or gravy. The floor is already a mess.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Kien happily cheered and fed the crab leg to the spoiled cat. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have encouraged them to play together¡­ Kai resolved to keep an eye on them. After a four-course meal that left his stomach bulging, he helped his sister carry the dishes into the kitchen to escape the coconut and white berries pie. ¡°Sometimes I wonder if Mom isn¡¯t also trying to kill me. I¡¯m about to explode. It wasn¡¯t this bad when I was a child.¡± Ele put the plates down in the sink and gave him a puzzled look. ¡°You truly don¡¯t know?¡± His brows furrowed. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Remember that winter when we lost Dad and almost starved to death.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± How did I never put that together? ¡°Mom shows love through her food. And it makes her happy to know we''re well-fed.¡± Ele gave him a one-arm hug. ¡°Just hold on, little brother. She¡¯ll slow down once she knows you¡¯re not going to disappear on us.¡± They walked back to the party. Lunch was wrapping up, and Kien was excitedly jumping around awaiting his gifts. ¡°I kept a slice for you, sweetie.¡± Alana presented Kai with a plate of snow-white pie. ¡°It looks delicious, I¡¯ll eat it later as a snack.¡± Kai motioned to his brother. ¡°Kien looks eager to open his presents.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ you¡¯re probably right.¡± Alana went to make the excited toddler sit down before he vomited the food. Moui presented his gift first. Kneeling before his son with a proud smile, he took out a finely woven bracelet with four wooden charms. A tree, an anchor, a conch, and an arrowhead. ¡°I got this from my dad when I was your age, like he did with his dad before him. Each one added a symbol to pass to the next generation. And one day, when you¡¯re big, you¡¯ll carve one too for your son or daughter.¡± Kien stared at his wrist with an open mouth. ¡°Make sure to always wear it, so it will bring you good luck as it did for me.¡± ¡°Yes, daddy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my turn then.¡± Alana brought out a silver pendant with two crossed concentric circles, the sacred symbols of the archipelago. ¡°May the spirits always watch over you, my love,¡± she said, kissing him on the forehead. Sharing a glance with Ele, Flynn walked forward. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll go next. This is for my favorite two-year-old.¡± With a dramatic wave and a twist of his wrist, he produced a wooden knife, big enough to be a sword for a toddler. The wood was enchanted to look like metal while having no edge. Moui watched with an amused look, quickly hidden when his wife glanced at him. ¡°Thank you for the thoughtful gift,¡± Alana stressed the word with her lips pursed. Kien already looked at the toy blade with starry eyes. ¡°Thank you, Finn.¡± ¡°Of course, but keep in mind this weapon is a great responsibility. You must promise me you¡¯ll only use it for good and to slay evil beasts.¡± The toddler solemnly nodded. ¡°Good boy.¡± Flynn ruffled his hair with a fond expression. How is he so good at this? This is unfair. ¡°You can go first,¡± Ele whispered to Kai. ¡°We¡¯ll go for last.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He strode forward, quickly extinguishing his brother''s smile. Dammit. What am I doing wrong? Maybe I should give him Hobbes¡­ No, that would be a disaster. He had the enchanted trinket and sweets he bought in Higharbor, but that couldn¡¯t compete. Presenting his empty palm, he made a shimmering blue crystal appear from his ring. ¡°This was the treasure of a Flood Wyvern. It doubles the Water mana in an area. You can probably use it in an array to improve the effect, but it works quite well by itself.¡± Kai smiled at his brother''s awed look, only to realize the whole room had gone silent, and was gawking at the mana treasure. ¡°It also makes a pretty light if you shake it.¡± He gave a quick demonstration that made the crystal illuminate the room in shades of turquoise and teal. ¡°Here, don¡¯t lose it.¡± The toddler stared at the sparky gem with a transfixed look. I think he likes it. Kai plopped back into his seat. Finally, he had gotten something right. ¡°You weren¡¯t joking?¡± Flynn elbowed him. ¡°Did you really get that from a wyvern?¡± ¡°Why would I lie?¡± ¡°Ehm¡­ our brother always liked surprises.¡± Ele chuckled and walked forward holding hands with Sabe. ¡°Our present doesn¡¯t sparkle as much, but we dived into an underwater cave guarded by a cranky crab to get it.¡± She bent down to place a pendant adorned with a shiny black pearl over Kien¡¯s head. With a hand on her stomach, his sister continued. ¡°We also have another gift.¡± She smiled at their mother who slowly covered her mouth. ¡°But you¡¯ll have to wait a few months for that.¡± Elydes - A New Dawn is now out on Kindle/KU/Audible! Elydes - A New Dawn is now out on Kindle/KU/Audible! Hi, it¡¯s your second overlord Drew (all bow down to emperor Hobbes). Publishing day it¡¯s finally here! Book 1 of Elydes - A New Dawn is officially available on Kindle, KU, Paperback, Audible! I¡¯m so excited to share the final edited version and forget the embarrassment of the RR version. While there are no significant changes to the content of the story, it¡¯s much smoother to read, the dialogue has been touched up to sound more natural, and there might also be some minor worldbuilding nuggets here and there. If you want to listen to the story instead, I¡¯ve got you covered too. The audiobook was performed by RyanHReid. I hand-picked him out of the list of options, and will eternally envy his voice. He does a wonderful job to fit the tone of the story. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Here are all the links: E-book and Paperback: https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B0CV23ZFQ5 Audiobook: https://www.audible.com/pd/Elydes-A-New-Dawn-Audiobook/B0D4MV2PTF As for other ways to support the Elydes and keep me writing. If you already have Kindle Unlimited, even just a download apparently counts as a sale and can boost my launch rank. Also also, Amazon reviews and ratings are crucial if you''ve been enjoying the story; I¡¯ll be forever grateful. You don¡¯t need to have purchased the book on kindle to leave a review, either, though if you download on KU before posting a review, it comes up as verified and is weighted higher. Thank you all the support, Drew out! Chapter 243 - Normalcy Chapter 243 - Normalcy Cold sweat drenched his shirt, and his heart thumped furiously. Kai crouched on a hard wooden surface, ready to jolt into action. One hand was wrapped in warm sheets, the other tightly gripped his sword. Where is the threat? The whispers were silent, he wasn¡¯t in danger. Panic receded, slow like the tides. No wounds on his ankle either, just two sets of thin symmetrical scars that had long since healed. Squinting in the dark, he could faintly make out the outline of the guest room in his family house¡ªin Sylspring. He was safe. Just another nightmare. Dammit. Kai put away the sword and took out an enchanted light to ascertain the state of the bedroom. He had pushed the bed sideways and dented the headboard. Getting the furniture back into place was easy, but he couldn¡¯t shape dead wood. Nature¡¯s domain was about living things, or nurturing life from death in a cycle. I¡¯ll ask the carpenters in the market. Someone must have a way to fix it. He scrubbed a hand through his hair. The last thing he needed was his family fussing over him with worry. They had just managed to rebuild a veil of normalcy with Kien¡¯s birthday, and he wanted to keep it that way. Why do you have to complicate things, foolish brain? More by habit than foresight, he had already installed dampening talismans. The enchanted scraps of mana trees blocked sounds from leaving his room, while allowing him to hear what happened outside. No one else would be made aware of the racket tonight. Kai took off his shirt and cast a Water spell to rinse off the sweat. After surviving the Sanctuary, his mind insisted on complicating his life with such nonsense. He had dared to hope it was over when he slept through the previous night. No such luck. I just need a few more weeks¡­ ¡°Mrooow.¡± Hobbes perched on his wardrobe, watching him with deep blue eyes. With a graceful leap, the cat landed on his bed and stretched his limbs. ¡°How long have you been watching, huh?¡± Kai scratched the furry troublemaker behind the ears. His restlessness must have flown through their bond and alerted him. ¡°Meew.¡± The lovable pest rubbed against his outstretched arm, sounding almost worried. ¡°I just had a bad dream. Next time I¡¯ll close the connection before slee¡ª ahi!¡± Kai jolted back, his arm now sported three thin red lines. Hobbes watched him with a disgruntled look. ¡°Mrooow.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Kai raised his hands in exasperation. ¡°The bond stays open.¡± With a curt meow and a swish of his fluffy tail, the cat overlord disappeared in a silver blink. I can¡¯t tell if he loves me or wants me dead¡­ It was pitch-black outside as the moons were hidden behind a layer of clouds. Kai slumped on his bed to get a few more hours of sleep. But slow, regular breaths couldn¡¯t rid him of the bloody fangs he saw when he closed his eyes. Looking for a distraction, his thoughts moved to his family, Kien¡¯s future, his sister''s coming baby¡­ Spirits, I¡¯m going to be an uncle¡­ Kai turned under the sheets, unable to sleep till the warm rays of dawn filtered through his window. On the floor above, a bed lightly creaked as someone got up. Good enough. He slipped out of his room and into the bathroom. The icy water erased his sleepiness, though it couldn¡¯t erase the dark bags under his eyes. I mean, they¡¯re barely noticeable. The problem with having a family gifted with superhuman Perception was that they tended to notice these details. Kai fought down an unruly curl with Water Magic to look less disheveled and headed into the kitchen. I promised Mom we¡¯d go out together today¡­ Moui was already at the stove, cooking some kind of reddish pancakes that smelled of fruits and burnt sugar. ¡°Morning! Had trouble sleeping?¡± The hunter commented after taking a single glance over his shoulder. Dammit. ¡°Hmm¡­ I stayed up reading my old journals.¡± When did I become such a shitty liar? Moui¡¯s tone remained jovial. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°No.¡± He admitted. ¡°I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn¡¯t get back to sleep.¡± ¡°I see. Why don¡¯t you take a seat?¡± Moui flipped the pancakes in the pan. ¡°These are Kien¡¯s favorites, I thought you might like them too.¡± A dozen reddish pancakes with honey and berries were quickly served on a plate. Seeing the hunter¡¯s hopeful gaze, Kai helped himself to breakfast and added an extra dose of enthusiasm. ¡°Mhmm¡­ These are great!¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Moui smiled and took a seat across from him. ¡°Though you¡¯ve said that for everything you¡¯ve eaten since you came back.¡± Kai covered his chewing mouth to speak. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault if you¡¯ve all become such great cooks.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take the compliment, even if I don''t know how deserved it is.¡± His demeanor turned more serious, lacing his finger above the table. ¡°I know you went through a traumatic experience. It¡¯s normal if you¡¯re having trouble adapting to living in a safe place.¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡ª¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me any details unless you want to.¡± Moui halted him. ¡°Just be patient with yourself. It¡¯ll take time to recover from two years in that place.¡± This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. He pursed his lips. ¡°But I¡¯m ready to move on.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that simple.¡± Moui''s eyes lit with sympathy. ¡°If you¡¯re having nightmares, it could be your mind telling you¡¯re not ready.¡± Kai sank in his seat. He had successfully escaped the island, why couldn¡¯t he forget about it and go on with his life? A deep sigh escaped his lips. ¡°It¡¯s just strange being back in town. And people in the streets keep staring at me for some reason.¡± They know I don¡¯t belong here¡­ Moui burst out in a hearty laughter. ¡°Sorry.¡± Despite his attempts to suppress it, his lips kept curving upwards. ¡°Have you tried not looking at passersby as if they¡¯re tonight¡¯s dinner?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not! My aura is perfectly contained.¡± Kai remembered a similar conversation with switched places. Maybe that was why his uncle found it that hilarious. ¡°It¡¯s not about your presence,¡± the hunter looked for the right words. ¡°It¡¯s your demeanor.¡± ¡°What about it? Is there something wrong with my face?¡± His hand rose to his nose and cheekbones. ¡°You look at people as if you''re determining whether they¡¯re predator or prey. It can be a bit intense and unsettling, especially for strangers.¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± Kai silenced his instinct to deny it. He had spent two years hunting and being hunted by beasts, perhaps it wasn¡¯t the wildest theory. ¡°How do I fix it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not exactly the most approachable,¡± Moui muttered with a frown. ¡°Everyone else in this house might be better to ask. Maybe try to look more relaxed?¡± And how do I do that? Hmm¡­ this is going to take a while. * ¡°You sure you don¡¯t want to come?¡± Ele leaned on the prow of the boat. A month after the announcement, the belly bump still wasn¡¯t visible, though her hand often wandered there. Sabe carried a waxed canvas bag on one shoulder and a coiled rope on the other. ¡°We know the area quite well. It¡¯s perfectly safe. I¡¯ve got a skill to check if there are beasts nearby.¡± Kai wished the man knew about Hallowed Intuition to see how funny he sounded. ¡°I¡¯m good. I promised Kien we''d build a magic shelter together.¡± While they hadn¡¯t exactly set a date, today worked as well as any other. ¡°It¡¯ll have to be another time then.¡± Sabe loaded the ship with a disappointed slouch. ¡°You still owe me a rematch.¡± ¡°Next low tide. And don¡¯t blame me if I still find more pearls.¡± Their last hunt had been good training for Treasure Sense. ¡°I told you I¡¯m pretty lucky.¡± To say Kai liked the guy would be a stretch, but he could now look at his face without feeling the need to punch it. ¡°We¡¯ll see. I won¡¯t underestimate you again, mage boy.¡± Sabe''s grin burned with fiery competitiveness. I¡¯m still in time to strangle you. ¡°Don¡¯t spoil Kiki too much.¡± Ele stepped between them. ¡°And don¡¯t grow another tree in the courtyard. You gave old Nem a fright. Next time she might actually kick you out.¡± That granny made so much fuss about a little sapling. It barely reached over the house. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You won¡¯t find a leaf out of place.¡± Kai gave his word. One of the essential characteristics of a good shelter was that it had to be concealed. He could compress the Earth below the garden to create a secret chamber or two. Kien will like that. Ele arched an eyebrow as if she saw right through him. ¡°Kai¡­¡± ¡°Be safe. I¡¯ll see you at dinner.¡± He waved goodbye to the couple. They had started to go pearling without a low tide to keep ahead of the growing competition in Sylspring. The boat rowed with synchronized movements away from the moor. Kai strolled down the pier. He wasn¡¯t scared of the sea, but it unsettled him when he couldn¡¯t see the shore, or he had to dive into a dark underwater cave too deep to sweep with his skills. One step at a time. He had improved his demeanor with Ele and Flynn¡¯s help, his gaze casually wandered without stopping on any one person. No heads turned to stare. Well, almost nobody. A skinny girl about his age eyed him from across the pier. When he reciprocated the look, she scampered away. What¡¯s that about? She¡¯s the weird one. In the end, he did only need time to adapt. Longer than he had envisioned, but he was still making progress. While the nightmares hadn¡¯t disappeared, he could usually tell when he was in a dream and stopped breaking the furniture. Baby steps. When he had tried to solve all his fears and paranoias at once, it only made them worse. Palaces were built one brick at a¡ª ¡°Hey!¡± A pair of hands grabbed his shoulders. Kai jolted back and narrowly managed to avoid falling into the sea. He glared at the smiling jerk that had sneaked up on him. ¡°Was that necessary?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± Flynn cheerfully nodded, wisps of Shadow dispersing around him. ¡°I can finally get behind your back without you noticing.¡± ¡°And that would be a good thing?¡± ¡°Of course it is.¡± Flynn watched him like a proud, weird uncle. ¡°It means you feel safe-ish.¡± Kai threw him a dirty look. One month outside and his instincts were already slipping. ¡°So when I die in an ambush, at least I¡¯ll have been in a relaxed mood.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be a silly crab. I still had to use my skills. And if I had bad intentions, Hallowed Intuition would have warned you. That¡¯s why you picked the skill.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just pleased you managed to sneak up on me,¡± Kai grumbled, failing to find any reasonable objection. ¡°Well¡­ I can¡¯t deny it. But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not right,¡± Flynn said with a cheeky grin. ¡°Learning to relax when there aren¡¯t any threats around is a good thing. Otherwise, you¡¯ll just go crazy.¡± Despite his desire to rob him of his smugness, Kai could see his point. ¡°I guess you aren¡¯t totally wrong. Anyway, I thought you weren¡¯t due for another day. When did you get back?¡± ¡°Oh, about ten minutes ago, give or take. An old friend gave me a ride.¡± Old friend¡­? Kai stopped in his tracks. ¡°Reishi is back in the archipelago?¡± ¡°And people say you can¡¯t be smart and pretty.¡± Flynn ruffled his hair, but Kai was too zoned out to care. He had broken their contract by disappearing and likely cost the merfolk no small amount of mesars. ¡°Does he want to see me?¡± ¡°Of course. I told him you were alive. I hope you don¡¯t mind. I couldn¡¯t resist making him spill his fancy tea. You should have seen how his crest shot up. I¡¯ve never¡­¡± Flynn described the merman¡¯s shock with gusto. ¡°Is he waiting for me right now?¡± Kai scanned the ships moored at the dock. ¡°I told Kien I¡¯d play with him.¡± ¡°I can do that for you. I need to remind Kiki who his favorite person is. We can¡¯t all grow a colossal oak to buy his favor.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t that big.¡± Not compared to the ones in the Sanctuary. ¡°Kai, you planned to build a treehouse on it. It was pretty damn huge.¡± Flynn followed his gaze. ¡°If you''re looking for Reishi¡¯s boat, it¡¯s over there. The one that oozes wealth and opulence.¡± He pointed to a three-mast vessel with shimmering silver sails and a dark hull, floating a hundred meters offshore. ¡°I just walk over there?¡± ¡°Just tell the guys on the boat over there I sent you, they¡¯ll bring you on board. I can accompany you if you want.¡± ¡°No, I¡ª it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll see you at home. I¡¯ll tell your mother you might be late, don¡¯t let that greedy fish rope you into some deal.¡± ¡°Huh, yeah.¡± Standing on the pier alone, Kai realized he hadn¡¯t been paying attention to who would ferry him onto the ship. I¡¯m pretty sure Flynn said the guy¡¯s over there. The issue was he only had a vague notion of where ¡®there¡¯ was. Two dozen boats crowded the area, and he wasn¡¯t in the mood to talk to strangers. Hmm¡­ It won¡¯t be any weirder than coming back from the dead. Weaving a veil of Shadow, Kai walked off the wooden pier and into the sea. Forcing a moving surface to be solid without freezing it first would have been tricky before he learned Split Mind. Now he easily skipped over the waves, dropping his cloak when the vessel loomed over him like a marine behemoth. He could leap on board, but hopping on uninvited wouldn¡¯t be polite. Guess I should knock. Kai tapped the black hull with his knuckles. ¡°Ehm, excuse me?¡± Maybe I should speak louder¡­ He had never liked shouting. Luckily, a young sailor leaned over the railing to check for the disturbance. Putting a month of effort to good use, Kai wore his most approachable smile and friendly waved. ¡°Down here. Hello, I¡¯m¡ª¡± The man darted back with a yelp and a pale face. Rude. There was some arguing, but the arrays of the ship scrambled the sounds into an unintelligible noise. ¡°Uh, I should have known it was you.¡± A familiar scaled face stuck his head out with a bright orange and green crest, looking down amused. ¡°Flynn told me you were back, but I couldn¡¯t believe it.¡± Reishi turned to yell over his shoulder. ¡°What are you waiting for? Get him on board.¡± Feet shuffled above to let a rope ladder fall beside his head. Kai quickly climbed the rungs, stepping onto a deck humming with enchantments. Half a dozen sailors stared at him as if he were a ghost coming to haunt them, the other half with wary suspicion. ¡°Hi.¡± His sunny disposition only made the young crewmen shrink back. ¡°Stop being such babies, he¡¯s a boring old human. I don¡¯t pay you to gawk at my guests. Get back to work!¡± Reishi ordered the sailors away. The merman¡¯s pale blue eyes scanned him from head to toe with an approving nod. ¡°Look at you, all grown up. You sure do know how to make an entrance.¡± Kai looked at his feet, embarrassed. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to scare your crew.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mind them. Sailors are a superstitious bunch.¡± Reishi dismissed his worries with a wave, causing the embroidery of his silk robe to shine. ¡°Come, we have much to discuss. A lot has changed since you disappeared.¡± Chapter 244 - Fishy Rich Chapter 244 - Fishy Rich Reishi led Kai to the Captain¡¯s cabin, located at the ship¡¯s stern, carrying himself with an air of authority. The merman had grown taller, and his angular face gave a more adult appearance. ¡°Make yourself at home.¡± He closed the sliding door behind them. The mana density increased tenfold inside. A lacquered desk covered with documents and artifacts used as paperweights took center stage. Detailed nautical maps and vibrant paintings adorned the walls. Is this¡­? Spatial Attunement tickled him like static. Kai was pretty sure the cabin looked smaller from the outside. A minute difference, but thanks to his boon, he was confident there was some kind of spatial expansion at play, perhaps even a hidden room. This ship must have cost him an arm and a leg. He itched to analyze the network of runes woven through the vessel. His skills could pick apart the cloaking to uncover the secrets hidden beneath. Alas, Kai had to curb the impulse in the name of politeness. ¡°Please, take a seat.¡± Reishi fluttered around the desk, fiddling with an enchanted golden contraption. His dignified appearance vanished in the blink of an eye. ¡°Sorry for the awkward welcoming. There are quite a few legends about sirens, drowned spirits and monsters calling from the water to lure sailors to their death. And it was better if you didn¡¯t introduce yourself in front of the crew.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Kai furrowed his brows, unsure what to make of it. ¡°Tea?¡± Reishi took out a set of porcelain cups, a teapot and three boxes emblazoned with a delicate painting¡ªall glowing with yellow mana. The golden gizmo turned out to be a glorified water heater. ¡°I¡¯ve got Dry Autumn River, Winter Passion, and Immortal Sunrise. I need to restock. Which one would you prefer?¡± Kai had absolutely no idea what any of those names meant. ¡°Why don¡¯t you pick for me? I¡¯m fine with anything.¡± ¡°Mhmm¡­¡± Reishi scratched his neck as if he faced a difficult dilemma. ¡°I think Immortal Sunrise fits your situation the best. It¡¯s a mix of Refelia, Teutonja and another dozen herbs found in the desert of the Golden Coast¡­¡± His light blue scales assumed an intense hue. ¡°I¡¯m rambling, aren¡¯t I? After you vanished without a word, I didn''t imagine I¡¯d see you again.¡± Reishi went to brew the tea with intense focus. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m sorry about disappearing.¡± Kai let his gaze wander over the gaudy furnishings, the chair creaking under him. ¡°I was forcibly recruited by the Republic. And things didn¡¯t go as planned.¡± Reishi poured two cups. ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me anything.¡± ¡°But you deserve an explanation.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Is your disappearance in any way linked to military movements in the archipelago?¡± The merman raised a webbed hand to stop him. ¡°No, don¡¯t answer that. I''ve already got an idea of what happened, and I¡¯d rather maintain plausible deniability. Don¡¯t tell me anything.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Kai was somewhat comforted by Reishi¡¯s awkwardness. ¡°Reishi, I know we had a deal for my alchemy¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, I¡¯ve already torn up the contract. Though we should probably add a kidnapping clause to any new agreements.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Sorry, bad joke.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Kai blew the steam off the cup and took a sip. A spicy flavor with hints of honey and exotic herbs mixed in his mouth. He could feel the distinct image of a crimson sun rising over golden dunes. ¡°Hmm¡­ it¡¯s quite good.¡± ¡°Of course. This is my private stash.¡± The tea seemed to settle Reishi¡¯s nerves, and a genuine smile lit his face. ¡°I¡¯m really glad that you¡¯re alive and well.¡± ¡°Me too. Coming back was uh¡­ complicated.¡± Kai didn¡¯t know what to say without mentioning the Sanctuary. ¡°You seem to be doing well. Is the ship new?¡± ¡°I bought it last year.¡± The merman said with a proud look. ¡°You don''t want to spare any expense when traveling across the open ocean, not if you want to make it back in one piece.¡± ¡°I heard you¡¯ve expanded your trade beyond the archipelago. How long before you become the richest person on the continent?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t flatter me. That will require at least a decade.¡± Reishi chortled and jumped into a retelling of his travels. After creating the largest trading company in the archipelago, he had set his sights beyond, though the competition on the mainland was much stiffer. ¡°Enough about me.¡± The merman poured him another cup of tea. ¡°Have you thought about what to do next? I assume you¡¯re still presumed dead by the Republic, and would like to keep it that way?¡± ¡°That would be ideal.¡± Kai nodded. He couldn¡¯t live in Sylspring forever. While no one had said it out loud, his family knew his plans hadn''t changed. ¡°I want to travel to the continent.¡± The logistics were still nebulous in his mind. He chewed his cheek. ¡°Can you give me a ride there? I can pay, of course.¡± The merman shuffled into his seat. ¡°It¡¯s more complicated than you think. The military does random searches of every vessel that enters and leaves the archipelago.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I¡¯ll find another passage.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡± Reishi glanced at the large painting of a meadow beside the desk. ¡°There are ways around the searches, but it won¡¯t solve the problem when you reach the mainland. Almost every city and town requires an identity document to enter and access the amenities.¡± This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Damn bureaucracy. It always has to complicate everything. ¡°Is there no other way to get an ID? Money isn¡¯t a problem.¡± Reishi took a sip and peered at him closely. ¡°Are you suggesting I provide you a way to break the law?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t¡ª¡± Reishi burst out laughing. ¡°I¡¯m just messing with you. You should see the look on your face.¡± He chuckled again. ¡°If you want to be a farmer or a small artisan in a town, then yes. There are ways to get a document under the counter. But there are few people who have reached Yellow at your age. The higher you climb, the more scrutiny you¡¯ll receive.¡± Why is there never any good news? Kai downed his cup, the tea soothing his irritation. ¡°What should I do?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ you can start by not alerting the Republic that you¡¯re still alive. They might not be looking for you now, but if you keep walking on water, someone¡¯s bound to notice. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t want you to introduce yourself to my crew. The less people know that Kai is alive the better. Ideally, you should choose another name.¡± Guess no more growing trees in the courtyard¡­ The carefree days with his family were over. Reishi was right. If the military found out that Kai was alive, they would squeeze him for any information regarding the Sanctuary by whatever means necessary. Even if he could disappear again, it would still put his loved ones in danger. Well, thanks to my glorious social skills, I¡¯ve hardly talked with anyone outside of my family. The killer granny might be the only one who remembers my name. Kai had seen her stare down a patrol of guards from across the street. She wouldn¡¯t be a problem. ¡°I¡¯ll be more careful.¡± That would earn him time, but it didn¡¯t solve the main issue. ¡°Do you know another way to get an ID?¡± The merman¡¯s crest wobbled down. ¡°There¡¯s always someone willing to provide a service if you have enough gold, often unsavory individuals. I can ask around, but this isn¡¯t a service I usually provide. I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t help you more.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already been a tremendous help.¡± Kai thanked him sincerely. Reishi was always available to lend a hand, while he had been so utterly unreliable. ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out.¡± If he had survived the Sanctuary, he could find a solution to a tiny hiccup. Flynn might have some ideas¡­ Kai drummed his fingers on the table. ¡°Actually, there is something else that I need your advice on.¡± He leaned on the mahogany desk to deposit a plain round stone, a wooden box of iridescent dust and a glass bead with Lightning flashing inside. Each item glowed with dense mana at the peak of Yellow. ¡°You see, I¡¯ve come upon this stuff, but I have no idea what they are. Think you can help me?¡± Reishi was too busy gawking at the treasures to respond. He extended his webbed hands with sparkling eyes, stopping just short of touching. ¡°Can I examine them?¡± ¡°If it isn¡¯t a bother.¡± ¡°Not a bother at all!¡± Reishi summoned hundreds of mana tendrils, unleashing an arsenal of skills to probe each object with rapt attention. Puzzlement, awe and surprise flashed on his face. Kai did his best to look indifferent. ¡°Are they valuable?¡± ¡°Of course, they¡¯r¡ª¡± the merman pursed his blue lips. Catching onto the game, he pulled back his enthusiasm and pointed to the rock. ¡°This is a fossilized egg; the parents must have been green beasts or higher. The value depends heavily on the species, but collectors will at least pay its weight in gold." He then delicately picked up the bead. ¡°This crystal contains living Lightning. It¡¯s incredibly rare and hard to use. You can easily sell it for a couple hundred gold mesars. If you find a buyer who knows how to use it, the price can double.¡± ¡°Can I use it for Alchemy or Enchanting?¡± Minerals and gems weren''t his expertise, but such a high-grade material was bound to produce extraordinary results. ¡°Among other things, yes. But keep in mind the elemental essence within can kill us both several times over if it breaks. Only a fourth-layer master crafter would be able to utilize it to its full potential.¡± Hmm¡­ I could also pass it along¡­ ¡°And lastly, we have this.¡± Reishi lifted the box of iridescent dust as if it were the Holy Grail. ¡°Astral Dust. It¡¯s only found in places with high concentrations of spatial energies, used in all sorts of teleportation and dimensional magic. I¡¯m not even sure how much it sells for. This isn¡¯t something that usually reaches the open market. And when it does, it¡¯s not sold for gold.¡± Hmm¡­ guess I should have gathered more. The wasteland where he found it was plagued by spatial rends. He wouldn¡¯t have picked up this much if Hallowed Intuition and Treasure Sense hadn¡¯t begged him to. ¡°Are you interested in buying?¡± Kai chirped. Gold couldn¡¯t buy happiness, but it could make one¡¯s life a heck of a lot easier. The merman watched the treasures with obvious desire. ¡°I told you I¡¯m not certain of their value. And I don¡¯t want to take advantage of you.¡± Was he always so sweet? Where did the ruthless merchant go? ¡°Then can you help me sell the items I don¡¯t need? For a commission, naturally.¡± ¡°If you insist¡­ I¡¯ll take a forty percent fee.¡± Reishi gave him a crooked grin. ¡°It¡¯ll take a lot of effort to find the right buyers.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± Kai offered to shake, conscious he would stand no chance to sell them by himself. Reishi looked at his hand, scowling. ¡°You are supposed to haggle. Fine. We can do twenty-five percent.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not going to rob a friend. Now, stop tempting me.¡± Reishi furrowed his hairless brow. ¡°You used to be fun.¡± ¡°Thank you. Uh¡­¡± He scratched the silver furball that had blinked onto his lap. ¡°Would you like to see the rest?¡± The merman looked at Hobbes with a blank face. ¡°Is that a cat?¡± ¡°This is Hobbes, but he¡¯s not for sale.¡± Kai grabbed one of the little paws to wave hi. ¡°How did he get through the wards? Wait!¡± His eyes went wide. ¡°You said there is more?¡± ¡°Just a few dozen smaller things, most aren¡¯t as good as these ones.¡± Kai could see a thousand questions crowding the scaly face, but ultimately, he only asked the most important one. ¡°Can I help you sell them too?¡± ¡°If you can identify them. I haven¡¯t yet decided what to keep, but I probably won¡¯t need most of them.¡± Reishi wore an enchanted monocle on his right eye and carefully set the three treasures aside to clear the lacquered surface. ¡°This desk is enchanted to prevent items from falling. C¡¯mon, I won¡¯t charge you for the appraisal if you take them out now.¡± He watched with a pleading look. That makes me just want to tease him more. Looking at the clutter in his spatial closet, he might have undersold the number a little. Kai began to clear out the space, going by category. The largest share was made up of yellow mana herbs. He would keep most of them for Alchemy, except for the plants with affinities he couldn''t use. Minerals, ores and crystals could be used for brewing too, though they were wasted with his level of skills. So, he only stored those that could fuel or strengthen an Enchantment. Beast parts were up next. An eclectic variety of hides, horns, bones and shells. They were by far the easiest to sell and to use in crafting. I¡¯ll see if I can craft something with it, there is no urgency. Last were various oddities that Kai couldn¡¯t put in any other category. Oddities that his Treasure Sense told him were valuable, but he had no idea how to use, like the Astral Dust. While Reishi didn¡¯t recognize half the items, he had skills that allowed him to gauge their value and use. His webbed fingers tightened around a snow-white scale, shaking slightly. ¡°This belonged to a green beast.¡± He stated with absolute certainty. ¡°Yup. And I want to keep that one.¡± It was a good memento to remind him there was always a higher peak¡ªand not to mess with scary dragons. ¡°Ten gold for it.¡± The merchant offered without blinking. ¡°Not for a hundred. You know I don¡¯t need money right now.¡± The desk was overflowing with neat piles of treasures, shining with blinding mana. That was without counting the materials he had already put back into his ring. Kai waited till the scale was reluctantly deposited onto his palm. ¡°And that was everything I¡¯ve got.¡± There was technically one more stash made up of the relics he had recovered from the Vastaire sites, but those would raise too many questions. Crafted artifacts wouldn¡¯t be as easy to justify compared to mana treasures. Reishi didn¡¯t ask any questions. If he hadn¡¯t figured out what happened to him earlier, he surely had by now. As long as he doesn¡¯t have explicit confirmation, he can act ignorant of their origin. The merman eyed the table with greed and wonder before looking up with a gaze full of seriousness. ¡°Kai, do you trust me?¡± Chapter 245 - Trust Chapter 245 - Trust ¡°Of course I trust you.¡± Kai looked at the scaly features of the merman, taken aback by his sudden seriousness. Despite never having spent much time together, Reishi was one of his oldest friends and had always done right by him. The merfolk leaned back in his chair, covering his face with a webbed hand. ¡°You¡¯re unbelievable,¡± he mumbled with a reluctant smile. ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Do you have any idea how much all of this is worth?¡± Reishi waved at the bounty of mana treasures. ¡°Without mentioning the stuff still in your spatial ring.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Kai shrugged. ¡°Probably a lot of money?¡± Enough that even a trip to the gilded villas in the capital¡¯s upper city wouldn¡¯t change his mind. Reishi grabbed onto the edge of the mahogany desk¡ªhe might have slammed his head on the lacquered surface if a pink gem wasn¡¯t occupying that space. ¡°It¡¯s not just a lot, Kai. I could double my fortune overnight. I¡¯ve only seen most of these items in dusty old tomes.¡± Hmm¡­ Guess I¡¯m proper rich then. Even if he only sold a part of his hoard, money wouldn¡¯t be an issue for a long while. ¡°I really appreciate you helping me sell them.¡± The merman would undoubtedly make more if he bought them directly; it wasn¡¯t as if Kai could go to anyone else. ¡°You know I can still give you forty percent?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want more mesars!¡± Reishi glowered at him, then took a sharp breath. ¡°Kai.¡± He uttered the word like a curse, lacing his fingers to keep his hands still. ¡°This is the type of money most people kill for. Depths! I could hire a fourth-layer assassin and be spoiled for choice. The Republic wouldn¡¯t even come looking for me since you¡¯re officially dead!¡± You really thought this through, huh? Though if you had any nefarious intentions, you wouldn¡¯t be telling me this. He wished Hobbes still sat in his lap for a distraction. Alas, the furball had blinked away after receiving his daily dose of belly rubs. ¡°I guess it¡¯s good that I came to you first, uh?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s pretty damn excellent!¡± Reishi¡¯s elbow hit the armrest of his seat. Swallowing a pained curse, he pointed a sharp finger at his nose. ¡°I forbid you from speaking about this! The Republic will be the least of your problems if anyone else gets a whiff of how much wealth you¡¯re carrying.¡± ¡°I can take care of myself.¡± Kai pursed his lips. ¡°And I¡¯m no fool. I¡¯ll know the moment anyone thinks of harming me.¡± The merman held his gaze, the fire gradually replaced by worried patience. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to say you¡¯re stupid. But you are ignorant. You have no idea what the world is like outside the archipelago. I¡¯ve seen bandits murder for a fistful of silvers. For this much gold? Even honest people will be tempted to push aside their morals.¡± The anguished honesty in Reishi''s pale blue eyes doused Kai¡¯s mood. ¡°Please, trust me. No matter what skills you have, there will always be someone out there with a counter that you won¡¯t be able to predict.¡± Well¡­ he knows more of the world than me. ¡°I won¡¯t let anyone suspect a thing.¡± ¡°Good. Now we need to decide what to do with your goods.¡± Kai scratched his earlobe. ¡°Can¡¯t you hold on to them till you find a buyer and pay me back?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you been listening to me?¡± The merman said, clearly exasperated. ¡°I will have to look deep into the mainland to find appropriate buyers, and that will take time. You can¡¯t just give them to me.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t follow. But why not, exactly?¡± Reishi slumped in his armchair, his colorful crest wobbling. ¡°Because you don¡¯t just give a barrel of gold to someone and trust them to bring it back.¡± ¡°I assumed there would be a contract.¡± ¡°Yes, with someone who¡¯s officially dead. How do you think that will go over in front of a judge? Contracts are worthless without laws to uphold them.¡± Hmm¡­ being dead will be a bigger problem than I imagined. ¡°Well, Reishi.¡± Kai nailed the merman with his gaze, channeling the intensity Moui and Flynn had made fun of him for. ¡°Are you going to rob me?¡± Reishi gulped, wide-eyed. ¡°No, but¡ª¡± "Do you pinky swear?¡± He extended his little finger like a dagger. The merfolk looked baffled by the request, but still shook it mutely after some prodding. Kai fought to keep his face in a stoic composure. ¡°See, I have little to worry about then.¡± Without Improvisation, the corner of his mouth curved upward the slightest amount. Reishi didn¡¯t seem to notice. He stared on blankly, looking like he wasn¡¯t even breathing. Ehm¡­ Did I break him? How do I restart a merman? A splash of seawater or a cup of tea? ¡°I said that I trust you. What else is there to add?¡± Reishi finally blinked. ¡°I see¡­¡± He took out ink and paper from a drawer, drafting a contract with mechanical movements. ¡°The Republic holds a monopoly on soul paper and gems, but we can sign this in the name of House Tajira, to which my family belongs. I¡¯ll be disowned and banned from returning to Kesyu if I dishonor the name.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Kai bobbed his head, though he only understood half of what the merman had said. If this helped Reishi rest easy, he was more than happy to go along. ¡°Where do I need to sign? After carefully reading each word, of course.¡± His grin received a pointy scowl. ¡°Blessed Waters, please don¡¯t joke about that. I can feel my scales turning gray and craggy, I¡¯ve already lost a decade from this conversation. I should charge you for that.¡± ¡°Please do.¡± The merman gritted his pointy teeth. ¡°I hate you.¡± ¡°Then you should rob me.¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Reishi flared a deeper shade of blue, holding his quill as if he were ready to stab him. ¡°I¡¯ll need a few minutes to add up the items and their estimated price.¡± He furiously scribbled in the only free corner of the table. If I knew it were so easy, I would have teased him more. Wait¡­ am I a bad person¡­? Kai cheerfully waited for the merchant to finish. Hallowed Intuition had been silent since entering the cabin, there hadn¡¯t been the slightest bit of harm contemplated. Before coming here, he had considered that the merman might rip him off, but there wasn¡¯t anyone else who could buy his bounty. He had wanted to test the merchant''s response with the first three treasures. Now, guilt jabbed him for his doubts, only beaten by his elation. Despite the years without seeing each other, Reishi had proved their friendship was stronger than adamant or money. ¡°Here.¡± Reishi thrust two copies of the contract on a wooden clipboard. ¡°Thank you.¡± Kai made a show of attentively reading each line of text. His brows climbed higher and higher; he went through the last clause three times. Did I misunderstand something? One. Zero. Zero. Zero. And zero. ¡°This says you owe me ten thousand gold mesars in case of breach of contract or loss of the entrusted goods.¡± Kai gaped. ¡°That can¡¯t be right. It¡¯s ridiculous.¡± Reishi remained poised in his armchair, unruffled and almost amused. ¡°That''s a conservative estimate for the entire lot, though it doesn¡¯t take into consideration my cut if I sell. Were you not listening when I appraised every item?¡± ¡°I¡ª Yes, but¡­¡± The numbers thrown around had been hypothetical, and he hadn¡¯t done the necessary math to add them together. Perhaps he understood why Reishi had been so peeved. ¡°I appreciate your help and honesty.¡± What else could he say? The pale blue scales blazed into a new shade. ¡°Just sign at the bottom if you agree. I feel anxious each second that these treasures remain in your hands.¡± Yessir! Kai added his full name and handed back one of the copies. After meticulously studying the document, Reishi nodded to himself. ¡°All right. Now we need to store this stuff. I don¡¯t trust my crew enough for this, and there are a few new faces.¡± He walked to the painting of a verdant meadow and tapped the carved wooden frame in seven different points. Iridescent motes fluttered over the canvas as wooden boards clicked open on an invisible seam. The magical mechanism revealed a long and narrow room that shouldn¡¯t have existed; it ran along the wall of the cabin, brimming with cloaking and protection enchantments. The entrance was just wide enough for a single person to walk comfortably inside, housing rows of shelves with all kinds of curious goods. ¡°You don¡¯t seem surprised.¡± The merman glanced over his shoulder with a disappointed sulk. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ve dabbled in Space Magic.¡± ¡°That damn artificer promised me even Space warpers wouldn¡¯t notice a thing.¡± He scowled. ¡°Just wait there.¡± A metallic clank echoed from inside, and Reishi reappeared with a heavy chest in his arms. Without a free surface, he heaved it on his chair and opened the lid to reveal rows upon rows of gleaming gold arranged inside. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± A smaller compartment caught Kai¡¯s attention in the top right corner. Thirteen strange coins lay on a red velvet compartment, each glowed with dense mana he had only seen in beasts. Another type of mesar? The glossy metal came in shades of orange and yellow. Both types of coins carried the soaring hawk of the Merian Republic, though he had never heard of any denomination more valuable than gold. ¡°What are they?¡± ¡°Six hundred gold mesars, ten orange chromium and three yellow. That¡¯s all I can afford to pay you as an advance per the agreement you just signed.¡± ¡°Chromium?¡± ¡°Yes, the most commonly used currency for trade between landbound kingdoms. It¡¯s peculiar because the metal can be found at each grade and reflects the humans¡¯ color system.¡± Reishi offered him two chromium coins. ¡°The red variety isn¡¯t minted since it has about the same value as gold, while orange and yellows are worth ten and one hundred golds respectively. I¡¯m not surprised you haven¡¯t seen them in the archipelago. They aren¡¯t practical to use for most transactions.¡± Kai scrunched his brows at the metal coins; he could feel the essence thrumming under his fingers. The orange one was slightly larger, probably to account for its actual market price. He was holding a hundred and ten gold mesars in his hands. The absurd amount of wealth didn¡¯t compute in his brain. What would you even buy with that much money? A villa in the upper city? ¡°Chromium is used for a myriad of crafting purposes since it¡¯s naturally mana dense and self-replenishing in the right conditions. That¡¯s part of its value and why it¡¯s so widely accepted throughout the Talthen continent.¡± Reishi explained with a toothy grin, looking pleased to have left Kai speechless. ¡°Naturally, it¡¯s best you don¡¯t use it if you can avoid it. Flashing it around will attract the wrong type of attention.¡± Kai numbly nodded. Spirits, I¡¯m loaded! Flynn and Ele will have a heart attack when they see this. ¡°Why don¡¯t you store your advance and help me lock away this gorgeous mess.¡± Reishi snapped his fingers to the lacquered desk overflowing with mana treasures. ¡°I¡ª yes.¡± Kai made the coins disappear into his ring. ¡°What do you need me to do?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Reishi looked at the spatial artifact with a pinch of envy. ¡°Did you also obtain that during your disappearance?¡± ¡°This? It was a parting gift from Elijah.¡± ¡°That man? He didn¡¯t look very sentimental. My father was terrified of him.¡± ¡°You met him?¡± ¡°Only once.¡± Reishi brushed the matter aside. ¡°Anyway, I have yet to buy a spatial artifact, and some of these herbs require proper storage to not spoil. Like the old fish always said, time is money and our wealth is depreciating.¡± The next few hours flew by as they scoured the cabin and spatial closet for suitable containers. The merman wasn¡¯t amused by the variety of hides, stone jars and coconuts Kai had used. They worked just fine with a pinch of Nature Magic. ¡°You¡¯re just envious your fancy enchanted bottles can¡¯t compete. And why do you even need a glass jar to store a rock?¡± ¡°That¡¯s an Air-attuned quartz, and they¡¯re incredibly delicate,¡± Reishi grumbled. ¡°It¡¯s a mystery how you didn¡¯t shatter it with your crude manners.¡± He deposited his flashy box inside the vault. The meadow painting clicked back into place, sealing any trace of the passage. ¡°Everything is finally safe.¡± Reishi slumped back in his armchair and massaged his temples. ¡°Remember, I¡¯ll need time to find appropriate buyers or a reputable auction house.¡± My wealth is in safe hands. Kai flattened his cheek with his palms, jaw hanging open in a dramatic display of shock. ¡°How am I supposed to survive with only a thousand gold? Do you want me to starve? I will only be able to afford ten villas. And I wanted twelve!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be an ass.¡± Reishi shot him a dirty look. ¡°This is a serious matter. I¡¯ll stay in the archipelago for a couple of months to look after my affairs as planned. Your goods may attract attention, and I don¡¯t want to leave a trail of pink shells back to you.¡± ¡°See, why do I need to be serious when I have you to take care of everything?¡± He smiled at the grumpy merman. ¡°You know I appreciate your efforts in keeping me alive. And for not robbing me blind and dumping my body in the ocean.¡± ¡°I¡¯m already regretting that decision,¡± he said dryly. ¡°Hmm¡­ it¡¯s gotten late, I think I should go. It was nice seeing you again.¡± ¡°Wait, I¡¯ll see you out.¡± Reishi halted by the door, turning to him with his scaly brow furrowed. ¡°Kai, I¡¯m truly grateful for your trust. I don¡¯t think you understand how much this deal means to me. Your treasures will allow me to earn a foothold on the mainland and save years of work.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what friends are for.¡± He pulled the merman in for a hug without holding back since they were the same grade. ¡°You help me, and I help you without keeping tabs. Those are the best kinds of deals.¡± ¡°I guess you¡¯re right.¡± The merman stood rigid in his embrace, then awkwardly patted his back. ¡°Mhmm¡­ Kai, can you let me go now?¡± Not a hugger, duly noted. ¡°Yeah, sorry.¡± He stepped back, too embarrassed to ask if it was a merfolk thing or a Reishi thing. ¡°I should probably leave before your crew thinks I murdered you and barges in.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not an issue.¡± Reishi straightened his embroidered silk robe. ¡°The wards in this room would attack you and alert them if I was seriously harmed.¡± How does that work? Possible rune combinations swirled in his head. Next time I should ask him if I can take a peek. ¡°That must have cost you a fortune.¡± ¡°It did.¡± Reishi put his hand on the knob. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry that I can¡¯t help you obtain an ID. I¡¯ll ask around, but it¡¯s outside my area of expertise. If you manage to create a legitimate identity, I can organize passage to the continent and help you settle there. Flynn will know how to contact me.¡± ¡°The mesars you gave me are more than enough help. I¡¯ll find a solution.¡± Someone must know how to, if I throw enough gold at the problem. Outside the cabin, the sun was close to its zenith. A few sailors glanced at Kai, but his unusual entrance appeared to have already been forgotten. ¡°It was a pleasure seeing your vessel.¡± Kai gave a formal goodbye and accepted a ride back to shore in a dinghy rowed by two burly men. Flynn waited for him on the pier. ¡°I was about to sneak on the ship, looking for you,¡± he said as soon as the sailors were out of earshot. ¡°What took so long? Your mom was getting worried. Wait! Tell me you didn¡¯t sign any deals with that greedy fish.¡± ¡°I¡ª Do you have any idea how to get an official ID?¡± Kai marked the question with an arched brow to underline the implications. ¡°One that will work on the mainland.¡± His friend was successfully sidetracked. ¡°Oh, that¡­ I thought it might be a problem¡­¡± Kai felt his hope rise. ¡°So¡­ you have a solution?¡± ¡°Nope. The paper is easy to obtain if you know the right people, the issue is with the internal records of the Republic. I¡¯ve worked in an archive for a while, and let me tell you, they love to track the most useless details in double copy.¡± Damn bureaucracy. ¡°So there is no way?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡± Flynn gave him a crooked grin. ¡°I can¡¯t do it, but I know someone who might. Actually, you know her too.¡± Chapter 246 - Goodbyes Chapter 246 - Goodbyes Kien¡¯s giggles filled the southern beach with a cheerful melancholy. The toddler chased a flock of pixies and a puppet dragon with outstretched fingers. Delicate mana constructs with wings of ice and fluid frames flew circles around him, leaving a trail of shimmering mist in the late afternoon air. His eyes sparkled with wonder and delight. Each time one of the fairies tickled his nose, his laughter grew louder. He extended a chubby hand to grab the dragon¡¯s tail, only for his fingers to slip right through the water construct. Kien lost his balance and landed with his knees on the sand. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Kai asked, dissipating the puppets into thin droplets of water and ice. Kien sat stunned by the fall, then clapped his hands together and giggled. ¡°Again! Again!¡± Kai sighed with a fond smile. ¡°What¡¯s the magic word?¡± ¡°Pleeease, big brother.¡± Two large aquamarine pools above a trembling lip looked up at him. At that moment, Kai would have agreed to any request. Spirits, he has gotten too cunning for his own good. He didn¡¯t fail to notice how Kien only called him big brother when he wanted something. I¡¯ll take what I can get. ¡°Fine, one more time. Then we need to go home before Mom starts to worry.¡± He shaped a new flock of fairies that had an uncanny resemblance to a particular god¡¯s vessel. Thus, the chase between the sprites and his little brother began anew. ¡°You¡¯re spoiling him.¡± Ele sat beside Kai, signaling it was probably time to go. ¡°He¡¯s never going to want to play with the other kids if he gets used to your shows.¡± Her hand rested on her belly. She still hadn¡¯t given him an answer about using the elixirs. With the increased trade and tourism, potions had become more widespread¡ªif you could afford the inflated prices. Kai sent an ice dragon to join the swarm of pixies. ¡°What¡¯s the harm in a little magic? He¡¯ll have time to bond with other children when they also start talking.¡± And when I¡¯m not here. It was his fault for failing to consider the consequences of enhancing Kien¡¯s grade. Every other baby in the archipelago was born at the bottom of red. Being a couple of attributes higher was particularly noticeable with toddlers, though the difference would lessen with age. While no one would complain about the grade advantage once they grew up, he should have realized the issue sooner. Flynn plopped down on his other side, cradling Hobbes in his arms. ¡°I have to agree with Ele. You¡¯re bribing him with your magic tricks.¡± ¡°Yeah, and the only reason you don¡¯t do the same is because Shadow and Lightning don¡¯t work as well. I¡¯ve seen the sweets you slip to him whenever he looks at you with pleading eyes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Flynn harrumphed. ¡°That¡¯s plain slander.¡± ¡°Are you worried you won¡¯t be his favorite anymore?¡± ¡°Don''t be ridiculous, Hobbes has already dethroned me from that position. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± He scratched the silver furball¡¯s neck. ¡°I¡¯m just making sure Kiki doesn¡¯t get taken advantage of by sly and cunning individuals.¡± ¡°Meow.¡± The cat lazily licked his paw in agreement and sent a wave of smugness through the bond. I feel like I¡¯m being purposefully targeted. Kai sent out a clacking ice crab to chase after his little brother. ¡°It was you two who taught him Mana Sense. Now you can¡¯t complain that he¡¯s interested in magic.¡± ¡°Well, you do have a point. I thought he¡¯d get bored after the first lesson, but he must¡¯ve taken your stubbornness.¡± His sister sighed, throwing a glance at him. ¡°How do you manage to control that many spells while talking with us?¡± ¡°By being a genius.¡± Kai flashed the two a lupine grin. Despite his casual demeanor, moving so many delicate spells was touching upon his limits. ¡°And Split Mind also helps.¡± It¡¯s good training. ¡°How do I get that?¡± Flynn asked, feeding fish treats to the purring cat. ¡°Hmm, I think you need to perform at least half a dozen tasks at once. But it¡¯s probably easier if you learn Multicasting first and use the Guide to upgrade it.¡± The sun was sinking behind the Veeryd jungle and left them secluded in that corner of the beach. They mused about various skills while Kien played with magic puppets. Each second was precious¡ªKai didn¡¯t know how many more afternoons they would have together. ¡°Well, I better go calm him down before dinner. Not everyone can be the fun brother.¡± His sister dusted off her skirt and bowed before Hobbes. ¡°Could you help me convince Kiki to go home?¡± The cat stretched in Flynn¡¯s lap, watching the sand with horror and disgust. ¡°Mrooow.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let a single grain touch your fur, I promise.¡± Ele extended her hands to let the cat jump in. She took on the thankless task of telling a hyperactive two-year-old that playtime was over. Upon her arrival, Kai made his magic constructs fizzle into mist. Perhaps she was right, and he was spoiling his little brother a bit much. Knowing their time together was limited, Kai had tried to compensate with crafting memorable experiences. ¡°Have you decided when you¡¯re gonna tell them?¡± Flynn mused. ¡°We don¡¯t need to leave immediately, but I think Ele already suspects something.¡± She was always very perceptive. Hmm¡­ could she have a skill? This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. The Republic couldn¡¯t find out that he was alive, and his best lead to obtain a legitimate ID was in Higharbor with Valela. As a relatively new territory, official IDs were still being issued to adults in the archipelago. He might slip in if someone oiled the bureaucratic machine from the inside. Kai couldn¡¯t fathom how the little princess would react to his reappearance. If that failed, they would have to resort to shadier means and far shadier people. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Mom soon.¡± He wanted to preserve their carefree life for a little bit longer. It wouldn¡¯t be the same if his departure loomed over them. Spirits only knew when he could visit again, or how much Kien would have grown by that time. ¡°Just let me know when you decide. Valela won¡¯t be back from the mainland for a couple weeks,¡± Flynn muttered while he rummaged through his pockets. Somehow, he always knew where everyone was. ¡°I almost forgot. Here, catch.¡± Kai grabbed the object an inch from his face. He was about to return the throw when he realized what he was holding. A cold silver disk with three nubs and concentric circles of runes flowing into each other. The symbols looked strangely familiar. Runic Scholar informed him it was of a similar alphabet to the one he studied in the Sanctuary, prompting Mana Analyst and Arcane Enchanting to pick apart the artifact. The runes etched on the flat sides gave him a sense of disrupted destiny he couldn¡¯t explain. His attention moved to the dense web of enchantments beneath the surface, the heart of the mechanism that could disrupt Fate. Nothing. Mana observer could barely make out the minuscule symbols when he let the rest of the world fall into shadow. Its workings remained far beyond his understanding. It was a long shot. Kai kept his fingers away from the nubs. The Fate Fulcrum shone with all the accumulated energy of more than two years, and he wasn¡¯t eager to call a calamity upon their heads. ¡°I kept it close in case of an emergency,¡± Flynn said. ¡°Though the charge hasn¡¯t changed much for the last year.¡± ¡°Wait, you mean¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it can gather any more Favor. It¡¯s kinda comforting knowing even that thing has a limit. It helped me sleep at night.¡± ¡°Mhmm¡­¡± Kai nodded. It made sense that Virya wouldn¡¯t give him an artifact of unlimited potential. The circle of runes showing the charge burned like a crackling bonfire. It stored more Favor than he had ever consciously used, and likely enough to get him killed. It was like holding a ticking time-bomb that could create as many problems as it solved. Kai stored it in his ring, relieved when the weight disappeared from his hand. * * * ¡°Mom.¡± Kai walked into the kitchen, his steps unbearably heavy. The smell of freshly baked bread, grilled vegetables and honey filled the room. Alana stood over the newly enchanted stove. She gave him a distracted look before returning to her three pans. ¡°Yes, sweetie? I¡¯m preparing lunch.¡± ¡°Can we talk?¡± I¡¯ve already postponed this for far too long. ¡°I¡¯m a bit busy, sweetie. Can¡¯t we do it this afternoon? You can set the table if you want to help.¡± Each time he tried to get his mom alone in the last week, she always found a way to slip away or delay. He opened the cupboard to grab plates and cutlery before stopping. ¡°It¡¯s important.¡± Kai kept his tone as firm as he could make it. There was almost an hour before they usually had lunch, he couldn¡¯t loosen the grasp of his determination. ¡°I¡¯ll wait here.¡± Alana turned off the fire rune, still facing the stove. Suddenly she looked so frail. ¡°Can¡¯t you stay longer? It has only been a few weeks.¡± It had been closer to two months, though Kai didn''t feel the need to point that out. ¡°I have to go now, Mom. There are some people I need to meet in Higharbor, and they won¡¯t stay there forever.¡± An audible sigh left her and her shoulders slumped. Alana met his gaze with glassy eyes. She wordlessly glided to lay her arms around him. Not the crushing hugs she was used to giving, but a gentle embrace. Her body leaned against him for support. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mom.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize, sweetheart. You have been proclaiming you would travel to the mainland since you were no bigger than Kien.¡± She lowered her hand to that height with a melancholic chuckle and stepped back to look at him. ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t stay here forever. I just¡­ Can you promise you¡¯ll come back to me safe and sound?¡± ¡°I promise,¡± Kai swore without hesitation. ¡°I won¡¯t disappear again, and I¡¯ll send you letters. Lots of them, till you¡¯ll be tired of hearing about me and grumble whenever you receive another one.¡± Alana lightly laughed. ¡°I sincerely doubt that. A mother can never get tired of hearing about her children, even when they grow up and swim away to live their lives. This will always be your home. So you better visit, at least twice a year.¡± Kai smiled, he¡¯d need to look at the logistics of traveling back and forth. ¡°I¡¯ll do whatever¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± His mom eyed his half-answer with a raised eyebrow but didn¡¯t insist. ¡°When do you plan on leaving? The moons will bring a high tide in two days.¡± ¡°Tonight. Flynn has bought two tickets on the cruiser for Higharbor.¡± ¡°I see. Then we must hurry.¡± Alana marched out of the kitchen, her pans already forgotten. ¡°Where to?¡± She looked at him weirdly. ¡°To the market, where else? You¡¯ll need proper supplies for your journey. And what if they don¡¯t have any of the foods you like on the continent? You know the stories, only Kahali knows how those people truly live.¡± ¡°Mom, I¡¯ve already bought everything I need. I¡¯m sure people on the mainland eat just fine.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be silly.¡± She poked his ribs and chest like inspecting a disappointing cut of meat. ¡°You¡¯re all skin and bones. I know you never eat properly without me watching over your shoulder. Tell me how many supplies can you fit in that ring of yours?¡± Kai suppressed a groan and surrendered to the inevitable. ¡°About an average backpack. I¡¯ve already stored plenty of snacks.¡± He could let his mom stuff him like a pi?ata if it helped her feel more secure. The rest of the day flew in a flurry of cooking and packing an unreasonable number of meals. He had already said his goodbyes to Moui and Ele days prior, leaving them a bag of gold each. Both vehemently refused till Kai showed them the piles of mesars in his spatial closet and reminded them of Kien and the coming baby. His little brother sat in the living room; he was the only one Kai had yet to speak with. ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± Kien¡¯s brows furrowed, trying to wrap his head around the concept. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m going to travel to the mainland. Just like our big sister Kea.¡± His eyes widened at the revelation. ¡°You¡¯re gonna fight scary monsters too?¡± ¡°Yeah, something like that. The continent is very big.¡± Kai stretched his arms to emphasize the point. ¡°I¡¯m going to explore the territories of the Republic and decide from there.¡± ¡°Can I come too?¡± ¡°One day. But first, you must grow big and strong like me, otherwise the scary monsters will gobble you up.¡± Kien chewed his thumb for comfort, looking a little worried. ¡°You¡¯ll be back, big brother?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯ll be back. And I¡¯ll tell you all about the great adventures and ferocious beasts that I¡¯ve faced there. I¡¯ve also prepared something else for you.¡± ¡°A present?¡± Kien exclaimed with a hopeful gaze. ¡°Yes. A present. I made it myself just for you.¡± Kai emptied his pockets, vainly searching for his gift. ¡°Now where did I put that thing?¡± He reached behind Kien¡¯s ear and took out his very own masterpiece in a whirl of snowflakes. ¡°Here it is!¡± Kai offered the cube to his brother with the solemnity of a sacred relic. He had spent weeks carving the wood and designing more than a hundred interlocking enchantments. Virya¡¯s puzzle was the main inspiration, though his present was more similar to a Rubik''s Cube and only had seven simple riddles to solve. I wonder how long Virya took to build hers, perhaps I didn¡¯t give her enough credit. Kien glanced at the runes and shook the cube as if he expected more snowflakes to fly. ¡°It¡¯s a wooded box.¡± He said dryly, scrunching his nose at countless hours of work and dedication. Why do children need to be so cruel? He forced himself to keep a jolly attitude. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a wooden box, but it¡¯s not just any wooden box.¡± He leaned in to whisper, ¡°I¡¯ve poured all of my magic into this cube.¡± ¡°It does magic?¡± Kien shook it harder. Kai grabbed the toddler before he could slam his masterpiece against a chair. ¡°Please stop. You see, the magic is trapped inside and to free it you must play a game.¡± ¡°A game?¡± He nodded. ¡°A very special game. So you must use your special sight to play it. You remember the one that Ele and Uncle Flynn showed you?¡± Kai spent the next half an hour guiding Kien through the first puzzle by connecting similar runes. He also made clear the magic hidden within would be very sad if the puzzle wasn¡¯t opened properly. ¡°Ready to go?¡± Flynn walked into the living room with two bags and patted his back. ¡°I¡¯m sure Kiki will try for a week before he breaks it open. What did you even put inside?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a secret.¡± Alana, Ele and Moui waited by the doorway for one final goodbye. After a quick round of hugs, they ran for the docks. They had a ship for Higharbor to catch and a princess to meet. Leaving the archipelago would be a tad bit harder than he led his family to believe. Chapter 247 - Old Friends Chapter 247 - Old Friends Five men howled a sea shanty as Kai walked by. ¡°Why are we here if we¡¯re not meeting Valela?¡± He had just managed to set his bags down at the house when Flynn had dragged him back outside. The alleyway smelled of fish guts and unwashed sailors. In its furious rush to expand, Higharbor¡¯s sanitation hadn¡¯t kept pace in the poorer districts. Will she even help me? Doubts were creeping in. Amongst everyone he knew, Kai struggled to predict how the princess might have changed. They had parted ways on cordial terms¡ªmore than two years ago; now he was going to ask her to break the law. That was no small favor, it could jeopardize everything she had worked for if she got¡ª ¡°Ease up a little.¡± Flynn threw an arm over his shoulders with a brazenly cheery attitude. ¡°I¡¯ve arranged a meeting with her tomorrow. Try to have some fun in the meantime. If we¡¯d stayed home, you¡¯d just end up torturing yourself with your stupid thoughts.¡± Well, he¡¯s not totally wrong¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t feel like drinking,¡± Kai grumbled. With his Constitution, he needed to down three pints just to feel slightly tipsy, and the sour taste of ale still hadn¡¯t grown on him. Was it worth it to waste time and money for a far-off good time? Perhaps it''s better if I never get used to it. ¡°Stop overthinking.¡± Flynn squinted at him and shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s written all over your face. You don¡¯t have to drink anything. We just need to pick something up. Remember you need an ID to enter the upper city.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Kai had forgotten about that pointless bureaucratic nitpick. ¡°We just need something that can pass a cursory glance. Most guards barely look at it, but it¡¯ll be good to have it at hand if a patrol stops us. You never know when an officer feels like lording their power over you.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be easier if we just met Valela below the hills then?¡± ¡°Your girl has only gotten more famous while you were gone. People tend to notice her, especially if she leaves her usual circles to meet with a suspicious stranger.¡± Flynn gave him a once over as if that explained everything. ¡°It¡¯s also easier to find a discreet place in the upper city. Rich people like their privacy.¡± When did he have time to organize any of this? ¡°Okay¡­¡± This was so far outside of Kai¡¯s area of expertise that he could only trust Flynn knew what he was doing. Maybe Reishi was right to worry. The pile of gold and chromium in his ring was useless if he didn¡¯t know how and where to spend it. Kai wasn¡¯t entirely confident he would have found a solution before attracting the wrong type of attention. ¡°We¡¯re here!¡± Flynn pointed to an uneven wooden building as if it were some impressive monument. The Merry Gal hung in bold letters above the open door. Kai scratched his neck, trying to hide his lack of enthusiasm. The tavern was indistinguishable from the myriad of pubs they had passed. After a second take, he realized it was supposed to be Gale, but the e had peeled off the sign. Why does this look familiar? ¡°It looks better inside.¡± Flynn chuckled. ¡°C¡¯mon, stop with the death stare. I¡¯m not bringing you to a cemetery.¡± Kai commanded his lips upward. ¡°I¡¯m smiling.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ I can see. Why don¡¯t you just avoid meeting anyone¡¯s gaze? I don¡¯t want to get kicked out.¡± Flynn didn¡¯t give him a chance to reply before dragging him inside. A hodgepodge of smells and sounds assaulted his senses. Kai breathed through his mouth to avoid being overwhelmed. The place was¡­ not terrible. Enchanted glass balls hung from the ceiling, filling the hall with a warm light; the floor looked relatively clean, and a pretty girl holding a fourteen-string lute intoned a ballad. ¡°It¡¯s better than I expected.¡± Flynn widened his eyes in shock. ¡°You should be careful with your words. Someone might think you meant that as a compliment.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Kai let a reluctant grin slip through. ¡°This place is pretty good.¡± It still wouldn¡¯t be his first or second choice for a good time, but the lively atmosphere was pleasant. Barmaids wove through the tables to carry orders of food and ale, and by the amount of laughter and singing, customers were enjoying themselves. ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± A barmaid with stunning red hair threw her arms around Flynn, attracting more than a few envious looks. ¡°We were beginning to worry that something had happened.¡± ¡°Hey, Marly, sorry for disappearing.¡± Flynn blushed, looking unusually awkward on his feet. ¡°A few things came up and my trip to Sylspring lasted longer than expected. I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re doing well.¡± ¡°Things?¡± Her gaze landed on Kai with a slight frown. ¡°Have I seen you before?¡± Wait! Kai finally understood why he recognized her. Isn¡¯t she that rude barmaid I met when I was wandering the city? Flynn clapped his back. ¡°You must be mistaking him for someone else. You know, he just has that kind of face. Ohh, I forgot about presentations! Marleen, this is my dear friend Calvin. He¡¯s new to Higharbor, so I¡¯m showing him around. And Calvin, this is Marleen.¡± Calvin, really? I told you I hated that name. ¡°So, I¡¯m just Marleen?¡± Her cheeks puffed up in mock offense that broke into an amused smile. ¡°Don¡¯t make that face. I¡¯m just joking. It¡¯s good to see you¡¯ve been meeting new people.¡± She studied Kai with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Though I didn¡¯t know you dated younger guys.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t!¡± Flynn spluttered with a repulsed look. ¡°He¡¯s not that kind of friend. And I would never date a man incapable of smiling and having fun!¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Hey!¡± Kai glared, his fists clenched at his sides. There is no need to be insulting! ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Calvin, but someone needed to tell you the truth.¡± Flynn leaned in to whisper to Marleen. ¡°He¡¯s been in love with me ever since we met. Try not to encourage him.¡± I¡¯m going to strangle him. Unfortunately, there were too many witnesses to hide the body. Kai settled for stomping on his foot and casting ice cubes down his shirt. ¡°Stop with your nonsense.¡± While the fool squeaked and tried to grab onto the multiplying ice flakes, Kai looked at the barmaid with a tired sigh. ¡°Could we please get a table? He enjoys embarrassing me.¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s pretty crowded tonight, but we still have a few spots.¡± Marleen shared a sympathetic nod and led them to a table close to the singer. ¡°Call me when you¡¯re ready to order.¡± She hesitated before doubling back, watching him with gentle eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t let that moron bully you. You can do much better than him, and I¡¯m not just saying that to make you feel better. Girls will swoon over that face of yours.¡± ¡°Uhm, thank you,¡± Kai mumbled. ¡°I appreciate it.¡± ¡°I only speak the truth.¡± She winked and left to serve another customer. Flynn stumbled to the table, dragged the chair back and slumped in his seat with a surly look. ¡°The ice was a low blow.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that, you started this.¡± Kai sat to appreciate the song. ¡°Now, who are we here to meet?¡± ~ ~ ~ ¡°Calvin Smalls?¡± The guard read the paper ID, his tone laced with amusement rather than suspicion. ¡°That¡¯s the name my parents chose in honor of my great-grandpa.¡± Kai tried to keep a level voice despite his gritted teeth. He should have frozen Flynn solid for pulling this stunt. ¡°Is there a problem, officer?¡± ¡°Everything seems to be in order. Remember you must leave the upper city before the eleventh hour unless you have accommodation within its borders. Please have a pleasant stay, Mr. Smalls.¡± The guard waved him through to the paved roads beyond. Kai hadn¡¯t taken ten steps when the first round of snickers started¡ªthe man had turned to his colleague and repeated the fake name as if it was the best joke in town. He could only keep walking. Flynn had already arranged for a forger to make the ID before they landed in Higharbor. On one hand, Kai was impressed by such forethought, on the other, it meant this joke had been long premeditated. He could respect that too, though he still wanted revenge. I should still have some of those failed potions with mild-ish side effects¡­ ¡°You acted wonderfully, Mr. Smalls.¡± The dead-man-walking¡ªalso known as Flynn the smugface¡ªstood tall over him with a smirk. ¡°Your annoyance was so realistic that those guards didn¡¯t consider anything else.¡± I could shave his hair tonight, that¡¯ll do the trick¡­ ¡°What if they remember me because you gave me such a stupid name?¡± Kai glared. He wanted to punch him, but the upper city was no place to get arrested. His temporary ID would only hold if they didn¡¯t check the archives. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Those guards see hundreds of people each day. And trust me, Calvin Smalls is far from the weirdest or funniest name they¡¯ve heard.¡± Flynn turned a corner towards their mysterious meeting place with Valela. ¡°Anyone who hears it will be too distracted laughing to suspect a thing. You must admit that¡¯s actually genius!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not even funny.¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, you have to admit it¡¯s a little funny.¡± Flynn poked him. Faced with Kai¡¯s stone expression, he toned down his grin a bit. ¡°You know I¡¯m just teasing you, right? It¡¯s only a temporary identity till we get a permanent document.¡± ¡°I know. But that¡¯s only if Valela helps us. You¡¯ve said you weren¡¯t sure she could or would.¡± ¡°I just didn¡¯t want to make a promise in someone else¡¯s name. There are always a thousand things that could go wrong. But she definitely will if she¡¯s able to.¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± Kai chewed his cheek. They walked beyond the shops on the main road toward more discreet establishments where the two hills met. ¡°And how did you even meet her?¡± ¡°Valela was the one who brought your family the news of your death. And she has been sending money and elixirs for Kien¡¯s education.¡± Flynn¡¯s hand fiddled as if he were twirling a dagger. ¡°I met her when she visited once. We talked a little, I might have mentioned you and that I knew Lou too. A month later, she decided to hire me for some stuff.¡± ¡°What kind of stuff?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t share my clients'' private information without their permission.¡± Kai glanced at him expecting to see a jokey smile¡ªFlynn was dead serious. What does he do for work? Something with connecting people¡­? Seeing his inquisitive look, Flynn scrubbed a hand through his hair. ¡°It¡¯s nothing shady. Let¡¯s just say she wanted to know more about the archipelago. With what she¡¯s paid me, you¡¯ll have to ask her for more details.¡± He abruptly stopped in front of a three-story building. A climbing shrub with turquoise leaves and lilac flowers covered most of the facade, the branches too evenly distributed to be natural. Smaller ornamental flowers were set on the white marble balconies and windows. Each piece of greenery was in full bloom, brimming with vitality and mana that must¡¯ve required constant care. ¡°She¡¯s here?¡± Kai stared at the luxurious establishment. Despite several windows, privacy enchantments blocked anyone from peeking inside. ¡°Yup.¡± Flynn checked his pocket watch. ¡°C¡¯mon, she likes punctuality.¡± The sweet scent of a thousand flowers enveloped them as they crossed the green arch that demarcated the property. They walked up to a sculpted brass door which swung open on its own. A waitress in a sharp black and white suit greeted them inside. ¡°Welcome to the Jack in the Green. Do you have a reservation or membership card?¡± Flynn took out an emerald paper and offered it to the woman like he had done it every day of his life. ¡°Under Mr. Tally.¡± The waitress quickly checked the name off a ledger and gave back the card. ¡°Here it is. I apologize for the formality, Mr. Tally. The Wisteria Balcony has already been paid for. I¡¯ll send for someone to accompany you immediately.¡± She rang a golden bell. ¡°There is no need, I know the way.¡± Flynn marched past an opaque glass door and up a flight of marble stairs. ¡°What is this place?¡± Kai awkwardly followed. The smell of fresh flowers pervaded every inch of the establishment without feeling overpowering. Flynn glanced over his shoulder to confirm no one was following them before answering. ¡°Just a very fancy restaurant with a penchant for the privacy of its clients. Though it never hurts to play the part of a high-end snobbish patron.¡± He winked. I bet you just enjoy it. After one more flight of stairs and a short corridor, a host waited to open an enchanted glass door leading to a wide terrace. A roof of blooming wisteria shielded a table from direct sunlight. The girl sat in one of only two chairs, leaning against the green edge of the balcony to enjoy the panoramic view of Higharbor sloping below. A flowing dress in the shades of the sea hung on her shoulders covered by a cascade of auburn hair. Valela pushed a lock behind her ear to regard the newcomers, every gesture carried the elegance deserving of her nickname. ¡°Flynn, you said it was urgent. What¡ª¡± Her emerald eyes stopped on Kai, turning her blooming smile into an arched frown. ¡°You should have warned me you were bringing someone. Who is he?¡± Kai was spelled into silence, his throat dry and choked up. Her help would determine his future, and Flynn hadn¡¯t even told her why they were there! He glared at his supposed friend, who had left them both blindsided. I can¡¯t screw this up. ¡°I wanted to introduce you to my friend, Calvin Smalls.¡± Flynn smiled broadly and slapped his back to make him step onto the terrace. ¡°I¡¯ll let you two talk. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve got a lot of catching up to do.¡± In less than a blink, the jerk had slipped out of the terrace, leaving them alone. Kai wanted to curse and run after him, but with Valela present, he couldn¡¯t afford to do either. I¡¯m going to kill him. No, I¡¯m going to shave his head, and then kill him. ¡°That¡­¡± The princess joined his glare towards the glass door, pressing her lips into a thin line. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Do you know what he meant by catchi¡ª¡± She fell quiet, studying him with an intense stare. ¡°Have we met before?¡± ¡°We have.¡± A resigned breath left him. He could only make the most of his predicament. ¡°The last time I cut a hole into your room, and I was also quite a bit shorter.¡± Her face painted in disbelief, her hands covered her mouth. She slowly moved closer, observing him from different angles as if she expected to find a fault in the illusion. By the time Valela stood a step from him, the truth had settled in. ¡°Kai. You¡¯re alive?¡± ¡°I told you I had everything in hand. Well, minus the two years to get back to the archipelago. That part wasn¡¯t planned.¡± Kai smiled, trying to hide his awkwardness. Stop rambling like a fool! You need to make a good impression. ¡°You actually got trapped in the hidden realm¡­?¡± Her hands rose to either hug or shake him but stopped just short of touching. She pulled back with her cheeks turning red and stared at him from head to toe. ¡°You look good.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ you do too?¡± He nodded, unsure what to say. ¡°Hmm¡­ thanks¡± Valela stepped back with a twirl of her dress, still looking baffled. ¡°Sorry for ambushing you,¡± Kai hurried to fill the silence. ¡°I thought Flynn had already told you.¡± The princess hesitated between him and the table. ¡°He mentioned there was a friend who needed help obtaining an official ID. I didn¡¯t think he meant you¡­¡± Making up her mind, she pinched him. ¡°Ahi!¡± Kai massaged his arm. ¡°Sorry, I wanted to make sure.¡± She waved to the two chairs, face aflame. ¡°Forgive my manners. Why don¡¯t you take a seat so we can talk.¡± Chapter 248 - Terrace Meeting Chapter 248 - Terrace Meeting Somewhat reassured by Valela¡¯s own awkwardness, Kai took a seat. That went okay, I think¡­ Two porcelain plates and an array of cutlery lay over a green satin tablecloth covered by delicate white lace. There was no menu or food, just a crystal bottle with flavored water, a vase of red peonies and a golden bell. Judging by the sympathetic link engraved on the metal, the chime must be used to call a waiter through magic rather than sound. Rich people are so weird, though I can probably afford these kinds of places now. Wait¡­ am I wealthier than her? Enchantments covered every item and piece of marble, some even intertwined with the blooming wisteria. They were far from the most elaborate arrays Kai had witnessed, but they were woven with elegance and precision. Their relative simplicity also meant he could understand how they worked if he applied his skills. I should visit fancy restaurants more often. They didn¡¯t even bother to cloak the runes. His fingers itched to take out a notebook and jot down his ideas. There were so many possible applications, he could¡ª ¡°Is everything alright? I know it¡¯s quite the sight.¡± Valela motioned to the gilded hills sloping down onto the Ring Road and the port beyond. ¡°Feel free to order anything you want. It¡¯s on my tab.¡± ¡°Uhm, thanks." Kai poured himself a glass of icy water to keep his hands busy. He appreciated the coldness flowing down his parched throat, though he could do without the sweet flowery taste. ¡°I¡¯m good for now.¡± Focus. Now¡¯s not the time to get distracted. The princess peered at him with a polite smile, clad in an armor of poise and manners. ¡°We can talk freely. The balcony is warded against eavesdropping and spying. You were saying you needed a new ID?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kai nodded. ¡°The Republic thinks I¡¯m dead and I¡¯d rather keep it that way. They would never leave me alone otherwise.¡± Valela sipped the purplish water, tapping her nails on the crystal glass with a thoughtful furrow. ¡°A soul contract isn¡¯t secure enough to safeguard this kind of information. They would probably extract any knowledge you have, then scrub your memories or imprison you to prevent enemy forces from learning about the realm.¡± What the fuck? That¡¯s worse than I thought¡­ ¡°I¡¯d like to avoid that.¡± Kai maintained a facade of calmness through the disturbing news. Thank the spirits he had put his glass down. ¡°Can you help me create a new identity?¡± Damn. Was that too direct? Nervousness twisted his stomach again. ¡°I¡­ yes.¡± The princess bit her lip. ¡°Do you mind if I ask you what happened to the hidden realm? Even the Space warpers General Seryne brought couldn¡¯t find a way inside. I don¡¯t need every detail, but I must know if more mana anomalies will endanger the archipelago.¡± She did always put duty first¡­ that¡¯s more than a fair trade. ¡°There won¡¯t be any more yellow beast attacks if that¡¯s your worry,¡± Kai stated. ¡°I took care of that.¡± Even if Zervathi was willing to reopen the Sanctuary, the god was bound by the first bargain to not harm humans for a hundred years. ¡°I see.¡± Valela easily accepted his answer. ¡°And do you know if or when the realm will become accessible again?¡± Hmm¡­ She must have a way of gauging my truthfulness¡­ That was a dangerous topic. Kai held her clear gaze to look for any whisper of warning. His heart skipped a beat when faint mutters tickled his mind - they didn¡¯t hum of danger but prompted him to proceed. All those levels and milestones weren¡¯t for nothing after all. The rare times Hallowed Intuition offered a suggestion without a looming threat on his life, he had never regretted following it. The skill only bothered to speak when a choice would significantly impact his life. ¡°It depends on what the god of the Hidden Sanctuary, Zervathi, decides.¡± Kai casually dropped the name of the divinity. ¡°He¡¯ll wait till he has recovered enough power to connect with the outside. I don¡¯t know if that will take a few years, a hundred or more.¡± Valela nodded, pensive but not particularly surprised. ¡°It was actually a forgotten divinity¡­ Thank you for telling me. This information will be extremely useful for the future of our islands.¡± ¡°Just glad I could help.¡± Kai played it off. He was relieved to have shared his knowledge with someone who cared about the archipelago enough to act on it. ¡°Do you mind if I order something?¡± Valela picked up the enchanted bell. ¡°We can discuss your situation with a few refreshments.¡± Does that mean she¡¯ll help me? ¡°Sure. Go ahead.¡± Before the chime of the bell completely settled, a waiter entered through the glass door, as if he were waiting outside to be summoned. ¡°How may I assist you?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯d like a Candid Meadow, two Rose Buds¡­¡± Valela quickly mentioned half a dozen dishes that made no sense to Kai. Do overcomplicated names and wealth come in a single package? The waiter faintly nodded without taking any notes. ¡°Your orders will be delivered in seven minutes. As you know, our chef prepares everything on demand of our clients to maintain freshness. I¡¯ll be at your disposal for any other services.¡± The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Thank you, that¡¯s everything.¡± ¡°With your permission.¡± The waiter bowed out. That¡¯s still weird. Alone on the terrace, Valela turned her attentions to him again. ¡°It must have been quite hard to spend two years in that place. I heard hidden dimensions are often dangerous. Do you need anything else besides an ID? Like money? Or a place to stay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m quite alright, but thank you for offering and for keeping an eye out for my family.¡± ¡°That¡¯s nothing.¡± She quickly dismissed. ¡°The military would have locked down the archipelago if you hadn¡¯t broken into my room to warn me that night. You gave us an even stronger position when the hidden realm was sealed.¡± Valela fiddled with a lock of hair. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m rambling. We should resolve your situation. Most of the islands have already been surveyed, but it shouldn¡¯t be a¡ª¡± She froze right as Kai sensed a skill brushing his aura. Her eyes widened, more shocked than when he had mentioned a god. ¡°You¡¯ve reached Yellow.¡± Hey, it¡¯s rude to check other people without permission. I mean, I also do it if they won¡¯t notice. But still. ¡°Yeah, and you have advanced too.¡± Kai reciprocated the sweep. ¡°But how¡ª¡± She stuttered, ignoring his reply. ¡°You¡¯re just fourteen.¡± ¡°I¡¯m closer to fifteen, thank you very much. And you¡¯re not much older.¡± ¡°I advanced a month ago. I¡ª¡± Valela leaned on the table, fingers through her hair. ¡°Spirits, this complicates things¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I checked your grade for your ID. The Republic records your race advancement if you¡¯re of age.¡± ¡°And that means¡­?¡± ¡°There are few people at Yellow in the archipelago, and none at your age. A youngster can fall through the system, but with your grade, the clerks will run background checks.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I just fake being at Orange then?¡± Kai pursed his mouth in a grimace. He didn¡¯t like it, but that was the only solution. ¡°There are professional controls.¡± The princess shook her head. ¡°Even if we bribe the examiner, there will be more checks on the mainland. I imagine you aren¡¯t planning to hide here for the next ten years, right?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡¯m not doing that.¡± Kai scowled. He had been so close to solving this mess, and yet it escaped him. ¡°Thank you for trying¡­¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Valela flushed, hand raised as if she expected him to run away. ¡°I¡¯m not giving up that easily. We can still find a way. It¡¯ll just be more laborious.¡± A knock on the glass door interrupted their conversation. The waiter carried three trays of refreshments on a single arm and efficiently set them on the table before disappearing. Kai marveled at the rows of finely made snacks, tarts and pastries, all shaped to resemble flowers or leaves. To think someone spent so much effort on something that would be consumed. Well, they were made in seven minutes if the waiter was honest. The chef must have a yellow profession¡­ ¡°Please, try anything that catches your eye. I ordered them for you as well.¡± Valela bit on a pink lotus, her poker face back on. ¡°As I was saying, there are other ways to obtain an ID, though they have some complications.¡± ¡°What kind?¡± ¡°Flynn must have told you I¡¯ve sponsored promising individuals before.¡± ¡°He said he doesn¡¯t discuss his clients without their permission.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­¡± Valela used a napkin to dab a crumb off her face. "Surprising?¡± Kai chuckled. ¡°Don''t tell him but he¡¯s surprisingly serious and thoughtful when it matters. Most of the time." ¡°Mhmm¡­ he¡¯s a curious individual. I don¡¯t hire incompetent staff,¡± Valela said with a faint smile. ¡°After what happened during the Vastaire¡¯s investigation, I realized I needed to have more influence without the governor and the council. Flynn has been helping me keep an eye out for talented natives and gather informants.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite the feat.¡± ¡°It¡¯s what¡¯s necessary to make a difference in the archipelago,¡± she muttered. ¡°Uhm¡­ I¡¯ll need to figure out an appropriate story for your new identity. Sponsoring you will allow me to fend off much of the scrutiny.¡± Kai raised an eyebrow. ¡°You mean I¡¯d work for you?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± Valela hurried to deny it with a flustered face. ¡°I mean, maybe sometimes, if something important comes up like¡­¡± ¡°Supporting the archipelago and its inhabitants?¡± What¡¯s up with her? She was never this flustered when she was younger. ¡°Yes!¡± The princess vehemently agreed. ¡°You¡¯d also get resources and funds to continue your education. Have you decided what you¡¯ll do on the mainland? There are so many cities, it¡¯s important to have a plan.¡± ¡°Not exactly¡­¡± ¡°I can offer you my contacts to find an apprenticeship or an academy. Or open an Alchemy shop if that¡¯s more to your liking. The choice is completely up to you.¡± She looked away at the city below. ¡°This is the best way I can help, but I¡¯ll understand if you don''t want to get tied up with me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take your deal.¡± ¡°You will?¡± Valela¡¯s head snapped back on him with a radiant smile. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to feel pressured. I¡¯ll give you what help I can in either case.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Kai picked a tulip-shaped pastry that tasted like strawberries. Even if Hallowed Intuition hadn¡¯t vouched for her earlier, this was his best option by far. ¡°Naturally, I¡¯ll have to read the details of the contract before I sign anything.¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s nothing stringent. It¡¯s meant to connect people to the archipelago. I should have a copy somewhere¡­¡± She rummaged through the folds of her dress when the glass door opened. Flynn marched inside with Hobbes huddled between his arms. ¡°I hope I¡¯m not interrupting anything. His Majesty demanded to be carried in.¡± ¡°Meeew!¡± The furball leaped on the table, sniffing the refreshments with mild interest. Valela stared at the feline. ¡°I thought they didn¡¯t allow animals inside the establishment. Whose cat is that?¡± The instant she turned to Flynn, Hobbes blinked away. The only trace of his passage were three missing snacks and the smugness flowing through their bond. Such a troublemaker. Kai shared a single glance with Flynn before they spoke at the same time. ¡°What cat?¡± ¡°This¡ª¡± Her gaze froze on the empty table. ¡°There was a silver cat right here.¡± She bent to check under the table and stood up to scan the balcony, even leaning over the overgrown railing. ¡°Where did it go?¡± She paced the area twice before pointing an accusing finger at them. ¡°You know what¡¯s going on. Don¡¯t lie.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Flynn lifted his hands in surrender and nodded vehemently at Kai. ¡°C¡¯mon, tell her about your teleporting cat.¡± Well, it¡¯s too late to pull back now. ¡°Hobbes is my familiar. He blinked away while you were distracted.¡± ¡°You¡¯re making fun of me.¡± Valela crossed her arms, eyeing them unconvinced till the glutton furball came back for another round of snacks. ¡°Meow.¡± Hobbes disappeared with two more tarts under the princess¡¯s disbelieving gaze. ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you telling me about the contract?¡± Kai tried to bring the conversation back on track. ¡°How long will the ID take?¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve already agreed. Great! I¡¯ll be representing my client in this negotiation then.¡± Flynn helped himself to the snacks on the table. ¡°You never ordered half this much during our meetings,¡± he said with a full mouth. * * * ¡°That went pretty well. I told you she would agree.¡± Flynn grinned, leaving the upper city to head back to their house. ¡°It went okay.¡± Kai conceded. ¡°I won¡¯t celebrate till everything''s signed and done.¡± The deal had been as simple as Valela promised, with few concrete obligations that could be fulfilled at his convenience. While he didn¡¯t need any financial aid, the princess insisted he accepted to not leave flaws in his cover story. They still had to hammer out a few details about his new identity, and Valela told them she would get back to them in a few days. She did look quite confident. Though she always does¡­ Flynn sighed audibly. ¡°You¡¯re always so paranoid. And why didn¡¯t you pick Calvin? It was such a great name.¡± He pouted. ¡°You could have just changed the surname.¡± Kai threw him a dirty look. ¡°Don¡¯t think I forgot about what you did. Any of it.¡± ¡°Offered a fun way to break the ice? It worked out pretty well, didn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°You left me there without an explanation. What if she didn¡¯t recognize me?¡± ¡°But she did. You would have been forced to act naive if you knew. It was much better to unite you two against one evil and extremely charming villain.¡± Flynn smiled widely. ¡°No need to thank me. I¡¯m happy to sacrifice myself for the cause.¡± Kai gritted his teeth and walked faster. ¡°You just got lucky it worked out.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure what he hated more: Flynn¡¯s unbearable smugness or the fact he could see the logic in his arguments. Fine. I¡¯ll shave only half his head and call it a day. ¡°C¡¯mon, there is no need to be envious of my genius.¡± Flynn ran to catch up with him. ¡°But seriously, why did you choose Matthew Reece? Chapter 249 - Matthew Chapter 249 - Matthew ¡°I just liked it.¡± Kai evaded the question. A stroll across the streets of Higharbor wasn¡¯t the time to tackle that conversation. It¡¯s the name I had in my previous life. You know, the one before I reincarnated on Elydes. Yes, the one I never told you about¡­ Flynn peered at him, clearly suspicious. ¡°No other reason?¡± Did he learn a truth-telling skill? Or am I just that bad at lying? ¡°It sounded better than Calvin Smalls,¡± Kai shot back. ¡°You¡¯re always so hurtful.¡± He mimed a stab through the heart. ¡°You made up your mind pretty quickly. I thought you¡¯d agonize over the choice for weeks. I had even prepared a list of names to help you.¡± So that¡¯s why you looked disappointed. Flynn rummaged through his pockets for a wrinkled piece of paper and cleared his throat. ¡°Basil Marley, Parsley Greene, Taddeus Thick¡­¡± Please spare me. ¡°Valela said she needed a name to proceed, so I made up my mind. Uhm¡­ do you know why she was acting so strange?¡± Kai clumsily attempted to change the topic. ¡°Has she changed in the last few years?¡± Flynn watched him with a strange grin. ¡°You mean why she smiled at you and glared at me?¡± ¡°I assumed she was just happy to see I¡¯m alive and tired of your antics.¡± ¡°Yeah, that must be it.¡± His smile widened. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you¡¯re not good at everything.¡± * * * Kai stared at the house where his alleged father had lived. A row of cypresses circled the white rock walls of the villa, from the dirt path to the cliff falling into the sea. His senses spread over the property, easily seeping through its wards. Aside from rare exceptions such as those in the Vastaire ruins, most arrays needed regular maintenance to work correctly. No one must have touched the crumbling runes for years. It was a miracle they hadn¡¯t collapsed already. It must have cost a fortune to call an enchanter out here¡­ There was no human signature inside the ground. His hand rested on the rusty gate of wrought iron. A cloak of ivy had taken over most of the fence. From the untamed garden inside, the other parts of the mansion hadn¡¯t seen much maintenance in recent times. C¡¯mon, I can¡¯t waste her efforts. Kai had been leisurely cleaning his cauldron when Valela informed them she had found the perfect cover story. In less than half an hour he found himself on a zeppelin for Mistcreak, and then on a skiff for Katol. The crew left him on a nameless isle a few miles from Pearldive without exchanging another word. And now Kai was only half certain of what was going on, except this was his best chance to obtain a new identity that wouldn¡¯t buckle under scrutiny. I can''t screw this up. They could get here at any moment. The metal entrance opened with a strident creak. Kai took the pebble path leading to the main residence. One of the granite steps of the porch was cracked. He ignored the owl doorbell, the black door had paint peeling off near the hinges and a dusty brass pommel. According to the information Valela left him, the lock should have been left open to allow him to explore the interiors. He understood the necessity of learning more about the place he supposedly grew up in, though it still felt morbid. I could check the outside first. While climbing the dirt trail from the beach, he had spotted the glint of green motes in the back of the property. Circling the manor, Kai confirmed his guess. A greenhouse rose amidst all the disrepair¡ªMana plants were a better start than the manor of a deceased alchemist. The glasshouse was covered in runes. Nothing particularly impressive, though they looked maintained to a usable degree. The iron key in the lock opened the door with a little fiddling and let the scent of thriving plants and flowers swallow him. Huh, not bad. The space had been separated into ten sections to recreate different climates. Crystals set in the ceiling provided different degrees of light and warmth. Kai wandered among the aisles of the greenhouse. Plants ranging from low red to peak orange stood arranged in neat rows, each in its pot. It was hard to be impressed by mana herbs after the Sanctuary, still, he had never seen such a large collection since Dora left. The old alchemist must have spent a great deal of time and effort on this place. Kai picked up a leather notebook abandoned beside a vase of purple stalks. The pages were filled with observations and diagrams he couldn¡¯t understand, some kind of research on how to increase the yield of Faery Grass. The man¡¯s frustration was evident in the blotchy ink of the last entries, though Kai couldn¡¯t deduce much more. How paranoid do you need to be to encrypt your notes when you live alone? After twenty minutes spent trying to decipher the book, Kai realized he wasn¡¯t getting anywhere¡ªnot anytime soon. Reading the deceased alchemist¡¯s notes only worsened his mood. Cultivation and mutations weren¡¯t his area of expertise anyway. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. I gotta move. He exited the greenhouse to finish his tour of the outside before he tackled the mansion. There wasn¡¯t much else of note, wild weeds had conquered the garden to the edge of the cliff. He was about to turn back when he spotted a dirt mound, hidden among the untamed grass. From the freshly moved earth, Kai didn¡¯t need his skills to know this was the alchemist¡¯s burial ground. Cyrus Veernon, a reclusive mage who had retired on the archipelago three decades before. No family or friends to lay claim to his possessions. His closest acquaintance was the sailor who left the supplies in front of his gate once a month. I wouldn¡¯t be here if he were a sociable guy¡­ Valela had gotten wind of his death through her network of informants. Without an heir, the Republic would have swept in to claim everything. The scheme had moved so fast, Kai barely had any idea of what was going on. He trusted the princess and Flynn to know what they were doing. Hallowed Intuition''s acquiescence also helped. This is as good as it¡¯s gonna get for a fake cover story. Waves crashed on the rocks beyond the precipice, and a gust blew his hair, bringing him back to the present. A teal and beryl sea sprinkled with verdant isles extended to the horizon. ¡°Hmm¡­ it must have been a pleasant place to live in, if you didn¡¯t mind the solitude.¡± Kai turned to the tomb. ¡°I¡¯ve no idea who you were, and I know you had no choice in this, but I thank you regardless.¡± He grew a small patch of white and red wildflowers over the alchemist¡¯s resting place, hoping the man would have appreciated it. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how it works with the church of Seven Moons, but may your gods guide you to whatever lies beyond.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he would have liked that,¡± an aged voice creaked. Kai jolted. An old woman leaned on a gnarly cane by the corner of the manor, her face covered with weathered wrinkles. He had been so lost in his thoughts she managed to creep up on him. I guess it¡¯s good, huh¡­ I¡¯m not supposed to be much of a fighter. ¡°You must be Matthew.¡± The granny offered a toothless smile. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see such a thoughtful young man.¡± ¡°And you must be the housemaid.¡± He dug into his memory. He only had time to read Valela¡¯s information once. ¡°¡­Belaria?¡± ¡°Belalia, but you can call me Bel. I was never really a maid. Cyrus hired me because I was cheap and did a bit of everything: house chores, cooking, tending to the garden.¡± She waved her cane to the wild grass and broke into a cough. ¡°That was before my health got me. I retired more than seven years ago, but the old clam refused to hire anyone else. You see, he didn¡¯t trust people easily¡­¡± The granny looked at the tomb as if annoyed the alchemist wasn¡¯t alive to hear her complaints. ¡°He called me through one of his magic stones when his last moments were near¡­ I had to wake my grandson in the middle of the night to row to the island,¡± she muttered. Then her cloudy gaze snapped on him. ¡°I don¡¯t want to waste your time with the ramblings of an old lady. Come, I¡¯ll show you inside. The enforcers should be here in a couple hours.¡± Bel ambled toward the front porch without looking back, forcing him to follow. ¡°It was such a lovely place. I wish you could have seen how this was.¡± She opened the black door without much ceremony. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there. This is your house. I promised Miss Hightide I¡¯d take care of this, and I intend to keep my word.¡± ¡°Yeah, sorry. I¡¯m coming.¡± Kai walked into a dark hall that might have looked welcoming in its heyday. Now all that was left was stale air, chipped furniture and strained red velvet chairs. ¡°That stubborn fool¡­ He never listened to anyone.¡± Bel went to open a window. ¡°Come, I¡¯ll show you around.¡± He hurried to follow the old maid through half a dozen rooms full of knick-knacks, mold and dust. It looked like Cyrus Veernon was a hoarder besides being a recluse. Less than a third of the house was livable, half of that because Bel had cleaned it. Burned pans and unwashed dishes covered every surface of the kitchen¡ªincluding the floor. In the study, piles of papers and books climbed twice his height, with sheets full of arcane ramblings nailed to the walls. Lastly, the laboratory was perhaps the worst of all. It housed an unholy clutter of glassware that stank of rotten and burned alchemic waste. Mat went in alone, listening carefully to Hallowed Intuition to avoid any biohazard. He moved a few things around to create a smaller, cleaner space that might have belonged to him. He placed a couple tools in his ring and left a few of the papers he had sketched on the way here. That should be good enough. Valela would organize someone to empty the house and erase any evidence once he officially signed a sponsorship with her. He only had to pass the inspection of the enforcers if they decided to snoop around. ¡°And this is your room.¡± Bel showed him to a door on the second floor. ¡°It was originally a guest room, not that Cyrus ever had any. I mostly used it when I worked here.¡± The room was relatively large, though quite plain, with the floral wallpaper wrinkling from water damage and mold in one corner. There was an old wooden desk, a single window and a bookshelf filled to the brim with alchemy volumes. A collection of common minerals was the only semi-personal touch. ¡°I furnished it the best I could with what I found from the library. I also borrowed some of my grandson''s old clothes to fill the space and prepare your luggage.¡± The old woman pointed to a bag lying beside the bed. ¡°Nothing fancy, but it should be fine even if the clothes aren¡¯t a perfect fit. Cyrus never went shopping himself and you¡¯re supposed to have never left the island.¡± That was quite thoughtful, she couldn¡¯t have gotten much longer than a day to set this all up. ¡°Do you mind if I add a few things of my own?¡± Kai lay down the backpack, mainly as an excuse to use his ring. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Bel plopped down on a chair with a heavy sigh. ¡°These old bones aren¡¯t used to this much movement anymore. Mhmm¡­ guess I should tell you more about your father. I knew Cyrus better than anyone alive, which is not to say much. He was quite a difficult man. He suffered some kind of betrayal in his youth, though he never told me the details. He never explained much in general. Oh, except for his research, he always rambled about that nonsense. It was the only thing he cared about, much more than people¡­¡± Kai listened to Bel¡¯s random anecdotes while he added a few personal effects to the room. If Cyrus ever discovered anything noteworthy in his research, he didn¡¯t publish it. He was honestly the perfect candidate for his new identity, the alchemist lived on an island isolated from everyone. Perhaps because he was a mage, all sorts of colorful rumors about him had spread in Pearldive over the decades. Some said he would grant the wish of anyone who knocked on his door when the moons aligned, others that he ate children to prolong his life. Among all the wild stories, a secret child was one of the mildest rumors. Gossipers would probably be disappointed there wasn¡¯t more to it. I get why Valela was so impatient to send me here. This was indeed a perfect opportunity for him, being half-native would be all the proof most people needed to confirm he was Cyrus¡¯ son. The genius child of a recluse mage who studied alchemy and magic from a young age. Valela would ensure the Republic accepted the explanation without looking closely enough to find a flaw. Mat would still have to play down some of his abilities, but he would have done the same even as Kai. The story fit so seamlessly, he suspected his Luck must have played a part. It would be weirder if 80 Favor did nothing¡­ Truthfully, there was only one issue. ¡°Does it not bother you that I''m using Cyrus¡¯ name and house without permission?¡± Kai blurted out, perfectly knowing it would be wiser to keep silent. Even if Cyrus was dead and above mortal concerns, he couldn¡¯t pass off the man as his father without caring at least a little. Bel interrupted her ramblings to look at him with her cloudy gaze. ¡°Do you know what he asked on his dying bed?¡± Kai shook his head. ¡°He asked that I burn down his estate to not let the Republic have it.¡± Bel cackled aloud. ¡°I know I shouldn¡¯t speak ill of the dead, but Cyrus cared little for anyone besides himself. And it¡¯s certainly not thanks to the pittance he paid me that my grandsons can afford an education. If it¡¯s any consolation, the old fool would probably get a good laugh out of this.¡± It does make me feel a tiny bit better. ¡°Thank you for your help.¡± Kai spotted three figures walking toward the main gate outside the window. ¡°If there is anything I can do for you just let me know. They¡¯re here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a beggar. Miss Hightide has already insisted on paying me despite the debt my family owes her. I don¡¯t need anything else.¡± Bel stood up with a proud look. ¡°Let¡¯s go greet our guests.¡± Mat nervously paced. This was the most critical stage of his deception. ¡°What if they have a lie detection skill?¡± ¡°Those abilities are much easier to trick than they want you to believe. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll do most of the talking. If anyone gets suspicious, I¡¯ll just stare at them dumbly and ramble about my grandkids till their ears bleed. One of the few advantages of my age is being underestimated.¡± The granny chuckled, her cane thumping down the stairs without a worry. I wish I had half her confidence. The enforcers were already waiting on the porch when they opened the door for them. Three men, all wearing immaculate uniforms, though one man wore blue instead of black. He also was a good head taller and more heavily built than the other two. An officer with a silver hawk stepped forward, eyeing Kai with obvious surprise. ¡°Good morning, we¡¯re here to confirm the passing of Cyrus Veernon. And you are¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m Belalia, the one who called you in. You sure took your time to get here,¡± she grumbled without regard and patted his back. ¡°This one here is Mat, Cyrus¡¯ son. He¡¯s a bit shy, you know his father¡­¡± Mat lost the next exchange, too busy staring at the burly man. Something in his pensive green eyes rang bells in his memories. Lou¡­? How did you get even bigger? Chapter 250 - Nosy Officers Chapter 250 - Nosy Officers The more Kai studied him the more certain he became. Lou had grown as tall as Flynn and twice as muscular, but behind his short beard, his studious gaze was the same¡ªespecially when he looked at him disapprovingly. Hmm¡­ maybe I should stop staring at him. Kai hung his head low, his ears burning for such an embarrassing mistake. It¡¯s normal to stare at strangers if they¡¯re so freaking huge. Why did no one warn me he would come here? Is he not part of Valela¡¯s plan? He searched Lou¡¯s face for an answer, but what he saw was a visage of cold professionalism. There was no hint of recognition or common understanding. I guess his silence is already confirmation, though it wouldn¡¯t kill him to flash a smile after two years. It¡¯s nice to see you¡¯re doing well. Whatever awkwardness Mat showed, it would fit with the image of the timid young alchemist he was trying to cultivate. His supposed father had kept him hidden from the world since his mother tragically passed away. It would be strange if he acted like an ordinary teenager. The leading enforcer snapped his fingers in front of his face. ¡°Are you listening to me, boy? You¡¯re really mage Cyrus Veernon¡¯s son?¡± Mat mutely nodded, hands nervously crumpled the hem of his shirt. The struggle between the political and military wings of the Republic had continued to simmer during his disappearance. While the council guards had taken over the security of towns and cities, the military enforcers held the jurisdiction over major investigations¡ªsuch as the passing of a third circle mage. I just have to hold on till Valela can take over my case. ¡°Can¡¯t you speak boy? Why were you never registered?¡± Bel threw a scolding glance at the officer. ¡°There is no need to shout. Matthew has always been a bit shy. His father didn¡¯t let him out of the property for his safety.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­¡± Kai mumbled, still focused on his hands. ¡°Father saw no use in registering me. Said the clerks wanted to get him out of the house, so they could steal his work.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± The officer looked unsure of how to react to the nonsense. ¡°Master Cyrus was always a bit of an eccentric man.¡± Bel smiled with a look that said eccentric didn¡¯t even scratch the surface. ¡°Is there anything else you need to know? Matthew has already lost his family. I can show you where we buried his father.¡± ¡°Do you have any proof he¡¯s mage Cyrus Veernon¡¯s son?¡± ¡°What more proof do you need?¡± The old woman waved at Kai¡¯s face. ¡°He¡¯s right in front of you, the spitting image of his father.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, we don¡¯t possess any description of the deceased, ma¡¯am. What about his mother?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Bel pursed dried-up lips in disapproval as if in front of a particularly dumb child. ¡°Do you want me to spell it out in front of the boy?¡± ¡°Ehm, it¡¯s my duty to investigate every possibility.¡± The officer lost some of his certainty. ¡°The Republic can¡¯t let the boy inherit the estate without verifying his claim and the proper documentation.¡± At least they don¡¯t suspect the truth. No one would ever imagine Kai impersonated a fictional boy to acquire a background free of scrutiny. A sham to steal the inheritance was a much easier motivation. Or maybe the Republic just wanted to use the lack of paperwork to confiscate everything. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything¡­¡± He bit his lip. ¡°But Father taught me to brew¡­¡± The man looked at him dumbly. ¡°Brew¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, alchemical potions.¡± Kai wore what he hoped was an embarrassed smile. ¡°He said I was quite good and had taken after him.¡± It wasn¡¯t orthodox proof, but what were the chances a mixed kid also knew Alchemy? He just had to get over this nosy officer to let Valela take charge. The enforcers headed back to the porch to convene among themselves. Lou stood aside for a while before leaning in to whisper something that made them splutter. ¡°You¡¯re only here as an observer,¡± the second enforcer hissed. ¡°You can check for yourself,¡± Lou said before returning to his impassive position. What¡¯s that about¡­? Two clumsy skills touching his aura answered the question. Instead of retreating, the officers grew more insistent, double and triple-checking, disbelief growing on their faces. Well, this works too. I¡¯ve got a higher grade than them at half their age. Even if they thought Cyrus had used elixirs to enhance his grade, that was already proof that Mat was his son. No one else could have reached that level. ¡°How old are you, boy?¡± The lead enforcer weighed him, suspicion swapped for a mix of surprise and greed¡­? ¡°I¡ª I¡¯m fourteen, al¡ª almost fifteen.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s everything, why don¡¯t we get going? I can answer any more questions.¡± Bel thumped her gnarly cane between them with an air of finality. ¡°Matthew has been through enough.¡± Then her tone softened at him. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go grab your things, dearie? It¡¯s not good to stay in this big house alone.¡± Seeing that none of the officers complained, Kai bobbed his head and headed upstairs to his room. He slumped on the dusty bed, while Mana Observer discreetly kept track of their position. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Why is this so stressful? I hope Lou knows what he¡¯s doing. The reveal of his grade erased any doubt about his identity, though that would attract a different kind of attention. The old housemaid led the group to Cyrus'' burial site. The enforcers glowed with a series of skills before nodding, satisfied. Time to leave. Kai rubbed his eyes red and went to wait by the main entrance with his bags. ¡°My condolences for your loss.¡± The investigator offered an empathetic smile that stank of fakeness. ¡°It must be hard for you.¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ thank you.¡± ¡°You can come with us to the precinct. You need to be registered and have proper documents to inherit the estate. Just some routine paperwork, it won¡¯t take long.¡± Yeah, I¡¯m sure you find teenagers isolated on an island every other week. ¡°I¡­¡± Kai looked at Bel with wide eyes. In the mad rush to get him here, Valela¡¯s instructions couldn¡¯t cover every detail and eventuality. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, dearie. I¡¯ll stay with you till the situation is resolved.¡± The old woman gave him a motherly smile. Perhaps put off by the state of disrepair, the officers showed no interest in the house. They headed down the dirt trail to the beach. Mat threw frequent looks back at the place of his childhood, letting himself get consoled by Bel. He was leaving behind the only home he had ever known with a bunch of intimidating strangers. How do you act like that? I can¡¯t exactly cry on command. There were two boats docked at the crumbling pier. The larger one sported the soaring hawk of the Republic, while a tanned young man with a wide nose sat in a rowing boat. ¡°Grandma, is everything alright?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be accompanying young Mat to Pearldive.¡± ¡°If you already have passage, you should sail with your nephew.¡± The officer barred her path. ¡°Our vessel is for official duty only, I can¡¯t let you on board.¡± ¡°You¡ª Matthew can ride with us. We¡¯ll follow your boat to the port.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not possible. He¡¯s an unregistered individual of considerable power. By law, we must watch him until that is rectified.¡± ¡°The boy¡¯s still recovering from mourning his father.¡± Bel stubbornly stood her ground. ¡°He needs a friendly face, I can¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°He¡¯s an adult, I¡¯m sure he can manage a short trip alone.¡± The man sneered. ¡°Now, I wouldn¡¯t want the situation to get more unpleasant, ma¡¯am.¡± Great, my granny shield is gone. Kai stood frozen like a deer in the headlight with his bags. He had no idea if the man was speaking truthfully or making stuff up. His only notions of law were from years prior and related to his alchemy business and taxes. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Auntie Bel.¡± He wore a courageous smile. No point in arguing when they couldn¡¯t change the outcome. After some more reassurances, the old maid threw a dirty look at the enforcers and joined her grandson. ¡°This way.¡± Lou grabbed his bags, addressing him directly for the first time since they met. ¡°It¡¯s a short journey. Watch your feet.¡± Kai stumbled aboard, playing up his nervousness. He was made to sit in the only cabin, while the vessel glided on the waves. His feeble hopes to spend the journey in silence were dashed when the door creaked open. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just y¡ª¡± ¡°Hi, Matthew. I forgot to introduce myself, I¡¯m Officer Denule. Do you mind if I ask you some questions?¡± Lou sat across from him, brushing his ear. They must be eavesdropping¡­ ¡°Uhm¡­ okay.¡± Kai raised a questioning eyebrow but didn¡¯t get any response. Are they watching us too? ¡°I need some information about how you grew up. It¡¯ll be much easier to process your case that way.¡± He pulled out a notebook and pen. ¡°When did you move in with your father?¡± The question already implied he hadn¡¯t always lived there. ¡°Since my mom died¡­ I think I was about four or five. I¡ª I don¡¯t remember well. Father didn¡¯t like to talk about it.¡± ¡°When did your father decide to teach you Alchemy?¡± Lou grilled him on every detail. It was remarkably easy to recount his life when the interrogator knew the story better than him. His bulky friend scratched his stubble whenever a question presented a dangerous pitfall. The most exhausting part was having to nervously hiccup each word, though that also offered an easy excuse for any incoherent answer he might give. The journey lasted far longer than it should, they must have taken a circuitous route to wring more information out of him. Kai was relieved to finally touch land and gawked at every building and passerby on the way to the precinct. Compared to Sylspring, Pearldive maintained a rural appearance. A jumble of cozy little houses stretched along the bay, there were no large galleys or hordes of tourists crowding the port. Ele had told him the water around Katol contained the most beautiful and precious pearls in all the archipelago, and she hoped to visit one day. He didn¡¯t get to do much sightseeing before he was stuck again in a windowless room, signing a bunch of paperwork. Even without practice, his Dexterity helped him create a believable signature. The puny wards protecting the building couldn¡¯t stop his skills from spying on the argument outside. Some nonsense about jurisdiction between the enforcers, Lou and another clerk. Apparently, the interrogation on the boat helped him avoid one here. Bored out of his mind, Kai was about to tamper with the enchantments when the quarreling parties reached an agreement. His aloof friend entered together with the main investigator. ¡°Can¡ª can I go now?¡± ¡°Soon, son.¡± The man said with a salesman smile. ¡°It will take some time to process your registration given your peculiar circumstances. In the meantime, we can offer you accommodation here in Pearldive. ¡°Or you could come with me.¡± Lou butted in, still coldly professional. ¡°A generous patron has offered to represent you. She¡¯ll take care of filing your documents and inheritance papers on your behalf. You won¡¯t have to worry about anything.¡± ¡°You¡¯d also need to leave your home and cross the sea for an island miles away.¡± The enforcer remarked. ¡°The military can hire a lawyer to help your case, right here in Katol. You¡¯ll just have to sign a simple contract to keep using your Alchemy. You like brewing, right?¡± Is my acting so good that they think I¡¯m dumb? He was about to laugh in his face when Lou scratched his jaw. Kai suppressed a groan and hesitantly asked for more information. Apart from having no social skills and being ignorant of the world, Mat was still supposed to be a genius. Spirits, spare me from this torment. An excruciating half an hour passed with the two officers pitching their proposals to the naive Mat. ¡°I¡ª I want to see the capital. Are there really tens of thousands of people living there?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you give this some more thought? You don¡¯t know her intention. Trust me, boy, people don¡¯t give something for nothing.¡± And I should sign your shady contract instead? One time was enough, thank you. People really have no shame. ¡°He has made his choice.¡± Lou didn¡¯t betray any triumph. ¡°The courts in Higharbor will take care of his case. If you continue to hold him, I¡¯ll be forced to file an official complaint.¡± Kai marched outside the precinct, blissfully ignoring the enforcer¡¯s dark looks. His shoes crunched on the warm pebbles, the afternoon sun kissing his face. I¡¯m free! Someone had gone through his luggage and had sewn a gift in the inner pocket. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is mine.¡± He marveled at a small sheet of enchanted metal. ¡°Maybe I should bring it back?¡± Lou furrowed his brows and snapped it into steel confetti. ¡°Just a piece of junk. How did you find it?¡± Hey, I wanted to study¡­ ¡°It sparkled.¡± He went along with the acting in case anyone had followed them in the streets. ¡°It was enchanted against Perception skills.¡± Kai shrugged. ¡°Not particularly well. Where are we going anyway?¡± ¡°We have a ship to take,¡± Lou said tersely. Is he angry with me? I mean I did promise him I would be safe before disappearing for two years¡­ A brig set to leave for Higharbor with space for two people was conveniently docked at the harbor. Lou paid the captain fifteen silvers after a little haggling. In less than an hour, they were sailing for the capital. It¡¯s done. The crystal waters of Pearldive left space to the darker shades of the open sea. Kai had experienced his fair share of doubts during the last day, but Valela knew what she was doing. Her reach in the archipelago must have grown considerably since she was paraded around to promote the scholarship program. Going to their cabin, Lou hurriedly hid a miniature communication cube. ¡°Can you knock, please?¡± ¡°Yeah, sorry,¡± Kai closed the door behind him and waited for him to finish. ¡°Can we talk?¡± ¡°Are there more sparkly pieces of metal?¡± ¡°Nope, I chec¡ª¡± He didn¡¯t get the chance to finish. Lou lifted him off the floor in a crushing hug. ¡°How could you not tell me you were alive? I found out about you from Valela.¡± Ehm¡­ Well¡­ I wanted to see you face to face, but then things happened¡­ Flynn had told him Lou wasn¡¯t in Higharbor, and the thought of meeting him had slipped his mind once he got busy with his family. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m just a jerk.¡± Kai squeezed out of his lungs. ¡°You are.¡± The lumbering giant agreed without showing any intention of putting him down. ¡°I¡ª I thought you were dead¡­ What happened to you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a long story.¡± ¡°Longer than a two hundred mile journey?¡± Chapter 251 - Unexpected Guests Chapter 251 - Unexpected Guests When Lou asked if sailing hundreds of miles across the archipelago would grant them enough time to hear his story, the question hadn¡¯t been rhetorical. They sat in the cramped cabin, the ship gently rocking towards their destination beneath them. It was the only place warded from eavesdropping. Kai almost regretted deciding to talk about anything aside from Zervathi. His all-clear had opened the floodgates to an endless deluge of questions. He had spoken for hours till his throat hurt¡ªquite an accomplishment given his grade. From the geography of the Sanctuary to how Blood Crawlers hunted and what he had eaten to survive, there wasn¡¯t a topic Lou wasn¡¯t interested in. After the Vastaire affair, the bulky boy had worked exclusively for Valela and his oath was modified to avoid conflict of interest. So he wouldn¡¯t need to share private information with anyone else. Hmm, she was clearly interested in the Sanctuary. Why didn''t she just ask me more¡­ Kai was ever more curious about the oath between Valela¡¯s family and the governor, but he had seen Lou cough blood for the briefest mention and didn¡¯t want to put him in that position again. ¡°Sorry I let myself get carried away.¡± The overgrown teenager¡¯s lost gaze refocused on him with an embarrassed smile. ¡°It¡¯s all so fascinating. I can¡¯t believe the entrance to the Hidden Sanctuary had always been in our archipelago.¡± I guess that¡¯s one way to put it when you¡¯re not the one being chased by a hungry wyvern. Kai stretched his legs over the floor. Recounting his experiences in such clinical details made them appear more abstract and distant. He quite liked that. ¡°What about you? Have you joined the guards?¡± ¡°The guards¡­?¡± Lou looked down at his blue uniform, sporting the hawk of the Republic on his chest. ¡°Oh, no. This was just to pick you up.¡± ¡°What about the twins and Ana? Do they know I¡¯m alive?¡± He couldn¡¯t leave the archipelago without meeting them. ¡°They don¡¯t know yet.¡± Lou''s forehead creased with deep furrows, looking gloomy. ¡°Did something happen to them¡­?¡± Lou shook his head. ¡°They¡¯re doing well. At least they were, last they wrote to me.¡± ¡°Wait, where are they now?¡± Kai asked, already fearing the answer. ¡°Uli and Oli decided to join the army not long after you disappeared. Ana followed them in the mage support units.¡± The burly boy grabbed his short hair as if he wanted to rip it out. What? ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡± He vainly waited for the laugh of a bad joke, but the cabin was silent. For once, the scenarios in his mind hadn''t been bleak enough. ¡°Why would they enlist?¡± From his vexed look, Lou must have long wondered the same. ¡°They signed while I was away on a job. They said they wanted to see the world and grow their professions.¡± He gave him a sour smile. ¡°They¡¯re on the mainland, stationed near a mountain pass on the northern border and complaining about the cold.¡± Spirits, I¡¯m going to strangle them. Is it¡­ my fault? ¡°Did they enlist because they thought I died?¡± Kai choked on the words. If his disappearance had pushed them towards the foolish decision, he would never forgive himself. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± Lou¡¯s steel gaze didn¡¯t permit objections. ¡°They would have done it either way. You know the appeal of the continent. Once you learn about it, the islands feel too small. I had hoped they would settle for a journey, but they let themselves get roped into the benefits of enlisting by a recruiter.¡± Dammit. Kai rubbed his temples. It was the same thing he planned to do¡ªminus the army part. And it wasn¡¯t exactly shocking that the twins had done something reckless. ¡°Can you let them know I¡¯m alive?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡± Lou shook his head. ¡°Someone might be monitoring my correspondence. Even if I write a coded message, there is always a risk. And if the twins show Ana, I don¡¯t know who she might tell. It¡¯s probably best that they don¡¯t know for now¡­¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ if you think it¡¯s safer.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mat. I don¡¯t like it either.¡± Kai cock an eyebrow at the name choice. ¡°You¡¯ll eventually slip up if we use a different name in private,¡± Lou said. ¡°Or if someone is eavesdropping when you don¡¯t expect.¡± ¡°You do have a point.¡± It¡¯s just strange hearing that name again. ¡°Mat, I know it all looked easy, but we were extremely lucky to find this cover story. We won¡¯t get another chance. Now that you¡¯re officially Matthew, you should be careful about contacting people from your past identity.¡± I wouldn¡¯t say any of this seemed particularly easy, though I see your point¡­ Flynn had several channels to contact his family for him, so that wouldn''t be an issue. Getting in touch with Reishi was more complicated. People were already surprised he was friends with a merfolk merchant and took notice of it. We¡¯ll find an excuse, I¡¯m still an alchemist. ¡°So, is my identity done already? I thought there was still an open case.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just a formality. Once we get to Higharbor, Valela can pull strings to ensure the process goes smoothly.¡± Lou drummed his fingers on the coversheets of his cot. ¡°She won¡¯t tell you, but she took a big risk helping you. If the Republic finds out you¡¯re alive, there will be no way to hide her involvement.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± In the haste of the last couple days, Kai didn¡¯t get time to consider the favor he asked of her. Why didn¡¯t she tell me, or use it to haggle in the sponsorship deal¡­ Lou studied him with a serious, pensive face. ¡°To the risk of stating the obvious, you should lay low till everyone has forgotten about Matthew¡¯s curious origins.¡± Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°I will.¡± Since they were on topic, there was something else bugging him. ¡°Why did you point out my grade to those enforcers? I know it¡¯s necessary for my official ID, but they didn¡¯t need to know.¡± He could have gladly avoided the enforcers'' insistent attention. ¡°There are many reasons.¡± Lou scratched his stubble. ¡°By revealing it then, they only saw you as a naive boy and a potential goldmine. They would have gotten more suspicious later if it looked like we were trying to hide it. Also, the governor won¡¯t be able to pressure you into a deal fearing that you¡¯ll run to the military.¡± Guess you thought this through. Or was it Valela? ¡°Does the governor know already?¡± He was the ever-looming presence responsible for messing up his life and causing his dad¡¯s death¡ªalbeit indirectly. Once he would have given an arm to stab the bastard, now he would settle for not hearing him mentioned ever again. ¡°Not yet, but his wife always catches onto rumors quite fast, especially in Higharbor.¡± ¡°Well, as long as I don¡¯t have to meet either of them. Thank you for coming to get me, though you could have given a clearer sign why you were there instead of your frozen face.¡± ¡°You never know who¡¯s watching.¡± Lou pursed his lips and avoided his gaze. ¡°And maybe I was a little mad at you for not contacting me.¡± Kai paused and then sighed, ¡°That¡¯s fair.¡± ¡°No, it was petty of me. You¡¯ve already gone through enough.¡± Not you too. He wasn¡¯t looking for more pity. The past was behind him. He was fine. ¡°Just because I almost died in that place, it doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t be blamed for anything. I can have a thousand excuses and still be an asshole.¡± ¡°Mhmm¡­¡± Lou watched him with a strangely amused look. ¡°What? I said it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t take this the wrong way, but in the end, you were always a bit self-absorbed. Now look at you, all grown up.¡± He gave him a half grin. When did they talk about me? ¡°Thanks¡­ I''ll go stretch my legs.¡± With his ears heating up, Kai left the stifling cabin. Damn him. The salty night air buffeted his face when he stepped on the deck, the sky a vault of stars and pale moon slivers. A cluster of luminous flecks lit the coast a few miles on his right, some nameless town off the coast of Yanlun. A group of sailors laughed, playing dice and paying him little attention. Kai leaned on the railing against his apprehension. Watching the dark waters cut by the prow of the ship, he caught a glimpse of silver sending shivers down his spine. An orange marine beast was swimming alongside the vessel. Calm down. Not everything wants to kill you out here. The whispers told him the fishie was only playing and had no intention of attacking. And even if the ship were to sink right now, he could easily kill it and make it to shore. Kai evened his breathing. One more day and they¡¯d be back in Higharbor. After getting his papers in order, there was nothing else holding him in the archipelago. As ready as he was ever going to be. His mind fizzed with excitement. The open ocean wouldn¡¯t be on the mainland, and the nightmares were fading too. It had been almost a week since the last. Almost there. * * * They stood before one of Valela¡¯s many properties in a quiet district of the inner city; two floors of bricks and stone, a small inner garden and a basalt shingle roof. Should I invest in real estate? Is inflation even a thing with gold coins? Flynn welcomed them by the door, staring straight at Lou with a toothy grin. ¡°I told you he was alive. Pay up.¡± Wait¡­ ¡°You bet on whether I was alive?¡± Kai stared at both. ¡°No,¡± Lou grumbled. ¡°Yes, we did.¡± Flynn vehemently nodded, barring his way inside. ¡°Seven silver and a beer. You told me to look at the facts and that I was clinging to false hope!¡± ¡°We were both drunk, I just agreed to shut you up.¡± Flynn¡¯s grin widened. ¡°But you did, where¡¯s my money?¡± They actually did it¡­ Should I be offended or flattered? Both? He regarded them both with a judging gaze, though only one of them lowered his head, face painted in a brighter shade. Once Lou realized Flynn wasn¡¯t going to drop it, he scowled and rummaged through his pockets for three silver coins. ¡°This is all I have on me.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ more than half short, but I¡¯ll amend your debt if you say I was right and you wrong.¡± Lou gritted his teeth. ¡°No.¡± ¡°No¡­?¡± Flynn looked to be enjoying each moment of his discomfort. ¡°C¡¯mon, there is no shame in telling the truth. You were the one to tell me that.¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± Lou pressed his lips together, probably debating whether to punch his way inside. ¡°You were right, and I was wrong, happy? Now, move.¡± ¡°Please, come in.¡± Flynn waved them inside with a theatrical bow. Kai stopped in the doorway, gesturing to the silver mesars still in his hand. ¡°I deserve at least half that for making you win.¡± ¡°You¡¯re shameless, to rob me of my hard-earned money.¡± Flynn stared at him open-mouthed before drying a false tear. ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you, but I won¡¯t give you more than a third.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Deal.¡± He pocketed the coin¡ªa memento of Lou¡¯s embarrassment. * * * Hidden in the unassuming house, days passed quickly between figuring out the exact extent of Mat¡¯s abilities, reviewing his backstory and learning to brew a slew of potions the traditional way. As Valela had promised, his case also proceeded smoothly. No one came to arrest or question him. The biggest hassle had been attending the court to show he indeed existed and an audit to verify his grade. Just like that, Matthew Reece Veernon was born¡ªhe decided to keep both last names since Cyrus had never registered him. He marveled at the special piece of paper, something so small had given him so many headaches. It¡¯s done. I¡¯m ready to go. No type of check could blow his cover, his identity would be listed in all the official records and be no less real than anyone else he met on the streets. He had even sent a message to Reishi but decided they¡¯d make their first contact on the mainland to avoid suspicious connections to his past identity. Flynn had already found a vessel for the continent, leaving in seven days. It¡¯s really happening. The last thing Mat needed to do was sign the contract for Valela to sponsor him. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m here to see Valela Hightide.¡± He timidly looked at the men guarding the princess¡¯ estate in the upper city. Already alerted of his arrival, a maid led him inside the property. Mana became denser, and the air smelled fresher. Kai didn¡¯t need to strain himself to gawk at the curated gardens, marble statues and fountains flowing into crystal ponds with colorful fishes. The complex extended through a significant chunk of the hillside as if space was no concern. Sheltered patios and pebble pathways connected elegant buildings through the gardens. He had no idea how much of his fortune this would cost. They must have bought the land when it was worth less than a tenth of the current price. Lucky bastards. Valela¡¯s family had been rich and powerful even before the current governor took power, but he hadn¡¯t truly grasped what that meant before. ¡°This way.¡± The maid stood by the side of an inner courtyard without meeting his gaze. ¡°The missy is waiting for you.¡± Kai stepped into the flowered garden with a swaying willow in the center. The branches had been sculpted in a wave to make space for a table in its shade. Valela was already waiting there, dressed in a simple white gown, reading a leather-bound tome. ¡°Ehm¡­¡± he cleared his throat. A folder of documents lay on the table beside a tray of pastries. Today wasn¡¯t for them to chat freely, there were too many eyes and ears in the house. The terms of the contract had long been agreed, but they had to keep up appearances. ¡°Matthew.¡± She put down the book with a warm smile. ¡°It¡¯s nice to finally meet you in person. Please sit. I hope your stay in Higharbor has been¡­¡± Kai awkwardly responded to the shower of pleasantries. Lou had run him through the meeting to avoid any faux pas, now it was like performing a stage play with no visible audience. ¡°Here¡¯s the contract we talked about. I look forward to working with you.¡± Valela combed a lock behind her ear and offered him seven thin sheets of neatly written paper. ¡°Please, take your time reading before signing it.¡± He had gone through the clauses of the deal so many times he knew them by heart. A single glance was enough to confirm everything was in order, still, he meticulously went through each line again. Mainly she offered funds to pursue Alchemy in exchange for hiring him at favorable rates. Let¡¯s close this play. His quill was already touching the paper beside Valela¡¯s cursive signature when a maid hurried into the garden, heaving for breath. The young woman leaned to whisper into her mistress'' ear with no regard for etiquette. The princess paled. ¡°How did she¡ª She¡¯s coming here right now?¡± ¡°Yes, miss.¡± The maid nodded. ¡°I came here as fast as I could. Nalia is delaying her, but Lady Cressida said she was here to see you. What do you wish me to do?¡± ¡°You did well, Celea.¡± Valela bit her lip. ¡°Gain as much time as you can and bring her here. Also, prepare some refreshments for three.¡± ¡°Yes, miss.¡± Celea hurried away. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Kai blurted out once the maid was out of earshot. ¡°Who¡¯s Lady Cressida? Should I leave?¡± ¡°She¡¯s the governor, Ervyn¡¯s wife, and no. If we try to avoid her, she¡¯ll just take it as a challenge and find a more intrusive way to get what she wants. It¡¯s no coincidence she arrived while you were here.¡± ¡°Wait, she¡¯s the nosy wife?¡± Well, at least it¡¯s not the governor, I guess. ¡°Never say that aloud outside a warded room,¡± Valela whispered with a glare. ¡°There is no time to explain. Just sign the contract and be careful what you say. She¡¯ll notice any slip¡ª She¡¯s here.¡± The princess smiled over his shoulder. Chapter 252 - Irrefutable Offer Chapter 252 - Irrefutable Offer Two years in the Sanctuary had gifted Kai the instinctive ability to spot any monster nearby. Mana tickled the hairs on his arms, the slight pressure in the air pushed down on him as if gravity had become imperceptibly stronger. The governor¡¯s wife stepped into the courtyard behind him. He didn¡¯t need Mana Observer to know she must be late Yellow, perhaps half-step into Green with her profession. Apart from a few passing mentions, Lady Cressida remained overshadowed by her husband, the only green human currently in the archipelago. She''s married to that asshole. I should have expected this¡­ The most worrying part was Valela¡¯s uneasiness. He had never seen her this apprehensive, even when dealing with the military and high officials. A kick on his shin brought him back to the present. Hey! Kai glared at the violent princess across the table with an arched eyebrow. What was that for? Valela lightly tapped the documents on the table, without ever averting her eyes from the figure behind him or letting her smile falter. Right¡­ Mat scribbled his signature on the contract in double copy. ¡°Hmm¡­ Are you¡ª¡± He squinted at the princess as if just realizing someone else had come and following her gaze to look over his shoulder. Let¡¯s see¡ª Oh¡­ Honey-colored curls framed the delicate features and effortless smile, the gold and crimson silk of her dress fluttered behind her like a cape. Lady Cressida glided on the pebble path as if it were a runway. The only piece of jewelry she wore was an enchanted bracelet of rubies on her wrist. Kai caught himself staring. There was something striking about her, though he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it. Her stature was average at best. While she was among the most beautiful women he had ever seen, that had never left him speechless. Is it some kind of skill? Or just her grade¡­? There wasn¡¯t time to think, the woman was upon them. ¡°Valela, my dear. I hope my sudden arrival didn¡¯t cause you trouble.¡± Her voice poured sweet like syrup, keeping a note of undeniable authority. ¡°When I heard you found such a promising young man, I couldn¡¯t miss the chance to congratulate you.¡± Great. Just what I needed. ¡°It¡¯s never a bother to see you.¡± Valela beamed. If he didn¡¯t know better, Kai would think they were best friends. ¡°You¡¯re always welcome in my father¡¯s house.¡± ¡°May the Moons watch over you, you¡¯re always such a gracious host. I wish my boys had your manners, but they took after their father.¡± The woman let out a small sigh, then her hazel eyes fell on him. ¡°And you must be Matthew. The whole city has been buzzing with rumors about you. A pleasure to meet you. I¡¯m Cressida Delmare, but you may simply call me Cressida.¡± She winked with a complicit grin and offered her dainty hand palm down. ¡°I never cared for formalities.¡± Something tells me that''s a lie. Does she expect me to kiss her hand? ¡°Nice to meet you too.¡± Kai stiffly shook her hand from his seat, for once glad awkwardness came so naturally to him. If Cressida was put off by the dozen etiquette rules he had certainly broken, she didn¡¯t show it. A servant hurried into the garden with a third chair. The governor¡¯s wife folded her dress and gracefully sat without a hurry. ¡°The rumors were indeed true. You must be proud of your accomplishment. Few people advance to Yellow at your age, even with the advantages of Alchemy.¡± Her gaze dug into his. ¡°Is it true you''re quite the talented brewer yourself?¡± ¡°Hmm, I¡ª¡± ¡°Matthew¡¯s quite accomplished for his age,¡± Valela answered for him. ¡°He just isn¡¯t quite used to all the new faces in Higharbor. His father kept him isolated in their manor for most of his life.¡± ¡°I heard. Quite the story indeed.¡± Cressida picked up the contract lying on the table and leisurely flipped through the pages. ¡°I see you¡¯ve already come to an arrangement. It¡¯s very generous of you Valela. But tell me, Matthew, have you decided what you¡¯ll do once you reach the mainland? I¡¯m always looking to help promising individuals achieve their goals.¡± Come to take a piece of the pie? And how does she know where I¡¯m headed? Kai took advantage of his timid persona to avoid her gaze. The less information he gave up, the better. He didn¡¯t trust his acting skills entirely. ¡°I¡¯ve already signed a deal with Valela.¡± You¡¯re too late. What a pity. ¡°I don¡¯t see any exclusivity clause in your contract.¡± Cressida smiled warmly at Valela. ¡°Your last visit at the Raelion Academy was quite successful, but you must have realized how vast and complicated the continent is. While your hard work and abilities are commendable, you must agree you¡¯re inexperienced in those waters. You wouldn¡¯t mind if I offered young Matthew some help, would you?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Valela gave her a frosty look with an undercurrent of meaning Kai couldn¡¯t unravel. ¡°If that¡¯s what he wants.¡± Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. The attention of the table switched back on him, two hungry beasts hiding their fangs behind pearly grins. Thanks a lot. Why can¡¯t the Republic just leave me be? ¡°I¡ª I still don''t think it would be fair to sign another deal¡­¡± Kai mumbled, looking at Valela for support. ¡°I¡¯ve already got everything I need.¡± Instead of annoyance or outrage, Cressida''s lips curved upwards. ¡°You¡¯re quite principled too. That¡¯s rare nowadays,¡± she said, sadly shaking her head. ¡°The continent can be quite cutthroat for young honorable men. I could never forgive myself if I let you wander in that den of wolves, and something happened.¡± Blessed spirits, what a sneaky snake. She was far more experienced in fencing with words than he was. Whatever he said was turned into a reason why he should accept her help. Even Kai would struggle to turn her down without offending her, as for naive little Mat, he was stuck in her web of half-truths. He couldn¡¯t refuse outright. If Cressida was half as sharp as Valela suggested, she would notice the inconsistencies in his cover, or at least suspect he was hiding something. Smelling blood in the water, the governor¡¯s wife continued her assault. ¡°I don¡¯t like to boast, but I still hold sway among the patrician families of the mainland. Trust me, Matthew, you can never have enough friends out there.¡± ¡°I¡¯d need to thi¡ª¡± ¡°Naturally, I won¡¯t ask anything more than you¡¯ve given Valela, and can offer much more. You¡¯ll represent what our archipelago is capable of.¡± With a wave of her hand, three neatly written sheets appeared from thin air. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a look? We can discuss anything you don¡¯t like.¡± Stunned by the display of a spatial artifact, Kai found himself with the contract in his hands before he could refuse. The looming feeling he was dancing right in her palm grew stronger, but he didn¡¯t know how to break out of it. Is this the difference between people who take social skills? Or is it a profession? Valela tapped his leg and sent him covert glances, perhaps worried he¡¯d blow his cover. She engaged Cressida in small talk while he read, but if she was trying to tell him some secret message, it flew right over his head. Come here to show your face and leave, she said. It¡¯s just a formality, she said. Kai slowly scanned the document, looking for any excuse to refuse. There was none. He was offered resources and connections based on what he achieved, in exchange for selling them his potions at production cost. The wording made clear the deal wasn¡¯t with the Republic but with the governor¡¯s family¡ªnot that it made it much more palatable to him. The only quibble might be the clause on future renegotiations. He had to give them the chance to respond before signing a contract with anyone else, though it didn''t force him to accept anything. The excuse was too flimsy to use. Dammit, where is the greedy line trying to steal my soul? Two maids came to serve drinks and tarts, offering the chance to delay further. But no matter how much he looked and squinted at the words, they were squeaky clean. The contract carried an eerie similarity to the one he had already signed, so much so that he suspected it was no coincidence. Someone must have leaked it. Or she has more than one version stored in her bracelet¡­ Cressida could have gone through Valela¡¯s agreement, checked the competition and brought out the most reasonable deal. It meant she had planned how to lock him in a contract before she even stepped into the garden. I really hate insistent people. Even if Kai nitpicked the wording of a few clauses, he wasn¡¯t confident in talking his way out of it while keeping his cover. He wasn¡¯t going to win an argument based on logic. If he started discussing the deal, he had already lost. There was a very easy solution out of it: to sign. No, thank you. They¡¯re not going to get another chip from me! Kai gave back the contract drawing the attention of both women. ¡°I appreciate the offer, but I must refuse.¡± Cressida cocked her head, showing the first hint of displeasure. ¡°I can assure you those terms are more than fair, and my pockets and connections are far deeper than what the contract you¡¯ve signed offered. Certainly, you can see it too.¡± Kai ignored the kick on his shins. He wasn¡¯t going to get forced into another deal, even if he had to take a small risk. ¡°It¡¯s¡ª it¡¯s not that. The terms are fine¡­ but I can¡¯t sign it.¡± The sly woman furrowed her manicured eyebrows together. ¡°What¡¯s the issue, then? I¡¯m sure we can reach an agreement.¡± Nope. ¡°It¡¯s my father¡­ he made me promise to not get involved with the Republic.¡± Considering the knowledge she showcased, she must also know about Cyrus¡¯ distrust of authorities. If Kai couldn¡¯t win with logic, he would play an emotional argument that didn¡¯t heed reason. ¡°This is a deal between privates,¡± Cressida pursed her lips. ¡°But I can scrub any mention of the Republic if that would put you at ease.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± Kai shook his head. ¡°Father said the governor was responsible for my mom¡¯s death.¡± He ignored the shock that crossed the table, gaze lost staring at his own hands, throat choked up with sudden emotions. Long-forgotten memories made his eyes itch. A crimson pool grew larger beneath a motionless body, unresponsive to his pleas to wake up. His sisters huddled together, crying, and he was powerless, unable to console them¡­ That¡¯s enough. Kai focused on the rustling willow and the hardwood table under his clenched fingers. He cleared his throat and continued his story. ¡°We¡­ We lived alone in a small village on another island. I don¡¯t remember much, but she¡­ she died in the famine after the governor ordered the relocation of the smaller settlements. So, I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t sign your deal.¡± He watched the annoyance and irritation weave on the woman¡¯s face. The whispers in his mind warned him to keep his cool, though the danger was a faraway breeze compared to his experiences in the Sanctuary. They had kept Mat¡¯s backstory intentionally vague. People couldn¡¯t disprove what wasn¡¯t said and the addition would fit perfectly with the timeline. Lou and Valela¡¯s complaints were a small price to get out of this. ¡°I understand it must have been a difficult time.¡± Cressida tried to look conciliatory. ¡°Maybe you don¡¯t remember how the governor worked hard to provide food for the entire population.¡± You mean to take advantage of the situation you cause to extort them with ludicrous prices? ¡°I remember the ships stopped arriving after a while,¡± Kai muttered, getting another kick on his shin. ¡°That wasn¡¯t my fault, I¡ª¡± The sneaky snake shut her mouth, perhaps understanding that line of reasoning was pointless. When she spoke again her voice was even, albeit lacking any warmth. ¡°You must know Valela works closely with me for the well-being of the archipelago. What would the difference be in dealing with me too?¡± She sure is persistent, or is it just her pride? ¡°It would feel different to me.¡± Kai rode his emotional outburst to stand his ground. ¡°I thank you for the offer, but I can¡¯t break my father¡¯s wish.¡± ¡°Is that your final answer?¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°Well then. I sincerely hope you won¡¯t regret your choice. I wish you good luck on your travels. You¡¯ll find out that the continent isn¡¯t as forgiving as I.¡± Cressida downed her drink and cleaned her lips on a napkin, any sign of vexation evaporated like mist at dawn. ¡°Valela, it¡¯s always a pleasure to see you, my dear. You should stop by my house more often. Adrian has bought you a ticket on the Serenity to make your journey back to Raelion with him. You know my foolish son. I would be grateful if you could keep an eye on him.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll pass by as soon as I can.¡± Valela was about to stand up too when Cressida raised a hand to stop her. ¡°No need to inconvenience yourself. I know my way out.¡± The governor¡¯s wife strolled out of the courtyard with the same casual elegance of her arrival, her thoughts were anyone¡¯s guess. Byeee! I¡¯d say it¡¯s been a pleasure, but I¡¯d be lying. Kai waited till he was certain she was outside earshot. ¡°I¡ª¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± Valela put an engraved disk covered in anti-spying enchantment on the table, channeling mana into it. A bubble of runes sprung up around them. ¡°That was stupid,¡± she simply stated. ¡°That bad, huh?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look smug. Cressida isn¡¯t going to forget your refusal while she draws breath. She doesn¡¯t take a no kindly.¡± Kai couldn¡¯t find any morsel of regret inside him. ¡°What¡¯s she going to do?¡± ¡°She, uhmm¡­ probably nothing. At least for as long as you don¡¯t cross paths with her.¡± Valela bit her lip. ¡°I admit you pulled that story off better than I thought possible. Most people immediately buckle under her.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Kai grinned. ¡°I guess it¡¯s good that I¡¯m leaving. I won¡¯t risk meeting her again.¡± Chapter 253 - Departure Chapter 253 - Departure The Intrepid floated like a behemoth among the vessels moored at the ivory port. White sails furled around its five masts and a meshwork of interlaced enchantments covered its dark hull. The runes were woven so tightly, Kai struggled to decipher anything. It was a true seafaring ship, capable of sailing the open ocean without fearing marine horrors. Offshore, the sea became a patchwork of shifting mana regions that extended in all three dimensions. The boundaries were less distinct than on land, though deeper waters were always more dangerous. Navigators spent their whole lives and professions guiding their vessels around dead zones. Kai trusted they knew what they were doing; they¡¯d all be on the same ship after all. It¡¯ll be fine. It¡¯s just water. The route between the archipelago and the mainland had been charted to be one of the safest possible, according to the travel guide he read. Considering the soaring hawk on the back cover, it might not be the most impartial source. There wouldn¡¯t be any tourists if people died getting here. Kai grabbed his spatial bags and joined the line of people ferried to the massive vessel. Fourteen years of waiting were coming to an end. He was leaving the Baquaire Archipelago, his whole world. While he¡¯d miss his family, he was ready to leave. I¡¯ve waited long enough. Keeping his composure against the excitement ballooning in his chest was harrowing. His muscles and magic begged to release the euphoria, but the same effort a red human would put into skipping would make him jump a meter into the air. ¡°Ready to embark?¡± Flynn clapped his back and joined the queue beside him, carrying Hobbes under his arm. ¡°Mroow.¡± His imperial grumpiness gave him a disgruntled glare, greatly displeased he had to embark like common peasants. We talked about this. ¡°Meeew.¡± Would you have rather hid for the whole journey? ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree to meet on the ship?¡± Kai glanced over his shoulder. With the crowd of people and clamor of sailors around the port, no one should be able to hear or see anything, still¡­ ¡°Better not to take risks.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve checked, no one is following you. You¡¯re not that important yet.¡± Flynn winked. ¡°I hope you packed everything. This is the last chance we¡¯ll get to see home for a while.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got everything.¡± Kai fiddled with the silver ring around his finger. With the money inside and the official ID in his pocket, he could buy anything he needed even if he lost his luggage. ¡°What about you?¡± He lowered his voice. ¡°You know you don¡¯t need to leave the islands just to accompany me.¡± Guilt had been racking up in the last few days. Flynn had his own life before Kai swooped back from the dead and monopolized him with his problems. ¡°Yeah, because you are the only reason I might want to see the wider world, all its mysteries, foods and people.¡± Flynn rolled his eyes. ¡°Glad to see your ego is still intact.¡± ¡°I¡ª I had to ask.¡± Kai stammered, face heating up. ¡°You¡¯ve run around Higharbor to set up my cover story and organize the journey. It¡¯s already more than I could ask for.¡± ¡°Mat,¡± Flynn let out a heavy breath, solemnly putting a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Yes, you should definitely pay me for my amazing work with exclusive access to Hobbes'' fluffy fur.¡± His seriousness cracked into a smile. ¡°And yes again, I¡¯m perfectly capable of telling your pretty face if I don¡¯t want to do something. While I might have amended my timeline to fit with yours, I had long planned to leave even without you.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Well, I appreciate your help.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m happy to give it. Remember I¡¯m the big brother.¡± Flynn puffed his chest. ¡°You¡¯d be completely lost without me.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Now who¡¯s the egomaniac? A guard checked their papers at the end of the queue and ticked their names off a list. ¡°Matthew Reece Veernon. And you are Flynn Soveili¡­ and pet.¡± She gave a single glance at Hobbes before she covered a yawn. ¡°Here. Have a nice journey.¡± ¡°Planning on it.¡± Flynn grinned. Aboard the boat that would ferry them to the Intrepid, they joined families with squealing children, richly dressed merchants, and a smattering of bright-eyed young people. Kai took a seat at the back and lowered his tone as four beefy sailors started rowing. ¡°Not that I¡¯m not grateful, but why aren¡¯t we taking an airship? That would take a quarter of the time, if not less.¡± ¡°Have you any idea how much those tickets cost?¡± He shrugged. ¡°A bag of silver?¡± ¡°Maybe if you travel within the archipelago.¡± Flynn shook his head. ¡°To reach the mainland, you need a specialized carrier. That¡¯s a couple of gold mesars for each person without the extra cost for luggage. Even then, we¡¯d have to wait months or pay ten times that since tourists buy two-way tickets and only the fanciest cabins remain available.¡± He sure did his research. The outrageous price barely made Kai lift an eyebrow. ¡°Does the cost matter? I can afford to pay for both of us.¡± This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°Rich people stay rich by not wasting their money.¡± He lowered his tone. ¡°And you could afford it, but Mat? You¡¯ve seen Cyrus¡¯ crumbling house. The man wasn¡¯t exactly good with money, and you¡¯ve insisted on donating most of his assets to charity.¡± ¡°You know I couldn¡¯t take his money,¡± Kai said. Not after he had already stolen the name. Valela had promised to use the funds to finance a school project that would provide free education for children, much better than a handful more golds to add to his pile. He only hadn¡¯t considered that Matthew couldn¡¯t freely use Kai¡¯s fortune. Flynn scratched the morose cat. ¡°I get why you did it, but it also means we can¡¯t waste our limited funds on a luxury trip.¡± He gestured to the looming ship. ¡°C¡¯mon, I¡¯ve always dreamed of sailing on a true ship. Have you seen how big it is? The Intrepid is unsinkable.¡± Hmm, where have I heard that before? He forced a smile. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯ll be fun.¡± A pulley carried on board the people who didn¡¯t want to climb the rope ladder. Kai stepped on the polished wooden planks of the deck, feeling somewhat reassured by the size of the vessel. The Intrepid was so large, it was almost like being on land. A man with a plumed salmon-colored hat and an impressive mustache loudly cleared his throat, waiting for the congregation of passengers to pay attention before continuing his speech. ¡°G¡¯morning, fine gents. I¡¯m Gestulf Rabelyn Nathumeli, captain of the Intrepid. I welcome you¡­¡± Besides a substantial number of boasts and welcomes, the captain warned them not to bother the crew or break the ships¡¯ rules, such as no Fire Magic, no throwing food at sea, and no tampering with the runic arrays. Each infraction that put the ship at danger would be severely punished. Behind his affable air, the captain¡¯s words were law, jury and executioner at sea. Where did the furball go? Kai reached through his bond but was rebuffed. Hobbes was already at work spreading mischief through his new kingdom. It was surprising the cat had stayed put for long enough to board. Just make sure you don¡¯t get seen stealing food. Hobbes slapped him with a wave of affront, indignant at the notion a cat of his caliber might get caught by a bunch of lowly humans. ¡°I wish you a pleasant stay aboard my ship. May fast winds lead us all to our destinations,¡± the mustache man concluded. A team of sailors showed the passengers to their cabin to let the crew sail out of the port without hindrance. The mana grew denser while the temperature lowered a couple of degrees inside the bowels of the ship. Runes surrounded him in all directions while glowing channels distributed essence where it was needed. The only human construct that might have compared was Reishi¡¯s ship, though it was a fourth of the size. Kai couldn¡¯t even begin to fathom the time it had taken to enchant such a massive vessel with such a cohesive set of arrays. ¡°Fancy,¡± Flynn commented, running his hands across the glossy wooden panels. ¡°The tickets were worth every copper chip.¡± ¡°Uh, how much do I owe you?¡± ¡°Nothing. I had Valela pay for them as a business expense.¡± He grinned. Kai regarded him with a flat stare that couldn¡¯t scratch his thick skin. There was no point trying to make the fool feel shame, so he focused back on the pulsing enchantments. The captain just said no tampering with the arrays, what about just looking? It would take some time to puzzle out the cloaking, and he had to be cautious in case they could detect him snooping around. There is no hurry, I can peep when I¡¯m alone. The group of passengers quickly thinned, disappearing into their cabins. Theirs were at the end of a narrow corridor, sharing a wall. If anyone found out they were on the ship together, it would make sense for naive little Mat to travel with a guide, and Flynn had also worked for Valela. No one will know about me outside the archipelago anyway. ¡°Hmm¡­ not bad.¡± Kai mused to himself, putting down his bags. He could touch the opposite side of the cabin if he spread his arms, though the ceiling allowed him to stand without bending, and his bed had a real mattress. That wasn¡¯t something to take for granted. More interesting yet was the panel covered in colorful runes to control temperature and lighting. Flynn had warned him they would charge him for each use, some amateur travelers had gotten very pricey bills at the end of their journey. Kai was more interested in learning how the whole system worked and if he could reproduce it. I¡¯ll figure it out. Something told him he would spend a lot of time here on his journey. Rummaging through his ring for a mango cookie, his attention fell on the project he had spent the last weeks brewing. Uh¡­ no time like the present. Locking his cabin, he knocked on Flynn¡¯s door. The lanky boy swiftly opened, leaning not to hit his head. ¡°Did you miss me already?¡± He grinned. Why does he have such a slappable face? ¡°I wanted to give you something.¡± ¡°Wait¡­ You got me a gift?¡± Is it that surprising? ¡°I figured now was a time as good as any since we¡¯re leaving the archipelago. But I can still hold onto them till your next birthday.¡± ¡°Them? As in more than one? Now sounds like a fine time.¡± Flynn¡¯s eyes sparkled. He stepped aside to let him inside. ¡°Please, be welcome to my humble abode.¡± The cabin was an identical copy with the bed placed against the opposite wall and his luggage half stored in the chest in the corner. Flynn shut the door and bounced on his bed with a wide grin. "What is it? Does it shine? Or is it something to eat?¡± ¡°Kind of.¡± Kai said to let him stew. ¡°You didn¡¯t need to get me anything.¡± He raked a hand through his hair. ¡°I didn¡¯t get you any present.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve helped me pull my life back together. That¡¯s a dozen times more than enough.¡± Kai sat in the little space available. ¡°I did promise to not forget your birthday again.¡± ¡°That was, huh¡­ more than two years ago. And I think you¡¯ve got a pretty good excuse.¡± ¡°Yeah, I was stuck in the Sanctuary and missed two birthdays. And after I came back, I thought I might as well brew them into proper elixirs.¡± Kai held two vials in his hand. One glowed with a blueish white, while the other was a smoky black. ¡°Oh, they¡¯re shiny! Well, one of them anyway.¡± Flynn observed them curiously. ¡°What are they?¡± ¡°Elemental enhancers.¡± Flynn furrowed his brow at the name, his jaw slowly hanging open. ¡°You mean¡­¡± ¡°Yup, you drink them to increase your affinities, I¡¯m not sure by how much. They¡¯re for Shadow and Lightning. I imagine you can guess which is which.¡± ¡°I¡ª Have you any idea how much these are worth?¡± His voice rose an octave. ¡°It¡¯s rude to look at the price of a gift, but probably more than an airship ticket or ten.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°If you say you can¡¯t accept them, I¡¯m going to shove them down your throat.¡± Kai threatened with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m not joking.¡± Flynn clutched the vials to his chest. ¡°I¡¯m happy to take them. It¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯ve heard about these things from merchants, they¡¯re not something you can even buy usually.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve found quite a few treasures in the hidden realm. And you don¡¯t need to feel bad, I¡¯ve also consumed my fair share.¡± It had been a waste to take them without refining them into elixirs, but the Sanctuary didn¡¯t allow him to be nitpicky. Most raw elemental enhancers were unique, and any alchemist with the knowledge to brew them was on the payroll of the Republic. Not that he could show them to anyone without calling down a crowd of thieves and robbers. He would have never managed to refine them alone without Favored Son of the Isles¡ªparticularly the boon and skill Yatei bestowed. Gifts of the Earth granted him an intuitive understanding of how to find and use any natural treasure, while Natural Prodigy helped him pick up things much faster. Flynn looked at the dark vial. ¡°You can also use Shadow.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my main element. I found that inky root in the last month, so I decided to keep it. A few points more wouldn¡¯t make much difference.¡± Not compared to a divine blessing anyway. Flynn watched him with obvious skepticism. ¡°You said you didn¡¯t know how much this would increase my affinity¡­¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Reishi thought it was between three and four points before I made it into an elixir. The lightning one was a bit better.¡± Seeing his continuous hesitation, Kai scribbled on a page of his notebook and ripped it for him. ¡°Here, you can have this one too.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this? Seventy, sixty-six¡­¡± Flynn read confused. ¡°Oh, I forgot to add the names.¡± Kai quickly fixed his intentional mistake. ¡°Now you can always carry a piece of my genius with you.¡± Major Affinities: He had been lucky that the Sanctuary could produce suitable treasures for all his affinities, though he had only found one for Water away from the murky sea. Being his highest element, it was also the hardest to improve, and most resources had no effect. Space was the easiest for the same reason. Zervathi¡¯s blessing, Hobbes¡¯ bond and a sparkly iridescent fruit had made his affinity soar. Watching shock and envy creep on Flynn¡¯s face as he made sense of the numbers, Kai grinned. ¡°How¡¯re you going to watch my back if you¡¯re a weakling?¡± Chapter 254 - Confessions Chapter 254 - Confessions Cold salty gusts buffeted Kai¡¯s face, carrying denser mana than anywhere in the Shallow Sea. They weren¡¯t sailing through a unique area like the Veeryd Jungle, just a random stretch of ocean. That more than anything made the realization sink in. He wasn¡¯t in the archipelago anymore. No matter how much he boosted his senses with Body Augmentation and squinted, he couldn¡¯t spot a speck of land. There were only churning waves, far darker than the aquamarine waters of his home. Leaning on the starboard rail of the Intrepid, Kai pushed Mana Observer to its limit without coming close to brushing the seafloor. Occasionally a red or orange marine creature touched his perception. The beasts didn¡¯t even notice the ship thanks to its wards. Everything was so much different from what he was used to, the only thing that came close was the¡­ Nope! His fingers tightened around the railing. That stupid nightmare had thrown him off balance. Brain, we¡¯re not going there. This is perfectly safe, the¡ª ¡°Mat, my boy.¡± Captain Nathumeli walked up to him, curling his mustache. ¡°Staring into the dark depths, eh? Just don¡¯t look too deep, or something might stare back at you.¡± The man guffawed, holding his gut. He¡¯s joking, right? ¡°I¡¯ll be careful¡­¡± Kai deactivated his skill; he didn¡¯t need more fuel for his nightmares. ¡°Have you thought about my offer?¡± Nathumeli adjusted the feathered tricorn hat he wore today. ¡°Nothing¡¯s freeing like sailing the open seas. And there is plenty of experience and coin to be gained.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t accept.¡± Kai said, not for the first time. ¡°I¡¯ve already made commitments in Arphusa when we land.¡± ¡°I see, I see. You¡¯re a man of your word. That¡¯s good.¡± Nathumeli peered at him with a cunning eye. ¡°Let me know if you change your mind. I can always find a use for a young man of your skills in my crew.¡± The captain marched away, boots snapping on the wood of the deck. Kai returned to contemplate the waves, determined not to avert his gaze till his guts stopped wrenching. If his subconscious thought it could be more stubborn than him, he was ready to take up the challenge. I¡¯m not going to be scared of what might or might not lurk in the ocean depths¡­ ¡°Look at you, already making new friends.¡± Flynn sauntered beside him, casually leaning with his back on the starboard railing. A crackling static danced between his fingers. He was still in high spirits since raising his Lightning affinity by 6 points to 53 and Shadow by 4 to 58. ¡°I¡¯m so proud.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Kai set his gaze on the horizon, the wind whistling in his ears. ¡°Though Nathumeli¡¯s just looking for cheap labor.¡± Last night, he had offered to fix the temperature enchantments of the dining hall and brewed a potion for seasickness to stop a lady from vomiting. Any novice alchemist and enchanter could have accomplished the same, but the man had been set on recruiting him. I should drop the naive act¡­ He had been planning to gradually change Mat¡¯s personality to fit his own. Looking innocent was a double-edged sword. It stopped people from looking too deeply, but it could also invite sharks. A journey to the mainland after a lifetime of isolation would provide an excellent excuse for the transformation. Flynn twiddled with an enchanted disk that muffled the whistling of the winds and their voice from traveling far. ¡°Nathumeli seems an alright guy as far as seamen go. He just has an eye for bargains. I would offer you advice, but you¡¯re doing pretty well with your new identity.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ am I really?¡± ¡°Of course, young Mat. How could you doubt your master?¡± Flynn puffed his chest. ¡°Even with an acting skill, most people would forget to respond to their name or blurt something they shouldn¡¯t. But I¡¯ve not seen you slip even once.¡± I guess I¡¯ve been channeling my old self. Being often sickly and alone made him quite skittish in his previous life. He must have fallen into the old patterns to interpret Mat, the recluse alchemist. ¡°It was quite easy.¡± ¡°From humble to boasting.¡± Flynn snorted with a crooked grin. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t accept anything less from my apprentice.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ it¡¯s not that. I¡ª¡± Kai let his eyes wander off the waters. The muffling enchantment made everything appear distant. Apart from the sailors on duty, most people had taken shelter from the harsh winds below deck. The closest person was the Air blower, a withered old woman who seemed to stand only thanks to the gust she summoned. The white sails of the Intrepid were drawn tight, propelling the vessel at a swift speed despite its size. It¡¯s only going to get more awkward if I tell him in the future¡­ The matter had been on his mind since Flynn welcomed him back like not a day had passed. With one ear to heed any whispers of warning, Kai made his decision. ¡°It¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve used this name.¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean? Have you already faked your identity before?¡± ¡°Not exactly. This isn¡¯t the first life I remember¡­¡± Kai delved into the circumstances of his second birth and his past life. The words came in a flood. Afraid that if he would stop he would never get the courage to continue, he rambled about every detail that came to mind till his thoughts were empty. Kai looked at his friend, readying for his reaction. ¡°Please, say something.¡± ¡°Uhm,¡± Flynn scanned him from head to toe. ¡°That makes perfect sense.¡± If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. That wasn¡¯t among the reactions he had considered. Kai searched his gaze for any distrustful look, but there was only his usual mischievous glimmer. ¡°Does it¡­?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± He emphatically nodded. ¡°How else could you become stronger than me unless you cheated? It also explains your weirdness and strange sayings. And I mean it in the best way possible.¡± Thanks¡­ ¡°I¡ª I¡¯ve not cheated. I didn¡¯t choose for it to happen.¡± ¡°Right¡­ Whatever helps you sleep at night, bud.¡± Flynn ruffled his hair with an irritating smile. ¡°But you''re most definitely a cheater. I¡¯m quite the expert on the matter.¡± ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re just envious.¡± Kai stammered, unsure how the conversation had gotten there. ¡°Is that the way to talk to your big brother? I thought I taught you better than that.¡± He covered his eyes with an arm as if he couldn¡¯t bear to watch him. ¡°I¡¯m older than you.¡± ¡°Are you though?¡± Flynn stood up to highlight his height advantage. ¡°I¡¯m older than you¡¯ve ever grown.¡± ¡°By maybe a few months.¡± Kai rolled his eyes. I rambled too many details. ¡°The difference is only going to increase. Besides that, have you ever held a job for more than a couple of months? Curse at the taxes you pay to the Republic? Got a girlfriend? And no, holding hands when you were a toddler doesn¡¯t count.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve¡ª¡± ¡°Exactly my point. You¡¯ve never lived as an adult, so I¡¯m still your big brother.¡± Flynn concluded with a triumphant grin. Understanding there was no point in arguing, Kai resigned to his logic. His worries about his confession already forgotten. ¡°Fine. But I¡¯m not calling you that.¡± * * * Darkness, his body crushed by overwhelming pressure, furious whispers telling him to run. Kai desperately swam in the direction he hoped was the surface, lungs burning for oxygen. He had no idea how he got here and no mind to care amidst the growing panic. A suffocating aura of danger froze his blood. Hallowed Intuition yelled at him to flee faster as some humongous monster made the water sway below him. A pinprick of light shone in the distance. Hope. Salvation. Already exhausted and numb, Kai forced his limbs to paddle faster through sheer force of will. His hands grasped at stringy pale kelps to pull himself up. The glow grew brighter. Almost th¡ª A piercing pain shot up in his leg. Something caught him, digging into his flesh and dragging him towards the bottomless depths. Darkness covered the light. Kai struggled to free himself with all his Strength, summoning blades of water and swinging his sword at the monster. His efforts were useless. Hooks ripped into his torso; screams silenced by the waters till his body grew too heavy to move. Dragged deeper. And deeper¡­ I can¡¯t¡ª Kai flailed in his bed, heaving for breath. The sheets were drenched in cold sweat. He searched for the phantom wounds, gloom and death still lingering in his thoughts. Another fucking nightmare. His fists clenched, but there was nothing he could punch. He slammed his hand on the control disk to increase the temperature of his cabin and drive away the cold from his bones. ¡°Why can¡¯t they leave me the fuck alone¡ª¡± The cabin suddenly tilted, the enchanted wood of the Intrepid creaking around him. Kai slammed his hands down, nearly smacking his skull on the floorboards. The foreboding feeling in his head wasn¡¯t just the dregs of a nightmare, but murmurs of danger. Just what I needed. He quickly put on a shirt and went outside, leaning against the wall as the ship slanted in the opposite direction. The narrow corridor was filled with the cries of the other passengers wondering what was going on. Flynn stumbled out of his cabin with a head of messy hair and only one boot. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He yelled over the clamor. ¡°Nothing good.¡± Kai made his way through the panicking group, determined to find someone who could answer. More and more passengers poured in his path till he was pressed against a wall, forced to push with his back against the crowd to not crush a little girl who got lost in the chaos. ¡°Silence.¡± A commanding voice thundered, carrying the weight of a powerful skill. The mass of people fell in line, the quiet only disturbed by pained moans and the groans of the ship. Captain Gestulf Nathumeli stood on the stairs to the deck as if the floor tilting below him was no concern. ¡°It¡¯s just a little rough sea, gents. Nothing to worry about. The Intrepid has survived far worse mana storms. Please, remain in your cabins and let my crew do their job.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t pay a silver ticket for this treatment!¡± A woman wearing a nightgown embroidered with roses stood from the crowd. ¡°How long are we expected to stay in the storm?¡± ¡°However long is necessary to assure the safety of the vessel.¡± Nathumeli silenced her with a glare. ¡°That was everything, gents. Anyone who endangers my crew with their reckless behavior better be a great swimmer.¡± He left without giving them another chance to reply. A pair of drenched sailors blocked anyone from following. The veil of calm lasted two split seconds before another salvo of fruitless demands broke it. Kahali bless me, I¡¯m not dying in a stupid storm. Throwing a sympathetic glance at the duo holding back the crowd, Kai joined the group of passengers streaming back into their cabin. Despite his frustration, there was nothing he could do to help. He was no sailor, and he certainly had no idea how to steer a ship of this size. He briefly chatted with Flynn before they both retired back to their cabin. Whispers swirled in his head, just loud enough to prevent any chance of sleep. His stomach clenched each time the Intrepid tilted while his mind conjured countless scenarios where the ship sank, drowning him. By the time the storm settled, dawn had already risen. Kai resigned himself to survive on a couple hours of rest. The ship stank of vomit outside his cabin. Apparently, reaching Orange and Yellow didn¡¯t make people immune to nausea, though that wasn¡¯t what bothered him. I must have used all my luck to get the ID¡­ Flynn merrily devoured a plate of sausages and scrambled eggs in the dining hall. ¡°You look like crap,¡± he greeted. ¡°Thanks.¡± Kai combed a hand through his unruly locks. ¡°Have you seen the captain?¡± ¡°Hmm, he should be on the quarterdeck, though it might be better if you wait to see him. He wasn¡¯t in a great mood after the mess in the cabins.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take the risk.¡± Kai walked outside, the crisp morning breeze blowing in his face. He squinted in the bright light to reorient himself. ¡°Wait for me!¡± Flynn hurried after him, cheeks full like a squirrel. ¡°Whwy¡­ dow ¡®ou¡­ need him? ¡°They¡¯re not getting better.¡± ¡°¡®Ou mean¡­?¡± ¡°The whispers. I thought they would quiet once the storm had passed, but they¡¯re still there. A little louder.¡± Flynn beat his chest to gulp down the food. ¡°Should I worry?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe? It could be nothing, but we¡¯re moving straight to it.¡± He finally spotted a feathered hat and headed toward it. Hallowed Intuition was particularly stingy with details. Not all warnings realized or indicated a deadly danger. It could be another storm or a green beast that might or might not cross their path. Being hundreds of miles from any land, Kai wasn¡¯t inclined to take the risk if he could avoid it. ¡°Captain. May I speak with you?¡± Nathumeli turned toward him and half softened his scowl. ¡°Young Mat, have you decided to accept my offer?¡± ¡°No, I¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s a pity.¡± His expression darkened. ¡°I¡¯d love to chat, but the storm pushed us two days off course. And you must have smelled the other passengers.¡± ¡°It will take just a second.¡± Kai stepped in his way, quickly making up his mind. ¡°I¡¯ve got a skill that¡¯s telling me we¡¯re heading straight into danger.¡± The man stopped to study him before clapping his back with a fond smile. ¡°I appreciate your enthusiasm, but danger skills are notoriously unreliable at sea. Trust me, I¡¯ve got quite a high-leveled one myself.¡± Nathumeli winked. ¡°The mana storm must have messed with yours. It happens. But we must reach Arphusa in a timely manner.¡± Kai could only stand there as the captain went to talk to his crew. He hadn¡¯t expected they would turn the ship around for him, not without a careful interrogation of his skill, but to be so thoroughly dismissed¡­ Dammit. Flynn raised his hands in a pacifying gesture. ¡°Don¡¯t hate me, but he might be right. He knows the sea better than us. My Hunch has been acting weird since the storm.¡± ¡°Yeah, maybe.¡± Kai crossed his fingers. If the captain didn¡¯t want to listen, insisting would get him nothing. And he couldn¡¯t just leave or swim away. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go get breakfast? It¡¯s quite good and an empty stomach won¡¯t do you any good.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± The idea of food made him nauseous. ¡°I¡¯ll stay here for a while.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait with you.¡± Kai was about to say it wasn¡¯t necessary, though some company might help his nerves. ¡°Thanks.¡± They found a place to sit near the prow, perusing the cloudy horizon. The whispers continued to loom, persistent without ever reaching the worried heights he experienced daily in the Sanctuary. Kai was about to accept Nathumeli was right when a shout rose from the sailor in the crow''s nest. ¡°Pirates!¡± Chapter 255 - Black Sails Chapter 255 - Black Sails At the shout of ¡®pirates¡¯, the deck was thrown into a flurry of rushing sailors and panicked passengers. Parents ran to grab their children; men and women froze in fright at the misty horizon. Nathumeli strode out of his cabin, yelling at the spotter. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s pirates?¡± ¡°Aye, captain! They fly black sails and no flag!¡± A wiry woman shouted from the crow¡¯s nest. ¡°How did they come so close without us noticing?¡± ¡°Some kind of shielding, Captain. But I don¡¯t recognize their ship from any of the lists.¡± ¡°Cursed depths!¡± Nathumeli went to stand on the prow beside them and took out a golden spyglass to peruse the distance. The object lit with mana and his attention snapped on a spot. Kai squinted in the same direction, using Body Augmentation to enhance his sight. He could faintly make out a shadow fluttering on the far waters, concealed in the mist rising from the ocean. ¡°Safe route, my arse. I shouldn¡¯t have taken the money,¡± Nathumeli grumbled under his breath before turning to his underlings. ¡°All hands on deck! Unfurl the sails and adjust our heading, 120 degrees turn to starboard.¡± Sailors leaped and climbed on the masts following orders with the calm and coordination of a life at sea. White canvases were hoisted up the five masts, tightened by the wind. The ship thrummed to life guided by its enchantments. A safe and easy trip, they said. Should have known that would jinx it. The wooden railing dug into Kai¡¯s ribs when the vessel changed course at full speed. This shift in momentum pushed his upper body toward the dark frothing waters. Blessed spirits, why do I need to run into freaking pirates before I even land? He doubted Kahali¡¯s influence reached foreign seas. Memories of battles and flames from the last pirate raid rose in his thoughts. At least in Sylspring, he hadn¡¯t been the target, just a kid on the outskirts. ¡°Every passenger to their cabin.¡± Nathumeli shut every protest with a steel gaze. ¡°No worries, gents. My crew can handle some measly pirates. And no vessel can match the Intrepid.¡± Despite some angry mutters, people were too shaken to protest or question the man. Even the most outspoken travelers during the storm dutifully filed inside. The captain turned to him and Flynn. ¡°Same goes for you, kids. Go take a nap. This isn¡¯t my first run into pirates, and sure as the sea is wet it won¡¯t be the last.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we stay?¡± Kai wished he sounded more confident and less pleading. ¡°My skill was right about the danger.¡± Even disregarding the reek of vomit, hiding below deck with no idea of what happened outside horrified him more than the dark depths. His mind would spiral into catastrophic scenarios for hours. ¡°Huh¡­¡± Nathumeli curled his mustache. ¡°Did it tell you anything else useful?¡± ¡°It¡¯s telling me to run.¡± The danger still pulsed ominously on the horizon. Strangely, it didn¡¯t spike when the threat had been revealed or abated when they changed course. Even the direction he should run to wasn¡¯t clear. ¡°It could reveal more when I see the pirate ship.¡± ¡°Or it could be a coincidence that it told you to run at all¡­¡± ¡°But what if it¡¯s not, Captain?¡± Flynn stood beside him. ¡°It costs you nothing to take a chance.¡± Nathumeli studied them silently. ¡°Fine. You can stay. Don¡¯t get in the way of my crew or I¡¯ll have you locked in your cabin till we land. Are we clear?¡± ¡°Crystal.¡± Flynn nodded. ¡°You won¡¯t even notice us.¡± ¡°Uh.¡± The captain adjusted his feathered hat and left to shout after his sailors. ¡°Thanks,¡± Kai whispered. ¡°No problem. Staying in our cabin would have been awful.¡± He lowered his tone. ¡°Is your skill really telling you nothing at all? Kai vainly listened to the murmurs, still vague and looming. At least they hadn¡¯t gotten worse. ¡°It¡¯s been acting weird. I think we¡¯re going in the right direction, not that there is much difference out here.¡± They moved to the stern to keep an eye on the threat. As he had been often told, no skill was infallible. To be left without his life insurance wasn¡¯t pleasant, especially when he was in the middle of the open ocean. It had to happen now, didn¡¯t it? Did the mana storm mess with Hallowed Intuition like the captain said¡­? The old Wind blower straightened her hunched back and summoned a gale, while the crew climbed over the masts and sails to wring any drop of speed out of the Intrepid. Cutting through the waves at great speed reassured Kai somewhat. Nathumeli said this is just routine. When did a sea captain ever lie to reassure his passengers? He frowned at the shadow looming on the horizon. ¡°Is it my impression, or does it look a little closer?¡± The pirate vessel had changed course to chase them, dispelling any doubts about their intentions. ¡°Uhm¡­¡± Flynn narrowed his eyes. Perception skills were still one of his specialties. ¡°It¡¯s definitely gaining ground. Or water.¡± ¡°Meow.¡± Hobbes rubbed his head against Kai¡¯s leg with an inquisitive and worried twirl of his tail. He leaned to pick him up. The situation couldn''t be good if the furball was willing to risk matting his royal coat against the salty breeze. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to worry you.¡± ¡°Mew!¡± The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Yeah, I know you¡¯ll protect me, whatever happens.¡± Kai snuggled with the soft silver fur, feeling reassured. ¡°We¡¯ll get through this together as we always do.¡± He released half the iridescent motes he gathered with Astral Pathway. Despite his improvement, Space Magic wasn¡¯t suitable for combat till the higher grades. Any useful spell took too long to cast in a real fight, and he could often accomplish the same goal with another element. Droves of blue motes flocked towards him from the soaked air. There wasn¡¯t any element better than Water at sea. Gifts of the Earth increased his reserves among its array of powers. Though the boost was only half of his previous boon, advancing to Yellow and a grown body gave him a sizable pool to work with. ¡°How common are pirates?¡± Kai mused to get out of his thoughts. Everyone mentioned the danger of the mainland so often he didn¡¯t know what to think. Flynn scratched his brows without averting his eyes from the chasing vessel. "It depends on the area and how often the Republic patrols the waters. This one was supposed to be among the safest routes before the storm blew us off course. While trade with the archipelago has grown, it pales compared to the true merchant hubs on the continent. Few marauders bother to come here from what I heard.¡± ¡°So, we just got unlucky?¡± ¡°Probably. Or someone got wind of the Intrepid. It¡¯s a pretty large and valuable ship by itself. And we¡¯re carrying goods on top of people.¡± Great. His high Favor made him suspect there must be more reasons behind it, though it could just be a bad draw. Half the chances of meeting pirates still left the possibility, and when numerous people were involved, it was harder for a single person¡¯s Fate to overwhelm everyone else. Next time we take an airship, even if I have to sell a kidney to make up a believable story. The reason why, ultimately, didn¡¯t matter. He was stuck on the Intrepid with nowhere else to go. Despite Captain Nathumeli spurring the sailors to increase their speed, the shadow in the cloak of mist was only growing larger on the horizon. ¡°You got anything, young Mat?¡± The man turned to them with a somber look. ¡°I¡ª no.¡± The whispers hung in his mind faint and nebulous, not much louder since they sighted the pirate vessel. The man shook his head with a rueful smile. ¡°I told you danger skills aren¡¯t reliable at sea.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that.¡± Kai continued before the captain could dismiss him. ¡°My ability is based on Luck. And it¡¯s still working. It¡¯s just like¡­ it has been muted.¡± ¡°Luck?¡± The bushy eyebrows climbed his forehead. ¡°That¡¯s quite an unorthodox choice. Hard to level without feats, though I could see how¡­¡± He slammed his hand on the railing. ¡°Damn, barnacle eaters! Who disrupts Fate in the Vanean Sea?¡± ¡°You can rest Malia.¡± Nathumeli marched to the Wind blower mage and turned to his crew. ¡°Conserve your strength and prepare for engagement! We¡¯re not going to let them catch us easily, but there is no need to exhaust ourselves. Ask anyone willing to fight¡­¡± Guess it¡¯s inevitable then. Nameless black sails were clearly visible, gliding on the waves to intercept them. The vessel was perhaps half the size of the Intrepid and far faster. ¡°Boy.¡± A tanned sailor walked up to them. ¡°Everyone who¡¯s not defending the ship must barricade below deck, captain¡¯s order.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll fight,¡± Kai said matter-of-factly, checking what potions and weapons he had in his ring. I should go to the cabin to take out my sword¡­ ¡°This isn¡¯t a joke.¡± The man sized him up with a skeptical look. ¡°Those filthy pirates won¡¯t hesitate to slit your throat, or sell you in a Kershan slave market if you¡¯re lucky.¡± ¡°I can use magic,¡± Kai snorted. The dark vessel was approaching rapidly now that Nathumeli had stopped their mad dash. Could he sink a ship with Water Magic? It must be protected with enchantments for the open sea¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t blame me when you get yourself killed.¡± The sailor left to talk to the other passengers. ¡°Are you sure this is a good idea?¡± Flynn lowered his tone. "Matthew, you can¡¯t even hold a sword and have no martial skills.¡± Oh¡­ What was on the skill sheet for my new identity¡­ His battle plans were forced into a harsh reevaluation. ¡°I¡ª I¡¯ve got Water Magic.¡± ¡°Only in the middle of Orange.¡± Why did I have to become an Alchemist with no combat experience¡­? ¡°I¡¯ll only intervene if things get bad. No one will notice a stray spell in the middle of battle.¡± ¡°Matthew,¡± Flynn watched him seriously. ¡°I know how capable you are, but talent alone can¡¯t bridge the gap if someone with a Yellow profession attacks you.¡± He waved at the sailors arming themselves with spears, shields and bows. ¡°We must have more than double the people. They can handle it.¡± He has a point¡­ The Hidden Sanctuary had engraved the tyranny of grades in his bones. He only managed to defeat weak yellow beasts through subterfuge, and most of the time they were already injured. There was no winning a frontal assault when your opponent moved faster than your thoughts. Even with a mediocre profession, a man fully into Yellow could easily have double his attributes. And humans weren¡¯t as easy to trick when they were assaulting a ship. ¡°We¡¯ll just hang back and intervene only if there is a good opportunity.¡± ¡°Okay," Flynn looked relieved. ¡°I need to go get more daggers.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll come with you. I also need to fetch some potions.¡± Descending into the ship, the stink of vomit and the shouts of passengers washed over them. ¡°What do you mean we can¡¯t outrun them?¡± ¡°Do you expect us to fight?¡± ¡°Daddy, don¡¯t go.¡± Fucking pirates. He followed Flynn through the crowd, trying to keep his mind away from grim possibilities. Before leaving Higharbor, he had brewed healing and enhancing potions for his journey. Kai emptied his ring in his cabin, only keeping his emergency stash. This was the best way Matthew could help as an alchemist. Holding back his abilities while he fought for his life would be annoying, and exposing his identity could also create many problems. I¡¯ll restock on shore. A small crowd of passengers with determined expressions had gathered on the deck beside the sailors. Some wielded gilded swords, there were even a couple of cheap wands while the rest held plain weapons from the ship¡¯s hold. ¡°Does anyone need a healing potion or¡­¡± Kai had barely time to explain what the concoctions did and their side effects when he was swarmed by people. The volunteers took the largest share since they were closer, though a few seamen didn¡¯t hesitate to elbow their way to get some. ¡°You should have sold them.¡± Nathumeli chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t profit from an emergency.¡± What if somebody died because they couldn¡¯t afford to pay? Kai didn¡¯t want to have that on his conscience, especially when the entire batch was worth a drop of his wealth. ¡°That¡¯s very nice of you, boy. But someone would have used them all anyway.¡± The captain said. ¡°I would have just gotten more. Have you gotten any extra? I¡¯ll pay of course.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± He prepared an emergency stash for a reason, and he wouldn¡¯t endanger himself by dipping into it. Kai gripped his old Tidal Wand. Three scratches marked its glossy blue surface from his years in the Sanctuary. It was such a common model, Valela had seen no reason to hide it. I¡¯ll buy something better when I get to the mainland. He didn¡¯t need to use his skills anymore to see the looming threat. Minutes ticked by unbearably slow as the ebony pirate vessel inched closer and closer. Waves crashed against the hull and the wind howled while passengers and seafarers turned quiet, awaiting the inevitable moment. Kai felt it first. A bright flare of mana and a furious whisper awakening from Hallowed Intuition. Then the shouts began. ¡°Fire!¡± The spotter pointed incredulously at the blazing comet arching towards them. ¡°Helm hard over to full right!¡± Nathumeli yelled. The Intrepid''s abrupt turn knocked some people off their feet. Kai held onto a line. He was about to breathe in relief when the fireball adjusted course to hit them, and he realized just how big that thing was. Fuck! It can¡¯t be the work of a single mage. He couldn¡¯t shield everyone in time, and certainly not within the limitations Matthew had to abide by. He grabbed Flynn, ready to cast his spell when a blue glow covered the Intrepid. Flames washed over the barrier like a second sun, burning his skin but leaving them otherwise unharmed. All those enchantments weren¡¯t for nothing. ¡°Nothing to worry, gent¡ª¡± Nathumeli paled, cutting short the cheers of the crowd. Another two blazing projectiles emerged from the figurehead of the dark ship¡ªperhaps Elydes¡¯ equivalent of a cannonball at sea. Though, from the look of the sailors, this wasn¡¯t a common sight. The glowing blue barrier rose again to meet the threat, dimmer than before. It weathered the first impact but cracked under the second, bathing the deck in flames. Kai cast an ice dome as wide as he dared. When he lowered the shield to help the others, agonizing cries filled his ears, the air so hot it hurt to breathe. A sharp gale swept the deck, the old Wind blower stood proudly beside the captain. The devastation was smaller than Kai expected, with a dozen burned but no dead. The five masts had taken the brunt of the impact. Half their sails had already turned to ash by the time he and two more Water summoners could quench the fires. There were no more projectiles, the ebony vessel satisfied with leaving them dead in the water, ripe for the taking. ¡°Brace for the boarding!¡± Chapter 256 - The Nuclear Option Chapter 256 - The Nuclear Option Kai downed two vials to boost his mental and physical attributes, soon imitated by Flynn. They were weaker versions than those Dora had once gifted him, carrying a smaller backlash. Shrouded in mist, the cloaked figurehead of the ebony ship aimed straight at them, gliding over the waves like Charon¡¯s ferry. His hand tightened against the Tidal Wand; he would have preferred the hilt of his sword. ¡°Cursed Gods! What kind of pirate ship carries artillery spells in these seas?¡± A sailor tended to the burned leg of an unconscious woman. The sentiment was shared by many, spreading a plague of fear among the defenders. ¡°Get a hold of yourselves!¡± Nathumeli yelled in a last-ditch effort to organize the resistance. ¡°Their ship must have exhausted their mana reserve as well. We¡¯ll send those filthy pirates to the bottom of the sea!¡± Despite his authoritative and confident tone, Kai could see frightened ripples in his aura. The sea serpent blade waited in his ring. If the pirates overwhelmed their defenses, it was better to risk compromising his identity than losing his life. ¡°Shields up and brace!¡± The dark vessel rammed into the hull of the Intrepid, throwing dozens of passengers off their feet in a groan of wood. The pirates didn¡¯t fling themselves on lines to board them. Over a hundred marauders in black clothing and veiled faces stood in rows on the enemy vessel, silent like wraiths. They sure got the sinister appearance down. Strangled sobs emerged around him. Kai was hardly an expert in buccaneers, but the group who raided Sylspring had looked far more ragtag. Mana Observer failed to cross onto their ship and peruse its enchantments, blocked by impenetrable wards. Even Hallowed Intuition remained strangely muted. That¡¯s not goo¡ª When the whispers spiked, Kai threw himself behind a mast, dragging Flynn with him. Barbed harpoons linked to heavy chains pierced the starboard of the Intrepid in a rain of splintered wood and chipped paint. Three missed and bore into the ranks of the defenders, crunching through bones and flesh of several unlucky souls. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Kai crouched behind the cover. Flynn coughed and looked up with a blank gaze. ¡°Yeah, I¡ª¡± Screams of pain and fury interrupted him. Volleys of arrows were exchanged freely between the two ships, breaching the fragile formation. ¡°Fire at will!¡± Nathumeli stood on the quarterdeck beside the old Wind blower. Malia summoned a gale to deflect the incoming projectiles, dueling against an enemy Air mage. At the sound of a low drum, the pirates charged over the bridge of chains with spears and sabers, piercing the line of shields broken by the bombardment. Murmurs of danger rose like mourning laments. Whatever was interfering with Hallowed Intuition was likely linked to the ebony ship. ¡°Stay close.¡± Flynn mutely nodded, eyes darting around the scene of chaos. His hands tightened around a pair of enchanted daggers till his knuckles whitened. That¡¯s as good as it gets. A pirate thought himself cool enough to leap over the defenders. Kai cast an ice shard and caught him in the gut. The man fell without sound, finished by a spear through his chest. When Kai pierced the runes woven into the clothes of the assailants, he had to admit the overconfidence wasn¡¯t entirely undeserved. Every single one of them was at least at the peak of Orange with a yellow profession, and every third person was fully into that grade or higher. This doesn¡¯t look good. The Intrepid had more than three hundred people on its side, but only a fraction of the sailors were specialized fighters. The situation was even worse among the volunteers, some frozen with fear or scrambling to retreat. He exhaled a breath. I¡¯ve survived worse odds. Potions flowed into his blood, enhancing his reflexes and speed. Kai delved into the rhythm of battle, mind split between the whispers, spellcasting and the surrounding fighting. He sidestepped a black fletched arrow and retaliated with another ice dart. The cloaked archer on the railing of the Intrepid just managed to parry with his bow. Taken aback by the strength behind the blow, he flailed his arms not to fall into the sea and left himself exposed to a second spell. Amateurs. Body Augmentation strengthened his legs to take cover behind a crate. Where Empower had been a raging river, its evolution had scalpel precision, directed exactly where he needed with no waste. He could barely keep up with the pirates'' movements using Split Mind. Three more darts found purchase in a leg and shoulder, the last missed. Once they gained a foothold on the Intrepid, the pack of marauders reined in the wild charge for a more cautious advance. A sharp gust of wind threw off the aim of his projectile. Malia floated a span off the ship, robes fluttering around her, wrapped in a battle against the unseen Air mage. Focus on what you can do. There was no honor in battle, just survival. Hallowed Intuition allowed him to dance behind the frontline, retreating whenever someone beyond his reach noticed him. Kai thrived on the distraction of the melee, taking any opportunity to sling in a shot. There was no need for a sword or flashy magic. A sliver of ice set at the right angle was more than enough to pierce a squishy human. No one would realize the speed or sharpness of his projectiles in the midst of battle and any proof would melt in the blood of the attackers. A whisper rose from the clamor. His muscles strained to invert his momentum as a blade whistled an inch from his nose. A pair of amethyst eyes stared at him beneath the black cloth concealing his attacker¡ªa woman judging by her height and figure. Shit! Mid-yellow. The pirate¡¯s surprise at his dodge didn¡¯t stop her from dashing towards him with another slash, her dark saber little more than a blur. There wasn¡¯t time to take out his sword. All his boosts couldn¡¯t hope to match her Strength, and engaging in close combat was a death sentence. Kai abandoned precision for power to cast a hail of ice. Bending at an impossible angle below the projectiles, the woman pushed against the deck to fling herself at him. Her blade whizzed toward his head at twice the speed. Fuck. While the whispers told him how to dodge, his body was a sitting duck, too slow to move and react. Kai gathered his mana to cast every speck of magic, praying it would be enough. His cover identity didn¡¯t matter if he died. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Something whistled beside his ear. Hidden in a wisp of Shadow, a throwing dagger flew past the guard of the pirate. Her gaze widened in surprise, and she twisted to the side with superhuman speed, but she was too committed to the slash to dodge entirely. The knife pierced deep into her arm, forcing her to fall back. Her icy eyes glared behind him. She pulled out the dagger without a noise, ready for a second round when a spear-wielding sailor tried to skewer her. A hand dragged him behind a mast. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Flynn checked him with worried eyes. ¡°We agreed to stay in the backline.¡± ¡°I¡ª I¡¯m fine. Thank you for the help.¡± Kai patted himself down. There was a cut on his shirt, but no wound. He crouched against the towering mast to survey the battlefield. ¡°They need my help. It¡¯s not going well.¡± The deck was soaked with the metallic smell of blood from almost a hundred bodies. There was barely a frontline left. For each foe he had cut down, the pirates felled several more on his side. They would have already been decimated if Malia didn¡¯t hold the advantage in the air. Flynn leaned over him, growing pale at the sight. ¡°We¡­ we still have numbers on our side.¡± Kai shook his head. ¡°Just barely.¡± Their count was much closer than when the fight began. At this pace, there wouldn¡¯t be anyone to celebrate, even if they won. ¡°And I think that woman was holding back. She could have beheaded me on the first strike if she used the speed she showed at the end.¡± ¡°Are you sure? Why would a pirate hold back?¡± ¡°What¡¯s on the mind of a murderous psycho?¡± Looking at the battle, the strongest raiders advanced with methodical, almost bored movements through the slaughter. Is it some kind of sick ritual to let the weaker members ahead? Who are they? Kai forced himself to ignore the empty eyes of sailors and passengers, staring vacantly at the sky. He was used to watching beasts die, not people. How could anyone slaughter other human beings like this? Focus on what you can do. Each second mattered, there wasn¡¯t time to curse the skies. He was about to jump back into the fray when a thundering voice silenced the conflict. ¡°Get off my ship!¡± Captain Nathumeli roared red with rage. He held old Malia in his arms, an arrow poking from her chest. Shi¡ª Ship and captain glowed with incandescent mana. Every splinter of wood blown by the harpoons and the boards of the deck exploded at once, shredding skin and flesh. Kai summoned a water shield to protect them. While the attack was aimed at the pirates, the line between the two forces was too jagged for a clean strike. The wooden shards caught some of the defenders, though the result clearly favored them. Dozens of black-clothed pirates lay in pools of blood, moaning and crying in pain¡ªthe first sound they emitted since the fight started. It was grim to feel relieved at such a massacre, but Kai finally held some hope they¡¯d make it through the day. Such large losses would put a dent in the raiders¡¯ morale, they might even make them retreat. We just need to regroup¡ª ¡°Who knew the old dog hid such a trick.¡± A tall man scoffed, standing nonchalantly in the middle of the battlefield. Despite donning the same anonymous black as the other raiders, his contempt at both sides of the bloodied deck couldn¡¯t be more blatant. Kai blinked, trying to understand how he had gotten there without him noticing a ripple of mana. ¡°We¡¯ll need to correct our standards,¡± he sighed heavily, stomping on the skull of a moaning pirate with a wet crunch. ¡°Truly disappointing¡­¡± ¡°Who¡ª who are you?¡± Nathumeli leaned unsteadily on a railing, his face emaciated after the last spell. ¡°What do you wa¡ª¡± A blade of Darkness severed the captain hip to shoulder, his upper body slid squelching to the ground. ¡°That¡¯s why dogs shouldn¡¯t meddle in affairs that don¡¯t regard them.¡± The sneering man stood on the quarterdeck beside the body, dissolving the blade in wispy smoke. We¡¯re dead. Kai crouched behind the mast, filled with a primal terror that was all too familiar. In the split instant the raider executed Nathumeli, his presence slipped through. It was the difference between overwhelming power and certain death. No amount of tricks and subterfuge could bridge the gap with someone standing with both feet into Green. He could only run and pray they were too lazy to chase him down. We¡¯re in the middle of the fucking ocean, genius. Do you want to swim to land? You don¡¯t even know where that is! It was hopeless. ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± The monster snorted impatiently. ¡°Finish this job before you embarrass me further.¡± Why¡­ Hallowed Intuition spurred him to action with a lonely murmur. Yes, there was still a chance, a flickering hope that would soon be extinguished. ¡°Follow me.¡± Kai snapped his finger in front of Flynn¡¯s face to wake the boy from his stupor. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s time for the nuclear option.¡± ¡°Nucclea what¡­?¡± ¡°No time to explain. Move quick.¡± Kai dashed towards the closest hatch to the bowels of the Intrepid, glad to see Flynn was trailing him. The raiders cut down the sailors like cattle, wielding dark blades of mana. Most defenders were too shaken by the death of the captain to put up a proper resistance. Those bastards were actually holding back. ¡°I surrender.¡± A grizzly passenger abandoned his sword and fell to his knees. ¡°Mercy!¡± The pirate didn¡¯t even hesitate to behead him before moving to the next target. The response didn¡¯t matter, the spirit of the defenders had been broken. Scores of others abandoned their weapons to beg for their life or run, shattering any resistance. Dammit. Kai wove a cape of Shadow and crept low to the ground to the hatch that would give him a chance at survival. When he got his hands on the latch, he bit down a curse. It was locked, probably to stop pirates from sneaking in. Worse yet, the feeble enchantments of the Intrepid still protected it. Brute Strength won¡¯t work, and a spell will expose us. Kai went through the possibilities in his mind. Any other entrance was too far or already overtaken by raiders. ¡°Let me do it.¡± Flynn pushed him aside to fiddle with the lock, his actions concealed behind an enviable veil of Shadow. In seconds the bolt snapped free, and he held it open just enough for them to slip inside. Kai dashed into the bowels of the ship, feeling immediately safer with a ceiling over his head. He looked at the unfamiliar companionway and extended his senses to find the faster way down. They needed to create some distance, in case any marauder could perceive the artifact activation. ¡°This way.¡± He was about to jump down a ramp of stairs when a whisper forced him to turn around. A woman donned in black stood in the corridor behind them, her right sleeve cut and soaked with blood. ¡°Boys,¡± the pirate said with a flat accent, twirling the saber in her hands. ¡°Didn¡¯t your moms tell you it¡¯s rude to leave without saying goodbye? Especially after such a memorable first meeting.¡± ¡°Sorry, miss.¡± Flynn dropped his cloak with a sincere look of apology. ¡°I don¡¯t like clingy women.¡± Die already. Kai cast a volley of ice, taking advantage of the cramped interior of the ship to corner her. Alas, the shock at being rejected didn¡¯t stop her from slashing the projectiles too fast to follow. Damn, she was holding back a lot. ¡°How eager,¡± she laughed, not worried about another attack. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll teach manners. If you fall to your knees begging, I might consider even sparing you. We¡¯re always looking for promising new blood.¡± ¡°We?¡± Kai couldn¡¯t stop his curiosity from peeking through, slowly retreating. ¡°Nice try, pretty boy. But I ask the questions.¡± The raider shot forward, twisting around or shattering any elemental attack he threw at her with casual grace. A wall of ice gained him half a second before it was destroyed with infuriating ease. ¡°Here!¡± Flynn opened a random cabin, and shut it closed when they were inside. A kick made the wood creak, but the enchantment of the ship held. ¡°Good thin¡ª¡± Kai shoved his friend back before the door flew off its hinges and crashed on the opposite wall. ¡°You made me sweat.¡± The pirate growled, heaving slightly in the threshold. ¡°You¡¯ll pay for that.¡± I liked you better when you weren¡¯t talking. Scouring his mind for options, he summoned a flood of water bullets and mist¡ªless lethal than ice, but harder to destroy. The creep predictably dodged and struck the bullets down, with the only result of drenching her. Her aura prevented him from affecting the water so close to her body. ¡°You got me wet. I¡¯ll make you wish you hadn''t done that.¡± She slashed at his leg, victory in her eyes. Got you. He took out his sword, arm already swinging strengthened by Body Augmentation to his utmost limit. He was more than willing to exchange wounds. The pirate was less willing to get injured and darted back with a burst of speed. ¡°Almost caught me,¡± she giggled, suddenly cheerful. ¡°How did you get your hands on a spatial artifact, pretty boy? Mhmm¡­ No matter. I always wanted one.¡± She advanced on them. ¡°Kai,¡± Flynn said behind him. ¡°Mind the whispers.¡± Huh? Oh! Kai leaped into the air right as crackling electricity crossed the wet floor. The pirate was fast, but she wasn¡¯t faster than Lightning. Her body went rigid with a gurgling sound. He didn¡¯t wait to find out if she could survive the attack and threw an ice spike through her eye. ¡°Is she really dead?¡± Flynn stared at the smoking raider, stunned that his spell had worked. ¡°Not even beasts recover from that.¡± Kai grinned with the euphoria of escaping certain death. ¡°Good thinking.¡± He would have liked to hug him and drown him in compliments till his friend begged him to stop if they weren¡¯t on the clock. Now or never. The Fate Fulcrum appeared in his hands, the silvery disk reflected its multicolored hues. Kai adjusted the nubs to unleash all its accumulated charge. His index finger ready to call untold mayhem upon their heads with a single click. Why does it look brighter than before? I thought it had reached its limit¡­ No matter, the pirates would either kill them or worse. Even getting swallowed by a marine monster was preferable if it killed them fast. ¡°Marina?¡± A voice rumbled through the ship, sending shivers down his back. ¡°Are you having fun with some rats? You know I get jealous. Uh¡­ what¡¯s this smell?¡± A burly man appeared in the broken threshold of the cabin. His dark eyes stared at the corpse of his companion with incredulity, quickly turning into blind rage. ¡°You!¡± Glaive raised to turn them into mincemeat, he stepped in towards them, burning with even brighter mana than his lover. ¡°I¡¯ll make you regret you were ever bor¡ª¡± His massive body fell sectioned in two perfect halves at their feet. Majestic silver fur, violet eyes, and poise worthy of an emperor. Hobbes stepped over the left side of the corpse to not dirty his regal paws in blood. ¡°Mew.¡± Love you too, buddy. His hand tightened around the Fulcrum an imperceptible amount. Click! Chapter 257 - Fallout Chapter 257 - Fallout The crystal click reverberated across the bloodied sailor cabin, followed by a subtler pulse¡ªyears of accumulated Fate released in a single instant. Tension soaked the air, somewhere between static electricity and the soft tingle of magic. Kai couldn¡¯t say if it was an illusion from the adrenaline and enhancing potions, or his higher Favor had increased his sensitivity. Crack! Huh? His eyes fell on the Fate Fulcrum, a hair-thin Y chink cut across the circles of elvish script, letting motes of light escape through the fissure. How? Was the charge too high? Flynn said it had remained unchanged for a while when he gave it to me, but it did look brighter now¡­ The ship groaned, making the blood from the bisected pirate ripple. A glass paperweight rolled on the nightstand and thumped on the floor, tripping a quill straight for his eye. Kai moved out of the way, getting his cheek marred with ink. This wasn¡¯t the time to lose himself in theoretical speculation. He stored the cracked silvery disk in his ring¡ªhe¡¯d deal with the artifact when their life wasn¡¯t on the line. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me he could do that!¡± Flynn sat on the cot of the cabin, gaping at the gruesome pieces of His Majesty''s handiwork splattered on the floor. ¡°Meeeow.¡± The furball sprawled at his feet, eager to claim its reward in belly rubs. ¡°Hobbes is a yellow beast focused on magic rather than rough brawn.¡± Kai sent overwhelming praise through their Familiar bond. ¡°Or did you think he was just a pretty coat of fur?¡± ¡°So he can just¡­ slice people in half whenever he wants?¡± Flynn absently leaned to scratch the cat. ¡°It¡¯s not that easy to cast Space Magic on living beings. Unless they¡¯re distracted¡­¡± ¡°Mew!¡± Hobbes yawned lazily. Despite his regal poise and pleased purrs, spells on that level took a toll on him. ¡°C¡¯mon, we need to move.¡± Kai stood up, trying to chart the best course of action. His heart thumped in his ears, sweaty hands held his sword and wand. The Fulcrum might have been their only hope of salvation, but they were still surrounded by water for hundreds of miles with sea horrors aplenty. ¡°We¡­ we¡­¡± A deeper tremor shook the Intrepid. What could they do to prepare for the unpredictable? The whims of Fate could take seconds or minutes to show up, and he had never released anywhere close to this amount. ¡°We must find a safer place,¡± Flynn concluded with a glance at the frozen corpses. He headed toward the broken door, a veil of Shadow Magic making him undetectable in the dim interior of the ship. ¡°Can you follow me?¡± ¡°I¡ª yes.¡± Kai bobbed his head. Casting a shroud of his own, he trailed the faint swirling of Shadow motes. They crept through the cramped companionways, down a ladder and past a pirate vainly trying to staunch the three bloody lines on his throat. Hobbes has been busy. ¡°Are you sure we should be going deeper?¡± Kai hissed, tripping on the seam of a floorboard. The stench of blood wafted through the bowels of the vessel, screams of sailors and passengers echoing in the distance. ¡°Is your skill telling you something?¡± The shadow whispered back. ¡°No¡­¡± Kai dithered in the corridor. Hallowed Intuition was reduced to a concert of buzzing murmurs by the conflagration of Fate, a side effect he had forgotten about. ¡°¡­but what if some sea monster sinks the ship?¡± ¡°Then we¡¯d probably be dead anyway,¡± Flynn said with an even tone. ¡°The biggest threat for us is the pirates. You¡¯ve seen how their boss killed the captain. How many beasts can go against that?¡± Not many. There might not even be one in this sea. The Fulcrum couldn¡¯t conjure a leviathan from nothing. Still, Kai couldn¡¯t get the image of getting trapped in a sinking ship to the bottom of the ocean out of his mind. The Intrepid rocked again; the jolts too frequent to be a coincidence on a calm sea. Was a beast already ramming their hull? Suddenly, ending up in the belly of an abyssal horror didn¡¯t seem much better than getting cut down by pirates. ¡°How do you explain that?¡± If Flynn gave any sign, the gesture remained hidden in Shadow. ¡°Let¡¯s find out then,¡± his friend said after an awkward silence, leading him in a different direction on the same level. Crystal lamps flickered on the ceiling, powered by the dim arrays of the Intrepid. Kai soon lost track of their position inside the labyrinth of narrow hallways and cabins. Behind a corner, they found the corpses of two veiled raiders and a graying woman skewered on the same spear. May the spirits guide her soul to rest. They stopped in front of a door reinforced with steel and runes. Flynn cursed under his breath when two of his lockpicks snapped, only to find out the bolt was already open. ¡°Here.¡± He nudged the door a crack to let them inside some sort of storage room and shut it with a clang behind them. ¡°The soundproofing and lock are still working. We should be safe for a bit.¡± Unless Lady Luck decides to mess with us. From the round walls, they should be near the stern. Kai perused the plain crates and barrels with a frown before realizing why they came here: three portholes filtered pale blue light near the ceiling. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Flynn stood on a chest to look outside. ¡°Merciful spirits¡­¡± The cloaking spell fell to show his pale face. ¡°What is it?¡± Please, anything but a sea monster. Kai shifted his weight to climb on the same crate when the Intrepid tilted. Only a handhold of ice prevented him from kissing the floor. Mindful of any other whims of Fate, he turned to gaze outside. ¡°Well¡­ shit.¡± It couldn¡¯t have been more than ten minutes since they escaped the deck, yet the world had drastically morphed. Rolling waves and spotless sky were replaced by dark thundering clouds that turned midday to dusk. The frothing ocean reared meters into the air, choked with Water and twirling Air motes visible in spite of his low affinity. Well, it could be worse. Maybe¡­ Kai curbed his thoughts, there was no need to tempt the gods. The mana storm grew every second he watched, blowing the waves to titanic proportions. ¡°That¡¯s certainly a distraction.¡± Flynn let out a nervous chuckle. ¡°Those bastards can¡¯t keep their ship tied to ours in this sea.¡± ¡°Mhmm¡­¡± Kai nodded weakly. If it doesn¡¯t sink the Intrepid first. There was no point lamenting his decision to use the Fulcrum. He had exchanged certain death or slavery for a chance at survival. Now he just had to beat the odds. Should we stay hidden, and hope the pirates leave and the ship survives? If the effects of the Fulcrum aren¡¯t done, a storage room isn¡¯t the best option to react promptly. Though if we run into another raider, Hobbes can¡¯t always save us¡­ From Flynn¡¯s furrowed brow, he was having the same thoughts. Neither of them was used to working with somebody else. They should have discussed Water synergies with Lightning long before a psycho pirate came knocking. ¡°What do you think¡ª¡± Clank! The door bolt snapped open, and the crystals flickered one last time before dimming into empty glassware for good. What shitty luck. He was about to curse the Fulcrum when he noticed the myriads of glowing lines crossing the Intrepid. Weakened by the bombardment, some array must have redirected the mana to reinforce the hull against the storm. Kai turned to the door. Without the enchantments the reinforced bands of steel would only attract more attention. ¡°We should move.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t stay,¡± Flynn said at the same time, sharing a grin. ¡°You take the lead. Hallowed Intuition isn¡¯t working well, and you¡¯ve got better Perception skills. We should monitor the pirates'' moves.¡± ¡°From a safe distance,¡± Flynn agreed. He was about to open the door when it swung on its own. A stout marauder dressed like a knockoff ninja stared back with equal surprise. Dammit. Kai dashed to close the short distance¡ªthe Sanctuary had seared any hesitation out of him. Shadow and Earth mana concealed and strengthened the serpent sword, his muscles brimmed with Body Augmentation and the waning effects of the potions. Despite his perfect execution, yellow attributes still trampled his efforts. The man raised his sabers and took the blow with a grunt. He parried Flynn¡¯s throwing dagger and forced them back with a pair of vicious strikes. Great, Yellow again. At least he has just advanced. They had to close this battle quickly, the longer they fought, the higher the risk someone would take notice. The pirate made a sweeping strike with his right blade, keeping the left for defense. Kai circled him to take advantage of their numbers. With Split Mind, he cast two icicles from opposite directions while he lunged at his leg. A whisper of danger broke through the static to warn him to turn his attack into a sideways dodge. In a blur of Darkness, a saber coated in wispy smoke whizzed for his skull. His ice shield shattered without slowing the slash. The man stepped to follow his retreat. His sneer only faltered when the ship slanted and pushed his blade off course. Kai adjusted his angle to deflect the next strike; the power of the blow reverberating up his arms threw him back. Kahali¡¯s Retribution awakened to dull his pain and bolster his body. He turned the fall into a roll behind a crate, coating the floorboards in ice. That lunge had almost been disastrous. He was used to having Hallowed Intuition pull him out of trouble, but the warnings were too delayed to be serviceable. Instead of pressing the attack, the pirate studied them with keen eyes. ¡°Such petty tricks,¡± he snorted and struck down a dagger aimed at his head. ¡°In a few years, you might even be a problem.¡± Kai feared he might call for reinforcement, then he saw the gleam of derision and was reassured. This foe was too alert for Hobbes to approach, the Lightning trick was also risky if Flynn hadn¡¯t stored enough mana. Guess I¡¯ll test Kahali¡¯s gifts then. He let the raider come to him. Using the boxes in the room to obstruct his movements and Water Magic as a distraction, he deflected each strike. Kahali¡¯s Retribution surged like a raging river, boosting his Strength and Dexterity with every nick, graze and blow that threatened to break his bones. While the boon didn¡¯t cure the damage, it let him ignore it. Flynn¡¯s knives forced his opponent to keep one saber back and gave him a breather whenever he faltered. Bit by bit, Kai matched the pirate, though he wasn¡¯t the only one to notice. A lucky tilt of the ship let him score a hit on the bicep. Realization pierced the disdainful eyes. ¡°You little rat!¡± Before Hallowed Intuition could whisper, he raised his guard and prepared his spells. Both sabers were covered in a layer of Darkness that doubled their length, while an ebony armor protected the pirate from icicles and daggers. I preferred being underestimated. The added reach wiped any hope of dodging. Kai sidestepped behind a crate to the left¡ªthe pirate¡¯s weaker side¡ªand cast seven frozen shields close to his guard where the twin strikes would have less momentum. The man pulled back his right saber to shatter the obstacle. Body Augmentation flared. Kai channeled every element into the serpent sword and shot one last ice shard at the pirate¡¯s hand. Twisting the blade with all his power, he diverted the saber onto the crate. Splinters of wood, wine and glass burst between them. ¡°You slippery fu¡ª.¡± Flynn exposed himself to thrust two daggers through the ebony armor. ¡°Too late.¡± The man tried to pull back but slipped on a broken bottle. It¡¯s over. Kai slashed with all his might at the marauder; Kahali¡¯s Retribution dampened his injuries and filled him with power. One saber diverted to block him, so he used the spirit''s second gift - Rippling Echo. A glowing blue light covered his sword in imitation of the skill he parried, extending his reach to sever the pirate¡¯s neck. Both of Kahali¡¯s gifts required him to withstand an attack to use, but the payoff didn¡¯t disappoint. ¡°Are you okay¡­¡± Kai collapsed, the power of his boon leaving him now that his enemy was defeated. His arms burned with pain and refused to move. He gritted his teeth and downed a healing potion with the help of a Water spell. ¡°Where are you hurt?¡± Flynn helped him to his feet, absorbing the impact when the Intrepid slanted forty-five degrees. ¡°It¡¯s just the side effect of my boon. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Kai stumbled to put his sword in his ring. ¡°We need to move before someone else comes. I can still use my legs.¡± More or less. ¡°I¡ª¡± Flynn bit his lip and nodded. Hidden in Shadow, they slipped outside. Two raiders with gouged-out eyes and slit throats waited for them in the corridor. ¡°Meow.¡± Hobbes proudly licked his paw like a cat who had dragged a dead bird home. The best gift I ever got! And yes, you¡¯re a better hunter than me. The furball disappeared in a silver blink. Kai cautiously crept through the corridors while the Intrepid creaked and tilted at ever sharper angles. ¡°Ander!¡± A young male voice hissed, making them freeze. ¡°We need to go back. There is something weird going on. And this ship is going to sink at any moment!¡± ¡°Stop being a superstitious hag,¡± a lowered voice snapped back. ¡°I¡¯ve seen Sera juggle a dozen knives without a cut. Deathless Abyss! How could she have impaled herself on her own dagger?¡± ¡°You heard the praetor,¡± Ander snorted. ¡°He¡¯s going to rip us in two if we don¡¯t retrieve what the spy stole.¡± ¡°What does it matter? Everything is going to end up at the bottom of the sea anyway.¡± ¡°Shut up! You¡¯re going to get us both killed.¡± Ander furiously whispered against the low thud of someone getting slammed into a door. ¡°We follow the orders to the letter. Are we clear?¡± The strangled response was too low to make out. Their steps grew fainter down the hallway. Flynn tapped his arm to lead them up a ladder in the opposite direction. Why did you have to say the Intrepid was unsinkable? We need to get out of here. Freezing water and dark depths crowded his mind. The ship rocked on the waves. In an attempt to keep his balance, his shoe slipped on a slick board and sent him crashing into an open cabin. His tumble ended against a wardrobe. How much longer do we have to endure this? Kai was about to stand up when a book fell on his head adding insult to injury. The leather-bound journal tumbled open on the floor. He was about to throw it away in frustration when his eyes fell on a list of names. One in particular stood out: Elijah Lockhart Greaves. Chapter 258 - Tempest Chapter 258 - Tempest It had been years since his teachers had vanished from the archipelago. Any attempt to look for them quickly ran into a dead end. The Republic might have some clue, but Kai wasn¡¯t about to show them a connection with his previous identity. Can it be a coincidence? He had never learned the butler''s full name; surely he wasn¡¯t the only Elijah out there. Leafing through the pages, the journal recounted the owner''s mundane life right up to embarking on the Intrepid¡ªhis teacher just part of a group of tourists from the mainland. Kai quickly picked up a suspicious pattern in the wording: the diary was encrypted. He might have missed it if he weren¡¯t used to breaking down arcane runes. It fell on my head while the Fulcrum was active. I should have known. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Flynn whispered, still hidden in Shadow. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Kai stored the journal in his ring. They¡¯d have time to worry about it if they survived. The whims of Fate didn¡¯t ensure the journal would be beneficial or even useful. ¡°Yeah, I¡ª¡± ¡°Did you hear that crash?¡± The young pirate¡¯s voice echoed from the companionway. ¡°We¡¯re in a storm, you idiot! Things tend to get flung around.¡± Ander¡¯s grouchy tone made them freeze. ¡°But it didn¡¯t sound like furniture crashing. More like a human,¡± the raider grumbled. ¡°Anybody there?¡± Kai slowly stood up, careful not to step on debris and broken glass. He was about to follow Flynn into the corridor, when the tilt of the ship made the door slam shut. Can¡¯t I get a little more Luck? ¡°That just sounded like wood to me. Do you seriously expect them to respond either way?¡± ¡°They could be another adept of Urslah who lost their balance.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say his name out loud,¡± Ander hissed. ¡°After all the ruse to not get recognized. The praetor will skin your soul if he hears you.¡± ¡°What does it matter? They''re all going to die or get captured anyway.¡± ¡°They could have a transmitter.¡± ¡°Those don¡¯t work in a mana storm, and we also have a disrupt¡ª¡± The sentence was interrupted by a slap and a low thud. ¡°Just go check," Ander growled. ¡°We need to find the spy¡¯s cabin before the ship sinks.¡± Dammit! Gritting his teeth, Kai carefully tried to pry open the door. It was stuck. His arms were still weak, and the more Strength he applied the more it creaked. Without the soundproofing runes from the ship active, he could distinctly hear two pairs of boots moving closer beneath the groans of the Intrepid. Hallowed Intuition offered no guidance. If he kicked down the door, they would chase after him. Hiding wasn¡¯t an option either. Each corner of the cramped cabin was fitted with furniture without a single cranny to accommodate him. Even if the pirates couldn¡¯t pierce his cloak of Shadow, chances were they would step on him. Kahali¡¯s wrath! I prefer it when the Fulcrum doesn¡¯t sabotage me. Ambush it is¡­ While the healing potion had let him regain some sense in his arms, using a sword was still out of the question. That left his magic. The Sanctuary had taught him to refill his reserves whenever he got the chance, so he had recovered a decent stash. Fighting in close quarters wouldn''t be ideal, but it wasn¡¯t like he had another choice. ¡°C¡¯mon. Check for your mysterious specter,¡± Ander growled outside. The door screeched but didn¡¯t open. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ stuck.¡± The younger raider wrenched the handle. Kai crouched beside the bed veiled in Shadow, fingers clenched around his wand. With the Intrepid channeling all its mana into the hull, a porthole periodically obscured by the stormy sea was the only source of light. He¡¯d get one shot at taking them by surprise, he couldn¡¯t fail. Flynn will know what to do¡­ ¡°Just give it a push,¡± Ander sneered. In a burst of splinters, the door swung open shining light from the corridor. ¡°Now, go look.¡± A broad figure in black shoved the shorter one forward. The raider carefully squinted at the dim room, rapier in hand. His gaze briefly lay on Kai before moving on to the other corners of the room. ¡°Any rats?¡± Ander watched from the threshold. For a moment, Kai hoped the man would throw a glance around, shrug and leave. No such luck. The younger pirate stabbed the bed and wardrobe with his rapier, body tense to respond to any attacks, while Ander cut off his escape route. The marauder was too distant for an effective ambush, and Kai didn¡¯t dare move a muscle for fear of being heard. Spirits please, no yellow grades. Delaying as far as he could to lull them into a sense of complacency, Kai was forced to respond when the shorter man was about to stab him. Seven ice shards shot forward from different angles¡ªthe limit of what he could achieve with Split Mind. The raider Dashed back in a burst of Darkness, struck down a projectile and dodged two more. With only his profession at Yellow, he was too slow to avoid the rest of the shards. His body crumpled against the wall with an ice bolt through the heart, already dead. Should have chosen a safer career. Kai darted to the other end of the cabin, expecting an attack or an enraged scream. Neither came. The second pirate watched him from the doorway without a hint of panic or surprise. What¡­ ¡°You knew I was there.¡± Kai scowled in disgust. He didn¡¯t know why he felt so enraged at the betrayal of a murderer, but he did. The man kicked the body of his companion with a chuckle. ¡°He wasn¡¯t too bright, was he? Always a smartass, just like his bastard brother.¡± He leveled a two-handed longsword at him. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I must kill you now. You know, dead people can¡¯t talk.¡± Instead of replying, Kai released a volley of ice shards. His opponent was fully into Yellow, if he got cornered into the cabin he was as good as dead. Instead of pressing, the man sidestepped out of the doorway. ¡°Ice and Shadow at your age. Quite impressive.¡± He whistled. ¡°Who knew we¡¯d find a mage line on this ship? Too bad your daddy sent you without an escort.¡± What¡¯s up with monologuing villains? His age and red profession must make people underestimate him. Caught in a stalemate, Kai readied his spells and refilled his reserves. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°Maybe I should go call someone else¡­¡± The pirate mused, slightly raising his voice. Lazy coward. ¡°Sure. Then you can explain to them how you let the other guy die.¡± ¡°No one will listen to dead meat,¡± he scoffed. ¡°They don¡¯t need to believe me to spread rumors. You said the guy had a brother, right? He might be interested.¡± ¡°Uh, I always hated arrogant brats. If you¡¯re so eager to die, let me help you.¡± Ander spat and summoned a blade of Darkness with a slash. The inky blackness moved deceptively fast, eating through the ice shield for his head. Kai cast a revolving water bubble to slow the attack but was surprised when that stopped the attack entirely. Hmm¡­ it weakens the more it has to eat¡ª Ander charged, wielding a blade coated in Darkness. With no space to dodge, Kai covered the floorboards in ice to disrupt his footing. He was ready to flood the cabin when the Intrepid lunged at a sharp angle towards the raider. The man slipped on his spell and fell back through the entrance. Thanks, that¡¯s enou¡ª The vessel continued to tilt to an almost ninety-degree angle with a creak of wood. Kai grabbed onto the nailed bedpost to not plunge toward his foe; images of sinking to the bottom of the ocean swarmed his mind. Just as he thought the Intrepid was about to capsize, a rush of blazing mana snapped them back into an upright position. I need to get out. That was too close. Drenched in cold sweat, Kai failed to capitalize on his foe¡¯s weakness. The marauder had stabbed his sword into the wooden boards outside the cabin to not get thrown away. ¡°Cursed Abyss. You¡¯re lucky, bra¡ª¡± He spun to swing his longsword at his back. Shadow retreated in a flash of Lightning¡ªnot before leaving a dagger in his lower back. Flynn hadn''t wasted the opportunity. Ander gritted his teeth to pull out the dagger. ¡°Fucki¡ª¡± He threw himself behind a toppled wardrobe to avoid the hail of ice. Body Augmentation flooded Kai¡¯s legs to escape from the cabin¡ªthe pirate was faster. Ander forced him back with a slash and turned to snatch a throwing knife out of the air. Caught between two attackers, he slammed the broken door shut behind him. Naturally, you picked the squishy mage. With his back against a wall, Kai unloaded a blizzard of ice and water to overwhelm his opponent with the sheer number of spells he could cast. He wasn¡¯t the only one trapped in the cabin. ¡°Pathetic.¡± The marauder sneered as a ring glowed incandescent on his finger. A shield of black flames rose from wall to wall to devour every Water spell. The man advanced toward him, holding the barrier. ¡°Die¡­¡± The longsword clattered to the floor. Ander lowered his gaze to where a spike of ice protruded from his gut. ¡°H¡ª how¡ª¡± His last words were cut short when another dagger pierced his back. The black fire extinguished into wispy motes as he collapsed. Who told you I only had two affinities? While Earth and Nature were impractical to use at sea, Space was just slow and unwieldy. If someone decided to stand less than two meters from him for a couple seconds, they could only blame themselves. He just had to teleport the ice spike a short distance past the shield of flames. ¡°Nice trick.¡± Flynn bent to recover his daggers with a grimace. ¡°I¡ª¡± ¡°You did great,¡± Kai said. Unfortunately, the ring used to summon the flames had crumbled to dust, probably broken in the activation. ¡°We need to get on the deck before someone else arrives.¡± Spirits willing, the Fulcrum has stopped playing tricks. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Flynn fidgeted with his knives. ¡°There will be more of whoever these people are.¡± ¡°Still better than here.¡± It was only a matter of time before the Intrepid sank, and he¡¯d rather not get trapped in the debris when that happened. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± They moved back into the companionway. The vessel was rocked by ever rougher waves, letting seawater and the thundering of the tempest slip inside. Please don¡¯t sink. They passed another raider with her throat slit by sharp claws. Hobbes couldn¡¯t hide his disquiet and fear any longer. Stay hidden. Kai communicated his intentions through the bond. Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯ll figure something out. The furball was already exhausted by overdrawing on his magic to fight. There was no point dragging him down with them. If Hobbes moved stealthily, not even the pirates would be able to catch him. At least one of us will make it out. They stopped before a hatch that rattled as if it were possessed. Flynn threw a look back at him. ¡°Should we wait? That Green monster might still be there¡­¡± The deep lament of the Intrepid made Kai¡¯s stomach wrench. ¡°There is no time.¡± He kept his voice steady. ¡°We might still reach a lifeboat. I think I¡¯ve seen a couple hanging over the deck.¡± ¡°Four. There were four,¡± Flynn said with a pale face, biting his lip. ¡°If one of us¡ª¡± ¡°We¡¯ll both be fine.¡± Kai offered his most reassuring smile. He refused to consider that one of them might die before even reaching the mainland. ¡°If something happens, just hold on to me. You know I¡¯m Lucky.¡± ¡°I¡ª okay¡­¡± He took a deep breath and opened the hatch to the deck. The howling of wind and cold rain battered them, far louder than he expected. ¡°Let me go first.¡± Kai crept outside, squinting to see through the storm. When Hallowed Intuition didn¡¯t scream through the interference, he cast the tiniest Water spell. Just enough to shield his face and look further. There was no trace of the raiders¡¯ leader and the black ship. ¡°Did he really ditch us¡­?¡± Flynn voiced his thoughts while holding onto a stray line. Of course, the big boss cut and ran. His elation was cut short by a sudden whisper. A colossal wave was lit by the thundering sky, higher than the tallest mast. The Intrepid slanted under his feet as the dark water swelled. Fuck. ¡°Hold on tight!¡± Kai shouted over the tempest and grabbed onto Flynn. The crest of the water column tipped forward, falling from such heights he had time to yell a dozen curses at the Fulcrum. Then the wave crashed like an avalanche¡ªa flimsy spell was all that saved them from being squished. They were pulled in ten different directions by the rough currents, swallowed by the dark icy waters of his nightmares. The thick essence of the mana storm eroded his magic. Don¡¯t let go. Fully submerged, Kai activated Blessed Swimmer to resist the ocean and replenish his elemental reserves. Water motes flooded toward him with the same speed he consumed them. At last, the sea let them plunge on the hard deck of the Intrepid¡ªstanding proud without a single speck of mana in its hull. Flynn bent to cough mouthfuls of seawater. Kai helped him stand on the swaying deck, his own mouth filled with salt and blood. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I''m¡­¡± he broke into another cough. ¡°¡­good.¡± There was no sign of a lifeboat on the deck¡ªnot that Kai would consider boarding one in this weather. While he couldn¡¯t spot another colossal wave yet, it was only a matter of time before the raging storm brewed another. ¡°I¡¯ve killed us¡­¡± ¡°It was the only solution.¡± Flynn grabbed his arm with a surprisingly firm gaze. ¡°It¡¯s the pirates'' fault, not yours.¡± Well, we¡¯re dead either way without a miracle. Anything¡­ please¡­? The storm didn¡¯t magically abate, instead, a whisper rose through the noise¡ªas if Fate wanted to prove the situation could always get worse. Kai turned to see a man in drenched black clothes step onto the deck. The raider briefly scanned the area before marching towards them with two long knives in hand. What¡¯s the fucking point? ¡°Hey! The ship is about to sink. Can¡¯t we just have a truce?¡± Kai''s hopeful tone was met with indifferent silence. Now I find the only guy not interested in talking? And he must have his profession at mid-yellow too. Amazing. The bloodthirsty stranger dashed forward. Ebony flames already coated his blades, sizzling in the storm. No, thank you. He buffeted the idiot back with a wave. If this raider thought he could fight a Water mage in the middle of a storm, Kai would teach him reason before the tempest swallowed them. The aspiring shinobi leaped at him again, darting close to the deck to not get swept away. It made no difference, they were surrounded by water. Kai turned the deck of the Intrepid into an ice-skating field and froze the downpour into a thousand needles. The man plowed and dodged the spells, undeterred. An armor of inky flames protected him from the barrage. ¡°Well, I¡¯d love to fool around with you, but it looks like our time is up.¡± Kai pointed to the thirty-meter wave growing higher behind him. The assassin didn¡¯t halt his run or even turn to look, his black fire blazing darker. He murmured some nonsense about gods and darkness, the exact words covered by the winds. If the Fulcrum weren¡¯t broken already, I¡¯d crush it with my hands. Kai summoned a thick water wall and threw two vials at Flynn. ¡°Drink them now, grab onto a piece of wood and don¡¯t let go.¡± ¡°What about you¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m a Water mage. I¡¯ll deal with this guy and find you.¡± Seeing him hesitating, he grinned as brightly as he could. ¡°You know I don¡¯t die easily.¡± There was no more time. The raider burned through every spell in his path. Kai ran, weaving water and ice to slow the maniac. He¡¯d have no chance to bridge the gap in attributes under normal circumstances, but the storm did that for him. Too late. Reaching its peak, the towering wave crashed on the Intrepid. No surge of mana rose to save the ship, the cracking wood even deafened the storm right before the ocean swallowed them. Thrown like a ragdoll by the currents, Kai lost track of up and down. Mana Observer was blinded by the storm. There was no sight or sound. A whisper warned him when a piece of the Intrepid sank over him. His mana surged to swim away though he couldn¡¯t avoid hitting his head on a piece of the wreckage. His head spun as he stubbornly held onto consciousness. When he could finally see a little, he was dozens of meters under the surface surrounded by floating debris. His lungs burned for oxygen, his vision blurred, and his mind was dazed. He started swimming for the surface when Hallowed Intuition alerted him. What¡­? The crazy assassin was diving toward him, protected by dark flames. He had lost his knives and black veil, revealing a pale man not ten years older than him¡ªstill intent on finishing the job. Are you fucking kidding me? By the time his confused thoughts could piece together a spell, the raider had already tightened his hands around his neck. Led by his survival instinct, Kai managed to push him away using the waters. The man just swam back. Is this really¡­ He was too tired to cast again, his vision rapidly fading. Then the throat of the assassin split open as if by magic. Shock filled his black eyes as the sea tinged red. Uh, it¡¯s quite pretty¡­ Kai only got the vague impression of being dragged toward the surface when the world faded into darkness. Chapter 259 - Rescue Chapter 259 - Rescue His hands clawed the water for the surface. No matter what spell or skill Kai tried, he was always dragged back down, plunged into depths without escape. His chest scorched by the need for oxygen, he hung on to consciousness by a thread, just enough to prolong his suffering. A distant voice whispered of rescue, offering him a glimmer of hope. Then it was gone, and he was left alone in the bottomless abyss. No! Kai jolted awake, heaving for precious mouthfuls of air. He swung his arms wildly to free himself from the white linen sheets and reach the light. The sun outside the porthole illuminated a curved plank ceiling. How did I get here¡­? Heart still pounding, he touched the bandaged lump on his head with a grimace. A piece of the Intrepid had nearly cracked his skull. There had been a storm, pirates that weren¡¯t really pirates, and a crazy bastard intent on choking him. Then¡­ The memories were fuzzy, muddled by his throbbing headache. There had been blood and perhaps a voice, or was that a dream? Someone or something killed the pirate¡­ The gentle rocking made clear he was on a ship. From the plain room and lack of intricate enchantments, it wasn¡¯t the pirates¡¯ vessel¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t have left him unshackled in a room. Guess the Fulcrum wasn¡¯t done with the surprises yet¡­ Kai was relieved to notice the disturbance obscuring Hallowed Intuition was gone. Fighting deadly duels without the skill wasn¡¯t an experience he wished to repeat, ever. He wasn¡¯t going to compromise that veil of protection again, though there were more pressing issues. Where am I? Whoever rescued him must have some morals since the silver ring was still on his finger. He was debating the risks of using Mana Observer when the door flung open. Flynn barged inside¡ªa smile split his face. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± Before Kai could fit in a word, his friend had already thrown his arms around him. ¡°You were barely breathing when they fished you out. No one could tell me when you¡¯d get better.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ ouch.¡± Kai grimaced when the teenager brushed the lump on his head. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± If his Constitution hadn¡¯t cured him, it must have been quite the wound. I should still have the balm from the Sanctuary¡­ ¡°Let me help you.¡± Flynn snatched the jar from his hands. ¡°The captain was too cheap to use any decent potions. I lost most of my money when the Intrepid sank. And I had to use everything to get this cabin,¡± he grumbled while undoing the bandages. ¡°Don¡¯t squirm so much.¡± ¡°If you¡¯d be a little more delicate.¡± Kai scowled, forcing himself to sit still on the cot. ¡°Wait! Where are we? And who fished me up?¡± ¡°Oh, right¡­ This is the Melenia.¡± Flynn gestured to the plain cabin with a flourish. ¡°The apex of luxury and high-living on the Vanean Sea, at least according to the captain. I think it was just an excuse to spill us of anything of value. It looks more like a retrofitted fishing vessel if you ask me. The passengers aboard¡­¡± Kai cleared his throat to bring him back on track. ¡°And how did we get¡­¡± ¡°Sorry, that captain just makes me¡­¡± His hands clenched around the air. ¡°The Melenia was sailing the coast when the captain claims she heard a cry and hurried over to help.¡± His tone oozed with skepticism. ¡°As if you can hear a voice miles away at sea. It would have been more believable to spot the wreckage, but she couldn¡¯t even bother to come up with a believable story.¡± Kai nodded along, piecing together the situation. ¡°So, there are more survivors¡­?¡± ¡°Fifty-three got to the Melenia, including us. There could be more who got blown in a different direction by the storm.¡± Fifty-three¡­ so I only killed a few hundred¡­ ¡°Ahi!¡± Kai jerked away from the spike of pain. ¡°When did you get so clumsy?¡± ¡°I was trying to push the stupid thoughts out of your skull.¡± Flynn gave him a long, meaningful look. ¡°Don¡¯t deny it. I can read them all over your face.¡± ¡°I¡ª I caused the mana storm.¡± ¡°And saved more than fifty people with it. If you hadn¡¯t used the Fulcrum, we¡¯d all be dead or taken by the pirates.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know what could have happened. Maybe¡­ maybe the pirates would have left after they got what they wanted. Or kept us alive.¡± ¡°Do you really believe that?¡± Flynn held his gaze. ¡°Would you do things differently if you could go back?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Kai bit his cheek. Whether this was the best outcome or not, he couldn¡¯t celebrate their survival after so much death. ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°Mhmm¡­ glad you haven¡¯t lost your last speck of common sense.¡± Flynn finished changing the bandages. ¡°It will scar, but it shouldn¡¯t be visible beneath your hair.¡± ¡°What about the pirates? Some got left behind on the sinking ship, they could have also been hidden in the wreckage. I¡ª¡± ¡°We¡¯re safe. Despite being a miser, Captain Karin isn¡¯t a fool. She wouldn¡¯t allow anyone suspicious on her ship. The five or so raiders they found in the wreckage were all dead. Probably some fluke of Fate¡­¡± A double knock came from the door. ¡°Sorry. I hope I¡¯m not disturbing you.¡± A young stranger stood in the doorway. His short hair was already white, though he couldn¡¯t be much older than him. ¡°I heard your friend finally woke up. I wanted to see how he was doing.¡± ¡°And you are¡­?¡± Kai turned to Flynn since he appeared to know the intruder. His friend stared at the newcomer with a slightly stunned look. ¡°Uhm¡­ this is Oraine. He was a passenger on the Intrepid. And the one who pulled you out of the wreckage before Captain Karin found us.¡± Him¡­? ¡°I¡¯m so happy to finally meet you, Matthew.¡± Oraine offered his hand with a polite smile. ¡°Flynn was so worried you wouldn¡¯t wake. You must be great friends.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Kai stiffly shook his cold hand. There was something magnetic about the teen that made him unable to avert his gaze. It was more than the fact he was annoyingly handsome, or that his pale hair reflected a blue hue¡ªprobably for the light reflecting off the sea. Is it some kind of social skill? ¡°Thank you for saving my life then¡­ I don¡¯t remember seeing you aboard the Intrepid.¡± ¡°Uh, I get that a lot.¡± Oraine scratched his neck with an awkward smile. ¡°You see, I¡¯m not a fan of crowded spaces. I stayed in my cabin sleeping for most of the journey. It¡¯s a little embarrassing to admit, but I only realized we had been boarded by pirates when the sound wards failed. By then it was too late to do much.¡± You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Flynn gave him a pat. ¡°You did the best you could.¡± ¡°Mhmm¡­ thanks.¡± Oraine nodded weakly. Isn¡¯t that awfully convenient? ¡°Did you see a pirate when you rescued me?¡± His platinum eyebrows formed a small crease. ¡°A pirate¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Kai pushed through the headache to recall the nebulous details. ¡°A man dressed in black was trying to choke me. Then someone slit his throat¡­ was that you?¡± Being convalescent should give me a pass on social etiquette, right? ¡°I didn¡¯t see anyone else near you.¡± Oraine gave him an apologetic look. ¡°The sea was full of debris and bodies when the ship broke. Your head was also bleeding pretty badly. Is it possible you misremember what happened?¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± Kai wished to say he was certain of what he saw. Was he really? ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right.¡± I don¡¯t remember everything, but the crazy murderhobo definitely followed me¡­ ¡°Well, I should let you rest. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help. Flynn has told me some very interesting stories about you. We can talk more when you¡¯re feeling better.¡± Oraine dipped out of the cabin with an unnatural grace. What¡¯s his grade¡ª He froze in shock, uncomprehending. What Mana Observer told him didn¡¯t make any sense. ¡°He¡¯s a pretty great guy, isn¡¯t he?¡± Flynn grinned. ¡°He also convinced the captain to not take your ring in exchange for the bandages. I would have gone crazy if he wasn¡¯t there to listen to my rants.¡± ¡°Oraine is at the peak of Yellow,¡± Kai stammered, still dumbly staring at the door. His voice choked an octave higher. ¡°He can¡¯t be much older than you.¡± ¡°He¡¯s sixteen. Less than a year younger than me.¡± Flynn said as if that were nothing special. ¡°How¡ª how can he¡ª?¡± ¡°C¡¯mon, don¡¯t be jealous. You¡¯ll always be my number one pupil.¡± Flynn lightly slapped his back. ¡°We knew there would be kids with high grades on the mainland. From what Oraine told me about his family dramas, they aren¡¯t ordinary people. I think he ran away or something. And he most definitely wasn¡¯t born at the bottom of red.¡± * * * New Feat: Thrill Chaser - As if a crew of shady pirates wasn¡¯t enough, you¡¯ve called upon a mana storm and still lived to tell the tale. You are awarded: +3 Favor! Why are the descriptions getting more impertinent? The wording of the Guide should be based on his experiences and mature as he grew up. Well, it doesn¡¯t matter as long as I get the same reward. Kai rested his chin on the railing of the quarterdeck. Undulating waves tailed behind the Melenia on a blessedly peaceful sea and a sky without a cloud in sight. If the pirate fiasco was anything to go by, 80 Favor wasn¡¯t infallible. Perhaps 100? Or were there other people with high Luck among the raiders? Despite years of testing and research, the workings of Fate were not much clearer than the day he gained his first point. Virya had warned him the seventh attribute was notoriously unreliable. He could enjoy the good Fortune that befell him, but he should never rely upon it, lest it shall fail him when he needed it the most. Playing with Fate is like asking to get screwed. He summoned his status to raise his mood. Body stats Boons: Profession Skills: General Skills: He wasn¡¯t entirely sure what the domain of Favored Son of the Isles was since the fight against the black raiders earned him over three thousand XP alone. Perhaps the spirits like me stomping on murderous miscreants. Those guys did mention something about a god and a spy¡­ It was obvious they hadn¡¯t been simple buccaneers but part of some larger organization. Not that it mattered. Kai had no intention of crossing paths with those psychos again. There is enough to explore on land. The domain XP had pushed him a single step from evolving his profession. He wasn¡¯t sure what kind of options he would get, but three skill slots and boons were a permanent benefit he would carry to whatever he chose. Being two grades higher also eased the effort of raising his profession skills. Once they all reached level 100, there would be nothing stopping him from advancing Favored Son of the Isles. He¡¯d finally be able to face threats on an even playing field¡ªhe was sick and tired of being the underdog. My next enhancement isn¡¯t that far either. He had kept up a light training routine in Sylspring, though it was the storm that had tipped many skills to the next level. As always, the Guide rewarded extreme circumstances. ¡°Meow!¡± Hobbes rubbed against his inner leg to be picked up. The familiar had been more affectionate since he woke up yesterday. Kai cradled and scratched the silver furball, his violet eyes studying the blue expanse with open distaste. ¡°Mrooow.¡± ¡°Just endure it a little longer.¡± He wasn¡¯t surprised the teleporting feline had managed to follow them on the Melenia, though His Majesty was less than satisfied with the food on board. Kai¡¯s snacks, clothes and a large share of the alchemical tools had sunk with the ship, and he was among the lucky ones. I can rebuy everything once we get on shore. I got off light, considering anything I care about is stored in the ring. Captain Karin had taken them on board as by the unwritten law of the sea, though she wasn¡¯t above fleecing them of every valuable they had on them and making them scrub the decks. She did save our lives¡­ ¡°Mrow.¡± Hobbes glared at the white-haired teen. Oraine chatted with a group of young women, who giggled and smiled at anything he said. I agree, Kai petted his familiar¡¯s neck. Something¡¯s off about him. Hobbes liked the boy even less than he did. For someone who didn¡¯t like crowds, Oraine had already charmed everyone on board¡ªCaptain Karin included. Half the women were already swooning after him¡ªand some of the men too. It must have been him who killed the surviving pirates¡­ But why would he lie? Despite being at Yellow ¡ï¡ï¡ï, Oraine¡¯s profession looked in the early stages of Orange. He couldn¡¯t have defeated every raider by himself, could he? He was simply born with a better starting point. His skills can¡¯t be higher than mine. ¡°You¡¯ll get cross-eyed if you keep glaring.¡± Flynn mused behind him. ¡°You know just because someone is more handsome and stronger than you, it doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re evil.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡± He¡¯s older, I¡¯ve got plenty of time to catch up to him. Flynn arched an eyebrow with an amused look. ¡°Fine. It¡¯s not just that. I¡¯ve asked around. I¡¯ve talked with almost twenty survivors from the Intrepid, and none of them remember seeing him board the ship.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve investigated him?¡± ¡°Of course. Lower your voice,¡± Kai hissed. ¡°Can¡¯t you see how suspicious he is?¡± ¡°He saved your life. I saw him pull you out of the sea myself.¡± And he also went out of his way to kill half a dozen pirates and lied about it. ¡°I¡¯m grateful for his help, and I¡¯m not saying he¡¯s a bad person. But he¡¯s hiding something,¡± Kai whispered. ¡°Did you notice anything odd about him when he pulled me out of the water?¡± ¡°It was dark. He left you on a piece of drifting wood and dove again. Probably to save more people.¡± ¡°Did you not see him reemerge or where he went? Was he holding any weapon?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to drop this, are you?¡± Flynn sighed audibly. He didn¡¯t wait for an obvious answer. ¡°I¡¯ll help you look into it, but if there is nothing, you promise to let this go?¡± ¡°On your life,¡± Kai vowed, a hand resting over his heart. Flynn shook his head with a rueful smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know if anybody told you, but that¡¯s not how promises work. Anyway, I¡¯ve spoken with someone who recognized Oraine from the Intrepid. So we can drop that thread.¡± ¡°Really¡­?¡± His eyebrows climbed in surprise. Wait! Were you investigating him too¡­? Flynn innocently ignored his glances. ¡°It was that girl over there.¡± He pointed to one of the women who were chatting with Oraine earlier. ¡°She remembered him quite vividly.¡± ¡°You mean the one with the reddish hair?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not possible. I talked to her this morning. She was also surprised to not remember him.¡± Chapter 260 - Troubling Conjectures Chapter 260 - Troubling Conjectures A breeze swept the prow of the Melenia. Kai stretched his hands over the hull in defiance of his fears. Blue motes swirled around his fingertips, creating barely a tingle. Captain Karin had said they were in a Red-1 area¡ªpitifully low by most standards. He still had to wrap his head around the idea that beasts could be everywhere around them and that it was considered normal. How do they let their kids outside if an awakened creature could swoop down at any moment? Perhaps that was why people chose to cross the Vanean Sea to relax in the archipelago. There hadn¡¯t been a point in classifying the ambient density at home since every area outside Veeryd was Red-0¡ªunable to awaken or sustain the weakest of beasts. Mom was right. We were blessed. Being born at the bottom of Red had always irked Kai, though there were clear advantages he¡¯d taken for granted. At least before the Republic extended their grubby hands¡­ The Spirits knew how the islands would look in a decade, or a century. It was strange to think he¡¯d live to see it. Humans at his grade could comfortably reach a couple hundred years if they advanced young. He¡¯d probably live even longer if he managed his¡­ calculated risks. Problems for another day. The Melenia would dock in Varsea the next day. He knew nothing about the port town except it was almost one hundred miles north of Arphusa, where they had originally intended to land. All the plans, routes and contacts they had carefully arranged had to be scrapped¡ªnot at all the gentle landing he had envisioned with Reishi and Valela. I must find a way to contact them. ¡°You don¡¯t like the ocean,¡± a melodic voice mused behind him. Kai turned to find Oraine studying him with a half-smile, his pale locks disheveled by the wind. Despite only wearing a plain cotton shirt and pants, he looked like he had walked out of a fashion show¡ªat least he wasn¡¯t that much taller. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to startle you.¡± Oraine leaned on the railing beside Kai. He looked so at ease it was hard not to share in his mood. ¡°Flynn told me a lot of stories about you while you were recovering. I¡¯ve been quite eager to meet with you.¡± Great. I¡¯ve got another stalker. Kai fumbled in place, debating whether to dip with an excuse. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t believe everything, Flynn likes to exaggerate.¡± There were no whispers of warning. They say curiosity killed the cat. Does having a magical link to a familiar count? ¡°I like the sea,¡± he blurted out in response to the earlier statement. The stupidly handsome face tinged with puzzlement. ¡°You do?¡± ¡°I grew up on an island by the beach.¡± ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t explain myself properly.¡± Oraine bobbed his head in sudden realization. ¡°The shore is quite different from the deep ocean. It¡¯d be like comparing corals and pearls. They¡¯re completely different.¡± Okay¡­ definitely not from around here. ¡°I see. And how did you end up on this magnificent vessel?¡± ¡°Same as you. Boarded the wrong ship, got attacked by pirates and stranded by a storm. An interesting week altogether.¡± Oraine chuckled. ¡°What about before?¡± Kai gave him a once-over. ¡°You look like someone who could afford better than the Intrepid.¡± The only item of value Oraine wore was a bracelet of seashells¡ªKai bet it hid a cloaked enchantment. Either way, no one who reached Yellow ¡ï¡ï¡ï at sixteen could be poor. ¡°Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t consider all the logistics when I left.¡± Oraine watched the waves with a rueful smile. ¡°My mother already had the next seven centuries of my life planned out. Every day was like being smothered by the sun until I couldn¡¯t stand it any longer.¡± Powerful and loaded parents, check. Rebellious teenager, check. ¡°You ran away from home?¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± Oraine bit his lip. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯d prefer not to talk about my family. They¡¯re a whirlpool of endless deceptions.¡± Kai nodded, he could understand that. Before he realized it, hours flew by, and he was swayed from his investigation. The two chatted about everything, from life goals to their shared love for seafood¡ªthey agreed that crustaceans were far superior to mollusks. Aside from a few evasive answers, Oraine was nothing but pleasant and easy to talk to. He laughed at Kai¡¯s jokes, carefully listened to his responses, and respected his boundaries in return. Damn, he¡¯s good. It was already self-evident the young man had an unconventional upbringing and might be from a foreign kingdom. Yet, despite a few strange sayings and experiences, Kai wasn¡¯t any closer to guessing his identity. All places outside the archipelago were equally exotic to him. Perhaps that woman had just misremembered¡­ This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. * * * ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure. He boarded together with my family.¡± The girl lifted her chin, lips pursed in annoyance at the repeated questions. ¡°Oraine¡¯s not someone you forget easily. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I¡¯ve chores to do. That witch is going to charge me silver if I don¡¯t scrub the kitchens.¡± Her honey hair swept over her shoulders as she marched below deck, cursing Captain Karin¡¯s exploitative blackmails. The Melenia was perhaps a third the size of the Intrepid, and the fifty wreckage survivors had spilled into every free spot. Kai and Flynn went to the taffrail around the stern to let the waves cover their words. ¡°That¡¯s the fourth person to change their story. Something¡¯s off,¡± Kai said. They had waited for Oraine to retire to his cabin before continuing their investigation. The more passengers they talked to, the more people suddenly remembered seeing or talking to him on the Intrepid. Some even mentioned knowing him for months prior to embarking, adding details with every retelling. If Kai hadn¡¯t known better, he¡¯d have suspected the entire ship was pulling an elaborate prank. He wouldn¡¯t let anyone play with his mind, or Flynn¡¯s. His friend was already known to fall for people fast and could be an easy target. ¡°Everyone was shaken after the pirates and the storm. They might have confused Rain with someone else when you first talked to them?¡± Flynn¡¯s tone lacked much of his usual confidence. ¡°I¡¯ve chatted with him more than anyone else, but I still don¡¯t remember seeing him before the wreckage.¡± Rain¡­? You¡¯ve already got a nickname for him? Kai scratched his brow, looking for any bias in his own suspicions. It was technically possible everything was just a series of unlikely coincidences¡ªthe Fate Fulcrum had proven how far those could reach. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m jumping to conclusions¡­?¡± If Oraine was some kind of mind mage, he would have had every opportunity to manipulate his memories during their conversation. The fact Kai didn¡¯t trust him any more than he had this morning sowed some doubts. Was it some elaborate scheme? Or does he just have ridiculously high social skills? ¡°No, you¡¯re definitely right. Rain¡¯s hiding something.¡± Flynn perused the sea with a lost gaze. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s plotting some evil scheme. You should know better than anyone that people are entitled to their secrets, Matthew.¡± Touch¨¦. ¡°He did slit the throat of a pirate when he pulled me out of the sea.¡± Kai drummed his fingers on the taffrail. The images of the man intent on strangling him were slowly growing clearer. ¡°And he must have also killed other raiders in the wreckage.¡± Not typical teenage behavior, that was for sure. ¡°And is that a bad thing¡­?¡± A rogue wave splashed against the stern, sending a salty drizzle into their faces. ¡°No¡­¡± Kai dried his face on a sleeve, ignoring the burn in his eyes. ¡°But he did lie about it. And he''s messing with people¡¯s heads. If he wasn¡¯t on the Intrepid, where did he come from?¡± Flynn raked a hand through his hair. ¡°He couldn¡¯t be part of those cultish pirates if he killed them¡­ Maybe he was a prisoner on their ship and escaped in the chaos?¡± ¡°Mhmm¡­¡± Kai shook his head. ¡°The chaos was only on the Intrepid. Remember their leader was at Green. He must have sailed away as soon as the storm got bad.¡± ¡°Where else could Rain be? There were only two ships.¡± Flynn watched the clouds with a thin grin. ¡°Unless he fell from the sky.¡± None of this makes sense¡­ Both fell quiet, each trying to make heads or tails of the situation. There were too many unanswered questions hanging around Oraine for Kai to let it go. What type of person was comfortable killing people and convincing strangers that they were old acquaintances? Should I just ignore it? Two more days and we¡¯ll be on the mainland¡­ The breeze ruffled Kai¡¯s hair. Leaving a mystery unsolved went against his deepest nature, though he had to admit that it might be the wiser choice in this case. After getting almost strangled and drowning, he could appreciate the benefits of a more cautious approach. ¡°Maybe I should just speak with him,¡± Flynn blurted out. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I could ask Rain for an explanation. That¡¯s the easiest solution. There could be some obvious explanation that we¡¯re missing.¡± ¡°Absolutely not. You¡¯re not going to tell a potential mind scrambler you know about his secrets!¡± ¡°Now, you are the one being dramatic. Rain¡¯s not going to harm me.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± Kai whispered. ¡°You¡¯ve met him less than a week ago.¡± Skills like Acting made this level of deception trivial. For all they knew, Oraine¡¯s affable demeanor was a front to hide his thirst for blood. ¡°What do you propose we do then?¡± Kai wet his lips to force out the abominable word. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Nothing¡­?¡± Flynn sounded even more surprised than him. ¡°Nothing.¡± The word burned his throat. ¡°The Melenia will dock tomorrow. We pay the captain and go our separate ways.¡± It¡¯s the smartest choice. I only take calculated risks, and this one isn¡¯t worth it. If Oraine was truly a mind mage, the best-case scenario was that he charmed them to forget, the worst case¡­ Kai shuddered. To have their whole personality rewritten and become a puppet with no will. He had no idea if that was a possibility¡ªprobably not at their grade. The scant information he possessed on such magic came from footnotes in Virya¡¯s books, but not knowing the exact power and limitations only made it scarier. Another day and we won¡¯t need to meet aga¡ª ¡°Matthew,¡± a voice squawked, elderly but distinctly female¡ªthe terror of every survivor on board. Captain Karin strode toward them, her lips pressed into a severe line. A wide-brimmed hat hid her mop of gray hair and weathered face. ¡°You look chipper today. Feeling better, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°A little¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already paid for him.¡± Flynn glowered. ¡°You¡¯ve paid to let him sleep in a cabin and for his food. Transport on my ship isn¡¯t free. I¡¯ve already incurred numerous costs to provide for your sad lot. To not even mention the lost opportunities for this detour.¡± Flynn clenched his jaw, spitting fire from his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve already given you a gold mesar!¡± ¡°Such a cheap price to save two young lives.¡± Karin scratched her crooked nose with two fingers. ¡°I¡¯ve already given you all I had.¡± I thought Flynn was exaggerating, but she really wants to milk every last piece of copper from us. ¡°I¡¯ll pay you when we get to Varsea,¡± Kai said. ¡°I¡¯ve got some family there. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll lend me a little money for your troubles.¡± That was an excuse as good as any to hide his ring. ¡°Family?¡± Karin watched him skeptically. ¡°And I imagine you¡¯re willing to put that on paper?¡± ¡°Of course. I should be able to gather twenty silvers.¡± Just because he was rich, there was no need to throw away his money. That should be more than enough to buy a place on this ship. ¡°Do I look like a mendicant to you?¡± The captain scowled. ¡°I¡¯m entitled to compensation by the Republic¡¯s law. Your lives are worth at least one more gold.¡± ¡°Do we look that rich to you?¡± Kai gestured to his bedraggled clothes from the storm. ¡°You can have those mesars in your hand as soon as we land.¡± ¡°Eighty silvers." ¡°Fifty is the most I can do. I¡¯ve not seen my cousins in Varsea in many years. They won¡¯t part with more than that.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± Karin spat into the sea. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare the papers.¡± She marched off. ¡°Why did you agree?¡± Flynn growled once she was out of earshot. ¡°She¡¯s fleecing us ''cause we can¡¯t fight back.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true we would have died if it wasn¡¯t for her ship,¡± Kai said. ¡°Now we¡¯ve paid our debt. When we land, we can forget about her too.¡± And this whole cursed trip. * * * The Melenia gently rocked under the moons. Kai stretched his arms, yawning. The captain had turned even a simple signature into a complicated affair. He was eager to close his eyes and wake up on land. I¡¯m not giving her a chip more. Kai stepped into his cabin, ready to slip into his dreams, when he noticed someone was already present. ¡°Hi,¡± Oraine sat on the lumpy cot, his pointy canines gave his smile a playful edge. ¡°Sorry for disturbing you so late. I¡¯ve heard you¡¯ve been asking questions about me.¡± Oh, fuck¡­ Any speck of drowsiness had fled his mind. Kai summoned Water mana to his fingertips, ready to defend himself. ¡°There is no need for that.¡± Oraine looked at him, amused, as if he were a puppy who had performed a particularly difficult trick. ¡°I¡¯ve just come to talk.¡± Chapter 261 - Chances Chapter 261 - Chances The door stuttered close behind Kai, creaking on rusty hinges. Body Augmentation rushed into his legs. He was confident in bolting outside, but where could he run? I¡¯m on a ship, miles from land. Shouting for help would accomplish nothing. Oraine could simply feign ignorance, the eerie teen was far more adept at dealing with people than him. If he could convince the other survivors they knew him, he could definitely turn them on him. With one last squeak, the door swung closed, trapping Kai in the narrow cabin. Hallowed Intuition was silent, though so little made sense about the white-haired boy, he didn¡¯t know whether he should trust it. As his teachers taught him, every skill had a counter. Blessed Spirits! Why can¡¯t I catch a breath? Oraine leaned comfortably against the boards of the wall, less than two meters away¡ªit would not even take a step to cross the distance for someone at the peak of Yellow. There wasn¡¯t a hint of worry on his handsome face, or a flutter of mana to show he was preparing a spell. ¡°Please, make yourself comfortable, Matthew.¡± He gestured him to take a seat. ¡°It¡¯s your room.¡± Then why are you in it? Left without a better option, Kai sat at the very end of his cot, rigid like a block of wood. The air felt unbearably stuffy. He dried his sweaty palms on the sheet, keeping his fingers spread to avoid fidgeting. ¡°You can relax. I don¡¯t mean any harm to you.¡± Oraine smiled reassuringly. He took out an obsidian pearl speckled with gold from nowhere. Kai took a second to realize the flecks of gold were a network of minute lines and symbols. They weren¡¯t in any of the runic alphabets he knew, though he recognized the mana web that covered the room: a privacy ward¡ªthe most elaborate he had ever seen. Not creepy at all. Layers of functions were hidden within the foreign enchantments. He bet no one would hear a thing even if he were to scream and bang his fists on the door. ¡°I thought we¡¯d better have some discretion for this conversation.¡± Oraine brushed it off and pocketed the pearl. ¡°The arrays of this ship are quite abysmal.¡± Why does that sound like serial killer talk? ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Just to avoid any misunderstanding. It was you who inquired about me with the other survivors of the Intrepid.¡± Oraine bit his lip, the first sign of hesitation. ¡°I thought it¡¯d be easier if we were straightforward. I didn¡¯t mean to alarm you.¡± Hmm¡­ Is this all a ruse? I guess it doesn¡¯t matter at this point. Kai released his hold on Water mana. If the teen had done half of what he suspected, fighting would only worsen his position. ¡°If you don''t want to alarm someone: try not turning up in their room in the middle of the night.¡± ¡°Mhmm¡­ I thought you¡¯d have avoided me otherwise. There wasn¡¯t any other place for a private talk on this ship.¡± You can bet on it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I asked questions behind your back, but some things about your story didn¡¯t make sense.¡± Kai watched carefully in case the boy took offense at the accusation. Oraine sat crossed-legged on the lumpy cot and leaned forward with an amused grin. ¡°Really? I thought I did pretty well with it. No one else suspected anything. What gave me away?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Kai mumbled to take time. He hadn¡¯t expected the teen to confess so readily. ¡°The pirate who tried to kill me after the Intrepid sank had his throat slit in front of me, and someone dragged me away. When you lied about it, everything else was just a matter of piecing together the clues.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Oraine furrowed his pale brows. ¡°You were bleeding a lot when I saw you amidst the wreckage. When that man tried to choke you, I thought you might not make it if I didn¡¯t act quickly¡­¡± Kai blinked, once more surprised by his frankness. ¡°So it was you!¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ wasn¡¯t the point that you had figured it out already?¡± ¡°I¡ª yes¡­¡± Despite his suspicions, there had been too many missing details to be certain of what had happened. ¡°You saved my life. Thank you¡­¡± Oraine tilted his head and gave him a long, perplexed look. ¡°Flynn did say you were quite odd.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just¡­" His face burned fiercely. ¡°Why did you lie about it?¡± ¡°I was trying not to attract attention¡­¡± Oraine wrapped his arms around himself, looking at the dark sea out of the porthole. ¡°It wasn¡¯t something planned. Leaving home, I mean. I just left our convoy to get a break from my mother when a current pushed me toward the storm. When I saw the wreckage, it was obvious the humans using Darkness were the ones who caused it¡­¡± Left his convoy? Did he just jump into the sea? Guess it¡¯s my fault for using the Fulcrum¡­ ¡°Who are you exactly?¡± Kai asked, unable to suppress his curiosity. Oraine snapped out of his stupor, perhaps realizing he had said more than he meant. ¡°It¡¯s complicated.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to be straightforward?¡± Kai silently cursed his big mouth. Possible explanations fluttered in his mind, one crazier than the other. Can he be¡­ ¡°Hmm¡­ are you also going to tell me who you really are?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I heard you were a reclusive alchemist, but you and Flynn have also been friends for years.¡± Oraine grinned. ¡°For someone unused to social interactions, you were pretty apt at figuring me out.¡± The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯ve also got a spatial artifact on your finger. They should be somewhat rare.¡± Kai covered his silver ring with the other hand. ¡°How¡ª¡± ¡°I was only half sure before you confirmed it.¡± Oraine flashed a pointy smirk. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to trick you. It¡¯s an old habit.¡± Well¡­ I¡¯m fucked. ¡°You¡¯re right. I shouldn¡¯t have pried into your identity.¡± Kai sagely nodded. This sounded like the perfect opportunity to cut his losses. ¡°If that was everything, I¡¯d like to rest on my bed. Tomorrow will be a busy day.¡± Oraine looked about to stand up for one beautiful second, then he shook his head and slumped back down. ¡°I¡¯d also like to get to know you better. Flynn said you¡¯re also new to the continental territories of the Merian Republic, perhaps we could explore the town together tomorrow¡­?¡± The bright hazel eyes nailed him with tentative optimism. Kai almost said yes. ¡°I¡ª¡± ¡°Of course, there is no commitment,¡± Oraine rambled. ¡°You¡¯re the closest to my age and grade. So, I thought it could be interesting to explore the town together. To see if it could work.¡± Maybe he¡¯s not a serial killer¡­ An easy path blinked in his mind. Kai could have led along this naive rich boy, and disappeared the next day, but the teen had also saved his life. He at least owed him honesty. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea¡­¡± ¡°Oh.¡± His buoyant face froze into a blank mask. ¡°May I ask why?¡± ¡°You made other passengers believe they saw you on the Intrepid.¡± ¡°It was the only way to blend in.¡± He held his gaze with a hopeful glimmer. ¡°I swear it won¡¯t do them any harm. The charm will vanish in a couple of weeks. It will be like nothing ever happened.¡± So you say¡­ ¡°How can I know you won¡¯t mess with my or Flynn¡¯s mind? If you haven¡¯t already.¡± ¡°I would never do that!¡± Oraine stood up, looking livid. His mana fluctuated wildly, and voice choked up ¡°I¡­ sorry, this was a mistake.¡± Before Kai could speak a word, the teen stormed out of the cabin faster than he could follow. The steps thumped quickly away, disappearing into the creaking of the old ship. Why does it feel like I¡¯ve bullied a kid? Kai couldn¡¯t invite a teen of mysterious origins and powers to join them. Between the Republic and his fake identity, they had enough problems without whatever baggage Oraine carried. It¡¯s the only sensible choice. He just hadn¡¯t expected Oraine to react so intensely to his rejection. I should check on Flynn. Kai ran out of his room, trying to recall the structure of the ship. What if the boy was upset enough to harm them? He had admitted he could charm people¡¯s minds. A sleepy sailor cursed after Kai when he cut him off to get on the deck. Mana Observer swept ahead of him till he found the familiar signature. Flynn was playing cards with a mixed group of seamen and passengers. He also spotted him and waved him closer. ¡°Mat, why don¡¯t you join us?¡± ¡°Maybe later. I need to talk to you. Right now.¡± ¡°Huh, sorry guys. Looks like I must close it here for tonight.¡± He picked up a dozen pieces of silver from the floor and exchanged quick goodbyes with the group. ¡°It was a pleasure playing with you.¡± ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t have any money,¡± Kai whispered when they were further away. ¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t.¡± Flynn winked. ¡°The captain isn¡¯t so stingy with her crew, and they wanted to share. Anyway, what¡¯s so urgent?¡± ¡°Oraine.¡± ¡°What about Rain?¡± ¡°Not here.¡± Kai led him back into his tiny cabin. There were indeed few places to talk aboard the crowded ship. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Flynn picked an obsidian pearl covered in golden enchantments from the sheets of his cot. ¡°It looks expensive.¡± ¡°It must have fallen from Oraine¡¯s pocket.¡± Kai took the item, poking it with a filament of mana till the privacy wards expanded to cover the exact confines of the room. Neat. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we give it back?¡± ¡°Of course. We can do it tomorrow.¡± After I¡¯ve got time to study it. They must have painted these runes with a single hair to get them so small. ¡°I¡¯d rather not bother him tonight.¡± Kai recounted his conversation with Oraine, the sudden ambush, the lies he admitted and how he left. There were still several unanswered questions since he hadn¡¯t been bold enough to push. ¡°I think we should keep our distance till we reach land... Uh, why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think you were a little harsh?¡± Flynn pursed his lips and drummed his fingers on his knee. ¡°He hasn¡¯t done anything to us, except saving your life.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he lowered his gaze. ¡°But what if one day he gets angry and decides to make us disappear? Who¡¯s going to stop him?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s going to stop you if you decide to turn me into a dashing ice sculpture and sell me for profit?¡± Flynn mimed a pose with his face frozen in dramatic agony. ¡°That¡¯s not the same thing.¡± Kai raised his eyes at the antics. ¡°You know me.¡± ¡°I know you now. But you could have done much the same when we met.¡± He raised a hand to stop his objections. ¡°Oraine rid us of a group of murderous pirates and didn¡¯t harm anyone else.¡± ¡°How can you say that when he messed with people¡¯s thoughts? And we still have no idea who or what he is. He just popped out in the middle of the ocean!¡± ¡°His background can¡¯t be any crazier than yours, can it?¡± Flynn chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re from another planet altogether, where people communicate across continents with a magical net and glowing boxes.¡± ¡°The internet and phones aren¡¯t magic.¡± ¡°Yeah, right. You can speak with people thousands of miles away, but it¡¯s not magic.¡± Flynn raised the corner of his mouth and slapped his forehead as if that were obvious. ¡°I assume flying to your single Moon wasn¡¯t either. They just built a tall ladder.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t reincarnate with a library in my head. It¡¯s complicated to explain. And that only proves you should have stayed away from me too. It doesn¡¯t change the situation with Oraine.¡± ¡°Look, Kai.¡± Flynn abandoned his cheeky grin. ¡°I know you two aren¡¯t exactly compatible, and I¡¯m not saying we should become best friends with him, but we could hear him out and see how it goes. Sometimes it¡¯s worth taking a chance on people. That¡¯s how we became friends.¡± Now you¡¯re playing dirty. His newly built palace of caution cracked under the unfair assault. Flynn¡¯s reasoning might not be entirely nonsense. If Oraine hadn¡¯t tried anything when Kai accused him of playing with their minds, they probably didn¡¯t run any risk by chatting. ¡°Tell me. How much of your eagerness to give Rain a chance is because he¡¯s obnoxiously pretty?¡± Flynn rubbed his stubble with a pensive look. ¡°I¡¯d say about the same amount as you dislike him for being stronger than you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m two years younger.¡± I¡¯ll catch up! ¡°Of course you are.¡± The grinning boy leaned to ruffle his hair. ¡°And you also hate the idea of trusting someone without being in complete control.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that much of a control freak,¡± Kai grumbled. ¡°¡­am I?¡± Flynn put his index and thumb close to each other. ¡°Just a tiny bit. So, do we talk to Rain to hear him out? If he does anything suspicious, we can ditch him faster than you ditch buying groceries on me.¡± ~ ~ ~ Rain rested his chin on his knees. He fiddled with the bracelet his sisters had gifted him for his sixteenth birthday, a shell to remind him of each of them¡ªMeirylla included. Why am I so bad at this? Everything had been going so well. He had managed to break his mother¡¯s geas and somehow lose her guardians in the storm. He had even found someone his own age who liked him for him, and not for his family or to exact revenge for some millennia-old feud. All he had to do was befriend one more person, and still, he failed. Of course humans would be unsettled if they found he could sway their minds. They didn¡¯t know the difference between a passing charm or enthralling their spirit. Guess I proved the stereotypes right. He had done exactly what his mother taught him, swept aside an inconvenience without blinking. It had seemed so natural, easy even. Among the Abyssal Houses, if someone was foolish enough to be charmed or entranced, they would have been laughed off for being weak-willed. There was a reason why he left. Perhaps Lydiene had been right: swimming to the surface wouldn¡¯t solve any problem. No, that was the best decision of my life. Every breath of this sweltering air was more freeing than¡ª A knock made him jolt to his feet, proud he didn¡¯t stumble. Despite all his Dexterity, he was still getting used to their weird shape and articulations. No one should disturb him at this hour. He had swayed the captain to leave him this puny room¡ªthough he didn¡¯t feel particularly bad about her. Is that wrong? ¡°Rain?¡± A familiar voice called. ¡°Are you awake?¡± This time he almost tripped to open the door. ¡°Flynn, I don¡¯t know what Matthew told you, but I never¡ª¡± His gaze landed on the shorter boy behind. Self-Mastery barely managed to keep his face from turning ruby red. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you. Come in.¡± Mother would drown laughing if she saw me. The two friends stepped inside. Flynn flashed a quick smile while Matthew admired the squalor of his quarters with a critical eye. ¡°Flynn made me realize I might not have been entirely fair when we talked earlier.¡± The suspicious human sat on his bed with a grumpy look. ¡°So I¡¯m giving this one chance.¡± Chapter 262 - Land Chapter 262 - Land Kai and Flynn sat on the bed, the cabin was double the size of their own. A warm crystal illuminated a table and a chest to store personal effects. There was even an array to control the temperature, keeping the room chillier than outside. Did he charm the captain or pay for it? Huh¡­ do I even care? Oraine slumped on a chair with his knee up. Even if he had left home without packing, his pocket change must be counted in gold. From the relaxed smile he wore, Kai would have never guessed they had been arguing less than an hour ago. I need to get some answers. Kai tapped his foot and shifted his gaze between the two teens, unsure of how to break the silence. Flynn had an innocent smile that meant he was silently mouthing words at Oraine. Too late for regrets. ¡°So, Rain,¡± Kai tried to make his voice not sound adversarial and jumped straight to the point. ¡°Where are you from?¡± The sooner he could escape this awkwardness, the better. ¡°Mat.¡± Flynn threw him a meaningful glance. I never said I¡¯d pick your stray without asking questions. ¡°He doesn¡¯t need to tell us everything.¡± Kai looked at the mysterious young man. ¡°You¡¯ve clearly got a complicated background and I need to know if it¡¯s coming to bite us.¡± Oraine straightened his slanted posture. ¡°I don¡¯t think my family will bother us where we¡¯re going. But if one of my mother''s guardians finds me, I¡¯ll do anything to keep you out of it. May the Restless Devourer consume my soul if I break this vow.¡± He drew three fingers over his face. Kai had never heard of a god with such an epithet, though that wasn¡¯t surprising. Belief carried power. Despite their tolerance of the local faith, the Church of the Seven Moons didn¡¯t allow proselytization of foreign religions. Or he¡¯s playing on our ignorance¡­ ¡°Thank you. You didn¡¯t have to swear such a heavy oath. But we appreciate it,¡± Flynn said, tapping his back. ¡°Yeah.¡± Kai bobbed his head. I gotta give a little trust to receive it. Reishi will know if it¡¯s real. ¡°It was only fair.¡± Oraine watched them expectantly and fidgeted with the bracelet of shells. When they stared back with a perplexed look, the look deepened into a frown. ¡°It should already be obvious from what I¡¯ve told you¡­ You know I¡¯m a siren, right?¡± What? Kai stiffened, and his mana gathered on instinct before he settled it down. He had his slew of suspicions, from a runaway royal to a shapeshifter crime lord. Still, his brain failed to formulate an appropriate response. To have someone admit they weren¡¯t human, and part of such a notorious race¡­ Guess that explains the charms¡­. ¡°But you have no fishtail.¡± Flynn pointed at the pair of normal human legs. Oraine beamed with pride. ¡°Yes, it was my first time morphing.¡± ¡°Wait! You can just grow a pair of legs like this?¡± He snapped his fingers. ¡°It¡¯s not that quick or easy, but I¡¯m glad they came out well.¡± The siren stretched his legs, even their mana flow was indistinguishable from a human¡¯s. ¡°It was my first time trying such a large morph at least. No one told me how¡­ unpleasant it would be, but they¡¯re quite practical out of the sea.¡± Flynn looked ready to poke them to figure out the trick. ¡°Can you grow your tail back? Can you show me?¡± ¡°Yes. And not now. As I said, it¡¯s not a pleasant process.¡± ¡°Oh, sorry. I¡ª I wasn¡¯t thinking.¡± He leaned back on the bed, still looking dazed. ¡°I¡¯m really talking with a siren.¡± ¡°As far as I know. I can show you this if you want.¡± Oraine pointed to his right brown eye. Its shade slowly lightened till the iris turned an amethyst color. ¡°How does it look?¡± He blinked at them. ¡°That¡¯s incredible.¡± Flynn clapped his hands. ¡°You can change anything?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s only minor alterations outside my tail. And removing is always faster.¡± ¡°You mean that¡¯s your real color? What else did you change?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to attract attention¡­¡± Okay, I¡¯m out. ¡°I¡¯ve got a bit of a headache. I¡¯ll see you in the morning.¡± Kai cleared his throat and retreated toward the door. The two barely gave him a distracted goodbye before returning to their conversation. * * * The stripe of land and greenery in the distance made Kai breathe easier¡ªthe continent was within reach. If he dove into the waters, he could swim to the safety of shore. Varsea waited behind a ridge, just a few miles away. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. That anonymous rocky coast wasn¡¯t where he had intended to go, but he had reached the mainland nonetheless. Fourteen years of waiting were coming to an end. He only had to contact Valela to get things back on track. Like the greedy fish said, enough gold can solve any problem. They must have a way to communicate over large distances. My troubles are on the ship. ¡°Welcome back among the living.¡± Kai turned to see Flynn stumble onto the stern of the Melenia with a patchy backpack. ¡°Had trouble sleeping?¡± ¡°Morning,¡± he yawned. ¡°We talked into the night. Rain has seen so many interesting places and people.¡± He hung an arm overboard toward the rolling waves and lowered his voice. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s ordinary, even by their standards.¡± Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be Mr. Perfect. A soft breeze brought a smell of pines and trees Kai had never smelled before. He would have liked to wring Flynn for any useful information about their fishy friend, but from the dark circles under his eyes, that¡¯d have to wait. ¡°When did you go to sleep?¡± ¡°Sometime after dawn. I think.¡± The boy crossed his arms on the taffrail to rest his head. ¡°I lost track of time. I just need a little nap. Sorr¡ª¡± he covered another yawn. ¡°Can you¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wake you when we reach the dock.¡± ¡°Mhmm¡­ You¡¯re the best.¡± Flynn slumped down on the floorboards with his bag as a pillow and dozed off in seconds. He¡¯s completely lost. Kai sat beside him to make sure he didn¡¯t roll over. This wasn¡¯t how he had imagined spending the last hours before landing on the mainland. Then again, he hadn¡¯t expected to get shipwrecked either. Or to have a siren in tow. That¡¯s too much adventure for a journey across the sea. His mind still swirled to decide how he felt about their new companion. Having lived in the archipelago, Kai had heard all kinds of stories about sirens from sailors and merchants. Forbidden loves, men lured beneath the waves by songs, and crews who disappeared with only chewed bones left behind. Sailors liked to mix love and horror. He had no way to distinguish truth from myth. Sirens growing legs were rare, but not unheard of. Kai had considered it a narrative device for shocking revelations, and fixing anatomical problems in passionate scenes with sailors. He had also heard sirens would turn into foam away from the sea¡ªwhich clearly wasn¡¯t true. All the knowledge on Elydes was useless if he couldn¡¯t distinguish the lies. The only source he trusted was Virya. The mage had mentioned other races in passing; her lessons about sirens could be summarized with cunning, fascinating and dangerous creatures¡ªoverall, best to avoid if he cared for his life. Too late for tha¡ª ¡°Hi.¡± Rain walked up to them, his face glowing like any other day. He glanced at the snoring fool on the floor. ¡°Is he okay?¡± ¡°He¡¯s just tired.¡± Kai scooted over to make space for him. ¡°You¡¯re an entire grade above him. I don¡¯t know about¡­ your family, but he still needs rest.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The siren looked down with guilt. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t think of that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. He¡¯s not a child.¡± Kai was tempted to poke Flynn''s face. See, now you left me alone with him. Passengers filled the deck and cheered at the closing land with eager chatter. ¡°I¡¯ll add it to your debt if you bother my crew.¡± Captain Karin shouted. She also glanced at them but didn¡¯t approach. Bless the spirits. A thin bubble of mana enveloped them. Rain gestured toward a green shell on his wrist. ¡°It¡¯s a ward to block sound. I didn¡¯t want Flynn to be woken by the ruckus.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ next time warn me before you use some magic.¡± ¡°I will.¡± The siren gave a pointy grin. ¡°I couldn¡¯t find my other privacy ward. Have you seen it by chance?¡± Damn, he knows. Kai reluctantly took out the obsidian pearl. ¡°Here. You forgot it in my cabin.¡± Even with Runic Scholar and Arcane Enchanting it would take weeks to get anything useful from the unknown runes. ¡°Thank you for finding it. Why don¡¯t you keep it? I¡¯ve already got this.¡± Raine jiggled his bracelet of shells. ¡°Are you serious?¡± Kai admired the delicate web of golden runes, biting his cheek. ¡°It looks expensive.¡± No, I can¡¯t accept this bribe! No matter how much it shines. ¡°I picked it from a drawer of old trinkets. My mother didn¡¯t even realize it was gone. Here, let me show you how it works.¡± Rain casually summoned two dozen filaments of mana to control the pearl¡¯s various wards. ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a chore to tune, but quite flexible.¡± Dammit. ¡°I¡¯ll take it then.¡± Kai discreetly pocketed it into his ring. The explanation would prove extremely useful to decode the foreign runes. ¡°It¡¯s very generous of you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really nothing.¡± Rain brushed it off. ¡°I know you''d have rather stayed without me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­¡± Kai decided to not insult him with a lie. ¡°There have been many surprises between the pirates and the wreckage. And I just¡­¡± ¡°Feel as if your control is slipping away and you don¡¯t want a new unknown in your life?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kai tilted his head. He couldn''t have put it better himself. ¡°Is that another of your siren powers?¡± ¡°Just something I was taught,¡± Rain said with a rueful smile. ¡°Mother said I always had a knack for understanding people.¡± Is there something he isn¡¯t good at? ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like a bad thing¡­¡± ¡°The better you understand someone, the easier they are to sway,¡± he said. Then he snapped his head toward him. ¡°Not that I would ever do that to either of you.¡± Oh, fuck. ¡°Hmm.¡± Kai forced himself to nod, grateful to be sitting so he couldn¡¯t step away. Rain leaned toward him, nailing him with his gaze. ¡°I know you¡¯re not familiar with sirens, but to enthrall someone who trusts you is an irredeemable sin for the Deep and people alike. I would never sway someone after I offered them my friendship.¡± Like you said, I¡¯ve only your word to go off. ¡°I understand.¡± Rain sighed as if he could read his thoughts. ¡°You won¡¯t have to worry about it for long anyway.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°That¡ª Matthew, can I count on your discretion? It''d be problematic if people found out I was a siren, especially if my mother caught wind of it.¡± Guilt jabbed him at being called by his fake name. ¡°Of course.¡± Kai understood confidentiality better than anyone else. ¡°I won¡¯t breathe a word of it.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Rain looked at the waves foaming on the ever-closer beach. ¡°There is a reason why sirens rarely go on land¡­ Our innate gifts are inextricably linked to the ocean, especially our ability to charm minds. Close to shore we can still manage, but it¡¯ll quickly fade if we move further inland.¡± He gulped to hide the relief from his voice. ¡°How far can you get?¡± ¡°It depends on how powerful a siren is. I¡¯ve never been on land. I¡¯ll be surprised if my gifts last for more than a few miles.¡± That does make me feel better. Kai was impressed that Rain was willing to reveal such a weakness. ¡°Wait. You mean you¡¯ve never been on shore before? Like ever?¡± ¡°I told you this was my first time morphing my tail.¡± The siren chuckled to his dismay. ¡°Mother didn¡¯t want to expose me to danger before I was able to defend myself. And I just got my profession this year.¡± ¡°You broke the Second Seal at sixteen?¡± Four years later than me. ¡°Sirens can have long lives. We get it pretty early among the higher races.¡± Rain smirked at his puzzlement. ¡°The ocean isn¡¯t a forgiving place for the weak.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Kai narrowed his eyes. ¡°Isn¡¯t land more dangerous to you?¡± ¡°I¡ª yeah, but¡ª¡± The teen stammered. He clearly hadn¡¯t contemplated this response. Kai chuckled. ¡°You prepared that line, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just something people say.¡± Rain scowled and crossed his arms. ¡°You have no idea of the dangers of the Deep.¡± I kinda do. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t like it. ¡°And you have no idea of the dangers of land.¡± Kai poked his legs. ¡°But worry not, oh mighty siren! This lowly human shall protect you.¡± ¡°Fine. Challenge accepted, young human.¡± Rain lifted his chin, assuming the air of a haughty king in the blink of an eye. ¡°We shall see who saves whom. For now, I¡¯m leading by one.¡± ¡°For now,¡± Kai agreed. The next moment the siren was back in his slanted posture and easygoing smile. ¡°I¡¯m glad I ran into you during the storm. I don¡¯t know if I would have gone through with it if I were alone.¡± Spirits, now you¡¯re making me feel bad. ¡°And I¡¯m glad I gave this a try,¡± Kai said. Despite his reservations, Rain had been perfectly polite and helpful since they met. He couldn¡¯t say the same about himself. ¡°It¡¯s normal if you''re nervous about going on land for the first time.¡± ¡°Mhmm¡­ that¡¯s¡­¡± Rain shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m also excited. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Where did I hear that before? Varsea was within sight, a myriad of little houses covered the better part of the bay from side to side. When they said small, clearly, they meant for the mainland¡¯s standards. The town must have been around the size of Higharbor. Kai couldn¡¯t wait to set foot on land. Chapter 263 - Varsea Chapter 263 - Varsea Kai walked down the wobbling gangway onto a dock of firm gray stone¡ªlikely compacted by an Earth shaper. After almost two weeks aboard, the phantom impression of the rocking ship made him sway with every step. We really made it. Excitement thrummed in his chest. Despite the accidents, he stood on the mainland, the same place of awe and mystery he had dreamt about as a child. Hundreds of foreign faces shuffled around the dock. Only half sported the lighter features he associated with the Republic. There were plenty of thick accents, colorful hairstyles and strangely cut gowns he had never seen before. Vendors shouted the quality of their goods from the left end of the port. Dockworkers lifted crates and barrels larger than them, chattering in a slurred cadence. Across the streets, a kid pointed at the Melenia before being dragged off by his mother. Kai took a deep breath to savor the moment. At Red-3, the ambient mana gave him a feeling of fullness. Then the smell of sweat, brine and grime caught up to him, making him grimace. Not the cleanest town. ¡°Get out of the damn way!¡± A portly man shoved him aside. Or polite. Kai moved beside a rotten crate to not bother more passersby. Little had gone as planned during this journey, though that made him all the happier to have moored. ¡°This port''s bigger than I thought.¡± Flynn strolled down the gangway, holding his bartered bag over a shoulder with one finger. The nap had turned him back into his lively self. He looked over his shoulder at Rain. ¡°Are you good?¡± The white-haired boy stumbled on land with a somewhat greenish tinge. He stared at his feet on the firm ground, looking ready to puke. ¡°Is everything always so¡­ still?¡± ¡°Usually. Unless the earth is shaking, but I don¡¯t think you¡¯d like that either.¡± Flynn clapped his back. ¡°I¡¯ve never been to a place like this¡­ this town is huge.¡± ¡°Land settlements are known for their large population,¡± Rain mused. ¡°This one should be avera¡ª¡± He pressed his lips shut, holding a hand over his mouth. ¡°Well, let¡¯s see for ourselves.¡± Flynn glanced at both. ¡°Do you have any preference?¡± The siren shook his head and threw a mournful look at the sea. ¡°We need an inn to pass the night.¡± Kai craned his neck to look around. ¡°And a way to contact Valela.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ve heard of a place for that.¡± Flynn strode with all the confidence of a local, and all the knowhow of a drunk. ¡°C¡¯mon, nothing better than some walkin¡¯ to settle in.¡± Varsea got noticeably quieter once they stepped out of the docks¡ªthough not much cleaner. Tall buildings of white limestone and shops with enchanted windows lined the streets. Further up on the left, a rowdy market began. Runes were present wherever Kai turned, from buildings to clothes to the stove a woman used to sell a fish hamburger with fried onions and a bluish sauce. ¡°Who wants to eat something? I¡¯m starving.¡± Flynn leaped to the stall, rummaging through his bag for coins. The saleswoman smiled at his eagerness. ¡°Best burgers in Varsea. Are you new in town? You must try them with some fresh cider.¡± She gestured to a keg. ¡°You won¡¯t regret it, I promise.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll take three of those then.¡± Flynn quickly hit it off with the stall owner while the food sizzled on the grill. He smoothly inquired about the best places to visit and what to avoid. Kai was half sure the vendor charged them extra, but he could not find it in himself to care once he bit into the bread. Flavors exploded in his mouth, making him sigh in satisfaction. On the ship, he had only eaten dried jerky and boiled vegetables. ¡°I¡¯m good, thanks.¡± Rain raised a hand to refuse the burger and only sipped the apple cider. He looked paler than usual, pacing along the street. Guess he wasn¡¯t lying about never being on land. A single conversation couldn¡¯t rid all the awkwardness between the two of them, though Kai had stopped feeling the need to watch his back around him. He would never make new friends if he wasn¡¯t willing to take a chance. It is much easier to trust someone when I¡¯m stronger than them¡­ Flynn had a point on that. ¡°Meow.¡± Hobbes sauntered on the cobble street, pleased to be on land. Kai crouched to scratch his neck. ¡°Where have you been?¡± In the last few days, the furball had refused to leave the ship hold except to steal food at night. The cat threw a side-eye at Rain. ¡°Mew.¡± ¡°Wait?¡± He lowered his tone. ¡°You knew he was a siren?¡± Hobbes¡¯s violet eyes regarded him with a mix of contempt and resignation as if he couldn¡¯t believe his human was so thick. A series of impressions slipped through their bond. The cat had known it was better to keep his distance from Rain, even if not why. ¡°You could have told me something. Why did you come out now?¡± he grumbled, uncaring of the judging gazes of the passersby. I¡¯m arguing with a cat. So what? ¡°Mrooow.¡± The silver feline pushed more jumbled strings of meaning toward him. Kai used Split Mind to make sense of them. ¡°So he¡¯s not a danger anymore?¡± ¡°Mew.¡± Hobbes licked his paw and rubbed his head against Kai¡¯s hand, demanding a tribute. Fine. You spoiled little cat. What do you want? Kai picked up his Majesty to not let him dirty his paws crossing the two meters separating them and the stall. ¡°Can I have one more of those? Just the fish, please.¡± ¡°Mrow.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Sorry. I meant two of them. Only one cooked.¡± ¡°Mrow.¡± ¡°Alright¡­ three total.¡± The woman didn¡¯t question Kai¡¯s conversation with the furball and gave him what he wanted. ¡°That¡¯ll be three coppers, dear. You have a very beautiful kitty.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Kai pulled the coins out of his pocket and exchanged them for the feline¡¯s little feast. ¡°I missed you.¡± Flynn tried to scratch the cat, only to get his hand scratched instead. ¡°Ahi,¡± he pulled back, hurt more by the rejection than the claws. ¡°Why are you mad at me?¡± ¡°Mrow.¡± ¡°He¡¯s envious you didn¡¯t pay him much attention on the ship.¡± Kai narrowly avoided getting his own claw mark. ¡°Is that yours? I didn¡¯t know you had a familiar¡­¡± Rain met his Majesty¡¯s gaze, his pale smile quickly turned into a frown. ¡°What kind of breed is he? He must be quite¡­¡± Hobbes turned to his food with a hiss, leaving the boy in a stunned silence. Pride pulsed amidst disinterest and also proved the siren was no threat. The mighty siren got knocked out by a mound of ground. ¡°I don¡¯t know his species.¡± Kai petted him. ¡°He¡¯s a very special boy,¡± Flynn sulked. ¡°Let¡¯s go visit the shopping district. We need to replace the clothes we lost in the wreckage.¡± They followed the vendor¡¯s direction to turn into another street. It soon became clear Flynn¡¯s main goal was to find any food that tickled his Majesty¡¯s interest and regain his favor. Varsea¡¯s market gave him a sense of nostalgia for home. While the goods were different, the vibrant atmosphere was the same. Loud bargaining and foreign smells filled the streets. Kai quickly found a hunched graying man selling mana herbs from the back of a cart. The selection was wider than he expected from a random seller, and the prices higher too¡ªsimilar to Higharbor. ¡°Do you have the money to pay?¡± The vendor squinted at his tattered clothes. I do need a wardrobe change. He flashed a couple pieces of silver. While there was nothing over Orange on display, he was always interested in experimenting with new plants. ¡°What does this do?¡± He pointed to a heartleaf, one of the most common ingredients to brew healing potions. ¡°It¡¯s used to close wounds,¡± the seller said, curt but truthful. Hmm¡­ I should probably buy a cauldron first. Two spatial bags worth of luggage had gone down with the Intrepid. Even if money wasn¡¯t a problem, it would take time to buy everything back. Kai picked a few herbs with an affinity to Water and Earth to study, playing on his ragged appearance to haggle down the price. When he returned to his companions, Hobbes was already purring in Flynn¡¯s arms. Bought by his stomach. He didn¡¯t even last to the second stall. He made sure to keep his thoughts to himself. Rain perused the stalls. While he still avoided looking at any food, his face looked a tad healthier. He curiously picked up a hand-carved squirrel with pine needles woven into the tail and two black beads for eyes. From the look of wonder in his eyes, it might as well have been a live unicorn. ¡°How much for this?¡± ¡°Just fifty chips for you.¡± The girl behind the counter beamed. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Oraine. Hmm¡­¡± The siren tilted his head ever so slightly. ¡°Does this work?¡± He pulled an orange coin from thin air. Yatei have mercy! Kai rushed over to switch the piece for a silver mesar. ¡°Forgive my brother. It¡¯s the first time he¡¯s come to the market.¡± He gave the confused girl an apologetic smile. ¡°Please. Keep the change.¡± Rain followed him away from the stall, squirrel in hand. ¡°From your expression, I reckon I did something wrong¡­ Is that not how human transactions work?¡± ¡°You gave her a piece of Orange chromium!¡± ¡°Yes, it was the smallest coin I had. I¡¯m not familiar with the Merian Republic''s mundane coinage.¡± Didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t have time to pack? Broke my ass! ¡°That¡¯s worth ten gold coins. A million times what she asked.¡± Kai pointed to the coin in front of his face. One half sported an elaborate crest, the other a tailed siren wielding a trident and a sphere that gave away its origins. ¡°Mhmm¡­ Foreign coins shouldn¡¯t be too uncommon in a port town. But I¡¯ll be more careful in the future. Thank you for looking out for me.¡± Rain dipped his head. Kai suppressed his impulse to strangle the boy. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± He was quite certain the siren didn¡¯t get what was the issue, and the middle of the street wasn¡¯t the place to discuss the topic. ¡°And, please, don¡¯t flaunt your spatial artifact.¡± Of course, he has one too. His casual demeanor morphed into a fiery glint. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of thieves. I can defend myself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you can, Rambo.¡± Kai patted his shoulder. ¡°But you¡¯d have to reveal your powers or involve the guards. You don''t want to attract your mother¡¯s notice, right?¡± His platinum brows furrowed, jaw clenched. ¡°I see your point. I¡¯ll try not to be so obvious when I use it.¡± Spirits! He¡¯s going to be the death of me. ¡°Did I miss anything?¡± Flynn deposited a slightly rounder Hobbes on the ground. ¡°Just a lesson in human customs,¡± Kai said, laconic. ¡°Where are we going next?¡± With their feline emperor gone in a silver blink, they went to find a tailor towards the wealthiest districts in the northeast side of Varsea. The roads grew wider, and people dressed nicer. Ignoring the wary glances from the passersby, they decided on a shop with golden scissors on the sign. Compared to the gaudy gowns and suits they saw in most, it also displayed everyday clothes that wouldn¡¯t make them look like peacocks. The door clinked with a crystal chime when they entered. ¡°Welcome to Madame Le Garde. All the best clothing for¡ª¡± The middle-aged woman behind the counter faltered when she saw their appearance. ¡°Oh, dear. Did you three fall into a ditch?¡± A skill brushed their mana, so delicate and light Kai wasn¡¯t sure it happened till he noticed Rain¡¯s glower. Hopefully, that¡¯s not some kind of war declaration for sirens. ¡°Our ship was sunk by pirates,¡± Flynn said brilliantly. ¡°Blessed Moons, that must have been awful. Please come in.¡± She warmly waved them in, pulling a measuring tape from her long gown. ¡°Let me see what I can do for you, young men. Were you looking for anything in particular?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Flynn looked at the articles on display. ¡°We need some clothes for staying in a town and for traveling the road.¡± ¡°I see. Then you¡¯ve come to the right place,¡± her smile widened. ¡°May I ask how much you intend to spend? Just so I can tailor my advice to your needs. Forgive my pun.¡± The mention of money put a chink in Flynn¡¯s boldness. Next time think twice before spending everything to spoil Hobbes. ¡°Will ten gold be enough?¡± Kai stepped forward to kill two birds with a single stone. He placed an orange chromium from his own stash on the counter. Nothing better than a practical example to teach the siren the value of money. Madame Le Garde beamed like the sun. ¡°That¡¯s plenty, dear. Leave it to me. No one will bat an eye if you tell them you''re the son of a patrician.¡± She rang a bell behind the counter. ¡°Mason, we have clients.¡± A lanky boy stumbled from the back of the shop. He gave them a skeptical look down his crooked nose, but after a word from Le Garde, he was all smiles too. The tailor took measurements of every inch of them before bringing out racks of coats, shirts, undergarments, breeches and more pieces of clothing Kai couldn¡¯t put a name to. Madame Le Garde appeared to possess every color and type of fabric. And that was just the beginning. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is necessary,¡± he said while the woman used a palette to see which colors suited him best. ¡°That coat already looks wonderful.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, dear. Anything not tailored to an individual is not real clothing.¡± She gently swatted away his hand, her face wrinkled in revulsion. ¡°What will people say if you come out of my shop wearing some old garment with fraying enchantments?¡± Spirits, I should have just picked something at the market. Alas, hindsight couldn¡¯t correct the past. Both Flynn and Rain looked to be enjoying themselves. The human enthusiastically asked about the garment used with mainland weather; what was more appropriate to journey in the wild and to go out in taverns. The siren, instead, was fascinated by every fabric and trinket, especially if it was worn on his own legs or feet. This is going to be a long afternoon¡­ Aside from being a shrewd businesswoman, Madame Le Garde took pride in her work. To her, good was just another word for disappointing; she wasn¡¯t going to settle for anything less than perfect. After some not-so-subtle hints about their haggard appearance, she sent them to shower in the apartment above the shop. If she had known how to give a haircut, Kai was certain she would have done that too. The warm water washed away days of brine and sweat, giving him the will to endure three more hours of standing like a mannequin covered in fabric and pins. It would take a couple days to finish tailoring and enchanting every piece, though she allowed them to leave with some prototypes that ¡®wouldn¡¯t make her mama roll in the grave¡¯. I¡¯m free! Kai stepped onto the paved road. The cool breeze of evening tickled his neck, showing he had indeed escaped to safety. Having clothes tailored to him was pleasant, he could barely feel the soft fabric on his skin. Not at all easy with his Perception. Though he wasn¡¯t sure any comfort was worth the hours of tedium. ¡°We still need to buy boots and backpacks,¡± Flynn mused. ¡°I also need to replace the daggers I lost in the wreckage.¡± At the mention of boots, Rain perked up. ¡°You think there are still shops open?¡± ¡°Please, not today,¡± Kai growled. ¡°We still need to find a place to stay.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not a problem. Madame Le Garde was kind enough to warn an inn we¡¯d be coming in later. It should be just a couple streets from here.¡± Flynn turned to see his flaming eyes. ¡°But there is no hurry. We can visit those shops tomorrow. We still need to send a message to Valela.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already found a way?¡± Kai said stunned. ¡°Of course,¡± Flynn grinned cockily. ¡°Madame Le Garde gave me the address of the local House of Mirrors.¡± Chapter 264 - The House of Mirrors Chapter 264 - The House of Mirrors Steel-blue walls and windows bordered in black made the House of Mirrors stand out from its neighbors. Walking closer, dense patterns of runes swirled and faded to dissuade snoopers. Kai wasn¡¯t sure he''d be able to crack them without seeing their physical anchor. ¡°I always wanted to visit a place founded by one of the Three Sisters,¡± Rain mused. The siren had gotten his land legs and regained his sunny glow. Wearing an embroidered cobalt coat with silver lapels, a silk shirt and cream breeches, he¡¯d received many looks from passersby; a couple girls even came forward to ask his name. He¡¯d turn heads in a burlap sack. Guess a siren just can¡¯t help it. In their stroll from the shop of Madame Le Garde, it became obvious how the new outfit changed locals¡¯ perception of them from mendicant to rich tourist. The guards greeted them and stepped aside to let them pass. Kai wasn¡¯t sure how they would contact Valela and was too embarrassed to ask since even fish boy seemed to know. There hadn''t been time to gather information between catching up with his family and setting up his new identity. It wouldn¡¯t have been a problem if they had arrived in Arphusa as planned. Matthew didn¡¯t know anything either, so he could learn everything while keeping his cover. Things never go as planned. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s still open.¡± Flynn walked up the onyx steps of the building. He had opted to wear black and grey to slip into Shadow, though the fit of the fine fabric still distinguished him. A grizzled doorman in a blue uniform let them inside with a slight bow of the head. Hmm¡­ Madame Le Garde was right. Tailoring does make a difference¡­ Their steps echoed into a large hall. A crystal chandelier lit the interior, keeping the same color pattern as the outside facade. Strangely, there were no mirrors that Kai could see. On his right, sets of leather armchairs and sofas formed a cozy lounge where a young couple and an old man sat reading a book. ¡°Good evening, sirs.¡± A young woman with raven hair and blue eyes stood behind a black marble counter. She wore a polite smile, although her gaze faltered on Rain. ¡°Welcome to Varsea¡¯s House of Mirrors. How may I assist you?¡± Flynn rested his hand on the desk. ¡°Hi, we need to contact a friend in Raelion¡ªValela Hightide. She should have set an open link for Flynn Soveili,¡± he said without a hint of hesitation. ¡°One moment. Let me check our archive.¡± The receptionist sent her mana into an onyx slab behind the counter. A myriad of filaments and runes flared to life, forming strings of white words. The angle of the slab made it hard to read. Kai realized he was leaning over when the marble pushed against his sternum. He hurriedly stepped back. The last time he had seen such intricate design was in Virya¡¯s puzzle box. Unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t in the archipelago anymore. He couldn¡¯t use Mana Observer and hope to go unpunished; the clerk was clearly trained in mana skills. Spirits, she¡¯s fully into Yellow. ¡°Here, Valela Hightide.¡± The woman nodded. ¡°I see your contact has paid to be alerted for any incoming communication. Do you wish to leave a message, set a date, or wait to be contacted?¡± Flynn glanced at Kai to confirm before speaking. ¡°We can wait. When does this establishment close?¡± The receptionist looked amused. ¡°The House of Mirrors is always awake to connect our clients across the continent. Do you wish to rent a waiting room or stay here in the lounge?¡± ¡°Uhm. Those armchairs look quite comfortable. Thank you.¡± ¡°Of course. Please make yourself at ease. You¡¯ll be informed as soon as your recipient is available. We also offer different kinds of refreshments. Our staff is always available to make your stay as comfortable as possible.¡± After another round of pleasantries, they sat around a coffee table engraved with a privacy ward. Kai gladly slumped into an armchair and noticed a small service bell beside the rune array. They must charge a pretty chip. ¡°Are you very close with this girl?¡± Rain leafed through the pamphlet of overpriced refreshments. Flynn chuckled. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask Mat?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Kai straightened up to look at him. Is this about how much we should reveal? ¡°Valela¡¯s a friend who helped me with some stuff at home. We were planning to meet her before the Intrepid sank. She offered to help us settle here.¡± ¡°I see. She sounds like a great person.¡± The siren exchanged a look with Flynn. What¡¯s this about? Too tired to play their game, Kai decided to change the subject and dig for new information. ¡°Do sirens also have a House of Mirrors?¡± Do you really have underwater cities at the bottom of the ocean? Or do they float on the surface? ¡°They once opened a branch in Arelia, but they shut it down before I was born,¡± Rain said. ¡°The mana currents within the sea interfere with most of their mirror magic. But the other two Sisters have a presence.¡± The siren must have noticed their blank stare because he continued, ¡°The Three Sisters? They¡¯re some of the most famous archmagi to have ever lived. Or still living if you listen to some.¡± Stolen story; please report. ¡°I think I heard someone mention them¡­¡± Flynn didn¡¯t sound entirely confident. ¡°One of them founded the House of Enlightenment, right? We went there when I discarded my first profession.¡± I should have guessed from the overpriced refreshments. The name sounded a little familiar¡­ Rain sat with one knee up. ¡°That House was founded by the oldest sister. They¡¯re quite mysterious figures. They¡¯ve each invented a new school of magic and opened successful businesses across the tamed lands and seas. Everyone knows about their legendary feuds.¡± ¡°The archipelago is quite isolated,¡± Kai said, wondering what other piece of common knowledge he lacked. ¡°What did the last sister do?¡± ¡°The youngest opened the House of Echoes. It mainly deals with highly sensitive information.¡± The siren lowered his voice. ¡°They¡¯re said to have secrets that could transform the face of Elydes. Mother says it¡¯s the most successful House. But they¡¯re hated by certain kingdoms and their establishments tend to be more discreet.¡± Do they sell dirt on the elites? The last thing Kai needed was to have a bunch of professional snoopers after him. Rain rang the service bell to summon a server. To his credit, the man only blinked once when the siren took out an orange chromium. ¡°I¡¯ll pick this citrus salad, the velvet shrimps, and the forest tarts. Oh, and one of each of these.¡± He quickly pointed to most of the items on the pamphlet. ¡°Do you guys want anything?¡± Flynn threw a glance at the prices before curtly shaking his head. ¡°No, thank you.¡± Kai followed suit, his old frugal self was appalled at the expense. Guess money has never been a consideration for him. I mean, it¡¯s still less than what he was willing to spend on that squirrel¡­ ¡°I thought it¡¯d be useful to exchange some money to the local currency,¡± Rain said when the server was gone. ¡°Anyway, you never told me you changed your profession. You didn¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story. I got pressured by my mother to take it,¡± Flynn bit his lip. ¡°My family is complicated¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure she can¡¯t be worse than mine.¡± Oh, boy¡­ Flynn and Rain took turns recounting anecdotes from their childhoods as if it was a competition. In some morbid twist of Fate, both mothers specialized in manipulating others. It gave Kai a newfound appreciation for Alana and his family. I should have said how much I love them before leaving. ¡°Have I told you about my first friend?¡± Rain chewed a crunchy tart. ¡°I was ten when I met this kid, Peile. Our birthdays were only days apart. We were the same height and even had similar affinities. His family had recently fallen from the peerage, but he was very talented, and I didn¡¯t care. ¡°I was overjoyed to have found a friend that wasn¡¯t ten times my age. Growing up, I was always pretty isolated because of my family situation. Peile and I did everything together. Play, study, eat and often sleep in the same room. We kept no secret from each other. Anything I liked, he liked too. Even my obsession with collecting old leviathan horns¡ªnot the whole thing, just a few shards. I woke up everyday flapping with happiness¡­¡± Rain¡¯s smile turned rueful. ¡°Then one day my mother gave me a shiny golden bottle. She said it was a game to test our bond. I just had to open the potion in Peile''s presence and we¡¯d both have to tell the truth till the effect wore out. It was a harmless prank. I don¡¯t remember how, but she convinced me to follow her idea. After all, Peile and I hid nothing from each other¡­¡± He paused, taking a sip from a drink that was all ice. Flynn leaned on the edge of his seat. ¡°What happened next?¡± ¡°Was he just using you?¡± Kai asked. ¡°Hmm¡­ It was worse than that.¡± The siren pulled both legs up in his seat. ¡°I clearly remember Peile''s confusion when the golden potion covered us. And then the look of pure disgust that appeared on his face. ¡°I explained it was just a game and asked him what was wrong. Peile said looking at me made him sick. He found me pathetic and revolting. My family had ruined his parents.¡± Rain gazed emptily at the coffee table. ¡°He only pretended to be my friend because my mother promised them mercy in exchange. ¡°I was in shock. I told him something must have been wrong with the potion. Peile laughed madly, saying that every moment we spent together was torture for him. Every night, he prayed for the Deep to devour my soul and the gods knew he wasn¡¯t lying.¡± The siren¡¯s voice turned dry. ¡°I swam away, bawling my eyes out. I was surprised no one asked me what was wrong. Every guard and servant just watched me with pity. You see, everyone but I had known what was going on for months.¡± The siren laughed bitterly. ¡°My mother had ordered them to silence, and no one dared to disobey her for my sake. Even the people who nursed me, my tutors and mentors. The sirens who had brought me up. Not a single one of them gave me a hint. I had no friends in that place at all. ¡°I cried for hours alone in my chamber till my mother came to console me. By then, I was too distraught to push her away. She said everything she did was because she loved me more than anything. It was a lesson to teach me not to give away trust so easily. People would always try to take advantage of me because of who I was. It was better to have my heart broken now than stabbed by a blade later.¡± Spirits! That¡¯s so fucked up. Kai was frozen in his seat, wanting to say something to console him, but not knowing what. Flynn broke the silence with a long string of descriptive expletives. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to go through that alone.¡± He put a hand on the siren¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It happened years ago. I¡¯m over it.¡± Rain wore his usual charming smile, though his gaze still looked distant. ¡°My mother did teach me a valuable lesson. I never trusted anybody in that house again. It was better to have my heart broken than to live in a delusion.¡± Those shouldn¡¯t be the only two options. The receptionist respectfully waving outside their privacy ward saved them from more awkwardness. When she was sure she got their attention, she stepped inside. Her gaze lingered on the siren just a moment before speaking. ¡°Your contact in Raelion is ready to speak with you. If you would follow me. A room has been prepared for the connection.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wait here.¡± Rain nibbled one of the remaining tarts. ¡°I¡¯m sure your friend will prefer to speak with you without a stranger.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really not a problem,¡± Kai was surprised to hear his voice speak up. ¡°And you¡¯re not a stranger.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mat. Maybe next time you can introduce us.¡± He waved them to go. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t take long.¡± Flynn squeezed his shoulder. They followed the woman past the front desk into a corridor lit by a winding line of blue crystals. ¡°In here.¡± She opened a black door for them. An elderly clerk with a placid expression waited inside. The square room had no windows, the only decor was three empty chairs and a large oblong mirror, floating inches from the opposite wall. A dozen wards snapped closed behind them when they crossed the threshold. The place thrummed with enchantments and the mirror still overshadowed them. To his skill, it looked like a depthless pool of mana contained in a thin surface. The mind-bending effect reminded Kai of Space Magic, though he couldn¡¯t see a speck of iridescent mana. There was no sign of engraving anywhere on the material despite being obviously enchanted. ¡°It¡¯s quite mesmerizing, isn¡¯t it?¡± The clerk looked at him pleased. ¡°Yes.¡± Kai moved closer to study it. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like it. How does it work?¡± ¡°Ehe!¡± The clerk chortled. ¡°You only wish for the biggest secret of the House? The Moons know, I¡¯d kill for the answer.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°I know how to make it work,¡± the man tersely said. ¡°The connection has already been established. Tap the mirror twice to begin communication and again to close it. You won¡¯t be disturbed till you open the door. Remember the House charges every second of use.¡± With his rehearsed piece done, the clerk walked out, closing the door behind him. Since Flynn looked as baffled as him, Kai went ahead and delicately tapped the cold surface of the mirror. Shadows clouded the reflective surface then faded to the edges to let color fill the center. A girl in a red and silver uniform paced in a room identical to theirs. Upon seeing the mirror change, Valela hurried over, every shade of her emerald eyes and the slight redness of her cheeks in perfect clarity. It was as if they were looking through a window, just a step away. ¡°Kai! You¡¯re alive.¡± She moved closer to the mirror till her breath fogged the surface. ¡°I was so worried. How did you get to Varsea?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a long story. Our ship was attacked by pirates, and we had to improvise¡­¡± ¡°Pirates? In those waters?¡± She furrowed her brow. ¡°You must tell me everything. Were you hurt?¡± ¡°No, we¡¯re fine¡ª¡± Flynn threw an arm over his shoulder with a grin and a cheerful wave. ¡°Hey! I¡¯m here too. Were you not worried about me?¡± ¡°I¡ª of course.¡± She took a step back with her usual poise. ¡°I¡¯m glad that you¡¯re both alive and well. I didn¡¯t know what to do when the Intrepid didn¡¯t show up in Arphusa.¡± Kai¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°Did you tell my family?¡± Panic wrenched his guts at the idea of letting them go through another disappearance. ¡°Not yet. I had given you one more day to be certain it wasn¡¯t just an unforeseen delay.¡± Valela said, her lips pressed into hesitation. ¡°There is something else you should know. It¡¯s about Kea. She might be chasing after something dangerous.¡± Chapter 265 - Missing Chapter 265 - Missing ¡°Kea¡¯s in danger?¡± Kai stepped closer to the floating mirror. He hadn¡¯t seen his sister since he got trapped in the Hidden Sanctuary. Spirits! She might not even know he was alive. ¡°Where is she? Can you contact her?¡± She''s always been so reckless. Valela raised a hand to calm him down¡ªor point out he was about to headbutt the mirror. ¡°I received some worrying information about her latest venture, but I know nothing for sure.¡± ¡°So, she¡¯s not in danger¡­?¡± He let a sliver of hope slip into his tone. ¡°I¡­ can''t really say. Your sister doesn¡¯t talk to me. She thought I was involved in your presumed death and refused any attempts to contact her.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Kai furrowed his brow. ¡°But how do you know all this if she doesn¡¯t talk to you?¡± Valela averted her gaze, looking at the silver borders of her coat. ¡°There is another member of her group who keeps me updated. I was surprised when the House of Mirrors contacted me since she also stopped by Varsea a few weeks ago, and I thought it might be them.¡± And I imagine Kea doesn¡¯t know¡­ It¡¯s probably better this way. Alana had told him that his sister was traveling with other young adults from the islands. It was good to know one of them had some common sense. ¡°Thank you for keeping an eye on her.¡± Kai held her gaze. ¡°I really appreciate it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Valela combed a lock of hair behind her ear. ¡°I try to keep a lookout for any native who leaves the archipelago in case they need help. Luckily, your sister¡¯s not traveling alone.¡± ¡°Uhm,¡± Flynn cleared his throat. ¡°Your love for the people of the archipelago is truly commendable.¡± He moved closer to the mirror with a small grin. ¡°What trouble did his sister get into?¡± ¡°Please, tell us everything you know.¡± Kai bobbed his head. ¡°I can only tell you what was written in the missive.¡± Valela shifted her attention between them. ¡°You know, she has taken up adventuring to earn a living.¡± Was that what Kien meant when he said she fought monsters? In any letter his mom had shown him, his sister was pretty vague on the details of her activities. Mostly focusing on the city or town they were visiting, and the new people she met. ¡°She wanted to hone her skills.¡± Flynn didn¡¯t look surprised. ¡°I¡¯ve heard adventuring is a common job for travelers and outsiders.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± The princess nodded. ¡°Beast populations need to be kept in check around smaller settlements, so there is never a lack of work. Keandra¡¯s group mostly accepts hunting and gathering contracts. They¡¯re relatively safe as long as you¡¯re careful. Only this time they decided to take on something more challenging¡­¡± Of course they did¡­ young, brash and eager to prove themselves. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Some people have gone missing,¡± Valela sighed. ¡°The last statement I could find reported half a dozen cases. Though there could be more by now. Her companion contacted me a week ago, saying one of their own had gone missing too.¡± Shit. ¡°You think they¡¯re dead?¡± Flynn voiced everyone¡¯s thoughts. ¡°And the same could happen to Kea?¡± ¡°I really can¡¯t say.¡± She fiddled with the buttons of her red coat. ¡°The friends I asked at the academy said missing people aren¡¯t too unusual. Sometimes beasts stalk close to the settlements, but they get caught eventually. If adventurers can¡¯t solve it, the Republic will intervene.¡± That doesn¡¯t help the people who¡¯re already dead. ¡°Where is this place?¡± Kai paced within the small room without realizing it. ¡°You said her party stopped by Varsea not long ago. They can¡¯t have gone too far.¡± I doubt they can afford an airship. Valela hesitated a moment before speaking. ¡°They¡¯re in Limgrell. It¡¯s a small town on the Lake of Myst, east of Varsea. I don¡¯t know much about it, but I¡¯ll look for more information.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Kai lacked the words to express his gratitude. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I won¡¯t be able to brew potions for a while.¡± All the plans they made for the mainland would have to be scrapped. Humans plan and Fate laughs. ¡°Your family comes first.¡± Valela didn¡¯t look upset, though there was a shadow in her gaze. ¡°You should also know the person who contacted me wanted to leave Limgrell. Your sister might have already left when you get there. Or the authorities could have solved the case.¡± Hmm¡­ Kea never knew when to quit, especially if someone in her group has disappeared. ¡°I have to check on her. Hopefully, you¡¯re right, and we worried for nothing.¡± Valela bit her lip. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know if I learn more. But Kai, you should also be cautious if you follow her there. You¡¯ve just arrived, the mainland isn¡¯t like the archipelago. Traveling outside cities without an escort can be very dangerous.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡± ¡°And I¡¯ll keep an eye on him when he¡¯s not.¡± Flynn ruffled his hair. ¡°You and Kea aren¡¯t siblings by chance.¡± What¡¯s that supposed to mean? Kai threw him a dirty look. ¡°How could I have predicted those crazy pirates or the storm?¡± ¡°Speaking of which.¡± Valela watched them intently. ¡°You must tell me what happened to the Intrepid. A ship of that size should be unsinkable. And how did you manage to survive?¡± Well, where do I start? That involved an ancient artifact, fanatical pirates and a runaway siren¡­ Kai and Flynn took turns explaining exactly how things had gone wrong: the initial storm that pushed them off course, the black ship, what they overheard from the marauders, and the second tempest that split the vessel. They also mentioned meeting Rain on the Melenia, but didn¡¯t disclose his identity. It wasn¡¯t their secret to tell. Valela sat on one of the chairs on the other side of the mirror, scribbling in a notebook. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of cloaked raiders that used Darkness skills. Any green pirate captain has a famous name. I¡¯ll look if anyone matches the description, but I think they probably weren¡¯t pirates like you said¡­ Have you informed the Republic? Kai shrugged his shoulders, sharing a look with Flynn. ¡°I¡¯m sure someone on the ship did.¡± ¡°Yeah, Karin must prove we were shipwrecked to validate her contracts. The authorities will have their pick of witnesses.¡± ¡°But you¡¯ve got more information than most.¡± Valela pointed out. ¡°How many of the survivors engaged with the marauders? ¡°There were many people present in the initial assault,¡± Kai said. ¡°We just overheard a couple of crazy raiders below deck. I can¡¯t exactly explain how Matthew the alchemist fought them off, can I?¡± The longer he could avoid dealing with the Republic, the better. Those cultish pirates also seemed to care about their secrecy, so he¡¯d rather avoid advertising what he heard. Spirits only knew the arcane ways criminals used to gather information here¡ªjust like the House of Echoes. The existence of magic and skills created nigh infinite ways to screw him over. Until he knew more, Kai¡¯d rather not poke any beehives. Kea will already be a handful. She was always so stubborn. ¡°Mhmm¡­ You¡¯re right.¡± Valela relented, flickering the pen in her fingers. ¡°There should also be a way to get a temporary ID for your friend. The Republic offers asylum to talented individuals if they¡¯re willing to swear under oath they aren''t spies or criminals.¡± Flynn beamed. ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± ¡°Is it that easy?¡± Kai couldn¡¯t believe it after all the hoops he had to jump through. ¡°If this boy is as talented as you say, then yes.¡± Valela gave them a crash course in the immigration policy of the Republic¡ªof course, she knew that too. Taking out her pocket watch, her eyes widened at the hour. ¡°I need to go. I¡¯ll let you know if I find anything about your sister and the pirates.¡± They quickly agreed on how to keep in touch and reestablish the connections Flynn had lost in the shipwreck. ¡°Stay safe.¡± She lightly tapped on the mirror twice. Her delicate features and bright emerald eyes faded till Kai could only see his own reflection. He stood from his chair, stifling a yawn. The call had taken longer than expected. ¡°Uh¡­ She was really kind to help us.¡± He understood her guilt about the Sanctuary affair, but that should have dried up when he got his new identity. This time she went out of her way for him and Kea. I should have asked how she was doing. Whatever posh academy she enrolled in must be stressful. Who would ever want to go back to school? ¡°Yeah, I wonder what could make her so eager to help us.¡± Flynn chuckled. ¡°Not everyone needs a reason to be nice all the time.¡± Kai scratched his head at his antics. Once he made sure Kea was safe and sound, he would find a way to repay Valela. ¡°We should go back. Rain has been waiting for a while.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Flynn opened the door, breaking the enchantment that sealed the room. There was no trace of the old clerk, but a younger man soon came to accompany them to the reception hall. ¡°I hope you had a pleasant talk,¡± the raven-haired woman at the front desk said. Kai gestured for Flynn to go ahead. ¡°How much do I owe the House?¡± ¡°Nothing, sir. Your contact has already covered the entire fee.¡± He pursed his lips. ¡°I didn¡¯t agree to that.¡± It should be him to cover the tab when Valela was already helping him. ¡°Is there no way to reimburse her? I¡¯ll cover for the connection.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. That¡¯s not among the services we offer.¡± The receptionist smiled apologetically. ¡°Though you can deposit a sum in her account for future transactions if you wish.¡± Kai struggled not to roll his eyes¡ªof course, they can do that. ¡°How much did she pay?¡± The onyx slab behind the counter lit with myriad strings of numbers and runes. ¡°For an hour, eleven minutes and nine seconds¡­ And taking into consideration the distance to Raelion¡­ The fee is twenty-nine silvers and sixteen coppers, which makes fifty-eight silvers and thirty-two coppers for both sides.¡± The woman showed her ivory teeth. ¡°How much do you wish me to transfer, sir?¡± Damn, swindlers. I¡¯ll keep an eye on the clock next time. Their only expense was activating the artifact for an hour. While the mirror¡¯s magic was impressive, the price was ludicrous. Kai¡¯d take days of brewing to earn the same if he factored in the cost of the herbs. ¡°Here.¡± He schooled his expression and placed a gold mesar on the table. Once the transaction was completed, the receptionist gave him a membership card for the House of Mirrors that offered a 5% discount¡ªon connections longer than ten minutes. Kai left the desk, hands in his pockets. He¡¯d need to watch his spending if he wanted to maintain the fortune in his ring. Perhaps Reishi would have some advice. Even with Valela to establish connections, it would be some time before they could meet; the merman traded by sea and rarely went inland. One issue at a time. Flynn was talking to Rain in the lounge, and both were laughing. ¡°...is quite oblivious.¡± The wards hid the first part of the conversation. ¡°What are you two talking about?¡± Kai scanned their grins for answers. ¡°Nothing.¡± Flynn looked at the siren. ¡°I was just telling him of a funny guy I met in Sylspring.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Kai was too exhausted to wring the truth out of him. ¡°Sorry for making you wait, Rain.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I enjoyed trying new human foods.¡± He waved to the trays of appetizers. ¡°Everything tastes quite different out of the sea.¡± ¡°You can join us next time. Valela was eager to meet you. She also told us how you can get a temporary ID.¡± Kai did his best to report all the necessary passages. ¡°An ID?¡± From the look Rain gave him, the siren had no idea what he was talking about. Welcome to the wonderful world of human bureaucracy! I won¡¯t hold it against you if you flee back to the sea. * * * As the sun rose over Varsea, the crispness of the air was tainted by tens of thousands of inhabitants. Kai was glad to stand on firm ground. He adjusted the dark green coat embroidered with a leaf pattern, waiting for his companions in the street. Madame Le Garde¡¯s clothes were the most comfortable he had ever worn, bending with every movement while keeping their shape. The tailor would need two more days to finish their entire order for the journey. Kai exhaled a sharp breath. Every moment he spent in Varsea, his sister could face mortal danger. Part of him screamed to run ahead, uncaring of the consequences and his better judgment. I¡¯m not a child anymore. The Sanctuary had carved the consequences of a rash action in his flesh, though patience was easier when he only had to worry about himself. I can¡¯t call Kea reckless and then do the same. She has survived more than a year alone, she¡¯ll be fine¡ªshe has to be. He knew nothing about the surrounding territory, how to reach Limgrell, or the mainland in general. While it might not be the land of monsters that some islanders depicted, the dangers were all too real. Without proper preparations, he¡¯d get himself killed and be no help to anyone. ¡°Sorry we¡¯re late.¡± Flynn waved from across the street. ¡°The clerk at the embassy was a stickler for protocol. We¡¯d have taken the whole day if Rain hadn¡¯t convinced them to speed things along.¡± ¡°Uh, she was a nice lady. Though I don¡¯t really understand the point of recording my information thirteen times.¡± The siren held a shiny piece of paper as if it were a strange novelty. ¡°Some of the documents I signed seemed quite self-perpetuating.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to look too deep into it,¡± Kai said. ¡°Are you sure you want to come with us to Limgrell?¡± ¡°Anything is new for me around here. I don¡¯t care where we go first as long as it¡¯s away from the sea.¡± Rain made the paper disappear into his spatial artifact. ¡°And I want to help your sister.¡± ¡°Well then,¡± Flynn grinned, throwing an arm around each of their shoulders. ¡°Shall we go to the Hall of Seekers?¡± Chapter 266 - The Hall of Seekers Chapter 266 - The Hall of Seekers Used to the pristine squares, pastel houses and blooming promenades of Sylspring, Kai found Varsea quite gray and dusty. By the look of it, the only one sweeping the streets outside the wealthy district was the rain¡ªand from the dry mud, it hadn¡¯t clocked in for some time. Well, they aren¡¯t trying to sell the idyllic tourist destination¡­ Rumors and stories had made his expectations of the mainland balloon. He read about castles soaring among the clouds, shrouded elven forests and sprawling metropolises of glass and magic. If the books hadn¡¯t lied, those sights all waited out there. They also say the Talthen continent is unreasonably vast¡­ ¡°This should be it.¡± Flynn¡¯s veiled excitement caught his attention as they stopped in front of their destination. The Hall of Seekers was located just outside the center of town, a towering building of bricks and plaster marred by the dirt of years. Despite the poor presentation, Kai was thrilled to see where actual adventurers gathered. This was the perfect place to find information about the contract Kea took and find a way to reach Limgrell. ¡°So this is where land hunters gather.¡± Rain strode forward with the fascinated smile he reserved for human curiosities. ¡°Yup.¡± Flynn hurried after him. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to see it for myself.¡± Moving last, Kai almost crashed into a bearded man with a scar over his left eye. Instead of starting an argument as stereotypes demanded, the guy apologized and went on his way. Hmm¡­ I almost wished he had challenged me to a duel. One of his childhood''s biggest disappointments was discovering adventurers weren¡¯t a thing in the archipelago. His journey to the mainland had been more troubled than he foresaw; it was time to get things back on track. Inside the Hall of Seekers, Kai craned his neck to gawk at the warm atmosphere. It was an actual hall, the ceiling over twice the height of a normal building. Tables filled with chattering adventurers on one side while more lined before a counter manned by three clerks on the other. Yeah, this is more like it. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you''d like it this much.¡± Flynn looked at him amused. ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to visit this place for a long time.¡± He crossed his arms¡ªtoo embarrassed to explain Earth¡¯s fantasy tropes. ¡°I see¡­¡± Flynn pointed to the rowdy crowd and what looked like a bar. ¡°I¡¯ll go check if anyone knows anything interesting. Can you handle the information desk? We¡¯ll save time by splitting up.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± He readily agreed to divide tasks. Making quick friendships and extracting information had never been his forte; he¡¯d much rather deal with a professional clerk. ¡°What do you want to do, Rain?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The siren observed the hall like a kid on his first outing at the zoo. ¡°I¡¯ll come with you.¡± Kai raised an eyebrow, quickly containing his surprise not to be rude. He hadn¡¯t expected to get picked, though he didn¡¯t mind his company. ¡°Great. The first to finish can check on the other.¡± Flynn clapped their backs and headed toward the group of boisterous adventurers. The two joined the line at the service desk. The clamor of the bar became muffled when they crossed an invisible array. No way. Kai gaped at another sight. There was an actual quest board affixed to the wall. It took all his self-control to not dash over and check it. ¡°Rookie,¡± someone sniggered behind him. Kai couldn¡¯t care less and squinted to read. The wall was covered in square sheets of paper, detailing several quests. Catching a red seagull that had been stealing food at the market, exterminating a nest of flesh-eating slugs in the cemetery, gathering ten leaves of sylphian kelp from the edge of the bay. There was even a notice for sweeping the main streets¡ªfrom the yellowing paper, it wasn¡¯t a popular task though. If he had been born here, he might have spent his childhood doing those chores. Among the hundred or so quests, most involved the management of the town, taking care of pests, finding mana ingredients or scouting. There was no mention of any beasts higher than the peak of red. Spirits! Boards must have tiers too. Where are the others? He stood on the tip of his toes, looking for a flight of stairs or a door. Considering the size of the building, there should be at least another floor, if not two. ¡°Mat, it¡¯s our turn.¡± Rain pulled him out of his thoughts, approaching the desk. A second ward cut off the sounds of the hall to an indistinguishable murmur. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen you before. And I wouldn¡¯t forget your face.¡± A young brunette woman smiled behind the counter¡ªto Rain in particular. Her red blouse seemed to be missing a few buttons. ¡°Is this your first time at the Hall of Seekers?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The siren gave a smile that could light a room up. ¡°Is it that obvious?¡± ¡°Just a little bit.¡± She giggled. ¡°You can call me Melisa. What can I do for you? You don¡¯t look like the type who comes personally to post a task.¡± She gave Kai a once-over as if he were some sort of servant or lackey who should have taken care of such chores. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Uh, I could have done without being dismissed. ¡°We¡¯re looking for information about a case of missing people in Limgrell.¡± Kai rested his hands on the counter. ¡°Anything you can tell us would be extremely helpful.¡± Melisa pursed her lips at the interruption. ¡°Limgrell? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve heard of it.¡± ¡°Is there nothing you can do?¡± Rain raked a hand through his pale hair and slumped in obvious disappointment. ¡°I¡­ I could check our internal registry. Cases of missing people are shared inside the same province.¡± How do you know Limgrell is in the same province if you¡¯ve never heard of it? ¡°That¡¯d be great, thank you,¡± the siren beamed. ¡°Yeah, I¡ª I¡¯ll be back in a minute.¡± The clerk disappeared into the backroom. Kai gave him a side eye. ¡°You¡¯re doing it on purpose, right?¡± He couldn¡¯t tell where the friendly teen ended and the cunning siren began. His fascination for life on land was undoubtedly real, but that didn¡¯t make him naive. ¡°What do you mean? I just asked her to help us.¡± ¡°Forget it.¡± ¡°Just let me do the talking. I don¡¯t need charms to deal with sapients.¡± Damn siren. Kai hadn¡¯t had the chance to respond when Melisa came back carrying a folder in her arms. She placed it down on the counter but didn¡¯t let them take a look. ¡°You¡¯ve found it.¡± Rain brightened up. ¡°That was very quick.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She bit her lip, putting both her hands on the folder. ¡°But I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t share this. Contracts above Red ¡ï¡ï¡ï are only for seekers of the appropriate rank.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Can we sign up?¡± From how Melisa promptly placed two forms on the counter, she had already expected the question. ¡°Please add your information.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Rain grimaced, already scarred by the horrors of human bureaucracy. There were two pages of personal details such as name, age, place of birth and general talents. The only noteworthy addition was the grade of his race and profession, though that was a given for an adventurer. ¡°So we just need to fill this paper to join?¡± Kai said. ¡°There isn¡¯t a¡­ test or something?¡± In a little corner of his mind, he had been hoping for an exam where he could shatter the expectations of the other trainees and receive the praise of an old grouchy veteran. I¡¯ve spent too much time thinking about this¡­ ¡°Just the form. And a fee of five silver to be renewed yearly.¡± Melisa answered, still looking at Rain. ¡°Naturally, this is only for a Red-1 license. You¡¯ll need to complete some tasks to upgrade it to Orange. It shouldn¡¯t be a problem with your grades.¡± Guess I¡¯ll take convenience over fun. Kai almost wrote his real name before hastily turning it into a splotch of ink and changing it to Matthew. He was glad Lou had grilled him about every detail of his alias¡¯ life. Quickly taking care of the formalities, Melisa offered them two iron badges depicting a quill over a map, their name and an identification number engraved on the back. ¡°Congratulations, you¡¯re now officially seekers.¡± ¡°Thank you, can we see the contract now?¡± Kai leaned on the counter. The clerk kept the folder out of his reach. ¡°Unfortunately, the case you¡¯re seeking is rated Yellow. You can only check contracts one rank higher than your badge.¡± Are you fucking kidding me? His heart pulsed in his ears, his fingers digging into the wood of the counter. Couldn¡¯t you tell us earlier? Rain pulled him back before he could act on his impulses to strangle her. ¡°Can¡¯t you make an exception? My sister took this contract without our parents¡¯ knowing. I¡¯m really worried about her.¡± ¡°There are rules for a reason¡­¡± She drummed her nails on the folder. ¡°The Hall doesn¡¯t want to encourage reckless behavior. And I couldn¡¯t reveal the rank of this case before you became a member.¡± Despite her words, Melisa hadn¡¯t said no. Rain also picked up on it, speaking with enviable patience. ¡°Is there nothing I can do? Given our grade, we clearly don¡¯t fall into that category¡­¡± The back and forth continued for ten more minutes before the siren coaxed Melisa to read them the file out loud. So she didn¡¯t technically break any rules. The contract had been put forth by a group of families to find their loved ones¡ªor recover their bodies. As of a week ago, fourteen people had been reported missing, and the rank of the case had been raised to Yellow-1. There were no clues or leads about what was happening on the field, though that wasn¡¯t unusual. Seekers rarely shared information unless they gave up on the task. ¡°Trust me. With a five-gold reward, it¡¯s only a matter of time before someone solves the case. I¡¯m surprised the guards haven¡¯t already intervened,¡± Melisa mused. ¡°I hope to see you again, Rain.¡± I don¡¯t. Despite not receiving much new information, they had confirmed that more people had gone missing since Valela had checked. ¡°Thank you for taking over,¡± Kai turned to the siren. ¡°I would have only gotten angry by myself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Rain winked in a very Flynn-like way. ¡°I¡¯m sure your sister is fine.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± The hurry of rushing to find his sister bit at him again. They still had to buy more supplies for the journey, and figure how they¡¯d get there. Soon. Back in the clamor of the hall, they found Flynn sharing stories and beers at a table. The teen clapped the back of another young man and excused himself when he saw them coming. ¡°See you around, Thomil. Next drink''s on me.¡± He slammed a few coppers on the table with a cheer. They took one of the few free benches in the corner of the hall. Kai quickly summarized what they had learned. ¡°Did you find anything useful?¡± ¡°A few rumors.¡± Flynn rubbed his neck. ¡°Almost no one has been to Limgrell or has heard of it, but Thomil has a cousin who stopped there a month ago. Apparently, your sister¡¯s team wasn¡¯t the first to take the contract¡­¡± ¡°And what happened to them?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what Thomil found strange. They officially quit the task, but no one has talked to them since.¡± Spirits, what kind of trouble did Kea get into? ¡°They¡¯re dead?¡± ¡°Not necessarily.¡± Flynn shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s possible they simply took a caravan further north or disbanded. But the strangeness doesn¡¯t end there. After so many people went missing without a clue, the contract should have been raised to Yellow-3 according to Thomil.¡± As if things couldn¡¯t get any shadier. ¡°Do they have any idea what¡¯s going on?¡± Rain asked. Flynn shrugged. ¡°Everyone had a different opinion. If the culprit was a yellow beast, someone should have found the signs of a fight or the remains of its meal. So it¡¯s either other humans, or something far too dangerous for anyone below Green.¡± * * * It was the people strolling the streets of Varsea that made Kai finally grasp he wasn¡¯t in the archipelago anymore. Not only for the tanned faces being sand instead of amber, but also because the average grade for adults was at the peak of Orange, with every fifth person at Yellow. He had climbed to the summit of a mountain, only to be shoved back down. His only consolation was that he had yet to see anyone of his own age with the same grade. The youngest one he¡¯d spotted was a woman around twenty dressed in a heavily enchanted silk dress. From her sudden, huffy look, she¡¯d realized someone had inspected her. He¡¯d strolled out of the wealthy district, cold sweat running down his back. Thankfully, recognizing the touch of Mana Observer was much easier than pointing out its origin. Kai would have done anything to keep himself distracted for the last two days. The more they learned about the missing case, the more dubious the contract looked. She¡¯ll be fine. Kea can take care of herself. They had already bought enough supplies and equipment for the journey, and Madame Le Garde had just delivered their new outfits that morning. Two sets of waterproof and sturdy clothes made for the wild¡ªKai had barely glanced at them. The last problem they had to solve was getting on the road. Limgrell was about a couple weeks on foot going northeast. The easiest way to reach it would be to join a caravan, but the town wasn¡¯t part of the main trade routes. It could take more weeks of waiting before they found something¡ªthat was out of the question. Rain had proposed they post a notice for a guide at the Hall of Seekers. The clerk warned them that giving a reward of one gold would leave them spoilt for choice and scammers¡ªand possibly worse. Still, it beat traveling on land alone with no experience. We just need to pick the right person. Kai turned the street to the Hall of Seekers. Flynn and Rain were already there¡ªtogether with a crowd of at least three dozen people. Chapter 267 - Sheep and Wolves Chapter 267 - Sheep and Wolves There were close to forty seekers gathered, from teens who had barely gotten their profession, to veterans with white beards. Given the short notice, Kai had offered one gold, hoping to get a handful of people interested. The prices of the central district made him misjudge how much the average adventurer earned. Like Dora always told him, nothing good came from rushing things. In his urgency to leave, they¡¯d waste more time sorting through this mess. Hmm¡­ You live, you learn. Several pairs of eyes followed him, taking stock of his newly tailored clothes. Kai headed straight for Rain and Flynn to not give anyone the chance to approach him. ¡°The post worked!¡± The siren held his hands on the straps of a waxed leather backpack, an eager grin on his face. ¡°I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d find so many volunteers.¡± His enchanted bracelet would keep their words private. ¡°Yeah, it went a little too well.¡± ¡°Do you want me to handle it?¡± Flynn offered¡ªhe had been the only one to caution him to lower the reward. ¡°We¡¯re in front of the Hall of Seekers. I doubt anyone will make a scene.¡± Kai bit his cheek. ¡°I put my name on the posting. I¡¯ll deal with the initial selection.¡± While he might not be a social butterfly, he trusted himself to judge people¡ªespecially if he used Hallowed Intuition. ¡°Any preference?¡± Flynn scratched his neck to sneak a peek at the crowd. ¡°If we pick a team, I¡¯d stick with two people at most. It might become problematic to handle more.¡± I should have worded the post more carefully¡­ Some adventurers were indeed staying close together in groups. The contract posed no limitations on the number of applicants, as long as they knew their way to Limgrell. ¡°You think they¡¯d be a problem?¡± Rain had no qualms staring directly at the crowd, even gesturing with a smile. ¡°The Hall will record their names in case something happens. And they look quite weak.¡± ¡°If we are willing to pay a gold piece for a guide, they might think we¡¯re worth taking the risk,¡± Flynn said, keeping up with his nonchalant act for their spectators. ¡°And you actually carry enough mesars to settle a family for ten generations. The fact we¡¯re foreigners doesn¡¯t help. There might not be anyone to come looking for us if something happened.¡± ¡°That''s bleak.¡± Rain tilted his head. ¡°You really thought about this. Guess the surface isn¡¯t much different from the deep.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡ª¡± The teen stared at his new boots, embarrassed. ¡°I just want to avoid problems. We¡¯ll still need to sleep with them around. I¡¯d rather not watch my back every second.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ That¡¯s a good point.¡± They briefly discussed a few more red flags to avoid. Kai examined the cluster of people with Mana Observer¡ªno one seemed to react to his skill. There were four adventurers at early yellow: a woman with honey-colored locks, a man with flaming red hair, and a graying couple who looked to be married. A dozen more had only advanced their profession, while almost everyone had their race at the peak of Orange. They¡¯d be quite the force back home. While none of them looked particularly impressive by themselves, how easily he had gathered such a crowd still impressed him. With the siren and Hallowed Intuition on his side, Kai wasn¡¯t particularly worried about getting mugged, though Flynn also had a point. He didn''t want to sleep with one eye open for more than a week¡ªor be left without a guide because they thought themselves clever. Time¡¯s up. Seeing the crowd grow restless, Kai walked out of the muffling bubble to address them. A man with a deep scar carved across his upper lip stepped forward. ¡°Are you really going to pay us a piece of gold?¡± he grunted. It was hard to say if he was trying to intimidate him or if it was his natural look. His question was echoed by many of the people present. Spirits, I shouldn¡¯t have asked Rain to suggest a reasonable amount. ¡°You¡¯ll get paid as stated in the contract,¡± Kai said, loud enough to be heard by everyone. ¡°If you bring us to Limgrell in less than two weeks.¡± At least I wasn¡¯t completely brainless. The crowd of strangers turned to stare at him. Kai clenched his jaw to not squirm under the uncomfortable amount of attention. ¡°I¡¯m the quest giver. Since we only need one guide, I¡¯ll have to tighten our requirements.¡± He¡¯d rather sell the arrogant young master looking to make his pick, than the gullible newbie overwhelmed by the situation. The ginger-haired man shoved his way to the front, using his grade advantage. ¡°Hey, kid! I¡¯m the most experienced¡ª¡± A dozen voices rose to drown his words. In seconds, half the people gathered were shouting what made them the better choice. A few adventurers even looked ready to start a fistfight. This is going to be worse than I thought. He vainly raised a hand to ask for silence. The crowd continued to squabble, forcing him to expand his aura to dissuade the fools who attempted to touch him. Guess this already cuts the numbers. He eliminated the worst offenders from the pool of candidates, focusing on the people who stayed silent. When the ruckus quietened enough to speak, Kai didn¡¯t hide his irritation. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°We¡¯re in a hurry. If you can¡¯t depart right away, leave. If you''re in a group of more than two people, leave. No!¡± He raised his voice to silence an objection. ¡°These are not negotiable. If you''ve never been to Limgrell before, leave. We¡¯ll check if you''re telling the truth. If you¡¯ve not brought supplies¡­¡± He quickly listed half a dozen criteria to thin out the group. Since he excluded a few people at a time, the remaining adventurers were eager to speed them along and get rid of the competition. ¡°You, you, and you also leave.¡± Kai pointed out to a trio, fully into his young master persona. ¡°I don¡¯t need people who shout like fish merchants.¡± An adventurer with a broken nose raised his fist at him. ¡°Who do you think you are!¡± Only then did he seem to realize the crowd had reduced to less than ten people, none willing to back him up. ¡°Huh¡­ You¡¯ll regret it!¡± He stomped away, cursing under his breath. Spirits, grant me patience. They were free to call him an asshole. He wasn¡¯t here to make friends, and he had no time to spare for the feelings of grown men he¡¯d never meet again. Seeing a more manageable number of people remaining, some of the tension drained from his shoulders. The worst was over. All the seekers at Yellow were still present, together with several half-step into the grade. ¡°Thank you all for coming,¡± he switched to the tone of a job interviewer, feeling incredibly awkward all the while. ¡°Please make a line. We¡¯ll ask you a few questions before making our choice.¡± Kai retreated into the muffling bubble with his companions while the candidates figured out their order in a semi-civil manner. ¡°You did great.¡± Flynn clapped his back. ¡°I was sure some people would make trouble, but you nailed them with a glare.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± Rain emphatically nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve never been trained to command. You¡¯re a natural.¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ thanks.¡± Are they saying this to make me feel better¡­? It had turned out okay, though he¡¯d be glad if he never had to do that again. Dealing with a crowd was exhausting. ¡°Do you want us to deal with the interviews?¡± Flynn gestured to the forming line. ¡°You can just stay back and glare like you want to strangle them. Yes, exactly like that!¡± Kai crossed his arms, fighting not to glower. ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°I¡¯m almost certain a few lied.¡± The siren mused at the seekers. ¡°Do you have a truth-sensing skill?¡± That would be handy. ¡°Mhmm¡­ not exactly. I can get a hint of their intentions if they involve me.¡± Rain chewed his lip. ¡°Sirens'' charms work based on how people feel towards us. Love, hate, it doesn¡¯t really matter. It¡¯s harder to tell away from the sea, but there is a kind of¡­ conflict when people lie. With most at least.¡± That¡¯s a little creepy. Fuck, can he feel that too? Positive thoughts, positive thoughts! ¡°That¡¯s awesome,¡± Flynn said, then he turned a shade brighter. ¡°Anyway, we should get on with it.¡± Rain fiddled with the latches of his backpack, seemingly unaware of everything. ¡°I¡¯ll tap your back if they¡¯re lying.¡± The guy with ginger hair was the first to walk into the muffling bubble, his biceps bulging as if he were flexing. He didn¡¯t wait for a question before making his case. ¡°Listen to me, boys! I¡¯ve been a seeker for longer than you¡¯ve been alive. You must have heard of Skar the Redaxe.¡± He spun a curved hatchet far too close for comfort. ¡°I know every inch of this province like¡­¡± Kai would think the siren was trying to massage his back from the incessant pokes he was receiving. The man went on a rant about how he wrestled down a yellow bear, treating them like a bunch of impressionable kids. ¡°How long would it take you to bring us to Limgrell?¡± Flynn asked. ¡°No more than a week, depending on how fast your legs can move.¡± ¡°What about crossing the Boggard of Fo¡¯hoolis?¡± He scratched his stubble, pensive. ¡°I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s infested by crocodiles.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, boy. I know a shortcut around it,¡± Skar snorted with a dismissed look. ¡°I¡¯ll beat up any croc we meet.¡± ¡°And the Mor¡¯non River?¡± he continued with a straight face. ¡°How do we avoid the leeches there?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll carry you if you¡¯re afraid of the water. I¡¯ve got a skill that will make any insect run like¡­¡± This guy is so full of shit. Two days of research had been enough to check a few maps and gather general information. Kai was pretty sure there was no Swamp of Fool, or Moron River between them and Limgrell. ¡°Thank you,¡± Kai intervened when it was clear the guy''s bullshit had no limit. ¡°We¡¯ll let you know after we talk to the others.¡± ¡°Why waste time with those amateurs?¡± Skar scoffed. ¡°I¡¯ve already said I would.¡± ¡°Well, if you must. But don¡¯t make me wait too long. There are many looking to hire Skar the Redaxe.¡± He left, performing another Dexterity trick with his hatchet. Did he reach Yellow with bullshitting skills? The woman with honey-colored locks was up next¡ªthey had probably arranged themselves by grade. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Arlynna. It¡¯s nice to see three young new faces.¡± She offered to shake their hands and get their names. ¡°You can just call me Arly. I¡¯ll be happy to accompany you to Limgrell. You must be new to the province. Ask me anything you want.¡± Arlynna appeared to have been to Limgrell, though she wasn¡¯t ready to leave on the day and expected them to cover her supplies. If that weren¡¯t enough, she kept making not-so-subtle inquiries about their background. Hallowed Intuition gave him a foreboding feeling. The whispers were too subtle to figure out the nature of the danger, but Kai didn¡¯t need it to make his choice. ¡°I don¡¯t like her.¡± ¡°I agree¡­¡± Rain seconded him. ¡°She lied only twice that I could tell, but she isn¡¯t going to settle for one gold.¡± ¡°She¡¯s out too then,¡± Flynn looked at the line. ¡°We still have options.¡± Last of the Yellow line was the old married couple: Mr. and Mrs. Celisia. They must have advanced later in life or be positively ancient to have graying hair at their grade. Among everyone present, Kai held his greatest hopes for them. They didn¡¯t look boisterous like Skar and were already dressed for the road, carrying weathered bags that told of countless travels. He quickly changed his mind once they started talking, struggling to keep a casual smile. ¡°Don¡¯t you have any uncle to accompany you?¡± Mr. Celisia scolded them as if they were naughty children. ¡°The road to Limgrell can be quite perilous if you¡¯ve never treaded it. Have you packed food and dry clothes?¡± He squinted at the cloudless sky. ¡°There¡¯ll be rain before the day is over.¡± ¡°Come on, Vert. They¡¯re not children.¡± Mrs. Celisia patted her husband¡¯s arm. ¡°I¡¯m sure these young men can take care of themselves.¡± She gave them a grandmotherly smile. ¡°But if you want a guide, we¡¯ll be happy to accompany you. We were already planning to go to Limgrell to visit our nephews. Little Randell must have just started walking. I try not to have favorites, but his red cheeks are so adorable.¡± She sighed with contentment, gaze lost on the cobblestones. Mr. Celisia cleared his throat. ¡°We¡¯re in front of clients, honey.¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± She jolted from her daydreaming. ¡°Forgive me. Do you know how long you¡¯ll be staying? The Lake of Myst is quite lovely in spring. Not so much in winter. You know, it¡¯s too misty.¡± She chortled. ¡°Our grandson will be happy to show you all the best sights. Oh, but don¡¯t feel pressured to come with us. The offer still stands even if you want some younger bones to be your guide.¡± ¡°Barren Skies! You always do this Marta,¡± Mr. Celisia grumbled with an exasperated look. ¡°How¡¯re we going to pay for Micha''s education if you ditch all our jobs? I can take any of these youngsters with both hands tied behind my back.¡± He narrowed his eyes at the other adventurers. ¡°We already have enough savings, dear. And it would only do you good to skip some meals.¡± Mrs. Celisia smacked his belly before turning to them. ¡°You know, Micha has quite the talent for magic. We were hoping she¡¯d get accepted into an academy.¡± Between one grumble and several anecdotes about their nephews and grandchildren, the couple answered every question about Limgrell. They even went into great detail about different routes to take depending on the season. ¡°What do you think?¡± Flynn asked once they were alone. ¡°Everything they said checks out with what Thomil told me about the town.¡± ¡°No.¡± Kai rubbed his arms, his skin still crawling about their experience. His back was drenched in cold sweat. ¡°We can¡¯t go with them.¡± Rain furrowed his pale brows. ¡°Why? They seemed like quite nice humans, and I couldn¡¯t detect any lies.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t notice?¡± Kai struggled not to focus Mana Observer on the threat. The fact the siren hadn¡¯t perceived anything was all the more disturbing. Hallowed Intuition had been bellowing to get away since the couple started speaking. While with Arlynna there might have been doubts, here there were none: if they went with them, they would never reach Limgrell¡ªnot alive anyway. There had been sharper dangers in the Sanctuary, but the whisper had never sounded so insidious and ominous since the marine horrors had almost ripped him to shreds. ¡°We should make sure they don¡¯t follow us. They¡¯re not what they seem.¡± They don¡¯t just need money for all their nephews¡­ Kai barely listened to the next interviews, too disturbed by what had happened. They might have gotten killed if he didn¡¯t have Hallowed Intuition. After excluding the liars and the incompetent, the candidates weren¡¯t so numerous anymore. There must be someone who''s not looking to rob or murder us, right? Chapter 268 - Lessons Learned Chapter 268 - Lessons Learned ¡°What do you think?¡± Flynn hinted at the remaining candidates with a tilt of his head. ¡°I¡¯d cut the guy with the weasel face. He had no idea what I was talking about when I mentioned the inn in Limgrell. I don¡¯t think he has visited the town in years. Do you have any preference?¡± There were a dozen seekers gathered, and only six under real consideration. ¡°They all lied to make themselves look better, but nothing particularly significant.¡± Rain stared at a lone man with a streaked beard and a curved bow. ¡°I¡¯d exclude the hunter. He¡¯s going to bleed us for more gold if he gets the chance. What about you, Mat? The skill you got is quite impressive.¡± ¡°Uhm¡­¡± Kai cleared his mind from the creepy couple to focus on the current task. ¡°None of them triggered Hallowed Intuition. They don¡¯t have sinister intentions, at least not for this journey.¡± He scratched his brow with a finger to glance at the last duo of swordsmen. ¡°I¡¯d cut them. Even if we run into trouble, they aren¡¯t strong enough to justify the hassle of dealing with two people.¡± One stranger is plenty. That left two options: a middle-aged ranger who spoke in monosyllabic answers, and the scarred adventurer with the menacing air. ¡°Let¡¯s just toss a coin.¡± Kai patted his pockets looking for a mesar. ¡°I¡¯ve got it!¡± The siren took out a coin¡ªblessedly, it was only silver. ¡°Is it a common human custom? How does this work?¡± Guess you can¡¯t exactly toss a coin underwater. ¡°If it lands on the hawk we get the scarred man. The number for the ranger.¡± ¡°Neat.¡± Rain threw the coin a couple meters in the air. The metal glimmered in the daylight and perfectly landed in his palm. ¡°Uh, it¡¯s the hawk.¡± Mr. Scary Mug it is. ¡°Okay, follow my lead.¡± Eager to get moving, Kai met the gaze of the scarred adventurer with a faint nod. The man smirked, his scarred lip giving him a vicious twist. ¡°We¡¯ve decided to pick Daniel,¡± he said out loud, hoping that was his name. ¡°What do you mean! Him?¡± Skar the Redaxe shouted, pointing at the other man with his hatchet. But it was the old couple¡¯s silent gazes that sent shivers down his back. ¡°That¡¯s our choice. Thank you all for coming.¡± Kai slipped inside the Hall of Seekers, trusting the adventurers wouldn¡¯t make a scene inside. They needed a way to lose potential stalkers before getting out of town. This has already taken too long. His friends trailed after him, not yet understanding exactly what was going on. The bustle of the hall washed over them, mixed with laughter and clinks of beer despite the early hour. Kai headed toward the counter to finalize the contract, avoiding Melisa¡¯s line. How did such a simple task turn into a deadly affair? Reishi had warned him revealing his wealth might attract the wrong crowd on the mainland, but he had gotten cocky with his rapid advancement. This wasn¡¯t the archipelago anymore, here he was just another fish in the ocean. All his spells would do him little good if someone stabbed him in his sleep or ambushed him in numbers. Luckily, the blunder only cost him entertaining a crowd of rowdy adventurers¡ªa cheap price for the wake-up call. ¡°What do you need?¡± the clerk curtly asked, doodling on a piece of paper. ¡°To register this.¡± Kai placed the contract on the desk, glad to see Daniel standing beside him. They quickly added their signature on three duplicates: a copy for each party and one for the Hall to enforce it if it were necessary. ¡°The sum has already been paid,¡± the bored clerk muttered, focused on his blotchy artwork. ¡°You can cash in your reward in the Hall in Limgrell.¡± And that¡¯s done as well. ¡°Is it that bad?¡± Flynn stood in front of him, noticing his nervous glances. Rain echoed his sentiments. ¡°If they try anything, I¡¯ll deal with them.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll explain later.¡± Kai dried his sweaty palms on his coat. Only a couple adventurers from the crowd had followed them inside, looking for other contracts on the quest board. There was no trace of Mr. and Mrs. Celisia¡ªthough that was hardly reassuring. Where did they go? Daniel leaned behind him to follow his gaze. ¡°I know a way out the back if you want to lose someone.¡± ¡°Huh¡­ that¡¯d be great,¡± Kai said, already liking the guy more. ¡°Just doing my job. I¡¯m your guide till Limgrell.¡± Daniel strode towards a door at the opposite end of the Hall. He pulled an old iron key from his spatial bag and opened the lock with two quick clicks. ¡°Newbies aren¡¯t technically allowed in here. Keep your faces down if we meet anyone.¡± Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. They walked in beside a flight of stairs and two more doors. A woman sat on the steps, honing a longsword with a whetstone. She gave one glance at Daniel before returning to her blade. Is it here where the cool kids meet? Kai curbed his curiosity to inspect the place with his senses and followed the man through three more sets of doors. They walked out into an unassuming alley behind the building. There was no one else around, or any sign to point out the entrance to the Hall. ¡°Higher-ranked seekers come through here to avoid the main lobby,¡± Daniel explained, holding the exit for them. ¡°I didn¡¯t exactly get the key through the usual way, so I¡¯d appreciate your discretion.¡± Flynn furrowed his brow. ¡°What¡¯re you talking about? The door was already open.¡± The adventurer barked a laugh, the scar giving his grin a movie villain look. ¡°I think we¡¯ll get along just fine.¡± In the light of day, Daniel couldn¡¯t be any older than thirty, with only his profession advanced to Yellow. ¡°Who are we trying to avoid? Don¡¯t let Skar Blabbermouth intimidate you. He¡¯s all bark and no bite, literally. I¡¯ve seen him back out of a brawl with a kid half his age.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the elderly couple.¡± ¡°The Celisias? Those frail bags of bones?¡± He chuckled. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°I¡¯m certain.¡± Kai nervously paced. ¡°Can we move? The last time I perceived a similar level of danger was from a green beast. I¡¯d rather not stay here to find out.¡± Their incredulous looks shattered against his seriousness. The threat had hinged on choosing to go with the old couple, but a little extra motivation never hurt. ¡°Hmm, this way.¡± Daniel jogged down the alley. ¡°Those two do lose a couple clients every year. I always thought they were just incompetent cowards¡­ Thank the Moons, I¡¯ve never taken any contract with them.¡± He stopped to peek over the corner at the intersection and then slipped through another narrow street. ¡°Do you need to get anything before leaving Varsea? I¡¯ve got a couple extra supplies in my bag, but they aren¡¯t enough for four.¡± ¡°We¡¯re good to go.¡± Kai listened for any whisper of danger that rose above the noise. Since he advanced it, the skill was too sensitive to go entirely quiet in a city¡ªclarity had never been one of its virtues. ¡°How long is it going to take to get us to Limgrell?¡± ¡°Depends which way we go. Keeping to the main road is the safest. We can shave a couple of days by cutting through the Lorvyn Woods and the Rustling Hills, but that¡¯ll be risky. Are you in that much of a hurry?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Kai turned to Flynn and Rain. There wasn¡¯t only his life and comfort on the line. ¡°The fastest way would be best.¡± The siren answered for them. ¡°You understand I can¡¯t assure your safety if we cut across high mana areas.¡± ¡°We¡¯re willing to take the risk as long as it¡¯s nothing too crazy.¡± ¡°Then, we should make it in about nine or ten days.¡± Daniel nodded. ¡°But it¡¯s not only you who are taking the risk. And I won¡¯t get anything if you get yourself killed¡­¡± Spirits, Reishi would make fun of me for the rest of my days. One gold was already more than generous, still, it was his fault for not specifying the details in the contract. ¡°You¡¯ll get your bonus. Ten silvers if you get us there in nine days, and ten more if we get attacked by beasts.¡± ¡°What about bandits?¡± ¡°Those too.¡± "People aren¡¯t as easy to deal with¡­¡± Daniel scratched his scar. ¡°Not a chip more.¡± Kai threw him an icy glare. ¡°That¡¯s already more than a fair price.¡± The adventurer raised his hands in a pacifying gesture. ¡°You can¡¯t blame me for trying, boy. You¡¯ve got yourself a deal.¡± ¡°Deal." He shook his rugged hand. ¡°Now get us out of here without getting followed. Today counts as the first day.¡± ¡°Yes, boss. Try to keep pace.¡± Daniel followed a long meandering path across the outskirts. By the time they reached the western gate, Kai had seen more of Varsea than in the previous three days combined, crossed three markets and an unknown number of neighborhoods. A stone wall enclosed the city, taller than the highest buildings and over four meters thick. No one else seemed particularly taken in by the sight. The guards chatted amongst themselves, distractedly checking the line of people flowing in. They joined the column of carts and travelers leaving. Kai craned his neck to stare at the vaulted ceiling of the bulwark as they passed through. It must have taken an army of Earth mages to build this thing¡­ They emerged on a wide dirt road leading into a series of winding slopes of grass and golden wheat. Farmsteads with red shingles dotted the hills surrounded by smaller specks of color, grazing cattle and people busy reaping the last harvest before winter hit. ¡°We¡¯ll cross through the fields after the first ridge and turn north,¡± Daniel advanced with fast strides in the middle of the column. ¡°Can¡¯t we just run?¡± ¡°Have you never traveled outside a caravan? Crossing the wilderness is a matter of endurance. We can¡¯t run till Limgrell.¡± ¡°Why not? We just need to keep a good pace. It can¡¯t be that hard.¡± The scarred man searched his face for the signs of a joke. ¡°Because none of us has a Courier profession. And even if we did, letting yourself get caught exhausted in the wilderness is a good way to get yourself killed. Beasts won¡¯t care if you¡¯re tired, and humans will see it as an easy payday.¡± Guess that does make sense. In the outskirts of Veeryd, I could faint without any fear since the mana was low, here, no place is truly safe¡­ ¡°Hmm¡­ What if we can detect any threat first?¡± Between Mana Sense and Hallowed Intuition, there was little chance to get ambushed, even if he ran. ¡°We can jog slower.¡± ¡°How do you think no one suspected the Celisias of anything for years?¡± Daniel shook his head. ¡°Everyone who walks outside a gate has a skill to detect danger, and every killer has one to hide themselves from it. I¡¯m sure yours might be pretty good, but trust me, kid: it¡¯ll never be good enough.¡± But I did see through them once they approached us¡­ ¡°Is that why Hunch didn¡¯t react at all?¡± Flynn cursed under his breath. ¡°Is there no way around that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how the world goes. You have to look for other hints. Some people are so confident in their skill they betray themselves with words¡­¡± Daniel listed the dangers of the road, enjoying the attention. Kai fell a step behind, lost in his own thoughts. The number of mistakes he made before leaving his first city was frankly embarrassing. He had known the mainland would be different, and yet he still made them in his hurry to reach Kea. I can¡¯t afford to repeat them. Erring once was human, twice was stupidity. He reached through his bond to check on his familiar. Hobbes was hitching a ride on a cart twenty meters ahead of him. The furball was thrilled to be back in the wild on land, sending him waves of lazy curiosity. We¡¯re about to leave the column. Kai warned him, sending meaning through their connection with increasing ease every day that passed. You can teleport, why should I carry you? Okay¡­ yes, fine. But you can¡¯t show your powers to anybody. No, it¡¯s not about who¡¯s stronger. Do you want us to get chased day and night? Right. No¡­ yes, there¡¯ll be plenty of fish where we¡¯re going. Mentally arguing with a cat was more futile than in their physical bodies. Thank the spirits, Hobbes agreed to play sneaky. While Daniel seemed a competent guy behind his menacing grin, trust was a harder currency to earn. It¡¯ll be alright. I just lack experience. The smell of tilled fields and grassy meadows relaxed him. He was finally on the march toward his sister. Travelers thinned out as the path forked away from Varsea. It was just a matter of days before they reached Limgrell. Getting there was supposed to be the easy part, then he¡¯d have to convince Kea to leave for safety. They had just cut across a field of rye when a murmur rose to brush his thoughts. Nope. I must have imagined it. The pulse came again, growing higher like a wave with the rising tide. Fucking jerks. At the third whisper, there was no doubt: someone was following them. Chapter 269 - Luck Chapter 269 - Luck They had left the main road to wade through the fields, heading northwest for Limgrell. Kai had hoped the diversion would quieten the whispers. And it did¡ªfor a handful of minutes¡ªthen they came back, ominously murmuring. The direction and nature of the threat were too vague to deduce anything. Either the source of danger was weak, or some other skill was interfering with Hallowed Intuition. Given how widespread such skills were according to Daniel, the odds leaned toward the latter. Is it the creepy couple or some other disgruntled guy I sent away? With all the adventurers that gathered for his contract, there were too many candidates. Varsea had made clear how much he still had to learn about the mainland. He¡¯d rather avoid a confrontation with an unknown foe if possible. We might still lose them in the fields. The ears of rye swayed and rustled in the wind, tickling his face. From a distance, Kai hadn¡¯t realized the height of the crops. It''d take considerable effort to achieve the same with Nature Magic, but he doubted mages were responsible. He had never considered what mundane jobs like farmers might achieve in the higher grades. They could have also modified the seeds before planting, or used some kind of magical GMO¡­ Years ago, he had read about professions that could induce beneficial mutations in Virya¡¯s library. The book had focused on cattle and poultry, though it should only be easier with plants. ¡°Keep low.¡± Daniel opened a way through the rye ahead of them. ¡°Farmers don¡¯t like it when you stomp through their crops. Some can get pretty mad.¡± ¡°How mad are we talking?¡± Flynn swatted an ear of rye out of his face and hunched forward. His height put him at a disadvantage. ¡°Well¡­ it depends. I got shot with a bow twice when I was sixteen.¡± The man chuckled, lifting his sleeve to show a round scar on his bicep. ¡°I did also steal some apples that time. Usually, they just unleash their guardian beasts against you. You just have to sprint when you hear the bark.¡± Flynn stumbled on an uneven patch. ¡°What do you mean by beasts¡­?¡± ¡°Just watch your feet.¡± Daniel ignored the question with a smirk. ¡°If they¡¯re well trained, they¡¯ll stop at the edge of their master¡¯s plot.¡± They walked on the free terrain along an irrigation canal, keeping between rows of wheat that had yet to be harvested. Everyone was ready to dart at the shout of an enraged farmer or their pet. No matter how far they meandered, the whispers kept tugging at Kai¡¯s thoughts. Here¡¯s where hope becomes self-delusion. ¡°We¡¯re being followed.¡± Daniel stopped by a two-meter ditch. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He spread his senses over the golden ears of crops, vainly trying to wring more information out of Hallowed Intuition. ¡°I don¡¯t know who it is, but they don¡¯t have good intentions.¡± The man cursed under his breath. ¡°They must have waited for us by the gates, or have someone with a yellow tracking skill.¡± His fist clenched around a dagger strapped to his leg. ¡°Blasted fates! We have to pick up the pace and hope to lose them when we reach the Lorvyn Woods.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be easier to just wait for them and deal with it?¡± Rain shrugged, not looking particularly worried. ¡°None of those men would be a problem.¡± ¡°You¡¯re presuming they didn¡¯t bring any friends.¡± The scarred seeker scoffed, already marching through the fields. ¡°The prize from three patrician kids without an escort will push many people to less savory activities. Any of those men could have also sold the information to one of Varsea¡¯s gangs.¡± Where is my Luck when I need it? ¡°We aren¡¯t patricians.¡± Kai augmented his legs to keep pace. He only had a vague understanding of what the title meant. It differed from a rigid caste system since it wasn¡¯t endlessly heritable and anyone could attain it, but he had never learned all the legal details and benefits. The governor¡¯s family was the only one with that status in the archipelago, and he had avoided them like the plague. ¡°Who else throws around gold and reaches Yellow at your age?¡± Daniel threw them a skeptical look. ¡°If you wanted to keep a low profile, you shouldn¡¯t have worn clothes worth more than a year''s wage. Yeah, anyone with a brain can tell.¡± Hmm, going to Madame Le Garde might have backfired¡­ ¡°We really aren¡¯t,¡± Flynn protested. ¡°And I¡¯m not Yellow yet.¡± The seeker gave him a once over with a look full of silent implications. ¡°Maybe you have a different name for it where you¡¯re from, but money and privilege smell the same. The fact that you¡¯re foreigners just makes you better targets since there is less fear of retaliation.¡± Always rob the tourists, only more violently¡­ The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°I thought anyone could raise their social status in the Republic,¡± Rain mused, unaffected by the awkward mood. ¡°You just have to advance to Green, or be born in the family of someone who had.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what the senators love to say in their speeches: ¡®We¡¯re all given an equal chance, you just need to work hard¡¯.¡± Daniel spat with obvious bitterness. ¡°How many people born at the bottom of Red reach that grade? One or two in a million? I don¡¯t know your story, but here, the patrician families hoard gold and opportunities to keep their status.¡± I¡¯m here, you know? Your one-in-a-million role model, limited edition! Kai considered arguing his case. The scions born surrounded by riches and tutors had been the bane of his existence since Virya had told him about the wider world. Now that he had clawed his way up from the bottom of the rung, being mistaken for his nemesis was quite vexing. What are the chances that he believes me? According to canon, Matthew was born at Orange¡­ ¡°We¡¯re technically from the Republic too.¡± Kai gestured to himself and Flynn. ¡°From the Baquaire Archipelago. The islands were annexed¡­¡± ¡°Sixty-one years ago.¡± His friend helpfully provided, between one breath and the other. ¡°The governor threw a celebration for the sixtieth year in Higharbor. It was last summer, while you were still living with your father. Not that you missed much. Apart from the free food.¡± ¡°Huh, the Baquaire Archipelago?¡± Daniel scratched his scarred lip, running the long way around the shed on a hill. ¡°One of my previous clients tried to use a ticket there instead of paying. Said it was a steal. Fine beaches, crystal sea, and well¡­ Maybe I should have taken it? Is it as nice as they say?¡± ¡°Way better.¡± Flynn threw himself into a detailed description of the scenery and food while they jogged through the fields. Ranting about their respective governors also helped relieve the stiff atmosphere. ¡°No beasts. Anywhere?¡± Daniel appeared to find the notion as strange as Kai found having awakened animals everywhere. They had run into a chubby mouse chewing on a row of turnips. The beast skittered away when it heard their steps¡ªquite a different behavior from what he was used to. They doubled back around a farm when a woman spurred a certain Daisy to chase a flock of awakened sparrows, the howling bark following them for miles. The farmland stretched with no end in sight, and so did the murmurs relentlessly prodding his thoughts. Winding their path around the cultivated slopes made no difference to their stalker. ¡°Are you worried about the pursuers?¡± Rain jogged beside him, closing the line. The muffling ward bent to cover just them while letting the outside sound pass through. ¡°I thought it¡¯d be more relaxing if we didn¡¯t have to watch our words.¡± ¡°Mhmm, yeah,¡± Kai tersely said. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± He¡¯s trying. Don¡¯t be an asshole. ¡°I¡¯m worried about my sister.¡± Kai stomped over the ground with more force than necessary. ¡°I thought having high Favor would help me avoid this type of nuisance. First the pirates, and now this.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Fate always fails you when you need it most. That¡¯s what my uncle used to say.¡± The siren leaped over a ditch with casual grace; no one would suspect he had had legs for less than two weeks. ¡°Is your Fate particularly high? Obviously, you don¡¯t have to answer unless you want to.¡± Where is he going with this? ¡°I¡¯d say it¡¯s definitely above average. At least by human standards.¡± ¡°Uhm¡­¡± Rain ran a hand over the cut stalks of barley. ¡°And have you been taught how to use it?¡± His heart skipped a beat, then it pumped faster. ¡°What do you mean use it? You can¡¯t actively call down Luck, right?¡± Tell me I didn¡¯t use the Fulcrum for nothing. ¡°No, of course not¡­¡± The siren stared at the new pair of boots he was wearing before nodding to himself. ¡°But there are ways to apply it more¡­ effectively. Without a high Fate, it¡¯s hard to learn how since its effects are fickle. That¡¯s also why most weaker races have scarce knowledge of it¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me if you can¡¯t.¡± Kai almost choked on the words, hating every single one of them. From how much Rain struggled over each sentence, it seemed the right thing to do. Please, tell me everything! ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± The teen bobbed his head again¡ªperhaps to convince himself. ¡°I¡¯ve only been sworn on the secrets discovered by my house. Though, I¡¯d be grateful if you didn¡¯t spread this around.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Kai said a little too eagerly, his face heating up. ¡°I mean, you have my word. I won¡¯t tell anybody without your permission.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that serious,¡± Rain watched him with an amused glint. ¡°Sharing knowledge about the Guide with rival races is frowned upon, but I don¡¯t think humans are among those.¡± Too weak to count, yay! ¡°What do you know about Fate?¡± the siren began. ¡°The more the better?¡± Kai felt like he had shown up for a test without studying. ¡°And there is no way to guarantee a result, no matter how high.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ correct.¡± Rain¡¯s encouraging smile reinforced the impression. ¡°Let¡¯s use an example. You mentioned the pirates earlier. Aboard the Intrepid there were hundreds of other passengers, who tied their own Fate with yours. Not to mention the raiders working against you.¡± ¡°Hmm. Are you saying I must beat the combined attributes of everyone to have an effect?¡± That would make Favor useless in almost every situation. ¡°Not exactly. One person with fifty Fate will be more effective than a dozen with twenty, but not of a hundred. I¡¯m sure some bored elf must have measured the exact odds.¡± Rain waved off the notion. ¡°That is how the seventh attribute works when everyone is a passive passenger. Their odds are measured against each other, and against the material facts of the world.¡± ¡°Is there a better way to do it?¡± Kai pointed out like a good student, using a speck of Nature Magic to push aside a thorny shrub. The farmland had grown sparser, interspaced with patches of wild trees and large pastures with grazing cattle. ¡°Indeed.¡± Rain curiously watched the moving vines. ¡°Imagine that instead of a passenger, you are a sailor directly influencing the speed of the Intrepid. Or even better, the captain who decides where to steer the vessel. Your actions would have a much larger impact than anyone else, and the same would go for your Fate.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Kai slowed down his running to not surpass Flynn and Daniel ahead of them. Like most realizations, this one also sounded obvious once it was pointed out. ¡°Fate works best when you¡¯re the one deciding what to do and how,¡± the siren explained. ¡°I imagine you weren¡¯t the one who picked the Intrepid to cross the ocean?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Flynn had bought the tickets for him. And now, it was Kea who had pushed him to go to Limgrell and hurriedly hire a guide on Rain''s suggestion. ¡°So¡­ we¡¯d have a better chance to lose our stalkers if I were the one leading?¡± ¡°Yes, our odds would be better. Though you also have to consider Daniel''s skills and knowledge of this region¡­¡± He turned to gaze at a grazing cow. ¡°If you piloted a ship with no experience, you might lead it straight into a storm. Luck is never a certain thing.¡± Kai mutely ran, lost in a sea of possibilities, hundreds of choices that might have led him on a different path. While he had suspected Favor worked best when random chance was involved, it was entirely different to have verified knowledge spelled out for him. ¡°Thank you for sharing this.¡± He still had to repay the siren for saving him from drowning, and his debts kept accumulating. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. Friends are supposed to help each other, right?¡± Rain showed his pointy smile. ¡°And I¡¯m sure some other human would have told you sooner or later.¡± Yeah, not a chance. The Republic would make me sign my soul away for it. Mhmm¡­ Virya must have known. Damn her and her experiments. ¡°It means a lot to me.¡± The seventh attribute was one of his biggest assets. Now, he finally knew how to make better use of it. ¡°I won¡¯t forget it.¡± They marched without stopping for lunch or rest across ever-sparser fields. The strips of untamed terrain grew wider between isolated farms, till the signs of human habitation disappeared completely. Throughout it all the whispers continued undeterred, weak and constant. The sun had descended on the western horizon at their back, quicker than he was used to in the archipelago. Kai noticed the shift in the ambient mana before his eyes spotted a dark treeline over a ridge. Daniel stopped with a mix of relief and apprehension. He dried the sweat off his brow on a sleeve. ¡°Those are the Lorvyn Woods. C¡¯mon, we must lose those bastards before dark.¡± Chapter 270 - The Lorvyn Woods Chapter 270 - The Lorvyn Woods Spruces, elms and oaks soared like ancient wooden pillars, letting scant rays of light through their wide canopies. The air smelled of pine and resin. There was a sort of tranquility in being back in the wild that Kai couldn¡¯t quite explain. The Lorvyn Woods carried little familiarity with Veeryd¡ªor the lush jungles of the Hidden Sanctuary. The dense mana leaned more toward Earth and Nature, while Water was sparse. Even the creaking of wood sounded drier. Dark green ferns, entwined weeds and wildflowers dotted the underbrush among fallen leaves and branches. Kai treaded at the tail of the group, stretching his neck to take in his surroundings. Mana Observer had already spotted a patch of pseudo-mana herbs and a red viper nestled in the shade of a bush. Guess we''ll spend the night here¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s move.¡± Daniel rested a hand on the hilt of his knife, carefully prodding his way down a slope. ¡°We need to find a place to camp while we still have light.¡± ¡°Are you sure they won¡¯t follow us?¡± Kai stepped on gnarly roots jutting out of the ground. Aside from the eerie vibes, there were few other deterrents. ¡°Yes, only madmen would venture inside a mana zone at night when the predators come out to hunt,¡± the man stated like it was elementary knowledge. ¡°And I¡¯m not just talking about packs of orange creatures, yellow beasts also stray from the inner regions. If you call attention to yourself, it will be mutually assured destruction at best.¡± Am I back in the Sanctuary? Kai opted for a diplomatic nod. Most humans struggled to defeat beasts at their grade, and he would also be put to the test if it were a particularly strong species. Some awakened animals grew positively massive at Yellow, or worse, learned to use their innate magic. I¡¯m not alone. I can¡¯t just flee if we run into a wyvern¡­ People could be an asset and a burden. He had done some light sparring with Flynn when they were in Sylspring, but not enough to prepare them for real life and death struggles. That didn¡¯t even consider the other two members of their group. Daniel had been hired as a guide and was unlikely to risk his neck for them. As for Rain, the siren would be unpredictable in a fight, in terms of power and teamwork. Guess we¡¯ll figure it out on the go. Or die trying¡­ Kai was growing a fond appreciation for Dora¡¯s old insistence on doing things in the proper order. A single jump ahead had quickly devolved into a series of dubious decisions. ¡°We¡¯ll be alright.¡± Rain gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ve never been to this place before, but it doesn''t look too dangerous.¡± The siren strolled through the woodlands, running his fingers along the bark of a birch as if it were a live exposition. He picked up a pinecone with fascination, smelled it like a flower and added it to the stash of land souvenirs in his backpack. ¡°Moons have mercy¡­¡± Daniel grumbled under his breath. ¡°We must pick up the pace while there is still light.¡± The adventurer guided them around an owl napping in the hollow of a tree, and a mole rat burrowed under a mound. Both beasts were in the middle of Orange. The steady rise of ambient mana sank a little cautiousness in Kai¡¯s mood. Entering the Lorvyn Woods had barely slowed the pulsing whispers. The constant prodding at his mind was starting to get on his nerves. Will they follow us right up to Limgrell? He almost wished the wannabe bandits would catch up to them to get rid of the nuisance. How strong can they be? Trekking into the woods, the sun became a soft glow among the treetops. Dark shadows grew between shrubs and crannies to herald the coming darkness. Daniel took out an enchanted light covered by a sheet of iron that illuminated a single direction. Hmm¡­ that¡¯s a good idea. ¡°We¡¯ll camp here.¡± The man stopped in a narrow clearing among a group of oaks vying for space. The branches had grown to form a dome; their thick roots only let moss and lichen grow. ¡°Here¡­?¡± Flynn held up a similar light. The clearing looked no better than another dozen spots they had passed and not particularly defensible. ¡°Not here, here.¡± Daniel pointed towards the wide crown of the oaks. ¡°Sleeping above ground will let us avoid most of the predators. Do you all know how to climb?¡± He pulled a coil of ropes from his bag, his gaze lingering on Rain. The siren studied the trees with his head tilted. ¡°I just need to pull myself up there, right?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± The seeker gave him another odd look before opting to ignore it. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s set this up. Do you have experience securing a camp?¡± Kai clamped his mouth shut¡ªMatthew had most definitely never gone in the wild. And shaping trunks with Nature Magic must not be what Daniel had in mind. ¡°I had some, but on the ground.¡± Flynn raised his hand. ¡°Good enough.¡± The man pulled more ropes and a mottled green canvas enchanted with cloaking runes. ¡°If you need to relieve yourself, go now in pairs. And gather some branches on the way back. We¡¯ll need to conceal the shelter.¡± Daniel barked orders to Kai and Flynn and swiftly climbed the bark to look for an appropriate spot. The mana density had made branches grow larger than trunks. They found a flat nook near the center of the crowns. Numerous layers of leaves already covered it; they bent more branches to conceal it from every angle and tied the mottled canvas to shield them from the weather. Rain came up last, pulling himself up with hands alone. His fingers dug into the bark as if it were cardboard, leaving tiny, neat holes. ¡°That was easier than expected.¡± He hopped on the shelter with a grin. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. He might as well lean into the noble scion lacking commoner¡¯s sense at this point¡­ ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Daniel stared blankly at Rain and turned toward the boring humans. ¡°Tie yourself to the tree. I¡¯m not dragging your body to Limgrell if you break your neck.¡± A rumble of thunder made them look at the sky. The night would be even less comfortable than they expected. The camp was quite narrow for four people, though well camouflaged. No one brought up the idea of lighting a fire. They dined on salted fish, cheese and hardened bread. ¡°Don¡¯t let any crumbs fall.¡± The seeker watched them like a hawk. ¡°Bears and wolves have a good sense of smell. You''re lucky the rain will wash away our tracks and our smell.¡± The cowl of clouds hastened the arrival of the night, throwing them in pitch-black darkness without a moon. A single pale crystal covered by a cloth was the only light allowed. ¡°We¡¯ll take three guard shifts. If you notice something suspicious don¡¯t shout. Just wake me up to check. I¡¯ll take the last shift, three hours before dawn. Everything¡¯s clear?¡± Receiving their nods, the man secured himself to a branch and wrapped a blanket around himself. ¡°Good night.¡± Daniel had once again overlooked Rain. Perhaps convinced the white-haired was the only true noble-born, and they some sort of retinue. It¡¯s probably not that far from the truth. The siren was too intent on studying a mana acorn to notice¡ªor perhaps he also considered this normal. He¡¯s definitely not the son of some kelp farmer¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll take the middle watch,¡± Kai offered. His grade meant he needed the least sleep among the three. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Despite his attempts to hide it, Flynn looked already worn out by the march. The teen always preferred cities to the wild and must not have crossed many jungles in the last two years. ¡°Yup. Wake me up in a couple of hours.¡± Kai lay down near the edge of the makeshift platform to avoid protests. As he rested his head on his bag, the pitter-patter of the rain announced the coming storm. The waxed mottled canvas protected them from the downpour, though it couldn¡¯t stop every stray droplet bouncing on the leaves. Kai sorely missed the dry shelters he cast in the living wood of trees. Even if he disregarded his new identity to create one, those took hours to complete. Carving one in the rock would have been faster, if there was any nearby. Give me back my mattress. I didn¡¯t miss this one bit. He tightened his thin blanket around himself. If there was one discomfort the Sanctuary lacked, it was the cold¡ªif you stayed away from the Spike. Used to the warmth of the archipelago, he had underestimated how low the temperature would drop. Madame Le Garde had done a great job padding their clothes for the weather, but the enchantments couldn¡¯t compete with the howling winds. Wet and cold, sleep eluded him, not helped by the waves of grumpiness Hobbes was sending him. The cat had evicted a family of orange squirrels from a hollow and was far from pleased with the collections of walnuts and dry leaves. You can come here if you want. He wouldn¡¯t mind snuggling with a warm furball himself. No, you know I can¡¯t come to you right now. C¡¯mon, you can teleport. In one of his royal moods, His Majesty was too prideful and lazy to face the storm. Yes, I¡¯ll pick you up tomorrow. Sleep well. Hobbes shut down the bond, leaving only the relentless whispers in his mind. They had grown into a dull beat after nightfall, showing Daniel¡¯s plan had some merit. They might actually give up by morning¡­ I could use a little Luck. He glanced at his companions. Flynn sat on a branch to peer in the darkness, while Daniel and Rain were already peacefully slumbering. Good for them. The more he tried to drift off, the more his worries about Kea crowded his mind¡ªnine days like this would be unbearably long. Sleep came slow and fitful; it seemed he had just closed his eyes when someone shook his shoulder. Mana Observer swept around him. The rain was still falling. There was no danger, just his guard shift. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong,¡± Flynn whispered, anxiously gesticulating. Kai sat upright. ¡°What?¡± Hallowed Intuition was completely silent. ¡°Where? Should we wake Daniel?¡± ¡°No, it''s not a beast¡­ Rain¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°What do you mean gone?¡± He turned to squint at a blanket half unmade around a bundle of covers and a collection of acorns. ¡°How long has it been?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure when it happened. I was looking out for threats, not inside.¡± Flynn raked a hand through his hair. ¡°The wind pushed his blanket off. I woke you as soon as I noticed. Spirits, do you think something happened to him?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ he must have left by himself.¡± That was the only sensible explanation given the bundle of blankets to throw them off. ¡°But why would he do that? Do you think he changed his mind about coming with us? He¡ª he seemed to be having so much fun.¡± ¡°Calm down.¡± Kai threw a wary glance to where the adventurer was sleeping. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s fine.¡± The storm covered his words. Could Rain have decided the land wasn¡¯t for him and run off without a word? It wasn¡¯t the most far-fetched theory. What even passes in the head of a teenage siren? ¡°His spatial bag is still here,¡± Flynn pulled it out of the bundle. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t he take it with him?¡± That was certainly strange. One of the shells in the siren¡¯s bracelet was a spatial artifact, but why leave all his food, clothes and random souvenirs he had gathered? It would cost him nothing to take both. And if he¡¯s planning to come back, why sneak off without a warning? Did he just go for a stroll in the downpour? Unless¡­ Kai focused on Hallowed Intuition. The murmurs hadn¡¯t just quietened, they were entirely gone. They had still been pulsing when he fell asleep. Did their pursuers decide to give up in the middle of the night? Damned siren. I¡¯m supposed to be the one who takes calculated risks. He massaged his temples. It left him little choice. ¡°I¡¯ll go look for him. I might know where he went.¡± ¡°What¡­¡± Flynn quickly put together the clues. ¡°I¡¯m coming with you.¡± ¡°No. Someone must stay on guard.¡± Kai gestured to the sleeping adventurer. ¡°And I¡¯ve more experience in mana zones. You know I¡¯m right.¡± Flynn pressed his lips in a stubborn line. ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t do anything reckless. If things get bad you must run.¡± ¡°When do I ever¡ª ¡°Mat.¡± ¡°Fine. You have my word. But I want to put on record that this time it wasn¡¯t my idea to run toward the trouble.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll note it down for posterity,¡± Flynn chuckled somberly. ¡°Why do I always make friends with guys that have more brawn than common sense?¡± ¡°Hey! Have you tried looking at yourself in the mirror?¡± ¡°At least twice a day. Why?¡± Kai rolled his eyes. ¡°Idiot.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just jealous,¡± Flynn smirked, forgetting the situation for a moment. ¡°Yeah, that must be it.¡± He stood up, heading for the edge of the shelter. ¡°I¡¯ll be back before you or Daniel realize.¡± Without wasting a moment longer, he leaped into the storm and cast a water bubble to arrest his fall. His boots squelched in the muddy ground between the roots. The dense mana would replenish his reserves in less than a minute. Now I just need to find him. If the bandits had been stalking them, that narrowed the possible direction. Kai retraced their steps through the woods. Without a speck of light, he relied on Mana Observer to guide him. He had long learned how to navigate a dark forest, even in a downpour. Drenched in cold water, he leaped between the roots to not get stuck in the muck. The vibrant whispers of a yellow beast forced him to take a small detour around a meadow. It seemed the storm had deterred most predators from hunting. And the farther he went from the inner reaches of the Lorvyn Woods, the fewer murmurs echoed among his thoughts. Kai channeled Body Augmentation to pick up the pace and hone his senses. How could he be so brash? Going against an unknown number of enemies with unknown grades and skills would be reckless, regardless of personal power. Professions were too numerous and varied to prepare for everything, a single mistake was all it took. Where has he gone? Kai was quickly nearing the edges of the woods and about to double back when Hallowed Intuition pulsed. It was faint and directionless as if hampered by an arcane skill. C¡¯mon, I¡¯ve anticipated green beasts. You can¡¯t yield to some punk. Pushing with all his 77 levels, he caught a glimpse of the danger. He didn¡¯t have to move far before spotting a flickering light in the night. Kai restrained Mana Observer and slowly crept forward. Once he identified the camp, Hallowed Intuition had no issues buzzing with threats. Five tents were set in a circle¡ªmore people than he expected. At least it¡¯s not the creepy couple. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± The shadow of a man wielding a spear stood out against the lantern. The shout froze his blood. How did he spot me? Kai was about to retreat when a flash of lightning illuminated a second figure. Rain strolled out in the open with a relieved smile, uncaring of the storm and the potential bandits. ¡°Hi, are you the people who followed us from Varsea?¡± Chapter 271 – Bloody Rain Chapter 271 ¨C Bloody Rain Kai squatted in the mud behind a tree, wishing to pull the siren back by his ears. Merciful Spirits! Why did he have to walk up to them like that? The marauder¡¯s puzzlement was obvious even in the pale light. ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Did you follow us from Varsea? Me, two other younger humans and a seeker.¡± Rain gestured to their height as if worried he wouldn¡¯t be understood. ¡°What is it, Sten?¡± Someone rumbled from one of the five tents. ¡°Do you need help killing a red mouse?¡± Kai took a moment to place the voice. The tone was quite different from the empty boasts he had endured the day before. Skar the Redaxe walked out of the flaps, raising his hatchet when he noticed the teen outside their camp. ¡°Uh¡­ what are you doing here, boy? Did you come alone?¡± He raised his voice higher than necessary. Wasn¡¯t that guy supposed to be harmless? A clatter of voices and faces filled the camp. ¡°What¡ª¡± ¡°Is that the rich brat?¡± ¡°I told you we¡¯d do well to continue!¡± More enchanted lights defined the shadows into people¡ªeleven more men had come out of the tents. They crowded together, holding weapons with thrilled whispers. The siren stood nonchalantly under the rain. A flash of lightning illuminated the thin smile on his lips. ¡°So, you¡¯re the ones planning to attack us¡­ Can you go back now?¡± ¡°What is he saying¡­?¡± ¡°Is he that dull?¡± ¡°I told ¡®ou. Spoiled brats all think everyone will leap at the snap of their fingers.¡± ¡°Spared us the chase.¡± Skar silenced the chatter with a raucous laugh. ¡°I don¡¯t know from which gilded hole you are from. But you should have stayed there. Think you can just parade through our town, and then dismiss us like servants?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I see.¡± The siren sighed. ¡°You won¡¯t leave us alone no matter what I say?¡± A chorus of chortles and sneering murmurs circled the marauders. ¡°Skar, maybe we should go back.¡± A petite woman stepped forward to whisper. ¡°We don¡¯t know which house he belongs to¡­ Someone might come to look¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be a fool.¡± The seeker gave her a backhand slap. ¡°From the coins he threw around at the market, he isn¡¯t even a Republican citizen. This is our chance to settle for life.¡± ¡°Yeah, I bet he has run away from home without even taking a guard.¡± Another man jeered. Still squabbling among themselves, the marauders spread out to surround the siren. Archers covertly leaned on the bows, swords were unsheathed, and a crimson wand was covertly taken out by the petite woman. ¡°So that¡¯s a no¡­¡± Rain pursed his lips with a shake of his head. Fuck. Kai cloaked himself in Shadow to creep closer. He only recognized a couple adventurers from the day before, most were new faces. From the whispers, everyone had at least their profession at Yellow¡ªseven also their races. He might take down a couple with an ambush, but not twelve of them. Dammit! There are too many. While the siren was at the peak of Yellow, his profession was only at Orange. How much fighting experience could a sheltered sixteen-year-old have anyway? His skills might not even be that high. A woman with wet brown hair sauntered toward Rain; lightning reflected a metallic glimmer in the back of her palm. ¡°Don¡¯t be hasty, hon¡¯. I¡¯m sure we can come to an agreement. Why don¡¯t you¡ª¡± She had yet to fully raise the dagger when her head had rolled to the ground, splashing blood and water. The spell had been cast so quickly Kai barely registered it. For an instant, everyone stood frozen, then two arrows whistled, flying wide of Rain¡¯s head. The siren was already dashing to break the encirclement. His form moved with such speed, it appeared to blink in the storm. A wide line of water coalesced from the pouring rain before disappearing. The spell bisected two men wielding bows, only stopping after cutting two pines behind them. ¡°Don¡¯t let him run!¡± Skar screamed. ¡°He¡¯s just one kid.¡± Recovered from the shock, nine figures glowed with skills, charging with swords and spears up. Two knives and a hatchet flew through the air¡ªbut the siren had no intention of fleeing. Three bubbles intercepted the attacks with contemptuous ease. Rain drew more lines in the air, sending ten shorter blades toward his foes like a farmer harvesting wheat. Shields and skills flared in response. The bandits were prepared¡ªthough it made little difference. More severed limbs flopped to the ground with harrowing and gurgling screams. One seeker had been split across his chest, white ribs showing; one woman bled out from where her thigh abruptly ended. In seconds, the group had been cut down to seven people: everyone not fully into Yellow was already dead or rapidly dying. ¡°Cursed gods! Always a mage line,¡± Skar spat. He was bleeding from a cut that almost took his scalp. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. The marauders banded together with their shields forward, unblinking eyes staring at their target. ¡°I admit we underestimated you. Most golden brats can¡¯t tell their face from their arse. You sure know some tricks¡ª¡± ¡°Tzashk The¡¯er.¡± Rain enounced a sharp and vibrating note that no human could produce. Every droplet of water for a hundred paces stopped like crystal beads lit by the storm. The marauders cursed, guessing what came next. A flickering golden dome enveloped them, accompanied by gleaming shields to cover their tight ranks. ¡°Xeerthe.¡± The word traveled like a whisper to his ears. Thousands of water needles flew toward the bracing group at once. The woods filled with a cascade of chiming clinks and pained yelps, the sounds drown out by the freed downpour. Enlarging dark patches dotted their clothes; blood trickled down their faces. Despite a thousand cuts, all seven marauders survived the onslaught. ¡°Don¡¯t let him cast again!¡± A hoarse cry commanded. ¡°He can¡¯t face us up close!¡± ¡°Aye!¡± Three shieldbearers charged with a rallying cry, advancing through the mud as if it were solid ground. Their heads lowered behind their defenses with only their spears and swords poking forward. Once again, Rain showed no intention of running. His blades of water shattered against the glowing shields, carving shallow chinks. Forced into an awkward dodge, he threw himself to the side. One of the assailants extended his spear to draw a bloody line on his arm. Behind him, two men wielding a saber and two knives, took advantage of his unsteady footing to attack. They pressed the siren into a series of worse steps, while the rest of the group circled to trap him. ¡°Now!¡± Skar shouted from the backline. Beside him, the petite woman pointed her wand to send a string of fireballs flying, sizzling against the storm. Boxed in by five fighters who took cover behind shields, Rain couldn¡¯t run anywhere without exposing himself to a stab. A dense bubble of water swiftly condensed around him before the bright flames burst¡ªthe night turned into day. Hidden forty meters away, Kai felt the mud drying and cracking on his face. The cloak of Shadow also weakened under the direct light; thankfully no one was looking in his direction. He had been studying the marauders for a chance to intervene, but he hadn¡¯t anticipated the battle would escalate so rapidly. Shit. Dense steam rose from the bubble, obscuring their vision. ¡°Is he dead?¡± A man asked with undisguised glee. He peeked over his shield long enough to have a water blade shorten his head, his brain scattered among the weeds. Rain stood in the middle of a flimsy bubble, alive though not unscathed judging from his reddened skin and his scared grimace. Skar lunged from the backline, a hatchet in each hand. ¡°Finish him!¡± Dammit. This is definitely reckless. It was now or never. Body Augmentation swelled his muscles and sharpened his senses. Kai crept closer, about to abandon his cover in one last ditch effort to save the siren, when Hallowed Intuition howled at him to stop. What? None of the bandits appeared to have noticed him. In the time his head jerked to check, they were already upon Rain from three different directions, too fast and far to stop them. Fuck¡ª Suddenly, the world slowed. The descending blades hesitated in their assault; the eagerness of their wielders turned into incomprehension. Bodies sank into the mud, the weapons falling short of their target. The ground itself bent into a concave shape beneath the siren as if¡­ Gravity? Before the marauders could regain their bearings, Rain cast three crescent blades of water¡ªany trace of fear and pain gone. The spells whistled toward their targets with sharp efficiency. Skar threw a glowing red hatchet to intercept, twisting in mid-air to avoid the spell. Two of his companions weren¡¯t so lucky. The man with the saber was neatly cut across his upper body, while the fellow with the daggers lost his left arm near the shoulder before he jumped behind a shield. His screams and gushing blood overwhelmed any other sound in the night. Four left¡­ Kai¡¯s brain was still trying to catch up when the mud squelched upward, no longer weighted by Gravity Magic. The siren also stopped his relentless assault for the first time to take a breath. ¡°Don¡¯t stop. He¡¯s out of tricks!¡± Skar shouted, throwing another hatchet from safety. One of the remaining shieldbearers thrusted his spear, the tip gleaming with a silver light aimed at Rain¡¯s heart. The siren bent under the hatchet and used a water bubble to redirect the pole, turning the fatal strike into a bloody cut across his ribs. Before the spear could retract, he grabbed onto the shaft, lowered his center of gravity and dug his heels into the ground to yank free the weapon. The shieldbearer scoffed at the attempt, tightening his grip to accept the contest of Strength. His contemptuous smirk turned into a strained scowl when the spear stood tense between them, and then into fear when his feet slipped on the muck. ¡°Nooo!¡± The remaining defender left Skar and ran to his aid. From their same dark hair and eyes, they were probably related. The man falling toward the siren slammed his tower shield down but couldn¡¯t stop his momentum. Rain swung his free hand, a steel blue trident appeared in his grip. He pierced the skull of the marauder with a wet crunch and spun the weapon to meet the charge of the surviving shieldbearer. His boots slid on the drenched ground, too busy avoiding another spear to regain his footing. ¡°Die, you monster!¡± The petite woman shrieked. Another string of fireballs, even brighter than the first, flew from her wand. ¡°Yes, Avy! Burn him!¡± The shield-wielding attacker was too enraged to worry about his safety. A golden glow covered him. He disrupted a forming water bubble and pressed the attack to pin the siren down. Unable to disengage, Rain cast a half-dripping bulwark. His trident caught the spear, though that only tied him down. The searing bolts had already crossed the halfway point, promising to incinerate friend and foe. Nope! A volley of ice shards intercepted the marauder¡¯s spell. The fireballs looked like a profession skill¡ªrigid and predictable. He couldn¡¯t compete with their sheer power, but he could set them off. His theory was proven correct when the flames exploded in a chain reaction that swallowed the battlefield before their target, wild and uncontrolled. Kai dove back into the mud and cast a layer of ice to cover himself. By the time the inferno died down enough to see, Rain had broken the shieldbearer¡¯s spear and scored a thrust to his shin. His hand flung a spell to finish off the one-armed bandit, holding onto a knife. Skar stood with half-burnt clothes, lingering a moment before lunging at the siren¡¯s back with his hatchets. ¡°Fucking brat!¡± Gnarly roots and vines sprouted from the ground to entangle his legs, regrowing as fast as they were cut. The man realized too late that someone else had joined the fray, his gaze vainly searching for a shadow. Kai shot three icicles at each of the three marauders. The shieldbearer, busy fighting Rain, collapsed without a sound, while the half-mage interrupted her next cast to dive on the ground with a yelp. Already ensnared by the creeping plants, Skar managed to shatter two and took one in the shoulder. ¡°Cursed gods!¡± His hatchets blurred in a flurry of red, hacking the Nature spell apart. He turned to run without a glance at his fallen comrades. He didn¡¯t take five steps before Rain¡¯s trident pierced him through the stomach. The siren flicked his wrist to call back the weapon and shred Skar¡¯s intestines. With a see-through hole in his abdomen, the boasting seeker breathed his last. Rain spun the trident to get rid of the gore and turned toward the last bandit. ¡°No, please. I¡ª I don¡¯t want to die.¡± The petite woman fell begging into the mud, vainly trying to get away. ¡°I d¡ªdidn¡¯t want to¡ª¡± Her head joined the rest. The siren surveyed the battlefield with a detached look, a hand firmly on the harpoon. The downpour washed away the blood from his cold and handsome features. ¡°Come out.¡± It was an order, not a request. Whispers warned that running would be a very bad idea. Kai lowered his cloak of Shadow and stepped in the open with his hands half raised. ¡°It¡¯s just me.¡± ¡°Oh, Mat¡­ How¡­¡± The siren made his trident disappear¡ªsuddenly just an awkward teenager. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could use Shadow. What¡ª what are you doing here?¡± Kai glanced at the gory remains of twelve humans and the boy¡¯s bleeding wounds. ¡°I came to save you from getting yourself killed¡­¡± Chapter 272 - Cleanup Chapter 272 - Cleanup Bodies lay strewn around the battlefield illuminated by eerie crystal lights. The downpour covered the stench of blood and insides, though it couldn¡¯t hide the listless eyes and severed limbs. Everyone dead, in just over a minute. It¡¯s over¡­ With the tension of the fight dissipating, the cold water made Kai shiver. His clothes were drenched and covered in mud. A Water and Earth spell made the worst of it trickle out of his trousers before he turned to the siren. ¡°You can¡¯t go on a suicide mission without telling anyone. What would have happened if I didn¡¯t come?¡± ¡°I had everything under control.¡± Rain said with a harrumph. ¡°Did you¡­?¡± Kai arched an eyebrow, actually curious about the answer. The last volley of fireballs had looked pretty close to turning him into a grilled fish. The boy chewed his lip, staring at his boots. ¡°I¡¯m not used to fighting on land. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be so clumsy.¡± If you call that clumsy¡­ A jumble of mixed emotions tugged at him. Kai threaded toward the siren, ignoring the butchered bodies. ¡°Let me look at your wounds. What you did was foolish and reckless.¡± Spirits, is this how I look from the outside? ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Rain looked to examine his cuts and blistered skin with a slight grimace. ¡°I always heal fast anyway.¡± Kai poked the boy¡¯s ribs where a spear had split his jacket, the shirt beneath was already drenched in blood. It was red¡ªjust like a human, gleaming a shade brighter under the feeble lights. ¡°Ahi!¡± Rain flinched back. ¡°Why¡¯d you do that?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t look like nothing. And it¡¯ll get worse if it gets infected.¡± ¡°Sirens don¡¯t get infections. Their blades weren¡¯t imbued with poison or a rotting curse.¡± Kai sized up the stubborn teen with all his patience. ¡°We aren¡¯t in the sea. Have you ever gotten injured on land?¡± If dirt or mud healed inside the wound, his Constitution would let him survive, but wouldn¡¯t spare him the pain. The siren examined his cut, suddenly hesitant. ¡°I¡ª I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± ¡°Do you want to take the chance?¡± Kai waved a hand to redirect the freezing downpour away from them. ¡°If it gets infected, we''ll have to open it up again.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right¡­¡± Rain shifted weight between his feet. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry for leaving without a word. I thought I could make it back before anyone noticed but I got lost in the woods. How do you orient yourself when trees all look the same?¡± That is not the issue. ¡°Experience.¡± He replied tersely and pulled back his wet hair. ¡°What were you thinking coming here alone?¡± ¡°Huh¡­ you were worried about being followed and attacked. So I fixed the issue.¡± ¡°By blindly running into a group of marauders and getting yourself killed?¡± Kai struggled to keep his voice from rising. His gaze fell on the vacant eyes lying around them. All these people had come here to rob and likely murder them too. Still¡­ Part of him wondered if there could have been another way. Rain was seemingly unaffected by such a dilemma, paying the corpses no more attention than the rocks and weeds. ¡°I asked them to leave. They wouldn¡¯t. If you let your enemies live, they won¡¯t fear retribution and ambush you when you¡¯re weakened.¡± That¡¯s quite bleak. Kai recognized the tone used to repeat a learned lesson. It was easy to forget that behind Rain¡¯s naive curiosity and friendly smile there wasn¡¯t a human. He had been brought up in some abyssal palace by scheming sirens. I should have expected it. Apart from a few culture shocks early on, morals hadn¡¯t differed too much from Earth in the peaceful archipelago. But I¡¯m not there anymore. He had landed on the mainland no more than a week ago and had already met a band of adventurers willing to kill him if they could get away with it. With the right conditions and incentives, humans were capable of far worse. By adding supernatural powers and alien races, the equation only got grimmer. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to upset you.¡± Rain tilted his head. ¡°I know you¡¯re worried about your sister. Now we can reach Limgrell without watching our backs.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Kai pressed his lips together. He did feel more secure without the whispers pulsing in his mind, though the corpses of the fallen hardened his words. ¡°What were we supposed to think if you died here without anyone knowing? You said you wanted to travel with us. You can¡¯t just¡­¡± he gestured at the broken trees and lifeless bodies. ¡°On your own.¡± Rain looked at the destruction, any reply dying in his mouth. ¡°I¡­ understand.¡± He hung his head low. ¡°It was irresponsible to come here without consulting with anyone. I¡¯m not used to having companions, though¡­ that¡¯s just an excuse. I can¡¯t fix this, but I promise it won¡¯t repeat.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Kai muttered. Despite his irritation, he could have hardly hoped for a better result. Yes, the siren''s behavior looked alien, but they could still find some common ground. ¡°Let¡¯s check your wounds and get back before Flynn freaks out.¡± His gaze lingered on the dead. ¡°We can get to a drier place first.¡± ¡°I can hold the spell.¡± The siren overimposed his mana on the dome Kai had cast to shield them from the storm. The only mana ripples were the streams of motes flowing to refill his reserves. And I thought the scariest part about sirens was their charms. While it was hard to judge Rain¡¯s Water Magic without knowing his Spirit and Mind, he definitely didn¡¯t skimp on skill training. Let¡¯s just go back¡­ Kai walked around a severed head, headed for the thicker woods for cover. Given the crimes the adventurers planned, it was unlikely anyone knew they were here. No one would be coming looking for this mob of wannabe bandits, and the mana forest would swallow the clues. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. I can¡¯t leave them like this¡­ Mana Observer spread over the ruined meadow; vibrant green and brown mote flowed toward his fingers in preparation. There were twelve bodies and more spare pieces that complicated the task. Once he had locked onto everything, Kai released the spell into the ground. Roots and earth writhed to bury what had been breathing humans just minutes before. Those empty eyes would find rest beneath the earth. It was probably better than they deserved, he doubted they would have given them the same mercy. Rain knitted his pale brows at the scene. ¡°You¡¯re really good with multicasting. Do you use Mind Construct or Parallel Thought?¡± Is this what it means to have been born among the elites? To hope the siren had missed any of the spells would mean deluding himself. Kai stopped beneath a young elm and shaped the branches into a makeshift umbrella to protect them from the rain, the roots rising to make two stools. ¡°I use Split Mind.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve heard that one¡¯s good too.¡± Rain tested one of the gnarly chairs with a curious look. ¡°One of my tutors had it. She said it was a chore to learn.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Kai hovered to take a look at his wounds. All but the one on his side had already stopped bleeding. It was quite deep, ending just before it nicked the bone. ¡°Hmm¡­ Can I ask you a question?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°What grade were you born at?¡± ¡°Huh, Yellow ¡ï,¡± Rain said as if it was nothing much. ¡°My father believed any higher would be detrimental and lazy.¡± What the fuck! Kai halted, watching the siren unblinking. Being born at the grade he had spent most of his life reaching¡­ His mind went blank when it tried to come up with a response. It wasn¡¯t like the thought had never crossed his mind and yet, how could someone draw their first breath at Yellow? It was unfathomable. Not only that, Rain¡¯s phrasing also implied his parents could have aimed for higher. That must be why they¡¯re called higher races¡­ Once his thoughts reconnected, strangely, a weight had been lifted off his chest. What was the point of being upset when it had never been a race to begin with? They were sons of two different worlds¡ªany comparison was pointless. ¡°You were born at the beginning of Orange, right?¡± Rain said, in an obvious attempt to fill the silence. ¡°I¡­ no¡­ I was born at the bottom of Red.¡± At this point, keeping up obvious lies would be more counterproductive than useful. No one liked to be treated like an idiot, and expectations of trust were more likely to be repaid. ¡°Uhm, Flynn told me¡­ I must have misremembered.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t. He was trying to keep my secret. Brewing is one of my main occupations, but I¡¯m not the son of a hermit alchemist.¡± Rain''s inquisitive gaze showed no surprise. ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me anything.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Kai used Water and Earth Magic to clean his wounds and offered him a balm. He had visited five Alchemy shops in Varsea to refill his stash of potions to acceptable levels. ¡°My real name isn¡¯t Matthew, but Kai. I had to change my identity after I ran into some¡­ complications.¡± Rain finished dressing the wounds, and his eyes went wide before he turned his expression into a blank slate that hid a thousand thoughts. ¡°C¡¯mon,¡± he sighed. ¡°Ask me what you want to know.¡± The boy didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Are you the son of someone important? Is that why you are on the run?¡± His eyes glimmered with intrigue. ¡°Did they try to kill you to steal your inheritance?¡± Do sirens also have tropey stories? He gave him a wry smile. ¡°My family is as ordinary as it gets. I was lucky to find some really good teachers when I was young. The rest is just training.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Rain rubbed his chin like a detective assembling the clues of a crime. ¡°Did you find some kind of treasure? It could also be some secret knowledge that a cabal of powerful sorcerers wants to keep hidden at any cost. Were you forced to fake your death and run before they silenced you?¡± Spirits, that was¡­ a surprisingly accurate description of what happened. Is my life some sort of telenovela? ¡°Something like that. I¡¯d be grateful if you¡¯d keep it hidden and keep calling me Mat.¡± Rain drew three fingers over his face in a solemn gesture, his intense gaze thrumming with excitement. ¡°You have my word. I won¡¯t speak even if they torch my soul.¡± That sounds a little extreme¡­ Kai placed a hand on his shoulder with an equally earnest look. ¡°I appreciate it. Now, we should probably go back. Flynn must already be losing his mind.¡± That finally pierced the siren¡¯s daydreaming. ¡°I should apologize to him too.¡± He leaped to his feet, taking a step toward the dark woods before stopping. ¡°Er¡­ Do you know how to get back?¡± And how did you plan to come back alone? Kai shook his head. ¡°Follow me. I¡¯d still like to get some sleep tonight.¡± The storm had quietened to a drizzle. He retraced his steps by following the higher mana density and a good dose of luck. A pack of howling wolves battling some other beasts forced them to take a detour before spotting the oaks where they had built their shelter. Thank Yatei, both Flynn and Daniel were still there¡ªit would have been a nightmare if his friend had come looking for them. If he¡¯s the responsible one we¡¯ve crashed past the bottom. They silently climbed to not wake their guide¡ªwho had somehow managed to sleep through it all. Flynn was chewing his nails raw standing on guard and noticed them first. ¡°You¡¯re alive.¡± He pulled the siren onto the narrow platform and into a hug. ¡°Uhm,¡± he lowered his voice and awkwardly stepped back for how the branches allowed. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Rain said with a downcast look. ¡°I acted without thinking¡­¡± He briefly repeated his apologies and oath. Kai barely had time to lift himself when Flynn gave him his own crushing hug. ¡°Thanks, we¡¯re alright.¡± ¡°You took so long to come back. I was going crazy.¡± The teen raked a hand through his hair, more pulling than scrubbing. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah, it was quite the distance.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have gotten away so lightly if Mat didn¡¯t come.¡± The siren still looked a little forlorn. ¡°But now it''s all resolved.¡± It¡¯s nice to be appreciated. Flynn turned to stare at him. ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything reckless, right?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Kai patted his back and gestured to the sleeping seeker. ¡°You¡¯ve stayed up far beyond your guard duty. We should all go rest. There will be time for explanations in the morning.¡± His eyes narrowed. ¡°Mat¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stay up to guard,¡± Rain quipped, already sitting in position. Kai was all too glad for the distraction. ¡°That¡¯s not necessary.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the least I can do. And it won¡¯t affect me even if I skip sleep for a few days.¡± Spirits, is there some advantage you don¡¯t get? ¡°If you insist.¡± He threw a thin blanket over himself and grew a vine to tie himself to the tree. ¡°Good night.¡± With his most pressing worries solved, Kai slipped into the restful emptiness in seconds. It was far too soon when dawn forced his eyes open. He rubbed his arms to warm himself, shaking the dew off his clothes and cover. The smell of wet greenery and a chill breeze swept any remnant of slumber from his mind. Kai stretched his arms and legs. Sleeping on the tree branch had left him sore¡ªnothing that a little stretching couldn¡¯t fix. The sky had cleared to a piercing blue. Kai did a quick head count, everyone was already up. Flynn and Rain were chatting on a branch, their words and faces blurred by the siren¡¯s wards. Daniel was retrieving his mottled tarp from the shelter, throwing the duo wary looks. ¡°Morning.¡± Kai sat up. The seeker jolted and almost fell from the tree. ¡°Morning,¡± he grunted, acting as if nothing happened. ¡°We should get moving. We¡¯re losing daylight.¡± What¡¯s up with him? Daniel quickly distributed tasks to dismantle the camp and get them back on track. ¡°We¡¯ll eat on the way and move toward the outskirts. Just because most predators hunt at night, it doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re safe.¡± Throughout the morning, the man never mentioned their pursuers. He must have either woken up last night or deduced what happened from Rain¡¯s light bruises. While Madame Le Garde¡¯s travel clothes had been enchanted for minor self-repair, the cuts from the fight were still evident. Some blessed quiet. Hobbes joined them at noon to get his dose of scratches and mount on his backpack like a king on his palanquin. Without the whispers plaguing his mind, crossing the Lorvyn Woods and the Rustling Hills seemed more like a fun, if rushed, excursion. Kea waited for him in Limgrell. Chapter 273 - The Lake of Myst Chapter 273 - The Lake of Myst ¡°I hate traveling on foot.¡± Flynn slouched his arms forward to counterbalance his backpack, his boots tiredly crunching on the pebble road. With an orange race and profession, he had been hit the hardest by the forced march. ¡°Meow,¡± Hobbes agreed, sitting on Kai''s shoulders and grooming his backside. The furball freely roamed the mana zones and came to get carried once he got bored. The shamelessness¡­ Kai was careful not to let his thoughts slip through their bond. They had pushed the pace to reach Limgrell in eight days, the temperature dropping lower each night as they fared north-east. Mana zones also interfered with the seasons. The verdant woods had been painted in the orange, brown and reds of fall within a week. Evergreen pines and spruces stood out amidst the empty canopies. ¡°I can carry your backpack.¡± Rain offered, spryer than the day they left Varsea. A bundle of leaves in all shades dangled from his bag together with a hawk feather and a pinecone. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Flynn pulled on the straps of his backpack as if he could lift himself up. ¡°We¡¯re almost there, right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Daniel grunted, his scarred lips giving him a somber air. Since the night they got rid of their stalkers, the man had fulfilled his role as a guide with admirable zeal and cut down on his curt ways¡ªespecially if the siren was present. ¡°We should be able to see Limgrell beyond that ridge.¡± The cobbled path wound through two slopes covered in lush weeds with no plant higher than a shrub¡ªfar different from the Rustling Hills they had left behind. Kai had seen enough swarms of rattling beetles and snakes for a lifetime. Crossing through mana zones had saved them considerable time. Daniel steered away from any mana zone higher than Orange-3, and Hallowed Intuition let them avoid any stray yellow beast. Almost there. She¡¯ll be fine. It had been over two years since they last spoke. Someone should have informed her he was alive, though there was no way to tell how she¡¯d react. Was it too much to hope she¡¯d leave Limgrell and abandon the case of the missing people? Being on the mainland should have made her more cautious. Close to his goal, his mind played out all kinds of unlikely scenarios. She won¡¯t stab me before we speak¡­ The sooner they reached Limgrell, the sooner he could put his mind to rest and figure out his next step. Perhaps he could open that alchemy shop or visit one of the mystical places he had read about. Traveling would be much more pleasant if they didn¡¯t have to march at breakneck speed through the wilderness. Everything would work itself out. Damn it. I jinxed it, didn¡¯t I? It should still be fine¡­ Hallowed Intuition hasn¡¯t¡ª Flynn clapped both his shoulders. ¡°Stop thinking and relax. There is no point worrying until we know the situation.¡± If only it were that easy. ¡°Yeah¡­ Ahi!¡± Kai twisted his neck to glare at Hobbes. The cat had nibbled on his ear with too much enthusiasm. ¡°Mrow.¡± Two violet eyes watched him as if that were his fault for being foolish. You can walk by yourself if you bite me again. ¡°Meeew.¡± The demonic furball licked his paw. Spirits, how did you get so spoiled? Their combined efforts had got him out of his head. The road was rising on the slopes, the sky covered by puffy clouds. A chill gust ruffled his hair, smelling of heather, moss and myrtle. Climbing over the ridge, Kai saw their destination¡ªLimgrell. A pale wall enclosed a smattering of houses poking out of a dense mist. The town size was unknown, though further beyond that, crystal blue snippets of the Lake of Myst and green islets peeked out of the fog. He would have called it picturesque if the current circumstances hadn''t already tainted his impression into eerie. ¡°There¡¯s your destination,¡± Daniel said with a labored breath, hands resting at his sides. ¡°It should clear a little if the sun peeks through the clouds.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Rain and Flynn gaped, mesmerized by the sight with almost coordinated expressions. ¡°Let¡¯s go, shall we?¡± The seeker gestured at the winding path down with a pleased smile. ¡°I¡¯d very much like to have a warm meal and a real bed.¡± ¡°Not to get paid?¡± Kai mused. A smirk pulled at his scarred lips covered by a dark stubble. ¡°That too. We arrived a day earlier than promised. Are you not satisfied with my services?¡± While not the most personable guide, no one could deny Daniel was competent. His knowledge of the terrain had saved them days of wandering; he spotted where to safely set up camp at a glance and recognized the markings of dangerous beasts. ¡°You¡¯ll get your bonus.¡± Kai took the path toward the town. Flynn and Rain were already running ahead. After a week on the road, the anticipation of food and shelter invigorated their legs for the last stretch. Water and Earth Magic made Kai look only slightly unkempt, but they couldn¡¯t replace a warm bath. The chilly mist washed over them as they descended the slopes. Despite the farmsteads and barns being somewhat visible, no one was working in the fields. This far north, they might have already harvested and prepared the fields for winter. ¡°Let me do the talking.¡± Daniel led them toward the barred main gate and knocked on a rusty panel with a hollow sound. The shutter pulled back with a clank. A pair of beady eyes studied them with blatant distrust. ¡°Who are you?¡± the guard snorted. ¡°Traveling with three snotting kids?¡± ¡°Just weary travelers looking to admire the sights of the lake.¡± The seeker had the most affable smile that his scar allowed. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. ¡°Pha!¡± The guard laughed in a shower of spittle. ¡°No one comes to Limgrell in this season. You must be more adventurers looking for the bounty. If only those fools would accept their kids are gone, we wouldn¡¯t have to deal with your lot. People have disappeared into the mists for generations, and no one ever cared.¡± The Republic still hasn¡¯t intervened to solve the case then¡­ It¡¯s too much to hope they¡¯d do something good. ¡°May we enter the town, sir?¡± Daniel continued to smile politely. ¡°Who am I to keep you from wasting your time? Your IDs.¡± The guard opened a second shutter lower on the wall. A minute later their papers were shoved back. ¡°Remember you have to register in the townhall if you stay longer than a day.¡± The shutters closed and a door creaked open beside the main gate. ¡°Such a warm welcome.¡± Flynn mused once they were out of earshot. ¡°No wonder they don¡¯t get any visitors.¡± ¡°Did we have to get treated like that?¡± Rain narrowed his eyes at the guard post. ¡°Standing guard at the gate of a town with no visitors is often assigned as a punishment.¡± Daniel dipped his head in apology. ¡°It¡¯s just faster to go along with it. This guy wasn¡¯t that bad. Trust me.¡± Inside the gate, the streets were just as deserted. Kai would think Limgrell was a ghost town if he hadn¡¯t seen people and lights moving inside the buildings. Three alleys in, the first passersby threw them wary glances and whispered among themselves. What a lovely place. ¡°It was more pleasant the last time I visited,¡± Daniel grunted. ¡°Where do you want to go?¡± His companions were both looking at him, expectantly. Kai bit his cheek. While Limgrell didn¡¯t have more than a couple thousand inhabitants, running into his sister would take considerable luck. ¡°We can go to the Hall of Seekers to close our contract.¡± If Kea¡¯s team was investigating a quest, it¡¯d be the best place to look for her. The streets became more populated toward the center, though hardly more welcoming. Every local was able to tell they were outsiders with a look¡ªand spirits, did they love to glance. From their murmurs, everyone assumed they were adventurers looking to cash in the reward and gave them few chances to succeed. Guess the whole town will know who we are by dinner. The Hall was a more modest building than the one in Varsea. Two stories of mortar and brick with a shingle roof and a creaking door that echoed across the neighborhood. He was quite surprised to see an array meant to keep out the cold. ¡°You¡¯re¡ª oh, new faces!¡± Kai turned to find the first warm smile of Limgrell. A girl in her late teens sat behind a counter a few steps away. She wore enchanted glasses and had her brown hair parted in two pigtails. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Belice. How can I help you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Mat.¡± He wandered to the desk, taking out the documents of the contract while he studied the place. There was a quest board and a couple of tables, though no lounge to drink. ¡°We need to¡ª¡± ¡°I see.¡± Belice browsed through the pages in seconds. Her eyebrows climbed her forehead. ¡°That¡¯s quite the sum. You must have wanted to get here fast. I just need your signatures here unless you have any complaints to report.¡± ¡°No.¡± Daniel was all too eager to pocket the promised mesars and close the deal. ¡°It was nice doing business with you. I¡¯ll stay in town for a couple of days if you need me. I¡¯ll give you a discount.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Kai shook his hand before turning to the clerk. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for a girl. She should look around sixteen with¡­¡± He was about to point to his own eyes as a comparison, but Matthew didn¡¯t have siblings. Thankfully, he had been the only one to inherit their father''s lighter hair. ¡°Her name¡¯s Keandra.¡± ¡°Kea?¡± Belice lit up in recognition before she covered her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m not at liberty to share information about other seekers.¡± ¡°Please.¡± Flynn leaned on the counter beside him. ¡°Her family asked us to check on her. They¡¯re worried since she hasn¡¯t responded to their last letters.¡± The girl scrunched her brows and squinted at them. One look at their pale faces should be enough to tell Kea and their group were from the same place as Mat and Flynn. Belice bit her lip, lowering her gaze. ¡°I told her not to go¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kai struggled to remain composed. He didn¡¯t like this one bit. ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°Her group went to the old tower to search for Martell. He¡¯s one of the boys who disappeared out on the farms last week.¡± The words came out in a rush. ¡°Yesterday, Kea said she had found a lead and wanted to check it out. She should have been back by now¡­ but the tower is quite a distance away. And it¡¯s easy to lose sense of time when the mist rises. They¡¯re probably just late.¡± He clenched his fingers around the counter. Of course his sister was still pursuing the investigation despite everyone¡¯s warning. Why couldn¡¯t she stay put? ¡°Is this tower dangerous?¡± Flynn inquired. ¡°Uh¡­ not really. The area is Orange-2. It¡¯s not a problem for her team. It¡¯s just a crumbled building that has been there since the town was founded. There have always been rumors it was the home of some old sorcerer, but it¡¯s probably just an old mill.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t she say what she went looking for?¡± ¡°Kea¡¯s not much for words.¡± Belice shook her head. ¡°Several seekers have taken the contract, but no one has found any real leads. It was why I was skeptical about the tower.¡± She¡¯ll be fine. He exhaled a sharp breath. ¡°Where is this place?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a few miles further along the northern shore. But it¡¯s easy to get lost if you¡¯re not used to the mist. You should wait here. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be back¡­¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Kai tuned out her speech and headed for the door. He hadn¡¯t come here to leave things up to Fate. Flynn and Rain caught up to him in the streets. ¡°Wait up!¡± ¡°She could be in danger.¡± He slowed but didn¡¯t stop walking. ¡°Yes. And you¡¯ve no idea how to even get out of the town or find her. If people keep getting lost around here, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s as easy as that girl made it out to be. We should also find an inn¡ª¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have time for that.¡± Kai brushed his hand off his shoulder. Flynn grabbed his arm to slow him. ¡°We¡¯ll be faster if we don¡¯t have to carry our full backpacks. It¡¯ll also give us time to ask around for more information. Ten minutes now to save hours later." ¡°I think he¡¯s right,¡± Rain piled on. ¡°Remember you told me to not act without talking it through.¡± Looking between his two companions, Kai admitted defeat. ¡°We must be quick.¡± ¡°Like lightning.¡± Flynn nodded. ¡°I saw an inn on the way here. Rain, can you ask around if anyone knows about this tower?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The siren smiled at a pair of women staring at them from across the street. Twenty minutes later they stood before a different gate with an equally grouchy guard. The guard insisted on triple-checking their IDs before waving them through. ¡°Be careful of the Mist Wraiths. Don¡¯t follow the voices,¡± she warned and shut the door before they could ask what she was talking about. ¡°I think it¡¯s just local folklore.¡± Flynn shrugged. It was easier to run without baggage. Without anyone to spy on them, they had stored their supplies inside their spatial artifacts. A dirt path lined with a rotting fence headed north, disappearing into the fog; the lake extended on their right, a calm mirror without a single ripple. While it was also a mana zone, only the deeper area miles offshore was actually considered dangerous. Not eerie at all. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Tell me if you spot any landmarks,¡± Kai said, counting on his friends'' Perception and his Favor to pull him through. When the air was clear, the tower should be visible from the shore. She¡¯ll be fine. When he spread Mana Observer, his vision was distorted by the mist and effectively halved. Part of it seemed due to the ambient essence, though there were other obstacles at play. He would have been eager to study the phenomenon any other time, now he just focused on the run. Body Augmentation flowed in his veins. Kai pushed a little faster than was reasonable, eating the miles with a single-minded focus. The cold bit his lungs. Enveloped by the fog, everything looked the same, silent and pale. It was Hallowed Intuition that first warned him that something had changed. A soft whisper, building up with each stride and step. ¡°I¡­ I hear¡­ something,¡± Flynn said between the panting, slowing his pace to focus. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ almost like¡­¡± ¡°There.¡± Rain pointed to a shadow looming tall among the mist, a faint scream echoing to their ears. Chapter 274 - Swirling Mists Chapter 274 - Swirling Mists ¡°Hurry!¡± Kai ignored the warning from Hallowed Intuition and ran toward the looming shadow. His skin tingled in the cold air. From the echoes of the frantic scream, Kea could be in danger at this moment. The mist thickened till he lost track of what he thought was the tower. Dammit. Everything was covered in a veil of swirling white. He squinted and strained his ears for any other screams. ¡°Do you see anything?¡± Failing to get an answer, he turned to his companions only to find an impenetrable wall of fog. Over half the ambient mana had turned into Water motes with a considerable chunk of Shadow and other churning elements he couldn¡¯t quite identify. ¡°Flynn? Rain!¡± He shouted at the top of his lungs. No one answered. Not the shadow of movement or a faraway echo. Nothing. They had been following right behind him, and the siren would be quick enough to stop him if they didn¡¯t wish to come. ¡°Fuck!¡± An eerie silence dampened his voice. He couldn¡¯t see his own feet, and Mana Observer was restricted to a few meters around him. The mist around the lake had muffled his senses but nothing to this degree. It couldn¡¯t be a coincidence it worsened just as they heard the scream coming from the tower. Did that girl at the Hall set us up? Belice couldn¡¯t have known they¡¯d run straight here. The trap must have been for Kea''s team. And if it wasn''t designed for them, they¡¯d have better chances to escape. To tell the truth, he had no idea who or what had arranged it. It could even be some kind of magical phenomenon of the Lake of Myst or the mist wraiths that guard mentioned. And that¡¯s why you look for information before acting. Not that foresight would have made him behave any differently. Kea¡¯s group had come here yesterday; there wasn¡¯t time for an extensive investigation. ¡°Can anyone hear me?¡± His calls were answered with silence. Kai tried to run in a straight line for five minutes; his surroundings remained unchanged. While Hallowed Intuition¡¯s whispers lingered, they offered no clue as to how to get away either. Great. He crouched with a sharp exhale and lay his palm on the wet grass to scan his terrain with a pulse of Earth Magic. He furrowed his brow at the result. The spell expanded a little more than five meters before it fizzled out, devoured by the ground itself. If it was some kind of mist creature, how could it also affect the ground? Even a stray yellow beast from a higher area shouldn''t be capable of something like this. Hallowed Intuition would have gone crazy if that were the case¡­ Channeling more motes into the ground slightly increased his range at the price of consuming several times more mana. There was no way to brute force his way through with an orange skill. What do I do? Even his bond with Hobbes was somehow muted as if he had moved a thousand miles away. Kai meandered aimlessly through the swirling mist, hoping to lure out the entity responsible for the trap. If the mastermind was watching, they must have decided to wait till he exhausted himself. The potential danger to his sister pressed his thoughts. Fine. You aren¡¯t the only one with tricks up their sleeves. Kai waved his hand through the chilly fog. It was nothing more than water vapor. Clenching his fingers, he ripped a chunk to condense it. The dense ambient essence squirmed under his grip as if it had a will of its own. This can¡¯t be natural. This time brute strength worked wonderfully to net him a fistful of droplets. His triumph was short-lived when the fog rushed to refill the empty spot with no noticeable change. I can¡¯t empty the Lake of Myst a handful at a time. Pushing back the mist brought similar disappointing results. He could clear a bubble around him, but if he expanded the range more than a couple meters, the pressure spiked the cost out of control. I can¡¯t see through it, and I can¡¯t destroy it¡­ Kai channeled his Nature mana through his legs to probe the grass; the ambient density resisted him again before he could reach much farther. Frustrated, he sprouted a path of weeds in a straight line. If I keep going, I must get somewhere eventually. The mist couldn¡¯t erase physical objects as far as he could tell, and the shadow of the tower had looked relatively close. Hope was swelling in his chest when he noticed his path of weeds on the ground ahead of him. Dammit. I¡¯m walking in circles. He must have slowly curved the path and looped around, tricked by the dense mist obstructing his vision. It¡¯s so much easier when I can cleave a beast in two to solve the problem¡­ He could try growing a grid of vines to slowly work his way out. But that would take hours if not days. Nature mana was scarce and there were no trees to drain. ¡°Are you scared or what?¡± Kai taunted the fog. ¡°Come out, you asshole!¡± Predictably, no one answered. He was like a caged mouse, waiting for the trapper to deal with him. It was grating on his nerves. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Just you wait. Kai was about to shred the ground and mist apart in the hope of provoking a reaction when he realized his bag of tricks wasn¡¯t empty yet. Shadow would be of no help, but he had one other element. Space Magic was so clunky to cast that his mind automatically excluded it. This might be the perfect opportunity for it. If he couldn¡¯t rely on his physical and mana senses to orient himself, perhaps he could look at the fabric of reality. C¡¯mon, I didn¡¯t push you to Yellow for nothing. To teleport an object, he couldn¡¯t always aim with sight alone. Closing his eyes, Astral Pathway made the iridescent motes beneath the veil of reality flicker to the forefront with neon colors. There were no spatial disturbances he could detect¡ªwhatever created the mist worked on different principles. Now for the hard part. The Guide called Spatial Attunement an instinctive understanding of the cosmos, while Zervathi called it a crutch for his lacking intellect. With every other element, Kai could use his knowledge from Earth to cast more efficient spells; Space Magic was different. He stopped trying to make sense of what he perceived and grasped his position with more dimensions than his brain was built to understand. Fixing a random point in the distance, he took a step forward and then another. He fought down his impulses to open his eyes and trusted his boon. His body told him he was turning too much to the right, and then to the left in a twisting path. This better be¡ª A chorus of whispers rose. The dense mist swirled in a vortex in front of him. Kai reopened his eyes right when a nebulous shape flew for his head with a shriek. He took out his sword and leaped back, mana surging into his legs. Something slimy and sharp clacked against the blade, cutting into his fingers before he flung his sword away in a panic. The bulbous shape disappeared into the fog; his right hand was bleeding and covered in a greenish mucus. One whiff of the rotten substance was enough to make him retch. Kai cast a blob of water to wash his fingers, praying it wasn¡¯t poisonous¡ªfrom the burning tingle, his chances weren¡¯t good. He searched his ring for an antidote. After scouring every shop in Varsea, he had realized how extraordinary Dora¡¯s universal cure had been. Unfortunately, he had consumed every vial in her parting gift to survive in the Sanctuary. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Without knowing the nature of the toxin, or if they¡¯d actually work, he uncorked three vials with his teeth and downed them. The alchemical concoctions burned his throat. The murmurs soared again without a distinct direction. Kai pushed the mist back for two meters around him; outside everything swirled in white. Just as he wondered if he had scared the thing off, a puffy cloud flew to his face with a howling scream. His blade clinked against something hard that carried more strength than its small figure suggested. Unable to slice through, he used his sword like a baseball bat to swing the creature away. Mana Observer couldn¡¯t glimpse the monstrosity hidden inside, though from the brightness it was firmly into Yellow. Just my luck. His injured hand was going numb in spite of the antidotes; the tingling had climbed up his right arm. He had one good hand left, and no idea how to kill the beast. If it was soft and slimy, it can¡¯t be all armored. I just¡ª The shrieking cotton ball shot for his back. You¡¯re getting predictable. Kai pivoted to slash, and his arms swelled with Body Augmentation. Elemental Swordsman lit his blade with a blue and earthy glow. He slammed the creature to the ground. Vines rose to wrap around it while he hurled a volley of ice needles from every direction. Judging by the piercing scream, he had hit something soft. The wispy cloud buzzed and sliced through the vines to flee. Uncertain if a slash would have any effect, Kai cast a flood of water, intent on freezing it solid. The unnatural mist shrunk, still clinging to the creature. Ice cracked from the surface of the water sphere toward the beast in its center. Die alrea¡ª A second screaming cloud flew out of the fog at his shoulders. Kai twisted and summoned a frozen shield that shattered before it could fully form. The creature clasped the back of his neck, needle-like blades twisting into his flesh. Desperate, Kai stored his sword to grab the creature with both hands. His fingers clawed at slimy flesh and solid appendages to find purchase. He surged his skills and pulled it off, heedless of the cuts he received. With one angry shriek, the beast disappeared into the mist. The moments of distraction had allowed the first trapped creature to escape too. He washed off the mucus coating his neck and hands¡ªthe damage was already done. The tingling was spreading and drinking two more healing potions made little difference. He could barely move his right hand, and he was feeling suddenly drowsy. Kai bit his tongue to keep awake and pushed the mist further back to give himself more time to react. Nebulous forms already circled the edges of his domain. With his body growing numb, he¡¯d sooner run out of time than mana. Hallowed Intuition sang a slow requiem with no apparent solutions. ¡°Come at me, you cowards!¡± He had to close this fast. The wraiths¡¯ cackling laughter echoed from the fog, content to wait him out. Shit. He couldn¡¯t chase them, and he couldn¡¯t hide. With his time ticking away, Kai delved back into his spatial skills. The vibrant green, fuchsia and electric blue filled his mind. Without a way to say which direction he had been going, he bet on his Favor again. Moving as fast as he dared, his mind split between guiding him and keeping spells ready at his numb fingertips. The mist wraiths suddenly changed their tune to a screech, unhappy with his decision. Thanks for the encouragement. Kai gave a weak smile, his lips unresponsive. The aimless whispers swelled before two wicked cotton clouds came at him from opposite sides. He dove to the ground and cast a water bubble above him to trap the creatures. The impact splashed his spell; he struggled to keep them contained while crackling ice sealed the prison. A furious buzzing shook the bubble as the stronger beast broke free. He held onto the weaker one but couldn¡¯t finish it off before the other came back. Kai flung away the spell. He was about to dive back into Spatial Attunement when the stronger wraith came howling at him. Still on the ground, he pushed his elemental mana downward to summon a wall of earth and swinging vines. Retreating, his back hit something solid and coarse. Massive stone blocks rose and disappeared into the fog. He had found the tower. There was no entrance that he could see, and the mist beasts were unwilling to give him the chance to look for one. Both angry clouds came, joined by a third to shred his wall of plants. Shoulders to the wall, Kai wove his elements to reinforce his defenses with Earth and Ice. He had lost any feeling for his entire upper body and his vision blurred. Almost there. Mana Observer crossed the thick walls of the building but failed to find an entrance. There wasn¡¯t time to circle it. Even through the adrenaline, his eyelids dropped, called to sleep. He pushed his legs close to his chest and used vines to wrap his arms around his body. This better work. Kai channeled every speck of Water mana into a shell of ice, muffling the wraiths¡¯ screeches. The beasts chipped away layer by layer. He ignored them, busy weaving the most ambitious spell he had ever attempted. Space Magic was finicky at the best of times. The largest object he had tried to teleport was a boulder half his size¡ªthat lost a good chunk somewhere along the way. Though losing a limb was still preferable to whatever the mist wraith would do to him. C¡¯mon, Hobbes does this in his sleep. How hard can it be? Kai was surprised when the cat reached through their bond. There was no time to wonder how. A jumble of meaning flooded his mind to correct him. I don¡¯t understa¡ª His ice shell cracked to signal the wraiths were almost through. Kai abandoned his attempts at interpretation and let his instincts guide the magic construct. Without giving the rational side of his mind time to mess things up, he released the spell. There was no buildup. Iridescent lights flashed in his vision. One second he was watching three eldritch monsters chew through his defenses, the next he stared at a wide space with a gray stone ceiling. His body was too numb to say if he had lost any limbs. As the tension left his muscles, darkness crowded his vision, soon joined by three human shadows. ANNOUNCEMENT - Edit on September 16th -------- edit September 16th Next chapter will be out tomorrow (Tuesday 17th), sorry for the delays. I''m feeling much better, but taking a pause has also allowed me to come to a few realizations about how I want to continue writing. Thank you all for the patience and support. I will explain more tomorrow. <3 -------- edit September 9th Hi, hope y¡¯all are doing well, I¡¯ve gotten sick :( I was hoping it would get better over the weekend (which is why I delayed making this post), but I still woke up with a fever. So I¡¯ll be taking one more week off, and be back on Monday 16th. I want to come back with the right mindset, and not already stumbling. Thank you for all the patience and well wishes. It has been nice to have some time to think and plan. I¡¯ve never really stopped since I started writing one and half years ago, and I hadn¡¯t realized how close I was to burning out until I took this pause. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. See you on Monday 16th. Drew <3 Greetings, denizens of Royal Road! As you may have noticed if you are on Discord, my sleep schedule has been kind of obliterated to keep up with the needs of my publisher (R.I.P). Editing book 2 (twice), proofreading, giving feedback on the next cover, etc, while writing 4 chapters per week. So I won¡¯t be charging for the next month on Patreon and will be taking a two-week break (be back on Monday 9th). I know, everyone hates waiting for the new chapters of a story. I¡¯ve tried to keep writing and wait for the situation to improve, but I¡¯ve been skirting the edges of burnout for a while. The chapter quality has not been where I want it, and neither is the quality of my sleep (experts say the two things might be correlated). This portion of the story could use some more detailed planning. It¡¯s the main arc of book 4, and I want to make sure I do it right! There is so much to set up and pay off. Threads to plant that will sprout books down the line. I am hoping this break will allow me to nail the landing. I need to fix my sleep schedule, spend a few days without the anxiety of the next deadline. With the blessing of the Moons, I might also write ahead. Either create a stash to consistently publish chapters earlier in the day, or make some strides to offer more to my higher tier Patreons that I have failed for ages. Thank you all so much for understanding! Drew out <3 Chapter 275 - The Tower Chapter 275 - The Tower Muffled voices stirred Kai awake. Shadows and lights danced beyond his eyelids. He was lying on a cold stone floor. Despite his dazed head and heavy limbs, he had all his fingers and toes. Whatever toxin he got injected with, it wasn''t lethal, or the potions had an effect. I can¡¯t believe that worked. Thank you, Hobbes. His familiar sent back a regal acknowledgment, their bond still working. The furball paced outside the swirling fog, less than five hundred meters from him. Perceiving the magic in the mist, he was hesitant to come closer. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be okay. I¡¯ll reach you once I fix this. A rock was digging into his back. Kai reached to dislodge it when something sharp brushed his neck. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± The face of a girl about eighteen with delicate pale features and sharp eyebrows came into view. She stood over him with a rapier pointed at his nose, her dark hair tied in a ponytail. ¡°Did you follow us here?¡± ¡°Stop that, Caeli.¡± A male shadow with the wavy brown curls typical of the archipelago walked behind her. ¡°He¡¯s just a boy.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve already discussed this. He popped out of nowhere!¡± She gestured with her blade too close to him for comfort. ¡°It could be another trick of the mist. We can¡¯t trust anything in this place.¡± ¡°We also agreed this place is protected. The cloud fairies can¡¯t come to the tower.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t be sure.¡± Caeli snorted and continued to squabble. Where is Kea? Across the bare stone chamber, a young woman with shoulder-length hair and green eyes sat reading a book¡ªnot his sister. An enchanted staff rested on the wall beside her. She gave him an exasperated smile as if to say he shouldn¡¯t mind the other two. There was no one else. Still lying on his back, Kai propped himself up on his elbows to stand up. The rapier whistled back to his nose. ¡°I said to not move!¡± Caeli coldly watched him. ¡°Who are you? Did someone pay you to follow us here? It¡¯s that slimy weasel, isn¡¯t it? If you think killing us will be so easy, you don¡¯t know who you¡¯re dealing with!¡± ¡°Uhm¡­¡± Kai cleared his throat, his tongue still somewhat unresponsive. ¡°Ima domeehn¡­¡± ¡°What language is that?¡± The dark-haired girl narrowed her eyes and pressed the rapier against his chest. ¡°Do you think I won¡¯t do it after what you did to Caeden?¡± ¡°Calm down, Caeli.¡± The young man pulled her arm back before turning to Kai with a studious gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re a spy. But you must tell us who you are and how you got here.¡± ¡°Imasht.¡± Kai clenched his jaw to hide his frustration in case they interpreted it as a hostile move. Caeli¡¯s blue eyes gleamed dangerously. ¡°Are you making fun of us?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s doing it on purpose.¡± The young woman closed her book and walked closer. ¡°He must have been poisoned by the cloud fairies.¡± She pointed to the blood on his hands. ¡°That¡¯s not possible.¡± ¡°Caeli¡¯s right, Mari.¡± The man begrudgingly said. ¡°He would have been unconscious for hours, not twenty minutes.¡± ¡°He has probably drunk some potion, and his race is at yellow.¡± Mari waved at Kai¡¯s face as if that explained everything, a Mana Sense passing through him. Hey, didn¡¯t they tell you it¡¯s rude to snoop? The mention of his grade made Caeli raise her rapier while the young man reached for the sword at his side. Repaying the favor, Kai found all three were at the peak of Orange with their profession in the mid to high levels¡ªquite impressive for their age. This could only be his sister¡¯s team, but when he extended Mana Observer through the tower, Kea was still nowhere to be found. She can¡¯t be dead. They don¡¯t look distraught. The fastest way to get answers lay in the three wary humans. Kai slowly sat cross-legged on the stone floor to look non-threatening, and carefully channeled Body Augmentation in his facial muscles. ¡°I¡¯m Mat,¡± he articulated. ¡°I don¡¯t mean any harm.¡± The squabbling duo cast a glance at the quiet woman. When Mari gave a light nod, they visibly relaxed, though Caeli didn¡¯t lower her rapier. They must have some kind of skill to gauge his intentions. This complicates things¡­ ¡°Oh, I¡¯m Niel. And these are Caeli and Mari.¡± The young man pointed at his companions. ¡°Sorry for the rude welcome, Mat. If you¡¯ve seen what¡¯s outside, you''ll understand why we¡¯re all a little jumpy. Why are you here?¡± With the possibility of a lie-sensing skill, Kai carefully chose his words. ¡°The clerk at the Hall of Seekers told us a team came here to investigate a disappearance and didn¡¯t come back. My team and I got separated in the mist.¡± ¡°Are you saying you came looking for us?¡± Caeli sounded quite skeptical. ¡°Why would you care to do that?¡± ¡°I¡ª We came to Limgrell to look for Keandra. I and one of my friends know her family. They had asked to check on her when we reached the mainland.¡± It was the truth, though not the whole of it. Telling them he was her brother would create too many issues with his identity to be worth it. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. I hope Flynn and Rain didn¡¯t follow me. ¡°You¡¯re from the archipelago¡­?¡± Niel gave him a once-over. Caeli lowered her blade and looked between him and the other two. ¡°But he doesn¡¯t look much like you.¡± ¡°One of his parents must be from the Republic,¡± Mari said, back to reading her book. ¡°You know, just like Kea.¡± Dammit. Spending so little time outside, he had lost his tan; hopefully, they didn¡¯t look too similar. ¡°My father was also from the mainland.¡± Kai scowled to discourage any follow-up. ¡°Even if what you say is true, it doesn¡¯t explain how you appeared from thin air.¡± Caeli crossed her arms. ¡°You¡¯re lucky I didn¡¯t slice you up.¡± ¡°How did you do it?¡± Niel sounded more fascinated than wary. ¡°It was like you teleported.¡± ¡°Well¡­ I did.¡± Kai bit his cheek. ¡°I was cornered by those mist abominations and I couldn¡¯t find the entrance to the tower. It was my last resort.¡± ¡°Can you get us out of this trap?¡± The man¡¯s gaze glimmered with hope. ¡°No, I only crossed a few meters. And it¡¯s not something I can repeat.¡± Not without Hobbes'' last assistance and all his Favor. Space Magic was too rare to pass unnoticed, and it wasn¡¯t something Matthew should know. It was better to leave them guessing on a vague explanation. They¡¯d sooner think he used some unique artifact than believe he cast the spell on his own. ¡°Where¡¯s Keandra?¡± Kai used their silence to change subject. ¡°She came here with you, right?¡± The trio shared a guilty look, gathering in a corner of the chamber to gesture and whisper among themselves. ¡°He could be lying. We don¡¯t¡ª¡± Caeli''s voice rose before she went back to murmur. Coming to some sort of agreement, Caeli stood nailed in the corner, lips pursed, and Niel stepped forward. ¡°Kea¡¯s outside.¡± Kai blinked. ¡°What do you mean outside?¡± He stared daggers at them. How could they be so calm if she was with those monsters? The man had the grace to look ashamed. ¡°We tried to stop her, but we couldn¡¯t follow her. She¡¯s the only one with the skills to hide from the cloud fairies. She thought she could find a way out to call for help. And we know she''s alive. Mari has a skill for it.¡± Of course, she ran into the mist like a reckless maniac. He took a deep breath to sort through the information¡ªit was just what he expected from his sister. But he wasn¡¯t too late. As long as she¡¯s alive, I can find her. The stone chamber of the tower had no features except a ramp of stairs leading up and one buried entrance in the floor. It must have sunk like the ruins on the archipelago. Even if he escaped the mists with Spatial Attunement, he had no way to find his sister. He needed more information. ¡°I assume the door is up there?¡± In his panic, he hadn¡¯t thought to look up when he was attacked by those creatures. ¡°Yes, there are four more floors with openings to the outside,¡± Niel said. ¡°Though the last one doesn''t have a roof.¡± ¡°How do you keep the mist out?¡± A pile of stone shouldn¡¯t be able to stop a magical phenomenon. ¡°This floor is protected.¡± Mari looked up from the book she was scribbling in. ¡°It must be some ancient enchantments that everyone has forgotten about. It¡¯s the only reason we¡¯re alive.¡± She tapped a silver pen on the stone floor. ¡°I think the runes are buried somewhere below us. Or in the walls¡­¡± Hmm¡­ is that why my bond with Hobbes works again? ¡°You called those creatures cloud fairies?¡± Kai had no idea how those slimy beings could be mischievous sprites. The more he made them talk, the less he would have to reveal about himself. ¡°I thought they were wraiths.¡± And more importantly, how do I kill them? Mari scrunched her nose. ¡°People in Limgrell call any creatures that live in the fog a mist wraith. If they were truly wraiths, we¡¯d already be dead. Cloud fairies are usually harmless scavengers until you go poke them.¡± ¡°They almost ripped me apart,¡± Kai tersely said. Mari puffed her cheeks. ¡°That¡¯s because someone trapped them here. They live far deeper in the Lake of Myst where the mana is denser. They¡¯re just scared and angry.¡± So, someone really set a trap for them¡­ Kai wanted to know what was going on, but his sister took precedence. He¡¯d untangle this mystery once they were all safe. ¡°How do we get away from here?¡± ¡°If we knew we wouldn¡¯t be stuck in here, would we?¡± Caeli grumbled, sitting on the stairs with her rapier. ¡°We¡¯re not fools or cowards.¡± ¡°My bad.¡± Kai raised his palms to pacify her. ¡°Will the mist dissipate if we kill those¡­ fairies?¡± Now that he knew their abilities, he was confident to squish them. ¡°Mhmm¡­ From what I read, yes.¡± Mari grimaced, not a fan of the idea. ¡°Cloud fairies thicken the mist to protect themselves from predators since they aren¡¯t very strong on their own. But their abilities shouldn¡¯t be able to trap us to this degree.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Niel drummed his fingers on the hilt of his sword. ¡°When we tried to leave the tower, all our skills failed.¡± ¡°But without the mist, we could see where we¡¯re going and leave.¡± Not that Kai needed that, but it might be the only way to find Kea. ¡°If we found what¡¯s keeping them here, we could peacefully solve this,¡± Mari muttered. ¡°And do you know where we should look?¡± Caeli gestured to the bare stone around them. ¡°We can¡¯t leave this chamber.¡± ¡°No, but¡ª¡± ¡°Then the boy is right. We should just crush those bugs to a pulp.¡± She pressed her fist in her palm. ¡°No fairies, no mist. No mist, no problem.¡± ¡°And how do you plan to defeat a swarm of yellow creatures?¡± The bookish girl scowled. ¡°They''re relatively weak for their grade but still lethal inside their natural environment.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t just wait here either. You know Kea. She could arrive at the same conclusion and fight them on her own.¡± Oh, fuck. Worry pressed Kai to action. He stood up, heading for the stairs. ¡°Do you know how many fairies there are? I¡¯ve seen three.¡± Three pairs of eyes turned to him. ¡°How did you survive alone against that many?¡± Niel blurted. ¡°I got lucky. How many did you meet?¡± ¡°We saw four around the tower when the mist thickened.¡± He turned to Mari with an expectant look. ¡°Uh¡­¡± the girl bit her lip. ¡°Swarms of cloud fairies should vary between three and six individuals. Four should be the most common number. But I still think this is a terrible idea.¡± ¡°Sometimes you only get to choose between bad and worse,¡± Kai mused. Even if he prepared, battling four of those creatures would be a challenge, worse if there were more. ¡°I¡¯m going out. Do any of you want to join?¡± He wasn¡¯t in the position to refuse their help. ¡°I¡¯m starting to like you, boy.¡± Caeli gripped her rapier with a fierce grin. ¡°I¡¯m coming too. We can¡¯t let Kea have all the fun, can we?¡± Yeah, I can see why you two teamed up¡­ Niel scrubbed a hand through his wavy hair and bent to grab a shield reinforced with enchanted steel. ¡°And I can¡¯t let you get yourself killed alone. This is a terrible idea, but the boy is also right. It¡¯s the best we have got.¡± Can you both stop calling me boy? ¡°Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you.¡± With a heavy sigh, Mari grabbed her staff off the wall. ¡°We could try luring the fairies to the upper floors. Either way, we must stay close to the tower. It¡¯s the only safe place if we get overwhelmed.¡± The more the merrier. Standing on the stairs, Kai could see plumes of wispy mist fill the floor above. A team would give him some degree of security if he got poisoned. ¡°What can you do, boy?¡± Niel stood behind him. ¡°I can lend you something if you lost your weapon in the mist.¡± ¡°There is no need.¡± He summoned a globe of water in his palm, taking his wand out of his pocket with the ring. Awed gasps filled the chamber, looking at him as if he had suddenly grown a second head. ¡°You¡¯re a mage!¡± After three seconds of gaping, Niel closed his mouth with a serious frown. ¡°It''s better if you stay behind me then. We need to change our battle formation. How many spells can you cast? Have you refilled your reserves? How many chants do you know?¡± The bombardment of questions continued. Years of habit had made Kai cagey about his abilities, but the journey to the mainland had highlighted the importance of knowing the abilities of his companions. Fighting a swarm of yellow creatures while hiding his abilities would be madness. Kea isn¡¯t someone who gives her trust easily. They can¡¯t be too bad¡­ Under their expectant gazes, he summarized his ability to use Water, Earth and Nature mana, and his Swordsmanship. He only underplayed the power of his spells since they wouldn¡¯t believe him anyway. Half an hour later, he had also learned what the trio could do. Despite his own fighting experience, Kai had to admit he was a newbie when it came to team tactics. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go. Don¡¯t lose sight of your companions at any cost.¡± Niel took the vanguard with Caeli while Kai and Mari followed behind. Together, they climbed the steps to dive back into the swirling mist. Chapter 276 - Lurking Danger Chapter 276 - Lurking Danger Niel led the team up the steep ladder, sword and shield at the ready. The plumes of mist rolled over them, denser and colder with each floor they crossed. Stepping on the stone of the third chamber, high rectangular windows lined the walls and framed the smoky white swirls. Aside from the visibility, Kai was concerned about the impact of the mist on his skills. His bond with Hobbes was already weakening, his senses were restricted to a few meters, and Hallowed Intuition¡¯s whispers were growing fainter. It¡¯s better than being out there alone¡­ While the three young seekers were practically strangers, it was reassuring to have other human beings with him against the creatures lurking in the fog. ¡°Now the fun begins,¡± Niel muttered with a low tone, muffled by the fog. ¡°Remember to not break formation, no matter what happens.¡± ¡°We know,¡± Caeli snorted. ¡°Stop trying to be cool. You''re not Kea.¡± ¡°I wanted to keep up morale.¡± ¡°And I''m super motivated.¡± The girl gave him a light shove. ¡°We just need to cut down those annoying bugs and find Kea before she decides to leave.¡± At Kai¡¯s side, Mari shook her head. ¡°Stay focused, guys. They could attack us at any moment.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the point? We''re trying to lure them in here.¡± Caeli raised her voice and twirled her rapier. ¡°C¡¯mon, cowardly bugs! They should be able to hear us, right?¡± ¡°I think so¡­¡± Mari held her enchanted staff with both hands. The team tensed, back-to-back to peer at the four windows; the whirling movements of the fog kept them on their toes. A creature could be hiding in front of them without any of them knowing. Kai gripped the blue enamel of his wand, ready to draw his sword if necessary. He¡¯d rather not reveal his spatial artifact to three strangers in the middle of nowhere, though he might not get a choice. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s working.¡± Caeli broke the silence after thirty seconds and took a cautious step toward a window. ¡°They weren¡¯t so timid the first time they attacked us here.¡± ¡°Same for me,¡± Kai muttered. Despite the magic within the fog interfering with Hallowed Intuition, he should be able to tell when a hostile beast came near. ¡°They seemed pretty intent on ripping me apart regardless of the consequences.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we should find out why they¡¯re here. Cloud fairies are cautious beings by nature, they don¡¯t attack humans unless provoked.¡± ¡°I know, Mari.¡± Neil didn¡¯t lower his guard despite the quiet. ¡°But whatever the reason, it doesn¡¯t change our situation. We still need to get out of here and find Kea.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like this one bit.¡± The girl gave a begrudging nod. The trio was far more relaxed than Kai expected from someone facing a swarm of deadly beasts¡ªit must not be their first experience. They spent a few more minutes trying to lure the cloud fairies inside; out of cunning or shyness, the wicked cotton balls weren¡¯t biting. ¡°Guess we''re really doing this. We have to go outside. Me and Mat will go first, while you watch our backs,¡± Niel grunted with a glance at him. ¡°Do you know how to climb? The walls are quite steep.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll manage.¡± Kai was a little peeved at not being asked his opinion, though dividing the group between front liners and ranged fighters made the most sense. Niel probably meant to do him a favor by not pairing him with Caeli. And whatever spells Mari could cast, he must consider her more reliable than him to protect their descent. Let¡¯s get this over with. Kai pushed the mist out of the chamber to let them regain their full visibility¡ªthere was no point holding back if those nightmare fairies weren¡¯t coming. The team looked at the sudden clarity with mouths agape. ¡°You can actually cast magic without chants or skills.¡± Mari watched as if she were seeing him for the first time. ¡°Wow, boy. This is quite convenient.¡± Caeli clapped his back. ¡°You¡¯re a proper mage.¡± I told you I could do it. Why do people always act surprised¡­ They must have thought him a half-mage only capable of cantrips outside his profession skills. He could see the questions crowding their gazes. The urgency of the situation spared him from answering. If they escaped this alive, there¡¯d be time to think how to avoid them. Kea first. ¡°We have to move fast. Those things have probably noticed your spell too.¡± Niel hung the shield to his back and headed for the window with one wary glance. ¡°Can you clear the mist to the ground?¡± Kai went to lean beside him and strained Mana Observer to reach the ground¡ªmore than fifteen meters below. It was a deadly fall even for him. He could use Water Magic to carry him down if he were alone, but that would leave him more exposed if the shrieking cotton balls attacked. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°It¡¯s too far.¡± He shook his head, opening a vertical corridor till the midway point among the mist. The strange ambient essence kept consuming his own the farther he pushed. ¡°That¡¯s my limit. I can¡¯t keep this up for long.¡± ¡°Uh, it¡¯s already better than I hoped.¡± Niel gave him a curt nod and swung one of his legs outside with surprising nimbleness, soon followed by his whole body. ¡°Watch my back.¡± The young man climbed down, grasping the seams between the boulders that made up the tower¡ªone hand still holding the sword. ¡°He does like to show off, doesn¡¯t he?¡± Caeli stood beside the window with Mari. ¡°Your turn, boy. Scream if something bites you. I¡¯ll jump down to save you.¡± Should I worry that she¡¯s really going to do it? ¡°Thanks,¡± Kai held the wand between his teeth and hopped outside. The handholds were shallower than Niel made them look; he channeled Body Augmentation in his fingers to hold his weight. He descended to the halfway point when the girls watching were swallowed by the fog. Then the whispers brushed his thoughts. Shit. Danger buzzed louder each second. Kai wanted to scream a warning, but if those creatures were cunning enough to ambush them at the most vulnerable moment, a shout might call them down sooner. His spell had cleared a cone of mist to the weeds below. Almost there¡ª The murmurs spiked, leaving no doubts. ¡°They¡¯re here!¡± ¡°What¡ª¡± Niel watched him with a frown, his head jolting toward the mist. ¡°Fuck!¡± The man threw a measuring glance at the seven meters separating them from the ground. ¡°I¡¯m¡ª¡± ¡°Jump!¡± With one front covered by the tower, Kai released a fan of ice needles at the mist, hoping Luck would skew the odds in his favor. He channeled more mana into Body Augmentation to reinforce his body and loosened his grip. Niel was already falling with no need for further encouragement. His body glowed with a skill while the shield on his back scraped the tower to slow the plunge. The ground was almost upon them when two fluffy clouds shot out of the fog. Kai knew he¡¯d never make it. Perhaps believing him an easier target or holding a grudge, they flew to intercept him. Cautious beings my ass. Two meters above the ground, Kai summoned a horizontal wall of water and ice to arrest his fall. The abrupt stop rocked his insides and blackened his vision for a moment; the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth. The shattering of ice and hard crash below him soothed his pain. I don¡¯t fall for the same tricks twice. The fairies could pack quite the punch when they dove, but they weren¡¯t very agile and struggled to regain speed once stopped. Channeling Water mana through the wand, he turned the broken shield into a flood of freezing water to carry him down together with the dazed creatures. One fairy whizzed away with an erratic pattern, though the one that had slammed into the stone failed to escape the deluge. The impact on the ground almost shattered the spell. Kai gritted his teeth and slammed the trapped creature against the earth. Sharp roots grew to stab the fairy from below while blades of water slashed from every other side. He had to finish it before¡ª Another whisper soared among the chaos. The second fairy flew for his head with an enraged scream. Fuck. The water prison and the tower at his back restricted his ability to dodge. He was about to redirect his defenses when Niel stepped between them. ¡°I¡¯ve got it.¡± He stood low to brace for impact. A layer of shimmering ice coated his shield. Kai only heard the cracking impact and a grunt. His attention went to the captive misty cloud thrashing beneath his spell. Foreign mana pushed against his to rip away the control of the water construct. That¡¯s. Mine. Back off! Niel struggled to keep one engaged, too slow to hit the fairy, he could only tank blow after blow. More murmurs rose to herald the arrival of the rest of the swarm. They wouldn¡¯t get a better chance to finish one off. If the fairies assembled, one nick from the slimy beasts would be enough to incapacitate them, and there was no way to climb back into the tower. Kai disregarded the warning and bore down his skills in a battle of wills. The trio had come outside because of him. He hadn¡¯t realized what he had asked them. Unleashing the resolve he had honed in the Sanctuary gained him the upper hand, but the yellow creature fought with an equal desire to survive. The cloud fairy drew its wispy cloak flutter tighter, perhaps conscious it just had to drag the battle out to win. Kai stripped the mist layer by layer to reveal the monstrous shape hidden inside. Four serrated limbs like a mantis and paper-thin wings flailed within the water. The bulbous body was covered with segmented plates up to a deformed human face jutting with needle-like teeth. The cloud fairy brought no resemblance to the dainty ivory body Zervathi had been trapped in. He retched thinking one of those had dug into his flesh when the whispers warned him of the pressing danger. With its pale flesh exposed between the hardened exoskeleton, Kai abandoned the fight over the dominion of the water for an element the fairy had no control over. He twisted the roots around the defenses and pierced its unprotected side. Submerged and wrapped in thorny spires, the creature opened its jaws in a silent scream. The wild presence waned, letting the waters crush its body. One down¡ª Harrowing shrieks pierced his ears, only matched by the shouts of Hallowed Intuition. Three flaming presences were shooting for him. A new frozen sphere built in his defense cracked like an egg under a hammer. The cloud fairies ripped apart his shield and wrestled away his control of the spell to trap him inside his own defenses. There was only a palm of ice between them when a new force cleaved the sphere in two. Free to move, Kai pushed himself backward and slammed his back against the stone of the tower. ¡°Are you alive, boy?¡± Caeli stood before him covered in a flaming aura. Mari dropped beside her a moment later, earthy motes whirling around her staff. Sharp rocks shot out of the ground to force the fairies back. ¡°I¡¯m. Good.¡± Kai heaved. His fingers dug into the grass to wrap roots around the swarm. ¡°Don¡¯t let them escape!¡± Caeli was already lunging forward to skewer one. The almost metallic clank meant she hit the armored part, though it gave Niel the chance to slash down with his sword, scoring a hit. A hail of ice warded off the two free sprites while the chain of strikes finally found purchase into the flesh of their priority target. The shriek of the fairies at another death carried a note of deep despair over the anger. Kai would feel bad about them if they hadn¡¯t been trying to butcher him. You gave the first blow. Don''t blame me if I take the last. With their number halved, the mist appeared to lose part of its oppressive shroud, letting his senses reach farther and his magic clear the thick curtain. Kai drained the grass to recoup his Nature mana and raised his wand. C¡¯mon, let¡¯s finish this. The two fairies buzzed circles around them. One swayed closer to attack when an acute pitch from the other made it retreat again. ¡°Not so eager now that you lost your advantage, eh?¡± Caeli snorted. With one last screech, the puffy clouds glided back into the mist. Kai worried they¡¯d be forced into a battle of attrition when the murmurs also quietened. ¡°I think they¡¯re gone¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Caeli blurted. ¡°Are you sure? They could just be trying to ambush us.¡± ¡°I think he¡¯s right.¡± Mari lowered her staff. ¡°Look.¡± The fog was growing thinner. It was swept back by a pulse of mana, clearing the space empty with no fight. Niel let out a relieved sigh. ¡°It¡¯s probably better this way.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Kai had a thousand and one questions about the strangeness of everything going on. Too many things didn¡¯t add up, though first, he had a person to find. Mana Observer spread freely through the meadow around the tower, only struggling when it brushed the ground. He barely paid attention when he locked onto two familiar figures¡ªRain and Flynn were both fine. A silver blink at the corner of his vision announced Hobbes'' arrival, striding ahead of the group. I told you there was nothing to worry¡­ Another signature appeared in his range. Despite two years apart, Kai could recognize every nuance of her mana veins. A tall girl ran out of the mist with a drawn bow and cautious eyes. Kea still wore the same pixie cut with a new pair of sapphire earrings; her delicate features hardened by the sharp line of her pressed lips. ¡°Are any of you hurt?¡± She was about to head toward Caeli when she noticed him and froze on the spot. Brows knitted together, eyes widened and index pointed in accusation. ¡°You!¡± Chapter 277 - Misty Truths Chapter 277 - Misty Truths Kai had crossed an ocean and the untamed lands of the mainland, faced pirates and bandits, gone through more unforeseen accidents than he cared to admit. With his sister standing before him well and alive, it had all been worth it. I made it in time. He stepped forward, arms raised, about to run towards her when he became conscious of all the eyes on them. There¡¯d be already plenty of cracks to fix in his cover. The journey to the continent could explain many changes in Matthew''s personality and skills, but he couldn¡¯t change his acquaintances from the archipelago. I wish Mom could have explained to her the whole situation. Woken from her stupor, Kea abandoned her bow and strode as if she intended to march over him. She stopped in her tracks within arm¡¯s length and studied him with an unblinking gaze. ¡°Uh, hi.¡± Kai reciprocated the look, trying to recoup the changes he missed in over two years. ¡°I¡¯m Mat¡ª¡± A punch caught him in the shoulder, strong enough to push him back without seriously hurting him. ¡°Ouch.¡± He massaged his arm. ¡°What was that for¡­¡± Kea pulled him in a tight hug, nestling her head beside his neck. ¡°I¡ª I had to make sure you were real. You¡¯re¡­ really here¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± He gulped to keep his voice steady, whispering, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I made you think I was dead.¡± ¡°Uhm¡­¡± She hung her weight on him. ¡°Flynn insisted you were alive¡­ but why¡­ why didn¡¯t you come back sooner¡­¡± ¡°I¡­¡± What could he say? The truth hardly changed what he had put his family through. ¡°I came back as soon as I could.¡± Kea continued to hug him amidst the fog, accepting his answer with a low huff. There was so much they needed to say, so much to catch up on. But not now. Beyond her, the trio was observing them with intent gazes, Caeli was already coming closer. Not even a moment of peace¡­ Was that too much to ask? Having their reunion without worrying about how breaking his identity could mess up their lives? The world kept turning, uncaring of who it crushed or inconvenienced. There¡¯ll be time. Kai was about to speak when Kea pulled back. Her arms still held onto his, while her face was an impassive mask. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you again, Mat. We should talk later.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡­¡± ¡°Mrooow.¡± Hobbes grumbled at his feet, peeved at being ignored. He gave Kea the stink eye. His sister jolted back before finding the source of the noise. ¡°A cat? Where did you come from?¡± She leaned in to pet him but the furball turned and swatted her hand with his tail. ¡°Hobbes is my familiar¡ª¡± ¡°Is he really yours?¡± Caeli lost any interest in them upon seeing the fluffy silver ball. ¡°Here, kitty kitty!¡± She extended her hand, palm up, with a baby voice. From the height of a domestic cat, Hobbes managed to look down on her. His violet eyes weighed what punishment befitted such impudence: to think he had to move to get scratched¡ªsimply preposterous. Caeli giggled at his grumpy face, then raised her head to glare at Kai. ¡°How could you bring him to such a dangerous place? What if the fairies attacked him?¡± It would have made all this a lot easier. ¡°I¡ª¡± ¡°Kea, you¡¯re safe.¡± Niel reached them with a bright grin, throwing a curious glance at Hobbes before focusing on him. ¡°I guess you already know Mat.¡± Mari walked behind him. Her eyes darted between them to make sense of the situation. ¡°I told you to wait inside the tower.¡± Kea rested her hands on the hips, her scolding look reminiscent of Alana. ¡°Tell me you didn¡¯t fight a swarm of yellow fairies. You could have all gotten killed.¡± ¡°Well, you left us little choice.¡± Caeli stopped her attempts to coax the cat. ¡°You were gone for hours. What were we supposed to do? Did you find a way out?¡± Kea crossed her arms with a harrumph. ¡°I was getting close.¡± ¡°Actually, it was my fault for convincing them to go out.¡± Kai rubbed his neck. ¡°You¡­?¡± His sister pursed her lips and shook her head. ¡°These three should have known better.¡± ¡°Huh, how do you know each other?¡± Niel peered at them. ¡°Don¡¯t take it personally Mat, but I was half convinced you lied. Kea never mentioned you.¡± ¡°We¡¯re more like acquaintances. It has been a while since we last met.¡± ¡°Really? It didn¡¯t loo¡ª¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Mat!¡± Two more figures approached through the thinning fog. Rain stayed aside, taking in the scene with a furrowed brow. Flynn hurried closer to scan him for injuries before turning to Kea with a relieved smile. ¡°Thank the spirits you¡¯re fine. You made us all worry. Why didn¡¯t you reply to our letters?¡± ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve been busy,¡± his sister muttered without her usual edge. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to come here¡­¡± ¡°Of course, I did. You know I¡¯m a sucker for trouble and creepy towns. How could I let you have all the fun? I missed you.¡± He leaned in to hug her. Kea bit her lip but didn¡¯t pull away. ¡°Uh¡­ Thank you for coming.¡± She has really changed¡­ Another round of greetings and presentations between the two groups brought everyone up to speed. ¡°So, you were the family friend Mat told us about,¡± Niel gave Flynn a friendly pat¡ªapparently, they had already met. ¡°It¡¯s good to see a face from home.¡± ¡°Who else could it be?¡± Flynn also gave a nod to Mari though without any recognition. ¡°What about the other guys that traveled from the archipelago?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ It¡¯s just us now,¡± Niel smiled bitterly. ¡°They thought the mainland would be different, and the case in Limgrell didn¡¯t help. The last two left for Arphusa a month ago. Though we got Caeli in exchange.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± The girl snapped at him. ¡°You¡¯d be lost without me.¡± ¡°Nothing. You''re much better than them.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± She turned away with a slight blush. ¡°Thanks. Anyway, why did you all come here?¡± Her gaze lingered a second on Rain who smiled politely. ¡°Kea¡¯s right. While I appreciate it, you all didn¡¯t need to come.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Flynn craned his neck to look at the ancient stone tower. ¡°So you weren¡¯t just trapped in there waiting to get finished off? What even happened¡­? Mat disappeared into the mist. Then it suddenly cleared up.¡± Niel scratched his jaw. ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a long story. We might have been in a little trouble if Mat didn¡¯t help¡­¡± The young man turned to him. ¡°Your skills with mana are amazing. How did I never hear about you in the archipelago?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone cast spells like you,¡± Caeli said. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Mari?¡± ¡°Hmm, it was quite something.¡± The girl nodded, quite timid with all the new faces. ¡°Did he?¡± Kea''s intense stare soon turned disinterested. ¡°You must show me sometime.¡± Is she acting? ¡°I would have gotten killed without you watching my back.¡± Now that the pressing danger was gone, the questions on everyone¡¯s mind threatened to flood him. ¡°How did you end up here?¡± Caeli kicked a patch of the dried grass. ¡°We were set up! They know we¡¯re getting close to finding out what is going on with this town, and they want to shut us up.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t actually know that¡­¡± Mari drew circles on the ground with her staff. ¡°We¡¯re not that close to solving the case. There could be many other explanations.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not giving up till we find Caeden.¡± Caeli pressed her lips in a thin line. ¡°And neither am I.¡± Kea nodded, the mood quickly turning somber. Caeden must be the team member who had gone missing. From Valela''s information, it had been some time since the disappearance. Niel shifted weight between his feet. ¡°You know he could be¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say that!¡± Caeli pointed a finger at his face, her lower lip trembling. ¡°We don¡¯t know that. We don¡¯t¡­¡± The wispy mist whirled around them, shrouding the sun and darkening the day. Kai wasn¡¯t sure of the group¡¯s dynamics, but convincing Kea to leave might be even harder than expected. Taking advantage of the silence, he tapped Flynn¡¯s back with a silent request. The teen dipped his head to show he understood. ¡°Well¡­¡± he clapped his hands to break the atmosphere. ¡°I don¡¯t know about you guys, but I don¡¯t want to remain out here a moment longer. We can decide our next steps in front of a warm meal. This mist is freezing my bones.¡± ¡°Now, that¡¯s a great idea.¡± Niel clapped his back. ¡°Limgrell isn¡¯t the most hospitable town, but I know a great tavern.¡± The circle of seekers didn¡¯t take long to agree, eager to reach a sheltered place. ¡°You¡¯re not coming?¡± Kea noticed that Kai wasn¡¯t moving. ¡°I want to take a look at the tower. It reminds me a little of the ruins we have in the archipelago.¡± He smiled, getting more information wasn¡¯t worth revealing his own. ¡°You can go ahead without me. I¡¯ll reach you in a little while.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Niel went to fetch his shield. ¡°Even if the cloud fairies are gone, this place is still a mana zone. I¡¯ve seen more than one adventurer get mangled by red beasts because they were caught unprepared.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stay with him.¡± Rain spoke up for the first time. ¡°We¡¯ll return before dark.¡± ¡°I could also jo¡ª¡± ¡°They can look after themselves.¡± Flynn waved away the worries, stopping by Kai just long enough to whisper, ¡°Just leave them to me.¡± Kea gave him one last glance, clearly wanting to say more. ¡°Be careful.¡± ¡°I will.¡± We¡¯ll talk later. The group was swallowed by the mist and soon disappeared from his other senses. Kai couldn¡¯t wait to get to a warm place, though he had to figure out how to explain his elemental magic¡ªthe teleportation especially. For now, his best policy was to avoid the trio. Thank the spirits I didn¡¯t show my sword. ¡°Your sister seems to be doing fine.¡± Rain swept away the fog around them with a distracted wave. ¡°Mat¡­ I¡¯m sorry if I couldn¡¯t get to you. When I realized something was off with the mist, you had already disappeared. There is still something weird¡­¡± ¡°With the ground. Yes, I noticed too.¡± That was the second reason why Kai decided to stay behind. If someone tried to kill his sister, they¡¯d learn the consequences of messing with his family. What kind of trouble did she run into¡­ Rain lay a palm on the withered grass. A pulse of mana swept around them. ¡°There is some kind of large-scale array to restrict our skills.¡± That¡¯s quite a roundabout way to get rid of someone. Hmm¡­ we¡¯d better hurry. ¡°Do you know where it¡¯s located? The siren shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with this enchanting style, but it¡¯s rapidly decaying. They must have set some countermeasures to cover their tracks.¡± This affair is just getting shadier. Kai pushed Mana Observer into the ground, finding much less resistance than he expected. Looking at the misty meadow of wild weeds and the crystal lake further on their right, there weren¡¯t any obvious signs of a hiding place to look for. No doubt it had been cloaked too. Unless¡­ it can¡¯t be that obvious. ¡°I want to check inside the tower.¡± Kai walked up to the colossal stone structure. Rain followed him, amused by the climb. Without a swarm of voracious cotton balls, it only took minutes to slip inside the window and descend to the ground floor. ¡°What are we looking for?¡± The siren scratched a line along the rock. The stones of the pavement were aligned with almost no seam, except for one square of compacted ground. Mari had said there could be some old enchantments hidden within the foundations. It felt quite strange that someone had gone through the trouble of setting up this trap and then forgot such a glaring detail. Sure, the team would have been trapped till they starved or went out, but still¡­ Whatever it is, there must be something. Kai channeled a pulse of Earth mana to scan the buried section. His spell was eroded by the waning force; not before he managed to see the tower indeed continued for another floor¡ªperhaps more. There were no signs of runes or enchantments, though he had expected them to be cloaked anyway. He didn¡¯t have enough mana and time to excavate the entire floor if Rain was right about the array decaying. Guess I¡¯ll just have to get lucky. Kai gathered his elemental motes and focused on Hallowed Intuition and Treasure Sense for any hint. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was just a phantom impression or the skills working when he got the sudden whim to search two meters below on his left. Come to me. He grabbed onto the patch of underground and delicately pulled upward. Earth writhed and wiggled, piling up at his sides. When he thought he had been holding onto a mound of mud, a black lacquered corner poked out of the dirt, followed by more sharp sides till it revealed a casket with a silver latch. ¡°You¡¯re really good at this. This was really well cloaked.¡± Rain crouched to observe closer. ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with these runes either¡­¡± ¡°What¡ª Oh¡­¡± Inky black symbols had been engraved across the casket. Kai struggled to make them out against the dark wood; using Mana Observer only marginally helped. The jagged symbols carried a vague sense of familiarity, still not quite anything he had met before. Each line simmered with a swirl of motes. ¡°They¡¯re channeling¡­¡± ¡°Darkness,¡± the siren concluded for him. ¡°The element works quite well to conceal and suppress.¡± His fingers traced the casket up to the silver latch. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s rigged to explode.¡± Oh¡­ ¡°Thanks for checking.¡± Hearing no whispers, Kai carefully lifted the lid. The insides were laden with another web of inky runes. In the center lay a pearlescent substance that looked like soap bubbles with some opaque forms floating inside. He poked it with his index finger, jolting back when the shapes inside moved. ELYDES - TIDES OF CHANGE is now out on Kindle! Hello, Drew authorman here! Another publishing day has arrived! Book 2 of Elydes - Tides of Change is now available on Kindle and Paperback! I¡¯m excited to share the final version and forget the first draft I put out. Without going into details, let¡¯s just say editing this book was a journey. The word count has been significantly condensed to improve the pacing while still keeping all the contents. I''ve also touched up a few characters, added hints of the lingering rebel threat, and some minor world-building nuggets. I can¡¯t wait to hear what y¡¯all think. When I published my first chapter to say I had given writing a try, I never expected to be here a year and a half later. The last period has been particularly hard for me, and I wanted to thank you all for the amazing support and kind words. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Here is the link: Book 2 - Tides of Change If you want to support Elydes in other ways and already have Kindle Unlimited, a download counts as a sale and can boost my launch rank. My publisher also never stops reminding me how important reviews and ratings are on Amazon. If you''re enjoying the story, I''d mean a lot if you could do either. You don¡¯t need to have purchased the book to leave a review, though it¡¯s weighted more if you¡¯ve read it. Drew out <3 Chapter 278 - Looming Darkness Chapter 278 - Looming Darkness ¡°What is this?¡± Kai scrunched his nose at the slimy substance coating his finger. He rubbed his index and thumb, before using Water Magic to wash it away. It¡¯s almost like¡­ The clues clicked into place, and one of the mysteries unveiled. ¡°It looks like a clutch of eggs of some kind,¡± Rain voiced his thoughts, prodding them with his nail. ¡°You were attacked by a swarm of creatures in the mist, right?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Guess we know why the fairies were so angry. With every answer more questions arose. The enchantments must have stopped the cloud creatures from approaching and retrieving their offspring. Either by mistake or compromise, it also kept the last floor of the tower safe from the mist. "Hmm, Mat¡­¡± The siren pulled his attention back gesturing to the casket. ¡°I think we¡¯re out of time.¡± The decay must have quickened when they opened the lid. The inky runes sizzled, wispy plumes of Darkness rising from the jagged symbols. Hallowed Intuition¡¯s silence told him the runes meant to consume themselves without any explosion. Dammit! He scoured the ring for his dad¡¯s pen and a leather notebook, and furiously scribbled down the fading arrays on a blank page. His eyes darted between the casket and paper, strained between the desire for accuracy and the need to jot down before it was too late. Approximation wasn¡¯t a word known to enchanters, every broken curl and sharp angle had to be precisely copied, otherwise the runes would be no better than doodles. The foreign language of power was vaguely reminiscent of the runes used by the invaders of the Hidden Sanctuary, though it could be due to the bias for their grim aspect. Most of his knowledge came from wracking his brains with Runic Scholar and educated guesses; he lacked the pillars of a formal education. There isn¡¯t enough time. The sizzling had turned into a muffled cracking, the inky web symbols flaked and burned with enough heat to warm his fingers. ¡°It¡¯s about to shatter,¡± Rain warned. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we do something?¡± Before Kai could ask what he meant, the siren grabbed the clutch of pearlescent eggs with both hands. In one flare of Darkness, the glossy wood charred into a pile of ash, destroying their only lead. Hmm¡­ it¡¯s more than we had earlier. Kai had managed to sketch down one side of the casket and wouldn¡¯t trust the accuracy of more than a tenth of it. He glanced at Rain. ¡°What do you mean to do with those things?¡± The siren looked like a child who found an injured bird in the garden. Only, instead of a cute sparrow, he was holding a slimy glob of bubbles with the tiny opaque form of horror fairies floating inside. ¡°I couldn¡¯t let the decaying enchantments kill them.¡± You sure would have if their bloodthirsty parents had chased you. From their glow, the clutch was equivalent to an orange-grade ingredient. While Kai preferred working with herbs, the novelty might net him an extra level. It was worth getting over his squeamishness. I could dry them first¡­ ¡°No!¡± Rain held the eggs closer to his chest, narrowing his eyes. ¡°We¡¯re not killing them. They¡¯re babies.¡± Did he have to grow fond of a bunch of alien eggs? ¡°We can¡¯t walk back to Limgrell with them in hand. Unless¡­¡± Adventurers probably sold infused material. They might also fetch a good price. ¡°And we¡¯re not selling them either.¡± The siren broke his dreams. ¡°I¡¯ve got enough money.¡± ¡°If you keep spending with no income, your coins are going to eventually run out.¡± From the stubborn look the boy leveled at him, he wasn¡¯t swayed. Kai raised his hands in surrender. ¡°Fine. But we¡¯re not keeping them.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t intending to. I don¡¯t know how to hatch them.¡± Spirits be blessed. There was nothing left in the stone chamber aside from ash and earth. The dampening power in the ground persisted, likely powered by some other buried array. Judging by how fast it waned, it would crumble long before they had any shot of finding it. Kai pushed the dirt back into the hole and compacted it till it was indistinguishable from how he had found it. If whoever set the trap came to check, they wouldn''t suspect anything. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. The idea of waiting in an ambush floated in his mind. According to the wisdom of detective TV shows, culprits often return to the scene of the crime. Though that might take days, and he had no idea how strong this mastermind was. No reckless actions. This still feels off¡­ ¡°We should go back before they close the gates,¡± Kai said. Tired of climbing up and down, he was tempted to cut a hole in the side of the tower. It was almost certain the walls contained no enchantments, though the old building might collapse on their heads. He turned to see the siren whisper to the creepy clutch of eggs. ¡°Uh, yes. I¡¯m coming.¡± They took the stairs one final time. Upon reaching the windows on the third floor, Rain stepped through the stone opening and smoothly floated to the ground on a bubble of water, still cooing at the gooey eggs. While Kai could also easily do the same, his reserves were strained by the battle. With the strangeness going on, he opted to spare his mana and climb down like a lowly human. A veil of feathery mist hung around the green slopes where the tower was located, cloaking the sky in white. Rain looked at the eggs in his hands with a furrow in his pale brows. ¡°Have you decided what to do?¡± Please, say we sell them. The siren slowly nodded. ¡°We should give them back.¡± Without further explanation, he strode toward the shores of the Lake of Myst. Spirits, tell me he¡¯s not going to chase those fairies. Kai groaned and hurried after him, almost slipping on the wet weeds. ¡°Wait for me.¡± The waters were only a few hundred meters away. A mirror-like surface that extended to the misty horizon, only broken by a thicket of silvery reeds and a smattering of isles further in. Its tranquil appearance was a deception, the mana in the waters too dense to be peaceful. Spreading his senses, Kai quickly spotted a group of red eels hidden in the muddy bottom and a pike swimming further in. ¡°May the Deep enact their judgment.¡± Rain lay the pearlescent clutch of eggs on the still water and cast a gentle wave to push them away. His gaze grew morose as they drifted away, their gleam soon concealed by the mist. ¡°Okay, we can go.¡± He turned to head toward the town. ¡°What¡ª¡± Kai stood rooted to the loamy shore, relieved to be rid of creepy embryos and vexed that his payday was floating away. He ran to catch up with the siren. ¡°You know they¡¯ll probably get eaten by a beast, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The siren didn¡¯t look too upset. ¡°The survival of each creature means the death of many more. I can only give them a chance.¡± The words carried the weight of a learned lesson, and there would likely be little point arguing about it. I still would have taken the money. In the rush to reach Kea, he hadn¡¯t realized how many miles they had run, though he appreciated the time to ponder. He had solved a problem only to find a dozen more. From the enchanted casket, his sister had embroiled herself in quite the predicament. The sinister events were likely linked with the disappearing people, and she wasn¡¯t going to walk away. Kai took out his notebook to browse the runes he jotted down. In the suffused glow that pierced the mist, his scribbles were crooked and smeared beyond the jagged shape of the foreign alphabet. They shared a faint similarity to the ones he had encountered in the Sanctuary, familiar in a way he couldn¡¯t quite place. Have I seen these before? Given Zervathi¡¯s resentment for the invaders, Kai had never studied their markings in-depth, more focused on the flowing elven script that allowed him to escape. And why is it always Darkness? There were the wards sealing the hidden realm, then the cultish pirates at sea, and here again the casket. Always traces of the same element. Was it a coincidence? He was aware of common prejudices against Darkness, though he attributed them to ignorance. No affinity was inherently evil. Do spells shape our character? The thought was disquieting to consider, and fraught with contradictory examples. An element specialized in concealing and devouring probably wouldn¡¯t be used for charity work. ¡°I think you copied that line wrong¡­¡± Rain¡¯s sudden voice made him jolt. The siren snooped at the notebook, pointing to a twisted scribble. ¡°And this one too¡­¡± Kai resisted the impulse to slam pages close. ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°I memorized them. Well, a piece of it.¡± the siren tapped his temple as if it were the most natural thing in the world. ¡°I was watching the runes before they broke. Uh, is your memory skill low?¡± He rubbed his forehead with an abashed look. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to pry. Is it rude to inquire among human friends?¡± The teen¡¯s uncertain look dampened Kai¡¯s blooming embarrassment: knowing how foolish it was made little difference. Arcane Enchanting and Alchemy both helped him remember their related knowledge, though Herbology was his only true memory skill. And Kai was quite sure Rain referred to a more general ability. ¡°I don¡¯t have one.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ none?¡± The siren showed no mockery, only perplexity. ¡°Then how do you remember the subjects you learn?¡± Headaches and sleepless nights? ¡°I didn¡¯t have a formal education,¡± Kai muttered instead. The last true lessons he received had been at the estate¡ªwhen he was eleven. Despite Dora and Elijah¡¯s best attempt to cram every speck of knowledge into his skull, their time together had been too short, and his skill slots too precious to waste on something that could be remedied with hard work. Rain nodded. ¡°After I saw you weave spells, I made a foolish assumption. I hope I didn¡¯t offend you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t need to apologize.¡± Kai took it as a compliment to his lopsided magic skills. They walked a few paces in silence before the siren spoke again. ¡°If you want, I can go over your notes with what I remember.¡± ¡°That¡­ would be quite helpful. Thanks.¡± Kai swallowed his pride at letting anyone see his ugly scribbles and offered him the notebook. Rain peered at the journal with the subtle smile he reserved for land curiosities. Once he studied the binding and smelled the paper, he took out a quill with a coral handle to draw without slowing his steps. By the time they encroached upon the gate, the sun painted the fog with the warm shades of twilight. The siren twirled the pen between his fingers and stored it away. ¡°This is all I¡¯m confident about. I hope it helps. It¡¯s not any alphabet I¡¯ve studied, though I also didn¡¯t complete my education¡­¡± His gaze turned distant at the mention of home. ¡°We won¡¯t get much out of it unless you recognize these runes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t, but I¡¯ve had some experience studying forgotten scripts.¡± Flipping through the pages, Kai¡¯s brows rose higher and higher. Rain had copied well over half the enchantment¡ªall written with a precision even a gnome like Edgar would approve of. A thorn of envy poked his mind despite his best efforts to suppress it. The circumstances of their birth were so different, there was no point drawing comparisons, still, controlling his thoughts wasn''t that easy. At least till another idea struck his mind. Why lament the tutors who followed the siren since his gilded crib when the teen seemed so willing to share? I have to stop whining and start using what I have. The same guards at the gate recognized them and easily let them through with a smile from the siren. They strolled across the eerily empty streets for the inn where they had left their bags. A conversation with his sister was long overdue, though it might be hard to get her away from her team without attracting suspicion. Knowing she was safe had relieved his largest worry. For today, it was best to let Flynn handle them and see where their hearts stood. The boy would know how to patch up his official identity. Inside the Weeping Heron where they lodged, the hostess greeted them with a scowl. ¡°Your excursion went well I reckon. How many nights do you plan on staying? I¡¯ll give you a discount if you pay ahead.¡± Did she hope we wouldn¡¯t be back for the bags? ¡°Do you have anything to eat, madam?¡± Kai ignored the look and ordered roasted eels, stew and rye bread for both. He hadn¡¯t eaten anything since morning and healing potions always left him starving. They sat on a stool in the common room of the inn. Kai studied the notebook while they waited for food. He couldn¡¯t begin to guess how the runes worked, but there were more universal elements he could judge. Spacing, composition and the density of the patterns. Whoever inscribed these was quite good, perhaps around his level. ¡°Tell me.¡± Kai drummed his finger, smiling. ¡°What do you know about enchanting? Any other hobbies you have?¡± Chapter 279 - Brother and Sister Chapter 279 - Brother and Sister Kai fiddled with the rusty latch of the window. The pane creaked open and let the brisk morning refresh the stale air of his bedroom. Dawn hid behind the houses, and threads of airy mist hung on their slate roofs. The scene might have looked ethereal and beautiful if most locals didn¡¯t seem ready to stab him in his sleep. What a charming little town. A chilly gust bit his cheeks and made him shiver. The temperature was colder than it ever dipped in the archipelago, and it was only going to get worse as winter approached. Women wrapped in dark shawls and sluggish boys wandered the streets on early errands, their steps stilted by the wind. The town appeared lethargic, with most of the activity confined to the moors, where fishermen rowed their dinghies on the icy blue surface of the lake. The Orange-1 density for a mile around the settlement should be relatively safe for adults, though Kai wouldn¡¯t trust any of those boats to face a beast. Even at a lower grade, aquatic creatures could bridge the gap in their home environment. They must have profession skills for that¡­ A knock woke him up from his musings. ¡°We¡¯re going to get breakfast,¡± Flynn spoke through the door. ¡°You coming?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll reach you in a minute.¡± Kai shut the window and rubbed his arms. He slipped into the enchanted clothes for town life, latched his boots tight and stored anything of value inside his ring. He trusted this inn little more than leaving his possessions in the open streets. In their hurry to reach Kea, they had settled for the closest place, and were already regretting it. All night long, every time someone stood to use the privy, snored or grunted, the sounds echoed through the thin walls of the Weeping Heron like bells. He just managed to close his eyes because most of the rooms were empty. The lumpy mattress was better than sleeping on a cot of leaves and rocks, though those didn¡¯t cost him half a silver each night¡ªfood not included. No matter how small the trickle, his pockets would eventually run dry if the coin only flowed one way. I should start practicing what I¡¯ve preached to Rain. His steps squeaked on the old wooden boards to get down the narrow staircase to the common room. Flynn and the siren occupied a table below the single window, merrily chatting over breakfast. ¡°Over here!¡± Flynn pushed a chair open and waved to a bowl already set for him. ¡°You must try this.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Taking a seat, Kai inspected the pale porridge. Under the teens¡¯ expectant gazes, he brought a spoonful to his mouth, almost expecting it to be some joke. ¡°Mhmm¡­ It¡¯s quite good.¡± The creamy oatmeal was the best thing he had eaten since leaving Varsea¡ªwhich by itself wasn¡¯t a hard achievement, but a welcome one, nonetheless. ¡°You should try these too,¡± Rain passed him two bowls filled with golden honey and wild berries. ¡°The red ones are my favorites.¡± He watched for his reaction with gleaming eyes. Adding a handful of tiny strawberries, Kai made sure to savor and show his full appreciation. ¡°They¡¯re great.¡± His own problems suddenly looked far more manageable. The siren nodded satisfied, back to perusing the assortment of colorful berries. ¡°What do you call these?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ those should be blackberries,¡± Flynn threw one in his mouth before scrunching up. ¡°Not quite ripe.¡± Kai idly ate his breakfast, happy to quietly listen to the two boys chat about the local food. He had gotten his fill of talking the day before. Sat at this same table, Rain had quickly understood the goal of his inquiries and been happy to discuss his education. In the yet unnamed abyssal palace, he had learned over a dozen forms of magic. Aside from spellcasting and fighting, his lessons had focused on identifying runes, elixirs and rituals, their strengths and limitations, rather than practicing them himself. His experience with enchanting had been for his own entertainment. When you were almost assured to live for centuries, it was only sensible to take a few decades before committing to any path. And he did not need to craft any item for money. Perhaps more surprisingly, were all the subjects not related to magic and skills. From the languages and history of the races that dwelled on the coast and depth of the Talthen continent, to etiquette, music, beastiology and more he wasn¡¯t allowed to discuss. Definitely high nobility, or whatever the siren equivalent is. If I were him, I would probably know the name¡­ The conversation highlighted his ignorance, but also his strengths. Their education stood at opposite ends. While Kai couldn¡¯t hope to compete with his comprehensive knowledge, Rain hadn¡¯t received much in the way of practical experience. Every lesson had been delivered to him, taking for granted they would continue for decades more. ¡°Are you still with us, Mat?¡± Flynn tapped his empty bowl. ¡°You must have been starving for decent food. Niel has told me about some good taverns if you want to check them out.¡± ¡°Perhaps later.¡± Kai scratched his ear, trying to recall the last bits of the conversation lingering in his mind. Rain had already set up the ward, so their words would be safe from sneaky snoopers. ¡°You were talking about how it went with Kea¡¯s group.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Flynn¡¯s slightly narrowed eyes said the act wasn¡¯t fooling anyone. ¡°Huh.¡± The siren looked up from a plate of berries arranged in the shape of a seahorse. ¡°I can leave if you want.¡± From the pleading shine of his eyes, he¡¯d quite like to stay. "There is no need.¡± Kai waved him to the seat. After yesterday''s conversation, it would be hypocritical and pointless to keep hiding obvious secrets. He must have already deduced most of it anyway. ¡°So, is the team going to be a problem for me?¡± Stolen story; please report. ¡°Who do you take me for? I¡¯m not an amateur.¡± Flynn twirled the spoon between his fingers. ¡°I¡¯ve sold them your cover story with a few amends for meeting me and Kea. They aren¡¯t totally convinced, but Niel and Caeli won¡¯t cause problems if you stick to it.¡± ¡°Thanks, I appreciate it,¡± Kai said with a sheepish smile. ¡°And what about Mari?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I can¡¯t tell with her. She didn¡¯t speak much last night. Or look too interested in anything that¡¯s not written on a page. Just avoid her. She¡¯ll be too shy to insist.¡± Avoid your problems. I can do that! ¡°I can do that,¡± he added a moonberry for the eye of Rain¡¯s seahorse. There was still another person yet to be mentioned. ¡°And Kea?¡± His sister had been surprisingly amenable yesterday, though, after a lifetime of impulsive decisions, Kai didn¡¯t know what to expect from her. ¡°She understands.¡± Flynn brushed it off as a matter of course. ¡°She does?¡± He glanced at the window, almost expecting her to break through to punch his face. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve told her an abridged version of your careless vacation. She won¡¯t breathe a whisper of it even in front of a truthteller.¡± Everything¡¯s solved then. I¡¯ll never get tired of delegating work. Kai was about to stand up when Flynn stretched a leg to hold his chair. ¡°Wait there. We still have to discuss the changes to your story, and how to move forward. Even my genius has its limits. I can¡¯t sell a bucket of saltwater to the same people twice. We can¡¯t afford another slip.¡± ¡°Do we have to do it now?¡± Flynn gave him a flat look. ¡°Are you going to see Kea¡¯s group today?¡± ¡°Uh, I see your point.¡± He plopped back into his seat. ¡°What did you have in mind?¡± The discussion quickly turned into a one-way street where Kai dutifully listened and ate the tail of Mr. Berry Seahorse. Rain occasionally offered suggestions to liven the story, usually including long-lost siblings, secret cults and improbable romances. Halfway through, he suddenly stood up and covered his ears. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me anything. I¡¯ll discover the mystery by myself.¡± Leaving the sound wards behind, he ran away to his room. Kai shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s quite odd.¡± ¡°Well, he¡¯s still miles from reaching your level.¡± Flynn chuckled. ¡°Thanks. I do try my best.¡± An hour later, they had run through every combination of unforeseen questions that might arise, and how to respond. In most cases, it was best to give only ambiguous hints and let people come up with their own lies for him. The less he spoke, the lower the risk of contradicting himself. Though they also prepared a few detailed key points in his backstory since being too vague would also be suspicious. I¡¯m free! Kai reread the address of where Kea was staying. Armed with the knowledge to throw off track the three nosy adventurers, he had already thought of a few excuses to talk to her alone. ¡°Good luck with your sister.¡± Flynn tiredly grinned, standing up. ¡°Do you want me to accompany you?¡± ¡°It should be fine¡­ Didn¡¯t you say she understood?¡± ¡°Yes. That doesn¡¯t mean she has forgiven you for being a reckless dummy.¡± Great. ¡°How much have you told her exactly?" Flynn stretched his arm behind his back. ¡°Only the truths you¡¯ve shared with your family. And Ele.¡± I¡¯m so screwed. To be fair, he was glad he wouldn¡¯t have to tell the story himself. This way, Kea should already have time to cool down. ¡°Do you have any advice to convince her to leave Limgrell?¡± That would rid him of any other problem in one fell swoop. The teen shrugged. ¡°My wisdom doesn¡¯t reach that far. But if anyone can, that¡¯s you. You¡¯ve always aimed for the moons.¡± The words would have felt much more encouraging if they weren¡¯t delivered with a crooked grin. Let¡¯s get this over with. Leaving the inn, the rising sun in the clear sky had vanished all but a thin veil of mist. Kai rubbed his hands when a sharp wind swept the street. He had often lamented the humid heat on the islands, and now he¡¯d eagerly exchange that for the frigid air. It¡¯s true you never know what you have until you lose it¡­ Ice spells weren''t going to help, and his Fire affinity was too low to be of help. I could work on that¡­ If he zeroed in Mana Observer on a flame and let the world fall into shadow, he could glimpse a few fiery motes. Nothing that could help him battle, though perhaps enough to warm himself. That might be enough of a reason to try. Kai craned his neck to read the ceramic plaques for Willow Street. He turned a corner when a wary figure almost ran into him, staring at him with fierce eyes. ¡°Kea? I was just looking for you.¡± His sister stepped back and arched an eyebrow with a skeptical look. ¡°Were you?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Kai raised a hand to touch her shoulder before awkwardly lowering it. ¡°We need to talk.¡± ¡°Huh, maybe later.¡± She moved to sidestep him. ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡± Among all the responses and contingencies Kai had prepared for, this one wasn¡¯t one of them. He stood stunned till his brain rebooted and he ran after her. ¡°Right now? Can¡¯t it wait?¡± Is this some sort of punishment? ¡°Yes, some of us have responsibilities. We can¡¯t all aimlessly loiter wherever we feel like, disappear for years, and come back expecting nothing to have changed.¡± Ouch. Kai sucked in a breath as if he had been punched, though a punch would have probably hurt less. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry.¡± ¡°And I forgive you,¡± she said with a flat tone. She checked beyond a corner before entering another alley toward the outskirts of town. ¡°Now, let me be. I¡¯ve got no time to spare, Mat.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so important?¡± Kea sighed, glancing over her shoulder at him as if hoping he would have disappeared into the mist. ¡°I need to find Herry Rickman,¡± she spat the name like a curse. ¡°And that¡¯s¡­?¡± ¡°The guy who sold us the information about the tower. Belice told me someone has seen him in the Grindstone Quarter. I need to find him before he disappears.¡± Kai raked a hand through his hair. ¡°Let me get this straight. We¡¯re blindly running after the guy who has already sent you into a trap. Shouldn¡¯t we alert the guards?¡± He was the last person who wanted to turn to the Republic, though it seemed like the most sensible option in this case. ¡°There is no we,¡± Kea whispered through gritted teeth. ¡°And the only result of going to the guards would be getting myself arrested. The whole garrison would sooner let the town burn than admit that anything is wrong.¡± Before giving him the chance to reply, she slipped back among the alleys, forcing him to run to keep pace. Dammit. He had yet to make his case to leave this shady affair behind and his sister dove deeper into it. From the stubborn set of her jaw, there was no chance that she would listen to him right now. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we at least bring your companions? Flynn and Rain can also help.¡± Kai struggled to keep his voice under control. ¡°Going alone against the guy who almost got you killed seems a little¡­ hasty.¡± ¡°There is no time. That treacherous weasel will run if he sees us coming. I¡¯ve got the best stealth skills in my group.¡± She stopped at the intersection of a dingy street that stunk of mold and pointed a finger to his chest. ¡°Leave. This isn¡¯t about you. I won¡¯t forgive you if you ruin this.¡± Blessed spirits. For a beautiful moment, Kai considered shoving her into a barrel and carrying her back to the archipelago. Unfortunately, the guards checked all the cargo coming in and out. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll come with you to find this guy. I want to ask him a few questions too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I said. You can¡¯t come,¡± she stammered, fists pressed at her sides. ¡°This is dangerous. And you don¡¯t have the skills for this.¡± Kai wrapped a veil of Shadow around himself at the snap of his fingers. ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll manage. Didn¡¯t you say there was no time?¡± Her mouth soundlessly opened before pressing into a thin line, eyes squinting to make him out. ¡°You must do anything I tell you. And stay behind me.¡± ¡°As you say, sis.¡± Better to ask for forgiveness than permission. ¡°And be quiet. We¡¯re almost there.¡± She pulled a hood over her head. In seconds, her figure seemed to merge with the mossy stone wall behind her, her mana signature becoming indistinct like a nebulous cloud. Even more bewildering, he saw no trace of Shadow mana around her. How does that work? Perhaps hoping to lose him, Kea slinked into a narrow alley without a word of warning. Her camouflage was good, though not quite good enough to trick Mana Analyst once he knew what to look for. The squelch of her steps on the muddy street also wasn¡¯t entirely covered. Five minutes of chasing later, his sister stopped in front of a slanted two-story house with a rotten timber frame. The only people present in the street were shadows lurking behind broken windows. ¡°This is the place.¡± Kea hissed, and whispers rose to tickle his mind. Chapter 280 - Shady Affairs Chapter 280 - Shady Affairs Instead of charging straight into the house, Kea shielded herself behind the entrance of the cramped alley to study the building. The camouflage blended her features in the shadow of the worn boards behind her. ¡°I can check if he¡¯s in the house with Mana Sense,¡± Kai said. Hallowed Intuition buzzed among his thoughts, the danger mild and indistinct. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Kea snapped toward him. The abrupt movement highlighted her figure before her skill could reassert itself. ¡°This is my investigation. If he notices you, he could destroy any evidence or run.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not an amateur,¡± Kai pressed his lips. ¡°He won''t feel a tickle unless he¡¯s a yellow mage.¡± ¡°There are wards to detect Perception skills. Can you get through those?¡± Her skepticism made clear it was a rhetorical question even before she deactivated her skill to arch an eyebrow. I probably can. While exploring the ruins of the Hidden Sanctuary, he had often run into arrays that reacted to Mana Observer¡ªsome even to the weight of his gaze. He hadn¡¯t been able to get past them, but when being detected was the difference between survival and the ravenous jaws of a beast, he had quickly learned the art of subtlety. Still, he couldn¡¯t be completely certain to pass unnoticed without knowing his opponent¡¯s abilities. Every skill has a countermeasure. His sister would be rightly annoyed if he swooped into her affairs and acted on his own. It wasn¡¯t the best foundation to restart their relationship after two years. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll follow your lead.¡± Kai exhaled slowly before lowering his veil of Shadow enough to show his face. ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± ¡°We must get inside.¡± ¡°And I imagine you don¡¯t mean by knocking?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know where he lived before today. We must catch him inside where he has no way to run.¡± Breaking into a creepy house to interrogate a slippery thug. What better way to start the day? ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Kea softened her look. ¡°The guards never come to the Grindstone Quarter. And if they did, Herry would rather jump into a pit of vipers than talk to them. His profession is focused on information gathering, his intel was usually good.¡± Sounds like he¡¯s a model citizen. Any question would have to wait for a more opportune moment. ¡°Okay, stay close to me.¡± Kea turned to check the house again before fixing her eyes on him. ¡°And I mean it. You¡¯ve not been on the mainland as long as I have. I¡¯ve seen many people at your grade die in an ambush.¡± I wasn¡¯t the one who needed saving from the mist. Kai swallowed his observation. Being around his sister was bringing out his smartass side. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Her curt nod was barely visible as she reactivated her camouflage. They slinked out of the alley toward the dingy two-story house, circling past the rusty front gate to look for a secondary entrance. A tarnished copper drain ran the rim of the slate roof, flakes of brown paint that must have once been red peeled off the walls. It must have been a nice family house in its heyday; now it looked like it could topple over at any moment. Kai drew Shadow tighter around him to balance the rising sun. The stink of rot and waste soaked the air. No sound came from inside; this neighborhood was even quieter than the rest of Limgrell. He carefully extended Mana Observer around the building. There were indeed arrays embedded into the walls meant to conceal, detect intrusion and other effects he needed time to decipher. The runic patterns were woven more intricately than he expected from the house of some washed-up criminal and stopped him from prying deeper inside. Why does this guy live in a dump if he can afford to enchant his home like a fortress? There was no back door, and every window had been boarded up with an abundant number of nails. The seemingly gruff method didn¡¯t leave a chink to peep through. Breaking the wood would alert anyone inside, and probably the whole block in the misty silence. If they had a couple hours, he could break the wards and cut an entrance with Water Magic. They walked around the building twice before Kea stopped in the narrow alley left of the house. ¡°We¡¯ll enter there. Mind your steps.¡± She pointed at a window on the second floor. It was covered by a dark curtain, but the glass and wooden frame gave them a chance to make their way inside. Is this subterfuge necessary? A thousand and one doubts crowded his mind. Who was this guy? Why did Kea trust his intel to the tower? How was he linked to the investigation and the people who disappeared? Breaking into a building without having a grasp on the situation filled him with disquiet, but Kea was already testing a moldy board to see if it could withstand her weight. She threw a look back at him before pulling herself up. Kai could think of several ways to enter using magic, but spells were much easier to detect than Mana Observer. He could also jump to the window if he channeled Body Augmentation, though it probably wouldn¡¯t be quiet. Pride and cautiousness forbade him from being the one to raise the alarm. He squinted to see his sister¡¯s figure and hurried to follow. The second plank he clung to, over the window of the ground floor, crumbled into rotten mulch under his fingers. Trying to stabilize himself, he failed to hold onto the slimy drain for the rain. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Kai curbed his instincts to cast a spell and jammed his foot into a chink between two planks to arrest his fall. The nailed wood let out an odious creaking that pierced the oppressive silence. Fuck. Kai locked his limbs in position, forgetting to even breathe. His ears perked to pick up any sign that they had been discovered. Kea stood frozen just above him. He could feel her glare burrowing into his skull despite her camouflage. They stayed in position for over a minute¡ªno one was coming. Kai tested each handhold before slowly making his way up to the glass window, standing on a board that stuck out of the building. Aside from a patch of black mold, the wooden frame of the window was like any other old pane kept in place by a latch on the inside. Hmm¡­ how do we open it? Flynn usually takes care of this stuff. Urban infiltration was outside his area of expertise, especially when he couldn¡¯t use magic. ¡°How do we¡ª¡± ¡°Quiet,¡± Kea muttered under her breath. The metal glint of a lockpick and a thin twine glimmered through her camouflage. I should learn how to do it too¡­ The frame glowed to his senses. Layers of runes had been laid in the interstice between the wall panels, even more tightly than below. This Herry guy must be more paranoid than me. There are villas in the upper city of Higharbor with fewer protections. ¡°Wait!¡± Kai hissed and grabbed her wrist before the lockpick could break a conspicuous filament of mana. His eyes and skills darted between the runes to grasp the working of the enchantments¡ªsomething was off. Unraveling the cloaking, he noticed an incandescent sphere lay just below the windowsill. ¡°It¡¯s rigged with Fire mana.¡± Damn lunatics. Who puts a booby trap in their windows? ¡°What¡ª Are you sure?¡± Her tone was tense, though she didn¡¯t comment on his use of a Perception skill. ¡°Yes. There is enough mana to blast us into the next building.¡± What was more disturbing was that Hallowed Intuition had barely reacted, still pulsing with a monotone buzz. Since the danger came from an inanimate object, there must be more wards that interfere with Fate inside the house. What the fuck is this place. Cold sweat slicked his back, he couldn¡¯t take one step in this damned town without running into some deathtrap. It would have all been much simpler if they had brought the team to the front door. Kea stood so still her face became indistinguishable from the mottled boards. ¡°We need to find another entrance.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. I can deactivate the trap,¡± Kai murmured. Returning with their teammates might be wiser, but he wouldn¡¯t rest easy till he found out what was going on. His sister watched him straight in the eyes. ¡°Are you sure it won¡¯t blow us up?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s not my first time.¡± He had spent months breaking down the Vastaire runes in the Sanctuary. ¡°You can wait below, out of range.¡± Kea didn''t move a palm. The foolish show of faith brightened his mood more than he cared to admit. ¡°Okay, give me a couple minutes.¡± Perched on the edge of a windowsill three meters above a muddy alley wasn¡¯t the most comfortable position to work. Mana Analyst, Arcane Enchanting and Runic Scholar bore down on the tangle of arrays. Once he saw through the trap, it took seconds to find the glowing lines linked to the Fire reserve. He was about to cut the link when a doubt made him pause. The enchantments overlapped with each other. It looked like poor planning, and most people didn¡¯t bother to build a redundancy mechanism, but it¡ª Motherfucker! There was a second trigger interwoven with the soundproofing array. Again, they had come so close to blowing themselves up. Kai clenched his jaw and double-checked each array for a third redundancy. If anyone found the second, they would have looked for a third, and it seemed whoever created this trap agreed and didn¡¯t set more. Kai shaped a scalpel of essence, using Mana Engraving to make two quick incisions in the rune pathways. His body tensed, ready to dart in case he had missed something. The Fire mana shone like a miniature sun, bright and inoffensive. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± ¡°Good one.¡± Kea took out her lockpicks to finish the job. The latch of the window quickly clicked off. She pushed aside the heavy curtain to reveal a barebone bedroom. An unmade bed was pushed against the opposite wall and a bookshelf on their left. The furnishings were sparse but spotless, in stark contrast with the exterior of the building. He stretched his arm to stop his sister. ¡°Maybe we should wait to call the others.¡± She hesitated a moment before shaking her head. ¡°I can¡¯t miss this chance. We¡¯ve been running in circles for more than a month. Let me handle Herry, we need answers.¡± This isn¡¯t the house of some common thug. From his sister¡¯s stubborn look, no amount of convincing would change her mind. And to be honest with himself, he was also curious to figure out what was going on. ¡°You don¡¯t have to come.¡± She watched him with no judgment. ¡°You can go call Caeli and Flynn and come back with them.¡± ¡°No way, I¡¯m not leaving you here alone.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Then let¡¯s hurry before he notices us.¡± Kea slipped inside the window and deactivated her camouflage. ¡°Be careful where you step.¡± Kai followed into the bedroom, also lowering his cloak since his Shadow mana was running low. He never imagined he¡¯d be spending his morning breaking into a house. ¡°What are we looking for exactly?¡± ¡°Any clue about the people disappearing.¡± Kea browsed the books on the shelves, an old collection of folktales, and a series of volumes about the Lake of Myst. She checked the spines and shook them for anything hidden among the pages. The anonymous room had few hiding spots. Enchantments coated every wall, including the floor and ceiling, clouding his sight, though Kai was reasonably sure there were no hidden compartments. He crouched beside a trunk to reveal a pile of clothes in need of a washing. He still sifted through them and knocked on the wood to check for any false bottom¡ªno such luck. Leaving the pile of garments neater than he found it, he stood to see his sister already heading for the door. The lock was open and there was no trap hidden in the handle. ¡°We must check the other rooms for him.¡± He hurried after her. ¡°Are you sure he¡¯s home?¡± ¡°I¡ª I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Kea bit her lip, showing the first hint of hesitation. ¡°Belice heard he was hidden here. He could have already left¡­ but that¡¯s only more reason to look for clues.¡± Why do I feel like we¡¯re running straight into some sort of ambush¡­ The corridor, painted in a dark gray, had no decoration and only a feeble crystal in the ceiling for light. There were two more doors and a flight of stairs leading to the ground floor¡ªno sign of Herry yet. Kea moved to examine the first door on the left and threw a look at him. He almost sputtered when he found another Fire rigging on both sides of the entrance, probably enough to demolish the house together with them. Gesturing to wait, he spent ten minutes finding and cutting six different activations. What are you hiding in here? Confident he had found every trigger, he turned the handle onto what looked like a study. If the bedroom had been sparse and orderly, this room was the embodiment of chaos and clutter. Three desks were covered in piles of papers and books spilling onto the floor; shelves and closets covered every inch of the walls that hadn¡¯t been nailed with sheets of messy writings and runes. ¡°Stop.¡± Kea gruffly pulled him back before he could step inside. She furiously pointed to the floor space on the threshold. Kai took a second to realize there was a hair-thin metallic wire pulled at the height of his ankles. Fucking psycho. Cold sweat drenched his clothes. He had been so focused on the Fire enchantments, he forgot not all traps needed runes to work. He couldn¡¯t tell what was hidden beneath the wooden paneling, but chances were it would have been equally deadly. ¡°Thank you.¡± Kai mouthed the words, drying his hands on his shirt. Kea dipped her head in acknowledgment with a half-smile. ¡°Now, we¡¯re even.¡± They stepped over the wire and closed the door behind them. Given the towering piles of papers, it would take days to sift through everything. She did say the guy sold information¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s split the room.¡± Kea went to peruse one of the desks on the left side, methodically leafing through a journal. If there is some useful information it must be here somewhere. Looking at the most recent papers on top of the table, Kai picked out a list of names and dates. He thought it might be a register of the people gone missing before he noticed a dozen more papers with similar information, too many for the numbers reported. Gathering the sheets, he turned toward his sister to ask if she recognized any of the information. A muffled voice echoed from outside, followed by multiple sets of footsteps. Chapter 281 - Dark Truths Chapter 281 - Dark Truths Kai stilled, the papers filled with names in his hand. He strained his ears and channeled Body Augmentation to make out the sounds moving closer. There were two sets of footsteps, one heavy one light, thumping up the stairs¡ªtheir words too low to make out through the walls. Dammit. His sister stood in front of the left desk with a journal in hand. Unless her intel failed again, one of them must be Herry Rickson, the shady informant and owner of this house. Who was the other one? Hallowed Intuition¡¯s whispers soared despite the wards stifling its prediction. Even before his skill warned him, facing an unknown foe inside a building engraved with deadly arrays was a bad idea. There was no window in the cluttered study and no way to run without being discovered. Kai stored the sheets in his ring and dashed toward the door. Splitting his mind in six, he used Mana Engraving to redraw the lines that disabled the trigger. Any amateur enchanter could spot the tampering if they examined the runes. He couldn¡¯t imagine Herry manually disabling the trap each time he entered the study. He must have installed an automatic switch among the enchantments. ¡°We must hide,¡± he grabbed Kea¡¯s hand. Whoever was coming probably wouldn''t treat two intruders hiding in their hideout kindly. It was also possible he had triggered some warning, and the owners were coming to get them. No, they''re walking too slowly. There were too many unknowns hanging around this affair. Despite the simple satisfaction of a fight, his instincts were telling him it could end badly. He hadn¡¯t survived the Sanctuary without a healthy dose of caution. Kea stared at the door without moving. ¡°We can get some answers.¡± ¡°There are two of them. And we have no idea how strong the second person is.¡± Kai whispered as loud as he dared. ¡°C¡¯mon, we¡¯ll get better answers by listening. There is always time to jump out once we know our enemy.¡± Steps thudded in the boards outside the study, the time to take cover rapidly running out. ¡°¡ªabout your excuses,¡± a gruff voice rumbled. ¡°We gave you the chance and resources to handle the problem, and you managed to fuck it up. Now those nuisances will run around spreading more rumors¡ª¡± Kea clenched her hand around the knife on her belt. His heart skipped a beat, he was about to take out his sword and wing it when his sister turned toward him with a curt nod. Thank the spirits. A silent question in her eyes: where to hide? Piles of papers and journals cluttered the desks, closets and floor. Scanning the space, Kai headed toward a cabinet filled with yellowed volumes that had been pushed against a shelf, leaving a dusty gap behind. It had been also filled with notebooks, scrolls and empty ink bottles. There was no time to clear the space. Kai pulled out a pile of papers, counting on the general chaos to hide their passage. He swiped his hand forward to store everything else in his spatial ring. Crouching beneath a shelf, he squeezed into the cranny and covered his mouth to muffle his coughs from the dust. His body had remained more wiry than bulky from his stay in the Sanctuary. Kea watched him, stunned¡ªshe was the only person in his family who had yet to learn about the ring. With his only free limb, Kai pulled her inside as the door swung open, rustling the loose sheets of paper. They huddled in a tangle of limbs, cloaked by a veil of Shadow and Kea¡¯s camouflage skill. ¡°¡ªnot necessarily bad,¡± an oily voice whined. ¡°Mind the wire on the door. No one will believe a bunch of mongrel thrillseekers.¡± From how Kea tensed beside him, Kai guessed that must be Herry. ¡°The consequences are irrelevant. You¡¯ve failed us,¡± the deeper tone scoffed. ¡°It¡¯s just a little hitch. How was I supposed to know another group of adventurers would come looking for them? It was your wards that failed!¡± Herry¡¯s tone contained a sudden edge. ¡°I''m tired of your excuses, the wards worked perfectly. There isn¡¯t any seeker who can break them in this town. You must have ruined the engraving when you set them up.¡± It was really them¡­ What¡¯s going on in this town? Kea gritted her teeth beside him. Stuck in the dark cranny and unable to turn toward her, Kai twisted his arm to hold her hand, praying she wouldn¡¯t reveal their place. He was also angry at people sulking about how they failed to kill them, but he was more pressed to unravel the wider plot. Are they kidnapping people? What are they doing with them? From what he grasped from the conversation, these people had access to a considerable amount of power. Anyone capable of inscribing the inky runes buried in the tower probably had the means to directly kill his sister¡¯s team. They only failed because they wanted to make it seem like an accident in the mist. ¡°Oh, please!¡± Herry¡¯s voice dripped with sarcasm. ¡°Your group would have been caught years ago without my help.¡± ¡°Pha!¡± The gruff laugh was followed by the low thud of a fist meeting flesh. A body crashed among the papers with a groan. ¡°Don¡¯t overestimate your value. You¡¯re a drop in the river, puny and replaceable. Just like this moldy town. You have no idea of what¡¯s at play.¡± ¡°You! You can¡¯t treat me like this!¡± Herry¡¯s indignation quickly crumbled into a sob with the shuffle of paper and steps. ¡°Wait! I¡¯m sorry. I must have made a mistake. It won¡¯t happen again!¡± This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡°You¡¯re pathetic,¡± the thug sneered. ¡°Do I have to remind you what the praetor does to people who become a liability?¡± ¡°There is no need to disturb him with this.¡± ¡°Oh, he already knows anything that happens in this town,¡± the man cruelly chuckled. ¡°Perhaps I should report that we have a problem¡­¡± ¡°No¡ª¡± Herry gulped. ¡°No, sir. Please. I¡¯ll handle it. Those bumpkins were lucky to escape. They were getting close to my affairs, but they know nothing about you. Just give me more time. I¡¯ll solve this hiccup.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± the thug scoffed. ¡°We don¡¯t need you to draw more attention. I¡¯ll handle them. You focus on finding more candidates.¡± Sounds of crumpled paper changing hands followed a taut silence. ¡°But¡ª but that¡¯s too many,¡± Herry squealed. ¡°There is no way to get this many without the garrison realizing what¡¯s happening. I¡ª¡± ¡°Let us worry about the Republic and do your job. The praetor wants to be done here before the winter is over. He¡¯s not as patient as me with those who disappoint him.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll¡ª I¡¯ll find a way to get them. And when will I receive¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get your due when the job is done.¡± ¡°Of course, but I could use¡ª¡± The gruff man wasn¡¯t interested in hearing him out. ¡°I¡¯ll send you word the usual way when the issue you caused is solved.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± With an obsequious tone, Herry accompanied the other man down the corridor and stairs. They¡¯re gone. Kai exhaled, unsure of when he had last breathed, and almost choking on the dust. The situation was worse than his worst-case scenarios. The more he learned, the more tangled the plot became. Why can¡¯t the Republic look after their own backyard? Squeezed beside him, Kea let out an angry pant. Before they could think of crawling out of the hideout, Herry strode back into the study and slammed the door shut. ¡°Fucking asshole! Who does he think he is? Just a lowly grunt. I can hire a dozen like him. If they''re as powerful as they say, they wouldn¡¯t hide like rats, letting all¡­¡± His mutters grew too low to make out, covered by the crumple of paper and pound of books getting moved. ¡°Where did I put those damned lists? I left them right here¡­¡± Oh, shit¡­ Kai was counting the chances the guy wasn¡¯t talking about the same lists he had stored in his ring when his sister tapped his shoulder. He couldn¡¯t see her face, but the message was clear enough. She was tired of waiting. Guess it doesn¡¯t matter at this point. Hallowed Intuition had quietened to an angry hum, and the chances of Herry finding their intrusion rose every second. Kai drew letters in Kea¡¯s palm, preparing to engage. His limbs were growing numb from the awkward position. They had a confusing conversation of taps and lines before agreeing to a countdown¡ªhopefully with the same plan. Now! Rather than crawl out of the cranny, Kai channeled Body Augmentation. Limbs flushed with mana, he pushed the cabinet with his full Strength mirrored by Kea. The wood creaked, thrown across the study faster than he expected in a whirlwind of chips and books. The crash shook the house, hidden from the outside by the same wards cloaking the building. Dust and paper fluttered, making him cover his mouth to stifle a dry cough. Kai was beginning to worry he had splattered the man under the furniture when he saw a shadow limping toward the door. Before he could move, Kea had already darted across the study to grab him. Herry was a short man in his thirties with a weasel face and oily black hair. He was dressed in a stained silken robe with frayed edges. ¡°You!¡± His eyes went wide when he recognized her. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing? Unhand me immediately! How did you find this place?¡± His attempt to free himself ceased when she tickled his throat with a knife. ¡°Shut up!¡± she snapped. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I trusted you. You were behind the disappearances from the very beginning.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. How could I¡ª¡± ¡°Stop lying! We¡¯ve heard everything.¡± Her glistening eyes were aflame with rage. ¡°What have you done to Caeden?¡± ¡°You have no idea the type of people you''re dealing with.¡± Confronted with her seething anger, Herry put on a derisive smile. ¡°This isn¡¯t like the rat infestation you clean for a few coppers. If you don¡¯t let me go immediately, they¡¯ll make you pray to the Moons for a swift death." "We heard your talk." Kea didn''t balk or even blink at the threats. "I''m not scared. Not everyone is a coward like you." Seeing her unwavering glare, Harry gulped. ¡°I can pay you gold! Have you ever seen a gold mesar? I can give you two. No, five! You just have to leave Limgrell today and never mention this again. You won¡¯t have to work another day in your life. It will be as if this never happened.¡± Yeah, sure. Kai remembered the stories of adventurers disappearing without a word he had heard in Varsea. The chances Mr. Weasel would forget about the whole affair were near nil. He was worrying Kea would kill the man when he refused to answer. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in your bloody coin!¡± She pushed the blade closer, drawing a thin line on his neck. But despite the burning emotions lacing her voice, the hand holding the knife was steady. ¡°You think I won¡¯t do it?¡± As a few droplets of blood flowed down his chest, Herry went two shades paler, limbs falling limp. ¡°You¡ª you don¡¯t understand. I¡¯ll take a slit throat to what they¡¯ll do to me if I talk.¡± ¡°They who?¡± Kai asked, standing behind the man to not show his face. Herry tried turning to see, but Kea held him in place. ¡°I don¡¯t even know myself. But they¡¯re dangerous. More than you fools can comprehend. They have connections and eyes everywhere. You can¡¯t esca¡ª¡± ¡°Your friends aren¡¯t here. I am,¡± Kea hissed. ¡°If you tell us what we want to know, you still have a chance to run. I know you¡¯ve already made plans for it. Or would you rather die here?¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± Herry gulped, a bead of sweat running down his temple. ¡°You¡¯ll get us both killed.¡± ¡°Let me worry about that. Where is Caeden? Where have you taken him?¡± ¡°Only the Moons know. The boy was the smartest of your lot. He kept putting his nose where it didn¡¯t belong just like you,¡± Herry sneered. ¡°If you''re lucky, he¡¯s dead.¡± The hand holding the knife started shaking, her voice cracking. ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± ¡°I¡ª I have n¡ª no idea what they did to him. I swear! My job is just to provide the names of people who won¡¯t be missed. I¡¯m an information broker, they don¡¯t tell me anything else and I don¡¯t ask questions.¡± Isn¡¯t that convenient¡­ His nails dug into his palm, Kai had the sudden impulse to stab the lowlife himself. ¡°How many?¡± he growled. ¡°How many people have you sent to their death?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember,¡± Herry said with a shrug. ¡°A few dozen perhaps. I told them it was too many for a year, but no one listened to me. They would have died anyway. And I also need to eat. It¡¯s nothing personal.¡± A few dozen¡­ You signed off their death and it isn¡¯t personal? That was way more than was reported by the Hall of Seekers and Valela. Kea didn¡¯t appear to be listening, blinking rapidly to clear her eyes, gaze lost. ¡°He¡¯s dead¡­¡± Taking advantage of her slack grip, Herry pulled his hands around the knife and headbutted her nose. Free of her grip, the man dashed toward the door, far quicker than his pudgy body suggested. Where do you think you¡¯re going? He was about to cast a spell to stop him when the informant slipped onto a loose sheet of paper. His body went tumbling against the entrance. The scene looked comical right till he snapped the wire stretched on the threshold. A metallic clink echoed in the study. Shit! Hallowed Intuition spiked past the monotonous buzz. Kai didn¡¯t wait to see what kind of trap was set in motion. Burning with mana, he lifted Kea and ran toward the opposite wall of the room. A sheet of ice coated his back when the flames roared, multiplying their momentum. Without time to cast another spell, Kai channeled all his Water mana into the shield, twisting to hit the wall with his shoulder and protect his sister. The rotten boards of the house gave way before his bones, they soared across the street, pushed by the blooming explosion. A thin sheet of ice just formed around them when they smashed into a nearby building. The crash forced the air out of his lungs. Gritting his teeth, he held onto Kea and reinforced the shield as he plummeted toward the ground. The mud softened the fall. Behind them, the house was devoured by a sea of flames. He suppressed a grimace, holding his ribs. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Kea watched the fire, dazed. Silent tears flowed down her chin. ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m fine.¡± The lie wouldn¡¯t have convinced a child. Kai wished he could console her, but alarmed voices were already drawing closer. With all they had discovered, being found anywhere near this place could be a death sentence. ¡°Can you move? We can¡¯t stay here.¡± He wove a veil of Shadow around them. His sister mutely nodded. Hanging onto each other, they limped away. Chapter 282 - Headstrong Chapter 282 - Headstrong A series of successive fires blasted the burning house¡ªHerry Rickson had been nothing but thorough with the defenses of his house. The explosions showered their backs in heat and shoved them forward. Kai leaned against the grimy stone wall of a building to not lose his footing. His right ankle sent a piercing pain up his leg. He could still move his foot, so it was just sprained, a modest price for jumping out of the second floor of a burning building. Damn lunatic. Couldn''t even blow himself up alone. He took a vial from his ring, the alchemic potion flowed down his throat like an icy drink on a hot day. The pain dimmed into a dull ache, though his ankle couldn¡¯t entirely heal for as long as he kept moving. What a mess. The conversation they had eavesdropped in the study swirled in his head. When Kai tried to knit the knowledge into a coherent tapestry, he had the inkling he wouldn¡¯t like the result. He pushed the thoughts aside, pressed by the worry for his sister. Aside from dust and soot, Kea came out unscathed from the fall¡ªat least physically. She helped support his weight, her gaze lost among the shadows. ¡°He¡¯s dead¡­ I thought I could save him¡­ They¡¯re all dead¡­¡± This he could only refer to Caeden, her lost companion. Kai had no idea who the guy was, but he could understand the numb grief in his sister¡¯s eyes. They both knew the pain of losing someone close. From her mutterings, she also felt responsible for failing her teammate. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± Kai poured conviction in his tone, though guilt and responsibility rarely cared for reason. Kea didn¡¯t seem to hear, looking ahead with a vacant stare. Spirits, I suck at this. Let¡¯s get to safety first. Bright flames roared behind them, painting the sky a shade of red. The fire had managed to shake the town awake. Citizens screamed and hurried to curtail the flames before they spread to the whole neighborhood. ¡°Make space!¡± The authoritative shouts of the guards rose above the panicked yells; the rhythmic thump of their booted heels marched through the street. Kai honed the cloaking spell around him, scraping his veins for the sparse Shadow motes he had remaining. The last thing they needed was to get noticed around the scene of the crime by the Republic. From the derisive dismissal the thug had shown for the officers, Kai suspected there might be more than incompetence at play. In Varsea, it had been common opinion that the authorities should have stepped in when people kept going missing without explanation. Why does the Republic never do its job when it¡¯s convenient? He grimaced thinking of the clues that had been burnt with Herry¡¯s house. That house had brimmed with information, and all he was left with were a few scraps he had stored in his ring. How could he have predicted the guy would fall into his own trap? At least the fire must have erased any trace of our passings. No matter what profession skill existed out there, he refused to believe that anyone could trace them amidst the destruction. For the rest of the world, they had never been there. Huh¡­ Where are we? Kai stared at the damp dark alley, the walls of two slanted buildings left only a thin layer of the gray-blue sky above them. The echoes of the fire sounded distant at their back. In his hurry to get away, he hadn¡¯t paid attention to where they were going. He wasn¡¯t familiar enough with Limgrell to distinguish the shade of blackened plaster or fragrance of the moldy stench in this particular spot of the outskirts. The drape of mist that had fallen over the town didn¡¯t make things any easier. Guess this explains why every local looks like a sour lemon. I¡¯d also be grumpy to live in a place like this. Kea rubbed her eyes. When she pulled back her hands, her face was a mask of stony angles. ¡°This way.¡± She led him through a series of narrow backstreets till Kai could recognize the main streets cutting through Limgrell. A column of smoke rose from the outer district, passersby threw them somber glances but didn¡¯t look particularly worried. ¡°Wait.¡± Kai held her arm before she could step into the lighted walkway. ¡°Hold your breath. It¡¯ll just take a second.¡± ¡°What¡ª¡± Ignoring her protest, he cast a stream of swirling water, washing any mud or dust accumulated from the Brimstone Quarter. Kea spluttered and wiped her eyes. ¡°Was that necessary?¡± ¡°Do you want to be seen smelling of burnt wood?¡± Kai dried her with a flick of his wrist and repeated the process for himself. ¡°Did I miss any spot?¡± He raised his arms and spun on his heel. ¡°Just this.¡± She removed a wooden chip from his hair. ¡°You¡¯re good. Next time you use magic on me, warn me first.¡± ¡°Duly noted. What¡¯s our story if anyone asks? Lost talking in the alleys? ¡°No, that sounds too suspicious. Let¡¯s say we were at the Hall of Seekers. The place is always empty, and Belice will confirm our story if I ask her.¡± ¡°You trust her?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡­¡± Kea gave a vehement nod. ¡°She was the one who told me about Herry¡¯s house. What would she gain from that?¡± Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°You do have a point¡­¡± Whoever was behind the missing people would have no reason to risk them spreading the news. While the building had been a deathtrap, Herry and the thug had been none the wiser of their presence. ¡°Hmm¡­ how did she learn of that place?¡± From the layers of enchantments, the paranoid informant should have carefully guarded the location of his house. How would a common clerk chance upon that information? ¡°Belice was always good at gathering rumors. I think she has a skill for it.¡± Kea shrugged. ¡°And the town is not that big.¡± Maybe you¡¯re right¡­ There was still much to discuss, but his elemental reserves were running dry. Kai checked that no one was watching before letting his Shadow veil fizzle out. ¡°After you.¡± They strolled into the main road in more or less pristine condition. A child with platinum hair pointed a finger at them with mouth agape. Kai had learned that getting some glances was to be expected; few strangers stopped by Limgrell. He wanted to go warn Flynn of what happened, but he couldn''t leave Kea alone when she was obviously distraught. The thug at the house had said he would take care of them. Whatever his ominous intentions were, the man had been pretty intent on keeping a low profile to not call attention to their activities. With the house of his associate blowing up, he would likely take time to reassess his plans. We should be safe for a few days¡­ Speaking of people who wanted to hide their identity, Kai recalled another bit of information. The thug had mentioned a certain praetor to intimidate Herry. Where did I hear that before¡­ A blade of Darkness aboard the Intrepid flashed in his mind. The memories of that night were fuzzy after the wreckage, though he was pretty sure the pirates below deck had used that same title to refer to their captain. It must be a coincidence. Maybe I misremembered¡­ Unfortunately, the name wasn¡¯t the only clue. The trap in the ancient tower had shared the Darkness element beloved by the pirates, and the wards at the house had interfered with Hallowed Intuition, just like the black ship did at sea. Three coincidences formed a compelling argument that couldn¡¯t be denied. Despite his desire for some peace, Fate had other plans. You¡¯re supposed to be on my side. Not screw me over! Why can¡¯t I get a break? ¡°Are you okay?¡± Kea glanced at him with a worried frown. ¡°You¡¯re looking pale.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m just not used to the cold air.¡± Kai put on a weak smile. ¡°Is there a place where we can talk?¡± ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± Walking past a square with the statues of a Merian hero mounting a unicorn, they entered a residential district lined with discreet family houses. Kea stopped in front of an iron fence surrounding a three-stories cottage. ¡°We¡¯re renting the second floor.¡± She soundlessly opened the gate and strode up a ramp of stairs on the back of the property to a tarnished green door. ¡°Uh, the others are out.¡± She removed a hair-thin thread from the hinges of the entrance, probably some kind of signal. ¡°Should we go looking for them?¡± After what happened, Kai would understand if she wanted to check on her friends. ¡°We¡¯d just risk missing them. It¡¯s easier to wait here, they¡¯ll come back. We agreed to always move in a group since Caeden went missing¡­¡± her voice trailed down, looking away to hide her expression. That sounds like a wise idea¡ªif you follow it. Just a couple hours ago he had found her on the way to Herry¡¯s house, alone. It probably wasn¡¯t the right time to point that out. ¡°Can we go inside?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± She opened the lock with three quick clanks. ¡°Sit wherever you like. I think we have water and cheese in the kitchen.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± They entered a living room with a cooking place in the opposite corner. It was more or less what Kai expected from the dwelling of four adventurers not yet brushing their twenties. He could almost see the spots where each inhabitant had left their imprint. Dirty plates in the sink, random clothes strewn on chairs, a pile of books and a whetstone on an oak table. Kea shut the door behind him, going to check on the two bedrooms on the back. She returned a moment later, her tense shoulders slumping slightly. ¡°We¡¯re safe. No one came here.¡± Seeing her stand and her gaze wandering, Kai gestured to the table. ¡°Maybe we could sit to talk more comfortably.¡± ¡°Hmm, yes.¡± She marched to a chair and sat with a rigid back. ¡°What did you want to discuss?¡± Isn¡¯t that the million-dollar question¡­ Kai took place across from her and laced his fingers to keep them still. A myriad of thoughts whirled in his mind, shouting to claim his attention. They had over two years to catch up, he had yet to explain what had happened to him in the Sanctuary and hear about her time on the mainland. What happened during their month in Limgrell? How did they lose their teammate? Could she catch him up to speed with their investigation? There was so much to say, though one thing soon triumphed over everything else. Kai took out the enchanted black pearl Rain had gifted him to shield their conversation¡ªthey could never be too careful if they were dealing with those crazy cultists. Unsure of where to start, he got straight to the point. ¡°We need to leave Limgrell before they come for us. This case is beyond what we can handle.¡± ¡°No.¡± Kea replied with steel in her eyes. Dammit. Kai held her gaze with all the sincerity he could muster. ¡°You¡¯ve also heard those two talk. Whatever is going on in this cursed town, it¡¯s too dangerous to stay. That man wasn¡¯t boasting when he spoke about their reach¡­¡± He told her about the raid and wreckage at sea. ¡°This is bigger than us. If the guards in Limgrell won¡¯t listen, we¡¯ll go to another city.¡± ¡°And what makes you think that a different garrison will believe us?¡± She arched an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯ve been on the continent longer than you. The guards never move for common adventures unless you bring them irrefutable evidence. And if you question the integrity of their colleagues, we¡¯ll need a mountain of it.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Kai prayed she was exaggerating. ¡°Isn¡¯t the situation already suspicious with the people gone missing without a clue? They must at least check.¡± ¡°Perhaps. They¡¯ll take weeks to process all their pointless forms. And then weeks more to send someone to Limgrell, who might or might not find anything. Which will mean more, more weeks before anything gets actually done.¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s not ideal. But that¡¯s the best we can¡ª¡± ¡°And that,¡± his sister interrupted. ¡°Is taking for granted that they¡¯ll let us leave. If these are really the same group you met at sea, how far do we have to run? How far will it be safe? They¡¯ll likely send people after us if we run just as the house of that worm went up in flames.¡± ¡°I¡­ hmm¡­¡± Kai hated to admit she had a point. ¡°Leaving will still be safer than staying. We can wait a few days.¡± He offered a compromise to pull her into a negotiation. ¡°No.¡± His sister showed no hesitation in cutting him off. ¡°I¡¯m not running away.¡± ¡°Kea, please.¡± He leaned over the table, trying to keep a conciliatory tone. ¡°I¡¯d also like to help, but it isn¡¯t worth dying over.¡± ¡°Kai,¡± she smiled mirthlessly. ¡°I¡¯m glad you came. All the team wanted to thank you for your help at the tower. But we aren¡¯t children anymore. You aren¡¯t forced to stay.¡± ¡°You know I won¡¯t leave without you.¡± ¡°Then that''s your decision. I can¡¯t change it any more than you can change mine. Anyone in my group is also free to do the same. Many have already done so. We were nine when we first got here.¡± Kai tried not to raise his voice. ¡°There is nothing to gain from certain death.¡± ¡°Now that I know what we¡¯re dealing with, I can prepare,¡± Kea said with a tone of challenge. ¡°It has been two years. You¡¯re not the only one who has grown. I¡¯m not the foolish girl you have to protect.¡± Spirits, why does she have to be so stubborn? He fell back into his seat, raking a hand through his hair. ¡°We still know basically nothing. Why won¡¯t you at least consider it?¡± Kea pressed her mouth in a sour line. ¡°I made a promise. I¡¯m not leaving anyone behind.¡± Is she still¡­ ¡°You mean your missing teammate?¡± Faced with her unyielding look, Kai gripped the edge of the table. He thought she had accepted it when he saw her tears¡ªthat would have been too easy. ¡°You¡¯ve heard what those two said. Your friend is dead.¡± If stating it out loud was what it took to convince her, he wouldn¡¯t hold back. ¡°You must know that too.¡± ¡°Herry said he didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°These guys had him for a month. Why would they need to kidnap more people if those they took weren''t dead?¡± Kea crossed her arms, glaring a hole through his skull. ¡°You¡¯ve said yourself that we don''t know much of anything for sure. I¡¯m not running till I see Caedan¡¯s body and bury him.¡± The note of finality in her tone hung between them. He¡¯d have a higher chance to reverse the tides than to change her mind, and he couldn¡¯t leave without her. Now, the question was how to face this deathtrap¡­ Chapter 283 - Next Steps Chapter 283 - Next Steps Kai moved to the cupboard above the sink. Resting his hands on the counter, a tired sigh escaped his lips. He closed his eyes, distractedly taking notice of the runes engraved on the piping and the burrow of a red mouse below the house. This wasn¡¯t the archipelago any longer. There was so much he had yet to learn, from common appliances to the highest levels of power and magic he might encounter. Fascinating and dangerous, the mainland had brought the challenge he craved. What he hadn¡¯t foreseen was the slim amount of time he would get to gain his footing. One blow after another, Fate refused to allow him the tiniest breather. He had been tossed into the deep end: if he didn¡¯t learn how to swim quickly, he¡¯d drown. I survived the Sanctuary. How much harder can this be? Kai picked a stubby chalice from the cupboard and poured himself water from a ceramic jug. Drinking what he conjured through magic never tasted quite as good with its distilled purity. His finger tapped on the glass, a thread of mana chilled the liquid out of habit. ¡°Do you want some water?¡± He broke the awkward silence without turning. ¡°I¡¯m good. Thanks.¡± Kea remained seated, lost in her own thoughts. Okay, I can do this. Kai downed the icy glass with a pleasant shiver. Burying his frustration, he marched back to the table and settled in the chair across from his sister. ¡°What do you know about the missing people? Any suspicion and suspects. Don¡¯t leave out any details.¡± Her lips pursed at his curt tone. She opened and closed her mouth as if going through several possible answers. ¡°I should ask the others before telling you everything. We¡¯ve been working on this contract for a month. The information isn¡¯t only mine to share.¡± It was a sensible albeit vexing objection since her team didn¡¯t know they were siblings. ¡°Are they going to say no? We¡¯ve survived that fire together, that should be enough of a reason.¡± ¡°Huh¡­ fine. I guess they¡¯ll understand.¡± Kai blinked, unsure if he had heard that right. Did his sister just concede something with barely a fight? ¡°What?¡± She snorted at his stupefied look. ¡°Time is of the essence. I¡¯ll talk with them when they¡¯re back. Your help is welcomed, but this is our investigation and livelihood. You must promise not to act on your own.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Kai dipped his head in acknowledgment. ¡°That wasn¡¯t a yes.¡± Mhmm¡­ she has gotten smarter. ¡°I swear I¡¯ll warn someone of your team before taking any drastic action.¡± It wasn¡¯t exactly what she had asked for, though Kai was glad to see Kea accepted anyway. ¡°Good.¡± She drummed her fingers on the table and suddenly stood up, her chair creaking back on the wooden boards. ¡°Wait here.¡± She disappeared into one of the bedrooms. Kai fought against the temptation to peek. The privacy wards around the house were a mismatched tapestry of arrays, likely repurposed from other projects. Their clever positioning couldn¡¯t fix the poor quality, it hardly took any effort to pick them apart. The light scraping of a piece of furniture being moved reached his ears. Before his curiosity could erode his will, Kea returned with a pile of documents and folders in her arms. ¡°This is all we know.¡± She deposited them with a proud air. That¡¯s quite¡­ something¡­ He stared at the hundreds of pages covered in dense writings. Frankly, he had expected no more than a messy notebook, if that. While they may not have made much progress toward an actual solution, her team hadn¡¯t spent their time twiddling their thumbs either. She did say this was their job¡­ ¡°What¡¯s all this?¡± He reached for the large folder on top. Kea placed a hand over the papers to keep them in place. ¡°Nothing leaves this house.¡± Her gaze hung on him with seriousness. ¡°Caeli and Niel will already be mad that I showed you without their permission.¡± ¡°Your house, your rules.¡± Kai slipped the folder, stunned again when he noticed the soaring hawk crest on the first page. The ink was strangely faded and bright in patches. Flipping through the pages, the formal jargon, stamps and signatures left no doubt about its origins. ¡°How did you get your hands on this?¡± The document came from one of the archives of the Republic, and the clerks didn¡¯t like to share just because you asked nicely. ¡°I have my ways.¡± Kea showed her white teeth, looking pleased. ¡°Don¡¯t look so worried, it¡¯s just a dye dust copy. No one will ever realize.¡± Spirits, what has she been up to? Kai smoothed his grimace¡ªperhaps it was better he didn¡¯t know. His eyes turned to the folder. It listed people who had gone missing starting from almost fifty years ago. Scanning the other files on the table, about a third sported the same official crest, while the rest showed personal notes written in different hands. This is going to take a while. His sister watched him sift through the documents, studying his reaction. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°This is quite impressive.¡± Kai ignored his foolish pride in favor of convenience. ¡°Is there an order I should follow?¡± ¡°There is,¡± Kea readily answered. ¡°People have gone missing around the Lake of Myst for generations. It¡¯s nothing too unusual around mana zones. At least it wasn¡¯t¡­¡± She pulled out a page covered in columns of names. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say the exact number since many people who disappeared don¡¯t get reported. The numbers have been rising for a few years before they spiked in the last eight months or so.¡± The guy in the house did imply they had been abducting people for a while¡­ He had never thought his sister had the patience for this kind of research work. A sharp grin grew on her face as she explained how they had tracked down and connected the information. Guess it¡¯s still a hunt in a way. They poured over the papers, drawing more connections with what they had overheard at Herry¡¯s house. While her team had found no answers, the intel they gathered filled some pictures of the events. It was far more professional than he expected from a group of teenagers. The only advice Kai could offer them was how to organize the data into graphs since checking the information was a mess. I¡¯ll offer to show her later. The people abducted had been all young, the oldest at twenty-nine and the youngest at just eleven, with an even mix of male and female. Over half lived in the farms and villages around the Lake of Myst, and the cases in Limgrell proper came from the impoverished neighborhood on the outskirts. Is that why there are no people on the streets? Kea clenched her jaw. ¡°Herry probably helped pick the targets. The guards don¡¯t bother searching if the parents aren¡¯t yellow professionals.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± He bit his cheek. ¡°There must be a lot more cases from how those two spoke.¡± Aiming at the fringes of society, there was less chance of someone taking an interest or being taken seriously. The Republic¡¯s laws only protect those they consider worthy. He had been a toddler in Whiteshore when his mom taught him that lesson, but those words still held true. Wait a second¡­ ¡°I might know how to find out more.¡± Kai emptied his ring of the material he had salvaged from the study before the house burned. A mound of papers, journals and ink bottles clinked on the table. Instead of complaining, his sister looked delighted at the idea of delving into the pile. ¡°Where did you get that spatial artifact?¡± She correctly identified his ring with a distracted glance. ¡°It¡¯s a gift from my teacher. Can you keep it to yourself? I don¡¯t want to attract attention.¡± ¡°I would have suggested the same,¡± Kea said. ¡°I¡¯ve only seen one similar artifact and it was on the finger of a patrician. Does Flynn know?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Hmm, this should be it.¡± Kai pulled five sheets of paper from the pile, the ones he took directly from Herry¡¯s desk. ¡°Do you recognize any of the names?¡± She leaned over the table to read. ¡°I¡­ yes. A few¡­¡± Her brows knitted together. She dug through her own files to confront the names. ¡°There are dozens of people here¡­¡± ¡°Do you think they were all abducted?¡± ¡°Or potential candidates¡­¡± The more they grasped the true scale of the plot, the grimmer the picture became. From the nine officially missing, they found two dozen more. Spirits knew how many still evaded them. ¡°We should really tell someone,¡± Kai muttered. The scope of this plot kept escalating and their forces remained the same. ¡°We can send an anonymous message to the precinct and the Hall of Seekers. Someone must do something.¡± Kea shook her head. ¡°Messages can be traced. No matter how careful we are, there are skills to track anyone who has touched an object. I don¡¯t want to risk anyone else¡¯s life till we confirm the extent of their reach.¡± ¡°There must be a way to protect us from being traced back. Every skill has a counter.¡± ¡°Probably. But do you know how? If we warn the guards, we should also prepare to run.¡± Kai swore under his breath and went to slump into the old sofa smelling of mold. Despite piecing together the extent of the abductions, they were no closer to discovering how or why. What do these people want? Where are they bringing all these victims? They are too many to be kept inside Limgrell. He sat straighter with a frustrated groan. ¡°If this praetor is the same man I met at sea, we must avoid a confrontation at any cost.¡± ¡°Agreed. I don¡¯t have a death wish.¡± Kea continued to sort through the papers with a feverish look. ¡°I want to find out what happened to Caeden. And the others if they can be saved. Then we''ll write to every public building and disappear to the other side of the Republic.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Kai watched her till she stopped her frenetic actions with a huff. ¡°Can you swear you won¡¯t take any more reckless actions? I know it¡¯s your case, but I¡¯ve got more experience fighting higher grades and keeping alive.¡± ¡°Meeew.¡± Hobbes took that moment to saunter into the house and blink into his lap. The furball demanded to be petted, uncaring of the stunned girl. ¡°What¡ª¡± She watched the majestic feline, speechless. ¡°Can you promise?¡± Kai ignored the magical cat purring on his knees; violet eyes closed to enjoy the scratches behind his ear. ¡°If and when we find any clue of this group, I need to know you¡¯ll let me help.¡± ¡°I¡ª yes. Fine. I know you¡¯ve always been stronger than me,¡± she grumbled with more resignation than bitterness. Nice assist buddy. Kai rubbed Hobbes''s belly. He had already presented his familiar at the tower, though he failed to mention his grade. Nothing better than a teleporting cat to make an impression. ¡°You haven¡¯t told me what happened. To Caeden I mean. How did he go missing?¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t much to tell.¡± Kea buried her head among the documents. ¡°He said he wanted to check something one morning. And he didn¡¯t come back. We searched every corner of town without a single clue. No one had seen him since.¡± ¡°Do you have any idea where he was going? Was it inside or outside Limgrell?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± her nails dug into her fists. ¡°It was only the second week since we had gotten here. We were beginning to suspect the situation was worse than the contract advertised, and¡­¡± Her voice died down. Kai stood to hover beside her, unsure of how to act. ¡°It¡¯s okay. We¡¯ll find him.¡± The clacks of the lock interrupted his dilemma. Their attention was pulled to a chorus of familiar voices and laughs. Niel poked through the door, his unshaven face split by a smile. Mari and Caeli followed him, with Flynn and Rain just behind. ¡°Kea, thank Yatei, you¡¯re here. Did you hear of the fire? I hope you don¡¯t mind we invited¡ª¡± His eyes stopped on the pile of papers, and then on him, the smile turning into a frown. ¡°Matthew.¡± ¡°Hi.¡± Kai waved. ¡°A few things happened.¡± ¡°Mew.¡± No, you can¡¯t order them away. It¡¯s their house. ¡°Well, guess it¡¯s too late to keep secrets.¡± Caeli took in the situation with a shrug, her attention captured by Hobbes. ¡°Kitty, kitty.¡± She knelt before the beast lazily lying on a pillow. Her hand lingered just above the fluffy silver fur as if afraid of offending him. ¡°Meow.¡± I¡¯m not saying that. No. Okay, fine. ¡°You can pet him if you buy him a fish later.¡± The girl bobbed her head with a delighted expression as if she had just gotten the deal of the year. Alas, her two companions weren¡¯t so easily swayed. Mari flung herself to investigate the foreign pile of papers that had taken over their table. ¡°Where did you find these?¡± She plucked a journal from the pile, carefully examining the writings. ¡°This looks like Herry¡¯s writing¡­¡± ¡°We had agreed to discuss it before showing it to anyone,¡± Niel whispered to Kea through gritted teeth. ¡°You know we could get arrested¡ª¡± Seeing him close, she pulled her out of earshot before continuing to mutter. Rain stopped inside, inspecting the mess around the living room. Flynn barely spared a glance at the decor and strode straight up to Kai. ¡°Please, tell me it wasn¡¯t you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The fire. You didn¡¯t even flinch when Niel mentioned it. Tell me you weren¡¯t involved.¡± Kai lay a hand on his heart with his most innocent look. ¡°I wasn¡¯t involved?¡± Flynn narrowed his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± ¡°Yes. You asked me to. And, to be fair, that guy caused the blast on his own.¡± ¡°What guy? What did you do exactly?¡± ¡°Was it Herry?¡± Mari snapped her head toward them, no longer lost in her books. Damn, I should have spoken quieter. ¡°You did what?¡± Niel''s voice rose an octave higher from his conversation with Kea. Well, at least we¡¯re all here so I won¡¯t have to repeat myself. ¡°There were some unfortunate developments,¡± Kai raised his voice. ¡°Do you want to start with the bad news or the worse news?¡± Chapter 284 - Threads and Puzzles Chapter 284 - Threads and Puzzles ¡°Do you have any questions?¡± Kai finished explaining what they had discovered at Herry¡¯s house cobbled together with the information Kea had shared with him. The group gathered in the living room filled every seat available, watching him in stunned silence. Several layers of wards wrapped the house like soap bubbles, ensuring their discussion would remain private. Well, no one is screaming anymore¡­ So that''s something. Kea leaned against the kitchen table, her face dark like thunderclouds. After vouching for him, she had let Kai do the talking, just quipping on a few details. On the battered sofa, Mari mumbled to herself, her words too quiet to make out. Niel opened his mouth, but no words came out. Caeli contracted her hands in her lap as if strangling an invisible enemy. Given their recent acquaintance, Kai was surprised no one had accused him of lying. They must trust Kea''s judgment a lot¡­ Flynn slumped in a creaking chair and massaged his temples with a resigned look. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s the same people that attacked our ship?¡± ¡°There are too many similarities to be a coincidence. The praetor title, the Darkness runes, the secrecy.¡± Kai sighed, mirroring his gloom. ¡°It¡¯s possible they¡¯re not the exact same raiders, but there is some link.¡± Running into the same group at sea and hundreds of miles inland, he wanted to curse his luck, though perhaps he should thank it. If they had to face a bloody cult, better the one they had already encountered. At least we have an idea of the threat¡­ just how big are they? Rain studied the messy decor of the room with unfazed tranquility, balancing three pencils on his index finger. Hearing about the conspiracy, his eyes had lit like when visiting a tavern for the first time. Spirits willing, there was more than blind confidence guiding the siren. Some kind of criminal organization had been kidnapping people all over Limgrell, possibly for years, likely bribing the Hall of Seekers and the local Republic officials to keep silent. It wasn¡¯t a job a group of newly minted adventurers should be dealing with, but asking for help would only risk getting them killed. Herry had admitted to setting up Kea¡¯s team with the cloud fairies before blowing up his own house. Then the gruff thug they overheard said he would deal with them like some washed-up villain, only the threat was real. They won¡¯t act in the open. Kai held onto that hope. If the kidnappers put so much effort into masking the disappearances, they didn¡¯t have complete control of this town. And they wouldn¡¯t act in the open to get rid of a bunch of newbies that knew little to nothing. Being underestimated is our best asset. They have no way to know we were aboard the Intrepid. When the muttering quietened, Kai stood straighter with a confidence he didn¡¯t entirely feel. ¡°Me and Kea want to figure out what happened to your teammate, and the other missing people. Then we can warn the authorities in another town away from here. If anyone wants to leave Limgrell, it¡¯s better if you wait a few days to not attract attention.¡± Direct and concise¡ªall cards were on the table. The trio on the sofa began to argue among themselves, the words too fast and soft to make out. ¡°This will be fun.¡± Flynn groaned in his seat. He had seemed the least surprised by the revelations just giving him exasperated looks. ¡°I know this wasn¡¯t what we planned.¡± Kai met his gaze with all the honesty he could muster. ¡°You can go meet with Valela and I¡¯ll catch up once this is solved.¡± It wasn¡¯t fair to drag him into his deadly problems. ¡°And how do you plan to survive in a town without me?¡± Flynn scoffed with a friendly slap to his shoulder. ¡°You know I¡¯m not leaving you, or Kea. She¡¯s my friend too. And someone must make sure you two don¡¯t burn down Limgrell. We just have to deal with a cabal of murderous madmen and avoid this green praetor. How hard can it be?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Before Kai could make sense of the guilt and relief swirling in his gut, Kea stepped to give an awkward nod to Flynn. ¡°I appreciate your help.¡± She wasn¡¯t nearly that nice to me. Kea and Flynn hadn¡¯t been particularly close when he left but a lot could happen in two years. The sister he remembered would have claimed she could do just fine on her own. We¡¯ve all changed. Compared to the crackling fire Kai remembered, her dark green eyes had grown colder and calmer. The fiery temper was still there, contained beneath an icy coating. Guess I would also be stressed out if I had spent a month in this town, and one of my friends got abducted. Spirits, grant us a breather. Rain observed the room with an indecipherable look. ¡°I¡¯m staying too.¡± He offered him a serene smile. ¡°I¡¯ve already said I wanted to come with you and help your¡ª Keandra.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Kai wasn¡¯t sure the siren understood the dangers, but he also couldn¡¯t afford to refuse his help. No one would suspect to find his race so far from the sea; they needed every advantage to get out of this. ¡°None of us is running either!¡± Caeli jumped to her feet, voice rising over her companions. ¡°I don¡¯t care if there is a green grade involved. I¡¯m not leaving till we find out what happened to Caeden.¡± Her eyes burned with rage and what might be a hint of fear. Whether for herself or this Caeden, it was impossible to tell. He must have been a pretty interesting guy to inspire such loyalty. Maybe he was her boyfriend? ¡°I¡¯m not going to leave without you,¡± Niel said, his tanned face a shade paler. ¡°We all knew the dangers. And now we have some idea of what we¡¯re up against.¡± Mari nodded her support, leafing through her journal. She chewed on an enchanted pen of black enamel. ¡°Can you identify the man Herry met? Any detail could help.¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°We were hidden behind a bookcase.¡± Kea shook her head with pursed lips. ¡°I couldn¡¯t even see his shadow.¡± ¡°I might recognize his voice if I meet him.¡± Kai tried to fix the gruff and drawling voice. At the time, he had been too busy staying still without breathing to consider peeking. ¡°Are you sure no one saw you enter or run from the burning building?¡± Flynn shifted his gaze between them. ¡°If they know what you saw, we are as good as dead.¡± ¡°We were careful all the way,¡± Kai reassured him. He had kept his cloak of Shadow at all times and melted any ice shard before running. Once the Fate wards woven into the house burned, Hallowed Intuition would have warned him if someone was tailing them. ¡°We should go through everything from the beginning.¡± Mari scribbled on her leather journal. ¡°There might be some details you missed, or you thought unimportant.¡± Kai considered telling them about his skill to save time¡ªenough people knew already. ¡°Alright. What do you want to know?¡± They went through what happened from the moment he and Kea stepped outside this morning to when they reached this house. Belicia¡¯s tip about Herry¡¯s location, the path they had taken, anyone they met, any strange smell or sound. Mari noted down everything in scrupulous detail. Everyone visibly relaxed in their seats after confirming they hadn¡¯t left a trail back to this house. They were safe, at least for now. From the heat of the explosion, Kai would be surprised if Herry was more than a pile of charred ash. No skill below Green would be able to identify his body. With some luck, the gruff thug would suspect the informant had cut and run. The conversation they had overheard hadn¡¯t been very amicable. Hopefully, it will make them lay low for a while. He could understand the mistrustful and skittish passersby on the streets. Rumors spread like sea breeze in a small town; people must know something wrong is going on-¡ªif not exactly what. ¡°You could have waited for us to tell Mat,¡± Caeli grumbled at Kea, her eyes on the documents spread on the table. Copying papers from the archives of the town hall would land them in a military prison if discovered. Niel lay a hand on Caeli¡¯s shoulder and slightly shook his head. ¡°What¡¯s done is done.¡± From the looks between them, the discussion was far from over, just delayed till they were alone. Niel¡¯s gaze hardened toward Kai and his friends. ¡°You must swear not to mention any of this outside a warded room before discussing it with us. No more exceptions. We¡¯re all on the same boat.¡± ¡°You have my word,¡± Flynn vowed with unusual solemnity, a hand over his heart. Kai repeated the oath followed by Rain. The siren got a few looks when he passed three fingers over his face and muttered about the Deep, though no one commented. ¡°Good.¡± Niel walked to the papers on the table. ¡°We must decide the next steps. There are more people involved than we thought. Until we know for sure, we must¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go check on Herry¡¯s house,¡± Caeli spat the name like an insult. ¡°If that slimy prick chose the victims, the kidnappers will check he hasn¡¯t left clues behind.¡± She grabbed a brown leather jacket and was halfway to the door when Niel barred her path. ¡°No one is rushing out of here till we have a plan.¡± ¡°Move,¡± she hissed. ¡°No one will see me.¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡®re always so unassuming¡­ Tell me you won¡¯t chase after the first suspicious guy you see.¡± They stared each other down till Niel took a step back, still blocking the door. ¡°Caeli, please,¡± his tone softened. ¡°I know you¡¯re angry, but we can¡¯t afford mistakes.¡± ¡°Subtlety was never your strong suit,¡± Mari quipped in, still intent on her journal. Caeli snapped toward her like a growling drake. ¡°We can¡¯t waste this opportunity. It¡¯s the first actual lead we have.¡± ¡°They¡¯re right, Caeli. We aren¡¯t even supposed to know that it was Herry¡¯s house,¡± Kea said, silencing everyone else with a look. ¡°We can¡¯t draw a connection between us and the fire. I¡¯ll go.¡± What? No! ¡°That¡¯s not what I was saying!¡± Niel clenched his jaw. ¡°I¡¯ll just give a quick look and be back,¡± Kea shrugged as if the conversation was over. ¡°It¡¯s worth a try. We''ve combed this town for over a month. It would be weird if none of us checked on the fire. You know I can blend in and keep my cool.¡± Kai observed from the sidelines to not act overbearing toward his sister. He expected to hear more protests, but her group accepted the words with a little reluctance. She can¡¯t go alone. ¡°I¡¯ll come with you.¡± ¡°No.¡± Kea raised a hand to anticipate his protests. ¡°You¡¯re too eye-catching with your grade and skills. If anyone senses your mana skill, they will look into you.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯ll go with her.¡± Flynn stretched his legs, hopping to his feet and offering Kea his arm with a theatrical flair. ¡°Just two old friends catching up who went to check the commotion. I¡¯m good at judging people and overhearing rumors.¡± Kea eyed his arm for a second before taking it stiffly. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll pass unobserved and be back in an hour.¡± Flynn gave Kai a reassuring smile over his shoulder and grabbing their coats. The door clicked close behind them. Dammit. With danger around, his chest clenched letting his sister out of his sight. He took a few shallow breaths to relax his tension. She¡¯ll be safe. I can¡¯t always watch over her. He never thought he¡¯d become the overprotective brother, but the idea of losing her scared him like little else despite their rocky relationship. They had just started to mend their relationship and she ran into danger. The clam calls the oyster stubborn. It was her life. He had to accept her choice and do his best to support her. The house turned silent enough to hear the scratching of Mari scribbling. Rain studied the faded embroidery of a dog on a pillow, also indifferent to the atmosphere. ¡°Well, we better figure out this mess.¡± Niel broke the silence first and gestured to the documents on the kitchen table. ¡°A new set of eyes could catch something we missed.¡± ¡°More dusty papers. Just what I needed.¡± Caeli scowled but followed his lead. ¡°Where are the ones you took from that traitorous weasel?¡± Kai leafed through the piles of documents to find the lists of names. ¡°Here.¡± Joined by Rain and Mari, they delved back into the pages to untangle the conspiracy. They narrowed down the number and locations of abductions, far higher than what was officially reported. But names and places couldn¡¯t tell them why or where those people were being taken. Kea and Flynn returned about an hour later. The guards had cordoned off the site of the fire, stopping anyone from coming near. If that wasn¡¯t strange enough, an old lady could swear she had seen a hooded figure rummage through the charred rubble. ¡°So the guards are traitorous bastards too. How surprising." Caeli scoffed, her hands crumpling the paper she was reading. ¡°They should all get executed.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know how many are involved.¡± Niel tried to pacify her with a grimace. ¡°They might have just been bribed to let someone slip through.¡± ¡°They¡¯re either corrupted or incompetent. I don¡¯t see much difference.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s focus on what we can do,¡± Kea said, her tone not less icy. ¡°If we can pinpoint their next targets, we have a lead.¡± The discussion, theories and shuffle of paper continued well into the night. It was like trying to complete a blank puzzle with two-thirds of the pieces missing. Grasping at straws for a plan that wouldn¡¯t get them killed, they took turns sleeping on the old sofa and the bedrooms till the sun rose again. The rush only stopped around mid-morning when Flynn drew back a window, letting in a blinding ray of light. ¡°C¡¯mon, we¡¯ve already gone through everything thrice, a fourth time won¡¯t help. And it¡¯s starting to smell of dead bodies in here.¡± He scrunched his nose. ¡°Someone will get suspicious if we hide longer. It¡¯s too late to feign we¡¯re not working together, but we shouldn¡¯t make it obvious either. I don¡¯t know you, but I¡¯m starving. Anyone wants to grab a bite? I need to pick up some things I left at the inn.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll come with you.¡± Rain yawned, looking fresh despite not having slept a wink. ¡°I also left a few things at the inn.¡± ¡°Good, we should always move in pairs,¡± Niel chipped in. ¡°Keep to the main streets and don¡¯t mention this case even if you think no one is listening.¡± He liked to organize people, though Kea and Caeli never failed to remind him he wasn¡¯t in charge. The two women paired together to stretch their legs and buy groceries. Hopefully, they would keep each other in check. Leaving only three of them inside, they wrapped the sensitive documents in a hidden compartment of one of the bedrooms. Kai was tempted to offer his spatial ring again, it would be far more effective than the jumbled arrays they used for a safe. They seem nice enough, but I don¡¯t really know them. Mari had already pulled out a tattered black tome in place of her notebooks, the golden filigree of the title was too worn to make out the words. She raised her eyes from the page to look at them. ¡°I¡¯m happy to stay here. Someone must keep an eye on things, or leave a dead body if they break in. I¡¯ll try to write some clues with my blood.¡± She spoke with such a flat tone, Kai couldn¡¯t tell if she was joking or being serious. ¡°Uh, I¡­ I wanted to visit the Hall.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll accompany you,¡± Niel said with an awkward chuckle. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re fine being alone, Mari?¡± Instead of answering, she raised her book to cover her face. ¡°Okay¡­ Stay here till someone comes back.¡± Niel offered him an apologetic look and strode to the door holding it open for him. ¡°Thanks.¡± Kai was relieved when the chill hair washed over his body. He squinted at the light and drew his coat tighter. The sky was a piercing blue with only a thin veil of mist over the houses closer to the lake. They had crossed two semi-deserted streets before Neil asked the obvious question. ¡°Hmm, why do you want to go to the Hall?¡± ¡°I want to check the contract. Maybe they have finally updated it.¡± That was part of the reason. Amidst all the unknowns, there was one piece they hadn¡¯t probed: Belice, the friendly clerk of the Hall, who somehow got her hands on the location of Herry¡¯s house. Kea had insisted Belice had always been good at gathering rumors. Coincidences did happen, especially when Favor was involved, but Kai had the inkling there was more to it. Hallowed Intuition hummed in the back of his mind. The sound was soft, a thread of fate pulling him toward a potential lead. Chapter 285 - Humming Chapter 285 - Humming ¡°Are you alright, Mat?¡± Niel peered at him with a slight frown. They left the residential neighborhood, crossing the town center toward the Hall of Seekers. Stark glass windows opened on empty shops, apothecaries, tailors, runesmiths and bakers. The shadows of the owners fluttering inside. ¡°Uhm?¡± Kai stopped fidgeting with the buttons of his coat when his boots splashed in a muddy puddle. Focused on Hallowed Intuition¡¯s humming, he hadn¡¯t paid attention to the uneven cobbles of the road. ¡°Yeah, why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± Niel made to pat his shoulder before letting the arm fall back down. ¡°Look, it¡¯s normal to be shaken after what happened. You almost died. This situation is more than anyone can handle.¡± Is he worried about me¡­? Kai blinked, studying Niel back. The dark circle under his eyes and day-old stubble made the man look older than his twenty years. He still maintained the friendly air of the guy next door, always willing to lend a hand. A buff guy next door, trying to act like the responsible adult. Appearances could be deceiving, but the man hadn¡¯t given Kai any reason to suspect him. ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± he caught himself just before saying fine¡ªold habits die hard. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± Not much better. ¡°I¡¯m just tired. Your sofa was quite lumpy.¡± ¡°It came with the house. We never thought we¡¯d stay this long¡­¡± Niel chuckled with more gloom than mirth. They crossed the main square and turned into Hayze¡¯s Street, sharp gusts buffeting them forward. The few passersby hurried to their destinations wrapped in shawls and cloaks. It was like the whole town was holding its breath. ¡°You know, I¡¯ve always wanted to leave the archipelago,¡± Niel broke the silence, hands in his pockets to conserve warmth. ¡°When I was a child, I used to sneak into taverns to listen to sailors¡¯ tales of wild and mystic lands. You know, Wildcliff was so dull, and I wanted excitement.¡± He let out a bitter laugh. ¡°Now I would pay silver to listen to the waves crashing against the cliff.¡± He closed his eyes and breathed in, shaking his head. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m rambling. What I was trying to say is that I know the mainland can be overwhelming. Especially here.¡± His friendly wave at a duo of fishers across the street gained them a scowl. ¡°It must be much more than you bargained for. More than anyone could, really. It¡¯s very brave and kind to stay just to help us¡­¡± Hmm¡­ I didn¡¯t really¡ª wait! Is he suspicious of my story? With all the questions, dread and confusion after escaping Harry¡¯s house, Kai hadn¡¯t paid enough attention to his cover story. A shadowy cult, corrupt officials and unexplained abductions were more than an old acquaintance would be willing to face. Revealing his true relation with Kea would be harmless by itself, but once the first lie came out, the others would follow in a domino. He couldn¡¯t deal with the fallout of breaking Matthew¡¯s identity while unknown threats loomed over him. His time in the Hidden Sanctuary had accustomed him to danger, but human plots were uncharted territory. ¡°It¡¯ll be alright.¡± Niel gave a reassuring squeeze to his shoulder, mistaking the reason for his unease. The pale green eyes shone with concern. ¡°If you need to talk, I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°I¡ª thank you.¡± Kai hid his startle under a weak smile¡ªperhaps he was overthinking. Spirits, they¡¯ve only been adventuring on the mainland for a year. This conspiracy is more than any of us bargained for¡­ ¡°I want to find your teammate, so we can all leave,¡± Kai said truthfully. Two pale-faced kids observed them pass from a window, scurrying away in panic when he glanced back. Despite the clear air with scarcely any mist, Limgrell¡¯s quiet streets left him with an unsettling knot in his gut. ¡°We agree on that¡­¡± Niel tightened his coat against the cold gusts. ¡°I haven¡¯t properly thanked you for your help at the old tower.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t nothing. We might still be trapped there if you didn¡¯t come. I know Mari and Caeli aren¡¯t good at showing it, but we won¡¯t forget it.¡± Kai ran a hand through his hair. Did he deserve such praise? He had only cared about finding Kea, saving anyone else was a happy coincidence. ¡°I¡¯m glad I got there in time. It was a team effort. I would have been butchered by the cloud fairy alone.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s good you appeared when you did,¡± Niel said with a half-smile and gestured ahead. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re here.¡± They spotted the slate shingles of the Hall of Seeker over the line of houses, and soon the brick contraction came into view. Hallowed Intuition hummed in approval as they neared without offering any further clues. There was an opportunity here, a lead, if only he could figure out what to do. Niel stopped outside the heavy door. ¡°Is there anything in particular you want from Belice?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Kai froze, betraying himself before he could conceal his guilty expression. From the young man¡¯s smug smile, it hadn¡¯t been by accident. ¡°C¡¯mon, there aren¡¯t many other reasons to come. You could have just asked about her.¡± His voice lowered barely above the whistling wind. ¡°Belice has been a great help since we arrived here. Probably the only help we got. She¡¯s good at gathering rumors.¡± Yeah, Kea said the same¡­ Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. That was why he had only mentioned checking on the quest and not the clerk. He¡¯d rather not accuse one of their friends without evidence, but there was something odd with that girl. In the three days since he arrived, too many threads already led back to her. And the humming in his mind only strengthened his conviction. ¡°Why hasn¡¯t the contract been updated? It has been months with no progress. The Hall should have asked the guards to intervene, or whatever they do.¡± Niel threw a furtive glance behind him¡ªthe street was deserted. ¡°The administrators manage the quest board. I¡¯ve seen Belice send numerous requests to change the rating, but it¡¯s pointless. They spout a bunch of bureaucratic nonsense and bounce the responsibility between them.¡± His eyes narrowed. ¡°Don¡¯t you already know this? How long have you been on the mainland?¡± ¡°Not very long.¡± About the time to run from the Varsea to Limgrell. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t help that the people officially missing are a fraction of the real numbers. I don¡¯t know if an administrator was bribed or it¡¯s just incompetence. But they¡¯ll do nothing unless we bring some solid proof. And if we do that¡­¡± Niel let the words hang between them. We risk being the one getting silenced¡­ If there was a traitor on the inside, any attempt to go through the official channels risked warning the culprits. They would likely end up dead in a back alley, or worse, another one of the missing like Caeden. The Hall and the Republic would be no help, not in the short term. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious how Belice finds her information?¡± Kai switched back to the topic. ¡°From how you and Kea talk about her, Harry¡¯s house wasn¡¯t the first information she provided. And that guy sure didn¡¯t expect to find visitors.¡± Niel shrugged, still scanning the streets. ¡°Rumors spread. Everyone has their skills. I admit knowing Harry¡¯s location was a little unusual. Her tips are usually about gossip, but stranger things happen. Don¡¯t you have any secrets?¡± His gaze seemed far too knowing. ¡°You can¡¯t demand to know everything about everyone you meet.¡± Then how do you trust them? ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡­¡± Kai failed to find an argument that didn¡¯t require him to reveal Hallowed Intuition. ¡°I''ll ask her about it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve nothing against that. But I can¡¯t think she had anything to gain from revealing Harry¡¯s hideout. We can¡¯t afford to offend one of the few people who are on our side.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be polite.¡± Niel scratched his chin, giving him a long look. ¡°What?¡± Kai stared back defiantly. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. You¡¯re just very¡­ direct.¡± Niel pushed open the door of the Hall. The rusty hinges creaked like a howling wraith. ¡°I can¡¯t believe they haven¡¯t fixed them yet,¡± he grumbled, heading inside without further delay. The enchanted walls shielded the hall from the outside cold. Kai rubbed his hands, warming his numb fingers. Flickering crystal globes lit the large open space, the manned front desk waited in the same corner, only it was already occupied by a group of adventurers. Five men dressed in mismatched pieces of armor hid Belice from view, their voices muffled by an array. From their travel-worn appearances, they must be coming from the road. A burly fellow leaning on a spear noticed them enter; he gave them a cursory glance before turning back to his companions. Kai walked up to the line to wait for their turn. From what he could see, the sound enchantments worked both ways once activated. ¡°I thought we were the only adventurers in Limgrell.¡± ¡°There is Miles¡¯ group too, but these guys are new.¡± Niel spared the group hardly a look. ¡°Many teams come looking for the gold reward. They never stay long once they realize it¡¯s not an easy score. There used to be a new one every couple of days, but the flow has slowed a lot. I guess voices must be spreading.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve heard something similar in Varsea.¡± Kai caught himself before he could check their grade by habit. If they noticed his touch, there wasn¡¯t anyone else to blame in the empty hall. What are the chances one of them is a mage? Channeling Body Augmentation to enhance his sight, he studied their equipment with Mana Analyst. Despite their bedraggled visage, they carried many enchanted pieces. The swords and spear sported intricate runic engraving, likely mid-yellow. Their grades can¡¯t be much lower to afford those¡­ It would be good to learn how to judge grades without Mana Observer. The humming had quietened once he entered the Hall, it could mean he had already fulfilled the suggestions or lost his chance. Against common sense, Hallowed Intuition managed to be even more cryptic when his life wasn¡¯t in danger. Uh, wait a second¡­ Could the new guys be linked to what the skill was trying to tell him? He assumed the humming rose when he considered interrogating Belice, but it could also be for the idea of visiting the Hall. Yatei grant me patience. Why do you have to be so damn frustrating? Behind the sound wards, the discussion was growing heated. While he couldn¡¯t hear the words, the adventurers'' demanding gestures and posture was blatant. ¡°Should we do something?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Niel shook his head. ¡°No one becomes a front clerk without knowing how to deal with rowdy seekers. Bel can handle herself.¡± True to his word, the adventurer¡¯s demeanor quickly switched from aggressive to subdued. Holding a crumpled sheet of paper, the leading swordsman turned to leave followed by the others. ¡°¡­cursed backwater.¡± His sour grumbles echo through the hall as the wards deactivated. Upon spotting them, a sneer painted his angular features, ¡°Stay out of the way, rookies. The prize is ours.¡± They strode straight through them for the exit. Kai narrowly sidestepped. Up close, wisps of aura slipped from their control¡ªperhaps an intentional attempt to intimidate. His hunch had been correct, they were all Yellow, the swordsman probably even mid-grade. Before he could think of approaching them, the creaking door had opened and closed behind the five. Kai exhaled with relief when the faint humming barely wavered¡ªthey weren¡¯t the focus of his lead. ¡°Oh, Niel.¡± Belice waved them closer from the desk. Her smile made a dimple appear on her cheek. She cleaned her enchanted spectacles with a silver handkerchief and neatly folded it in the sleeve of her blouse. ¡°I was happy to hear you had all returned safely.¡± ¡°Yeah, it was lucky Mat arrived when he did.¡± Niel clapped his back, forcing him to step closer to the polished desk. ¡°I heard we have to thank you for giving him directions.¡± ¡°Oh, that was nothing. I could tell he was an honest guy.¡± Belice adjusted the glasses on her straight nose to stare at Kai. Her chestnut hair was pulled in a single braid today. ¡°So, what can I do for you?¡± ¡°I need some information.¡± Kai cleared his throat, mainly to take time. Indeed, if she hadn''t told him about Kea¡¯s location that day, he might not have made it in time to the tower. If she¡¯s playing us, I can¡¯t see what¡¯s her goal¡­ Skimming through his options, he picked the most straightforward path. ¡°How did you find Harry¡¯s house? Did you know he was working with the people responsible for the abductions?¡± Belice slammed her knee beneath the desk, her milky face turning a shade paler. Sound wards flared to life around them. ¡°Please, mind your words.¡± Her dark eyes rose to the beams of the ceiling. ¡°Even if I¡¯m the only one working, I¡¯m not the only person in the building.¡± Niel stared icy daggers at him with a look that promised an extensive earful. Hey, you were the one who said I was direct. ¡°Sorry,¡± Kai muttered¡ªthe humming had faded away. He had hoped her reactions would clue him on her allegiances, but apart from shock, there was nothing else useful. ¡°We almost died in that house, more than once. How did you get your hands on that information, please?¡± Belice pursed her lips, eyes burning with irritation, though when she spoke her tone was just a little sharp. ¡°Kea told me the intel about the tower came from Harry. So when it turned out it was a trap, I looked into him.¡± ¡°You looked into him?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m good at gathering rumors. I had an inkling of where Harry hid from his reputation. Then, two days ago, someone saw a hooded individual matching his description run into that house. I imagine when his trap at the old tower failed, he panicked and slipped. ¡°Obviously, I had no idea he was involved with the missing people. If he really was. Or I would have never told Kea.¡± She looked up at him with puffed-up cheeks. ¡°Now, tell me something, Mat. Did you burn down his house? That fire nearly swallowed the outskirts.¡± ¡°I swear he did that all on his own.¡± Kai pulled back, suddenly feeling his face heat up. He had been so sure this teenage girl was hiding something¡­ Was I wrong? Her explanation sounded awfully reasonable. Maybe it was all a coincidence. After all, she was good at gathering rumors¡­ Chapter 286 - The Missing Chapter 286 - The Missing Belice drummed her fingers on the dark oak desk, the tapping echoing in the empty Hall. ¡°Are you saying Harry burned down his own house?¡± ¡°Kea mentioned some kind of magic trap.¡± Niel took the burden of explaining the events. ¡°The fire wasn¡¯t intentional¡­¡± Their words became an indistinct murmur in the background. Kai couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something was off. A thought fluttered at the edge of his mind¡ªbut no matter how hard he focused, he couldn¡¯t pin it down. Is she lying? Belice¡¯s explanation made sense: she was good at gathering rumors. It could be a quirk of her profession. He had no proof that she was hiding something aside from a vague hunch. Without her tip, they would still have no idea who was behind the disappearances. ¡°¡­Mat?¡± Niel tapped his arm. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯m fine.¡± Kai tried to recall the last bits of the conversation. ¡°Sorry, what were you saying?¡± ¡°Is there anything else you need?¡± Belice gave him the polite smile of a clerk faced with an annoying customer. ¡°I don¡¯t mind the company, but I¡¯ve got some paperwork to get through before lunch.¡± She peered at him, the golden frame of her enchanted glasses glowing with tightly woven runes. Hmm¡­ What are those for¡­? His skills detected no flaws in the cloaking. The challenge of picking them apart made him itch, but she would definitely notice. Now¡¯s not the time. Stop getting distracted! ¡°I¡­¡± Kai chewed his cheek. What should he ask? Hallowed Intuition had gone silent without another hint; he might see a payoff weeks from now, or have missed what he was supposed to do entirely. Damn, say something before this gets more embarrassing. ¡°Did the contract for the missing people receive any update?¡± He returned the affable smile, trying not to stare too intently. ¡°Yes and no¡­ One moment¡­¡± Belice bowed behind the desk, shuffling some papers. She almost hit her head when she stood up holding a file. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you the details of the contract¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Is it revenge for my questions? ¡°Does nobody read what they sign anymore?¡± Belice tugged her braid with an exasperated huff. Crouching behind the desk again, she pulled a heavy tome from a drawer with a groan of effort. The weathered leather cover thumped on the desk with a puff of dust. ¡°This.¡± She heaved and wiped the dust from her nose. ¡°Is The Seekers Codex. Contrary to what people say, seekers do follow rules. Even if the code of conduct isn¡¯t enforced any longer, our members should know the basics.¡± Kai glanced at the yellowing pages. With the preserving enchantments on the spine, this copy must be positively ancient to look this worn. ¡°Oh, you mean my seeker rank?¡± He took out the iron badge he got in Varsea. The metal was shaped like a shield, sporting a quill over a map¡ªsomething to do with the founding history of the seekers. ¡°Yes.¡± Belice nodded, looking pleasantly surprised. ¡°Members can only check contracts up to one rank higher than their rating. You¡¯re a Red ¡ï seeker with no quests completed.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you show it to me, then.¡± Niel leaned on the desk, offering her a polished copper badge. There were three stars carved above the crest, the map was engraved with meticulous details that showed a region of the Republic. ¡°Unless the contract has been raised above Yellow ¡ï.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Belice muttered something about the spirit of the rules and pursed her lips. ¡°Okay, fine! Just this once. The administration refused to raise the grade of the contract, but there has been another update.¡± She opened the file on the desk and flipped it toward them to read. ¡°The bounty has been raised to twenty golds.¡± ¡°Twenty gold mesars?¡± Niel almost sputtered. ¡°That¡¯s the rate for a contract at the peak of Yellow.¡± ¡°Yes, the reward and fee were paid yesterday. I¡¯ve no idea how those guys already knew.¡± She waved to the door where the rowdy adventurers had disappeared. ¡°You can expect more teams to arrive once the voice spreads. Jingle a few mesars and the young fools seem to lose all sense.¡± ¡°Twenty mesars isn¡¯t a little gold¡­¡± Niel clenched his jaw, his expression darkening. ¡°This will turn even more messy. How can they afford four times the reward?¡± ¡°More people have gone missing, so more families chipped in to pay.¡± Belice adjusted her glasses with a grimace. ¡°Apparently, Aldred also received a small fortune no one knew about. An inheritance from some uncle in Kertoll.¡± Niel¡¯s eyebrows climbed his forehead. ¡°That must have been quite the inheritance. He hadn¡¯t said anything when we last talked¡­¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Aldred?¡± Kai looked up from the papers before the conversation slipped away entirely. ¡°His daughter was one of the first people to go missing,¡± Niel said with a sigh. ¡°He organized the families of the victims to place the contract at the Hall when the guards ditched the investigation. Nothing would have been done without him. He still hopes we¡¯ll find his daughter alive even if it has been three months.¡± ¡°Almost four.¡± Belice slumped into her chair. ¡°Hmm¡­ Does he live close by?¡± Kai asked softly. ¡°I¡¯d like to talk to him.¡± He had seen enough crime shows to know that questioning the victims¡¯ families was the basics of an investigation. Niel glanced out of the large opaque windows of the Hall. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be much use. We¡¯ve talked with the families and friends of the victims. No one saw anything. The people disappeared into the mist without a trace.¡± ¡°A new perspective could help.¡± Or perhaps he would get a bout of luck. ¡°I¡¯ll try to make it brief.¡± ¡°Trying doesn¡¯t hurt. Aldred¡¯s never bothered to talk with adventurers wishing to help.¡± Belice intervened to his surprise. She wiped the dust from the codex, putting it back into the drawer. ¡°You haven¡¯t officially accepted the contract. So keep in mind you won¡¯t receive any reward or recognition no matter what you find.¡± ¡°I can still investigate, right?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ As long as you don¡¯t break the law.¡± Her dark eyes squared him up. ¡°Without a quest, you won¡¯t have Hall protection for minor infractions.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. No more burning buildings. ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Kai dipped his head in thanks. With his new identity, he¡¯d have to keep away from the guards either way. Niel shifted his gaze between them, a little sullen. ¡°Then we better go.¡± He put away his badge. ¡°We can stop by Aldred before noon if we hurry. I don¡¯t like leaving Mari alone all day.¡± ¡°Stay safe.¡± Belice waved them off. ¡°I¡¯ll call you all together if I hear an interesting rumor.¡± The chill air outside stung Kai¡¯s cheeks after the warmth of the Hall. The mist had risen from the lake to swallow the town; even the sparse passerby had disappeared. Glancing at both sides of the empty street, he looked at his guide. ¡°Where do we go?¡± Niel stood by the creaking door, arms crossed before his chest. ¡°I¡¯d like a warning next time you plan to accuse someone. I told you Bel is one of the few people who has helped us since coming to Limgrell.¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± He had been so sure that something was up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I was rude. I thought it¡¯d be better to get straight to the topic instead of dancing around it.¡± The young man scrubbed a hand through his short hair and shook his head. ¡°Blessed spirits, you¡¯re just like Kea.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Kai blurted before his brain could think better, his voice climbing an octave higher. He turned to the mists to look nonchalant, cold sweat already on his back. ¡°What do you even mean?¡± ¡°Nothing. You¡¯ll see when you know her better.¡± Niel chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re lucky Bel doesn¡¯t get offended easily. I can introduce you to Aldred but try to be a little more considerate. That man has suffered enough since his daughter disappeared.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll use more tact,¡± he promised, glad to cut away from his sister. Niel peered into the swirling fog that shrouded the street. ¡°Good. We can check if Aldred is home. He lives near the outskirts. Stay close. It¡¯s easy to get lost in town when the mist rises.¡± Kai spread Mana Observer around him and channeled Body Augmentation to enhance his senses. Droplets rhythmically dripped from a slate roof, soft voices murmured in a house across the street and an awakened cormorant creaked its call near the docks. Beasts around human settlements were tamer than their counterparts in high mana zones. It was a truce born from thousands of years of cohabitation, any beasts that wildly attacked wouldn¡¯t live long enough to enjoy the few easy pickings. Natural selection at its finest. Kai doubted he would ever get used to it. Tamer didn¡¯t mean tame. On their way to Limgrell, Daniel had told him enough stories of men devoured in their beds to fill his nightmares. Stray beasts wandered out of their lairs or went crazy with hunger after an advancement. He rubbed his arms to shave off the chill mist. The sun was a pale light above, painting the world in frosty white. His thoughts drifted to Belice. Despite his unorthodox approach, she had been nothing but helpful. Hmm, she didn¡¯t bat an eye when I told her Harry was working with the culprits¡­ That revelation should have elicited some reaction. Unless someone expected that¡­ She must really be good at gathering rumors¡­ Kai couldn¡¯t shake off the impression that something kept slipping his mind. His thoughts run in circles. ¡°We¡¯re almost there. You good?¡± Niel watched him with a furrow. ¡°I know I can be a little overbearing. With everything that happened, it¡¯s just¡­ ¡°Everyone''s a little tense. No need to apologize,¡± Kai smiled. ¡°You said you talked to all the families of the victims. Did you learn anything useful?¡± ¡°Not much,¡± he grimaced. ¡°Most people have disappeared outside the town walls, others were on the streets, or even in their own homes. Someone loses sight of them in the mist, the next moment, they¡¯re gone. No witnesses to what actually happened. ¡°Aldred¡¯s daughter was checking their fishing vessel a dozen meters from her father when she was taken. He didn¡¯t hear a whisper. When Aldred realized she was missing, he scoured the lake for days thinking she had drowned before he heard of other disappearances¡­¡± His voice died down, replaced by their steps squelching down a muddy street. They stopped before a wooden building, yellow paint peeling off the boards that weren¡¯t already rotten. ¡°We¡¯re here. Aldred should be home.¡± Niel squinted at the light flickering behind the thick curtains covering the windows. ¡°I warn you he has already told us anything he knows.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be considerate.¡± Kai couldn¡¯t see the conditions of the upper floor in the mist, but it didn¡¯t look like the house of someone who had helped put up a twenty-gold bounty. He must have invested everything in that contract¡­ The door opened on the second knock, letting light and warmth spill outside. ¡°Niel, so nice to see you.¡± A middle-aged man with a flat nose greeted them with a smile. ¡°And who¡¯s your friend? Why don¡¯t you come to warm up inside? I was just brewing some tea. This weather is dreadful.¡± ¡°This is Matthew. He¡¯s from¡­¡± Niel couldn¡¯t finish the introduction when Aldred dragged them in. The house was clean, if a little messy. Fishing nets, rods and hooks hung from the walls, speaking of a lifetime of use. A fire crackled over an iron array, giving the space a homely feel that contrasted with the bleak outside. ¡°Please sit.¡± Aldred strode to the stove in the kitchen angle, a teapot already whistling. He grabbed three chipped mugs from a cupboard, stretching to reach a jar of tea leaves. ¡°I imagine you have heard of the increased bounty. Everyone contributed what they could with a little convincing,¡± he chortled, holding his belly. ¡°Hopefully, we¡¯ll get someone who can find my Lily. You know most adventures don¡¯t have the patience if they don¡¯t get immediate results. Not like you lot¡­ mhmm¡­¡± He turned to them, gaze lit by a quivering hope. ¡°Tell me, did¡­ Did you find anything new?¡± ¡°We¡¯re following a new lead.¡± Niel pressed his lips. ¡°It¡¯s too soon to say. I¡¯m sorry we can¡¯t do more.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t say that my boy.¡± A glimpse of gloom was hidden behind a laugh. ¡°You¡¯re doing good. Very good. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll save her. And everybody else¡­ yes, she¡¯ll be fine¡­¡± Aldred busied himself with the teapot, his mumbles growing too soft to make out. Kai followed Niel¡¯s lead and sat at the table. A steaming green cup was soon placed in front of him. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m out of honey.¡± Aldred rubbed his balding head. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°I prefer it without.¡± Kai used a few specks of Water mana to not scald himself and took a sip. The floral blend didn¡¯t contend with the richness of the merman¡¯s brews, but with the cold that had seeped into his bones, the warmth was all he needed. ¡°It¡¯s perfect.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, kid. No need for flattery.¡± The man gave another booming laugh and clapped his back with enough strength to rock his bones. ¡°The market is quite scarce. You know, people prefer to remain indoors with what¡¯s happening. Hopefully, we¡¯ll get another caravan before winter.¡± Kai smiled, taking another sip while Aldred continued speaking. The man seemed to have no problem holding a conversation with a few prompts from Niel. Spirits, it was much easier when they were just numbers¡­ His gaze stopped on the lifelike portrait of a young woman standing on a maple cabinet. The silver frame shone with a recent polish, making it easy to guess her identity. She was pretty if not beautiful, with golden hair and bright orange eyes. ¡°That¡¯s my Lily.¡± Aldred followed his gaze, plucking the picture with delicate fingers. ¡°She took the beauty from her mom, you know.¡± He gently brushed the already sparking frame with his sleeve, his smile growing strained. ¡°She will be twenty-two this winter. I want her to marry, but she insists she already has everything she needs. She was stubborn like that since she learned to talk. She always knows what she wants¡­¡± Despite his plump gut and easy laugh, his face suddenly looked gaunt and his eyes sunken by dark circles. ¡°I¡¯m sure that she¡¯ll be fine.¡± He laid the portrait back on the cabinet, blowing his nose on a patched handkerchief. ¡°Uhm¡­ thank you for listening to my rambles. Why don¡¯t you tell me why you¡¯ve come? If there is anything I can do, you just have to ask.¡± ¡°It¡¯s never a bother.¡± Niel put his cup down. ¡°Mat wanted to ask some questions about what happened that day¡­¡± When they left the house an hour later, the cold felt sharper. The mist had grown denser, the sky darker despite being close to noon. While Aldred had been eager to recount the events with rehearsed practice, Kai couldn¡¯t pick any useful details. As Niel anticipated, Lily¡¯s disappearance happened in a moment of distraction near the docks, not a sound or hair left behind. The same went for the other missings that the old fisherman knew about. Some of them disappeared inside the town. Are they still here? How is it possible that no one noticed anything? I guess it could be magic or a combination of skills¡­ He got a headache considering all the possibilities the Guide created. ¡°We better get back to the house before the others worry.¡± Niel scowled at wispy plumes veiling the streets, shoulders slumped. He had grown gloomier hearing the stories of the other people abducted, probably reminded of his teammate. ¡°Damned Ancestors¡­ I can¡¯t believe someone¡¯s doing this. What do they even gain from abducting a bunch of random people¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll find them.¡± Kai was surprised by the conviction in his voice. ¡°Caeden, Lily and all the others.¡± ¡°I¡­ Thank you, Mat. I think I needed to hear that.¡± What he couldn¡¯t promise was that they would be alive. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Anyway, how was he?¡± Kai asked to stave off the oppressive silence as they headed back toward the center. ¡°Caeden, I mean. Everyone keeps mentioning him.¡± Niel stayed quiet long enough to make Kai doubt he would answer at all before finally speaking. ¡°Well, he was great. You know those people who are annoyingly good at everything they do. But you can¡¯t hate them because they¡¯re also nice and humble. Well, he was just like that. It felt that no matter what happened, he always had the solution to everything. ¡°We were barely scraping by when we joined teams and chased contracts together. It¡¯s strange, we traveled together for only a few months, but it feels so much longer¡­¡± Niel said, his expression shrouded by the ghostly mist. ¡°I miss him¡­ Though it¡¯s not as bad as for Caeli.¡± ¡°They were in a relationship?¡± ¡°In a relationship¡­?¡± he muttered, confused. ¡°Oh, no. No, nothing like that. Caeden is Caeli¡¯s brother. I thought someone would have told you. He was closer to Kea in that way. Even if they would have rather drowned than admitted anything.¡± Chapter 287 - Thickening Mist Chapter 287 - Thickening Mist Kai grimaced as the cold air stung his face. Before awareness fully returned to him, his senses scanned across the empty room for threats. He was pleased with how quickly the habits he developed in the Sanctuary returned. The arrays he had scribbled on the windows and door showed no sign of breaking or tampering, though he knew that wasn¡¯t always reliable. Mana Observer spread through every inch of the newly rented house for any sign of intrusion. Separated by a thin wall, Flynn slept, buried in pillows. Rain was missing from the adjacent bedroom and had already moved to the living space. He sat at the center table, browsing his growing collection of carved animals. When the skill brushed him, he tilted his head and waved through the wall. How can he always notice¡­ The warmth of the bed enticed Kai to lay five more minutes and forget about the world. He considered relenting, then his worries crushed the temptation. Hallowed Intuition thrummed, low and ominous. The sign was so subtle he wasn¡¯t sure when it had begun, sometime in the two days since visiting the Hall. Demanding more clarity from the skill would be like asking a fish to recite poetry: utterly pointless. If he focused his Mind, he could brush a sea of tangled murmurs. Danger loomed near with no indication of its nature or when it would strike. Kai suppressed a shiver when his bare foot touched the cold stone tiles. The day prior an apprentice tanner had gone missing, dispelling any hope that Harry¡¯s fiery death had rattled the abductors into hiding. The girl lived in the northern outskirts. There were no witnesses or traces of struggle, just two heartbroken parents worried for their daughter. If our numbers are right, there are over thirty missing. They must have left a clue somewhere. Where do they bring them¡­? The abductors moved like wraiths, coming and going with the mist. A long sigh escaped his lips, creating a fleeting fog in the cold air. I need to get some heating arrays. The Red-3 density could sustain enchantments that would have required manual recharging in the archipelago. And empty houses for rent were another thing the town wasn¡¯t lacking. Kea¡¯s place had been too small to host them permanently. They found a nearby building that should be visible from across the street. Kai drew back the frayed brown curtain, airy plumes of mist swirled outside the glass panes, an ever-changing pattern of monotonous white. It had been less than a week since they arrived at the Lake of Myst, and he could swear each day was colder than the last. An ever-present nuisance as if to remind him he wasn¡¯t welcome here. Don¡¯t worry, the feeling is mutual. He slipped into proper clothes, pressing his lips when the icy shirt touched his skin. The fabric had been enchanted to shield him from the cold, but only once he wore it. Before coming to Limgrell, he had never wished that his Fire affinity were higher¡ªsatisfied with his lot¡ªnow that was becoming an everyday occurrence. Training was going slow. With his meager talent for the element, it might take months to cast the most basic cantrip. I¡¯ll just buy some heating enchantments. There was an enchanter shop near the square¡­ He already had too many side projects to engrave arrays himself. Studying the jagged runes he recovered at the tower and the diary from the Intrepid took precedence. There were also dozens of places and missing people to check, on top of the list of names they took from Harry. The tasks kept piling up with little reward. ¡°Morning.¡± Kai walked into the living room. ¡°Morning. I made you tea!¡± Rain perched on a high stool, wearing an unbuttoned half-sleeves shirt, unbothered by the cold. He proudly gestured to a steaming cup already set with an underplate and a spoon. ¡°That¡¯s for me?¡± He took a seat. ¡°Thanks.¡± The siren grinned with expectant eyes, immune to Limgrell¡¯s gloom. ¡°I saw you were awake. And you drink tea every morning.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Kai sipped the dark amber liquid, hiding a grimace at the sour taste. The leaves had been infused for too long. ¡°It¡¯s perfect.¡± He let three sugar cubes drop out of his ring. ¡°Isn¡¯t this what friends do?¡± Rain beamed. ¡°Uhm¡­ Do you think Flynn will like it too?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll definitely appreciate it.¡± Kai smiled. After all, it would be cruel to douse such enthusiasm. The siren picked the tea leaves from a tin box one by one. A cup flew out of a cabinet into his hand carried by a thin stream of water, more water condensed inside, and a blue fire sprouted under it. ¡°Is that Fire Magic¡­?¡± He blinked at the brightness. The siren glanced at the flame heating the cup he was holding as if it wasn¡¯t worth mentioning. ¡°I¡¯m not very good at it. Mother said it was a waste of time. You know, there is not much use for fire in the depths.¡± ¡°I see¡­ then, it¡¯s good you¡¯re not there anymore.¡± Kai took another sip to drown the spike of jealousy. He had accepted they were born of two different worlds, but damn, did Rain have to beat him at everything? The unaware siren peered at the strings of bubbles inside the cup with a studious look. ¡°I can teach you if you want. Though I only know a couple basic spells.¡± ¡°I¡ª if it¡¯s not a bother.¡± Kai already owed him for staying in this cursed town to help his sister. He would bet his ring the siren definition of basic was very different from his own. ¡°No bother. It¡¯ll be fun.¡± He added the leaves with the fire still going. ¡°Minor affinities can be tough to use.¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Kai bit his tongue seeing Rain butcher another tea with intent focus. They idly chatted about spellcraft till Flynn joined them. ¡°You both up.¡± His friend stifled a yawn with a hand. His smile turned stiff when he tasted the tea. ¡°That¡¯s good. Thank you, Rain.¡± ¡°Really? Think I can try making dinner tonight? I always wanted to try cooking.¡± Oh, boy¡­ Guess he¡¯s not good at everything. Kai rested his chin on his hand to hide a chuckle. They finished breakfast while Flynn diverted the siren from his culinary endeavors. It was nice to forget the crazy conspiracy infesting Limgrell, even if for just a few minutes. ¡°I have to go meet Niel.¡± Kai rummaged through his ring for a silver pocket watch¡ªthe sun outside would be no help to tell the hour. ¡°I want to visit the location of yesterday¡¯s abduction. Maybe there is something they missed.¡± ¡°Wait up!¡± Flynn downed the last sip of the tea and went to grab his coat. ¡°I¡¯ll accompany you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I just have to cross a street.¡± ¡°People disappeared by crossing a corner. No one moves alone.¡± ¡°What about Rain?¡± Kai grabbed his scarf from a chair. ¡°He¡¯ll be stuck here by himself.¡± The siren looked up from smelling the tea box. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± He materialized a pile of human trinkets on the table. ¡°I need to make an inventory of what I¡¯ve got. And Mari lent me some interesting books to read.¡± He can probably take care of himself better than us¡­ Memories of a dark forest resurfaced; rain and blood mixed in the mud, and so many bodies. Rain might be sheltered and inexperienced, but he was most definitely not defenseless. Flynn threw on a black coat and a wide-brim hat. ¡°Okay, stay safe. I¡¯ll come back for lunch.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try cooking something,¡± Rain said with a bright smile. Guess I¡¯ll eat at Kea¡¯s house. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± As soon as Kai opened the door, wispy tendrils of mist extended like ghostly arms into the house. He hurried outside, struggling to see beyond a few meters in front of him without his skills. ¡°And I thought it couldn¡¯t get worse¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s unusual even for those around here.¡± Flynn rubbed his arms. ¡°Kern said it never gets this dense before the peak of winter, if it does at all.¡± ¡°Kern?¡± ¡°Met him at the Wandering Sage last night. Nice guy. He mends nets down at the docks and gets really chatty after a few drinks. I think he also hates this town¡­.¡± ¡°How did you convince a local to talk?¡± Kai stood in stunned surprise. ¡°I had to basically beg the vendor to buy a notebook. It was as if they were doing me a favor to take my money.¡± ¡°Have you tried being irresistibly charming?¡± Flynn winked. His grin never faltered when he was met with silence and a flat look. ¡°The locals aren¡¯t so bad, a little paranoid perhaps. But who can blame them? You just gotta show them you¡¯re also human. Alcohol helps, especially if you¡¯re the one paying.¡± Bribe and get them drunk. Such sound advice. An iron fence appeared through the fog. Kai squinted to make out the apartment Kea was renting beyond. A clumsy skill washed over them before the door opened a crack. ¡°You¡¯re early. Come in.¡± Niel threw furtive looks at the mist, quickly shutting the door behind them. His face had grown paler in the last days. ¡°Just give me one minute and I¡¯m ready.¡± With the new leads to investigate, the house had only grown messier. Kea and Caeli had left to check the names found at Harry¡¯s place. If they located the next victim before the abductors, they could set up an ambush, though the disappearance of the apprentice tanner wasn¡¯t boding well. She hadn''t been on any list. ¡°I¡¯ll stay here till you¡¯re back. Taverns don''t fill out before dusk anyway.¡± Flynn went to join Mari hidden by a pile of books and documents, happy to bring on a one-sided conversation with her. Kai enjoyed the heated house just enough to miss it when they were back on the streets headed for the northern outskirts. Niel walked beside him, his tired gaze on the fog, fiddling with the belt where he kept a short sword. They walked into the thickening mist. Their steps echoed by Hallowed Intuition thrumming. ~ ~ ~ Rain stored the carving of a bird with wide grumpy eyes and a hooked beak, the creatures of the surface were all so strange and fuzzy. Pity he couldn¡¯t touch a real owl. How did feathers feel? How did it feel to fly? His mother would slap him for such silly thoughts. Sirens were made for the ocean and nothing else. But she wasn¡¯t here. The thought clenched his stomach, he still expected one of her guardians to jump out of a cabinet and drag him back. Weeks had gone by since his escape, but he didn¡¯t delude himself into thinking she had given up. Be it a day or a century, defeat wasn¡¯t something his mother contemplated. Still, going on dry land had been the right choice. He was free. The call of the sea bothered him sometimes, a yearning for the waves, like a thirst that could never be sated. A part of him was missing. It wasn¡¯t just his innate gifts fading, the world itself seemed to lose its glimmer, his senses growing duller. There was a reason if exile on land was a punishment on par with death, and far more shameful. Eventually, he would need to return to embrace the deep or go mad with the rattles. It might take years if he was lucky. He heard of sirens spending decades on land, but not on their first outings. Perhaps that was his mother¡¯s plan? She¡¯ll wait a long time then. Rain fidgeted with the shells on his bracelet. A pale conch veined in gold¡ªLeima¡¯s gift¡ªcarried wards to hide him from dozens of scrying schools of magic. The array was too intricate for him to make out and more valuable than the spatial silver shell. Yet, he didn¡¯t doubt his mother would find a way around it, especially if he touched the sea where sirens¡¯ magic was stronger. Rain shook his head, he was being silly. What was the point of leaving the sea if he still lived in her shadow? His mother would always scheme, he had simpler and more direct problems to face. He promised Kai to help his sister, and Kea was honor-bound to recover her teammate before they could leave. Hmm¡­ are they making a move? A presence had been spying on them for the past day. Rain hoped they would get hasty and strike if he were alone, but they kept their distance. And now the spy was gone entirely. He waited in case it was some kind of test, leafing through a bestiary of landbound creatures. A dozen pages later, he was sure the presence wasn¡¯t coming back to target him. Pity. What are they waiting for? Villains always attacked the protagonist in novels, and half of the stories he read were old reports of actual events. Why were these abductors so incompetent? Should he go out into the mists? There had been disappearances inside houses once the target was alone. Depth. I should have expected some deviation in real life¡­ Shady conspiracies and cults worshiping fallen gods were another subject he had studied, be it in stories or from eavesdropping on his mother¡¯s private meetings. Though he never thought they¡¯d be quite so frustrating to flush out. The pesky presence refused to commit to a proper assault. Could they know it was a trap? No, he had been careful not to reveal any hint of his skills since coming to this gloomy town. If the prey wasn¡¯t taking the bait, he¡¯d just have to find another way. The fog was growing denser outside, but vapor was just water: only fools would use water against a siren. Rain glanced at the empty cups on the table. He had said he¡¯d stay in this shack till they returned, but he needed to leave if he wanted to help Kea and keep his promise. I¡¯ll come back before they do. He pulled the teacups in the sink. Something had gone wrong brewing with the tea, though he wasn¡¯t sure exactly what. Both Kai and Flynn had lied to save his feelings. That was¡­ odd, and nice in a weird way. Strangeness seemed a persistent characteristic of land creatures and culture. Don¡¯t get distracted. Rain pinched his cheek, he had a mission to accomplish. Marching to his room, he laid his land clothes on the bed, those they bought in Varsea and a few he found at the market. Everything here was so cheap. How many should I wear? I should have asked Flynn¡­ The air outside was warm compared to the depths, but humans had strange taboos about going around naked. He wanted to wear an appropriate number of layers to not call attention to himself. Two shirts, an enchanted leather coat and three scarves should do it. Maybe a hat or two? Kai often complained about the cold. Better to exceed. At most, I¡¯ll store them in a conch. Donned into an appropriate number of layers, Rain tightly tied the laces of his boots. It had been a week since he tripped himself, and he intended to keep his streak. Feet were clumsy compared to fins, but that was more a result of moving through air and not water, locked to skulk on the ground like a crab. You¡¯re getting distracted again. A thousand land curiosities always called his attention. He grabbed another hat for good measure; it was made of blue wool with a fuzzy ball on top. Ready, he walked into the mist outside toward the Hall of Seekers. There was another lead Kai had mentioned and suddenly abandoned. From the snippets Rain overheard, he had an inkling about what was going on. Chapter 288 - Rumors and Lies Chapter 288 - Rumors and Lies The door to the Hall of Seekers swung open with an odious creaking that made Rain cringe. Everything was louder on the surface, sounds grated on his ears. The way here had been tediously uneventful. No presence tried to spy on him, much less approach. A strange guilt poked him for visiting the Hall without his friends¡¯ knowledge, even if it was for their sake. I¡¯ll tell them once I¡¯ve confirmed what I¡¯ve found. It was more efficient to come alone. The layers of clothes he was wearing made the Hall stiflingly warm. Rain untied his scarves, pulling them beneath his coat to store them away. Across the room, six human adventurers drank beers at a table, likely another group lured by the paltry bounty. Their suspicious gazes washed over him; they stopped to do a double take and stare at his face. From the low sense of threat, they lacked notable skills despite reaching Yellow. Rain put them out of his mind and headed to the front desk. Flynn and Kai often repeated to be careful, but how could he be wary of humans weaker than his eight-year-old self? ¡°Hi.¡± The clerk¡ªBelice¡ªcalled his attention to her. ¡°How may I help you?¡± She closed a notebook with a pen to keep the mark and smiled politely, adjusting her gold-rimmed glasses. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Oraine.¡± Resting one arm on the counter, he reciprocated the smile, quirking his lip slightly on one side. Perfect symmetry could appear cold or unapproachable, and he needed her to talk. Sirens were considered mesmerizing by most races, a positive first impression or infatuation made sapient individuals more susceptible to swaying. While his gift had dried up with the miles from the sea, he couldn¡¯t easily eliminate habits instilled since childhood. ¡°You''re friends with Matthew, right? Is he okay?¡± Her spectacled eyes studied him. There wasn¡¯t the glimmer of attraction or even the surprise of finding a beautiful painting. She might as well have been looking at a fistful of sand. ¡°You can let him know the contract hasn¡¯t changed since he last checked.¡± Any other time Rain would have found her lack of reaction delightfully refreshing, right now it was inconvenient. Did she have a skill to maintain composure? An artifact? Or had leaving the sea affected him more profoundly than he predicted? It had barely been a few weeks, too soon for the rattles to manifest¡­ The impulse of pulling out a mirror swept him in panic. No. I¡¯m jumping to conclusions. He wrestled his thoughts back under control. Something else was going on. The last time he had visited the Hall, he hadn¡¯t spoken with Belice though he had gotten the impression her behavior was off. And he was becoming ever more certain. ¡°Mat¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll make sure to tell him about the contract.¡± Rain fidgeted with the shells on his bracelet. ¡°I came to talk to you, actually.¡± It was more direct than he had planned on being. His skills could pick apart the truth from the girl, but that would be rude and boorish¡ªand no fun at all. ¡°What about it?¡± If Belice was alarmed, nothing in her demeanor gave it away, only appearing mildly curious. A privacy ward sprung up around them. ¡°If it¡¯s relevant to the Hall, I¡¯ll do my best to answer.¡± ¡°Have you been in this town for long?¡± Rain asked, committing to his blunt ways. ¡°Do you know Limgrell well?¡± ¡°I guess I do¡­ I¡¯ve grown up around here.¡± Belice took out a silk handkerchief from her sleeve and wiped her spotless spectacles. ¡°Why?¡± She put the lenses back on her dainty nose. ¡°Is there some information you need?¡± ¡°There is.¡± Rain removed his woolen hats and scrubbed a hand through his flattened hair. ¡°You obviously know about the things moving in the mist. We¡¯ve been looking everywhere for clues. I was wondering if you could provide a better lead.¡± ¡°Well¡­ if I knew the culprits, I would have already stopped them.¡± Her dark brown eyes peered at him, a small crease between her brows. ¡°I¡¯m just good at gathering rumors.¡± ¡°So you think there is more than one person responsible? Do you know how many?¡± A faint flutter brushed his mind; Rain smiled brightly despite himself. The feeling reminded him of the social gatherings he attended as a child, rare occasions where his mother allowed him to measure his progress against other kids. Though he had never been this clumsy. ¡°Rumors can be useful indeed. I¡¯ve heard a few before coming here.¡± She must have a profession for information gathering. That¡¯s quite rare. ¡°What are you saying?¡± She pulled out her silk handkerchief again. ¡°Do you need a hand polishing those enchantments?¡± He raised a palm in offer. ¡°Cramming so many arrays together must have made them finicky. You know, my sister taught me a trick for that. If you hold more mana around the engraving, that usually helps.¡± Belice wasn¡¯t smiling anymore. ¡°What are you talking about¡ª¡± ¡°Wait a second!¡± Rain leaned over the counter to stare straight into her hazelnut irises; he swatted the tingle away from his mind. Being subjected to an ability gave him the right to reciprocate, but he decided to be courteous. ¡°It¡¯s not the glasses, is it?¡± It was a clever diversion. If anyone noticed the charm, they would suspect the enchanted spectacles only to find nothing. ¡°The compulsion is in your eyes. Do you need the sound cue to use it?¡± Belice pressed her lips into a bloodless line, breaking her composure. Rain hadn¡¯t exactly figured out what he would do if she refused to admit the blatant truth. It would turn awkward with so many witnesses around, especially the snoopers upstairs. Humans can be so stubborn¡ª ¡°Not here.¡± Her icy tone was a better admission than he could hope for. He didn¡¯t mind humoring her if it made things easier. ¡°Where would you like to talk?¡± She grabbed a pile of documents from a drawer, sifting through them as if he wasn¡¯t there. ¡°My shift ends in four more hours at noon.¡± This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°I see, I¡¯ll wait here then.¡± Rain looked at the empty tables, they would give him a decent view of the front desk. He would cut close to Flynn coming back; he wasn¡¯t used to having people worry about him. I should have left a note. ¡°Wait,¡± Belice hissed before he could take three steps. Her hands gripped the desk as she stood up and raised her voice to the ceiling. ¡°I¡¯m taking my pause. I¡¯ll be back in half an hour.¡± She slammed down a ¡®Be back shortly¡¯ sign, then turned to him. ¡°You. Follow me.¡± That sounded dangerously close to a command. Sixteen years of education urged him to respond to the repeated offenses. Rain clenched his jaw. He wasn¡¯t Oraine Akeelise Ryuu any longer. He had left that identity behind when he breached the shore. ¡°Where are we going?¡± He forced his smile to remain light. I¡¯m just another adventurer here. I have to accommodate the land dwellers. Belice gathered her notebook and strode toward the back of the Hall without answering; her face was an inscrutable mask that even his mother would have approved of. Depths. She¡¯s vexing. Sighing deeply, Rain hurried to catch up. The last thing he wanted was to chase her down. A presence on the upper floor peeked at them, showing an equal lack of manners that chipped at his patience. The backdoor opened with a brass key. They walked into a dark corridor, a spiral staircase on their left, and continued to a secondary exit behind the building. Stepping outside, the mist cooled his skin and temper. The rude snooper followed them across one street before reaching the limit of their puny skills. ¡°Where are we going?¡± he repeated in his colder tone. ¡°To a safe place to talk.¡± Belice gave a laconic reply, looking annoyed. ¡°No one¡¯s spying on us here.¡± ¡°And how can you be sure?¡± She let out a harrumph. ¡°Just because you can¡¯t sense anyone, it doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re alone. Or do you think you have the best Perception skills in all of Limgrell?¡± Hmm¡­ I guess I can¡¯t be completely sure. ¡°I see your point.¡± From what he knew, the human girl didn¡¯t work for the abductors, though she could be leading him into a trap from a third party. The thought warmed his blood for how unlikely. He had never lost sight of her, and if she still managed to send a message, why not make him wait at the Hall longer? Unless she¡¯s overconfident¡­ Either way, he didn¡¯t have to wander for long. ¡°In here.¡± Belice stopped in front of a half-rotten wooden door. The wall was covered in crumbling plaster; the only feature distinguishing the house from the rows of identical buildings were the wards hidden in the frame. She glanced at the swirling mist and opened the entrance with a soft metallic clank. ¡°Come in, quick.¡± Rain lingered a moment on the threshold. There wasn¡¯t anyone lying in wait inside. If he were to guess, the danger came from an offensive ward. It wasn¡¯t enough to threaten him anyway. ¡°Can we talk now?¡± The door shut behind him. He barely took notice, busy inspecting the hidden hideout. It was pitifully small, two rooms sparsely furnished with a gray sofa, a square table, a few cabinets filled with months of supplies, and two single beds. I was right¡­ An array of shimmering runes had been engraved beneath the floorboards. More interesting was the hidden compartment containing shelves filled with folders and books. There might be some useful information in there. Belice stood with her arms crossed in the center of the room. ¡°You have no idea how much danger you put us in. You can¡¯t just ask questions in front of everybody.¡± She started pacing, cracking her impervious facade. ¡°This house will need to be moved. If we survive till tonight. Blessed Moons, they¡¯ll¡­¡± ¡°Nobody saw us. And nothing of what I said was¡ª¡± ¡°How many people have you told?¡± Belice jolted toward him, making a visible effort to appear calm. ¡°You mean about charming unsuspecting individuals?¡± ¡°I¡ª It¡¯s harmless,¡± she stammered, blushing beat red. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t it work on you? The glasses amplify my ability, it should work. Do you have a skill against it?¡± From her glare, someone might think he had stabbed her. ¡°It¡¯s better for everyone this way. They¡¯re safer if they don¡¯t wonder where I get my information.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve heard that before¡­¡± His mother loved to weave elaborate excuses. He could write a book on the virtues of messing with people¡¯s heads for their sake. ¡°If it¡¯s for the better, you won¡¯t mind when I tell them.¡± ¡°No! Don¡¯t move,¡± she squeaked. ¡°Or what¡­?¡± Rain arched an eyebrow. ¡°Will you shoot me with the wand up your sleeve or use the arrays under the floor? Both will attract unwanted attention.¡± She froze, eyes widening and confidence crumbling. Her hand gripped the sleeve where the weapon was hidden. ¡°How do you¡ª Who are you? I¡¯ve looked everywhere. There are no traces of you anywhere before Varsea.¡± So she¡¯s some sort of information dealer¡­ ¡°I¡¯ve already told you my name.¡± Rain was tired of playing her tune. ¡°Now, what¡¯s your deal? How are you involved with the abductions?¡± Belice gaped at him, brimming with indignation. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to do with those madmen!¡± ¡°Sure¡­¡± He believed her, but the accusation sounded like a good way to make her admit her true allegiance. ¡°Is that why you¡¯ve been charming people to ignore you?¡± ¡°No, I¡ª That¡ª There are too many people watching. I couldn¡¯t take the risk that they''d alert somebody. You don¡¯t understand the dangers.¡± ¡°What do I not understand exactly?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to stop them!¡± ¡°Them?¡± ¡°They¡¯re part of a cult.¡± Her shoulders slumped and she paced again, arms wrapped around herself. ¡°They worship some kind of fallen deity. There have been signs of activity across the Republic.¡± ¡°What are they doing with the missing people?¡± he pressed. ¡°Where are they hidden?¡± ¡°If I had all the answers, I would have already stopped them.¡± The girl snorted. ¡°I only know snippets, they¡¯re extremely secretive. And they have lots of people working for them in positions of power. Some of the administrators of the Hall for sure. They are breathing down my neck for anything suspicious.¡± She punctuated with a glare. ¡°My bad,¡± he said, more to appease her than for any real guilt. ¡°You still haven¡¯t told me how you fit into this. How do you gather information?¡± Instead of being rattled, the question made her stand straighter. ¡°You have no idea what trouble you¡¯ve gotten yourself into.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Rain tilted his head, letting a sliver of his exasperation escape. ¡°That¡¯s why I asked you.¡± Belice pursed her lips, wearing the mask of clerk professionalism she used at the front desk. ¡°I work for the House of Whispers.¡± She took out a metallic black token from a hidden pocket in her skirt. It was engraved with a silver crescent crossed by three purple waves, representing the whispers they stole. That¡­ ¡°You¡¯re part of the House?¡± It wasn¡¯t entirely unexpected but still surprising. Rain examined the compartment hidden beneath the floorboards with renewed interest. Those folders might be more valuable than he predicted. ¡°Only fools would lie about belonging to the House.¡± A hint of smugness crept into her tone. ¡°I¡¯m in charge of gathering rumors in Limgrell.¡± ¡°The House of Whispers trades in secrets.¡± His mother had brought him to a negotiation with one of their branches. ¡°Does your supervisor know you¡¯ve been giving them away for free?¡± From everything he knew, the House didn¡¯t involve themselves in morality, selling to the highest bidder. Belice opened her mouth, face paling. ¡°Of course, she knows. We all see the importance of stopping more people from going missing.¡± ¡°Mhmm¡­ Is that why you brought me here instead of to your local branch?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t reveal our location to a random stranger,¡± she scoffed. ¡°Right¡­ I recall anyone who unmasks a listener of the House can access their services. So I¡¯ve qualified.¡± He also possessed an access token, though that would give away his identity. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take me there?¡± ¡°No¡ª I¡ª You¡ª¡± Belice started nervously cleaning her glasses. ¡°Are you even allowed to bring me here?¡± Rain studied the cramped rooms. ¡°This place belongs to the House, doesn¡¯t it? There are two beds and way more food that a single person might need.¡± The picture was becoming increasingly clear. The House of Whispers¡¯ own skills and professions explained how she gathered her rumors. Charming people to dismiss her ensured she wouldn¡¯t attract the attention of the abductors, or her boss. Is she a rogue member? Or is it a personal vendetta against this cult? ¡°Fine! My branch leader doesn¡¯t know. Are you happy now?¡± Belice snapped, unable to bear the silence. ¡°This is what I get for trying to help. You¡¯ve messed everything up. What do you want to keep quiet? I can get gold. A lot. I can draft a contract.¡± A bribe? He could hardly think of anything more insulting. Mother of Tears grant me patience. ¡°To start, stop messing with my friends. We¡¯re not your personal hounds to scout the dangers.¡± Rain took a seat at the square table. Kicking back the other chair for her, he laced his fingers. ¡°Then¡­ you did say you¡¯re good at gathering rumors. I¡¯m sure we can reach a deal.¡± Chapter 289 - Drowning Chapter 289 - Drowning ¡°Why does nobody listen?¡± Caeli stomped on the gravel back to the residential district. Kea squeezed her shoulders in solidarity, though she was feeling frustrated herself. ¡°They¡¯re just scared.¡± It had been naive to think anyone would listen. They had tracked down the names from Herry¡¯s list. Most slammed the door in their face, the others smiled and nodded long enough to get rid of them, ignoring the warnings all the same. Two strangers speaking of danger didn¡¯t encourage trust in Limgrell, especially when they failed to explain why. That¡¯s the best we could do for them. They couldn¡¯t let the kidnappers discover her involvement at Herry¡¯s house; for each person on the list, they talked with two random others. Initially, Kea thought she could ambush the culprits, but who should she guard? They recovered dozens of names, and she had no idea who would be the next target¡ªif any at all. The last girl to disappear wasn¡¯t on the list. A moment of distraction had been enough for the mists to take her. Damned cowards. There must be a way to catch them. The more she tried to wrestle the situation under control, the more it slipped away. Her nails dug into her palms. She hated feeling powerless, and she hated this rotten town. A headache pulsed behind her eyes for the lack of sleep, and she couldn¡¯t say when it started. ¡°He would have found a way¡­¡± Caeli muttered when they turned into the street of their rented house. ¡°He was like that even when we were children, you know. The perfect son. Always so insufferable,¡± she said with a somber chuckle. ¡°I would have never escaped our family if it wasn¡¯t for him¡­¡± There was no need to say who, Caeden¡¯s shadow hung between them like a void that couldn¡¯t be filled. When they first met, Kea also found his effortless self-assurance annoying, how he seemingly had an answer for everything. She had wanted to best him so badly. Without anyone realizing it, he had become an integral part of her team and disappeared before she could figure out her new feelings. Today had been a month since he went missing. What had those madmen done with him? Had he been harmed? Tortured? Was he alive? Each day was harder to keep the flickering hope alive. You promised you wouldn¡¯t die till I beat your smug face. ¡°We¡¯ll get him back,¡± Kea stated to encourage herself as much as Caeli. Her friend mutely nodded, not meeting her gaze. Opening the iron fence, they climbed the ramp of stairs to the apartment. Kea raised a hand to cut the mana filament inside the lock¡ªa trick an old adventurer taught them to check for intruders. Only the filament was gone. Panic choked her thoughts, blood pumping as her body tensed for action. Had the cultists been here? Were the others hurt? Had someone else been taken? ¡°It¡¯s on the hinges,¡± Caeli grumbled behind her. ¡°Your friend changed the alarm yesterday, remember? Less chance it¡¯ll get spotted there.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡­¡± Her heartbeat slowed and embarrassment flushed her cheeks. ¡°Right¡­¡± The hair-thin filament was still woven around the iron hinges, just out of sight. Kea cut it and turned the key with more strength than necessary¡ªshe could hear Mari and Flynn breathing inside. They¡¯re safe. I¡¯m just distracted. She had yet to digest the shock of Kai¡¯s reappearance when her brother started lecturing them on how to place their wards and arrays. Entering the living room, she replaced the filament on the hinges with a burning irritation. They had spent a whole year on the mainland, and the moment Kai arrived he started changing things. He¡¯s just trying to help. Kea reminded herself; his suggestions did make sense. She should be happy that he was alive. If only he wouldn¡¯t be so¡­ ¡°You¡¯ve come back early.¡± Flynn stood up to greet them, cheerful and kind despite having been dragged into a mess that had nothing to do with him; Mari sat with her nose buried in books behind him. ¡°How did it go?¡± His smile didn¡¯t waver when Caeli marched past him to shut herself in her room. He lowered his tone, leaning closer. ¡°Is everything alright? Did you not find the people on the list?¡± ¡°We found them,¡± Kea said. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ they won¡¯t listen or run. The ones who agreed to talk only humored us to make us leave. We can¡¯t guard them. And they¡¯ll be of no help for finding the culprits¡­¡± Another lead that closed in a dead-end. She wanted to scream and cry beneath the waves. Anxiety and urgency grew louder each day she failed to make any progress. ¡°We¡¯ll find another way to get them.¡± Flynn lightly patted her back, holding her gaze with a certainty she had lost. Then his expression softened. ¡°Do you want something to drink or eat?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m good. I just need some time to think.¡± Kea strode toward her own room following Caeli¡¯s example. The wards on her door had also been rearranged for efficiency. Filled with a surge of annoyance, she nearly punched them out of the wall. Keep your cool. Everything is fine. The lie had never sounded less convincing. Shutting the door, Kea rested her back against the hardwood. Her heart thumped in her chest like a hammer. Exhaling and inhaling, she counted to ten to get a grip on herself. None of it helped. The clutter on the floor and bunk bed made the room too cramped. The window was too small. She felt like drowning, each breath shallower than the last, no matter how much air she drew. I can¡¯t do this. It was all falling to pieces. Her team expected her to find a solution and keep them safe. Soon they would realize she had no idea what she was doing. She wasn¡¯t like Caeden, or even Kai. She couldn¡¯t pull miraculous solutions from aether. Why had she come to the mainland? Moui had warned her of the dangers. I¡¯ll fail them. They¡¯re going to die like Dad. Caeden is probably already¡­ She froze the thought before the admission shattered her. Taking a single step forward felt like swimming for miles, she collapsed on her bed, her head sank into a pillow while her hands grasped the sheet to stop her body from shivering. Determination had never been an issue for her. The spirits witnessed she had tried her hardest, but perhaps this time her best wasn¡¯t enough. They were no closer to a solution than the day they arrived. If anything, they were probably further away without Caeden and the two who left, scared by the mists. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. No, nothing was fine. The convictions that always pushed her forward cracked under her fingers. Kea kicked off her boots and curled beneath the blankets, her body shaken by quiet sods. She buried her face beneath a pillow, wishing the world would forget about her. Why did I come here¡­ Minutes later¡ªno more than half an hour¡ªa knock from the door jolted Kea from her stupor. She hugged the pillow tighter. Perhaps if she ignored the sound, they would go away. Leave me alone! Ten heartbeats passed before another knock came. ¡°Wha¡ª¡± Kea croaked and cleared her throat to speak. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Can I come in?¡± Flynn said in a steady tone. Why can¡¯t I get some peace? Kea considered yelling at him to leave. Knowing him, he would wait outside till she came out on her own. C¡¯mon, pull yourself together. ¡°I¡­ give me one moment.¡± She wiped her cheeks on the wet pillow and turned it over so it wouldn¡¯t show. The room was a mess of clothes and discarded equipment. Order had never been among her priorities. When did I let it get this bad? I¡¯m such a mess. She kicked a bag beneath the bed and straightened the quilted blanket. A silver mirror hung on the opposite wall. She ran a hand through her hair. Her eyes were swollen, but there was no fixing that. ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°How¡¯re you doing?¡± Flynn carried a tray with a glass of milk and a bowl of mango cookies in one arm. ¡°I thought you might be hungry.¡± His gaze skipped over the clutter on the floor to look at her. If he noticed her puffy face, he made no mention of it. ¡°Breakfast was two hours ago,¡± Kea grunted, not that she ate anything. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± ¡°It¡¯s never too early or late for a snack.¡± Flynn sat on the bed beside her, offering the first pick of the tray. ¡°I always thought one breakfast was too few anyway.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± she mumbled. Kahali only knew how he managed to make her feel like a child despite only being a year older. He shrugged, stealing a pillow from the upper bed to cushion his back against the wall. ¡°More for me then.¡± Without wasting a breath, he dunked a cookie into the milk and chewed with a satisfied groan. ¡°Mhmm¡­ they¡¯re still good. I missed the flavor. It¡¯s almost like being back home.¡± Kea examined the golden-speckled cookies in the bowl. She had never seen mango sweets on the mainland. ¡°They are from the archipelago? How?¡± ¡°Yup! Straight from Higharbor¡¯s best bakery. Kai¡¯s ring is amazing for preserving food. Something about the lack of air and low temperature.¡± He waved his hand dismissively. ¡°His usual bizarre explanations. He felt bad that I lost my things in the shipwreck, so he gave me these. They¡¯re the last bag, but if you don¡¯t want any¡­¡± ¡°Give me one already.¡± Kea stretched to reach the tray, slapping his leg when he used his longer arms to keep it out of her reach. ¡°Ouch! Why did you choose violence? A please would have sufficed.¡± ¡°Please, can I have a cookie?¡± She rolled her eyes at his antics, finally reaching the bowl. Whatever occult magery controlled Kai¡¯s ring, the pastry was a little dry, though that improved the pairing with the milk. The bits of chewy mango filled her with memories of home. Suddenly famished, she reached for another and raced Flynn to clean the bowl. She swallowed the last crumb, knowing he had let her win. ¡°Thank you.¡± She wiped her hands on her trousers. How could she have let herself lose control? Whining like a crabby toddler never helped anyone. She felt the shame rise to her cheeks. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Flynn didn¡¯t mention her reaction. He looked at the empty bowl with a mourning look for the missing snacks. ¡°So, are you going to tell me what¡¯s wrong?¡± Of course he noticed. That kind of patience and planning would have made him a great hunter, though she wished they¡¯d enjoyed the moment in silence. ¡°Do I have to?¡± ¡°No, but I would be glad if you did. Sometimes talking helps. No one can handle everything on their own. I¡¯ve seen people try.¡± Flynn stared at the mist beyond the tiny window and shook his head. ¡°What if it¡¯s not just one thing?¡± Kea chewed her nails. ¡°What if everything¡¯s going wrong?¡± ¡°Well, you pick one to start. I¡¯ve heard divide and conquer is a good strategy.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Divide and conquer¡­?¡± She liked how that sounded. ¡°It¡¯s an old saying Kai mentioned. Quite neat, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Kea crossed her legs on the bed, sitting straighter. Where to start though? She most definitely didn¡¯t want to discuss Caeden. And if Flynn had any idea how to find the cultist, he would have already shared it. What did that leave? There was one thing¡ªone person to be exact. Yatei protect me, this is so embarrassing. She heaved a sigh, holding the pillow in her arms to rest her chin on it. ¡°It¡¯s kinda silly¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m an expert in silliness. I promise not to make fun of you.¡± Flynn waited for her to continue, the usual teasing grin absent. She probably wouldn¡¯t share it with anyone else. Flynn¡­ Well, it wasn¡¯t the first time he had listened to her rambles. And this time she wasn¡¯t even drunk. Spirits, I¡¯m really doing this¡­ ¡°It¡¯s about Kai,¡± she said. Once the name was out, the words flowed freely. ¡°He was gone for two years without a sign. Moui, Mom and Ele, we mourned and buried him. I wanted to believe he was alive like you said, but I didn¡¯t have the same certainty. It had been so long¡­¡± Kea couldn¡¯t say when she had lost hope. It just happened. Months added into years; she stopped expecting Kai to reappear and made offerings to the ancestors to help him find rest on the crystalline shores. After landing on the continent, she even prayed to the Seven Moons in case he had followed Dad in the sky. ¡°Then he came back,¡± Flynn muttered. ¡°And then he came back,¡± she echoed. Like some ancient spirit out of the mists, he reappeared with no explanation and a sword in hand. Taller and harder than the brother she buried, but still himself despite changing his name. ¡°I know I should simply be happy to have him back. And I am. It¡¯s just¡­¡± How could she say it without sounding like the worst sister on the Talthen continent? ¡°You¡¯re angry?¡± Flynn put together her thoughts better than she could. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m angry. I know I should get over it. I really wish I could,¡± Kea clutched the pillow hard enough to throttle a person¡ªangry didn¡¯t begin to describe it. ¡°He reappeared after two years as if nothing happened, and we should all accept it. Only it wasn¡¯t nothing. I was there when Mom and Ele cried every night. Moui gave up hunting for months. And I¡­¡± She squeezed her eyes shut before the flood of painful memories overwhelmed her¡ªthere had been enough tears for one day. ¡°I understand he was stuck in a forgotten realm on some mythical quest. That it wasn¡¯t his fault, and he came back as fast as he could. But I still can¡¯t forgive him.¡± The realization hit her with painful clarity and self-loathing. She hesitantly peeked at Flynn, relieved when she found no judgment on his face. ¡°I¡¯m a terrible sister, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re terrible then so am I,¡± Flynn said. ¡°I also wanted to punch his nose when he knocked at my door out of nowhere.¡± What? ¡°But you knew he was alive.¡± ¡°I chose to believe. It doesn¡¯t mean it was easy, or pleasant.¡± Flynn wore a rueful smile. ¡°He hurt you. Even if he didn¡¯t mean to, that didn¡¯t make those two years suck any less for your family.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Kea bobbed her head. ¡°Don¡¯t you think being angry at him while we¡¯re hunting a shadowy cult is stupid? I should focus on saving the missing people.¡± ¡°Maybe so, but we''re all human. Anger is no more stupid than any other emotion.¡± He stretched and crossed his legs on the floor. ¡°We can¡¯t control how we feel, only our actions. If you had refused his help because you''re pissed at him, now that would be foolish.¡± ¡°I did wish to throw him out of a window a few times,¡± Kea said. ¡°He has been here a few days and has already taken charge of how we do things.¡± Flynn offered her an empathetic look. ¡°He doesn¡¯t really get boundaries, does he? Especially when he thinks he knows best, which¡ªlet¡¯s be honest¡ªit¡¯s almost always.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± The worst part was how reasonable his suggestions were; her teammates already listened to him. She had spent a year adventuring on the mainland, she should be the veteran teaching him the ropes, instead, it was like nothing had changed from when they were children. He kept ahead regardless of her skills or efforts. He¡¯s Kai. Comparing yourself to him is pointless. That had been the sourest lesson she ever had to swallow, still needing the occasional reminder. Likewise, her anger continued to cheerfully crackle, though now she wasn¡¯t afraid to drown in it. ¡°Thank you.¡± Kea let go of her crumpled pillow, feeling a little less like a sinking vessel and a little more whole. She wouldn¡¯t give up till the fight was won. ¡°For what?¡± ¡°You know what.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Flynn widened his eyes at his reflection in the silver mirror. ¡°You mean about being a handsome genius, wiser than the vast seas! Don¡¯t worry, it comes naturally. You don¡¯t need to thank me for that.¡± Kea shook her head, smiling despite herself. ¡°Idiot.¡± ¡°That also comes naturally.¡± He gave her a toothy grin and winked. ¡°If you promise to not spread the secret, I can teach you for a small fee. I¡¯ll even give you a friendly discount.¡± ¡°You¡¯re always so kind.¡± She scooted closer and rested her head on his shoulder. His arm gently squeezed her. Her problems were still there but suddenly looked more manageable. Chapter 290 - Trails Chapter 290 - Trails ¡°We¡¯d like not to get disturbed again. I¡¯m sure you understand.¡± The heavy-set man said with a grimace. His wife watched with reddened eyes from the doorway. ¡°Of course. We¡¯ll do all we can to find your daughter¡ª¡± Niel stepped back as the courtyard gate slammed in their face, the wooden frame rattling with the impact. His arm rose as if to protest before flopping back down. The couple had vanished into their house and locked the door with four sharp clanks. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Kai smoothed his disappointment into a stoic facade. Another team of adventurers had questioned the grieving parents and used up their goodwill before they arrived. ¡°We¡¯ve got all we could.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ That¡¯s how it goes most of the times.¡± Niel turned to the mist-shrouded street, the shadows lining his face made him look older. ¡°It¡¯s almost noon. We should head back. Maybe Kea and Caeli had better luck.¡± ¡°Yeah, they must have.¡± Kai nodded, eager to get indoors. Shadow and Water mana permeating the air let the cold humidity seep into his bones despite his enchanted coat. He had been the one who insisted on questioning the family personally¡ªas if he could find some crucial clue everyone else missed. The arrogance of that presumption seemed glaring now. He accompanied me anyway. There had been no trace left in every other abduction, and this case looked no different. He had scanned every grain of dirt from the crime scene with Mana Observer, and strained Mana Analys to inspect the streams of essence, all to find nothing. Not a suspicious speck of mana or a hair out of place. Kai hurt to admit it, but when your best strategy was waiting on your enemy¡®s misstep, the situation didn¡¯t look good. There was no trail of breadcrumbs or obvious suspects despite what detective dramas taught him. Perhaps Herry had been their only shot to grasp the truth, and he had gone up in flames with the piles of documents at his house. His best idea was to use himself as bait¡ªexactly one of those reckless plans he had sworn to avoid. With the Fate Fulcrum cracked in his ring, there would be no reshuffling the possibilities if he got cornered. Among the people gone missing, some had reached Yellow and still left no sign of struggle. The culprits must have a way to incapacitate their targets, and he didn¡¯t yet know how many there were. Superior skills couldn¡¯t save him if he got ambushed by several foes with obscure abilities. Positive thoughts! I¡¯m sure Kea has found something. Since opening his eyes in Whiteshore, he had always tackled problems by himself. This time, he wasn¡¯t investigating alone. Kai wrapped the blue woolen scarf tighter around his neck. The fabric provided a pleasant warmth, though it made him itch, each prickle heightened by his Perception. This cursed mist doesn¡¯t help. Dense swathes of fog had rolled up from the Lake of Myst to engulf the town. No living soul walked the streets. He could barely make out Niel¡¯s shadow ahead of him, heading into another dirt alley. In the ghostly silence, Hallowed Intuition¡¯s soft thrumming sounded like the beats of a drummer. Each day spent in this creepy town was one too many, but he couldn¡¯t let discomfort guide his actions. Hasty choices got people killed. The danger breathing down his neck brought back the lessons from the Sanctuary. There were times to be daring and times to be cautious, picking wrong would cost his life. I¡¯ve been careless. When he escaped that nightmarish realm, he wanted nothing more than to forget and move on. Snapping at the slightest sound and smashing furniture was hardly useful while living with his family. He had suppressed his instincts and let the archipelago lull him into complacency. The threat of the cultist was making him more alert than he had been in months. It doesn¡¯t sound very healthy. But as long as it works¡­ What kept him alive couldn¡¯t be bad. Clues or no clues, he would find what was going on in Limgrell and carry his friends to safety. I should tell Valela we''re fine. Perhaps she¡¯ll have some ideas. She probably couldn¡¯t find useful intel from across the Republic, but he¡¯d rest easier if someone knew about their situation¡ªjust in case ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡± Kai broke the stifling silence and activated the privacy wards of the black pearl he borrowed from Rain. Niel¡¯s shrouded figure slowed, taking another turn. ¡°Sure. What is it?¡± ¡°There is something I¡¯ve been wondering for a while¡­¡± He loosened his scarf and regretted it when a freezing gust slipped inside his shirt. ¡°Are you the one who contacted Valela?¡± Niel''s stilted steps were hard to miss even in the dense fog. He recovered before his boot crunched on the gravel again¡ªstill too late. ¡°Rotten ancestors! Do you always blurt things out like that? How did you know? Did Valela tell you?¡± Kai offered him a wry smile. Asking questions when people least expected worked wonders, bonus points if they were doing some other activity like walking. ¡°She didn¡¯t mention names. Though it had to be someone from the archipelago, and it couldn¡¯t be Kea. It was a toss coin between you and Mari. I can count on one hand the times she goes outside, that leaves only you.¡± ¡°It could have been one of the islanders who already left the team.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I guess you¡¯re right.¡± He hadn¡¯t considered them since he had never met them. ¡°I got lucky then.¡± Niel rubbed his face, exhaling a long, tired breath. ¡°It¡¯s not what you think.¡± ¡°What do I think?¡± ¡°I didn''t contact her to get something out of it,¡± Niel said. ¡°Valela helped me settle some stuff back in Higharbor. I knew she wanted to help other islanders.¡± He jerked to a stop. ¡°We arrived on the mainland with no friends or contacts. It made sense to let someone know what we were up to.¡± He must have been feeling guilty. ¡°I would have never found Limgrell if you didn¡¯t contact her. Thank you for that.¡± Niel stared at him blinking in surprise then lowered his gaze. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I was just trying to keep everyone safe.¡± He scrubbed a hand through his hair, eyes jolting around the fog and breathing heavy. ¡°I failed anyway. We should never have taken this contract. Who offers five gold mesars for a task? It was obvious that something was wrong, and I still agreed to come. I¡¯m such an idiot! I got us stuck in this cursed town¡­¡± Oh boy, he sure loves to take responsibility. A week in Limgrell already put Kai on edge, he couldn¡¯t imagine what a normal person would feel after a month. ¡°Stop that nonsense.¡± He channeled his mother¡¯s scolding tone. ¡°You¡¯re not the only person in the team. Are you telling me you could have forced Kea or Caeli if they didn¡¯t agree?¡± The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°I could have done¡­ more.¡± ¡°Yeah, we all could. Everyone made their choices to get here.¡° Kai stared straight at him. ¡°We¡¯re going to figure this out.¡± Spirits, I¡¯m getting good at this. Niel slowly nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡ª¡± ¡°No apologies. You¡¯re good.¡± Kai lightly clapped his back, looking for a topic to distract him. ¡°Do you have a way to contact Valela? She said you stopped sending messages.¡± ¡°It¡¯s complicated.¡± A deep furrow formed in his brow. ¡°I usually visited the House of Mirrors of the towns we passed, but Limgrell doesn''t have one. The closest branch is three days away, in Dorvell. I asked one of our teammates to deliver a message when they left. Now I don¡¯t have anyone else I¡¯d trust.¡± This is going to be a tiny bit more complicated than I imagined. ¡°What about a paper letter?¡± It would take weeks to reach Valela through the mailing system¡ªstill better late than never. ¡°I considered that too. But they might intercept the letter.¡± Niel scowled. ¡°After we got ambushed at the tower, I have no idea how many people are corrupted. We¡¯d be painting a target on our backs.¡± Kai chewed his cheek, skimming the possibilities for a line of safety. ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s too risky.¡± Not even the mailman is trustworthy. How did we sink so low? Monitoring the information going out of Limgrell was exactly what a bunch of paranoid criminals would do. He could write the letter with a cipher, though it would create a different set of problems. Too complicated and Valela might not realize it; too simple and the cultist might sniff the trick. We should have agreed on an emergency code. Foresight is such a bitch. And what would I even write? Mad cultists. Please send help¡­? Valela had influence and contacts in the archipelago. On the mainland, she was a stranger amidst scores of patrician families. While Kai didn¡¯t doubt her resourcefulness, he had to be realistic. Who could she sway from her posh academy thousands of miles away? If she reached for the wrong people, it might make things worse. We¡¯re on our own. He would have to find a trustworthy courier or sneak to Dorvell himself. And what for? Valela could probably just report the corruption to higher officials. The Republic¡¯s bureaucratic machine might take weeks or months to move. ¡°Could you not tell the others?¡± Niel walked into a narrow gravel street. ¡°About Valela, I mean. Kea wouldn¡¯t understand. I don¡¯t know what happened between them, but she¡¯d rather chew off her own arm than take her help.¡± That might be my fault¡­ ¡°We''ll discuss it once we¡¯re away from this town,¡± Kai said. ¡°I can agree to that.¡± Niel straightened his sword belt and coat, recomposing himself. ¡°Thank you for¡­ all of it. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s gotten into me. I¡¯m not usually like this.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. We¡¯re all human.¡± Well, except Rain. ¡°Anyway, how far are we from your house?¡± Kai glanced at the veiled shapes of slanted buildings. ¡°I don¡¯t recognize this area.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve never seen fog this thick aside from the cloud fairies. We should be¡­¡± Niel squinted at the street signs of a crossing. ¡°Shit! I must have taken a wrong turn.¡± I hate this place. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Everything looks the same.¡± He wished he didn¡¯t have to freeze his butt off for much longer. ¡°Do you know where we are?¡± I shouldn¡¯t have forced him to accompany me in the first place. ¡°I¡­ yes. We¡¯ve been circling the outskirts toward the lake.¡± Niel closed his eyes and mumbled to himself, turning on his heels. ¡°There.¡± He pointed toward a wall of swirling white. ¡°We should reach the main square if we follow that road. It¡¯s easy to get to our apartment from the center.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± Kai strode close to him and spread Mana Observer to keep track of his surroundings. The air was drenched with Water and Shadow motes, dulling his senses. Investigating would be so much easier if he could see people across Limgrell. The town was just populous enough that a few people going missing hadn¡¯t raise a ruckus while being too small for the House of Mirrors and trade caravans to bother with it. Where are they holding the missing? Those taken from the surrounding farms could be anywhere, but many disappeared inside the town walls. The guards would have to be massively incompetent to let people get smuggled over ten meters of stone and gravel. Men could be bribed, but there were powerful wards woven through the fortifications. Uhm¡­ I might be an idiot too. A spark of realization lit his jumbled thoughts¡ªhe had been looking at the problem from the wrong perspective. The mystery of people vanishing without a trace caught everyone''s attention, but he didn¡¯t need to know how the cultists did; all that mattered was the location of the missing individuals. Dozens had been abducted, humans who would need space and food to survive¡ªboring logistics were the key. Follow the supplies. Where are they holding them? The town was too bold. Limgrell wasn¡¯t that large, and half the missing lived out on the farms anyway. The logical location would be outside the walls but relatively near. The question was how did they get them there? Unless every missing person is dead¡­ Corpses didn¡¯t need to eat and could be easily buried or destroyed with magic. No, that doesn¡¯t make sense either. All the complex maneuvers to maintain secrecy and mislead the Republic. If those assholes wanted to kill off a few people, it would have been way easier to massacre a village. Why go through the trouble of setting up such a complex operation? Their objective must require time and a steady stream of test subjects. Yatei have mercy¡­ What are they doing with them? His mouth was dry despite the humid weather. He had often joked about blood rituals and devoured souls. Now, those didn¡¯t sound as funny¡ª The hairs on his arms suddenly spiked, blood and adrenaline rushing through his veins. Kai summoned his enchanted blade and readied a spell while his mind caught up to his instinct. Hallowed Intuition¡¯s thrumming had turned into sharp, familiar whispers. Fuck. He spread Mana Observer, sifting the dense mana that wafted from the lake. There were no other signatures in his range. He grabbed Niel¡¯s coat before he could move away. ¡°What are you doin¡ª¡± ¡°They¡¯re here.¡± Body Augmentation enhanced his sight and hearing, his muscles flushing with mana and ready to jolt. The privacy wards from Rain¡¯s pearl still enveloped them, so he didn¡¯t have to worry about being overheard. ¡°What! Are you sure?¡± Niel fumbled to unsheathe his sword, voice growing frantic. ¡°There are two of us. They only attack people alone.¡± ¡°Guess they didn¡¯t get the memo.¡± He didn¡¯t move his attention from their surroundings, eyes wide to not blink. The pale fog was almost as thick as when he had fought the cloud fairies. ¡°Get behind me and stay silent.¡± This wasn¡¯t how it was supposed to go. He didn¡¯t want a confrontation. What do I do? Despite his heightened Perception, he couldn¡¯t spot anyone. If he focused Mana Observer on a spot, he might get better results, but that would leave him vulnerable. We¡¯re too exposed out here. They needed to find shelter away from the mist. The closest wooden warehouse was a dozen meters behind him. If they reached¡ª Hallowed Intuition¡¯s whispers soared and suddenly quietened. Kai didn¡¯t get time to question it. Trusting the skill, he slashed the air to his left and channeled Earth mana into his blade. Only the mana remained stuck in his veins, ignoring the orders. What¡ª His sword clashed against a hard metallic obstacle before it could complete its arc. The impact rebounded up in his arms, forcing him to step back. ¡°Such shit luck,¡± a muffled voice grunted. The owner shrouded by the mist. Mana Observer still couldn¡¯t¡ª The skill turned off as if it had stopped existing. His elemental magic didn¡¯t answer his commands, the motes refusing to leave his veins. Kai suppressed the shock and swung again to not lose the initiative. His body was slower and weaker than he expected¡ªthe boost from Body Augmentation was gone too. Fuck! His sword cut wide without meeting any resistance. Digging a boot into the mud to keep his balance, he pivoted on his leg and turned the strike into a wild sweep. The blade whistled through the mist, brushing someone. No sounds came from the attacker. The sea serpent blade was clean of blood. Stop hiding! Kai brandished his sword with both hands and executed a chain of random cuts around him. The vapor from his breaths mixed with the mist. His arms burned with the exertion. He continued swinging at his invisible enemy without relenting, following Hallowed Intuition''s soft murmurs. At least one skill hadn¡¯t abandoned him completely. A gruff scream echoed behind him, quickly hushed. Kai pivoted to strike the area. Squinting, he spotted a small shadow moving closer. Die¡ª ¡°Mrooow,¡± Hobbes growled and ducked under the blade. Red eyes glared at him. The cat strode closer, fluffy tail swishing in the air, the fur of his paws marred with crimson. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Kai tightened his hands around the hilt, moving his sword away but not lowering his guard. ¡°I¡­¡± Hallowed Intuition fell silent for the first time in days. Without any build-up, his skills returned to him like limbs he had momentarily forgotten. Elemental motes swirled around his arms in streams of color. Mana Observer stretched to its maximum range around him as if to make up for the lost time. The attacker was gone¡ªhe was alone with Hobbes. No¡­ ¡°Niieeel!¡± Kai screamed, frantically searching for his companion. Water mana surged in a blue flood. He swatted his hand, pushing back the fog for three blocks of buildings. The dirt street sloped toward the Lake of Myst. Abandoned wooden warehouses and shacks stood around him, not a soul in any of them. No, no, no. Two fresh trails of footsteps marked the mud, his own boots had carved heavy grooves where he had fought. Niel¡¯s tracks were lighter, remaining in the spot where he last talked to him, then abruptly ending. He was gone. Update Hi, I just wanted to give a little updated about what¡¯s going on behind the scenes in my life (and why I¡¯ve been publishing less). I¡¯ve said more on Patreon, but even there I¡¯ve not shared much lately. I wanted more definite solutions/progress before making a post and telling people about my personal stuff. (I still plan on doing that in the future, but I wanted to say something to not leave y¡¯all in the dark). Anyway, for the short version: today there won¡¯t be a chapter. About a month ago I fell really sick and spent a week unable to write, and stayed longer with brain-fog. I didn¡¯t want to put out less chapters overall, so I kept publishing on RR, thinking I could later catch up on Patreon, but this has proven far harder than I predicted because of other issues. So, to not let things get out of control on Patreon, the next chapter will be on Friday. For the snoopers that want more details about the other issues, I love you guys, here¡¯s some.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Like all good problem, this one comes in company too. It started this summer when I was editing book 2, which took way longer than anticipated (about 180-200 hours, on top of publishing weekly). Like everyone expected (except me), I was quite burnout by the end of it. No one thinks their body or mind to betray them until it happens. That was why I decided to take a pause at the end of August since I also felt the quality of my chapters was being affected. When I stopped to rest and think, many other problems I had been ignoring cropped up on top of the burnout. I won¡¯t go into details right now, but in the last couple months I¡¯ve seen half a dozen between psychologists and psychiatrists to start addressing them. And I¡¯ve collected diagnosis like Pok¨¦mon cards¡ªsome I liked more than the others. The overall experience has been frustratingly slow for my impatient mind, and quite tiring. I really hate calling strangers to take appointments and waiting for emails replay. Though, on the good side, I¡¯m finally making some progress. I can¡¯t put a date in on it yet¡ªI¡¯m nowhere near done¡ªbut I aim to gradually go back writing more in the next months. So, that¡¯s about it. I will keep you informed when I have more definitive updates! To avoid any doomsayers in the comments: No, I¡¯m going to quit writing Elydes no matter what happens. The only question is how fast I can go back to writing full time. Thank you all for the patience, Drew <3 Chapter 291 - Raelion Chapter 291 - Raelion ¡°Miss Hightide.¡± Professor Hulmus called from the base of the amphitheater room, his slow drawl carried by the sound arrays. He didn¡¯t lift his wrinkled face, busy scribbling on his soul tome as the students filed out of the hall. ¡°I¡¯d like a word if you please.¡± Valela froze halfway through putting her crystal prism in the spatial bag. Had he noticed her reading reports of possible cultist activity during class? He never seemed to care if students listened as long as they remained quiet, and she had already read the section about mana synergies and repulsions they discussed. ¡°What did you do?¡± Sat with both elbows on the polished desk, Calyssa cupped her doll face with an expression of utter shock. Her purple eyes lit with amusement. ¡°The moons must be falling if Miss Perfect got in trouble.¡± ¡°Stop it.¡± Rena rebuked her without breaking her patrician demeanor. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s nothing, Val. Professor Hulmus is light with discipline.¡± ¡°Yeah, till he tears you to shreds at the final exams.¡± Calyssa mimicked ripping an arm from an invisible doll. ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t worry. You are one of his favorites.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t play favorites.¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Calyssa twirled a golden lock around her manicured fingers. ¡°He just likes you more than most.¡± ¡°He would like you too if you¡¯d study for his class.¡± ¡°Mhe! Who needs Essence Theory anyway? You¡¯ll share your notes with me, right Val?¡± Calyssa fluttered her eyelashes with a bashful smile that made foolish boys stutter. ¡°Get over yourself.¡± Rena raised her eyes in exasperation and turned toward Valela. ¡°Do you want me to accompany you?¡± ¡°I¡­ No, it¡¯s fine.¡± Valela hid her nervousness with Poise. It was probably nothing. Her last test scores had fallen slightly, but she still placed in the upper tenth of her year. Pure academics were the last bastion of her pride after the entrance exam curtailed her naive dreams. Keeping a professor waiting won¡¯t help. ¡°I¡¯ll catch up to you in the study hall.¡± She straightened the silver rim of her uniform and headed down the stairs toward the lecturer¡¯s dais. ¡°¡­her place.¡± A duo of straggling girls giggled with schadenfreude as she passed. Valela ignored the glances and sarcastic remarks¡ªthat usually worked best. Raelion gathered scions from the most ancient and influential families across the Merian Republic. But despite her extensive preparations, she failed to anticipate the pettiness of these supposed brightest. Down the last step, she waited for permission to approach the massive oonan timber desk. The wood had been roughly cut without any polish or engraving, enchantments would lessen the raw mana pulsing inside the steel gray grain. There was always some new student who attempted to lift it on a dare¡ªwith the same result. Sat in a high-backed chair behind the table, Professor Hulmus¡¯ thin frame and soft-spoken manners were the opposite of imposing. It looked like a stiff breeze could trip him, and some people whispered he had gnomish blood. It was easy to forget every lecturer at Raelion had reached Green, and if Calyssa were to be believed, Hulmus had taken the position over two centuries ago. ¡°Miss Hightide.¡± He continued scribbling on his soul tome with a gilded quill that scratched on the conjured paper. ¡°Lately, you¡¯ve been distracted during my lessons.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question, not that she could deny it. Seven weeks had already passed since she had last heard from Kai, and her research didn¡¯t soothe her worries. He must be fine. Valela moved closer, her collarbone reaching the edge of the desk. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, professor. I¡¯ve had a lot on my mind. It won¡¯t repeat.¡± She dipped her head in formal acknowledgment and nearly jolted when she found a pair of sharp gray eyes staring back at her. ¡°I see great potential in you, Miss Hightide. It would be a pity to see it wasted.¡± Professor Hulmus studied her behind two bushy eyebrows. Several wrinkles formed on his forehead. ¡°Finding hard-working pupils with talent has proven rarer than I would like.¡± Valela blinked, not used to receiving compliments. ¡°I¡¯ll do better in the next exam.¡± ¡°Mhmm¡­ Indeed, Essence Theory is the cornerstone upon which all magic is built,¡± he murmured, somehow giving the distinct impression she had given the wrong answer. His bony fingers traced the gold filigree of his soul tome before the book disappeared in a blue shimmer. ¡°As you should be well aware, the Moon¡¯s Trials have been confirmed again for this year.¡± His mouth scrunched up in scholarly disapproval. ¡°I thought we were beyond such crude means of evaluation after how disastrous the last went¡­ But alas¡­ my proposal of a written test was outvoted by the college.¡± Valela perked her ears. Aside from the fact the trials were happening, no one seemed to know anything about them¡ªnot even Calyssa¡¯s rumor machine. Professor Hulmus tucked back a tuft of white hair with a tired gesture. ¡°Turbulent times are ahead, Miss Hightide.¡± His keen gaze turned muddy, though he still spoke in a slow deliberate manner. ¡°The dean has been tasked to forge the next generation and he means to accomplish that regardless of the costs. I would advise you to spend less time worrying about distant conspiracies and more on practicing your skills. Yes, I know what you¡¯ve been up to. Nothing moves inside the library without my knowledge.¡± Bloody curses! I should have known the clerk would spill it. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to hide¡­¡± Valela fidgeted with the latch of her bag. Professors didn¡¯t always like perfect composure. ¡°Private research shows good initiative and curiosity. Qualities I always try to encourage in my pupils. Despite what my appearance suggests, I¡¯ve also been a student once. Long ago.¡± He chuckled with a rueful smile. ¡°I know the allure of forbidden topics better than most, but you must mind your priorities and not get lost in some treasure hunt.¡± Spirits, I wish it was just that. Valela lowered her gaze in penance, glad he didn¡¯t know everything. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Do you realize the privilege of frequenting these hallowed halls?¡± He gestured to the emptying amphitheater, looming over her from his chair. ¡°Each acceptance cycle, tens of thousands of promising youths test to enter Raelion. Of those, only a fraction of a fraction gets accepted. This might very well be the most important chance of your life.¡± ¡°I understand, professor.¡± Her peers never forgot to remind her how lucky she was to have been accepted, usually when she scored a test higher than them. ¡°Excellent.¡± Professor Hulmus gave a curt nod, suddenly holding a brown folder in his knobby hands. ¡°This should be the information you were looking for.¡± Valela gaped with no effort. ¡°Is that¡­¡± She had spent many sleepless nights failing to figure out what was happening in Limgrell. All she had had to go off was a vaguely worded quest and the few tidbits Kai provided on the suspected cult. The Hall of Seekers proved of no help despite her numerous requests to review the matter; and the reports from the Republic¡¯s Archives were only a little better when she could get her hands on them. There had been an unusual number of incidents across the Republic: entire villages wiped out without a trace, ships missing at sea, key officials suddenly dying and several abductions. All the investigations quickly found an obvious culprit or never made any progress. She couldn¡¯t prove the same cult was behind them, nor did she believe it. The more she looked into it the more she wondered if she had gone mad. ¡°I personally transcribed the scrolls. It made for an interesting read.¡± Professor Hulmus offered her the folder without releasing his grip. ¡°I expect that once your curiosity is sated, you¡¯ll focus on your studies. I always had a fascination for history myself, but it¡¯s not worth compromising your future.¡± Valela bobbed her head like a bird pecking at seeds. ¡°I will.¡± With the rough paper of the envelope in her hands, she itched to immediately devour the contents. It took a sizable effort to casually hold it at her side without staring at it. ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to reading your essay about mana gems formation next week, Miss Hightide.¡± Storing his books away, Professor Hulmus hopped off his chair. He disappeared behind the imposing desk and then ambled toward the faculty room on his stubby legs. ¡°Thank you, professor,¡± Valela spoke up once she had her wits back. Hulmus waved at her without turning. The concentric rows of tables of the amphitheater were empty of students. She had walked halfway to the doors at the top when she sneaked a peek at the papers, afraid to raise her hopes. Limgrell and the masked pirates had run into a dead-end, so she had looked at the historical records of similar activities. It had been a long shot. Heretical cults and secret societies were oddly common on the mainland. By their nature, there was little known about their inner workings; the bulk of information regarded how they were discovered and destroyed¡ªat least in the archives she could access. This¡­ A handful of minutes later, Valela tucked the crumpled folder back into her spatial bag, her hands not as firm as she would like. There was no point worrying on unproven assumptions. She had barely taken a step into the vaulted hallway when two people barred her path. ¡°So, what was it? You¡¯ve taken a while in there.¡± Calyssa said, vibrating with excitement. ¡°What kind of reprimand did you get? Any demerits? Punishments?¡± Rena had an apologetic look that said she had tried to stop her. ¡°It was probably just a warning.¡± ¡°No, Hulmus doesn¡¯t do those.¡± Looking between her closest classmates, Valela shook her head with a lighter mood. They meant well, even if sometimes they were a handful. ¡°You didn¡¯t need to wait for me.¡± ¡°And lose the latest gossip?¡± Calyssa grabbed her golden hair, sounding horrified. Rena elbowed her friend. ¡°We wanted to make sure you were okay.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Calyssa vehemently nodded. ¡°We were also deeply concerned about your wellbeing. Oh, I almost forgot!¡± Her face switched from fretful to giddy in a blink. ¡°You¡¯ll never guess what Narion did during spell practice. Melipha told me Professor Valdibald ripped his hair out. That¡¯ll cheer you up.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, Lys. Thank you for waiting for me,¡± Valela said, knowing she wouldn¡¯t be able to take another step till she spilled what happened. ¡°The professor heard about a topic I¡¯ve been researching and wanted to give me some extra material. I lost track of time going through it.¡± ¡°See, I was right.¡± Rena crossed her lithe arms with a vindicated air. ¡°I told you she wasn¡¯t in trouble.¡± ¡°So, no punishments¡­? Not even a tiny one?¡± Calyssa pouted. ¡°I actually thought you had done something fun for once¡­ Guess wordy papers are more your thing.¡± Valela took the chance to break through their blockade. ¡°If you don¡¯t like wordy papers, I imagine you won¡¯t need my notes.¡± She hid a smile and strode toward the lift at the end of the hallway. The main array thrummed beneath her feet, lighting the floor marbling with chains of blue runes. ¡°Wait!¡± Calyssa scampered on the stone platform, hugging her arm. ¡°I also love dusty papers! You wouldn¡¯t be so cruel to deny me my passion, right Val?¡± ¡°She should.¡± Rena gilded inside for last, gesturing to the waiting attendant to activate the lift for the fifth floor. ¡°If she keeps bailing you out, she enables your bad habits.¡± ¡°And what¡¯s the harm in that?¡± ¡°Raelion is the most renowned academy in the Republic. We¡¯re here to learn the foundations for our profession paths.¡± She gestured toward the lecture hall they had left. The metallic door shut with a chime, and the lift began to smoothly ascend. ¡°You¡¯ll have problems if you only learn half of it.¡± ¡°No, it just means I¡¯ll have to find people to do the boring half for me.¡± Calyssa combed her hair in the mirror as another chime announced their destination. ¡°Honestly, it doesn¡¯t sound that hard.¡± Her logic is flawless. If someone could make such a ludicrous plan work, it was probably her. Initially, Valela disliked her attitude, then she realized she was simply honing a different set of skills. Lys could often put twice as much energy into avoiding a task she found boring than it would take to complete it. How would it have been to grow up in the capital? Perhaps it¡¯s normal there. Exiting the lift, the wide glass windows on the left showed a view of the vast gardens and marble buildings around Raelion. The colossal trees and everblooming fields of flowers always caught Valela¡¯s breath. They could only be maintained thanks to the naturally high-mana density¡ªin addition to an army of gardeners and arrays. Despite being built in a yellow-3 area, a child could run through the fields and woods without fear of encountering any beasts within the premises. Her Poise hadn¡¯t stopped her from gawking when she first stepped off the airship. ¡°Val, I think that one is here for you.¡± Calyssa¡¯s voice pulled her away from the scenery. Valela turned to see a woman in the blue and silver livery of the House of Mirrors waiting by the entrance of the cafeteria. Her heart skipped a beat, letting the worries she had locked in her mind flood free. Don¡¯t jump to conclusions. ¡°Miss Hightide.¡± The messenger gave a short bow and held out a letter in a gloved hand. ¡°Your emergency contact has entered one of our branches and asked to contact you. Do you wish to make a connection or reschedule for another date?¡± Valela broke the wax seal and mana netting of the letter. There were only two words inside, and she only needed the first: Matthew. ¡°I¡¯ll come immediately.¡± He¡¯s okay. I must tell him¡ª ¡°You¡¯re going to skip your meal.¡± Rena pressed her lips in disapproval. ¡°Can¡¯t it wait for later? ¡°No one should¡ª¡± Calyssa¡¯s expression lit in realization ¡°Oh, it must be that guy!¡± ¡°Who?¡± Rena furrowed her sharp brows before getting an uncharacteristic glint of mischief in her dark eyes. ¡°You mean that guy. The one she¡¯s been worrying about for weeks.¡± ¡°Yes, her mysterious friend.¡± They shared a knowing glance. Calyssa giggled. ¡°I hope he¡¯s handsome at least. He must be. Otherwise you wouldn¡¯t be losing sleep over him.¡± ¡°There is nothing between us. He¡¯s just an acquaintance I contracted back home.¡± Valela could feel her traitorous cheeks heating up and turned toward the House¡¯s messenger. ¡°I¡¯d like to go now.¡± Without giving her friends another chance to tease her, she hurried toward the lift ahead of the woman in livery, familiar with the fastest route. ¡°You might want to fix your hair,¡± Calyssa yelled after her. A hand rose to her hazel locks before Valela could stop it; a bout of laughter burst behind her. She would never hear the end of it, but for now, she had other priorities. Why has he taken so long to reach out? And I haven¡¯t heard from Niel either. All that mattered was that they were safe, away from Limgrell. She strode out of the lift to the ground floor, just slow enough to not look like she was running. The branch of the House of Mirrors was positioned close to the dormitory to allow easy access. The messenger panted when she stepped on the onyx floor of the facility and headed for the front desk, summoning letter in hand. ¡°I¡¯d like to reach my contact.¡± ¡°Miss Hightide.¡± The receptionist smiled recognizing her and typed on the polished slab behind the counter. ¡°The nineteenth chamber has been prepared for your connection. Your contact has insisted on paying for the service. May I interest you in any of our refreshments?¡± "Perhaps later. Thank you.¡± Her heart drummed in her chest. She followed a clerk who walked too slowly, reaching the room at the far end of a corridor. Inside, a half-mage stood in front of the jagged floating mirror. ¡°I¡¯ve established the connection. I imagine you know how this works, miss.¡± ¡°I¡¯m familiar,¡± Valela said tersely. The door closed, sealing her alone in the chamber. She breathed to calm her nerves and tapped the rippling silver surface. Chapter 292 - Across the Mirror Chapter 292 - Across the Mirror Formless shadows swarmed over the silver surface. Valela held her arms around herself, heart beating in her ears. Mere moments stretched forever before the mirror cleared to reflect an identical room thousands of miles away. Kai smiled slightly upon seeing her. ¡°Hi.¡± His face was paler and gaunter than she remembered, the blonde locks on his forehead darker and in dire need of a cut. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you¡¯re okay.¡± Valela recomposed herself with Poise, praying to not sound awkward. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°Yeah, it has¡­¡± His gray eyes carried a gloomy shadow. Why didn¡¯t they contact me sooner? What happened in Limgrell? Is Kea safe? Did he get there too late? A dozen questions raced to her mouth, so many things she wanted to ask and say¡ªone rose over the others. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Kai blinked. ¡°I¡­ yes. I¡¯m fine. Just tired.¡± His shoulders slackened and softened his posture. ¡°It has been a few long weeks.¡± Yeah, for both of us. ¡°You¡¯re in¡­ Darvell now?¡± Valela recalled the location the clerk had mentioned in passing. She had been groomed to thrive in social situations, but her skills seemed to fail her now. She twirled a hazel curl over her cheek, unsure of what to say. Stop being silly. ¡°It was the closest town that had a branch of the House.¡± He moved closer to the floating mirror, studying her. ¡°Uh¡­ Have you done something with your hair? It looks different.¡± Valela stopped her fidgeting and pulled her hand away. ¡°I just tied it.¡± A braid half circled over her ear and was fastened behind her head. It was a mess with many wavy locks tickling her face. She knitted it while running here. It¡¯s all Rena and Calyssa¡¯s fault. ¡°I like it,¡± Kai said with a terse nod. Heat rose to her cheeks. ¡°It¡¯s nothing much. I could have braided it better.¡± Valela caught herself just before touching her hair again. ¡°We should keep on topic. Did no one else come with you? You know traveling on the mainland isn¡¯t like the archipelago.¡± From the map she studied, Darvell was a minor trading hub close to the Rattling Hills. It would take days to reach it from the Lake of Myst. ¡°It was the only way to send a message. And I move faster alone.¡± He wore a rueful smile. ¡°To be honest, it was probably safer than staying in Limgrell.¡± ¡°Why¡­¡± Valela gulped as she caught on to the implications: he would be going back for his companions. I warned him they should have left as soon as possible. Why does nobody ever listen? The folder Professor Hulmus gave her weighed heavily in her spatial bag. If half of what she suspected was true¡­ She shuddered at the thought; this wasn¡¯t something they should be messing with. ¡°How are the others? I¡¯ve not heard from them either.¡± I must get them away from that town. Kai stiffened. His gaze darted around the sealed room as if expecting an attack. ¡°Are we safe to speak?¡± ¡°Not even the consul could spy on us.¡± The House prided itself in the clarity and security of its mirror magic. They had guarded the secret for millennia, spreading across the continent. Valela walked closer to the mirror¡¯s surface with a bad foreboding. ¡°Is everything really alright? Did¡­ did something happen to your sister?¡± It had been too long since Niel updated her. I should have hired someone to check on them. ¡°Kea¡¯s fine. Well, she¡¯s safe¡­¡± His grim look was back. ¡°We¡¯ve been careful to avoid danger since Niel went missing a month ago.¡± ¡°What? What do you mean he went missing?¡± Valela froze, wishing she had heard wrong. While she had only met Niel a few times, he had accepted her sponsorship and been under her protection. How could he¡­ Bloody curses! I failed them. ¡°We were attacked on the streets near the docks,¡± Kai spoke with a lifeless tone. ¡°I tried to stop them, but¡­¡± His hand moved where he held the sword and clenched it into a fist. ¡°I couldn¡¯t do anything to help him. I could barely see, the mist was so thick. Then, he was just gone¡­¡± ¡°Meew.¡± A fluffy silver cat suddenly stood on his shoulders, rubbing its head against him. Kai fondly scratched the familiar without showing any surprise. Her same guilt reflected in his eyes. It¡¯s my fault. Valela traced the scar on her stomach¡ªa habit she had thought forgotten. In the archipelago, she always knew where to go and who to call to tackle a problem. Her naive arrogance led her to believe the mainland would be the same. The idea seemed laughable in hindsight. Her years of preparations and contacts amounted to a grain of sand in the sea. What can I do? ¡°Why don¡¯t you explain everything from the start.¡± She moved a high back chair in front of the mirror and gestured to him to do the same before realizing there was no seat in his room. Bloody cheapskates. The House must consider that an extra for wealthy patrons¡ªshe¡¯d have a word with them later. Kai didn¡¯t seem to mind. ¡°Yeah, a lot has happened.¡± He summoned a sculpted ice stool and took out a blue pillow in the same motion¡ªnot hiding his spatial artifact. A breath escaped him as he sat. ¡°We''ve been careful with our moves since Niel was taken. The culprits are organized, probably a cult of some kind. They want to keep their secrecy at any cost, but we¡¯ve put together a few clues¡­¡± Valela listened, scribbling down the most important information. Against her advice, Kai had dived straight into the case, treading a precarious path between not calling attention to himself and scouring the town to uncover the truth. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°I recovered this from an ambush site.¡± Kai took out a sheet covered in an array of jagged runes and waited for her to copy it before continuing. ¡°We also discovered a man who had been providing names¡­¡± The new information sent her mind flying in a swirl of possibilities. She had concrete clues to pursue. Added to the records and reports, she could make more than far-fetched theories. It¡¯ll take days to cross-reference everything. Professor Hulmus won¡¯t be happy¡­ ¡°The number of disappearances keeps increasing. We¡¯ve been looking for where the missing victims are taken.¡± Kai explained the trails they followed. Thrumming with nervousness, Valela filled over twenty pages before he fell silent. The affinity for Darkness and the strange runes fit her suspicions of a cult. Is it really them? The records say they had been purged centuries ago. She pulled a lock behind her ear. Such an ancient organization would keep her up at night, but there was a more pressing worry. ¡°Why did you reach out now?¡± She peered at him, hoping to be mistaken. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand, I¡¯m happy that you did. But you should stop this investigation and inform the Republic. This matter is far more than you or I can handle.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t. If I speak with the officials in Limgrell, the cult will know. They will run or worse¡­ We¡¯ll lose any chance of finding Niel and Caeden.¡± The steely stubbornness in his eyes was unmistakable: he had made up his mind. If a month spent watching his back hadn¡¯t dissuaded him, no amount of cool reasoning would change it. ¡°Kea won¡¯t leave till we find out what happened to them. And neither will I.¡± Kai lowered his gaze, almost guiltily. He turned the silver ring he wore with his thumb. ¡°I was there when Niel disappeared¡­ I couldn¡¯t help him then, but I won¡¯t abandon him.¡± Merciful Moons¡­ Valela massaged her temples. ¡°Okay, I understand.¡± ¡°Uh, you do¡­?¡± Disbelief sculpted every line of his face. ¡°Yes.¡± She loathed to admit it, but she wouldn¡¯t lie to herself, or him. Duty and responsibility were familiar feelings¡ªeven when they were foolish. ¡°You can¡¯t leave them¡­¡± The last piece of this conversation finally fit together. ¡°You¡¯re planning to do something stupid, aren¡¯t you? That¡¯s why you came to see me.¡± The guilty look Kai gave her would have made her laugh under different circumstances. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to face them head-on,¡± he said¡ªas if that was supposed to make her feel better. ¡°Once we find Niel, we¡¯ll run. We¡¯ve got an idea of where they might be hidden. And I thought to inform you before we check. Just in case.¡± Just in case you get yourself killed. Valela wished she could reach through the mirror to slap some sense into that insufferable face. Instead, she pressed her lips into a thin line and stared him down. Why couldn¡¯t he keep out of trouble? ¡°You can bring what we¡¯ve found to the Republic,¡± Kai averted his eyes. ¡°Do you know anyone trustworthy? I¡¯d be grateful if you waited a few days. I don¡¯t want to risk the rumors reaching Limgrell.¡± Of course¡­ The corruption of the local officials was hardly surprising. Any large organization had rotten fields, though Kai underestimated their capabilities. Valela pushed down a slew of snappy responses and rested her hands on her uniform skirt. ¡°How can I help?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t ask you for more. You¡¯ve done more than enough,¡± he said without pausing to breathe. ¡°Then we¡¯re good that I¡¯m the one asking. You¡¯ve already gotten me here.¡± She gestured to the onyx room lit by three crystal lights. ¡°You even insisted on paying. Just indulge my curiosity. What¡¯s your plan? Maybe I can help.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying¡­¡± Valela rummaged through her bag to take out the folder. The papers were a little unwieldy to show through the mirror, though she liked having something to keep her hands busy. ¡°I¡¯ve also done some research. I wasn¡¯t certain before, but what you¡¯ve shown me confirmed a few theories. This cult is more dangerous than you think.¡± * * * ¡°Thank you for your kind patronage.¡± The clerk smiled brightly, taking his silver coins with a cruel swipe. ¡°I hope our services were satisfactory. May we interest you in some refreshments?¡± She slipped a folded sheet over the counter to him, the pearly paper showed images of colorful drinks and snacks. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± Kai fought to keep his tone polite. ¡°Thank you.¡± A shiny bowl of mango ice cream gave him pause. He could rarely find fresh apples in Limgrell, let alone mangos. After a month of bland meals, his stomach begged him to buy the sugary dessert¡ªthe price tag helped him desist. I won¡¯t be tempted. Kai strode out of the hall and descended the onyx steps two at a time onto the dusty road. How could he enjoy any food while the others waited for him? He stopped at a crossing to orient himself. It was laughably easy to find his way without the fog, the eastern stone gate soared over the building and most passersby offered him directions. Darvell was hardly a picturesque town with its gray buildings, lack of green and chattering caravans choking the main avenue. Still, the burnished blue sky and sunlight washing over the rooftops made him gape. Since he had trekked out of the mist, he couldn¡¯t stop marveling at the open heavens. The constant dreariness around the Lake of Myst had been suffocating him, he only now realized the toll it had taken on him. I have to get back. He was already behind schedule. Valela had chewed him out for three hours straight, ripping apart and rebuilding his plan with a sweet smile. Someone had to know what was happening in Limgrell before they took any risky initiative. The worry for his friends pushed him to walk faster. It was mid-afternoon when he exited the eastern gate behind a creaking wagon. Aside from Rain, he was the fastest runner¡ªa logical choice for this task. C¡¯mon, they can survive a few days without me. Kai channeled a stream of mana into Body Augmentation, his boots crunched the gravel of the wide road. If he kept a steady pace and didn¡¯t take breaks, he could get back in two days. His concern and eagerness to see the matter done urged him to quicken his steps. He ran past a team of gruff adventurers who sneered at his speed¡ªperhaps they were going in the same direction. The flow of seekers lured by the gold bounty had never stopped, even though most only stayed a few days before giving up and leaving. They might be jerks, but they¡¯re right. I must slow down. One way or another, everything would soon be over. They had spent weeks patching together rumors, statistics and hunches to trace down the cultists¡¯ hideout. By the end, there had still been three vast areas to search. Kai hadn¡¯t expected Valela to provide any useful intel, let alone something to narrow down the possibilities. I owe her another favor. They just keep piling. His rhythmic breathing condensed into white puffs as the crisp air brought relief from the heat of running. With the coming winter, the fields of golden crops had faded into muted browns and grays. Dense mana nurtured plants to grow taller and lusher, but also made the seasons and weather hasher. Bare trees and bushes lined the road, offering little cover. Kai trusted Hallowed Intuition that he wouldn¡¯t need any for a hundred miles or more. Realizing he had sped up again, he adjusted his pace and summoned his status to distract himself. Living in a creepy shithole sure helps. Body stats Boons: Profession Skills: General Skills: Chapter 293 - Brewing Shadows Chapter 293 - Brewing Shadows Kai forcefully shut the notebook and stored it in his ring. Everyone had poured their mind over the plan¡ªValela included. It was foolish to believe he would catch a detail they all missed, yet his mind couldn¡¯t stop brooding over it. It¡¯s as solid as it¡¯s gonna get. The pervading cold of his bedroom welcomed him back to Limgrell. Kai stretched his sore legs, casting a miniature storm to shower before wearing some clothes. It¡¯ll soon be over. Whether they located the missing people or failed, Kea had agreed that staying longer would be too dangerous. He had pushed his body and skills to the limit to reach the gates before they shut for the night. As the mists appeared over the sloping hills around the lake, whispers had started brewing in the back of his mind, more insistent with every stride. The warnings had spiked when the guards questioned him at the western gate. If they had shown outright hostility, he would have written it off as mistrust of an outsider, but they had let him through with barely a question¡ªsomeone had taken notice of his absence. Did some Republic official wake up to do their work? Hmm¡­ no, that sounds wishful even in my thoughts. He had expected they¡¯d be targeted after Niel was taken, but as people continued going missing, the cult ignored them. Had Hobbes scared them off? Or were the remaining members not worth their time? We¡¯ll see who smiles at the end. His sister and friends had holed up in their rented houses to stay safe. He couldn¡¯t hide his trip to Darvell, but only Flynn and Rain knew about his meeting with Valela. There was no time to solve Kea¡¯s mistrust of her. The rest of the group thought he had gone to gather supplies and information at the Hall of Seekers there. I¡¯ll explain once we¡¯re away from here. He had studied the wards guarding the town from every angle to figure out how the cultists moved. They had been laid by a master more skilled than anyone in Limgrell. No one would sneak past them undetected¡ªif not for one inevitable flaw. A knock on the door sent mana surging to his fingertips. ¡°You up?¡± Flynn poked his head through the crack of the door, looking reassured to find him there. ¡°We¡¯re ready when you are.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m coming.¡± Kai grabbed the bandolier with his sword from the chair he used as a cloth rack. They took precautions to avoid direct confrontation, but his plans had the tendency to go awry. He didn¡¯t want to worry about revealing his spatial artifact if he was forced to draw his blade. Every rule has an exception, right? ¡°How¡¯re you feeling?¡± Flynn sat at the dining table, polishing an array of knives before him. One by one, blades disappeared into his sleeves, inner pockets and boots as if he were casting Space Magic. ¡°You looked pretty beat up last night. I can ask Kea to delay another day.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a little soreness. It won¡¯t bother me.¡± Kai flexed his shoulders to warm the muscles. If the cultists had caught wind of him, they couldn¡¯t afford to stall in this cold dump.¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t that the truth¡­¡± Flynn¡¯s lazy smile turned weary. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d forget how the sky and sun look¡­¡± ¡°Hmm, I miss the sea¡­¡± Rain stood up from the couch to join them. ¡°Not that I want to go back,¡± added, rubbing his arm. He wore a loose gray shirt and trousers under a long blue coat and fluffy purple hat. Over the last weeks, he had narrowed down the clothes he needed to feign the cold bothered him. ¡°Do you know where we are going to visit next?¡± Kai bit his cheek. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know.¡± Unmasking the cult had been his entire world since Niel went missing, but the perpetual fog hadn¡¯t chipped Rain¡¯s confidence. For him, the cultists were merely an inconvenience in the itinerary. ¡°Maybe we could go to some place warmer?¡± ¡°A few friendly folks would do us good,¡± Flynn said as he grabbed a glass of water. From his smooth movements, no one would guess he carried an armory worth of blades. ¡°And better food! If I have to cook another bland stew without salt or meat, I¡¯m going to rip my hair out. And the world doesn¡¯t deserve the loss.¡± The siren furrowed his pale brows, then nodded. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d like to see a real squirrel. And a hedgehog!¡± Suddenly he leafed through a booklet with lifelike pictures of animals and scenery. ¡°Maybe a moon phoenix. They say they¡¯re breathtaking¡­¡± Where did he get a tourist guide? A smile lifted his gloomy mood as his friends drafted an ever-increasing list of requirements. Yes, this was just another step. ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out once we¡¯re done here. Unless the plan has changed since I left¡­?¡± Last night he had dropped dead, exhausted after reviewing Valela¡¯s intel. It wouldn¡¯t affect their plans aside from drastically reducing the search range. ¡°It¡¯s still the same.¡± Flynn snooped over Rain¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Caeli wanted to split into teams and cover more areas, but her idea was sunk.¡± ¡°Oh, thank Yatei.¡± Kai massaged his temples. He understood Caeli¡¯s worry for her brother, but being close to the finish line was only a reason to be more cautious. ¡°Yeah,¡± Flynn said. ¡°Though it wasn¡¯t an ethereal glowlight that argued her down for two hours.¡± ¡°Then Rain also has my deepest appreciation,¡± Kai chuckled. Ignoring the affronted look, he took out his ticking pocket watch. ¡°We have to go meet with Kea. Check you¡¯ve gathered what you need. Essentials only. I have a little space in my ring if you need it.¡± Regardless of success, they might not see this house again, and running around with full luggage would alert the cultists they were up to something. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°I¡¯ve got everything I need.¡± Flynn patted the only visible dagger he carried strapped to his belt. Throwing open the kitchen cabinets, he found a piece of jerky and stuffed it in his mouth. ¡°I¡¯ve already checked the rooms. Rain stored my other stuff in his artifact.¡± Uhm¡­ We¡¯re really doing this. The merry vibe puffed out. No one spoke as they left the stark apartment. Outside, the fog had swallowed the streets. Elemental motes pulsed in Kai¡¯s veins, ready to be unleashed. If that will even help. The day of the ambush remained vivid in his mind: how his skills and essence had deserted him. The memory chilled his blood. From Rain¡¯s knowledge, it could be the result of a portable array or a profession skill. Such powerful effects often came with heavy restrictions unless the difference in grade was huge. His attacker had been a shadow and blade cloaked in mist, but they definitely hadn¡¯t reached Green. Fending off the assault, Kai had been too focused on not dying to realize his opponent hadn¡¯t shown any skill. Did the nullifying effects not distinguish between friend and foe? Hobbes had scoffed at the idea that his blinks could be affected, so whatever they used wasn¡¯t invincible. I just got to figure out the exact restrictions. Truth be told, he¡¯d rather not experience that powerlessness again. The fence of Kea¡¯s house came out of the fog across the streets. Three figures stood before it, their postures tensed before relaxing in recognition. ¡°We¡¯re ready,¡± Caeli blurted just as a privacy ward bubbled around them. Her frenetic gaze lingered on Kai. ¡°You¡¯re good to go? We¡¯ve delayed enough for your errand. I could have told you there was no point looking for intel elsewhere.¡± ¡°It was worth a try.¡± Kai shrugged, keeping his tone polite. He would act much worse if his brother had gone missing for two months. How long could someone tensely wait before breaking? ¡°Then we can move!¡± Caeli grinned. ¡°I still think we should split up. Even narrowing down to three locations, it¡¯ll take us days to sweep them. More chances for the culprits to notice us. And we all wanted to avoid that.¡± ¡°Caeli. We¡¯ve already discussed this. We are not splitting,¡± Kea firmly stated. Her posture was steady and alert, though exhaustion painted her face and weary eyes. ¡°I see¡­¡± She pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯m the only one who wants to save them.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t you dare!¡± Kea growled, spitting flames from her eyes. Yatei have mercy on us. Kai stepped between them before the argument degenerated. ¡°Why don¡¯t we take a deep breath?¡± His selfless action earned him two glares. ¡°There is no point splitting. We don¡¯t need to check the northern ruins and the wooden hills.¡± Caeli blinked in a quiet stupor while Kea turned to him like a hound. ¡°What do you mean?¡± He raised his hands to appease her. ¡°We¡¯ve just learned of it.¡± ¡°Bel received new intel,¡± Rain said, skirting the truth. ¡°She didn¡¯t want to speak until she could confirm it. Multiple adventurer teams have checked the ruins up the north shore. And the hills don¡¯t match the timing of the last abduction. She could still be wrong, but it¡¯s unlikely.¡± The mention of the clerk blanketed the street in silence. Finding how the girl fooled them had been a hard blow to swallow; Kai wished to slap the spectacles off her face and then himself for falling for it. If it weren¡¯t for Rain, he would have kept playing her jig. The siren had brokered a deal to get intel in exchange for his discretion. And despite his desire for retribution, Kai knew they would have never managed to narrow down the locations of the missing without her help. ¡°Do we really trust that viper?¡± Caeli scoffed and crossed her arms. ¡°She has already tricked us once.¡± ¡°Not on her intel. She never led us astray on that,¡± Mari muttered, reminding everyone of her presence. The hood cloaking her face let her blend in with her surroundings. She had become even quieter since Niel disappeared, rarely leaving the house. ¡°That still doesn¡¯t mean¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ve also had a hunch since I came back,¡± Kai said. It was hard to gauge Treasure Sense and Hallowed Intuition¡ªand he might be biased from Valela¡¯s knowledge¡ªstill, the path was clear. ¡°I think we are on the right track.¡± Caeli bit her lip, they had all witnessed the efficacy of his skills. ¡°Do you want to bet everything on it?¡± ¡°It''s our best shot.¡± He held her fiery gaze. This investigation had been built on theories and deduction from the start, they wouldn¡¯t get definitive proof without exposing themselves. Now I just have to hope Valela was right. ¡°Okay,¡± Kea patted her friend¡¯s back. ¡°But if we¡¯re going to do this, I want to talk to Bel.¡± Rain nodded before Kai had a chance to argue. ¡°We can go together. I planned to check on her before leaving in case she found something else.¡± That¡¯s not a terrible idea¡­ He had avoided the manipulative clerk for weeks, though he wouldn¡¯t mind giving her one last middle finger. ¡°I¡¯ll come with you.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Caeli shifted her attention between them, still irked. ¡°But if we''re going to search the lake, I need to change my bags and supplies.¡± Kai stayed quiet to not restoke conflict. The supplies to move around the lake or across it should be pretty much the same, and a waterproof backpack was a necessity into the fog. ¡°Someone should check with the fisherman who promised us a boat,¡± Mari said, pulling her cloak tighter around her. ¡°I¡¯d rather not find it has a hole when we are in it.¡± Caeli let out a sharp sigh. ¡°You¡¯re right. We can ask Aldred if he can lend us his just in that case. I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll mind.¡± The middle-aged man was always eager to help any adventurer looking for his daughter. Reaching a consensus, they moved into their apartment. Caeli and Mari disappeared into their room while Kea discussed the next steps with them. A handful of tedious minutes later, they went back into the cold mist. ¡°I¡¯ll go with them.¡± Flynn gestured to the two girls. Moving in groups remained their best defense. There had been no other cases of people attacked in company aside from Niel¡ªthe exception that made all the difference. ¡°Okay, be safe.¡± Kai watched them disappear down the street. While both teams counted three people, their combat power was quite different. Hobbes? Can you keep an eye on Flynn? The furball rested on a windowsill behind them, never going far from him. He agreed to the task with surprising swiftness, perhaps feeling some gratitude for being carried on his back for the better part of two days¡ªor in a gracious mood. Yeah, I promise we¡¯re almost done here. Then we can go somewhere less boring. And yes. With better food too. Warm approval flowed through their bond, the impressions growing gradually stronger and clearer. Kai hurried to keep pace with Kea, who marched ahead toward the Hall. Rain closed the line with him, peering in Hobbes'' direction through the dense fog. No time like the present. ¡°Uh,¡± Kai scratched his ear. ¡°I¡­ wanted to thank you for, well¡­ everything. We couldn¡¯t have gotten here without you. And you didn¡¯t owe us¡ª me anything.¡± Rain tilted his head, the usual serenity marred with confusion. ¡°You don¡¯t need to mention it.¡± His pointy smile lit his face. ¡°We¡¯re friends, right?¡± ¡°Yes. But not every friend goes that far.¡± He let his gaze wander along the paved streets of the center. ¡°And I don¡¯t take it for granted.¡± ¡°Then it means we¡¯re best friends,¡± Rain beamed, a glimmer of amusement flashing in his eyes. ¡°And I honestly didn¡¯t do much. It was fun.¡± Okay¡­ The siren might be the only person who could call a month-long stay in a creepy town shrouded in mist and hunted by cultists fun. Kai decided he wasn¡¯t going to question it. Maybe the creatures of the deep worked by different rules. ¡°Hey, we¡¯re here,¡± Kea announced over her shoulder. The crumbling facade of the Hall emerged from the mist. Kai was surprised when the heavy door swung open without a metallic screech. Someone had finally oiled the hinges. The vast Hall inside was silent, letting their boots echo on the hardwood floor. No adventures mingled around the free tables: the sight had become almost commonplace in the last weeks. Stranger yet, the desk where Belice sat to observe seekers coming and going was vacant. ¡°Do you know if it was her day off?¡± Kai asked, his words uncomfortably loud in the vast emptiness. Rain shook his head, wrinkling his nose. ¡°She didn¡¯t mention it.¡± ¡°A clerk always mans the front counter. Or at least they would leave a sign.¡± Kea advanced toward the polished desk. ¡°Wait! Something is off.¡± Kai hastened after her, but his sister didn¡¯t slow down. There was no other human in the Hall: a stack of papers lay scattered over the desk, nothing that resembled a sign. A single blotch of red ink marred the sheet on top. Kea froze a step from the desk, a hand rising to cover her mouth. ¡°What¡ª Shit.¡± Kai stood rooted beside her. The coppery smell wafted over him at once. Looking past the counter, Belice¡¯s body lay crumpled beneath her chair. Chestnut hair spread messily over her face, twisted in pain and shock. Her lifeless eyes stared at the ceiling. A black dagger stabbed to the hilt in her heart, drenching her pink blouse in dark blood. Chapter 294 - Hands in the Shadow Chapter 294 - Hands in the Shadow Dammit! Why now? Kai extended Mana Observer over Belice¡¯s body, hoping for a miracle. A stream of glowing motes flowed out of her limp figure, her veins turning dim and stagnant. The sight was miserably familiar, though he usually observed it in beasts. Hallowed Intuition¡¯s silence brought him little relief. ¡°She¡¯s dead,¡± he murmured. The statement sank into the silent Hall like a condemnation, their breaths were the loudest sound. If there were spells to revive people, he had never heard of them. Rain stood frozen half a step behind him, pale bloodless lips parted. ¡°I just talked to her yesterday¡­¡± ¡°Who¡­ She can¡¯t¡­ Cursed Moons!¡± Kea gritted her teeth, her aura flared before she pulled it under control. Without giving him a chance to intervene, she leaped over the counter. The hardwood floor creaked where she landed beside Belice''s corpse, touching her neck with surprising gentleness. The hopeful glimmer in her eyes dulled. ¡°The¡­ the body is still warm.¡± Kea gulped, voice wooden. ¡°She¡¯s not been dead for long.¡± Don¡¯t stand there like a fool. Focus! Kai went closer to peer over the polished desk. ¡°I¡¯d say about three minutes from the mana still in her body. Maybe less.¡± The loss of attuned essence varied with the density of the deceased and the environment; he had gained enough experience in the Sanctuary for a rough estimate. ¡°It¡¯s better if we don¡¯t move anything.¡± His analysis skills swept the crime scene. Aside from his expertise in mana and runes, the last month made clear he was no detective. There were no signs of struggle or traces of the culprit. Whoever assassinated Belice took her by surprise and finished her with a swift stab in the heart. Why her? Climbing over the counter to crouch beside his sister, Kai used a handkerchief to pull out the black dagger. The feeling of the blade grinding against bones and flesh as it slipped out of her chest made him sick. He had seen and caused far more gruesome scenes, but it was different when the victim had been a breathing, living person he knew. The metallic stench of blood choked his lungs, almost strong enough to taste. This wasn¡¯t right, this¡ª Kai pushed the gurgling knot of emotions out of his thoughts. Keep focused on what you can do. Proof. Clues. The murder weapon in your hands. The black leather hilt sported parallel grooves for grip, continuing into a slick blade forged from an equally dark alloy. It was long enough to pierce through a human body, expertly crafted if simple in design. The strangest aspect was the lack of enchantments. The intrinsic flow of the mana alloy could sustain runes to rival his sea serpent fang. To use it as a plain pointy stick was an extravagant waste. But it makes it hard to track¡­ Enchantments told a story, from the schematic composition to the subtle differences in how a runesmith carved each line. The runic alphabet itself could be a clue¡ªconsidering who was involved. Hmm, why leave a weapon behind at all? Was it some sort of veiled threat? Or did the assassin get startled by their arrival¡­? Could they have saved her if they had walked a little faster? Belice¡¯s listless eyes appeared to fill with reproach. Her gold-rimmed glasses lay in the tangle of her hair. Her self-assuredness was gone in death, leaving a scared girl a couple years older than him. This wasn¡¯t supposed to happen¡­ Regardless of his irritation toward her actions, she didn¡¯t deserve to die like this. Belice had been trying to help them in her own overreaching way and paid with her life. Why was there no one else in the Hall? Why was she killed now, just as they prepared to look for the missing people? How was the cult involved? ¡°Always such cursed Luck.¡± Kai abruptly stood, careful not to touch the papers as he maneuvered back on the other side of the desk. None of this made sense, but it wasn¡¯t the time to look for answers. ¡°We need to get out of here.¡± Kea turned toward him, blinking as she registered his words. ¡°What? We can¡¯t leave her¡ª¡± ¡°We can¡¯t stay.¡± He gestured toward the vast empty building and the corpse. ¡°You told me adventurers are scared to insult a clerk in the Hall of the Seekers. She was murdered in cold blood. Something¡¯s deeply wrong. If half of the officials we suspect are corrupt, do you want to stay and explain what happened?¡± Kai held her gaze, trying to suppress his own fury and urgency. The words finally seeped through, and she gave a curt nod. ¡°They''re going to pay,¡± Kea stated as she crouched beside Belice to close her glazed eyes. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t touch her¡ª¡± He bit his tongue realizing he was still holding onto the black dagger. The shock of finding the body pushed him to act without considering all the consequences. What¡¯s done is done. The murder weapon disappeared into his ring still coated in fresh blood. Since there were skills to track the last person to touch an object, he had avoided direct contact with a handkerchief, but he wouldn¡¯t bet that was foolproof. With the standards of investigations here, they wouldn¡¯t use it for anything useful anyway. Kea gracefully joined him on the public side of the counter. Her glistening eyes brimmed with anger and sadness. ¡°Where do we go? We need to warn the others. Spirits, what do we do about the plan?¡± Kai held her arm until her expression steadied. ¡°Let¡¯s focus on getting somewhere safe. Then we¡¯ll think about the next steps.¡± Suddenly, a seething whisper rose in his mind as if to confirm his worst fears, growing louder each second. He turned toward the door and gave one last look at Belice. I know we didn¡¯t like each other much, but I¡¯ll find out who did this. Rain stood stiff, still in the same spot. He cocked his head with an expression of focus as if listening to a distant sound. ¡°Let¡¯s go this way.¡± He strode toward the opposite end of the Hall. ¡°Wait! Where are you going?¡± Kai hissed without any effect. Dammit! With time ticking away, he hurried after him with Kea in tow. The siren relieved his panic, taking out an iron key to open the staff door. Crossing an empty corridor. they exited on the backstreet behind the massive building. Welcomed in the anonymity of the fog, Rain led them across another street and into an alleyway between two shops with empty shelves before stopping. Any sense of frustration Kai had evaporated when the whispers quieted. We¡¯re safe. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°Sorry.¡± The siren¡¯s face was still a distant mask. ¡°I heard someone coming toward the main entrance.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Kai raked a hand through his hair, trying to put order among his racing thoughts. ¡°Next time, just tell me what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°I will.¡± His perfect smile carried no warmth. ¡°We should warn a patrol of Bel. I won¡¯t mention you. I often come to talk to her alone, so it won¡¯t be strange if they look into it. When I found her dead, I ran out in panic and got lost in the mist to account for the delay.¡± ¡°I¡­ If you think that¡¯s best.¡± Kai rubbed his neck. The idea looked solid from the angles he could see and would save them a lot of trouble down the road. ¡°What if they hold you with some bullshit excuse?¡± ¡°I can handle some¡­ officers,¡± Rain said. ¡°I saw a group two streets over. It¡¯ll just take a moment.¡± Again, the siren gave him no chance to argue and ran into the fog. This better not become a habit. ¡°And he¡¯s gone.¡± Kea squinted at the disappearing figure. ¡°You never told me where you picked that one up.¡± ¡°It¡¯s complicated¡­¡± That didn¡¯t begin to describe it. Kai spread Mana Observer before Rain walked out of his range. ¡°We should follow him just in case.¡± ¡°In case he gets arrested and we have to attack the guards and commit a capital crime?¡± Kea snorted, though she moved to follow. ¡°I hope his confidence isn¡¯t just posturing.¡± ¡°He knows what he¡¯s doing. He got shaken by Belice¡¯s death.¡± They stood fifty meters back, hidden in the fog. Rain adjusted his pace to theirs. Then ran ahead toward three weaker mana signatures. ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going, kid.¡± A gruff voice grunted in the distance. ¡°I¡ª she¡ª¡± Rain panted. ¡°You have to help her! She¡ª she got stabbed. There was so much blood¡­¡± His voice alternated between incoherent and frantic as he delivered the planned speech with pinpoint accuracy. From his tone alone, Kai could picture the scared face of a panicked teenager witnessing a death for the first time. While Rain had made no mystery of his social skills, he had never shown them off. It was remarkable how he diverted probing questions without lying outright and set up the officers to reach the conclusion he needed. Less than a minute later, the patrol ran in the direction of the Hall of Seeker and Rain strolled toward them. The wispy mist parted around him, his face free from any hint of emotion. ¡°One of them acted strange, but I think they believed me. We should move if you want to go ahead with the plan.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Kai wrapped his coat tighter around him. Kea bit her lower lip, also looking at him for a decision. Okay¡­ ¡°We need to find Flynn and the others. This doesn¡¯t only affect us.¡± He took his pocket watch, checking the silver needles twice¡ªit had been less than half an hour since they left the house. ¡°We¡¯ll stop by Aldred and head for the lake.¡± ¡°Do you think they¡¯re in danger too?¡± Kea stayed within arm¡¯s length of him. ¡°Bel was helping us gather intel. But the cult never killed anyone before¡­¡± Guess you weren¡¯t on the Intrepid. One guy was particularly keen on finishing me off. Kai didn¡¯t voice his theories about the fate of the missing. Despite her misconceptions, she wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. The lack of visible deaths in Limgrell had lulled everyone into a false security. Now the illusion was shattered. ¡°They¡¯re together. They¡¯ll protect each other,¡± he said with a forced smile. Belice¡¯s assassination threw a dozen of his assumptions into question. Killing a clerk of the Hall at work couldn¡¯t be brushed off, especially if guards got involved. There must still be honest people among them. Was her death a brush exception, or a sign the cult was changing tactics? Had they stopped caring about secrecy? How far were they willing to push? It couldn¡¯t be a coincidence Belice got killed as they were about to hunt their hideout. I also returned to Limgrell last night. Had she found out something too dangerous to share? There was never a lack of unresolved questions, while answers were far rarer goods. A knock on Aldred¡¯s door bore no response. Kai drummed his knuckles on the rough wood. The man was usually in his house at this hour, chatting with some new group of adventurers. Despite the lack of progress, he never seemed to lose the hope of finding his missing daughter. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s me. Matthew¡ª¡± The door swung open under his weight, almost tripping him. Kai glanced at his companions with a shrug. Limgrell wasn¡¯t a place where people left their houses unlocked, but Aldred could be a little airheaded. ¡°Do you mind if we come in?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t.¡± Kea pushed past him to enter. ¡°Since we got here, we might as well check. Caeli? Are you here?¡± The living space was how Kai remembered, homely if a little messy. Four mismatched mugs lay on the table and leftovers of fish soup were in a pot on the stove. He swept his senses across the few rooms and basement¡ªall empty. ¡°Flynn and the girls stopped by here.¡± Rain wrinkled his nose. ¡°They weren¡¯t hurt. I can¡¯t smell any blood at least.¡± Kea gave him a puzzled look but didn¡¯t comment. ¡°We should get to the docks then.¡± ¡°One moment.¡± Rain walked up to a cabinet filled with old hooks and lures shaped like colorful fishes. Scrunching his pale brows, he looked at the picture of a young woman with golden hair and orange eyes nailed above; Aldred had at least a dozen throughout the house. The siren gently brushed the frame, then his hand ripped through the board off the wall with a dry crunch. Without pause or consideration, he cracked another board to enlarge the hole and let it clatter on the floor. ¡°What the fuck are¡ª¡± ¡°Here.¡± Rain stuck inside a hand and pulled out a square casket shut with a lock. ¡°I thought I saw something strange.¡± ¡°How¡­¡± Kai gaped, his brain trying to catch up. ¡°How did I miss that?¡± Even with a casual search of the building, he should have noticed such a conspicuous object. The casket wasn¡¯t even cloaked with runes. The glossy, dark-gray wood was peculiar, but its mana flow was ordinary, almost¡­ What¡¯s that? ¡°There is no enchantment. It¡¯s the wood,¡± Rain answered his unsaid question. ¡°I¡¯ve seen similar materials in the sea. They blend the mana with their surroundings to pass unnoticed. It¡¯s not as good as proper concealment, but they¡¯re cheaper. And they can work just as well if you don¡¯t know what to look for.¡± He deposited the casket on the table and tapped on the steel lock. A filament of water slid inside the metal, and with a flick of his finger, it clicked open. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡± Rain lifted the lid. An excited glimmer pierced his stoic visage, reminiscent of his usual self. ¡°Oh¡­¡± He sulked with disappointment. What? Please, tell me we didn¡¯t break his wall for nothing. The potential embarrassment made him want to bury himself. Kai peeked over his arm and gaped again. ¡°So, what is it¡­?¡± Kea squeezed beside him to see. ¡°Oh, shit!¡± Several rows of golden mesars were neatly piled inside¡ªat least thirty of them. That was in addition to five crystal jewels that glowed with mana. Kai had heard Aldred inherited some money when he raised the Hall bounty, but this went beyond that. Was his deceased uncle a patrician tycoon? The story already sounded far-fetched when the inheritance was a few golds. There was no way Aldred could have hidden such a rumor from Belice. If it smells like rotten fish and looks like rotten fish, it¡¯s probably not a flower. I fell for the mournful father ploy. ¡°Uhm¡­ From your reactions, I gather this is a suspicious amount?¡± Rain watched them with a tilt of his head. Kea stared back as if expecting the punchline of a joke. ¡°Yes. All the mesars I¡¯ve seen in my life don¡¯t amount to this much. He must be involved in some very nasty stuff. Or someone bribed him. Or¡­¡± Both? Without a need for words, Rain dashed to the door with Kea on his heels. Hesitating an instant, Kai stored the casket away and ran after them. Naturally, it wasn¡¯t for the gold or precious materials. If Aldred came back to find his wall broken and the money still there, he would realize the culprits. What if the valuables were gone? Well, burglary was on the rise in Limgrell. I¡¯ll pay him back and apologize if I¡¯m wrong. The fog became denser as they descended the dirt streets toward the lake. Farmers had been hit the hardest by the abductions, many families left for other towns. Fishing was one of the few trades that still sustained Limgrell. Kai struggled to perceive anyone around. We just needed another day. As anxiety gripped his insides, rotten boards replaced the slimy mud under his boots and announced their destination. A gust revealed the dingy pier extending into the lake. The reflection on its icy surface could have looked picturesque in different circumstances. Murky boats with frayed sails floated near shore, making dull thuds into a discordant melody. It was a relief when Kai spotted a scarred sailor mending a net. ¡°What ¡¯ou lookin¡¯ at?¡± The man scowled at them from the threshold of a shack. ¡°Uhh?¡± ¡°Nothing, sir. We were looking for our friends¡ª¡± ¡°Mat?¡± Flynn strolled out of the mist carrying a length of rope and a wooden oar. Caeli and Mari stood behind him¡ªno visible wounds on them. Thank Yatei. ¡°Great! Now there¡¯s six of them.¡± The fisherman grimaced and spat in the lake. ¡°I know ¡®our type. The town¡¯s swarmin¡¯ with good-for-nothing adventurers. What do ¡®ou bunch want? I got nothin¡¯ worth stealing, eh? Not even fish.¡± ¡°Have a good day too, sir.¡± Kai ignored the sour sailor¡¯s ramblings. In common agreement, the group moved toward a smaller pier where a rowboat floated. It was hardly an impressive vessel, but the keel had no holes and was reinforced with a simple array. Rain activated a privacy ward around them. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He took the oar from Flynn, studying him with concern. ¡°Yeah¡­ Y¡¯all came fast.¡± Flynn smiled to reassure him, then shifted his gaze between them. ¡°What¡¯s with the morose looks? Did you miss me that much?¡± His chuckle crumbled halfway. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Bel¡¯s dead,¡± Kea said tersely. ¡°A dagger in the heart. We got there too late to do anything.¡± Mari paled and wrapped her arms around herself, looking ready to flop down. ¡°No¡­¡± Caeli stood rooted, hands raised to cover her mouth, trembling. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious. Why would they kill her¡­¡± The sorrow in their voices summoned back the emotions Kai tried to suppress. Then a new seething whisper picked up. Dammit. ¡°The why doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Kea shook her head, blinking rapidly. ¡°We must decide what to do. Aldred could also¡ª¡± ¡°Someone¡¯s coming.¡± Rain raised a hand to hush them. ¡°Five people.¡± Seconds later, the shuffle of boots became audible to them all. For once the fog might play to their advantage. As long as they remained¡ª ¡°They¡¯re over there!¡± The sour fisherman shouted, no doubt pointing at them. Damn jerk! ¡°Get in the boat!¡± Chapter 295 - Ambush - UPDATE 12 December Chapter 295 - Ambush Before the enemies got any closer, Kai cast a layer of ice over the pier and condensed the mist into an opaque sheet. Five glowing presences charged toward them¡ªall early Yellow¡ªwhile the fisherman who gave them away stayed back. No words were exchanged. The burly shieldbearer running at the front slipped on the ice, bringing two others down with him and sending one splashing into the lake. Who are they? Kai¡¯s relief was short-lived. They were on their feet again, closing their formation and advancing with caution. Kai hesitated to cast lethal spells. Were they cultists, a team of corrupt guards, or just a mob? If he got embroiled in a fight, would there be reinforcements coming? Too many unknowns and no time to find out. We can¡¯t face them here. At his back, Mari and Rain had boarded the rowboat; Flynn bustled about with the oars and cut the mooring line. ¡°We can take them.¡± Caeli drew her rapier as if intending to fight. ¡°To the boat. Now!¡± Kai ordered, not in the mood for negotiations. Hands busy with his sea serpent sword, he used the lake''s water to crush the pier poles linking them to shore. The old wooden construction creaked and shifted under his feet, threatening to collapse entirely. Whether it was his words, the unsteady ground or Kea dragging her, Caeli got into the vessel with a growl. ¡°Mat! You get in too!¡± Flynn shouted, trying to row away from the berth with Mari. ¡°I¡¯m coming¡ª¡± Kai halfway turned when a sharp whisper made him raise his guard. A black fletched arrow hit his sword with a sharp clink at eye level. The blowback pushed the blade against his temple, nicking his eyebrow. A warm line of blood trickled down his face, triggering a rush of energy from Kahali¡¯s Retribution. Can they see through the mist? Well¡­ I¡¯m not the only one with Mana Sense. Cloaked by the fog, the archer drew back his bow for another shot, channeling bright sparks of mana into his arrow. Ahead of him, the three standing attackers advanced between the solid parts of the pier and the shallow lake. Not wishing to test their skills, Kai cast a hail of ice needles to slow them. Alarmed shouts rose from the dock. Kai leaped into the boat without looking back. The vessel dangerously tilted where he landed, dousing him in freezing droplets before the water buoyancy rebalanced the scales. There wasn¡¯t much space to move with six of them aboard. Mari frantically rowed alongside Flynn while Kea paddled with a broken bucket. Their uncoordinated effort pushed the boat on a wobbly path away from the shore. We¡¯re too slow. Despite using their full Strength, the old log struggled to pick up speed. The assailants were getting closer, advancing in formation behind the shield-wielding brute. The guy who initially fell into the lake had climbed on shore and aimed a crossbow at them. Why do I always get persistent bastards? Hidden by the shieldbearer, a tall man threw a javelin. The shot crossed the distance in a blink, cracking the ice shield Kai was conjuring. Before he could fix the spell, a crossbow bolt slipped past and buried itself in Mari''s shoulder. She fell back with a scream, letting the oar go far into the lake. Dammit! He split his attention to check on her¡ªthe arrow hadn''t hit any vitals, but it compromised their already wiggly motion. They were too exposed and too slow. Another arrow disrupted his ice shield before he could solidify it. I can¡¯t let this continue. Discarding any qualms, Kai spread his mana wide to cast ice bullets from opposite angles. The projectiles traveled less than half the distance when they curved toward the shieldbearer and harmlessly shattered against his defenses. What skill is that? They¡¯re too coordinated to be random people but haven¡¯t used Darkness mana. Are they corrupt guards? Or mercenaries? An answer wouldn¡¯t change their predicament. Kai flung a wave of icicles, hoping the heavier projectiles would be harder to divert. He was partially right. The spells veered toward the iron tower shield, but three flew too fast and went past, hitting the burly man who slumped on one knee with a groan. The wound only slowed their advance. Behind the iron bulwark, the remaining foes fetched a shabby boat from another berth to give chase. We need to get away. Each moment they waited, they ran the risk of someone sinking their boat. If they got stuck on land, they might never escape this town. Kai summoned blue streams of Water mana until his veins dimmed. But before he could finish the cast, the boat shot forward, skidding over the lake like a hovercraft. ¡°Fuck¡ª¡± He scrambled to grab the frame of the vessel to not get thrown off by the sudden acceleration. People and buildings turned to shadows, then disappeared into the wispy whiteness. He only managed to avoid losing his sword by freezing it into his hand.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. By some miracle or spell, the boat spun and dragged its momentum to a slow glide without capsizing. Kai let go of the grooves his finger had dug into the wood, his back drenched in cold sweat. Warm blood wet the palm of his blade hand where he had shattered the ice. Thankfully the cuts were superficial. He melted the shards and sheathed his sword. His gaze didn¡¯t have to move far to find the culprit. Rain sat on the prow, watching the plumes of whirling mist in their tracks as if he were on a sightseeing excursion. ¡°We should have lost them,¡± he mused. Noticing Kai¡¯s scowl, his face turned sheepish and reddened. ¡°Sorry, I should have warned you. We were in a hurry. And I got lost in the casting.¡± Yatei grant me patience. ¡°I understand. Next time, I¡¯d appreciate a heads up.¡± Kai sighed. There was no point arguing. Pushing them hundreds of meters into the lake was an impressive feat, doing that without destroying their vessel was bewildering. We must be past the wards. The runic scripts protecting Limgrell extended to the outer fishing areas. Contrary to the ones on the walls, they couldn¡¯t physically stop anyone from crossing into the lake, but the wards tracked the comings and goings of fishermen to ensure no one slipped in, or out. Kai hadn¡¯t been able to find how to trick the enchantments. However, bribing the guard who kept the records would be far easier than sneaking past a patrolled stone wall. ¡°Is everyone alright?¡± ¡°Mrooow,¡± Hobbes growled. The furball pranced over their bags and equipment with a distinctly grumpy demeanor. When did you get on? No, I wasn¡¯t trying to leave you behind. It all happened so fast¡ª Hey! Don¡¯t use that tone with me. Hobbes stared back, exuding a smug challenge from his violet eyes. Once he had asserted his dominance, he blinked into a nook of the boat and curled up to nap. Glad you¡¯re here too. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m good.¡± Flynn put down the oar, his face a sickly green. ¡°We¡¯re safe. That¡¯s what¡­ matters.¡± He covered his mouth with his hand, gulping. ¡°We¡­¡± His gaze fell on Mari lying slumped against their bags and he knelt beside her. ¡°Spirits, you¡¯re bleeding. I know it hurts. Try not to move.¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m okay.¡± Mari smiled weakly, her lips pale. A black dart poked out of her shoulder. ¡°It missed¡­ the bone.¡± ¡°Let me check.¡± Kea flung herself over, followed by Caeli. ¡°Stay still. It doesn¡¯t look poisoned, but we must check it isn¡¯t barbed.¡± Their abrupt motion rocked the boat. Kai sat back to balance their weight and offered a healing potion that was promptly snatched. There were already enough hands, so he stayed out of their way, watching Mari¡¯s veins with Mana Observer. She only screamed when Kea pulled out the bolt. Luckily the arrow hadn¡¯t shattered the bone. They took turns cleaning, sewing and bandaging the wound. She would have to use a sling for the next week, but it shouldn¡¯t leave lasting consequences. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Really.¡± Mari raised her healthy arm to push back the fussing trio. ¡°It doesn¡¯t even hurt much after that potion.¡± ¡°Take this too.¡± Kai offered her a pearlescent green vial. ¡°It¡¯s for blood loss. You¡¯ll still need food and rest, but it¡¯ll help till then.¡± ¡°I¡­ Thank you.¡± A mana pulse passed through the liquid before she downed it in one breath. Mari sat up, glaring at the hands trying to help her. ¡°I can do it on my own. I¡¯m not going to drop dead if you look away. It¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve seen a little blood. I knew the dangers.¡± ¡°Uh, did anyone really¡­?¡± Kea murmured with a rueful look. ¡°No one should have known where we were going. Even if Aldred betrayed us, he didn¡¯t know why we were taking a boat. Maybe we should¡ª.¡± ¡°We¡¯re too close to give up.¡± Caeli pursed her lips. ¡°We finally have a lead. And we¡¯ve escaped the ambush. Who can even find us here?¡± ¡°Fish beasts, hungry fairies and mist wraiths,¡± Mari offered in a dead serious tone. ¡°I won¡¯t be much help away from the ground.¡± The Lake of Myst was a mana zone that grew denser the further in you sailed. The enchanted keel of the rowboat would make the creatures dwelling in the water ignore them, but that left plenty of other threats¡ªwithout counting the cultists. We¡¯ll be safe if we keep close to shore. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Flynn interrupted Kea and Caeli¡¯s argument, gesturing around them. ¡°Anyone got an idea of where we are exactly?¡± Oh, shit¡­ Kai spread his senses; the flat waters of the lake extended in every direction beyond the edge of his skills. The fog swallowed them with swirls of dense mana that blurred his view. A look around the boat confirmed it. Even Rain lightly shook his head¡ªthey were lost in a high-mana zone. ¡°Well¡­¡± Flynn chuckled weakly. ¡°If we don¡¯t know where we are, neither can those assholes. So there is that¡­¡± ¡°Bloody Moons!¡± Caeli stood up to peer at the mist, tilting the boat. Her eyes shifted across the placid lake with sudden concern. ¡°We must stay away from the center of the lake. There could be yellow beasts. Or worse¡ª¡± ¡°Start by lowering your voice,¡± Kea pulled her down. ¡°The boat arrays won¡¯t help if you keep shouting. We should still be far from the center.¡± Mari looked over the rim of the boat and sat with her back against the broken bucket. ¡°I can¡¯t say how far we moved. But we¡¯ve been drifting. We should start rowing, it¡¯ll take a while to reach shore with one oar.¡± ¡°And which direction do we pick?¡± Caeli pulled back from the water for what the boat allowed. ¡°Everything looks the same to me.¡± ¡°Let me check the map¡­¡± Flynn tried to play peacemaker, rummaging through a bag. ¡°How will that help if we can¡¯t see where we¡ª¡± Kai tuned them out. He had expected their plan wouldn¡¯t go smoothly, but not that it would crumble before even getting on the boat. Mortals scheme and gods laugh. At least we should be on the right track. From the records Valela recovered, there was a cult known to use cryptic jagged runes that matched the ones he copied. The only issue was that the Church of the Seven Moons had eradicated the Stygian Circle eight hundred years ago; every detail of their deeds and practices had been erased from history. Damnatio memoriae was common practice for heretical organizations. Deities drew power from belief, and if no one knew they even existed, they would weaken and fade. It also made getting any information about them irritatingly difficult. He could have scoured every library in a hundred miles and found no clue without Valela. Whether it was the same cult or some copycat, the links were too strong to ignore. The Stygian Circle was known for its use of Darkness and powerful concealments, they only made exceptions for two other elements: Shadow and Water. Perhaps it wasn''t by chance that they¡¯d run into them on the Intrepid. Among the files Valela showed him, there were many recent accidents along the coastline or near large bodies of water. Beyond dusty records, Kai had another clue he trusted. Since he stepped into the boat, Hallowed Intuition had started humming a reluctant agreement¡ªhe was on the right track to find the missing people. The only issue was where to go. It would take a day to cross the Lake of Myst if they sailed in a straight line across dangerous areas. The presence of swarms of yellow beasts was why Kai hadn¡¯t initially considered the cult would hide here. Only madmen would settle in infested water where you couldn¡¯t see over a few palms from your nose. It was stupid to assume they had common sense. How do I pick the right direction? Kea and Caeli were still arguing over the waxed paper filled with scribbles of the lake. They had to pay several fishermen to piece together that map from memory. Thinking back, it probably wasn''t a chance they found no paper maps. They could only confirm the accuracy of the fishing area close to shore. There were more than a hundred islets scattered around the lake. Kai could toss a pebble across the length of most, though some were large enough to host small woods. ¡°Hmm, guys.¡± Flynn woke him from his musings, squinting at the fog. ¡°I think I see an island.¡± ¡°Are you sure¡­¡± Kai stretched Mana Observer, blinking. He channeled Body Augmentation into his sight to check his senses weren¡¯t tricking him. There was indeed an island, perhaps two dozen meters across. The mana in the mist made everything look the same till he specifically focused on that area. It was like when the cloud fairies obscured his senses, though he couldn¡¯t perceive any hostile intention. Is it some strange natural occurrence? As if this place wasn¡¯t annoying enough¡­ He had to admit an impenetrable fog wasn¡¯t the worst thing that could happen if they needed to sneak around a den of crazy cultists. Rain didn¡¯t look surprised. Noticing the attention on him, he leaned in to whisper. ¡°I just noticed too. And we were already drifting in that direction.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Kea took possession of the oar. ¡°We can find our location when we get on land.¡± With a common goal in mind, they swiftly sailed the boat. The shadow of an island came into view through the fog. A willow tree grew on the mossy shore, its long silver branches dipping into the lake, and more greenery beyond. Late, late update! Update Hello everyone! I''m really sorry it has taken this long to update you. I know some of you may be rightly upset, and I hope this post will alleviate some concerns. In the last months, I have been struggling very badly with mental health stuff, and the longer it went on, the harder and harder it writing got. Just thinking about it made me stressed and anxious. Eventually, Patreon and Royal Road were almost at the same point, and I couldn''t get myself over the building anxiety of letting everybody down. At the end of October up to December, I had also been taking some new meds that weren¡¯t really helping me. I was unable to function till I changed them. And the deeper the hole I dug, the more impossible felt to climb out. After changing meds, I started to see some progress in my mental health, and I was finally able to write a reasonable amount. I''ve been taking my time to build back up to writing more, and have started releasing chapters on Patreon again. Once Patreon is back where it is supposed to be, I''ll start publishing chapters for you all too. While I have drafted a schedule for myself, I don¡¯t want to set a fixed date in case my plans are too optimistic. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. I hope having an update about what is going on is helpful. I am really sorry I disappeared. I wanted to get out of the hole I dug for myself before giving an update, and eventually, it had been so long that even writing the update seemed too daunting. Now I¡¯m finally crawling out of the ditch and can see a peep of light at the end of the tunnel. Thank y¡¯all so much for your support. And while I know this has not been everyone''s favorite arc, I think the ending will make it worth it. I''m very excited about the upcoming arc in book 5 (many of you have already guessed what it¡¯ll be about). A lot of things are going to come together even though it took me a roundabout way to make it there. Thank you so much for your patience, support, and understanding <3 Drewells Audiobook release for Elydes Book 2! Greetings! I''m excited to finally announce that the audiobook for book two of Elydes: Tides of Change is now available! It took a bit longer than the e-book, but I''m very excited with the work done on it! If you like to listen rather than read, here is the link: https://www.audible.com/pd/Elydes-2-Tides-of-Change-Audiobook/B0DR38S8QWThis book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. I greatly appreciate all your support! P:S: Thank you all for the kind message and advice on the last post. I really appreciated them <3 I''m slowly getting back to writing consistently and publishing on Patreon to get it back where it should. Announcement Greetings! Hope you¡¯ve all been doing well. Sorry if it has taken longer than I expected to get back on track. I''ve been working to fill the old and new Patreon tiers and dealing with some personal stuff. Somehow, it¡¯s always two steps forward and one back, but this time I have good news! I¡¯ll return to publishing on RR this Monday. The provisional schedule is gonna be 2 chapters per week of ~3k words on Monday and Friday, at least up till the end of book 4. I always thought longer chapters gave a better reading experience, but I had to bend to RR almighty algorithms when I started publishing. Now I¡¯m trying to figure the best combination between chapter length and number. I¡¯ll increase one or the other once I¡¯m confident in my schedule and warn you before making any changes. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. For now, chapter 296 will come out on Monday at the usual time. I¡¯m much relieved that I¡¯ve filled out all the Patreon Tiers. Attempting to do it while also publishing on RR was always a source of stress in the past years. For anyone curious, here are the new numbers: Orange Tier $3 - 4 chapter ahead Yellow Tier $6 - 9 chapters ahead Green Tier $10 - 15 chapters ahead See you on Monday! - Drew out Chapter 296 - Lost in the Mist Chapter 296 - Lost in the Mist The rowboat scraped against the bottom of the lake, coming to a halt a few meters from where the willow branches dipped into the water. Kai stretched Mana Observer over the island as far as the shrouding mist allowed. Trepidation mixed with anxiety. His knuckles whitened, gripping the sword. From what he could see, there was nothing except trees and critters that barely touched upon Red, already retreating in their dens at their approach. The surge of relief made his shoulder slacken. He loosened his grip on the leather hilt when annoyance poked his gut. There were hundreds of islets in the lake, but part of him still expected to find the cultist. It wouldn¡¯t be the most ridiculous coincidence caused by his Favor. Would I even recognize if we were in the right place¡­? It wasn¡¯t as if the cultists would leave a sign: ¡®Turn right at the second tree stump and knock on the mossy rock for the Evil Hideout. P.S. Please, take off your shoes before entering. P.P.S. Use the second entrance to deposit kidnapped innocents. A brief check confirmed there were indeed no welcome signs¡ªhow disappointing. Hallowed Intuition hummed a vague closeness to his goal, but no significant danger. Kai didn¡¯t lower his guard. Skills and arrays had already proved they could interfere with his ability. He retracted Mana Observer too. Rarely anybody noticed his subtle touch, even among people at Yellow, but that didn¡¯t mean never. A living exception sat across from him. Rain let his hand hang overboard, drawing circles on the water with an absent expression. ¡°So¡­ what are we waiting for?¡± Caeli said. ¡°The boat¡¯s stuck. We¡¯re not going to find anyone from here.¡± Her voice made Mari jolt away from the rim. Everyone had been lost studying the misty vegetation beyond the weeping willow. Droplets slipped off its branches and pattered into the lake. Almost unconsciously, Kai looked at Rain and received a slight shake¡ªno danger he could detect either. When have I started looking at him for security? Kai bit his cheek. Delegating his safety to someone else was a dangerous habit. For all of Rain¡®s kindness and goofy hobbies, Kai didn¡¯t entirely understand him¡ªor what he was capable of. Sometimes, he acted like a sheltered teen, others like an indifferent executioner. From what they knew, the siren might get tired of the surface and swim back to the sea any day. Well, we¡¯re stuck in the same boat. So that is a problem for future-Kai¡­ ¡°Keep your voice down.¡° Kea murmured to Caeli, crouching low in the boat. Her tanned leather corset and cloak blended with the bags and wooden boards as she activated her camouflage skill. ¡°We don¡¯t know who¡¯s watching.¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t anyone here,¡± Caeli said but lowered her tone. ¡°We won¡¯t find the missings on the first try. And this island is too small for a hideout anyway.¡± Kea squinted at the willow as if the answers to their questions hid in its gnarly bark. ¡°We can¡¯t know for sure.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Fair point.¡± Caeli squatted beside her friend. ¡°What do you propose we do?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll scout the area to see if it¡¯s safe,¡± Kea leaned forward. ¡°By myself, I¡¯ve fewer chances of being detected. If you don¡¯t hear me in five minutes, take the boat and run.¡± Kai put a hand on her shoulder before she could dash. ¡°I should go then. I¡¯m as good as you at concealing my presence. And I¡¯ve got better skills to detect danger.¡± ¡±You¡ª¡± Kea scowled at his hand till he pulled it back. ¡°How good are you at distinguishing tracks? You must know what to look for to scout properly.¡° ¡°I¡¯ve spent as much time as you in the wild.¡± ¡°Maybe. But how many people have you tracked?¡± She arched an eyebrow in challenge. Kai pursed his lips. He had plenty of practical experience with beasts¡ªnot so much with humans. This is what I get for telling her about the Sanctuary. Why¡¯s she always such a stubborn clam? ¡°I still¡ª¡± ¡°Arguing won¡¯t help us pass unobserved.¡° Flynn stepped between them, shushing them with a finger. ¡°We¡¯ll go together.¡± ¡°What¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Look around us,¡± Flynn gestured to the placid lake. Only faint ripples from their boat and the drops from the willow wrinkled the surface. ¡°How far can we run with one oar and no idea where we are? If they catch one of us, we¡¯ll have a better chance to defend ourselves together than to run.¡± ¡°The pretty boy speaks some sense,¡± Caeli sharply nodded. ¡°It¡¯s better if we don¡¯t separate.¡± ¡°Uhm¡­ Thanks.¡± Flynn raised a hand to anticipate any protest. ¡°You two can still scout ahead, agreed?¡± It does make the most sense. ¡°Agreed,¡± Kai said, grateful for the intervention. He got riled up too easily when Kea was involved. His sister shifted her weight back into the rowboat. ¡°We''ll go with your plan.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Flynn showed a hint of a smile. ¡°We should drag the boat to shore. I don¡¯t want to find it got dragged away by some lake monster. And stuck here.¡± ¡°I¡ª yes. That¡¯s a good idea.¡± Kea pulled back a lock of hair. When no one else objected, she slipped into the knee-deep water and offered a hand to Mari¡¯s uninjured side. Without their weight, the rowboat lifted off the rocky bottom. Caeli and Rain moved next. Flynn shivered when he stepped into the lake but didn¡¯t complain and leaned lower to hide his figure. This is why people build piers. Kai considered leaping on shore¡ªa somersault would be hardly subtle. Full of resignation, he followed the others and rigidly froze when the icy water dripped into his boots, soaking his socks and trousers. Spirits, I hate the cold. Why can¡¯t cults set up their torture chambers in a warm inn? Each time he got used to the drops in temperature, an increase in Perception sharpened the feeling. A sploosh at his back made him look over his shoulder. A lustrous dark-blue fin crested the lake less than twenty meters away before diving back, a shadow through the veil of mist. ¡°No sudden movements,¡± he hissed, forgetting the unpleasant cold. Dammit. The array on the boat only cloaked us while we stayed on it. The creature lingered beneath the surface, swimming with a sinuous motion. Dense streams of essence flowed within its elongated body. It would have been a dangerous opponent on land. In its home environment, Kai wasn¡¯t sure he could protect himself, much less his friends. A fight would also broadcast their position well beyond this island. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°What¡ª¡± Mari widened her eyes when she glimpsed the shadow. She gripped her staff, ready to sprint or cast a spell. ¡°Walk ahead. Slowly,¡± Kai kept his tone forcefully calm. With her slinged arm, Mari would only hinder them. She bobbed her head and moved with a stuttering step toward shore. A look at his companions was enough to reach an agreement. They followed after her, dragging the boat between them. Each step seemed to take a lifetime, straggling between cautiousness and the desire to run. The keel of the lightened vessel scraped the shore again. Mari risked slipping on the loamy floor but leveraged on her staff and the willow branches to climb out of the lake. Caeli pulled herself out, failing to hide her urgency so close to safety. ¡°C¡¯mon.¡± Kai gestured to Kea to go next. His sister stubbornly hesitated, looking back. ¡°C¡¯mon, help me lift the boat.¡± Flynn grabbed the rim of the vessel and put one boot on the rocky shore. ¡°That can wait. We must get to safety first.¡± ¡°With that thing stalking us, the boat is our only means of escape. We can¡¯t risk it. Can you lift the other side?¡± ¡°Uh, okay¡­¡± Kea strained to lift the vessel using one arm. The other held her belt knife, ready for action. The lake creature floated in apparent stillness beneath the surface, part of its elongated body hidden beyond his senses. Kai didn¡¯t dare look too closely for fear of provoking it. Beside him, Rain stared at the water with a melancholic air, incurant of the threat. ¡°You needn''t worry. She won¡¯t attack while I¡¯m here.¡± His words were barely a murmur beneath the droplets falling from the willow. ¡°She¡¯s just curious about me.¡± Kai blinked, unsure if he had heard right. ¡°She?¡± ¡°Uh, yes.¡± Rain distractedly glanced behind him. ¡°She¡¯s female. A kelpie of some kind. I¡¯m not familiar with the species. They¡¯re a rare breed at sea.¡± What¡­ By the time Kai trusted himself to speak coherently, the siren had climbed out of the water, stepping on the lake silt as if it were solid ground. His gaze was lost in thought. Why didn¡¯t he tell me that sooner? Kai spared a look at the creature swimming not far behind him. You¡¯re not going to drown me if I look away, right? A bubble broke the surface above the beast. Kai had no idea if kelpies could read minds if it was a coincidence or a sign of hunger. Whatever the answer, he hurried to push the stern of the boat out and join his friends out of the water. Knowing a line of dirt wouldn¡¯t stop a high-yellow grade, they delved deeper among the mossy rocky and willow roots. A few seconds later, the kelpie swam a circle and dove beyond his range. ¡°Are we safe?¡± Caeli watched the waters, her posture tense and ready to jolt. ¡°Yeah¡­ I think it¡¯s gone.¡± Kai helped secure the boat among the willow trees. No one else had heard Rain¡¯s comments. It was probably for the best. He¡¯d rather not explain how his mysterious friend knew the pond creature was a she. Throughout it all, Hobbes continued napping among their bags, pawing the air. No beast, siren or human could disturb a cat¡¯s sacred time. You¡¯re such a spoiled baby. A warm fuzzy feeling flooded their bond in response. And it¡¯s totally my fault. ¡°Guess that fish beast wasn¡¯t hungry.¡° Flynn leaned his back against a willow trunk. ¡°Yeah, we got lucky.¡± Caeli gave a wary glance at the lake. ¡°We better get moving before something else finds us.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll scout ahead. You wait here.¡± Kea didn¡¯t wait for a reply, pushing the sweeping willow branches aside to walk in deeper. ¡°Wait,¡± Kai grabbed his scabbard from the boat and nearly slipped on a root in the rush to follow. ¡°You''re making too much noise, Mat.¡± ¡°It would help if I didn¡¯t have to run after you.¡° Kea opened her mouth for a snappy response, then closed it. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m nervous.¡± The word came out like a strangled whisper, her face hidden behind the leaves of a young willow. Did she just apologize to me? ¡°It¡¯s okay. Just give me a moment to dry.¡± Kai crouched, focused on not ruining his boots and clothes. Before he could release the spell, Kea grabbed his arm. ¡°Don¡¯t use mana outside your body. No unnecessary spells till we scout the area.¡° ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too risky. You know raw spells are easier to detect than presences or skills.¡± Kea said and peered at a wild bellflower growing over a granite rock. ¡°We could already be inside a ward.¡± ¡°I¡­ Yes, but¡­¡± Kai swallowed, resigning to his freezing feet. During his time in the Sanctuary, he had snooped around wards that could read even intentions. Those years felt like a separate world¡ªa blurred dream¡ªhe hadn¡¯t considered he would run into similar enchantments here. ¡°What about Shadow Magic?¡± ¡°Only as a last resort,¡± Kea said, reactivating her camouflage skill. ¡°You can also wait here.¡± ¡°Yeah, not a chance.¡± Kai scooped a handful of cold mud and smeared it over his face¡ªspirits how much he hated it. But he had learned how to Sneak long before spells. Shadow Magic was more effective the more inconspicuous he looked, so he never truly stopped practicing. ¡°Lead the way.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t fall behind.¡± Kea shrugged and skulked into a shrub of bluish ferns. The air smelled of wet earth and lush greens. Her figure melded into the vegetation, an indistinguishable blotch of color. He knelt and crept through wet weeds, keeping track of his sister with Mana Observer. The ground was muggy and soaked, like his clothes. The cold couldn¡¯t hurt him at his grade, but that didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t feel it. Icy needles pricked his skin. The temperature was low enough he thought the lake would freeze. Next time we¡¯re going to a sunny desert, or a volcano. They circled the outer edge of the emerged land. Channeling mana provided an illusion of warmth that helped him stop shivering. Mist shrouded the trees and shrubbery. A red kingfisher flew away when he bent a branch in the underbrush. Kai used Body Augmentation to sharpen his senses. There was nothing he couldn¡¯t expect to find on a creepy island inside a mystic lake. Hallowed Intuition whispered softly. Given the circumstances, he would worry more if it went entirely quiet. He pushed his senses into the ground. Only dirt, roots and some strange hibernating insect he decided not to examine too closely. Slipping past a thorny bush, they ventured deeper at a slight incline. A bony white willow no taller than a man grew in the center of the island. The tree glowed with dense mana, though the water lilies floating in a pond between his roots took the spotlight. ¡°Did you find something?¡± Kea asked, noticing he had stopped. ¡±Yup! Three Yellow-tier herbs.¡± Kai grinned back at her glare. ¡°What? There is no one else here.¡± From here, he could cover the entire island with Mana Observer. The relatively small size would have been apparent if it wasn¡¯t for the fog. ¡°I¡¯m certain. They aren¡¯t here.¡± He stood up and cleaned himself of mud and water with a flick of his wrist, rubbing his arms for warmth. ¡°See? Hallowed Intuition still isn¡¯t reacting. We¡¯re alone. You can tell the others it¡¯s safe. I¡¯ll harvest the herbs and join you.¡± My Favor is worth something at least. Kea observed her surroundings for a few more seconds before standing up with a snort. ¡°We aren¡¯t here to make a quick buck.¡± She dusted her clothes off. ¡°It¡¯ll take a minute to harvest them. You¡¯d rather I leave free gold coins on the ground?¡± Kea threw a second look toward the white willow. ¡°How much are they worth, exactly?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with this plant¡­¡± Kai hid his smile. ¡°But at least a gold mesar. Maybe more. I¡¯ll give you fifty percent if I sell them.¡± ¡°A gold piece¡­ Remember, you agreed this was my investigation. A third of anything recovered during a job goes to the team fund,¡± she said nonchalantly. ¡±I¡¯ll take the second third. Now I better tell the others we¡¯re alone. Maybe we can figure out where we are from that damn map.¡± Swindled by my own sister. He beamed, watching her stride away. Though I only offered a share if I sold them. She has much to learn¡­ Humming to himself, the vegetation writhed and moved to open a path for him to the pond. The blue mana flowing into the water lilies made his mind buzz with the potential uses. No, they wouldn¡¯t reach the market. The pale willow itself could fetch a decent price if he had the space and time to move it. Kai closed his eyes to conjure a flickering flame and warmed his hands. The amount of focus required for such a puny Fire spell was disheartening¡ªstill more than he could cast a month ago. Flexing his fingers, he fished the water lilies out of the pond, careful not to break their delicate roots, and stored them in his ring. He had spotted a dozen more mana plants across the island, nothing beyond Orange. Another time, perhaps. As long as he survived, he¡¯d get more chances for sightseeing. Finding Niel, Caeden and all the other missing came first. Kai headed back to their boat. His companions huddled around the patchwork map they had compiled from fishermen''s stories, voices rising in discussion. Rain stood aside, sat on a rock with his feet dippingg in the lake. ¡°It looks more like this one,¡± Mari grumbled. ¡°I tell you. We¡¯re here,¡± Caeli pointed to a different smear on the waxed paper. ¡°It¡¯s the same island.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Flynn tilted his head, studying the picture with a furrow. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look very similar.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because the sailor who described it was drunk,¡± Caeli snorted. ¡°The size and distance from the shore match. We¡¯re here. Close to three islands we marked as potential locations.¡± Chapter 297 - Hunting Shadows Chapter 297 - Hunting Shadows ¡°Turn right a little.¡± Caeli gestured starboard from the prow of the boat, her face buried in the blotchy map. She had taken charge of navigation since she possessed the only orientation skill. Kai followed the directions the best he could in the uniform swirling white. Paddling both sides with a single oar, his arms burned from hours of rowing through the shrouded lake. They had tried crafting an oar from the willows, but the mana-rich wood attracted unwanted critters from the water. The detours to avoid whispers of danger hadn¡¯t helped with the tension. He channeled Body Augmentation to ease his burden, too prideful to let Kea take over. The vessel wasn¡¯t made to be sailed with one oar, and two would probably still be too few. Damned stingy sailors. ¡°I said to turn right slightly!¡± Caeli waved her arm in the other direction. ¡°Now turn a few degrees left.¡± ¡°My bad.¡± Kai bit his cheek, keeping his cool despite the mounting irritation. Everyone was cranky and aching after half a day crammed on board. They had visited two more islands, both larger than the first, both empty of any sign of the cultists. Lost in the perennial fog, Kai wondered if they would ever find anything. Perhaps he and Valela had misinterpreted a clue, and the Sygian Circle had hidden miles away or wasn¡¯t involved at all. ¡°I see something¡­¡± Flynn squinted at the mist. Hobbes napped in his lap, occasionally turning to receive a few pets. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Rain said, raising his gaze from pondering the lake surface. ¡°There¡¯s an island.¡± His words jolted the group to attention. The siren remained in a strange blue mood, vaguely gazing at the water. Kea¡¯s team didn¡¯t know his real identity, but there was no way to hide his casual demeanor in a high mana zone. If they were alone, Kai knew his sister would question him. Caeli furrowed her brows, studying the map and the fog. Her face distended in relief. ¡°Yes! This is the one!¡± That¡¯s the same thing you said for the last two. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Kai tried not to sound skeptical as he adjusted the course for the third time. When he tried looking at the waxed map, Caeli folded the paper closed and put it in a pocket. ¡°I am. My brother must be here.¡± From the conviction in her brown eyes, he couldn¡¯t help feeling pity. A month of fruitless search had notably shrunk his hopes of finding the missing people alive. Still, if they unmasked the culprits, they could at least stop those madmen from harming more innocents. I owe Niel at least that. Enhancing his sight with Body Augmentation, Kai made out a cluster of rocks jutting out of the lake. Shiny black algae grew like a spider web over them. Beyond, a dark cobble shore rose up to host trees with drooping branches. The island was saturated with mana: deep blue Water motes fluttered with paler Air motes. He hadn¡¯t experienced such density since he had left the Hidden Sanctuary. Spirits be damned, I missed this. The colorful streams made his skin tingle. Despite the seeping cold, each breath was like a rush into his lungs. It made him feel alive, more than he had in weeks. ¡°Go there.¡± Caeli woke him from the revelry, pointing to a spot where the water was deeper. She hadn¡¯t looked nearly as radiant when they found the previous islands. A bright smile now lit her face, months of gloominess swept away. Does she really believe we¡¯re in the right place? Kai shook his head. Maneuvering the rowboat without getting beached took all his attention. The fourteen years he spent in the archipelago made him familiar with fishing vessels, but he was no sailor. ¡°You must paddle harder on the left to keep us steady.¡± Kea watched the oar with a critical eye. ¡°I can do it if you¡¯re tired.¡± ¡°Thanks. I got it.¡± He exhaled sharply. ¡°I just need a moment.¡± ¡°We¡¯re wobbling.¡± ¡°I can see that.¡± Kai gripped the oar with both hands to push them away from the rocks. A sprinkle of Water Magic could easily carry them to shore¡ªif he hadn¡¯t agreed not to cast unnecessary spells. Wards weren¡¯t the only danger. The beasts inhabiting the mist seemed particularly sensitive to magic, evoking sharp whispers of danger. Sweat cooling on his brow, Kai sailed past the jutting rocks toward the beach. When the keel rested upon the bottom, they wasted no time stepping into the cold water and dragging the vessel on the dark cobble shore. It was almost routine. Icy water drenched his legs, not any more pleasant than in the morning. He walked stiffly, goosebumps on his back. Expanding his Mana Observer to encompass the island, the shoreline continued beyond what his senses could grasp. They secured the boat against a dark green shrub. Kai curbed his impulse to cast Nature Magic to hide the vessel. The no-magic rule irked him, but he had already committed this far. It was curious to notice how often he reached for a spell without thought. Am I too reliant on them? Kai sat on the levigated cobbles to empty his boots and wring his trousers. ¡°I can fetch some firewood to warm up.¡± Flynn gestured to the dense vegetation. ¡°A warm meal would be nice too. We have barely eaten anything.¡± Kea unloaded her backpack from the boat. ¡°Hmm¡­ We could take a pause¡ª¡± ¡°There is no time to waste.¡± Caeli looked at the greenery, the spark of excitement in her tone clashing with their unenthusiastic faces. ¡°We¡¯re close. I can feel it. And we should still check if we¡¯re safe before making a fire.¡± That¡¯s a sensible compromise¡­ If this island proved deserted, he could freely cast spells, practice Fire and maybe Space. He was close to maxing Astral Pathway, the last hurdle for his profession. While there might be a lesson in learning how to cope without magic, that didn¡¯t mean he had to practice now. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Kea paused to speak when he stepped back. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll scout the area.¡± ¡°We should go together,¡± Caeli said. ¡°This island looks larger than the others. We must remain close enough to help if something happens.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll watch her back.¡± Kai stood up, stretching his legs before they went numb. Trekking through wet weeds and mud didn¡¯t appeal to him much, but the sooner they were done with this, the sooner he could warm up. ¡°And who¡¯s going to watch your back?¡± Caeli scowled. ¡°We came as a team. And I¡¯ve grown up near the woods. Kea, you know I¡¯m a great tracker too.¡± ¡°I¡­ yes.¡± Kea sighed. ¡°It¡¯s just faster with the two of us.¡± ¡°And what if those criminals attack you?¡± Caeli huffed. She had stayed behind without arguments on the previous islands; now, she crossed her arms and barred their way. Flynn rubbed his arms beside Rain. His silent glance said he agreed on staying together. Does she really believe her brother is here? Alive¡­? Faced with the determination and hope in her expression, Kai couldn¡¯t find the energy to turn her down. The guilt for Niel ate at him, barely held in check by the desire to bring down the cult. Spirits, protect him. He stayed out of loyalty, even when he was scared. Niel shouldn¡¯t pay for this. ¡°Fine.¡± Kea broke away from Caeli¡¯s gaze. ¡°We¡¯ll go together.¡± She surveyed the group like a commander looking at a green platoon. ¡°Stay close behind me. Don¡¯t wander off for any reason and watch where I step. We can¡¯t lower our guard. I don¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°No words. No coughs. No sounds,¡± Mari said sternly. Her face was still pale from the injured arm in a sling but softened by a rueful smile. ¡°If you have to say something that can¡¯t wait, tap once and wait for the safe signal. Tap twice if you spot a track. And three times for danger." She stood up and leaned on her staff. ¡°Did I forget something? Remember, we agreed on those rules together. I¡¯m sure the newbies know them too.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Kea set her jaw. ¡°We can go¡ª ¡°Meeoow,¡± Hobbes called attention to his bedding amidst the leather bags. Waking from his nap, he arched his body and stretched his paws. The ivory claws extended, scratching parallel grooves in the wood of the boat with no effort. Even his fluffy silver tail straightened before swinging down in a lazy arc. Pleased to see them stand at attention, he acknowledged their existence with a yawn, showing pink tongue and fangs. The bond flowed with thoughts of fresh fish and a petting session. ¡°Mew.¡± He sprawled on a bag, paws up and large violet eyes watching him upside down. Oh, don¡¯t you play cute with me. I told you we¡¯d be in a dangerous area. We can''t stop for brunch. ¡°Meeew.¡± The regal furball licked his paw, denouncing his disappointment with the accommodations. Yeah, yes. I know there are fish in the lake. But¡­ No, I can¡¯t get you one right now. The water is freezing. Not to mention, we¡¯re supposed to lay low. Hobbes abandoned all pretense of cuteness and squared him up with a grumpy glare. ¡°Mrooow.¡± Sulking won¡¯t help. C¡¯mon, I¡¯ll find you a snack once we secure this island. The promise of food appeased his royal moodiness. Righting himself up, Hobbes leaped to Flynn¡¯s shoulders and slumped around his neck like a fluffy silver scarf. ¡°I know. It¡¯s not fair.¡± Flynn cooed over him quietly, slipping a piece of salted fish and scratching behind his ear. ¡°Isn¡¯t that better?¡± ¡°Meww.¡± Stop enabling that spoiled brat. Kai shot them an exasperated look. Flynn winked unapologetically. ¡°Don¡¯t be envious ¡¯cause I came prepared.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Kea cleared her throat. ¡°The no-sound policy goes for pretty furballs too.¡± Despite her apparent cold demeanor, her arm half raised to pet the lustrous silver fur. She put the team into formation with quick commands and rehearsed the scouting rules for good measure. ¡°Make sure your cat behaves.¡± Caeli tapped her foot on the cobbles. ¡°C¡¯mon, my brother¡¯s waiting.¡± ¡°And Niel too,¡± Kai said, petting Hobbes to get back at his familiar. The spoiled kitten understood the situation too well if he bothered to accommodate them. ¡°Of course, Niel too.¡± Caeli waved it off as if it was a given. ¡°We can save everybody.¡± Yeah¡­ Stepping into the foggy woods, Kai joined his sister and Caeli while the others followed a few steps behind. They advanced with caution around the outer edge of the woods. Whispers and humming grew in a discordant melody he couldn¡¯t decipher. The dark cobbles ended in a rocky outcrop that forced them to head inward. Kai scanned the lush vegetation. The muggy ground rose steeply; red beasts nesting in the trees and ground fled at their approach. Vibrant Nature motes swirled in the air while Shadow slipped from his sight. Away from human touch and rich with essence, plants thrived. Several orange herbs, roots and mushrooms glimmered in the underbrush. Treasure Sense wanted to pull him in a dozen different directions. He memorized the locations to retrieve a few samples later. No yellow ingredients. Pity¡­ Well, I shouldn¡¯t be too greedy. They trekked for half an hour without encountering danger; the size of the island exceeded their grasp. When Kea was too tired to argue her down, Caeli took the lead and kept track of their position with her skill. ¡°He must be here¡­¡± Her murmurs got lost in the dripping and rustles of the wood. There were no signs people had ever come here. No paths, trampled weeds or hints of buildings. Kai focused Mana Observer in a tight area and let the rest of the world fall in the background, vainly hoping to perceive a rune of enchantment. Spirits, this one¡¯s deserted too¡­ It would take weeks to explore the Lake of Myst fully¡ªif the cultists were even here. How many more islands would they explore? Their supplies couldn¡¯t last longer than a week, ten days if stretched thin. In a mana zone, it wasn¡¯t a question of if, but when something would go wrong. The rowboat could get damaged, or they could run into any of the nasty inhabitants of the mist. Kai himself wasn¡¯t ready to give up, but his practical side looked ahead. What if the search failed? The only thing worse than giving up on Niel was pushing his friends and family in danger. Kea would be too stubborn to admit defeat. Someone must think of an exit plan. If I have to be the bad guy, so be it. He would bring it up once they were done with the exploration. Caeli couldn¡¯t chew his head off if her promises ended in another disappointment. Skulking past a field of bushes with a zesty smell, they entered a meadow of lilac flowers. Hmm¡­ Something¡¯s off¡­ Trusting his gut, Kai split his mind to pick apart what had given him the impression. The whispers remained an indistinguishable noise, not any louder. There were no predators lying in ambush, and the flowers didn¡¯t look poisonous either. His companions followed behind, Mari was the loudest with her injury, Flynn the quietest. Rain closed the line, studying blades of grass and wild weeds alike. Ahead of him, Kea and Caeli exchanged a series of quick hand gestures to decide where to go. None of them appeared hurt or alerted. Am I imagining things? What is it¡­ This is too peaceful¡­ It wasn¡¯t the presence of threats as much as their absence. Despite the mana density, he hadn¡¯t spotted any beast over Red since arriving on the island. Is it another strangeness of the mist? Elydes didn¡¯t always follow logic when a high concentration of mana¡ª ¡°¡­down,¡± Kea hissed and tackled him to the ground. Uh? Unsure of what was going on, Kai let himself fall on the dewy grass without a sound of protest. A pair of squelching steps and muffled voices soon came from the distance, freezing his breath in the chest. He didn¡¯t dare twitch a finger, his head buried in the cold weeds and lilac flowers that filled the air with a sweet scent. How¡­ He had narrowed down Mana Observer to watch deeper and blinded himself. Hallowed Intuition should have warned him, but the whispers of danger barely fluttered. Not thirty meters ahead, a pair of figures clad in black stalked into the meadow, muttering to themselves. ¡°¡ªlonger in this dump hole?¡± ¡°Till the praetor¡¯s satisfied. Uhm, I think we¡¯ve collected enough¡ª¡± Their voices became too indistinguishable to make out, their shadow disappearing behind a gray pine. With his sister on top of him, Kai wouldn¡¯t be able to move even if he were mad enough to risk it. Did we actually walk into a warded area? A thousand questions begged his mind for consideration, deafened by the desire for the safety of his companions. Flynn, Mari and Rain were too far back to get spotted¡ªat least he hoped so. Kai and Kea stayed still for minutes, only hearing each other''s thumping hearts. ¡°Get up, they¡¯re gone.¡± Caeli broke the quiet. Standing up in front of them, her eyes glittered with joy. ¡°I told you they were here! We can save my brother and Niel.¡± ¡°Lower your tone,¡± Kea hissed. Her eyes darted to scan the woods with her bow in hand. ¡°Relax, we¡¯re alone. Sounds don¡¯t travel far in the mist. We can¡¯t let the track grow cold." Caeli strode where the pair of cultists had disappeared without giving her a chance to replay. ¡°Wait! We can¡¯t¡ª¡± Kea huffed to no effect and ran after her across the meadow. Curses! She can¡¯t save anyone if she gets herself killed. Mari stumbled toward them, face pale. ¡°Were those people really¡­¡± She shivered, holding her staff as if that were the only thing that kept her standing. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Flynn moved cautiously. Hobbes studied the woods from his shoulders. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. I¡ª Oh, dammit. Follow me.¡± Kai gritted his teeth and ran before his sister could fade into the fog. Caeli had stopped where the meadow gave way to gnarly gray trees. ¡°I swear, I saw them go through here¡­¡± She paced in a circle, examining a handful of broken stalks. Her hands pulled her dark hair. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Kea gently touched her back. ¡°We¡¯ll figure this out.¡± ¡°I know what I saw. They stood right here. I¡ª¡± Caeli ran her fingers along the dull gray bark of the tallest tree. Mana fluttered, weeds and earth parted without noise to form a circular opening. A stone staircase spiraled into the ground, hidden in darkness. Chapter 298 - Descending into Darkness Chapter 298 - Descending into Darkness Kai stared at the rough stone steps descending into the ground, his mind blank. A cold gust buffeted his face from below, carrying a whiff of damp earth and rotten wood into the meadow. Despite seeing the ground part with his own eyes, he failed to detect any enchantment until he narrowed Mana Observer on the entrance, letting everything else fall into shadow. Beneath the swirling ambient mana, a circle of dark lines rooted into the stone¡ªthe same jagged shapes he had attempted to decipher for weeks in his notebooks. Can it really¡­? He had searched for so long and built castles of smokey theories. Bleak days turned to weeks; part of him expected never to find the cultists. ¡°I told you this was the island!¡± Caeli broke his concentration. Her grin outshone the shrouded sun, leaving no trace of the weariness of the past months. ¡°What are y¡¯all waiting for? We need to save my brother.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Kea held her arm to stop her from climbing down. ¡±It¡¯s dangerous, we can¡¯t rush in blindly.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t just sit here either.¡± Caeli huffed, looking ready to jolt down the stone steps. ¡°I don¡¯t know what magic cloaks the stairs, but it¡¯s the only way we got. They won¡¯t expect us. We go in, find my brother and get out. We can do it!¡± Seeing no one moved to follow her, Caeli crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°Unless¡­ Do you want to give up now that we¡¯re so close?¡± She watched them with glassy eyes. ¡°That''s not what I meant.¡° Kea exhaled a breath, touching her shoulder. ¡°We have no idea what or who is waiting for us inside. For all we know, an army could be at the bottom of these stairs.¡± ¡°Uhh¡­ Fine.¡± Caeli stopped struggling, still eagerly looking at the entrance. ¡°What do you propose we do then?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll scout ahead. We need more intel to decide how to proceed.¡± Kai buried his shock and stepped up beside his sister. ¡°I¡®ll come with you.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s better if we all go together.¡± Caeli walked on the first stone step, not giving Kea a chance to protest. ¡°You can lead the way, but I¡¯m not waiting outside. I won¡¯t abandon Caeden and Niel when we¡¯re so close.¡± ¡°I know how you feel, but¡­¡± Kea shifted her gaze into the darkness below. ¡°But¡­?¡± Caeli stared back, chin half raised. ¡°You have no way to warn us from underground. If you get caught, they¡¯ll sweep the island for the rest of us. Coming with you or waiting in the boat, it¡¯s the same. We¡®ll have better chances together.¡± ¡°I¡­ She does have a point¡­¡± Mari stabbed the grass with her staff. ¡°I¡¯m not the most skilled scout. Especially with¡­¡± She glanced at her injured shoulder, the bandages marred by dark blood patches. ¡°But I didn¡¯t come here to sit while you look for our friends. I¡¯m coming with you.¡± Well, the more, the merrier¡­ Kai shook his head with a rueful smile. He also couldn¡¯t back down before finding out what happened to Niel¡ªthis affair had to end today. I wish I could feel relieved¡­ ¡°I¡¯ve visited more charming places,¡± Flynn muttered. He scratched Hobbes¡¯ neck while studying the misty trees around the meadow. His brows furrowed, the telltale sign he was focusing on his Perception skills. There was no need to ask, he clearly had no intention of backing out either. At least he knows how to be sneaky. Rain was harder to read, his face was like a marble statue in the cold light; the melancholic air he had since coming to the lake was gone. His gaze hung on the spiraling stairs where the enchantments were cloaked, quietly murmuring to himself. Whatever passed inside the siren¡¯s strange mind, Rain would follow them inside, be it just for his reckless self-assurance. Guess we¡¯re doing this. Looking at the bright side, Caeli was probably right: no sane person would expect intruders in a cloaked underground base in the middle of a lake. They might have moved past the meadow without spotting the entrance if they hadn''t seen the cultists use it. Is my Luck finally paying off? How often do people pass by here? We should hurry¡­ The Lake of Myst served as an ideal hideout and a snare, trapping anyone who came looking. If they got caught, he didn¡¯t like their chances of outrunning the cultists on the dingy boat; swimming into high-mana waters held even less appeal. Spirits knew what creatures lurked in the depths of the icy lake. We just have to sneak in and out. No biggie. Kea watched her companions as their intentions became clear. ¡°I can¡¯t keep you safe if we go in.¡± ¡°The longer we wait here, the higher the chances of getting found.¡± Caeli tapped her foot. ¡°We¡¯re wasting time. Mat can use his danger skill to guide us. I¡¯ll keep track of the layout. It¡¯s a hidden outpost, not a fortress. There might not even be guards. We¡¯ll stop any threat before they can raise the alarm, find my brother and get out.¡± She makes it sound so easy¡­ Hallowed Intuition gave him only a vague sense of ominousness. Whatever waited inside was bad news, though the same hunch told him the missing people were there too. I hope Niel is alive¡­ Seeing their resolve, Kea slumped her shoulders and tightened the grip on her bow. ¡±If any of you want to stop here, you can wait on the boat.¡± Her gaze lingered on Rain and then Kai, who lightly shook his head. She pressed her lips into a determined line and wasted no time dividing tasks. ¡±Okay. If you all agree, I¡¯ll lead the way. Mat and Caeli follow behind me. Rain and Mari stay two dozen steps back. Flynn, you¡¯ll close the line and watch our backs. Warn me if you spot anything strange. If we run into high-grade cultists or someone raises the alarm, we run for the boat. Any questions?¡± Her sharp gaze lingered on Caeli before stopping on each of them. The girl begrudgingly nodded. ¡°If we are outnumbered, we¡¯ll run.¡± She can still see reason. Kai scratched his brow. The only thing worse than throwing away two months of effort would be to get themselves killed. This affair had been shady from the beginning. When he realized they were dealing with more than a band of thugs, they were too entangled to pull away. The only way to free themselves was to push through. They rehearsed their hand signals and emergency commands till everyone could repeat them in any order. Kai helped Flynn hide their bags and non-essential equipment in the underbrush around the meadow. Discretion was key to their plan, they couldn¡¯t afford to carry unnecessary weight. They completed the preparations in minutes and gathered around the passage. The stairs spiraled into the dark, hiding the answers they sought somewhere at the bottom, together with dozens of victims who had no other hope of rescue. We have to find Niel. In and out, no sweat. From the reports Valela gathered, the Stygian Cult might run dozens of operations across the northern provinces. Kai couldn¡¯t imagine they¡¯d use a green praetor for security. People of that caliber didn¡¯t wash up on shore to play guard dog, no matter how large this band of madmen was. ¡°You know what to do. No sounds unless it¡¯s an emergency.¡± With one glance at each of them, Kea crept down the spiral stairway. Caeli followed eagerly behind her, and Kai hurried to keep up. Walking on the tip of his boots, he was careful not to grate on the stone steps. He would have liked to examine the cloaked array more closely, but the concentration needed just to see it would leave him exposed. Being unable to cast spells for fear of detection was bothersome, though the concern sounded more valid now that they were descending into a secret passage. Had he crossed any other enchantment without realizing it? Kai scanned the rough dirt walls with Mana Observer. The ground had been roughly compacted to create the shaft of the stair, leaving patches of roots and inky mushrooms poking out. His heartbeat quickened with each step closer to the bottom. There was no light source and taking one of their own would be too dangerous. Distracted by the streams of Shadow and Earth motes, he lost his balance when his foot found empty air where he expected stone. He frantically pulled on a root to avoid falling. His foot splashed into the mud just a palm lower, allowing him to right himself, though the damage was done. In the dead silence, the sound of his near-fall seemed glaringly loud. What a great start. Kai channeled mana into Body Augmentation to enhance his hearing. The only sounds were his companions¡¯ breathing and the faint gusts blowing underground. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. This place must be larger than I thought. ¡°Be careful,¡± Kea whispered stiffly. ¡°Sorry,¡± Kai said, glad the darkness hid his embarrassment. He could pierce almost any veil with Mana Observer, but the skill required his full focus. He didn¡¯t need to see his sister to know she must be glaring. Hmm¡­ There is no light¡­ He craned his neck up to find only darkness. The secret entrance in the meadow had shut without a sound¡ªlikely the work of another hidden array. It erased the sign of their passage, though he couldn¡¯t help feeling trapped. I can always blast open a new¡ª ¡°We must keep moving,¡± Caeli said impatiently. ¡°Y¡¯all know how to walk in the dark.¡± ¡°Stay behind me,¡± Kea said, then paused when she noticed the entrance was gone. ¡°Watch your step.¡± They sneaked forward in an askew formation. During the planning, they thought the cultists would have some form of lighting instead of pitch-black tunnels. He could still orient himself with Mana Observer, and his companions had their own skills. The ground tunnel leaned down at a slight incline with strewn rocks that threatened to trip him. It smelled of damp earth and moss. This place doesn¡¯t look man-made. There were no telltale signs of Earth Magic on the walls. The tunnel widened and shrunk without a clear direction. The space must have been natural unless the cultists pursued some strange artistic ideal. They must have used an existing cave system¡­ The irregular twists and turns made it impossible to predict how much farther they had to go. It wasn¡¯t what they had prepared for, though it offered plenty of cover to move undetected. Kea¡¯s cautious movements grew bolder with distance, hurried on by Caeli. Only the group lagging behind held them back. Kai heard Mari softly sigh when his sister finally stopped. It wasn¡¯t to give them a breather; the tunnel bifurcated with no indication of where the cultist went. ¡±They must have passed by here.¡± Kea crouched on the stone, looking between the two openings before turning back to whisper to him. ¡°You got anything?¡± After over a month together, Hallowed Intuition had become an open secret in the group, though Kai kept the exact details secret. Taking a breath of the cold air to focus, the somber murmurs didn¡¯t become any clearer. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± The whispers were too quiet to make out, let alone point a direction. A sudden light made him squint. Caeli held up an enchanted orb wrapped in a cloth; the pale glow shone like the moon in the total darkness. She pointed to a portion of the wall where a line of dirt got scraped off. ¡°They went this way.¡± Kea observed the patch for a moment before also nodding. ¡°Put that light away before someone sees it.¡± ¡°Sorry, it was just the fastest way.¡± Caeli hung her head low and fell back. The tunnels continued branching without a pattern. Thankfully, most passages were too narrow for an adult human to squeeze and Caeli spotted the cultists'' tracks through the others. It was hard to say how far they had gone in the darkness. The size of the tunnels varied, maintaining just a slight downward incline, deeper into the earth. Earth and mud turned into hard rock and spongy moss. Cold droplets dripped from the stalagmites in the ceiling, masking the sound of their steps. Are we beneath the lake? Being buried beneath such a large body of water¡ª Kai stopped the thought before it could turn into needless distractions. The mana density was rising too, though he had yet to spot any beasts. Keeping track of his companions and their surroundings, he squatted behind a rock when the two girls stopped. He didn¡¯t wonder why for long. Close ahead, the rough and jagged walls smoothed out into a straight path. A soft glow in the distance dispelled the total darkness. Kea glanced back to check on the group. ¡°We must be careful. I¡¯ll scout the way with my camouflage skill. Keep your distance and remember the signals we agreed on. Be ready to retreat if anything happens.¡± Under Caeli¡¯s silent urging, Kea didn¡¯t wait for an answer to creep forward. They turned a single corner before stopping again. A wooden door reinforced with dark metal bands barred the way, the glow seeping from beneath it. ¡°Is it boobytrapped?¡± Kea whispered back at him while studying the bulky lock. There didn¡¯t appear to be any array in the frame. Kai extended an arm toward the latch to gauge the reaction from Hallowed Intuition. The skill stubbornly refused to provide any useful advice. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I don¡¯t think so¡­¡± ¡°It looks open.¡° Caeli pushed the door before anyone could stop her. The hinges swung without a sound. She looked at them with a sheepish expression. ¡°It was worth a try. Beasts don¡¯t have hands. And they probably don¡¯t expect visitors.¡± Kea pursed her mouth but didn¡¯t argue. Her stare promised they would be discussing this later. Beyond the entrance, the plain corridor continued for a dozen meters before splitting in opposite directions. A single crystal in the ceiling exuded the pale blue light they had noticed outside. Caeli smiled at the empty hallway. ¡±It¡¯s clear. We should hurry.¡± She slipped inside, sneaking along the wall with no regard for them. ¡°Wait for me!¡± Kea clenched her jaw as she followed inside. What¡¯s the point of making a plan if you don¡¯t follow it? Kai grumbled to himself, suppressing his frustration. He spotted Flynn and Mari¡¯s shadows behind him. ¡±Watch my back and be careful.¡± Biting his cheek, he hurried after his sister. And this makes three fools. The light crystal cast shadows on the corners, but the smooth corridor walls offered no cover. Kai never thought he¡¯d regret leaving the cold and damp cavern. Slow down. Kai caught up to his sister and Caeli. The hallway split into two empty corridors. Peering over the corners, there were two dark wood doors on the left side and three on the right. A single crystal light both ways before they forked in more directions. ¡°We¡¯re lucky there is no one.¡± Caeli grinned and turned to him with a questioning look. ¡°Any idea which way to go?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Something¡¯s¡ª¡± He hadn¡¯t finished talking when Caeli moved to the corridor on the right. ¡°More doors, more chances.¡± "Wait!¡± Kai grabbed her wrist before she ran in, his tone quietly furious. ¡°I get your brother is close, but that''s all the more reason we need to be careful. Get a grip.¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± Caeli looked about to snap back before her shoulder sagged. She chewed her lip, looking away to hide her watery eyes. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ He¡¯s so close¡­¡± ¡°I know¡­¡± Kea gently squeezed her arm. "I want to find them too. But Mat''s right. We need to slow down. We won''t be any good to him and Niel if we get ourselves captured or killed." ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Caeli weakly nodded. Kai held her gaze a moment longer before releasing his grip. They crept forward in the shallow nook of a door. The frame was similar to the ones they used to enter, just less bulky and with obvious enchantments. Caeli waited to get his go-ahead before trying to open the door. ¡°Damn it! It¡¯s locked.¡° She rested her ear on the frame. ¡°I don¡¯t think there is anyone inside. We should try another.¡± They checked door to door with the same result. Kai followed close behind, channeling Body Augmentation to sharpen his senses for any foe. Chains of dark, jagged runes circled the frame of each door. He couldn¡¯t tell what they all did aside from some defensive formation that might spring a trap if they forced their way in. He held back Mana Observer to avoid triggering a potential ward. Almost every door was locked with those same arrays. Caeli wasn¡¯t deterred, slipping into another corridor with Kea¡¯s disgruntled figure in tow. Damn them. What is this place? ¡°Those should be safe to touch too. As long as you don¡¯t use any skill.¡± Kai gestured toward the next corridor. He was about to skulk after them when someone grabbed his elbow. Panic rose for a split instant before he recognized Flynn, the usual smile exchanged for a worried scowl. Mari and Rain moved to the entrance of the hallway, peering at the dark doors. It had been foolish to hope they¡¯d stay behind¡ªnot that he could blame them. ¡°What is it?¡± Kai asked, impatient to not lose track of his sister. ¡°Something¡¯s off.¡± Flynn shifted his feet along the poorly lit hallway. Hobbes still slumped on his shoulders, his violet eyes fully alert. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t like this place either.¡± It¡¯d be hard to find anything that wasn¡¯t off in these creepy tunnels. ¡°It¡¯s more than that. I have a Hunch,¡± Flynn said. A hint of his smugness poked through the gloominess as they rounded the nearest corner. ¡°I think we should retre¡ª¡± ¡°This is it. We¡¯ve found him!¡± Kai snapped his head to the loud exclamation. His glare froze upon seeing Caeli and Kea standing in an open doorway, the interior too dark to make out. Before he could gather his thoughts, Caeli had dashed inside. Kea gazed inside from the entrance, her face lost all color and she rushed in. Damn her. Has she really found them? It doesn¡¯t make sense. Or am I that lucky? This seems too easy. Hallowed Intuition¡¯s ominous mutters fluttered slightly as he approached the door. How could Flynn¡¯s Hunch work when his whispers remained indistinct, almost silent? Kai paused, checking again that the corridors were empty. Despite the earlier exclamation, he couldn¡¯t hear or see anyone approaching. I¡¯m missing something. He could probably find out what given time to think things through, but his sister and Caeli had already gone inside. That duo only fed on each other¡®s recklessness. His heart rushed him to make a choice. Kai ran after Kea. The room was a dark box, smelling of mold and stale air. Caeli and Kea¡¯s signatures glowed to his senses; there was a third unknown presence at the peak of Orange. A crystal light suddenly lit the interior, making him squint and lower his gaze¡ªCaeli hadn¡¯t bothered to dampen the light with a cloth. His eyes quickly adapted, though his attention remained on the flooring. An inky circle of jagged shapes covered most of the stone beneath their feet. The intricate pattern reminded him of the circle Virya drew to measure his affinities a lifetime ago. Is this some kind of ritual? What do they do with the missing people? His knowledge of this runic alphabet was too shallow to guess. One thing remained clear. ¡°We need to get out of here.¡± Looking up, no one reacted to his words. Kea stood frozen before the unknown figure. A teen boy sat tied to an iron chair. He looked a few years older than him. Despite his messy stubble and worn-out clothes, he would probably be considered handsome. Kai didn¡¯t wonder about his identity for long. The dark hair and blue eyes were the same shade as Caeli¡¯s. ¡°Is everything alright?¡± Caeli asked while cutting his bonds. Caeden blinked away from Kea¡¯s gaze with a tired smile. ¡°It¡¯s good now that you¡¯re here.¡± Mari peeked into the room, her eyes widening upon seeing Caeden. ¡°Blessed spirits, you¡¯re alive!¡± She rushed inside, seemingly forgetting her injury. ¡°Have you seen Neil? Is he alright too?¡± Hmm¡­ Why was he kept here alone? Rain walked in last. He spared a glance for Caeden before intently staring at the inky runes on the floor. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Kea leaned in to hug the boy. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± Caeden patted her back, his gaze strangely melancholic. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d see you again.¡± Something¡¯s wrong¡­ ¡°You can catch up later. We should really get out of here!¡° Kai reached for the wand in his pocket¡ªsomething was terribly off. Despite the urgency in his tone, Caeden didn¡¯t seem in a hurry. He observed their group with a frown. ¡°Wasn¡¯t there supposed to be another?¡± Caeli watched them with pursed lips. ¡°Yeah, but it doesn¡¯t matter. We¡¯ll fix it later.¡± What are they¡ª Kai shifted his gaze between the two siblings as the pieces clicked together. ¡°Okay then.¡± Caeden sighed as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He pulled Kea closer and gave Caeli a nervous look, getting a cold nod in response. A dark ripple sent motes fluttering across the room. ¡°No!¡± Rain dashed at them, his body burning with blazing mana. The runic circles on the floor buzzed with power. Kai¡¯s eyes snapped to his sister. ¡°Kea ru¡ª¡± Chapter 299 - Musings on the Condition of Humanity Chapter 299 - Musings on the Condition of Humanity Hobbes pranced along the smooth wooden board, pawing the glass globes out of his path. The bottles clinked and rolled, ultimately falling toward the rim of the cabinet. They shattered on the stone floor with a satisfying cascade of tinkles, releasing puffs of colorful powder and scented liquids. Inferior elemental motes swirled in a vortex that lost Hobbes¡¯ attention halfway through. Humans liked to hoard things with bright mana; it was one of the silly habits his familiar enjoyed as well. Though the owner of this cabinet wasn¡¯t a very skilled collector. Among all these sealed glass balls, not one contained superior mana. How disappointing. Lost in his musings, Hobbes realized a single black glass blob remained on the shelf¡ªthe brightest in the collection. Sometimes, his ability to complete a task surprised even himself. Pity it also contained useless, murky mana. He had no idea what silly pursuit the shiny bottles were for, but he enjoyed watching them tumble and break. That was enough. Hobbes rolled the last glass globe beneath his silver paw. This throw required finesse, not that he doubted his ability to hit a target. With an elegant push, the inky bottle wheeled toward its destined goal. It tipped over the wooden rim just as the door on the left was thrown open. Half a dozen humans garbed in black barged in just in time to enjoy the shattering of the glass. Perfect. After all, amusing experiences were supposed to be shared¡ªHobbes hoped they appreciated his generosity. Bound by duty, he blinked to a room in the opposite direction, unable to fully enjoy his masterful work. They must believe they were chasing a cunning human, not that they¡¯d be worthy to gaze upon him anyway. From their dramatic screams, his efforts hadn¡¯t been wasted. After this last stroke, the blood-reeking humans would be busy searching in the wrong direction. Tail held high, Hobbes sashayed to check on his favorite servant. Humans were careless creatures; they wouldn¡¯t survive a light cycle without his guidance. He blinked across a cluster of rooms, disdainfully slipping past their blatant traps. What was the point of weaving webs of essence over the doors when you left the stone and ground wide open? If you were so incompetent, it would be better to forgo the task entirely. Hobbes flicked his tail at the absurdity. Since traveling outside his birth dimension, he had learned not to judge lesser creatures too harshly. It wasn¡¯t their fault they were born witless and lumbering. Crossing a chamber that stank of dried blood and sorrow, he landed in a dusty storeroom filled with piles of paperstuff. The scribbles on the door had dimmed due to an improperly traced line that no one had bothered to fix. Flynn had twisted his frame into a nook beneath a cabinet¡ªright where he had been left. He would have been much more comfortable if his body wasn¡¯t so needlessly tall. Why would anyone want such long limbs? No wonder humans were so clumsy. If they had been smart, they would have learned superior magic to travel. Still, large bodies had their uses; his servant¡¯s shoulders offered a snug place to look down on the world. It was a miracle no one had found him despite the Shadow mana clumped over him. But while he may be foolish, there was a reason Flynn had gained his favor: the other humans were clearly beneath him. Hobbes was about to go comfort his retainer when a pair of boots thumped in the hallway. The door swung open with a low creak, and an individual clad in dark clothes strode inside. These damp caves swarmed with humans in unimaginative clothing stinking of blood, though quantity couldn¡¯t compensate for their lacking competence or hygiene. Hobbes slumped on the highest bookcase. His paw hung over the edge as he watched the pale-faced woman give a cursory glance at the shelves of blotched paperstuff. Her gaze flew over Flynn¡¯s cluster of Shadow to a desk with a half-rotten leg. ¡°¡­this to catch a rat,¡± she huffed with a grumble. ¡°They were supposed to tie off loose ends, not make a bigger mess¡­¡± The woman grabbed a folder and marched toward the door, still muttering gibberish to herself. As she was about to cross the threshold, her hand lingered on the iron pommel. With lackluster speed, she spun around to sweep her gaze across the ceiling. A loose page fluttered in a winding motion toward the ground. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± She caught the paper, shoving it back onto a shelf. ¡°Someone should tidy this place¡­¡± On the empty ledge behind her, Hobbes stretched his claws, drawing a line in a leather cover. How many sheets would he need to drop before she caught on? Given how dull these humans were, probably more than a dozen¡­ And how long before she started jumping at every shade? Three days? Four? Finding the answer would have been amusing at another time, but he had other duties to fulfill. An invisible thorn pricked his guts and made his coat puff up; fear lingered along the muted bond like a sour taste. He must find his foolish familiar and provide the leadership his servants need. A few tedious moments later, the human woman shut the door behind her. Her steps grew fainter and soon disappeared. No other presences moved in their direction. This branch of the den remained deserted except for a handful of flickering auras in a chamber below, no one that posed a threat. Hobbes leaped to a pile of books where his servant was hidden. ¡°Uh¡­ Is it safe to come out?¡± A whisper came from the veil of Shadow. Such a question should need no answer¡ªnaturally, the clueless humans had run where he pointed. Still, Hobbes didn¡¯t mind indulging his favorite with some reassurance. ¡°Meeew.¡± A relieved sigh came from the dark nook. ¡°Thanks, Hobbes. You¡¯re the best.¡± ¡°Meow.¡± Hobbes raised his tail in a modest arc and started grooming his coat. Sometimes, it wasn¡¯t bad to rehash obvious facts. ¡°Give me a moment¡­¡± Flynn twisted his head and shoulders out of the cranny. Despite his tall frame, he was one of the least clumsy humans Hobbes knew. He pulled himself out without making the cabinet so much as quiver. Standing upright, he cracked his neck and bowed to scratch his liege¡¯s ear. ¡°Did you lead them away? Are we in danger?¡± ¡°Mrooow¡­ Mew¡­¡± Hobbes allowed the petting for Flynn¡¯s sake. He rolled onto his back to enjoy the scratches as his body let out a soft purr¡ªit was clear his servant needed to be comforted. ¡°Thank you for the help.¡± Flynn showed his teeth in contentment, then his gaze wandered to the dimly lit, dusty room. The hand scratching his belly stiffened. Looking up, Hobbes recognized the droopy look humans had when they were sad or scared. ¡°Do you know where the others are? Are they¡­?¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Meww.¡± Hobbes nuzzled Flynn¡¯s hand. ¡°Oh, I see¡­ They¡¯re still alive.¡± A sigh escaped his lips as his frantic heartbeat slowed down. His servant picked him up against his chest for more pets¡ªclearly, he needed a lot of comfort. Hobbes had to admit it wasn¡¯t too bad himself. He pulled his paws close and wrapped his tail around his arm. For a moment, he forgot the damp, dark tunnels that made his fur curl and matted. Everything would be alright. The presence that had accompanied him out of his dark days was feeble and clouded but unmistakably alive. Kai breathed somewhere in this underground den. Hobbes couldn¡¯t say about the others, though he didn¡¯t bother to specify. He arched his body, enjoying the fingers drawn over his back. It almost balanced the troubles he had to go through. Humans could dally and loiter all day, but he had a group of helpless humans to save. Hobbes gathered his resolve and gave his orders. ¡°Mroww.¡± Looking after his retainers was an exhausting and thankless job. ¡°Uhmm, you¡¯re right.¡± Flynn delicately placed his paws on the rough stone floor. ¡°We can¡¯t stay here.¡± ¡°Meoow¡­¡± ¡°Do you know where the others are?¡± Flynn fiddled with a pointed metal stick, looking at the light filtering beneath the locked door. He muttered a series of harsh words before turning to his liege for instructions, as was proper. ¡± We must save them before these psychos do something...¡± Flynn gnawed on his bottom lip. Hobbes patiently licked his paw. Of course, he had already been mopping up their mess. It was typical of humans to tangle the yarn and expect somebody else to fix it. None of this would have happened if they had listened to him, but he understood the failings of lower beings. Flynn rested his ear on the wooden board of the door, whispering. ¡°Do you know where Kai is? Can you lead me to him?¡± ¡°Meow¡­¡± Hobbes already had one foolish familiar and a band of underlings to rescue. He didn¡¯t want to increase the number, though Flynn had proved to have some sense¡­ Under his servant''s pleading stare, Hobbes relented. ¡°Mrroow¡­¡± Flynn watched him with blank, uncomprehending eyes. ¡°Meeew!¡± Hobbes whipped his tail against his leg, exasperated. He had bothered to decipher human gibberish, so why couldn¡¯t they extend the same courtesy to him? Ultimately, searching for sense in such senseless creatures served no purpose. Hobbes sauntered toward the door and blinked to the empty tunnel on the other side. Seconds later, Flynn peeked his head out of the doorway. ¡°Mew.¡± Hobbes gestured he knew Kai to be, past the stone walls and several tunnels, one level underground. Flynn knitted the fur over his eyes, looking at the corner of the stone floor. Then his eyes lit up in realization. He nodded his thanks and stealthily crept through the hallway, closer to the pointed direction. With Flynn taken care of, Hobbes turned his focus toward his familiar. The presence pulsed in his mind, distorted by the inky mana webs that wrapped this space like the weaves of an ugly spider. A few months ago, Hobbes would not have been able to track it, but their bond had grown fastidiously strong. Sometimes silly images and impressions trickled into his mind. Those amusing distractions were absent now, though Kai¡¯s direction remained as obvious to him as Flynn skulking down a corridor under a veil of Shadow. Hobbes swished his tail. He¡¯d have to teach him how to sneak properly once they got out of here, or it would begin to reflect poorly on him. Luckily, the black-clothed people in this den were half-blind. They had swarmed toward his distractions, leaving these tunnels largely empty. Flicking his fluffy tail, Hobbes set his mind on the next goal. Rock, dirt and magic held no meaning as the streams of iridescent motes unraveled in his sight. He skipped across chambers and hallways, tracing back the connection of his familiar. Many halls he crossed stunk of blood and pungent concoctions he couldn¡¯t quite identify. They vaguely resembled the glowing mixtures Kai played with, just several times more noxious and less fun. Their smells felt somewhat wrong and unnatural, enough to make his silver coat puff up. Leaving the chamber, Hobbes stopped over a circle of freshly painted doodles to pinpoint his familiar¡¯s location. The impressions were becoming clearer. Kai was weakened but awake, easing the prickly knot in his guts. About to blink away, Hobbes hissed at his paws that had been stained in dark, glowing ink. These humans didn¡¯t even offer the decency of a clean floor. He leaped onto a wooden table, cleaning his paws on a dirty piece of paper. As if the dust clinging to his coat wasn¡¯t already maddening, now this¡ªhis familiar would never understand the sacrifices and indignities he suffered for him. Hobbes turned his attention away from his unseemly condition to the glowing pathways. Dark webs of essence had been woven into the stone, thicker than any of the previous ones. It took a full swing of his tail to find a way through and blink inside. The room was dark and stale, burdened by the breaths of a figure sleeping. Was this the man responsible for staining his paws? Perched on a wardrobe, Hobbes pondered how to dispense justice when a jumble of sensations brushed his mind. Hobbes¡­? I can finally reach you. Where are you? Are you safe? The meaning flowed through the bond clearer than if Kai spoke before him. From the frantic worry, someone might think Hobbes had been the one to get captured and not the other way around. Being the bigger feline, Hobbes reassured him the situation was firmly in his paw. Flynn was safe from pursuit, and those reeking cultists had run where he pointed without catching a hair of his tail. A sudden jingle pulled his senses back to the room where the human still snored. Hobbes regarded him with a disdainful look. In his sleep, the man had pulled the ragged cover aside, making the metal on his belt chime. Thank you, Hobbes. If you weren¡¯t there¡­ I¡­ You did well. Praise and relief surged through the bond¡ªas expected for his wise deeds. Hobbes curled up on top of the wardrobe. A strange, ticklish feeling swelled inside of him, driving back the damp coldness of the underground. He couldn¡¯t quite say what it was, probably some nonsense Kai had infected him with. Hobbes wouldn¡¯t get swayed by his familiar¡¯s sly tricks¡ªthe main issue remained unaddressed. Without waiting for a reply, he shoved his inquiries back at his familiar. Was Kai injured? Where was he being held? How could he be so foolish to trust that fork-tongued girl? The flurry of questions left their connection in a sheepish silence¡ªas well it should. When Hobbes got his paws on him, he would teach him the meaning of caution. I¡¯m fine¡­ We¡¯re fine! You don¡¯t need to worry. We¡¯re trapped but not gravely injured. A series of blurry images and sensations flooded his thoughts. Kai¡¯s fear and exhaustion rose like a murky tide. A flicker of light reflected on steel bars covered in black doodles. Three humans were chained in a dark cell beside him: the fishboy bled from his head, Kai¡¯s cranky sister and the papergirl slumped against the stone, both unconscious and held up by their shackles. In the narrow corridor outside, two cultists periodically patrolled. Hobbes let out a low growl and retracted the ivory claws that had stretched without his consent. The sleeping man below still snored. Typical human behavior¡ªunaware of their surroundings. The familiar bond flowed freely since reaching this room¡ªKai was close, just a few blinks away. It would just¡ª No, don¡¯t come! We¡¯re not in danger right now. Kai¡¯s thoughts became hazy before snapping into sharp clarity. This cell is covered in enchantments that I can¡¯t read. There is no way to break the bars. We can¡¯t risk you getting caught. Hobbes flicked his tail in annoyance. Considering the circumstances, he magnanimously decided not to take his familiar¡¯s worries as an insult. The crude webs of mana in this den would never stop him, much trap him, though Kai might still have a point¡­ From the images he shared, entering wasn¡¯t the problem. While he could reach any place unhindered, his human retainers hadn¡¯t learned superior magic. Their laziness made things inconvenient¡­ With his exceptional talents and a great deal of effort, he might carry one of them, but there were too many. Not to mention, escaping this den required more than one blink. His tail whipped the air again. Why did humans have to be so needlessly large? Escaping wouldn''t be so vexing if they had a more sensible size. How could he get them all out? The metal bars and shackles looked sturdy. Obviously, they¡¯d be no match for his claws, but slicing them would cause a ruckus. It¡¯d ruin the efforts he put into his masterful sneaking. No, he needed a more subtle way to get them out¡­ The connection stirred again, a fuzzy image intruded into his thoughts: a metal ring linked with a dozen bizarrely shaped metal sticks. Keys¡­ Hobbes took a moment to recall the primitive concept. Humans liked to build flimsy boxes and used keys to open and close certain entrances. He couldn¡¯t comprehend why anyone would create such ineffective contraptions, but humans were strange beings by nature. Hobbes hissed at the conundrum. Where would he find something like that? His eyes strayed to the man still snoring below, fixating on the dull ring hanging from his belt that produced another jingle. It seemed even the most thoughtless creatures had a purpose after all¡­