“Which bastard is interrupting my mealtime?!” Harrietta barked, Sparky mewing indignantly from her shoulder.
The door creaked open, and Kai stepped in with a grin. “Is that how you treat an old friend?”
Everyone jumped up at once. “Kai!” they shouted in unison.
“Haha, yeah, it’s me,” he said, stepping inside with the rest of the group trailing behind him.
“We heard you made some food,” Umbra added with a smile.
“I’ll be damned,” Harrietta muttered, eyes wide. “Look at you, you bastard. We were worried sick.”
“How are you?” Hansen asked, stepping forward.
“Not bad. A bit stiff,” Kai replied with a smile.
He turned to Eira and Kran, raising an eyebrow. “Well, you two look close.”
Kran scratched the back of his head. “Well… a lot happened.”
Eira sighed. “He somehow persuaded me to give him a chance.”
Nerva chuckled. “Don’t let her fool you. She likes him. At least now she’s got someone around here she can beat up.”
“You’re not wrong,” Harrietta added with a grin. “She’s a real one.”
Kai listened, a warm smile on his face. “You’re finally free, huh? I’m glad to see that. Never lose that again.”
Eira bowed her head slightly, grateful.
Then her expression shifted. “Why do I smell my old master on you?” she asked, concern flickering in her eyes.
“Don’t worry,” Kai said, his tone softening. “It’s just the aftereffects of living through his memories.”
“I’m sorry,” she said, frowning. “That must’ve been horrific.”
“He was… a truly troubled and sick individual,” Kai admitted, the memories still fresh and heavy.
“Well, didn’t you two just bring the mood down?” Harrietta grumbled. “Here, take a plate and sit. There’s enough food and room for everyone.”
The group settled around the table, laughter and chatter filling the room. They caught Kai up on everything he’d missed: they explained how they figured out Lisa’s talent, how they trained Lucius, who had actually gone hunting with Bjorn, at which Kai laughed out loud.
They talked about how they trained Lucius and Kran, and lastly about the sparing matches.
Kai listened intently, a flicker of sadness crossing his face. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to see all of that. But I’m glad you’re all moving forward.”
“We waited for you, you know,” Umbra said gently.
Kai smiled and nodded, heart full as the conversation continued, the warmth of friendship slowly easing the weight of his memories.
***
After catching up with Harrietta and the others, Kai and Nerva left to speak with Arama.
Arama sat meditating in front of the fire, resting; the cold winter winds biting at his aging body had made him weary. His wife, Pala, sat beside him, quietly reading a book.
Knock. Knock. The sound echoed through the old wooden doors.
“Who is it?” Pala asked, her voice calm.
“It’s Nerva,” came the reply from the other side.
“Come in,” Arama said, stirring from his meditation.
Nerva entered first, with Kai following slowly behind. Arama’s eyes widened at the sight of Kai.
“Sir Kai, you’re awake! Oh, thank the gods!” Arama exclaimed, rising to his feet.
“Pala, bring some spirit mead and food,” he called.
Pala sighed, closed her book, and stood, disappearing into the kitchen.
“Sit, sit,” Arama urged, gesturing to the chairs near the fire.
Kai and Nerva took their seats. Kai sipped the mead and frowned slightly. It was sour and strong, but it warmed his body and even seemed to cleanse his mana channels, though he didn’t really need it.
“Good mead,” Nerva praised, then turned serious. “Arama, now that Kai is awake, we won’t be staying much longer. We’ve overstayed already.”
“Nonsense,” Arama replied, waving a hand. “If it weren’t for you two, we’d be in a much worse situation. Stay as long as you need. It’s not like we’re using the main hall anyway.”
“It’s just… we have so much to do,” Kai said. “I’ve wasted too much time already.”
“I understand,” Arama nodded. “But know this, whenever you need us, we’ll be here. This is your home now, too. You saved us. That’s how this place came to be. We helped each other, built a community. Over time, it became what it is today.”
He smiled warmly. “I’ll have my men build you a home of your own if you ever need it.”
Kai chuckled. “Even if I asked you not to, I doubt it would stop you. Thank you.”
“No problem,” Arama said. “So, when do you leave?”
“The day after tomorrow,” Nerva answered. “We’re waiting for Lucius to return, and we want to say our farewells properly.”
“Then tomorrow,” Arama said, his eyes twinkling, “we’ll have a party.”
Kai and Nerva exchanged tired glances, then sighed and nodded.
“Agreed.”
***
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Lucius, Bjorn, and his men returned from the hunt, carrying several regular beasts they had caught. Unfortunately, Spirit Beasts had yet to return to the region.
“That wasn’t so bad,” Bjorn said, stretching his shoulders. “Though we had to travel pretty far.”
“You caught them so fast. I’ve never seen anyone hunt Red Deer like that,” Lucius remarked, clearly impressed.
Bjorn chuckled. “We’ve been hunting them for years. Once you understand how they behave, it gets easier.”
They entered the main hall of the largest cabin in the village, where Kai was waiting.
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At the sight of the group, Kai smiled. “Welcome back. Looks like you all had fun.”
The men froze for a moment, then broke into wide grins. “Lord Kai!” they shouted in unison, bowing deeply.
Lucius chuckled at the sight and gave Kai a respectful nod.
“Raise your heads, men. Come, sit,” Kai said warmly.
The group quickly gathered around the table, eager to share stories of their training and hunting while Kai had been away. Bjorn even spoke fondly of his growing friendship with Lucius.
“He’s a good kid,” Bjorn said with a grin.
Lucius blushed and tried to change the subject. “So… what’s the plan now that you’re awake?”
“We leave in two days,” Kai replied. “From what I understand, Fallhaven isn’t in a good position, and Nerva is needed back there. I’ll be joining you.”
Lucius frowned but said nothing.
Kai chuckled. “You’ve grown fond of this place, haven’t you?”
Lucius nodded. “I must admit, I’ve gotten used to living freely here. No family pressures, no military drills, no obligations. Just living… and growing stronger. But I know this isn’t a life I can keep.”
Kai leaned back, thoughtful. “Who knows? Maybe one day you’ll build the life you want.”
He turned to the seven men seated nearby. “And what about you?”
One of them spoke up. “We’re staying. Our village is in rough shape; most of the men were either killed or taken by that monster. We’ve arranged with the Chief to move our families here. They should be arriving soon.”
Bjorn added, “We’ll need to expand the village and build a new district for our people. But thanks to you, we have the funds to do it. We’ll also be building you a home there.”
Kai raised an eyebrow. “Just don’t make anything too crazy, alright?”
Bjorn laughed. “No promises.”
***
The rest of the evening passed peacefully.
Everyone had gathered in the main hall, talking and reminiscing about the past four months. Once strangers, they had grown into friends, and some had even become family.
At some point, Kai quietly excused himself and stepped outside. He sat on the railing of the balcony, gazing up at the three moons. The sky was clear, and the cold winter winds bit at the skin. But Kai felt nothing. His body had long since surpassed the limits of humanity.
As he stared into the night, lost in thoughts of his old life and the many lives he had experienced, Scry and Umbra joined him.
“You’re thinking about difficult things again, aren’t you?” Scry said with a soft smile.
“Hah, yeah,” Kai replied. “Everything’s still fresh in my mind. Florian did some horrible, unforgivable things.”
“We know,” Scry said gently. “But try to focus on the good. You gained just as much from him, didn’t you? Everything has a price in this world, Kai. You should know that better than anyone.”
Kai frowned. “I’m not sure what I gained. He unlocked parts of the Soultek legacy, but it’s all soul magic. I don’t even know if I want anything to do with that.”
“Well, you already know some soul magic,” Scry pointed out. “You could use the first page as a core to chant those spells, but leave it aside for now. You’re strong enough without them.”
Kai turned to Umbra. “You’ve been quiet. What’s on your mind?”
Umbra looked up at the moons. “Just thinking… In a few months, it’ll be a year since we met. I’ve grown so much since then. It all feels like a dream.”
Kai smiled. “Look at you, talking like a real person.”
Scry chuckled. “She’s not wrong. Our meeting really did change everything.” He sighed. “Who knows what’s waiting for us?”
Then he turned to Kai. “Are you going to enter the tournament? The rewards are insane. First place gets to choose an Archon or Seraph to train them.”
“What?” Kai blinked. “I didn’t know that. Nerva said there’d be rewards, but he didn’t mention that.”
“Liliya told me,” Scry said with a grin.
Kai leaned back, thoughtful. “Then I should enter. But I won’t use my moonlight skills. Someone from the Eldari side might recognize them.”
“I’ll join too,” Umbra said.
“You can?” Kai asked, surprised.
“Yes. Nerva told me that Mid Divine Beasts can enter under the Knight stage. I want to challenge myself, to see how far I can go.”
Kai nodded. “Then it’s decided. We have two months to train for the tournament.”
***
Later that evening, Kai knocked on Liliya’s door. “It’s Kai,” he said, voice slightly nervous. “I’d like to talk.”
Thump! A loud crash echoed from inside, followed by a sharp, “Ouch!”
Kai chuckled. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, yeah! Just give me a minute!” she called out.
After a moment, the door opened. Liliya stood there, slightly flushed, dressed in a floral dress and glistening with sweat.
“Come in,” she said with a smile.
Kai laughed. “Did you just fall?”
“Even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you,” She huffed, pouting.
“Your forehead’s red, you know,” he teased.
She rubbed the spot with a groan and closed the door behind him, motioning for him to sit at the desk.
“So… what do you want?” she asked, trying to sound casual but clearly a little nervous herself.
Kai sat down. “Is there a way to change how I look? I saw in Florian’s memories that he could do it, but he never used any spells.” He wanted to hide his identity during the tournament in case he had to show his stronger abilities.
Liliya nodded thoughtfully. “There are body transformation spells and abilities, but he probably used something tied to soul magic. For you, the easiest method would be a relic mask.”
“A relic mask?” Kai asked, curious. “I’ve never heard of relics.”
“They’re similar to magetech artifacts, but purely magical,” she explained. “I can get you one from the Tower to hide your identity. Don’t worry.”
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, smiling brightly.
Kai blushed, his heart skipping a beat. “About the Tower… If I want to learn spells there, do I have to go to the Academy first?”
“No,” she said, laughing softly. “You’re too old for the Academy anyway, but if you pass their test, I can get you in. Knowing you, it should be easy.”
“Alright. Once we deal with Rond, I’ll join you at the Tower,” Kai said. “Looks like it’ll be the two of us then, huh?”
“Probably Scry will want to come too,” she replied, missing the hint in his voice.
Kai sighed inwardly. He could fight monsters, beasts, and madmen… but telling a girl he liked her? That was the real challenge.
“Well, I’ll go then. See you in the morning,” he said, standing.
“Wait, let me help you out,” she said, rushing to open the door, only to slip and fall to the floor.
Kai sighed and reached down, grabbing her hand and pulling her up a little too forcefully. She slammed into his chest.
“Ouch! Be careful! What is your body made of? Stone?” she groaned.
“Well, maybe try not falling every two minutes,” he teased. “For such a powerful mage, you’re surprisingly clumsy.”
“Blah, blah, blah. All I hear is nonsense,” she muttered, pushing him toward the door. “Go, before people start talking.”
Kai smirked. “If you hadn’t snuck into my room while I was asleep, people wouldn’t talk.”
“I already told you; it was for medical reasons! Nothing to do with how cute you are when you sleep…” she paled, biting her tongue.
Kai blinked, then laughed. “Nobody’s ever called me cute before. Thanks. You’re not bad yourself.”
Liliya turned bright red and shoved him out the door, slamming it shut behind him.
Kai stood there for a moment, blushing, then sighed and headed to his room.
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[Cultivation] [Progression] [Fantasy] [Action] [Anti-Hero]
Synopsis (Click to Expand)
Two paths define the world: The Arcane and the Auric. Damon walks a third: The mind.
But a unique power is not a gift. It is a curse.
“Pain is the chisel. Will is the hammer. Mind is the stone.”