Chapter 103   - Goodbyes

Shining rays filtered inside his room. Kai looked around, his thoughts sluggish. A moment later, recognition flashed through his eyes.

Right, that happened.

He slipped out of the covers, there was more light than he was used to. The sun shone brightly in his living room.

I must have overslept. I can’t remember the last time that happened.

Something was weird. After years of habit, he always woke up at the break of dawn, whether he wanted it or not. Last night he went to bed later than usual, but not that late.

Stepping outside intensified this feeling. The beach and the sea were the same, but something was wrong, different. Then it clicked. Kai waved his hands through the air flaring his mana skills. His skin didn’t tingle.

The mana density is falling. Have they already deactivated the gathering array?

Kai turned to head for the mansion and froze on the spot. He blinked twice and rubbed his eyes, pinching himself for extra zealousness. He was awake. Mana Sense and Inspect gave him the same result as his sight.

The estate was simply gone.

Sand, a grassy meadow and flat ground. The elegant white mansion with blue accents, the library, Dora’s place, even the greenhouse and the plants, had disappeared without a trace. There was no sign of the foundations or the basement where Virya kept the core array of the estate.

What the fuck is going on!?

Plants and shrubs grew where the large buildings once stood. Apart from the lack of trees, the area looked ordinary, like any other empty stretch found on the islands. His little house was the only proof it hadn’t been a dream.

Kai was relieved to see the silver ring was still on his finger. Creating a thread of mana, the small spatial closet appeared in his mind. It was all there: the sword, the cube and the package which must contain Dora’s potions.

I’m not crazy, they just left without a word.

He had considered the possibility they would leave first thing in the morning, but not this. Never in a million years would he have imagined they’d uproot their house and bring it with them.

Kai let himself fall on the sand, feeling lost. The sound of the crashing waves calmed him. In deep Attuned Meditation, he waited for the world to make sense again.

It must be some kind of Space Magic. Either they’ve teleported away, or they have an enormous spatial storage. If that’s even possible.

The weird speculations helped him settle down. The weird sluggish sensation had left his mind, leaving him sharp and focused. They must have also done something to keep him asleep while all of this happened. It couldn’t be a coincidence that he overslept.

“Ten silver Elijah drugged me in my sleep. Damn jerk, he couldn’t even ask me first,” Kai said to no one in particular. He checked his surroundings, almost expecting the butler would jump out from a shadow with a snarky comment. No such luck.

Well, no matter, I feel fine now. I’ve never been one much for goodbyes either.

Getting to his feet and dusting off the sand, Kai went back to his lonely little house. As he scanned the room, his eyes fell on the letter that sat on the table. He would have noticed it earlier if he were his usual self.

I got a goodbye note, I suppose.

Opening the folded papers, he immediately recognized Dora’s calligraphy.

Dear Kai,

I clearly remember the day you first came to us. You were so small, observing everything with your inquisitive little eyes. I dare say it was one of Lady Virya’s wisest choices in the eighty-seven years I’ve known her.

I know this must all seem so sudden and unexpected, and I’m sorry we didn’t have time for a final goodbye. Alas, circumstances I’m forbidden to mention demand we move quickly.

Elijah has been delaying our departure for a while, waiting any further would turn very problematic for him. I must thank you for keeping him company these last few years. The ring he gave you is the first one he received when he was about your age. The fact he chose to give it to you means more than he’ll ever tell you.

Since I know you tend to overthink things, I want you to know you’ve made the right choice in staying. While I would have loved it if you continued the journey with us, this will be for the better. The bond with your family is irreplaceable. Too many people lose sight of what’s really important in the pursuit of knowledge and power.

Despite a teacher’s wishes, students can only go so far under their tutelage and protection. This day might have come too soon for you, but only by charting your own path can you reach your full potential.

You’ve been among the most promising of pupils. Teaching you these last years has been a pleasure. I have full confidence you’ll continue to do wonderfully, whatever path you may choose for yourself.

Till we meet again,

Auntie Dora

P.S. You can stay in the house as long as you wish. Virya agreed to leave you the deed of the bay. I know you must be disappointed that we brought the estate with us, but trust me, it would have been more trouble than it was worth.

P.P.S. Elijah also sends his regards, though he’s too shy to write t—

Kai finished reading with a tumultuous heart. The last line ended with a smear of ink. He could almost see Elijah snatching the pen from Dora’s fingers.

The reality of the situation began to sink in. Just two days ago he had arrived here, thinking to spend months training. In the blink of an eye, his plans were swept away. The speed with which it came down made it even more jarring.

I guess this is it.

They were gone for good. Even if he were to meet them again, it wouldn’t be in the Baquaire Archipelago. He put the deed to the estate grounds into his ring and let his legs lead him outside.

Kai wandered up and down the familiar shoreline he had trodden hundreds of times, probably thousands. His mind slowly came to terms with the situation as he figured out what to do next.

Dora’s words helped push away any remaining doubts he held about his choice. Strength was a means to an end. Leaving his family would defeat the purpose why he looked for power in the first place.

Going with them meant being surrounded by individuals far stronger than him. Kept around like a mascot, completely dependent on his teachers. That wasn’t how he imagined his adventure to the mainland.

His stomach rumbled. Kai realized he had skipped breakfast and the sun had almost reached its zenith. He headed back to the lone building that was now his. The bay without the estate looked like a different place.

Checking the rooms, he found a spatial bag with enough food to last him a month. No doubt it was Dora’s doing.

After filling his belly, Kai made an inventory of what they left him. Most of his possessions were already inside the backpack. His journals, books and notes together with his portable alchemy station. His remaining clothes and the other volumes on his shelves were packed next. By the end, he had trouble lifting his bag, even though he could only feel a third of the weight. He could manage with Empower, but it would not be an easy journey.

Damn, I didn’t think I had this many books…

His eyes fell on his new ring. With the madness going on, he had almost forgotten about it. Reaching with his mind, the contents began to fall on his bed. His sword, the cube inscribed with runes that begged to be studied. Then it was time for Dora's present.

A beautiful casket of polished cherry wood engraved with preserving runes. It was decorated with flower motifs, but the real prize was inside. Two rows of shiny potions brimming with mana, each with a clear label for its function.

At a glance, even the weakest one was a high orange grade. Kai took out a glass vial filled with an olive liquid to check.

Kai’s Determination… She did not.

His eyes flew through the labels. Dora had absolutely done it. Each vial carried a wacky name. Kai closed the lid of the casket with a sigh.

If she didn’t want me to share them with anyone else, her plan worked.

He was about to put the casket back into the ring when he noticed the space in his mind still contained one item. He hadn’t noticed, not used to the strange perception the artifact gave him.

A book and a note appeared in his hand. Just a few short sentences.

If you try to sell my ring, I’m going to find you and skin you alive. Very slowly.

P.S. This is the book you were looking for in the library. I trust you won’t be a complete fool with what you find.

Regards,

Elijah

Yep, that’s definitely him. Why write a goodbye note when you can put a death threat?

Rolling his eyes, his attention moved to the book. It was only a finger thick with a dark brown leather cover that bore no title. Kai scoured his mind to find what Elijah could be referring to. He had vainly searched for many different information over the years, though one thing stood out the most.

Could it really be it?

Opening the first page left no doubt. Initiation to the Mysteries of the Guide - A Deeper Look into Professions, Feats and More.

His heart began thumping in his chest. For something everybody had to deal with, knowledge about the deepest mechanism of the Guide was scarce. Kai browsed through the pages, stopping on the section about feats.

A long list of achievements presented themselves before him. Some that he knew or even obtained, some he did not. Kai couldn’t believe his eyes. He had looked for this information for years. Clearly, the reason he never found anything in the library had been a deliberate choice.

Virya probably believed this was too big of a help or something. Kai would bet the mage didn’t know about this. It explained why Elijah hadn’t told him about the book last night and advised him to wait till morning to check the ring instead.

Damn, now I feel like I should have thanked him more. Such a butler’s move.

Voraciously reading his new book, time flew by. Some chapters began with lines like: Beware this knowledge may affect the rewards bestowed by the Guide, and Do not communicate this information to individuals younger than fourteen years of age. Those were a bit of a downer.

Thank the spirits, I started reading from the beginning and I didn’t skip ahead.

It was unfortunate, but the book contained enough knowledge to keep him busy for years, and the feats were only one of the sections present. Time flew by as he dove into the pages.

When the light became too faint to read the words, Kai reluctantly put it back into the ring. He never thought he’d have to cross the jungle again so soon. But he had no reason to stay here.

If the Republic noticed the villa had vanished into thin air, it could lead to a difficult situation. Just because he hadn’t done anything illegal, it didn’t make him feel safe. Better to feign ignorance in Sylspring.

There was no way Virya had missed such an obvious problem. Maybe he was worrying for nothing, but he’d rather not risk it in case she thought of this as another challenge.

Kai put most of his silver, Dora’s recipe book and a few more volumes inside his ring, lightening his bag considerably. The spatial closet wasn’t particularly large, though it was perfect for small and heavy items.

Luckily, I chose the sword, a spear wouldn’t fit.

It was a pity, the ring couldn’t contain his backpack since the two spatial enchantments would conflict with one another. With everything ready, he ate a cold meal and went to sleep early.

The next morning came fast and brought a terrifying discovery. When he tried to use the sink in the bathroom, no water came out. He ran to the shower, and it was the same story.

Nooooo! How could you do this to me!?

Kai took a deep breath to stop himself from hyperventilating. Activating Mana Sense, all the runes he had personally engraved were still there. He let out a sigh of momentary relief.

Examining the scripts, he soon found the problem. Whatever the estate used to supply the appliances had been whisked away together with the buildings. There must have been some remaining energy in the circuits yesterday that now was gone.

Remain calm, Kai. You can fix this!

Plans for a new gathering and converting array or a rechargeable battery spun in his mind. He had never undertaken such a large project, but he possessed the necessary theoretical knowledge.

He fought the temptation to take out a paper and draw a draft. Time was ticking. Kai had to harden his heart and abandon his shower in such a shameful condition.

We had a great time together, didn’t we? I promise I will be back to fix you one day.

With one last look at the place where he spent the largest share of his life, Kai hoisted his bag on his shoulder and headed for the jungle. His feet followed the ground that once hosted the paved path to the estate.

A new chapter of his life was just beginning.