Exiting the palace, Torrin and Grams walked without speaking--Grams with a smile on her face, a bounce to her steps, humming to herself--clearly pleased with the outcome of the meeting. Torrin walked with his head down, brows furrowed, thinking of everything that'd just happened.

Torrin eventually looked over at the smiling old woman, but hesitated to speak what was on his mind.

"Oh, spit it out boy, you look like you've been chewing on something sour since we left the throne room. What is it?" Grams asked, seeing the look on the boy's face.

"Grams... What did the queen mean when she said relations were strained with the elves? What happened between the humans and elves?" Torrin asked.

Grams sighed, "It's a very long story, but to sum it all up, the elves once lived in this world peacefully. Humans showed up and as they do, began to fight and conquer the elves. After a long war, the elves began to leave this world." She finished, glancing at Torrin's reaction.

"So," Torrin paused, gathering his thoughts, "If they left this world, where exactly are you trying to send me? And if they hate humans, why send me at all? What would I gain?"

Grams laughed, "You're right about that, they hate us! But what they don't hate, is magic. And with your unique core, I think they'd find you highly fascinating." A gleam shone in Grams' eyes, "I had planned to have you taught by people from the Magic Academy, but that is far too elementary for what I believe you capable of now. There are still a group of elves that live in this world, away from human civilization and I think they would be the best at helping your skills grow."

The two continued their trip in silence as Torrin contemplated Grams' words. As they passed by the Auction House, Torrin asked, "Grams, what all do they sell at the Auction House?"

"They usually sell high quality or rare artifacts, potions, or relics. They usually have big auctions once a month or so."

Torrin nodded in understanding, wondering how much Grams' broken ring would have been worth. Thinking of this, Torrin felt his face flush and he turned to Grams.

"Hey, Grams... I'm sorry about your ring... I didn't mean for it to get broken." Torrin said sheepishly.

"Don't worry, boy, I've already thought of many ways you'll be able to make it up to me." Grams replied, a manic gleam in her eye as she stared at Torrin. Seeing her reaction, Torrin blanched, contemplating running away at top speed.

Grams eventually laughed, "Haha! No worries, boy! What you got in return will surely have been worth it and I can make another of those rings anytime."

Hearing her flippant response, Torrin was surprised.

A grin appeared on his face as he asked, "Well, if it's so easy to make such high-tier artifacts... Would it be possible for you to make me a Dimensional Storage Ring?"

Grams stopped walking, but didn't respond. Torrin stopped as well, wondering if he'd asked the wrong question. Instead of answering or berating him, she simply reached her hand out into a ripple in the air.

"I was planning on giving this to you before we sent you off, but I guess now is as good a time as any," She said with an uncharacteristic easy smile on her face, handing him a ring.

It was a plain, thin silver band with etched runes scrawling across the surface. Torrin looked at Grams and smiled. She gestured for him to put it on and when he did, the ring seemed to disappear. It slowly morphed from a silver band to the exact color of his skin tone.

Torrin stared at his hand with shock written all over his face. He could still feel the band around his finger, but the mana fluctuations from the ring were completely hidden along with its appearance. Grams cackled at his reaction, causing more stares to come their way as the pair began walking once more.

Torrin added a drop of blood to the ring as they went, allowing his will to seep into the ring so he could check out its contents. Everything he'd collected from his time in the forest and Bolin Town was accounted for, with a vast empty space remaining to be filled.

"Grams! This ring... It's... Wow!" Torrin exclaimed, unable to even complete a full sentence. Grams' cackling intensified at the words.

"Just don't break this one, boy," She said with a toothy grin.

The available space in the ring was at least ten times larger than his old storage pouch, which was about 400 square feet. If a storage ring worth 10,000 gold had 1,500 square feet of space, he couldn't imagine how much the ring Grams had just given him was worth.

Grams' laughter didn't stop until they reached the edge of the city, no longer hindered by the anti-teleportation wards. Grams whisked them away with a pop, leaving dozens of shocked towns people staring at the now empty spot.

When the pair arrived in the hut, Torrin was still reeling from the surprise of the ring.

"Grams, why would you give me such a valuable ring?" Torrin asked, eyes wide.

"Although you are my apprentice, I normally wouldn't just hand you something as valuable as that. I did give you that mana storage ring which was truly a treasure, but that was because you needed it for my plans. Boy, you can consider this storage ring an apology--for you being stuck in that pocket dimension for so long-- and payment for all the goodies you gathered for me in that shithole." Grams answered with a toothy grin.

Torrin's brows knit together as he tried understanding what Grams meant. Seeing the expression, Grams explained, "When I retrieved you from that space, I took everything that wasn't bolted to the floor and even some things that were! Haha! The amount of advanced rune-work on that energy container is worth a fortune!"

Now Torrin understood why Grams would be so generous. She had ransacked the pocket dimension for everything it was worth, so one little ring in return hardly cost her anything. Torrin smiled at the old lady, grateful for the gift.

"Thank you, Grams. For the ring and for getting me out of there... I don't know what I would have done if I'd been trapped there forever." Just the thought of that place gave Torrin chills, 'If I'd been stuck there forever I would have been driven truly insane... Maybe worse than Grams!' he thought.

"No worries, boy. Oh, I almost forgot," Grams replied, summoning the Celestial Bronze sword and an ornate black sheathe accented with silver and gold, handing them to Torrin.

Torrin nodded gratefully, putting the items into his new ring and asking, "Hey, Grams. You said that you made this from Celestial Bronze? What exactly is that?"

Grams' brows raised in surprise at the question, answering, "It's that lump of shiny metal you got in that one town. Did they not even tell you what it was?"

"Uh... They called it... Star Heart Bronze!" Torrin answered, finally recalling the name they'd given him, "They told me it couldn't be forged by anyone and practically gave it to me when I told them you'd be able to forge it, but I didn't know if you really could."

Grams nodded, "It makes sense no one was able to forge it. Celestial Bronze has an insanely high melting point and when it is in a solid state, it is highly mana resistant, meaning most people wouldn't be able to heat it hot enough. I encased it in Spell-Silver, which is a fine conductor of both mana and heat. I super heated the Spell-Silver, infusing it with fire mana, which helped to melt down the Celestial Bronze slowly. That's why there are silver patterns on the edge of the blade. Once it was melted, I just needed to fold and mold it, followed by enchanting the runes." She shrugged, as if this was just a normal everyday thing.

Torrin stared at her for a long time before asking, "And what runes did you use on the blade?"

Grams waved airily, "This and that, nothing too fancy, boy. Just a few enchantments to make the blade stronger and more durable, as well as better at conducting energy."

Torrin nodded thoughtfully. The two had taken a seat before the hearth and were sitting in companionable silence. The queen would contact the elves today and Torrin should be able to visit them soon if all went well with the negotiations. Torrin finally broke the silence after a while.

"Hey, Grams, have you ever met the elves?" Torrin asked curiously.

Grams nodded with a smirk on her face, "I've met them a few times, but we don't get along... I believe I told you before I'd been to a pocket dimension that had time dilation," Torrin nodded and Grams continued, "Well, that realm is controlled by the elves. They allowed us to visit it and try to learn magic from them, but we weren't all that successful."

"What's so different between how humans and elves use mana?" Torrin asked, curiosity peaked.

"If you haven't learned so yet, humans create spells using words, mana, and runes to force mana to change, creating a spell. Turning mana into magic." Grams stated simply.

"Yeah, I learned that in the books I got while in Bolin." Torrin replied.

"Good. Well, the thing about magic is... Hmm..." Grams trailed off, trying to get her thoughts in order, "The thing about magic is that it doesn't actually require those things to work. It's actually much more fluid. If a mage has a strong will, they can forgo words, only using their will and thoughts instead. Mana is required for the process of making a spell, so there's no real way to bypass that part, besides using a different energy source. Runes, however... Rune aren't necessarily... Well, necessary!"

Torrin frowned and stared at Grams in confusion.

"So you're saying that with a strong will, a mage doesn't need to use any words or chants?" Grams nodded at the question, "And runes... How does a mage bypass using runes in a spell? How do they get the mana to change to their will without it?"

Torrin had been able to make his own spells, but it still required using the runes he knew to exact a change on mana and make a spell work. Grams held out both of her hands, palms up.

"This, is a simple fire ball spell," Grams explained, a few runes appearing above her right hand as mana coalesced into a small, floating fire ball, "And this is also a fire ball spell."

Mana whipped towards her open left hand and formed into a fire ball. The two processes looked more of less the same, but one didn't use the runes. Torrin's face must have shown his confusion because Grams explained further.

"By using my will, mana, and runes," She held up her right hand to indicate the fire ball, "I was able to make a simple fire ball. On the other hand, I used only my will and mana. This is possible because as a person's core grows, their body becomes more attuned to mana. So mana responds easier to them, allowing them more control. Runes are mainly used because they pre-calculate the spell, if you will. They help define the parameters of what the mana needs to do."

Torrin nodded, "But I still don't understand what this has to do with the elves..."

"Just as the Dromo are born with advanced energy pathways, so to are the elves--though not as advanced. So, they are naturally more attuned to mana. They also spend time using mana to enhance their bodies, as you did with Saen. That is why I want you to study with the elves, because you should be able to learn magic on a much more intimate level through them." Grams raised an eyebrow as she looked at the boy.

Realization dawned on Torrin and he exclaimed, "That's why the emperor wanted to attune his body with Saen before he ascended! To have a better control over energy!"

Grams smiled and nodded, "That was my thought as well. The real question is, why did the Dromo decide to help him?"

This question made Torrin pause. 'Why would the Dromo want to help the emperor?' he thought.

Before Torrin could ask, Grams continued, "You see, boy... The Dromo are quite special and terrifying. Do you remember me mentioning the Nelk's pocket dimension that I found when I was with Virtus?"

Torrin nodded confirmation and she explained further, "The Nelk were a fairly peaceful race, they didn't care for land or power or possessions, what they craved was knowledge. They were historians and they traveled through many worlds collecting information on various races. One race they studied quite intensely were the Dromo."

Grams sat staring at Torrin, as if deciding how much she should tell him. Coming to a decision, she shook her head.

"It took a long time, but Albert was able to translate much of the Nelk language. In those records we found, were accounts of some Dromo being able to siphon energy." Grams finished, looking at Torrin expectantly.

His brows furrowed, Torrin tried understanding what Grams was getting at. He eventually shook his head, not coming up with an answer.

"Grams, can't everyone siphon energy? Isn't that why people buy high-tier mana crystals? To absorb the pure energy and strengthen their core?" Torrin asked.

Grams nodded, "That's true, they can. The Dromo, however... Are able to siphon energy from living beings, at least some of them..."

Torrin's eyes widened. In the final recording, Emperor Nim was able to complete his body's enhancement with Saen, and he ascended. A golden door had appeared from nowhere, through which he disappeared. The recording ended with the obsidian-scaled Dromo, Dormisu, looking towards the cages and smiling viciously. At the time, Torrin didn't understand what that expression could have meant. But now...

"Grams... Are you saying that Dormisu helped Emperor Nim adapt his body to Saen... All so he could absorb the life essence and mana from his descendants?!" Torrin asked in horror.

Grams smiled sadly, "That's my theory. That the Dromo wanted to be able to turn lower races into a more satiating meal. If they could adapt their bodies to Saen, then humans would be much more efficient at absorbing and using mana, their cores would most likely become purer as a result..."

The words made Torrin visibly shudder. To think that the Dromo just wanted better livestock... The thought made Torrin feel ill.

"What the hell, Grams? Are they still doing this today?" Torrin asked, horrified.

Grams shook her head, "I don't think so, boy. Those recordings were likely more than thousands of years old, that's part of the reason why the realm began to destabilize. We don't know exactly when the pathways to other worlds were severed or damaged, but it was surely after those recordings were made. I'm unsure if the Dromo even still exist today."

Torrin sighed in relief, "Then why tell me all of this? Just a nice little horror story before you send me off?" he chuckled.

Torrin expected Grams to laugh as well, but her face remained serious. Silence hung in the room for what felt like an eternity, the only noise the crackling fire.

Grams' gaze met Torrin as she spoke, "Boy... If you ever see a Dromo in person, I've just got one piece of advice for you... Run. Run as far and as fast as you can."