“We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity and it was not meant that we should voyage far.”

H.P. Lovecraft

“Are you ready?” Mother asked.

“Um . . . yes?” I replied. Was I really going to do this again by choice?

“Good. Then off you go.” Grandfather responded as he lifted me up off the ground and threw me out over the edge of the cliff.

My heart started thudding as I felt myself rise to the top of the arch before the moment of weightlessness followed by my fall. It wasn’t quite as terrifying this time having prepared in advance for this and having already done it once before. Quick reflexes seemed to help me quickly stabilise my fall and I knew what I was doing as I flooded my purple robe with my mana using expel mana before I used mana manipulation and material manipulation to create the shape I desired. Mother had even given me an extra robe to go underneath to buttress my creation from the inside. I hadn’t managed to create a glider yet. However maybe as my mana pool expanded or with a little engineering maybe that wouldn’t be too far off in the future if we kept this practising up.

Using gale I was able to slow my descent levelling off into a shallow glide rather than a free fall or a steep dive. I shot off away from the island it felt as if I was falling and moving across the sea deceptively slowly due to the lack of landmarks, the blue simply blurring below me, but when I turned my head to look back I could see that I had already moved miles out to sea. I banked to turn back towards the island. It was then that I noticed a shadow passing beneath me. How far beneath the waves it was, I couldn’t tell. Was it a whale? But I was already past it and moving back towards the cliffs where my father and sister were waiting in the assassin's boat at the bottom of the cliff. It had turned out that this was a seaworthy boat after all, worth 10 times the amount of a lagoon boat, and after some consideration, the family had decided to keep it rather than scuttle it. Yes, it was a loose end that could potentially tie us to the assassin one day but the benefits outweighed the disadvantages. It turned out that the reason it was worth 10 times what my father's boat was worth was due to the runes engraved in the bottom of the boat and powered by gems embedded in the inside of the hull. They allowed the boat to move quicker through the water, float higher, weather stronger waves and most importantly apparently they hid the boat from any monsters under the water, there was even an invisibility spell for the entire boat above water as well which explained why the assassin had felt comfortable being left behind. He had clearly expected to be able to catch up to Mercurio’s boat without difficulty. This was also the reason that on inspection and after consideration they had decided to keep the boat.

As I glided back towards the island and then along the cliff to where my family were waiting to pick me up. I wondered had that been a monster, not a whale? We had never really spoken about the sea life. Were there sharks, giant squids, Leviathans or Kraken? And why was I only just thinking about this now when I was about to land in it? Well if I landed close enough to my father and sister I would only be in the water for a short moment, right? And the ocean was awfully big to be landing on a sea monster.

The closer I came to the water the slower I was able to slow my descent until I was skimming along with the top of the waves gale was now strong enough to push me up into a level flight along the top of the water. I was able to glide right up to the boat. Barely coming to a stop as I skimmed along the top of the water before I was hauled up into the boat by my sister.

“That was amazing Kai!” she exclaimed as she hauled me up over the side.

“You had to see it to believe it.” Mumbled father clearly impressed by the outcome.

“Yes, yes. Let’s go.” I said still preoccupied with the possibility that some sort of sea monster lurked below us.

“What’s wrong?” Father asked concerned.

“Large shadow under the water,” I replied pointing in the direction that I had seen the possible monster.

We all turned to look in the direction I pointed, and there, ploughing its way through the water was something. We couldn’t see what it was or how big it was but the wake seemed to be moving towards where I had landed in the water. Like a fish attracted to the insects that landed on the water, it was heading our way, and quickly.

Father dropped the sails shouting, “Aleera wind.” As he pulled them tight Aleera filled them with air and we shot off from where we had been picking up speed and racing closer into the cliff where the water was shallower.

“Kai power the invisibility rune,” Father shouted as he turned the boat to race along the edge of the cliff. The fantastic thing about Aleera providing the wind was that the boat could turn in any direction as the wind was always behind it. To a point though, we still couldn’t go straight into the wind but neither were we halted by any calms that formed alongside the base of the cliffs where the wind was sometimes blocked.

With Father focused on where we were going and Aleera providing the wind, I was the only one able to look back at where we had been. As I powered the gem embedded in the hull that was empowering the invisibility rune, I watched the water where the boat had been waiting and I arrived, simply disappear. A large misshapen fin or pointed nose crested the water before disappearing back below. Something large under the water had opened a vast cavernous mouth and the surface water and anything that had been on it had just disappeared into it.

Relieved that the invisibility runes appeared to be working on the sea monster I told them, “It missed us.”

“Aye but time to go home I think.” Answered Father and he took us towards the cliff landing us in a hidden cove on the western side of the island. Beaching the boat, he quickly dragged it up out of the water as if the sea creature might follow us up onto the land.

Father looked concerned about what had just happened as he carried me to the rope ladder they had already prepared for us to climb up out of the cove, Aleera following on behind. As he strapped me to his chest to begin the climb, he remembered to say, “Well done Kai that was truly impressive.” Before returning to silence as he pondered the brief brush with death that we had had. Aleera was silent too as she followed father up the rope ladder a long, slow and silent climb to the top.

When we finally reached the top I was crushed to my mother's chest in a warm embrace. “That was amazing Kai.” She said. While Father turned to Grandfather and asked, “Did you see it?”

“Yes, I did.” Murmured grandfather having had an eagle eye view of my flight, landing, pick up and subsequent escape from one of the monsters of the deep.

“Well, what was it then?” asked father again.

“It looked like a Goblin Shark,” grandfather mused, “Surprising that it would come all the way up to the surface in the daylight.”

“This could become a problem if it sticks around here. Not sure that we want Kai to be jumping into shark-infested waters, they are usually far further west closer to the trench where the water is deeper, darker and the mana density higher.” Clearly concerned about the idea of us practising anymore today.

“The runes on the boat seemed to work fine. Once a tasty morsel like Kai was out of the water and onto the boat the Goblin shark headed for his last position and didn’t chase the boat at all. As long as you keep the runes powered you should be fine.” He calmed father down.

“Besides have you checked your status?”

Intrigued by his question, I pretended to keep my eyes closed while hugging my mother as I checked mine. Father and Aleera were more obvious in checking theirs staring out into space infront of them.

Level: 11 Name: Kai

Experience: 266,950/ 409,600

Age: 14 months, 1 weeks, 1 days, 9 hours

Health: 1150/1150 Stamina: 506/556 Mana: 700/1170 Psi: 1170/1170

Trait: Long Lived, Fast Learner, Super Senses, Source of Mana,

Vitality: 115

Endurance: 26

Strength: 26

Dexterity: 30

Senses: 118

Mind: 117

Clarity: 68

Magic: 117

Charisma: 15

Luck: 2

Free Points: 30

Skills:

Tier 1: Time sense (LV 26) Listening (LV 28) Meditation (LV 35) Swimming (LV 27) Humming (Lv 23) Sneak (Lv 22) Whistling (Lv 23) Singing (Lv 23) and Drumming (Lv 22) Running (Lv 17) Acting (20) English (Lv 15) Spanish (Lv 15) Japanese (Lv 15) German (Lv 10) French (Lv 7) Dodge (Lv 11) Breath Control (Lv 7) Sight (Lv 15) Scent (Lv 15) Detect (Lv 15) Taste (Lv 15) Bussola (Lv 7) Draw (Lv 4) Climb (Lv 7) Calligraphy (Lv 5) Mathematics (Lv 10) Decoding (Lv 6) Lie (Lv 10) Knife Skills (Lv 5) Trading (Lv 11) Sailing (Lv 3)

Tier 2: Sense Mana (LV 35) Eavesdrop (LV 27) Memorisation (LV 22) Composition (Lv 22) Recall (Lv22) Pain tolerance (Lv 13) Piano (Lv 20) Violin (Lv 20) Trombone (Lv 20) Saxophone (Lv 20) Linguistics (Lv 16) Translation (Lv 16) Stealth (Lv 12) Quick reflexes (Lv 17)

Haggling (Lv 5) Misdirection (Lv 5)

Tier 3: Echolocation (LV 26) Expel Mana (Lv 35) Absorb Mana (Lv 31) Mana Manipulation (Lv 20) Ignite (Lv 15) Freeze (Lv 10) Boil (Lv 11) Bargain (Lv 10) Gale (Lv 10) Deception (Lv 1)

Tier 4: Material Manipulation (Lv 8)Mana Drain (Lv 20) Parallel Processing (Lv 15)

Tier 5: Mind fortress (Lv 17)

Skill experience: 10,200

Origin experience: 1000

Combat experience: 0

Crafting experience: 1000

Trading experience: 1000

Popular experience: 4000

This death-defying stunt had clearly supported growth across the board and as I had finally found something that helped me to level Clarity I was excited to try again. It seemed to have even gained me popular experience from impressing my family. While I had also levelled some crafting and trading experience from selling the salt earlier on in the week. The bonus surprise was the levels in Sailing I had achieved for such little work while being part of the crew.

I was brought out of my head back to the real world by Aleera’s gasp of surprise and Fathers grunt of acknowledgement.

“Well, how many levels?” Grandfather asked.

“I gained a level in several skills as well as some experience,” grunted father surprised by the level and experience gains for such a short mornings work. Especially considering they had not caught or killed any fish.

“I gained two levels in sailing!” Aleera exclaimed, “As well as two levels in my wind magic skill!” she practically vibrated with excitement. “Let’s do it again!”

“Worth another flight then, especially if Kai can stay out of the water this time around.” ruminated grandfather out loud.

“Can you land on the boat Kai?” Mother asked. Clearly, Mother and Grandfather had already discussed this while we had been climbing back up to the top of the cliff and thought through why the goblin shark approached so quickly.

“Maybe not the boat but if it is moving I could land in the sail.” I thought to myself wondering how slow can I slow myself down and how quick can the boat speed up. Might be a little more complicated to do but if the boat is moving quickly enough and I am moving slowly enough it should be a soft enough landing.

“Okay then let’s try this again,” Grandfather said. “But I will join you on the boat just in case you need me.” He said leading them towards the ladder, father and Aleera followed and started to climb down once more leaving me at the top of the cliff with my mother.

“Are you sure you are happy to have another go Kai?” she asked. “He has always been a little extreme in pushing for the biggest gains ever since I was little.” She explained. “It’s okay to say no once in a while.” She smiled at me as she held me up.

“No, it’s okay. We can try again.” My mana was slowly ticking up as I continued to generate it and my stamina was hardly low yet. We waited at the top of the cliff looking down, searching the depths for any monsters, but I saw none, despite my super senses. Echolocation was too far from the water to have much effect and Sense Mana was the same. I wondered if, as my senses stat continued to grow whether I would one day be able to see under the sea from on top of the cliff. A sonar skill would be something good to train if only to tell me how big the sea creatures were and whether I should be running from or towards them.

After a while, we saw them set sail from the cove edging out to sea before preparing to wait for me to make the jump.

“Ready Kai?” she asked.

“Yes,” I responded far more confident than the first time. Then I stepped up to the edge of the cliff looked down and jumped forwards. Snapping my mana out into my robe, I manipulated it into the shape I needed as I glided out to sea before banking, circling and heading back towards the cliff before flying along in front of it.

Again, I saw a shadow of something under the waves but it was too far below me for it to notice me as I zoomed by overhead. It seemed that it hadn’t noticed me until I hit the water last time so as long as landed in the boat things should go smoothly this time.

The boat was zipping along the top of the waves away from me but I was coming up quickly behind it. Father sailing, Aleera supplementing the natural wind with a gust or two to speed up the boat and my grandfather standing as steady as a rock, on the boat that moved up and down below him, facing back towards me. He called out directions to reassure father who was focused on the sea and the waves ahead. As I closed in he put his arms out to catch me.

Coming in to land I lifted higher up from the water and was able to slow myself that extra bit further as I barrelled into my grandfather who spun as he caught me slowing me down. Laughing at the successful fall, flight and landing. I realised that was the first time I had ever heard my grandfather laughing.

Father slowed the boat, Aleera stopped her gusts of wind and we all quietly celebrated as we sailed back to shore. Looking out over the side of the boat for any more monsters of the deep we didn’t relax until we were once more on land.

“How many levels?” Grandfather asked once more.

“No levels but a little experience,” grumbled father, “But no sea monster this time either so safer overall.”

“I gained another level in sailing” Aleera exclaimed, “As well as one more level in my wind magic skill” she was still visibly excited at her progress. “But less than last time.”

“Complete the same task you will get diminishing returns especially if you find it easier.” Grandfather explained. “Particularly if the danger of the task is removed.” Reminding us that we hadn’t had a scare like we had the first time we practised this.

As we had headed back in while looking for sea monsters I checked my own status.

Level: 11 Name: Kai

Experience: 273,250/ 409,600

Age: 14 months, 1 weeks, 1 days, 9 hours

Health: 1150/1150 Stamina: 506/556 Mana: 350/1170 Psi: 1170/1170

Trait: Long Lived, Fast Learner, Super Senses, Source of Mana,

Vitality: 115

Endurance: 26

Strength: 26

Dexterity: 30

Senses: 118

Mind: 117

Clarity: 76

Magic: 117

Charisma: 16

Luck: 2

Free Points: 30

Skills:

Tier 1: Time sense (LV 26) Listening (LV 28) Meditation (LV 35) Swimming (LV 27) Humming (Lv 23) Sneak (Lv 22) Whistling (Lv 23) Singing (Lv 23) and Drumming (Lv 22) Running (Lv 17) Acting (20) English (Lv 15) Spanish (Lv 15) Japanese (Lv 15) German (Lv 10) French (Lv 7) Dodge (Lv 11) Breath Control (Lv 7) Sight (Lv 15) Scent (Lv 15) Detect (Lv 15) Taste (Lv 15) Bussola (Lv 7) Draw (Lv 4) Climb (Lv 7) Calligraphy (Lv 5) Mathematics (Lv 10) Decoding (Lv 6) Lie (Lv 10) Knife Skills (Lv 5) Trading (Lv 11) Sailing (Lv 4)

Tier 2: Sense Mana (LV 35) Eavesdrop (LV 27) Memorisation (LV 22) Composition (Lv 22) Recall (Lv22) Pain tolerance (Lv 13) Piano (Lv 20) Violin (Lv 20), Trombone (Lv 20) Saxophone (Lv 20) Linguistics (Lv 16) Translation (Lv 16) Stealth (Lv 12) Quick reflexes (Lv 20)

Haggling (Lv 5) Misdirection (Lv 5)

Tier 3: Echolocation (LV 26) Expel Mana (Lv 35) Absorb Mana (Lv 31) Mana Manipulation (Lv 23) Ignite (Lv 15) Freeze (Lv 10) Boil (Lv 11) Bargain (Lv 10) Gale (Lv 12) Deception (Lv 1)

Tier 4: Material Manipulation (Lv 10) Mana Drain (Lv 20) Parallel Processing (Lv 15)

Tier 5: Mind fortress (Lv 17)

Skill experience: 4300

Origin experience: 0

Combat experience: 0

Crafting experience: 0

Trading experience: 0

Popular experience: 2000

The largest jump had still been in clarity but the other skills had levelled as well. However, Expel Mana appeared to be capped at level 35 the same level my meditation and sense mana had made it up to. While other magic skills still appeared to have room to grow for the moment.

It seemed that clarity had jumped up less this time around than the first time so it appeared there would be diminishing returns for this as well. Still, 5 more jumps should be enough to make it over 100 stat milestone at this rate. The problem wasn’t so much whether it would work more whether I had enough mana to keep doing it.

My method for flight was heavily mana intensive. I was sure that with a little better engineering the mana cost could be reduced to a fraction of what it currently was. However, would I still gain the same bonus of clarity if I did it in a properly built glider? My current gains seemed to be supported by the fact that I was essentially base jumping without a parachute and building it on the way down.

I had seven weeks left until I turned 1 year old at 16 months. So I wasn’t in any rush. Two jumps a week should see me easily pass the milestone of 100 points of clarity.

“Are you up for trying it again?” I was asked. But honestly, I was tired and a little frazzled as exciting as it had been.

“I’m tired,” I explained.

“Fair enough.” Father said, “Let’s go home and celebrate.”