I hefted the stone hammer into the air a few times, catching it quickly. “What the hell? This thing had to have weighed a ton when I found it. It’s as light as a feather now,” I said to the empty pit of death. I really should stop talking to myself, I thought. I didn’t want to end up like Uncle Fel, wandering the halls during the night muttering to himself.

I finished checking each pit through the doors, finding no trace of any new undead. Walking back into the barracks, I removed one of the blankets from its bed. I went back into the pit with the remains from whom I had taken their bottomless bag and hammer, moved what I could of them onto the blanket, and rolled it up. I then carried them through the mirror and set them near the door.

Luin still lay sleeping on the bed in the corner. I went to an empty bed, removed its blanket, and tore it in half. It took a few tries, but I figured out how the orphanage helpers made the wraps they held the babies on their back with. Figured out, I slowly picked up Luin and placed her in the wrap, and then tied it around my chest. Her sleeping head was now sticking out from the wrap behind me and on my shoulder.

Removing a pillowcase, I filled it with the seemingly never-ending jerky, water, and juice, from the large bottomless stone box. With that, I picked up the remains before heading to the fancy room with the lab. I tied the bottomless satchel around my waist. Inside all the large books I found in this very room. Finished, I headed to the courtyard door and out onto the island to find snow lightly falling from the sky.

What in the world is going on with this world’s weather? Maybe they had shorter seasons here? It was hot before we went into the hive. How long ago was that, I thought? A few days, probably. I watched the snow slowly drift around me as it landed on the ground to melt. I bent down and placed my palm on the now grass-covered ground, still warm. Getting up, I headed towards the dock.

I found a large metal rod within one of the many beached ships, and set the hammer and Luin, tucked in her blanket on the beach. I brought the blanket of remains into the field and dug a shallow grave with the rod. When the hole was deep enough, I removed the remains, placed them inside, and covered them. “May you find peace and the guidance to traverse the World Tree until you reach your next destination.”

I turned around to find Luin sitting at the edge of the field. Her head cocked to the side ever so slightly and staring at me. A snowflake landed on the top of her nose, and she shook her head as she sneezed, resulting in me laughing at her. I swore she gave me a harsher glare, and I went over and patted her on the head before picking up the blanket and stone hammer. “Let’s go. I’m going to see If I can open a gateway back to the dungeon where your people and mine should be.”

Once we drew close to the dock, a growl came from behind me. Spinning around, I raised the hammer and found nothing. I looked down at the angry blue creature at my feet. She was using them as a shield between the crashing waves and herself. I picked her up and tried to soothe her with pettings. Luin continued to growl at the waves. “That’s the ocean, Luin. It’s just water. Yet, you should be terrified of what lives in the water, so maybe it’s a good thing you’re afraid.”

I placed Luin onto the beach and sat down on the dock. I began creating the same door with lines of the void balls. It finally clicked, and I pictured the back of the dungeon’s tower, nothing. I tried another location and another. Nothing was working. I started over with a much smaller door sized for a single person. When that construct clicked, I thought of the dungeon, then the village. The mental click wasn’t happening.

My thoughts began to spin out of control. What if I had destroyed much more than the hive. Oh god, I didn’t think of how far a spell-like that would have traveled. We were deep underground, had to be more than fifteen kilometers away. My face grew wet, and I realized I had begun crying. Luin’s head rested on my lap a few moments later, and I let it out, picking up the small Kobold and hugging her. Had I killed many people along with the hive?

Finished with my emotional break, I began looking for a sailboat In good condition. Finding one was easier this time around as I had already checked the first group last time. I went back to the tower and collected the pillows and bedding from the large bed and two more pillows from the closest barracks.

I filled the ship with the bank of food and water. I pilled the extra pillows in the corner of the cabin for Luin along with a blanket if she wanted it. Getting Luin onto the ship was a hassle. I don’t think she liked the thought of water, period. She would drink it, sure. But the idea of anything more than a handful amount seemed to be evil incarnate for her.

I finally got her wrapped up in the blanket on the shore. I ran the length of the dock and jumped onto the ship. I placed her on the pillows and closed the door behind me. I pushed the vessel off the pier and set sail towards the mainland once again.

When we were well on our way out to sea, I opened the door to the cabin. “Sorry, Luin, I had no choice. I couldn’t leave you on the island to fend for yourself.”

Looking into the cabin, I spotted two glowing golden eyes from under the blanket in the corner. She seemed alright, I thought. I’d just leave her there. I didn’t want to chance another bite to the face. I left the cabin’s door open, hoping she would come out herself.

I checked all the riggings and knots a third time before sitting on the center mast’s bench. I had books I could read now, and I needed answers. I removed the first book, ‘Alchemy 101 and Plant Locations’. I wasn’t sure what a hundred and one meant. Maybe this was a hundred and one recipes? I began leafing through its pages, finding it was an introduction to alchemy and the locations of ingredients. It explained in great length the properties of each component and how to use them efficiently. I came to the same white flower Kiszo had shown me in the forest.

It was called God’s Tears, and its properties were accelerated healing. It could be ground into a paste for cuts and bruising. Boiling the flower along with Sage Root then reducing the liquid until it was slightly thick would create a healing potion. The book had hundreds of recipes for many ailments and brews to boost defense or mana regen, way more than a hundred and one. I would have to tinker with these later when I could get the ingredients.

The second book was titled ‘The Rise and Fall of Asmodeus.’ From the first couple of pages, it was clear this was the name of a kingdom or region of sorts. I skimmed a few more pages, but nothing caught my eye. Putting it away, I pulled out the next volume and was disappointed at finding out it was another history book. The next book, and by the looks of it, the book I used at a doorstop was a delightful find.

‘Fundamentals of Magic: Vol.2,’ was the title. I was a bit disappointed in not having the first volume, to begin with, but id take anything at this point. Upon reading the first line, my heart ached. It was the synopsis of Vol.1, and it explained each school of magic and how to use different intents to create the nodes for each construct.

Reading through the volume, I learned constructs typically followed the shape of the magic spell. Fireballs are round. Ice Lance is a line in the form of a spear. Almost every school of magic followed this pattern except those with no physical manifestation until the fifth rank.

Schools like Dream and Mind used constructs in patterns or symbols. I learned quite a bit but wished it gave instructions for Tier 2 or higher constructs. I assumed Tier 2 would follow Tier 1’s constructs but with more nodes.

The end of the book talked about Vol.3 being the book on the theory of magic and its laws. I would have to seek out the other volumes when I could. Just another thing to add to the never-ending list to learn. I was pulled from the book as I heard the noises of the Sailapods closing in. I got up to get a better look.

This group of pink dolphins looked to be larger than the last. I counted no less than thirty of the pink creatures gliding over the ocean’s waves before diving back under to shoot back into the air. I sat on a storage crate and watched them keep pace with the ship.

Sometime later, Luin hopped onto my lap and bracers her front paws on the edge of the ship to look towards the noises they were making. She immediately began yipping at their direction. This brought a smaller Sailapod closer to investigate.

This smaller and I assumed younger Sailapod got within two meters of the vessel as it glided over the waters. It began to make shipping sounds, and Luin responded with short yips. Could they communicate? I couldn’t tell. Maybe it was just two younglings being curious.

They kept up this game of response for an hour or two before the Sailpods turned around to head to deeper waters. This action had me look forward to see land in the distance, but the dark clouds above the landmass were what caught my attention. It seemed to be snowing more as well, the warm air from the open ocean now dropping as we got closer to land.

I turned the boat east again, following the coast and towards the location of my first ship. I summoned my magic map to the horror of little Luin, who kept trying to jump off the deck and bite at its edges. I watched the map as we followed the path of my last trip. The orange outline was visible of what I had traveled the last time.

A couple of hours later, we closed in on the first ship’s anchor point to only find the top of the mast sticking out from the water. Gobies were my first thought. It would seem ships were not safe on the coast. Making a terrible decision, I turned the boat towards land and prepared.

I scooped up Luin and ran inside to grab the torn blanket. Wrapping the pissed-off blue creature was nerve-wracking, but she rested her head on my shoulder as soon as she gave up the struggle. The air getting colder, I tosed the bigger blanket around us, making a hood over both our heads. Making sure my bottomless pouch was secure, the boat jumped half a foot before crashing back into the waves. I grabbed the pillowcase of food and ran back onto the deck.

I looked forward and could see the beach coming up, a few shallow sand bars between the sand and us. Fifty meters to go, I dropped the mainsail, the boat instantly slowing, but not enough as we hit a shallow sand bar, and I was tossed into the air a meter or so before crashing down onto my ass. The boat rocked up once more before I felt the ship’s front end go up, and the vessel went still.

Then the ship began leaning to the side, causing us to start sliding across the deck. Before we hit the railing, I jumped up and over and down onto the sandy beach. I rolled a few times and immediately looked back to see the ship crash into the sand, now on its side. The mainmast a half a meter from hitting us.

I untied the blanket and checked on Luin. She seemed fine but still shaking. I began to pet and comfort her, but a hair-raising howl came from the forest, and she clawed out of my arms and ran under the side of the ship. I got up to grab her when the howl came again. I joined her underneath the beached vessel rather quickly.