Both the day and night were much longer on this world and Kaden came to the realization that this world was actually a moon orbiting a giant planet.

“What’s a planet?” Sofia’s voice sparkled with curiosity

Kaden was sure he didn’t say that out aloud.

“No, you didn’t say that out aloud. I told you before you could say or think of a spell to access a regular Grimoires indexing ability. Since I am alive and you thought out aloud I could hear you.” Sofia’s voice continued as several questions sprang up in Kaden’s mind.

“No, I didn’t hear you before because this is the first time you have thought out aloud.

Yes, it is a surprise to me. I didn’t know you could think, I figured it was mostly empty up there.

How should I know? You just direct your thoughts to me and I can hear them, if you don’t I can’t.

Tell me! What is a planet? And what is a moon?” Sofia very eager to learn about and record this new knowledge.

Kaden sighed, feeling slightly violated. “Planets are…” every time Kaden answered, Sofia would ask him a dozen more questions. Sofia was hooked on learning as much as she could, especially about this Science subject.

Hours felt like minutes as time passed and Kaden felt mentally exhausted with the constant explanations. Sofia however to his dismay, didn’t seem like she would let up anytime soon. The conversation finally came to a halt with Saba knocking on Kaden’s door. She had brought Padvor’s copy of Korin’s Jungle Survival Guide.

Kaden made sure to have Sofia copy the information and not absorb the book.

“This is…” the book turned out to be a copy of one of the two books Kaden and Sofia had first absorbed. Kaden finally went to bed as Sofia quieted down, both of them happy to have the remainder of the missing information.

Korin’s Jungle Survival Guide: This Guide is the completed works of the legendary explorer Korin. It is an essential requirement for any traveler looking to survive from the cities of Rakan to the ruins of the old kingdom. The knowledge outlined in these pages range from how to make simple lifesaving salves and potions, to plants to animals you should watch out for. It is everything you need to know. – Rakan Publishing’s

Padvor came to see Kaden early the next morning handing him clothes, boots and a tiny satchel with thigh and belt straps. “I didn’t mean to presume but since you asked about clothes last time I spoke with some of the village. Some of these are old but they are still in good order and would be better suited to the jungle. You will find them a bit more durable then what you have.”

Kaden happily accepted Padvor’s gifts and thanked him profusely. He had been worried about wearing the same things for several days now and they weren’t holding up in the jungle heat. Kaden wore the first set of clothing and stored the second safely away.

“They fit you well and should last at least until you learn to make your own. Come I want to introduce you to my wife over breakfast.” Padvor leading Kaden to the place they had first met.

It was customary for everyone in the village to eat together and if Kaden was going to join he had to learn its customs and fit in. Gion had not arrived yet so Padvor took the time to introduce Kaden to the rest of the village.

“Forgive my wife, she has grown accustomed to sleeping in now that we are retired. It really becomes the little things we tend appreciate the most. O… There she is now” Padvor said with the biggest grin plastered his face.

Gion walked in half asleep, her hair disheveled and looked as if she walked through a tree immediately after getting out of bed.

“Try not to stare too hard, she is taken”, Padvar joked teasingly. “I did well for myself no?”

Kaden had to admit, Padvar did well for himself. Sofia was of course more his type… O I hope I didn’t think that aloud Kaden worried.

Gion was definitely beautiful even if the aura around her screamed bother me and you die. She walked over to them not noticing Kaden and sat down besides Padvar putting her head on his shoulder. He laughed as he picked a leafy twig out of her hair, “Did you walk through the Coli tree again?”

She groaned in response.

“Let me introduce you, this is Kaden. He is the one I told you about.” Padvor chuckled

Gion sleepily looked at Kaden and groaned again.

Kaden, not sure how to answer scratched the back of his head. “Hello”

At this point Padvor burst out laughing, “She isn’t the best morning person”. This comment was instantly followed by an elbow from Gion to Padvor’s ribs. Padvor wincing in pain, “She says to say hello”.

Kaden as well as some of the other villagers couldn’t help but laugh at this point.

The rest of breakfast was accompanied with fun chatter, lots of laughs, finally ending with everyone slowly filtering out to begin the day.

After breakfast Gion, Padvor and Kaden went over to a small clearing that was used as the village’s training yard. Gion went to a nearby shack and pulled out two training swords as Padvor sat relaxed on a nearby bench. Curiously a bucket of water with several fish had been there waiting for him.

“Show me what you got boy”, Gion throwing the sword to Kaden.

Kaden felt a kick to his rear as he bent over to pick up the weapon he previously failed to catch.

Before he could look up, he heard Gion’s voice, “Always, be aware of your surroundings.”

Kaden had to roll out of Gion’s way as her boot hit the ground leaving a deep imprint. She isn’t going to even let me get up, he thought.

“You just going to play in the dirt all day or are you going to get up?” She said as a third attack nearly connected with Kaden’s face. Kaden finally managed to get up but had to leap out of the way of her next attack. “I haven’t even used my sword yet” she teased, launching a kick towards Kaden’s stomach. This time Kaden avoid it by stepping to the side and swung his sword down to try and hit her leg.

“Good” she said as Kaden felt something hard hit his head. To his surprise, Gion had somehow managed to withdraw her extended leg, plant it flat on the ground, pivot on it and kick the back of his head. And all of this was done in a split-second before he completed swinging his sword.

I nearly blacked out after that round house kick he thought to himself as he rose unsteadily. Gion had decided to let him stand up this time.

“Kaden are you ok?” Padvor’s voice interrupting his thoughts.

“I am fine, just a little dizzy is all. No big deal” He responded.

“Hm… I guess I will have to work a little harder” Gion broke in.

“No No, don’t worry about. You’re working plenty hard enough. In fact I think you should work less hard… definitely less hard.” Kaden’s response to Gion’s comment was almost instantaneous.

Gion looking amused, “well boy, at least you still have your sense of humor. Come let’s continue”

This time Kaden went on the attack, Gion gently pushed his sword out of the way with a not so gentle kick to his groin. Kaden barely heard Gion speak as he crumpled to the floor like a house of cards, “Don’t leave so many vital spots unguarded. It leaves them open to attack.”

Kaden could only let out a high pitched response, “got it.”

Padvor quickly came over and handed Kaden a water skin, “Here drink this, it will dull the pain a lot and heal any internal injuries”

A few minutes the throbbing pain died down to a very dull ach. Kaden heart was full of dread, what was Gion going to do next.

Gion’s started this round with simple sword strike from above. This time Kaden surprised both Gion and Padvor by perfectly blocking her sword and counterattacking. It would have been enough to cut Gion in half, if he was using a real sword but her body automatically respond to counter him. Kaden was hurtling backwards before he even knew what was going on. Gion had gotten below him in a split second and kicked him so hard that his feet were no longer touching the ground.

Padvor took out something from his coat and put a few drops into his water skin. Taking a drink he reached into the bucket and caught a fish; his hands radiating a green glow. “As I thought, you broke his ribs with that last one, you almost punctured his lung”, Padvor draining the life energy from the fish to heal Kaden’s wounds.

Gion frowned, years of training and real combat experience had taken over her reflexes. Only at the last moment was she able to control her strength just enough to ensure it wouldn’t have been a fatal injury.

They trained the rest of the day, Gion had Kaden switch between multiple weapons finally having him settle on a spear.

After dinner, Kaden decided he need to go for a warm bath and excused himself as Padvor and Gion went home.

“What did you think, how is the boy?” Padvor asked Gion

“I wonder who taught that boy. He knows incomplete bits and pieces of everything and tries to piece them together. The few things he can do, he does well… too well. He has some combat sense but he hasn’t learnt how to improvise.” Gion responded thinking deeply.

“Too well… I agree. The few things he demonstrated were so perfect that they could have come directly from a manual” Padvor agreed

Kaden washed the dirt out of his clothes, he was surprised how well they held up. After hanging them up to dry and taking a bath he finally decided to relax and let sleep take him.

“So… what do you mean by, “I am more your type?”” Sofia asked curiously.