After a few slow days of travel, the group finally arrived at their destination. Tayrafon was the name written on a sign outside of the town. There were homes scattered about in no sort of plan as though it was a village built to be temporary despite, and ended up a permanent residence. However, the shops seemed to gather in one area. There was a chapel to Imala, the prominent deity of this world. This isn’t somewhere Kyrion would expect a sect of bookworms to be. Then again, there are stranger things in this world.

The mercenaries, along with Adrian, went to the chapel to get healed, leaving Kyrion and Tiffany to explore the small town.

“So. Should we find out where this sect is?” Kyrion asked.

“We should also stay out of trouble as well. Never know who guards a place until they show up.”

“Good to know.” Kyrion looked around the area with shops and entered one that looked like a tavern.

“Kyrion, I think this is a tavern.” Tiffany scowled at the boy

“Yes. I hear they’re the best place to get information.” The place was relatively empty, with a few drinkers hanging around inside.

“Why would a bunch of drunks know where to find the sect?”

Kyrion sighed. “Gossip, hearsay, if it’s nearby I’m sure someone who probably serves them drinks would know something.”

Tiffany scowled as she followed behind timidly. Kyrion held out his hand. “Hold on. It shouldn’t be too dangerous given the area though you should probably be careful.”

Kyrion fearlessly entered the tavern leading his friend towards the bar.

“This isn’t a place for little brats.” An older man slurred. He sounded drunk, it was before noon, and he was drunk.

Kyrion decided to hold his tongue. The boy was on a mission. No need to embarrass the locals.

The bartender kept a watchful gaze on Kyrion as he entered the bar. He was cleaning glass with a rag even though it was already clean.

“Mr. Bartender sir!” Kyrion said politely. “Do you happen to know where a Suzen is? I was told to get her help after I arrived.”

“Suzen, I can’t seem to recall….” The bartender’s eyes pointed to a menu with various options. Next to it was a sign. -“Don’t bother the bartender’s time if you don’t have the coin.” It said.

Kyrion palmed a gold coin into his wrist from a pouch and slid it on the table, and grinned as the bartender retrieved and hid the coin.” Does this help jog your memory?”

“Is money no object to this young master?” The bartender asked him.

“It’s an object, though it’s not mine. If you can answer my question then It was a coin well spent, wouldn’t you say?” Kyrion recited a line he read in a book that master Gan made him study.

“Suzen is a nice lady who would never enter a bar without reason. She works at the bookstore on the other end of the bar. Say you look somewhat familiar. You act like this isn’t your first rodeo, have you been here before?” The old bartender looked at the boy as a tear began to form under one of his eyes.

“I dunno, I’m nine now, so I doubt it.” Kyrion put his hands behind his head as part of his bangs moved forward over an eye.

“Probably not, it’s been fifty or so years, you just reminded me of a pair I met a long time ago.”

“What were their names if you don’t mind answering?” Kyrion asked carefully.

“Cordelia, and Engelram, those two got up to some trouble while they were here though I’m sure you don’t have time for that. Your face kind of reminds me of Cordelia, it’s quite uncanny the resemblance.”

“I see…” Kyrion scowled as he eyed the man. “Can’t be right, my mother would never get up to trouble, she always seemed prim and proper.”

“Must be a different person then. The one I knew was a tomboy that was always up to something. There was a glint in her eyes.”

“Yeah. Must be a coincidence. Who would have thought my mother was here like me that long ago. That also must mean that she’s at least fifty. Twenty years older than she told me she was.” A glint appeared in his eyes as he felt as though he was starting to plan something.

“I bet dad doesn’t even know this secret. I’ll never have to do chores again.” Kyrion’s left eye seemed to glimmer for a second.

“There it is. How are they doing now?”

“Well Cordelia has been raising me though I suspect that they are no longer at home. Engelram? Never heard of the dude but I do know mom had a brother who passed away.”

“I see. My condolences.”

“I’ll come by to get some dir… I mean stories out of you later.” Kyrion told him.

“You never told me your mother’s been here.” Tiffany scowled at Kyrion.

“She hadn’t told me either… Or maybe she did and I can’t remember. There is a long list of things like that so I tend to accept things like that as truth when they make sense. I doubt a magical stork delivers babies to your doorstep but it’s the closest thing I have to the truth.”

“I’m not going to provide education on that matter.” Tiffany answered all too quickly.

“What do you know….” Kyrion squinted.

“So to the bookstore!” Tiffany left the bar, her face turning red.

Kyrion looked back at the bartender, who had a smug expression. “A bit of advice, don’t go around asking that question. Don’t ask a girl your age or slightly older either. I’m sure your master will tell you sooner or later.”

“You know master Ga….”

“Kyrion! Hurry up!” Tiffany yelled from outside the tavern.

The bartender waved for him to go.

The pair made their way to the bookstore. A single-store building with a single set of double doors that went in. Oddly enough, there were no windows on the outside nor vents for natural light to enter.

The two entered the store; the smell of books was noticeable, and for good reason. There were enough books here to make the academy that Kyrion was in the Tetsan branch look small. He noted that the place was much bigger on the inside than it was on the outside.

Tiffany led the charge approaching a woman behind a desk wearing a brown cloak and a pair of glasses. Her black hair was knotted in a bun. “Are you Suzen?”

“Y-yes, I am.” She seemed a bit disconcerted as Tiffany asked that question despite not meeting.

“Great! The password is, 45-32-44!” Kyrion said excitedly. An innocent smile was shared between the two kids.

A loud laugh came from the back of the library before another man returned. He looked like Master Gan usually did though the cane was slightly different. It resembled a smoke pipe now and seemed to fit on his side in a holster.

Kyrion seemed unsurprised by the magic man making his appearance. The boy looked to Suzen to seem angry at Master Gan, put two together, and got three.

“Uh oh… I’ve seen that look many times…Suzen please don’t kill him yet we need to see the chroniclers, and I’m not sure who I need to find to get in.”

“Kid who gave you this code that you told me.”

Kyrion looked at the smirking man and then back at Suzen. And forced tears to come out of his face as though it was on command. “M-my late master Gan gave me this note in case he died and it told me to find a Suzen and give those numbers. It has to be something of the utmost importance right?”

Tiffany looked at Gan for a minute in confusion before speaking. “What’s going on?”

Suzen looked at Gan as well as a scowl on her face. “How could you laugh at the code given to him by his late master. How insensitive can you be, Gamodren?!”

“I’d tell him but he’s currently more innocent than a newborn in that regard.”

“How would you know that?” Kyrion asked.

“I can smell the innocence in you, it’s disgusting.” Ganodren smirked as the barb went over Kyrion’s head.

Tiffany cleared her throat. “Is this the place? Should I go get my dad now?”

Suzen looked at the children and sighed. “This is the place you two should leave and come back. I have a few choice words.”

“That was weird.” Tiffany said as they left

“That it was. What could those three numbers mean?”

“That your master needed a good kick to the rear before he died.”

“You aren’t going to tell me are you.”

“I feel safer that you don’t know.”

“So the numbers are dangerous.” Kyrion scratched his head.

Gamodren stood there as they left. “Told you I’d get them one way or another.”

“How did you obtain those numbers?” Suzen eyed the man suspiciously.

“I met a boy whose talent in perception was beyond anything I’ve seen.”

“Was that the one you brought here?” She raised an eyebrow.

“No actually. They were friends, I have the feeling the next tide of spirit masters will be something to write about. No this boy was a tailor, we had an arrangement of sorts. I gave him a few lessons in hiding his presence from spirit sensing, and training his unique talents. He made a few items for me to trade.” Gamodren held out his hand and summoned a duplicate of the women in front of him. Only it was miniaturized so that she fit in his palm.

“That’s tiny, explain.” She crossed her arms.

“This boy can look at a person and immediately discern their motives, dominant hand, favorite color, and measurements.”

“Where are you going with this?”

“One look at this and he told me everything I needed to know. I even brought the dress. So how about that dance you promised me?” Gamodren pulled out a blue dress and handed it to her.

“You. That. Ugh!” She took the dress and examined it.

“It is really nice. One dance, though not now. Shouldn’t you be helping your pupil, that boy you talked about. Is he going to be a menace to women everywhere when he grows up?”

“Depends on how you look at it. Though from what I observed probably not.”

“Good to know.” Suzen and Gamodren then went down the stairs.

The kids returned to the bookstore with a fully healed Adrian in tow. The door to the back had been opened, and it seemed to lead somewhere dimly lit. Kyrion felt a pinch on his finger as something wrapped around it. Kyrion looked down and saw a ring that soon vanished as quickly as it appeared.

They went down a winding staircase and arrived at a blue set of double doors.

“You will arrive at the sect after going through these doors.” Suzen said.

Gamodren opened the doors revealing an entryway with many entries of various colors. “You may only leave this place with a guide as this place is linked to many different places all over. Going through the wrong door without a guide could prove lethal. So stick with me, and everything will be A-OK.” He entered through the doors and beckoned for the others to follow.

After everyone entered the gate, the doors closed behind them and became inert.

Kyrion felt mana rapidly enter his core on arrival, speeding up his recovery by leaps and bounds; within minutes, his core would have been full enough to break into rank four.

Gamodren tapped the boy on his forehead, causing the mana gain to slow to nothing, and the gained mana began to disperse rapidly.

“Not here, you need to shape it carefully so that it flows to and fro in a manner that suits you.” Kyrion heard his master’s voice in his head.

The group passed up many doors before arriving at a solid red door. Going through the door brought them to an area with various familiar-looking tablets, among other devices.

Standing in the center was a blue scaled lizard-like humanoid. They were holding a clipboard in their scaled hands. Their eyes showed a deep silver as he took in everyone who entered.

“Tiffany, choose whichever tablet feels right and bring it to me. From there, I will grant you your spirit or spirits, depending. Then, Gamodren take the boy to the next room, and get him situated.”

“Why are you taking him to a different room? Shouldn’t he be given a chance at a spirit as well?” Adrian tried to defend the boy.

“You need not worry that boy has already been touched by the spirits that pine for him. His process is currently more straightforward.”

“So he really is chosen by Imala.” Adrian said aloud.

The lizard man didn’t respond. Instead, an all-knowing look adorned his face.

The two found themselves in the next room, which had a mat in the center for sitting. There was no other furniture in this room.

“This is totally not suspicious.” Kyrion squinted his eyes and crossed his arms.

“Kyrion, take your shirt off and face away from me.”

“No. Why would I do that?”

“Good instincts but I need to see something before we start.”

Kyrion removed his shirt and turned around.

“A circle within a circle. That is one big emblem on your back.”

“Emblem? Like what Asela had on her forehead?”

“Yes but much bigger, that explains why you draw in so much mana here.”

A woman with long ears, skin as dark as the night sky, and hair whiter than the snow came through the door. “Is this the child who needs help creating pathways?”

“Yes. He has more mana than most and needs to find a method to have it cycle through his entire body.”

“You… your Alir’mondri.” Kyrion stated as he stared at the women.

“Do you know what that means, young one? You seem a bit scared.”

“Demons.” Kyrion stated. “I’m not giving you any blood.”

“I don’t. Did you meet… Nevermind you wouldn’t have. Alir’mondri those from the moon is the direct translation. It’s also a misunderstanding technically.”

“What are you going to do to me?” Kyrion asked carefully.

An exam table appeared in front of him. “Get on.” She told the boy.

Kyrion looked at his master, who nodded. The boy climbed onto the bed, laying down his head was set into a hole.

“Don’t move.” The women said.

Kyrion’s paranoia grew three folds when a tingling sensation flowed throughout his body. He then saw his pants folded next to his shirt.

“Start with wind, have the mana flow down the pathway I created in your center, the line should appear green to you.”

Kyrion entered his center, saw the green pathway, and slowly filled the mold with mana.

“Now cycle it like that for a minute.”

This part was a bit harder, but it began to feel natural as the green lines passed.

“Great one down, quite a few more to go.”

Kyrion continued this process repeatedly as the mana in his body felt natural, as though it flowed through him like blood. There was no longer a lag to calling his mana; it felt like he could channel it at will with a lot less expenditure. In addition, Kyrion noticed how his body felt quite a bit stronger and more durable, as though he was a new person entirely.

He stood up straight and saw that the ground was further away again. His long red hair pooled on the floor next to his feet.

“A solid full foot of height…Puts you at around five eight. People really aren’t going to believe your nine now.” Gamodren clapped.

Kyrion looked at his hair and saw that it was almost gem-like in appearance, yet it still felt soft. His brown skin looked more pronounced, a solid caramel color. “What did you do to me?”

“Improved your foundation and helped you break into rank four fully.” The woman said.

“Kryrion mind if I cut your hair? I bet you could sell it for quite a bit of money. Wigs made from that stuff could make us…You very wealthy.” Gamodren’s eyes seemed to turn into coins for a second.

“Ok,” Kyrion responded with his patented cute child expression. Only now, it looked off as he was big enough to rival a teenager in height without the growing facial features, a true babyface.

“Please don’t make that face again. I’ll coach you later. Good news is you still sound your age so there shouldn’t be any trouble before you hit your growth spurt.”

“Kyrion how tall was your grandfather?”

“A Lot taller than my dad who was six feet.” Kyrion tapped his chin. “But my mom was pretty short. I have an older brother who is around six eight.”

“Kyrion, assume you will be taller than your father but a little shorter than your grandfather if you’re lucky.”

“I can’t wear my clothes anymore can I.”

“Nope, and I didn’t expect you to grow so much, suffice it to say you have good luck in some ways and bad luck in others. Good news is you have some rich backers in the other room.”

Kyrion was given a robe to cover him along with a walking stick. His hair was cut much shorter. Some coins passed through various hands as the woman took a portion of the red stuff with her.

“Can they do anything with my hair?”

“Aside from tracking you with hunting dogs for the next few weeks, no not really. Once the spirit fades from it then it’s just hair. People spend lots on hair supplies and with a rare shade like that, it should sell for quite a pretty penny. It helped pay for your treatment as well.”

“I see.” Kyrion left the room making eye contact with Adrian, which was odd now that he was much taller.

“Who are you?” Adrian asked.

Kyrions eyes got wide. “It’s me Kyrion from the caravan. I just grew a bit for some reason.”

Tiffany looked at him. “The face looks like his along with the hair but the body looks too muscular and tall. It’s like someone took his head and put it on some sort of toned sculpture.”

“He could have pretended to be a girl before he got this big. Now no one should make that mistake.” Adrian examined the various changes that don’t seem natural with his age.

“He could just be a super athletic girl. His hair is still a bit long. Although I wouldn’t want to be the one who made that mistake.” Tiffany giggled.

“Y’all are in high spirits.” Kyrion muttered in irritation.

“Oh that’s because I got this!” Tiffany summoned a rapier with a white guard and silver blade. “I can get strong now!”

“Good to know. Should you find that The Drisil academy is worth your effort then I’m sure we’d gladly let you in. Now follow me, I’ll lead you on out.” Gamodren told them.

“Gamodren, who are you exactly?” Kyrion finally gave in and asked.

“I am up there in the School of Drisil. I have a working contract between this place and the school. We get discounts and a discrete partner, they get information among other things I’m not at liberty to tell you.”

“How much of a discount?”

“Practically free. Since he used the password along with your daughter I had them both cleared for the discount.”

“Really? That’s great.” Adrian told him.

Tiffany eyed the man in suspicion.

Kyrion raised an eyebrow,

The group followed Gamodren out of the book store.