Adam had enough money to pay for a few days at the inn while he looked for a place he could sell his flute services to. It wasn't difficult to find a restaurant willing to hire him. With the bandit attack, many people were seeking sources of distraction and a lively atmosphere found at a restaurant was just what they were looking for.

The main problem Adam had was actually Segen... Adam had no idea how to care for a baby! Luckily, babies would always quickly attract the attention of women. There were a few frequent patrons that quickly saw Adam's awkwardness with Segen and helped him out. They would even help watch Segen while Adam played! The restaurant manager didn't know what to think of this, though. The women payed more attention to Segen than they did to ordering any meals. However, the manager was hesitant to shoo them out for loitering. Adam had told a story that most of his family died during the recent bandit attack, leaving only himself and his grand nephew alive. The manager wasn't presently willing to throw the women out if they were helping Adam watch over his nephew.

When Adam wasn't playing his flute, he was watching Segen. When Segen was asleep, Adam was constantly thinking of the future. Alyssa had asked him to find Segen a good home. Adam was lost in thinking about what did a 'good home' mean anymore? He thought he had delivered Alyssa to a good home, but it was attacked by bandits! Alyssa ended up suffering the same fate as her own parents. Adam definitely did not want Segen to follow suit. Adam was constantly asking himself: “What can I do to ensure both Segn's safety and happiness?”

Even keeping Segen by his side would be dangerous. Adam had the film of spirit essence to keep even a small amount of death essence from escaping his body, yes, but Adam did not truly know if it could keep the death essence in check indefinitely. Adam was pretty sure the answer was no. In that case, how long could he keep this going on for? How long until a small amount of death essence escapes his notice and drifts its way over to Segen? Adam was at a complete loss.

One of the days Adam was thinking to himself, he was making wind essence swirl around in front of him. He was subconsciously doing it, almost like when someone would drum their fingers or hum as they thought. Segen had woken up at some point and started giggling while stretching his hands out. Adam stopped what he was doing while curiously looking over. “What's got him so excited?” Adam thought.

When he looked over though, Segen only had a confused look. Adam then noticed Segen was actually looking at the spot where he had been swirling wind essence just a second ago! An explanation started to form in Adam's mind. He once again started to swirl wind essence around while looking at Segen. When it started up again, Segen started giggling and reaching his hands out toward the wind essence again! Adam slowly moved the swirling wind essence around the room and Segen tried to follow it with his head!

Adam recalled a few words that the women at the restaurant had told him: “Isn't it funny how sometimes babies look like they see something when there is nothing there? It makes you wonder what they think they are looking at!”

Adam began to theorize that the babies were truly noticing something that others could not! Starting out from when they are born, a person's soul starts to develop. It is at its weakest and can be influenced the most when a person is under ten years of age. Segen's soul was still small and the aura around his soul was still forming and strengthening itself. Most people's aura forms too much of a protective barrier against spirit essence from assaulting their soul so they loose their sensitivity to spirit essence and do not have the ability to become a spiritualist or spirit martial artist. Clearly, Segen's aura had yet to reach that point and he was in fact more sensitive to spirit essence than most spiritualists! Adam knew this would change over time as Segen grew and he would become closer to the normal standards of a person. However, if Adam could somehow capitalize on this... could he somehow make Segen into a spiritualist?

“If he becomes a spiritualist, he should surely have the ability to protect himself. To easily destroy a paltry band of bandits that might show up on his door step one day...”

Adam started to excitedly form a plan. The best home for Segen will be one he can make on his own. One that he can certainly protect on his own. Adam decided to try and give Segen every advantage and strength he could to accomplish this! Right now Segen was only a baby so there wasn't much he could presently do. Adam decided to give Segen a show of moving wind essence around as much as he could in hopes that Segen would remain sensitive to spirit essence as he grew. It would make the future steps much easier.

Adam spent two years in Clemence. In the first month after Adam came to Clemence, the bandit situation was taken care of. Due to Adam's interference in the bandit raid, the bandits were not able to take too many hostages and the ransom was much lower because of it. They had also lost more than a few men to Adam. The bandits took their meager ransom and disappeared. They didn't even harm their hostages! Their forces were too small now and they didn't dare to try and get anymore out of the situation or the forces of Clemence would likely just attack and kill them all.

Every few months, Adam would slip away during the night for an hour or two. He would go outside of Clemence to an area where no one frequented to release the film of spirit essence and the death essence it had trapped. Adam would then reapply a new film before going back to town. Adam figured that this was truly the safest way to continue watching over Segen. He feared that a constant buildup of death essence might cause the film to break if he didn't regularly 'clean' it.

Adam's mind was always on the future and planning what was to come. There were his plans of helping Segen become a spiritualist, of course. There were also his plans to start traveling again. Segen had been too reliant on milk being the main source of his diet so Adam could not venture far from an abundant source of it. There were plenty in the cities, but milk could not really be kept. So Adam planned on buying a cow before starting to journey as a ready source of milk for Segen.

Adam kept his plans for the journey a secret. He was thankful to everyone who had helped him, but he was certain they would try and prevent him from leaving. Even though he was fit, he still looked like an older man. Some might question his ability to last on a journey. Then there was his care for Segen. Adam had made sure to pry all the secrets of raising a boy from the women at the restaurant, but they were sure to stop him from leaving with Segen due to worry. They had looked after him enough to almost think of Segen as their nephew as well.

The women from the restaurant had started small daycare starting with Segen. Segen had quickly grown and a restaurant was no place to raise a baby. He needed to walk on his toddling little legs and play. Their little daycare ended up becoming fairly popular and so it became a thriving small business for the women.

Adam walked into the daycare after work, ready to pick up Segen. Segen quickly saw Adam and joyfully smiled as he toddled his way over. “Uncle Adam!”

“Not causing any trouble today, are you?”

“No! Jeb did!”

Adam looked questioningly over to Margret, one of the women running the day care. She gave a small laugh: “Segen and Jebediah fought a little over a toy. It wasn't anything big and it was quickly resolved.”

Adam then gave Segen a little look. Even though Adam's eyes couldn't focus, Segen could easily tell Adam was looking at him with a slightly accusatory glance. Segen had tried to pin the blame all on Jeb! Segen quickly toddled off to play with the others in order to escape Adam's gaze. Adam couldn't help but give a small smile at this behavior. It was always funny watching kids think they were smartly avoiding a reprimand or getting away with something.

“Well, thank you as always Margret. I think I will take Segen back for the evening.”

Adam carried Segen back to their room in the inn. Segen told Adam all about his day, including his version of the fight with Jeb. After they had gotten back and eaten dinner, Adam decided to tell Segen about the journey he was planning. Adam felt that Segen would be reluctant to leave or even throw a tantrum about leaving his daycare friends if Adam didn't put the right spin on it.

“Segen, you know those fun games I play with you by levitating things? I don't know if you remember, but I can do this because I am what is called a spiritualist! I have been playing those games with you so that maybe you could become a spiritualist too!”

Segen's eyes went wide with wonder. “I can make things fly too!?”

“Yes, but you can't if we stay here in Clemence. We will have to go on a long trip and you will have to put in some effort in what I teach you. It will take you a long time before you can also make things fly, but I know you can do it!”

Segen was starting to feel giddy. Making things fly looked so fun! Jeb was sure to be jealous! Adam continued: “We want to keep this trip a secret, just like those games! You never know, Jeb might get jealous and try to prevent you from going!”

“No! I won't tell anyone! Teach me to be a spiriri-- how to make things fly!”

Adam gave Segen a warm smile. It was a half-lie that they had to leave Clemence so Segen could learn to become a spiritualist. Adam still could have done most of the ground work in Clemence, but if Segen did become a spiritualist Adam would likely have to take a trip with Segen to a SILU institute to gain proper materials to teach Segen standard formations. Adam had very little knowledge in normal spirit formations and Segen would most likely follow a normal orthodox path if he managed to become a spiritualist.

A few days later, Adam sneaked out of town during the early hours of the morning with Segen. They picked up the cow Adam had prepared before hand as they were leaving and off they went. Adam had even picked up a new staff for the journey ahead! The feeling was very familiar and Adam tied a blindfold over his eyes as they left as well. With this, Adam felt comfortable and hopeful for the future.

Adam left a few notes behind to try and explain his sudden departure. There were a lot of people he was thankful towards grateful for. However, Clemence was not going to be the last stop in Adam's life. Besides Segen, Adam did not foster too deep of a relationship with anyone there so he could depart easily.

Segen was excited for the first few hours on the road. This was the start to a grand adventure! He even had a riding spot on the cow! However, the novelty of the situation quickly disappeared and Segen got bored. Adam took a small break to let Segen down to run around and play. After Segen had played a little, Adam beckoned him over. “Segen, let's start the next step in making you into a spiritualist!”

Segen ran over with eager anticipation. “Okay!”

Segen toddled over to Adam and watched as Adam extended his hand over a patch of dirt. Adam controlled the earth essence there to move around. With the flow of earth essence, molding some surface dirt was fairly simple. Lines started to be depressed into the ground. Segen watched this with wonder filled eyes. This was the first time Adam had show him this kind of trick! The lines Adam were forming were very familiar to him. It was actually the spirit gathering formation he had learned when he was nine! When Adam finished drawing the formation, it naturally activated! Spirit essence slowly moved to it and it almost seemed to faintly glow. To Segen, it appeared as though the formation had suddenly come alive! The lines all started to wiggle and twist around in his vision! Having been drawn in the dirt and not actually being imbued with spirit essence, the formation Adam drew was actually rather weak for a spirit gathering formation. It was perfect for Segen though! Adam carefully watched Segen's soul. Just a few seconds after Adam had completed the formation, he erased it by dragging the butt of his staff across the dirt.

Segen suddenly looked up at Adam with curiosity and excitement. “What was that?”

“That, Segen, was a spirit formation. Most spiritualists use similar formations to do special things like the tricks I show you. Just seeing these special formations is not enough to make you a spiritualist, though. Remember I told you that you were going to have to work hard? You should have felt as though something was trickling into your mind when you looked at the formation. That was spirit essence! You need to learn to control it and to strengthen your own soul. At that point, you can be called a spiritualist and learn to use these formations!”

Segen scratched his head: “How do I do that?”

Adam chuckled. “If there was an easy answer, almost everyone would be a spiritualist! Unfortunately, you will have to work and find the answer on your own.”

Segen looked disappointed. He really wanted to become a cool spiritualist, just like Adam! Segen started to scrunch his face in some sort of attempt to control the spirit essence in his soul. Seeing this, Adam couldn't help but laugh. Eventually Segen stopped as he produced no results. After a few more minutes of break, Adam loaded Segen back up on the cow and they continued on.

Most of the journey was just a repeat of that. Going along the road until it was break time. Letting Segen play before showing him the gathering formation. Segen scrunching his face in concentration in an attempt to control the spirit essence. Sometimes Adam would throw in lessons as well. Years quickly passed in this manner. There were times where Segen doubted whether or not he could finally learn to control spirit essence, but watching Adam putting his hand over a patch of dirt and magically creating a spirit formation always pushed him on. He wanted to do that. To become just like his uncle Adam.

During this time, they actually did find another place full of spirit essence. Unfortunately, it was just another place full of wind essence. While the place was different and could give Adam some new inspiration on controlling wind essence, he could no longer use wind essence to purify his body. There was a guardian beast in the form of an eagle that called the place its home. Adam politely greeted it while Segen stared on in wide eyed wonder. They stayed there for a month before moving on. Adam was hoping all the wind essence might somehow help Segen in finally gaining some control over the spirit essence in his soul, but it did not appear to help any.

Finally, when he was six years old, Segen became a spiritualist! He was successful in strengthening his soul and could control the spirit essence in his soul. Segen was very excited. For most of his life, he had been striving towards this goal and he had finally accomplished it! He was just a step away from making things fly! Enthusiastically, he asked: “What's next!?”

Adam had a look plastered across his face that showed how proud he was of Segen. Since Segen had become a spiritualist under the normal circumstances of using the spirit gathering formation, Segen had become a regular spiritualist that would follow an orthodox path. The next step, was to visit SILU!

“Now, we go to the city of Kieran.” Adam said.

“Uh?” Segen had a confused look on his face. “Why do we need to go there?”

“It is the closest city that has a SILU institute in it. The only spirit formation that I know is the essence gathering formation. We will have to go to SILU to get more and teach you them.”

Segen still had a very confused look. “Aren't you able to make things fly and stuff? Why can't you teach me that?”

“Oh, it's kind of complicated, but I don't actually use spirit formations! Unfortunately, it is a method I cannot teach you.”

Adam quickly shattered Segen's dreams of being able to easily control things and make them fly after becoming a spiritualist. It was just more learning followed by more learning! Adam was able to purchase a book from SILU that contained many basic formations that were available to just about every spiritualist. From that book, Adam started to teach Segen formations he could use.

During their brief stay at Kieran, Segen became slightly depressed. At SILU they had arrived on a day where class was being held and saw many families bringing their children and cheering them on. Seeing all the others with there moms and dads, Segen felt alone. All these kids had a home they could call their own with a family and friends.

Seeing Segen liked that, Adam asked: “Do you wish that I would stay in one place instead of all this traveling around?”

Segen sighed a little and then shook his head. “You have shown me so many beautiful places that I would never had gotten to see if I stayed in a city. I just... wish mom and dad were still here to see those places with them.”

Adam could only pat Segen's back in sympathy. As much as Segen didn't like being made to constantly learn things, Adam still gave him plenty of time to have fun. Places in the wild they saw. Playing games with spirit essence. Even staying for a little while in cities and having some fun there. It wasn't often, but Segen was still able to interact with others his age when they visited a town or a city. Segen like the life that Adam led. The only thing he might possibly trade this life for, would be for his mother and father.

As time went by, the years seemed to slip by faster and faster for Adam. It was like water slipping through his grasp. Ten years passed, and Segen was now sixteen! He was an accomplished basic spiritualist now! Segen's path as a spiritualist had trended more towards wind and earth than any of the other types. He could use many types of basic formations in wind and earth, but only one or two in water and fire. Adam had also taught Segen some basic close quarters fighting with a dagger, just in case Segen found himself in a tough spot.

While Adam didn't feel this all was quite enough to ensure Segen's safety from every possible disaster or accident, it was enough to get him by most of them. As long as Segen was just a little prepared, a handful of bandits would be unable to hurt him. Perhaps, if Adam found a suitable place full of fire essence, Adam would be able to purify himself without worry about Segen's safety.