I still was not sure how exactly those blood pacts and all worked. I was assuming that I was no longer able to form one of the highest kind, so I just asked them, putting as much mana as I could into my words, to agree to not talk about it to anyone besides us here, and in kind I would not lie to them about my story. While I did not feel any different at all, it’s not like I expected that anything would happen…

I quickly summarized about how I got recruited by the king to look for his stolen slave and how, after finding her, I got betrayed and trapped inside a destroyed cave. I never mentioned that I was the one that had a blood pact with her first though. Nor who she was.

-After that I just used the boat that I still had from your “guests”, and then found your orphanage or whatever it is - I finished my story. - I never intended to hurt any of you, it just happened, as I said before.

Hearing all this, Jack seemed a lot more calm and looked like he finally was starting to believe me. Vendi, on the other hand, now instead of being suspicious and rude, started being a lot more polite - just like when we first met. I did not care either way. I still was not sure about the whole “sharing my story” thing, but it seemed like I had no choice if I wanted to know a little bit more.

-I believe you. I hope I won’t come to regret it - said Jack.

-Seems like we don’t have much choice and to try and work together - nodded Vendi.

During all this, I was closely observing both of the men, hoping to maybe get some hints of reactions to certain names and such, but there was nothing that would betray any suspicious behavior. But that was not what caught my attention.

After feeling the initial fear of tree-Kon, I was constantly monitoring his state of mind, or at least trying to. When they touched him and tried to communicate and so on, there was absolutely no change, so I was surprised that when both of them finally announced that they are starting to believe me, he… seemed to brighten up a bit.

-Say, I am glad to hear that and I have a bunch of questions of my own, but… would you mind trying to talk with him once more? - I asked them, gesturing towards the tree. - I think something’s changing.

They both looked at me strangely, but Jack did not skip a second and instantly pressed his hand to the trunk.

Vendi immediately stepped back, expecting him to yelp and rebound away… but nothing happened.

-Ha! I’ll be damned. I said I can’t help you with calming him down? I guess I was wrong!

-What does that mean? - Vendi looked stunned. - What did you do?

-I can only guess, and my guess is not what did I do, but what did WE do. Apparently I had a wrong idea about this kid. He was…

-...he was not worried about himself… he was worrying about us… Fearing that you will attack us…

-Or rather that you’ll attack me and just will get destroyed in the process. Like you, Vendi.

-I did not get destroyed - he started protesting.

-Well only because I did not want to. When you were out and cold, one touch and you’d end up as a pile of ash on the ground.

He visibly shuddered, realizing that I was not joking.

-Relax. I already said I am not that type of person.

-So what kind of person are you? - he asked, out of the blue. - You don’t really seem like a helping type, yet you are… It seems to me like you’re just constantly changing your mind… if you don’t mind me asking that is.

-I… - I hesitated, not sure myself.

To be honest he read me like a book. Luckily, I did not have to reply, because Jack spoke up.

-I… I think I can hear him… or… well, I don’t know.

-Let me guess - I quickly seized the opportunity to change the subject. - You can’t hear his words, they just appear in your mind. Or maybe you are seeing strange images that you somehow are able to translate into words or something like that?

-I… how do you know? - he sounded amazed.

-I told you. I have first hand experience with that. But that’s enough from me, I have a few questions of my own.

-I can’t promise that I will be answering all of them, but first, I think we should…

-What is it this time? - I rolled my eyes.

-Shouldn’t we… do something with him…? The body?

-Oh. That’s actually a good question…

-Do we… bury him…? - asked Vendi, awkwardly.

-Oh hell no! - instantly started protesting Jack. - He’s still alive! And did you forget what just happened? I’d rather never use this magic ever again!

-That would be for the best - I agreed. - That magic is a piece of work. Besides, don’t you think he’ll need that body… sooner or later…

-Do you really think that’s possible? - Vendi did not sound convinced. - Seems a bit much… even for what I’ve seen…

-We’ll never know if we don’t try - I shrugged.

-Right… I’ll take care of it. We should have a cold room in the basement… It’s just…

-Cold room? That’s perfect.

-Yeah… but the magic crystals keeping it cold are… hm… I’m not so sure about it any more.

-What’s wrong with it?

-Well… Bert was the one who was the supplier… and if your story is true, I am kind of hesitant on using anything that has any ties to the king…

Right… I did remember that Bert was one capable of using ice magic… and he was the one responsible for the fish transports. Wait, was that why he was threatening back then? He was selling those crystals to Jack to get himself a bonus profit while he himself was using his magic to preserve his own transports? Slick bastard. But if that’s true, that means that those crystals were not made by him but sourced from somewhere else…

-Hm… I don’t know… I feel it should be fine, but anyway I don’t think they would be enough on their own. I can freeze him if you want, you just need to keep him somewhere safe then.

-You can use ice magic?

-Ah, right, you don’t know - I kind of already dropped the act of “singular element", so I forgot that he was not aware of that. - Yeah. Want me to do it now, or when we are already there?

He did not look convinced.

-I am trying to help here.

-No, you don’t understand - he shook his head. - It’s not that I don’t believe you, it’s just…

-What, you want me to ask for permission first? Well, I can’t exactly do that, go ahead and ask for me if you want - I said unceremoniously. - I am just offering help.

He sort of got surprised when I suggested talking to Kon, probably forgetting that he was still with us and somewhat capable of communication.

He placed his hand on the tree again and stood there for a good minute.

-Well? What’s the answer? - asked Vendi, looking somewhat on edge.

-It’s not…

-It’s not that easy - I answered for him. - If it is the same as for me, he’s not having a casual discussion with him. It probably is as hard for Kon to create the message as for Jack is to receive and decipher it.

He looked at me, curious, not understanding.

-Come on, join him if you don’t get it. You should be able to pick up something, maybe even help him communicate.

He gave me a quick gaze, but complied.

His face instantly turned from curious to confused and overwhelmed.

-Yeah, I figured. But it seems as neither of you is screaming or jumping away, I assume there are no objections?

They both released their hands from the tree and nodded.

-I think… he agrees…

-Yeah… and…

-Not yet - Jack stopped him from saying something. - We’ll talk inside. Go ahead in front of us and get the kids away from… downstairs… Seeing his body is the last thing we want.

He nodded and quickly started moving back towards the barrier.

-What was that about? - I asked as Jack carefully picked up the body.

-Kon wanted us to tell you a few things…

-Oh! That’s new.

-Yeah. I figured I might have an idea why, but let’s do that after we’re done with this. For now you mentioned that you had some questions. What do you want to know?

-FINALLY! - I sighed. - It took so much to get to this point. So. The main one, you said I was dead. Why? How?

-You mean that Mor is dead.

-I told you…

-Yes, I know.... I still am not sure who you are, but… hell, you might actually be Mor…

-I am. So what’s that about me dying?

-A while back, when I was at my inn in the capital - Jack started - Bert came to me, apparently back from some kind of special secret mission. Drunk as fuck, with Odar. Both looking pretty tired, hard to tell if from drinking or from work. Neither of them wanted to tell me anything, but that does not mean that I was just going to leave it at that. I decided to investigate a little bit.

-Mhm…

-First, I noticed that Bert suddenly had a lot more cash in hand than usual. Normally, he’d be looking for more replacements for his crew and went back to his caravaning business, but he did not. Instead, out of all people, he left that business to Goldie.

-What the fuck?

-Exactly. I couldn’t get anything from Odar, he’s been quite on guard recently, so instead I started focusing on Goldie.

-And he obviously spilled the beans.

-That’s the strange thing, he did not say much. I only managed to learn that the caravan was still Bert’s main source of income, but instead of doing all the business himself, he instead hired a bunch of people, even including some old friends of his, stealing them right from his own old man’s nose.

-Some Blue Mages? Interesting…

-But that’s not it. When I started digging more, Odar realized that I was trying to sniff out some info about him and confronted me.

-Whoops. What, how are you not in jail then?

-Because he never told anyone. Quite the opposite. They both came to me. Bert was open about all this and told me about his mission, and how the people that came with him died during it.

-And that includes me?

-That included Mor, yes.

He still did not want to call me Mor.

-Don’t keep me on edge, come on. What exactly happened, according to him?

-According to Bert, Mor has died a heroic death, defending him and Odar during an attack of some strange, unknown entity. It apparently was using every element imaginable, and while the fight ensued, the mana inside the cavern got so unstable that it caused an explosion, during which the cave collapsed. They only managed to survive, because Axelrod himself bailed them out, coming to the rescue.

-Well, at least they are not trying to defame me… not like anyone would care too much, nor does it matter. What about the others?

-Oh, they got them back safely I heard. That’s why he got paid.

-Both of them?

-I don’t know the details, but assume so, yeah. Especially after the events that happened next week.

I was about to ask what he was talking about, but got distracted with a glowing aura appearing in front of us - we arrived at the barrier and were about to cross it, but for some reason, Jack looked more on edge than he should.

-What’s going on? - I asked, noticing his frantic looks.

-We should be here… but I can’t see the stone…

-What stone?

-One of the anchors for the barrier. It should be right here.

He pointed right towards the brightest point in the aura I’ve been seeing in front of us.

-Errr… I think it is there…?

-What do you mean?! I can see only the trees!

-Right, well, I don’t exactly see it, but…

I took a step further, into the light and instantly got met with a surprise yelp from Jack.

-What?

-Where did you go?! What’s this magic?

-What magic? I’m still here - I replied, taking a step back.

Even in the bright aura of the barrier I could see his flabbergasted face.

-You just… disappeared right in front of my eyes.

-I just stepped through the barrier, that’s all - I replied, not really getting what he was talking about. Come on.

He hesitated for a second, but took a step forward, not sure. Of course nothing happened, we just stepped through the barrier as normal. He then quickly turned around, trying to find the stone, just to suddenly look relieved.

-What’s wrong with you?

-It’s here! But…

-I told you, it’s been here the whole time.

-It’s just… wait.

He stopped and put Kon gently on the grass and again stepped back through the barrier.

-Ah! Can you see me?

-I mean I can’t exactly see anything because your fucking barrier is right now searing my eyeballs out. I can hear you and I definitely feel your presence so I…

-Aura?

-Okay, long story short, I can see more than you lot. While it’s handy, it’s not always helpful, and I can’t exactly turn it off…

-Okay… well then… I, on the other hand, can’t see you at all. Or the other side in general.

-What do you mean “the other side”?

-The whole inside of the barrier. I did not notice at first, but the barrier is making some sort of illusion - the inside is just a static, mirrored image of what’s on this side…

A brief glimpse of a certain memory went through my head.

-That… sounds a bit familiar… - I finally understood what’s going on.

-Familiar? - he asked, coming back - It’s pretty handy, but I've never seen this barrier work that way… Is it working even?

Before I was able to stop him he took a step outside and suddenly his whole presence vanished, just to appear again a second later.

-Yeah, still working - I announced. - You definitely did get ported out.

-I noticed. But how’s that familiar to you? You know this barrier spell?

-Well, not exactly, but I have a guess. I assume that as a part of the spell, when you were remaking it, you were absorbing the magic from the vicinity?

-Right, I forgot you could understand that language…

-Ha. So I was right. And I actually did not hear what you were casting back then.

-So how…?

-Because that’s my spell. I cast it when I was erasing the barrier on the other side of this place. When remaking the barrier you had to accidentally absorb it into the barrier itself… but in that case it should be only on the other side, where you recast it… Why is it here…?

-I think I can answer that - he replied after a while. - See, this barrier consists of many anchors circling the whole place, each enchanted with the barrier spell, each connected via a leyline to each other. It would not be a stretch, to think that if one of the pieces got altered, the others absorbed the changes as well…

-I guess that would do it… - I finally said after a moment of thinking. - But I have a better question. Why are you telling me this? Am I not some monster and all that?

At first, he did not reply, just picked up the body of the boy and started walking.

-You know… - he started after a minute or two of silence. - I… I honestly don’t know any more. What I know for sure is that you do have information that only Mor would know, yet that does not change the fact that you might be a revenant anyway… But at this moment I don’t care. You already told me enough for me to know that you are neither with Axelrod, nor with those elves, so I guess it’s fine.

-Well, you got that right. I might have spiky ears, but that’s not something I made for myself…

-Also… Kon told me that he believes you.

-Oh? So you managed to understand him a bit more.

-Yes. He said… he said that your soul is the same as then… but there is something else surrounding you…

-Else?

-Yes. Like you’re being watched by someone. Or… I don’t know. You said it yourself, the images are not exactly an easy way of communication.

-You got that right, but watched? That's… intriguing.

-Yes. Since I already decided to trust you, I wanted to tell you. You think it’s Axelrod who’s watching you?

-You know, that’s probably true, but I don’t think that’s what Kon felt.

-Huh?

-In due time. For now let’s focus on… cleaning up.

He winced.

-We’re close… you don’t want the rest of the kids to see this, right? - I asked as we were near the building.

-Obviously…

I took a quick gander at the mansion.

-They all seem to be still underground. Dunno where you want to put him, so I can’t say if we are clear…

-How do you… you know, it doesn't matter. Can you tell where are they exactly?

-On the other side of the building, under the “courtyard”, let’s say. Or rather the clearing. I think Vendi is with them.

-The bunker. We are good then.

-You have a bunker under there? What the fuck, are you preparing for war or something?

That surprised him.

-Wait, you don’t know?

-Know what?

-We ARE during a war.

-Excuse me?

-I see we have a lot more to talk about. Let’s get this over quick.

He led us towards the kitchen, under where Kon was hiding when I found him. But the funniest thing was that the hatch leading to the underground was hidden right below where I sat, talking with hidden Kon - the counter was apparently movable and just slid away after he pushed it, revealing the opening.

-Holy… Well, that’s a thing.

-It’s a secondary cellar. I used to store alcohol here, but it’s been mostly cleared up…

Sure enough, downstairs smelled like booze. It was pretty cold too.

-Okay, now let’s put him behind this…

He opened a small door in the corner of the room, barely visible in the dark. It led to an even smaller one, barely even a room, not even big enough for both of us to enter together.

-Are you sure about this?

-Of course.

-Okay then. Just move away so I won’t freeze you too.

-Right.

-Lsio hmedou… Hmedou qsuvilvo.

In an instance, a thick layer of ice filled every nook of the room, freezing him solid.

-That should do the trick. I just hope that his body is still intact…

-What do you mean? - he asked nervously.

-You know, the human body is not built to withstand cold. I tried to be gentle, but…

-Ah, no, it’s going to be fine. Even if… You know, it doesn't matter.

-I guess we’ll see when we come to actually waking him up - I agreed, not sure what he was about.

After he closed the doors and we left the underground, we started making our way towards the main stairway.

-You really had to hide your beer so much? - I asked, trying to break the silence that fell on us again.

-Not beer. Wine. And since it’s illegal…

-Illegal?

-Yeah. You can only sell mana-based booze, what I had was still the old stuff, fermented and all. I used to make it but I had to stop, because of the war I’ve had my hands full of work.

-Ah, right… Anyway, you mentioned war. What the hell is going on?

-Well, not much, beside that it started.

-Yeah sure, who’s fighting who I mean! I don’t really know politics…

-That’s not really the politics that are the problem this time… - he muttered angrily. - This time it’s plain and simple. Arbo was attacked. They killed a bunch of people. Axelrod retaliated. They retaliated. And so it started…

-Capital? You mean the attack when I was still working with them? Or there was another one?

-There were a lot of them - he nodded. - That was the first one.

-So he figured out who was behind this…

-I mean there was not much to figure out after a second one. It was the elves.

-Don’t you think it’s kind of… inappropriate to just say “elves”? Don’t they have a kingdom, a country or something? I doubt it’s a whole race attacking you…

-And you’d be wrong. While I don’t know everything about their culture, I know enough. While they don’t have a king or a queen, they do have a God. God that tells them what to do and every single one of them will always follow without even batting an eye.

-That sounds oddly familiar - I muttered to myself. - But it can’t be that bad, can it? I mean, they do have minds of their own, don’t they?

-Well… not exactly…

-What the fuck does that mean?