-Even if you are onto something, I can’t replicate what happened to me!

-Why not!? I am going to help you as much as I can! I am sure we can pull this off!

-It’s worth considering - Vendi agreed with him. - Besides, even if we aren’t considering your version, you can’t deny that you are similar to soul remnants. And those, as far as I know, are made just as he said: by merging one’s body with a piece of soul. And his soul is trapped in there - he pointed to the shard. - We have everything.

-And how do you know that? - I gazed at him, suddenly suspicious after this revelation. - I thought that revenants, or remnants rather, were abominations and monsters. And you now want to casually make one?

-First of all, I never said I want to - he shook his head in denial. - I just am saying that it looks like one of the possible methods. And nah, I don’t believe that all remnants are just monsters.

-Well, it seemed different when you saw me…

-I didn’t attack you because you’re made out of crystal - he instantly protested. - I just attacked because you were an intruder. Nothing more, nothing less.

-Mhm… - I was not buying that, but whatever. - Other people seemed to have a different point of view…

-You mean Axelrod and that bunch? - interjected Jack. - Yeah, they don’t really like the remnants… after all, a bunch of them killed a lot of his friends…

-Hm. I heard some of that story, but never all of it.

-Right. I forget you’re not from here - muttered Jack. - Besides, not everyone knows what happened back there… There are also a bunch of versions to that story, who knows what exactly went down…

-Definitely nothing good - agreed with him Vendi. - That’s why they never treat the crystal people well.

-Hold up - I raised my hand, stopping him. - Crystal people?

-Yeah, crystal people, soul remnants, revenants, Lost, whatever you want to call them. They show up from time to time.

-Wait a fucking second. Lost? Don’t they worship them? Lost and remnants are the same?

-Yeah. You didn’t know? I thought he explained that to you? - Jack looked genuinely surprised.

-Sure, he told me about Lost and all that jazz, but never mentioned that all of them were also crystal like me.

-Now you know then.

-That… that’s curious. And concerning.

-Suree… - Jack did not sound very interested in my opinion on their religion and Lost. - In any case, let’s get back on topic. You said you can’t move his consciousness back to his body? Why?

-Because I have no fucking idea how!

-How did you get a body like this then? I mean, how did exactly this process get kickstarted? - asked Vendi. - Maybe that would work?

-You really want to experiment with this?

-And why the hell not?

-Because it’s not your life we are just gambling over here! - I replied, annoyed.

-That’s what you are worried about? - he sounded genuinely surprised.

-Look… - chimed in Jack. - I know that you are not from here and don’t know much about us, but don’t pawn us off as some bunch of idiots. We know. We’ve been through a lot, and every single one of us would do anything for each other.

-I’d love to propose a better solution, but it seems like that’s the only one we have right now…

-I can’t really talk to him right now, but if it’s just the consent you want, I am sure you can ask him yourself. As you well know, neither of us can.

-We are also short on time, too. We no longer can assume that his soul will just peacefully wait for us…

-That’s great and all - I interrupted their speech - but that’s not the issue here. I mean sure, having consent is a thing we should have and all, although it wouldn’t be the first time I would be tinkering with an unwilling subject…

-Excuse me?!

-ANYWAY, not the point here. I obviously would rather have him agree, and if what you’re saying…

-I cannot really understand a lot, hearing only one side, but I assume you want my agreement? - Kon spoke up in my head.

-I mean, yeah. I sort of believe them but hearing that from you would be the best. I just want to know that we have no idea what repercussions that idea of theirs might have…

-From what I understand, if I am inside that crystal, it might be possible - he replied after a minute of consideration. - I read some passages about revenants and you indeed seem like one of them, so if you were to do the same thing that changed you… it might work.

-Eh…. - I sighed - I get it. But it’s still not…

-It’s still not what I am worried about… - I finished aloud, so all three of them could hear me.

-Spit it out then - rushed me Jack. - How bad can it be?

-Ha.

And I briefly explained how I got my arm replaced by a crystal. Including a description of the carnage I saw both the aftermath of with my own eyes, and the visions I had thanks to getting merged with the entity from under Kalkano.

-I am not going to give you many details about the project, because it’s not the point here. The main problem is, that during our experiment, we unleashed massive amounts of mana. Destructive amounts. I assume that was what prompted the crystal to connect with me.

Both of them were looking at me in silence.

-First of all, it’s just plain old suicide at best, and an apocalypse at worst. Wouldn’t be the first time when it went bad. It would’ve meant not only us four gone, which, let’s be honest, is not much of a problem, but also everyone else in who knows how big of the radius.

-When you… failed - finally asked Vendi - How much do you think got destroyed?

-I already said I have not seen much with my own eyes. I am sure that I saw a quarter of a city in ruins when I woke up, but if we add the visions, it would be the whole city and probably even more.

-I guess we could try moving the kids somewhere else - started thinking aloud Jack. - I guess capital is not the worst idea after all, it's pretty far…

-Yeah, but Axelrod…

-I know. But if we won’t fail I can just get them back real quick… And if we fail…

-If we fail it won’t matter - Vendi nodded.

-Yeah… I can just write my will and give the oldest one everything I own… they probably would be able to hold their own for a while…

-Hm…

-I am sorry to interrupt this very selfless discussion - I spoke up, unmoved - but that’s not the only thing we need to consider…

-There is more?

-If you were listening, you’d know already. I said that we released a lot of mana. Where do you think we’d get that amount here? I don’t think you have about ten barriers worth of mana stashed somewhere, do you?!

-HOW MUCH?

-Exactly. And I am lowballing here. I honestly can’t tell you how much we would need. See, this is not the “normal” form of this crystal - I said, scratching my arm. - I assume it had to somehow mutate to turn into this… thing.

-That is a problem - muttered Jack…

-No shit…

-But wait a second - stopped me Vendi. - Remember when you told us about the entity that connected with you… or you absorbed it… however you want to call it…

-What of it?

-I mean wouldn't it be the same thing that we were attempting here? Wouldn't that mean that in that moment you needed that much mana too? Where did you get it then?

-I guess - I agreed. - But I told you, the environment was very, VERY infused under Kalkano. But even then, all of it I absorbed. And not only that. After I came to, I saw that I drained mana from not only the caves, but the earth around it in, I dunno, kilometer radius? Something like that. That's a lot.

-Couldn’t you do something like this here too?

-Sure… - I puffed at him. - If you want me to dispel the barrier, kill the whole forest and probably even reach the fucking Kruro.

-Wouldn’t be much of a loss - Jack said under his breath - but yeah no, I’d rather you not…

-Even if we’d say “fuck it” and went with it, I am pretty sure that you two would be absorbed too. Hell, me too maybe. Imagine that, the experiment succeeds, but the three of us would be consumed. It’d left Kon alone, with a, most likely, new and unfamiliar body, or at least weakened one, in a literal crater, in the middle of dried out forest, on a deserted island.

-Yeah, in hindsight not the best idea… - said Vendi quietly.

-So, if you don’t have spare powerful mana sources, I don’t think I can help you.

-Mana source… I think we have one though - said unexpectedly Kon in my head.

-You do?! - I didn’t even bother hiding my surprise.

-Were you listening?

-Yes…?

-That means you understand how massive the source must be. And you still think you have something like that?

-I think so…

-Okay where and what the hell is that?

-I just heard of it once, briefly… but…

-”I do?” - Jack and Vendi were meanwhile confused.

-Yeah, Kon does, apparently. As in mana source.

-My father also knows about it, I think…

-And apparently you know where it is - I turned to Jack. - Is that right?

-I mean sure, I know of a couple of them… but none that would be powerful enough for us to do this. Besides a certain one… but that’s not something I’d be thrilled about.

-I think we are past that. If you know something, spill it…

-Yeah… and I have a very distinct feeling that when you learn about it you won’t be so keen on using it…

-Like I would be keen on using any source for that matter… But why though?

-Yeah… I assume that the source Kon mentioned was the red one?

-Red one?

-Ask him please.

-Em… he asks if it's the “red one” that you are talking about, whatever that is supposed to mean…

-Yeah… I am sure you are familiar with it as well.

-Excuse me?

-And?

-Ah - I realized that the last question I spoke out loud. - Yeah, that’s it. And he’s also saying that I also know of it?

-If your stories are true, then yes.

-Okay, now you are really confusing me. Where the hell is that?

-It’s under the Red Edge.

-Red Edge? - I didn’t bother to hide my surprise. - Hell, you were right. I am not a fan of using that one. But fuck that! First, how the hell do you know about that one?

-I mean, it’s not a secret. The whole thing has been built out of one large crystal, how much mana do you think is needed to plop up something like that? Even if they had the materials, to form something like that you need power. A lot of it.

-Hm. Yea, sure, you’re right, but how do you know the thing is not exhausted? I mean, the place had to be built a long time ago, you think they still have it?

-I am sure. I don’t know how much you got told about that place, but I am sure that you realized that you can’t really use magic there.

-There was something like that, yea… - I replied half-heartedly, remembering how For was surprised when I broke out of the cell.

-And you think that kind of spell is just there without any source to be fueled from? Nah, not possible.

-Maybe… how do you even know about it though? I thought they kept to themselves…

-Because they do. I only heard that from our mutual “friend”, Goldie. He’s far from being a reliable source of intel, but in this case I sort of believe what he said.

-Out of all the people, Goldie? - I couldn’t help but be crestfallen a little bit. - How much did you get paid to believe him and spread the misinformation?

-I can’t blame you for that answer - he said, not even flinching. - But the only thing that Goldie has correct information on is his family.

-Family? - I was confused. - What does that have to do with anything?

-Have you heard about his whole shtick of “saving people”, being a knight and all that?

-Yeah - I nodded - he apparently wasted his and his brother’s money on that.

-Precisely. He never stopped. Even in debt, he continued his “business”. Thanks to that, he contacted Bert and started working for him, yet it was not enough. Bert is not exactly a wealthy person… or at least was not until recently. So, to keep up with the spendings, his brother joined up with Red Mages.

-I heard that he was helping him, but never knew that his brother joined For… Hm. But I never heard of him being back there. I assume he wasn’t ranked very high then…

-Quite the opposite. He’s the right hand man of the leader. Of course they keep to themselves so it’s not a very known fact though….

-Waitwaitwait - I stopped him. - I thought Jacob was the one that was the highest ranked, besides For that is?

-Ah, so you met him. Yeah, that’s him. Jacob Moi, the Black Knight.

That took me for a loop. Jacob. That guy was the brother to that lousy excuse of a knight? Talk about the contrast.

-Okay… - I said after I managed to digest that info. - Sure… but still we have an issue. I am pretty sure they are on the side of Axelrod. And even if they are not, I don’t believe we have a way to even get there.

-I mean, we have a boat. Rather you do.

-Ha. I don’t any more.

-The fuck happened?

-I don't think you noticed, but I am not exactly a sailor.

-You got shipwrecked here?! - he was in disbelief. - What the fuck…

-Yeah, and even if I didn’t, the boat wouldn’t have helped us even a tiny bit.

-And why is that?

-The place is so high above the water that without some kind of help from inside we’d never be able to get inside.

-And who said we need to get inside? Getting closer would be enough.

-Pff, right. You are overestimating me a bit if you think I am able to get the mana from that far away…

-You wouldn’t have to. After all, the source is the castle itself.

I blinked and looked at him with a blank expression. Did I hear that right?

-A castle. The source. Care to elaborate? - I finally asked.

-I mean it’s just supposed to be a myth, but apparently the whole thing was built from one piece of stone, or rather crystal, raised from the bottom of the sea by their founder.

-Yeah, yeah - I nodded. - I read that story in their library. You think it’s true?

-I didn’t want to believe that either, but Goldie said it was what Jacob told him…

-And you don’t suppose he just fed him some bullshit stories to make him shut up?

-I mean, it’s always possible, but… you were there. You tell us. Does that castle seem like it was constructed normally?

-Define “normally”. It’s obvious that it was made using magic, but I doubt that even touching it from outside would be enough to connect to its power source. Nah, we’d have to get inside. I even have an idea where the actual core of that thing might be… - I said, remembering how For mentioned about not going to a certain place. - Even then, everything comes to the one singular problem: we have no way to get there.

-I am sorry to say that you are absolutely right - said meekly Jack.

-Can’t we just use your portals? You can use portal magic, right?

-Yeah, but we would need something to act as an anchor…

-And there is still the problem of “would they even help” - reminded Vendi.

-I have some ideas about that, but they are pretty dicey… - I muttered, remembering For and our pact. Would it still work even after I changed my body?

-I used to provide some stuff for their leader… - started pondering Jack. - I wonder, maybe she remembered me… Because I doubt that Jacob remembers me…

-You actually know him? - I asked, interested.

-Yeah… I told you already.

-Talking once or twice doesn’t really count as “knowing” someone…

-I suppose… Anyway, it doesn’t really matter since we have no…

He stopped mid sentence.

-Wait a second. Weren’t you working for them before?

-Well… sort of? Not really… - I said, off put by his sudden interest in the topic. - Why are you so curious all of the sudden?

-Because. What does “sort of” mean?

-It means whatever you want it means. Why does it even matter?

-It matters a lot! As far as I know, every single person working for them is always supplied with some kind of emblem or a mark that is a proof of their allegiance.

-”Allegiance”, pff.

-Call it whatever you want, do you have something like that…

-I do, but…

-What? It might be good enough for me to use as an anchor!

-Hold your horses! - I raised my hand, stopping his excitement. - I do have their emblem, but… - I pulled out the necklace that I was supposed to be their symbol.

-That’s it! - he exclaimed immediately. - Why didn’t you tell us sooner! It’s more than enough!

-Maybe because I don’t want it destroyed? - I said, annoyed.

-And who said I was going to do that? - he replied, confused.

-You want to use it as an anchor…

-So?

-Okay, correct me if I am wrong, but I am pretty sure that every time you use something as an anchor to open the portal, the item is destroyed.

-You are right, of course, yes, but only with destructible and non-magical objects. Just one look at this thing and I can tell that this shit is magical.

-I mean, of course, it’s a fire gem, I used it to cast some spells before… - I agreed with him.

-See? So it should be fine!

-Okay then, but there is a slight problem with it.

-Don’t worry, even if it’s not some hinger ranked emblem, it will definitely work.

-Oh, no, not what I was worried about. I think it might even be pretty high up from what I heard, I am just concerned that…

-So there is nothing to worry about!

-Let me fucking finish!

He went silent, surprised with my sudden outburst.

-So. As I was saying, I did not get it from the Red Edge.

-I don’t get it… you said it’s their emblem…

-Because it is. I just learned that after the fact…

-So where is it from?

-That’s the thing. I have no clue.

-What the fuck? I don’t think that some yet another Vendi sold you this, it looks too genuine - he said, now squinting at the piece of jewelry.

-Hey! - Vendi was suddenly offended. - I am one and only one, thank you very much.

-Sure you are. But who’s it from then?

-That’s the thing. I got it from Melle.