Following his second Assessment and his chat with his Auntie, Jake dedicated himself whole-heartedly to his magic learning. Day in and day out, the boy spent hours in a meditative state, cultivating and honing his mana control. Spell casting and fine-tuning his casting ability. Reading, studying, learning, and developing the foundations of magic. He tested himself physically, and mentally. He asked questions, probed the fairies for answers, and sought out knowledge and wisdom from the books he was surrounded by in the Library.

It was tedious. Jake could feel the fatigue weighing on him every morning. A steady build-up of stress and weariness was making it harder and harder to focus, harder to learn, and harder to train. It felt as though a heavy, thick fog was slowly clouding over his eyes as he pushed on and trudged through the slog of the grindstone he had stuffed his nose against. Truly, it was a test of not just how long he could hold up but instead it was a test of his will. How far he was willing to go push himself? How badly did he want this? How much was he willing to trade in exchange for his future?

At the moment, the answer was easy- everything. Jake would give his very soul if it meant carving out a future he could look forward to. He would trade anything for that freedom of being able to chase his dream. At the moment, Jake never doubted that. However, as the days turned to weeks, he found that his days were blurring together. His mind was slipping when it shouldn’t. His thoughts were looping. He found himself forgetting things he thought he had already studied. The pressure was wearing him down, and he knew it. He would give everything but dying early wasn’t in his plans. It would be a shame to put in so much effort and time just for it all to crumble just because he remained too narrowminded, too focused, and too stubborn to breathe.

Thus, he had decided to take a break. He disliked the idea of it but understood the necessity. His mind was mush and progressing further would only hinder him. Especially when he was finally ready for that next step in his magic training- Fire Magic. Jake had studied Wind and Water magic to near perfection. He could call both forth to his fingertips without so much as a whisper. Just a faint tug and a mental image of what he wanted and he could cast spells from either element with speed and efficiency. The cost of utilizing both elements was so low he honestly found it a bit scary. His body would give out from the stress of him casting before his mana would.

And that was why he found it a perfect time to breathe. Any further training with the two elements would be wasteful. So, he spent a few days enjoying himself again. He spent time with his Auntie, assisted her at the tent she worked at, and did so just in time for the next caravan to arrive for the month. He spent time with Elana when she was free, giving her plenty of shoulders to rant on. Jake also made sure to spend time with Chul- the two would slip out of the village in the morning, go sand surfing and explore the nearby dunes for places to hide and dig through. There were a few ruins in the area but none of them contained anything interesting other than weird writings on the walls and symbols Jake couldn’t read. Chul couldn’t either so they never spent much time in the places. However, the two did spend time hunting nearby Dunebeasts.

The Dunebeasts were large creatures- they stood between two to four meters tall. They were bipedal beasts covered in thick armor. Their heads were small, tucked in beneath their armor with two antennae jutting outwards and two sets of three eyes on each side. They had four arms. The lower two arms were like pincers, thick and powerful enough to grab and shatter the armor of their foe. The top two arms had large hands at the ends of them with three razor-sharp fingers for ripping and tearing apart prey. In the middle of their protected heads was a small mouth, much like Chul’s, with fangs and tiny teeth for chewing up the juicy bits. Their feet were just as dangerous, with two large razor-sharp toes in the front and a hooked rear nail for digging into the sand.

The armor of the creatures covered everything. It was thickest in the back and the beasts had an annoying nature of curling up whenever they were in true danger. It was thinnest in the joints and where their limbs connected to their main body, ensuring mobility. Elsewhere, the thickness ranged from very little to way too much.

Dunebeasts weren’t social creatures. They traveled the sands alone and tended to hunt from the early evenings until the late mornings. During the day they would dig beneath the sands and hide from the harsh sun. Only during the mating season did the Dunebeasts interact with one another in a friendly manner. Otherwise, they considered one another prey to be hunted and it wasn’t uncommon to see them fight and eat one another. Thus, whenever Jake came across a Dunebeast, it was safe to assume it would be alone.

Finding the beasts was easy. Dunebeasts would create artificial dunes to shade their pits, digging and piling up the sand in a crescent shape to block the sun during its transition across the sky from morning to night. The sand pile heights varied depending on the size of the Dunebeast itself. In essence- the taller the pile, the larger the beast. In the shaded portion of the dune, the beasts would then dig straight down for only a few meters, hollowing out the sand and re-covering themselves to shield them from being directly visible. However, the tactic would create a bump of sorts in the sand. Not to mention, the Dunebeasts would stick their antennae out of the sand, using them like feelers to detect vibrations in the ground. Should something get too close, the Dunebeast would feel it and would, hopefully, have time to react.

Jake found the Dunebeasts perfect prey to ambush because of the way they dug their holes. The Dunebeasts were fantastic diggers when it came to dry and light sand. However, turn the sand into mud and make it thick and they struggled. The Dunebeasts would get stuck in the thick guck of muddy sand and the sand would get lodged in their armor, causing mobility issues. Dunebeasts were also terrible swimmers like most creatures from the desert were.

Thus, Jake developed the tactic of flooding the hole with a ton of water to either drown the Dunebeast or dramatically slow them down. Then, while the Dunebeast struggled with the muddy sand or trying to breathe, Jake would cut at its exposed flesh with powerful balls of Wind. The arms were powerful and long, but thin and weak at the connection point. The flesh, dried out from being constantly exposed to the rough nature of the desert, was easy to cut and the bone beneath similarly fragile under pressure. The strength of the claws came more from muscles within the claws, not from muscles in the arms themselves.

Once disarmed, Jake would then aim for the mouth and head. Targeting the legs was possible but risky, as the joints were more heavily armored and the armor of the body hung over the joints a bit. Targeting that weak point was difficult without the right angle. If Jake could hit them from behind, he certainly did so. Cutting the Dunebeast at the knees would cripple it, making a killing blow much easier. But Dunebeasts were more than aware of their leg’s fragility and rarely exposed their backside. Dunebeasts were quicker than their bodies let on and were very agile. They were calculative with their movements, patient in their hunts, and only let rage fuel their attacks when they were cornered or if they had children to care for. Otherwise, fighting a Dunebeast took time.

Time he was willing to spend.

“Found another one.” Jake kicked the back of his sandboard, twisting his hips and bending slightly at the knee as he adjusted his downward trajectory. As he developed his wind magic, Jake began to utilize it as a form of propulsion, pushing him faster down the slopes of the dunes. He hadn’t quite learned to use it to push himself straight across the sand yet, but he would get there eventually.

Just beyond the base of the dune, a deep hole plunged out of the punishing rays of the sun. A thick, large artificial dune crested the front side of the hole. As Jake neared the edge of the sand crater, he could see the familiar bulge of dirt and sand covering his prey.

Indeed. The Dunebeasts had become just that- prey.

Extending a hand out to his left, Jake channeled Water magic, spurting forth a massive spray of the liquid as his sandboard brought him around to the far side of the hole. His momentum finally died off and the boy stood tall, watching as the base of the hole began to fill with liquid. He held out his hand, stiff and disciplined, watching. Waiting. The bulge of sand remained stoic at first but with the water level rising it was only a matter of time before it finally started to shift and bubble. The Dunebeast held out for quite some time, either holding its breath out of stubbornness or hoping the supposed rain would be sucked away into the sands, but the time on the clock had run out.

The Dunebeast rose from the sand and water, bursting upward with a gurgling howl as it cleared its throat and maw. Jake cut off the water flow, unstrapped himself from his board, and then moved quickly to his right and to the top of the sandy knoll the Dunebeast was using as a sort of sun visor. The Dunebeast whirled, looking for the source of the attack. When it spotted Jake atop the sand, it immediately let its anger be known. It let out another, much louder, much more throaty roar towards the boy.

Jake only smirked as he extended both hands. From his left, the boy fired off multiple water balls, targeting the Dunebeast’s eyes and feet. The blinding attacks caused it to stagger. The sand being turned to muck unsettled its feet. With his right, the boy created thin Wind Arrows, firing them off at the joints and the Dunebeast’s antenna. One was blown off, sending the Dunebeast into a frenzy. It lurched forward, clawing at the ground with its claws and feet as it raced towards Jake. The loose sands made it hard to crawl, so Jake canceled out his water magic to keep the Dunebeast’s foot placement difficult. But, he never stopped casting.

Rather than targeting its feet with water, Jake fired off Wind Balls, kicking up the sand, creating even looser footholds, and creating small pitfalls for the creature to slip on. All the while he continued to target its face, damaging its eyes, tearing off the last antenna, and cracking its shell by its mouth. However, even with Jake’s pesky spells, the Dunebeast was gaining. The boy pulled away from the ledge. He utilized water magic to create small footholds, making movement easier as he ran from the hole. The Dunebeast climbed unimpeded the rest of the way, only to get a face full of sand when it reached the ledge. Jake hit the backside of the small dune with a blast of air, knocking it free and blowing it up in the Dunebeast’s face.

Blinded and off balance, the Dunebeast was exposed to Jake’s follow-up. The boy sliced at its clawed limbs, cutting them both at the joints and slicing through the thin flesh with ease. The muscles ripped, the tendons split, and the bones cracked. The shell remained firm along the back of the joint, holding the limbs in place. Even so, they fell limp by the Dunebeast’s sides.

The Dunebeast raged on, slamming its feet down and surging towards Jake, who had moved only fifty meters from the hole. Far enough for some range. Close enough to remain accurate and deadly. The Dunebeast raced forth, dragging its useless limbs behind itself as it snarled and gurgled. Jake shot at its remaining arms, striking at the beast with a volley of Water Ball spells. The water mixed with the sand, clumping up and limiting the arms’ range of motion. Only then did Jake close width.

“Go time.” He grinned, his hands tensing as he darted forward. He moved to meet the beast, fear never present in his decision. The massive creature’s remaining eyes swelled with red hate, tunneling its vision. When Jake was in its reach, it swung a heavy hand down to grab him. With no claw, it swatted and tried to gash the boy with its claws. Jake, familiar with the strike, stopped his advance and hopped backward slightly. The air off the back of the arm ran through his hair as it flew past him, harmless.

The Dunebeast swung powerfully in a sweeping motion to catch him with the backside of its arm. Jake planted a hand firmly on the sharp armor, pushing up and over the arm. As he rotated his body, he extended his hand and blasted the now exposed joint with powerful Wind Balls from point blank range. They cleaved through the exposed flesh, blowing the arm clean off. The Dunebeast cried out in pain as its limb fell to the sand.

Now desperate and with only one arm left, the Dunebeast backpedaled, swinging at Jake to keep the threat away from it. Ever fearless, Jake would not be deterred. He had seen this before. He used Wind Wall, generated a massive gust of wind between himself and the incoming attack, and shielded himself from the strike as he targeted the joint. The Dunebeast’s arm bounced off the sudden shield. Then, it was severed from the root.

“Got you!” Jake lunged forward in time with the landing of the arm and jumped up onto the Dunebeast’s torso. Its eyes widened and it began to thrash, struggling, fighting, screaming. Jake gripped onto its thorny armor and hovered his hand in front of its mouth. He began to hammer at the armor of its head with Wind Balls, relentless as he smashed it to pieces, blasting the armor apart bit by bit. It cracked. Blue ooze leaked through the fresh crevices. The Dunebeast staggered to its knees. With a final, satisfying pop- the armor failed. Jake caved in the top of the Dunebeast’s head. The soft flesh beneath became exposed to light, and his heavy fist. With a clenched hand, Jake shoved it through the hole he’d created and, personally, ended the life of his foe.

The Dunebeast’s screams went silent.

Jake held firm for a second. He waited. Listened. Felt. When he was sure of the kill, he pulled his arm free and jumped away from the creature. The kick caused the body to sway before it finally listed to the side and fell to the sand. Jake landed in front of the fresh corpse, sweat beading on his brow, arm soaked in the gush of the Dunebeast’s insides. He used water magic to clean himself from the goo and then drenched himself to help with the sweat. He used it once more to create a ball of water that he could drink, quenching the thirst the fight had given him.

“You’ve become proficient in hunting these creatures.” Chul, large enough to tower over the Dunebeasts, emerged from nearby as Jake began collecting the limbs of his kill. Not only did the Dunebeasts make for great casting practice, but their armored bodies also fetched a high price among traders. Fresh meat also could be cooked and it tasted really good, surprisingly.

“I’ve learned to trust my magic, more like,” Jake grunted as he tossed one of the heavy claws onto the pile he was making. Chul tossed him a small pack and from it, Jake retrieved some rope. With it, Jake tied the pieces to the main body and then he created a large handle that he could tug on. Dunebeasts were quite heavy, but Jake had a powerful workhorse.

“Experience in magic and battle has made you skilled. This is true, but do not get ahead of yourself. There is much to learn and not all of your foes will be so predictable.” Chul’s fangs chittered as he stared down at the boy. Jake nodded, staring down at the Dunebeast for a few seconds.

While the fight had been easy, things weren’t always this way. His first fight was a mess. Between his terrible casting in every aspect, his shaking legs, and his slow reactions- it was a mess that almost ended up with him killed. If Chul hadn’t been there he most certainly would have had to run. Experience had helped rid him of those mistakes, that hesitation. But, a level head was necessary for combat. If he let himself get too overzealous, Jake would make a silly mistake. A mistake that could result in irrecoverable damage.

“Guess it’s time for some growth then, yea?” Jake scratched at the back of his head before looking up at Chul. The Arachkin stared at him for a moment, silent. It was in such times that Chul always chose to be quiet. Jake hated that. Chul would help Jake and he was always willing to give advice- but it was on Jake to make those key decisions about what he wanted to do. Chul would steer Jake down the right path but it was on Jake to make that choice.

The boy sighed. “Let’s go.” He closed up his pack and slung it over his shoulders. He snatched up his sandboard and tucked it under his arm. Chul grabbed the rope loop Jake had made to drag their prize, easily yanking the corpse behind him as the two started to make their way back to the village. It wasn’t far off today, thankfully, so they moved at a quicker pace than usual.

The usual return distance to the village varied. Since they had begun hunting the Dunebeasts, the creatures were harder to find in the direct vicinity of the village. It was almost as though the Dunebeasts had become wary of something in the area that could harm them. A few younger Dunebeasts still entered the local space but the more experienced creatures kept their distance. Most of the time. This only meant that Jake and Chul had to expand their search radius, which in turn would make their days longer. But, Jake found it to be good training. The further they traveled the more he got to use his Wind Magic with his board and Water Magic to keep himself cool and hydrated.

Chul dragged the body until the front gate of the Village came into view. Out of sight of the Guards, he dropped the rope and shrunk to fit in Jake’s pack. Then, Jake used Wind Magic to lift the Dunebeast corpse off the sand. By putting a directional Wind Wall at its base, Jake could make the body hover a little bit off the ground. It took quite a bit of mana to keep up so he waited until they were as close as possible before triggering the spell.

As Jake approached the front gate, one of the Guards on top of the wall blew a loud whistle. There were no other visitors today. The caravan wasn’t expected until tomorrow so the gates were closed. At the whistle, they began to be pulled apart and a small group of three men stepped out to meet the boy. Captain Ata was one of them.

“Another one?” The Captain stared at the Dunebeast with a furrowed browed. The other guards stared more in awe than anything. “You learn a bit of magic and now all of a sudden you’re a Dunebeast Hunter or something?”

“Something like that.” Word had spread through the village, as it always did, about Jake being a late bloomer. On top of that, him being a dual-elemental Magi had made it even worse. Several fathers had already pestered him and his Auntie about marrying their daughters, and a few women had made passes on him as well. Skeptics were numerous. Several older men now scowled at him in jealousy and he had been berated more than once in the street by someone who wanted to 'remind him of his place’.

Jake didn’t partake in any of it. He ignored the marital offers. He declined the requests to become a village Magi. He blew off those who wanted confrontation. He drowned out the doubters. He grew numb to the harsh stares. The initial popularity had quieted down and once he had shown how little he was interested in it, the village largely turned cold to him. Now he felt more isolated. Which, for him, was more than fine. Fewer distractors meant more time to train, more time to better his magic.

“I see. Good to see you safe. Anything hurt?” Captain Ata was still ever caring. The older man looked Jake over, checking to see if Jake was injured or if he needed any kind of medical attention. Hunting Dunebeasts was a dangerous affair, of course.

“No, just a bit sweaty.” Jake brushed off the concern with a grin. Captain Ata eyed him for an extra second before finally stepping aside. He waved his guards to make way and Jake proceeded into the village.

Inside, the fresh kill garnered quite a bit of attention. The usual now whenever Jake returned with a Dunebeast in tow. And as usual, Jake ignored the stares. He dragged the body along and pulled it to the far side of the village near the oasis, but not close enough for the water he would be using to disturb it. He cut the magic holding up the corpse, dropping it to the sands below. Using Wind Magic, the boy created a large pit. He dropped his pack and retrieved a large knife from it. The next step was to prepare the body.

The armor of the Dunebeast could be sold to merchants as material for equipment. The flesh could be prepared and dried out into jerky to be eaten later or it could be sold as is to the local eatery tents as fresh meat. Jake figured out a technique to clean and cycle the meat, draining it of the blue goo blood while keeping the original light pink color. It required a lot of water filtering and smooth cuts along the bone. Thin strips were better than thick slabs, especially from the Dunebeast’s core. The fatty parts needed to be tended to even more carefully. The Dunebeast was largely made up of muscle and bone. With such low amounts of fat, the prime meat fetched a high price. The claws could be sold with the meat inside and little prep other than cleaning the armor of sand and draining them of blood.

Jake had failed to prepare his initial kills correctly quite a bit, but after making plenty of transactions, asking questions, and finding out how his customers wanted their meat and armor prepared- he was becoming quite good at it. Just like with fighting, Jake learned through trial, error, and experience. If ever made a mistake he could still sell the materials, usually, but the armor would just lose value. The meat would also need to be turned into jerky if he failed to prepare it properly. Money wasn’t of much importance so Jake never got too discouraged by the losses, but it was certainly annoying. Especially if it were true that he was only one of a few individuals willing to fight the Dunebeasts.

Shortly into his work, the boy heard footsteps. They were light, evenly spaced, and came from just over his right shoulder. As he worked, he glanced at the shadow to see who it was but he didn’t even need to do that to know. There were only three people who came to visit him as he prepared his goods. Auntie, the curious boy that never said anything, and Elana.

“Another tally, I see?” Elana stepped up to his side and nudged her foot against the cracked upper body of the Dunebeast. Her nose crinkled as a whiff of the innards hit her face.

“Yep,” Jake answered with a grunt. He tugged hard on a slap of armor, peeling it away from the flesh with a powerful rip. He had loosened the meat holding it to the arm but it still required some force to yank free.

“It’s always so surprising to see you come back without injury. You must be quite the Magi, Jake.” Elana’s voice wasn’t complementary- she was prodding at him. Jake rolled his eyes and sighed.

“Do you need something?” Jake stopped and looked over his shoulder. He didn’t mind her talking, but he did mind her bothering.

Elana stared at him, conflicted. “I’m worried about you.”

“I’ll be fine, Elana.” Jake sighed and turned back to the body of the Dunebeast.

“That won’t change that I worry, Jake.” The woman stepped closer, keeping a bit of distance from the Dunebeast. “You just started practicing magic, and now you’re hunting Dunebeasts? Don’t you think that’s a bit of an early jump?” While she had a legitimate concern, Jake had spent far longer than just a short time practicing magic. It had been just over two months since his dive into the Ravine. Since he had learned the benefits of the Library, he had spent much of that time inside of its pale walls refining his ability. He was still a fledgling but he wouldn’t pass up on opportunities to better himself. Dangerous or otherwise.

“Early or not, I need to do it.” Jake’s hands paused as he stared down at the dark brown armor beneath them. “I have to.”

“Why?” If Jake wouldn’t look at her, then Elana would make him. She moved around to the far side of the arms he had put in front of him and then knelt on the sand. “Why do you have to fight the Dunebeasts?”

Jake clenched his teeth for a moment. There was no true reason to do it other than for practice. He didn’t need money and there were plenty of other ways to refine his magic. The only advantage to fighting the Dunebeasts was earning battle experience. “You would agree that the Dunebeasts are a strong enemy, right? Pretty scary creatures?” Jake finally met Elana’s eyes.

“Of course. Not many are crazy enough to fight them and when they attack the caravans, it turns into a big problem.”

“I can fight them and bring them down on my own, using just magic. If I can do that, would you agree that I’m a fairly strong mage?” The fear Elana had was likely the fear of Jake being killed or hurt. So, he needed to get her to believe that the chance of that happening was slim. While it wouldn’t stop her from worrying entirely, at least it would be more manageable.

The only issue was that she seemed to pick up on his little plan. She scowled at him. “And?” She snipped at him. “Look at that claw. At this armor. Look at how big this thing is, Jake. It doesn’t matter how big and bad you think you are. One good grab from a Dunebeast and you’re dead.” She reached out and knocked her knuckle against the thick shell of the beast. The dull thumping told of how thick the armor truly was.

“So what if you’re a powerful magi? That doesn’t change how reckless you are being.” She rumbled, her scowl turning into a harsh glare. “This is what annoys me about you wanting to be an adventurer, Jake, and I can’t tell if you do it on purpose or if you’re just an idiot.”

“Well, that’s not fair.” Jake sat up and planted his hands on his waist. Unsure of how to handle that. “I don’t even know what you mean by that.”

“Neither is you running off without a word to anyone, fighting Dunebeasts!” The woman hissed. “You miss the danger, Jake. You either ignore it or you don’t know it’s there, and that is the scary part! No sane person picks a fight with a Dunebeast, Jake. Especially not more than once!”

Oh, now he understood. “...Sorry, Elana.” Jake frowned and pressed his lips together. He lowered his eyes, staring down at the armor of the Dunebeast.

Elana sighed and stood up. She leaned over the arm and placed a hand on his shoulder. A warm touch. “You don’t have to stop doing whatever you’re doing. Just be careful, okay?”

“Yes ma’am.” He nodded.

“Good boy.” With a smirk, she patted his cheek. “Bring some meat over for dinner and have your Auntie bring her tea. This is a big one so you should have some extra, right?”

Jake nodded, pulling himself out of his little rut. He put his hands to work again, ripping apart the shell and slicing at the meat. “Yes. I’ll keep some left over. Will your father and sister be there?”

“Sister yes. Father no. He’s at another village for a little bit.” Elana rolled her eyes. “Guess someone wanted to order something from him or whatever.”

Jake chuckled and peeled a thick scale off the arm, cracking it down the middle to split it cleanly. “Your father is a well-known blacksmith. If someone from another village is asking for him, I think it’s a pretty big deal.”

“Yea well, it’d be nice if he didn’t get so weird about it.” Elana sighed and rumbled. “He went out laughing, saying he’d come back with even bigger muscles. Weirdo.” He certainly was an eccentric.

Elana continued to ramble about it, going on and on about the annoyance of her father and how he had even spoken to other families about marriage again. Jake remained quiet, keeping his ears open as she ranted. In the time it took Elana to get her feelings out and lighten the load pressing on her shoulders, Jake was able to strip much of the Dunebeast of its shell and armor. The meat beneath the thick outer shell Jake began to organize into three lumps. One pile was for the meat he would prepare to turn into jerky. The second pile would be to sell. The third would be split between his Auntie and Elana’s family.

“Oh! And get this!” Elana paused and leaned forward. “I think my father met secretly with your Auntie a few times.”

Jake’s hands stopped. He glanced over his shoulder at her.

“Not in that way, weirdo. That’s gross.” Elana recoiled a bit, disgusted by the expression on Jake’s face. Jake shook his head and continued his work.

“You thought of it, not me. Why did they meet?” Jake shook off her gross assumption and also the images he now had in his head. When his thoughts cleared up a bit, he returned to his work.

“You’re a Magi, Jake. And my time as a free-floating bird is almost up. Do you know what that means?” She grinned. Jake felt heat rush to his cheeks.

Jake slammed his knife into the meat, splitting it in the center. “Those fucks.”

“Seems I’ll get my way after all!” Elana laughed, puffing out her chest as she mocked him. “All this time you’ve been running away like a mouse! I didn’t even have to put out a trap!”

“I’m going to challenge it,” Jake growled, his cuts becoming more aggressive as he cleaved off the meat. Elana giggled and turned back towards the village.

“Go right on ahead but if the Elders are on board, you won’t have a chance!” She began to walk away, her voice booming as she laughed. Jake grit his teeth, the sound of her laughing scratching at his eardrums. She finally stopped her raucous noise-making once she had taken a few steps, leaving him to his work. But even though she’d gone silent, he wasn’t quite able to focus again. He stood up and turned around, watching as she walked back to the village and in the direction of her tent.

“You seem quite against the idea of marriage. She is quite the woman, Jake.” Chul peeked out of the backpack, his yellow eyes peering up at the boy. Jake sighed.

“I’m not against it. It’s just… not a good time.” Jake continued to stare, his thoughts rolling as he thought of how to properly handle the coming problem.

“You still wish to leave, yes?”

“I won’t be like my father. I won’t leave a family behind.” Jake’s fingers curled, his nails pressing against his palms. “And I won’t let Elana waste herself on an idiot who can’t put her first.”

Chul’s fangs chittered for a moment. “You speak as though she would not wait for you.”

“You know how stubborn I am?” Jake asked.

“I do.” Chul chuckled.

Jake’s fists loosened as he turned back to the Dunebeast. “She’s far worse.” Before he grabbed his knife, Jake pulled his pack closer, bringing his companion closer.

“Such a woman will be hard to come by, boy. She is tough and determined. I think she fits you quite well.” Chul rused, letting out a deep-throated chortle. Jake’s lips pressed together into a firm line as he lopped off the last of the meat that he thought would make for a good offering to Elana’s family.

“She’s a good woman, but I can’t be a good man for her.” Jake dropped the last of the meat on the towel he’d laid out and then cast water magic on his knife. “A fool who’s too focused on everything else. I won’t let her be tied to someone like me.”

Chul’s fangs tapped lightly together but the Arachkin said nothing. Jake finished his work in silence. He collected the meat into three different towels and tied them up individually. Then, he stacked the armor and organized the pieces of the shell he had ripped off. The last of the Dunebeast corpse that he couldn’t use, the boy collected into a pile. While the corpse dried in the sun, Jake carried the meat aside and began to drain the lumps of blood. He used wind and water magic to drain the blue liquid from the meat and then utilized a string with clips on it to hang the meat to air dry.

While the meat dried and drained of what was left, he used Wind Magic to pick up the Dunebeast corpse. He brought it to the gate and waited for Captain Ata to clear him through. He brought the corpse to the edge of a large dune near the village and then dumped it over the side, letting the body fall to the sandworm that nested down below. The corpse tumbled to the edge of the gaping hole in the sand but it had caused enough of a disturbance to draw out the creature beneath the sands. Jake didn’t watch the meal. He turned away and headed quickly back to the gate. The guards were still waiting for him when he got back.

“All set?” One of the guards asked.

“Yea. Thanks.” Jake stepped through and the Guard pulled the large door closed. He then gave Captain Ata a thumbs up.

“Seal the gate!” Captain Ata shouted. Two Magi stepped up, raising their hands as they utilized magic to seal the doors closed with a pair of massive wooden boards. Boards that were far too heavy to be lifted by hands. The guard at the top of the gate then pulled a lever, causing thick massive rods to fall and plunge into the sand, barring the gate closed with a second layer of security.

Jake returned to his workspace to check on the meat. In the short time he had spent away they had become pretty close to being ready. While he let the sun finish its work, he used wind magic to lift the armor pieces and shuttled the pile to his Auntie’s tent. He moved to the side where the storage boxes were placed and dropped his spoils into two open containers. He sealed them closed with lids and then placed an Alert spell on them.

The Alert spell was a small tool he had picked up during his training. A Light-based utility spell that would notify him of any tampering. It had a wide range of uses from area monitoring to more specific uses, like letting him know if someone decided to open one of his crates. It could be set to make a loud noise or just notify him by causing a disturbance in his magic. He generally just chose the latter, not wanting to make too big of a scene. Besides, if someone tried to steal from him, he would rather there be fewer witnesses around.

The meat was finally ready when he returned the second time. He left the meat he’d turn into jerky hanging, letting it further dry. The rest he wrapped up and tied off. He made three portions again- one large that he would sell, the remaining amount split in half. He buried the two smaller portions, keeping them out of the sun. The large portion he brought around the village, offering the meat to the eatery tents. He sold the meat for fairly cheap and it went quick. The fresh meat of a Dunebeast went great with beer and with night settling in soon, there would be plenty of hungry mouths to eat it up. By the time Jake returned to clean up his area, the sun was setting beneath the village walls.

Chul remained patient in the pack, watching over everything as Jake made his rounds. Jake pulled out a small bag of salt he’d purchased from his pack and sprinkled it onto the strips of dried meat, salting them to both preserve them and give them flavor. He then took out a small bottle and a fine-haired brush. The bottle had a juicy liquid inside of it, one that was comprised of sweet sauce and some spices. He slathered the meat with the sauce, smearing the strips with a thin glaze. As the meat set and soaked in the glaze and the salt, Jake packed everything away and then picked up his two tied-up portions of meat.

He went to his Auntie’s tent first. She wasn’t inside, as she was still working, so he quietly dropped off her portion of meat beside the kitchen area. She would know what it was without him having to tell her. He then left and continued down the row of tents until he found a familiar-looking tent flap. Elana was stepping out as he approached, which was convenient. He handed her the meat and then politely excused himself. Elana tried to lure him inside but the boy was quick to step off, using the hanging jerky as an excuse. Her mother was far more persuasive. If he’d taken just one step inside of that tent, there was no chance he’d get away from it.

The jerky was ready to be packed when Jake returned and he pulled out a lightly salted sack from his pack. The salt would continue to flavor the jerky and would also act as a preservative, keeping the jerky fresh for several days. Overnight, the jerky would finish absorbing the flavor of the sauce and the salt. A tasty treat he would get to enjoy for several days after. It would also act as a sort of timer. Once he ran out of meat, Jake would go out to hunt another Dunebeast to replenish his stock.

Jake didn’t mention the invitation to Elana’s tent when his Auntie finally returned. He remained silent, instead electing to spend time alone with his Auntie. He spoke of his travel during the day, how he’d found the Dunebeast, and spoke a little about his fight with it. While she didn’t seem too enthusiastic about listening, she remained quiet and prepared dinner- something Jake was slowly learning to help with. He wasn’t great at the cooking part but he could at least prepare vegetables now.

The time he could spend with his Auntie was limited now. With his ability to venture off into the world coming quicker than expected, Jake wanted to share as much time with his Auntie as he could. Though her rearing of him wasn’t exactly the greatest nor did he agree with everything she said or did- he loved her dearly. She was his only family in the world that he knew of, as he’d long come to the conclusion that he would never see his father again. So he lived with the understanding that she was all he had. Though he had cousins, all of them had long left the village. Whether it was to find work elsewhere or marriage, they had left their mother all alone with the ruffian of a cousin.

She cared for him and did her best to raise him, even though she was not his mother. He would never take that away from her.

“Auntie?” Jake peered over at her, watching as she prepared the Dunebeast meat with a nimble knife. She sliced the meat into thick, juicy slabs and lay them on top of a hot plate. The meat began to sizzle and cook, the fire beneath the plate cooking them through.

“Yes, child.” She didn’t look away from her preparations nor did she stop, multitasking as she always did.

“When I leave, what will you do?” At his question, his Auntie’s lips twisted tightly together. She took in a long breath, held it, and exhaled deeply.

“I’ll continue with my life, just like when my children grew up and left.” She paused for a moment. “It will be a little lonely, but I will manage. Elana keeps me company and so does Leyte when she isn’t doing chores or studying.”

Leyte was Elana’s younger sister and she was expected to grow to be a strong Magi. Her Water affinity was quite high.

“I see.” Jake smiled a bit. He was happy for such an answer. The tent would be quiet without him, he knew that. He knew she wouldn’t have someone around to help her when she needed it but it was good to hear that she wouldn’t be entirely alone. Elana was very good at stopping by often, even when she was on duty, to check-in. If Jake were to be away, then he could at least be confident in knowing that someone would be here for his Auntie at least.

“It is my job to worry, child. Not yours.” She smiled softly as she glanced over at him. Jake shrugged and grinned.

“I know, Auntie. I just don’t want you to be entirely alone, you know?” When she motioned for the vegetables, Jake was quick to pass her the bowl.

“You speak as if I am an elder already. Mind your tongue before I add it to the plate here.” She snipped. Jake pulled away and took that as a sign to find somewhere else to stand. He grabbed two plates, and some cutlery, and began to set the table. “Thank you for asking, Jake.”

Jake smiled and sat down. He waited patiently for her to finish cooking and then helped her bring the food to the table. As they ate, Jake assumed the role of the listener as his Auntie took her turn to speak about her day. Much like Elana, she ranted quite excitedly about some of the fools she encountered at the tent. She even nipped at a few of the younger girls she was trying to teach. It seemed the new generation didn’t quite have a good handle on cooking.

When they finished eating, Jake took it upon himself to collect the dishes. His Auntie remained at the table, sipping on tea as Jake cleaned up the kitchen for her.

“I will worry, child.” She finally called out, causing Jake to stop. He glanced over his shoulder to see her staring down at her teacup. “I will most certainly worry… but you are your mother’s son. You are a bit wild, a bit stupid sometimes, and you have quite the attitude. But you’ve never once steered away from your dream.”

She took a sip from her cup and Jake continued to clean as he listened. “I see it in your face. On your hands. I can smell it on you. Your effort is clear. From the long hours you spend away, I know you are doing your best. I do not know how hard it must be, as I am not a Magi, but I know you are trying.”

“Just make sure to come home now and then, okay, Lyaha?” Her voice shook a little.

“Yes, Auntie.” He said softly.

“Good. I expect souvenirs.” She let out a soft chuckle and Jake found his lips curling into a wide smile.

“...Yes, Auntie.” He rumbled.

Jake’s Auntie went to bed first, leaving Jake to clean the table. He waited in the living area for quite some time, sitting in silence and listening quietly to the sound of his Auntie sleeping soundly. The peace of the night was something he rarely got to experience and with the rush of the day, he found it oddly settling. Without the noise of people, without the harsh rays of the sun, and without the rush of having to train, Jake found sitting alone by himself to be almost therapeutic.

With his Auntie asleep, Chul emerged from the shadows of the tent and crept up to the side of the table. “Something on your mind?”

Jake shook his head a bit, but then he looked down at the table, over towards the Kitchen, and then towards the sleeping area. “Did you ever feel… anxious when you left your mother’s den, Chul?” Jake could feel the sensation creeping up on him whenever he thought about leaving the village. Anxiety and fear.

“In the moment, I only thought of my sisters and of running. In the aftermath, however, I was very scared. The world is a dangerous place for us Arachkin and with no one to help or guide us, it was a terrifying moment in my life.” Chul spoke softly, a bit timidly, as he recalled that night he had been forced to flee from the gang of Adventurers. Jake always felt a bit bad for making his friend remember that night.

“Do you think your sisters are still out there, somewhere?” Jake asked. While he was a bit scared to do so, Chul only chuckled.

“If I could survive, so could they. I am uncertain of how many are still alive but I doubt they are all dead.” He paused. “Rey’ra, my youngest sibling, passed through the Ravine many years ago in search of a place for her new brood. She was surprised to see me more than I her.”

Jake blinked a few times, staring down at Chul as the Arachkin’s fangs lightly tapped together. The Arachkin was thinking again. “Did she forgive you?”

Chul looked up at him. “...When she first saw me, she gave me quite the earful, but…” His voice quieted and he turned away. Jake could see him curl up a bit. “She was grateful to see me and she too tried to free me from the Ravine, as you did. When she could not, I shooed her along. Her brood was soon for the world and I would not let her waste her time on her failure of a brother. She was against leaving me, wanting to stay with family, but the Ravine was not suited for a brood. She continued and I remained behind.”

“...That was nearly a hundred years ago.”

“A hundred years?” Jake choked at the number. Chul let out a deep laugh, his fangs rattling. “You are an old man!”

“Quiet, you! I am experienced. Not old!”

“Old!” “Seasoned!” “Yea, a seasoned soon-to-be-corpse!”

“I’ll have you know, Arachkin can live for a thousand years!”

Jake sighed. “I’d call you a liar but you’re probably too stubborn to die. I bet you’ll live beyond that.”

“No, it is quite the opposite.” Chul let out another soft chuckle as he adjusted his footing. “I have lived a terrible life. My body is tired and aged. My mana core isn’t as strong as it once was, and I can feel it. I will likely live for another hundred years at most.”

“As long as you live long enough to see me become a great mage, I’ll live long enough to bury you.” Jake taunted the Arachkin, jabbing at him with a sharp tongue. Chul’s eyes widened as he stifled a laugh.

“Hah! You fragile humans barely live to see sixty! It will be your offspring which will bury me, brat.”

“We’ll see.” Jake grinned.

“Aye, we will.” Chul rumbled.

The silence returned for a little, then Jake reached out and nudged his friend. “Would you like to go visit your sister? She might still be nearby.”

Chul sighed and shook his body. “If she is a Broodmother now, entering her territory will be far too dangerous. While Arachkin offspring move away from the original den, we remain within the vicinity of our Broodmother. Should she need assistance, her original brood will come to her aid. The world is harsh to my kind and we are careful to protect one another. When a sibling has offspring, the brood’s territory expands as those offspring grow.”

“...Why did no one come to your mother’s aid, then?” Once more, another harsh question.

“My mother was the runt of her brood. The fact that she was able to mate at all is a miracle, and her siblings would not waste their lives or their children’s lives on a statistical outlier like my mother.” Chul’s fangs tapped twice before he sighed. “It is why I decided to never abandon any of my sisters until they were large enough to defend themselves… Funny, as it was I who was abandoned instead.”

Jake watched as Chul almost instinctively began to curl in on himself again. It was a tell of his, one that the Arachkin never would admit. Jake didn’t hesitate to scoop up his friend and placed the Arachkin in his lap. With gentle strokes, he brushed his fingers along the soft fuzz of Chul’s abdomen.

“One day we’ll see them again. I hope they all forgive you like your youngest sister did.”

“...That would…” Chul’s voice softened to a whisper. “...That would certainly be nice.”

Jake stroked Chul’s back in silence until the Arachkin eventually fell to sleep. The steady rise and fall of Chul’s back told him that his friend had calmed and settled to sleep. As he did, Jake decided it was time to also turn in for the evening. He carried Chul carefully to the corner of the tent and raised him into the darkness of it. He gave Chul a light nudge, waking him briefly so the Arachkin could crawl up into the shadows to sleep. Then, Jake went to the tent’s sleeping area to crawl into his bed.

However, as he lay down to sleep, Jake triggered the sigil that would bring him to the Library. A trick he had been taught that would allow his body to sleep while his mind continued to work. It wasn’t quite meditation so the available mana was less than usual but he could still practice his magic to some extent and study. With no one to disturb him in the Overworld, Jake could train without distraction for quite an extended period as well.

“Hello, Mr. Furrow.” One of the fairies was near the entrance of the Library when Jake stepped through it.

“Hello,” he answered. He hadn’t learned all of their names as there were far too many fairies floating around to do that confidently. But, he was picking up on their unique traits; different shapes of their wings, different choices in clothes, color differences, hairstyle differences, and even the areas of the Library Jake could find them in were all different. Each fairy had a category of magic they were good at and they tended to remain around in the area to provide the best assistance to any Magicians that were passing through. Only a few moved between different areas, and those tended to be the fairies with the most real-world experience.

The study room was just how Jake left it, as was the practice room. He had cleaned up the area of books and returned them all to the shelves. He hadn’t studied much recently, focusing entirely on casting and cultivation to better his practical use of magic. However, tonight he would take that next step forward. After fighting several Dunebeasts without much issue and having made his Wind and Water casting more efficient, it was time to take that step into the next field of magic. Or, well, the next element.

Fire Magic was an element that required a high level of mana to utilize as well as high levels of mana control. It was a tricky element and losing control of it was dangerously easy. Mana converted to work with Fire Magic tended to be highly volatile, much like the element itself. The spells were high risk and high impact. They packed a heavy punch but bore a high cost. Fire Magicians were some of the best combat mages in the field, but they were also known to be the least efficient. Most fire magicians could only cast a handful of spells before their mana was spent. More experienced mages would cast smaller spells to increase that spell count, conserving their mana for when they could guarantee a strike with a stronger spell. Or, there were the mages that liked to gamble. Such fire mages would utilize large, flashy, and very powerful spells in hopes to obliterate their targets with one or two deadly spells.

Fire mages were a spicy bunch.

Jake had avoided the element at the recommendation of Yir. She had told him to wait until he was more capable with his mana control and instructed him to strictly focus on the basics before moving forward. Jake had done that and he was very confident in his ability now. His mana pool had expanded further and the lone tail he had was longer, thicker, and denser to compensate for his growth. It was almost time for a second tail, actually, lest the single one grow massive and far too long to deal with.

The mana tubes within his body were thick and strong, capable of containing the power of the mana raging within him. He had removed the small holes in his hands, leaving the mana flow open to make conjuring it forth easier and more efficient. Now that he could control his mana almost naturally, there was no need to forcibly limit the outward flow whenever he needed to cast. Jake could pull out just the right amount necessary and then cut the rest off with ease. With that being the case, he figured he would be fine to dip his toes into fire magic now.

Control and stability. Two big focuses he needed to keep at the front of his mind. Steady feeding of mana. Careful collection of it into the spell. Calm handling as he conjured the result. Smooth activation.

The boy pulled the Novice Spellcasting Guidebook from the shelf and opened its pages to the beginning of the Fire Element text. The spells once more followed the standard of the other two elements- Fire Ball, Fire Wall, and Fire Spear. The ball was meant to assist with basic spellcasting and generation of mana from element to spell. The wall would develop the technique of mana channeling. The spear would assist with mana manipulation. Once perfected, the next level of spells would be open to the mage to step into safely. Well, if paired with proper cultivation and a capable mana pool of course. Jake had both of those.

As Jake began to study, he didn’t skip the initial texts. Though he had already trained with Water and Wind magic, he wouldn’t let himself get complacent. The basic information may have been rather identical to the other two elements but the nuances of Fire Magic were not to be underestimated and he didn’t plan to let himself get cocky.

Unlike Wind and Water magic, Fire magic had a fourth step to it. Wind and Water’s three steps were conversion, variation, and trigger. For Fire, the four steps were conversion, ignition, variation, and trigger. Akin to the element itself, the mana needed to be lit to be utilized for the spell. This ignition portion was where the most danger was present. Spark too much mana or improperly separate the spell mana from the core mana flow, and the mana could explode or backfire and damage the caster’s flow directly. Damage could range from slight burns to catastrophic results.

Thankfully, the Fire ball spell was the easiest spell to practice the ignition stage with, as expected of a basic spell. Its low mana cost and lack of required preparation beforehand meant a mage could spark and cancel the spell with very low risk, expending little mana while focusing on the initial steps. Even if the fire ball were to explode or backfire, the damage would be negligible to feeble magicians. While Jake wasn’t quite weak, as long as he kept the utilized mana to a minimum he assumed that he would do fine.

Once more following in line with the other two elements, the chapter on the Fire element presented Jake with the Words of Power that would call forth the spells. For Fire, the elemental identifier was “Ignarus”. Igna was derived from the word “Ignite”. The Word would not only cause the mana to convert to the element, but it would also trigger the ignition of said mana.

Taking a deep breath, Jake stepped onto the platform in his practice space and set down the book beside him on the pedestal. He held out his hand, then began to concentrate. He steadied his breathing, stabilized his mana, and waited until his mind had settled. He could feel a bit of anxiety in his core, a bit of fear in his mind, and there was hesitation in his fingers. He continued to breathe and cycled through the brief exercise. Once he had a firm hold of his mana flow, Jake focused on the far end of the room.

“Ignarus-” His mana flow surged, the power flowing out of his palm and into the air as his skin began to heat up. That heat flashed over his body as a powerful ball of fire flared to life in front of him. The flame kindled brightly, its orange and yellow color glowing just beyond the splits in his fingers. Jake felt his mana continue to trickle out towards the flame, coiling within his palm as the spell awaited the next variable to be spoken. He took in another breath, then finished the spell.

However, unlike with his initial Wind and Water balls, Jake was ready to put extra into the last word. As he triggered the spell, Jake dumped enough to propel the ball away from him. He didn’t quite care where it went so long as it didn’t drop to his feet.

“Tyr!” His muscles tensed and his mana flow vibrated in his arm as the spell devoured a chunk of the mana he had gathered for fuel. With a pop, the flame swirled into a dense ball before rocketing forwards. It twirled in the air, twisting wildly before looping and slamming down at an angle towards the floor. It smashed into the bottom of the left wall. The flame spread out, flashing brilliantly as it scorched the surface of the magic barrier.

The mana utilized for the spell had been less than what Jake had expected but the amount it used to be propelled was larger than he had hoped. One Fire ball cost the same as four Wind and three Water when it came to the final trigger. The spell's trigger barely cost him a drop of mana, but maintaining it required a constant feed of mana to keep the fire lit. While it wasn’t much it would require a stable channel connection or he assumed the spell would either die off or destabilize. The latter being far more dangerous.

Taking in a slow breath, Jake collected the same amount of mana and repeated the process. He kept the variables the same, the amount of mana the same, and he aimed in the same direction. As long as he didn’t change or make any sharp deviations to the cast, he doubted he would cause any issues.

“Ignarus…” He muttered. The mana in his hand sparked, heating as it flowed out into the air. It collected into a droplet before sparking to flame, all in the blink of an eye. He fueled the burning inferno, adjusted its shape to a circle, and then triggered the spell to send it on its way. “Tyr!” He shouted once more, the ball ate into the gathered mana in his hand. The ball spiraled off, twirling around before careening into the wall.

Spacing out his spells evenly, Jake repeated the process every ten seconds. Ten seconds gave him enough time to reset his mana, reset his breathing, and prepare for the next cast. He knew he would need to be faster but for now- it was all about familiarity. Slow and steady. One spell after another, ten seconds at a time.

Ten seconds was the best he could do, however. Between the strain and the constant need to cycle his mana, he found it difficult to advance to the next step. There was little way to cut down the recovery time aside from staging the mana within his chest and then pushing it upwards immediately after casting. While he had plenty to spare, the problem was filling the hole the spell left behind.

Jake raised his other hand, coiling mana into it and he attempted to double-fist his spells. Yet, all that did was split his concentration. Switching between hands required a full mental shift from one side to the other, causing the mana in the other hand to weaken and displace. It felt… awkward, and slow, and he felt even further burdened by the mana expenditure. He was missing something, and he couldn’t quite understand what.

“It’s your affinity with the element.” Jake sought out the fairy, Alba. She was floating around on an upper floor, reading a spellbook containing higher-class Earth magic.

“But, I thought I could use all of the elements?” He was confused. Jake had heard of the term affinity and believed it to be simply the capability to use an element. He had also heard some Magicians having higher affinities but he never really considered what that had meant.

“You may be able to use them all. That does not mean you can use them all equally. You can cast Wind and Water balls, right?” Alba sat down on the edge of her book, folding her legs as she stared down at Jake.

“I can.” Jake extended both hands and conjured up one ball of each element.

“Now tell me. Which one used more mana?”

Jake looked down at his hands and canceled the spells. He then cast them again, this time putting more focus into their creation. The Water Ball cost him more, but not by much. Due to his practice, he found them both to be fairly easy to cast. His mana efficiency with the two spells was quite high. Yet, the cost was still noticeable.

“The Water ball,” Jake muttered, lifting them both up. Alba nodded and pointed at it.

“You have an affinity with both of them, but your connection with Wind magic is higher than your connection with Water magic. Wind spells will be easier for you to learn and cast. No matter how strong of a Water spell you learn, a Wind spell of the same size and class will always be easier for you,” she explained. Jake stared at the Wind and Water balls for a moment, then he cut the mana and dispersed them.

“So… My affinity with Fire magic is too low?”

“Yes. It’s not so low that you can’t use it. You can obviously cast since you’ve practiced already. But you won’t be able to get much better with it.” Alba paused as her lips curled into a smile. “Unless you find a way to mitigate the lack of a bond you have with the element.”

Jake raised his eyebrows. She had his interest. Seeing his expression, her smile stretched even further. She held up three fingers in front of him.

“There are three ways to increase your affinity with an element, so long as you can use it in the first place. The first way is to cultivate near the element in a natural state. The second is to form a bond with a familiar. The third is to utilize sigil magic.” A finger dropped as she listed each option, but then she raised her pinky finger. Jake felt his stomach tighten.

“There is a fourth way, however. One that is very dangerous and is generally only attempted by high-class mages.” Her voice lowered as she spoke, likely to keep the fact that she was sharing the information as secretive as possible.

“And that is?”

“Steal the mana from someone who has the affinity and bond the mana to your own,” she said.

To be honest- he expected something a lot more… sinister.

“That sounds like the easiest choice out of them all. Why is that not a normal thing?” The exchange of mana sounded simple enough. Jake felt like he could do it if he practiced. With him being able to make a mana tail, why wouldn’t he be able to make a tube or something that someone else could bond and connect to?

“Mana is a volatile substance, Jake. It is refined by our bodies and made specifically to meet our body’s needs. It is individually unique to each of us, and our mana sources are only capable of handling our own mana.” Alba slid off the edge of her book, her wings fluttering as she caught herself in the air and began to float. “Outside mana can cause a plethora of problems that could even result in death. An incorrect transfer and your body might react negatively.”

“...Oh.” Suddenly, Jake wasn’t so confident in such an option. If it was that risky, he understood why it wasn’t taught or done regularly. “What about the familiars? Can I bond with a familiar then?”

Alba shook her head. “Unfortunately, we do not keep familiars within the Library due to the dangers of doing so. If you want to do that, you would need to find one in the Overworld, and as far as I am aware- their numbers are very few. So few that they are hunted and sold as either slaves or they are found and protected by Dwarves and Elves. For a human to find one will be difficult. Especially as you are now.”

Jake sighed and his shoulders slumped. “Sounds to me like I need to cultivate some more then, or learn that sigil magic. What is sigil magic anyways?”

“Sigil magic?” Alba raised an eyebrow before pointing down toward the entrance of the Library. “Sigil magic is like the thing you step on whenever you want to leave, or the rune you think of when you want to come here. It’s the use of magic circles and written Words of Power to cast spells.”

“Should I learn those, then?” Jake scratched at the back of his head, a bit unwilling to go down such a tedious route. Learning magic already was hard enough. Learning specific circles and words was going to be even more difficult. Right now, he wanted the quickest and smoothest route forward. The route that would get him Adventuring as soon as possible. He certainly wanted to be safe, but he didn’t want to wait forever to leave either.

“You can. We of course have several books on Sigil Magic.” Alba jerked a finger towards the books over her shoulder and her smile remained broad.

“Sigil Magic is not for a novice, Alba.” A familiar fairy appeared from between the shelves. A purple-hued fairy with a very studious look about her. Fena.

Alba jolted a bit when she heard the other’s voice. “It will be good for him to learn it, though!”

“It sounds to me like you are being impatient, the both of you.” Fena planted her hands firmly on her waist as she stared down at them both. Jake frowned and prepared himself to be scolded. “Sigil Magic is a higher level of magic. It takes quite a bit of patience to learn and any errors in the creation of the marking can cause potentially dangerous side effects. Can you even write?”

“N-No…” Jake could read and he could copy some of the letters, but he wasn’t quite capable of fully writing yet. He struggled with certain more complex shapes and his scribbles looked terrible.

“Exactly.” Fena glared at Alba. “And you wanted to teach him Sigil Magic. How about you teach him how to properly write first?”

Alba groaned and rolled her eyes. “Come on, Fena. I was going to supervise him.”

“Supervision from you is as good as a Radicol watching over an Ewa.” Fena spat, which immediately irritated Alba.

“Oh? And you think you could do better?” Alba hissed. Fena scoffed and pushed out her chest.

“I, in fact, would be more suited than a fire bumpkin like yourself.”

“It sounds more like you think your magic is better than mine. Would you like to test those thoughts?” Alba’s eyes narrowed as she held out her hands. Her nails sparked, flames emerging at the tips of them as her hands began to burn. Even her wings glittered with fire as her mana pulsed excitedly.

“Fighting you would be a waste of mana.” Fena rolled her eyes. “Put your magic away you single-minded barbarian.”

Alba’s eyes glistened as she seemed on the edge of snapping. Jake took a few steps away, creating some distance between himself and the two fairies just in case they started slinging spells at each other.

“Enough, you two.” Just as Alba opened her mouth to retort, Yir emerged from the floors above. A few other Fairies had emerged from the shelves to see what the ruckus was, but the scene was quickly calmed with the appearance of the Head Librarian. Alba lost the spark to her fire and Fena turned away with a huff. “No fighting in the Library or I’ll send you both to the Ferryman.”

“Yes, Miss Yir.” Both fairies responded in unison, but they still glared at one another from the corners of their eyes. Yir let out a sigh.

“What is the problem?” She asked, curious as to what sort of situation had caused the disagreement.

“Alba wishes to teach Mr. Furrow Sigil Magic.” Fena snitched. Alba grumbled.

“It’ll be good for him. His affinity for Fire magic is too low for him to use the element. Sigil Magic would make up for that loss.”

“Sigil Magic is too dangerous for his current level.”

“I will supervise him.”

“He can barely write!”

“Enough.” Yir silenced them both as she pinched the bridge of her nose. “Jake.”

Jake stiffened when he heard his name. “Yes, Miss Yir.”

“Sigil Magic is currently beyond your level. You will learn it later, understand?” She ordered, finalizing the decision on the matter. Reluctant but not willing to challenge her judgment, he nodded. “Instead, you will cultivate…”Jake groaned, thinking she had finished speaking. When she glared at him, he apologized and bowed his head.

“...We’re going to have you cultivate in a familiar location.”

There was only one location that came to mind and Jake felt his blood run cold as he thought about returning to it so early on.