It took Kon a moment to prepare a spell and be ready to open a portal.

Apparently, the mana that was still in my hand was more than enough to get a link needed to open a portal.

The question was, to where?

That was about to be answered, because a moment later, a familiar glow appeared and a circular doorway opened right in front of me, placed on a tree we were nearby.

I gazed inside, but as expected, I couldn’t see shit.

-Go back as soon as you think something’s wrong - said Il. - Be careful.

-I’ll be. Wish me luck.

And I walked through the portal.

It didn’t even take me a second to understand where I landed, so, as promised, I walked back and joined my group again.

-Already?! Where did you land? - asked For, not hiding surprise.

-Is it safe? - Kon was more interested in a practical answer.

-Well… I am not sure why I landed there, but it’s definitely safe.

-What makes you so sure?

-Come on. It’s probably better than this place.

-Hm…?

-Where’s “there” exactly then?

-Come on.

They looked at each other, but nodded and followed me through.

The other side was as green as the place we left, probably even more than that.

We were standing in a ruined building, the portal being attached to one of the still remaining walls, covered in moss.

The large hole in the building was letting us see the large patch of the forest, surrounded by a weird-looking mountain range, as tall as the eye could see, with walls so steep you’d say that they are completely vertical.

-Where are we…? - asked Kon, looking around. - This seems familiar somehow…

-I feel that, too - agreed For.

-What about you, Il? - I asked.

-I… is that… our…?

-Ah. So you do remember.

-Remember? You know where we are.

-I do. Welcome to MIRE.

Right. I am not sure why, but we landed exactly in the spot where I first arrived, or well, rather where I first woke up after the calamity.

It was almost exactly the same as when I left it before. Devoid of people and overtaken by nature. Kind of pretty, if you ask me.

-MIRE…?

Il couldn’t believe her senses. Even though she knew we were right. It was hard to not recognize our building, even though it was destroyed.

The Origin Crystal was missing, of course, but the spot where it was supposed to be still was recognizable.

Speaking of, something was bothering me.

This place should be completely flooded with magic, but I was not feeling it at all.

I mean, sure, I felt that my surroundings were full of mana, but not to the degree I was expecting: I should be blinded by the leak I knew was there.

And yes, it was definitely still there: right where the crystal used to be, but for some reason it felt like it wasn’t spewing as much mana any more. Was the environment healing? I mean, of course, that was going to happen sooner or later, but for it to be so quick?

I honestly thought that it’d taken hundreds of years, but this…? I was here like what, months ago and the situation wasn’t like that before.

Hm.

-MIRE… - muttered Il.

-Well, we used a bit of an unorthodox method to get here. My first thought was that it was the remnants of the Origin Crystal that called me here, so to speak. The mana from the place was a lot powerful before.

-But it’s not any more, right… - agreed Il, snapping out of her trance. - And if it is really the same place, no wonder that you’d be pulled towards it, be it his magic or yours, both of them are attached to this spot…

-Precisely. Especially me… Ah!

I realized that I still had feeling in my hand.

I tried moving my fingers, but that only made Kon jump.

-What’s up?

-Your hand! It’s…

It was still there.

He realized that he was still holding onto it.

-It did not disappear during the spell…

-Hm… I guess I have too much mana…

True, when I took a better look at it, it definitely was drained a lot more. And I was barely able to move it.

The only reason he jumped was the fact that he was holding it like he was giving me a very weird handshake and felt it squeeze a bit.

-I guess it’s still working… - I muttered, trying to attach it back into the place.

I just used a piece of cloth I still had remaining from before, but the moment I placed it back where it should be, I felt mana flow back to it…

I guess I needed to charge it?

That sounds so stupid…

-Well, anyway… - I continued my earlier train of thought - I thought that it was the crystal or the leak that was pulling me towards this place, but if neither is as bad as I thought, I guess we can assume that the spell worked.

-How are you so sure…?

-I am not - I admitted. - That’s why we need to check this place more thoroughly, and who’s better than you two?

-I mean, you can do it yourself…

-Of course we’ll help - said Il. - But with more of us it’s going to be faster.

-Hm.

-Do you really think she’s there…? - asked me Il when both For and Kon started scouting the surroundings with their enhanced senses.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

-I do hope so. Honestly, I am not sure if it really was not just the remains of the crystal that got us here, but…

-Yeah, I was meaning to ask… are you really not feeling it?

I gazed at her, curious.

-Feel what?

-The pull. Like… something is calling you. Something unpleasant that is trying to get to you, you know?

I took a second to think about it.

The only thing I could feel was the presence of her, and the rest of the group. Sure, her was a lot stronger, maybe because I was closest to her and we were not so long ago connected in more than one way, but… a pull?

I was feeling something alright, but it wasn’t really like what she was describing.

-You know, it’s quite the opposite to me - I said after a moment. - It’s not strong, but it’s there and not unpleasant, more like… I don’t know, nostalgic?

-Nostalgic?

-Like something I’ve been missing is calling to me… I mean, considering the source, I guess it makes sense…

-Source? You can track it?

-I don’t have to track it. The source is right in front of me.

-I…

She hesitated, not sure what to reply.

-I am sorry… - she finally said.

-There’s nothing to be sorry about - I simply said. - To be honest, I should be the one apologizing. If not for my stubbornness, we wouldn’t be in this situation today.

-Same goes for me. If I was a bit more patient… then…

-Patient? Ha, maybe. But you were always a bit of a hot-head. Besides, it doesn’t matter any more. We have to find Il. And maybe even Mike.

-About him…

-Oh, stop it. I mean, sure, I was hurt, more than a bit, but that’s what I deserved after abandoning you two like that. He was more of a man and to be honest, I am thankful that he made you happy… Something that I failed to do…

-I didn’t… you did not…

-I know.

I sighed heavily.

-I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t angry. But what’s past is past.

The next question was something I didn’t think I would hear.

-If we find him… what do you want to do?

-I… what do you mean?

-Do you still want to play that game?

-I… eh…

-There’s no point any more. Honestly, there wasn’t a point even earlier, but this time… we have an opportunity to start again.

-I don’t want to think about it just yet. First we have to find them first. And make sure that all of them are alright.

-ALL of them?

-Yes. All.

But, despite saying that, I was not sure myself.

And which one did she mean by that?

All of them?

Was she not sure if we should try and save ILMA?

Or was she not sure if we should save Mike?

Or something completely else?

That was a question.

-You done talking yet? - asked For from the other side of the ruined building.

She was already below us, on the ground floor, looking through the bushes nearby.

-For! Let them talk…!

It was Kon. Sure enough, both of them were keeping tabs on us.

No wonder.

-I keep forgetting that you two are connected to me… - I sighed.

-Not only to you. To both of you - she pointed out. - If you are done, come on down, I think we found something.

-Hm?

-Shall we? - asked Il.

I nodded, and we both walked down, finding our way through the ruined stairways of the MIRE.

-I thought that you’re just going to jump - said For as we emerged outside the building. - It would’ve been faster…

-Ah…

Right. With my body it definitely would be the fastest way, not like I’d be damaged or anything.

-It was a bit of a nostalgia trip - said Il. - It brings back memories.

-Mhm…

-Anyway, why did you call us? You two found something?

-Right. I mean, you were right, this place is absolutely full of mana…

-No wonder, that was kind of the point. Even when everything was still contained, the area was supposed to have a healthy amount of mana…

-Well, now “healthy” is an understatement. It’s like…

-Like the leyline was ruptured? - I interrupted her. - Yeah, I know. But still, it’s gotten a bit more tame now, for whatever reason.

-Hm… yeah, speaking of. We were looking through the place, and it’s hard to see, really…

-Even for you two?

-Yeah - chimed in Kon. - I mean, I still can recognize what’s where, but it’s like looking at a very bright light.

-Sounds familiar…

-I mean, not like you explained - he added immediately. - From what you said back then it was blinding, but now it’s just a bit annoying.

-Well, that’s strange, because now I can’t see it at all.

-What?!

-Sure, before I was not able to see anything at all, but now it’s just like a regular place for me - I explained. - Sure, if I pay attention, I can tell it’s infused, but it’s not even remotely close to what you two are describing right now.

-Uh… weird.

-Il, how about you?

-Well, I think I see the same thing as you - she replied after a moment of hesitation. - But that’s unusual…

-I wonder… maybe I just got used to the power…? - I said, absentmindedly. - I have been relying on magical sight for a while now, maybe I built up the tolerance…?

-I mean, you can take a look via my own senses, right? - proposed Kon. - We can compare it like that maybe?

-Good thinking.

I quickly focused on him and tried joining him as I used to.

This time it was even faster than usual. Maybe because he was right next to me, or maybe I was getting proficient in that.

First thing that I took notice of was the fact that right in front of me, or rather him now, were two shining beacons of light that were hard to miss and were suppressing almost everything I was able to see.

-Holy shit, am I shining so much?! - I said, not hiding the surprise.

-Shining…? - he asked, confused. - I mean… I saw the light but that’s… wait. That was you?!

-What are you talking about?

-It was him? Let me look… - said For, stunned, and moment later reeled backwards, covering her eyes.

-AAH!

-Are you okay?!

-I will be fine… - she said from the ground, rubbing her eyes from what I assumed was pain and shock. - Damn.

The moment she fell on the ground I detached my sight from Kon and instead inspected myself with my own senses.

Sure, I was full of mana, but to my knowledge I was not some shining beacon of light, at least not in my eyes.

Same with Il. She was full of power, but it wasn’t unbearable nor really sticking out to me at least.

And yet, in their eyes, the two of us were hard to look at.

-So does that mean that the aura you thought was this place’s was just the two of us? - asked Il, concerned. - How…?

-I mean… I knew it was coming from the spot where we landed - admitted For - but never thought that that would be you.

-Wasn’t that the place where you landed? And where the leyline was supposed to be broken…? - asked Kon.

-Yes… but now it’s mostly mended itself. And wow…

-I guess looking for anything useful here will be harder than we thought - said Il. - If there’s anything here, we are not going to find it while shining like that…

-I just don’t get it how the two of you seem to be not influenced at all - said For. - Especially when the two of you are constantly together.

-I assume that it has something to do with us not actually using real, physical eyes to see - I replied.

-And that’s different from before, because…?

-Beats me - I admitted. - I already stopped trying to understand everything about the crystal and learned to just accept it and move on.

-Damn.

-What’s important though is the fact that now we have a problem, more than before that is - said Il. - We landed in supposedly a location where she was, that is if the portal actually worked, but we don’t have a way to find her.

-I mean, we have, you just have to get away from us and it should be fine…?

-Really? That simple?

-I mean, do you have any other ideas? Besides, it worked before. You weren’t interfering when we were looking through the capital, right?

-I mean… I guess…?

-So what, you just want us to take a walk instead of helping you? - I said, chuckling.

-Like you were much help before.

-I didn’t even start to. But sure, if you want.

-Mor, don’t you… - started Il, but I interrupted her.

-It’s fine. They will do just fine. Besides, I am going to scan the area myself.

-And what, you can’t tell the difference between…

-I can’t tell the difference between people, sure, but I think I can recognize my own mana. If it’s nearby. And even if I cannot, I can point us in a direction at least. I do have a better range than you.

-Supposedly. Okay, let’s do it.