WIEDERGEBURT Chapter 45

Feinrea was sitting in the stands after the victor was announced. Eryk was currently not on the arena floor because the arena needed to be repaired. Part of the wall was dented and appeared on the verge of collapse, the ground was split wide open from where Torgny had used his giant fire python technique, and there was also a several meter wide crater.

As she sat there, she listened to the elders of the Valstine Family as they spoke about what they had just witnessed.

“That boy is incredibly powerful.”

“It is no wonder Lord Valstine tried to arrange a marriage between him and Lady Fay.”

“It’s too bad the marriage didn’t work out.”

“I heard it fell through because Eryk Veiger is in love with Princess Kari.”

“Ah, that would explain it. Even though Lady Fay is beautiful and strong, she would still be no match for the Princess.”

Feinrea had heard about Eryk’s romance with Princess Kari as well, though she hadn’t paid much attention. For her, Eryk Veiger was just the benefactor who helped her Alchemist Association reclaim its former glory. She didn’t much care who he romanced—or rather, she shouldn’t.

A large shadow appeared above her. Feinrea looked up to see Stelys Valstine walking to his seat with Fay in tow. She looked at the young girl who appeared so downtrodden it was heartbreaking. While Feinrea was not well-versed in romance and courting rituals, she was at least intelligent enough to guess as to why this seemingly determined girl possessed such a depressing disposition.

“Is everything okay?” Feinrea asked as Stelys sat next to her and Fay sat on his other side.

“Everything is fine,” Stelys said.

Seeing how he didn’t seem willing to broach the subject of what happened, Feinrea dropped it and turned back to the arena. The damage had been repaired by the earth affinity Spiritualists. That meant the closing ceremony was about to begin.

“I missed the last two rounds,” Stelys said after some time had passed. “What happened?”

“Eryk Veiger won,” Feinrea said simply. “He fought against Torgny Leucht and defeated him with relative ease. I’m honestly a little astounded by how powerful he is.”

Hearing Eryk’s name caused Fay to twitch. Stelys sighed when he saw this and turned to Feinrea.

“I imagine you have won a lot of money at the betting counter,” he said.

Feinrea’s response to his words was to give him a candid a smile.

***

After the wall and floor had been repaired, I was asked to return to the arena floor. Dante, who had decided to keep me company, came with me.

When I got outside, I was greeted by not just Rainer and Valence, but by Kari’s entire family. Empress Hilda stood at the front of this procession, decked out in a battle dress that had a large gap running down the center of her chest. I recognized the material being used in the shimmering dress. It was a type of silk called Steel Silk, and it was tougher than armor made from regular steel. The dress was a dark blue bordering on black, but there were gold accents to compliment her honey-colored hair. She looked a lot like the Kari as an adult back in my previous time. I’d say the only difference were their eyes. Hers were narrowed and seductive. Kari’s had always retained a hint of wide-eyed innocence.

As I was directed to stand before the group, Dante took his place behind Empress Hilda. He stood next to Rainer. Valence was on Rainer’s other side. Behind them were their four children: Earland, Mikkel, Geirfolf, and Kari.

I glanced at Empress Hilda. She smiled at me.

“Nevaria honors the strong,” she began, and her words quieted the cheering crowd. She spoke with a soft but powerful voice that reverberated across the Colosseum. “The Grand Spiritualist Tournament is a time-honored competition that has been around since Nevaria’s founding. Those who emerge victorious from his grand tournament are given the highest accolades. As the winner of this year’s tournament, you have earned the right to make a request of me. Should it be within my power to grant, I will not hesitate to do so.”

“And I can request anything I want?” I asked for clarification.

“So long as it is not an impossible request,” Empress Hilda confirmed. “You can ask for fame, fortune, a noble title… there are many rewards I can give you.”

I nodded, but I didn’t say anything at first. While the audience watching the proceedings from the seats above me waited on baited breath, my eyes locked with Kari standing next to Geirolf. She stared at me with those bright, innocent blue eyes, which were far too pure. These were the eyes she had before everything went to shit in my previous life. I wanted to protect that innocence of hers. However… there was something I wanted even more.

“I only have one request.” I nodded and looked back at Empress Hilda.

The empress smiled at me. “Name it.”

“Give Kari her freedom,” I said bluntly. “Let her explore the world outside of Nevaria. Stop keeping her locked away inside this city. Allow her to go on on adventures, explore ruins, and make discoveries she’d never be able to by remaining here.”

I spoke loudly and clearly, making sure there was no way for Empress Hilda to not hear me. Everyone else probably heard me as well, but I was focused solely on the woman before me. The empress was blinking her sky blue eyes like she couldn’t understand my request.

“I’m sorry,” she said at last. “That is indeed something I can do… but perhaps you would like to make another request? One that would benefit yourself, perchance?”

Her words caused me to frown for a moment, wondering if perhaps she was trying to make me change my request to avoid letting Kari travel outside of Nevaria. I didn’t know much about Empress Hilda. I only knew what Kari told me, that she had been a stern but loving mother who refused to let her explore the Demon Beast Mountain Range due to how dangerous it was.

“I don’t know what you are talking about. This request of mine obviously benefits me more than anyone else.” I smiled when I saw how confused Empress Hilda appeared. “Do you think Kari will be exploring the outside world by herself? Obviously not. My intention is to travel alongside her. This means that she and I will go on adventures together. In my mind, there is no greater experience than being able to travel the world with the woman I love.”

Empress Hilda’s eyes went so wide I was afraid they would fall out of her head. I wondered what part of my speech surprised her. Was it my confession? My desire to travel beside Kari? The fact that this was my only request? Or did she think my request was too much? After several seconds of the Empress of Nevaria just staring at me with a blank expression, her face suddenly relaxed.

And then she smiled.

“I think I am finally beginning to understand,” she said at last, though I had no idea what she was “beginning to understand”. “Very well. If that is your request, it is something within my power to accomplish, especially if you are intending to travel with her. That said, I do not believe this is enough. Most people request a noble title, status, or land. Since you have requested something simple to accomplish, I would like it if you could join my family and I at my residence for dinner. There are many things I would like to discuss with you as well, so this will be a good opportunity for me.”

I hesitated the moment she said “join my family and I for dinner”. It wasn’t because I didn’t want to. I did. But when I thought about dinner, the image of a Lamia girl with dark skin living at my house popped into my head. I didn’t doubt that Lin was hungry, lonely, and waiting impatiently for my return.

However, I also sensed an opportunity. The Empress had said my request was too small, so perhaps during dinner tonight, I could tell them about Lin and request that she be given citizenship. There was also the fact that I still needed to discuss how to resolve my current problems regarding Fay with Kari. She said she had an idea to fix what happened, but she didn’t want to discuss it here.

“I would be more than happy to join you and your family for dinner,” I said, bowing slightly at the waist.

“Excellent.” Empress Hilda clapped her hands together. “In that case, I officially announce that the Grand Spiritualist Tournament has come to a close. Everyone, let us give a round of applause for our victor and those who bravely fought and showed off their talent this day.”

The crowd erupted into applause and cheers, the sound loud enough that I felt I would go deaf. It was too bad I didn’t have a wind affinity. If I did, then I could have created a vacuum around myself, which would have blocked out this atrocious screaming.

As I lamented my dual-elemental affinity, Kari and I locked eyes and shared a smile.

***

After the tournament ended, everyone filed out of the Colosseum. I was given the VIP treatment as an honor guard escorted me outside along with the entire Astralia Royal Family. There were a lot of people who stopped and stared at our group as we were escorted to a white carriage with golden metal designs and glass windows. I guessed that explained why they needed an honor guard. The family would probably be mobbed with well-wishers and fans otherwise. Of course, there was also the chance that an assassin might be hidden amongst the populace.

While Empress Hilda was the first one to climb into the carriage, Kari and I were second. I proceeded Kari, but after getting inside, I turned around and offered the girl my hand. She took it with a smile. I ignored the scowl of her brother, the youngest-looking one among the three, as I pulled her up. I noticed as I sat down that Empress Hilda was observing my actions with a smile of her own.

The interior of the carriage was posh, but it had nothing on Erica’s carriage. The padded seats were comfortable and covered in royal purple fabric. I sat on one side of the carriage near a window, while Kari sat right beside me and her three brothers squeezed in. Empress Hilda also sat near the window. Her three husbands sat on her side with Valence sitting the closest to her. I wondered if that denoted some kind of hierarchy among her husbands.

An awkward silence fell over the carriage. To be honest, I didn’t know what I should say. I’d met with numerous powerful individuals in my life, but this was my first time meeting with Kari’s family. I was afraid that if I said something, it would probably come out sounding incredibly stupid.

“I was very impressed with your battles,” Empress Hilda said suddenly.

“Oh. Thank you very much,” I replied.

“Do you mind if I ask about your strange Spiritual Techniques?” she inquired further. “They were very unusual.”

“I assume you mean how I don’t require specific movements to use Spiritual Techniques,” I said, shaking my head. “You can ask, but I don’t know how satisfied you will be with my answer.”

“Oh?” Empress Hilda raised an eyebrow, and even her three husbands suddenly leaned forward.

“I honestly don’t know much about my own abilities myself.” I raised my hand and stared at it, clenching and unclenching it several times. My fingers were fairly long and thin. Kari had called them elegant, but I called them girly. “As you know, in order to activate a Spiritual Technique, you need to move your body and limbs in a specific way that lets you channel your Spiritual Power through your body and expel it outward. For example, rotating your hand in a clockwise motion to gather your Spiritual Power into that spot.”

To illustrate my point, I rotated my hand as specified, though I wasn’t using my Spiritual Power so nothing happened.

“When I first learned how to use my Spiritual Power, I discovered that I couldn’t use regular Spiritual Techniques. The movements used to channel and activate Spiritual Techniques do not work for me. After a lot of experimentation, I realized that the reason for this was because I didn’t need the movements. When I use my Spiritual Power, I manipulate the elements directly like a Spiritualist who has reached the Third State of Spiritualism can. However, just how and why I can do this, I have no idea.”

“So not even you know how your powers work?” asked the youngest among Kari’s three brothers. “Lame.”

“Geirolf,” Empress Hilda said with a touch of warning in her voice. However, the one called Geirolf just huffed and looked away.

I sighed and placed my hand back on my leg. I was about to turn back toward the window when something warm, soft, and quite pleasant was laid over my hand. It was another hand. After staring at the delicate-looking hand, I glanced up at Kari, who was blushing even as she smiled. I smiled back.

I also ignored Geirolf making gagging noises.

The carriage jumped a little, and I realized that we were ascending something. I glanced out the window, but all I could see were trees. It wasn’t until I turned my head to look out the other side that I saw Nevaria growing slightly smaller. That was when I realized the carriage was climbing up the mountain upon which the Imperial Royal Palace sat.

“When we arrive home, I will allow you some time to get refreshed,” Empress Hilda said to me. “You must be fairly exhausted from having fought so much.”

I wouldn’t say I was tired. The battles I’d fought during the tournament had not been difficult, but I did feel a little gross. Fighting several battles for who knew how many hours would make anyone feel grimy.

“Thank you,” I said.

Empress Hilda waved her hand. “It is no trouble at all.”

We soon reached a large gate, which was opened by a pair of guards, allowing us to pass through. Our carriage entered what appeared to be a sprawling series of buildings. Each building was beautifully designed with white stones and featured numerous impressive columns surrounding them. All of it was surrounded by a lush garden composed of trees with different colored leaves, a myriad of flowers, verdant green grass, and a couple of ponds. Small stones marked the paths people could walk to reach each building.

The carriage soon came to a stop. The door on the side furthest from me opened, allowing everyone to disembark. As I stepped outside behind Kari, I got my first look at the Imperial Royal Palace.

Even though I had seen bigger buildings, when compared to the other buildings found in Nevaria, the Imperial Royal Palace was absolutely massive. It was at least five stories high, seemed to span a few thousand meters in length, and featured an impressive array of flying buttresses and columns to decorate the outside. It was marked by an elevated platform and a large double door in the front.

“Come,” Empress Hilda said with a gesture of her hand.

I walked with Kari as we were led into the palace. A pair of guards dressed in golden armor opened the doors, revealing a large entrance hall with marble floors and sparse decorations. It seemed while the outside looked ostentatious, the inside was more modest.

More impressive than the actual house were the several butlers and maids who stood lined up on either side of a red rug that extended to the double staircase at the end of the entrance hall. The butlers bowed and the maids curtsied.

“Welcome home, Your Grace,” they all said.

Empress Hilda smiled. “Garret, will you please have someone show Eryk Veiger here to the baths? I would like to let him freshen up before dinner.”

A butler standing at the head of this procession bowed low. “Of course, Your Grace.”

The butler, an old man with a handlebar mustache and a widows peak, gestured toward two other butlers and tasked them with showing me to the baths. I glanced at Kari, but she merely gestured for me to follow the butlers. Left with no other option, I allowed the two butlers, who didn’t look much older than myself, to lead me down a series of hallways.

The baths were on the first floor. It consisted of a small room for getting changed and a large room with a single, massive stone tub. A set of steps led into the bath, which was shaped like a rectangle with a half-circle that spanned at least ten or twelve meters. On the opposite side of the entrance was a wall where the face of a griffin was carved into the surface. Water fell from the griffin’s mouth and into the pool, from which steam rose, showing that this was a heated bath.

“We’ll provide you with a set of clean clothes to change into upon finishing,” Garret said.

I could do nothing but nod. “Thank you.”

***

I didn’t spend much time in the bath, though I’ll admit I was tempted. The warm waters were relaxing and eased the tension of my muscles. Yet for however pleasant this was, I did not feel comfortable taking a bath in an unfamiliar location by myself. Perhaps if Kari was present, but… no. Given our current relationship in this life, I did not think that would have been appropriate.

Someday.

The outfit I was provided was simple but comfortable. I slid the black pants on, buttoned up the white collared shirt, and put on the socks and boots that had been provided for me. While the outfit was simple, everything was made from Giant Silkworm silk, so it felt pleasant against my still damp skin.

“I see that you have finished getting dressed,” Garret said after I emerged from the bath. He nodded after taking a look at me. “Please follow me. I shall lead you to the dining hall.”

The man walked off, leaving me with no choice but to follow. I tried to keep track of where we were going, but I got lost after we turned down the sixth hallway. This building seemed to consist of many large hallways, all of which featured the same marble tiles, the same walls, and the same ribbed ceiling. Finally, after taking several more turns, I was led to a door that opened into a large room.

I believed the room seemed larger than it really was because there wasn’t much inside of it. Sitting in the center of the room was a rectangular table. There were six chairs on either side and two at either end, making for a total of 14. Currently, only one chair was occupied.

The chair at the head of the table.

“I see you’ve had a chance to freshen up.” Empress Hilda smiled at me as she gestured to the seat on her left. “How was the bath?”

“It was nice, though I am a little uncomfortable using such a large bath by myself.” I sat down where she indicated.

She nodded. “I imagine it would be discomfiting for someone who has not experienced this kind of opulence.” I smiled but said nothing. “I was hoping to speak with you before the others arrived.”

“What would you like to talk about?” I asked.

“You seem to hold a great deal of affection for Kari,” Empress Hilda began, her words possessing a slow clarity that made me sit straighter. “Judging from your request at the end, I can only assume that the entire reason you entered the Spiritualist Grand Tournament was for her sake. I wish to know what caused you to obtain such intense feelings for her?”

“Is that a trick question?” I asked, shaking my head. My shoulders relaxed. “There was no real cause. Love isn’t something that happens for a reason. If I had to give one, then I would have to say that I love Kari specifically because she is Kari.”

“You love Kari because she is Kari, is it?” Empress Hilda pondered this for a moment before giggling. “I see. What an interesting answer.”

I was not sure what she found so amusing about my answer, but I didn’t get a chance to ask about her response because Kari walked in at that moment.

She was dressed in a simple purple gown that went down to her ankles. The fabric shifted across her body, allowing me to see the silhouette of her figure. Her hair was let down. It descended to the middle of her back before stopping. As she walked in, she looked at me with a smile that caused my pulse to race.

Empress Hilda giggled again.

“I see you’ve changed outfits,” she said as Kari sat next to me. “Are you hoping to impress someone?”

“That… not really,” Kari muttered, her cheeks and ears slightly red.

“You look beautiful,” I said. “That dress suits you.”

The hue of Kari’s cheeks and ears darkened. “T-thank you.”

One by one, the members of the Astralia Royal Family entered the dining room. Once everyone had appeared, a maid and a butler duo walked in through another door, pushing a tray. Several small plates sat on the tray, and each one contained food I recognized but hadn’t eaten in… ugh… how long had it been? Two… three decades maybe?

“Dinner tonight is finely chopped lamb mixed with fresh onions, salt, herbs, honey to taste, and red wine,” the butler announced as the maid set the plates of food in front of everyone. She then filled our wine glasses with a rich red wine that had a faintly fruity aroma.

I wouldn’t say dinner was a lively affair, but I wouldn’t say it was dull either. I was asked many questions, from ones regarding specific Spiritual Techniques to ones about my current living arrangements. Some of the questions were more invasive than others, like when Geirolf asked me if I’d ever “fucked” someone before. Except for that last question, I answered all the ones I could to the best of my abilities.

“I’m impressed that someone your age was able to become so powerful,” Rainer said as I finished describing some of my training methods. “But it sounds like you are a harsh taskmaster on yourself.”

I shrugged. “I had a lot of motivation to get stronger. I think anyone can obtain strength if they’re motivated enough.”

“Maybe, but it isn’t always easy,” Dante said before chuckling. “Then again, I’m kind of lazy when it comes to training myself. I’d rather stay in bed if I could.”

“That is not something the vice-commander of the Nevarian Spiritualists should say.” Valence sent Dante a stern frown, causing the younger man to raise his hands in surrender.

“I feel like our sons could learn a thing or two from you,” Rainer added.

“Wha—how could you say that, Father?” Geirolf asked, sounding like he’d just received a grave insult. “I am plenty motivated! I train everyday! There’s no way this simpleton is stronger than me!”

“I suggest you watch your tongue,” Valence stopped arguing with Dante to say. “Eryk Veiger is our guest. Insulting him as you just did is going to make our family look like unsophisticated cretins. Do you want that?”

Geirolf’s shoulders slumped. “No…”

Among the people I felt the strongest affinity toward, I believed Dante and Earland were the two I liked best. Earland was quiet. He didn’t speak much, but he did mention that he wanted to spar with me to see how far along he had come as a Spiritualist. His quiet demeanor was a pleasant contrast to Geirolf. Dante was just so laid back and easygoing that it was hard not to get along with him. He smiled and frequently cracked jokes, making him seem like something of a jester, though his attitude did go a long way toward easing the awkwardness I felt.

Dinner eventually came to an end. Empress Hilda said I was free to stay the night, though I declined the offer. I was worried about Lin… which reminded me that I had totally forgotten to mention her during dinner. Everyone had been so busy asking me questions that I didn’t have the chance.

At the moment, though, I had been led away from everyone else by Kari. She pulled me along by the hand, her bare feet padding across the marble tiles. I found myself being pulled into a room. Spacious but not ostentatious, the room had very little in the way of decorations. Bookshelves lined most of the walls. There was a door leading into a closet and another that led to what I guessed was a personal bathing room. Meanwhile, a large bed with a canopy sat in the center of the room while a desk was stationed in the far corner to my left.

“This is my room,” Kari said, only blushing a bit. “I thought it would be better for us to talk in private here.”

I nodded as she closed the door and walked further into the room. A few candles situated on the walls illuminated her figure, making me wish I could just stand there and admire her. No matter how many times I looked at her, she always took my breath away.

“Eryk.” Kari suddenly turned around and bit her lip. “About Fay…”

I walked closer and said, “You mentioned that you have a way to help her. I don’t know what your idea is, but I think anything is worth a try. If there is something I can do to help, then you need only to ask me.”

“Thank you.” Kari’s shoulders slumped in relief. “What I have in mind is something only you can do.”

“Just me?” I asked.

Kari nodded, her cheeks turning pink. She looked away from me. I remained silent as she chewed on her lower lip.

“You know that Grant Leucht was trying to marry both Fay and myself. I was to be his Primary Wife, while Fay was going to be his Second Wife.” Kari turned away, presenting her back to me as if she was hiding her embarrassment. However, she had clasped her hands behind her back, and I looked down to see that she was twiddling her fingers. “The idea of marrying Grant Leucht repulsed me. However, I… can’t deny there was some part of me that became happy when I heard Fay might also become his wife with me.”

My head spun. I wasn’t stupid. I understood what she was implying here, and I could scarcely believe what she was suggesting.

“Are you saying… you think I should take Fay as a Second Wife?”

Kari still wasn’t looking at me, but her ears turned pink. “T-that—taking her as a Second Wife isn’t even possible right now, since you don’t even have a Primary Wife. But… let us say that you were to begin courting me, I would not be adverse to the idea of you courting Fay as well. In fact, I would encourage you to also begin courting her.”

I took in a deep breath, trying to contain my shock, but I wasn’t sure how well I did. This was not something that Kari and I had ever spoken of in my past life. Of course I’d seen plenty of polygamous relationships before. However, Kari and I had been so dedicated to each other in my previous life that no one else even had a place in our lives.

Thinking about the Kari from my past life made me realize something. This wasn’t the same Kari. She looked the same, acted the same, sounded the same, and had the same hopes and dreams for the future. However, because she hadn’t gone through what we had in the past, this Kari thought about matters the other one hadn’t. This included matters like whether or not I should court Fay Valstine alongside her.

“Do you think Fay would be happy if I were to court her alongside you?” I asked. To be honest, I didn’t think someone as proud as Fay would be willing to become a Second Wife. She didn’t strike me as the type to enjoy playing the accompanying harp to anyone.

“I do not think she would mind,” Kari said in a soft voice. “The reason she objected to marrying Grant Leucht was the same reason I didn’t want to marry him. Neither of us made the choice. The Leucht Family was trying to force us into the marriage by pressuring our families.”

“I see. Well, you would know her better than I do. But is this really something you want?” I asked.

Kari turned around, her eyes glimmering in the light of the candles. She studied my face for a moment before smiling.

“Do you think I would make a suggestion if it was not something I desired?” It was a simple question, but it had a lot of weight.

“No.” I shook my head, answering her without a hint of hesitation. “I know you well enough to know that any suggestion you bring up is something you would have considered extensively before bringing it up.” I walked up to Kari and placed my hands on her shoulder. “If this is what you have decided, I will do everything I can to make it happen.” I paused as a self-deprecating smile appeared on my face. “To be honest, I have been feeling very guilty over what I should do about Fay.”

“You like her?” Kari asked.

“I do,” I admitted with a sigh.

The sigh of relief that escaped her made even more wonder about her relationship with Fay. Who was this girl that Kari didn’t mind sharing the man she loved with her?

“That’s good,” she said. “If you truly do like her, then I think… maybe this can really work out.”

“Kari,” I began before she could feel too relieved. “While it is true that I like Fay, and maybe my feelings for her are stronger than I wish to admit, the fact remains that I love you. I just… want you to know that.”

Kari didn’t blush this time as she smiled at me. Her eyes were soft, warm, and filled with delight. I felt like I would get drawn into them if I stared for too long.

“I know you do,” she murmured as she took a single step forward. “And hearing that makes me very happy.”

“Does it?” I whispered as I leaned my head down.

“Yes, it does.” Kari’s voice was just as soft as she tilted her up and stood on her tiptoes. She placed her hands against my chest to keep her balance. I slid my hands down her shoulders and soon set them on her waist. Our lips moved closer together, so close I could see each of Kari’s individual eyelashes before I closed my eyes.

We were mere centimeters away from sharing our first kiss—

When the tattoo finger on my left hand began burning like nothing else. Before I could even respond to the sudden pain in my finger, a loud, obnoxious blaring echoed up to Kari’s room. The shock was so much that Kari and I leapt apart in fear before we realized that the sound wasn’t coming from inside of the room. It was coming from the window.

“What is that noise?” I asked.

“That’s… the Demon Beast Alarm!” Kari’s eyes widened in shock. “That alarm is activated when a Demon Beast is spotted within Nevaria!”

I frowned at her before looking out the window. Nothing seemed out of place, but as I focused on my hearing, I did pick up the loud blaring of several horns coming from multiple locations across the city. That said, I couldn’t see any signs of a Demon Beast, and the Demon Beast Invasion wasn’t supposed to happen for three years years.

Just as this thought crossed my mind, another thought struck me. Maybe what had snuck into the city wasn’t a Demon Beast but someone who might be mistaken for one. Maybe this person had gone outside after I had not returned home to search for me. There was a very high chance that Lin might be the “Demon Beast” these alarms were meant to warn people of.

After this thought shook me, I activated my Spiritual Power, which flowed from my body like an electric wave. Kari took a step back as my Spiritual Aura crackled around me. However, I couldn’t focus on her right now. I activated Spiritual Perception and spread my mind across the city. Several bright objects appeared in my vision.

People were often represented as flames when I used Spiritual Perception. There were quite a few flames in my vision, but I narrowed my focus and began looking at the area near my house. It took awhile. However, I soon discovered six fast-moving flames about fifteen minutes walking distance from my house. Five of them were chasing one flame. Four of those flames were bright red, one was yellow, and the last was dark purple—a color that could not be achieved by humans because it was a mixture of the earth and darkness elements.

“That is definitely Lin,” I mumbled.

“Lin?” Kari walked up to me. “Who is Lin?”

“I’m sorry.” I turned to her with an apologetic smile. “I will be right back and explain everything. Please wait for me.”

“Wait for you—Eryk! Wait!”

Turning around, I rushed to Kari’s window, which was fortunately already open, and leapt out. While in mid-air, I activated the Flash Step Version 2: Jump Step and disappeared.

Someone I cared about was in trouble, and I had to find her.