Chapter 38 - New Home

  Daniel and Felicia were back in the elevator, which was just as slow on the way down as it was up. But Daniel appreciated it this time, taking the opportunity to lean his back against the wall and just breathe.

  What a day. What an impossible, overwhelming day.

  His neck still throbbed where Elania's blade had cut him, and the makeshift bandage was damp against his skin. His nose still felt stuffy, same as his throat.

  Meeting his family. Confronting a tyrant. Summoning his spirits. Seeing the woman he loved. Receiving his sister's final words.

  All in the span of maybe an hour.

  Felicia stood by his side, leaning her head against his shoulder. Neither of them spoke for a while, letting the elevator's mechanical hum fill the silence.

  Finally, Felicia broke it, speaking in a soft voice.

  "Are you okay?"

  "Getting there." Daniel managed a tired smile. The words felt honest—not okay yet, but moving in that direction. "I think we'll leave the port for tomorrow, though. We can just practice some magic tonight."

  The idea of dealing with anything else today felt overwhelming. A simple evening in their new room sounded almost heavenly by now.

  “You won’t hear me complaining. What were you going to do at the port, though?”

  “Oh, just investigating some mermaid business. Hopefully it’s nothing.”

  “...About the prophecy from Saint Valkor?”

  “Yeah, I’m sure you know it. I’ll return when the world needs me most… If that’s true, then I should be prepared.”

  “And mermaids could be what makes the world need you?”

  “Maybe. But that’s for the legendary hero to worry about.”

  Daniel put a palm on her head and ruffled her hair, trying to lighten the heavy conversation. It undid most of the combing he had done this morning, but that seemed almost appropriate with everything that had happened since.

  She let him, but her brows lowered dangerously the longer it continued. So he stopped, pulling his hand back with a slight grin.

  “I am a child, I guess.”

  The words came out flat, somewhere between resigned and irritated. Not quite a complaint, but definitely not pleased about the reminder.

  “It’s easy to forget that sometimes. You’re very mature for your age.”

  The way she carried herself, the way she processed complex situations, the way she'd stood up to her grandfather without flinching—none of it matched her actual age. She had the poise of someone decades older, forced into it by circumstances no child should face.

  “I am?”

  "In many ways. Grief, loss, and hardship tend to leave marks that force you to grow up faster than you should." He squeezed her shoulder gently. "Luckily, you still have some childhood left to enjoy.”

  "Yeah… Maybe I could even make a friend at some point?"

  Right. She never had any friends, only siblings who never stopped bullying her. Who could enjoy a childhood without friends?

  “Well, we are staying at the greatest magic academy on the continent, where I made most of my friends. I've been thinking—I could put you in some classes if you want. Both to learn and to meet people your age."

  The academy had been good to Artorias, a place where talent mattered more than circumstances. And not just because he was a genius, he hoped.

  "...You think I need other teachers?"

  “Of course not. But I do think having a normal school life would do you good.”

  She deserved that. The chance to complain about homework, to navigate the social challenges of a classroom, to have crushes and rivalries and all the messy, wonderful complications of youth.

  Felicia stayed silent for a while, clearly pondering the decision.

  “Maybe you could have Lily show you around before deciding anything?”

  She nodded slowly. “Yeah, that sounds good. And who knows, maybe your teachings have aged horribly?”

  Daniel chuckled. “There’s always that risk. I’m sure they have found improvements in many schools of magic, but at least formations have stagnated since my time.”

  Perhaps it was that people didn’t understand the potential that remained in formations, but even then, Daniel had been quite surprised when he realized so little had changed.

  What were the limits of magical programming? Even he had no idea. It seemed limitless.

  “Did you share the formations you created?” Felicia asked, leaning back against his shoulder.

  Daniel thought back to Artorias's research, and the discoveries made in private. A frustrating amount had never seen the light of day.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  “I shared most of the things I created in my time at the academy, but my best work was done after that. There’s the index, of course, and it has improved more than I expected. But I wish I had gathered all my research somewhere for someone to discover, to see what people would have created.”

  A thousand years of potential progress, lost.

  “Imagine how incredible your reputation would be if you did. You’re still called the greatest formationist in history.”

  Then thank god I didn’t. More fame than I have now would be unbearable.

  “Publicly available history, perhaps. But think of the person who first invented formations. What it would take to invent such a complex system from nothing.”

  Daniel had never considered the origins of formations while writing, but Artorias had wondered about them in the past. The sheer genius required to look at raw mana and create the first runic structure, to discover that such simple symbols could make so many different effects, to build an entire language of magic from scratch.

  It was likely information lost to time. Even the elves, with their millennia-long lifespans and meticulous record-keeping, would struggle to keep records so far back.

  “At least you’re still a tiny bit humble, mister legendary hero.”

  The teasing tone made Daniel smile despite everything.

  “I am the humblest.”

  She laughed, again covering her mouth. But before Daniel had time to ask why she always did so, the elevator stopped its descent with a soft chime, and the doors opened.

  The entrance hall greeted them once the doors opened, and the same receptionist as before stood behind the desk. He greeted them with a nod, then quickly returned to his business.

  Strangely calm, considering all the alarms that went off earlier. Did they already notify everyone that the danger was over?

  That was good. Hopefully, Elania had restrained her mana enough not to affect the city. Best to avoid the kind of panic Daniel created in Artorias City—though he wouldn’t hesitate to do the same thing all over again in the same situation.

  Felicia had needed help. Everything else was secondary.

  “I’m guessing we go for a normal carriage again?” Daniel kept his voice light, but he was fairly sure of her answer.

  “I’m not flying,” Felicia replied, confirming his suspicion.

  Back at the academy, Daniel eventually found the right direction to the quarters. It had moved over the last millennium, so he regretfully had to ask a student passing by for directions.

  Quartermaster Lorraine—a stern-looking woman in her fifties—had been ready to receive them. She showed them to the largest private room Daniel had ever seen in the academy. It was just to his tastes, not overly gaudy or filled with expensive decorations, but rather calm and scholarly.

  Three bookshelves by one wall, a lounging corner in the middle, a large blackboard between the open windows, and even a telescope, looking up at the stars. A room for a genius rather than a noble.

  Perfect.

  But that was just the common area. It also had a dining room and two large bedrooms with their own bathrooms. Far more space than he'd ever had as a student, of course.

  “We serve dinner to your rooms every day, and we can do the same for breakfast and lunch if you prefer. Otherwise, we have a large dining hall in the central area of the academy, down on the first floor.”

  “That sounds great,” Daniel replied, palming the couch cushions to feel the softness. It was the kind that would let you sink in deep, his favorite. “I’m not sure how often we’ll be here yet, so let’s just stick with dinner for now. Thank you, Lorraine.”

  She gave Daniel a nod, professional and efficient, then left the two of them alone. The door closed behind her with a soft click.

  Felicia was walking around the room, studying the layout with her mana with a slight smile on her face. She stopped by the bookshelves, reading through the titles.

  “Do you think you’ll manage to live here, Young Lady? I know it’s not up to your high standards.”

  She frowned, perhaps not enjoying digs at her noble status. “I’m blind, what do I care about looks?”

  "Well, true enough." Daniel moved to the middle of the lounge, releasing a deep sigh as he fell into the soft pillows. Despite the sun still beaming from high above, it had been a very long day. “What do you really think, though?”

  "It's nice," she said simply. "Feels... peaceful."

  She'd opened a book on advanced formation theory, flicking through the pages rapidly. It was likely far too advanced for her at this stage.

  “Reading through mana sight is frustrating. I need to use more mana to get a detailed image of the letters.”

  “Yeah… A barrier would let you keep the mana contained near the book. I could make you a formation if you want.”

  “Are barriers hard to learn?” Felicia asked, putting the book away.

  “Not for you. You already managed to create solid mana, and that’s basically it.”

  “Oh, yeah. But that was more like sand.”

  “It relies heavily on mental imaging, which is why some people struggle to learn it. But just imagine a thin wall, or a box.”

  Felicia looked over at him from the side of the room. He could sense her strain to touch him with her mana-tendrils from that range, studying his face in particular.

  “You can rest, Danny. I can tell you’re tired.”

  “I am resting.”

  “No, you’re distracting yourself by talking to me. Go try out your new bed.”

  "When did you become the responsible one? I thought I was the guardian."

  “I mean it. Rest, or even just spend some time thinking about everything that’s happened. I’ll keep practising the circle, which I’m sure I can do without your help.”

  He sighed, knowing full well she was right. Being lectured by a thirteen-year-old felt strange, though, especially after having lived two separate lives of twice her age.

  "...Alright. You win." He pushed himself off the couch with effort. "Come get me when the food arrives, if I’m still not up.”

  “I will.”

  He headed toward his bedroom, pausing at the door. "Thanks, Fillie. For everything today."

  He really meant it. She’d been a source of great comfort through the entire day, and a willing participant in his scheme to study the Grifantes family. More than that, she'd been there when he needed someone, grounding him when emotions threatened to overwhelm.

  She smiled, that genuine, unguarded smile that was becoming more common. "That's what family does."

  Another burst of warmth spread through his heart. They really did need each other.

  He smiled back, as genuinely as he could, though she was too far away to see it.

  The door closed behind him, and Daniel finally let himself collapse onto the bed. His mind immediately flooded with everything he'd been holding back—Elania's tears, Lyra's message, the weight of prophecies and threats and legends.

  She lived a wonderful life.

  He let the words wash over him again, let himself feel the love and the relief all at once.

  Tomorrow he'd investigate threats. Tomorrow he'd figure out what came next.

  For now, he'd just let himself rest.

  He wasn't sure how long he'd been lying there when a light knocking sounded at his door.

  "Mmh, Fillie? Is dinner ready?"

  "No, not quite yet. But there's a young boy here, insisting he's here to see you?"

  Young boy?

  Daniel's mind took a moment to catch up, still foggy from rest. Then it clicked.

  Oh…

  "...With white hair?"

  "Yes. Do you know him?"

  “...Yeah. Just let him in. I’ll be out soon.”