Kyrion landed near his students. Eden and Bastion sat near a pond as Illanda played a tune on a dark wooden flute.

A fish shot out of the water, did a flip, and jumped back in, which led to clapping and shouts of excitement.

“What is that?” Kyrion asked.

There was no response as Illanda played the instrument, and the creature seemed to repeat the act and do other tricks on top of it.

Nicole arrived soon after, a few beads of sweat rolling down her forehead.

“Took you long enough.” Kyrion said.

“I’m done now. Did you like my performance?” Illanda bowed.

“It was awesome. Can you control fish or something?” Bastion asked, beaming.

“A bit more than that.”

Kyrion scratched his chin. “You’re a tamer type. One that commands monsters and animals.”

“Is that so? That sounds correct.” Illanda scratched her head and then gave up.

“My.Kyrion did you come to check up on us?” Eden asked.

“Yes, that, and my friend is treating me to lunch at a special restaurant. I wanted to ask if you wanted to come along.” Kyrion asked.

Nicole smiled in a way that did not reach her eyes as a wolf maw made of fire appeared in her hands next to three small human-like figures.

“That sounds good to me though I’m just going to go. Not very hungry, where is it?”

Eden watched the wolf-shaped fire swallow the three fire children whole.

Kyrion turned around, and the fire disappeared. “Some place with a hole in its wall. Right Nicole?”

“It’s a hole in the wall… A place hidden pretty well from most people and serves great food in a discreet location.”

“Why call it that if there’s no actual hole in the wall?” Bastion scratched his head.

“I know right?” Kyrion agreed with his disciple. Looking him in the eye.

The wolf head of fire reappeared and repeated the same action a few more times before Eden figured out what was going on.

“Eep!” Eden hid behind Illanda.

The fire disappeared as Kyrion turned around again.

“Aww...” Illanda seemed a bit lost.

“Is something going on?”

“No, I just can’t wait.” Nicole said through her teeth.

“Great, where was I?”

“Something about punching a hole in a wall.” Illanda answered.

“Ah, yes. Would you care to join me on this luncheon? If not I may have to leave you in mother’s care. Or at least let her know where to find you.” So Kyrion played the. You can tag along with me or stay with the boring grown-ups card.

“I’ll go where you go, Mr.Kyrion. Though I’m not really hungry. You fed us a few hours ago.” Bastion patted his chest, honestly.

Kyrion felt terrible using the kids as a buffer, but something told them it was better this way.

“If you need us to go with you then fine. I’m also not hungry. Unless it’s a desert. “

“I’ve been told that there will at least be cookies.” Kyion nodded knowingly.

“Sounds…” Eden seemed confused, almost as though she was looking at something.

Kyrion waited patiently.

“Sounds good. Let’s go.” Illanda grabbed Eden and Bastion’s hands, and she began to drag them forward.

“Fine, fine. I guess we will be on babysitting duty.” Nicole did not seem fine.

Kyrion felt relieved as now he had a few scapegoats. Kyrion liked his friend, but sometimes she could go on and on about one theory after another. He was on an adventure, with no lessons until he decided to return to school, and with kids here, he could easily steer the conversation towards other things… Like colors. Or maybe shapes. News?

“Kyrion, what’s taking you so long? We have to go.” Nicole said.

“Hmmm…” Kyrion decided to ask about their interest. They mainly did force themselves, through guilt, into his life. Kyrion strode behind them.

Nicole slowed and let Kyrion catch up. Upon doing so, she asked a simple question. “Kyrion. Can you give me your hand? You seem a bit out of it I-I don’t want you to get lost.”

A hair on Kyrion’s head stuck straight up as he realized something. “Why didn’t I think of that? Bastion you take my hand and Eden you take Nicole’s. That way no one is left behind!”

Eden seemed to figure out what was going on when she gripped the young woman’s hand and found it to be a bit too warm.

Illanda skipped the way as she was clearly in the middle of the chain.

The restaurant they were standing at was relatively small and very well hidden. A well-dressed human man in a white button-down shirt and black pants stood outside the door. In his hands was a slate.

“Greetings. I have a reservation for Nicole and Kyrion.”

“Ah yes. It says here that the table was for two. It appears that there are quite a few more here than two.”

“Yes…”

“Sorry about that. Some things came up on my way here and I ended up picking up these kids. They are my guests and I will pay for any inconveniences their presence brings.” Kyrion kept the sweat from showing on his brow.

The host looked up at the giant boy and gulped. “Not a problem sir. Please I’m sure we have an open booth.”

Kyrion smiled and read the name tag. “Thank you, Theadore.”

“Y-yes r-right this way.” The host led the group to the booth, where they all took a seat. Kyrion waited so that he was the last person to sit down.

The restaurant was classy. A glass chandelier hung in the center above a woman playing a melody on a harp. The furniture was enchanted in discrete places and of very high quality. Kyrion doubted he could break the table if he wanted to. There were no holes in the wall, which was a little down. They did, however, have lovely artwork decorating the walls. The smell of the food was something else.

A line of drool leaked out of Bastion’s mouth, and Kyrion wiped it away with a cloth napkin.

“Bastion, be careful. This is a fancy place. We need to use our manners.” Kyrion looked at a lengthy menu that seemed to not have any prices.

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Bastion and Eden looked at the menu and then at Kyrion. “Can we get some help?”

“What are you looking for?” Illanda asked.

“Deserts. We can’t read.”

“Yeah, it’s written with calligraphy. Fancy letters that make places seem more noble or ritzy.”

“I mean at all. Never had a reason to learn.” Eden blushed.

“I can’t. It just looks like a bunch of lines that don’t have a rhyme or reason.” Bastion replied with a flat tone.

“Let big sister Illanda show you how it works then.” Illanda flipped to the back of the menu and pointed at a picture that looked like a desert.

“This is cake. If you can find the picture with the cake on it then just stick your finger on it. When the waiter comes, just point at the cake.”

“I thought you were going to read out the list of deserts for them?” Nicole raised an eyebrow.

“Oh this is for when I’m not with them. Let’s see….” Illada led the children through the desert section.

“This all looks so delicious. I’m ready.”

Kyrion ordered and consumed one of everything on the menu, including the desserts. Some waiters and waitresses were surprised and left that table alone. The older staff members, however, knew better. Big eaters tend to be generous tippers.

“Wooh. Haven’t eaten this well in ages.” Kyrion rubbed his stomach.

“Where does it go?” Bastion looked at the stomach that hadn’t grown despite eating more than its size in food.

“An abyss probably. Thank you Nicole, this place was enchanting.”

Nicole pulled out a pouch containing cookies. “Well, I guess it’s time for these then.”

“Ah yes the cookies. I knew I saved room for a reason.” Kyrion stated joyfully.

“No, this is just the coin for lunch. The cookies. Well they were burnt so I tossed them out. Sorry for deceiving you.” Nicole lied

“I see. Well considering the fact that I ate a menu’s worth of item’s let me pay for the damage.”

“No I insist. I brought you here.”

“And I ate everything on the menu.”

“Jeez. How about Nicole pays her tab along with the kids and Kyrion pay’s for himself. Girl friend, with a space that is for certain. You’re almost like brothers trying to show off. Guess Kyrion was telling the truth.”

“Ah, this was a date!” Bastion shouted.

“N-no, it wasn’t.” Nicole denied.

Eden shook her head and sighed.

“Dates? I don’t remember eating one of those.” Kyrion frowned.

“Oh, sorry jumped to conclusions. You took your good friend to a fancy place like this for lunch. Wish I had friends that could do that. Oh wait…” Bastion looked up at Kyrion.

The receipt landed on the table, and Kyrion sighed as he placed a coin pouch on the table. The bag bulged in the shape of the coins.

“I thought you were out of money?” Bastion leaned towards the pouch.

“I went over my travel budget. Now I’m using my personal funds.”

“I see.” Bastion lied as he took a seat.

The waiter took the coins to be counted and returned with the change. The group left the change on the table as a tip.

“Your just going to leave all that money right there? What if someone takes it?” Bastion asked.

“We paid for the food, that was for the service. It’s important to treat those who serve you mountains of food well.” Kyrion answered sagely.

“Doesn’t have to be mountains but the sentiment is there.” Nicole started walking ahead.

“Where to next?” Illanda asked.

“Home, it’s been a long few days. I need…” Nicole collapsed.

Kyrion debated letting his friend fall, but sadly his body had already moved to catch the unconscious form.

“Huh. She’s lighter than she looks. I’ll need to be carefull. Ugh… Bastion I need you to find Gamodren. He’s my teacher. Long dirty blond hair and cat-like yellow eyes.”

“Do you want me to go alone?” Bastion was surprised.

“Eden, do you want to wait with him?”

“Sure but how will we know where to find him?” Eden asked.

Kyrion wanted to say, “Because he’ll appear when I leave to question you all.” But he didn’t. Instead, he handed them a note as He threw Nicole over his shoulder.

“That’s not a dignified way to hold a companion.” Illanda stated.

“I needed a free hand.”

“Kyrion, how would you prefer to be held?”

“Across the stomach so that I can land either on all fours or on my feet when I wake up.”

“Do you know what a princess carry is?”

“She won’t care how she’s carried. She’s asleep.”

“Kyrion. Holding someone like that makes you look like a kidnapper. Like you don’t care how the person in your arms feels.”

“...How would you carry her?”

Illanda held out her arms as though she was trying to carry someone in front of her.”

“So you want me to carry her like she’s a corpse.”

“... It’s called a bridal carry. It’s how princesses are hreld in my picture books.”

“No thats a mortician’s carry.” Kyrion corrected.

“Just carry her like that.”

“Fine. Jeeze.” Kyrion moved his friend into the mortician’s carry position, and he did not look happy.

“Huh. Try smiling a bit more.”

“Now I can’t even have my own facial expressions.” Kyrion rolled his eyes as he walked back toward the academy.

Upon arrival, something dawned on Kyrion, and he voiced the question. “Why didn’t you go with the others?”

“Do you know how to find Nicole’s room?” Illanda asked.

“No.”

“Do you know who to ask to find Nicole’s room?”

“No…”

“That’s why you need me with you.”

Illanda let them through a dormitory and to a room ornately decorated with symbols resembling fire.

“Is this Nicole’s room?”

“No it’s Asela’s but she has a key.” Illanda knocked on the door.

Asela answered the door. “Hey Illanda!” Asela hugged the younger girl before taking a step back and looking at the person in Kyrion’s arms.

“What happened to Nicole?” Asela asked worriedly.

“She passed out. Seems to be from exaustion not a lack of nutrition.” Kyrion said plainly.

The worry faded as quickly as it arrived. “She needs some sleep. Apparently she’s been up for a week straight preparing for your arrival.”

“I’m a bit weirded out by that.”

“Did you eat the cookies?”

“She said she burnt them. I won’t read anymore into that.” Kyrion replied.

“Fair enough. Place her on my bed. She can go back to her room when she wakes up. This isn’t the first time this has happened. You’d think she was copying you.” Asela looked at Krion with a raised eyebrow.

Kyrion carefully entered the room, going sideways to avoid hitting the doorway. Then he placed his good friend on the bed, and that was that.

“So if mom’s here where’s dad?”

“Gone. Bill decided to lead the refugees toward Valnorim. He’s hasn’t been seen or heard from since. There is a chance that he may have died.” Asela answered.

“That’s alot to take in. What about Samantha? Did she make it out?”

“Mommy’s in Clast checking on our ship.” Illanda said with a lost expression.

“But mom’s in the capital with us.”

“Oh right.” Illanda said slowly as her head turned towards Asela, who shrugged.

“Curella decided to disappear after Limguard fell. Something about a debt repaid and experiments she had to get back to.”

“Sounds like my oldest sister. So both Bill’s could be gone?” Kyrion’s expression was sour.

“It’s not an uncommon occurrence. Losing parents during a war through death or displacement is a possibility.” Asela said as though she had gone through something similar.

“So. Did your parents?”

“Right after they dropped me off with you. They died at sea, I wasn’t told this information until I arrived here. I guess that’s why they brought me here in the first place and didn’t want a newborn dead at sea.” Asela broke down.

“Ah, I’m sorry. Here I am thinking about possibilities when you’re clearly wounded worse.” Kyrion regarded the young child he grew up with as a sister, and his expression softened.

“It’s fine. Still don’t go getting all sen..” Asela found herself wrapped in arms as she had been hugged.

Kyrion then held his sibling at arm’s reach. “This world takes so much from so many. It’s flawed and painful. If someone like me can just go on a trip and pick up two orphans from different tragedies then it’s clear that things need to change.”

“Kyrion what are you going on about?”

“Things will change.” Kyrion’s green eyes seemed to burn with mana as he’d made up his mind about something.

“And he’s off to Icaron….” Asela laughed as Kyion left the room as though he was on a mission.

“Oi! Wait up!” Illanda turned and ran after the distracted Kyrion.