It was back. Ezo didn’t know why the itch was back, but it was and the last thing he wanted to do was leave Riverkeep. Ezo had been in the hidden elemental library for weeks, and there was still so much to learn. He’d done his best not to get distracted by the knowledge that was there. He focused on the information he needed to learn and made note of the things that really interested him for later. He had barely touched the dragon’s hoard of a treasure here.

Except … the itch. Just as he had been guided to Kammon on the road when he was looking for Alvrey and the players, something was pulling at him to leave Fire Born Castle and return to the world. And Ezo had a much better idea of what that itch was.

He didn’t know why the bond was calling him towards Kammon now, but it was. If the books were correct and his understanding was true, the bond that he’d established with Kammon was far greater than just some momentary sharing of magic. Kammon had known it. So had Alvrey. The War-Sworn Commander Barley had felt it on him as well.

He needed to read more to truly understand but Ezo was starting from zero on this. Ezo had never known it was possible to temporarily bond and share magic until he’d had Kammon’s hands on his skin and his magic rushing through him in Mason Creek. Jacob had kept that from him.

There were so many things that Jacob had hidden from him. Ezo didn’t want to resent his uncle, but it was becoming harder to ignore the amount of information Jacob had refused to tell him.

And why? Because of his hand? Jacob had taught him well enough to hide it when he could and Ezo would never forget that lesson. What else about that scared Jacob?

Ezo pushed the thought from his head as he looked back at the scroll in front of him. A tale of an elementalist named Celan who had been one of the strongest elementalists of his age. The scroll was his account of his travels and subsequent bonding to the elementalist Shasana. Shasana had been a native of Shafra before the wars had broken out among the seven nations.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

Ezo picked up the stones that held the parchment in place and carefully rolled the scroll back up and placed it in the stack of items he was still reading. He wasn’t going to learn anything new today.

No. There was an itch. He had a journey to make. It was time to find Kammon.

Ezo looked around to make sure the library was properly cleaned up and he put the fires out before he closed the door behind him. He placed a simple trapping of air around the knob to make sure it wasn’t disturbed while he was gone.

He almost undid it when he thought about Kaiya, but the woman hadn’t returned since she’d shown him the library. He noticed things moved every so often but he wasn’t sure if it was her or if he was just imagining it. He’d gone to the nearest village when he noticed she was gone but no one had seen her there and they’d all but shunned him when he mentioned journeying out to the Fire Born Castle. He hadn’t mentioned it to the next village and he’d been more warmly welcomed.

Ezo packed a bag with his clothes, some food supplies, and one small book from the library. It looked almost like a child’s primer, but there were things in it that Ezo had never learned so he’d taken to reading it when his brain was twisted by some other concept that he couldn’t seem to grasp.

He left a simple note in the front room for Kaiya if she returned.

Gone to find a friend. I’ll return.

It was the most he was willing to say, but he felt better for jotting the few words down for her. As much as he wanted to stay and ‘protect what must be protected,’ his friends were more important than a library of books, no matter how amazing the books were.

He walked down the tunnel and through the ruins of the castle. He’d become immune to their horror of weeping stone after a few days. He ran out to the field where he kept Rile. The horse was happily munching grass and Ezo pulled an apple out of his pack. Rile butted his head into Ezo’s shoulder and he petted its neck for a moment before he fed Rile the apple and walked to the small earthen shed he’d created.

Ezo pulled the saddle from the shed and quickly prepared for the first leg of their journey. He wasn’t sure which way Kammon was, but he’d go to the village first and see what news he could get. Maybe Kammon had resurfaced after all.

And if he had, trouble would be quick to follow.

So would Ezo.