The next five hours passed uneventfully. In spite of their proximity to Ark, Koopra, their navigator was always on edge. He would unclasp the spinning accumulator like a bad habit whenever strange movement was detected amongst the tree line, putting everyone on edge.

This wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, and Exill didn’t mind. They were in danger and vastly preferred alertness over someone more relaxed. Though he inwardly winced every time the Navigator complained something felt wrong with the accumulator. It was a stark reminder of the time that the dial in the second-hand device had imperceptibly pointed to him.

“We’ll be stopping by Harrow’s Grove soon, time to stretchy legs and eat ye food!” Koopra exclaimed, and shortly after, they came upon a small clearing surrounded by dense woodland. There were several permanent fire pits and a small lean-to that housed firewood and protected it from the elements.

Father Jonas and Merc Mattan volunteered to replenish the firewood, while Exill and company foraged for mushrooms growing in the shade. Though they had said that, in actuality, it was a crash course on magic for Tsarra.

“I’ve given some thought on how you could contribute to a fight, especially in an ambush. Since we don’t have much time, I would like you to focus on three spells, two of which we will practice here today.” Raising one finger, he captured the attention of the bright eyed Dwarf, “Let’s cover the basics. As a Wizard, you can adjust the strength of a single spell by adjusting the flow of mana.”

“See this.” Summoning a small flame from his index finger, he waved his other hand through the flickering fire several times to no effect, “Fire fuelled by mana alone cannot harm the caster and accompanying party members. It would be a different story if I set the leaves alight because then, it would no longer be fuelled by mana alone.”

“That’s the same principle why we can’t heal ourselves! Does this mean I won’t be able to heal you if I am a party member?” Tsarra asked, as always she was clever and thinking two steps ahead.

“That… is not entirely true.” Exill fumbled, because he distinctly remembered healing Envy while partied in the Labyrinth. “I think there are different rules based on the category of the magic, but I don’t fully understand the limits of what is applicable or not.” He swiftly moved to the next topic.

“Take note of how difficult and strenuous it becomes to fuel the fire the further away it is.” A floating orb of flame moved back and forth, growing steadily smaller as the distance grew between them.

“As a Wizard, you can control only one spell at a time.” Furrowing his brows, he tried to summon a gust of wind, which resulted in the floating orb of fire fizzling out.

After covering the basic theory, Exill channelled mana to his index finger and pointed it at a tree invoking [Ice]. A thin sliver of diamond crackled to form at his fingertip, then was propelled like a bolt where it shattered against the aged bark.

“This will be your basic offense… it doesn’t have much penetrating power unless you pour more mana into it. Before that, I would like you to practice [Gust] which should protect us from projectiles.”

This was followed by another demonstration where a soft gust of wind blew through them, rustling the surrounding leaves until it slowly turned into a swirling vortex as Exill slowly curled his hand inward.

“You see how I began with a simple gust that turned into a whirlwind by manipulating the flow of mana?” He smiled at Tsarra mirroring his hand motion and continued on, “Last but not least is [Wall of Fire], which should be placed to cover our rear. I will be responsible for this until you master the other two. With all this kindling… I don’t think this isn’t the best place to demonstrate.” Exill kicked the loose leaves around the grove.

Envy stood watch as Tsarra practiced channelling mana in the form of magic. Apart from closing her eyes just before firing an ice bolt, she was a quick learner.

Once he was sure she had grabbed the gist of it, Exill drew his short bow to take down a wild dove and squirrel nearby, it would make a hearty addition come dinner time.

The trio returned to a small cauldron over a fire, the water and oats steaming as it began to boil. Exill quickly cut up chunks of mushrooms to throw in the mix. He took firm control of the ladle because he suspected that the highest-level cook in their group was him.

Job Cook Level 14 Description Production- Tier I Passive Buff Added flavour (scales with level)

The reception to his cooking was incredible, “Mm~ This is very good!”

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“What did you add to bring out this flavour?”

Exill had tried to increase Cook’s level back at Savta’s Clinic, but perhaps it was because Luna did most of the work, the job never rose above level 5. It was thanks to the arrival of Tsarra, and her appreciation for even the failures that increased his confidence and drove the recent level gains.

Exill gave a small bow to the Dwarf as she looked at him with joyful eyes. Only she could guess the secret of his talent. While they were happily feasting, Envy sat alone a distance away, skinning and prepping the animals they had hunted earlier. While not capable of appreciating their flavour, she was adept at field dressing monsters from years of experience in the Labyrinth under one of her former owners.

The passengers boarded the cart after lunch, and Exill helped to load the small cauldron on the back with the carcasses that Envy had just processed. Projecting a small amount of mana inside, he chilled the meat using ice magic so that it would stay fresh until dinner. Councilman Coran observed this and raised an eyebrow, carefully glancing at Father Jonas while speaking to Exill.

“Witchdoctor sir, while I do look forward to sharing in the bounty of your harvest come nightfall, perhaps it would be best to store and cook the meat separately, in consideration of Father Jonas.”

The Priest interjected before Exill could speak, a genial smile on his lips.

“Thank you Councilman, but I am not as pedantic as some of my brethren at the Church. While the priesthood do not seek out the living flesh, I do not reject the gift that the World has bestowed upon us when it is offered in good faith.” Father Jonas tapped his heart twice and continued, “From the surprised look on the Witchdoctor’s face it is apparent he did not know of our customs.”

“Thank you for your understanding Father Jonas, I will take this lesson to heart.” Exill gave a small bow to the Priest, embarrassed that his lack of knowledge had caused such a blunder.

The passengers settled down to light conversation, and Exill slowly felt his suspicion of the Priest melt away. His first interaction with the Church and the Inquisition hadn’t yielded the best first impression, but Father Jonas was a temperate man. His gentle nature combined with a vast pool of knowledge made for interesting conversation, helping the time pass on their journey.

Exill pointed to a small monument with unknown script that lay at intervals on the roadside. Looking at it too closely raised the hackles of his neck.

“Excuse me Father, do you know what those markers are?”

The priest glanced behind him at the passing monument then answered the question, “Those are Waystones. Ancient even before the founding of our Kingdom. They are found on some historical travel routes and the Church speculates that it keeps the Aberrations at bay. We know this because some of the script engraved on its surface can be found in the Tower above Ark’s Labyrinth.”

Exill thanked the Priest and fell deep into thought.

‘Perhaps the purpose of the Labyrinth Tower is not only to contain its growth, but to protect the city against the malignant Aberrations that plague the countryside.’ Following this line of thought, he asked a follow up question, thinking back to the traumatic encounter with the Mist.

“What exactly is an Aberration? I’ve encountered a few and they were… terrifying. How do the people outside Ark even survive with such a threat looming over them?”

The Priest sighed heavily, not knowing where to begin on such an expansive and contentious topic.

“They are… cancerous entities that have been rejected by the Spirit of the World, and one of our duties as members of the Clergy is to protect the people from their reach. No one knows exactly who or what they are, only a select few Diviners and our Oracle know where they might form or strike next.

As for your second question on how the world outside Ark survives…” Father Jonas’s lined face broke out into a mournful smile, “Well, we simply endure! Major towns like Virigo house an enclave of priests who consecrate the nearby villages in the hopes of driving this madness away. There is evidence that Aberrations are drawn to pain and suffering, which is why I have been dispatched to the town as reinforcements until a Healer stabilises the situation there.”

The Priest gave a meaningful nod to Exill, emphasising his importance in keeping Virigo safe – both physically and spiritually. The middle-aged man took a deep breath before continuing, a questioning look in his eyes.

“Please entertain this old man’s curiosity. Although it hasn’t been finalized, I have heard you consulted with our Oracle. Tell me about the Blessing you witnessed in the Labyrinth.”

Exill surreptitiously checked ‘Conman’ was active prior to reciting his rehearsed script, that had steadily become embellished with each retelling. The other members of their group and even Koopra turned around, eager for his story.

“Well, I was delving in the Labyrinth like usual when I encountered an open-air chasm, the crimson sky visible up above. This area contained no monsters, and I was wary, on guard, when from up above a golden glow descended from the heavens…”

Father Jonas stared at him while fumbling with his amulet, completely enraptured.

“I pointed my spear at the entity, fearful for my life, when a wave of such gentle and all-encompassing love washed over me, wiping all my worries away. It did not speak with me directly… but I gained the impression there was a greater purpose I had to fulfil, and that my new powers lay in healing and the manipulation of the life force.”

“Truly remarkable… one can only dream of such an encounter…” Father Jonas whispered, visualising the Witchdoctor’s experience in his mind’s eye.