I woke with the sun, as had rapidly become my custom since staying with Temüjin, and made my way out to the porch. We woke up early on the farm, but I’d never really been a morning person. While I hadn’t really had the chance to fully embrace the “I’m going to sleep in until noon” mentality that other college kids, or some of my co-workers at the firm had, it didn’t mean I wasn’t jealous of them. After showing up here, though, I started to really understand why somebody could be a morning person. It was peaceful, for a start. The world was just waking up from a long night, animals were starting to stir in their burrows, and the birds were starting to chirp. A transition period, I suppose it could be called, between sleep and waking.

I filled the kettle and heated it up with some fire qi before adding the tea to steep. It was almost done when Temüjin walked out onto the porch and took the other chair. I poured when the tea was ready and we sat, watching the steam rise up off our cups as the rising sun burned the mist off of the river.

“I’m going east,” I said, mostly to just break the silence.

“Good,” Temüjin rumbled, “it’s a good choice.”

“You?” I asked him.

“South, then east to the Free Cities, then back west,” he replied.

“Relocating the survivors, then back to fight the empire?” I asked.

“I hate your Mystery boon,” he grumbled, “nobody should be able to make that leap of logic before their first cup of tea.”

“I just wish I could make it work on command,” I said while chuckling at his expression, “it’s not exactly my most convenient boon. Thoughts just form into a logic chain sometimes and I know it’s right, but I don’t know how I know.”

I finished my tea and stood, flipping the dregs off of the porch before pulling water out of the air to rinse the cup. At Temüjin’s gesture I did the same for him before he likewise stood.

“So, it’s going to be war?” I asked.

“I’m good at it,” Temüjin replied, “and this time I’m going to do it for a worthy cause. I’ll shatter the power of the nobles and do the best I can to ensure the common folks aren’t the ones paying the price this time.”

“And you’re sure you don’t want my help?” I asked. I knew the answer already, but I had to ask again.

“No. I’d value your companionship, but it’s too dangerous. You are remarkably powerful for Soldier rank but until you reach Centurion you’d be a liability. The officers you fought in Gladewood were Elites, and while you won they still gave you trouble. Against a Centurion or Sage, though, you’d be helpless,” he answered.

“So, there’s not anything I can do. That’s disheartening,” I said.

“You can help me best by getting as far from here as you can and becoming as strong as you can be. It’s not the path you want to follow, but it’s the path that’s best for you to follow. It will still be a struggle,” he said.

We walked back inside, stepping over a sleeping drake in the middle of the living room, and dug out the maps that I had packed up previously. I’d glanced at them, but without context I hadn’t really been able to pinpoint where we were or where I’d be going.

“We’re here,” Temüjin said, as he pointed his finger at the map. The spot he was pointing at was on a very large continent, about a third of the way across from the western ocean. The map showed a large mountain range, not unlike the Rockies in the US, that jutted down like a giant fang that almost pierced into the ocean directly to the south. We were, according to the map, almost at the tip of the fang.

“The Eternal Blue Sky Empire consists of everything from this point to the western coast. Amadora is the closest Imperial city. It’s also the largest city before you enter the no man’s land of the free cities. The Free Cities are the last bastion of civilization before you encounter the Swamp of Ill Omens. The Free Cities are nominally controlled by local nobles and the Sects that were forced out of the Empire; however, the Empire holds much sway over them and their politics. The Free Cities are well aware that they could be crushed by the Empire in an instant. I wouldn’t stay there for longer than needed if I were you. Find a caravan heading to the east and buy passage with them to one of the human kingdoms further to the east.”

“Is the marsh that dangerous?” I asked.

“Yes, and no,” he answered, “for most it would be a death sentence to cross alone. For you? Perhaps not. The animals in the swamp would most likely leave you in peace. There are, however, tribes of frogmen and lizardmen that live deep within the swamp that would not be subject to your boon. By and large they’re peaceful, but incidents have been known to happen. It’s best to go with a group.”

“I can see the logic there,” I said, “anything else I should know?”

“Probably,” Temüjin replied, “but most of my information on the eastern kingdoms is centuries out of date at this point. The only reason I know what I do about the swamp is because of the news the caravans bring. I avoid them like the plague, but I have heard the rumors.”

“So, my best path is to head south,” I said, tracing the route over the map, “till I hit Amadora, then cut back to the east?”

Temüjin thought for a moment before he answered, “There’s another route out of the valley. It’s not suitable for moving the villagers, but it’s perfect for you and Shunakhai. The small lake that you visit so often…have you followed the outflow of it?”

“Not far,” I answered, “I’ve thought about it but I though it would take more time than my day off per week.”

“It would,” he said, “the outflow joins several of the other waterways that crisscross the valley and eventually they join into a large waterfall that cascades down the mountainside. You can get down from there. I used it several times a few centuries ago when I was first setting up in the valley to get supplies from the Free Cities to cut time off of the journey.”

“You had me at waterfall, I can’t deny that. We’ll take that route,” I decided.

“Good, now before you leave I have one more thing for you,” Temüjin said, moving over to the weapons bundle in the room.

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He pulled a sabre out of the bundle. The hilt was a silvery metal, fashioned to look like a snake, with the mouth open and clutching blue gem. The snake’s teeth and fangs formed a cage of metal holding the gem in place and the scabbard was blue and polished to a high shine.

“It is imperative that you do not expose your elements,” Temüjin said, “and you mentioned that you were going to adopt the guise of an air and water cultivator, yes?”

“That’s my plan, yeah,” I answered, glancing at him, and then looking back at the sword. Both of the weapons I had scavenged from the fight in Gladewood were still, presumably, laying where I’d dropped them after getting beaten nearly to death. I hadn’t assumed that Temüjin would let me take a weapon with me and had been planning on buying one when I got to civilization.

“Then take this with you. It’s dwarven made, good steel, and channels air qi incredibly well. I used it for years when I was still Emperor. I leave to redeem myself and my mistakes,” he said, handing me the sword, “and if you wield this in defense of yourself and others maybe you can redeem it as well.”

I drew the sabre and channeled air qi through it. The blade gleamed with an ethereal blue glow as it drank in the qi. Stepping outside I walked through a few basic forms and the blade danced in my hand like an extension of myself. As I cycled my qi through the weapon I could feel it responding to the energy and amplifying it. Temüjin whistled to get my attention and held up a stick.

“Use a wind slash,” he called, tossing the stick into the air toward the stream.

I launched the saber into a backhand strike, while willing a blade of wind to extend out. The stick shattered as the compressed air collided with it, pieces of it landing in the stream with a splash. The entire process was seamless, the blade responding just as I had intended.

“I can’t take this,” I said. I really, really, wanted this sword, but manners dictated I had to say something stupid and meaningless before accepting a gift this generous.

“Yes, you can. The Emperor’s blade is alas, too well known for me to carry within the Empire. I’d draw far too much attention carrying such a gaudy weapon. It’s a fine blade. Far too fine to sit in an old cabin and collect dust or be looted by somebody with no appreciate for it. Songs have been composed about that sword,” he said, “so keep the hilt covered until you’re in the swamp. No sense attracting attention when you’re trying to avoid it.”

“Thank you,” I said, “for everything. Eolia said that a teacher was the best idea I came up with when I asked for a world to live in. She was right. I don’t know how I’d have acclimated without your help.”

Temüjin smiled widely, “You’re welcome. You never did discuss what it was like for you, while you were in the Choosing.”

“The Choosing?” I asked.

“The point where the aspects revealed themselves to you. I call it the Choosing,” he said, “they never gave me another name for it and at this point it’s probably too late to ask.”

I smiled and chuckled, “I actually told Eolia that they were doing it wrong. It felt like I was waking up, then I realized I was in a giant stone room that looked like some sort of a temple. I made my choices and then Eolia changed the room up to something I’d be more comfortable in while we discussed my new choice of home. What about you?”

“Same temple,” Temüjin replied, “but Krieg didn’t change up a thing for me. He didn’t emphasize choice to me as much as Eolia did to you, apparently. Just said “are you ready to once again harvest the blood of your enemies?” and that was that. Then I landed here.”

“I think I like my way better,” I said, “at least I got to taste soda one more time before I left. Even if I didn’t enjoy as much as I should have at the time.”

“Soda?” came his reply.

“Basically, it’s just carbonated sugar. Think beer but replace the alcohol with sugar and add some different flavorings and more bubbles,” I said, “terrible for you but tasty.”

“Maybe one day you’ll reinvent it and I can try it,” Temüjin said.

Our stilted conversation was interrupted by Shunakhai who ambled out of the house. She stretched like a cat on the porch, arching her back and spreading her wings, before she bounded down to us to demand the first of her daily allotments of scratches and pets. When I knelt down her head was level with mine and she rested it on my shoulder as I rubbed around her horns and behind her ears. I could feel contentment and the ever-present sense of hunger coming through our bond as she demanded my attention.

“The bottomless pit is hungry again,” I said, “you want breakfast as well?”

Temüjin shook his head, “Now that I’ve verified you’re safe I’m going to head back and help organize the refugees. Take whatever supplies you need Karlus, I’ll have a few villagers assist with moving everything else out for the evacuation.”

I disentangled myself from my drake and stood, facing Temüjin. Goodbye was never an easy thing to say, especially when you were saying goodbye to your only friend in the world. This new Temüjin was less closed off than the teacher I knew when I first arrived. He wore his wounds openly, showed his grief, and despite that he stood taller than he did a year ago. There was a light in his eye, a passion, that showed no signs of going out. He had people to protect and a reason to leave his self-imposed isolation. At that moment, with the three of us standing in front of the cabin, I truly pitied anybody that got in his way.

“I’ll be back, as soon as we hit Sage rank,” I said, extending my hand to him.

“I know,” he said, giving me a firm wrist to wrist handshake, “I’m counting on it. I’m going to do it right this time, Karlus. By my ancestors, I swear it.”

I gestured to Shunakhai and then to myself, “We believe you. Go show this world why empires trembled in the face of the Great Khan. We’ll be back before you know it.”

Temüjin reached down and gave Shunakhai one last scratch behind the ears before he turned toward the direction of the village and started away. I stood and watched him leave until he disappeared into the undergrowth before I looked down at my drake.

“Well, go eat before we leave, you bottomless pit,” I told her. She needed no more prompting and bounded with wing-assisted leaps into the stream to find her breakfast.

While she was occupied I gathered up supplies. First into the pack was my accumulated wealth. I had left the pouch of coins out but the box containing the remaining hairs went into my pack, along with both pouches of gems that Batuhan had given me. Next was enough food to keep the two of us fed for the next week or so if we supplemented it by hunting. Dried meats, dried fruits, flour, salt, seasonings, and a bit of lard all got wrapped up and put into an oilskin which I then placed in my pack. I added my clothes, both sets of them, and a few blankets, before testing the weight. I sensed Shunakhai coming back to the cabin as I was finishing up by wrapping a tarp in a length of rope and tying it to my pack.

We left before noon. Our pace toward the small lake that I had claimed as my own was swift and we reached it a few hours later. Shunakhai dove into the water to catch something for her lunch, and I snacked on a piece of jerky on the shore, watching the waves come in. After the bottomless pit had her fill, we continued to the east. I could feel confusion from Shunakhai as we went further east than we ever had before, following the river. I didn’t even try to explain to her as we ran and just pushed my own excitement back across the bond.

I could hear the waterfall long before I could see it. It sounded like continual thunder as the river that drained the valley got deeper and faster flowing and the banks became steeper and harder to navigate. We stopped on a flat rock just above the precipice of the falls. The sound thundered in my ears as thousands of gallons of ice-cold meltwater slowly carved away the mountain as it cascaded down below.

It was too damp to set up a camp, and the light was fading, so I opted to spend one last night in the valley rather than try to find the path that Temüjin had described. We backed off nearly a half mile before the sound faded to an acceptable level. I scrounged up some wood for a fire and while I waited for it to burn down to coals I set up a primitive lean-to. Nothing fancy, but it would keep us both dry overnight. A quick meal of flatbread and dried meat later and we stretched out on the ground.

Tomorrow was the day we’d leave the valley. I was sad to be leaving such a beautiful place behind but couldn’t help but feel excited at the same time. Like Temüjin, I had goals. I’d seen only a tiny corner of a fraction of the world so far. It was certainly time to broaden my horizons, to explore my boons more completely, and to get stronger.

“Tomorrow,” I muttered to Shunakhai, right before sleep claimed me,” Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of our lives.”