Adam stared longingly at the docks as he leaned over the battlements. He was at the top of a watchtower that overlooked the port, feeling the wind blow against his ears and ruffle his hair. It used to be a station for crossbowmen according to Baran, but the recent changes had left the tower vacant. Aside from the large flag planted behind him, Adam was alone.

There was a great many people today, walking all over with their own business in mind. Several galleys had come to port, bringing with them much needed supplies and goods to trade.

He saw Fred leading a few other dock workers to one of the ships, giving orders and instructions before they went and did their jobs. It was looking to be a long and hard day for the workers, and Fred was more than happy to keep everyone motivated and going. Crates and barrels were lifted, placed onto carts and wagons, then pulled to storehouses or towards the city.

Trade was the life-blood of a port, and it showed here. Adam was yet to see what laid outside the city. Baran had told him that there were fields beyond the walls and villages and towns further away.

That said, Port Silvershore was a staging ground. Ships filled with passengers would come monthly, bringing with them colonists and their families, itching to stake a claim in this 'new world'.

The fact that they were referring to this place as the 'new world' did not bode well with Adam, knowing his original world's history concerning a landmass of the same name. But he had other things to worry about for now.

Adam spied Baran as the man met with a few finely dressed people. He looked rather out of place whenever he joined the so-called sophisticated wealthy and highborn, but Adam knew that Baran was an honest and hard-working man. The people he was talking to all looked to be merchants, complete with their colorful tunics and suits and dresses, alongside the jewels and gold and silver around their necks and arms.

The jewelry was more of an eyesore to Adam than the fashionable accessories they were supposed to be. Instead, he saw them as a statement of audacious wealth, with little to no practicality. But he soon admitted that his opinions stemmed from bitterness and his inability to understand the flaunting of wealth. After all, his family never owned any piece of jewelry, aside from the rings his parents wore.

Adam's bitterness, however, was more than justified. He didn't need to peer too close to sense the pride and ego leaking from the minds of the merchants. They reeked of greed and lust, so much so that it repulsed Adam enough for him to scrunch his nose in disgust. Not only that, but he could see how they looked down at Baran as if he was nothing but an unsightly servant. Adam had met his fair share of business-minded people, and a good few weren't as greedy as the ones below. They had dreams of success, a vision of a bigger, brighter future. The people Baran was talking to did not. Asshats was indeed an appropriate name for their lot.

Before looking away, Adam decided to have a little fun. He felt the boots of one of the merchants, and swiped his hand. The man slipped and fell onto the merchant to his left - a woman in a long purple dress - who soon also came tumbling against another merchant. By the end of it, every merchant had welcomed the dirt and grime of the port onto their clothes, cursing at each other as they struggled to stand back up.

Baran was smiling a toothy grin, looking up to see Adam gazing back with a smirk.

Satisfied, Adam turned to look at the horizon before him. And he frowned. Beyond the port, across the vast ocean, was a wall. A wall of flashing lightning, horrible thunder, and strong rain. It rumbled in the distance, reminding the people of its existence, and yet it was ignored.

It had been a few weeks since he washed ashore here at Port Silvershore, and the sight of the Unending Storm still filled him with dread. He had fought the waves and rain, but Adam knew he only survived because of something lurking beneath the waves. A leviathan of sorts who ensured his survival and led him where he was now.

Adam wanted to know why, but for now, he had other pressing matters to consider. Baran was generous for allowing him time to recover in one of the worker dwellings, but he would soon need to make a decision. He could either start working as an odd jobber, or find a profession elsewhere in the city.

The problem was, Adam wasn't particularly good at doing anything. He was supposed to study linguistics, but that didn't happen. And even if it did, he doubted that this world had a use of a linguistics degree.

In spite of that, he did know a few technical and life skills. He knew the basics of gardening, carving wood, a bit of pottery, and some survival skills his father taught him. He also knew how to prepare and cook a few dishes thanks to his mother, but that was about it.

His powers, meanwhile, could be of use to the so-called Adventuring Guild. The Phoenix Blades. However, he was still uncomfortable with the idea of using it for anything but convenience. After everything he'd gone through just weeks before, the mere thought of using his power for violence made him nauseous. Him tripping the guard did not count.

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Fighting monsters and exploring unknown lands sounded cool though, albeit dangerous and terrifying. There was also treasure to be found and loot to be plundered. But would it be worth the risk?

The distant rumble of thunder answered him, earning his attention as he gazed at the Unending Storm. Despite the distance, the thunder and lightning felt close, as if the vast expanse between himself and the storm mattered little.

Adam adjusted himself, focusing his mind against any psychic attack or influence. It paid to be prepared and ready in case things went south. The world he was in felt more dangerous than his own, full of unknowns and mysteries. If anything were to happen, at least he wouldn't be defenseless.

The rest of the sky turned gray half an hour later as a normal storm rolled over the city. The rain poured but Adam stayed, keeping himself dry by surrounding his person with a telekinetic bubble.

Curiously, Adam stretched out his arms and presented his clenched hands. He then closed his eyes, tapped into the depths of his mind, and opened his palms.

The rain suddenly stopped, not just around Adam, but everywhere else in the city. The raindrops found themselves suspended in the air, as if frozen in time. He felt the collective confusion sweeping over the city, accompanied by alarm and mild panic. Adam panted as sweat rolled down his face.

There were curious people emerging into the streets, looking at the frozen rain. Adam needed them back inside before he could let the rain continue. He risked hurting them if they didn't. Slowly and with great struggle, Adam began to let go of some of the rain, allowing a light pour to slip through his control.

Fortunately the drizzle was enough to convince the people to run back inside. Curiosity stood no chance against the inconvenience of getting your clothes wet and the possibility of contracting a cold.

A few seconds later, Adam was satisfied. With a heavy breath, he let go, and the rest of the rain came crashing down to the ground in a heavy wave. It probably destroyed a few roofs and ceilings, but at least nobody was hurt.

"Talent..." Adam whispered to himself. He had stopped the rain for a mere few seconds. A great feat, but the method he used placed an immense strain on his mind. Instead of merely forming a telekinetic blanket to act as an invisible roof, Adam instead went and stopped the raindrops themselves. It required him to focus his mind to a painful degree, causing him to draw out much of his psychic strength. Though the attempt worked, he was now ridden with a throbbing headache.

Adam guessed that the strain stemmed from the fact that he had to direct his psychic power towards the raindrops, painstakingly controlling the flow and influence. It was as if he was stretching out a thousand invisible hands, all at once, and grabbing each and every drop. This was in direct contrast to the way he had used his powers up until that point. If Adam wanted something done, he'd either slap the air, wave his hands, or clench his fists, allowing his telekinesis to project itself as a singular, powerful force. But now, he wanted to become more complex in his use, relying less on brute force and more on careful manipulation, something better said than done.

Satisfied with today's progress and distraction, Adam climbed up between parapets and wedged himself there, sitting uncaring as the rain poured over his head. By the end of it, he was drenched, but that was the plan.

An hour or so went by before the clouds faded away, giving way to a clear, blue sky and a searing sun. Adam found himself wet beyond relief, and his clothes were in a more pitiful state than before. Good.

The headache had also faded, allowing Adam to exert more of his power once again. This time he wanted to see if he could dry his clothes by pulling the water from the fabric. He hadn't succeeded thus far, but that was the point of trial and error. This was his training.

What was he training for? Good question. Adam hadn't thought about it too much, but he figured that it was for a good reason. He just didn't know it yet.

Adam was not skilled in physical combat, and it seemed like this world relied on it. And magic. He did not know how to use a sword or spear, nor how to wield a shield. His combat abilities rested entirely on his ability to manipulate the world with his mind, bending it to serve his whims.

It was his own kind of magic, something he hoped that this world did not have.

Adam removed his wet tunic and placed it over a parapet. After that, he held out his hand and frowned, focusing his psychic power towards the specific thing he wanted moved: the water between the fabric.

Adam's headache returned as he exerted more of his strength, painstakingly and methodically using his power to do as he willed. If anyone could see him, it would look as if Adam was straining to take a dump with his hand trembling and his face scrunched.

A few small balls of water gathered on the surface of the tunic and floated up, followed by many more as the seconds rolled by.

Slowly but surely, the small balls of water gathered in the air, forming a large sphere of water that was the size of a modest ball. Adam smiled between the pain and fatigue of his mind. He had found success, mostly. The tunic was still somewhat wet. Some of the water was deep within the fabric, requiring much more careful manipulation and even more telekinetic power, something Adam could no longer spare at the moment.

It was interesting to see how much water the tunic could hold, and it looked like Adam still had some ways to go before he would be able to completely extract what remained.

With a gasp, Adam swung the sphere of water away from the tunic and splattered it all over the floor. His mind punished him with another painful headache, causing him to wobble and sit down for a few minutes. He felt weak and sick, close to vomiting his breakfast. He fought against the urge, not wanting to waste the delicious meal Baran had brought him.

The headache subsided after half an hour. Just as he was about to stand with a partially wet tunic in hand, a booming voice sounded from the docks, followed by a bellow of laughter.

The voice dwarfed all other sounds, earning Adam's curiosity. Leaning over the battlements, he saw the source. A very tall and muscular humanoid donned in brown plate armor marched down the docks from an odd-looking ship. He had an axe with a haft as long as a pole and a head bigger than his own.

The man carried the axe on his shoulders, showing no signs of discomfort or struggle. He had bright eyes and a smile on his face. A look of excitement and expectation.

Though impressive, Adam was focused on some of the more troubling aspects he was seeing. Mainly the fact that the humanoid had green skin and two fangs protruding from the lower mouth. Oh, and he was covered in blood.