“I’m not from Dintarnum at all. I’m from a realm called Earth.”
Duncan, Cinder, Phevona, and Pheobe were sitting in a comfortably furnished sitting room just off the dining room in the main house. Despite almost falling asleep in the middle of the wooden bath in his bathroom, when Phevona knocked on the room door to let him know dinner was ready, Duncan realized just how hungry he had been. Prison food hadn’t done much for his appetite over the last few days.
Now, though, he was anything but hungry. Duncan and Phevona had entered directly into the kitchen from a door in the back of the giant home. There, he found Cinder, the man who had given Duncan his glance at what true power felt like, wearing an apron and humming a cheery tune to himself as he took something off the magical stovetop.
What followed was, without a doubt, the best meal Duncan had ever had. He had no idea what it was. What he did know was that it was absolutely magical. Literally.
It was just the four of them, to Duncan’s surprise. Cinder and Pheobe had seated themselves at the head and foot of a table that was far too small for the size of the dining room, leaving Phevona and Duncan to sit opposite each other. There was no sign of the matriarch Duncan had heard mentioned a few times.
Throughout the meal, with what little attention he could spare from the overwhelming tastes of his meal, Duncan observed the other three around the table. He didn’t know what he should have expected from the small family meal of a powerful house in a completely new realm. It definitely wasn’t what he got, though.
It was completely normal. No talk of important clan business. No servants prepared to attend to their every need. No feats of grand magic, other than the food, that is. No. They simply enjoyed a meal together, as though it was just another day for them.
Duncan supposed it probably was just another day for them. Other than some discussion of Phevona’s Choosing and her excitement for training under her new master starting the next day, Duncan thought it could have been a conversation at his family dining room table on Earth.
The thought brought on memories of home, which made him miss his family. It had only been a few days since he’d left them, but those days had most certainly not been ordinary.
Throughout the meal, no one asked him anything other than simple questions. “Do you want any more food? Do the clothes we found for you fit?” Pheobe seemed to warm up to his presence… if you called the lack of open hostility warm. Duncan was more than happy to stick with simple, unimportant topics, but that wasn’t to be.
Now, with the four of them seated in the sitting room after dinner, Duncan told his story. He was reluctant to lay everything out for them but could see no benefit from lying. He had never been all that great at lying anyway. The only lie he had been able to keep for long was that of his true parentage, and that was because he found it easy to think of Donna and Matthew as his mom and dad.
“Earth is a realm with no natural environmental mana to speak of,” Duncan said. “A year on Earth is slightly shorter than a year on Dintarnum; at least, that’s what I’m told. 350 Earth years ago, less than a year after the end of a war called the American Revolution, Corvelin explorers appeared… and they were apparently trapped. They could still use their abilities, but the passageway they had used to travel between realms was closed.”
Duncan’s audience gave him their complete attention. When he first mentioned Earth, Cinder and Pheobe shared a brief look but said nothing.
“Powerful families on Earth saw the Corvelin explorers as an opportunity. These explorers had abilities my realm had never seen before. They could travel anywhere in the world in weeks. They could tame the elements with a thought. They could lift full-grown trees alone and smash through a fort wall with a punch. So those families, the founding families, did everything they could to help the lost travelers.”
“Resources. Manpower. Knowledge. The founding families did everything they could to help the Corveliners find a way back to their realm. It took years, but a connection between London, a city in my realm, and the Corvelin capital was created. The explorers returned to Dintarnum, but it didn’t take them long to return.”
“They set up an academy and started training talented children from everywhere on Earth. They promised power, magic, and a chance to explore a new realm. Since then, Earth has been sending hundreds of its most talented kids to Dintarnum each year.”
“I am one of those kids. A few days ago, my shift class and I were sent through the connection between Earth and Dintarnum. Instead of appearing in the Corvelin capital like I was supposed to, I appeared in the courtyard where I was found here in Kuno. I think I remember the prison warden saying something about the Towin family. Supposedly, they thought I was there to spy on them.”
With a deep breath, Duncan finished his abridged story and then waited. He had stayed calm and calculating through most of the ordeal that had been the last few days. He knew nothing good would come from panic. After fighting Phevona, that calm had started to waver. A noose of doubt and desperation had slowly wrapped around his neck. Would he ever see his family or Mikael again? He never met his father. Would he ever find the answers he was looking for?
Just as the stool had been kicked out from under him, Cinder had appeared before him in the arena, giving him new ground to stand on. He felt even better after telling his story, but he was still cautious. That noose was still hanging around his neck, and it wouldn’t take much to set his feet dangling.
Duncan’s three listeners were silent for a time. Phevona looked at him with excitement in her eyes. It was nothing malicious like someone hungry to take advantage of an opportunity. It was more like someone who couldn’t wait to read the next chapter of their favorite book after the last one ended with a cliffhanger. She clearly wanted to ask him a slew of questions but held herself back for the time being.
Cinder and Pheobe, on the other hand, gave almost nothing away with their expressions. They simply sat and thought. A few minutes passed before Cinder spoke.
“So, you’re from a realm completely free of mana? I can’t even imagine what it would feel like.”
Duncan nodded. “There’s no naturally occurring mana, anyway. Anyone with a Subject can still use abilities and regenerate mana; they just have to produce it all internally, which is supposedly slow.”
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“Yes, it is,” Pheobe said, finally jumping into the conversation. “Anyone that is a lot higher tier than the realm they are in can run into similar problems. It sounds like a tier zero realm, meaning there’s not enough mana to produce magical events.”
Duncan thought for a moment, then said, “That would make sense. I haven’t learned any of the specifics of realm classification at the Academy. I was supposed to learn about it in Corvelin, I think.”
“I’m not surprised we have never heard of Earth since it seems like it’s a Corvelin vassal realm. Pretty much everyone from a vassal realm goes straight into their military.” A frown accompanied Pheobe’s words. “Cinder and I have met plenty of Corveliners before, but a peaceful conversation with members of their military can be a little… difficult.”
How she said it gave Duncan the feeling she wasn’t too fond of the Corvelin military. The military he had been trained to join. Pheobe must have seen something in his expression because she quickly continued.
“Cinder, myself, and the rest of our team used to take contracts there when we were more involved with our old mercenary group, so we’ve been to the continent and fought alongside them. There is a lot more land to protect over there, so it’s much more common for monsters to escape temporary realms before they can be cleared. We made some of our greatest friends during our time there. Nothing like fighting side by side in a last stand to protect a village from a hoard of bloodthirsty monsters to build trust.”
“Every single one of those friends we made, however, were Corvelin adventurers, not military.” Pheobe stared into Duncan’s eyes now, almost like she was searching his soul for a response to what she said next. “The reason we didn’t risk getting too close to anyone in the Corvelin military is because they have a reputation.”
Cinder took over the explanation then. “Corvelin is very powerful, but it is also very factionalized. Noble houses plot against each other. High-tier nobles position themselves almost like sovereigns of their own little countries. While Corvelin is united on paper, they are very much not in reality.”
“Like the nation, the Corvelin military is also divided. Individual commanders run their divisions as they see fit. Powerful nobles use their troops to grasp more power for their families. This includes killing adventurers like us for our gear and resources. We’ve been on the receiving end of enough robbery attempts to always stay warry around them.”
Duncan was stunned. Everything he had been taught at the Academy had suggested Corvelin was united and mostly stuck to their own continent. Sure, he had pieced together that a lot of the realm didn’t like them very much, but he knew there could be countless reasons for it. Something about what Cinder and Pheobe had said didn’t make sense to Duncan, though.
“If they have such a bad reputation, why did you accept contracts in Corvelin in the first place?”
“It was a personal family friend that issued the contract, so we didn’t have to worry about running into any issues with the locals,” Pheobe explained. “Like Cinder said, Corvelin is very factionalized. Not all those factions are bad, but enough of them are to make us careful. We still didn’t want to risk too much contact with the military in the area, even though we trusted the leaders. We stuck with the people we personally knew that issued the contracts and any local adventurers.”
Duncan was still confused. “You said that the military had tried to rob you before, but now you’re telling me you didn’t have to worry when you were over there because you had friends in high places in that area. When would you have seen Corveliners other than when you were on the contracts?”
Realization crossed both Pheobe’s and Cinder’s faces simultaneously, but it was Phevona who gave him an explanation. “Your confusion makes sense because you said you haven’t learned about realm classifications yet. Many of the bigger temporary realms that attach to permanent realms like Dintarnum can have multiple entrances. In that case, it's common for delvers from around the realm, maybe even other permanent realms, to enter the same temporary realm to try and clear it.”
Duncan knew that realm delvers could enter temporary realms attached to Dintarnum to earn rewards, gather resources, and progress in power. He had not known that people could potentially find multiple entrances to the same temporary realm from around Dintarnum or even other permanent realms entirely.
“We can fill in the gaps in your knowledge over time. For now, it seems you have a decision to make.” Cinder’s tone was casual, but Duncan didn’t make the mistake of assuming that meant this choice would be inconsequential. “You didn’t mention much about your personal life earlier, but can I assume you have people you care about in Corvelin?”
Duncan didn’t have to think long about his answer. “You can assume that, yes. Not many now, but I will likely have more in the next couple of years.”
“And now you are here, somewhere you didn’t ask to be, separated from the life you were supposed to live.” Cinder looked a little reluctant to continue. He quickly glanced over at Pheobe, then Phevona. “I know you have told us the truth tonight, or at least the truth as you know it. I also know we revealed some things about Corvelin that you didn’t seem to be aware of. Unlike me, you can’t know we are telling you the truth or that there isn’t a different side to the story. For what it’s worth, I promise the little information we have been able to give you tonight is true from our perspective.”
Cinder was looking straight at Duncan with resolve. “Duncan, I chose you. The O’Leon house chose you, and you chose us. I know you didn’t completely understand that choice when you made it. Despite all those choices, I know myself and the rest of the family would not feel right if we didn’t give you one more choice to make.”
“We can send you there… to Corvelin. I would trust those friends we mentioned to get you where you needed to go. We could find a ship to take you to them, and you may never hear from us again.” The resolve in Cinder’s eyes vanished, making way for a promise. It was a promise of death so unbelievably cruel that Duncan could have sworn the man was staring down his arch-enemy. “If you choose this option, just know that if you ever run into my daughter somewhere in the wide realms, you had better prove to be one of the very few Corvelin soldiers that actually displays even a modicum amount of honor.”
Duncan just nodded. Then nodded some more. He nodded until the look in Cinder’s eyes returned to something a little less extreme than the promise of certain death. Phevona was trying very hard not to laugh in her chair beside her mother. She failed.
“The other option,” Cinder continued, ignoring his daughter, “Is for you to stay here. You would be a student of house O’Leon, the finest sword wielders in all of Dintarnum and many other realms besides. We would prepare you in every way possible to seize the power you have been grasping for. Then, in two years, you will undergo your Subject trial and truly begin your journey through the realms.”
The man had passion; Duncan had to give him that. It was more than Duncan could have hoped for. A real choice, and with options he mostly understood this time.
Before he could think too long, Pheobe cut in. “You don’t have to make a decision now, Duncan. All you have is our word on pretty much everything we’ve told you and offered. Why don’t you give it a few days or even a few weeks? Then, maybe, you’ll have a clearer picture of what you would be giving up if you decided to leave.”
Gratitude filled Duncan. Maybe Pheobe wasn’t as hostile toward his as he thought. “Plus,” she continued, “it will give Phevona a chance to thrash you repeatedly as payback.”
And the gratitude was gone. Well… not gone but blunted.
“Thank you. I think I’ll do that. The thinking about it part, not the getting thrashed part.”
“Good!” Cinder said, smiling as he rose from his chair. “Now, it’s late. It's time to turn in for the night, I think.
Phevona, who had been patiently waiting since Duncan had finished his story, exploded out of her chair. “Wait. What about me? I don’t get to ask any questions? I’ve been waiting for some answers since this guy’s sword exploded in the arena. Then he drops the whole ‘I’m from another realm and was raised to be a part of the psycho Corvelin military’ thing, and now there are so many more questions to ask.”
Cinder smiled at his daughter. Then, he turned to Duncan, and his smile morphed into a mirthful grin. “Not tonight, Phevona. Duncan will be getting up bright and early in the morning, and he’s going to need all the rest he can get.” Then Cinder skipped, actually skipped, away. The only thing Duncan heard before Cinder rounded a corner was something about ‘a great vacation.’
Duncan was concerned.