The walk towards the bottom of the tunnel took longer than expected.

And not because we were slacking or slowed down by Goldie, quite the opposite. He was the fastest of us, walking stiffly and on a couple of occasions almost bumped into me.

It was strange, so I asked what’s wrong with her, but her answer was as weird as always. And more importantly, worrying.

-Body lacks compatibility. Issues with access detected. Entity “Caleb Moi” attempts seizing control.

-Wait what…? He’s awake? - For asked, turning towards him.

-Yeah, I am as surprised as you are.

-It’d be bad if he suddenly took over her… Damn it. Always something.

-You took that right out of my mouth.

-Can’t we somehow… contain it? - asked Kon. - I mean… I am not sure how she actually works… or that whole situation with two of them…

-I can’t blame you… I mean, you did have someone inside your head for a moment… and you were with me for a while too…

-Is that similar?

-Yeah, I think it’s essentially the same.

-Wait… does that mean that you risked that much for me?! - she suddenly yelped.

-Risked? Like what?

-Like… It was possible for me to take over your own body…? When… Wait, did that mean that she also was able to do that?!

-Ah. Yeah, that’s right. Although about the risk, you were in a much more dire situation than us - I pointed out. - To take over you need a lot of mana and of course to know how. While you are pretty gifted, I must say, I feel like you wouldn’t even think of that, right?

-I… Well, yes, but…

-You should be more scared about one of them taking over - said For. - Speaking of, does that include our current… contact…? As… you can take over me?

I had to think about this one for a moment.

I never thought about that one, nor really tried something like this.

Sure, Kon and I managed to connect before, but not to the point they were worried about. But, since that was a possibility, who said that the more advanced version was not…?

Hell, even with For, she was now part of this “network” of ours, same as Goldie. Or maybe just ILMA.

-That is a resounding “maybe” - I said. - Although don’t worry, I won’t try anything without considering your consent.

-Mhm…

For definitely did not sound convinced, but I think Kon actually believed me. Was it because he was able to read my mind or not that I am not sure.

-Wait, consent… Does that mean that we somehow can prevent Goldie from taking over? - she asked after a while.

-Is that how that works? You need an “acceptance” from someone? - asked Kon.

-Where did you get that from? I mean, sure, it has some merit… But no.

-So we can’t do anything? He’s just going to pop out some time on another? - asked For, concerned.

-I didn’t say that. It’s… well, your “acceptance” as you described it, has some power. It’s more an issue of willpower.

-Same with anything that involves direct contact with another's mind - I explained. - Or any attack, really. If you don’t feel like resisting, it’s always easier for someone to force themselves on you.

For shuddered.

-That’s…

-I know, I know - I sighed. - But in this case it’s not the issue of strength, or issue at all. We are now comparing the mana capacity of the attacker and the defender. That’s as simple as it gets.

-So we are safe then? She has a lot larger mana capacity than him, right?

-Yep. But we still have to give an order…

-She won’t defend herself?! - yelped For. - Then do it quickly! Or…

-I know, I know. It’s not that she won’t but I am gonna, calm down.

I turned to Goldie.

-ILMA, do not let Caleb take over you and if you are to swap with someone, ask one of us first.

-Understood.

-See? That simple.

Both of them calmed down a bit, trusting my words.

Truth be told, I myself was worried more than them both.

Sure, I knew what I was talking about, but after spending that much time here, I knew that magic here was not to be trifled with. And especially when the opponent was Axelrod. Or Mike rather. He was crafty. And if our assumptions were correct, he was also in this world for a lot longer than any of us, meaning he had a lot more experience to boot.

Although, he was working through the most inconvenient person I could think of. That could prove problematic for both sides: who the hell knows what exactly was in that one’s mind, if anything at all.

We walked in silence for a good couple of minutes.

-Is it me, or is this tunnel longer than last time…? - asked Kon, repeating my thoughts from before.

-I didn’t want to say that, but it does seem so…

I stopped mid-sentence, because we had just reached a fork. A familiar one, to boot.

It was definitely the same one that I found underwater last time.

-That makes no sense… - I mumbled, after sharing the revelation with the rest of my party.

-Wasn’t there a staircase before…?

Kon was as confused as I was.

We even backtracked a bit to the point where the stairs were supposed to be, but we found nothing. Even deeper under, where I remembered using magic, or rather where Iloa used it for me, there was absolutely no sign of anything. The rock was sleek and straight, sure, but that was how most of this tunnel looked like.

-I don’t get this… did Axelrod somehow manipulate the terrain or something? Is that possible?

-I mean, I did it before, so why not.

-But wouldn’t it then leave some kind of a scar or something? Can’t you see the mana or some lingering remains or something?

-It should - I agree with her. - But not in this case. Not like I am surprised.

-What, you’re going to tell me that he’s so mighty and powerful that he wouldn’t even leave that kind of trace? - she asked, not sure if annoyed or terrified.

-Nah. That one is simpler - I said, shaking my head. - This place was submerged almost completely, so everything has signs of mana all over the place. Just ask Kon.

-Well, yes, I think it is brighter than usual… - he muttered.

-Definitely. You are walking fine even without any light spell - I pointed out. - Without the mana glare you’d trip in a moment.

-Oh…! Right… But wait…Does that mean…

-Yeah, For. That means that you can see that, too.

She blinked a few times, processing what she just heard, and started darting with her eyes all over the place.

-Wait, does that mean that this glow… it’s not some light enchantment? That’s just mana?

-Yep. It does look similar, I give you that, but it’s just residue. Somewhat similar like in Red Edge. And now, when I think about it - I added - were you able to see that back in there as well…? You didn’t seem like you did.

-I… I actually didn’t notice…

-I assume that’s a no.

-Is that really that easy to spot back there…?

-Yeah. It’s not that bad, but definitely visible.

Hm. I guess that meant that she was starting to get more acclimated to her crystal. What about Kon though? Did that mean that he was slower in that regard? Or something did happen to him and he didn’t notice…?

Or didn’t want to tell me?

Nah, it couldn’t be. I would’ve noticed thanks to our link. But, just to be sure…

-Kon, since our friend here is apparently getting more used to her new abilities, how about you? Anything new to share?

He thought about what to say for a moment.

-No… I am not sure… I mean, when I made the portal it was easier to me than even before, and I didn’t even feel the mana getting drained from me after that, but that’s about it.

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-Hm. Well, if anything happens, tell us.

-Of course.

-More importantly though, what’s up with this place? - asked For. - You are saying that it’s not the residue from Axelrod’s spell?

-I am not saying that it is not, I am saying that I cannot distinguish it from the regular mana that is all over the place. For all I know it can all be his and I wouldn’t be the wiser…

-Damn it.

-So… where should we go…?

-Down - I replied, shrugging. - It’s the only way, you know.

-Well, yeah, but what about the rest of the place? Shouldn’t we check that too?

-No point, really.

-Why?! It’s possible that he was there and found something and just sealed the way! We have to check the whole place.

-I said there is no point. Those corridors were already like this last time I was here.

-So what, he couldn’t manipulate them? You said it is possible that all of this is his residue.

-Sure. And do you feel that residue deeper in the caves? - I asked. - Because I don't. I feel only here and below, the rest is a lot less infused. Feel it yourself. You probably can do it now.

She squinted at me and closed her eyes.

I think she even tried following my advice, but was not able to do it.

Well, I guess that’s fair. She just only realized that she was able to feel mana like this, or rather see it. To make her try and scout further was asking a bit too much.

-I don’t…

-How about you, Kon?

He didn’t even have to close his eyes to focus.

-Yeah, you’re right. But that means that it is indeed his residue, right? If deeper, where the way is blocked, there is less mana in the air it means that no one's been there for a while and it is only actual water residue down there…?

-Hm…

-Let’s focus! - For interrupted my train of thought. - In any case we need to go deeper.

-Yeah. Sure - I mumbled, absentmindedly.

-It was down there where you found the anchor to my place, right? Where was it exactly?

-I already told you, in the cell.

-And there was nothing there that would be interesting? Do you remember?

-When we get there you can check for yourself.

-I have never been here, though…?

-So what? I only picked it up thanks to mana sensing. You can now do it too, right? So go ahead, try it. Better four sets of eyes than just one. Or maybe five rather than two…?

She looked at me, confused at the last sentence, but I was not going to explain that, instead just walked forward.

Down there nothing has changed much. Besides the fact that the place was no longer underwater, the room was still as empty as before, and the cell was still as charred as I remembered.

While those details might have been interesting to the two of them, I was paying attention to any magic signatures I could detect.

I was doing that already before we even walked downstairs, checking for the residue and all that, so I was pretty certain that nothing was there, at least nothing significant or magical, but that didn’t mean that I didn’t just miss something.

Never mentioned that to them, though.

-Anything? - I asked after a couple of minutes of searching.

They just shook their heads.

-Nothing magical.

-Nope. But I did find something. Bones.

-Bones?

I quickly looked at what she was pointing towards.

Sure enough, it was a bone.

-A piece of ribcage…? - Kon said with a confused look. - What… Is that…?

-A piece from the person I found last time? - I finished for him. - Most likely… it’s not like I had a very sturdy container for the corpse… - I mumbled.

-Well…

-Right, I should probably take and burn it as well - I said, already feeling what he was about to ask.

But, this time it was For who stepped in.

-What?! No!

We looked at her puzzled.

-Why?

-I feel like, whoever it was, would definitely appreciate that… - said Kon. - Why not?

-Are you both crazy!?

-Excuse me?

She just looked at us like we were dumb.

Her being so clearly outraged definitely peaked up my interest.

-And what the hell else do you expect me to do with this? Wait, you think we’re going to show ourselves to Axelrod? Nah, I don’t think that’s the case. It’s only Kon that gives him the flashes… I think.

-I guess…

-But you’re right, better safe than sorry. I don’t need to use spells to burn this small piece and scatter it outside, I can do it manually. It’s going to be a bit more annoying, but I guess I can do it that way…

-What?! NO! Well, I mean, that might be possible, if you phrase it like that, but that’s not what I meant! We can use those!

-Use? And pray tell, how exactly do you want to use a corpse? Hell, not even, just a singular bone?

-You really don’t know? - she asked not even hiding that she was astounded. - Really? I thought you were supposed to know everything about magic! Especially life magic!

-You’re the one that keeps telling me that. And no, I do not know. ILMA, do you know what she was talking about?

-Results inconclusive.

-See? Even she has no idea. And you, Kon? Hell, why am I even asking, of course you don’t!

She looked genuinely puzzled.

-Instead of looking at us like that, maybe explain then?!

-Uh, right!

-Right… I probably shouldn’t assume… You did mention that portal magic is not something that you know a lot…

-I thought you said life magic?

-Both! I mean…

She took a breath.

-You… you know how teleports work, right? That you use a magic signature to teleport to something that… was soaked in mana…?

-Sure, right. So what?

-You can use a similar technique, but instead of the anchor you use a person… mana of a person.

-Mana of a person? And what, you want to use this little piece to teleport? What for?

-Yeah… I don’t understand either - agreed Kon. - Even if that was to work, wouldn’t that just teleport us… Well, here? Since it’s been soaking in this place’s mana for however long?

-No. Actually, it only works like that with… eh, dead matter.

-Isn’t this “dead matter” though?

-I mean, it is now, but it used to not be.

-Come on. Listen to yourself. You tell me my explanations are weird and you go and come out with something like this?

-It’s not that…

-And even if what I said would be true, it’s just like Kon said. Wouldn’t that just teleport us here?

-No! It… Eh… Listen, I might have… remembered something…

I raised my brow, intrigued, but not convinced.

-Suddenly…?

-Er… yes…?

If that didn’t sound suspicious, I don’t know what does.

-And what you remembered was…?

-It’s about the portals and anchors… about how to make them connect to people.

-You need a piece of flesh from someone. You then can go to whenever a person in question is.

-And you remembered it just now.

-Okay, I knew all along! But I never expected for it to be relevant! - she puffed. - It’s not like you can just get a piece of flesh and the person in question is still alive!

-Yeah, good point. So why now think of this one?! That one is DEFINITELY dead.

-Well… It’s not that simple… Have you heard about the wild teleportations?

-Yes, if no precise location is found that is relevant to the anchor you are using, you go to a random spot. What of it?

-Well… it works funky in case of this kind of magic. See, if someone is dead, like in this case, it doesn’t get COMPLETELY random. It targets the closest one… as in bloodline.

I stopped, and thought for a moment.

Besides the fact that she knew about it AT ALL, it was strange that she suddenly wanted to… do what exactly?

-Okay… but what, you want to use this bone as an anchor…? So what, you think that their, I dunno, sister or brother, would be relevant right now to us? What the hell are you thinking…?

-It’s thanks to you. I thought what you said before: this whole place is covered with mana residue. But this one… is the only thing that is somewhat different.

-Wait, pause - I stopped here immediately. - Different? What do you mean?

-Er… that it is…?

-Yes I heard that! But what do you mean? I only feel the same residue everywhere! What about you, Kon?

He shook his head.

-I don’t know… I can feel the residue as you said, but I can’t really tell the difference… I thought everything here was similar, though…

-You… you can’t see that?

Both of us shook our heads in denial.

-I have no idea what you’re talking about. I agree, I am not the best at distinguishing different sources of mana, but…

-Wait, you said you could tell that the whole residue is the same.

-Because it is. For me. I thought that my eyes were good enough to tell the difference. Apparently not.

-So wait, doesn’t that mean… that your… all our assumptions were based on your senses! And you are telling me that they are wrong?

-Not exactly wrong, but I guess incomplete.

-I can’t believe it…! You…

I could see that she was speechless.

I think for her it was the first time when she was actually superior to me in something. I mean, it was her who painted me as that great and powerful being, unable to make a mistake.

-Instead of gawking at me like that, tell me. What do you see? Maybe instead of using someone’s remains there’s something else here, hm? Something interesting? - I asked her, but I already knew that was not the case.

While I wasn’t able to tell if there was something else here that would be from somewhere else, I was sure that nothing here was strong enough for it to even be an anchor in the first place. Hell, I was not even sure if that piece would work. That is unless the rules that bound using corpses were vastly different.

-I… I don’t think so… - she mumbled.

She gave a good long walkaround along the whole place, but just shook her head.

-No. Just this.

-And how the hell do you even know that it’s remotely useful? That it will get us somewhere?

-Well… I don’t know, I am not sure… But you said, last time you were here, there was nothing that was from a different place, right? Aside from some item on this corpse?

-Well, if that is the same corpse, then right, you are correct. What of it?

-You said that the item you used… was a piercing, right? And that looked somewhat familiar to you?

-So?

-That means that whoever that was, had to be somehow connected to your old world. Meaning that there is a possibility that that’s why Axelrod came here in the first place!

-Didn’t we think that it was because of the tablet? - asked Kon. - And he did shatter it, right? So…

-Well…

-You might be onto something - I said after a moment of thought. - Sure, that’s… interesting. And it makes some sense.

Right.

Some of it was definitely connected.

Axelrod, for some reason, wants to go back. Let’s say that the reasons are irrelevant for now. But how to get there?

Her information about portals gave me some ideas.

If indeed that person whose remains we now had in hand was from my old world, what would happen if someone would try to use the portal magic to open a way to someone related to them…?

-That’s…

Both of them were unsure what to think about this.

-It’s just the matter of one detail: if whoever is considered the “closest” family, or however else would that spell consider the target, is still back there…?

-And you think… that’s why he came here?

-Well, it would make sense - nodded Kon. - Yelling about “getting back” and all… wanting to get back… it would mean that whatever he found here was not enough for him to… finish, I guess?