Arthur's Point of View

Reed Farmstead

Days had passed since my return, and my wounds still felt fresh. The injuries sustained from Rudnurth and the spell returning me to the present had been taken care of. However, the damage I received from Thana was still on the mend. They were no longer gaping holes and slashes like before, but the fact that they persisted days later, irked me.

"That spear wasn't normal." I mumbled to myself as I put my armor on.

I assumed it was the reason my wounds were taking so long to heal, even with most of my energy returned to me. Although, with my armor on, no one would suspect otherwise. Picking up my sword, my mind drifted to the last three years and everything I had learned. It made me hopeful that training would be easier now.

However, there was still one thing I needed to check. "Ya goin somewhere?" Austin asked me from the doorway.

Eyeing him for a moment, I replied as I finished putting on my armor. "There is something I need to check on. I would have done so as soon as I returned, but my injuries prevented me from doing so."

"Would ya like some help?" The red-haired boy asked innocently.

With my sword on my back, I ruffled his hair and headed downstairs. "Not this time."

Austin followed me downstairs to an alarmed and surprised Augustus. "Well, where ya goin?"

Grandpa Reed moved in front of me slowly. "Yer goin somewhere?"

"Need to look into a few things. Won't be gone long." Moving around him, he quickly put his cane up to stop me, and I had to refrain from glaring at him. "Yes?"

"Are ya doin alright? Your wounds are all healed up?" He inquired with an inquisitive gaze.

"For the most part."

After letting Cassidy see the extent of my healing capabilities, I thought it best to dispose of the heart to be on the safe side. She could tell people, but I made the mistake of thinking this was back in the past, and people would leave me alone. Barely any time had passed, and these people hadn't changed. They were thoughtful and caring enough to put up with me. Problem was I was used to a certain way of life that I no longer have.

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"I'll be back later." Pushing his cane down and moving around him, I continued. "There are a few things I need to look into."

"An escort wouldn't be a bad idea, Arthur." Grandpa Reed had followed me outside where Cassidy was and quickly made her way over. "Surely a few Town Guards could-"

"No!" Raising my tone startled him, and I sighed as I closed my eyes. "I'm sorry. I need to be alone right now. You've been amazing this last week, and I appreciate everything you've done for me, but I need to do something in privacy without people following me around or spying on me." Then my gaze drifted to Cassidy. "Things didn't exactly go too well the last time I had people following me around."

The older man sighed. "Very well. Ah hope yer right. Be safe, and don't come back covered in blood this time."

Chuckling at that, I turned and started to leave. "I'll do my best."

With that, I wasted no time as I started sprinting and tearing up parts of the road and ground. There was only one place on my mind that I wanted to check before I did anything else. Klasteris. What condition it was in and if it had been moved… These thoughts plagued my mind, and I avoided the Heart of the Hollow Forest since I was ashamed to even think of visiting Aydan's guardians.

A few hours had passed, and I was getting close. Throughout the process, I changed my path several times and leaped vast distances in case anyone was trying to follow me. After getting to be a few miles out, I came to a stop and floated myself into the air with my eyes. Not at any violent speeds, but enough to keep me airborne.

Familiar mountains came into view, and I grew more anxious as I slowly moved over them. At the top of the mountains was where Klasteris should've come into view. It didn't. Standing at the top of the mountain, a fog had covered the area. Frowning, my energy reached out and utilized the wind to quickly disperse the haze from my view.

In doing so, I fell to my knees in horror. "No…" I whispered to myself.

Before me was a giant hole that had grass growing down into it with trees also perched on the sides of its depths. It spanned several miles underneath and around the surrounding area where Klasteris should've been and seemed to be just as deep.

Very few floating stones remained in the air. Likely the remnants of my anger and the ones that survived my attack on Thana. I feared that the kingdom was forgotten due to it falling to war, but there was no mention of it in any history book I had read. All that remained was a wide-spanning hole, who knows how deep, in the middle of two mountain ranges. It wasn't the war that destroyed it in the end. It was me…

Gritting my teeth, my head hung low as I realized more innocent blood was on my hands. Blood from ones I had sworn to protect. The lives that Elias, Aydan, and so many others had entrusted to me. Klasteris trusted me, and this is where it got them. Lestrania placed its hopes in me, and I failed.

Sitting down in the snow, a cold wind blew as I looked at the scenery with a lifeless gaze. "I don't know if it was worth it, Aydan." I started. "But I know you loved this place. Even if you were willing to make that sacrifice, I never wanted you to." Then I leaned into the cold rock behind me. "Same with Mara. However, I will do everything in my power to avenge both of you and make sure Lestrania is looked after. It'll just be a little different this time, but trust in me like you once did."

No one answered me or replied to me like I had faintly hoped. It was no surprise. Although now that I was here, I didn't want to go back. Hours of running, jumping, and flying just for this disappointment made it more daunting to return. I could've gotten here faster had I poured more energy into it, but I was still focusing on my wounds.

"If only I could teleport like either of you." My sword flashed on my back as my energy seemed to resonate with it, and I stood quickly. "What?" I mumbled, confused as I drew it from my back.

A light shot from the sword's orb that matched my eye and hit the ground. My energy started to morph before me and quickly turned into a circle of sorts. Examining it, I saw that it was paper-thin, but it was clearly being created by the sword, which meant it was created by me.

Putting my hand out and slowly touching the energy, I felt it phase through. "Huh." I said before pulling it back and seeing that it was perfectly fine. "One last lesson or gift?" My question was asked with a smirk on my lips as I looked back at the hole where Klasteris once floated. "Thanks."

With that, I stepped into my newest ability. Might not be teleportation, but that's overrated. Everyone knows portals are where it's at.