Fortunately, it seemed like there were no major problems that would be popping up on the final day of travel. Though they did move quickly to ensure that things went smoothly.

Arriving in Trimble was a normal affair. Though there was somewhat of a fuss over the normal accommodations that the guards and Lance were given. It seemed that the Morse family guard captain had believed that Lance deserved to spend the night in one of the more upscale inns in the city.

Given the fact that there was no such thing in Trimble, it was clear to Ezekiel that the guard captain still didn’t know what he was talking about. Something that Ezekiel knew was the talk of most of the Alkena guards.

Ezekiel found it amusing when Lance just sighed in exasperation when it was brought up. He was unable to simply fire the man since he was someone that his father, the current head of the Morse family, had sent to Tollren to work at. Worse yet, apparently, he wasn’t bad when it came to job in Tollren.

“No offense, young master, but perhaps you should bring your captain back to the capital during your next trip. That way your father can see what kind of man he really is.” Ezekiel told Lance when they were given a moment alone while unpacking. “That, or we can ensure an accident occurs while we’re on this excursion.”

Lance just chuckled. Allowing himself to relax now that he was once again securely within the defensive walls of an Imperial city. He had been tense during the entire trip, and Ezekiel wasn’t sure if the Morse family heir would be able to survive the trip into the Fjorya.

“If that and accident were to occur, then it would have to be a true one. While he is no one of true importance, I would not have a man assigned to protect my family killed before any evidence could be obtained that showed he had betrayed us.” Lance shook his head in disappointment. “The man might be used to the extravagance granted to a noble family, and by proximity to him as well. But he knows how to command men and put up a fight. I’m sure he’ll prove his worth. Even if he is a bit stuck up.”

“If you say so.” Ezekiel turned to walk away, seeing that another group of guards, without the captain, had returned to watch their master. “I’ll leave you to yourself for the day. Unfortunately, I have a few things I need to check up on.”

“I thought your father was taking over for now. Now that we’re back in a proper city.” Lance called out to Ezekiel as he walked away.

Ezekiel just smiled in response to Lance’s question. “A chief’s work is never done. Unfortunately.”

Lance just looked confused for a moment, but given the contracts in place, he knew that nothing would be done that would damage him or his family’s name.

For his part, Ezekiel made his way to where his father was finishing with the Alkena group of guards. Seeing his son, Warren waved him over. Ezekiel noticed that Riley was standing next to him. Still wearing the full body armor that she had on before.

“Good. You’re here. Minor change of plans. Your mother and I want you to take Riley with you.” Warren gestured to Riley as he said this.

“What? No offense, but that’s probably not a good idea.” Riley slouched a bit at Ezekiel’s words. “I’m not doubting your ability. You’re an excellent Adept. But for the most part my greatest advantage is the enemy’s lack of understanding regarding my abilities. They think I’m just a cripple, so no matter how great their numbers are, they'll think I’m weak and that I won’t be a threat. If Riley comes along, they’d be able to just swarm her. Even with Apprentices.”

“Neither your mother nor I can leave the city without the rest of the caravan. But we aren’t letting you go alone. Either you take Riley with you tonight, or you don’t go until we set out as a group.” Warren seemed to rise up as he turned to face Ezekiel. The man was clearly ready to stand his ground and force the issue if need be. Ezekiel knew he wouldn’t be able to fight this. So, he didn’t.

“Fine.” Ezekiel was curt with his response. But when he turned to Riley his narrowed eyes lightened a bit. Sighing in frustration, he just walked forward and waved for Riley to follow. Not bothering to say goodbye to his father.

“You didn’t ask for this, did you?” Ezekiel couldn’t help but ask once they were well away from where the groups were gathering at the inn.

“No... I didn’t even know you were heading out before your mother told me to speak to your father.” Riley was quiet as she spoke. Something that made Ezekiel feel guilty. “I think they want me to go since I’m the next most powerful person in our party. Besides young master Lance.”

Ezekiel begrudgingly admitted to himself that she was correct. Though that didn’t mean that he liked having a minder. Especially someone who he was constantly going to be worried about while they were away.

“Well... I hope you have some stealth capabilities. This will be difficult otherwise.” Ezekiel felt a growing frustration in his chest as Riley looked down at her feet. “I guess you’ll just need to stay close to me when I tell you to. For now, let’s go. We need to pick up a few things before we head out.”

Riley perked up as she followed along. Holding his arm out, as had become a habit during their outings back in Tollren, the pair made their way through Trimble without much issue. Picking up a fair number of items as they went. Including additional cold weather gear, and some supplies for moving through the snow.

While it wasn’t exactly cold this far south, given that they would be climbing to the peak of a mountain, it would be getting quite a bit colder for them.

----------

----------------------------------------

It was the middle of the night when Ezekiel and Riley finally set out in full. They had taken the time to gather their supplies and booked a night at a second inn. This one on the south side of Trimble. As opposed to the one where the Alkena and Morse family guards were staying.

The inn was close enough to the walls that Shine could do a blind ‘Jump’ to get them outside. This time around, Riley didn’t lose her lunch, but did take a moment to steady herself. As did Celia, who nearly fell off Riley’s shoulder in her daze.

Fortunately, this disorientation didn’t disturb the Shroud that Shine was also holding. Though the focus required to do this was difficult for them. Ezekiel kept a keen eye out for any threats while the others recovered. After a few seconds, they were off. Ezekiel picked up Riley and Celia, running at top speed towards the road that entered the mountain.

Beneath his heavy jacket, Ezekiel could feel the badge that he had received begin vibrating. As if sensing that he had entered the Fjorya once again. Smiling at the, hopefully, good sign, Ezekiel picked up the pace while having Shine channel mana back into the badge. Taking a turn after several minutes, Ezekiel left the safety of the main road.

Running as fast as he could as he jumped and maneuvered over the rough and overgrown terrain. A massive, carefree, and wild grin spread across his face. Ezekiel couldn’t help but feel as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Just for a moment, knowing in his heart that, even with his mission, he was free of worldly worries. At least for now.

Bundled up in his arms, Riley couldn’t help but blush beneath her helmet as Ezekiel held her tightly. She also felt her heart skip a beat at the sight of a true smile on Ezekiel’s face. Rather than the half smiles and fake smiles that he showed to most of the world or kept reserved for his family.

“You okay?” Ezekiel asked. His voice was quiet, but Riley could still hear him clearly over the rushing wind as they moved through the lush and overgrown forest.

“Yeah. I just wish you didn’t have to carry me like this.” Riley couldn’t help but feel the cold grip of regret and guilt inside her. Still too weak to make a difference on her own. Needing help from others to keep her going.

“It’s fine. You’ve already made strides to reach Tier four. Give it a bit more, and you’ll get there properly.” Ezekiel glanced down at Riley for just a moment, but his grin didn’t leave his face.

He was confident that she would reach his level. Her dedication to training was just as great as his at this point. The experience she had gone through nearly a year ago had also been fully recovered from. Riley’s soul was now just past the minimum requirement for Tier four. As was Celia’s.

One of them just needed to find that spark of ‘Understanding’. From there, all it would require was for one of them to gather enough mana to break through the bottleneck of Tier four. Given the closeness of their bond, Celia and Riley could just share each other's mana to reach that limit.

Allowing his mind to wander while he dashed though the mountains, Ezekiel pondered more of his own insights into the Void. Why had his Understanding brought him towards ‘Nothingness’?

Originally, he had thought that it was a result of his need and desire to free Riley of her brainwashing. But that wasn’t guaranteed. From what he had learned regarding a Legendary’s Understanding of their element. It had to do with something that they intrinsically knew about said element. Without that knowledge, Understanding couldn’t be achieved.

Yet, Ezekiel had pondered different methods tied to the Void before. But his visualization of gravity didn’t work. On the other hand, his image of a Newton's cradle and centrifugal compressor did. Was it only because the image was much more solid, or was it mainly because he understood the underlying concepts of the forces involved, and therefore he could bring about a phenomena from those two images?

“Ezekiel?” Riley’s voice cut through Ezekiel’s thoughts.

Shaking himself out of his inward focus, he realized that they were now making their way through several inches of snow. They had climbed high enough that the weather had taken a turn for the worse. Snow was now falling all around them, and Ezekiel could feel Riley shivering.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“Ah! Sorry. Let’s change into warmer clothing before we continue.” Ezekiel slowed down. Seeing a decently covered area nearby where they would be somewhat protected from the snow and cold.

Fortunately, their current outfits didn’t need to be removed before they could dress in something warmer. Though it did take a little while to get properly dressed. The cold weather clothes were far bulkier than their usual ones.

Given the chance to think again, Ezekiel pondered where his Understanding had come from once more. Slowly, he started to fall into a trance. Delving into the wonders of the Void for the first time since he’d last had a breakthrough. This time on purpose. Going over his previous thoughts once more, Ezekiel realized the stark difference between the two images that worked, and the one that didn’t.

When it came to gravity, he only knew that it worked, and had the smallest amount of understanding of gravity. Mass determined the strength of gravity, but he didn’t know why. This understanding was so small that he basically didn’t have any at all.

But when it came to a newton’s cradle and centrifugal compressor, his understanding was much greater. With a newton’s cradle, that was the transfer of force through material bodies until there was nowhere else for the force to travel to. Leading to all only the end points of the cradle moving.

For the centrifugal compressor, he understood how the fan blades move air, or water, or any sort of non-solid substances that could be pulled or pushed by the fan. Thus, forcing immaterial substances to gather in higher densities. Taking from one space and putting it into another when such a phenomenon otherwise wouldn’t happen.

As those thoughts went through Ezekiel’s head, he felt something click in his soul. The connected portions of his Spirit Paths seemed to become strengthened, while an invisible wave passed through the rest. Ezekiel became intrinsically aware of the locations of each and every broken piece of his Spirit Paths. While it didn’t help with his recovery, this change would make it easier to make progress later on.

“What just happened?!” Shine’s voice rang through the small, covered, area that the party had taken refuge in. “I... I just learned two different Spells!”

Riley shifted her attention to Ezekiel and Shine. They were fully dressed, but as she had seen Ezekiel seemingly in meditation, she had focused on keeping warm, rather than taking his attention away from whatever it was he was doing.

Focusing on his mana, what little he had access to, Ezekiel realized that he also knew two new Spells. The first was the ability to cancel or transfer physical force. Completely nullifying physical impacts or redirecting the force to something else that he was touching when the impact occurred.

The second, somewhat simpler spell, was that he could increase the force behind something by compressing a large amount of mass and pushing it through a smaller ‘space’. Basically, acting like a leaf blower, but for anything and everything, not just air.

“It’s okay, Shine. I... simply figured something out regarding the Void. My Understanding has increased. That’s all.” Ezekiel’s voice was flat and monotone. He wanted to somewhat downplay his achievement. Though he knew that Shine was fully aware of just how great this feat actually was.

For Riley, she just knew that Ezekiel had done something with his magic. Creating a few new spells in the process. Something that was impressive, but not unheard of. Even though the difference between simply making a new spell, and what Ezekiel had actually done, were far more significant than she knew.

“That’s great!” Riley exclaimed. “That means that you’re growing even stronger, right?”

Ezekiel could hear the quiet concern in Riley’s voice when it cracked as she spoke. He knew that this achievement wouldn’t break her confidence, but he also felt that he should do something to help her progress. Even though it wasn’t his element, he likely had a bit of understanding regarding Flames that might help her out.

Before he could speak up, however, a flash of light and a crack of thunder in the distance startled the both of them.

Sensing that the area was becoming much more dangerous, Ezekiel decided that it was time to move on. They were still a way’s away from the Feather Peak Mountains. Even though they weren’t going all the way there, it would have been better if they got closer.

Silently packing up their things once more, Ezekiel, Riley, and their Spirits set out once more.

----------

----------------------------------------

They hadn’t managed to get too much further before Ezekiel found a cave that required very little work to make a proper cover for. Shelter acquired, Ezekiel and Riley settled in for the night. They would only have a few hours after the sun rose, but it would hopefully be enough time for an envoy from the Feather Peaks to arrive.

The subsequent crack of thunder and blast of lightning that blew open the cover of their cave proved that Ezekiel’s hopes weren’t misplaced.

“Wuzzat?!” Riley immediately jumped to attention.

A cloak of flames warmed her up and brought her to attention as she fully woke up in an instant. The cold weather caused her to instinctively surround herself with fire for warmth. A minor waste of mana, but not enough to impact her combat prowess.

Ezekiel rolled to the side. More awake than Riley, but not showing any hostility or wariness. Unlike Riley, who knew nothing of the guardians of the Feather Peaks, Ezekiel was somewhat familiar with the mana of the Legendary birds.

“Enough!” Ezekiel cut through Riley’s concerns. “Stand down. These are Legendaries. If they were of any threat to us, they would’ve struck us down while we were sleeping.”

Glancing at Riley for half a second, Ezekiel slowly looked away with a sigh.

“Also, your clothes are not fireproof. If you let your Flame cloak run much longer, your cold weather clothes will be burned away.” While Riley still had her armor on, it was obvious that most of her clothing wasn’t prepared for the sudden shift in the elements. She was still covered, but much less so than before.

“Ah! Oh no! These were expensive!” Riley started putting out the fires that had formed on her winter clothes. Seeing that the damage was mostly superficial, she calmed down enough to cover herself with a cloak to keep warm.

“Greetings, young Void Hunter.” Invera, the Legendary Lightning Spirit of the Feathered Peaks called out. “It seems as though you have been through quite a bit. Your power has clearly grown. Though I can see that you have greatly suffered for it as well.”

Ezekiel and Riley made their way out of their small cave. Shine and Celia were keeping aware of the situation as best they could. But both knew they were no match for the Legendary that had called out to them. Even more so when they exited the cave and saw another Legendary next to Invera.

“Invera, Callrond. It’s good to see you both again. I’m sorry to intrude, but I really need your help.” Ezekiel bowed as he greeted the Legendary Spirits from the Feather Peaks.

“Oh? What might one of your great power need help with? Does it have anything to do with that large group of Hunters that were making their way towards this place?” Callrond tilted his head inquisitively. “They were simple enough to dispatch. But from what we heard before Invera struck them all down, they seemed to be looking for you, specifically. There was even a proper Legendary amongst them. Given your injuries, I am not confident you would have survived.”

Ezekiel felt a shiver run down his spine. Not from the cold, either. Next to him, Riley audibly gulped in fear.

“I thought that the thunderstorm last night was a little sudden. You both have my thanks for your blessing.” Ezekiel bowed once more. “But even so, I would ask more of you.”

Invera and Callrond exchanged a look before Invera waved a wing at Ezekiel. Waving at him to proceed. He told them everything regarding the current situation. The matters of his family against the Kindled family of the Morathi Alliance. How his sisters were trying to find Spirits to Bond with, but their elements made things difficult. Plus, the large number of guards that had also been taken on the journey to find bonds. Young master Lance in particular.

Not once was he interrupted during his explanation. Though he nearly paused when he saw Callrond visibly perk up at the mention of Ezekiel’s sisters. Invera gave the Radiant Spirit a knowing look, however, and the subtle glare that followed kept Callrond quiet.

“You say your sisters have opened their second Chakra? If so, then I might be able to help solve your problems.” Callrond said after Ezekiel finished.

“Are you certain you wish to do this? You mentioned it briefly before, but this will take you away from the mountain for quite some time.” Invera didn’t sound reproachful, but her tone indicated that she wasn’t fully supportive of Callrond’s apparent eagerness.

“I am more than certain. Most of my flock has begun to grow curious about the world beyond these mountains. A group of foreign Mages to observe before bonding with will give them something new to experience. The decisions that they make will be theirs, of course. But this is a chance for them to make such a decision in the first place.” Callrond’s voice was airy and gentle as he thought fondly of his flock. But also, somewhat exasperated at them as well.

“Very well. We will accompany you and watch over your teams as they make their way up the mountain. They will not be welcome into the territory of the Feather Peaks. But there is a... somewhat, neutral ground that your group can make camp in. There, it will be easier for you to reach out to a larger mix of Spirits. Rather than wandering aimlessly through the mountains.” Invera begrudgingly replied with a sag of her wings. “But know this, should any Spirits feel as though they are being coerced, the Mage that does so will be forcefully expelled from the area. Without any protections.”

Riley and Ezekiel shivered in unison. They both knew that there was no way that the Tier twos amongst the guards would survive in this weather for long without protection.

Warning well received; Ezekiel was still curious as to why they were being so amicable regarding this request. He couldn’t help but ask why they weren’t worried about the location of a large gathering of Spirits being revealed to human Mages. Couldn’t such a thing be used against them?

“Your worries are not wrong. But the simple fact of the matter is that these mountains almost constantly change. There are dozens of Legendary Spirits that shift the landscape over the years. The area you will be brought to will be gone by next year. So, it matters little if you go there now.” Invera explained.

Ezekiel decided he didn’t want to think about the casual reshaping of the landscape that Invera was describing. It spoke of a level of teamwork between the Spirits that humanity was barely able to imitate by half. As well as experience that blew any that a human might have out of the water.

“You will also be repaying us for our kindness. Though, what task you will be performing has yet to be decided.” Ezekiel slumped at Callrond’s words. He knew that this deal was too good to be true.

“Wait! You can’t just demand that he perform an unknown task for you!” Riley exclaimed. She immediately recoiled as the presence of two Legendaries pushed down on her.

Ezekiel couldn’t help but wince at the Legendary Spirits’ change in attitude. The sparks of Lightning and glitter of Light that appeared showed that they were somewhat insulted by Riley’s words.

“Oh? And who are you to say such a thing?” Callrond’s tone had deepened, and his voice and posture seemed far more regal than before. Beside him, Invera, being slightly larger, looked down on Riley with a glare. As if looking at a particularly disgusting bug.

“I’m... his friend... and bodyguard...” Riley barely managed to speak under the might of the two Legendaries. But the fact that she could made each of the Legendaries, including Ezekiel, to raise an eyebrow. Impressed by Riley’s willpower.

“As if one as weak as you could protect our friend from any of his enemies.” Callrond was not gentle with his reproach. Riley could only look down in shame at the truth that was put before her.

“... Let’s discuss this more later. For now, please escort us from above as we return to Trimble. I need to report this development to my father. We can proceed from there but will likely set out within a day. Is that alright?” Ezekiel turned from Riley to Invera.

“Yes. That will be fine.” Invera’s tone turned much more polite as she spoke to Ezekiel. “However, I must ask. The signal from your badge felt... weak, and stuttering. May I see it?”

Wincing at the thought, Ezekiel slowly pulled out his damaged badge. Invera and Callrond’s eyes widened in shock at the damage. It hadn’t shattered, like the one that Ezekiel had previously borrowed had. But the damage was still great enough to surprise them. Especially since this one was built to be much tougher than the last.

“...What in the world have you been through?” Callrond seemed in awe at the thought of whatever Ezekiel had been through for this to have happened. “We can hold off on returning you to Trimble, for now. Tell us what happened. In detail.”

Sighing, Ezekiel turned to Invera for help, but received a narrow gaze in return. Turning to Riley, he sent her an apologetic look before telling his story to the two massive birds. Knowing that he was going to be criticized soon after.

Though, seeing the two Legendaries with jaw dropped and gobsmacked expressions almost made it worth it.