Chapter 12

Finn woke up to a ceiling he did not recognize. “It keeps happening”. He said, bleary eyed, as he surveyed his surroundings. It didn't take him very long to piece together what had happened.

“I almost died.” Finn said, matter of factly, not realizing anyone was in the room with him.

“That you did, friend.” Finn looked up to see the man who had offered him the healing potion standing unintrusively in the corner of the room. “But alas, here you are.”

Finn took a moment to get a good look at the man. He was a human, tall, and strong. He had dark brown hair and warm brown eyes that seemed to glow with life. Around his waist was a set of vials of darts, likely healing potions like the one he offered Finn, and across the man's back was a greatsword twice as large as Finn.

“But I didn’t. I have you to thank for that, Sir.” Finn said with gratitude.

“True, I did fly in at the last second like a hero straight out of a story book, but you did plenty to keep yourself alive, so don’t go giving away all the credit.”

Finn thought back to the fight with the Corrupted Treant, its red malevolent eyes staring him down like he was nothing. A grain of sand in a hurricane. An ant before a giant. Finn had thrown everything he had at the Treant and hadn’t made a single scratch.

“That’s kind of you to say sir, but in the end, I didn’t do anything other than fail to protect my friends.”

Alistair scratched the back of his head. “Please, the name’s Alistair, all this sir talk is making me feel old. But listen, kid, I’ve seen my fair share of business. What you did was extraordinary. You’re at normal rank, the fact you were still conscious after stressing your body to output magic at bronze rank is incredibly impressive.”

“I’ve been practicing day and night, trying to learn as much as I can from the day I learned to use magic. All that practice and in the end I was still inconsequential to the fight.” Finn said, guilt and self-doubt filling his face.

“What’s your name kid?” Alistair asked, getting down on one knee to be face to face with Finn as he sat on the bed.

“Finn, sir- uh, Alistair” Finn said sheepishly.

“Look Finn, without your efforts to even try to fight off that Corrupted Treant, you and all your friends likely could have died before we ever got a chance to notice you needed help, let alone save you. I know it feels like you didn’t contribute to the fight, but I promise you that your efforts did not go unnoticed. We are lucky you were there Finn, you helped bring one of ours back home safely, and that means everything to us.” Alistair said with a deep smile.

Finn looked up, “This is Cosmo’s home village then? Was he able to find his mother?”

Alistair's face went dark, and Finn’s stomach dropped even before he said anything. “Lilli-Cosmo’s mother and father didn’t survive the attack I’m afraid.” Alistair said with his own guilt racking his face.

Finn said nothing, searching for the right words to say, but didn’t find them. For a moment, the pair sat there solemnly, respecting the fallen. Eventually, Finn asked, “So what do I do now? I don’t even know where this is or how I got here.”

Alistair raised his head. “I was meaning to ask you that myself, how is it that you arrived in this forest?”

Finn recalled the events as best as he could remember them, and when he was finished, Alistair sat silent, contemplating. Eventually, he spoke, “From everything you’ve told me, if I had to guess, your level of practice, your level of focus, and your deep connection to the arcane, heightened by your emotional state, caused your body to inadvertently attempt to channel magic much above your rank, and that inconsistency forced your internal magic to go erratic, pulling you here.”

Finn nodded, “That sounds as plausible as anything else, I haven’t had much time to think about it, honestly.”

Alistair laughed, “No, I suppose you haven't. That being said, I am curious, what got you into such an emotional state, if I may ask?”

Finn paused for a long moment, and when Alistair was about to retract his question, Finn spoke up. “Have you heard of someone being reincarnated, Alistair?”

Alistair paused, looking Finn up and down. “I have heard tell of people who are reincarnated, but never met anyone who claimed to be one. Are you telling me you are one of these reincarnated beings?”

Finn looked at Alistair intently before nodding. “Yes, I was originally from a world with no magic at all, but I think that I had died, and the god of rebirth here gave me a second chance out of pity, honestly.”

Alistair sat silently for a long moment before finally speaking. “I am thrilled you were willing to share this information with me, but I would be very careful about who else you decide to tell. Many people are filled with unethical curiosity and may try to force information that transcends worlds out of you.

Finn nodded, considering the ramifications of what Alistair had said. Torture, kidnapping, experiments. Nothing good, he imagined.

As he considered this, there was a knock at the door, and Alistair opened it to admit a very beautiful woman and Finn reprimanded himself after realizing he had let his jaw slightly drop at the sight of the beautiful woman. Alistair gave Finn a wry smile, and the woman hid a giggle behind her hand.

After clearing her throat, she announced that her name was Petunia, and that she had been instructed to let Finn know he could see Oscar and Cosmo, who had already been awake for some time. As it turned out, Finn had extremely over exerted himself, and had been in a 3 day slumber as he recovered.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Petunia led Finn outside, where the heart of Verdant Haven beat with the energy of renewal. The village, once a picture of desolation, now thrummed with activity as its people embraced the task of rebuilding. Wooden beams and stone blocks intermingled with the sounds of construction, a symphony of hope in the making.

Finn's gaze swept across the bustling scene, his eyebrows raised as he noticed Oscar effortlessly carrying what seemed to be an entire small house balanced on his head. Nearby, Cosmo, stationed behind a makeshift stall, diligently pressed berries into juice, offering respite to the laboring villagers with each grateful sip they took.

Finn also noticed, however, an underlying issue amid the flurry of activity. The ground that the village stood on was soft and mushy, an unreliable foundation for the structures being so ambitiously erected. This observation sparked a thought in Finn, a realization that the village's approach to building could be significantly enhanced.

Turning to Petunia, Finn shared his concerns. “Have you considered using earth magic to solidify your base? A strong, stone foundation would prevent future issues and provide a more durable start for your homes."

Petunia stood there stunned, nodding thoughtfully. "We have a few with an affinity for earth magic, but we've not thought to apply it in such a way. One moment…

Finn watched as Petunia rushed off to a pair of women who stood amidst the flurry of chaos, exchanged some words, and one of the women’s eyes shifted on to Finn, who hurriedly attempted to break eye contact. The woman walked towards him, and Finn did his best not to feel like the 5 year old boy that he was.

The woman gave a stern look down at Finn, before saying “That was your idea about using earth magic to fortify our buildings bases?”

Finn nodded. “I didn’t mean any disrespect ma’am, I just thought it might help make things better for your village.”

Despite the powerful and stern gaze she gave, the woman said “I completely agree, young man, I don’t even know how that didn’t occur to me. We’ve been doing it incredibly inefficiently, building directly into the mud and attempting to harden the ground, as well as other ineffective means. Originally, these buildings were made by dwarves, but they have all moved on from this place now, and we’ve been trying to build back from their blueprints left behind.”

Finn scratched his head, unsure of what to say, but the woman preempted him. “Tell you what, you put that big brain of yours to work and run it by me and we’ll see what we can do to get this place up and running, yeah?”

Finn, inspired by the challenge, outlined a plan. "First, we’ll need to identify people with earth magic affinities. They can work together to compact the soil and raise stone platforms from the earth itself. Not only would this create a solid base for our buildings, but it would also allow for improved drainage, preventing water from pooling and weakening our foundations."

As the idea took shape, Finn emphasized the importance of integrating this new approach with the village's existing rebuilding plans. "We can organize workshops to teach basic geomancy techniques to anyone who needs it. This way, knowledge becomes a shared resource, empowering the community to maintain and expand upon what you build today."

After Finn spent some time explaining the general idea of what he envisioned, and watching the workers in action, his gaze lingered on the now fortified foundations of Verdant Haven as the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting a golden hue over the village.

The sense of community and shared purpose filled him with a warmth that transcended the physical labor of reconstruction.

As he turned away from the day's work, his thoughts momentarily drifted to his family, wondering how they fared and where they might be now. The pang of longing was sharp, yet it was tempered by the knowledge that here, in this moment, he was exactly where he needed to be.

As he made his way back to the heart of the village, a familiar voice called out to him. "Finn!" Cosmo ran up, his face alight with the kind of joy that only the innocent can truly express, but Finn still noticed the faint pain he hid behind his smile.

Oscar lumbered behind, a gentle giant in the twilight, his presence as comforting as ever.

"Hey, Cosmo!" Finn greeted, crouching down to be at eye level with the boy. "How are you feeling?"

"Better! Look!" Cosmo flexed an arm, showing off to Finn. "I want to learn magic like you. Will you teach me?"

Finn smiled, touched by the boy's resilience and spirit. "Of course, I'll teach you what I can. But remember, it takes patience and practice."

"I've got lots of both!" Cosmo declared, puffing out his chest.

If Cosmo wanted to use magic lessons as a way to distract himself from what Finn could only imagine was an incredible sense of loss and sadness, Finn wasn’t going to stop him, but would do his best to keep his spirits up.

Oscar, joining the conversation with a series of contented hums, seemed to nod in agreement, his own form shimmering gently in the fading light of the day.

Petunia approached them, her smile a warm welcome. "Dinner will be ready soon. Finn, the villagers are eager to thank you properly for your help today. They've prepared a small feast in your honor."

The news took Finn by surprise. "Oh, I just did what anyone else would have done," he protested awkwardly.

Petunia shook her head. "You've done more than you realize, Finn. Now come, let's not keep everyone waiting."

The dinner was a lively affair, filled with laughter, stories, and shared hopes for the future of Verdant Haven. Finn, seated between Cosmo and Oscar, found himself enveloped in a sense of belonging. The villagers' gratitude was palpable, their stories weaving a tapestry of life in Verdant Haven that made Finn feel even more a part of this community.

After the meal, as the villagers began to disperse, Finn lingered by the fire, lost in thought. Cosmo, who had been unusually quiet, sidled up to him.

"Finn, I…I don't have a family anymore... Do you think it would be okay if…Can I stay with you?" Cosmo's voice was small, his question hanging in the air like a delicate thread.

Finn looked down at Cosmo, seeing not just the boy who had lost everything, but a young soul brimming with potential. He thought of his own journey, the second chance he'd been given, and the family he'd found in the most unexpected of places.

"You're already part of my family, Cosmo," Finn said, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. " So yes, you can stay with me. We'll look out for each other."

Cosmo's smile in response was like the breaking of dawn, bright and hopeful. Finn turned his gaze to Oscar, who simply spun around in the air as he floated, which seemed to be his favorite thing to do.

In the days that followed, Finn dedicated himself not only to helping Verdant Haven thrive but also to teaching Cosmo the basics of magic. Their lessons, often held in the quiet of the morning or the cool of the evening, became a time of connection and discovery.

Finn found that in teaching Cosmo, he too learned – about magic, about himself, and about the strength that lies in vulnerability and trust.

One of the biggest difficulties Finn experienced early on, was that Cosmo had never even used magic before. In fact, Cosmo was unsure what his affinity for magic was.

Drawing on what Kael had taught him, Finn began by instructing Cosmo to meditate, and get a feel for the magic around him.

One starry night, as the Haven below them slept, and after a lot of trial and error, Cosmo finally had a breakthrough, as he got a sense for the magic he was attuned to. Cosmo, deep in meditation, became shrouded in faint lights, like distant stars.

Finn watched silently as they began orbiting around Cosmo, until eventually, Cosmo’s eyes flickered open and he grinned at the sight of stars shimmering around him.

Like he had in Serena’s domain, Finn once again fell into a schedule. Every morning, Finn woke up to assist in catching breakfast, cooking it, and serving. After eating, Finn and Cosmo would study and practice magic.

To Finn's delight, Alistair began hopping in his sessions to train them both, accelerating Finn’s understanding of combative magic. After studying, Finn would devote time to the reconstruction efforts, helping however he could, until night would fall once again.

Finn found that night was his favorite time, the stars shined brightly, the starry night full of beautiful constellations he had never seen before in any life. Alistair would often sit atop a nearby hill under a tree to work with Finn and Cosmo as they trained.

He was driven by the memories of his fight with the Corrupted Treant that had bested him, despite all the training he had put in. Alistair tried to explain it was an unwinnable fight, being outranked, but Finn didn’t allow himself to see it that way, constantly blaming himself for putting his friends in danger.

As Verdant Haven continued to rebuild, Finn, Cosmo, and Oscar became integral to its fabric, their lives intertwining with those of the villagers in a tapestry of shared destiny. Yet, even as he forged deep bonds and found purpose in teaching and rebuilding, Finn's thoughts occasionally strayed to his original family. The longing to reunite with them remained a quiet undercurrent in his heart, a reminder of the journey that still lay ahead.