Zalan and Rep sighed loudly in relief when they felt the cots of Journey House beneath them. Zalan was amazed by how grateful he was to return here with the Homeseeker. The last time the Homeseeker had brought him back into the guild, he had almost lost his mind. Or perhaps he had lost it, but was able to find it back in the tournament. The uncomfortable mattress beneath him brought him nothing but joy. He looked up at Rep, his face hurt and strained.

“Time for some healing sleep?” Zalan asked, excited.

“God be praised,” Rep said, sinking his head into his pillow and immediately passing out.

Zalan followed suit, lying back and closing his eyes. With a downward curve on his lips, he fell asleep almost immediately.

Zalan woke up about half an hour later. He had much of his body to heal so it took longer than he was used to. Rep was doing stretches in the center of the room, breathing deeply and looking content. He stood up straight when he saw Zalan was awake.

“I can move freely again,” Rep said, smiling and rotating his once-injured shoulder.

Zalan hesitantly raised an arm, waiting for stinging pain to announce itself. None came. He swung his legs off the cot and jumped up excitedly.

“I’ll never get used to how good it feels to be at a hundred percent after a short nap,” Zalan grinned, flexing his arms and legs with delight.

Rep was staring at Zalan with hesitation. He tried to look nonchalant, but was clearly disturbed.

“What’s up?” Zalan asked Rep.

Rep shook his head, trying to seem aloof.

“Rep, what is it?”

“You have a slight… It is hardly noticeable, really… Just a…” Rep trailed and pointed beneath his cheekbone.

Zalan tapped his cheek in confusion. He didn’t feel anything on him. He shook his head at Rep slightly, waiting for an explanation.

“It is best if you see it for yourself,” Rep said.

Zalan crossed the room to a mirror that hung on the other end. He blinked at his reflection, for a moment not recognizing it as himself. He tapped his face lightly. A noticeably dark scar ran from his chin to his left eye. The scar was jagged, like it followed dozens of different paths to get across his face.

“What happened? Why didn’t it heal?” Zalan asked, running his finger along the uneven scar.

“Self-inflicted wounds are less likely to heal,” Rep reminded him. “But they may fade with time.”

“Yeah, but what did I…” Zalan thought back to his fight with Slauson. There were several times that he could have hurt himself enough to cause lasting damage. The blasts he delivered to his mouth to free himself of the ice. The lightning he summoned from the sky. Or any other lightning that was accidentally conducted by water left on the arena.

He rolled up his sleeves, confirming that there were other bits and scars that hadn’t left him either. Lasting reminders of what happened when he let his anger take control. He pulled his sleeves back down, a bit embarrassed.

“I just have to live with these?” Zalan asked, uncomfortable. “Do you think they’ll come with me when I get back to my world?”

“I hope not. But I have no idea,” Rep shrugged.

“All right. It’s fine, I can deal with this,” Zalan said self-assuredly.

“Shall we move on to Madam Hikma, then?” Rep asked.

“A little eager to get going, huh?” Zalan said.

“I would prefer to be on our way before Nold returned to Oriton. He is likely already on his way,” Rep admitted.

“We have days’ worth of a head start. We’ll be fine,” Zalan said, but took his point. He was still really uncertain whether he wanted Nold along for any of their future endeavors. Especially if Nold found a way to steer them toward some random adventure at sea when they didn’t want to go.

Zalan took stock of his inventory as he gathered his things. He had the Homeseeker, looking a little worse for wear, but probably fine for another few uses before it disintegrated away. The Reversal Stone and its enticing possibilities he slid into his pocket where his phone used to be. He had forgotten all about the sensation of his phone in his pocket these days. He wondered what other habits he had lost since entering the realm. On top of the Artifacts, he had his sword and a few hundred gold coins. Rep also had about the same amount of gold and a sword.

“Good to go?” Zalan asked, heading for the door.

“Indeed,” Rep said, catching up.

The light was fading from the sky, the day transitioning to night. It was hard for Zalan to believe that it was the same day that he had taken part in the finals. So much had transpired that it felt impossible. Like a vivid dream. But he had long rejected this world as a dream. It was real. Its own dimension existing simultaneously with his own. He needed to treat everything here with as much respect as he would in his own reality.

“Sorry about… everything Rep,” Zalan said as they made their way through town. “I went off the deep end back at the tournament and I know you were trying to prevent it. I should have trusted you from the beginning.”

“Not to worry, Zalan, I am glad you came out fine,” Rep said, in a fine mood.

“Sometimes I think you're a little too quick to forgive,” Zalan said.

“I hope that any mercy or forgiveness I deal out will be given back to me, in turn,” Rep said casually.

“You want people to be more forgiving to you?”

“No… I just wish to reduce the stress in the world in case it may be of help to others,” Rep said, in a moment of self reflection.

Zalan thought that was profound. It sounded like Rep was trying to stock up good will in the world by being kinder to it. Zalan wished he could be more like that. To see beyond himself. He realized how often his thoughts led back to himself, especially in the time before the tournament. Everything was always about himself or his mom. He promised himself to be more cognizant of the bigger picture, the same way Rep did.

Zalan felt safer in Oriton as he passed through. It was becoming comfortable to him. Less like a place he was visiting and more like another home. It didn’t truly feel like a home, but something tangential. Something like a hotel. A place that felt safe and comfortable as a base of operations, but not the home he wanted in the long term. It was pleasant to walk through.

“Hey, Rep,” Zalan said, a thought coming to mind. “Dimak was talking about someone named… Flannegan Swift,” Zalan was unsure about the name. “Do you have last names in this world?”

“Ah, yes. People in this world have two names. Sometimes even middle names. A name given to them by their parents, then they have a name associated with their family. I see how that may have been confusing to hear two names for a single person,” Rep nodded.

“No, that’s actually the same in my world. I’m just surprised that you use last names at all.”

“Ah, it was done as a result of populations joining together after a large-scale sickness swept our lands years ago,” Rep explained.

“Oh, that sounds a lot like why we—”

“Sorry, I should be more clear. I know you were very confused when we last spoke to Doctor Quill. A ‘sickness’ is something that affects you and makes you feel ill without reason. There is generally no external pain, but an internal weakness that prevents you from functioning properly,” Rep explained.

“Yeah, I know what an illness is,” Zalan said. “Can you heal an illness by sleeping?”

“That tends to be one of the better ways to heal. You need to increase your intake of water and rest.”

“So there’s no Healing Rest for illness,” Zalan confirmed.

“Why would there be? Illness is separate from damage done to you by an outside entity,” Rep said confidently.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Zalan wasn’t sure how to try and reply to that, deciding instead to ask a more pertinent question on his mind,

“What’s your last name, Rep?” Zalan asked.

Rep looked flustered, turning his head away.

“Yours first,” Rep said.

“Uh, sure. It’s Alasif,” Zalan offered.

“Alasif,” Rep repeated, nodding to himself.

Zalan waited, but realized Rep was not offering his own name.

“Rep?” Zalan prompted.

“Fine. Do not laugh. It is Airman.”

“Airman?” Zalan asked, holding back a laugh.

“My family all used to get Air Elemental Powers. They were all Airmen. It became our name,” Rep said.

“Your full name is Rep Airman? Repairman?” Zalan began laughing.

“I told you not to laugh!” Rep pleaded.

“Repairman!” Zalan said as he laughed. Rep covered his mouth before others of the town would hear. It took several more minutes for Zalan to calm down.

They soon arrived at Madam Hikma’s building. Zalan winced as he saw the crack in the door from when he last visited this building. A permanent stain of his past emotional state. Scars on himself and the world. He shuddered, and Rep placed his hand on Zalan’s shoulder confidently.

“You should knock more gently this time,” Rep teased.

“Hilarious,” Zalan said sarcastically. He felt slightly better about the fact that Rep thought it was an appropriate thing to joke about. Or maybe he just wanted to get back at Zalan after he made fun of his name for so long.

He knocked lightly. After a few seconds, the door cracked open a fraction of an inch. Sholou, Madam Hikma’s assistant, peeked her face into the doorframe. Upon seeing Zalan, she turned fearful and gripped the door tightly.

“I’m sorry about last time,” Zalan said quickly, before she shut the door.

Sholou hesitated for a moment, the door hovering very close to closing.

“Madam Hikma is expecting us,” Rep said gently.

Sholou looked between the two men skeptically.

“Feel free to ask her,” Rep encouraged patiently.

“She told me that the same people who miraculously brought her back to Oriton also intended to visit later. You warped her back home?” Sholou asked, her question directed at Zalan.

“With the Homeseeker, yeah,” Zalan pulled out the Artifact as proof.

She looked it over, not even a little familiar with what the Artifact did or was supposed to look like. The derision in her eyes refused to wane.

“Tell me your names,” she said, sounding challenging.

“I’m Zalan, and he’s Rep,” Zalan replied.

Sholou sighed in disappointment and opened the door wider.

“Right this way,” she grumbled, leading the way inside.

Zalan was ashamed by how Sholou saw him. He wondered how far the ramifications of his anger getting the better of him would proliferate across the land. Scars of the mind on top of all the others.

Madam Hikma was seated at the table they first met her at. The table was clean, the books that last littered it were cleaned up and organized in Madam Hikma’s absence. Sholou remained in the room, watching Zalan closely from the corner.

“Rep, Zalan, please come in and sit down,” Madam Hikma presented an open palm to the seats across the table.

“We have a question to ask of you,” Rep said, producing a gold coin and placing it on the table.

“Please, there is no need for a donation. It is the least I can do to repay the many-day trip you have saved me,” Madam Hikma said.

Rep nodded in agreement, but said nothing in reply. He simply left the coin on the table and took a seat. Madam Hikma took the gesture with grace, a light smile on her face.

“What manner of questions do you have for me?” she asked.

“I’m still trying to find a way back home. Back to my dimension or reality or whatever we want to call it,” Zalan said.

“Your world,” Madam Hikma nodded, showing she was on the same page.

“I recall the first time that we asked about it, you presented the Five Monsters of the Mindscape. We initially rejected the idea as either too difficult or taking too long, but I think we have come around on it. Is that still something that we can pursue?” Rep elucidated.

Zalan stared at him. He barely remembered any of those details from the last time they talked. But he was certain Rep thought they were too difficult to take on. Now he was confident enough in their abilities to challenge any monsters. Madam Hikma nodded thoughtfully, like she agreed with Rep’s conclusion.

“Yes, that avenue is still one open to Zalan. And I see he has already overcome two of the Monsters of the Mindscape,” Madam Hikma said, her intelligent eyes scanning him thoughtfully.

Zalan and Rep blinked in shock.

“What? Did you say I already beat two?” Zalan asked.

“Indeed.”

“When?”

“One in Castle Docrun, and another at the tournament. But what exactly they were, I am unaware.”

Rep and Zalan looked to one another, ideas racing between them.

“Maybe Hatewing?” Zalan asked.

“That certainly must have been one of them,” Rep agreed. “And then perhaps the Basilisk.”

“I didn’t even touch that one. Maybe the Shell King?”

“It was powerful, but not so much that I’d give it a lofty title. In addition, that one was not at the tournament,” Rep said.

“But the only monster at the tournament was the Basilisk! It’s not even dead!”

Turning back to Madam Hikma, they searched her for answers. She offered a simple smile.

“Fine, we’ll figure out those two later. What about the rest of the monsters? Are they still out there?” Zalan asked.

“The Monsters of the Mindscape will be available to Zalan so long as he remains in this realm,” Madam Hikma said.

“What if someone else kills them first?”

“That is not possible,” Hikma replied calmly.

Zalan squinted slightly in confusion, but Madam Hikma offered nothing more in explanation.

“Okay, so where do I go to take out one of these monsters? What does it look like?” Zalan asked.

Madam Hikma regarded him closely, peering into his soul with her eyes. Zalan shrunk in his seat uncomfortably, thinking about trying to hide whatever it was she could see in him. He knew it was a silly thing to think about, but he still didn’t want her rummaging around in his psyche. With a gleam in her eyes, Madam Hikma leaned back with a knowing look.

“In order to overcome the next Monster of the Mindscape on Zalan’s journey… He must do battle with Morloch the Manipulator,” Madam Hikma announced.

Zalan blinked in shock. Rep looked confused, glancing between Madam Hikma and his friend.

“Morloch is a monster?” Zalan asked, flabbergasted. “A Monster of the Mindscape?”

“I have told you what I know,” Madam Hikma said simply.

“Morloch? The same man you mentioned before at the tournament?” Rep asked, hearing the recognition in Zalan’s voice.

“The man—or monster, I guess—who convinced Yelsa to jump off of Aetheria. He’s got Elemental Air Power,” Zalan explained.

“Oh, I see,” Rep said, sounding like he didn’t quite believe Zalan. He still wasn’t sure he was convinced of a floating city in the sky.

“Do you know what he looks like?” Zalan asked Madam Hikma.

“I do not. I know he is very powerful,,” Madam Hikma said.

“How is he holding me in this world? How does he know who I am?” Zalan asked.

“I know not,” Madam Hikma repeated apologetically.

“Do you know how I can find him?” Zalan asked.

“You must go to the Island of Remains. He will be hidden there. Easy to find, but difficult to discover,” Madam Hikma determined.

Zalan’s eye twitched with recognition, feeling foolish. He’d been on the search for Morloch on land when he was on an island the entire time. Rep opened his eyes in shock.

“Are you certain? That is really our destination? Is there another way?” Rep asked.

Zalan looked over to Rep and saw the worry in his eyes. He surmised that the Island of Remains must not be the most pleasant of destinations.

“This is the only way, unless you wish to pursue another route home,” Madam Hikma said confidently.

“I’m not trying the generic brand of going home again,” Zalan said. “If the Island of Remains is where we have to go, then it’s where we’ll go. How do I find him if he’s hidden away?”

“Very few in this world know how,” Madam Hikma replied.

“All right, fine. How do we get to the Island of Remains?” Zalan followed up.

“You should speak with the people of the port on the other end of Oriton,” Madam Hikma said.

“I forgot about the port,” Zalan said. “It should be pretty easy to buy a boat and get moving, right? We have plenty of money to bargain with. Is the island in that direction?”

“Indeed, taking off from the Port of Oriton would be a good start,” Madam Hikma nodded.

“Except that the port is made of many… different characters,” Rep said carefully. Zalan immediately read that Rep was talking about scum and criminals, but it wasn’t in his nature to call them as such. “We may have to be clever to procure a vessel and crew.”

“What do we need a crew for?”

“Do you know how to steer a ship?”

“Err… no,” Zalan said, immediately realizing his mistake. “Anything else we should know about going on this journey? Like are you sure I’ll find him there?” Zalan asked, trying not to be led astray again.

“This time I am certain. Be careful with Morloch. He had been taking Elemental Powers away from others,” Madam Hikma warned.

“He can do that?” Rep asked.

“I didn’t realize that was possible. How does he do it?” Zalan asked.

“They grant it to him. He coerces them by manipulating them,” Madam Hikma replied.

“But how do you grant someone else your power? Even willingly?” Zalan pressed.

“That is something I do not know,” Madam Hikma replied.

Rather than be frustrated by her vague answers, Zalan appreciated that she offered all she could. Hearing that Morloch was out there stealing powers made him more determined to stop him.

“How do I defeat him?” Zalan asked.

“With your friends,” Madam Hikma said. “That is all I know.”

Zalan nodded gratefully. Zalan and Rep stood from their seats and looked to Madam Hikma with gratitude.

“Thank you for the kind words and hospitality,” Rep said, placing a hand over his heart.

“The pleasure is mine. Come back any time,” Madam Hikma replied.

“We’ll be back. As soon as we’re finished with Morloch on the Island of Remains,” Zalan said with confidence.

He was ready to do something to clean the world rather than cause it any more scars. He was determined to rid the world of a Monster of the Mindscape.