The first thing I was aware of was the smell. The scent of damp earth, mixed with a hint of decay. It was the smell of the forest, of life and death, mixed together in a heady blend.
I opened my eyes, blinking as the dim light filtered through the canopy of leaves. The forest was filled with sound, the chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves, and the occasional splash from the nearby stream. There were even insects, buzzing and humming as they went about their business. The forest around me was dense, the trees and plants growing thick and wild. It was a world unto itself, a living, breathing ecosystem.
Sitting up, I looked around, taking in my surroundings, my ears twitching and swiveling to catch the symphony of life around me. It was as if a filter had been removed from my vision, allowing me to see the world in its full glory. My senses were sharper, the smells, sounds, and textures more vivid.
I don't know how long I sat there, simply enjoying the feeling of the breeze against my skin and the scent of the earth filling my nose. But eventually, the reality of my situation sank in, and I found myself lost in thoughts about my current predicament.
Bringing my knees up to my chest, I rested my chin on them, and tried to make sense of everything.
I knew that I had been in a stasis for some time, and that my body was undergoing various treatments to help me recover. But Davis told me that the chance of recovery was slim, and we hadn't spoken more on it after that. I'd signed the paperwork to make him my power of attorney and legal proxy, so that he could make decisions on my behalf while I was in a stasis. But I hadn't thought beyond that. I hadn't considered the possibility that I might wake up. That I might be able to go home.
No. Not home, not really. My home was gone. I didn't have a home anymore. The estate was gone wasn't it? And even if it wasn't, I didn't want to live there, not in that empty, lonely house, surrounded by memories of my childhood.
So where did that leave me? Was I homeless? What did a person do when they had nothing, and no one?
No, that wasn't right either. I did have someone, I had Marcus and my friends. Marcus. He was probably worried about me, wondering where I was. Did he know about my condition? That I was out of stasis?
I sighed, scrubbing a hand over my face, and pushing back my hair. This entire situation was overwhelming. There was too much to think about, too much to handle. It was all just too much.
And Aither... Well, he was just another complication in a mess of complications. The last thing I needed or wanted was an insane, god-like digital being meddling in my life. But he offered me a way out, a way to escape the mess of the real world. And I wasn't sure if I wanted to refuse that offer.
It would be so easy, wouldn't it? To just take the offer, and let him deal with the mess. But that wasn't me, was it? It wasn't who I was. So, what did I do? What did I want to do? That was the question, wasn't it?
A branch snapped behind me, and I whipped my head around, my ears twitching, and my heart racing. It was probably nothing, just an animal. But it was enough to break me out of my thoughts and remind me that I wasn't alone.
There was no one in sight, and no other sounds beyond the normal noises of the forest, but I didn’t feel comfortable just sitting here in the forest. I stood, brushing myself off, and looking around. There was no telling what might be lurking in the woods after that loon messed with my world, and I wasn't ready to find out.
As I made my way through the forest, I came across a small clearing, the sunlight shining down through the trees. In the center of the clearing was a large black horse, its coat shining in the light. It was a magnificent animal, strong and graceful.
The horse nickered softly, shaking its mane and turning its head to regard me. Its intelligent gaze studied me for a moment, then it gave a snort and returned to grazing.
"Arion," I murmured, staring at the horse. I hadn't seen him in... How long had it been since Kip took him to Bovia? Weeks? Months?
The horse raised his head again, ears flicking forward. He stared at me, then took a step towards me, before tossing his head and prancing away.
"You're mad at me, aren't you? For not checking on you sooner," I said, watching as the horse pranced about, avoiding me each time I tried to approach him. "I'm sorry, Arion. Things have been a little crazy. But I promise, I'll make it up to you."
The horse gave another snort, and finally let me get close enough to touch him. His coat was warm and silky under my fingers, and he nudged my hand with his nose, clearly wanting more attention.
I chuckled, scratching his ear, in the spot I vaguely remembered being a favorite of his. "It's been so long since we last saw each other. So much has happened, so much has changed. And yet, it's as if nothing’s changed at all."
As I stood there, stroking Arion’s soft coat, a thought occurred to me. "How did you get here?"
"We thought you sent him from Kaledon," Aeon's voice replied from behind me.
"No, I didn't." I said with a sigh, leaning my forehead against Arion's neck. "I wasn't even in Kaledon."
"Oh? Then where were you?"
"Earth."
There was a pause, then, "Earth, as in, the real world? How did you end up there?"
"I'm not sure," I answered honestly, "but I was in the hospital, and it was definitely Earth."
"I see," Aeon's voice trailed off, his tone thoughtful. "This is..."
"Yeah," I agreed, not needing him to finish the sentence. It was a lot to take in, and I was still trying to process everything. After giving Arion one last pat, I turned, facing the direction where I could see the temple peaking above the trees. "Is Nova at the temple?"
"Yes," he nodded, "she is playing with Leo and Zaius in the garden."
Leo and Zaius... "They're here too?"
"Yes," he confirmed, "they arrived a few days ago, along with the rest of the animals that populated the island. We thought you sent them," he gave me a searching look, "but I am beginning to suspect that wasn't the case."
"No," I agreed, "it wasn't. But I'm glad they're here."
Seeing that I was leaving, Arion trotted up along beside me, his ears pricked forward and his head held high. He seemed perfectly content to follow, without any prompting from me.
The walk to the temple was a quiet one, both of us lost in our own thoughts. That was one thing Aeon and I had in common, we both preferred silence over small talk. Nova on the other hand, well, she couldn't stand the silence, and would fill any void with conversation. She was the complete opposite of Aeon and I, her extroverted personality making her the perfect counterbalance.
Entering through the Eastern gate, we walked through the Aeris district towards the central building. As we walked, I let my gaze wander, taking in the details of my creation and froze, my eyes widening as I saw how overgrown everything was. The plants had been allowed to grow wild, unchecked, and untamed. The once pristine lawns and gardens were now a chaotic tangle of vines, flowers, and weeds. Trees and shrubs had been left to their own devices and were in desperate need of pruning. The buildings looked as though they were being swallowed up by the surrounding vegetation, and in some places, the walls were covered in a thick blanket of moss.
"What happened?" I asked, my voice a mixture of shock and disbelief, as I took in the scene before me.
Aeon sighed again. "Not long after you vanished, the plants and vegetation started growing at an accelerated rate. It was like they were being nourished by a constant source of energy, and the growth was exponential. We've been trying to manage the growth as best we can, but it's been difficult," he admitted. "We've been forced to prioritize our time and focus on the areas that are most important, like the central building, the laboratory, and the garden. But even with our efforts, it's been a constant struggle to keep the growth under control. We've had to make difficult choices and sacrifices to maintain the areas we've deemed essential."
"Ah." This was a development I had not anticipated. When creating Khēmeia, my plan was that the plants should be able to sustain themselves using ambient mana. However, it seemed that the plants were drawing more mana than intended, and it was causing the growth to become out of control. But, this hadn't happened before... So what changed?
My mind raced, trying to understand the implications of this new information. The fact that the growth was linked to the elemental arrays meant that there was some sort of malfunction in the system. It was possible that the plants were drawing more mana than I intended, causing them to grow at an accelerated rate. Or it could be a problem with the way the mana was being distributed throughout the system.
There were several possibilities that came to mind, but without being able to test and investigate, it would be impossible to pinpoint the exact cause of the issue. I would need to check on all the central array's to make sure they were still working correctly, and then inspect the conduits that ran through the temple. Perhaps there was a blockage or disruption in the flow of mana, causing a build-up of energy in certain areas? The forest hadn't seemed overgrown, but then again, the forest was supposed to grow wild, so it may have been harder to notice.
"I'll have to take a look at the mana flow," I said, "there might be an issue with the elemental arrays or the conduits."
Aeon nodded, and we continued on in silence. As we approached the central courtyard, I saw the walls were covered in thick vines. The vines were a deep green, with leaves that were large and heart-shaped, and flowers that were a vibrant shade of pink. They grew in a tangled mass, twisting and winding around the stone. In some places, the vines had even begun to crack the stone, and it was clear that if left unchecked, the vines would eventually cause structural damage.
Passing under the archway that lead to my private residence, I could see the extent of the overgrowth. The gardens were a mess, with plants and flowers growing wild, and the trees were in desperate need of trimming, but here at least it looked as if someone had made an effort to keep things maintained. It was still far from perfect, but it was better than I had been expecting. The grass was a little longer than it should have been, and there were weeds and wildflowers growing among the more cultivated plants, but overall, the garden was not as overgrown as the other areas of the temple.
As we walked through the gardens, we came across a large pond. The water was dark and murky, filled with weeds and algae. Along the edge, a group of frogs were croaking, their loud calls echoing through the garden. I watched as they leapt into the water, their bodies creating ripples that disturbed the surface. Then I watched as they resurfaced on lily pads. The frogs were a variety of colors, with speckled patterns on their skin. "Those are new," I said, pointing to the frogs.
"Nova brought them in," Aeon replied. "She found them in the water gardens and moved a few here. However, they quickly multiplied and the water gardens have become overrun." He sighed and shook his head, "many creatures have appeared since you left, and as with the plants, they are reproducing at a rapid rate. It has become..."
"Chaotic?"
"Exactly."
"Sorry about that," I said, not really sure what else to say. It was clear that Aeon and Nova had been doing their best to manage the growth and keep things in order, but the sheer amount of life that had sprung up was overwhelming. "Well," I continued, trying to sound more optimistic, "at least the frogs add some color to the garden, and they're not causing any harm. I mean, they're just sitting there, croaking and enjoying the water."
"They dirty the water," Aeon countered, his expression unamused, "they're loud, they're smelly, and they're constantly getting in the way when I'm trying to meditate or work. I've tried to get rid of them, but they keep coming back. I even tried putting up a barrier to keep them out, but they always find a way around it. And, of course, they breed almost as quickly as the rabbits. We seem to have only prey animals here." He shook his head, "I can't wait until you bring some predators, maybe they'll deal with some of this mess. Leo has been hunting, as has Zaius, but they can only do so much."
I couldn't help but laugh, and Aeon shot me a look of pure annoyance. Yes it was an issue, but the fact that he was being inconvenienced by these frogs was amusing to me. "I had nothing to do with the animals appearing," I said, "but I can try to figure out what is causing the rapid reproduction. I think it might have something to do with the elemental arrays, but I won't know for sure until I check them. And, in the meantime," I added, still smiling, "you'll just have to hunt and render them down for their components."
Aeon was not amused. "I don't like frogs," he said, and I laughed again, this time a little harder. "It's not funny," he said, his voice stern.
"I know," I managed between laughs, "but you have to admit, it's a little bit funny."
Aeon didn't respond, and after a few more seconds of laughter, I composed myself. "Sorry, sorry. I'll find a way to increase predation and balance the ecosystem, I promise."
He huffed, "I will hold you to that. Now, I believe Nova and the others are in the side garden, Zaius is quite attached to the cherry trees there," he said and began leading the way. "I will also warn you that the frogs are only the tip of the iceberg." Aeon pointed to a rabbit which scampered out of the bushes. "The rabbits are especially prolific, and while at first they were useful for keeping down the grass, they are now overrunning the island. Even worse, some of them have made a home in the library, of all places. I'm afraid they have chewed on a few of the books, we have been attempting to chase them out, but it's been a difficult process. They keep finding new ways to get in." He gave a long suffering sigh.
"Would you care to repeat that?" I said, my voice icy cold. "I fear I may have misheard you, because there is no way you are telling me there are vermin in MY library, chewing on MY books."
Aeon's expression was grim, and he nodded slowly. "You heard me correctly."
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
"Since when do rabbits eat books?" I demanded.
"They seem to like the glue on the bindings, and the paper itself," Aeon explained, "and they've made a nest behind one of the bookshelves, which is not ideal." He rubbed his temple, "it's hard to keep track of them, as they seem to be breeding faster than we can catch them."
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I was going to slaughter every single rabbit on this goddamned island.
***
When we entered the garden, I was taken aback by the sight before me. Nova was chasing after what should have been an adolescent Leosaur, who was the size of a large dog when I last saw him. No, that was not cub or adolescent, that was a fully grown Leosaur, with the frilled mane to prove it.
When did he get so big? Where was my little cub? Even his red scales were darker than I remembered, more of a deep burgundy than the vibrant crimson he'd been.
My feet froze in place, and the world seemed to narrow, my focus solely on the reptilian feline as it turned its head towards me. Leo, this was Leo wasn't it? This large predator, with its long, sharp fangs and powerful body, was Leo, the cub that had once been no bigger than a house cat. The Leosaur's amber eyes met mine, and I could see the intelligence in them, the recognition. It was definitely Leo. My little cub was no longer a cub.
"Leo," the word was a breathless whisper, but he heard me. His frilled mane flared out, and a purr-like sound emanated from his chest. Then he bounded towards me, covering the distance in a few quick strides, and before I could react, I was on the ground with a large, heavy Leosaur standing over me.
"Mrowrrrrr," the beast purred, rubbing his massive head against mine. Then his body dropped down on top of me, his entire weight resting on my chest, knocking the breath out of me.
I wheezed, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. "-elp," I managed to squeak out, as I pushed at the scaled monster trying to crush me.
Nova's laughter filled the air, and she ran over, throwing her arms around the massive feline's neck. "He missed you so much, and he's so happy you're back."
I wheezed again, my ribs protesting under the added weight.
"Leo," Aeon said, his voice stern. "Let her up, she can't breathe."
There was a grumble from the feline, but the weight lifted, and a moment later, those golden eyes were peering down at me. "I missed you too," I said, reaching up to scratch his chin. "I'm glad you're here, but next time, try not to crush me."
"Mrrr," he purred, nuzzling my cheek.
"Are you okay?" Nova asked, leaning over to look at me.
"I'm fine," I replied, accepting the hand she offered and stood up. "Just a bit sore."
Her eyes met mine, her gaze searching. "You don't look fine," she said, frowning slightly. "You look sad."
"Do I?" I didn't feel sad, did I? I felt... I didn't know what I felt, there were far too many emotions swirling around within me to pick just one.
"Yes, you do," she said, her expression turning serious. "Your ears are doing the droopy thing, and your tails are tucked against your legs,"
"My tails just got crushed," I retorted, but even as I said it, I knew it was a weak argument.
She shook her head. "Your tails only do that when you're upset. You can hide your expressions, but your ears and tails always give you away."
I didn't respond, not sure what to say to that. Instead I looked around, intent on changing the subject. "Where's Zaius?"
"The cherry tree," Nova replied, pointing to the tree which grew on the banks of a large pond.
I gazed up at the tree, a figure appeared, perched on a branch of the cherry tree. A familiar, six-limbed, furry shape. A pair of big blue eyes met mine, then the monkey blinked and his form vanished. A moment later, there was a rush of air, and a small body slammed into mine, thin, furry arms wrapping around me.
"Zaius!" I exclaimed, wrapping my own arms around the small creature.
The monkey chattered, his head tilting back to look at me, before he buried his face in my chest.
"I know," I whispered, stroking his fur. "I missed you, too."
He chattered some more, and I smiled. "I'm not going anywhere," I promised. "I'm not leaving you again."
The monkey chattered again, his arms tightening around me. I rubbed a hand over his back, feeling the softness of his fur.
"I'm sorry I was gone so long," I said, feeling the guilt rise within me. I didn't know how long it had been, but based on Leo's size, it must have been a long time. I glanced over at the Leosaur, who was laying on the grass, his massive form sprawled out in the sun. Even laying down, he was almost to my waist, his body easily the size of a small horse.
“It's been just over a week since you left." Nova said, tilting her up to look at me, her lower lip jutted out in a pout. “You promised that when you got back to Kaledon, you’d ask Tris if we could come outside with you.”
"She wasn't in Kaledon, Nova." Aeon said, his own expression unreadable as he stared down at our shorter companion.
"I was on Earth." I added.
Nova’s eyes grew wide, and her mouth dropped open. "Earth? As in, the real world?"
"Yes." I nodded, setting Zaius down on the ground. He chittered at me, his arms wrapping around my leg as he tried to climb back up. I sighed, letting him clamber back into my arms, and shifting him so he was balanced against my hip. Since when did he turn into such a clingy monkey?
Zaius at least was still small, so carrying him wasn't too difficult. The Shimosaru was only a little bigger than a human infant, though he weighed more. His body felt more solid, and he was definitely heavier, but he wasn't any longer. Maybe just a few centimeters, but not enough to make a noticeable difference. His tail was still the same length as well, wrapped around my waist as he sat in my arms, his tail tip flicking back and forth across my stomach. His blue skin looked a little paler, but that was probably because he'd been out in the sun. His fur was the same, though, a shimmering iridescent white, and his blue eyes sparkled with the same curiosity they'd always had.
"Kadia?"
"Hmm?" I glanced down at Nova. "What did you say?"
"I asked if you were okay."
I blinked, and looked up, meeting her gaze. "I'm fine," I said, offering a smile. "Just examining Zaius. I will need to update my notes on his species with his new height and weight. It seems like he's gotten a bit bigger while I was away. Leo too."
"Shall we go inside?" Aeon suggested, "we have not yet finished unpacking and there is much to discuss."
"Unpacking?" I questioned, following him into the temple, with Nova and Leonidas trailing behind. Arion, who had run off when Leo tackled me, was now grazing in the garden, completely unconcerned with the rest of us. Hopefully he wouldn't eat anything he shouldn't.
"Yes, unpacking. More supplies were delivered yesterday, and we have been in the process of cataloging and storing them."
"Supplies?" I repeated the word slowly as I stared at the boxes stacked up in the entrance hall. Right… Aither said he’d be sending a care package didn’t he?
Aeon sighed, then nodded. "The crest on the letters and stamped onto the crates lead me to believe it was from the Eternia guild, however, as the letters were addressed to you, I thought it best not to read them. I did not wish to invade your privacy.”
Eternia? Not Aither? “From Eternia?” I asked, wanting to make sure I hadn’t misheard him.
“Yes,” he confirmed, then arched a brow at me. “I presume you will want to look through the letters in order to delay our conversation regarding the recent events?"
"You know me so well," I replied dryly. There were a lot of things I needed to tell them, things we needed to discuss. But... I couldn't bring myself to delve into it. Not yet. Not until I sorted through things myself.
“I am but a reflection of that which made me,” he replied as he held out three envelopes made of heavy parchment.
Ignoring his jab, I opened the first letter and saw it was encrypted in the guilds cipher which I always found rather amusing, if not completely useless due to its simplicity. The cipher was something Noctus came up with which was based on Caesar's cipher. It was a rudimentary and archaic form of encryption, but it added a layer of complexity to deciphering messages. However, once you knew the key and the sequence, it became relatively straightforward to decrypt the text.
I scanned the letter, slowly deciphering the elaborate symbols with a mix of nostalgia and an increasing sense of frustration. When did the cipher become so hard to read? Where before it had simply been like reading a letter in a different language, now it felt each word required my full attention in order to translate it. It was as if I had to think about every symbol and remember the meaning, rather than just being able to read it automatically.
"Zaius, if you keep squirming, I'm going to put you down." I admonished, my concentration broken by the monkey trying to peer at the letter in my hands.
"Here, let me hold him," Nova said, taking the monkey from my arms. He chattered in protest, then settled down, wrapping his arms and legs around her. Seeing how she cuddled and cooed at him, I could see why he was acting like a baby. He was clearly being spoiled.
Returning my attention to the letter, I continued deciphering the message.
----------------------------------------
Kadia,
It has been several weeks since we last heard from you, and your sudden disappearance has been cause for concern.
-
I stopped reading to scowl at the letter, several weeks? He couldn’t have been more precise? I sighed, then shook my head, moving onto the next line which had my scowl deepening
-
We have been searching everywhere and feared you were fox-napped or worse.
-
"Right, because I'm a fox," I muttered to myself. “Yes, very funny.”
-
We also thought you might be "logged out" because of the statue. However, when it came to life and attacked a Dreadmere guild member trying to sneak into the temple, it was clear that wasn't the case. When did you make a golem of yourself by the way? Anyway, after it killed off the intruder, it walked around the temple like it was searching for something, and then after killing a few more people, who we assume were there with ill intent, it went back to its spot on the wall.
-
"Statue?" I frowned, rereading the paragraph to make sure I had decoded it correctly. I was certain they meant the golems that were acting as guards on the walls, but I hadn't made one in my own image. That would be vain... and a little creepy.
-
Shortly after the golem incident, Brodel, who is leading the temple in your absence, received a dream message from Trismegistus. The dream showed him that you were alive but going through some sort of trial and needed aid. He was shown a portal array that we needed to build to help you.
The array requires a lot of mana crystals to activate, and based on our tests, we can only send low-level creatures through without them dying during the transfer. We are planning to send your bound pets through next, as we hope that if they die during the transfer, they will still end up on your side and you can revive them. We are also working on acquiring more crystals to continue our attempts at sending people through. Your team and Marcus are also killing themselves down in hopes it will be enough for them to get through. If all goes to plan, they should be arriving soon.
Until then, we can only send you these supplies.
Stay safe, and we will get you home soon.
Darius.
-
I guess that answered the question as to how the animals got here... Wait... What did he mean by 'killing themselves down' What were those idiots doing? I'd kill them if they... Well, they were already killing themselves, but that's beside the point.
“Did Arion, Leo and Zaius arrive alive?” I asked, glancing over at Aeon who nodded.
“Yes,” he nodded. “We did not notice any signs of injury upon them. They seemed perfectly healthy and alive. We also witnessed a few other animals, such as chickens and deer, arriving, but based on the variety of creatures that now populate the island, I am sure there have been many more arrivals which went unseen. We thought you were the one who sent them.”
“I see,” I mused, pondering that as I opened the second letter, which was a report written by Brodel, detailing the current state of affairs of the temple. I refolded the letter, not wanting to deal with that right now. Instead, I turned my attention to the last envelope which contained multiple pages.
The first one was in plain English and looked to have been written by a child, the words big and splotched with ink.
-
Kads,
This is my fifth try writing this because I kept messing up the damn cipher, so I'm just writing in English. Anyway, we're coming to rescue you, so don't worry. We are all leveling down right now. We should be able to cross through soon.
I miss you,
Marcus.
-
Okay, so not a child, but close enough. Flipping to the next page I saw that it was from Victoria.
-
Foxy,
We're going to get you home, just hold on and keep fighting.
Stay safe, we'll see you soon.
Viki.
-
I frowned as I finished the letter, comparing it to the one from Marcus. Did they think I was in danger or something?
Shaking my head, I skimmed over the remainder of the letter, seeing that Pia, Kip and Rainy had all included their own notes. Pia's note was short, but it basically consisted of telling me she was sending me some leather armor she'd made me and her favorite spear, ending with a reminder to 'poke 'em with the pointy end, Foxy.'
Rainy's note was to tell me she'd packed all the plants I commonly asked her for, and the tools I used for basic alchemical work. She listed off clothing, bandages and various other items she had sent, and the note ended with a simple, 'be careful, and be well, we'll see you soon. Love, Rainy'
Kip's was... well, Kip's was the longest out of all the notes, and started with him reporting on the earnings from the store in Bovia, complaining about a competing store owned by Dreadmere opening up, and telling me how he'd been sabotaging their business in retaliation.The last part of his letter was a long, rambling explanation of what he was planning on doing to get back to me for them needing to drop their levels, ending in a promise that he would do 'whatever it takes to get you back, Foxy, it just sucks we have to die so much to reach you.'
I couldn't argue with that. I would hate to have to go through that as well, and I was worried about what effect it might have on them if they were successful. Dying too many times could damage their mana cores and result in them dying a 'true' death, which meant starting all over again in a new body. It would also mean losing everything, all their progress, all the magic and skills, all their gear... Everything.
Sighing, I set the letters down. "Those idiots." I muttered, then shook my head. Lovable idiots, but still idiots. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of warmth in my chest at the thought of them and their antics, though it was quickly dampened by the worry and concern that came with it.
I knew they would do anything for me, but I wished they wouldn't take unnecessary risks. Then again, these were my teammates and brother we were talking about, and they were known to take risks, and often. I just hoped they would be okay. I missed them... All of them.
"Well, then," I began, forcing a cheery note to my voice, “I guess with some crates to unpack and supplies to sort through.”
"That can wait, Kadia," Aeon said, but I shook my head.
"Please Aeon," I replied, trying to keep the weariness out of my voice. "There's a lot going on, and I want to do something menial so I can mentally sort through things. We'll talk, but not... not right now. Not yet. Please, just give me some time."
He looked at me, his gaze meeting mine, then he nodded. "Very well."
Relieved that he was willing to let me have the space I needed, I looked at the wooden boxes, then at the letters in my hand. "Did they all arrive here in the hall? Did anything happen around the time they arrived?"
"No," he answered, "we did not feel or see anything, it was Zosimos who alerted us, as the supplies were deposited into his aerie. A transmutation array has appeared on the floor of the aerie, however each time we attempt to discern the nature of it, the scripture blurs and moves."
"I see," I replied, frowning. "And where is Zosimos now?"
"Sulking in the North tower," Nova supplied. "He's mad about his aerie being used as a portal and that you left him behind."
"Ah." I sighed, glancing down at the monkey who was clinging to her side. At least Zaius didn't seem angry with me. Leo didn't seem upset either, more happy to have been reunited than anything, but Zosimos was another matter entirely.
“If he wants to sulk, then that's his choice.” I decided. I wasn’t going to pander to the bird, he'd come around eventually.
The boxes were mostly filled with food and herbs, along with some basic tools, and a couple of notebooks, most of which had come from my personal lab. There was also a small wooden chest filled with mana crystals and a couple of jars containing various potions. The last thing to be unpacked was a large package wrapped in cloth. I unwrapped it, revealing a beautiful spear with a dark metal point. It was, as Pia said, her favorite, and I was surprised she'd sent it, as she rarely let anyone else use her weapons. I traced my hand over the smooth wood of the spear shaft and smiled. Pia had made it herself, and it was a weapon that I knew was of the highest quality materials.
That thought made me frown. They had sent me armor, a weapon, potions and herbs. What did my friends think was happening to me?