Nero opened his eyes, and to his surprise...

He saw only darkness.

Darkness, and a pair of glowing amber eyes staring at him from somewhere in the room.

"...where the hell are we?", he asked, trying to get up, "ow!"

Another sharp pain in the head forced him to slow down his movements.

"Captain Elena's ship. Apparently, we were taken here after losing our consciousness."

"Wait a second. Our consciousness?"

Sharmon nodded.

"I also suffered a blackout."

"How long have you been awake...?"

"No more than five minutes."

Then, the door slammed open abruptly, letting the light from the hallway come inside and blinding Nero.

"Agh! Damn it, my eyes...!", he covered his face.

"Sharmon! Are you awake!?"

That was the voice of Elena.

"I am. And so is the boy."

"Yeah, I heard him. Almost pierced my ears."

"Hey, at least knock before you enter!", Nero complained.

"This is my ship, kid. I don't have to knock."

"Oh, yeah? And what if I was changing?"

"Pfft, who cares."

"Alright, then what if he was changing?"

Nero pointed at Sharmon. Elena looked up at the sorcerer and she bit her lower lip while smiling a little.

"...you know what, never mind."

This was too much for him.

"What time is it?", said the boy, trying to get up.

"Time to go.", said Elena.

Nero stopped.

"Go where?"

"To Port Hope."

"What do you mean to Port Hope? You're not telling me I've been asleep for two days, right?", he laughed.

Araven came into the room.

"You weren't asleep, Nero. You were unconscious, and try as I might, I was not able to wake you."

He had a very serious look on his face.

Nero scratched his black hair and sighed.

"...sorry to make you worry."

"What happened to you?", he frowned, "is this normal?"

"I mean... kinda. The summoning has had a few side effects, let's just say."

"I ran several checks on your arcana, and nothing was out of the ordinary."

"Then, everything's cool.", said Nero.

"No. You were unconscious, and you're telling me it was related to the summoning, and yet there were no arcana fluctuations whatsoever?"

"Well, I dunno what you want me to tell you, dude.", the boy shrugged, "it's not like I was deciding what was going on."

This time it was Araven's turn to let out a sigh, though it was a more exasperated one.

"Hey. Thanks for taking care of me. All of you. But please don't make a big deal out of this. I'm fine, and... I'll be fine."

Nero couldn't in good faith say those last words with absolute certainty. Not after his talk with Sharmon.

"You can't ask us to not freak out, kid. We care about you two.", said Elena.

Nero couldn't offer her anything more than an appreciative smile. He decided it would be better for everyone's nerves if he got up and about and acted normal.

"Hooolright. There we go. So, uh... what time is it?"

"Around five in the morning. We depart at first light.", said Elena.

"...and where's Ferguson?"

"Back at the inn.", said Araven.

"What's he doing?"

"Writing his report and stuff."

"Ah, alright. Is he gonna make it in time?"

Elena looked at Nero.

"Ferguson isn't coming with us to Port Hope."

"What!? Why!?"

"What do you mean, why? There's no reason for him to. He works here, lives here. Said he'd send a letter to the College stating how much of a help you've been, and that'll be it."

"But...!"

Nero felt his heart grow heavy. One moment he's walking next to him, chatting about random stuff, and the next, he's leaving and won't be seeing him again for who knows how long. It had only been very recently that Nero had started to notice how much he actually appreciated Ferguson's company and ethos, too.

This sucked.

"It would be poor practice for us to depart without saying a word to him, now that we are awake.", said Sharmon, "we should pay him a quick visit at the inn."

"Yeah! Let's do that!"

"You can, but I am to take you back as soon as the sun starts to come out, so don't delay.", said Elena.

"Alright. Araven, you coming?"

"I already said my goodbyes to him, but I want to keep an eye on you, so I'll go."

"...alright."

What a worrywart.

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

They indeed found him sitting at one of the tables inside Georg's inn, already writing his report. Upon seeing the trio walking in, he dropped his plume, stood up and approached them.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Hi again.", said Araven in a monotone.

"Nero! Lord Sharmon! Are you feeling better!?", asked Ferguson.

"Yeah. Did you carry us all the way to the ship?"

"I did, though Herbert helped us out."

"Is he around? I'd like to thank him, but we don't have much time."

Ferguson shook his head.

"We carried you to the Vista last afternoon. He went straight back to his farm after that."

"Damn. Well, tell him we appreciate what he did for us, if you can."

"I'll try, though I have to return to Coria today."

Sharmon crossed his arms.

"Ever the busy man."

"That, I am.", he laughed, "oh, you just made me remember that I have to finish the report..."

"That's alright, we didn't mean to interrupt you. Just saying... goodbye.", said Nero.

"Hey, hey, what's that sad tone in your voice?", Ferguson laughed.

"I dunno, man. I was starting to appreciate all that you do here in Armorica. It's not gonna be the same without you at the College."

"Yeah, well, I've never worked for the College, so."

"No, I know that, but you know what I mean."

"Haha, yeah, don't worry about that. Here, I'll give you something..."

Ferguson took a minute to write down something and handed the little paper over to Nero.

"College students exchange correspondence weekly. This here is my mailing address, so you can write me here anytime. It's a safe address, by the way.", he winked at them.

So, he could discuss the whole syrup business with him in private through that line. Neat.

"Okay. Well, I don't know the College one, but I'm guessing you'll manage."

"I work for the gov. I have access to it in my documents, and I can always return to sender if necessary."

"...yeah, but if we're gonna be discussing that topic, then..."

"We should also have a safe mailing address. Give him the bookstore's, boy.", said Sharmon.

"Right, but I can only read that when I go home, and I don't know how often the College will let me... all this assuming I pass this exam."

"You're still on about that? If I didn't make it clear enough, you've more than passed. Believe me.", said Ferguson.

"Yeah, thanks. I'll believe it when I see it, though."

Ferguson sighed.

"Sheesh. Fine. Getting back on topic, I'll write to the College, but if we're discussing that, then I'll code the message. "

"How?"

"Hmm..."

Ferguson thought for a minute.

"How about... I'll talk about the Vista?", he murmured.

"Huh?"

"Yeah. I'll talk about the Vista when discussing the syrup. You'll have to decode it."

"I'm... not really good at cryptic stuff.", Nero confessed.

"I can do it.", said Sharmon, "it is a good idea."

"Great. Then, we'll go with that. By the way, don't you guys set sail at dawn? The sun's about to come up.", said Ferguson, looking out the window.

"Oh, shit! You're right! Then... I guess this is goodbye, for now.", said Nero.

"Be sure to write, alright?", said Ferguson with a smile.

"You bet I will. Don't be a stranger either, okay?"

"Goodbye again.", said Araven.

"Haha, bye again."

"You're leaving already?", they heard another voice.

Lisey had just come in.

"Oh, hey Lisey. Morning. Yeah, we're going back to Nycea today.", said Nero.

"No fair! I barely had time to talk with you guys these past few days! And Elena, too!"

"The captain will be coming to Trena again soon enough, don't worry.", said Ferguson.

"She will keep her promise.", said Araven with a smile.

"Psh... fine.", she frowned.

Nero walked up to her and started patting her on the head, much to her surprise.

"Come on, now, don't pout. We'll be back soon, and I'll ask the pirate to ferry us here and we'll all hang out. That work for you?"

"...you promise?", she asked, ignoring the fact that he had just blatantly described Elena as a sea criminal.

"I promise."

"You can also bring friends from the College here. I'm sure it'll be really cool to meet them.", said Ferguson.

"Great idea! I know a few people you'd love to meet, Lisey."

She beamed at him.

"Alright, then! I'll be waiting for y'all!"

"Haha, be a good girl and take care of this place while we're away, okay?"

"You betcha!"

"Alright, then we're off. Thank you for everything, Georg. I'll be seeing you sometime soon, too."

"Of course! You're welcome here anytime."

And with that, the trio headed out. However, Sharmon, who was behind Nero and Araven, stopped at the doorstep and turned to look at Ferguson over his shoulder.

"I did not think much of you the first time I saw you at the docks of Port Hope.", he said, "but you are a clever man, Ferguson. I look forward to us collaborating in the future."

The brunette placed a hand on his waist and scratched the back of his head, then adjusted his red headband while laughing. It looked like he wasn't accustomed to being complimented.

"Thank you, my Lord. It's been an honor to work with you. I'll also look forward to it."

Sharmon nodded at him before turning his head and stepping out of the inn.

Lisey walked outside and waved at them as they returned to the pier.

"See ya soon...! Don't forget your promise...!"

Araven and Nero turned and waved back at her.

As they walked the streets towards the moored Vista, which was getting ready to depart already, more people turned their heads at them and some had even begun to follow them.

"You're leaving...?", asked a very poor looking older woman.

"Haha, yeah. We'll go back to the College and see if we passed the exams.", said Nero.

"I heard you rid the Alcove of pirates. Thank you for that.", said a fisherman, walking next to Araven.

"Oh, and the farmers have told me about how you cleared the roads of Buzzers! They even said you could do some miracle healing!", said someone else.

"Nothing of the sort, it was simply magic.", smiled Araven.

"Are we seeing you again?", asked a young woman.

"Yeah, for sure.", said Nero.

By the time they made it to the Vista, there were almost thirty people following them.

"Well, aren't you a bunch of celebrities... we can't take them to Port Hope, though.", said Elena from the ship.

"They're just saying goodbye.", said Araven with his characteristically polite smile.

The trio walked up the ramp to board the ship, and Elena quickly raised the bridge to avoid anyone else trying to get on. The sun was coming out, and the sky had started to light up.

"Alright, ladies! Undo the ties; we're sailing back to Port Hope!", she shouted. The men were hard at work and soon enough the rows began to move; The small congregation of people waved at them as the ship began to pull away from the pier.

"Thank you for the show!", said a man who was carrying a little girl. Nero remembered them since they had been a part of the crowd that day when Sharmon had displayed some of his levitation skills.

"Thank you...!", said the little girl, also waving.

Nero waved back at them.

"We'll be back...! See you soon...!", he promised.

Sharmon was standing next to Nero and staring at the crowd in silence; the boy appreciated him doing that instead of turning his back on them. Araven was resting comfortably, leaning on the edge of the ship, and was simply smiling at everyone.

Captain Elena and the crew were working hard, though, and didn't greet anybody.

Nero stayed in the exact same spot and did not move away until the port town of Trena had completely disappeared under the horizon.

He took a deep breath and turned around. Finally going back home, huh...? What a weird ending to his exam.

He pulled out Ferguson's mailing address and had started to think what should he write about in his first letter when a terrible thought crossed his mind.

He had utterly, completely, absolutely forgotten to write a single letter to his grandmother.

Nero felt his entire body being taken over by a sudden rush of cold sweat.

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

The office was clean, properly furnished and well lit. It had everything the person occupying the room needed: a wide desk, a comfortable armchair, an armoire with several changes of clothes and a cabinet where he could place miscellaneous things.

A rectangular red and gold carpet covered almost the entirety of the floor, reminding everyone the importance of the affairs that were discussed there.

Knock, knock.

"Yes, come in."

A very tall man sporting wild, black shoulder-long hair and several scars on his face walked into the office.

"Good morning, my lord."

"Ah, Wember. Good morning. Please close the door behind you."

The pirate obeyed, and took a few steps towards de desk without getting too close.

"I'm sure you're aware, my lord, but I'll say it anyways: our gold is gone."

The man sitting on the chair rested his elbows on his desk, pressing one hand's fingertips against the other's.

"I heard your den was raided a few days ago."

"Yes. I lost eighteen men out of the twenty, most of the boats, and essentially all of the gold that was in the Alcove."

The man on the desk frowned.

"How did this happen?"

"I have it that Berzen, my second in command, did a job on a ship moored at Trena, and the crew headed north to retrieve it, taking the gold alongside it."

"A moored ship...? You don't mean to tell me they attempted to steal the vessel the College had assigned to those brats!"

"I... am afraid that is the case, my lord."

The man slammed his hand against his expensive wooden desk.

"Are you guys fucking retarded!? What's the matter with you!? We can't do jack shit about this since they came from the freaking College itself!"

Wember gulped.

"My lord, I assure you this would not have happened had I been in charge at the time, but I was away on that special job you sent me on..."

"Don't give me your bullshit excuses! Your second in command is your responsibility! Bring me that moron, I'll have his head for this!"

"...I regret to inform you that Berzen has gone missing since the raid. We haven't been able to locate his body, or heard news about him. I fear we may have lost him at sea."

"That, or the crew of the Vista took him prisoner, in which case you don't need me to tell you what will happen if he spills the beans..."

"I'm already working on locating him in case he's alive."

"Good. Get your ass out of my office now, and don't come back until you have news."

Wember bowed and quickly left the office.

The man was left alone once again.

He got up and looked out one of the two windows of his office, from where he could see the city of Coria in the distance.

Dawn had arrived.

"The crew of the Vista...", he murmured, "You took my gold? Fine. Then perhaps I should also take something valuable from you..."

A cruel grin appeared on his face.

"I'll show you what happens when you mess with Lord Mosley."