"Yes."

He put the dust in his pocket dimension, then all the machines lit up for a few seconds, before stopping. All the needles slide out of him and he stood up. Slowly and swaying he walked to them.

"Thank you."

They were just watching him staying in one place leaned forward and breathing heavily. Catherine got a stick out and gave it to him.

"This might help to stay on your feet."

"Thank you again. Now, shall we leave?"

"We are leaving for sure. If you want to come, I don't mind, what about you Joseph?"

"I'm fine with it. But you should listen to us when you meet others. Also, you shouldn't tell anyone who you are. I don't think it's a good idea to just show up after ten thousand years."

Tobald laughed.

"You think I'm a fool? I know these things. It is obvious, that people are different by now. I'm not an old and senile person."

"True. But don't forget that everything is different."

He didn't answer, just started to walk towards the elevator. The two of them followed him.

As they got up to the ground floor, he looked better. His body seemed less and less dried up and color started to return to him. Joseph whispered to Catherine.

Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

"He seems to recover quite fast."

"Yes. Seems like he is not a great mage for nothing."

Tobald raised his hand.

"That is just a title. You can earn it easily as well. You just need to practice for years and years. The only reason that very few people were like us is that you have to sacrifice everything for it. Also, if you think about it, if your significant other is not living as long as you, it will be a painful life alone and lost."

His face showed his sadness.

'Maybe he is speaking about himself.'

They left the tower and saw the two robots standing at the bottom of the stairs.

"So where do we go now?"

Joseph and Catherine started to walk down the stairs and spoke at once.

"This way."

As they got closer to the robots, they turned towards them, but when Tobald got closer they turned back. Joseph chuckled.

"I guessed they would let us leave with you."

"Of course. Do you think my own machines would attack me?"

"Fair."

They walked back to the camp.

Meanwhile, the old guy got back a healthy look.

He looked like a man in his 30s with long and white hair. His clothes changed to a blue cloak covering his body.

Joseph was surprised by him.

"How did you do it so fast? Isn't your mana missing?"

"Not really. No. This core is smaller than mine was, but I don't find any problem with it. Also every time I take a breath it feels like I suck mana out of a battery. It is really refreshing."

Joseph sensed around. The air was dry from mana.

"You just absorbed all the mana around us. Without meditating?"

Catherine was shaking her head.

"You are a lot worse of a monster than I imagined you five."

Tobald laughed.

"You call me a monster. I would've loved your look if you would've had the chance to meet with the strongest mage of my age. He is a real monster. There was a time that he erased a mountain in a second because it slowed down his travel."

They were flabbergasted. This guy is so much worse than they thought.

"So you say that is a plausible feat?"

"Hm... I can't say for sure. After all, he was a literal monster, he gave up his humanity for power and turned into something I can't explain."

Joseph was confused.

"If he was that strong, then how did he die. Wait! Is he the other one who is still living?"

"Exactly. I don't know where he is, but I know he is not on this continent for sure."

They walked into the tent where Leonard was.