Kai quickly put down Sverik, making sure he had no other wounds before rushing toward the golem, his heart skipping a beat as he jumped over the crowd. Cracks spread throughout its shell, the pieces of rock covering it breaking apart and falling, revealing more and more of its core. A purple crystal as big as the golem itself slowly came to the surface. Lines and cracks covered it, starting from the point where Sverik stabbed it all the way to the other end. Its light slowly dwindled as the mana it held scattered in the air, and along with it so did the golem’s magical abilities. Its jaw moved up and down, as if trying to talk, to say its last words, however nothing more than a few grunts came out. Eventually, a soft smile creased its lips, seemingly accepting its fate as its eyes snapped shut.

Watching all this happen, Kai felt a complex set of emotions, and the sight brought more questions to his mind than answers. Approaching the core, he placed his hand over it, trying to make out its magical structure. He felt a cold shiver as his hand made contact with the crystal’s warm surface, feeling the mana seep through the cracks, crashing against his skin before dispersing in the air. However, a small amount of it got absorbed by him, and his mana veins trembled as it circulated through his system. Interesting… It looks like the mana coming from this crystal is… pure… very pure. I’ve never felt anything like it before… I bet using it to make spells would make them stronger by a few times. This purity… feels amazing! Ignoring the pain, he attempted to absorb minuscule amounts of it, however, cracks began appearing as soon as the smallest amount coursed through him. Damn it! Come on, endure! He attempted to absorb it regardless, feeling that the crystal was almost spent. Enduring the pain that came with the cracks, he forced the mana to travel through his body, observing the effects it had, besides the damage it did. Come on! Come on! Come on! Cold sweat dripped down his forehead, however, he refused to give up. I need to at least try! It’s too pure to let go, maybe… maybe… However, even as he did his best, the supply of mana suddenly disappeared. The crystal turned gray, the silent disappearance of its color prompting a disappointed sigh to escape Kai’s body. “Damn it!” Turning away, he walked toward Sverik, circulating the Hippcatrus Healing Technique to heal the damage. His pupils suddenly widened as he did so, and he immediately snapped to the golem as a faint voice echoed in his mind. “Finally…”

“Who said that??” He yelled toward the dispersing crowd, however, none of them gave him the time of day.

Weird… He thought, rushing to Sverik’s side. The boy lay unmoving, his heart beating and seemingly out of consciousness. “You can stop pretending now,” Kai said with a chuckle, flicking Sverik’s forehead.

“Ouch! You could tell?” He chuckled, getting up and sitting crosslegged.

“Only a blind man or a golem could not, haha. Congratulations man!” Kai patted Sverik on the shoulder, as he laughed heartily, ignoring his pain.

“Aw, man stop it hurts!”

“Alright, alright. So tell me, what happened?” Kai asked, unable to contain his excitement.

“Well, how about we get home first? I’m tired…”

“Ah, yeah, right. Sorry haha, I guess I’m a bit too excited, y’know.”

“Yeah, I know… I gotta ask you something too. Also, I heard the ‘son of a-’ part… you asshole haha.”

…

“Haha, I knew you could do it, my boy!” Zarman slapped his knee as he roared with laughter, bringing a large tankard to his lips. “You completely destroyed that golem, it’s not rare but not many people manage to do it!” He said before taking a big gulp of alcohol and letting out a satisfied sigh. Elizabeth and Aina looked at Sverik with a hint of shock, while also eyeing Kai with the corner of their eye.

“That’s amazing Sverik, I’ve never seen such a core before… do you mind?” Aina asked, her hand approaching the boy’s chest, who only replied with a shy nod of approval. Mana escaped her arm, which she sent into his body, inspecting the core, most notably the third star that newly appeared on his core. It was not only its color that intrigued her greatly, but also the way it was formed and then fused. “You said it first appeared when the golem hit you, do you recall what you felt in that moment?” She asked in a gentle voice, her eyes glued to his core.

“I… I’m not sure actually.” He replied in a wavering tone. “It was unlike anything I’ve felt before, it was warm, very, very warm. Although my entire body hurt, for the few moments that it took the star to form, it didn’t hurt at all. After that, when it fused with my core I felt… powerful, like I could do anything. My hearing was sharper, I could see better, and my body moved like I wanted it to. Now though that feeling faded, I only feel like myself but slightly stronger.”

“Interesting,” Elizabeth murmured under her breath, taking note and analyzing what happened. Although she wasn’t as knowledgeable as her mother or Kai in the domain of pills, even she could tell something was amiss. Regardless, she chose not to pursue this issue right now, but instead make her observations alongside Aina.

“Aye, what’s it matter, tit for that,” Zarman said in a slightly annoyed tone. “The boy advanced and that’s all that matters, what comes after comes after. Let’s celebrate tonight!” Standing up, he walked toward the exit, wobbling slightly. “I’ll go bring my finest wine and ale! Haha! My boy broke through!” The door slammed shut behind him, and in that moment both women’s gazes snapped to Kai, who watched nonchalantly from the side.

“What did you do?” Aina asked in a stoic tone, removing herself from Sverik. “Are you crazy, Kai?”

Gulping, Kai straightened himself, “No? I just gave him something to help, and it helped him.”

“We haven’t yet tested their effect on artificial veins… You!” She sighed as her hand flew to her face. “I know you had your issues in the past but…”

“Hey!” Kai snapped, jumping to his feet. “I actually thought it through before doing something so reckless, I’ll have you know!” He said, bringing a fist to his chest. “I knew Sverik could handle it, alright? Plus what could the Inner Balance Pill do to him that’s so harmful? Nothing happened to me, and he’s much stronger.”

“BOY!” Elizabeth raised her voice, causing his heart to skip a beat. “It’s not about strength, and you know that damn well. Those pills were made for you, not for public use. We have no way to know what could have happened to him, and we would not be there to save him like we saved you! Why do you never consider such things? How are you so stupid even after-”

“Elizabeth.” Aina’s calm tone echoed in her ears, forcing her to stop mid-sentence. “What’s done is done, and no one is hurt. We should continue to observe Sverik for the coming days and be ready to help at a moment’s notice, alright?”

“I…” Elly hesitated, glancing slightly at the wide-eyed Kai. “A-alright… I’ll excuse myself for now.” She got up and walked into the kitchen, which was a fair bit away from the living room.

“Forgive her Kai, she-” Aina said, however, Kai’s faint voice broke her speech and caught her off guard at the same time.

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

“It’s alright, she’s right. I- I should have given it more thought. Even she knew it was a bad idea and she barely knows how the pills work, let alone me who’s been working with them for so long… I, I think I need some time.” He turned toward Sverik, who listened to the entire exchange with a confused expression. “I’m sorry Sverik, I could have killed you, I- I’m not that good of a friend.”

He turned around under Sverik’s hesitant gaze, with the door slamming behind him. Aina let out a soft sigh as she sat down, her hand flying to her forehead as she crossed her legs. “I’m sorry for this Sverik, I think Elly’s words cut him a bit too deep. Kai didn’t mean any harm, I hope you know that.”

“I know…” Sverik nodded, glancing at the door with a complicated expression. “I trusted him enough to eat it, so I accepted that whatever happens happens.”

“That’s good, I’m glad to know he has someone else besides us,” Aina said with a smile. “Thank you, by the way.”

“For what?” Sverik’s perplexed voice escaped his lips. “I didn’t do anything.”

“For being Kai’s friend, things have been hard on him these past few months. Although he’s been more joyful lately, and there’s no one else to attribute that to.”

“Ah- You’re welcome then, I guess?”

“Fufu.” Aina chuckled slightly, however, her expression quickly turned to a serious one, and said as she eyed Zarman’s half-empty tankard. “We’ll need to observe your training in the coming days and see how this new core affects you. It’s probably nothing bad most likely, but just to be sure.”

Sverik nodded briefly, standing in silence as he waited for Zarman to come back with the wine. For the first time in a while, despite all that’s happened, Sverik felt happy. His heart burst with excitement, and he barely controlled his trembling hands. The fact that he broke through at the last minute was not only a testament to his strength but also his willpower. Not giving up until the very end when most people already would have filled him with pride and glee. Although it felt like he cheated his way through, it was his own fortune to have Kai as a friend, although now he wasn’t so sure if that was bad luck in itself.

…

Kai sat in the back of Zarman’s courtyard, climbed up on the wall, and watched over the city’s nightlife. Countless lights, like hundreds of fireflies shone from the town, where the people that could be seen looked like ants bustling about. The cold breeze of the air currents forming from the ventilation systems blew his hair back as he let out a heavy sigh. The warm air forced itself through the gaps in his mask, which he promptly removed to allow for easier breathing. He stood in silence, accompanied only by the song of small critters and the faint noises from below.

Another sigh escaped his body as he got more comfortable, staring up at the closed-off ground covered in crystals and roots. His crimson pupils shone with a complicated light, and he grits his teeth in anger and regret. Damn it, I really fucked up this time! Elizabeth was really angry at me… and even Aina disapproved of my actions. And they’re right, I should have thought it through more! The pills are a secret, a single bad move or a more keen-eyed spectator and Aina’s entire project could have gone downwind. Although Sverik broke through seemingly without any issue, does the means justify the end then? Damn it! I feel like I’ve turned dumber ever since reincarnating… or was I always like this? It’s true I never really did well in school but… did I lack critical thinking skills as well? Damn it Lumiera! Looks like I need to figure out how to get the

“Watcha doing up there?” Zarman’s coarse and half-drunken voice interrupted his thoughts. Panicked, he grabbed his mask and quickly put it back on his face, slowly turning to the dwarf, who held a couple of bottles in his arms.

“I’m just… taking a breather… yeah,” Kai replied awkwardly, his heart still racing.

“Haha, I get ya.” He said, placing the bottles down and climbing up next to Kai. “I’ve always liked this view myself, you know? It’s amazing how we managed to dig into a mountain like this and still keep it standing, and what’s more amazing is what we managed to build over thousands of years. Down there, everything feels grand, fancy, important. But up here? All of that fades away.”

Kai looked at Zarman with a complicated expression, not expecting such words to come out of this drunk man’s mouth. “Haha yeah, it does feel insignificant from up here.” He chuckled, leaning back slightly. “And yet our problems don’t quite seem to fade away, even up here.”

“They never do youngling, it’s all about balance. If something bothers you, take care of it. If someone annoys you, take care of it. Life is too short even if you’re an Eon…”

“An Eon?”

“Ah, don’t worry about it. You’ll get to learn about them if fate so desires.” The two sat in silence, neither of them speaking but enjoying the landscape together. “Thank you,” Zarman said after some time. “I don’t know what you did, but it helped Sverik, so thank you.” He scratched his nose, his gaze lingering on the star-struck ceiling. “Well, it’s about time we got going. Kid, you look old enough to drink.” Zarman jumped down, picking up his bottles and yelling at Kai. “Now come on, we don’t want to keep my guests waiting. And we also need to celebrate Sverik’s breakthrough!”

“Alright, wait for me!” Kai jumped down, a soft smile creasing his lips, hidden behind his mask.

…

Back at Zarman’s house, it didn’t take long for him to open the bottles he brought, pouring cup after cup and drinking joyfully, accompanied by Aina, whose appetite for wine seemingly beat Zarman’s own. Next to her sat Elizabeth, quickly sipping from a half-full glass of wine, her face already flushing red, with her ears turning as red as the beverage she held. Opposite each other were Sverik and Kai, whose expressions resembled Elly’s, both of them similarly sipping from glasses of wine.

Sverik’s face turned from his normal pale to a healthy shade of cherry red, his pupils dilated and seemingly unfocused as he gulped down the entire glass like a shot. “What are you doing, you dumbass?!” Aina yelled, slamming her glass down. “Wine ish meant to be enjoyed and slowly drank, not all… not all at once like that. You’re wasting the taste!” Sverik didn’t seem to fully understand Aina’s drunken words, whether it be because of her slurred speech or because of his drunkness. Suddenly, both of them turned their heads toward Zarman, whose explosive voice caught their attention.

“Nonsense! Let mah boy drink! So what if he drinks wine all at once, it’s not like we’re going to run out!”

“That’s not what this is about…!” Aina replied, “It's about… about the art of wine!”

“Art my ass! Alcohol is alcohol, come on my boy, drink! You did well today!” He said, pouring Sverik another glass, spilling a bit on the table due to his trembling hand. “Ahha, oops…”

Aina gritted her teeth but remained silent as she took another sip from her glass, circulating some mana at the same time to alleviate some of the drunkness. While that was happening, Kai, whose complexion seemed better than Sverik’s, however, his pale face still flushed with a pinkish hue. He turned around and took another sip while carefully lifting his mask, afraid of Zarman seeing him but also not wanting to be unpolite. On the other hand, Elizabeth watched everyone carefully, only taking a sip every so often, in fear of getting too drunk.

“To think he was so frail and weak when I first found him…” Zarman sighed, turning toward Sverik with an endearing look, a hint of a tear forming in the corner of his eye. “Well, now he isn’t as weak anymore, haha! I don’t know why he insists… insists on being a, a warrior, I could have raised him as my *hic* as my successor and no one would have batted an eye. Hell, he could have skipped this entire competition altogether… But he’s a stubborn brat!” Sverik didn’t say anything to defend himself, only lowering his head as he listened to his teacher’s drunken speech.

Elizabeth and Aina glanced at each other at the same time, then toward Kai who listened to Zarman’s speech innocently. “Yeah, we couldn’t imagine that feeling.” They said at the same time with a chuckle, prompting Kai to look at them with confusion. Weirdos… He thought turning around and taking another sip of his drink.

“Hey Kid, why do you always… why do you always turn around?” Zarman asked, chugging down a large tankard of ale. Wiping his mouth, he let out a satisfied sigh. “More importantly, what’s with the mask? You got some kind of scar or something?”

“Ah, no. That’s because he’s a… a vampire.” Instantly the room turned quiet as Zarman’s pupils shrunk, letting go of the empty tankard in his hand as it fell with a muffled thud. Kai’s heart skipped a beat as the atmosphere quickly tensed up, and even Aina’s usually calm demeanor changed drastically.

The dwarf’s lips trembled as he stood up, towering over the three despite his short size. He grit his teeth and gulped as he walked backward, his thumb resting on a ring he wore on his index finger. He stared at Aina, and then at Elizabeth, whose mouth she covered with her hand. His lips trembled briefly before he parted them, asking in a shocked tone.

“You two… are harboring a vampire?!”