Chapter 42: Reinforcements
Coop was worried that he had just unleashed some evil sorcery upon Ghost Reef. The spectral relic had exploded with energy when he placed it at the top of the lighthouse. There was no visible damage to the island and the ghostly mist had slowly disappeared. The island looked the same as it did before, except the lighthouse had a new gemstone lightbulb that gently glowed with a shadowy teal color.
“Well, that was way more dramatic than I expected.” Coop told the girls.
“No kidding!” Camila looked over the island, “What the heck was that?” She asked with some concern.
“I guess it was mana shifting to my affinity?” Coop presumed. “I can’t tell if anything is different though.”
“You have a spooky mana affinity, Coop” Charlie observed, glancing at him from the side.
“Pretty much.” He admitted. “Let’s go to the fort, I want to talk to Shane and you two have some new places to explore.”
They passed by the slumbering Jett. It seemed like the mana pulse hadn’t disturbed her in the slightest. Coop thought that was good, hopefully it didn’t disrupt any of the new residents. He didn’t want to make a bad impression so early on.
They strolled along the trail, underneath the palm trees and between the dunes of the sandy beach, collectively admiring the island’s beauty.
“When we get back we’re gonna have to have regular beach days.” Camila stated. “You shouldn’t be allowed to live next to sand like this and not enjoy it.”
Coop wholeheartedly agreed. He needed the reminder before he relapsed to his old habits. It felt like he had already taken a major step forward, where in the past he would have been stuck in a cycle of guilt and avoidance, now, after just one good night’s sleep and the company of friends who had his back, he was already moving forward to tackle the challenges as they came. He couldn’t help Jones if he didn’t, afterall.
When his parents died, he didn’t have anyone that would have even noticed his internal turmoil. That obviously wasn’t the case anymore. The handful of friends and residents that had been in Ghost Reef for more than a few hours noticed right away, and gave him their support without pressuring him to just flip a switch and get over it. He definitely appreciated them for respecting that he might need a little time and encouragement after learning about Jones’s state that day. But he was the Champion of the settlement, so he needed to keep it moving.
At the entrance of the fort, Shane and his whole party were waiting for them. Coop wondered if they had been anticipating his return and was momentarily impressed by their diligence before he remembered the mana pulse. Apparently, it hadn’t gone unnoticed after all.