Chapter 52: Deciphering
A few moments after Zephyr fell asleep, he found himself in a familiar place.
Sigh... I’m here again. His thoughts resounded through the white open space—his mana core.
After surviving the terrible ordeal that brought them here, he had found that whenever he slept very deeply, he somehow ended up here. Other times, he could just be having a rare moment of silence, not really thinking about anything, when he’d get sucked into this space abruptly. The only way to leave the space being to approach the far edges. That would jar him awake and would be enough to prevent any other entry within the same night.
He didn’t understand the logic behind it or the reason for it, but it just did. There were times he would leave immediately, needing rest, and there were times he would explore within the limits he could; other times he would try out new things. This night though, he was tired, immediately walking out of bounds and jarring awake so he could sleep normally.
He woke the next morning with plans for the day, eager to continue his research into understanding the locals’ spell models. He had asked the old apothecary for details about the spell drawn on the scroll, and he claimed it was a simple fire spell. He was even eager to talk, asking Zephyr to come around anytime he wanted clarification. Zephyr had simply grunted a response back then—the cold, detached, and uncaring persona he portrayed prevented him from acting otherwise. But now, he was thinking of taking the man up on his offer. There were so many questions he wanted to ask.
Today he was taking Smiling Devil out of the cave. It was a cycle they repeated frequently, or else the constant dampness would cause severe issues to Smiling Devil’s already weak body. As a tier five, his body was many times stronger and more resistant than the average person. He would’ve long been past the danger zone and on his way to full recovery if it weren’t for the nature of the spell Mistress Alyra had cast on him.
After breakfast, Zephyr gently carried him, walking further into the depths of the cave. The path leading out of their safe haven was riddled with steep nooks and crannies that sloped straight down the whole way. It was a very tedious descent, and one could easily get lost within the network of similar-looking paths, but that was why their safety was assured.
Eventually, they came up to a more spacious path where Zephyr stopped to bring out a well-concealed wooden wheelchair.
As they got out into the open—after Zephyr had made sure the coast was clear—they both sucked in deep breaths, savoring the clean, fresh air after spending a night breathing very damp and humid air. They donned their usual black cloaks and gloves as Zephyr started the long journey towards a spot he had discovered: a secluded grove. Well-concealed, but still open enough to give Smiling Devil enough freedom while Zephyr was off doing his own... things.
Smiling Devil hated the place. But he hated the damp cave even more, so he let Zephyr do as he pleased. To Zephyr’s credit, he had tried to make the place as comfortable as he could for the man. He’d even gotten books there for him to read... yay!