“Was I always that slow?”
“That side of me… he overthinks. He’s definitely not the original… I am.”
Dark Emery scoffed at the thought as he moved through space with practiced ease, his form flickering between dimensions. His mastery of spatial magic had grown exponentially, far surpassing that of his previous self. Though he lacked the same mental strength compared to his light counterparts, his physical abilities—his speed, perception, and reflexes—had sharpened to an incredible degree.
With a flicker of dark energy, he leaped through the fabric of space, traversing vast distances in mere moments. The familiar sight of the Azure Cloud Mansion came into view and as he closed in, a familiar voice rang out, sharp and expectant.
“You finally awakened. I was about to give up and leave.”
Standing at the entrance of the mansion was none other than Grand Magus Soltz. The elderly magus gave Emery a scrutinizing look before shaking his head.
“Congratulations on your breakthrough,” he said. “You… seem different, though. What happened? …Actually… never mind—I don’t want to know.”
Emery smirked but remained silent. He was not interested in explaining his current state, nor did he see any reason to. Instead, he focused on the elderly magus, using his divine sense to gauge the man’s strength. Soltz had grown considerably since their last encounter. The once-stage-three cosmic magus now radiated an aura of immense power. A stage-six, at the very least. The increase was significant.
Interesting.
Emery expresses his gratitude to the elder for waiting these past months and asks for details about what happened. Aside from his daughter leaving of her own will five months ago, his two students; Ha Ron and Kingrig had also set out in search of her three months ago through the so-called Rainbow River.
After giving the information, the elderly grand magus said “I’ve done my part. I’m done. I’m relieved of my duty.”
Emery’s expression darkened. “Wait. I need your help finding them.”
Soltz sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “No. I promised one month. It’s been six. That’s far beyond what I agreed to. I have other matters to attend to.”
Emery knew he could not let Soltz go. The Fey Clan was a forbidden place, a land wrapped in mystery and danger. A Grand Magus of Soltz’s caliber would be invaluable. He had to keep him.
Taking a slow breath, Emery spoke. “Senior… I appreciate everything you’ve done. Truly. But…” He paused, letting out a long sigh. “Don’t you feel responsible? My daughter was taken and you were the one watching over her.”
Soltz’s eye twitched. “Damn it, boy! It was your daughter who insisted on going! I told her not to, but she wouldn’t listen.”
“She’s only sixteen,” Emery countered, his tone softer now. “She doesn’t understand the dangers of the world. You do. You could have stopped her.”
The old magus hesitated. Emery saw the flicker of doubt cross his face. He pressed further.
“My poor daughter…” Emery lowered his gaze, “She’s not even a magus yet… What has become of her? …What if she’s hurt? What if—”
Emery’s intention was clear—he was feigning sorrow, trying to guilt-trip the elder into helping him. Even though Soltz knew this, he was still affected.
“Enough,” Soltz growled.
The old grand magus grumbled something incoherent before throwing his hands up in frustration. “You’re asking me to go to the Fey Clan! That’s a restricted area! No, absolutely not!”
“No, senior… I only ask you to take me there. I’m much stronger now—I’ll handle all the fighting.”
The elder didn’t believe Emery’s words at all.
Realizing this, a smirk played on Emery’s lips. “Senior… You’ve seen my real talent, haven’t you? Not only did I win the alchemy competition, but I was also accepted as a senior member of the Skyroot Clan. With such access, and now my breakthrough into the cosmic realm… It’s only a matter of time before I can help you fully recover.”
Soltz stiffened. He narrowed his eyes. “You’re saying you’ve found a way to restore my vitality?”
Emery nodded. “In fact, I already have a few methods in mind.”
That did it. The elderly magus, who had been so adamant in his refusal, suddenly looked… interested. He stroked his beard, clearly debating with himself.
“You’re not lying to me, are you?” he asked cautiously.
Emery gave him a disarming smile. “Senior, we’ve known each other for quite some time now. You know my character—I’m an honest person. I wouldn’t lie to you.”
It was, of course, a complete lie.
And yet the words flowed effortlessly from his lips, without hesitation. Even Emery himself was surprised by how easily they came. His new mindset—his new self—was proving to be quite… useful.
Soltz studied him for a long moment before letting out a heavy sigh. “Even if I agree, how exactly do you plan to get into the Fey Clan? You’d need another Fey who has access to their gates. You have someone like that?”
Emery’s expression hardened, but it was not the time to show doubt.. he quickly replied. “I might have a way”
Soltz gave him a skeptical look. “And what would that be?”
“We’ll find out soon enough… But first, I need you to take me to this Rainbow River. we can start there”
The elder looked doubtful. “Tsk… What a pain,” he muttered under his breath. “Fine. I help you find your daughter… After that, you’re on your own.”
The old magus sighed again, rubbing his temples as if warding off a headache.
Together, the two of them left Azure Cloud Mansion, moving swiftly toward the destination. The Rainbow River was located only a day away from Padera’s capital city, nestled deep within a region known for its unpredictable magical currents. The journey would give him time to plan his approach.
As they traveled, Emery found his thoughts drifting. No matter what awaited them he would not stop. Not until he had his daughter back.
x x x x