We had never been able to identify the masked figure, and the only ones who knew about his existence were me and Asthia. When guards had arrived at the scene, all that could be seen was my body, cold as ice from the overexertion of bind, limp on the floor.
I was disappointed in myself for not sensing the presence of a third individual before they had begun their race towards the temple. Considering it was a necessary skill to have on Earth, where anyone and everyone would kill you, follow you, or give you up to authorities for the slightest change in status, realizing I was being eavesdropped on was easy for me.
The realization that I had solely been concentrating on magic, and less so on my everyday skills that had kept me alive led me to believe that I had become rusty in some vital areas. I started honing these natural abilities in my own spare time, effectively rendering my daily routine to around six to eight hours of training a day on elemental attunement (which now included lightning), an hour to two of instinctive training, and the rest of the time to eat, sleep, and spend some time with Asthia.
I had never had a friend on Earth, especially since it was virtually impossible to find anyone who didn't have their own personal gain as their utmost priority. Survival was objectively more important than relationships. Man lived in fear of death, and extending your life was the only way to continue fighting against that darkness, no matter the method.
But here in Auroria, I had seemingly befriended someone. The now eight-year-old Asthia was pretty much the same as the Asthia from three years ago, but her aura had definitely exploded with intensity. Having awakened at the age of seven, she had begun training alongside me, further adding to the number of hours we spent with each other every day.
Even if my life alongside the dragonkin had been a peaceful one, everything is temporary, and it was time for me to return to my actual family. The people who had given birth to me, allowing me to experience happiness for the first time in twenty-five years of cumulative life, even if my knowledge of emotions was extremely limited.
I stood in front of the unactivated gate, my usual black clothes shining from the dawning sun. I looked back at the three individuals seeing me off and turned to thank them one at a time.
"Emperor, it was an honor to live amongst your people," I thanked, bowing my head in respect.
"Come on, brat, call me Irox," joked the red-haired man. We had become a lot closer during my final years in Lares, and I had come to learn and respect a lot about the king, especially the fact that he was married to a woman like Selena, which I still didn't understand. I enjoyed hearing about battles that Irox had led in his prime, his storytelling skills being near-celestial, and entrancing me in the details.
I shifted my gaze towards Selena, her presence dominating the field. Her spotless white hair hung down to her waist as her stunning blue eyes eyed me with sympathy.
"Thank you for everything, Selena, I'll never forget the greatest teacher I ever had," I said truthfully, bowing once again. A small tear appeared on her right eye as she blinked furiously, attempting to fight the urge to drop into an unstoppable stream of tears.
"Thank you, Jay. I think I speak for both myself and my husband when I say I consider you my own son. Thank you for everything you've taught me," she said, rustling my brown hair that had grown a little too long for my liking.
"Seems like my genetics agree," I added sarcastically. Selena chuckled ever so slightly at the comment before returning to important matters.
"Being a half-breed entrails lots of responsibility Jay. You are now the gateway, the link between a broken world, and with your encouragement, we will attempt negotiations with the open world for the first time in centuries, thank you for that."
I smiled, simply nodding my head and turning towards Asthia.
I could feel her emotions, feel the knot in her chest and her throat, preventing her from saying a word. I merely sighed and pulled her in, hugging her as tightly as I could. She stood there, stunned, before breaking down into an uncontrollable waterfall and returning my embrace.
We had learned to speak with each other through our thoughts, even if we could only manage to do so within relative proximity. There were no spoken words, no oral sounds except for the occasional whimper from Asthia.
Won't we see each other soon? I asked telepathically, but all I got for an answer was a physical nod. I chuckled, Asthia tightening her grip around me.
Just remember, once diplomatic negotiations are over, let's both attend the same magic school, deal? I asked again, trying to get an answer that would soothe the guilt I felt in my own chest.
Yea! She responded, her voice echoing in my mind like it was my own.
Okay, I communicated, slowly letting go of the quivering body I was meant to protect.
"Jay, please accept this as our final thanks for being Asthia's friend," said Irox, extending a seamless black dagger the size of a short sword. The weapon gleamed with utmost beauty, its fang-like shape appeared shaper than any weapon I had ever held, and this included vibroblades. Laces of gold were delicately carved throughout the weapon, brimming with power and unparalleled elegance.
"This is..." I muttered in disbelief, unable to finish my sentence.
"Ox metal!" exclaimed Irox with pride, "A unique black metal only found in Lares, it is said to be-"
"Irox, he studied what ox was, remember?" interjected Selena, slightly annoyed at the rambling of her husband.
"Oh, right," replied Irox, laughing ever so slightly in embarrassment at his loss of control to contain his words.
"Anyway, Jay, please have a safe journey," announced Selena as she waved her hand, activating the massive blue gate behind me. I nodded at the three standing there one final time and turned, feeling the familiar tingling sensation I had initially felt when I had first come to Lares. The woods beamed with the new dawn, the amber sky illuminating the continent of Auroria.
I took a deep breath and sighed.
"Looks like I'm back."