That night, Devotion had a dream, for the first time in a while. He dreamed he was on the ground, being beaten by the drunken gamblers yet again, while the bald man, James Powder, stood and laughed. The moustached man appeared behind him, and commanded James to finish the job.
Devotion awoke with a start. He was no longer the man who laid in the dirt, defeated and beaten. He vowed to never let that happen again! Devotion quickly rose from his slumber and got ready for Day Nine of Ghostwhisper's Hardcore Training Regiment.
"You're up early. Ready for Day Nine!" Ghostwhisper's sickly voice rang out once more in Devotion's head. He still had trouble adjusting to that ghastly voice, which sounded almost like nails on a chalkboard, or a man just inches from death. He truly did live up to the name Ghostwhisper!
"Today, we'll be further drilling your firebolt technique!" Ghostwhisper proclaimed, to the response of Devotion groaning.
"Hold on! Why more Destruction Magic? Didn't you say I had the highest aptitude for Conjuration?" Devotion interrupted. While part of that sentence was true curiosity, he really just didn't want to drill the same magical art for another entire day. "Can't you teach me to summon creatures, like I did with Ysmir? Or don't tell me...
You're too weak to do that?" Devotion knew that Ghostwhisper was a prideful being, and this was how he was going to get what he wanted.
"Of course I'm not too weak to summon! It's just that..." There was a long pause, then Ghostwhisper coughed in embarrassment. "It's just that I can't quite remember how to. You see, I had more Conjuration Aptitude, so I never really bothered learning it. It really is embarrassing. Let's not discuss this further. Go!"
Devotion was shocked. He really hadn't expected Ghostwhisper to really not know how. That was pretty embarrassing for Ghostwhisper. At last, he had ammunition next time he had to argue with the staff!
"What are you standing there, smirking for?! Get to training! Go! Cast a firebolt!" Ghostwhisper interrupted Devotion's daydreaming. He dropped the topic, deciding to at least finish Ghostwhisper's Hardcore Training Regiment. Maybe he could go to town once it was finished, see if he could find a way to purchase training for Conjuration Arts.
Ghostwhisper's Hardcore Training Regiment continued for six more days, finally drawing to a close on Day Fourteen. Throughout this time, not only had Devotion learned multiple magical arts to protect and attack for himself, Ysmir as well grew. Throughout those six days, Devotion and Ysmir had hunted a few more Magical Beasts, with Ysmir consuming their crystal cores every time. After consuming five total cores, Ysmir entered a special meditation state for three days. It just happened to emerge from that state on the same day the training regiment completed.
"Strange. Ysmir doesn't appear to have changed at all. What do those cores do for you?" Devotion wondered out loud to himself. He was still confused what Ghostwhisper meant when he said that Devotion was not qualified to learn this information. Still, he knew not to push it further, for fear of drawing Karma. Whatever that was.
"Now that your training is complete, it's time for us to plan our next move. I've taught you all the First Rank magical arts I can remember, but you're still a ways off from the Second Rank. We'll need to find a sect or college for you to join and learn in. Especially if you want to learn how to summon. That I cannot teach you." Ghostwhisper planned out loud. "Are there any big cities near you? I'm not sure where we are, to be completely honest."
"Well, the town that I fled from to get in this forest was called Bronia. It's small and remote, and I doubt there are any Immortals within it, besides that Baldy we scared off. The closest big city would most likely be Wanchen. I've never personally been there, but I've heard it's home to a few Immortals. That's most likely our best bet." Devotion replied, after some thought. "I'll need to pick up supplies in Bronia, though. That's a long journey. Maybe some of this money I stole could buy a carriage to move faster."
"Damn shame that you're too weak to learn any of my movement magical arts. Had I been in my true form, we'd be able to get there in the blink of an eye."
"But you're a stick, and I'm some guy that's been living in the woods for two weeks. Let's be realistic." Devotion retorted. He had a little bit of pent up anger from the training regiment, and now that is was over, he could let it loose a bit.
"Don't jab at me, boy. You're nothing without me. Now, I must go into seclusion for a bit to try and regain some of my own strength. The staff will still enhance your power, but I will be unable to communicate with you for a while. Don't do anything stupid. Attempt to wake me when you reach Wanchen." Ghostwhisper said.
"Wait-" Devotion tried to ask a question when he was interrupted.
"Don't bother me. Go!" With that, Ghostwhisper entered seclusion. Devotion figured he might as well head into town, find somewhere to rest for a bit, then head to Wanchen. Steeling himself for a long journey, Devotion began to trek back to Bronia.
While all of this was happening, things were moving in Bronia, too. The bald man, James Powder, was currently being yelled at by a certain moustached man: Salvador Mystace!
"What do you mean you let him go?! He had my money, damn it! I want him dead!" The moustached man still hadn't forgotten what Devotion did to him that day. That humiliation would continue to follow him.
Internally, the bald man, James Powder, was just as angry at himself. He now hated Devotion to his core, having been humiliated twice by him.
"Is more gold your incentive? I'll raise the bounty to ten thousand gold pieces! And, to help you, I'll give you this!" Salvador reached into his coat, pulling out a charm on a string. "This is a family heirloom: a magical item! It will protect you from a life-threatening attack once a day, before it needs to recharge. With that, you should absolutely not lose to that scoundrel! Return, and you will become part of my Mystace Noble Family. Your rise will be meteoric!"
James Powder's eyes shone, seeing that protective charm. That's exactly what he needed to kill Devotion! He took it in his hands, hiding it in his coat.
"Now track him down, and kill him. I'll await news of your victory."