Haaa…
Once again, after all this time.
A golden plain of grain expanded as far as eye could see. The line of the horizon a meeting of golden and blue. The gentle breeze making the grain dance and my black hair flutter with the wind.
This feeling…
Just like the first time I had been here, I felt complete. I felt my connection with nature deepen and my heart fill with joy.
The scent of soil blending perfectly with the ready to pick cereals was being carried everywhere thanks to the feeble wind.
I was at peace.
I kept looking around, I wanted to engrave this scenery in my heart, but suddenly I took notice of something that stop felt right, but quite out of place.
At quite a distance from me, an Oak tree stood lonely in the plain of grain and undes his shade, a table with what I assumed to people were sitting.
Someone beside me is here?
As soon as I found out I started running towards them, if someone was here, this place might be real; and if that was true, I needed to find this place as well.
After only a few moments, I was able to reach the tree, but who awaited me was somewhat confusing.
I couldn't quite make up their appearances however much I focused.
The only clear thing was that both of them, just like me, had a demonic arm and elven magic circuits.
I wasn't even sure how I knew this, I could just feel it.
Then their voices sounded.
"Oh, you're here earlier then expected."
"Indeed, it might have been his intervention."
"My, I don't think, maybe…"
I couldn't take it anymore, they were clearly expecting me here, yet they started rumbling between themselves?
"Excuse me, who are you? Where are we? Does this place have a physical location? Why do I feel this way here?"
Both of them stopped and -I assumed- looked at me. I still couldn't see their faces and even their voices were somewhat muffled.
Then the one at my right side started to answer.
"Well Dimitris, we can't really tell who we are, but you can consider us as a memento, we'll be more useful later on. As for were we are, this also is an information we are privy to, what we see might not necessarily be the same as what you do."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, my eyes see a snowy mountain."
"Mine the underworld."
What the fuck are they talking about, this is simply a ginormous expanse of grain.
Both of them shot their eyes open.
"YOU SEE AN EXPANSE OF GRAINS?!"
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH ########! HE'S THE REAL DEAL."
These bastards can read my thoughts?!
They started laughing even more vehemently until my rage started seeping through and lightning crackle out of my body.
When that happed, they silenced at once.
"Since you don't seem to be willing to answer any of my question, I'll be leaving and wait to wake up."
"Wait Dimitris. We can answer one of your previous question, even 2 as a matter of facts."
I just stared at them, hoping I was actually focusing on their eyes.
"This place, of course, does not have a physical location. And you are feeling the way you are-"
"########, that's actually against the rules. What we can safely say is only that this place belongs to you."
Well, at least they gave me some kind of information. Just knowing that this place actually belonged to me was filling me with pride, but hygiene came the question: how were they here?
"We are actually here to tell you something."
"1st, nature is not only made by elements, but it seems you've already reached such conclusion."
In fact I had long foreseen this. It wasn't possible for nature to be just made up by physically existing elements. Life and death were clearly part of nature, I had suspicions about spirit magic as well since it was a way to banish something out of nature.
I was also deeply thinking of fate. I firstly had suspicions about fate thinking about the saying: natural course of event.
I had even tried to get some answers from Merlin when he mentioned how Athena was part of the cycle of unnatural phenomena, but he did was unmovable and refused to answer.
"You're on the right track, but that's a discourse for another time."
One of the voices interrupted my train of thoughts and swiftly proceeded to give me a second piece of information.
"2nd…"
They both started giggling.
"I can't man, I can't say it with a straight face!"
"I know right? We had tried basically every conceived weapon and here we are!"
What are these psychopaths talking about?
It took some time for them to get back a hood of themselves, and finally:
"2nd, don't forget you are a flower maniac."
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH"
"HAHAHAHA COFF COFF! ENOUGH! WAKE UP!"
They both snapped their fingers and my consciousness faded again.
My eyes shot open and I found myself on a bed of flowers. Petals scattered everywhere as I hastily got up.
All around surprised eye were pointed at me.
Odysseus, Hali and the core of House Damocles were all together, watching over me.
"Welcome back Dimitris."
I looked at Odysseus who had a softness in his voice that couldn't be mistaken by even the most emotional dumbass.
"How long was I out for? What's up with all these flowers?"
"Honestly, you slept for only 8 hours, I was hoping you'd get a little more rest after exhausting your… mana so much; as for the flowers, you tell us, as soon as you fell asleep they started to bloom everywhere. Ah! You also are back to your body."
That explained why he called me Dimitris, he'd never make such an easy blunder.
Either way, I checked myself for any substantial difference and except for my status removing "Klaus" and "house Damocles" I didn't feel anything to take note of.
It seemed that whoever was meddling with my affairs either stopped or was blocked when I entered the grain field.
"Very well, have you all rested enough? Can we go to the 3rd dungeon and then get going to Yellowknife? I want to get back."
Odysseus and Hali suddenly wore a smirking face while the rest of House Damocles was showing a clearly defeated look.
"Hali. I'm sure you didn't make a bet with them about my first request upon waking up?"
"Fucking bastard! Of course I did, and I just won."
"You crazy bitch. I want a cut of whatever you won."
Her smirk faded instantly and Odysseus started to laugh loudly.
"Anyway. We already cleared the 3rd dungeon, Aaron here was even generous enough to renounce his reward and picked something for you."
I looked at my brother with confusion.
"Why the fuck would you do something like that?"
His face dropped and I could here Odysseus shaking his head muttering I told you.
"I- We wanted to thank you somewhat, but we don't know what you need… your friends refused to tell us anything about… this new you."
Good. I didn't want any interaction with them.
"So I picked something I know you liked back then and coincidentally was in the core room this time."
My interest quickly spiked, there weren't many things I liked and sought after as Klaus, well… except for approval and…
"A crystal daisy…"
"Yes, I remember how you always went around picking flowers, but daisies were by far your favourites…"
I didn't know how to respond. It was true that daisies were my favourite flower, but really shocked me… was the fact that even such a small detail was recognised.
While I had spent my entire life focused on training and missions, I had completely forgotten all those surrounding me.
Sure they had never been the best family, but I too was at fault.
I may have not wanted to have anything to do with the Damocles household of this world after everything that happened.
But Aaron…
"Aaron, come here."
He would be the first I'd personally relate the first circle for. I owed him that much.
Aaron approached me stumbling on his feet, and in a semi-bow offered me the flower.
"Aaron, sit. What magic circle do you want?"
An astonished look appeared on almost everyone. Odysseus had previously mentioned how to form the first magic circle they either needed the help of a constellation or a teacher, so, me offering to do that for Aaron was clearly unexpected.
My brother's trembling voice echoed in the room.
"No! Don't worry, this is really a gift, you already saved all of our lives!"
"Aaron, I was a terrible brother. Never have I paid attention to anything other than training, yet you were able to understand me without even interacting with me."
Silence fell on the room again, Odysseus used a sound spell and reminded me about Aaron's affinities: light and fire.
I didn't know a thing about light, but I surely was well versed with fire, plus seeing how Aaron already had a fire based skill it seemed like a good choice to me.
"I will make your 1st circle to repay the attention you put on me, when I didn't deserve it. So what's your choice?"
His decision came after a short while, in a sobbing voice and trembling body. He wanted a circle of fire.
And a circle of fire he'd have.
I invaded his body with my Archana, opening his magic circuits as much as I could withou making him suffer and guided his mana around his heart to form a circle.
My nature circle - the salamander, was working the best it could to fuse the fire element to his mana.
Soon enough a notification appeared for the both of us.
[You have successfully created a magic circle for a being of another world: Archana +2]
[Dimitris Damocles, the Defiant, has created your 1st circle: circle of fire.]
"There you have it, now get ready everyone. We need to leave for Yellowknife as soon as possible."
Yudher then took a step forward.
"I'm afraid we need another day to get everything ready, but after that it'll only be a few hours ride, you'll still save time and we can create our circles and core…"
I nodded and stood up.
Without forgetting to pick up the gift Aaron had given me.
"In that case give me some money, I will use this opportunity to show Odysseus and Hali around"
A black card was pushed to my face, Aaron seemed exited to give me his money, and who was I to refuse?
I turned towards Hali and waving the card I mouthed clothes for everyone on the ship.
Her eyes started sparkling and her aura threatening to come out like a tidal wave, Odysseus on the other hand exhaled softly and put his arm around my shoulder.
"I also want some prize! You can't spoil only Hali and Aaron!"
I shook him off with a scoff.
"You, my dear Odysseus, are the one I will spoil the most anyway. And you know it. I'm just saying it so that you stop this sulking facade?"
"Oh? How will you spoil me?"
A knowing smile appeared on his face, but this time I surpassed even his expectations.
"1st we're going to buy whatever engineering book we can find and 2nd I have a sneaking suspicion you too can use spirit magic."
His mouth hung low. Sure, engineering was exiting enough for him, but the sheer possibility to be able to use spirit magic was something on another level all together for him.
I still don't get it, for what I know as of now, it's just exorcism.
"So I'm going to teach you personally what I know and whatever I will come to know."
With my decree out there for the world to testimony about, Odysseus started to blush violently. He clearly wanted to express his feelings and at this point I honestly had nothing against it.
I nodded and soon I felt an hungry wolf eating my face.
Is this bastard challenging me?
I gripped his face.
Let me show you how it's done.