Vorin had approached the teleportation gate in Port Palm with several of the class expected that had been travelling with him. They were going back to Gale and Vorin was escorting them to finish up a few things before starting their true adventure.

  “We all need to get to Gale, please.”

  “Gale? Okay, one second.” The guard looked over a sheet of paper. “Sorry, that isn’t possible. Their space mage is on a progress trip until the end of next week. If you want, we can send you to Salt Rock. It’s the closest city. About 2-3 days ride North of Gale depending on the mount.”

  With a quick glance around they all nodded at Vorin. “That’s fine. We will go there and then head to Gale. Thanks!”

  Mana spun and minutes later the portal stabilized and they walked through.

  Once in Salt Rock the group found the mount stables by following a guard to the nearest gate. Each of them claimed a Strongfoot as a mount which were horse-sized rabbits that were more streamlined for speed. Besides a flying mount, these would get them to Gale the fastest. Vorin also knew the mount tender’s brother in Gale and had done business with him before.

  Following the coast south, the group made great time and ended up reaching Gale’s gate at the end of the second day. Each of the class expected separated to go own ways after thanking Vorin for all the class chosen had done for them.

  When Vorin entered the city, it was much too late to see the sailor’s guild to warn them about the Kraken, but the messenger’s hub should still be open, so he headed there to give them Kumo’s letter along with guins from both her and Synexus that equaled those that her dad had given them to start.

  “Can I have this sent to Ahae in Whisper?”

  “Indeed, sir. Are you expecting a reply?”

  “She would like one, yes, but I will only be in the city for a few days. You can find me at this residence.” Vorin wrote his address down and paid the messenger fee.

  “We will deliver your message with safety and haste. Thank you.”

  With that done, he was originally planning to go back to his house for some rest, but as he was walking past a pub, a familiar voice rang out, and it was someone he was planning to visit while in the city.

  Walking in the door, he made his way over to a table of guards who had just gotten off duty. There on the outside of the table was his brother, Gram.

  “Hello there, little brother. It’s been too long!”

  Confusion splashed on his brother’s face. “Vorin? This is unexpected. It has been a while.”

  “Far too long. Could I perhaps talk to you privately?”

  “Sure.” He got up after some of the guards made jokes about not drinking his drink while he was gone. They made their way outside and leaned against the side of the pub.

  “Sorry, I don’t want to keep you long. I just went through something recently and it made me realize how bad of a brother I’ve been to you. I should have been there for you more and I wasn’t. We both suffered the same childhood and then I just left as soon as I could. That wasn’t fair to you.”

  Gram looked at him suspiciously. “Vorin, I could have reached out too. It’s not on you. Of course, I understood why you wanted to go have an adventure as soon as you got your class. I’ll be doing the same here in a couple of months on my class day.” He paused, but before Vorin could say something, he started again. “No matter what happens, we will always be brothers. I love you, but you know that.”

  Tears started to form in Vorin’s eyes. “Thank you. I needed to hear that more than you know. I love you too, and I just wanted to make sure you knew that you can always come to me if you need anything or even if you just want to spend time together. We’re the only family either of us have left after all.”

  “Vorin are you okay? What happened?”

  “Don’t spread this around, but we got stranded at sea. This friend of mine with these amazing abilities was able to get us to an island. There was a dungeon on the island. An actual dungeon! It was one that made you face yourself in a way, and it made me relive some parts of our childhood. Then it hit me how long it had been since we had last spoken, and I missed our funny late-night conversations.”

  “Wow, that sounds intense. I’m glad you’re okay. I thought dungeons were just a story to be honest. I’m sorry you had to relive those times again though. I know they took a toll on you. I’ve missed our conversations too and I was hoping I’d run into you on my travels once I set out on my class journey.”

  “Well, that’s another thing I wanted to tell you. We will be heading to Goldhill next and then we need to go to the Shadow Labyrinth Mountains for a bit to help a friend. Don’t hesitate to come find me. What class are you hoping for?”

  “You know me, I’ve always wanted the power to protect people. I’m hoping for a guardian class of some kind. Some of the other guards are helping me to do some known things to try and get one of the better ones. They can make some decent money.”

  “A guardian would be a great class for you. I’m sure you will get just what you’re hoping for. I’ve recently learned that meditating on a class option can help sway what you are offered.”

  “Really? I’ll have to start doing that in the mornings before my wall duty then. But look, I better get back before those assholes spike my drink or something. How long will you be in the city?”

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

  “I will be leaving in about five days when the space mage gets back. Stop by my house if you have some time and we can go get something to eat. It’ll be a while before I see you again and I’d like to make the best of my time here.”

  “Sounds good to me!” He went to go turn around, but before he added, “but you’re paying!”

  Vorin laughed. “Wait! Speaking of money, here!” He tossed a bag of fifty gold coins that Synexus had given him in case something happened in the city. He’d pay him back.

  Gram’s eyes lit up. “Thanks, Vorin! This will let me get some real equipment. I’m so tired of these hand-me-downs.” He walked off but turned around before going back inside. “It really was good to see you again, brother. See you in a few days!”

  Vorin waved before going home and passing out on his bed.

  Waking up in the morning, he realized there was still a lot to do, and he needed to get a move on. Today he needed to go to the sailor’s guild to warn them about sending ships out, visit Rupert’s family, and deliver the news to the twin’s parents. After that it was just waiting for the space mage to get back.

  The Sailor’s Guild was one of Vorin’s favorite buildings in all of Gale because it was shaped like a ship with beautiful craftsmanship. He approached the counter that he hadn’t been at since getting his license for The Windswept.

  “Hello, I’d like to see the guild leader please. It’s about something urgent.”

  “Normally we can’t do guild leader meetings. You’d have to meet with one of the guild’s administrators first.”

  “I’m sorry, but it would be better to deliver the information to the guild leader. It has the potential to save many lives.”

  She sighed. “Fine. I will see if he is available.”

  A few minutes later a man walking through the door with her. He had a long grey beard and matching hair.

  “Yes? I don’t have long and only agreed because I need to head to my next meeting. This is quite unusual.”

  “I understand and I apologize for being so persistent. This is important, however. My ship was attacked pirates…”

  Vorin recounted the story for the guild leader as they walked through the city towards the location of the man’s next meeting. When he finished the guild leader was astonished.

  “What is it you want me to do?”

  “I’m not entirely sure, sir. I just wanted to inform you, so you had all the facts. I understand it’s not realistic to shut down all ship’s voyages, but perhaps warning people could help them to see the signs or allow them to pick a path that isn’t directly through that much open water.”

  “Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I will converse with the city council during this meeting and see what can be done.”

  “Thank you for your time, sir. Hopefully my information can save some lives. That kraken was horrific.”

  The guild leader nodded before walking in the council building. Vorin smiled as he walked away. His part was done, and it was now up to the city leadership. His smile turned sour as he now realized his next order of business. Rupert’s house was his next destination.

  Approaching the olive-colored two-level building, he felt dread take hold. His thoughts went through all the things he had thought to say the night before, but it soon became jumbled when he reached out to knock on the door. An elderly woman answered the door.

  “What is it?”

  “Ma’am, are Rupert’s parents here?

  “No, his family lives overseas. I’m his grandmother, however. What is this about?”

  Vorin’s mind flashed with memories of Rupert talking onboard the ship and saying he was going to visit his family overseas. He couldn’t believe that he forgot this fact and now he would have to break the news to his poor grandmother.

  “I’m sorry. Can you tell me where to find them? I have something to tell them about their son.”

  “I don’t give out their information to strangers. What is this about?

  Vorin sighed. “He was aboard my ship travelling to Port Palm and we were attacked by a great beast. He died and his body was unrecoverable.”

  Shock and sadness immediately flooded the soft face of the lady before him. “No, no, no, no. I told that boy not to go. I told him not to go!” She fell into Vorin’s arms.

  “I’m so sorry. His humor kept us all going on the dreary days aboard the ship. We did everything we could to try and keep him safe, but it wasn’t enough.”

  She continued to cry in his arms before one of her friends came over from her house across the street.

  “What’s going on, Rose?”

  There wasn’t an answer. She was inconsolable.

  “I had to inform her about her grandson. He…”

  He didn’t have to finish the sentence before the new lady gathered her friends in her arms and helped her back inside. Vorin followed.

  “This is obviously hard news to hear, but I do need to inform his parents. Is there any way I can get their information to find them?”

  Rose pointed towards a journal sitting on a desk. He opened it and realized it was an address book. He found Rupert’s parents’ information and wrote it down before taking his leave. Neither woman had said another word to him. His next stop would be even tougher since he knew the twin’s family since he was a kid.

  ***

  Vorin was let into the home of the twins by a housekeeper who told him that she would inform Ruther and Willow that he was there to see them. Nearly half an hour later, they walked into the room.

  “Ah, Vorin it’s been such a long time. I’m sorry to keep you waiting, we have been working on a city expansion proposal.” Ruther greeted him before pouring an expensive alcohol into a glass and handing it to him.

  “It’s no bother. I wish I could be here under better circumstances, but I need to tell you both something and it’s better to just say it. Layola died on our voyage to a monstrous kraken.”

  Ruther dropped his glass, and it shattered. Willow immediately started crying.

  “I’m so sorry. I did everything I could to protect them. This monster was beyond even class masters. We were able to recover her body and per Laiko’s wishes we buried her on an island that ended up being our home for a few weeks. I can give you the coordinates.”

  “Where is Laiko now?” Ruther asked quietly.

  Vorin sighed again for what felt like the hundredth time that day. “That is where another source of bad news comes in. He is lost. A strange wave of Spacetime mana was released and he disappeared. An expert in the subject thinks he was displaced in time and/or space. A mythic level seeker was sent to find him, and we have not heard anything yet, which probably means she found him. It may take some time before they can get back though.”

  Willow’s crying intensified before she started wailing. “MY BABIES! MY BABIES!”

  Vorin hung his head at seeing their pain. “I know I’ve failed both of you. You trusted me to get them to Port Palm safely. Unfortunately, things out of my control had other plans. I will mourn Layola for the rest of my days. I will never forget her. As for Laiko, we will find him. I trust in Minily and her skills.”

  Ruther was holding his wife tightly and seemed to be processing the information. “It’s hard to even wrap our heads around this but know that our anger or blame isn’t pointed at you, Vorin. You’ve always been a friend to our kids, and I know that you did everything you could short of dying yourself to save them. We just need some time. Please if you hear anything about Laiko, let us know.”

  “Of course, sir. And thank you. I’ll be in the city a few more days. Find me if you need anything else from me.”

  He left the two mourning parents and went straight home to think and rest. Now that the grim news was delivered to all parties, he would tie up a few more loose ends before leaving Gale for a long time. Hopefully, they could find Rupert’s family while on the road.