Hauling the ridiculously heavy Codex Botanica, I felt like an ox as I left the old alchemist's shop. I stood breathless on the street for a moment, the sheer weight of the 20kg book pulling at my shoulders. Readjusting my grip as the massive tome, bound in thick leather and ancient wood, threatened to slip from my sweaty hands, I heard the scuff of boots on the stone pavement next to me.

  “Need some help with that?” the driver yawned, stretching his arms wide.

  Looking up from the book to the high driver's box of the carriage, a shiver of dread ran down my spine. Yeah, this isn't a good idea. How am I supposed to carry this thing all the way back to the orphanage, let alone up to my room?

  “Could we perhaps put the book inside the carriage for the trip?” I asked, managing a strained, lopsided grin.

  The driver looked at me. With pursed lips, he tilted his head from left to right, weighing his options before a confident grin spread across his face. "I think we can just about manage that."

  He hopped down from his seat and walked over to the carriage door, opening it with an inviting, theatrical gesture. "After you, my lord," he simpered with mock politeness, his eyes twinkling.

  Rolling my eyes, I heaved the Codex Botanica into the carriage with a strained grunt. It landed on the plush velvet seat with a heavy, satisfying thud. The driver closed the door and then swung himself light-footedly back onto the driver's box. “Ready for the return journey?”

  I looked thoughtfully at the floor of the carriage, my mind racing. Saving Pip had top priority, but if I rushed things out of pure desperation, I might make fatal mistakes. I needed time to think, to process, and now, to study. Sighing, I climbed out of the cabin and up onto the driver’s box next to him.

  “Is the money enough for the return trip to Little Garden Orphanage?” I asked, rubbing my eyes.

  He didn't say anything, but the sharp, decisive smack of his reins on the horses' backs gave me the answer.

  The carriage rolled slowly forward as I looked up at the sky, the hooves and wheels clattering rhythmically over the cobblestones. "Can I ask you something?" the driver asked cautiously.

  Exhausted, I just grunted, "Mhm." Gods, I just hope this isn't an awkward question.

  “Do you live at the orphanage?” he asked.

  I furrowed my brow in surprise. I hadn't expected that. But maybe he’s just curious why a kid with a pouch full of silver is asking for a ride to an orphanage. It was a fair question.

  “Yes, I live th— WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!”

  I completely derailed, practically flying out of my seat. I had to grab the railing of the driver's box to keep from falling. My finger was jabbed towards a flying, humanoid shape high in the air, soaring above the rooftops.

  The driver went chalk-white, startled more by my sudden outburst than by what I was pointing at, but he followed my gaze. He frowned for a moment, squinting, and then visibly relaxed, leaning back into his seat with a heavy sigh.

  "You nearly gave me a heart attack, kid… you live in Aegis and you don't know who that is?" he asked, sounding utterly incredulous.

  Ehm… should I have? "No…?" I said uncertainly, which made the driver laugh.

  "Well, I'll be…" he said, shaking his head. "THAT is The Tempest. Zephyr Sturmtod, the eldest son and Champion of House Sturmtod. He is the only mage in Aegis—some say in all of Astoria—who can truly fly." He explained it with a tone of reverence. “He's only twenty years old, they say, but because of his unbelievable control over Air Magic, he's already an absolute legend…”

  Wow… I fell back into my seat, astonished. He must be the freest person in all of Aegis, if he can just fly wherever he wants. No streets, no crowds, no walls. Just… freedom. The thought sparked other ideas. If Air Magic enables flight… can you swim better or breathe underwater with Water Magic? Can you move through the earth with Earth Magic? That would be incredibly good to know. I’d spare myself the thought of whether you could jump into a volcano with Fire Magic. Even if possible, I would never, ever try it.

  My gaze remained fixed on the flying mage, tracking him across the sky as he banked with impossible grace, until he finally disappeared behind the taller buildings of the Central District. It was fascinating. I wasn’t imagining I could learn to fly just by using Air Magic like him; my skill was far too basic. But in combination with Gravity Magic… maybe that would be worth a try someday. It would offer undreamed-of possibilities. As a means of escape, or to explore the world… and maybe even find Pip’s cure. Yes, I should definitely keep that in mind.

  The rest of the journey was uneventful. The driver, perhaps sensing my exhaustion, didn't press for more conversation. Soon, the familiar woods surrounding the orphanage came into view. The carriage rolled gently off the cobblestones and onto the soft dirt track. From a distance, I saw a few children playing on the meadow and some of the older residents working in the vegetable beds. After the canopy cleared, giving us a full view of the opulent white manor, I saw his eyes widen as he took it all in.

  As we got closer, we were watched curiously, and a little girl shouted joyfully, “Look, a pony!” The adults in the gardens looked up, but when the front door of the manor opened and Verity and Elodie stepped out onto the porch, they immediately lowered their gazes and went back to their work, as if afraid of being caught slacking.

  Oh man… I hope this doesn’t mean trouble. Elodie looked worried, her hands clasped. And Verity? She looked... upset. Her arms were crossed, her face like stone.

  “If I need your services again, will I find you in the same place? Assuming you're not with a customer?” I asked him quickly, bracing for the impending confrontation.

  The driver looked thoughtful. “Usually. But honestly, Grim, I don't know for how much longer…”

  This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  With a furrowed brow, I looked at him. “Wh-what do you mean?”

  He avoided my gaze, looking down at his hands. “As you can see, I'm not from Astoria. I sold everything I owned back home to start a better life here.” He explained, his face darkening with a painful memory. “Someone gave me the tip that I should buy a carriage, said I could drive nobles. Easy money. But the carriage builder was a colleague of his. They cornered me. Between the two of them, they took all my money, and so now I'm fighting for survival…” Shaking his head, disappointment etched on his face, he continued, “I'm thinking of selling the carriage and the horse. Then I'd have some money back and could maybe find other work.”

  I nodded in understanding. Life wasn't easy. But maybe… maybe we could help each other.

  “My name is Grim. And I’d like to use your services more often,” I said, looking him in the eye. “Soon I'll have to visit all the alchemists, libraries, and herbalists in Aegis, and I could use your help. What do you say?” I held out my hand.

  The carriage stopped completely, and the driver looked at my hand, then at my face, an incredulous look in his eyes. A slow smile spread across his face, and he gripped my hand firmly.

  “My name is Idris. I can't make any promises, Grim. But as long as my carriage and my horse are doing well, I am at your service.”

  That was a start. But now I had to smooth over the waves waiting for me up at the house. “As soon as I have the book out of the carriage, you'd better make yourself scarce,” I said, laughing, as I jumped down from the driver's box.

  “Yes, my Lord!” Idris called back, clearly amused.

  I opened the carriage door, braced myself, and with a heavy grunt, heaved the massive Codex Botanica into my arms. I just managed to slam the door shut with my foot. “Idris! Thanks for your help! See you soon!” I panted, struggling to get a grip on the colossal book.

  The carriage rolled slowly forward, turning in a wide arc. As Idris passed me again on his way out, he saluted me in mock seriousness and gave me a wink. With that, he disappeared down the path, leaving me alone with a clear, unobstructed view of Verity and Elodie. Both of them looked... not thrilled.

  Sighing, I put one foot in front of the other. The Codex Botanica threatened to slip from my hands. God, this damn book is heavy. Then, a thought struck me hard enough to make me stumble. Why was I breaking my back when I literally controlled gravity? Just make the thing lighter! I would have preferred to hit myself in the head with the book for my own stupidity. I gathered mana, feeling the familiar tingle... and slowly willed Gravity Magic into the book, focusing on reducing its weight. Bit by bit, the crushing weight in my arms lessened, until it was no heavier than a normal book.

  What's the point of having magic if you don't use it properly… Shaking my head at myself, I now walked with a much lighter step—but with a heavy knot in my stomach—towards the two waiting women.

  I honestly didn't know what I had done wrong, but the looks on their faces told me so much. Either something had happened, or my behavior was unacceptable and I was about to be reprimanded.

  The gravel crunched lightly under my boots as I cautiously came to a stop in front of them. I had to swallow hard. Verity just stared at me with her serious, but now clearly angry, expression. Elodie’s gaze was softer… more worried. She was wringing her hands nervously.

  “Grim…” she began gently. “We were terribly worried about you. You’re gone for weeks, then not home for a single night, and as soon as the sun rises, you disappear… why don’t you at least let us know or leave a note?”

  Th-they were worried… about me? My shoulders slumped, and I dropped my head, ashamed. I could feel how deeply my old habits were stuck in me. In my old life, I knew no one would be waiting for me, because Pip was always with me. But here? I had only been in this world for a few months, and Pip was still my only anchor. My whole life revolved around her. This change, accepting other people as… part of my family, was not easy.

  Nothing really connected me to these people. Maybe I just needed time. But I didn't have time, not as long as Pip wasn't with me.

  “I will make sure to announce my absence in the future,” I replied curtly, my voice flat.

  My feet began to move as if of their own accord, and I walked past the two women and entered the orphanage. I didn't feel good about it, but this situation stressed me out. They had expectations of me, expectations of community, that I just couldn't meet right now. To be honest, I hadn't been a particularly well-functioning person in my old life, and now, without Pip, I was really just an empty shell that had to follow a task.

  Purposefully, I walked up the stairs and marched to my room. Holding the lightened Codex under one arm, I fumbled for the key and unlocked the door. A faint, soft glow from my desk greeted me. As I stepped inside, my concentration lapsed. The Codex suddenly regained its true weight, slipped from my grasp, and hit the wooden floor with a heavy, resounding THUD.

  Ignoring it, I walked slowly to the desk and leaned on my forearms, staring down.

  “Oh no…” I said sadly, my voice barely a whisper. I gently touched the faintly glowing, but already dry and withered, leaves of the Aurora's Dewdrop. I had totally neglected it. The sun wasn't even set, but it was already glowing… does it do that when it… dies?

  Ashamed, I raised my hand and summoned water magic, letting individual drops fall carefully onto the dry earth. My thoughts drifted, and I lost myself in the sight of the faintly glowing, dying plant. Wherever I go, I only cause suffering. First Theo, then the slums… Pip. And now this simple, beautiful flower. Heavily sighing, I closed my eyes and laid my head on the table.

  “I-I'm sorry I couldn't take care of the plant…” a voice said cautiously from behind me.

  Opening my eyes slowly, I pushed myself up and turned towards the door. With her head bowed, Mara stood in the doorway, holding her arm tightly and avoiding my gaze. Had she heard about the slums? Was she afraid of me? I couldn't blame her.

  “You don't have to apologize, Mara,” I said quietly. “It's me who owes you an apology for taking such poor care of your gift. I hope the plant recovers, so that I have the chance to take proper care of it.”

  Mara, however, said nothing, just continued to stare at the floor, or rather, at the massive Codex Botanica lying by her feet.

  I walked over and picked up the heavy book with an answering grunt. Even if Gravity Magic made it easier, I didn't want to rely on magic for everything. I lugged it to the bed and heaved it on top. With a dejected sigh, I turned around and saw Mara looking at me with her intense, lavender-colored eyes, though she was nervously playing with her hands.

  “You… you asked for my help earlier… what can I help you with?” she asked shyly, her voice barely a whisper.

  I frowned. I hope I'm not scaring her… “Mara… you don't have to help me if you don't want to, or if you're afraid of me. I just wanted to ask if you would be willing to look through the Codex Botanica with me, to search for the Phoenix Ember Root, the cure for Pip. But please… don't feel forced to help,” I said gently, turning back to the window.

  Maybe I should have saved myself the trouble. If I only rely on myself, I can't be disappointed. I raised my hand and looked into my palm. I am weak, so disgustingly weak. People like Ainsworth, Orin, and Grimelda can only do what they want for one reason: they have power. And they can only be stopped by people who have more power.

  And if I'm honest, even though Verity made it clear that she would kill Grimelda if she stepped out of line… I wasn't convinced.

  That's why I needed power. Power to save Pip. Power to be the master of my own life. And power to destroy anyone who stands in my way.

  With newfound resolution, I clenched my hand into a fist. A single, lonely tear traced a path down my cheek. I was still weak, but starting tomorrow, I would give everything to make things different…

  A hesitant touch tore me from my dark concentration. Startled, I looked down. Two small hands were resting on my chest, and something warm was pressed against my back.

  A hug?!

  Looking over my shoulder, I saw two lavender-colored eyes shining up at me.

  “Grim… you're not alone anymore. You and Pip belong to our family. This isn't just your fight… it's our fight to save Pip."