'If that was not the perfect time to become an expert— there was no other time. But still— to awaken that technique at 14 years old… the kid outdone himself.' Anax thought to himself
After a few hours, Markus was well enough to get up. Looking back at the barrier, he saw the lesser spirit stare at him through the barrier.
He gulped as he went into the cabin.
The place looked exactly the same except for a communication device left on the table. A communication crystal.
He picked it up.
"Uhm— hello?" He said
There was silence on the other end.
"Markus..?!" A woman's voice responded in shock
"Yes? Instructor Nuune?" Markus asked
"You're alive!?" She exclaimed
"Well- yes. And I've got good news! I'm now an expert of the wind." Markus exclaimed with joy
There was silence on the other end
"And bad news— I sort of pissed off a lesser spirit whose domain is over the entire cabin area. So I got in— but now it's waiting for me outside the barrier…" Markus said
"How are you alive..? Charlotte reported she detonated the construct you meddled with…" Bailey said
"Oh— it wasn't me. I got eaten by a plant and that thing kind of— melted most stuff on me including my skin. But the explosion actually killed it— and almost killed me! But I lived and healed up— albeit I lost my pack of wolves so you know—" Markus rambled
"And you faced… a lesser spirit— to get to the cabin. And now you're stuck there under its watch." Bailey said slowly
"Yep. Well— I was hoping I wouldn't face it but I got caught. And then something amazing happened! The wind told me to move and I did and then I was quickly transported within the barrier! And I saw these white paths on the way! And I think the wind showing them to me and me using them let me advance to the next rank! So technically facing the lesser spirit was worth it!" Markus said
"Good on your for surviving. Now we have to get you back, alive. I'll report and we'll come rescue you. But first I want to check something. Can you fly up and tell me if the lesser spirit's barrier is much higher than then cabin barrier?" Bailey asked
"Uhhh- no. They're about level." Markus replied
"Now go back inside." She said
Markus did so and told her.
"Good. That was bait for the tiger anyway so it looks up whilst we dig a tunnel to get you out from underground." She said
"I see, so what do I do?" He asked
"Don't piss out the minor deity that's fifty metres away from you for a start. That barrier is sturdy but don't tempt the spirit to try to break it." She said
"Got it. I'll be waiting then." Markus said
"See you before long." Bailey said as she out the crystal back into her pocket.
"Well people, it looks like we held this funeral for nothing. He's alive after all." Bailey said from the stage to Charlotte and the hologram of Jessica, Enrique and Noe.
A few moments ago, Bailey was delivering a sort of obituary at Markus' funeral.
"And he was a good kid… he didn't deserve this life. I'm sure that wherever he is now, he is—" she said before the crystal in her coat pocket activated
"Uhm— hello?" A young man's voice resounded
"Markus..?!" Bailey exclaimed, damn near looking for ghosts
… and the rest is history
"I thought for sure he was dead… he didn't even try to escape! I almost killed him for nothing—" Charlotte said
"Woah- woah. It was not your fault. Plus he triggered it on purpose knowing you would and then explosion saved him!" Bailey said
"Huh- that's a funny way to put it. But his entire trip— that kid went through hell and talked about it like nothing. Seasoned parties of experts have gone into death zones and never returned but he strolled in there as a single learned…" she said stunned
"That's my student. But on that last point on how he escaped… you know what it sounds like don't you?" She asked Charlotte
Charlotte however, was looking at Jessica
"Retrieve him and we will confirm for ourselves." She said before hanging up
The silence hung between them.
"Pfft— ha! The Queen is bad at naming!" Bailey laughed
"Wha—" Charlotte replied
"She took a Windbourne right from under Everest's nose and named him Windwave! That's hilarious— from Markus Windbourne she got only as far as naming him Markus Windwave— ha!" Bailey laughed
"…Markus Windbourne… I'll check the records for such a name. It sounds… familiar." Charlotte said
They were in an abandoned chapel that hadn't been used to pray to spirits in years. They soon left and began to work on a plan and travel to the southern death zone immediately.
Two days passed and Markus was growing hungry and most importantly thirsty.
Markus laid in bed, his face pale and his entire complexion was grey. The dehydration wore his body down and hollowed him out quite a bit.
"Hey kid are you there?" Bailey asked through the glowing crystal
"Still here—" Markus replied weakly
"Good. We got a few elites to come to the forest and make some rain clouds and send them your way. They'll make it rain and you can catch the water. It should keep you alive for a bit longer until we get down there. Got it?" She asked
"Got it…" Markus replied
In the afternoon the skies darkened as several heavy rain clouds were sent toward the centre of the forest.
The tiger saw the clouds and found them strange.
'Ugh- thank the spirits that one isn't smart enough—' Markus said as he saw the clouds enter the barrier
Then they began to pour
With a wave of his hand, a large water storage of wind essence was made. He went to the water.
"Slowly drink small sips for now or else your stomach will burst." Anax said
Following Anax's guidance, Markus slowly drank water over a few hours.
At least with water, he could last for a lot longer. He had over 20 litres stored up.
It was 36 hours later in the dead of night that the ground rumbled beneath him.
"Markus Windwave, we're here to rescue you!" Two stone elites said as they dug a tunnel right into the cabin's floor.
"Thank you— now time to go before the big beast figures it out—" Markus said, jumping in the tunnel
Although he had no visibility, there was air inside the tunnel. And where there was air, there was wind. And where there is wind— Markus could sense the way through the ethereal white paths and was able to swiftly exit through the underground tunnel before the lesser spirit noticed.
As he got out and was finally out of the forest, he saw master Jessica waiting, along with Charlotte and Bailey.
Markus was brought to the side and Bailey put up a flame wall to avoid unwanted gazes.
"Am I in trouble—" he asked concerned
"He is indeed an expert." Jessica said
"Markus… show us how you escaped that lesser spirit." Charlotte said
"On an empty stomach— at least let me ea—" Markus said before Bailey tried to slap the back of his head
He felt it coming and took a step but didn't actually move anywhere.
"Huh? I can sense them but I can't see them— what's the big deal?" Markus wondered
"Raise your heels." Jessica said
Markus raised his heels and instantly the paths became more visible and tangible. When Bailey raised her hand again to slap him, her hand slapped the air as he vanished, leaving only a faint breeze in his wake. As they tracked him, they saw his hair flash white only for the brief time of his technique.
All three of them thought the same thing.
'The Wind's Path!'
Charlotte thought based on her discovery:
'Just under ten years ago, the third child of the Windbourne main family, Markus Windbourne, was kidnapped and declared dead. Then four years later, her majesty calls upon me to serve and watch over an imperial vessel… Markus Windwave, at the Tuatri Academy. And now it turns out, Markus Windwave… is in fact Markus Windbourne.
The proof is not only in his blood, as he has manifested the blood art almost a decade earlier than anyone should— but also in his hair which now flashes white when he's using the blood art… and one more item to the list. The patriarch of Windbourne has seen this kid and suspects him to be his grandson and is now actively investigating because I couldn't keep him locked inside the academy… fuck me…'
Jessica nodded to them both and immediately left.
Bailey meanwhile was just shocked and then remembered that the queen was bad at naming and tried to avoid laughing in an evidently serious and very secretive situation.