The Unbidden: A New World (1) (Short Parts)

Part 57

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I spent a month training with Oren when he was available. When he wasn't, I brought Jayde to my training area so she could practice her moves as well. I discovered that Blink was able to be used with others in the vicinity so long as I was touching them. Jayde told me she felt a dangerous pulling sensation, but she let it happen. I guessed that teleporting others meant they had the chance to fight it off if they were unwilling.

Even though I continued to train every day until near magic exhaustion, I felt a sense of loneliness. I had to sit down for a long time and ponder why. I figured it was due to my want for Thea, but part of that didn't make complete sense, so I tried to push it down. The key word being "tried".

I was fine at first, when She was still around. Maybe it was because I knew She was still somewhere nearby, so I didn't worry about it. Now that She was gone, I felt every minute of time pass.

I must've been putting on a rather pitiful face while I was around Jayde. She kept asking me what was wrong, and after the first week of Thea leaving, she figured it out. She looked visibly hurt, but I wasn't sure why. The remainder of our training pressed on, regardless. I had a mission, and Jayde planned to stick with me despite whatever negative feelings we felt. Near the end of the month, Jayde had brought in a specialist in the ways of martial abilities.

This person was a human male that stood about as tall as myself. He had black hair and brown eyes that peered into the distance, as though he was reliving a memory. He possessed a single short sword at his waist. This man went by the name of Kalgrin Demon-Slayer. He educated Jayde, and myself in the methods of martial techniques using bladed weapons. The martial attacks included "Distant Strike", "Adamantine Crest", "Piercing Blow" and "Flurry Strike".

Distant Strike was very self-explanatory and came to Jayde with no effort. I, on the other hand, had trouble figuring out even the basics and getting it to work. Adamantine Crest was a martial ability Piercing Blow , while Flurry Strike

I was unable to effectively use any of those abilities, so I resigned myself to observing and noting each movement, attack and ability used. I thought about the work that Dread Steel and the Absolvers of Yuna had been doing. Those groups must have been professionals if they were spending the entire month searching while we were training.

If they downed one dragon, I didn't feel it was going to be that big an issue, but If both groups took down the dragons, then the trip here would've been for naught and set me back extremely far. The thought of potentially having to attack those parties had crossed my mind, though I wouldn't admit it to anyone.

Then again, I was certain I would die if I did attack either of them. By the end of the first month, Jayde and I felt confident, or rather, as confident as we really could be. Kalgrin was a decent person for the short time I associated with him. He appeared genuinely interested in Jayde's ability to pick up and master the four skills he'd taught her. Kalgrin was apparently a resident of Kle'Xa, so if we needed to find him, we wouldn't have much trouble.

As we set out, we checked Palindrome's quest board to make sure the dragons hadn't been taken care of. Thankfully, the quests were still open. When we exited the city's West gates, I looked North, then South before scratching my head.

"I have no idea where to look first," I said, turning to Jayde, who gave a little smile.

"Perhaps it would be best to inquire as to the last sighting of them?" she chuckled.

"Mmh, you have a point."

We turned around and headed back inside the city. First, we asked around Palindrome, then people on the streets. None of them provided any relevant information. Eventually, a lightbulb sprouted above my head. We headed to The Bastion and searched for a short while before finding Belmohd.

"No luck finding them?" he asked with a chuckle.

"Well, we don't know where the last sighting was," I smiled in embarrassment.

"A fair point. Some of my mages detailed a crimson red dragon destroying a small farming hamlet to the northwest."

"Which dragon is that supposed to be?" I asked.

"Loht. From the destruction caused, it is the more powerful of the two," he replied.

Just our luck, I thought.

"Then that'll be our first target. Did your scouts mention anything about the adventure parties of Dread Steel or the Absolvers of Yuna?" I asked.

Belmohd looked through some of his scrolls to search.

"They did mention Dread Steel, moving directly North, Northeast with much purpose."

"That must mean the Absolvers of Yuna will be aiming for Loht. I guess we should hurry then," Jayde said, turning around.

"Thank you," I gave him a curt bow before departing.

We exited the Western gates once more with both of us riding Aurias, and made our way along the main road past peddlers and merchants. We had travelled for three days before encountering one of the destroyed villages. The carnage wasn't recent, but it was still a definite sign that Loht had been there. None of the buildings existed as more than a charred spot on the ground along with the remains of livestock and a few villagers.

"These poor people," Jayde commented at one point.