Jace was so busy contemplating the things that Jaenin had said, he only barely paid attention when Verna started speaking.

“50 years? 50 years? Did you just say 50 years Jaenin?”

Jaenin smiled, “What’s wrong with 50 years? He’s forging an immortal body; do you think this is a fast process?”

“But humans don’t live that long. You’re telling me Jace needs to be 70yo before he can start to channel the pulse again?” Verna pressed the point.

Jace felt like he had been dunked in icewater as he heard Verna’s comments. Snapping out of his thoughts he looked at Jaenin, and quickly repeated what Verna just said. “50 years?!”

Jaenin stood there unmoving a mischievous smile on his face and answered. “Yes, I believed I said 50 years, your ears are not in error.”

Jace’s face lost all color. He felt a deep, bone deep despair well up inside him. Everyone he knew would be dead if he could return back to earth. 50 years, he would be lucky if anyone even knew him. Graduating high school as a 70-year-old man? What about college and the house? How many Superbowls or Stanley Cup Finals would he miss? Jenn would be a grandmother, his father would be buried, and unless he was really lucky, and his brother was still alive he’d never even know where to find that last resting place. He had cast away a lot to survive in this world. But 50 years was too much. He had long ago prepared himself for an extended stay. He had worried about losing too much of his life but part of him figured he probably would only lose 2 or 3 years to this world. Mentally he had never considered the possibility he would be here for much longer than half a decade at the most.

Speaking slowly, and with dread deep in his heart he asked the only question he could think of. “Is there any way to speed it up?”

Jaenin was watching Jace’s face closely, the sardonic grin never slipping. “I said. ‘You hate this place. Like this you’ll never become a Grand Sorcerer. The best you’ll hope for is to become a true, full Sorcerer, in 50 years or so.’ I never said anything about the process of which I spoke being a 50-year long process. Only that the path you’re walking on this was the best you could hope for, as long as you continued to reject and hate this world. If you want to properly become a grand sorcerer, the process can take a year or two at the longest. But that is for someone with deep ties to the land. For you, who knows how long it will take living in this palace. It might take a couple of decades or so.”

Jace spoke slowly, “So you do know how to speed it up. But it’s something dependent on my state of mind, or heart.” He closed his eyes, the fear that gripped him was still real. He started thinking about what Jaenin said again. Then spoke. “So, you’re telling me to leave Lotsorn. And do what? Commune with the world?”

Jaenin smiled, “That’s not a bad start, though I’d suggest you not just commune with the world, but with the people of it. The animals. The fish. The humans of that age, before the gods war used to go on long trips by themselves. They’d wandered far and wide. Living as fate took them. Some became warlords, others hermits, some simply traveled to the coast and fished for a few years. And in the end, they found their place in the world, with this world, and loved this world for it. It’s not something you can do with people directing your feet. It’s something only, you can discover.”

“You can’t just leave alone on some half assed spirit quest at the words of this Jaenin.” Verna’s voice interrupted the conversation.

Jace knew what she meant. He had become a leader of this city. Like it or not he had a responsibility for what would happen to them. He was about to say something when Jaenin cut in, “Actually he has more than a responsibility to this city. He has one for you too Verna. Correct?”

Verna winced, and nodded, “yes.”

“Can you tell Jace why?”

Jace looked between the two of them curiously. Then Verna spoke slowly. “You are my mate.”

Jace’s mind came to a stop. “Wait, what?” Jace heart Jaenin’s laugh. He saw Easol whip around staring at Verna in disbelief. He was expecting her to say a lot of things, but what she did say only puzzled him.

“Mate? What does that mean?”

Verna hesitated then Jaenin added, “Tell him.”

“Dragons are promiscuous. However occasionally a dragon will mate with a stronger person. One strong enough to completely dominate it. In the dragon’s very being they’ll submit to that individual. And be monogamous for the rest of their life. Typically dying alongside their mate rather than live on alone. Kindred have this instinct to choose a mate like a Dragon. Most kindred marriages occur between two kindred of which one is mated to the other. In fact, most male kindred won’t marry a female if she isn’t mated to him. The heart has nothing to do with it, mostly. It’s a strong instinct. As a result, some kindred like me, marry without choosing their future husband as a mate. I chose to marry for love. However, he was much weaker than me. And could not get me to submit. Nor would he submit to me, as he had his male pride.” Verna spoke in a dull monotone as if reading it. Her voice had no inflection in it.

“I became your mate during our first night on that boat. It wasn’t something I could chose, it just happened. I didn’t tell you because I knew it would only confuse our relationship. The sex was too good, why complicate it with ‘feelings’? Being mated doesn’t mean I can’t sleep with other men, it simply means I’ll never find them stimulating. More so, it means a greatly improved chance of pregnancy. Female Dragons and Kindred rarely are in heat and capable of creating offspring unless they’re mated.”

Some things suddenly clicked into place when he thought about their first time together. “Wait, that’s crazy.” Jace cut her off. “You’re telling me you’re linked for life with me all because you were clawing at my back too hard, it hurt and I pinned you down to keep you from skinning my back?” He completely ignored Easol and Jaenin while looking at Verna with a look of disbelief on his face.

Verna’s blush was all he needed to see. He couldn’t help but sigh. He knew why Jaenin wanted him to travel alone. Other people would influence his ‘experience’ of the world. If he traveled with Verna, he knew he would just fuck her every night. He wouldn’t bother talking to the humans of the world as she would be a deadly bodyguard. His whole experience of the “world” would be colored badly. He also knew why Jaenin wanted him to leave Lotsorn. There was no way to be introspective about the world while reigning here. He also suspected there was another reason for getting him to leave the city. Perhaps staying here made him an easy target by the gods while he couldn’t defend himself.

Sighing he suddenly smiled. “Alright. I’ll leave.” He paused as Verna appeared to be gearing up to argue with him further on this point. She would have a point too, he had a responsibility to Lotsorn. So, he spoke words he never imagined speaking before, “Verna. Will you marry me?

Verna looked at him like he was crazy. “No. Why would I marry you?”

He actually laughed hearing her reply and knew he was doing the right thing. “Marry me.”

“I said I’m not going to marry you. Just because I’ve become your mate does not mean I have to marry you. The ego of some men.” She huffed. “Besides you’re too young. What are you, 20? My son is older then you.”

“Eighteen actually… wait.” He pondered a moment. He had been sucked into this world in March back on earth, he had been here a little longer than 30 weeks, 300 days, or roughly 10 months on earth. Pondering for a long time, he said slowly. “No, I think I probably turned 19 recently. But that’s beside the point. Verna I don’t love you. I owe you my life, and have fun around you when you’re not driving me insane. You’re a far prettier woman then a guy like me should expect to have as a wife. Furthermore, since I’m going to be leaving both you and Lotsorn behind for a while, I need someone strong enough to rule it for me. Someone who won’t usurp my rule or undo the changes. Someone strong enough to hold onto the throne. Sorry this isn’t romantic or tender, but I’d rather not [bullshit] you.”

Verna sat their quietly. Then shrugged. “Fair enough. For those reasons, I’ll marry you. I was worried you wanted to marry me because you felt guilty for the ‘mate’ thing, I’m glad that fear was unfounded. The last thing I’d want is to guilt someone into marrying me. I won’t be pitied.”

“Are all marriages so, passionless?” Easol suddenly spoke up. “You sound like you’re agreeing to a business proposal. Does not love matter at all?”

Verna and Jace shared a look, Verna’s eyes rolled, and Jace laughed. “She’s so innocent. Why were you trying to shove her into bed with us?” Jace knew what Verna had in mind for the Fairy girl Easol the moment he saw Verna hanging out with the girl. Part of him would have liked to be married to a girl he loved, but really, this answer solved all his problems so neatly he was having issues seeing any flaws in the plan.

“Don’t be so sure she won’t come around.” Verna said airily. Judging by the look on Easol’s face Jace knew that would be a very unlikely event. Easol looked like she was about to say something rather rude, so Jace spoke to Easol.

“Don’t let my lady wife bully you around too much. I’m sure there is some handsome Fairy boy back in Ghanarai who will make you a happy wife.” He felt the nice words he just spoke should have diffused the situation, however Easol looked even more irritated, while Verna was trying not to laugh.

Jaenin watched the conversation then smiled and said. “Well then, I’ve honored my promise. If you don’t mind I’ll take my leave.” And turned to walk away.

Jace’s eyes shot to the departing ‘thing’ and spoke quickly. “Wait, Jaenin. I have a question well several.”

Jaenin paused then spoke quietly. “when you understand that green cube, unravel its secrets, I suspect you’ll have most of your answers you seek about how to return home. The sun is currently Red because that is a fake star. The sky has been fake since the end of the Gods War. If you think of this world as separated from the sky, then you’ll not be wrong. As for why the Gods haven’t killed you yet, it’s because currently they’re locked into the prison in the sky. That prison is how the Gods War ended. Finally, only humans can become gods because everything in this world is balanced. The fairy get strong gifts of power at birth, the gnomes as well, as do the kindred or even the rock devils. Only humans are gifted neither a tough body or limitless life or innate magic power. So only they can know powerlessness. Because of this, they are the only creatures which may become gods. I did not make the rules. But those are the rules. As to Easol’s question of why I chose to sneak into the keep? That was my choice and the answer is not deserved by anyone here. Now I don’t think I have any further things to tell you.” Jaenin started walking toward the door.

Jace spoke once as Jaenin was walking out of the door. “Thank you.” Jaenin paused a moment upon hearing those words then he continued out the door and vanished.