I sensed my marble-sized mana gland as it contracted, the silvery wisp circulating and nourishing. My mana pool refilled almost instantly, gradually expanding painfully from the excess mana flowing from the silvery wisp. Taking a deep breath, I focused on slowing it down, the pain lessening as it was slowly absorbed.

After a minute things started to settle down. My breathing became even again as I opened my eyes, exhaling a thick gray mist. Though I have no idea what just happened, I could tell it was beneficial not to the quantity, but the quality of my mana. I hope that Grim will know what happened here. I felt reinvigorated and full of vitality, all traces of pain gone.

With this whole fiasco over and done with, it was high time I left these godforsaken caverns. Standing up, I stretched, feeling relief at being back to normal, no pain for once. Turning towards the way I came, I smirked slightly, "Time to get out of this shithole."

As I walked, I took notice of the Voidhals that remained, simply standing still like statues. Confused, I walked over and poked it. With a crash, the creature fell over, breathing yet not moving an inch. As I made my way back to the open valley of eggs, I stood in shock. The grown Voidhals were all in the same catatonic state while all the eggs lost their movement, dead without a doubt. I really need to find a book on insect beasts and check what the deal with these Voidhals is.

Feeling something rushing at me, I jumped back with a curse, a Voidhal running past me and slamming into a tree before screeching and continuing on. Gaping, I watched as the bug disappeared in the foliage, now interested in reading about them even more. Shaking my head, I stopped in front of the entrance that led back into the hive, cringing at the thought of going back in there.

With a sigh, I could see the dawn rising, but I really wasn’t in that much of a hurry. Scratching my neck, I glanced at my wings. Should I try? Stretching them out fully and closing them, I tried to get a better feel for the new appendages. Doing a few more movements slowly, I recalled with how much force I managed to fling myself at full power, breaking my own wing. So how much force do I use to get off the ground?

Doing further tests, I tried different wing movements, feeling the air under them. After gaining a bit of understanding about their intricacies, I tried flapping them downward lightly with a small jump. Feeling relieved at not flinging myself into oblivion, I gradually increased the strength until I jumped up over 5 meters with the assistance of my wings. Not too strong, not too light. Okay, I think I get it.

Spreading them widely, I felt the air under them and glided down lightly, using my tail to help steer a bit better in the direction I wanted to go. Getting closer to the ground, I cursed and flapped my wings on instinct. With too much inertia, I stumbled forward before finally regaining my balance, but not before stepping in an egg. Annoyed, I wiped my foot on the dead grass before taking a deep breath and trying again.

It took a bit more trial and error but I finally managed gliding without crash landing. Feeling a bit of pride and having figured out the force required for lift off and landing, I felt ready to actually attempt flying. Shaking my hands and cracking my neck, I let out a deep breath before flapping my wings strongly and jumping up with enough force to fling myself over 10 meters. Heading straight up, I felt gravity begin its pull as I flapped them once more, getting higher instead. Then again and again until I was high over the valley and could see the forest in the distance.

Despite it going well so far, I couldn’t get rid of my nervous feeling, for I was well over a 100 meters up at this point. Keeping myself calm, I spread my wings fully and pushed forward instead of up. Panic gripped me as I lost altitude, dipping down too far for comfort before trying to find the right grip and balance. By the time I managed to figure it out, I was near the treetops. My heart rate gradually calmed as I found the right balance between gliding and flying.

After a minute or so, the realization finally set in. I was flying! An excited, jovial mood settled in my chest as I laughed out loud. An entirely new feeling. With a wide grin, I went up before balancing out and going down, moving freely in the sky. The dark caves were left behind and I had no idea where I was, but I didn’t even care right now. As far as the eye could see was an ocean of green, though further to the east it seemed to cut off. The mountain valley was back to the south, I noted, trying to orient myself. So, Grim’s cabin should be somewhere a bit north-west. Nodding to myself, I changed direction.

A sudden ache in my belly suddenly made me miss a beat, nearly losing my balance. Eyes widening in shock, I placed a hand over my stomach. Hunger? I was hungry? It was not the same maddening hunger as before, the feeling far too familiar. Just a plain need to eat. Confusion settled after, but I honestly didn’t know whether to feel glad or not. Perhaps, because my body reached full maturity, the bodily functions will become normal. Letting out a sigh, I flew lower, trying to find some decent prey.

It didn’t take long to find something suitable. The creature was around 3 meters with short fur and powerful hoofed legs. The front legs were scaly, with long sharp looking talons. The thin, furry tail was about a meter long and gently swayed, a pure white mane trailing down from its head to its tail. I recognized the creature as a Kalv, a subspecies of the Chimera family.

It was eating a small animal with its large, blood-covered beak which slightly hooked like a falcons. My stomach growls again, the creature completely unaware and completely engrossed in its meal. Flicking my tongue out in anticipation, I felt my pupils contract into thin slits as I let myself drop right on top of it. Landing on my feet beside it, the Kalv had no time to react as I plunged my hand through its throat, killing it quickly.

With the feeling of hunger, a sudden savage instinct almost overcame me, the desire to directly rip into the creature and feast. Grimacing, I recoiled. There was no need to act like a goddamned animal anymore. Shaking my head, I rolled my shoulders and pushed it over before using my claws to carefully skin it. The execution was poor and sloppy, but I took the time to remove the parts that didn't look appetizing and separate nice pieces of meat. At least, the hide wasn’t left in tatters thanks to Trent’s survival lessons which included skinning.

After a few minutes, I had a neat pile of bloody meat stacked up next to me. With a satisfied grin, I took the heart that was as large as my palm, gulping as saliva gathered in my mouth. Despite still feeling a bit hesitant, I opened my mouth and ate it with relish. Nearly groaning at the explosion of flavor, I contemplated eating the rest raw. I should at least try cooked meat and decide then.

Taking a smaller piece, I focused on my mana and ignited a regular flame in my hand watching the meat cook, the scent not as tantalizing as fresh blood. It took a few minutes and it was done. I took a careful bite and chewed. Swallowing the piece, I stared at it blankly. So fucking bland. There was no comparison next to the rich flavor of raw, bloody meat. It would appear my taste buds were thoroughly devoted to the taste of blood. Though beggars can't be choosers, I was no longer a beggar. Getting food as I was, was no issue.

Shrugging, I tossed the rest of the cooked meat away before helping myself to the raw meat. I could easily bite through the thick flesh with my sharp teeth, eating slowly and enjoying myself for once. It was a relief I no longer felt the need to stuff my face like a rabid animal. After eating half, I still didn’t feel full, but I was no longer hungry either.

Feeling content, I figured I’d try some cooked meat if it was made by a cook, but for now, I’ll stick to the raw. In any case, fruit and vegetables were out of the question, the very idea of it not sitting right with me. No matter what I eat, I will eat it with gratification.

Seeing I had nothing to carry the meat in save the hide, I decided on taking everything to Grim, maybe she could use it for herself. Finally taking notice of how dirty and smelly I was, I flapped my wings and flew up, searching for the stream we passed when we went to the cave. Despite it being morning already, I wasn’t worried. I had the crystal and Grim won’t die if she doesn’t immediately get it.

After washing up, I felt refreshed before walking the rest of the way to the cabin. Once I arrived, I saw the door of the cabin slam open as the witch rushed out with clear excitement, "You're back! You actually made it!” Her brow suddenly furrowed as she looked me up and down, “You got it, right?”

I grinned and showed her the crystal, “Who do you take me for?”

Her eyes widened as she stares at the translucent little stone before carefully taking it, “Beautiful.” She mumbled and closed her eyes. I sensed her mana fluctuate in the air as she scowled, “It’s half-full!” Crossing my arms, I narrowed my eyes, “Yes, well, the Queen was not eager to die as you might imagine and used it to nearly kill me.” Saying that, I snatched the crystal back and held it too far up for her to reach.

Jumping up and down, she screamed, “Give it back!”

Waving it around, I grinned, “How about we settle everything first? Despite it being half-full, there is still a lot of power in here. I went through a lot of trouble to get this annoying little stone. I deserve some answers. Not to mention you make clear the condition you mentioned earlier."

Pouting like a brat that lost her candy, she snorted, “Fine, you're right. Sorry, I got a little excited when I saw it. Come inside and we'll talk." Her expression eased as she smiled, “Thank you, by the way.”

Giving a nod, I followed her, "What should I do with the meat?"

"You can give it to Ris, she will leave me some to smoke." Shrugging, I glanced to the side and gaped at the small white kitten, which was staring at me with disdain. I blinked in confusion, recognizing that proud tiger of hers in an instant more by scent than anything else. I pointed at it curiously as I dropped the hide holding the meat, "What happened to your familiar?"

Without turning around, she simply answered, "She's not my familiar, she's my soul beast." I stare at her back, surprised at the forthcoming answer. As I was about to ask further questions, Grim cut me off, "Look, I'll teach you about everything you want to know later. There will be more than enough time. For now let's focus on the more pressing matters.”

I shut my mouth and sigh, “Fine. I have a lot of questions.”

She nodded, “I’m sure you do.”

We sat down opposite each other on the couch made of beast skins as I kept my back straight, avoiding damaging the furniture. Noting her serious expression, I felt my caution rise.

She took a deep breath and pointed at the crystal, "This crystal allows the Voidhal Queen to attend to her hive and holds great importance to its survival. As you’ve experienced, the Queen had a connection to it, allowing her to use it as she wishes. However, once its connection to the hive is broken, it has many other uses. It can be a healing catalyst or an important ingredient for creating an interspatial artifact that can hold any inanimate object. Those are just some of the uses for it.” She said calmly, staring at me carefully as if searching for something.

Swallowing, she continued, “The reason I want it is because it will allow me to store souls. As a necromancer, I normally store souls within my own body, but because of the trauma my body has been through, I am no longer capable of it."

She sighed, "Necromancers have the ability to control the dead, but it's not as simple as it might seem. In order to control a body, we first need souls. We infuse these souls that are stored inside our bodies or artifacts into corpses. "

I tilt my head slightly, finding this information quite interesting, "What are these interspatial artifacts?"

"Rings, necklaces, bracelets - basically any item created from special materials and then enchanted. Their capacity depends on the material. It's similar to holding bags, but a lot more advanced. For example, if an interspatial artifact was created from this crystal, it would allow its master to hold a large amount of items inside."

I frown as I look at the void crystal, "I’ve encountered something like this. I could not access the man’s spatial ring for some reason, despite him being dead.”

She nodded, “Exactly. If you wanted the contents of his ring, you had to get him to open it for you or relinquish ownership. That ring is now useless unless a professional enchanter can crack the blood bond.”

I nod slightly, "I understand. Right, there’s something I wanted to ask. When I killed the Queen, her mana gland turned hard and shattered. Some kind of silvery wisp was released and it nourished my mana gland. What was that?"

She made a surprised face as her eyes widened, "Really?! You actually absorbed the Voidhal Queen's mana essence? The Queen must have been an Apex, otherwise the gland would have simply rotted with the rest of her. Strong beings at the Apex-rank usually have a developed mana gland and, as such, the mana inside crystalizes once the creature dies. The remnant mana would usually dissipate, but another living being can use it to improve the quality of their mana and, in rare cases, increase the capacity. It’s why the Apex are so sought for.”

I nod and ask her my final question regarding that hive, "What was the ability the Voidhal insects used?"

She seemed to think for a second before answering, "It's their initiate ability, the execution very similar to our magic. They enter a separate pocket dimension within this one, completely disappearing. Some call it the Nether, others the Void. The one inside the dimension can see everything in the real one, but you can't see what happens inside the pocket dimension. The weakness of the Nether is that you can't touch anything in the real world and can't stay in there for longer than a few minutes. Only the Abominations, which are the sole residents of the Nether, can remain inside.”

She scowled, “Those things are very dangerous, but can’t exit the Nether unless a door is opened. It’s why summoning rituals are greatly monitored and, in many cases, completely banned. If a mage botches their ritual the consequences could be dire, releasing the Abominations for as long as the door remains opened. Sometimes days, other times months.”

I absorbed her words like a sponge, my eyes widening at her explanation of the Nether. I kept pondering on the subject until Grim cleared her throat, "Now that I've answered some of your questions, shall we conclude our deal? Will you hear out my condition?"

Tensing, I nod hesitantly and motion for her to continue. She takes a deep breath, closing her eyes before continuing.

"As a necromancer, I am both hunted and scorned. My last time in captivity was...” She trailed off, her eyes almost glazed as she took a breath, “Agonizing.” Furrowing my brow, I couldn’t help but glance at all of her scars.

“I want you to do right by me as your teacher as I will do right by you as my student. If a day comes that I am captured by the Church, I want you to either save or kill me. I will leave the choice to you. But I never, ever, want to go back to that place and, most certainly not for another 20 years.” She finished, her gaze determined, “No matter what happens, I will seek my revenge, one way or the other. I will not drag you into it, but I do hope you hear and accept my request.”

A pin-drop silence ensued as we stared at each other before I finally broke the silence, “So, this Church is what did that to you?” I asked, gesturing to her face and body. After squirming a bit, she nodded, unconsciously grabbing her shriveled arms.

Contemplating for a while, things made a lot more sense now. Why I felt a sort of pull towards her. I tiled my head, “What exactly does it mean that you will do right by me?”

Her back straightened, “I will teach you properly and have your back!” She exclaimed with a wide smile. Taken aback by that answer, I gaped, unsure of how to react, “So you want me to have your back as well?”

“Of course! A relationship between a student and a teacher is sacred. If we don’t take care of each other, who will?! After all, I’ll be teaching you something precious!” I honestly didn’t know what to say to that. Confused, I scowled, “Doesn’t that mean you will drag me into your revenge?”

She shook her head, “I have already made a dangerous and selfish request of you, and another would be unreasonable. Best you not get yourself involved with the Church. They are a bunch of fanatic sadists that deserve to suffer for their vile transgressions. Unless I fail in my revenge, I’d rather you stay out of it. It is my battle and no one else’s. The fate that awaits me should I be captured again… I fear it immensely, it is why I have been hiding here for many years."

After that, we sat in silence for what seemed ages until I stood up, “So, how do you plan to ‘seal’ this agreement?” I asked cautiously with an underlying tone, my eyes narrowing with some judgement considering my prior experiences. Her answer would seal my choice.

She stood up as well before reaching out with her outstretched hand. Hesitating, I took it as we gripped each other’s forearms. She gave a small smile, “We shake on it.” Stunned, I watched as she spoke, “I, Grim Malverius Banek, hereby accept you as my student!”

We stood like that until she cleared her throat, making me realize it was my turn. Letting out a relived sigh, I shook on it, “I, Atkozott, hereby accept you as my teacher.”

As our arms separated, I lifted a brow, “So, that’s it? We just take each other’s words for it?” I asked in slight disbelief. I knew there was no magic involved. I would have felt it. She nodded, “Between a teacher and a student, trust is the first and foremost thing.” Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a silver locket, “This locket can track me. You just infuse mana into it and follow the pull. A strong diviner can even access the memories or current condition. In any case, it’s what you can use in case I am captured. I will attune it to you tomorrow so that others can't use it.”

Setting it on the table, she let out a relieved sigh before walking out. Stopping at the door, she gave me a final glance, “Your lessons start tomorrow, get some rest.”