Everyone experiences a time in their life that demarcates the end of their childhood. An event that transpires that they look back on and say, ‘That was when I changed.’ They might not know it at the time it is happening, but later they recognize it. I call that event ‘Childhood’s End.’

~Mother Danu, The Primordial Goddess of Nature

Crow laughed the moment he stood up. Several people had already surrounded him, and they didn’t look like they wanted to congratulate him. He recognized them as victims of his pirating. Suddenly, they all stepped back, and Crow subconsciously looked over his shoulder and found that Mara had stood up behind him. It made him wonder what she’d done in the past to make everyone so afraid of her.

He pointed toward the scoreboard, and Mara looked up. Crow ranked twenty-third, and Mara was thirty-six. The ranking made little sense to him, especially since he didn’t kill as many enemies as Mara. The only possibility that made sense was the fact he solved the island mystery. Well, that wasn’t true. Song Xue helped, and she ranked higher than Mara.

“How are you still on the scoreboard? Once you died, you should have lost at least half your points.” One of the Druid Council asked. She was of middling years, and Crow remembered she had some strange relationship with the Belgae clan. Although it was a question, she stated it like an accusation, so Crow didn’t have a good impression of her.

“I didn’t die,” Crow said, not bothering to clarify.

“You gave up?” She sneered. Her voice warbled, and Crow didn’t even need to look at her to know she was sneering.

“You think I can do better than what I did in my condition? Besides, I got a reward, and it gave me an option to walk out, so I walked out.”

“It’s her!” One boy stood up and pointed, and Crow could tell by his accent that he wasn’t a Druid. Crow also remembered he was also one of their victims. “She is Pirate Mommy.”

“And…?” Mara asked. “Don’t blame others for being weak. I didn’t kill you.”

Crow laughed—no one else joined him. He shrugged and didn’t bother with people that couldn’t see the humor of the situation. None of them could die, and yet everyone was taking the event so seriously. There were too many people of the older generations that had ugly looks on their faces. As if this event was a matter of life and death. Crow couldn’t muster up any guilt. They played the game their way and succeeded. In life, there was victory and defeat—there wasn’t really a middle ground.

Hell, if they couldn’t compete on this level, they shouldn’t have played. Crow knew he wouldn’t have made it that far without allies, but friends were part of his strength.

Before anyone could do more than complain, Gavin rushed over. The commotion caught many people’s attention, including the visiting sects and academies. Despite what Crow and Mara had done, no one wanted to go against Gavin, especially considering his role in recent events.

“Let’s go,” Gavin said and led Crow and Mara out of the Arena.

“Aren’t you going to wait for the results?” The annoying councilwoman asked.

“No need. The kid’s master is waiting for him. He’s leaving,” Gavin said and pulled Crow outside.

The moment they were outside the Arena, Gavin brought them toward the closest grassy area near the Plaza of the Gods. Before they stepped off the paved plaza, a root rose out of the grass, and a doorway appeared. In the next moment, Mugna appeared next to the entrance and waved them in.

Once inside, Crow could feel the ground shifting as the root disappeared below the surface. Walking through the root tunnel, he felt at odds with his movement and what he sensed outside. Each step was like he’d passed several meters, and it made him nauseous enough that he swayed a few times.

“You get used to it,” Gavin said. “Mugna can condense time and space, so we are traveling roughly ten times faster than normal.”

So his mind wasn’t playing tricks on him. He attempted to memorize everything he sensed and felt. It would hopefully help him when he reached higher stages, when universal truths were the most important. No one spoke much, and they all heard the clicking of Mugna’s gnarled staff against the smooth wooden floor.

Eventually, they came to a large chamber, and the entryway sealed after they stepped inside. Crow suspected they were in the center of Father Oak. On the south side of the room was a set of stairs leading down, and the rest of the room had little to no features. The walls were all one solid piece of wood, but their reddish color left him puzzled.

The only other feature was a gateway or a portal. Crow always thought the portal was just another archway. However, this thing looked like a large circle sitting on a rectangle that was more narrow than the circle. It looked like a keyhole.

“What is that?” Mara asked, walking around the keyhole that had shimmering energy within the borders of its unusual shape.

“That is a Keystone. Most people call them a Portal of Ascension. There are nine of them in this world, and they each have a sister portal inside the tower. You’ll learn more about it on the other side,” Gavin explained. “The thing you should be wary of is that a guardian protects each portal. They are all as powerful as Mugna, so do not anger them.”

Gavin and Mara discussed the tower in some detail, but it was similar to the things Crow’s father taught him long ago. He ended up ignoring most of their conversation.

“How was the trial, kid?” Mugna asked. The gnarled old man’s eyes were brighter than usual, and Crow wondered if the old man had a breakthrough recently.

“You mean the Trial of the Six Dragon Gods?”

Thunk! Mugna’s staff tapped down hard, and he stared at Crow.

“What did you say? Six Dragon Gods?”

“That’s what a… local said.” Crow hesitated to explain about Nin. However, he gave a short version of the events that happened.

“You are sure it’s the six dragon gods?”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“Did… the demon guy—Tadd—mention anything else?”

“Mostly talked about Sacred Sun and False Dawn. Even explained in more detail about my curse.”

Mugna moved forward again. “By the way, was Tadd the local you mentioned?”

*Nin? Do you want to come out?*

*Meany.* Nin said. *Do you really want me to come out?*

*These people I trust explicitly. If I can’t tell them about you, then I can’t trust anyone.*

Crow could feel Nin sighing mentally, but she appeared next to him.

“Woah! Wh-who are you?” Mara asked and gave Crow a dirty look.

“I’m Nin. Nice to meet you, love-rival Mara.”

Crow groaned, thinking that maybe exposing her was a mistake.

“L-love-rival? Crow!? What did you do?” Mara growled.

“You contracted with her?” Gavin asked. “What is she?”

“A dragon.” Crow’s words were like a bomb. Even Mugna was at a loss for words. Mara’s mouth open and closed a few times and then slapped Crow on the back of the head.

“Oh, do it again,” Nin clapped, encouraging Mara to hit Crow more. “I was wrong, future husband. Coming out here is awesome. So you aren’t a meany. Holy smokes, you’re a treant? Really amazing. I thought your kind was extinct.”

“I thought you were extinct,” Mugna muttered under his breath, and then louder, he questioned her. “You recognize me?”

“Smelled you. I’m an Emerald Dragon, so plants and trees are something I’m highly attuned toward.”

“Oh, damn the gods, Crow. You are a walking catastrophe. You actually contracted with a dragon?” Mugna practically yelled and blew his beard out in exasperation. If Crow wasn’t getting admonished so heavily, he might have laughed. “You have no idea the trouble you’ve brought down on yourself.”

“Her mother was stolen too…” Crow said while absently rubbing the scars on his palms. Mara felt tears sting her eyes seeing Crow so vulnerable and remembered the first time he told his story during the Hunt. It was the first time she felt moved toward respecting any man. The more he remained steadfast and true to himself, the more she knew she was falling for this silly boy.

“That… this…” Mugna sighed and finally chuckled in resignation. Crow was Crow, and Mugna got a glimpse of why he became unfated. Instead, Mugna looked at the dragon girl. “He is young, and his actions are naïve and understandable. But you aren’t a naïve little girl and are much older than him. Why would you subject an innocent like him to this perilous path?”

Nin’s eyes were downcast as the old man struck at the sore point that caused her the most anguish. She could claim she didn’t know what was happening, but she knew that her presence would cause Crow problems. She opted to be honest. “He is unfated. I-I thought he’d be safe to travel with. No one would know where I am. No one could sense me coming, nor could they see my past. I’m safe as long as I don’t stray too far from him. I never lied to him and told him the risks.”

Mugna’s eyes shifted back to Crow. “Tell me everything from the beginning. Leave nothing out—including everything that girl said to you.”

Mara and Gavin crowded in to hear this story. Mara had participated, but she wasn’t involved in the first two challenges. So she had heard little of Crow’s experience during that time. She suspected he harbored a bunch of secrets, but never did she imagine he was carrying a dragon around with him. So seventy percent of what Crow spoke about, she’d never heard.

Nin helped by filling in some gaps, or things that Crow didn’t know. Since Crow trusted these people, she did the same. After all, she’d already committed herself to this path.

“I was a fool,” Mugna stated when they finished. “I should never have allowed the Council unrestricted access to the Arena. The Arena is as old as the Keystones, if not older. Because of that, you all now know secrets you shouldn’t. Worse… Crow bonded with a dragon, which is a nearly impossible feat. Dragons are extremely proud and would never agree to a bond. You silly girl. Do you two even know what you’ve done? The real implications of a mutual bond?”

“No…?” Nin was rubbing her toe in the ground, looking sufficiently chagrined, but Crow could only smile in response as he found it amusing. He knew she was mostly faking it, but she played the act of an innocent little girl to perfection. Still, he went through the bonding process and knew she hadn’t faked her dedication toward him. She hadn’t lied to him.

“You brought her into your Soulscape, correct?”

“Yes, sir,” Crow answered.

“I’m not sure how you formed that already, but I don’t have time to discuss that with you. Torcail is almost here. Bringing your bonded into your Soulscape is like nurturing a Soul-Linked item. The longer it stays in effect, the more cemented the bond becomes. Before long, you two will share knowledge, experiences, even traits like vitality. Just by bonding with a dragon, you’ve probably extended your lifespan by at least three or four times.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad…” Nin said, confused.

“That is the mild part. Want to hear the troublesome part? The closer you two become, the less you’ll be able to resist being near each other. It wouldn’t be so bad if you were a male dragon, or even in your dragon form. Not to mention… eventually, you won’t be able to break the bond. It’ll be permanent. Normally, that takes decades, but dragons—it is hard to say. If the stories are true, a dragon’s bonded mate becomes irrevocably linked within a week or two.”

Neither of them said anything for a while, but eventually, Mara snorted. “Song Xue is going to cut your face off.”

“Oh? Is little sister not jealous?” Nin asked while smiling innocently.

“Stop it,” Crow muttered. “Mugna, you said we share traits. Is that something that could happen within the next two years?”

Mugna stared at Crow in disbelief. “Everything I just told you, and that’s your question? It all comes back to your Shield, doesn’t it? Whatever, fine, yes it’ll help, but you’ll still need to fight that battle. Other than the curse causing your accumulation of power to slow way down, you shouldn’t have any other problems.”

“I understand,” Crow said.

“Also, forget what you know about the twelve towers and the Sacred Sun. That knowledge is dangerous, and even asking about it can create ripples in fate. You must not pursue those topics until you are strong enough to face the danger. Even then, I still recommend you forget it. There is nothing you can do until you reach the upper realms.”

“Grandpa Mugna!” Crow interrupted. “I really understand. Given my ability to absorb entire libraries, I can probably find answers without letting anyone know what I’m looking for, anyway.”

“You talk a lot, old man. Why are we here?” Nin asked, getting bored with this conversation.

“Because Torcail, Crow’s new master, is coming, and he is going to take you into the tower,” Mugna told her. Nin’s eyes lit up, and she clapped a few times in excitement.

Meanwhile, Crow had another thought… wasn’t he bonded with Lily too?

Recognizing this for what it was, Crow stepped forward and hugged the Mugna. He could smell the old man’s earthy and woody scent, and it was the same as when he was a boy. It brought him back to the time his father first brought him here. Mugna hesitantly one-handed hugged Crow, and then tousled the kid’s hair with his other hand.

“Thank you. For everything.” Crow told him.

They stepped back, and Mugna placed his warm palm on Crow’s cheek. “Your road is long. It won’t be easy, but remember, you always have a home here. No matter what the trials ahead throw at you, remain steadfast. Remain true. Remain honorable—”

“Be the oak?”

“Brat,” Mugna laughed. “That is your heritage,” Munga said, tapping Crow’s chest where the tattoo of an oak tree continued to expand and grow. “Here, this is my gift to you.”

Mugna handed over a wooden box not much bigger than his hand.

“What is it?”

“A beast’s core and a spell. I kept this spell hidden for the last ten thousand years, as it used to be a defining one for the Draoidh.”

“Y-you gave him the Beast Aspect spell?” Gavin asked. “You had it this whole time?”

“Mother Danu requested I hold on to it until the time was right. She said I’d know when that was.”

“What is Beast Aspect?” Mara interjected.

“Transformation,” Nin answered her. “Whatever core is in there will be Crow’s first transformation, and the first one is always the most powerful.”

“The dragons have a long memory,” Mugna said. “That core is a Silver-Eyed Crow, which is highly sensitive to fate, karma, and spiritual energy. The first level of the spell is the transformation, and let me be clear, your body is physically transforming, so it’ll be painful. The issue with the first level of the spell is that you can’t shunt mass, so you’ll end up looking like a crow the size and mass of a human. The second level of the spell will teach you how to condense or increase your mass.”

“When can I learn a new transformation after the first?”

“You’ll understand the first time you use it. Using this method to absorb a Core virtually reserves part of your Source. You can’t absorb another Core unless your Source is large enough to accommodate the additional reservation.”

“So if my Source has a hundred energy, the core might reserve seventy, leaving only thirty that can be used for another Core?” Crow asked.

“That’s a simplified way of looking at it, but yes. It isn’t as direct of a correlation, though. That core that I gave you might reserve four times as much of your Source as a common Elkan Core, as an example. And reserving the Source energy doesn’t mean the core is using it. It is a little complicated, but you can still use spells and drain out the energy reserved. It just means that you won’t be able to transform unless your Source is replenished enough. Long story short, you’ll be able to sense how much of your Source a Core will reserve, so you’ll know when you can absorb another one. You can also teach it to Mara—when she’s ready.”

“Really?” Mara asked, her eyes glittering with the thought of loot, and Crow could see the greed there. She really was becoming a monster.

Gavin stepped forward and placed his hands on Crow’s shoulders. “I know you’ll reunite with your family soon enough. If I had one bit of advice to give you, should you join a faction… pick an academy that focuses on Scholarly Talents. They might sound weak, but they hold political power and clout that very few would willingly cross. Everyone needs gear, food, pills, and other resources.”

“I’d already had that thought.”

“That’s my boy. I thought about what to give you as a parting gift. Eventually, I decided on this.” Gavin handed over a vial with a dark, viscous liquid. “That is pure wood essence. Until things went sideways for you, your natural affinity for the wood element was extremely high. Your Soul Carving is a wondrous gift, and I wanted to give you something that will help you regain some of what you lost. Nurture the root that has withered. That is a scarce resource, so do not take it out until you are ready to use it. And do not use it until you gain your Shield at the very least.”

Crow took it and sent it into his Vortex Pin, along with Mugna’s gift. Then hugged Gavin. “Thank you for all you’ve done for me. Tell uncle and grandpa I’ll bring mom and dad back.”

“Nin, return to Crow’s Soulscape, and do not let Torcail see you. He’ll do right by Crow, but he is an opportunist and owes you nothing. All three of you remember that. He will honor his deals and contracts, but if he can make more money on the side or by causing you problems, he’ll do it provided he doesn’t break the rules of his agreements.” Mugna paused. “That might be unfair. His parents run a company that deals in trade, theft, assassinations, and pretty much anything they can make a profit. They don’t deal in slavery, but that doesn’t mean they won’t kidnap. Mara, you fancy yourself a pirate? Well, you joined the right crew.”

Crow laughed, despite the warning. No matter what, he knew he had to go with Torcail. He’d lead him someplace Crow needed to be, and he had to arrive there before he attempted the Shield trial.

Nin disappeared inside Crow’s Soulscape, and a few minutes later, Torcail arrived.

Torcail bowed to Mugna. “It has been an honor, ancient one.”

“Treat him well,” Mugna replied. “Mara, he’ll need you more than you know. Take this as a gift.” He handed her an old book, much older than any Crow had seen in his clan’s workshop.

Mugna had lived long enough to know that when the boy came back to this place, he’d no longer be the child that left. However, the boy had grown on him, and he felt like Crow was his grandchild.

“Thank you for all that you taught me,” Crow said to both Mugna and Gavin, finally realizing he was leaving home. He didn’t know how to say goodbye and fully express his gratitude toward those who got him to this point. There are no words that could explain the depth of his gratefulness toward those that put in the effort to teach him.

Sadly, he didn’t know when he’d return to Oiche or the Maddox clan. And he worried by the time he returned… they’d be gone. Barnes taught him to appreciate what he had in the now because there might not be a tomorrow. That was the life of a cultivator.

“Alright, I’ll delay the others for a few days. That is all the time I can give you.” With that, Mugna took Gavin, and they sunk into the floor and disappeared. Torcail walked through the portal without hesitation, and Crow felt a momentary loss. A feeling like he’d lost control of the momentum of his life.

“Pfft, stop thinking so much. This mommy will protect your weak ass.” Mara chuckled and shoved him through the portal. Laughing, she followed after.