He took a risk telling me everything he knew about me unless he knew more. Still more than need-to-know, I see; he must be an academic; those types have a little more trust with the object of their study. I’m surprised the big guy hasn’t stepped up with this new dynamic. I deflected his question about Class, and I will likely need to answer that in the future, but I will only say something if he asks me again.

Something about the fat man told Aarav that he was far shrewder than the initial impression would suggest. Yes, he was clearly academic, but he was likewise a tactician and strategist, playing the long game. Maybe it’s his eyes. They look ancient, not in a wrinkly sort of way but like hidden depth of knowledge old.

“How long is this leg of the journey going to take?” Aarav inquiries.

“We’re already nearly there. The conversation between them died down as Haemish prepared to approach and land. Meanwhile, Aarav was looking at his Mental Map that had been open the entire time. Maybe he could sneak away for a moment. If he couldn’t come out of the bag, then the pack could go with him. He needed to know where his point of origin happened, and with the map, he would be able to pinpoint it.

As they continued to draw closer and descend, he felt a breath bring him scents and sounds of the forest, comforting as they always had been to him even in the old world. He once again thanked the gods of this world, whatever they were and even if they existed. That he had been born in a forest, it was a truly incredible sight. Now, for the first time, he had a chance to see the forest in all its glory and in full colour! He was truly humbled by the vastness of it. He reverently continued to smell, listen and watch the beauty as it passed. The bag he was in allowed the elements through, and though it was a little chilly, Aarav loved the feeling of nature all around him. Nothing was separating him from its wild and powerful majesty. Well, apart from this stupid Mana sack. He gave it a poke, conceding when it did not part.

This feeling of insignificance made him feel like nothing he did mattered, and surprisingly, it freed him from the pressure of his decisions. As long as he could enjoy this feeling, he would be fine. Hopefully, the capital wasn’t a sprawling metropolis with no greenery. Like the cities he was used to. He had to ask. “Does the capital have green spaces?”

“Hmm…green spaces? I assume you mean like the forest? The palace had gardens. I am not sure if that satisfies you. Brewyn otherwise had a few, but it is mostly buildings.”

“But we’ll be going to the palace, right? So, we will have access to the gree – the garden, I mean?” Aarav asserted, the idea that he would not be able to frolic through the forest was not a pleasant one. Not that he frolicked; it was strictly scavenging and survival that he did. And no one can prove otherwise!

“Yes, on occasion, it will be acceptable to visit the ‘green space’” Haemish smirked at his response, far more pompously than he usually would.

“Uhh…thanks?” Aarav still was struggling to read the guy. He had no idea if he was saying that the concept of visiting royal gardens was laughable or just laughing at his need to visit a green space now and then. Or just laughing that Aarav said green space like it was a thing. Whatever, old man, I don’t have to deal with you! Like a petulant child, Aarav did the incredibly mature thing and stuck out his purple tongue.

A look of astonishment and surprise crossed Haemish’s face. A moment later, he had schooled them back to his default stoic with slightly upturned lips.

Still, they drew closer to their second destination of the day and on Aarav’s map, their course did not deviate from his point of origin. He began to suspect something but did not dare hope that it could be possible as the minutes stretched though cautiously optimist transitioned to full-blown excitement. When they touched down, this time, Aarav was uncomfortably bouncing in the bag.

“We are going inside, right? Take me with you, please!” First time everything. I wasn’t going to say please to my captor, but hey, you got to do what you got to do!

“What…? Fine! Let’s go.” He had already started to walk away from Aarav, impatience written in each of his urgent steps. He had whipped around at Aarav’s words and grabbed the bag without any preamble, and slung it over his shoulder, causing Aarav to splat against his back with a squawk of indignation. “We are in and out in ten minutes, gather everything you can from the lab, and I will sort out the rest of the items!” He yelled over his shoulders at the rest of the group, Haemish didn’t see their reaction but Aarav saw a little surprise in their eyes. Their easy-going mentor had been replaced but a fiend?

After that glance, they were all action. That the man who was their master and mentor was in a rush was enough for them to move to his orders. They would be out here in ten minutes if it killed them. Aarav was impressed. He commands profound respect for these wastrels. What type of man must he be then, worthy of respect surely. Come on, Haemish; prove to me why I should respect you. Aarav had only seen one of the Triad commanders get this level of unadulterated respect and obedience, and he had killed about a hundred people in consecutive one-on-one combat fights with his bare hands.

“Hmmm, they really respect you! I’m surprised.” Aarav said. “You really look like a desk guy and someone who never goes in the field.”

“Haha…I understand your feelings. I am not sure if I am a man worthy of respect either. I do not see myself that way anyway. I have my passions, and I like to pursue my research and grow with new solutions. Mixing ingredients and making discoveries is my way of doing that. Discovering and understanding the things and world around me is my way to give back to this beautiful place. So, yes, I went into the forest, and somehow, I became the superior knowledge in the continent on the forest and its denizens. I haven’t even seen ten per cent of it.” Haemish chuckled at the surprised grunt from Aarav.

“Woah, really? Is it that big? You’ve lived for like what, fifty years? Maybe sixty?” From his skin and face, he looked like a thirty or forty-year-old, albeit fat man. But Aarav suspected that he was much older than that. His knowledge, the respect he commanded, it could be nothing else. Despite his girth, he seemed very able-bodied as well. “I can’t believe you haven’t explored all of it. I thought you said this was your life’s work?”

“Exploring the forest is not my life’s work. Finding new and interesting potion ingredients is, which incidentally led me to explore more of the Great Forest than any other person that I know of. Some tribes live in the forest, human and otherwise, sentients that have never seen or been seen outside the forest.” Aarav might not have been able to see the smirk on Haemish’s face because he was facing backwards, but he could hear it.

“What, you laughing at my ignorance? Old man! I’ll have you know I have explored a decent amount of the surrounding area, okay the area to the east of this little cottage of yours.” Aarav paused. As they had begun walking towards the house at a brisk pace, he had magnified this part of the map and very clearly could see that the explored area stopped with this house. Inside this house, he had had his point of origin. He had been born here. Or at least this slime body had been birthed here, very close by. He had thought it was in the forest near here, but the closer they got, the more his certainty grew. Now that he was sure it was in the building, he could not hide his excitement. His voice trailed off as all his focus was directed to the map in his mind, urging the man carrying him to continue into the abode. “Let’s take a left here as they reached a crossing corridor. I would like to go left.” And then, because the fat man did not seem inclined to follow the instructions of his captive, he quickly added. “Just for a moment, I promise.”

Aarav wasn’t sure what had called him to this place, but as they rounded the corner to the next room, he felt a warmth that he had never felt before.