That made me jump.

Both Vendi and Jack did not betray any signs of reaction, so I assumed that I was the only one hearing that. Which was doubly strange, because I was no longer touching the tree.

-Dark? It was not like this before? What do you mean? - I started asking questions, again putting my hand on the tree.

-I don’t know… I… everything is strange…

This time I got a reaction. Vendi almost fell on his ass backwards, while Jack jumped up.

-KON! You’re alive!

-That’s sort of subjective… - I muttered quietly enough so he would not hear me.

-I heard something wrong is going on! How can I help?

-Dad…? Oh, where are we? It’s dark…

-Just calm down. You are inside a tree, so that’s no surprise that you can’t see.

-Tree…? Wait, that’s where I was? - he sounded confused. - I guess that explains some things… but I don’t think I am there any more…

-There? We are talking to you via the tree…?

-So where are you then? - I interrupted them, asking the important question. - You said it’s gotten dark. Wasn’t it like that before?

-No…. If what you’re saying is right, I guess… Before, I was able to see a lot. I know… I was inside of something. It was tight and cramped, that’s when I first heard your voices… Or rather felt your connection. I tried talking, but no words came out, instead I started seeing strange images, mixed and unrecognizable…

-Ah, that was just after the “accident” so to speak, right?

-Accident?

-After you blacked out during the ritual - explained Vendi.

-Oh…. yeah. That could be it. But then, I was able to see you… I remember now… seeing myself, being carried away by dad…

I exchanged looks with Jack.

-Yes. Your body is safe at home. Right now Mor was looking for a way to turn you back to normal, but then somehow connected to you via the other tree.

He explained briefly what happened.

I got to say, Kon was a lot more conscious and level-headed than I expected. All of them were. After hearing his response the first time, I thought he would be a lot more panicked, or confused at least. Hell, it seemed like he was like this at first. But now he was as calm as his father, maybe even more, listening closely to everything. It was sort of unnerving…

-I did not hear you though… - he finally said. - It’s strange… I only could hear you after he pressed his hand to the tree again…

-I guess he’s amplifying your thoughts somehow? - speculated Jack. - Who knows? Magic is often strange.

-It only is if you use untested methods - I chimed in. - Doesn’t matter anyway. But if what you are saying is correct, that means that you are no longer inside the tree. So where are you then?

-I really can't tell… - he replied after a moment of thought. - Before this, after Mor managed to contact me for the second time, it felt like I was being dissolved… absorbed into something. I was getting sleepy… and at the same time I was starting to see more and more of the forest… even inside the barrier… It was strange.

-But you said that you can’t see anything ? - asked Vendi, confused. - So what’s up with that?

-Because I can’t. After the second contact.... It was strange…. silent. I… was scared a bit. It felt like I was disappearing…

-That’s not good - I muttered.

-But then I heard his voice. I don’t know what happened, but after that my vision was gone and I felt like I was cut off from everything. And now we’re here.

-What the hell…

I wanted to continue this strange interrogation, but I had to stop myself, again reminded by a dim glow that I was indeed still absorbing mana from the tree. And this time, I finally did some damage to it. It was just a small patch, but I did turn a piece of bark into the familiar ash that was now falling down onto the grass.

Considering the fact that it was quite a long discussion, the damage was miniscule. Last time I just had to briefly brush it with my finger to do more damage than that.

All the time, I was still tightly gripping the crystal shards in my other hand, focusing on releasing the overflow mana, thanks to which I was not a shining beacon right about now. Good thing that that was at least working as intended.

I was about to hide the pieces back into my clothes, but I realized that something was wrong.

Or maybe rather not wrong, just different.

When I first used those pieces, I kept holding only one of them, not really picking any particular one. This time, I was a bit distracted and not paying attention, so I just took them all, not thinking much of it.

At first it seemed like it was working exactly the same, but when I was about to put them away, I noticed that there was now a slight change in them - they were now stuck together.

For a second I just thought that they were attracting each other, like a magnet of some kind, but upon a closer look I realized that it was not what was going on. They were melding into each other. Or growing? Maybe both, considering what properties my body had.

It was not that strange, to be honest, so I just dismissed it for the moment. It shouldn’t really be a problem, right? Maybe it was even for the better - after all one piece was easier to keep track of and carry than a bunch of broken shards. It could even mean that the crystal was able to hold even more mana. Could it actually grow? If so, then how big? Could I actually solve the problem that Jack had with the lack of materials for the barrier without any weird experiments?

I had to put those thoughts on hold, because Jack looked more panicked again.

-Kon! Kon!?

-Are you there?

-Don’t tell me, he’s not responding again? - I asked, stopping mid-way through rewrapping my hand.

-Yeah… - said Vendi with his eyes closed, obviously still focused on the tree. - It was strange…

-So you felt that too, huh?

-Felt what? - I asked, intrigued.

-As soon as you removed your hand from the tree, everything went silent again.

-Huh?

-Yeah. Can you do that again? It looks like you are some kind of amplifier… or something, I don’t know - nodded Vendi.

-I don’t think I should - I replied, pointing at the place where the bark was destroyed. - I only did that because I thought that I would not destroy this thing, but it seems I was wrong. I still can disintegrate things, but it apparently takes a lot more time.

-Strange - said Vendi, inspecting the mark closer. - There was no reaction…

-Reaction? You mean the scream of pain?

-Yeah. Remember last time? He basically screamed into our heads and he barely even touched the tree. Why was he silent this time?

-I assume that it’s because it was too shallow - I replied, shrugging.

-Maybe… but why though? Didn’t you hold your hand there for a lot longer this time?

-Yeah. Maybe I have a bit more control right now.

-Mhrg… Let’s try again - said Jack after a moment of consideration. - Just pull away as soon as you notice that the wound is getting bigger…

-Define “bigger”.

-I don’t know, as big as my head maybe?

-Or just when you hear us or him screaming in pain - said Vendi, not sure if he was joking.

-It might be a bit too late then - replied Jack with a straight face. - But yeah, somewhat like that.

-Well okay then, it’s your kid - I shrugged and again unwrapped my hand.

This time I only used a finger, hoping to slow down the decay process even more. Seemed like it was working, because the mana flow got slower and the bark was not turning to ash. Yet, at least.

But it was the only thing that was working.

Both Jack and Vendi tried talking to the tree again, this time with me helping, but it was no use. It was just as Kon said - it seemed like he was indeed somehow disconnected from the tree.

We tried this for a good five minutes, yet did not get any reply.

-Okay, I think we should stop - I finally announced, removing my hand. - It is not going to work.

-But why though? - Jack sounded distraught - It did before… What happened to him?

-I don’t understand… I guess he got “cut off” like he said? - said Vendi, tired for some reason, sitting down next to the tree.

-That’s not good… Even if we figure out how to get him out of there, what’s “there”?

-Yeah… - I nodded, a bit perplexed - That’s not good… but that’s not the worst thing in the world.

-What, you can find him?

-I think so… - I replied after a moment. - Remember, I told you I can see the mana that is in my surroundings. That includes people. If I were to focus, I probably would be able to find him, too. It might be a bit hard because I don’t really know how he’s going to, eh… “look”, so to speak, or how far he is, but it’s worth a try…

-So what are you waiting for? You have plenty of mana, right?

-Yeah… normally I should be able to… - I agreed with Jack - But something strange happened… After the whole ice-block thing, I sort of lost a bit of “oomph”...

-The fuck was that supposed to mean? - asked Vendi.

-That means that even though before I could see for literal kilometers, now I barely see a few meters in front of me - I replied, unenthusiastically. - I hoped that would clear itself out after my neck healed, but I guess I need a bit more.

-How much more?

-How the fuck should I know? I thought I was already back to normal, but I keep realizing shit is strange!

They both looked tense, but they realized that there was nothing we could really do now.

-By the way, you’re glowing again… - pointed out the obvious Vendi.

-Yeah, give me a minute…

I already was pulling out the crystal and trying to equalize my mana a bit. It was a bit harder this time, I think I already flooded the piece with enough of my overflow, but even then I still was making slow progress.

-The hell is wrong with this place… - I thought to myself as I was trying to get rid of the excess mana, while Jack and Vendi were trying to contact the tree-Kon.

-I don’t know, it was always a bit mysterious.

The voice was so sudden that I almost dropped the crystal mid- transfer.

-Kon?! The hell? Where did you come from?

-I… was here the whole time? - he sounded confused. - I can’t really move, it was you that went silent…

-But I am not touching the tree any more… Where the hell are…?

I suddenly had an epiphany. There was only one answer to “where”.

-I think you can stop that… - I slowly announced, looking up at them.

-Yeah… He’s no longer here… We just have to wait until you find him - Vendi agreed with me.

-Mh… I don’t like this. We need to hurry. If he’s already gotten pulled somewhere once, who knows where else he might get moved. And who’s the one doing that even? Are there more of those elves on the island?

-That is possible… - I agreed with him - but on the topic of where… I think I have found him…

-Already? - Jack sounded both amazed and surprised. - But you said you don’t have mana to see further than… Does that mean he’s close?!

-Yeah… very…

-Great! Where?! Maybe we can contact him again.

-Huh. Maybe you can…

-Don’t keep us in the dark - Vendi was inpatient. - Where?

-If I am not mistaken… right here - I said, extending my hand with crystal shards. Or rather, one larger chunk of them, melded together into an irregular mass the size of my fist, pulsing with dim, green light.

Both of them looked at me, confused.

-Huh?

-What are you talking about?

-What are you talking about?

The question came both from Jack and from within the crystal - because that was undoubtedly where the Kon’s “soul” was now located.

-Yeah, I have a guess, but… wow - I said, shaking off the initial surprise. - I can still hear him… somehow. For a second I thought that I might have connected to the tree somehow, but, you’d be hearing him as well…

-Even now!? - Vendi sounded amazed. - That’s great!

-Great how? I’d say it’s more annoying, I just lost my one way of getting rid of my overflow mana…

-But you managed to get his soul out of the tree! Meaning we are halfway there!

Actually, he was right. Though how I did that…? Was that even me?

-Kon, you can’t hear them, can you?

-Hear them? I only can hear you, after father and Vendi broke contact suddenly…

-Wasn’t really their fault, but…

-So if he’s in there, can I talk to him? - he was a lot more eager than he should, to be honest.

-Maybe, but…

I didn't even manage to warn him before he was already next to me and placed his hand on the crystal piece.

-Kon?

A few things happened all at once.

First off, I heard him too. He was not speaking, even though I could hear him as clear as day, just like before, when we thought we were communicating through the tree.

-Dad!

So that one was working smoothly.

Too bad other things were not exactly great.

The moment he touched the crystal and contacted him, I felt a surge of mana from the crystal. Just like with me, the piece wanted to get some mana and instantly started draining Jack.

Obviously, he was not expecting that. Even though he already knew how my body and the crystal worked, or at least I thought so, after he was the witness to my experiments, he was not prepared. In a span of a second, maybe a quarter of his mana was drained and the rest was about to go with it if not for me to get the crystal away from him.

Just to be safe, I also pushed him a few steps away.

-Calm the hell down, you have a death wish or what?!

But, before we managed to break contact, he also briefly brushed my own, unprotected crystal skin.

I don’t think I need to add that it did not end well.

Even though I was still on guard and limiting myself, I did drain a lot of mana. And by a lot, I mean LOT.

Sure, he was far from the worst in the department of mana capacity, especially here, but that did not mean that my crystal would work slower.

Quite the opposite in fact, in comparison to the small pieces now hosting Kon, I absorbed absolutely humongous amounts.

It was like comparing a leaking faucet to a broken fire hydrant.

He was lucky that the contact was only so brief and the fact that I was not exactly empty. Even then, in a span of that short moment, I drained almost all of his mana, to the point that I got scared that he might fall into a coma.

He actually got pretty close. I already was seeing his eyes roll back, but he pulled through, by his sheer will.

-Holy shit, careful. You’re lucky you are still with us…

-What in the hell was that? - he asked after a moment, gathering himself from the ground.

At first it looked like he was about to fall again, but he steadied himself, leaning on the tree next to us.

-I told you what my body does to mana. What did you expect?

-Wow…

-What was that? I thought I heard… father? - spoke to me from the crystal Kon.

-You heard right. But I don’t think he’ll be able to talk to you directly for now…

-Why?! What happened?

-I don’t know how to tell you… but you are now stuck inside a crystal.

-Okay…? So? - he clearly was not getting it.

-A crystal that absorbs mana from people.

-Wha?

-Yep. And you can imagine what happens after someone unprepared touches you…

-But you are touching me no problem! Why can’t he?

-That’s…

That was a good question.

Before, when I was holding the crystal, my mana was constantly flowing in and out from it, but now it looked like it stabilized. I was not overcharged and the drain stopped completely. The stone was still slightly glowing though, now with the familiar green hue.

-I don’t really know, probably because it’s similar, or rather the same as my body. I have better tolerance I guess?

-Your body?

-Ah right. You are in a crystal that splintered out from my own self. For some reason you got pulled out of the tree to this piece.

-HOW?

I just shrugged. If I knew, everything would be a lot easier. I guess I could understand it if it happened when I touched the tree directly, but it seemed that I just managed to suck him out when I contacted the tree next to the mansion. A tree that was definitely not the one where we last sensed him.

-What in the hell is going on? - asked finally Vendi, who all this time was just observing with his mouth wide open.

Right. The more important parts were not spoken aloud.

I filled them both in. I expected that the prospect of me draining Kon would scare them, but it was the exact opposite. When I explained my theory, Jack started smiling broadly and finally gathered himself completely after the shock of his mana being absorbed.

-That’s great news! We don’t need anything more then?

-What do you mean…? - I was now the one feeling confused.

-It means you isolated him from the tree! Now we just need to move him back to the body!

-And how do you suppose we do that? - I said, not really getting his excitement.

-Can’t you just do the same thing that you did to your body? You said that you started as a human with a piece of crystal stuck in your body?

-Yeah, sure I did, but so what? As far as I know my own consciousness never left the body, but that’s not the case here…

But as I was saying that, I realized that he had a point. There was more than one instance when I noticed that my consciousness was not the only one inhabiting this body, I was sure of that. Be it the presence, or the other visions… Those were indeed the indications that he might not be exactly wrong. Still though…