Book 5, chapter 4

The sky slowly brightened, lighting up the hidden valley, in hues of orange and yellow. Her scythe cut through the air, felling swaths of wheat with each swing.

It was tiring work, but it was also a good distraction. There was always work to be done on the farm, something that she used to hate.

Now, she threw herself into it, allowing the familiar tasks to help occupy her mind. The hearth wheat fell into haphazard piles before she bundled them up and put them in her spatial storage. 

There wasn't much left to be harvested after five days of work, a fact that left her feeling satisfied.

Despite the fact she was nearing the peak of E grade, cutting wheat for hours on end was a tiring task. 

The air whooshed as her scythe fell again, and a trickle of her aura leaked out.

Flexing her aura, she caught the wheat as it fell, wrapping it up in a delicate display of control. 

Then the bundle of wheat hovering In thin air vanished into her spatial storage. She grinned. She was starting to get the hang of it. 

Her aura control might not be as good as Malden's, but she was getting a lot better. Her scythe cut through the wheat stalks, and she compressed the air around it.

It took a lot of focus to compress the air into a small sphere around the wheat. 

Usually, she just made the air heavy all around her with her spark of compression. That was a walk in the park compared to this.

Compression was a weird concept. At least it didn't rip the wheat apart like the concept of ebb and flow did. 

The hearth wheat was a delicate herb, one that didn't like when the air was flooded with huge amounts of spiritual energy.

Turns out, hearth wheat could explode, something Zee hadn't known before.

She did now, hence why she was only using her spark of compression to speed up the process. It was excellent practice. In the chasms, she mostly used her aura as a weapon, but now, she wanted to get a more refined control.

It didn't take long to finish up, upon which she turned to Bastion.

He was standing nearby, having already finished his section of the field. He was watching something she couldn't see. 

She strode over, her boots crunching on the soft dirt. "What are you looking at," Zee asked, looking out into the thick forest bordering the wheat field. Bastion pointed, and her brows furrowed.

A small leather book, defying all common sense was flapping around the canopy of a large fel willow.

The tree wasn't named that because it was evil or anything, no it was named that because of its viscous sap.

The sap was a rare ingredient in alchemy, useful in concoctions, pills and even etching. It made the forest of willows even more valuable than the wheat she just harvested. 

Her gaze followed the flapping book as it slowly crept along a branch. 

"What is it doing," Zee asked.

"Look at the end of the branch it's following, on the underside," Bastion said with a grin. 

She did so, following the thick branch, until her eyes rested on a head-sized grey cocoon. 

"Uhh, that's not good," Zee said, as she recognized what the grey cocoon was.

Bastion laughed," No it's not. I wonder if the book knows it's about to pounce on a willow Jack nest," Bastion asked amusedly.

Zee didn't want to find out. "Hey! Don't touch that!" Zee shouted.

The book paused only a moment, then pretended not to hear, as now it was in range. Flapping its pages, the book darted in and took a bite out of the side of the grey cocoon. 

The willow jacks were not happy about the sudden intrusion. The air around the nest suddenly filled with hundreds of small, angry insects. 

Noticing the danger to late, the book started frantically flapping to get away. The willow jacks dive-bombed the book swarming around, and stinging it angrily. 

"Should we do something," Bastion asked. 

Zee could only sigh. What a pain. "Kur Zul, could you deal with the willow jacks please," Zee asked aloud.

A ghostly apparition phased up from the ground. It looked intangible in the sunlight, like a specter. 

Kur Zul raised his ghostly arms, and spoke aloud in a low voice that sounded like a hissing snake, "The price is suffering, the cost is death," the ghost chanted.

A grey orb shot forward from the ghost, crossing the distance to the book in a heartbeat. There was a crack of breaking glass as a cloud of noxious gas spread out around the book.

The swarm of willow jacks dropped dead in an instant, while the gas made a large circle around the orb bubble and rot. 

Bastion whistled softly "That was, unexpected. I thought you said Kur Zul is a healer," Bastion asked, looking a little concerned.

Zee let out a frustrated exhale.

"That's what he told me, but he was stretching the truth," Zee replied.

Bastion glanced from the ghost who was pretending he couldn't hear them, and back to Zee. 

"He tricked you didn't he," Bastion asked. 

"Ya, he did," Zee replied. 

"Well, what can he do," Bastion asked.

Zee waved a hand at the swirling vortex of noxious gas that was slowly dissipating.

"From what I have seen, he inflicts monsters with curses that can melt them from the inside out, turning them into a puddle of goo in seconds," Zee replied.

Bastion gave the ghost a worried glance, prompting it to face him. 

"You do not need to worry Mr Gray. I have no reason to melt you," Kur Zul said, slowly sinking back into the ground and out of sight. 

Zee patted Bastion on the arm, as the living book flapped over, its pages covered in several small welt marks.

She gave the book a stern glare.

"What did I tell you about causing trouble," Zee asked.

It rustled its pages pitiously, feigning injury.

Zee wasn't buying it. "Since you can't behave, you get to go back in your satchel for a while," Zee threatened.

The book tried to escape, but she snatched it from the air. It struggled in her grip, but it was only token resistance.

She tucked it back into the worn satchel at her hip, where it could sulk for a while.

Bastion gave her an odd look.

"What?" Zee asked.

"You have an odd collection of spirits and pets that follow you around," Bastion said. 

She raised an eyebrow. 

"You might want to clarify that statement before Dern or Kur Zul get the wrong idea," Zee replied. 

"I was meaning the book, and that death spirit in your sword," Bastion said a little too quickly. 

"You are scared of them," Zee asked.

"No, it's just a healthy amount of caution for beings that can melt me from the inside out, or devour my soul," Bastion replied smoothly. 

"Dern wouldn't eat your soul. And don't worry about Kur Zul, we have an agreement," Zee said.

With that, she turned and sauntered away.

Bastion watched her go, uncertain how to feel about the whole thing.

First a soul-sucking monster, and now an intangible ghost that could turn people into bloody puddles. Not to mention the pesky book, or the miasmic spirit that lived in her sword.

It was like she was the spirit whisperer or something. The ridiculous thought made him laugh. With one final glance towards the patch of melting forest, he rushed to catch up.

"Hey, wait up," Bastion called.

She glanced back, a devious glint in her eyes "Fat chance, race you to the waterfall," Zee called back.

Bursting into a dead run, Zee was across the bridge in four steps, her boots echoing on the wood. She bounded off the bridge and onto the dirt path, all the while grinning. Bastion was hot on her heels but she could hear the thunder of the waterfall drawing closer.

She ran as fast as she could, knowing just how fast Bastion was. Barreling around the corner, she could see her goal ahead.

The waterfall struck the pool, creating a watery mist that billowed upward.

It was getting closer, she was going to win. Just as she had that thought, her pace slowed. She was trying as hard as she could to run forward but it didn't seem to matter as Bastion stole her momentum.

In only a few seconds he passed her in a whoosh of air.

"Hey! That's cheating," Zee shouted.

"You never said we couldn't use skills," he called back. 

Affronted, she turned into a cloud of mist. Her vision turned monochrome, her perception slowing as she shot forward with renewed speed.

Bastion glanced over his shoulder, grinning as he put on more speed.

They shot up the trail towards the falls, but as expected, Bastion was faster. He slid to a stop next to the Ailee bloom pool, raising his hands in victory.

His eyes widened as she came out of her mist for already leaping towards him. Her arms wrapped around his waist, as she bowled him over, right over the bank and into the pond.

There was a loud splash as they hit the icy water. Bastion came up sputtering while Zee came up laughing. With a look of mock outrage, he slashed her, making her laugh harder.

 The mist from the falls billowed around them, while the Ailee bloom frantically bobbing in the waves they made. 

"Come here I am going to dunk you," Bastion said.

Zee splashed back towards the shore, quickly retreating. Soaked, and breathing heavily, she collapsed on the shore. 

Walking to the edge of the water, he put his hands on his hips and glared down at her.

Absolutely soaked, he looked adorable. His curly black hair hung to one side, with his shirt sticking to his wide shoulders, and revealing the corded muscle of his underneath. 

"It's such a beautiful day," Zee said, looking up at the clear afternoon sky. He slashed a handful of water over her, before taking a seat on the grassy river bank.

"You are such a jerk, you know that right," Bastion said.

"Maybe I wouldn't have tackled you into the water if you hadn't cheated," Zee smiled, running a hand through her soaked hair. 

"You would have done it regardless," He laughed, reclining back in his hands.

"I don't know what you are talking about," Zee replied mischievously.

He shook his head, closing his eyes as the sun caressed his dark skin.

Zee took a deep breath of the misty air. "Thanks for coming, you didn't have to. I know you probably have a lot to do back at the academy," Zee said. 

He twisted a handful of his shirt, squeezing nearly a bucket full of water out. "I wasn't busy. Besides, there is still a few weeks before the next semester. Besides, spending time with you is what I would want to do regardless of the academy," Bastion replied. 

She smiled.

"It means a lot. You might be a terrible farmer, but having you around has been really nice," Zee replied.

"Now that is just hurtful, I'm not that bad at farming. Your family just has really complicated herbs that are picky, and difficult to harvest," Bastion replied.

"I guess some people are just not cut out for farming," Zee replied with a grin.

His eyes narrowed.

"If you keep that up, I'm going to throw you back in the water," Bastion threatened.

"I mean sheesh, you can't even use a spade," Zee taunted.

He grabbed her and picked her up. She laughed as he threw her out into the water.

An hour or two later, they were both soaked, lying on the river bank as the last rays of sunlight faded over the cliff tops.

Lying next to her, Bastion pointed to the waterfalls where that poured from the cliff face. 

"That water comes from a planer space right," he asked.

She nodded, laying on her back, resting her head on his shoulder. 

"That means we could go inside if we wanted to," Bastion asked.

She bit her lip thoughtfully, glancing up at the torrent of rushing water.

"We could I suppose, though unless you can breathe underwater, it's probably a bad idea," Zee replied. 

He let out a noncommittal grunt. 

"Why, would you even want to go in there, it's a planar space filled with only water," Zee asked suspiciously. 

Bastion grunted again. "That's hard to believe," he waved a hand at the vibrant Ailee plume bobbling along the surface of the river. "That water is incredibly dense with life-attuned energy. I would bet my wallet that there is something incredibly valuable on the other side causing it," Bastion said. 

"You are probably right," Zee agreed. 

"You are not curious? There could be rare treasures in there," Bastion said. 

"I'm not very curious no," Zee replied, just enjoying the drumming of the falls and the sun on her skin.

"Not even a little bit?" He asked.

She poked him in the ribs, "You shouldn't go snooping around other people's things," Zee scolded. 

"I wasn't going to take it, I just want to see what's in there," Bastion replied defensively. 

"Uh-huh. I don't believe that Mr book Thief," Zee said. 

Bastion's expression scrunched up in a look of mock hurt. "I was going to give them back," He said.

She rolled her eyes. "Just keep the stealing to a minimum. Robbing enemies is fine, but I don't like it when you steal from people we know," Zee said. 

He sighed. "I know, I just got impatient. They wouldn't let me take books from the restricted section, so I decided to borrow a few. I really did intend on taking them back," Bastion said, seriously.

She believed him, "So, what was in those books? It must have been important if you were willing to risk getting kicked from the academy over," Zee asked. 

His smirk returned. "For some hard-to-find cooking recipes of course," Bastion replied. 

"You are joking," Zee asked incredulously. 

"Nope, some recipes are guarded jealously. Did you know that if you prepare meats from higher grade monsters properly the food can make it easier to open your inner gates? Some recipes can also cleanse impurities from your body," Bastion said excitedly. 

"No wonder those books were in the restricted sections," Zee replied, happy to see his excitement. 

He nodded. "The recipes are just like some of the stuff your mother makes," Bastion said.

She propped herself up on her elbow. "I hope you are not planning on stealing those," Zee asked.

"Of course not. I had a better idea, I am going to bribe her," Bastion said. A small glass jar appeared from thin air in his hand. 

Her eyes widen. "How did you get that? That type of whipped cream is really hard to get," Zee asked. 

The jar vanished back into his spatial ring.

"I traded something to your dad for it," Bastion replied mischievously. 

"Must have been something valuable, otherwise, Dad wouldn't give you that," Zee said.

"I have my methods," Bastion replied evasively.

"Fine, don't tell me, you and Dad can keep your little secrets," Zee replied, shivering as the chilly breeze washed over her. 

The sun had long since set, and it was starting to get cold. 

"Should we head back?" She asked. 

"Ya, I'm hungry," Bastion said. 

Being wet wasn't as big of a deal in the E grade. Their bodies were a lot more resilient than normal-ranked people. 

They could survive wounds that would be lethal to those in the F grade, from extreme cold, and heat, to toxins. Still, that didn't make being cold and wet any less uncomfortable. 

Walking up the path, they entered the caves that led out of the hidden valley. It was dark at first, but that quickly faded as a violet haze filled the air.

Fist-sized mushrooms, with black stems and purple speckled caps, grew along the floor, walls and ceiling. Without protection from the amulets they both wore, the dense haze would have incapacitated them both in seconds.

They were called nightmare shrooms, a rare herb that would force its victims into a hellish nightmare that they couldn't escape from. They were both a deterrent to thieves trying to enter the valley and a crucial ingredient to many psychedelic pills and concoctions.. 

"I have a question. What is stopping people from simply flying into the valley and stealing everything," Bastion asked, his voice echoing around the mushroom-filled cave. 

Zee gave him a sidelong glance. "That's simple. The valley and the family estate are both protected by arrays that grandpa put in place. Also, I suspect the valley is actually hidden in some sort of spatial fold," Zee said.

"What makes you think that," Bastion asked. 

She bit her lip, careful to avoid stepping on or touching any of the mushrooms. 

"It's hard to explain. My sensory skill can detect ripples in space around me. Normally, I am assaulted with different types of ripples all the time. They range from people using their spatial storage to using movement skills. In the valley, all of that goes away. It's so quiet like a chunk of space is separated from the rest of the universe," Zee said.

"That sounds too complicated for me," Bastion said.

Zee waved a hand towards a curve in the tunnel. "Look over here, this is where the sensation changes back to normal. This has to be where the edge of the fold in space is," Zee said.

"It looks just like a regular cave, and creepy mushrooms to me," Bastion said.

Zee frowned, peering closer. 

"I wonder if I can figure out how to touch the edge of the spatial fold," Zee asked.

"You better not do that. Otherwise, you might break my pocket space," said a familiar voice.

"Oh, hey Julian," Zee greeted unhappily, turning to glower at the man as he rounded the bend in the tunnel.

Julian wasn't the most physically imposing man. He had short straw brown hair, with a lean athletic frame and wide shoulders. 

A bastard sword was belted on his right hip. He looked in his late thirties and carried himself with calm confidence.

"No need to be so hostile. I was just coming to check on you when I overheard your conversation," Julian replied. 

"What do you want," Zee asked, her tone curt and unfriendly. 

Julian ran his hand down his face and sighed.

"Look, I am sorry. Is that what you want me to say," Julian asked. 

Zee pursed her lips, "You think just saying sorry will fix it? I spent years in a dark hole, all alone, fighting savage monsters who wanted nothing more than to rip me apart and eat me, and you think saying Sorry is enough," Zee snapped, her words nearly a shout by the end. 

Julian looked away.

"I'm sorry I put you through that," Julian replied. 

"So you say... I'm sure you didn't come here for pointless apologies. Why are you really here," Zee asked, folding her arms across her chest.

Looking regretful, he pulled out a small leather satchel from his cloak and threw it to her. Zee caught it from the air, hearing the soft clack of metal on the wood inside.

She tugged at the drawstring. Opening it revealed a fist-sized orb with six sides, an obsidian token on a pitch-black chain, and an etched wooden box. 

Julian gesture. "The token is already imprinted to your aura, and won't work for anyone else. It's basically a key, one that will allow you access to any room and training hall in the academy. Just sign up for a class that strikes your interest, and you will be enrolled, regardless of requirements," Julian said.

"What about the six-sided crystal, and the box," Zee asked warily.

"The crystal is a repository of knowledge. I created it back when I was in D grade, and trying to advance my skills and understanding of gates and other dimensional forces. In fact, there is information in there that could give you the same foundation of knowledge I used to create this pocket of space we use to hide the valley," Julian said.

"What about the box," Zee asked, trying and failing to hide her interest.

"That box has a peak quality E-grade natural treasure. It's a gift from your great-grandpa Farsaic. The magna cherry inside should help you awaken another aspect of your bloodline," Julian said offhandedly.

"You mean something like the heart of fire," Zee asked, her heart beating with excitement.

"Yes, though there is no telling what talent you might awaken next. Who knows, you might awaken a piece of my bloodline, or it might be a piece from Farsaic's side. I am betting it's going to be from your Grandpa Farsaic's side. The heart of fire is a staple of his bloodline, so you might awaken the next piece," Julian said.

Zee's heart skipped a beat. The thought of awakening another thing like the heart of fire was exciting, though she quickly tamped it down.

Zee stared at the three gifts. Julian gave them to her so casually and yet she knew they were priceless. She knew he was trying to buy her over, to win her back with apologies and gifts.

The worst part was, she didn't even consider refusing them. She had already paid for them in full through suffering. In her mind, he owed her for putting her through that hell.

"Thank you," Zee said finally, tucking them away in her spatial storage for later.

She was still mad at him, but she had to admit, she was excited about the gifts.

Julian smiled. "Well, I best get going. I am headed off the world for a few months. I am going to deliver supplies to several of the border worlds to help with war preparations," He paused, "Ohh, don't forget to stop by and visit Farsaic when you return to the capitol. You can enter his hidden gardens by channeling energy into the amulet I gave you," Julian said.

"I will," Zee said.

Julian disappeared into thin air, gone without so much as a ripple in space. It was disconcerting. 

Bastion whistled softly. "Those are some gifts. What are you, a princess," Bastion asked.

She laughed. "No Grandpa just knows people, oh and my family is rich," Zee replied.

Bastion shook his head. "Rich? That doesn't cut it, I think this qualifies as filthy rich," he said. 

She rolled her eyes. "Oh stop it. Come on, let's get back to the house, I want to change out of these wet clothes," Zee said.

It was early the next morning. Zee and Bastion were enjoying some tea while reclining on lawn chairs in the backyard under the earliest days of sunrise when there was a soft knock at the door. 

Zee looked up over a cup of steaming tea as her father and mother walked out with a man she had never seen before. 

Her mother gestured to the man.

"This is lord Mellic Arsoa, he is a specialist," Cylia introduced.