Moving in the night.

They had never seen a small heap of shiny gold like this, all their eyes were used to seeing were copper coins, the occasional silver but never gold. 

Gold was often reserved for rich human merchants. The only currency bigger than gold were element crystals and stones of the mages. 

The higher the quality of the stone, the more precious and expensive it was.

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh we are all going to die." his mother lamented in a panic. 

This must be why the Adama guild had been looking for Dex. Those mages were very vengeful and if Dex had taken their money, they would take back the money and end their lives too. 

His father hurried to lock the door and the three windows of their small house.

Dex chuckled when he saw them reacting like this, and he wondered what they would do if he brought out the rest of the gold. Would they faint on the spot? 

He slapped Demi's hand when he saw licking one of the gold coins which she was eyeing greedily as if it was food. 

For a twelve year old, she behaved like a two year old at times.

"Father, I already know about our uncle Philemon, and I also know that he is not a good man. At the academy, we have students from many places and I have heard on two occasions that a man named Phil A, sells female children to the powerful families and clans. 

The children are bought, well cared for, fed nutritious things and raised on magic herbs and spiritual foods. Most people think that this is such a great thing but in our world of magic, when has anything ever been free?

Those girls are raised like elixirs and when they reach the right stage, they are killed and magic cores are taken out of their bodies. 

In extreme cases, even their flesh is eaten, or used to make portions. Whether it is your brother Philemon or not, I am unsure but one thing I am certain of is that we must ensure that Demi does not end up as one of those unlucky girls." 

His father's hands trembled and he clenched them, disbelief pouring out of his eyes. Dex was probably mistaken, Philemon could not do such a thing. In fact he had sent a letter saying he would send Demi to a magic sect. 

Could he be lying to him? Would he be ruthless to his own blood?

Their mother grabbed Demi and held her tight as if afraid that a shadow would creep up from somewhere and pluck her daughter, sending her to certain death. 

"The world of mages, it's so cruel." she gasped "How, how, oh my god I think I am gonna be sick." 

"Brother, I don't want to go, I will stay at home." Demi, scared out of her wits shook her head fervently. 

She was frightened by the eating of one's flesh, using it in medicines and having her magical core taken out. It was so scary, who ate human flesh? 

Completely unaffected, Dex looked at Demi with a gaze of steel and told her, "Stop being weak, in order to protect yourself, you should develop the strength of a mythical beast or an arch mage and at the top, a high mage. 

I will train you and turn you into a fearsome mage whose presence will make others tremble. Demi, the world of magic is not for the weak." 

He pulled her away from their mother and made her sit upright. In this life, she could not be soft, he would not allow it. 

With an earnest look on his face, Dex turned and addressed his father. "Father, today I killed some members of the Adama guild that wanted to kill me in the Black forest. I am sure that word of my return will reach other members and the guild leader. When that happens, they will wipe out our entire family. That's why I am going to suggest that we move to the city of Mitril. 

I am already studying at Ragor, Demi can enroll in Surfer academy for girls when their new semester begins. I will also be able to live at home often and train her. 

We can start a business, something not so complicated. If this one thousand gold is not enough, I have another one thousand to add. But, we must leave tonight, if we delay, we might not be alive to see the sun rise tomorrow."

He had hardly completed his words when his mother jumped up, rushed to the kitchen and sounds of pots and pans banging against each other assaulted their ears. 

"What are you waiting for, start packing?" she shouted. 

"Mother, we don't need all those things, time is of the essence just grab vital things." Dex responded. 

Demi run to the kitchen to help while his father hurried to the bedroom, presumably to pack what he considered vital. 

At least they understand the desperation of the situation. They did not ask questions but rushed to do as he said.

In the dark of the night while the residents of Ethea slept, a family of four who had covered themselves from head to toe sneakily walked through the shadows, sneaking out like thieves in the dark.

In Ethea, people knew better than to ask questions, especially in the night. One wrong question could mean certain death in some situations. 

They did not stop moving until they found a transportation guild. Dex asked his family to stay close as he approached the nearest transporter. 

Transportation guilds were secretive and shady, most of them, involved in smuggling activities. At night, they charged more than what they did in the day because night business was often sketchy business. 

The transporter Dex approached had the appearance of a con man. A dirty beard, thin strands of yellow hair, a gold tooth that sparkled in the dark when he smiled.

He smiled like a shark when he noticed the family of four whose faces were covered. Big business had come. 

"Hello, wary traveler, what do you seek?" he asked.

Dex slammed a pouch on a table on which a jar of alcohol was sitting.

"Transportation out of the city, the fastest you have." he deepened his voice and muffled it beneath the scarf on his head. 

The transporter opened the pouch and saw the gold coins. He whistled, and clenched his hand over the pouch. 

"You have come to the right place wary traveler, we have everything that you could possibly need here. And we are discreet, you can be assured that nobody will know you passed through here. Follow me, we will provide a carriage, and flying beasts. Do you want permanent or temporary ownership?"

The question meant that would Dex be interested in the tamed beast used for transport or would he need a driver that would drop them off and return with the beast. 

Dex wanted a flying beast, it could come in handy for himself or his family later.

"Permanent, give me a female roc, and a flying carriage with an invisibility shield. I have no need for a driver."