# 13 DREAMS

A lone figure could be seen sitting inside a horse-drawn carriage, the wheels of which rumbled softly over the winding forest path.

Ash, accompanied by Thane, had quietly left the castle. Traveling outside of the Anatolia Kingdom on foot was not a feasible option, especially when their destination was the nearest jump gate.

King Draymond had provided them with this carriage, along with some provisions for their journey. Most of the travel was conducted in silence, with the rhythmic clopping of horse hooves providing a soothing backdrop to their thoughts.

Ash sat in contemplative silence, his mind a whirlwind of emotions and questions. He couldn't shake the memory of his recent battle with Helena. Her mastery over mana had been a sight to behold—beautiful, efficient, and powerful. In contrast, Ash felt like a novice, unable to harness his own mana in any meaningful way. He couldn't control the flow, his own mana wasn't obeying his body anymore, with no understanding of how it could affect the duel. Ash chose not to use it

'She had a beautiful flow of mana, so clean and efficient,' Ash thought to himself, 'but why couldn't I use mine? What's holding me back?'

The duel with Helena had been intense, not just in terms of combat but also in the revelation of Ash's limitations. She had been furious with him, not just for his lack of mana usage, but he was furious for his inability to tap into the power that should have been his birthright. It was a confrontation that had left him deeply unsettled.

Thane, who had examined Ash's mana flow, noticed the turmoil in his eyes. "Ash," he said, breaking the silence that hung in the carriage, "The duel was very promising, I think the outcome was very clear for someone who didn't use mana and to be on par with a well known elemental swordsman." Thane had assumed Ash was troubled by his lack of an overwhelming victory.

Ash didn't reply, the pair sat in silence lost in the scenery that was moving past them.

---

The jump gates were thoughtfully divided into three distinct sections, each located in separate halls to facilitate the smooth flow of traffic. One was dedicated to individuals leaving the kingdom, another for those entering, and the third for cargo shipments and special events. The pair had specifically chosen to enter the Cargo section, primarily for the sake of security and privacy.

As they approached, a vigilant guard stepped forward and requested, "Papers and destination, please." Thane, casting a casual glance, extended his hand, adorned with a unique ring on his index finger. Within that ring was a mana stone, its brilliant blue hue emitting a faint, ethereal glow. With a mere touch, the stone transmitted pertinent information directly into the guard's communication stone. The guard, after perusing the details displayed on his astral screen, found himself momentarily surprised.

"My apologies, Magistar," he stammered. "Please follow me to the Jump Gate." The guard swiftly led them to the nearest operational jump gate. Ash raised an eyebrow, giving Thane a curious look. Observing Ash's expression, Thane couldn't help but smile.

"I may not be as renowned as the illustrious Hero, but I do carry some weight," Ash quipped with a slight grin before following the guard.

---

The Jump Gate, though outwardly unimpressive with its dimensions of five meters in height and three meters in width, soon revealed its true mystique as it powered up. Ash could perceive the minuscule orbs of mana's natural energy converging to form a swirling vortex at the heart of the once mundane-looking doorway. Holding a skull in his hands, Ash watched intently as Thane approached the Gate.

"See you on the other side," Thane remarked with a smile before turning to face the trans-portal energy. With a confident step forward, Thane's form vanished into the brilliant white light.

Ash remained standing there, gazing into the Gate for a while. He tightened his grip on the skull, a relic from his past, as he contemplated the journey ahead. It had been nearly two years since he had vanquished the Demon Lord, and now, he was on his way back home.

Back to a semblance of normalcy.

Back to his party, and perhaps, he could finally summon the courage to ask Gemma out to dinner.

Ash couldn't help but grin at the thought. Drawing in a deep breath, he took a determined step towards the Jump Gate, never looking back, and then he, too, disappeared into the radiant white light.

---

In an instant, all sight vanished.

Whispers surrounded him, barely discernible, and a searing heat enveloped his being.

Whispers.

Barely tangible, heat was radiating. Burning

Ash could feel his hand burning, the skull...

The skull was absorbing mana, rapidly. Searing Ash's hand, he grimaced, he couldn't feel his own flow, but noticed everything else being drained, the flow... rotating, twist continuously, creating a mesmerizing and ever-changing shape. The mana was undergoing a continuous transformation, despite the dynamic changes in its shape, it still maintains the essential properties of a strip, having only one side and one edge.

Ash couldn't see... yet his eyes opened.

His senses heightened, his mind being exposed to this wonderful transformation. Something was wrong.

Jump Gates had never illicit this reaction before. The Skull... Ash tensed up, the moment that the skull started absorbing mana. He knew he couldn't make it home; he couldn't move, he was in mid jump. The Gate was still open, mana was still being infused. Ash couldn't let go, the heat was unbearable, but if he let go- this sight, this beautiful sight.

He'd lose it.

The ever-flowing strip enveloped him, the mana stripping away his physical senses. He could see it, sense it. Something calling him. Ash heeded the call and was enveloped in the light.

---

Thane had stepped out of the gate, feeling refreshed- the long journey was finally over. He could talk to Sven about the changes that were going to occur in the Federation. A Hero had made it. Thane didn't know the level of the mission Ash had taken, but the way Sven made the request urgent... Thane was more than happy to oblige.

He turned around, waiting for Ash to appear... minutes later, no appearance.

Thane frowned, not wasting another minute, he called the guard who had escorted them to the gate.

"Did my acquaintance enter the gate?"

"Yes Magistar, he entered right after you... is something wrong?"

Thane paled, he rushed to the data suite, next to the Gate. "Give me the data for the most recent jump!"

The analysts in the room, had already recognized Thane who emerged from the gate, quickly responding, they pulled up the latest Jump data. Thane and the analyst read through the mana waves transmitted and paled.

Too much mana had been used, something had caused the Gate to have a much greater output. There was no known entry of arrival... No destination was recorded.

Ash Devere had disappeared...