Chapter 8

Five months passed since then. I decided to keep it a secret that I could control all elements, just so I don't get asked anything. As I trained with mana, I felt two pains on the sides of my head, but I just assumed it was just growing pains. I also trained more with magic and swordsmanship, until today, that is.

I woke up to see Laurence standing at the edge of my bed. "Wake up. Whenever you get ready, meet me in the elder's hut." He left quickly and I got up. I changed and saw Pardalis waiting for me outside of my hut with her head down and hands behind her back. 'Hey there. Is something wrong?' She shook her head. "Happy birthday, by the way," She said before handing me a present.

I opened it and saw a crystal with a type of sturdy weed as the chain. Did she get me a necklace? 'Thank you. It's very pretty.' I put it on and I felt my mana change. "The crystal links to this one," She says, pulling one of her own out. "It's so that we never lose each other." I raised an eyebrow. 'We will be together for a while longer, right?' She turned away and jumped up to the elder's hut. I tucked the necklace under my shirt and jumped after her.

When I entered the hut, I once again saw the majority of the village. 'Elder, may I ask what is happening?' He stood up and handed me the wooden sword I trained with. "I implore you to duel me." I nodded confused.

We stood apart from each other, and Laurence stood between us. "The duel will end whenever someone gets touched. Are both participants ready?" I nodded and stared ahead of me. "Begin!"

I barely had time to react as Elder Garnett thrust his sword toward my abdomen. I managed to parry it and counterattack, slashing at his leg. He blocked it and our swords slammed together. "Would you like to use magic for this battle?" He asked. I shook my hand and he sighed. "Alright. We can just do this the old-fashioned way."

I thrust my sword toward his head, but he parried. "Your movements have become quick and precise, haven't they?" He rhetorically asked. I felt the mana in the air shift so I stepped back and kept my guard up. "As has your mana manipulation!" With one step, he teleported from across the room and slashed at me. I managed to block, but the force of his stroke made me waver.

Before he could do anything, I thrust my sword forward, and I hit his shoulder, ending the fight. "Duel over! The winner is Balere!" I breathed heavily as I looked down at my blade. A crack spread from one side to the other. Any more and my sword would have shattered.

"It seems that we have nothing more to teach you." I looked up and saw everyone bowing to me. 'What do you mean?' Pardalis came up from behind and held my hand. "It means you will be leaving soon..." I quickly looked up. 'Are you serious?' Laurence put his hands on my shoulder and crouched down to my height. "You've learned all that we can teach, I'm afraid."

'But I still haven't found out what magic I will use!' I hastily signed. At first, I didn't want to be here for too long, and now I didn't even want to leave. "You will learn in due time. Doctor Kasan will visit tomorrow and bring you to your parents. You should pack today and say your goodbyes."

Before I could argue, I was pushed out of the hut, along with Pardalis and Laurence. "Your parents must surely be worried about you." I stayed silent and hopped down to my hut.

By the time I finished packing, the sun was already down. I stepped outside and leaned on the railing on the platform. I rubbed my head and groaned. How am I going to speak to my parents? Maybe they'll know Ancala, but they probably won't.

I heard something land behind me, and Laurence stood next to me with Pardalis. "You ready?" He asked me. 'Not at all.' He sighed and nodded. "Nobody ever is."

The three of us stood there in silence before I turned to Pardalis. 'What do I look like?' She raised an eyebrow. "This again? You look like an idiot..." I smiled and exhaled out of my nose. 'What color are my eyes and hair, I mean.' She realized what I meant and facepalmed. "Now I feel stupid... You have green eyes and deep purple hair."

I have my mother's eyes and... wait, what? 'What do you mean deep purple hair?' Laurence looked at it again. "Yeah, violet hair. Why are you confused by that?" I shrugged. 'My mother is blonde with green eyes, while my father is a redhead with blue eyes.'

"Maybe the mana mutated your genes." I shrugged. Pardalis yawned loudly. "I guess we should be getting to bed. We'll send you off when you leave tomorrow." They hopped away, leaving me alone with the sound of the wind and crickets chirping.

He's right. My parents have been worried sick, so I guess I shouldn't be that sad. But... I feel like I'm leaving behind something unfinished. Like when a video game you were playing gets lost. I sighed and rubbed my temples. I keep referencing my old world...

I got into bed and stared at the ceiling. I slowly drifted off, with every sound around me going mute.

When I woke up, I got dressed and grabbed the bag with my stuff in it. I entered the elder's hut and saw Kasan with them. "I only have a few words to say as a goodbye. You were a good disciple. You always listened, and you got everything quickly. I hope you prosper," Elder Garnett said before handing me my training sword and then sitting back down. Laurence stood up and came up to me. "I'm gonna miss you kid," He said with a hug. Short goodbye... Finally, Pardalis stood in front of me and hugged me. "I'll see you again, won't I?" She asked in between sobs. 'We can only hope.' She let go and stepped back.

"You ready?" I took a deep breath and bowed to everyone. 'I am. Farewell!'

Kasan led us out of the forest, over the river, and up the cliff to a cart waiting for us. We got in, and we began riding toward Salwar.

"After I met back with you, I visited your family," He told me. 'That is good.' He looked out the window and sighed. "They'll have a surprise for you when you get there. Think of it as an early birthday present." I nodded and put up a finger. 'But today is my birthday.' He smiled and looked out again.

An hour passed before we made it to the town, and when we finally got there, I could tell Kasan was nervous. 'What is wrong?' I asked him. "I'm just worried about how they'll react when they see you." I raised an eyebrow. Was there something on my face?

Finally, the cart stopped. Kasan got out first and I heard him talking to my parents. "I have to warn you, he cannot speak." I heard my father sigh. "I thought so. How will he be able to speak to us, then?" I peeked my head out of the cart. "You could either learn Ancala, or I could give him an artifact."

"Has he awakened?" I heard my mother ask, not letting anyone answer the question. "He did a few months ago, the day I came to visit you." I sighed and looked down. Should I react as I remember them? Would that be weird?

"Balere, come on out." I took a deep breath and stepped out of the cart. My mother's looked like she hadn't aged a day since I had last seen her. My father, on the other hand, had a much larger beard.

At first, they were both happy and surprised that I was actually there, but then they both ran to me and wrapped me in a hug. I started choking up and began crying with them.

They let go, and Mother caressed my face. "You grew so much." Father put his arm around his wife. "Duh, he was gone for four years." She playfully hit him in the chest. 'Tell the that I missed them.' Kasan nodded and looked at them. "He says that he missed you two."

"I'm surprised that you remember us." I nodded. They stood up and we entered the house. "Are those two awake?' Kasan asked. "No, but I should probably go wake them up, shouldn't I?" I watched Mother go into a room I didn't remember being in the house. Who is 'them'?

Soon, I saw my mother walk out of the room holding two little hands. "Balere, these are your twin siblings: Lucille and Adrian." My mouth went slack with shock, and I fell to my knees as my brother and sister approached me. They looked confused at the sight of me. THEY LOSE ONE KID, AND THEY HAVE TWO MORE?! I'm not going to be petty, but I will remember this.

"Mama, who this?" Lucille asked. "This is your brother, Balere. I told you about him, remember?" Adrian walked toward me and grabbed my face. He seemed to be gauging me, even though he was a mere toddler. 'You guys sure are cute.' Lucille's eyebrow raised, but it soon disappeared.

"How many languages can you understand?" Kasan asked, hitting my shoulder. 'Including Ancala, three,' I said, putting a three up afterward. "Including Ancala, three, he says. Your boy sure is something." I stood up and looked down at my siblings again.

They both had my mother's blonde hair and my father's blue eyes. The only way I could differentiate them is by the way their hair was styled.

"Oh, right!" Mother grabbed my hand and ran into a room that I remembered. We entered and saw a bed with a bookcase and a table. "We weren't sure what you'd like, so this is what we did." I turned and smiled. 'It is perfect.' Kasan looked at his left wrist. "Alright, kiddies, I think it's time for Uncle Kasan to leave." Father shook his head, "Please stay for supper. It's the least we could do." He put up his hand. "No, it's fine. You lot take care now!"

Kasan left the house, leaving us five alone. "So, how are you going to speak to us?" I rubbed my chin before realizing something. My body cooled down as mana flowed to my hand. 'How is this?' A cloud formed in words. "What? That's so cool! What else can you do with it?" I made the cloud turn into a hand, and I waved at them. It turned into a bunny rabbit and jumped around the house. I soon dispersed it and held steadied myself.

Father went to the kitchen and put on his apron. "How about some of your old pop's soup?" I smiled brightly and nodded. He went into the kitchen, and I sat down on the couch again. Once again, the saddening fact of no television kicks me in the shin. "So, Kasan told us you were training. Where were you training?" Mother asked as she sat next to me. A cloud appeared next to me saying, 'I was with the beastmen. They were very nice to me.' She nods. "They better have been."

"What'd they teach you, anyway?" I looked around and grabbed my wooden sword. I stood in the living room and quickly performed a quick set of attacks that Elder Garnett taught me. "Impressive!" My mother said while clapping. I guess I can show Mother this, too. I held my hand out, and moisture from the air turned into a black sphere of water. "Oh my! That's very impressive!"

I let the water dissipate into steam as I caught my breath. I should probably find a way to make it so I can perform more spells without exhausting so much of my mana. I sat back down on the couch, and Lucille sat next to me. "So you were with the beastmen?" She asked me. "Were they nice?" I nodded.

Adrian was in the kitchen helping Father as best as he could. 'Have you tested their spirits yet?' I asked my mother. "Not yet. We plan on doing it when they're around your age." I nodded and pat Lucille on the head. What if my siblings were reincarnated as well? What are the chances of that happening? I shook the thought off and sighed. "Dinner's ready!"

We all sat at the dinner table with the twins in high chairs. As soon as I sipped the soup, I was in heaven. I don't know how he does it! This is amazing! I quickly gulped down my bowl, filling me up. "Seems like you were hungry!" Father joked. 'Of course, I am, I didn't eat much in the village."

After dinner, I was exhausted. I got in my bed, and my parents sat next to me. "We missed you a lot. We can only be thankful you're with us now." My father nodded. "Good night, champ. We'll have a busy day tomorrow, so get some rest." They left and shut the door behind them. I turned to my side and slept peacefully through the night.