As soon as I enter the city I start running around looking for Varon frantically but there is no way I can cover the whole city. By the end of the day I barely covered a quarter of it before climbing to the top of a building to watch the sunset and contemplate in silence. Of course Nox, who I have been ignoring all day doesn't let the silence continue.

  “Ren, I have a theory, but I don't think you're going to like it…”

  “No, it's not true, I refuse to believe it” . In truth I also thought of a theory, but it's almost worse than my previous conclusion.

  “So.. you also thought of the same thing… Listen, when we were at your home I sensed the mana in the area. Normally mana of kin will feel very similar but that skeletons mana felt nothing like yours, i didnt mention it at the time because i thought maybe he just wasn't your biological father and i agree that that Varon's best move would have been to leave the city. Though are you certain he didn't go another direction? “

  “Impossible, The mountains cut off Arbourne from the rest of the empire, he would have had to pass through a much longer and more dangerous path in order to get anywhere else.” I shake my head

  “Then he either made the stupid decision of hiding in Arbourne, he died to the bandits, or the more likely story would be that that skeleton was Varon himself”

  “But how would my father have been able to kill Varon, how would he have been able to leave when he was starving and hurt! And why? Why would he burn our home down and abandon me!” I can't even fathom the thought of the father that loved me for so many years leaving me without a word.

  “I don't know his reasons, you would need to ask him that yourself… As for how, it would be very easy if he was a mage, it would be far stranger for you, who have such great talent as a mage, to be born in a remote corner of this tiny island as the son of an everyday hunter.”

  “Whats so strange about being the son of an everyday hunter.” I grumble before Nox continues

  “A fetus absorbs the mana of its mother and the mother absorbs the mana around her, the child's very constitution is formed in a very different way because of the over abundance of mana”

  I turn to Nox “Then there is one hole in your theory, i was born in Arbourne and my mother… died giving birth to me…” I barely force out that last part before lowering my head

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  “Did anyone other than your father ever mention anything about your mother other than she died in childbirth? What she looks like? Where she came from or anything in between?”

  “No… the only one to ever talk about her was my father…”

  “Well then I'm willing to bet your mother was never at Arbourne, and you weren't born there either! The night you were “Born” is most likely just the night your father got there, its a simple matter to alter the memories of normal people who don't even know about mana.” Nox says emphatically while waving his little lizard arms

  I just sigh and sit down on the roof, in truth I already had my suspicions he might still be alive. There was just too much that wasn't adding up and I was in such a rush for revenge I didn't have time to piece it all together, to be fair I also didn't have Nox’s knowledge so I couldn't comprehend how it would be possible. I just couldn't believe my father would let himself die to an old hunter's axe in his own home no matter how weak he was at the time.

  Nox sees the conflict in my expression and concludes “Listen, Ren, all I'm trying to say is it's highly possible he's still alive, so don't go down the rabbit hole. Once you get strong enough you can go back to Arbourne and see for yourself.”

  As the sun dips down below the horizon I lay back, looking at the sky with the brightest stars faintly becoming visible and think to myself ‘Did you really abandon me father?’ before closing my eyes and deciding to sleep on it.

  In my dreams I see my father teaching me his way of silently moving in the forest, he wasnt brawny by any measure but he was still tall with broad shoulders. I remember being amazed by how quietly he could move over the dead leaves and grass from the forest and how agile he was despite his size. I also remember how happy he was whenever I successfully got a kill, he would always have a smile from ear to ear covered by his unkempt dark black beard and his eyes would be shining with pride.

  “...en, Ren! Kid wake up!”

  Im pulled away from my dreams by Nox’s loud yelling

  “What are you yelling for!”

  I say as I sit up, the sun is already over the horizon marking a new day, then I hear shouts ringing out below.

  “Look, it's that spirit mage I sensed yesterday.”

  Looking down from the roof i see a group of soldiers making their way down the main road, and in the lead is a man with long red hair pulled back neatly and a clean cut red beard. He was dressed in a highly decorated dark blue military uniform with few embellishments. Still, the ones there definitely looked very expensive. He was a noble, and in Oldenwald only a single noble could garner this much of a reaction from the people.

  “That must be Earl Oldenwald… so hes the spirit mage?”

  “He must be well loved by the people too” Nox adds

  “Yeah, looks like he's personally going to look into the disappearances on the mountain path. Baron Arbourn would just send his people to do it and I'm assuming most nobles are the same.”

  “Too bad, they'll only find corpses thanks to you so its a bit of a wasted trip for them.”

  How do you feel about this series?