Chapter 192 - Setting off again

Adion woke up and immediately got out of his bed. He bolted up the stairs to take a look outside.

Still dark. Good.

Adion guessed he wouldn’t oversleep, he was used to waking up before dawn, after all. 

Still, he was slightly scared that he might miss the senba going to Kerrick Hold. He didn’t want to have to wait a whole week for the next departure.

Adion returned to his room and started packing his bag. As he picked up his painting brush, he paused.

Maybe I’ll have time for a painting before I leave.

Adion had managed to find a store selling painting materials the day before. It cost him a few gold coins to buy everything he needed, but Adion felt it was worth it; he felt more complete with his own set of equipment. 

I better not. Adion realized he might get too drawn into his painting and would end up being late.

Adion double checked his room to make sure he didn’t forget anything, and quietly left the inn. 

The street outside was empty and quiet. Adion could see flickering lights from a few windows as he walked down the street though. He guessed people who didn’t have to be awake during the hot day preferred to do their business during the night.

It wasn’t long before he arrived at the merchant company he had visited the day before. He could hear loud, manly yells as he approached. On the street outside, crates and boxes were unloaded from a caravan and carried to the back of the building by a group of non-mages. 

Adion followed them to the back where the senbas were parked. He looked around for the Silver mage he had talked to the day before, but he couldn’t spot him.

“You!” A sharp voice sounded. Adion turned his head and noticed that it was the captain from the day before who had yelled, and it seemed like he was addressing Adion. 

Adion walked up to the man and explained, “I’m here to travel with the senba to Kerrick Hold.”

“Three gold coins,” The Gold mage said, stretching out his hand.

Adion handed over the coins. He tried to focus as much attention as he could on his aura. Even if he had confidence in being able to hide his strength and element from a Gold mage, having one of them scrutinizing him so closely made Adion slightly uncertain.

“Since you’re early, you can pick your own bed,” The captain said, pocketing the coins, “We’ll leave in a few hours, make sure you don’t wander around.”

“Yes,” Adion said with a nod.

“Kurin, give the kid a rundown and show him where he’ll stay,” The captain called out to a man loading the senba nearby. The man looked to be in his twenties, and Adion felt from his aura that he was a high Bronze sand mage.

“Right away, captain,” Kurin said, running up to Adion. He gave Adion a polite smile and introduced himself, “Name’s Kurin. If you need anything during the journey, you can come to me, don’t bother the other mages.”

“Sure,” Adion said. “I’m Adion.”

“Good. Follow me, I’ll show you around,” Kurin said, gesturing Adion to follow as he walked away. 

“Is this the senba we’ll be taking?” Adion asked as he looked at the giant senba of wood and steel. It had three different sails and was at least ten times longer than the senba he had previously traveled on.

“That’s right,” Kurin said, “It might look big, but the heavier the senba, the harder it is to push through the sand. So it will be a little cramped.”

“That’s fine,” Adion said. It couldn’t be more cramped than Minru’s senba had been. 

There was a small ladder leading up the senba, as the deck was a few feet high. Adion climbed up after Kurin and looked around curiously.

“Over here,” Kurin said, leading Adion to the middle of the senba where a simple wooden cabin was. 

Opening the door, Adion saw four rows of bunkbeds. 

Kurin wasn’t kidding when he said it would be cramped. Am I supposed to share a room with seven strangers?

Adion felt a little uncomfortable at the idea. Who knew what kind of people would join him?

Will I be able to defend myself in time if someone attacks me?

I guess there is nothing to do about it. I’ll just have to sleep with one eye open.

Kurin went through a few rules and what to expect from the journey before leaving Adion alone in his room.

Adion chose the top bed in the leftmost corner of the cabin, it felt more secure to have some distance from the door. 

Now what? Adion thought as he laid down on his bed. It was still a few hours before they would leave, and Adion didn’t want to go out and be in the way.

I guess I’ll meditate, it’s been a while. 

Adion would have preferred to use his Will to paint, but he had no way to focus on painting with so many people running around. Once they set off, he could find a quiet place to focus.

Adion closed his eyes and started manipulating the space mana around him, pushing the mana into his already full core.

An hour or two passed, and Adion opened his eyes as he felt the senba starting to move. 

Maybe it’s good to take a break from mediating once in a while. It felt so effortless just now.

Looking around his room, he saw three people who would be sharing a room with him. He noticed them as they entered earlier, but he hadn’t bothered to take a look at them.

No has spoken a word since they arrived. That’s good I guess. At least I won’t be annoyed. 

Adion passed the time by spreading his space mana through the senba to get a feel of the layout, as well as sensing the aura of people onboard. 

Two Gold mages. That’s good, I don’t know if I could sleep with a Diamond mage around.

Once he felt the senba picking up pace, Adion got down from his bed with his backpack slung over his shoulder. He had already picked out a spot where he could paint in peace. 

As he stepped out of the room, he could feel the wind blowing, cooling him from the heat of the sun. He looked to the side, and he could see that the senba was traveling a lot faster than Minru’s senba ever had, even with the giant size. 

Finally. Wind mages.

Adion felt like he would stop at nothing to learn wind magic if he had to spend his life in the desert. It was far too convenient. 

Sand mages had a certain use as well though. Adion spotted a few of them at the edges of the ship manipulating the sand below. He couldn’t figure out exactly what they were doing, but he assumed that a senba this size needed some maneuvering to travel at this speed. 

Adion walked to the back of the senba and took a seat out of view from any of the mages there. He couldn’t see any ropes or doors that might cause someone to walk by, so he felt assured that he could paint in peace. 

Looking out over the desert passing him by, Adion calmed his mind. It was always a gamble if he could remember anything or not. It couldn’t be forced. So Adion tried to empty his mind of any expectations. 

As he started mixing colors together, he thought about what he should paint. Adion was convinced that imagining something was far better than painting from memory. If he accidentally started drawing something from his lost memories, there was a chance he could trigger something inside to make him remember. 

Maybe I should just paint my mother again? If I imagine her in a different situation, it might come with a new memory.

But then again, I’m on a senba filled with strangers, I don’t want to get too swept away. 

So maybe Fellion? That shouldn’t be too impactful.

Adion shook his head to clear his head.

I’m forcing things again. And I won’t have to use my imagination if I paint something I already remember.

Adion looked out over the desert again, trying to think of something. 

I’ll just imagine the desert filled with trees. 

Adion didn’t hesitate anymore and started painting. No sudden inspiration took hold of him, but he didn’t expect it to. He patiently filled in the details as they appeared in his mind, focusing on how the light hit the leaves and the beautiful shadows it resulted in. 

After half an hour, Adion couldn’t help but smile wryly.

I’ve definitely been in a forest before, but no memory comes to mind. It looks like I’m still forcing it too much.

It was hard to fool himself. Even if he tried his best, it was impossible not to hope for a new memory to appear. 

I’ll just decide to paint a forest every day during this journey. I’m sure something will pop up eventually.

Slowly but surely, Adion finished his painting. But Adion wasn’t very happy with the result.

It was fairly well-made, but it had none of that special feeling that his paintings usually had. It evoked no emotions whatsoever. 

I guess I can’t expect to paint something like that every time. Sometimes you have a bad day.

Being surrounded by strange mages isn’t the best way to relax either, I guess.

Adion couldn’t help but be disappointed in himself. But he soon let it go. At least he hadn’t wasted any Will, so he could still meditate and focus on increasing his strength. 

Hm?

Adion noticed someone approaching from around the corner. He put away his painting for some reason and turned to look.

Him?

The strange Bronze mage named Shindo, whom he had seen the day before, stepped out and looked at Adion. 

“Are you painting?” Shindo asked, surprised.

“Got to pass the time in some way,” Adion said with a shrug. He slowly put away his painting materials, keeping his guard up. Adion felt something was a little off about Shindo. He couldn’t help but suspect that Shindo might be connected to his enemies in some way. 

Shindo nodded slowly and leaned back on the wall to the storage room behind them. He looked out over the landscape passing by quietly. 

Adion finished packing his backpack and stood up. He looked at Shindo and asked, “You’re not from the desert, are you?”

“Meloria,” Shindo answered, “But my father was Sabamin, we visited here from time to time when I was a kid. Spent most of my time growing up traveling around, so I guess I feel more at home here than in Meloria.”

Is that true? It seemed to be. But Adion still felt something was strange about the guy. 

“What about you?” Shindo asked.

“I’m from the Valis Kingdom,” Adion answered.

“You don’t happen to be a wind or sand mage? We could use an extra pair of hands. You’ll be paid, of course,” Shindo said.

“Sorry. I wish I could help,” Adion said. 

“What’s your element then?” Shindo asked.

“Fire,” Adion answered. 

“Right,” Shindo said with a nod, looking at Adion carefully. “Why aren’t you at the Academy? A middle Bronze mage like you should be able to get in, right?”

What’s with the questions?

“Didn’t feel like staying in one place for too long,” Adion said curtly, “What about you?”

“Same reason. I’m too used to being on the move,” Shindo answered. 

“Right. Well, I’m off to go meditate,” Adion said, turning to walk away. He couldn’t figure out Shindo’s deal.

“Mind if I find you for a couple of beers when I get off my shift later?” Shindo asked as Adion walked away.

I guess that would let me probe him a little.

“Sure,” Adion said, “See you then.”

I’m definitely getting my own beer, though. Who knows if he spikes it with anything.