“How are you feeling today?” Ryo inquired while offering Robert a cup of water.

“Lad! You’ve asked me that every day, and every time, what do I say?” Robert snapped, giving him a stern look.

“T-that you're doing fine.” Ryo answered, taking the cup back.

“Lad, I don’t need you two pestering me every hour.”

“But…” He tried to protest, before the old man interrupted.

“Out, out, out, I don’t need no mother hen!” Robert yelled, motioning him toward the stairs.

“O-okay…” Ryo sniffled, turning away to head back downstairs.

Today was the day Ryo had to report back to the mistress, though he just wanted to check in on the old man one last time before he did. Both he and Beth had been taking care of Robert as he recovered. At first things were going rather well, and the old man seemed to have bounced back really quickly. Ryo was happy that he could help Robert and try in some small way to make up for what he didn’t do earlier, but two days ago, the old man seemed to get agitated with him.

At first he just thought Robert wasn’t feeling well, but as it continued, he thought it might be something else. Ryo thought that perhaps Robert was upset with him for not acting when he needed help. He didn’t blame the old man for such thoughts, in fact he already blamed himself. Because of his inaction, the old man had almost lost his life. How could Robert trust him after that? 

There felt like there was a hole in Ryo’s chest that just wouldn’t close. Every day, he had thought about apologizing and begging for forgiveness from Robert, but he couldn’t. Maybe he was scared that if he did, Robert would really tell him how angry he was with him. Or perhaps Robert would just leave him behind when he escaped. Ryo didn’t want to do anything that would upset the old man, so he just remained quiet, and helped as much as he could.

Walking down the stairs, he saw Beth standing at the bottom, looking up at him. She’d probably heard Robert yelling at him and was seeing if everything was all right.

“How’s he doing?” Beth asked, her face full of worry.

“He says he's fine.” Ryo told her, stopping in front of her at the base of the stairs.

“That man would say that regardless of if it’s true or not.” Beth grumbled, shaking her head.

“Are you going to go and check in with the mistress now?” She asked, peering down at him.

“Yes, it shouldn’t take long.” He told her, nodding.

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on him.” She said, walking past him to head upstairs.

Walking past the kitchen, he made his way to the mistress’ room. The last time he’d seen her was when she’d dismissed him two weeks ago. He had heard her move around the cabin at times since then, but that was all. She didn’t even come to check on Robert, which he felt conflicted about. It was probably for the better, considering how much the old man didn’t like her, but he still wished the mistress would have shown some kind of concern.

Taking a deep breath in, he raised his hand and knocked on the door. He silently stood there as he heard the shuffling of footsteps, before the door swung swiftly open.

“Has it been two weeks already? How is your friend doing?” She asked, motioning him to come inside.

“H-he is doing fine, mistress.” Ryo replied, as he stepped into the room cautiously.

“Is the arm working as it should?” She asked, shutting the door behind him.

“Yes, mistress.” He answered, nodding his head.

“Again, I feel like I should apologize, but it was the only spell I could use, given the situation.” She said, making her way over to her desk.

“There is no need to apologize, I’m grateful you could help in whatever way you could, mistress.” He replied, giving her a deep bow. 

“Are you honestly thankful the spell I used was necromantic!?” She asked, sitting down. 

“Will it cause him any pain, mistress?” He asked, bolting upright. 

“No, it shouldn’t, he should be able to feel anything from that arm, just as before.” She replied, crossing one leg over the other.

“But as I said before, there are those who would seek to harm him because of that arm. If someone from one of the temples gets their hands on him, he will experience an exceptional amount of pain.” The mistress added, picking up a scroll from the desk.

“I-I understand, mistress.” He answered, as panic seized his heart. 

“Luckily with the power of the forbidden arts, I can protect him.” She told him, as she read the scroll.

“Thank you, mistress.” He responded.

“As long as he never leaves the clearing, he will be safe here.” She remarked, setting the scroll aside and picking up another.

Often he had thought about what the mistress had told him before dismissing him two weeks ago. Although he didn’t want to believe it at first, Ryo ultimately realized she was right. What people did not understand, they would seek to harm or destroy. If they escaped now, they would have to constantly be on guard. They would need to keep the arm constantly covered, forever living in fear of someone finding out.

If that was the only problem Ryo wouldn’t have been as worried, but the real problem was that the arm gave off faint traces of strange magic. Ryo had discovered this when he had studied the arm, while Robert slept. He had been curious about how the arm worked and wanted to know more about it, when he felt the magic. You had to be right beside it to feel the mana, but he guessed a strong mage wouldn’t need to be so close. Plus, there were probably spells or other devices that could discover it.

Ryo thought about possibly learning a spell to conceal the arm, or other methods to make it look normal, but they would only work if the spell or mage was weaker than Ryo. If they were stronger than the spell, then they could easily detect it. So, unless he knew a high tier spell, that plan would not be useful. In fact, he was worried that the very act of trying to conceal it might draw even more attention to the arm. He just didn’t know enough, and he wasn’t willing to risk Robert’s life.

“Do you want to hear a story I’ve recently stumbled across?” The mistress suddenly asked.

“Y-yes, mistress.” He stuttered, her voice pulling him away from his thoughts.

Ryo was a little confused about why she wanted to tell him a story, but felt it best not to turn down her offer. Plus, the way she had asked him, made it feel like he didn’t have a choice so he might as well try and convince himself it was something he wanted.

“Right before the celestial descent, there was a powerful mage by the name of Xivash Naxxromuli.” She said, turning towards him.

“Her mana body was so powerful, and her control over magic so precise, she could manipulate mana to create life itself.” She added, giving him a smirk.

His eyes went wide with shock when she said that. From all the books and scrolls he had read, such a thing was the domain of only the gods. It wasn’t something a mage should be able to do.

“What kind of magic did she use?” He quickly asked.

“Necromancy.” She answered, watching him closely.

There’s that word again, he thought to himself. The mistress had used a similar word earlier, when she’d talked about the spell she cast on Robert’s arm. Did that mean the mistress could use the same magic as Xivash?

“She had such tremendous knowledge of the forbidden magic, and with it she created new spells, to protect the ones she loved from dying.” She continued, before standing up.

“Was she really that strong? Can someone really do that?” He asked in awe.

“The forbidden arts have several paths and spells that many would consider… unnaturally powerful.” She smirked, walking over to him.

“What became of her, mistress?” Ryo asked, composing himself.

“Xivash became so powerful, that the only thing she came to fear was losing her magic.” She explained, stopping in front of him. 

“Which she did, whilst trying to ascend to godhood.” She remarked casually, before adding. “Fortunately for us, some of her teachings still exist today.”

Ryo wasn’t sure what exactly the mistress meant by ascending to godhood, but he understood the rest. If he could learn of Xivash’s spells, then he wouldn’t need to worry about others harming Robert. Like Xivash, he wanted to protect the ones he cared about. 

“Is it possible to learn such spells?” He asked, the excitement racing with excitement.

“Sadly, not unless you accept the forbidden arts.” She told him, shaking her head.

“O-oh.” He mumbled, his eyes shifting to the floor.

The hope Ryo had gained while listening to the story came crashing down. Was there really no other way? He still didn’t know what forbidden magic was and how it differed from normal magic. Not wanting to give up just yet, he looked up at the mistress and asked.

“Mistress? Why can only forbidden magic users learn these spells?”

“There is a special ceremony one must undergo, before having access to such spells.” She explained, looking down at him.

“O-oh.” He mumbled again, averting his eyes from hers.

Ryo wasn’t sure if the mistress was telling the truth or not about the ceremony, and it didn’t matter. The reason remained, regardless if it was true or not, he would have to accept learning forbidden magic from the mistress if he wanted to get stronger and be helpful to Robert, he needed to do it. There was no other way.

“C-can I really learn the spells from Xivash? Can I really be that strong?” He murmured, looking back up at her.

“Conquering death is a feat many cannot even dream of doing, but if you join me, I know you can accomplish it. You will become the strongest in all the realms.” She insisted, holding out her hand for him to grab.

Ryo chewed on his bottom lip as he looked closely at her hand. The reason he still hesitated was because there was just too much he didn’t know. He knew absolutely nothing about forbidden magic, and couldn’t find any information on it in the books in the cabin, and he couldn’t ask Beth or Robert, because of the mistress' orders. It was unlikely that he would get to know anything else about it. Taking a deep breath in, he steadied himself before saying.

“I-I,” Ryo hesitated, “accept.”

If he wanted the power to protect Robert, Beth, and himself, he needed access to better spells. It was doubtful the mistress would allow him to learn stronger spells, not if he didn’t agree to this at least. He understood that whatever this was, it was important to her. Ryo thought that perhaps if he agreed, she would teach him higher tiered spells. Plus, if forbidden magic was as powerful as she’d promised, then there was all the more reason for him to accept.

“Good, we should begin preparing you for the ceremony immediately. Wait here and pack, while I go handle a few things, we will leave today.” She told him, before walking toward the door urgently.

“S-so soon, mistress?” He asked, taken back by the suddenness.

“Yes, the sooner we start, the better it will be for you.” She insisted, while walking towards the door.

“O-okay, mistress.” He responded before she closed the door behind her. 

He stood there for a minute, still surprised by the pace of it all. Panic gripped his chest as his mind raced with a million questions. Where were they going to go? Would they go far? Would Robert be okay if he left? How long would they be gone for? Although he had decided to accept her offer, it all felt so rushed. Ryo still wanted to stick around at least a little longer to make sure Robert would be fine. It had only been two weeks since the accident, and it was much too soon for him to be going anywhere.

Of course he didn’t want to say anything to the mistress to reveal his doubts. As he chewed on his lower lip, he struggled with what he should do. Should I say something to the mistress? He then remembered how Robert had acted towards him recently. Was he really helping the old man, or was he being a bother? A knot formed in his stomach as he thought about it. If he wanted to redeem himself he needed to be of use to Robert, he had already failed him once, he couldn’t fail him again.

Making up his mind, he turned around and gathered the few clothes he had, then placed them unceremoniously in a bag along with some parchment and quills he had kept, so he could take notes. He had no idea how long he would be away, but figured it would only be a month at most. The mistress didn’t like to leave for that long. Just as he was finishing, the mistress came back, and also started to pack.

 

 

 

“We will be going down into the cave for two to three weeks.” She explained, handing him a bag to put his stuff in.

“I will make my way to the cave first, join me there in fifteen minutes. Take this time to go say goodbye to your friends.” She instructed, picking up scrolls from her desk and putting them into her bag.

“Yes, mistress.” He replied, putting a few of his favorite books into the bag.

 Picking up the bag, he slung it over his shoulder and walked out of the room. Upon entering the kitchen, he bumped into Beth, who was cooking lunch. Her back was towards him, and he could see she was busy chopping up some cucumbers from the garden.

“Beth.” He called out.

“Oh!” She gasped, spinning around to face him. 

“You scared me.” She sighed, putting her hand over her chest in shock.

“I’m sorry.” Ryo apologized, giving her a bow.

“No, no, it’s fine, you’re good.”.

“If you're going up there to look for Robert, don’t bother. He went out to the woodpile not too long ago.” She remarked, pointing to the stairs.

“What?! Why isn’t he in bed?! Is he trying to cut wood again?!” Ryo blurted out, quickly making his way to the front door.

“No, no, don’t worry, he promised me he wouldn’t.” She reassured, shaking her head. 

“O-okay… good.” Ryo responded, stopping in his tracks.

“U-umm Beth, I will be leaving with the mistress for a little while.” He stated, turning back toward her.

“Ah, I… see… ummm.” She hesitated, “That’s… great to hear Ryo.” Ryo could see the concern and worry in Beth’s eyes.

“Just be sure to be safe, okay? Promise me?” She pleaded, walking up to him.

“Don’t worry about me Beth, I’ll be fine, I promise.” He told her.

“I gotta hurry and go tell Robert and say goodbye before I leave.” He added, before walking toward the door.

“Uh-Ryo…?” She called out, her hand reaching out.

“Yes?” He asked, turning back around.

“I… just be safe.” She mumbled, before retracting her hand slowly.

“Don’t worry, I will!” He answered, giving her a quick smile. 

Turning back around, he opened the door and walked out of the cabin. He didn’t have much time left before he needed to meet the mistress. It was important to him to find Robert and tell him his plans in person. Quickly turning the corner of the cabin, he bumped into something big, making him stumble back. Ryo steadied himself, before looking up at what it was he ran into, then saw it was the old man.

“What’s the rush, lad?” Robert asked, looking down at him.

“Do you have a bone to pick with me?!” He added, waving his skeletal hand in front of him.

“...”

“Come on, that joke is worth gold!” The old man insisted, while chuckling and waving his hand toward Ryo.

“Anyway, why you running?” Robert asked, becoming a little more serious.

“Umm… I came to tell you I’ll be leaving for a few weeks with the mistress.” Ryo explained, gazing at the ground underneath him. A part of him didn’t want to meet the man’s eyes.

“Oh, I… uhh… that’s…” Robert stammered.

“Don’t worry, I won’t be gone long, and I promise to come back even stronger.” Ryo stated, before looking back up.

“Ryo, I don’t think…” Robert hesitated, looking around before continuing.

“I mean…” He tried to say something, but stopped.

“Be safe lad.” The old man said, Ryo could see a mix of emotions on his face.

“I will, I got to go now, the mistress is waiting for me.” Ryo said as he rushed past Robert and headed toward the cave.

“Y-yeah, just remember everything I taught you lad!” He heard Robert call out to him.

“I will!” He yelled back.

Ryo was a little happy to see Robert was still worried about him. Plus, the old man had tried to joke with him, which was undeniably a good sign. That must mean Robert wasn’t too upset with him, surely. With that thought, the weight on his shoulders lessened slightly. When he got back, he would be much stronger, he would be useful, and never would he just stand around as someone he cared about was hurt or in mortal danger.

Turning the corner of the cabin, he could see the mistress and the cave in the distance. He had often imagined what was down in the cave, and wondered what it would be like to have his own cave. Ryo would want a massive library inside, that way he could hide away inside the cave and read books all day. There would be an enormous garden for Beth of course, with a big kitchen. There would also need to be a training room for Robert and him.

Rushing up to the mouth of the cave, he found the mistress standing there patiently waiting for him. The entrance to the cave was about two meters tall and a meter wide. It was covered in ivy and bushes that hid it from prying eyes. When he approached the mistress, she gave him a bright smile.

“Are you ready?” She asked.

“Yes, mistress.” He answered, stopping obediently in front of her.

“Good, let’s head down.” She told him, gesturing to the cave.