As Adion finally spotted the hotel down the street, he had calmed down a little. If that painter wanted him harm, he would have already done something. Adion wouldn’t be able to resist.

But this is all still very odd. Is it really the case that having a shadow affinity is incredibly rare? And Quahim is simply looking for a disciple? But why, then, would he offer me a job first? Was he trying to lure me in with a job so he could teach me later? That doesn’t make any sense.

I can’t forget how the man working behind the counter also seemed to recognize me. Has my face somehow gotten spread around? Did someone spot me without a mask during my time in Billford and drawn it to sell information about me? About my ‘Gift’? 

Who would have done that? And what are their intentions? Is it connected to Heavenly Light? No. If they knew my face and what I had done, a Diamond mage wouldn’t let me leave like that.

I need a second opinion about this.

Adion reached the hotel and hurried to Benji’s room. Halfway there, he remembered Sahra was also there. The memory of an awkward encounter long ago changed his mind, and he headed to Rufus’s room instead. Remembering what Rufus was like, Adion changed his mind again and headed for Lomin’s room.

It didn’t take long to get there, and Adion knocked on Lomin’s door, waiting anxiously.

“Adion?” Lomin said as he opened the door.

“I need to talk,” Adion said, “I just experienced something very strange.”

“Oh,” Lomin paused, “Of course. Come in.”

Lomin sat down on his bed while Adion took a chair for himself and began narrating everything he had been through. Lomin was quiet through it all, and when Adion finished speaking, Lomin sat silently, thinking.

“I think it is safe to assume that this Quahim knows about you,” Lomin said after a while, “How much he knows and his intentions are unclear, though. He doesn’t seem to want to cause you any immediate harm, but he might still have something nefarious planned. If he knows about your ‘Gift,’ or worse, what your ‘Gift’ actually is, it is likely that he wants to recruit you for some organization or family. Or maybe he just wants to establish a relationship with someone he thinks will grow powerful.”

“Yeah,” Adion sighed, “There’s a lot of possibilities. So what should I do?”

“I don’t know,” Lomin said, “But I’m pretty sure you are already planning on heading back there and ask him yourself what his intentions are.”

“I am,” Adion admitted, “He let me go without issue the first time. And, like I said, he didn’t seem to wish me harm. It should be safe. And even if I could just try to forget about it, I don’t like the feeling that there might be a picture of me circulating. If there is, I need to know, and I need to know what information goes along with the picture.”

“Then do so,” Lomin nodded, “Maybe ask around for some information about this Quahim first. He seems to be a somewhat public person.”

“That’s a good idea,” Adion nodded, “Maybe there is a place that sells information, like Little Jiggot in Wender. They might know information about me too. I could go there in disguise and draw up a sketch of my face to see if they know anything about me.”

“Is there such a place?” Lomin asked, “And if there is, how will you find it?”

“I’m not sure,” Adion said, “I guess I’ll just have to ask around.”

“We are staying at a pretty fancy and established hotel. If you ask at the reception, they might know something,” Lomin advised.

“That’s a good idea,” Adion said, “I’ll go and ask right now.”

“Don’t forget about dinner,” Lomin said.

“Right,” Adion nodded, “I’ll just ask and then take care of this tomorrow. It will leave me some more time to think things through.”

“Will you take him up on the offer if he is just someone looking for a disciple? Without any ill intentions?” Lomin asked.

Adion stopped. He hadn’t really thought about it, “I can’t. We’re only here for a few days.”

“You could always head to Cyalis by yourself later,” Lomin said.

“I haven’t seen my family for four years,” Adion said, “Now that I’m this close, I don’t want to stick around anywhere.”

“Alright,” Lomin nodded.

Adion went down to the reception and asked them if there was anywhere he could get a hold of information. To his great relief, there seemed to be a place operating similarly to Little Jiggot here in Rethi. Adion got the directions to the bar and headed up to his room again.

Adion tried to relax and rest a little before dinner, but his mind was too occupied.

It’s still pretty early. I’ll just head out quickly. 

Adion grabbed a pen and some complimentary paper stationed in his room. He drew a quick sketch of himself on it. It was not a piece of art, and Adion was not sure he could even be recognized from it. But if his real picture was circulating, this should be enough to make the informant understand what he was after.

Adion grabbed his backpack and headed out once again. It took him about 20 minutes of light jogging before he arrived in front of a large and lively bar called ‘Ymer’s.’ Adion stepped into an alleyway where he pulled out the Ash Williwin mask he hadn’t worn in ages. He strapped it on his face and entered the bar.

As he stepped inside, he noticed nothing that made the bar seem out of the ordinary. He enveloped the bar in his sphere of space mana and didn’t notice anything overly suspicious. Adion walked up to a bartender who was polishing glasses.

“Excuse me,” Adion said, “I’m looking for some information.”

“Upstairs,” The bartender said after giving Adion a quick look.

Adion saw that there was a flight of stairs leading up to the floor above next to the bar. He nodded in thanks to the bartender and headed upstairs. 

There was a long hallway as Adion arrived at the upper floor, but Adion didn’t walk down it, as a sign told him to wait for someone to get him.

It didn’t take long, fortunately, and a door down the hallway was opened as a middle-aged elven woman stepped out to greet Adion.

“My name is Teresa,” the woman smiled, “Please follow me.”

Adion nodded and followed the woman into the room she had just stepped outside of. 

“Please take a seat,” Teresa gestured at a chair in front of the desk she herself took a seat behind.

“What can I help you with?” Teresa asked with a smile.

Adion took the picture he had drawn earlier out of his pocket and handed it over.

“I was wondering if a similar picture has been circulating around lately?” Adion asked.

“Oh?” Teresa looked at the picture closely, “I’m sorry, but I don’t know any pictures circulating of a human, even less so someone resembling this man.”

Well, that is both good news and bad news, I guess. I didn’t get any information, but if my picture is being spread, it isn’t widely spread.

“Fine,” Adion said, “I want to know everything about Quahim, the painter of the store ‘Hevima.’”

“Quahim, huh,” Teresa mused, “I have some elementary information, things widely known. I’m sure that you understand that since he is a Diamond mage, we don’t offer any services to make a mission to bring information about him.”

Right, they wouldn’t have someone capable of that. 

“That’s fine,” Adion nodded.

“One gold, and we’ll call it at that,” Teresa said.

Adion handed over a gold coin, not bothered by the cost.

“His full name is Quahim Kuwath, a renowned painter who has been in Rethi for decades. He is solitary and usually stays in his store where he paints. As far as anyone knows, he is not part of any organization or family clan. But considering his strength and last name, he should be from a family clan. This means that he is probably from Quemer originally.”

I guess that’s about the amount of information I can expect. But is he really not part of an organization?

“So there are no other members of the Kuwath family in Iitha?” Adion asked.

“Not that I know of,” Teresa answered.

I can’t take everything she knows as truth. But this information should be the public perception of things at least.

“Any unusual activities lately?” Adion asked.

Teresa was quiet for a while, thinking, “He closed down the store for a week at the end of summer. It is usually always open, but at times, it closes for a short time without warning. It hasn’t happened since, though.”

That doesn’t really tell me anything. 

“Alright,” Adion nodded, “Thank you.”

“Come back any time,” Teresa smiled.

Adion headed out to the street again and found an alleyway away from prying eyes, where he removed his mask again.

What should I do? I didn’t really find out anything. He’s not part of any organization that Teresa is aware of. That can mean he isn’t, or he is and just hides it well.

Adion made his decision and started walking to Hevima. He wouldn’t be able to relax until he got some answers.

Will he tell me anything? Or just avoid all my questions like yesterday?

After walking for a while, lost in his thoughts, Adion arrived at Hevima and immediately headed inside. His sphere of space mana told him that everything was exactly like it had been the day before. Only the guard, the clerk, and Quahim on the upper floor were in the store.

Adion went to the Silver mage working behind the counter with a determined look in his eyes.

“Is Quahim available?” Adion asked.

The man looked at Adion in recognition and nodded, “He is upstairs. He is expecting you.”

Expecting me? That annoys me for some reason.

Adion climbed the stairs and immediately noticed Quahim. He was sitting by the window, painting. His back was to Adion, but Adion figured he knew about his presence. 

Adion started walking up to Quahim as he looked around at the canvases and half-finished paintings strewn around.

“Taking me up on my offer?” Quhim asked, still with his back to Adion.

“Do you expect me to?” Adion asked, “I don’t think you have ill intentions, but I want to know how you know about me. You and that clerk downstairs had seen my face before. I want to know how.”

Quahim paused his movement, put down his brush, and turned to look at Adion. Both of them were staring at each other silently for almost a full minute.

Suddenly, to Adion’s great shock, Quahim opened up his aura to Adion. A single lie would be obvious even for someone a lot less talented than Adion.

“I saw your face before,” Quahim said, making Adion pay rapt attention, “I won’t say how yet, but I will eventually tell you if you choose to accept my offer. I do not wish you ill, nor do I have any plans of making you do something against your will. The only purpose of my offer is that I’m curious about you, and since you have an affinity to shadow, I thought I could offer some help. No other hidden agendas. I don’t wish to use you for anything.”

Adion could tell that Quahim hadn’t told any lies, which calmed him down greatly. But he was still extremely confused.

“Why are you curious about me?” Adion asked.

“I will tell you that too, eventually. If you choose to accept my offer.” Quahim said.

Adion quietly pondered for a moment before speaking, “You said you will teach me about shadow magic?”

“Yes,” Quahim nodded.

“I need to think about it. I will come and give you an answer tomorrow,” Adion said.

“Very well,” Quahim nodded.

Adion turned to leave, his mind a lot calmer, even if he was still a bit confused.

I never expected him to open up his aura like that. He has successfully made me curious, and he has eased my worries. I’m sure he thought it all through. It seems he really wants me to stay.

Adion headed out onto the street again, with hurried steps as he remembered the dinner he was afraid he might be late to.

I could always stay for a couple of weeks, I guess. As long as Quahim isn’t planning on keeping me too long. We left Lermen earlier than planned, so I am well ahead of schedule. I’ll get to learn some shadow magic, learn how Quahim found out about me, and still have plenty of time with my family. I’ll have to discuss it with my team.