Distance

Family...

When she heard that familiar yet unfamiliar word, Mary was momentarily dazed.

It took her several seconds to slowly recall that, some days ago, she had indeed told her mentor of her decision—she wanted to see her family.

The young mage pursed her lips and looked hesitantly at her mentor. "They're..."

"They're in the sitting room upstairs." Daniel's yellowed eyes fixed on Mary. "You'd better wash up before you go up—especially your hair."

"O-okay."

Mary hurriedly agreed, then left the basement housing the Immersion Pod in a daze. Returning to the first floor, she entered the communal washroom, reached out to turn on the valve, and watched clear water supplied by a magical pump flow from the metal pipe. The rushing sound of the water gradually calmed her.

Her family.

She could no longer remember what it had been like when she left that home... A naïve little girl, following the older children into the mountains to "explore," getting separated from her companions after nightfall, and stumbling by chance into an ancient mage tower. Her life had changed from then on, and her connection with her family had been severed. More than a decade had passed; her childhood memories had long since blurred and weathered away. The only impressions related to "home" she could still recall seemed to be a low, drafty old house, a dim lantern hanging by the door, and bedtime stories meant to frighten children.

Unfortunately, much of what those frightening bedtime stories contained—black wizards, ancient castles, mountain monsters, magical servants—had all become reality one by one over the following decade of her life.

The water kept rushing. Mary scooped up the icy water and splashed it over her face.

She could no longer remember what her parents looked like, but she still wanted to see