An unfamiliar sea beast took flight, spreading its wings as it swept over the Small Island.
Ruger tilted his head back on the Old Recliner to watch it. It was a huge, blue-gray creature with oddly shaped wings, and an eerie blue glow flickered across its body from time to time. In the Underground Caverns, that was both a dangerous act and a symbol of strength.
Little Regna wriggled in his arms, curled against his furry chest for an afternoon nap.
Little One had finally awakened the day before yesterday. The original plan had been to wait for her to wake, then have her take her old father with her and quietly leave that world when the time was right. But all the unforeseen developments had changed a great deal, sparing her any further strain.
Little One had actually slept enough already. She was simply refusing to leave him, enjoying the feeling of his company.
Ruger stroked Little Regna's head. Two notebooks lay before him, one an exceptionally neat booklet, the other somewhat rougher.
He was considering his options.
He stared at the two books, thinking.
Someone else had given him the neat booklet. The rough one contained the notes he had written himself and refined over the past few days in the newly reborn Garden.
One was a booklet on the Four-Language Spell, also a spellbook. The other contained spell notes on constructing the Spell Sword. During his time as the Old Wizard's assistant, he had read about it on an upright Pale Green Leaf: a work recording a failed attempt. He admired it quite a bit and was very interested in the spell model it contained.
After planting it this time, he had immediately summarized its contents and compiled them into notes.
His gaze shifted as he considered