Charting the Road Ahead

"That's everything I gained from the ruins! On the way back to the Academy, I can absorb the knowledge and decide which direction to take!"

Green sat on the bed and opened his eyes. The blue streams of light in their depths gradually faded.

He now had a general grasp of what he had gained from the ruins, along with a clearer understanding of his physical condition. He had begun planning his next steps.

The gains this time were too abundant to absorb quickly. He could not make plans blindly; he had to think everything through before deciding.

Choosing the right road would let Green accomplish twice as much with half the effort. If he took the wrong one, there was no telling how much time he would waste. He was therefore extremely cautious and would not settle on a direction until he was certain.

He had been busy in the ruins for a long time, and taking potions without pause had left him mentally overdrawn.

After several more days of travel, Green was exhausted. He cast a warning spell, lay down on the bed, and fell asleep instead of meditating to restore his Mental Power. For exhaustion caused by potions, the primitive remedy of sleep worked remarkably well.

Splash, splash!

The sound of running water carried through the air as the stream tossed up one silvery spray after another. An unbroken stretch of woodland lined its bank. It was already October, and the trees had taken on a faint yellow tinge. Leaves fell now and then; when the breeze passed through, branches and leaves swayed and rustled.

Hooves clopped along the road beside the stream in an easy rhythm. The carriage moved neither fast nor slow, and an occasional falling leaf drifted past its front, lending the journey