“You have kept him like this? Poor child,” An old man’s voice reached Adion’s ears as he woke up from his slumber.

  “Turn off the artifact. This is no way to treat someone,” The old man spoke.

  “That’s not recommended, Gold Narvar. He is extremely dangerous, and if we let him escape, we can’t bear the consequences.” A guard whose voice Adion recognized responded.

  “So you’ll just keep him like this forever? Might as well kill him if that’s the case. Don’t worry about the higher-ups, just do as I say and release him,” The old man called Narvar said.

  “If you say so,” The guard responded.

  It didn’t take long before Adion could feel the change. For the first time in months, his body could move.

  From the moment he was taken until now, he had always been kept still through the effects of the spatial artifact. Whenever he was brought food and water, they would grant him control over his head, but that was it. He had to be fed by the male guards as he couldn’t move his arms.

  He had refused at first, finding it humiliating. But when the hunger got bad enough, he couldn’t find it in him to care anymore. He still needed to stay alive, after all. He needed to escape.

  So he had started eating and drinking again, giving him energy to practice going against the spatial artifact so he could get out of there.

  It was a horrible experience at first. He didn’t know what would happen to him. But to his surprise, no one ever came for him. They hadn’t tortured him for information as he feared. No one ever asked him any questions. The guard just fed him and left without saying a word.

  The only other person he saw was a woman who helped bandage his injured back.

  Eventually, he managed to calm his mind and focus on how to get out of there.

  Even if he was confused by the relatively pleasant treatment, he wasn’t about to get too comfortable. Who knew when things would change?

  So he focused his attention on developing his Authority.

  Every day had been the same routine ever since he was brought to the small room he was currently in. He would wake up and immediately start trying to use his Authority to disrupt the space around him. Even if he couldn’t gather any space mana into his core because of the strange collar they had put on him, that did nothing to inhibit his Authority.

  Unfortunately, he didn’t have enough control to contend with the artifact. Adion had no idea how the artifact worked, but it felt like punching a brick wall, it wouldn’t budge when a puny human punched it, no matter how much he trained his body.

  But Adion didn’t give up, everyday he tried to grab control of the space around him until he had exhausted his Will.

  After that, he would rest, eat the food that was brought to him, and think about whatever came to mind. Until nighttime, when he would once again gather his Will to break through the prison of space.

  He would try until he eventually fell asleep, exhausted.

  Unfortunately, he still hadn’t noticed any improvements even after almost two months of effort. But he refused to be impatient. He knew he would eventually sharpen his Will enough to break through.

  He was ready to stay for years if needed. But that all changed now. All of a sudden, a strange old man appeared, and Adion could finally feel the space around him release its grip.

  “Argh!” Adion couldn’t help but let out a painful yell when he moved his body. His body had stayed in place for so long that his muscles weren’t used to the movement.

  Will I be able to escape like this?

  He flexed his fingers and toes, and slowly moved to stand up. He tried not to show any intentions of running away.

  I’m sure people are worried. I need to get back to the…Academy? Why doesn’t it seem to fit?

  Anyway. Back to Sell. Yeah.

  Adion shook his slightly cloudy head in order to think clearly.

  Where is the exit? Which direction is safe?

  Adion didn’t have any space mana in his core to release, so he couldn’t get a perfect picture of his surroundings. But he still had his spatial awareness, so he could make out his surroundings somewhat. There were at least two floors above the one he was currently at.

  I should be able to teleport to the roof. That will let me see the best direction to go.

  “How are you feeling, son? You’re body must hurt after not moving for so long,” The old man called Narvar said as he looked at Adion with a kind smile.

  Adion looked at the man. He looked to be in his 70s, so as a Gold mage, he was surely over 100. His hair and long beard were white. He was wearing a white and gold robe, his shoulders poking through the thin fabric, suggesting a skinny frame.

  Someone important from Heavenly Light? He’s only a Gold mage, though. Perhaps only someone’s underling.

  “My name is Narvar, and I’ll make sure you’re treated well from now on,” Narvar introduced himself.

  Adion still didn’t answer, though. He slowly stood up on his shaky legs that hadn’t had to carry any weight for months.

  Why did he release me from the artifact? Isn’t he afraid I’ll escape? They know I can teleport.

  They probably assume I can’t do anything without mana. But still, I’m a Silver mage with the ability to teleport. Aren’t they too careless?

  “Looks like you still have some strength in you, that’s good,” Narvar commented as he looked at Adion on his feet again. “I figured we could have some lunch together, get to know each other a little. Maybe you would like a bath first?”

  Adion still didn’t respond, occupied with his own thoughts.

  Do they have Soul mages stationed here? That should be the case. Would escaping be too hasty? But I don’t know when the next chance will come.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  If I escape just to get caught right away, that would be too wasteful. They would know I can teleport without mana, and I’d be less likely to escape in the future.

  “Is anything making you uncomfortable?” Narvar asked, seemingly not able to ignore Adion’s silence any longer. “If you tell me, I might be able to help.”

  “Could you get this thing off my neck?” Adion asked in a raspy and unused voice as he pointed to his collar.

  He didn’t expect Narvar to agree of course, but he figured he should respond in some way while figuring out an escape plan.

  “I see, how silly of me. I forgot about that,” Narvar said with a smile, “Let’s get you out of that collar right away.”

  Really? Adion thought as he looked at Narvar in surprise.

  Narvar put his hands in the collar around Adion’s neck and, after a few moments, the collar released its grip.

  How did he do that? Maybe I should have spent some more time experimenting with it to see if I could undo it myself.

  “Does that feel better?” Narvar asked with a smile as he put the collar away.

  Adion reached up to touch his naked neck, feeling strange.

  He focused his Will and could feel the space mana around him. He started gathering it into his empty core. The feeling was almost euphoric after so long.

  Won’t I be able to get away now? Even if I get caught, they won’t know it was because of my Authority and not my mana core.

  “It does,” Adion decided to answer, “Thanks. But aren’t you afraid I’ll escape?”

  “If you want to leave, I won’t stop you,” Narvar said with a smile.

  Adion raised an eyebrow questioningly. He didn’t believe him for a second.

  “It’s a long way from home, however. I suggest you get some food in you first. Can’t travel on an empty stomach, right?” Narvar asked.

  “Right,” Adion answered hesitantly.

  “Good,” Narvar smiled, “Let’s go. I have had the servants prepare a meal for us.”

  Narvar turned and walked out of the room along with the guard, and Adion followed on shaky and unstable footsteps.

  Why would he be okay with me escaping? What use is it to lie to me?

  He has probably done something to the food, right? Some strange drug to make me talk?

  But why wait until now?

  Adion couldn’t figure out the situation. He didn’t know if Narvar had planned for him to try to escape, or if he had planned for him to not even try.

  Surely I should at least try, right?

  Adion had just woken up, and his Will was well-rested. He could use teleportation for a good while before needing to stop.

  Maybe I should just kill them?

  They were both Gold mages, and Adion doubted they would stand a chance if he caught them unprepared. He had killed Gold mages in similar ways with his volatile space before, and back then, he was only a Bronze mage.

  But Adion dismissed the idea. His priority was to escape. If he killed them and he failed to escape, they might send a Soul mage to him next time. That would make it a lot more troublesome to escape.

  Adion used some of the space mana he had gathered and spread it out around himself. He found that he was underground. Beyond the walls was only hard-packed earth, or possibly even rock.

  Is this why he is so confident? But surely, I can get to the surface eventually.

  He couldn’t sense the surface. He was too deep. But he knew he could get there eventually.

  As he looked around with his space mana, he came across a few rooms where he couldn’t keep his control over the space mana. As he tried to push the mana into those rooms, he was met with a force that pushed him back.

  Are there more spatial artifacts there? They have figured out how to create them? How is that possible? That’s something left behind from the Age of Wonder! And it’s space-related. It should be even more impossible for a non-space mage to figure out.

  Is this why they are so confident? Do they have this whole place surrounded by frozen space?

  Adion felt a chill run down his back. If they had enough of these things, he would really be trapped.

  No. I at least need to try. It would be too shameful just to accept defeat.

  And I don’t believe I can’t work around those artifacts now that I’m free to move.

  My practice these two months hasn’t been for nothing, either.

  Adion searched for a good spot to teleport to. At the same time, he kept his attention on Narvar and the guard, who were walking just a few steps ahead of him. They were keeping their pace slow, so Adion could keep up. His body was still stiff and moving about hurt a great deal.

  “Here we are,” Narvar said as he came to a stop in front of a door in the hallway. He opened the door and stepped inside while casting a glance at Adion.

  Adion nodded and moved to follow, but as soon as Narvar and the guard took their eyes from him, Adion grabbed hold of the space two floors above him and teleported away.

  What an amazing feeling.

  From the ultimate restriction to the ultimate freedom in just a few minutes. Adion couldn’t help but smile.

  I don’t know what they have planned, but it can’t be anything good. No need to think too much, just get out of here.

  Adion arrived in a hallway, still below ground, so he teleported once again, arriving in what looked like some laboratory. There was no one around, but Adion didn’t feel like he had the time to look at what they were working on. He once again focused on his sphere of space mana and noticed that no matter how he tried, he couldn’t get his space mana to enter the floor above him.

  So they really have made some sort of spatial cage for me.

  Damn.

  Adion ran out of the room and into the hallway. A woman who looked like a servant let out a surprised yell as he appeared.

  Adion ignored her as he continued running. He could’ve asked if there was a way out, but he didn’t think he had the time to force out an answer. And who knew if she had been instructed beforehand and would lead him into a trap?

  Adion ran down the hallway as he focused on the surrounding space. Eventually, he reached the end of the hallway and focused on the earth outside.

  The blocked space stretches outside, damn. There is no way to feel the space above me.

  But if I can teleport outside, I should be able to get around the blocked space eventually.

  Adion grabbed hold of the space outside, planning on teleporting the earth there into the hallway so there would be some space for him to teleport to.

  Damn, why does it feel so difficult? Is it because we are deep underground? Is it really stone outside? Will I be able to cut out an opening?

  Adion pushed through and, after a few seconds, managed to teleport the area outside away. A large pile of sand spilled out behind him.

  Sand? Was it so hard to move just because of the pressure then? Wait! Sand?

  Adion once again focused on the space outside and noticed, to his great dismay, that nothing had changed.

  Damn, the hole just fills up again straight away. No wonder they were so confident in letting me out.

  Adion once again turned his attention to the floor above. He tried to grab hold of the space there, but it was useless.

  Maybe if I had more time, I could work my way around it. There should be space above the sealed space for me to grab hold on, but I can’t sense it.

  What should I do? I don’t think I have much time left.

  Adion once again focused on the space outside, where all he could sense was sand. He grabbed hold of an area of sand and once again teleported it behind him. This time, his focus stayed outside.

  Not even a second…

  Would I have enough time? If I switch places with the sand and immediately teleport to the surface, I should be able to make it. Well, maybe.

  But what if the surface is still far away? I’d be dead. There’s no way I can survive getting crushed by that sand.

  Think, Adion, think.