"... the rabbit fell asleep! Just from my voice! Hears All knows so much about sound! And then... Are you listening?" Silver Song stopped her excited recount of recent events.

  "Yes, the power of sound and vibrations on Astral Plane, and its effect on the mind of small animals..." told her Sirius. He sat with his eyes glazed from looking at a single point in front of him, while he pushed Seth in the air from side to side using mana. The manasnake enjoyed his new ride, and happily hissed, spreading his short whiskers that began growing after an excessive number of hunts.

  "Did something happen after the Rite?"

  "No, nothing too important."

  "You don't seem yourself. Even your Visage changed."

  Sirius opened his Eyes in his palm and took a good look at himself. "I can't see anything different."

  "Your eyes. They are deeper and there are cracks around."

  "Hmm... Maybe. The golden spiderweb looks better than bloody tears."

  "You had bloody tears?"

  "When I opened my Eyes. I wasn't checking my Visage since then."

  "But it's been months!"

  Sirius just shrugged in response.

  Silver Song sat in silence, before changing the topic, "How is your Spirit Mind?"

  "Still can't replicate. I start to believe that it was caused by a trial. Don't sweat it, I will understand it in time. So, what else did you learn under Hears All?" Sirius finally turned towards her and shook off his worries to concentrate on story.

  Silver Song's eyes lit up, and she continued her excited ramblings, "Oh, so... Then, when I told her about crystals and stuff she inspected my body and was so happy, she almost exclaimed out loud without her usual magic! But that would destroy the whole building we were in, so..."

  Sirius was glad to see that Silver Song has found her place. She would be a great mage, with due training, potentially even become World Shaper. He just hoped the war would spare her happy life...

  ___

  In the Elders' hall, illuminated by magic fuelled lanterns, Sirius waited for news to arrive. He was in his new clothes, made of black flowing fabric that tightly clung to his limbs, not obstructing his motion. Belts around his waist and thighs had pouches with glass vials and crystals, giving him whatever material he needed in wilderness. His shoulders, knees, and chest were covered by light leather protection, and his hand tightly gripped his upgraded staff, imbued with mana crystals he grew specifically for this purpose. His golden hair was tied in a tail, with a decorated headband soaking in sweat droplets from his forehead. The final touch was a necklace with his Life proudly displayed in front.

  Nameless Wind finally opened his eyes and said, "They are on the move."

  "What do I need to do?" asked Sirius with determination.

  "Don't engage. Lay traps on their path and stay hidden. In case they see you — run. Understood?" Nameless Wind instructed.

  Sirius nodded.

  Calmness of Storm narrowed his eyes. "Are you sure you want to go on this mission?"

  "I cannot remain out of this."

  "Who are you doing this for?" asked Blizzard Bringer, "Is it for your own satisfaction or for the Plain Veins."

  "I do this for everyone who is on my side." Sirius watched Elders quietly exchange glances. "Wish of Nature still hasn't returned?"

  "Yes, no news from him," Glint of Gold answered.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  "He may be at the wall around his tribe's forest. But I am afraid he found a way to unite with the World."

  "What are you talking about!?" Rain of Fire stood up in rage.

  "Friend of the Unkind helped him find peace. Weeks passed and with Wish of Nature nowhere to be seen, I can't think of another outcome."

  "You should have told us earlier," said Hears All.

  "He asked to keep it a secret for some time. Now, I am leaving and there may be no other chance to tell that."

  "Hey, don't you dare die in a covert mission!" Nameless Wind pointed his finger at Sirius, "I have just formed a strategy, I don't want to re-do all this work! Be back in three days and alive!"

  Sirius smiled, "Sure will."

  "Wait," called out Nameless Wind last time. Seeing Sirius pay attention he asked, "You sure you polished your technique? There will be no one to help you out in the wild."

  "I am. Thank you for worrying. Your help with that was invaluable," nodded Sirius and turned around with a bow.

  He woke up Seth, who was sleeping on a small sack filled with food, took the provision, and exited the Elders' Hall, immediately heading out north, where he will set a warm welcome for Kingdom's forces. They were in five days of walking pace, and Sirius wanted to intercept them at half a day distance. For that he had to cover four days worth of walking in a couple of hours. Month ago he would abandon this idea as a crazy one, but now...

  As soon as Sirius passed the edges of last bloodwheat field, he stopped and put his staff behind his back. With a deep breath he began fuelling the enchantment on his right boot. Metal frame built into the shoe extended up his leg, covered by the protection and fabric layers. That protected his knee and hip from the impact he was about to receive. Feeling the sole of his shoe pulse, Sirius stiffened his leg in a half-bent state and tilted his body forward. Mana seeped out from the metal sole and formed a circle around his footprint. The moment line connected, Sirius felt a strong push, as his body accelerated forward, shooting him like an arrow. Sirius covered himself in a shield of mana, isolating him from the air whistling outside his protective layer. When Sirius reached the highest point, he rolled feet forward by carefully tugging at mana around. He looked down at the approaching ground, adrenaline filling his veins.

  Next came the hardest part of the technique, for which he asked the most powerful wind mage for help. Sirius felt the mana inside his bones, searched for the outline of pelvis and a spine, and carefully began draining them from speed. He stopped accelerating towards the surface, but he was still moving too fast. Tightly clenching his teeth, Sirius pulled at the metal soles in his boots, abandoning the technique. He slowed down a little and softened the ground in front of him to soften the rough landing. Sirius bent his legs and rebounded from the compressed earth, landing a couple steps further. Immediately he bent forward, breathing heavily from the fear. The training was much easier than doing it for real.

  Nameless Wind was telling Sirius to grab onto his Spirit, but without Material Chains holding it would simply rip it out of the material body. Sirius knew that because he tried to follow the instructions to the letter, up until the bigger jump. He saw his own unconscious body fall forward into the stack of hay, while his Astral Body remained in the air. Therefore, he improvised, adding metal to any part of the armour he could.

  After taking a short break, Sirius gathered his courage, reassured worried Seth floating nearby, and prepared for the next jump. This time he prepared the air shield beforehand, and activated both boots at the same time. After two second charging time, he got launched again. As he flew, Sirius experimented with tugging at his armour, and decided to pull his chest plate this time. It worked better, but Sirius had to hold onto his armour more, since the strong pull almost took it off mid-fall.

  By the tenth jump, he was confidently covering large distances and slowly glided down by placing one of his feet on the metal cap on his staff. The heavy quarterstaff contained enough metal to make it float, and it wasn't in the way when jumping. The only downside was that Sirius had to hold it very tightly during the launch, lest it will be ripped from his hands. But Sirius bypassed that issue by placing his staff on the ground, so that it will be shot alongside him. Overall, he got used to this traversal method rather quickly, and it gave him time to think, while monotonously performing lunge after lunge.

  He was still thinking about the meeting with two deities. They both were quite sure Sirius is like them, but Sirius himself doubted it. What did those powerful druids see in him, a simple mage with no heritage? And what did happen to Sirius that night? Silver Song told him that he became too quiet, the air surrounding him changed as well, and now the Visage too... Eyes of the Forest said his Astral Body is fine, but confirmed these observations. And Sirius felt that too, he just couldn't put a finger on what became different. He felt something similar after he met with Master Verden's remnant near the World Tree. He could not achieve the second awakening so soon, right? People spent years getting from the first organ to the second, if those are in the same first circle. But to get the second circle mage has to get the profound understanding, something Sirius was sure to not have.

  Sirius activated his boots once again and flew high in the air. Something was different this time. The small smoke trail indicated that he is close to the correct place. He had to continue travelling on foot and be vigilant. It was time to lay some traps...