The next morning, the house was cleaned, the food was served, and everyone gathered for the celebration.

  Renewal Day was meant to be a pause in everyone's life. All shops were closed, people gathered with friends and families, and, apart from cooking, nobody was expected to do anything.

  Niala had invited everyone she knew in town; Linzy, Karline and Leandro were clear choices, but she also extended one to Anaakendi and Hodge. To David's surprise, both had shown up, though Anaakendi looked like she'd rather be alone in her reading chair. Hodge, for his part, hovered around the food table, sampling everything.

  David also spotted him nabbing a fork and stashing it in one of his many pockets. The old devil had winked at him as he did so, just before getting smacked in the head by Anaakendi. She berated the old man, who defended himself by saying the fork had asked him to join his pile.

  Niala, catching the end of the conversation, took the fork and gifted it to Hodge, who beamed with smugness, while Anaakendi chided Niala, telling her not to encourage the old goat's kleptomancy.

  As people relaxed and the drinks helped bring down the walls of decorum, similar events filled the afternoon and evening, filling bellies with laughs and hearts with mirth.

  Midnight came knocking sooner than expected, the Renewal Crown was finished, and the people who had gifts took the opportunity to give them, as was tradition.

  Niala gave Hodge his much-awaited slick skin potion, a Niala-grade one, which Anaakendi had to wrangle out of his hands to keep him from drinking it right away. To everyone else, she gave a panacea potion.

  David gave Karline the six metre cargo cloth he had negotiated from the town hall, and which had the relic carriair, sans mobile shack, stored within. She stared at it for several minutes, her brain having shut down at the amount of wealth she now held in her hands.

  Linzy gave everyone coupons for a rebate on Panacea Potions wares, informing everyone they were having a New Spring sale soon.

  Leandro gifted training guides to Niala and David. Written by him.

  Hodge fished a handful of polished wood chips, distributing one to everyone.

  Anaakendi also surprised everyone, especially David, as she handed a small Tikitoan brooch to the living guests. When Hodge asked where his brooch was, she lobbed him a small jagged rock, which he caught and happily pocketed, grinning, to Anaakendi's exasperation.

  And just like that, the day was over, the guests returning home or to their room, and Jordo insisting he would clean up the mess, gently forcing his masters to their bedroom.

  The next morning brought a new year and the first day of Spring. With it, David and Niala's plans to travel south to Majestic, and then to Wardenburg, began.

  First on the chopping block was a week of frenzied brewing, as Niala worked overtime to fill her store room to bursting, hoping it would last the demi-season they expected to be gone for.

  It was during this time that she learned Linzy had enlisted Gerat's help with running the store.

  Or rather, Gerat's head roommate.

  Niala looked between Linzy and the rat's head poking out of the small pouch dangling from the goblin's neck.

  “You're telling me he's your... accountant?” Niala asked, tail swishing.

  “Not accountant, more like... numbers guy,” Linzy explained, playing with one of her ears.

  “That still sounds like an accountant.”

  “It's more than that! He can count all the potions in your store, and remembers everything I sell, so he always gives me an accurate count! He can tell me what the customers bought before, if they left looking happy or angry!” Linzy explained, her hands flopping in the air.

  Niala tilted her head as she looked at the rat. “I'm surprised Gerat isn't complaining about it. In fact, he's been really silent so far.”

  Linzy grinned. Niala frowned. “What did you do to Gerat?”

  “Not much, really. I just kind of figured out how to... put him to sleep?” The little goblin said.

  “But not the consciousness? How? Show me!”

  Linzy's grin widened as she removed the still rat from the pouch, depositing it on the counter. It stared up at Niala, speaking with a squeaky version of Jordo's cheerful voice.

  “Individual: Niala All Brew. Designation: Owner. Interaction: Greetings, boss! How may this unit serve you today?”

  Niala's ear lopsided as she shot a silent question to Linzy.

  “Oh, I've been training it, too. Now, let me show you.” The goblin explained, as she got out a small nail and hammer, aiming the nail at a spot at the base of the rat's skull. Once satisfied with its location, she gave a small tap with the hammer. The rat jerked forward before flinging itself around and rearing up on its two back paws.

  “INCREDULOUS CREATURE! You cannot keep constraining me with my own mind! Having to witness the voice run rampant is overwhelming my sanity!”

  Linzy ignored the furious rat-lich, looking up at Niala. “See? Brain trauma puts Gerat to sleep and wakes the other him up!”

  Gerat's little paws started pumping the air. “MORTIFYING MONSTER! I am not asleep! I am paralyzed! A prisoner in my own mind! My body moves, my mouth speaks, according to the voice's desires! My agency, stolen, resigned to insignificance! You mus-”

  Linzy smashed the rat with the flat of the hammer, knocking it out, before aiming the nail at the same spot as before and tapping it once more.

  After a few seconds, the rat's eyes reopened, but this time, it remained calm and stared up at Linzy.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  “Individual: Linzy. Designation: Manager. Interaction: Greetings, Supreme Leader. This unit has been rebooted. How may this unit serve you today?”

  The goblin woman looked up at Niala, a fully-teethed smile on her face.

  Niala's ears were folded down, he nose scrunched. “I'm not sure how I feel about this.”

  Linzy waved a hand dismissively. “It's fine, it's fine! Gerat just likes to complain a lot, you know how he is! Besides, I wake him up at the end of the day, before stuffing him in his box.”

  “That... doesn't help, Linzy.”

  The goblin shrugged, scooping up Gerat and depositing him back into her pouch, returning to her occupation, leaving Niala to try and figure out if she was enabling the torture of an immortal rat.

  David floated above the endless sea. Last time he'd been here, a storm had broken out and he'd... passed out?

  His memories were jumbled, but it had been nothing good. He knew his mana wouldn't hurt him, but he couldn't help but feel a certain unease.

  He settled his features. “Leviathan.” He called.

  After a few moments, the familiar water-quake erupted, with the monstrous form of his mana taking up its position between sea and sky.

  “You need of me?” Leviathan asked, lowering his head until one of his giant eyes was at David's level.

  “We hadn't talked face-to-face for a while. I was wondering how you were doing? I kind of... died, since last time. Did it hurt you?”

  The sea serpent stared for a few seconds. “I recall falling asleep, dreaming of a cliff from which there was no return. But then, I heard you call to me once more, and I am here.”

  David narrowed his eyes. “No lasting effect? You feel fine?”

  Leviathan's body undulated along its length. “I... feel... I feel fine.”

  “Why does it sound like you have no idea what I mean, and you're just trying to placate me?”

  Leviathan shifted its head, looking off into the distance.

  And ignoring David's question.

  His brow furrowed. “You... Leviathan! Don't try and avoid the question! If I ask something that you don't understand, tell me!”

  The serpent slightly bowed its head as it returned its focus to David. “I did not wish to burden you.”

  “So there is something wrong?!” David demanded.

  “Not wrong. Different.”

  “Different how? What's different?”

  “There is... more, now.”

  David sighed. “More what?!”

  Instead of answering, Leviathan stared off into the distance again.

  David, brow knitted, turned to look at what Leviathan was pointing at.

  There was... a small dot.

  A small dot? His eyes widened in surprise, and he launched himself toward it. Leviathan plunged into the water and swam under its surface, keeping pace with its master.

  Soon, the dot grew into a small structure. A small porch with a wooden door, floating over the calm waters.

  Stepping onto the porch, David slowly approached the door. It was a simple collection of planks, with rough hinges and a small metal handle.

  He gave the handle a tug, but the door resisted.

  Behind him, Leviathan's head broke the water's surface. David turned toward his mana.

  “Do you know what's behind this?”

  “I do not. I just know it leads somewhere else.”

  “Hmmm...” David observed the door. He had a pretty good guess as to where it led, as outrageous as the thought was.

  As curious as he was, he decided to leave the door alone for now. He'd talk about this with Niala, and with Leandro and his friend once she arrived... which would be after their trip to Wardenburg.

  Which reminded him of the other reason he had wanted to talk with Leviathan.

  Sitting down at the edge of the porch, letting his feet dangle, he looked up at the serpent. “Leviathan, you remember the thing I asked you to safeguard?”

  His mana nodded.

  “Do you still have it?”

  Instead of answering, Leviathan looked down at the water. Soon, a faint glow could be seen below the surface, growing in size and intensity, until it emerged fully, the serpent's tail coiled around it protectively.

  Leviathan turned back toward his master. “I do. Do you need it back?”

  David shook his head. “Not yet, but soon, yes, I think. Keep it safe until then, ok?”

  The massive head nodded, then kept staring at him.

  An idea went through David's head.

  “So, Leviathan, since you're my mana... do you have any idea how I can materialize you?”

  “Materialize?” It asked, tilting its head.

  “Hmm... how to bring you out of... here. Into the material world. Actually, what even is this place? It's not the aetheric realm...” David pondered.

  “It is your world, your realm.”

  “My realm? Like, a miniature world, made up of me?”

  Leviathan nodded. “That is what I know. As for how I could leave this realm... I do not know. How do you travel between this realm and the outside one?”

  David blinked before scratching his head. “I just look inside, I guess. It's not something I'm consciously thinking about. It just happens.”

  “Then... my leaving this place should just happen.”

  David narrowed his eyes. “Don't get sassy with me.”

  Did his mana just... smirk?

  A few days before their departure, Isaac returned to town, along with a small unit of Azure Guards.

  He explained that most of his troops had remained behind, finishing up the fort and manning it, just in case any Fel decided to clamber up the central shaft.

  He himself would be leaving town soon, heading to Longwater, from where he would reach the north-east military town of Wellthum and its airport, boarding a military airship back to Amberose, spreading news of the vault and need for a dedicated extermination regiment of Azure Guards, before returning to the Wardenfel estate nearby.

  Mayor Caleb and guard captain Ma-Ke-Lo were informed of their planned absence, being told they were going to visit Niala's father in Majestic, and of the potential risk that the Vault represented. They both wished them safe travel, Caleb informing David that the warehouse and workshop would be ready upon their return, before holding a meeting with Isaac behind closed doors regarding what the Wardenfels and Azure Guards had in store for Riverwall in the future.

  Goodbyes were given, wishes were received, and soon, the morning of their departure dawned. They boarded the autocarriage to Bellharbour, comfy within its heated passenger cabin, and Niala soon began chatting about the trip excitedly.

  David asked why she was so enthusiastic about it, given that they were ultimately headed to one of the most powerful men in the kingdom, someone who could destroy their new life together with a few words and a stern look.

  Niala had smiled. “Well, yes, but if you ignore all that, this is just like a vacation! Just me and my hunky boyfriend, exploring the world like newly wed!”

  He gave her time to notice what she'd let slip again.

  But she never did.