Morwin expected more time after Galvin laid out the plan. Maybe a day or two? That would have been nice, giving him time to digest it all. However, as soon as the meeting concluded, Galvin declared to him that they’d set out right away.

  Morwin didn’t like his role in the plan. Travel to a foreign country? Beg for their help? Until then, he had no idea a foreign country even existed. He grew up thinking Agnius was the only place where people lived, and now, faced with the truth that there are other people, with different ideas, cultures, and ways of life, it messed with his mind.

  How many countries exist outside of Agnius? Are they the same? Are Dragikiri such as himself present in all of them?

  “Are you ready?” Galvin asked, disrupting Morwin’s train of thought.

  He nodded hesitantly.

  “Hey Galvin,” Darius spoke from behind them. “Since you, me, Gopti, Melwin, and Kell are all going to the same place, why don’t we just travel together?”

  Galvin shook his head. “Thanks for the offer, but no thanks. The entire kingdom knows who me and Morwin are, but you guys are just ordinary citizens in everyone else’s eyes. I can’t bring myself to endanger you guys like that.”

  Darius seemed satisfied with that response, as he didn’t argue his case further.

  Morwin stood at the edge of one of the peaks, staring down into the abyss. He drew in a deep breath, inhaling the thin air.

  He somewhat got used to the air being so thin up here, but he could still feel a noticeable difference every time he breathed.

  Morwin wore the black cloak with the demon mask of Justicar on him. Galvin had the same. Underneath the cloak, they both equipped their daggers. A breeze in the air blew at their cloaks. Morwin looked over the edge and saw seas of endless clouds rolling by underneath.

  “This place is home,” Galvin spoke suddenly, interrupting the silence. “I remember training here every day in my youth, watched by Master Halsin and corrected by him. I remember the old members of Justicar as my family. I never imagined I’d be the one to bear the stress of leading them.”

  As they watched the clouds roll by underneath their feet, Galvin let out a sigh. “I miss those days. Most of the people from then are either dead or have been imprisoned all this time.”

  “I’m sorry,” Morwin spoke.

  Galvin shook his head. “Sorry for rambling a little to you,” he said. “Now let’s go.”

  “How many gemstones are we going to bring with us?”

  “Diamonds are staying with Darius,” Galvin spoke. “We’re not taking them with us. They’re too valuable of an asset.” His brother then pulled out a small brown sack. He untied it and revealed glimmering opals inside. “These are the only ones we’re taking.”

  “Opals?” Morwin questioned. “Why? You could not have chosen a worse gemstone for us to bring than these.”

  “Gemstones are illegal now, remember? I’m going to have to be sparing with them. If I’m caught with them in any town, especially diamonds, it’s not going to be pretty. Especially the towns where the king is more favored.”

  Morwin nodded. Galvin had a point. The least gemstones they brought the better. But why those ones in particular?

  “Diamonds can help with our speed. Emeralds can give us a boost. Amethysts can boost us. Sapphires can encourage us to continue on. Opals don’t do anything for traveling.”

  Galvin smirked. “Who said these are going to be for traveling?”

  “Then will we have to climb down this mountain using opals as well?”

  Galvin frowned and his face contorted at that thought. “Oh heavens no,” he spoke. “We’re going to use some emerald to slow our fall, but that’s it. One Absorption is all you get, so make it count. I’ve made preparations for horses to be ready for us when we land, and we’ll travel to Jovin City by horseback. We’ll stop by towns using these opals to disguise ourselves, preferably towns with no Dragikiri who can detect us. Or Dragikiri weak enough to not realize opal illusions can be pierced.”

  Morwin nodded. “And we can also use opals to mask the presence of other opals, and bringing less makes it easier to mask it all.”

  Galvin smiled. “Spot on,” he said. “I’m glad the passing of my knowledge to you wasn’t in vain.”

  “Here you go,” someone from beside Galvin said.

  Galvin took the bright green gemstone from Guenevir and put it on the ground between the two of them. “If you mess this part up, it can mean your death,” Galvin warned. “One Absorption. I’ve done it before, and it’s enough to get yourself to the ground safely. You just have to know when. But I trust my training of you will come in handy.”

  Morwin stared at the gemstone and nodded. “Let’s go,” he spoke.

  Morwin Absorbed in as much of the emerald essence as he could muster, letting its power fill him to the core, allowing the essence to flow throughout his veins and travel across his entire body. He clenched his fists. Holding in this much essence, he struggled to keep it all in him. He could feel it wanting to escape, knocking against the walls of his skin, begging for freedom. But he held it in.

  “See you down there,” Galvin said before he launched himself off the edge, sending himself plummeting through the clouds.

  “Good luck,” Guenevir said to Morwin.

  “Thank you. Good luck with getting Kaden out of there.” With that, Morwin made moves to launch himself. He used the essence and focused on Wind. Sending a powerful blast behind him, he propelled himself forward, and fell through the clouds as well.

  The breeze grew infinitely stronger, pushing his body back as he fell. He spread out his arms and legs, letting himself fall slower, but that didn’t help much. Tears formed in his eyes from the pressure of all the wind. Up ahead, Galvin plummeted straight for the earth, his legs straight behind him, and his hands by his side. He moved down faster than Morwin did.

  The essence inside of him struggled to break free. It itched at his body, clawing its way through. Keeping it in proved to be even more difficult while falling straight for the earth. He let some of it escape out and he could feel a slight relief as he did.

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  The ground grew closer. And closer. The mountain behind him became a blur as he soared past.

  Is this how birds feel? All this… freedom.

  Morwin didn’t want to be scared of the fall anymore. He positioned his arms and legs like Galvin and found himself plummeting faster.

  Wind pushed against every inch of his body. Tears flew from his eyes. The world spun around and around as he twisted in the sky.

  Then Galvin slowed. He opened his hands and legs, spreading them far. And he slowed some more.

  That was Morwin’s cue.

  He mimicked Galvin’s movement and slowed. The ground was so close now. Within seconds, he’d be a splat on the ground.

  He used all of the essence inside him and instantly felt relief at expending all that pent up power. A gust of wind from underneath blew upwards, past him, counteracting some gravity, but not nullifying it.

  His descent to the ground slowed. And slowed. Until all the essence inside him was gone. At that point, he was a couple feet off the ground.

  The wind ceased pushing against him, and he fell face-first onto the earth.

  “You okay?” Galvin’s voice said. Morwin peered up to see his brother there, extending a helping hand.

  Morwin took it and was pulled up. Sure enough, at the base of Stormwins Peak, a makeshift stable had been built out of cheap wood. Questionable leashes held two horses to a post.

  Morwin walked over to the horse and noticed a couple strange flowers growing next to the animals.

  “What’re these?” Morwin said, not sure why he stopped to examine the flowers. He picked one up and smelled it. It smelled earthly.

  The flower was green with white tipped petals. A pattern of red swirled from the middle outwards.

  “Those are Windblooms,” Galvin said. “They’re not found anywhere else in Agnius. Leave them alone here, we have a mission to accomplish.”

  Morwin nodded and moved to untie the horse from the post. As soon as he started to, he quickly realized he had no idea how. Usually his servants were the one who prepared the horses for him. Now that he’d been brandished as a traitor, his servants were no longer there.

  “Let me help you,” Galvin said, noticing his frustrations.

  And he worked expertly, moving his hands as he’s always had, and before Morwin knew it, Galvin held the reigns in his hands.

  “Thanks,” he muttered as he took the reigns and hopped on. At least he knew how to ride a horse.

  If Morwin couldn’t even manage a simple thing such as untying a horse’s reigns from a post, then what hope did he have of going to a foreign country he never knew existed, and plead his case with them?

  “Let’s go,” Galvin said, hopping on top of his horse as well. “If we travel fast, then we should arrive within the week.”

  Both horses began galloping. Morwin was taken aback by how quickly they traveled when at full speed. Usually when he went somewhere, he had servants surrounding him on constant watch, and the horse moved as slow as a person walked.

  But this horse trampled through the land, its hooves beating rhythmically against the dirt. Like when he fell through the sky, air pushed against every inch of his body, a coolness covering his entire being. At some points, he felt as if he was going to fall off, but somehow managed to retain his balance.

  Up ahead, Galvin’s horse galloped with his brother on top of it. He rode the steed gracefully, sitting straight back, his balance intact no matter what turn, jump, or skip the horse did.

  Morwin could do better. With both feet, he kicked the sides of his mount and it lurched forward faster. Morwin leaned up a tiny bit and held his breath, watching as the ground and the tiny pieces of grass sticking out became a blur. He looked behind him and saw the base of the mountain grow farther and farther away.

  Morwin caught up to Galvin and turned to face him. He shot a smile before something suddenly lurched him forward off his horse, sending him tumbling on the ground.

  Galvin whipped the reigns and his horse stopped immediately.

  Morwin, with his face flat on the ground, let out a scream of frustration.

  “It’s okay,” Galvin spoke, extending a helping hand, but Morwin ignored it. He felt like a failure. After everything he’s been through these past couple of weeks, he couldn’t help but feel still indoctrinated into the life De’Shai had given him. A life of uselessness, of being a pampered brat. A life where everything was handed to him.

  He couldn’t help but let the tears flow freely. Then someone picked him up and placed him upright.

  “Stop crying,” was all Galvin said before he got back up on his horse.

  Morwin sat down, defeated. “I can’t do it, Galv,” Morwin spoke. “I thought I could when you put the responsibility on my shoulders, when you said you trusted me, but it’s all a distant dream. I’m not the person you want me to be. I never should have went with you. I should have remained at Stormwins Peak while you guys fought.”

  “Shut up,” Galvin said, his eyes suddenly hard. It reminded Morwin of the times when Galvin would stare daggers into his soul during training. Even during the trip to Jovin City. He could never tell whether Galvin hated him or was jealous of him.

  Morwin came to realize it was neither. Galvin was mad at the world for placing his brother in a position where he was weak. Every time he complained about his wrist hurting from holding the dagger, every time he complained from being tired of walking, every little thing he’s taken for granted Galvin had the same look in his eyes. A look that suggested he wanted to burn the world down.

  That look terrified Morwin.

  He wiped away at his face and slowly got back up on his horse.

  “You’re going to go to the Aylin Islands, and you’re going to be successful at your mission. Now stop complaining and move with me.”

  The gallop began, and Morwin followed closely behind.