[Bonus chapter] Strzygas

"What do you mean you can't feel him??" Lillian asked, staring at Jel with concern written all over her face. "Jel."

Looking at his hands, Jel quickly shoved the concerned look on his face down before smiling at the woman.

"Just kidding."

He quickly dodged the plate thrown at him by the woman, listening to it shatter against the wall behind him.

"The fuck, Jel?? Don't worry me like that!"

"Sorry. Sorry." He said quickly, holding his hands up in a surrender motion. "I just wanted to pull your leg a little bit."

He looked at the two kids completely ignoring them as they looked at the blood bags in the pot, boiling over.

"Well, I hope you all will have a good breakfast." He said, giving them a dramatic bow before he walked to the room. "There is somewhere I have to be."

"You are leaving already?" Tory asked, looking at Jel sadly. "We just met each other."

"Sorry. I will visit you all more often from now on. Ok?" He said, smiling at them. "Next time I see you all, you better have a lot more muscles in your body."

"If you say so," Tory said, holding his hands out in determination. "Watch as I become too heavy for you to carry."

"Even if you weigh a thousand pounds, I will still be able to carry you," Jel said, grinning at them as he walked out of the room. "See you later, Lillian."

"Jel, wait," Lillian said, walking to the door with him as she lowered her voice. "About that feeling … you did lose the connection with the red gem, didn't you?"

Jel looked at her closely for a second before chuckling. "Nothing gets by you, does it? Yeah, for a second there, I lost connection with the gem. That has never happened before."

"Aren't you worried?"

"My default state is being worried but I am just doing a really good job at not showing it." He said, shrugging. "I will be out then. If anyone asks, just tell them you didn't see me."

"I can't just lie-"

"Thank you!" Jel quickly disappeared into the night, running as fast as his legs would allow him to run.

Once away from the cluster of houses, he reached an empty space where there was nothing but emptiness and the vast darkness of the sky along with spots of stars here and there.

Wearing a cloak, Jel, covered his face as his wings broke out of his skin, helping him to glide in the direction of the large golden gate guarded by those same people he met when he came with Osbert.

The gate rests on an island, floating in the middle as the guards moved back and forth, keeping a very diligent watch.

Instead of going to the gate, he went below, blending in with the darkness as his wings mimicked the sound of the wind instead of a beat.

Even if they guard that with all their might, only I can open it. Jel thought, standing under the floating piece of land. So if I want it open, it will be open.

Then again, it will give away that I left and I really, really don't want them to know that, they will surely try to come after me.

That means, there is only one way to do this. He waved his hands in front of his face, the gold spreading all around them, immobilizing the guards as a smaller doorway opened.

I needed to open it here because my magic is not as stable as I would have liked it to be. It has its side effects that can cause harm to people around the range of the magic.

Here no one will get affected even if I used all my magic. Besides, once I leave, they will have no memory of the last few seconds.

So that is fine … I hope so. Otherwise, I am going to be in deep trouble with Taio. Then again, I already am so whatever.

Opening the door in front of him, Jel entered the door, feeling the sudden change in temperature and the rush of the wind as he closed the door behind him.

Whoa. He thought to himself, sitting on top of a tree. Those are some strong winds. Will I be able to find him with the way the winds are blowing?

Let's just try for now. Hopefully … hopefully, nothing is wrong.

________________________

A while ago,

"You didn't have to cook for us, Alby," Lily said scarfing down the noodles on the plate in front of her.

"Yeah, you could have just waited for me," Roy said, also eating the noodles like he had not eaten for the past couple of days.

Alby stared at the two, blood dripping from the piece of meat on his fork onto the plate below him.

Have they not been eating the entire time that I was unconscious or something? How on earth are these two adults that have survived to their late twenties?

"That was delicious," Roy said, pushing the plate from him and sighing happily. "I am so full. I didn't know you were so good at cooking, Alby."

"I am not," Alby said, biting into the meat as the blood dripped down his chin. "I just threw everything into the pot and I don't know how it turned out like that. Must be a fluke."

"We'll never know until you try again," Lily said, handing him a napkin. "Wanna try tomorrow night again?"

"I don't mind," Alby said, gathering the plates up and shoving them in the dishwasher. "What is our working route for tonight? I wasn't sent it. Or is it the same?"

Lily and Roy looked at each other for an uncomfortable second before looking at the man apologetically.

"Alby," Roy said, placing a hand on the man's shoulder. "You remember that you cannot transform, right? We don't know how much of your magic is sealed.

"So we decided that it is best you stay at home for the time being. Is that alright with you?"

Alby wanted to tell them that he could transform but thought against it. Gritting his teeth, he swallowed down his pride and said, "Ok. I will just be here then."

"We are really sorry about this, Alby," Lily said, walking to him. "But we would prefer you to be safe until we can figure out what is wrong."

"I understand." He said, nodding at the two. "Be careful out there, you two."

"You as well," Roy said, giving him a reassuring smile. "We will be back before you know it."

"Is there anything you want us to do, Alby?" Lily asked, holding the stick in her hands. "Maybe we could check the area out as well."

I am sure you won't find anything. Jel will certainly not leave a thing.

Wait, wasn't there someone with me?

"Wait, what about Toklo?" Alby asked, suddenly remembering the man. "Did you all find his body?"

"Body?"

"Alby, Toklo isn't dead."

"Damn," Alby said, slightly disappointed. "Where is he then?"

"He is unconscious at the moment," Roy said, putting on his cloak. "He created a barrier that protected both Lily and me, while the pressure of the magic released knocked him out completely."

"There was a blast when we were trying to get you out," Lily said, looking at her stick. "They said that it must have been because of my scythe on the barrier. I don't think so though.

"Alby, do you remember anything in the water?"

Of course, I do. And it wasn't you breaking the barrier, Lily. Don't worry, you didn't harm anyone. It was the pressure from when Jel broke the gem.

But for him to have absorbed most of the magic in there and it still caused that big of an explosion.

Those gems are terrifying. Even more, is the fact that Jel was able to absorb them without any worry.

How does someone so powerful live this long without being detected?

"Alby? Alby!"

Suddenly the man was snapped out of his trance as he stared at the woman in front of him.

"Ah. Sorry. I don't remember a thing."

"Don't force yourself," Roy said, placing a hand on Alby's shoulder. "One of the doctors will be coming to look at you tomorrow night. Just relax until then, ok?"

"Why tomorrow night?"

"She said that she wanted you to relax first. You might still be on the edge and she wants you as calm as possible."

"I see," Alby said, opening the back window for them. "What time will you be back?"

"As soon as we can," Roy said, putting his hood and mask up.

"Take care until then." Lily placed a soft kiss on his forehead as she jumped out of the window with Roy, the two disappearing into the woods.

Alby watched the two go before closing the window a frown coming on his face.

"I know you are there."

"Aww, I can't hide from you anymore." The voice growled out as an owl-like creature stepped out of the darkness, its wings and feathery body moving in a sweeping motion. "Hello, Alby. Long time no see."

"Strzygas."