Jon ended his spiritual vein formation practice several hours later, late into the afternoon, nearing early evening. The excess wood natured spiritual energy produced by all the Wood Mana Cores within his Red Archives had saturated the walls and floors of his kitchen and dining room, giving his house an almost leafy and bark-like scent to it.

  The formation of a spiritual vein was one that required significant time and effort. Perfecting the route of circulation through his flesh, organs and arteries was a time-consuming endeavour, one that required spiritual energy in order to be performed.

  Even with his other five Mana Cores assisting in manipulating the ambient wood natured spiritual energy into his own Wood Mana Core, Jon was still dealing with a finite amount of spiritual energy. One-by-one, each of Mana Cores slowly started to deplete their reserves of spiritual energy, until each was left with a measly ten-percent.

  His interpretations of “Alnus-Viridis” would produce a faint resonance with his Fragment Of Alnus-Viridis Protection and Fragment Of Carnivorous Alnus-Viridis, allowing him to cast his abilities without the need for a chant. After discovering a particular pattern, Jon would write down the methods used to carve said spiritual veins, alongside the steps he had taken to get there.

  His Tabitha-Cedarspear Arm scribbling a few three-dimensional diagrams on one of the pages within his Knight Ranked Ink-Secret Notebook. The knowledge contained within said notebook would only be revealed when used in tandem with his Ink-Secret Quill.

  Or any Ink-Secret Quill rather.

  ‘Carve the third channel alongside the thoracic vertebrae where it connects with the fourth and seventh channel alongside the base of the pelvic curvature. Alnus-Viridis is intrinsically related to wood and plants, which in then related to roots and growth.’

  ‘Providing a stable base for the concept of Alnus-Viridis is a must, perhaps even more so in comparison to my previous design. Both the Fragment Of Alnus-Viridis Protection and Fragment Of Carnivorous Alnus-Viridis are capable of growing off one another, or perhaps, using the previous ability as “roots” in order to grow stronger and with a much greater foundation.’

  ‘Structures that resemble complex root systems are quite compatible with Alnus-Viridis. Structures that mimic leaves or branches are also quite suitable, while strong defensive structures such as tree trunks or bark are quite lacking in comparison.’

  ‘Wooden thorns and knife-esque blades of grass are compatible as well, leading me to believe that Alnus-Viridis is inherently an offensive concept.’

  ‘Perhaps the integration of additional fragments to slowly urge both abilities in a more offensive direction will grant them both even more power after I become a Lord…’

  Jon sighed, placing both his Ink-Security Notebook and Ink-Security Quill back into his [Red Archives Of Mars Quirinus]. His eyes unconsciously glancing towards the simple analogue clock he had placed on the wall, seeing that it was close to five pm.

  “Seven hours?” Jon muttered to himself, whistling softly as he moved to collect all of his Wood Mana Cores. Placing them all back within his Fragment Of Library, Jon moved back towards his living room, Carcosa-Form Horrors slipping his phone back into the palm of his hand.

  Jon almost immediately noticing the dozens upon dozens of missed calls and text messages that filled his lock screen page. Strings of numbers attached to names that he had not seen or heard from in almost two years causing his Three Seas Of Knowledge to stir, growing turbulent as his emotions started to overpower his logic and rationality.

  The name Lydia Carmel Guilliman appearing at the bottom of his notifications, having messaged him just minutes after he had started his initial meditation and subsequent spiritual vein experimentation.

  “What the hell is wrong with you Jon! How does it take two months in order to respond to a simple ‘how are you!?’ Ariel and Cain cried their eyes out after the first week of you not responding, thinking something happened to you!”

  “And this number!? You got a completely new phone!? Where are you! I’m coming with Ariel and Cain the moment you respond to this message, no questions asked!”

  “Are you listening to me!?”

  “Respond why don’t you!”

  “Are you trying to ghost me on purpose?”

  “Why aren’t you responding?”

  “Jon!”

  “Jon!”

  “Are you mad at us?”

  There was a slight pause in the time between the previous message and the next one.

  “Are you mad at me?”

  There were no more text messages after this one.

  The messages that Ariel had sent him were similar in nature, albeit somewhat more restrained in comparison to her older twin.

  “Jon! Where have you been! Lydia, Cain and I have missed you so much! I thought you said that you would take us out for lunch after settling into your new place! Why haven’t you responded to any of our text messages!?”

  “Cain has been, well, Cain did cry, not quite understanding why you had to leave.”

  “Mum and Dad did not do a decent job of explaining why you had to leave. Lydia had… well, a verbal disagreement with them in the weeks after your disappearance. Without a single phone call or text message to say that you were fine, Cain started to think that you-.”

  Jon wiped his eyes, reading further down the page.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  “That you hated us.”

  “He doesn’t understand why you left. Or why Mum and Dad kicked you out. He doesn’t understand the whole ‘self-sufficient’ ethos that the two of them talk about.”

  “It makes sense though.”

  “Cain is the youngest. And the three of us have always looked out for him.”

  “But after you left without saying even so much as a word, he started to resent them…”

  There was another gap in time between the previous text and the following one.

  “We miss you Jon.”

  “I miss you.”

  “Please. Even if you’re mad at me…”

  “Please don’t push me away.”

  Jon swiftly moved to dial Ariel’s number, placing the phone to his ear. Releasing the control he possessed over his Fragment Of Mind, Jon allowed his emotions and feelings to run rampart throughout his Three Seas Of Knowledge, foot tapping against the floor as he sat back down on his Soothing-Comfort Couch.

  Carcosa-Form Horrors and Hades-Draconian Shadow both turning eerily still; fear-mutation and shadow-mutation similarly awaiting the hopeful response of-.

  “Hello?”

  Jon felt his breath hitch, left-hand shaking as he heard the familiar-sounding voice in his ear.

  “Hello? Jon? Jon is that you?!”

  “Jon it’s me! It’s Ariel! I can’t believe that you actually called!”

  “Where are you!? Are you okay?! Are you safe?! Are you still in Melbourne!?”

  Jon moving the phone away from his face, sniffling, before smiling through the tears.

  “Hi Ariel.”

  “Did you miss me?”

  Break.

  “Hold on a second! Mum and Dad took Cain to the movies this afternoon, it’s just Lydia and I home right now!”

  “I’m going to go get her, don’t go anywhere!” Ariel Saffron Guilliman shouted into her phone, scrambling to her feet while rushing towards the door. Her expression happy beyond all belief, hearing the sound of her older brother’s voice for the first time in over two months.

  ‘Jon’s back! He’s actually back!’

  The sounds of her footfalls echoed throughout the house, as Ariel practically sprinted towards Lydia’s room down the hall. The fourteen-year-old girl almost bumping into the staircase that lead downstairs upon her approach, swinging her twin sister’s door wide open, a massive grin pulling at the corners of her face.

  “Lydia! Guess who-.”

  The joyous expression on Ariel’s face paused, brows furrowing inwards as he gazed towards Lydia-.

  And the slighter older boy sitting beside her.

  Both sitting far too close to one another to be anything other than what it looks like.

  “Ariel!” Lydia exclaimed, retreating backwards from the boy, cheeks flushed red all the way up behind her ears, “It’s not what it looks like, I swear!”

  Ariel narrowed her eyes, observing her sister and the older boy sitting beside her. She recognized his face from school, one year above both herself and Lydia. A faint splattering of freckles scattered across his cheeks and nose; curly dark-brown hair and light-brown eyes gave the boy a quiet but handsome feeling to him.

  Guitar placed beside him, alongside what Ariel could see was a dark-red leather jacket.

  One of her eyebrows lifting upwards, arms instinctively crossed over, while her eyes roamed all over Lydia and boy beside her. Ariel watched as said boy slowly lifted his hand, awkwardly smiling at her, waving as if to say hello.

  “Uh, hi! Ariel right!?”

  “Lydia has told me so much about you! I mean, mostly about the differences between you two but considering that you two are twin sisters there is-.”

  Ariel stopped him right there.

  “Jon called,” Ariel interjected, gesturing towards the phone in her hands, “He was wondering when we were free to go see him and that he would explain everything about ghosting us for two months.”

  Unbeknownst to her sister, Ariel lied, but watched as Lydia’s face lit up, eyes widening as she glanced towards the phone on Ariel’s hand. The boy beside her tilting his head to the side, mouthing the name “Jon” unfamiliar with who the two were referring to.

  Lydia, without so much as missing a beat, ran towards her sister, reaching for said phone. Ariel on the other hand, pushed her sister backwards, holding her phone out towards the door with her other hand, threatening to bite any fingers that inched too close the phone.

  Lydia was then prompted to shout as loud as she possibly could into the phone, hoping that Jon would be able to hear her.

  “Jon! Jon is that you!?”

  “Why haven’t you returned any of my calls!?”

  “Where have you been these last two months!?”

  “Why haven’t you come to visit us!?”

  “And… why are you calling us on a new number!?”

  The familiar sound of their older brothers voice coming through the mobile device, caused both sisters to pause their sudden conflict. Ariel and Lydia both leaning their heads towards the pink-coloured phone, raising the volume up to maximum so as to hear the words that he was saying.

  “… was sorting some stuff out. I was, if I am being completely honest, angry at both Mum and Dad for a long time, and kind of just took it out on everyone, including the two of you.”

  “Neither of you deserved that and I’m sorry.”

  Ariel turning her head towards the phone, as if to project her voice into it.

  “Where are living now Jon!? Lydia and I can visit you right now if you want!” Ariel glancing towards the older boy sitting on Lydia’s bed, giving him another once over before shouting back into her phone.

  “Are you living with anyone right now!? If you are then we can always come over tomorrow! I mean, Mum and Dad aren’t home right now so depending on how far away your place is we might need a lift in order to get there…”

  Ariel and Lydia shared a glance between them, using the slight tilts of their heads as gestures, along with the movements of their lips and eyebrows. The unshared bond between twin siblings slightly more evident between the two of them than most other twins.

  “…” Both listened to the faint sound of Jon’s footsteps, prompting both sisters to inch their heads closer towards the phone placed between them. Both mouthing something to one another before-.

  “I could pick the two of you up if you’d like? I mean, it might take me about half-an-hour to get to the house but-.”

  “You have a car now Jon!?” Lydia shouted, mouth dropping in response to her older brother’s words. Her expression a mixture of shock and excitement, one that she shared with Ariel, who swiftly moved to cover her mouth, suppressing the urge to squeal.

  “I mean it’s nothing fancy, but it is mine, yeah.” Jon responded.

  “I can be at the house in thirty minutes but text me if Mum or Dad come home before then. I…”

  Jon paused, covering his nervousness with the sound of forcing chuckling.

  “Don’t really want to see them at the moment.”

  The expressions of excitement and anticipation on Lydia and Ariel’s faces faltered after hearing those words. Lydia unconsciously tightening her hand into a fist while Ariel felt something churn horribly within her stomach, a sinking sense of realization setting into both of their minds.

  Even the boy behind them could not help but feel somewhat awkward, now possessing an inkling of an understanding of the relationship between Lydia’s older brother and their parents. Although he felt as though he was intruding on some sort of private family moment, he could not help but wonder just what type of person this “Jon” was that Lydia spoke so highly of.

  Ariel attempting to slash through the tension, easing the conversation into another topic.

  “Should be bring you anything!? Blankets or pillows!?”

  “Or food and snacks!?” Lydia chimed in.

  The sound of Jon’s faint chuckling seemed slightly different but was unmistakably “Jon” in their ears. Lydia and Ariel could hear the sound of a car ignition starting, alongside the faint rumbling of a garage door slowly lifting up.

  “No, I’m fine in that regards.”

  “Perhaps even a little too fine.”

  Lydia tilting her head to the side, not quite understanding his words.

  “The two of you will understand when you see the house.”

  Jon pausing for several seconds, as he slowly started to inch his car out of his garage and onto his driveway. The faint rhythmic clicking of his indicator clearly discernible in the background.

  “Oh and Lydia?”

  The girl in question perking up at the mention of her name, wondering just what it was Jon wanted to talk to her about.

  “Yes Jon!?”

  She could almost imagine the arrogant grin on his face.

  “The next time you decide to bring a boy over to the house, I’m telling Dad.”