Char stepped through the streets of Oryn-Vel, the weight of his plan pressing heavily on his mind. The city was as alive as ever—merchants shouting their wares, beggars lingering in alleys, soldiers patrolling in twos and threes. But despite the bustling activity, Char felt separate from it all. His thoughts were a whirlwind of strategy, fear, and anticipation.
He had a destination now. The mines of Jaffalex.
And if the Tome of Ascendancy was right, that's where he'd find what he needed—an Ascension Stone.
He exhaled slowly, pushing open the door to the safehouse. Inside, the air was thick with the smell of breakfast, a mix of spiced meats and warm bread. The others were scattered around, all caught in their own routines. Marin sat at the table, polishing her daggers with practiced ease. Callen lounged in the corner, flipping a coin between his fingers. Ishmael stood near the window, arms crossed, watching the outside world in silence.
Tess was the first to notice him. "You're back," she said, setting down her cup. "Good timing. We were about to head out—what took you so long?"
Char hesitated, then squared his shoulders. Here we go.
"I'm leaving," he said.
That got their attention.
Marin paused, her fingers tightening on the hilt of her dagger. Callen's coin hit the floor with a soft clink. Ishmael turned his gaze on Char, unreadable.
Tess raised an eyebrow. "Leaving? For where?"
Char swallowed. He couldn't tell them everything. Not yet. He didn't know how they'd react to the truth about the Ascension Stones—or the fact that he was from another world entirely.
"To the mountains," he said instead. "South of here."
A beat of silence.
Callen let out a dry laugh. "You're joking, right?"
"I'm serious."
"Why?" Marin asked, her voice sharper, more measured. "What's out there?"
Char shifted his weight. "I need to get stronger." It was the only explanation he could give. "I can't keep relying on all of you to protect me. If I stay like this, I'll be dead weight."
No one spoke for a long moment.
Ishmael finally broke the silence. "And how exactly do you plan to do that? What's in the mountains that's going to make you stronger?"
Char hesitated. "I… I just know there's something there. Something that can help me."
It was vague, but it was the best he could do.
Marin narrowed her eyes. "You're being cryptic."
Char clenched his fists. "Because I have to be."
That only made her frown deepen.
Tess, however, was watching him carefully, her fingers tapping lightly on the wooden table. Then, to Char's surprise, she leaned back in her chair and exhaled.
"Alright."
Char blinked. "What?"
Tess shrugged. "If you think this is something you need to do, I won't stop you."
Marin turned to her, incredulous. "Tess—"
"He has a point," Tess cut in. "He is weaker than the rest of us. And he does need to fix that if he wants to survive." She looked at Char again. "If you think this trip is worth it, then go."
Marin's mouth pressed into a thin line. "This is stupidly reckless."
Callen sighed. "That's kind of our whole thing, isn't it?"
Tess smirked. "Exactly."
Char let out a breath. He hadn't expected her to be the one to back him up first.
Ishmael studied him for a moment longer before turning away. "If you die, it's on you."
"Noted."
Marin still looked displeased, but she didn't argue further. Callen just shook his head with an amused smile.
Tess stood up. "You're gonna need supplies, then."
Char nodded. "Yeah."
"I assume you've got some coin?"
He patted the small pouch at his belt. "Enough."
Tess gave him a two-finger salute. "Then gear up, rookie. You've got a long trip ahead of you."
The next few hours were spent preparing.
Char moved through the markets of Oryn-Vel, picking out everything he'd need for the journey.
A sturdy travel pack to hold his supplies. A flint and steel for fire. A water canteen that could keep liquid cool for longer than normal. Dried meats, nuts, and hard biscuits that wouldn't spoil quickly. A small tent and bedroll.
He also bought a new dagger, slightly heavier than his last one, its edge glinting wickedly under the sunlight.
As he counted out his remaining coin, he felt the weight of reality settle in his chest.
I'm really doing this.
It was terrifying.
And yet, somewhere deep inside, he felt a flicker of excitement.
This wasn't just about survival anymore.
This was his first real choice in this world.
And he wasn't going to waste it
*
Char moved steadily through the streets, his pack resting heavily against his back. The weight wasn't unbearable, but it was a stark reminder that he was on his own now. No Marin watching his back, no Callen cracking jokes to ease the tension, no Ishmael lurking in the background like a silent guardian. Tess wasn't here to throw her faith in him like a lifeline.
It was just him.
As he stepped into the southern district, he took in the sight of it properly for the first time.
The air here was different—thicker, almost humid, despite the cold morning breeze. The streets were narrower, the buildings packed closer together, their rooftops unevenly layered as if stacked without any real planning. Small alleyways branched off at random, dark gaps filled with the distant sounds of muffled voices.
It was livelier than the merchant districts, but in a different way. Where the central streets of Oryn-Vel bustled with trade and commerce, the southern district pulsed with something rougher, more desperate.
This was a place of black markets and underground dealings, where stolen goods exchanged hands in the open, and no one asked too many questions.
Char had written about this place before, but standing here in the flesh was an entirely different experience. He could smell the charcoal fires burning, the sharp tang of unfamiliar spices, the scent of damp wood and rusted metal. The people moved with a certain caution—eyes darting, hands close to their belts or inside their cloaks. It wasn't outright dangerous during the day, but there was an unspoken edge to the atmosphere, like a knife being dragged across stone.
Char tugged his hood a little lower.
He kept walking, keeping his pace even, his eyes ahead. If he remembered correctly, this district was built in layers, sloping downward towards the southern gate. The closer one got to the city's edge, the more unstable the structures became, as if civilization itself was fraying at the borders.
The southern gate loomed in the distance, and Char's mind drifted back to his plan.
Jaffalex was a week's journey south by horse, but he'd be traveling on foot, which meant closer to ten days, maybe more if the terrain got rough.
His goal was clear:
Find an Ascension Stone. Unlock his mana nodes. Become someone who could actually fight.
He knew that even if he found a stone, there was no guarantee he could use it properly. There were risks. Some people shattered Ascension Stones and never unlocked anything—either their bodies rejected the energy, or their mana pathways were too weak to handle it. Others unlocked too much at once and burned out, leaving them permanently damaged.
But if he succeeded…
If he could do what Edmund had done naturally…
Then I won't be useless anymore.
That thought alone made him keep walking