"It's not your fault, son." Mother tried to console me, but I didn't listen. I'd made too many mistakes, gone over this too many times in my head, to think it was anything but my own fault.

Hald changed the topic. "So, what are you going to do now that you got those powers you always wanted?"

"I don't know. I'm not sure I trust myself right now. Maybe I'll go back to tending the farms —" I was interrupted by Hald flicking me in the forehead.

"Son, you've been talking about being an adventurer and seeing the world since you learned to talk. What kind of bullcrap are you spouting on about?" Hald scolded me. "You aren't the first to get someone killed due to newfound powers, and you certainly won't be the last. Everyone makes mistakes. You did what you could. Don't give up on your dreams because of it. If you give them up, then your mistakes meant nothing. Don't do that to yourself, boy. Don't do that to Rhannu."

I'm still not comfortable with myself, and I don't agree with how he's just dismissing what I did to Rhannu, but he's right. I can't give up at the starting line. It wouldn't be right.

"So, I ask again. Where are you going, boy? What will you do?"

"I'm going to—"

"look me in the eyes, son."

"I'm going to Aurelius to be an adventurer. But I have one thing to take care of first…"

"Do I get any say in this?" Olewydden asked.

"Olewydden, it's his dreams. A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do." Hald remarked. Olewydden rolled her eyes.

“Besides,” Hald continued in a hushed tone I could barely hear. “You know as well as I do that we can’t shelter our children forever. Not here. Not us.”

---

After making a few preparations, I descended from Tycoed and shifted into my new owl form. As I opened my eyes again, the entire forest lit up like I was staring directly at the sun. I tightly shut my eyes until the burning sensation went away, then cracked them open only a sliver. The grass directly below my feet was blurry, but I could see the trees far in the distance in incredible detail.

I unfurled my wings and flapped them once, feeling the turbulence in the air as I pushed against it. I did so again and again, faster and faster, until I started feeling weightless. My body shifted forwards and I pushed off against the ground.

I’d learned from my time in cockroach and locust form, and spent some time low to the ground so it wouldn’t hurt when I inevitably crashed. A half hour later, I felt comfortable enough with myself to go higher.

I rose one foot, ten feet, and broke through the forest’s canopy. 100 feet, 200, I continued my ascent until even Coeden was beneath me. From here, everything looked small, like ants, but still crystal clear.

I did a twirl and screeched in exhilaration, completely forgetting the parchment I was carrying with my beak. It dropped towards the earth, and I circled around to catch it. I furled my wings and dove after it, reaching out to grab it with my talon, but missing by a hair. I circled around once more, caught it on my second try, then stored the parchment within my subspace. I should get into the habit of doing that. There really isn't a reason to carry things anymore, now is there?

Finished embarrassing myself with the needless theatrics, I spotted Norbury in the distance and flew towards it. I hadn’t even reached the village when I spotted my target.

---

Johnson was in the middle of his graduation ceremony when an owl flew up to him, materialized a rolled up parchment into its claw, then let out a dozen hoots that sounded suspiciously like laughter. The owl dropped the note and flew off north. Johnson picked it up, and unfurled the note.

'

Dear Johnson,

Suck it.

Sincerely yours,

The powerless freeloader

'

Johnson looked quizzically in the direction the owl had flown. “Sylas?” His expression turned to a scowl. "Fuckin' Sylas."