The glowing sea was both a beautifully fascinating and eerie location. I gasped as I gazed at the site while Akios remained emotionless. The sky above the sea was cloudy and stormy, creating a menacing atmosphere.

We were the only ones on the shore. "It is pink, " I enthusiastically said as I breathed in the salty air.

"A little too sparkly, " Akios calmly said.

I laughed as I ran on the beach. Seeing the ocean for the first time was exciting, but this was even ten times more exciting. Although it looked unusual, the glow didn't pose any treat. It was even safe to bathe, but since the storm was upon us it would be better to find a shelter until it ends.

"How about you try redirect the storm? " Akios asked me while looking at the gloomy clouds.

I gave him a puzzled look. "Are you telling me true magic is only good for little things," he provoked me.

"I can do it," I lied. My pride wouldn't let me admit defeat right away. I didn't know how to do it but maybe I could try to figure it out. It seems to me that Akios held a small grudge against me during these past few days since I called his magic fake, so I thought I'd better get more efficient in spells.

As I flipped through the pages of the grimoire, I noticed that Akios was writing something in the sand. I came closer to him to see that he was writing my name in the sand. "Try protecting your name in the sand, " he said.

I crunched down and started writing his name in the soft, warm sand. It was truly a delight to touch the sand, but I didn't want to seem too childish, so I refrained touching it more than I had to. "There," I said, "I'll protect your name too."

"Oh..." Akios said with his eyebrows raised "Can you really redirect it?"

"Sure," I avoided his gaze to protect my bluff as I grabbed the grimoire from my bag once again.

"It was impressive when you did the lightnings last time, " Akios reminded me and gave me an idea.

Maybe that last spell could give me a hint. If I was able to call forth strong lightning, I should be able to make it stop or even better, make it disappear. I looked at the sky trying to remember how the lightning got created in the first place. It appeared from the clouds containing light, heat and energy. In order for clouds to produce the energy they must be heavy and dark and very likely angry. That meant I needed to lighten the clouds and crate a happier atmosphere.

"Cuniculus," I chanted"flor!"

Akios looked at me strangely as a horde of cute, little bunnies ran around him. I smiled at him and the bunnies, but he only gave me and the bunnies a confused look. He didn't seem enthusiastic when a flower shower graced us by my spell. Akios was a tough crowd to please.

The bunnies did enjoy the flowers, especially the edible ones which they started munching right away. "Aren't they cute?" I gazed at their little toes and their soft fur colored in brown and white.

"What's the meaning of this?" Akios asked.

"They are here to please the clouds! Nobody can be angry with a bunch or bunnies" " I said.

Akios clutched his head"They are making me angry..." I looked at him puzzled. "How do you think clouds are made?"

My explanation made Akios clutch his head even more" It is the discharge of particles of opposite charge meeting each other in an instant" he said but I didn't understand a single thing. "Don't try to please the clouds. It will never work."

I was not happy with happy suggestion, but I still decided to listen to it. Maybe I could try to contain the lightning inside the clouds and send it elsewhere. A multitude of spells would be needed.

"A few different types of wind spells, absorption spell, lightning spell..." I muttered out loud.

"No bunnies spell,"

"Temperature spell, no bunnies spell..." I continued" Wait... no bunnies spell,"

Akois laughed that I fell into his silly word trap. "I must concentrate," I almost threw my grimoire high in the sky but quickly caught it to safely hold it.

As before, I started writing spells on empty pages and on the sand. The lightning must be consumed by the cloud and then float away. I closed my eyes to visualize it a few times. This time it was different because last time I was working on enhancing an existing magic and this was more like creating a new magic.

I visualized the lightning going back to clouds and floating away... the clouds, they were the home for the lightning. I am just returning them home. None of us can wonder forever. Everyone must go back home, sooner or later. Home was supposed to be a cozy place. Waking up late with the delicious smell of freshly cooked pie coming from the kitchen. Lightning was incomparable to humans, but it had a home too and perhaps things it liked and disliked.

"I'll return you home," I silently said.

"Calytrix," Akios looked at me sadly."Why are you crying?"

"I am not crying, " I said as I rubbed my face. Wait? My eyes were a bit wet? I didn't even notice a tear feel on my left cheek. "I was just thinking how the lightning should return home,"

"Or you should return home," Akios said.

"Or you," I said.

"Oi, you can't reflect my words," as he scratched his head.

"Reveretut in domom suum," I chanted as I visualized the lightning returning to the clouds."There,"I happily said looking at Akios who had a very strange look on his face.

I looked behind to see that my spell didn't work exactly as I planned. The lightning didn't come out of clouds but instead it came from the sand and hit the clouds. The duality of how it should look like and how it really looked felt like a made a crack in reality.

Akios started laughing "Well, this really is something new," but only dark thoughts imposed on me.

Luckily there were no animals around because I didn't know what kind of damage it could cause. "I guess there is no point in prolonging this", I said as I cast magic to dispel.

Later that day when Akios and I sat down for lunch we hunted he asked me if I was homesick.

"Not really," I said but Akios insisted I was and even asked me whether I had any regrets about home."The ki... nevermind," I said. It wouldn't be proper to push my problems on somebody else.

"How about we go back to you home for a little while?" he asked.

Silence. No birds or insects could have been heard which was odd but it pushed me to give an answer I wanted to avoid.

"I guess it wouldn't be bad," I said as I looked at the forest clearing.

Akios chanted the teleporting spell "Wait!" my words came too late as we found ourselves among vibrant green grass which growth was interrupted only by the stone walls of the citadel. The fresh air, the softness of the grass and a familiar structure made my eyes tear up a bit. My legs walked on its own and I noticed I was slowly making my way towards the village. This was the first time I came home since I had to leave for the journey. I wrote letters and got some replies but seeing my parents face to face will be a completely different experience. My hands were shaking just a little bit. I didn't know why exactly I got nervous.

"Calytrix," I heard someone calling but I was so close to home. Whoever it was it could wait. I should get home as fast as possible.

"Calytrix!" Akios yelled and I looked back. I got so lost in my thoughts that I almost forgot he was with me. How should I introduce him?

"I'll be waiting for you at the citadel," he interrupted my thoughts.

"What? Why?" I asked. "My mom makes the best apple pies," I proudly said.

"I'd rather not interrupt a family reunion," Akios said.

"But we like to welcome guests," I said. It would be better if he came with me because I would like to stay home for a day or two and making him wait all that time would make me feel bad.

"I have my own business to attend to," Akios said.

"What business?" I asked but he shook his head.

"Get done with your visit and we'll talk later," Akios walked fast as he waved at me.

"Whatever," I said in a disappointing manner as I walked back to my home village.

The sounds of sparrows, the scent of apples in the air and the warmth made me feel all cozy as I stepped on the mossy pathway. Once I saw the straw roofs of homes, I felt like I was finally back. My legs kept walking faster and faster until I was running.

Since this was my first homecoming after quite a while, I should make sure to greet anyone I encounter. I glanced left and right as I ran but there was nobody to greet. There were only a few short minutes left to my house but there wasn't anybody around.

Where is everybody? I rushed to my house and run inside. Everything inside seemed to be the same as when I left. It was perfectly clean and neat with the most beautiful fabrics standing in their special entrance hallway. Our little golden fabric carpet sparkled in the middle of the hallway.

"Take your boots off when entering," I could hear my mother yelling.

"I'm back," I happily said as tears overflowed my cheeks. There were tears in the corners of my mothers' eyes too. We immediately hugged each other and soon my father joined us to. Seeing them felt so peaceful and tranquil, a feeling I haven't felt in quite a while.

My parents were still the same. There were no changes, and it filled my heart with great joy to see them good. I knew they were happy to see me too from the look on their faces.

They becomed me to sit down and tell them all about my travels. I shared some of my adventures but sitting face to face was an entirely different feeling. There were so many things, feelings and emotions a single letter couldn't contain. We talked in our little kitchen made entirely out of wood. The special type of light wood we built it from could only grow here. Traveling was fun but visiting home an appreciating all the old things that I had grown far too accustomed when I lived here made me overflow with a type of kind nostalgia feeling.

The hard chairs we sat on were now a reminder of my childhood and I gave up on the old idea that I wanted to change them for softer ones. I remembered how they seemed to large when I was a little kid and I remembered how I used to sit or even stand them while I waited my mother to finish cooking. The left corner of my room still had makings of my growth sprouts.

This type of kitchen was something I didn't see anywhere else. It was unique to Awerataton. The unique half open fireplace for cooking seems much more elegant than the bulky ones I encountered on my journey. This one was slim and tall but still spacious enough for dishes to be put on.

"Did you miss this place?" my mother asked as I vigorously nodded to answer. Father reminded us of all the good old times we had and made us laugh with his jokes.

Time flew by in an instant and I was surprised to see darkness once I looked though our little semicircular window decorated with ornamented flowers. I wondered what Akios was doing but I didn't let it distract me too much because this was probably one of my rare visits home. Once we get back on the journey who knows when I'll be able to come back again.

When mother mentioned dinner time, I knew it was an invitation I couldn't refuse. Father asked me whether I would be spending the night to which I quickly answered positive.

My room felt too stuffy because books covered the whole left side. They looked like a mountain but at least there were nicely put atop on each other. The wall couldn't be seen from them anymore, but I remember it being pure white, although I wasn't sure anymore since it's been many years since I last saw it. There wasn't anything I needed for my journey but they were my treasure. I carefully looked at each of them a chose a few as my bedtime literature.

The potions and their equipment on the right side weren't as neatly tied and I jumped to avoid them so that I could settle in my bed. I should tidy it all up, but I didn't feel like it at the moment. Instead, I rolled on my soft pink blankets. They were quite a joy, but there were too big to carry around, so I had to leave them. I covered myself in blankets with only my hands outside tightly grasping the book of old myths. I flipped though the pages quoting the most interesting parts.

The only lightning in my room was a candle which quickly burnt out so I light another one. By the time the other one burnt my eyes were closing themselves every minute and I felt too tired to fight sleep.

The sounds of howling wind woke me up. It creeped through the little windows which shook by its force. I covered my ears with the blanket to ease the sound, but the sound was simply too loud. Staying indoors during nights like these made my skin crawl. I didn't feel like reading books to entertain myself. Potion making was out of the question too since it tends to create a lot of noise and I didn't want to wake up my parents.

I took a black cloak that was hanging on the door of my room and sneaked outside. The house was completely dark, but I knew my way around it. As I tiptoed the only sound, I could hear was the sound of snoring. It used to be annoying sound but now it was something very dear to me.

The wind outside played with my hair as each lock flew in a different direction. I put a cape on my head to stop my hair from going crazy. The moonlight spilled softly all over as it ignited the night with a luminous spark. I fit weren't for the strong wind it would be a lovely night. As I stood in front of my house the leaves started to hit me strongly. I guess I'd better find a place where I'd be less attacked.

As I walked, I wasn't really sure where to go but then I remembered the lake. I often used to go there to think, reflect on life and watch the fishes swim. My legs started walking faster and faster. Visiting everything again filled me with such joy.

A long grey hooded figure stood in front of the lake. "Akios?"

"Look who decided to show up," he said. Akios face seemed really pretty in the moonlight. He was handsome already but the mix of darkness and silvery light really enhanced his features.

"But we didn't actually plan on a specific time and place to meet," I said.

"The witch Calytrix likes to sit around a little pound," Akios said.

"How do you know that?" I asked since I couldn't remember telling him.

"As I said, before entering a contract me and Andreze had to do a little background check."

"But I barely know anything about you," I dejectedly said as I sat down on the soft, mossy grass.

"All in due time," Akios said while he hesitantly sat down next to me.

A short silence insumed before he broke it: "Do you have any regrets?"

"Regrets?" I pondered as I looked up at the sparkly, silver moon. " I do have a little bit, but it was said it shouldn't be my concern."

"But it bothers you, doesn't it?" Akios looked at me."You were gifted magic so it would only be appropriate to use it."

"Did you have any regrets Akios? "I looked at him. "Did you solve them with magic?"

Akios shook his head "I only got my magic after the regrets," his eyes looked sad" besides regrets towards dead people can't be fixed."

Akios face looked like he could cry at any moment. "Who... died?" I asked quietly.

"Let's leave that story for another time," Akios stood up avoiding my gaze.

"But my regret... it is about the king here."

Akios seemed to think a while before he said anything"Then we should go king slaying," his eyes sparkled.

"I-I don't think we should," there was a brief silence"I already tried that"

"Really?" Akios looked at me with eyes full of doubt.

"This particular king makes a profit..." just remembering made me nauseas "of selling children's organs," I felt like I could throw up.

Akios looked at me with a grimace of deep displeasure. I did see him look quite dissatisfied a lot of the time, but no his mouth and eyes were in a position I've never seen before.

"The witches' guild saw me preparing a fireball at the king in the treasury room and stopped me immediately," I explained.

"You do actually have some guts," Akios praised me but that didn't leave a happy feeling"It's a good thing that we got rid of the witches guild." He said smiling but that didn't leave me happy either.

"I guess we could pay the king a visit," I said.

"I still have some business to attend to so let's meet in front of the castle at noon," Akios said and left. He didn't wait to hear my answer, but it was quite obvious I'd say yes. His bad manners should become a regret one day too. I didn't watch him leave and turned my attention to the night sky. It's been a while since I focused on the constellations. I quickly found Orion the guide for all the lost travelers through the darkness anywhere under the sky. Ursa Major was always a compass when I seeked my way home. Cassiopeia was a big influence of tales of vanity and fate. Cygnus glided through the heavens as though it was a graceful swan journeying through the darkness.

It seemed I feel asleep at some point since my body twitched and my eyes were wide open but they were closing once again. I stood up to return home. A cozy bed was a much better sleeping place than the trees.