Two Worlds at a Time
102. Money talks

"What a resentful man," Aric thought to himself as he sat comfortably on the Ironbeak Griff. He could feel the soft feathers giving him ample cushion beneath him, and the saddle was only there to give him something to lean back against. The feathers were tender and softer than an owl's while still able to support their weight without making them feel the skin of the avian creature.

As Aric was enjoying the majesty of this animal, he heard someone speak out loud, filled with a bit of hatred and anger.

"So, you have betrayed us, Gopher?"

The one who spoke was the associate professor of Windfall School of Magic, the school where Aric had first gone to check his talent and where Gopher had studied as well.

"I haven't betrayed anyone. I have paid off my debts to the school, and now I am a free man."

"You poor piece of shit, have the audacity to say this? I will report to the Dean, and you will be hunted down." The associate professor, whose name Aric couldn't even remember, was the one shouting. (A/N: He does remember the name, but the professor's attitude made him forget.)

"Say one more word, and we'll have a duel here in the square itself," Gopher said, and as he spoke, he showed his palm, which seemed to gather a small cyclone. But this cyclone had a tint of blue, which made the professor back up a bit.

"You... You... You're an Adept?" the man asked, his legs shaky and his teeth chattering.

"No, I am not one yet, but I will be soon," Gopher said as he jumped off the Griff and landed face to face with the professor. "So, how about the duel?"

"I... I... I have students to take care of. We'll have this duel the next time I come for recruitment," the professor said.

"No, you can deliver your students to the school, and I will even pay for your travels if you promise to come back and have this duel with me." By this time, many people around had surrounded them, watching the drama unfold and surprised, as the locals had never known that Gopher was a mage.

"Not everyone is as free and unemployed as you. I... I have to take care of students." With those last words, the professor backed off and disappeared into the crowd within seconds. This left the onlookers a bit disappointed, as they had been eager to watch a duel, but none dared to stop him, nor did any of the other mages from different schools watching the whole scene. That would have been like provoking and interfering in the internal matters of a school, which none of them wanted on their record.

Gopher had a smile on his face as he watched his long-time rival flee with his tail between his legs. He understood why his involvement with Ravenguard had pushed his rival over the edge. Aric was someone with great talent, and with Gopher's guardianship, he would have been a valuable asset for the school. But Aric chose a different path, and once Windfall School heard that they had lost a potential super-student, they'd be furious, and the blame would fall on the professor, not Gopher.

"Will this be a problem moving forward?" Sylva asked as Gopher hopped on again.

"I have already paid off all my debts to the school. Here is the proof," Gopher said as he pulled out a parchment proving he no longer had any ties with Windfall. Sylva didn't bother to look at the paper, simply nodding; she had seen it before, and this was mainly for the people around to know that Gopher hadn't betrayed anyone.

Sylva was just helping him reestablish his credentials among the locals. The Ironbeak seemed impatient, so with a small tap on its back, it flapped its huge wings against the ground, launching itself high into the air as everyone held on tightly to the saddle.

"These are amazing animals, and their mastery over wind magic allows them to use the least amount of energy to fly," Gopher spoke over the rush of wind that swept across everyone's faces. Even the two 'outcasts' listened carefully, as information about beasts was highly valuable now.

The Griff didn't take long to reach a high altitude, and during this time, Aric and the others held on to the saddle's sides. All Aric could think was, 'This isn't safe at all. How is this even allowed?' But, of course, he wouldn't get an answer.

"Our journey will be four hours with a break in the middle. Enjoy your last bits of freedom," Sylva said with a devilish tone that scared everyone, even Avian, who wasn't a student yet. Aric, meanwhile, wasn't bothered by it. He had asked how classes worked in the schools and understood that with money, he could get all the freedom he needed to continue the triple life he was leading.

Aric loved the cold wind hitting his face as he breathed in the fresh air, and so did the others as the Griff picked up speed.

"The only reason your body hasn't been flung into the wind is that the Griff is actively using wind magic to lower the resistance around itself. This is why only animals with wind magic can be used as transport. Just having wings doesn't mean they can be ridden. Other Griffs can fly, but they don't possess wind magic. The strong wind you feel is only passing because the Ironbeak allows it to."

Aric missed having Apis or Mira with him now. They would have documented every word spoken. Maybe he would buy another AI and put it on his new place so that he would have an AI here too instead of going blind here. That would provide him with a lot of help and intelligence. The flight continued for 2 hours before landing on a strip of open green grass ground with a small lake beside, surrounded by a forest and green mountains. 

They had finally left the cold and snowy mountains behind, enjoying a bit of warmer weather for the first time since Aric had landed here.