The next day
Pax woke up to a beautiful sunrise. As he pulled himself up into a sitting position, he looked around and froze.
Theos was gone.
Pax sprang up and looked around frantically. Where did Theos go? His eyes landed on a small pile with a note. The sight filled him with confusion and curiosity.
What is this? he thought.
Frowning, Pax walked over and surveyed the pile. There seemed to be a sack of essentials, a bag of small, silver coins, a knife of some sort, a book, and what seemed to be a fingerless glove with some sort of metallic object embedded into it.
Pax grabbed the note first. Maybe it had some answers as to what had happened. He read through its contents as his eyes slowly widened.
Dear Pax, the note read. I am sorry about my disappearance. Something important has come up and I cannot stay any longer. I have left you 3 days worth of food and water, a small amount of lamina, a magic dagger, and a spirit weapon along with some other essentials. Among the supplies, you will find a guidebook containing everything you need to know to survive. I recommend you head over to Doom Island. I have heard that they have been having problems with their chief and maybe you can help them. There is a rowboat on the beach you can use.
— Theos
Pax felt a mixture of annoyance and anger as he read through the note. But then he remembered Theos’ reaction when they had first met, as if Pax should have known who he was.
Maybe he’s an important man in the Seven Seas, Pax thought. He probably has other responsibilities I don’t know about.
The thought comforted him. He couldn’t be the only person Theos had to help. Theos probably had to help many other people around the Seven Seas. Pax looked at the pile of supplies. Might as well see what else Theos had left him. But first, breakfast. He ate his breakfast quickly before he walked over to the sack and opened it.
Along with the objects listed in the note, Pax found a map, a compass, a fishing rod, a belt with grooves for objects, and some clothing. He put on the clothes and glove, pocketing the compass and looping the belt around his waist. Pax began to put everything else into the sack Theos had left him.
He picked up the dagger, its blade covered by a leather sheath. After a small moment of consideration , he attached the sheathed dagger to his belt along with the pouch of lamina.
Might as well have something other than my magic to defend myself, he thought. And then he pulled out the guidebook and read through its navigation section.
After he was done, Pax decided to go explore the island before he left. He walked across the small landscape, taking in the peaceful and quiet environment. And then he found the graveyard.
Pax froze. There were 7 simple graves in a single row right in front of him. In front of the graveyard was a single sign that read:
Here lies the bodies of 7 young wizards, their minds broken by Acheron, The Magic Thief. May they forever rest in eternal peace.
Pax felt pity and sadness weigh on his heart as he read those words. He thought about the girl he had killed with his lightning magic. She could have had family and friends who would never see her again. The same could be true for all the other wizards buried in the ground. With a heavy feeling in his chest, Pax walked away.
However, the name Acheron confused him. Who was Acheron? Why was he called The Magic Thief? Why did he drive these young wizards insane? And most importantly…
How did Theos know who did this?
He was sure that Theos had made this graveyard and carved the words onto the sign. So why did he blame this person? This… Acheron?
With questions spinning in his head, Pax decided to leave the island. He grabbed the supplies Theos had given him, checked to make sure nothing was left behind, and went to find the rowboat.
Eventually, he found the small, wooden boat floating in the water, a rope connecting the boat to a small wooden pole in the ground. Two oars were lying on the sides and there seemed to be enough room to place his supplies.
He placed the supplies on the front of the small boat and sat down between the two oar handles. He pulled out the map from the sack and unrolled it onto the bench in front of him. According to the map, Doom Island was north of where he was. He then pulled out his compass and used it to see which direction north was.
The red part of a compass will always point north, the guidebook had said.
Either because of luck or because of Theos, the rowboat was already facing its destination. Realizing it was noon, Pax ate a loaf of bread and some apples, drinking a small amount of water to wash it down. His stomach full and his destination known, Pax untied the rope from the pole, grabbed the handles of the oars, and began rowing to Doom Island.
As he rowed away, he had a feeling, a mysterious, inexplicable feeling, that this wasn’t the last time he would be at Newground Island.
And thus began his arcane adventure.
End of Chapter III
Arcane Adventures: Book 1: Chapter IV - Welcome to Doom Island
