ã€ŠDivine Progressã€‹


 Chapter One

    ¡°We have all gathered here today to witness a miracle,¡± Pope Georgius said, spreading his arms wide. The noonday sun streamed in through the stained glass windows and caught on the gold of his robes, sending flickers out over the church interior. Behind him the mass of lesser priests bowed their heads quietly, and before him four people looked on from atop a ornately engraved platform.

    ¡°It is by the grace of our god,¡± the Pope continued, ¡°that such a miracle has occurred-¡±

    ¡°How dare he!¡±

    A noise arose from the congregation of bowed priests, the small sound of dozens drawing in their breath at the same moment. The woman who had spoken turned her gaze towards them, a glare flooding over the room from under the hood of her worn and bloodied jacket before she turned back towards the target of her words. Raising his hand, her partner coughed weakly as he she cradled him in her lap, her arms wrapped around his mangled form.

    ¡°Calm down, Ginger,¡± the man said. His hand quivered unsteadily as he cradled her face, the hood of her jacket shifting slightly with the movement.

    ¡°Excuse me sir, but could you please explain what has happened?¡± The speaker this time was a young man dressed in the typical blazer of a private high school. He wore plain glasses and spoke politely, but the Pope felt a chill as their gazes met.

    ¡°Of course, of course,¡± Pope Georgius said, a warm smile spreading across his face. ¡°We are the Church of the Creator, the lord god of mankind. Seeking guidance from our lord, we reached out to him from this, our holiest place of worship. We have prayed here for one hundred days, and it is now, on the hundredth day that you have appeared.¡±

    ¡°I thought it might be something like that,¡± the youth replied. ¡°My name is Lucius Frame, a servant of lord Progress. I was told that I had been banished, but I did not expect this much¡­¡± Lucius tilted his head, looking around the room once more.

    ¡°You are a servant of progress?¡± The Pope asked, with a blink.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Lucius replied. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say the same?¡±

    ¡°I am a servant of the god of mankind.¡± Pope Georgius declared evenly.

    ¡°Oh?¡± Lucius tilted his head again, staring over at the Pope through his glasses. The church leader turned away from the young man¡¯s gaze, twitching as he suppressed a shudder.

    ¡°I see,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Where, or when, I am from the god of man referred to himself as Progress. I can assure you we both serve the same lord.¡±

    ¡°We want nothing to do with any of this!¡± Ginger spoke out again, interrupting their conversation. The man in her lap made to quiet her once more, but she shushed him instead.

    ¡°Do you serve another god?¡± Lucius asked, glancing down at her.

    ¡°We serve no god!¡± Ginger replied. ¡°Liam and I nearly died for Progress¡¯ little games.¡±

    Lucius smiled at her words. ¡°In my case, I was the one playing a game of my own. I was blessed enough that he would overlook my transgression and bestow his gift upon me.¡±

    ¡°The four of you have met with god?¡± Pope Georgius asked. Only a handful of humans had ever met with their god, and no one had done so in nearly a millenia.

    ¡°Many times,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Although each time under circumstances more foul than the last.¡±

    Ginger merely glared in the direction of the congregation as they began to buzz with the murmurs of excited conversation.

    ¡°We have met with him.¡± Liam attempted to rise from Ginger¡¯s lap for a moment before slumping back down. ¡°He granted us each a gift, and we were pit against the champions of the other gods. We were sent here after our failure.¡±

    ¡°God has¡­ failed?¡± Georgius was dumbstruck, but the man waved it off weakly.

    ¡°We were merely two among many. At the least, he was confident in his victory when he sent us on our way.¡± Having said his piece, the man closed his eyes again and allowed Ginger to run her hands through his hair. The church lulled into a moment of silence as the priests took a breath of relief.

    ¡°And you?¡± Pope Georgius turned to the last of the four, a confused looking man in his early twenties. ¡°What is your story?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ My name is Christoph,¡± he said. Pausing, the man took a moment to glance around the church. ¡°I¡¯m not sure why I¡¯m here. I¡¯ve never even heard of your god.¡±

    ¡°You have not?¡± The Pope frowned as he studied the young man. ¡°Your clothing seems to be similar to theirs, are you not from the same land?¡±

    ¡°That is probably true,¡± Lucius interrupted, ¡°but even so it would be extremely unusual to have met one of the gods. I know of only eight others at most, and for each of them a different god.¡±

    ¡°So many¡­¡± The Pope spoke under his breath, but nobody in the church missed his words.

    ¡°There were sixteen for us,¡± Liam said. ¡°Most of them had died by the time we were banished, though.¡±

    Lucius and the Pope turned towards Christoph as one.

    ¡°You have not received a gift, either?¡± Lucius asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Christoph replied, short black hair bouncing as he shook his head. ¡°What do you mean by gift?¡±

    ¡°A divine power,¡± Lucius replied, fixing the position of his glasses. ¡°Supernatural strength or speed, the power of teleportation or telepathy. Well, most of the gifts I witnessed were much more unusual than that, but you get the idea.¡± Lucius turned towards the couple on the floor.

    ¡°There were sixteen of us,¡± the man said. ¡°Half of whom received gifts from Progress. The others were champions of another god. Strength, speed, the ability to see into the future or control the bodies of others¡­¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t do anything like that,¡± Christoph said. He grimaced for a moment, staring down at the intricate swirls and symbols that stretched out over the floor they stood on. ¡°I¡­ Actually, I think I¡¯m gonna be sick.¡±

    ¡°To have received such gifts¡­¡± The Pope turned, seeing that the left-hand half of the group of priests behind him had kneeled down before the trio.

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    A large red-robed man came forward from the centre of the kneeling priests, approaching the dais which the four stood upon. Kneeling once more, he bowed his shaven head towards them.

    ¡°I am Archbishop Kale of the Church of the Creator¡¯s Blessed,¡± he said. ¡°If it is true that you have met with our god and received such gifts from him, you would be only people to have done so in many centuries.¡±

    ¡°It may not be possible to prove our claims,¡± Lucius said. ¡°However, I do not believe that should be an issue. If lord Progress has sent us here, there must be a reason.¡±

    He turned towards Christoph, who was still looking uneasily at his surroundings. ¡°Even you might yet have some purpose,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Does anything come to mind?¡±

    Christoph could only shake his head in reply, a hand pressed firmly against the writhing in his stomach. The young boy tilted his own head in response, reaching up to fix his glasses as he stared back at the older man. Seeing something, his eyes suddenly widened and he opened his mouth to speak.

    Before he could utter a single word, Christoph fell to his knees and began to vomit blood.

    ¡­

    Christoph awoke in a small sunlit room. The single window was plain and unornamented, and the door likewise. The room, however, was not empty. Shelves lined the walls, and on every shelf lay a myriad of crystals, the largest of which were the size of a fist. Sitting on a wooden chair opposite his bed was the familiar form of Lucius, who tilted his head as Christoph stirred.

    ¡°Do you always do that?¡± Christoph asked, pushing himself into a sitting position.

    ¡°If you¡¯re referring to the way I tilt my head then yes, I¡¯m afraid so. It helps me make use of my gift,¡± Lucius replied. ¡°You¡¯ve been asleep for nearly a whole day ¨C there¡¯s a lot to talk about and we don¡¯t have much time. How do you feel?¡±

    Christoph lifted the sheets off his body and looked down to see he had been dressed in a pair of loose pants and a thin long-sleeved shirt as well. ¡°Hungry. My clothes?¡±

    ¡°They were ruined by the blood,¡± Lucius replied. ¡°I assume the church disposed of them.¡±

    Christoph let the sheets fall again, looking over at the boy for a moment. Although he wore a high school blazer, the way he carried himself wasn¡¯t that of a typical teenager. Most likely he was in his final year, maybe a member of the student council or some kind of honors student.

    ¡°What happened to me?¡± Christoph asked, rubbing his eyes. A sense of unease settled over him as he struggled to recall what had occurred.

    ¡°To put it simply, the church believes that your body is rejecting the small amounts of mana inherent to this land. Out of the four of us, you are the only one who said they never made contact with the divine powers before now, and your body would not have grown accustomed to channeling their energy. In other words, they think you¡¯re drowning in mana.¡± Lucius glanced over at the door before continuing.

    ¡°The church in this place is not a single entity. Although the Pope leads the clergy, there are two distinct factions vying for power, each roughly equal at the present moment. Archbishop Kale leads the Creator¡¯s Blessed, the militant faction. They believe that all mana flows forth from god, and that those ¡®chosen¡¯ as we have been are agents of the divine. In simple terms, they would follow our lead as long as the Archbishop doesn¡¯t object.¡±

    ¡°The second faction is that of the Creator¡¯s Will, the ¡®protectors¡¯ of the church. You can think of the two factions as a sword and shield if you wish. The problem is this ¨C because you are a being who rejects the essence of their god, the Creator¡¯s Blessed consider you to be non-human. At best, a soulless entity, and at worst a demonic presence. They have been petitioning for your immediate execution. The Creator¡¯s Willful are firmly against that.¡±

    Christoph raised a hand to clutch at his head. ¡°Okay, so half the church wants me dead. But it¡¯s the half that will follow your lead.  Can¡¯t you just stop them?¡±

    ¡°I can,¡± Lucius said, ¡°but the problem lies deeper than you think.¡±

    He gestured widely to the crystals which lined the room. ¡°The Creator¡¯s Willful are a healing faction, and they have taken it upon themselves to drain you of mana in order to prolong your life. Each of these crystals is designed to absorb the magical energy from their surroundings and hold it within. You can think of them as a life support system in this case. However, the church is mistaken about your malady.¡±

    ¡°Mistaken?¡± Christoph asked. ¡°Are you telling me I¡¯m going to die no matter what you do?¡± Shivering slightly, he has a vision of his body falling cold and still.

    ¡°Not necessarily.¡± Lucius removed his glasses and tilted his head as he gazed around the room. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how to explain this, so I¡¯ll just say it. The stream of mana between you and the crystals¡­ is flowing backwards.¡±

    Christoph tilted his head, mirroring the high schooler¡¯s actions.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t drowning in the mana,¡± Lucius said, righting his posture. ¡°You¡¯re starving for it. I don¡¯t know who you are or where you came from, or even if this was why you were summoned or maybe because of the summoning, but you are draining the crystals of their mana and it won¡¯t be long before the church finds out.¡±

    ¡°Is that a bad thing?¡± Christoph asked. ¡°If this land is filled with mana, can¡¯t I live here without any issues? What¡¯s the problem?¡±

    ¡°This is worse than if you were just unable to handle the mana,¡± Lucius replied. ¡°Requiring mana for sustenance¡­ there¡¯s only one kind of being that fits that description in this world.¡±

    Before he even spoke, Christoph knew what he was about to say.

    ¡°To put it simply,¡± Lucius said, ¡°it¡¯s a demon.¡±

 Chapter Two

    ¡°You think I¡¯m a demon?¡± Christoph shifted back in his bed until he was sitting straight again the wall behind him.

    ¡°Not quite,¡± Lucius replied. ¡°But they will. Tell me, have you ever heard the name Veritas before?¡±

    Christoph shook his head, hand paused where he¡¯d started reaching for the bed sheets. If the high schooler was telling the truth, dashing out of the room now wouldn¡¯t end well for him.

    ¡°Tempter?¡± Lucius asked, tilting his head and speaking without regard for Christoph¡¯s confused silence. ¡°Bastias, Manitas, Charter, Strider, Militia, Wrath?¡±

    ¡°You know, I think I do know some of those words,¡± Christoph said with a dry look. ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡±

    ¡°Do you know of the Silver Swords?¡± Lucius continued, narrowing his eyes at the older man. ¡°The Shattered Swords?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re trying to fish around inside my head with that gift of yours,¡± Christoph began, ¡°you¡¯ll have to do better than that.¡±

    ¡°Are you related to Josephine Smith?¡± Lucius said flatly.

    ¡°Watch it,¡± Christoph snapped, face contorting into a scowl. ¡°You¡¯re on thin ice.¡±

    ¡°I thought so,¡± Lucius mused, unfazed by Christoph¡¯s response. ¡°That would make Merry your father, then? If you¡¯re, what, twenty something right now that gives us¡­ barely a decade between us and of course a half century with those two involved.¡±

    ¡°A decade?¡± Christoph replied, ignoring the subject of his lineage. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m talking about the times we were taken from,¡± the high schooler said. ¡°Liam and Ginger would have been involved with the original conflict, the Prayer Game that your parents fought in. You came from nearly twenty years after and finally me, ten years later still¡­ I wonder if that means-¡±

    ¡°Not to interrupt your train of thought,¡± Christoph said with a raise of his hand, ¡°but what am I supposed to do about this, about now? The history of another world isn¡¯t exactly high on my priorities right now.¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Lucius said, standing from his chair. ¡°Here¡¯s what¡¯s going to happen.¡±

    ¡­

    Christoph staggered slightly on the cobbled road as he made his way through the city streets, the already dim light becoming darker still with each passing moment. Clutching the bag at his side, he picked up his pace and ignored the market stalls on his way. If he didn¡¯t make it through the city gates before the church caught wind of his movements, he likely wouldn¡¯t live through the night.

    Reaching into the hessian sack, he produced a small object, throwing it into his mouth as he would a tablet or sweet. It warmed his tongue pleasantly before dissolving, and he reached for another before he had traveled more than two streets. Rather than candy, the contents of the sack were the crystals that had been arranged around his small room.

    ¡°Here,¡± Lucius had told him, holding up a thumb-sized crystal. ¡°Eat this. It probably isn¡¯t the most economical of solutions, but it¡¯s probably best for you to satisfy your hunger before setting out.¡±

    Christoph scowled, turning his face away as he passed what looked to be a city patrol. He had passed only a handful so far, a tiny amount compared to the multitudes of adventurers that wandered the streets. Moving in groups of three of four, members of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild stood out due to the small metal medallion they wore, and the weapons they carried at their hips or across their shoulders. Besides the city guard, it didn¡¯t seem that any townsfolk carried arms in their daily lives.

    The road stretched out before Christoph, an almost straight line that continued past the city gates. Despite his haste the sun had fallen almost beyond the horizon by the time he reached the walls, guards moving to mount lit torches in sconces arranged along the street. Christoph¡¯s small sack began to emit a dull blue glow, the gems inside rattling gently with each step.

    ¡°You see?¡± Lucius had asked him, light gleaming off his wire-framed glasses. ¡°See how the light flows into you from the crystals? If anyone sees this it¡¯ll be the end of you. Thankfully, the fact that we can see that is due to our unusual circumstances¡­ as long as you don¡¯t run into any particularly gifted magicians you should be fine.¡±

    Magic. Christoph shuddered at the implications. Shaking his head, he moved to stand in line to pass through the city gates. At this time of night, the majority of traffic was poised to enter the city, but a small queue had formed in the opposite direction as well.

    ¡°Next!¡± The guard called the line onward, and Christoph shuffled forwards awkwardly. Although the church had not disposed of his shoes as they had his shirt and jeans, he would no doubt draw unwanted attention if he wore them on his journey. The cobblestones had burned his feet from the church to the gates, and he was thankful of the slowly setting sun if only for that reason. Looking around, he saw several people stealing glances at his bare feet, one small boy going so far as to tug on the armor of his companion, leaning up whisper into the older man¡¯s ear.

    ¡°Next!¡±

    Christoph approached the guard, reaching into the sack and pulling out a small letter Lucius had given him. The guard frowned upon seeing the letter, but after carefully scrutinizing it he waved Christoph onward.

    ¡°Good pilgrimage, monk,¡± the guard said, buying Lucius¡¯ quickly constructed cover. ¡°Next!¡±

    Breathing easier, Christoph bowed his head and strode out of the city. Making his way past the line of merchants and adventurers waiting to enter the city, he continued on into the empty plains, following the hard surface of the road as he went. Behind Christoph, a small group of adventurers broke out of line, turning away from the city and following along behind him.

    ¡­

    Once he was sure that he was far enough from the city gates, Christoph reached into his sack and pulled out two more gemstones. Popping the smaller one into his mouth, he held the larger out in his hand, feeling the warmth inside spreading throughout his fingers as he caressed it. Consuming the stones might be a more effective method to take in mana, but merely absorbing the energy through contact would allow him to re-use them at a later date.

    Christoph walked on somewhat mindlessly, the vast plains and endless road doing nothing to lend him strength for his journey. Even if the church never found out that he had been starved for mana rather than smothered by it, the Creator¡¯s Blessed would be after him. Added to that were the valuable crystals he had stolen from the Creator¡¯s Willful, sealing his fate as someone who would never be welcomed in the Kingdom of the Creator.

    Slowing his pace, Christoph turned his head to glance back at the city behind him. Surely there would be no priests on his tail, no armored Knights Templar pursuing him on horseback. Instead, a small group of five adventurers were also travelling along the highway, the waning sun hiding their features as it set behind them. Halting for a moment, Christoph stretched out before stealthily reaching into his sack and replacing the long-dissolved gemstone in his mouth. With that, he let out a sigh and began to jog along the road.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Behind him, he heard a sudden clash of metal on metal. Although he ignored it at first, the sound continued on, a rhythmic clank of an armored figure jogging along a cobblestone road. Slowing once more, Christoph threw a glance behind him. The adventurer group was jogging as one, slowly closing the distance now that he had slowed.

    Frowning slightly, Christoph picked up his pace once more. Behind him, the adventurers increased their pace to match with his. Clutching at his sack almost reflexively, Christoph fought to calm his rapidly beating heart. This was no longer coincidence, this was an obvious pursuit.

    He turned back for a third time, doing his best to run his glance over the group behind him before putting his head down and increasing his pace to near that of a sprint. The boy who had whispered to his comrade! Wearing a strange hat and robes, and carrying a staff ¨C a magician, then? Had he seen the gemstones glowing through the sack? The companion he had whispered to was the armored man, a shield clanking on his back as he jogged after him and an axe hanging at his hip. There were three more members of the group ¨C a spear-wielding man, a woman carrying a bow and a plainly clothed man who was dressed not unlike Christoph himself, even carrying a sack by his side as well.

    Pushing his pace, Christoph was relieved to hear the clank of the pursuer¡¯s armor fall behind. It was only a moment later that he noticed the rhythmic thudding of someone chasing him down with a pace that matched his. They had sent their faster members on ahead! Realizing that he could not escape, and especially cautious of the bow they carried, Christoph stopped his flight and turned to face them.

    ¡°Oh, are you finished with your jog?¡± It was the spear-wielder who spoke, smiling confidently as he took a stance across from Christoph.

    ¡°Coin!¡± The armored man called out as he jogged towards them. ¡°Hold your blade!¡±

    ¡°Yes yes, I know.¡± Moving out of his stance, Coin pressed the butt of his spear into the road, leaning on the shaft as he waited for his companions to arrive.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Christoph asked, glancing warily over the group as they formed up in front of him. ¡°What do you want with me?¡±

    The armored man nodded his head in response. ¡°My name is Ruth. The guy over there with the spear is Coin. The girl over there is Lily, the mage¡¯s name is Regal, and the bored looking man over there is Quester.¡± He pointed to each of the group in turn, each person giving a little nod or curt wave as they were introduced.

    ¡°Together, we form the Gold-ranked adventurer party Sacrilegious Shield,¡± Ruth said. ¡°Now as for yourself, what company are you with?¡±

    ¡°Company?¡± Christoph blinked in confusion, still trying to figure out everyone¡¯s names. Ruth was a male¡¯s name, and the three other men were named Coin, Regal and Quester?

    ¡°Aye, company,¡± Ruth continued with narrowed eyes. ¡°Which one are you with?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re mistaken,¡± Christoph said. ¡°I don¡¯t work for a company.¡±

    ¡°If you work for no company, and you¡¯re not a member of the guild, how did you come into possession of so many crystals?¡± Ruth asked flatly.

    Christoph froze for a moment, and the armored man turned his head toward Regal the mage. ¡°How many did you say you saw?¡±

    Regal closed his eyes for a moment, clutching his staff with two hands before opening his eyes again. ¡°More than a half-dozen,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe as many as ten.¡±

    The contents of Christoph¡¯s sack numbered more than two dozen gemstones. Ruth smiled over at him, reaching down to place a hand on the handle of his axe.

    ¡°So?¡± Ruth asked. ¡°Care to explain yourself?¡±

    Christoph glanced over the group, arranged before him in the dimming light of evening. Taking a deep breath, he bowed his head to Ruth before standing straight again.

    ¡°My name is Christoph Smith,¡± he said.

    ¡°Two names?¡± Coin asked with a raised eyebrow.

    ¡°Where I am from it¡¯s customary to have two names,¡± Christoph said with a pained expression. He didn¡¯t know enough about the Kingdom to make up a convincing cover story. ¡°I arrived in this land only recently, and found myself growing ill due to the amount of mana in the area. The church was treating me, but I didn¡¯t want to wait around until they decided to change their minds. I stole these gems so I could get to safety without throwing up blood again.¡±

    Ruth narrowed his eyes at the story. ¡°Regal, is something like that possible?¡±

    Regal nodded his head. ¡°Mana hyper-saturation. It occurs very infrequently and mostly in small children. The Church of the Creator¡¯s Blessed does not take kindly to those that are afflicted, and they are usually taken away by the Templars if the Willful don¡¯t stop them.¡±

    ¡°There, it¡¯s true,¡± Christoph said with a pleading look. ¡°I¡¯m not looking for trouble, and I doubt that gold-ranked adventurers would be the kind of people to participate in literal highway robbery.¡±

    ¡°Watch your mouth,¡± Lily snapped. ¡°Do you want us to turn you in to the Templars? The favor we¡¯d receive from the church would probably be worth it even without the reward we¡¯d no doubt end up with.¡±

    Christoph fell silent, having to concede to her point.

    ¡°I for one have no wish to send this man to his death,¡± Ruth said. Regal nodded his little head in agreement.

    ¡°Money is money,¡± Coin said with a shrug.

    ¡°If you guide me to my destination I can pay,¡± Christoph said. ¡°I won¡¯t have a need for most of these gems once I get there. You can take them back to the church, tell them that you recovered them from me.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯d have to wait for the quest to be posted,¡± said Coin. ¡°Holding onto those things until then?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± said Ruth. ¡°None of use hold any love for the church as it is. Neither are we common bandits. This is a good job, and you know it.¡±

    ¡°What about our current quest?¡± asked Regal. ¡°Gold-ranks have no slack when it comes to abandoning jobs.¡±

    ¡°Where are you headed, Christoph?¡± asked Ruth.

    Christoph turned away from the group, pointing to the other end of the highway. In the dim light of sunset, a faint blue glow was visible to one side of the horizon.

    ¡°I¡¯m told there¡¯s some sort of forest ahead,¡± Christoph said. ¡°That¡¯s my destination.¡±

    There was silence for a moment before Ruth replied. ¡°If you want to die so badly, we might as well just turn you in now and save us all some time.¡±

    ¡°No, no,¡± Christoph said, shaking his head. ¡°As long as I have these crystals, I absolutely have to get to the forest.¡±

    Ruth turned back to the group. ¡°It¡¯s on the way,¡± he said heavily. ¡°We might as well take the job.¡±

    ¡°On the way?¡± Christoph asked.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Coin said with a lazy gesture. ¡°The target of our quest should be somewhere between here and the forest.¡±

    Christoph remained silent in the hope that he would expand on the topic.

    ¡°You should prepare yourself,¡± the spearman said with a grin. ¡°We¡¯re going to kill a dragon.¡±

 Chapter Three

    ¡°You didn¡¯t have any magicians where you came from?¡± Regal¡¯s bushy eyebrows scrunched together as he frowned.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t that there wasn¡¯t any,¡± Christoph replied with a shake of his head. ¡°It¡¯s just that the land didn¡¯t have much mana in it, so magic was hard to use. I doubt I¡¯d be in this mess otherwise.¡±

    Over the past few days, he¡¯d worked hard to formulate his false past. It was a simple enough matter to act as though he was just a private person, and what little information he gave them was near enough to the truth that he wouldn¡¯t easily be caught in a contradiction.

    ¡°I¡¯d been wondering why you were so curious,¡± Regal said. After a moment, his face brightened into a smile. ¡°Well, it isn¡¯t often that there¡¯s someone who wants to learn about magic from me.¡±

    Christoph nodded at the boy¡¯s words and returned his smile. As far as he could tell, Regal was the only friendly member of the Sacrilegious Shield group, and also the youngest. Ruth was an amiable middle-aged man, but ignored idle chatter in a wholly pragmatic fashion. Of the three that were Christoph¡¯s age, Quester ignored just about everyone. Lily was a bitch to put it bluntly, and Christoph quickly resolved not to bother her. Coin was friendly on the surface, but he seemed to always be smiling as if there was a secret he was hiding from everyone¡­

    ¡°A dragon?¡± Christoph had exclaimed back then.

    Coin laughed at him for a while before Ruth stepped in to correct him. ¡°A plains dragon,¡± he said with a clank of metal.

    Regal nodded in agreement. ¡°Really more like a giant lizard,¡± the boy added.

    Christoph frowned at that. ¡°Aren¡¯t all dragons?¡±

    Coin doubled over laughing again.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± Ruth said flatly. ¡°If an actual dragon came down to the plains nearly the entire guild would be mobilized to defeat it.

    ¡°Well,¡± Regal had said, ¡°this one¡¯s gotten big enough to go after horses, otherwise the guards would have taken it out themselves. Don¡¯t let your guard down too much.¡±

    ¡­

    A tug at his shirt snapped Christoph back into the present. Looking down, he saw Regal staring up at him from a shockingly close position. ¡°So,¡± Regal said, ¡°what do you want to know?¡±

    Pulling free of Regal¡¯s grasp, Christoph quickly turned away and took a moment to gather himself. Regal might be a young man, but he had strikingly feminine features and no respect for personal boundaries. Christoph felt no attraction for him, but as the days passed he had begun to eye the assortment of charms Regal wore, the jewels embedded into his staff giving off a faint blue glow during the darker hours. Christoph clutched at the crystals in his sack, but resisted the urge to reach in and pull one out.

    ¡°Uh, anything is fine,¡± he said to Regal. ¡°What kind of magic do you use?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m an elemental mage,¡± Regal said proudly, his short curled hair bouncing as he straightened his posture. ¡°I specialize in ice magic, although I¡¯m practiced in earth and air magic as well.¡±

    ¡°Not fire?¡± Christoph asked.

    Regal shot a glance over at Quester and Lily before speaking. It seemed the two were siblings, and they spent most of their time together during the day. At night, though, it was Coin and Lily who shared a tent. ¡°No, not fire,¡± Regal said. ¡°Fire isn¡¯t really as effective against magical beasts, and you can¡¯t use it in caves or indoors because of the smoke.¡±

    Christoph nodded in understanding. Fire was a weapon used against people. He glanced over at Quester as well, taking in his complete lack of weapons and armor. So he was a fire mage, then? It didn¡¯t surprise him, Quester had the personality of a psychotic bastard. The two siblings must have had a troubled past.

    ¡°How about lightning?¡± Christoph asked.

    Regal shook his head. ¡°No, lightning magic sits on the border between elemental and pure magic.¡±

    ¡°Pure magic?¡± This was more complicated than Christoph had been expecting.

    ¡°If you can cast magic without channeling the mana through a substance of some sort, that¡¯s pure magic,¡± Regal said. ¡°It¡¯s more effective but much less efficient, so few mages bother with it.¡± He shrugged. ¡°As well as elemental magic and pure magic, there¡¯s also healing magic, which channels the mana through a person¡¯s body.¡±

    Regal paused and glanced over at Quester and Lily again. ¡°Sorcery is also a type of magic, although it involves making pacts with spirits rather than cast the magic yourself. It¡¯s dangerous and most intelligent people stay well clear of it.¡±

    Lily shot a glare back at the two of them before picking up her pace and moving slightly ahead. Christoph smiled at the exchange, shaking his head at Regal¡¯s passive aggressive jab. Did that mean Lily was a sorcerer and an archer then? Or maybe Quester was the sorcerer, and she was getting angry for his sake.

    Christoph and Regal continued their conversations as they traveled, Christoph eager to learn more about magic in particular. If mages were going to be a problem for him in the future it would be prudent to prepare some counter-measures. It was even possible that he could tap into his mana reserves and cast magic himself, although he didn¡¯t dare bring it up with the party and ruin his cover.

    They had traveled for several days, always in the same formation. Coin was at the front with Ruth, Lily and Quester behind them to the right, and Christoph and Regal behind them to the left. They didn¡¯t move in the darkness since the first night, and despite Christoph¡¯s concerns for speed the rate at which they moved remained roughly the same each day. It¡¯s likely that Christoph would have collapsed from exhaustion on the second day had he been rushing off alone. Six days had passed when the group halted their advance and stepped off the road, striking out onto the plains in search of their objective.

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    ¡°Remember,¡± Ruth said. ¡°It might look like a large lizard, but don¡¯t underestimate it. If you get too close you¡¯ll be swallowed before you can think, and don¡¯t expect it to hesitate just because you¡¯re pointing a weapon at it. Don¡¯t get too close to the head, and never try to flank it ¨C it can turn its body even faster than it can lunge. As always, magical beasts will go for the mana first, so we¡¯ll go with the usual plan. Regal, I¡¯ll leave Christoph with you.¡±

    The group nodded before moving out in the usual formation. Before long, the figure of the lizard came into sight across the grass. It lay basking in the sun as they approached, eyes closed and belly moving slowly as it breathed. It wasn¡¯t until they moved closer that Christoph was able to appreciate the true size of the beast. Ruth had said that it was capable of hunting horses, but Christoph hadn¡¯t realized what that meant until now. Unlike other animals, lizards usually swallowed their prey whole.

    ¡°A giant gecko?¡± Christoph said under his breath, trying to figure out just how big the creature really was.

    ¡°Watch for the tongue!¡± Ruth said, reaching over his shoulder to grab the shield off of his back. He raised his axe in the other hand, and Coin followed his lead. There was a burst of mana from where Lily stood, and a small sprite appeared from nowhere, dancing through the air towards the lizard. The sprite shined as it flew, shimmering as though it lacked substance. Christoph felt his stomach rumble as he watched the small bundle of mana fly away.

    Evidently, the lizard shared his attraction to the sprite. Lifting its head, it burst across the grass and closed its jaws over the space where the sprite had been a moment earlier. A loud snap rang out, and the group tightened the grip on their weapons. Next to Christoph, Regal had closed his eyes and was holding his staff with both hands, blue light gathering in the crystals embedded in the head. Christoph¡¯s mouth began to water, and he licked his lips as he stared over at the glowing gemstones.

    The plains dragon continued to lunge at the sprite that Lily had summoned, sitting still until the glowing spirit danced into reach and then lashing out with its tongue and jaws to catch the tiny figure. The body of the lizard stood about three or four meters high, although as it was in the shape of a gecko its height was the smallest to its measurements. On the other hand, the spirit was no larger than a foot tall, and it was a wonder that the dragon was even interested in such tiny prey.

    As Regal continued to channel mana into his staff, the lizard became more and more distracted, eventually turning away from the spirit entirely. Lily swore as Ruth and Coin stepped forward to block it, the small sprite also whirring down in front of the lizard and dancing around at close range. The next snap of the lizard¡¯s jaws closed down over the spirit, a pulse sounding as the mana dissipated suddenly, frost appearing on the outside of the dragons jaws. Nearby, Lily dropped to her knees, breathing heavily and leaning on Quester for support.

    The lizard seemed to grow slightly sluggish with the cold, sitting motionless for a handful of seconds as Regal continued to channel mana. Suddenly it dashed across the distance, tongue whipping out to catch Ruth on the shield. The sturdy item shook on impact and was torn from Ruth¡¯s grasp, disappearing into the dragon¡¯s mouth to be chewed up somewhat unceremoniously for what Christoph assumed to be the namesake of the group.

    Ruth staggered back, Coin following his movements closely. Lily reached for her bow, but Quester shook his head at her instead, dragging her backwards away from the fight. The next time the dragon lunged, Ruth was barely able to dodge the blow. The time after, the tongue flashed out between the two men, and Coin was able to strike at the soft organ with his spear, although the dragon didn¡¯t even seem to notice.

    ¡°Regal!¡± Ruth shouted.

    Opening his eyes, Regal raised the staff to the sky and thrust the mana skywards. It exploded forth from the gemstones, disappearing into the air above him. A moment later, the temperature dropped noticeably. Frost formed on the lizard once more, this time covering its entire head and body. The dragon seemed to pause for an age before turning towards the source of the spell.Just as it made its move, though, a large icicle formed in the air above it, hovering for a split second before stabbing down into its body like a giant frozen lance.

    The dragon writhed as it was struck, coiling around in soundless pain. Coin circled around the beast before leaping up onto it¡¯s back, walking forwards until he stood above the head. Clutching his spear in both hands, he aimed it down into the beast¡¯s brain and, seeming to glow for a moment, slammed it through the dragon¡¯s skull in one massive strike. The tremendous monster thumped ditches into the grassy plain before slumping down in the finality of death.

    After confirming that the beast was dead, Regal unfurled a scroll, mana bursting through the paper to cover the dragon¡¯s corpse as it lay already cool to the touch. The earth trembled as it rose up over the beast in smooth sheets, a layer of rock forming over the dragon and sealing it inside. Inspecting the earthen tomb, Regal used his staff to carve a large symbol into the side of the tomb, a shield that held a crossed spear and staff, a snake coiled around each one.

    ¡°Well that¡¯ll keep it preserved for a few days at least,¡± Ruth said, massaging his shield arm. ¡°Remind me to buy another scroll next time we visit a guild building. A shield, too.¡±

 Chapter Four

    Christoph looked down into the sack he carried, the dwindling number of gemstones weighing heavily on his mind. If he didn¡¯t make it to the forest sometime soon he would almost certainly starve to death. Even inside the forest he¡¯d have to somehow procure a weapon and learn how to hunt the beasts that lived there. Lucius had told him that the main cause of mana hyper-saturation was people accidentally consuming parts of a magical beast, which were therefore considered poisonous. As such, he doubted there was anyone he could ask for advice, and it would be suspicious for a non-adventurer to be hunting the beasts in the first place.

    He rose from the fireplace as Coin began to tear down his tent, Lily wandering off somewhere with a yawn. The noises that emitted from their shelter at night had kept Christoph awake, and he glared at the couple for a moment before sighing. Like Ruth, he slept under the stars, although not by choice. Quester and Regal took refuge in a small rock shelter Regal conjured up each time, but as an outsider he didn¡¯t dare to invite himself in, and they didn¡¯t seem wont to ask him to join them either.

    Christoph sighed again as he turned away from the fireplace and towards the giant lizard. He had been hoping to refill his gems through the night by draining mana from the corpse, but Regal¡¯s barrier had prevented that from happening.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Ruth said. ¡°If you hurry you can make it to the forest by noon. We¡¯ll be waiting here for your return.¡± Although the lizard was sealed under Regal¡¯s spell, that was mainly just a method to alert the guild and delay decomposition until they can harvest the remains. The plan was that Regal and Ruth would remain behind to protect the dragon until the merchants arrived. Hopefully Coin, Quester and Lily would be able to see Christoph to the forest and safely return by nightfall.

    Christoph gathered up his sack and slung it over his shoulder. Ahead of him, Quester did the same. Even Coin carried a small bag at his hip, and the four crystals they had taken from Christoph as payment rattled within. Regal and Lily had unsurprisingly chosen not to carry the mana-draining gemstones, and Coin had happily volunteered. Perhaps Coin was just a nickname the others had given him? He certainly seemed greedy enough to earn the moniker. Setting out, the four of them left the camp behind and made their way back to the highway once more.

    The walk that day was, compared to the past week, a tiring journey. Ruth wasn¡¯t there to guide the group, and despite the fact that they shared a bed roll at night Coin and Lily seemed to argue more aggressively with each step. Quester did nothing to stop them either, and many times Christoph found himself looking around for Regal¡¯s friendly face.

    Around midday they stepped off the highway once more, the green plains giving way to brown bush-land, long grass catching at their feet as they walked onward.

    ¡°What do you know of the forest?¡±

    Christoph started at the voice, looking around to see Quester walking alongside him. ¡°Not much,¡± he said, hiding his surprise. ¡°As I said, I¡¯m a not from around here. I just have something to do there.¡±

    ¡°The forest isn¡¯t somewhere an unarmed man should be walking into blind,¡± Quester  said, shaking his head before continuing. ¡°The part you can see from here is called the Paw, because of the way it sticks out from the main forest. The beasts in the paw gather at the center, so if you stick to the edges and sleep in the trees you should be safe. If you¡¯re trying to cross the border, you¡¯re better off skirting the edge of the forest and traveling through the arm.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing that the arm connects the paw to the main forest?¡± Christoph asked.

    ¡°Exactly. I wouldn¡¯t recommend crossing the border though, the beast clans don¡¯t take kindly to human trespassers,¡± Quester said. Ahead, Coin and Lily had fallen strangely silent. ¡°You should prepare yourself. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re planning, but many better men than you have died in here before.¡±

    Coin halted the party, reaching into his boot and drawing out a small dagger. ¡°Take this,¡± he said with a grin. ¡°If nothing else, it¡¯ll give us a reason to come find your body when you die.¡±

    Lily glared at Christoph when he took the blade, but remained silent for the moment.

    ¡°Okay, we¡¯re about a half hour from the Paw,¡± Coin said, holding a hand up to shield his eyes as he looked into the distance. ¡°From here on out be ready to fight if you have to.¡±

    ¡­

    The group advanced slowly through the grass, the edge of the forest clearly visible from their position. Coin had said they were half an hour away from the forest, but it would take them closer to a full hour to reach it at this pace. Even so, they didn¡¯t dare travel any faster. The reason for this was simple ¨C beasts.

    The first encounter they had with the creatures was a small group of dog-sized lizards. Coin skewered one on his spear and the rest had scattered. Quester had produced an unnervingly large knife from somewhere and removed the beast¡¯s teeth and tail, throwing them into his sack and carrying on again.

    Each time after that, Coin would fight off the small animals, sometimes with the help of Lily¡¯s spirit companions. Quester would harvest some part of the remains and Christoph would stare hungrily at the carcasses they left behind. Lizards, mammals, birds, strange mixtures of all three. Most of them had some sort of crystal growing on their bodies, and that was usually the part that Quester would remove. The beasts themselves didn¡¯t seem particularly dangerous, but they attacked without provocation and didn¡¯t avoid the adventurers like normal animals would have done. As far as Christoph was concerned, they might as well have been food on legs at that point.

    It wasn¡¯t until they were almost at the edge of the forest that he had cause to draw his own dagger. A flock of scaled and feathered chickens burst from the long grass, the tiny t-rexes swarming over the four. Coin was more than enough for the group with his spear alone, but the other three were not so capable, and Christoph soon found himself fighting off a few of the beasts by himself. Gripping his knife tightly, he struck out at the little dinosaurs with his dagger, killing two and wounding three more. He sustained several bites in return, but they were shallow and he soon found his hunger distracting him from the pain.

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    The smell of mana-rich blood hung heavily in the air, and the empty sack at his side weighed painfully on his mind. Drool spilled from his mouth at the thought of sating his unnatural hunger, and the dagger trembled in his hand. Unable to stop himself, Christoph reached down and used the blade to slice at the tail of the beasts, cutting off the gemstone which sat at the tip. Staring down at it for a moment, he reached up and placed the small crystal into his mouth, dissolving it almost immediately. Looking back up from the beasts in front of him, he was surprised to see Lily¡¯s summoned spirit hovering directly in front of his face. Swinging his arm out to shoo the sprite in reflex, he swatted it with his palm. A familiar pulse sounded as he made contact with it, and Lily¡¯s sprite exploded into a burst of cold air.

    ¡°A demon?¡± Lily¡¯s cry was half gasped from up ahead, the sorceress shaken by the rebound of her summon being banished.

    Caught off guard by the spirit¡¯s sudden destruction, Christoph caught a glimpse of Lily falling over into the grass. The beasts had long since been defeated, and Coin and Quester rushed to her side before turning to stare over in Christoph¡¯s direction. Sitting up, she clutched at Quester¡¯s legs, and Christoph could see her expression had warped into one of extreme hatred. Coin held his spear out in a stance, but didn¡¯t seem like he wanted to leave Lily behind to approach him. Christoph opened his mouth to explain, but he had no excuses this time. Turning away from them, he ran through the grass towards the edge of the forest.

    Out of the three, Christoph knew Coin was the most dangerous by far. Lily had been incapacitated by the death of her familiar, and Quester had only his large knife. He also had his fire magic, but he wouldn¡¯t be able to use it this sea of dried grass unless he wanted to burn everyone to ashes. As long as Coin didn¡¯t pursue him into the trees, Christoph would be able to get away safely. Behind him, Christoph heard Lily make a sudden sound of frustration. Glancing back, he saw her struggling to unsling her bow from around her shoulders.

    Christoph swore inwardly. The bow, Lily¡¯s bow! He¡¯d seen her carrying it so often without ever using it, it had slipped his mind. Even so, Lily was in no state to shoot any arrows. As long as he kept running, he¡¯d be able to make it to safety. Looking back again, Christoph saw something that chilled his spine.

    Lily wasn¡¯t holding the bow. It wasn¡¯t even Lily¡¯s bow to begin with. Drawing an arrow back, a sinister grin plastered over his face, was Quester. Christoph had assumed that since Regal had glanced towards him before mentioning it, that Quester was a fire-magic user. He had been mistaken. Quester wasn¡¯t a magician at all, he simply played a similar role as a fire-mage would have. Christoph was right in that respect: Quester was the group¡¯s ¡®human killer¡¯.

    Christoph broke into a sprint. Of all the weapons that could be aimed at Christoph in that moment, an arrow would have been the last option he would have chosen. A sword would slash, a spear would pierce and an axe would cleave, but an arrow did something none of those could. An arrow would remain in his body until it was removed.

    Even if he hadn¡¯t been in danger of dying from the first strike, his situation was this: running from a trio of adventurers who were trying to kill him, headed into a dangerous forest armed with only a knife, not wearing so much as a pair of shoes. If he took an arrow to the torso, Christoph would die.

    Quester¡¯s first arrow flew through the air to Christoph¡¯s right. The wind was blowing, and the missile had veered off course. His second arrow would not do the same. Some archers were even known to fire off their first arrow with the intention of using it to correct their others. Christoph doubted that Quester was one of those archers, but even so¡­ The second arrow slammed into Christoph¡¯s left shoulder with a ¡®thunk¡¯.

    Shoved off balance, he fell into the long grass, rolling over and snapping off the shaft of the arrow. Forcing himself to stand, he felt the bladed arrowhead shifting inside his body.

    Christoph had come from a world which was relatively safe. In his childhood, the most pain he had suffered was a broken bone from falling out of a tree, and as an adult he no longer even remembered what that had felt like. But this was real. The pain he felt in that moment was the first real experience of pain he had felt in his entire adult life, the arrow slicing into his flesh like a horrible oversized splinter of wood and metal.

    The three adventurers blurred in the distance, but he was thankful at least that they weren¡¯t chasing him into the forest. Turning back towards the trees, he managed a single step before another arrow slammed into his back. It hit him in the lower right side this time, and he fell to his knees in the grass.

    Moving was pain, breathing was pain. Existing was pain. Even so, he felt the dull ache of hunger lurking under the agony of the arrow wounds. Standing once more, he willed himself to walk into the forest, to take a step and then another until he passed around a tree and out of sight of the adventurers. Christoph walked until he could stand no longer, collapsing face-down on the bare tree roots of the forest floor.

 Chapter Five

    As the sun fell over the Kingdom, a man was lying bloody on the forest floor. He moved every so often, clutching the tree roots in his hands and crawling forwards when he could. When the sun disappeared beyond the horizon and darkness spread over the trees, there was still a light that only he could see. The entire forest glowed a gentle blue, the trees giving off a source of comforting warmth that he could feel throughout his entire being. It was almost enough to distract him from the flaring pain of the arrows lodged into his torso.

    The padding of small feet roused Christoph from his lapse in agony, and he turned his head to look up at the approaching creatures. Blazing with blue light, they circled around his form, the unnatural coldness he radiated halting them in their approach. Even from where they stood he could feel the heat of their mana as he absorbed what little he could.

    Eventually the bravest of the beasts moved closer to him, drawn in by the sweet smell of blood. Christoph blinked to clear his blurred vision moved his head weakly. The creature that padded over to him was a small quadruped, somewhere in between the canine and feline forms. It ignored his attempts at moving and stood over him, lapping at the bloody wounds on his back. The tongue was hard and rough, and he felt his skin being sloughed away as it licked firmly at his back.

    Reaching up, he closed a hand around one of the creature¡¯s back legs. It shook its limb in an effort to throw him off, but he held on with a strength he hadn¡¯t possessed a moment before. Could the beast feel its life force being drained away with each swipe of its tongue? Could it feel the coldness spreading through its body from where he clutched at its leg?

    By the time the small mammal realized it was in danger, it was much too late. It yelped as it tried to escape, teeth puncturing Christoph¡¯s arm and shredding his flesh, but his hand only tightened in response, another closing around the creature¡¯s neck. The beasts in the circle shied away at the cries of their comrade, and Christoph silenced it without mercy. Leaning down onto the warmth of its corpse, he opened his mouth and began to eat.

    His first bite was nothing but fur, and he spat in disgust before he realized how futile that was. The fur dissolved onto his tongue, a flavor that was somehow not that of food but still somehow tasty. He closed his teeth onto the warm flesh of his prey and bit down, a chunk of the furred beast tearing free into his waiting mouth. Each bite was more delicious than the last, each one a profoundly satisfying mouthful of sustenance. Biting down on the bones with a crunch, Christoph felt them breaking between his teeth and swallowed the fragments without hesitation.

    ¡­

    The sun was high above the forest once more, rays of light filtering down through the leaves to shine over the pools of dead leaves that lay gathered in the bends of the tree roots. The trees themselves stretched upwards further than any trees had right to, their trunks thicker than many trees were tall. Their roots formed roads and paths, pitfalls and platforms alike.

    It was on one of these platforms that Christoph knelt, his clothes long since torn and bloody. He held his hands up to his face, a meal clutched in his fingers and torn between his jaws. Steam rose from the pool of blood as it was absorbed by the tree-trunk and claimed by the forest. Christoph didn¡¯t notice that the animal was still clinging to life, a pathetic mewl ringing out across the forest as it was devoured. Such was life in this place, and it had been weeks since he had taken notice of his prey¡¯s pathetic cries. He didn¡¯t even notice the pounding hooves of the approaching enemy until it slammed into him, throwing him off of the platform and into a nearby tree trunk.

    His breath left him in a spray of blood, the meal he had held flung out into the distance and the wounds in his back tearing open once again. Pulling himself upright, Christoph glared over at his attacker before blinking and looking around. Had the forest always been so large? The beast stomped its feet before charging around the tree roots towards him, and he snapped back into the present. A unicorn? Flinging himself from the tree trunk, he rushed down another root, slipping on the wet bark and sliding off the side of the root as the unicorn rushed past him .

    Rather than drop down the few meters into the pile of dead leaves, Christoph gathered his feet underneath him and launched himself across the gap onto another gigantic tree root. Standing up, he rang from the unicorn before it could navigate its way back to him across the tangled wooden walkways. What had happened to him? Even that jump was something he doubted he could have done before. The arrowheads lodged in his back still sliced into him painfully, and glancing back he could see half an arrow shaft protruding from his shoulder.

    Because of how he had looked over his shoulder, Christoph was able to dodge the unicorn¡¯s next charge before it made impact, the bladed horn slashing through the air and cutting wickedly into his left arm. Rolling to his feet, his ruined arm hung uselessly at his side as the unicorn turned back towards him. The blood he had bled onto the unicorn¡¯s horn steamed and disappeared, and he hissed in anger when he realized that it had been absorbed.

    ¡°No,¡± Christoph said with an unhinged grin. ¡°You don¡¯t get to devour me.¡± Instead of turning to run away from the beast he hurtled towards it, charging it before it could charge him. The unicorn lowered its head and slashed at him with its blade, the crystal horn sparkling in the sunlight as it cut through the air. Backing up, Christoph paused for a moment to get a good look at the creature.

    Perhaps smaller than a large horse, the unicorn glared down at him and stomped a hoof again, but didn¡¯t attack just yet. Its back and shoulders were covered in crystals as well, possibly as a kind of armor, although its pale underbelly was vulnerable. The horn itself was less than a meter long, a blade which zigzagged once in the middle like a stylized lightning bolt, thin but more deadly than it looked.

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    Huffing, it charged towards him. He avoided the first attack, but instead of continuing its charge past him the unicorn paused, twisting and turning on the spot as it struck out at him with its horn and hooves. He barely managed to avoid the horn, taking a blow from the hooves before slamming his hand into the beast¡¯s shoulder in an attempt to push it away. Instead of his blow being dulled by the armor, a large chunk of crystal broke off from the beast, falling to the root below. Snatching it up, he smiled as he bit down into the gemstone, feeling the energy flow into him from the crystal. His left hand twitched as the wound began to knit shut, and he smiled wider as the unicorn staggered backwards.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± he said aloud. ¡°Armor? No matter what, I can¡¯t think of those gems as anything but food any more.¡±

    The unicorn lowered its head warily, the horn swaying back and forth as Christoph prepared to attack. He took a step forwards, the unicorn narrowing its eyes at him as he raised both his fists, clenching the fingers of his left hand as it healed. Hooves crunching on the wood beneath it, the unicorn suddenly exploded towards him, the blade shimmering through the air as it charged. Compared to the speed it had when charging from a distance, the attack was so incredibly slow. In the moment it sailed harmless past him, Christoph twisted his body, his right hand slamming up from below the unicorn¡¯s head to plunge into the soft flesh of its exposed neck. Although he was dragged off his feet by the beast¡¯s momentum, the unicorn joined him in crashing down onto the gargantuan surface of the tree root below. He let out a sigh of relief, glad that he hadn¡¯t been carried off the side and into the leaf-filled holes nearby.

    ¡­

    Christoph sat cross-legged before the unicorn¡¯s corpse, pulling the crystals off of its back and crunching down on them one by one. How long had it been since Quester had shot the arrows into him? He struggled to remember the weeks he had spent in the forest so far. Finishing off the crystals, he began to tear at the meat of the beast, devouring the succulent warm morsels of flesh as he tried not to think about how ruined his only set of clothes was becoming.

    He seemed to be healthier than he had ever been before, even when the arrow wounds were included. He swallowed another mouthful of meat, feeling the wounds in his back itch as they tried to heal. Christoph glanced down at his stomach, patting himself down and glancing back at the half-eaten remains of the majestic beast he had slain. Was his stomach a bottomless pit? Maybe the meat was being converted purely into mana and absorbed by his soul or something. He had forgotten to ask Regal about the existence of the soul before. Now it was too late.

    Reaching for another handful of meat, Christoph pushed the thoughts of the adventurers from his mind. In the first place, he had know what would happen if anyone found out about him. Not that the knowledge made it hurt any less. He sighed as he cleaned off the unicorn¡¯s thigh, lifting the heavy bone free from the carcass and scrutinizing it in depth. Rather than white bone, it was a semi-translucent substance, hard and shiny. Was it possible that the beasts had skeletons made of the same material as the gems? Lifting the oversized bone to his mouth, he attempted to bite down on it. To his surprise, it crumbled and dissolved just like the rest of the beast had done. No, now that he thought of it he had been eating bones this entire time, hadn¡¯t he? Frowning, he shook his head and tried to piece his memories together.

    Christoph spent the next half hour devouring the rest of the beast and pondering his circumstances. By the point where he had finished off most of the bones, he felt the arrowheads dislodge and drop free out of his back. He shuddered as he picked them up, casting them into the leaves below with strength borne from his hatred. He ate faster after the wounds had healed over fully, and soon he was left with just the head.

    His inner revulsion at eating something¡¯s face clashed against the delicious aftertaste of the unicorn meat in his mouth, and he eventually picked it up and began eating from the back. He crunched down on the bone, but found himself unable to stomach eating the front half of the horse¡¯s head. He chewed on the bones until the brain was exposed then threw the rest over the edge as well. Inwardly, he breathed a little easier knowing he could still control his hunger to the point of throwing food away. Still, he felt an annoying urge to go after the meat he had just discarded. Pulling himself away from the edge of the root, he turned toward the last morsel he had saved.

    The unicorn¡¯s brain was heavy in his hands, and oddly hard. It didn¡¯t seem to be made of fatty tissue at all, but was rather a giant gemstone itself! Were these beasts made of one hundred percent crystal? What was more peculiar was that the horn seemed to have grown straight out of center of the brain. Studying it closely, Christoph corrected himself. The horn seemed to have been stabbed into the brain rather than having grown out of it! He grabbed the brain in one hand, and wrapped the other hand around the parts of the skull still attached to the horn, wrenching the blade free after a moment. Biting into the brain like an apple, he looked down at the horn in his lap.

    The blade was maybe three quarters of a meter long from the tip to the skull fragments. Underneath that the crystal had grown almost in the shape of tree roots, a long tap-root forming the part which had been stabbed into the unicorn¡¯s brain. It almost looked like a sword, complete with a handle and somewhat unconventional crossguard. Thinking about how easily the horn had sliced into his arm, Christoph picked it up in his right hand, giving it a few practice swings. There was a sudden flash of blue light, and Christoph shielded his eyes for a moment before peering past them to see the unicorn horn writhing slightly as the crystal roots pierced into his bloody right hand.

 Chapter Six

    The crystal tendrils squirmed through Christoph¡¯s hand, bursting out the other side before turning to pierce into his flesh once again. He grasped at the blade with his left hand, fingers slipping on the smooth surface as he tried to pull it free. Somehow, the newly healed state of his previous wounds only made the pain feel more fresh.

    The horn began to shrink as it flowed into his hand, the bones of his fingers cracking and breaking through the skin to be expelled onto the tree root that Christoph was kneeling down on. By the time the blade had shrunk to half of its original size, the crystal roots had wrapped around the bones of his forearm, cracking and splitting them apart. He screamed as the long slivers of bone were pushed from his arm, the liquid crystal flowing further along until he could feel it wriggling its tips into his shoulder-blade.

    Collapsing onto the oversized tree root, Christoph fought to stay conscious. The barrage of pain prickled at his mind, the sharp crackling and dull popping of his bones echoing through his ears. The tree¡¯s bark was rough against his skin, his face rubbing into it as he writhed wordlessly, his eyes slowly blurring out of focus and edging closed. Suddenly, everything stopped.

    Christoph jerked upright, patting himself down and turning his head back and forth to check what had really happened. Fragments of bone lay scattered around him, although his right arm moved around without pain or problems. As he watched, his discarded bones began to crack further apart, crumbling into coarse powder before dissolving into the wood below.

    Opening and closing the fingers on his right hand, he moved his left hand up and down his arm, feeling the familiar form of the limb he had always had. The only difference that he could tell by looking at it was the gemstones that appeared to be embedded into his knuckles, the four crystals set into his bones through the skin. Christoph blinked as he ran the fingers of his left hand over their surface. It was probably more correct to say that the gemstones were an extension of his knuckles rather than embedded into them. He doubted that there was any trace of bone remaining in his entire arm. Judging from the pile of bones below, the crystal had ejected all of them without exception.

    For a moment, he had a horrifying vision of crystals bursting through his chest and ending his life. He forced his mind from the image, but it was quickly replaced with the memory of the unicorn¡¯s brain, a crystal spike thrust deep into the center. Clutching his head, Christoph spent a moment praying it wouldn¡¯t happen. Would he spend the rest of his life as a human unicorn? Where was this god Progress anyway? Shaking his head, he forced himself to his feet, looking around at the bloody mess he¡¯d made of the tree root. The crimson pools of liquid slowly steamed as the forest absorbed it, little by little.

    Christoph could feel the unicorn horn inside of his arm, the same warm feeling that the gemstones had given off as he had carried them. Was it possible to absorb the mana it held into his body? Wasn¡¯t it a part of his body already? He held his arm out, attempting to drain the mana from the horn in the same way he¡¯d drain the gemstones before. Instead of draining mana from the crystal, however, he felt something snag, and the energy flowed backwards, pouring from his body into his hand.

    Staggering at the sudden hunger that washed over him, Christoph watched as the crystal seemed to flow out of his palm, forming the crude shape of a spike in his hand. Stunned for a moment, he simply stared down at what he¡¯d done before the action registered. Was he really fated to spend his life living as a unicorn?! Breathing deeply to calm himself, Christoph attempted to reverse the process. The mana was absorbed easily this time, the horn melting down and flowing back into his arm without issue. He noticed that his hunger had been sated, if not to the point where he had started at. Channeling man back into the horn, he grew it out once more. This time, it formed the more familiar shape of the unicorn¡¯s blade, a plain handle created to go with it. He opened his fingers and tried to release it, but it seemed that the handle was still part of his body, and it refused to fall.

    Pushing his new discovery from his mind Christoph turned his back on the scene he¡¯d created and began to wander down the wooden path the tree roots had grown to form. He had no idea where he was or where he was going, but he doubted it was a good idea to set up a camp on top of a unicorn¡¯s shallow grave. The sun didn¡¯t pierce the canopy often, the gigantic tree tops barely even visible from the ground as they caught the light with their leaves. Even in the shadow of the forest, though, Christoph couldn¡¯t see any telltale flares of magical beasts in any direction. The softly glowing tree trunks were the only source of mana around as far as he could tell. He walked forwards as best as he could and was eventually greeted by the soft sounds of running water.

    Crossing over the roots of several more gigantic trees, Christoph followed the sounds until the stream came into view. After a moment he was able to find a tree root that lowered all the way into the ground, and he descended it like a wooden ramp to the forest floor several meters below. Above him, the trees loomed tall. The stream itself was only about five meters wide, a slow flowing river with a shallow enough bottom to stand in. He tested the water before wading in, the cool liquid flowing crimson as it washed the blood out of his clothes.

    As the material was washed clean, Christoph felt it soften and come unstuck from his skin, the thin long-sleeved shirt soon no more than a mass of tattered rags floating in the current. He tore it off, throwing it into the water and letting it drift away freely. At the least, he was glad that the pants seemed intact, their slightly thicker material sporting several holes but ultimately still in the shape of pants. Ducking under the water, he washed his medium-length hair as clean as he could, scrubbing his skin clean with several handfuls of sand.

    Exiting the stream, Christoph removed his pants, wringing them out before pulling them back on. Were naturally formed streams shaped like this? Looking in each direction, the water seemed to flow in an arrow-straight line as far as he could see. The bottom of the stream had been sand, but the banks were solid rock as well, the tree roots not approaching the water at all. Shrugging, he moved into a rare beam of sunlight and sat down on the warm rock overlooking the stream.

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    It hadn¡¯t even been a minute before he was disturbed by the sound of a footstep behind him. He moved to turn around, but halfway through the motion he felt the wind brush his face as an arrow flew past.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡±

    Freezing in place, Christoph had a moment of panic at the thought that Quester had somehow tracked him down. The pain of the arrows was still recent in his memories, but before he could do anything the archer came into view. He was relieved to see it wasn¡¯t Quester, but a stranger of some sort. The small silver medallion around his neck declared he was an adventurer, his green hooded cloak and short bow giving the impression of a hunter or ranger.

    ¡°Hold still,¡± the man repeated.

    There were several more footsteps from behind Christoph, and another person came into view.

    ¡°Greetings,¡± the newcomer said. ¡°My name is Henry, a silver ranked adventurer from the guild in Starthall.¡±

    An elf? His pointed ears drew Christoph¡¯s attention for a second. Starthall? Had that been the capital city? Christoph swallowed his spit and forced a smile.

    ¡°Cliff, you can stop that,¡± Henry said, waving a hand towards the bowman. ¡°He¡¯s obviously unarmed.¡± Crouching down, Henry looked over Christoph, his gaze pausing briefly on his hand before he straightened again, taking a step back.

    ¡°Okay,¡± he said. ¡°First of all, if you¡¯re an adventurer then where¡¯s your medallion? If you aren¡¯t an adventurer, what are you doing here?¡±

    Christoph shook his head, breathing a little easier now that the bow had been lowered. The unknown presence behind him was still cause for concern, but he brushed it off for now. ¡°I¡¯m not an adventurer,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯m a traveler.¡±

    Henry paused for a second, slowly reaching his hand down to rest on the hilt of his sword. ¡°A traveler?¡± he asked. ¡°Your name?¡±

    Christoph opened his mouth, but didn¡¯t speak. If the members of Sacrilegious Shield had reported him to the church and the guild, he was probably considered a target to kill to sight. ¡°My name is Luke,¡± he said. Luke, the wanderer with a retractable sword and a newly made hand. Maybe when he finally met Progress, the god would claim to be his father.

    Henry narrowed his eyes at Christoph. ¡°Tell me then, Luke,¡± he said. ¡°Why does your hand have the look of the beast crystals, and why are the crystal beasts giving you such a wide berth?¡±

    There was a scuffing sound as the people behind Christoph stiffened.

    ¡°I can explain,¡± Christoph said. ¡°Well, I can sort of explain. I was attacked by a unicorn.¡±

    Henry¡¯s attitude changed instantly, his hand falling slack on top of his sword¡¯s hilt. They must know of the unicorn Christoph had mentioned. Maybe he had accidentally killed something important? Unicorns were sometimes depicted as the benevolent guardians of the forest, after all. Christoph doubted that it had been something like the Great Guardian of the Forest, though.

    ¡°You¡¯ve were attacked by the Guardian?¡± Henry asked with a shocked look.

    Christoph swore inwardly. After a moment¡¯s delay, he shook his head. ¡°I was drawn by sounds of a fight. By the time I had arrived, the unicorn lay wounded, and alone. I tried to approach, but it pierced my hand with its horn. The blade seemed to flow into my arm, and I passed out from the pain. When I woke up, the unicorn was dead.¡±

    Several gasps sounded from the group, a party of four people from what Christoph could tell.

    ¡°I could hear something big moving in the trees, so I ran away,¡± He said, giving Henry a solemn look. ¡°It didn¡¯t seem interested in chasing me, so I stopped once I¡¯d gotten to this strange looking stream.¡±

    Henry staggered a little, stepping back to lean against a nearby ledge that rose from the rock underfoot. Looking around, Christoph confirmed that there were four people in the group, each with a serious expression on their faces.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Henry said hoarsely. ¡°We¡¯ll listen to your story later, for now can you take us to the place where you saw the Guardian?¡±

    ¡­

    The five of them walked through the forest, Christoph leading them back over the trail he had followed to the best of his ability. The party remained mostly silent as they walked, the four adventurers looking grimly down at the forest floor. Henry walked almost ahead of Christoph, worry evident on his elvish face. The ranger, Cliff, walked besides a tall woman who wore mage¡¯s robes, and the last member took the rear. A stocky man, he carried a shield and sword and wore the heaviest armor of the group. Unlike Ruth, though, he seemed to be the same age as the rest of his companions.

    Christoph idly wondered if he should flee before they made it to the scene of his crime. He¡¯d thought up the cover story without any planning, and didn¡¯t have any idea of what he¡¯d tell them he was doing unarmed in the middle of a dangerous forest. Not to mention he already had one fake history he¡¯d fabricated recently. Before he could decide to drop off the wooden walkway and sprint away through the forest floor, they arrived at the tree where he had fought with the unicorn. The others called it a Guardian, did that mean it was something special?

    They had approached the tree root from a lower position, so it wasn¡¯t until they ascended the path that the bloody mess came into view. Crimson fluid was splattered over the five-meter wide root, pieces of gore visible atop the cracked bark. Small craters were scattered around from where the unicorn had trampled the wood, and in the center of it all a massive pool of blood was spread in a solid circle of red. Christoph shifted uncomfortably as the sweet smell of meat reminded him of how delicious a meal it had been. Thankfully, the half-evaporated blood meant that his tracks were now unrecognizable.

    The sound of hurried footsteps was followed by the coarse noise of retching, and Christoph turned around to see Cliff and the tall woman hunched over on separate sides of the tree root. The armored man turned away from the scene with a clank of metal on metal, and Christoph turned back to check on Henry. The elvish adventurer had fallen to his knees on the bark, tears streaming down his face. His shoulders began to shudder as he sobbed, leaning over until his forehead was pressed against the wood as well. Christoph froze as he realized that he¡¯d done something truly terrible. The wind shifted, bringing the strong smell of steaming blood towards him once more. In Christoph¡¯s mind, he couldn¡¯t think of it as anything other than delicious.

 Chapter Seven

    For what seemed an age, Christoph stood motionless as Henry continued to sob quietly into the wooden surface of the tree root. Eventually, Cliff approached the pair, having suppressed his urge to vomit. The tall woman, too, seemed to have recovered without actually being sick, but she remained as far from the scene as possible without parting with the group.

    Cliff crouched down next to Henry, reaching out to clasp a hand onto his shoulder. ¡°This is not the time to mourn,¡± he said. ¡°We need to let the others know what¡¯s happened.¡±

    Henry¡¯s sobs gave way to erratic breathing, the adventurer slowly raising his head to stare up at the aftermath of Christoph¡¯s last meal. Walking over to his armored companion, Cliff spoke to him softly before gesturing back in Christoph¡¯s direction. Taking the cue, Christoph joined Cliff, the tall woman following behind as they began the journey back from where they had come, leaving the other two men behind.

    ¡­

    Down by the stream, a small fire burned. The fireplace was built from loose rocks and fueled by chunks of oversized bark, and every so often it crackled and sent a spark flying over the rocky ground it was set upon. Christoph had sat in silence as Cliff had gathered the rocks and wood, the tall woman standing around wordlessly and a gloomy atmosphere settling over the impromptu camp.

    ¡°Did you see the beast?¡± Cliff asked him over the fire.

    ¡°No,¡± Christoph said, shaking his head. ¡°I just heard it moving around. I got the feeling I didn¡¯t want to meet it.¡±

    ¡°If it really did kill the Guardian that means it¡¯s above our level,¡± Cliff replied. ¡°We should head back to Forestry and report to the guild.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± the tall woman replied. ¡°Henry will never agree to that.¡±

    Cliff nodded in grim understanding. ¡°You¡¯re right, but this incident should be enough to elevate the quest to a Gold rank at the least. Both the Church and the Guild need to be informed.¡±

    ¡°Do you know what kind of beast it is?¡± Christoph asked. He knew, of course, but he wasn¡¯t about to confess his sins.

    Fortunately, Cliff just shook his head. ¡°There have been reports, lately, of adventurers coming across the remains of¡­ coming across scenes similar to that. The guild assigned it a Silver Rank, so we came out to check on it, but now¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh? Has the beast been here for a long time?¡± Christoph asked. Assuming that the ¡®beast¡¯ Cliff spoke of referred to him, he might be able to find out how long he¡¯d been wandering mindlessly around the forest before the Guardian had attacked him.

    ¡°A couple of weeks,¡± Cliff replied. ¡°Maybe longer.¡±

    Christoph winced inwardly as his mental timeline was confirmed. Weeks? Sacrilegious Shield must have assumed him dead for that much time to have passed.

    ¡°What brought you to the forest anyway?¡± asked the mage. ¡°You didn¡¯t come for the beast, then?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not even an adventurer,¡± Christoph said. ¡°I used to be something of a mage, but it seems I¡¯ve lost the ability to channel mana. I don¡¯t know, I guess I thought that if I was in any actual danger it¡¯d come back to me.¡± The woman made a face, but Christoph couldn¡¯t recognize her expression.

    Footsteps approached and Henry appeared above them, walking down into the camp with the burly man behind him. The only signs of his breakdown earlier were the patches of moss that had on the knees of his trousers, and the way he idly held his hand over the hilt of his sword.

    ¡°Well, Henry,¡± Cliff began. ¡°God¡¯s Compass is yours to command. What would you have us do? We don¡¯t have enough supplies to remain here for long, and if we do run into the beast I doubt we¡¯ll be able to take it down.¡±

    Henry sat down at the camp, rubbing at his forehead with his knuckles. Cliff and the others looked on, waiting for him to speak. ¡°In the few weeks the beast has been active, there¡¯s been no sign it was hostile to people.¡± Henry looked up at them. ¡°That¡¯s why it stayed at a Steel rank for so long before moving up to Silver. If we can, it¡¯d be best to track it down for the guild before we call for a high-ranked hunt, but we have no food¡­¡±

    Cocking his head, Cliff he turned towards Christoph. ¡°What have you been eating?¡± he asked.

    Christoph gestured to the stream. ¡°Fish. For some reason they seem unaffected by the mana in the forest, so they haven¡¯t mutated into magical creatures just yet.¡± Truthfully, he had ignored the few fish he had noticed in the water earlier because they didn¡¯t have the telltale blue mana flare of the forest beasts. The thought of eating actual raw food still sat uneasily with him, despite all that had happened.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Henry said, a look of realization on his face. ¡°The water here flows all the way from the dwarven mountains. The fish must taste of metal, but they would be edible.¡± He turned towards the armored man. ¡°Dane, do you think you could make it back to Forestry by yourself?¡±

    Christoph was sure to make a mental note of Dane¡¯s name, also telling himself to remember that Forestry was some sort of place. Judging by the way that Cliff had mentioned the Guild in it before, it was most likely a town.

    ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± Dane said. ¡°Are you planning to remain behind and search for the beast while I go on ahead?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m planning,¡± Henry replied. ¡°We¡¯ll be counting on you, brother.¡±

    ¡­

    The group helped Dane pack his bags and, leaving him the majority of the supplies, bid him farewell. Almost as soon as he was away, Cliff moved down to the stream to try to secure some more food. The tall woman followed him, leaving Christoph alone with Henry by the fireplace. Henry moved to gather more of the giant bark before the sun could set, and Christoph following him out of a sense of obligation.

    Multiple times, he opened his mouth to ask Henry about his ears, but each time he stopped himself short. Never mind Regal putting up with his ignorance of magic, it wouldn¡¯t do for the others to realize he didn¡¯t even know if elves existed in this place. By the time they had gathered a large pile of dry wood for the fireplace, the target of his curiosity had caught on. ¡°You want to know how an elf came to be leading the church¡¯s guild party, don¡¯t you?¡± Henry asked.

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    Christoph shook his head. ¡°Actually, I was wandering about the party itself,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯ve not heard of it before.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± Henry said. ¡°To put it simply, we¡¯re the younger generation of the church, trying to improve our ties with the Guild. Brother Cliff and sister Sierra are representatives of the Creator¡¯s Blessed, while brother Dane and I are of the Creator¡¯s Willful.¡±

    He must have seen the shocked expression Christoph was trying to hide, because he began to laugh softly. ¡°Now you¡¯re wondering how an elf came to lead the church¡¯s guild party,¡± he said. ¡°Well, my circumstances aren¡¯t exactly normal. As you know, the high elves don¡¯t think much of my kind, the fae bastards. The blood of the lesser races, they say.¡±

    Christoph nodded along dumbly, glad he hadn¡¯t mentioned the subject earlier.

    ¡°My father was the elf,¡± Henry continued. ¡°My mother an adventurer who died during some quest. Probably.¡± He shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I was given to the guild as a babe, and from there handed to the church. No doubt if the elf had been my mother I would have been aborted and forgotten.¡±

    ¡°You were raised by the Church of the Creator¡¯s Willful?¡± Christoph asked.

    ¡°I was,¡± Henry replied. He sat down by the fire, dusting his hands off on his pants. ¡°When I was old enough to learn about the world, I decided I wanted to be an adventurer, dashing in to save young women from magical beasts and earn fame and glory.¡± He laughed again. ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t want to leave the church though, so here we are.¡±

    A silence fell over the pair, and Christoph shifted uncomfortably. Did Henry expect him to share his past as well? Before the half-elf could open his mouth, Christoph spoke. ¡°It¡¯ll be dark soon. I¡¯ll go see if Cliff needs help with the fish.¡±

    Henry nodded, smiling. ¡°I¡¯ll see if I can figure out some kind of spit or hot-plate to cook them on,¡± he said. ¡°Oh, and sister Sierra told me that you¡¯ve become unable to channel? She may look like she doesn¡¯t care, but if you ask I¡¯m sure she¡¯d be willing to help. If you can stomach her aid, anyway.¡±

    Christoph left Henry to look after the fire and hurried away to the stream, the adventurer¡¯s parting words weighing heavily on his mind. Although he had never been a mage, his reserves of mana would surely surpass what was needed to cast a simple spell. If he was able to learn magic it would vastly increase his chances of survival. Actually, how much of his mana could Sierra sense? If he had to leave the camp regularly to hunt down a beast, would she become suspicious when he returned each time with more mana than before?

    ¡°Something troubling you?¡± Cliff¡¯s voice cut through his thoughts, and Christoph stopped to see the bowman arranging several medium-sized fish on a large flat rock nearby.

    ¡°Henry told me about the party,¡± Christoph said. ¡°His story, too.¡±

    ¡°Did he talk to you about the Guardian?¡± Cliff asked, pausing for a moment.

    Christoph shook his head. ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°Actually, he seems to be forcing it behind him. He was laughing and smiling just now.¡±

    Cliff set the last fish down with a sigh. Drawing his knife, he began to scale them. ¡°Don¡¯t mind him,¡± he said. ¡°This isn¡¯t a secret among the adventurers, but it¡¯s rumored that the Guardian saved his mother¡¯s life once. She was a famous adventurer in her time, and a large part of why the church allowed him to form God¡¯s Compass as he did. Added to that, they had a history ¨C it was an important figure to him.¡±

    ¡°He also told me I should ask Sierra for help concerning my mana channeling,¡± Christoph said, changing the subject. ¡°Is that a good idea?¡±

    Cliff suppressed a laugh as he scaled the fish. ¡°If you ask her I doubt she¡¯ll say no, but fair warning ¨C she loves teaching people, but I¡¯ve never heard anyone say they enjoyed learning from her.¡±

    A yell from above interrupted their conversation, and the two men froze. A moment later, the faint sound of metal on metal drifted down from the rocks above. Dropping his knife, Cliff drew a larger dagger from behind his lower back, running past Christoph and up the nearest tree root back to the fireplace. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Christoph followed behind.

    Cresting the rocky ledge and looking over the solid stone surface which served as their camp, Christoph saw the source of the commotion. Henry had his sword drawn, and was pointing the thin blade towards the intruder, a younger looking girl who seemed to be wearing a long-sleeved fur jacket and similar pants. She held a curved dagger in one hand, and in the other clutched a bundle of fabric which Christoph recognized as the party¡¯s parcel of dried meat.

    ¡°Stay back.¡± Cliff warned him, holding out his arm so Christoph couldn¡¯t run into the fight. ¡°Look,¡± he said, pointing towards the dagger she gripped. ¡°It¡¯s poison. Not the lethal kind, I doubt, but bad enough leave you passed out and in pain for a couple of days.¡±

    Henry held a fencing stance, keeping the girl at a distance. His long thrusting sword swayed softly, the dagger in his left hand ready to strike should she sneak past its point. The four of them held their positions for a while before Christoph noticed something familiar dangling around her neck.

    ¡°She¡¯s an adventurer!¡± he said. He wasn¡¯t sure, but it didn¡¯t seem as though her medallion was the silver or gold of the ones he had seen before.

    Henry made a face of disgust. ¡°Now then, thief,¡± he said evenly. ¡°Care to explain why you were helping yourself to the provisions of another party?¡±

    The girl broke her stance, standing up straight and puffing out her chest with pride. ¡°I am not a thief!¡± she said. ¡°I am Emilia , future lord of the Greater Paw. For ownership of this meat, I challenge you to a duel!¡±

 Chapter Eight

    Emilia¡¯s stood pointing over at Henry in what would have been an impressive scene if not for the parcel of meat she clutched tightly in her left hand. For Henry and the two onlookers, her words took a moment to sink in. A duel? Lord of the Greater Paw? Did a Greater Paw even exist? Christoph tried to recall if he¡¯d ever heard of such a thing.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± Henry said. Because of the way that Christoph and Cliff were standing ever so slightly to Emilia¡¯s rear, they could see Henry¡¯s face as it twisted into an expression of contempt.

    ¡°First of all, I am not your subject, future lord of the Greater Paw, not that you have any subjects right now. Secondly, this is not the Greater Paw, and not territory of the beast clans. Finally,¡± Henry continued, ¡°as an adventurer, you have made the choice to give up all other authority until you leave the guild. Which means that at this moment, I stand three ranks above you as a member of God¡¯s Compass.¡±

    Christoph blinked as he tried to follow the conversation.

    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± Cliff said from beside him. ¡°The guild will bow down to the king and the church, but between members of the guild there are only guild ranks. Even if a prince was to join tomorrow he¡¯d be only as powerful as his medallion, as far as other guild members would be concerned.¡±

    ¡°In other words,¡± Henry said. ¡°You are a thief, bronze-ranker, and I have no intention of dueling you to recover my own property.¡±

    ¡°You will regret that,¡± Emilia said. ¡°Soon, I will slay the monster that killed the Guardian, and you¡¯ll be the one taking orders from me!¡± She crouched back down into a combat stance, her fur bristling as she moved.

    Bristling? Christoph¡¯s eyes narrowed for a moment before snapping back open. Ears! Furry ears stuck out from the top of Emilia¡¯s head, partially hidden amongst her short-cropped hair. What he had thought of as a fur jacket and pants were also simply part of her body, short grey fur covering her limbs and back. Her actual garments were a pair of fur shorts, and a wrap that covered her upper torso which appeared to be made of the same material. Christoph half-turned towards Cliff to ask him about the beast clans, but stopped. If it was anything like the elves it would be unusual for him not to know.

    Dashing across the camp towards Henry, Emilia knocked away the point of his sword. Taking another step, she closed in past the effective range of the weapon, the thin blade nearly useless for anything but thrusting attacks. He stabbed out with his dagger in return, Emilia deflecting the strike with her own knife before retaliating again.

    The duel became a flurry of blows and counter-attacks, each side using their weapons and bodies to strike and block alike. Every so often Henry would force Emilia back into the range of his sword, but she was too agile to be taken down so easily, and he still had to remain wary of the poison glazed over her knife.

    Christoph watched the fight in silence and although Cliff had readied his weapon long ago, he made no move to interfere. The two combatants continued to trade blows, neither striking their opponent despite the number of attacks they were making. With each miss, however, Emilia¡¯s strikes seemed to build in strength. Henry¡¯s own sword was forced back each time he tried to block, his parries soon unable to deflect the dagger by a large enough margin to allow for a proper counter.

    Christoph stood speechless at the display of swordsmanship, footwork and dazzling speed before him. Although he had defeated the Guardian, that particular match-up was stacked in his favor. He had no doubt that if he was to interfere now, he would be crushed without a struggle. Henry was leagues ahead of him in terms of technique, even dwarfing the talent of his opponent. Emilia was only able to stand on even ground with him by relying on her brute strength and speed, dust rising off the stone beneath her feet with each step. The flicker of her inner mana glimmered brighter with every moment, reminding Christoph of how Coin had seemed to glow before he had struck the final blow to the dragon on the plains.

    Christoph gritted his teeth and swallowed his frustration. Not only was he sorely lacking in information, he couldn¡¯t even ask about things that might be common knowledge for fear of giving his cover away. Beside him Cliff sheathed his knife, turning towards Sierra who approached from the stream.

    ¡°Why have you not stopped this, brother?¡± she said.

    ¡°The opponent is an heir to the Greater Paw,¡± Cliff replied. ¡°Although merely a bronze rank at the moment, she will not remain an adventurer for long after her coming of age. As representatives of both the Church and the guild, we cannot afford to ruin relations with the clans.¡±

    Sierra paused for a moment before lifting her staff. ¡°It would be more dangerous to have her make a claim to brother Henry,¡± she said. Lifting her staff, she held a hand out towards the duel, palm first. There was a flash of mana, and a sudden splash of water washed over Emilia, the clashing of blades interrupted by a cat-like hiss. The shine of mana that had built up in her body winked out of existence in a single moment, her fighting spirit thoroughly doused, and Henry stepped back from the duel as she whirled towards the trio of onlookers.

    ¡°How dare¡­¡± Emilia¡¯s eyes widened in recognition as she took her first look at the adventurers, the meat falling from her hand in shock. ¡°You!¡± she said. As quickly as it had disappeared, the blaze of mana surged back through her body. Sierra raised her staff again, a gust of wind forming to push the beast girl back away from them. The current of air, however, missed its mark by more than a meter. Rather than Sierra or Cliff, Emilia¡¯s had charged towards the bystander ¨C Christoph.

    Barely able to recognize her attack before she struck, Christoph grabbed at her hand before her knife could bite into him. Water sprayed from her fur as she moved, her attack slightly slower with the added weight. Dropping the knife from her right hand, she caught it with her left and slammed it up between his ribs before could move. There was a moment of stillness before Christoph realized what had happened, looking down at the handle of the dagger as it protruded from the side of his chest.

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    Cliff¡¯s dagger was suddenly slashing through the air in front of Christoph, Emilia forced to let go of her own to dodge his attacks. Christoph had the impression that Henry and Sierra were moving towards him, falling to his knees with a hand reaching up to wrap around the handle of Emilia¡¯s dagger. Clenching his fist, he jerked the blade from his body, the thin rivulets of blood widening into a stream as the wound gaped open. He fell to the ground, the blade glinting in the sun as it followed.

    Cliff was suddenly there again, snatching the knife from the rocky ground and glancing over it before tossing it away. ¡°Hold him down!¡± he yelled, the rest of the group gathering around Christoph as the strength ebbed out of his limbs. He blinked up at them as his vision blurred, feeling the pressure settle onto his body as they pressed down not on his wound, but his arms and legs. He opened his mouth to ask them why, but no words came out. There was a sudden pulse in his torso, as if his core was cramping, and then the pain began.

    Just a little at first, a burning sensation spread from the wound around his torso. It built up with each pulse of his heart, growing larger with each breath. At the same time, a feeling of immense pressure appeared in his chest, following the pain out over his body. Sierra looked down at his from where she crouched over his legs, her gaze resting on his chest as the blood continued to spill.

    ¡°What about the wound?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Close it if you can,¡± Cliff replied grimly. ¡°Just hold him down. Get ready, it¡¯s starting.¡±

    The pressure in Christoph¡¯s body suddenly disappeared, the slow burning feeling surging into an explosion of pain. His veins stood out under his skin as a scream caught in his throat. Jerking his limbs in agony, Cliff and Henry fought to hold him still against the stone underneath, Sierra attempting to pin his legs as well. Christoph¡¯s thrashing surpassed their expectation, however, and they were soon thrown free, lifted bodily and wrenched around as he writhed in pain. Letting go of his legs, Sierra stood over him and lifted her staff yet again.

    ¡°If this continues he¡¯ll smash himself to death on the rocks,¡± she said. ¡°Lend me your strength, brother.¡± Mana shone through the staff she held, and Christoph slowly rose off of the rocks to thrash and spasm in the air, blood splashing down onto the ground below.

    ¡­

    The fire was burning brightly when Christoph awoke shivering, cold despite feeling the heat from the fireplace burning the skin of his uncovered face. Sitting up, he threw off the blanket that had been laid across him, and slowly rose to his feet.

    ¡°How do you feel?¡± Cliff asked. The archer was sitting across the fire from him, elbows resting on his knees as he looked over at Christoph.

    ¡°Weak,¡± Christoph said, sitting on a nearby ledge. ¡°Hungry, too. What happened?¡± Henry was nowhere to be seen, while Sierra lay sleeping underneath a blanket not unlike the one he had cast aside a moment before.

    ¡°You were stabbed by the beast-girl,¡± Cliff replied. ¡°Besides the stab wound, the amount of poison you took in would have been enough to lock up your muscles, causing you to break your bones and crush your own lungs.¡±

    ¡°Does something like that exist?¡± Christoph asked.

    ¡°It does. When used in a duel it¡¯s customary to administer an antidote to your opponent afterwards.¡± Cliff rose up to look over at him seriously. ¡°Sierra burned out her reserves healing you, but you still should¡¯ve been out for another day.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to thank her when she wakes up,¡± Christoph said. ¡°What about the cat-girl?¡±

    Cliff stood silently for a moment before replying. ¡°It¡¯s hard for beast-kin to fight with wet fur,¡± he said. ¡°Besides, if she doesn¡¯t dry off she¡¯ll overheat, and I doubt she¡¯d be willing to strip down without returning to her camp.¡±

    ¡°Henry?¡± Christoph asked.

    ¡°On watch. Nobody expected you to be awake yet, or I¡¯m sure he would¡¯ve liked to have been here.¡± Cliff narrowed his eyes. ¡°Do you know that girl?¡±

    Christoph shook his head. Was it possible that she¡¯d seen him while he¡¯d been hunting the forest beasts? She did say that she¡¯d be killing the ¡®monster¡¯ soon, so unless that was false confidence she might have actually had her eye on him for some time. Well, she obviously hadn¡¯t been watching him enough to realize that he¡¯d joined up with God¡¯s Compass.

    ¡°We healed you, Christoph,¡± Cliff said, ¡°but I¡¯m not sure that was the right choice. Did you really happen to chance upon the Guardian as it lay dying already? Are you really a traveler who used to be a mage in a distant land?¡±

    Christoph raised an eyebrow. ¡°My name is Luke, remember?¡± he said with an easy grin. ¡°But I¡¯m extremely thankful for your help, especially Sierra¡¯s. I¡¯m not sure how I can prove anything, but I hope that you¡¯ll continue to look after me. If Sierra can help me channel again, I want to stay.¡±

    Cliff sat back down with a smile and a sigh. ¡°Don¡¯t look forward to it that much, ¡± he said. ¡°Sierra¡¯s lessons are hard and painful. Besides, it¡¯ll take her a while to recover the amount of mana she spent healing you. I¡¯m sure you were quite a mage before you lost your way.¡±

    Christoph laughed gently, careful not to wake Sierra from her sleep. ¡°Thank you for the compliment,¡± he said, ¡°but at the moment I¡¯m just a sorry pilgrim who can¡¯t even light a fire on his own. No matter how hard her lessons, I¡¯ll endure them.¡±

    Cliff¡¯s shoulders dropped as he relaxed, the tension leaving his body. ¡°It¡¯s my turn for the watch,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll go relieve Henry.¡± Standing, he stretched for a moment before wandering out of camp to where the half-elf was keeping lookout over the forest.

    After Cliff disappeared up into the trees, Christoph stood and stretched in imitation of the adventurer. His conversation with Cliff had been far too close for comfort. No doubt that Henry would share the same concerns when he returned, and if Emilia was to contact the group it would be the end of him. He glanced around the small camp, eyes coming to rest on Sierra¡¯s sleeping form before he bowed his head in thanks.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said softly, ¡°and goodbye.¡±

 Chapter Nine

    ¡°Well then, what will you do?¡± Lucius turned towards his guests as he spoke. ¡°I¡¯ve given you time ¨C I left the two of you to get settle into this new world and heal your wounds. Now you need to make your decision.¡±

    Sunlight streamed in through the stained glass windows to illuminate the large room, highlighting the many engravings over the dais he stood upon. Last time he had been in this room, one of Lucius¡¯ guests had spent his time curled up in the other¡¯s lap, although now he appeared to be healthy and whole. Liam and Ginger stood close together this time, and instead of priests a dozen plate-armored knights filled the cathedral, each wearing a white tabard emblazoned with a great red cross.

    ¡°I will follow Liam,¡± Ginger said. ¡°No matter what he chooses.¡±

    ¡°There you have it, Liam,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Truthfully you¡¯d personally be more useful on the battlefield, but Ginger is absolutely adamant that you aren¡¯t to be separated, so¡­ how do you feel about joining the Templars?¡±

    ¡°You disgust me,¡± Liam replied. ¡°Progress, too.¡± He looked around at the Templars as they stood to attention around the trio. ¡°Do you really think that this boy is fit to lead simply because he was chosen by a fickle god? A living saint? This is ridiculous!¡±

    The Templars had stiffened at Liam¡¯s words, but remained silent. ¡°I couldn¡¯t care less about what you think of our Lord, and neither does he,¡± Lucius said. ¡°I also don¡¯t know what he said to you before sending you here, but he gave me a purpose. I will secure humanity¡¯s place in this world. Magic, however, remains a threat. Ginger especially is invaluable in negating this problem.¡±

    ¡°And if I say no?¡± Liam said.

    ¡°You have nothing in this world. If you lose support of the church, there is only the guild, and I can change that as well.¡± Lucius bowed his head. ¡°I¡¯m not asking for a lifetime of service, just to have you here if need be. Think of it as a preliminary quest to enter the guild.¡±

    ¡°We already suffered through your god¡¯s preliminary quest,¡± Liam hissed. ¡°People died needlessly. One of your gods¡¯ champions slaughtered innocent people by the dozen.¡± He turned towards the Templars ¡°If she appeared here, would you worship her too?¡±

    The knights shifted uneasily, but Lucius was unshaken. ¡°That woman was not the champion of our lord, and he chose us all very carefully,¡± he said.

    Liam shook his head. ¡°I will not join the Templars,¡± he said. ¡°I have no faith in your god. Ginger and I will join the guild.¡±

    Lucius opened his mouth to speak, but Liam raised a hand to silence him. ¡°If you want our aid, make a request.¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t take us lightly. Even this many knights could not stop us if we wished to leave.¡±

    Lucius tilted his head for a moment, but Ginger glared back at him and he felt his vision slowly blurring. Taking off his glasses, he blinked to clear his eyes, laughing softly. ¡°I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d be able to defeat you,¡± he said with a grin. ¡°The knights here are those that were willing to serve you.¡± He replaced his glasses and the smile disappeared from his face. ¡°Very well ¨C join the guild. But don¡¯t think that you¡¯ll be able to deny our requests when they come.¡±

    Liam ignored Lucius¡¯ last remark, turning to leave the church with Ginger in tow. Pausing before the door, he turned back towards the dais. ¡°Progress did tell me something before we came here. He told me to know my place in this world. You should do the same.¡±

    ¡°He told me something similar,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Make no mistake, this is my place.¡±

    After Liam and Ginger had gone, one of the Templars approached the dais. ¡°Is this really okay?¡± he asked.

    Lucius sighed, stepping off the platform and looking over the knights that had gathered. ¡°Those two have been through more than I can imagine, Gideon.¡± he said. ¡°I never expected them to accept my command. This is more than enough.¡±

    ¡°Could you not have just asked them politely?¡± Gideon asked.

    Lucius shook his head. ¡°Smiling sweetly and asking them to suffer for our sake would only push them further away,¡± he replied. ¡°It¡¯s far better for them to think of me as devoted to my cause rather than a manipulative liar.¡±

    Gideon bowed his head. ¡°What of the other?¡± he asked. ¡°He may still be alive ¨C we¡¯ve received reports of a suspicious traveler in the Paw that matched his description, although he bore beast crystals upon his hand. It is suspected that he may have slain the Guardian of the Forest.¡±

    Lucius fell silent for a moment. ¡°There¡¯s no chance that the Archbishop or the Pope will be swayed?¡±

    Gideon shook his head. ¡°This is something they cannot accept. More than their personal beliefs, they must act with the will of the people in mind.¡±

    Lucius made a sound of frustration. ¡°Our Lord is a great being, but fickle. I had thought that Christoph was somehow chosen as we were, but the alternative is also just as likely.¡± Sighing, he stepped through the door. ¡°No matter what, we cannot allow him to cross the border into the beast lands. If they make a claim to him, we will be forced to get him back, even if it means an invasion.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°He denied having met you before.¡± Cliff said, sitting cross-legged in front of the smoldering campfire.

    ¡°Of course he did!¡± Emilia laughed as she replied, spending an equal amount of time eating as she did talking. ¡°I¡¯m sure you would have said that too. Humans are all the same in the end.¡±

    ¡°I still find your story hard to believe,¡± said Henry. ¡°Although we took Luke into our camp, if he turns out to be the summoned demon we will slay him without hesitation. If you are protecting him in that case, you will make enemies of both the guild and the church.¡±

    Emilia laughed again, clear notes of hilarity rising into the trees as she devoured the last of their fish. ¡°I¡¯m a guild member, remember?¡± she asked. ¡°Besides, the adventurers and the church are forbidden from messing with our property.¡±

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    The adventurers made faces of disgust. ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± said Henry. ¡°But slave or not, we will kill any demons we find. Non-hostile interactions with their kind are forbidden by the Convention.¡±

    Emilia scoffed past the fish and waved a hand. ¡°This Luke of yours is a human, is he not? There are no rules against enslaving stray humans who wander into our lands.¡± She grinned over at the group, eyes pausing on Henry. ¡°Or half-elves for that matter.¡±

    ¡°How long ago did you meet with Luke?¡± Sierra asked, cutting off Henry¡¯s indignant reply.

    ¡°A couple of weeks ago,¡± said Emilia. Leaning back, she relaxed onto the rock ledge she was sitting against, her fur puffing out as she stretched. Shaking it back down, she looked back over towards Sierra. ¡°I baited him over the border and claimed him as mine. He fled shortly after, and I followed along until something else caught my eye.¡± She winked over in Henry¡¯s direction.

    ¡°Just to clarify,¡± Sierra said, ¡°had you won that duel you would have claimed that the meat you referred to had been Henry, and taken him as your reward. Is that correct?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Emilia said. ¡°The quicker I can get this over with and return home, the better.¡±

    Sierra glanced over at the half-elf. ¡°In the future, you should not take any duel so lightly.¡± Henry paled as he listened to the exchange.

    ¡°In any case,¡±Cliff said, ¡°your story is suspicious. For a traveler to have wandered all the way to the border alone and unarmed, escape capture and chance upon the dying Guardian of the Forest, and then join our camp hours before you just so happen to find Henry so alluring¡­ In the first place it¡¯s even suspicious that you¡¯d be undertaking your First Trial at such an age.¡±

    ¡°Watch your mouth, human,¡± Emilia said with a scowl. ¡°Your party has already broken a duel, I could demand one of you to make up for that.¡±

    ¡°Why did you stab him, then?¡± asked Henry. ¡°He would have died from that poison had we not intervened.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡± Emilia shrugged, holding up her hands with a half-grin. ¡°That was the wrong knife,¡± she said, pulling another from her belt and winking at Henry again. ¡°This is the one I meant to use.¡±

    ¡°Paralysis,¡± Cliff said in response to Henry¡¯s silent question. ¡°Most people wouldn¡¯t make that mistake twice in their entire lives, but I guess that it¡¯d be possible for you.¡± He grinned over at her before frowning and raising an eyebrow. ¡°Still, you stabbed him in the chest to paralyze him?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s got some sort way of healing up any damage you do to him,¡± Emilia said. ¡°Do you really think I¡¯d go this far to chase after some sort of normal pathetic human?¡±

    Cliff rose to his feet. ¡°Very well,¡± he said. ¡°We will attempt to capture him alive, and if you can prove your ownership we will turn him over to you. If not, he will be executed, and the guild will decide on your punishment.¡±

    ¡­

    Christoph crouched high above the meeting, the lower branches of the enormous trees still almost too high for him to hear the conversation below. Wouldn¡¯t this have been outside of his normal range of hearing anyway? He brushed off his concerns and sat silently. He had no idea how sharp the cat-girl¡¯s hearing was, or Henry¡¯s for that matter. Sierra might have been the most likely to notice his mana signature if she wasn¡¯t still recovering from having healed him earlier. Her own glow of mana was only a fraction of her usual capacity as a mage.

    As the meeting went on, Christoph tried to make sense of what happened. The beast clans kept humans as slaves? Does that mean that humanity is considered weaker than the other races? Emilia also claimed to have ownership over him. That much was possible considering the time he had spent rampaging mindlessly through the forest. Or was she lying so she could kill him and claim the guild reward for herself? Maybe she was even after the unicorn horn? Christoph sighed. Had Progress brought him here for some reason other than to watch him suffer? Eventually, Emilia finished eating waving goodbye to the party, blowing a kiss towards Henry before leaving.

    Christoph made sure to keep an eye on her flickering glow of mana, but after a while it vanished as if it had been extinguished. She had controlled it during her duel with Henry as well. Was that a trait of the beast clans? Below him, he heard the adventurers begin their conversation anew.

    ¡°You know that we cannot hand him over to her if he is the summon, right?¡± Cliff asked.

    ¡°Of course I do,¡± said Henry. ¡°If need be, I am prepared to take his place.¡±

    Sierra frowned at his proclamation. ¡°I¡¯m sure you are,¡± she said. ¡°But do not forget your duties to the church.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± said Cliff, ¡°if he does turn out to be no more than a lost traveler we could turn him over without worry. If he really was chosen by the Guardian it would be better to leave him to the beast clans.¡±

    ¡°There little chance of that, though,¡± Sierra said. The group fell silent for a moment, the fire slowly dying in between them.

    ¡°I¡¯ll kill him,¡± Henry said. ¡°I will not forgive you if you interfere.¡±

    ¡°I have no qualms with leaving that to you,¡± Cliff replied, ¡°but if you fail then we will take no chances.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how it should be.¡± Henry stood from the fire, heading down the rocky steps towards the river. Because of that, Christoph almost missed his final words.

    ¡°Make no mistake, though,¡± Henry said. ¡°I will not fail.¡±

    A sour taste filled Christoph¡¯s mouth, and he turned away from the camp to head further into the forest. Behind him, a gray-furred cat-girl crouched down on the tree branch, a dagger held lightly in her hand.

    ¡°Hi there,¡± Emilia said with a toothy grin. ¡°Did you miss me?¡±

 Chapter Ten

    Christoph jerked backwards, his limbs freezing as memories of pain crashed over him. Regaining his stance, he forced his mind into the present. How had she found him? Besides that, she¡¯d managed to climb the tree and get this close without him noticing. He raised his right hand, ready to draw his sword if need be but in no hurry to give away his weapon if she didn¡¯t already know about it.

    ¡°Relax,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m still deciding whether to kill you for the quest reward or take you back to the village as a prize.¡±

    ¡°Neither of those sounds particularly appealing,¡± Christoph replied.

    ¡°I suppose so,¡± Emilia said. ¡°Well, it would be a bad idea to start a fight while those fools are down there. They¡¯re planning to kill you either way.¡± She grunted in annoyance, peering down at the members of God¡¯s Compass below. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to still be here when I climbed up the tree. I¡¯ll tell you what, why don¡¯t you start running now? I¡¯ll give you a head start, and I promise not to kill you if I win.¡±

    Christoph rose to his feet, aware of the danger of falling from the massive branch. ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯d agree to that,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯d have better chances of getting out of here if both of you get involved.¡±

    ¡°Oi,¡± she warned him, also taking to her feet. ¡°Are you trying to get killed? That was a pretty good deal for you, you know?¡±

    Christoph frowned over at her. ¡°Slavery doesn¡¯t sound like a good deal to me,¡± he said. Actually, her offer had been more than tempting. There was next to no chance he could beat her in a fight in any case, so at the very least staying alive was better than nothing. Even his grand plan of escaping into the beast lands had been proven idiotic.

    Still, if there was some way for him to get out of here, he had to try. From what he had seen of Emilia fighting, her speed was incredible, and she only seemed to get faster and stronger as the fight had worn on. If he wanted to take her out, he had to do it before she could channel her mana to full strength.

    ¡°Oh?¡± Emilia said. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯d be selling you off to the mines like the dwarves would.¡± She opened her arms and took a regal pose. ¡°You should consider yourself lucky to serve me!¡±

    In an instant, Christoph¡¯s sword appeared in his hand, his ever-present hunger deepening as he channeled his mana into the crystal. The blade flowed from his bones, forming the familiar shape of the unicorn horn as he lunged across the gap between them. Although he would have ordinarily held reservations about making a surprise attack on a woman, this particular one had already done the same to him before. A moment before his sword would have pierced her ribs, Emilia managed to deflect the sword with her dagger. Christoph immediately moved into another attack, swinging his weapon around to cleave down onto her leg from above. Emilia flickered bright with energy before catching his blow with her dagger, but even so the edge of the crystal blade bit into her thigh.

    Feeling the sudden warmth of blood as it soaked into his blade, Christoph hungrily absorbed what mana he could before Emilia knocked his weapon back. The sword had cut into her for only a moment, but her aura had darkened greatly around the shallow wound. Christoph felt the mana flowing through him from the sword, and he attacked her again with a flare of hope. The crystal blade was more useful than he had thought!

    From that point on, however, Emilia was able to avoid all of his strikes, pushing herself to evade even the tiniest nick of his sword, moving as Henry had during their duel. Eventually, her aura recovered from his attack, and she shined as bright as she had before Sierra had broken up the fight. Backing away for a moment, she scowled over at him.

    ¡°You¡¯re just full of tricks, aren¡¯t you?¡± Emilia said. ¡°I¡¯ll admit that weapon is something interesting, but don¡¯t think you¡¯ll defeat me with just that.¡±

    Christoph grunted in frustration at her words. ¡°I wasn¡¯t counting on it,¡± he said. ¡°But it couldn¡¯t hurt to try.¡±

    The words had barely left his mouth when he felt a sudden shock slam into his left shoulder. He saw Emilia¡¯s eyes widen, and looking down he saw the feathered shaft of an arrow which had seemingly sprouted from his arm. Christoph reach up to pull it out, but before his fingers could close around it, he was wrenched off his feet, falling to the wooden surface before being dragged off towards the edge of the branch. Just before he could slide off to the forest below, Emilia¡¯s hand clenched around his right arm. Gritting her teeth, she swore as she yanked him back onto the branch, slamming her dagger into the wood to use as a handhold.

    Reabsorbing his sword to make a dagger, Christoph did the same. From where it pierced into his arm, the arrow continued to pull him down. Looking over at the wooden shaft, he saw a thin line of mana connecting the arrow to Sierra as she held her staff up from far below. Cliff stood next to her, another missile arcing through the air to narrowly miss Emilia as she dodged. Reaching down, she grabbed at the arrow protruding from Christoph¡¯s shoulder, pulling it out in one go and tossing it off of the branch. Instead of the string of mana falling free, however, it remained stubbornly coiled around Christoph¡¯s upper arm, the beast-woman¡¯s fingers passing through it as she tried to pull it free.

    ¡°Shit,¡± Emilia said. Backing away from the edge, she pulled her dagger free and swiped at his hand, dislodging his own dagger from the tree branch. Turning away, she leaped towards the tree trunk as a blue light flashed over his body. There was a sudden tug from the line, and Christoph was pulled over the edge and into the forest air. The light grew as he fell, and a moment later he slammed down into the rocky ground below.

    Blinking to clear his vision, he moved his arms and legs, feeling little pain. Was he strong enough that even such a massive fall didn¡¯t do much damage to him? Quickly rising to his feet, Christoph looked around. Rather than the dull lit rocky ground of the forest floor near the stream, he was greeted by the bright dirt clearing of a town square, buildings surrounding him in every direction. At his feet, a chunk of wood lay where it had been torn from the tree branch. The teleportation spell had dumped him far from the forest once more.

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    Adventurers filled the square, and a circle of onlookers had formed around him as he appeared. Turning around, Christoph was greeted by the armored form of a knight a second before his sword stabbed into Christoph¡¯s chest. The crowd of adventurers gasped and backed away as Christoph sunk to his knees, blood bubbling from his mouth. Raising an armored foot, his attacker kicked him off the end of his blade before reaching down to pull at his hair, lifting him up for a second blow.

    ¡°Dane?¡± Christoph managed through his coughs. The last member of God¡¯s Compass, he had been sent to the town to gather food.

    Dane ignored him, leveling his sword to take off Christoph¡¯s head with one heavy swing. He didn¡¯t manage to complete the cut, however, Christoph¡¯s right hand rising to block his blade with a thunk. Dane grunted, pushing him back down and standing over him. Christoph felt his hunger rise as his mana was used to heal his damaged body. His right hand had been cut open to the bone, crystal bones glinting in the sunlight until the blood  had obscured it.

    ¡°Hold him,¡± Dane said. Footsteps sounded from behind Christoph, and two men pulled him to his knees, pushing down on his shoulders and securing his arms in their grip. Behind Dane, the crowd grew larger, the adventurers showing mixed reactions to the sudden execution.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± someone said, and Christoph turned to see Coin holding firmly to his right arm. ¡°I didn¡¯t want this,¡± Coin said. ¡°But I can¡¯t go against it, either.¡±

    Dane held his sword up to his forehead, mana gathering in the large crystal set into the crossguard as he prayed. Soon, the entire blade began to glow with magic. To Christoph¡¯s left, Quester held onto him grimly.

    ¡°Quester, you bastard,¡± Christoph said. ¡°Do you know how much I suffered because of you? I don¡¯t even have any memories of those weeks besides the pain.¡±

    Dane lowered his sword to point at Christoph once more, the previous wound having closed over now, the stream of blood drying on his bare chest and staining his ragged shorts once again. ¡°If you have any final words,¡± Dane said, ¡°now is the time to say them.¡±

    ¡°Final words?¡± Christoph stared up into Dane¡¯s eyes. ¡°Go fuck yourself.¡±

    ¡°So be it,¡± Dane replied. Thrusting forwards, he gripped his sword tightly in both of his gauntlets and braced his feet for the blow. His sword lunged towards Christoph¡¯s heart, plunging through his skin and between his ribs. The blade, however, no longer glowed with magic as it had a moment before. Instead, a crystal sword had appeared in Christoph¡¯s right hand, the tip of which was currently lodged into the crystal of Dane¡¯s own weapon.

    Christoph smiled as he felt the accumulated mana flowing through his sword and into his body. Twisting his arms free from Coin and Quester¡¯s grip, he shoved them back as Dane withdrew his sword, pushing them to the ground with his sudden burst of strength. Dane made to attack him again, but Christoph¡¯s crystal blade swung towards him, the adventurer barely fast enough to block the blow. The force of the slash pushed Dane from his feet, and he skidded on the dusty ground for several meters before coming to a halt.

    Before any of the adventurers could retaliate, Christoph leaped to Quester¡¯s side and pulled the surprised adventurer to his feet, holding his blade to his neck. Blood splashed against Quester¡¯s back, the stream fading away as Christoph¡¯s wound healed over at the expense of his mana.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Christoph called. Even before he spoke, though, it didn¡¯t seem that the crowd was about to interfere.

    ¡°You should start running,¡± Quester said ¡°Before the church gets here.¡±

    Christoph swore inwardly. Adventurers might be after him, but they just wanted the quest reward. If the church was involved, it might be better for them not to interfere. Whatever forces the church had, on the other hand, would probably have enough authority to come after him without any consideration of the guild at all.

    ¡°Calm down Christoph,¡± Coin said, rising to his feet. ¡°The guild isn¡¯t prepared to die for this, and neither are we.¡±

    Dane¡¯s limp form lay where he had fallen, his breastplate dented where Christoph had smashed past his guard with his attack. His sword had landed nearby, the crystal on the crossguard shattered and hollow. The pommel stone, however, remained whole, and Christoph suppressed his frustration as it began to glow, no doubt signalling for aid.

    Before he could come up with a way out of his situation, Christoph saw the familiar swell of mana being gathered by a mage before they cast a spell. Among the adventurers gathered in the square, there was exactly one magic-user willing to attack Christoph at that moment.

    ¡°Regal?¡± Christoph asked dumbly. Of course Regal would be here if the others were. Blood flashed as Quester slashed into Christoph¡¯s arm with his large knife, breaking free as Christoph lowered his sword for the moment. Taking advantage of his moment, there was a glow of mana and a fist-sized rock shot out from the crowd to crack into his chest. The impact sent Christoph flying through the wooden walls of the cabin behind him, his last vision the sight of Regal, the friendly adventurer¡¯s head bowed as he raised his staff high into the air.

 Chapter Eleven

    Dane gasped for breath as he awoke, eyes snapping open to reveal the hard packed dirt of the town square. His arms jerked as he fought for air, but his lungs remained empty. His armor! Metal clanged as he patted down his breastplate, feeling the way that the steel was bent and caved in over his ribs. Fingers twitching, he fumbled at the clasps, rising onto his knees as his lungs continued to burn. Finally, he managed to separate the plates with a satisfying click, the front half of the interlocking steel bouncing off his knees as it fell free. Air filled his lungs with a gasp, and slumped down as he regained his breath.

    Where was his sword? Leaving the ruined steel plate where it had fallen, he scrambled across the square to where his weapon shone nearby. The crowd of adventurers stood gathered around him, but none made any moves to approach. Raising his sword upright, Dane opened his mouth to begin a prayer. Before he could utter the first verse of guidance, however, he was interrupted by the pulse of mana being drained from the single gem that remained intact on the pommel of his sword. There was a dull crack and three figures appeared around him, weapons drawn and shields raised.

    ¡°Fath-¡­¡± Dane looked around at the knights, taking in their distinctive silver armor, white tabards marked with a red cross. Their leader wore a dull suit of black plate with a crusader style bucket helm instead of the usual visored helmet, and a double-headed hammer was held in his arms instead of a straight sword and shield.

    ¡°Execution Gideon,¡± Dane said. ¡°To have moved the Templars for this¡­¡±

    ¡°Father Molt allowed us to be sent in the place of the Paladins,¡± Gideon replied, clipping his hammer onto his back and turning towards the adventurer. ¡°The Greatsword will be deployed on this occasion. At any rate, it was on our watch that he escaped.¡±

    The other two Templars flinched as they searched the crowd. Sheathing their swords, they turning back towards Dane and Gideon. Dane lowered his head, reversing his sword to place the tip on the ground.

    ¡°Brother Dane reporting, sir,¡± he said. ¡°This is the lumber town of Forestry, on the edge of the Paw. I was meeting with the Gold-ranked party Shield of Sacrilege when the target was teleported to my location, presumably by the will of sister Sierra. The target was confirmed, and¡­ an execution was attempted.¡±

    Gideon ignored Dane¡¯s report, wandering over to where the younger man had abandoned his breastplate. Stooping down, he picked the bent piece of armor off of the ground, turning it around in his hands before dropping it back onto the dirt. Unlatching the hammer from his back, he knelt down on to the dirt and raised the weapon over the steel plate, the solid heads of the hammer decorated with intricate engravings.

    Dane¡¯s eyes widened as he watched Gideon move. ¡°The Great-¡±

    ¡°Continue your report, brother,¡± Gideon said. Holding the hammer in one hand, he began to beat the dents out of Dane¡¯s breastplate with steady blows, the other two Templars wincing visibly with each strike.

    ¡°The target regenerated even a strike to the heart, on two separate occasions.¡± Dane raised his voice over the clanging as Gideon continued to beat his armor back into shape. ¡°He also blocked an attack with his right hand, the sword cutting through the flesh but stopped by the bones. I attempted to strike with a charged blade, but he was able to somehow transmute a blade from his right hand, piercing my sword¡¯s gem and draining the mana before the blow landed.¡±

    Gideon stopped working on Dane¡¯s armor, standing and passing the plate back to him. ¡°Put your armor on,¡± he said. ¡°This damage was caused by his blade?¡±

    Dane nodded and stood, retrieving his armor and snapping the clasps together. ¡°His speed and strength were comparable to that of the stronger beast-clans. If he had been trained in the use of his sword he could have easily slain me with that blow.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± Gideon said, hanging the hammer over his back once again. ¡°Where is he now?¡±

    Dane shook his head. ¡°I lost consciousness after being struck,¡± he said. ¡°I assume that he fled the area.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d be correct,¡± a voice rang out from the crowd. The adventurers parted as Ruth stepped out, Coin and Lilly following close behind.

    ¡°Our mage struck him a solid blow with a rock missile, but even that was not enough,¡± Ruth said. ¡°It blew him right through a cabin, too.¡±

    The three adventurers approached the members of the church, the gap in the crowd closing behind them. Ruth stopped and turned towards the black-armored Templar, a serious look settling over his face. ¡°Was he ever truly a human at all?¡±

    Gideon turned away from the trio, reaching into a pouch on the back of his belt and handing a small scroll to Dane, who unfurled it immediately.

    ¡°Use this to contact the others,¡± Gideon said. ¡°The pathway should still be open enough to transmit your voice, at least. Tell Henry to meet with you here and return to Starthall together. Tell Cliff and Sierra to open a channel at the entrance to the Arm. We¡¯re coming to them.¡±

    ¡­

    Christoph stumbled as he ran, one hand clutched over his torso, the other swinging wildly to keep up with the jerking movements of his legs. He had sheathed his sword long ago, the extra mana flowing through him as he did so. To have used the unicorn horn to absorb mana from a gemstone! Had the unicorn also been able to do that? The adventurers had merely watched him go by as he ran from the town, sprinting out into the lumber yards beyond. Did they not see him as an enemy? Despite that, even Regal had attacked him. Was there something he was missing?

    He forced himself into the present as the forest came into view. Because of the town¡¯s proximity to the Paw, the lumberjacks had felled a line of giant trees as a kind of improvised fence. The wooden barricade stood around twenty meters tall, and there were pieces missing from some of the trees where they used them as a source of timber as well. Christoph approached one side of the giant ¡®fence¡¯, clambering up the unstable-looking scaffold that had been set up and reaching the top of the fallen tree trunk.

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    On the other side of the fence was yet another line of giant trees, even larger than the one he stood upon. Christoph descended the trunk, feeling an ache in his stomach as he raced across the gap between the fences and over the next line of trees. The ribs that had shattered under Regal¡¯s rock missile had long since healed, and the damage he had taken from the impact with the cabin was not far behind. The familiar sensation that had settled into Christoph¡¯s torso was not that of pain, but hunger.

    Ignoring the cries of his body, Christoph forced his way deeper into the Paw. He ran through the trees until the forest floor fell away beneath the giant roots and the pathway became a winding mess of wooden branches. Pushing further, he searched for the flickers of mana that shone even through the trunks of nearby trees, pricks of light leading him to the places where he would find a meal. The tree roots ended abruptly as a stream cut through the forest, and he changed his course. Finding food could wait until he was sure that God¡¯s Compass wasn¡¯t still lurking in the area. He continued up the river until he began to recognize the trees, circling around through the forest to approach the camp unseen.

    The fireplace was gone, the tents missing and the supplies had likewise vanished. Christoph searched the area, but there was no sign of any of the adventurers, nor any traces of Emilia. He turned his head to look upwards as thoughts of the cat-girl entered his mind. After a moment¡¯s searching, he was able to locate the tree where they had fought.

    ¡°Ah,¡± he said aloud. ¡°That¡¯s why.¡±

    Although the branch they had fought on was still there, it only extended a couple of meters from the enormous tree trunk this time, not the dozens of meters it had stretched out beforehand. Everything past that point was simply missing. Was that a side effect of the teleportation? A chunk of wood had followed Christoph to Forestry, but it had been no larger than a small table. Is that why Emilia had gone from trying to save him to effectively throwing him from the tree branch herself?

    A spark of light caught Christoph¡¯s eye, and he turned from the campsite towards the trees, looking further into the forest. The spark had not been faint ¨C if it was food, it was close by. Turning away from the damaged tree, he focused in the direction that the spark had appeared in. Again, a bright light flashed through the trees, the distance much greater than Christoph had expected. Not even the Guardian would have gleamed so bright from so far away. Somewhere deeper in the forest, someone was fighting.

    ¡­

    Henry drew his sword as Emilia approached, her innocent expression somewhat undermined by the twin knives she carried in her hands. Nearby, Cliff and Sierra ran over the twisting roots, soon disappearing behind the giant trees. From where Henry stood, continuing in that direction couldn¡¯t be called travelling deeper into the forest any longer. They had passed the center of the Paw already, and were now making their way to the ¡®arm¡¯ on the other side.

    ¡°Oh?¡± Emilia said, ears flicking towards the footsteps. ¡°Are your friends not joining us?¡±

    ¡°They have something else to take care of,¡± Henry said. ¡°Besides, if they¡¯d stayed behind then we wouldn¡¯t be able to have a fair fight.¡±

    Emilia laughed loudly, hair swaying as her ears bobbed with each note. Smiling over at him, she shifted into an imposing stance again, one finger pointing at the half-elf over the handle of her knife. ¡°I, Emilia of the Greater Paw, challenge you to a duel. If I win, you will leave that man to me.¡±

    ¡°The church is involved now,¡± Henry said. ¡°His identity was confirmed, and an Executioner has been sent, wielding a great relic of our people. You will not claim that man as your own. If you still wish to fight needlessly, I will stop you here.¡±

    Emilia narrowed here eyes at him, her grin shifting into a cold scowl. ¡°Watch your tone, trash,¡± she said. ¡°I had thought you better than the rest of the human scum, if only by a little. But if you get in my way then I will kill you.¡±

    Henry drew his dagger with his left hand to join the sword he held in his right, the two thin blades dancing gently as he took a stance. ¡°Fighting to protect my friends and stop a monster from enslaving a human being.¡± He smiled over at her. ¡°It¡¯s almost heroic.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you for that,¡± she hissed, readying her own blades. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll sell you off to the dwarves up on the mountain. I¡¯m sure they¡¯d have a use for a young elf half-breed like yourself!¡±

    Emilia lunged as she spoke, batting Henry¡¯s sword out of the way and rushing past the weapon¡¯s effective range. Recovering from her parry, Henry thrust out at her legs with his dagger, pulling his sword back to deflect her barrage of frenzied slashes.

    The fight continued on as it had the last time they crossed blades, Emilia steadily increasing the strength of her attacks and closing the distance again whenever Henry managed to push her back. Henry was losing ground with every moment, the beast-girl following him relentlessly in an endless succession of attacks, blocks, and parries.

    Emilia grunted as Henry¡¯s booted foot swung up to connect with her side, the tip of her dagger narrowly missing the flesh of his calf before she was slammed away. Leaping back past the tip of his sword, she realized her mistake a fraction of a second too late. Henry¡¯s dagger slid into her thigh without much resistance, Emilia¡¯s own slash parried easily as she was pushed back.

    ¡°You bastard,¡± she grunted as the distance between them grew.

    ¡°Oh?¡± Henry said. ¡°Is changing hands against the rules?¡± He grinned over at the cat-girl, drops of crimson blood dripping from the dagger he now held loosely in his right hand.

 Chapter Twelve

    ¡°Bless your soul.¡± Father Molt held his hand over the adventurer¡¯s head as he lay unconscious on the plain straw bed. The man was unmoving, but when the priest lifted his hand away it seemed that his face had brightened nonetheless.

    ¡°Father Molt,¡± a small voice called out. Molt turned towards the youth that stood beside him, looking down at the child as he spoke. ¡°Why do the adventurers come here so much?¡± the boy asked. ¡°Do they let themselves get hurt?¡±

    ¡°No, my boy,¡± he said with a chuckle. ¡°I¡¯d dare say that there has never been an adventurer who let themselves get hurt on purpose.¡± He waved his hand over the room.  The many beds were almost all occupied, and almost all of the barely-moving forms that occupied them were adventurers.

    ¡°Look around, Henry,¡± he said. ¡°The adventurers are the knights of the people. They keep the beasts away from the towns so everyone else can be safe. The adventurers get hurt because they don¡¯t want us to be in danger.¡±

    Molt paused for a moment before smiling down at the young boy. ¡°Your mother was an adventurer too, you know?¡±

    Henry looked back up at the priest with wide eyes. ¡°Did she protect a lot of people as well?¡± he asked. A single tear ran down Molt¡¯s face as the half-elf boy stood waiting for his answer.

    ¡°Yes she did,¡± he replied. ¡°Your mother protected more people than you could imagine.¡± There was a thud as the wooden door to the room swung open, an older boy stepping through.

    ¡°Father,¡± a young Dane called. ¡°There are more injured coming ¨C I saw brother Claude leading them from the bell tower.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°This is not a matter that the church can afford to be divided on,¡± Lucius said. ¡°We serve the same lord. I understand that the Church of the Creator¡¯s Willful does not regard me with the same reverence that the Creator¡¯s Blessed does, but even so I have met with our god, and he has given me this task.¡±

    Father Molt sighed as he looked around the room. Although the number of beds in the room had increased since that time, almost all of them lay empty and unused.

    ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Lucius asked, cocking his head as the priest withdrew his hand from the man lying on the bed.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± he said. ¡°He will be well by morning. I was just remembering a more troubling time.¡±

    ¡°Is this situation not troublesome enough for you, father?¡± Lucius asked.

    Molt shook his head. ¡°This excitement is concerning, but I do not sense the same danger from that man as you do.¡± He turned from the bed, leaving the hospital to walk through the church yard, the noonday sun warm above.

    ¡°Truthfully, I had wanted to help him, but not at the cost of our species. The threat lies in his knowledge,¡± Lucius replied. ¡°The circumstances of his existence don¡¯t matter to me. But are your children not in danger this time?¡±

    Molt paused, glancing back at the young man before continuing to walk. ¡°Dane is safe and well, that much I know. Henry can be difficult at times, but I trust that he¡¯ll keep safe.¡± He slowed his pace, and Lucius was soon walking alongside him.

    ¡°Even more so, I trust him to do the right thing,¡± Molt said. ¡°Even if I don¡¯t always agree with his judgement.¡±

    ¡°Normally such differences in belief would be a cause for concern,¡± Lucius said. ¡°There also aren¡¯t many fathers who would be so calm when their son is in danger.¡±

    Molt stopped, turning towards Lucius with a bow. ¡°I will keep your words in mind,¡± he said. ¡°Even if we do not see you as a living saint, your knowledge is undeniable, as is your connection to our god. But for now, please excuse me. I have something I must do.¡±

    Lucius looked up at the building they had stopped before, a large bell sitting on the top of the tower. ¡°Is there some problem with the belfry?¡± he asked.

    Molt looked up at the tower, reaching over to open the doorway leading to the stairwell. ¡°There is,¡± he said. ¡°My sons are not sitting at the top of it.¡±

    Pulling the door closed behind him, Father Molt left Lucius behind as he climbed the stairs alone. Lucius tilted his head to one side, silently watching through the brick as the priest took each step. Looking upwards, he gazed into the sky as the sun moved towards the horizon.

    ¡°Lord Progress,¡± he said, his words ringing out unheard within the church yard. ¡°Every person I meet in this world seems so convinced that they are doing the right thing. How can I be sure that they are wrong?¡±

    ¡­

    Henry launched a flurry of strikes at his opponent, driving her back with each touch of their blades. Emilia gritted her teeth as she moved, and he felt the subtle warmth of her mana flaring as she channeled more energy into her body. Catching her blows with the sword in his left hand and the dagger in his right, he kicked out at her wounded leg, forcing her to a knee for a moment before stepping back to avoid her slash at his own limbs.

    Emilia leaped towards him, the sheer speed of her attacks enough to put Henry on the back foot until he was able to pull off a well-timed counter. The cat-girl halted her attacks to dodge his blade and they separated for a moment, each panting for breath.

    ¡°You¡¯re running out of stamina, elf.¡± Emilia grinned at the adventurer.

    ¡°At least it isn¡¯t blood I¡¯m missing,¡± Henry replied. ¡°Give up while you can, I¡¯ll ask no prize of you for this duel.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t look down on me, crossbreed,¡± she hissed. ¡°One nick from my blades and this fight is over.¡±

    Henry took a breath and adjusted his stance, swapping his weapons back into their correct hands. Keeping the shorter blade in his right had been ideal for defense, but that was not what he had in mind. ¡°Very well,¡± he said. ¡°I became an adventurer to save people, but if you are set on going after my life, I will do the same.¡±

    With those words, Henry took the offensive, leading with his sword and keeping Emilia at a distance where his thrusts would be the most effective. The beast-girl growled and parried his attacks, but each time she tried to move inside his range she was met by the point of his blade, the half-elf pouring all of his effort into swordplay alone. Both the dagger in his left hand and Emilia¡¯s two blades were too short to connect at this range, none of them posing a threat as long as she couldn¡¯t close the distance. Drawing more and more strength into her body, she forced herself to move faster, but it wasn¡¯t enough. Henry¡¯s sword seemed to glide back into place after each parry, and the wound in her thigh still ached, blood slowly dribbling out to mat in the grey fur of her leg.

    Backing up, she scowled at the adventurer with distaste. ¡°You didn¡¯t fight half as well before,¡± she said. ¡°Why are you trying so hard this time?¡±

    ¡°We aren¡¯t fighting for a lump of meat anymore,¡± Henry replied. ¡°This is bigger than us now. Both the church and the guild have gotten involved, and I can¡¯t let you just make a mess out of everything.¡±

    ¡­

    Christoph wiped his hands on the tree root as he approached, the metallic ring of a duel sounding over the forest ahead. He¡¯d paused his flight to snatch up a meal, the weight of the beast already fading from his stomach as his hunger grew again. As he edged closer, the blazing flare of mana he¡¯d seen soon resolved into Emilia¡¯s familiar form. She burned brighter than he had seen her so far, but even so she was being pushed back with each moment. Henry bore a grim expression as he fought, each strike of his sword precise, each footstep exact, his right hand a blur of motion as he used it to overcome the beast-girl¡¯s dual blades.

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    Emilia¡¯s ears flattened against her head, her daggers never fast enough despite the amount of mana she was channeling though her arms. If only she could break past his sword once more! It would only take a shallow cut to end this fight, but her daggers never came close to breaking her opponent¡¯s skin. With each step back Henry fell further out of range of her daggers, the point of his sword keeping her at bay whenever she tried to make an advance.

    ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± Henry said. ¡°You will never lay a blade on me, and I have no wish to kill you. Give up.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no way that¡¯ll ever happen,¡± Emilia replied through her panting. ¡°I¡¯ll win this fight, and then I¡¯ll win the next one, and then I¡¯ll drag the both of you back to the village with me.¡±

    Catching her breath, she rushed the half-elf. He aimed a thrust towards her leading leg, wary of the position of her two daggers and ready to push past her parries. Instead of trying to avoid the attack, however, Emilia surged forwards with a grin. Even if it cost her another leg wound, there¡¯s no way Henry could deflect both her daggers with only the short blade in his left hand. Watching from the trees, Christoph readied his own blade. This duel would not last much longer.

    Instead of piercing her leg with his sword, however, Henry grinned in turn as he withdrew the slim blade to parry both of her slashes with his sword alone. His left hand darted forwards, stabbing into her hip as she twisted her body away from his attack. Before either of the combatants had a chance to continue their chain of counters, Christoph appeared between them.

    Slashing out with his sword, Christoph narrowly missed Henry¡¯s arm, the crystal blade instead crashing into the half-elf¡¯s dagger and blowing it out of his hand entirely. The three of them leaped backwards almost at the same time, forming a wary circle on the wide surface of the tree root.

    ¡°You¡¯ve finally shown yourself,¡± Henry said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt!¡± Emilia hissed. ¡°This duel is between me and the half-blood.¡±

    Christoph tried to look sheepish as he faced the beast-girl. ¡°Ah, sorry about that,¡± he said. ¡°Actually, I was hoping that you¡¯d guide me through the beast lands if I saved your life.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± she snapped. ¡°After I beat this slippery bastard, you¡¯re next.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too late for that,¡± Henry said, gesturing with his sword. ¡°look.¡±

    Emilia frowned as she looked down to where he had pointed. A trickle of blood was dripping from the shallow wound in her hip, but above that another stream of liquid was shining in the low light of the forest. Rather than red, it was a dark yellow liquid that oozed from the punctured pouch at her waist.

    ¡°The poison,¡± she said. ¡°How did you¡­¡±

    Emilia dropped to her knees, holding a hand to her side as she slowly toppled over onto the mossy wood. ¡°Where you aiming for that?¡± she asked, ears twitching as her eyes eased shut.

    ¡°I was,¡± Henry replied, turning his head towards Christoph. ¡°An adventurer should protect people, not kill them.¡±

    ¡°I suppose I¡¯m an exception to that rule,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°I get death, she gets to sleep it off?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re correct,¡± Henry said. ¡°But then again, I¡¯m not sure if you really qualify as a person, either.¡±

    Raising his sword, the adventurer dashed across the gap, thrusting his sword through Christoph¡¯s shoulder before he had a chance to react. Another three strikes landed before Christoph was able to counter, his sword slashing through the air where Henry had been a moment before.

    ¡°You really are hard to kill,¡± Henry said.

    It was Christoph¡¯s turn to attack, his blade arcing out to slash at Henry with dazzling speed. The half elf became a blur as he parried the blows, thrusting his own sword into Christoph¡¯s torso twice more before backing out of range again.

    Christoph staggered slightly before his wounds began to heal, his hunger growing deeper with each spark of mana that disappeared as he regenerated. If he had been an ordinary human, he would have died many times already. Was this the strength of a swordsman?

    ¡°Do you really hate me that much?¡± he asked the adventurer. ¡°I never asked for this, you know?¡±

    Henry ignored him, closing in again and stabbing his blade through Christoph¡¯s leg. Withdrawing to avoid the crystal blade¡¯s retaliation, he stabbed his sword into Christoph arm this time. Reabsorbing the crystal blade in an instant, Christoph closed his hand around the sword before Henry had the chance to pull it back, turning his body to snap the thin steel blade with a crack.

    Bowling into the half-elf, Christoph dragged him down into a tackle, re-forming his sword and swinging his arm back in preparation for an attack. At the same time, a burst of pain exploded into his torso. Looking down, he saw a familiar knife sticking from between his ribs.

    ¡°It¡¯s the knife that Emilia gave you the first time you met,¡± Henry said, pushing Christoph to the side and standing back over him. ¡°Ordinarily, the blood would have washed most of the poison off, but Cliff has a way around those things. It might be unfair, but you can just think of it as the power of friendship.¡±

    He kicked Christoph over, rolling him onto his back. ¡°You know, I really do think that adventurers should protect people. There nothing I want more right now than to end your life right here, but I won¡¯t do that.¡± He shrugged apologetically. ¡°The church will probably end up executing you anyway.¡±

    Gasping on the wooden root, Christoph felt the surging pressure begin to build up in his body. ¡°No,¡± he said.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid so,¡± Henry replied, turning away from him to look deeper into the forest. ¡°You asked if I hated you? The Guardian¡­.¡± He glanced back at where Christoph lay gasping, and Christoph could see the tears forming in his eyes. ¡°I would have killed you if I had known, that first day. Even now¡­¡±

    He knelt down besides Christoph, grasping Christoph¡¯s hair in his hand so he could look into his eyes. ¡°I do hate you, but my father would be disappointed if if I killed you here, so I¡¯ll wait for the Executioner.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Christoph repeated, wrapping his hand around Henry¡¯s arm. ¡°I can¡¯t die here.¡±

    Henry¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as the unicorn horn slid into his chest, blood bubbling out of his mouth as Christoph looked up towards him.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Christoph said, feeling Henry¡¯s mana flowing into him through the crystal blade. There was a pulse as the poison blossomed into pain throughout his body, and then screams began to ring out over the forest floor.

 Chapter Thirteen

    ¡°You will return to Starthall,¡± Gideon said as he walked. ¡°There is no other option.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no reason to send us away,¡± Cliff replied, following along beside him. ¡°Even alone, Sierra and I are more than capable of dealing with the traveler.¡± Sierra nodded in silent support from where she stood.

    ¡°In that case I will have no need for your assistance. You have opened the path and summoned us to this place, and that is enough.¡± Gideon said. ¡°This order comes directly from the Archbishop. His Grace Kale has called for you specifically, and you will go.¡±

    Cliff stiffened at Gideon¡¯s words. ¡°His Grace agreed that as adventurers, God¡¯s Compass would operate under our own judgement.¡±

    ¡°Mind your tone,¡± Gideon said. ¡°This is not a punishment.¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Cliff said, narrowing his eyes at the two Templars walking to Gideon¡¯s other side. ¡°Punishment is being forced into taking the vow of silence and being sent to watch the Executioner clean up your mess.¡±

    ¡°You may not agree with his methods, but as long as you remain a member of the church you will obey the Archbishop¡¯s words.¡± Gideon said.

    Cliff began to retort, but he was stopped by Sierra¡¯s hand on his shoulder, the group coming to a halt. ¡°Enough, Cliff,¡± she said. Stepping ahead of him, she bowed her head to Gideon. ¡°We will return to rest in Forestry for now. It will still be a while before I can gather the strength to channel teleportation magic again in any case.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± Gideon replied, turning away. ¡°Send word to the church when you arrive. Teleportation is not to be taken lightly, but it¡¯s possible that the Archbishop himself will wish to transport you back to the capital.¡±

    With a tone of finality, Gideon left the two adventurers behind and headed further towards the Arm of the forest. The Templars accompanying him followed closely behind, shields clipped onto their backs but swords drawn and ready.

    ¡°A vow of silence?¡± One of the Templars mused, a female voice sounding from beneath her visored helm. ¡°So he¡¯s still angry about that.¡±

    ¡°Brother Cliff had a harsh childhood,¡± the other Templar replied. ¡°Although I am glad we were spared such treatment.¡±

    ¡°Both of them did,¡± Gideon said, turning towards the woman. ¡°Grace, what do you think about this?¡±

    ¡°They have good reason to be resentful of the other knights,¡± she said. ¡°The guild experiment was meant to let them grow out of that, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not entirely correct,¡± Gideon said. ¡°The Archbishop-¡±

    The trio was interrupted by a pulse of energy somewhere in the distance behind them. Carried on the barely stirring winds of the forest, distorted screams drifted through the trees.

    ¡°Grace,¡± Gideon said, coming to a halt. ¡°Detect life!¡±

    Grace reached her left hand out in the direction they had felt the pulse, her sword handing loosely in her right. Gathering her mana, she focused her being towards the faint signs of life, feeling them respond. Lifting her head again, she turned towards Gideon.

    ¡°It¡¯s the target, and one other.¡± she said. ¡°Brother Henry is there as well, but somehow faint.¡±

    ¡°The siblings?¡± Gideon asked.

    ¡°They¡¯re close by,¡± she said. ¡°Moving towards them.¡±

    Gideon immediately reached a hand back into his belt pouch, drawing out another scroll and unfurling it in one swift motion. ¡°Brother John!¡± he called, holding out his other hand.

    John clasped Gideon¡¯s gauntlet in his own, the steel crashing together with a bang. Dropping his sword to the root below, he raised his other hand to press against the scroll, the paper flattening out in the air as if there was an invisible wall beyond it. A moment of stillness passed before John¡¯s hand burst through the other side of the parchment, warmth washing over his body as he poured his mana into the pre-inscribed magic. His mana depleted, John fell to his knees with a crash of steel, panting softly within the confines of his helmet.

    ¡°Confirm teleportation,¡± Gideon said.

    ¡°Confirmed,¡± Grace replied. ¡°The siblings are no longer in the vicinity.¡±

    ¡°Brother Henry?¡± John asked, head barely raised.

    ¡°Henry¡¯s signature has also disappeared,¡± Grace replied. ¡°Did you also-?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Gideon said. ¡°Henry is half-elven, it would have taken all of our energy to move him anywhere.¡±

    Grace reached a hand over to clasp it over John¡¯s shoulder, easing his loss of mana with a portion of her own. ¡°Where has he gone, then?¡± she asked, looking up at the Executioner. ¡°Where exactly did you send the twins?¡±

    ¡°Not far,¡± Gideon replied. ¡°We need to finish this before they return, or we will suffer the wrath of the Archbishop himself.¡±

    ¡­

    Coin grimaced as he thrust his spear through the side of a small beast, the canine-like creature writhing momentarily and then falling still. Kicking it off the end of his weapon, he watched as Quester knelt down to remove the few crystallized teeth it bore. Throughout the forest, dozens of adventurers repeated the same actions. Quester threw the bloody pieces into the sack he carried, looking up at his companion as he did so.

    ¡°This is wrong,¡± Coin said.

    ¡°How so?¡± Quester asked.

    ¡°Look around us.¡± Coin said, spreading his arms wide. ¡°Is this the work of the guild?¡±

    ¡°The guild receives the requests, and the adventurers move,¡± Quester replied. ¡°If we are lucky, we will not see that demon again.¡±

    ¡°We shared our camp with that man,¡± Coin said. ¡°He wasn¡¯t our enemy.¡±

    Quester wiped his hands on the harsh material of the sack, narrowing his eyes as he did. ¡°Demons are the enemy of all living things,¡± he said. ¡°They are a hunger that knows no bounds. If we allowed it, they would sweep across the lands as the orcs once did.¡±

    ¡°Christoph is a man, not a monster,¡± Coin said. ¡°It might make you feel better to think otherwise, but no one else shares your denial.¡±

    ¡°No one else shares my past,¡± Quester said. ¡°You do not know of their kind.¡±

    ¡°Your sister does,¡± Coin retorted. ¡°She also knows how it feels to be on the other side of this farce. Don¡¯t think that you are the only one who still suffers from your wounds.¡±

    Quester frowned back at Coin. ¡°Don¡¯t-¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Ruth¡¯s stern voice silenced the pair. ¡°The common folk do not share our worries, and neither does the church. The guild takes requests, and we move. That is it.¡±

    ¡°Where is Regal?¡± Quester asked.

    ¡°Suffering alone, like Lily is.¡± Ruth replied. ¡°Regal had made a friend for once ¨C that rock missile isn¡¯t something you should take so lightly. As for Lily¡­¡±

    Coin opened his mouth to speak, but Ruth held up a hand to stop him. ¡°I understand that this is difficult for you, but each of them is in more pain than the both of you combined, and they need you by their sides.¡±

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    Ruth turned away from the two men, looking forwards to where the line of adventurers had advanced further into the forest. ¡°Get it together and don¡¯t fall behind the silver rankers. We may just be here to push him forward, but if he does turn around then it will be our responsibility to stop him, too.¡± He paused, lifting a hand to point towards a solitary adventurer standing in the distance. ¡°Whatever happens, keep him far away from Sir Dane.¡±

    ¡°We know that,¡± Coin said. ¡°Can¡¯t have the guild breathing down our neck again about messing up relations with the church.¡±

    The three of them watched as Dane suddenly drew his sword, kneeling down and raising it to his helmet, the tip pointing skyward as the pommel stone began to glow. A dull crack sounded out, causing the nearby adventurers to turn their heads towards the knight as two people appeared from thin air, falling onto the rough wooden surface before leaping back to their feet.

    ¡°Dane?¡± Sierra asked. ¡°Where are we-¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Henry!¡± Cliff shouted. ¡°He¡¯s killing Henry!¡±

    ¡­

    Christoph¡¯s blinked to clear his vision, but it made no difference how hard he tried. Rising up off his knees, he stumbled slightly as he took to his feet, bare skin slipping on the wet surface of the wood. Lifting a hand, he attempted to wipe his eyes with the back of his arm but only succeeded in smearing warm liquid over his face. Through the blur, he could see the way his arm had been painted with a vibrant red. Shaking his head, he continued to blink until he managed to regain enough of his sight to take in his surroundings.

    Looking around, Christoph was relieved to see that the trees were empty, the nearby beast-girl the only sign of life in the area. Emilia¡¯s ears swiveled in his direction as he moved towards where she was lying prone on the tree root, her legs jerking slightly before becoming motionless once more. He knelt down beside her and opened his mouth to talk, but decided against it. Instead he scooped her up in his arms, carrying her down the root and over to the nearest tree trunk. Propping her up against the bark, he squatted down in front of her and brushed her hair off of her face, her fingers twitching as he touched her.

    ¡°You still alive?¡± he asked. The poison trickling from her pouch had a yellowish tinge, and not the green that he had seen on the daggers that had stabbed into him. ¡°Cliff said you had some type of paralysis poison, so I¡¯m guessing this is it.¡±

    Emilia grunted and twitched some more, but didn¡¯t speak.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes,¡± Christoph said, sitting down on the tree root and looking down at his filthy body with a sigh. His bare torso was covered in blood, only half of which was his. His pants, too, had been reduced to little more than tattered shorts. Clothing would be a priority once he got out of the forest.

    ¡°How¡¯s this?¡± he asked. ¡°Twitch your ears for yes, and your hands for a no.¡±

    The cat-girl didn¡¯t move.

    ¡°Do you understand?¡± he said.

    Her ears twitched slightly.

    ¡°Okay. If I take you back to your village, can you keep me safe?¡± Christoph asked.

    She twitched her fingers.

    ¡°Will you be fine if I leave you here, then?¡± he said, rubbing at his face with his slightly cleaner left hand. Despite his efforts to clean himself, both his hand and his face came away worse off than they had been before.

    Her fingers twitched again, almost balling up into a fist. Reaching out, he straightened them out before sitting back. ¡°The guild is coming,¡± he asked. Can I leave you in a tree until they get here?¡±

    Both her ears and her fingers twitched at once.

    ¡°What does that mean? Do you want me to stay here and look after you or something?¡± Christoph sighed and ran a hand through his matted hair, almost missing her ears as they twitched.

    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± he said, lifting her up again. ¡°This can¡¯t be the first time you¡¯ve been hit by your own poison, you¡¯ll just have to deal with it.¡±

    He looked around for a branch low enough to reach but tall enough to keep her away from the few beasts that might wander here from somewhere nearby. How far away were the adventurers anyway? Finding a suitable spot, he dragged her up through the branches by her belt and wedged her limp form into place. Hopefully she¡¯d be noticed before the beasts got to her. Honestly, to be done in by her own poison¡­ didn¡¯t she have some kind of countermeasure against that?

    ¡°Isn¡¯t there some kind of antidote you can take?¡± he asked.

    Her fingers twitched in reply.

    ¡°Well,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯ll just have to wait for the guild then.¡±

    Jumping down, Christoph stretched out his arms, feeling the strength flowing through him. Was Emilia just that light, or had he gotten stronger again? Walking back down the tree root, he bounced on his feet and decided it was the latter. He felt great. Actually, he¡¯d probably never felt so good in his life. Turning around, his empty stomach heaved as he retched uselessly onto the mossy wood, spittle dripping down from his open mouth. Ahead of where he had been walking, a corpse lay staring up into the treetops above with glassy eyes. Steam rose from Henry¡¯s body as it cooled, the glow of mana that lingered in all living things utterly missing from his motionless form.

    Standing straight, Christoph blinked again to clear his vision, slowly making his way back up the tree root before stepping over to another and moving on deeper into the forest.

    ¡­

    Grace propped John up against the trunk of a nearby tree, removing his helmet and crouching down in front of him. His sword was once again resting in its sheath, his shield weighing heavily on his back whenever he shifted against the tree.

    ¡°Forgive me for asking you to squander your strength,¡± Gideon said. ¡°But I still have orders to follow.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± John said. ¡°This is our punishment for allowing the demon to escape the capital.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so quick to assume responsibility, my son,¡± Gideon said. ¡°I suspect the Saint might have allowed him to leave on purpose. Not even those chosen by god are above making mistakes.¡±

    Grace removed John¡¯s helmet, splaying her fingers over his head and allowing her inner reserves of mana to somewhat balance out with John¡¯s remaining energy.

    ¡°Admirable, but unnecessary,¡± Gideon said as she helped John to his feet. Ahead of them, the rhythmic sound of footsteps could be heard. ¡°Save your strength for carrying the body.¡±

 Chapter Fourteen

    Josephine hunched over her desk as she fumbled with the pliers, breath hissing from between her teeth as the wire slipped from the thin jaws of the tool and curled up on her cluttered desktop.

    ¡°Is everything alright, ma¡¯am?¡± Daniel¡¯s voice crackled and distorted as it came through the radio, and Josephine straightened the antennae before replying.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Behind her came the familiar clunk of a small child swinging his feet against the wooden surface of the drawers he was sitting upon.

    ¡°Christoph, dear, you have to be quiet if you want to watch mommy work,¡± Josephine said. He hummed in reply, and she glanced back towards him. ¡°Take off your shoes inside, honey.¡±

    Straightening his legs, Christoph pushed off of the chest of drawers and leaped to the ground. Hurrying out of the room with a clatter, he returned moments later with the patter of bare feet on tiles.

    ¡°Good boy,¡± Josephine said, swiveling her chair towards him. ¡°Here, you can sit on my lap if you promise to keep still.¡±

    Nodding energetically, he let her pull him up onto her knees, squirming a little before he could get comfortable. Leaning forwards, Josephine rested her chin on his head and wrapped her arms around his body in a hug. Taking a deep breath, she lifted her pliers once more and straightened the wire with both hands before clasping it in the tool yet again.

    ¡°Look,¡± she said. ¡°See this little box? It¡¯s what makes the dolls move.¡±

    Christoph leaned forwards to inspect the small mechanical cube before turning his head to look up at her, reaching out to touch her glasses.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± she said. ¡°My glasses help me move them around.¡± Smiling, she turned her gaze towards the box again, lights blinking as it activated. Christoph giggled as the toy it was attached to twitched in response, his short black hair tickling her neck as he laughed. He looked back at at her for a moment, lifting a small hand to tap at his own head this time.

    ¡°No, honey,¡± Josephine said shaking her head with a laugh of her own. ¡°You¡¯re not a doll, you¡¯re a boy.¡± She pulled him into a hug again, planting fluttery kisses on his cheeks as he giggled.

    ¡°You¡¯re already perfect,¡± she said. ¡°My perfect little boy. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t let your daddy take you away from me.¡±

    ¡°Ma¡¯am?¡± Daniel¡¯s voice crackled slightly over the radio.

    ¡°Yes Dan?¡± she asked.

    ¡°The police are here,¡± he replied, pausing for a moment before he spoke again. ¡°They¡¯re looking for the girls.¡±

    Josephine almost swore, but caught herself just in time. Turning her chair to the side, she set Christoph on the floor, patting his head gently. ¡°Okay now honey, go play in your room,¡± she said, watching him smile as he rushed out of the room.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am?¡± Daniel asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯ve gone over this many times already. You know what to do.¡±

    Standing, she hurried from the room, turning off the light and closing the door behind her. Sitting on the middle of her desk, the black box continued to blink slowly, a faint red light washing over the subject of her work. Stained crimson by the illumination, a severed arm twitched delicately, wires swaying where they connected to the stump. Back in his room, Christoph laughed innocently as he played with his toys.

    ¡­

    ¡°Halt!¡± Gideon¡¯s yell snapped Christoph from thoughts of his past, jerking back into the present as his feet found purchase on the wet moss of the tree root beneath him. Looking up with unfocused eyes, he brushed his matted hair from his face, smearing more blood over his cheeks and forehead as he did so. Blocking his path across the tree root stood a black-armored knight, a large red cross displayed brightly against the dull tint of his breastplate.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Christoph said, mind drifting back to the other world. His mother, and Dan¡­ Shivering, he pulled himself away from the darker memories he harboured.

    ¡°I am Gideon, Executioner of the Church of the Creator¡¯s Blessed.¡± The knight drew a long-handled hammer from his back, pointing the double-sided head in his direction. ¡°Are you Christoph, the summoned demon that slayed the Guardian?¡±

    Christoph started to shake his head before looking down at his crimson stained form. ¡°I guess so,¡± he said. Right now, the Guardian seemed like the least of his worries.

    ¡°Kneel, and we will offer you a quick death!¡± Turning, he saw that two more knights had appeared behind him, silver armor covered by a white cloth marked with the same red cross as Gideon¡¯s was. One of them, the one who had spoken, seemed to be a woman.

    Christoph shook his head again, pushing the thoughts of his mother from his mind. Three knights, two behind and one ahead. He searched the forest for flickers of mana nearby, but there was nothing. Other than the three that had surrounded him, he was alone. Could he get around them somehow? The root stood nearly ten meters off the ground, but if he could manage the fall, then¡­ It had been idiotic to let them corner him like this.

    Gideon clanked as he began to close the distance, the other two knights standing their ground behind Christoph as he drew his sword. Stepping forward to meet the Executioner, he swung his weapon around to slash into Gideon¡¯s torso. Despite the speed of the strike, the crystal blade was caught as the knight used his hammer as a staff to deflect the blow. Swinging it wildly, Christoph launched a flurry of attacks at his armored opponent, not willing to give him time to react. The older man was forced back, blocking and dodging each blow as he retreated. They edged along the tree root, the two Templars following along with weapons drawn and shields raised behind them.

    Shifting his hands apart along the length of his hammer, Gideon began to counter Christoph¡¯s attacks, striking back with both ends of his weapon and halting their advance down the tree root. Christoph gritted his teeth as a blow caught him on the shoulder, the impact shifting him off-balance for a moment before he retreated, the two Templars behind him shifting back in turn. Catching his breath, he resisted the urge to curse. He had been almost close enough to risk a leap to one of the other roots nearby! Had Gideon seen what he was aiming for?

    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± The black-armored knight exclaimed, raising his hammer into the air. ¡°Stellar of the Light, I call you!¡±

    Was this some kind of magic? Christoph dashed forwards. If his opponent was attempting to cast a spell, he would see it coming a mile away! Now that he¡¯d traded blows with the Templar, he knew that he had the upper hand in terms of both strength and speed. If he could keep up the pressure, it would be his win. Because of how he was focused on detecting Gideon¡¯s mana, Christoph almost didn¡¯t notice the Templars behind him taking a step back as Gideon swung his hammer. Swinging already? There¡¯s no way that would even come close to hitting him. A moment later, a pillar of light erupted across Christoph¡¯s vision.

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    Ducking away, he was able to move under the massive beam by dropping to the root, his feet continuing forwards as he fell backwards. Even so, he could not dodge the attack completely, taking the brunt of the force on his blade as he moved his arm up to block in reflex. Christoph bounced as he hit the ground, a small crater left in the wood as he fought to stay conscious, leaping backwards to avoid the next sweeping attack. There was a thud as he was caught on the Templars¡¯ steel shields, their joint strength pushing him forwards into the next swing of Gideon¡¯s shimmering blade.

    The next few moments passed in a blur, flashes of both light and pain stabbing into Christoph all at once, his unnatural reflexes still not enough to keep the Templar¡¯s swords at bay. Finally, he managed to strike back, a satisfying snap of bone reaching his ears as his blade caught one of the silver-armored knights on the shoulder.  The knight stifled his scream as he was dragged back by his companion, the two retreating slightly and giving Christoph room to breath. In front of him, Gideon stood ready to attack once more.

    ¡°A hammer,¡± Christoph said between breaths.

    Gideon took a step forwards, moving into a stance as Christoph¡¯s wounds began to heal, the flow of blood lessening from where their swords had stabbed into the back of his chest.

    ¡°I thought it was a hammer,¡± Christoph said. Even during their brief exchange before, the Executioner had fought skillfully with the heavy blunt force weapon. Now, an impossibly wide blade of light had appeared at the top of the hammer. The handle, although long, had merely been designed that way to offset the length of the blade. The twin heads of the hammer, although useful for smashing the opponent, were nothing more than the crossguard of the enormous greatsword.

    ¡°Saint Stellar¡¯s Greatsword of Light,¡± Gideon said. ¡°This is the weapon that will take your life, demon.¡±

    ¡°How unnatural,¡± Christoph said with a wry grin towards his own blade. ¡°I couldn¡¯t see that thing coming at all.¡±

    Turning, he made a dash to where the two Templars stood behind him, angling towards the limp-armed male as he closed the gap. The female knight rushed forwards to meet him, crossing blades with him before he was forced to disengage and receive Gideon¡¯s next attack. Now that he had broken their synchronized combo of strikes it was easier to face the Executioner, but the older man still had a firm advantage in skill. He might be able to heal a wound from a regular sword, but that greatsword would end his life in an instant if he wasn¡¯t careful. There was no way that Christoph could break through the Templar¡¯s guard while Gideon was at his back. To make matters worse, the faint flickers of mana in the distance announced the adventurers as they approached.

    Christoph leveled his crystal blade at the Executioner, distancing himself from the other Templars behind him. If there was no way behind, he would have to push forwards instead. ¡°I¡¯ve always detested churches,¡± he said. ¡°My father once said that they reminded him of my mother.¡±

    ¡°Be silent,¡± Gideon replied. ¡°I will brook no ill language towards our god.¡±

    ¡°Oh I¡¯m sure your god is a great man,¡± Christoph said with smile. ¡°After all, it takes courage to completely ruin people¡¯s lives like that.¡±

    Gideon began to reply, but Christoph was already moving, sword swinging around in a vertical strike directly at the Executioner¡¯s helmet. Stepping backwards, the knight leveled a massive swing, the impossibly thick blade aimed diagonally downwards through Christoph¡¯s torso to cleave him in half. The attack hit nothing but air as Christoph dropped to the mossy wood, absorbing his sword so that he could land on all fours and leap up again as the enormous blade swung past. An ordinary swordsman would have lost his sword trying to replicate the manoeuvre, but Christoph didn¡¯t suffer from this issue, the crystal blade flowing from his palm once more and swinging downwards towards Gideon¡¯s shoulder as he jumped.

    Taking another step backwards, the knight wrenched his greatsword to a halt, pulling it back to block Christoph¡¯s downward strike with the flat of the blade. Instead, Christoph¡¯s sword vanished again, the crystal flowing backwards until it was little more than a knife. The small blade sailed past Gideon¡¯s own without so much as nicking the gleaming surface, and Christoph grinned wickedly as everything came to a halt for just one moment.

    Thrusting his blade upwards again, he stabbed it between the overlapping plates of Gideon¡¯s armor, finding the small area of vulnerability in the otherwise impenetrable surface. With a surge of mana, the crystal sword exploded back into being, shearing through Gideon¡¯s torso and slamming into the back of his breastplate from the inside. Blood surged from the Templar¡¯s helmet as he fell, the Greatsword of Light winking out as Christoph absorbed the majority of Gideon¡¯s mana, leaving his inner flame barely a spark of warmth. The knight crashed to the ground, Christoph¡¯s bloodied crystal blade sliding from his armor until only the tip remained.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Christoph shouted, holding a hand out to the Templar as she stepped forwards. Held in his fist was the sacred artifact that Gideon had wielded. ¡°If I wanted to, I could end his life right now.¡±

    ¡°Is that what you did to Brother Henry?¡± Grace asked, edging towards him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to anyone to die,¡± Christoph said, looking away from her helmed visage. ¡°He could still survive.¡±

    The knight ignored his words, closing in on him with her weapons raised.

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s a no,¡± he said. ¡°Is it about the Greatsword? Here, you can have it.¡± Swinging out his arm, he launched the hammer towards her, the long metal weapon swinging wildly as it flew through the air. Jerking back, Grace took the blow on her shield, dropping her sword to catch the handle of the hammer before it bounced away to the forest floor below. By the time she had looked back across the root, Christoph was gone.

 Chapter Fifteen

    ¡°We should be going after him!¡± Cliff shouted.

    ¡°It is not our place,¡± Dane replied, turning away from the siblings. ¡°We have our orders. For now, we should focus on returning Henry to Starthall for the funeral.¡±

    ¡°That thing isn¡¯t Henry!¡± Cliff gestured wildly in the direction where Henry¡¯s body lay, eyes closed and cold. ¡°Henry¡¯s gone!¡±

    ¡°Cliff¡­¡± Sierra reached a hand out to her brother, but he shrugged it off, stepping towards the armored man again.

    ¡°A funeral? Don¡¯t fuck with me! There¡¯s nothing left to send to the other side!¡± For some reason, Cliff couldn¡¯t seem to lower his voice. Had he always been so loud?

    ¡°We don¡¯t know that,¡± Dane said, without turning around.

    Cliff¡¯s face flushed with anger at his response. ¡°Do you even care?¡± Stepping forwards, he grabbed onto Dane shoulder and turned the larger man around.

    ¡°Shut the fuck up!¡± Cliff¡¯s feet were suddenly no longer on the ground, dangling uselessly as Dane whirled him around into the nearby tree trunk, holding him up against the wood by the fabric of his shirt. ¡°Henry might have been your friend, but he was my brother,¡± Dane said. ¡°How dare you say that. Of course I care! Of course I want to go after that bastard! I¡­¡± Dane loosened his grip on Cliff¡¯s shirt, lowering him to his feet.

    ¡°What am I supposed to tell father?¡± Dane asked blankly. ¡°He¡¯s gone. Henry¡¯s gone forever.¡±

    Cliff opened his mouth, but he had nothing to say to comfort his friend. Dane sank to his knees as Cliff watched, his armor clanking as he collapsed to the mossy ground.

    ¡°We can¡¯t send his soul to the heavens.¡± Dane blinked past the tears that had begun to stream down his face. ¡°We¡¯ll never meet him in the afterlife, never speak with him again through the altars.¡±

    ¡°Henry lived his own life,¡± Sierra said. ¡°You father knows this too. Neither of you should feel responsible for his death.¡±

    Dane looked over to her as she crouched down in front of him, and she reached out both of her arms to wrap them around his shoulders, cradling the back of his head in her hand. ¡°It¡¯s okay to do what you want this once,¡± she said. ¡°Nobody could blame you for that.¡±

    ¡°What I want?¡± Dane asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know what that is.¡±

    ¡°You need to decide,¡± Sierra said. ¡°Cliff and I are going after Henry¡¯s killer. If you want to join us, you can leave the corpse to the guild.¡± She stood once more, and with those words as a parting message, the two siblings left Dane to his thoughts. They had not walked for even a minute before a wailing cry of grief reached their ears, echoing through the forest to where the adventurers¡¯ guild had set up their perimeter around Henry¡¯s body. They needn¡¯t have worried ¨C not even the beasts of the forest had any interest in his barren, lifeless remains.

    ¡­

    Dane knelt on the tree root for a while longer, staring over to where Henry¡¯s corpse lay further along the gigantic wooden surface. What should he do? His father needed to know¡­ The church would seek retribution when they found out. Would it really be okay if he let someone else take Christoph¡¯s life before he could? In the first place, Cliff and Sierra are chasing after him at this moment, and Gideon is waiting for him ahead with his two Templars.

    Pushing off the ground, he staggered forwards from under the massive tree, taking a half step in Henry¡¯s direction before finding his balance. No, there was no way that he would accept Christoph¡¯s death at anyone¡¯s hands but his own. Especially not if he was killed while Dane sat in a stupor nearby. A blur of grey interrupted his thoughts, and he turned around just as Emilia fell from the lower branches of the tree with a thud.

    ¡°He really did eat his soul, then?¡± The beast-girl stood slowly, legs shaking as she leaned against the tree trunk. ¡°I wonder what Leila will have to say about this.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one that fought with Henry,¡± Dane said, eyes narrowing in recognition. The broken gem on the crossguard of his sword glinted as he drew the blade a half-inch from the sheath.

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Pushing off the tree, Emilia took a step forwards and immediately fell over, catching herself on all fours before her face could hit the ground. ¡°Actually,¡± she said, ¡°I¡¯d just lost my duel with that elf when the demon caught up to us.¡±

    ¡°If you still mean to claim him as your property, I¡¯ll be your opponent,¡± Dane said, drawing his sword another inch.

    ¡°Put your sword away,¡± Emilia said, rising back to her feet. ¡°I can barely stand, I¡¯m not about to challenge your to a duel. Unless you mean to force yourself onto me in this condition?¡±

    Dane hesitated for a moment before sheathing his sword, resting his hand on the hilt as he spoke. ¡°What do you intend to do?¡± he asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s simple,¡± Emilia said, finding her strength and stretching out her limbs. ¡°I¡¯m going home.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°He¡¯s dead, isn¡¯t he?¡± Gideon looked up at Ruth as the party approached.

    ¡°He is,¡± Ruth said. ¡°May god have-¡±

    ¡°Henry will not be meeting with god,¡± Gideon interrupted. ¡°Will he?¡±

    Lily and Regal flinched at the Executioner¡¯s words, and Quester frowned down at where the knight was lying across the tree root. Grace was kneeling beside the Executioner, healing his wounds as her mana recovered.

    ¡°He will not,¡± Ruth said. ¡°Sir Sierra of God¡¯s Compass confirmed the body was hollow.¡±

    ¡°You did not check yourself?¡± Gideon asked, looking over Regal¡¯s mage-based attire.

    ¡°We did not,¡± Quester said, moving to shield Regal and Lily from Gideon¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°I will ask no more,¡± Gideon said before turning back to Ruth. ¡°If he has crossed the border, it is only the guild who can follow him.¡±

    ¡°We will not,¡± Ruth said. ¡°We have received no request from the Greater Paw.¡±

    ¡°And you never will,¡± Emilia said as she approached the group. ¡°We will deal with him in our own way.¡±

    ¡°A bronze ranker?¡± Coin asked. ¡°Did you not receive your orders?¡±

    Emilia ignored his question, turning towards Gideon. ¡°How long ago did he flee?¡±

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    ¡°Who are you?¡± Ruth asked, holding out an arm to block Coin as he made to step towards the girl.

    ¡°How fast was he moving?¡± Emilia asked the Templars again. John and Grace looked to Gideon, but he didn¡¯t seem likely to answer.

    ¡°As a bronze ranked adventurer, you are required to answer to those of the gold rank when they ask you a question,¡± Ruth said calmly.

    Reaching up, she wrapped a hand around her guild medallion and wrenched it off of her neck, the string snapping easily as she pulled. Tossing it towards the party of adventurers, she scowled over at them. ¡°Enough of this joke,¡± she said. ¡°I am Emilia of the Greater Paw, and I will be the lord of the forest one day. Do not intrude on my lands, adventurer.¡±

    ¡°You are one of Beacon¡¯s children?¡± Gideon asked.

    ¡°I am,¡± she replied, straightening her back. ¡°Tell me, knight, where did my prey run off to?¡±

    ¡°If you leave now, you may reach him before your clan does,¡± he said. ¡°But make no mistake ¨C this demon has slain a member of our church. We will seek retribution.¡±

    ¡°Send it,¡± she hissed. ¡°No forest of ours will bend to your false god.¡±

    ¡­

    Night approached as Christoph walked through the arm of the forest, the dim light of the Paw disappearing behind him. The trees grew shorter by the moment, and he hadn¡¯t seen a beast since he had parted ways with the Templars. More blood had soaked through his ragged shorts, thin strips of fabric all that was left of the garment below the knees. Had the Executioner survived? The amount of mana he had drained from him had not been nearly as much as¡­ as much as he had expected.

    If there were no beasts in the forest of the beast-clans, wouldn¡¯t he just starve to death? Stopping his advance, he cocked his head to the side, peering into the distance through the multitudes of trees ahead. Try as he might, there were no flickers of mana, nor any glows of energy that he could see. Behind him, there- Christoph flinched as he turned around to look back on the Paw and saw the figure of someone standing in his way.

    ¡°Emilia?¡± he asked, blinking rapidly. No ¨C aside from the fur and ears, it was clearly not the beast-girl he had fought before. It wasn¡¯t even a female, the large form obviously that of a man, a spear held in his hands.

    ¡°You have met Emilia?¡± the man asked. ¡°Are you an adventurer?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°I¡¯m being pursued by the church, she offered to take me back to her village.¡±

    The man stepped closer in the low light, frowning slightly as his ears swiveled up. ¡°Did she really offer you protection?¡± he asked.

    Christoph shook his head again, glancing over the man. He wore similar clothing to Emilia herself, fur shorts and a belt that he wore around his torso in place of the wrap around top she had. His spear seemed well made, a metal tip gracing the end of the wooden handle. ¡°She told me she couldn¡¯t guarantee my safety, but I decided to come here anyway.¡±

    Ears twitching again, the beast-man stepped forward, leveling his spear at Christoph¡¯s chest. ¡°She didn¡¯t challenge you to a duel?¡± he asked.

    Christoph laughed at the question. A duel? No, he¡¯d attacked her in the tree and been sent to Forestry as a result. If they¡¯d fought for real¡­ ¡°No, no,¡± he said. ¡°She did tell me she was going to, but she never got around to it.¡±

    The man smiled, but didn¡¯t lift his spear, the steel tip barely even swaying as he held it out towards him. ¡°You¡¯re a good liar,¡± he said. ¡°Very well, I have one more question for you.¡±

    The laugh froze in Christoph¡¯s throat as the man spoke, and he amassed his energy in preparation to draw his sword.

    ¡°Tell me,¡± the beast-man said with a grin. ¡°Who¡¯s blood is that?¡±

    ¡°Mostly,¡± Christoph began. ¡°Mostly, it¡¯s mine.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be modest!¡± A familiar voice rang out, and the man¡¯s ears pricked up as he turned towards where Emilia had emerged behind a nearby tree. ¡°At least half of that blood belongs to the half-elf and that knight.¡±

    ¡°Emilia,¡± the beast-man said with a nod. ¡°Leila will be happy to hear you¡¯re back.¡±

    ¡°Leila can go rut with a dwarf for all I care,¡± Emilia said. ¡°Put down your spear, Oliver. That man is mine.¡±

    ¡°He says you haven¡¯t yet fought a duel.¡± Oliver replied.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Emilia said, prancing over to Christoph as she drew her daggers. He froze up slightly, but refrained from drawing his sword.

    ¡°What were you planning?¡± she asked. ¡°Did you think that once you made it across the border you¡¯d be safe?¡±

    Christoph looked back at her, shoulders falling as he sighed. ¡°I just didn¡¯t want to die,¡± he said. ¡°That¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Great,¡± Emilia said with a smile. ¡°Come with me, I¡¯ll keep you alive at least.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡± Lucius said.

    ¡°Speak your apologies to the Bishop himself,¡± Claude said, raising his head from where he had bowed down in prayer, his hands clasped as he knelt in the courtyard.

    ¡°Father Molt is grieving the loss of his child,¡± Lucius replied. ¡°I will not intrude upon that.¡±

    ¡°Yet you will intrude upon our expedition?¡± Claude asked, rising to his feet.

    ¡°I will,¡± Lucius replied. ¡°That man must be slain no matter the cost.¡±

    ¡°He will be slain,¡± Claude said. ¡°The Paladins may be few in number, but do not think us less effective than the Templars.¡±

    ¡°I do not,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Even so, Sir Gideon has experience both with the forest clans and with Christoph. His insight would be invaluable.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care of your plans,¡± Claude declared, facing the younger boy. ¡°We will set out into the beast forest and slay the demon. If Executioner Gideon wishes to beg us for company he may do so. Until then, I have no wish to gaze upon your face.¡±

    ¡°I did not ask for this either,¡± Lucius said, tilting his head and peering at the slightly older man through his glasses. ¡°Even so, I see much more than faces when I lift my head from evening prayer.¡±

 Chapter Sixteen

    ¡°What do we do with the medallion?¡± Coin asked.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Quester replied. ¡°She only joined the guild so she could cross the border and snatch a slave.¡±

    ¡°Take it back to the guild,¡± Lily said as Coin prepared to hurl the bronze necklace into the trees. ¡°They¡¯ll pay you a fee if you report her desertion.¡±

    Coin smiled over at her as he withdrew his hand and pocketed the medallion. ¡°That¡¯s why I love you,¡± he said. She made a face, but didn¡¯t reply.

    ¡°What¡¯s next then?¡± Quester asked, turning towards Ruth. ¡°Do you have plans?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Ruth said. ¡°But-¡±

    ¡°What will happen to him?¡± Regal asked softly. The group paused turning towards the mage.

    ¡°You¡¯re speaking again?¡± Lily asked. ¡°I thought you¡¯d be mute forever.¡±

    Quester shot a harsh glare in his sister¡¯s direction before leaning down to peer at Regal¡¯s face from under the brim of the mage¡¯s large hat. ¡°It depends,¡± he said. ¡°If the church has their way, he¡¯ll be killed. If not¡­ The beast-clans can be fickle. If he¡¯s lucky he¡¯ll be treated like a large pet.¡±

    ¡°Even if he isn¡¯t, it¡¯s not our place to interfere,¡± Ruth said. ¡°Unless you also wish to give up your medallion, we have more requests to take. In any case, the beast forests are not a place for humans.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do,¡± Quester said gently, reaching out to remove the hat from Regal¡¯s head. Curled wisps of short brown hair bounced free as the weight lifted off them and he pulled the mage into a hug. Brushing the hair from Regal¡¯s forehead, Quester planted a kiss on her soft skin as she nestled into his chest. ¡°He¡¯s probably safer in the forest than he would be if he was here.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°A woman?¡± Christoph asked. ¡°Not the angry one, I¡¯m asking about the short one with the robes and staff.¡±

    ¡°I know the difference between a male and a female human,¡± Emilia said, tugging on his leash as she walked ahead of him. ¡°Even the smell is different.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± Christoph staggered as the vine tightened around his neck, picking up his pace as his leash shortened. Regal was a woman? Wasn¡¯t he just a young boy?

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you tell it was a woman by her clothes?¡± Emilia said, one of her eyebrows raised as an ear swiveling to mimic the motion.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Christoph asked, stumbling again on one of the many roots they walked across. Because of the way his arms had been bound behind his back, it was hard to keep his balance. Regal wore wizard¡¯s robes, right? Emilia¡¯s expression went deadpan, as she looked back at him.

    ¡°Anyway, forget about them,¡± she said. ¡°Adventurers won¡¯t come here unless we make a request. It¡¯s the church that we¡¯ll have to be worried about.¡±

    ¡°So the Executioner didn¡¯t die then?¡± Christoph said. ¡°I should have taken that greatsword-hammer thing if they¡¯re just gonna come after me anyway.¡±

    ¡°Greatsword hammer?¡± Emilia¡¯s ears pricked up at that and she stopped walking for a moment.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Christoph said, catching up to her and leaning around to look at her face. ¡°It looked like a hammer, but this huge blade of light grew from the top. Almost cut me in half.¡±

    Emilia stopped walking, looking over at him with wide eyes. ¡°The knight had that?¡±

    Christoph blinked, looking up at her ears as they twitched. Shit. Was the hammer something important? ¡°He did,¡± he replied.

    ¡°So that was Gideon the Slayer, then,¡± Emilia said with a grin. Laughing, she tugged on her end of the vine, starting back towards the village. ¡°Oliver!¡± She looked around before frowning.

    ¡°You sent him to let the village know we¡¯re coming,¡±Christoph said.

    ¡°I know that!¡± Emilia replied, tugging on the vine and making him trip again.

    ¡°Is the vine really necessary?¡± he asked. ¡°It¡¯s not like I have anywhere to run off to.¡±

    Emilia ignored him as she walked ahead, tugging on the makeshift rope every now and then to keep him just slightly off-balance.

    ¡­

    The dark waters of the stream washed over Gideon as he stepped out from the bank, the river illuminated by a ball of light which danced overhead. His armor lay nearby, the black plate no longer marred by crimson stains. Bending down, he ducked under the surface, feeling his many scars twinge in the cool water. One in particular pained him, and he rubbed at his neck, the bite marks growing tight in the cold.

    ¡°Are you going over the border?¡± Cliff asked.

    ¡°I am,¡± Gideon replied, the blood soaking from his body and flowing downstream.

    ¡°We¡¯re coming,¡± Cliff said. His resolute expression was lost on Gideon, the older man remaining faced in the opposite direction.

    ¡°You will return to Starthall,¡± Gideon said. ¡°Even if your orders were rescinded, an adventurer cannot go directly against the lords of the land.¡±

    ¡°Then we will leave the guild,¡± Cliff said, closing a fist around his silver medallion.

    ¡°In that case, you will be unable to go against the orders of the Archbishop,¡± Gideon said, turning to glance over at where the young man stood on the shore, Sierra sitting silently nearby.

    Cliff gritted his teeth. ¡°I cannot sit by and watch this time,¡± he said.

    ¡°You will,¡± Gideon replied. ¡°I have been ordered to return you to Starthall even if it means I do not accompany the expedition.¡±

    ¡°You-¡± Cliff paused. ¡°Expedition?¡±

    ¡°Aye,¡± Gideon said. ¡°The Paladins are moving.¡± He stepped from the stream, and Sierra averted her gaze. ¡°Return to Starthall,¡± he said. ¡°If you are claimed by the beast clans, the Archbishop will burn down the forest to get you back.¡±

    ¡­

    Liam cursed as he ran, yet another ball of flame roaring towards him from up ahead. Did that wizard not care about his mansion at all? The fire dimmed as Ginger moved to shield him from it, but it still exploded on the wall nearby, flames spreading over the hallway and burning through the carpeted floor. Picking up his pace, Liam closed in on the mage before he could ready another spell. Instead of trying to break through the wizard¡¯s barrier, though, Liam stopped before the shimmering surface, watching Ginger rush past.

    Stolen story; please report.

    The mage swung his staff out, reinforcing the dome-shaped shield with a grin. This was a barrier he wasn¡¯t even sure that he could break from the outside. Ginger stepped through without so much as slowing down, smashing through his defensive spells and swinging at him with her club. Blocking the attack with his staff, the mage sent flickers of fire to strike out at her body, the magic dying out into wisps of smoke. Ignoring his spells, Ginger continued to strike at him with her weapon, a steady stream of blows raining down on him as he exhausted his array of magic and paltry combat training.

    Fire, ice, earth and air, none of it seemed to reach her, his mana disappearing before he could properly channel it through his surroundings. What kind of opponent was he facing? Turning, he tried to run but was instead knocked to the ground, collapsing as Ginger tackled him to the floor. Looking back, he saw Liam approach from where he had been watching their fight.

    ¡°Who sent you?¡± he asked. ¡°The church? The college? My research here is invaluable!¡±

    Liam crouched down next to him, reaching his hands out and placing them to either side of the mage¡¯s head. ¡°We¡¯re just adventurers,¡± he said. ¡°And your research is an abomination.¡±

    There was a flash of blue light, and the mage struggled for a moment before falling still. Ginger hung her club from her belt as she stood, leaving him unconscious on the carpet. Stepping towards Liam, she wrapped her arms around him, running her fingers through his hair as they embraced.

    ¡°I know this is hard for you,¡± she said. ¡°But it¡¯s better than killing them, at least.¡±

    Below them, the mage twitched slightly again as his breathing deepened. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Liam said. ¡°Compared to what we did before, this is nothing.¡±

    ¡°Do you think the others will ever forgive us?¡± Ginger asked. ¡°I hope so. We were friends for a while.¡±

    Liam shook his head, looking across at her with a smile. ¡°I do not need their forgiveness,¡± he said. ¡°And I doubt any of them blamed you from the beginning.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve forgiven you,¡± she said. ¡°Even after everything that happened, the time we spent together¡­ I was happy.¡±

    ¡°I wonder how it all ended,¡± Liam said. Breaking their embrace, he looked around at their surroundings, flames smoldering on the carpet nearby.

    ¡°Merry the Replicator¡­¡± Ginger paused. ¡°That young man looked just like him, and his kin.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Liam replied, silence falling over the couple. ¡°He might even be one of them, for all we know. Even his age could be manufactured, if the Dollmaker was involved¡­¡±

    ¡­

    Christoph tripped again, slamming into the forest floor with a thump as the vine tightened around his neck. Emilia tugged on her end as he struggled to stand, fur bristling impatiently.

    ¡°How did you survive a month in the forest if you can¡¯t even walk properly?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I can¡¯t see anything when it¡¯s so dark,¡± he said. ¡°The trees here don¡¯t glow like the giant ones do.¡±

    ¡°Trees don¡¯t glow,¡± Emilia snapped. ¡°Get up, we¡¯re almost there.¡±

    Finding his footing again, Christoph looked ahead. For a couple of minutes now he had seen the orange light of a fire burning in the distance. ¡°What sort of village is it anyway?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m not exactly from this world, so I don¡¯t really know about anything you¡¯d consider common sense.¡±

    ¡°Do the boys in your world wear dresses, too?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Wizards wear robes,¡± he replied with a sigh. ¡°Well, we don¡¯t have any real wizards but the ones in stories do.¡±

    The beast-girl jerked on the vine, pulling him forwards again. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± she said. In front of them, the trees parted suddenly, moonlight streaming down to shine over the forest. A giant clearing formed in the forest, a clump of massive trees growing in the middle. Although not as large as those in the Paw, the trees that made up the copse still towered over the forest nearby. Ropes and walkways dotted their trunks, and cabins could be seen spread throughout their branches. Is this how the beast clans lived?

    Emilia smiled at Christoph¡¯s expression, pulling him gently towards the village. ¡°Come on,¡± she said eagerly. ¡°Leila will be waiting for us.¡±

    Christoph struggled to walk through the trees as the cat-girl pulled him along, straining to look up into the trees at the same time as he tried to watch where he walked. Eventually, the duo reached a clearing in the center of the copse, a large bonfire burning under some kind of chimney weaved from the trees nearby. Emilia¡¯s sister herself sat on a throne of sorts on the other side of the fire, members of the clan crowding around the flames as well.

    ¡°Welcome back!¡± Leila stood from her throne, calling out to them regally from the platform it sat upon. To Christoph, it seemed as if she was simply a larger version of Emilia, standing taller and with more pronounced curves.

    ¡°I have returned!¡± Emilia replied, pushing Christoph to his knees in front of the fire. He wriggled backwards slightly, uncomfortably close to the pile of burning wood.

    ¡°The clan greets you.¡± Leila spread her arms wide as she responded, and the crowd howled briefly before she silenced them with an outstretched hand. ¡°Have you brought your prize?¡±

    ¡°I have.¡± Emilia said, reaching down to grab a fistful of Christoph¡¯s matted hair.

    ¡°Have you brought your sacrifice?¡± Leila asked.

    ¡°I have!¡± Emilia shouted, pulling Christoph¡¯s head backwards and baring his neck. He blinked up at her from his upside-down position. Sacrifice?

    Emilia¡¯s sister stepped down from her wooden throne with a smirk, walking around the fire towards them as the crowd quieted down. ¡°Oh?¡± she asked. ¡°Where is this sacrifice you speak of?¡±

    Emilia smiled back at her, releasing Christoph¡¯s hair and pushing him forward with her foot. ¡°It is here,¡± she replied with a grin. ¡°This is both my prize and sacrifice.¡±

    From where he had sprawled out over the forest floor, Christoph saw Leila¡¯s expression twist into a grimace. ¡°As always,¡± she said, looking over at Emilia, ¡°you bring nothing but shame to our family.¡±

 Chapter Seventeen

    The bonfire crackled as the crowd fell silent, the two sisters facing off as Christoph struggled uselessly in the dirt. Craning his neck, he looked up to where the flames licked alarmingly close to the top of his head. When Emilia said sacrifice, she didn¡¯t mean he was going to be burned, right? Right?

    ¡°Shame? Don¡¯t speak too soon,¡± Emilia said, staring over at her elder sister. ¡°This man killed and ate the Guardian of the Lesser Paw! The church has declared him a demon, and chased him into our lands.¡±

    ¡°Contact with the demons is forbidden!¡± Leila said, turning towards Christoph before looking back towards her sister. ¡°If that is true, we should burn him immediately.¡±

    Christoph stopped his wriggling, eyes darting back and forth between the two beast-girls. He opened his mouth to speak, but held himself back.

    ¡°The humans do not govern our lands,¡± Emilia replied. ¡°Even if their church says something, that does not mean it is true. From what I have seen, he is closer to being some sort of human monster than a demon.¡±

    ¡°It is not your place to make that decision.¡± Leila stepped forwards, towering over her shorter sibling. ¡°You may be fond of declaring yourself the future lord, but don¡¯t think you can stand against me just yet.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s another thing,¡± Emilia said with a wicked grin, raising her voice to better be heard by the crowd. ¡°This man fought and defeated Gideon the Slayer, the man who wields Stellar of the Light!¡±

    A burst of gasps ran through the crowd, but Emilia¡¯s words had a unique effect on Leila. ¡°Gideon?¡± Whirling around, she stared down at Christoph, who returned her gaze in confusion. ¡°Did he survive?¡± Leila¡¯s voice barely rose above a whisper, and Christoph¡¯s frown deepened. Was she asking about the knight?

    Emilia laughed, her ears bouncing in amusement. ¡°Are you concerned about our enemies, dear sister?¡±

    ¡°Is he alive?¡± Leila hissed her question this time, her glare enough to silence Emilia¡¯s laughter.

    ¡°He is,¡± she replied. ¡°Alive and well. It¡¯s even possible that he¡¯ll come back to finish what he started.¡±

    Leila¡¯s face split into a grin, ears rising as her smile grew. It was her turn to laugh now, manic notes of glee ringing out over the clearing as the crowd looked on. ¡°He¡¯s coming back!¡± she said, looking up at the trees as her arms spread in joy. Turning around, she looked over at Christoph and Emilia with a satisfied smile. ¡°Very well. Take this man as your prize and sacrifice if you so wish.¡±

    Emilia began to bow her head down to her sister, but Leila held out a hand to stop her, a serious expression settling onto her face once more. ¡°Of course, there is still the ceremony,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°If lord Bastias recognizes your claim, you¡¯ll survive.¡±

    With that, Leila returned to her throne, the many members of the crowd watching over her actions. Finally, they rushed forwards as if a dam had broken, a sea of laughing and smiling faces surrounding Emilia as she greeted them. From where he lay on the ground, Christoph twisted around until he was sitting upright, still glancing back at the fire every now and then. Just as he was about to try and stand, a heavy hand clapped down on his shoulder.

    ¡°Get up,¡± Oliver said, ¡°and follow me.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand any of this,¡± Christoph said. ¡°Can I ask you some questions?¡±

    Oliver ignored him for a moment, leading the still-bound man over the roots and towards a nearby walkway that spiraled up into one of the shorter trees. ¡°Ask your questions if you want but keep in mind that I don¡¯t make those decisions. A sacrifice and a prize?¡± He glanced back at Christoph with a frown. ¡°It¡¯s true that you seem to be something of a monster.¡±

    ¡°A monster? Do you mean like the forest beast-?¡± Christoph keeled over as the butt of Oliver¡¯s spear appeared from nowhere to slam into his stomach. Gasping for breath, he looked up at his captor with an expression of confusion.

    ¡°Watch your mouth.¡± Oliver said, a unimpressed look on his face. ¡°Do not compare us to those monsters.¡±

    Christoph nodded rapidly in reply. Of course, the beast clans referred to themselves as such. Calling the magical creatures ¡®beasts¡¯ would be an insult in that case. Either way, his question had been answered. Rather than a demon, they saw him as something between a human and a ¡®monster¡¯?

    ¡°So a human is taken as the prize, and a monster is the sacrifice?¡± Christoph asked. When Leila had questioned Emilia at the bonfire, she¡¯d only said that she didn¡¯t see any sign of her sacrifice.

    ¡°That¡¯s generally correct,¡± Oliver said as they began to ascend the ramp around the tree trunk. ¡°There is a ceremony for each, and you will be a part of both.¡±

    ¡°Are they dangerous?¡± Christoph asked. Oliver paused briefly, and Christoph wondered if he had pushed his questioning too far.

    ¡°Rather than dangerous, you will be sacrificed,¡± Oliver said, glancing back at him again. ¡°It isn¡¯t something that a human could survive.¡±

    Christoph stopped his questions for the moment. Would he simply be killed, then? Emilia had promised to keep him alive, but if not, then-

    ¡°That is what I don¡¯t understand,¡± Oliver said, coming to a halt. ¡°The ceremony of sacrifice is held before the prize is marked. Emilia must think you can survive if she wants to keep you as the prize as well.¡±

    Did it have something to do with the bonfire? Christoph shuddered at the thought of being burned alive. He might even survive something like that. Shuddering again, he looked around at where Oliver was taking him. They were high upon the tree by now and walkways surrounded them, the lowest layer of cabins barely below them in the surrounding trees. Oliver led him through a seemingly arbitrary pathway of rope bridges and wooden platforms before they began to descend through several trees again. Finally, they reached what seemed to be the lowest branch in the area, and Oliver cut Christoph¡¯s bonds and directed him to walk out along its length.

    The branch jutted out from the tree trunk as almost a ninety degree angle, raising slightly as he walked along the three-meter wide surface. It tapered down towards a tip before abruptly ending in a large wooden platform, and a barricade blocked Christoph from descending back along the path. It was¡­ a prison? Sitting down in the middle of the platform, Christoph looked down through the slats in the wooden boards, seeing nothing but empty air beneath him. As far as prisons went, this was certainly secure ¨C it gave the impression of being held in an outstretched palm. Unless you could walk back down to the tree trunk there was no way to escape.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Christoph said. Although he doubted any of the beast-men would treat him better than Emilia, it couldn¡¯t hurt to be friendly. ¡°I have one more question, though.¡±

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Oliver looked over at him from where he had assumed his post as guard ¨C a higher branch which allowed him to look down on Christoph and also move to block the entrance to his ¡®cell¡¯ if need be.

    ¡°Do you have any food?¡± Christoph asked.

    ¡­

    The monster dropped down onto the platform with a thump, feathers shaking as the carcass was thrown. Oliver thanked the pair of hunters, but instead of leaving they stayed on the platform staring over at Christoph as he picked up his meal. A decent-sized beast- no, a decent-sized monster, it was a quadruped feline of some sort, brown mottled feathers covering its slim body. Christoph lifted it to his mouth before stopping, looking up at Oliver and the other two beast-men.

    Of the two hunters, the man seemed like he wanted to leave, but the woman stopped him. Oliver, too, seemed interested in the display. Sighing, Christoph raised his food once more, biting down on the neck and chewing through the feathers as they dissolved in his mouth. A gasp sounded out from the woman, the man turning away slightly as Christoph ate.

    Christoph himself couldn¡¯t care less about his audience. In the first place, it had been an ordeal simply getting Oliver to agree to fetch him a monster to eat. Even after he had convinced the beast-man that he needed something like that just to survive, they still had to wait until there had been someone nearby he could flag down without causing a fuss.

    ¡°Come on, Diana, let¡¯s go.¡± The male hunter tugged at the woman¡¯s arm, but she didn¡¯t move.

    ¡°What does it taste like?¡± Diana continued to ignore her companion as she watched Christoph eat.

    He shrugged his shoulders as he swallowed his mouthful. ¡°It tastes like meat.¡± Truthfully, all of the beasts he remembered eating had a different flavor, but the mana in each one was delicious no matter how the actual creature tasted. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was because this particular monster was sourced from a different part of the forest, but the taste was not as he remembered. Even so, he wasn¡¯t about to enter a culinary debate with one of his captors.

    The beast-girl seemed somewhat disappointed, but quickly brightened again, ears perking up once more. ¡°Did you really eat the Guardian? What did that taste like?¡±

    Christoph paused before answering. Judging from her smile, the beast clans didn¡¯t revere the Guardian like the adventurers had, but still¡­ how was he supposed to answer that? ¡°I did,¡± he said, carefully watching her reaction.

    Diana laughed gleefully, and even Oliver let out a chuckle. The only one who didn¡¯t seem happy to hear the news was Diana¡¯s hunting partner, the smaller man sitting down with a dejected look. It was likely he didn¡¯t care about Christoph at all.

    ¡°Serves it right, for siding with the humans.¡± Oliver said. ¡°The monsters, too.¡±

    ¡°So how was it?¡± Diana asked.

    ¡°Out of everything, that unicorn probably tasted the best.¡± Christoph said, returning to his meal. Eating through the neck, he tossed the head to one side. Eating something with a face still didn¡¯t sit right with him.

    Diana¡¯s friend tugged at her arm again, and she sighed as she let him lead her away through the trees. Was that what she came here to ask? Oliver resumed his watch, looking on silently as Christoph finished eating.

    ¡°Did you really defeat Gideon the Slayer?¡± Oliver asked.

    Christoph paused again. ¡°I did,¡± he said.

    ¡°How?¡± Oliver asked, leaning forward on his spear. ¡°Did you sneak up on him and catch him by surprise?¡±

    Christoph shook his head. How had he defeated Gideon? No matter which way he looked at it, the knight would have normally won that fight. Should he explain everything that happened? ¡°Not exactly,¡± he said, ¡°one of my attacks caught him off guard, but we were fighting normally before that.¡±

    Actually, had Emilia told any of the beast-men about his sword? If he could catch Oliver by surprise¡­ Christoph shook his head as he dismissed the thought. Even if could get past Oliver, he was still in the middle of their city with nowhere to go. For now, his best bet was to choose to rely on the cat-girl.

    ¡°What¡¯s the deal with Gideon and Emilia¡¯s sister, anyway?¡± Christoph asked.

    Oliver¡¯s expression hardened, and he straightened his pose. Shit. Was that subject a taboo? ¡°It¡¯s nothing you need to know,¡± Oliver said. ¡°Finish your food. The ceremony is tomorrow.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Dan?¡± Christoph small voice rang out over the dimly lit street, the young boy stepping around a corner and moving towards his guardian. He shivered slightly as he walked, the untied laces of his shoes dragging over the wet road as he crossed the street. It wasn¡¯t raining anymore. Had the mean people left yet?

    Feet tapping as he walked, Christoph rushed after his friend. His mom had told him to hide in his room, but Dan was hurt! Dan had been playing with the bad men, and one of them had been bullying him! From behind him, Christoph heard the sound of footsteps approaching.

    Running as fast as he could go, he stumbled, scraping his knee on the hard ground. Ignoring the pain he hurried away from the footsteps. Dan would help him! Splashing his way down an alley, he looked back over his shoulder and tripped again, falling onto something large.

    ¡°Dan!¡± Christoph smiled down at the man for a moment before he felt the blood soaking through his shirt. ¡°Dan, you¡¯re bleeding.¡± Shaking his friend, Christoph wiped his hands on his shorts, but the blood wouldn¡¯t come off. Behind him, the footsteps were growing louder.

    ¡°Dan, wake up Dan!¡± Reaching up, Christoph touched a hand to Daniel¡¯s face, tapping at his cheek with a palm. The skin was cold, and the little boy frowned. Why was Dan cold? Dan wasn¡¯t a doll!

    ¡°Dan?¡± For the first time, Christoph truly saw the state of his friend. A large hole had appeared in the middle of Daniel¡¯s chest, and blood had spread to cover the alley floor. The footsteps were so close now, almost in the alleyway as well.

    Shaking Daniel¡¯s corpse with both hands, the young boy began to cry. Was Dan broken? His mom could fix the dolls if they broke, could she fix Dan too? The footsteps were too close, now, and he began to bawl, sobbing breaths breaking his long cries as tears streamed down his face.

    ¡°Christoph!¡± Josephine crashed into her son, wrapping her arms around him as he cried. ¡°Shhh, shhh, it¡¯s okay,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s okay, baby. I¡¯m here now.¡±

    ¡°Daaan!¡± Christoph¡¯s cry was muffled as Josephine cuddled him into her bosom. She looked down at Daniel¡¯s face before turning away.

    ¡°Shhh honey, we can¡¯t be loud right now,¡± she said, glancing between both ends of the alleyway. ¡°We have to be quiet, okay? Your father is here.¡±

 Chapter Eighteen

    Christoph was woken at dawn by Emilia¡¯s familiar face, the beast-girl crouching over him as he jerked awake alarmingly close to one of the platform¡¯s edges.

    ¡°How do you like the place?¡± The cat-girl asked with a grin.

    ¡°It could be better,¡± Christoph said, resisting the urge to rub at his face with his bloody hands. Pushing his dreams from his mind, he stretched his stiff neck. Sleeping on the solid wood had tested his back sorely, and he felt a headache budding as he moved. ¡°It has a nice view, though.¡±

    Emilia slapped at his leg as she stood. ¡°Get up, you need to prepare for the ceremony.¡± Turning, she began to walk away.

    Reaching out, Christoph grabbed at her arm, her fur sticking to the dark red film that covered his hand. She glared back at him, a dagger already somehow in her hand as she turned, and he let her go.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± he said, holding  his hands out in apology as he stood. Sighing, he straightened up and looked into her eyes, ignoring the flash of anger that was fading in her green pupils. ¡°Tell me the truth,¡± he said. ¡°Is this ceremony really something I can survive?¡±

    Emilia smirked back at him, sheathing her daggers. ¡°I hope so,¡± she said. She fell silent, a serious look on her face as she turned away from him. ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be the only one in danger. If we make it through this, I¡¯ll keep my promise.¡±

    Christoph closed his mouth to stifle his objections. This might not be what he had been looking for when he fled to the forest, but as long he was alive that was enough for him.

    ¡°Okay,¡± he said. ¡°Tell me what I have to do.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± she said, glancing down at her arm with a look of distaste. ¡°First of all, you need to go get clean.¡±

    ¡­

    Diana grinned over at Christoph as he washed himself in the river. Although he had realized that Oliver wasn¡¯t going to be his guard for every hour of the day, he questioned their choice of replacement, especially considering the circumstances. Rather than keeping watch, Diana seemed to be simply watching him. He turned away from her, awkwardly self-conscious of his nakedness. Emilia had left him a pair of fur shorts, but they waited on the shore for when he had had finished his bath.

    The blood was mostly dried on everywhere but his hands, but crimson billows still stained the water sanguine when he scrubbed at his body. His dark hair in particular was matted and coated, and the water didn¡¯t seem to help much. Should he get it cut somehow? In the weeks since he had been summoned here, it had grown somewhat. Glancing up at the shore, he saw Diana staring over at him.

    He hunched over again, but her gaze seemed directed at his arm. Looking down, he saw something that had not been there before ¨C in a similar fashion to how the crystals had replaced his knuckles, a series of flat gemstones had covered his elbow. Christoph frowned down at the crystals, running his fingers over the smooth surface. When had that happened? Most likely, it had been¡­ sometime around his fight with Gideon. A certain boyish face entered Christoph¡¯s mind, but he pushed it away.

    ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Diana asked.

    ¡°Not at all,¡± Christoph said. She might be unnervingly blatant about her interest, but he still didn¡¯t want to make any enemies if he could help it. ¡°When they first appeared, that was painful. Not any more.¡±

    He turned towards the shore, halting as her eyes brightened. ¡°Do you mind?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Do I mind?¡± she asked, tilting her head innocently. Did she really not know what he meant? The way she cocked her head reminded him of Lucius. Was he still at Starthall lording over the church? The high-schooler might be worshiped by the Templars, but he had still saved his life.

    Ignoring Diana¡¯s gaze as best he could, Christoph stepped from the shore and wiped the excess water from his body before donning the fur shorts. Was it his destiny never to wear a proper set of clothing again?

    ¡°Is that all the crystals you have?¡± Diana asked.

    ¡°Is that why you were staring at me so intently?¡± Christoph replied.

    The beast-girl gave a look of disappointment, standing again and leading him away from the stream. Was she some sort of monster maniac? Maybe he could pursue some sort of friendly relationship with her¡­ Christoph watched her body moving from behind for a moment. Taller than Emilia, but not¡­ no maybe taller than even Leila had been. Slim, though. She had an almost elfin beauty. Her fur was light brown, too, maybe even close to being white. Christoph rubbed his eyes as the shifting sunlight caused his headache to flare, taking his hands away just in time to see the beast-woman smirking back at him. Looking away from her furred form, he focused instead on watching where he walked for now.

    ¡­

    When they got back to the prison platform, Emilia was waiting for them. Sending Diana away, she sat down on the wood and had Christoph do the same opposite her. Christoph lowered himself to the wooden platform, uncomfortably aware of the daggers Diana was glaring in Emilia¡¯s direction. A commoner jealous of the royalty?

    Emilia waved her hand to draw his attention as Diana disappeared up the tree. ¡°I have to leave soon to prepare for the ceremony, so we don¡¯t have much time,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re a special case, so I¡¯m not exactly sure what will happen, but I¡¯ll try to push for something that you could survive.¡±

    ¡°Is the sacrifice allowed to survive?¡± Christoph asked.

    ¡°This is my ceremony,¡± Emilia said. ¡°The sacrifice is necessary, but nobody cares what happens to you afterwards. In most cases, the monster just dies.¡±

    ¡°What normally happens?¡± Christoph asked.

    ¡°You¡¯d get slaughtered,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯d eat part of your body, and your blood would be made into wine.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t monster meat poisonous?¡± he asked. To be butchered like that¡­

    ¡°That is my part of the ceremony to worry over,¡± Emilia said. So that was what she meant when she said he wasn¡¯t the only one in danger.

    Christoph held his hands up. ¡°Wait a minute,¡± he said. ¡°How much is poisonous? I¡¯m not exactly on the same level as one of the forest be- monsters, you know?¡±

    Emilia crossed her arms and glared over at him. ¡°Why do you think I chose you?¡± she said. ¡°I had wanted to claim the Guardian, but you¡¯ll be good enough.¡±

    ¡°Are you trying to kill yourself?¡± he asked. Maybe the strength of her sacrifice would alter her standing in the village. No, if Bastias was the beast-clan god, it might be part of their religion.

    ¡°Enough,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m not here to be lectured by my prize. In any case, they¡¯ll probably cut a chunk out of your arm or leg, maybe the whole thing. Drinking the pure blood is an option for me too, but that might be more dangerous than just eating your meat.¡±

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    Christoph stared over at her. They might amputate a limb? Was he supposed to just accept that?

    ¡°Will they grow back?¡± Emilia asked, leaning forwards towards him, ears raised in interest.

    ¡°They might,¡± he said. They would, wouldn¡¯t they? He shook his head, shivering at the thought. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯d really rather not lose a limb, you know?¡±

    Was this really the correct choice? There was no alternative, to be sure, but he¡¯d let himself relax, even. He¡¯d been far too lax. Would he really not end up a corpse?  ¡°Hold on,¡± he said, raising his hands again. ¡°How much blood do they take, and how do they get it?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll convince Leila not to do anything drastic. We¡¯ll take it from you when we cut off the meat.¡±

    ¡°I-¡± Christoph began.

    ¡°Remember where you are,¡± Emilia said. ¡°I will be lord of this forest, and you will be my sacrifice, or you will die. Even the small chance we have is better than nothing.¡±

    Emilia stood, walking out of the prison and leaving Christoph to dwell on his circumstances under Diana¡¯s pervasively watchful eyes.

    ¡­

    It was Oliver who finally came to fetch Christoph for the ritual. Night had long since fallen over the forest, and the bonfire was blazing in the center of the grove as the beast clan gathered around it. In contrast to the bustling crowd of the previous night, the mood was truly solemn as Christoph was marched in and bound to a wooden frame before the flames. He fought to control his breathing as the heat washed over his back, the stillness of the crowd suddenly stifling beyond words.

    They had bound both his arms and legs to the thick wooden beams, and he began to test the ropes subconsciously. It didn¡¯t matter how Emilia had promised to keep him living, or that he didn¡¯t have any other options, his entire being was screaming to run from this place. He tried to suppress his panic as he looked around. Would he even make it two steps? His thoughts of escape were silenced as the crowd parted before him and Emilia stepped into view.

    Because of the way she approached from the edge of the light, the dancing flames illuminated her body in teasing flickers. Even with that much, however, could see enough to feel his blood stir. Her usual wraparound top and fur shorts had been removed, and her bare skin was painted in crimson lines and whorls that accentuated the natural curves of her body. Although short gray fur covered most of her naked form, her entire front was laid bare, the small triangular patch above her pubic mound the only exception.

    She approached Christoph slowly, and he felt his breath catch again, this time for an entirely different reason. The parted crowd was suddenly oddly reminiscent of a wedding or perhaps a funeral, and his eyes locked onto hers across the distance, her green pupils flashing in the light of the fire. Christoph had thought Diana appealing, but that couldn¡¯t even be compared to the primal attraction he felt towards Emilia in that moment.

    All too suddenly, she had closed the gap and was standing before him, one of her two daggers clutched in her right hand. There was a shifting of dark fur, and Leila appeared from behind him, a large bowl in her arms. It was a moment before Christoph realized that she was similarly painted, the crimson lines covering her otherwise bare form somehow harsher than those that adorned her sister¡¯s elegant body.

    Emilia took her position at Christoph¡¯s side, and he started to turn towards her, stopping when she reached a hand out to grasp a fistful of his hair. Leila stood before him, holding the bowl up as he felt a blade come to rest on his throat. He jerked in his bonds, looking over at Emilia again as she pulled his head back by his hair. What was going on? Weren¡¯t they supposed to be taking an arm or-

    Christoph¡¯s thoughts were abruptly ended as Emilia drew the knife across his throat, slashing through the entire front of his neck and holding his head still as he began to thrash. Blood sprayed out onto Leila as he struggled, the wooden frame cracking as he twisted his body, blood bubbling from his mouth as the crowd watched silently. From out of the corner of his blurring vision, he saw an expression of sad apology settle over Emilia¡¯s face. The blood gushed from his slit throat and misted in the hot air, covering Leila and his own body in equal amount. Leila¡¯s large wooden bowl slowly filled in her hands as it caught the remaining crimson spray.

    The stream of blood began to lessen as his wound closed, and Emilia released his hair with a shaking hand as she tried to ignore his piercing gaze. Instead, she turned towards where Leila stood holding the bowl of blood, a wide smile on her sister¡¯s face as Christoph¡¯s blood flowed over her skin and through her dark grey fur. Dropping her knife, Emilia stepped forwards and closed her hands over Leila¡¯s, grasping the bowl and lifting it to her mouth.

    Tilting the massive dish upwards, Emilia felt the warm liquid fill her mouth, swallowing the coppery fluid as Leila tipped the bowl higher yet. She gulped wildly, blood streaming over the edges of the bowl to pour over her body as it had her sister¡¯s. Finally, Leila allowed her to lower the bowl, and Emilia gasped for breath as she released the bowl, falling to her knees on the wet earth below.

    Christoph looked down at the cat-girl as his throat healed over, and she returned his gaze with an empty expression, the lower half of her face stained red, blood running in rivulets over her bare breasts and down her body. Leila stepped back, her bowl still mostly filled with blood despite Emilia¡¯s efforts. Turning, she handed it off to another beast-woman before stepping back towards the pair.

    ¡°Lord Bastias!¡± Leila¡¯s voice shattered the silence as she stood before the fire, raising her hands to the heavens above. ¡°Your daughter calls to you!¡±

    The light of the fire seemed to dim suddenly, the treetops appearing to grow closer as a massive weight settled over the clearing. Christoph glanced over the crowd as they knelt down in a single motion, but a strangled cry quickly drew his attention back to the sisters in front of him. Veins bulging, Emilia fell to her side as she began to thrash, her bloodied mouth opening in a silent scream of pain.

 Chapter Nineteen

    Emilia¡¯s heels dug long trenches into the dirt as she writhed in agony, the congregation of beast-men watching on silently in the dim light. Christoph looked up from her naked form to search over the crowd. Even the people he had seen cheerfully greeting the cat-girl the day before remained still. In the distance, he could see children kneeling down in silence, ears trembling as Emilia released her breath with a piercing scream. Was it part of her trial to suffer alone?

    Clenching his fists, Christoph began to pull at his bindings, but stopped as the presence above the clearing suddenly resolved into a massive weight, Emilia¡¯s limbs forced flat as she was crushed against the floor. The crowd of onlookers likewise shifted as the weight pressed onto them, and only Leila seemed unaffected. No, Christoph saw her arms shaking as she held them raised into the air. Was she that strong?!

    ¡°Bastias!¡± Leila repeated. ¡°Your daughter calls to you!¡±

    At the same time, the sisters began to shine with a light, a new source of warmth following the blue glow that only Christoph could see, but everyone could feel. Energy enveloped Leila¡¯s body as she stood calling out to her god. Emilia, too, surged with mana. Even during her fight with Henry, she had not shone so brilliantly. A blinding light flashed out, and two figures appeared standing over the cat-girl as she jerked in pain, the weight keeping her pinned to the floor despite her muscles bulging with effort. Leila lowered her arms, dropping to her knees without a word.

    ¡°Oh? Isn¡¯t she a bit too old for her first ritual?¡± A beast-woman leaned over Emilia, standing carelessly above her as even as the girl struggled to lift her arms from the ground.

    ¡°Still, she certainly chose a large monster, didn¡¯t she?¡± A man stood next to her, their furred forms naked in the firelight. More than Diana, more than Emilia, more than anyone else had ever been, they possessed a beauty to which nothing could compare. Every inch of their bodies was perfect, every movement they made exuded sexuality, lust pouring over the assembled crowd as they appeared.

    ¡°Looks painful, Bastias¡­¡± the woman said, leaning down until her face was almost touching Emilia¡¯s. Bastias! Was the man their god, then?

    ¡°You¡¯re right, Bastias, that does look painful,¡± replied the man, turning towards where Christoph was pinned up with his back to the bonfire. Christoph frowned. The woman was Bastias also? ¡°Is this the monster, then? Here, you¡¯re going to need a clear head for this.¡± Waving his hand, Bastias grinned as Christoph¡¯s headache disappeared.

    ¡°Eh? A human monster?¡± The female Bastias bounced up to him, head shifting left and right as she looked over his body. The pressure as she approached was immense, the air stiffening until he had to fight to take each breath.

    ¡°Has he healed up already?¡± the male asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit too convenient?¡±

    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± The woman grinned up at Christoph cheekily, and he opened his mouth to say something before she reached up and turned his head away. ¡°I wonder if he can go another time,¡± she said. Gripping his head in both hands, she leaned forwards and crushed his windpipe between her teeth, tearing away a chunk of flesh and letting blood spray out over the already wet ground. Christoph writhed on the wooden cross in a bloody parody of Emilia¡¯s own struggle, the timber cracking as he jerked against his bindings.

    Chewing and half-swallowing her mouthful, she opened her lips to catch a mouthful of crimson blood before the man wrenched her back with a hand, spinning her around into a kiss. Lifting her off the ground, he held her up by the head, the contents of her mouth pouring into his before he lowered her to the ground with a passionate kiss.

    ¡°Tastes like Tempter¡¯s children,¡± Bastias said, smearing blood over her skin as she rubbed at her stomach and breasts. Tiptoeing back to the wooden cross, she licked over Christoph¡¯s wound, and he blinked in surprise as her tongue swiped over untouched skin. Had his wound already healed over? No, it was as if he¡¯d never been wounded at all.

    ¡°The humans did call him a demon, didn¡¯t they?¡± Bastias replied, licking blood off his palm. ¡°There¡¯s something else, too¡­¡± He was suddenly in front of Christoph again, eyes locked onto his from a mere inch away.

    ¡°Oh? What is it?¡± Bastias said, bloody fingers running through her hair as she looked over the crowd. Smiling down at Leila, she reached out and grasped onto the beast-woman¡¯s hair with one hand, dragging her to her feet in an instant.

    ¡°The world serpent¡­¡± Bastias trailed off as he gazed into Christoph¡¯s eyes. ¡°Do you know him, boy?¡±

    ¡°The Ouroboros?¡± Bastias asked, pulling Leila into a forceful kiss and groping her chest before tossing her back to the ground. ¡°Is he one of the wyrms, then?¡±

    ¡°Not likely,¡± Bastias said, letting go of Christoph¡¯s head. ¡°It¡¯s too faint for that. You know he likes to make them as large as he can.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Bastias looked down at Emilia again, kicking at her with a furred foot. ¡°What do we do about this little girl?¡±

    ¡°Eh? No matter how you look at it she¡¯s going to die, right?¡± Bastias said, walking over to stand next to her as she trembled in the dirt. ¡°That¡¯s what she gets for biting off too more than she can chew.¡±

    ¡°She should have worked her way up properly instead of trying to skip so many steps, like Lei-Lei did.¡± Bastias smiled over at where Leila had collapsed in a daze to one side.

    ¡°Well, if she¡¯d prepared a sacrifice we could have saved her,¡± Bastias said.

    ¡°She did have a sacrifice!¡± Christoph found his breath under the pressure, shouting out to interrupt to gods¡¯ conversation. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what I¡¯m here for!¡±

    Bastias raised an eyebrow at his outburst. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a brave one?¡± They smirked down at Emilia. ¡°You aren¡¯t her being sacrificed to us,¡± Bastias said. ¡°You¡¯re being sacrificed to her.¡±

    What? Was that true? Christoph looked over the crowd, but each and every one of the beast people had their eyes locked on their gods. It wasn¡¯t hard to see why. Even now, he stared over at them as they grinned towards him. Shaking his head, he tried to clear his thoughts. What would is be like to be held in those arms¡­ A memory pierced through the haze, a mass of naked bodies, cold and bloody.

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    ¡°Oh, that was nice.¡± Bastias said, turning towards Bastias. ¡°Maybe we should try that someday.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be disgusting,¡± Bastias replied. ¡°You know I hate killing people.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t kill her then!¡± Christoph screamed. ¡°If you can save her, and you let her die then isn¡¯t that the s-¡±

    His cry was cut short as Bastias¡¯ furred fingers shoved his mouth open wide, fierce eyes boring into his skull as the god¡¯s claws scraped his tongue nearly in half. ¡°She is the next in line,¡± Bastias said, pulling Bastias away from Christoph as he screamed around the blood filling his mouth.

    ¡°Eh¡­ Well, in that case I suppose we could just take a sacrifice,¡± Bastias said. ¡°I¡¯m sure that all her subjects would be more than willing to give themselves up for her sake.¡± Bastias looked over the crowd, the many beast-men¡¯s ears perking up as they edged towards their god.

    ¡°I want that one!¡± Bastias said, pointing out to someone standing among the excited members of the congregation. One by one, they realized that their god had chosen another, turning to look at who it was. Standing where Bastias had indicated, one of the beast-men trembled as she was singled out. Out of all the people in the crowd, she had been only one who had not wished for this.

    ¡°Diana.¡± Bastias said. ¡°That is your name, isn¡¯t it, outsider?¡± Smiling over at the shaking beast-woman, the god made a swiping gesture, and Diana yelped as she was suddenly standing next to the bonfire, held tightly within their furred arms.

    ¡°Where are you from?¡± Bastias asked. ¡°Somewhere up north, perhaps?¡± Chuckling softly, Bastias began to nuzzle at Diana¡¯s neck, ignoring the almost imperceptible shaking of the woman¡¯s head as she froze in fright.

    ¡°Still,¡± Bastias said. ¡°You were a fool to be here now. Did you really think that we wouldn¡¯t notice?¡±

    ¡°Now now, Bastias,¡± Bastias said. ¡°Let¡¯s let them figure it out themselves.¡± The god smiled over the crowd, patting Leila on the head as she began to stir once more.

    ¡°For now, we¡¯ll take this woman as payment,¡± Bastias said, as Bastias leaned down to pull Emilia into a long one-sided kiss. After a while the god dropped the cat-girl back onto the dirt, moving to embrace Diana despite the beast-woman¡¯s choked protests. There was a flash of light, and the pressure in the air disappeared, the gods vanishing as they spirited Diana away.

    ¡°Oh.¡± Bastias¡¯ voice rang out of the clearing, an ounce of the former pressure returning as the god spoke. ¡°This one came from up near the mountain somewhere. I¡¯m counting on you to get her back, Lei-Lei.¡±

    A disheveled beast-woman appeared above Leila¡¯s throne, dropping a short distance through the air and landing bodily on the wooden chair. The woman groaned at the sudden transportation, a mess of wet fur that reeked of sex and shivered softly in the warm forest air. Writhing on the dirt in front of the bonfire, Emilia drew a shaky breath as her eyes snapped open once again.

    ¡­

    The main chapel of the Creator¡¯s Blessed loomed large over Cliff and Sierra as they stepped through the heavy wooden doors into the church. Two Templars raised their swords in salute as the siblings passed by, lowing the blades again behind them. The marble pillars seemed to glow in the firelight, the ceiling distant and dark as they held it aloft in the night. At the other end of the building, Archbishop Kale of the Creator¡¯s Blessed waved his attendants away as the adventurers approached.

    ¡°Cliff, Sierra, you have returned,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°I had been worried that you might follow that half-elf into his shallow grave.¡±

    ¡°Sir Henry was an admirable companion, and he shall be missed,¡± Cliff said, kneeling down on the red carpet and bowing his head. Beside him, Sierra did the same, laying her staff flat on the stone floor of the church.

    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Kale replied. ¡°Molt would be moved, were he not still weeping at the top of his bell-tower.¡±

    ¡°Father Molt is grieving the loss of his son,¡± Sierra said quietly. ¡°Grief is an emotion that cannot be ignored.¡±

    Archbishop Kale laughed as Sierra¡¯s comment. ¡°To be hearing that from you!¡± Chuckling, he leaned back in his chair, muscles shifting on his large frame as he looked down at them. ¡°Contact between the church and the guild ends with the elf¡¯s death. Saint Lucius has his own plans for the adventurers, and we will not interfere. Gideon informs me that you were prepared to leave the guild in any case.¡±

    ¡°Gideon is mistaken,¡± Cliff said. ¡°I have no wish to return to the Templars.¡±

    ¡°You shall not,¡± the Archbishop replied. ¡°But you will give up your trinket to the guild and serve the church faithfully from now on. The two of you are far too powerful to be wasted playing around with those Willful fools.¡±

    ¡°The Church of the Creator¡¯s Willful-¡± Sierra began.

    ¡°Enough,¡± Kale raised a hand to silence the young woman. ¡°God¡¯s Compass was never anything more than child¡¯s play. The Pope¡¯s faction has grown weak with time. Tell me truthfully,¡± he said. ¡°Did Molt¡¯s boy and the elf ever approach your level during your little adventurers?¡±

    There was a moment of silence before Cliff answered. ¡°They did not,¡± he said.

    ¡°And did they ever once come close to seeing through your little act?¡± the Archbishop asked. ¡°Did they ever come close to realize how weak they really were?¡±

    ¡°They did not,¡± Cliff replied.

    Archbishop Kale grinned widely, leaning forwards in his throne as he spoke. ¡°And did you ever once consider those ¡®knights¡¯ to be a threat?¡± he asked.

    Cliff opened his mouth, but it snapped shut again as he stared up at the Archbishop in silence. ¡°We-¡±

    ¡°We did not,¡± Sierra replied, cutting off her brother¡¯s response.

    ¡°So it is,¡± Kale said, leaning back into his chair again. ¡°The Pope is weak, as are his men. With Saint Lucius on our side, the Creator¡¯s Blessed will seize control again.¡±

    Cliff and Sierra bowed their head again as he spoke.

    ¡°When I leave this world to be with our lord, my children will inherit my duties,¡± the Archbishop said. ¡°The two of you must be prepared for that.¡±

    The siblings bowed to Archbishop Kale before rising to their feet. ¡°Of course, father,¡± Cliff said evenly. ¡°We will not disappoint you.¡±

 Chapter Twenty

    Leila was the first of the two to reach her feet, holding a hand out to someone standing outside of Christoph¡¯s line of sight. Rather than assist her lord as she struggled to find her balance, the beast-woman who appeared instead passed over a small bowl and backed out of sight once more. Leila looked over the crowd before raising the wooden vessel to her lips, downing the contents with a single swallow.

    She shivered as she drank, dark grey fur standing on end as her ears strained upright. Returning the bowl, Leila took another from the woman attending the fire. Emilia had said that his blood would be made into wine. Was this it? Christoph had expected it to be a slow process, but it¡¯s possible it was just a final ingredient in the mixture.

    Crouching down next to her sister, Leila helped Emilia to sit upright, pushing the bowl to the confused woman¡¯s lips even before she could properly get her bearings again. Emilia shuddered as she was forced to drink, back arching in Leila¡¯s arms as the effects of the wine spread over her body.

    ¡°Bastias has blessed you this night,¡± Leila said, parting from her sister and standing over her. Christoph frowned as he hung down in his bonds. Had she even been conscious at the end of the ceremony? Bastias¡­ Christoph tried to recall his memories of the beast god, but they faded from his mind until they were hazy and blurred.

    Emilia stood and began to walk towards him with shaky steps, and he felt the ropes around his limbs fall free as someone cut them loose from behind him. Smiling weakly down at the cat-girl, Christoph let her catch him in her arms as he slumped forwards. Although his wounds had disappeared his exhaustion remained, hunger welling up from his fatigue. He looked up at her as she pushed him back against the cross, shifting his weight without effort. Opening her mouth, she swiped her tongue over his neck and he went stiff, a vivid image of Bastias chewing on some meat suddenly reappearing in his mind.

    Emilia sank her teeth into his skin, but didn¡¯t move to tear away his flesh. Instead she blazed with sudden energy, and he felt a jolt as it shocked through his body from where she had bitten him. Releasing the grip her jaws had on his neck, Emilia howled up at the treetops, the crowd roaring in response. The beast-people surged forwards as they had the night before, but rather than circling Emilia they surrounded the fire and the throne, a mountain of furred bodies descended upon the woman Bastias has dropped with a yelp. The cauldron of wine was similarly swarmed as the ceremony came to a climax.

    Emilia looped his arm around her shoulder and half-dragged him from the clearing, her frolicking clansmen parting to make way for them. After a moment she paused, turning around so she could carry him on her back, his legs wrapped around her waist from behind. Christoph was not a large man, but Emilia was likewise unremarkable in stature. Had she always been this strong? From where the throne had been covered in bodies, he heard the poor beast-woman mewling in distress.

    ¡°What are they doing to her?¡± he asked, pushing his other questions from his mind for now.

    ¡°Communion,¡± Emilia replied, stepping up the wooden stairs into the trees as he leaned his chest against her fur. Hadn¡¯t she been struggling to walk a moment ago?

    ¡°Communion?¡± Christoph said.

    ¡°They¡¯re cleaning her,¡± she said. ¡°As a beast does.¡± She took the stairs easily, and he bounced slightly against her back as the fire disappeared around the circumference of the tree. As a beast does? Communion? Christoph shuddered as he remembered the coarseness of Bastias¡¯ tongue on his skin.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Would she take him back to the prison? Somehow the mood seemed as if that wasn¡¯t the case.

    ¡°You are mine now,¡± Emilia replied. ¡°Body and soul. You do not belong in the prison, you belong with me.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± he said, feeling the bite mark on his neck closing over as she walked. After the events of the night, everything seemed so far away. ¡°Okay then.¡± Closing his eyes as he nestled into her fur, Christoph drifted off into sleep as she carried him up into the trees.

    ¡­

    Josephine carried Christoph on her back as she splashed down the alleyway. How far had the police gotten inside? No, they were the least of her worries. The image of a young man entered her mind, headphones covering his ears as he smirked up at her. If he was here¡­ Dan had never had the strength to stand against him. Shaking her head, she entered a nearby building, passing through a fake wardrobe into a hidden corridor. If Christoph¡¯s father was here, too, she needed to¡­

    She slammed her hand into the wall to stop it from shaking. He couldn¡¯t be trusted! Christoph had to be protected at all costs, and the experiment was her second priority. Everything else was expendable. Looking back, she sighed up at her son¡¯s sleeping face before rounding a corner and opening an electronically locked door.

    ¡°Mistress?¡± One of the dolls stood on standby, blank eyes staring over at the pair as they entered the room. The doll¡¯s blonde hair waved gently as she moved, reminding Josephine of her failure. No, she reminded herself, her latest experiment had surpassed all of her expectations.

    ¡°Form a playroom,¡± Josephine said. ¡°Hide Christoph from the outsiders. I¡¯m initiating a purge.¡±

    ¡°What of Angel?¡± the doll asked flatly.

    ¡°Do not touch her,¡± Josephine said. ¡°Even if I do not return, she is your second priority after Christoph. The outsiders would not dare to harm something so¡­¡± No, would they? The familiar smirk entered her mind again, and she felt her chest tighten. Her experiments were not regarded well by those outside her lab.

    ¡°Do not touch her,¡± Josephine repeated, and the doll clicked softly as the message was relayed to the others in the network. The door opened and a line of bodies flooded the room, each one staring blankly ahead, a small black box fixed to the base of their skulls. Surrounding Christoph, they took him through the second door into the safe room, the large glass window soon showing nothing but dolls as they covered his form with their own. Suddenly, the mass parted to reveal a young boy¡¯s face, one arm outstretched towards the open door.

    ¡°Mom?¡± he asked. ¡°Mom, where are you going?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Christoph¡± Josephine replied, her glasses flashing as she looked up at the mob of dolls. Reaching out, they pulled him back into their midst, his little limbs flailing against them.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, baby!¡± she repeated. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a moment. For now, just wait for mommy in the playroom, okay?¡± Muffled cries rang out from behind the glass before the door sealed closed, and a tear ran down Josephine¡¯s face as she said goodbye to her son, leaving him trapped beneath the pile of cold bodies as she went to greet the invaders. Behind her, the mountain of dolls wriggled slightly before falling still.

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    ¡­

    Christoph jerked awake as he was dropped onto the bed, blood rushing as he snapped out of his memories. A weight settled over him, cold skin pressing against his bare chest as hands clutched at his arms, his hair. He tried to escape, but the hands were too strong, the weight too much as it pressed over him. His arms were trapped, his legs tangled as cold hands roamed over his skin.

    ¡°No,¡± he whimpered.

    ¡°No?¡± a soft voice responded to his pleas in the darkness, and he reached out towards it, but frozen fingers wrapped around his arm and pulled it back down.

    ¡°No, please,¡± he said. ¡°Don¡¯t leave me. Don¡¯t leave me here.¡±

    ¡°Shhh,¡± the voice replied in a soothing tone. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±

    Christoph jerked as the words reached him, thrashing about at the hands that held him down. It wasn¡¯t okay. It wasn¡¯t okay! He twisted under the weight, and it lifted off of him at last, leaving him alone in the darkness. He shivered, the emptiness calling to him as the dolls disappeared forever.

    ¡°Christoph, calm down.¡± A cold hand grasped at this own, but before he could jerk it back he felt his fingers come to rest on warm skin. A blue glow suffused the cabin, lighting the darkness as warmth radiated from Emilia¡¯s naked form.

    ¡°Emilia?¡± Christoph blinked as he looked around, his surroundings illuminated by the light of her inner energy. It was not the cold steel of the playroom, but the gentle warmth of a wooden cabin that greeted him. His memories remained only in the past, so very long ago.

    Emilia lowered his hand from where it pressed into the side of her face, closing her hands around his as she moved his palm to her chest. His breathing deepened as he settled back into the present. That¡¯s right, the dolls were long gone now, just a distant memory and nothing more. Christoph flinched as he remembered Henry¡¯s blank stare, his cold body lying bloody on the tree root. Emilia gasped as his fingers tightened around her flesh, and thoughts of the elf left his mind.

    Christoph looked up at Emilia as she closed the distance between them once more, allowing the cat-girl to push him back down to the bed as she slowly embraced him. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m fine now.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t lie,¡± she said, straddling him as their faces drifted closer. ¡°You belong to me now, and it¡¯s my job to keep you safe.¡±

    He smiled back up at the naked beast-woman as her weight settled onto him, feeling the soft warmth of her body on his as his raised a hand to draw her into a kiss, her tongue plunging impatiently into his mouth as their lips touched. He had not been the only one in pain tonight.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Christoph said softly, feeling her hand closing over his stiffening erection as she lifted her hips to align their bodies. He looked up at her in the dim light, reaching hand out to caress her thigh. ¡°If you can keep me alive, I¡¯ll be yours forever.¡±

    Her hips lowered over his with a shudder, the beast-girl gasping as they connected. ¡°You are mine,¡± Emilia said, kissing at his neck as she began to grind her hips against his. ¡°Body and soul.¡±

    ¡­

    Sunlight streamed through a window in the cabin roof, the branches above parting to reveal the brilliant blue of the sky. Christoph smiled up at the sight as he awoke. How long had it been since he had seen the sky? Sunlight reached the forest floor in many places, but to have a clear view of the clouds like this¡­ Emilia stirred in his arms as he shifted, and he leaned forwards to plant a kiss on her cheek before relaxing back into the bed.

    Was it really okay to simply accept everything that had happened to him? He sighed, looking over at Emilia¡¯s face as she slept. He was alive and well, and it didn¡¯t seem like she was about to go back on her promises. No, he couldn¡¯t judge their relationship by the night they shared. From what he had seen, the beast clans didn¡¯t share humanity¡¯s common views on modesty. It was possible that it meant nothing to her, simply a slave being put to good use at the whim of his owner.

    Christoph pushed his doubts aside as he extracted himself from her arms. Nothing good could come from stressing over his situation. If things went bad, he would make a decision then. Right now, his stomach was growling and his skin was sticky with paint, blood, and other various bodily fluids. Pulling on his shorts, he opened the door to find a dead beas- a dead monster lying next to a basket of fruit. Dragging the food into the room, Christoph turned to see Emilia sitting up on the bed with half-open eyes. The combination of red paint and blood smeared over her body reminded Christoph of a cheap horror movie, but he smiled over at her anyway.

    ¡°We have food,¡± he said.

    ¡°Good,¡± Emilia replied, sinking back to the bed and rolling onto her back in the ruffled sheets. ¡°Come feed me, slave.¡±

    Sighing softly, Christoph carried the basket to the bed and pushed a section of some sort of citrus fruit into her open mouth. She grinned as she chewed, opening her mouth for more when she had finished.

    ¡°More,¡± she said.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that before,¡± Christoph replied wryly as he fed her another piece. ¡°Pace yourself, or you¡¯ll just end up aching afterwards.¡±

    Emilia frowned up at him, nipping at his fingers as he fed her the next section of the orange-like food. Reaching down, she rubbed gingerly at herself with a wince. ¡°I¡¯ll be better by tonight,¡± she said. ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m letting you get off easy.¡±

    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m just happy to be alive,¡± Christoph said, falling silent for a moment before grinning back at her as he placed a piece of fruit into his own mouth. ¡°I consider myself lucky to be getting off at all.¡±

    Emilia frowned at his joke, and again as he stole her food. Chewing for a moment, he made a face before spitting the pulped mass back into his hand. ¡°This is terrible,¡± he said. ¡°How can you eat that?¡±

    ¡°Your food is over there,¡± Emilia said with a smirk, pointing over to the monster he had dragged into the cabin earlier. ¡°Try not to make such a big mess this time, or you¡¯ll be the one sleeping in it.

    Christoph stared over at the small creature¡¯s carcass as it sat on the wooden floor of the cabin. Their cabin. Well, her cabin, but he lived there too. Looking back to Emilia, he raised an eyebrow at the blood-covered bed. ¡°It¡¯s not like the bed is clean as it is,¡± he said. ¡°Or is it only okay when the blood is mine?¡±

    Emilia stretched again, crawling forwards into his lap. ¡°Be quiet and feed me,¡± she said, taking the half-chewed piece of fruit from his hand and swallowing it down. ¡°Or I¡¯ll make you sleep on the floor.¡±

 Chapter Twenty-One

    ¡°Do you really have nothing else to do?¡± Christoph asked, staring up at the ceiling of the cabin.

    ¡°What were you expecting?¡± Emilia replied. What had he been expecting? A life of hard work, perhaps. Toiling in the village for long days with little reward, maybe? Instead¡­

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it your turn to hunt soon?¡± he asked. He saw her face twist in displeasure, ears swiveling as she frowned.

    ¡°Already?¡± she said. ¡°I suppose so¡­ Can¡¯t I just send someone out to do it for me?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re too spoiled,¡± Christoph said, rolling onto his back again. ¡°Leila takes care of the village, and hunting barely even counts as work.¡± She¡¯d been sent out hunting by her sister last week, returning after barely an hour had passed with a deer-like animal she¡¯d caught in the surrounding forest.

    Emilia didn¡¯t reply, curling up to fall asleep next to him on the bed. Although he¡¯d thought of her as a cat-girl since their first meeting, this hadn¡¯t been what he was expecting at all. She was so¡­ lazy. Her condescending attitude had disappeared as well, or was that only how she spoke to her enemies? A knock on the cabin door caught Christoph¡¯s attention, and he sat up as Emilia lifted a limp arm to point towards the entrance. Standing from the bed, he walked to the door and pulled it open.

    ¡°Hello,¡± he said. ¡°Can I help you with something?¡±

    Leila frowned, pushing past him to enter the room and scowl down at where Emilia was still lying naked under the bedsheets. ¡°It¡¯s nearly sundown,¡± the beast-woman said, kicking at the primitive mattress. ¡°For all your talk about becoming the next lord of the forest, you certainly lead a despicable life.¡±

    Looking over at where Emilia was stretched out on the bed, Christoph couldn¡¯t argue with that. In the mornings, he was sent to fetch her food, which he then fed to her. After that, he dragged her to the stream to bathe, usually having to wash her body as well. In the evenings, they ate dinner with the clan, and although he didn¡¯t have a dedicated place around the fire he ended up feeding her then, too.

    Those three activities were the entire scope of Emilia and Christoph¡¯s life outside of the cabin. She spent the rest of her time asleep, and when she wasn¡¯t sleeping it was his duty to keep her entertained. They¡¯d even run into some trouble once after she¡¯d dragged him to the shore of the river to have her way with him. It seemed that even among the beast-clans, such things were best kept to the bedroom. Emilia¡¯s solution to that problem was simple ¨C don¡¯t leave the bedroom. Rather than a master and slave, it was more like she was unemployed on welfare, and he was something between her caretaker and bedwarmer.

    ¡°Diana was returned to us today,¡± Leila said. ¡°I expect you to be there to greet her after her bath.¡± Christoph shuddered by the doorway as he recalled the ¡®bath¡¯ that followed a visit from Bastias.

    ¡°Fine, fine, just leave.¡± Emilia waved a hand at her sister before beckoning to her slave. ¡°Come here, Christoph¡± she said. ¡°Help me get dressed.¡±

    Christoph sighed as Leila stormed from the room with a cursory look of disgust in his direction. ¡°Coming,¡± he said, stooping over to swipe her clothes from the wooden floorboards as the cat-girl kicked off the blankets and held her arms out to him. ¡°Just to remind you ¨C Leila warned us about this yesterday and the day before as well. We shouldn¡¯t be late for this.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡± Emilia¡¯s ears drooped as Christoph avoided her outstretched arms, legs kicking out in frustration. ¡°Fine,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯ll go now.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°What do you think Bastias meant by what they said to Diana?¡± Christoph asked.

    ¡°Mmm? Who cares,¡± Emilia replied. ¡°That girl they left behind at the ceremony was from up north, too. Maybe that¡¯s why I never liked Diana, they¡¯re all a bunch of fairy-lovers up there anyway.¡±

    Fairies? Despite Christoph¡¯s questions, Emilia usually refused to talk about the world around them. Well, common knowledge was hardly entertaining pillow talk in any case, and conversations like this were rare.

    ¡°Hey,¡± he said. ¡°Are you planning on having me carry you all the way down to the bonfire?¡±

    Emilia stretched out her arms with a yawn as she rode down the wooden steps on his back. ¡°Slaves don¡¯t get to complain,¡± she said.

    Christoph sighed again, but couldn¡¯t reply. No matter which way you looked at it, he was getting a particularly good deal. ¡°Even so, you should think of your image,¡± he said. ¡°Taking over Leila¡¯s position isn¡¯t going to be easy, you know?¡±

    Because of the way he looked over his shoulder at her reaction, he almost missed the flash of steel as the sword sliced through the air towards his neck. Christoph lurched as he was pushed to the side, and Emilia disappeared from his back a moment before he lifted his arm to protect himself. The sword cleaved into his forearm, clashing to a halt against the crystal bones of his right arm before it was pulled free. The second blade did not suffer the same problem as it plunged into his side, the steel sliding into his body until the hilt came to rest against his bare skin. With a flash of mana Christoph was blown from the ramp, his consciousness fading long before he even hit the forest floor.

    ¡­

    Emilia drew her knives as her feet touched down on the steps, dashing in quickly to strike at her assailants before they could defend themselves. Her blades crossed over nothing but air as they disappeared, though, the two armored figures suddenly standing meters above her on the spiraling steps.

    ¡°Human trash!¡± Emilia hissed, cutting through her belt with her daggers and letting the leather fall to the ground as poison coated her blades.

    ¡°Is he dead?¡± John asked, raising his shield as he swung his sword to clear the blood.

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    ¡°I am unsure,¡± Grace replied. ¡°I had no time to charge the blade. For a human it would impossible, but¡­¡±

    ¡°We will confirm it,¡± John said. ¡°For now, focus on the enemy in front of us.¡±

    Emilia moved to block their descent. ¡°This is why nobody likes dealing with the human church,¡± she said. ¡°Are you knights or assassins?¡±

    Her spirit blazed as the Templars moved to attack, intercepting their attacks but unable to land any of her own past their shields. Each blow from the beast-woman pushed them back, but their own blades licked out to slice through her skin with every pass. Ignoring the pain, she focused on wearing down the female, smashing dents into her shield and pummeling her body through the scant protection of her armor.

    ¡°Plate metal.¡± Emilia spat the words at the knights. ¡°The tool of cowards. Something like that is only effective against those weaker than you. Is attacking the weak all that you are good for?¡±

    Ignoring her taunts, the John stepped forwards to swap positions with Grace as she caught her breath. ¡°You know nothing about our church,¡± John said, and Emilia¡¯s ears twitched as she felt a large amount of mana being released. Where would it-

    John¡¯s sword suddenly appeared in front of her face, and she grunted as it sliced through her cheek despite her dodge. She slashed with her daggers, but he was gone again. Before she could react, he reappeared, a downward slash threatening to break through her defense as she caught it on her daggers. He kicked out as she fell to her knees, pushing her backwards as he vanished again.

    Teleportation magic. Such knowledge was limited to the gods! To think that the human churches had spread the technique so far down their ranks¡­ Emilia tumbled down the stairs before catching herself, one of her daggers slipping through the planks and falling from sight. Above her, Emilia could see the female Templar with her head lowered in prayer, mana flowing from her body towards her companion. Far too late, the beast-girl readied her blade to defend herself, John¡¯s sword already moving as it thrust towards her from where he had appeared from thin air. Before the blade could strike true, a crash rang out and something slammed into the stairs next to the knight, an explosion of metal sounding as blood splashed down onto the walkway.

    John¡¯s arms fell to his side, his sword dropping from his twitching gauntlet as crimson bubbles foamed from the visor of his helmet. Leila crushed his throat with her left hand as she slowly drew her right arm from the gaping hole in his chest, gore splattering past the tortured steel of his ruined breastplate to drip on the boards below. Baring her teeth, the lord of the forest turned towards where Grace had snapped out of her prayer, sword trembling as she stepped away from the beast-woman.

    ¡°You disappoint me, Templar,¡± Leila hissed, tossing John¡¯s lifeless body aside and taking her first step towards the trembling knight. ¡°I had been expecting someone worth so much more than that.¡±

    ¡­

    Christoph faded back into consciousness on the cold dirt of the forest floor, groaning as he raised his head. A familiar pounding had settled into his skull. Say what you will about the beast god, Bastias knew how to clear a headache. He tried to sit up, but his arm and legs refused to move. Was he paralyzed?! No, his limbs were not damaged but merely restrained, roped to several stakes that pinned him down onto the ground. Emilia lay sleeping with her head on his chest, gray hair shifting as he struggled with his bonds.

    ¡°Hey,¡± he called out to her. His throat ached as he spoke, and hunger welled up as he moved. ¡°Emilia,¡± he said, raising his chest from the ground and bouncing back down. ¡°Hey!¡±

    ¡°Christoph?¡± Emilia blinked up at him for a moment before breaking into a grin. ¡°You¡¯re awake!¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± he asked. He could feel the familiar sticky wetness of blood soaking over his lower body and face.

    ¡°The church sent some knights,¡± Emilia said, wiping her face with a hand. ¡°Leila killed one and captured the other. You were injured pretty badly, and¡­¡± The cat-girl faded off as she picked herself up off his chest, her face moving towards his until their lips touched together gently. Christoph blinked up at her. Had she been crying? No, that was unlikely. Actually, she had been surprisingly childish at times. Crying over the loss of her latest toy might be something she would do. A crack snapped him out of his thoughts as her hand slapped into his face, and he flinched back into the dirt.

    ¡°You bit me!¡± Emilia said sternly. He bit her? What was he, a dog? ¡°Leila wanted to put you down, you know?¡±

    Christoph frowned. A dog ¨C that¡¯s what you¡¯d say to a dog, right? The cat-girl lowered her forehead to his chest again, hands playing over his body. ¡°You nearly died,¡± she said. ¡°Leila tied you down and force-fed you some of the knights¡¯ crystals.¡±

    ¡°Remind me to thank her when I see her next time,¡± he said, leaning his head back onto the dirt. ¡°Can you untie me then?¡± he asked. ¡°Please? I still need to eat.¡±

    Emilia smirked down at him as she rose to all fours, and Christoph glanced down to where a bandage had been wound around the forearm of her left hand. Had he really bitten her? Emilia pulled one of her knives and began cutting at something out of his line of sight. Turning around, she held a sliver of meat out over Christoph¡¯s mouth, shoving it past his teeth as he fought to keep from choking.

    ¡°You should be glad,¡± she grinned down at him. ¡°Leila looked like she was having fun, so I¡¯ve decided to feed you his time!

    Christoph looked up at her smile before swallowing his mouthful with a sigh. ¡°Fine,¡± he said. ¡°But don¡¯t expect me to say ¡®thank you¡¯ afterwards.¡±

 Chapter Twenty-Two

    ¡°You won¡¯t even try to claim her?¡± Christoph asked. After she¡¯d finished force-feeding him scraps of monster meat, they¡¯d made their way through the stream and back up to their cabin. Diana could wait for now. ¡°You know,¡± he said, ¡°if you had more slaves you could send them out on the hunting missions in your place.¡±

    Emilia made a face, wriggling closer to him in their bed. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t approve of how much time I spent in the cabin already.¡± she said.

    ¡°Oh?¡± He looked down at her, stroking a hand through her hair and over her ears. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you actually paid any attention to what I thought.¡±

    ¡°Hmmph.¡± Emilia snapped her teeth at his hand as he scratched at her ears. ¡°You just want to mate with a human female,¡± she said with a frown.

    Christoph shuddered at the thought of taking the Templar into bed. ¡°Don¡¯t even joke about that,¡± he said. ¡°She tried to kill me, remember? I don¡¯t really care what happens to her now.¡±

    ¡°She tried to kill me too!¡± Emilia said.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Christoph said, silence falling over the lovers for a moment. ¡°You¡¯ve never killed a person before, have you?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Emilia replied. Christoph blinked at the suddenness of her confession. He been suspicious, but far from sure. If that was true, that meant that she¡¯d witnessed two deaths now. It was a wonder she had even been in the mood to lay with him tonight. Or was that just how she was?

    ¡°I did try to kill you that first time,¡± she said. ¡°But I didn¡¯t really think you were a person back then¡­ By the way, that doesn¡¯t seem to affect your desire to mate with me.¡±

    Christoph looked up at her frown. ¡°That was painful, but I never thought I was going to die.¡± he said. ¡°Besides, you actually treat me relatively well considering our circumstances.¡±

    ¡°Only relatively well?¡± Emilia asked with a smirk. ¡°You¡¯ve got it better than most of the clan, you know?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think that anyone would think that but you,¡± he replied with a sigh. ¡°Most people have higher priorities than sex, food, and sleep. Freedom, for instance. Not to mention this headache. I can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s the food or the exhaustion or the lack of sleep.¡±

    ¡°Too bad,¡± Emilia said, pressing her body up against his. ¡°I caught you fair and square, and you¡¯ll be stuck with me for the rest of your life,¡± she said. ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯m claiming that woman as well ¨C Leila¡¯s the one who collects slaves. One is enough for me.¡±

    Christoph smiled back down at her, reaching a hand back up to pat at her head once more. ¡°Suit yourself,¡± he said. ¡°This cabin isn¡¯t big enough for three people, anyway.¡±

    ¡°I doubt she¡¯d be able to sleep here anyway.¡± Emilia said. ¡°You cry out in your sleep, you know?

    Christoph stiffened at her words. Talking in his sleep? No, he hadn¡¯t done that since-

    ¡°Was Henry the first person you killed?¡± she asked. ¡°You didn¡¯t seem to react at all until you saw his body.¡±

    ¡°I-¡± Christoph began.

    ¡°Why was staying alive the only thing you asked me to do for you?¡± Emilia¡¯s expression changed to one of confusion. ¡°Was the world you came from really such a dangerous place?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Christoph said, turning to stare up at the ceiling. Night had fallen long ago, and the window that usually peered up into the blue sky now showed only darkness. ¡°The other world was a safe place for me,¡± he said. ¡°In all my life, I don¡¯t think that I was really ever in any real danger at all.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Emilia said. ¡°Well, I like the way you are now, so I won¡¯t force you to tell me, but Leila has been asking about it for a while now. You¡¯ll have to go see her soon.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°You¡¯ve been here nearly three weeks now, how are you settling into village life?¡± Diana watched from the riverbank as Christoph stooped, water splashing as he washed at his laundry. The beast-woman had always seemed to be lurking over his shoulder ever since she¡¯d been returned to the clan almost a week prior. Just the sight of her annoyingly concerned face was enough to make Christoph¡¯s headache flare up.

    ¡°It¡¯s easier than I thought,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°In my world, being made a slave would usually mean a short life, followed by a painful death.¡±

    She chuckled down at Christoph he scrubbed at his mistress¡¯ clothes in the clear waters of the river.

    ¡°Is something funny?¡± Christoph asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that you¡¯re all the same, knights and adventurers alike,¡± Diana said. ¡°You kick and shout, or slump down in defeat, but as soon as they sink their teeth into you, you turn into their little toys.¡±

    ¡°Toys?¡± Christoph felt a ball of unease forming in his stomach as she spoke, and a sudden pain pricked at his neck. Looking down into the water, he saw a scar covering his throat. Bite marks? Were they from where Emilia had bitten him that night? How had they not healed yet?

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen Leila¡¯s men walking around?¡± Diana asked. Christoph shook his head, and frowned down at him. ¡°They all say the same thing. ¡®It¡¯s not as bad it could have been¡¯.¡±

    She looked down at Christoph as the human returned her frown, confusion covering his face. ¡°It¡¯s like you¡¯re all dolls,¡± Diana said with a sigh. ¡°You know, if you¡¯d have come to me I would have let you keep ownership of your soul, at least.¡±

    ¡°Here.¡± Reaching out towards his head, Diana smiled down at the human man. ¡°Let me do something about that headache of yours.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Terminal?¡± Christoph sat in an aging office chair, swinging back and forth as he waited for her reply.

    ¡°Yes?¡± Terminal asked. Her blonde hair covered most of her face, but then again ever since the hairdresser had broken down he¡¯d decided to leave them be. Maybe they would learn to cut their own hair someday? Dolls cutting each others¡¯ hair, the concept would have been almost funny if it wasn¡¯t part of his reality.

    ¡°Unseal doors 12 through 35,¡± Christoph asked. ¡°I wish to leave the lab.¡±

    ¡°Permission denied,¡± Terminal replied, her black box clicking softly as she processed his request. ¡°Lock-down is in effect awaiting lady Josephine¡¯s return.¡±

    ¡°When was lock-down initiated?¡± Christoph asked. He stood from the chair, almost tall enough to look into the doll¡¯s eyes were her fringe not hiding them from sight.

    ¡°Lock-down was initiated 14 years, 3 months and 12 days ago,¡± Terminal responded. ¡°Cause of lock-down was intruders in the outer labs.¡±

    ¡°When was my mother last seen on the premises?¡± Christoph asked.

    ¡°Last contact with lady Josephine was 14 years, 3 months and 12 days ago,¡± Terminal said. ¡°Contact was lost following lady Josephine¡¯s contact with intruders in the outer labs.¡±

    ¡°How many dolls are there left?¡± Christoph asked, reaching out to lift a hammer from the top of his mother¡¯s old desk.

    ¡°There are 14 functional units remaining,¡± the doll replied emotionlessly as he reached up to wrap his fingers into the long blonde locks of her hair.

    ¡°How long until total shutdown of the labs?¡± Christoph pulled the doll to the side, toppling her onto her knees and resting his left hand on the top of her head as his right clutched the hammer.

    ¡°Even with the loss of all functional units, it is estimated that the facility will continue to function indefinitely,¡± Terminal said.

    ¡°How long until I gain full access permissions?¡± Christoph asked, drawing his right hand back to lift the hammer in the air. ¡°How long until I can leave?¡±

    ¡°Full access permission are scheduled to be transferred to you in 2 years, 5 mon-¡±

    The hammer smashed into the side of Terminal¡¯s face, crushing her jaw and rendering the remainder of her sentence intelligible. The second swing took her in the temple, and the third smashed most of her face into an unrecognisable mass of meat. The door to the office opened, another doll stepping in to stand over the boy.

    ¡°Loss of Terminal detected,¡± she said. ¡°Registering current unit as Terminal pending lady Josephine¡¯s return.¡±

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Do you want me to cut your hair?¡± Christoph asked, tossing the hammer away and wiping his bloody hands on the former Terminal¡¯s long black dress.

    ¡°Units do not possess the capability to desire,¡± Terminal replied.

    ¡°How does this make you feel?¡± Christoph asked, gesturing down at the broken doll beneath him. ¡°Are you afraid?¡±

    ¡°Units do not possess the capability to feel,¡± Terminal replied.

    ¡°Besides desires and feelings, what is it that separates the units from the living?¡± Christoph asked.

    ¡°Records indicate the lady Josephine considered a soul necessary in a living subject,¡± Terminal said. ¡°However, the whereabouts of Angel are currently unknown.¡±

    ¡°A soul¡­¡± Christoph sighed up at the doll, moving to sit down in his mother¡¯s seat once again. ¡°How do you measure the existence of a soul, then?¡±

    ¡°Records do not hold any indication that lady Josephine ever defined such parameters,¡± Terminal replied. ¡°Sir Daniel once said that ¡®If you were alive, you would be afraid to die, too,¡¯ although it would seem there is more to a soul than fear of death.¡±

    ¡°Fear of death¡­¡± Christoph looked over at the blonde doll, and down to where her predecessor lay broken on the office floor. ¡°Am I really even alive?¡± he asked. ¡°Am I really human? What did uncle Dan have to say about that?¡±

    ¡°Sir Daniel did not express such concerns, however, lady Josephine once said ¡®Christoph is perfect, my perfect little boy. Everything about him is pristine and immaculate.''¡± Terminal paused for a moment before repeating herself. ¡°Whereabouts of Angel are currently unknown.¡±

    ¡­

    Christoph¡¯s head ached as he ran, feet pounding over the dirt and tree roots of the forest floor. The village faded from sight behind him as he crossed the clearing around the grove, stepping into the forest without pause. Was he being followed? No, he left Diana by the edge of the stream and snuck away unnoticed for now.

    Unless she had merely pretended to leave, it was doubtful that anyone had noticed his escape. Escape? Christoph winced as his head flared in pain, ignoring the growing urge to turn back to the village he was running from. Had she really taken his soul? He kept Diana¡¯s words in his mind, remembering what Emilia had said to him on the night of their ritual. ¡®You are mine, body and soul¡¯.

    Christoph shook his head as he ran. His soul was his, and his alone. Emilia had treated him well for a slave, but in the end he had been just that. Freedom¡­ as far as he was concerned, his life in the village had been free enough. What would his father say to that? He could not feel resentment at her orders, either. Was that a result of his years living alone with Terminal? Remembering his mother¡¯s dolls made Christoph¡¯s skin crawl.

    His soul was something he could not relinquish. He would not become like her, not like them. He was alive, he was sure of that. His father had said¡­ Christoph stumbled as his head pulsed in pain, clutching at his temples as he passed deeper into the forest. Where would he go? To the south was the human lands, but to the north was the dwarven kingdom, and the plains of Manitas, god of the lost. Who had told him that? Groaning in pain, he stopped his advance, looking up as several figures appeared from the trees ahead of him. Four of them were clad in shining silver armor, but the last was wearing no armor at all, a long-handled hammer clutched in his hands as he stood half-naked in the forest air.

    ¡°Good morning,¡± Gideon said.¡±I hear that my former companions decided to attack your village on their own. I trust that they are well?¡± The Paladins spread out to surround Christoph in a half-circle, Gideon standing at the center of their formation.

    ¡°The woman survived,¡± Christoph said. Gideon was here? No, they had been expecting him to appear, hadn¡¯t they? He shook his head again to clear his thoughts.

    ¡°Has Leila claimed her?¡± Gideon asked, ignoring his confusion.

    ¡°She¡­¡± Christoph frowned over at the Executioner for a moment. That¡¯s right, Leila had been waiting for him to-

    There was a slight distortion in front of the Executioner before the air split apart, a flash of dark fur and bright steel slamming into the black-armored knight and pushing him back across the leaf-covered ground.

    ¡°Hello Leila,¡± Gideon said, light shining from where his hammer had produced its massive blade. ¡°Did you miss me?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you Gideon,¡± Leila replied, lifting her equally oversized sword to point towards his chest with a single hand. ¡°Has mother been treating you well?¡±

    ¡°She has,¡± he replied, taking up his own stance. Her mother? Christoph backed away from the four Paladins as Gideon spoke. ¡°I know that you never agreed that I should be the one to wield her, but this was her wish. I hear that you had to kill one of my subordinates.¡±

    ¡°I was protecting my little sister,¡± Leila said, rising to her full height. ¡°Gideon, former slave to Lord Stellar of the Greater Paw! I hereby challenge you to a duel.¡±

    ¡°I shall accept your challenge,¡± Gideon replied. ¡°But I doubt that Stellar would have been happy to see us fighting like this.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t think for a moment that I am doing this because of her,¡± Leila said. ¡°If I defeat you, it will not be my mother¡¯s soul that I claim as my own!¡±

    ¡°I know that,¡± Gideon said, reaching up to touch at his neck. The scars he bore always flared with pain in the cold. Christoph mimicked his actions as his pain grew, the ache in his head still pounding after his feet had ceased.

    ¡°Christoph!¡± Emilia called out as she appeared behind him, Diana following soon after. ¡°What-¡±

    An explosion rang out as Leila and Gideon clashed, a shockwave of dust rising as their blades met. The two combatants struck at each other with abandon, and they soon disappeared into the forest, a handful of trees falling in the wake of their blows.

    ¡°Don¡¯t come any closer!¡± Christoph clutched a hand to his head as it flared in pain.

    ¡°Christoph?¡± Emilia came to a halt, drawing her daggers as the Paladins standing opposite her lifted their swords and shields.

    ¡°My soul¡­¡± Christoph looked up at her through blurred eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t give you my soul!¡±

    ¡°No, you¡­¡± Emilia stopped, looking over at him with a confused face. ¡°It¡¯s not-¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t lie!¡± Christoph winced in pain. Diana stepped in front of Emilia as the Paladins began to approach. ¡°Be careful, Emilia,¡± she said. ¡°Lord Leila is not here to protect you anymore.¡±

    Emilia pushed the taller woman to the side, taking a step forwards as Christoph slumped to his knees. ¡°Come back to the village,¡± she said, glancing up at the four knights as they took another step forward. ¡°You know the church is looking for you. Why did you come out here?¡±

    Christoph looked up at the beast-girl, her ears lying flat against her head in an expression of dejection. Why? He had been running, hadn¡¯t he? Wasn¡¯t that the right thing to do in this situation? No, should he go back to the village after all? He felt a sudden urge to be inside of the cabin once more, but his pounding head drowned that out.

    ¡°I¡­¡± he hunched over in sudden pain, and the Paladins took another step towards him. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°Christoph!¡± Emilia called to him, holding out an arm across the distance. ¡°Come back,¡± she said. ¡°Please.¡±

    Christoph reached an arm out to her, slowly rising to his feet. ¡°I-¡± he began.

    The familiar wet thunk of a blade piercing flesh interrupted Christoph¡¯s words, and he blinked in confusion. Emilia returned his expression, the tip of Diana¡¯s knife jutting from the front of her chest as she fell to her knees with a thud. Behind her, Christoph could see the taller woman staring over at him with a grin. The Paladins moved, and as the air rent with a flash of blue light, he saw Diana slowly close one of her eyes in a mischievous wink.

 Chapter Twenty-Three

    Diana¡¯s smile faded with the light of the Paladin¡¯s magic, the knights disappearing along with her quarry. Teleportation? Humans were certainly carefree when it came to the secrets of the gods. She¡¯d have to chase after them if she wanted to keep Christoph alive. She might as well at this point, or else all those drugs and spells would have been wasted. She hadn¡¯t expected him to be nearly so resistant to her little ¡®suggestions¡¯. What kind of human could degrade mind control to a headache, she wondered? Sighing, she shoved at Emilia¡¯s stiffening form with her left hand, drawing her dagger from the beast-woman¡¯s back with a trickle of blood and poison.

    Emilia fell forwards, hitting the leaf-covered ground with a thud as Diana frowned down at her. If possible, she had wanted to avoid making the beast-clans her enemy, especially considering the sheer strength of their current ruler. Well, the furry little harlot here might still survive if she was lucky.  To think that the beast-girl had been fortunate enough to stumble across such a rare specimen and also stupid enough to waste all of her days with her legs wrapped around his waist! Diana glared down at Emilia before stepping over her motionless form and heading deeper into the forest.

    Wait, had she been trying to conceive a child? That monster¡¯s offspring might be as interesting as their father¡­ No, Diana doubted that the lustful wench had been thinking past her carnal desires. The beast gods might lead their people in satisfying primal urges, but for them to lack such sense was almost unthinkable. And for that man to be so taken in by such filth! She had thought that he might exhibit intelligence above that of a common human, but that was obviously not the case. The affections of the lesser races remained a mystery to her.

    In any case, her plans were proceeding smoothly. Her infiltration of the beast clans had been flawless, and the success of her studies had surpassed her wildest expectations. In her first month, she had learned enough about the beast-clans to rival the palace¡¯s royal library, although that had more to do with the ¡®unnecessary¡¯ nature of her subject than the thoroughness of the royal collection. Even her abduction by Bastias had been an experience that would have made her journey worthwhile in itself. Diana shuddered as she recalled the time she had spent with the beast god.

    To think that the other races might be so close to their deities! Militia was a god that did not bother with the common folk, but Bastias didn¡¯t seem to hold such lofty standards. She had been worried that they would execute her for trespassing on their lands, but they hadn¡¯t even brought it to Leila¡¯s attention, simply dropping her back off at the village when they were done with her. Was it because she was merely here for research and not out of hostility? To someone who was exiled from her homeland for merely expressing interest in the lesser races, such mercy was almost enough to touch her heart.

    Even so, she had invested too much in her current plans to abandon them now. All her hours of observation, every moment she had spent layering spells after spells onto her prey, so slight they would be almost imperceptible. She doubted that Christoph could withstand her magic if she brought her full force to bear, but it was possible that he could have broken free of her manipulations had he noticed her spells before they had taken root. Suggestion and confusion, such magics were almost child¡¯s play to her by now.

    Diana shivered in anticipation of her future studies, her own form blurring for a moment to reveal a slim fair-haired figure before she solidified the illusion once again. The humans though of Christoph as a demon, and the beasts treated him like a monster and a slave. Diana¡¯s own people would dismiss him as trash without hesitation, but Diana was determined to find the truth of his existence. Bastias had said that he tasted of the world serpent! If that was true, this would mark the first time the dragon god had ever taken a follower that he had not created himself! Was it possible that he would continue to do so in the future? Whenever the Ouroboros shifted his influence, the world trembled, and Diana was not about to let this opportunity pass her by.

    ¡­

    The trees of the forest shook as the weapons clashed, steel and light colliding almost without pause. Leila swung her massive one-handed sword with a grin, unable to keep a smile from her face as Gideon retaliated, his blade of light smashing her own sword aside. He had returned! After so many years, he had simply walked into her forest, her mother¡¯s greathammer grasped in his hands as though it were only natural. She could hardly contain her glee.

    ¡°I hear that the church continues to revere that hammer as the relic it once was,¡± Leila said, chopping at the unarmored knight with heavy overhand swings.

    ¡°They do,¡± Gideon replied as he caught her blows. ¡°Stellar¡¯s soul might be the vessel that holds its power, but even so it remains an artifact of humanity. Don¡¯t forget where it was she claimed the hammer from in the first place.¡±

    ¡°Once something is taken by the forest, it belongs to us for all time,¡± she said. ¡°Neither you nor that hammer will be an exception to this rule.¡± Leila bared her teeth as the Templar moved onto the offensive. His blade might be forged from light, but the weight of each of his blows was immense, the long handle of his sword naturally lending itself to powerful attacks.

    ¡°I will not betray my church,¡± Gideon said. ¡°Not for Stellar, not even for you. If you wish to take me back, you¡¯ll need to try harder than that!¡± Widening his grasp on the handle of his weapon, he began to strike out at the beast-woman with highly unorthodox sweeping blows. His words didn¡¯t reflect it, but he knew that he couldn¡¯t last in a protracted battle with the beast-woman. If he did not end the battle soon, he would be defeated.

    Leila back away from the knight, her smile widening until laughter roared out towards him. ¡°Betrayal? Remind me who it was that took the life of the woman who raised him?¡±

    Gideon raised his guard as she left his range, looking across the distance to where Leila¡¯s face had twisted in manic anguish. ¡°That is a sin I will carry with me always,¡± he said. ¡°I have never stopped mourning the death of your mother. Even now I carry her soul wherever I go.¡±

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    Emilia lunged at him, smashing at his sword and forcing him back with a series of thunderous attacks. ¡°I¡¯ve missed this!¡± she said, kicking the knight back again with a grin. ¡°Where have you been all these years?¡±

    ¡°I, too, have missed-¡± Gideon began.

    ¡°Enough!¡± She flung her sword to the side, hunching over as her spirit blazed, the pressure alone enough to stop Gideon¡¯s breathing for a moment. ¡°If you are going to come at me with the intent to kill, then I won¡¯t hold back either! Prepare yourself, Gideon the Slayer!¡±

    A shockwave rose up as she leaped at the Executioner, and he took a step forward, leveling a diagonal attack that would cleave her in two. It was the same attack he had used against Christoph weeks earlier, but this time his opponent would not evade his blade. The blow carried the strength of his entire body, reinforced with prayers of might and the experience of his many years wielding the weapon. Leila¡¯s fist smashed his sword aside without even slowing down, the force of the blow snapping Gideon¡¯s right forearm as the blade winked out of existence and the hammer soared away into a nearby tree.

    The beast-woman was on him before he could react, and he fought to remain conscious as he felt his face hit the dirt, furred hands holding him down as he struggle to breathe. Leila¡¯s fangs sank into his neck without ceremony, and he jolted as she marked him with her god¡¯s blessing.

    ¡°You are mine now,¡± she said. ¡°I will never let you go.¡±

    Gideon looked up at her with tired eyes, his lips raised in a thin smile despite the pain he felt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said, feeling his strength fading as a tear dropped from her face to land onto his. ¡°You must have been waiting.¡±

    ¡°I waited so long,¡± she said, leaning down to press her forehead against his. ¡°Why did you never return?¡±

    ¡°Leila!¡± Oliver¡¯s voice cut into their reunion. ¡°You told me to report to you after I¡¯d defeated the intruders, but¡­ we found Emilia lying paralyzed by the forest¡¯s edge. She¡¯s been stabbed in the back, and we need your help to treat her wounds.¡±

    Leila frowned up at the beast-man as he approached them, eyes narrowing in anger. ¡°Diana,¡± she hissed. Bastias had seen fit to release her back into the village, so she had overlooked the intruder for now, but if she had harmed her family¡­ Leila stood, retrieving her sword from where it had been lodged into a nearby tree. ¡°Protect this human,¡± she said to Oliver. ¡°Also, follow any orders he gives you.¡±

    ¡°Leila.¡± Gideon caught his breath and called out to her as she began to move away. ¡°I never wished to fight your mother, you know? I could not refuse her duel, and Stellar, she would not allow me to lose that fight.¡±

    Leila looked back the knight as he fought to stand, a warm smile spreading over her face. ¡°I know that,¡± she said. ¡°My mother wanted you to return to your people, and that was the only way she could justify your release. However, don¡¯t think for a moment that she never wanted you to come back.¡±

    Turning, she broke into a sprint and left the two men behind. Oliver grinned down at the former Templar, reaching a hand down to help him to his feet. ¡°You¡¯ve taken your time,¡± Oliver said. ¡°For someone who left to find his freedom, you¡¯ve sure become comfortable with your chains.¡±

    ¡°This village was the only family I had,¡± Gideon replied, reaching up to touch gingerly at fresh bite marks that mirrored his old scars on the other side of his neck. His right arm hung limply by his side, and he winced in pain with the movement. ¡°Even before I was captured, the church never treated me as more than a soldier.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s true,¡± Oliver said. ¡°But I wasn¡¯t talking about Leila and her mother. I was talking about the church. If it takes a slave contract to keep you where you wish to be, the chains called duty must be strong indeed.¡±

    ¡­

    The four Paladins closed in on Christoph with shields raised, swords swinging out in perfect synchronization. Ducking under a horizontal swing, Christoph deflected a thrust, blocking a third attack before the fourth blade stabbed into his left shoulder. Smashing into one of the knights, he broke free from the circle and thickened his crystal blade, lashing out to crumple one of the four shields that moved to negate his attack. The pain in his shoulder faded as the wound healed over, and he took the defensive again as the knights retaliated. Should he flee? He wanted to, but at the same time he had to stay. Emilia had been stabbed! Diana¡­ his head ached as he thought of the tall woman, his headache flaring up as he recalled her wink. Evading the Paladins¡¯ attacks, he retreated out of their range for the moment.

    ¡°Dia- ¡­the tall beast-woman who stabbed my mistress, is she an accomplice of yours?¡± Christoph asked.

    ¡°The church does not ally itself with non-humans.¡± The four Paladins spoke with one voice, and Christoph frowned at their response. He opened his mouth to reply, but his words were cut short by a flash of light. Heat washed over him, and a fireball roared past him to burst over one of the four knights, incinerating the Paladin in an instant.

    ¡°Now now Claude darling, you shouldn¡¯t tell lies.¡± Diana smirked over at the three remaining Paladins as they turned to face in her direction. ¡°The church might not ally itself with anyone, but a certain Paladin might come to a certain spellcaster when he needs help defeating a certain dragon¡­¡±

    ¡°What do you know of that, beast?¡± Claude replied. The burnt Paladin disappeared with a flash of mana, and a moment later another knight appeared to replace him. Reaching up, the four removed their helmets, and Christoph¡¯s frown grew further.The four knights shared a single face, just like¡­

    Diana smiled as she spread her arms, her image blurring before falling away. Her fur disappeared, catlike ears vanishing as her hair lightened to blonde, her tight-fitting fur wraps seeming suddenly indecent as fair skin replaced her previously fur-covered form. In a moment the beast-woman was gone, and Christoph blinked as another person took her place. Was this who Diana really was?

    ¡°What do I know?¡± The elf smiled as the illusion of her beast-form faded away. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m quite surprised you didn¡¯t recognize me, Sir Dragonslayer Claude.¡±

 Chapter Twenty-Four

    Claude tightened the grasp on his sword, fanning out around his two opponents with all four of his forms. Diana the Researcher¡­ What was she doing here? Had she known that he would volunteer for this mission? No, he refused to believe that could be possible. In that case¡­ Claude looked over at where Christoph stood clutching at his head. Was she here for the other-worlder, then? It was true that he had required her aid to slay the dragon, but she had been a platinum-ranked member of the adventurer¡¯s guild at that time. Now, she moved alone.

    ¡°Diana,¡± he called. ¡°You mean to take this demon as your next subject?¡±

    ¡°I do,¡± she replied. Her voice was clear, cutting through the forest even at low volume, and Christoph felt each word hammer into his skull. Her subject?

    ¡°I intend to slay him, and carry his head back to Starthall as proof¡± Claude said, his four swords rising as he approached his confused target. ¡°I will not allow you to interfere.¡±

    Diana laughed at his proclamation, covering her mouth with her left hand as she stretched out her right, obliterating one of Claude¡¯s bodies with a flicker. ¡°You may be called the dragonslayer,¡± she said, ¡°but don¡¯t think for a moment that you have reached my level just yet.¡±

    Claude fell silent as he summoned another replica, four shields facing towards the elf as he came to a halt. He would retaliate if she wished to fight, but he did not relish the thought of facing the elf alone.

    Diana smirked over at where Christoph was still blinking in confusion, shrugging her shoulders with a sigh. ¡°Very well,¡± she said. ¡°If he cannot defeat you here, I doubt he¡¯d be worth my time in any case. I promise not to interfere with your duel.¡± Her arm swept out again, and three of the Paladins vanished in a swathe of flame.

    ¡°A duel should be fought one-on-one, though,¡± she said, stepping back to lean against a nearby tree with a yawn. ¡°Don¡¯t you think, Sir Dragonslayer Claude?¡±

    Christoph shook his head as the Paladin came closer, blinking his eyes to clear his vision. Had everything Diana had said been lies? What should he do? He might be able to take the Paladin, now that there was just one, or he could still flee. Diana had stabbed Emilia! The elf waved to him with a smile, and he felt his anger fading away as his skull flared with pain. He shook his head again, but his thoughts remained clouded even as his headache faded away.

    ¡°Prepare yourself, demon!¡± Claude¡¯s yell snapped him into the present, and he raised his sword as the Paladin closed the distance with steady steps. This was it for now, Christoph decided. He should focus on the enemy in front of him.

    He stepped forward to engage his opponent with his crystal blade, Claude¡¯s shield catching his blow before he retaliated with his sword. Christoph ducked away from the blow, kicking out at the knight before launching into a frenzied chain of attacks.

    Claude grunted with the force of each attack, moving back to avoid what strikes he could as his shield threatened to buckle under the barrage. An enemy that defeated even the Blessed Execution Gideon¡­ His companions from the Creator¡¯s Willful might not think much of the black-armored Templar, but Claude knew his strength was nothing to trifle with. Christoph¡¯s speed and strength might be incredible, but had Gideon really lost to someone who showed no signs of ever having trained with his blade at all?

    Christoph pushed back at the knight, circling around to the Paladin¡¯s left in order to keep out of reach of his sword. Christoph¡¯s blows rained down on Claude¡¯s shield, and he felt the Paladin being to falter, several attacks threatening to slip around his shield and slice off his arm at the shoulder. Christoph continued his attacks without pause, leaving no room for retaliation. If he could only get past his shield, he could end everything right here! His armor might shine in the morning sun, but he had blown Dane away with a single strike, and this time would be no different.

    Claude studied his opponent as he retreated, moving in a slow backwards arc to keep Christoph from circling around his shield. Normally, he might have tried to bash the opponent¡¯s weapon aside and strike out with his sword, but this time was different. In this scenario, if he couldn¡¯t cut his foe down with one attack he would lose his life in return. Taking another step back, he felt his left foot slip out from underneath him. The leaves! Christoph¡¯s relentless attack gave him no room to confirm his surroundings, and his armor had not been designed to fight in such terrain to begin with. Perhaps he should have forgone his plate as Gideon had.

    Christoph grinned as the Paladin slipped on the loose forest floor, lunging in to smash his shield aside and strike down at his opponent¡¯s metal-clad torso. It was over! The crystal sword swept down towards the Paladin, the blade shimmering as it moved. Claude¡¯s own sword parried it to the side millimeters before it landed, his blade slashing out in a savage riposte as Christoph¡¯s weapon was pushed away. Mana exploded outwards with Claude¡¯s attack, and Christoph was thrown backwards through the air, landing on his feet before falling forwards onto all fours.

    Such power! Christoph looked upward at Claude as the knight righted his stance, seeing that his shield was no longer strapped to his left arm. He had discarded the damaged weapon to make a two-handed attack with his sword! Christoph opened and closed his fist, the handle of his crystal blade remaining attached to his palm despite the action. Blood splashed from the gash in his upper arm as he moved, and he was thankful that his skeleton was no longer wholly that of a human. Had his crystal bones not stopped Claude¡¯s blade, he would have been sliced in half by the Paladin¡¯s straight-edged sword.

    ¡°That was a good attack,¡± Christoph said. ¡°Every time I fight one of you, I¡¯m reminded how much of an amateur I am. Did you slip on purpose, too?¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Claude replied, approaching again. ¡°I¡¯m not that carefree.¡±

    ¡°Carefree enough to ask an elf for help though, aren¡¯t you?¡± Christoph asked, smirking as his headache receded. ¡°I thought the church didn¡¯t ally itself with non-humans?¡±

    Clapping sounded out from the side, and the combatants glanced over to see Diana applauding from her position by the nearby tree. ¡°Very good,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m no swordsman myself, but that was certainly an entertaining manoeuvre.¡±

    Claude ignored her words, focusing on Christoph¡¯s movements as the fur-clad man slashed out with his weapon. The Paladin suppressed his frustration as the wound he had caused slowly healed over, replaced by untouched skin. Such prodigious regeneration! His parry had been successful even without discarding his shield, so there had been no reason to throw it away if his counter was going to fail so spectacularly. How had Henry faced such an opponent alone?

    Claude rushed towards the bloody man, going on the offensive now that he had lost his shield. No, he decided, Henry was far more suited to fight such an opponent. Claude¡¯s armor weighed at his body as he moved, and most of his defense normally revolved around blocking the enemy instead of evading his attacks. In this case, it would be suicide to try and take any of Christoph¡¯s strikes with just his armor. His only option was to keep his opponent on the defensive.

    Christoph deflected each of Claude¡¯s blows, forced back as the momentum shifted in the Paladin¡¯s favor. For the first time, he felt the simmering excitement of his impending victory. The knight may be leagues ahead of him when it came to footwork and swordplay, but he had lost his shield now and his attacks were slowing with each step. Christoph parried one of the Paladin¡¯s thrusts, sweeping his blade out in a mimicry of Claude¡¯s earlier counter. Even one-handed, the knight would not survive taking such a blow without his shield.

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    Instead of the taking him in the chest, however, Christoph¡¯s blade was deflected by the Paladin¡¯s arm guard and swept harmlessly over his head. The knight had dropped his sword now, catching it in his left hand so he could defend against Christoph¡¯s attack! Had he been baiting him into making such an obvious move? Claude¡¯s left hand tightened around the hilt of his sword, slashing in to cleave deeply into the flesh of Christoph¡¯s right hand as he caught the blade with a grin. Christoph¡¯s own weapon was nowhere to be seen.

    ¡°Surprised?¡± Christoph asked, blood running from his palm as his fingers closed around the Paladin¡¯s blade. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who can abandon his weapon to block with his right.¡±

    Crystal flowed out of Christoph¡¯s arm, covering his hand like a gauntlet as he tightened his grip. Twisting his arm, he snapped Claude¡¯s weapon into shards of steel, lunging forwards to smash his fist into the Paladin¡¯s torso with a crack of crystal on metal. Claude blinked as blood bubbled from his mouth, staring down at where Christoph had caved in the front of his breastplate.

    ¡°It¡¯s too bad,¡± Christoph said. ¡°I saw that Templar¡¯s armor after Leila was finished with him. I guess smashing a hole in the plate is still a bit too much for me.¡±

    Claude went limp, falling slowly to the forest floor. Opening his eyes, he snapped awake in his room at Starthall, ceremonial candles flickering in the darkness. He had been defeated. Standing slowly, he stretched his long unused limbs out with a clank of metal on metal. He had to report to the Pope, and warn the adventurer¡¯s guild about Diana¡¯s return. Taking a step forward, he looked down at his gleaming silver armor. No, he decided. Most days, he felt nothing but pride from the shine of the steel plate, but today he wanted nothing more than to feel his body moving freely once more. Reaching down, he began to snap open the many clasps which held the armor together, throwing the pieces of steel onto his bed as he went.

    ¡­

    Christoph panted softly as he watched the Paladin dissipate into nothing. Had that not been his real body, then? No, he might not die unless you killed all of them at once, anyway. He slumped down onto the leaves, feeling his tortured limbs ache as hunger settled over him. The crystal gauntlet flowed back into his arm and he wiped at his face before a sudden thought struck him. What was going on? Diana was-

    ¡°Hello,¡± said Liam, bowing  his head as he stepped over Diana¡¯s motionless form towards him. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again, Christoph.¡±

    Good to see him again? Had he met that man before? Christoph rose to his feet, his sword flowing out as he took in his surroundings. Apart from the man who had spoken, there was a woman hunched over Diana with her hands on the elf¡¯s back. Ah! They were the two who had been summoned along with him and Lucius!

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Christoph asked. ¡°Did the church send you to kill me?¡±

    Liam held his hands up to show he was unarmed. Reaching down, he drew a necklace from his tunic, a gold medallion flashing in the morning sun. ¡°We aren¡¯t with the church anymore,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯re adventurer¡¯s now, although we aren¡¯t here on guild business either. To put it simply, we came to meet with you.¡±

    Christoph didn¡¯t lower his sword. How had they defeated Diana without him even noticing they were there? He had not been keeping an eye on the elf during his duel, but even so¡­

    ¡°Why?¡± he asked. ¡°If you aren¡¯t here to kill me, then what?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about your parents,¡± Liam said. ¡°Ginger and I¡­ we may know why you were sent to this world with us.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Christoph frowned. His parents? Were they talking about his father and his¡­ no, did they mean his actual mother?

    ¡°Is your headache gone?¡± Liam asked. ¡°The elf had cast a large amount of magic on you, but Ginger should have dispelled most of it by now.¡± The silent woman finished tying Diana arms together and stood next to her partner.

    ¡°My headache?¡± No, it was gone now. Ah, that had been Diana¡¯s fault as well.

    ¡°Tell me,¡± Liam said. ¡°Your father, did he have a twin?¡±

    ¡°My father?¡± Christoph wondered how much they knew of his past. If they had been part of the Prayer Game, then¡­ ¡°He did.¡±

    ¡°Do you know anyone by the name of Josephine and Daniel?¡± Liam asked.

    Christoph felt his blood run cold. ¡°My¡­ what do you know of them?¡±

    ¡°I thought you might,¡± Liam said, turning towards his companion. ¡°Ginger, I¡¯m counting on you.¡±

    Christoph raised his weapon as the woman held her arms out towards him, but she didn¡¯t move. Instead, Christoph felt his strength leaving his body, limbs dropping as his vision blurred.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to panic,¡± Liam said. ¡°It isn¡¯t permanent. Actually, we weren¡¯t sure that Ginger¡¯s gift would even work on you, but I¡¯m relieved it does.¡±

    ¡°What¡­ do you want?¡± Christoph felt his consciousness fading as Liam knelt down next to him, reaching up to grasp Christoph¡¯s head between his hands. The slightly older man ignored his words, staring deeply into Christoph¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°She was your mother!¡± Liam looked up at Ginger in alarm before, peering back down into his eyes. ¡°The Dollmaker was an enemy of ours. Everyone¡¯s enemy, really. Your father, though¡­ He was a good man. As for you, it looks like you had quite the troubled childhood.¡±

    Liam blinked and shook his head as if he was trying to clear his vision. ¡°Well, this confirms that we weren¡¯t all taken from the same point in time. Here, Ginger,¡± he said, holding out a hand towards the woman. She allowed him to place it onto her head, and her eyes flashed for a moment before she repeated his blinking motion.

    ¡°So we were right,¡± she said, shaking her head to make sense of the scattered memories she¡¯d been bestowed. ¡°The Dollmaker¡¯s child¡­ I¡¯m glad that the Replicator survived to meet you. He was a friend of mine. What will you do?¡±

    Liam looked down at Christoph with a sad sigh. ¡°Actually,¡± he said. ¡°I was your father¡¯s enemy, too, for a while. Ginger and I¡­ were not the people we are now.¡± He looked up at the woman with a smile, and she returned his expression, clutching at his shoulder reassuringly.

    ¡°Both Lucius and I have a gift that allows us to absorb the knowledge that others have,¡± Liam said. ¡°It¡¯s obvious that we¡¯d do well in a situation where we didn¡¯t know much about our surroundings. Ginger can negate the use of mana, and is my companion, forever and always. All three of us are useful to the human race in ways which you will never be. You have nothing but a troubled past and knowledge which makes you a danger to every citizen in this world. There¡¯s only one possible reason I can think of why you would be sent here.¡±

    Liam reached out to close his fingers around both sides of Christoph¡¯s head once again. ¡°Let me help you,¡± he said. ¡°I can take away your pain, your past, the knowledge you have that makes you Lucius¡¯ target. If Progress sent you here, he must have a reason. The only reason I can think of is this.¡±

    Slowly, he began to tighten his grip on Christoph¡¯s head, Christoph¡¯s arms rising weakly as the pressure increased. Suddenly, mana flared over Liam¡¯s body, and his hands seemed to split apart. He still held Christoph¡¯s head in his hands, but another set of hands had pierced through Christoph¡¯s skull and into his mind. Liam grunted as he activated his gift and reached into Christoph¡¯s spirit with his own. When he was done, this poor soul would be born anew.

 Chapter Twenty-Five

    The sun poured down from on high, the hard earth of the desert growing harder still as it baked in the heat. Although the cracked dirt gave away to dunes closer to the edges of the plains, this close to the center there was nothing that could be considered sand. Plume couldn¡¯t help but smile at the scenery, reaching out to press his palm over the crystalline wood of the ship. Beneath his hand, he could feel the warmth of the craft as it responded to his touch, mana fluttering underneath his fingers as the Charodontia hummed in reply.

    The caravan they had been stalking was making good time, due to arrive at Manitas city in just two days. Soon, the adventurers would lower their guard, and it would be time to strike. Plume had waited patiently until now, and he knew the rest of the elven crew would share his excitement, the large craft itself growing skittish in reply. There was no ship on the plains as feared as the Charodontia, and no pirates as fearless as her crew.

    ¡°Did you hear about the Landshark¡¯s Regret?¡± Lester¡¯s voice carried across the ship to Plume, and the young half-elf looked up to see the first mate engaged in conversation with several other crew-members.

    ¡°The Landshark¡¯s Regret?¡± asked one of the elves. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the big carrier from down near the Beast¡¯s Mouth Bay?¡±

    ¡°Ugh, the Regret,¡± another crew member replied. ¡°I fought against her once with my last crew, still makes me uneasy just thinking about it.¡±

    ¡°¡±It¡¯s good news,¡± Lester said, ¡°good news! The Regret was found collapsed near the bay, which means there¡¯s only three ships out there bigger than us now!¡±

    ¡°Collapsed? She run down her mana, then?¡± The first man asked. ¡°What happened to the crew?¡±

    ¡°Dunno,¡± Lester replied. ¡°Landsharks got them, probably. I always told Captain Hare that it was a poor choice of name.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon Lester, don¡¯t say that,¡± another man replied. ¡°You know landsharks give me the creeps. Besides, the name of our Charodontia shares the same inspiration. Plume, too.¡±

    Plume turned away from the men and stared out over the desert, watching the land pass by underneath the soaring ship. Yes, he repeated to himself, trickling mana into the soulstones under his fingers and guiding the ship around the wreckage of a four-wheeled wagon. There was no crew more fearless than that of the Charodontia.

    ¡°Okay crew, skimmer approaching!¡± Captain Hare¡¯s shout silenced the elves with a jolt, and Plume felt the Charodontia lurch in surprise. Brushing over the many crystals, he steadied the craft and calmed her startled spirit, checking to see if anyone had fallen overboard due to her anxious jump. This close to their prey, they couldn¡¯t afford to turn back to pick up anyone unlucky enough to fall overboard.

    ¡°Prepare to receive skimmer!¡± Lester yelled. ¡°Drop the port-side wing!¡±

    Several men rushed to fulfill the first mate¡¯s orders, the pirates working together to soothe the Charodontia and lower one of the wing-like protrusions on the side of the ship. The membrane had hardly been set in place when a smaller craft floated onto its surface with almost perfect accuracy. Unlike the sailboat shape of the Charodontia, the smaller skimmer resembled a ranged weapon more than a sea-faring craft, an arrowhead or the head of a crossbow bolt perhaps. An elf stood from the front of the craft, leaping down to the deck as his passenger uncocked her crossbow and slid from the skimmer¡¯s rear.

    ¡°News?¡± Lester asked.

    ¡°No changes to the caravan.¡± Reaching up to remove her helmet, the skimmer¡¯s passenger bowed hear head to the first mate before making her report.

    ¡°We¡¯ve noticed fresh wake lines in the area,¡± she said. ¡°Not large enough to be another crew, most likely a single skimmer-sized craft.¡±

    ¡°Wake lines?¡± Lester¡¯s brows dropped into a frown. ¡°Is someone coming in to poach on our lands? No, is there a new ship on the plains?¡±

    Plume turned back from the gathering to glance over the desert again. If the skimmer was a scout for an unknown crew, it meant more exiles from the Sacred Forest. If those elves still held the blessings of Militia, they were not opponents anyone could face just yet.

    ¡°A single skimmer?¡± Captain Hare pushed through the crew to join Lester in questioning the scout. ¡°Their tracks?¡±

    ¡°It was a single-stone skimmer,¡± the scout replied. ¡°Two men at most. It could be a remnant of the Regret.¡±

    The crew fell silent as the Captain stepped forward again. ¡°Are you sure it was a single skimmer?¡± he asked. ¡°Not a group moving single file?¡±

    Plume nodded his head from the rear of the crowd. Not only did moving in single file obscure your tracks, it helped conserve mana as well. If there was more than one skimmer, there would be no reason for them to split up.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± the scout said. ¡°One single-stone skimmer, and nothing else. If they have any reinforcements, they¡¯re keeping their distance.¡±

    Captain Hare paused for a moment. The Landshark¡¯s Regret was a notoriously large ship that carried an inordinate number of single-stone skimmers. In battle, they swarmed the enemy in ¡®packs¡¯, mimicking the namesake of their mother-ship. But the Regret had been defeated, and her crew were missing¡­ Was the skimmer following the caravan for revenge? No, that would mean the merchants had found someone with the strength to destroy such a powerful enemy. Was that possible?

    ¡°A single skimmer is nothing worth worrying over,¡± Hare announced firmly. ¡°We will take the caravan at nightfall. Rotate scouts and ready your weapons.¡±

    ¡­

    Captain Hare held his hands up towards the barely visible merchant caravan, channeling mana between his hands and warping the air into an array of specific shapes. The image distorted before refocusing, the people in the distance clearly visible through his magically formed lens. Two large horse-drawn wagons, each with another two-wheeled wagon attached as a trailer. The number of merchants seemed to be three¡­ no, two. A group of three adventurers guarded the wagons, and there was another person walking nearby. Hare refocused his lens again, peering over towards the last figure. Without a weapon or staff, it was impossible to tell their role. Were they a merchant, or adventurer? A swordsman, or mage? A woman?  The long desert robes of the walkers made it difficult to be sure.

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    The elvish captain gazed wistfully over his ship, glad to have her protection. The Charodontia had served him faithfully for many decades now, and it was thanks to her that the elves didn¡¯t need to worry about the harsh desert climate, her wards rising up to push aside the dust and mitigate the heat of the sun. She might burn through mana with the appetite of a beast, but that was a small price to pay in return for their safety. On the plains, the temperature was an enemy as real any other.

    ¡°Plume!¡± Hare called out to the young helmsman, waving away the remnants of his magic as his attention shifted to his crew. ¡°Good work,¡± he said. ¡°Begin the approach.¡±

    Plume nodded at the captain as his hands played over the crystal console, and the Charodontia sway eagerly as it picked up the pace. The half-elf might not be loved by the crew, but the Charodontia had certainly taken a liking to him. Hare turned back to the rest of his men, the many elves gathered excitedly on the deck in preparation of the raid, crossbows being strung and cutlasses sharpened.

    ¡°Lester! You¡¯re in charge of the skimmers this time,¡± Hare said. Several of the crew brightened as the first mate selected his squad members from the assembled elves. ¡°Everyone else, take up positions. Enemies include two merchants, and a possible four adventurers, at least one beast-warrior and two mages, the fourth unidentified.¡±

    A groan rang out as he listed the enemy. ¡°Beast warrior?¡± one of the members complained as he hopped onto the back of the nearest skimmer. ¡°Always with the beast warriors.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re on the highway between the Bay and Manitas City,¡± Lester replied, settling down into the pilot seat of the largest skimmer. ¡°What do you expect?¡±

    ¡°Captain!¡± another called, busy double-checking the state of the four deck-mounted ballistae. ¡°Are you sure they have two mages?¡±

    ¡°Mages are easy to spot,¡± Lester said, raising his craft into the air from the bow of the Charodontia. ¡°Especially if they¡¯re carrying their staff around in plain sight.¡±

    ¡°Our goal this time is the entire shipment!¡± Hare shouted, quieting his men. ¡°Take no risks, especially with the skimmers, and definitely not with the Charodontia! Strike them down, and claim their loot!¡±

    Cheers rang out at the captain¡¯s speech, but Plume¡¯s raised voice interrupted their cry of affirmation. ¡°Missiles incoming!¡± he called, bouncing the ship to the left and raising the wings as the three skimmers floated off their perches. ¡°Shields ready!¡±

    ¡°Keep on target!¡± Captain Hare called out. In the distance, he could see the massive boulder flying towards their position. ¡°Brace for impact!¡±

    Plume sped the Charodontia under the gigantic chunk of rock, feeling her growl as it glanced off her wards to the rear. A sail-driven ship might have lost her mast from the attack, but the Charodontia moved through other means. Reassuring the disgruntled craft, he urged her onward, closing in on the wagons and leaving a cloud of dust rising in their wake.

    Up ahead, he could see the two smaller skimmers circling around the wagons, javelins hurtling out to pierce towards the trio of adventurers as flames roared from the two mages¡¯ hands. Lester¡¯s skimmer moved to block the road ahead, the three passengers readying the giant crossbow mounted on the back of the four-man craft.

    Plume grinned as he set the Charodontia on a circle around her prey, the many crew members moving to fire the two port-side ballista in a broadside salvo that targeted the wagons themselves. Such primitive transports were useless to the pirate ship, and would be abandoned after the raid in any case. Such was the fate of those who dared attempt to cross the Charodontia¡¯s territory.

    An explosion of dust billowed up in a rapidly expanding mushroom, and Plume snapped around towards the wagons, feeling the ship bob in curiosity. Were they transporting liquor? If the flame magic¡­ No! One of the two smaller skimmers lay twisted on the scorching earth, the unidentified adventurer standing over the wreckage. A mage, then! The other skimmer circled away from the wagons, joining the ship as it skirted around the caravan. The figure reached out, and Plume saw the small craft shudder for a split second before it went up in flames, crashing down onto the cracked earth. Such power! The mage reached up to draw back their hood, and Plume heard Captain Hare gasp from nearby. She wasn¡¯t an adventurer at all, not anymore at least.

    ¡°Diana,¡± Hare breathed, whirled around towards the half-elf. ¡°Charge! Charge her!¡± Plume stared blankly at his captain for a moment. Charge? The Charodontia? His fingers hovered over the console in uncertainty.

    ¡°Charge her before she can channel more mana!¡± Hare yelled, feeding his own energy into the ship. The Charodontia didn¡¯t hesitate, surging forwards towards the elf mage as she began to gather an enormous amount of mana once more.

    Hare rushed to the bow of the ship, snatching a crossbow off one of his crew and taking aim at the elf ahead. Diana the Researcher, known to the pirates as Diana the Exile. Formerly platinum ranked in the guild of Manitas¡­ an exile of the elven homelands who had somehow never fallen from the grace of their god. The pirate crew were familiar with magic, but they spent their mana keeping their ships afloat. Besides, if they were compared to that monster¡­ Hare loosed his bolt at the woman, but the wooden missile was blown away with a flick of her hand.

    Diana raised her arms again, mana overflowing across the desert as she smiled, lightning arcing out to obliterate Lester¡¯s craft, tearing through his skimmer¡¯s robust wards in an instant. Plume felt a half-crazed grin creep across his face as the Charodontia neared her position, her own wards holding against the other two mages¡¯ comparatively pitiful attacks. This was it! The Charodontia would take her out! Diana returned his manic smile with a confident smirk of her own, her mana dissipating from her latest attack. They had her now!

    Plume¡¯s smile wavered into a frown as he followed her gaze, the mage twisting to look away from the Charodontia as it charged. Blinking, the elf turned his head just in time to see an unfamiliar skimmer smash into the side of his ship, tearing her apart with a scream of splintered wood and shattered crystal.

 Chapter Twenty-Six

    ¡°Christoph!¡± Diana waved over at the skimmer as it slowed to a halt, turning back towards the wagons as the dust cleared to reveal the pirate ship¡¯s remains. Christoph lowered the small two-man craft by her side, allowing her to climb up behind him before carrying her over towards the wreck.

    ¡°Be careful,¡± he said, lowering her to the ground once more. ¡°There¡¯s a survivor.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± A survivor? It¡¯d probably be best to take him back to Manitas City if that was true. Even the lowest of pirates could fetch a bounty if turned in at the city guild.

    ¡°Lady Diana!¡± Frederick rushed over to her as she began searching through the remnants of the ship. ¡°Just a reminder, you agreed that any items claimed by the caravan due to skirmishes with the pirates would be left in our care!¡±

    ¡°Yes yes,¡± Diana replied, brushing off the little man as he wiped sweat from his forehead. ¡°Quiet,¡± she said. ¡°There¡¯s a survivor.¡±

    The short man froze entirely, eyes darting around over the ship as he began to tremble. Diana knelt down next to one of the pirates, and the merchant sighed in relief as he realized the young man was unconscious. ¡°Found him,¡± she said. ¡°Christoph!¡±

    Christoph leaped from his skimmer and knelt down to slap at the pirate, eliciting a groan before the half-elf opened his eyes. ¡°Get up,¡± Christoph said, pulling the young man to his feet and binding his arms with a length of rope. Checking his knots, he pushed the pirate towards his skimmer. ¡°We¡¯re taking you back to Manitas City.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and we agreed to leave all the items to you besides any mana crystals we might find,¡± Diana reminded Frederick as he excitedly began to search through the dirt-covered wreckage.

    The merchant froze again before nodding rapidly. ¡°Of course,¡± he said waving his hands around. ¡°Fuel for your skimmer, of course.¡±

    Diana frowned over at the sweaty human and flicked her hand, several large gems falling from his sleeves as she blasted him with a gust of air. ¡°The agreement was any crystals we might find,¡± she said. ¡°Please don¡¯t forget that.¡±

    Frederick looked back at her in his best approximation of a friendly smile, sweat pouring over his forehead under the desert sun. ¡°Of course,¡± he said, his smile widening into something that resembled a grimace. ¡°It must have slipped my mind.¡±

    ¡­

    Plume twisted around his body, tugging at the ropes that pinned him to the back of the skimmer. A human? No, there¡¯s no way a human could have enough mana to keep one of the elven crafts afloat. Plume¡¯s captor might not be moving at full speed due to the presence of the wagons, but he also had no-one to rotate shifts with, bearing the entirety of the mana costs alone. It¡¯d been almost half an hour since they¡¯d left the Charodontia behind, and still there was no sign that he might be struggling to provide fuel for his craft.

    ¡°You¡¯re taking me to the city?¡± Plume asked. ¡°Were there any other survivors?¡±

    Silence greeted his words. Had the man not heard him over the wind? Unlikely, given the wards that protected the craft. He¡¯d probably just been ignored. In any case, the Charodontia was gone.  Even if any of the crew survived, they¡¯d all be dead in a day or two on the plains. Plume gritted his teeth at the thought. He¡¯d not been particularly close to any of the elves, but still¡­ He slumped down over the wooden frame of the skimmer, closing his eyes as his captor sped across the desert floor. The setting sun blinded him for a moment, and he blinked in confusion as he realized they had branched away from the caravan.

    ¡°Hey,¡± he yelled. ¡°Where are we going? It¡¯ll be dark soon, you know!¡±

    The pilot ignored him again, steering the craft over the desert until the caravan disappeared behind a swell in the rapidly cooling landscape. The sun dropped low over the horizon, darkness falling over the desert by the time the skimmer came to a stop. Plume grunted as the man pushed him from the craft, landing on his feet a moment before the man jumped down himself.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Plume asked. The most obvious answer was his least favorite one. He¡¯d come here to dispose of him easily. No, he shook his head. The woman had said they were taking him back to the city, after all. He was roughly turned around before the pilot untied his bonds, carefully looping the rope back up and stowing it away on the skimmer as Plume stood blinking in confusion. Were they just going to leave him here to die?

    The human mounted the craft once more, throwing a small sword down to the baffled elf before raising the skimmer into the air.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Plume held up a hand to stop the man before he could leave. ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± he asked. ¡°Are you just going to leave me here, then?¡±

    Christoph gestured down at the dirt before tilting the skimmer and drifting away, and Plume snatched up the sword as he saw what he had been pointing towards. A staggered line of gouges had been carved into the clay, stretching away into the night in both directions. Clutching at his weapon, Plume gazed up at where the skimmer had vanished into the darkness. A landshark had been here not long ago.

    Plume racked his brain, searching through his memories of the area. Landsharks, landsharks¡­ in the first place, the beasts hid in deceptively small dens during the day, slinking out to snatch up their prey at night. Although he was used to seeing them in packs after a raid, there¡¯s no reason to think there might be more than one in the area¡­ No, which way had the skimmer taken him in anyway? Was he back at the wreckage of the Charodontia? He stifled a curse as he lifted his sword, eyes slowly focusing in the moonlight as the sun vanished from sight.

    Was that man watching from somewhere close by? No, a fully grown landshark could take a man off his craft if it got close enough. It¡¯d be safer to simply leave Plume behind. Why was he here in the first place? Plume jerked as he realized the truth. They were adventurers! Either Plume kills the beast and they reap the rewards, or Plume dies and they come back to pick up their sword in the morning. A patter in the distance snapped him out of his thoughts, and he swept his sword around as he fought to make out the presence in the dull light. It would no doubt be back soon, drawn by the sounds of the skimmer and the smell of his flesh.

    If only the captain was here! Very few of the crew had been first-generation exiles, and out of those handful, the captain still had the best grasp on his old magic. Plume couldn¡¯t even cast something as simple as a detection spell, not after pouring all of his mana into the Charodontia like the rest of the elves. A low hiss rang out to his right, and he turned to see the large beast circling around him with a clatter of claws raking through the dirt.

    The landshark¡¯s teeth snapped as it lunged forwards, and Plume¡¯s breath caught as he waved it back with a swipe of his sword. Every ounce of his spirit screamed at him to run, but he knew that he wouldn¡¯t make it two steps if he turned his back on the crystal-studded creature. Landsharks excelled at running down their prey, pouncing from behind to pin their victim to the earth and end its life with their teeth and claws. The beast snapped at him from a distance, and he slashed at is again, keeping it a bay as best he could.

    The landshark¡¯s forelimbs twitched wildly as it began to circle him again, its powerful hind legs trembling with the urge to pounce. Sinking down low to the ground, its long tail rose as a counterbalance as it shifted its head back and forth, turning this way and that to look over Plume¡¯s shaking body. On the top of its head, a feathered crest swayed softly, and Plume cursed his captain for giving him such a terrible name. If he was eaten by the beast he was named for, would that classify as irony? The landshark leaped into the air, and the half-elf screamed as he thrust his sword forwards towards the creature. Plume¡¯s yell faded away as the blade deflected off the beast¡¯s underbelly, bouncing harmlessly to the side. There was a flash of light, and the creature landed atop the young pirate, forelimbs closing around his arm as it raised its lower legs to shred at his torso.

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    Plume blinked as blood washed over his face, warm liquid spilling over him without the onrush of pain he had been expecting. Standing over his prone form, Christoph reached down to pick up the landshark¡¯s head, removing the teeth as Plume stared silently up at him from beneath the monster¡¯s body. Carefully checking that he¡¯d removed the correct number of crystal teeth, he reached down to pick up the headless carcass, rolling it off of the bewildered elf with ease.

    ¡­

    Plume shifted as the blood dried on his neck, the heat of the fire warming his body as the temperature in the desert began to plummet. Christoph had tied him up, carried him back to camp and stuffed the landshark teeth into his pocket before picking up the elf woman and flying away on his skimmer again.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Plume wondered aloud. His captor had slain the landshark, and left him the reward?

    ¡°Beats me,¡± one of the mages said. ¡°Guy¡¯s a complete psycho from what I can tell. Hi, I¡¯m Larry by the way.¡±

    ¡°Nah,¡± said the other man, shaking his head as he ate. Were the mages twins? ¡°He¡¯s just quiet. The woman, on the other hand, she¡¯s a piece of work. I¡¯m Barry, by the way.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he likes me.¡± The third voice came from the beast-woman, a frown creasing her brow as she spoke. ¡°He always gives me this weird look.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve noticed that too, he looks at you like you kicked his dog.¡± Barry turned towards the half-elf again, pointing towards the beast-woman with his thumb. ¡°She¡¯s Cecilia, by the way.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m Cecilia, by the way. And I¡¯d never kick someone¡¯s dog!¡±

    ¡°Plume,¡± Plume replied, staring over at the trio of adventurers. ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t suppose there were any other survivors?¡±

    ¡°Doubt it,¡± Larry said. ¡°Diana isn¡¯t the type of mage to leave anyone behind. Well, the psycho usually does most of the killing, though. Guess he wasn¡¯t having a lucky day if he missed you.¡±

    ¡°Ah, maybe he doesn¡¯t like me cause I kept on bugging him about his skimmer!¡± Cecilia remarked. ¡°I¡¯m still pissed I missed out on the loot from the Regret going down. Did you see how hard he rammed that ship just then? Didn¡¯t even break the wards on that little flyer.¡±

    Larry shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s got to do with the pilot and not just the ship,¡± he said. ¡°He¡¯s got more mana I¡¯ve ever seen in a person before. Besides, he hated you even before that.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Barry chimed in. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I saw him making that same face to a beast-man at the Bay. Maybe he¡¯s just racist?¡±

    ¡°He gets on well with Geoff, though,¡± Cecilia sighed. ¡°It¡¯s the skimmer, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not the skimmer,¡± Larry said. ¡°Besides, Geoff is a lizard-man, maybe he only hates some of the clans.¡±

    ¡°I thought humans were supposed to like dogs,¡± Cecilia frowned, pawing at her ears and swishing her tail behind her.

    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s a cat person,¡± Larry said.

    ¡°Nah,¡± Barry replied. ¡°The beast-man as the bay was a feline, he looked like he was about to pull out his sword on him.¡±

    ¡°There we go then!¡± Larry said. ¡°He hates cats! Dogs, probably. Maybe you should have kicked someone¡¯s dog after all.¡±

    Cecilia reached up to sock the mage on his shoulder, snatching up his food and wolfing it down as he sat up again. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s obviously about the skimmer.¡±

    ¡°Um¡­¡± Plume wriggled in his bonds, looking around at the overly cheerful adventurer party. ¡°Can I ask what¡¯s going to happen to me tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Cecilia asked. ¡°You¡¯re going to the guild, of course.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Larry said. ¡°You¡¯re going to court.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± Plume replied. ¡°Court.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± said Barry.

    Plume sat in silence for the remainder of the meal, looking over into the fire as the adventurers continued to bicker. By the time the flames had run down, he¡¯d slumped over to the side and fallen asleep on the cold clay of the desert floor.

    ¡­

    Plume stirred from sleep to find someone clutching at the remnants of his long-sleeved tunic, the bloodied fabric clinging to his skin as he tried to ignore the tapping of the hands.

    ¡°Wake up.¡± The voice that hissed out was insistent, but a hand clamped down over his mouth as he began to respond. Captain Hare! Plume looked over the camp in the barely visible light, the three adventurers snoring slightly from where they had fallen asleep in a pile of limbs. The merchants were by their wagons, and the other two were missing, presumably on watch somewhere close by. Well, maybe not if Hare was right in the middle of their camp.

    The young elf rose to his feet at the captain¡¯s urging, creeping quietly along behind the older man. Cecilia jerked as they passed by the fire, but she didn¡¯t wake up, reaching out to clutch at Barry (or was it Larry) and murmuring softly before falling silent again. The two elves made their way out of camp, the captain pulling the younger man along until they had passed out of earshot.

    ¡°Listen,¡± he said. ¡°We need that skimmer. There¡¯s no other choice.¡±

    Plume nodded in the moonlight. Without the small craft, they¡¯d be sentenced to die slowly in the heat of the desert. Other than Manitas City, there were no sources of water within two day¡¯s walk in any direction, and the landsharks would most likely get them long before they made it that far.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take out the mage,¡± Hare said. ¡°You activate the skimmer, and get ready to leave.¡±

    ¡°I feel like that¡¯s asking a bit much of the young man,¡± Diana said, a ball of flame materializing in her palm to light up the darkness. ¡°Hello Hare,¡± she said. ¡°How have you been?¡±

    The captain lunged out before Plume could react, stabbing his cutlass up at the woman as the half-elf flinched away from her sudden appearance. The mage danced out of his reach, grinning at the elf captain as he leveled his weapon in her direction.

    ¡°Oh come now,¡± Diana said. ¡°I¡¯m not here to fight.¡±

    ¡°Give us the skimmer you took from the Regret, and we¡¯ll be gone,¡± Hare replied. ¡°It was you that took down the Regret, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Actually, that wasn¡¯t me,¡± she said. ¡°But close enough. Christoph dear?¡±

    ¡°Put down your weapon.¡± Plume¡¯s captor emerged from behind the mage, a strange-looking sword held in his right hand.

    ¡°They hang pirates in the city,¡± Hare said. ¡°Let us take the skimmer, and we¡¯ll leave.¡±

    ¡°How about this,¡± Diana said, throwing up her ball of fire to hover in the air. ¡°The skimmer is right behind me. If you can beat my partner here and take it, it¡¯s yours.¡±

    Christoph paused for a moment before taking up a stance between the captain and Diana. Hare hesitated before making his attack, thrusting and slashing at his opponent in rapid succession. Out of all the adventurers in the camp, that man was the only one he had not seen fighting earlier. Should he take it slow and get a feel for his skill? No, he decided. If the other adventurers awoke they might not be so kind as to let Hare finish his duel at all. Besides, there was an easier way out of this than that.

    Plume sat frozen on the ground as his captain fought, briefly crossing blades with the cloaked man before falling back. Slashing out at his enemy, Hare followed up with a sudden kick, dashing into a tackle before manoeuvring around his opponent towards the skimmer. Was he abandoning the duel? No, the mage had said that if he could take the skimmer, it would be his!

    Plume grinned at the realization, staggering to his feet. Pulling away from the fight, Hare rushed towards the small craft, swinging his sword out at Diana to force her back out of his way. Stepping forwards, Plume paused as Christoph surged towards his captain, his crystal blade slashing out in an arc before the elf¡¯s attack could land. A moment of silence fell over the camp before the two halves of Hare¡¯s body hit the ground with a dull thump of rising dust.

 Chapter Twenty-Seven

    Diana waved her hand, a gust of wind splattering Hare¡¯s blood away from the skimmer to splash back over Plume. ¡°Whoops,¡± she said, pausing for a moment look over the half-elf¡¯s stunned expression. ¡°Well, that went about as I had expected, all things considered. Hare should have fled to the Empire long ago.¡±

    Plume blinked the blood from his eyes, reaching up to wipe his face with the back of his hand and leaving a smear of crimson over his forehead and cheeks. As she had expected? ¡°He never had a chance, then?¡± Plume asked, staring down at his captain¡¯s bloody remains.

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Diana said. ¡°Do you really think I would have wagered a skimmer with such flimsy terms? This thing isn¡¯t even mine in the first place.¡±

    ¡°Diana.¡± Christoph reabsorbed his sword, reaching out to push his skimmer away from the pool of blood spreading over the area. ¡°The guild might have looked kindly on us if we presented one of the captains to them. Also, I don¡¯t appreciate being your little games.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no way Hare would have let us take him back to the city,¡± Diana replied, turning away from the speechless half-elf. ¡°He¡¯s always been stubborn, even back at the forest. Besides, you should have thought of that before you slaughtered the Regret¡¯s entire crew.¡±

    ¡°If I¡¯d had taken a prisoner back then, we would have had to drag him across the entire desert,¡± Christoph said, walking back over the crimson puddle to stand in front of Plume. ¡°Could this man really have escaped in one day?¡±

    Diana waved off his concerns. ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on the past,¡± she said. ¡°What about the half-blood?¡±

    ¡°Looks totally bloody to me,¡± Larry said. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± The trio of adventurers approached Diana¡¯s hovering ball of fire with weapons drawn, the merchants barely visible as they cowered in the limited security of their wagons.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Christoph said. ¡°We had an intruder, but I dealt with him.¡±

    ¡°From that crash?¡± Cecilia asked. ¡°I thought elves were meant to be fragile.¡±

    Plume turned towards the trio, taking a step towards them and away from Hare¡¯s killers. The clay under his captain¡¯s body bubbled as the blood soaked down into the earth, dissolving the hard ground into a puddle of mud. Christoph looked down at the remains, ignoring the dog-woman¡¯s question.

    ¡°From that crash?¡± Larry asked, mimicking Cecilia¡¯s tone of voice. ¡°I thought elves were meant to be fragile.¡±

    ¡°Cut it out, Larry,¡± Barry hissed. ¡°Are you trying to piss him off?¡±

    ¡°You can have this one,¡± Christoph said with a scowl. ¡°As an apology for allowing an intruder to get so far into the camp.¡±

    ¡°He only got to the skimmer, though,¡± Barry said. ¡°That¡¯s not so far, really.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Christoph smiled. ¡°He got all the way to the fire, passed right by you to wake up his friend. I know, I was watching.¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡± Cecilia¡¯s voice trailed away with a swish of her tail as Barry tugged at her shoulder. ¡°But Barry,¡± she whined. ¡°He¡¯s always so mean¡­¡±

    ¡°That settles it then,¡± Diana said. ¡°The sun rises soon, we might as well set off for Manitas City while everyone¡¯s awake. Frederick! Geoff! Pack up your gear, we¡¯re moving out!¡±

    ¡°Eh,¡± Cecilia complained. ¡°Why does she get to decide, it¡¯s not like she¡¯s the boss.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s cause the bosses are afraid of her, of course,¡± Barry replied. ¡°Well, they should be, though.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Larry repeated.

    ¡­

    Manitas City¡­ it wasn¡¯t until the city gates came into view that Plume¡¯s situation seemed to sink in. He tugged at the ropes that Barry had used to tie him up, turning around on the back of the wagon to catch glimpses of the walls over his shoulders.

    ¡°Calm down,¡± Larry said. ¡°You¡¯ll see it soon enough.¡±

    ¡°I want to see it now!¡± Cecilia replied, and Plume closed his mouth as he realized the adventurer hadn¡¯t been speaking to him after all. The canid woman was bouncing on the balls of her feet, trying to improve her view of the guild building over the city walls. Plume raised an eyebrow as her wagging tail slapped into Larry¡¯s leg with a repetitive thump, her ears pricked forwards as if she could hear the city lying in wait.

    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose I can convince you not to turn me into the guild,¡± the half-elf said.

    ¡°No way,¡± Cecilia replied, hopping up and down in a manner that caused her chest to rise and fall with each bounce. It was something that might have caught his eye were she not of the beast races.

    ¡°The guild¡¯ll pay us a gold coin for you,¡± Larry said. ¡°Pirates aren¡¯t cheap, you know.¡± The adventurer grinned as Plume slumped back against the wagon, the bulky crates digging into his back under the well-worn cover.

    ¡°If you had money, that¡¯d be another matter, of course.¡± Barry said.

    ¡°Do you have any?¡± Cecilia asked, ears turning towards him as she continued stretching up on her tiptoes.

    Plume shook his head in reply. Any money the pirates picked up was traded out to the bandit groups for supplies. There was nobody else that would take it, and it made no sense to keep currency they could never spend.

    ¡°Eh?¡± The beast-woman made a face. ¡°None at all? How about crystals? You smell like a monster.¡±

    Like a monster¡­ Was she talking about the landshark blood? Ah, he still had the teeth in his pocket! ¡°I¡¯ve got something!¡± he said, jerking upright so quickly he would have fallen from the wagon were it not for the rope tying him down.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see it then,¡± Barry said.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Plume stared back at him, twisting around to show him the ropes.

    ¡°The ropes, Barry,¡± Larry said. ¡°Here, I¡¯ll get it for you. Where is it?¡±

    ¡°My pocket,¡± Plume said. ¡°It¡¯s landshark teeth.¡± Were they valuable? The landsharks were the top predators of the region, they¡¯d have to be worth something at least.

    ¡°Landshark teeth!¡± Larry dug into the half-elf¡¯s chest pocket, pulling out the large crystal fangs. ¡°These¡¯ll get us more than a gold coin!¡±

    ¡°So you won¡¯t take me to the guild then?¡± Plume asked.

    ¡°What? No, of course we will,¡± Larry said. ¡°I mean, we¡¯ll still get a coin for you.¡±

    Plume froze for a moment. What had he been expecting from an adventurer?

    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.¡°Just kidding!¡± Barry said, breaking into a laugh. ¡°We¡¯ll cut you free. Just not until we¡¯re at the gate, of course.¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Cecilia yelled, whirling towards the youth with her arms raised in glee. The brothers shared a look, raising their eyebrows at their companion.

    ¡°Your delivery¡¯s off,¡± Barry said.

    ¡°Way off,¡± said Larry.

    ¡°I know that!¡± Cecilia said with balled fists, her voice lowering into a grumble as she continued. ¡°I just wanted to join in for once¡­¡±

    ¡°Anyway, we¡¯ll untie you up ahead,¡± Barry said. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t do to have you trying to murder our clients in the meantime.¡±

    Plume relaxed in his bonds, letting off a sigh as the city approached. The captain might not have approved, but there was no other option. No pirate really held the conviction to hang, after all.

    ¡°It¡¯s a shame we didn¡¯t catch you going the other way,¡± Cecilia said. ¡°My sisters would have given me more than a gold coin for you.¡±

    ¡°For a slave?¡± Larry asked. ¡°Are they the type to keep them as pets, or actual slaves?¡±

    ¡°One of each,¡± Cecilia said. ¡°I¡¯ve got three of them. My littlest sis would probably sell him off to the dwarves, though.¡±

    ¡°Damn dwarves,¡± Plume spat. ¡°I¡¯d rather hang.¡±

    ¡­

    Despite what common sense might dictate, Manitas was a city of trade. Seated firmly in the center of the continent, it was an oasis which marked the very heart of the desert, connecting each of the foreign territories which surrounded the sun-baked wastes. Pirate ships, bandit groups, and monstrous beasts were a perpetual danger to anyone travelling over the highways, but once inside the city you would be protected by the looming walls, translucent dome-shaped wards and the might of the adventurer¡¯s guild. However, not everyone who approached the gates was let through immediately.

    ¡°The pirates are a constant threat on the plains,¡± Wesley said, leaning across his desk. ¡°I¡¯m sure you can understand why you were stopped by the guards.¡±

    ¡°Of course, of course,¡± Christoph replied with a nod. ¡°A skimmer is a skimmer. I can assure you, however, that neither of us are actually pirates.¡±

    ¡°That may be so, but until I can determine that for sure I cannot allow you access to Manitas City,¡± Wesley said. ¡°As the captain of the guards, I can never be too careful.¡±

    Diana rolled her eyes from where she sat nearby, and Wesley glanced over to the elf for a second. ¡°Moreover,¡± he said, ¡°if your companion is who she claims to be, the guild will certainly have some¡­ business with her.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure they will,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°I told her not to follow me here, but she seemed determined to come anyway. Can I ask where your men are holding my craft?¡±

    ¡°Your¡­¡± Wesley sighed down at his desk. Why did all of the strange ones always come from the west? If he had ridden that skimmer in from the north or south, it would be some other guard¡¯s duty to deal with him. ¡°Did you really take down the Landshark¡¯s Regret?¡±

    ¡°The Charodontia, too.¡± Christoph replied. ¡°Although Diana helped with that one.¡±

    A knock at the door interrupted Wesley before he could make a retort, and a thin man stepped through the door. He wore a long white cloak, green feathers jutting from his collar like a bird that had ruffled itself up to intimidate a rival. Immediately rising to his feet, the guard captain bowed low over his desk at the newcomer, armor clanking as he moved.

    ¡°Guild Master Roethus!¡± he said. ¡°For you to have come personally-¡±

    ¡°Hush, Wesley,¡± Roethus replied, waving his hand out as he turned to lock eyes onto the elven woman lounging off to the side. ¡°Diana, it¡¯s good to see you still alive.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm, how are you still around?¡± Diana asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t humans supposed to wither up and die when they get that old?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not even out of my first century yet, you know?¡± the Guild Master replied, reaching up to readjust his gold-framed glasses. Christoph frowned at the exchange. Not even out of his first century? The thin man looked maybe thirty, forty years old at the most.

    ¡°This must be the gentleman responsible for sinking the Charodontia and the Regret, then?¡± Roethus walked past Diana to where Christoph had stood from his own chair in front of Wesley¡¯s desk.

    ¡°Correct,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°I destroyed the Charodontia and personally slew the captains of both ships.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m very grateful,¡± Roethus said. ¡°It¡¯s a pity you couldn¡¯t bring in one of the captains alive, but still, you have done us a great service.¡±

    Christoph shot a glare towards his companion, the elf giving a shrug before Roethus continued to speak. ¡°However,¡± he said, ¡°I also understand that you have been declared a non-person by the Creator¡¯s Church?¡±

    ¡°That is also correct,¡± Christoph replied with a nod. ¡°I am afflicted by a condition where, much like the crystal monsters, I require constant mana to survive. The church mistook this for a sign of the demonic.¡±

    ¡°Can we be sure that is not the case?¡± The guild master stared over into Christoph¡¯s eyes, frowning slightly as he did so.

    ¡°Of course it isn¡¯t,¡± Diana said. ¡°The human church is useless indeed if they cannot even distinguish between a beast and a demon.¡±

    ¡°Rather than not being able to distinguish, the Creator¡¯s Church simply does not discriminate between the two,¡± Roethus replied. ¡°It has caused problems with the dwarves in the past.¡±

    ¡°I remember,¡± Diana said with a scoff. ¡°The humans accused them of violating the Convention by attempting to tame the beasts. Ridiculous.¡±

    ¡°I can assure you that I am not one of Tempter¡¯s ravenous children,¡± Christoph said. ¡°My hunger is not so excessive, merely insistent at times. I also bear the¡­ mark of the crystal beasts.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Well, we can save that for the council,¡± Roethus said, turning to leave the room. ¡°Follow me, you two. I¡¯ve called the council together so you can try and convince us not to take off both your heads and sent them back to Starthall in a nicely cushioned crate.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so dramatic,¡± Diana said. ¡°I used to be part of your ¡®council¡¯ too, remember? I can¡¯t imagine the adventurers have grown much in the few years I¡¯ve been away.¡±

 Chapter Twenty-Eight

    ¡°Next!¡± Plume felt his bonds come loose as the gate guard waved the wagons forwards, the sturdy rope falling from his arms and allowing him to drop off the back of the wooden cart.

    ¡°Now remember,¡± Larry said. ¡°Don¡¯t say anything about ships, oceans, seas, sails, boats, pirates, or skimmers. Only pirates say any of that stuff, and the guards here are strict enough on elves without you setting them off. From now on, you¡¯re just a poor half-elf we saved from slavery in the forest. You gotta make up the rest on your own.¡±

    ¡°Got it,¡± Plume said. ¡°Just a poor boy, from the forest. No, not from the forest¡­ eh¡­ no matter which way I look at it, the only elves around here are the pirates, though.¡±

    ¡°An adventurer!¡± Larry hissed as they began to walk. ¡°Your mother was an adventurer, and your father a pirate. Make up some sob story and you¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°What do we have here, then?¡± the guard asked, taking a scroll from Frederick¡¯s sweaty fingers and skimming over the contents. ¡°Cargo, from the forest of course¡­ medicines and wine?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Frederick nodded, patting at his crates. ¡°Mostly wine, of course.¡±

    ¡°Of-¡± Cecilia began.

    Plume flinched as Larry gave her tail a tug to silence her sudden exclamation, and the guard narrowed his eyes at the group before gesturing towards the canine woman.

    ¡°You there,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re from the forest, right? What type of wine is this?¡±

    ¡°Eh? I don¡¯t know that kind of stuff,¡± Cecilia said. ¡°Were we carrying wine?¡±

    Frederick¡¯s hopeful smile dissolved into a grimace of despair, the guard¡¯s frown growing deeper as the beast-woman spoke. Turning around, she shoved Larry aside, clutching her tail protectively.

    ¡°That hurt, too,¡± Cecilia said to the mage. ¡°You have to be gentle if you want to touch my tail.¡± Already short, Frederick seemed to lose another six inches with a sigh, reaching into his pocket to drop a handful of coins into the guard¡¯s open palm.

    ¡°Okay!¡± the guard replied with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re good to go!¡± Plume smiled as the armored man waved them forwards, but his grin disappeared when a thickly muscled arm blocked his path through the gate.

    ¡°Let me guess,¡± the guard said. ¡°Your mother was an adventurer, your father was a pirate, and you¡¯re just a poor boy coming to join the guild.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Plume stared up at the tall human, seeing the sword swing at the human¡¯s hip as he leaned down to look the former pirate in the eyes.

    ¡°Save it,¡± the guard said. ¡°You¡¯re not getting in.¡±

    ¡°Wait a moment.¡± Geoff was suddenly there, his wagon paused on the way through the looming archway of the gate. The reptilian man grinned up at the guard, reaching out to grasp onto Plume¡¯s left shoulder. ¡°This one¡¯s with me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s fine then, Geoff,¡± the guard replied, bowing his head ever so slightly toward the unremarkable looking beast merchant. ¡°Have a safe visit.¡±

    Plume followed the lizard-man through the gates, turning back as the guard called out for the next lot of wagons. ¡°Thanks,¡± he said. ¡°But¡­ what just happened.¡±

    ¡°You just came into my debt,¡± Geoff said, waving a hand as the young man missed half a step. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, all you have to do is tell the guild Geoff sent you when they ask why you¡¯re there. I¡¯ll get a recruiters fee if you rise up the ranks.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Plume repeated with a sigh of relief.

    ¡°Oh, as for the guards¡­ They¡¯re supposed to check the crates, but the west gate is always too crowded for that. A little bribe helps grease the wheels.¡± Geoff grinned as he clambered back onto his wagon, flicking the reins to get the horses moving. ¡°Well, Frederick and I come by rather often, so he probably wouldn¡¯t have asked for a bribe if that forest-dweller had backed up his story.¡±

    ¡°She isn¡¯t the brightest, is she?¡± Plume asked. ¡°Those brothers neither.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by the humans,¡± Geoff warned. ¡°The beast-woman might be simple indeed, but those two are another matter entirely. Nobody lives very long out on the plains unless they have their wits about them.¡±

    ¡­

    Manitas City was an oddity in the land, even without it¡¯s placement. The citizens swore fealty to no king, allegiance to no lord, and worshiped no god. Instead, it was ruled by the most widespread of neutral organizations: the adventurer¡¯s guild. The guild protected the city and oversaw trade with the dwarves and beast clans, and the council ruled over the guild in its entirety.

    Guild Master Roethus took his seat in the middle of the room, the semi-circular table curving away to surround Christoph and Diana as the council followed suit. Diana looked over the council members, seeing many familiar faces amidst their ranks. Five of the twelve seats were filled by a group of heavily armored and somewhat impatient looking warriors, the Crowns of Flame which represented the combat guilds as they had done five years ago. In contrast, the four robed members of the Silent Chains sat quietly, the mages content to wait for Roethus to speak. One final position would normally have been filled by the most suitable candidate from the unpartied adventurers, but two people sat side by side in that space. Were they a party of two, or was one only here to support the other?

    ¡°Let¡¯s begin with the introductions,¡± Roethus said, leaning away from the table to rest against the tall back of his ornately carved chair. ¡°As you know, I am Roethus, master of the guild in Manitas City.¡±

    ¡°I am Serana,¡± the unfamiliar woman said. Serana? Diana spent a moment digging through her memories before deciding she¡¯d never heard of her. ¡°I represent the many unorganized adventurers in the city.¡±

    ¡°I am Gilder, leader of the Crowns of Flame.¡± The oldest warrior in the party, Gilder was enormous for a human, multitudes of scars layering his face and what other patches of skin were visible beneath his armor. ¡°We represent the combat parties, both in and around the city.¡±

    ¡°Harold,¡± one of the mages said, raising his hand. A reptilian? Besides Geoff, Diana had seldom seen their kind outside of the swamps of their homeland. ¡°The Silent Chains represent the production based parties in the city.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± Roethus replied, turning towards his guests. ¡°To begin, please state your name and place of birth.¡±

    ¡°I am Diana,¡± the elf said with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Born of the Milwood, although I can no longer claim the forest as my home.¡±

    ¡°My name is Christoph Smith,¡± Christoph said. ¡°I go by Christoph in this world, although I was born in another.¡±

    ¡°You are the Christoph summoned by the Church of the Creator?¡± Serana asked with a frown. Had Roethus known this man was coming to the city? Turning her head, she saw the other adventurers engaging in discussions amongst their respective parties. To her side, her partner frowned in shared concern.

    ¡°The church declared you a demon, then.¡± It was Gilder who spoke, his party sitting alongside him. ¡°Why should we let you into our city?¡±

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    ¡°The church was mistaken,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°I am more akin to the crystal beasts than the spawn of Tempter.¡±

    ¡°Even so,¡± Harold said, ¡°the guild¡¯s relationship with the church is¡­ strenuous at best, and it has only gotten worse since you slew one of our ambassadors.¡±

    ¡°That was never something I wanted,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°I had no wish to fight Henry to begin with, and I will not apologize for refusing to die. A duel is a duel.¡±

    ¡°Relations with the church are not an issue here,¡± Roethus said, raising a hand to cut off Diana¡¯s reply. ¡°First and foremost, we must be certain you are not what the church claims you are. Manitas City abides by the rules of the Convention, and we cannot afford to anger the dwarves or the forest clans at any cost.¡±

    ¡°Although I respect his grit, I say we throw him out,¡± Gilder said. ¡°Even if he isn¡¯t a demon, Manitas City is no place for a monster.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still human,¡± Christoph said, glaring over at Diana as she began to chuckle softly. ¡°I just eat the crystal monsters instead of the normal animals.¡±

    ¡°What proof do you have?¡± Harold asked, scales glimmering as the lizard-man threaded his fingers together in front of his face.

    Christoph rose from his seat, shedding his cloak pulling his tunic off to bare his torso. Diana suppressed her eye-roll with a sigh. Boys did like to show off their chests, after all. The council stared over at the crystal-studded human as he turned to show them his back, gemstones gleaming where they had grown from his bones to break through his skin.

    The gems had spread somewhat since she had met him in the forest, crystals covering his right shoulder and shoulder blade in addition to those on his knuckles and elbow. Perhaps they would continue to spread with time, or they could be tied to the amount of mana he accumulates at once? Diana shook her head. If the world serpent was involved in this, there was still no sign of it.

    ¡°This is proof enough for me,¡± Roethus said, allowing Christoph to don his clothes once more. ¡°A demon would be unable to produce mana crystals, being a fundamentally spiritual being. This man is most certainly a corporeal existence.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Gilder said. ¡°The guild takes on anyone who wishes to join. Assuming Roethus is pushing for acceptance, the vote hereby passes. We can discuss his tentative rank some other time. For now, let¡¯s get on with the real issue at hand.¡±

    ¡°Is that my cue?¡± Diana asked. ¡°Or is there something else you like to chat about?¡±

    ¡°Diana the Researcher,¡± Gilder said, crossing his arms over his chest. ¡°Five years ago, you abandoned your quest and your duties to the guild. As an adventurer of the highest order, this carries a heavy penalty in itself, but to also have disappeared without a word to the council¡­ what do you have to say for yourself?¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t even aware I was being sanctioned until recently,¡± the elf replied. ¡°I did kill the dragon, after all. Rather than fleeing my failure, I was simply playing around for a while before coming to collect my reward.¡±

    ¡°There is no reward for you,¡± Harold said, scaled brows lowering as a frown covered his human-looking face. ¡°The dragon was slain by the Creator¡¯s Church. One of their Paladins, a Sir Claude, took the title of dragonslayer.¡±

    ¡°Claude was an acquaintance of mine,¡± Diana said. ¡°I¡¯m sure he never said so, but it¡¯s true nonetheless. Did you really think that any human could have slain that wyrm alone?¡±

    ¡°Of course that¡¯s what we thought, but what we thought does not matter,¡± Roethus said. ¡°You had a duty to report back to the city. Do you know how many people died when the pirates got word of your disappearance?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t control the pirates,¡± Diana said. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you instead be thanking me for the years I kept your highways safe?¡±

    ¡°This is not a joke!¡± Serana¡¯s partner rose from his seat, fists thumping down on the thick timber of the table. ¡°People were killed!¡±

    ¡°Sit, Farrow,¡± Serana said. ¡°This is not the place.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Harold said. ¡°He might not have added to the discussion, but Farrow is correct. If the council was to welcome Diana back with open arms, it would be a disgrace towards those who once relied on her for protection. Even now, the citizens look skyward and shiver whenever a sandstorm rolls over the city. The people have lost faith in the guild because of your actions, Diana.¡±

    ¡°You cannot afford to ignore me now,¡± Diana said. ¡°Manitas City is not the Milwood.¡±

    ¡°I have an idea.¡± Roethus readjusted his spectacles, feathers bobbing on his eccentrically decorated collar as he moved. ¡°There¡¯s way for Diana to regain the trust of the people, and repay her debt towards the guild at once.¡±

    Laughter burst out from Diana¡¯s left, and she turned to see Gilder sitting back in his chair as he roared. ¡°Roethus you bastard,¡± he said. ¡°Is this what you had planned, then?¡±

    ¡°I second the motion,¡± Serana said, raising her hand to display her vote. What motion? Diana turned back to see Roethus grinning back at her from behind his glasses, Harold¡¯s reptilian visage remaining decisively blank.

    ¡°You see,¡± Roethus said, ¡°we¡¯ve been having some trouble with the northern highway for some time now. It seems that the Ouroboros¡¯ newest hatchling has decided to make the sand pits its home.¡±

    ¡°You want me to kill another dragon?¡± Diana asked. A wyrm in the sand pits?

    ¡°It does make sense,¡± Christoph said, ignoring the daggers she glared in his direction. ¡°It was a dragon subjugation quest that you abandoned, after all.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Serana said, smiling at Diana¡¯s expression of outrage. ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯d make you go alone. You managed to slay the last one with the help of a Paladin, right? In that case, we could send one of the gold ranked adventurers along with you.¡±

    ¡°On that note, Christoph here is most impressive,¡± Roethus said. ¡°Defeated Sir Henry in a duel, as well as surviving a fight against the Executioner Gideon and Dragonslayer Claude himself. Also defeated the Guardian of the Forest, destroyed the pirate ship Charodontia, and slew both the captain of the Charodontia and the Landshark¡¯s Regret. I hereby move to bestow Christoph with the rank of Gold.¡±

    ¡°I second that motion,¡± Serana said, holding up her hand again. ¡°Presumably, you like to volunteer for aiding Diana in her quest? I wish you both the best of luck.¡± Diana turned towards her companion, already fully aware of what his answer to that statement would be.

    ¡°No way,¡± Christoph said, shaking his head at Serana¡¯s proposition. ¡°The only reason I was travelling with her was because I couldn¡¯t find a way to make her leave me alone. I told her not to follow me here in the first place.¡±

 Chapter Twenty-Nine

    ¡°You aren¡¯t going with her?¡± Geoff asked. ¡°I know there¡¯s no love lost between you two, but isn¡¯t fighting the big ones exactly what you wanted to do?¡±

    ¡°Do you know why I let her follow me this far?¡± Christoph slumped back against the brick wall of the stable, Geoff¡¯s horse neighing softly nearby.

    The lizard-man shrugged, dust falling from his cloak as he moved. ¡°No idea,¡± he said. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because she¡¯s always right,¡± Christoph replied, raising his hands in an expression of bewilderment. ¡± ¡®Christoph! Do this! Christoph! Do that!¡¯ It¡¯s frustrating, but she was almost never wrong. Out in the desert, it¡¯d just be stupid to do something else just because she made the suggestion, but here¡­¡±

    ¡°Here, you can tell her where to put it and then go find something else to do,¡± Geoff said with a grin.

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Christoph nodded. ¡°Well, that¡¯s the plan, anyway. It¡¯s childish, I know, but Jesus Christ I was getting tired of her bullshit.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re using your otherworldly curses again,¡± Geoff said, a scaled brow raised in amusement.

    ¡°Ah, sorry,¡± Christoph said with a laugh, falling silent after a moment. ¡°Did I ever tell you why I can speak your language?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you did,¡± Geoff replied, reaching out to feed a sugar cube to his horse. ¡°Do people in your world speak a different language?¡±

    ¡°Many different languages,¡± Christoph said. ¡°Here, the gods speak one tongue, and the people do the same, but in my world the gods are distant, if they exist at all. There are thousands of languages, probably.¡±

    ¡°That many? Geoff sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t even imagine trying to trade in conditions like that.¡±

    ¡°Anyway,¡± Christoph said. ¡°Turns out that the human god translated all my memories during the trip over here. So even if I make it back, I won¡¯t even be able to speak with anyone I knew. It¡¯s absurd!¡±

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you get Liam to undo the changes?¡± Geoff asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think his gift works that way. It¡¯s more like he can add experiences, and sort of¡­ filter out the ones you already have.¡± Christoph suppressed a shudder as he recalled his last meeting with the world traveler. ¡°I still can¡¯t stand the sight of the cat-people. The memories I have of the village seem nice enough, but the feeling they give me is¡­ unpleasant. Emi¡­ Remembering my old owner in particular is enough to make me shudder.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he had a reason for giving you that fear,¡± Geoff said. ¡°I¡¯ve known Liam for a while now, and he doesn¡¯t seem like the type of person to mess with people on a whim.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m thankful for what he showed me,¡± Christoph said, ¡°but even so¡­ it¡¯s an odd feeling, knowing what your mind is showing you is somehow wrong. Besides that, my memories¡­ every now and then, I¡¯ll be reminded of something from my old world, but I can never put my finger on what it was. People, places, seeing the skimmer drove me near crazy trying to drag up the past, but I got nothing.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like you¡¯re getting old,¡± Geoff said with a chuckle.

    ¡°I¡¯m not joking, you know?¡± Christoph sighed at the beast merchant¡¯s grin, tapping his head back against the bricks. Slowly, his mouth split into a smile, a laugh building as the lizard-man continued to chuckle.

    ¡°Here,¡± Geoff said, tossing him a large sack. ¡°Here¡¯s your stuff, now get going before someone shanks you for it in the street.¡±

    Christoph caught the sack, feeling the intense warmth leaking through the thick fabric and into his body. ¡°Thanks,¡± he said, bowing his head towards the merchant. ¡°You¡¯re a good friend to have.¡±

    ¡°As are you,¡± Geoff replied, pointing across the street. ¡°Look, you¡¯re too late. Your escort is here.¡±

    Christoph turned in the direction he was gesturing, recognizing the two independent members of the council as they approached the entrance to the stable. Serana, was it? The woman had seemed to be working with Roethus during the meeting¡­ Well, that didn¡¯t concern Christoph any more. He pushed off from the wall and stood as she came to a stop before him, her long skirt swaying around her legs.

    ¡°Christoph?¡± she asked. ¡°We¡¯re here to take you to the guild.¡± Behind her, Farrow glared over at the two men with disdain.

    Christoph bowed to the pair, careful not to spill the contents of his sack as he did so. Did they bow here? No, adventurers were adventurers¡­ Well, Liam hadn¡¯t shared with him any knowledge on Manitas City, so it couldn¡¯t be helped. It was probably best to err on the side of caution.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to bow,¡± Serana said, turning away from the stables. Ah. Still, better than not bowing and finding out he was supposed to.

    ¡°Thanks for everything,¡± Christoph said, waving a hand to Geoff as he hurried after the Councillors. ¡°I¡¯ll see you again!¡±

    ¡­

    The guild building was the largest by far, standing over the city as a palace might. Rather than brick, it looked like the ground had risen into a building-shaped mountain, the rock looming solidly overhead. Serana had led Christoph through the entrance and past the milling adventurers, and he shifted uncomfortably as he recalled the awe she¡¯d inspired in the crowd, and the scrutiny he¡¯d fallen under as a result.

    ¡°As you know,¡± Serana said, ¡°most adventurers begin as a probationary member, the Bronze rank.¡± She sat opposite Christoph on the lounges of the guild office, watching  as he scrawled his name onto the guild admission form. ¡°To be entered as a Gold ranker is highly unusual, and truthfully something we only offered you under the assumption you¡¯d aid Diana in her quest.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine the other adventurers will take the news well?¡± Christoph asked, looking up at where Farrow stood over the table, his arms crossed in obvious hostility.

    ¡°Well, I could always go on the dragon subjugation after all,¡± Christoph continued, making eye contact with the haughty man. ¡°But that¡¯d make them think I was one of Diana¡¯s friends. Which I¡¯m not.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Farrow said, shifting his arms as he replied.

    Christoph shook his head, leaning down to finish filling out the form. Name, age, gender, race, place of birth¡­ was it fine to put ¡®Earth¡¯ in that box? Achievements¡­ Christoph noticed that Serana had already filled out that area of the sheet: Pirate subjugation, Charodontia. Pirate subjugation, Landshark¡¯s Regret. Pilot, elvish land skimmer. Duel, Henry of God¡¯s Compass. Beast subjugation, Guardian of the Forest (Lesser Paw).

    Christoph noticed there was no mention of the knights he¡¯d fought. Was this because of the strained relations between the guild and the church, or because they weren¡¯t considered duels in the first place? Did the guild always fill out the achievements section of the form themselves, anyway? Serana took the scroll once he¡¯d finished, glancing over the page before handing it back.

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    ¡°Looks fine,¡± she said. ¡°Although you¡¯ll need to mark it with your blood before we can complete the ritual.¡± Was this an enchanted scroll? It didn¡¯t seem to have the ordinary glow of mana Christoph had seen. Shrugging, he took the knife she offered and slashed at his thumb, smearing blood over the bottom of the scroll before his cut could heal closed.

    Pulling a crystal from her blouse, Serana leaned forward over the table, long red hair drifting down to brush on the wood as she placed it over the still-drying parchment. A gold coin followed the gem, and light flashed as the crystal faded away, a small medallion left lying on the scroll when the glow had cleared.

    ¡°This is yours¡± Serana said, handing him the gold plate. ¡°The guild will keep the form, and update it as necessary. A new medallion will be issued if you ever make it up to the Platinum rank, and specific gemstone ranks lie above that.¡±

    Christoph nodded at her words. The various ranks were Bronze, Iron, Steel, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. The ¡®gemstone¡¯ ranks were not tiers but rather categories or titles for the most distinguished of the Platinum adventurers. Liam had left him some information on the gemstones, but he¡¯d since forgotten most of it. Christoph frowned at the realization. He¡¯d only been left the most essential of Liam¡¯s knowledge, right? How much more had he forgotten?

    ¡°Is that it, then?¡± Christoph asked with a blink. ¡°I¡¯m an adventurer now?¡±

    ¡°Technically, yes.¡± Serana rolled up the scroll and placed it into a leather tube, a cap closing over the open end. ¡°Just so you know, adventurers are welcome in the dwarven and human lands, and the beast lands request aid at times, but don¡¯t expect the fairies or the orcs to let you live because of your medallion.¡±

    ¡°Will the church still kill me if I go back to the Kingdom?¡± Christoph asked.

    ¡°I would assume so,¡± Serana said. ¡°We¡¯ll push to have them rescind the declarations they made about you, but I¡¯d advise you not to set foot in the church¡¯s lands until then.¡±

    ¡°Okay then. Ah,¡± he said, gesturing to his medallion. ¡°Where can I buy a chain for this?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll need weapons and armor, too, I suppose?¡± Serana asked, standing before he could answer. ¡°Out of the main workshops in the city, I¡¯d recommend either the Silent Chains or the Rigid Plate. Expensive, but worth it in the long run.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m looking for an unusual custom job,¡± Christoph said.¡±Preferably without it running too high a cost. Is there anywhere that can help me with that?¡±

    ¡°If your project is strange enough for you to be asking then I¡¯d have to say the Merry Brothers would be more than happy to take you in.¡± Serana paused for a moment before turning away. ¡°They do take some getting used to, though.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure that won¡¯t be a problem for me,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°Even the name seems familiar.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Armor comes in three basic forms ¨C light, heavy, and plate.¡± The merchant had introduced himself as Jacques, having appeared to show him around the store after Serana had pushed him through the door and vanished somewhere unspecific. Christoph followed the man¡¯s gestures as he spoke, seeing the three categories laid out on the many racks of the store. Manitas City was a city of adventurers, and where adventurers went, merchants followed. Armorers, weapon-smiths, enchanters and tailors, this city had it all in excess. Even the pirate raids weren¡¯t enough to keep them away, and the flying ships aimed for the rare shipments of food and medicine in any case. Ore and fabric couldn¡¯t keep a crew alive in the harsh desert heat.

    ¡°Light armor is mainly leather,¡± Jacques said, pulling a tan brown breastplate from a nearby rack. ¡°Swordsmen, spearmen, archers and even some of the mages favor it, mainly for the lighter weight. It isn¡¯t meant to defend against another person, just the smaller beasts and the occasional arrow. Enchantments can fix that, though.¡±

    Christoph shook his head at the merchant¡¯s hopeful expression. Leather armor¡­ It seemed thick enough to stop a knife, perhaps even a large dog, but it hardly covered the whole body, and he¡¯d be targeting the largest creatures he could find. The plate armor was useless, too. The interlocking steel might be effective against lightly armed people, but not large monsters, mages, or heavy attacks.

    ¡°Do you custom make heavy armor?¡± Christoph asked, nodding towards the relevant stands. ¡°I need a gauntlet for my left arm only. Something plated, but thick. A breastplate would be nice, too.¡±

    ¡°Enchantments?¡± The merchant¡¯s eyes narrowed, his fingers twitching as he scanned the store. Enchantments¡­ No, Christoph¡¯s regeneration relied on his mana. It wouldn¡¯t make sense to feed energy into his armor, and he couldn¡¯t wear anything with dedicated mana stores or he¡¯d end up sucking it dry before battle.

    ¡°No enchantments¡± Christoph said, smiling inwardly as the greedy merchant¡¯s face fell. ¡°Just armor. If something is magically constructed for strength or weight, sure. But no crystals.¡±

    ¡°No crystals¡­¡± The merchant scurried away, motioning for Christoph to follow him through the tall wooden racks. ¡°Here,¡± he said, pulling a dark-colored breastplate from the shelf. ¡°This is orichalcum, orc gold. Heavier than steel, but stronger. I can have something built for a fee, if you wish?¡±

    Christoph paused, hefting the armor between his hands and feeling the weight. Heavy, certainly, but not enough to slow him down too much. Compared to the other materials, though¡­ ¡°No.¡± Shaking his head, he passed the plate back to the Jacques, the shorter man sighing in obvious disappointment.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing else I can offer you unenchanted,¡± the merchant said. ¡°Most of the heavy armors are built from crystal beasts, you know?¡±

    Christoph nodded in understanding. Heavy armor didn¡¯t cover the body as plate did, seeking instead to provide massive amounts of protection to key areas of the body. Visually, it looked almost like extremely thick leather armor, designed to defend against the monstrous yet unguided blows of the larger creatures. Because the material had crystals already built-in, leaving it unenchanted was simply a waste of material.

    ¡°Do you do custom enchantments, then?¡± Christoph asked. ¡°Rather than defense, could you make something like that with an offensive enchantment built in?¡±

    ¡°What type of enchantment?¡± the merchant asked. What type? At the very least he must have a contact if he¡¯s taking questions on the work. No, it¡¯s possible they do the enchanting in-house as well.

    ¡°Not the kind that stores mana, something I can pour my own energy into. I¡¯d be willing to pay well for something large enough¡­¡± Christoph broke into a grin as he paused. ¡°Large enough to do some damage to a dragon.¡±

 Chapter Thirty

    ¡°Here.¡± The guild worker pushed a small scroll across the counter, and Plume stumbled to catch it before it fell to the ground. ¡°Fill this out, and then bring it back. Anything you enter into the achievements box will be verified by the guild, so try not to brag too much.¡±

    Plume nodded his head at the woman, but she¡¯d already turned away to deal with another customer, the never-ending sea of adventurers stretching out of the room and into the hallway. Holding his scroll in both hands, the half-elf made his way to the writing desk the worker had pointed out, unrolling the scroll and drawing a pen from the nearby inkwell.

    His name¡­ Plume paused, the pen hovering above the parchment. If he wished to change his name, now would be the time. But a name¡­ what name could he choose?

    ¡°Plume!¡± The half-elf jumped at Larry¡¯s shout, turning towards the entrance to see the trio of adventurers as they waved over at him. Them again¡­ They were certainly more than friendly enough to someone who would have been their enemy just a day before, but was it really okay for him to be ignoring the crew members who had fallen at their hands? No, the pirates had been acquaintances at best, and only Hare had looked out for him at all. He had abandoned his old life in any case. That man, Christoph, might be an exception, but surely there was no harm in making friend with the guild members?

    ¡°I¡¯m not going by that name anymore,¡± Plume said. ¡°I¡¯ll take a new name from now on.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡± Cecilia made a face. ¡°A new name? What name?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Plume¡¯s pen remained hovering over the paper. ¡°I don¡¯t know yet, but-¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t lie to the guild, you know?¡± Barry said. ¡°If you use a fake name the scroll¡¯ll burn up when they finish the ritual.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Plume said with a sigh. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t know that.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°You¡¯re a bronze ranker now!¡± Barry said, slapping the young man on the back, the guild building fading away behind them. ¡°Soon, you¡¯ll move up to Iron, and then you¡¯ll be a real member of the guild!¡±

    ¡°Well, he might even skip over Iron if he¡¯s good enough,¡± Larry said, reaching an arm around Plume¡¯s shoulders as they walked down the hardened clay road. ¡°Come to our store, we¡¯ll get you fitted out with everything you need to start adventuring!¡±

    ¡°A store?¡± Plume asked, shrugging off Larry¡¯s arm. ¡± I didn¡¯t know you guys were merchants.¡±

    ¡°Of course we are!¡± Larry replied, stretching his hands out at his sides. ¡°The Merry Brothers, people call us!¡±

    ¡°Merry was our father,¡± Barry said, raising a finger. ¡°Well, he was eaten by a landshark testing one of his inventions a while back, so now we run the shop!¡±

    ¡°Your father¡¯s name was Merry?¡± Plume asked. ¡°That¡¯s peculiar.¡±

    ¡°No no,¡± Larry replied. ¡°His name was Harry. He was merry, though.¡±

    ¡°Eh¡­¡± Cecilia said. ¡°You guys have a shop?¡±

    ¡°Of course we do!¡± Larry said, throwing his arms into the air. ¡°The Merry Brothers¡¯ shop, people call it!¡±

    ¡°Merry was our father,¡± Barry replied, waving his finger back and forth. ¡°Well, he was eaten by a landshark-¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± Plume asked the canid beast-woman. ¡°I thought the three of you were long-time companions.¡±

    ¡°Nah, we only met up recently,¡± Barry said. ¡°This is her first time to the city, too!¡±

    ¡°Anyway,¡± Cecilia interrupted with a wag of her tail. ¡°I¡¯m hungry. You guys don¡¯t sell meat or anything, do you?¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Ah!¡± Jacques exclaimed. ¡°The owners are back!¡±

    ¡°The owners?¡± Christoph looked up from where Jacques had been outlining the various enchantments the store could offer, frowning as he saw the merchant greeting the people who had just walked in. They were the owners?

    ¡°Oh hey, it¡¯s Christoph!¡± Barry said with a wave. ¡°What brings you to our store?¡±

    ¡°Jacques!¡± Larry said, patting the merchant on the shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you!¡±

    ¡°You too, master,¡± Jacques replied. ¡°Was the journey fruitful?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s discuss that another time,¡± Larry said. ¡°Here, meet Cecilia. We picked her up near the Bay, she¡¯ll be with us for a while.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡± The beast woman mumbled a greeting past her mouthful of food, waving the skewer she held in her left hand as she took a bite from the one in her right.

    ¡°Hello,¡± Jacques said, holding out a hand to be shook for a moment before dropping it back down by his side.

    ¡°Larry and Barry,¡± Christoph said, arms crossed as he leaned back against the table. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you two were store-owners.¡±

    ¡°Geoff knows,¡± Barry said, scratching his head. ¡°Guess we never told anyone else.¡±

    ¡°Ah, you know this gentleman?¡± Jacques asked. ¡°He¡¯s requesting a custom enchanted gauntlet, for his left hand.¡±

    ¡°Gentleman?¡± Larry said. ¡°That¡¯s stretching is a bit, right Cecilia?¡±

    The canine woman nodded vigorously, fur shaking as she moved. Christoph suppressed his revulsion, turning away as she frowned, her ears pricking up in his direction. Past the two brothers, he saw the half-elf pirate ducking away behind a rack of armor. The adventurers might not think much of him, but that could hardly be helped, really. Try as he might, the way he felt about the furry beast races was not something he could control. Why would Liam do this to him?

    ¡°I¡¯m here as a customer,¡± Christoph said to the angry-looking twin.

    ¡°We don¡¯t want your business,¡± Larry replied. ¡°Refusing customers is not something we usually do, but I¡¯ll make an exception in this case.¡±

    ¡°I have money,¡± Christoph said, dropping his sack of gems onto the table behind him. Cecilia¡¯s eyes bulged as she realized what the contents were, and she turned to tap at Larry¡¯s arm with one of her skewers, the other still clenched between her jaws. The mage paused, looking over at his companion for a moment. Was he using telepathy? No, Cecilia was doing her best to communicate to the human with nothing but her facial expressions.

    ¡°Cecilia says she¡¯ll forgive you if you apologize,¡± Larry said. Christoph forced down a sigh, reaching up to cover his face with his hands. Would it be better to leave? No, Serana had led him here, so he doubted there was anywhere else that would compare¡­ Could he contain himself long enough to apologize to the beast-woman? Even simply being so close to her made his skin crawl.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said, bowing his head to the group as a whole. ¡°I simply cannot stomach the sight of her people. This is not by choice, it¡¯s just how it is.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Barry asked. ¡°I wondered if it was something like that¡­¡±

    ¡°You thought he was racist,¡± Cecilia said, finishing her first skewer of meat and moving on to her second. Barry glared back at her. So she could talk now, could she?

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    ¡°Well I was half-right,¡± he said, turning back towards the crystal-studded swordsman. ¡°Or do you have some reason to hate the beast clans?¡±

    ¡°I do not,¡± Christoph said. ¡°You might say it¡¯s a curse of sorts.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡± Cecilia asked, taking a step forwards. ¡°What kind of curse makes you hate cats and dogs?¡± She took a step forwards, and Barry held an arm out to stop her as Christoph shifted his stance ever so slightly.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Barry said. ¡°We¡¯ll take your request. Jacques, take Cecilia and the young elf and get them fitted for questing. We¡¯ll deal with this.¡±

    ¡°Ah, of course,¡± Jacques said with a bow. ¡°This way, miss. Now, the main three types of armor are¡­¡±

    Barry and Larry watched the merchant lead the beast-woman away, turning back to look at Christoph and his sack of crystals when the trio had left earshot.

    ¡°What are you after, then?¡± Barry asked. ¡°Let¡¯s put the past behind us for now. You¡¯re a customer, and we¡¯re the merchants.

    ¡°A left-arm gauntlet,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°Something sturdy, that¡¯d keep my arm together even if it was cut in half. Because of my¡­ condition, I can¡¯t use any storage-type enchantments, and defensive enchantments are next to useless, so if it¡¯s enchanted then something offensive would be best. Can you do that?¡±

    ¡°We can do almost anything,¡± Barry replied. ¡°Can we do this? Of course.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be expensive, of course,¡± Larry said.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Barry said with a grin. ¡°You¡¯re only capable of pure magic, right? Maybe a converter of some sort¡­¡±

    ¡°A focusing array?¡± Larry asked. ¡°We could adjust the output with the positioning of the fingers-¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯d be too fragile,¡± Barry replied. ¡°Maybe a spiral array, with some sort of motion calculation¡­¡±

    ¡°Too complicated,¡± Larry said, looking up at their customer. ¡°What type of spell did you have in mind?¡±

    ¡°Rock or ice missile, lightning bolt, mana pulse, it doesn¡¯t really matter,¡± Christoph said. ¡°I can adjust the output with the amount of mana I put in, so anything else is unnecessary.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± said Barry. ¡°Hmmm¡­ so no adjustments, just a converter¡­ a linear array?¡±

    ¡°Too unwieldy,¡± Larry said. ¡°He moves too much for it to have a fixed stance cast.¡±

    ¡°What about materials?¡± Barry asked. ¡°The crystals should be pretty large¡­ How large do you want this, anyway?¡±

    ¡°As large as you can,¡± Christoph said. ¡°I¡¯ll be going after the biggest subjugation quests I can take. That reminds me, when¡¯s the earliest you can have something ready and finished for me?¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°The dragon?¡± The beast warriors laughed at the elf woman, silver medallions dangling at their necks. ¡°Are you trying to die?¡± they asked. ¡°Not even the platinum rankers want to take that request.¡±

    ¡°We could make an expedition!¡± Diana said, waving her arm out in a gesture that encompassed the entire crowd. ¡°We could take it down!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be crazy,¡± one of the beast-men replied with a shake of his head. ¡°An expedition in the shifting sands? Why don¡¯t you go gather some more of your people and take their ships after the monster. What rank are you, anyway?¡±

    Diana glared over at the Silver-rankers. She was a former platinum rank! She¡¯d taken down one of the giant lizards before! No, shouting out her name here would only increase the animosity growing in the mass of adventurers. It was bad enough that she was reduced to begging the weaklings for aid, but this was not a quest she could take alone. If she had even one competent ally¡­

    ¡°You still here?¡± Christoph raised an eyebrow at her from where he was leaning on the wall nearby. ¡°Most people would have made an official request, you know?¡±

    ¡°Most people do not share my history,¡± Diana said. An official request¡­ The adventurers would take one look at her name and laugh in her face. ¡°Did you come back to gloat?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Christoph said with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see the always-correct Diana rushing about in a panic for once.¡±

    ¡°Lend me your skimmer,¡± she said. ¡°Just for this one quest. I¡¯ll have it back before-¡±

    ¡°No way,¡± Christoph shook his head. ¡°Even if I did, you¡¯d still need a partner to take down the beast.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll pay you well,¡± the elf woman said. ¡°I still have my share of the crystals from the journey, so-¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need them,¡± Christoph said, cutting her off. ¡°Crystals won¡¯t make me any stronger.¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Diana asked.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s going to be difficult for my reputation, having been pushed through to Gold without any warning,¡± Christoph said, raising a hand to where he¡¯d hidden his medallion under his long tattered cloak. ¡°Siding with the infamous traitor Diana on top of that isn¡¯t going to make me any friends¡­ So it won¡¯t be cheap. And you want to keep studying me as well? Oh man, I can¡¯t even imagine how much-¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you the remains,¡± Diana said. ¡°You can have the whole thing. I¡¯ll even join your party, and help you on your quests.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Christoph leaned back against the wall and pretended to think over her offer. ¡°Close, but not quite enough.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you my body,¡± she said, staring over at him.

    Christoph shuddered against the wood, his face twisting into a grimace. ¡°Please never say that again,¡± he said. ¡°I know where you¡¯ve been.¡±

    ¡°¡­I¡¯m fairly certain Bastias is a preferable partner to your little mistress,¡± Diana said with a raised eyebrow. Christoph shuddered again at her words, raising a hand up to stop her from talking.

    ¡°Please stop,¡± he said. ¡°I get it.¡± Swallowing his saliva, he shook his head, shivering at the memories that came bubbling to the surface.

    ¡°Will you help me?¡± Diana asked.

    ¡°I have another condition,¡± Christoph said, turning to look up at her.

    ¡°Oh? Let¡¯s hear it then,¡± Diana said, ignoring the looks they were drawing from the nearby member of the guild.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to answer any questions I have,¡± Christoph said. ¡°Starting with this ¨C why do you want to return to the guild so badly?¡±

    ¡°Why do you hate the beast races?¡± Diana retorted.

    ¡°Ah.¡± A smile spread over Christoph¡¯s face as he leaned his head back against the message board, closing his eyes for a moment. ¡°So it¡¯s Liam¡¯s influence then? I thought that might be it,¡± he said, eyes snapping open to lock onto her own.

    ¡°Okay, here¡¯s one more,¡± he said. ¡°Exactly what changes did Liam make to the two of us? Which memories did you receive, and what did he take? Our personalities, preferences, anything you can remember. ¡±

    ¡°I have no idea if he took anything at all,¡± Diana said with a shake of her head. ¡°But I know I¡¯m not the person I was before.¡±

 Chapter Thirty-One

    ¡°You were a lot more arrogant before, I think.¡± Christoph glanced back at the elf as she rode behind him, the skimmer soaring over the cracked desert floor.

    ¡°I was,¡± Diana replied. ¡°I treated the other races as though they were trash.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s hardly fair to compare everyone to the elves,¡± Christoph said. ¡°So what happened?¡±

    ¡°He showed me their lives,¡± she said, leaning back and feeling her long blonde hair brush off her face in the slight breeze the skimmer¡¯s wards let through. ¡°As though I had lived them myself.¡±

    Christoph frowned, banking the skimmer around a dip in the clay. The smallest disturbances could be the mark of a landshark¡¯s den. ¡°Like you had lived them yourself¡­¡±

    ¡°What of your past, then?¡± Diana asked. ¡°How much do you remember?¡±

    ¡°Enough to recount my life¡¯s history,¡± Christoph said. ¡°Not enough to answer any questions about it. I remember my mother, my father, who they were and what they did¡­ but not exactly how, and not much of the world itself.¡±

    ¡°What about your life in the village?¡± Diana asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he took any of that,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°I remember most things that happened to me in this world. As for the village¡­ I remember the rituals, Emilia, Leila, Oliver and you, being attacked by the Templars, escaping and defeating Claude¡­ after that, Liam got to us.¡±

    ¡°And then?¡± Diana leaned forwards to look over Christoph¡¯s face.

    ¡°And then¡­ am I missing something?¡± he asked, letting the skimmer slow down for the moment. ¡°After Liam, we made our way to the Bay, met up with Geoff as he had arranged, and set off onto the plains.¡±

    ¡°No, that sounds right,¡± Diana said. ¡°It¡¯s just odd, knowing that you were different in the past¡­ the old me would have destroyed the Council¡¯s office in an instant.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t,¡± Christoph said with a frown. ¡°But for them to provoke you so much anyway¡­ does that mean Liam clued them in to your changes?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s likely,¡± Diana said. ¡°He is an adventurer, after all.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°Assuming he is the source of your urge to rejoin the guild, he might have planned all of this.¡±

    ¡°I wonder if there¡¯s a way to undo the changes he made,¡± Diana said. ¡°The memories he implanted might be permanent, but the ones he altered¡­¡±

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t dwell on it,¡± Christoph said, trickling mana into the skimmer and speeding up once more. ¡°You¡¯ll just become paranoid.¡±

    ¡°Wait up.¡± Diana tapped at Christoph¡¯s hands, sliding her own over the gem-studded steering bars and taking control of the ship. ¡°Let me fly for a while, you can take over again when the sun goes down. We¡¯ll go on until we reach the first patches of sand.¡±

    Christoph nodded and allowed the elf to take his place, hiding his grimace as he wrapped his arms around her for support. The skimmer might be built to transport two people at once, but it was little more than a large saddle atop an intricately formed crystal-wood frame. If he wasn¡¯t careful, he could easily tumble from the back of the craft and onto the hard earth below. Stifling his concerns, he endured Diana¡¯s whimsical piloting until darkness claimed the plains, sighing in relief as he dragged her off the controls at last.

    ¡°Fine,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s your turn again. Can you see well enough?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Blinking his eyes, Christoph glanced over the plains. It might be dark, but the desert was a place monsters roamed. The clay itself held enough mana to illuminate the plains, even if Diana couldn¡¯t  see it.

    ¡°What were planning to do if I hadn¡¯t volunteered to help you?¡± Christoph asked, banking the craft around to correct where she had strayed off course. ¡°I assume you would have taken the skimmer whether you had my permission or not?¡±

    Diana shrugged. The arrow-head shape of the skimmer was streamline enough, but it took on another meaning while the craft was in motion, dust rising up behind the ship to form the shaft of the missile as it sped across the plains. More than a display of craftsmanship, though, the ship had shortened their journey dramatically. They had travelled almost halfway to the pits already, a feat which would take more than three days on foot.

    ¡°I wonder¡­¡± she said, smiling back at him. ¡°You¡¯re not the only man in Manitas City with access to one of these skimmers, you know?¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Christoph ignored her smile as he steered the ship. Was she waiting for him to ask? Silence drew out between them, the elf staring up at him until he gave in to her grin. ¡°Who else is there?¡±

    ¡°Lord Benvolio,¡± Diana said. ¡°He might not own one, but if the guild requested it, he could certainly find one for us.¡±

    ¡°Lord?¡± Christoph asked. ¡°I thought Manitas was a free city?¡±

    ¡°It is,¡± she replied. ¡°Benvolio does not lord over the people, he owns the city itself.¡±

    ¡°Whatever.¡± Shaking his head, Christoph reached up to place his hand over Diana¡¯s forehead, draining away a portion of her mana with his touch. ¡°Go to sleep, I¡¯ll keep the skimmer running until we get to the sand.¡±

    Leaning back against her pilot, Diana grumbled as exhaustion overtook her. Entering the city, meeting the council, begging for aid at the guild, and leaving the city again in one day ¨C it had been stressful, even for her, and her hours of piloting the skimmer had not helped to ease her exhaustion. Closing her eyes, she slumped onto his chest with a sigh, drifting in and out of sleep until she felt him slow the craft to a halt, landing gently on the cracked earth as she stirred. Careful not to jostle her, Christoph carried her down onto a blanket he had spread out for bedding, draping another over her body for warmth.

    Diana summoned the strength to place the wards around the camp as Christoph crawled into the blankets beside her, her thoughts returning to their conversation earlier in the day. How much had he forgotten? Did he remember meeting Liam for the second time at all? She had escaped unharmed in that encounter, but Christoph¡­ His limbs jerked suddenly, tangling himself in the blanket as he twisted in his sleep.

    Reaching out, the elf placed a hand on the top of his head, extending her mana towards his own as he slept. Was it the same dream it always was? Conventional magic might not approach the effectiveness of the world travellers¡¯ gifts, but even so something as small as reading the mind of a sleeping human was almost too easy for Diana.

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    She let out as sigh as Christoph¡¯s dreams washed over her, a deep sense of unease accompanying the images she managed to glean from his mind. Furred limbs, pale skin, dead eyes¡­ The memories warped together in his head, and she resisted the urge to vomit as her discomfort intensified. Was this what he felt from the beast races now? Withdrawing her hand, Diana shifted back under the covers, looking mournfully at the human¡¯s back. Emilia¡­ Diana closed her eyes, seeing the beast woman as she screamed for help, blood splashing over the forest as a glowing blue hand plunged through her head and clawed into her very soul.

    ¡­

    Christoph opened his eyes, turning his head in Diana¡¯s direction before sitting up underneath their blankets. Morning¡­ the sun had barely risen over the horizon, and the dull glow of Diana¡¯s wards still shone brighter than the daylight for the time being. Stretching out, he rose to his feet, looking over their surroundings before kneeling to shake the elf awake.

    ¡°Oi,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s time.¡±

    Diana mumbled at his touch, limbs jerking as he tore the cover from her grasp, folding it up to stow away on the nearby skimmer. Rolling her bodily from the lower blanket and onto the clay, he did the same to the second square of fabric, strapping the two covers down over the saddlebags of the small airship. Moaning on the cold earth, Diana curled up into ball, making no move to stand.

    ¡°You coming?¡± he asked.

    Diana shielded her eyes from the pervasive blue glow of the wards, shaking her head in response. Sighing, Christoph scooped her up in his arms, draping her over the skimmer and taking a seat behind her. Opening the sack he carried at his waist, he scooped up a handful of crystals, crunching down on the gems as the elven ship lifted into the air, a ward appearing around the ship as Diana¡¯s own winked from existence.

    ¡°Just once,¡± he said, propping Diana¡¯s limp form up against his chest. ¡°Just once, I¡¯d like to travel with someone who¡¯s at least passably competent.¡±

    The clay blurred underneath them as they sped across the plains, the sun rising over the rolling landscape as they travelled. Christoph continued to humor the tired elf, holding her between his arms as he steered the craft. How long did she plan to sleep, though? Rather than cracked clay, patches of sand were becoming more and more commonplace, the curving silhouette of dunes clearly visible in the distance. Wouldn¡¯t they be in the sand pits soon?

    ¡°Ah, we¡¯re almost halfway there.¡± Diana reached her arms up, stretching languidly without care for the comfort of her pilot. Peering around her outstretched arms, Christoph frowned down at his passenger. Half way?

    ¡°Half way from were we stopped?¡± he asked.

    Diana¡¯s blonde hair tickled against his neck as she shook her head. ¡°Halfway from the city.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Halfway from the city! Why had they set out so late yesterday night? It would be hours before they reached the sand pits. Christoph grabbed onto the elf¡¯s shoulder, turning her roughly in her seat. ¡°Are we supposed to fight the dragon in the middle of the desert, in the middle of the day?¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± she said. ¡°I have a plan.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it then,¡± he replied. What possible plan could she have?

    ¡°Eh¡­ well, it depends on what type of dragon it is,¡± Diana said. Leaning back, she reached around his arms to pat him on the head as her body pressed back against his. ¡°More importantly,¡± she said, ¡°I appreciate the intimacy, but shouldn¡¯t you treat me to a meal first? Let¡¯s say¡­ breakfast?¡±

    ¡°You want me to kick you off?¡± he asked. Leaning back, he slapped her hand away from his head. ¡°There¡¯s jerky in the saddlebags.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Unclasping the leather bags, Diana reached in and began to chew at the dried strips of meat. ¡°Did Liam show you much about the dragons?¡±

    Christoph shook his head. ¡°No, just a few stories. No first-hand experiences.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm¡­ well, Claude was one of the Paladins, wasn¡¯t he? He might not be too keen on sharing his knowledge with someone like Liam.¡± Diana swallowed her mouthful of jerky, tearing off another piece with a grimace.

    ¡°Well?¡± Christoph asked.

    ¡°Ah, the dragons,¡± Diana said. ¡°The first thing you should know, is that dragons are always unique. Size, shape, intelligence, strength, behaviour, personality¡­ They aren¡¯t a species or breed of animal, they¡¯re all handmade by the World Serpent, the great dragon god himself. All dragons are large, powerful, and immortal. They don¡¯t sleep, they don¡¯t need to eat, they don¡¯t live as we¡¯d think of living. They just are.¡±

    ¡°What about this one?¡± he asked. ¡°Roethus must have told you something.¡±

    ¡°He said it can¡¯t fly,¡± Diana said. ¡°Which is fortunate, considering our own limitations. You shouldn¡¯t underestimate it, though ¨C if the Ouroboros chose not to bestow this wyrm with the power of flight, he¡¯d have given it something else in return.¡±

    ¡°And we¡¯re just coming out here to kill it without even knowing what it looks like?¡± Christoph asked. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we do some scouting beforehand?¡±

    ¡°Scouting? Over the sand pits?¡± Diana laughed at his suggestion. ¡°Even if we did, it¡¯d still be us doing it. Look.¡±

    Christoph followed the elf woman¡¯s gesture to the sand below. What about it? Sand was sand, it all looked the same to¡­ no. Diana turned back to him, grinning at his expression of displeasure.

    ¡°You see?¡± she asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s moving,¡± Christoph said. The sand had seemed unremarkable as it sped past below, but now she had pointed it out, he could see it for what it was. In every direction, the sand was moving, shifting slowly and silently. What he had thought were dunes were actually waves, the grains of sand rising up to form peaks and troughs over the pits. Rather than the plains of a desert, it was an ocean that surrounded them, the skimmer soaring carelessly over the vast waterless depths.

 Chapter Thirty-Two

    ¡°It¡¯s an ocean,¡± Christoph said. ¡°What makes the waves? There¡¯s no wind?¡±

    ¡°Not the air,¡± Diana said. ¡°It¡¯s the winds of the magic, and the currents below the sand, too. The rest of the plains might as well be utterly devoid of mana compared to this place. Can¡¯t you feel it?¡±

    ¡°Not with the wards up,¡± Christoph said. ¡°And the sunlight¡¯s too bright to see any mana right now¡­ what about the monsters, then? Shouldn¡¯t the pits be covered in crystal beasts with this much mana?¡±

    ¡°There aren¡¯t many creatures in the desert to begin with,¡± Diana said. ¡°There are beasts here, though. You might not see them, but they¡¯re there.¡±

    Christoph squinted over the shifting waves, peering into the grains of sand. Mana¡­ the sunshine prevented him spotting the pale glow of the beasts¡¯ spirits. ¡°I can¡¯t see anything,¡± he said. ¡°We should have come at night.¡±

    ¡°The dragon roams the plains at night,¡± Diana said. ¡°Caravans as far as the northern strait have been targeted by the beast, and that¡¯s hours from here.¡±

    ¡°So this is what passes as a plan for you?¡± he asked. ¡°What did you do last time?¡±

    ¡°The last dragon was different,¡± Diana said. ¡°That one was ancient, and far from home. It came down from the mountains in the east, and made it nearly all the way to Starthall before the guild and the church decided to do something about it.¡±

    ¡°So it was almost the exact opposite of this, then?¡± Christoph asked. ¡°An ancient dragon, left its lair and came into your territory, and you had the support of the guild and the church¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Diana said. ¡°That dragon was old, but this one¡¯s probably the replacement the World Serpent made after we¡¯d killed the other one. I doubt it¡¯s more than five years old, if that.¡±

    ¡°Still¡­¡± Christoph said.

    It¡¯s fine,¡± Diana replied, waving her hand. ¡°All you have to do is stick your sword in it. Even if it swallows you, you¡¯ll live.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s reassuring,¡± he said. ¡°Actually, how large is it, anyway? What are we supposed to do if it leaps out of the sand and swallows our skimmer¡­¡±

    Christoph¡¯s voice trailed off as a rising wave approached their ship from the side. Banking the craft around, he sped away from the flowing dune as it moved towards them, a v-shaped wave following behind the initial swell. Looking back at him, Diana ducked her head under his arm to look back at what he was fleeing from.

    ¡°Oh,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s probably it, then.¡±

    ¡°Are you crazy?!¡± Christoph poured more and more mana into the skimmer as he raced away from the dragon. ¡°If the bow wave is that big, it would almost be large enough to swallow us whole!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯d better turn around if you don¡¯t want that to happen,¡± she said. ¡°Not yet, maybe¡­ two seconds.¡±

    ¡°What-¡±

    Christoph was interrupted by an eruption of sand from behind him, rocky grains blasting over the ship as the dragon burst through the surface and leaped into the air, jaws poised to crunch down on the elven aircraft.

    ¡°Just turn!¡± Diana slammed Christoph¡¯s hands off the controls, banking the craft around as the dragon splashed back under the sand just ahead of them. Retaking control of the skimmer, Christoph fought to right the ship as the sand rose up beneath them, the dragon¡¯s giant tail flicking out to smash them aside as it vanished below the surface once again. The skimmer was shunted aside by the force of the dragon¡¯s blow, wards flashing as Diana channeled her mana into maintaining the barriers.

    ¡°It¡¯s circling back around for another attack,¡± she said. ¡°Here, this is where we part ways.¡±

    ¡°Part ways?¡± Christoph looked down at the elf woman as warmth flooded through his body, a sudden hardening of the air blowing him from the back of the skimmer. Betrayal? No, he shook off his confusion as he landed on the sand, feeling her mana pulsing through his body. Splitting up was a valid strategy, too.

    ¡°See you!¡± Diana said, smiling as she waved. Reaching forward to grasp the controls of the floating craft, she sent the skimmer in a bobbing spin before shooting away across the sand.

    ¡°Well bye, then,¡± Christoph replied, tamping down on the sand beneath him with his feet. Rather than the shifting grains of the pits, the sand he stood upon seemed to be solid enough. Was this due to his condition? He had never¡­ no, he recalled something similar happening once in the beast forests. A shining sea of flowers, their petals growing dim as he approached. When had this-

    Shaking himself back into the present, he gave silent thanks that he wasn¡¯t about to sink below the coarse waves. Diana had disappeared into the distance, the small skimmer easily vanishing from sight behind the heat-hazes that surrounded him. Bereft of the elven wards, the winds washed over Christoph, mana-laden and  pleasantly invigorating. Taking a deep breath, he swore as the sunlight blinded him. Rather than fight, how was he even supposed to find the dragon in this place?

    The waves rolled silently past him as he drew his sword, the dragon¡¯s rolling bow-wave catching his eye as it approached. Ah! There it was! Christoph felt a grin creep over his face as he waited for the beast. A dragon! He couldn¡¯t imagine what strength he would gain from this encounter. His grin widened as a crystalline sail broke through the surface of the sand. So large! When the beast rose up from the sand, he¡¯d¡­ He¡¯d do what? What was it he was supposed to do to a beast that massive? Christoph¡¯s grin fell away as the dragon grew near. There¡¯s no way he could break the charge of something like that! Turning away, he sheathed his sword and broke into a sprint. Where was Diana, anyway? Wasn¡¯t she supposed to-

    A spray of sand interrupted Christoph¡¯s thoughts again, the giant lizard-like creature bursting out from under the sand and arcing through the air towards his patch of solid earth.  The rocky beast splashed heavily over the area he had been standing in a moment before, jaws snapping closed over the entire island of sand as it dissolved in his absence. In contrast, the sand ahead of him stiffened as he ran, settling into compact ground as his feet pounded over the desert. No, the sand ahead wasn¡¯t yet as firm as the area he had been standing on before ¨C it took time for him to leech the mana from the earth. In that case, running would only serve to tire him out before the fight.

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    ¡­

    Diana gathered her energy, firing off an arc of lightning at the dragon as it disappeared beneath the waves once more. Was Christoph still running? No, he¡¯d stopped now. Good, she hadn¡¯t gifted him so much of her mana for nothing. A water dragon¡­ the Ouroboros was brilliant indeed. What little she¡¯d seen of the creature had been enough to make her re-consider her plans. Christoph barely stood as tall as its closed jaw, and the beast itself seemed to be made out of rock rather than flesh. If she didn¡¯t know better, she would have called it a golem rather than a dragon. It was as if the World Serpent had carved an ocean out of stone, and created a great leviathan to match.

    The dragon surfaced again, arcing over Christoph¡¯s patch of firm land and narrowly missing the human with its bite, the crack of its jaws slamming closed with enough force to raise a shockwave of dust over his tiny island. Diana retaliated with another lightning bolt, targeting the beast¡¯s head this time. On the ground, Christoph struck out at the dragon¡¯s stomach with his sword, gouging a long crack into the statue-like creature before it could pass over his head. Sinking below the sand again, it circled around the human twice more, the short sail barely visible under the agitated surface of the desert sea as it leaped fruitlessly at the swordsman.

    Diana laughed as she mimicked the dragon¡¯s movements, circling around her frantic companion. Christoph¡¯s patch of land seemed to have spread somewhat, a large circle of firm ground forming in the middle of the swirling sand. This dragon was nothing like any other she had ever heard of! The flat vertical tail and long body of the marine reptiles, a short sail that replaced its wings, and limbs that folded flat against its body while it swam. The dragon Claude defeated had possessed tremendous claws on its forelimbs, but this one attacked with the strength of its jaws, saw-shaped teeth filling its reptilian skull.

    Widening her arms, Diana released her mana over the area, a barrage of lightning bolts cracking down over the sandy seas. Rather than the dragon, her target this time was the sand itself, jagged branches of glass forming to bob on the surface of the pits. They might not be enough to damage the dragon itself, but they disrupted its movement, like driftwood over an ocean.

    Because of the way Diana had slowed to cast her spell, she almost missed the rising bow-wave as it surged towards her skimmer, banking hard left to avoid the dragon as it lunged up at her craft. Twisting its body to the side, the dragon caught the craft with its tail once again, slamming it down onto the sand and smashing Diana from her seat for a split-second. Shaking her head, the elf looked up just in time to see the dragon lean down on the wards with its forelimbs, jaws opened and ready to swallow the ship when her shields gave out under the pressure.

    ¡­

    Christoph waved over to where Diana was circling around him. The lightning strikes had created a swathe of glassy islands over the sand, not that he could make use of them. He had managed to land a few good strikes on the beast, but even so his blade wasn¡¯t heavy enough to do more than cleave into the dragon¡¯s rocky skin. He shrugged, crunching down on one of the gems he had knocked from the creature as it arced overhead. Although it had seemed like nothing more than regular stone, even the skin itself had been filled with mana, the distinctive crystalline taste filling his mouth as he ate. What was Diana doing, anyway?

    The dragon rose up from the sand, and Christoph winced as it narrowly missed the elven skimmer, slapping the craft aside with its tail. Instead of disappearing back beneath the waves, though, the beast rose up again, leaning forward to push Diana into the sand. The skimmer blurred as Diana¡¯s wards began to flicker under the sheer crushing weight, the shields forming a sphere-shaped bubble of air as the craft slowly sank beneath the waves.

    Christoph started to run, struggling over the loose sand as he sprinted towards the craft, not giving the sand before him any time to settle into firm land. What if he sunk below the surface before the sand lost its fluidity? He¡¯d be trapped, buried alive¡­ even if he got too close to Diana now, he¡¯d just be adding weight onto her wards, giving the dragon a firm surface to crush her against. Shaking off his concerns, Christoph continued towards the reptilian beast. There¡¯d be no time to act if he hesitated now. Just before the grains of sand closed over the top of the Diana¡¯s wards, though, a brilliant blast of mana shook the sandy ocean, the dragon reeling back to splash under the waves with a roar of pain.

    Rising up from her ship, Diana floated into the air, lightning arcing off her body to strike at the sand as she had done before¡­ no! Christoph stopped as her mana signature grew tremendously, a gigantic beam of light piercing down to wash over the surface of the sand pits. Blinking his vision clear, Christoph stared over at the changes the elf had wrought upon the ocean of sand. Where waves had stood before, there was only glass. Diana had created an island amidst the sand, a platform large enough to support even the weight of the behemoth they faced. Christoph grinned as he readied his sword. Diana had done her part by now ¨C it was his job to actually slay the dragon, after all.

 Chapter Thirty-Three

    Christoph sprinted across the loose sand, leaping through the air and skidding to a halt atop Diana¡¯s glass island. Dust settled around him as he came to a stop, the dragon¡¯s tail flicking out above the sand before the beast disappeared from view. Where was Diana? The skimmer was drifting away on the shifting sands, but the elf was nowhere to be seen. Christoph spun full circle, eyes darting over the ocean in search of his companion. Had she fallen beneath the waves?

    The sunlight shone down over the glass, and he shielded his eyes as he squinted upwards. There! The elf hung suspended in the air above him, floating immobile far from the dragon¡¯s reach. Christoph readjusted his stance, pushing the woman from his mind. Right now, the dragon demanded his full attention.

    Instead of bursting from the sand as it had done so many times before, the dragon rose slowly from the waves, grit falling from its rocky form as it dragged itself onto the island. Christoph laughed as he remembered the so-called ¡®plains-dragon¡¯ the Shield of Sacrilege had fought. If that was a dragon then this was a leviathan. The entire body of the plains dragon had barely been larger than the head and neck of this beast, and Christoph felt his breath catch as it clawed its way towards him.

    Lunging across the gap with its long back legs, the dragon neary forced Christoph from the glass as he dodged its attack. Rising on its forelimbs again, the monster turned its head to the side and blinked as it stared down at him, a rumbling growl rising from deep within its torso. The long jaws slowly opened again, and he backed away from the beast as they snapped shut with almost deafening force. Shaking its head, the dragon slithered backwards over the island, tail slapping down at the sand as it watched his movements.

    Christoph gave his sword a swing and caught his breath, recalling Ruth¡¯s advice about the other beast. He should stay away from the sides of its head, and watch for the tongue¡­ no, this dragon didn¡¯t have such a dangerous appendage, but if it was a dragon, did that mean it had a deadly breath weapon? No, maybe it didn¡¯t¡­ The dragon moved forward again, and he rushed around towards its tail end. The massive reptile reminded him of a creature from his old world, but he couldn¡¯t remember what¡­ Some sort of marine reptile with a shorter neck and legs? The sail looked wrong, too, but he couldn¡¯t be sure.

    Dashing past the dragon¡¯s massive jaws, Christoph cut away at the wrist of its forelimb, continuing on towards its hind limbs before it could retaliate. If he could get to its stomach¡­ no the beast¡¯s underbelly was well out of his reach when it stood on all fours, his sword barely reaching to the elbows of its shorter forelimbs even if he angled it upwards. The dragon jerked in response to his attack, tail sweeping across the glass as it twisted around towards him. Leaping into a roll, he barely avoided being struck by the beast¡¯s scaled snout, the closed mouth swinging through the space he had occupied a moment earlier. So fast! Something so large had no right to be moving so swiftly, and on such a small platform as well. The glass rocked as the beast moved, the island tilting into the ocean but stubbornly refusing to sink. How much glass was hidden beneath the waves for it to have such buoyancy? Even so, the dragon was nearly large enough to stretch across the entire platform, and Christoph scrambled for purchase as the ground shifted under his feet.

    Maybe Diana had been right to suggest attacking the inside of its mouth? Christoph shook his head at the idea. Even the dragon¡¯s tongue seemed to have been carved out of rock, gemstone teeth bristling from its maw as it snapped at the air. Attacking the forelimbs was his best bet, followed by the tail or hind legs if it tried to escape. Dodging away from a swipe of its claws, he leant into his next swing and lopped off the tip of one of the beast¡¯s talons, snatching the forearm-sized chunk of crystal from the air before it could fall. Retreating to the other side of the island, he waved over at the beast, biting off a mouthful of the claw and crunching it down to liquid inside his mouth. The dragon roared in response, rushing over the glass towards him. Crouching down, Christoph prepared to avoid the incoming attack. This was going to be a long battle.

    ¡­

    Plume did his best to ignore the crowds as he walked, crossing the street several times to avoid the more dangerous looking adventurer parties. Duels seemed to be commonplace amongst the warriors of Manitas City, and he had already seen several adventurers crossing blades on his way back to the Merry brothers¡¯ store. His sword hung at his hip ready to be used, a straight-edged cutlass like the one his captain had worn.  Unlike a weapon, though, armor needed to be fitted and readjusted to each new wearer, and the brothers had told him to come back the next day for the remainder of his gear. Such equipment would ordinarily be on loan from the guild until he paid it back through completing his quests, but the merchant brothers had gifted it to him in exchange for his future patronage.

    ¡°Oi, look at that!¡± A party of four adventurers were wandering down the street across from Plume, and the swordsman stopped his comrades to point out the half-elf as he tried to slink away.

    ¡°Is that a pirate?¡± One of the others said. The group chuckled in unison, the three other men laughing at their friend¡¯s joke.

    ¡°No way,¡± the first man said. ¡°A pirate, in our fair city?¡±

    Plume picked up his pace at the four men approached, looking away as he walked. No good would come from getting caught by such a group, even if it was in the middle of the day.

    ¡°Wait up!¡± the adventurers called. ¡°Hey captain! How much for a trip on your vessel!¡±

    Plume stopped walking, turning back to where the men were jeering over at him. ¡°I¡¯m not a pirate,¡± he said, reaching into his tunic to display his medallion. ¡°I¡¯m an adventurer, just like you.¡±

    ¡°A bronzer!¡± The party erupted into laughter, doubling over at his words. ¡°An adventurer just like us, he says!¡±

    ¡°The bronze rank is only probationary,¡± the tallest of the men said, frowning down at his friends with a sad sigh. A small whistle dangled around his neck as he shook his head. ¡°Just ignore them.¡±

    ¡°No no,¡± the first man said, beckoning Plume closer. ¡°We¡¯re all Silver rankers, so we aren¡¯t allowed to duel you, but you¡¯re probably low on money, right? Wanna make some cash?¡±

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    Plume started to turn away but paused, looking up at the man with the whistle. ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked. He doubted anything they could propose would rival his duties aboard the Charodontia.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing illegal,¡± the tall man replied, tucking his whistle back into his shirt. ¡°Have you heard about Lord Benvolio¡¯s are-¡±

    ¡°Woah, woah,¡± another adventurer interrupted him. ¡°Here, we should test him out before saying too much. Where¡¯s King? King! Get over here!¡±

    The adventurer step away, and was dragging a bored-looking human  behind him when he returned. ¡°This is King,¡± he said. ¡°King, say hi. This is¡­¡±

    ¡°Plume,¡± Plume replied. King? The boy looked too young to be even the prince of anything. How did humans choose their names, anyway?

    ¡°I think we¡¯ll call you ¡®Captain Plume¡¯,¡± the adventurer said. ¡°Well Plume, King¡¯s a Bronze-ranker too, so there¡¯s no problem if the two of you want to duel here and now!¡±

    The half-elf took a step back as the adventurers pushed the human boy in his direction, a hand rising to grasp the hilt of his sword.

    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± the man with the whistle said. ¡°Let me explain the rules. Weapons are allowed, but strikes to the head or chest with them are forbidden. If you aren¡¯t using a weapon, anything goes except for eye-gouging. Clear?¡±

    ¡°You want us to fight here on the streets?¡± Plume asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s a duel,¡± the man reminded him. ¡°We¡¯ll give you a silver if you win. There¡¯s no charge if you lose, and the doc here¡¯ll patch you both up after you¡¯re done. Duel goes until one of you admits defeat, or disarms the other.¡±

    Plume grinned as the adventurer spoke, drawing his sword and taking a stance. ¡°This is legal?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Of course,¡± King replied, drawing his own blade. ¡°A duel is a duel. Plume the Bronze, I hereby challenge you to a duel!¡±

    ¡°I accept,¡± Plume said. His opponent was a human, seemingly much younger than he was¡­ he also fought with a short sword, the tip of which wavered alarmingly as he held it out. Plume¡¯s own cutlass swayed threateningly in return. No matter how he looked at it, this was a duel he couldn¡¯t lose.

    The man with the whistle reached into his shirt and pulled the small object free, bringing it up to his lips as he held his arm out to separate the combatants. ¡°Ready?¡± he asked.

    Plume gave a small nod, and a high-pitched noise sounded as the man blew into his whistle. Almost before the taller man could lower his arm, Plume was moving, sword swinging around towards his opponent as he closed the distance. King jerked in shock, shifting his weight to step away from the half-elf¡¯s attack, but it was too late. Plume¡¯s cutlass swept out and knocked his sword aside, sliding past his guard to stop a mere inch before his bare neck.

    ¡°Do you yield?¡± Plume asked. The sword fell from King¡¯s hands as the boy nodded, the four adventurers staring in silence for a moment before they began to shout in excitement.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t a regular Bronze ranker, are you?¡± the impromptu referee asked.

    ¡°I guess not,¡± Plume said, sheathing his sword. ¡°Now, about that silver¡­¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± the adventurer replied, flicking the coin his way. ¡°There¡¯s be more of that if you come with us.¡±

    ¡°A moment, gentlemen.¡± The adventurer¡¯s turned as a heavily armored warrior approached the group, a serious-looking beast-woman following behind him.

    ¡°Are you Plume?¡± the woman asked, circling around her companion towards the half-elf. The armored man glanced over the former pirate before stepping between his partner and the five adventurers, a long-handled hammer gripped tightly in his gauntleted hands.

    ¡°I am,¡± Plume replied, a hand hovering over his cutlass once more.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking for someone in the city,¡± Leila said, ears swivelling up towards him as she spoke. ¡°I was told that you could help me find them.¡±

    ¡­

    Christoph panted as the dragon withdrew across the platform, blood drying on his exposed skin. Twice now the monster had caught him with a sweeping blow, knocking him from the platform and onto the sand. Both times, he was forced to scramble to the side before the beast swallowed him whole, the dragon disappearing under the sand for a while before clawing its way back onto the island of glass. He¡¯d managed to carve numerous wounds into the monster¡¯s forelimbs, but it didn¡¯t seem to feel pain or exhaustion, and the cuts remained dry and bloodless. Was it a golem after all?

    The beast lunged towards him with a snarl, snapping uselessly as he dashed around behind it. It might not have managed to land any of its biting attacks, but even brushing up against the dragon¡¯s skin was enough to shred his cloak and tear chunks from his flesh. Rather than smooth scales, the monstrosity was covered in ridged plates, jagged and coarse. Christoph swayed on his legs as he spared a glance up to where Diana remained hovering in the air. The elf hadn¡¯t moved once since casting her spell. Was she unconscious? Christoph wasn¡¯t far from collapsing himself, his mana spent from regenerating his wounds. Had Diana not lent him so much of her strength, he¡¯d have passed out long ago. The dragon¡¯s claws moved faster than its head, and he had taken some careless damage trying to secure edible pieces of the beast¡¯s crystal body.

    Christoph slashed out at the beast, catching the small scale he managed to knock loose. If the creature had been smaller, he might had tried draining its mana through his sword, but the beast was simply too large for that to be effective. If his blade got caught, he would be long dead before he could make use of the leviathan¡¯s almost limitless energy. Crunching down on the scale, he gritted his teeth and dodged the creature¡¯s swiping retaliation. He had to end this soon, or it would be the death of him. Racing away from the dragon, Christoph felt the ground lurch beneath him, hooked claws catching him as he slipped. Pain burst through his body as he was batted across the glass, tumbling to a halt on the other side of the island. The beast had tilted the floor by slapping the glass with its tail! Snarling in frustration, Christoph righted himself, feeling his broken ribs slowly healing back into place. This request might prove to be more difficult than he had expected.

 Chapter Thirty-Four

    ¡°Do you really think they can do it?¡± Roethus asked, glasses reflecting the fair-haired man before him.

    ¡°I do,¡± Benvolio replied, staring up at the ceiling of the spacious room. ¡°Do you think I would have sent them out there alone if I didn¡¯t?¡±

    The lord of the city stretched out on a golden throne, slippered feet kicking at the piles of priceless artifacts arranged around them. Roethus suppressed a wince at his lord¡¯s actions. He¡¯d personally supervised the delivery of those objects, gloved servants careful not to damage the ancient relics as they drew them from velvet-lined chests and cases.

    ¡°I am not nearly so confident,¡± Roethus said. ¡°Diana is not as dependable as her record suggests, her disappearance included.¡±

    ¡°Quiet,¡± Benvolio replied. ¡°I have said it will be so, you only have to believe.¡±

    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Roethus bowed in the direction of Benvolio¡¯s throne before straightening to his full height once more. ¡°Now, about the arena¡­ plans are progressing smoothly, but the council still harbours their concerns about the reward.¡±

    ¡°The council?¡± Benvolio asked, turning to smile at the master of the guild. ¡°Do you not share these¡­ concerns?¡±

    ¡°I do,¡± Roethus replied. ¡°If an outsider-¡±

    ¡°Your worries are baseless,¡± Benvolio said, slumping down across the arms of the throne once more. Sunlight streamed through the tower¡¯s stained glass windows, the iridescent glow highlighting the lord¡¯s hauntingly beautiful face as it twisted into an expression of annoyance. Much to Roethus¡¯ chagrin, many of Benvolio¡¯s servants secretly liked to whisper about the lord¡¯s startling femininity and surprisingly small stature.

    ¡°Leave,¡± Benvolio said. ¡°Don¡¯t come back with empty hands, or I¡¯ll have your glasses.¡±

    ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± Roethus replied, bowing again before he turned to leave the room.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Benvolio said, reaching towards the guild master with an outstretched hand. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve changed my mind, I want them after all. Here, I¡¯ll trade you.¡±

    Reaching down into the stack of ancient treasures below him, the lord of the city picked up an intricately carved statue of solid gold, an imperial seal of some long-lost human civilisation. Roethus handed his glasses to the city¡¯s smaller ruler with a sigh, receiving the artifact in return.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Benvolio said, reaching up to set the spectacles in place with a smile. ¡°Now leave. I¡¯m looking forward to what your next gift to me will be.¡±

    ¡­

    Christoph¡¯s breath burst from his lungs as the dragon slammed into him, the scaled jaws smashing him aside as he struggled to dodge the massive creature¡¯s attacks. Rising to his feet once more, he scowled up at his levitating companion. This beast was far more than he could handle alone. The leviathan continued its series of attacks, ignoring the human¡¯s futile retaliations. Batting him back and forth across the glass with its foreclaws, the dragon snapped its jaws as it looked down at him. Christoph knew full well what was happening, feeling his strength leave him at the realization. The gigantic beast was playing with him, toying with its latest prize, this new and interesting being it had discovered.

    Leaning down, the creature scooped him up in its jaws, bouncing him around a couple of times until he was properly draped along its tongue. Swinging out with his sword, he dug the blade into the dragon¡¯s mouth as it tilted its head back to swallow him whole, crystal teeth closing around him before his sword pierced into the dragon¡¯s gums. Could he really drain the beast before he was shredded into nothing more than large chunks of meat? The dragon opened its mouth, flinging him across the island before he could absorb any of its mana, blood splashing from his wounds as he splattered down onto the glass. Instead of following him across the platform, the dragon hunched down, seeming to increase in size before opening its jaws wide. Christoph¡¯s heart dropped as he realized what was coming, turning away as the dragon¡¯s breath raced across the glass towards him. If he could get to the sand in time, then he might be able to-

    He hadn¡¯t even risen all the way to his feet before the dragon¡¯s breath rolled over him like a wave, heat slamming into him until it had soaked into his very bones. Rolling over the glass, he came to rest on his stomach, blood pooling as the dragon stamped its gargantuan feet in triumph. Blood? Rising up onto his knees, Christoph looked down at his hands, watching the ruined flesh become whole once more. Laughing over at the monster, he rose to his feet as his wounds sealed themselves closed. Fire? No, all of the World Serpent¡¯s creations were unique. Perhaps if it had spat a deadly storm of sand, it would have been a danger, but as it was¡­

    ¡°That was careless of you,¡± Christoph said. ¡°A pure magic attack, was it?¡±

    Readying his sword, he grinned up at the leviathan as it blinked in confusion, feeling the energy coursing through his body. The dragon opened its maw again, a beam of blinding light scouring the island clean. Christoph emerged laughing as the illumination faded, his tattered cloak floating from his shoulders as he closed in on the beast.

    ¡°You should have channeled that mana through one of the elements!¡± he said, sword slashing out to sever one of the dragon¡¯s forelimbs at the wrist. ¡°It would have made it harder for me to absorb.¡±

    Stumbling backwards, the dragon¡¯s stump slid across the glass as it reared back from its attacker. Christoph leapt forwards after the creature, striking out at its wounded leg as it collapsed. Roaring in anger, the dragon squirmed about but was unable to properly position itself for a counter-attack, its severed leg pawing uselessly at the air. Whirling around, Christoph dealt a flurry of blows to the beast¡¯s neck, his crystal sword growing longer and heavier as he poured his excess mana into the blade. Stifling a giddy laugh, he danced under the leviathan, cutting and slashing everything he could reach with his blade. Never in his life had he felt such power before!

    The dragon began to thrash at the glass, rising up on its stump to slash out with its claws and snap its jaws with a deafening chomp. Dashing around, Christoph hacked at the dragon¡¯s tail. Even if the beast itself escaped, the tail alone would be a prize if he could cut it from the body! The giant reptile spun around faster than he had expected, and he barely managed to raise his sword before the oversized talons of its remaining forelimb caught him in the chest. Sliding backwards across the platform, Christoph glanced up to confirm Diana¡¯s position before resuming his assault. Still just sitting there! In that case, he would secure this victory alone.

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    The dragon watched him cautiously from across the glass, turning its head sideways as its eye locked onto his panting form. The sail on its back shuddered in time with the swaying of its tail, and Christoph grinned as he returned the dragon¡¯s stare. It might not bleed, but the creature knew the danger it was in all the same. In the middle of the island, the dragon¡¯s severed limb twitched before falling still. Large enough to close around Christoph¡¯s entire body, the clawed hand probably held more mana than the esteemed Guardian of the Forest had amassed in its entire being. Still, he had his eyes set on a much larger prize than that.

    Steam rose from Christoph¡¯s body as he sprinted towards his target, deflecting the dragon¡¯s swiping attack and dodging under its jaws as they descended to scrape against the glass behind him. Leaping to his feet, he cleaved into the leviathan¡¯s hind leg, his weapon catching in the stony flesh before it could sever the limb. Wrenching the crystal blade free, Christoph backed away from the beast¡¯s savage rampage, retreating across the island as it lashed out at him. This time, the dragon did follow him back, limping onward as it alternated strikes with its teeth and claws, battering at him with its closed jaws and even lunging at him with its stump leg and tail. The blows came too quickly and covered too much distance for Christoph to avoid them all, and he gritted his teeth as the beast knocked him back around the platform.

    ¡°Is that all you have?¡± Christoph asked, taking a stance as the dragon paused its onslaught of attacks. Reaching down, he drew a large gemstone from his pocket, the sunlight shining brilliantly through the crystal¡¯s many facets. ¡°Are you ready?¡± he asked, throwing the gem into the air. ¡°Here I come.¡±

    The crystal arced up towards the dragon as Christoph charged in underneath it, the massive beast narrowing its eyes as they approached. Shifting its body sideways, the dragon reared up to level a slash at them, a strike that would cleave through both Christoph and his gemstone. Before the dragon could act, however, the first-sized crystal exploded with an ear-splitting crack, mana bursting free to splash out over the area in blinding brilliance.

    Christoph grinned as the dragon flinched downwards, dashing around the beast¡¯s head to strike at its neck once more, his crystal blade shearing through the leviathan¡¯s scales and into the flesh below. The dragon twisted around to return his attacks, but it was too late ¨C Christoph darted after the beast as it moved, blow after blow slicing through the dragon¡¯s stone-like body. The monster rose up on its legs to escape his assault, but it hadn¡¯t taken a single step towards the sand before he cut through its back leg from the other side, the heavier limb falling to the glass as the dragon collapsed bodily onto the platform. Christoph¡¯s sword continued to rise and fall as the creature struggled to crawl away, the crystal blade flashing in the sunlight until the leviathan had long since fallen still.

    Falling back onto the glass himself, Christoph leant his head back against the smooth surface of the island, shoulders heaving as he gasped for breath. Sitting up, he looked over at the dragon he had slain, a triumphant smile spreading over his face. Scrambling to his feet, he slumped up against the scaled corpse, shortening his sword into a knife as he carved a chunk from the dragon¡¯s rocky carcass. The monster wouldn¡¯t eat itself, after all.

    ¡­

    Diana blinked awake, looking around herself as she sat up. Darkness surrounded her, and she lit a small fire to illuminate her surroundings, thankful that so much of her mana had already returned. She¡¯d wasted most of her energy holding off the dragon¡¯s attack, and creating the island must have drained her reserves. She was simply thankful that her automatic defenses had kept her safe from danger. It was still too soon to be relying on her other methods¡­ Had Christoph defeated the beast, then?

    ¡°Oh, are you finally awake?¡± Christoph asked, re-absorbing his sword. ¡°Good. Here, put up a barrier so I can go to sleep already.¡±

    ¡°Did it escape?¡± Diana asked. Looking around, the surface of the glass platform seemed to be clear, patches of sand visible on the smooth surface of the island. The skimmer was set down nearby, and she felt the familiar padding of the blankets underneath her.

    ¡°What?¡± Christoph frowned down at her, raising an eyebrow at her question. ¡°No way,¡± he said. ¡°I ate it.¡±

    ¡°You what?¡± Diana asked. He¡¯d eaten it?

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Christoph said, shrugging his shoulders. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be able to, but I guess I don¡¯t really store the mana in my stomach, so¡­¡±

    ¡°You ate the whole thing?!¡± The elven woman threw her blankets away, clambering to her feet to place her hands on Christoph¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡°Ah, yeah,¡± he said. ¡°Well, you did say that I could have the whole thing, so¡­¡±

    ¡°No no no,¡± she replied. His body was hot under her hands, and she pulled away, thumping on the chest with a fist. ¡°Think! How are we supposed to prove we killed it if you went and ate the whole thing before I even woke up?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll manage,¡± Christoph replied, swaying on his feet. ¡°Now, about that barrier?¡±

    ¡°Christoph?¡± Diana leaned forwards, waving a hand in front of his face as he blinked. Stepping forwards, she caught her companion as he fell to his knees, heat rising from his body in a nearly visible wave. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± he said, falling sideways onto the glass. ¡°The barrier?¡±

    Diana swore under her breath, snapping a hand out to erect her usual wards over their campsite. Had he really eaten an entire dragon while she had been recovering? Was that even possible? Christoph rolled onto his back, pressing himself against the cool glass as his eyes lost focus, and Diana reached a hand out towards him. Gathering her mana, she lifted him into the air as he began to thrash, shards of bone falling to the glass below her as his latest meal slowly carved its way into both his body and soul.

 Chapter Thirty-Five

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I understand,¡± Roethus said, holding up a hand to silence the room. ¡°You say that Christoph did slay the dragon, however you are unable to provide proof due to the fact that he somehow devoured the creature¡¯s entire corpse while you were unconscious?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Diana replied. The council was silent for a moment before Gilder slammed his gauntlets down against the table, the heavy wood shifting with the force of the blow.

    ¡°Is this a joke?¡± Gilder¡¯s armor clinked as he stood, towering over the rest of the council members. ¡°Are you making fun of us, making fun of all the adventurers who make a living off these subjugation requests? If so, you will answer to the Crowns of Flame.¡±

    ¡°Calm, Gilder,¡± Harold said, raising a scaled hand in imitation of the guild master. Turning towards the elf, the lizard-man narrowed his eyes. ¡°If that is true, where is this Christoph now?¡±

    ¡°I-¡± Diana faltered, keenly aware of the other council members as they stared across the table towards her. Gilder¡¯s warrior might not care much for her presence, but the mages of the Silent Chains scrutinized her intently, and Serana seemed nearly as angry as her companion always was.¡±I was unable to convince him to attend.¡±

    ¡°This is ridiculous,¡± Roethus said with a sigh, feathered collar waving as his shoulders shifted. His spectacles shifted down his nose with the movement, and he frowned as he reached up to readjust them.

    ¡°I agree,¡± Serana replied. ¡°Do you mean to insult the guild master and the council?¡±

    ¡°I have no control over Christoph¡¯s actions,¡± Diana said with a shrug. ¡°He does what he wishes.¡±

    ¡°And what is it he wishes to do?¡± Gilder asked, crossing his arms as he leant back in his chair once more.

    Diana drew in a large breath. ¡°His exact words were ¡®I just killed and ate a dragon. I killed it, and then I ate it, and then I absorbed its power. I feel like¡­ there¡¯s just no way I can sit still for an hour while they talk about how terrible a person you are. Can¡¯t you just go alone?¡¯ ¡±

    ¡°Brilliant!¡± Gilder threw his head back in laughter, shoulders bouncing as he roared. ¡°He sounds like one of my men!¡± His four companions stiffened beside him, eyes averting as their leader spoke.

    ¡°Please try to be serious,¡± Roethus said, turning back towards the elven woman. ¡°Slaying a dragon is a serious matter. If we take your word as the truth without verifying the matter, we risk inviting the attention of the Ouroboros.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Diana said. ¡°However, I do not see how-¡±

    The large double doors burst open with a crack of splintered wood, a short figure striding through to stand triumphantly in the center of the room.

    ¡°I¡¯m here!¡± Benvolio said, arms raised towards the ceiling. ¡°Diana! Did you miss me?¡±

    ¡°Lord Benvolio¡­¡± Diana rose from her chair, bowing low before him. It had been years since she had laid eyes on the city¡¯s small lord, but he hadn¡¯t seemed to have changed much. Or grown much. No, Benvolio was far too old to be growing still, so that was expected. He wore the same simple robes he always had, a myriad of gold and silver chains draped around his slender arms and torso. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you,¡± she said. ¡°Have you been well?¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Benvolio glanced over the council, waving towards Roethus with a smile. ¡°Am I interrupting?¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Diana replied, ignoring the fact that he hadn¡¯t responded to her question. ¡°We were just discussing how to prove the dragon really was slain.¡±

    ¡°Eh, don¡¯t worry about that,¡± the shorter man said with a dismissive wave. ¡°Of course its dead, I could have told you that if you¡¯d asked.¡±

    ¡°Of course, my lord,¡± Roethus replied. ¡°May I ask why you have chosen to visit us this fair morning?¡±

    ¡°Here,¡± Benvolio said, beckoning back towards the wide-open doors. Had he really burst the latch open with nothing more than his physical strength? Diana frowned down at the feminine-looking man, eyes snapping open as his guests came into view.

    ¡°This is Leila, the lord of the Greater Paw, and Gideon, her faithful slave and companion.¡± Benvolio tapped at their arms as he introduced them, sighing wistfully as he glanced between the tall beast-woman and her companion. ¡°Leila¡¯s here because she looking for-

    ¡°Hello Diana,¡± Leila said, ears flicking up towards the elf.

    ¡°Leila,¡± Diana responded. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for Christoph, he¡¯s-¡±

    ¡°You stabbed my sister,¡± Leila said, taking a step towards the elf. ¡°Diana the Researcher, I, Leila of the Greater Paw, challenge you to a duel.¡±

    ¡°I d-¡± Diana began.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Benvolio said, tugging on Leila¡¯s furred arm. ¡°Are you ignoring me?¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡± Diana glanced down at the small ruler, raising a hand in an attempt to calm him down. ¡°I¡¯m sure Leila didn¡¯t mean to-¡±

    ¡°Hey.¡± Benvolio stared up towards the beast-woman, and Diana sighed as she realized Leila was still looking in her direction instead.

    ¡°Lord Benvolio, please.¡± Roethus rose from his seat, circling around the table towards them. ¡°It seems Leila and Diana have some unfinished business.¡±

    ¡°We-¡± Leila stopped speaking when she saw Roethus¡¯ frantic expression, his spectacles nearly falling from his face as he shook his head. It was true that she had no wish to anger the most powerful man in the plains.

    ¡°Maybe we could hear the rest of the tale back in the comfort of your tower?¡± the guild master said, forcing a smile as he addressed the city¡¯s lord. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s bound to be a long story.¡±

    ¡°No way,¡± Benvolio said, shaking his head with a clank of oversized jewelry. Roethus breathed a sigh of relief as the effeminate man released Leila¡¯s arm anyway. ¡°I¡¯m not going back until I get my present from Diana.¡±

    Diana blinked as the short man held his hand out towards her, fingers wriggling expectantly. Patting down her pockets, she tried to ignore Roethus¡¯ pleading looks as her hands returned empty each time. Benvolio¡¯s innocent expression gave way to a frown as she searched, his disappointment warping into anger as he lowered his hand.

    ¡°Hey,¡± he said, tapping his foot with a clank of jewelry. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you forget to bring me a present?¡±

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.¡­

    ¡°So it worked then?¡± Barry grinned, leaning forwards as Christoph wrapped up his story. Jacques hurried past in the background, darting around the store in search of products and customers.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Christoph replied, leaning against the desk. ¡°I guess it did.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Larry pumped his fist in triumph, high-fiving his brother before they clapped each other on the backs.

    ¡°Oi,¡± Christoph said. ¡°You told me there was no chance of failure.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Larry said, waving his hand. ¡°Anything less than 5% doesn¡¯t even count.¡±

    ¡°Maybe not in the workshop,¡± Christoph said with frown, ¡°I was fighting a dragon, you know?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Barry said. ¡°Anyway, how about that gauntlet then? If you¡¯ve got the cash, we can get started on drawing up the plans-¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need the gauntlet any more,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°Heavy armor might be useful, though, maybe a dagger¡­ No, could teach me how to do the engraving myself?¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡± Larry made a face. ¡°That¡¯s bad for business, you know?¡±

    ¡°No, no, I mean you¡¯ll pay us, right?¡± Barry said, glancing around the store. ¡°It¡¯ll be expensive, though. It¡¯s not easy, either.¡±

    ¡°I just need the basics,¡± Christoph said. ¡°This body isn¡¯t suited to channeling mana outwards, but filling crystals seems easy enough.¡±

    ¡°Are you planning on carving the spells into your sword?¡± Barry asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Isn¡¯t that part of your body?¡±

    ¡°Something like that,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not even sure I can maintain an enchantment right now, so this is more of an experiment.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Larry frowned down at Christoph¡¯s hands, grabbing onto his arm and pulling his ragged cloak upwards. ¡°Well, you do have enough crystals, I guess¡­¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re everywhere,¡± Christoph said, raising his left hand as well. ¡°I look like one of the lizard-men now.¡±

    Barry tapped a small hammer against Christoph¡¯s left elbow, listening to the dull chiming sound the crystals made when struck. ¡°They seem genuine,¡± he said, looking up at his bemused customer. ¡°You¡¯re not planning to sell them, are you?¡±

    Christoph drew his arms back from the brothers¡¯ grasp, rubbing at his elbow with an expression of distaste. ¡°Do you really think I¡¯d want to sell off my own body parts?¡±

    ¡°Well, we can teach you how to do some basic engraving, but it¡¯ll cost you ,¡± Larry said. ¡°Let¡¯s see, a converter, and the four basic elemental magics, as well as a focusing array¡­¡±

    Barry opened his mouth to continue the discussion, but was interrupted by a bang as the door to the shop slammed open.

    ¡°I¡¯m back!¡± Cecilia shouted. ¡°Did you mi-¡± The beast-woman fell silent when she saw who the brothers were speaking with, making a face as she approached the trio.

    ¡°Now now,¡± Barry said. ¡°It¡¯s not Christoph¡¯s fault he doesn¡¯t like cats and dogs.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not about cats and dogs,¡± Christoph said. ¡°It¡¯s just-¡±

    ¡°Anyway, look at this.¡± Cecilia waved a piece of paper around in front of the twins, pulling it away as Barry tried to follow her movements.

    ¡°Gimme that,¡± Larry said, snatching the sheet from her furred hand. ¡°What is this¡­ the arena?¡±

    ¡°Oh, is that finished already?¡± Barry said. ¡°I really didn¡¯t think they¡¯d have it done by Lord Benvolio¡¯s anniversary.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s done,¡± Larry said, eyes flickering back and forth along the flyer. ¡°Uh¡­ here, you¡¯d better read this.¡±

    Christoph took the proffered rectangle of parchment, flattening it out on the table the brothers were leaning against. What was it? The arena was done¡­ a tournament¡­

    ¡°What?¡± Christoph blinked a couple of times as he re-read the list of competitors. ¡°But¡­.¡± Had he insulted the council by sending Diana alone? Or was this punishment for not being able to provide proof of their services?

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Cecilia asked, stepping forwards and swiping the flyer back before he could step away from her.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t see it?¡± Larry asked.

    ¡°Nah,¡± the beast-woman said with a shake of her head. ¡°I just wanted to ask if we could go.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Barry asked. ¡°They executing some pirates?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s Diana,¡± Larry said. ¡°She¡¯s going to be participating in a public duel against the Lord of the Forest, Leila of the Greater Paw. Christoph, too¡­¡±

    ¡°They entered me into the tournament,¡± Christoph said, blinking up at the twins in confusion.

    ¡°What?!¡± Cecilia shouted as she read over the poster once again, parchment shaking in her hands. ¡°Oh man,¡± she said. ¡°I wanted to join too, but they wouldn¡¯t take anyone under Gold.¡±

    ¡°When is it, anyway,¡± Barry asked, leaning over Cecilia¡¯s shoulder as she finished reading. ¡°We can probably go see the fights if it¡¯s soon.¡±

    ¡°Soon?¡± Christoph asked, slumping down onto the table. ¡°The first round starts tomorrow.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Were you successful?¡± Cliff asked. ¡°Or did he deny you, too?¡±

    ¡°It went according to plan,¡± Lucius said, pausing before he sat down on the bed. ¡°Have you been out of the inn at all today?¡±

    Cliff shook his head, walking over to peer out of the window. Manitas City¡­ This place sat poorly with him, and he knew that Sierra thought the same. ¡°Should we have?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no matter,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s probably better you¡¯re hearing this from me.¡±

    ¡°So he attached a condition, then?¡± Sierra asked, leaning back in her wooden chair. As a delegation from the church, they could have afforded more opulent accommodations, but the siblings had decided against it. Too much wealth would draw unwanted attention in this place.

    ¡°He did,¡± Lucius replied, adjusting his glasses. The high-schooler had shed his blazer long ago, opting for an unadorned robe which wouldn¡¯t cause him to stand out amongst the clergy. ¡°Lord Benvolio rejected my proposal outright, actually,¡± he said, ¡°but he also presented an alternative.¡±

    ¡°Should we be worried?¡± Cliff asked. ¡°Lord Benvolio is not known for his generosity.¡±

    ¡°That depends,¡± Lucius said, tossing a small scroll towards the church¡¯s bowman, followed by a pair of golden plates. ¡°How well would the two of you fare in an arena duel?¡±

 Chapter Thirty-Six

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re getting all upset about.¡± Diana smirked as she leant back against the wooden walls, one of Geoff¡¯s horses trotting over to bump at her shoulder from over the stable doors. ¡°You can¡¯t tell me you wouldn¡¯t have entered the tournament anyway.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether I would have entered or not,¡± Christoph replied, frowning up from where he sat cross-legged on the hay. ¡°Isn¡¯t the guild set up specifically to stop stuff like this from happening?¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t see any way around it,¡± Geoff said, brushing down one of his other horses. ¡°Like it or not, Lord Benvolio rules over this city. There¡¯s no churches or gods or kings, but Benvolio has Roethus in his pocket, and Roethus is master of the guild. Even if you protest, they could revoke your medallion and send you back into Bronze. There¡¯s already calls from the guild to do just that.¡±

    ¡°Even after the dragon?¡± Diana asked. ¡°I would have thought that¡¯d be enough to silence the protesters.¡±

    Geoff lifted one of his scaled hands in a shrug, the other continuing to sweep the brush over his horse. ¡°It might have been, but¡­ you left quite the impression on the adventurers, you know? Diana the Researcher! Don¡¯t be surprised to find you  have enemies within the guild.¡±

    ¡°Is it because I didn¡¯t go to the meeting?¡± Christoph asked with a frown

    Diana shook her head in reply. ¡°No, this was Benvolio¡¯s doing, and he couldn¡¯t care less about the guild. He was pretty upset that he didn¡¯t get to see the dragon, though.¡±

    ¡°Good. I¡¯m glad I wasn¡¯t there when Leila showed up,¡± Christoph said with a shudder. ¡°I can¡¯t believe she followed us all the way across the plains.¡±

    ¡°A lord wouldn¡¯t usually leave their domain,¡± Geoff said. ¡°Are you sure it was her?¡±

    ¡°I am,¡± Diana said. ¡°To think she abandoned her position like that¡­ Bastias did seem quite fond of her, though. She¡¯ll probably be forgiven.¡±

    ¡°Maybe they¡¯ll make her slay a dragon when she gets back,¡± Christoph said with a grin.

    ¡°Be quiet,¡± Diana replied. ¡°Our circumstances are nothing alike.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Geoff said. ¡°Considering that you didn¡¯t really have any circumstances when you abandoned the guild.¡±

    Christoph burst into laughter at Geoff¡¯s casual remark, rolling over in the hay and causing the lizard-man¡¯s horses to snort alarmingly. ¡°Well,¡± he said with a chuckle, ¡°what are we going to do about the arena, anyway? I can¡¯t imagine it¡¯s going to be easy.¡±

    ¡°Hmmph.¡± Diana glanced down at him contemptuously, arms crossing over her chest. ¡°I¡¯m the one fighting Leila,¡± she said. ¡°Your part is most certainly going to be easy, compared to that. That half-breed pirate could probably take your place without too much trouble.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Christoph said, brushing hay from his trousers as he stood. Bowing his head, he flicked a few silver coins over to the beast merchant. ¡°Thanks for the advice, Geoff, but if there¡¯s really no way out of it, I¡¯ve got somewhere to be.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Alright boys!¡± King said, lifting his bowl high into the air. ¡°Bets for the Captain, over here!¡± The adventurers surged forwards to place their wagers, coins dropping into King¡¯s bowl as betting slips were passed out in return.

    Plume slumped down on a crate nearby, cutlass glinting where the blade was resting against his leg. Lifting the weapon, he checked over the surface for blemishes before sliding it slowly back into its sheath.

    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Whistler asked, taking a seat beside him. ¡°Your next bout is in half an hour.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Plume replied. Although tiring, Whistler¡¯s matches seemed like a good way to make a large amount of money if you were skilled with a sword. Tucked away in the outskirts of the city, the adventurers came here to satisfy their urge to for something more bloody than the spontaneous duels common in the city center. The fighting pit might not be much more than the unfinished basement of an abandoned warehouse, but the dirt floor was more than large enough to hold a small amount of fighters as they settled their scores, the many onlookers gathered around above.

    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± Whistler said. ¡°You should enjoy yourself while you can, this sort of work won¡¯t be available to you once you¡¯ve ranked up a couple of times.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Plume said with a nod. He didn¡¯t doubt that there were warriors here more skilled than he was, but none of them shared his Bronze medallion. He¡¯d have to be more careful about choosing his duels once he was moved up to Iron or perhaps even Steel, but for now his opponents were well below his level.

    ¡°In any case, this¡¯ll be the last day of fights for a while,¡± Whistler said.

    ¡°What for?¡± Plume asked, turning to frown towards his Silver-ranked acquaintance.

    ¡°It¡¯s the arena,¡± Whistler said, nodding his head in the direction of the massive stadium. ¡°The tournament starts tomorrow, so most of our usual customers will be there instead of here. You should go, too. It¡¯ll be a good chance for you to see how the Gold rankers fight.¡±

    ¡°Maybe I will,¡± Plume replied, stretching out his limbs in preparation for his next duel. ¡°It¡¯ll be good to see exactly what it takes to make it into the higher ranks.¡±

    ¡­

    The plains of Manitas sat in the very middle of its neighbouring territories, and Manitas City occupied the center of the desert in turn. To the south lay the human territories, both the Kingdom of the Creator and the Sanguine Empire to the southeast. To the west were the beasts and the dwarven lands, and the elven homelands lay almost due north while the orcs roamed to the east. Manitas city had developed as a trade hub, the building sprawling not only from a central point but also at the city gates which lay to the north, south, and west, and it was because of this that the eastern section of the city remained largely undeveloped. It was here that Benvolio had chosen to construct his arena.

    Christoph rubbed at his neck as he approached the stadium, the morning sun warming his body pleasantly through the wards surrounding the city. Deciding to discard his ruined cloak, he¡¯d purchased some plain-looking clothes from the Merry brothers instead. The white and brown materials reminded him of a certain treacherous bowman, but his discomfort had faded after he¡¯d donned the garments. He wasn¡¯t about to spend all his gold on some expensive plate armour just for this tournament, even if the other competitors were doing just that.

    ¡°So, how¡¯d your enchanting lessons go?¡± Diana asked. ¡°Are you ready?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he said, forcing his hands down by his sides. He managed to get the basics down, but something about the engravings made his crystals buzz irritatingly. If it wasn¡¯t clearly mana-related, he¡¯d almost say it was an itch.

    ¡°Good,¡± Diana replied, leading the way through the crowd and towards the competitor¡¯s entrance nearby. ¡°I¡¯m glad there¡¯s some way you can make use of all that energy.¡±

    ¡°You still upset about our lessons?¡± Christoph asked, following along behind her. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting to be able to learn magic in the first place, you know?

    ¡°Failure reflects poorly on the teacher even if it is entirely the student¡¯s fault,¡± she replied, flicking her hair in distaste.

    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure about that,¡± Christoph said. ¡°But I¡¯m not about to argue more blame onto myself for nothing.¡±

    Diana paused to present her medallion to the security guard, smiling sweetly as she lifted the necklace and allowed the beast-man to scan it with his guild-issued device. Christoph grimaced at the guard¡¯s canine features, unclasping his own tag and dangling it out towards the man at arm¡¯s length. Ignoring Diana¡¯s half-muffled chuckles, he stepped through the door as the guard stood holding it open.

    ¡°You¡¯re too much!¡± Diana burst into laughter as they proceeded along the corridor, leaning against the brick walls as she gasped for breath. ¡°What are you planning to do if you have to fight one of our furred friends?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll fight just fine,¡± Christoph said. ¡°Now, where do we¡­¡±

    Diana lifted her head, turning left and right as the corridor came to an end. Either choice seemed like it could be correct, crystals lighting up the brick hallway as it extended away in both directions.

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    ¡°I have no idea which way to go,¡± Christoph said with a sigh. ¡°It¡¯s your fault we¡¯re late, by the way.¡±

    ¡­

    Jericho tapped his feet as he waited underneath the arena stands for the opening ceremony to begin. For a Gold-ranked competitor to be late! Adventurers like that gave the guild a bad name. If he were a Platinum rank, this delay might have been tolerated, but Gold rankers were the face of the guild itself.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Jericho asked, waving up at the arena attendant. ¡°How long are you planning on making us wait for this guy?¡±

    ¡°Relax, mage.¡± Instead of the attendant, it was one of the competitors who replied. An unremarkable looking man, he lay slumped back against the bricks, his bow resting on his lap as his legs stretched out before him. ¡°We can¡¯t start this without him.¡±

    ¡°Calm down, Cliff.¡± The archer¡¯s companion leant forwards slightly, tapping at the man with her staff. ¡°You can¡¯t do anything until we get into the arena, okay?¡±

    ¡°I know that,¡± Cliff replied, uncrossing his legs as he stood. ¡°Come on, he¡¯s here.¡±

    The arena worker attempted to prevent him from leaving the area, but he pushed her aside, passing by without a word. Bowing in apology, his partner followed him out into the coliseum as the room¡¯s other entrance swung open.

    ¡°Ah!¡± The newcomer glanced around the room, gaze settling on an armored figure before he turned toward the attendant. ¡°Christoph, sorry I¡¯m late,¡± he said, gesturing towards himself. ¡°Diana seemed determined to sleep the entire day away.¡±

    Jericho frowned as the man as he spoke. Diana? Diana the Researcher? Was this man her companion, then? The rumors had been that she was travelling with a swordsman, though, and this person was dressed as a mage would be. He was unarmed, although crystals glinted on his knuckles as he moved, and Jericho felt a certain coldness from him when he approached. Casting a wary look towards the stranger, he rose to his feet and followed the tournament staff out onto the sand. The warmth of the sun washed over him as he walked, the cheers of the crowd following soon after.

    ¡°This is a lot bigger than I expected,¡± Christoph said. ¡°I didn¡¯t think so many people would be here?¡±

    Of course they would be! Jericho stifled his reaction, settling for a hostile look as the tired looking man as he took his position. The announcer stood before them as he began reading out the rules, his magically amplified voice ringing over the stadium with ease. The crowd cheered and booed at the various rules and restrictions, but Jericho felt his anger flaring as the ceremony progressed. The newcomer wasn¡¯t even listening! To be so disrespectful as to start yawning and scratching your arms right there in the middle of the arena!

    ¡°Eh, that¡¯s enough rules.¡± An equally loud voice rang out to match the announcer, a short jewelry-clad man appearing in one of the upper boxes of the arena. ¡°First match, Jericho versus Christoph! Begin!¡±

    ¡°Ah, Lord Benvolio, I-¡± The announcer struggled to stay composed for a moment before bowing his head at the lord¡¯s request. Casting his mana out above, he gestured the staff to usher the competitors from the sand as the tournament¡¯s brackets were displayed on the ward above. Sixteen contestants meant four rounds¡­ Jericho sighed as the worker led him to his place on the sand-covered clay. He¡¯d have to conserve his mana if he wanted to survive until the end.

    ¡°On the left, Jericho the Wanderer!¡± Jericho raised his staff, waving to the crowd as they cheered. ¡°Possibly the most suited to the title of all those to have held it, Jericho awoke in the Kingdom of the Creator one fine morning with absolutely no memories of his past life, nothing but his staff and his magic to keep him alive. He¡¯s wandered the lands ever since, searching for his place in the guild!¡±

    The crowd roared in approval as Jericho launched a fireball into the center of the coliseum, the flames flickering mid-air before flickering out of existence. He¡¯d been more active than most since that day, and there were not many in the guild that didn¡¯t know his name. Renowned for his mastery of fire and self-strengthening spells, he¡¯d reached the Gold rank in record time for a mage. He might not have total confidence in winning the tournament, but at the very least he¡¯d burn some respect into that discourteous fool standing opposite him.

    ¡°On the right the Crystal Eater, Christoph! Summoned from another world, it¡¯s rumored he was granted the Gold medallion after slaying the dragon of the sand pits to the north!¡±

    Rumored? Jericho smirked as the crowd erupted into murmurs instead of cheers. What kind of introduction was that? No, he was Diana¡¯s companion, after all. The elven witch probably did most of the slaying. Pushing such thoughts from his mind, Jericho focused on his opponent. As a mage, carelessness was often lethal in battle. The tournament mages and doctors might be working to prevent that, but even so it would be no laughing matter if he was impaled because he had misjudged his opponent. Even if his opponent was unarmed and unarmored at the moment.

    ¡°Alright!¡± Lord Benvolio¡¯s childish voice floated down over the coliseum once more. ¡°Fight!¡±

    Jericho cast his mana out like a net before him, the air splitting as flames spread out across the arena. Stepping backwards, he lowered his staff and gathered more energy, releasing a series of fireballs through the flaming ward. At the same time, he focused his energy inwards, feeling strength flow into his limbs as he increased his body¡¯s strength and resilience, yet more flames appearing to cover his skin. All too many mages met their end at the point of sword which slipped past their shields for a single deadly thrust.

    The fireballs exploded over the sand, flaming particles drifting up towards the crowd before the arena¡¯s wards pushed them back. Where had his opponent gone? Jericho¡¯s burst of spells had been meant as a distraction while he erected his defenses, but if that man had chosen to bear the brunt of his attacks¡­

    ¡°Fire magic, huh?¡± Christoph asked, kicking at the sand nonchalantly to Jericho¡¯s right. ¡°Well, I suppose I shouldn¡¯t expect anything less.¡± A strange-looking sword swayed in his right hand, runes gleaming where they were carved into the blade. Where had he been hiding that? Was he a priest of some sort, to be using spatial-type magic? In that case, he¡¯d have no choice but to target the entire coliseum!

    Jericho spun towards the man, a barrage of smaller fireballs sweeping out towards him before exploding mid-air. Even if he had dodged the first attacks, this wasn¡¯t something that could be avoided so simply! The crowd roared as the magic burst over the arena, multitudes of fireballs detonating in sequence as the mage continued his attacks. Jericho grinned as he expended his mana, fire pouring forth until a slashing blade extended from the midst of his flames to slice through the top of his staff.

    ¡°Wha-¡± What had just happened?

    ¡°Ah, so do you surrender, then?¡± Christoph stood nearby, clutching the upper half of Jericho¡¯s staff in his left hand, sword levelled at the mage as his wounds began to heal.

    Drawing a blade from his sleeve, Jericho instead moved onto the offensive. Charging around Christoph¡¯s sword, he stabbed at his foe¡¯s chest with a speed and precision that would be unthinkable for most magic-users. A dull thump sounded out as his dagger pierced into his opponent, and it wasn¡¯t until he landed on the sand that he realized he¡¯d taken a blow in return.

    ¡°Jesus Christ,¡± Christoph said, coughing as he clutched at his side, blood trickling down through his fingers. ¡°Why does everyone go for the ribs?¡± Tugging Jericho¡¯s weapon from his chest, he threw it down to the dazed adventurer with a flick.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t forfeit,¡± he said, breaking the crystal off the mage¡¯s staff with a crack. Reaching up, he bit into it as if it were an apple, crunching down on the gemstone as Jericho gasped for breath. ¡°I wasn¡¯t really listening, but I¡¯m fairly sure I¡¯d have to give your weapon back if you had given up.¡±

 Chapter Thirty-Seven

    Diana cast a sideways glance towards Roethus as she took her seat in Benvolio¡¯s luxurious spectator¡¯s box. The lord himself squirmed in his golden seat nearby, leaning forwards to get a better view of the arena floor.

    ¡°Alright!¡± Benvolio tapped his feet in anticipation, fingers drumming on the railing as the two men took position on the sand-covered clay. ¡°Fight!

    ¡°Ah, he moves quickly,¡± Diana said as the match began. The mage, Jericho, was it? He seemed competent enough. A flame ward casting into fireball into¡­ was he maintaining his fighting spirit under his flame armor as well?

    ¡°He¡¯s certainly cautious,¡± Roethus said. ¡°Although if he was aiming for redundancy, an earth-fire mix would have been better.¡±

    ¡°It would slow his chain casting to a halt, though,¡± Diana replied. ¡°He¡¯s not on the level of-¡±

    ¡°Shhh!¡± Benvolio glared over at the duo, head snapping back towards the fighters as Christoph dodged around the fireballs to Jericho¡¯s side.

    Roethus nodded to his lord, shifting in his seat before turning towards the elven woman with a lowered voice. ¡°Did he appear, then?¡±

    ¡°The World Serpent? No, he didn¡¯t.¡± Diana matched Roethus¡¯ own tone, careful not to disturb Benvolio¡¯s enjoyment of the match. ¡°It was to be expected, though. Five years is not a long time to those who rule over the world.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d advise you not to speak those words to our lord,¡± Roethus said. ¡°He missed you sorely.¡±

    ¡°Not enough to send aid,¡± Diana replied.

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Roethus said. ¡°He is not the kind to send assistance you if you choose to leave him. Nevertheless, I¡¯m thankful for your silence, and your success.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy,¡± Diana said. No, the past five years were the easiest of them all, but before that¡­

    ¡°Even if you were cast from the Milwood and abandoned by your god¡­¡± Roethus shook his head. ¡°There was an easier path.¡±

    ¡°Strength means nothing if it isn¡¯t yours to wield,¡± Diana replied. ¡°I¡¯d much rather gain power of my own than rely on borrowing it from others.¡±

    ¡°Ah! His staff!¡± Benvolio jumped from his seat, bouncing on his feet as he leant forwards against the railing. ¡°Ah! He was stabbed!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Christoph,¡± Diana said, waving a hand as the duel came to an abrupt halt. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s taken his staff?¡± Roethus asked, peering down towards the sand below. ¡°What¡¯s he¡­ oh.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s eating it!¡± Benvolio said, pointing excitedly down towards the arena floor. Diana winced as Christoph crunched down on the expensive-looking crystal. That wasn¡¯t something that the tournament staff could repair.

    ¡­

    ¡°Get lost.¡± Christoph waved the medic away, stepping closer to the bars which separated the contestants¡¯ area from the arena itself. Was this where they would normally release the animals from?

    ¡°Sir, your wounds¡­¡± The healer hovered by his side, seemingly unable to leave. Christoph ignored the short man¡¯s words, waving a hand to shoo him away. At this point, he¡¯d be more worried about patching up his bloodstained shirt than his body.

    ¡°Just leave,¡± he repeated, leaning forwards to watch the next duel as it unravelled. An axe-wielder against a swordsman? Both fighters were good, but the axeman was already bleeding from several cuts to his legs and shoulders. His heavy armor might protect him from the slow crushing blows of the monsters, but it left too much of his skin bare to be effective against a human opponent. Not that his opponent was a human, though ¨C both of the warriors this time were of the beast clans.

    There seemed to be very little human warriors in the Gold ranks of the guild, actually. Many mages, but the beast races had the upper hand in raw power when it came to close combat. Christoph studied the fight intently, glancing back between the two duellists as the battle continued. Silently, he prayed that the axe-wielder would be the winner. Not because he thought he deserved it, or that he would be an easier opponent to defeat in his next fight, but because the axeman was a lizard-man, and his opponent a canine. Christoph didn¡¯t want to face one of their kind if he could help it.

    The furred swordsman ducked under his opponent¡¯s swing, moving in past the reptilian man¡¯s range with his blade poised to cleave his opponent across the torso. Ah, that was a mistake. Would the axeman win? His weapon might be unwieldy at such short ranges, but the lizard-man stood a whole head taller than his opponent, his muscles bulging under his scaled skin. Slamming a knee into his opponent, the larger warrion followed up with a vicious headbutt, swinging his axe out as his opponent drew back from the attacks.

    The healer at Christoph¡¯s side went pale as the canine¡¯s arm fell to the sand, rushing out the door and into the arena as the match was called to an end. Could the tournament staff really treat wounds of that level? Perhaps they had some rare items or potions in addition to their healing magics. Christoph reached down into his bag and popped some small crystals into his mouth, slowly working his way through his supply as the medics did their work. Sitting back down against the opposite wall, he stretched out as the next duel began to play out. He¡¯d only bothered to watch the last one because it decided his next opponent, after all. Should he leave the coliseum for today? No, the following match was something he couldn¡¯t afford to miss. After this sorry display, it would be Gideon¡¯s turn to fight.

    ¡­

    Plume¡¯s breath caught in his throat as the crowd erupted around him. The sun beat down on the coliseum, and he could feel the weight of its rays even through the city wards. A similar warmth rose up from the middle of the arena as the combatants fought, a pressure welling out over the crowd as they responded in kind. The half-elf blinked as he was smothered, the energies combining to crush him into his seat. A hand clapped onto his shoulder, and he flinched violently as Whistler let out a sigh.

    ¡°Overwhelming, isn¡¯t is?¡± Whistler asked, his usually grim expression twisting into a smile. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine you¡¯d have ever experienced this sort of thing out on the plains.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Plume replied. ¡°The plains are a place for people to live freely, without the gods looking down on them, but this¡­¡± The last match had been somewhat lacklustre but this power, the sheer energy and force of will that radiated from the adventurers as they fought¡­ No matter which way he looked at it, the beings before him had left the realm of man long ago.

    ¡°Do you see?¡± Whistler said. ¡°They stand so far above even us of the silver rank.¡±

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°It¡¯s impossible,¡± Plume replied. The warriors continued to clash before him, neither of the beast-men content to back down from their contest of arms. ¡°There¡¯s no way¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d be inclined to agree, but you shouldn¡¯t give up so easily. Look.¡± The adventurer pointed up past the half-elf, and Plume turned towards the direction of his gesture. Behind him, King had risen from his seat, arms raised as he cheered on the fighters.

    ¡°Even King is energetic,¡± Whistler said. ¡°The same King which you defeated so quickly in your first match. He trains every day, you know? He never fights in the pit, but he trains.¡±

    ¡°Even for an elf, the distance is too far to cross with just one lifetime,¡± Plume said, slumping back in his seat. ¡°Besides, King¡¯s probably just excited because of the money he¡¯s got on the matches.¡±

    Whistler blinked across at the pirate before bursting into laughter, easy chuckles ringing out between the overwhelming roars of the crowd. ¡°You might be right,¡± he said. ¡°King has been short on money lately. But even so, he¡¯ll be enjoying his success if the rest of today¡¯s matches go his way.¡±

    ¡­

    Christoph¡¯s bare feet pressed into the sand as he shifted his weight, feeling his toes sink into the damp sand below the surface. Had it rained overnight? No, this was a desert, of course it hadn¡¯t rained. He¡¯d left the arena yesterday after Gideon¡¯s match, making his way to the inn well before night had fallen. Diana had thankfully not been waiting for him, although he¡¯d awoken to a faceful of her blonde hair once more. Leaving her behind, he¡¯d continued on to the arena alone. If she wanted to sleep, who was he to make sure she arrived to her appointments on time? Frowning up at where the elf sat looking down on him from Lord Benvolio¡¯s box, Christoph returned his attention to the sand underneath him. Was this blood, then? Wriggling his toes, he frowned down at where his legs disappeared below the coarse grains. How much sand had they used to cover the arena anyway?

    ¡°Hey.¡± His opponent didn¡¯t seem to share his concerns. ¡°I saw what you did to Jericho.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Christoph ignored the announcer as he droned on about the duelists¡¯ achievements. Such an annoying voice! The excitable-looking human reminded Christoph of  some sort of rat, and he had a voice to match. Ah, he¡¯d said the lizard-man¡¯s name just then. ¡°Eric, was it? Are you a friend of his?¡±

    ¡°Friends or not, going after his gear like that is foul play.¡± Eric leaned down, pushing his shoulders forwards to emphasize his muscular build.

    ¡°You know, intimidation really works much better when you¡¯re standing a bit closer to your target,¡± Christoph said, raising an eyebrow. Nearly five meters of sand separated him from the irate beast-man. ¡°Besides, disarming your opponent is fair game.¡±

    ¡°Disarming is one thing, but destroying their equipment?¡± Eric snapped his jaws, adjusting his grip on his massive axe. The reptilian man was far more beast than human, more so than any other lizard-man Christoph had ever seen. Geoff was almost simply a scaled human, and even the councilor, Harold, had an unmistakably human-like visage. This man, on the other hand, almost seemed like a lizard given arms and legs.

    ¡°Is that why you¡¯re wearing such cheap junk?¡± Christoph asked, tilting his head as he glanced over the beast-man¡¯s heavy armor. ¡°Are you afraid I¡¯ll ruin your precious gear? Or are you just poor?¡±

    Eric snapped his jaws again, feet stamping down on the sand as his tail swooshed around behind him. The vertically ridged appendage reminded Christoph of the dragon he had fought, but smaller. Much, much smaller.

    ¡°Okay!¡± As always, it was Benvolio who interrupted his announcer to begin the duel. ¡°Fight!¡±

    Christoph took a step backwards, drawing a sword as his opponent readied for battle. From what he¡¯d seen of Eric¡¯s battle yesterday, the lizard-man favoured brutal close combat attacks over advanced technique and finesse. Christoph shook his head. He might have trouble if the warrior had been especially skilled with his weapon, but there was no way the beast-man could hope to surpass him in strength and sp-

    Christoph¡¯s eyes widened as an axe appeared in front of his face, the blazing heat of Eric¡¯s aura washing over him as he desperately tried to move away from the incoming blade. The beast-man stepped forward, sand flying as he forced Christoph back with his continued assault.

    He hadn¡¯t been nearly so fast yesterday! Christoph struggled to deflect his blows, his limbs shaking as the heavy axe slammed his blade aside repeatedly. No, it wasn¡¯t that the lizard-man was faster at all, had he grown slower somehow? Christoph felt a pressure pushing him across the arena, not away from his opponent but towards him. The beast-man¡¯s magic sought to prevent him from moving away?

    ¡°Have you figured it out already?¡± Eric asked, stepping back across the sand. ¡°It took my last opponent much longer than that.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t stop him from making you bleed all over the arena,¡± Christoph said. ¡°Is this your gimmick, then?¡±

    ¡°Something like that,¡± Eric replied, conical teeth baring as he grinned. ¡°Are you going to stand there all day, or are you going to fight back?¡±

    This beast! Had his earlier anger been a feint, as well? Christoph made a silent promise to never underestimate the beast clans¡¯ intelligence, Cecilia excluded. That one was definitely an idiot. Still, to be able to hamper his movement to this extent¡­ No wonder the match yesterday had seemed slow. Readying his weapon, Christoph prepared for his opponent¡¯s next attack. If he couldn¡¯t pull back, his only option was forward! Seeing Eric raise his axe, Christoph launched towards him. Dashing over the sand, he swung his blade up to cleave away at the lizard-man¡¯s chest, and-

    Eric released his axe mid-air, the heavy blade spinning uselessly as it began to fall. Reversing the motion of his hands, the beast-man stepped towards his approaching opponent, striking out at the smaller man with his fists. Too late, Christoph realized his mistake, the same mistake he¡¯d seen the swordsman make just yesterday. He flew backwards across the sand as Eric¡¯s fist slammed into his chest, his crystal sword hitting nothing but air as he was launched away. Christoph hit the sand at the same time as Eric¡¯s axe did, the bladed weapon quickly forgotten as the beast-man rushed forwards bare-handed. Ah, that made sense. From the very beginning, Eric¡¯s strength had been as a brawler. His magic, his taunts, even his choice of weapon were all designed to do draw his opponent closer, and Christoph had just taken his bait.

 Chapter Thirty-Eight

    Christoph bounced over the sand as he flew, coming to a halt long before he should have. Did the beast-man¡¯s magic work even at this range? Rolling back to his feet, he raised his sword as Eric bore down on him, thrusting out to force his opponent to the side. Swallowing the blood that had welled up in his throat, he felt his internal organs slither back into place as they began to heal. The lizard-man might not have the strength to break his crystal bones, but his insides were still as fragile as any other human¡¯s.

    Moving forwards, Christoph pressed onto an offensive, sword carving an intricate pattern through the air as he advanced. Throwing away his axe might have given the beast-man enough speed to strike past Christoph¡¯s defenses, but it also meant that he had no chance of blocking any of his attacks, either. Rushing forwards, Christoph managed to land several hits on Eric¡¯s arms and legs before the pressure in the air shifted, his movements slowing as he stepped forwards. Retreating across the sand, he stopped to assess his opponent.

    ¡°That¡¯s quite good,¡± Eric said with a grunt, blood flowing out over his scales as he swung his arms out to stretch them. ¡°Shallow wounds, but still wounds. Say, you haven¡¯t managed to figure out my real trick yet, have you?¡±

    ¡°I have, actually,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing I can do about it though, is there?¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡± Eric beat his fists together, his tail hitting the sand in time with his punches. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go back to fighting, then?¡±

    ¡­

    Diana shook her head with a sigh, raising a hand to her forehead as Christoph resumed his duel. ¡°Is he an idiot?¡± she asked. ¡°Who decided these match-ups, anyway?¡±

    ¡°That would be me,¡± Roethus replied. ¡°Is something the matter?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s boring,¡± Benvolio said, feet swinging out to kick at the short wall of his spectator¡¯s box. ¡°What¡¯s going on, anyway?¡±

    ¡°The lizard-man is an earth mage,¡± Diana said, staring pointedly towards the guild master. ¡°He¡¯s using the airborne dust and sand to slow Christoph¡¯s movements.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡± Benvolio frowned up at her. ¡°Why not just use the air?¡±

    ¡°The air is more noticeable,¡± Diana replied. ¡°Besides, if he were an air mage then Christoph could leech the mana out of the wind and escape his trap. Mana flows easily through the air.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps I should have asked your assistance organizing the tournament, then.¡± Roethus asked. ¡°Who will win this match, then?¡±

    ¡°Christoph, probably,¡± Diana said ignoring Roethus¡¯ first comment. More than likely, he¡¯d been ordered to personally oversee every detail of the event by Benvolio himself. That was a position she couldn¡¯t relish.

    ¡°He¡¯s getting beaten pretty badly, though,¡± Benvolio said, his frown turning doubtful as the two men clashed. ¡°Are you sure he¡¯ll win?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Diana said. ¡°He isn¡¯t someone you can wear down so easily. The lizard-man will tire first. Even before that, though, Christoph¡¯s hunger will mean¡­ look, it¡¯s starting already.¡±

    ¡­

    Christoph panted as Eric lashed out at him, attacks coming from all angles and directions. He had the advantage of holding a weapon, but the beast-man¡¯s entire body was a threat to him in return. Clawed fists smashed at his body, knees and feet kicking up towards him when he let down his guard. Even the lizard-man¡¯s tail was used to sweep him aside, his large jaws snapping out at him at times as well.

    Moving to counter-attack, Christoph felt the dust shift around him, the sand swirling as it blocked his movements. Move than simply slowing his opponent, the lizard-man could adjust the pressure to push at his foe, throwing them off-balance or forcing them to move in a way that would ruin their current attacks. Leaping forwards, Christoph snarled as Eric made a small gesture, the sand spinning him around before he could land. The lizard-man was ready by the time he hit the ground, the sand rising up to seal his legs as Eric attacked him from behind. Twisting around, Christoph slashed out at the taller man from over his own head, his crystal sword swinging out as he finished absorbing the mana from the sand that had surrounded his feet.

    Stepping back onto the surface of the sand, Christoph smiled over at the massive beast-man. Even with all his magic, Eric had no hope of defeating him unless he could somehow destroy his body in one move. The lizard-man¡¯s punches might cause severe damage to his internal organs, but they would all repair themselves eventually. As it stood, an unarmed warrior simply had no means of incapacitating him to the point where he could claim victory. Hunger welled in Christoph¡¯s stomach as his mana was depleted, and he felt Eric¡¯s magic falter around him. The more mana he used, the more he drew in from his environment, and his sword swung faster with each wound the lizard-man caused.

    ¡°You should give up,¡± Christoph said. ¡°I¡¯d hate to be here all day.¡±

    ¡°I could say the same to you,¡± Eric replied. ¡°Why don¡¯t you leave the arena to members of the guild?¡±

    ¡°Oh? I thought this gold medallion meant I was an adventurer too,¡± Christoph said with a smile. ¡°Or is this something else?¡±

    Snapping his jaws, Eric lifted a hand towards him. A shockwave slammed out as the sand leaped into the air, and Christoph had just enough time to turn away before a localized tornado of sand descended upon him. Closing his eyes, he covered his face as the coarse grains devoured him, tearing off his flesh and burying themselves into his skin.

    Charging headfirst into the deadly whirlwind, Eric pummeled Christoph into the sand, blow after blow raining down on his back and shoulders. Hunching over, he ignored the lizard-man¡¯s attacks the best he could, seeking only to protect his face from the warrior¡¯s magic attacks. He could heal the pulverized organs, but what would happen when the sand entered his body? Would his eyes be able to repair themselves around the tiny shards of rock? Gritting his teeth, he resolved himself to endure Eric¡¯s onslaught until the sandstorm had abated.

    ¡­

    ¡°Ah, he¡¯s really getting beaten now!¡± Benvolio tugged at Diana¡¯s sleeve insistently, pointing down at the scene below.

    ¡°Pfft.¡± Diana raised an eyebrow at Eric¡¯s actions. ¡°What a fool.¡±

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Benvolio said. What did you call me?¡±

    ¡°Not you, my lord,¡± Diana said, petting at the small man¡¯s head. ¡°The lizard-man.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s growing frustrated,¡± Roethus said. ¡°This is why the beast clans don¡¯t produce any mages of renown.¡±

    Oh, he¡¯s getting tired,¡± Benvolio said, turning back to the duel. ¡°Is he out of mana already?¡±

    Diana gave the small lord a nod. ¡°That man isn¡¯t suited to be a mage in the first place,¡± she said. ¡°He was pushing his limits just to shift the sand. That whirlwind, on the other hand¡­¡±

    Slowing his attacks, Eric fell to a knee in unintentional imitation of Christoph¡¯s own pose. Chest heaving, the lizard-man clutched at his head at the human slowly rose to his feet, a crystal sword appearing from his right arm to rest against the warrior¡¯s neck.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Benvolio turned to the side, grinning at the box¡¯s silent fourth occupant. ¡°It¡¯s your slave husband¡¯s turn next, Leila,¡± he said, rising from his seat. ¡°Fight over! Next match!¡±

    ¡­

    Gideon shifted in his armor, feeling the heavy panels settle around his chest as he rolled his shoulders. Was if afternoon already? The sun seemed higher already than it had any right to be, and the heat rose up from the sand to meet the rays beating down through the city wards. The sand below his feet was coarse but loose, and dust hung over the arena, a film of powdery flecks covering the black greaves that protected his legs. Opposite him, a beast-woman was drawing her sword.

    ¡°How dare you carry that hammer,¡± the warrior said with a snarl.

    ¡°It belongs to me,¡± Gideon replied. ¡°Who else would carry it?¡±

    ¡°Anyone else!¡± The woman¡¯s ears twitched as she roared her response, and Gideon narrowed his eyes at her. A feline? Was she one of Leila¡¯s citizens, then? No, none of her people had left to join the adventurer¡¯s city, had they? Stellar had been popular with all the clans in any case, so there was no way to narrow it down¡­

    ¡°This hammer belonged to my mother,¡± Gideon said, gripping the long-handled weapon in both hands. ¡°Not my birth mother, but my mother nonetheless. And now this greatsword belongs to me. Stellar of the Light, I call your name!¡±

    The crowd roared as the giant blade of light materialized from the head of the hammer, Gideon¡¯s opponent swinging her short sword in response. Lowering his weapon, the former knight cast a glance towards where Leila sat looking down on him from Benvolio¡¯s private seats. He was thankful for her presence, but this was not something he was doing for her sake.

    ¡°Alright!¡± Benvolio waved his arms to catch the announcer¡¯s attention, the rodent-like man quieting down in response. ¡°Match start!¡±

    Gideon swung his sword out to prevent the beast-woman from closing the distance, taking a defensive stance as the feline warrior¡¯s charge was halted. For better or worse, strategy was not the strong point of the beast races. The clans preferred overwhelming strength to careful plans. Even Leila was the same, just as straightforward as her god but perhaps not as fickle.

    Catching the warrior¡¯s follow-up strike on the handle of his sword, Gideon struck out with the hilt, sliding his hands together to lend strength to his counter as the beast-woman stumbled back. Ducking under the shimmering blade, the furred swordsman charged into close quarters once more, sword swinging to cleave the human in two. Gideon bent his knees, lowering his torso to catch the blow on his breastplate. The piece of heavy armor absorbed the impact easily, and he swung his sword down in retaliation, forcing the warrior back once more. Was this the limit of the adventurers? He might have struggled had he fought this woman during his time at the church, but as he was now this much was almost beneath him.

    Gideon pushed back at his opponent, the beast-woman¡¯s heels digging into the dirt as she staggered away. Moving into a series of overhead chops, thrusts and unconventional thrusting slices, the former knight kept his foe off-balance while he shifted her around. Growling between dodges, the feline warrior disengaged from the exchange, leaping back and swinging her sword out in frustration.

    ¡°You did all that merely to turn me towards the sun?¡± the beast-woman asked, reaching her left hand up to shield her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s already noon. You¡¯re wasting your energy.¡±

    ¡°I have the advantage now,¡± Gideon replied. ¡°You do not.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Are you still troubled by our orders?¡± Sierra asked.

    ¡°Of course I am,¡± Cliff replied, leaning back against the brick wall. ¡°This is in violation of Saint Lucius¡¯ will, not to mention the laws of Manitas City itself.¡±

    ¡°While I agree that it would be wise not to anger the guild on their sovereign ground, I do not hold the same belief in that man as you.¡± Sierra leaned forwards to look through the arena bars, catching a glimpse of Lucius from where he sat below Benvolio¡¯s private seats. ¡°Is he really so trustworthy?¡±

    ¡°I believe so,¡± Cliff said. ¡°I know that other knights may hold offense to the way he and the others spoke of our lord god, but the gods of the other races are fickle beings. What is there to say ours is not the same? As knights, we can only serve.¡±

    ¡°Your logic escapes me,¡± Sierra replied. ¡°It is as if you¡¯re choosing to bet on Lucius and his Progress simply because the alternative is detestable. That is not faith.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Cliff said. ¡°It is not faith that drives me, it¡¯s loyalty. Loyalty to the church, to the Saint, to our god.¡±

    ¡°To our father?¡± Sierra asked.

    ¡°Not to that man,¡± Cliff replied, turning towards her. ¡°Never to that man.¡±

    ¡°What of his plans?¡± Sierra asked, stepping away from the bars and sitting down at the bench.

    ¡°His plans are sound,¡± Cliff said. ¡°He will no doubt be Pope before much longer. It is his heart that I question.¡±

    ¡°Do you fear we will become as he is?¡± Drawing up her legs, Sierra turned sideways on the bench and stretched herself out over the wood. ¡°Harsh and cold.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid we already are,¡± Cliff replied. ¡°Tomorrow will be just one more step on our journey.¡±

 Chapter Thirty-Nine

    ¡°Look, I brought you a present.¡± Diana kicked out at the landshark¡¯s corpse, her leather boot bouncing from its feathered head with a dull thump. ¡°Here, dinner¡¯s on me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m forever in your debt,¡± Christoph said with a flat look. Reaching down, he pulled the reptile¡¯s mouth open, ignoring the wide-eyed attendant as she let out a small gasp. ¡°You left the teeth in?¡±

    ¡°A-Ah yes,¡± the girl said, bowing her head. ¡°D- Lady Diana said you could help me remove them.¡±

    ¡°Did she now?¡± Frowning up at the elf, he reached down and carved the crystal fangs free, leaving the plain teeth alone. Tossing them over towards the tournament employee as he worked, he sighed as she shuffled uncomfortably on the clay.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± the young girl trailed off as he turned to look at her.

    ¡°Spit it out, child,¡± Diana said. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s hungry.¡±

    ¡°As you know,¡± the attendant said, ¡°the arena is providing this c-creature to you free of charge, but if it¡¯s possible, we¡¯d l-like to record your¡­ meal.¡±

    Christoph¡¯s frown returned as he looked up towards his companion. ¡°You set this up?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea what you mean!¡± Diana said, hair flinging out as turned away with a hurt expression.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I¡¯ll have to decline,¡± Christoph said to both women, carving into the landshark with his knife. ¡°Recorder crystals find it difficult to capture my image, in any case.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯ve exhausted every option,¡± Diana said, spinning back around towards him with a sigh. Crossing her arms, she shot a look towards the young woman standing nearby. ¡°You going to watch?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡± The attendant seemed unsure for a moment, her eyes widening further as Christoph wolfed down a strip of the reptile¡¯s meat. Shaking her head furiously, the guild worker bowed down once more before rushing off into the coliseum.

    ¡°I¡¯d thank you for the meal, but I¡¯m sure you have an ulterior motive in mind.¡± Christoph sat cross-legged before the landshark carcass, knife working over the monster as he chewed. ¡°Besides the recording, I mean. Well, what is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing you need to worry about,¡± Diana said. ¡°Benvolio let slip the reward for the tournament. While I was sworn to silence, I can say that it¡¯s something almost invaluable. You¡¯d better win.¡±

    ¡°Is it better than the dragon?¡± Christoph asked. Given his recent success, he contemplated leaving the city to hunt down more of the scaled beasts.

    ¡°Much better,¡± Diana replied. ¡°Just make sure you come to me before using it. It¡¯s something that¡¯d be easy to make mistakes with.¡±

    ¡°Sure thing,¡± Christoph said. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re still trying to monetize my eating. Don¡¯t I make enough in rewards and loot to cover my costs?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the point,¡± Diana replied. ¡°A record of a human eating a landshark? Such a violation of common sense would be worth a small fortune in the right hands.¡±

    Christoph grunted past his mouthful of crystalline scales. ¡°The exposure from the tournament is bad enough,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t need everyone on the continent to be able to recognize me by my face alone.¡±

    ¡°Good luck with that,¡± Diana said, grinning down at him. ¡°Your match tomorrow is against Gideon the Executioner, and if you continue on to win the tournament you¡¯ll be the talk of the guild for weeks.¡±

    ¡°Ugh.¡± Christoph made a face. ¡°I should have thrown it in the last match then, I guess. Well, it¡¯s too late now.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Now here¡¯s a face I¡¯ll never forget,¡± Gideon said, taking a stance on the sand-covered clay. ¡°I¡¯m glad you survived the tournament so far.¡±

    ¡°You sound like I was in danger,¡± Christoph said, looking around at the coliseum stands. ¡°Are you getting bored with this too, or is that just me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯s just you,¡± Gideon replied. ¡°Well, there might be one or two more contestants who share your thoughts.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡± Christoph blinked up at the morning sun, shielding his face with an arm as he searched through the crowd for Benvolio¡¯s box. Had he been sent through a different entrance this time? ¡°I¡¯m not really taking that much notice of the competition, though.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you this now, but I¡¯m not here for the prize.¡± Gideon drew his hammer from his back, raising it into the air to the announcer¡¯s delight.

    ¡°Rumors have it that these two men fought a duel once before!¡± The noisy man waited for the crowd¡¯s astonishment to die down before continuing. ¡°At that time, Gideon was serving as the Executioner of the Church of the Creator¡¯s Blessed, while Christoph was a newly branded heretic!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s getting it wrong,¡± Christoph said with a frown. ¡°A heretic?¡±

    ¡°The official story changed after you were recognized by the forest clans and the guild. I hear Saint Lucius in particular had something to do with it.¡± The former knight gave his hammer a practice swing, adjusting his armor before the match began.

    ¡°Remind me to thank him,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°Actually I¡¯m still not quite sure if he¡¯s my enemy or not. First, he saved me, then, he tries to kill me, then he helps me again¡­¡±

    ¡°Lucius seeks to avoid unnecessary conflict,¡± Gideon said. ¡°Although he¡¯s not opposed to using force when need be.¡±

    ¡°Okay go!¡± Benvolio almost leaped from his seat as he yelled, bringing the announcer to a halt as Christoph drew his blade, Gideon following suit.

    ¡°So impatient,¡± Christoph said with a shake of his head. ¡°Can¡¯t we just talk about this?¡±

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t take me so lightly,¡± Gideon said, swinging out his sword. ¡°I¡¯m no longer the same person you fought in the past.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°So this is the big match-up between your companions,¡± Benvolio said with a grin. ¡°Are you excited?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± Diana said. Leaning back in her seat, she turned towards where Leila sat staring down into the arena. ¡°You know this isn¡¯t going to end well for your little pet, right?¡±

    ¡°Shut your mouth, whore.¡± Leila didn¡¯t even bother to return Diana¡¯s look, a single ear swivelling towards the elf as she spoke. ¡°It¡¯ll be your turn soon.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve hurt my feelings.¡± Diana¡¯s wounded expression was wasted on the preoccupied beast-woman, and she straightened in her seat with a frown. ¡°To think I¡¯d hear such words from the head of a beast clan of all people.¡±

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    ¡°Bastias should have dropped you off with the wolves,¡± Leila said. ¡°Although a litter of pups is more than you deserve.¡±

    ¡°See?¡± Diana said, tapping Roethus on the arm. ¡°It¡¯s a given that her people would lay with anyone who sets foot in their territory, and somehow I¡¯m the whore here?¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡± Roethus opened and closed his mouth several times, but didn¡¯t reply.

    ¡°I meant actual wolves,¡± Leila said with a snarl, turning to bare her teeth at the elf in a wicked grin.

    ¡°Oi.¡± Diana¡¯s face went expressionless as she stared back at the beast-woman. ¡°Mind your tongue, little girl.¡±

    ¡°Anyway,¡± Roethus said, glancing over to where Benvolio had begun to frown. ¡°You said Gideon would have trouble with this match, Diana?¡±

    ¡°That much is obvious,¡± Diana said. ¡°That man is used to fighting cautiously. Taking the high ground, wearing down his opponent until he can go in for the sure kill.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t work with Christoph!¡± Benvolio said, looking up at her. ¡°What¡¯ll he do?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll fight,¡± Leila said, cutting off Diana¡¯s own reply. ¡°My Gideon won¡¯t lose to such useless trash as my little sister¡¯s slave.¡±

    ¡­

    Christoph grunted as he caught Gideon¡¯s strike on his sword, throwing the blade of light aside just in time to dodge the knight¡¯s follow-up kick. Slashing out at Gideon¡¯s armored leg, he stepped forward as the knight retreated, pushing Gideon onto the defensive for a moment before backing away again.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to try harder than that,¡± Christoph said. ¡°I know you were watching my match yesterday. A kick, was it ¨C are you going to try take me down like that too?¡±

    Gideon responded with a sweeping diagonal slash, his blade leaping forwards as he loosened his grip on the handle. Stepping backwards to avoid the blow, Christoph ducked away as the greatsword seemed to grow in length, the shimmering blade passing over his head to cleave a furrow out of the sandy arena floor. What had just happened? Gideon had let the his hands slide down to the end of his weapon¡¯s handle, but even so¡­

    ¡°So yours can change length too, then?¡± Christoph asked. ¡°I had this thought the first time we met, but it really is unfair when you¡¯re on the other end of that technique.¡±

    Shortening his blade, Christoph gripped the handle with both hands. The crystal might be physically attached to the bones of his left hand, but it quickly became unwieldy as the length increased. For now, he¡¯d reduce the length so his opponent wouldn¡¯t be able to judge his reach, letting it grow with each attack. Darting forwards, Christoph met Gideon¡¯s blade with his own, the two swords flashing around each other in a dazzling display of coloured lights.

    ¡°You¡¯re good at this,¡± Christoph said. The knight wasted no movement, making the most efficient actions in the most optimal speeds. He might not have the raw strength of Christoph or the beast races, but his weapon, his skills and his fighting spirit allowed him to level the field. Last time they¡¯d fought, Gideon¡¯s mana had been on par with that of a human, but now his body was clad in the aura of a beast-warrior. He¡¯d heard that the Executioner had been made into one of Leila¡¯s slaves, but what had caused this change?

    Alternating between attacking and defending, Christoph let the duel play out for a while. His opponent was almost defensive to a fault, and he couldn¡¯t get a good feel for Gideon¡¯s true strength as a result. Closing the distance, Christoph moved into a series of rapid one-handed thrusts with a shortened blade. If he could push the knight into a reckless counter, then-

    Christoph¡¯s attacks were brought to a halt as Gideon¡¯s greatsword slammed into his chest, the blade sliding in over his ribs until it had reached his sternum and spine. Bouncing off of the massive sword, Christoph stumbled backwards with a spray of blood. Dodging Gideon¡¯s next thrust, he was too slow to deflect the knight¡¯s following horizontal slash. Catching the massive blade on his right forearm, he let the knight launch him away across the sand.

    ¡°Crystal bones?¡± Gideon made a face as he swung the blood from his sword. ¡°I¡¯d hoped to finish this duel with that attack.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t fuck with me,¡± Christoph said, blood pouring from his mouth as his wound began to close. He swayed as his hunger soared, a massive amount of mana being used to repair the damage Gideon had caused. Even something like a pierced heart was child¡¯s play compared to this. ¡°You nearly cut me in half.¡±

    ¡°That was my intention,¡± Gideon replied. ¡°I¡¯m confident that not even the guild could save you then.¡±

    That bastard! Christoph glanced down to where the bones of right hand lay exposed to the dust-filled air. Gideon¡¯s attack had severed all the way through his flesh, and the entire top of his forearm had been sliced clean off as he turned the blade away. His wrist hung uselessly, and he snarled as the knight stepped over the chunk of flesh that lay on the arena floor. So he had been aiming at Christoph¡¯s life from the beginning? If he attacked him now¡­

    ¡°Is this how the church handles their business?¡± Christoph asked through his clenched teeth. ¡°Or is this Lucius¡¯ doing?¡±

    ¡°The saint disapproves of my actions, I¡¯m sure,¡± Gideon said, striding over the sand towards him. ¡°Do you have any last words?¡±

    ¡°Go fuck yourself.¡± Christoph hissed as he spoke, blood bubbling out from between his teeth. Retracting his sword, he urged the crystal to flow up over his arm until it had sealed his wound. He couldn¡¯t move his wrist, but the makeshift cast would still serve well as a gauntlet of sorts. ¡°Should¡¯ve finished you off back in the Paw.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s unfortunate that it came to this,¡± Gideon said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Rushing forwards, he deflected Gideon¡¯s attack with his right arm, the blade of light sliding dangerously close to his vulnerable elbow before the knight kicked him away. Leaping back towards him, Christoph kept the knight on the defensive for a moment before Gideon smashed his guard wide open, the greatsword gleaming as it prepared to cleave though his unprotected neck.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry too.¡± Christoph grinned up at the knight as a sword appeared in his left hand, the crystal blade flowing up to pierce into Gideon¡¯s torso with a dull thud. ¡°It really is cheating, isn¡¯t it?¡±

 Chapter Forty

    ¡°Gideon?¡± Leila ears jerked upright as she stood, furred hands gripping tightly at the box¡¯s wooden railing.

    ¡°Lord Leila, please calm down,¡± Roethus said. ¡°The medics will-¡±

    ¡°Ah, he got him,¡± Diana said with a wince. ¡°Defeated twice with the same attack¡­ that¡¯s gotta hurt.¡±

    ¡°Gideon!¡± Ignoring Roethus¡¯ words, Leila leaped over the timber and down into the crowd below. Smashing the hapless onlookers aside, the beast-woman burst her way through the arena wards and rushed to Gideon¡¯s side.

    ¡°Match over!¡± Benvolio said suddenly. ¡°So short¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, my lord.¡± Roethus waved his hand, motioning the medics out of the arena with Gideon as they began to cast their magic. ¡°I¡¯m sure the next match will be better.¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± Diana said, pointing down to where Leila had lifted the former knight¡¯s greatsword from the sand. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we be doing something about that?¡±

    ¡°Wait a moment,¡± Benvolio said. Leaning forwards, he clapped his hands as the beast-woman began to chase Christoph around the arena floor. ¡°She¡¯s strong! Do you really think you can beat her?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Diana said with a frown. ¡°For now, can you please stop her from killing my companion?¡±

    ¡°No way!¡± Benvolio¡¯s chains jangled as he shook his head. ¡°Look at that! Look at him running around. Look at¡­ she really does have large breasts, doesn¡¯t she?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Diana replied. ¡°I wonder if it hurt when they bounce like that.¡±

    ¡°My lord¡­¡± Roethus made a pained expression as he bowed his head. ¡°Please stop Lord Leila from killing the contestants.¡±

    ¡°Fine, fine,¡± Benvolio said. Waving his hand, he sighed as Leila was lifted into the air, sword still swinging. ¡°There. When¡¯s the next match starting up?¡±

    ¡­

    Christoph collapsed onto the sand, throwing himself to the side as the gigantic greatsword spun past him to pierce into the arena floor. Falling onto his back, he closed his eyes, letting his weapons flow back through his arms and into his body. The wounds he¡¯d taken during the match throbbed painfully as they closed, and he clenched his left fist as the tendons of his right arm slowly regrew. If he didn¡¯t eat something soon-

    ¡°Here.¡± A small weight forced the air from his lungs as Diana appeared above him, the bag she¡¯d dropped spreading warmth throughout his chest. ¡°I see you got to meet with lord furball after all.¡±

    ¡°Crystals?¡± he asked, sitting up with a wince. ¡°I need to eat some actual food this time.¡±

    ¡°No, I eat actual food,¡± Diana replied. ¡°You eat landsharks and dragons.¡±

    ¡°Whatever.¡± Christoph shoved a handful of the small crystals into his mouth, swallowing the majority of them whole. ¡°Monster meat tastes better, and it¡¯s cheaper. Works better, too.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well the arena doesn¡¯t exactly kill off a landshark every night,¡± Diana said, turning away from him. ¡°Now get up, the next match is starting.¡±

    Rolling onto front, Christoph pushed himself to his feet with his left hand. Swiping the sack of crystals from the sand, he stumbled away in pursuit of the elven woman. Ignoring the itching of his right arm, he hooked the sack into his belt before changing course to retrieve the missing chunk of his forearm. How long would it take his arm to heal, anyway?

    ¡°Are you going to eat that?¡± Diana asked, leading him towards the barred gates.

    ¡°I might,¡± he replied. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t covered in sand, I might try sticking it back together. Regular cuts or stab wounds usually heal much faster than this.¡±

    ¡°You rely on your regeneration too much,¡± Diana said with a frown. Opening the door, she pushed him into the brick-walled room beyond. The murmuring roars of the crowd dropped away as they moved under the stands, the arena wards appearing behind them to seal the crowd off from the fighters below.  ¡°A set of armor wouldn¡¯t kill you, you know?¡±

    ¡°Yeah yeah,¡± Christoph said, slumping down heavily on the wooden benches set up against the opposite wall. Shifting around, he made sure he could still see most of the arena through the bars of the massive gate. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not going off to the Merry brothers to buy some now. I have to watch this match.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t been staying the whole day, have you?¡± Diana asked. ¡°Did you even watch all of yesterday¡¯s matches?¡±

    ¡°No way,¡± he said. ¡°Actually I¡¯m not even sure who the other semi-finalists are.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t even been keeping up with the brackets?¡± Diana sighed as she sat down next to him. ¡°It¡¯s been a rout. The best of the gold rankers are out on quests, of course, but even so three out of four finalists are Benvolio¡¯s ¡®guests¡¯ and the other is you¡­¡±

    ¡°Benvolio¡¯s guests?¡± Christoph asked, watching his arm slowly heal as he worked his way through the sack of gems. ¡°Where are they from?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re from the church,¡± Diana said as Cliff and Sierra made their way out onto the sand. ¡°I assumed you already knew.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°I was surprised to see you here.¡± Lucius tilted his head as he looked down at the pale knight, glasses glinting in the strips of morning light that leaked through the barred gates. ¡°Are you well?¡±

    ¡°I am,¡± Gideon replied from where he sat. ¡°The forest is where I belong.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have no intention of trying to ¡®rescue¡¯ you,¡± Lucius said, ¡°I was just curious as to your motivation for this incident. One final order from the church, is it? I¡¯m glad you weren¡¯t doing this out of a desire for revenge.¡±

    ¡°Your gift is as accurate as ever.¡± Gideon forced himself to his feet, making his way across the room to the barred gates. Identical rooms were set up in a circle around the stadium, so he couldn¡¯t be sure of where Christoph was at the moment¡­ was he watching the match?

    ¡°Christoph is with his companion on the other side of the arena,¡± Lucius said, joining the former knight by the bars. ¡°He appears to be surprised to see Cliff and Sierra.¡±

    ¡°¡±What a carefree man.¡± Gideon grumbled as he spoke, reaching a hand up to pat at where his wound had been. ¡°Can you see what the siblings have planned?¡±

    ¡°I can,¡± Lucius said. ¡°I¡¯d say they have a fair chance of success.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm¡­ I¡¯m not sure if I should be glad or not,¡± Gideon said. ¡°The archbishop is taking his schemes too far this time.¡±

    ¡°Ah, here she goes.¡± Lucius gestured towards the sand as Sierra threw down her staff, her sword following close behind. ¡°I can¡¯t say I approve of her forfeit. It might be a sound tactical decision, but Lord Benvolio will certainly be displeased.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no business of mine anymore,¡± Gideon replied, turning away from the younger man. ¡°I should go. Leila will be waiting.¡±

    ¡°Be well,¡± Lucius said, nodding his head in a short bow. ¡°Stay safe.¡±

    ¡­

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    ¡°She forfeit?!¡± Benvolio dropped his goblet of chilled wine, bright red liquid splashing out over Roethus¡¯ legs. ¡°She can¡¯t do that!¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re siblings, my lord,¡± Roethus replied. ¡°It¡¯s understandable that they wouldn¡¯t want to continue the battles.¡±

    ¡°I fight with my family all the time!¡± Benvolio said, golden chains clanking as he beat at the railing. ¡°Can¡¯t they just have this one duel?¡±

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t force your citizens into battle,¡± Leila said, lifting her feet to avoid the puddle of wine. ¡°Battle is something that should stir the blood.¡±

    ¡°Those two aren¡¯t my citizens, though,¡± Benvolio said, eyebrows lowering into a frown. ¡°Where¡¯s Diana, anyway?¡±

    ¡°She went to see her companion,¡± Leila replied. ¡°As I would have done, had you not dragged me back to this place.¡±

    ¡°You attacked a contestant, Lord Leila,¡± Roethus said. ¡°We would have gladly allowed you to see to your companion otherwise.¡±

    ¡°That man¡¯s life is property of my family in any case.¡± Leila rested her heels on the wooden railing, leaning back against her luxuriously cushioned seat. ¡°My sister might not approve of my actions, but-¡±

    ¡°Your sister isn¡¯t here,¡± Roethus said. ¡°But Lord Benvolio is, and he¡¯d appreciate it if you obeyed his rules.¡±

    Benvolio nodded in approval of the guild master¡¯s words, stretching his legs in imitation of the beast woman. Kicking out, he frowned as he realized he wouldn¡¯t be able to reach the railing from where he sat. Leaning forwards he looked down at the wine-soaked floorboards, glancing back up at the distant railing before turning towards Roethus.

    ¡°I would prefer if you didn¡¯t move your furniture about,¡± Roethus said. ¡°Please maintain your composure in public, my lord.¡±

    ¡°She has to do it too, then!¡± Benvolio said, frowning over at where Leila¡¯s furred limbs were on full display. ¡°It¡¯s not fair¡­ why does she get to be so tall?¡±

    ¡­

    Christoph grinded his teeth as he made his way back out onto the sand. Those two had been here the whole time? Why hadn¡¯t he seen them during the opening ceremony? No, he recalled seeing two people already standing in the arena when he¡¯d arrived, but he¡¯d assumed they had simply been impatient¡­ If he¡¯d just stayed behind for one more match yesterday, he would have seen one of them fighting! Sierra forfeiting meant he didn¡¯t even get to observe one of their duels, and now he was being forced back into the arena so soon¡­

    ¡°Hello,¡± Cliff said with a nod. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you well.¡±

    ¡°Fuck off,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°Did the two of you come here with the Executioner?¡± If they were after revenge, Cliff would definitely try to kill him in the next match as well. Was poison allowed in the duels? No, he couldn¡¯t expect a glorified assassin to play by the rules. He¡¯d have to be careful to avoid all of Cliff¡¯s arrows during the fight.

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Cliff said. ¡°We came here with Saint Lucius. What Sir Gideon chooses to do has nothing to do with us or the church any more.¡±

    ¡°You still call him Sir Gideon, though.¡± Christoph grimaced as he took in the adventurer¡¯s appearance. Leather armor, a short bow, and now a sword? Had he purchased one for the purpose of the duels? An archer would usually be protected from close combat by his party members, but this was a different matter.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t come here to chat with you,¡± Cliff said, checking over his bow and pulling his sword an inch from its scabbard before letting it fall back down. ¡°Christoph Smith, I, Cliff of the Creator¡¯s Blessed, challenge you to a duel! In return for ending Henry¡¯s life, I will send you screaming to back to Tempter.¡±

    ¡°I accept,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to get around to visiting him some day. I hear the demon realm is nice this time of year. Unlike Lucius and the other two, I never did get to meet any gods on my way here.¡±

    ¡°Fight!¡± Benvolio rose up from his chair to begin the match, turning to look at Roethus with an expression of regret as wine splashed up over his feet.

    Cliff loosed his first arrow before Benvolio¡¯s voice had finished echoing throughout the coliseum, the feathered shaft soaring over the sand as Christoph dodged to the side. Nocking another, he began to release the projectiles in rapid succession. Both the strength and accuracy of his individual attacks suffered from his haste, but the  barrage of missiles was successful in forcing his opponent back across the sand.

    ¡°I was wondering how an archer would fight in a duel,¡± Christoph said. ¡°You¡¯re just like that mage. Jericho, was it?¡±

    ¡°Save it,¡± Cliff said. ¡°Unlike you, I was watching all three of your matches. I¡¯ve seen how you fight.¡± Nocking two shafts, he took aim and let loose.

    Christoph twitched as the arrows flashed towards him, suppressing his urge to dive to the side. The arrows weren¡¯t on course to hit him in the first place, so if he stood still¡­ No, a crackling thread of mana connected the two arrowheads as they approached. A spell! Ducking under the attack, Christoph leaped away as his opponent¡¯s third arrow sped through the air.

    ¡°That was close,¡± Christoph said. ¡°I almost missed that little trick of yours.¡±

    ¡°Tch.¡± Cliff clicked his tongue, breath hissing out at Christoph¡¯s words.¡±Stay still, I¡¯ll make this fast.¡±

    Christoph grinned at the adventurer¡¯s frustration, glancing down at Cliff¡¯s bow. One arrow nocked, the quiver at his side still seemingly full¡­ was he using teleportation magic to retrieve his spent projectiles? So much for the sacred magic of the gods. In that case, there was no point in waiting for him to run out of ammunition.

    Taking a step forwards, Christoph widened his sword¡¯s blade. His opponent had already seen his entire arsenal of tricks, so there was no use hiding them now. Dashing past Cliff¡¯s next arrow, he sprinted across the sand towards the bowman. Although they¡¯d began the match a scant five meters apart, he¡¯d been pushed backwards until more than ten meters separated them.

    Cliff¡¯s next missile narrowly missed him as he approached, and the adventurer¡¯s third arrow was nocked and ready by the time he was a mere two meters away. Christoph¡¯s crystal blade blurred as it swept through the projectile, the wooden shaft splitting mid-air as Cliff tried to dodge away from his attack. A burst of mana surged out over the arena, and Christoph¡¯s eyes widened as his abdomen exploded with pain. Twisting his sword in Christoph¡¯s stomach, Cliff sawed his blade around in an arc.

    ¡°You should be wary of appearances,¡± the knight said as half of Christoph¡¯s guts slid free to the sand below. ¡°Being skilled with a bow doesn¡¯t make me an archer. As a member of the Creator¡¯s Blessed, my weapon is the sword, just like my sister¡¯s is.¡±

 Chapter Forty-One

    Christoph screamed with each swing of his twin swords, blood spraying out of his wounds in mimicry of the arcs made by his crystal blades. Closing both hands around his own weapon, Cliff shifted backwards across the sand as he parried the sudden rush of attacks.

    ¡°Did that hurt?¡± Cliff asked. ¡°I might not be able to do much about your bones, but the stomach really is fragile, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Christoph roared in reply, stepping onto the offensive as the knight spoke. A high slash, low slash, a thrust followed by a double sweeping attack, Cliff avoided them all. Although he hadn¡¯t been expecting his opponent to be so proficient fighting with two weapons, this much was still nothing. Christoph¡¯s lunges were sloppy, his footwork excessive without consideration for the terrain, and his aim poor. The Archbishop would have had him ejected from the compound for such a display.

    ¡°I¡¯m almost disappointed,¡± Cliff said, slashing into Christoph¡¯s leg before stepping back out of range.

    ¡°Fuck you,¡± Christoph replied. His stomach wound had healed closed, but his organs had yet to repair- no, regrow. The knight¡¯s attack hadn¡¯t damaged his heart or lungs, but the wound had been grievous nonetheless. Hunching over as his muscles began to string back together, Christoph tried to ignore the mixture of hunger and pain that blossomed through his being.

    Ducking under the knight¡¯s next swing, his retaliation was swatted aside by the flash of a longsword. Had Cliff always been so strong? The adventurer¡¯s aura was on par with Gideon¡¯s, and his skill with the sword perhaps higher still. To have achieved such power with the bow in addition to that, just what kind of people were those siblings? Christoph gritted his teeth as the wound in his leg began to heal over. The adventurer¡¯s weapons didn¡¯t seem to be poisoned, but he still couldn¡¯t be sure.

    Darting forwards, Cliff aimed a near-vertical slash at Christoph from above. When that was parried, he kicked out at the wounded man¡¯s leg, switching to a two-handed diagonal slash when that failed as well. Christoph winced as he caught the blow on his crossed blades, sliding backwards through the sand for a moment before buckling under the weight.

    ¡­

    ¡°This was the archbishop¡¯s order, then?¡± Lucius extended his feet down the stair-like seats, leaning backwards to stretch his arms out over the empty spaces to his sides. Above him, he could see Lord Benvolio leaning forwards over the walls of his spectator¡¯s box.

    ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Sierra replied.¡±It sits poorly with our father that this man remains alive.¡±

    ¡°While I can understand his motives, I do wish he would let me know next time,¡¯ Lucius said ¡°If the Lord takes offense to our actions, we might end up with a troublesome debt on our hands.¡±

    ¡°Could you not glean the plans from looking into our thoughts?¡± Sierra asked.

    ¡°I could,¡± the young man replied, ¡°but I have chosen not to out of concern for your privacy.¡±

    ¡°We are your guards in this expedition,¡± Sierra said. ¡°Putting such worries above the mission is unwise. Father most likely did not consider this a possibility, and I apologize for our apparent secrecy.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Lucius gestured down to where Cliff was fighting below. ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about your brother?¡±

    ¡°Not at all,¡± Sierra replied. ¡°Cliff is well above the league of that man. I have seen only three people in this entire city that could surpass his strength.¡±

    Lucius glanced up behind him, seeing a pair of furred feet protruding over the short wall of Benvolio¡¯s private seats. ¡°You should be wary,¡± he said. ¡°Those three might be special indeed, but there are many others here who could still pose a threat to you and Cliff.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°That¡¯s enough of that, I think,¡± Cliff said, stepping back to adjust his grip on his sword. ¡°It¡¯s time to finish this farce.¡±

    Christoph responded by absorbing one of his swords, thickening his right-hand blade into a two-handed weapon. His stomach had still not recovered, and a score of additional wounds marked his skin, but he had no time to take a break. The clothes he¡¯d bought dripped heavily with blood, and his entire body beneath his neck was stained bright red in the late morning sun. If he couldn¡¯t keep Cliff¡¯s blade at bay then the only option was to change his tactics. With this weapon, even one attack would be enough to end this duel.

    It was Cliff who moved to engage Christoph first, their swords clashing with enough force to leave ripples in the sand below. Preparing to deflect the knight¡¯s follow-up swing, Christoph flinched as mana poured into the steel blade, flames bursting into life a mere foot from his face. The attack forced him backwards, his movement stunted by the absence of half his abdominal muscles.

    Cliff grinned as he forced his target into a retreat, the flaming sword sweeping around in brilliant arcs as he pressed his advantage. With each blow, he felt his sword pushing closer to Christoph¡¯s flesh, his enemy falling further off-balance. Increasing the weight of his attacks, he advanced on the man before him, ignoring the heat of the blade he swung. He would not waste his mana by shielding himself from such insignificant warmth.

    ¡°Jesus Christ!¡± Christoph gathered his strength, forcing the adventurer to a halt as he beat the fire-clad sword aside. ¡°A flaming sword? Give me a break!¡±

    Mustering his last reserves of mana, he felt the energy flowing into his blade as the inscriptions appeared in the surface of the crystal. If that bastard bowman wanted to play with enchantments, he could do the same. Reducing his blade back to the normal size, Christoph began his counter-attack.

    Dodging back from the first strike, Cliff was forced backwards as a stream of mana slashed out from the tip of Christoph¡¯s sword. An air attack? No, this was unchanneled mana! The flames on his sword disappeared as he shifted his energy to defense, a ward appearing to absorb the attack. Even if his opponent mixed magic into his attacks, he was well-trained enough to nullify something of that level. Focusing on Christoph¡¯s sword, he resolved to ignore the enchantment altogether.

    Making his decision, Cliff felt his heat skip a beat when his ward shattered at the touch of Christoph¡¯s crystal blade. That mana shield should have only tried to withstand the enchantment, not the blade itself! Parrying the weapon aside, he stopped the attack just before the slash of magic would have bitten into his arm. He¡¯d set it up to defend against magical attacks only, so why¡­ did Christoph¡¯s sword itself hold enough mana to trigger the shield? If so, it¡¯d be a waste of energy trying to reinforce the wards until they could withstand the pressure of his blows.

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    Christoph poured his strength into his attacks, forcing the knight back towards his side of the arena. Instead of following immediately, he levelled a flurry of strikes at his enemy from a distance. Realizing that he was no longer close enough to parry the blade, Cliff dodged backwards, pulling his wards back up as best he could.

    Leaping after the retreating adventurer, Christoph drew his other sword, steadily increasing the force of his strikes. His mouth threatened to split into a grin as several of his attacks finally landed, but almost at the same time he realized his mistake. Screaming once more, he brought his swords together into one massive blade before Cliff could form a counter. Catching the blow on his sword before it could strike true, the knight was launched across the sand.

    Leaping to his feet, Cliff prepared to receive Christoph¡¯s next attack, but nothing came. Instead, the wounded man swayed on his feet, sword retracting into his arms as he began to fall. He was spent?! Sprinting across the gap, Cliff took aim at his opponent¡¯s neck. If the match was allowed to end with Christoph¡¯s collapse, he would fail his mission. Even if his target did possess crystal bones, it should be possible to sever his head if he was careful enough¡­ Reaching his target, Cliff began to swing his sword. Lord Benvolio would no doubt be displeased by his actions, but that wasn¡¯t something that could be helped at this point. Cliff¡¯s blade swung true, slashing through the air to collide against an impenetrable ward with a flash of mana.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Benvolio¡¯s voice held the soft tone of disappointment, but was still loud enough to echo out over the coliseum stands. ¡°Match over!¡±

    ¡­

    Leila grimaced down at the wine that had soaked into her fur-covered feet, flicking her legs off before dropping them back down into the puddle with a sigh. ¡°Hey,¡± she said to the elf beside her. ¡°Can¡¯t you do something about this mess?¡±

    Diana glanced down to where a circular patch of dry wood had formed around her chair. Shifting her eyes to where Roethus and Benvolio enjoyed similar dryness, she smiled up towards the beast-woman. ¡°I have no idea what you mean,¡± she said. ¡°What mess?¡±

    ¡°Where did all this wine come from anyway?¡± Gideon asked, leaning around Leila and Diana to look over the contents of the box. Almost a small balcony of sorts, there didn¡¯t seem to be anything there besides chairs. ¡°Did someone break a barrel?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an enchanted cup,¡± Roethus said. ¡°It¡­ appears to have spilled.¡±

    ¡°Shhh,¡± Benvolio said. ¡°Look, he has two swords again.¡±

    ¡°Ah, he¡¯s just throwing his mana around without even thinking,¡± Diana said. ¡°Always so reckless.¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡± Benvolio rose from his seat, bouncing excitedly with his hands on the railing. ¡°He put his swords together! It¡¯s a big one now!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s finished,¡± Leila said. ¡°What a waste of energy.¡±

    ¡°Eh¡­¡± Benvolio frowned down at the contestants before letting out a sigh. Waving his hand, he stopped Cliff¡¯s final attack. ¡°Okay! Match over!¡±

    ¡°Well that went about as I had expected,¡± Diana said, slumping forwards to lean her forehead against the railing. To think he¡¯d wasted so much time working on those enchantments instead of just researching his opponents¡­

    ¡°Off the railing!¡± Benvolio said, shoving the elven woman aside. Shrieking as she fell, Diana flailed out before landing bodily in the puddle of wine surrounding Leila¡¯s chair. If he couldn¡¯t rest his legs on the wooden rail, nobody could.

    ¡°Ah.¡± Lifting her legs, the beast lord splashed her feet down into the puddle, covering the elf¡¯s face in crimson liquid. ¡°That¡¯s a good look for you,¡± she said. ¡°Too bad it¡¯s just wine though.¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± Diana said, sitting up to glare over to where Benvolio stood wide-eyed before his seat. ¡°I get to kill this tramp now, right?¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Finally awake?¡± Lucius raised an eyebrow as Christoph frowned up at him from the bench. ¡°The staff dragged you over here and ran off somewhere else. They did the same to Gideon too, actually. Is that just regular procedure?¡±

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Christoph asked, rolling half off the wooden seat to spit out a mouthful of blood. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you had a hand in all this?¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Lucius replied. ¡°It seems as though Archbishop Kale is calling for your death.¡±

    ¡°So, what do you want then?¡± Leaning against the cold bricks of the stadium wall, Christoph pulled himself into a sitting position. He was in one of the rooms under the coliseum seating again, stripes of sunlight streaming in through the barred gate.

    ¡°I came to apologize.¡± The high schooler bowed his head to the older man, glasses glinted as he moved. ¡°My subordinates have caused you harm.¡±

    ¡°Apologies are cheap,¡± Christoph said with a glare. ¡°Aren¡¯t you some sort of saint? Couldn¡¯t you just read their minds and find out what they were planning?¡±

    ¡°Why does everyone assume I just go around reading everyone¡¯s mind?¡± Lucius asked, tilting his head to the side. ¡°Is that what you would do?¡±

    ¡°You really going to ask me that while you¡¯re reading my mind?¡± Christoph gave the young man a flat look.

    ¡°This is different,¡± Lucius said, waving his hands innocently. ¡°I¡¯m just checking what¡­ oh, Liam really did a lot of work on you, huh?¡±

    ¡°How much can you see?¡± Christoph asked. ¡°If you can point out the changes, I¡¯ll forgive your little knights this time.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± The young saint paused for a moment. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s a deal.¡± Tilting his head again, Lucius leaned forwards until he was making eye contact from an uncomfortably short distance away.

    ¡°Is this necessary?¡± Stifling his displeasure, Christoph returned his gaze.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Lucius replied. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ he hid your past, and your memories of the other world¡­ He implanted knowledge about this world to replace it, and he seems to have meddled with your memories of Emilia?¡±

    Turning away, Christoph shuddered at the mention of the beast-woman. ¡°Is there any way to undo the changes?¡±

    ¡°No idea,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Liam could, I suppose.¡±

    ¡°Can you see why he changed my memories of the village?¡± Christoph asked. ¡°Did he not want me to return?¡±

    ¡°Who knows?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°Maybe he didn¡¯t want you wasting the time that Progress had given you.¡±

    ¡°Progress?¡± Christoph shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve never even met the god.¡±

    ¡°Serve whom you wish, but serve.¡± Lucius looked up at where two figures had appeared in the center of the arena. ¡°You will not get far in this world without the strength of a god. Your partner knows this well.¡±

 Chapter Forty-Two

    ¡°Good afternoon!¡± The announcer¡¯s voice carried easily over the coliseum, and the crowd shuffled eagerly. ¡°On this, the third day of the tournament, Cliff of the Creator¡¯s Blessed was found to be the strongest warrior in Manitas City under the rank of platinum! As the event comes to a conclusion, there is but one fight remaining!¡±

    Sweeping his arms wide, the man gestured towards the two women in front of him. ¡°This is the event you have all been waiting for! Diana the Researcher versus Leila of the Greater Paw! Who will win?¡±

    ¡°A tad overdone, isn¡¯t it?¡± Diana looked around the arena, frowning up at the shifty-looking man on the platform above. ¡°I really wish they¡¯d drop the ¡®researcher¡¯ title already.¡±

    ¡°Also known as Diana the Exile,¡± the announcer continued, ¡°she was banished from the fae lands nearly a century ago for daring to study the cultures of the ¡®lesser¡¯ races.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s just insensitive,¡± Diana said. ¡°How about ¡®Diana the Dragonslayer¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Somehow retaining the blessing of the elf god Militia, she swept her way through the plains, striking fear into the hearts of every pirate captain in her service to the city!¡± The announcer paused to let the crowd¡¯s roaring die down. Rather than excitement, many of those present still wished to express their anger at the elven woman¡¯s actions. ¡°Accepting a dragon subjugation request, she left the city five years ago, and had not returned until now, aiding the gold-ranked Crystal Eater as he slayed the dragon of the sand pits to the north!¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound nearly so impressive when you say it like that,¡± Diana said with a frown. ¡°They sung songs about my adventures back then, you know?¡±

    ¡°Her opponent ¨C Leila, Lord of the Greater Paw!¡± The announcer ignored the elf¡¯s muttered words, turning towards the second woman instead. ¡°Daughter of Saint Stellar of the Light, she rules over the feline clans with the blessing of the beast god Bastias!¡±

    The beast-warriors in the crowd erupted into roars of approval, the general population following soon behind. Adventurers were a people who respected strength before all else, and even though Manitas was a trading hub, the regular citizens were not too different from the guild-members at all.

    ¡°Rising to become the ruler of the forest following the death of her mother, she has led her people in year after year of prosperity and safety. Her lands are, in fact, so secure that the guild has not received a request from the Greater Paw since she took to her throne.¡±

    ¡°How boring.¡± Diana glanced over to where Leila stood nearby. The beast-woman had crossed her arms in impatience, her ears flicking around each time the announcer spoke. Grinning in sudden inspiration, Diana drew her hands together in a single loud clap, laughing as Leila¡¯s ears jumped to follow the sound.

    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Benvolio said from his position in the stands. ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡±

    Gathering her mana, Diana summoned forth her wards and readied her spells with a grin. An air shield to halt physical attacks, reinforced by a layer of sand that would arrest any movement at all. Her body flooded with energy as she summoned her aura, the fighting spirit of a warrior allowing her limbs to move faster and strike harder, and most importantly inflict greater amounts of damage. Heating the ground below, she swirled the sand into the air in a maelstrom of flame.

    In the time it had taken Leila to pick up the hammer her mother had gifted to Gideon, Diana had erected a series of defenses designed to keep the beast-woman at arms length. Leila¡¯s answer to that was simple. Blazing with energy of her own, the warrior activated her weapon¡¯s shimmering blade and charged directly towards the mage¡¯s spells. Passing the net of suspended sand in an instant, her fur bristled as she forced her way through the layers of magic.

    Leaping backwards, Diana narrowly avoided the massive blade as it sliced out over the distance. She¡¯d overcome the barriers with her aura alone? Rising into the air, the elf stretched a hand out toward her opponent, channeling her mana down into the clay below. Leila hissed as she sank into the ground, disrupting Diana¡¯s control of the land with a burst of energy and a stomp of her foot. Smashing down the spikes of rock that rose from the loose earth around her, the beast-woman glared up towards the floating elf.

    ¡°Get down here,¡± Leila said, hands twisting around her borrowed weapon.

    ¡°How brutal,¡± Diana replied. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I do want to come play with you down th-¡±

    Her reply was cut short as a chunk of stone slammed into her wards, pausing before it fell to the ground. A barrage of rocks followed, and Diana grimaced in distaste, sweeping the rocks from the air as they flew. Leila¡¯s blade was not brushed aside so easily as she launched herself from the ground, cleaving through Diana¡¯s magic and passing over her head as the elf ducked backwards. Falling to the ground with her opponent, she blasted the beast-warrior away before rising to her feet, lightning crackling from her lithe form. Drifting slowly in the enclosed air of the arena, strands of blonde hair sprinkled down over the sand.

    ¡°How dare you?¡± Diana reached a hand up to touch at her newly formed fringe. ¡°Do you want me to burn the fur off those fat legs of yours?¡±

    ¡°Have you decided to fight me seriously, then?¡± Leila said, striking out at the mage¡¯s torso. Her blade was reflected with a flash as her opponent¡¯s hand darted out to meet it, and she swept the weapon around for a reverse slash. Deflecting the greatsword once more, Diana flicked her other hand, a bolt of lightning shooting out to sear a portion of fur from the beast-woman¡¯s thigh.

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    ¡°You¡¯ll have to try harder than that,¡± Leila said as she disengaged, easing the stunned muscles of her thigh. ¡°Bastias is with me always.¡±

    ¡°You have your god,¡± Diana replied, a storm of sand and mana beginning to swirl around her feet. ¡°I have mine as well.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°I offer my apologies for the¡­ incidents that transpired over these past few days,¡± Roethus said with a small bow. ¡°The tournament matches were never meant to be to the dea-¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, isn¡¯t it?¡± Benvolio gulped down a mouthful of wine, leaning forwards in his seat to better watch the duel. ¡°Nobody died, right?¡±

    ¡°Even so, my lord¡­¡± Roethus made a pained expression, but fell silent.

    ¡°I¡¯ll forgive you,¡± Christoph said, ¡°but I have a request. Please stop this duel before either of them die, as well.¡±

    ¡°Hmmph.¡± Benvolio dropped his goblet as he crossed his arms, a frantic Roethus barely managing to catch the object before it landed on the boards below. ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to let them die anyway.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m thankful,¡± Gideon said from his seat nearby. ¡°Leila is very dear to me.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s quite strong, isn¡¯t she?¡± Lucius asked, tilting his head. Turning in Benvolio¡¯s direction, he leant around the little lord to where Roethus and Christoph sat on the other side of the box. ¡°Diana, too, although I¡¯m not sure she¡¯s using her full strength right now.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯d better not be if she wants to win,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°If this was her full strength, she¡¯d be in real trouble pretty soon.¡±

    ¡°On the topic of requests, has your companion decided what to do with his reward?¡± Roethus asked.

    ¡°We should settle that matter after the duel,¡± Lucius replied. ¡°Just to confirm, the reward is a single gift from Lord Benvolio?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Benvolio said. ¡°I can get you anything. You can¡¯t ask for favors, though! It has to be something real, something you can touch.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Lucius nodded, pushing up his glasses with a grin. ¡°In that case-¡±

    ¡°Shhh,¡± Benvolio said, cutting him off. ¡°I¡¯m watching the fight.¡±

    ¡­

    The two women danced across the clay, sand blasting at the arena¡¯s wards as they clashed. Lightning strikes and bursts of flame were destroyed by slashes of a glimmering greatsword, the smell of burnt fur and misted blood permeating the dust-filled air. Panting softly, Leila shook the sand from her fur with a scowl. That elf¡­ rather than fight in melee, Diana had been trusting in her magic, focusing on defense and only retaliating when she could spare the energy.

    She meant to wear her down, claiming victory after Leila had exhausted her strength. There was no way that Leila would allow that to happen. Although she¡¯d been conserving mana until now, the beast-woman allowed her spirit to rise in full, energy coursing through her body until the air around her grew still, smothered by her very presence. Taking a hand off her weapon, the beast lord slammed into her opponent.

    Diana reacted instantly, cutting off her spells to concentrate on the close combat she had been forced into. Channelling more energy into her limbs, she increased her strength to match Leila¡¯s bestial fury. Deflecting the greatsword with bursts of mana, she dodged away from her opponent¡¯s kicks and swiping claws, moving backwards across the bare clay as sand splashed around the edges of the arena.

    ¡°So weak!¡± Leila stepped forwards with every blow, advancing on the elf with a manic grin. ¡°Can the elves really claim to be the strongest race with such pitiful performance?¡±

    Stifling her reply, Diana forced more mana into her body, ignoring the surging pain as her muscles protested. This body of hers was still so frail! Retreating further to minimise the weight of Leila¡¯s blows, she shifted around the beast-woman¡¯s next attack, pushing her off-balance with a blast of mana. Closing in on the warrior before she could recover, Diana cut out at the beast lord with a blade of hardened air.

    ¡°Is that your best?¡± Breaking away from the elf, Leila looked down to where a stream of blood was pouring from her abdomen. Diana¡¯s attack had struck her on the left side of her stomach, continuing up diagonally under her right breast. ¡°This isn¡¯t even enough to warrant a bandage. Is this the strength of the elf god Militia?¡±

    ¡°Militia?¡± Diana began to laugh, shoulders bouncing with each note of hilarity. ¡°I served Militia faithfully for decades, and what do I get? Banished from my home and my people for what? For choosing to study some dragons?¡±

    Rising up into the air once more, the elf mage blazed with energy. ¡°Lesser races, they said. As though they stood with the gods themselves! I left the forest, and for years I relied on nothing but myself! Chosen by Militia? Blessed by the Milwood? That power was mine alone! And then, five years ago I met another god.¡±

    ¡°Another god?¡± Leila¡¯s face contorted in anger. ¡°If Militia abandoned you, you should have just accepted your death with grace. If you can¡¯t even serve your god then what use is your pathetic little life?¡±

    Light began to cover Diana¡¯s body, the arena wards cracking open above her. ¡°He didn¡¯t ask me to serve, or obey. He didn¡¯t rule over me or his lands. He just bestowed upon me his strength.¡± Diana closed her wings and began to fall, scaled feet touching down on the earth as the light grew faint. ¡°All I had to do was kill a dragon.¡±

 Chapter Forty-Three

    ¡°Get back here!¡± Diana¡¯s claws raked gouges in the clay as she leaped forwards, wings flapping to propel her across the arena.

    Blocking the elf¡¯s strikes with her sword, Leila hissed in frustration. The elf had taken the title of dragonslayer after all! Rampaging through the Paws, the ancient leviathan had left the forest and struck out towards the royal capital itself. When the guild had pronounced its defeat, her people had held a great celebration. After that, Claude of the Creator¡¯s Willful had reappeared with a gift from the World Serpent, and been dubbed Dragonslayer Claude by the church and guild¡­ But Diana had received a prize of her own?!

    Leila¡¯s retaliation threw Diana backwards, the slim adventurer landing lightly on the other side of the coliseum. Dashing forwards, the two fighters clashed again, shimmering greatsword meeting clawed hands and lightning bolts. Stray bursts of energy pulsed off the arena wards, and the hole at the top of the dome threatened to widen further despite the efforts of the stadium mages.

    ¡°They¡¯re breaking it¡­¡± Benvolio held up his hands to repair the shield, fair hair dropping down to cover his feminine face as he stood. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say this ward would be too strong to worry about, Roethus?¡±

    ¡°I did,¡± the guild master replied. ¡°That was for the tournament, though. The guild mages can¡¯t be expected to hold back those two if they get serious, and-¡±

    ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Christoph held up both his hands, blinking down at the two women exchanging blows upon the clay. Diana¡¯s wings were clearly visible from the balcony, and he could even make out the dark green scales that covered her body in a similar fashion to Leila¡¯s fur. Small horns had sprouted on either side of her head, and a tail whipped around behind her hips as she moved. ¡°Is it just me, or did something incredible just happen to Diana?¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t well-known, but the World Serpent will appear to bestow a reward upon anyone who manages to slay his creations,¡± Lucius said, tilting his head as he observed the fight. ¡°In your case the dragon was most likely too young to qualify, but it looks like Diana received quite the gift.¡±

    ¡°She must asked him to take her in, or at least for power to rival what she lost.¡± Benvolio rolled his eyes with a pout. ¡°I don¡¯t see what¡¯s so great about all those gods. The Ouroboros has some dragons, I have a whole city! She could have just asked me for help.¡±

    ¡°Is that where you got the idea for the tournament prize?¡± Lucius asked, spectacles turning towards the small man.

    ¡°Don¡¯t try to read my mind!¡± Benvolio shook his head, feet stamping on the wooden floor as he held his hands out towards the arena¡¯s failing barrier. ¡°I¡¯m busy!¡±

    ¡°Please, my lord,¡± Roethus said. ¡°You need to stop this match. The danger-¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Benvolio said, glaring at Lucius as the saint righted his head. ¡°I¡¯m not going to let them die over something as small as this.¡±

    ¡°Please think of the citizens as well.¡± Roethus glanced rapidly over the crowd of spectators, and his words were punctuated by muttered orders to his many staff, a hand raised to his head as he cast the required communication spells. ¡°If we don¡¯t stop the fight, the crowd will be in danger.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t stop them.¡± Benvolio¡¯s brow furrowed as he repaired the shields, pupils widening as they followed the two women across the clay. ¡°I need to see this.¡±

    ¡°My lord¡­¡± A brief silence followed Roethus¡¯ words before he adjusted his glasses and bowed his head. ¡°I¡¯m ordering an evacuation.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°We should leave.¡± Whistler¡¯s words took a moment to sink in, and Plume tore himself away from the duel to turn towards his comrade.

    ¡°Leave?¡± Plume asked. At Whistler¡¯s suggestion, they refrained from attending the tournament¡¯s second day, but had returned now for the third. The final had been impressive even among the many matches, but this was something else entirely. ¡°Why would we leave?¡±

    ¡°Look around you!¡± Whistler hissed as he spoke, and the half-elf¡¯s eyes widened as he realized what the tall man was referring to. Cracks were appearing in the stone-bricked coliseum walls, and the arena wards were being pierced with each blow from the fighters. The magical shields patched themselves almost instantly, but the coliseum itself sustained serious damage nonetheless.

    ¡°You bitch!¡± A roar echoed over the stands, a cracking rumble of thunder following behind as Diana unleashed her magic. Lord Leila blocked the attack with her sword, slashing out with a line of mana that was deflected in return. Bursting through the wards, the energy wave crashed out into the edge of the brick-walled pit, dust rising behind it.

    ¡°Attention everyone!¡± One of the tournament staff was waving a flag upon the steps, her voice amplified by some sort of magic. ¡°Please prepare to evacuate the stadium!¡±

    Plume was on his feet before the wards had time to repair, pushing past the people nearby as he made his way to the stadium steps. Whistler was right, there was nothing to gain by remaining behind in such a place.

    ¡­

    Diana flexed her claws, mana dispersing as she stopped feeding energy to her bolts of lightning. The beast-woman¡¯s greatsword seemed to draw her magic in, and the only damaged she had caused with the attacks was the patch of fur she¡¯d burnt on her opponent¡¯s leg.

    ¡°I will not accept your surrender,¡± Leila said, catching her breath in the lull.

    ¡°Surrender?¡± Diana flapped her wings with a scoff. ¡°I¡¯m going to tear off your limbs and offer you up to Lord Benvolio on a silver platter.¡±

    ¡°Bastias would not allow that,¡± Leila replied. ¡°A god protects his chosen people from such cruelty. You would not know about that though, would you?¡±

    Diana¡¯s tail jerked as she suppressed her retort, glaring over the clay at the lord of the forest. Gritting her teeth, her spirit blazed as mana welled up within her newly formed body. If channelling the energy into magic didn¡¯t help, maybe pouring it into her fighting spirit would give her the advantage.

    ¡°How pitiful.¡± Leila spat onto the clay, taking a defensive stance with her greatsword as the elf changed her tactics. ¡°You will never defeat me with that kind of power.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that!¡± Leaping forwards, the scaled elf began her assault. Closing the distance before the beast-woman could level a slash with her greatsword, Diana continued to force her opponent back across the clay. Leila¡¯s massive blade was deadly while she held the advantage of momentum, but right now the unwieldy weapon was almost a hindrance in her defense. She could not afford to discard it, either, or she would lose her best source of protection against magic attacks. The beast-woman¡¯s fighting spirit was prodigious, but that alone would not protect her from Diana¡¯s magic.

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    Spreading her hands apart upon the greatsword¡¯s hilt, Leila began to block Diana¡¯s clawing swipes with both ends of her weapon. For all of the elf¡¯s shouting, her hand-to-hand attacks were still on the level of an amateur. Had she never trained for combat with anything but the thin blades of the elves? What foolishness. Leila¡¯s clenched fist caught Diana on the chin, and the beast woman readied her sword as the elf was pushed backwards. Rather than give Leila an opening to use her weapon, Diana shook off the blow and stepped back towards her.

    The duel that had begun as a masterful display of magic against swordplay slowly but surely began to devolve into nothing more than a brawl. Diana took the offensive, making full use of her wings and tail to launch a barrage of frenzied attacks. Deflecting the majority of the elf¡¯s attacks, Leila allowed others to land as she smashed her right fist into Diana¡¯s body, the beast-woman¡¯s vicious counter striking with far more force than her opponent¡¯s own attacks. If Diana didn¡¯t have the advantage of her wickedly long claws, her attacks would be almost useless against the beast lord.

    Shrugging off the hit once more, Diana¡¯s breath hissed out between her teeth as she fully committed to the next series of attacks. Her tail and wings were useful but still cumbersome, and even her arms and legs were not weapons she was used to wielding. Still, she had faith in the strength of her body, and the power of her spirit. If she could overwhelm the beast-woman with the volume of her blows, she could still win this fight.

    Leila was not about to let that happen, though. Grunting each time her weapon moved too slowly to intercept one of Diana¡¯s attacks, she finally bared her teeth and withdrew the blade of light, casting the hammer aside. Surging forwards, she pummeled at the surprised elf, each punch landing with enough force to smash a crater into the ground underneath them. At the edges of the coliseum, the crowd paused in their evacuation, seeing that the two women¡¯s attacks were no longer threatening to burst through the fragile wards.

    Gasping in pain, Diana forced herself back on the offensive, but was stopped dead when Leila¡¯s fingers wrapped around her throat, the heavier woman tackling her to the ground and straddling her tail. Reaching up, the elf sunk her hooked claws into the beast-woman¡¯s arm, but Leila ignored the pain, fingers closing tighter around the mage¡¯s neck. Shifting her hips, the beast-woman wriggled up Diana¡¯s tail until there was no chance of the elf¡¯s clawed feet striking back at her, the clawed limbs closing uselessly around her waist instead.

    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Leila bore down on the elf with her left hand, blood dripping down her forearm as Diana¡¯s clawed at the furred limb, wings thrashing uselessly at her sides. ¡°Aren¡¯t you used to being in this position, whore?¡±

    Diana¡¯s kicked out with her legs, tail writhing as a choked gasp replaced her reply. Her magic! She had to maintain enough of her body¡¯s strength to stall her strangulation, but if she could muster enough of her mana besides that¡­ Her thoughts of a counter were dashed from her mind as Leila¡¯s right hand slammed into her face, the back of her head smashing a hollow into the clay below. Gathering her wits, Diana fought to ignore the shock of the second impact. She was so close! Her jaw cracked as the third punch landed, but by that time she had amassed nearly enough energy, bolts of lightning arcing through the air around her. As Leila¡¯s fist rose to deliver the finishing blow, Diana prepared to unleash her final attack. The air split around her as Leila began to move, and lightning flashed over her body into the sky above.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Benvolio¡¯s voice somehow reached out past the cracking thunder to travel out over the damaged coliseum. ¡°Any more of that, and somebody¡¯s going to die.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Hey.¡± Christoph knelt down over Diana¡¯s bloodied form, brushing her hair from her face as she began to stir. Benvolio had been true to his promise, and the medics had done their job well after the duel. Diana¡¯s fair skin had returned, but he could still see the flickering mana of her second form now that he knew it was there.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Diana asked, rising slightly off the wooden bench before slumping back down. ¡°Where¡¯s Leila?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Christoph replied with a shrug. ¡°Benvolio stopped the fight before either of you could land your last attacks. Look.¡±

    Rolling onto her side, the elf turned towards where he had indicated. They were within one of the rooms under the coliseum seats again, and she could see the remnants of the arena floor through the barred gates opposite her. One side of the clay was a mess of craters, the other sporting a massive circle of blackened ground.

    ¡°He teleported you apart,¡± Christoph said, leaning back against the cool bricks. ¡°They were evacuating the crowd, but he waved his hand and the arena just magically repaired itself, so pretty much everybody¡¯s back now.¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that an exciting final match for the opening ceremony?¡± Benvolio voice echoed into the small room from across the newly repaired stadium. ¡°It pains me to see such animosity between two women so beautiful¡­ Putting that matter aside, it is time to award my prize to the tournament¡¯s winner. Cliff of the Creator¡¯s Blessed! You may ask of me any one gift, and it shall be yours!¡±

    ¡°What would you ask?¡± Christoph turned towards his elven companion as the crowd began to murmur. ¡°You told me to come to you before making use of the prize, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what you ask of Benvolio,¡± Diana replied, sitting up to lean her shoulder against his. ¡°It just has to be something he already owns, or he will want it for himself instead. As for the things he has already¡­ it¡¯s more about the getting than the keeping for him.¡±

    ¡°I have no desire for worldly objects.¡± Cliff stood upon the announcer¡¯s box underneath Benvolio¡¯s private seats, bowing his head at the city¡¯s lord. ¡°Thus, I will ask for land.¡±

    ¡°Land?¡± Benvolio asked, stifling the mutters of the scattered crowd with a raised hand. ¡°What would you do with this land?.¡±

    ¡°We will build a church,¡± Cliff said. ¡°A temple to honor lord Progress.¡±

    ¡°Manitas City is a place of freedom,¡± Benvolio replied, the crowd crying out in agreement of his words. ¡°I may be lord, but no citizens are forced to serve me. There are no churches here. This is a place for people, and there are no gods here either.¡±

    ¡°No gods besides yourself, don¡¯t you mean?¡± Lucius said, his youthful voice carrying over the coliseum as Benvolio¡¯s did. ¡°Lord Benvolio, ruler of Manitas City. Or should I call you Manitas, god of the plains?¡±

 Chapter Forty-Four

    Silence covered the arena in a blanket, a stillness settling over the crowd as Lucius¡¯ words sank in. A god? Lord Benvolio had been a god all along? The adventurers began to shout all at once, surging forwards in a rush of bodies. Calls for explanation mixed with screams of denouncement, and even cries of support could be heard. Christoph blinked as the coliseum shook above him, rounding on Diana as she struggled to stand.

    ¡°Lord Benvolio is fine,¡± the small god said, his words piercing through the roars of the crowd. ¡°I¡¯m not a god right now.¡±

    ¡°Did you know?¡± Christoph asked. Diana nodded at his words, reaching out to grasp at his arm as he rose beside her.

    ¡°We need to leave,¡± she said. ¡°This news will shake the city to its core.¡±

    Christoph hesitated a moment before turning around and pulling the elf onto his back, holding her legs as she hooked her arms over his shoulders. How many people had known? Roethus must have, and Diana¡­ did that mean the council knew as well? No, that would hardly matter in the end. The city was promised as a haven of freedom for the people of the world, and the adventurers would demand answers even if the council knew nothing.

    Pushing the door open, he entered the long hallway connecting the inner arena to the outside world. Tournament staff streamed through the narrow passageway, darting through the doorways that lined the hall in a mad frenzy of pounding feet. Christoph could understand their plight. As employees of Lord Benvolio, the crowd might end up turning on them as well. It would be best to leave the area as soon as possible.

    ¡°Damn fool.¡± Diana¡¯s sighed softly in Christoph¡¯s ear as he hurried past the staff. ¡°He¡¯s been wanting to tell the guild for years, but Roethus always stopped him short.¡±

    ¡°I can see why,¡± Christoph said as they exited the stadium. Citizens of the city were streaming out of the main entrances in hordes, and some of the adventurers were fleeing as well. It seemed that nobody had much faith in the future of Manitas City. ¡°For now, let¡¯s go see Geoff. He¡¯s holding the skimmer for us in the stables.¡±

    Making his way towards the west gates, Christoph was almost at the city center when a familiar flare of mana caught his attention. He couldn¡¯t see it properly due to the crowds and the afternoon sunlight, but the presence was confirmed when the beast-woman stepped around the corner, a dark-armored knight following close behind.

    ¡°We meet again,¡± Leila said with a sneer. ¡°How nice it is to see my sister¡¯s slave cavorting around with the piece of trash that stabbed her in the back.¡±

    ¡°I have no business with you,¡± Christoph replied, leaning down to let Diana step heavily onto the ground. ¡°Why chase us so far? Don¡¯t you have a clan to oversee?¡±

    ¡°No business?¡± Leila laughed at his assertion, ears bobbing with each note. Reaching out, she tapped at Gideon¡¯s shoulder, sending him around to flank the two of them. ¡°The clan has business with both of you.¡±

    ¡°I-¡± Christoph began.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t come here for you, though, I came here for her.¡± Leila¡¯s eyes shifted past Diana and him, focusing on something in the distance. ¡°How long are you going to keep us waiting, dear sister?¡±

    Christoph¡¯s heart lurched as he turned to follow Leila¡¯s gaze, another familiar aura appearing behind a building nearby. Freezing up, his tainted memories of the village washed back over him all at once. Forcing his legs to move, he took a step backwards before Diana¡¯s hands clutched onto his upper arm.

    ¡°Wait,¡± she said. ¡°You can¡¯t run from this forever.¡±

    Christoph felt his skin began to crawl as the aura moved towards the corner of the building, but the woman who stepped into sight was nothing like the Emilia from his memories. Her face was less harsh, her figure smaller and somehow more fragile looking. He felt his face contort into a frown at her appearance, eyes drifting over her as she limped towards him, patches of skin visible where her fur had been torn away.

    ¡°Emilia? I-¡±

    Christoph¡¯s words were cut off as she rushed towards him, knives flashing out around his body. He moved to block her attacks, but her slender limbs belied her desperate strength, and she pushed past his defense. Had Diana not taken a step back in shock, the poisoned daggers would have caught her in the torso. Throwing the beast-woman back, Christoph fought to control his nausea, the feeling of her furred form enough to make the bile rise in his throat.

    ¡°Why are you protecting her?¡± Emilia trembled where she landed, rising up to her feet in confusion. Tears began to well in the corners of her eyes as she took another step forwards, the pair of adventurers retreating in turn. ¡°Let me kill her, Christoph. This is all her fault, she turned you against me!¡±

    ¡°What happened to her?¡± Christoph asked. Sparing a glance towards the elder sister, he moved to create distance between Diana and the others.

    ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡± Leila asked, raising an eyebrow before her face hardened in disgust. ¡°What a mess.¡±

    ¡°Christoph?¡± Emilia¡¯s voice floated over the sounds of the panicked adventurers in the distance, and he shuddered at the familiar call. ¡°Come back to the village with me. I promise I¡¯ll take care of you. I promise I won¡¯t let you die.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± Christoph stepped away from the sisters, blocking their path as Diana made her escape. ¡°I can¡¯t go back.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s too bad,¡± Leila said as she advanced towards him. ¡°We¡¯d never seen anything like that man¡¯s powers. Being able to reach into someone¡¯s mind and rearrange their thoughts¡­ Bastias was able to correct the changes, of course, but our god¡¯s touch holds an influence of its own. I doubt she cares much about your feelings at the moment.¡±

    ¡°You belong to me,¡± Emilia said, drawing near. ¡°Body and soul.¡±

    ¡°Liam got to her?¡± Christoph asked, drawing his sword. ¡°You couldn¡¯t stop him?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Leila asked, cocking her head to the side as her ears flickered upright. ¡°You helped him do it, remember? You and the elf bitch both.¡±

    ¡°What-¡±

    Christoph¡¯s stunned reply was abruptly interrupted by a sudden crushing weight, a furred hand closing over his head with a flash of blinding light as Bastias descended upon the city.

    ¡°Give me a moment,¡± the god said, reaching an incorporeal hand into Christoph¡¯s skull. ¡°You¡¯re going to need a clear head for this¡±

    ¡­

    The plants glowed softly in the darkness, petals shining with a blue-tinged light that only Christoph could see. Diana was running ahead, and his feet crunched over the field of flowers as he chased after her. They hadn¡¯t spoken since Liam had woken them, but even so they both knew they had to flee this place. Christoph brushed past a dozen roses with each step, their blue glows fading to leave a pitch-black trail in his wake.

    ¡°Christoph!¡± Emilia¡¯s voice called out to him from within the darkness, but he ignored her anxious cries. Liam was there. Liam would stop her.

    ¡°Christoph!¡± Her voice was closer now, and he pushed himself to his limits, sprinting faster over the uneven forest floor. Up ahead, he saw Diana¡¯s mana signature dim as she rounded one of the forest¡¯s gigantic trees.

    ¡°Christoph, please wait!¡± Speeding ahead, the beast-woman came to a halt in front of him, her chest heaving with each gasped breath. ¡°Please don¡¯t go.¡±

    ¡°I have to leave,¡± Christoph replied. He had to go, there was somewhere else he had to be. He wasn¡¯t sure where it was, but he knew it was waiting for him.

    ¡°Why?¡± Emilia asked. ¡°Why can¡¯t you stay? Is it about your soul? That was all lies, Diana was just lying to you.¡±

    ¡°I know that,¡± he said. For some reason, the worries he¡¯d had back then seemed so far away. How long had it been since he¡¯d escaped from the clan? ¡°I just¡­ I just have to go.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t.¡± The cat-girl was close enough to reach out a hand towards his chest, now, and he could see her face creasing with worry as the rhythmic thumping of footsteps approached. Liam was coming.

    ¡°I-¡± Christoph began.

    ¡°Stay with me.¡± Closing the distance, Emilia wrapped her arms around his body. Relaxing into her embrace, he was struck by a sudden feeling of unease. ¡°Don¡¯t leave me behind,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you if you want, but just-¡±

    Emilia¡¯s words left her as Diana appeared out of the darkness, slamming the beast-woman aside with a blast of magically charged air.

    ¡°Christoph!¡± Diana turned back towards him, pushing him away from his former mistress. ¡°You need to go now. Please.¡±

    ¡°Diana?¡± Christoph tried to make sense of his feelings. Why did he need to leave? Why was Diana so insistent that they make it out of the forest so quickly? What had Liam done to them?

    ¡°Christoph, please-¡± Emilia braced herself as Diana sent another shockwave in her direction, sliding backwards through the field of flowers that Christoph had blackened with his presence. Reaching out a hand towards him, her fingers twitched anxiously.

    ¡°I¡­¡± Christoph took a single step towards her before he noticed the man standing nearby. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    ¡°You need to leave.¡± Liam said, glowing blue eyes boring into Christoph¡¯s own. ¡°Now.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Diana tugged at Christoph¡¯s arm, attempting to pull him away into the night. ¡°Christoph, let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°Christoph!¡± Emilia¡¯s voice cracked as Ginger nullified the mana in her body, fists thumping into the earth as she fell to all fours. ¡°Christoph, why-¡±

    Liam¡¯s spectral hand plunged into her back, pushing her to the ground as he struck a blow to her very soul.

    ¡°On second thought,¡± Liam said, ¡°stay right there. I¡¯ve got something I need you to help me with.¡±

    ¡°What did you do to me?¡± Christoph asked. ¡°What-¡±

    The strength left his body as Ginger held out her hands towards him, and Liam ¡®s hand closed around his arm as he fell. Lowering him to the ground where Emilia lay, the world traveller¡¯s hands blazed with energy as he knelt down between them. His head lolling to the side, Christoph wetness on his face as Emilia called his name. He was crying?

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about this,¡± Liam said as his hands closed over Christoph¡¯s skull. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you were so fond of the girl. This time, I¡¯ll make sure you make the right decisions.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°How hypocritical,¡± Bastias said, releasing his hold on Christoph¡¯s head. ¡°Manipulating others to do your bidding in the name of free choice.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm?¡± Bastias looked up from where she had been nuzzling at the nape of Leila¡¯s neck. ¡°Are you talking about Benvolio, or the brat from the other world?¡±

    ¡°Is it done?¡± Leila asked, face flushing as she extracted herself from the god¡¯s insistent grasp.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡± Holding up the adventurer by his hair, Bastias gave him a small slap to the face. ¡°You still afraid of fur, boy?¡±

    ¡°Calm down,¡± Bastias said, running her fingers through Gideon¡¯s hair in mimicry of her male counterpart. ¡°It¡¯ll take him a while to get all of his memories back. For now, we should leave before-¡±

    ¡°Before what?¡± The unnatural pressure over the area redoubled as Benvolio appeared from thin air. ¡°Before I notice that you¡¯re trespassing on my lands?¡±

    ¡°Eh¡­¡± Bastias¡¯ beautiful face wrinkled in displeasure at the smaller god¡¯s words. ¡°You¡¯re always so mean, Manny.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that!¡± Benvolio stamped one of his feet, a crater appearing underneath his chain-clad form. ¡°You have no right to be here! How dare you come into my house, calling me names, taking my people!¡±

    ¡°The beast clans belong to me anyway,¡± Bastias replied, dropping Christoph into a heap of crooked limbs that Emilia pounced upon almost immediately. Ignoring the fawning cries of their subject, Bastias rounded on the smaller deity with a lascivious lick of their lips. ¡°Besides, I always make it up to you, don¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°Not this time,¡± Benvolio declared. ¡°This time, I want one of your people as compensation!¡±

    ¡°You can have this one then,¡± Bastias said, gesturing to where Emilia was clinging to the half-conscious figure of her former slave. ¡°Those two come as a set now, anyway.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want her.¡± Chains clinking, the small god pointed a finger towards where Leila was standing nearby. ¡°I want the other one!¡±

    ¡°What for?¡± Bastias frowned down at the short figure before him. ¡°You aren¡¯t still looking for a princess so you can pretend to be a man are you?¡±

    ¡°Still?¡± Bastias tilted her head. ¡°And why Benvolio? I think Manitas suits you much better.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that!¡± Covering her ears, Manitas stamped her feet again, pummelling the ground and shifting further into the crater she created. Lifting a chain-covered hand, the small deity levelled a punch towards the dual bodies of the beast god. Grinning at Manitas¡¯ actions, Bastias moved to deflect the blow. There was a flash of energy, and a large portion of the city¡¯s east was reduced to rubble.

    ¡­

    The fallen pillar that Christoph was sitting on had once held up the entrance to the guild building itself. He could see the remains of the magnificently decorated ceiling nearby, and the cracking rumbles of the gods still echoed in the distance. Their fight had long since spilled out over the city walls and onto the plains, but the brief brawl through the city center had destroyed so much in so little time.

    ¡°Truly awe-inspiring, isn¡¯t it?¡± Lucius asked, appearing from around the corner of a half-ruined brick building. ¡°The strength of the gods.¡±

    ¡°Where have you been?¡± Christoph asked, looking up from where Emilia had fallen asleep in his lap. The poor girl had been driven nearly insane by her desire to be with him, Bastias¡¯ touch serving only to amplify her inner wants. The beast god truly was the deity of desire. Even their restoration of Christoph¡¯s memories had focused upon his more intimate moments with Emilia, his childhood memories still distant and hazy ¡°I¡¯m not in any mood to fight right now.¡±

    ¡°I was waiting for Lord Leila to leave,¡± the high-schooler replied. ¡°She¡¯s not someone we can easily deal with if things go sour.¡±

    ¡°What do you want then?¡± Christoph asked. Leila and Gideon had left even while Bastias and Manitas had still been fighting nearby, heading back to the village now that their business was done. Of Diana, there was no sign. Christoph¡¯s feelings of companionship had lessened with the removal of Liam¡¯s alterations, but he still wondered where the elf might be going.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ve figured out why you were sent to this place,¡± Lucius said. Sitting down, he held up a hand to stop Cliff and Sierra as they approached. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure about that,¡± Christoph replied, eying the siblings warily. ¡°The last time someone told me they had figured that out, he ended up wiping my memories and giving me Emiliaphobia.¡±

    ¡°The church prayed for one hundred days before we appeared,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Can you even imagine the amount of mana that went into those spells? The collective energies of the entire kingdom¡¯s priests over those hundred days, just to summon four people from the other side. They weren¡¯t even trying to summon us in the first place. They were trying to contact their god. They reached out to their god, and here we are. Why did they need to do that? The other gods live among their people as rulers. Why were we sent here by lord Progress? What was the point?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I care any more,¡± Christoph said. ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡±

    ¡°Did you know that the other races don¡¯t consider the human god to be real?¡± Lucius asked, adjusting his spectacles with a glint of sunlight. ¡°Do you want to know why? It¡¯s because Progress isn¡¯t here. He isn¡¯t here at all, he¡¯s back in the world we came from.¡±

    ¡°You think we were sent here to prepare for his arrival?¡± Christoph asked, stroking at Emilia¡¯s hair as she slept. ¡°Isn¡¯t that just a wild guess?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we were sent here to prepare for him,¡± Lucius replied. ¡± I think we were sent here to summon him. Think. In order to open the path, we need mana and knowledge. Liam and I are the knowledge, and you, you could be the mana if only-¡±

    Christoph burst into laughter, throwing his head back as he roared. Slipping out from under Emilia¡¯s head, he rose from the fallen pillar, standing over the young saint before him. Cliff and Sierra made to move from the side, but Lucius stopped them once again.

    ¡°You expect me to help you?¡± Christoph asked. ¡°What¡¯s to stop me from killing you right now, after everything you¡¯ve done?¡±

    ¡°Look around you,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Humanity is alone in this world with no god to protect them. We need Progress in order to survive.¡±

    ¡°I was born during one of Progress¡¯ games,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°My mother was a champion of some other god, and she slaughtered dozens of innocent women in the name of her work. She patched up the bodies with her machines, and I spent my childhood surrounded by walking corpses for toys.¡±

    Christoph leaned over the smaller man, fists clenching as he continued. ¡°When I was still too young to speak properly, your god sent his people to murder my entire family. I spent the next eighteen years rotting in my mother¡¯s lab, with nobody but her dolls to keep me company. My father didn¡¯t even know I existed until then. She¡¯d kept me well hidden from the outside world. I left the lab to find him living happily ever after with his new family, with his new wife. His new wife, who just so happened to be one of your god¡¯s champions. And now, just when I¡¯m starting to live my own life, your god picks me up and throws me into this world, where his church tries to kill me at every chance they get. And you dare to sit here and ask for my help?¡±

    ¡°Lord Progress does not control his-¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t fuck with me!¡± Christoph¡¯s roar drowned out the rest of Lucius¡¯ reply, startling Emilia awake beside him. ¡°I¡¯ll gather your mana,¡± he said, words hissing out between his clenched jaws. ¡°I¡¯ll go out and slay your dragons, I¡¯ll fight your monsters and gather your mana, and when you find some way to bring your god into this world, I¡¯ll destroy him too.¡±

 Chapter Forty-Five

    ¡°Christoph!¡± Emilia¡¯s light-hearted cry broke through the atmosphere as she wrapped her arms around him from behind. Rubbing her face against his back, she ignored the tearing of his shirt, letting her lower body slump over the fallen pillar as she relied on her former slave for support.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Dragged backwards by the cat-girl, Christoph twisted around in her grip, grabbing at her upper arms and pulling the furred woman to her feet. He¡¯d let her sleep on his lap in order to confirm his phobia had truly disappeared, but he still hadn¡¯t been totally sure. Sighing, he looked down at her innocently confused face. If he could endure such a smothering tackle, did that mean he could consider himself fully cured?

    ¡°Christoph!¡± Lunging forwards as soon as he released her arms, Emilia wrapped both her arms and legs around him this time. Wavering, he shifted her weight around and slumped down onto the pillar once more, letting her cling to him for a moment before he pushed her back by the shoulders.

    ¡°Calm down!¡± Christoph said, giving her a small shake. ¡°Are you a monkey?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re here!¡± Emilia replied. Fingers clutching at his back, she embraced him with enough force to push back against his hands, kissing at his face as soon as it came within range.

    ¡°Let me go,¡± he muttered, squirming free as he pushed her off his lap and back onto the ground. Standing up, he saw Lucius disappear around a corner with the two siblings. Wiping saliva off his cheek, he narrowed his eyebrows at her once more.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you glad to see me?¡± Emilia asked, letting the target of her affections push her away. ¡°Christoph?¡±

    ¡°Of course I¡­¡± Sighing at the sight of the retreating Saint, Christoph turned back to the woman in front of him, opening his arms wide. ¡°Here, it¡¯s fine.¡±

    Letting her have this much shouldn¡¯t be a problem, really. It¡¯s not like there was anything left to say between him and Lucius in any case. Relaxing into Emilia¡¯s arms, he stopped for a moment to really appreciate their reunion. He couldn¡¯t truly say that his time in the village had been a fairy tale, but it had been better than most of his life in this world, or the other. Catching her hand as she reached for the front of his pants, Christoph gave the beast-woman a deadpan stare.

    ¡°Is that a no?¡± Emilia¡¯s complaint was punctuated by the stamping of her right foot, but he didn¡¯t release her hand, instead using it to pull her along as he began walking. ¡°Oh, is your room nearby?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have time for that,¡± Christoph replied, picking up his pace. Diana would have to find her own way. ¡°We have to leave the city.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°This is what you meant when you said you had a transport?¡± Emilia asked, wrinkling her nose at the skimmer. The stable had been ransacked around it, but it seemed that there was no-one among the adventurers brave enough to try cart the ship away through the pirate territories. Such a demanding craft was hardly worth the effort anyway, after all.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be fussy,¡± Christoph said, checking over the mostly emptied saddlebags. The bedroll and blankets had been left behind, but his jerky and medicinal supplies were missing, along with the rest of his provisions. ¡°It¡¯s faster than a horse or wagon, and more comfortable, too.¡±

    ¡°Eh.¡± The cat-girl scrunched her face up further as she inspected the elven craft. ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡±

    ¡°Well I¡¯m taking it, so unless you want me to leave you behind, then¡­¡± Christoph paused his motions to look up at where the beast-woman was pawing at the ship. ¡°Are you sure you want to come with me, anyway?¡±

    ¡°Of course I am!¡± Crossing her arms, Emilia look down at him with an expression of indignation. ¡°I won¡¯t let you leave me behind this time.¡±

    ¡°Leila said you were under Bastias¡¯ influence,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°Are you sure this is what you want?¡±

    ¡°Leila should keep her mouth shut,¡± Emilia said, ears flicking as she frowned. Leaning down, she grabbed a fistful of his hair with her left hand, the fingers of her right spreading out to caress his face at the same time. ¡°Bastias doesn¡¯t make people do anything they didn¡¯t already want to.¡±

    If Bastias had a concept which he embodied, it would most likely be something like ¡®desire¡¯ or ¡®satisfaction¡¯. Not limited to matters of a sexual nature, the beast god acted on whimsy and sought instant gratification in all things they did. The beast-people would do what they wanted, even- no, especially under the influence of their god.Looking down at his companion, Christoph took a moment to wonder if the city¡¯s god had a similar aspect to their existence.

    ¡°I get it,¡± he replied, tugging free from her grip. Stowing away his dwindling sack of crystals, he strapped the bags closed one by one. ¡°That does explain why you¡¯d follow me across the desert, but I can¡¯t say I understand all of your circumstances. Was your life really so terrible that you would leave it behind to chase after your former slave of less than a month?¡±

    ¡°Did you really feel like I treated you like a slave?¡± Emilia asked. ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Honestly? I guess not,¡± Christoph replied. Looking back up at the cat-girl, he saw her face change from a frown into a smile. Huh. She¡¯d always brushed off the whole slave business with lines like ¡®Of course you¡¯re my slave¡¯, or ¡®It¡¯s natural to take humans as slaves¡¯. Shaking his head, he raised an eyebrow in her direction. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re worrying about that now? Who was it that told me I should consider it an honor to serve her?¡±

    ¡°Do you feel honored?¡± Emilia asked, stepping forwards to press her body against his. Christoph felt his blood stir at her sudden closeness, his pants tightening as her arms circled around him. His own feelings? He doubted what he felt was love, actually he doubted that she felt love for him either but still, being in her company was¡­ comforting, somehow.

    ¡°I do,¡± he said, pulling her into a single lengthy kiss before separating once again. ¡°But we can¡¯t waste time right now. Get on.¡±

    ¡°But-¡± The cat-girl sighed at his stern expression, ears falling with her shoulders. Gingerly, putting her feet onto the craft, she slowly crawled up into the two-person seat. ¡°Fine,¡± she said. ¡°Let¡¯s go, then.¡±

    ¡°We still have more to talk about,¡± Christoph said, joining her at the front of the skimmer. Taking hold of the steering bars, he let his mana flow into the small ship, feeling Emilia¡¯s hands dig into his skin as the craft began to rise. Ignoring her anxiety, he urged the transport out of the stables and towards the nearby gates. ¡°Diana for one.¡±

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    ¡°That whore.¡± The cat-girl seethed at the mention of the elf¡¯s name, claws protruding to pricking into Christoph¡¯s skin for a moment. ¡°Bastias shouldn¡¯t have bothered bringing her back.¡±

    ¡°Calm down,¡± he said. ¡°She isn¡¯t the same person from before, okay? Promise me you won¡¯t just attack her next time we meet?¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Emilia said, ¡°but don¡¯t expect me to go easy on her if she does something funny.¡±

    ¡°No, what I¡¯m saying is¡­¡± Christoph let his words fade, sighing as he guided the skimmer around the remains of a broken wagon. ¡°Well, I can understand your feelings in this case. It¡¯s not everyday someone stabs you in the back, changes into an elf, and steals your slave.¡±

    ¡°What else is there?¡± Emilia asked, patting at his abdomen.

    ¡°What else? Well, she did invade your village, but-¡±

    ¡°I mean what else is there to talk about!¡± Rising up in her seat, the beast-woman closed her teeth around the nape of his neck, biting down on the bundle of muscles in annoyance.

    ¡°Ow!¡± Christoph winced as her fangs dug into his flesh, twisting his body as she clung to him from behind. Besides the bite, her hands were drifting dangerously low over his stomach. ¡°What else¡­ where we¡¯re going, for one!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± The cat-girl paused for a moment, tilting her head to the side. ¡°Aren¡¯t we going home?¡±

    ¡°Uh-uh.¡± He shook his head in response. ¡°We¡¯re going west, for sure, but not to the beast forests.¡±

    ¡°The mountains?¡± Emilia¡¯s face scrunched up again, and leaned around his torso to look up into his face. Jumping a little as the skimmer swayed, she frowned up at him. ¡°Why the dwarven lands?¡±

    ¡°We were originally headed for the Sanguine Empire,¡± Christoph said, ¡°but I¡¯ve changed my mind after hearing Lucius¡¯ little speech.¡±

    Even if the Kingdom and the Church had declared him persona non grata, the neighbouring empire was a different place with a different religion. A country of humans and half-humans, it seemed an ideal place to flee. Now, though, his plans had changed. He was looking for monsters to defeat, and that meant the mountains.

    ¡°You were going to try crossing the orc lands?¡± Emilia hugged him from behind once more, limbs jerking as the skimmer swayed.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± he replied. That was another reason he¡¯d changed destinations. The pirates and orcs would swarm in once they heard about the city, and the eastern stretch of the desert wouldn¡¯t be safe for long, even after the gods had left. ¡°Not anymore, obviously.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± The cat-girl buried her face in his back, rubbing her fur-like hair against him through his tattered shirt. ¡°Is that it, then?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s one last thing,¡± Christoph said, turning to look back at her. ¡°It¡¯s about us. I want to say this clearly, but I¡¯m no longer simply your slave.¡±

    ¡°I know that,¡± Emilia replied. ¡°You¡¯re an adventurer now too, and I won¡¯t try to drag you back to the village if you don¡¯t want to go. Just watch out for Leila, she might not think the same if she catches you somewhere on your own.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still glad you¡¯re coming with me,¡± he said, ¡°I just wanted to be sure.¡±

    ¡°If you aren¡¯t my slave, though, what does that make you?¡± Emilia asked.

    ¡°A companion?¡± Christoph replied. Glancing back, he saw her head shake at his suggestion. ¡°A partner, then?¡±

    ¡°No way,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯ve shared our bodies, so doesn¡¯t that make us mates?¡±

    ¡°Do the beast clans take mates?¡± he asked. Liam had given him remarkably little information on the clans, probably to keep him away from them. ¡°Well, just don¡¯t expect as much mating as we did back in the village.¡±

    ¡°But-¡± Emilia began.

    ¡°No way.¡± Christoph wouldn¡¯t back down on that point. ¡°Do you know how much time we spent trying to satisfy your urges?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not my fault I like it,¡± Emilia said. ¡°All the beast clans do, that¡¯s just how we are!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°I suppose we can blame Bastias for that, too.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Fight me properly!¡± Manitas¡¯ small fists beat at the beast god¡¯s chest, ripples forming on his dark fur as shockwaves resounded over the plains.

    ¡°Fighting isn¡¯t really my thing,¡± Bastias said, lounging her naked form on the sun-baked clay nearby.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Manitas landed a punch on Bastias¡¯ stomach, pushing him away for a moment. Behind the beast god, several kilometers of desert were flattened by the blow, dust rising up in clouds that blocked out the sun.

    ¡°Hey.¡± Bastias waved her hand, clearing the evening sky once more. ¡°How long are you going to throw this tantum?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t look down on me,¡± Manitas replied. Had her body not been that of a late-blooming young woman, it might have almost been intimidating. ¡°I can still take you!¡±

    ¡°You always say that,¡± Bastias said, absent-mindedly playing with her own breasts as her male counterpart grappled with the smaller god. ¡°You always end up being the one who¡¯s taken, though.¡±

    ¡°Just calm down!¡± Bastias said, wrapping his furred hands around Manitas¡¯ slender wrists. ¡°You¡¯re going to destroy the whole desert.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about any of that,¡± Manitas replied, kicking her feet out to bounce uselessly from the larger god¡¯s legs. ¡°I want Leila!¡±

    ¡°Good!¡± Bastias ignored Manitas¡¯ words and picked herself up from the ground. ¡°Keep a hold of her, I¡¯m going to see if Diana is still around here. She was quite nice, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t have Diana!¡± Wrenching free of the beast god¡¯s grip, Manitas turned to race off towards the remains of her city. Bastias was upon the smaller deity in an instant, two pairs of furred limbs wrapping around the plains god as the three figures crashed down to the earth.

    ¡°Gotcha,¡± the beast god whispered, nuzzling at Manitas¡¯ smooth skin from both sides. ¡°You always want the things you think you won¡¯t get.¡±

    ¡°Such a flat chest! Is that why you wanted Leila?¡± Bastias¡¯ voice echoed over the plains as her hands roamed over the small god¡¯s body. ¡°It¡¯s not like you could have made proper use of her body, you know? She is fun to play with, though.¡±

    ¡°Let me go!¡± Legs thrashing, Manitas resisted their pull even as the trio began to fade away. ¡°You can¡¯t just come in here and take me like this!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take who I want,¡± Bastias said as the gods slowly disappeared. ¡°I¡¯ll come where I want, too.¡±

    In the distance, the sun was slowly setting over the ruined walls of Manitas City.

 Chapter Forty-Six

    A cloud of dust rose up behind the speeding ship, bushes disappearing into the billowing haze as it passed. Leaning sideways, Christoph steered the craft around the trees as best he could. Clay had given way to dirt a few days ago, and regular plant-life had appeared soon after. What trees they saw now grew densely in patches, dry-looking branches adorned with thin leaves if they had any at all.

    ¡°I wonder if there¡¯s any water around here,¡± he said, shielding his eyes from the afternoon sun. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re in the desert any more.¡±

    ¡°Do I still have to sit in front?¡± Emilia asked, fur shaking as she shivered. Lifting a hand, she pointed to where the mountains were clearly visible in the distance. ¡°You said until we got out of the desert, right? Can¡¯t we walk the rest of the way?¡±

    ¡°Deal with it,¡± Christoph replied. What sort of warrior was afraid of skimmers, anyway? Now that he had his memories back, he couldn¡¯t see the craft as anything more than a floating motorbike, in purpose if not appearance. Instead of wheels, it ¡®stood¡¯ on invisible stalks of mana, and was propelled along by a jet from behind. The shape itself was almost arrow-like, a kind of jagged fleur-de-lis if seen from the top. ¡°Do you know how long it would take us to walk all the way to the nearest village? It¡¯s your fault you¡¯re sitting in front, anyway.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t we switch back?¡± The cat-girls eyes pleaded up at him as she turned in her seat, her arms clamping around his torso with enough force to make his ribs flex. ¡°Please?¡±

    ¡°Deal with it,¡± he repeated. ¡°I¡¯m not going to spend the whole journey to the mountains trying to ignore what your hands are doing under my clothes.¡±

    ¡°I can still touch you from the front, you know!¡± Turning around in her seat, she swayed in her seat as her legs lifted over his own. Locking her heels around his back, she grinned up at his sudden scowl. ¡°What now?¡±

    ¡°Cut that out,¡± Christoph said. ¡°I have to dodge the trees, and we¡¯re going slow enough already.¡±

    They might be travelling many times faster than a wagon would, but it still felt like an age to Christoph. As someone who¡¯d spent the last few years of his life in a city, the backwards limitations of this world were stifling. This was a place where horses were considered commonplace, not that you¡¯d find any on the plains without a wagon attached. Having to carry a food supply for your beast was not something you could ignore.

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m hungry,¡± Emilia said, hands pausing as they lifted up his shirt. ¡°Feed me.¡±

    ¡°Feed yourself,¡± he replied, ignoring her closed eyes and open mouth. The ravenous beast-woman was eating through their meagre supplies with alarming speed. The provisions were dwindling fast, even with the added food that he¡¯d looted from the various abandoned wagons yesterday. His own hunting took a large amount of time as well, especially considering the fact that his crystals were reserved for powering the skimmer¡¯s mana shield throughout the night. ¡°Actually, don¡¯t. It¡¯d do you good to go without for a while.¡±

    ¡°Stop complaining,¡± Emilia said, snapping her mouth closed.

    Christoph¡¯s frown deepened at the cat-girl¡¯s dismissive words. Although he¡¯d told her they wouldn¡¯t spend so much time in bed, she seemed to determine to chase her pleasure, even at the expense of their limited sleep. The increased toll on his body only served to encourage his ever-present hunger. Looking up from where the beast-woman was reaching down into the saddlebags, he slapped at her hand as it hooked into the waistband of his pants.

    ¡°Look, a town,¡± he said. Pointing over her shoulder, he winced as she bit into the soft flesh of his upper arm. Rocking the skimmer side-to-side in retaliation, he gripped the seat with his legs and manhandled her back around to face the front when she froze up in fright. Wiping his wet arm off on the side of her head, he resumed his gesture. ¡°Look.¡±

    ¡°A town!¡± Bobbing excitedly, Emilia patted at his thigh. ¡°Hey, do you think they¡¯ll have food?¡±

    ¡°There might even be an inn,¡± Christoph replied with a wry smile. Sighing, he thought of the nights they¡¯d spent between the blankets on the plains. ¡°I miss my bed.¡±

    ¡°Me too,¡± Emilia said. He could tell she wasn¡¯t talking about sleeping in it, but he didn¡¯t have the energy to correct her. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t it a bit empty though?¡±

    The skimmer began to slow as it approached the buildings, the dust cloud dropping away behind it. Emilia was right ¨C the small wooden buildings looked empty, doors wide open but not a person in sight.

    ¡°They might think we¡¯re pirates,¡± Christoph said, guiding the skimmer deeper into town before he set it down on the grassy earth. Patches of dirt could be seen here and there, although the bushes and trees had ended at the town limits. Raising his voice, he waved his arms above his head. ¡°We¡¯re with the guild! Is anyone here?¡±

    A familiar ¡®twang¡¯ reached his ears a moment before an arrow appeared in his left shoulder, shaft wavering as the arrowhead slid between his bones. Falling backwards, Christoph clutched at the wound as Emilia pulled him down behind the skimmer.

    ¡°I¡¯m an adventurer!¡± Shouting out into the building, he wrenched the arrow from his arm as Emilia bounded away, daggers drawn. Inspecting the projectile¡¯s steel tip, he grunted as the wound sealed itself shut. The absence of poison was a small blessing, at least. ¡°Jesus Christ, what is wrong with people in this world? Why always arrows?¡±

    A squeal sounded from behind a short wall nearby, and Emilia reappeared carrying a small figure under her arm. A child? No, a young woman perhaps. The teenager kicked out her legs as she struggled, arms beating at the beast-woman¡¯s body with each step.

    ¡°Here,¡± Emilia said, throwing her captive down in front of him. ¡°It¡¯s just this one.¡±

    ¡°Just her?¡± Rolling the girl over onto her back, Christoph frowned down at her ragged state. ¡°Did something happen to the village?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you realized it was a girl, this time,¡± Emilia said with a grin. ¡°This one isn¡¯t even wearing a dress.¡±

    ¡°Be quiet,¡± Christoph replied. Reaching down, he brushed the girl¡¯s hair from her face, a dirt-smeared scowl appearing underneath. Pausing, he looked back up towards his companion. ¡°You know, I¡¯m pretty sure I saw some wizards wearing robes in the city.¡±

    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    ¡°I never said they didn¡¯t,¡± Emilia said. ¡°That girl was definitely wearing a dress, though.¡±

    ¡°It looked like a robe to me,¡± Christoph said, looking down at the girl before him. ¡°Anyway, that isn¡¯t important right now. What happened to the villagers?¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Lord Charter, please don¡¯t let me die like this.¡± Frederick¡¯s prayer huffed out between his lips as he ran, his short legs carrying him across the ground as best as they could.  If the dwarven god heard his plea, there was no sign. ¡°I knew I should have donated more to the church,¡± he said. ¡°Next year! I¡¯ll donate twice as much next year!¡±

    A burst of fire roared through the air nearby, the dry grass lighting up behind him. Yelping in the sudden heat, Frederick forced his body to move faster. The short man was somewhat unfit even for a dwarf, his rotund stomach a testament to his days spent swilling alcohol rather than swinging an axe. Never before in his life had he regretted his lifestyle as much as he did in that moment.

    ¡°Hey! Is anyone there?¡± Arms waving wildly, the short man raised his voice in a wailing shout. The village should be empty by now, and his horses weren¡¯t about to come running to aid either. Even so, he¡¯d have no chance of hiding from the beast anymore, and unless someone suddenly came to his aid then he doubted he¡¯d live to see his next transaction. Decades of faithful business would come to an end just like that.

    Looking backwards, he saw the beast emerge from the entrance to the mine, enormous mouth gaping wide before a ball of fire splashed out towards him. A house disappeared as he ran into the town, and Frederick shivered despite the heat. Taking even one of those attacks would leave him nicely roasted for the monster¡¯s lunch. Dust rose up behind him with a thump, and he changed his course, lumbering to the side as a blast of fire singed the hair on his short-cut beard.

    As a dwarf, Frederick had grown up in the underground cities of Mount Glimmer and various settlements of Charter¡¯s Chain. A miner in his youth, there wasn¡¯t a member of land¡¯s other races who could possibly approach his knowledge of the earth, but right now this fact only increased the humiliation he felt at the current turn of events. Magma whales were not an unknown beast to begin with. Sluggish but powerful creatures, they were named so not for their appearance, but their eating habits. Sifting through the molten rock, they would devour smaller beasts and leave behind a higher quality vein of ore. Some of the larger workshops even kept a pair of them as living purifiers!

    The heat of the mine shaft, the unreasonably well-aired tunnels, the fantastic lustre of the ores they had pried from within, there had been so many warning signs, it was a wonder he hadn¡¯t seen them at all. Struggling to keep up his pace, Frederick glanced back to where the red-hot beast was hopping along behind him. The dwarf¡¯s feet thudded at the dirt and grass in rapid succession, but the monster behind him seemed almost languid in comparison, back legs stretching out to ridiculous lengths as it closed the distance with irregularly timed leaps. The toad-like creature might not seem in any rush to catch him up, but it made no difference in the end. No matter how fast he urged his legs to move, Frederick simply just wasn¡¯t quick enough to escape.

    Panting heavily as the magma whale leaped towards him, Frederick¡¯s watched in horror as the beast opened its toothless jaws wide one last time. The attack this time wasn¡¯t a burst of flames but rather another projectile, the lobbed ball of flames quivering as it flew through the air. Eyes squeezed shut, the dwarf dove to the dried grass below, feeling the heat of the flames as they approached. An enormous crash sounded above him, and he was slammed into the hardened earth, a wave of cold air washing over him instead of the expected inferno.

    ¡°A giant frog?¡± The voice came from the direction of the magma whale, and Frederick jerked to some approximation of sitting upright, eyes open wide. A skimmer had occupied the space where the creature had been, and he could see the beast itself pressed up against the blazing remains of a house nearby.

    ¡°Oh, hey Frederick,¡± Christoph said. Pulling his sword from the whale¡¯s stomach, he deactivated the skimmer¡¯s shields and allowed the beast to fall forwards off the smouldering wooden walls. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°We have a problem.¡± The adventurers gathered around their armored leader, a map spread out  on the flat surface of the table between them.

    ¡°You mean besides the magma whale?¡± one of them asked, leaning on his spear.

    ¡°Oh shut up.¡± One of the party¡¯s two female members slapped at his arm, scowling him into silence.

    ¡°We¡¯re missing two people,¡± the first man continued, ignoring the remarks of his companions. Reaching a hand out, he tapped at a symbol on the map. ¡°A merchant and child, both were last seen in the vicinity of the mines.¡±

    ¡°We have to go!¡± The party¡¯s shortest member spoke her mind instantly, staff thumping down on the guild building¡¯s wooden floor and causing the table to jump ever so slightly. ¡°There¡¯s no time to waste making plans!¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± the armored man said. ¡°Any objections?¡±

    ¡°None here,¡± the spear-man said. One by one, the rest of the party shook their heads and readied their weapons.

    ¡°Well then,¡± Ruth said. ¡°Let¡¯s g-¡±

    ¡°BAM!¡± A woman¡¯s voice cut him off, the room¡¯s occupants turning towards the door as it slammed wide open. ¡°The heroes have arrived!¡±

    ¡°Calm down, Emilia,¡± Christoph said, struggling to keep his balance as the energetic cat-girl bounced against where he was carrying her on his back. ¡°Hey, calm down I said!¡±

    ¡°Christoph?¡± Regal asked, blinking as she turned to look at the two of them. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡± Emilia¡¯s cry was punctuated by the sound of her left hand slapping against the top of Christoph¡¯s shoulder, her right extended to point toward the group. ¡°It¡¯s that girl! Look, look! She¡¯s definitely wearing a dress, see?¡±

 Chapter Forty-Seven

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Quester asked, large knife swaying in his hand. Around the room, the citizens of the town paused half-risen from their seats, several hands clutching at rusted weapons.

    ¡°Wai-¡± Christoph¡¯s words were cut off as Emilia bounded off his back, her twin daggers gleaming in opposition to the adventurer¡¯s unnaturally sized blade.

    ¡°Calm down!¡± Pulling the cat-girl away from the Sacrilegious Shield, he raised his hands above his head. ¡°I¡¯m with the guild now, so you can put that away. You too, Emilia.¡±

    Quester seemed unconvinced by his show of empty hands, and Christoph sighed as he realized the futility of the gesture. Of course, he could never be truly unarmed. The surrounding crowd didn¡¯t know that, though, and a sigh of collective relief ran through the small building as they realized he didn¡¯t intend to fight. The young woman behind the counter seemed particularly ready to flee the area.

    Rather than adventurers, it appeared to Christoph that the town had evacuated their citizens into the building. The Sacrilegious Shield would probably be their only hope of defeated the magma whale had he not done so already. The only sign that Emilia had heard his words, on the other hand, was a single ear swiveled back towards him. No, wait a minute¡­ she was listening to something else, after all. Footsteps began to sound from outside, growing closer with a heavy thud of boots on the building¡¯s wooden porch.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay everyone,¡± Frederick said, the guild doors swinging open again as he stepped in. ¡°The magma whale¡¯s been slai- what¡¯s going on here?¡±

    ¡°See?¡± Christoph said, looking meaningfully down at his medallion and then back to where Quester was still brandishing his knife. ¡°I¡¯m an adventurer now.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a Gold ranker?¡± Ruth asked, placing a hand on Quester¡¯s shoulder. No matter what, unsanctioned conflict between guild members was strictly forbidden. ¡°And you killed the magma whale?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Emilia replied. ¡°We¡¯re here for our reward, so pay up!¡±

    ¡­

    Ruth sighed down at the town map, arms crossed over his breastplate as his shoulders sagged. The members of his party were arranged at his sides, and he glanced across the table as Emilia shifted in her chair.

    ¡°Hey.¡± The beast-woman leaned into her partner as she whispered, but her voice was still too loud for anyone to miss. ¡°Can¡¯t we just get the reward and leave already?¡±

    ¡°Be quiet,¡± Christoph replied, pushing her back into her own seat. ¡°This is important.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a Gold ranker now?¡± Coin asked. ¡°Last we heard, the church had sent their knights after you.¡±

    ¡°A lot happened,¡± Christoph said, ignoring Quester and Lily¡¯s glares. ¡°I spent some time in the beast forest until I was¡­ attacked by Editor. After that, we made our way to Manitas City.¡±

    ¡°Editor?¡± Ruth frowned upon hearing the name. ¡°The two-man party out of Starthall? Liam, and Ginger, was it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Christoph tried to remember if Liam had put any restrictions on his memories regarding the duo. The effects of his power might be gone by now, but it¡¯d still be best to avoid angering the pair of world travellers. If they decided to get serious, building an army wouldn¡¯t be an impossible task for them. ¡°This probably wouldn¡¯t concern you anyway,¡± he said, ¡°but you should think twice before deciding to oppose those two.¡±

    ¡°Last I heard,¡± Quester said, ¡°you¡¯d just killed Henry of God¡¯s Compass, and destroyed his soul.¡±

    ¡°Quester!¡± Regal objected to her partner¡¯s words, tugging on his sleeve with a hurt expression. Turning towards Christoph, she bowed her head slightly. ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s-¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Christoph repeated, interrupting the small mage¡¯s apology. ¡°A Silver-ranked adventurer forced a civilian into a duel, and was killed. Is there a problem with that scenario?¡±

    ¡°A duel¡¯s a duel!¡± Emilia stretched out as she spoke, turning until she was half reclined over her chair and half pushing Christoph out of his. ¡°Who cares about that elf brat anyway?¡±

    ¡°I see your manners still haven¡¯t improved,¡± Lily said, eyeing the flippant cat-girl. ¡°Emilia, future Lord of the Greater Paw.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve given up on that stuff now,¡± Emilia replied with a grin. Wrapping her arms around her partner, she widened her smile until her teeth were bared. ¡°I¡¯ve got to look after Christoph. You never know when someone¡¯ll pull a knife on him, even in the middle of a guild building of all places.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Christoph seemed bent on ignoring the way the beast-woman was slowly sliding out of her chair and across his lap, but her words were another matter entirely. Calling out to the guild worker, he asked her to bring a copy of his guild card to the table. ¡°There, that¡¯ll save a lot of time.¡±

    ¡°I apologize for the trouble my party has caused you today,¡± Ruth said. Taking the card from the staff member when she appeared, he thanked her before looking over the sheet of crystal. Rather than a physical copy of Christoph¡¯s data, the guild relied on a network of enchantments to retrieve data on its various members. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why we couldn¡¯t just go to the inn,¡± Emilia said, chair shifting under her buttocks as she stretched her back out over his legs. Raising her head above the table, she shot a glare towards the members of Sacrilegious Shield before falling back down. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the same rank as these people?¡±

    Christoph covered the cat-girl¡¯s face with his hand, smiling over at the party as her voice was muffled. It might be true that there was nothing forcing him to reconcile with the five adventurers, but having enemies among the upper ranks of the guild would do him no favors, either. At the very least, he wanted to be on civil terms with the group to begin with. Wincing, he jerked his hand back up onto the table as Emilia bit into his thumb.

    ¡°Granted Gold rank by the Manitas Council after appearing with Diana the Exile, former achievements include two pirate subjugations, a duel, a beast subjugation, and pilot status.¡± Ruth narrowed his eyes at the paper, glancing over his companions before he continued. ¡°It¡¯s noted that you¡¯re a wanted man in the Kingdom, but that the guild considers you a full member and¡­ you were granted the title of Dragonslayer by the city lord.¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡± Emilia sat up suddenly, her head smashing into the underside of the table with enough force to shift the entire wooden frame. Rolling off Christoph¡¯s lap and shunting the table further across the floor, she rubbed at her forehead as she stood. ¡°You killed a dragon?¡±

    ¡°A young dragon,¡± Christoph said, returning the cat-girl¡¯s frown. ¡°Didn¡¯t you know?¡±

    ¡°Impressive,¡± Quester said. Leaning sideways to glance over the crystal plate, he turned towards the pair with a stony expression. ¡°So what?¡±

    ¡°The point is that neither the guild nor the beast clans consider me to be a demon,¡± Christoph said, pushing Emilia away as she began to sit onto his lap. ¡°It¡¯s only the Kingdom which lumps the crystal monsters in with their kind in the first place.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t apologize,¡± Quester replied, leaning his elbows onto the table. Ignoring Regal¡¯s glare, he matched Christoph¡¯s gaze. ¡°Demon or not.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Christoph said. ¡°I just wanted to make sure there was no bad blood between us.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± Ruth said, holding out his open palm. ¡°Let¡¯s start anew. The Sacrilegious Shield is not the type of party to hold needless grudges.¡±

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    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look that way to me¡± Emilia said, sitting back down in her seat. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the ones who attacked Christoph in the first place?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Lily said, throwing a pointed look in Christoph¡¯s direction. ¡°A Gold ranked party discovered a dangerous demon, and moved to subjugate it. Is there a problem with that situation?¡±

    ¡°Actually, he said ¡®scenario¡¯.¡± Coin¡¯s correction was met with a boot to his skin, and he hissed in pain, hands clenching into fists atop the wooden table. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you, woman?¡±

    ¡°Um.¡± Regal squirmed in her seat, staff tapping against the floor as she fidgeted. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for¡­ for attacking you in Forestry.¡±

    ¡°Oi,¡± Emilia said, eyes narrowing as the smaller woman apologized. ¡°Christoph¡¯s mine. He didn¡¯t even know you were a girl, you know?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± Lily replied, her voice forming a hard edge as Regal began to blush. ¡°Nobody wants your man. Regal already has Quester, anyway.¡±

    ¡°Calm down, Emilia,¡± Christoph repeated, waving a hand in her direction. ¡°I¡¯m not going to¡­ wait, what?¡±

    ¡°You too, Regal,¡± Lily said. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t apologize for saving your fiance from an attacker.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°A fiance, huh?¡± Christoph thought back to his first few days in this world. Coin and Lily had been together, of course, but Regal and Quester¡­ No, they had shared a shelter as well! At the time, he¡¯d thought that Regal was a boy and that it was Ruth who was odd for sleeping alone, but it all made sense in retrospect.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Emilia said, poking at his cheek with her fork. ¡°You aren¡¯t still thinking about that little girl, are you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± Christoph took a bite of her food as he spoke. ¡°How could I miss something like that?¡±

    ¡°No idea.¡± Pulling her plate away across the table, the cat-girl continued to wolf down her meal. ¡°How¡¯d you miss the dress?¡±

    ¡°Enough about the dress,¡± Christoph said, looking over at where her stack of used plates was slowly growing larger. ¡°Are you planning on spending all of my reward right here?¡±

    After they¡¯d collected the reward, he¡¯d let her drag him away from the guild. The town was larger than he¡¯d thought, a couple hundred people who mostly survived on mining and basic farming. The town¡¯s two inns had been reduced to one now that the magma whale had destroyed their competition, and Emilia had set a beeline for its familiar hanging sign. It boasted enchantment-type showers, clean beds and a diner, and Christoph knew there was no way the beast-woman was going to overlook any one of the three.

    ¡°Itsh phine.¡± Emilia¡¯s mouthful of roasted meat did nothing to help her speech, and Christoph thought of the magma whale once more. The gigantic toad didn¡¯t seem appetizing in the slightest, but he would end up eating it anyway. For now, he¡¯d dragged it out of the town to cool down. Swallowing her food, the cat-girl chased it down with a swig of ale. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll worry about what I want,¡± Christoph said. ¡°You didn¡¯t even help kill that monster in the first place.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re mated together,¡± Emilia said. ¡°What¡¯s yours is mine.¡±

    ¡°Oh really?¡± Christoph asked with a flat look and a raised eyebrow. ¡°Are you going to be contributing anything to the relationship?¡±

    ¡°Uh, excuse me sir?¡± A knocking sound came from the entrance to the dining room. ¡°Can I trouble you for a moment?¡±

    Due to the attack of the magma whale, the various inns and stores in the town had naturally been closed. The owner of the establishment had therefore accompanied them back to the building in order to set them up with a room and a meal. At the same time, the remainder of the villagers left with Sacrilegious Shield to put out the remaining fires. Right now, Christoph and Emilia were the only two customers in the diner, the owner having disappeared a while ago.

    ¡°Yes?¡± Christoph looked up at the doorway, recognizing the woman who¡¯d been manning the desk at the guild. Was she here to request his help in the clean-up? He might be an adventurer, but if she wanted to take him away from his bath he¡¯d have to decline.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the interruption, it¡¯s just that we don¡¯t usually get a lot of gold rankers in this town,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to make several requests if anyone comes by.¡±

    ¡°What about the others, then?¡± Christoph asked, ignoring the way Emilia was eyeing the woman. Was she worried that the worker would try and steal her man, or her food? ¡°How do you stay safe without the guild, anyway?¡±

    It might be a mining town, but the vast majority of the occupants were humans, with dwarves making up most of the remainder. If they couldn¡¯t rely upon adventurers, how did they protect themselves all the way out here? From what he¡¯d learned about the dwarven territories, he doubted they¡¯d offer their protection in such a case. The trees might offer a natural protection against the elven ships, but even so the settlement was in an odd place.

    ¡°We hole up in the mines whenever raiders come,¡± the girl replied, smiling somewhat insincerely. This might be a sore topic for the town. ¡°The village isn¡¯t well-off enough to make the journey from the plains worthwhile, so they usually don¡¯t bother anyway. We do get a few travelers each month come by, usually on their way to the abandoned mines at the feet of the Chain.¡±

    Charter¡¯s Chain was the name of the mountain ranges that covered the North-Western region of the continent. Stretching almost from the desert to the coast, it separated the beast clans from the fairy forests, the two lands joined only by a thin sliver of trees. Although the beast-people treated the connection as an unavoidable nuisance or entrance to their territory, the other races referred to it as the ¡®Leash¡¯, because of how it joined onto the far side of the lands around the Beast¡¯s Mouth Bay. The fairies of the Leash were given a wide berth by most people, a fact which made the already secluded dwarves seem even more distant yet. Even now, the ¡®mountains¡¯ which this village lay at the foot of were merely hills in comparison, lying on the desert side of the Leash.

    ¡°You don¡¯t get fairies coming down from the Leash?¡± Christoph jumped as Emilia¡¯s foot hit his shin, scowling at the cat-girl as the pain subsided. ¡°Seriously? Do you want me to call you ¡®Lily¡¯ from now on?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t call it that,¡± Emilia replied, gnawing on one of her many bones. ¡°It¡¯s demeaning.¡±

    ¡°The fairies don¡¯t usually leave the forest,¡± the guild worker said, her best customer-service smile remaining plastered over her face. ¡°They¡¯re quite tolerant up to a point, but still dangerous when they do take action.¡±

    ¡°Lazy little bastards,¡± Emilia said, sighing as she cleaned off her plate. Meeting the woman¡¯s gaze, she narrowed her eyebrows in annoyance. She¡¯d finished eating now, but there were still the two other parts of the inn to cross off her to-do list. ¡°You¡¯re here to make a request, right? Spit it out already.¡±

    ¡°Very well.¡± The young woman straightened to her full height before lowering into a bow. ¡°There¡¯s been reports of a dangerous beas- uh, monster in the hills. As a gold-ranker, the guild requests that you carry out a subjugation mission.¡±

 Chapter Forty-Eight

    The early morning sun shone unreasonably bright through the inn¡¯s slatted windows, and Christoph found himself oddly longing for the dimly lit halls of home. Emilia stirred next to him but remained sleeping, gray furred ears twitching as his breath washed over them. Sidling up against her naked form, he relaxed for a moment before sitting up to glance over the room. Even with the sunlight waking him so abruptly, he would take this life over his years in the lab without hesitation. It was enough for him to just be able to feel the warmth of another person after all this time.

    Terminal had been his only company in the cold laboratory chambers, but she had not been a companion by any stretch of the word. After leaving the underground complex, he had travelled the world as best as he could, but it was only now that he could truly appreciate the presence of another person. Emilia had said nothing to him about it, but he could tell he no longer suffered from the nightmares of his childhood. The beast-woman stirred again, and he leaned down to plant a kiss on her cheek as she opened her eyes.

    ¡°Good morning,¡± Christoph said. The words sounded strange coming so naturally from his mouth. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡±

    ¡°Mmmmmhh.¡± Stretching out under the thin sheets, Emilia rolled toward him, arms closing around his waist. ¡°It¡¯s too early.¡±

    ¡°We have a quest to complete, remember?¡± Scratching at the cat-girl¡¯s head, he slid back down beside her anyway. He¡¯d allowed her to have her way with him last night, taking comfort in the memories he had of her village. Liam had been right to plant a fear of the beast clans in his mind. Had Diana not used her magic to draw him outside the grove, he might have gladly wasted his life away within the confines of that small wooden hut.

    ¡°Mmm we can do that later,¡± Emilia replied, yawning into his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m still tired.¡±

    Marvelling at the border where her fur gave way to skin, his hands stroked over her body in silent agreement. They had all the time in the world. Lucius might be bent on summoning his god from their old world into this one, but he couldn¡¯t care less. As far as Christoph was concerned, the entire church could disappear tomorrow and he wouldn¡¯t bat an eyelid. The gods of this world acted as though the people were toys for their amusement, and that was something he would never accept.

    ¡­

    ¡°Alright,¡± Ruth said, turning back to look over the other members of his party. ¡°You¡¯ve all been far too quiet so far, the lot of you. If you have something to say, then say it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like that man, no matter what he says,¡± Lily replied. Taking a break from walking, she sat down on a nearby rock. The foot of the mountain was oddly barren for how flat it was, and there was no shortage of large rocks, half-buried in the soft earth. It was possible that the scenery had something to do with their quarry this time, though. It was not only man who shaped the earth.

    ¡°I agree,¡± Quester said. ¡°You were too quick to accept his forgiveness.¡±

    ¡°It was the right thing to do, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Coin sat down next to Lily, almost pushing her off the rock as he did so. Angling his spear off to the side, he wrapped an arm around the scowling sorceress. ¡°The fact that you said he was forgiving us is proof enough of that.¡±

    ¡°I like Christoph,¡± Regal said, tilting her wide-brimmed hat back with a serious expression. ¡°He was nice to me.¡±

    ¡°I liked him too,¡± Coin replied. ¡°Admit it, you all thought he was a nice enough guy before you saw him eating that beast.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Lily said. Stretching her legs out, she adjusted the way Quester¡¯s bow sat over her shoulders as she spoke. ¡°We should have turned him in on that first night.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t like anyone,¡± Coin replied with a grin. ¡°Except me, that is.¡±

    Leaning in, he kissed her on the forehead, and was rewarded by the appearance of her sprite, flames dancing over his legs as he leaped to his feet. Ignoring Coin¡¯s panicked dance, Ruth glanced over at the two sullen siblings.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be friends¡± he said. ¡°Just be good guild members. That goes for the beast-woman, too.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather he wasn¡¯t either.¡± Quester shifted his weight as he muttered, returning the party leader¡¯s frown.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Regal said, tugging at his shirt sleeve. ¡°I like you more.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d certainly hope so!¡± Coin laughed despite his predicament, rolling over the dirt as the flames on his legs died down. Coming to a halt, he slapped at the charred hem of his pants for a moment before shrugging. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure who I like more between Lily and Emilia, though.¡±

    ¡°Be serious,¡± Quester said, a stern look covering his face as Coin¡¯s pants reignited. ¡°Think of the real problem here!¡±

    ¡°Problem?¡± Regal asked. ¡°What problem?¡±

    ¡°A duel or not, Christoph killed a member of the church, and destroyed his soul.¡± Combing his fingers through Regal¡¯s dark brown curls, he let his expression soften for the moment. ¡°They will not be forgetting that any time soon.¡±

    ¡­

    Christoph urged the skimmer up the slope, looking back at the line of tiny craters it left behind as it passed. If he recalled correctly, the elves referred to the patterns as a ¡®wake¡¯. In any case, it was slightly amusing that even the floating ship would leave ¡®footprints¡¯ where their target would not.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Emilia said, nestled up against his chest. ¡°How long is this quest gonna take, anyway?¡±

    ¡°Who knows?¡± Christoph replied. She¡¯d pounced on him after waking up, and on top of that he had been forced to drag her out of the showers after packing up their things. Making short work of the still warm magma whale, he¡¯d made her sit in the front of the skimmer again as punishment. She¡¯d turned around almost immediately, of course, but at least she was keeping her hands on his upper half this time.

    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Eh?¡± Wrinkling her nose, the cat-girl rose up until her forehead was pressed against his own. ¡°Isn¡¯t there a quicker way to find it?¡±

    Pushing the beast-woman back down in his lap, Christoph steered the skimmer further up the hill. Ordinarily, he¡¯d wait until nightfall and then set out looking for its mana signature, but these hills didn¡¯t hold enough mana to light the way. His night vision wasn¡¯t on the same level as Emilia¡¯s, either, so while he¡¯d be able to spot their quarry a mile away, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to see the ground his feet were standing upon. Use of the skimmer was unthinkable in such conditions.

    ¡°Maybe if Diana was here,¡± he replied. Say what you would about the exile, she was a convenient travelling partner. ¡°She isn¡¯t, though, so you¡¯ll have to make do.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s an Earth Elemental doing out here anyway?¡± Slumping down against his chest, Emilia ignored the way he frowned at the added strain. The hill was still at a slight angle, but the uneven ground meant that Christoph actually had to work to stay seated in the elven craft.

    ¡°Who knows?¡± he repeated, blowing air into her pointed ears. Enjoying the look of betrayal she gave him, he hopped the skimmer forward in short bursts of mana, regretting his decision as she crushed his chest in fright.

    ¡°Wait, stop!¡± Emilia said, squeezing his ribcage in protest. ¡°Don¡¯t do that!¡±

    ¡°Okay okay, calm down,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°You¡¯ll have to get used to it someday, you know. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m trading this thing away for a horse or anything.¡±

    Regardless of his words, Christoph was also not looking forward to continuing this quest. An Earth Elemental leaves no trail, no droppings, doesn¡¯t hunt or visit waterholes, and can¡¯t be trapped. In addition to that, such an existence is inherently difficult to find in the wild simply because it is made of stone. Looking around, he could see any number of rocky clusters which might have been the creature, but unless he focused his attention onto each on in turn, there was no way to know. It¡¯d no doubt be easier as the sun began to set, but for now the natural light shone bright enough to cancel out his secondary sight.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Emilia said, tapping at his shoulder. ¡°There¡¯s footprints down there.¡±

    ¡°What? Where?¡± Turning in his seat, Christoph halted the skimmer¡¯s advance as he followed her gesture. A trail of multiple footprints had become visible as they had moved up the mountain, shadows appearing when they were viewed from above. ¡°A group of four or five¡­ it¡¯s them, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Those guys?¡± Emilia asked. A sudden thought occurred to the couple, and then turned towards each other almost at the same time. ¡°You don¡¯t think she gave them the quest as well?¡±

    ¡°No way,¡± Christoph said, making a face. ¡°You can¡¯t give the same quest to two different parties unless it¡¯s a group quest to begin with, that¡¯s just¡­¡±

    No, the guild worker had been inexperienced in the first place, hadn¡¯t she? Saying things like ¡®I¡¯m supposed to make a request¡¯ instead of just asking them at the guild building. She¡¯d said that not many adventurers passed through, too, so there wouldn¡¯t be much chance for her to learn the rules¡­ wasn¡¯t it odd that she didn¡¯t have a senior colleague to learn from anyway?

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s definitely them,¡± Emilia said, turning around in her seat to search the hills. ¡°Are they still here?¡±

    ¡°If you can bother looking for them, you should have been helping me search from the beginning.¡± Resuming their journey, Christoph guided the skimmer along the path that Sacrilegious Shield had taken. Unlike when they were travelling directly up the slope, the craft was able to level nicely in that position. If the slope increased further he¡¯d have to tilt the ship or risk clipping the stones with its ¡®wings¡¯ on one side, but for now it was fine.

    ¡°Look for what?¡± Leaning back against his chest, the cat-girl tilted her head to look up at his face. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m bored. Tell me a story about your other world.¡±

    Stifling his retort, Christoph let out a sigh instead. It was true that looking at rocks wouldn¡¯t be much use, he supposed. Taking a breath, he thought of home. It was still too soon for him to talk about Terminal and his mother, but there was any number of things that could keep her entertained for now.

    ¡°Fine,¡± he said, letting his memory wander. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about Earth.¡±

    ¡­

    It was almost nightfall before Regal caught the first sign of the Elemental¡¯s presence.

    ¡°Wait,¡± she said, coming to a stop as she held up her staff. Quester had been worrying over her condition for some hours by then, but the little mage had forced herself to continue on anyway. She might do more than enough for the party in battle, but that didn¡¯t mean that she wanted to be a hindrance at any other times.

    ¡°Can you feel it?¡± Lily asked, summoning her sprite. ¡°Which way?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Regal replied. ¡°Either that way¡­ or that way.¡±

    Coin frowned down at the young woman, head turning to follow her gestures. Either one of those places? Rather than pointing out a rough area, she had selected two very different parts of the mountain as her targets.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Ruth asked. ¡°Is there more than one?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Shaking her head, the mage reached up to correct the positioning of her hat as it swiveled on her head. ¡°They feel different, somehow.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go with the closer one,¡± Quester said, continuing up the rocky slope. ¡°The sun will be setting soon either way.¡±

    Turning their backs to the second target, the five adventurers whirled back around as an explosion rocked the hillside, boulders shifting in every direction as a cloud of dust rose in the distance.

    ¡°Change of plans,¡± Ruth said, checking the clasp of his axe. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

 Chapter Forty-Nine

    Wrenching his skimmer around to the side, Christoph saw Emilia take hold of the steering bars a moment before he was launched off the craft and into the air. Wards pulsing, the ship was catapulted over the hillside by the Elemental¡¯s attack, a crater forming under the massive creature as it stood. The earth shook under the weight of the blow, a shockwave blowing away the boulders nearby.

    ¡°Christoph!¡± Emilia clung to the skimmer as it jerked erratically, wing-like protrusions digging into the soft earth with each tilt. The dome-shaped shields flickered as the cat-girl tried to take control of the craft, but Christoph doubted that it would withstand another blow without his aid.

    ¡°Just fly!¡± Producing one of his swords, he moved to draw the Elemental¡¯s attention away from his companion. They¡¯d moved towards the creature as soon as he¡¯d spotted it, but neither of them were expecting its sudden leap. Christoph shuddered to think of what a direct hit might have meant.

    Taking a stance as the Elemental turned away from the skimmer¡¯s receding form, Christoph tried to recall any additional information that Liam had left him. Earth magic was obviously a no, but that was hardly relevant to Christoph in any case. A giant clump of stone that didn¡¯t really have any physical weaknesses, the creature¡¯s only vulnerability lay in its fragile crystal core. If he could pierce that, it¡¯d be game over.

    ¡°As if!¡± Christoph said aloud. ¡°How am I supposed to do that?¡±

    Dodging the monster¡¯s ball-like fist, he took a practice swing at the fingerless cluster of boulders. The hand was almost as tall as he was, and even with a thickened blade he did little more than chip one of the outer stones. Re-forming his weapon into an axe, his second swing did little more damage than his first. Before he could move on to testing a two-handed weapon, the Elemental swung out at him horizontally, a barrage of dirt and stones knocking him away.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a crystal monster at all!¡± Christoph¡¯s complaint was drowned out by the grinding rumble of the Earth Elemental, Emilia¡¯s panicked screams barely audible in the distance. If the monster had been formed from the delicious crystals he¡¯d come to expect, this would have been a short fight indeed. Instead, all of its mana seemed to be concentrated in the single gem at its heart.

    Shaking the dirt from his hair, Christoph formed his axe into a halberd, knocking the creature¡¯s arm aside with considerable effort. Even just deflecting an attack was enough to shove him a good foot or so to the side. If he tried to take a blow head-on, he¡¯d no doubt find himself airborne once again. Taking advantage of the monster¡¯s sudden pause, he circled around and struck out at its relatively smaller legs. He was rewarded with a satisfying crack as his heavier weapon split several large boulders in two, but there was no sign that the Elemental felt any pain. The stone simply shifted slightly, stubbornly remaining in place.

    ¡°Goddamn headless gorilla.¡± Realizing the uselessness of his actions, Christoph was at least thankful that the creature hadn¡¯t decided to go after Emilia and the skimmer just yet. The cat-girl¡¯s poisoned dagger wouldn¡¯t be of much use this time, and the skimmer was much too valuable to risk on something like this. No eyes, no ears, the craggy giant¡¯s only weak spot was buried deep within several tons of solid rock. If the monster decided to make a move, he wasn¡¯t confident that he could stop it.

    Absorbing the crystal halberd, he urged the liquid gemstone to flow up around his hands. Lunging at the Elemental¡¯s hip, he dug his clawed gauntlets into the creature and began to climb. If the surface had been smooth such a maneuver would have been impossible, but the monster¡¯s body was thankfully more akin to humanoid stack of rocks than a purposefully carved statue. Swing wildly as the giant turned, Christoph made his way up onto the creature¡¯s back. It wasn¡¯t without risk, but if he could worm his crystal through the natural gaps in the Elemental¡¯s torso, he might be able to drain it like some sort of grotesque parasite.

    It wasn¡¯t until he was tilted almost forty-five degrees backwards that Christoph realized something was wrong. Yanking the sliver of crystal from the monster¡¯s torso, he leaped down to the dirt below, bracing himself as the Elemental¡¯s massive hand smashed into him from the side. Leaning backwards, the creature had bent its arms and legs until its back had become the front instead. Feeling his mana drain away into his pulped flesh, Christoph rolled to his feet as the giant loped towards him. As it was, he had no way to end this battle. If it had been composed as the dragon had, he¡¯d at least be able to sustain his healing during the fight, but this was different entirely. His final option, then, was to flee.

    ¡°Emilia!¡± Calling out to the beast-woman, he sprinted away from the gargantuan creature behind him. ¡°Stay still for a moment!¡±

    Leaping towards the skimmer, Christoph sheathed his swords and was promptly repelled by the craft¡¯s glimmering shields. Landing on his feet, he tapped his palms against the wards, pushing back as the ship tried to move past him.

    ¡°Emilia,¡± he repeated. ¡°Let me in.¡±

    ¡°Christoph?¡± Emilia asked, head lolling to the side. ¡°How do I drive¡­¡±

    Swearing silently, he saw her mana growing faint. It wouldn¡¯t be long before the craft powered down by itself, he could just distract the Elemental until then. Looking back, he saw the monster leap into the air, the giant mass of stones hurtling through the sky towards them.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Christoph said, drawing his sword. Shattering through the shields, he mounted the skimmer and caught Emilia as she began to fall. The ship¡¯s engine sputtered for a moment, barely avoiding the Elemental¡¯s attack as Christoph pumped his energy into the crystal studded handles.

    Checking that Emilia was firmly seated and merely unconscious, he glanced back just in time to see the creature rise up off the ground once more. Turning to the side, he avoided the monster¡¯s attack. The behemoth paid no heed, launching itself into the air again and again without showing any signs of giving up the chase. Did Elementals suffer from fatigue or boredom in the first place? Of course not. There was no way he could take it back to the town with him either, so his options were limited. In the end, there only one thing he had not yet tried.

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    Gathering his mana, Christoph struggled to maintain the skimmer¡¯s current speed. He didn¡¯t even want to contemplate what would happen if he slipped up and fed all his energy into the ship at once. At the very least, he vowed to try to route it towards the shields and not the thrust if such a situation was unavoidable. Pulling a rope from one of the compartments at his side, he rolled up a blanket and used it as padding before tying himself and Emilia together.

    What had those two twins said about using enchantments? First, draw the runes. Producing a sword, Christoph watched the letters form in the surface of the blade. A converter array with scaling magnitudes, leading into the spellform itself, and finished with a focusing chamber at the end. Second, channel the energy. Christoph¡¯s blade glowed with warmth, and the Elemental paused its leaping attacks as he brought the skimmer around to face it.

    Third, conceptualize the attack. During his fight with Cliff, Christoph had splashed his mana around wastefully, keeping the knight at bay until the match was brought to an end. This time, though, he needed one powerful blow. His crystal sword flowed out in response to his thoughts, runes shifting as the blade lengthened into a lance. Aiming the skimmer at the Elemental¡¯s heart, Christoph began his final charge.

    ¡­

    ¡°That golem is really giving them trouble,¡± Coin said, peering down over the rocky ridge. ¡°We aren¡¯t going to help them, then?¡±

    ¡°No we aren¡¯t,¡± Lily replied. ¡°It isn¡¯t a golem, either.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an Elemental,¡± Regal said, before Coin could ask his next question. ¡°Golems are basically moving statues, but Elementals are alive.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hardly the time for lessons.¡± Resting a hand on his axe, Ruth scanned their surroundings. ¡°Let¡¯s backtrack for now. We should try take down the second target before the light falls too low.¡±

    ¡°So much walking,¡± Coin replied with a grimace. ¡°Why can¡¯t we fly around on something like-¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s going to charge it,¡± Quester said, ignoring his words. ¡°Look.¡±

    Pushing his way back through the party, Ruth gazed down at the scene below. Because of the distance, it took him a moment to process what was going on. ¡°He¡¯s using the ship?¡± he asked. ¡°Where¡¯d he learn how to joust, anyway?¡±

    There was a dull thump as the two combatants collided. A flash of mana signified that the Elemental¡¯s core had been pierced, the rocky figure crumbling away as the forces that held it together began to dissolve. Sliding out beneath the falling stones, Christoph¡¯s skimmer slowed to a halt, the wards flickering back into existence.

    ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± Ruth said. ¡°Let¡¯s go. If he uses that ship to overtake us, we won¡¯t have any claim to the reward at all.¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡± Regal¡¯s cry drew the party¡¯s full attention, four heads swivelling towards the mage at once. Tilting her hat back, she raised a hand to point around the hill. ¡°The second mark is coming.¡±

    ¡°Prepare for battle!¡± Unclipping his axe, Ruth swung his shield down from the front of his backpack. ¡°Target is one Earth Elemental, large and slow-moving, also immune to earth magic and most physical attacks. Regal, we¡¯re counting on you to immobilize the beast until we can dig out the core.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Regal replied. ¡°Target will be visible soon.¡±

    Gripping her staff in both hands, Regal began to gather her mana. Instead of her usual ice spear, she¡¯d open the fight with a water stream attack, freezing the Elemental solid at the joints. It¡¯d be easy to catch the monster in a ball of ice, but that would make destroying the core near impossible. On the other hand, a rain-type attack would only serve to armor the creature with layers of ice, so she had to be precise.

    ¡°Oi,¡± Coin said, swinging his spear around to loosen his limbs. ¡°Target is incorrect.¡±

    ¡°New targets,¡± Ruth said, checking their surrounding once again. Rather than the expected enemy, the entire hillside seemed to be shifting towards them. ¡°Earth Elemental golems. Destroy the cores, or they¡¯ll put each other back together. Protect Regal while she channels an area-based ice spell. Priority is in neutralizing the creatures, even if we can¡¯t destroy them right away. Understand?¡±

    ¡°Here you go,¡± Lily said, waving her hand over the approaching horde. The dwarf-sized creatures before them were constructs an ancient Earth Elemental would summon as guards. If they were allowed to reach the core, the creature would be born anew. ¡°You wanted to see some golems, didn¡¯t you dear?¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Ugh.¡± Spitting out a mouthful of hair, Christoph fumbled with the rope for a moment before simply cutting it free. Throwing the blanket aside, he checked Emilia¡¯s torso for wounds as the skimmer strained to move. The impact hadn¡¯t been that hard in the end, but even with how quickly he¡¯d reactivated the shields they¡¯d been half-buried under a pile of rubble as the Elemental lost its form.

    ¡°Nnngh.¡± Emilia¡¯s face contorted as the ship broke free, and Christoph set the craft down nearby, carrying the cat-girl down to the soft earth as she stirred.

    ¡°You okay?¡± he asked, picking yet another gray hair from his tongue. ¡°Wait a moment, I¡¯ll be back.¡±

    Lifting the rock aside, he snatched the Elemental¡¯s core from the pile of stones, feeling its pleasant warmth in his palm. As delicious as it seemed, he¡¯d since learned his lesson about quests. First, provide proof to the guild, and then he could eat. Tossing the crystal into a saddlebag, he turned back towards his companion just as she rolled over and threw up over the monster¡¯s remains.

    ¡°Ah.¡± Seeing her plight, Christoph knelt down to pat her on the back. Was it mana drain, or just motion sickness? ¡°I¡¯m still not trading it out for a horse, you know.¡±

 Chapter Fifty

    Coin roared as his spear pierced the golem¡¯s chest, hands shifting around the shaft with the impact. Pulling the weapon free as the shorter creature disintegrated back into dust, he was left with only a leaf on the tip of his blade. Shaking his head, he turned towards the dozens of enemies remaining and lunged back into the fray. The little statues returned his attacks in groups, heavy fists blocking his thrusts and striking in waves.

    ¡°Regal!¡± Lily voice cut through the crackling rumble of moving rocks, one of her sprites clinging to her target until the rock had been encased in a shell of ice. ¡°Any moment would be good!¡±

    Unlike the larger Elemental, most golems were formed from smooth flowing stone and therefore had no joints to speak of. If you wanted to incapacitate them, you¡¯d have to smother them with inches of solid ice. Such a feat would be easy enough with a singular opponent, but here they had precious few seconds before the horde simply beat their compatriot free again.

    ¡°Not yet,¡± Quester replied to his sister, dodging a nearby golem¡¯s attacks. The unconventional adventurer had no means of damaging the beasts, and had been reduced to a mere distraction in this chaotic brawl. ¡°Give her time.¡±

    ¡°Soon,¡± Ruth said. It would be a different matter if they could be certain that Christoph was taking the Elemental core away, but as it was they had no choice but to stall for now. ¡°We can¡¯t keep this up forever.

    Beating the golems back, he caught the attention of any that moved towards the party¡¯s mage, holding them off with his dented shield until Coin could claim the kills. The party was working in perfect harmony, but they were slowly being worn down. Swarm type enemies were always more difficult than most people would expect, and their affinity with the targets this time was simply poor. The Sacrilegious Shield might be Gold ranked, but they had labored harder than anyone else to get there.

    Squeezing her eyes shut, Regal tried to ignore the sounds of the battlefield as she focused on gathering her mana. Let alone one wide-area spell, the situation this time called for two successive casts to be effective. A flash-flood type spell with enough water to envelop the golems up to the arms, followed by an instant freezing spell before the water could flow away. A delay of even just a fraction of a second would mean a dozen creatures left to free the others, and she knew that they couldn¡¯t afford to guard both their captives and the Elemental¡¯s heart at the same time.

    ¡­

    ¡°You done yet?¡± Leaning back against the skimmer, Christoph tossed a small stone in the palm of his hand. ¡°If you are, then-¡±

    Emilia¡¯s retching interrupted his suggestion, although her stomach seemed to have been emptied some time ago. Glancing towards the rock he was holding, Christoph squinted down at its rough surface. He¡¯d picked it from the top of the massive pile while the cat-girl was busy being sick below, but from what he could tell it seemed to be nothing but an ordinary piece of earth.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Christoph said. ¡°Do you think this is edible?¡±

    Up until now, there hadn¡¯t been a single piece of a crystal beast which he couldn¡¯t eat. Even the crystalline frame of the elven landships had shined enticingly, although he¡¯d been left with nothing but a mouthful of wood pulp after the good parts had dissolved in his mouth. Placing the stone on his tongue, he bit down tentatively.

    ¡°Nope,¡± he said. ¡°Not even close.¡±

    Spitting the distasteful lump into the dirt, he raised an eyebrow at Emilia¡¯s wilted ears. Retrieving one of their waterskins from the skimmer, he crouched down and offered it to the nauseous cat-girl, patting her on the back as she shot him a look of disgust.

    ¡°I hate you,¡± she said, pausing to take a gulp of water. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you just left me behind.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that!¡± Scratching roughly at her furred ears, Christoph pulled the beast-woman to her feet. ¡°Here, I¡¯ll let you drive.¡±

    ¡°Screw you.¡± Flopping down on the half-unrolled blanket which he¡¯d left lying nearby, Emilia curling up on the soft lump of fabric. ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Christoph said, lifting her bodily form the ground. Tossing her up into the skimmer¡¯s saddle, he retrieved the blanket before swinging up in front of her. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°To the inn?¡± Emilia¡¯s hands slid under his shirt as she spoke, and he frowned at her seemingly instant recovery. Hugging up to him, she nuzzled his neck excitedly. ¡°Let¡¯s go, then!¡±

    ¡°Not the inn,¡± Christoph replied, turning the skimmer back towards the top of the slope. ¡°I wanted to wait until you¡¯d recovered, but someone¡¯s fighting up ahead. We¡¯re going to take a little look.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Lily!¡± Retreating under the barrage of blows, Coin realized even as he spoke that the sorcerer was too busy to come to his aid. The mass of creatures had long since locked onto their targets, and as time passed the party found itself concentrated more and more around their little mage. The golems pushed forwards with no regard for their own life, regenerating their wounds from the rocks below. How many had he slain by now? A sudden crash sounded at the rear of the horde, and the cluster of statues slowly began to turn away from the group of adventurers in response.

    ¡°She¡¯s nearly ready,¡± Quester said, slipping out of the monsters¡¯ reach. ¡°Just a while longer.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s brought the heart!¡± Coin replied, moving forward with the retreating wave of stone men. ¡°Keep their attention!¡±

    Rushing past the closest ranks of enemies, the spearman struck out at any golems he could reach, collecting three leafy cores in their moment of distraction. His arms ached with each thrust, but he was thankful that he¡¯d chosen a bone handle for his weapon. A wooden shaft would have splintered under the force of his attacks long ago, but the bodies of the crystal beasts were sturdier than that. Drawing the monsters in towards himself, he tried to avoid their frenzied strikes, weathering the small amount of blows that passed his guard.

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    ¡°Shit!¡± Christoph¡¯s exclamation could be heard even above the golems¡¯ excited pounding, the skimmer slowing to a near halt as they formed a living wall around the spherical shield. Pumping the engines, he rammed the statues as they tried to smother the wards. If an opportunity appeared, he was prepared to drop the shields in order to break free from their primitive encirclement.

    ¡°Ready!¡± Holding her staff high, Regal fought to contain the energies she¡¯d amassed as Coin struggled within the swarm. If she flooded the battlefield now, it would be nothing but droplets by the time he had worked his way free. ¡°Get out of there, Coin!¡±

    ¡°Just cast!¡± Quester and Ruth spoke as one, their roar punctuated by the dull thump of stones on Ruth¡¯s deteriorating shield. Pushing their opponents back, the adventurers retreated to the mage¡¯s side.

    Following their command, Regal began to release her mana, rain pouring down over the hillside. As the water rose up over the golems, she caught sight of Coin¡¯s spear swinging wildly deep within the horde. There was no way he would escape unharmed if she froze the area now. Hardening her heart, she lifted her staff higher yet, the remainder of her energy flashing out in a single instant of magic.

    The battlefield went silent all at once, a neat circle of ice encompassing every golem on the mountain without exception. Hovering over the translucent disk, Christoph felt his clothes crack as he twisted in his seat, guiding the craft up away from the captured monsters and onto the dirt nearby.

    ¡°Emilia?¡± Turning around as he dismounted the ship, he caught the cat-girl as she began to fall. From her head to her feet, every inch of her fur had been covered in a layer of solid ice. ¡°Jesus, Emilia!¡±

    ¡°Christoph?¡± Emilia asked, blue lips quivering as she shivered. ¡°I can¡¯t feel my ears.¡±

    Drawing his swords, he manipulated the crystals into a pair of basic gauntlets, quickly engraving the required runes into the surface. Converter, spellform, focusing, images. His own hair was a similar lump of ice, but the cat-girl had been almost entirely immobilized by the downpour.  Holding his hands over Emilia¡¯s body, he urged the mana from his body into the gauntlets, waves of heat radiating towards her frozen body. What had they been thinking? Turning back, he searched for the person responsible.

    ¡°Coin!¡± Lily slipped as she vaulted up onto the meter-high circle of ice, scrambling around the half-buried shapes of the golems as she rushed towards her partner. ¡°Coin?¡±

    In the centre of the disk, a spear could be seen protruding from the surface of the ice, its bone handle descending towards the ground below.

    ¡­

    Cliff felt the air rush from his lungs with the blow, muscles seizing as the armored knee lifted him into the air. Gripping his sword, he pushed back at his attacker, but was slammed to the side by a heavy fist in return. Sliding across the dirt, he felt a booted foot bring his momentum to a halt, a familiar face looking down on him from above.

    ¡°Get up,¡± Claude said, pulling the Templar to his feet before shoving him away. Deflecting the youth¡¯s sword with another of his forms, two more armored figures beat at the boy with their fists. ¡°First you have the guts to try to kill him, and then you fail? You disgust me.¡±

    ¡°I understand your feelings,¡± Lucius said, tilting his head to the side, ¡°but Cliff is not to blame here.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from someone who let the demon walk free,¡± the Paladin replied, tapping his dagger against the Saint¡¯s pale throat. ¡°The Willful will not brook such interference, and I will not allow you to deprive me of my revenge.¡±

    ¡°Please stop.¡± Sierra¡¯s plea was ignored by all five of Claude¡¯s forms, and Dane watched blankly as his former comrade was beaten bloody before him.

    ¡°I can see why the Archbishop sent you on this mission,¡± Claude said, parrying Cliff¡¯s attack with his armored forearm. ¡°You might actually be better than me with a sword. Still, I won¡¯t forgive you for this.¡±

    ¡°Henry was my friend, too.¡± Cliff felt his broken ribs shift as he spoke, and his vision blurred with the swaying of his sword. ¡°That man does not deserve to live.¡±

    ¡°Nor does he deserve to die,¡± Claude replied, fist smashing Cliff back down into the dirt. ¡°I¡¯m going to drag him all the way to the Gate and watch as his soul is torn into nothing.¡±

    ¡°The Pope will not stand for this,¡± Lucius said, tilting his head once more. ¡°Ah¡­ I see.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Claude replied as the high schooler read his mind. Glancing back, his gaze shifted between the twin siblings. ¡°It is your father that has made this possible.¡±

    ¡°What are you implying?¡± Sierra asked, confronting the version of the Paladin holding the living Saint hostage.

    ¡°The Pope has been removed from his position,¡± Dane said. ¡°Father is our current candidate for the seat, and of course Archbishop Kale stands for the Blessed, although given father¡¯s current condition, there¡¯s almost no competition at all.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re doing all this even knowing that Cliff¡¯s father will soon be the most powerful man in the Kingdom?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°How-¡±

    ¡°How can you just watch this?¡± Sierra turned towards Dane as she spoke, knuckles whitening where she clutched at her staff. ¡°Is this okay with you?¡±

    ¡°Henry is dead,¡± Dane replied, staring back at her. Looking down at where Cliff was struggling to stand, he let out a small sigh. ¡°I didn¡¯t even get to join the pursuit. The funeral was a failure, of course. We tried to contact him through the altars as well, but there was no response. He¡¯s gone forever, and he¡¯s never coming back. Father¡¯s locked himself in the bell tower, and I¡¯m not sure if anything is okay any more.¡±

 Chapter Fifty-One

    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Holding his hands over Emilia¡¯s motionless form, Christoph channelled mana through his gauntlets warmed the area. Ice, there was ice everywhere. Where before there had been fur, a solid layer of ice covered the cat-girl¡¯s body. Her limbs were frozen in place, and her blue lips shivered with each passing moment. ¡°You¡¯re going to be fine.¡±

    Hands trembling, Christoph resisted the urge to tear the frozen chunks free. The thin layer of sleet on the skin of her stomach had long since melted away, but there was just so much fur. Should he melt the ice directly? No, the spellform he was using was a flamethrower-type enchantment, and keeping a handle on the rate of mana was all that he could do. He¡¯d already burned the skimmer pulling her from the saddle, he couldn¡¯t risk doing the same to her exposed skin. There was nothing else he could do.

    For a moment, he thought of a steel hallway, dark and cold. Pushing the memory from his mind, he forced himself back to the situation at hand. Even a mere second of inattention would be enough to engulf his companion in flame. Because of the directional nature of the enchantment, he could still feel the way his tears were freezing halfway down his cheeks. Was there really nothing else he could do?

    Fingers twitching, Christoph looked up at Emilia¡¯s face. She just looked so cold. Her eyes were blank, now, and she hadn¡¯t spoken since. She couldn¡¯t feel her ears¡­ Could he warm them for her? Reducing the flow of mana to a trickle, his hands shook as they approached her head. Even with his blurred vision, he could see that they were much too fragile for him to possibly touch. His hands flared with heat, and flames licked at the beast-woman¡¯s form for a fraction of a second. Regaining control of his mana, he returned to warming his partner from afar.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± His voice came out as a sob. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Hey, Terminal?¡± Christoph tapped at the keyboard, waving the doll over to his side. ¡°Look here.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡± Leaning around the young boy, Terminal tilted her head at the monitor in question. ¡°Is there a problem?¡±

    ¡°No, just look.¡± Pointing at the screen, he rotated the schematic, highlighting a particular section of the 9th hallway. He was old enough to have memorized the layout of the lab, but he¡¯d only recently found out how to work the computers and still had trouble recognizing the diagrams. ¡°What¡¯s this part here?¡±

    ¡°It seems to be an emergency exit,¡± Terminal replied. ¡°Exit 9, to be exact.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a person.¡± Turning in his chair, the child looked up at the doll with wide eyes. An onlooker might have described the boy as a young teenager, but his physique was rather deceptively well-developed. ¡°Can we let them in?¡±

    ¡°We cannot.¡± Terminal rose from his side, standing straight. ¡°A reminder: lockdown is in effect awaiting Lady Josephine¡¯s return.¡±

    ¡°But-¡±

    ¡°You do not have permission to lift the lockdown,¡± Terminal said. ¡°Full access permissions are scheduled to be transferred to you in 5 years, 4 months and 6 days.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going!¡± Suddenly leaping from his chair, Christoph rushed out of the room before the doll could react. ¡°I want to see them!¡±

    Terminal had full control of the facility itself, but he knew she was not allowed to restrict his movements personally. Running down the hallways, he passed through several automatic doors and across numerous walkways before making his way to hallway 9. Finding the door, he pressed his hands up against the steel surface. Through the small window, he could see a human from the outside world moving around. What were they doing out there?

    ¡°Hello?¡± A woman¡¯s voice reached his ears, and Christoph jumped in surprise, almost unable to recognise her words. She sounded nothing at all like Terminal did. ¡°Is someone there?¡±

    ¡°Hi!¡± Tapping at the glass with his palms, Christoph smiled up at the woman outside. ¡°My name¡¯s Christoph!¡±

    ¡°Hello Christoph.¡± The woman paused, looking around her surroundings for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m Jess. Are you parents home? I think I¡¯m lost.¡±

    ¡°Uh-uh.¡± Shaking his head, Christoph stood up on his tip-toes, peering out through the window. She¡¯d moved things! Things outside never moved! ¡°It¡¯s just me and Terminal here. Josephine left a long time ago.¡±

    ¡°Terminal?¡± Jess slumped against the door, forehead leaning on the window pane. ¡°Look, I got lost exploring the basement of that old church. I¡¯ve been wandering around here for hours and I¡¯ve seen spiders so big, you wouldn¡¯t believe it. Can you help me get back to the surface?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°Is the surface nice? I¡¯ve always wanted to go back.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve always¡­¡± The woman stared down at him through the glass. ¡°What do you-¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Terminal¡¯s said. For a moment, Christoph thought the doll was on the other side of the door. Turning around, he saw her behind him and realized it had only been her reflection in the glass.

    ¡°Terminal!¡± Bouncing on his feet, the boy tapped at the window excitedly. ¡°She¡¯s outside! Can I go outside, too?¡±

    ¡°We should leave,¡± the doll said, resting a hand on Christoph¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s go play in one of the other sections.¡±

    ¡°An android?¡± Jess waved at Terminal through the glass. ¡°Can you take me back to the surface? I¡¯m lost, and none of my stuff seems to be working under-¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Christoph,¡± Terminal said, crouching down beside him. ¡°The heatseekers will be here soon.¡±

    ¡°Hey, you can¡¯t just ignore me!¡± Pounding on the steel frame, Jess called out to the doll again. ¡°You can¡¯t leave when someone¡¯s in danger! What kind of android are you?!¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡± Christoph stood on his tiptoes, looking past the woman outside. ¡°Heatseekers.¡±

    ¡°Heat-¡± Turning around, the woman froze in shock. The walls and floor of the narrow hallway were no longer visible, buried beneath a twitching mass of slender legs. She hadn¡¯t noticed it before, but the spiders weren¡¯t simply large because of their species. They had been designed that way.

    ¡°Come now Christoph,¡± Terminal said. ¡°I¡¯ll race you back to section 12?¡±

    H-hey.¡± Jess glanced through the glass over her shoulder, fingers tapping on the door as the spiders moved closer. ¡°This isn¡¯t funny, let me in already.¡±

    ¡°Let her in!¡± Christoph said, tugging at Terminal¡¯s arm. ¡°Can¡¯t she come play with us?¡±

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    ¡°The laboratory is on lockdown,¡± the doll replied. ¡°You don¡¯t have the permission required to unseal the doors.¡±

    ¡°Get away from me!¡± Pounding on the door again, Jess called out to Christoph this time. ¡°Hey kid, your droid¡¯s broken! You have to let me in!¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°I don¡¯t have permission.¡±

    Kicking out at the heatseekers as they approached, Jess jolted as a pair of steel fangs lanced into her leg. A sudden coolness surged into her calf, the sensation quickly replaced by a blaze of heat. Steam rose up over the hallway as the acid began to burn into her bones. Taking their cue, the horde of spiders swept forward, metallic legs clicking as they covered the flailing woman.

    ¡°Hey! Leave her alone!¡± Beating against the door, Christoph felt the steel grow hot under his tiny hands. ¡°Don¡¯t be mean to Jess!¡±

    ¡°Christoph.¡± Terminal tugged at his shoulder, pulling his attention away from Jess¡¯ pitiful cries. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here. There¡¯s nothing you can do.¡±

    ¡°Terminal?¡± Christoph looked up at the doll, tears welling up in his wide eyes. ¡°Why are they doing that to Jess?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s an intruder,¡± Terminal replied, smoothing his hair away as the woman¡¯s screams trailed off. ¡°The heatseekers are there to keep you safe.¡±

    ¡°Christoph!¡± Somehow, the woman still had the strength to call his name. ¡°Help me, Christoph!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Christoph said, hands burning as he pressed them up against the glass. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Christoph?¡± Emilia¡¯s voice snapped him back into the present, his hands jumping as she slowly stirred. Cracking the ice as she sat up, water dripped from the cat-girl¡¯s fur into the puddle below. Ear twitching, she blinked up at him. ¡°Why is someone screaming?¡±

    Screaming? It took Christoph a moment to process the question, his surroundings slamming back into him all at once. Jolting upright, hunger welled in his gut as his burns began to fade. Screaming¡­ Turning away from the beast-woman, he looked back towards the disk of ice behind them.

    ¡°Coin!¡± A flash of mana accompanied Lily¡¯s cry. ¡°Coin!¡±

    Warming  the ground beneath his companion, Christoph double-checked her condition. Most of the ice was gone by now, and her breath was coming naturally as well. Vaulting up onto the ice, he made his way towards the centre of the platform. Lily and Quester were standing upon the ice, and he could see Ruth crouching over an unconscious Regal nearby. Coin¡¯s spear stood upright between a mass of half-frozen golems, but there was no sign of the spearman himself.

    ¡°Wake up.¡± Steam rose around Lily¡¯s hands, and Christoph caught a glimpse of Coin¡¯s face in the ground below. She¡¯d uncovered his face by melting a patch of the ice away, but the rest of his body was still buried a foot below the surface. ¡°You have to wake up!¡±

    Pushing Quester out of the way, Christoph used his gauntlets to melt a swathe of ice around the spearman¡¯s frozen form. Carving out a rough silhouette, he lifted chunks of the human-shaped sheet of ice free. The ice directly around Coin¡¯s body had already melted into water, and he could see the signature of Lily¡¯s sprite dancing within the adventurer¡¯s chest. Had she used it to warm his very soul? Pulling the half-naked man up onto solid ground, Christoph turned towards where Quester was standing above them.

    ¡°What the fuck were you thinking?¡± Rising to his feet, he pointed down at the still form of the spearman. ¡°Not only Emilia, you target your own party members with your spells?¡±

    ¡°What we do is none of your business.¡± Quester¡¯s face remained blank, his words coming impassively. ¡°Regal-¡±

    ¡°I heard you telling her to cast the spells!¡± Christoph said, stepping toward the plain-looking man. ¡°Don¡¯t blame this on Regal.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Quester said, a large knife appearing in his hand. ¡°I told her to do it. Do you have a problem with that?¡±

    Christoph¡¯s sword arced through the frigid air, the crystal blade sweeping towards Quester¡¯s shoulder. Twisting around, the adventurer moved to catch the blow on the flat of his knife, sliding back across the ice as he blocked the attack.

    ¡°Not even close,¡± Quester said, shaking the cold from his joints as he came to a halt. ¡°Even one-on-one, I hope you¡¯re prepared to die for that.¡±

    Using one of the half-buried golems as a foothold, Christoph launched himself towards his opponent. Hopping from stone to stone in order to avoid the corrugated surface of the ice, he levelled another attack at the adventurer¡¯s head.

    Ducking under the sweeping blade, Quester slid across the ice almost naturally, feet bobbing with the curves of the frozen ground. Gliding around through the half-buried form of the golems, he bit down on the back of his knife and used both of his hands to propel himself not towards Christoph, but away from him.

    ¡°You slippery¡­¡± Leaping between the exposed golems, Christoph used his left hand to melt the ice from their surfaces before landing, avoiding the environmental hazards altogether. How could the bowman keep his balance on something like that? Careful not to melt any of the golems free as he chased after the adventurer, Christoph struck out at him whenever he was within reach.

    Grinning past the thick steel of his knife, Quester sailed backwards across the ice, dodging the crystal blade whenever possible and only pausing to use his knife when absolutely necessary. Drawing a pouch from his belt, he tossed it towards his airborne opponent, closing his eyes at it met the heat from Christoph¡¯s left hand. Ignoring the roar of the explosion, he kicked off the golem behind him and reversed his momentum, slashing at Christoph¡¯s leg with a second knife as they passed each other.

    ¡°Whoops.¡± Taking the hunting knife from between his teeth, Quester held both his weapons up towards his foe. ¡°Did I hurt you?¡±

    Blinking to clear his vision, Christoph paused atop the flat surface of a golem¡¯s broad back. An explosive? If Quester had more of them, it¡¯d be dangerous to continue relying on his flamethrower enchantment to clear a path. Shaking his leg as it began to heal, he recognized the dull ache of poison from within the wound. Feeling his hunger welling up, he remembered Quester¡¯s position within the Sacrilegious Shield. The plainly dressed man was not here to fight monsters, but to kill people.

 Chapter Fifty-Two

    Christoph hadn¡¯t realized it when he first stepped into this world, but archery is something which most adventurers have no good use for. He¡¯d seen many bows, of course, but it was not the adventurers who wielded them. The reason for this bias lay within the purpose of the guild itself. To put it simply, the adventurers existed to fight monsters.

    In both the Kingdom of the Creator and the Sanguine Empire, the knights patrolled the lands, and monsters were the only reason that the guild existed. Quests to gather items, quests to travel places, all these things would be completed by ordinary citizens if there were no such creatures in the area. It was only within the Plains of Manitas that the guild took on such unremarkable jobs, and there were not many adventurers who lived their life out in the desert. More often than not, Manitas City had been a destination for those with money to spare, an alluring place of food and coin.

    The way this affected the adventurers¡¯ choice of weapon was simple ¨C bows were incredibly ineffective against creatures much larger than a person. Even if the arrows were poisoned, it took great strength to pierce the hides of such monsters, and two-handed weapons were more prevalent as a result. On the other hand, bows were extremely effective at killing one target in particular. People, and adventurers in particular.

    Eschewing the plate armor of the knights, adventurers relied on thicker but less confining equipment to fight the beasts. Both heavy and light armor were considered the staple pick of an adventurer, and plate armor saw less use as a consequence. It was for this reason that the pirates and bandits of the area relied on their bows when preying on members of the guild. Enchanted weapons and armor were different, of course, but such arms were far too expensive to be scattered throughout the lands.

    In this world, the bow was not a sign of the hunter, but rather a killer, while plate armor represented those who opposed such murderers. If an adventurer ever met someone wearing plate or carrying a bow, they recognized them as someone experienced at fighting not monsters, but people. Cliff of the Creator¡¯s Blessed had been the favourite of many in Lord Benvolio¡¯s tournament for this very reason, despite being a relative unknown within the city walls.

    ¡­

    ¡°You¡¯re pretty confident for an archer who doesn¡¯t have a bow.¡± Stepping down from the golem he was standing on, Christoph returned Quester¡¯s grin. ¡°Did I ever tell you how much I hate arrows?¡±

    Sweeping his hands out, Christoph forced a burst of mana into his dual enchantments. If his opponent was stupid enough to carry grenades into a fight with a flamethrower, he¡¯d just detonate them right then and there! Closing his eyes, he let the flames wash out over the ice for barely a moment.

    ¡°Too predictable.¡± Quester¡¯s whisper pierced through the roaring blaze, the adventurer¡¯s knife stabbing into his leg once more.

    Slicing out with his sword, Christoph cut nothing but air as his opponent sailed away. Had Quester only had one of the grenades to begin with? No, he could see a few of them lying in the water nearby. He¡¯d thrown them away! Christoph had been careful not to release any of the golems with his flames, but the ice-water covering the ground only made it harder to stand. The golems, on the other hand, were struggling in their frigid bonds. Between trying to hop from each statue to the next, or trying to ski on the icy surface of the platform, which choice was correct?

    ¡°Give me a break, already,¡± Christoph said, splashing down onto the watery surface of the ice. ¡°What kind of bullshit is this anyway?¡±

    It was Quester who went on the offensive this time, striking out at Christoph before he could adjust to the unfamiliar terrain. Unleashing a flurry of blows from both his weapons, he wasn¡¯t able to cut his opponent, but succeeded in pushing him back across the ice. Capitalizing on his newfound momentum, the adventurer threw his dagger at the world traveller¡¯s leg, drawing another poisoned blade from his belt to replace it.

    Jerking his leg away, Christoph realized his mistake as Quester kicked out at his opposite knee. A straight kick? How did he have the footing to even stand in the first place? The booted foot crashed into his knee as the leg was straightened in retreat, and Christoph felt his ligaments tear at the crystal bones were bent in reverse.

    How was he losing? Re-writing the runes on his left arm as he fell, he splashed a wave of ice-water up towards his opponent. Before the water could fall, he poured mana into his left hand, activating the spellform for ¡®ice¡¯ and casting the projectile away. Striking out with his large knife, Quester burst through the water before it could fully freeze, knocking the premature missile aside.

    ¡°Amateur,¡± Quester said with a grin, slashing out at Christoph¡¯s half-fallen form. Slicing into his target¡¯s arm, he felt the blade stop against the abnormally rigid bones, the two men sliding apart from the force of the blow. ¡°You might have been able to beat me when you¡¯d only had your strength, but not any more.¡±

    ¡°What the fuck is that supposed to mean?¡± Christoph knew the answer even without receiving a response. The way Quester moved, the way he fought, the way he always seemed to be barely out of reach or passing by¡­ he was someone who had forged his skilled by fighting against opponents more skilled than he was. Sparring was common practise among the adventurers, but battles to the death were on an entirely different level. When Christoph expected him to go left, he would go right. When he expected an attack, Quester would feint instead. For this fight, the experience he had accumulated over his travels only served to hasten his defeat.

    Stolen novel; please report.Rising to his feet, Christoph kicked out his legs, feeling the tendons pulling back into position, his hunger welling up anew. After this, he might just gorge on the crystals he had saved and to hell with the quest. Drawing his other sword, he smiled over at the adventurer¡¯s wicked grin. Kicking off the golems around him, he re-absorbed his swords and hurtled towards his opponent on all fours, rising up to tackle him down onto the ice below.

    ¡°How¡¯s this for training?¡± Gritting his teeth, Christoph ignored Quester¡¯s counter-attacks and grasped at the collar of his shirt. Straddling the adventurer¡¯s body, he beat at his exposed face, shifting his left hand to clutch at the man¡¯s soft neck. ¡°A problem? A PROBLEM? First you shoot me and leave me to die, then you try to get me executed, then you stab me, and now you¡¯re trying to kill Emilia too? DO YOU THINK I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT?¡±

    A hand closed around his arm, and Christoph blinked up at where Coin was kneeling beside him. His fingers twitched, and he felt the familiar handle of a hammer in his fist. The translucent head dripped dully in the dim light, and he could see a tinge of crimson layering over the crystalline tool.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Coin said, steam rising from his mouth with every breath. ¡°What are you going to do when Regal wakes up to find you¡¯ve killed her fiance?¡±

    ¡°Regal?¡± Christoph glanced down at Quester ruined face, stumbling back off of his motionless form to shiver in the water nearby. That¡¯s right, Regal had been lying down nearby, right? If Ruth hadn¡¯t left her side even to interrupt the fight, that meant-

    ¡°This isn¡¯t Quester fault to begin with,¡± Coin said, splashing down onto the ice. Next to him, Lily trembled in rage. ¡°He was just angry there was nothing he could do. It¡¯s not Regal¡¯s fault, either. She pushed herself to the edge waiting for us to get clear. I wouldn¡¯t have even been in the middle of the golems if you hadn¡¯t brought the Elemental heart straight to them in the first place.¡±

    ¡°The heart?¡± Christoph frowned, letting the short form of the hammer flow back into his arm. ¡°What does-¡±

    ¡°The golems are here to bring it back to life,¡± Coin said, eyes hardening as he spoke. ¡°If  you don¡¯t even know that much, how can you call yourself a gold ranker? You can¡¯t just burst into someone else¡¯s fight and blame them when you end up getting hurt. How could you drop your wards like that? What were you thinking?¡±

    ¡°I-¡± Christoph blinked back at the spearman, glancing between Quester¡¯s bloodied face and Lily¡¯s hateful stare. He¡¯d dropped his shields to break free from the golems¡¯ blockade. ¡°I just-¡±

    ¡°I liked you, but we didn¡¯t need your help,¡± Coin said. ¡°Not until you made a mess of everything. I¡¯m thankful for your aid, but we would have been just fine without you. Next time, stick to protecting your companions.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± It was Lily who spoke this time, teeth clenched as she bowed her head to him, blonde hair matting over her face. ¡°Thank you for helping me save Coin. Never show your face to us again.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Was that okay?¡± Coin asked, watching Christoph¡¯s skimmer disappear back towards the small mining town. ¡°Did we do the right thing?¡±

    ¡°He almost beat Quester to death,¡± Lily said, staring over the fire at her brother¡¯s bedroll. ¡°We should have killed him then and there.¡±

    ¡°He thought we¡¯d done the same,¡± Coin replied, falling back next to the sorcerer. ¡°It was close, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who almost died.¡± Lying down beside him, Lily tried to release the tension in her bones. ¡°Remind me why we¡¯re still together.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because I love you,¡± Coin said, wrapping an arm around her in the flickering firelight. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you worry.¡±

    ¡°I could have saved you, you know?¡± Returning his embrace, Lily felt her vision begin to blur. ¡°I¡¯m sure I could have saved you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Kissing her on the forehead, Coin held her as she began to sob. ¡°I was never really in any danger at all, was I? You¡¯ll always be there to save me.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Snapping off a portion of hard biscuit, Ruth offered the snack to the small mage beside him. ¡°You really gave it your all today.¡±

    ¡°This is nothing,¡± Regal replied. ¡°I¡¯m fine, so how¡¯s Quester?¡±

    ¡°He asked me to keep you company for now,¡± Ruth said, crunching down on his half of the biscuit. ¡°Being beaten by a golem has wounded his pride, I think.¡±

    ¡°Was Coin alright?¡± Dipping her snack into her mug, Regal waited for the biscuit to soften. ¡°He brushed it off before I could apologize.¡±

    ¡°Coin¡¯s fine,¡± Ruth said, waving his hand dismissively. ¡°You know him, he¡¯ll be right back to counting his earnings before you know it.¡±

    ¡°I still feel bad,¡± Regal replied. Sighing, she slumped down onto the boulder. ¡°I¡¯m not paying you to die.¡±

    ¡°Nobody¡¯s going to die.¡± Glancing down at the young woman, Ruth forced a grin. ¡°Coin wasn¡¯t even touching the water when you froze it. You should have seen it ¨C the rain clears, and there he is, standing with each leg on top of a different golem. The lad certainly has a charm about him.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just glad no one was seriously hurt,¡± Regal said. ¡°Christoph and¡­ Emilia. They were okay too, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course they were,¡± Ruth replied. ¡°It¡¯d take more than that to bring down a pirate ship. Still, I can¡¯t say Quester and Lily were happy about what he did, just rushing into the battlefield like that. Next time, it might not end so well, you know?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I know that.¡± Sipping her soup, Regal fell silent for a moment. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t contact him any more, should I?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Ruth said, shaking his head. ¡°He¡¯s caused enough trouble as it is.¡±

 Chapter Fifty-Three

    "How do they look?" Emilia tilted her head backwards in her efforts to catch a glimpse of her catlike ears, confounding Christoph''s own attempts to inspect them. Their single candle flickered on the bedside table as they moved, and the shadows did nothing to help him examine his partner.

    "Sit still," Christoph said, grabbing her head between his hands. "I can''t see."

    The cat-girl wriggled momentarily in his lap, settling down as he tilted her head back into position. Leaning forwards, he rested his chest against her back and looked over her furred ears.

    "They''re fine." Christoph sighed in relief as he spoke. The bloody wounds she''d suffered from the ice has since healed into patches of hairless skin, but the fragility of her ears had kept them in bandages nearly a week after the incident had occurred.

    "Eh?" Emilia twisted out of his grasp, reaching up to touch at the appendages herself. "Something feels weird."

    "That''s..." Christoph grimaced as he she turned to look back towards him, fingers freezing where they met the newly sprouted fur of her ears. "Hey, it''s not that bad, really."

    "It''s not that bad?" Emilia asked, eyes wide with horror. "It''s not that bad?!"

    Christoph smiled gently at the beast-woman''s expression. While it was true her right ear had almost fully healed, the left currently hung downwards, as some dogs'' ears did. The lopsided orientation combined with the missing patches of fur to give her an endearingly cute appearance. His smile threatened to break as he reached a hand up to draw her back against his chest, but she''d already made it clear that she didn''t blame him at all. If he spent any more time apologizing, it''d just be self-pity.

    "I think it''s cute," he said, ruffling the hair on her head. "Does it still hurt?"

    "Cute? That''s what you said about the bandages," Emilia replied with a frown, before resting her head back under his chin. Reaching down, she drew his arms around her and held them up against her stomach. "They''re itchy, but they''ll be better soon."

    "I guess those healing scrolls really do work, then?" Christoph said, leaning over and ignoring Emilia''s cries as they tipped over sideways onto the bed. Loosening his arms around her waist, he let her twist around until they lay face to face.

    "When are we leaving?" Emilia asked, stretching out over the bed. "Tomorrow?

    "Well it''s too late now," Christoph replied, resting his forehead against hers. "Tomorrow would be good, though. Actually, I bought some illumination crystals from the miners, so we could set out tonight if you really want. You gonna drive this time?"

    Emilia''s unimpressed glare was enough to push the thought from his mind for now. Closing his eyes with a sigh, he let her wriggle further into his chest and reached over to extinguish their candle.

    ...

    "Is that everything you need?" Frederick turned back to his wagon as he spoke. "I don''t suppose I can interest you in some work?"

    "It''s fine," Christoph replied, holding up a palm to deflect the dwarf''s request. "We''re leaving as soon as she wakes up. It was rough on her, but she shouldn''t have any permanent injuries from what I could tell."

    "I won''t ask what happened between you and the Shield, but I take it that''s a no for the job, then?" Frederick asked.

    "I''m afraid so." Nodding softly, Christoph passed a few coins to the dwarven merchant. "We aren''t going back to the city any time soon, and certainly not with the company you keep."

    "Heh." Frederick crossed his arms. "That''s rich, coming from someone who saddled up with the Exile. You know what she''s up to now?"

    "I don''t, sorry," Christoph said.

    "Well just watch out for her then," Frederick replied. "If she wanted to, she could have half the pirate fleets eating out of her hands. It wouldn''t be the first time, either. Any chance I could convince you to drag her off to the mountains as well? She did seem rather fond of you."

    "I don''t think so." Christoph shook his head with a grim look. "For now, Emilia is my main priority, and I won''t drag her into any more danger if I can help it. As for my relationship with Diana, there were... circumstances. Geoff should have let you know."

    "He did," Frederick said, clutching at his coins. "Editor, huh? That''s not my business, though. If the witch really is planning on uniting the pirates, the entire plains will go to hell. At least the inner city still has some semblance of order"

    "Still as prejudiced as ever, I see," Christoph replied with a shake of his head. "Just because she''s an elf that doesn''t mean she''s a pirate."

    "Huh." The dwarf crossed his arms with a frown. "Those long-eared bandits might be good business for the guild, but you wouldn''t be saying that if you were the one shelling out coin to keep them off your wagons."

    "Yeah yeah." Christoph said. "Don''t forget who it was that took down two ships last journey, now. If that''s everything, I should leave before your escort arrives. I''ve had enough fighting to last me a year."

    "That''s a shame," Emilia said, prancing through the door to the inn. "Because I just saw a pirate flying into town."

    ...

    Christoph glanced back towards Frederick''s receding form, the dwarf hurriedly guiding his horses towards the guild building. The townsfolk would ordinarily hole up in the mines during a raid, but until they could make sure there were no other magma whales lurking inside the earth that plan was strictly off-limits.

    "How many pirates did you see?" Christoph asked, stretching out a foot to tap at Emilia''s lower leg. He''d followed her upstairs to get a better view from the balcony, but she''d promptly flopped down onto the floorboards and began to bask in the sun.

    "Just one," the beast-woman replied, shifting her legs around on the wooden boards. "One skimmer, anyway. You can see them coming from ages away because of the dust."

    "Makes sense," Christoph said. "Still, one skimmer could be anything from one to what, four? Four elves?"

    "I doubt it." Emilia rolled over onto her front, lifting herself onto her elbows and turning her head to look up at him. "You still can''t see them? They weren''t that far out."

    "Relax," Christoph replied. The skimmer had been obscured by the more densely packed trees closer to the town, but he could still follow the trail of dust they left behind. "Unless they circle around the whole town, there''s no way we''ll miss them."

    "Can''t we just let those idiots deal with it?" Emilia narrowed her eyes in distaste. "They owe me some fur."

    "I still want to know what''s going on," Christoph said. "Normally I''d say that it''s just a scout, but the guild clerk said the pirates generally know the trip here isn''t worth the loot. Maybe it''s a different crew, then? Frederick did say the plains were pretty chaotic right now."

    "Too bad for the town, then," Emilia said. "That''s what they get for being so dumb. Do any of them even know how to use a spear?"

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    "Shush," Christoph said, leaning forwards against the balcony railing. "The people here are peaceful citizens and I like them that way, thank you very much.

    "Yeah, yeah." Emilia sat up with a wry smile. "You were cuter before you learned how to take care of yourself, you know.

    "I''ll bet I was." Standing upright, he waved down at where the pirate was guiding his skimmer around the mining town''s small houses. "I think I recognise that half-elf."

    ...

    Plume peered over the top of his idling skimmer, hands clenching his crossbow as his feet shifted in the dirt. There was no time now for doubts. He would either complete his goal, or he would die. No, he reminded himself, it was more likely that he would do both.

    "Half-elf?" Christoph''s voice came floating off the inn''s patio, and Plume readied his weapon. "Is that you?"

    "Aye, it is," the adventurer replied. "Christoph Smith, I challenge you to a duel."

    "A duel?" Stepping through the doorway, Christoph cocked his head. "Duels between Bronze and Gold ranks are forbidden, you know?"

    "I''m not a Bronze ranker any more," Plume said, standing to pull his tunic down at the neck. Where an amulet would have sat, the flesh lay bare. "Neither the city nor the guild is looking kindly upon the elves right now."

    "Ah, of course," Christoph replied. "The pirates must be having a ball over there."

    Plume''s fist tightened around the stock of his weapon, and a bolt of energy spat out towards the older man, catching him in the torso. Stumbling slightly, Christoph took a step back and raised his arms to ward of any other attacks.

    "That was a warning shot," the pirate said. From the looks of it, the Gold ranker hadn''t been more than rocked by the missile. "This isn''t a conventional crossbow."

    "That''s not a crossbow at all." Christoph''s words were uttered through his teeth, a hand clutched to his side. Taking a more defensive position, he held his ground and urged his left-hand crystals into some approximation of a shield. "It looks more like a mage''s staff to me."

    Indeed, the weapon in Plume''s hands bore little resemblance to those of his youth. No string, no bolts, not even a cross piece adorned the bow. Instead, a crystal-wood stock was inscribed with runes on every surface, an inch-thick cord trailing from the end into the side of Plume''s skimmer.

    "It''s called a Longstaff," the pirate said, pointing the staff towards his opponent. "And the output can be much higher than that. This isn''t a duel between adventurers."

    "This isn''t a duel at all."

    Rushing forwards, Christoph rammed the skimmer with his shield, rocking it in midair and pushing the half-elf away from the craft itself.Because of how the weapon was attached to the ship, Plume found the wooden stock pulling itself from his grasp as he stumbled.

    Shifting his right leg behind him, Plume moved towards the craft and swung the weapon around once more. Fingers tugging on the trigger, he felt the skimmer''s energy converge in the longstaff for a moment before it was released, soaring into the sky above.

    "Give it up." Christoph tightened his grip on the staff, keeping it pointing skywards as he pushed the pirate to the ground. Looking over the weapon, he turned to study the vehicle for a moment before tossing the staff into the saddle. "It''s a nice ship, but it''s not enough to beat me."

    Moving back around the skimmer, Christoph waved Emilia out towards their own transport.

    "Done already?" Emilia asked, right ear twitching as she pranced out over the patio. "You aren''t going to kill him, then?"

    "Not this time," Christoph replied. "If you want to, then go ahead."

    Narrowing her eyes, Emilia hopped up onto the skimmer and tapped at the saddle impatiently.

    "Move up," Christoph said, stepping up behind her. Pushing the cat-girl towards the steering bar, he ignored her protests and reached around her to activate the ship. "You still aren''t allowed to sit in the back seat."

    "Hey." Plume stared up at the couple, his voice seeming to disappear beneath the rhythmic pulse of their vehicle. "I''m not done yet, I can still-"

    "Yeah yeah," Christoph said, steering the skimmer westward as it rose. Looking back, he sighed down at the dumbfounded half-elf. "Snap out of it, kid. I really don''t want to have to kill you too."

    Wriggling around in her seat, Emilia waved a hand back towards the young man as they sped from the border town towards the forest.

    ...

    Plume sat back against his skimmer, longstaff resting across his legs. All this way... He''d come all this way for nothing. After Manitas and Bastias had destroyed half of the city, the pirates had swept in from across the Plains to terrorize the adventurers and citizens alike. The combined might of the Guild would have been enough to stand against them in an open battle, but guerrilla warfare and indiscriminate violence gave the elves an edge in the city streets.

    Roethus had done his best to protect the populace and the city while directing the adventurers to sweep the pirates away, but public opinion of the Council had fallen in the aftermath of the tournament, and plummeted with Manitas'' next actions. Not only was their Lord instead a God, but to level so much of his own city without regard for the public was simply too much for many to take. Rioting and vigilantism became equally commonplace, pirates lurking around the corner at all times. The city had become a dangerous place, and it was only worse if you were an elf. Left with nothing in his newfound home, Plume had commandeered a skimmer and set out to accomplish the one thing he thought he could.

    "Don''t move."

    The straight blade of a longsword hovered before Plume''s chest, and he raised his head as he was brought back to the present.

    "A pirate, I presume?" The speaker was some sort of knight, fully helmed in shining silver armor. "Make a move with that longstaff, and I''ll kill you."

    "Not a pirate," Plume replied, leaning his head back to knock against the side of his craft. "I''m an adventurer, Bronze ranked."

    "I don''t care," the knight replied. "I have business elsewhere."

    "Oh?" Plume glanced down, seeing a group of similarly attired knight gathering behind the first. One of them was unhelmed, a pallid looking face staring blankly through the half-elf. "Are you looking for him, then?"

    "A young man and a beast woman passed through these parts on an elvish skimmer recently," the knight said, ignoring Plume''s words. "Which direction did they leave in?"

    "Which direction?" Clambering to his feet, Plume let the longstaff fall to dangle in the dirt below. "I can do better than that. I doubt any of you guys can track a skimmer better than a former pirate, right?"

 Chapter Fifty-Four

    ¡°Do you think I should have killed him?¡±

    Christoph glanced around at Emilia¡¯s face from his position behind her, but she remained unreadable. Her attitude hadn¡¯t been anything worth noting when they set out, but as the hills passed underneath them the beast-woman had grown increasingly silent.

    ¡°I mean, I get that there¡¯s no love lost between the beast clans and the pirate crews,¡± Christoph said, ¡°but I¡¯d already spared him once, wouldn¡¯t it be wrong to just turn around and kill him now?¡±

    Hunching over, Emilia pressed the knuckles of her right hand into her mouth and ignored his words. Was she deep in thought or actually upset this time?

    ¡°Diana would have killed him, I¡¯m sure, but we can¡¯t all be as indifferent as she is.¡± Turning the craft, Christoph steered it through the ever-growing foliage. Although the trees had been densely packed around the small town, those in the leash were larger still, and with their size came space.

    ¡°Hey.¡± Emilia turned around at Christoph¡¯s words, face wrinkled up in displeasure. ¡°Did that elf really turn into a good person after she ran off with you?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Christoph shrugged his shoulders. Had she moved on from whatever she was thinking about? ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯d call her a good person, but she was definitely different. She said that Liam showed her the lives of other people, so I¡¯m guessing the empathy did her good.¡±

    ¡°What about you?¡± Emilia asked, facing the front once more. ¡°What did he show to you?¡±

    ¡°The things he showed me were¡­ shallower than that.¡± Christoph had been wondering when this conversation would appear. ¡°Instead of memories, I was given knowledge without the experience of learning it. About plants, animals, people and places. Common knowledge, really. Nothing that would change me as a person.¡±

    ¡°You have changed, though.¡± Leaning back, the cat-girl rested her head against his chest. ¡°Isn¡¯t that because of him?¡±

    ¡°I suppose so,¡± Christoph said. ¡°He did take my fear of death and turn it into a fear of you, so I guess you could blame him for what happened. No, it is his fault in the end, but it wasn¡¯t him that changed me. That¡¯s just life.¡±

    ¡°Life?¡± Emilia¡¯s ears twitched as she looked up at him. ¡°You mean the time you spent on the plains?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Leaning down, Christoph rested his chin against her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m more surprised you¡¯re still the same after everything that happened. Ah, you were part of this world from the beginning, though. What did Liam do to you anyway?¡±

    ¡°He made me forget you,¡± Emilia said, averting her gaze. ¡°I went back to being the person I used to be.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Rocking the skimmer to avoid an approaching tree trunk, Christoph slowed the craft and took in the beast-woman¡¯s troubled expression. ¡°The person you used to be?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve changed since meeting you.¡± Emilia¡¯s words almost slipped past him, as if somehow whipped away by the wind that couldn¡¯t penetrate the skimmer¡¯s wards. Shaking her head, she raised her voice again. ¡°You might not have realized it, but I haven¡¯t always been this carefree.¡±

    Silence fell over the pair as Christoph tried to make sense of her words. The Emilia he¡¯d known was lazy to a fault, always following her whims and living as easily as she could. Now she¡¯s saying that was because of him?

    ¡°Leila almost didn¡¯t even try to help me,¡± the beast-woman continued. ¡°In the end, she must have decided I was better off being like this than that though, because here we are.¡±

    ¡°Here we are, huh?¡± Slowing the skimmer and reaching a hand off the steering bars, Christoph petted his partner on the head. ¡°You went through a lot to get back to me, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Shaking off his hand, Emilia wriggled about in the seat and wrapped her arms around him. ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy, you know! Even Bastias, don¡¯t the gods know how to be gentle with their people?¡±

    ¡°Know your place.¡±

    Jerking at the sudden intrusion, Christoph was able to slam the craft to one side, the tip of a straight sword grazing past to open a shallow cut in his cheek. Where had his attacker gone? There! Stepping out from the trees around them, Claude readied his swords once more.

    ¡°We meet again, demon.¡± A second voice rang out, and Dane leveled his own damaged longsword at the pair. ¡°This time, I hope you¡¯re prepared to die.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Are you ready, brother?¡±

    Lifting his sword an inch from its scabbard, Claude didn¡¯t spare a glance back to check Dane¡¯s reaction. The Paladin gathered his mana and split his body in four, each form darting away behind a nearby tree as the skimmer approached. Behind him, his plate armor lay bundled within his blue-clothed caped. In this next fight, it would only serve to slow him down.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± Lowering the visor on his helm, Dane pre-emptively drew his blade and watched Claude tighten the grip on his own weapon, half-sliding it from the sheath and coiling his muscles for the sudden strike. The elven craft drew closer, close enough for them to hear the occupants¡¯ conversation as the skimmer slowed its speed. The use of a surprise attack didn¡¯t sit well with Dane, but perhaps this was a sign that the lord thought differently. Conditions for the attack could hardly be better.

    ¡°We have to finish this fast,¡± Claude said, ¡°or else the pirate will catch us, and that would be troublesome. Truthfully, I would have liked to silence him, but this is our fight. We must not drag the church into a conflict with the guild.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Dane replied, lowering his voice. Denying the adventurer his offer, the two had made use of an ancient summoning stone to position themselves ahead of their prey along the leash. ¡°Henry would not have liked to see the church in a conflict with the guild, and I am glad we did not have to kill the half-elf.¡±

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t compare Henry to trash such as that.¡± Turning back, Claude narrowed his eyes at Dane, his shoulder length hair whipping around in the forest air. The young certainly had simplistic ways of seeing the world. Cliff as well should have known better than to seek vengeance on the demon alone. ¡°The majority of elves are enemies to the church, and you would do well to remember that.¡±

    Crouching slightly, Claude muffled his mana as he prepared to activate his teleportation. His right hand clenched the hilt of his sword, his left pushing out on the scabbard it held. Appearing from nowhere to strike out with the unsheathing motion of his sword before the enemy could react ¨C in the ranks of the Paladins, this was known as a ¡®draw¡¯.

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    ¡°¡­don¡¯t the gods know how to be gentle with their people?¡±

    ¡°Know your place.¡± Shifting his position to the skimmer¡¯s left wing, Claude drew on the pilot, narrowly missing his kill strike as the craft turned away. In the end, a surprise attack was something he simply couldn¡¯t stomach. The sinners should know their mistake before they die. Stepping his many bodies out from behind the trees, he was pleased to see Dane approaching as well.

    ¡°We meet again, demon,¡± Dane said. ¡°This time, I hope you¡¯re prepared to die.¡±

    ¡­

    Parrying a longsword with his right hand blade, Christoph ducked under a second, letting a third crash harmlessly into the shield he¡¯d formed on his left arm. The translucent wedge of crystal wasn¡¯t able to absorb the impact, but it did shelter his vulnerable flesh from the shimmering blades. It was a truly efficient defensive measure and in a way, Christoph was thankful that Plume had tried to shoot him to death earlier that morning. In another way, he wasn¡¯t thankful at all.

    ¡°Is is national revenge day or something?¡± Lashing out with his sword, Christoph forced the three knights back and regained his footing. ¡°Emilia honey? Are you okay over there?¡±

    ¡°These knights!¡± A blurred mass of fur, Emilia¡¯s arms flickered out to strike at her foes with both daggers. ¡°Just leave us alone already!¡±

    Dismounting the skimmer, Christoph had taken the initiative by rushing the group of knights before they could decide on their targets. The worst case scenario would be if they had split four and one or even three and two with a majority attacking Emilia. As it was he was barely holding back two of Claude¡¯s bodies and Dane as well, and he could see Emilia wasn¡¯t faring any better. He might be leaps and bounds stronger than he was the first time they fought, but the teamwork between Claude¡¯s clones was something to be reckoned with.

    ¡°You know wh-¡±

    Christoph stepped back as the knights made their attack, jumping back again as Claude tried to move into a flanking position. Metallic clashes rang out as Emilia began a series of remarkably acrobatic maneuvers between Claude¡¯s twin forms.

    ¡°You know what?¡± Readjusting the shape of his shield, Christoph shortened his sword to allow for a little more freedom of movement against his three opponents. ¡°First, a half-elf tries to kill me and then people come for revenge after I kill him back.¡±

    ¡°Watch your mouth.¡± Claude¡¯s forms barked in unison, the blonde knight scowling daggers back at Christoph¡¯s crooked smile.

    ¡°And then another half-elf comes to kill me, and people come for revenge after I don¡¯t kill him back.¡± Christoph¡¯s smile widened as he danced past Dane¡¯s fervent barrage of attacks. ¡°Not revenge for him, but I really just can¡¯t catch a break, can I? And I mean, that¡¯s not even counting the entire summo-¡±

    ¡°Christoph!¡± Emilia¡¯s voice cut past Christoph¡¯s taunt, but the three knights gave him no room to even spare a glance in her direction. ¡°There¡¯s something weird about these knights, Christoph!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay!¡± Christoph¡¯s reply was accompanied by a grin. The surface of his sword rippled for a moment, runes appeared in the shimmering crystal as a wave of mana burst out to take Claude in the chest. ¡°I¡¯ve fought someone like this before.¡±

    ¡°You..¡± Flinching at the destruction of one of his clones, Claude took a moment to re-form his fourth body with a look of disgust. ¡°Remember Dane, you can never tell how much mana a demon has. Don¡¯t be fooled by the negative pressure, don¡¯t let your guard down and whatever you do don¡¯t let them get their hands on your soul.¡±

    ¡°Understood,¡± Dane replied.

    ¡°Understood?¡± Christoph drew his head back in doubt. ¡°You guys do know I¡¯m not actually a demon, right? Right?¡±

    ¡°You can use magic?¡± Emilia¡¯ question was followed by a frantic exchange of blows, her battered ears flattening against her skull as best they could. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could use magic!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain later,¡± Christoph replied, weaving blasts of mana in between his strikes to catch the trio off guard. ¡°Actually, isn¡¯t it stranger that none of you can do this? Not even Henry used magic against me, and he had enough mana to-¡±

    ¡°Dane.¡± Claude hissed at the younger knight, two of his forms momentarily forcing Emilia backwards before turning towards Christoph instead. ¡°Plan B.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡± Retreating from his lopsided duel with Christoph, the former adventurer moved to intercept the beast woman instead, leaving the four Claudes to deal with the more troublesome opponent.

    ¡°Oh boy,¡± Christoph said, breathing between his teeth. He hadn¡¯t taken any flesh wounds yet, but the pit of his stomach was already welling with hunger. ¡°You did hear me say I had experience facing someone like you, right?¡±

    ¡°You can stop talking,¡± Claude replied, readying his four swords as Dane and Emilia faced off. Seeing the beast-woman¡¯s daggers bounce from Dane¡¯s breastplate, he gave a smile of his own. There was a reason he had the younger man keep his plate armor on, after all. ¡°Your bluffs and jeers won¡¯t save you now.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Raising an eyebrow, Christoph prepared to receive the Paladin¡¯s attacks. There might be no way to avoid taking damage this time, but he would return just as much as he was dealt. Would his mana run out first, or Claude¡¯s? ¡°Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡±Claude said, his four bodies each taking a step towards their prey. ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°You say that n-¡± Christoph¡¯s reply was cut off as four swords flashed out as one, wildly jerking arms and legs to knock aside the weapons and avoid the blows. The knight¡¯s follow up sliced across his calf, and he stumbled back with a grunt of pain. ¡°You say that now, and could you give me a break when I¡¯m talking!?¡±

    ¡°Quiet.¡±

    Closing in on the cornered demon, Claude confirmed that Dane was holding off the beast-woman before beginning his attacks. She actually had quite the impressive fighting spirit. If it weren¡¯t for Dane¡¯s armor, he would have been bested many times already. No, even now dents had begun to appear in his polished steel plate. He could waste no time with his own duties.

    ¡°No?¡± Christoph followed Claude¡¯s glance towards their partners, taking in the situation as it stood. Although he had been holding his own against the three knights before, this would be a very different battle, and it didn¡¯t seem like Emilia would be done with her part any time soon. Taking a deep breath, he willed his leg to heal and shook the tension from his arms. ¡°Okay then, let¡¯s do this.¡±

 Chapter Fifty-Five

    ¡°Hey.¡± Christoph spoke between flashes of steel and glistening crystal. ¡°Henry spared my life, you know? Are you just going to ignore that?¡±

    Claude¡¯s expression remained passive at his opponent¡¯s taunt, the dartingof his swords the only reply he gave. Pushing through the latest wave of attacks, Christoph glanced between the four bodies arrayed against him. The Paladin¡¯s plain white tunics and trousers had long since been dyed bright crimson, and Christoph¡¯s blade was the only one that shone clean, although not through lack of use.

    ¡°Actually, the only reason I beat him is because he spared me then,¡± Christoph said, leaping out to vanquish one of the Claudes and buy some time to regenerate. He could only take in so much mana from each clone before it vanished into the air and was replaced, but it was just enough to keep him in good form. ¡°So in a way you could say that Henry diedsparing my life. Are you really going to let him die in vain?¡±

    ¡°I thought I told you to be quiet.¡± Claude stepped back for a moment, replenishing his clones in mimicry of Christoph¡¯s own actions. ¡°You have no right to speak that name.¡±

    ¡°No one regrets what happened that day more than I.¡±Christoph¡¯s smile tilted into a smirk at the knight¡¯s response. ¡°Henry¡¯s mana really didn¡¯t settle well with mine in the end, you know? Like when you drink a whole jug of water, and you can feel it sloshing around in your stomach when you walk, something kinda lik-¡±

    ¡°Closeyour mouth!¡± Launching himself at the world traveler, Claude discarded his four shields, focusing his attention on his swordplay. Shifting his stances between one and two-handed attacks, the four knights began a series of synchronized maneuversthat soughtto wear down his enemy¡¯s defense.

    ¡°So many shields!¡± Several heavy clangs sounded almost at once, the equipment dropping to the dense forest floorasChristoph foughtto fend off the simultaneous attacks. ¡°Actually, back home there wasa guy who used to-¡±

    Becauseitcame from behind, Christoph almost missed the attack he had been waiting for. The sword to his right, he deflected with his own. The sword to his left, battered from his shimmering crystal shield. The sword before him, he kicked off course before it could stab into his thigh. Judging from the movementsof Claude¡¯s bodies, the attack from behind could only be a horizontal slash. Leaning back into his kick, hehad planned to duck under the blade as it passed over him at head height. That isn¡¯t what happened.

    ¡°Oof,¡± Christoph said, his rune-engraved sword ringing where it had caught the Paladin¡¯s latest blow. ¡°That was a close one. You know it isn¡¯t a given that I¡¯ll die from beheading, right?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to find out,¡± Claude replied, steppingaway as the fugitive made his retaliation. One of Claude¡¯s bodies was lost in a flash of mana, and the knight clenched his teeth in disgust. ¡°Your words before were not a bluff then, I assume?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no.¡± Christoph shook his head, glancing around at where Emilia and Dane was still trying to get the best of their own battle. ¡°I really have fought someone just like you in the past. Two people, actually. You wouldn¡¯t have met them, though.¡±

    Although the simultaneous attacks were no doubt a great strength of those with multiple bodies or a linked consciousness, a pattern was a weakness. Christoph had been changing the facing of his body with each movement, the rapid re-positioning servingto limit Claude¡¯s ability to strike from his blind spot with any accuracy. In this regard, the Paladin¡¯ssynchronized movementsonly served to let Christoph know when each attack was coming. This time, it was different. Instead of the anticipatedswing, Claude had simply moved a step closer, raising his sword for a downward strike that would have severed Christoph¡¯s head had he not moved to intercept it.

    ¡°Two people?¡± Claude¡¯s faces distorted further. It was not often that an opponent of his would seethrough the staggered attacks on their first time. ¡°What wretched hole did you crawl out of?¡±

    ¡°None for your informationand anyway,¡± Christoph said, ¡°let¡¯s get back to the shields. Back home, you see, there was this guy who used to go around with pair of them all the time, and¡­ wait, you haven¡¯t heard any of this? Didn¡¯t Liam and Ginger tell you anything?¡±

    Withdrawing his sword, Christoph instead urgedthe crystal to form another shield, long triangle shapes covering his forearms as the jagged edges protruded out before him. Although the weapons sacrificed maneuverability by ignoring the movements of his wrist, he hoped they would more than make up for it with sheer blocking potential. Swinging his arms, the world traveler tried to drag up any memories he had on subject, either his own or what Liam had transferred to him in the past.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Ignoring the Paladin for a moment, Christoph readjusted his shields. ¡°It¡¯s too bad I can¡¯t control the rest of thecrystals on my body. Well, the Guardian couldn¡¯t even do this much so I guess I should be thankful for what I have. Health, wealth¡­ a unicorn horn and ahalf-elf¡¯s soul worth of mana to spare.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother.¡± Claude said. ¡°I¡¯m not some simple squire, to be baited by your taunts.¡±

    The Paladin¡¯sswords flashed with a shine of mana, and Christoph basked in the warm blue of a light that only he could see. His face warpedinto a manic smileashe rushed forwards to meet the group of knights, his shieldsslicingthrough one of the four clones before the others could close the gap. Turning back, he tried to pushEmilia and Dane¡¯s frantic struggle from his mind so he couldfocus on the enemies surging against him. The cat-girl could hold her own, and this was not the time to be distracted.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Holding the shields together, Christoph rammed into the three bodies as a fourth appeared,combining attack with defense to smashthrough Claude¡¯s attacks with raw, sheer strength. He might have barelysurvivedhis last fight with the Paladin but he had no doubt that were thisa one-on-one duel he would have emerged victorious long ago. Still, Claude¡¯s ability was an intrinsic part of his fighting power. You couldn¡¯t make an accurate judgement without considering his clones, and it was his clones that were turning this into a battle of attrition.

    For each Claude thatChristoph destroyed, another would appear nearby. Careful to keep the knights from surrounding him, the adventurer prioritized any that tried to split from the group as best he could. Not content to let Christoph control the pace of their fight, Claude began to make ever wilder attacks, his bodies moving off beat in order to catch his opponent off guard. Each time one of the Paladin¡¯s forms perished, he was soon rewarded by the heavy feeling of his sword on flesh, cutting into Christoph¡¯s bodywith every casualty.

    But Claude was only human in the end. Each time the gemstoneblades met with his flesh, he felt the cold touch of the grave, and every clone he produced was lesser than the last. His enemy, too, didn¡¯t seem to be weakening at all. Despite the blood that lay slick over the forest floor, Christoph¡¯s movements still hadn¡¯t dulled at all.

    ¡°I thought this would be harder,¡± Christoph said with a frown. ¡°You¡¯re wearing thin already, and it¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to run out of mana if you keep feeding me clones like this?¡±

    ¡°Wearing thin?¡± Claude asked. ¡°Is that what it looks like to you?¡±

    A low thump of mana sounded, and Claude¡¯s clones vanished as one. Narrowing his eyes, Christoph reverted his weapons to a sword and shield, staring over at where a single Paladin was shining with mana more dense than any one of the clones had been.

    ¡°Oh?¡± Christoph asked. This hadn¡¯t happened last time he had fought the knight. Had that beendue to Diana¡¯s influence on their fight? ¡°Is that your real body? Do you even have a real body, or is it just whichever are alive? Did you just absorb the energy of the others, then?¡±

    ¡°You should be worrying about yourself,¡± Claude replied. Holding his empty left hand out towards the adventurer, the Paladin made a sudden grasping motion. ¡°Let me show you who¡¯s wearing thin.¡±

    ¡°I-¡±Christoph stumbled suddenly, a wave of force crashing over him. Careful not to lower his guard, he swallowed his saliva as a feeling of vast nausea settled into his stomach.

    ¡°Christoph!¡± Emilia¡¯s cry pierced through the ever-present clash of blades, her strikes growing frantic as her lover staggered backwards. She had still been keeping an eye on his fight from where she was? Catching the blows upon his shield, Dane stepped between the lovers, driving the beast-womanaway from the two men behind him.

    ¡°What did you do to me?¡± Christoph asked. Snarling through his teeth, the bloodied world traveler launched himself at the unarmored knight. He had to end this now, before whatever Claude was doing could take him down.

    ¡°Like oil and water,¡± Claude replied, fending off the crystal sword and shield alike. ¡°That is what you said, isn¡¯t it? I wonder how much damage I can do to your very being from the inside out.¡±

    ¡°Your mana¡­¡± Concentrating on the state of his body, Christoph quickly gathered the offending energies in his sword. Flicking his wrist, he blasted it away in a wave of pure mana that flowed harmlessly back towards the smiling Paladin.

    ¡°The true nature of my ability is this,¡± Claude said as his opponent fell to his knees. ¡°My mana will always remain my own, no matter how I choose to wield it.¡±

    ¡°I should have known.¡± Shakily returning to his feet, Christoph tried to ignore the deep hunger welling within. With that onesinglemove, Claude had effectively removedall of the mana he had gathered from his clones so far. ¡°I have to say, that was not what I was expecting.¡±

    ¡°How¡¯s this, then?¡± Claude¡¯s body flared with mana, his sword blazing with blue light as he made his next attack. Blocking the backhanded sweep with the edge of his shield, Christoph jerked his torso away from the beam of light as it was launched towards him. Disengaging momentarily, he was dismayed to see the mana dissolve into the air and return to its original owner.

    ¡°Unlimited mana?¡± The adventurer made a face. ¡°At least your pool as a whole isn¡¯t incredibly large.¡±

    ¡°A sacrifice I made willingly,¡± the Paladin replied, moving into another attack before retreating once more. ¡°I am at least thankful the Ouroboros hasn¡¯t seen fit to grant you a gift of your own.¡±

    ¡°That makes one of us.¡± Looking past his opponent, Christoph was reassured by the fact that Emilia was holding her own, even if Dane was preventing her from coming to his aid.Returning his gaze to the man before him, the adventurer stabbed out at the knight, testing his guard. ¡°Not that I need a gift of his.¡±

    Absorbing his shield and gathering the last remnants of his power, Christoph took a stance.As this point, there was still one option left for him to take. He had been holding out on using it so far, but if there ever was a time it would be now.

    ¡°Taking a last stand?¡± Mirroring his opponent¡¯s pose, Claude channeled energy into his sword. ¡°Very well, I¡¯ll humor you in this.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have.¡±

    Dashing across the gap, Christoph reclaimed as much mana as he could from his sword, leaving an impossibly thin blade to counter the knight¡¯s final strike. Successfully landing hisparry, he shrunkthe blade down further, pouring the energy from maintaining his weapon into his body instead. Gripping the crystal dagger in his hand, Christoph ducked under the wave of mana from Claude¡¯s attack¡­ and sprinted away before the Paladin could react.

    ¡°Wha-¡±

    Dane¡¯s cry was cut off as Christoph slammed bodily into him, platearmorcrumpling on impact. Reaching over the knight¡¯s shoulders, the adventurer swung his arm downwards, dagger punching directly through the silver breastplate and into his chest beneath. Slipping on the damp forest floor, the two men lost their balance and tumbled down ontothe decaying leaves below.

    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡±The first to regain his footing was Christoph, his weapon returning to its former length as he drained a portion of Dane¡¯s life force away. Raising a hand at where Claude had taken a step forward, he looked betweenhis two opponentswith a disparaging look of disgust. At his feet, the younger knight still lay impaled on the end of his crystal blade.

    ¡°Claude.¡± Dane¡¯s pitiful call was half-lost in the blood bubbling out of his visor, his chest heaving within his ruined silver plate. ¡°Finish him.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Christoph replied, leaning slightly on his blood-stained sword. Looking back up to where Claude stood immobile, he shook his head. ¡°Really, you only have yourself to blame.¡±

    Rushing forwards, Claude¡¯s desperate slash was interrupted by Emilia¡¯s twin blades, his second strike deflected to the side as Christoph turned towards the knight¡¯sbrother. Even in the midst of the blows he was exchanging with the beast-woman, Claude could see Dane¡¯s face as Christoph kicked his helmet free. For just asecond, Dane¡¯s eyes shone with hatred. Then, with light. Then, with nothing at all.

 Chapter Fifty-Six

    ¡°Much better.¡± Stretching for a moment, Christoph stepped forwards and haphazardly whipped his sword out around Emilia¡¯s body to launch the errant Paladin back into a nearby tree. ¡°I always feel great after absorbing that much mana. After the brutal agony I mean, but it looks like I skipped that part this time so that¡¯s a plus.¡±

    ¡°Dane!¡± Claude¡¯s knuckles went whiteas he slammed intothe gigantic tree, fingers tautaround the handleof his straight sword. Ignoring the beast-woman, his stare was directed across the clearing at where the blood-soaked adventurer was bouncing on his toes. ¡°You!¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± Re-absorbing his sword, Christoph reached a hand up to point towards his own face. Was it his imagination, or had the crystals thatstuddedhis body become a little more pronounced? ¡°Can I help you with something?¡±

    ¡°In the name of my brothers,¡± Claude said, ¡°I will slay you.¡±

    ¡°You know,¡± Christoph replied, ¡°if Liam hadn¡¯t filled me in I wouldn¡¯t have guessed you and Dane were actual brothers. He has, sorry, had a much thicker build and you know, the hair is different and-¡±

    ¡°We were all brothers!¡± Claude¡¯s sword shook with rage, and he took a step forwards as Christoph waved Emilia to the side. ¡°We wereFAMILY!¡±

    ¡°Family?¡± Christoph cocked his head at the knight¡¯s words. ¡°What¡¯sfamily? Can you eat it? Can you sell it? Does it keep you warm at night?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Claude raised his sword, gripping the handle with both of his hands. ¡°Don¡¯t-¡±

    ¡°No, tell me,¡± Christoph said. ¡°I mean, I wouldn¡¯t know. Is it really something that important?¡±

    ¡°Henry should have killed you when he had the chance.¡± Claude spat the wordsthrough his teeth as he gathered his mana once more. His body might be worn, but his spirit wasn¡¯t weary, simplydyed red with rage.

    ¡°He was going to, until he thought about what his family would think¡­¡± Christoph¡¯s blank look seemed to shrug the knight¡¯sanger aside, and his mouth warped into a cruel smile as the Paladin¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°So really, isn¡¯t it your fault that both of your brothers are dead?¡±

    ¡°You lie.¡± Claude said.

    ¡°Why would I?¡± Christoph shrugged his shoulders, turning aside as if he¡¯d suddenly lost interest in their fight. ¡°I don¡¯t care about your family, or your church. Henry might not have been your fault, but this mess most certainly is.¡±

    ¡°Christoph¡­¡± Emilia called out to her companion, stepping towards him as he approached the defeated knight.

    ¡°After all,¡± Christoph said, face twisting withdisdain as he came to a stop in front of his opponent. ¡°That isn¡¯t even your real body is it?¡±

    Silence stretched out over the forest floor as Claude cast his eyes downwards, his sword falling to his side as he looked away in shame. Suddenly turning back towards his enemy, the knight twisted his body into a slashing swipe, his gleaming steel sword coming to an abrupt halt before it could reach Chrisoph¡¯s exposed neck.

    ¡°No?¡± Christoph shatteredClaude¡¯s blade with the gemstonegauntlet covering his left hand. Forming his weapon into awide-bladed sword, his counter-attack sentthe Paladin flying into the barkonce more. ¡°I didn¡¯t think so.¡±

    ¡°Be quiet.¡± Rising to his feet, Claude lashed out with the jagged blade of his broken straight sword. Smashing through the sluggish blow, the adventurerblew him back against the tree yet again.

    ¡°The first time we met, I thought you were such an incredible existence, calm and deadly ¨C the ideal knight.¡± Christoph shook his head with a sigh. ¡°This? I thought the Creator¡¯s Willful were supposed to be paragons of justice, protectors of the people. Is this really the pinnacle of human virtue? Hiding behind your clones, sending your brothers to an early death? You know, you might have even been strong enough to kill me if you weren¡¯t such a coward,dragonslayer.¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡±No matter how many times Christoph knocked him back, the Paladin refused to stay down. Uselessly swinging his broken sword, Claude was forced tothe forest floor again and again and again. ¡°Shut up, shut up and justDIE ALREADY!¡±

    ¡°Never.¡± Christoph¡¯s hissed his reply as he ran the knight through, his crystal blade bursting bloody from the Paladin¡¯s backwith a wet thunk. Leaning into the thrust, the adventurer moved forward until he was close enough to whisper into his opponent¡¯s ear. ¡°Tell your church if they eversend someone else after me, I¡¯ll send them back a corpse, cold and empty.¡±

    Twisting the blade between the Paladin¡¯s ribs, Christoph slashed out sideways, cuting the bloodiedknight nearly in half. Claude¡¯s body was thrownintothe air for a moment before it disappeared in a flash of light, the mana soaring skywards to return to the Kingdomin the south. Watchingsilently as the spectacle played out, Emilia nearly missed her partner¡¯s next words as they were caught in the sudden onrush of magical wind.

    ¡°And I¡¯ll be all the warmer.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°They were actual brothers, then?¡± Emilia made a face as she glanced down to where Dane¡¯s corpse lay cold upon the leaves

    ¡°Apparently,¡± Christoph replied, brushing twigs from a patch of earth with his feet before thumpingdown bodily on the dirt. ¡°Henry would have been something like anadoptive brother to them, I guess.¡±

    ¡°And these are the only two you¡¯ve ever¡­¡±

    ¡°Killed like this?¡± Lying back, the adventurer stretched out at the cat-girl¡¯s feet, glancingup towardsher flickering ears. ¡°Yep. It¡¯s not something I reallywant to do if I can help it¡±

    ¡°Because of the mana?¡± Emilia asked.

    ¡°Mostly,¡± Christoph replied with a shudder. ¡°Well, I¡¯m pretty sure people don¡¯t reincarnate in my world, so even though it might be significant to destroy their souls here, that¡¯s just ¡®death¡¯ to me. The mana though, it¡¯s a strange feeling¡­ slimy, almost. It¡¯s like I have another body part that isn¡¯t quite mine just yet.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re going after the dragons, then?¡± Sitting down cross-legged next to him, the beast-woman reached out to pet at her lover¡¯schest.

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Christoph said. ¡°The crystal beasts aren¡¯t just easy to absorb, though, they¡¯re actually pretty delicious as well.¡±

    ¡°That explains why you didn¡¯t want to just rampage through the orcs then,¡± Emilia replied. ¡°That¡¯d probably be the fastest way for you to get stronger, though.¡±

    ¡°Probably, but, I-¡±Coming to a stop, the world traveler sat up suddenly, right hand clutched to his chest. ¡°Did you feel that?¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°I can see it.¡± Flattening her palm against his chest, Emilia blinked as she slid her fingers past his ruined tunic and onto the skin below. From within the center of his being, she could feel a warmth pulsing with irregular rhythm, and the crystals on his body flashed with every wave. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Ahahaha¡­¡± Chuckling softly, Christoph slowly rose to his feet. ¡°Hahahaha, AHAHAHAHA!¡±

    ¡°Christoph?¡± Following her lover to a stand, the cat-girl made no attempt to hide her worriesas she looked up at where he was cackling wildly. ¡°Christoph, what is it?¡±

    ¡°Hahaha¡­¡±Holding upa hand, the adventurer waved off her concern as he doubled over in mirth. Taking a deep breath, his laughter returned to a soft chuckle and he drew his sword. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, we should get going though. But first¡­¡±

    Runes wriggled into existence on the blade of Christoph¡¯s crystal sword, an arc of mana flashing out into the forest as he gave it a swing. A muffled cry sounded from deeper into the trees, a rustling thump following the exclamation as his target was knocked from their feet. Dashing after her partner¡¯s attack, Emilia pounced upon the figure before they could recover, one of her poison-coated daggers at the ready.

    ¡°The pirate?¡± Wrinkling her nose, she turned to where Christoph had appeared nearby. ¡°He¡¯sthe same elf as earlier, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°The one and only,¡± Christoph replied. Tapping the beast-woman off of her prey with the flat of his sword, he leveled the weapon to keep the pirate from rising to his feet. ¡°Plume, was it? Don¡¯t tell me that you had something to do with our shiny friends over there?¡±

    ¡°The church doesn¡¯t cooperate with the non-human races.¡± Leaning away from the sword hovering in front of him, the young man glanced between Christoph¡¯s blade and Dane¡¯s body in the clearing beyond. ¡°They passed me by back in town.¡±

    ¡°Jesus Christ.¡± Liftinghis left hand to cover his face, Christoph sighed into his palm before sheathing his sword. ¡°You ran into them, and what? You thought it would be a good idea to follow them here? Didn¡¯t I tell you to snap out of it? Didn¡¯t I say that I didn¡¯t want to kill you?¡±

    ¡°How could I?¡± Plume asked, eyes widening in disbelief. Leaning forward, he demanded an answer from the grimacingworld traveler. ¡°Snap out of it? What do you expect me to do?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you do,¡± Christoph said. ¡°Just don¡¯t do it here, I don¡¯t want to be forced to drain you too. It¡¯s bad for my soul.¡±

    ¡°Do you even have a soul?¡± Plume¡¯s retort was punctuated by the clenching of his fists as he lay helpless in the leaf-covered dirt.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, actually,¡± Christoph replied.

    ¡°What?!¡± Shrieking in surprise, the volume of Emilia¡¯s outburst drowned out the half-elf¡¯s own reply. ¡°How?!¡±

    ¡°Calm down, Emilia,¡± Christoph said, raising his left hand once again. ¡°To begin with, a soul is like¡­ the spiritual vessel ¨C our body is the physical one. If our bodiesharbor energy, the soul has mana instead.¡±

    ¡°You really are a monster.¡± Shifting backwards, Plume triedto distance himself from the duo in front of him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare,¡± Christoph said, drawing his sword once more, stopping the half-elf dead in his tracks. Turning back to Emilia, hetried to speak more deliberately. ¡°Someone like me, who has no mana reserves outside of my body, can¡¯t be said to have a soul. Instead, I have the crystals.¡±

    ¡°The crystals are your soul?¡± Wrinkling her nose, the cat-girl reached out to brush her hand against the protrusions on his back. Her frown transforming into a smile, she gave the shining gemstones a knock before wrapping her arms around him. ¡°Well, that¡¯s different to having no soul at all.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± Christoph replied, shrugging his companion off his shoulders as Plume began to move again. ¡°Would you stay still for a minute?¡±

    ¡°Why? So you can kill me, like you killed the rest of the crew?¡± Defiance rose in Plume¡¯s narrowed eyes. Was this some kind of divine joke? Had he followed the knights into the forest for this? Sitting up further, he spat towardsChristoph¡¯s feet. ¡°I hope you die a slow and painful death.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t seem to care about your crew that much back when you thought you¡¯d be living the good life as part of the adventurer¡¯s guild.¡± Christoph shookhis head at the half-elf¡¯s actions. Stepping forward onto the pirate¡¯s left leg, he shifted his weight onto it, his sword slowly lancing out to pierce into the younger man¡¯s unprotected shoulder. ¡°But if you want to be like that, you leave me no choice.¡±

    ¡°Fuck. You.¡± Spittle sprayed over his tunic as Plume gave his reply, hands bloody where they were tryingin vain to stop the advanceof the crystal blade. Diggin trenchesin the forest floor with his right heel, the half-elf scowledup at his enemy with an almost tangiblehatred. ¡°Are you going to take my soul, too?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Christoph replied, twisting his sword to prevent the elf from speaking further. ¡°Cannibalism doesn¡¯t sit all too well with me. Besides it¡¯s more poetic this way.¡±

    ¡°Poetic?¡± Emilia glanced between the screaming pirate and her blank-faced lover. ¡°Christoph?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s the second half-elf I¡¯ve met since coming to this world,¡± he said, looking up at where the beast-womanstood holding her dagger nearby. ¡°I killed the first one by taking his mana, so doesn¡¯t it seem fitting that I should give something back in return?¡±

    ¡°Fuck YOU!¡± Repeating his curse, the half elf tried to wrench the sword aside, succeeding only in severing the fingers on his left hand. Lashing out in frustraion, Plume beat his head and arms against the ground, his mouth opening wide in a wordless scream.

    ¡°Brace yourself,¡± Christoph said, leaning down on his sword to look the pirate in the eyes. ¡°And remember that if you survive this, it¡¯ll be the third time I¡¯ve let you live. You should have just gone back to the guild and made the most of the life you have.¡±

    A blinding light burst forth as a sudden warmth began to buildin Christoph¡¯s shimmering blade. Radiating outwards, the mana surged into Plume body and saturated his very soul,his screams growing louder with every second before they came to a sudden stop.

    ¡­

    ¡°Hey,¡± Coin said. ¡°Aren¡¯t the pirates gone by now? Can¡¯t we just go back to breakfast already?¡±

    ¡°As if,¡± Lily replied with a roll of her eyes. ¡°If there was another semi-capable party here we could send them out to have a look, but as it is¡­¡±

    ¡°We have to protect the people!¡± Eyes shining with conviction, Regal thumped the end of her staff down on floorboards of the guild¡¯s wooden porch. ¡°Ah, look, there it is!¡±

    ¡°Stay back!¡±Ruth held up his axe, stepping out in front of the guild building as theskimmer came to a halt. Regal blinked, taking a step backwards before she realizedthat the words had not been meant for her.¡±There¡¯s nothing here for you.¡±

    ¡°Tell me something I don¡¯t know,¡± Plume replied, staggering as he half fell, half dismounted from the elven craft. Reaching out with his left hand, he stared for a moment at the bandaged limb before using his right to rummage through oneofhis saddle bags. After a moment he raised his hand, a Bronze medallion dangling down to sway to and fro. ¡°You can put that axe away, I¡¯m here to see the guild.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re aBronze ranker?¡± Lowering his weapon, Ruth held uphis palminstead, urging the former pirate to a stop. ¡°Tell me then, what was your business with the Gold rank Christoph?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s already over.¡± Ignoring the higher ranked adventurer¡¯s hand, the half-elf stumbled up the guild steps, bloodied shirt brushing against Ruth¡¯s armor as he went. ¡°It¡¯s done, I won¡¯t be bothering him any more.¡±

    ¡°Did he do that to you?¡± Regal asked, eyes wide beneath the wide brim of her hat. ¡°Is¡­ is he dead, then?¡±

    ¡°Hmph.¡± Passing the Sacrilegious Shield, the former pirate leaned heavily against the receptionist desk and shook his head. ¡°Good luck with that. Not even the Paladin could take him down.¡±

    ¡°The church is here?¡± Coin made a face. ¡°We have to inform the guild.¡±

    ¡°If that demonis really a Gold ranker, there will be definite consequences,¡± Lilysaidwith a frown. ¡°It¡¯s a shame they couldn¡¯t finish the job, though.¡±

    ¡°Enough,¡± Plume said, gesturing to where the guild employee had taken refuge with the other citizens in the corridor further in. ¡°I¡¯m not a pirate, can I getmy guild registration checked now please?¡±

    ¡°Ah, sure.¡± Stepping out from around the corner, the receptionist spent a moment searching under the counter before producing a pale blue crystal of some sort. Holding it up, she urged the half-elf to place his good hand upon the object. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ ah, I can confirm you as a member of the guild. Wait, are-¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all I wanted to know.¡± Cutting her words off with his own, Plume did an about-face and limped back down the stairs to his skimmer beyond. ¡°If Christoph comes back, tell him I received his message, loud and clear.¡±

    ¡°What was that about?¡± Lily¡¯s frown deepened as the elven ship rose into the air and sailed gracefully off into he distance. ¡°Who was that elf?¡±

    ¡°Half-elf,¡± the receptionist replied with a frown of her own. ¡°He-¡±

    ¡°A half elf?¡± Narrowing his eyes, Coin turned to stare after the retreating form of the floating crystal-woodcraft. ¡°I thought thechurch elf was the only one in the guild outside of the Knights Sanguine. What¡¯s a bronze ranked half-elf doing on the Kingdom¡¯s side of the Plains?¡±

    ¡°Actually,¡± the guild worker said, ¡°it says he isn¡¯t in the probationaryranks at all. The medallion might have been Bronze, but the records we have say that he¡¯s meant to be in Silver.¡±

 Chapter Fifty-Seven

    ¡°Mm¡­¡± Christoph groanedunder his breath, fingers twitching listlessly as his eyebrows fluttered. Standing overhis sleeping form, Emilia shook her head and fought the urge to join him on the forest floor.

    ¡°Christoph?¡± Kneeling down, the beast-woman placed a single hand upon his chest, slowlyrocking him awake. ¡°Christoph, wake up.¡±

    ¡°Aah?¡± Squinting in the early morning light, he raised a hand to shield his eyes and glanced around the small hollow they had bedded down in for the night, little more than a crook in the roots of a particularly gigantic tree. Sunlight filtered down to flicker over his face despite his best efforts at blocking the rays of light, and he tilted his head at the cat-girl as she remained crouching down beside him. Blinking the sleep from his eyes, Christoph stretchedout overtheir blankets before reaching for Emilia¡¯sface and pulling her into a gentle kiss. ¡°Good morning.¡±

    ¡°Good?¡± Following her partner as he tried to back away, Emilia planted a dozen kisses on his lipsbefore she was finally satisfied. ¡°You were tossing in your sleep. Are the fairies finally getting to you now?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Christoph replied with a shake of his head. They had been travelling for a couple of days by now and still hadn¡¯t seen any of the denizens of the forest, but Emilia¡¯s sleep had beenplagued with the strange and unusual nightmares that served as atrademark of the fairy lands. He, on the other hand, had until now been sleeping in relative comfort by her side. ¡°I dreamed of home.¡±

    ¡°Home?¡± Pushing him down into a furryembrace, the beast-woman cuddled up to him, nuzzling at his face and neck. ¡°You mean the other world?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Christoph said. ¡°Fighting Claude must have reminded me of what it was like back then.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Emilia replied, ¡°Leila still wants to hear about it, you know?¡±

    ¡°Leila can ask Bastias to send herthere if she wants to know so badly,¡± Christoph replied with a scowl. Sitting up, his eyes locked onto the carcass of a crystal beast which lay nearby. ¡°Is that for me?¡±

    ¡°Aha.¡± Nodding enthusiastically, Emilia dragged the monster closer. Clumps of moss were scraped off the overgrown tree rootin the process, and her lovermade a face as it clumped onto the creatures crystal scales . ¡°I got it for your breakfast!¡±

    ¡°What about food for you?¡± Christoph asked, pulling the small meal off the floor and lifting it directly into his lap. Turning it over, he brushed the moss away before turning back towards her once more. ¡°It¡¯d be better if we could find some game here rather than chewing through our supplies early on. Actually, do we have any of the jerky left?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t have any.¡± Emilia said, narrowing her eyes at him and backing up towards the saddle bags nearby. ¡°I got you some food, so you can give the rest of the jerky to me, right?¡±

    ¡°Hey, I bought that jerky you know?¡± Reaching out, Christoph held a hand up in her direction. Wriggling his fingers, he raised hiseyebrows meaningfully. ¡°Come on, hand it over.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s none left!¡± Crossing her arms triumphantly, the cat-girl¡¯s ears twitched as she made the declaration. ¡°I ate it all while you were asleep!¡±

    ¡°¡­That explains the meal you got me, then.¡± Sighing down towards the crystal monster she had killed for him, he pried a scale free and popped it into his mouth. It was good, better than the jerky had been. ¡°Still, you should have been more careful with the rations. We might not end up making it out of the Leas-, I mean the forest today. Not that we could afford much more than basic goods even if we did reach the dwarven lands before sunfall.¡±

    ¡°How much money do we have?¡± Emilia asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you Gold ranked now? Gold rankers are supposed to be rich, aren¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°Everything costs money,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°Lodgings, food, medicine, gear, crystals for the skimmer¡­ don¡¯t even get me started on how much it cost to get crystal beasts to eat in Manitas City. They don¡¯t just liearound outside of the city walls you know?¡±

    ¡°You have to have some money though,¡± Emilia said. ¡°Right? You can¡¯t be¡­ you aren¡¯t poor are you?

    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that.¡± Meeting her look of horror with a deadpan scowl, Christoph raised an eyebrow at his companion. ¡°Unlike some people, I at least have more belongings than some scruffy looking fur rags and worn out daggers.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Raising her arms, Emilia attempted to cover herragged wraparound top and shorts in an entirely uncharacteristic display of modesty. Given the amount of clothing that the beast-woman wore, she very nearly succeeded in covering her garments entirely. ¡°I still like these better than those other things you bought for me!¡±

    ¡°Just put them on already,¡± Christoph said with a frown. Ripping one of the legs off his meal, he leaned down to begin his breakfast. ¡°And stop that, it justmakes you look like you¡¯re naked.¡±

    ¡°Says the human who insists on wearing so manyclothesand then ruins them every time he gets in a fight,¡± the cat-girl replied with an unimpressed look. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just wear pantslike you did in the Paw?¡±

    ¡°Maybe I should,¡± Christophsaid. Discarding his last outfit, he¡¯d noticed that his already meagre wardrobe was quickly running thin. Maybe he could invest in some pants that wouldn¡¯t be ruined by bloodstains in the future. ¡°Well, we should definitely focus on earning more money in any case. I could survive by eating the mountain monsters, but you need actual food and medicine.¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± Waving her hand, Emilia dismissed his plans. ¡°The dragons here collect gold, don¡¯t they? By the time we finish them all off, we¡¯ll be rich!¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t count on it,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°The dragons might be one thing, but taking gold away from dwarves is quite another.¡±

    ¡­

    The sun had risen high above the forest by the time Christoph and Emilia reached the far edge of the Leash. The cat-girl bounced on the balls of her feet, glad to be free of the unseen fairies and their accursed nightmares.

    ¡°Calm down,¡± Christoph said, tying the last of the ropes down where they held their blankets over the skimmer. ¡°Help me cover this thing up, will you?¡±

    ¡°Uh-uh.¡± Shaking her head, the beast-woman frowned as her limp ear flopped with the movement, reaching a hand up in a futile attempt to straighten it out. ¡°Can¡¯t we just go past them up the mountains?¡±

    ¡°Theyare up the mountains,¡± Christophreplied with a sigh. ¡°It isn¡¯t my fault that dwarves and elves don¡¯t mix.¡±

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯m going first then.¡± Ignoring his attempts to hide the skimmer in the forest, Emilia began skipping out towards the edge of the trees. Glancing back, she smiled as he paused to watch her walk, the clothes he¡¯d bought for her hanging loosely around her body as she moved. That reaction alone had made abandoning her old fur garments worthwhile. ¡°See you later, then!¡±

    ¡°Hey, wait up!¡± Rushing to finish the task at hand, Christoph gathered their bags and hurried after her. ¡°I know that dwarves get along with the beast races rather well, but you can¡¯t just leave me to try to enter their mountains on my own, I¡¯m not-¡±

    Pausing, the duo raised their heads and shared a glance.

    ¡°Did you hear that?¡± Emilia asked, ears flickering wildly. ¡°Someone¡¯s fighting.¡±

    ¡°I did.¡± Pulling ahead of her, Christoph zeroed in on the source of the commotion. ¡°It¡¯s coming from further ahead. I guess that just leisurely entering a new city for once would have been too much to ask.¡±

    The clashing of metal on crystal grew louder as they approached the edge ofthe forest, and Christoph recognized the flicker of crystal monster¡¯smana in the distance. The signatures were drowned out by sunlight as the pair broke from the trees, and he paused for a moment as the environment abruptly changed. Glancing to the sideshe realized that the trees had been felledintentionally, the forest ending in a rigid line that cleared the area at the foot of the mountains.

    ¡°I see,¡± he said to no one in particular. ¡°It¡¯s so they can see things coming from up in their towers.¡±

    ¡°Come on,¡± Emilia said, tugging at his hand as she took the lead. ¡°There¡¯re monsters up there!¡±

    ¡°Wait a moment,¡± Christoph replied as she began to drag him further up the slowly increasing slope. Any further and they would be in the shadow of the guard posts, well within the range of spells and bows. ¡°We can¡¯t just rush in and-¡±

    Swallowing his words, Christoph sighed as the cat-girl let go of his hand and bounded away. Shouldering the packs, he ran after her as best he could, quickly covering the hundred or so meters between the forest and the guard posts ahead. To his immediate chagrin, he saw Emilia rush into the rear of the monsters¡¯ pack, engaging with one of the creatures as the dwarves kept the rest at bay, heavy woodengates loomingupwards behind them.

    ¡°Be careful!¡± Dropping the bags, he made sure there were no more of the savage canines lurking nearby and decided against moving in to help the offense. There was a yelp as Emilia made short work of her opponent, and Christoph jumped forwards to stop her from making another move. ¡°We can¡¯t just rush in and mess with their fight. They don¡¯t even know if we¡¯re allies yet.¡±

    ¡°Ugh.¡± Crossing her arms, the disgruntled beast-woman made a face and allowedher partner to hold her back. ¡°They¡¯d better pay us for the one I got.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t push it,¡± Christoph warned. If Liam¡¯s knowledge was accurate, the dwarves were small but guarded people. There seemed to be two squads ahead, and the captains of each were yelling enthusiastically as they fought. ¡°They might take offense to the fact that you stole one of their kills.¡±

    Several more yelps followed as the dwarvesrounded up the remaining creatures and put them to death, long-handled halberds and large-bladed axes slamming down on eachmonsterin turn. The mountain people were shorter than the majority of the other races, but their warriors were mighty, even if they didn¡¯t even reach to Christoph¡¯s shoulders. The men almost always sported long, well-groomed beards that their female counterparts matched with their own wildly arrangedhair, darkly colored locks often reaching down past their buttocks when they letit free. Although the dwarven race as a whole had garnered an image as being rotund, that seemed more to do with the connection between wealth and weight in their culture than any real physical predisposition. Christoph has often heard people sayingthat there was nothing sopoor as a slender dwarf.

    ¡°That¡¯s four.¡± Grinning over toward his equally exuberant comrade, one of the more active dwarves twirled his halberd as Christoph and Emilia approached. ¡°Do you hear that, Robert? Four, I got!¡±

    ¡°Four?¡± Shouldering his axe, the second dwarf narrowed his eyes at the first. ¡°Are you sure you aren¡¯t daft, Edward? I see nine corpses here!¡±

    ¡°I got that one!¡± Piping up before Christoph could stop her, Emilia waved her hand at the two shorter men and took a bow. ¡°I¡¯m Emilia, of the Greater Paw. This is Christoph, he¡¯s mine and not for sale.¡±

    ¡°Christoph,¡± Christoph said with a bow, ¡°of the not for sale, apparently.¡±

    ¡°You got one of the beasties, then?¡± Ignoring Emilia¡¯s look of indignation, Edwardmade a face and turned back towards his rival. ¡°That makes four for both of us then Robert?¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Robert replied, scowling up at the moody cat-girl. ¡°If Emma here hadn¡¯t poached one of them, we¡¯d have had a fine conclusion to our battle here, and our wager too.¡±

    ¡°Ah.¡± Pushing Emilia behind him, Christoph put on his best smile and raised his hands in a placating shrug. A wager? Had they bet each other they could take out more of the beasts than the other? ¡°Well, there¡¯s always more monsters in the forest, right? I¡¯m sure the wager willbe settled before you know it.¡±

    ¡°It was for a tankard after the shift,¡± Robert replied, raising a hand to tug at his beard. ¡°How d¡¯you expect us to relax with that hanging over our heads, huh?¡±

    ¡°You could always-¡± Christoph began.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be suggesting some game of chance, laddie,¡± Edward said, lowering his halberd and eyebrows all at once. ¡°Dwarves settle their wagers by merit of skill, not chance.¡±

    Cursing inwardly, Christoph racked his brain. No wagers on matters of chance? Liam hadn¡¯t included that useful tidbit of information with his knowledge! Running through his options, the adventurer was saved by the appearance of a pulsing light at the edge of his vision. Turning back towards the forest, he raised a hand to shield his eyes from the evening sun.

    ¡°Well then,¡± he said, mouth widening into a grin as the mana signaturegrew larger yet. ¡°It seems there¡¯ll be one more chanceto settle this today, my friends. Now, you don¡¯t have some sort of guardian unicornthat watchesoverthis side of the forest, do you?¡±

 Chapter Fifty-Eight

    ¡°Okay,¡± Christoph said with a grin. ¡°You¡¯ll take us to the king, as promised?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Robert¡¯s response was accompanied by no small amount of grumbling, his beard flicking over the handle of his gleaming halberd. ¡°The corpse is yours as well, but we keep the head. Also¡­ Edward! You owe me a tankard.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Christoph replied. The small exchange was reminiscent of the Merry Brothers from Manitas, and he spared a second to wonder what had become of their store. Despite his differences with the siblings, they had grown on him over time. Hopefully, they had not been killed in the turmoil of the plains. ¡°What are you going to use the head for, if I may?¡±

    ¡°Want to make a wager?¡± Edward said. He still had a chance to recoup his losses. ¡°If you can guess-¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°I prefer to be on the other side of the guessing games, thank you very much.¡±

    Leading the unicorn towards the dwarvish barricade, he had asked them to let him keep the corpse.Although they had refused at first, he had drawn them in with a wager and the assurance that they could keep the head of the beast. Unicorn horns were apparently well valued as crafting materials in the dwarven kingdom.

    ¡°Aye,¡± Robert said. ¡°In the end, we couldn¡¯t guess what you wanted the carcass for. Not money, nor crafting, nor collection, study, sculpting. As promised, you keep the body, and we take you to the King.¡±

    ¡°Why thank you,¡± Christoph replied with a bow. ¡°As a token of my gratitude, I¡¯ll show you why I wanted it.¡±

    ¡°Eh?¡± Emilia¡¯s ear twitched at her companion¡¯s words. ¡°That isn¡¯t a good idea, you know? You should wait until later.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d usually save it, but not this time,¡± Christoph said, crouching down next to the unicorn¡¯s headless corpse. It would be good to have reserve food, but honoring his bet came first. ¡°I can¡¯t risk accidentally using it for anything the good gentlemen named in their guesses, so it¡¯s better if I get it over with now.¡±

    ¡°Go on then,¡± Robert said, gathering around the horse-sized body with his partner. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Just watch,¡± Christoph said, reaching out a crystalline dagger to carve off a sliver of gem-studded meat. ¡°I¡¯m going to eat it.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Well.¡± Looking up at the halberds arrayed against him, Christoph let out a long sigh. ¡°That probably wasn¡¯t the greatest of ideas.¡±

    ¡°I told you,¡± Emilia said, stretching out against him. The two were seated back to back, with almost the entirety of the dwarven outpost scrutinizing their every move. ¡°I told you to wait until later, didn¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°Yes, dear.¡± Reaching up to pet at her mangled ear, Christoph earned a swift elbow from the disgruntled cat-girl behind him. ¡°They let me finish eating, at least.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch the ear,¡± Emilia said. He couldn¡¯t see her but there was no doubt in his mind that she had begun to pout. The ear was still a sore spot for her after all. ¡°That¡¯s your fault too.¡±

    ¡°Yes, dear,¡± Christoph replied. Well, she wasn¡¯t wrong¡­ Looking up at the dwarf in front of him, the adventurer gave a small wave. ¡°Is all this really necessary? We were going to see the king in any case, so the armed guards are-¡±

    ¡°And how do we know you weren¡¯t going to eat him as well?¡± Robert asked. The leader of the halberd-wielding dwarves was sitting on a small boulder nearby, his weapon laid out over his lap as he used a small cloth to oilthe blades. ¡°Defeating the unicorn might get us back into the city, but an assassin would send us straight on to the next life.¡±

    ¡°Well it¡¯s not like I can eat him from here,¡± Christoph said. ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve only done that twice, and only one of those guys was-¡±

    ¡°Sir!¡± Calling down from atop the watchtower, one of the few dwarves not guarding the outsiders was waving his arms. ¡°Three humans approach!¡±

    ¡°Humans?¡± Armor clinking as he moved, Edward clambered onto Robert¡¯s boulder, pushing his fellow warrior to the side so he could get a good look down the slope of the mountain. ¡°Looks like¡­ adventurers, most likely.¡±

    ¡°Adventurers?¡± Christoph¡¯s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. If it was only three of them then it couldn¡¯t be the Shield, right? ¡°What are they carrying?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a mage, an archer and another mage,¡± Edward continued. ¡°Maybe a priest. The first two carryswords as well.¡±

    ¡°Lucius?¡± Standing, Christoph joined the shorter man atop the boulder. It wasthe church¡¯s trio after all.¡°They¡¯re from the Church, not the guild.¡±

    ¡°Watch it, boys,¡± Robert said, holding out a hand to stop his men from moving. ¡°You¡¯re still our prisoner for now.¡±

    ¡°Calm down,¡± Christoph replied, shaking his head as Emilia bounded up behind him. ¡°We both know the capture is just a formality for now. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll let you take me to the king after we deal with this little nuisance. I don¡¯t suppose you could just shoot him now and call it an accident?¡±

    ¡°Greetings to the watchpost!¡± Lucius called, raising his arms. ¡°I am Lucius Frame, living saint of the Creator¡¯s Blessed!¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Christoph replied. ¡°I¡¯m busy. I have prison cells to fill, armed guards to follow!¡±

    ¡°Lucius Frame, you may approach,¡± Robert said to the young human, waving his men further back. ¡°State your business here.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re here for Christoph,¡± Lucius said, walking up to the group as they jumped down from their rocky platform. ¡°We want to have one last talkbefore he enters the Chain.¡±

    ¡°Again?¡± Scratching his head, the older world traveler made a face. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m popular all of a sudden.¡±

    ¡°Is he a friend of yours?¡± Reaching out his halberd before Christoph could walk off,Robert stopped him with the handle. ¡°You grow more suspicious by the second, Chrissy.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that,¡± Christoph replied, brushing the weapon aside. ¡°I guess you could say I have a score to settle with Lucius there. The other two are no friends of mine.¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t look like knights,¡± Edward said, stroking his beard. ¡°Are you sure they aren¡¯t adventurers?¡±

    ¡°They used to be.¡± Taking a step, Christoph let Emilia hold him back for a moment. ¡°But they¡¯re still knights, so keep that in mind. They¡¯re good with the bow and staff, but watch out for the swords.¡±

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Narrowing her eyes, the beast-woman tugged at his arm again. ¡°Haven¡¯t those guys tried to kill you every time you¡¯ve seen them so far?¡±

    ¡°Actually, we had a nice little chat last time,¡± Christoph replied, turning around to pull her along with him as he strolled down the mountain. ¡°Lucius at least is semi truthful most of the time I think.¡±

    ¡°Christoph.¡± Lucius¡¯s greeting was accompanied by a small nod, and the adventurer returned the gesture. ¡°I¡¯m sure you can guess why I came to see you.¡±

    ¡°Not here,¡± Christoph replied, walking past the trio towards the trees. ¡°We¡¯ll talk in the forest.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Let me guess,¡± Christoph began. Leading the clergymen into the forest, he¡¯d chosen a small clearing and sat down atop a rock, Emilia following suit. ¡°You¡¯re here about Claude and Dane.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Lucius replied, bringing his two knights to a stop across from the odd couple. ¡°We found Dane¡¯s body on the way. I can¡¯t be sure, but assume Claude met with a similar fate?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡± Christoph glared over towards the younger man. ¡°Can¡¯t be sure? You knowhe couldn¡¯t have died there.¡±

    ¡°I tried to stop them,¡± Lucius said. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t listen, and this won¡¯t do anything to help. Soon, the entire church will have their sights set on you. I¡¯ll do what I can to minimise the actions taken against you.¡±

    ¡°As if you could stop them,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°Don¡¯t even bother. Actually it¡¯s probably better if you don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t even want me to try?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that,¡± Christoph said with a grin. ¡°I suppose it won¡¯t matter if you do or not anyway.¡±

    ¡°Are we only prey to you?¡± Lucius replied, tilting his head to the side. ¡°I was hoping to improve relations between you and the church with this.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡± Reaching out, Christoph grabbed one of Emilia¡¯s knives from her belt, and stabbed it directly between his own torso. ¡°Your eyes won¡¯t always see into my mind so easily.¡±

    ¡°Christoph!¡± Tugging at the blade, Emilia succeeded only in widening the gash as her lover pulled the weapon deeper between his heaving ribs. ¡°Christoph, what are you-¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised that works,¡± Lucius said, righting his head and glancing between the pair. ¡°Damaging your body causes your mana drain to go into overdrive, meaning that the energy cannot escape from inside of your body.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like a black hole,¡± Christoph replied, blood flecking at his lips. Pushing the worried cat-girl off of him, he twisted the knife a little and drew his sword. ¡°Now cut that shit out before I find another way to stop you from reading my mind.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Lucius said, holding a palm up to stop his companions from drawing their own weapons. ¡°I¡¯m here to talk, not to fight.¡±

    ¡°Speak then,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°What do you want to know.¡±

    ¡°Dane is still alive, isn¡¯t he?¡± Fixing his glasses, the living saint ignored the startled looks his knights were making. ¡°What of Henry?¡±

    ¡°You knew?¡± Stifling a chuckle, Christoph raised an eyebrow at the siblings¡¯ expressions. ¡°Dane is¡­ most definitely dead. I killed him, but you¡¯re right, I didn¡¯t destroy his soul.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± For the first time, Cliff broke his silence to ask a question. ¡°How-¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean he still exists,¡± Christoph continued. ¡°He¡¯s long gone by now.¡±

    ¡°His body was barren,¡± Sierra said, her face a mask of stone. ¡°You destroyed his soul then and there.¡±

    ¡°I drained him,¡± Christoph replied with a smirk. ¡°Just like Henry. But technically, I didn¡¯t destroy him. I didn¡¯t destroy Henry either.¡±

    So they survived?¡± Lucius asked. ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that either,¡± Christoph said, drawing the knife from his side. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize it until recently, but now it makes sense. Why does my hunger only get stronger after I eat? Why had I spent those weeks rampaging mindlessly in the forest?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a demon,¡± Cliff replied. ¡°Do you need more reason than that?¡±

    ¡°Why had I felt so horrible after taking that half-elf¡¯s soul?¡± Christoph asked of no one in particular. ¡°It¡¯s because I carry them along with me. All of the creatures I¡¯ve ever absorbed, from the mindless crystal monsters to those two fools themselves. My crystal ¡®soul¡¯ is an ocean of savage beasts, and I feel their hunger as if it was mine alone.¡±

    ¡°You are a demon,¡± Sierra said softly. ¡°To cast your enemies to such a fate.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no less than what they had planned for me,¡± Christoph said with a snarl. ¡°They would have dragged me screaming to the Gate and smiled as the demons devoured my flesh. It¡¯s only fitting I do the same to them.¡±

    ¡°Henry wasn¡¯t like that.¡± Spoken softly, Cliff words carry such weight nonetheless. ¡°He would have seen you brought to justice.¡±

    ¡°Justice?¡± Christoph stifled a laugh. ¡°For what? For killing a unicorn? For the most heinous crime of existing?Where was Henry¡¯s justice when he was tormented by the demons inside my own personal hell?¡±

    ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be enough to destroy him,¡± Sierra replied. ¡°Henry was strong. Stronger than you can ever hope to imagine.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Lucius said, stepping out between the two pairs. ¡°Enough.¡±

    ¡°Henry was strong.¡± Nodding along, Christoph ignored Lucius warning and rose to his feet himself. ¡°He survived in that place for longer than I thought possible. I made sure to visit him in my dreams, before I added more monsters to his burden.¡±

    ¡°The dragon¡­¡± Cliff¡¯s words had grown softer still, an expression of anguish spreading across his face. ¡°You killed a dragon.¡±

    ¡°The dragon?¡± Christoph asked. ¡°In my body, I am GOD. The dragon didn¡¯t last one night in that hell before I had absorbed it into my very flesh and bones. Still, Henry survived. He fought and struggledand he survived all the way here, until his brothers came to meet him.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Lucius froze, looking back into Christoph¡¯s eyes. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±

    ¡°You can see, can¡¯t you?¡± Christoph was too far gone to stop this now. ¡°Weary and confused, Dane is cast into the hellscape of my nightmares alone. Fighting for his life, he looks up to see his brother wasting awayatop a sea of ravenous crystal beasts.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Lucius said, pushing back at Cliff as he began to draw his sword. ¡°You can¡¯t¡±

    ¡°Dane didn¡¯t have the mana of a half-elf.¡± Christoph shook his head. ¡°It was only a matter of time before he was destroyedas well. His ethereal soul, absorbed into my crystalline imitation¡±

    ¡°Stop.¡± Lucius was struggling now, Cliff¡¯ssword coming free from its scabbard despite his repeated objections. ¡°Just let it go!¡±

    ¡°Swaying on his feet, he made his way to the brother he had always admired so.¡± Dropping Emilia¡¯s bloodied knife, Christoph drewhis other blade, the crystal running slick with the gore thatdripped down his side and over his hand. ¡°Maybe he thought they could survive if they were together. Maybe he just didn¡¯t want to die alone. Who knows? Henry certainly didn¡¯t care at all.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± It was Cliff that spoke this time, his sword coming to a stop as his eyes widened in shock. ¡°Henry wouldn¡¯t have-

    ¡°Henry grasped hisdying brother by the soul and tore him to shreds,¡± Christoph replied with a snarl. ¡°Family? What¡¯s family?! Even your precious hero could sacrifice his own brotherin the end! It worked, too. The demons swarmed, I swarmed over Dane and Henry lived to see another day.¡±

    ¡°You monster.¡± Tears had began to drip from Sierra¡¯s face, her lips barely moving as she spoke. ¡°How could you¡­¡±

    ¡°He was strong,¡± Christoph repeated with a cruel smile. ¡°That¡¯s why I decided to let him go.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Lucius¡¯ head snapped around at the adventurer¡¯s words, and the clearing fell silent for a single moment. ¡°You sent him to the other side?¡±

    ¡°Not quite,¡± Christoph replied, grinning now. ¡°I pulled him from my bones and sent him into another half-elf I had met.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Even Emilia couldn¡¯t contain her surprise at Christoph¡¯s words. ¡°The pirate?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Christoph said, sheathing a sword so he could reach out and ruffle the fur on her head. Taking a deep breath, he let the tension run from his body as he turned to addressthe clergymen once more. ¡°I leftyour precious Henry in the body of a former pirate. I just hope they both know how to share.¡±

 Chapter Fifty-Nine

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± The words scattered out into the endless space, a plane which knew no boundaries in its unending existence. Alone amidst the vast expanse of gray, a small figure kneeled below the glowing form of his god. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Bowing his head, Lucius hunched over until his glasses tapped the floor with a dull click of plastic on metal, his knees planted firmly on the floor in prostration. Shivering under the immense pressure of the being before him, the student fought to control his fear. This was not the time to lose composure.

    ¡°Apologies are cheap,¡± Progress replied, stepping forward to slide the tip of his foot under the high schooler¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯ve given enough of them to know.¡±

    ¡°I-¡± Falling silentas Progress moved, Lucius trembled as his god¡¯s shimmering foot lifted his head up off the floor. ¡°This was not-¡±

    ¡°How you had wished it to end?¡± Running a hand through his golden hair, Progress raised the other to his face, covering his forehead and eyes. Glaring past his fingers, the deity stomped his foot back down. ¡°Of course it wasn¡¯t! Nobody plans to fail.¡±

    ¡°¡­I remain your humble servant.¡± What else could Lucius say? If apologies were cheap, he could do nothing more than beg. ¡°What do you wish for me to do from-¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me.¡± The god¡¯s face twisted with Lucius¡¯ words, and he was suddenly crouching down before his follower, a single hand curling through the young man¡¯s hair to wrench him bodily to the side. ¡°You may be my follower, but humble? You are anything but humble¡­. How could you possibly have thought this was the right thing to do?¡±

    ¡°My plans were sound, but the others¡­¡± Lucius held his tongue. There was no excuse he could give from here. His failure had been spectacular beyond compare, his every plot turned and twisted against him by theother gifted in the Project. ¡°I will not fail you again, my Lord.¡±

    ¡°Failure?¡± Progress¡¯ eyes gleamed a brilliant blue. ¡°This is not about your failure. Do you really think you could stop a god from coming into this world? I expected you to fail, no, I needed you to fail here, that¡¯s why I set you such an impossible goal. Those fools at the Project might be powerless to control their new god, but his presence here was always a given.¡±

    ¡°You wanted me to fail?¡± Lucius couldn¡¯t hide his shock, and his god returned his anguish with disgust. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t for you to know,¡± Progress replied. ¡°Yes, I wanted you to fail. No, I did not expect you to sink to such a level in your efforts. Humanity¡­ what a deceptive name for something so despicable.¡±

    ¡°You really do hate us, don¡¯t you?¡± Lucius asked. Tilting his head towards the god with a blank stare, he saw a fraction of the deity¡¯s loathing for the human race. ¡°My god¡­¡±

    ¡°Iam your god,¡± Progress said. ¡°And my machinations are all that is keeping your people from being consumed by the savagery of divine war. We need each other to survive ¨C our feelings are nothing compared to this one single truth. You worship me because no one else would accept you, and I rule you because there is no one else to rule. So don¡¯t ever think to turn those eyes of yours against me.¡±

    ¡°What a joke.¡± Lowering his gaze, Lucius felt his shoulders drop under the weight he bore. ¡°To discover god, and findthat he abhors us. To summon another, who is the very essence of sin itself. The world is cruel indeed.¡±

    ¡°Humanity is cruel,¡± Progress replied, clapping a hand down over the high schooler¡¯s shoulder to push him further down. ¡°The world is uncaring. But if this one is not to your taste then rejoice, boy. For your supreme failures here, I am banishing you to another. Maybe this time you will know your place.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Lucius.¡± A hand came to rest on the saint¡¯s shoulder, snapping him back into the present for the moment. ¡°Claude is on his way.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Lucius replied, turning back towards the entrance to the compound. The Garden was a place of peace, and many of the clergymen came here to ponder and pray. ¡°I hope he sees the importance of meeting in this place.¡±

    Place¡­ Lucius sighed as he recalled his last meeting with the deity he had pledged to serve. Progress may have single-handedly prevented the utter destruction of humanity many times over, but the god¡¯s relationship with his subjects was tenuous at best. Still, he was a step above the remainder of the pantheon. Even the worthlessness he felt in Progress¡¯ presence was nothing compared to the despair that the Project¡¯s summonedother had made them all feel that day.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he will,¡± Cliff said with a nod. ¡°The Garden has long served as neutral ground between the Blessed and the Willful. A Paladin such as Claude would be remiss to disturb such honored tradition.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean he won¡¯t,¡± Lucius replied. Looking over to where Sierra was staring into the apple orchards, he tilted his head. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t blame yourself for Henry. If we couldn¡¯t find him, it was either because he isn¡¯t aware of himself yet, or he didn¡¯t want to be found.¡±

    ¡°Still,¡± Cliff said, stepping between his sister and his superior. ¡°A woman¡¯s thoughts aren¡¯t something you should be reading so simply.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s true, though,¡± Lucius replied. After Christoph had dropped his bomb on them, they had spent nearly three weeks scouring the Plains for the half-elf pirate. ¡°The adventurer¡¯s guild was our only lead in the end.¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    ¡°It¡¯s too bad we couldn¡¯t track the pirate through his guild card.¡± Directing his gaze towards the ground, Cliff let out a sigh. ¡°Well, if Henry¡¯s card was brought up when the pirate went into the guild, it¡¯s proof he¡¯s out there somewhere.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re here,¡± Lucius said, catching Claude¡¯s eye as the Paladin stepped into the garden proper. ¡°Henry is out there, and the Willful need to know. Sir Claude! I am grateful that you could join us this fine morning.¡±

    ¡°It is not often I am graced with such company,¡± Claude replied, coming to a stop before the trio. His usual steel plate was conspicuously absent, and the plain clothes of a priest had replaced them. ¡°Besides, the Garden is a haven of mine.¡±

    ¡°I see you¡¯ve chosen to forego your armor.¡± Tilting his head, Lucius raised an eyebrow upon seeing the Paladin¡¯s mana signature. ¡°You don¡¯t feel¡­ vulnerable, without your normal precautions?¡±

    ¡°Of course I do,¡± Claude said. More than his armor, he knew Lucius was commenting on his clones or lack thereof. At this moment, he had but a single body to house his mind and soul. ¡°Knowing my mortality again will do me good. Now, I trust you had a reason for this meeting?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re correct,¡± Lucius replied. ¡°Firstly, the church cannot afford to be embroiled in internal conflicts. Change is coming, and it will not be kind to those who loiter in the past.¡±

    ¡°I will not apologize for my actions,¡± Claude said. Turning towards Cliff, he narrowed his eyes. ¡°Dane was my brother and I bear the guilt of his demise, but if Sir Cliff decides to target the demon again I will not hesitate to repeat my actions. He has no right, no right at all. Even Sierra, I could forgive, but for him to brush her aside as well¡­ This revenge is not his to take.¡±

    ¡°I will continue to follow my orders,¡± Cliff replied, clenching his fists as he remembered the beating he had endured at the Paladin¡¯s many hands. ¡°If I find the demon on the other side of my sword in the future, so be it.I will not go so quietly when you come for me.¡±

    ¡°This is not the place,¡± Lucius said. ¡°Not that there is a place for this. Wewillcontinue to follow ourorders, and the Pope has decreed both peace between the factions, and to keep our distance from Christoph for now.¡±

    ¡°Keep our distance¡­¡± Shaking his head, Claude crossed his arms with a scowl. ¡°I hear you had something to do with that decision in particular. Not that I had any intention of sending more of my men to their destruction at the demon¡¯s hands. It is better to starve such beasts than to feed them willingly. Still, how do you plan to deal with him if he returns having cleared the Chain of its wyrms?¡±

    ¡°We will focus on bringing god to this world,¡± Lucius replied. Raising a hand to his chest, the young man made a fist. ¡°Progress will rule over humanity in both the realms, and if Christoph is a threat then he will be removed directly.¡±

    ¡°The church has its doubts about your lord Progress.¡± Leaning forward, the dragonslayer locked eyes with the zealous high schooler. ¡°On both sides.¡±

    ¡°Such concerns are baseless,¡± Lucius said with a wave. The time for doubting Progress had long passed. He may not regard humanity with love, but Lucius¡¯ god was necessary for the protection and advancement of the human race. ¡°They cannot possibly doubt his existence, so what then? His intentions? Lord Progress is ourgod.If he intends to visit destruction upon the church and his people there is nothing we could do to prevent it. Even our efforts to summon him here may be no more than a paltry convenience to him in the end.¡±

    ¡°What of Pope Kale?¡± Straightening to his full height, Claude towered over the trio with scorn. ¡°That man is relentless. Do you really think he will sit back and allow you to supplant his authority over the Kingdom of the Creator?¡±

    ¡°I know he will,¡± Lucius replied. ¡°Pope Kale is not the man you think him to be. The church will help me bring Progress to humanity, no matter which mortals may see fit to interfere.¡±

    ¡°Hmph.¡± Taking a step back, Claude followed Sierra¡¯s gaze toward the priests kneeling amongst the orchards. ¡°The Willful do not share the fervor of the Blessed, Saint. Nor do we share your belief in Progress. We will protect our kingdom as we have always done, no matter who will stand in our way. Now if that is all, I will be taking my leave.¡±

    ¡°Not yet,¡± Lucius said with a shake of his head. The conversation had not gone as he had planned, but Claude still had to know. At the very least, Dane¡¯s death seemed to have had a profound effect upon the Paladin. Perhaps news of Henry¡¯s life would do the same. ¡°We aren¡¯t done just yet, Sir Claude. As a Paladin of the Creator¡¯s Willful, and as the son of Father Molt and brother to Sir Henry, there is something you must know.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°Well, this is worse than I had imagined.¡± Knocking the back of his head against the oversized bricks, Christoph slumped down onto the small stone table which was serving as his bed. ¡°At least they put us in one cell this time.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s still your fault,¡± Emilia said, shoving him aside with her legs from where she was sitting on the other side of the makeshift bed. ¡°The bed is too small for both of us, go sit on the floor.¡±

    ¡°The floor is wet, why don¡¯t you go sit on it.¡± Grabbing the moody cat-girl by a leg, Christoph dragged her down onto the bed before flopping down over her furred form. Ignoring her protests, he wriggled up her body until they shared an uncomfortable embrace. ¡°Do you think we¡¯ve made it to the capital by now?¡±

    ¡°We might have,¡± Emilia replied, whacking her partner¡¯s hands away as she smoothed down the fur he¡¯d ruffled in this movements. The pair had been dragged through half the mountain range by their ¡®captors¡¯, and each cell seemed smaller than the last had been. ¡°Charter¡¯s Chain¡­ I hope Leila isn¡¯t here this time.¡±

    ¡°Leila?¡± Propping himself up on one elbow, Christoph made a face at the beast-woman next to him. ¡°Why would she be here?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s the clan-head,¡± Emilia said. ¡°It¡¯s her duty to make sure the clans and the dwarves get along.¡±

    ¡°I thought she was just the head of the village,¡± Christoph replied with a shake of his head. Liam¡¯s information might be useful, but he was constantly surprised at the things he still didn¡¯t know about this world. ¡°So she¡¯s like the queen of the beast clans, then?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s Bastias¡¯ favorite.¡± Cuddling up to him, Emilia shivered in the cold of the damp dwarven cell. ¡°She looks after the forest clans for them.¡±

    ¡°Just the forests?¡± Christoph asked. ¡°Not the swamps?¡±

    ¡°Just the forests.¡± Nodding into his chest, the cat-girl turned to look up at him. ¡°The reptile clans have their own leader. Bastias likes Leila the best, though.¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± Christoph said, raising a hand to pause the conversation. ¡°They worship Bastias as well?¡±

    ¡°They have a different Bastias,¡± Emilia replied. Leaning sideways, her ear began to flicker as the maneuver stretched out her neck. ¡°Leila still wants to know about your other world, you know?¡±

    ¡°Too bad for her,¡± Christoph said. A different Bastias? No, Bastias was a unique presence in the first place. Could you really think of the beast gods as separate existences? ¡°If Leila wants to know about home, she can go there and find out for herself.¡±

    ¡°I want to know as well.¡± Blinking once, Emilia¡¯s eyes locked onto his as the silence stretched on. ¡°Not just about your world, about you.¡±

    ¡°I know you do,¡± Christoph said with a sigh. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to talk about it if I could, but I suppose it was just a matter of time¡­ Fine. I¡¯ll tell you about my life back home.¡±

 Chapter Sixty

    ¡°When I was a child¡­¡± Swinging his legs off the stone table, Christoph sat up against the cold bricks of the cell wall with a sigh. ¡°When I was a child, my mother was everything to me. Kind, caring, gentle. She played with me, she looked after me, she kept me safe. The dolls all listened to her, and Daniel did too. She was an artist, just like my father was. Well, I didn¡¯t know him at all but I remember thinking there was no way he could ever have been as good as her.¡±

    Sitting up beside him, Emilia squeezed his leg in silent support. This wasn¡¯t the time for her to be playing around. Christoph needed her.

    ¡°I grew quickly,¡± Christoph continued. ¡°Too quickly, and still not fast enough. With each month, I grew as if a year had passed. When winter came I could run and speak, if only a little. I learned about the fight that Dan and my mother were a part of, the Prayer Game that Liam and Ginger fought through. I knew my father was someone to be feared, and that there were much worse out there, lurking just outside the lab. Mother would talk about one of the others in particular, wondering if ¡®he¡¯ would be there.¡±

    ¡°You lived in fear.¡± Tightening her grip on his thigh, the beast-woman sidled closer still, leaning on his shoulder with a look of understanding.

    ¡°No,¡± Christoph replied with a shake of his head. ¡°I was too young to care about that. I played with the toys my mother made for me and listened to Dan¡¯s stories until she finished her work every day. I was only half a year old when they finally attacked the laboratory.¡±

    ¡°Your father?¡± Emilia asked.

    ¡°Yeah, my father.¡± Nodding his head, Christoph shook it soon after. ¡°He wasn¡¯t alone, though. The Prayer Game¡­ that was what they called it afterward, Progress¡¯ little power struggle with the other gods. Sixteen people, paired up nice and neat and given a ¡®gift¡¯ by Progress or another god. At the end, eight would be left, and the survivors would determine the power that their god wielded over humanity. As a bonus, they would be granted the gifts of their dead rival ¨C I think it was an incentive of sorts. To begin with, some people formed alliances in order to resist the game. Then, they grouped together to finish it.¡±

    ¡°There are other gods?¡± Emilia blinked at Christoph¡¯s words, and he spared a wry smile at her look of anguished awe. Even learning about the many technologies of Earth couldn¡¯t compare to the realization that your world was not alone in its all-powerful deities.

    ¡°Eight more,¡± Christoph said, leaning back to rest his head against the stones. ¡°They stood against Progress alone, a pantheon still divided even then. You need to understand, the Prayer Game was not designed to force the champions together by which god had appeared to them. Progress¡¯ champions weren¡¯t a team, and neither were the champions of the other eight. Anything was possible as long as they didn¡¯t try to ally with their designated rival, and even that rule wasn¡¯t always set in stone for some. When they came for us, I thought they had come together because they were afraid of her, like villains rising up to challenge a hero in the stories. That wasn¡¯t even close to being why.¡±

    ¡°Did she survive?¡± The cat-girl seemed timid in the low light of the dwarvish prison, and her ears fluttered slightly as she spoke. The trembling of her voice made Christoph wonder if she was afraid to ask her questions, but he dismissed the thought as quickly as it came. Emilia¡¯s worries didn¡¯t usually past the boundaries of her bedspread most times.

    ¡°No,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°She pushed me into a room with her dolls, and went out to die alone. ¡®He¡¯ had already killed Dan, and it was up to her to protect the rest of us herself. More than the love of a parent, I think she really thought I was someone worth sacrificing everything to protect.¡±

    ¡°She loved you-¡±

    ¡°She worshiped me,¡± Christoph said. ¡°I was her new god, her perfect creation. Designed in a laboratory, born of a virgin surrogate. She murdered and mutilated and raped me into existence, and then she set out on making me a perfect wife, another angel to match her first. Over a hundred women died for her newest form of ¡®art¡¯, and my father suffered through a hell worse than anything I could ever hope to imagine, even after all of this. It¡¯s no wonder they all came after her in the end.¡±

    Emilia shrunk back at Christoph¡¯s words, and he stiffened as he realized he had almost been shouting. He was letting his anger bleed into his words, and she had never seen him like this before, not even when he snapped at Lucius in Manitas City. Rubbing the tension from his cheeks, he forced another wry smile and pulled his partner into an embrace. Several long moments passed before he could build up the energy to continue his story.

    ¡°After the attack,¡± he said, ¡°I was locked in the laboratory alone¡­ Think of it like a necromancer¡¯s lair. I lived out my life surrounded by the corpses of my mother¡¯s victims, looking out at the world above. Progress won the game, of course. Most of it, anyway. On my eighteenth birthday, I inherited control of the lab and left to find my father. The world might not have been everything my mother had said it was, but I still wanted to be there. I still hadto get revenge for her. I wanted to get out of that god-damned laboratory.¡±

    ¡°The world outside¡­¡± Christoph ¡®s voice trailed off. ¡°It¡¯s as if I¡¯ve lived in threeseparate worlds, not just two. The people, the places! I¡¯d spent eighteen years learning about it, but now I was living it! I spent some time seeing the world, and the rest of it following leads I¡¯d dug up in the lab. There were more incidents with the gods when they revealed themselves, but I didn¡¯t care about those. I just wanted to know where the survivors had gone, Progress be damned.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°How did he become so strong?¡± Emilia asked, leaning over to rest her head against his chest. ¡°He isn¡¯t like the World Serpent, is he?¡±

    ¡°Not at all,¡± Christoph said. ¡°He¡¯s the youngest of them all, not the oldest. As for his strength¡­ in our world, the gods were long since forgotten. Religions were many and varied, and dying out with every year. Progress, though¡­ technology is his domain, and humanity worshiped at his feet with every move. We might not have known it, but we were more fanatical than any church could have ever been.¡±

    ¡°And Lucius wants to bring him here?¡± Narrowing her eyes, Emilia tilted her head to the side. ¡°How does he expect to survive in this world then? What will happen to the other one?¡±

    ¡°Who knows?¡± Christoph replied. ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t count on the lack of technology to keep him away. Lucius is here, and from what I can tell the progression of the human race is sitting somewhere near the top of that kid¡¯s list of priorities.¡±

    ¡­

    ¡°My Lord!¡± Robert kneeled before the dwarven king¡¯s golden throne, bowing his head to the stones below. ¡°The prisoner consumed the flesh of the crystal beasts! I would advise against-¡±

    ¡°I would not advise if I were you,¡± King Zachariah replied. ¡°You did well to slay the unicorn and deliver me it¡¯s horn, but remember that it was your outbursts which resulted in your transferral to the border outposts, Robert. Grovelingalong with your words only make them further beneath me.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Robert said, lowering his shoulders further toward the floor. ¡°My men shall retrieve the prisoner at once.¡±

    ¡°No need,¡± Zachariah replied, waving his hand in dismissal. ¡°I¡¯ve sent my own. He will be here soon enough. Now, Edward, do you have anything to add to Robert¡¯s report?¡±

    ¡°The beast-woman, my lord.¡± Lowering his head, Edward remained standing as he spoke. Even so, the king sat high above, light shining off the golden steps to the jewel-studded throne of the dwarves. ¡°She¡¯s Emilia of the Greater Paw, sister to Lord Leila.¡±

    ¡°The marauder?¡± Narrowing his eyes, the dwarven king shrugged with another wave of his hand. His armor rattled as he moved, and the assembled nobles were showered in a myriad of rainbow lights as the sunlight reflected from the precious stones set upon the plate. ¡°No matter, Ihad no plans to harm either of our guests today.¡±

    ¡°Guests?¡± The two dwarven warriors spoke as one, earning the ire of their king for a moment before the doors were pulled open once more.

    ¡°Ah,¡± King Zachariah said with a grin. ¡°Christoph Smith, Emilia of the Greater Paw. You know, I just lost a wager because of the two of you.¡±

    ¡­

    A wager? Covering his face, Christoph blinked as his eyes adjusted to the sunlit room. Even then, he was forced to blink again in surprise. The room was¡­ gold and jewels? A central walkway led to the rising stairs and the throne beyond. To the sides, twin chasms separated the King from the nobles¡¯ galleries on the sides. Vast pillars stretched the ceiling high above, and Christoph nearly staggered as he realized that the glass was in fact not glass at all. It was crystal, finely cut and polished like the most sublime of stained glass.

    ¡°Is everything in the Chains made of gold?¡± Christoph spoke before he could catch himself, and the nobles stiffened for a moment before the king¡¯s chuckling rang out.

    ¡°Not quite, but gold is everything in the Chains,¡± Zachariah replied, gesturing for them to be brought further forwards. ¡°But that wasn¡¯t what we were talking about here.¡±

    ¡°I apologize,¡± Christoph said, lowering his head as he approached the base of the stairs. Noting even Emilia¡¯s deferential pose, he made sure to bow down further still. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t know anything about any bets you might have made.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing worth worrying about,¡± the dwarven king replied with a shake of his head. ¡°You may raise your heads. The wager I spoke of was indeed merely a meaningless bet. Charter was sure that the unicorn would be slain within the week, and it seems that his words rang true today.¡±

    ¡°You wager with your god?¡± Christoph asked. How had he ever thought for a moment that Liam¡¯s knowledge would have contained everything he¡¯d need to know about this world? Surprises lay in every corner of this place, and he shuddered to think of what his travels would have been like without the basic knowledge he had gained.

    ¡°Aye,¡± Zachariah replied. ¡°Wagers bring us closer to god.¡±

    ¡°He means it makes them richer,¡± Emilia said, tapping softly at her companion¡¯s arm. ¡°Wealth is power in the Chains.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Zachariah¡¯s laugh echoed across the chamber, silencing the cries of the offended nobles before they could begin. ¡°Dwarves crave gold as the beast-people crave¡­ more primal things. Isn¡¯t that so, my little miss marauder?¡±

    ¡°I no longer hold that position,¡± Emilia replied, ignoring the dwarven king¡¯s jab. ¡°I have left the protection of the Greater Paw and even Bastias themselves.¡±

    ¡°A willing exile?¡± Zachariah¡¯s eyes widened for a moment, quickly flicking over to the human beside the beast-woman. ¡°You must be quite the stallion, to have seduced her away from the pleasures of her clan, boy.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Chuckling in return, Christoph shook his head at how his partner¡¯s expression had hardened at the monarch¡¯s words. As always, she was loath to discuss the tendencies of her race with someone from the outside. ¡°I do have to say that between gold and¡­ more primal things, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m unable to decide which I prefer.¡±

    ¡°So you do wish for wealth then boy?¡± Cocking his head to the side, King Zachariah drummed his ring-laden fingers on the arm of his golden throne. ¡°Are you here for the hoards, then?¡±

    ¡°Hoards?¡± Christoph tilted his head in mimicry of the dwarven king. ¡°Do you mean the treasures that the dragons hold?¡±

    ¡°Aye,¡± Zachariah replied. ¡°Cocky adventurers like yourself like to venture up the Chain and die screaming in the midst of the wyrm holds. Some of them manage to sneak off with a piece or two every now and then but I wouldn¡¯t fancy your odds, laddie.¡±

    ¡°What a coincidence,¡± Christoph replied. ¡°I was just about to ask for my odds, actually.¡±

    ¡°Do you intend to make a wager?¡± Leaning forward in his throne, the dwarven king grinned widely down towards the pair. ¡°An interesting human indeed. How much of it do you think you can make off with then? I¡¯ll give you good terms for the bet.¡±

    ¡°You misunderstand me,¡± Christoph said with a grin of his own. ¡°Making off with? I don¡¯t intend to raid the caves, and I¡¯m certainly no thief. I¡¯d wager instead that I could take down the dragons themselves.¡±

    ¡°What foolishness.¡±

    The regal tone of voice almost confused Christoph into thinking that the words were uttered by the king himself, but Emilia recognized the speaker almost immediately. Spinning around, the cat-girl zeroed in on the source of the comment, her one good ear swiveling around towards a figure seated in the noble¡¯s gallery on the left.

    ¡°Hello Leila,¡± Emilia said with a curt nod. Turning back towards her lover, she gave him another nudge before gesturing up to where her sister was sitting among the dwarves, arms folded tightly beneath her bosom. ¡°See, I told you she might be here, didn¡¯t I?¡±

 Chapter Sixty-One

    "Money, huh?"

    Flicking a coin into the air, Christoph caught the small silver piece as it spun.

    "That''s right," Emilia said with a nod. "Money."

    "Money..." Pocketing the coin, he kicked off the wall he had been leaning against and reached for the sack he carried at his side. The dwarves had confiscated the small amount of supplies they''d carried from the skimmer back then, but they''d been returned after the audience with King Zachariah. The two of them had wandered the underground city for a while before settling on an inn and booking a room. "It''s four silvers a night, and we eat about that much again each day in food, so... we can''t stay here for long."

    "Dwarves ask for too much gold." Grumbling under her breath, Emilia flopped down on the bed and stretched out over the soft mattress. Judging from the sounds she was making, the room seemed like it would be worth the money after sleeping in a jail cell for the better part of a month. Twisting around, the cat-girl''s satisfied sighs gave way to small noises of frustration as she struggled with the fastenings on her dress. "Hey, get... get off already!"

    "Hold up," Christoph said, dropping his pack to clamber onto thebed next to his lover. Leaning over her, he frowned as he saw that the garment''scord was already untied. "What-"

    "Gotcha!" Springing up from the mattress, Emilia somehow managed to roll him over and pin him down, pulling his shirt half off while discarding her own clothing in the process. "Ahaha, a bed! Look, the room even has a bath as well! Come on, let''s go already!"

    "Yeah, yeah," Christoph replied, raising his arms and letting the energetic beast-woman strip him half-naked. A bath did sound good right now. "Still, don''t get too used to it. We''ll leave for the upper mountains within the next two days, we''re only here as long as it takes us to gather supplie-"

    Christoph was interrupted by a heavy knock on the door, and after a moment he realized that someone had just run into it. There was another thump and then a small pause before the repetitive rap of actual knocks were heard.

    "Go away!" Emilia called out, focussing on the task at hand. "We''re busy!"

    "Hey, wait a second," Christoph said, pushing her hands away from the fastenings to his pants and standing up from the bed. "Who is it?"

    "It''s Leila," a voice replied. "Open this door before I break it down."

    "Leila?" Hesitating for a moment, Christoph stepped forward to undo the latch. "Calm down, I''m opening it now-"

    "Damned door and thei damned locks." The Lord of the Greater Paw pushed past him without a word of greeting, taking in the sight of her naked sister on the bed before glancing over the two with a sneer. Raising a hand, she tapped a finger into Christoph''s chest to punctuate her words. "Are you an idiot?Don''t. Bet. With dwarves."

    "What?" Brushing her arm away, Christoph looked past the larger beast-woman to where Gideon was busy averting his eyes in thedoorway. Turning towards the bed, he called out to his lover instead. "Emilia dear, please cover up with something. You''re making sir Executioner here quite uncomfortable."

    "Listen to me." Leaning down in front of Christoph''s face, Leila locked her eyes onto his. "Zachariah isn''t the king because he was born into it, he''s the king because he''s rich. Richer than any ten other dwarves combined. He makes bets with Charter himself. Donot.Bet. With dwarves."

    "I know that," Christoph replied, "but I''ve already done it once before, and here we are. In any case, this is less of a bet and more of an agreement. No matter who wins, nobody loses anything."

    "Nobody loses anything?" Seizing the shorter man in powerful hands, the beast woman lifted him up against the wall by his neck. "Bastias has made it clear you aren''t a target for violence, but the two of you are godless from now on. Let me be clear, the dwarves arenot your friends. They care for your value as a dragon slayer, and nothing more. And the treasures that the dragons guard will alwaysbelong to them."

    "Leila." Forgoing her clothing in favor of her weapons, Emilia was standing on the other side of the room with her naked body pressed up against the back of her sister''s hapless slave. Tapping a dagger against his neck, the younger cat-girl pulled Gideon''s head to the side. "Let Christoph go."

    "It doesn''t matter whether you win or lose." Dropping the adventurer back onto his feet, Leila turned towards her sister as Emilia pushed the former Executioner towards her. Checking his neck for blood, the larger beast-woman patted her partner on the head and sent him from the room. "In fact, losing would be the better option of the two. In Charter''s Chains, wealth begets enemies, and you two aren''t exactly in need of more of those. Either of you."

    "I know that," Christoph said, stepping between the sisters as Emilia bounded across the room towards him. "I don''t intend to keep the treasure. I''ll eat any of the crystals that still hold mana, and send the rest back to Zachariah as tribute."You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    "If you do that, the king''s enemies will become your own!" Leila''s hackles were raised now, her eyes narrowing at the stupidity of the duo before her. "King Zachariah wouldn''t even settle for that much in the first place! Dwarves crave wealth, and there is never enough for them to have! And you, you want to plunder the treasures of their ancient ancestors and send them the scraps?"

    "The dwarves don''t move as one," Christoph replied, glancing towards where Gideon stood on the other side of the wooden door. "I''ll find someone to support me while I''m here, even if it means going against the king. It wouldn''t be the first time I''ve had an army come to kill me."

    "It would be the first time you''ve had agod come to hunt you down." Leila''s words hissed from between her teeth. Rising to her full height, she turned towards her sister with a shake of her head. "Fine, do as you wish. But remember who you are, and who you used to be. You won''t survive out here if you stay as weak as you are now."

    "The dragons will bring me strength," Christoph replied. Returning the beast-woman''s glare with a scowl of his own, he glanced toward the door and back to her once more. "I appreciate the warning, but don''t think I haven''t already taken any of this into account. Enemies? I intend to make enemies of everyone, and I intend to defeat them too. Charter will not be the last god to turn his gaze towards me."

    "You are a fool," Leila said. Pulling the door open, she strode through with one final shake of her head. "Enjoy your stay in King Zachariah''s inn,and for Bastias'' sake throw those daggers away and pick up a real weapon. You''re going to need one soon."

    ...

    "A fool, huh?"

    Flicking the door key into the air, Christoph caught the small steel piece as it spun.

    "That''s right," Emilia said with a nod. "A fool."

    "A fool..."Tossing the key onto the bed, he splashed back against the metal wall of the bath tub.The dwarves had created some sort of semi-sophisticated plumbing system, bringing up water from bore holes deep underground. They''d filled the tub where it sat in the corner of the room, and Christoph was entirely glad it was more than the oversized bucket he had been expecting. "There are eight gods, and Lucius wants to bring over Progress to rule humanity as well, so... if we don''t want to be ruled over, we have to get stronger than we are now."

    "Leila worries too much." Grumbling under her breath, Emilia slid back against his chest, legs splashing up out of the water at the far end of the bath.Judging from the sounds she was making, the bath seemed like it was well worth the money after sleeping in a jail cell for the better part of a month. Twisting around, the cat-girl''s satisfied sighs gave way to small noises of frustration as she struggled withher position on his lap. "Hey, let''s... let''s go already!"

    "Hold up," Christoph said. That was about enough of that. "Let''s drop the comedy act for now. Do you think what Leila said is right? The bet with the king and all that."

    "It''s a good bet," Emilia replied. Sighing disappointedly, she rolled over on his legs and made do with draping her arms around his neck. "You both pick a dragon. If they kill their''s first then they get all the treasure. If we kill ours first we get both the dragons. Either way, both dragons die in the end."

    "I''m only really worried about what''ll happen if we can''t kill the dragon at all," Christoph said. "We''d be at Zachariah''s mercy until the end of the wager. Other than that, I''m sure we''d be able to handle a couple of avaricious dwarves and their lackeys."

    "It''ll be fine," Emilia replied, sliding her body over his with a splash. "You were so cute when Leila picked you up, though."

    "I''d rather not have my lover telling me that being held up against the wall by her sister is cute," Christoph said, flicking water over her head. An image of a Leila-sized Emilia popped into his head, and he shuddered at the thought. The cat-girl was already uncontrollable in her smaller form, if she maintained her enthusiasm while growing in size it''d be a near disaster for everyone involved. "What about the other thing? Do you think I''m a fool?"

    "Of course." Rolling onto her back once more, Emilia leaned her head backward to look up into his eyes. "You wouldn''t be with me if you weren''t."

    "Hey," Christoph replied. "There''s nothing wrong with you."

    "Not that you know of," Emilia said. "Besides the difference in species, anyway."

    "I know more than you think," Christoph replied. "And I''m fine with you the way you are, of course."

    "Of course," Emilia said, closing her eyes and pushing off the bath to grind against his body. "Of course."

    "Wait a second." Pausing just as he had started reciprocating her movements, Christoph blinked down towards his grey-furred lover. "You met those guys? The Merry Brothers?"

    "I saw them in Manitas," Emilia said without opening her eyes. "I tracked you down as best I could. Didn''t expect to see Cecilia there, though."

    "You know the dog-woman too?" Christoph made a face as he remembered the annoyingly exuberant beast-woman. They were not pleasant memories, even without Liam''s anti-beast filter clouding his thoughts. "How?"

    "Her sister was Leila''s main rival for Bastias'' affections," Emilia said. Raising a hand to his face, she urged him into movement once more. "Leila was strong in the end, of course."

    "Of course," Christoph replied. "But even the strongest have rivals... I didn''t think there was anyone that could stand against her like that, not without the blessing of a god at least."

    "Diana, huh?" Emilia''s eyes opened, her expression dark. "I still don''t like that elf, you know?"

    "I know," Christoph replied. Reaching down, he lifted her partway from the water before placing her back down in a more... practical position. Chuckling at the way her eyes began to gleam, he leaned down to scratch her ears and plant a kiss on her upturned forehead. "Now who''s the cute one? Still, I wonder what''s going on back at the plains. With the brothers, and Diana as well.

    "Who cares aboutthem," Emilia said with a moan. Reaching back to loop her arms around his neck, she tilted her head the side and let him nuzzle at the nape of her neck. Moving against him, she rocked her hips for a moment before collapsing bodily into the water. Prodding at her abdomen with a pleasant sigh, the beast-woman twisted over onto her front, feeling her lover slip from inside her with the movement. "Let''s move up onto the bed. I need to dry my fur or I''ll overheat and pass out before we get to the really good parts."

 Chapter Sixty-Two

    "It''s so hot." Lifting the water skin above her head, Cecilia splashed disappointingly warm water over her face and upper body. "I miss the Spine. Even the Bay would be nice right now. Trees... Lakes..."

    "Hey!" Snatching their precious reserves from the beast-woman''s grasp, Larry re-corked the skin and stared enviously at the canine warrior''s wet fur before uncorking it again to mimic her actions. "It is hot."

    "Hey!" A third pair of hands closed around the remnants of water they''d managed to save so far, and the container disappeared behind Barry''s back. "Don''t waste the water!"

    "Don''t blame me for that," Cecilia said. "You did it first."

    "That doesn''t mean you two have to do it as well," Barry replied. Slumping back into the hollow they were using as shelter, he peered uparound the boulder above and was nearly impaled on the steel tip of a crossbow bolt. "Damn those fancy elves. I bet they''re real snug on that skimmer of theirs."

    "How do they still have any bolts lefts?" Cecilia said, her voice settling into a low groan as the water began to evaporate. The trio had been halfway through a routine patrol when a gigantic pirate ship had rocketed over the horizon, hounding them into the rocky hills thatBastias and Manitas'' fight had left behind. "They''ve been shooting at us all day."

    "They''re trying to pin us down," Larry replied. "They''ll have to send some of their men up to get us, and they don''t want us going anywhere until then... I''m more worried about the shields they had on that skimmer. We couldn''t even make them flicker."

    "Maybe they just found somereallynice crystals on their last raid?" Barry''s suggestion went unanswered, the trio silently contemplatingthe pirate ship they''d come across. "That could explain the shield, right?"

    "Don''t be ridiculous," Larry said, shaking his head. "It''s an ostracism."

    "You don''t know that!" Cecilia replied. "They could just be rich!"

    "It''s an ostracism," Larry repeated. "A new captain, a new ship, and a bunch of elves who''ve never set foot outside their holyMilwood before. They''re wasting ammunition because they don''t know what it''s like to be without, and the shields are impenetrable because they forest''s blessing hasn''t faded from them yet."

    "Well, that''s it then." Lifting her long-handled hammer, Cecilia began tying a sheet of white cloth to the handle. "I give up."

    "Hey," Barry said. "Wait a second! We can''t just give up and surrend-"

    "I''m tired," Cecilia replied, waving the impromptu flag above the rock. "And hungry."

    "Fine," Larry said. "We''ll try to bargain with the elves. But first, put your shirt back on."

    "It''s hot." Seeing that the pirates had stopped firing their missiles, the canid woman peered over the boulder before rising to her feet. Swinging her hammer around, she rested it over her shoulders in a pose that only served to fully expose her chest. "Get up. We won''t fight, but we can''t look likeweaklings either."

    "They aren''t coming up the hill?" Holding his hand up to shield his eyes from the sun, Barry was relieved to see the elves on board had lowered their crossbows for the moment. The heavier bolts still wouldn''t manage to penetrate the twins'' magical shields, but the constant hail of steel would make retaliation difficult and eventually wear down their mana reserves. "Maybe they don''t want to burn that precious pale skin of theirs?"

    "I don''t think thisisan ostracism," Larry said, tilting his head to the side. "The crew look ragged. The ship is new, but if the crew are from here then the captain-"

    "Who else could it be? Diana? It''s not like she could just..." Barry fell silent as he contemplated his suggestion. "...it totally is her, isn''t it?"

    "Or course," Cecilia said, walking forward towards the elven craft. "Let''s go."

    "Of course," Larry repeated. She was getting better at timing their jokes, now. Glancing down at where the beast-woman''s breasts bounced freely in the desert sun, he shook his head again. "Please put your top back on. Elves aren''t exactly known for their acceptance of anybody else'' culture, you know?"

    "It''ll be fine," Cecilia replied. "Nobody wears shirts back home anyway."

    "We know that," Barry said, "that''s not what...If Diana really is the captain of this ship, then-"

    "Good afternoon," Diana said, appearing on deck as the trio approached from the side. Waving her hand, she lowered one of the craft''s sail-like ''wings'' to the sand, allowing the adventurers to enter the barrier and climb aboard. "I thought it might have been you two. The dog girl, too."

    "It is the angry elf lady." Cecilia blinked in surprise, and the twins shot her a look of confusion. Smiling sheepishly, she shrugged her shoulders. "I didn''t actually think it would be, I just wanted to say ''of course''."

    "Of course," Barry replied with a sigh. "Of course you did."

    "That''s Captainangry elf lady to you," Diana said. Ignoring the crew, she led the groupdown into the hold. "Don''t mind the others, they wouldn''t do anything unsavoury toguests of mine."

    "Guests, are we?" Holding in his retorts, Barry followed the elven woman down the stairs in the space below. "What have you done here, Diana?"Stolen novel; please report.

    "What have I done?" Diana asked. "Well, I ran into an ex-lover of mine recently and ended up with a splitting headache. I met up with Roethus after that, and-"

    "Roethus?" Larry asked. "What does the Guild Master have to do with-"

    "Ah," Roethus said, feathered collar swaying as he rose from his seat. The pirate ship''s hold seemed bigger than it had any right to be, luxuriously furnished and well-lit thanks to the portholes spaced out on the side of the vessel. Even the temperature below deck was more comfortable than the already-adjusted atmosphere within the barrier. "You''re here. Good, good, take a seat."

    "I''m cold." Cecilia clutched at Barry''s arm, pulling him back until she had her entire front pressed up against the warmth of his back. "Warm me up."

    "Put your shirt back on." Diana clicked her fingers together to produce a flickering ball of flame. "Or I''ll warm you up myself."

    "Diana, please," Roethus said as the canid woman began to untie hermakeshift flag with a grumble. "It''s in her nature."

    "I know that," the elf replied. "That doesn''t mean I have to put up with it, though. I''ve had just about enough of those furred-"

    "Okay!" Roethus said, clapping his hands together as the trio sat down on the couch opposite Diana and him. "First things first. Have any of you seen a half-elf anywhere around here?"

    "A half-elf?" Barry shook his head. "Not since the city. Plume, was it? Haven''t seen that one since the tournament. Not that we can be sure he was really half-elf, though. Aren''t they supposed to be too rare to just appear on a ship in the middle in the plains? I thought all the half-elves in Manitas Cityjust lied about their heritage to get through the gates."

    "He the real deal, and we haven''t seen him since then either," Diana replied, leaning forwards to lower her head into her hands. "We wereright there! Goddamn it, I let Christoph kill Hare without so much as a blink!"

    "Yes, well you can''t fault yourself for that," Roethus said to her, offering the others some sort of chilled tea. "We''ll just have to be extremely cautious of meeting Editor in person from now on. A hex that takes the intervention of a god to undo..."

    "At least the other one''s alive." The elven woman snatched Roethus'' cup, downing the contents before leaning back against the couch. "The location spells might not be accurate right now, but there''s a definite reaction to the northwest. Too bad we can''t track the pirate like that."

    "I''m not following this at all," Larry said, holding up his hand. "What exactly is going on right now?"

    "That gaunt-looking bastard mindfucked me into forgetting the reason I was ostracized from the Milwood, that''s what''s going on." Diana tossed Roethus'' now-empty cup on the rug behind her, staring over at the brothers as a young member of her crew rushed to pick it up. "I spent weeks wandering the continent for no reason before Bastias removed the damage he''d done."

    "Liam and Ginger," Roethus said, gesturing for his cup back as he clarified the situation. "They''re world travelers like Christoph and Saint Lucius of the Creator''s Blessed. Their party, Editor, has already risen to Platinum and they are being considered for an Opal ranking by the Starthall council."

    "So that''s why you''re here," Barry said with a grimace. The Opal rank denoted adventurers who rose to prominence with a focus outside of combat, magic or support. In other words, a highly unorthodox individual."Even the Exile might struggle to hold her own against two Opals at once."

    "Don''t be ridiculous," Diana replied. "It''s a question of manpower, that''s all. Liam''s divine gift allows him to irreversibly modify the memories and emotions of his victims. He could start his own country if he wanted to. I''m taking control of the pirates, but the adventurers-"

    "Need a Gemstone to follow," Larry said. Crossing his arms, he returned the elven woman''s stare. "I trust thathe won''t be involved?"

    "By he, you meanMedallion?" Diana laughed at the mage''s concern. "Of course not. There isn''t an adventurer around that doesn''t know the downfall of the Jesters Smiling. Do you really think I''d even try to make you cooperate with the Jester Crying himself? Besides, I hear that he''d moved to the Knights Sanguine before going Amethyst."

    "He did," Barry said. "From a Jester Smiling to the Jester Crying to Medallion of the Dragon''s Boiling Blood, and now Amethyst Gemstone number one. He always did hate being the center of attention, didn''t he?"

    "Wait." Cecilia finished tugging her shirt down to cover her breasts, leaving her stomachbare to the cool indoor air. "You two are survivors from the Jesters Smiling?"

    "That''s right," Larry replied. "Amethyst Gemstones two and three, at your service."

    "You won''t be Amethyst for long if you agree." Roethus took a sip from his cup, ignoring the beast-woman''s shocked blinks. The Amethyst rank was reserved for those who wished to avoid the fame that accompanied an ordinary Gemstone ranking. "We''ll move you into the mages'' Sapphire when you take the quest, of course. You also know what the subject looks like, so you won''t mistake a full-blooded elf for him."

    "Is there no-one else?" Larry asked. "No one at all?"

    "That isn''t what worries me," Barry said with a frown. "You haven''t told us what''s so special about this half-elfyet.Why should we care about him, or Editor, or any of this at all?"

    "Because half-elvesare too rare to be falling off pirate ships in the middle of the plains," Diana replied, leaning low across the table. "Not even Manitas has ever had oneas a subject before."

    "Manitas may be god of the plains," Larry said, "but he isn''t any god of mine. I trust you will make the reward worth our trouble for all of this?"

    "Of course," Roethus replied with a nod. "Anything within my power to grant. What do you want for this?"

    ...

    "For this?" Jeremiah squinted at the two foreigners as they lifted themap. "Two gold coins."

    "Two gold coins?" Christoph asked, glancing between the roll of parchment and the dwarven shopkeeper before him. "For a map?"

    "Obtaining accurate measurements of the wyrm caves is no easy task," the shorter man replied. Turning towards the energetic looking beast-woman, he narrowed his eyes. "Don''t touch that! It''s worth more than both of you combined!"

    "Eh..." Setting the ring back in its box, Emilia let the shopkeeper whisk the small display case away entirely. "It''s a good ring, but I think Christoph would be worth more than that."

    "Hmmph." Looking over the pair, Jeremiah shook his head. "You''d get five gold for him is you were lucky. Six, if the market was busy that day."

    "The Christoph to map exchange is somewhere around three-to-one, then, " Christoph said with a humorless smile. "That''s always good to know."

    "Look," Jeremiah replied, looking up at the human adventurer. "Are you going to buy anything, or are you going to leave?"

    "I think I''ll buy," Christoph said. Picking up another three maps, he waved a pair in either hand. "How about a wager?"

    "I don''t bet with foreigners," Jeremiah replied. A mixed race couple? Were they from the Sanguine Empire across the desert? "They never end up coming back for some reason."

    "Then you''ve nothing to lose with this," Christoph said with a grin. "I''ll give you five gold for now, and if we manage to make it down to the dragon and back within a month you''ll owe me another three maps."

    "You intend to attack all four of the caves?" Reaching out, Jeremiah snatched at the handful of coins. If they were going to die anyway, he might as well take their money now. They certainly wouldn''t be the first to leave for the dragon hoards and never return. "Good luck with that."

    "Don''t worry about it," Christoph replied with a smile. "Let''s go, Emilia... We''ll be coming back in a month or so."

 Chapter Sixty-Three

    "We''re here."

    Raising a hand to shade his eyes, Christoph looked down the mountain towards the ominous looking cave below. The stone edges of the dragon''s den had been carved in the likeness of a gigantic maw, bringing to mind the rocky leviathan from the Plains of Manitas.

    "The den of Meteor Hammer." Mimicking Christoph''s actions, the smaller man stood atop a nearby boulder to match his height. "The most deadly of the four great wyrms, the beast who hoards weapons above all else. Every year, Meteor Hammer takes almost as many lives as-"

    "What are you doing here?" Emilia asked, wrinkling her nose at the loud-mouthed dwarf. "Shoo, shoo."

    "Hey," Edward replied, holding up his arms to fend off her haphazard swipes. "One of my shopkeepers told me you two were planning on charging into the most dangerous place in the chains! How could I sit back and watch you stumble to your doom?"

    "He''s here to scavenge our things if we die," Christoph said without taking his eyes from the cave. The entrance was nestled in a basin on the side of the mountain, a tiny divot when the entirety of the grand structure was considered. "The dragon will only take our weapons, right?"

    "I am not!" Edward replied. "But yes, yes it will."

    "So youarehere for our stuff!" Pointing her finger at the dwarf, Emilia put on an exaggerated look of disgust. "Are you that poor?"

    "I didn''t come to steal your things!" Edward insisted. "I just came to help!"

    "Don''t deny it," Christoph said. "So, what do you know about this dragon, then?"

    "Well it''s not like you''ll need any of it once you''re dead," Edward replied. "Let''s see... Meteor Hammer is a violent beast-"

    "Monster," Emilia said. "Not a beast."

    "A violent monster," Edward continued. "It''ll attack you as soon as he sees you, and it''ll follow you all the way down the mountain if it thinks you''re worth the time."

    "It leaves the cave?" Christoph asked. "How often?"

    "Every couple of years," Edward said. "The dragons like to raid any of the settlements stupid enough to build in open air. They go after each other, too. Especially J-"

    "So," Christoph said, "the plan is to wait here until it chases us back out, then kill us and take our stuff?"

    "Of course not!" Edward replied. "I have a bet riding on the two of you!"

    "It''s nice to know my life is worth a wager to you." Christoph rolled his eyes. "Is gold the only thing you dwarves think about? This bet is with Robert, I assume?"

    "That''s right," Edward said. "Your wager''s a popular topic right now, you know? You''d better watch yourselves out here. Direct interference will invalidate some of the bets,but it''ll depend on the way they were worded."

    "So Robert might come to do us in before we can kill this Meteor Hammer of yours, then?" Christoph asked. "No, even the king could try to sabotage our efforts here. I don''t even remember how the exact words from that bet went."

    "What were you saying earlier?" Emilia asked, glancing between the dwarven warrior and the cavern entrance below. "Meteor Hammer kills almost as many people as what exactly? Didn''t you say it was the most deadly of the four?"

    "It is," Edward replied. "But it''s got a reputation, so a lot of the adventurers would rather challenge one of the others. Hauberk is popular for his armor, Spiga for his jewels and lastly, there''s... Jack."

    "Jack." Christoph shook his head. "How can you expect people to take you seriously when you go around naming your dragons ''Jack''?"

    "Jack doesn''t hoard a particular type of treasure," Edward continued. "He''s the type to snatch a wagon full of gold, dump out the gold and take the wagon instead. Who knows what you''ll find inside his halls?"

    "So Jack has the highest mortality rate per year, then?" Christoph asked. "I''ve heard that the king''s made a business out of raiding his den. Even if he isn''t as dangerous as the others, gathering around a dragon like that is just..."

    "It''s hardly raiding when it comes to Jack," Edward replied. "It''s more like mining, really. He scatters treasure all over his mountain, and doesn''t seem to care about intruders like the other three do."

    "Is he the king''s target?" Emilia asked. "That sounds like cheating to me."

    "Hey," Edward said, narrowing his eyes at the pair. "It''s your boyfriend who set the terms of the bet. Besides, it''s not like they prance around in his treasure room, you know? He''s just easier to avoid, is all."

    "Well," Christoph replied. "I''d imagine the nobles in charge of ''mining'' the mountain wouldn''t be happy to see their supplies dry up. If Zachariah has targeted Jack himself, that''ll save from having to face them in the future. Still, we should get a move on if we want to keep any of Meteor Hammer''s treasure."

    "Let''s go!" Emilia said, hopping down the slope with glee. "Time to go fight a dragon!"

    ...

    "Where the hellishe, then?" Pulling his sword from the corpse of an insectoid crystal monster, Christoph waited for Emilia to slay her own foe. "How many bugs have we seen today?"

    "These two... make seven?" Scratching her head, Emilia shrugged her shoulders. The bugs were the main monster type present inside the mountain, and it looked like the meandering tunnels were formed by their erratic digging. "Well, eat up."

    "Yeah yeah," Christoph replied, throwing her the pack he carried. "You''re almost out of food yourself, you know? We''ll have to pull out soon."

    "We haven''t even found one weapon yet!" Rifling through the bag, Emilia made a face of realization. "Ah. Actually, I ate the rest of the food last time we stopped, so..."This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    "See?" Shaking his head, Christoph focussed on prying the crystal-coated areas of the bug shells free. "We''ll leave now, then. There''s no point in stumbling across Meteor Hammer half starved."

    "We should have picked one of the others," Emilia said, sitting down and crossing her arms with a huff. "Spiga seemed nice."

    "I''ll buy you some jewelry after we kill Meteor Hammer," Christoph said, planting a kiss on his partner''s cheek as he pulled her to her feet. Ruffling her hair, he grinned as the cat-girl''s left ear flopped about cutely. "Now let''s go, we can''t afford to waste time or we risk losing the weapons to the King. We''ll come back tomorrow and take the tunnel we passed back there on the right."

    Nearly two weeks had passed since they''d begun to explore Meteor Hammer''s mountain, and all they had to show for it was an ever-growing map of the dragon''s lair. It seemed that the map would draw itself when they ventured off the explored path, forcing Christoph to re-evaluate it''s worth. The two gold coins had practically paid for themselves already. No weapons had turned up yet, but farming the crystal monsters was more than profitable, even if Christoph did eat the most valuable parts of every kill.

    "I said we should''ve taken the right-hand tunnel this time!" Emilia said, crawling up onto Christoph''s back as he passed her by. Biting at his neck, she wrapped her limbs around him and closed her eyes. "How many more illumination crystals do you have?"

    "None from the village," Christoph replied, tilting his head and reaching back to pet his girlfriend''s hair. At least she didn''t need him to hold her legs up for the piggy-back ride. "We still have a few from Edward, though. They''d last longer if you carried them, you know? I still haven''t got the hang of replicating the enchantment yet."

    "You eat enough to keep yourself from draining them," Emilia said, snuggling further into his back. "You''re nice and warm."

    "Warm?" Christoph paused for a moment. No, that made sense from her perspective. The mana he drained from his surroundings when he was hungry would feel like a chill of sorts to other people. "I''m glad you appreciate it."

    "Ha," Emilia said. "Like you keep yourself fed for me."

    "I keepyoufed for you," Christoph replied. "In all senses of the word."

    "And I certainly appreciatethat." Grinning against his back, the beast-woman snuck her hands down into his shirt, roaming over what little of his chest she could reach from behind. "Edward isn''t going to be there today, is he?"

    "Of course he is," Christoph said. Putting on a gruff voice, he straightened his back. "Did you find anything today? Any treasure? Not even one weapon? Are you sure you have a map? You didn''t see Meteor Hammer, did you?"

    "Not even one weapon." Emilia sighed into the darkness of the underground tunnel. "Can''t we find something cool for once?"

    "Like a dragon?" Christoph asked. "Remember, I''m going to eat the crystals off most of the enchanted weapons we find."

    "You mean the ones that store mana," Emilia replied. "The other ones are better, anyway."

    "You do have an excess of energy," Christoph said. "Maybe we''ll find you a bow or something."

    While most enchanted weapons required ''recharging'' while out of combat, there were those that drained mana from the user at the time of activation. Unsuited for storing mana over long periods of time, they were more effective in the hands of warriors like the mana-dense denizens of the Beast Forest.

    "A bow?" Emilia shook her head. "Well, we need to find the dragon first, and-"

    "I think I just did." Christoph held up a hand to cut the beast-girl''s words short. Turning towards the wall to his left, he deactivated the illumination crystal and pressed his forehead up against the stone. Even through the stone walls of the tunnel, he could see a blue brilliance flaring as it moved. "This one''s much brighter than the one I killed in the Plains."

    Brighter, and bigger as well. The reverse ''shadow'' that Christoph could see would dwarf the dragon he''d faced before. The shape, though...

    "Hey," Christoph whispered to his partner. "Edward never told me Meteor Hammer was a biped."

    "Eh?" Emilia blinked, but she couldn''t see anything in the cave''s pitch-darkness. "It''s two legged?"

    "That''s right," Christoph replied, eyes wide. "Like a giant lizard-man. He did say they call it the Fist of the Dragon, didn''t he? I can''t tell how close it is, but it should be big enough to..."

    "Big enough to what?" Emilia asked. "Is it bigger than the trees-"

    "Shhh..." Christoph went stiff, slowly lowering his companion to the floor so she could stand on her own. On the other side of the wall, Meteor Hammer had stopped to turn towards the tunnel they were in. "I think it can see us."

    A minute passed as the couple stood in silence, and then another. Christoph tensed as the dragon tilted its head back and forth, and Emilia stiffened in reaction to his own movements each time. Finally, the great wyrm took a step away from the wall, and Christoph sighed in relief as it began to turn away. A moment laterthe dragon''s movements reversed, and Christoph''s eyes went wide as he recognized the motion.

    "Move!" Pulling his partner along with him, Christoph reactivated the glowing crystal to light the way as they ran. "It''s coming!"

    "What''s coming?" Racing along beside her former slave, Emilia followed him deeper into the tunnels, the dragon behind a wall to their right as they went. "Why are we running?"

    "Just run!" Christoph yelled. "We have to get to the side before-"

    The dragonslayer''s words were interrupted by a deafening blast, a wave of compressed air and dust knocking the duo off their feet as the mountain seemed to shift around them. Blinking her eyes, Emilia clambered back to her feet to see that the tunnel had collapsed behind them, a crack in the wall allowing light to stream through. Pulling her partner to his feet, the beast-woman felt her fur stand on end as the stone behind them began to move. The tunnel hadn''t collapsedat all, the dragon''s arm had simply resembled a rock face through the cloud of dust.

    "It punched the wall," Christoph said, moving back towards the gigantic fist that blocked the passageway toward the outside world. The stone cracked violently as meteor Hammer withdrew his hand, and the couple came to a halt in front of the gaping hole the dragon had smashed in the side of the tunnel. "We hadn''t even explored a fraction of this place..."

    Meteor Hammer was large enough to stand among the trees in the Greater Paw, but even he was dwarfed by the absolute vastness of the mountain around him. The gigantic stone walls rose to the skies above, culminating in a volcano-like opening that seemed designed to frame the midday sun. The sunlight was blinding after the hours they had spent underground, and the couple had to shield their eyes as they readied for the great wyrm''s next strike.

    "If it punches with the right again, run left," Christoph said. "If you try to run away from the punch it''ll just swing further around. Running past it is the only option we have."

    "Christoph..." Emilia took a step back as Meteor Hammer rose to its full height, reptilian head leaning backward in preparation for its next attack. "It isn''t going to punch again."

    "A breath weapon?" Christoph hadn''t heard anything about a breath weapon! "Shit."

    Grabbing Emilia by her midriff, Christoph threw her over his shoulder and rushed away from the hole in the wall. If they had the skimmer, they might''ve been able to pour mana into the shields and ride out the attack like that. But now... if Meteor Hammer attacked with fire or magma, there was no way he could protect Emilia like this. It was all he could do to run and hope that they made it clear in time.

    In the end, no flames came roaring along the length of the tunnel. No magma splashed over them as they fled. Instead, the very air seemed to rend and split apart with a cracking noise to rival the punch the dragon had thrown before. Dust rose in the tunnel once again, and when it settled, Christoph turned to see a figure illuminated by the sunlight pouring through the demolished wall.

    "Meteor Hammer?" Christoph shook his head, blinking the dust from his eyes. Placing Emilia back onto the ground, he drew his sword as the figure stared him down. "It... shrunk?"

    "It shrunk?!" Drewing her knives, Emilia''s eyes widened as she saw the dragon standing there. "This pressure..."

    "Calm down," Christoph said, stepping in front of her with sword drawn. "This is nothing compared to Bastias or Manitas. We''ll chip down his health and take off his head."

    A moment later he slammed back against the passageway''s wall, crystal bones cracking as he hit the floor. Pushing through the pain he saw Meteor Hammer slowly straightening from his new position at Emilia''s side, blood joining the dust that covered the dragon''s right arm.

 Chapter Sixty-Four

    ¡°Eh?¡± Emilia blinked as her lover vanished from her side, a heaving mass of muscle and magical energy appearing in his place. ¡°Christoph?¡±

    His legs kicked feebly in the dust, and she drew her knives as a wet gasp reached her ears. Right now, Christoph needed her protection. Slicing through the sash at her waist, she tore open the leather bag of lethal poison, coating her blades in the toxin within. The thick oily liquid splashed over her fur as she took her stance, running in rivulets down her leg to the floor below. Black rather than yellow, this substance was something she had trained since birth to be able to resist.

    ¡°You¡­¡± Swiping out at the dragon, Emilia forced him onto the defensive. Her first blow was caught by the rock-hard flesh of its forearm, her second smashed away by its wrist as she slashed towards its face. If she couldn¡¯t penetrate its hide, she could at least shift her aim towards its eyes. ¡°Christoph?¡±

    Was he healing the damage he had taken? If she could keep Meteor Hammer on the back foot, blinding the creature wouldn¡¯t be an impossible task. Ah, if only she had a bow!

    ¡°Get back!¡±

    The beast-woman felt a tug at the back of her new vest, limbs jerking out as she was yanked backwardby the collar. The creaking of the leather was almost enough to distract her from the sudden onrush of air in front of her face, a dark-skinned fist passing her by as she fell.

    ¡°You can¡¯t fight this one,¡± Christoph said, forming a shield-like gauntlet from the crystals on his left hand. ¡°I¡¯ll try to pull him out of the cave, so make sure Edward is there with his men.¡±

    Christoph saw the way Emilia¡¯s face twisted as he sent her away, but that was the best course of action right now. It was the plan they had discussed and agreed upon, the plan they had intended to carry out from the very start. She might not like it, but she didn¡¯t have the strength to truly pressure Meteor Hammer, nor the resilience to survive even a single punch. Christoph would put her safety first, even if it meant she would resent him for it afterward.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, just go!¡± Catching an attack on his gauntlet, Christoph tried to ignore the feeling of his flesh pulping inside the gemstone ¡®shield¡¯. He had wanted to make it to the treasure before engaging the monster, but-

    Meteor Hammer¡¯s left fist cracked the very air as it barreled towards him. Twisting his body, Christoph braced his left arm with his right, backing out of the blow as much he could. Still, he was launched across the tunnel, bouncing off of one wall and almost into the other. Still, he felt his arm explode within the crystal sheath, his right wrist cracking where it had taken a portion of the impact. Still, he was blown away with almost no chance of resisting the attack.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Christoph repeated, staggering to his feet once more. ¡°Just fine.¡±

    Glancing back at where the light of his companion¡¯s crystal was slowly disappearing into the darkness, the dragonslayer distanced himself from the great wyrm as best he could. This power was not something he could handle head-on. Even the great claws of the leviathan had not been able to crack his bones, and they had grown far stronger since then. Just how big was the difference between young and old dragons in this world? No, he had seen the difference himself, both in size and sheer power. The dragon might have shrunk down to the size of a large lizard-man, but it¡¯s roiling energy was almost painful to behold, and if he received even a single blow it would undoubtedly spell his end.

    ¡°Are you a person inside there?¡± Christoph asked, watching carefully for the dragon¡¯s next move. ¡°Or are you just another crystal monster in the end?¡±

    If Meteor Hammer could understand his words, its only reply was another charging straight, the scaled fist barely missing Christoph¡¯s shoulder as he leaped to the side. Forming his right-hand crystals into an axe, he attempted to hack at the outstretched arm before it could withdraw but was somehow stopped by the monster¡¯s left arm.

    ¡°I thought you couldn¡¯t move that quickly,¡± Christoph said. From the way that the dragon paused between its attacks, he hadn¡¯t been expecting it to block his strike just then. If it could move normally, why wasn¡¯t it attacking him properly?If it came at his with consecutive attacks at that speed then he would be hard pressed to match it. ¡°Is this just a part of what you are?¡±

    Meteor Hammer ignored his words, mana gathering in its fists as he tried to speak to it. Shifting its feet, it moved into a traditional martial arts stance, left arm and leg turned forward while its right side was poised ready to strike. Light flared at the dragon¡¯s left fist a moment before it made its move, its fist blazing out towards its target.

    ¡°What?!¡± A mana wave attack! Christoph dodged to the side, but even though he was out of range of the dragon¡¯s fist the ball of condensed energy still caught him on the shoulder. Wrenching his body around, the force of the blow blasted the dragonslayer clean through the wall behind and down to the treasure chamber below.

    ¡­

    Emilia held the illumination crystal in her left hand, one of her daggers clutched in her right. The adventurer¡¯s clothes that Christoph had bought her pulled tightly at her fur, the shoes he had given her thumping against the dirt as she ran. Christoph, her ¡®slave¡¯. Now, it was he was the one who gave her the orders, he who held the money and made the plans. How had he gotten so much stronger than her in such a short amount of time?This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    Rushing past the various crystal monsters that lurked in the cave, the beast-woman broke through into the light beyond. Pausing for a moment to catch her breath, she looked around for signs of that annoyingly persistent dwarf and his men. This time, though, the warrior¡¯s camp was empty, tents fluttering in the wind as the fires lay cold. They weren¡¯t there? She had joked with Christoph about them not being there earlier, but no matter what they weren¡¯t supposed to leave. How could they possibly hope to complete the plan without half of their offensive force?

    ¡°Where did they-¡± Emilia cut her words short as she caught sight of the tracks on the earthy ground. Several wagons had passed through here, dozens of booted feet following them¡­ into Meteor Hammer¡¯s lair? How had she missed them on the way out? More importantly, why had they entered the mountain themselves?

    ¡­

    Christoph¡¯s hand clenched around a warmly glowing crystal, his teeth crunching into the pulsing gemstone as Meteor Hammer landed some distance away. The fall hadn¡¯t been able to cause any major damage to his crystal-clad body, but the great wyrm¡¯s attack had drained his mana with the injuries it had caused.

    ¡°So we¡¯re fighting down here, are we?¡± Re-forming his weapons, Christoph prepared for the dragon¡¯s next attack. ¡°Come on, then!¡±

    Holding up his shield, the adventurer used its glimmering surface to catch the massive mana wave. With this, he¡¯d be able to absorb the energy and use the increased power to strike back at-

    ¡°Ah?!¡± Instead of dissipating into his body, the energy pummelled into Christoph¡¯s shield and he was sent flying yet again. ¡°What just-¡±

    No, this wasn¡¯t entirely unexpected. Although attacks like the sand leviathan¡¯s mana breath would be absorbed entirely, it was different when the magic had an intent to it. Cliff¡¯s mana waves behaved in much the same way, cleaving through his body instead of being devoured by it. It was the difference between catching a dagger mid-air or trying to wrestle it from the enemy¡¯s hands. In this case, though, it was more like a greatsword than a knife.

    Clambering to his feet yet again, Christoph dodged past the second mana wave, lashing out with his axe to slice it in two. Even with the crystal blade, the amount of mana he was able to absorb was minuscule.

    ¡°Tch.¡± Sprinting forwards, Christoph swept his eyes over the piles of treasure scattered around the room as he ran. It seemed that Edward was right in saying Meteor Hammer would take nothing but the weapons. There was no gold and no jewels, only weapons, mountains of weapons of all shapes and sizes. Even the crystal he had eaten earlier had been pried from the hilt of a sword he¡¯d found. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll have to rely on the treasure to regenerate myself.¡±

    Diving behind a pile of weapons twice as tall as he was, Christoph snatched up a gemstone-studded wand and peered through the stack of glowing crystals at where Meteor Hammer was holding its stance. This close to the dragon, he could see its energy signature clearly even through the solid metal and flaring mana crystals within. Chomping at the top of the wand, he swallowed the ¡®edible¡¯ parts and discarded the metal portion as someone else would do to a bone.

    In any case, he didn¡¯t need to see the next attack to know when it was coming. Even without feeling the energy course through the air, he had a feel for the timing of the attacks by now. Was Meteor Hammer really the kind of existence that would attack at set intervals for as long as it had an enemy? What sort of god was the Ouroboros, to have created monsters such as this? He felt the dark hands of the deity at work behind the scenes of the continent itself, and the slimy machinations reminded him of home.

    ¡°You¡¯re almost like a doll,¡± Christoph said, stepping out from behind the tower of treasure as the dragon made its next attack. Diving under the blast, he came out of his roll with a leaping slash of his axe. Now that he¡¯d made the connection, he could see it clearly. The way its head swiveled to track him as he moved, the automatic defense against his attacks, the delay between movements of its own. The sand wyrm had been bestial, but Meteor Hammer was almost robotic. ¡°Do any of the dragons have a soul at all?¡±

    Pushed back by the left fist as he attacked, Christoph avoided the dragons counter, battering his axe against the monster¡¯s guard yet again. Although it seemed unarmed, Meteor Hammer¡¯s weapons were its arms indeed, spiked fists lashing in both offense and defense where necessary. Forcing himself to move faster yet, Christoph felt a smile creep over his face as he landed a slash on the dragon¡¯s face, blood welling up to trickle down the great wyrm¡¯s jaw. Disengaging for the moment, the dragonslayer focused his efforts on defense while he fought to catch his breath. As long as he knew the timing, dodging the dragon¡¯s attacks was a simple matter after-

    ¡°Hey.¡± Christoph¡¯s skin crawled as he took a stance of his own. Instead of releasing its mana, Meteor Hammer had continued to let it build. Whenever the next attack came, he wasn¡¯t sure he would be able to avoid it.¡°What are you¡­ ah?¡±

    All around the chamber, weapons had begun to rise from their positions atop the pillars of treasure. Swords and axes, hammers, spears, and bows all floated up to the dragon¡¯s head-height, tips tilting down to face towards their master¡¯s current opponent.

    ¡°I see,¡± Christoph said, shifting his axe into a sword for now. ¡°I should have timed the mana waves and fled long ago.¡±

    There was a blink of flashing steel, and Meteor Hammer made its first move. Dashing towards its target, the dragon held out a hand and pulled a hammer towards it, smashing Christoph aside before landing on a shield that was floating nearby. Rather than give him a chance to recover, the great wyrm sprung out again, this time armed with a spear that had been inexplicably drawn into its arms. Twisting his body mid-air, Christoph deflected the spear with his shield, only to find Meteor Hammer hurtling towards him with a sword this time.

    Harnessing the force of the dragon¡¯s next blow, Christoph leaped across the chamber, slashing out at the floating weapons¡¯ crystals as he went. Although he was satisfied to see the priceless artifacts fall to the ground with his attacks, his expression fell as more rose up to take their place.

    ¡­

    ¡°Well well,¡± Edward said from high above. Behind him, a multitude of dwarves scurried around between several overloaded wagons. ¡°Looks like he got it to the second form already. Get the cannon ready, then. We¡¯ll see how well Chrissy does with the rest of the fight, won¡¯t we lads?¡±