Katie asked, “Are there cosmetics that can dye seal colors? Like to get a cool red or green one?”

  “Uh, kinda. But they use seal tokens. Expensive stuff.”

  “No idea what that is.”

  “Monster skills stored in small circular devices that look like coins. You want to have a red seal?”

  “Uhh... black.”

  She paid attention to Katie’s reaction, but to her surprise, the girl did not freak out or look uncomfortable. Instead, Katie stopped and looked at her like she was an edgelord. Ironic.

  “What? It’s a cool color,” she responded.

  “In clothes, yeah. But...” Katie paused, thinking deeply for a second. “I guess it would blend your seal energy in the dark.”

  She had already mapped out her lies for the future. 'Sorry, Katie, there was certain stuff I had to spit in your face about.'

  “Exactly.”

  They walked farther, passing stalls along the street, and then she spotted one selling clothes.

  Among the items was a white cotton glove. Needless to say, she asked Katie to get it for her. She needed her own money.

  Later, she sat on the couch on the first floor, chin resting on her hand as she spoke to Abella, who seemed lost in thought.

  “A friend of mine is going to kill a Broken vlandos. I want to see a Broken for the first time.”

  She did not bother lying. Abella would find out later anyway.

  Abella turned to look at her. “So no monster hunting for you?” A small smile formed, amused. “Instead, you’ll gain levels from killing this person. And you think you’ll be able to do it without feeling remorse?”

  She had killed Caren, gotten her brother killed, and… Natasha. Then there was that man back at the temple. Yet she functioned normally.

  She had not been overcome with grief. So she was sure she would feel nothing.

  “I will be okay.”

  Abella nodded, then frowned in a way that made her uncomfortable. “Go ahead. We’ll see...”

  She did not understand why Abella agreed so easily, but she was not about to argue and risk the woman changing her mind.

  She went into the bedroom and rested on her bed, staring up at the bunker above.

  In six hours, Lo’jul would make his move.

  She rested but did not fall asleep. She did not want to dream.

  Still, her mind kept drifting to Natasha and Caren.

  Why Caren?

  Why did she remember him carrying her on his shoulder when she faked exhaustion? Him giving her half his food when she wanted more?

  She had always wondered how he maintained so much weight with what he ate. Probably natural junk-like food. Or maybe some medical condition.

  Whatever.

  The thoughts were too strong, and she did not like them at all. So she got up and started doing jumping jacks.

  Her feet left the ground as she moved through the air, reaching barely a foot from the ceiling.

  One.

  Caren could have been a better person. If that fool had not been so obsessed with being right. If he had just opened his mind a little.

  Two.

  Ironic. The child he called a daughter had killed him.

  Three.

  She landed, hands curling into fists.

  “What’s on your mind?”

  She noticed Tarnisha standing in the doorway, adjusting her hair bun.

  “A lot. Clearly.”

  “Yeah... I can see that.” Tarnisha entered and sat on the edge of the bed.

  “You know, you have such a weird name. Tar... nis... ha,” she said.

  Tarnisha’s expression made it clear she did not appreciate the comment. “Yeah, I know. You know what’s funny? If you remove the first three letters of our names, they’re the same.”

  “Yeah, my name is still better.”

  “Ho ho. Very funny. What’s your interest in this, Broken?”

  She did not have much to hide.

  “Never saw one before. Besides, Abella already said why.” And, more importantly, it would eliminate the problem she kept having whenever she was alone. These thoughts.

  “Really? I heard they were common,” Tarnisha said, pulling a silver pint from her pocket and idly playing with it. “And scary. Heard they bring the fear of God in man.”

  She leaned against the wall near the window. The more time she spent in this city, the more familiar phrases she kept hearing.

  People did not usually talk like that about a Broken. That kind of fear was usually reserved for Darsean cultists.

  “You fear them?” she asked.

  “I fear no one.”

  'Sure...'

  “You want to come with me or something?”

  Tarnisha did not reply immediately. She pulled her lips to the side, considering. “Yes, but Miss Abella wouldn’t allow that.” A brief pause followed. “Ferzan will most likely be sent by Miss Abella to keep you safe. So if you’re a little cracked in the head, don’t do anything you don’t want somebody to see.”

  Her eyes narrowed.

  The advice was welcome and appreciated, but it felt too perfect. Perfectly timed.

  “You know, you’re a bit suspicious,” she said.

  “Which part?” Tarnisha held the silver rod between her fingers. “The part where we look like twins, or... the other part?”

  “Both.”

  Tarnisha smiled. “You’re the one who looks madly suspicious to me. If I were rational, I would have thought you were some weird spawn meant to kill me and take my place.”

  That amused Vernisha. She smiled back, trying her best not to grin. “Oh yeah? So what makes you think I’m not?”

  “’Cause then I think. What if you were sent for me to take your identity? A reverse, you know?” Tarnisha grinned at her.

  “You know, that would be funny if things weren’t so weird. ’Cause you’re going to give me paranoia.”

  Tarnisha laughed lightly. “I changed my mind. I’m coming with you, if it will be fast. I can’t afford to spend too much time out.”

  “I thought Abella wouldn’t allow it.”

  “Ferzan will definitely be watching. What greater security is that? He may not look like it, but he’s a lot stronger than you think.”

  “Yeah, Katie told me.”

  “Yes, so I’ll just convince Miss Abella.”

  Vernisha nodded, though her eyes lingered on Tarnisha with quiet curiosity. “Why do you want to come anyway? To learn more about me again?”

  “I want to see monsters suffer.” Tarnisha went back to playing with the pint, flipping it casually between her fingers, sometimes fumbling. “A human-controlled monster is no different.”

  ...

  That caught Vernisha off guard. The conversation died for a moment.

  She started a new thread. “So, umm, I remember you said your mother died and all that, and you want revenge. That made me wonder. You were serious about that?”

  Tarnisha’s hands stopped abruptly. She looked up. “Obviously. But it’s not something that can happen now, or in the near or long future.”

  “Because you’ll get caught?” Vernisha figured Tarnisha would need a big plan. Maybe someone in government.

  “Because the thing. The ‘person’ is a big shot. I don’t want to share more than that.”

  “I’m asking ’cause if you want help, I can help.”

  Tarnisha’s brows furrowed in confusion. “Why?”

  “You helped me… so I want to help you.”

  Her face relaxed almost immediately. “Oh, right, that. Hm. Tell me that again in forty years or something.”

  Vernisha blinked. Okay. Tarnisha was doing too much now. Vernisha was not that nice. Who even knew if she would still be alive in forty years?

  “Are you trolling?”

  “Somewhat.” Tarnisha leaned deeper into the bed, wrinkling the sheets further. She kicked one leg up. “I’m not going to let my little secret out only to be publicly hanged.”

  What the hell?

  Tarnisha smiled at her, clearly aware of what question was coming next.

  So Vernisha did not waste time. “Who? The King?”

  She was joking when she said it.

  “Nope. Not going to share. Anyway, what time do you leave?”

  “I want to know.”

  “Tough luck.”

  Vernisha clicked her tongue and did not press further. “I move in about five and a half hours.”

  “Awesome.” Tarnisha hopped off the bed and, on her way out, added, “You should go to the library if you want to distract yourself.”

  Actually… Vernisha liked that idea.

  So she did exactly that, got some quick directions from a servant, and soon found herself inside a massive room lined with golden bookshelves.

  She moved carefully over the plain yellow carpet. It had no design whatsoever, and it felt like she might slide if she moved too fast.

  The first shelf held political science and related fields. Vernisha had some interest in politics and how it worked, but right now she wanted something to get lost in, not something that would bore her.

  So she scanned shelf after shelf until she reached… History.

  One title caught her eye.

  The Melting Corpse Outbreak.

  Vernisha pulled the book free and sat on a tall black stool.

  The outbreak had initially been believed to originate from a rockflea carried aboard a Vumion trade boat. Later, that theory was debunked. Further investigation showed the disease had already reached Lumion before arriving in Terrafall, passing through Kmel-hul. Kmel-hul was a peculiar case. Julioes were immune to the disease, though their migratory animals were not, especially during mating seasons. Through those animals, the disease entered Terrafall.

  The infected game had been brought back by hunters who had no idea they carried contamination. From there, the virus spread across the land.

  At first, it moved slowly, taking many days to show internal symptoms. Then about a week later, it began eroding the mind and liquefying the cells. Once symptoms became visible, it was already over.

  The infected did not die as long as they had energy. They simply ate anything organic. Including people.

  The prevailing theory claimed the Contama Virus had been a biological weapon, its origins tied to bone bat fossils harvested from the Contama Caves in Leiipava.

  'During the protests in Leiipava, which aimed to remove the People’s Freedom Party from power, a movement that had gained considerable ground across most of the country, an armored caravan carrying infected bone bat fossils was struck and destroyed.'

  Leiipava had been the first of many countries on Yeathul to suffer a Melting Corpse outbreak.

  Vernisha skimmed ahead, searching for something more interesting.

  After a while, boredom crept in. She switched books, this time grabbing one on Emermyne titled Emermyne’s History of Great Annihilation Plans.

  'It’s known that before Holvious developed into a powerful country, despite originating from a bunch of savages and dragon lovers… Emermyne was Terrafall’s greatest threat.''

  Among all of the plans, the one that stood out to her was The False Gods plan.

  The False Gods project was feared to be the one to make all the nations, weak and strong, come together to wipe Emermyne off the face of Korsnu. It turned out that only one Mortal God—Brandon Starbright—was enough to destroy the project and everything related to it.

  She read a few more books that caught her interest, some about Terrafall, others about monsters.

  Eventually, Vernisha looked out the window, ignoring the yellow curtains that were desperately fighting the wind, and saw the Silo had almost finished setting.

  The sky was now painted dark blue.

  She checked the clock. About time. Seven hours after midday.

  Vernisha left the room.

  She got prepared, which included swapping out Twirlflower for her first monster, Mon. Unfortunate, but necessary. Twirlflower was currently the weakest in her arsenal, and she needed Mon for this.

  Then she went to get Tarnisha and headed out.

  Tarnisha was wearing a big brown fur coat for some reason. It was not even that cold. It just made her look fancy, which did not suit her.

  “There’s a good chance that’s going to get ripped to shreds,” Vernisha told her.

  “I just wouldn’t let that happen.” Tarnisha whistled, calling her warbird down.

  “So where are we going?” Tarnisha asked.

  “Near the capital. But not too close.”

  Tarnisha paused and gave Vernisha a questioning look.

  “You know what I mean.”

  Vernisha climbed onto the bird, found a firm grip on the saddle, and watched the city shrink as they flew into the night.

  After a while, they landed a good few dozen meters from the city walls. Vernisha dismounted onto the green grass and leaned against a tall, bushy tree.

  She removed her glove and clasped her hands together, concealing the black light. Only when her hand felt the pressure to open did she allow it.

  Mon, the quadrupedal tailless shark, took form.

  Vernisha brought her right hand and knife to its nose.

  “Track the person with a scent other than mine on them.”

  Mon’s nostrils flared as it inhaled deeply, drawing in the scent of the two of them. Then it pulled its head back and began scanning the air, searching for the hidden trail.

  Vernisha silently urged it to keep going until it found the target.

  It felt strangely refreshing that she could smell the entire area as well. Dusty ground. Grass. Bugs. Animal blood. Sweaty fur. Rose-scented soap.

  People too. Sweaty people. Every single one with a slightly different scent that made them stand out.

  Tarnisha looked at her, confused. “Uh...?”

  Vernisha explained, “We have to wait for him to show up, then track him.” She paused and glanced up at the shellhead bird, the white dove-like creature with the green shell helmet. “Is Ferzan here right now?”

  “Who knows?”

  Vernisha tried to establish a communication line.

  Failed.

  So he was not close. Or he was watching from farther away.

  Either way, they waited for Lu’jol.

  Tarnisha eventually sat beside her. “So...”

  Vernisha looked at her expectantly.

  Instead of finishing, Tarnisha just stared back, then grew annoyed. “What?”

  “What do you mean, what? You were going to say something.”

  “Then you started looking at me.”

  “So?” Vernisha frowned slightly. Was this girl missing a screw? “Continue.”

  “Hmph. Don’t know. You should’ve told me we would have to wait a while. I would’ve brought a puzzle set.” She sighed. “This shouldn’t take long, though? I can’t stay out long.”

  “You did stay out about four hours last time.”

  “Yeah. Because Miss Abella was in a meeting with her mother.”

  “Why do you need to be by her side so often anyway?”

  “None of your concern.” Tarnisha scratched at her hair.

  “I see… Katie told me you two discuss a lot of topics. Sounds like school.”

  “Hm? Yes. She has a lot of stories from being a Hero. I inquire a lot. Politics, history, and so on all deal with it. So I guess it’s school-like.”

  “Right… right. Hero.”

  “Random question. Do you ever feel like a side character, just surrounded by mains? Like the ones The System handpicks to be the stars of history?”

  Odd question.

  “Nah, you?”

  “Nope. I’m way too unique,” Tarnisha muttered, then tilted her head back against the tree trunk. “Way too cool.”

  Time passed.

  Vernisha noticed Mon’s will was no longer affecting her mind. He was level seven now, and her own mind had been significantly enhanced. It made sense.

  She could probably control him for two hours straight without issues.

  Vernisha yawned and glanced upward. The stars were getting brighter as the sky deepened into pitch black.

  No full moon tonight.

  Then a familiar scent hit her.

  Lu’jol.

  It was distinct from normal human scent. Something like guava leaves mixed with a faint hint of vinegar.

  'I wonder if this is how Wolverine feels… just picking up scents regular people never could.'

  Vernisha pushed off the tree and stood.

  “Our person is here.”

  Tarnisha quickly pocketed the silver pints she had been juggling and rose to her feet.

  He was not alone.

  A woman was with him. Based on the smell, human… but mixed with something else.

  Vernisha narrowed her eyes. She could not see them clearly from this distance, and Mon’s night vision was mediocre.

  Now the scent of two monsters.

  Then suddenly, the pair accelerated.

  Fast.

  They were riding monsters.

  “Let’s go now.” Vernisha grabbed Mon and moved toward the bird, but the creature immediately scowled at her, feathers puffing as it screeched at Mon.

  Right.

  Animals feared monsters.

  But Vernisha needed the shark’s nose.

  Tarnisha shot the bird an irritated look, then asked Vernisha, “Why don’t you just keep its nose out of your seal?”

  “What?”

  “What?” Tarnisha stared back. “Is it hard?”

  “No… I’ve just never heard of that.”

  “Well, you have now.” Tarnisha turned to calm the bird.

  Vernisha returned Mon to her seal, then tried what Tarnisha suggested.

  Blackness pooled at her palm, blending into the night, barely visible beneath her shirt.

  Then—

  A red shark snout pushed out from the center of her palm, the base swallowed by deeper darkness.

  Vernisha froze.

  'Holy shit. Holy shit!'

  She pulled her arm back and swung it slightly, staring in open fascination. “This is so damn unreal.”

  Tarnisha did not react.

  And that… immediately made Vernisha feel embarrassed.

  Whatever. The warbird was no longer freaked out, so Vernisha climbed onboard with Tarnisha.

  “Been meaning to ask. Why aren’t your flashes white?”

  For a brief moment, Vernisha’s mind stalled before she answered. “What makes you wonder that?”

  “I don’t see a flash at all.”

  “Clearly, it’s impossible for there not to be a flash.”

  “Hm.” The bird lifted into the air. “You hide your flashes somehow. Cool. I don’t really care anyway. If it’s monster stuff, that’s your issue.”

  “I have this cosmetic thing to make them different.”

  “Ah...”

  Tarnisha dropped the subject, already bored of it.

  They tracked Lu’jol and his companion from afar as the pair followed a dirt road that led toward a decently sized village. Vernisha focused and pushed the command through the exposed snout.

  'Try to smell for a dirty human. One who hasn’t washed in a long time.'

  The snout inhaled deeply, drawing in the night air for far longer than before, and then the trail finally clicked into place.

  Vernisha straightened. “In the forest to the right of that village. Move fast.”

  Tarnisha nodded and yanked the handles, and the warbird surged forward with a sharp burst of speed that carried them past Lu’jol and his companion.

  As they neared the forest, Vernisha still could not see clearly, but her shared sense of smell mapped the terrain in vivid detail. She could pick out the rich greens of the vegetation, the damp soil, and—most importantly—that person. Filthy. Layered in dirt, blood, sweat, piss, and shit. There were also two monsters with him.

  After a couple of minutes, they were directly overhead.

  Vernisha rose to her feet as the wind slammed into her and whipped her hair back. “So, you’re just going to watch from the sky like last time?”

  Stolen novel; please report.

  Tarnisha kept her gaze forward, clearly blind to what Vernisha sensed. “I wouldn’t be able to see anything from this height.”

  She rummaged through her sidebag and pulled out a metal shell, popping it open to reveal blu-dust.

  Vernisha dismissed Mon fully and prepped Crushbull. “No ether battery light or something?”

  “I don’t see the point.”

  Tarnisha produced a glass cylinder with a lens at one end, packed blu-dust into the base, then spat into it. The dust sizzled and combusted, and although the overall glow dimmed to almost nothing, the lens concentrated the light into a sharp, bright beam.

  “Go,” Tarnisha said.

  That was way higher quality than what they had back in Vaera village.

  The wind around Vernisha softened, and she tapped Tarnisha’s shoulder. When the girl looked over, Vernisha sent a communication line request.

  Tarnisha’s eyes widened slightly before she frowned. “System stuff...”

  “You hate that too?”

  “Not as much. But of course I hate whatever’s related to monsters.”

  “Is that so...”

  Vernisha jumped, keeping her arms tight to her sides as she dropped through the air. The dive almost felt like something out of a superhero story, though the wind trying to force its way down her throat made it far less enjoyable than it should have been.

  Mid-fall, an idea struck her.

  She clasped her hands and summoned only Crushbull’s head. “[Earth Armor]. Excluding my right palm. And make it hard. Use most of your damn ether for it.”

  Rock surged over her body, forming faster and cleaner than before. The armor felt noticeably heavier, but the structure was tighter, with far fewer cracks running through it. It was more refined.

  A low laugh escaped her. She was learning new ways to use these powers disturbingly fast.

  Crushbull’s eyes snapped open, and perfect night vision flooded Vernisha’s sight just in time to confirm that the Broken Vlandos stood directly below her. He was nearly naked, with torn armor strapped across his shoulders, thighs, and back, and he looked up just as she came down toward him like a falling boulder.

  At the last possible second, he scrambled away on all fours, and Vernisha slammed into the ground with a heavy, earth-shaking thud. She immediately sprang backward and thrust her left hand forward to get a better read of the area, but all she saw were trees and a wet forest floor layered thick with fresh and rotting leaves.

  The man had vanished.

  A split second later, her leg was seized, and she was violently yanked off the ground and hurled straight through a thick tree that had probably stood for a century. The trunk exploded apart as her body tore through it, wood shards blasting in every direction, yet she felt nothing through the reinforced armor.

  She did, however, understand one thing very clearly. Fighting this manually was a pain in the ass.

  Her eyes locked onto him again.

  Level 21.

  Hm.

  Vernisha immediately switched from Crushbull to Aquaren, letting the serpent burst from her palm as she triggered “[Sharp Splash].” The snake shot forward at high speed, smashed directly into the man’s face, and detonated into a violent burst of water that sent him flying through multiple trees before he finally slammed into the ground and carved a deep furrow through the soil.

  Vernisha pushed herself upright and instantly deployed Forwing while Aquaren began reforming from its puddled state. The mental strain hit her like a hammer, and a brutal migraine spiked through her skull, but she held steady, knowing she could endure roughly twelve seconds before things became dangerous.

  Forwing’s red-and-white body shot skyward, and Vernisha moved with it. “[Feather Dance]!”

  The bird climbed high, wings flaring wide before it spun and flooded the battlefield with drifting feathers.

  Now.

  “[Faster Movement]. On me.”

  Although technically a status enchantment, the effect was immediate. Forwing screeched, and blue light outlined Vernisha’s body as thin lines of energy rose from her skin. The crushing weight of the armor suddenly disappeared, and when she ordered the skill again, a second wave of blue washed over her, making her feel dramatically lighter.

  She extended her hand, tracking the Broken Vlandos as he roared, but before she could close the distance, something else lunged into the fight. A screech tore through the forest as a fireball wrapped in spider legs, roughly her size, launched straight toward her chest.

  And that was its mistake.

  “[Snakes of Water].”

  Aquaren’s tail snapped sharply against Vernisha’s foot, and her torso instantly liquefied into a suspended mass of blue water. The creature slammed into her and immediately shrieked as water snakes erupted from the liquid surface, coiling tightly around its body and dragging it downward into the conjured pool.

  Level 16.

  Pain flared violently in Vernisha’s skull as the mental wall between her and the monsters began to strain and fracture, and at that exact moment the Broken Vlandos dropped from above with his hands outstretched.

  Vernisha dashed sharply to the side, her speed amplified by “[Faster Movement],” then swiped Aquaren’s head to recall it into her seal just as the man screamed and brought his arm crashing down toward her skull. She parried the blow and drove her black knife straight into his chest, piercing skin and muscle but failing to sink deep enough to finish the job.

  Then he grabbed her shoulders.

  Instead of pulling away, he deliberately forced himself further onto the blade, which threw Vernisha off for half a second, and in that brief opening his mouth stretched wide as his teeth bared.

  A heartbeat later, he bit down hard on her armored neck.

  He was genuinely insane.

  On the Broken’s shoulder, a metallic scorpion clung in place, its elongated drill-like legs and tail extending to nearly twice the length of its body. The thing actually grinned at Vernisha.

  It screeched and lashed out with its tail. Vernisha tried to snap her head to the side, but the speed boost had already faded, leaving her just slow enough for the strike to land. The tip punched through her headpiece and bit into her skin, drawing blood, though it stopped there and failed to drive any deeper.

  Earth Armor really was her precious little darling.

  The scorpion pulled its tail back, and this time the drill-tip glistened with a thin coat of metallic liquid.

  Vernisha’s eyes narrowed.

  Handle it.

  Forwing responded immediately, diving from above and snatching the creature off the Broken’s shoulder with its talons. Vernisha kept one part of her attention on the bird’s ether reserves, already annoyed that she had forced it to burn through two expensive skills earlier.

  What bothered her more was that the Broken was still tracking her through the drifting feathers of [Feather Dance]. He kept making those strange guttural noises while snapping his teeth against her armor, as if the visual obstruction meant nothing. Maybe he was relying on the scorpion’s senses. Smell. Hearing. Something else.

  Enough of that.

  Vernisha grabbed his head and slammed her forehead into his, splitting skin and rattling his brain. The impact forced him to stagger back, his hands bracing against the ground to keep himself upright. When he looked up again, the madness in his eyes had shifted.

  Confusion.

  Grief.

  Sadness.

  Then his mouth stretched wide and the manic look flooded back in.

  “Dalian… Dalian…” he rasped before breaking into a shriek.

  Vernisha frowned. What was going on?

  She stepped back, easily weaving around his sloppy swings, then countered with a sharp kick to his leg that dropped him to the ground.

  “I can’t… lose him…!” he forced out while pushing himself upright again. “I… Death… Die… die, human!”

  Vernisha’s gaze sharpened. Was he recalling fragments of memory? Had the headbutt triggered something similar to what had happened to her back then?

  But adventurers were sent to kill the Broken. He had already been judged. Written off.

  Unfixable.

  She watched him struggle to stand. “I love… I love… No… Die, die, die!”

  A thought pressed forward despite herself. What if she killed the monster controlling him? Wouldn’t that be the simplest cure? Why wouldn’t that work?

  The Broken suddenly lunged and caught her off guard. His arms wrapped around her waist as he barreled forward, then he shifted his grip down to her leg and began swinging her violently through trees and thick stone outcroppings.

  Vernisha’s armored body smashed through wood and rock alike, yet she felt nothing.

  Her thoughts, however, were racing.

  No… it could work. So why hadn’t they done it? Regulars already hated vlandos. Why wouldn’t they just send other vlandos to eliminate the controlling monsters? Some kind of psychological taming issue?

  Another tree exploded around her.

  Then the answer clicked.

  Damage was shared between a vlandos and their monster.

  If she killed his monster… he would die.

  Which meant the only reason he was still alive after she destroyed the fire one was—

  Vernisha’s brow furrowed. She wasn’t fully sure. Something about the mechanics felt off. She would have to investigate that later.

  Enough thinking.

  She drove her elbow straight down onto his skull with every bit of force she could muster.

  The impact finally broke his momentum. He collapsed over her, barely conscious.

  Armor really was the make-or-break factor of an adventurer.

  Vernisha shoved him off and immediately shifted her focus to Forwing. She did not need the scorpion dead. Just unconscious.

  Unfortunately, Forwing was struggling to damage the metallic creature at all, which made Vernisha wonder what its actual weakness was. Durability seemed high. Maybe its travel speed was poor.

  She also found herself briefly wondering where the Broken had even obtained something like that.

  No matter.

  [Water of Snakes] would handle it.

  Vernisha started forward, but suddenly felt the Broken’s hand clamp around her armored ankle.

  “Dalian… I didn’t mean to… But I can’t… I…” His voice warped again, slipping back toward something monstrous. “Kill, everyone. I’ll have you—”

  “Sorry…” Vernisha muttered.

  She tore her foot free and sprinted forward while clasping her hands to ready Aquaren.

  “Forwing, bring it to me.”

  The bird obeyed instantly, diving at the scorpion, twisting midair to avoid a tail strike that narrowly missed its wing. Its talons seized the creature’s head and hurled it upward.

  Vernisha immediately issued another command. Forwing struck with [Wind Slash], sending the spinning scorpion hurtling directly toward her.

  It tore through leaves and branches before reaching her. Vernisha caught the creature by its tail at the exact moment it stabbed her arm, leaving behind a smear of liquid metal.

  Ignoring the hit, she stepped through the motion and slammed the scorpion into the ground with her full weight behind the swing. The impact landed with a heavy, jarring crack.

  Without hesitation, she partially released Aquaren, letting the serpent spill across the ground and transform the soil beneath the scorpion into a churning pond of water.

  It worked perfectly.

  But then something else caught Vernisha’s attention.

  The liquid metal on her arm was moving.

  Spreading.

  Crawling toward her shoulder.

  Shit.

  She immediately recalled Aquaren and brought out Mon, snapping the command for [Fire Spit] before the substance could reach the opening in her damaged headpiece.

  The molten spray was already creeping across her torso, sliding toward her lower body and, worse, climbing toward her neck.

  Then Mon’s flames hit her in a sustained blast. The heat scorched across her armor and exposed skin, but Vernisha held steady until the creature exhausted the attack. When the flames finally stopped, she checked through Mon’s vision.

  The metal had hardened.

  Better yet, it had stopped spreading.

  Worse, the affected sections of her body refused to move.

  Whatever.

  She dismissed Mon and summoned Forwing again, ordering it to repeatedly strike her armor by shooting its beak, an ether-cheap action, until the compromised sections began to fracture. Crushbull’s reserves were nearly empty, so it was useless for this part.

  The process took far longer than she liked, but eventually the stone plating shattered enough for her to tear away the metal-coated sections, which thankfully had not penetrated too deeply into the rock layer.

  By the time she finished, Forwing was completely drained and could barely stay airborne. Vernisha absorbed it back into her seal.

  That metal thing was a nasty skill.

  She turned her attention to the scorpion, watching it struggle desperately to keep its head above the water.

  She did not want it dead.

  Vernisha prepared to deploy another monster, but a heavy fatigue suddenly settled over her body. It was not the sharp depletion she associated with healing drain. This felt different. Broader.

  Probably the cost of running two monsters simultaneously.

  She reached up to touch the wound on her head, then paused when she remembered she had an audience.

  Fine. She would endure.

  Vernisha summoned Aquaren again and tried to deactivate the water pool, only to discover that she could not. Annoyed, she attempted to have Aquaren destroy the surrounding surface with [Water Pulse], but the serpent no longer had enough ether to execute the attack.

  She exhaled slowly. [Snakes of Water] was honestly ridiculous.

  With little choice left, Vernisha stepped forward and jumped directly into the pond alongside Aquaren. Working together, they restrained the scorpion until it finally stopped resisting the water snakes.

  Only then did she haul the metallic creature out and toss it onto the ground.

  It lay there coughing up water.

  Vernisha walked toward it and partially released Crushbull’s head for a couple of seconds so she could use Earth Armor, but with a twist. Only on her right arm. And it worked.

  Brown rocks enclosed around her arm, and she brought her fist down on the scorpion multiple times, only stopping when its legs curled toward its body and it began to shake uncontrollably.

  She highly doubted she could actually kill it. Anyway, the seizures soon stopped. Vernisha took a deep breath and turned back to the man.

  “I hope what I’m doing makes sense...” she muttered.

  The sudden flapping of wings reached her, and through Aquaren’s eyes, which always felt slightly underwater, she saw Tarnisha’s bird descending. The bright blue light was also hard to miss.

  Then Tarnisha hopped off.

  With her hands in her fur coat, she asked, “What’s the holdup?”

  Vernisha approached the man. “He’s still there. In his head. I think I can make him come back to his senses.”

  “What? Why do you care?”

  Vernisha frowned. “What kind of question is that? I thought he was lost in the madness of a monster. I saw he wasn’t, and I don’t want to kill him. What about that is hard to understand?”

  Her voice came out sharper than usual. The question itself felt ridiculous, especially after she had already explained his situation.

  “A Broken can’t be fixed. If they could, they wouldn’t be killed.”

  Vernisha crouched near the man, who was sprawled face-first on the ground. “Well, maybe there’s a way.”

  “You’re being silly.”

  She barely tilted her head toward Tarnisha. “I don’t believe it’s impossible that the adventurer guild wants us, wants fellow vlandos to kill their own.”

  The idea continued to make more and more sense the longer she considered it.

  “I mean, nations used that as a war strategy in the past. What if Brokens are not truly broken? They always do this, always using all kinds of dirty methods to keep us down, to control us...”

  The more Vernisha thought about it, the angrier she felt.

  “You act like vlandos didn’t do their share of oppression and control.”

  …

  Vernisha’s thoughts came to a complete halt.

  She slowly turned to Tarnisha, staring at her like she had just been spat in the face. “What did you just say?”

  “You heard me loud and clear. And I find it hard to believe someone with half a brain could disagree. Vlandos are superhumans... capable of...” Tarnisha bared her teeth as if the word itself disgusted her. “Controlling monsters. Intertwined with these evils so deeply they depend on that power.”

  Vernisha stood and pointed at her. “I don’t know if you’ve lost your mind or something, but you’re a fucking vlandos like me, Abella, Ferzan. If you think for a single second that being ashamed of what you are, hating what we are, is going to make you seem... I don’t know, better, then you’re quite frankly delusional.”

  Tarnisha stared back, and her lips slowly curled into a snarl. “Miss Abella’s mother. Do you think she’s any different than those on Yellowbrim? Those on the Free Islands? You think that...”

  She forced a tight smile.

  “That vlandos, despite being so damn powerful, are just poor creatures controlled and beaten by ants? That they do nothing wrong?”

  Her voice sharpened.

  “You give a person power, they will take it and rule over the weaker ones. Make someone aware they have control over others, and the first thing they do is get off on that idea, smile at it, rejoice, and eventually use it, take advantage of it. Biologically, vlandos are at the top of the food chain, the next step of evolution... built in the grossest ways to fight monsters... And you think our kind just happened to be the super victims out of nowhere?”

  Her expression hardened further.

  “I personally think worse. I think if I were a human, a regular weak ant, and lived in a world without monsters, I would wish for us to disappear. Because if I had to choose between living in a human-ruled land versus those Free Islands, I would choose the one where people can’t hack your bloody mind and make you hang yourself. The one where a conflict doesn’t involve lightning falling from the sky. One where the person doesn’t resurrect your parents as zombies and make them kill your friends. The one where you can’t be eternally trapped in a dream. The one where they can’t turn you into a damn metal statue and parade it around the city. The one where their limits of evil are none. The one that, if for a second you lift your feet off them, society would fall, and only nightmares would await the survivors.”

  They held eye contact for a long moment.

  “The weak still suffer from those stronger than them,” Vernisha said. “The only damn difference between them and us is that we have the capacity for more destruction.”

  “Exactly!” Tarnisha shouted. “You think I don’t know humans are evil? Of course I do. Every damn intelligent thing is evil... but a damn Skydolphine will never be capable of the horrors mankind is. Your point is just a summary of what I said, Vernisha.”

  Some of Tarnisha’s words made uncomfortable sense to Vernisha.

  But she was a vlandos, and being one meant she had long been made aware that her existence sat firmly at the bottom of the value chain.

  Did that make her biased? Of course.

  Did she care? No.

  She had no interest in trying to see every shade of gray in the world. Objectivity was overrated.

  Tarnisha’s underlying logic was clear enough. So that many may live, a few should die. From a human perspective, from a cold and rational one, it even made sense.

  If a couple of house cats were somehow capable of keeping a pride of lions under control, why would they ever give that control up? Why would they allow the lions to even think they could overthrow them?

  Vernisha understood that logic very well.

  Vernisha’s jaw tightened.

  Did she care?

  No.

  Did she accept being stepped on so that many could live in safety?

  No... No. No!

  Maybe it wasn’t logical. Maybe it wasn’t a thing a social animal should do. After all, the nation was the body, the citizens were its cells. And people like her were the cancer.

  So Vernisha said to Tarnisha angrily, “And I’ll say it again, you’re a vlandos.”

  “…I’m aware. Do you think I hate us? I don’t hate you. I don’t hate Ferzan or Abella. No—we were all just born unlucky. And I could never hate myself for that. For being born this way... I was given a purpose.” She paused, a flicker of reminiscence in her eyes.

  Then she continued, back to normal, “How does me being a vlandos change my argument? You can’t deny it, can you?”

  Vernisha stepped up to her, and Tarnisha didn’t back down. “If you kick at those stronger than you, what do you think will eventually happen? Those great fears, the fears that propel them to keep us down will eventually be the fuel that makes us rise and kick them back, kick them till they're dust.”

  “Have you been looking around recently? Terrafall is aware of that. Holvious is aware of that. Lumion is aware of that. Even Kmel-Hul to a degree. When was the last time you saw a vlandos being ill-treated in any Terrafall city?”

  “That’s because of the strict laws...” Vernisha immediately saw the point Tarnisha was making. “But that’s just laws. The culture is a different thing. And those far from the reach of the law don’t care. Wait... no. Actually, your point is shit. Look at what we must become to make a dime. Soldier slaves. Adventurers, Knights , Vanquishers? They look us in the eye and say we must fight for them. Fight like the dogs we are. Die for them, or starve. And no, you can’t really look at Ferzan or Abella as an example. They’re exceptions to the rules, and you know that.”

  She shook her head, unable to believe she was having this conversation. A strange trembling rage filled her fists, rage that begged to be planted in someone’s face.

  In Tarnisha’s face.

  But Vernisha wasn’t going to do that.

  “Some things are not perfect, I can see that. But it's still better than being governed by other vlandos. Even you must see that. The Free Islands are examples of that.” Tarnisha stepped closer, not out of anger, but like she was trying to make a genuine point.

  “What’s your deal, Tarnisha? That you're wise for thinking this? Objective? Free of your emotions?” It felt to Vernisha like she was being mocked.

  Tarnisha blinked multiple times, and her fingers lightly flexed. “I saw the way I was treated. How my mother was. How we were talked about. And I wondered and wondered—why the hell? When that thing killed my mother, I wondered why. Because she was a vlandos? When the villagers tried to kill me, I wondered why.

  “When I was surrounded by nothing but monsters, I wondered why and why and why and why. Eventually, my anger turned cold. And my wondering found purchase. And one by one... I realized it all. If monsters never existed... vlandos wouldn't either. Every vlandos would be born regular. They would be treated like everyone else.

  “People wouldn't fear what they can do. What they would do if given the opportunity. What they had done in the past. If dinosaurs rained destruction on my ancestors, why would I ever allow those dinosaurs to get the chance to do that again?”

  Vernisha’s hands relaxed, and her head tilted back in surprise. What rose in her chest was a flicker of pity, and Tarnisha immediately noticed.

  “Don’t look at me like that,” she spat, glaring. “What I said makes sense. So stop it!”

  “Okay...” Vernisha averted her eyes.

  At the edge of her vision, she could see Tarnisha frowning, fear and overthinking written across her face.

  “I’m not traumatized. I’m okay in the head, you hear me?”

  Vernisha blinked. That came out of nowhere. It sounded like something Tarnisha had repeated many times before. A plea, maybe.

  “What?”

  “Don’t try that. I know that look... I know it.” Tarnisha’s fists trembled in anger.

  “I didn’t think that...” Vernisha said carefully. Empathizing with someone’s trauma wasn’t something that could be done carelessly, so she chose what seemed safest in the moment.

  Tarnisha stared at her, clearly not believing a thing she said.

  But she gave in and muttered, “…Ignore me then.”

  She stepped back and angrily looked to the side, staring at nothing.

  “By the way, I understand what you said. I see the logic behind it. If I were a human, a regular human, I would agree,” Vernisha said.

  Tarnisha looked at her, surprised.

  Vernisha continued, “But I’m not. Unlike you, I can’t be that practical. I’m emotional to a point. And I like that. When I’m done wrong, I want to do wrong in return. I don’t desire to understand why they wronged me. I want them to regret it. Not really revenge, but more like... an understanding that actions have consequences.”

  If she had to suffer so others could be comfortable, she would take someone down with her. That way, everyone suffered.

  Vernisha took a deep breath. “Only those stronger than me should do me wrong, not the weak. Never those weaker than me.”

  Tarnisha’s anger turned into faint chuckles. “And I suppose this Broken did not do you wrong?”

  “No. I did him wrong.”

  Vernisha went back to him, watching him stir awake. “This Dalian. I’m sure he must be worried about you.”

  His hands dragged through the dirt, pushing aside rotting leaves and twigs to push himself up. Then his knees joined in, but he didn’t stand. Instead, he shifted, turning toward her like a threatened beast.

  His eyes were wide, and dried tears marked his face, but there was no sanity in his gaze. “Kill... I’ll take everything... I’ll... the strongest... I’ll have many, many... offspring... I’ll... Dalian... I’m so... so sorry.”

  He vomited green but kept grunting, repeating the same things over and over.

  Vernisha couldn’t say anything. She just stared.

  So a Broken vlandos was truly broken. His mind had been scrambled and replaced by the monsters’, with only the cinders of his old self remaining.

  She had been too opportunistic. She had been a fool. She had to kill him. Allowing him to roam free would only hurt others and bring him more suffering.

  Vernisha raised her earth gauntlet.

  “You shouldn’t give him a messy death,” Tarnisha suddenly said. “His family would want to grieve over his corpse, not be horrified by the state of it.”

  “I thought you wouldn’t care about that.”

  “Yeah, well. I hate monsters. I don’t hate people. And monsters can’t feel regret; he does. That’s a person trapped in that head. The least we can give him is an appropriate death.”

  Then Tarnisha suddenly had an idea. “Or no death. Ferzan is watching us. He can fix it.”

  Her head tilted upward slightly, as if she were peering into nothing.

  Telepathy. Vernisha was fairly sure Tarnisha didn’t like it. She probably had a communication line with Ferzan for emergency reasons.

  It didn’t take long. Ferzan showed up, dressed in all blue, walking toward them like he’d been nearby the whole time.

  “How’d you know I was watching?” he asked, scratching at his sleeve, decorated with little Punchio hands forming hearts.

  Tarnisha shone her blue light on him.

  “I know your nature, and your mother’s.”

  “Is that so...” He looked at the Broken and asked, “You’re not killing him?”

  Tarnisha said, “One of your Divine Requests. We want you to use it on him.”

  “You want me to ask Wanda to... find a way to cure him? There isn’t one. Well, nothing we currently have on hand.”

  “Your grandfather’s power, then.”

  “Lost cause. Whenever I make a request, pray, anything, he shuts it down.” He grunted. “A jack. A piece of work.”

  Vernisha said, still looking at the man, “You wanted to be a good guy? To me, you are a good guy, Ferzan. So please help him out.”

  He went still, visibly shocked by what she said.

  Then he said, “Of course... But. I want to know why you want to help him. Why do you care?”

  “Not sure. I mean, I don’t know the dude. But lately, life has been so depressing. If I can somehow save this guy, make his family happy he’s alive, that would be one happy moment in a sea of failures.”

  Vernisha forced a smile at him, and he slowly nodded.

  “Got it. But... I mean—”

  The man muttered, “Run... from me... I’m so... so sorry...”

  Ferzan’s eyes widened. “My days! He’s not completely broken. Okay, I can work with that.”

  He approached the scorpion monster and touched it.

  A bright white flash. Then nothing.

  “He got any others linked to him?”

  “You... cut the connection?”

  “Yeah. He got any others?”

  “No...”

  Holy hell. Vernisha hadn’t known he could do that.

  “Got it.” Then from his fingers came an odd, massive blue brain wrapped in a translucent shell that looked like some kind of crystal armor.

  “It’ll take a while for him to recover... But here we go.”

  The creature tilted so the strange circular node in the front middle of its armor faced the man’s head.

  Then the Broken’s body went stiff, and his eyes snapped open wide in shock.

  Vernisha asked, “Are you healing him?”

  “No. Going through his mind with [Mind Hack]. I’ll cut off all the monster thoughts and desires with [Mind Cut], and mend some of his original brain processes with [Neural Arrangement].”

  A mind monster. They were among the most popular and feared kinds of monsters, and ownership of them was heavily regulated.

  “I might invest in getting one... as soon as my limit issue is dealt with,” Vernisha muttered.

  “No offense, but I wouldn’t want you jailed, then hanged for getting your hands on one.”

  “But you have one... never mind.”

  He chuckled.

  Vernisha focused back on the man. He wasn’t reacting much. She hoped that was a good sign.

  “So, any struggles?” she asked.

  “No, none. Not yet. It’s going to take a little while, though. Would be faster if Eren wasn’t such a loser...”

  “So Wanda’s powers wouldn’t help? I’m not exactly sure how the prayers work.”

  “It’s just that she is very... um... troublesome. So I don’t really like calling her unless it feels urgent.”

  “Oh, so like... sometimes she answers?”

  “Oh no. She answers all the time, more than she ever answered my mother. And my mom used to get answers half the time.”

  “And you don’t want to share?” Vernisha asked. It wasn’t often someone could learn more about a Mortal God.

  “Not really.”

  Vernisha wondered if she was like Elliot, but far worse. After all, he was now her many-times-great-grandchild.

  “Okay. I hate the fact I don’t know, but I’ll accept it.”

  “Trust me, it’s nowhere near as interesting as you think. And don’t think I hate her, because I don’t. I’ve got mixed feelings about her. But because of her, and my dad, I know the kind of person I want to be.”

  “A good person?”

  “I don’t like the fact I’m one dimensional in your head.” He smiled.

  That made Vernisha laugh. “What about your mom? She didn’t have a play in it?”

  “Uhh... well, she’s okay with it. She’s just very stuck in her Starlight and [Hero] worldviews.”

  “I see. At least I got an answer for why you care so much about being a good person. It puzzled me.”

  Maybe it puzzled her because she wasn’t a good person and didn’t care to be one.

  “Could just ask me. And even I’m not too sure. Doesn’t really make sense, right? I can remember the conversations I had with them that made me want to be a good person, but I can’t remember what initiated those conversations. What made me come to that conclusion, really. They all think a good person is different than what I view it as. To me... it’s someone who’s always reliable, someone you can count on. When you think of me, you’re supposed to think, ‘It’s okay. He’s here now. We’re saved.’ I mean, everyone wants that anyway, so... I can’t disappoint them.”

  He half-grinned at her. “Imagine, when you came to me for help, I turned you away. Or if I got killed by your father.”

  Ferzan... what a person he was.

  Vernisha smiled back to affirm what he thought. “Yeah, I’m glad you’re our Knight in shining armor.”

  “A Knight... eh, sure. They’re cool.”

  She had somehow killed the moment and made him cringe.

  Vernisha had forgotten that Knights weren’t liked. Oddly, she had only become aware of this after interacting with other vlandos. Back in Vaera, people thought Knights were okay.

  She remembered conversations she used to overhear.

  “They may be vlandos... but they’re pretty okay. I got a soft spot for them. Is that crazy to say?”

  “Nah... not at all. My sister’s niece just became a vlandos. Crap’s unfortunate, but I got hope. I need hope... I need that child to be a Knight. Least she can do.”

  It wasn’t like people truly respected Knights. After all, they were still vlandos. But they thought they were better than the rest. The trash.

  The difference in how Knights were viewed was jarring.

  But now wasn’t the time to ask about it.

  Ferzan rested his hands at his sides. “Looks like I’m almost done. But hell, that monster made him do some disgusting stuff. I’m making sure he doesn’t remember that... and that.”

  After a couple of minutes, it was done. Then his monster turned into white energy and flew toward his fingers.

  Vernisha stared.

  He didn’t even need to touch them?

  Ferzan noticed her surprise. “That freaked you out?”

  “What? No, no. It was amazing. I wish I could do that.” Vernisha looked back at the man. “But to the important thing at hand, I’m going to make a super selfish request.”

  “Ask Wanda where he lives so we can drop him off?”

  She clasped her hands. “Sorry for the trouble, but that would be greatly appreciated. But I wonder if that would cause some issues back at the Adventurer Guild.”

  “I’ll deal with that.” He sighed, then took a seat on the ground, folded his legs, and closed his eyes.

  A while passed.

  Then he opened his eyes and looked up at the sky.

  Standing up, he said, “He lives in Sundawn, Melden Street. Makes sense.”

  Vernisha had been expecting something flashy. Like Wanda’s face appearing in the sky or at least a dramatic burst of light.

  “Oh, before we go,” she told Ferzan, “I want the scorpion. So... mind holding Mon for me?”

  “Eh, sure. You’re going to need a Monster Farm soon. But your circumstances are so troubling...”

  “Tell me about it.” Vernisha made contact with his finger and transferred Mon to him. “I guess you’re like my farm. Respectfully, of course.”

  He raised an eyebrow in a childish way. “I guess so.”

  Anyway, Vernisha walked over to the little beauty. Before touching it, she made the others look away, muttering something about it being embarrassing and whatever.

  They listened.

  Tarnisha complained a bit, but eventually she cooperated.

  And Vernisha sealed it.

  “Vernisha...?”

  She heard Lo’jul’s voice and turned to see a woman in armor beside him, both of them approaching with visible confusion.

  They took long enough.

  Something else caught Vernisha’s eye. A blue, tiger-like tail swayed behind the armored woman.

  Huh.

  She might not have seen a person with wings yet, but now she had definitely seen one with a tail.

  “Nice tail,” Vernisha pointed out.

  The woman, still bewildered, replied, “Thank you.”

  Their attention shifted to Ferzan, and the woman immediately stiffened before bowing deeply.

  With a mix of anxiety and excitement, she said, “It’s an honor to meet you, Ferzan Starworth!”

  “Oh, thanks. You too. You’ve got a beautiful tail. What doctor?” he replied.

  “Sir Maxwell Xeland! You want his contact? Not that I think you haven’t heard of him. I mean, you must have... Sorry. I sometimes talk a lot.” She took several deep, controlled breaths like it was a routine she had practiced many times.

  “It’s okay. I talk a lot too.” Ferzan gestured toward the ex-Broken vlandos. “About this fellow, though. He wasn’t fully broken, so I was able to do some fixing to him.”

  They nodded slowly, clearly struggling to process that.

  Lo’jul asked, “What do you mean, you fixed him?”

  “Less fixed and more removed the monster influences and so on. And yes, I took care of the trauma. Most of it. I left some so he would fear using his monsters beyond his limit, but nothing too much.”

  Again, disbelief.

  Then Ferzan pointed at Vernisha. “Although...” He stopped himself mid-sentence. “Oh, never mind.”

  Tarnisha’s voice slipped into Vernisha’s head.

  ‘He almost outed you.’

  Vernisha replied mentally, ‘The guy knows. He’s cool.’

  Lo’jul’s gaze shifted from Ferzan to Vernisha, lingering on the burned spot on her forehead. Then he noticed the hand she was hiding behind her back.

  He shook his head like a disappointed father.

  For half a second, Vernisha thought she saw a smile.

  Lo'jul Sons-Ver’mol’yu is trying to form a communication line with you.

  Vernisha accepted.

  ‘I was right about you being smart, but I didn’t know you were also very troublesome,’ he said.

  She looked at him in surprise. ‘You’re not angry? Or wondering how I stalked you?’

  ‘I already got played by a kid. Why would I want my ego hurt even more?’ he replied, sounding amused.

  Vernisha smiled.

  That settled things.

  They moved together with Eskor, the ex-Broken, who had been born in Balbin, a short distance west of Shinetown, information provided by the two adventurers.

  Tarnisha flew on her warbird alongside Ferzan’s bird monster, the same creepy creature with teeth hidden beneath its feathers and a body immensely larger than the warbird.

  They traveled in silence until Tarnisha finally broke it.

  “I got to go back to the estate. Been out too long.”

  Vernisha waved at her.

  So did Ferzan.

  Before peeling away, Tarnisha looked directly at Vernisha.

  “Be safe.”

  “From what?”

  Ferzan added, “Yeah, what about wishing me safety too?”

  “I was just being nice and... you know, be in danger.” Her bird broke off from them and flew to the right.

  Ferzan sighed. “When I get home, I’m going to dive into a bath of cold water and sleep.”

  “In it?”

  “You bet. Katie did that once and nearly drowned. Whenever I remember it, I kinda just laugh at how silly it is.”

  “I imagine she hates hearing that.”

  “Oh yeah. She does.”

  They reached the gates, and soon they were inside the city, taking transportation to the guy’s home.

  Vernisha personally wasn’t a fan of this, but Ferzan had insisted she come along, saying she would love it, or at least understand better why he thought the way he did.

  Soon they were near the street he lived on, about a ten-minute walk from the Adventurer Guild, according to Ferzan.

  Vernisha imagined the rent here had to be insanely high. Adventurers would want to live close to the guild, and with vlandos moving to Sundawn for work, the closest housing would always be in demand.

  The area was very clean and clearly an apartment square. Concrete apartments stood side by side, with patches of green and fences separating them.

  Ferzan handed Vernisha the man and approached the blue house on the first floor.

  He knocked.

  After a short wait, the white door opened, revealing a young man with a messy beard and tired eyes.

  Blue smoke curled from the old cigar between his fingers.

  Ferzan looked at Vernisha expectantly.

  So she stepped forward.

  Gesturing to the man in her arms, she said, “Eskor... um.”

  This was awkward. Normally she was excellent at interacting with people, amazing even, but for some reason she wasn’t sure what to say.

  For half a second, she even wondered if Ferzan had the wrong house.

  The man blinked repeatedly in shock, clearly struggling to process what he was seeing. His gaze snapped between Eskor and Ferzan.

  Vernisha cleared her throat. “He was Broken. Me and a friend found him, and we got Fer—”

  Ferzan placed a hand on her shoulder. “And she made sure he could return to you.”

  He was giving her all the credit.

  He really was too nice.

  Vernisha added, “It’ll take a while for him to recover. He’s not the same as before, but he still is whoever he is. Lover, I assume?”

  The cigar slipped from the man’s fingers and clattered onto the tiled floor as he dropped to his knees.

  Tears gathered in his eyes.

  “I thought... he was completely gone. That he was going to be killed. I... was told that...”

  “Well. I put a stop to that.”

  He carefully took Eskor into his arms, which were visibly trembling. “Thank you... Thank you...” Then he looked up. “What’s your name?”

  Vernisha quickly weighed the risks.

  Too risky.

  “Nelle McPherson.”

  “Thank you... May the Stars shine on your future.” He smiled and went back inside.

  Ferzan crossed his arms and looked at her, clearly waiting for her reaction.

  Vernisha walked ahead so he wouldn’t see the small smile forming on her face.

  “I get what you mean now. That felt... great.”

  Ferzan’s smile turned bright. “Of course it did.”