David folded his robes and tucked them neatly into his bag, along with his telescopic rod schematics, then pulled on a plain shirt and trousers. He felt strangely light. His thoughts were clear, his limbs rested. The sleeping potion had worked almost too well, like something had been missing inside him and now suddenly clicked into place.

  Aura was still asleep, but Sophie was already waiting by the door. As they walked together through the waking streets, David didn’t say much. Neither did Sophie.

  They stopped in front of the smithy. Its windows were fogged from the heat inside, but the work hasn’t started yet, as one could guess from the silence.

  “Thanks for guiding me here,” David said.

  “I’m glad you’re doing this.” Sophie grabbed his arm lightly. “I have to go meet Hito, try to not make it even worse.”

  She left, her last expression one of anxious worry.

  David watched her leave, then pushed the door open.

  The forge was still hot, but there was no one to man.

  David looked around the empty room. “Morning?” He called out.

  A rustle turned his head. In the corner, behind one of the anvils, Bert shot up from the ground, his clothes wrinkled from sleeping in them.

  “It’s open!” He called out in confusion. Bert’s eyes scanned the room as he blinked rapidly. “Marco? What are you doing here this early?”

  “Did you have a tough night?” David wrinkled his nose as the acrid smell of alcohol reached his nose.

  “When did I last have an easy one?” Bert grumbled. “Why are you here? Did something happen?”

  “Nothing happened. I just wanted to talk.”

  “Then talk.”

  The silence hung between them. David could have just acted it out. Blurt out a childish apology and be done with it. Bert would probably even buy it. That would be the most efficient.

  “It’s hard. I–I hate that you hit me.” David stammered out. “But I am also sorry.”

  “I shouldn’t have, I know that now.” Bert leaned on the workbench as he spoke. “I was so furious that day. At the path you took. At the lies.”

  “I shouldn’t have lied. I took a risk on my own. It failed and it was a stupid choice.” David admitted. “But I tried to help.”

  “Some of your risks paid off. Does that make them good choices?” Bert asked, his tone dipping dangerously low.

  Yes.

  But he knew that’s not what Bert wanted to hear.

  “I should have asked your opinion.” David weaved around the question.

  “Do you really believe that?” Bert raised his brows. “Or is it just another lie?”

  “I really do. I was afraid to ask, not knowing how either of you would react.” David’s eyes dropped to the ground. “I’m really sorry.”

  “Let's not have a similar conversation again.” Bert took a step toward him and squeezed his arm.

  “I wouldn’t want that either.”

  That was it. That was as close to an apology as David was ready to give.

  Bert cleared his throat as he pulled his hand away. “How’s life at the academy?”

  “Intense. I barely have time to sleep at night.” David showed a weary smile. “But I love it there. I’m meeting incredibly interesting people and growing my skills.”

  “I see. I always knew you shared your mother’s passion.” Bert returned the smile, though it seemed uneasy. “Is there anything I could do to help you out? Do you need more money?”

  “I don’t have many expenses.” David pulled the folded sketches from his bag and placed them across the worktable. “But I am working on a project for the academy. Is this something you could make?”

  “Are those some sliding tubes? Those tiny latches–kind of lock?” Bert’s eyebrows rose as he unfolded the paper. “What is this? How large is this supposed to be?”

  “As thin as possible, but long.” David leaned in closer. “It’s supposed to be an extending weapon. Like a thin mace.”

  “If you make it too small, it’s going to snap the second it hits someone.” Bert shared his observation. “It would have to be at least a thumb thick, maybe larger. What material did you want to use?”

  “Steel? It should be lightweight, but it has to be durable or it will be useless, just as you said.”

  “Since it’s this small… I could afford some Solran to make it.” Bert looked around the room as he rubbed his cheek.

  “Solron? What’s that?”

  “It’s the metal we use to make fancy shields for noble knights.”

  “But can you make it?” David thought for a moment. “It’s a very precise design and a stronger material will be harder to work with.”

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  “I have my own tricks.” Bert chuckled. “To be fair, it’ll take at least a few days of my spare time.”

  “Then let’s do that. And—” David hesitated. “A few days ago I was assaulted. Twice.”

  “WHAT!?” Bert looked up, his eyes wide open. “Are you alright? Why did no one tell me?”

  “It’s a done thing and you haven't been home since. The people responsible were already brought to the guards.” David said, stifling his need to shrug. “But that got me thinking, perhaps I could get chainmail to wear under my robes?”

  Bert took a deep breath before responding. "I want to be informed, for the future."

  David nodded.

  Bert waited, but David did not plan on saying anything. Finally, Bert scratched his head. “If you want chainmail, you’ll need a gambeson too. And robes over all that? You’re going to be uncomfortable all day long.”

  “Seems worth it to me.”

  “I’m glad you’re starting to see the risks in the world around you.” Bert watched him for a moment, then picked up a measuring tape. “I’ll resize my own, it's not like I have any use for it nowadays.”

  “Thanks–Dad.” David stuttered briefly, the unfamiliar word catching in his throat as Bert measured him. “I have to go back to my lessons.”

  “Sure.” Bert had already turned to the forge and was heating it up.

  “One last thing.” David turned around, one leg already outside the building. “Please drink less. Mom is getting worried.”

  Bert blushed a little, but only nodded. Did he think they didn’t notice?

  Outside, the air felt sharper.

  Bert had hurt him. He had hurt Bert. They didn’t fit together. They probably never would. He didn’t even know how much Aura had told him.

  But—

  Bert cared.

  David rubbed the back of his neck and started walking.

  Conflicted felt too small a word.

  The day at the academy passed quickly, and David soon found himself ankle deep in vibrant moss, hunting the rabbit-like animals yet again.

  With a large bag on his back, a few coils of rope and a small weighted net, he was much better prepared than the first time.

  A group of inert mana signatures caught his attention. After checking for monsters in the vicinity, he made his way over.

  With slow, careful moves, he made it closer and closer to the hidden mossers, net in his hands.

  Throw and miss. The mossers ran away.

  He found them again, tried again. Soon, the drugged and tied up mosser was sleeping away in his bag.

  Logistics, on the other hand, were a much more major concern. Bring a single mosser at a time? Cram three or four into the bag, then figure out the way to keep them between his lessons with Ualani?

  She can deal with that. He went on to catch a second one as his mind wandered.

  There were so many things he had left entirely to chance, all of which could blow up on him at any moment.

  He still had no idea how to find the person sabotaging him at the academy and there were the people digging for info about him.

  Worse, there was still no way for him to safely share his past memories with his family. It could corner him eventually.

  And even that’s assuming none of the people I trust betray me.

  He shook his head as he caught and tied up the third mosser. With his bag full he went back to the city, a resolution forming in his head.

  He could deal with all that. Spend days planning and thinking. But was it worth it? After all, it would severely limit his time.

  Precious time, that could be better spent growing independent. Stronger.

  David stood over the worktable, hands hovering just above the restrained mosser. Its sides rose and fell in shallow, uneasy breaths. The air smelled of wet fur and faint iron.

  Ualani watched him work, arms folded, mask set aside on the shelf behind her.

  “I see considerable improvement.” Her tone was flat. “This time the animals lasted at least twice as long before you tortured them to death. One’s even alive to suffer another day.”

  David let out a slow exhale. “Must you be so blunt about this?”

  “I thought you didn’t care.”

  “Not enough to give up.” He wiped the blood from his fingers. “Doesn’t mean I enjoy it.”

  She clicked her tongue. “Should have thought of that before you decided to force me into animal care.”

  “Instead of poking me,” he muttered, “why don’t you make yourself useful and tell me more about that King of Rage?”

  “I guess you did your part of the bargain. For now, at least.” Ualani scoffed as she leaned back against the counter. “Ishtar is a massive creature of the same subspecies as hunter seekers. He used to dominate the central plains before humans came around.”

  “Since you still fear him, I wager he’s alive?”

  “He’s supposedly ageless, but he disappeared some years ago.” She shrugged. “Maybe some tribes banded together to silently get rid of him.”

  “That would be convenient.” David scratched behind his ear. “But why would they do that? Don’t you all have a common enemy in humans?”

  “Most tribes don’t fight your kind. Whether it’s Ishtar occupying the central plains or some new arrivals, why would they care? They’re starving on the outskirts anyway.”

  “I guess that makes some sort of sense.” David looked at the sleeping mosser. “But then, couldn’t Ishtar just move away too?”

  “He oppressed too many tribes to do that. Now that his tribe is weakened, he has many enemies.” Her lips curled, a small, cold satisfaction.

  “I assume the central plains refer to the area we are in. What are these outskirts you mention?”

  “You really are clueless at times.” Ualani smirked. “The outskirts lie between the central plains and the frozen wastes.”

  David waited. Ualani took the hint.

  “The weather is mild here. Plants grow well. You can hunt, farm, survive. That is not the case everywhere. The farther you go, the colder it gets, and the land becomes more mountainous. In the outskirts, it’s always snowing and food is scarce. Only the most durable tribes survived there and made do.”

  “It’s that bad?” David murmured. “No wonder they’d hate him. Then what of the other monster kings? Who were they?”

  “I am not an expert on your side of history.” She tapped the counter, rolling her eyes. “I’d guess it refers to the major tribe leaders under Ishtar.”

  “Was there a giant fox among them?”

  “Fox?” Her eyes widened a fraction.

  “Orange fur, long snout.” His voice cooled slightly as he recalled the mythical creature. “They had a lot of tails.”

  “There was someone like that.”

  “Well, it’s something, I guess.” He let out a breath. “What about the frozen wastes?”

  “Not much. An endless land of ice, with massive glaciers. None of the tribes who ever tried to cross it made it back.”

  “That sounds a bit grim.”

  “Because it is.” Ualani’s gaze drifted past him, to the far wall, as though looking somewhere farther still. “In a way, we’re all just very slowly dying. Humans occupy most of the plains and cull us when we try to hunt there. With Ishtar… at least there was hope he would one day grow bored and could be reasoned with.”