Midnight fell upon the Althaiez Academy. The sun had set, and only the gas giant Ed Ibanna was present now, reflected within the dark chasm of the sky.

Whatever the reason, it so happened that a heavy storm had befallen Althaiez Academy at the time. The result was torrential rain that swept through the dirt, bringing forth waves of flood water. Even trees were not safe from their onslaught, as the flood plucked loose ones from their roots and washed many a creature away.

Atop the mountain, where the wits of man posed to be of little relevance, the brutal supernatural forces claimed dominance. Hail, rain, and sun were all subject to the conditions of their will and might. Many back then would bestow such acts upon the temperamental mountain spirits, no doubt a more feisty bunch compared to their flatland counterparts.

However, as time progressed, so did the understanding of the world with it. The true reason, of course, had little to do with matters of divinity or spiritual affairs, many would now argue.

It just so happened that mountains amplify pre-existing conditions, like aspects of precipitation or the obscuration of potential rainy clouds. Likewise, it just so happened that following a loud explosion of The Tower, that an extremely dense storm happened to follow.

Or so one would think.

To describe Jaiga Al Heilewis in one word, only 'sceptical' would be appropriate. She was well-educated, so it wasn't the intrinsics of rain that she doubted. But rather, the reasoning her compatriot had given for it.

The manifestation of that Azama, the explosion of the tower, and this rain. No doubt the interference of some higher power...

All these contemplations only served to further the pace of her walk.

The paladin continued her upward ascent. She was walking up the school stairs and approaching the roof of the main building. Burdened by the threat of imminent peril, she had taken it upon herself to arrange a meeting and was soon about to meet the recipient of said discussion.

Let us make haste, then.

Jaiga's resolve to do right weighed on her. She couldn't just stand idly by. To wait for the situation to solve itself would undermine her existence.

The paladin pushed, and a decorated metal door swung open.

She felt the storm's full force upon her skin, droplets of rain and jagged edges of wind blasting her with an unholy fury. Jaiga was well-accustomed to these conditions, having undertaken years of excruciating training. However, she didn't suppose the same applied to the broad silhouette in the distance.

Perplexed, the paladin trudged onwards, splashing across the marble floor. When she had but taken ten steps, she saw for herself the half-demon.

Ceylica Lardeyenaga-megil-Øvste.

There she was. Facing the forest ahead of the school. Her body turned upside down, resting only on the strength of a single hand alone.

A handstand?

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Jaiga, who partially doubted her own eyesight, approached even closer. To her bewilderment, Ceylica was, in truth, not just doing any mere singlehanded handstand.

No, she was, in fact, balancing atop a steel fence while doing so. A barrier around the roof that was half her height. An unmistakable trust in her body.

"It's dangerous there." The paladin called in Modern Aoelian. "Save yourself the head trauma and get on stable ground."

Ceylica looked to her side. She couldn't see the paladin, so she wondered as to the expression on the paladin's face.

What should I do? Ceylica thought. Ah, wait, I got it!

"If ye ask nicely." The hand-standing girl shouted.

The paladin bit down her words.

Some small part of her wanted to refute, to reply with a lecture on how it would be for Ceylica's own good and to drill the concept into her brain with a gesture of her index finger.

"Please get on stable ground."

The gravitas of the situation suppressed that part of her. The complexities of personal sentiments had no stake when it came to the troubles of others.

"Alrighty then." Without any retort, Ceylica proceeded to turn around. As she rotated her hand, however, she suddenly seemed to lose balance. Her hand gripped onto empty air. It appeared as if Ceylica would fall over the fencing.

The anticipated danger prompted the paladin, causing a rush of adrenaline and a burst of speed. Dashing forward, Jaiga saw Ceylica still hanging by a hand. The half-demon had clung onto the steel fence. Just barely supporting her body from falling from a three floor's height, it appeared.

The paladin extended her arm to Ceylica. If I can just make it in time, then…

Something halted her train of thought. There was something that bothered her. Something she interpreted as strange in nature. In her eyes, Jaiga saw the girl glance at her with a smile. As if delighted by her sudden rise to heroism.

Jaiga preferred to think it was gratitude she displayed, but she had a doubt.

Soon enough, she found out why.

Alas, Ceylica upheld the validity of Jaiga's suspicions with a quick swipe of her hand. Having thrust her arm out prior, Jaiga was conveniently vulnerable.

A dark look came over the paladin's face. Unable to resist, she felt Ceylica pulling her over the fence.

Really?

The paladin lurched forward. Compromised by instability, Jaiga was now in Ceylica’s exact position, dangling just by one hand.

The following second then emptied of any moral obligations; she brought herself back up.

There she stood, a disgusted curl of her lips in motion.

She waited for maybe a second or so before Ceylica followed.

Jaiga realised then just how foolish she was to mistake Ceylica's fall with a mistake. Though big and muscled, the half-demon still possessed ample dexterity. Doing a flip upon pulling herself upwards.

Looking smug, Ceylica asked, "Exciting, am I right?"

Jaiga shook her head. "I hope you didn't agree to come here just to play hanging on a fence."

The paladin regarded Ceylica's evil grin and thought: Then again, maybe she did.

"Nah, nah, I came ere' to talk business, just like you want."

"It is not the exchange of monetary gains we are here to discuss, but the implications of what has befallen this institution." She blurted. "Or have you forgotten the details of my compatriots' message?"

"Sorry, I meant 'the implications of what has befallen this institution." Quoted Ceylica in falsetto.

"Then you should know the severity of the situation."

Jaiga couldn't say for certain if Ceylica understood. Her almost intoxicating sense of passion persisted even to that very moment. Such exuberant characters were ill-founded where she came from, at the very least, and were hence more difficult to understand.

"Well, can't say I do, really. I mean, what do you want me to do?"

Upon hearing Ceylica's indifference, Jaiga stepped a few paces forward, staring her in the eye.

"To loan part of your territory to the inhabitants of The Tower, that's all."

"Hmm, lemme think." Ceylica tried to seem serious with two hands on her hip. "How about nah."

Jaiga was speechless with disbelief. Formality was what brought her to terms with Ceylica. The professional act of ratifying a proposal.

Confused, Jaiga asked, "Why not?"

Ceylica answered with a smile and a nod of her head. Ready to begin her thorough explanation, the half-demon pushed out her fingers one by one.

"Well, they're assholes for one, they smell bad for two, and they, uh, well, I guess I just don't really like them for three."