Situated within the bony remains of a dead Lord, the capital city of the Palemarrow Kingdom didn’t come off as dour. Instead, Ivory Reach hatched charm and mystique. Around every corner was something new, behind every shop-sign was a hardworking owner and a prompt story. Hardships, opportunity, and community.

Haunted finger bones laid in the backdrop to city parks, rib bones rested silently overhead, covering the city in thick shadows. Amidst the hustle and bustle of open-air markets or neighborhood farmers markets were pillars of ivory, long standing structures of divine protection.

Who this dead Lord was, no one knew. Only that they served as a home for thousands.

Leland glanced up at the sky, or rather, the sternum of the dead Lord. It was there he and Harbinger Ashford held their duel, it was there the man’s last breaths were taken. And it was there that Soul Fire was cast.

Even from here, Leland could still feel the curse’s effect. It radiated like a miniature sun made of heatless flame. When he didn’t focus on it, it made his hair stand on end. Goosebumps, the length of his arm. A tickle in the knees.

For most, the effect wasn’t noticeable. The common man, those who have never experienced magic in any real capacity, went about their lives. A few adventurers might notice a slight tingle, as might the city guard. To adept mages, the sky felt hungry, like it might pour rain at any moment.

But to the powerful, the overly perceptive, and to the people in the know, the sky was a reminder. Cracks along the dead Lord’s bone, ribs broken with green miasma, countless graves of the city defenders.

A war had been fought here. And while it ended in a single evening, the aftereffects were here to stay.

“We need to get stronger,” Leland muttered to himself with a sigh.

He and the others were still walking, the city moving around them like worker bees. Occasionally a guard might notice the trio and give a long stare or a curt nod of acknowledgement. They were famous, heroes of the battlefield, three youngsters who fought against all odds.

And won.

Having heard Leland, Glenny replied with a scoff, “No kidding.”

Leland flinched a bit. He swallowed, continuing his thought. “All of us. Together.”

A meaty hand clapped him on the back. Jude brimmed with that knowing smirk he seemed to always hold. “Well, well, well, Leals. You’re finally ready to come back to us, huh?”

The Legacy of the Berserker wiggled his eyebrow. Leland hated it when he did that. “What do you mean?” he asked.

“For the past two weeks you’ve been at the castle, smooching up with Sybil,” Jude slapped him on the back again. “And now it's time for the boys! Yay!”

“I have not—”

“You have so,” interrupted Glenny. He flicked a thread of white hair from his eyes. “We had to head into the castle this morning just to get you. Your parents have been worried.”

Leland bit his tongue at that, sucking in his lips. He looked like a mangled lemon, which just so happened to be how he felt. “Yeah… Maybe I’ve been avoiding them. But that’s not my fault! They just are—”

“Worried about you,” Glenny finished.

Jude gave three quick nods. “Exactly right. You almost die fighting a Harbinger the whole city should have been fighting. Moreover, you win! By yourself! I knew you grew stronger while away from us in the Archon Valley, but that’s ridiculous!”

Now it was Glenny’s turn to look like a waggoneer driving over a series of bumps. “See, Leland, what you have to realize is that everyone was expecting a big final battle. Even me, being in the hospital and all. And then you just finish it before it even truly starts.”

Leland sighed. “So what? How many lives did I save—”

“No, no. Leals, don’t get us wrong. What you did was spectacular. But for those who know you, well, you can see how we might be feeling a bit… uh, guilty.”

“Guilty?”

Glenny stepped in. “Exactly. Your parents especially. They failed to protect you, their son, and instead you protected them by killing Ashford before they ever were in trouble.”

Leland went to respond, but found no words.

“So, of course your parents are worried about you,” Jude said. “You almost died. You didn’t. But they weren’t there to help. Then you start avoiding them, making them feel worse. And just by the way, the cover story of the new girlfriend thing only lasts so long. People are starting to get anxious that you're not back to your usual stuff.”

“And what’s my usual stuff?”

“Hanging out with us, training, killing monsters,” Glenny piped up. “The usual. Quests, adventures.”

Frowning, Leland said, “I have been training. Every morning I—”

Jude held up a hand, waving it like a flag. “Run until you almost pass out. Yeah, yeah. We both remember the Lord of Endurance’s contract—”

“Which isn’t really a contract and is just basic conditioning, but whatever,” interrupted Glenny.

“—But that’s not what I’m talking about. Magic!” he said, smacking Leland with the back of his hand. “When was the last time you even casted a spell besides today?”

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Leland blinked. “I was almost able to… no that didn’t work out.”

“See what I mean? This type of behavior is odd for you, so people are worried.”

“And what? Are you taking me to an intervention?”

While Jude and Glenny didn’t try to hide the fact they were tasked with bringing him out of the castle and to the tavern everyone else fancied, they did hide the reason why.

“No so much. But maybe? It’s been a long year, and there’s still stuff for us to do. Don’t get lazy—”

Leland stopped. The others did as well. “Alright, alright. I get it. I do, really. Look, I just don’t want to get roped into something like the Sightless King or Ashford again. I do want to go adventure, but not like before. I don’t think any of us can handle something like that again.”

Jude studied his friend. “Quests?” he asked.

“Quests,” Leland said with a head nod, confirming.

“Tears?” Glenny asked, causing both to stare at him. “What?”

“Tears are something exactly like the Sightless King or Ashford.”

“What? No they are not—”

“Massive in scope. Unseen implications. Unknown danger, but most definitely dangerous. Ring any bells?” Leland asked.

Now frowning, Glenny said, “Then what? Us three are rather far above the usual crap quests the Guild provides. Killing a couple monsters? No thank you. So what? You want to take quests from Aunty P?”

Leland felt a chill. He shivered. “No, anything but her.”

Jude held up his hands. “First thing is first—”

“Floe,” all three boys said at the same time.

“That’s right. Floe. Any ideas on how to do that?”

Jude and Glenny looked expectantly at Leland. He sighed. “Yes, but I want to get a few opinions on the matter first. Lord of Beasts especially.”

“A good start,” Glenny said as they turned a corner. “But what about after? Knowing you, Leland, the problem is going to be solved within the month.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” he replied, devoid of emotion. “And way to jinx it.”

Jude rolled his eyes. “Come on, Snowcap. Why do you got to jinx it?”

“You’ve used that one before.”

Jude cursed. “What about… Come on, Pearly White . Why do you got to jinx it?”

“’Pearly White?’” Glenny asked, pulling his lips back to show off his teeth. “Are they really that good? Thank you Jude, that was very kind.”

Leland stepped in before Jude could try again. “After that, we get a parasite item for Jude.”

Both stopped and looked at him.

“That’s an idea…”

“I don’t know if I want one. Just look at Lodestar.”

That was a point against parasitic items if Leland ever heard one. His own weapon hadn’t made so much as a peep since the battle with Ashford. He didn’t know what to think about Lodestar. Obviously the weapon was incredibly powerful, the short time that they fought together was enough to know that.

Leland remembered quite vividly the bug-monsters the weapon summoned from oblivion. But then after that… Lodestar left him to die or submit his body to the parasite.

“Yeah,” Leland muttered. “Lodestar’s got an ego.”

Glenny pulled at his cloak. Made of shadows, the parasitic item lived and breathed darkness. Small tendrils of dark even leached off of him, sucking away any unprotected shadows. The shadows, of course, returned a moment later, but still. The item had a mind of its own, even though it was anything but as malicious as Lodestar.

Though Glenny did remember being trapped in a time-frozen world without warning and being tasked with fighting off deadly enemies until the cloak deemed him worthy.

Still, the gains were worth the trouble in every way for him. “My cloak’s not evil,” he said to Jude. “And what are the odds you get one like Lodestar?”

Jude shuddered. “I don’t want to think about it. I don’t think I want one. Floe and the Mirage Beast’s blessings are enough.”

Leland snapped his fingers. “There’s a thought. How about we venture to all of the Guardian Spirit Beasts and try to get Jude more blessings?”

The idea had been brought up before, but with everything happening in the city, it had been all but forgotten.

Jude just shrugged. “I’d only agree to that if there was some other reason we had to travel that far. Quests, objectives, something else. I don’t want to be the only one to get something out of a trip like that.”

“My vote is on Tears,” Glenny said, already expecting the irritated look from Leland.

Which he promptly got. “I don’t—”

“Just think about it. The Lord of Magic said it’s a gold rush. And that was just from one specific tear originating from one specific world. Imagine what all of the others hold!”

“Bickering races and turtle men,” Leland supplied, referring to a neighboring kingdom’s experience with the Tears. They even requested him to come and help after a Lord referred Leland to their cause.

It just so happened that it was then the boys arrived at the tavern their parents fancied. Glenny paused, one hand on the door, and spoke to Leland. “Just give it a thought, okay? Remember why we all decided to become adventurers.”

The outside world seemed to disappear with the question. Leland did remember. To help people, grow in renown, and to eclipse the wake their parents created with their own legends. It just felt right to grow in power, personal or not, and to make life a little bit easier for those weaker.

But still. The Tears scared Leland. He inadvertently helped create them, saving Sapphire and all, and he just didn’t want to think about all of the horrors he had unleashed into the world…

That was naive, wasn’t it? Leland wanted to kick himself for even having the thought. Bury his head in the sand? Ignore what was happening around him? That wasn’t what he’d set out to do a year ago. That wasn’t who he was back then. Why was it now?

Ashford. That was the reason. Leland had almost died, and as much as he wanted to play it off as being okay, it wasn’t. His stomach churned at the thought of fighting new and powerful enemies. But Jude and Glenny were also right… being a coward wasn’t who he was. It wasn’t what he wanted to be.

A silent scoff passed his lips. Nerves and angst. What a terrible combination.

He calmed himself, straightening his spine. “Hey Glenny, I think you may be—”

“SURPRISE!” the whole tavern screeched.

Stunned in the doorway, the three boys hesitated to venture further into the unknown. Around them were friends and family alike, each holding drinks and watching them with pride. Magical constructs burst around the heads of everyone present, small fireworks exploded in colorful ornaments.

Leland felt a wave of déjà vu seeing those.

A banner across the second story landing of the building shined bright and pulsed with mana. It read the same thing everyone then shouted at the boys.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”

And just like that, the party started.