A knock sounded on Boris’ door and he glanced up with a frown. Metallic parts laid strewn out in front of him with various tools scattered throughout. Percival stood on the table, examining a piece of paper that Boris had scrawled all over.

“You should probably go answer that, chap. Could be important,” Percival said, his voice it’s usual tinny sound.

“Da. Hold on. Don’t call me chap.” Boris stood, his tail swishing slightly as he opened the door. Ada stood on the other side, bundled up in a fur coat. He blinked and stepped to the side.

“Ada, come in. What are you doing? Blizzard is coming, should not be here.”

The older woman stepped inside and brushed the snow off of her coat. “I know, I know. I have a favor to ask.”

“A favor?” Boris tilted his head to the side, his rounded ears flicking forward in interest. Ada didn’t usually ask for favors, when she did they were usually important.

“I have three people staying with me right now, and they’re hunting orcs. Some sort of vendetta for the girl with them. I know you had that…thing that could look for stuff. I thought you might be able to help them?”

“Oh, you mean findanator?” Boris asked. His tail moved quicker with excitement.

“Yeah, I guess.” She shook her head. She always made fun of his naming sense. He thought it was good.

“Da. I could help. On condition they listen to lesson on how works.” He nodded to himself. Students! He could have some students and they wouldn’t be able to run away!

She gave him a tight smile and shook her head. “We should go then, before the storm fully hits.” Ada glanced outside through the open door. The wind had started to pick up and the snow was falling harder.

Boris nodded and began to pack up various items into a large bag. The findanator, kyfe machine, firehand, and a few other devices he may need. He grabbed one last contraption and hooked it around his back and onto his arms. The metal extending down to his legs. He threw a long coat on that covered the whole thing. He turned to Ada and nodded. “Ready.”

The two of them headed out of his shack. He made sure that the door was locked and then placed his hands in the pockets of his light coat. Boris loved the cold. It reminded him of home.

By the time they arrived at Ada’s tower the blizzard had hit full force. She pushed the door open and it flung out of her hands, slamming into the wall. The two of them hurried in. She turned and struggled to push the door shut against the gale force wind that refused to let it close.

“Moy bog.” He turned and perked his ears towards the other three people in the room. His eyes glanced over the tiny red-head, and then they went up…and up…and up. That…That was a very tall man. He glanced at the third occupant and narrowed his eyes, his ears flattening against his head. The man was trying to stand behind the large man.

“You!” That bastard! He owed him money!

“Me?” the man tilted his head to the side and tried to look innocent.

“You owe me money!” Boris stalked towards him, his tail thrashing against his legs.

“I got no clue what you’re talking about. You got the wrong man. Had to have been another devilishly handsome man in a big hat. They’re quite the trend now, you know?”

“Der’mo. I don’t forget face of bastard that cheated me five hundred thrones. I want money!” He took a step towards the man, his hand outstretched. Boris would get his money, even if he had to beat it out of Renault.

“Boris.” Ada’s voice cut across the room. “I would ask that you refrain from violence in my home.”

He scowled and glanced at the woman before taking a step back.

“Fine.” He glared at the cheater. “This not over.” It was far from over. He’d get his money.

“Aye, that’s right. Listen to the lass like the whelp you are.”

Boris whirled and grabbed Renault’s shoulder. “Oh, that’s it,” he snarled.

The man’s eyes turned to steel. “I’d suggest you take your hand off of me if you wish to keep all of your fingers.”

“That is enough! I brought you into my home, helped your companion, fed you, and offered you shelter until this storm passed. I will not allow such disrespect! The two of you will either respect my home and behave yourself or I will throw you out into the blizzard. DO you understand?” She whirled on Boris and he took a step back, eyes wide. “And you! You should know better than this. I expected more. If you keep this behavior up, you will find someone else to fix your injuries when one of your little contraptions blow up.”

“Aye, fine. I’ll be the bigger man. This is clearly just a case of mistaken identity.”

Boris glared a bit longer and then released Renault. He’d deal with the swordsman later.

“Alright.” He turned towards Ada. “What were you wanting me to look for?” He walked over to his bag and pulled out the findanator.

“That would be for me, I’m looking for orcs,” the red-head said. He glanced at her and frowned. Orcs? That tiny thing was looking for orcs?

“I doubt you’ll pick up anything from here. It has thirty kilometer range.” Boris pat the cylindrical machine.

“What are kilo…kilometores?” the large, armored man asked.

Right…they wouldn’t know what those were. Of course not. He only knew what they were because of Percival. “About a day’s travel.”

“Why are you not explaining to them what a kilometer is? I didn’t teach you these things for you to not share them. You need to explain in detail. Here, just repeat after me–”

“No. Am not explaining in detail. Will take too long. Please just shut up.” He let out a long-suffering sigh. Percival didn’t know how to stop when he got started on something.

“That’s rude. I know how to shut up! I just do not see the need to do so when there is so much to be said and taught! In fact, I bet if you explained it to the little lady there, she’d fall in love with how smart you are! I know you think she’s pretty. She is very pretty. You two would make a lovely couple, good chap.”

“Who are you talking to?” the woman asked.

Percival appeared on Boris’ shoulder. He was a tiny, metal man. Gears were on each of his joints and a top hat, and a monocle rested over his eye.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

“Greetings madame! My name is Sir Percival Thaddeus Blackwood the Third: tinkerer, genius, and all around lady’s man.” He took his hat off and placed it over his heart as he gave her a deep bow.

“Is that your Spirit?” the swordsman asked, clearly trying to hold back laughter.

“Da, do you have problem?” Boris narrowed his eyes.

“No, no! I just wasn’t expecting such a tiny one. I thought you’d have a proper Spirit with all your huff and puff.” He failed at containing the laughter and doubled over.

Percival jumped off of Boris’ shoulder and flames erupted from the small box on his back and flew up to the other man’s face.

“If I were less of a gentleman, and there were no lovely ladies present, I would use you as a test dummy for one of my experiments for that insult.”

Ada cleared her throat and glared at Percival and the other man. The small robot coughed and tugged on his non-existent collar.

“I apologize, Lady Ada. I forgot my manners. I will be mindful to not rise to the insults of those with less intelligence.” He began to fade from sight of the others.

“Osla…I am sorry for him. He…He is high-strung.” Boris ran a hand over his face.

An electric shock hit him in the side of the face. “High-strung? I am not high-strung!” Percival’s voice was shrill in his ear.

He glared at the small man on his shoulder that he could barely see.

“Wait. You can see your Spirit when they’re not.” The small woman gestured around the room. “Around?”

Boris blinked and stared at her. She didn’t know that? How did she not know that? That was basic education everyone had.

“Shite. Forgot to explain that.” Renault sat down in one of the chairs on the other side of the table from Boris.

“Oh. Right, sorry Miss Mina.” the large man shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

The two men had spoken at the same time. Boris turned to them with his brow arched.

“Does she not know about Spirits?”

“Don’t talk about me like I’m not here. You can asked me directly.” Mina—he assumed that’s who she was—crossed her arms and scowled.

“Right. Apologies. I should also introduce self.” He held his hand out to her. “I’m Boris.”

“Mina.” She didn’t take his hand and he dropped it after a minute. Okay, rude. “And these are Renault and William.”

Boris nodded. “Nice to meet you William.” He pointedly ignored Renault.

The small woman took a deep breath and glanced at the four of them. “I used to live in a village where even Activating your Spirit was rare. So, I never learned about it. Simple as that.”

Boris sighed and then nodded. Country bumpkin, that made sense. Most of the backwater villages in this country didn’t think that education of any kind was important past agriculture and some crafts. He could remedy that though. “I could teach you while we wait for the…burya…storm to pass.” As if on cue, the front door blew open, slamming into the wall and jerking it off the hinges.

William stamped his foot and a slab of stone erupted from the ground and filled the door.

“Thank you William.” Ada nodded at him.

“Of course, Miss Ada.” the large man inclined his head.

Mina shivered slightly and then turned to Boris. She had beautiful eyes. He’d never seen anyone with a color like that before. They were like amber sap frozen in time while at its deepest hue.

“I won’t say no. Knowing more about my power isn’t a bad idea. Though I doubt it’ll help anything, but I am curious.” She shrugged and grabbed a large, thick cloak from her bag and wrapped it around herself. It engulfed her completely.

Boris coughed slightly. He had the urge to just walk over and bundle her up more and make sure she stays warm. He would certainly not do that to a woman he’d just met, however.

“Da. First, it’s not your power. It belongs to the Spirit. It doesn’t happen often, but they can take away.”

The look she gave him told him that she didn’t believe him. That was fine. She didn’t have to. She just needed to listen. Mina sat down and gestured at the chair across from her. Renault sat to her right already. Ada sat down next to Renault and William remained standing. He sat down at the chair she indicated.

“Now that that’s out of the way.” Boris leaned his arms on the table. “Every sapient being has a Spirit, most don’t activate because they don’t reach the,” he paused and grimaced. What was the word? Kvalifikat. Ah, right! “Qualifications to do it!”

“Qualifications?” Mina tilted her head to the side.

“Da. Extreme trauma mixed with near death is the typical trigger.”

“There’s no fucking way.” Mina shook her head. “I’ve seen a lot of people with Spirits. There’s no way that many people have experienced near death trauma. What about orcs? I seriously doubt they get extreme trauma.”

She wasn’t serious, was she? Did she actually believe that? “Everyone can experience trauma,” he said flatly. “[Demons] and fae are different from humans and fera. They are born with Spirits, but Spirits are activated by ritual when they come of age. I don’t know what rituals are.”

Mina chewed on her bottom lip as she listened. The sound of metal clinking grabbed Boris’s attention. Williams hands were clasped behind his back as he fidgeted.

“Are you alright?” Mina asked. William jerked and turned his heads towards her.

“Hm? Yes. Sorry, Miss Mina. Was just lost in thought.”

She stared at him for a moment and then turned her eyes back to Boris.

“Right. So, each Spirit has specific thing it can do. There could be more than one Spirit for certain thing, but all do certain thing differently. There are eight exceptions.” He gave her a small smile, his ears perking forward. “Following so far?”

She nodded.

“Don’t fill her hed with fairy tales. The Eight Spirits aren’t real. They’re made up fancies to make people donate to the One Order because they’re scared. Don’t believe a word that comes from the mouth of a Priest of Talyx. They’re all liars and charlatans,” Renault said, scoffing.

“Oh? That so? What is it they say? Pot calling kettle black?” Boris asked.

“I’m not a liar or a charlatan. Mistaken identity, remember?”

“Oh, da, and I’m dyadya of a fish.” Boris snorted.

“What are the Eight Spirits?” Mina asked, glaring at Renault.

“They are major elemental Spirits. Two for each element: fire, water, earth, air.”

“Why two?”

“Not sure. I suspect they are opposing sides of each other. Like water can be calm and life-giving or fierce and catastrophic. Two sides of same coin. That is theory though, would have to ask to them to confirm.” Boris shrugged.

“Except she can’t, because they don’t fucking exist.” Renault piped up.

Mina glanced between the two of them and scowled. “I don’t care if you think they exist or not. I want to know.”

“Da, listen to lady.” Boris nodded. He couldn’t keep the smug look off of his face.

Renault rolled his eyes and held his middle finger up.

“Anyway. No one is sure what Eight Spirits names are since they change as time goes on. They are always same thing, though: tortoise, wolf, dragon, butterfly, hawk, sparrow, snake, and dolphin.”

Mina’s eyes snapped to him from where she’d started watching William, who still seemed uncomfortable. “Butterfly?”

“Da, if I remember right, butterfly is air.”

She frowned, a look of disappointment crossing her features. “Are you sure it’s air?”

“Da, pretty sure. DOn’t know much about. Is not much on it that is not religious rhetoric.” He shrugged. “Air makes sense, though.”

“Air makes sense for the sparrow and hawk too,” she pointed out.

“Don’t know. Not my expertise.” She had a point though. Maybe the butterfly was something else. She seemed really interested in that one though. Why not the others? Did her Spirit manifest as a butterfly? “To continue lesson. There are four states to Spirits. Dorma–”

“I know about them already. Renault and William did explain those to me.”

Boris glanced at the two men and inclined his head. He prepared to explain more but then she yawned. It was pretty late, the moon would be out above the clouds by now.

“I’m tired, so I’m turning in for the night.” Ada said with a smile as she stood.

“That’s actually a good idea,” Mina muttered, another yawn almost stifling her words.

“It would probably be best if we all slept down here tonight. I haven’t had a chance to fix the hole in the wall upstairs.” Ada said.

Boris arched a brow. He’d offered to fix that hole several times, and each time she’d turned him down, maybe now she’d actually take him up on the offer.