Luck is not fated,

it’s stolen and traded.

– Elara Twice, Ravings of a Madwoman

Chapter 23 – Hollow Bones

Toki darted through the labyrinth of narrow back alleys, the darkness around her only punctured by the intermittent glow of her Twice Flames. Abandoned clay houses rose and fell on either side—windows darkened or missing, doors agape—a testament to some long-forgotten exodus.

The heat from Edgar's feverish body seeped into Toki's back, a stark contrast against the chill of the desolate underground air. She could feel every ragged breath Edgar took, his frame unnaturally light on her back. Hollow bones. The talon-like grip of his feet, normally dangerously sharp, now hung limp against her sides.

Toki could tell that she had entered a different district now, as the houses rose two, three and even four stories. Likely used by the more posh ancient city-dwellers. The underground world was foreign, but penthouse suites and high rises were universal.

Toki had decided to return to Kristina and her determination solidified with each step. If the Mercy Queen of Spiders could not mend Edgar's injuries, then Toki decided that she would abandon Golgheim’s mission and return to the surface—consequences be damned. If Golgheim can’t get a stage-two beast core himself, then what kind of planet is he. Toki didn’t know what a planet was capable of in the first place, but the sentiment carried in her thoughts.

As they moved to the rooftop high-ground, her eyes remained ever vigilant, flicking from shadow to shadow, seeking out any trace of Three—the relentless archer whose very moniker sent a cold prickle down her spine. She knew they were not merely evading a single entity. At the very least, he had Partridge at his disposal.

Toki grit her teeth. "Partridge," she hissed under her breath.

The name tasted of venom and sour memories. Once, that name had conjured an image of camaraderie, of shared labor by the forge's roaring fire and shared drinks at Hammaltin's. Now, it summoned only bitterness.

She recalled the day Partridge stood before her, tears carving tracks through the aeso on his cheeks. The glow of molten copper cast a haunting light upon his vulnerable face as he divulged his family's plight—their farmland, a valley full of manafruit, was soon to be foreclosed and seized. His voice had trembled as his spilled tears ruined his forgework dagger. He did not weep for land or inheritance. Those tears were for his family’s sake. His mother, his sister—their heritage. Their home.

"I feel useless. I can't do anything," he had choked out, the words a shard that pierced Toki's naïve heart, compelling her to reach into the depths of her own family resources. She had extended her hand when others wouldn’t, offering up a contract in exchange for manafruit with the Twice family, owing a favor to Elara Twice in the process. It was a loan, sealed with the warmth of friendship rather than ROI and malicious interest agreements. In the realm of comrades, words were bonds stronger than any written decree. So I thought.

But as the chill of the dark seeped deeper into her bones, so too did the sting of Partridge's deceit. He had taken those crystals and paid her back with murder. Attempted murder.

"Damn you."

The back alleys of this forsaken place felt like a mausoleum. She had decided to keep her fire lit, despite setting herself up as a beacon to Three. Without a flame, she could not cast a shadow, and without [Lessons], Edgar would be exposed on her back. Currently, four segments shielded Toki and Edgar from any archer fire from behind, leaving a single claw to block in front. 20% manadraw each.

If Three has the balls to come find me, I’ll chop them off myself. I’ll chop Partridge’s off just for hanging with the guy's.

"Susie," Edgar murmured deliriously, his voice barely rising above a whisper. "I don’t... why—."

"Sssh, Feathers," she hushed him, her tone a mix of affection and reprimand. "We're safe now."

Amidst the labyrinthine turns and decaying structures, Toki’s mind split between fixating on Partridge’s betrayal and the outcome of their fight. After bandaging her shoulder, she took Edgar and left. I didn’t even give them a burial.

The lives she extinguished by her own hand now seemed to stare at her from the hollow windows of the abandoned clay houses. Toki grappled with the morality of her actions, the somber realization that those she dispatched may have left behind families, loved ones, echoes of themselves in the world above.

The female warrior could have been a mother.

"Forgive me," I want to live. I know you don’t want to die… didn’t. She murmured, though to whom—herself, her victims, the indifferent stars of her flame—she did not know. Her heart was filled with remorse and indignation.

Fleeting visions of mourners continued to haunt her as she made her way through the cityscape. She imagined rising victorious from the depths, only to be greeted by a now-orphaned boy asking her for the whereabouts of his brave mother who had descended into the abyss to provide food for the family. It broke her heart with every fantastic and hyperbolic story she thought up.

She didn’t even consider that they were loner serial killers, hidden in some politician’s back pocket. That would be too easy.

As these vicious thoughts twirled in Toki’s head, she still pushed forward. Why… she didn’t know… For Edgar at the very least, who needed her now, whose loyalty never faltered. She would certainly brave this moral quandary and this guilt for him. He would do the same for me.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"Stay with me, Feathers," she said softly. The weight on her back was not just his wounded form, but the anchor for her own spiraling thoughts. She closed her eyes briefly as she forced a surge of clarity through the fog of her mind. There was no room for the luxury of guilt; not when she may still have to fight. Focus, Tokyo, she chided herself.

As if spurred by her rebuke, Marsha called.

[Law Cats has called upon Toki Twice for a meld – agree?]

No. I can’t. Not with Three after me.

Toki instead took a moment to inspect the final system reward that remained untouched. She needed something to distract her, and this would do the job since Marsha couldn’t. Toki had no idea what a [Dharma Token] was, but she exhaled slowly and activated it from the system status.

[User Identification: TokyoTwice]

Hmmm. Yes. That’s me…

[TokyoTwice has joined: The Immortal Record of The Heavenly Chakra Dragon Fighter Polity]

[ShadowWeaver] Welcome!

[StarlitSorceress] Congrats!

[BlinkingEyesOfNyx] Your immortal soul shall suffer! I will reduce your world to ashes!

[RuneMaster777] <3 <3 <3. Love your handle, babe!

…

A chorus of text greeted her each message materializing with the flourish before her wide, disbelieving eyes. Usernames flickered past her—each more bizarre than the last.

Ummm. What?...

[TokyoTwice] How do I type here. Oh shit. Backspace. Backspace…. Hello!

It was a mental connection. A thought for a word. What is said cannot be unsaid… quite embarrassing.

[DarkFrothConnoisseur] I remember my first time.

[SamIAm] Do you, though?

[StarlitSorceress] Rekt.

[DarknessDarkMaster] Master Tokyo of the Twice, we are humbled by your presence. I would stay and converse further, but I must return to cultivation, for if I do not, the darkness hidden in my left arm will be released. If the seals are broken, I am afraid the whole universe may be put at risk.

[-RoseAlphaAngel-] DarknessDarkMaster, you are doing the universe a service. I pray for your success and wish you well in your cultivation.

In the recesses of her mind, she kept vigil over the chatroom she had inadvertently stumbled upon. Messages scrolled past her peripheral consciousness. I didn’t think the system had spam groups… How do I close out of this. Can I unsubscribe?

Toki had reached the entrance tunnel without incident and continued onwards towards Kristina’s library. It had been unusually uneventful, and Toki suspected that she was in for a surprise at the fork. There’s no use thinking about it. I have to get Edgar to Kristina.

Just as Tokyo was about to close out of the system interface, the conversation shifted, making her reconsider.

[ZephyrDeity] The Aeso corpos are hoarding again. Ever since the coffee bois clashed, I can’t even trade favors for a decent ‘chant. Anyone know a ‘smith that can work with addy? I’ll pay for the tip. Need my ship tuned.

[DarkFrothConnoisseur] @RuneMaster777?

[RuneMaster777] Nope, we’re locked down over here. No business, soz, babe.

This is a peek into the stars! They are from outside!? Does that mean they are all elites from the galaxy? Or is it just Cazoran?

[KATHORIC_LICHBAE] Wait ‘till my wife comes, bro. I heard she’s a dope ‘smith. You can come hang with me in the meantime.

[ZephyrDeity] You’re getting married?

[StarlitSorceress] Congrats!

[KATHORIC_LICHBAE] Yeah, they didn’t tell me who she is yet, man, but they say she fucked a dragon.

[ZephyrDeity] I don’t think you’ll be able to compete. Do liches even have libido? I heard dragons are pretty feisty.

[ShadowWeaver] ^

[KATHORIC_LICHBAE] IDK, bro. That’s what I’m worried about. If she’s some succy or something, I’m kinda fucked, yo. I ain’t got time for that.

[ZephyrDeity] Hmmm, in that case I’ll trade you some secret pills *wink* *wink* to help with your problem in exchange for her number. Her, right?

[KATHORIC_LICHBAE] Yeah, I don’t have anything on her yet, tho. Was supposed to meet her, but she bailed… Wait. Why do you want her number?

[ShadowWeaver] Playing hard to get. 100%.

[BlinkingEyesOfNyx] Your women will be mine. I will feast on your organs. I will feast on her organs.

[ZephyrDeity] To fix my ship, that’s what I said… I can’t compete with a dragon, either… Anyways, I need to get out of this system, like now. Anyone near Z4, Ispartika? Carmen looks like she’s going to war.

[SamIAm] I am…

[ZephyrDeity] Oh shit man. Sorry Sam… I’d be down to trade you for a lift, though I totally get it if you don’t want to.

[SamIAm] I need to get a curse mark off me. Think you can help?

Toki zoned out and closed the chat. She wasn’t in the mood for levity, misunderstandings, or what appeared to be her "bro" Lich suitor. It had been a good distraction for a moment, but as she approached the fork and the library, she needed all her focus in the moment.

Still, the chat's existence intrigued her. Here was an untapped resource, a possible wellspring of allies and information that could be of use. Could this be the reason the token was bestowed on [Elites]? Or is it for sales, misinformation, strategy, and espionage? Her mind churned with the potential strategic implications.

"Nearly there, Feathers," Toki murmured, her voice laced with a tenderness she seldom revealed. "Hold on."

Ahead, the tunnel began to widen, the encroaching shadows retreating to the edges of her fiery glow. There were bodies. Mostly monkeys, but there were humans here too. Toki ignored them—or rather, forced herself to ignore them—and continued towards the library, keeping an eye out for any hidden traps.

Unexpectedly, there were none. Slowly, the library door creaked open once more. Somehow Toki knew that the only way Kristina would agree to help would be in trade. She hoped she would be able to bear the karma.

--

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