We didn't say a damn word to each other.

It was weird, the unending feeling of Sabine fighting something back with her scowl. She didn't answer a single question, not even how the fight with the stalker went. However, I was getting a better feel for how exactly she carried herself.

She's like Lucas when I first met him, this undertone of bitch that just doesn't sit well with me. She's noble raised, maybe that's why?

It didn't do much to help our standing, though, as anytime I'd take a stolen glance, she was already scowling at me.

“I never thought I’d see a city like Krakow. You'd think a place like this would be in established territory rather than the frontier.”

“Tch.”

A response for once?

“Krakow is the third oldest city in Damus. Here, I assumed you were well-learned.”

“Well, what do you expect? Noble lady, I'm some commoner.”

The banter was more appreciated than I could outwardly admit, especially if Sabine took it as a sign to ignore me altogether.

“Hollow point, I see many things. Upon them, I can see that playing stupid does not suit you. I do not like you by any means, but that does not mean I assess you as something less than what you truly are.”

That was ominous.

Sabine sighed as she proceeded to find the one topic she could use to shut me up.

“It was once an Imperial outpost for the established territory, the furthest most reach as it was being mapped out. The city was stripped down to the bedrock and even reached the aquifer. Krakow has running water, even in the winter, considering the structures.”

She went on for the majority of the walk, drawing each individual point she could. Anytime I tried to edge the topic towards anything else from that point onward, I would just receive a—

“Do I sound done?”

Alright, sheesh, I’ll listen.

From the outside, Krakow seemed like a quaint little town. That image, though, was wholesale shattered if viewed from inside its confines or from the air. The city went underground for some three to four hundred meters, with a network of branching halls and scaffolding wrought from great stone pillars taken from the walls of the mine.

Granite, rock, and rudimentary cement stabilized each floor, bearing the base framework for homes, shops, and public-use structures. The city was comprised of five basic layers: its economy, services, temples, guilds, and housing spread throughout floors spaced anywhere from one hundred to two hundred feet between each layer.

At the top were the smith's furnaces and the well-off upper class of the populace, farm owners or traders. It also housed a majority of the temporary living for any and all travelers. It also housed the temple of Myr, a three-story structure dedicated as a sort of public school, though little was done to actually track the students. Therefore, it was mostly left only to those who wanted to learn, such as ambitious youths or adventurers in need of basic arithmetic, reading, and understanding of Damus.

The next layer, the housing district, was a series of floors reserved for citizens who lived inside the city proper: bakers, seamstresses, guild staff, guards, farm hands, and maintenance workers for the city’s water system. Absent of any temples, except for a decorative fountain dedicated to Tyr, this was wholly property reserved for living quarters, save for a handful of restaurants. Residents here also tend to rent out spare housing, though only to more temporary tenants such as adventurers.

Next was the commercial district, a temple of Nyx at its outer edges, carved into the stone walls as it reached down into an underground river. This temple serves as a public center for healing, basic healing instruction, and consultation and assistance for giving birth. At one point, it was the deepest level within the entire city, owing to its natural darkness as it spans further from the center of the city to Nyx. Coincidentally, the more reprehensible portion of the city is tucked into these caves, the bars and brothels lining their walls.

Second to last is the layer established sometime after the founding of Brenton, the Guilds district. Reserved as the headquarters for every local authority of the city. The guards barracks, the adventurers guild, the mercenaries guild, the engineering guild, the traders guild, and the mine workers union. The city's expansion is currently consolidated here, either through digging out and around the upper floors or through expanding the surface perimeter. The mines are accessible from this floor as well, spanning haphazardly until they reach just under the mountain. Solah’s temple also resides on this floor, raised as the first structure at this depth following Damus’s granted ‘independence’ in its loosest term. Here, funerals are held for adventurers or otherwise, as well as prayer services.

Lastly, the base floor, bedded soil, and blooming gardens. This is the noble's district, insulated from the cold of the outside world and producing the ambient heat that rises through the floors to shield its inhabitants from the harsh winters. This is supposedly a no-go area, access being granted to the nobility and the city's leadership specifically, with limited access being given on an invite basis only. It is the newest floor expansion, rife with luxury. Its gardens also serve as emergency crops, and its caves are used as winter storage for the city's food.

Krakow was nearly the size of Brenton in all respects, hiding its size underneath the surface. All tied together by a series of lifts moving between each floor, using a series of massive gears and primitive steam vents; and, to a lesser extent, stone stairways carved into the original stone walls.

“The temple…”

That one brings my thoughts back. I should go there tonight. With any luck, Beryl and Vaughn will have gotten us separate rooms. I could just channel the memories in the room, but I want answers. What’s the likelihood, If I could push myself– If I could push both myself and Kiyomi, that Solah might finally tell me something. Anything. Whatever I still need to do here. Maybe even help with the deja vu– fuck that's still unsettling.

“Which one?”

Sabine asked, posing possibly the first question of honest curiosity she’d given me.

Should I even fuckin tell you? With your stonewall bitch act?

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“Solah, I have some stuff I need to stew over.”

It was my turn to look away at this rate, looking up the shaft that was the city’s main ventilation shaft.

“Why the hell are you interested all of a sudden? You don’t exactly like me. That's no mystery.”

Sabine shrugged, pausing a moment.

“Mayhap, I’m looking to avoid you.”

That– was that a lie?

“As you will.”

I was done trying to crack her shell for the time being, thinking of the old saying, ‘You can lead a horse to water–.’

But you can’t make it drink.

It was roughly another twenty minutes or so of walking to the adventurers guild. It was a far cry from Brenton’s massive cabin structure, looking like some old Roman relic. It was still hard to believe it was comparable to age as a city altogether, considering its chiseled stone structure. Massive pillars supported the floor above, nearly a hundred feet in height. The building was carved into the shear wall surface, with wooden framing supporting dozens of windows to provide lighting. Adventurers came in and went as we traversed the crowd until entering through a series of main doors nearly twenty feet tall themselves.

“This is where we part ways, ‘Hollow-point’... Though–”

Sabine didn't hesitate to propose her departure, but she hesitated, out of character somehow, as she seemed to fight herself on what to say.

“Though, sh–”

Cut off only by a familiar voice, we both found ourselves looking at one of the dining tables to the left of the main room.

“Kiyomi! You– both caught up?”

“That’s odd.”

Beryl and Marissa were the first to greet us at the bottom of the pit, which was Krakow.

They were staring at us from the table both groups had occupied. Apparently, our issues with each other were well enough considered, as they seemed borderline astounded by us just showing up in each other's presence. Vaughn, Marissa, Beryl, Jeane, and Logan were seated in that order around one of the tables separated from the guild counter.

“What's the verdict?”

Logan straightened himself, rising from his seat.

“False alarm. The fresh bond on my spear was apparently throwing them off.”

“The excess mana draw?”

“Yes.”

Logan approached us, looking Sabine over.

“That's to be expected for how recently the bond was made.”

Sabine held the spear forward like a staff, encouraging Logan to uncover the blade tip.

“Hmm.”

His brows furrowed, placing his thumb along the exposed metal.

“There is nothing we can do about it now. We'll just have to anticipate it next time we pass through. It should settle down by then, however.”

Beryl was next, slithering to me in some show of concern she seemed to usually keep well hidden.

“What did they do? Nothing weird, I trust?”

What's with the weird mom vibe right now?

“No, Mom, they didn't do weird experiments or anything like that. My mana veins were what caught them off guard. Fuckin called me a cripple, though.”

I grumbled, fed up with the thought I was somehow ‘less’ for it. It felt like a slant against both myself and Kiyomi at this rate. Sighing, Beryl motioned for me to join her and Vaughn, pulling me away from Sabine’s side.

“We’ve got some answers you might be interested in.”

“Hm? What did I miss while in prison? Did the times change? Some great invention?”

“Smart aleck.”

Beryl sat me down next to Vaughn, Marissa, and Jeane, leaving us to do our business.

“We actually got some answers for you about this.”

Vaughn planted a hand on the freshly trimmed mane of the viper vine.

“Okay, let's hear it.”

I took my seat next to Vaughn, Beryl occupying herself by ordering us some fresh food in the meantime.

“So, remember what you said about the viper vine filling the air with its pollen or whatever?”

I nodded, following him closely as I lay my head on the table.

“That its pollen seems to have a nicotine-like effect, the same sensation, and how it can also lead to the same symptoms of an overdose?”

Vaughn nodded, a slight floral scent emanating from the bush as he rustled it.

“The carving counter here gave us a more in-depth run down. It's literally an alternative source to tobacco. The same way the coffee tree’s sap is the same as the beans? Two separate families, damn near the same outcome.”

“Convergent evolution?”

“Converg– what?”

I rolled my eyes.

Damn good engineer, but not so good in his biology.

“When two distinctly separate species evolve to similar features.”

He snapped his fingers.

“Okay, yeah, exactly that. The only issue is, we can’t exactly use this thing.”

He dropped his hands to the table, holding one out towards the mane to draw attention to it.

“Aside from the fact it's also an addictive substance? It would need to be processed to really make it of any value. There are no facilities within Krakow to process it, atleast at an economical rate.”

“What’s the going rate for it as it sits?”

Vaughn sneered.

“Not gonna be happy with that one.”

“May as well hear it, play through our options.”

“Coppers on the gold, it's that bad.”

I stared at the pile of leaves for a second.

“That damn little?”

Vaughn nodded.

“The guild master apparently sent down an offer for it, but it’s barely enough to handle our stay here. He told us if we wanted to make another use of it, we could go to Nyx’s temple and have it processed as a salve. That would solve our medical issue, ensuring she isn't constantly fighting small wounds like when she cut her finger.”

Beryl came under our focus.

“From the way you talk, I’m guessing you two already decided on it?”

“It was your idea to collect it, so we’d figured we’d leave the decision to you. But Kiyomi?”

Vaughn took on the air of wanting to be taken seriously.

“My votes with Beryl here. I wouldn't exactly be thrilled at not being able to heal either of you. Sure, I could learn healing magic, but that still doesn't solve your end, and it will still take months of study. Months we don't have.”

He looked back to Beryl, chatting up some busy waitress with our orders as she tallied up the coins. Looking back at me, he nodded to the side.

“If you're agreed, she’ll take it to the temple of Nyx. She said she wanted to learn what she could about elixirs their as well.”

A pause, plucking a leaf from the yellow-mottled mass. Rolling it, I bit at the leaf's stem. A pleasant burning sensation for a split moment as I rolled my tongue around through it. Spitting to the side onto the dirt and rock floor, I placed the leaf back on the table.

“Won’t using it as medicine be dangerous? The addictive properties seem like they're still there.”

Vaughn looked at me through squinted eyes.

“Addictive properties– and you just put the shit in your mouth?”

“What? It was a test!”

Vaughn tossed his hands in the air before slamming them on the table.

“Missed the point, so smart and dense at the same time.”

What the fu–

“I can be trusted to not just–”

“Got lunch.”

Beryl’s cheery voice greeted us both, turning our attention to a wooden plate stacked with grilled chicken, fruit, and vegetables seasoned in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Producing three wooden forks, she tossed them to Vaughn and me each.

“On from that–”

Beryl sat back into her coils, forking a piece of mushroom and a chunk of broiled tomato, stuffing it in her mouth. Her shoulders slumped for a moment as her head lulled to one side.

“Myr’s bweshing, I’b been diebing fow a hwot meaw.”

“You can finish before you go to talk, Beryl.”

She paused to swallow.

“Ah- sorry. I meant to say, on from the bush being addictive. I secured some lodging for us.”

We each took our respective portions: a piece of chicken here, a grilled pepper there, and potatoes serving as the additional filler.

“We got it by happenstance on our way down just as it was being opened up.”

“Where exactly?”

I waved my fork.

“The second floor, an inn just in front of the shrine to Tyr, and the lift to the third floor. Three beds, a bathroom, and access to the living area and study.”

“Perfect for Vaughn's work. How many bedrooms?”

“About that.”

I looked up from the section of the plate I was chipping away at.

“Bewyl–”

I swallowed.

“How many actual bedrooms?”

Silence as Beryl looked to the side, avoiding my lock on her while her lip seemed to quiver.

“One.”

There was silence as I looked to Vaughn, who seemed mindless of the conversation, concentrating on the taste of his first non-stew meal in a week with fresh ingredients. I tilted my head to the side, forking a piece of chicken larger than usual. Demons are preferential carnivores, after all.

“So we’re sleeping in our clothes, got it.”