“You understand the plan, Izuku?”

Izuku nodded. “Me stay with wagon aaaaaaall times unless Daddy says so! Things go bad, ride back to town!”

Wonder patted his head. “Good boy!”

Kat watched quietly. He said, “…do you know what blessing you have?”

Wonder said, “Izuku is the blessing himself. Though I think you don’t mean that.”

He finished packing the carriage with his and Izuku’s stuff. Thankfully it was mostly clothes and supplies. But Wonder had gotten Izuku some toys, so that was the harder box to pack. Wonder picked up Izuku and put him in.

Kat said, “That is accurate. Wonder… do you know what Izuku is?”

Wonder said, “My kid? Or we talking about the Sapling thing again?”

Wonder climbed in next. Izuku had already taken some of his dollies out and was playing. Kat climbed in after them, sitting across. Kat said, “Only of sorts. Saplings are baby forest spirits.”

Izuku looked. “But me not ghost!”

Wonder chuckled. “Not that kind of spirit, kiddo.”

He looked back at Kat. “Yeah, is that not common or something?”

Kat said, “Totally ‘not common’. The spirits are direct servants of the gods.”

Wonder said, “Seriously?”

Kat nodded. “If you are blessed with one as a child, that means the Dark has placed great trust in you.”

Wonder said, “Noooooo, I think you got confused. I mean…”

Wonder had to think on that. “…Izuku found me in the woods, after I was summoned here from my home wor… land. Total coincidence.”

Kat said, “Do you not believe in gods?”

Wonder said, “Ha. I believe in a God that created all, including other gods. But I also know things happen via coincidence. Especially since neither Hosekin god monitor my homeland.”

Kat said, “Oh. I see.”

Wonder said, “…are you a Paladin?”

Kat perked, probably happier for the better subject. “That I am. I follow the True Dark.”

Wonder said, “You’re really going for a fancy name?”

Izuku said, “Funny man!”

Kat blushed. Wonder said, “Remember to be nice, Izuku. And Kat… look, not to knock anyone’s faith, but I cannot see why the Dark would give me gifts so early on. Especially since Malchon apparently summons people on a near-weekly basis.”

He leaned back. “Now, to be fair, maybe they are allowing me to raise Izuku afterwards. That is a blessing of sorts, but I also try to be a good daddy, so I simply do not see a reason to not have Izuku that is wrapped in religious mojo-jojo.”

Kat said, “Mojo… Jojo?”

Wonder said, “I think you get the idea. But since you’re a Paladin, I now have to ask.”

He leaned on his haunches. “I’ve already guessed the two Kingdoms of Hoseki are based on the two gods: Light & Dark. There’s an impasse, but officially, the Kingdoms are at war. So what’s up with that?”

Kat said, “I… do not know.”

He leaned back. “I’m low on the Paladin ranks, to be honest. So I don’t know facts. But as I understand the legend… the Dark created this world to store his souls. A place of peace in the eternal night, where people and creatures could live in peace and harmony.”

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Wonder said, “But where there is darkness, there is light.”

Kat said, “Sure. The Light came upon Hoseki, and demanded equal share. The Dark did not care for this. This was supposed to be the resting and safe place for his souls, not an intruders’. When he denied the Light, the Light spread loose its monsters, forcing many Villages to surrender to it.”

Wonder said, “Thus the war.”

Kat said, “Yes. They say the Dark will someday summon a Hero to kick the Light and the tainted souls out of Hoseki so it may return to being a place of peace and rest.”

Wonder and Izuku shared a look, though it was debatable how much Izuku understood. Wonder pointed outside with a thumb at the obviously-peaceful-world.

Kat shrugged. “Again, I’m too low on the totem pole. For all I know, the war is over, and no one has signed an official treaty.”

Kat looked outside. “But I do know it’s not perfect. You’re Neutral, and probably won’t get subjected to any of this… by the Pool, I hope you never do. There are tensions between Light and Dark. Not just in magic, but people. The higher in power you go, the more dangerous the clashing becomes.”

Wonder said, “…even between Neutral factions who take Sponsors, like Beast Tamers?”

Kat said, “Not quite to the same level. There seems to be a silent agreement between Beast Tamers that Sponsorship does not get out of hand. The most you might get is a very climatic Beast Battle in a Tourney, and some harsh words. But take two high-level Priests? Well, there’s a reason they stay in their churches most of the time.”

Wonder said, “City go boom.”

He realized something. “Hang on… when I was told of the Classes, Priest isn’t one of them.”

Kat said, “You truly are new to Hoseki. Paladin is more of an honorary title. To the Class systems, I’m a Knight. Instead of being sworn to a Kingdom directly, though, I’m sworn to a God. It’s what’s called a Hidden Class… though to be honest, this one isn’t ‘hidden’.”

Wonder said, “Interesting… in most other magical systems I’ve read of, it’s more an evolution of Mage. Both being squishies, you see.”

Kat said, “I have heard there is a Hidden Class Route where Mage can evolve into Priest. But that is beyond rare. Most of the time, a Priest is a Paladin who no longer can fight, or has expanded their magical abilities far above the norm.”

Wonder nodded. “Noted.”

Wonder moved his purple hair aside, watching the forests roll by. “…you said Forest Spirits are the right-hand servants of the Dark. Are there others?”

Kat said, “Not to the same extreme. All sentient beings are welcome to come into the embrace of the Dark and become his servants. But as far as I’m aware, only the Forest Spirits are created directly by the Dark and serve it.”

Wonder rubbed his chin. “What about the Light? What are their right-hand servant species?”

“The Lightwraiths.”

“…please tell me that isn’t just a stupid name created by followers of the Dark.”

Kat shook his head. “No, I can assure you. Even followers of the Light fear their supposed protectors. They say the Lightwraiths were the first monsters set loose by the Light in the war. That much I do believe.”

He sighed. “But they usually leave Hunters and Beast Tamers and their packs alone. I doubt you’ll have to worry about them.”

Wonder personally doubted his luck in that respect, but let the subject drop. He needed more information. While he had accepted he was staying in Hoseki, he didn’t want to be crossing any lines he could avoid crossing. This was his chance for a happy, peaceful life after all.

They traveled in silence a while, outside Izuku playing Hero & Villains with his dolls. When the kid finally fell asleep, Wonder also did as well.

When he woke, he saw Kat trying to create something with twine. The artist instinct finished waking him up. Wonder shifted, looking at the thing. “Is that… a dream catcher?”

Kat blinked. He looked at it. “…maybe?”

He held up the loop of wire with leaves hanging from it. “It’s called a tebun here.”

Wonder said, “Tebun…?”

He tapped his ear. “The auto-translate spell didn’t kick in then…”

Kat said, “It won’t. It is some ancient language of the gods.”

Wonder said, “And no god will allow their language to translate. Fair enough. What does a tebun do?”

Kat continued to loop colored wires around the primary loop. “It is supposed to protect one against dangerous spells when one sleeps.”

Wonder asked, “Any of those in dreams?”

Kat shrugged. “I don’t know. Don’t think so. But… I wouldn’t be surprised either.”

Wonder nodded. Kat said, “This probably wouldn’t help either. It’s more a child’s superstition. But it makes our kids sleep better, so… I guess that’s something.”

Wonder said, “It is all matters of the mind.”

Kat smiled. “Maybe so. Though your son seems to be able to sleep just fine.”

Wonder smiled down at Izuku, who was cuddled up in a blanket next to him. “Yeah. I try to make sure he feels safe.”

“Teenage years are going to crush your soul.”

Wonder laughed. “Or he’s gonna wonder how I raised him all this time.”

Wonder sighed. “You know… I never thought I’d be a parent.”

Kat said, “Oh?”

“Yeah. I’m too much a weirdo. But I couldn’t resist… he needed me.”

Kat smiled. “They do say that a parent just knows their child at first sight.”

Wonder smiled. “Now I need true love at first sight to be real.”

Kat said, “Hear hear.”

Izuku whimpered, “…we here?”

Wonder said, “Not yet, kiddo. But I think we’re about to camp for the night.”