Owin gently shook Katalin as the ferry approached. She immediately groaned, then yawned and poked Ernie in the face until he woke. Both alchemists had fallen asleep almost immediately. It was difficult to tell just how long they had been in the dungeon, especially with the way time changed when using the doors. He guessed it had been a couple of days in total.

Katalin and Ernie stood and watched the ferry slowly approach with Owin. It was morning, with the sun still working on rising to its zenith. More people were on the ferry than there had been when Owin had originally ridden it to the sandbar.

Owin tried to flatten his ears or cover his hair, but he had no way to hide his very obvious goblin appearance. A few heroes caught sight, and many whispered to one another. As they filed off the ferry, each person stared at Owin, but nobody made any aggressive moves.

“What floor did you get through?” a hero asked.

“Four,” Owin said.

“Nice job.” The hero nodded to Owin and stood in line on the sand.

Owin nodded back, unsure if he should keep the conversation going.

An older woman in overalls leaned on the railing of the ferry. She brushed loose hair from her forehead and flicked her eyes between Katalin, Ernie, and Owin. “You’re the goblin I’ve been hearing about?”

“Probably,” Owin siad.

Katalin chuckled. “Yes, he is.”

“You’re not going to attack me when you get on my ferry?”

“No.”

Ernie leaned close to Owin’s ear. “Ma’am.”

“What?”

“Say ma’am after.”

“No, ma’am,” Owin said.

She cocked an eyebrow. “Not sure I love it, but if you don’t hit me, I won’t hit you.”

Owin nodded. That was a fair deal. “Does everyone know who I am?”

The lady shrugged. “You were the main topic of that whole group of heroes.”

Owin looked back, seeing every hero on the sandbar staring at him. “I don’t like that.”

Ernie put his arm over Owin’s shoulder. “Ignore them.”

The ferry captain looked over her shoulder. “Are you two getting off? No? Fine. This is your last trip. You can’t ride my ferry all damn day.” She sighed and waved Owin forward. “Come aboard. Let’s get back to Minolitana Prima.” She gestured toward them and walked away, getting the ferry ready to depart.

Katalin climbed up first, stopping to yawn, then grabbed Ernie’s hand and helped him climb aboard. Owin jumped right up, landing a little heavier than he intended. He walked across the deck and sat beside Ernie once the alchemists settled in. The ferry’s engine rumbled and soon, the whole vessel was moving away from the sandbar.

“Change your mind on the Ocean?” Katalin asked.

Owin glanced across the deck at the two figures sitting nearby. His breath caught as his heart immediately started hammering in his chest.

Siora sat on a bench with her glowing sword sheathed, lying across her lap. Her ponytail fluttered in the wind as she smirked, watching for Owin’s reaction. Nasty, dark scars criss-crossed her face, covering her mouth and cheeks. A dark bruise remained under her eyes, passing over her bent, broken nose.

Beside Siora was Nikoletta. The mender was silent, letting her round mace rest on the boards between her feet. Her hair was buzzed close, and her eyes were bloodshot instead of the luminous glow Owin had seen.

“Ah, we have other priorities,” Siora said.

Owin’s breath quickened. His fingers wrapped around the Thunderstrike Maul and squeezed.

“What’s wrong with you?” Ernie whispered.

“Artivan.” It was the only word Owin managed to form, and it was little more than a hiss of air.

Ernie turned to Siora and Nikoletta, his index appearing before his eyes. “Kat.”

She glanced over, then used Examine on her own. “Huh. Fuck.”

Owin stood, lifted the hammer, and let it rest on his shoulder. “What did you do to him?”

Nikoletta glared at Owin. Muscles in her jaw shifted as she watched him. Her fingers toyed with the mace, ready to flip it up at a moment’s notice. He was sure the weapon and her eyes would immediately glow when the fighting started.

“What did I do?” Siora laughed. “I tried killing the filthy Hog.”

Owin shifted his weight, but Ernie grabbed his belt, holding him back.

“It’s a crime to attack another hero,” Ernie said quietly. “There won’t be a way for me or Chorsay to save you if you attack.”

“Tried? Artivan is alive?” Katalin asked.

“You knew the old bastard?” Siora’s index flashed, but she didn’t seem impressed with what she saw. “Alive isn’t the word I’d use. I ran my sword through his heart.”

“The goblin cursed him,” Nikoletta said.

“Cursed,” Siora agreed.

“You attacked us!” Owin lurched forward, shedding Ernie’s grip. He moved quickly across the deck until he was within range of Siora.

The soldier didn’t move. Even Nikoletta sat still, watching out of the side of her eye. Siora’s right hand rested on her sword’s grip, though the leather sheath was still firmly in place. Her yellow eyes were sharp as her smirk grew.

“You could’ve let him go,” Owin said, more of a plea than with the fire he intended.

“Could I? How well did you know that old bastard?” She raised an eyebrow. “Did you know him?”

He lifted the Thunderstrike Maul.

“Owin,” Katalin shouted.

Siora stood, immediately towering over Owin. She looked straight down at him. “One swing isn’t killing me.”

Ernie grabbed Owin’s shoulder and tugged him back. “You can’t fight her,” he whispered in Owin’s ear. “She’s trying to piss you off. Ignore her.”

“Leave him alone,” Katalin said.

“Him? The goblin that brutally murdered my friends?” Siora scoffed. “He deserves everything bad that’s happened to him.”

“He is unnatural,” Nikoletta said.

Ernie maneuvered himself in between Owin and Siora, pushing Owin back more every second. Owin didn’t take his eyes off Siora’s, even as he stumbled backward.

“Unnatural? Then why are there goblins in the fucking dungeons? Did the gods accidentally create them? Is everything inside the dungeons unnatural? Because if so, you might want to drop that gear you’re carrying. It might poison you, hero.” Katalin rolled her eyes. “Some of the dumbest fucking things people say.”

“An alchemist wouldn’t understand what I see,” Nikoletta said.

That statement earned a side eye from Siora before the soldier returned her mocking smirk to Owin.

“Leave us alone and we won’t bother you,” Ernie said.

Siora laughed. “Not a chance. Hey goblin, how would you feel if we killed these friends too?”

Owin slipped past Ernie faster than the alchemist could ever hope to react. The Thunderstrike Maul was already glowing brightly as he swung it down, aiming to smash every bit of Siora’s skull.

Her sheathed sword swung up, barely blocking the hammer swing. She was pushed back into the ferry wall as Owin fell to the ground.

Nikoletta’s eyes and mace glowed with bright luminous power. “We will defend ourselves.”

Siora’s smirk grew more vile. “I can handle this.”

Owin readied his hammer. He had a long way to go before it was charged, but a few swift movements could get it close. As confident as Siora was, she wouldn’t survive a fully charged attack with his current strength. He would make sure of it.

He jumped, swinging the hammer around. It was fine to be predictable. The attacks weren’t meant to kill yet. He only needed to move the hammer, to get her off balance, to show that he wasn’t going to run out of energy.

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She angled herself to the side, blocking again, but was knocked backward. A few quick, panicked movements brought her near the edge of the ferry. “So quick,” she said quietly.

Owin leapt again. The hammer was gaining charge quickly. The faster he moved, the faster it charged. After getting his dexterity up, moving on the surface felt incredibly quick compared to maneuvering around under the water.

Siora’s gauntleted hand smashed into Owin’s stomach, flashing as the hammer fell from his hands. There was nothing he could do as the metal shaft dropped from his grip. He tried to pick it up again while it fell, but his hand refused to close.

Siora caught Owin in mid air. Her eyes were hard as she pulled him close. “Those born as scum, die as scum.” She tossed him backward. Owin reached out, failing to catch hold of anything. He only had a brief glimpse of the alchemists before he fell past the railing and splashed into the rough, cold water. Dark washed over as he sank like a weight into the ocean.

***

Katalin watched Owin plummet over the side. Water splashed over the side as the goblin disappeared. She grabbed Ernie’s shoulder. “He can’t swim.”

Ernie shed his backpack, letting the bag drop straight to the deck. Before Katalin even realized what he was doing, Ernie sprinted to the edge and dove into the rough ocean water.

She ran to the edge, looking for any sign of Ernie or Owin. So far, there was nothing.

“What kind of fucking monster are you?” she asked, turning to Siora.

The soldier was holding the Thunderstrike Maul with the same dumb smirk on her face. “Me? He is literally a mob walking around like a human.”

“Put the hammer down.”

Siora raised an eyebrow. “What is an alchemist going to do about it? You think you can win because you’ve got a couple levels on me?”

“Captain,” Katalin shouted.

The ferry captain left her post and walked back, taking in the scene. “The goblin act up?”

“Yes,” Nikoletta said. “He attacked Siora.”

“I didn’t fight back. I only disarmed him and threw him overboard,” she said innocently.

“I’ll report it. Thanks for not fighting on my vessel.” The captain didn’t bother with anything more than that.

Katalin supposed Siora was right. She had baited Owin into attacking. From the perspective of the authorities, Owin was the criminal, though if he was alive, this would serve as a punishment. He didn’t actually hurt Siora, even if he wanted to.

Katalin looked back where Ernie had jumped in. Still no sign. She felt nauseous as she watched the waves.

“Are you enough of a moron to hire the Nimble Hogs?” Siora asked. “You get what you pay for.”

“You’re a fucking idiot,” Katalin said. She sighed. Althowin is going to flay me for using her name so much.

“Am I? From where I’m standing, I look like the victor.”

“Do you know who I am?”

Siora’s index appeared again. “A nobody.”

“Katalin Miksa, second apprentice of the 7 Shard Hero, Althowin Alegarra.” Katalin gave an exaggerated bow. “Mother fucker.”

“Fuck,” Siora whispered.

“What of it?” Nikoletta’s luminous energy vanished, leaving her eyes bloodshot and exhausted again. “A second apprentice is hardly worth our attention.”

“We’ll have to ask Vephthru Veriss how she feels about being banned from Althowin’s workshop. You see, my master doesn’t take kindly to people antagonizing her apprentices.”

“You’re unharmed,” Nikoletta said. “We have no quarrels with you.”

Siora dropped the hammer, where it cracked the boards at her feet. “The other one,” she whispered.

Katalin gestured behind her where Ernie had dove in. “Ernworth Eckelson, Althowin’s prime apprentice. He is now trying to save our escort who you so carelessly tossed in the water.”

“The goblin can make it back,” Siora said.

“He can’t swim, you dumb ass.” Katalin marched forward and snatched the Thunderstrike Maul. She could barely lift it and practically dragged it back to Ernie’s backpack. “I will ensure Althowin never works with Void Nexus again, and Veph will know it’s because of you two.”

“No,” Siora said. “We can work for free. We can make up for it.”

“If Ernie doesn’t make it back, I can’t imagine you will survive. You see, Althowin interprets actions against her apprentices as actions against herself. Even if Ernie gets back, you have fully disrespected the 7 Shard Hero.”

“I can get anyone from Void Nexus to escort you. It doesn’t have to be us. Anyone for free. For life,” Siora practically shouted. Sweat had formed along her hairline. “I can . . . Fuck. You’re not affiliated. How are we supposed to know?”

“Anonymity has its benefits. Althowin doesn’t want everyone to know who we are. You know who does know our names?”

Siora slumped onto the bench. “Veph.”

“Veph,” Katalin agreed.

Nikoletta remained standing. She stared at the dented head of her mace. “The goblin and his knight were killers.”

Katalin grabbed Ernie’s backpack and quickly checked the contents. She slipped it over her shoulders. “I knew Artivan personally. Don’t try to convince me he was something evil.”

“Artivan Morro, the Sovereign One,” Nikoletta said. “Whatever hero you knew wasn’t who I fought at the end.”

Siora, defeated, nodded as she watched the floorboards.

“What do you mean? I’ve heard Owin’s story about his escape after you all chased him.”

“Then Siora killed the knight. That should have been the end of it.”

“It should’ve been,” Siora muttered.

Katalin glanced back at the ocean. Nothing. “Tell me.” She needed something to occupy her mind.

“The goblin cursed the knight before fleeing. When Siora struck the knight down, the curse took hold. The dungeon told us the Sovereign One had risen.”

“The Hog became a lich,” Siora said bitterly. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“My Miklos was ripped to shreds.”

Siora nodded slowly. “The lich killed four of us in seconds. Before I went through the nexus, he talked to me.”

Katalin’s mind was turning. Artivan was a lich? Did that mean he was still alive? She had never once heard of the Sovereign One, and she had been in the Great Forest a number of times. “What did he say?”

Siora turned her gaze back to the floor.

“What did he say?” Katalin demanded.

“Owin will never let you find peace.”

Katalin found herself mimicking Siora’s earlier smirk. “Was that all?”

“No. I keep hearing the words in my fucking head. He stood there, a monster covered in the viscera of my friends, of heroes.”

“What did he say?” Katalin asked again.

“He’s a better human than you.”

“And that bothers you, huh?” Katalin shook her head. “You’re pathetic.”

“Pathetic?” Siora jumped to her feet. “The first time I approached them, the Hog cut Titus in half. We didn’t even need to fight, but the fucking goblin leapt at Elas and couldn’t stop him.”

“No.” Katalin sat on the edge of the Thunderstrike Maul. “You’re not convincing me that Owin or Artivan were in the wrong. You’re too scared to even say their fucking names.”

Nikoletta’s eyes flashed yellow as Luminous Surge triggered for just a second before vanishing. “Your threats don’t intimidate me. I survived without Void Nexus before, and I will again. I will fight for the cathkabel and the gods, and your goblin and his abyssal allies will fall.”

Siora sighed. “Let me talk to Althowin.”

“Absolutely not. She has no time for you.” Katalin watched Minolitana Prima grow bigger as they neared the dock. “If I wasn’t stuck on the ferry, I would also have no time for you. You two are quite the duo of dumbshits.”

“At least the goblin is gone,” Siora said. Her face was red and sweat glistened her skin, even with the ocean breeze.

The captain slowed the ferry down as it drifted to its position on the dock. A few scattered heroes were waiting for a ride to the Ocean.

“We’re leaving,” Siora said.

“I have no reason to stop you. Just because you’re a piece of shit doesn’t mean you broke the law.” Katalin glared at the two Void Nexus heroes. “Don’t be surprised when you hear from Veph.”

Siora sighed. She strapped her sword belt back around her waist and waited at the edge of the ferry.

“One thing,” Katalin said as Siora and Nikoletta readied to depart.

Siora looked over her shoulder.

“Artivan never lied. What was it he said to you?” she asked with a smile.

Siora scowled and stormed off the ferry. Nikoletta clenched her jaw and followed the soldier silently into Minolitana Prima.

Katalin remained at her same spot on the Thunderstrike Maul. The captain stopped on the deck and stared at her for a second.

“I’m riding the ferry until we pick up my friends.”

“The goblin isn’t coming aboard.”

“Those heroes murdered a hero that protected the goblin in the Great Forest. They’re killers and they baited him into attacking. I don’t care what your opinion is on a goblin walking Verdantallis, but Owin, the hero, is going to be getting back on the ferry when we find them.”

“No.”

She really is going to kill me. “My master, Althowin Alegarra, will have her own opinion on the matter. I am going to send her a message quickly. Hold the ferry until I return. If this hammer is gone, I’ll bring my master here to handle it.”

The ferry captain’s jaw dropped.

Katalin marched off the ferry, pushing past heroes who had just overheard the conversation. She really needed to stop dropping Althowin’s name to solve her problems. A message booth was nestled into the retaining wall beside the stairs leading into the heart of Minolitana Prima. Some vandals had painted over bits of the message booth, but that was fine. It didn’t interfere with the equipment.

Katalin picked up the device and typed out Althowin’s identification code. She slipped a dungeon gold into the machine. It took a few hours for a message to reach its destination, but it would reach Althowin long before Katalin could. When one considered the hours of time it took to travel through the portals, messaging was still the quickest way to communicate.

Void Nexus has attacked me, Ernie, and our Nimble Hog escort.

I am alive. Ernie and the goblin, our escort, are missing. I am searching for them.

We will be late delivering the gilled mushrooms. We will bring the goblin back to Atrevaar before returning.

Void Nexus heroes: Siora Rilokos, Nikoletta Olah.

See you soon.

Katalin sent the message and set the device back down. She walked back to the ferry to find it fully loaded with the hammer untouched. The captain watched warily as Katalin boarded again.

“I didn’t mention you in my message.”

The captain nodded.

“We’re bringing them back safely.”

She nodded again.

Katalin ignored the looks of the other heroes and sat on the edge of the Thunderstrike Maul.

They’re going to be safe. Katalin wanted to lay her head down and let her eyes drift close. Sleep would take her in seconds, even with so many people looking at her. But she couldn’t.

Ernie is safe. He was a strong swimmer. He was a strong person. After her outburst outside Ligala Lepis, he wouldn’t let anything happen to Owin. She knew that. Ernie prioritized Katalin over anything else, no matter how many times she told him to stop.

He needed to move on from their childhood, but it wasn’t that simple, was it? Vekuborg had remained in both their minds, never pulling its tendrils free. It clung as a constant reminder of the loss and the horror.

Nobody should feel unsafe. Katalin leaned her head against the hammer’s shaft and watched the blue sky. The sun was harsh with so few clouds, and her skin already felt like it was starting to burn. At least she felt dry.

Katalin started sorting through recipes in her head, filing in the new frenzy poison she had made on the third floor. She knew she could sit and worry, or she could use the time to let her mind work through some alchemical problems that would help both Owin and Ernie in the future.

And they would have a future, because they were going to be waiting for a ride back to the mainland.