It was a breezy and cool autumn morning, and Zarian was in the kitchen. The morning suns had broken past the dawn horizon, bathing Central Bramblevale with their cheerful light. Heavy, blocky clouds, stacked over each other like Jenga towers, crawled across the sky at a brisk pace.

The wind picked up and whistled loudly through the kitchen. A few autumn-colored leaves blew through unobstructed. Nothing much could stop them while a big hole in the wall and ceiling and multiple floors above left the way between the mansion roof and the kitchen uncovered.

It was under this large structural hazard where Zarian stared into the sky. He had a mug of coffee in his hands and dark circles around his dark eyes.

Last night, he had to eject Ezda the Gnoll Alpha Elder out of the mansion. Thankfully, she didn’t resist him much, which made her exit much easier on the mansion or the conflict would have risked destroying the entire building.

Still, that wasn’t the only damage. To his right was more magical damage where a vertical metal crescent had slashed through multiple walls and left silver flowers and vines in its wake.

Last night, Zarian had to evict White Rose Arnold of Ambrose from the mansion after the old man lost his cool and attacked Ezda on neutral grounds. The old man had left with a dark look on his face that might’ve meant relations between him and Zarian’s party were ruined.

Ezda, of course, hadn’t cared and took the forced exit with grace, as if she’d prepared for it. Why wouldn’t she?

After all, she’d sneaked past the patrolling soldiers. She’d sneaked past the guards on the wall. She’d enjoyed a free pass through the Lovewar barrier since she was technically an ally, just like Arnold.

I need to get those rowdy gnolls under control. Zarian shook his head and returned to looking through the ceiling and the passing cloud cover and golden autumn morning. The coffee’s getting lukewarm.

He took a sip and frowned. It wasn’t hitting as it should. Maybe it needed more magic. Or maybe he should reheat it.

“Yeah, no, I’m just going to roll with it.” Zarian shrugged and took another lukewarm sip. “It is what it is.”

There was nothing he could do about what happened last night and how that pissed off their best ally in the Eternal Garden Kingdom. Besides, Zarian came out with a rather cool achievement from the event.

Zarian felt the glee of having a new trait and the disappointment that he couldn’t copy it to someone else who would benefit from it greatly. He drank from his lukewarm coffee and chuckled at the gifts that kept on giving because of his prior unorthodox actions.

As of recently, especially with the earnings from this new achievement, Zarian’s stats looked monstrous at the base amount:

Willpower: 130

Strength: 36

Agility: 40

Wonder: 92

Mysticism: 258

When he used his Overpower trait for the 25% increase, his stats looked like this:

Willpower: 163

Strength: 45

Agility: 50

Wonder: 115

Mysticism: 323

Zarian was way stronger and faster than any wizard should be at his level. His Parasite Cloak +1 body reinforcement combined with Adrenaline Jolt, Willful Might, Wondrous Speed, Mystic Toughness came with results that were greater than the sum of their parts. Especially when he could bypass the Level 0 beta weakness with Aura Channeler and Basic Aura Manipulation.

“I’m complete and utter bullshit,” Zarian said, before having another sip of his lukewarm coffee. “Hm. Then I have no choice. For the next conflict, I’ll play more of a supportive role. It’s tempting to keep rolling forward, but I’m not just in this for myself.”

I don’t want to be alone again, Zarian thought before feeling shaken and disturbed.

He hadn’t had a thought like that in a long while. He hadn’t been completely alone since he was eight, before Ariana had shown up in his life.

Where was Ariana?

“Are you okay, Zarian?” Hannah asked from behind him.

She’d been there for a while, watching him. Or more like studying him.

Zarian took another sip of the lukewarm drink. “Yeah, I’m okay. You know how it is? Sworn enemies seeing each other in our kitchen with enough power to wipe out the mansion and several other mansions nearby. And here we are, trying to keep the peace.”

He squinted through the gaping hole above his head. “Do I have to fix that? No, wait, I can make the soldiers fix it. They all owe us. Nice, nice. Got anything for me, Hannah?”

He turned to see her shake her head. Not out of disagreement. It was more of an acknowledgement of their strange circumstances.

“Naomi’s not able to say this right now because of your outrageous growth spree,” Hannah said. “But she’s gained some new stats and a new trait.”

Zarian smiled, his heart picking up with excitement. He hadn’t realized he was worried about how fast he was growing compared to the others.

There was still a glimmer of hope. Not all was lost. They wouldn’t become so estranged from each other that they were forced to go their separate ways.

They don’t need to be as strong as me. Just strong enough, please.

Hannah carried on: “It’s a rare trait. Juggernaut Hitter. It sounds like it’ll do just exactly as it says. Naomi could hit for largely more damage than what’s normal for her. But she has to take care of her own vitality.”

Zarian nodded. “That’s not bad. She and Gilbert would have reasons to work well together, since they both have sacrificial traits with considerable benefits.” Then Zarian squinted at Hannah, smirking. “There’s more, isn’t there?”

Hannah nodded, brown locks wavering. “I’ve gained +2 in Willpower and a new trait. It’s uncommon, but useful. Swift Research. It does what it sounds like, increasing my research speed and ability to find the right information I’m looking for, which extends to my enchanting work as well. Oh, and all of my growable skills are at +1, and I’ve gained a level from the sheer effort I’ve put in doing, well, research.”

“Damn, Hannah. The System really does like you.” Zarian drained the rest of his coffee and gave Hannah a high five. Para reached out with a veiny hand and gave Hannah a high five as well.

Then Para said, “Atta girl,” like she was a bellowing monster living at the bottom of a deep well. And she sounded hungry and horrifyingly evil.

Granted, Zarian was hungry, too. He had rested little last night after the fiasco of sworn enemies nearly clashing in the kitchen. The lack of rest raised his appetite by a large degree.

“Let’s eat and get going, Hannah. I think we might be approaching the point where we’ve overstayed our welcome in Central Bramblevale. Let’s make sure we accomplish everything we want from here.”

Zarian turned to see food left for him on a trolly cart and on the kitchen island. The acolyte cooks kept working at their stations, somewhat nervous, but holding up better than Zarian would’ve expected.

They were also higher in levels. In fact, a bunch of acolytes had leveled up once or even twice. Noticing that, Zarian had an interesting thought: Is being exposed by all the craziness we bring getting them some new levels?

Wow, was Zarian and his party a free experience event?

Seriously, that was crazy to think about while having breakfast.

Hannah had a small but nutritious meal. Zarian and Para pigged out as per usual.

Afterward, they cleaned up before throwing on fresh clothing and gear. Hannah refreshed the enchantments in another one of Zarian’s dapper suits. Then Zarian told Roland to have his soldiers fix up the holes above the kitchen somehow. It should keep them busy.

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

On their way exiting the barrier, Zarian found a line of injured soldiers receiving healing from Gilbert. There were hundreds of them, all of which had suffered to Zarian yesterday during Operation Domination.

Gilbert looked beat up, covered in bruises, which intensified his Healing Force +1. Naomi was standing over him, arms crossed.

She nodded at Zarian and Hannah.

They waved back as they exited the Lovewar Barrier that remained around the compound. They went on their way uncontested by the soldiers, leaving Zarian time to feel out the changes to his gear’s runes. Hanna had gone as far as altering the enchantment on the monocle.

Instead of having telescopic, light-dimming, and search functions, it now worked inversely on Zarian’s vision and brain. He could beam out a magic holographic display of what he saw from the Spectral Spider Network for others to view. This was one of many fascinating alterations and upgrades Hannah had worked on by herself.

Granted, if things worked out at the main library, then maybe all of their preparation wouldn’t be necessary. Zarian and Hannah doubted that and were ready for things to go south just in case.

Still, it was an enjoyable morning. Cloudy, too, with more shadows waiting everywhere, too

Zarian liked it when there was cloud cover. It was the day’s attempt to copy what the night could achieve effortlessly.

Zarian smiled, letting go of the stress of last night. He glanced over at Hannah and asked, “Where’s Roller?”

“On my hip.”

He looked down and saw a smooth orb the size of a base ball sitting in a cozy pouch on Hannah’s handy-dandy runic belt. Looking up and down with a more keen eye, Zarian realized she was dressed like a medieval mechanic.

She was wearing archaic overalls with a leather apron with multiple pockets stuffed with runic devices. She had on a leather helmet with a pair of goggles over that. Her Runic Gauntlet was on her right hand, while the other hand was covered in a smaller and finer protective glove. Her thick boots hit with a noisy thud, rattling the devices on her person, compared to Zarian’s silky smooth and dapper gait.

They looked like a pair of oddballs, receiving many stares from the townsfolk or a bunch of glares from the patrolling guards. The mood in the air was hesitant, uncertain, untrusting, and frightful.

The ones coming out in the morning who didn’t work as fighting men were busy souls or desperate ones. They cleared out of Zarian and Hannah’s way with hurried steps.

The vendors and store workers hid behind their business fronts, each man and woman praying to their gods that the sanctioned evil one and his odd companion wouldn’t turn toward them.

Zarian left them alone, at least for now, as he and Hannah walked through multiple autumn-colored parks and various market squares. They took a narrow street going toward the main library and followed up some stone steps leading up to an arched bridge fixed above a waterway.

They walked near a cemetery for the well-to-do between two tall stone towers with dark and aged stones. There were fewer people here except for some unsavory types and daring men with means to defend themselves.

Nobody bothered Zarian and Hannah, and he didn’t bother anyone else.

They reached the area outside the library’s perimeter without issue. They both came to a stop for a last-minute check with their gear and themselves. Hannah needed it more than Zarian, of course.

“I’m getting tense,” Hannah admitted.

“I don’t know what to do,” Zarian said. “Should I be your tank? Seems obvious. But … I’m kind of overpowered for the setting. Huh, just trying to figure out a way to make this more … interesting … is stressing me out.”

Hannah bit the edge of her lip. She turned to Zarian fully. “Let me … take the lead. As you said in the kitchen. Maybe it would do for you to take a step back and support.”

“Hm. Yeah. I’ll need to focus on something major if I’m doing that.”

“Study the third spell in your dread mire grimoire. I know you’re making headway through your gravity spell, but I’m sure you can get the third dread mire spell sooner and return to the gravity one.” Hannah smiled. “I imagine getting to the third stage of the folktale combo magic would be entertaining enough.”

“Yes, it would, honestly. That’ll tie up a lot of my focus. Still, how do you want me to support you?”

Hannah revealed a smooth, black, and oblong runic device that looked like a river stone. She activated its holographic feature. It had a list of code words Hannah would use to request support from Zarian.

Zarian could see she’d thought about this ahead of time, and the list of code words and responses almost made Zarian seem like heavy artillery. It also included maneuvers where she could enchant his conjurings before she sent the order to fire for effect.

Zarian laughed. “Hannah, you crazy woman, you. You’re making me out to be a weapon of mass destruction here. That’s nuts.”

“We’re going up against the Hemlock Family, the richest nobles of the kingdom, perhaps even richer than the royal family. Their library is infamous for its secrets and for its dark history. Not even the White Roses dare face the Hemlocks for their library could contain information that traces back for multiple eras.”

Hannah put on an icy demeanor. The same one she’d worn when she pushed a kinetic spike through the skull of a gnoll who was begging for mercy. She looked extra scary this way, despite being a mousy brunette.

“They will help us with our search for the Forgotten Kingdom,” Hannah said. “Or we will take a less diplomatic approach.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, Zarian, I’m sure. This is a universe of power. To have might makes one right.” Hannah breathed deeply. “I don’t have your might. But I’d like to use it as best I can.”

“Yes, good, okay, I like this.” Zarian let himself fall into his new role as he walked around Hannah.

The Parasite Cloak wavered and snapped dynamically, all tattered, grim, and shaped like a perforated flag made of leathery flesh and quivering bones.

Then Para shaped a portion of herself into a veiny arm with thin fingers. She patted Hannah on the head as Zarian said, “Go on, take control, Hannah. I’m your hammer. Make good use of me.”

Hannah chuckled. “Yes, I’ll make good use of you.”

Her cheeks turned scarlet with embarrassment and thrill. She was leaning into a new persona. Or perhaps this persona had always been inside of her, waiting to come out.

Despite Hannah being neutral, for a flicker of a moment, Zarian could’ve sworn there was the potential for evil in her. Yet, she didn’t feel like a threat. She felt like someone who wanted to use him properly for maximum effect while unloading the burden of leadership and doing the hard things.

Thus, Zarian allowed himself a moment to take a step back and relax. Even his evil alignment wanted to coax this new, bold, and eager side of Hannah to come out further. It could only benefit them.

And if Hannah got a little too out of line …

They could always throw Bianca at her. Not to fight, of course. But for Bianca’s sickly sweet, goodie-two-shoe influence.

For now, Zarian let Hannah take the lead.

***

Hannah was in charge. She felt it the moment her dark deity of a party leader stepped behind her, becoming an immense shadow, a colossus of power lurking under a charming but sinister facade. For the first time in her life, she truly felt like the one making the big decisions, even though she knew she wasn’t that powerful upfront.

But her potential was brilliant.

Her potential was so immense it was staggering.

Hannah was brimming with so much potential she could hardly believe it. The last time she’d felt she had great potential to make waves was when she graduated from university and was on her way to living her dream. Back then, she was no longer a stinky farmer in nowhere Alabama and was then a hot shot engineer ready to have an impact on aerospace designs.

That hadn’t turned out to be the case.

Somehow, along the way, she’d ended up working in administration for the real engineers. Somehow, along the way, she’d married the wrong man because he flew first class and was geeky just like her.

She’d figured this was different enough from being a farm girl in Alabama with little to no genuine prospects.

So she’d ignored the red flags. The abuse, the narcissism, the gas-lighting, the works. She’d won the alimony.

But she’d gone on depressed for the next two years. She’d pissed away the money on donations, alcohol, and useless things. Her house was filled with shopping bags and unopened gifts she’d purchased for herself.

She couldn’t go back home. She’d burned that bridge. She had no other real friends and had found herself mostly alone. And she couldn’t bring herself to date again.

Worse yet, he’d moved on with another brunette, but younger and prettier. Last time she’d stalked his social media, she saw they looked happy.

She’d thought about ending it all.

Instead, she’d gone shopping again.

Then the mall portal incident happened.

The koi fish.

The corrupted goblins and divine tears of Evil Goddess Shadowfell.

The man-eating and resplendent cook named Foodie.

The White Spider Dungeon where Hannah had learned to push through discomfort and really try her best. She’d chosen enchantress more for herself because she envisioned the potential in the class even if it wasn’t a direct combat class.

Then the rest was history.

Now in front of the mysterious and dark library of the Hemlock Family, Hannah felt alive like never before. And she had a demigod trailing behind her.

There was no doubt in Hannah’s mind that Zarian was beyond human. He was too stellar at doing amazing things with extraordinary power that made the rest of them feel inadequate at the best of times.

Hannah was glad she’d chosen enchantress. It helped in different areas outside of just combat, which Zarian dominated easily.

Hannah thought Naomi was insane to think she could one day catch up to the demigod. Bianca had her own specialness as the good +3 of the group. Gilbert was coping with it all in his own way along with being a valuable healer.

Hannah had it on her busy to-do list to make Gilbert that enchanted fishing rod.

They weren’t the people Hannah thought she’d come around to liking. But as the days turned to weeks, and the weeks turned to months, she saw herself staying with them more and more as they adventured the lands and ascended the levels.

Like some adult version of a found family made of Floridians.

She still had no idea what she would want from Zarian when they completed their main quest. Maybe she would think of something by then. For now, she had a Forgotten Kingdom to find, regardless of the treacherous power and dark rumors surrounding the Hemlock Family.

Hannah turned back to Zarian. “Here, keep this notation device on you. If you can study the hologram’s list of commands before we–”

“Done.” The demigod slipped the device into his cloak where a pocket dimension waited.

Hannah watched the frenzied, hungry, dimensional runes flash within the parasitic and living magic of Para. The Parasite Cloak had few weaknesses Hannah could scan. And just like its murderous and tattered appearance, the runes of the cloak were horrifying and eldritch.

Both alive and not alive.

Both fiendish and welcoming.

Para was inside nearly every part of Zarian’s body, threading herself like silk and needles, sometimes moving like worms with a runic sequence that was incomprehensible to Hannah still. One of these days, Hannah would understand Para’s eldritch, non-euclidean nature and perhaps recreate her.

Perhaps that was foolish. But Hannah didn’t care.

She was a magical engineer, and her potential demanded she achieve beyond her mortal limits. Maybe even do better than what the gods could imagine.

With a sigh and head shake, Hannah brought herself down to earth. She focused, which smoothened her facial expression.

Her ex-husband had told her plenty of times she looked a little too cold and scary when she was focused. Hannah had been self-conscious of that a time ago. Not anymore.

“Let’s go,” Hannah said.

“Yes, ma’am.”

Hannah felt a shiver go down her spine, but she didn’t let it show on his face. It was so annoying when he did that, playing pretend with the mortals. Worse yet, the demigod’s playfulness really made her feel more powerful than she truly was.

She had to be careful of that. She was most likely the ‘squishiest’ of the party without her enchantments.

She didn’t correct him, of course. She did her best to own this temporary lead position as they embarked on Operation Library.