The two struck out in a north-eastern direction, following guidance that Esk had given to them. The sun was slowly tilting toward the horizon, morphing into a red smear in the distance. The night sky following behind it was a deep purple shade, marked with swirls of stars unlike any Sydney had seen back home.

For their trouble, Esk had given her a waterskin and a wide-brimmed hat. Not much to work with but it was better than nothing. Sydney took a few leisurely sips throughout their journey. Tulpa, however, didn’t need any.

As they went along, the spirit occasionally piped up and asked questions. “I thought you were only interested in reaching the Tower. Going after a pack of backwater raiders is quite a diversion. Why?”

Sydney pondered the question. “You spirits know anything about playing video games?”

“Not really…” Tulpa hesitantly replied, seeming to be embarrassed by her ignorance.

“Well, I used to play a few RPGs when I was a kid. Just about every one of them has a ‘main quest’ to follow, which is the big objective you gotta complete. Save the princess, kill the demon king, whatever. In our case, ‘Climb the big fucking tower’ is our main quest.”

“I see,” Tulpa said, nodding along.

“But, see, unless you know what you’re doing… it’s a bad idea to rush the main quest. You could run up against something too strong to beat, or miss out on some really good equipment. So you do side quests to bolster yourself. I do this side quest, get a bike from the Speed Creeps and some gear from the Elpeths… it’ll be a big help for doing the main quest.”

And she had to assume that at least a few of her competitors were going to look before they leaped, and get into a spot of bother for their troubles. Certainly, that would make things a touch easier for her.

“Ahhh, I understand! You’re pacing yourself. Getting equipped in the lead up to your journey. My, that’s rather clever!”

Sydney tilted her head. “You uh… you think so?” When was the last time anyone had called her any kind of smart?

“Oh yes. I’ll admit this is my first time following a human during a Game, so much of this is new to me. Learning your tactics will be very beneficial.”

By the time the sun was sinking fully into the horizon, replaced by a massive silver moon that bathed the rocky landscape in pale light, Sydney could see the outline of the Sons of Speed camp. A few crude towers had been built upon the tall rocks, torches casting beams of light onto the sands, while cookfires flickered in the darkness.

All the while she hadn’t caught a glimpse of any other bikes coming or going. Either Esk had been exaggerating about the risks the town face, or Lord Ozborne was in no rush to avenge the humiliation of his men.

With the camp in the distance, and slowly drawing closer, Tulpa perked up with another question.

“Say… you seemed really mad when you saw that Elpeth being attacked. Why is that? If you don’t mind me asking. I wouldn’t have expected you to care as much as you did.”

“Guess… I have a thing about injustice,” Sydney replied. “I don’t like seeing shitheads get away with shithead things.”

“It almost sounds personal when you say it like that,” the spirit said, tilting her head.

She took a breath through her nose. “Yeah. I saw a pretty bad injustice when I was younger. Affected me right down to my very core.” She trailed off. That look in Tulpa’s eyes made it clear she’d keep probing for more information, so why not just give it to her?

“Used to watch a lot of cartoons when I was a kid. And there was this one series I saw a lot of, about this cat who was regularly… harassed and tortured by this total asshole of a mouse. And the mouse almost always got away with it. Same thing over what must’ve been… a hundred cartoons or so.”

She trailed off, staring off into the horizon like a traumatised veteran. “Seeing that as a kid… it tuned me into the injustices of the world. And I wouldn’t ever let myself stand back to watch anyone get tortured like that funny cartoon cat.”

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Tulpa watched her with a flat, unblinking stare. Perhaps she had spoken too soon when she called Sydney clever.

They fell silent when they were close enough to get a better look at the camp. By now, from the ridge they were standing upon, she could see an abundance of Kothiri milling about, drinking, laughing, and eating portions of grilled meat plucked from the mass of some colossal beast roasting on a cookfire.

The outer edge of the camp was lined with bikes, positioned side by side. Twenty, by Sydney’s rough estimation. But when she peered through the gloom, she could see a few tents had been formed into makeshift garages with engine blocks held up on chains. They probably had a few more bikes in storage.

A great iron platform had been erected at the heart of the camp, sporting a large table behind which sat a rather large Kothiri. His size and musculature were distinct enough, but he stood out all the more from the furry cloak draped over his shoulders. From how the others crept around him, Sydney was willing to bet that the ash-haired man was the ‘Lord Ozborne’ he had heard about.

The wind carried the distant sound of laughter and chatter from the camp as Sydney and Tulpa observed from their vantage point. Sydney’s eyes narrowed as she studied the Sons of Speed, watching the guards who patrolled the outer perimeter.

Their numbers were larger than she had expected. Perhaps enough of a threat even for her enhanced strength. “I’m guessing you don’t fight?” she murmured to Tulpa.

“Indeed. Spirits are here to guide you, but are meant to avoid fighting directly. It’s… a rule.”

“Not surprising. Guess I’m going solo, then.” The numbers were daunting, but the prospect of a challenge actually made her smile despite herself. Best thing to do, she reasoned, was to rush in, take as many of them out in the initial rush as she could. Then there was Ozborne to worry about.

Supposedly, though Esk claimed to know very little about the specifics, he was some kind of sorcerer. Sydney had no damn clue what that entailed, but anything seemed possible in Elmyria. She was going to either be dealing with a charlatan, or a literal wizard. Right now Sydney was hoping for the latter.

Sydney and Tulpa drew closer to their quarry and crouched on the ridge, surveying their surroundings intently. The laughter and chatter from the Kothiri warriors mixed with the crackling of the cookfires, creating a cacophony that fuelled Sydney's determination.

Tulpa morphed into a swirling cloud of pale blue mist, reforming into a bird no larger than a wren. She flitted up to the branches of a withered black tree, of which they had passed many during their trek, and made herself comfortable.

“Well… I suppose the only thing to do now is for you to show me how ‘side questing’ is done,” the spirit said.

Sydney grinned at her companion. “Watch an’ learn.”

Strength surged toward her legs before she took to the air in a mighty leap that fractured the ground beneath her. She had tried to be mindful of her strength, but she still crossed over ten meters in a single bound. The rocky surface ground split and tore under her heels, but her shoes withstood the impact with ease. She didn’t stop to dwell on the mechanics of how that worked.

Another jump, stronger this time, carried her the rest of the way through the air. She landed a few paces from the parked bikes, the boom of the impact stirring up a chorus of curses from the gathered Sons of Speed as they were snapped from their reverie. Metal tankards were tossed aside, hands instead instantly being filled with an assortment of bladed weapons.

Sydney rushed for the nearest trio of men, striking them with a flying lariat that swept them off their feet. A circular saw roared to life behind her, the blade whistling toward her throat. Sydney’s right arm snapped upward to block the buzzing blade. It struck her forearm… at which point the sharpened teeth snapped off one by one.

They barely even left a mark in her skin.

Well, Sydney supposed Hercules wouldn’t have been a very impressive demigod if any normal blade could slice into him. A grin broke out on her face. Less reason to be cautious, she supposed.

She swept toward the next batch of Kothiri like a hurricane, batting several of them away in a series of swift blows. As ever she tried to control her strength, not wanting to kill any of them if she could help it. But some bruised egos and cracked bones would make them think twice about getting back up in her presence.

The rest of the Kothiri warriors, who had been caught off guard by her sudden and overwhelming assault, struggled to regroup and defend themselves against this mysterious and incredibly strong intruder. Yet, one by one, any who tried to rush her were knocked flat for their troubles.

Lord Ozborne, seated on his raised platform, watched impassively as he drank from a massive tankard clutched in one clawed hand. Up close he did not look too much more imposing than the rest of his kin. Physically, at least. But he carried himself with an immense confidence, unlike his cackling and shrieking underlings.

His furry cloak billowed behind him as he slowly rose to his feet. The leader cracked his neck from side to side, setting his half-empty tankard aside. He turned to face her just as the remainder of his men scrambled away from Sydney.

“I thought Kalmer was talking out of his scutthole when he said there was a Qithari in our parts. Can’t even remember the last time your ilk decided to ‘grace’ us with your presence.”

All fell silent as Ozborne strode down the steps of his dais. Sydney watched him, continuing to move from foot to foot in a fleet boxing stance. Even with nobody else moving against her, she was in no hurry to drop her guard.

Despite everything he had just seen, and knowing what she was, Ozborne was undaunted. That, in itself, was slightly worrying. “So now here you are, poking your nose into my business? Why? What do you stand to gain?”

Sydney narrowed her eyes. “Those people down by the Oasis. You’re gonna leave ‘em in peace. No more violence, no more extortion. Try and push back against me, and you’ll regret it,” she replied.

Ozborne tilted his head to the side, narrowing his eyes. “And why would I do that?” He reached up to scratch at his short crop of hair. “The resources we get from them? It’s too good to pass up.” he removed his cloak and tossed it to one of his underlings, who caught and held onto it like a blessed gift from the gods. “And besides, it’s none of your business what we get up to anyway. You just do yourself a favour and run along to that accursed tower your kind are so damn passionate about.”

The Adamantine Tower, even at night, cut through the horizon like a shaded sword. It glowed, faintly.

“I’m making it my business. So leave the Elpeth alone, or else.”The air around Ozborne slowly started to shimmer, as if struck with an immense heat. An aura that was only barely visible in the dark. “You don’t seem to understand who you’re talking to, Qithari. I rule the Sons of Speed.”

He vanished from sight, and a split second later he was behind Sydney with his fist cocked back. “And I don’t answer to the likes of you!”