Jennifer adjusted her leather bracers as she and James walked out of the Slayer Hub. The sun hung low, casting an orange glow over the dusty streets. Their boots crunched against loose gravel, and the faint hum of distant machinery buzzed in the background. For a moment, they walked in companionable silence before coming to a crossroad where their paths diverged.

“Hey, James?” Jennifer asked, hesitating slightly as she looked at him.

“Yeah?”

.Why did Marcy refer to you by a different name to me? I mean, if your name’s James.”

“That’s my new name. James, I mean. My old one... let’s just say I’m trying to leave that life behind. The further away I get from it, the better.”

Jennifer nodded slowly. “Got it. Clean slate and all that.”

“Yeah.” He smiled faintly. “Take care out there, alright?”

“You too.” She gave him a small wave, then turned down her street.

By the time Jennifer reached her home, the sky had deepened to a dusky gray. She peeled off her armor, leaving it in a neat pile by the door, and headed straight to the bathroom. The lukewarm water felt glorious as it washed away the grime of the day.

Halfway through, the flow sputtered and stopped.

“Oh, come on,” she muttered, staring up at the showerhead as if it would magically resume. It didn’t. With a sigh, she stepped out, dripping wet.

She needed to top up her water.

Jennifer groaned, threw on a loose shirt and shorts, and collapsed onto her bed. She couldn’t be bothered to deal with it tonight. Her eyes fluttered shut, and sleep claimed her despite the early hour.

Morning light streamed through the blinds, waking Jennifer naturally. She stretched her arms overhead, yawning deeply before rolling out of bed.

She pulled on her gear. Her armor fit snugly.

Today was about one thing: money. The thought of earning enough to not only pay her bills but maybe splurge on something nice was enough to hype her up. After grabbing a honey bread roll from her cabinet, she headed out, chewing as she jogged.

Jennifer traced her finger across the map. The nearest gate was marked in soft blue, about nine miles outside the city walls.

She sighed, the thought of running all that way weighing on her. She debated using transportation, but it was insanely expensive.

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“Not worth it,” she muttered, tucking the map into her satchel.

Steeling herself, Jennifer adjusted her armor and set off at a jog. The streets of the city were beginning to hum with morning activity, but she stuck to quieter alleys, where the cobblestones were smoother and less crowded. Her boots pounded steadily as she ran, and her breath measured. The honey bread she’d eaten earlier sat heavy in her stomach.

“Nine miles isn’t that bad,” she muttered, though her lungs burned.

She pressed on, leaving the city behind. The open fields stretched ahead of her, rolling gently under the soft light of the rising sun. The air here smelled cleaner, less tinged with the faint metallic tang of the city’s magi-crystals. She picked up her pace, jogging along the narrow dirt path that led toward the gate.

The first two miles passed uneventfully, but by the forth, her legs felt heavier. The heat of the sun bore down on her, and the sweat beneath her armor began to make her undershirt stick uncomfortably to her back. She slowed to a walk, her chest heaving as she caught her breath.

Jennifer planted her hands on her hips, looking down the endless stretch of road. “Maybe transportation wouldn’t have been the worst idea,” she muttered.

Still, she knew she wouldn’t have actually paid for it, no matter how tired she felt. She’d walked back to the city twice yesterday, dragging herself along with aching legs and no money left for a ride. If she could handle it after a day of fighting monsters, she could handle it now.

After a moment, she straightened and started running again, though her pace was slower this time. She stopped once more just before the nine-mile marker, bending over and resting her hands on her knees again. Sweat dripped from her brow, and her breathing came in heavy gasps.

Her fingers brushed against the map in her satchel, and she checked it again, confirming she was nearly there. She squinted at the horizon, where faint wisps of light blue energy began to ripple and shimmer.

“That’s it,” she said, her voice hoarse. She wiped her forehead and pushed forward.

The gate’s presence became more obvious as she neared.

Floating embers of light blue Gate energy danced above a portion of the land, flickering like fireflies.

Jennifer slowed to a walk, her chest still heaving. Sweat slicked her face and trickled down her neck, and she was sure her hair clung awkwardly to her forehead under her headband. She pulled at the collar of her undershirt, fanning herself briefly before adjusting her armor again.

“Made it,” she muttered.

As she stepped closer, her heart sank. The gate shimmered with its characteristic blue light, but the twister was nowhere to be seen. Someone had already been inside recently.

Jennifer groaned softly, wiping her face again. “Figures,” she said under her breath.

Still, she wasn’t about to turn back now. Even if the gate had been cleared recently, it could still yield something. She stepped into the glowing boundary.

Inside the gate, the air was thick with the scent of damp grass, a wet, earthy tang that clung to Jennifer’s senses. The rolling terrain was uneven, dotted with tall clusters of waving grass that swayed gently in a non-existent breeze.

Jennifer rested her hand on the hilt of her blade, taking a slow, deliberate look around. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was watching her. The grass was tall enough to hide small creatures, and while the faint rustling might have been the wind, it set her on edge.

“Not taking chances,” she muttered.

Satisfied there was no immediate threat, Jennifer stepped back onto a clear patch of dirt and activated her third skill. A surge of power rushed through her legs as her body propelled forward in a sudden burst. The world blurred for two seconds before she skidded to a stop thirty feet away, her boots kicking up dirt.