Kari cracked his bleary eyes open. The sun's direct rays stabbed into his eyes. His head hurt like someone was trying to drive a stake through his skull above his right eye. His tongue moved like a dead fish in his mouth, dried up like it had washed ashore three days ago.

He reflexively felt for water with his Gift, only to vaguely remember that he couldn’t do that anymore.

“Ugh.”

He reached for a wooden mug on the bedside table with his hand, only to roll uncontrollably out of bed, striking his elbow on the bedframe.

Kari clutched at his arm and rolled around in wordless agony for a moment.

He sat up straight, sobered up by the pain. He got up and rubbed at his eyes, finally taking a sip from the mug of water on the bedside table.

Where am I? the man wondered. He took a look outside. The street outside looked vaguely familiar.

He remembered talking to the barkeep. Frank. Franklin. And that academic woman. Lottie?

After that… Kari’s memories failed him. He got dressed and secured his things, heading out the door and down the flight of musty wooden stairs.

Franklin was at the bar, cleaning things up.

“There you are. Finally awake eh?” the friendly man said in greeting. He began pouring Kari another glass of water from the tap.

Kari was still clutching his head as he made his way from the stairs to the bar. “What happened?”

Franklin grinned, his moustache tickling his nose. “Just the usual. Drunken carousing, telling regrettable stories, getting rejected by women, planning a suicide mission to save the world. Don’t worry about paying board, friend. It’s on the house.”

“Thanks…” Kari replied, before what Franklin said had fully sunk in, “hold on, did you say, ‘planning a suicide mission to save the world?’”

“Why yes. It took some convincing but you were quite enthused by the end of it. Lorrie has gone to prepare you a weapon. True shame about what happened to your Gift.”

“… I see.”

Kari made out to head out the door.

“Hey! Where are you going? Lorrie said she’d be back by lunchtime.”

“I just need to get some air.”

“Alright then. Don’t take too long.”

Kari stumbled out the front door of Franklin’s Bar and Board.

“What was that all about?” Kari muttered.

There was no chance in hell that he would be coming back, Kari thought to himself. He was too sensible for something like that.

So, fully determined to move on with his life, he continued walking through Sarigold’s streets, wondering what he could do with himself. Ellenia seemed to be a pleasant enough place… but Kari was unsure if he could survive his journey through the swamp, especially knowing that the Elder Fairy P’tira thought none too highly of him. A small feeling in his gut bothered him, but Kari did his best to ignore it. Perhaps he would be able to make an honest living on the Antalaya plains, or perhaps amongst the people of Druford, just as the exiled Lord Exerops had done millennia ago.

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Such thoughts were going through Kari’s mind when he saw a familiar figure on the side of the road, seemingly ordering some food from a street vendor with a humble cart. The feeling Kari had been carrying was brought to the surface yet again, just like it had been last night.

The haunted man let out a big sigh. “The past just won’t let go, will it?” He closed his eyes, rubbing both his throbbing temples at once with the thumb and forefinger of his left hand.

Kari reactively turned to leave but stopped himself in the act. There was only one way to rid himself of this feeling. To take responsibility for his actions. To try and make things right, and to live a life he could be proud of.

Kari approached the boy he had seen yesterday, the boy whose house he had destroyed, and whose life he had threatened, who still wore a bandage around his head.

“Hey kid, what’s your name?” Kari asked as the boy was just leaving the street vendor, food wrapped in hand. He couldn’t have been older than thirteen summers.

“Oh, hello mister! It’s you.”

“Sorry for leaving so suddenly yesterday. I had to clean myself up.”

“Hmph, well… you still stink. My name is Danii.”

“Danii. I have something to ask of you. Your house is near that crack in the ground, don’t you? I’ll pay you ten crowns if you can draw me the magic circle visible through the crack under the street. But don’t get caught by the Angels. They could hurt you if they find out.” Kari offered. Elwin may have protested against using a child to complete such a dangerous task, but Kari had no such qualms as someone who had been forced to work hard to survive. Ten crowns was a very generous price, he thought.

“Ten. Ten crowns? You said ten crowns right?” Danii replied. His eyes were as wide as saucers.

“Yes. But it has to be accurate, and it has to be today. Can you do that for me?”

“Yes, I can.”

Danii was confident in his reply. That filled Kari with confidence. He saw something of himself in the boy. The only times Kari had been so confident as a child was when he knew he had something to rely on. His Gift. It was possible that Danii had a Gift that would trivialise his assignment. In fact, Kari would bet on it.

“Great. Meet me here when the bells toll seven times at sunset.” Kari passed the boy a crown. “I’ll give you the rest when you hand me your drawing then.”

Danii scampered off, Kari watched him go until he was out of sight. Then he left, turning back to walk towards Franklin’s Tavern with purpose.

Kari strode into the bar. Lorrie and Franklin were already there discussing something.

“Karl! There you are! I was almost beginning to worry that you had decided to wander off for good.” Franklin called, using the false name that Kari had given them the night before.

Kari took a seat on the stool he had the night before, Lorrie next to him with something wrapped up in a cloth on the bar.

“Forgive me for asking… but what is the plan, exactly? Some of the details seem to have slipped out of my mind since we last discussed ‘saving the world’.” Kari asked.

“The war is in Al Dherjza.” Franklin began, “We gather a group of like-minded able bodies, fight those Incandestine insects and reclaim the magic circle. Then, we go through with the best fighters and supplies we can muster.”

“I have a better plan,” Kari said.

“Ah, I was hoping you would say that,” Lorrie said, sighing with relief. “Franklin’s plan was sounding too much like a suicide pact.”

“Hey, I was just repeating what Karl suggested to me last night! It’s his idea, not mine!” Franklin protested.

“There’s a decent chance that I receive a copy of the magic circle used for teleportation before dinner tonight. We recreate that circle somewhere safe, and use it to teleport to Al Dherjza,” Kari suggested.

Franklin was silent, lips pursed for a moment before he started nodding slowly. “That actually doesn’t sound too bad, eh, Lorrie?”

“I agree, Frankie. So long as the magic circle you receive is accurate. The next problem would then be securing the right reagents to complete the spell. I have a friend in the Mages’ Guild that can help us with that, but I suspect that Empress Lucina’s forces have begun to keep the reagents under lock and key.” Lorrie opined.

“Surely in a place like Sarigold, it should be no problem to obtain prohibited goods. Especially if those in high places support our goals.” Kari said.

“You’re probably right. Everything has a price after all.” Lorrie agreed.

“Okay, time for lunch.” Franklin declared.

And it was so.