“Damien…Damien wake up! I want to show you around New Dawn!” Krista shouted as she knocked on the door.

A figure in a bed pulled the covers around himself far more tightly. The figure was Damien, a thief from journey. As the knocking continued, he slowly started to open his eyes, revealing his purple irises.

“You’re too loud!” Damien shouted, “I want to keep sleeping!”

After what happened a week ago Damien had been lost, unsure of what to do next. He was in an unfamiliar place, with little to no motivation to do anything, really. He had been spending most of the week in this room, staring at the wall or the window. Though a few days ago, he had decided to sneak out and found himself at a gambling den. Won a pretty bit of chips along with a few more enemies.

“I’m going to give you 10 minutes,” Krista threatened, “If you’re still in bed by then, I’m going to wrap you in those sheets and drag you outside.”

From the tone of her voice, Damien could tell that she wasn’t kidding, so he got to getting ready for whatever she was going to throw at him, “Weapons: a dagger and my bow, clothes: shirts, pants, and my cloak, and my gadget kit: got my paint bombs, disguise kit, firecrackers, and a compass.”

Damien took a look beside himself and noticed his glasses sitting on a table stand. He hadn’t worn them in almost a year due to using contacts to protect his identity. They were black thin frames rectangular glasses, and he much preferred them over the contacts. It was a new feeling, Damien could finally walk around without hiding who I was, so he could place them right onto his face.

“Fine then Krista, I’m ready.”

Damien opened the door where he found Krista was waiting for him, now wearing the leather clothes he found her in that first day he met her, “You wear your cloak even when you’re just walking around?”

“Ever since my Grandma passed, I rarely go anywhere without it. It has a large sentimental significance to me.”

Krista gave him a sharp elbow to the gut, “Done reminiscing there, big guy, come on let’s go have some fun.”

Damien knew that Krista felt bad over what happened between himself and her relatives, so she gave him space, letting Damien heal on his own time. Occasionally, she would sit at his door and just speak to him or rather at him. Talking about her own struggles being back in New Dawn and complained about her parents. He’d never let her know, but these times really helped Damien, maybe because misery loved company. She was the reason Damien went out at all, though Krista’s barging in today was wholly unexpected.

Krista grabbed Damien’s hand and pulled him out of his room; behind her he saw Amelia, again far too dressed up for what should just be a stroll around town, and, “Who are these two?” Damien asked.

Behind the two girls were two people Damien had never seen before, a short woman with a large axe on her hip, and a short man with a sword.

“Don’t worry about them, I managed to convince my parents to let me out as long as they got to have a few guards follow us all around. They’re just here to ‘keep me out of trouble.’ He’s Gerald and she’s Sam.”

Krista had all but forgotten about the two until Damien brought them up. They were good shadows, staying close but out of the way. Never speaking unless spoken to. Grand Auntie also added that they would stay uninvolved in her personal matters, a plus that she greatly thanked Cassandra for.

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“Is it okay if I call you Krista around here, or do you prefer Kristhalla,” said Damien, “Not sure if you’re still trying to go incognito.”

“I’d definitely prefer Krista,” she explained, “That’s why I’m having these two wear normal clothes rather than what they normally wear, so that no one is likely to recognize us. Plus, I like it better when you say Krista.”

As the group walked, Damien decided to have some fun with the guards following them. Waving his hands near their heads, snapping his fingers around them, seeing if they react to touch… nothing.

“Now that’s creepy,” said Damien satisfied with his test, “Teach, are you going to be joining us?”

“Yes, Damien, is it?” Amelia asked, not 100% sure as to what to call him.

“That’s my real name,” he responded.

“Right, now that I’ve settled in New Dawn, I feel that it’s time I face the University of New Dawn.” Amelia said. “It’s the reason I joined you both in coming to New Dawn, I intended to have myself admitted.”

“A university?” asked Damien incredibly interested, “Do you mind if I join you as you go there? I’d love to see what kind of education the people have in New Dawn compared to Acumenos.”

“The university is where we’re taking you,” Krista interjected, “Right after one stop, but we have to hurry, I only get four hours. Come on!” Krista, Amelia, and Damien walked into an open clearing within the castle closely followed by Gerald and Sam. “Since we’re at New Dawn, our first destination might as well be its greatest focal point, the Grand Tree, Vitnova. You probably saw it before you even saw the city.”

Damien felt something prod him in the back and turned to face Amelia who asked, “Remember what I told you about the Grand Trees?”

He saw that she quickly could quickly turn on teacher mode, “I’m pretty sure I do. The Grand Trees produce wattiez, therefore they represent the connections people have with wattiez.”

Amelia formed her hands into a circle, “That’s correct, something I didn’t tell you is that they are only three of them, or at least we only know of three.”

Standing next to the tree, Damien was left in awe at its sheer size, from the energy he could feel flowing throughout the place. He felt a bit, well drunk, and had some difficulty standing on his own two feet, yet he didn’t want to leave. Damien enjoyed the feeling, almost wanting more of it. He came back to his senses when he saw Amelia, who had already dropped to her knees.

“Hey, hey, are you okay there teach?” Damien asked.

“Yes, I’m fine, but I shouldn’t stay here for too much longer, “she replied, “My vase isn’t all that big, so this much energy may cause my body to wilt. Help me up, please.”

Even as he went to stand her up, Damien could feel her legs shaking. He knew that she couldn’t walk in her own, so he did what he had to, “Sorry in advance,” is what he said before lifting Amelia in a princess carry.

“I! You!” started Amelia but she relented, “Just until I get the feeling back into my legs.”

“Okay, I feel like you’re mad at me, but I don’t know why you’d be made at me. Are you mad at me?” Damien asked as they made their way into the city, Amelia still in his arms. Krista didn’t respond, instead she just glared at him with an angry scowl and kept walking. Her foot unconsciously pounding against the floor as she did. She’d been that way since leaving Vitnova.

“It is strange, I haven’t seen her like this since-” Amelia started before realizing why Krista was acting this way, “By the way, Damien, you can let me down now.”

“Huh? Right, I somehow forgot I was even carrying you,” said Damien as he let go of Amelia, “You’re very light.”

His words somehow only caused Krista’s mood to get worse, “You know what that sounds like fun, why don’t we go there right now?” she asked as she stormed forward.

“I feel like I’m missing something, why is Krista so angry right now, especially at me?” Damien asked, “I don’t think I’ve done anything to piss her off today.”

“I can’t say it’s not your fault, but it is something you should get used to Dari- sorry, Damien… of Acumenos,” said Amelia with a tired look, “Vitnova help you, it’s going to be a rough couple of days.”

“What does that mean?” Damien asked, but Amelia blew him off, “Wait, what does that mean?!”