“Gods, did you rob a bank?”

Mitsy’s voice echoed out across the dome, her emerald eyes shining as they reflected the sight of the pile of gold coins in Dollar’s hand. She reached out and grabbed a fistful of coins, handling each carefully as though afraid that they’d crumble into dust between her fingers. Beside her, Dollar could see Bill chewing on a coin of his own, which was the grec’s payment for the day’s work. Dollar had withheld the rest of Bill’s payment when he saw the poor coin drenched in the devilish uni-pig’s saliva.

“What can I say, I’m good at business,” Dollar grinned. “This is the power of knowledge.”

“You mean my knowledge,” Mitsy puffed her chest out proudly. “If it were up to you, you’d be giving away artifacts that households would start wars over.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Dollar went to wave his hand dismissively, but then reconsidered. “Actually, yeah. You’re right. I couldn’t have done it without you. That’s why you’re getting half of the earnings.”

“I was already getting half,” Mitsy pointed out.

“Well, now you’ve earned it.”

Dollar chuckled as Mitsy rolled her eyes, sweeping out with her hand and taking her portion of their pay into her storage collar. Between the tension of the marketplace and his meeting with Jasper there was a serious lack of unending joy in his day that he’d found himself missing. With a skip and a hop, Mitsy walked out of the dome, her excitement uncontainable and her need to smash innocent rocks into pulps once again emerging. Bill followed closely, his coin dropping onto the sand without a care and his water breathing band strapped tight around his leg.

“[Aura Sense],” Dollar whispered.

The world blazed with colors around him, but he focused on Bill in particular. The grec’s body was covered in golden light after consuming the Greil Petals, but several patches were fading away slowly, as though leaking from a tap. A sense of shame covered him. Dollar knew that each could be used to hold a symbol, and the opportunity cost of leaving the aura to waste was physically hurting him.

I could see when Uinso was attacking and the state of Bill’s body. This [skill] has more applications than I first thought, but I need to figure them out on my own. Dollar tapped his chin thoughtfully. He recalled the memory of his ancestor screaming and tearing at his heart as he stole the bloodline from her. I should cherish this ‘bond of the divine’ bloodline my ancestor so thoughtfully gave to me. And think of which symbols would be best to feed Bill.

A mass of blue screen hovered in front of him, and he opened them with a smile.

[Aura Sense has reached level 15.]

[Aura Sense has reached level 16.]

[Aura Sense has reached level 17.]

…

[Aura Sense has reached level 20.]

[Aura Sense has reached level 21.]

[Aura Sense has reached level 22.]

Just as he’d suspected, examining new auras was key to leveling up, and witnessing an entire populace of a city was a surefire way to boost the level of his new [skill]. Unfortunately, leveling the [skill] would likely become a matter of quality over quantity when he ran out of new types of auras to examine.

Okay, time to get to work. And then bed. Dollar thought. This gravity symbol isn’t going to learn itself.

A flick of his hand unleashed the gravity band containing his strongest symbol, and as he sat beside the artifact, Dollar couldn’t keep his thoughts from lingering on his family’s presence. Jasper was looking worse for wear, frail and sleep-deprived. It reminded Dollar of his time on Earth, slowly growing to hate his family.

What would have happened to me if my grandma had never adopted me? Dollar wondered. Probably nothing good. Especially not once the hate I held for my family seeped into my bones. And then there’s Ayia. The Unseeing.

Dollar didn’t dare whisper her name, for fear that the people in the city were right that the Unseeing could hear him. Ayia Tiberius was powerful enough to enter the Tournament of Kings, yet she and her brethren had chosen to come to the city of Tiber. Unlike Jasper, his other cousin didn’t appear to be a symbologist, but she was distinct from Christoff, being more than competent in her plots. If she made a play for the symbol in the lake, then he would have to take precautions.

Then again, she gave me the armor, and saved me at the auction. Dollar shook his head.

“What are you planning, cousin?”

****

Water flowed over Mitsy’s skin as she meditated within the depths of the lake. She’d heard tales of monks sitting on beds of fire or submerging themselves into cages of swords to reach inner peace, but personally she had her own method.

Crunch.

A boulder of sea stone shattered into dust at the tap of her foot, the water washing away the residue of her fallen foe. This rock, like the dozen before it, didn’t have any glossrock within it, so she moved on, wading over the lakebed to bluer pastures. Each step she took was a gargantuan effort, requiring her to push off against the stones underneath her soles with too much effort to be practical in a fight.

If there were an observer, they would note a curious phenomenon as Mitsy strode through the depths. Fish and sea life of all shapes and sizes swam into her path and across her vision as though they couldn’t see her. Whenever it seemed that one would get too close and crash into her, a small flicker of movement was all that was needed to dodge their wayward strike, the water around them undisturbed by her movements. She brushed her hand to deflect a fish with bright purple scales and smiled as it bounced off of her and then bobbing curiously beside her as it tried to figure out what she was.

Nobody can find me here. Mitsy smiled, her eyes roamed over the aura in the sky. She could hardly see it, but Dollar’s descriptions had painted a vivid picture. He sees a world of light. All I see is a shimmer. That kid is a monster.

The thought of her tiny companion caused her to chuckle, tiny bubbles floating out of her mouth and over her Necklace of Water Breathing. She’d seen the way he glanced at her when she swam away from the dome, like he was keeping her trapped within this place against her will.

He thought she was sad and missed Grisham.

True, but the old man has handled tougher situations. And we’ve been apart for longer than a few months at a time. Mitsy pumped her biceps proudly as she remembered the battles she'd witnessed her father take part in. He was a heck of a demon back in his days. Then he got bald. Oh gods, I remember the wig.

She giggled at the image of her father trying on several different wigs made of monster fur. In hindsight, some had looked good, but all of them were goofy to her younger self. Young Mitsy had giggled and cackled like a madman for a week after that shopping session.

No, Mitsy wasn’t sad. She was happy.

She glided across the water, basking in the resistance it sent her way. With a smooth kick off she shot toward another section of the lake, watching for any creatures that might mistake her for lunch, instead, a large shadow fell over her and she saw the water vibrate as a silent oink reverberated through it.

“Hi Bill!” Mitsy waved at the grec joyfully.

Bill’s eyes twinkled and he winked back, moving his horn in a vague mimicking of her wave.

The tip stabbed straight into a rock and got stuck in the lake wall.

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“You rascal,” Mitsy giggled as the uni-pig squealed with surprise. “Here, let me get that for you.”

Five seconds later her back and shoulders heaved with herculean strength and there was a pop as she pulled the massive grec out of the wall. Bill’s hooves flailed in the water as she wrapped her arms around him, carrying him like he was an oversized baby. Her armbands glowed bright red, illuminating the surroundings, although all they revealed were reeds and curious purple moss with veins of black algae running through them.

I hope that stuff isn’t poisonous because I’ve definitely seen Bill nibbling at it. Mitsy placed the grec down, and Bill sprung up joyfully, allowing the gentle current to carry his body. He was quickly joined by the numerous fish that had adopted him as one of their own, and they swam harmoniously in a circle around him.

Apparently, Bill had decided that fish were friends and not food.

“You’re enjoying this place as much as I am,” Mitsy said.

“Oink,” Bill nodded his head.

Both their words were lost to the waters, but their intentions got through.

“Yeah,” Mitsy dropped back down from the wall, enjoying the sensation of the surrounding reeds tickling her skin as she sat. The peace and tranquility flowed over her, and she felt her body relaxing in a way it hadn’t for years. “This is new. Being in a place that isn’t trying to kill me, I mean.”

Bill dropped down beside her, his hooves struggling to stick to the floor, “oink?”

“Oink oink,” Mitsy replied, her face completely serious.

The grec snorted with disdain, her attempts to communicate in his language dismissed immediately. He even swam a full foot’s distance to get away from her. Mitsy stuck her tongue out at the prudent uni-pig. Clearly, she was missing some of the subtle intricacies that came with the oinks that Bill made.

Mitsy fiddled with her choker, taking out her silver-ranked adventurer’s badge. She hadn’t been idle while they were in the lake. It was impossible for her to be. But her training had hit a plateau.

For now, she was content to sit alongside the grec and watch the sun splash over the lake as the people above tried to break through the aura covering the water.

This is nice. She thought.

As a person she’d always liked to explore, but treasure wasn’t her only source of excitement. Or adventure. She’d been on the move for years now and there had never been a quiet moment.

Walking. Hiding.

Running.

Once, she had enjoyed living in one place for years on end. Now, that was a luxury. Dollar had seen the other side of her. The one part of her that she had to keep hidden at all costs. She’d seen it in his eyes when he used his new bloodline powers.

“[Aura Sense]. Well, I definitely got unlucky,” Mitsy scratched Bill’s side, admiring the way his fur moved in the water. “What are the chances he’d have one of the rarest abilities out there? The exact thing my people want, but without knowing what it means. And he’s keeping what he saw in my aura quiet since he doesn’t want to pry. Cute. And scary. I don’t think I was that smart when I was seven-years-old.”

“Oink,” two opal eyes gazed at her with pity.

She could translate the grec’s words easily this time. He was saying, ‘you aren’t that smart now’.

Mitsy poked his belly and Bill went flying, letting out a squeal of joy as he bounced away, unharmed and used to the motion. Then he bounded back, nudging at her to do it again. So she did. Again. And again. Each time sending him further as she tested the limits of his durability and how much fun he could have.

And they say symbols aren’t magic. Psh. I’d like to see ordinary armor do this, Mitsy thought.

The sight of Bill’s horn waggling excitedly caught her attention. He’d had enough of the bouncing and clearly wanted to play a game of tag, so Mitsy stood up, her somber mood draining away as she raised her arms and prepared to catch up to the grec.

The stones underneath her feet exploded in all directions as she pushed off them, the water churning as it strained to contain her, but as she reached out to grab the grec, Bill activated his movement symbol and his body lost its awkward dynamic as he flowed through the water, his legs elegantly kicking him out of her reach. He roared with laughter as Mitsy slammed into the wall, the stones losing the battle against her head, and then the laughter died as Mitsy pulled herself out of the stone, prying it apart and turning to face the uni-pig with a twinkle in her eyes.

If Dollar were around, she knew he’d have told them that they were being extremely wasteful, and that time was money. Whatever that meant.

She didn’t care.

This is exactly what dad wanted for me. What we travelled so many years to find.

The water-dampened clopping of hooves against the stone floor was all she heard as Bill flopped onto his side, surrendering to her by rolling completely onto his back with the help of the water. His horn waved around like a white flag as he kicked his hooves out toward the sky, grinning and squealing, and she shook her head and smiled.

And now, without even trying, I stumbled onto a place where they can’t get to me. Except I think he didn’t imagine a swimming grec and so many fish when he told me he’d find me a sanctuary.

Mitsy punched out toward the air, celebrating the fact that she was finally free.

A slight tilt of her hand allowed her to dodge a stray hoof, Bill eyeing her coyly as he tried to bait her into poking him again. Mitsy raked her fingers across his belly, scratching it profusely. “I refuse, you’re turning into an adrenaline junkie. And we only need one of those on the team.”

She was trying to speak loud enough for the grec to hear through the water, but she wasn’t sure if it was working because he gave her puppy-dog eyes and tried to kick her again.

“Fine.”

Bounce.

Bill shot through the water with a squeal of delight, followed by a dozen fish. The grec had his protection symbol activated, so she wasn’t worried about him being attacked, but she stood nearby just in case.

When her companion swam back, she could see that he’d had his fill of fun and games. For now.

“It’s just a pity this has to end in a few months,” Mitsy sighed. “I mean, I’m happy to go symbol hunting. Don’t get me wrong, trying to fight off hundreds of people while searching for an incredibly powerful spell is a dream come true, but it just feels nice to not do anything for once. I need a longer rest.”

“Oink,” Bill nodded. “Oink.”

“Exactly right, but don’t tell Dollar,” Mitsy said. “I don’t think he’d understand.”

“Oink,” Bill looked at her, his eyes filled with the wisdom only a grec or child could have.

Mitsy didn’t understand him at all, but she nodded and pretended that she did.

“A few months of rest is good for the soul. There are things far more terrifying than peace and quiet out there,” Mitsy bopped the happy grec on the snout. “Ioa is ancient, and its secrets deep. No matter what age it is, or which nation rules, there will always be adventure. Let’s keep relaxing and having fun.”

Bill oinked in agreement and was met with a beaming smile and mischievous emerald eyes.

“So, you agree that we should test if I can throw you all the way back to the house?” She asked.

“Oink?”

The grec tried to run, but to his horror, it was already too late. Mitsy had gripped his sides and clamped her fingers against his skin in an iron grip.

With a mighty heave she spun on the spot several times to gather momentum, letting go of Bill at the last moment and shooting him toward the dome.

“Oooooiiiiinnkkkk!”

Mitsy watched the uni-pig fly through the water, Bill’s expression was one of delight and joy mixed with a miniscule speck of terror. She nodded in satisfaction when he landed safely on the dome and sank into its transparent wall, her aim perfect and the amount of force she’d placed both perfect.

Heh.

Dollar had asked her once how profitable adventuring was, as though he were considering it himself, but she’d been too astonished to answer. Clearly, he didn’t know the ways of this world. Like how dangerous adventuring was, or how people would often rather do something else. Her new companion seemed to have an innate and strange point of view that some people simply enjoyed being outdoors and fighting for their lives. It was like he’d heard of adventuring second-hand through an emotionless lens that left out the terrors of the night.

Which meant he’d never asked her why she’d started adventuring. Where she was going, and why she was going there, had never come into conversation.

So, Mitsy had never had to tell him what she was running from.

“I prefer it that way,” Mitsy mused as she entered the dome.

“What was that?” Dollar asked.

He looked up from the gravity symbol, and then growled in frustration as he lost focus, swiping his hand over his notebook and destroying the symbol he’d been crafting.

“Nothing,” Mitsy beamed. “Are you any closer to figuring out your new spell?”

“It’s not a spell,” Dollar waved his hand. “And give it a few more months. People usually take years to memorize these things—”

“But they aren’t you,” Mitsy said.

“—But they aren’t me,” Dollar finished. “Wait, what?”

Mitsy giggled and left Dollar to his confusion. She enjoyed teasing him like that.

As Dollar returned to his work, she relaxed. Occasionally she would pause and say hi to him, or simply watch him as he researched the symbol for hours on end. He never wavered or complained. If she didn’t know better, she’d say that he was a golem.

This little kid is going to be something really scary one day. She thought.

Dollar didn’t seem to know the meaning of the word relaxation.

Talent. Wealth. Teachers. Dollar had none of those.

He was simply relentless.

Mitsy couldn’t help but feel restless around Dollar. The boy continuously drove himself to further heights before her eyes and if the world came between him and his goals, she was willing to bet that he would drill right through it to get to them. It was inspiring.

She was putting in a decent amount of training each day, but that was only by ordinary standards. Being near someone who was battling to improve every second of the day made her itch for more. So, one day, she stopped relaxing, and trained. When she returned the next day, she did the same, mixing in a bit more training with her relaxation.

Then she trained some more.

Minutes turned into hours. Days turned into weeks.

Every day, she chatted with Dollar and Bill. But knew that they couldn’t understand her. Even if they knew the meaning of the words she was speaking, neither of her companions would ever truly understand what she meant by them. Dollar was the same, in his own way, always moving forward because he didn’t know what lay out there for people like him. Or for people like her.

It was her job to make sure he never found out. And if he did, then she hoped he never had to find out in the same way that she had.

Dollar is special. But he isn’t the only genius in the world.

Slowly, ever so slowly, she lost herself in her training and allowed herself to forget the reason she was here. Not just in the lake, but outside at all. Her only reminder was the occasional blue box poking her for attention as she leveled up. But every morning she gazed into the mirror Dollar’s mother had left in the house, examining the scar on her side. It was a reminder that she was living on borrowed time. Eventually, they would come for her, no matter how deep she hid or how powerful she became. That was why her father had let her stay in the city of Tiber and gone off alone into the maw of danger.

In a few months, her father would face off against their enemy. Hopefully for the final time.

Soon, the Tournament of Kings would begin.