Lex stopped choking me as he looked up, unable to process what was happening. I scrambled between his legs and ran to safety away from the path of the falling tree remnants. As Lex realized what was happening, he attempted to flee to safety, instead falling flat on his face. He looked down and realized I had returned his pants but wrapped them snugly around his ankles. He reached a hand out to Clea, beckoning for help.

"Lex!"

She pushed Nev aside, despite it being far too late to help her companion. Before suddenly stopping in her tracks, she put her hands to her chest and pulled back blood-covered palms. Nev was standing behind her, wearing their gnarled wooden mask. On their arm was a massive thorn larger than Clea's dagger, entering through her back and erupting out her chest.

"Lex was right, you know?" Nev said. "I should've killed you earlier."

Clea dropped to the ground, her body going limp. Nev stood behind her, looking at where the massive tree stood moments ago. Even with their mask on, I knew they were crying.

"Nev," I started before my legs went out beneath me, everything fading to black.

I awoke several hours later to the sound of a beautiful whistle, followed by another. This trend repeated until the entire forest echoed with a verdant orchestra. Nev sat against the remains of her former friend, listening to the music emanating from the surrounding forest.

"We have to stop meeting like this." I joked, forcing myself to sit upright despite the fatigue running through my body.

"They're gone."

"The Spirits?"

They nodded and looked away into the surrounding forest. I picked myself up and began inspecting the split mass of wood.

"There might be others out there."

"Maybe." They replied, seeming uninterested.

"Have you ever lived outside this forest before?"

"No, I haven't had to. I've never wanted to."

"You could try to find more Spirits, make new friends."

"I don't want new friends!" They snapped. "I want them back, but they're dead and gone."

I bent over the tree remnants, a slight sheen catching my eye. Sifting through bits of chipped wood, I plucked a small shape from the debris.

"What are you doing?" They asked as if I was debasing a corpse.

"You might be right about them being dead, but maybe not gone."

I lifted a reflective shell in my hand—a seed, more iridescent than polished gold and about the size of my thumb.

"Give me that," Nev demanded.

I handed it over without hesitation and watched for a moment as they examined the golden seed.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I... Have no idea." They said through a smile, holding the seed close to their chest.

The path to Thaxton was much different than the road to Nev's home. For starters, we didn't even set foot on an actual paved road for the entire trip. Despite the lack of Spirit's guidance, they assured me that travel to the port city would be effortless. I realized very shortly our definitions of effortless were vastly different. Steep rock climbing and intense hiking fell far outside my idea of effortlessness. However, Nev seemed entirely in their element. They used all plant life to propel themselves forward and catch themselves on long drops from massive trees and cliffs. I was curious about her abilities but didn't know of a way to ask without potentially insulting them. Fortunately, I had other avenues.

"Broke. How are they doing that with the plants?" I asked once I gained some distance between us.

They are using the Exotic Skill: Command Plants.

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"Does that have anything to do with their Spirit friend?"

No. That is an Exotic Feat: Commune With Nature.

"Another one? Exotic doesn't mean what I thought it meant. Does everybody have one?" I asked, suddenly feeling far less unique.

One in ten people have one exotic skill and one in twenty have an exotic feat. So considering you have one exotic feat and three exotic skills means that the chances of your abilities are one in twenty thousand.

"Okay, not too shabby." It almost felt as if Broke was trying to cheer me up. "How many skills exist?"

There are seven hundred thousand six hundred and twenty-nine skills. One hundred and seven are exotic, twelve thousand four hundred and eleven are mythic, two hundred fifty-four thousand and ninety are abnormal, leaving four hundred thirty-four thousand and twenty-one as basic skills. Would you like me to list them now?

"No!" I replied, catching Nev's attention further ahead.

"You okay?" They called back.

"Yeah, I'm just trying to pump myself up." I lied, unsure how they'd react to hearing my own voices.

They shook their head in confusion, but I think they bought it.

"Hey, Broke, can I make a request?"

Of course.

"Next time I come across a skill in use that I haven't seen before, explain it to me. Kay?"

You got it.

I smiled as Broke perfectly remembered some of the quality of life changes I made back before I left Hearston. Just because he was my incorporeal informant didn't mean we couldn't have a more casual relationship. At this point, Broke was probably the closest thing I had to a friend. That thought was not one that I appreciated.

"It doesn't look like he's sailed in yet," Nev stated as we looked down a massive hill onto the city of Thaxton below.

Thaxton was a bustling port city, smaller than Salinel but arranged far differently. A single road led into town and spider-webbed out from that point. Most city buildings bunched around the coast, leading to a semicircle of development with fewer buildings the farther you looked from the sea.

"Come on, I know a place to get a drink," Nev said, hurrying down the hill.

"Who exactly isn't here yet?"

"A friend who has a ship. I'll introduce you two before we split up. They can help you get across the Prathein Sea." They smiled back at me. "You didn't think I'd let you try to find your transport with the bounty on your head, did you?"

I smiled back, but the truth was I was a little disappointed. The plan had never been for them to come with me to Dulcrois, but the thought hadn't crossed my mind that they wouldn't either. It wasn't love or anything. I just felt safe with them. It was a comfort level I hadn't had since I last owned my family's tailoring shop.

Nev took me to a bar on the city's outskirts that overlooked the ocean. I began to question the validity of the bar as we strolled closer. The sound of metal clanging against metal grew louder as I watched a plume of smoke erupt from the small shack on the city's outskirts.

"Mekland!" Nev shouted as we grew closer.

"Nev!" Mekland replied, setting down a massive hammer and leaving a piece of steel to cool on his anvil.

Meklan was using Basic Skill: Smithing.

I ignored Broke but was grateful for his message all the same. I didn't know if this world considered simple actions skills I could develop. Opening my bag, I looked at the box containing the assortment of needles gifted from Deanne. Building my tailoring skills should be at the top of my priority list. But first, drinks.

The 'bar' Nev mentioned was a bench with a small wooden knee-high table in front. As they sat and got comfortable, Meklan brought over a bottle of something dripping with condensation. They slapped the bench seat next to them to beckon me over.

"What's wrong?" Nev asked. "You scared?"

"I'm just surprised. I pegged you more for the hermit type. I didn't expect you to have a spot, let alone to know anyone."

"I'm full of surprises."

"I've got one more job to finish," Mekland said. "Then I can join you two."

"Would you mind if I watched?" I asked Mekland.

"Why?" "Why?"

They both questioned in unison.

"I think it's interesting," I replied, having a couple of theories I was hoping to test.

"Of course!" Mekland replied while Nev looked over at me as if I'd grown an extra head.

Nev comfortably watched ships dock into the docks spread across Thaxton as I followed Mekland over to his forge. It was a simple process I had seen from binging late-night videos hundreds of times before. First, however, I had to gather all the information I could to learn the differences between this world and my original.

"So, how did you and Nev meet?" Mekland, after dropping a superheated blade into oil, releasing a cloud of vapor.

"Well, they saved my life, and I accidentally helped destroy their home."

Mekland shot me a look tightening the grip on his hammer.

"I didn't!" I replied, panicked. "Other bad people did, but they're dead now. So it's okay... I guess..." I trailed off as the words turned to mush in my mouth.

Mekland seemed to take the hint and returned to working as I explored his forge. I admired pieces, keeping my hands to myself until I came across a small bin tucked away in a corner.

"What's this?" I asked, bending over to examine it.

"Scrap pieces," Mekland replied. "Didn't survive the stress tests, so they're not fit to be weapons. But, I keep them there until I can repurpose them."

"Can I try something?" I asked, pulling a broken dagger from the box's remnants.

Mekland nodded in response as I focused on the blade. It had a leather-wrapped handle with a cracked onyx pommel guard at the base. Staring into the glyphs, I concentrated on breaking down the materials. Leather peeled off the grip reforming itself into a small sheet. The handle split and reformed into a solid chunk of oak while the onyx pommel guard repolished itself shrinking slightly and reforming into a cube shape. The blade remained in its hardened, shattered form, though now it lay naked.

"Impressive," Mekland replied.

I sat the broken-down materials back into his box and walked back over to Nev in our drinking space. They had plucked a dandelion from the ground blowing its ligules into the air. As the petals spread out, they focused on it, causing it to form rotating circles.

"He's here!" They shouted as a smile spread across their face, looking into the harbor.

At that moment, I knew I couldn't leave Nev behind.

A strong breeze caught the ligules, spreading them all in different directions.