Darkness faded into consciousness.

Fingers ran through her hair.

A soft melody began to take shape, gently pulling her consciousness out of the abyss.

La, la, la, la, la, la

Hush, little darling, don't you sigh,

Mama's gonna buy you a dragonfly.

And if that dragonfly won't soar,

Mama's gonna buy you a wizard's lore.

And if that wizard's lore is thin,

Mama's gonna buy you a magic djinn.

And if that magic djinn's asleep,

Mama's gonna buy you a crystal keep.

And if that crystal keep's besieged,

Mama's gonna buy you a mystic deed.

And if that mystic deed is torn,

Mama's gonna buy you a unicorn.

And if that unicorn won't prance,

Mama's gonna buy you a fairy dance.

And if that fairy dance is shy,

Hattie’s eyes fluttered open. Sunshine peeked at her through the windows, draping her in a warm blanket of light. Nara sat on the bed beside her, fingers intertwined with Hattie’s orange hair.

“Good morning.” Said Nara, fingers pausing mid stroke.

“Where? Is this… the guild?” Questioned Hattie, wiping the sleep from her eyes. She felt like a field after a summer rain, slightly used, damp, and comprehensively refreshed.

Nara produced a spare pillow and used it to prop Hattie up.

“This is your room. In the Tantalus guildhall.” Said Nara.

Hattie knitted her eyebrows together. Tuxford was so small it was more of a thorp than a town, not worthy of being noted on any maps. Despite this they had managed to build a guild hall while she had been unconscious. Nara saw her confusion.

“You’ve been asleep for two days.”

Two days! How? “Was I poisoned?” Hattie asked.

“Ha! No, you’re just a frail little girl.” Said Nara, winking at her.

Hattie wrinkled her nose. “I am not!” She said, trying to rise.

The world swam in her vision, blurring and twisting like a saharan mirage. “Whoa…”

“Frail.” Repeated Nara, steading her with both hands.

“You’re suffering from the Lordly Lamentation, leveling sickness. Your body couldn’t handle the strain of going from single digits to… Well, Kendra couldn’t tell us how high you reached.” Nara leaned in, her angular face so sharp that Hattie thought it might cut her. “So? Just how many levels did you gain?”

Lordly Lamentation —called that by nobles who practiced the ritualized patricide— was a disease Hattie thought only applied to worthless nobles. Men or women who had wasted their lives only to receive a fortune at the tip of a dagger.

“Eighty something. Happy? Now get your udders off me you old heffer!”

Nara’s mouth dropped open in shock, curling into a smile at Hattie’s taunt.

“Jealous? Don’t worry, you still have time to grow and they get bigger after a pregnancy or two.” Retorted Nara.

It was Hattie’s turn to recoil in shock. “Mommy Nara?” She mumbled, drawing a wave of laughter from the half elf. Her laughter was a healing elixir to Hattie’s knotted mind, as the laughter faded she found herself wishing for its return.

“I’m glad you’re finally up. When you passed out, Tantalus kicked the whole party out, teleported us right to the entrance like it was nothing, loadstones be damned.” She shook her head, a frown revealing her sharp incisors. “We could all die if we piss off this dungeon. The greedy old man had the gaul to snag some of the gold coins in the entry way. Though, I can’t complain how he is using them.” Said Nara, squishing a pillow into Hattie’s face.

A plush cloud covered her face, nearly drowning her in silk and soft down feathers. Back on the farm, they used pillows full of straw or lumpy sacks of potatoes, this was a luxury Hattie did not know existed.

“Oh, ho ho.” Hooted Hattie, nuzzling the pillow and sending Nara into a fit of laughter.

“Konrad said something about being Nestor’s executor, I guess your grandpa let him manage his earnings. Every bounty, every reward, every magical item that Nestor earned is collecting interest for little old you.” Said Nara.

Reminding Hattie of something Nestor had always liked to tell her. ‘if you ever need money or a bed to sleep in, ask for guildmaster Roark, he owes me a few small favors’. Though, that was just like Nestor to underplay his wealth. A ‘few small favors’ probably amounted to a dozen baronies.

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“Why do I get the feeling that I’ll never have to think about money again?” Groaned Hattie.

“Oh, did your oracle powers tell you that? Ha,” Laughed Nara, seeing Hattie roll her eyes. “But really, Konrad is paying me ten gold coins - a month - to ‘keep you safe’. Built me a room connected to yours and is covering all our expenses in any guild. I was so stunned I opened my big dumb mouth and told him I would do it for free! Can you guess the miser’s answer?”

Hattie could guess. “Something about having more than enough coin?” She asked.

“More than enough. More than enough! You’re underselling it! His response was ‘Nestor set aside a few million gold for your protection.’ I didn’t even know what a million was until Konrad showed me his ledger and wrote it out!” Cried Nara, flabbergasted by the amount of wealth they fell into.

It unsettled Hattie, what good was wealth when the Leviathans were destroying one town at a time, no amount of coin could resurrect Diana or Henry, or give her more time with Nestor.

“I don’t want it. You can have it.” Whimpered Hattie, curling into a ball around the down pillow.

A hand whistled through the air, slapping her across the face. “OW!” She had never been hit so hard, tears sprayed from her eyes and it felt like her jaw was dislocated. Heat flared in Hattie’s soul, indignant rage at the betrayal of her generosity. Nara knelt over her, cold death in her elven eyes, the scar running through her pupil echoed the scars over their hearts.

“Human! Throwing away your future won’t bring anyone back. Do you think you are the only one who has lost their parents? Where were you when my mother coughed up blood? When my son died? Have some gratitude, your grandfather loved you! Gave you everything he had!” Shouted Nara, slipping into a tone that reminded Hattie of her middle name.

She swallowed, trying to clear the lump in her throat and choking instead. “Euck”.

Within a heartbeat Nara moved to her side, gently propping her up so she could breathe. Nurturing her charge with a dark frown across her face. The frown softened when Hattie cast Heal on herself, her jaw crunching into place.

“I- I went too far. I’m sorry. I’ll be in my room if you need me…” Muttered Nara, moving to the second door in Hattie’s room.

Hattie followed her, eyes lingering on the glass in the window before focusing on the reinforced door behind her.

“Wait…”

Her hand fell on the door latch, a second away from leaving Hattie alone; the one state that terrified her more than being hit, or the dungeon, or a Leviathan.

“Please… uhm. Stay with me. I’m-”

Nara wrapped her arms around Hattie, both women understanding they had gone too far, and both wishing for reconciliation. Nara’s long life warned her to act, to tease and joke to soften the pill that was their pride.

“That’s my room! Konrad had our rooms conjoined.” Squealed Nara, changing the topic.

The half elf’s glee infected Hattie and soon she found a smile creeping across her repaired face. In the weeks since Nestor’s passing Nara had become her shadow. An obsession that terrified and excited her, it made her feel like she belonged, that she had a family once more.

Nara broke contact first. “Now that you’ve rejoined the living, how hungry are you? Kendra finally managed to chase Matimeo and his oat mush out of the kitchen so how about it?” Nara asked, her eyes full of warmth.

Hattie remained in bed, intrusive thoughts getting the better of her. I have to level up, and soon, but who can I ask to help me plan out my talents? Wait, I’m not the only oracle. I just need to find one of the others. Without accepting the level ups she would remain ‘frail’ a weakness she could not entertain for long. Yet, leveling up was not her only concern.

“When grandpa found me, back at Matimeo’s cottage, I found out his true level…” Began Hattie.

“Heughhh.” Gasped Nara.

The air left her lungs as if she had been punched in the solar plexus. Hattie winced, terrified of pushing away the only family she still had in this world.

“Nestor told me… Said that there was more to evolution than reaching one hundred…” Said Hattie, watching Nara for any sign of offense as she spoke.

Nara did not move. She seemed frozen in place, not even breathing. Hattie continued not daring to let her question go unasked.

“He never told me… always changed the subject, telling me stories of the ancient elven gods. The elves who evolved into deities.” Whispered Hattie.

In their private room her whisper was crisp and clear, solid wood and a carpeted floor dampened the noises of a bustling guild below. Easily crossing to Nara’s elongated ears. The half elf closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. When she reopened her eyes she stepped forward, catching Hattie’s hands and pulling her onto her feet.

“In my journal is a record of everything Lord Quade told me. It’s in the dresser beside you, in case…” She began.

In case you die? Thought Hattie, fear gripping her heart. What could kill a level one hundred elf? Or Half elf?

“Hattie listen, do not read it. He did not evolve, and neither can I… We reached the peak, only to fall off the mountain side. What wisdom can you glean from those who failed to finish the race?” Answered Nara.

Hattie could not believe her ears, the secret to evolution was within her reach, a meer foot from where her hand was now. The answer to her dreams was recorded and offered freely.

“It’s right there… Why shouldn’t I read it?” Wondered Hattie, glancing towards the dresser.

Nara caught her by the cheek, cupping both cheeks in her hands. She pulled Hattie’s gaze onto hers, and for the first time Hattie realized how much of a woman Nara was. Her elven blood ran strong, gracing her with the lithe form of an elf, well over six feet in height, with an implausibly toned figure, slim, yet curvaceous, more so than any human could hope to be.

Standing this close to Nara, other deviations became apparent. The unusually small skull and delicate bone structure of her face, fingers that seemed a touch too long, and the length of her legs and arms. With a pelvis equal in width to Hattie’s despite Nara being a foot taller than her; A foot and a half if you counted her ears.

Nara interrupted her thoughts. “You aren’t at the cap yet. When you reach it… we can… I… I can’t explain it, but Nestor’s last words left me feeling… robbed. As if knowing the key means you can never find the lock. I wanted to ask Kendra, but she wouldn’t have it. She said you were the only diviner we could ask.”

It took all of Hattie’s will to nod her head, damnit Kendra, don’t dump this on me! Nara smiled and led the way out of the room, giving Hattie a quick tour of the guild hall. It was easily the largest building in Tuxford, far larger than Lord Tuxford’s manor and there were clear plans to expand, adding enclosed stables, a barracks for soldiers, and a cellar large enough to feed an army. Or keep konrad from starving… Maybe he really did grow up poor. Glimpses of a wooden palisade could be seen through the windows, manned by men in colors of Fallbrook and Crowell, survivors and reinforcements. The dead are coming.

Nara swept through the guildhall, oblivious to the danger, or perhaps the mature woman was at peace with violence on the horizon. She practically carried Hattie through the wings, their twin rooms were nestled in the middle of the second floor, shielded from the guild by the employee rooms.

Konrad’s room was adjacent to Hattie’s and the other nine rooms in the corridor were reserved for guild employees or visiting lords. A not so subtle sign of the regard he now held for Nara and Hattie.

Or he could just be keeping a promise to mom… Or grandpa… “Can’t carry it with me so why don’t you put it to use somewhere. Dig a well or give it away, gods know I have too much of it already.” Is what he would have said. Thought Hattie, remembering another happy memory of Nestor.

His casual treatment of money had irked her mother back then, but now Hattie wondered if he understood the world in a way she did not. What was the value of a million gold if she couldn’t use it to heal her heart? Gold that went unused was without value, it wouldn’t help her evolve, or grant her strength.

They reached the stairs leading into the main guild hall, and Hattie froze. Taken aback by the multitude of adventurers below her. From fully armored knights to robed wizards and tempting sorceresses, every variation of adventurer could be seen. Most were milling about, discussing past adventures or potential alliances. Her eyes activated, making the guild hall glow like the sun. Hundreds, no thousands, of magic auras assaulted her eyes, a blinding heat that sent Hattie tumbling onto her ass.

She blinked, covering her eyes and praying for the lights to stop. Muttering her fears aloud. Minutes passed, and Hattie confronted the truth. She was alone, Nara was nowhere to be found. Her heartbeat hastened, thundering in her chest at the thought of being alone. Was she still mad? Did she notice me fall? Where did she go?

Hattie risked heartbreak for a peek, cracking her fingers open to find Nara crouched in front of her, arms folded over her knees.

“I’ll get a table so you can eat in your room, but not for a couple of days, can you endure it til then?”

Hattie nodded, and slender fingers picked her up with a steel strength that reminded her of Nestor. Checking Nara’s status screen she saw the accepted levels and the accompanying stat increases, Nara’s agility was her primary stat, but she had spared a few points for strength. A decision that elevated her to the level of expert warriors. Hattie quivered in fear, Nara could snap her spine in an instant, she needed to watch herself and take care not to offend the half elf.

“I’ll manage.” She said, more to reassure herself that she could, than to answer Nara’s question.