Eshaan grinned proudly. “Simple! That’s Lily for you!”

“She… does this regularly?!” For the first time, a hint of actual emotion fluttered through Camaxtli’s voice.

“For as long as I’ve known her, yep!”

“Oh now, that’s not true.” I said. “What about when we first met in the Cavern of Trials? We had a whole long trek before we blew up my locket.”

Eshaan laughed. “Alright, so you only violate all the laws of common sense every four hours then?”

I looked down at the floor scuffed my foot a bit. “That’s… not entirely fair. I just don’t want things to go off the rails.”

Lakshmi burst out laughing. “You don’t want things to go off the rails?! Things do nothing but go off the rails around you!”

I glared at her. “There is a big difference between being in the middle of unexpected events, and things going sideways from expected events!” I said, crossing my arms.

“Excuse me…” Camaxtli’s voice was still filled with odd emotion. “Are you saying that you can see probabilities?”

I turned to him and blinked in surprise, then glanced over at Soriya. Soriya shrugged, and I shook my head in frustration.

“You’re not helping.” I said to her.

She smiled sweetly. “Not trying to. Witch!”

I turned back to Camaxtli. “I suppose that’s as good an explanation as any, though it’s not perfectly accurate.”

Lakshmi snorted. “Then it should fit his tastes perfectly.” She said snidely.

“I require more data.” Camaxtli said. “Why are you doing this?” He asked me bluntly.

I blinked. “Why am I… seeing probabilities?” I asked in confusion.

Camaxtli shook his head. “No. Why are you seeking the Gates? What do you hope to gain from it? Why has the System summoned a keybearer? Are you attempting a repair? Has the system begun to fail?”

I stepped back on my heels, taken aback by his question. Why am I doing this? At first it was because of the Shadowme. But now there’s the church and the mystery and… I scowled like I’d just bitten down on a lemon.

And it’s an adventure and I’m having fun. Well so much for miss ‘going to avoid the plot entirely…’ I thought angrily.

“It’s… you know what, I’m pretty sure you can understand this. The System summoned me. I don’t know why. I cracked reality by accident trying to save my village. This summoned a… a shade of me. One that is trying to do something very bad. So I had to try and chase it down, and defeat it. And along the way the church seems to have something to do with this, and the Gates seem to think that I need to gather all of them together, and the entity seems to want to control the System, so I figured I should get the Gates first.”

I shrugged. “And now I’m looking for Gates, so I can access the System and find out why it summoned me at all.”

Camaxtli stood there, his head tipping slowly to the side. I could see the lights in his eyes flashing rapidly.

“The system… summoned you? In what manner?”

“Well, if my memories are correct, I was pulled from the Well of Eternity, and merged with an existing person here.”

Camaxtli was silent for a long time, his eyes whirling with color. Finally, he said. “This is. Unexpected. Illogical. Your statement does not match Nocturnus records. The Well of Eternity is designated as mytho-religious, and unreal.”

I blinked in surprise, sharing a quick glance with Soriya. “Uh, well… I suppose the ghost pirate who told me might have been wrong?” I said hesitantly.

“You are not speaking hypothetically? You have interacted with the soul of a dead human?” Camaxtli’s voice was fractured, and he seemed to be in almost physical pain.

I shook my head slowly. “Technically I am the soul of a dead human…” I took a step forward, lifting my hand. “Camaxtli, are you ok?”

“I am… experiencing… difficulty. This hypothetical is not matching expectations!”

“Well, I don’t want to cause a problem… maybe we should just get our airship, and you can tell us what you did?”

Camaxtli was silent for a longer moment, then said “Yes. I will need to think on these matters. For now… your airship.”

“My airship!” Lakshmi said proudly.

Camaxtli looked at her, then nodded jerkily. “As you say. This way, please.” He headed towards a spiderweb of stairs and support struts leading downwards from the catwalk we stood on.

Lakshmi huffed. “About time!” She said, and hurried after him.

The rest of us followed at a more sedate pace.

Soriya slid up to me. “You know, for a healer princess, you’re not taking very good care of your boyfriend.”

I flushed and muttered “I’m not even sure he is my boyfriend.”

Soriya laughed. “Oh come on, after that kiss?!”

I flushed even more brightly. “I was just very grateful to be rescued!” I protested weakly.

Soriya frowned. “You know, I really would not have credited you for it, but I suppose I’ll have to take a more direct hand.” She wagged her finger in front of me sternly, the pointed to Eshaan. “You are trying to recruit the android boy, obviously. I think that’s pretty in the bag, we’re following the plot thread so it’s almost forgone conclusion.” She hummed. “Though I suppose we’ll have to have some kind of testing fight first…” She shook her head. “But think about how that looks to poor Eshaan! His girlfriend is suddenly swooning after a frankly ­delicious looking not even human boy. It’s a wonder he hasn’t challenged Camaxtli to a duel already!”

I stopped dead in my tracks my eyes going wide with realization. It was true, I was acting a bit like a swooning girl, and Camaxtli really was unbearably handsome. Not as real as Eshaan though. Looks aren’t everything! I pressed my lips together, realizing that I was defending Ehsaan from an imaginary criticism that existed entirely in my head.

“Oh.” I said, stumbling a bit. I looked over at Eshaan, and back to Camaxtli. Eshaan did look a bit put out, and he wasn’t even looking at me. Now that I think about it, when I look at him, he’s usually looking back. I felt a flush in my cheeks. Well now that’s just… why didn’t I even think about that? Now how am I going to fix this? It’s not even part of the plot I don’t… have any idea what to do!

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

We descended the stairwell down to the bottom of the bay, and stepped out, looking at the partly disassembled Sparrowhawk. Lakshmi looked around, putting her hands on her hips. “How on earth did you even get it down here?!” She asked.

“A simple translocation effect, amplified by stabilized resonance nodes.” Camaxtli said.

Soriya clapped her hands together. “Oh! Oh I understood that one! Oh how marvelous, you can amplify spatial magic with an anchor point?!”

Camaxtli was taken aback again. “Uh. Yes. That’s… that’s approximately correct.”

“Oh that’s exciting!” Soriya said. Then she frowned slightly, and turned to Camaxtli. “So… when you were activated, the System didn’t exist?”

“That is not precisely correct. The System was spreading at the time I was activated, but was not yet globally implemented. Once the Alliance finished System activation, all active entities in localized time flow were forced to join, thus I am bound to use the System. The Jubilee participants, being separated from the current time flow are not.”

Soriya nodded in satisfaction. “And that’s why they don’t register to the System!”

Lakshmi pulled her head out of one of the holes in the Sparrowhawk’s hull. “So you’re not human, but you use the System like we do?”

Daniyel raised an eyebrow. “Why are you surprised by this? The Monanin and Sylvanin are not human. Their use of the System is well documented.”

Lakshmi took a step back, looking affronted. “I’m not surprised!” She said defensively. “Just… curious!” She poked at Camaxtli’s chest. “He’s a completely artificial being, who uses the System the goddess set up! What are your classes, anyway?” She asked.

Camaxtli answered blandly “Commander 5, Loremaster 5, Tinker 5, Symbolist 5, Weaponmaster 3.”

I couldn’t help the broad grin that spread across my face. Level 23,just like the rest of us. I thought smugly.

Lakshmi exclaimed “Level 23? Even after 4000 years!? We just reached level 23!” She gestured to our group. “And what the heck is a ‘Symbolist’!?”

Camaxtli shook his head. “I have no method of comparing myself to the norms of the outside world, the System is not relevant to the majority of my tasks. If people of your age have just now reached level 23, then I conclude that level 23 is very low.” He shrugged. “I have not been attempting to level. As I stated, the System is largely irrelevant to the majority of my tasks. I find it provides a useful shortcut with more complex tasks, but provides no assistance with basic tasks. In addition, my directives are quite clear, I am to function until the System destroys itself, and relying on a mechanism which will disappear is suboptimal.”

Our group shared a glance, and then Soriya said “Actually, level 23 is considered to be fairly advanced.”

Camaxtli nodded gravely to Soriya. “Interesting. I thank you for the information.” He turned to me. “I have finished processing your statements. They are illogical, and do not match my programming, yet you were able to reach the lower levels of Nocturnus easily, despite the current elemental infestation. If you are indeed a Keybearer, logic dictates that I should assess your current threat levels, to determine your capabilities. Therefore-“

I groaned loudly and stomped my foot rolling my eyes. “Oh come on!!! A test fight?! To ‘gauge our strength’?!”

Camaxtli paused again, frowning. “This is the most optimal method to determine-”

“No, stop!” I angrily pointed at him. “This is stupid! If you want to know how strong we are, come with us and watch us in action!”

Camaxtli frowned. “That is counterproductive. You may not be as strong as you claim, and I would waste time away from Nocturnus.”

I opened my mouth to argue again, and stopped short hearing the sound of steel sliding out of a sheath behind me. “If he wants to fight, Lily, I say we give him a fight!” Said Eshaan eagerly. “I’d be happy to show him just how serious we are!”

I groaned and buried my face in my hands. Why Soriya, why did you have to be right about this?!

Camaxtli held out his hand, and a glittering tracery of light that resembled an intricate circuit pattern burned into existence curving into the shape of a katana, materializing as a metal blade with glowing circuit patterns etched along its length in glowing blue light.

“Combat mode activated.” He stated, and then blurred with astonishing speed towards Eshaan, his sword outstretched in a strike.

Eshaan barely got his blade up in time, brilliant sparks appearing as the two blades clashed.

“Please, you two, this isn’t necessary!” I pleaded, pushing a {Persuade} as hard as I could, with a dose of heavy mana behind it.

“Unacceptable. Interference will delay the test. Initializing counter field.” Camaxtli spat, and lept backwards, holding up his hand. Brillant spears of light filled the air around him, circuit patterns filling into little floating droid bots. I could feel something pushing back at me, the feeling of my {Persuade} draining away into nothing.

One of the new robots spat a golden energy stream at Camaxtli and a glowing honeycomb barrier of light appeared around him, narrowly deflecting a blurring fast strike by Eshaan.

My mouth dropped open. I had never felt anything like that happen before. He can just… negate a Skill!? Or the robots can…

Daniyel blurred forward, his gauntlets held before him, catching Camaxtli’s next strike in a crossed X of his arms. “If you are to summon reinforcements, it seems only just that we should assist.” He said calmly as sparks splintered off his gauntlets.

Camaxtli pushed away, leaping up and over in an acrobatic flip that took my breath away with how smooth and graceful it was. He landed between Eshaan and Daniyel, another mirrored katana materializing in his empty hand. “Acceptable.” He said, and then there was no more time for conversation as the three of them dashed forward.

“Oh for the love of spirits above!” I cried out in frustration. “Soriya! Take out the support bots!”

Soriya grinned, and Diaboli appeared out of her pocket space. “Now we’re talking!” She gloated.

Camaxtli looked over at Soriya, and I almost laughed, as I saw him do a doubletake. Lightning quick, he lept straight up, onto the skeletal framework of a catwalk overhead and pointed a blade at Soriya. “Why does your weapon have a Divine crystal attached to it?!”

“You really should have talked to us before you engaged.” Soriya said calmly, and fired. A blinding bolt of energy erupted from Diaboli’s muzzle, coring straight through the air where Camaxtli had been a moment before.

I looked around wildly, hurriedly chanting {Barrier} for us as I realized that “scripted” fight or no… Camaxtli had more tricks up his sleeve than I was prepared for.

“To the right!” Daniyel’s voice was a lot more sharply than he normally spoke, but then he was in the middle of a battle.

Lakshmi pulled up her custom rifle and let loose. The bolt hit Camaxtli head-on, splintering across his {Barrier} and bringing it down.

“Hah!” Lakshmi jumped into the air, holding her fist up. “Take that, hot robot boy!”

Despite the tense situation, I had to press my lips together tightly to stop from laughing.

I was brought back to myself by a narrow miss from an energy bolt from one of the support robots. “Right, ok!” I said. “If we’re going to do this… let’s do this.” I gritted my teeth.

“Eshaan! Keep him off of me while I chant!” I shouted. I couldn’t help a little feral grin as I held out my staff and started the chant. Who doesn’t like unleashing a new combat power?

"Oh holy light of the goddess, blessed from beyond the stars, shine down upon our foes!” The feeling of the power gathering around me was so intense I had to close my eyes, streams of brilliant white mana flowing towards me, pulled inwards and mixed with my own power.

I heard a clang and the sound of metal sparking against metal, almost directly in front of me, but I didn’t have the luxury of opening my eyes. I could tell if I lost control of this spell, it would not end well for anyone around me!

“Show them your blessed might, and cleanse away all bloody impurity!” The white mana reached peak intensity, holding it’s breath, waiting for the signal to unleash. I dared a peek out of one eye, but all that I could see was blazing white light all around me.

“Holy White!"

There was a clap like thunder directly on top of me, and I could feel the ground shake violently under me. I staggered and fell to one knee, my eyes popping open.

I’m a little disappointed. I thought inanely as I watched a pillar of burning white light engulf everything around me. I don’t get to watch the orbital shot?

The glowing white pillar expanded outwards around us, and I could see the robots’ shapes dissolving away into black streaks. The light felt… warm. Comfortable, even. Safe and… strangely familiar. As though I had felt it before, like being hugged by mother.

The light faded away, leaving a glowing crater in the center of the hangar, and shattered and destroyed components littered around the shop. My friends were standing there, wiping tears out of their eyes, while Camaxtli stood in the exact center of the crater, blackened and smoking, the panel lines robotic body visible as sparks fizzing from his joints.

He looked up, and nodded once. His swords vanished from his hands. “Acceptable. If you can summon the Light of the Goddess, then it is likely you have the strength you say.” And then he toppled over and lay still.