Several hours passed. Lakshmi, Soriya, and I passed the time with a boardgame. I was increasingly glad that I’d had Forge created those board games.

“Do you think we started a civil war?” I said as we played.

“Probably.” Said Lakshmi, as she made a move that utterly destroyed my plans.

“How can you say that so casually?” I protested. “Also, you totally took my spot.”

Lakshmi grinned at me and said “I know!” cheekily, but then her face grew more serious. “It bothered me how fast the captain could get the entire air armada after us. And now it’s gone back the same way, after several others showed up with ‘flashes and booms’? That’s an aerial battle.”

Soriya moved a piece. “It’s not our problem, so what’s the issue?”

“Darn it, Soriya, stop stealing my spot!” I snapped at her.

“Stop being so predictable.” She responded with a smile, then reached over and put her hand on mine. “Lily, I know this is hard-”

I shook my head and sighed, cutting her off. “I know, I know. I just… you never really think about all the implications. It’s just… show up, beat the bad guy, and world saved.”

Lakshmi frowned, a piece held up as she thought. “That’s a story though. That’s the story. I never read a lot of those political thrillers, they never made much sense. Air pirates don’t overthrow governments or start revolutions.”

Soriya smiled. “Do you object?”

Lakshmi paused, and then said “Actually… a little, yeah. It’s… a thief isn’t a murderer. Not supposed to be. A few people might try to kill us, and we have to fight back of course. But that’s different.”

Soriya “While we’re stealing stuff, and they try to stop us with force.”

“Exactly!” Lakshmi placed the piece she’d been holding, only for Soriya to exclaim in pleasure and move to an open position.

“Darn it, you distracted me with politics!” Lakshmi said with frustration.

“All’s fair in love and-”

“Don’t finish that sentence please.” I interrupted her. “I’ve already got enough guilt. I mean, I know the stories are about power and corruption and all that. It’s just… it’s different, you know? Realizing that power never changes unless it’s forced too. And power only responds to power. And it’s weird to think that we’re that power!”

Lakshmi shook her head. “That’s why most of politics is just convincing someone that their own best interests are what you want them to do. You know. Lying.” She shook her head. “Let’s talk about something more cheerful, ok? What’d you put in those sandwiches anyway?”

I gave a weak smile and nodded. “Sure. Let’s talk about cooking.”

The conversation turned to the latest ideas I had for the elementally aspected fruit and meat I’d acquired in the market.

The boys returned in good spirits just as we were wrapping up the game. Since they didn’t have Zanna with them, I took this to mean that they had successfully delivered the catgirl to her sister, along with the cargo of sandwiches.

Eshaan confirmed this with the first words out of his mouth. “Sorry we’re so late, the sisters insisted on introducing us to all their friends.”

I winced. “Catgirl orphans.”

“There was a mix of genders, actually.” Said Camaxtli. “The greater difficulty is that a few sandwiches will not solve their issues permanently.”

Lakshmi frowned. “No. But getting the criminal underworld off their back is a good start I think!”

Daniyel nodded. “As you say, Captain. And the first step there is to break the grip of the sylvani on this city. This ‘treaty’ they referred too. The sylvani fought a war over this island. They didn’t win exactly, but they fought hard enough that it was clear the catkin didn’t win either. The sylvani have been using this territory as a military base and secure vault ever since.”

“So. We’re going to overthrow a government now?” I said, feeling my heart grow heavier with the thought.

Lakshmi smiled weakly and shrugged. “Second time’s the charm?”

Daniyel shook his head. “No. If what I have gathered is accurate, we need do nothing specific. Internal elements within the city and outside it will swiftly take the opportunity we open. An opportunity which already exists, as the great majority of the sylvani left with the battle of the armada.”

“The avalanche has already started, huh?” Lakshmi muttered.

Camaxtli cocked his head. “There is currently no movement of snow outside?”

Lakshmi blinked. “Oh, it’s… just something I had to read. ‘The avalanche has already started. It is too late for the pebbles to vote.’”

“Ah. I see. Yes, regardless of actions we may take here, other events are already moving.” Camaxtli said.

I shook my head. “Did you also scout the meeting place?”

“Ah, yeah!” Eshaan said. “Super easy. Lots of dark corners, really high ceiling, pillars everywhere. Just like the cathedral we robbed Sky from, only it’s set into the cliff face. Big doors at the rear, that lead deeper into the mountain.”

He shrugged casually. “This is gonna be a cinch. Nobody left here has anything like real combat training.”

Daniyel turned to him. “It is unwise to assume victory before facing the battlefield.”

Eshaan rolled his eyes. “Come on, you saw those guards! They’re not even worth the name! They didn’t even feel a {Study}!”

I blinked. “You had time for a {Study}?”

Eshaan nodded. “That’s why I know we’ve got this in the bag. Even you have more HP than they do, Lily!”

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

I blinked again. “I do?” I said stupidly.

Lakshmi giggled. “Close your mouth, and stop repeating everything your boyfriend says, Lilyanna.”

I narrowed my eyes and turned to glare at her. She affected a pose of innocence.

“What? It’s true.” She said. “Now let’s stop jawing, come up with a plan, and go get Lily’s Arcana.” She clapped her hands decisively and we got to work.

The plan was extremely simple, which was hardly a surprise for us. Arrive at the location early, wait for Zanna to show up, get the drop on whatever thugs arrived, and then quietly vanish into the labyrinth.

When the plan was settled, I leaned over to Eshaan and asked “Do our plans ever work out?”

He grinned. “Oh, a question I know an answer to! How rare!” He sobered and said seriously “It’s not about if the plan will go as we predict. It won’t, we can almost depend on that. It’s about confidence, knowing the first move, and starting everything in motion. It’s about the push to act now rather than too late.”

I chewed on my lip and then nodded. “Was that something Khine taught you?” I said softly.

He grimaced and a look of pain flickered over his face. “Yeah. Actually, it was. Still good, despite the source.”

I placed my hand on his. “I think so too. Just because you disagree with somebody… often vehemently… doesn’t mean they’re wrong about everything. It’s just… it’s just life.” I gestured vaguely. “Growing up. Reality is hard. Complex. We’re all… even Khine, even Deacon… just doing what we hope is right.” I pressed my lips together. “It’s just… where Deacon has gone, I don’t want to follow. In my heart of hearts, I hope that he’s not real. Not a part of me.”

Eshaan hugged me quietly until I stopped trembling. I appreciated the quiet and his arms around me for a while before I finally let go and sat back.

“Better?” he asked.

I nodded. “Better.”

“Good, because we need to be up bright and early, and the group is still waiting on you to make an amazing meal for them tomorrow.” He grinned.

Oddly, the notion of working in the kitchen to challenge the others with roast fire lizard didn’t seem that horrible to me. I got up and headed to the galley with a slowly budding idea of how to finally use those fire cinnamon to good effect.

Early the next morning, I wiped my forehead and smiled proudly as I put the finishing touches on my creation. A breakfast platter of sizzling ice elk, roasted by phoniex eggs sunny side up and snowberry pancakes on the side.

To my surprise, the next thing I heard was not the rumbling of stomachs, but the soft whisper of the World Soul.

<{Gourmet} Advanced to level 4. For stretching your cooking skills to accommodate elemental tastes, you have advanced to {Gourmet:4}>

Well! I sure hope that means they’ll like it! I thought, then did a {Study} of the meal in front of me.

It works! I let out a little giggle of triumph and skipped out to the lounge area to announce that breakfast was served.

They did, indeed, like it. The combination of savory and sweet, and the burning tingle mingled with the icey bite received the highest compliment a cook can expect.

“Seconds!”

“Thirds!”

“Hey, no fair, I haven’t finished yet, I want seconds too!”

I giggled and held up my hands. “Hold on everyone, just wait! I’ll go make more for everyone!”

“That would be welcome.”

“Go healer girl!”

I rolled my eyes at Soriya’s enthusiastic cheer as I hurried back into the galley, but I couldn’t help a little smile of triumph as I did.

Breakfast became a much lengthier affair than we’d grown accustomed to, and I made a note to pick up and store a few more of the local ingredients before we left.

The trip to the chapel of the Arcanum was quick, with no traffic or eyes about. The ‘religion’, such as it was, was a creation of the sylvani after all, and they’d mostly left. Perhaps that’s why the conspirators picked it. I mused as we waited quietly in the otherwise empty shadows of the central hall.

It was a long wait, and I was seriously starting to regret not bringing along my boardgames… or at least Dalmuti!... when the door creaked open, and an obnoxiously, egregiously beautiful sylvani woman sauntered in.

My hackles immediately went up, and I felt horribly guilty for hoping that we’d be able to punch her a few times. Either that, or ask her out on a date with me and Eshaan, I really wasn’t sure which.

For shame Lily! Just because she’s pretty… I closed my eyes and took deep breaths. This is not a yuri manga, and Eshaan is not going to chase her. And I am not going to engage in revenge fantasies because she’s prettier than me! I told myself sternly.

The choice was firmly taken away from me when the sylvani woman made to hide in one of the shadows occupied by Camaxtli. There was a sharp shocked gasp, a muffled cry, the ring of steel followed by a soft thud of a body hitting the ground.

I looked around nervously, but there were no hints of alarm or any disturbance.

“What shall I do with her?” Camaxtli asked calmly, his sword ready.

I hurriedly called out before anyone could suggest otherwise. “No killing! Not if we can avoid it! We’ll leave her in the tunnel to the labyrinth!”

“It would be wise to secure her.” Daniyel said. “I believe I have the necessary skills.”

Soriya gave a satisfied little purr. “Oooh~, you didn’t tell me you were good with ropes!” She said with a teasing look.

I felt myself flush scarlet with embarrassment, but that was nothing compared to seeing Daniyel’s dark skin flush purple red with the force of his blush. His expression on the other hand…

“You have never inquired into my proficiency with the art.” He said with a shocking amount of calm, and produced a coil of rope, proceeding to gag and tie the sylvani woman securely. I noted that it was with a clean handkerchief too, which I assuaged a little bit of my guilt. I would not have wanted to choke her on one of our socks!

Not to mention, one of us would then be missing a sock! Just before dungeon crawling!

We returned to our hiding places and waited. One by one, three more sylvani rogues slipped into the temple, attempted to hide in shadows that were already occupied. They were summarily thumped soundly, tied and gagged, and shoved into the nearest tunnel.

This is ridiculous. I found myself thinking as the latest sylvani was bundled, still unconscious, into the tunnel. This could never happen in a game! I… think that’s a good thing? At least we haven’t had to kill anyone!

We didn’t have much longer to wait. One last sylvani appeared, and did not attempt to slide into the occupied shadows. Instead he gave a cursory glance around, nodded once in satisfaction, and then settled down to wait at the altar. Shortly thereafter, Zenna arrived, looking around nervously.

“Ah, good, you’ve arrived.” The sylvani said, his face a mixture of boredom, and the cruelty of a cat toying with his prey.

Entirely unfair, Zenna is the catgirl here! I thought irreverently.

“I do hope-”

Whatever he had been going to say was cut off by the thunderous boom of Ægishjálmur. A fist sized hole appeared in the sylvani’s chest, and he looked down at his chest with a stunned astonished look, before dissolving into motes of light, items and gear scattering around his former location.

“Soriya?!” I shouted in mingled anger and horror. “What the honeysuckle was that for?! I demanded.

Soriya stepped out of the shadow and walked over to where Zenna cowered against the altar.

She kicked one of the drops, and then turned to me. “I know his type. Trust me. This was kinder than he deserved. Far kinder.” She said with a voice that dripped frost and meaning in equal measure.

I wasn’t sure that was entirely true… but Zenna’s ears started to flicker, and tears sprang to her eyes as she scampered over to the drops, and snatched up a single glowing crystal shard.

“This is it.” She whispered, clutching it close. “This is what he promised me.” She looked up at Soriya then bowed almost double. “I will owe you a life debt forever, black witch.” She vowed.

Soriya rested Ægishjálmur on her shoulder casually, then reached out and lightly patted Zenna on the forehead.

“It’s ok, little sister. Go and return to your clan. You’d better take this junk with you, too.” She gestured to the drops.

Zenna gasped. “I can?!”

Soriya nodded. “We’re good.” She gestured to the others as we left the shadows. “Right?”

Assorted agreements and nods met her assertion, but Lakshmi said quietly “But we need to have a talk, about plans and the actions therein.”

Soriya’s glance hardened and she looked to where the sylvani man had sat with an expression that could have eaten through stone. “No. We really don’t. I told you. I know his type.” She turned and stalked into the labyrinth tunnels without waiting for us to follow.

After a moment of silence and a shared glance, we did so.