“[Fire Ball]!” Ravyn called out. From her hand soared a gigantic ball of flame, flying toward her target with incredible speed. The kobold gasped at the sight and made it a short distance away before being struck by the blaze.

The remaining kobold’s eyes widened. They dropped on all-fours and darted away before also being consumed by the great fire. Ravyn watched them run in erratic circles, a sadistic smile curling her lips. Just as one of them turned to confront her, she called out, “[Displace]!”

Ravyn disappeared instantly, a blue parrot familiar taking her place.

“Squaaawk! Not this time! Squaaaawk!” Ball Gag flapped his wings once, twice, easily evading the confused kobolds.

Seconds later, the kobold’s energy faded, and one by one each of them fell to the dusty soil, accepting their fiery fate.

“Good job, Bally!” Ravyn jumped down from a nearby tree where Ball Gag had recently perched, and dusted her hands as she approached the smoking kobolds. “Little shits had no idea what was coming.”

Ravyn clapped her hands together twice and Ball Gag fluttered over to his master, resting on her shoulder. Ravyn reached into her [Cat Pack] for a cookie and teased the delicious treat in front of Ball’s face before handing it to him.

“What a good boy you are!” Ravyn scratched under Ball’s chin with a brimming smile. “They’re going to love this haul.”

“Hah?! Only fifteen Bells? Baka!” Ravyn screamed, her fists on her hips.

“S-sorry! But that’s all I can offer!” said the intimidated shopkeep.

Ravyn folded her arms and tilted her head so that a dark shadow was cast over her eyes. “Do you know what I’m going to have to do if I’m not compensated for my time?”

“But you are! Ravyn, please understand. We’re struggling too!”

“Tch. Remind me never to help you track down a thief again.” Ravyn shook her head. “Whatever. Give me my fucking Bells.”

The merchant procured three silver coins from under the counter and placed them in front of Ravyn. Ravyn swooped them up with a grunt and saw herself out without another word, slamming the doors shut on the way.

When Ravyn was outside the Guild Hall, she turned her gaze to one of the pillars. Most of the [Quest] notices were gone, replaced by recruitment notices from the most popular person in town—Cailu. She stared at the flier for some time, growing increasingly irritated with it by the minute.

Without warning, she tore down every recruitment notice she could find around the pillar, eliciting stares from some of the other adventurers nearby. Whispers surrounded her, but she ignored them.

After collecting all of the fliers she could carry, she threw them into a pile on the cobblestone road in front of her.

“Burn, motherfucker.” Ravyn held her hand out and spoke. “[Fire Ball].”

The ball of flame barely had room to travel. From the onlooker’s point of view, it looked as if the fire slithered out of her hand and onto the stack of fliers. The flames licked and devoured the dry paper mercilessly, sending sparks and embers into the air.

Ravyn cackled, drawing in disturbed stares from the other catgirls around her. “The fuck you looking at? Don’t you have some slimes to kill?”

The crowd dispersed. Some of them entered the Guild Hall, whispering about how it would be safer inside.

“Good, get out of my sight,” she whispered.

“Bunch of deadbeats! Squawwwwk!”

“You tell them, Ball.”

“Ravyn?” came a voice from behind her. Accompanying the voice were the sounds of rings and chimes. Ravyn turned around, her face falling at the sight of her ex-friend.

“Yomi.”

“I wasn’t aware you still did jobs for the Guild Hall,” she called as she descended the steps with her staff to stand in front of Ravyn.

Ravyn’s face grew red. “Still have to make a living.”

Yomi frowned. “Ah. Your family stipend isn’t cutting it, huh?”

“I don’t recall asking your opinion. Besides,” she said, waving her away, “I’m a [Sorcerer] now. I can make my own Bells. I don’t need my mom’s money.”

Yomi’s stare widened. “A [Sorcerer]? Not a [Wizard]?”

Ravyn frowned. “Yeah, so what?”

“Why the lost interest in [Wizard]?” Yomi opened her mouth as if realizing something, then closed it and shook her head. “No, never mind. I’m happy for you.”

Ravyn sighed. “Thanks.”

An uncomfortable silence permeated the area. Ravyn played with the tips of her index and thumb fingers while Yomi repeatedly opened her mouth to speak, but the words never came.

“S-so, you became a [Sorcerer] very quickly,” Yomi began. Ravyn’s glare caused her to back-pedal. “I just mean, well, considering how you’ve been working on it all by yourself.”

“It’s taken a lot of work, but yeah, I got there.” Ravyn flicked away a piece of flier ash from her dress.

“I-I miss you, you know. We made a good team,” Yomi said quietly.

“Well, I wasn’t about to get carried by Cailu the cunt.”

“Cailu the cunt!”

Yomi flinched. “He can talk? And… don’t tell me you actually taught him to say that?”

A slow smile crept up on Ravyn’s face. “Ball Gag is his own boy. There’s only so much I can control about him. He must have learned that on his own.”

“R-right,” said an unconvinced Yomi.

“Anyway, I’m leaving. Don’t you have somewhere to be? I’m sure Cailu’s calling for his little healer as we speak.”

Yomi’s stare drifted to the side. “Mmm. I’m sure he is.”

Ravyn’s ears perked up. She flashed one of her feline fangs with a tilted grin. “Do I detect a hint of regret?”

Yomi met Ravyn with a dark glare of her own. “What does it matter to you?”

“Call it morbid curiosity,” Ravyn countered.

Yomi chewed the inside of her lip, curling and uncurling her fingers into fists. “Complications have arisen, and I must see myself out of his party,” she said quickly as if the words themselves were tied together.

“Oh-ho. Is that your way of saying he’s a cunt?”

“Goddess above, can you stop with that word?”

“But it’s just such a good word for someone like him. It just rolls off the tongue. ‘Cailu the cunt.’”

“Enough of this nonsense,” Yomi said with a sigh.

“Just have him knock you up. Enchant him with one of your charms. You’ve learned one by now, haven’t you?”

Yomi’s face contorted. “I learned it a few days ago.”

“And?”

“[Templar] is immune to such Spells.”

“Kuso. A request to the queen then.”

Yomi shook her head vigorously. “I tried that. Cailu is too important. His word may as well supersede the queen’s. It’s frustrating how much control he has. They’ve made it exceptionally clear that I am not to disobey him.”

“What are you doing right now, then?”

“I’m looking for Cailu.”

“Kehehehe. That’s gold.” Ravyn rested a hand on Yomi’s shoulder and snuck a snide smile. “I wish you the best.”

Ravyn turned and began her walk down the cobblestone road, periodically scratching underneath Ball’s beak.

Just as she turned the corner, Yomi called out to her one last time, “I wish you’d just talk to me! I miss Finn too, you know!”

A week later, Ravyn found herself at the Port of Meow. Shulan was bad enough, but the Port of Meow was its own special brand of hell. Every fifteen to twenty steps were solicitations from catgirls on where one could get the best drink, the hottest meal, the most promising [Quests], you name it. After a while, Ravyn ignored them. The walk was much more peaceful afterward.

Once she made it to the Golden Dragon, she sat herself at a nearby table, and a waitress was quick to accommodate.

“Ravyn! Long time no see!”

“Hey, Daisy.” Ravyn rested her chin on her palm, and Ball fluttered off of her shoulder and onto the table, tilting his head in Daisy’s direction. “How’s business?”

She gave an exaggerated sigh, and her shoulders slumped. “Busy. Pay’s awful. My feet are killing me. What else is new?”

“Kehehehe, shouganai.”

“Still talking like that, huh?”

Ravyn scowled. “Habit. Can’t help it.”

Daisy nodded, an awkward laugh escaping her lips. “Well, what can I do you for?”

“I need the hardest shit you got. The last couple of weeks were horrific.”

Daisy winked. “I got you, love. Hang in there. I won’t be a minute.” Daisy left, and soon after, a patron with nautical tattoos came and sat down next to Ravyn.

Ravyn frowned. “Sorry, I’m not in the mood to be making new friends.”

“No tables left,” the stranger said with a sweeping arm. “I need a drink too.”

“Fine.”

“Thank you kindly!”

“Don’t bother.”

The young woman laughed through her nose. “You’re not much of a talker, are ya?” She held out her hand and flashed a toothy smile. “Name’s Portia.”

“Ravyn.” Ravyn reciprocated with a weak handshake.

“How long you been here?”

Ravyn sighed deep. “My whole life. What about you?” she said in a sad attempt to feign interest.

“Mmm, ten minutes?” Portia laughed. “I just got here! There was supposed to be a good gambling ring here at the port, but I’m guessing it was just a rumor between the girls on Ni.”

“Ni Island?” Ravyn drummed her fingers. “How did you get here?”

“Sailed here myself.” Portia shot her arm up and gestured for one of the waitresses. One waved back, and she slumped into her chair. “My ride isn’t much to look at, but it gets the job done.”

Daisy reappeared with two glasses shaped like hourglasses and filled to the brim with a dark red liquid. A slice of fruit—dragon’s breath—adorned the lip of each container. Ravyn snatched one glass away and gulped down two large helpings of the liquid, draining almost a third of the alcohol in an instant.

“Hot damn, that’s just what I needed,” Ravyn said with glee, her toes curling in her boots.

Portia raised a curious brow. “This looks dangerous.”

“Some swear it is,” Daisy said, laughing.

“I’ll take my chances,” said an excited Portia.

“Will you girls need anything else?”

“Rest easy, Daisy. Go take a break,” said Ravyn.

“Maybe later.” Daisy bowed and made her way over to another table.

“Are you going back to Ni soon?” Ravyn asked.

“Aye, I live there,” Portia said, stirring the liquid in her glass with a thin straw.

“Take me with you. I’m done with this hell hole.” Ravyn polished off her drink. “I can’t stay here anymore.”

“It’s going to cost you.”

“I can afford it.”

“Squawwwk! Let’s move! Let’s move!”