Three hours tops.

With the feeling of blood roaring through my body as I sprinted down the Dronrowth corridor, I had my doubts that I'd be able to hold that promise. In an instant, I hit my full speed through a combination of [Headstart] and a [Burst of Speed]. My legs felt as though they were on fire, burning hot from adrenaline and exertion. The feeling was as painful as it was intoxicating. Addicting.

Now that I'd gotten the go ahead, the last thing I wanted to do was stop.

I knew I shouldn't be exerting myself so much. If I got tired and came back to a fight in-progress, I wouldn't be in peak condition. But I did it anyway. Besides, if I came back to a fight and faced some sort of actual risk, I'd grow more from succeeding, right?

My [Mantle] flared up, a blazing glow that reminded me of everything I was and had become. It illuminated the path ahead, the light extending up their stairwell. Without missing a beat, I jumped, kicking against the ground. One of the tiles broke beneath me as I shot up the stairs, scaling it in a single leap. My legs burned, but I relished that feeling.

We were finally here in the big city, and I needed an opportunity to let loose. If I didn't, I was afraid I'd explode. I needed to let this energy out.

I ran straight for an alleyway, not wasting a second. It was dark, shitty and run-down, like everything else I'd seen around here. Shards of grass littered the ground, all reflecting that amber glow from the light of my [Mantle]. Bastards. There was a bin right fucking next to them. Was it really that hard to clean up after themselves?

I leapt against the wall, spreading my Aera to the tips of my toes and the ends of my fingers, claws digging into the side of the building. I leapt from one wall to another, rising, getting further and further from the ground. A longer drop, a greater thrill. Not that a fall like this would be that much of a thrill for me, anyway. The Nekari blood in me made sure that wasn't an issue.

After a few jumps, my paws touched down on the cold, slanted rooftop of a four story building. Up here, there were less mistakes and acts of laziness I was forced to see. Up here, I saw nothing but a sea of rooftops. No ruined storefronts, no broken bottles, no drugs. Nothing.

The desire to explore burned in my heart, pushing me forward. I jumped, moving from one rooftop to another, feeling even more alive than I had during my run in the forest. More than when I'd had to teach those two Orc bastards who they were messing with.

I didn't have time to see the path my thoughts were going down before it was too late. The thought pissed me off. They were supposed to be adventurers, people that helped those in need and had 'true freedom'. They'd been a real fucking letdown too.

If there was one thing that seriously hurt, one thing that made me furious, it was those adventurers back in Addersbrook. If anything had gone different, we wouldn't be in this situation. This body was amazing, stronger than anything I'd experienced before now, but...

Fuck... The thought of Yuri's bloated, pus covered form caused my chest to tighten. Of all the shit I'd had to deal with back in that Abyss I'd had to call home, Yuri had been one of the more bearable elements. Some of those other 'adventurers', like Ragi and Nuts, had been cowards. I knew it was a bad idea to go into the woods, but I was pissed. I needed to move.

We were too different to be on the same team, but it wasn't like I'd had any choice but to keep them with us. There weren't many people our age looking to become adventurers in Addersbrook, and those two had real talent. It was a shame... no, a disgrace that they were happy to squander it. Happy to live in a box for their entire lives without daring to see what was beyond its walls. Without wanting to escape.

'Happiness is always on the horizon'.

Those were the words that had lit a fire in me. A fire that burned strong even now, so many years later. Even if it was the Adventurer's Guild's motto, their very creed, it seemed like so few adventurers gave a shit about it. It was disheartening, no, sickening.

If those two had been caught by Chimera with me, it would have been easy to leave them behind and just... forget. To move on. My face reflexively scrunched up as the wind whipped against my face, causing my mane to flail wildly behind me like a dying Bogworm. Claws dug into rooftops, and I kicked against the surface harder than I needed to. Something broke. I might have left a hole, but I wasn't going back to check.

Yuri was different.

I was a smart, talented person. I knew that. I was an adventurer, and I was damn good at what I did. But I wasn't perfect either. I made mistakes. I knew going into that shitty forest was a bad idea. I knew Yuri was still riding a high after helping against that Dullahan. I knew that I was just jealous, that I was desperate for a taste of what she'd felt, something better than fucking pest control, even if it was risky.

Sometimes, I'm a fucking idiot. I do stupid shit all the time. Sometimes I hurt people, even when they don't deserve it. Most of the time they do, but sometimes... sometimes they don't. Yuri's smart. She can keep a level head even in the middle of some really tense shit. She's always got a plan, always thinking ahead. She's capable. If I do something shitty, or I'm about to make a mistake in the heat of the moment, she'll pull me back. She'll say something like; 'Sigura, you shouldn't do that. Think of the future!'

As annoyed as it makes me sometimes, I needed it. I needed that hand to pull me back right before I jumped off a damn cliff. If there was anyone I would have wanted to keep with me after being captured, it was Yuri. She'd always been an anchor, one that kept me from flying too close to the sun.

Now though... I've been coming to a realisation.

Was I Yuri's anchor, too?

The thought that I might be dragging her down hurt worse than anything else. It was a pain that haunted me, one that had festered through the months or years or however long we'd spent in that damn facility.

I fucked up her entire life and got her turned into a monster because I was jealous over something stupid. That knowledge, and the pain that came with, wasn't even the worst part.

The worst part was that I felt lucky that she was the one stuck with me. As though dragging her through the mud because of my mistake and still having her around was something I should be happy about. The thought made me stick to my stomach.

I climbed higher. Before me was a massive tower with glass windows all over its surface, each separated by thin rows of stone. Digging my claws in deep, I began to rise once again.

I felt something flicker to life next to my head, something I refused to look towards. Even without giving it a glance, it hovered in my peripheral vision. A ball of reddish flames with a grinning, giggling face. Taunting me.

With a hand cloaked in sunlight, I swung, slashing it to pieces as I continued to scale the behemoth of a building.

The others had always said I was a good leader. Even if I ended up hurting people, I always got the job done. That was what Yuri had always said, anyway. Mom hadn't thought so. She'd been worried about me, constantly trying to hold me back. It had pissed me off, that my own mother couldn't believe in me. If she'd said nothing, I wouldn't be filled with all this doubt. Now, I didn't know who to think was right about me. I still don't.

With the wind whipping around me, the yelp of pain that escaped my lips was nearly inaudible. My foot had turned red from a heavy impact. Not swollen, but sore. I'd smacked my foot against something sturdy. I didn't want to look down, but I had to.

It was a metal hook jutting from the wall, dented from the impact. In it, I saw my reflection. It was as crooked and dented as the hook was, only half of my manic expression visible in the steel. The other half was stretched far down the length of the metal, impossible to recognise.

I'd climbed right past a empty balcony and hit my foot off the end of a damned curtain rod. With a kick that felt amazing, I snapped the hook, letting it break and fall down onto the balcony, next to an old lawn chair and a glass door that had been sealed shut. The curtain fell with it, slumping to the side in a tangled heap. The motion reminded me of the Slime in the sewers. That had felt great, too.

It didn't matter if I was a good leader or not. Yuri needed an anchor, just like I did. I'd play that part, and pray to any Gods that still bothered to listen to me that I wouldn't drag her down even further than I already had.

I continued to climb, arriving at the top.

The heat and soreness coursing through my body helped to keep out the night chill. The breeze licked at bare skin and patches of fur, but none of the cold from the breeze stuck. Above me, I saw the night sky, filled with multicoloured stars and an enormous moon staring back at me. A smile found my face as I stared up at the full moon.

I'd always liked the night time. The sun was often too bright. Too warm. When the sun appeared, the world came to life. People emerged from their homes, went about their business, and lived.

With the coming of the moon, the world slept, and I could wander freely. Back in Addersbrook, a nightly jog had become a ritual. When the sun dropped, nobody would be wandering the streets. The night brought with it a sense of peace and quiet, one that promised no judgement, only freedom.

I leapt to the edge of the roof, leaning over a drop even I wouldn't have survived. The view brought with it an instinctive fear, one that helped to sharpen and sober me. What I saw below and around me morphed that feeling, changing it from fear to excitement.

We'd been right. This city wasn't just a shitty slum with nothing else worth having. Beyond that crappy place we'd called our own out of desperation, there was life.

Beneath me lay a labyrinth of tangled streets drowned in neon lights from a plethora of signs and open storefronts, teeming with life in a way I'd never seen back home. It was both worrying and inviting, a diversion from normality. I wanted to see it with my own two eyes. If it annoyed me, tried to take the safety of the night from me, I could always retreat. I'd always have the rooftops to keep me company.

Mailbirds soared over the city walls from lands beyond, each wearing a thick white hat strapped around their necks, and leather satchels hanging beneath their chests. Were they delivering anything interesting? Probably just letters and mail, but what kind of letters did people in the city send and receive, anyway? For all I knew, it could be something fascinating. An artefact, a rare monster part, or a jewel, maybe. Something I could have. The thought of it tempted me, calling out to me, urging me to lunge at the bird, to see what-

My hand flew up, striking me across the face. My eyes shut, closing me off from the world and the temptations that came with it. Once again, I'd slipped. I opened my eyes, and saw a ball of flame next to my head, one with a dark, laughing face moving soundlessly. The crackle of flames was the only noise to be heard over the whipping wind.

"Fuck off..." I murmured, slashing the flames into embers, not looking to see what happened to them afterwards.

I hated them. I didn't know what they were, but they were everywhere. Speaking to me when I got lost in thought, or when I was making a decision. Even in the night, I'd never gotten any peace from them. Ever since the transformation.

Banishing them from my thoughts, I looked outwards towards the promising horizon. I saw a group of Casters trapped in the labyrinth far below, each glowing faintly with the light of [Mantles].

I couldn't see their features, but they were being chased. [Thieves], maybe? Or had they dined and dashed at a restaurant? I wasn't sure, but I smiled. I silently cheered them on as they ran from their pursuers. I didn't know what their story was, and I didn't care for it either. I was content with the distance between us. They were idle entertainment, nothing more. Temporary.

There were other towers around, some taller and grander than my current perch. One in particular caught my eye, a silver structure that stretched high into the air, glowing faintly. The tower had no windows or symbols. No sense of identification or obvious purpose. Shivers ran through my body. Maybe I'd been standing here for too long, or had climbed too high.

On the side of another tower, I saw a massive screen overlooking a plaza, one with light woven on the front, forming a moving picture. On it, I saw a beautiful Snow Elven [Idol] in a light blue dress singing, pouring her heart into the performance.

Even without sound, her motions betrayed what was happening. She sang alongside a darker skinned man in drag. The ears tipped me off. He was probably an Eastern Drow. They didn't seem like a likely pair, either. Could've been from a concert or something. Some sort of crossover or duet. I'd never been to a real concert, so it was hard to say.

Everywhere I looked, I found something that caught my attention. Just like I'd thought, this city would have no shortage of places to see and things to do. When my eyes reached the very edge of the bountiful city, past a line of warehouses and titanic ships, I saw the ocean.

An endless expanse of sparkling dark blue stretching outwards into infinity. Now that my sight had touched water, I was reminded of the sewer. That terrible stench still clung to me, and I wanted to be rid of it. The sight of the ocean made my skin crawl, but I could at least appreciate its beauty. Yeah... I still wouldn't go near it.

My gaze drifted along Divastyr's skyline. My eyes rose once again towards the night sky, the twinkling stars begging for my attention. To be looked at. Observed. Admired. I felt that tightness in my chest again.

I leaned forward, and fell. Fitting for a thief.

The wind struck me with the force of a Giant's punch, and I curled up into a ball. After a few frontal spins in an attempt to scare the feeling from my chest, my arm snapped outwards. Claws and fingers dug into stone as I fell, massive gouges scraping down along the wall as my descent slowed. My toes joined in, slowing my descent to a non-lethal level.

With a sigh, I leapt from the tower, on the move once again.

My paws touched down on a cold rooftop, landing on all fours before continuing the run. In my previous life, I couldn't have even imagined doing something like that. I'd been gifted with strength beyond my years, and I wanted nothing more than to use it. We were both changed, now. Different.

We were monsters now. We'd lost the title of 'adventurer' when we'd been captured and turned into test subjects for a bunch of psycho scientists. Good riddance, anyway. The order of the Guild had done nothing but tie us down.

I might have kicked against another roof with too much force. It didn't matter.

Magic can do anything. It can heal wounds, cause great fires and invent amazing things. Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something if they put their mind to it and try to learn. Magic was a reflection of the user. Since magic was as varied as people themselves, it meant that there'd always be some person out there who could accomplish any given task.

So then why the fuck didn't anyone come to rescue us?

If adventurers knew we were missing, did they even bother looking? When they didn't find us, did they declare us dead and call it a day? Couldn't they have asked around to other Guilds, found someone who had the abilities needed to find us? Some tracker, or a teleporter, or someone useful. To mount an expedition to save our lives after we'd left people behind to call for help if we ended up in danger? It was sickening. Disappointing. So much for adventurers doing everything they could to help people.

But it didn't matter anymore. When we were taken to that facility, our Guild Cards hadn't warped to our prison clothes. They'd always been with us after we'd had them Soulbound at the Guild. When that had been taken, I'd known for sure. They'd taken everything from us, even the right to be an adventurer.

I didn't care. Good fucking riddance. If that was the kind of person an 'adventurer' was, then it was better to live freely as a monster. With a life like this, we didn't need Guilds, or rules, or anything to tie us down.

I'd gotten everything I'd ever wanted. Power, freedom, and adventure in foreign lands.

So why did everything still feel so uncertain and shitty?

My body was beginning to shake. I didn't know how far I'd leapt, or whether I'd even be able to find my way back. Even if I couldn't... I was sure Yuri could figure something out. She was resourceful like that. She'd help me.

I needed a distraction. I still felt restless, and I still had energy to burn. I had to make the most of this outing before I went back to base. I wasn't about to let that restlessness stewing inside me end up making a decision for me I'd regret.

I took a deep breath, standing over the edge of a rooftop like a looming Gargoyle. I made my decision, jumping from my perch to close the distance between myself and the world we were stepping into.

With a blur of colour, sound and scents around me, I flew down from the night above into the artificial day and brightness of the streets.

I was assailed by the sounds of a bustling crowd, the smells of cooking meat, sweat and moisture filling the air. All around me, my senses could pick up specific smells in the mix. Spicy sauces, the scent of garbage and litter, perfumes and incense.

The people around me backed away out of fright or respect, scrambling back as I rose up out of my crouch and to my feet. I cast my eyes around me, looking at the neon signs, the food stalls and the variety of open clubs and businesses still active at this time of night. In a place like this, day and night meant nothing. The world hadn't gone to sleep. It wouldn't.

The ground was baked in an orange glow, the light from my [Mantle] blending and mingling with the light of nearby businesses spilling out of windows and open doorways.

The people around me looked bigger than the people I was used to. They weren't larger than those from Addersbrook in the traditional sense. The fashion here was bulkier, with thick coats lined with furs, scarves obscuring necks and lower faces, and hats both practical and gaudy dotting those on the streets. It made sense, given the climate here, even if I didn't feel the cold like these people did.

With an easy smile, I began to walk forwards, casting my eyes around at the unfamiliar world as those around me caught their bearings. Some looked on with awe and wonder, which others looked on with anxious fright in their eyes. I didn't know which I preferred, or whether any of the looks made me feel safer or not. At least they hadn't started picking up pitchforks and torches.

In the end, I decided it didn't matter. I wasn't here to check out businesses, I was here to run.

So, that's exactly what I did.

I only used my [Headstart] this time, jogging into top speed from a walking pace without any buildup. I sent casual glances out to the side as I pranced from street to street, soaking in the surroundings with a hungry curiosity. Judging by the hair standing up on my neck, I wasn't the only one casting glances around. I was being watched.

Fuck 'em. If there was someone keeping tabs on me, it didn't matter in the slightest. If they wanted to pick a fight, I'd be happy to knock some of their teeth out, free of charge.

My jog ground to a halt as I arrived in an open city square. Lines of baubles hung from storefront to storefront, glowing softly as if to mimic the stars high above, albeit not nearly as eye-catching. They weren't just for idle decoration, either. I recognised the tradition, and felt a little closer to Addersbrook at the sight.

Along the storefronts of some buildings were cutouts of faces in pairs or trios. Pale and featureless, with blond and blue hair, respectively. One male, and one female. Each had animal ears atop them, leaving no doubt in my mind as to what these were for.

These lights were being set up for a Year's End festival.

Hoping I hadn't read the difference in tradition wrong, I decided to file that information away. We were... near Year's End. It had been mid Summer when we'd been taken from the facility, so... we'd been trapped for over half a year. At least.

Being reminded of the time that had been stolen from us caused my hair to stand on end.

I forced myself to drag my eyes down from the lights, and towards the center of the square. Towards the main reason I'd stopped here. A circular fountain stood proud in the middle, one I bounded over to. It was simply designed, with a tall central stalk in the center, tipped by a bowl shape that spilled water over the edges into the pool below.

It wasn't a shower, but it'd have to do.

I wasn't about to swim in the damn thing, but a source of clean water was one I wasn't about to pass up. I made sure to not be too close to anyone else sitting at the fountain. The last thing I wanted to do was splash someone and attract more unwanted attention. Looking for a bathhouse without any coin in my pocket to have a private way of removing sewer stench was out of my reach.

I leaned down, cupping both hands into the water, breaking the stillness before I got a chance to look at my reflection.

Bringing my hands up, I dunked my face into the miniature pool. The touch of the water was refreshing, a sensation that I felt my body shiver in reaction to. It was a stupid reaction to have, not even a day after I'd given Yuri crap about being a sponge. I was silently glad that she wasn't around to make fun of me for it.

I didn't need to turn to know I had eyes on my back. I didn't care. With another handful of water, I began to run my hands through my mane. I'd need to find a brush later. Running my fingers through my hair would work for now, but it was a pain. I turned around as my hands went to work, sitting down on the edge of the fountain with one leg crossed over the other.

I hadn't been wrong. There were people watching. All civs too, by the look of it. Some were looking towards me with amazement and a nosy curiosity. I'd never seen a Vox before, but now several were on full display. Flashes of light blurred over my vision as the crowd took pictures. It was annoying, but it was clear they didn't see someone like me everyday. As long as it was harmless curiosity, I could deal. If people reacted the same way to Yuri, I'd knock their teeth out.

I turned in my seat, scooping up more water to wash my arms and legs. I made sure to keep the water away from the torn up wraps of fabric from the facility. Even if I was a free monster now, I still had some modicum of modesty. The last thing I wanted was for the water to make my clothes see through, or worse, flimsy enough that the clothes broke apart. At least I didn't need to worry about drying off afterwards. One of the many perks of having Heat and Fire Magic.

With an idle glance around the crowd, some of whom had began to drift away from the chattering civilians watching me, I tried to pick out the person who's eyes had been on me since the start. Whoever they were, I doubted they were a civilian. I'd been jogging at a speed I doubted a civ could match, so unless a person had been running after me outside of my vision while watching me by coincidence, they'd have to be following me.

I ran a hand over my arm, washing the worst of the stench from my fur. I knew some of it would still cling to me without shampoo or the work of a cleaning gel or Slime, but still. This was better than nothing until we found an alternative. It was refreshing, too.

Someone stepped forward from the crowd. My eyes snapped to attention, locking onto them. The arm I'd been washing was held protectively to the side out of instinct.

Stupid.

Even now, so long after, I still prioritised protecting this arm. My body hadn't forgotten the Direwolf. That wouldn't happen again. I was too strong to let that happen again.

The person who'd approached was no Direwolf. It was a young Human woman, one with long grey hair and a thick purple coat. The top of her head was covered by a purple fur hat that reminded me of a fez. She held a dark purple Vox in a single gloved hand, held limply by her waist. Closed expression, hunched up shoulders, both arms linked in front of her. Everything about her indicated nervousness. She didn't seem like an enemy, at least for now, so I kept my claws retracted and my desire to fight in check.

"E-excuse me..." the woman hesitantly said, glancing back towards a group of guys and girls her age. Most of them were Humans like she was, but a few others stuck out. They were grinning, urging her forward. A friend group.

"Yeah? What do you want?" I said, rising to my feet. Now that I was standing, they'd see just how much of a difference there was between me and them. I towered head and shoulders above just about everyone in the group. If they were enemies, this would be enough to scare them off. I wondered whether I should let my [Mantle] out, just to be-

"Could I get a picture with you?" she asked. "My friends and I were hoping to-"

"What? Why?" I blurted out, narrowing my eyes at the group. I blinked, not sure what to make of the comment.

If it was just because I was stunning, sure. Though I couldn't imagine that was the case, given that I was still wearing these torn up rags and in the process of getting rid of the sewer stench clinging desperately to me. If their interest in me hadn't set off any mental alarms, this had.

"I... um..." one of the males of the group stepped forward, a short Roden with grey fur, round glasses and buck teeth. He wore thick brown robes and a scarf that partially obscured his mouth. A thin, rat-like tail snaked out behind him, curling around one of his legs. "I'm part of a n-net group that tries to raise awareness for C-chimeras, and-"

Enemy? No, not by the way he was standing. Nothing about him suggested he was a Caster. My gaze darted from person to person, looking for clues. His friends? No, they seemed just as curious as he was. Then how the fuck did they know I was a Chimera? I was abnormally tall, sure, but irregularities from magic weren't uncommon. Did they see the glow of the orb in my chest? That might been-

My eyes stopped their frantic scramble for an explanation. They'd landed on my upper right thigh, and now I felt like an idiot. With one hand, I lifted up some of the ragged 'skirt' I'd been wearing, revealing the rest of the brand beneath.

It was bright red, one that looked like a roaring lion's head, surrounded by a thick mane. Unlike a regular lion, a pair of curled horns curved up from the forehead. It reminded me of that idiot Minotaur, and it must have been how they identified me.

I harshly pulled it down, obscuring the brand from view.

"One picture," I responded. This could be a good chance to get some answers. "If you give me ten silver as well as your name or contact information, I'll do it."

The Roden looked down towards the ground, his arms fidgeting in place. What was he waiting for? Before I could take action, the woman in the purple coat reached into a purple handbag slung over her shoulder.

After some fumbling, she took out ten coins, handing them to me. I felt the cold silver in my hands, feeling glad. Like I'd accomplished something. Then, I came to the realisation that I didn't have any damn pockets to put them in. After a moment of hesitation, I stuck them in the breastband of torn rags. I could only hope I'd hear the coins if any fell out during the run.

"I'm Ariella Rachneve," the woman told me. "If you... my VoxTag is GreyLantern. Don't hesitate to [Message] me if you need anything."

This not being a set-up was getting increasingly hard to believe. A boring Tag like 'GreyLantern' wasn't helping to assuage my worries. Would someone actually pick a name like that, if it weren't an Epithet? Maybe it had symbolic meaning. I was probably overthinking this.

"Fine, fine," I responded, standing up straight. "What kind of-"

Before I could finish the sentence, the light of the Roden's Vox flashed in my face. I blinked the light from my eyes, glaring down at him.

"What in the Abyss was that for?" I growled.

"Sorry!" he squeaked, his head ducking down behind his scarf. "You... erm, looked like you were ready."

What part of me putting money away made me look ready for a picture? Whatever, it didn't matter now. We had money to our name, and a potential contact to get info from. As long as she gave me a real Tag and not a fake one, that was. With that out of the way, I cupped more water into my hands, washing the ends of my legs.

The conversation had drained all the fire from me, and I just wanted some peace.

"T-thank you for your time, miss!" the Roden squeaked out as the woman nodded in my direction, rejoining the group.

"Yeah, yeah. Good luck with your thing," I called out.

Some of the group waved goodbye as they drifted away, back towards the streets. Some of them had looked amazed to see me. Among them I saw a thickly furred Gnoll and a person that looked far too shiny and odd to be anything but a Copy Slime, one mimicking the appearance of a pink haired Human. A few chattered excitedly to one another, but I didn't feel like trying to eavesdrop and pick up what they were saying. I tuned them out, finishing my wash as I got back to my feet.

The fact that I'd only been harassed by random civilians and not the City Watch was a shock. Did they not care about the fact that I'd been washing in their public fountain? Either I'd gotten lucky and hadn't been spotted by a guard, or their standards for what was considered 'wrong' to do in this city were strange.

I began to shake myself off, feeling a small mote of satisfaction in my chest as I heard the jangling of coins. I activated my magic, letting the heat dry the rest of the moisture from my fur as I leapt upwards.

With a single bound, I parted from the warm, orange streets to the dark, calming rooftops. I'd dipped my toe into the streets of Divastyr, and right now, that was enough for me. I'd come back tomorrow, or after I'd found some proper clothes to wear, and get a better look around.

I still felt cold, even with the aura of heat surrounding me as I jumped from roof to roof, away from the hustle and bustle of the city streets and out into the silence. I'd gotten some info and a bit of coin, which had been an unexpected fluke, but now I wanted some time to just... relax. To unwind. Once I was far enough away from the bright streets, I leapt down from the rooftops.

The alley I jumped down into was dark, far on the outskirts of the city. It didn't look like a worn slum, but the houses were smaller. More modest. It seemed like a residential area that hadn't gone to shit like the place we were squatting in. There weren't any people around, except a group of drunken Humans stumbling down the street. I turned off my [Mantle], the light around me snuffing itself out. I wasn't in the mood to talk with anyone else right now.

I skipped down the street, trying to let my trembling body cool off before I looked for the way back. I was... maybe not satisfied, but content. I'd gone on a run, thought about stuff and gotten a better lay of the land than I could've hoped for. It was a successful expedition, even if I didn't feel much better.

At the end of the street was a roundabout. Turns out I'd found myself in a cul-de-sac, a dead end. I'd have to double back soon, but... I stepped deeper into the neighbourhood, coming to a stop at a ring of stone surrounded by road.

Within the ring was grass, a light, swaying green that looked out of place in the city. The feeling of the grass beneath my paws felt heavenly. Familiar. It had all been cleared of snow, which was a relief. In the middle of the miniature garden, surrounded by worn, tired candles and bouquets of colourful flowers filled with life was a tall stone obelisk, standing proud and erect.

Words were etched on the front, ones written in an unfamiliar script. They were rougher sounding in my head while I looked at them, but I could understand the meaning regardless. It wasn't Selvanian, but I could read it. Just another strange quirk of the transformation, probably. With arms crossed, I leaned forward to squint at the words.

Memorial for the Miracle Workers, who died bravely defending their city in its time of need.

In our city's darkest hour, we were besieged by a group of Demons wearing the skins of people, terrorising our folk for their own wicked pleasure. Nobody stepped forward to face these deplorable monsters, only hiding behind closed doors until they tired of torturing our people.

When the Miracle Workers did the impossible, slaying one of these Demons, the city and country couldn't have been prouder, but our heroes paid the price with their lives.

This monument stands in memory of their moment of triumph. As a testament to the bravery within the hearts of Divastyr's finest, and the moment darkness was brought low.

May they find their peace with the Gods in the worlds beyond.

Relumine, Lamirn Salosava, 20/05/1439 AoM - 04/04/1466 AoM

Snatch, Ian Nimblehand, 19/13/1450 AoM - 04/04/1466 AoM

Nemean, Lycandro Mangarin, 10/06/1440 AoM - 04/04/1466 AoM

Array, Marshall Yone, 18/09/1443 AoM - 04/04/1466 AoM

Canary, Maria March, 28/07/1436 AoM - 04/04/1466 AoM

Shooting Star, Sheldayn Salosava, 20/05/1439 AoM - 04/04/1466 AoM

Grandeur, Zaltorin Zynd, ??? - 04/04/1466 AoM

Field Test, Kokola Sprocket, 01/13/1448 AoM - 04/04/1466 AoM

Melting Pot, Jorgan Grogmane, 30/07/1393 AoM - 04/04/1466 AoM

This monument was erected by the Divastyr City Council on 12/04/1466 AoM.

It was a monument for the dead, then? A memorial set up in the middle of some neighbourhood? I'd never heard any of these names, but if they were Scandian adventurers, it made sense.

I didn't know the current date, but the monument hadn't been defaced yet. It looked new. That meant we hadn't been locked away in that place for years, even if it had felt that way, right?

The cold was starting to get to me now. The adrenaline was seeping out of my body as the cold finally took root, digging into me the first opportunity it got. I activated my magic, the air around me blurring slightly as warmth returned. It'd make me more tired later to have to use my Heat Magic like this, but it was a problem I was willing to deal with for some comfort.

My ears perked up. Behind me, I heard the sound of footsteps on pavement coming my way. With the cold setting in, I didn't feel like making conversation. The thought of running occurred to me, and I banished it before the idea had even finished forming. If I ran, I'd look suspicious. Worse still, I'd look weak.

This was my first time coming to this city, and I wasn't going to spend it running at the slightest sign of possible trouble. We had to make a good- no, a strong impression.

The steps stuttered, then skipped off the pavement.

I took a deep breath, but the cold air wasn't making it any easier to pick up the person's scent. The wind's current was moving down the street too, just my luck. Instead, I turned around, casting my eyes around the empty neighbourhood. Whoever was here had hidden. Were they watching me right now? I couldn't tell, but the thought put me on edge.

"Whoever you are, come out!" I barked, my [Mantle] flaring to life around me. I felt my body warm up that little bit more, the energy providing some protection against the elements. "If you don't, I'm going to bring you out myself."

I wasn't in the mood for a game of cat and mouse, but I wasn't about to run away, either. If it was a civilian, I'd brush it off and leave. If some drunkard had seen a silhouette in the darkness, a conversation wouldn't be worth my time. A grin crept onto my face as I considered scaring them before leaving. Maybe they'd start spreading a rumour, one of a terrifying cat-like monster lurking the streets of-

Bushes rustled. I turned, eyes locked on one of the gardens. From behind some well-kept shrubbery, the person who'd hidden climbed out.

They were a Human woman, maybe a little younger than Yuri and I had been. It was hard to tell their age beneah their costume. At least I didn't have to guess whether they were a threat or not.

They wore a grey, skin tight costume with golden metallic panels along the upper arms and legs. I couldn't see her eyes, either. They were hidden behind a bright yellow visor. It instantly made me distrust them. If you were someone who had to hide your eyes, then there had to be a reason for it. I'd silently decided to give people like Dwarves and Moleman a pass, since their eyes were sensitive to bright lights, but she wasn't a Dwarf, and she sure as fuck wasn't a Molewoman. In the center of her chest was a ring of yellow panels, surrounding the symbol of a yellow bird facing me with its beak open wide on the front. An insignia? Maybe she was part of a Guild.

Even though she was probably a Caster, judging by the get-up, she wasn't a threat. Unless she was a good [Actor], the frightened tremble in her body as she slowly approached me was genuine. I couldn't suppress the smile that crept onto my face.

"Smart move," I said as they drew closer. Was she not able to use [Mantle], or did she refuse to? With the way she was shaking, I'd be shocked if she didn't do something to defend herself or at least put her guard up. "What're you doing sneaking around? Trying to creep up on me or somethin'?"

The woman shook her head, raising both hands, palms out. She was trying to placate me. At a glance, it was easy to tell she wasn't confrontational. Her mind didn't work like that. She was passive. Like Yuri.

"N-no... I'm sorry if I've disturbed you, ma'am."

Did I look like a 'ma'am' to her? We must've been somewhere around the same age, unless she was just a tall teen behind that visor. Could've been the height difference. Maybe she didn't even consider how old I must have looked, and it was just another way of showing respect. I straightened, standing taller than I had before.

"Sigura," I told her. "Not ma'am."

The woman frowned, but her shoulders loosened up. The shaking hadn't stopped, but her body language didn't look as tense. She wasn't here looking for a fight. Not to 'apprehend' or 'exterminate' me, either. Not that she could, obviously, but she seemed like a smarter adventurer than the other mongrels they'd sent after us.

"Are... are you one of Nemean's relatives?"

It took me a moment to put two and two together.

"No. I'm just a traveler passing through; saw this monument and decided to have a look. You from around here?"

It was obvious she was, but I was giving her the chance to introduce herself. Yuri had a similar tactic whenever she met people, so I figured it would be best to take a page from her book. She wasn't the brightest when it came to reading people, but she knew how to be polite.

The Human nodded, stepping forwards towards the monument.

"I am... I'm Canary."

I glanced back at the obelisk, and scowled.

"You're some copycat, then? It's a real shitty move to-"

Once again, she raised her palms, taking a single step back. It looked almost defensive, now. Was she a Caster that used her hands to fight? Her shoulders were tense, and she was starting to fear me a little again. That much was obvious.

"No, no... I'm a Legacy. Maria March was my mother."

She was a legacy? Weird. With a name like 'Canary', I'd have expected the original owner of the name to be a Harpy or an Avarian or something. Then again, Humans always found a way to take and use whatever they could. That, or she was something else pretending to be a Human.

"Right," I muttered back. "Sorry for your loss."

The woman nodded, her eyes drifting downwards. She reached down into a dark yellow pouch wrapped around her waist. The bag couldn't have been bigger than my fist, but she pulled out a full bouquet of sunflowers. Maybe she had money to throw around if she had a Bag of Holding. Or maybe they were cheaper in Scander. If they were, I'd have to grab one for myself. My eyes lingered on the bag. On her body movements. She was obviously weaker than I was. It would be easy to take her bag, to reach out and-

I took a long, deep breath.

She got down on her knees, nestling the flowers in a cubbyhole at the foot of the monument. I looked up, tracing my eyes over the names etched in the stone. Was there a monument like this for us, back home? Some sort of gravestone or memorial for Yuri, Dairen and I? I flexed my fingers, feeling my claws extend and my fur stand on end.

The adventurer rose to their feet, rubbing some of the grass and dirt from the knees of their costume. She took a deep breath, her posture perfect and practiced as she turned to look back at me.

"I don't know where you're staying the night, Miss Sigura, but you should go back. It isn't safe to be out at night like this, especially unarmed."

She said it confidently. Proudly. It pissed me off.

"Yeah? You trying to say I can't handle myself?" I narrowed my eyes, treating her to the roughest snarl I could muster.

She paled, something I could see even with the visor covering up her eyes. Even if I couldn't read the honesty in her pupils, her body language couldn't lie. That perfect, proud posture she'd had crumbled beneath my gaze.

"No, I... I don't want you to get hurt, ma- Sigura, even if you're only passing through. This territory can be dangerous at night, and-"

"Do you like it when people tell you what to do, little Canary?" I asked, leaning over her. Her face and costume were bathed in the sunset orange of my [Mantle]. Trapped in it, like a bug caught in amber. "If you think I can't handle myself, why don't I prove you wrong?"

"I..." she stuttered the word out, shrinking back now. Part of me knew this was a bad idea. A bigger part felt stronger.

"I'm not some fuckin' civilian you need to protect, kid," I spat, reaching up to the neck of my torn shirt. I pulled it down, revealing the top of the glowing, metallic orb lodged in my chest. She took a step back, and the edges of my smile curled upwards.

"I'm a monster. I don't need your damn concern, got it? You don't want to see what happens when you try to tell a monster what to do. You should know what happens when little birds fly too close to big cats, right? If you push too far, there's no telling what'll happen."

She couldn't find the words to respond. Smothered in the light of my [Mantle], she couldn't do anything but shiver. I wasn't feeling any better. I scowled, turning away as my hands balled up into fists, nails digging into flesh.

My mind had changed, and I couldn't even tell what would make me feel confident or in-charge anymore. Now I just felt... empty. Cold. I started to walk away, my tail hanging low behind me.

I'd spent too long wasting time with this kid. Local Caster or not, I had better things to be doing. There were things I could've asked about this city, but the thought of turning back towards her to ask made a dark, gaping pit form deep in my stomach. I wasn't going to turn back. Not now.

I didn't know what she was feeling, or what she was thinking. I barely knew that much about myself, either.

"Sorry for your loss," I heard myself say as I walked down off the wet grass onto the hard pavement, the sound of whipping wind drowning out the clacking of claws. "But save your pity for yourself. Adventurers always get the shitty end of things, and you'll be no different."

I leapt, jumping from the pavement onto the roof of a house. I heard the little Canary gasp behind me, the last thing I heard from her before getting out of earshot.

Had that been a mistake? For all I knew, one of those freaky fireball things had formed around me, coaxing me to say something like that. I had no way of knowing now. It didn't matter. Whether she was an influential adventurer or not, she hadn't tried to interrogate me, so I'd take that as a good sign. A sign that not all the adventurers in this city had brains the size of a Goblin's toe.

The jump from house to house didn't feel as heated now. My body still struggled and burned, but that same force, that same passion, just... wasn't there. I'd tired myself out from the exertion, I guess. Now I just needed to find my way back. I had a good sense of direction anyway. I'd know where I was once I found something familiar to backtrack with. Yeah... something familiar.

I got why Yuri wanted a place to call her home, but it wasn't for me.

I'd do what we needed to do to get some respect and a foothold around here. We'd gather some resources, see the sights and move on. Even if we were monsters, I wasn't going to let anyone kick us out. I didn't know how long I was going to be staying here for, but I didn't want to leave without Yuri.

As much as a drag as it could be, I needed that anchor. I liked her company, and it brought with it a feeling of security. Even if I messed up, or did something that I'd regret, Yur would always be there to reign me in. To tell me where I went wrong and reign me in when she needed to. To patch up the problem and move with me onto the next big thing.

I could still be free while having an anchor to prevent me burning up.

Even with all the feelings of doubt in my messed up head, I felt sure of that much.