The longer I spent staring at the face of my reflection, the greater the melancholic pang in my chest became. Even still, I couldn't tear my eyes away.

My face was the same as it had been in life. Rough, a little rugged, but with soft, rounder looking eyes than my face deserved. It ended up making me look a little strange. My arms were difficult to see in the reflection, but the muscles crafted from hard labour and mistakes were still easy to make out, despite them being nothing but cosmetic. Skin and muscle meant nothing to me now, to the creature I'd become. My skin was blue and gelatinous, soft when it needed to be, and 'hard' when I focused and compressed it. Even now, it still felt alien. Like I was a stranger to my own body.

The man in the reflection wore a round bowler hat with a clean, form-fitting black suit and tie. His expression was somber, but he looked organised and put together. Stable. He was the person I might've become if I'd stayed with Equinox. He looked like a person that might've had money. Power. Influence. The ability to make a change in my life and return to some semblance of 'normality', whatever that word meant for something like me.

Maybe I could've done good if I'd stayed. If I'd tried just a little bit harder. I'd wanted to do the right thing, but had leaving even been the right choice to make? I left the only people I really knew in this foreign, dangerous city behind. I didn't want to, but being with that group had been eating me up inside. That same pain was gone now, but the hollow emptiness that took up residence in my chest wasn't much better. Being with those people, the 'Velvet Star', had been painful. I knew that no matter how it looked or seemed on the surface, they'd only disappoint me later. It was better to cut ties with the group now rather than wait and be disappointed later. I'd have been stuck waiting for a sense of normality that would never come. This way, I could get to work on my fresh start sooner.

Heh. Fresh start. The man looking back at me in the reflection of the shop window I'd been standing outside of smirked. It wasn't a happy smirk, or a proud smirk. It was just... bitter.

I'd only recently been changed into this... this Slime that I'd become. My body had been changed, almost beyond recognition, yet nothing had changed on the inside. Consorting with criminals after giving into peer pressure, and then running away from the only people that might've cared about me out of fear. In some ways, I hadn't changed at all.

I took a deep breath, a motion that felt both uncomfortable yet calming. A reflexive action that made my body wriggle with displeasure, even if my emotions felt a little more steady.

I stepped to the right, leaving the reflection in the suit behind as I removed my sorry features from the mannequin in the window. The illusion was broken, and now I saw the person behind the suit. A man wearing nothing but a white shirt and plain dark blue pants. He wore dark shoes, and had a lump of black 'hair' cut short over his head.

It was a downgrade, but it was the one I'd chosen. I know I should have felt more comfortable with this, but I only felt regret. Still, I knew I'd feel that no matter what option I chose, so I'd just have to live with it. I didn't have money, power, or anyone around me, but I had 'freedom'. Freedom to make my own choices and grow, to try and move past the person I was before. The person I am now. I wanted to... to be normal, like any of these people living regular lives passing me on the street.

I walked away, heading down the busy market street as I worked to steel my nerves.

It was hard to focus on my goal when the knowledge that I'd just... left them behind sat front and center in my mind. I didn't really try to convince them to leave with me, or talk about alternatives, or anything. It wasn't that I didn't care about them, but I was... I was a coward. I didn't know what they'd say, so I just... left. Abandoned them. Gods above, I didn't even have the courage to say I was leaving when Sigura was around! I'd been too afraid of how someone like her might take it. Should I have? Would she have been able to convince me to stay? Would she have even tried?

The cynical, world-weary part of me said my instincts were right. That she didn't care about me, or anyone. That she was just in it for the power and money. But... she hadn't saved the life of a wounded, crying child for the sake of power or money. Had I just completely misjudged her? Was it a rare, uncharacteristic act of kindness that meant nothing? I didn't know.

Did changing who I was even matter if I was alone in the end? If I'd abandoned everyone else to get to where I wanted to go? That hollow pang in my chest was almost worse than the pain of staying with the Velvet Star. I was completely and utterly alone now. The thought should've been liberating, but it felt like I'd left something important behind with the Star. I wanted to do better, to be better, but those thoughts meant absolutely nothing if I didn't do anything about it. I needed to act.

Taking another deep breath that sent my insides tumbling around within me, I turned around, following a mental guide I'd formed from staring at the Sova region public maps for hours on end, wandering the streets to get a feel for the layout of this city. Delaying the inevitable.

I had to do this. I needed it. If I wanted to get anywhere, or be anyone, I needed some money and influence, and I needed it in a way that wouldn't get my hands dirty on the way. There was only one real option that came to mind, and I'd been delaying it. If this failed... what would I even do? Wander the wilds beyond the city's walls? Try to hitch a ride to some village and work as a nameless labourer? I wanted to do good, but if the people here wouldn't accept me, then...?

I'd cast away those I could've called friends, and if there wasn't anyone else willing to stand beside me then... what? I didn't know, but I couldn't dwell on it. I just needed to focus on putting one step in front of the other. That's what had gotten me this far, to get me to stop wallowing in that damned shopping center.

Today was the day I started moving forward.

After a few minutes of unbroken walking, weaving around people and streets that weren't my own, I saw it. Standing at the corner of a crossroads was the Adventurer's Guild building for this region. For an adventuring hub, it wasn't as gaudy as I'd expected it to be, given how adventurers usually presented themselves with colourful costumes and glowing equipment. The building was big, but it had nothing on the Velvet Star's estate. The walls were formed of gold coloured wood, which had to have been painted, given that I'd never heard of gold coloured trees growing anywhere. Despite having the colour of precious metal, it didn't shine or twinkle like coin. As though it was fake, trying to be something it wasn't.

Two Scandian flags billowed in the wind above the entrance, dark blue with the white symbol of a bearded man's head adorned with Reindeer horns. A flag my home country had drilled into me as the enemy, as a flag representing a land of barbarians and warmongers. I was in enemy territory, which wasn't helping my nerves to settle.

Sitting between those flags was the Adventurer's Guild's symbol. A bright sun cresting a snow covered hill. I'd read that in the south the hill was green, while it was a sandy brown further east on the Juall continent. While the words Adventurer's Guild were written above the sun, the words Happiness is on the horizon were beneath the hill, also in gold.

The horizon... If I was working this hard just to put one foot in front of the other, the horizon would be a long, long way from here.

Pleased to find that nobody was standing outside, I was able to work up the nerve to approach the large wood doors. The handles were a polished gold colour as opposed to the red wood around it, and... a pair of smaller handles further down. The doors were built with bigger races in mind, but smaller versions of the doors were built into the wood for... shorter races. It reminded me of a dog flap, a door within a door, albeit... more ornate and proper looking.

With one uncomfortably soft hand on the handle, I took another deep breath, my hand hardening as I pulled down, feeling my body tense with every excruciating second that passed. I was dragging this out. I just needed to go in. One foot in front of the other.

I pushed the door open with more force than necessary, stepping inside as my worn shoes touched down on a soft red carpet lined with a gold coloured edge. Warm air struck me from within, generated by a collection of metal boxes lined up by the walls. Heat Boxes. Artefacts that were different to the ones I'd become accustomed to, but still painfully familiar. Constant reminders of the poor choices I'd made up until now.

No. Today was that day I started changing. Started on my path to get better. I found myself focusing on the heaters for longer than necessary before I managed to tear my eyes away. More than a few people inside the building were staring now, giving me weird looks. For a moment, my mind flooded with panic until I realised what the issue was. It wasn't because of who or what I was, it was because I was standing in the open doorway letting the heat out.

I stepped in, letting the door drift shut behind me as I became acutely aware of how much I stood out amongst those around me. A Slime-like man in plain clothes without armor, a weapon, or an artefact in sight. Isolated. Alone.

The Guild hall itself was covered in an array of circular wooden tables. While some were free or hosting only a single adventurer reading a book or polishing a weapon, others were in the midst of deep discussion between those of varying races in costumes and armor. Although I wasn't well versed in adventurer fashion, the costumes were much... gruffer looking, than the ones I'd seen further south in Pagonia. It wasn't that they seemed lower quality or had worse materials, but the people of this land seemed to favour more... wild styles of clothing. Sharper edges, pieces of metal, the fur of Wolves and monsters around collars and cuffs. It was the sort of armor I could picture Sigura wearing.

At the far end of the hall was a wide, rounded counter boasting four separate [Receptionists] garbed in red uniforms with golden trim, identical to the carpet. Above the counter was a wooden plaque, one with the skull of an enormous Mammoth attached to it, one bigger than any I'd ever seen in life. A symbol of the hunt? A way to inspire adventurers? I couldn't help but think of it as morbid, but... I suppose it made sense for adventurers to have evidence of their kills and achievements hanging around.

To my left was a bulletin board, one dotted with white sheets pinned and stuck to it, marking a number of quests for adventurers of varying rank. A collection of people stood chatting around it, idly commenting to one another or offering advice. I felt a shiver run through me as some began to spot me, nodding in my direction as their previously loud chatter became hushed whispers. I suspected this wasn't because I'd left the door open a little too long, either. People were starting to look, whisper, and gesture in my direction. Was it because of who I was? Or because of who I'd associated myself with?

Equinox.

I didn't want to know, and I thanked all the Gods that could hear me that none had approached me yet. I knew the unspoken rules of an adventurer, and hoped they would apply to me even if I hadn't joined up yet. Or... maybe the same rules I knew wouldn't apply here, in Scander. The thoughts of having to face questions about my past or who I was before coming here worried me to no end.

Despite my fears, I arrived at the counter uninterrupted. I stood before a smartly dressed Half Elven man with slicked back blond hair.

"Welcome to the Adventurer's Guild," he said as I stood before the counter, unsure of what to say. "How can I help you?"

"I'm... here to register?" I told him.

I knew bits and pieces of how the Adventurer's Guild operated. There were several ways to join, but someone like me had very few options. I didn't have any contacts with private Guilds or Casters willing to take on apprentices, and I didn't have the money to try an exam to test my strength and knowledge either. I'd have to work my way up the ranks from the bottom.

"Would you like a private registration?" the Half Elven man asked, his eyes turning slightly to the side, looking past me in the direction of the bulletin board. "We offer all adventurers an opportunity to fill out their registration forms and provide potentially sensitive info to Guild staff during registration, if they choose to do so, although it may incur additional costs."

"No... No, I'm fine," I replied, wishing I could. As much as I wanted to take cover from the glances, taking a 'private registration' was only going to attract even more attention. It was best to keep things casual. As much as part of me thought of it as impossible.

"Understood," the Half Elven man responded, reaching underneath the counter to pull forth a dark wood pencil and a sheet of paper with lines and words that were foreign to the languages I'd been taught back home, yet ones my brain understood regardless. "Before I pass you the registration form, there are a number of rules and clauses associated with joining the Guild. Are you familiar with them?"

I could've sped things up if I lied and said 'yes'. I knew some of them, but not all of them. Chances were, they wouldn't apply to me anyway, and I wanted to get the registration out of the way. Still, I couldn't risk breaking some rule I didn't know anything about. That would've been even worse.

"No... I don't," I responded hesitantly.

A flicker of disappointment flitted over the man's eyes. How often did he need to say this sort of stuff to new adventurers?

"All quests you take must be registered here under your name, and should be reported as complete when finished, either by you directly, or with a message from you sent by [Runner]. If you want, we can establish a code word to ensure that any messages sent by you can be verified for authenticity," the [Receptionist] offered.

"I'm fine... I'll be handing in quests myself anyway," I told him. I knew from experience that [Runners] could be unreliable. Or... at least they had been where I'd come from.

"If a client has verifiably used an ability to coerce or effect you in a negative way, or they provide false information on purpose, you can petition for them to be blacklisted from our services, free of charge. Without any screening, you'll be given a Bronze Rank card, and will be permitted to take on Copper or Bronze Rank quests."

Working upwards from the bottom. This would be little more than pest control and odd jobs for pocket change. Still, it was better than earning nothing. The smell of a sewer wouldn't bother me anyway, nor would wandering the slums to keep out anything that might cause problems for civilians.

"Trying to take on any quests above this rank will result in strikes being administered to your guild card, which can be accompanied by fines and additional penalties. You will be required to pay the Guild a small fee now or later to fully register as well as being subject to yearly taxes until you reach Gold Rank. Do you need me to repeat any of that? We've got written versions of this spiel too, if you need it."

Spiel...?

"No, I can remember that," I replied, shaking my head. It all sounded like common sense, anyway. Play by the rules, stay inside the lines. I could... I could work with that. I wanted to.

The man slid the form and pencil across the table, turning the sheet to face towards me. I didn't know whether I could write in the Scandian Common as well as read it, but there was no better time to find out than the present. The thought hadn't even crossed my mind before now.

Some sections of the form were already filled in. The 'region of registration' was filled with 'Divastyr, Scander'. I knew that the sections with five pointed gold stars were optional, and most point on the sheet was optional. Many adventurers had secrets to hide, and although the Guild tended to be tight-lipped about people's details, I'd heard plenty preferred to keep some things to themselves. I was feeling incredibly glad for that sentiment right about now.

I left a few entries blank. My place of birth would've been bad to reveal in Scander because of old rivalries, and my 'primary Class' was just... embarrassing. It wouldn't do my image any favours if it got out. As for the rest...

Name: Toya Deladere

Race: Slime

Epithet:

Epithet.

I'd taken one in public. 'Moonshine'. I was worried that I was already attached to that name in the eyes of the people, but I didn't want it. It was a name I'd come up with as nothing more than a bitter joke, something I'd chosen in a moment of self-loathing. It wasn't something I wanted to be known for. Something that would be attached to the image I wanted to make for myself, and the person I wanted to be...

I left it blank. I wanted to leave 'Moonshine' back where it belonged.

Although I'd spent a few moments getting through that mental roadblock, the next entry on the form tripped me up too.

Team.

I left it blank. I'd given up that too. This was even harder to write than I'd expected.

Caster Class: Spear

I was a Caster capable of fighting at both close and mid range, given my abilities. Maybe I fit other categories better, but I wasn't the most knowledgeable on this stuff. 'Spear' was the one I felt fit the best, but I knew the Guild would make their own judgements after I took on a few quests and became more well known.

Before I knew it, I'd arrived at the bottom of the form, having trudged through it one bit at a time. I didn't know how long I'd been standing and staring at the sheet in front of the Half Elf, but I was just glad that it was over.

"H-here," I said, sliding the sheet across the table, followed a moment later by the pencil. "I'm done. With... with my registration."

I hoped that my hands hadn't made the page too cold. The [Receptionist] picked up the page, giving it a quick scan over. When his brows furrowed, I internally groaned.

"Your race is listed here as 'Slime'," the Half Elf said. "Can you be more specific? What race of Slime are you, Mr... Deladere? A Copy Slime? Slime Adept?"

Gods... How could I even answer that? I wasn't any type of Slime, as far as I knew. I wasn't born or split like real Slimes. I was an experiment. A monster. What should I even...?

"Do I... need to be more specific?" I asked, hoping the anxiety in my voice wasn't too obvious. My hopes were quickly shot down by a shake of his head.

"Writing nothing but 'Slime' mightn't be looked on favourably by the [Guildmaster]. It's like writing 'Humanoid' or 'Spirit' in the race slot," the Half Elf responded.

"I... I don't know. Can I leave that field... blank?" I muttered weakly. I felt like an idiot, but didn't know what else to say. I didn't want to risk lying and being called out for it later.

The Half Elven man glanced up at me for a few uncomfortably long seconds before nodding, reaching up to write something on the sheet before turning around.

"I'll be back in a minute," he told me before walking off to the side, heading into a back room past the edge of the counter.

I was left standing at the counter, able to do nothing but try to wait patiently, avoid staring at the dead Mammoth skull lingering above me, and attempt to ignore those murmuring by the bulletin board. I liked to think of myself as a patient person, but that patience was really being tested by the eyes on my back. I wasn't the type of person to... I wasn't going to lash out at them, but it was draining, standing here. I couldn't hear what they were saying from the counter, but they were probably talking about me.

Positive things? Negative ones? I wasn't a betting man like my father, but if I was, I knew which I'd argue was more likely. I didn't want to be here any longer than needed. I wanted to get my registration done and go.

Why was I being left waiting anyway? Was this normal? Had other adventurers been told to wait, or did the [Receptionist] have to talk to someone about the whole 'Slime' thing? I didn't know, but every moment I spent here was-

The door to my right beyond the edge of the counter opened, and the Half Elf stepped back out. Relief washed through me as I was given something beyond my rampant thoughts and the eyes burning holes in my back to focus on.

He returned to the spot in front of me, carrying an artefact I'd never seen before. It was a small, gold coloured object, one with a four legged stand connected to a curved rod holding up a cylindrical segment that looked like the end of a telescope. It had a glint that suggested it was real gold, too. Or... at least that it was metallic. I'd seen something like it recently. It reminded me of a device I'd seen in that insect [Doctor's] infirmary, one that let her inspect liquids at a high level. He wore a glowing ring with a red gem on his finger, too. Had that been there before?

"What's that for?" I asked, my eyes locked onto the strange artefact as he set it down on the counter.

"It's just a Soulbinder, sir. No need to worry," he replied slowly and calmly, as though addressing a startled Deer. I must've looked more worried than I thought for him to respond that way. "We use it to take a sample of an applicant's blood and Aera. It's used to calibrate your guild card's enchantment."

Guild cards were enchanted...? I didn't know anything about that.

"Oh... right. Will it still work on me?" I asked, my eyes peeling off of the artefact to meet his auburn eyes.

"Yeah, it'll be fine," he told me. "Blood, skin, spiritual matter, it makes no difference. It just needs to take a small sample of something connected to your Aera."

"Right, sorry," I responded quickly. "So... how does it work?"

He pressed a small button on the top of the cylinder, and a thin needle extended from the end closest to the stand.

I could hear him speaking, saying something to me, but the meaning couldn't reach me. My eyes were locked on the artefact. On the needle. I knew my skin would recover, and that it wouldn't hurt, and that I'd be perfectly fine, but the sight of the needle made me want to throw up. Flashes of the past, of the facility ripped through my mind, consuming all thought.

How dumb was that? I'd lived around swords, daggers, and knives all my life, and this was what threw me off? I needed to get myself together.

"T-thank you..." I mumbled out, interrupting something he was saying, something I didn't hear over the ringing in my ears. I brought a single trembling hand forward. With a slow, ginger movement, I placed one finger beneath the needle. I was breathing hard, my chest squirming from the motion as it drew closer and closer and-

A tiny prick. Something I only registered as a 'touch', not as painful. But it was only beginning, now the needle would dig deeper into- It began to retract upwards again. Was it over? Was that it? I let out the breath I'd been holding, shoulders slumping as my chest wriggled.

"Now, we have some additional questions," the Half Elf said as my mind scrambled to recollect itself. Strange... Did his tone sound different somehow? Or was I really that shaken? "Were you travelling with a group of Chimeras a little over a week ago? One that came into contact with adventurers?"

My heart, if I had one, would've stopped in my chest at his words. As it was, my body went deathly still, moving no more than a corpse would.

"I..." my words stuttered to a stop. I had to tell him the truth. If I lied here and it got discovered, I could jeopardize my chances of a normal life before they even started. People knew we were... that we were Chimeras already, didn't they? Would I be attacked and captured if I answered 'yes'? I got ready to run, squaring my shoulders as my mind searched desperately for words.

"Yes..." I breathed.

Two other [Receptionists] glanced in my direction, evidently curious about what had put me so on edge. Great. More eyes.

"Yes, I was... I didn't fight them myself, but my team- the... the people I was travelling with attacked them. In self defense!" I blurted out, explaining myself as quickly as I could.

"Who did your group fight with?" the Half Elf asked, his eyes locked firmly onto mine. I felt trapped, and my chest was tight.

Who did we fight with? I wasn't sure... Sigura fought two Orc adventurers when we were separated with the others, and Yuri handled-

"Two Orcs, a Human in pyjamas, a Half Elf that used... moss? Mold? And, and a Dwarven woman with a Tiger mech," I answered, spilling out the memories as soon as they came to mind.

Had it been a Tiger, or a Cheetah? I didn't know. Why did I say that other adventurer had been wearing pyjamas, that was obviously the wrong-

"That was you then, got it," the Half Elf responded, closing his eyes for a brief moment. Concentrating? Sending mental [Messages]? Casting an ability to prevent me from escaping? Gods.

"Am I in trouble?" I asked, sounding more like a scolded child rather than an adventurer. Was I going to jail even before getting a chance to improve?

"No, your group isn't an issue," the Half Elf responded. We weren't? Even though we'd entered illegally? Maybe they didn't know about that, so I'd keep quiet about that detail.

"Then... is there anything else-"

"Were you travelling with anyone capable of Soulcraft Magic?" the Half Elf said, his words cutting me off. "Ones capable of easily cleaving through flesh and bone?"

"S-Soulcraft Magic?" I asked, bewildered.

"It's a branch of the Necromancy School," the [Receptionist] responded. "Do you know anyone that can conjure objects? Spectral looking stuff? Tools? Weapons?"

Did I...? Sigura was able to make swords formed from light, but that was Elementalism, not Necromancy, right?

"No... I don't know anyone like that," I told him.

The man stared me down for a few long moments, and I only felt more and more uncomfortable as the seconds dragged on.

"Understood," he nodded, reaching with one hand to remove the glowing ring, stuffing it into his pocket as he let out a breath he'd been holding.

Was it a lie detector?

"What... what was that about?" I asked, feeling completely lost.

"There's a warrant out for an unknown Caster that slaughtered a party from the Hunter's Guild not far from here," the Half Elf told me. "Their remains were only found later, and some [Appraisers] identified the lingering Aera to put together what kind of magic killed them."

What...? There was someone like that around? If I had to guess... if it wasn't some kind of monster around here, then it might've been another one of the Chimeras. Our group couldn't have been the only ones to escape the facility during the outbreak, given how chaotic and surreal it had all been. If there were others...

"Sorry... I don't know anyone like that. Really," I told him, feeling my shoulders shiver beneath my shirt.

"I believe you, don't worry," the Half Elf nodded. "Your registration will take a day. We just need to run through some background checks and ask around a bit. If you come back around the same time tomorrow, we'll have your card ready."

Did other adventurers go through that too? What 'background checks' was he talking about?

"B-background checks...?" I asked.

"Your group fought other adventurers, didn't they?" the Half Elf asked. "We'll have to interview them and have them recount the events again before your application can be approved. After that, you'll be free to take quests as you please for-"

His words ground to a stop as the doors to the hall were swung open with force. A panting, white furred Lapin half-jogged over the carpet leading inside. He wore light clothes, wraps over his otherwise bare feet, and had a brown bag with a strap around his shoulder, one with the symbol of a white envelope with black lines coming from the left of it, and the letters 'APS' over the front. Anyone could've identified him as a [Runner].

"E-excuse me!" the Lapin breathed out, raising one hand as the other was stuffed into his bag. "T-two express del-deliveries! One for the Adventurer's Guild, and one for an a-adventurer? One 'Domino'? Is there a 'Domino' here?"

He cast his eyes around, and someone standing in the crowd around the bulletin board stepped towards the Lapin.

It was a young woman, one who's race or ethnicity I couldn't determine, given the full body purple suit she wore. It was skintight, made from some fiber I'd never seen before. It left no skin exposed, with only two round white 'eyes' at the front of the face serving as an identifying facial feature. Five white dots were arranged around the breast of the suit, reminding me of a dice's face. Black, puffy hair spilled out from the back of the head, going down along her back. Her hands and feet were covered with darker purple boots and gloves. She stepped towards him with a gait that was quick, confident, and commanding.

"I'm Domino," she said, her voice slightly muffled by the suit. She didn't speak loudly, but the room almost felt quieter after she opened her mouth. As though everyone else gave her room to speak. It wasn't just in my head, either. All eyes were on her now, both the staff and the other adventurers. Thank the Gods for that. It'd give me a quick breather now that their attention wasn't on me.

The Lapin took a step back as she approached him, but he stopped himself, holding out a brown clipboard with a sheet of paper on the front. A black pen with a soft silver glow was dangling from it by a string. She scribbled something on the form before handing it back to the Rabbitfolk. He clicked the top of the pen once, staring at the tip for just a moment, before clicking it twice. Then, he slipped both back into his bag.

"Alright, here," the Lapin said, replacing the clipboard with a small brown package, one that could easily be cupped into both hands.

She turned around, heading for the bulletin board with her head tilted towards it as the Lapin made for the counter, arriving at the [Receptionist] next to mine.

As he pulled out the clipboard once again, my eyes were pulled back to the adventurer. Nobody was asking directly, but the expectant looks on the faces of those around her were clear. She stopped walking towards the group, looking up from the parcel to the people standing by the bulletin board. Many looked away after she realised they were staring.

"Is this private?" the woman asked, calling to the Lapin by the counter. She sounded exasperated, her voice tinged with annoyance. It was a familiar tone.

"-and sign..." the Lapin's words were cut off as he looked over his shoulder, ears sticking straight up. "No, it's not delicate either. I wasn't told it was, anyway."

The woman looked back towards the package, and began to unwrap the covering. Another woman pushed to the front of the group, elbowing people aside as she pulled to the front of the chattering crowd. She looked... rough. Like the sort of person who would've been a [Bully] or [Delinquent]. She was wearing plain clothes like mine, if not marginally more put together looking. She had scruffy red hair, baggy blue pants, and a worn out green jacket with pale patches stitched in to cover up old holes. It wasn't... an adventurer's outfit, but I felt a bit of relief, knowing I wasn't the only one dressed like this. Maybe she couldn't afford flashy costumes or armor either.

"Who'sit from, Dom?" the woman asked. Unlike the quieter woman's calm confidence, she was loud and easy to hear, making no effort to murmur or make an attempt at secrecy.

Although the other adventurers didn't say anything else, many were throwing glances her way. I looked at the contents as she finished unwrapping the package, a small, dark purple box. It was even smaller than the package.

"Y'think it's a ring or somethin'?" the boisterous girl asked, stepping forward to elbow 'Domino' in the ribs. She didn't seem to react at all, except for giving her a quick look. The redhead was taller than her, and she was forced to look upwards. "Maybe it's a gift from a secret admirer, eh?"

Domino's head turned back towards the box, and she opened it. Instead of a ring, there was a small, golden gem inside. A glowing crystal, emitting a light that looked vaguely familiar. With a single gloved hand, she pried the crystal from within, sending her own cloudy, dark purple Aera through it, activating the effect.

The natural light of the room coming from the windows was completely overshadowed as the hall was bathed in golden light. Flying rectangular screens hovered in the air. Screens that were familiar. They positioned themselves close to the walls, and their sudden appearance caused the adventurers present to reach for weapons and artefacts.

But I knew what they were for. I'd seen them before.

The front of the [Light Screens] changed colour, revealing animated, shifting scenes. Scenes that made my skin writhe. They were scenes depicting a great battle between two opposing sides. Each screen's contents were different, yet clearly all took place in the same area, a dilapidated, abandoned set of streets.

On one screen, an Eastern Drow in a golden skin tight suit with orange boots and gloves stood alongside a gold and black Tigerfish Triton wielding a red and orange coral trident, both bathed in [Mantles], fighting against a monster that reminded me of a Chimera, one formed of shallow, cartoonish imitations of other creatures.

It had the head of a Cow with warped, mangled horns, swinging down to try and skewer the Drow, who caught the charge of the massive creature with both hands. He punched against the horn, sending deep cracks running through it with a spark of electricity. His ally swung the trident, stabbing a thick black mark that had formed on a Shark-like underbelly of the warped Familiar, digging deep into its flesh.

It was becoming clear who'd win the fight, and the monster's conjurer, an armored Orc with brown fur and a blonde mohawk that looked to be on the verge of passing out, knew it.

My eyes darted from unfamiliar Casters to people I knew. Even while wearing costumes, I could identify them. Clever Girl, the Lapin [Alchemist], leapt from one building to another, chased by a massive, warped Orc that looked more like a Caterpillar than anything else, with an elongated torso sprouting many legs from his side. Bubblegum Pink flew close behind, a massive pink conjured Cat leaping over buildings as they struggled to keep up with the Orc.

On another screen I saw... the others.

Yuri, Streiphen, and another Caster, the one with the clocks on his outfit, were bathed in shadow, barely lit by whatever was capable of recording these battles. They were trapped in a dark dome, one that unfurled and split apart as I watched. An Orc with multi-jointed limbs was struggling helplessly in the air, held aloft by three metal hands. He attempted to kick his last knife at the clock Caster, but... Streiphen deftly knocked it away with a swing of his blade. He... he hadn't been that fast when I'd last seen him.

They were both wearing costumes, too. Streiphen had a lighter looking blue jacket, while Yuri's mech was covered in some sort of silver fabric. The symbol on the mech's 'knees' stood out to me, a symbol that was visible on the back of Streiphen's jacket, and one that was on full display at one point or another on every screen.

To the right of Yuri's screen, I saw a Caster I knew had to be Sigura, fighting against a man wearing a white Wolf mask. Both were glowing bright with [Mantle], moving at blinding speed as they threw flurries of punches at one another. She was wearing a costume too, an orange skinsuit and mask. Even without seeing her body beneath it, her size and Aera were easy to identify. It was a costume that looked... familiar, in design.

She ran towards a strangely constructed warehouse, where Orcs were being carried in by their allies and people wearing black leather jackets. For just a moment, her body slackened and went still. She shook her head, looking over her shoulder before flipping someone a finger offscreen. The perspective turned, revealing a three tailed... Kitsune-like woman on the roof, grinning widely.

The costume was familiar. It had a very similar design to the woman currently holding the glowing gem that was producing screen after screen depicting scenes of battle.

The adventurers were stunned by the display, not bothering to lower their voices any longer. They were shocked by the battles, and fingers began to point upwards as Casters were identified.

It was only a matter of time before-

"There! Told you she looked like that. She's the monster that fought the Big Tooth bastards before. I was there," came one voice.

"Isn't that Wolfheart? The Chained Wolves guy? How's she keeping up?" asked one, only to be answered by, "Equinox, yeah? They beat Trainmech too."

Amidst the fighting and comments, the realisation began to dawn on the faces of the adventurers around me, one by one. They saw the symbols adorning every costume in one way or another. The icon was clear and unmistakable, a five pointed lavender star with five darker purple tips.

The names of Casters were on everyone's lips, as was the name of the organisation the symbols belonged to.

The Velvet Star.

Chatter got louder as people were identified and named. Bubblegum Pink was the first to be recognised, and talk temporarily shifted towards her music and the shock of her being a Caster like this. Others spoke of people I didn't recognise. Pale Edge. Mire. Cozen. And then, inevitably.

Stardust. Yakamoz. Sunburst. Homebound.

...

Moonshine.

There were no recordings of me taking part in this large-scale battle, but my old Epithet was on the lips of those amongst the crowd. Some eyes drifted down from the screens overhead to land on me. I'd been wrong. This 'distraction' was far worse than the idle, faraway muttering. That was easy to dismiss and avoid. This was an open conversation. Speculation. Talk had shifted from an assortment of topics and thoughts to one unified idea.

The Velvet Star was back.

"'Sunburst'?" the redhead standing next to Domino asked, both hands stuffed into her pockets. "Her name's Sigura, ain't it? She's the Chimera you met by the memorial last week, right Canary?"

Canary?

Standing on the other side of Domino was another woman, one with a grey bodysuit adorned with yellow metal plating to protect shoulders and joints. She had a curved mask over her eyes, one that mimicked the design of a beak down along her nose. Her long blond hair spilled down over her back, and the front of her costume had a design akin to a golden bird's head facing the viewer, mouth wide open with white rings surrounding it.

"Yeah... That's her," Canary nodded. "I could tell she had a lot of Aera when I met her, but this..."

She sounded stunned. Shell shocked.

Two wooden doors swung open, smacking against the walls around them. I jumped on the spot, taking a step away from the counter. From the balcony above it, a Lapin man stepped out, gripping the railing as his eyes drifted from screen to screen.

I'd never really been able to describe a Lapin as 'buff' before, not in the way a Human was, but the man was well built. He had light blue fur, a scar over his right eye, and a white dot-like mark on his forehead a little bigger than his intact eye. The man was covered with tight leather clothes with huge tufts of white fur around the shoulders, collars, and wrists. He wore wraps on his feet, and a golden scarf around his neck.

The sound hadn't just startled me, either. The [Receptionists] in front of me jumped, turning to face the Lapin above them. The Rabbitfolk had his arms crossed and brows furrowed.

"You lot!" the Lapin roared. It was a shout the likes of which I'd similarly never heard from one of the timid Rabbitfolk before. "If you're done standing around stealin' air, go and figure out what's goin' on! If these screens are real, we need to know!"

The sheer displeasure rolling off the adventurers after the Lapin said that was so potent it could've been an Emotion Magic effect.

"We've got quests to do, [Guildmaster]," one of the adventurers groaned.

"Just hire a [Runner] or a Bronzie to do it instead," another called up.

The Lapin's face contorted into a frown.

"If these fights are the real deal, Sova must prepare for change! I'll pay whoever comes back here first with good intel, so get out! Don't let me catch any of you in here until we know for sure what's going on or I'll kick your asses!"

The Lapin's shouts solicited more than a few groans, and a substantial amount of loud chatter that overlapped with itself.

I saw Domino turn her head, tapping the golden shoulder pad of Canary. The thinner woman nodded, stepping forward before taking a breath that puffed out her chest. I was reminded somewhat of a Rooster before it announced the coming of day.

"Everyone! We should do this for Divastyr! Finding this out could be of great importance for both us and the average people! This is our duty to the city! If the Velvet Star is taking over, things will start to change again! We need to know what the future holds if we want to secure our livelihoods and keep our workflow steady!"

She was a good speaker, one with a clear voice that reached even me with perfect clarity. I agreed with her, of course, but adventurers weren't charity workers. This was a good opportunity for me to get on the [Guildmaster's] good side, but... Adventurers weren't the type to be swayed by good intentions alone-

"Fine, fine," someone within the crowd moaned. The reluctant acceptance was met by more nods of affirmation and approval than I'd expected as the will of the crowd quickly shifted.

Was... Was she just that good a speaker? Or had she used an ability?

More than one captain or charismatic adventurer began to rally their teammates and coworkers, beginning to lead the way out of the guild hall.

"First team to get some solid info gets braggin' rights and first dibs on good quests!" the redheaded woman yelled into the open air.

"Fuck no," came the quick rebuttal from another adventurer.

"Who died and made you the new [Guildmaster], Mosaic?" asked another.

"I'll allow it," the grinning Lapin atop the balcony above me said. "Consider it an official quest."

The words were met with a chorus of reluctant groans as people began to prepare in earnest, readying themselves for a race to gather reliable information that none had been expecting to take part in. Groups started to move out in teams, filing out in clusters as the heat left the room through the front doors, both of which were now wide open, letting the light from the street outside spill into the hall.

I felt a mote of relief wash through me. If they were gone, that meant their attention wasn't going to be stuck on me. I could finally focus on-

"You!" the Lapin yelled again, his eyes narrowing as they locked on me. I froze. "Why're you not gone yet?"

Ah... maybe he didn't know. I should work on making a good first impression.

"Hello, Guildmaster... sir," I said, stiffening up. "I'm not an adventurer yet, so I can't take an official-"

"You just put forward a registration form, didn't you?" the Lapin cut me off, rolling his one good eye. "Get out there and find me something I can use!"

I didn't even have a guild card, but I was being allowed on a 'quest'? Was that even allowed? It wasn't like I was in a position to argue with the [Guildmaster's] decision, and it served as an excuse to get out of here, even if it was to chase info I wasn't sure I wanted to seek out.

I already knew it was true that the Velvet Star were returning. I'd seen their revival efforts first hand. But... I didn't want to give up the intel I'd gotten with them. I had no real attachment to the VS, but I didn't want Equinox to suffer because I opened my mouth and said something I shouldn't. Maybe... if I walked around for a bit to reasonably get 'info' from a reliable source...? No. I wasn't a good liar, even if my Dad had been. It was one of the few shitty traits I didn't inherit from him.

"Y-yes sir, of course!" I replied stiffly. He wasn't some army [General], but I couldn't help it. I really didn't want to get on his bad side.

"Good," he gruffly responded, turning around to head back along the balcony towards the room beyond my sight.

I gave a nod to the [Receptionist], who gave me a shrug of understanding along with an awkward smile in return. I turned, beginning to jog as I followed the last smatterings of adventurers still here out the door, the golden screens and their light shining on the hall vanishing not long after.

Information gathering. It was the equivalent of a Copper Rank quest, little more than a city errand that wouldn't normally give much coin at all. But... getting on the good side of the [Guildmaster] was a solid first step towards a normal life. I... had to take what I could get with this line of work, even if taking this 'quest' was technically breaking the rules already. It left a bad taste in my mouth, but I had to work with what I'd been given now that I was here.

Without a team, equipment, or any sort of experience in this field whatsoever, I left the warm Guild Hall behind, running out into the streets of Divastyr.

Reflexively, I squinted against the light of the sun peeking out over Divastyr's skyline. The buildings around me cast long shadows over the sparse crowds of civilians going about their day, comparatively normal looking people when compared to those darting around them. I caught flashes of costumes, the glint of armor and weapons, and the fading trails of glowing light from artefacts flickering around corners as teams and individuals began to move away from the Guild, dispersing throughout the city to find information.

With mobility and teamwork like that, could I even hope to compete?

Where should I even look? What was I supposed to even look for? There was no clear information, but I started running regardless, squinting against the sun as I charged towards it, weaving through the crowds as I picked a random street to explore.

I could look for the battlefield, given that I knew where it roughly was. I'd seen snippets of the fighting at the warehouses that Streiphen, Fareel, and I had... stolen from. But if I went too far from the Guild and explored the slums, would other people get back to the Guild before me?

One hand went straight to my head, rubbing against the black patch of comparatively rough 'hair' atop my head. Tougher, thin strands of slime.

Maybe I could just tell the [Guildmaster] what I already knew. If I kept it vague enough, the others back at the Star might not get in trouble, but... if I already had info, and got the [Guildmaster's] approval without having to do anything, that could start rumours. Rumours that could easily get back to the Don. The few people that actually might've given a damn about me, separated as we were, might suffer from me saying the wrong things.

I'd have to do this the hard way. To find a plausible reason for me to know what I know. If I had an excuse or learned what was public knowledge, then I could use that instead. Another hoop I'd need to jump through.

I wandered the streets, casting my eyes back and forth. There wouldn't be any Big Tooth patrols around anymore, would there? If the group was toppled as an organisation, their members wouldn't just be wandering around. Could I use that as an excuse, telling the [Guildmaster] that the lack of patrols meant the scenes we'd seen were real? It sounded flimsy, and if the gruff Lapin didn't buy it, he might just get annoyed. I needed something more concrete.

Would I need physical proof, or the word of a reputable person? If I found a Big Tooth member, could I ask them directly?

...

No. Obviously not. They weren't fond of our group in the first place, and I had nothing to give them in exchange either. That was how Scandians worked. I couldn't rely on a random gesture of goodwill. But finding select people in this city was difficult enough without any information. Could I look for someone more noticeable?

No. No... I couldn't risk looking for Yuri or Sigura either. I couldn't bare the thought of bringing such a stupid question to them, especially after what I did. That option was out, too. I wasn't going to find anyone running around the stone paved streets like a lost [Runner] either. I... had to risk checking out the slums. If I went too far, someone would get back before me, but I didn't know what else to do. Even if I wasn't the first back, some solid info might still impress the [Guildmaster].

Instead of traversing the busier areas, I took to alleys and side streets. My shoes crunched down on broken glass. The scenery changed from fur-clad civilians and bright storefronts to homeless people and hastily crafted graffiti. It pained me to run through here, but I tried to avoid alleyways where I could see the homeless. I didn't need the extra emotional guilt, given that I had no money to donate, and I couldn't risk it, either. I didn't know the people of this city or what they were like, but nearly every interaction I'd experienced was one of fear or aggression.

I needed to find a familiar-

My thoughts stopped in their tracks. The very moment it crossed my mind, I found what I was looking for. I hesitated to call it a 'miracle', given that the moment my eyes met theirs, I felt guilt twisting up my gut.

Within an alley I passed by sat a collection of children dressed in rags and worn, second-hand clothing. A dark skinned Human boy was the one I recognised. 'Uris'. He was one of the more talkative orphans I'd met, and the one who'd been the most active amidst Sigura's 'trainees'.

One of their friends was in the streets, sitting with their back to a corner store, a small, worn hat laid out in front of them. Many passed them by without even a glance in their direction.

"Hey, m-mister! Come here!" the boy by the corner store called out. I felt myself tense as a number of people put extra effort into looking away, thinking the words were for them. Anger and frustration filled my chest at the response, but the feeling was drowned out by guilt. I wanted to do the same thing they did, but I didn't have much of a choice. Not when a potential source of information was staring and calling my name.

Breaking out of my run, I came to a slow stop, approaching the orphan.

"I... I'm sorry, I don't have any money for-"

"Aren't you one'a Sigura's friends?" he asked excitedly, cutting through my excuse.

"No... I'm not," I responded. In the shade, Uris stood up, walking to the alley's mouth. He planted a hand on the shop corner, sticking his head out in my direction, squinting at the light that struck his face.

"I know you. You're part of Sigura's group... can you spare any coin?" Uris asked, his voice deeper and more steady than that of the young busker.

"No, I can’t. I don’t have any money,," I responded again, feeling an angry defensiveness creeping into my tone. A sound I wanted to mentally push away as soon as I could. The kids in the alley frowned at me, their eyes filled with accusatory looks.

"Aren't you working for the Don?" Uris pressed. "You should have money, right-"

"I'm not working for the Don," I cut past him. "I'm... I'm an adventurer."

"Oh..." Uris responded, his expression bleeding with confusion. Then, he beckoned me to follow him. "C'mon."

I didn't know what he wanted. It might've been a waste of time, especially if he didn't know anything concrete, but... I felt bad. I didn't even have a few coins to give them, despite Sigura of all people regularly helping them. I followed the orphan into the alley, hoping this wouldn't be a dead end.

"I... don't know much about magic, and I'm... I'm not a fighter," I told them as my body was blanketed in the shadow of the buildings around me. "I don't have anything I can give or teach you."

The children huddled around Uris as he sat back down and all looked directly up at me, which wasn't making the sense of guilt forming a heavy ball in my chest any lighter.

"Why're you an adventurer?" Uris asked, returning to his spot.

It was a simple question, but I knew what he was really asking.

"I... need money, and I didn't want to stay with the Velvet Star," I told them, sitting opposite Uris after checking the ground for glass shards, moss, or any other stains that might've been left behind by the alley's regulars.

"Why?" Uris asked. "Don't you get food and clothes? You'd have a place to stay."

"It's... not about that. It's wrong, helping them," I responded.

"...Wrong...?" one of the orphans asked, looking up at Uris.

"It's not wrong," Uris reassured the child. "He's just too different to get it."

Too different to get it? Did he know I was Pagonian? That I had a different moral standard?

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, eyes narrowing.

"You're a Chimera, right?" Uris responded simply, making me feel embarrassed for thinking it was anything else. "Slimes don't need to eat much, and they can eat whatever they want. You wouldn't get it."

"It?" I echoed.

"Going hungry," Uris said, words that prompted the other orphans to look away. "Needin' to do whatever you have to for food or warmth. You can do whatever you want because you're... like that. You don't have to care."

Just because I had a body like... like this... didn't mean-

"I know what that's like," I told him, eyes falling to the alley ground.

"You don't," Uris refuted, glancing towards the bright streets beyond the alley's mouth. "How could you?"

"I... I wasn't always like this. I used to be-" I stopped, words catching in my throat. 'Like you'. No. I'd never been exactly 'like them', but it had been close enough. Hungry. Cold. Desperate for anything I could get my hands on. But I ended up in that situation by choice, not by circumstance. I chose an equivalent to homelessness over living in the house I'd never been able to call 'home'.

"I've lived with shitty people, and I know what it's like to go hungry," I told them. "Or what it's like to live in fear because of what other people could do to you."

Or make you participate in.

"But you still had somewhere to stay and food to eat, didn't you?" Uris pressed, focusing his hard eyes back onto mine.

I had whatever he left in the house for me. Sometimes the food was stale, other times there was nothing at all. The window had been taken out of 'my' room, and the ripped, worn curtains that covered the empty space rarely helped. I'd had a 'blanket', even if it was just one of my father's old coats. That was the closest I had to 'warmth'.

"No... I had to fight for what I had too, so... I get it. But I don't have anything to give-"

My words stopped in my throat as someone else stepped into the alley. A squat Human with a rough, scraggly beard. He wore heavy, baggy clothes with a cumbersome brown belt covered in small, brown pouches that rattled as he walked. Was he a dock worker? His expression was... manic. Was he lost? Drunk? High off of something?

His eyes were locked on me as soon as he stepped out of the light of the street and into the alley's shade. His hand reached for a pouch, pulling out a malformed wrench covered in metallic bulges. It began to glow with a dirty grey shade, and he threw it.

I scrambled to my feet, leaning to the side as it shot past my head. He'd been aiming at me, and he'd thrown it fast.

"What do you think you're-!"

My words were cut off as a heavy impact struck against the back of my head. My body reflexively tensed up as an indent formed on my 'skin'. I stumbled forward, my hands touching down against the ground for stability as the wrench flew back to the grinning man's grip.

"Hah! Idioooooooooooot!" the man grinned. "You're not all that, are ya?"

The orphans stared at the man in shock, getting as close to Uris as they could. The boy clenched his fists, eyes locked onto me. He didn't rise from his spot, but tucked his legs close to his chest, making himself smaller.

"What are you doing?" I blurted out, rising back to my feet. The effects of the impact were wearing off as my body regained its normal shape. If I was still Human, that might've knocked me out.

"What're you doing?" the man echoed back. "Your freak stole the niche that should'a been mine! I should'a been the one known for that move that knocked ya, and that thing took it from me! I'll make you cough up where it's hidin' so I can teach it a lesson!"

Freak...? His niche? Was he talking about his magic? The pieces began to click together. He used some sort of [Telekinesis] to control the wrench and call it back to him. He wanted me to tell him where... where Yuri was. Damn it. I couldn't just run and leave the kids here, but could I beat him without fighting? If that was the extent of his magic, he couldn't easily hurt me, but he could still slow me down.

Another man stepped into the alley, walking just behind the squat, angry man. He was much larger, standing well over 6ft with a round frame. He had short black hair cut tight, and a... strange look on his face. He was expressionless, while his eyes were completely glazed over. He wore massive blue overalls, carrying a crate that jangled with exposed metal under one arm, and a metal girder swung over the other shoulder.

He wouldn't be an issue. Power types were slow enough to restrain with my abilities, but [Telekinesis] was an issue. How had they just wandered in here? Did nobody see them or think of doing anything?

"Don't kill 'em that fast, Cast-Iron! Leave some fer me!"

My head whipped around to look over my shoulder, spotting a thinner looking squat man. He wore similar overalls to his allies, with a viscous greenish yellow slime dripping from a pair of leather gloves on his hands. Another Human. The glow and colour of the slime clicked in my head. Even without [Insight], I faintly recognised it as familiar. Was he someone we'd fought at the warehouse days ago? Someone who'd brought his allies with him?

The sound of billowing cloth echoed above me, prompting my eyes to turn skyward. A fourth Caster began to float down towards the alley floor, a Half Elven man bathed in a soft glow. He wore purple robes and a matching coloured [Pirate Captain]-like hat with a wide brim tilted upwards. He had imperious, piercing blue eyes covered by round glasses framed by short blond hair, a more put together look that set him apart from the other three.

"You better make sure he doesn't get away, Vagary!" the wrench thrower yelled, pointing at him with eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"I wouldn't," the Half Elf named 'Vagary' sighed.

Four on one. I wasn't about to let the kids take part in a fight, even if Sigura had been 'training' them. I raised my hands, balling them into fists in front of my face with a [Boxer's] stance. It wasn't a practiced stance, but one that worked better for defense. I didn't want to fight them if I could help it.

I ran forward, charging towards the telekinetic and the man holding the girder. The telekinetic cackled, throwing a collection of marbles and small pins from his belt pouches, all glowing with that mottled grey light. I wove around, dodging as much as I could, but it didn't matter. The small bits of metal that struck or stuck into me barely managed to slow me down. I didn't know the limits of this form, but I could take more hits than I could as a Human. I... wasn't as physically strong as I had been back in my old body, but I could still throw a punch even without magic to augment the blow. My body exploded with light as a dark, murky blue [Mantle] enveloped me.

The heavier Human stepped forward to stand between me and the [Telekinesis] user. He dropped the crate with a deafening bang as the metal within rattled. With a single motion, the man swung the girder towards me in a wide arc. The alley wasn't big enough to avoid the blow, but I didn't have to dodge.

My arms bubbled and expanded as the girder collided with me. The inflated slime cushioned the force of the blow, even as I was smacked into the stone wall.

"Yeah! Get 'em, Lug!" the man with the slime covered gloves hollered. He ran forward as 'Lug' took a step back. He clapped his gloves together, causing the sticky fluid to coalesce at a single point. He snapped his arms around, sending a single thick line of slime streaming towards me. Was he trying to bind me to the wall?

I ducked as the slime splattered over a worn out name spray painted in aged graffiti. Some of the orphans nearby yelped as the liquid splashed onto them, but it wasn't acidic. If he wasn't going to be careful, he needed to go down first. I ran towards him, expanding the slime around my hands. A burst of blue shot towards him as I worked to bind the man's hands together.

He cackled as his own slime expanded and burst, creating a sticky web as it clung to the ground and walls on either side of him, catching the blue slime I fired. I had to finish this quickly, or else the kids could get involved.

I leapt over the makeshift barrier of greenish yellow sludge, spotting the man's outstretched arms. An opening. I landed next to him, instinctively raising one arm high above my head. The arm tensed, becoming harder than it had as a Human. Harder than flesh. More deadly. I turned, about to swing the enhanced limb down against his forearm with the full weight of my body like a meteor crashing down to earth.

The man yelped with panic, and the sound snapped me from the attack. Instead of striking his arm, the blow curved. My fist was planted into his gut as much of the blow's force was diverted. Still, it was enough to cause a fit of coughing with a grimace.

Even this was too much. I'd been too close to falling into old habits. I'd been about to cause serious damage, and...

Memories came to mind. I remembered cold days in a house where the chilly Pagonian winds slipped through every crack and crevice. I remembered standing face to face with a bulky, heavyset man that wanted to turn me into a 'proper fighter'. He taught me to punch 'like a real man', in ways that I hadn't seen other people fight. I knew it was effective, but it was harmful. It was to 'toughen me up'. We'd fight until I was battered and bruised. Until I was ready to help with 'work'.

I couldn't let myself fall into that trap. It would've been too easy to cause serious damage.

"Fuck..." I muttered under my breath, feeling my arm trembling as I pulled it away, as though I'd been the one struck. I couldn't just run away from this.

"You can fight!" one of the orphans blurted out. Uris tried to quieten him down as I turned, looking towards the three other Casters.

I didn't want to teach anyone how to fight like that. I wanted the techniques I knew to die with me. I punched the man again, sending him to his knees as a ripple of regret lapped over the surface of my body. I leapt back over the slime web, leaving the man behind as I looked towards the other Casters.

How could I do this without-

My head curved backwards as a thick metal wrench scraped across my forehead. My skin rippled from the grazing impact, a sensation that made me want to throw up, even if I knew I couldn't. I didn't have that kind of outlet. I was wary of it flying back towards me, but I charged the telekinetic. He and Lug stepped forward to attack again. The shorter man threw more metal, all of which stuck into my body. I didn't bother to dodge them, saving my energy to avoid the swing of the girder from Lug. I slipped underneath it as the wind from the swing brushed against my shirt, managing to kick outwards to strike the shorter man in the chest, knocking him backwards.

It wasn't enough. He'd get back up in a moment, but with this time I could try to restrain Lug. If I bound his hands to his girder, and stuck it to the wall, I could-

"Look out, blue guy!" one of the orphans yelled.

I spun around, looking towards the slime Caster. He was back on his feet, looking up at the Half Elf lingering in the air. He chopped at the barrier he'd formed with a single hand, causing it to fall to the ground. Much of the slime from it stuck to his gloves, and he tried to use the string once again to restrain me, sending the thick thread snapping forwards as it flew, curving to the side as he pulled his arms towards the wall.

I could dodge it and still have time to restrain Lug. I-

The Half Elf extended one hand, shooting a wide beam of transparent purple light down towards the alley floor. The light caught the string within it, and I saw the slime user shiver profusely. The thread split, going from one large spread to a dozen thinner streams. I couldn't dodge or jump over them in time, so I raised both arms, guarding myself as the slime touched against my 'skin', binding me to the wall.

"Gottem! Ha!" the slime user hollered.

I couldn't be restrained by something like this. Even if my clothes might be stuck, I could slip out of this. My body's viscosity could change, and I'd be able to pass through the slime. I'd need to tell the kids to cover their eyes, just in case I couldn't-

The Half Elf shot the light again, this time fixing it on me. My body shivered profusely, and I felt myself instinctively tense up. My head snapped to the right, looking towards Lug. Had he been about to strike me? He pulled his girder up from the ground, slinging it over his shoulder as he approached. He hadn't been about to hit me, yet my body had tensed up as though I was sure he was attacking. I still felt like he was on the verge of striking me, even if I could clearly see he wasn't.

I couldn't get my body to relax. Why was my body still tensing? I shouldn't be struggling against people like this, not against people I could beat even without using my fighting style or abilities. It should be simple to push hard against the slime and-

No...! I couldn't. I needed to use my magic to win, but not my fighting style. It wasn't my fighting style, but if I used it, I could disable them quicker, couldn't I? Time was important here, so I should end things as fast as possible. If I did that...? No, I couldn't, not with the consequences that would come after.

My mind felt as though it was spinning in circles. I couldn't settle on a course of action, and my body was still tensing up. My skin wasn't relaxing enough to change its thickness, leaving me stuck against the threads. Was it an effect? The Half Elf's light? That damned ability was doing something to me. If I took a deep breath and tried to stand, I could just walk forward and power through it. This Caster wasn't as strong as-

Uris rose to his feet. Without even a word warning, he began to sprint towards the Caster with the slimy gloves. With his hands immobilised while restraining me, the orphan teen went to attack. His arm rose above his head, and he moved to bring it down in an arc, turning to shove his body weight into it. The technique was sloppy at best, but his intent was clear.

"Stop, you can't-!"

My voice didn't reach him over the yell. He worked to tense his body and swing with his full force like a meteor from above, twisting upon connecting with the man's arm. It was then that I saw pain etched onto his face.

The man growled, his leg snapping out as he kicked Uris in the stomach. The kid was sent sprawling backwards, only for a collection of small, dirty grey glowing balls of metal to strike him in the side, sending him toppling.

They were even attacking the children. A bolt of rage rushed through me, and I pushed against the slime. The man who'd conjured it tensed up, arms trembling as he held me in place. My vision turned grey as Lug's girder smashed against the front of my head. I felt my sight distort and bend as the shape of my face was altered. I knew it would heal soon, but I couldn't see straight after it. All I could see was the massive man pulling his arms back for another swing.

Yuri would've beaten these people easily. Sigura would have, too. Gods... even Streiphen might've been able to manage. So why couldn't I? Because I was so afraid of fighting? Because I was weak? This wasn't just about me anymore. I couldn't afford to be picky about what techniques I used, not when other people were on the line. Kids had been dragged into this now. I couldn't just sit back and-

"Stop!"

My body trembled as a woman's voice echoed from above me. I couldn't move. Even pushing my eyes and warped vision to the sides was difficult, but those around me were trembling too. Their movements were sluggish, as though they were wading through water.

Around the entrances of the alley, a bubble of gold light spread down from above. Not the gold colour from Screen's magic. It was different. Patterns akin to waving feathers lined the surfaces on both sides. A barrier?

A flash of grey and gold leapt down into the alley on my left. One of the adventurers from the guild, Canary, had jumped down next to the man with the slime covered gloves. He broke off the trail of slime holding me in place, taking another step back. I watched as her eyes widened behind the beak-like mask over the top half of her face. Another barrier of golden light cut off her and the man from the rest of us, making both of them look gold tinted.

She began to speak, yelling something I couldn't hear. Her voice wasn't passing through the barrier. Uris, who was lying on the ground behind the slime gloved man, got back to his feet, trembling. The man was focused entirely on Canary, which let the orphan run forward, raising a single leg as he kicked the man hard in the back. With shock, the man stumbled closer to the adventurer as Uris jumped to his right, passing straight through the golden barrier.

I watched as Vagary, the floating Half Elf, attempted to shoot a beam of purple light through the barrier, only for it to disperse along the surface. Two conflicting uses of Light Magic?

The slime gloved man clapped both of his hands together, generating another bubble of yellowish green mucus that was about to shoot forward. Canary mimicked the action, clapping both hands of her gloves together.

I couldn't hear what had happened, but the man was suddenly sent flying backwards, slamming hard against the stone wall of the alley as a cloud of dust rose from the ground. He opened his mouth wide, rolling onto his back as both of his sticky hands clamped over his ears.

The stunned silence of the alley was broken by the sound of a punch. My head snapped around to my right, spotting the red haired woman in the green jacket from earlier, Mosaic, drop down from the rooftop, striking Lug in the back of the head. She landed heavily on the ground, grinning as she raised both arms to defend herself. Lug wasted no time in bringing the metal girder around in an arc, swinging it towards her. The woman's [Mantle] flared to life, although her Aera was like nothing I'd ever seen before. It was formed from shard-like patterns of different colours all slotting together like a jigsaw. Reds, yellows, oranges, greens, blues, and many others burst to life around her. She took the blow, skidding backwards close to the wall.

The stout Human grimaced, reaching for another malformed wrench within the box Lug had carried. His dirty grey light coated the surface as he threw it, aiming directly for the redhead's face. She was still guarding against the girder, and if she took her legs off the ground to try and deflect it, she'd be pushed back. She had no choice but to take the hit and-

The woman grinned as the wrench flew closer, going with an option I hadn't expected her to take. Calling it an 'option' was a stretch, given that it was something the average person wouldn't even consider doing.

Instead of trying to dodge, or block with her forehead, the woman opened her mouth, slamming it closed as her teeth clamped down over the Aera infused metal mid-flight. She bit down hard, chewing straight through the metal with her bare teeth. The telekinetic user was stunned as the mangled handle of the weapon fell to the ground with a noisy clatter.

"Eugh.. Gross," the redhead commented, chewing the metal head of the wrench before swallowing it. "Your magic tastes like shit, old man."

He reached for another wrench as a third figure leapt down into the center of the alley. They appeared like a flash of purple, landing in a crouch not far from where Vagary was hovering. Lug and the shorter man looked towards her, caught between two adventurers.

"Leave," Domino said, raising her head as she got to her feet. Even with the mask over her face, it was easy to tell through the tone of her voice that she wasn't going to take no for an answer. "If you know what's good for you, you'll go now without trying anything."

The stout man didn't seem to take the hint, his expression curling with anger as he spat on the ground in front of him.

"You think we're gonna let him walk away from this? We ain't just gonna-"

"I'm going to retreat," came the voice of Vagary, cutting off the irate Human. The telekinetic's eyes snapped up towards him. "I wasn't paid to fight three other unidentified Casters. I'm not risking myself for this."

"Wha-!" the stout man spluttered out. "Ya can't just-"

"[I'm sorry, Cast-Iron, but I believe it would be in our best interest to vacate the premise, lest more adventurers arrive.]"

The words resonated in my head, leaving a small echo that reminded me of Yuri's voice. It was that of a deep man, but the use of [Telepathy] was unmistakable. My eyes travelled to Lug's face, his eyes still glazed over while his expression held no emotion or feeling in it. Had he been the one to speak?

The stout man threw a wrench against the wall, causing it to bang loudly against the surface before flying back to his hand.

"Fine, damnit, but we'll be back! Won't forget about you lot either!" he grimaced, looking over his shoulder. "Lug, grab Gossamer and let's make ourselves scarce."

The large man showed no signs of acknowledgement, but moved the girder away from the redhead's arms. He swung it back over his shoulder, walking calmly forward. He passed by Domino without either giving so much as a glance at one another. He was able to walk through the golden barrier without issue, which faded as he picked up the sticky handed man under his other arm. The barrier in the alley fell, and the sound of him whimpering as he clutched his ears became audible.

Although the stout man, 'Cast-Iron', continued to grumble, he groaned while hoisting the crate of metal, following the floating Vagary as they left the alley behind.

I didn't want to let them leave. They were criminals, they'd attacked us, and they'd harmed a child. I had the power to stop them, to-

Vagary grew farther away, and the tinge of purple over my vision I'd barely realised was there subsided. I felt as though my head became lighter as he disappeared from the alley.

What had I been thinking? His magic was mental in nature, and effects like that were difficult to deal with. But... I still needed strength. The strength to beat people without having to resort to that. I can't believe I'd nearly done damage like that to someone again.

"Wow! That was great!" one of the orphans cheered, looking not at me, but the trio that had arrived. The redhead, Mosaic, was brushing dust from her sleeves as she joined Canary and Domino in the center of the alley. Uris eyed up Domino with suspicion clear in his expression, glancing between the trio.

Domino, Canary, and Mosaic. I didn't know anything about them, but why were they here? My body wasn't tense anymore, but without 'Gossamer' holding it in place, I was able to pull free from the slime without losing any articles of clothing in the process. With a bit of effort, I pried myself from the wall, brushing my shirt off.

"Scram," Domino said, looking towards the group of children with a wave of her hand. "It isn't safe to be here, so go."

'Wasn't safe to be here'? Hadn't they come to help? Or... Were they going to fight me? I'd already been struggling against Cast-Iron's group, but these three had managed to ward them off while barely fighting. Could I even win?

One of the orphans looked towards me, clenching their fingers as they opened their mouths to speak up. Uris planted a hand on the young boy's shoulder, shaking his head.

"We're going," he said, rising to his feet. His spare hand clutched at a bruise on his arm where some of the iron had struck him, but with the orphans supporting him, he was able to walk. The children threw each other glances, but ultimately chose to follow Uris as he ushered them out of the alley.

That left me alone with these three. I gulped, feeling my fingers flex as I prepared to use my magic. I expected them to attack at any moment, to open their mouths to cast and-

"Are you alright?" the woman I knew as 'Canary' asked.

"I'm... Yeah, I'm fine," I responded, still feeling on edge despite her apparent concern. Did that mean they weren't here to fight?

"You're a member of Equinox, aren't you?" Domino asked, taking a step forward. "Why are you trying to join the Adventurer's Guild?"

Her voice was clear yet firm. It reminded me of Sigura's, but... of something more than that, too. Otherwise familiar in a way I couldn't place.

"No... Not anymore," I told them, shaking my head. "I'm not part of their group."

"So you're not joining the Guild on the Don's orders?" Domino asked, disbelief clear in her voice. She took another step forward. Pressing me. Threatening.

I saw Canary behind her look somewhat worried, sighing to herself as Mosaic planted a hand on her shoulder.

"Between you and Dom, it's like a good guard bad guard routine, y'know? Lighten up, she's not about to kill the guy."

Even if she meant it to be a whisper, it was easy to hear in the relative silence of the alley. I noticed the bubbles of gold and feathers were still around both entrances, blocking off all sound from the outside. And the sound within from getting out.

With how she was acting right now... I wasn't sure if Mosaic was right.

"No... I left the Star, and I'm trying to get money to..." I stopped, trailing off.

"To what?" Domino pressed.

"To... To live a normal life," I responded vaguely. "To get a house, or get money to have a standard job. A safer one."

"If you wanted resources and protection, you would've stayed with the Don," Domino responded. "You held back against those thugs when we arrived. How did you know we were here?"

What...?

"I didn't know," I told her. "I just... didn't want to hit him that way."

The words were flimsy, a bad justification for how I acted that I didn't think she'd buy.

"Yeah, he wimped out of the hit, Dom. T'wasn't an act," Mosaic commented, speaking up.

"It's not that simple," Domino said, looking over her shoulder at Mosaic. "He was about to shatter the man’s arm. That was a stance from the Bodybreaker Martial Art school. It's an illegal technique from further north."

"Really?" Mosaic asked with disbelief, only for Domino to nod. "Huh, maybe he's not such a wimp then."

It was that bad? An illegal martial art from Scander? I'd known the techniques my father taught were horrible, but not that they were part of a real fighting style. The reluctance in me to use them only grew after hearing that.

"I don't want to have to fight people to get my way," I told them. Otherwise, I'd slip back into bad habits. I'd end up really hurting someone, and making enemies. Trouble was the last thing I wanted here.

"You came to the wrong city so, dumbass," Mosaic grinned.

I'd gathered as much. It was an impression that seemed to only grow stronger with every passing day. This city was nothing but problem after problem, but I needed time to get some money and reputation under my belt.

"Do you know who I am?" Domino asked without warning.

"No... should I?" I responded. "I'm... I'm not from around here, so I don't know anyone, really."

She turned her head, looking back towards her allies. Canary's eyes were glowing golden, a pattern of interlocked feathers sitting around the edges of her eyes. [Insight].

"He's not using or under the influence of any abilities I can detect, Domino," Canary told her.

"He ain't lyin' either, Dom," Mosaic added.

Domino only nodded once again before turning back towards me.

"Why did you leave the Velvet Star?" she asked.

How long was this going to go on for? Why did she care so much? She was in the Guild when I was, wasn't she? She knew that there was a quest for information.

"I... don't agree with their methods," I responded weakly.

"Their methods?" she pressed.

"I don't... I don't want to work with criminals. Or further their goals just to get what I want," I clarified.

"Yup, definitely landed in the wrong place then, mate," Mosaic grinned.

Domino glanced back over her shoulder again, head facing towards Canary.

"But you won't talk about the Star even if we ask you for info, will you?" she asked, her voice hard.

Canary shook her head, yet said nothing.

"No, I... I can't," I told her.

Domino only sighed. Whether it was in response to me, or some unspoken exchange with Canary, I didn't know. The woman took a step back, and I took a reflexive breath. It was an uncomfortable sensation, but at least my mind steadied a little more with the familiar act.

"Alright. I believe you," Domino told me.

Believed me? Why did she ask- No. Why did she interrogate me like this in the first place? I felt a bit annoyed at her choice of words, but I didn't want to make enemies here, above all else.

"Thanks for... the help..." I responded slowly. Uncertainly. She'd beaten people that were attacking me and saved the kids, even if it was just to leap down here and attack me with question after question.

Mosaic bellowed with laughter as I felt my cheeks darken in colour, feeling like an idiot.

"Who are you then?" I asked her. "Why did you come here looking for me?"

"What does it look like?" Mosaic answered with a smile. "We're adventurers, yeah? We heard about how you beat the shit out've Funghillie and his group, we came to make sure ya weren't a threat or nothin'. Glint is still sour over losin' her toy, too."

It was only as she spoke and I looked clearly at her that I noticed it. The inside of her mouth was covered in glass. Multicoloured, like the Aera that had surrounded her with [Mantle].

"That's all you need to know," Domino concluded, turning away from me, moving to face her allies. "Let's go. We can't waste any more time here."

She ran towards the wall, jumping before kicking off the surface. The impact was followed by a miniature burst of purple Aera, allowing her to jump from one wall to another before she disappeared over the edge of the buildings around us. Some usage of [Release] I'd never seen before?

"G'luck with bein' 'normal' as an adventurer, mate," Mosaic grinned, giving me a mock salute before she backed up, getting a running start at the wall before she followed in Domino's footsteps.

"Sorry... about all of that," Canary apologised. "I hope you get to live a normal life, Mr..."

"Toya," I told her, feeling strangely embarrassed that I'd been asked so many questions, but none of them had been about who I was. "Toya Deladere. I... don't have an Epithet anymore... Not- not yet, I mean."

"Toya," Canary responded with a smile. "I hope we get to see you around on... better terms than this. Domino is a little worried about-"

"C'mon, little birdie!" came Mosaic's voice from high above, followed by a deep noise that I could only describe as a poor imitation of a Chicken's clucking.

"Sorry about them," Canary spoke, looking sheepish as she rubbed the back of her neck. "I've got to go."

She ran towards the wall, doing much the same as her allies.

"See you around...?" I called out, still feeling stunned and unsure of the whole situation. I wasn't even sure if she heard me as she disappeared into Divastyr's skyline.

Now it was just me. Standing in an alleyway all alone, unsure what to do next. Trouble seemed intent on finding me no matter where I went or what I did. I'd just have to get used to it if I wanted to get anywhere in this city, even if it was only until I got enough coin and influence to head somewhere else.

With a sigh, I ran towards the mouth of the alley, sprinting out into the bright streets of Divastyr once again on the search for answers.