“Carradinoris is the only kingdom able to compete with the Empire. The islanders, ruled by a council of clans, has terrible internal cohesiveness. Each clan having its own traditions and set of rules, governmental decisions are difficult. Despite their naval strength, against the unity of the Empire, Carradinoris should not be worthy of worry.”

The Sage-Brother gave a pause before continuing.

“There are two reasons why Carradinoris is so menacing.”

He gestured for them to write things down.

“The first reason is the Mindor Clan. Its political and military scheming can sometimes surprise the Imperatrix herself. The second reason is the Blue Isle. Independent from the other clans, it regroups the largest amount of God-Touched in the world. And unfortunately, their relationship with the Mindor Clan is good. In the case of an alliance with war as a purpose, other clans would also join them. This almost happened ten years ago. War was on the verge of happening, but the Carradinoris flotilla retreated from the Western Plains before even landing. Which was a good decision on their part, as the Commandare is in charge of protecting the region.”

A lesson from Sage-Brother Berth.

As to answer Nay’s fears, the usually merciful city sky had gotten apocalyptic. The end of Priyu, or as Ra’fa called it, spring, came with its lot of impromptu rain, violent wind, and sometimes even typhoons.

Currently, the young Legio was thinking it was a typhoon.

But one thing was certain, she knew that she would not be able to dissuade Joanna to continue their plan.

She even seemed uncharacteristically ecstatic.

“With such weather, we’ll have no risk of running into anyone.” She shouted, walking against the impetuous wind.

“I…Hate…You…”

“WHAT?” Screamed the young lady again, raising an interrogative eyebrow.

Nay held her tongue.

Even though the sky was still menacing, the wind had calmed a bit when they arrived at their destination.

They stood close to the plateau’s end, and so close to the precipice, no one dared build anything: landslides happened often on the western and northern sides of the Duke’s plateau.

Which was why the large house they were facing was the sole building in the middle of a field of Ja’s flowers. Nay looked at them with disgust. She had seen the flowers effect at the Soi before. They were used in the making of a legal drug, legal because supposedly sacred. The teenager could understand why it was attractive, she had observed its euphoric and relaxing effects. But after sensing the user’s Rreico…She trembled just thinking about it.

“We’re getting in?” She asked her guide.

“What? No, way too dangerous. The house is full of traps, its where they hide contraband.”

Nay looked at her quizzically.

“Where are we supposed to go then?”

“To the cliff.” Joanna answered.

She brought them behind the house, in a garden left to fend for itself for what seemed a long time.

What was weird about it was the child’s swing, suspended on a linden tree proudly standing on the edge. The swing had been fixed on a branch over the precipice.

“No way.” Nay understood.

“Yes way. Look.” Joanna retorted, walking to the tree. “See that?”

The young Legio examined the branch her friend was pointing at, the one used to hold the swing.

The rope was getting inside the branch.

“You pull the rope three times to descend. It goes back up automatically. There is a mechanism downstairs that makes the swing go back up automatically.” The brunette seemed serious in her explanation.

“A mechanism on the bottom of the plateau that activates something on top? How?”

Nay understood perfectly well how much work would be needed to attain such a feat. Doing it without alerting anyone, that was simply impossible.

Joanna grimaced, embarrassed.

“Don’t make fun of me but…well…its magic…yeah I know, I know, it doesn’t exist, but you shouldn’t listen to the Sage-Brothers about…”

“I am aware. But a God-Touched, a wizard, a mage, whatever you call it, they are extremely rare. To my knowledge there are none in Gite.” ‘Except me…’ Nay thought. ‘But I have no idea how to use my powers.’

“The Assini ‘paid’ the service of one of them.”

“Jarl the Bohemian?” Nay repeated the name of the most famous God-Touched she knew.

“What!? No, of course not. He would never have helped the guild. He would have destroyed it. The mages are more numerous than you think, but generally, their power is weak. They can’t use it to defend themselves. Jarl is an exception amongst exceptions.

Nay nodded slowly. What about a mage who could only use her power to defend herself? She kept the question for herself.

“Shall we go then?” Her friend asked.

Nay looked at the void next to the edge. It had to be hundreds of feet of plummeting before finally hitting the ground if they fell… Maybe she could climb down instead? The cliff seemed much more approachable than the Shadowrock side, but she could only be sure of that for the ten or so feet she was able to see.

“Nay, are you afraid or excited? You’re making a weird face.”

The young Legio contained the crazed smile threatening to escape her lips.

“I don’t trust your apparatus.” She said.

Her friend blinked, before giving out a reassuring huff.

“Pfuh. Do not worry, I will hold you in my arms.”

Nay did not know what to answer to that.

“Erm…fine? We’ll need to stand up then, no?”

Her comrade nodded. “Yes, no space for both of us to be sitting down. Well, Nay, we lost enough time as it is. Let us not wait for the wind to be back, ok?”

The teenager with the cloudy eyes imagined herself on the swing, her friend holding her by the waist. It did not really reassure her in any way.

“Are you ready?”

Nay did not answer a thing.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Said her friend before pulling the rope three times.

The tree howled, screeched, the wood crackled, and a few moments later, the two teenagers began their descent, slightly too fast to the taste of the young Legio. Against her rational mind, she got even closer to her friend.

Behind the mist and the rain starting to come back, she could figure out a beautiful view towards the north-western part of Gite and its rocky shores. She could hear the sea shattering its anger against the dark rocks and wooden armatures of the peer.

The location and the descent would have been romantic on a sunny day.

When they ultimately reached the bottom, the sea welcomed them with a large wave of scum and algae.

“By Lebe!” Swore the brunette, pulling away an algae from her hair.

Nay enjoyed the cold shower and escaped from the aquatic plant life almost unscathed. With a simple movement of her ankle, she removed the lonely rude plant that had fallen on her canvas shoe.

After getting shelter in a small alcove, Joanna explained the rest of her plan.

“We need to go along the coast until we reach the city, but be careful, the water is deep and the rocks sharp and slippery. With today’s weather, you fall, you die.”

“Charming.” Nay answered. “Tell me again why we needed to do this during a storm?”

“Because it is perfect! No chance for an assassin to be waiting for us, or for one to be randomly using the elevator. We just need to avoid the guards, and some of my ex-colleagues, and we’re good!” Joanna liked adventure and adrenaline, she had answered with rare enthusiasm.

“More like we’re drenched.” The young Legio noted.

“Eh, today is a hot day anyway.”

“You have another algae in your hair.”

The ex-Assini swore again and removed the plant.

“Shall we go?” She asked.

“Was that a question or an order?”

“Oh come on, stop it, it’ll be fun.”

“Is this what you need to laugh, Jo? A situation where everyone wants to kill you?”

“You are more pessimistic than usual Nay. Do you want to go back?”

“You won’t.”

“That is true.”

“Then I’ll stay.” Nay answered dryly, gritting her teeth.

Her friend looked at her.

“What is it?” The young Legio asked.

“Thanks.”

“For…?”

But Joanna did not answer. She got back up and left the shelter to brave the elements.

Nay followed her.

By luck, the storm regained strength only when they arrived on the western shore, composed of sombre pebbles, and troubled waters. A fisherman looked at them climb down from the way that bordered the cliff with surprise. His curved hat was overflowing with water, and a miniature waterfall was falling on his naked legs almost completely covered with fish and naked women tattoos. His shorts were so soaked that their initial blue colour was now black-ish.

“M’a Litl Laydies, Un’t cha know haw no good it is to wolk that wey under such deluge?”

Joanna did not answer and after a few seconds, Nay felt the need to answer in her stead.

“What about you? Where did you think that fishing under such deluge was a good idea?” She tried to be nonchalant, which was hard when you had to shout to be heard.

Her response seemed to satisfy the fisherman, who laughed and lost interest.

Once on the muddy alleyways of Gite, Nay inquired about her friend’s state.

“Jo?” She raised an eyebrow.

She answered, ashamed. “Sorry Nay, I may act like everything is fine, but, truly, I’m worried. I really hoped not to run into anyone on the coast. If he talks about two girls coming from where we came…we need to hurry.”

Nay nodded, happy that the brunette finally took the situation seriously.

She did not know this part of town and was advancing with difficulties. The wind trapped inside the narrow alleyways Joanna was leading her through was impeding their progress. Despite the high temperatures of spring, the two Virnyl guard apprentices were starting to shiver.

After a few minutes of walking, Joanna held out a linen hood to Nay.

“We’re going to go through the northern boulevard, I won’t be recognised, but considering how close to the other Guards you are, I think that you shall need to be discrete.”

Nay put on the already drenched hood.

Joanna examined her. “Your eyes betray you. You need to look down.”

“And how am I supposed to walk?”

“Holding my hand. Here.” Her friend held it out.

Nay had a moment of hesitation, but a rather violent burst of wind brushed swept her doubts.

Her friend’s hand was cold.

“You have boiling hands.” Joanna noted.

“Sorry.” She gulped after apologizing.

“It’s enjoyable, I don’t need your sorry.” The edge of her lip rose slightly, before falling back down.

They walked the rest of the way in silence. The city was empty, as if deserted.

The northern boulevard brought them directly to the Borealis district. It was usually always full of people, but there was almost no-one there now: Three passer-by’s cursing their luck, fighting against the wind, two merchants trying their best to protect their windows by nailing thin wooden planks over them and…

The pressure of Joanna’s hand in hers informed Nay of the presence of guards, but after looking directly at the faded pavement road for a few minutes, discoloured by the rain falling on top, her friend simply declared: “We’re good.”

“Who was it?”

“Livic, a young guard, twenty or so if my memory is correct. And his Starry boss, I don’t know.”

Livic? Nay did not remember him.

“The other one had how many stars?”

“Ten or so?”

Nay shivered.

“We were lucky then. Was he old, small, and walked as if the ground itself was breaking under his every step?”

“Yes.”

“Quar Birrebus.”

“WHA..at?” Joanna refrained her shout. “The Commandare’s right hand man?”

Nay looked at her in surprise. “He’s his second?”

“Yes!”

“Well that explains why I never managed to beat him then.”

“You duel with Birrebus.”

“Mh.”

Nay raised her eyes an instant. Just long enough to see the fear cross through her friend’s eyes. She tried to mask the emotion behind a smile, but it was too late.

“Sorry Nay. When I talk to you, I always think you are normal and forget that you’re a…”

“I can’t beat him I told you…forget it.”

‘A monster’ Joanna was going to say.

Nay looked at the ground again.

After twenty minutes or so of battling the storm and wandering through increasingly dirty roads, the two teenagers stopped in front of a wooden shack barely standing.

“I…can you stay here Nay?”

The young Legio looked at her friend.

“I would have said yes, of course, and respected your privacy Jo. But I’m cold. I want to get shelter from the rain.”

“Oh…yes, sorry, of course, come on in then, just…my father…well, you’ll see.”

With that reassuring introduction, they entered the house. The door’s entrance was in such a state Nay could only ask herself what type of magic held it in place. It was not locked, the latch had been broken numerous times.

“P’a!” Said Joanna out loud, not really worried about the state of the place.

Nay stayed at the entrance. The house, if it could be called that, was tiny. The main room was far from large. Except a skillet on the ground and a low table, there was no other furniture. Nay noted that the wooden floor was in relatively good shape, and there seemed to be no leakage from the roof. There was only one other room, much smaller, that served most likely as a bedroom.

Three steps separated the entrance from the main room, and Joanna climbed them while removing her shoes. Nay did the same but stayed on top of the little stairs. Her friend opened, or more like removed and put away, the door leading to the other room.

“P’a I’m here. I have enough to clean up our debts.”

Silence.

“P’a. P’a! Get up.”

Nay, now slightly worried, went to join her friend.

The dark bedroom where she was was much like its neighbour: Empty. A mattress on the ground and a wardrobe.

But it was the number of empty bottles and the smell of poppy seeds that shocked the young Legio.

The scent was coming from the man on the mattress, who was trying to get up, grunting.

“Anna? Is that you? My daughter! The winner!” He smiled blissfully.

Nay could finally sense his Rreico. She had to take a step back.

This was not a man…just something close to it, a ghost. She had sensed it before with some of the regular users of Ja’s flowers but…never to this point.

“P’a…everything is going to be all right. I’ll give the money to Grimdor and you’ll be able to get your life back together, just like before. No need to listen to all his orders anymore.”

The half man laughed, too loudly, like a madman.

“Good, Good! But you don’t need to do that, Anna. I’ll take the money. You’re not allowed to be here, aren’t you? I’ll give it to him myself.”

Joanna got back up. Her father did the same, but with much more effort.

“No. You know I can’t do that Damien.”

Nay was surprised to hear such a scathing tone of voice out of her friend’s lips, but her focus was still fully on the semblance of man in front of her.

She felt his Rreico change and reacted instinctively.

She caught Damien’s arm before it could reach her daughter, who had already begun dodging.

“Who the fuck are you?” In less than a second, his blissful state had been replaced with murderous rage.

“Sir. Look at yourself.” Nay said.

Ra’fa had talked a long time about men like that. The ones that inhabited taverns and gutters.

The broken ones, the grief-stricken, the cynical of life. Ra’fa had many names to describe them.

“Who the fuck are you!?” Joanna’s father repeated.

“Nay, it’s ok, you don’t need to help me, I’ve got the situation under control.”

“He was going to hit you.” She answered.

“I wasn’t going to hit her! She just lacked respect; she needs to obey her father.” Damien retorted. “Now let me go you Firante.”

“P’a, stop, please. She is a Virnyl guard just like me. If you attack her, she could hurt you.”

But Nay had no intention of harming a man so scarred already.

“Did he try to hit you like that before?” She asked the brunette.

“Nay, stop. You said you wanted to respect my privacy.”

“And I refused. It was raining.” She replied with a calm smile.

She had read the answer to her question in Joanna’s eyes.

“Whatever, just let me go.” The father announced, as he tried to slap Nay with his free hand.

She caught his second arm. The young Legio was taller than him. She turned her wrist towards the ground, as she lowered her hands.

The technique would have worked on an eight feet tall man; Joanna’s father had no choice but to get on his knees.

“Nay! Stop.” Joanna ordered.

Finally, Nay let the man at her feet go.

“You monster.” He insulted her. He tried to get back up, but Nay’s stare made him rethink his action.

The young Legio left the little room with no windows, put back on her shoes, then got out of the house.

Joanna was close behind.

“Nay, Nay!”

“What?”

They could barely hear each other outside. The storm was now a real typhoon.

“I’m sorry, I should have warned you.”

Nay did not answer anything to those words, she changed subjects.

“Why would you help such a man?”

Her friend’s shoulders slumped.

“I…it’s all I have left. He’s my father.”

“I see.” Nay responded coldly. “Let us go give that money to this Grim guy and leave.”

“Yes…”

After a few minutes walking in Gite’s maze-like alleyways, Joanna started talking again.

“Nay?”

“Mh.”

“You’re scaring me.”

Nay stopped walking.

“You lied to me. We are stepping right into a trap, aren’t we?”

“I…no, we’re going to give the money, as I said.”

“No, you said we were going to give it to your family.”

“In a way, yes.”

“Joanna, I can’t protect you if I don’t know what we’re doing! Grimmor, who is it?”

“Grimdor…” Joanna had a shameful look as she corrected her, and the expression soothed Nay’s anger a bit. “He’s a debt collector, he loans money, then asks it back with interest.”

“That’s illegal. Only banks are allowed to do that.”

The brunette smiled weakly.

“Nay. We would not be allowed to enter one of Gite’s banks, so ask them for a loan?”

“I see, and why the need for a loan in the first place? No, let me guess, Ja flowers?”

Her comrade shook her head left and right.

“Poppy seeds.”

A hard drug, completely illegal. Nay was not surprised by the semblance of a man she had just met.

“Joanna, that’s not your father anymore. If he does not want to help himself, you can’t change that or take responsibility for it. You can’t live in someone’s stead.”

“I…I know that but…I just can’t abandon him Nay. I’m sorry, I’d understand if you wanted to leave but…”

“I never said that. But this is the last time. Once we’re back, I will destroy the swing and you won’t come back here until you’ve finished the two next years. Your father will be free of debts, he will be able to change, if he wants to. In any case, he won’t be your problem anymore.”

Joanna did not answer, her head low.

They started walking again with no more words spoken. Each of their steps turned around mud and trash, and where deafened by the howl of wind and rain.

The house was magnificent. It was so different from its neighbouring ones that it felt completely out of place. Made with stone, sculpted with beautiful embellishments, while the others were made of rotting wood.

There was even a bronze and copper inscription at the front.

Grimdor Maker of Wishes,

No appointment needed, noon and evening.

They entered.

A pompous entrance welcomed them. Nay had only seen such opulence once, the day she had been invited by Veridienne to drink tea at her home. This building was similar to that, albeit smaller.

Gold, silver, tapestries, velvet carpet, decorative weapons hanging on the walls. Everything screamed money.

Nay immediately knew where all this wealth came from. The house reeked of blood.

“Jo…” She began saying.

“I know.” Her friend answered, even though she most definitely could not understand the young Legio’s sixth sense. “That’s why you’re here. Please. Grimdor has two Carradinoris bodyguards. They are well known for being unbeatable if not facing Starry Virnyl guards.”

Nay put her hand on the pommel of her dagger and sword. “It is nice of you to hold me in such high regard, but you really think it’ll come to that?”

Joanna answered hastily. “No, of course not.” The lie was easy to spot.

A giant man came to meet them. Nay lowered her eyes, she did not want to betray herself.

“We did not expect visitors with this weather. And especially not you, little lamb, we thought you were up there for good, up there on your hill. Rumours say you’ve been lucky.”

The man had to be over seven feet tall, he was wearing a chainmail and his only visible weapons were two spiked metallic gloves. His accent sounded foreign to Nay, he made the “r”’s roll as if the sound was coming from deep inside his throat.

Joanna, undeterred, held her chin up high. “I come to pay off Damien’s debt.”

“Not to me you need to say that, little lamb. Follow me, you and your friend.”

‘If this Grimdor is so famous, he may have heard about me.’ Nay thought. That was why she was hiding her eyes. She wanted to keep the element of surprise in case things went south.

They dirtied the red velvet carpet with their muddy shoes the whole way until entering a small square room, its walls covered with glass-covered bookshelves. Nay thought about Fredere and her heart ached. Even if she liked to read as well, how he would have loved to get locked inside such a room for a week.

She focused back on her task. In this library, another giant was waiting for them, standing up, a perfect copy of his obvious twin brother. Face, physique, even their armour was identical.

His hard look left no doubts about his professionalism.

He stared at Nay without blinking, instinctively understanding which of their two guests was the most dangerous.

Another man was in the room, sitting down in a superb oak desk at the end of the room.

At first, Nay though he was fat, but then realized it was an effect created by his loose clothes. It seemed as if he wanted to be thought fat.

His face was round and childish, his hair cut short.

“The little lamb wants to pay you, boss.” Announced their guide, one hand firmly holding Joanna’s shoulder.

Grimdor deigned look up. “The little lamb? Ah…ah! Joe? Such a pleasant surprise, I was going to have to act soon, your father is not…well…regular in his payments.”

“I come to settle his debt.”

He laughed: “Even with your new salary, I don’t think that is possible, girl.”

Nay observed the scene in silence.

“What? Of course it is, I have three times more than the amount we borrowed.”

“Yes, but your father didn’t reimburse us two months in a row. The contract was clear, if you cannot pay one month, it is a 50% interest rate, two months? 500%. That’s the law. Nonetheless, with your pay and your future ones, you should manage to get rid of the debt completely. You are lucky, usually, after forgetting to pay so many times, my clients…disappear.”

Grimdor smiled. Nay could see two golden teeth reflect the ambient light in his sordid grimace.

“You sack of…” Joanna began.

“No no no, none of that with me. He signed the paper, I’m not responsible. I even let him have the contract for a week so he could read it, you know?”

“HE CAN’T READ YOU FUCKE…” She stopped, shouting in pain. The hand on her shoulder was now gripping her painfully.

“I told you, none of that with me.” The debt collector said. His voice was now sadistic.

Nay saw his Rreico.

She sighed.

“She won’t be able to give you her next payrolls.” Nay simply said.

“I’m sorry?” Grimdor responded. “May I know who I’m dealing with?”

“No, you may not. Just know that I won’t let Joanna come here anymore. So, either accept her offer now and cancel her father’s debt, or get nothing at all.” As usual during bargaining, it was Ra’fa’s teachings that led her words. With a man like him, you did not haggle, you intimidated.

“Friend of yours, Joe? An apprentice as well? Seems like the Commandare is getting sloppy. Three girls this year, wasn’t it? Only place where women should be on the plateau, is in their husband’s bed or at the Soi.” His voice took a deeper, foreboding tone. “Listen to me little girl, I understand you had your miraculous little life there on top of the golden rock, but we’re in Lower-Gite here. You piss me off, I kill you, get it?”

But Nay had already lost all interest in him. She had raised her head and looked at the two real dangers in the room. First, the brother next to Grimdor. He took a step back.

“What is it Ulric?” The debt collector asked as he saw his bodyguard back off.

“Sorry, I’ve got a bad feeling about this one. Bro?”

The other brother, the one holding Joanna, seemed like paralysed.

“She’s a damned mage. Boss, take the deal or we’re all dead.”

Nay and Joanna were both taken by surprise at that sudden turn of events.

Sure, it was unexpected, but Nay was especially shocked that someone had recognised her as being God-Touched.

“You’re certain?” Grimdor asked.

“Absolutely. I’ve never felt my mark burn so much before. I thought it was because it’s getting close to its expiring date but…now that I’ve seen her, I’m certain. You can actually see the magic in her eyes. Biach’ excrement. Boss, take the deal, now.”

Grimdor simply nodded, then talked directly to the two teenagers again.

“Ladies, it seems we have a deal. Joe, your coins.”

The latter, still astonished, gave away her pouch of coins on the massive table. In response, Grimdor went to look for a paper in a large pile of documents, then used the fire of a candle to ignite it. He threw the burning paper in a metal box on the ground. Then, he stood up, opened a little cabinet, and plunged his whole arm inside, between the books, as if trying to reach something behind. He extracted a binder with a different pile of documents, took another contract, and burned it in turn.

“Well, here is the contract and the one I keep in reserve destroyed. I hope this will be enough to avoid any type of retaliation for my previous lack of manner, my lady. I confess I would rather not meet with you again, if you agree. You know where the exit is, I believe Ulric has no desire to walk you back.”

The aforementioned man was looking at Nay, terror in his eyes. When she met his gaze, he lowered them immediately.

The two teenagers got back out, dirtying the carpet even more.

The storm was raging.

“Nay? Care to explain? What just happened?”

But Nay was as lost as her friend.

“I have no idea, I swear. But, we’re not going to complain, are we?”

“No, but still. You know that Carradinoris is a magocracy? Maybe Ulric and Firrilir could see that you were a God-Touched? And even then, for them to be so scared of you…Nay, maybe you’re really powerful? Can you imagine? You could go to the Tall Tower!”

“The tall tower?”

“It’s the place on the Blue Isle where they train mages. Ja’s worshippers tell us it’s a scam and a place of swindlers, but you saw the swing. Magic is real. And you have some! Clearly!”

Nay grimaced. She was mostly aware of all that. It was mainly the reaction of the twins that had bothered her so much.

MONSTER MONSTER MONSTER

That was what their eyes screamed.

Blue, ocean eyes.

Nay had to stop, her chest hurting her all the sudden, her legs wobbly.

“Nay? Nay, are you ok?”

“I…”

“By Ja, you got sick, didn’t you? Hold on to me.”

Nay obeyed, feeling her friend’s warmth. The image that struck her, no, the memory, dissipated, and she breathed again. She had not realized she had stopped doing so.

“I…I’m all right, thank you…sorry, I blanked.”

“You sure?”

“Mh mh…”

“In that case, thank you Nay! Without you here, everything would have gotten terribly wrong. I’m indebted to you, you can ask me anything, you know?”

Nay looked at her friend’s lips.

“Let’s go back, please.” She said.

Their way back was the same as before, with no incidents, except they were getting really cold.

With the storm getting stronger and stronger, the passage that followed the cliff, next to the sea, was perilous, but Nay and Joanna were Virnyl guard apprentices. Their usual obstacle courses were just as dangerous.

The swing waited for them.

“Oh? It didn’t go back up?” Joanna thought out loud.

Instantly, Nay’s guard went up, but there was no place where anyone could hide where they stood, so she relaxed.

“Maybe because of the storm?”

Joanna gritted her teeth.

“Yeah, and it’s not going to be a joy ride. I think we should go one at a time.”

“Fine by me, I’ll go first.” Nay announced.

Joanna raised an eyebrow.

“You sure? If I’m up there, I could stabilize the lift, it’ll make things easier for you. You’re not used to this while I am.”

“Out of the question. Someone could wait for us up there.”

Joanna gave her a sarcastic look.

“With this weather? Except Yarrin, no one could.”

“Yarrin?”

A flash of fear crossed the brunette’s eyes.

“They say he can fly. He’s one of the top Assini, matching my old master.”

“Your old master?”

“I…I’d rather not talk about that. She’s dead, that’s all that matters.”

“I see.”

They looked at each other.

“Changed your mind?” Joanna asked.

“No, I’m going.”

Nay had a bad feeling about this. She knew what had to be done.

She stood on the swing perfectly straight, and pulled on the rope on her right, her gaze fixed on her friend. Once a few meters up in the air, she lost the lean teenager from sight, wind and rain stripping away her vision.

The ascension was long. Very long. The swing rose much slower than it descended.

After ten minutes, the summit was still out of sight.

Suddenly, the swing that was already unstable began shaking heavily.

Nay lost her balance, her feet slipping on the wooden plank underneath, she instinctively held on the soggy rope with both of her hands so she wouldn’t plummet to her death.

Someone was shaking the swing from up top.

She would not hold, the rope was vibrating, her grip was weakening.

Nay did not think, she did not swear, she reacted.

She projected her legs forwards, then curled up. After doing it a few times, she swung right towards the cliff.

She jumped.

Her body crashed flat on the rocky wall, the shock shaking her bones.

She slipped, abyss claiming its due.

Her hands found two cracks filled with water. She held on.

“Lebe’s harlot. Lebe’s harlot. Lebe’s harlot.” It took a few moments for Nay to calm down. She could only do one thing now. Climb. She had to have only thirty, fifty feet maybe before reaching the top.

But she could not see any climbing holds. The wind prevented her from reaching the better spots, her wet hair stuck on her face impeded her view, and the water streaming on the rocks made every edge slippery and deadly.

But Nay knew how to climb. She had never forgotten.

She felt the exhilarating sensation fill her mind. She smiled.

Until she saw the swing come back down.

Joanna.

She could only rise slowly, but if she did not hurry, her friend would take the swing as if it were the most sensible thing to do. Then, she would fall, or be met with an Assini that Joanna herself had praised for being deadly effective.

She climbed and climbed again, until faced with a dead-end.

Either she would need to climb back down and find another way, or she would need to jump to a hold five feet on her right.

She tried to find another solution, anything.

She could nod.

Her brain boiled. The jump would be hard. In the current conditions, impossible even.

“Nay? Is that you?” A feminine voice shouted.

The young Legio turned her head around, saw a swing rise slowly, her friend on it.

“JOANNA, YOU HAVE TO JUMP, IT’S A TRAP.”

“WHAT??? ARE YOU CRAZY? I’LL FALL!”

Her swing wobbled.

“HOLD ON!” Nay shouted, powerless.

She looked with terror her friend begin to lose her balance. But Joanna thought quick, and she let herself fall on the wooden plank, both her hands encircling it.

She was a Virnyl guard apprentice, she would hold on to the summit.

Where an assassin was waiting for her.

Nay jumped.

She planted her dagger in the rock.

The metal vibrated, aching, at the limit of breaking.

She almost slipped, she almost let the drenched pommel go. Almost.

She held on. Then she climbed again.

She could see the summit. Finally! Barely five feet away.

She could hear, like sharp hisses, the sound of blades clashing.

She climbed on flat ground. She was situated ten feet on the right of the linden tree.

In front of her, Joanna and a man dressed in black were fighting.

Nay felt the Rreico of them both, and immediately understood what was going to happen.

She saw her friend’s abdomen pierced, the strike had been fast and precise. The blade had gone in and out in a flash.

She screamed.