More introductions took place, Ace giving his name, in passable Common no less, much to the surprise of Nayah who had remembered Ace under a different one. Luck was impressed she even recalled that, he had only used it once. He wasn't one to waste time however so it wasn't long before he expressed a desire to visit the temples. Nayah eagerly volunteered, but, given Luck's nature, he couldn't help but wonder if she was trying to get on his good side as his new student. His face reflected that distrust before it faded the next instant.

In the end, as it always happened, he decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. It was normally what he did in these situations. In this particular case, it was clearly apparent of how much more expressive she became once her mom wasn't around which gave a glaring hint as to why she volunteered in the first place. Luck pondered that, holding his stuff in his hands. Diversi's map, his precious amber playing cards, and the enchanted seeds were all bundled up in his grey jacket, which was the least bloodied article of clothing.

They were walking past all the side shops in the marketplace, away from the loud din of predatory merchants and prospective customers. The warriors, the rougher men, all kept a respectable distance from Nayah, but the shop owners and businessmen had no such qualms. Again, Luck saw things for sale he had no previous experiences to compare them with. Small wonders that he would never think about, but made shocking sense in the world around him. The merchants he had seen yesterday were unrecognizable among the mass of faces. Twice, Luck was approached, being offered clothing due to his current state. That is, shirtless. The merchants were not at all bothered by Luck's disfigured appearance, instead seeing him as a potential customer than a cripple. Even as they were leaving, many different merchants made a few half-hearted attempts at a sell. When the noise finally lowered enough Nayah was the first to speak.

"Why the temples?" She asked, looking over her shoulder and back to them. She had been leading them like a spear through the crowds.

"What, we can't be religous? My friend over there is very devout, you know." Luck replied, watching the varied temples come closer and closer. They were leaving the linear set up of Peace, moving towards the temples brought them to the side and closer to the mountains.

"Ace is?" She said, somewhat surprised. "That's surprising. I didn't take him for it."

"Ace? Of course not. I was talking about Saga." He smiled. "Ace is an aetheist as far as I know. But Saga is always offering prayers and repenting for everything he kills. He truly is pious. The most dedicated I know. Sometimes I wonder how he can reconcile his beliefs with the world as we know it." Luck said, as if deeply saddened by the thought. Saga, convincingly, was staring around in a way that would've passed as completely normal if not for what was just said.

Ace looked at the shar before picking up on the story. "It's true. Saga is quite god-fearing." He said, in on the joke. "But in regards to myself, i'll have to rethink my beliefs, I think. After spending so much time with him, I believe Saga has converted me." He was smiling, not giving a thing away.

Nayah looked back and forth for a few seconds, her laugh was delayed, but it came. And it was full of joy; the way she laughed, having sensed the joke. It was important to note that when paired with two men who had a way with words, even if one of them wasn't completely fluent or even armed with a sufficient vocabulary, simple conversation became something very enjoyable. And it was in that way that they passed their time on the walk.

It seemed the temples were given a whole section of the city to themselves. As if the other buildings were too scared to enroach upon sacred ground. If observed closer however one would notice that unlike the main buildings of Peace, the various temples to the gods had no shade. Nothing to cover their attendants from the sun as they walked between the structures.

Luck was staring up at the first temple they happened upon until Nayah noticed him. "That's Clai, God of Truth." She said, her eyes turning to the patrons. "Often he is praised as the God of Enlightenment as well. Many seek him when they are lost."

It was a quiet place. In comparison to Diversi's temple it was maybe a fourth of the size, likely to accomodate the other deities. The materials used seemed inexpensive, yet the place had a presence about it that was calming, reflective.

"Truth." Ace said. "So the lost come to find it themselves. Explains the mirrors." His dialogue was in English.

"Sometimes it just takes another perspective to understand something. The truth is more apparent from another view. It is intriguing though. I'm curious how the other temples capture their deity's domain." Luck responded in kind.

Saga padded up to a longer mirror. A few people were lying down, others were sitting, but they were all quietly looking at themselves. Saga did the same, examining his figure. A particular woman's gaze was ripped from the mirror as she jerked her head away to look at Saga and not his reflection. The rest however were not surprised, and given their general attire Luck wasn't either. They were warriors, fighters. It was written on their face, the pain of taking a life, the burden they held. Luck knew that weight, he had held it heavy once upon a time.

Nayah popped in, ignoring their shift into English and continuing her explanation. "The other temples are just as small or smaller. Quiet places where people go for peace. Was there a particular one you wanted to visit?"

"Are there temples to the Goddess of Fortune or the God of Variance?" Luck replied, his eyes not catching the look that flickered across her features.

He did however notice the delay in her response, and Luck pondered on that. "The Goddess of Fortune is... not a popular deity. Her failure as a goddess makes sure of it." Nayah said. "Her followers have a bloody history. Men and women who bring calamity wherever they go, death and destruction, to all they visit. Followers of hers are looked down upon, her temple... I'm not even sure if it's still maintained."

"Even the gods need to atone." Luck muttered, recalling words from a conversation that seemed ages ago, but was in truth only three days prior. His visage darkened slightly, eyebrows creasing as he thought of people in the city, the ones who couldn't handle the guilt.

"What was that?" Nayah said, not quite hearing him.

Luck looked at her and smiled. "Do you know what my name means in English?" He said. "The language Ace and I speak."

"Luck..." She trailed off. "I have no idea."

"It means good fortune, happy coincidences. Chance, destiny, providence, happenstance." He answered. "It's the reason I got the name. I'm adopted you know. But my parents always described the day that they found me as the luckiest of their lives. And so I was named Luck." He remembered the many times his parents would talk about that day, how extremely annoying it was. But those times seemed so mundane back then, and so precious now. It always came up in very particular moments, specifically when someone made a terrible pun of his name, which, surprisingly, hadn't come up with Ace at all. Luck took a moment to appreciate it probably wouldn't ever come up unless he was speaking English with someone, maybe that alone was worth the trip here.

"I always thought that was a nickname personally." Ace said, in Common for Nayah's benefit.

"A nickname?" Luck replied, head tilted slightly, imploring him to continue.

"Well, who names their kid Luck? A lot of people think the same thing. That you might've earned it through the stuff you pull off." He explained. "Seemed as good as any other explanation out there. It was a quite convincing story too. You're saying your actual name is Luck, really?"

"Since the day I was born." Luck replied, slighly bewildered. "So you thought my name was another title, another moniker I earned? And then, on top of that, people threw on more titles to hide it? People actually thought that?" Luck smirked, fairly amused.

"...Well, now it sounds stupid." He grinned slowly. "But so does Luck for that matter."

"Maybe." Luck conceded, smiling. "But the Amber Demon sounded stupid too. I grew into it. And as for Luck, well i've been growing into it since birth. And-"

"The Amber Demon? What is that?" Nayah asked, Luck forgetting they were speaking Common with the way Ace was responding so quickly. Nayah had heard a little more about him than he would've liked. "Where are you from? Are titles of significance there?"

Luck smiled ruefully, giving Ace a tired look. "A little, but the people give you them. Generally, they're more of a nuisance than anything else."

"Oh, so it's like the Arena Fields! Many of the spectators name the contenders, usually after some great feat or victory. I wouldn't be surprised if you earned one just now." She said. For some reason, Luck was acutely aware of how she avoided staring at his melted flesh. Understandable, but still, maybe she felt guilt, or concern perhaps?

His thoughts snapped back to the conversation and he groaned. Another title? He didn't want to be known as much as he had been before. On top of that, what if it was stupid? "Let's hope not." He said in response. "So, back on topic, that's why I'm interested in the Goddess of Fortune, in a way she's my namesake. As for the God of Rebirth, well, I feel like a pheonix right now. Might as well visit him too." He said, lifting up his partially melted arm, bringing the issue to the forefront.

Ace chuckled, his muscular form shaking with mirth, having already dispelled most of his worries. Nayah, however, looked worried. "Will you be okay? Can you even teach me bartending with those injuries?" She asked, her concerns pouring out now. "Oh, this is all my fault."

"It's not a problem. I'm perfectly capable of teaching you. " He said quickly, waving her down. "Now, her temple?"

Nayah looked relieved and Luck guessed that it also stemmed from the fact that Luck was her way out of inheriting the family business, if you could call running a city that. She regarded Luck with a searching look before nodding her head. "If i'm not mistaken it should be this way, and the God of Rebirth would be this way as well." She said, more than happy to help now.

Nayah had Luck, Ace, and Saga weaving between temples, each one having some type of subtle theme. Luck didn't even think all the gods were represented here. Apparently though, the God of Truth's temple was one of the larger ones here. The temples ranged from almost alien architecture, to shockingly modern, or completetly sidways; incorporating some type of fluid magic into the structure. There were temples that seemed extremely style-forward, while some were mere huts; others were completely improbable. And the blue-eyed girl led them through those temples, moving deeper into them, through the small clearings in front of them and quiet places beside them. And she did so without a single blink, as if these architectural wonders were something mundane to her. If Luck wasn't so fascinated, and had time to dwell on that, he might've truly lost himself pondering what kind of things existed that made these temples not worth even a passing glance from the girl.

Luck was all eyes, observing something he never had the chance of finding, but was so commonplace here. It was a religion. Men, women, even children were visiting, dressed much the same as the other citizens, but with different reason. These people were on their knees, standing around, sitting in places. It was clear what they were doing from their simple humble being. These people were praying. It was something that Luck knew was valid now. It had saved his family, so it might help these people find what they were looking for too, salvation in whatever form it took.

It was such a convuluted path that if Luck wasn't used to taking these types of routes himself he would've lost his direction. As it was however, this was their fourth right turn, and though it might feel like they were on the right side of most of temples, they were actually more towards the left. For what reason it was nestled so far away was beyond him.

"Here's the Goddess of Fortune's temple." Their guide spoke. Her voice shook, almost imperceptible, but something in the way his hearing changed allowed him to pick up on it. It sounded like fear, if for the temple, the goddess, or gods in general, it was too early to tell. But nonethless, Luck had heard it, but he preferred to quietly observe for now.

"Familiar, isn't it Lucky?" Ace commented, walking up beside Luck to the small fence that marked the temple's grounds.

Luck opened the fence, walking on the small field of clovers. "Just a tad." He replied, once Ace started following. "It's almost like i've been here before. Or something extremely similar." He grinned.

Saga gave both of them a confused look but followed as well, his footsteps silent on the clovers. His feline gaze scoured the place much the same as an amber pair did, mirroring his bondmate.

It was overgrown. Vibrant greens, standing out amongst even the temples beside it, even if you could barely see them through the foliage. Stained glass windows were on either side of the structure. A tall structure when compared to others nearby. And white, as white as was possible without constant care. Small trees heavy with leaves covered the place, as if shielding it from the other temples. And yet, the building was compact despite all that.

"You wouldn't think it belonged to a deity that caused calamity would you?" Luck asked, walking a short distance to the open passageway that served as an entrance. He turned slightly, watching her reaction.

"No." Nayah said, glancing around quietly, following Luck. "It seems rather muted compared to the others." Her body language told him much, she was nervous.

He continued as if he didn't notice. "Muted?" Luck thought not.

True, there was a subtle style to the temple that he appreciated. A humbleness even in the face of all these other areas of worship. But, in a way, that made it stand out much more to Luck's eye. The place was hidden by small trees, so it felt... inclusive to be walking in these grounds. There were ladybugs flying around, something Luck could vividly remember seeing in Leah's hair. Luck was standing in the passageway when Ace saw him looking at one of them flying past.

"That collector I told you about?" He opened. "The one that collected precious gems and rock formations?" His eyes roamed the field of clovers, spotting the ladybugs flitting about.

"The one you mentioned at Diversi's? Yeah, what about him?" Luck asked absently, ducking into the structure. It was small, with a vaulted roof of a familiar style. Quaint was the word Luck would use to describe it. The field of clovers extended even inside, serving as a carpet under the carved seats. It was a nice touch.

"I had to escort him into a meeting. A collector's meet up of sorts." Ace recalled, curiously taking off his shoes. Luck looked at him funny, but Ace didn't even bat an eye, so Luck followed his example and placed his own in the nearby cubbies that Ace had placed his. "There was an entomologist there, someone who studies insects. I learned a few things then, wasn't really anything better to do. Did you know ladybugs are considered the perfect representation of Lady Luck?"

As if taking turns, Ace followed Luck this time, taking a seat facing a grand statue of the goddess. Much like their seats, the statue was carved of stone, a stark likeness that was a pristine white. Saga walked in front of the statue, looking at it intently, then ultimately opted to rest at its feet. Nayah took a hesitant seat to Luck's right while Ace took his left side.

"Huh. That explains why they're crawling all over the floor." Luck responded, watching one of them crawl on his foot. "Did you catch the themes of the other temples on the way here?" He asked.

Ace plucked a clover from the floor. "Yeah, the architecture was quite intricate across all of the buildings. The theme's quite transparent here though." He said, examining the clover in his hand. "Four leaves." He said, shrugging and pocketing the charm.

"Really?" Luck said, giving him a flat look.

"What? It's good luck." He defended, but his expression turned into a grin. "I'd expect you to understand with a name like that."

"How long were you holding onto that one?" Luck sighed, giving him a tired look.

"Not long." He smirked.

Meanwhile, Nayah was sitting still, either from tension or relaxation, it was strangely hard to tell but easy to infer. It didn't seem likely that she would fear the temple, more so that she would be uncomfortable. "Are you okay?" Luck asked, curious.

"I'm not big on the gods. Their temples are extremely unsettling for me." Nayah replied, breathing deeply. "But I'll endure. This way I can observe up close what a master bartender does on a daily basis."

Luck raised an eyebrow. "Master bartender? I don't think I ever called myself that." Luck didn't miss the way she steered the conversation away from herself.

"What else could you be?" She said, some of her tension forgotten. "The drinks you served were acceptable even for Borg! And that man is extremely picky! You have to be a master!"

"While i'm sure Borg treats his drink like a goddess my skill is nowhere near that of a master. I'll admit that i'm somewhat talented but I haven't concocted any real drinks for years before that day at your bar." Luck replied.

"It's a shame too." Ace cut in. "He serves some mean alcohol."

Blue eyes squinted at Luck. "Well, a conversation for another time." The girl said. "Are you gonna pray? We are at a temple after all, and it doesn't seem like you are. For that matter, it doesn't seem like you're one to keep sane through all the pain you should be feeling either." Her eyes, somewhat hesitantly, observed Luck's disfigurement. "Neither would I take you for one capable of surviving wild lily poisoning. Though perhaps the latter explains the former."

"Not all things are as they seem." Luck grinned before gesturing around with a flippant hand. "This temple for example. You'd think it was based solely on luck, with all the symbolism going around. Heck, the windows paint rainbows across the floor, which, might I remind you, is comprised of four leaf clovers. And, if you were really paying attention you would've noticed the family of white rabbits at the corner over there." Which he had only noticed because they were quite friendly, Luck had been talking to them for a while. He had placed his stuff down and had asked them to watch it for him. "But then there's also the general feel of the place."

"Saga, no. Those bunnies are holy." Ace said. Saga growled at him, having not even twitched at the sight of said bunnies. Ace only chuckled as the small white balls of fluff shot up in alert. Saga growled at him again. "Alright, alright." He laughed, putting his hands up. "I forgot you were extremely devout."

Luck watched their interaction, amused. He also calmed down the bunnies, since they were nice to him.

"And what's that general feel?" Nayah asked, watching Ace and Saga's exchange, probably wondering if Saga spoke English as well.

"It's secluded." Luck leaned forward in his chair, looking around calmly, hearing nothing but the faint hopping of bunnies and chirping of some birds nesting in the beams above. "This is the type of place you stumble upon. A place hard to find if you didn't know where you were going. You can tell by just looking around. No one has been here for a while. It has that inclusive feel to it, like you've found something hidden. I guess, what i'm trying to say is that, more than anything, this is the type of place you find by mere chance. Something, I think, was done intentionally." He finished, tilting his head to the right to gauge her reaction. The girl had froze. "So how'd you find it?"

Ace's one-sided banter with Saga was dropped as he glanced to Nayah.

Blue eyes droped, and Nayah's whole deameanor seemed to slow down. Slower breaths, slower movements, defeat in the way she rested herself. It was sadness, an acceptance that came from years of grieving. Luck knew that look on everyone's faces but his own. He didn't have any past experience with coping, but he had seen it on the strained smiles of those he worked with. He knew only the raw, immediate wrenching pain that came right after tradgedy, he had seen it on his own face reflecting off a pool of his parent's blood. Within seconds of looking at her face it was clear something terrible happened. And it had something to do with Leah.

Luck sighed, he had probably pushed too far. "Of course you-"

A voice spoke suddenly, a sound that startled as much as it calmed. "Because her family once came here every other day." The noise was wind chimes and song. The chirping of birds, the ringing of a bell. "And they payed dearly for it." It was her. Leah. It took Luck half a second to catch up to what she was saying. Her appearance was the same as that day. Robed in white with eyes as charming as the four leaf clovers on the floor.

"Nayah?" Luck was about to question her, but the girl had already fled. Her departure, a silence on the clovers.

Ace, meanwhile, had just turned his head to Leah, likely having watched Nayah leave. He was the one who spoke next. "Thank you for giving me another chance." He said immediately and formally, bowing in the same way Mr. Ark probably would.

The goddess smiled softly. "It was done for my own sake." Her voice gave her smile a sadness to it that Luck was acutely aware of, but that could've easily been because of the way he was observing her in the first place. Her eyes were that same light shamrock green they were before. A color that drew his own painted eyes.

"Nontheless." Ace said. "Thank you."

There was a dancing light in the goddess' eyes that showed her true appreciation of the gesture before she turned to Luck. "What brings you here? To my temple of all things, no one has walked this building in a decade. "

Luck stood up, standing beside Ace. "I don't know whether or not you know anything about me. But I always pay a debt, and you saved me. Basically, I'm so indebted to you I might drown. I owe you my life, and my family's. Knowing my dad, sister and mother they'll be the same way. And I don't know why you chose us but know you've made some powerful allies, and while we may be mortal we are capable of much given time. Just tell me what to do, it'll be done. Eventually." He said, a seriousness to his voice. Luck was aware of Ace's gaze, the way his eyebrow rose, the question it implied. But this was something Luck had to do, he couldn't live with it looming over his head. Decision made, he met the eyes of a goddess, one that seemed more amused than ready to take him seriously. She knew his reputation, so her expression said a lot about the dangers of the world called Aerae, but, inwardly, Luck smirked, there was nothing quite as satisfying as surprising those who underestimated him. "So it's yours. My life." He said, voice dropping to normal. It sounded nothing like that of a man who had just pledged a life debt. But, that was what Luck did, he had a tendency to keep people on their feet.

Leah looked at Luck, maybe seeing something more than the crying man she had met that day at the church. "No longer the Broken, I see." She smiled, folding her hands lightly. "To soothe your suspicions, yes, I know who I chose. And you were chosen for a reason. If you came only for a task to do though then i'm afraid your visit is in vain, you need only wait to find out what it is."

"You said you needed to atone." Luck replied, the smirk on his mouth distracting from the sharpness to his eyes, his gaze, observant. "I'll help you make it right. What needs to be done?"

In response the goddess frowned, and took a deep breath looking around her own temple, like it was an old home that held many memories. "What needs to be done?" She repeated, voice echoing of the walls as if she was asking herself. "Much." She said. "Much needs to be done." Her gaze eventually wandered back to Luck but she was looking at something else, something from another time. It was the face of a person haunted by a memory, a ghost at the back of their mind. "But nothing can be done. The damage has already been inflicted. My deeds have already taken their toll on the lives of so many and there is nothing more that can be done for them. The Lades, Dworks, Threne, Subaqa, Subfira, so, so many have suffered. I am powerless."

"The Subaqa? The fish people?" Ace cut in abruptly, just realizing what he heard. "Lucky here just cured their whole home."

"Ace." Luck said slightly annoyed, this was the type of talk that led to more titles like the Amber Demon. Dangerous talk. That was the last thing he wanted. "Leah, I don't-" but he was interrupted.

She was staring at him. The light back in her eyes, a playful mirth in her very own smirk. "The Pools?" She said amused. "...You did say you wanted to help people." Her expression fell, but not nearly as low as it was before. "But the Subaqa suffer the lightest effects of what I have done. And still... there is more coming."

"What exactly did you do?" Luck instantly noticed that she was about to avoid the question so he cut himself off. "And don't tell me I need to wait. Knowing what I'm up against is the easiest way to win, to prepare accordingly and plan ahead. If it's the reason my family and I were given a second chance then I owe you whatever it is that needs to be done. So do they."

She regarded Luck for a moment but ultimately turned to Ace. "Is your friend one to break under pressure?" Luck stared at her, but his focus was on his peripheral. On Ace.

Ace met her eyes, pursing his lips and giving it genuine thought. "Never once save for the death of his family." Ace replied after a moment, thinking. "If there was one way to ever have the legendary Luck Lockyer do your bidding it'd be saving his family." Ace's voice was that of an orator, slow and catching. "Save for that, Luck Lockyer is not a man taken lightly, nor is he one to crack in the face of the unthinkable. He is a dangerous enemy and a powerful ally. His heart is white in a world filled with black. Against all odds, odds even I failed at, he had found ways to help those who needed it, no matter how little they needed. " Luck gave Ace a long look, his head swiveling to face him straight on despite his intention to gauge Leah's reaction, but the former mercenary didn't deign to meet his eyes. He continued. "If there was anyone more capable you'd be hardpressed to find him." Luck was in slight awe, again, impressed by Ace's captivating voice. Luck gave his friend another look. He had no idea there was a version of the legendary Luck Lockyer as Ace had described. He turned to Leah wanting to see her reaction and she seemed to make up her mind as he watched her.

Her eyes hardened, filling with green power, a strength in them that something primal in Luck trembled at. "I am the Goddess of Fortune." Her voice boomed, a powerful echo resounded that shouldn't have been possible, her presence enveloped the whole room. The birds went silent for a moment, the white bunnies thumped their feet, a breeze that didn't seem possible waved over the clovers below. And then, that power dissapeared, and Leah seemed smaller than she was before. Weaker. Vulnerable. Mortal. "But I was once a girl, one who wanted to help but didn't know the reality of the greater world. It is my biggest mistake. I was not like you two. I thought everything was... " She pondered her next word, looking to the floor, the colors reflecting from the stained glass. And found inspiration there. "I thought everything would be rainbows, happiness. It was the dream of someone naive. But I knew not the consequences of godhood." She paused, a sad look cast over her face like a rainy day, remembering. "I created miracles. I saved people. A chance encounter with a traveling alchemist with a town fallen ill. Lost children finding sanctuary, men surviving deadly injuries, women living through child birth. Wars avoided. Rain for the harvest. Clouds on the hottest days. It truly was a time of good fortune. A golden age that couldn't be denied by anyone who lived at the time. Aerae had never been happier. This continued for centuries. The more I influenced events in a good way the larger the consequences... but I shut those down too and all was well. Then, my power ran dry."

"There is a price to pay for everything." Luck said, he stood arms resting at his sides, replaying her story in his mind. His face was one of empathy, true understanding. "Even in the good things." As the words left his mouth, memories entered his mind. His earlier days. A naive child with eyes that glowed amber. He didn't dwell long, Ace snapped him out of it before he could get lost in his thoughts.

"And now?" Ace asked, his hands were in the pockets of his black hoodie, taking the goddess at her word. Luck knew there was no reason for her to lie to them. If it was anyone besides a goddess, one that had done Luck a huge kindness, then he would have disregarded the doomsayer. But this was Leah, and, in many ways, she had saved him. Luck didn't blame Ace at all for trusting her so implicitly.

"Now?" She replied in answer, her face was worried, scared. But she visibly calmed herself, mastering that fear even as it manifested. "Nothing. But I am the Goddess of Fortune and I can feel it, a small part of something massive, the tip of the iceberg. Something is going to hit Aerae, a wave of misfortune and chaos caused by an improbable series of centuries I facilitated." Her face was downcast, the face of a woman atoning for something unforgivable. "What happened to the Subaqa and other groups around Aerae are mere leakage compared to what I sense. So, knowing that, what do you think you can do? In the face of something so great I cannot even flex a muscle against it. That a god can do naught but wait?"

Ace opted to look at Luck, a gesture that indicated his support for whatever his friend decided. And, after a moment, he answered.

"Struggle." Luck intoned, his eyes meeting Leah's. A rare amber against a unnatural shamrock green. "Struggle against the inevitable." For years it was what he had always done. In the information dump he created. In the young men and women he would often shadow home. The thugs he kept watch of. The politicians he influenced. The starving he fed. Struggling against a system so firmly in place, a power so strong he could not do anything against it by himself. "Even on a scale as large as the world, the sentiment is the same. If you lose an arm, you swing with your other. If you lose both, you kick. When your legs are taken, you crawl with your teeth. When your teeth are knocked out, you spit with your lips. Whatever it is coming, whatever misfortune is about to unfold, there'll be someone out there willing to deny it. You've already found one of them." Luck finished, a relaxed confidence in his stance. Ace cleared his throat pointedly. "Two of-" Saga growled. "Three of them." He corrected, chuckling lightly to himself.

Her smile was one of a parent learning of her child's outrageous dreams. "Perhaps." Her mouth was a line, as determined as it was sad. The expression on her face was the same. "I can only mitigate whatever comes. And I fear I will only be capable of little." She looked to Ace and Luck, and he sensed perhaps a modicum, a speck, of hope that was not there before. "You see, there was a time when the consequences for my influence came in immediate response, those were the times I would shut them down, stomping on those occurences before they could even happen. One day they just stopped. I took it for granted, but I know better now. There's a build up, a burst of misfortune that will come upon Aerae all at once. Whatever payment for all the fortune I brought will be payed in full, and immediately."

"When?"

"Soon. Very soon. Some of that misfortune is already spilling over like a cracking dam. It is the reason the Subaqa were plagued with corruption. With myself having affected the tide of fortune so much, the chances for good to occur has been greatly diminished, it is why such a simple spell had taken over the entirety of The Pools and sent it into corruption. Likewise, many others have been afflicted with similar cases, simple things that shouldn't have happened, unfortunate happenstance. This is the result of my meddling. Together with Jerxos we've been pulling those deemed capable into Aerae, inhibitors to stem the tide of chaos, for that is what it surely will be."

"That explains why it took so long for someone capable of curing the place to come by." Luck frowned, eyes going hard at the realization of impending danger. He didn't have long then. Time magic, dimensional room and his healing properties, all of those would come in handy if there was some sort of apocalypse. Ace still had a few 'aces' up his sleeve as well, Luck just didn't know what they were. Together, they needed to master what they had if they wanted to survive this 'burst' of misfortune. They needed to learn what they were capable of, fast. They needed time.

But his family. He still needed to find them.

"Ardun." He said suddenly. "Is Ardun under the effects of the chaos?"

Leah sighed sadly, as if the name had special meaning to her. "It will likely be the first major city to fall. Surrounded by monsters, there is no doubt. Ardun is the most precarious place to be during these times." A bunny came to her feet, nuzzling her toes. He found it rather endearing, both for the bunny and the goddess as his eyes were drawn to them. "I am the first diety of fortune. It was why I didn't know the nature of my powers. In the past, most causes of calamity are directly tied to new ascendants. For my power, I knew not its nuances. The more good fortune I attribute, the less effective it becomes, and the more powerful chaos reigns."

He needed to be there, but he'd be useless without any mastery over his skills. Could he learn on the way? If he could access his dimensional room his time would basically be doubled. They'd have somewhere to rest in their travels. But eight months? Would this apocalypse wait that long?

Screams pierced the air. Panic. A womans voice rang out, calling for help from afar. A man was yelling in the distance. They came all at once, like an orchestra of mayhem. "Go!" Leah yelled. "It has begun! This will likely be the last time you see me, a god can only visit the mortal plane at great cost. Now go! Stem the chaos! It is your debt to me!"

Luck met her eyes, the calculative side of him taking over. Years of practice, of controlling his facial muscles, allowed him to convey the message he wanted to. It lasted only a moment, then the goddess was gone.

Quickly, he bent down and pocketed a clover.

"Let's go Lucky!" But something burst through the stained glass, shattering it into pieces.

It was a snake, hissing and twisting in midair. But something was wrong with it. It's eyes were glowing red, and there were lumps on its body. Large lumps. Luck raised his arms. And caught the beast by the neck. No, the lumps were natural. But they eyes. Those weren't.

He wasted precious moments peering into its eyes. Something he would've felt uncomfortable with before he had attained One with Nature. It was insane. Affected by something. It wasn't like the jorth, a natural decay, this was something else. Some kind of magic or other power. Unnatural.

His voice inflected, words coming to his mind as he felt them in his heart. "Return to the land, back to the sand." He whispered. It was Drood, or Druidic, the language of the druids, an ancient noise that shook the chest. A strength and power to the words alone. "Rest well. I am sorry friend." And there was a light in the viper's eyes that made Luck truly feel what he spoke. But this was a danger to everyone in Peace so long as it lived in this state. Luck didn't know how to help it.

He took one look at it before throwing it to Saga. Catching the beast in his maw the shar ripped into it, blood dripping from his mouth. Luck looked on, stoic.

Ace was at the doorway, peering out of the temple. "Right behind you Ace." Luck said, his voice a whisper, perhaps sadder than normal. He had taken the time to put his shoes back on. There were more screams, but they couldn't see anything past the temple grounds. "We need to find Nayah."

"Shelter first." Ace shot back, moving forward, the clovers working to hide their noise.

"Ace." Luck warned. "We can't just leave her."

"Lucky, I can't regenerate like you. We need to find shelter. You see that?" He said, pointing around the corner. And Luck watched a man get ripped apart, the snakes were using the lumps along their length to rip into flesh. "That's me if we can't find somewhere safe. And don't worry. Nayah's a mage."

"What?"

"Trust me Lucky." Ace replied. "I say we avoid the arena tower. The temples aren't safe, we should head for one of the taller buildings. Are you listening? ...What are you doing?" He whispered.

"Getting a better view of the show." Luck had climbed one of the trees. His position giving him both camoflauge and a vantage point to view the city. Linear as it was, he was able to see exactly what was happening, and from the position of the temples, which were off to the side, he had a good view of its length. The whole city was under attack.

There were the snakes. They were the least surprising, even if their appearance was slightly unsettling. But there were also larger monstrosities that roamed the streets. Slow moving, and powerful, there were a five legged beasts that were ramming into buildings, destryoing homes and shops. And everyone was in a panic. There was magic in the air, glowing dusts sprinkled into the sky, and screams, screams and yelling. But they were not all of fear, and Luck chided himself, he wasn't the all mighty savior, the hero. That wasn't his job. He wasn't a shining knight. The people who lived here, they came for the Arena Fields, for glory and battle, they didn't need saving. Not all of them.

Even as he watched, a man, dressed in ragged garb took out his sword and began laying waste to the snakes that approached a cowering mother and child. A man with a hammer was laying into one of the larger beasts with the help of his comrades.

But, although most of the inhabitants were warriors and fighter, so much so that they outnumbered the citizens, the local folk, it was a losing battle.

He watched the snakes.

Spriit, what is that? He queried mentally. Give me everything you can.

Weighted Sand Vipers, predatory snakes that hunt larger prey, effective against even those immune to their strong poisons. They are generally docile when well-fed. They hunt alone, which lends this phenomenom to be increasingly peculiar.

And those? Luck's eye tracked one of the larger beasts, it was ramming a house down, simply walking forward to destroy the structure. It was not at all like the jorth. This thing was walking. And houses fell to it.

Unknown. That beast is not recorded in my database.

"Lucky." Ace called. It distracted him from the data, the things that Sprit was tracking off the bodies of both the snakes and the hulking behemoths.

Luck gave him a glance. "Yeah?" He answered before turning back to the chaos, observing what he had to work with.

"Turn around, what do you see?"

Behind him? There was nothing there, just the desert. Why would Ace want him to check...

"No."

"Lucky, these people don't need our help right now. It'd be better for us to leave for now, any one of those mercenaries walking around could probably do much more than we can. If we had guns, weapons, maybe. But I can't run around raining down lightning on every snake." Ace said. "I'm not that good."

"Ace." Luck said, a sharpness to his voice. "You wanted to help people right? Now's your chance."

"There's helping, then there's suicide. We can ride out the chaos, retreat, and there'll be plently of lives to save after. Lives we'd otherwise not be able to save since we'd be dead."

Objectively, it was a sound plan, reasonable even. Completely pragmatic. Luck wasn't the hero here, he didn't have the power or the means to save everybody. It wasn't him wanting to atone for his sins, like the goddess did. It wasn't out of guilt or some flimsy attempt at salvation. It wasn't a longing for redemption, for he had come to terms with who he was quite early in his life. It was a simple desire to help. He didn't have to save these people so long as he could help them. That was all he wanted. A burning desire that he had never been more free to act upon in his life than now. With that Luck's expression cooled, settling into hard determination.

And perhaps Ace noticed that set in Luck's face, because he sighed and came to the conclusion Luck knew he would. "We'll probably be best offering our support, evacuating citizens, and providing distraction where best needed." After all, his friend wanted to help people too.

Perhaps Ace truly believed retreating for a time would be the best course of action, and it truly might be. But between saving lives right now versus saving them later Luck would always choose the present. "That's the spirit." He smirked, quickly getting to business. "There's a trend in their movements, they're sweeping through the city east to west. I've been paying attention to the layout, most of the citizenry, the ones that aren't shopkeepers, will be towards where we teleported from. We can skim the outskirts, pop in when needed, and make our way there. By then the majority of the horde will have thinned out and we can help those who are left."

"Shouldn't we focus on those about to be hit?" He called up to him. "If we're doing this we might as well go all out."

Luck grimaced. "You weren't wrong Ace. You aren't invincible, neither am I. We'll just be another target if we try to help in the thick of things. This is the best we can do." He explained. "Besides, Saga is best hunting the stragglers." He gestured to his familiar, who had an animal grin.

"Then we're wasting time, the road here is clear for the most part. None of the big ones, but quite a few snakes and people holed up in the temples. We could help them, but you're gonna have to do the talking." He was near enough to hear, but situated as they were, Luck and Ace had two completely different vantage points.

"These-" but he was interrupted via mental nudge.

Luck raised an eyebrow at Saga. The shar had just expressed a desire to go out on his own. He would definitely be effective along the rooftops. The snake tasted good. He was hungry.

"What, what's wrong?" Ace said sharply, glancing around the corner.

"Nothing. Saga wants to venture out and hunt for himself." Luck replied, scratching his head. "Although i'm not too certain this is the best time."

"Let him go. We'll move faster without him. He's called a shar right?" Luck nodded. "A shar doesn't really facilitate easy movements through buildings. And we'll be in them for the most part if we ever need to help anyone out."

Luck pondered it a moment. Even if he refused he didn't think Saga would listen to him. Saga seemed extremely intent for whatever reason. He gave the shar a searching glance, then gestured with his head, and the shar was gone, like a phantom. His form quickly dissapeared among the temples. Not a single parting word, or the familiar equivalent. It was not a master-servant relationship though, Saga had his own life to live. They were connected so they could both get stronger, not so one could control the other. Luck shook his head, getting back to business. He'd hear from this familiar soon eough.

He called down to Ace. "Keep in mind, Leah's temple is out of the way. The attackers i'm seeing are more plentiful than what you're describing down there. And from what I can see, a good chunk of the wave is left behind as the rest sweep through." Up in the tree, Luck could make out the writhing forms of snakes littering the pathway at the end of the city, right where they had teleported in from. It was distant, but it demonstrated just how large the wave was even as it left chunks of itself behind. "Ace is there anyone down there who needs help? Actual help?"

"Immediate help? No, they've holed themselves up in some of the sturdier temples, quite well from what I see. They'll be fine in the long term. Looks like they've got a few capable hands swatting away the leftover snakes." Ace remarked, and as if to accentuate that Luck could hear frantic hissing and frenzied yelling.

"Alright, we can send survivors down this way. Get up here. There's a branch that's right up by the roof of the temple next door. It'll be easier to see where we're going from up there anyways. That match with the jorth was a slap to the face. This may be a new world Ace but that doesn't mean we left ours with nothing to show for it."

Luck easily kept his balance even as the branch thinned. He leaped precisely, catching the edge of the nearby temple's roof with the lowest possible impact. That done, he kicked off the wall and hauled himself over. Ace followed suit.

Without a word, their method of communication changed. No words. Only actions and nods. It was the same as the night they killed Cain Citzen, and the assassinations previous to that. They fell back into that, leaping between the rooftops in a way that would've surprised the people of Peace. It was an art mastered in the city, like rangers of an urban jungle. They were shadows, whisked from their world, they came with a purpose that belied their natures. Because although neither Ace or Luck had ever been tasked with saving people, this was without a doubt, a mission. A job.

And with that came a professionalism that brought out a sharper version of both men.

It was easier than it should've been, but then again, the two were extremely efficient. A frantic man being chased by sand vipers saved by a timely bolt of lighting. Children scooped up by the arms as their hiding places were sniffed out. Women and children, directed out of harms way from two shadows on the rooftops. Men, warriors, people who were trying to help the same way Luck and Ace were, were pointed towards others who needed escort. A gruff man, flesh ripped from his arm was dragged to safety as his friends kicked some snakes away. A wandering child brought back to her mother. This was how they helped, jumping down, offering support, a helping hand, a simple direction, before running up the nearest building and searching around for another task.

Ace couldn't talk to them, not as well as Luck, but his face had a simple one-minded determination on it that was deeply assuring. Although he wanted to wait out the chaos, Ace's gaze hardened when he saw exactly how these people were hit. His jaw set, and now, watching him, the former mercenary didn't even look at Luck, his eyes too busy searching the streets.

Luck knew better though, that look came as a result of his past. But he didn't dwell long. Luck wanted to save these people too.

There. A child. She was hiding in a store. But if Luck could find her, no doubt the snakes would eventually. There was another family, a little further down the street, but Ace was already moving. Luck would get the girl. Ace would handle the family. It was unspoken. Luck was faster, had more stamina, it was clear from the arena. Ace on the other hand was more equipped to protect a larger group. Luck could easily pick up the girl and run away. The only gripe was that Ace would have trouble communicating with a large group. All this was communicated in a split second, both sharing a look to each of their targets and then to each other before they bothed leap from the building they were on, catching their momentum in a roll.

He sprinted, keeping aware of his surroundings even as he kicked up dust. He slid into the store and found the girl in seconds. "Keep calm. There's a group of people nearby. You'll be safe there."

Luck grabbed her hand, pulling her out of the stall. But she was too slow of Luck's taste. He picked her up. "Mister! My mommy's still in there!" The small girl in his arms cried. Luck had found her in one of the shopkeeper stalls, hiding in the sacks behind the counter.

"Ace!" The former mercenary fired off his magic to a swarm of approaching snakes, covering another fleeing family. He turned around just long enough for Luck to indicate the girl. "Take her! There's another one in there!" He yelled.

Ace yelled back. "Don't stay too long! These people need direction! The only place I can take them are the temples! This group's too large to hide away by themselves!"

"Does anyone know the way to the temple of the Goddess of Fortune?" Luck called in Common, to which someone raised a hand. "There! She'll take you close enough for you to recognize where you are! I'll be right behind you Ace!"

Luck turned around and sprinted for the building. Ace sprinted for the girl, firing off his magic in an attempt to stem the larger group of remaining sand vipers.

There were snakes around but nowhere near what Luck had seen previously. But they still covered the front door, and the path leading up to it. He glanced upward. He was towards the middle of the city, meaning the buildings were a little taller to shade the ones behind them. That meant windows. Multiple stories.

Luck got a running start, propelling himself upward and barely catching the lip of the window sill, melted flesh interfering with the movement. He hauled himself in with ease, landing in a crouch, listening for any hissing. His disfigured back limited his movement in his upper body but he wasn't feeling any of the pain so he was able to manuever easily enough. He found himself in a shady room, brightly lit in some places, but otherwise dark in others. The sun outside was on a crash course with the horizon. He creeped around the corner, and to his surprise outlines in blue appeared, highlighting the edges and corners of the room.

With enough visual data an accurate representation of the surroundings can be displayed. By default, outlining the terrain in blue is the preset. Spirit supplied.

It helps. Luck thought back, too engrossed in his movements for a full response. A sudden voice rang out, freezing Luck mid step.

"Back snakes! How did you even get in here?" A woman yelled. "If I had my sword I'd cut you all down!" Luck peeked around the corner and saw her predicament.

These snakes were lumpy, but Spirit informed him that those were extra weights. Dense fat that allowed the vipers to jerk and rip away flesh. An evolutionary adaptation to combat the immunites that the surrounding ecosystem had developed. Now, they were using that same trait to slam themselves against the door, threatening to break it down. And not without damage to themselves. It pained Luck to watch them. That new part of him, that love for nature, he had adopted the same way his parents had done to him.

There was a sudden increase in sound, like an almost constant noise. The hairs on his back rose, and he didn't need any supernatural ability to determine why. He was on the 2nd floor of the building. One look down the staircase let him know exactly what had happened. They had broken down the front door. The snakes he had seen outside were now pouring in, dangerously fast.

"Hey!" Luck yelled, giving his position away. "They've broken the front door! Is there another way out?" A few snakes swiveled their heads toward him, but Luck dodged their lunges easily enough.

Maybe it was the chaos, or perhaps it was just the nature of the person he was talking to, but she wasted no time. "There's a window at the end of the hall! It's got an easy jump to the roof of the next building! But these damn sand vipers are in the way! I can't risk getting bit!"

"Forget it! I'm coming to you!" Luck sprinted towards her. He punted one of the vipers, it flying suprisingly well given its weight. The lady was trying to stab the snakes with some kind of blunt stick. Luck grabbed her hand and pulled her through the door.

A viper lunged forward, lightning quick. But Luck's reaction was good, the viper caught his shoe and he flicked it off even as its fangs sunk into it.

"Let's go! Which window? The stairwell's flooded with snakes." He asked, urgently.

The woman was dressed in leather, and without a doubt this was the mother, she looked just like the girl he saved. "My daughter! I can't leave her! She might still be in the building!" She jerked her hand away, but Luck held fast.

"I saved her earlier! She's in good hands!" But the woman was struggling to get free. Luck grabbed her by the face and looked her in the eyes. "Trust me. Dark hair, brown eyes, freckles, wearing a leather coat. Sound familiar?"

"That's her!" She said eyes going wide. In the next moment however, they were focused and searching the hall. "There! That's the window, we can jump from there!"

He could hear the mass of snakes. And Luck looked where she pointed. The end of the hall. Past the stairwell. There was no time. He pulled the woman, gunning for the window.

But as they passed the stairs, Luck saw a sea of brown, black and white. They would be exposed for a short length, but these were beasts that acted on instinct. Writhing lengths of muscle. It was only a moment that they had a view of the two but they immediately surged forward. They were only a few feet away too. They moved as one mass. The majority went for Luck, but something primal triggered the instant he saw them go for the woman's neck. A piece of Luck that was new, but was him just as any other part. Another piece that granted him the knowledge to act upon the feeling. He didn't know this woman, he didn't know even her name, but he had seen her daughter. That was enough. This woman had someone waiting for her, relying on her return. A family. That was the thought that permeated his being as he watched the viper lunge for her exposed neck.

"Stop!" He screamed. The whole swarm froze. Like a physical wave stayed their advance. But it wasn't that. Some were stuck in mid air, like statues. Not just stopped he realized, frozen. Stuck. Luck was acutely aware of the timepiece in his pocket, its ticking a constant vibration on his leg, small but everpresent. Gone now.

Time had stopped.

"Holy fuck." He breathed, completely for his own sake.

Luck spared a second, if you could call it that in his current situation, before grabbing the woman and running. The second he touched her time resumed. It was enough though, just enough to yank her away into safety.

The woman blinked. "How did you...?" But she was already running, not taking the save for granted.

"Take the jump." He called from behind her. She hesitated."Take it! You've got a daughter waiting for you!" He had just used magic hadn't he? Time magic. Had he unlocked his mana then? Luck watched the woman go ahead, he wanted to try something, a gut feeling he rarely ever got, but that always served him well.

The woman leapt, impressively, and landed on a nearby shopkeepers stall. They were just in that part of the city that slowly turned from housing into shops. If they weren't in this area Luck didn't think there would be an easy way out aside from jumping and absorbing your momentum through a roll, which was something he doubted anyone could pull off on the first try.

He turned around, facing the approaching horde, a veritable mass of writhing muscle, dotted with glowing red eyes. Unnatural red. Whatever misfortune had befallen these animals, it was clear what form it took, there was something affecting them. Something twisted that Luck inherently despised for exploiting the snakes. Luck's jaw set, a steel in his eyes, cold determination.

There was something he wanted to try here, but even as he spoke the words shifted in different places, giving his meaning more power, more strength. It came from the chest, and didn't flow as much as it pulsed from him. Druidic. The language of the druids better known as Drood. Luck set his stance, speaking loudly and with a voice that carried over the hissing with ease. It was deep bass that enveloped their noise. Powerful. "Remember!" And the mass recoiled, confused. "Remember the sands, the lands from which you hunt! Remember the sun, away from which your prey run! Remember the sky, from under it, all things die! Remember your mind, purge the corruption inside!" The hissing lessened, some of the snakes going still. "You are the viper!" What followed was an explosion of movement. Voice resounding off the walls, Luck stood there alone, staring at the vipers. "Know it!" It took a second for them to get their bearings. Luck could sense their confusion, but was barely able to hear them, or even focus on their words. Luck felt a weakness wash over him.

Their eyes turned black, losing their glow. Normal.

He spoke again in Drood. Many of the snakes were still blinking away the fog, confused as to where they were. But they easily understood, and they watched him with intent. "Something has coerced your kind into attacking the city of Peace. Go. Stop your brethren in whatever way you can. Save as many as you can. For if this continues, more lives shall perish. Tell them of the druid, the One who Saves." They paused, as if judging Luck, but they sensed only kindness from him. The druidic language gave him credibility, but it was his One with Nature trait that won their trust in the end. He could feel that faint connection to them, that he could peacefully fall asleep surrounded by these vipers. Such was their relationship, their kinship. They meant no harm now, and neither did he. They knew it.

The snakes turned around with urgency. They parted, dissolving into different directions. They knew the importance of balance, of nature. This attack was catastrophic in their eyes. Alarming even. They understood the need for suppression.

Luck grimaced. A druid was sacred. In nature, they were protectors, guards. They were improtant figures that communed with the spirits and animals of the forest, supplying their needs and answering their favors. They were welcome in all circles of nature. A being that was both integral to an ecosystem yet completely apart from it. And this wasn't from Luck's knowledge. The bunnies in Leah's temple were content to chatter about the news from the Forest of the Damned, apparently delivered through ladybug. The ladybugs, which had recieved the news from a curiously familiar description of a large, brightly colored bug, relayed the story in great detail. They spoke of a druid. A savior. One who Saves they called him. A druid that cured the whole forest of corruption at the cost of his own lifeforce. One who had cured The Pools of centuries of corruption with but a slice of his palm.

The druid was a sacred title. In nature, to speak of one in falsehood was to cast yourself to die. To have one nearby, it might just be enough to snap these snakes out of whatever they were experiencing. He only hoped it was good enough. From what he gathered, mention of a druid might pierce even the foggiest of minds with how much the bunnies talked them up. His thoughts wandered for a moment, thinking of whether or not his stuff was being properly safeguarded by those bunnies. He shook his head, staying focused.

Luck watched the last snake leave the building. Hands in his pockets, he followed it outside. His palm pressed against the pocketwatch, feeling its precise movements. It was the work of a master horologist. It was ticking again. But it had stopped hadn't it? Everything had. He had done it. Three seconds. That was how long it lasted. He knew because it took him only a second to react and two to yank the woman away. Could he have gone longer?

The mother. Luck glanced about quickly. He rounded the building to find the woman climbing carefully down the side of the building she leapt onto. Only for the shop to explode the next moment. She was sent flying in an explosion of rubble, her body landed in a heap between the taller building and the shop.

Luck's eyes focused, going hard. Adrenaline gave him focus. From the dust emerged one of the larger beasts. Slow moving, but capable of powerful, short thrusts. It didn't look like it could die. Or could even be stopped.

Track it Spirit. Luck commanded.

Affirmative.

Immediately, green boxes stemmed from the creature. Five legs, the rear most used for sudden propulsions. A shield like head used for ramming. Powerful shoulder muscles, strong calfs. The thing was an organic battering ram. Eight tons, fluctuating with every step it took. More data sprang from its features. Fangs. Large teeth used for biting into prey. An extendible neck that allowed greater utility in both its biting and ramming. And glowing red eyes. Given was a number of biological and magical afflictions that might cause it. But Luck knew it was something more twisted. Corrupt. It was the same with the snakes. He could feel it through the connection he had with nature. He could feel that it was unnatural.

Covering a surprising amount of ground, it lumbered towards the unconscious woman. It took slow steps, but its strides were long and it had an extra leg.

Luck ran in front of it. "Stop!" He yelled. It kept moving, unaffected and in complete disregard to Luck. Luck frowned, moving backwards and taking careful steps to appear nonthreatening. Its eyes were fixed on Luck now, and there was a red zone that Spirit had marked, an area where he would be in danger of being hit in. Three seconds would've been enough. Barely. Things didn't always go according to plan, but he had no time to prepare. Why did he jump in so readily? He should've distracted the beast from afar, presenting himself as bait, so the mother would be safe while he distracted it. There was only one other thing to try.

He didn't notice it before, he was noticing a lot of things too late. Mana fatigue? Already? There was blood dripping down its mouth. It had already eaten previously. Luck backed up slowly, coming nearer to the woman on the floor. One glance back let him see her state. She had broken a leg and it looked like she landed on her arm. Gruesome.

The words came to him. A feeling perfectly expressed by words as ancient as the world. The words filled him, having no need for his thoughts, only his feeling. "Clear your mind, peace you will find. A corruption sits inside of you, the druid is here to remind you. You are under twisted control, you must resist, revolt!" Luck fell to his knees, another wave of weakness washing over him. What was this? What was he doing? He groaned, straining against that limit. His focus was frayed and it took much just to watch the beast.

The beasts eyes glowed red, and, blinking at him, they lost that color. Another one roared in the distance. Like he had shaken off a fugue the red in the beast's eye solidified, coming back to color instantly.

Its head shot out, fangs wide, ready to rip into Luck's flesh. He grit his teeth, facing the beast on his knees. If only he could stop time again. How much mana did five seconds cost him? Five seconds? No, it was three wasn't it? His thoughts wandered again.

There was a loud growl, an animal scream.

Luck blinked lethargically and something was there, ripping into the thing's neck. What? How? Where was he? The perfect ambush predator. It was Saga. Was he waiting? Was it this exact moment? For the beast to extend its neck? An instinct? A hunch? Luck didn't even notice his familiar nearby, why? His mind was working too slow. His focus had dulled right after stopping time, and speaking Drood had weakened him in some sense. That was dangerous. Without him, without Saga that might've gone terribly wrong. A roar had undone what Luck felt would've turned the beast to normal, a foe turned friend. He would've been pulp if not for his familiar. The beast roared, blood spurting from its neck like a geyser. The shar leapt away as the beast retracted its head, effectively stopping the bleeding to an extent. Saga paced around the beast, content to let it bleed out. The shar's lithe, dark green form padded around the beast with intelligence. Saga was baiting it, coming close enough that the beast would lash out, extend its neck, and spew more blood. But Saga would always dodge. And the beast would only become slower after every failed attempt.

Images of a little girl flashed into Luck's mind. The daughter. The mother! Luck turned frantically, lives at stake giving him focus. In addition to her broken limbs the woman was bleeding out, open wounds to the hips. Luck didn't notice it before. He had already wasted too much time. There was no time to think. Luck found the sharpest nearby rock and plunged it into his palm. Troll's Blood. Sparkling scarlet. It was entrancing. Alluring. Distracting. Luck slapped himself. He pressed his hand against the woman's wounds. His focus was dropping. He was getting tired. Sleep, sleep sounded so nice right now.

Slowly, his head dipped forward. A short nap would be nice. Just a second to close his eyes. Only a second.

He jerked his head up, wide eyed. But his eyelids were already heavy.

Spirit. He grimaced, drowsy, barely keeping focus. Keep me awake. He said, knowing exactly what it entailed.

Affirmative.

Amber eyes shot open. Pain. How to describe a burning sensation so great it numbed your body and you were left with a vauge impression of your own body? When melted skin drips over healthy patches? That pain lingered. It was piercing. Tender. Hot. Burning. Stinging. Intense and radiating. Every movement inflamed it. Every. Single. Movement. Searing pain shot straight into his brain like an arrow. And his palm, it was pressed against the woman but the wound was nowhere near clean. Luck used a jagged rock. His palm might as well have been ripped open.

Luck clenched his left fist. He breathed slowly, filtering the pain the best he could. His jaw was clenched tight. Right now, it was a tool. His left hand opened and closed, his knuckles cracking. Luck took shaky, deep breaths, even as he heard Saga growl and the sound of ripping flesh. Pain was a tool. It was doing its job. Luck just had to use it.

It took him a long moment. Pain was a constant distraction. It was also a constant reminder to stay awake, an alarm that shot you in the brain everytime you were about to sleep. Once he mastered that pain, all that was left was a sharp focus. Sharper even than before. But it was temporary too, temporary but longer.

"Alright Luck." He said to himself, trying his best to ignore the pain. "Stay awake, get the woman to safety, see the girl smile. That's all. Easy. No problem. Not a problem. Not a problem. At all." He breathed.

He lifted his hand from the woman's hip. Her bleeding stopped. Her wound had scabbed over already. Her arm and leg would definitely get better, his Troll's Blood had had positive effects on Ace before when he was infected and wounded. But as it was, her arm and leg would be useless in the short term.

"Saga! Finish up!" Luck yelled, hoisting the woman over his shoulder, sending extreme stabbing pains across his back. Luck's eyes widened like saucers and he breathed deeply and rapidly. "Let's go! Saga!" He screamed more from pain than urgency, although there was a lot of both.

Spirit! Give me the path to the temple! Luck yelled internally.

Affirmative. Path is indicated in blue.

The pain was more distracting than he thought. He'd need Spirit to do the thinking for him. Spirit filter through my senses and warn me of any incoming dangers. I can't sift through everything with the focus I normally do.

Affirmative. Markers will be placed in your view. Green, yellow and red for danger levels based on previous and present inputs. Alternative paths are dotted blue, reccommended path is solid blue.

Thanks.

Time was strange. It seemed like only seconds. But he could feel the pocketwatch on his leg, and he knew it must've been much longer. So why did it seem so short? His world was his feet, carrying this woman. This shouldn't have been possible. Why...? Oh, right, his Troll's Blood and Exceptional Regeneration allowed him ridiculous stamina. But, then why was he tired? His eyes were drooping. But this woman, on his back, she kept shifting on his back. Every time that pain would wake him up. It was annoying. But he had to keep going... why? An image of a girl flickered briefly in his foggy mind. His mind became sharp for a moment. It allowed him a clear view of his circumstance, before his world faded a bit and it was back to walking.

That's right. He was saving this woman. That presence behind him? It was Saga wasn't it? And this blue line he was following, that was Spirit's doing. Follow the blue line. Keep following the blue line. Avoid the yellow and red markers, go to the green ones if you have to at all. Take the dotted path if a red marker lies on the solid line. He tripped but something caught him. That was bad, Saga shouldn't help him. What if there were enemies around?

The blue line... it was gone. The floor was green not blue. That wasn't good. He was supposed to be following a blue line, not a green floor. And it was soft. Why was it soft? It looked familiar. Grass? It was too hard to tell, his eyes were almost nearly closed. It wasn't grass, what was it? Carpet? Moss?

"Lucky!" Someone yelled.

Ah. That was it. It was luck. He had one of them in his pocket. Of course. How could he forget? He had just been here earlier today after all. They were good luck charms. Four leaf clovers. He had made it. Shadows covered his vision, and his mind flared to awareness as he fell to the floor, his burns touching the soft clovers.

Spirit, activate Deep Magical Integration. He thought, struggling to even formulate the idea.

Affirmative.

When he heard that confirmation Luck collapsed, unconscious.