It was said that the many gods were once people of the mortal realm too. That they had risen from below and lifted not only themselves but their people to the heavens with them. And yet it has also been said that the gods have always been there, as constant as magic. There are theories that argue their formation similar to naturally occurring mana nexi. Or even some based solely on the fact of their influence on the world. My singular theory is that gods and goddesses are a mixture of all of these and more. Every fact that argues a fair point for one theory and a falsity in another is a point for mine. The theories regarding the deities that preside over Aerae are unlimited and thus, perhaps all hold a grain of truth.

Positing that, we move on to the many races of the realm and a critique on the Book Of Sentients...

-Recorded from the 50th Annual Scholar's Meet.

Luck wasn't one to shop. In truth, it was just another thing he just didn't have time for. The only goods of any concern to him were clothing and he'd usually order products from the usual brands he favored. In fact, he knew more about illegal gun and drug trafficking than he did of legal capitalism. He did admit that food had become something of a hobby too - thanks to Mr. Ark. The thought of food was more on his nose than his mind at this point.

The food here was delicious. Standing in the line of a sidestreet vendor on the way to Mainhelp was enlightening and served to only exemplify the fact.

He would be lying if he said he hadn't noticed the stares of everyone since he arrived. Even the guild members of Magice looked at him oddly and he'd assume they were used to pilgrims coming through.

For the two cevao behind him, he was something of an oddity. First, a human, which were apparently rare in these parts of the world. And second, his clothes. He wore superior wool shoes, a far cry from the leather, sometimes furred boots most wore. And that was nothing to the say of the glances at the make of his clothing.

He didn't mind their curiosity, it was only natural that they ponder the make of his shirt, or what vendor sold such quality clothes. They remarked on his sweatpants and their slightly baggy look. Harmless. The people here were used to such oddities as it turned out, but he still stood out nonetheless.

Though, just like everyone else in this particular sidestreet, his mouth was watering at the scents that filled the air. He had a nose like anyone else. A stomach too. The stall he had lined up for was selling something akin to a kebab, except the meat was speared on either a large fork or small trident, such a distinction was unclear. The vendor was one of the lithe, horned people he often saw moving through the crowd. There were actually a lot lined up as well.

The lady's voice was just another among the many shouts on the street. "Hovian meat! Juicy, succulent, and just cooked! Fresh off the fire! Two silver aera for a tri-prong!"

People shouted back. "Three for me!" A horned individual called.

A piece of floating information - thanks to the A.R. overlay - highlighted itself, stemming from one of them further up the line.

Une.

It was his turn. He walked up to the vendor as a large wolfen father handed his kid a tri-prong and departed. The vendor shouted backward as she moved behind her fire to skewer more meat before returning to the front counter.

"What'll it be?" Her voice was loud but somehow kept itself soft. Her eyes were a pale white-pink and her skin nearly glittered. The face that regarded him was in slight surprise, slim and angular, but recognizable as an expression. Her horn was a dark grey, glinting with sharpness. Barely a moment had passed.

He replied in a language uncanny and dreamlike. A bizarre beauty in the noise. "How much do you think I might be able to stomach?" He said nonchalant, extremely insouciant.

The une was skewering meat and adjusting the fire when she paused to turn around. Her head tilted and her eyebrows shot up in surprise. Her horn - if Luck wasn't seeing things - had changed angles. "Now, that is something I don't hear every day. Must be some story for a traveler to speak Unish." Luck had her full attention. "A tri-prong and a half might fill you up. Tell me an interesting story and I might just add some more hovian meat to the first."

His response was with a sly smile. "I believe I might know the most languages in the entire city. Sentinel, cevao, une, wolfen. A gift from a mentor of mine, if you will. Not a great story at all." Luck shrugged. "But the extra meat would be nice."

She chuckled lightly. "Not good enough, but you've earned some extra." She skewered the meats on a prong and handed it to Luck. "Two silver aera, speaker of unish." She added sarcastically.

He tossed her the coins. "Thank you very much. Point your horn upwards, vendor." He only smiled as the une was slightly opened mouthed, then squinting, and then shaking her head in laughter. The saying was one that was with cultural significance and somehow Luck could glean a little knowledge from that.

He smiled, weaving through the crowd and heading for the tall tower that rose to the sky above.

Among the crowd, Luck fell into the moment. It was the same type of deal when he urged time to stop. But this time he stared at the moving people. The wolfen, the unish, the sentinels, cevao, and the other strange individuals he saw. They flowed as if water. His eyes wandered, languidly chewing on the stick of meat with delight.

He toyed with his Time magic, reasoning that such a magic was unnoticeable to anyone in the crowd. He briefly wondered whether it was possible to sense fluctuations of mana and thus other mages. The answer to that was; not as far he knew. He had never sensed Nayah or Ace, or even Maxworth's song-like magic. Diversi, however, was a different story. Luck had felt the wave of magic as he renewed The Pools and he hadn't even unlocked his mana then.

Time was a concept Luck truly struggled with. A moment was easy. He had spent the most fun times of his life catching them in the eyes of an audience. From simple magic, the mundane kind, to catching criminals with a flourish, or having a gun to someone's head within a blink, or a flash of lightning so bright it left spots in his eyes. Or the beauty of nature, watching illusory butterflies fill the air with colors, the dumbfounded look on a god's face. The dancing and twirling with strangers in a stranger city. Death, his parents, bloodied in a pool of their reflective blood. Blacker than he had ever seen. Time stretched into short eternity, it felt like.

Those were moments.

But to slow time altogether? To speed it up? To skip or hop between time? They were the ideas he toyed with. The passage of the crowd remained unchanged, despite Luck's will. Time moved at its own pace and at this rate he felt he could sooner change the flow of a river.

Spirit had nothing on the matter except simple exercises or techniques that applied to exploring all magical practices. Luck had already entertained many of those ideas. The use of emotion. Intent. Circulating one's mana, akin to throwing the mana. Actively working the mana. Passively allowing the mana to flow, similar to Nature magic. None applied to Time, and he thought fittingly, it shouldn't have. Time was another level all itself. The fact he was able to pause time, even for a few seconds, was something miraculous all itself.

His musings were interrupted by screaming ahead. He had gotten turned around. Fortunately, he was still heading towards Mainhelp, but he was in a sidestreet that seemed less wealthy than most. It was shaded at this time of day, but looked like it might've been in shadows its entire existence. He couldn't see any guards and the ways were thinner and slimmer than the usual wide streets that allowed many pedestrians. He casually walked around the corner, minding his own business.

A woman had a sword to a man's throat. The man looked exhausted but guilty as evidenced by the sweat on his brow.

"Thief. Slaver. Criminal." The crystal woman spat menacingly. A child hid behind her. Luck realized this woman was a mother and was slightly taken aback. Ardun was a unique city indeed.

The man pleaded, convincingly, he might add, except for Luck's notice. "Please, forgive me. My daughter you see-"

He whirled grabbing the sword of the woman with his gloved hand. His other hand pulled the woman forward and off balance. But the woman directed her knee into the man's groin while her hand fended off his knife-hand. She got knocked to the ground as three more crooks appeared opposite of Luck. The man kicked away her sword and her crystalline features seemed to sharpen.

She looked desperate, shielding her child. The three thugs on the other side got her attention but when she looked Luck's way he realized something.

He turned around. "Evening gentleman." He waved, greeting the two wolfen and une in front of him.

"Wrong place, wrong time, kid. We can't have any witnesses can we boys?" They all had shortswords. Suitable equipment in the smaller space.

The other's tapped their swords together. "Shouldn't be a problem. Looks like a foreigner. No one will miss him."

Luck rolled his eyes. "Back away before I decide to end you. I don't have any problems with you or the woman. I'll leave you be if you let me go."

"Hah, big words!" The third guffawed, carelessly swinging his sword around.

"He looks wealthy, Grothn. We can't risk any attention." The smaller brown-furred wolfen growled.

"So?"

"So. Wealth means connections, if someone goes-" He screamed.

Luck stabbed him in the eyes with his finished tri-prong. He kicked his knee in and sent him to the ground. He grabbed his head with both his hands and kneed him viciously in the snout. Luck's attack was vicious, merciless and without warrant. He came out of nowhere. From innocent, wealthy and perhaps naive in their eyes to something to fear.

Amber blinked back at them, dim in the shade. He threw the tri-prong to the side, bloodied from meat.

"Keep your eyes on me next time." He stared at the now-unconscious thug. "Sorry."

"You have no idea what you've just done." One said coldly.

He debated picking up the sword but the other two were already upon him. He didn't need it anyway. Coupled with Maxworth and Erok's teachings in the Dunes and his basic instinct, a weapon in his own hands was unneeded. The A.R. overlay was already reading and assessing the situation, a myriad of things coming to Luck's peripheral attention.

The first approached inhumanly fast. He jabbed forward, thrusting with his sword, too far. Luck slipped into his guard and threw a fist at his face. The Familiar Bond allowed him to pull it off with ease, but Luck sensed he could've managed without. The wolfen recoiled with a bloody snout, grasping it in pain. The next instant a sword came for his shoulder and he was forced to back off. The wolfen growled and the une tiled his head lower. They advanced together.

Luck sprinted forward with enhanced speed. Phantom swings outlined in blue played across his vision but he had already seen them coming. The wolfen aimed for his shoulder vertically, while the une went horizontal. He dodged, ducking below and aside shoulder checking the wolfen, slamming him into the wall. A little brute force unsuspected went a long way. He cocked his shoulder back and cracked his elbow across the wolfen's snout, knocking teeth and blood out. Disabled instantly. He slid down the wall and his sword clattered to the floor.

"What the hell." The une whispered in unish. There was caution in his step, much more dangerous than the usual hesitation, as he prodded closer.

His swordplay was of some skill. He managed to push Luck away with the threat of his sword, but he saw through him the next instant. His leg swept out below the une's lithe form and the thug fell forward into the crook of his elbow as Luck slipped behind him like a snake. He tightened like a boa and the une jerked at his neck. He fell to the floor unconscious.

The other side had noticed him and began to approach. They were yelling now, having seen him knock all their friends out. "Should've learned from what you just saw." Luck shook his head. The woman was still fending off the wolfen man. He was having trouble, having expected more hands.

Three more. Luck deflected the first, tripping and pushing him behind him, out of the way for now. The second was dodged and he gave him a sharp jumping kick to the stomach, sending him groaning to the floor. The third growled cautiously. He rolled forward and shot off the ground straight at Luck. His sword was coming at an angle but Luck had moved too, he slammed the wolfen's torso between his elbow and knee, horizontal as he was. He coughed blood and Luck stomped on his sword hand. The first one charged Luck knocking the air out of him and they threw down to the floor. Luck got his legs around the thug's shoulder and pulled on his arm, pushing and tightening his thighs. He heard a pop and the wolfen screamed. Luck released him and the crook held his arm on the floor groaning in pain. Luck kicked him in the head, knocking him out.

Six bodies lay broken and unconscious around him.

The leader gaped at him but quickly regained his bearings.

"Who are you? How did you?" The woman was distractedly staring at Luck. "You're nothing but a young man!"

The wolfen reached for her at that moment. Immediately, pillars of earth slammed into the wolfen's side and held him there. The sidestreet was gritty and damp, more humid than anywhere he had walked in the city before. His feet splashed in a shallow puddle reflecting a proud water tower above, no doubt leaking a small amount.

"You just harassing passerby, buddy?" Luck spat, smiling and taunting. The wolfen wore ruffled clothes, probably from being thrown down by the woman initially. He adjusted the wolfen's leathers as he struggled, suspended a foot off the ground by the two huge pillars. "There, presentable."

"Who are you? Do you work for the Coterie?" He growled, spittle shooting into the damp floor.

"Ma'am, who is this guy?" Luck asked, looking the wolfen up and down, trying to decide whether or not he liked his outfit. It was nothing but a strange amalgamation of leathers, not even cut nicely. He was curious about the collar. His hand gripped the wolfen's neck strongly, tilting his head left and right. "He doesn't look that well dressed so he loses my respsect."

"H-he's probably a slaver. All of them probably are. Mage slavers. Looking for mages on their way to the Practitioner's Coterie Exams. My son comes with me outside the walls sometimes. Big groups. He has an affinity with two of the elements. They must've been after him." The wolfen growled at that. Luck nodded, forcing his head back and away from the woman. The collar was actually quite nice.

Luck stepped and crossed his arms. The bodies were strewn about. Some had dirtied fur, muddied in the puddles of the sidestreet. The une's silver horn stood out against the ground. The cevao were the most colorful, their happy hues at contrast with the deed they tried committing.

Luck began to drag the unconscious together in a pile. He paused in his movement, instead taking a breath and focusing on everything around him. He talked to the woman, a turquoise crystal as the crooks slid across the ground seemingly by themselves. The earth itself seemed to cradle their bodies. "Mages are more valuable I'm guessing." She nodded at him. "There are larger streets to take. Why this one?" He asked.

She glanced at the wolfen who was still suspended. "Traffic."

"Is that magic, mister?" The son squeaked, wide-eyed at the usage Luck employed.

"Earth magic, Reten. With fine control too." She said. "I'm Pyrel. Are you part of the Practitioners Coterie?"

Luck smiled softly at the child, the kid's features were glowing and he was turquoise just like his mom. He turned back to the mother. "Just another citizen, ma'am. I've only just gotten to the city myself, but I was interested in the Coterie. I was unaware they were holding exams today." He raised an eyebrow.

"Tonight actually at Mainhelp, but I see. A pilgrim then?" She sighed. "Every citizen of Ardun is capable of handling themselves. So every criminal that tries their luck in the city knows their own strength and those of an average citizen. They don't turn to this life in this city without knowing what's in store."

"I imagine they don't, Pyrel. Are you a mage yourself?" He asked, the unconscious thugs finally finding each other.

"A weak affinity to Fire, but nothing more. Nothing worth acting upon." Her eyes lightened up though. "My husband, though. He is a mage through and through. The Coterie is secretive and inclusive and mysterious, but they don't keep people from their families. They're a good group, no matter the speculation. My husband is the honest sort, like bedrock, a lie would never get past him. Whatever secrets the Coterie keeps are rightfully theirs to keep."

"And Ardun's laws of self-defense?" Luck's stare was cold looking at the thugs on the floor.

"The law is clear on the worst crimes. Rape, murder, slavery. The lives of criminals that practice in any of these are immediately forfeit. Their cases can be argued if their victims wills it, there are many reasons any person turns to one thing. Though still, they end up dead more often than not." She shivered.

"Well Pyrel, you and Reten should probably be on your way. You might get there late." Luck gestured out of the sidestreet, small enough to be an alley really. He frowned staring down at the crooks. "I'll catch up with you." He remembered, "Oh, Luck Lockyer by the way - that's my name."

She looked at him and the crooks before nodding quickly. "Of course, of course. Reten, come on dear. Thank you, Luck. We will see you in a few minutes then." They quickly shuffled out of the sidestreet but Luck's amber was glued to the people on the floor.

A drop of fresh water dripped from above, landing with a splash on top of his forehead before sliding down his face. He sighed. "Even here, huh?" He wiped the water away and got to work.

Several minutes later he was on the lookout for a pair of turquoise cevao. Instead of the streets, he was traversing the rooftops, climbing between buildings and ledges and windows with ease. It was degrees easier to move across Ardun like this, though it didn't look like the people of the city stuck much to the rooftops. The buildings at times were too far apart from each other to be a reasonably safe jump, for Luck it didn't matter, but all the same.

He wanted to take this exam for himself. Earth and Nature alone might be of note, not to mention his high affinity with both. From what he heard, joining the Coterie might allow him better advancements in magic and not only that but they help the city in other ways too. Armed with their symbol alone, he could venture out of Ardun and search for his family, if they're not here already.

He had been glancing at the pendant all day as he'd been exploring the city. It was miles in either direction but Luck's stupid stamina levels allowed him to move across the city without tiring. And in every spot, the motes were always east, towards Krukon's Forest and south towards Snake's Way. This was true as close to the walls as he could get as well. The one in the south was recent development and the rest of the motes pointed close by, toward Tate.

He gripped the pendant, a whirlwind of emotions rushing through him. He closed his eyes to calm himself. Who was in Krukon? The giant ape that scaled the walls came from there. And Snake's Way? Guild Master Freeze mentioned the last breach was from an enormous boa decades ago. One large enough to slither over the very walls of Ardun.

His eyes landed on them, dominating the view in every direction, just past the buildings and the bustle of the citizens below. They didn't so much as loom over the city as they did rise above it, reaching for the sky. Great off-white bastions of protection. They blurred in the distance even though they encompassed the view, such was their span. He could barely see anything upon them, but his enhanced eyes might've betrayed small ant-like shapes patrolling their length. He saw no method of even climbing the walls so he assumed there was some internal passage throughout.

He reached Mainhelp.

He stood at the edge of the nearest building, surveying the plaza. There were no more rooftops to jump to. He spotted Saga coming up on his left and nodded to him wordlessly. They had seen each other a handful of times among the rooftops, it had always been a generous distance, however, none had felt the need to meet up. On the rooftops, tannish brown or light grey, it looked like a desert if you discounted the noise and life below.

"Tired already?" He quipped, stroking matte green Saga's coat. The shar had leaped quietly from a nearby building.

There are many scents in the city, Amber Eyes. A few vendors offered me food. Saga nudged Luck's hip with his head in greeting.

"It's a magnificent place, isn't it?"

Truly. But everything is new to me, Amber Eyes. I feel like, still, I am just a kitten. There are many things for me to know, to learn, that I never thought of before. It is the bond, I know. My mind is larger than it has ever been.

He nodded peacefully, sitting on the edge of the building. You already have some of my amber too - in your eyes. And I've become stronger, quicker, faster. I can see farther than ever and at night to some extent.

Then we are both Amber Eyes. He made a noise, chuckling. There was a pause as even Saga took in the sights and sounds, and likely the smells of the plaza below. Who knew I'd ever the need to wander and think? Just... think, nothing more. Just that.

We all do, from time to time. He recalled earlier. Everyone copes differently, for whatever it is you're coping with. For you, it is a lot to process and you now have a mind to do just that.

Saga purred quietly. And you, Amber Eyes? What of your family? Are we to venture out again? I have no qualms leaving this city. The support was immediate, genuine, and without motive.

He smiled at his friend, truly touched. I trust them to make it here. But if they don't by the time I'm able to go to them, then that's what I'm going to do. Thank you, Saga. For always being here.

It is nothing. You would have done the same if the roles were reversed. But the shar share no family ties as humans do. He pondered that. I know what your family means to you through our bond yet I share nothing of the sort towards my own. Only vague memories already forgotten.

He blinked. You were somewhere before the Forest of the Drowned? Before us? I thought... I don't know what I thought.

Yes. I was brought from somewhere, but Amber Eyes I have no ties there, and I loathe to speak or remember it. My time there I had not fully comprehended until recently and even then I didn't want to relive it. It is the same as why you do not speak of your own time previous to our bond.

It was true. He had never spoken those events out loud. Not even to Saga or Ace who had been there for them. It seemed like both had sensed he had to figure it out himself. I understand, Saga. But if I need to talk I know you're here. And you know I'm here for you too.

Saga yawned, baring teeth. Of course, Amber Eyes.

"Wanna rest with Evodim for a bit?" Luck chuckled, noticing the shar's drowsiness. A lot of food would do that to anyone.

Saga nodded blearily. Luck pulled on the tether of his dimensional room. It was tied to him, everpresent. A safe place, that exuded calm and security to him. There was a time it had been dormant but an exertion of his will called it into existence. He opened the portal below the shar and closed it the next second. There were no eyes on the rooftops. His earth sense didn't pick up anything, and Spirit's own analysis as seen by the A.R. overlay agreed. Not that anyone would know what they saw in the first place.

He made his way down the building. He descended between buildings into an alley. He allowed a few people to pass below him before he dropped down, the earth itself cushioning his fall even as he spiraled to disperse the shock. Walking out of the alley, he melded into the crowd. The heat of the sun was less now, being later in the day. Although, the sweltering heat from the crowd didn't lessen at all. Understandable, given the pure mass. Even here, vendors lined the buildings, some looked extremely wealthy and those were the owners of the houses on the perimeter of the plaza. Business was good here apparently. Luck pulled on the aspect of the heatblind, cooling himself, as he moved through the crowd as it poured into the plaza. He threw his hands in his pockets and checked out the goods or free samples the vendors hired kids to hand out as he made his way towards the towering spire in the middle of the large place.

From the conversations around him he was able to pickup the general tidings.

A black-eyed clawed man pointed towards the spire. "Mainhelp's over there pilgrim. They'll get you situated if you're not already. Pilgrims get directed there but even Ardun's normal citizenry have business there time to time."

"What's the significance?" Luck asked, stopping to talk. The random individual had just seen him walking and inferred his reasons. Though he wasn't trying to be particularly innocuous about his gaping.

"It houses a Bank of Aerae, for one. And the Soldier's Guard, to name a few. Ardun's powerful meet there and discuss city happenings. That's the place of the city treasury too. Items or Artifacts retrieved from City-Wide Quests and the like. It's the plaza itself that's the attraction. Ardun's events are hosted here and the best vendors congregate around this area." The man was gruff but amiable, having turned from another group of people. "Not to mention the major guilds that are based right around this square. The Adventurer's Guild you'll know for sure."

That was noted. "I'm actually looking for my friends, said they were interested in the fighter's guild, food, and sparring. But I'm also looking for the Coterie Exams." Luck returned the amiability, his posture open and casual as the crowd moved past him.

He looked over across the plaza, even with the din of the people around him he could hear shouting and cheers. "That over there would be most likely. Every week, or if someone's throwing one, there's a sparring tournament. Ardun's fighting guilds are sure to be there. Likewise, the vendors know who's the most hungry in this square. They'll be there too. " He continued. "As for a mage, the exams are free entry and the line is stupidly long, but they're on the opposite side of the plaza." He shook his head and his black eyes stood out more.

Luck thanked the man. He shrugged saying he was returning the favor from someone who helped him. It was a cultural thing according to Spirit.

The entrance to Mainhelp was guarded by two men on either side of the large arch. The sheer height of the structure was daunting. They let Luck pass without hassle after a quick glance and he realized the guards were almost his height and a half. They hadn't even twitched as he walked in.

Rich looking people darted in and about between the many counters lined in a semi-circle on Luck's right. The second he walked in, silence. It was like the magic of a library, but Luck turned back to the door briefly wondering if there was truly some magic in play. He couldn't hear the outside at all. The guards looked at him, somehow sensing his gaze, and he turned back inside.

Marble floor, shining despite the many feet that walked across it. Black lines, like lightning, seemed to stretch across the entirety. There was a ceiling, Luck noticed. Which made sense, this entire spire wasn't a single floor. And the half-circle on his right, rather than being directly in front of him as he entered was a nod to the left side of the spire being used for something else.

This was the bank he realized. But he suspected the other side was what he needed to get to.

"Excuse me? Where's the way to the Solder's Guard? I need to report an incident." The teller at the window wasn't any race he had seen before but he looked away from his work to point. Luck followed his gesture to the opposite end from the entrance. "Thank you." He said, getting out of the way of the line.

The opposite half of the bottom floor was similarly decorated. Marble and pristine. There seemed to be a more urgent and pressing air about the room, even more noticeable given the library-like ambiance of the banking side. There didn't seem to be a uniform among the soldiers but he did recognize a symbol they all shared somewhere on their outerwear. A ray of sunshine piercing the clouds. It didn't take Luck long to find someone to speak to.

Luck quickly and succinctly summarized the events he witnessed and the seven unconscious people buried in the street up to their necks. A pair of soldier-guards were listening and the one Luck talked to needed only to nod to them for them to be on their way.

He departed, taking note of the lack of stairs he had observed. His eyes roamed the decor, noticing the etchings of gods or goddesses along the marble walls, grandiose and mural-like. So the city was of some artistic capability. He was loathe to leave but he had already agreed with the group previously to meet up. Luck's guess was that they were at the sparring tournament.

Maxworth happened to be in the ring by the time Luck got there. There were some sour faces but the majority were cheering and yelling as Luck broke to the front of the crowd. He saw Ace at the opposite end with Erok and Nayah as he pushed to get there.

Maxworth's opponent was a smaller person. Unlike his metallic frame, she had small horns and powerful legs. A long tail, oddly purposeful, kept her balanced as she ducked and weaved below Maxworths spinning kicks and lower sweeps.

Luck was just thinking he'd have just grabbed her tail, controlling its position by forcing the woman to the left or right when Maxworth did just that. The motion was eerily controlled. His leg came down, pivoted, and the opponent dodged left, while Maxworth's other leg came around to lock her tail under his knee. From there, Maxworth forced her down and she tapped out. He was surprised to see that gesture, but nonetheless, it worked.

Luck put his hand on Ace's shoulder to announce himself. "We don't really think of tails in a fight do we?"

Ace grinned turning. "No, but who knows? Can't chat Lucky. I'm up next." He quickly made his way through the crowd, patting Maxworth with a grin as he passed.

"Ah! Druid, you're back." Erok rumbled, noticing him. He immediately offered one of many fried morsels he held. "Please."

Luck chuckled, eyeing Nayah who had as much food as Erok. "I've already eaten. But did you two participate in the tournament?"

"It is not real combat, or for training. The Rhoride do not fight for reward. Well, not always. A roken in the tournament is not fair in any case." He chuckled. "I have seen my share of mock fights and glory fighting. Participated even."

There was still a lot to Roken society Luck hadn't figured out. Less so of Erok's actual group, the Rhoride Hammers. "And I'm guessing you're just enjoying the show Nayah?"

"Ah, I'm participating actually." She said slowly. Luck blinked. "It's a safe practice. And I need the experience."

He nodded tilting his head back and forth. "True, true. Well best of luck to you."

"Luck, sir." Maxworth said shortly. "Will you be joining us?" He gestured. "The combatants here are quite interesting. Some of these people neither I or Erok have ever seen. Though he seems to be less enamored than I."

"Although I'm quite confident I could win this tournament, " Luck joked, "I've decided to check out the Practitioner Coterie Exams on the opposite end of Mainhelp. I just had to pop in to find you all and let you know beforehand."

Nayah grimaced at the mention of the Coterie. Luck wasn't blind to the attraction of power. He'd be the first to guess that one of the groups that take advantage of the Illuse happen to be present in the city.

"Perhaps we'll stop by once the tournament here is over. I believe I saw the examinees. It was no small amount." Maxworth added.

They said their goodbyes. There wasn't anything really keeping any of them together except for the adventure and struggles they shared on their way here. Nearly a month of time spent traveling. Perhaps that was enough though, because no matter what he said, he was the one that felt he needed to let them know of his comings and goings. He hadn't really ever thought of them real friends, and truly, he really hadn't the slightest idea of who they really were. He knew Erok was steadfast and appreciative of strength and skill. Maxworth was quiet, skiiled, deadly, and analytical, observant but above all curious. Nayah was nervous at most things, in awe of more, but she had a quiet strength she pulled on to face things no one else who lived her life could've.

Luck whistled his thoughts away as he came rounded the other side of Mainhelp. Again, he still hadn't found out whether the name referred to the spire itself or the spacious plaza around it. He stared upwards for a moment before tracking down the exam area.

It wasn't hard.

There were gouts of flame and sparkles. Sparkles, yes. The fire and perhaps some of the twisting vines he could have prepared himself for. The globs of dark goo flying around, people wreathed in water, or simply floating a few feet off the ground. A man held back a man twice his size.

It was of note to mention the oddity of the words "man" and "woman." It was enough to catch Luck's musings even during watching the magic cast upon the open ground. The words directly related to a male or female counterpart of any race in his mind. Most languages didn't have a reference to gender like English did.

So he saw the smaller man, who was in actuality some other race Luck couldn't know, push a larger man, again, this time he could see the man was a wolfen, several feet backward. The wolfen nodded, however, dusting off his hands. The smaller man had details about him though, it was likely he was some dwarven archetype. He couldn't say he knew exactly what a dwarf was, but there were as many, if not more than the varieties of humans Spirit had acquainted Luck with.

It was a very large field. It was relatively small compared to the entire plaza, but nonetheless, Luck deemed it large. It was simple dirt, but compared to the rough and trodden packed dirt of the rest of the plaza he found it odd. It was too uniform, too neat. Magic? The people occupying the field weren't nearly as uniform. Many of the mages, Luck didn't exactly know the technical term for someone who uses magic, walked off sadly. He thought this was some kind of practice but apparently, they were already being examed. He could vaguely see a few figures on the far side of the field lined up with most mages. Proctors perhaps?

Luck smiled softly, feeling the connection to nature inside of him. The glimmer of the moment - him, just being. The strength of his legs and the ground below him, the foundation of mountains. Nature, Time, and Earth. It was almost as if he was flexing his mana, that raw potential that overlayed his physical being. And not only that, his muscles flexed tighter than he remembered he could, his body feeling looser, his senses sharp. He felt... dangerous. In a way, he hadn't ever before.

And he wasn't even holding a gun.

There wasn't so much a line than there was a bustling crowd of people both young and old, grim or eager, pushing forward. He slipped through easily, years of moving in city crowds coming back to him. The weapons, swords, bows, and daggers were new to his experience. He expected something of the sort, however, but there were definitely more exotic weaponry among the crowd. Colorful staves held in the hands of frail men. A gray sword that seemed to hum with holes cut into its very blade, like swiss cheese. More oddities among them, there were few, but everywhere they were it was as if they had their own space. A une, holding two swords against his hip, glanced at Luck with disdain.

It looked like there was definitely some type of competitive spirit in the air. But weren't mages rarer than this?

An announcer whom he couldn't see called out among the crowd. "Next examinees be ready and find a proctor across the field! Adventurers vying for their next badge, for the last time, clear the Coterie's exam field!" The voice became exasperated towards the end if not a tad mad.

The announcer repeated the last statement to the rhythm of heavy footsteps and jangling weaponry. Many of the people he saw with weapons had outright left. Even some of the people he was sure were mages had walked off. In actuality, there was an extremely crowded mass of people, packed to the brim, farther down the plaza. He heard someone faintly yelling about rules for the people present there. That left alone him with only a dozen or so people. It was as if a cloud of dust had settled among the leaving crowd and everyone took long looks at each other. There were haughty people, scoffing at the competition, silent types, confident and sure postures, Luck saw a few interesting demeanors. He caught some his way as well. Simply because his outward reaction was curiosity and confidence. Only a handful of this dozen moved towards a proctor.

He spotted Pyrel and Reten and made his way over upon seeing the familiar blue faces. "Nice to see you again." He grinned, getting their attention. He was glad to see them doing well, not shaken that much.

"So you've made it!" Pyrel smiled, "Much easier when the adventurers leave to actually see the field."

"Yeah, I was under the assumption mages weren't as common as what I was seeing." Luck chuckled, gesturing around. "Turns out I was right." His amber eyes languidly assessed the competition. There was a lot to see in someone's body language and though Omnilingual didn't necessarily count it as an actual language Luck could've taught it at an advanced level.

"Gods and goddesses above, you won't find that many mages in one place anywhere." She exclaimed. "I'm not sure the exact statistics but I think it something like five to seven percent of people have the talent. Of course, that varies between races as well."

"What's the test then?" Luck asked, "Has anyone passed yet?" He saw four individuals meet in the field with a proctor for each of them. They were only talking right now so perhaps the terms of their test were unique for the individual or proctor.

"Not yet." Pyrel said gently, stroking Reten's hair. "The Coterie is strict. Even in Ardun where talent blooms and the hardiest of folks thrive there is rarely an entrant into their ranks. The exam can be anything they're looking for." She shook her head. "Not many people are happy with that but they can't argue the effectiveness of the organizations as a whole."

"And the benefits of being a member?" Luck asked skeptically.

It was Reten who answered almost immediately. "Are many." His boyish voice was stoic as if he were already preparing himself mentally for the exam.

A voice that he vaguely recognized intoned behind him. "They say the System grants the Practioner Coterie exclusive Quests too. That much is speculation though. But as the boy said, wealth, power, and influence is a shallow viewing of the benefits." It was a wolfen in smooth blue robes. His eyes, like many of the wolfen, were beady, as he assessed Luck with a huff. Roth if Luck wasn't mistaken. "I can't say I'm surprised you're here, pilgrim. A mage like yourself probably made the trek specifically for the exam."

He was one of the few that fired upon the group in the Zones. "Roth, right?" The wolfen nodded. "And Mark? Where is he?" The lack of his companions was noticeable. The other one Luck couldn't remember the name of but Mark was one of the hostages. "Is he not also trying to join the Coterie?"

"Mark has little interest for the Coterie, though I dare say his magic exceeds their expectations. Besides, the frost drake's blessing upon him is of higher concern to Magice." He talked as Luck noticed an approaching proctor. A glance at the field showed many of the examiness just waiting around. "Is your mage companion not also vying for the Coterie?"

"He's at the fighter's tournament. I believe his interest lies in physical combat for now. But the man's never been known to stick with something for long. He's someone with many hobbies, you see." Luck explained.

"So he practices both magic and body. Much like Mark." He responded with an approving nod.

The proctor that came up to their group of four was a wide man. Stout and steady. And that was odd given his smooth purple skin and lithe features. It didn't match, but there was perhaps something working for him because Luck didn't outright detest his style. The robes upon his shoulders were emblazoned with a tome flipping through its pages as if by an invisible wind. He wore deep colors and Luck might've gambled on their hue denoting their field of magic. What changed between proctors were the cut of their clothes rather, and they even didn't all wear robes, though the clothes did seem popular.

This particular proctor wore tan-grey robes. Their inherent light coloring somehow more vast and full of depth than Luck could reasonably puzzle. He addressed them all as a group. "All of you here to take the exam?" The man's smile was as powerful as his voice. His teeth were sharp and clean.

"We are!" Reten said boldly. Only now did Luck realize the little crystal kid held a sword on his hip. Just like his mother.

"Not me, sir. I only accompany my son." Pyrel smiled gently.

The mage laughed heartedly, a sign of genuine mirth after such a long day that Luck suspected he had. "A brave child. He might stand a chance then!" He crossed his arms and nodded at the group. "I feel good about you all. I do. No magic of my own needs to tell me. I need only my gut! Haha! But that's always what my gut tells me on the very last batch cause it knows it gets to eat right after!"

The man snapped. Luck would've missed everything if he blinked. The swirling colors, the bending and warping of space itself. Lights flashed, of color and not, across his vision taking portions of his view and mixing them. His mind felt as if it was being jostled and jerked. His stomach flew off somewhere as it dropped through him. It happened in the span of a second.

And then he was standing in a large room.

A man cut in leathers stood calmly in the center. "You've all been transported to the Coterie's testing grounds." He echoed out to the seven people surrounding him. "Everyone will be tested here today. The field outside is but an illusion cast by one of our senior members. We have the pleasure of having the company of one of the Practitioner Coterie's acclaimed Wizards in Adrun this exam. That is how you've been transported here."

He droned on and Luck glanced around the room. His earth sense spotted traps within the floors but nothing to trigger them. His connection to nature gave him nothing, however. Small insects and beetles crawled around, some spiders hiding in their webs in the traps.

He didn't need to ask Spirit before information began springing up around the room. The distance to the speaker - fifty feet. The diameter of the room - one hundred feet. The spaces each person occupied. Nothing stood out from simple appearance. The other men and women around him stood calmly. One was anxiously on all fours pacing about, he seemed almost tiger-like. Another was dark as the stars as if his very eyes belonged in space. That man was slowly inching back into the wall, nearly disappearing if Luck's eyesight wasn't partly night-vision thanks to Saga. Some were already flaunting their power, though whatever the exam was had yet to be revealed.

The man speaking continued. "This room is where your test shall be conducted. A talented mage might know his craft inside and out but the best mages are those that know themselves. The best of you have the most flexible minds and wills but admittance to the Coterie is not something taken lightly."

His next words were delivered with gravity. "It is entirely possible you will die during the test. You may leave now if that is what you wish." The man held eyes, slowly turning around the room.

Luck looked around at the others. For him, and especially here in Aerae, that was every day. He didn't go anywhere without knowing he could protect himself. That was something he always had lived with. His life was always in his hands and there wasn't anyone else he'd more trust it to.

The man turned to him and held his eyes but Luck only looked on languidly. The man did nothing more than nod at Luck. He finished his rotation. "Then allow me to introduce myself. I am Jayeke, your proctor, and Sorcerer ranked Domain mage."

Data typed itself out in Luck's peripheral. A domain mage is one who exerts control over an area. Their magic is extremely niche and at higher levels can even alter reality in their domain to an extent. The laws of the world are overwritten in the domain of the individual. Many of these mages are self-sufficient given a way to sustain their mana and often are secluded by choice from the world. They are easily the most defensible of magical practitioners and have been known to build fortresses and castles to live in for themselves.

He laughed and his voice was much closer than it should've been. "I see many of you recognize my magic, though I doubt any have ever witnessed it." Many of the confident mages in the room seemed to be frowning. Luck did as well. "Yes, as you may have guessed. You are all entirely encompassed within my domain. As such, you can be sure I am overqualified to proctor your exams. But indeed this means I am also quite able to give you one of the best assessments of any other proctor."

Luck's posture stayed lax and his face bored as the whisper came, harsh and sudden. Inexplicably right behind his ear. "So those of you with a tough front can abandon them here." The man wasn't even looking at Luck. He was facing the opposite side of the room and a man to Luck's left jumped, startled. He smirked though, wondering if the Jayeke could pick up his smug expression.

Luck, on the other hand, hadn't sensed anything with his Earth magic so he likewise didn't react to the scare tactic. That and Luck was trained his entire life to hide every tell and tic. He was constantly feeling the mana in the air, trying to get a sense of it like in the Frozen Zones. He couldn't. As Jayeke turned around he gave Luck a raised eyebrow, a subtle gesture that Luck made out. It seemed he earned his attention at least. Anything to stand out from the rest was good he reasoned.

"There aren't many proctors capable of it, but I rather favor the idea of testing you all at once." He said. He was still clearly visible in the middle but Luck wondered if that was even real. "You won't be required to do anything in particular but I will be watching every single one of you. In my domain I see everything and control everything." It was as if the room got closer, darker and more personal.

He became more lighthearted as he finished. "So, the test is this,"

"Survive."