When Bunty released the pedestal, the vision ended. He found himself standing in front of the upgrade station with Gwyneth clinging to his side. The runes covering the upgrade station dimmed, losing their bright white and sapphire shades. Bunty didn’t recall the monolith’s lights lingering during his last upgrade. On looking around, he discovered, dozens of eyes were focused on him. They lingered for a second but looked away as soon as the lights had all faded.

“In Gaia’s name, Bunty!” Gwyneth exclaimed. “What the hell was that?”

“What do you mean?” Bunty asked.

“You just made enough light to alert the entire settlement. I hope it was worth it.”

“It really was.” Bunty struggled to hold back a grin. “I’ve got a new summon slot, can create blades now, and—”

“That man’s been watching us ever since we left the shadows,” Gwyneth said, cutting him off.

Following her eyes, Bunty spotted who she was talking about. The man fidgeted when his eyes met Bunty’s. He wore a sailor’s shirt coat and trousers, all in dark colours. If not for the throngs of sixth-floor dwellers in the hub, he’d stand out. The lack of identifiable house colours or crests didn’t put Bunty at ease, though. It could only mean the individual was a spy or an assassin sent after them. Why else would he be still be staring at the pair so intently?

When the man left his position across the square and started walking towards Bunty, he took Gwyneth’s hand and headed away from him towards the market streets. If the man were alone, Bunty would happily face him. Even though Bunty hadn’t tested his new spells or abilities yet, he was confident that a lone individual wouldn’t be a challenge—unless they had abilities like Edgar’s. He hoped the man’s spirit was just once, at most twice, upgraded. A three-times-upgraded spirit could still access the second interval, but he didn’t think they were important enough to hire an assassin of that level.

At first, Gwyneth tried to keep Bunty from running. His wounds were still healing, after all. Walking at a brisk pace for a long time was enough to make the wound protest and get winded. Bunty felt better than ever, though. He lifted his shirt to check the angry red scab from earlier in the day, but it had already dried and was falling away. In fact, Bunty felt much better than he had in the last couple of weeks.

“That rarely happens!” Gwyneth exclaimed, breathing heavily as Bunty increased the pace. “The spirit used the Core’s excess energy to accelerate your body’s healing.” She paused as they turned a corner into a busy street. The crowds kept them from breaking into a jog but enabled them to blend in with similarly dressed people. “That doesn’t mean you should make a habit of getting hurt, though. I’ll bet its just a one-time thing.” Gwyneth peeked over her shoulder. “He’s still following us.”

“Do you see anyone else, though?” Bunty asked, summoning the gauntlet. His new cloak kept it hidden. “He probably knows this floor well, so getting away from him will be near impossible. We’ll need to face him sooner or later, but I’d like to know how many we’re up against first.”

“I don’t see anyone else yet.”

The pair continued to explore the market. Instead of just continually walking at a brisk pace, they occasionally paused at stalls, pretending to peruse the wares on offer. They were sure the pursuers wouldn’t dare attack in the middle of a crowded street. Fellow climbers would jump to their defence and drive the attacker away. Sooner or later, they’d have to leave the hub, though. So, Bunty started picking paths that lead down streets with fewer people. Eventually, the pair found themselves in a dark alley without another soul in sight.

Once they were far enough within the shadows, Gwyneth summoned her spirit. She had been forced to abandon her spear when they first entered the seventh floor. So, Bunty created a Slimeskin staff and extended a Spiderleg’s tip from the head, forming a spear. The black ink blended into the darkness, becoming almost invisible.

Time warped as Bunty waited for their pursuer appeared. Every passing heartbeat extended to feel like an eternity, and he listened to Gwyneth’s breathing to help keep track of time. The hooded figure passed the alley’s mouth at first, but then circled back a moment later. He stood at the mouth, motionlessly several minutes before entering.

Bunty clutched his axe in his right hand and willed the fountain pen to extend out of the gauntlet. He left the tentacle that connected his spirit to the summon relaxed while wrapping his fingers around the barrel. “Frost Blade,” he whispered under his breath. Slimeskin swelled around the pen before the nib multiplied size until the dimensions matched Bunty’s forearm. The blade grew outwards from the pen’s barrel until the one-third mark. Then it tapered into a deadly point resulting in three points. Bunty had never used a weapon with such a blade before, and it would take some time for him to get used to it. Bunty suspected it would serve best as a thrusting weapon but resolved to explore such ideas later.

The pair stayed low as the stranger headed towards them. Bunty left himself somewhat visible to lure the man in. The pursuer cautiously entered the alley and much to the pair’s relief no one followed him. Bunty waited until the man was within Gwyneth’s attack-spell range before speaking.

“Hold it right there,” Bunty said, keeping the summoned blade and axe hidden. “Why are you following us?”

The man raised his hands into the air, showing that they were empty. “I just want to talk,” he said, continuing to approach the pair. “Your spirit’s signature at the upgrade station gave you away.”

Bunty wasn’t aware that the stone monoliths housed identifying features. They’d need to be extra careful when upgrading Gwyneth’s spirit. “Don’t come any closer.” Bunty raised his voice, raising his gauntleted arm. The Frost Blade spell’s transformation hadn’t just increased the blade’s size but added a light-blue glow to it as well. “I’m not joking mate,” he continued when the man didn’t slow. “Killing fellow Climbers is something I’d rather avoid. If push comes to shove, though, I won’t hesitate.”

The man froze. When he reached into his coat, Bunty fell into a defensive stance. He pulled his right hand back, ready to throw the axe. Now that he had the Frost Blade, throwing his primary weapon was no longer an issue. Bunty’s heart quickened when the man pulled a palm-sized disk out of his pocket. He imagined a multitude of attacks. The DeLawneys knew of hollow spirits after all. There could be an attack spell coming his way.

“I’m from the Free Trade Federation!” The pursuer exclaimed just before Bunty unleashed his attack. “Lydia asked me to find you.”

“Can you give us some light, Gwyn,” Bunty said out loud.

Gwyneth raised her lantern over their heads and let it illuminate the alley. Bunty sighed in relief, realising the frightening disk was the FTF’s compass. The stranger had pulled it out as proof of his identity. Bunty returned the axe to his belt but hesitated before releasing the Frost Blade spell. He did when the man frightfully backpedalled, and as expected, a wave of tiredness washed over him. The Slimeskin and Spiderleg summons drained the inkwell, but the nib fed on his body’s energy. Every spell relied on a resource, of course. He still had enough strength to fight, but he guessed three Frost Blades a day was his current comfortable limit.

“You could’ve taken that off a corpse, so I’m keeping my gauntlet out for now.” Bunty waved Gwyneth out of her hiding spot. She had revealed her position already but had tools to defend herself in case things went south. “How did you find us?”

“The Boleyn family’s former recruiter had your initial spirit’s data,” the man answered. “Lydia bought the information from her. What happened on the fifth floor is no secret, either. She sent me up here to wait for you.” He put the compass away before approaching the pair. “The DeLawneys have spies hanging around looking for the two of you. So, my colleague and I have been watching the gate and the upgrade stations awaiting your arrival. People don’t stay on the sixth floor for long unless their spirits are designed for it.”

Bunty let his muscles relaxed but didn’t dispel the gauntlet. He approached the FTF’s messenger, and Gwyneth followed close behind him. She had held onto the summoned spear, and its shiny black appearance gave off a menacing aura.

“Now that the how is out of the way, perhaps you can fill us in on the why,” Bunty said. “I’m sorry that we ran and then went on the offensive.”

The man chuckled. “It’s fine. To be honest, I expected as much. You’ve got the DeLawneys out for your blood, and the Boleyns aren’t particularly happy with you either.” He got a black, leather-bound book out of his pocket and handed it to Bunty. “This is a map of the interval. We control multiple areas and doors on the eighth and ninth floor. Using them will give you secure passage through the floor and if you get into trouble, fall back to them for backup.”

“Thank you.” Bunty accepted the gift and leafed through the guidebook. It was more detailed than the one from the first interval. The book didn’t just house floor maps but more detailed ones of critical areas, locations controlled by the FTF, and information of powerful creatures roaming the area. “This is going to help a hell of a lot. Thank you.”

“Just doing my job,” the man said. “I’m Marcus Amare Freeman, for the record. It’s nice to meet you, Bunty.” Marcus chuckled again, looking the pair up and down. “In the future, don’t stop and set up an ambush. Most enforcers in this interval will have at least twice upgraded spirits and a lot more experience using them than you. Lydia has told us about your background, and I understand you’re confident in your combat skills. The family enforcers are skilled enough with their spirits to match or crush you, though.” He shook Bunty’s hand and looked him straight in the eye. “If I wanted to kill either of you, I would’ve bought time or kept you in position until my friends got here. Considering the fact you’ve been in the interval for less than a month, your chances of survival would be low to none against two to three experienced enforcers.”

Bunty didn’t know how to react to the warning. When he and Gwyneth looked over their shoulders, Marcus burst out laughing. “It’s just a warning, of course,” he continued. “Next time you’re in such a position, keep running.”

“I don’t know if I’d be out of line asking you for a favour or not, but could you get a message out to my father?” Bunty asked. “He works for the Boleyns, and his life could be in danger.”

Marcus sighed. “New Calcutta’s noble houses are so much worse than the ones on the mainland. The close proximity to Gaia’s power probably goes to their heads.” He withdrew a roll of paper from his pocket and leafed through them until he found a blank piece. “Write down your message, and I’ll pass it down the chain. It should reach him in a couple of days.”

Bunty thanked Marcus and wrote out a short letter. He wanted to get in touch with Kartik too to find out whether he’d made the trade or sale but thought it would be asking too much. Gwyneth guided the lamp to float closer to them, giving him enough light to write.

“Anything else?” Marcus asked when Bunty finished. “Lydia and the chairmen are pleased with your discovery on the first floor and are awaiting more. So, they’re eager to see you grow. We’re keeping an eye on DeLawney movement and will update you whenever you encounter our forces.”

“Could you keep an eye out for a Boleyn party as well?” Gwyneth asked. “We would’ve gotten here sooner if not for the near-fatal injury Bunty suffered at their hands. They might have a couple of DeLawney men in tow.”

“Of course.” Marcus nodded, whipping out a little notebook to take notes. “Any identifying features we can use to recognise them?”

“The arsehole that stabbed him wears a coat made of crimson flower petals and carries a staff with hibiscus flowers on top.” She used the spear as a walking stick, approaching Marcus. “They have a white wolf summon in the party too.”

“Noted,” Marcus replied, scribbling in his notebook. He addressed Bunty as he continued. “I understand you’re affiliated with the Boleyns. Would you like us to treat the party as hostiles? The FTF’s parties don’t wear the company logo—”

“That won’t be necessary,” Bunty said. “It’s one bad apple among former allies.”

“Very well.” Marcus nodded, putting away his notebook. “I’d advise you to buy supplies and get out of the hub as quickly as possible. There are a few DeLawneys around looking out for your black ink and the lantern. Make sure there’s no one following you before venturing towards a door or challenging a significant threat.”

The pair thanked Marcus again before bidding him goodbye. Things weren’t going to be easy, but the FTF’s support gave him hope.