In the northern section of the lowest level of the city, vapor hung in heavy sheets. Droplets from the waterfall coated Aerith and Tim as they crossed into the central plaza. From the waterfall flowed a river that crashed into the Kaski no Iwafune before emptying into the lake. Tim marveled at the gleaming metal pillar that rose up from the depths of the lake. The surface of the ancient column was twisted and warped, covered in waves like the surface of the ocean.

“So he really did bring fire down from the heavens.”

“Hum, what?”

“Oh, just remembering something I heard once,” Muttered Tim.

Down near the lake at the bottom of the basin, the air was heavy and thick. Flying insects nipped and annoyed. The faint stench of sewage runoff hung in the air. The lake had grown too polluted to trust any fish caught there. People relied on mountain rivers for fresh water, letting all their waste flow into the lake.

Haze caught the late afternoon sun and gave everything a glowing golden aura. People danced, drank and made merry. Entertainers sang and set off magic to the applause of the crowd. Tim leaned against the stone railing and took it all in. Aerith took her place beside him and started talking softly.

“How’s work going for you?”

“It’s kind of boring. The emperor gave us an order for 25,000 rings of protection. So we are grinding those out. Although it’s pissed off the manager, she thinks that the kingdom is trying to bankrupt the AG just to get to me.”

“Twenty-five… thousand? That’s insane. I bet there aren’t even that many rings of protection in existence. I’m sure the Empire nearly bankrupt themselves with that order. Wait. Get to you…” Aerith reached up and grabbed onto Tim’s brown jacket gently. Her eyes deeply gazed into his. She realized what the empire had intended. “How long before they take you away? Is there any chance to escape before?”

Tim looked at her plain face and smiled faintly. “I, uh, think we will complete the order ahead of time.” Tim reached up and placed his hand on hers. They both turned red, Aerith looked away first. “Yeah, I’ve been enchanting almost a thousand rings a day. I’ve been doing ten a time. I might be able to do more if I had more fingers.”

As both awkwardly looked away light shown upwards from the plaza and refracted through the mist.

“Oh a double rainbow, no it’s a triple.”

“Those light spells, that’s a form of divine magic.” She pointed at the entertainer shining rays into the mist creating an array of rainbows.

“There are a few people who can use both divine and arcane magic. But those who can, teach us that arcane magics reach out into the space around our world. It directs the energies from outside and inside to affect the material world. But with divine magics, they call miracles from the heavenly realm. They draw upon the will and knowledge of the gods to work.”

“Knowledge?”

“Like any basic priest can call forth a healing spell. But do they know how to heal a body like a doctor? Not usually. Then how does the magic know how to put the body back together? It’s the knowledge of the divine realm that is healing them. But of course, if the spell is being worked by someone who knows medicine, it improves the effect because their knowledge is added to the divine, concentrating it where is needed the most. That is how Sasano was able to help your young friend. He’s a really good doctor, but he also has the divine gift.”

“How do you know so much about divine magic?”

“Because I can use it.” Aerith turned away.

“But you’re not allowed to now?”

“No, not anymore. When my father opened a clinic, he borrowed money from Yukizie. He thought he could pay it off. But he just kept getting in deeper and deeper in debt. They raised the interest rate and forced him to sell off all his stock at a loss. Then they worked him to death…”

“I’m so sorry.”

“The clinic went to me after he passed. I tried to run things better, but his thugs came by and took all my money. It was only a few months before I had to close up. I tried to pay things off by providing door to door services… But they convinced someone to testify to the Yoriki that I was using the wrong spells. The kind that did more harm than good. The Yoriki said that if I was caught trying to heal anyone, that I’d be arrested. I don’t know why Yukizie would do that. Wouldn’t it make sense to have me repay him? It’s like he only wants to hurt my family. I can’t do anything to survive… I barely get to eat. I can’t get married because they’d force my husband to take on the debt. There’s no hope. It’s only a matter of time before I follow my father onto the next life.” Tears poured down her cheeks and joined the river that cascaded into the lake.

Tim wrapped his arm around her and hugged her close. She tried pushing him away and pounded on his chest with her delicate hands. But he held on tighter.

“Why are you so nice to me? You buy me lunch every week. Not that I’m ungrateful. But why? But don’t you think that I’m after your money? I’ll never be able to pay you back. I’m just an ugly waste. Worthless. And getting involved with me will only drag you down. I’ll be a stone around your neck.

“Don’t ever say such horrible things,” Tim whispered. Aerith melted in his secure embrace.The dam breached and pent up emotions flowed out in heaving sobs. Passersby shot Tim disappointed looks at the perceived lover’s quarrel.

After a while, Aerith exhausted herself enough to calm down. She pushed herself away and wiped her nose with her sleeve. Her worn and dirty clothes added another stain to the multitude. She looked at Tim and turned red up to her ears.

“Come on. I want to show you something.”

Aerith hesitantly took Tim's hand and lead him along the western shore of the lake. They wound through the maze of slums and moldy fishing huts. The slums gave way to tall weeds and grass. Wet earth threatened to snatch away their shoes with every step. Birds chased swarms of gnats. Hidden in the marshes was a small dilapidated church, partially sunk and well hidden behind the tall grasses. Thick vines crept along its walls and the roof had collapsed.

Through a hole hidden by thorn bushes, Aerith and Tim snuck into the back of the ramshackle chapel. Inside wooden pews and debris littered the floor. The walls were warped and cracking. In the middle, the floor was missing. From the bare earth flowers grew. Light shimmered down through the broken roof and rippled like a mirage though effervescent leaves. White flowers, some with petals as clear as glass all bent as if bowing to the image of Aamond on the wall.

“It’s beautiful,” said Tim honestly.

“They are. These are called Tears of Aamond.”

“I don’t remember you selling flowers like these.”

“I could never do that. They are simply too wonderful to pick. And even if I did someone would try to steal it, or make me tell them where I got it.”

“Oh, they’re valuable?”

“Yes, you can make health and regenerative potions with them. Plus, they are hard to grow. But they love it here for some reason.”

Tim leaned down and breathed in the sweet honey scent. This is truly a magical place. Just as he was starting to feel at peace the front door cracked open and flew to the ground with a clatter. Two burly thugs darkened the doorway and strode in, swords bound to their hips.

“Looks like we finally caught up with ya lil missy.” The first one sneered through missing teeth. His bald held shined with sweat in the afternoon rays that trickled through the ceiling. “Yous missed a payment. Now if you and your boyfriend hand over everthings yous got we don’t gotta get messy here.”

“Oh hey, Goto, aint that guy gold rank? Maybe we shuldn’t be messing with him.” The smaller goon chipped in.

“Shaddap Makko. All that means is he’s got money. Looks like lil missy found herself a rich one.” Gotto snickered as they approached. The worn wooden floor creaked and threatened to give way under their leather boots.

“Stop!” Aerith ran forward before they could step on the flowers.

Aerith’s shout was met with the back of a hand. A strike swift and well-practiced dropped her to the ground. Goto leaned over her.

“Oh sorry bout that, but you scared me. I couldn’t help myself, it was like… whatcha call it Makko?”

“Self-defense, boss.”

“Yeah, it was like self-defense.” Goto laughed as he drew his sword. “Now as I was sayin’ you twos is goin’ to hand over everything you’ve got.”

He loomed over Aerith. But when she looked up Tim stood before her with his hands in his pockets. Not the least bit intimidated by the armed thugs.

“You imbeciles should know that if you pick a fight with me, you’re picking a fight with the entire guild. When I get back I’ll place a bounty on your heads. Then every adventure in the city will be looking for you.”

“Hey Makko what’s an imbecile?” Goto whispered

“Idunno but it sounds like an insult to me.”

“Could he do that bounty thing?”

“Yes, boss I think he could.”

“Well, I guess we’ll be killin you here then. Can’t go complain when you’re dead!”

“Just what I wanted to hear.”

Aerith screamed as Goto swung his cheap sword. This sword was his oldest friend. It was well worn and well used, but it was sharp and had cut down many. Goto struck and followed through in a motion honed by years of dirty work. However, he didn’t feel the usual resistance and his trusty friend felt lighter in his hand. He looked at Tim who was unmoved and uninjured then at his sword which was shattered and crumbled down to the hilt.

Tim pulled his hand from his pocket. A copper ring was resting beside the silver one that had found a permeant home on his hand. Casually he leaned into Goto and shoved him backward. Normally someone caught off balance would stumble but remain upright. Goto, on the other hand, found his feet bound to the floor. The wooden planks had crept up his legs and held him in place. With nowhere to go but down, Goto fell backward and cracked a board with his hard head.

Makko, having never seen his boss bested, lunged forward with his sword. Only to find his feet unable to move as well. He fell forward, sword first. The iron blade cracked and shattered as it touched the shimmering barrier surrounding Tim. Without resistance he crashed face first onto his boss. The coconut-like sound of their heads colliding secretly delighted Tim.

Before either of the thugs could understand what had happened, the floorboards sprung up and wrapped themselves around the criminals.

“Whu, whu happened Makko?” asked Goto in a daze.

“There there, go to sleep you two.” Tim slipped off the copper ring and pulled a new one from his pocket. He slipped it over the finger on Goto’s bound hand and waited.

“What, what did you do? I feel funny... what did you do to me… what is dat? I… I can…”

“Boss! Boss!”

“Oh don’t worry about him. He’s just suffering from some extreme mana drain from a failed experiment. I do pity the headache he will have when he wakes up.” Tim leaned over Makko, the backlighting casting his face in shadow. His white teeth grinned in the dark. Then it was Makko’s turn.

“Are you ok Aerith?”

“Um, yeah. I think so.” Aerith failed to find her words as relief became confusion. Swords became manacles, and pews became a cart. Before she could process what had really happened she was helping Tim pull the criminals through the wet ground and back to the slums.

“What happened back there?” Aerith finally managed to squeek out.

“For the past few weeks, I have been testing out some accessories I’ve made. After a few iterations, I really think I’ve struck on perfection.” Tim showed off the copper ring. “I am starting to think you could use one, but it might just aggravate the kind of trouble you attract.”

“A… A ring? You want to give me a ring? No, no, we can’t it’s just too soon.” Aerith muttered under her breath.

“What was that?”

“Nothing, no never mind!”

“I’ll think of something I can do for you.”

“You don’t have to…”

A significant amount of attention was accumulated as the two pulled the cart past lines of dirty shacks. Almost every resident turned in to a rubbernecker, but no one dared to get involved. When they arrived at the Yoriki’s office, the only one in the sector, Tim explained the situation to the captain. The captain, shocked to see a gold rank in the slums, took his story without question.

“So what will happen to these two?” Asked Tim.

“We’ll interrogate them. And if they can’t pay their fees or if they have committed previous offense they will be sold off as criminal slaves. No point keeping them locked up if they can work.”

“Really? How much would they sell for?”

“A few gold each I suppose. Depends on their skills and health.”

“Aerith, I think I’m going to change my plans a little. Oh, and captain, let me know when they go up for sale.” Tim placed a few silver on the desk as he walked out of the station